A new model developed by MIT's Andres Sevtsuk can estimate pedestrian journeys and trip distribution, providing a solution for planners and developers to better understand foot traffic in cities. The model uses network analysis and real-world data to calculate pedestrian flows, which can be applied to various urban settings.
Physicists at MIT's LIGO Laboratory have searched for ultralight bosons using black holes, but found no slowdown in their spin. The study rules out the existence of ultralight bosons with masses between 1.3x10^-13 and 2.7x10^-13 electronvolts.
Researchers have developed a robot that combines radio wave sensing with computer vision to locate and grasp occluded objects. RF-Grasp uses radio waves to sense objects even when they're fully blocked from view, enabling efficient fulfillment in warehouses or retrieving lost items.
MIT neuroscientists have identified a brain circuit that stops mice from mating with others showing signs of illness. The circuit, controlled by the amygdala's COApm region, triggers a warning signal to stay away from sick animals.
A new study from MIT-led researchers found that people living in industrialized societies have gut bacteria that swap genes at much higher rates. This phenomenon occurs more frequently due to specific diets and lifestyles, potentially leading to intestinal health issues.
Researchers at MIT have created synthetic mucins with a polymer backbone that mimic the structure and function of naturally occurring mucins, effectively neutralizing the bacterial toxin that causes cholera. This breakthrough could lead to new treatments for infectious diseases and potentially less resistance to antibiotics.
Researchers at MIT have developed a technique for imaging biological samples with accuracy of 10 nanometers using an ordinary light microscope. The new hydrogel-based approach improves upon previous versions, enabling high-resolution images without expensive equipment.
Researchers at MIT have discovered three ways bubbles form and release from porous electrodes, which can be controlled by adjusting surface treatment. The team found that the wettability of the surface is crucial in determining bubble formation, allowing for precise control over system performance.
Researchers at MIT have developed a novel electrolyte that overcomes chemical reactions hindering metal electrode use in lithium-ion batteries. This breakthrough could lead to significantly improved capacity and cycle life, enabling new applications like long-range drones and robots.
Researchers have developed xylem filters made from native trees that can remove bacteria and viruses from contaminated drinking water, showing promise as a community-based solution. The filters can be fabricated using simple techniques and have been tested in India, demonstrating their effectiveness in real-world situations.
A recent study reveals a 97% decline in lithium-ion battery costs over the last three decades, driven by rapid growth of electric vehicles and renewable energy. This rate of improvement is comparable to that of solar photovoltaic panels.
MIT researchers develop a deep-learning algorithm to optimize sensor placement on soft robots, allowing them to better interact with their environment and complete assigned tasks. The algorithm learns the most efficient sequence of movements and identifies the most important particles to improve performance.
MIT researchers develop a vaccination strategy that creates an army of T cells ready at the respiratory tract's mucosal surfaces, boosting immune responses. The approach uses albumin proteins to ferry vaccines across mucosal barriers, offering a quicker response to viral invaders and potential treatment for lung cancer.
A team of researchers has identified two complex PAHs in the Taurus Molecular Cloud, a patch of space where stars are not yet forming. This discovery suggests that these molecules can form at much lower temperatures than expected, potentially leading to new insights into planet formation.
Researchers developed a system using wireless sensing and artificial intelligence to detect medication errors. The system tracks patients' movements and alerts healthcare providers when necessary, potentially reducing hospital visits.
A new study by MIT scholars finds that most people who share false news stories online do so unintentionally, and that their sharing habits can be modified through reminders about accuracy. Inattention and knowledge deficits are key factors in the spread of misinformation, rather than deception.
Researchers at MIT used computer simulations to model the mechanical response of coronaviruses to ultrasound vibrations. They found that frequencies between 25-100 megahertz triggered shell and spike collapse within a millisecond.
Researchers at MIT have developed a way to prevent dendrite formation in solid-state lithium batteries, potentially unlocking the potential of high-powered batteries. The team created a semisolid electrode with a self-healing surface, allowing for high current densities without dendrites.
Researchers discovered that varying levels of a DNA repair enzyme called AAG can lead to different outcomes after exposure to NDMA, a probable carcinogen. High levels of AAG can cause tissue damage and cell death, while low levels can result in more cancer mutations.
DeepBAR, a new machine learning-based technique, quickly calculates binding affinities between drug candidates and their targets, offering a faster and more efficient approach to drug discovery and protein engineering. The approach yields precise calculations nearly 50 times faster than previous methods.
MIT engineers develop wicking fabrics from polyethylene, a material previously dismissed for textile use due to its water-trapping properties. The new fabrics show improved moisture-wicking ability compared to cotton, nylon, and polyester.
The global ocean is expected to become a source of ozone-depleting CFC-11, reversing its longtime role as a sink. By 2075, the oceans will emit more CFC-11 than they absorb, with detectable amounts by 2130, and climate change accelerating this shift.
After solving the sum of cubes puzzle for 42, researchers found a new solution for 3 using an optimized algorithm that utilized mathematical 'sieving' techniques. The discovery suggests there may be infinitely many more solutions for other values of k, with the next solution involving gigantic 21-digit numbers.
