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Massachusetts Institute of Technology


Algorithm helps artificial intelligence systems dodge "adversarial" inputs

A new deep-learning algorithm, CARRL, is designed to help machines build a healthy skepticism of their measurements and inputs. By combining reinforcement-learning algorithms with deep neural networks, researchers created an approach that outperformed standard machine-learning techniques in scenarios with uncertain and adversarial inputs.

SourceMassachusetts Institute of Technology·JournalIEEE Transactions on Neural Networks and Learning Systems·DateMar 7, 2021

Study reveals how egg cells get so big

A new study in fruit flies reveals the process of oocyte growth relies on physical phenomena analogous to gas exchange between balloons. Nurse cells surrounding the larger oocyte dump their contents into it, using a counterintuitive mechanism where air flows from smaller to larger balloons.

SourceMassachusetts Institute of Technology·JournalProceedings of the National Academy of Sciences·DateMar 5, 2021

Chemists boost boron's utility

Researchers have created a boron-containing chemical group that is 10,000 times more stable than its predecessors. This new group, called benzoxaboralone, can be added to compounds to provide desirable attributes such as improved protein-binding strength.

SourceMassachusetts Institute of Technology·JournalProceedings of the National Academy of Sciences·DateMar 3, 2021

Our gut-brain connection

Researchers used an 'organs-on-a-chip' system to model the influence of gut bacteria on brain health and found that short-chain fatty acids can worsen Parkinson's disease. The study suggests a link between lipid metabolism and neurodegenerative diseases, highlighting the complex interactions between the gut and brain.

SourceMassachusetts Institute of Technology·JournalScience Advances·DateJan 29, 2021

To combat false news, correct after reading

Researchers found that fact-checking labels, when attached to online news headlines, are more effective when shown immediately after participants read the headlines. This approach reduced people's misclassification of those headlines by 25.3 percent, compared to 8.6 percent and 5.7 percent with other timing methods.

SourceMassachusetts Institute of Technology·JournalProceedings of the National Academy of Sciences·DateJan 26, 2021

How to get more electric cars on the road

A new study from MIT researchers reveals that installing charging stations on residential streets and adding high-speed charging stations along highways can greatly increase the adoption of electric cars. The findings suggest that making convenient charging options available to people, especially those with limited access to garages or...

SourceMassachusetts Institute of Technology·JournalNature Energy·DateJan 21, 2021