Researchers found that 69% of Exhibit sites use the JSON format for storing data, and users often exploit complex relationships among data beyond spreadsheet capabilities. The study suggests that spreadsheet designers should offer tools to make it easier for novice developers to organize their data in more sophisticated ways.
Researchers at MIT have developed a new way to image a reporter gene that turns on or off to signal events in the body using MRI. This approach allows scientists to determine when and where the gene is turned on, providing insights into brain function and memory formation.
Researchers find that a wide range of lock-free algorithms offer performance guarantees comparable to wait-free algorithms, even with complex scheduler variations. This discovery simplifies multicore chip programming, as programmers often program under the assumption of benevolent schedulers.
Researchers created a robotic clam called RoboClam that can burrow into undersea soil using little energy. By mimicking the movement of an Atlantic razor clam, RoboClam can liquefy the soil around its shell, reducing drag and allowing it to move quickly and efficiently.
Researchers at MIT have successfully designed and created living materials that incorporate non-living components, such as gold nanoparticles and quantum dots. These hybrid materials exhibit unique properties, including the ability to conduct electricity and emit light, making them suitable for various energy applications.
A team of MIT chemists has designed a way to manufacture peptides in mere hours, which could have a major impact on peptide drug development. The new system can assemble an entire peptide in under an hour, allowing for rapid testing and design of new peptides.
Researchers at MIT discovered that tiny pores in the inner ear membrane filter sound frequencies, allowing humans to differentiate between competing sounds. The optimal pore size determines hearing sensitivity, with smaller or larger pores impairing hearing.
Researchers embedded carbon nanotubes into chloroplasts to capture light energy by 30 percent. Plants were also modified to detect nitric oxide, a common environmental pollutant. This represents the first steps in launching plant nanobionics, a field that could turn plants into self-powered devices.
Researchers discover that only 20-30% of water vapor molecules condense on a liquid surface, while the majority bounce away. The study's findings could lead to more efficient desalination membranes and fundamental understanding of fluid flow at the nanoscale.
Researchers at MIT create a self-contained autonomous soft robot capable of rapid body motion, mimicking the escape maneuver of real fish. The robotic fish uses fluid flow through flexible channels to change direction quickly and explore new advantages in soft robotics.
Researchers identified key mutations and genetic disturbances that arise at certain stages of lung cancer development, including a gene called Mycl1 that is found in nearly all tumor cells. They also discovered that loss of the Pten gene leads to overactive cell growth and rapid tumor progression.
MIT researchers have successfully created devices that harness or emit light using a novel material called tungsten diselenide, which is just a few atoms thick. This breakthrough could lead to the development of ultrathin, lightweight, and flexible photovoltaic cells, LEDs, and other optoelectronic devices.
The MIT team proposes using contingency propellant from past missions to fuel future spacecraft, reducing the need for additional fuel storage. By utilizing a 'steady-state' approach and stockpiling fuel at depots in space, lunar missions can carry heavier payloads with less fuel.
Scientists at MIT and NASA have identified a process in the Earth's magnetosphere that reinforces its shielding effect, keeping incoming solar energy at bay. A plume of low-energy plasma particles slows magnetic reconnection, blunting the sun's effects on Earth.
Researchers at MIT and ETH Zurich develop technique to measure river network change, finding some rivers shifting due to imbalance in drainage divides. The study suggests that regions like the southeastern US are experiencing river network movement due to tectonic activity.
A new paper by an MIT political scientist suggests a way to assess the relative impact of several factors at once in politics, using conjoint analysis. The method allows for direct comparison of how voters weigh different candidate characteristics, providing insights into voter preferences.
A team of MIT researchers has discovered that a small piece of sapwood can filter out over 99% of bacteria from contaminated water. The xylem tissue in the sapwood allows water to flow through while blocking most types of bacteria, making it a promising low-cost material for water filtration.
During major events like elections and sporting events, social media messages are found to be significantly shorter in length as the volume of activity increases. This phenomenon is observed across various social media platforms, including Twitter, which has a character limit of 140 characters.
Researchers at MIT developed a new method to create controlled-size holes in graphene sheets, enabling the production of highly selective filters for improved desalination. The graphene filters can sustain higher water flow rates than conventional membranes, making them suitable for efficient desalination and nanofiltration applications.
Researchers have developed a new version of Sketch that can handle complex synthesis tasks more efficiently, enabling it to produce working code in milliseconds. The system treats program synthesis as a search problem and finds a way to shrink the search space, making it more suitable for real-world applications.
Researchers found that flowing water impeds bacterial movement, making microbes more likely to attach to surfaces. This discovery has implications for studying marine ecosystems and preventing infections in medical devices.
A new paper diagnostic for cancer has been developed by MIT engineers, which can detect the disease in minutes using a urine sample. The technology relies on nanoparticles that interact with tumor proteins, releasing biomarkers that are easily detectable in urine.
Researchers at MIT have proposed an experiment using distant quasars to determine the settings of particle detectors, which could close the 'free will' loophole and provide evidence for quantum mechanics. This setup would utilize the oldest light in the universe to eliminate potential biases.
Researchers at MIT and UConn developed new caching strategies that significantly improved chip performance while reducing energy consumption. The new approaches address the challenges of managing data access and communication between cores, resulting in faster execution times and reduced power usage.
Researchers at MIT have developed a new system that combines control programs to enable multiagent systems, such as teams of robots or networks of devices, to collaborate in unprecedented ways. The system takes into account uncertainty and automatically plans around it to guarantee optimal results.
