A new study from MIT has found that a region of the thalamus is key to switching between rules required for different contexts. The mediodorsal thalamus suppresses irrelevant representations, protecting them as short-term memory for reactivation. This process helps maintain neural representations and enables context-dependent actions.
Researchers found that bacteria can affect a bubble's longevity, causing it to last up to 10 times longer than an uncontaminated one. The team discovered that bacterial secretions act as surfactants, extending the lifetime of contaminated bubbles by reducing surface tension and making them more resistant to perturbations.
Researchers have developed a wireless system that leverages RFID tags on billions of products to sense potential food contamination. The system, called RFIQ, includes a reader that detects minute changes in wireless signals emitted from RFID tags when they interact with food.
Researchers at MIT and partners have created detailed 3D images of kerogen's internal structure, improving predictions of oil and gas recovery. The study reveals that mature kerogen has smaller pores connected by a network allowing for easier extraction.
Researchers at MIT have developed a method to control magnetic properties of thin-film materials using hydrogen ions, enabling spintronics devices that consume less power and generate less heat. This breakthrough has the potential to overcome physical limitations in memory and logic devices.
Researchers at MIT have developed a heat-rejecting film that can be applied to windows to reflect up to 70% of the sun's incoming heat. This innovative material could significantly reduce air conditioning costs and energy consumption, particularly in hot cities like Hong Kong.
Neuroscientists have identified a brain activity pattern that could predict the onset of schizophrenia. The study found abnormal connections in patients who later developed psychosis, which may help diagnose the disease earlier. Researchers are now exploring early interventions to combat symptoms and prevent psychiatric disorders.
Researchers at MIT have developed a new system to extend the shelf life of single-use metal-air batteries by introducing an oil barrier that protects the aluminum electrode from corrosion. The design has shown a thousandfold improvement in energy loss, enabling batteries to last up to 24 days without degradation.
Researchers at MIT have developed an innovative acoustic imaging system that enables the instant visualization of massive cod shoals, shedding light on the health of this depleted species. The team's findings suggest that average cod shoal sizes serve as a critical indicator for tracking population recovery.
A study by MIT researchers found that about one-third of Requests for Comments on Wikipedia go unresolved, citing factors such as poor initial arguments and excessive discussion. The researchers developed a machine-learning model to predict when RfCs may go stale, and recommended digital tools to improve deliberation and resolution.
Researchers developed a predictive model to guide clinicians in deciding when to give potentially life-saving drugs to ER patients suffering from sepsis. The model analyzes health data and predicts whether patients will need vasopressors within the next few hours, with an accuracy rate of over 80 percent.
A new MIT study suggests that most fantasy sports, including football, baseball, basketball, and hockey, are contests that reward skill over chance. The researchers analyzed thousands of fantasy players' win/loss records over multiple seasons, finding a clear signal for skill in the data.
Researchers at MIT have developed a novel chemical synthesis method that can modify antibiotics, making them more effective against drug-resistant infections. The technique uses an amino acid called selenocysteine as a 'handle' to link peptides and small-molecule drugs.
Researchers develop autonomous drone system that collaboratively maps terrain under dense forest canopies without GPS, enabling more efficient searches for lost hikers. The system uses LIDAR and path-planning software to fuse individual drone maps into a global 3D map, facilitating human rescuers.
A new MIT study finds that every five-year delay in reducing mercury emissions results in a 14% decrease in the effectiveness of policy measures, with remote regions suffering most. The researchers used modeling to estimate legacy emissions and found that delays lead to an accumulation of toxic mercury in the environment.
A novel unsupervised language translation model developed by MIT researchers can translate far more languages with greater speed and efficiency. The model uses Gromov-Wasserstein distance to align words in two languages, achieving accurate results without human annotations.
A new parser developed by MIT researchers can learn language through observation, mimicking a child's process, to improve human-machine interaction and natural language processing. The parser uses captioned videos to associate words with objects and actions, allowing it to accurately predict sentence meaning without direct context.
Researchers at MIT have developed a new method to process larger volumes of fluid using individual fibers, overcoming limitations in traditional microfluidic devices. This innovation enables the detection of rare substances, such as cancerous cells among millions of normal cells.
The brain compensates for its own limitations by relying on previous experiences and using strategies such as Bayesian integration, which combines multiple pieces of information to reduce variability. In tasks requiring complex computation, the brain reduces noise by increasing confidence in its calculations.
A massive global survey on autonomous vehicle ethics found that people generally prefer sparing human lives over animal lives and young people's lives. However, regional variations were observed, particularly in the eastern cluster of countries where preference for younger people was less pronounced.
Researchers have developed a new Cas9 enzyme that can target almost half of the genome's locations, significantly expanding its potential use. This could enable editing of many more disease-specific mutations, including those responsible for sickle cell anemia.
A new method developed by MIT researchers helps blood cells regenerate faster after radiation therapy, which can help leukemia and lymphoma patients recover from bone marrow irradiation. The technique involves stimulating stem cells to secrete growth factors that aid in the differentiation of precursor cells into mature blood cells.
A new spectrometry device based on optical switches could provide major advantages in performance, size, weight, and power consumption compared to current instruments. The device uses path lengths in power-of-two increments, allowing for exponential spectral resolution, and has been demonstrated to match calculations.
MIT researchers have developed a method to control the fracturing process of atomically-thin, brittle materials, directing it to produce miniscule pockets of predictable size and shape. Embedded inside these pockets are electronic circuits and materials that can collect, record, and output data.
MIT engineers have created a new technique to detect electromagnetic signals in the brain using minimally invasive MRI sensors, enabling spatially accurate pinpointing of electrical activity. The sensors can also detect light produced by luminescent proteins, expanding their potential applications in neuroscience and beyond.
