A Nigerian feature film, 'Water of Gold,' significantly increased anticorruption reports when paired with a texting campaign, resulting in 240 concrete reports over seven months. The experiment demonstrates the potential for media to shift social norms and combat corruption.
Researchers at MIT have developed a new drug delivery system that allows patients to switch from daily to monthly doses of antibiotics, reducing the burden of tuberculosis treatment. The device slowly releases antibiotics over one month, eliminating the need for daily pills.
A study from MIT and Brigham and Women's Hospital found that nearly all pills and capsules contain ingredients that can cause allergic reactions or irritations in certain patients. The researchers aim to raise awareness of this issue and stimulate reforms to protect patients.
Researchers found that democracies employ broad-based investment in health and human capital, leading to improved economies. Countries that have democratized within the last 60 years tend to start off slowly but eventually catch up with nondemocracies.
MIT researchers have developed a new optical imaging system called DOLPHIN that can detect tiny tumors deep within living tissue. The system uses near-infrared light and hyperspectral imaging to pinpoint fluorescent probes, allowing for earlier cancer diagnosis and potentially more effective treatment.
Researchers created an engineered human liver tissue model to investigate the effects of RNA interference, a process that can block specific genes in patient's cells. The model successfully tested RNA-based therapies for genetic disorders and infectious diseases, including malaria and liver disorders.
The mini cheetah robot's lightweight, high-power design enables it to perform a 360-degree backflip and walk on uneven terrain. The robot's modular design allows for easy repair and replacement of damaged parts.
Researchers discovered spider silk's supercontraction property, where it twists and contracts in response to humidity changes, potentially leading to new robotic actuators. This unique property could enable precise control of motions using controlled humidity levels.
Engineers at MIT and Penn State University developed a model predicting the color of droplets given specific structural and optical conditions. The team found that total internal reflection allows hemispherical droplets to produce color through interference effects, which are stronger in small droplets.
A new genetic tool has been developed by MIT researchers, allowing for easier engineering of plants that can survive drought or resist fungal infections. The technique uses nanoparticles to deliver genes into the chloroplasts of plant cells, which have the potential to revolutionize plant biology and agriculture.
Researchers at MIT have developed a way to measure oxygen levels of pancreatic islet cells over long periods, enabling them to predict which implants will be most effective in treating diabetes. This breakthrough could lead to better designs for artificial pancreas systems.
MIT researchers have developed a new MRI-based detection method for intracellular calcium signaling, enabling precise measurements of neural activity. This breakthrough allows scientists to link neural activity with specific behaviors and could lead to further research on brain function and diagnostics.
Researchers at MIT and ETH in Zurich have developed a system to produce coherent single photons using perovskite quantum dots. The study found that these materials can maintain coherence levels approaching those of established emitters, making them promising for quantum computing applications and secure quantum communications.
A new system, Shenango, developed by MIT researchers improves data center efficiency by detecting struggling apps and allocating idle cores to handle their workload. The system reduces tail latencies while achieving high efficiencies, potentially boosting CPU utilization rates from 60% to 100%.
A new platform called Riverbed ensures that web services adhere to users' preferences on how their data are stored and shared in the cloud. Users can select predefined restrictions on data storage and sharing, and the platform monitors server-side code to ensure compliance.
Researchers discover that quarks move more slowly in larger atoms due to short-range correlated pairs, finding a long-sought explanation for the EMC effect. The study uses data from particle accelerator experiments and confirms that larger nuclei contain more such pairs, resulting in slower-moving quarks.
A novel system developed at MIT uses RFID tags to help robots home in on moving objects with unprecedented speed and accuracy. The system, called TurboTrack, can locate tagged objects within 7.5 milliseconds, on average, and with an error of less than a centimeter.
Researchers discovered the lobster membrane is surprisingly tough and stretchy, making it a potential guide for designing flexible body armor. The membrane's layered structure, similar to plywood, provides exceptional strength and resistance to scratches and cuts, outperforming industrial rubber composites.
A new MIT study finds that climate change is shifting the energy in the atmosphere, leading to stronger thunderstorms and more stagnant conditions. Rising global temperatures are redistributed, with more energy available for local convective processes like thunderstorms and less for larger, milder extratropical cyclones.
MIT researchers develop a two-dimensional, sub-terahertz receiving array on a chip that's orders of magnitude more sensitive than existing sensors. This can help steer driverless cars through fog and dust by detecting signals at sub-terahertz wavelengths with ease.
Researchers at MIT have developed a process to convert concentrated brine from desalination into useful chemicals, including sodium hydroxide and hydrochloric acid. This can reduce costs and minimize environmental impact by reducing the need for costly pumping systems and minimizing marine ecosystem damage.
A recent study by MIT researchers found that overactive DNA-repair enzymes can lead to cell death and severe tissue damage in photoreceptor cells, a condition that may be linked to retinal blindness. The enzyme Aag glycosylase plays a key role in this process, promoting an inflammatory response that produces toxic intermediates.
Researchers at MIT and international partners have developed an AI-powered method to explore the possibilities of strain-engineered materials. By applying machine learning methods, they can accurately predict how different amounts and orientations of strain would affect a material's properties.
Researchers create technique to monitor single cells over generations and investigate stiffness changes during cell division cycle, with potential applications for precision medicine and analyzing patient tumor responses to drugs.
A new capsule has been developed to deliver oral doses of insulin, potentially replacing injections for people with type 2 diabetes. The capsule contains a small needle that releases insulin in the stomach, and its design allows it to orient itself to ensure contact with the stomach lining.