Researchers at MIT and Université Pierre et Marie Curie provide the first detailed model for the 3-D shape of a strand of curly hair, with applications in computer animation and engineering. The model characterizes all degrees of curliness and describes how properties change along the arc length.
A new MIT robot developed by Hermano Igo Krebs can help pharmaceutical companies speed up drug development for stroke medications. By using the robot's measurements, companies may only need to test 240 patients to determine whether a drug works, reducing time and cost by 70%.
Researchers at MIT determine the end-Permian extinction occurred over 60,000 years, killing 96% of marine species and 70% of life on land. The new timescale suggests massive volcanic eruptions from the Siberian Traps triggered a rapid collapse of global ecosystems.
Researchers have developed nanoparticles that can efficiently silence target genes in the liver, showing promise for treating cancer and other diseases. The new particles, inspired by lipoproteins, achieve gene knockdown with a small amount of RNA, minimizing side effects in other tissues.
Researchers have discovered a new, red-light-sensitive opsin called Chrimson that enables the independent control of two brain populations. The new opsin was found in a screen of algae and can mediate neural activity in response to red light with high precision.
Researchers at MIT have developed a new, low-power signal-processing chip that could lead to a wirelessly rechargeable cochlear implant without external hardware. The device uses the natural microphone of the middle ear and can be charged via an ordinary cell phone in two minutes.
Researchers at MIT predict the existence of six new types of topological insulators with unusual properties, which may provide insights into quantum physics. The team's analysis reveals that these materials' physical properties can be identified unambiguously in a lab.
MIT researchers create a microfluidic platform that mimics the spread of breast cancer cells into a bonelike environment. The study found that certain molecules, such as CXCL5 and CXCR2, may encourage cancer cell metastasis, potentially leading to new targets for cancer therapy.
A new study using social media and Foursquare tracked the movements of fashion workers in the New York metropolitan area, showing the Garment District's importance in the industry. The study found that 77% of fashion designers' trips were within the district, highlighting its role in product production.
Researchers have identified a distinctive profile of cytokine activity associated with certain symptoms of endometriosis, including ovarian and rectovaginal lesions. This signature is negatively correlated with patient fertility and has previously been implicated in the disease.
New research suggests private exchanges like dark pools can actually improve price discovery in public markets by attracting less-informed traders. Well-informed investors may be unable to fill their orders quickly, prompting them to return to public exchanges for better liquidity.
A new storage system, BlueDBM, uses a network of flash storage devices and field-programmable gate arrays to dramatically speed up the time it takes to access information. The system can analyze high-volume scientific data at around 30 frames per second, making it possible to answer user queries with very low latencies.
A new MIT study found that passengers of low-cost upstarts tend to complain less about service quality than network carriers. In a study published in the Journal of Air Transport Management, Michael Wittman tallied airline-related complaints made to the U.S. Department of Transportation from 2002 to 2012.
A new asteroid map reveals that rogue asteroids, once considered anomalous, are actually diverse and widespread throughout the main asteroid belt. The study suggests that the early solar system underwent dramatic changes, potentially affecting planetary migration and Earth's water development.
Researchers have noninvasively mapped human brain activity with unique accuracy, identifying both location and timing of brain processes. The study used a novel brain-scanning technique combining fMRI and MEG data to pinpoint when the brain recognizes objects and categorizes them.
A new study found that high-status authors receive more attention for their work, with a 12% increase in citations. The effect is more pronounced for recent papers and those published in lower-profile journals. This phenomenon, known as the 'Matthew Effect,' highlights the impact of author reputation on scientific discovery.
Researchers at MIT have developed flexible materials with nanoscale wrinkles that can control the wavelengths and distribution of waves, including sound and light. This technology could lead to new diagnostic tools for diseases like cancer and enable advanced noise-cancellation systems.
Researchers have identified a previously unknown circuit that suppresses the monosynaptic circuit, allowing for longer time-linked memories to be formed. This discovery sheds light on how the brain balances fear and caution in response to sequential events.
Researchers at MIT have developed a new transparent display system that can project images onto glass while maintaining transparency, enabling wide-angle views. The system uses nanoparticles to scatter specific wavelengths of light, allowing for clear visibility through the display.
A new approach to harvesting solar energy could improve efficiency by using sunlight to heat a high-temperature material whose infrared radiation is then collected by a conventional photovoltaic cell. The technique makes it possible to take advantage of wavelengths of light that ordinarily go to waste.
Researchers at MIT have discovered a potential new treatment for PTSD by using an HDAC2 inhibitor to make brain memories more malleable. This approach may be more effective than traditional psychotherapy alone in treating patients with well-established traumatic memories.
Researchers at MIT found that the human brain can identify concepts in images presented for 13 milliseconds, challenging previous assumptions about visual processing speed. The study suggests that
Scientists at MIT have developed a strain of mice that mimics the human immune system, allowing them to study the interaction between the host and the malaria parasite. The research reveals that natural killer cells play a crucial role in controlling infection early on.
Researchers create a system that can weigh particles as small as 0.85 attograms, opening up new possibilities for studying synthetic nanoparticles and biological components of cells. The device, known as a suspended microchannel resonator (SMR), uses a miniaturized sensor to measure the mass of particles flowing through a narrow channe...
A new study by MIT professor Joao Granja shows that more transparent banking practices can help ensure stability when banks fail and reduce costs for consumers or taxpayers. The study found that banks with better disclosure practices received higher bids for their assets during bankruptcy auctions, leading to lower costs for regulators.