Human language likely developed quickly into a sophisticated system, featuring syntax and structures, according to MIT linguist Shigeru Miyagawa. Words bear traces of syntax, challenging the idea that they originated from simple primal utterances.
A new system called OverCode automatically compares students' programming assignments by clustering similar student programs together. Instructors can then use this information to provide more effective feedback to a broader range of students, improving the design of computer science courses both online and on campus.
A new peer-to-peer networking tool has been developed to build online support communities and practice therapeutic techniques for depression. The tool, called Panoply, yielded better outcomes in training subjects to use cognitive reappraisal and improving mood in those with severe symptoms.
Researchers at MIT suggest that consumers use a simple index strategy to make decisions, ranking products based on factors like price and quality. This approach is more efficient than complex models, requiring less cognitive effort and time.
Researchers at MIT have developed a technique to entangle 3,000 atoms using a single photon, promising improved accuracy in atomic clocks. This breakthrough could lead to more precise timekeeping and potentially overcome the standard quantum limit.
Researchers have developed a new tandem solar cell that combines two types of photovoltaic material to harvest a broader range of the sun's energy. The new cell achieves an efficiency of 13.7 percent, which could be improved to over 30 percent with low-cost modifications.
Researchers at MIT's CSAIL have developed a new algorithm, DIODE, to detect integer-overflow bugs in programs. The system works by feeding a single sample input and recording each operation performed on it, allowing it to identify potential security vulnerabilities.
A study by MIT economist Ernst Berndt and colleagues found that the prices of leading cancer drugs increased by 10% annually from 1995 to 2013, even after adjusting for inflation and incremental health benefits. The researchers suggest that rising prices reflect a greater social tolerance for significant healthcare costs.
A team of researchers from MIT has detected optical features around Chiron that may signal the presence of a ring system, jets, or a shell of dust. The findings are based on observations of a stellar occultation in 2011, which revealed symmetrical and sharp features near the start and end of the event.
Researchers at MIT have developed a method to stimulate brain tissue using external magnetic fields and injected magnetic nanoparticles. The approach can provide an implant-free means of providing brain stimulation and mapping, potentially treating neurological diseases such as Parkinson's disease.
A recent MIT study suggests the swine flu strain in India has acquired mutations that make it more deadly, contradicting previous reports. The researchers stress the need for better surveillance to track the outbreak and develop an effective response strategy.
Researchers at MIT demonstrate that quantum sensors can outperform classical systems even when entanglement breaks down due to environmental influences. The study shows that correlations between entangled beams remain strong enough to improve signal-to-noise ratio, leading to increased sensitivity.
The research provides a unified model that explains how layer properties and bonding determine surface textures, applicable to various biological processes and material applications. The findings could lead to the creation of materials with tailored surface properties for specific uses, such as disease treatment or water-shedding.
A new instrument can rapidly analyze samples to determine how methane was formed, differentiating between microbial and thermogenic origins. The technique uses isotope ratios to identify clumpiness in methane molecules, revealing slower rates of production for cow-gut methane.
Researchers at MIT and Michigan State University have developed a theory explaining how galaxy clusters regulate star formation. The study found that hot intracluster gas cools rapidly, condenses, and collapses to form new stars, but also triggers conduction and precipitation-driven feedback, which prevent excessive star birth.
Researchers at MIT and LBNL reveal that magnesium concentration affects surface energy, leading to the formation of either calcite or aragonite. The discovery could lead to controlled synthesis of new materials with desired properties.
A new nanodevice developed by MIT researchers can block the gene that confers drug resistance and then deliver a chemotherapy attack against disarmed tumors. The device was tested in mice implanted with human breast tumors and successfully shrunk tumors by 90% in two weeks.
A new study by MIT researchers uses anonymized phone data to infer that around one-fifth of urban movement is strictly social, distinguishing it from work-oriented activity. The study's findings have implications for planners and policymakers seeking estimates of city movement.
Researchers identified two optical structures in a mollusk's shell that reflect blue light, producing its bright stripes. The team believes this natural phenomenon could lead to the development of color-selective, controllable displays for windows and glasses.
The MIT team devised a two-step process to create large quantities of complex emulsions with precise control over the composition of droplets. By adding different chemicals or exposing them to light or different acidity levels, they can finely tune the configuration of droplets. This allows for rapid, large-scale production and enables...
A new test from MIT researchers uses a simple paper strip to rapidly diagnose Ebola and other viral hemorrhagic fevers, such as yellow fever and dengue fever. The device takes about 10 minutes to produce results, allowing for quicker triage and isolation of patients.
Researchers at MIT have developed a new transmitter design that reduces off-state leakage 100-fold, allowing for longer battery life in IoT devices. The circuit uses a charge pump to generate a negative charge when idle, reducing power consumption by 20 picowatts.
Neurons generate brain waves at distinct frequencies to communicate between brain regions, reinforcing correct guesses and weakening incorrect ones. Researchers found that beta (9-16 Hz) and theta (2-6 Hz) frequencies are used in the hippocampus and prefrontal cortex during learning tasks.
A new type of self-healing hydrogel has been developed by MIT chemical engineers that can carry one or two drugs at a time. The gel consists of a mesh network made of nanoparticles and polymers that can be injected through a syringe and released over several days, targeting specific tissues and allowing for long-term drug delivery.
Researchers at MIT developed a system that cleverly distributes data around multicore chips' memory banks, improving execution times by 18 percent on average while increasing energy efficiency. In simulations involving a 64-core chip, the system increased computational speeds by 46 percent while reducing power consumption by 36 percent.
