Researchers at MIT develop computer systems that approximate human cognitive abilities to navigate the world. The systems learn to perceive physics by inferring object shapes and properties from visual data, and predicting how objects will behave based on that data.
Researchers at MIT have developed nanobionic plants that can produce dim light for nearly four hours using nanoparticles. This breakthrough technology aims to revolutionize indoor lighting and could one day transform trees into self-powered streetlights.
A new study by MIT professor Catherine Tucker reveals that policies emphasizing patient control of genetic data lead to an increase in the number of tests performed, while those focusing on privacy risks result in a reduction. Researchers found that guarantees about data use had no effect.
Researchers used a newly developed interpretive technique to analyze neural networks trained for machine translation and speech recognition. They found that lower-level tasks, such as sound recognition or part-of-speech recognition, are prioritized before higher-level tasks like transcription or semantic interpretation.
MIT researchers discovered a way to make bacteria more vulnerable to quinolones, enabling existing drugs to kill bacteria that cause chronic infections. Delivering quinolones along with glucose and fumarate can eliminate several types of bacteria, including Pseudomonas aeruginosa and Staphylococcus aureus.
Researchers have discovered a long-sought source of ocean methane, a potent greenhouse gas contributing to global warming. The enzyme methylphosphonate synthase (MPnS) is found in abundant marine microbes and may produce the compound that is converted to methane.
Researchers at MIT developed a new design for gallium nitride power devices that can handle higher voltages, potentially reducing energy waste in electric vehicles, data centers and the power grid. The device uses a bladelike fin design to confine current, improving efficiency and heat dissipation.
A new recommendation algorithm uses cosine similarity to predict customer preferences in high-dimensional spaces, leveraging the angle between user rating lines. The approach balances signal gain with noise introduction, resulting in more accurate predictions and better performance, particularly when ratings data is sparse.
A team of astronomers has detected the most distant supermassive black hole ever observed, measuring around 800 million times the mass of our sun. The black hole's extreme size is puzzling, as the universe was not old enough to create such a massive object just 690 million years after the Big Bang.
MIT engineers have devised a 3D printing technique that uses live bacteria cells to create interactive structures. The team printed a 'living tattoo' with branches that light up in response to different chemical stimuli, demonstrating the potential for wearable sensors and interactive displays.
Researchers found a complicated pattern of neural activity during different time intervals, with neurons adjusting their activity depending on the required interval. The brain doesn't change the trajectory when the interval changes, it just changes the speed at which it goes from the initial state to the final state.
Researchers at MIT, Cornell, and King Abdullah University developed a technique to create long, thin MoS2 channels in WSe2. The discovery could lead to more efficient solar cells and the assembly of atom-scale electronic components.
Researchers have proposed a new model to explain turbulent processes in plasmas, which are estimated to make up 99% of the universe's visible matter. The findings suggest that magnetic reconnection plays a crucial role in plasma turbulence, providing a conceptual shift in understanding its dynamics and properties.
Physicists at MIT and Harvard University have developed a new technique to manipulate quantum bits by trapping and arranging individual atoms. This breakthrough enables the simulation of complex systems like materials and optimization problems, such as the traveling salesman problem, exponentially faster than classical computers.
The new printer can print objects up to 10 times faster than existing commercial counterparts due to its compact printhead design. The team used a screw mechanism and laser to speed up the printing process, enabling it to fabricate detailed objects in several minutes.
MIT researchers have developed a new membrane-based system that can convert carbon dioxide into useful fuels for cars, trucks, and planes, as well as into chemical feedstocks. The process uses heat energy from solar or waste sources to store chemical energy in form of useful products.
Researchers at MIT have invented a new technique to cool atoms into condensates using laser cooling, conserving 70% of the original cloud. The method enables faster investigations into magnetism and superconductivity.
A new study from MIT and Harvard University found that babies as young as 10 months can integrate information about costs and benefits to calculate the value of a goal. By observing an agent's effort to achieve a goal, 10-month-old infants inferred the amount of value they placed on it.
MIT researchers discovered that under some conditions, melted metal particles can actually prevent them from sticking to a surface. Instead, the particles bounce away and leave behind a solid bond when they resolidify.
Physicists at MIT have designed a pocket-sized cosmic ray muon detector that can be made with common electrical parts. The relatively simple device costs just $100 and can be used by students to measure muon rates in various environments.
Researchers at MIT found that two cholesterol molecules bind to a flu protein called M2, creating a wedge shape in the cell membrane that severs the viral buds. This discovery sheds light on how many other proteins interact with membrane cholesterol.
Researchers developed a new technique to measure how cancer cells respond to drugs, using a device that can weigh cells with high accuracy. The method was tested on tumor cells from multiple-myeloma patients and showed promising results, correlating with clinical biomarkers used in treatment decisions.
Researchers found that stressed animals chose high-risk options despite increased costs, and restored normal behavior by manipulating the prefronto-striosome circuit. This study suggests a potential method for treating disorders like depression and addiction.
Physicists at MIT and Princeton University have developed a new technique to map the energy and momentum of electrons beneath a material's surface. By using momentum and energy resolved tunneling spectroscopy, researchers can visualize the band structure of materials, which determines their electrical and optical properties.
Researchers at MIT have developed a new chemical composite that can store thermal energy during the day and release it when needed. The hybrid material uses molecular switches to change shape in response to light, allowing for controlled thermal energy storage.