A team of MIT researchers has developed a new way to produce holograms almost instantly using deep learning, allowing for real-time hologram generation. The 'tensor holography' method can run on a smartphone and is more efficient than traditional physics-based simulations.
The basement membrane surrounding tumors may control their growth and spread by becoming stiffer as it expands. Researchers used a simple technique to isolate the membrane and measure its elasticity, finding it to be nonlinearly elastic, unlike balloons made of linearly elastic materials.
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.
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.
Coronavirus skeptics have been using state-of-the-art data visualizations to advocate for opposing approaches to the pandemic, often creating counter-visualizations that are indistinguishable from those shared by mainstream sources. Researchers found that these visualizations were not just sloppy or lacking in data literacy, but rather...
A study found that patients are open to interacting with robots for symptom evaluation, reducing in-person contact. Robots equipped with sensors and video communication can measure vital signs and perform minor procedures like nasal swabs.
Researchers at MIT have developed a new generation of tiny, agile drones that can operate in cramped spaces and withstand collisions. The drones use soft actuators to mimic insect flight, allowing them to flap their wings nearly 500 times per second and navigate complex environments with high agility.
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.
Researchers at MIT have developed a new type of control system that allows soft-bodied robots to turn rigid on demand. This advancement could enable robots to combine the strength and precision of rigid robots with the fluidity and safety of soft ones, leading to improved performance in various tasks such as caring for human patients.
A study from MIT reveals the APOE4 gene variant causes widespread disruptions in brain cells' ability to metabolize lipids and respond to stress. Supplementing with choline may reverse these effects, offering a potential new approach to treating Alzheimer's disease.
The MIT Press has launched Direct to Open, a groundbreaking model that shifts the focus from market-based sales to collaborative library support. This initiative aims to increase accessibility and impact of scholarly research, while promoting sustainability in book publishing.
An international team has developed a way to image the interface between 2D and 3D materials, revealing details of atomic configurations and orientations. This breakthrough enables control over the electronic properties of atomically thin materials.
Researchers developed a data transfer system that pairs high-frequency silicon chips with a polymer cable as thin as a strand of hair, transmitting information up to 10 times faster than a USB. The system offers improved energy efficiency and bandwidth for applications such as server farms, aerospace, and automotive industries.
Researchers have fabricated a tunable metalens made of phase-changing material GSST that can focus light on objects at multiple depths without moving. This enables the creation of miniature optical devices such as heat scopes for drones and ultracompact thermal cameras for cellphones.
GraphIt, a state-of-the-art graph programming language, has been extended to run on graphics processing units (GPUs), enabling faster graph analysis. This advance accelerates graph algorithms, particularly those that benefit from parallelism, such as recommendation algorithms and internet search functions.
A study by MIT researchers has identified a class of metabolic mutations in bacteria that helps them develop resistance to antibiotics. The findings suggest that forcing bacteria to burn more energy could make them more susceptible to antibiotics, and may lead to the development of new drugs to enhance existing antibiotic effectiveness.
Scientists at MIT develop system that detects chemical and microbial content of air samples with greater sensitivity than a dog's nose. The miniaturized detection system, coupled with machine-learning process, can identify distinctive characteristics of disease-bearing samples, matching success rates of dogs in detecting prostate cancer.
A machine-learning approach has been developed to identify repurposed drugs for COVID-19 treatment in elderly patients. The system accounts for changes in gene expression in lung cells caused by both the disease and aging, pinpointing the protein RIPK1 as a promising target.
Researchers at MIT have invented a new type of amputation surgery that reconnects muscle pairs, allowing patients to regain sensory feedback and control their residual muscles. This restored sense of proprioception translates to better control of prosthetic limbs and reduced limb pain.
Researchers at MIT have developed a stable, easy-to-make superconducting transistor using nanowires. The new technology could overcome the disadvantages of existing superconducting devices, such as high cost and complexity, and find applications in quantum computers, telescopes, and energy-hungry electronics.
A study by MIT researchers reveals that people are more likely to follow and be followed by accounts with similar partisan views, leading to the formation of online echo chambers. The experiment found that individuals triple their chances of following other accounts when there is a common partisan bond involved.
A new system called SpAtten enables more streamlined NLP with less computing power, achieving speeds of over 100 times faster than competing general-purpose processors and reducing energy consumption by over 1,000 times.
Scientists observe significant reduction in CFC-11 emissions from eastern China and globally, following reported spikes in recent years. The decrease is attributed to successful actions taken to stamp out illegal production of the ozone-depleting chemical.
A new paper by MIT researchers suggests that many banking crises create long-term macroeconomic damage, regardless of whether they involve panics or not. The study found that a 30% decline in bank equity predicts a 2.7% drop in real GDP after three years, even without a panic.
A new machine-learning algorithm reveals multiple possible conformations of proteins that can be determined experimentally using cryo-electron microscopy. The researchers used this technique to study ribosome assembly and identified a new ribosomal state, as well as visualized large-scale flexible motions of the spliceosome.
A comprehensive epigenome map has been created, revealing genetic control elements linked to hundreds of human traits. The researchers identified 300 modules controlling specific biological processes and predicted links between control elements and target genes.
Engineers at MIT designed a bioadhesive patch inspired by origami that can seal internal wounds and tissues. The patch, made from three layers, resists contamination and biodegrades over time.