Researchers analyzed gene and epigenetic mark changes in a mouse model of Alzheimer's disease to understand the role of microglia and immune pathways in disease progression. They found conserved epigenomic signatures between mice and humans, suggesting a potential therapeutic target.
Researchers at MIT and Harvard University developed a new system called Crowdy that recruits viewers to create subgoal labels for educational videos. The system improves video annotations by leveraging crowdsourcing, reducing costs to $1 per minute, and enhancing learner retention and satisfaction.
A new study at MIT reveals the secret to the iconic Cremonese violins' powerful sound: elongated f-holes and thicker back plates. Researchers found that makers may have inadvertently crafted these features, as small errors in craftsmanship led to evolutionary changes.
A study by MIT researchers projects the growth potential of high-tech firms with new precision, identifying key characteristics and locations with higher growth prospects. The study found that firms with certain features, such as formal registration and capital investment, are more likely to grow.
A new study reveals that higher spending on emergency care produces lower mortality rates and improved patient outcomes. The research analyzed ambulance-dispatch patterns in New York state to compare the treatment received by patients at different hospitals.
Researchers at MIT have discovered a way to grow liver-like cells from induced pluripotent stem cells that can be infected with several strains of the malaria parasite. These cells offer a plentiful source for testing potential malaria drugs, which are badly needed due to emerging drug resistance.
A team from MIT and the University of Liege presents high-speed images showing that raindrops can act as a dispersing agent, catapulting contaminated droplets far from their leaf source. The researchers found that a plant's mechanical properties, particularly its compliance, determine the range of dispersal.
A team of MIT mathematicians developed a theory predicting wrinkled patterns on curved surfaces, confirmed through experiments. The theory states that curvature is the main parameter determining pattern formation, with thicker shells forming hexagonal patterns and thinner shells resulting in labyrinthine configurations.
A new way of implementing priority queues allows for performance improvement even with the addition of new cores. The algorithm uses a skip list data structure to make moving through the hierarchy more efficient, reducing collisions and achieving better scalability.
MIT researchers report that just four pieces of information are enough to identify 90% of people in a data set. Adding coarse-grained price information reduces the number of data points needed to reach 94%. The study highlights the risks of re-identification and encourages socially beneficial uses of big data.
A new MIT study analyzes residency compensation using demand analysis, finding residents accept lower wages for experience and prestige. The study suggests salaries may remain low unless residency programs increase the number of positions available.
Researchers at MIT developed an algorithm to optimize optimization algorithms, guaranteeing the best possible solution for complex engineering problems. By using a Gaussian smoothing technique, they generate a sequence of simpler problems that progressively add complexity, ensuring convergence to a global minimum.
Researchers at MIT found that injected carbon dioxide only partially converts to rock, with the majority remaining in a gaseous form. This limitation poses challenges for long-term sequestration efforts.
Researchers at MIT have developed software that assesses risk in planning algorithms, suggesting low-risk alternatives when a solution is not possible. The system uses probabilistic models to determine the feasibility of a plan and can offer modifications to relax constraints or add resources to mitigate risks.
Researchers at MIT have developed a method to enlarge tissue samples by embedding them in an expandable polymer gel, making it easier to image large biological specimens with nanoscale resolution. This technique allows for the imaging of brain cells and mapping how they connect across large regions.
Researchers at MIT found that raindrops can release aerosols when hitting porous surfaces, trapping tiny air bubbles and bursting them out into the air. This mechanism may explain petrichor, the smell released after a light rain, and potentially spread soil-based diseases.
Researchers at MIT and Purdue University have found that meteorites are not building blocks of planets, but rather byproducts of a violent planetary process. Computer simulations show that large moon-sized bodies likely existed before chondrules formed, which were then created by collisions of these bodies.
A new computer model can forecast population-level behavior during disease outbreaks, including panic reactions and misinformation. The model accurately reproduced the population-level behavior that accompanied three disease outbreaks: H1N1 flu and SARS in Hong Kong.
Researchers at MIT develop an algorithm that allows household robots to recognize four times as many objects as traditional methods, reducing misidentifications. The new approach uses a representative sampling technique, sampling hypotheses across successive images, and evaluating them more efficiently.
Researchers have built an array of light detectors sensitive enough to register individual photons and mounted them on a silicon optical chip. The approach increases detector density and sensitivity, yielding results up to 20 percent, which is a significant step toward practical quantum computing.
A new study by MIT scholars finds that immigrants from Latin America are less likely to have their labor certification requests granted, with only 67% of applications approved. However, when the US government audits applications using detailed supporting documentation, the disparity disappears, suggesting a potential remedy.
Ur/Web's compiler automatically generates XML code and style-sheet specifications and embeds JavaScript and database code in the right places. The language's typing system helps with security and coordination across Web technologies by preventing unauthorized access between page elements.
A new MIT study reveals that industrial clusters across various industries drive economic growth by fostering job creation, innovation, and the formation of new industries. The research suggests that regions can improve their economic performance by investing in and extending their comparative advantage rather than chasing global hotsp...
Researchers found that newer generation of deep neural networks can identify visual objects as accurately as the primate brain. The success suggests neuroscientists have a fairly accurate grasp of how object recognition works, which could lead to better artificial intelligence and new ways to repair visual dysfunction.
The study analyzed data from multilingual Twitter users and Wikipedia editors, as well as book translations in 150 countries. It found that a language's centrality in the network predicts its global fame, with some networks correlating better with certain measures of fame than others.