Researchers have discovered a 'sweet spot' where adding certain additives enhances perovskite solar cell performance, but beyond that point, further additions degrade it. The findings provide clues for improving the material's efficiency and longevity, which currently lags behind conventional silicon cells.
MIT researchers found that excessive protein production leads to senescence and cell division impairment when cells grow too large. They discovered the limiting factor in cell growth is DNA amount, not chromosome number.
Researchers use genetic analysis to determine when certain groups of bacteria evolved, providing insight into early environments and animal life. They found that three major groups of soil bacteria diversified around 450-350 million years ago, likely in response to changes in the environment.
MIT researchers have developed a new toxicity test that can measure chemical effects on cell survival with greater sensitivity than popular tests. The MicroColonyChip system uses tiny wells to form small colonies, allowing for rapid results in just a few days.
Researchers at MIT have developed a new microscopy technique that allows the observation of a metal surface during hydrogen penetration. This breakthrough could lead to safer reactor vessels and more efficient hydrogen storage tanks. The technique, which uses a liquid electrolyte to expose metal surfaces to a hydrogen environment, has ...
Researchers developed a deep-learning model that detects fake news by analyzing language patterns, finding favoritism towards exaggerations in false stories. The model achieved high accuracy in distinguishing fact from fiction, particularly when tested on novel topics.
A new study predicts that over 50% of the world's oceans will shift in color by the year 2100, with blue regions intensifying and green ones deepening. The changes are caused by climate-driven changes in phytoplankton communities and can be detected using satellite measurements.
Researchers found that lung tumors exploit altered bacterial populations to create an inflammatory environment that promotes their survival. Treating mice with antibiotics or blocking immune cells significantly reduced tumor size.
MIT engineers have developed an algorithm that enables autonomous underwater vehicles to weigh the risks and potential rewards of exploring unknown regions. The algorithm assesses risk levels and reward probabilities in real-time, allowing AUVs to take calculated risks when justified by potential scientific rewards.
Researchers designed an ingestible pill that quickly inflates to track stomach temperature for 30 days, then deflates using calcium solution. The hydrogel-based design is softer and longer-lasting than current sensors, inspired by the pufferfish's defense mechanism.
The MIT robot uses a soft-pronged gripper, force-sensing wrist cuff, and external camera to see and feel the tower and its individual blocks. It learns from visual and tactile feedback, and adapts its moves in real-time to avoid toppling the tower.
Researchers develop flexible, inexpensive material to convert Wi-Fi signals into electricity. The new device can power large-area electronics, wearables, medical devices, and more with a maximum output efficiency of 40 percent.
A new study shows that crowdsourcing audience judgments about news source quality can identify and marginalize online misinformation. The study found that both Democrats and Republicans distrust hyperpartisan sites, with low trust ratings across the board.
A novel model developed by MIT and Microsoft researchers identifies instances where autonomous systems learn from examples that don't match the real world, leading to dangerous errors. The model uses human feedback to pinpoint situations where more information is needed to act correctly.
Researchers discovered a link between air quality and happiness in Chinese cities, finding that higher pollution levels are associated with decreased happiness. Women and those on higher incomes were found to be more sensitive to pollution's impact.
MIT researchers have developed a new NMR technique that enhances sensitivity, enabling the analysis of complex protein structures in minutes. This breakthrough could provide insights into Alzheimer's and other diseases by studying amyloid beta protein and membrane-bound proteins.
Researchers have developed a new way to image the brain with unprecedented resolution and speed, revealing individual neurons and their connections. The technique combines expansion microscopy with lattice light-sheet microscopy, allowing for rapid imaging of large volumes of brain tissue.
A gel-like structure in the inner ear moves according to a sound's frequency, allowing detection of faint sounds Researchers at MIT found that the size and arrangement of pores within the tectorial membrane make it highly selective, amplifying middle frequencies while reducing high and low tones
The tool uses Bayesian modeling to automatically generate statistical models from raw data, addressing a bottleneck in the data science field. By providing a user-friendly interface, it enables nonstatisticians to uncover insights and patterns in data, making data science more accessible to those without extensive expertise.
The researchers have produced a catalog of exact sizes and shapes of holes that form in 2-D sheets when atoms are missing from the material's crystal lattice. This new catalog could help open up various potential applications, including filtration, chemical processing, DNA sequencing and quantum computing.
MIT engineers develop a microfluidic technique to quickly assess bacteria's electrochemical activity, finding a strong correlation between polarizability and electricity production. This breakthrough could lead to new applications in power generation and environmental cleanup.
Researchers detected periodic X-ray signal near black hole event horizon, estimating spin of 50% the speed of light. The discovery uses tidal disruption flare to estimate black hole spin for the first time.
Researchers detected 'echoes' within an X-ray burst from a black hole, suggesting the corona shrinks as it feeds. The corona, halo of highly-energized electrons, significantly contracts from 100km to 10km in just over a month.
Scientists have discovered a new planet, HD 21749b, with the longest orbital period of three planets so far identified by TESS. The planet, about three times the size of Earth and 23 times as massive, is likely a dense, gaseous 'sub-Neptune' world.
Researchers at MIT have developed an inhalable form of messenger RNA that can be delivered directly to the lungs, showing promise for treating various lung diseases. The aerosol-formulated mRNA was found to induce lung cells in mice to produce a target protein, paving the way for potential treatments.