Researchers discovered that human dendrites have different electrical properties than those in rats, with reduced signal strength as they flow along the longer extensions. This increased electrical compartmentalization could enable single neurons to perform more complex computations.
MIT researchers developed a cryptographic system to securely analyze massive pharmacological datasets, enabling broad pooling of sensitive data for predictive drug discovery. The neural network identified novel interactions, including one with leukemia drug imatinib and an enzyme ErbB4, which could have clinical significance.
A new study by MIT researchers shows that combining antibiotic drugs with probiotics can eradicate two strains of drug-resistant bacteria that infect wounds. The probiotic bacteria were encapsulated in a protective shell of alginate to prevent them from being killed by the antibiotics.
The Beaufort Gyre's speed is controlled by the Arctic ice cover, which acts as a natural governor to slow down the gyre. As the Arctic ice melts, the gyre speeds up, gathering more fresh water from the Arctic's river runoff and melting ice.
MIT biological engineers have developed a way to regulate RNA expression, giving precise control over the dose of therapeutic protein a patient receives. This technology allows doctors to tailor treatment for individual patients and offers a quick way to turn off protein production if necessary.
A deep-learning model has been successfully used on real patients to assess dense breast tissue in mammograms with high accuracy. The model outperforms traditional prediction models, achieving a kappa score of 0.85 in clinical applications, and could lead to more consistent screening procedures nationwide.
Scientists observed a material's phase change when triggered by ultrafast laser light instead of temperature change. The process generates topological defects and affects electron dynamics. Researchers can potentially use this phenomenon for data storage systems using controlled light pulses.
A machine-learning model provides risk assessment for complex nonlinear systems, identifying the types of extreme events likely to occur. The technique simulates wave forces and stresses on structures, offering a faster and more accurate risk assessment than traditional methods.
A new method has been developed to efficiently harvest 2-D materials at the wafer scale, opening up opportunities for flexible electronics. This technique allows researchers to separate individual monolayers of 2-D material in just a few minutes, paving the way for commercialization.
Researchers at MIT have developed a self-healing material that can grow, strengthen and repair itself by reacting with carbon dioxide from the air. The material, made from a polymer and chloroplasts, becomes stronger as it incorporates the carbon.
A team of MIT engineers created a microfluidic chip with 3-D tissue model of the interface between motor neurons and muscle fibers, replicating the effects of ALS. The researchers tested two drugs in clinical trials and found that giving both restored most of the lost muscle strength.
A new compact fusion reactor design using high-temperature superconducting magnets can effectively shed excess heat, a longstanding challenge in fusion power plants. This approach makes it possible to open the device's internal chamber and replace critical components.
Researchers create semiconducting films from materials like gallium arsenide, lithium fluoride, and silicon, with potential for low-cost, high-performance devices. The technique uses remote epitaxy and graphene, allowing for the production of flexible electronics that outperform traditional silicon-based devices.
A novel motion-planning model combines a planning algorithm with a neural network to help robots determine how to reach a goal by exploring the environment and exploiting learned experiences. This allows robots to learn from past experiences and adapt to new situations, enabling them to navigate complex environments more efficiently.
Researchers found that natural killer cells fail to respond to malaria infection in some patients, leading to more severe disease outcomes. By identifying key genes involved, they discovered a potential therapeutic target using poly I:C treatment.
Researchers at MIT have discovered a unique aspect of the enzyme carbon monoxide dehydrogenase, which converts carbon dioxide to carbon monoxide. The C-cluster's structure can change its configuration in response to oxygen exposure, providing a safety net for the metal atoms.
The new system can produce different proteins in a fully automated, hands-free manner and is of comparable quality to commercially available versions. It enables flexible switching between products as they are needed, making it useful for producing rare disease treatments.
Researchers at MIT have developed a software tool that automatically generates maps of favorable landing sites on Mars, taking into account scientific priorities and engineering constraints. The program uses fuzzy logic to deal with imprecision in the data and can explore different landing and exploratory scenarios.
Researchers found that ripple defects resembling hourglasses, zigzags, and tuning forks are associated with periods of environmental flux. These defects can serve as fingerprints to understand how dramatic the shifts in weather conditions were at the time.
Researchers from MIT's EAPS department found a linear relationship between the Earth's surface temperature and its outgoing heat, which may break down at higher temperatures. The study suggests that water vapor feedback is responsible for this relationship, and it could help climate scientists model the effects of climate change.
A new MIT study finds that 10 major European auto manufacturers produced diesel cars emitting up to 16 times more NOx on the road than in lab tests, resulting in approximately 2,700 premature deaths per year across Europe. Improving emissions control technologies could prevent up to 1,900 premature deaths annually.
A new type of battery developed by MIT researchers can convert carbon dioxide into a solid mineral carbonate as it discharges. This approach could potentially reduce the cost of carbon capture systems and make them more economically viable. The battery is made from lithium metal, carbon, and an electrolyte that incorporates captured CO2.
A new MIT model has been developed to reduce false positives in credit card fraud detection, achieving a 54% reduction in incorrect flagging of legitimate transactions. By extracting more than 200 detailed features for each individual transaction, the model can better pinpoint unusual spending habits and improve accuracy.
MIT researchers have developed a plug-and-play technology that automates chemical synthesis, allowing chemists to focus on analytical and creative aspects of their research. The system can optimize reactions in a single day, cutting weeks or months of optimization time.
The MIT-developed AI model can associate specific words with specific patches of pixels in an image, enabling real-time object highlighting based on spoken descriptions. This innovation holds promise for applications such as language translation and automatic image annotation.