A study found that a high-salt diet shrinks beneficial gut bacteria, leading to pro-inflammatory immune cells and high blood pressure. Probiotics can reverse these effects in mice and humans, suggesting potential therapeutic target for treating high blood pressure.
MIT scientists have explained why a droplet of liquid can 'levitate' on a bath's surface under certain conditions. By maintaining a temperature difference, the air cushion between the droplet and the bath is strengthened, preventing it from sinking and allowing it to levitate.
Researchers developed a new optogenetic technique that enables precise stimulation of individual neurons, allowing for the study of how cells generate specific behaviors. By targeting single neurons, scientists can map connections among neurons that underlie behavior and analyze how those connections change in real-time.
A new MIT study finds that Texas will face a significant increase in the annual risk of extreme rainfall, rising from 1% to 18% by the end of the century. This rise is attributed to climate change, which is expected to shift the odds in terms of high-intensity storms around the world.
Researchers at MIT have created a new delivery system for the CRISPR genome-editing system, using nanoparticles to target and delete disease-causing genes. The technique achieved an 80% success rate in deleting the Pcsk9 gene, which regulates cholesterol levels, resulting in a 35% drop in total cholesterol levels.
Researchers at MIT and Harvard created a light-harvesting material that can absorb and transfer energy along precise pathways. The synthetic material uses densely packed clusters of pigments organized on DNA scaffolds to mimic natural photosynthetic structures.
A new framework developed by MIT researchers guarantees stability in microgrids supplying local power to communities, reducing the reliance on main power grids. The design allows for modular power systems that can be easily reconfigured for changing needs, providing a lower-cost solution with guaranteed reliability and security.
Researchers at MIT have developed a method to create reconstituted silk that is more than twice as stiff as its natural counterpart. The material has potential applications in medical sutures, scaffolding for new skin or other biomaterials, and sensing devices.
MIT researchers have developed sensors that can be printed onto plant leaves to reveal when they are experiencing a water shortage. These sensors take advantage of plants' stomata and can detect even slight changes in water pressure, allowing for early warnings in agricultural settings.
Researchers have created a method to make photonic devices that can bend and stretch without damage, using a specialized glass called chalcogenide. These flexible devices could be used in various applications such as skin-mounted monitoring devices, diagnostic systems, or as connectors for electronics.
Researchers at MIT have developed a new way to mix oil and water, creating stable nanoscale emulsions without the need for shaking or sonicating. By cooling an oil bath with surfactant and allowing water vapor to condense onto its surface, they produce uniform droplets that remain stable over several months.
A new AI system can analyze a large dataset of research papers to extract recipes for producing specific materials. The system can identify paragraphs containing recipes and classify words within those paragraphs according to their roles, allowing scientists and engineers to access detailed instructions for material production.
Researchers developed a system called Taco that generates optimized code for tensor algebra operations on sparse data, offering a 100-fold speedup over existing software. The system automatically optimizes code by tracking and discarding zero entries, reducing wasted computation.
A new collaboration tool, FeatureHub, enables thousands of researchers to contribute to data analysis projects by automatically evaluating proposals and identifying useful features. The system has been tested against top-scoring entries in a Kaggle competition, producing results within three points of the winners.
A new 3D-printed device produces nanofiber meshes with reduced variation in diameters, making it suitable for various applications such as tissue engineering, water filtration, and body armor. The device's design flexibility and fast iteration capabilities make it a promising technology for commercialization.
A new study by MIT researchers found that cities can reduce urban emissions primarily through better building practices, not greater housing density. Implementing energy-efficient construction standards and retrofitting existing homes can lower residential emissions by up to 19% by 2030.
A team of scientists and amateur astronomers have detected six exocomets, the smallest objects yet found outside our solar system, using transit photometry. The detection marks the first time an object as small as a comet has been identified using this technique.
Scientists have found a new mechanism of deformation at the boundaries of coherent twin crystal boundaries, which can increase material strength while preserving ductility. This discovery could lead to designing strong nanostructures and devices that respond to specific stress levels.
Researchers at MIT developed a smartphone app that can analyze a car's sounds and vibrations to detect issues such as clogged air filters and worn-out spark plugs. The system uses machine-learning processes to extract subtle differences, achieving accuracy above 90% in tests.
By exposing plastic flakes to gamma radiation, researchers can create stronger, more flexible concrete structures. This innovative approach could reduce cement industry's carbon footprint and divert plastic waste from landfills.
Researchers have developed a light emitter and detector that can be integrated into silicon CMOS chips, overcoming the interconnect bottleneck. The device uses an ultrathin semiconductor material called molybdenum ditelluride, which emits light in the infrared range, not absorbed by silicon.
Researchers suggest existing models of memory formation should be revised due to existence of 'silent engrams' which store memories even when they cannot be retrieved through natural cues. Memories are stored in a specific pattern of connections that form between cells during the first few minutes after an event occurs.
Researchers developed a new cache-management scheme that improves the data rate of in-package DRAM caches, reducing metadata transfer and increasing bandwidth. The 'Banshee' system adds three bits of data to each entry, enabling efficient storage and retrieval of frequently used data.
Researchers at MIT have developed a synthetic gene circuit that can trigger the immune system to target cancer cells. The circuit is designed to detect two specific cancer markers and only activates a therapeutic response when both are present, offering new pathways for cancer immunotherapy.
Researchers tracked eye movements to show how minds imagine possible outcomes, finding that counterfactual simulation is a pervasive cognitive process. The study used billiard ball collisions to demonstrate the concept, which can inform notions of causality in law and other fields.