New tools developed by MIT researchers allow people with minimal programming skills to rapidly build cellphone applications for disaster relief, utilizing the App Inventor and RDF standards. The apps can monitor multiple data sources, display information on Google maps, and enable users to annotate or supplement the data.
Scientists at MIT have created tiny ceramic objects that can bend up to 7% without cracking, overcoming the material's brittleness. The flexible ceramics have potential for biomedical applications, such as triggering actions in microdevices.
Researchers have developed nanoparticles that can protect vaccines from being cleared by the lungs, allowing them to generate a strong immune response in both the lungs and distant mucosal surfaces. The technology has shown promise in preventing infections such as influenza and HIV, as well as delivering cancer vaccines.
A team of researchers has carried out the first detailed measurements of a unique kind of magnetism found in herbertsmithite. The study reveals a signature in the material's optical conductivity that supports theoretical predictions about the influence of magnetism on electrons.
Researchers developed a microfluidic device to study cancer cell extravasation, the process by which cells escape blood vessels. The device revealed that most arrested cells are trapped and eventually squeeze through, with their nuclei escaping even earlier than expected. Understanding this process can help identify therapies to preven...
A new study from MIT reveals a gene essential for memory extinction, which could benefit people with posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD). Enhancing the activity of this gene, Tet1, might make it easier to replace fearful memories with more positive associations.
A recent MIT study found that high-energy electron activity in space may contribute to failures in geostationary satellites. The research team analyzed data from eight satellites and found that most failures occurred during declining phases of the solar cycle, particularly when Kp index was three or less.
Researchers at MIT developed a new model of malaria transmission that combines global forecasts with local rainfall data, predicting minimal increase in disease incidence despite projected temperature and rainfall changes. The study aims to provide more accurate predictions for specific variables relevant to society, such as malaria in...
Researchers at MIT have developed a software system, Jigsaw, that optimizes cache management for multicore chips, improving performance by an average of 18% and reducing energy consumption by up to 72%. The system adapts to changing computational patterns, allowing it to dynamically allocate cache space and minimize energy usage.
Researchers found that molecules of precise size can zip through nanotubes five times faster than those of a different size. This discovery could be used to design better membranes for desalination and develop sensors capable of detecting specific contaminants in water.
A new system enables cloud customers to quickly verify the proper execution of their software, protecting against malicious code and ensuring data privacy. The system uses a practical, succinct zero-knowledge proof that can fit in a single data packet.
The Center for Brains, Minds and Machines aims to foster collaboration across disciplines to understand intelligence and develop intelligent machines. The center will focus on four main research themes: integrating intelligence, circuits for intelligence, developing intelligence in children, and social intelligence.
Researchers at MIT have developed an inflatable antenna that can significantly amplify radio signals, allowing CubeSats to transmit data higher rates and farther. The design uses a sublimating powder to inflate the antenna in space, increasing its communication range seven times compared to existing CubeSats.
A team of MIT and Washington University researchers developed a terramechanics model called Artemis, simulating rover mobility over various soil types and terrain. The model predicts safest paths for rovers and can help mission planners avoid sand traps like the Spirit rover.
Researchers at MIT have elucidated a 37th type of chemical reaction, crucial for understanding climate-affecting aerosols and human physiology. The reaction involves the decomposition of complex organic molecules and has significant implications for combustion reactions in engines.
Researchers developed a new method to control genes by targeting transcription, allowing for positive and negative regulation with the same protein. The technique has the potential to enable complex synthetic biology circuits and applications such as disease detection and drug production.
Researchers propose a rigorous evidence-based approach to identify what works and doesn't work in collaborations, aiming to improve the efficiency of drug development. Thousands of organizations have come together in over 100 multi-stakeholder collaborations to solve specific problems.
E. coli bacteria produce at most six times more heat than needed to meet thermodynamic constraints, suggesting they could grow faster and still obey the second law of thermodynamics. This finding has implications for synthetic biology applications and may support the hypothesis that RNA evolved before DNA.
A paper by MIT economist Alp Simsek suggests that financial innovation does not reduce portfolio risk, but instead raises it by spreading risk through new financial instruments and creating situations where parties hold opposing views. This can lead to increased average portfolio risks as speculative variance becomes dominant.
Gold nanoparticles with special coatings can deliver drugs or biosensors to a cell's interior without damaging it. Researchers have figured out how the process works, including the crucial first step of fusing with lipids in the cell wall.
Researchers at MIT have identified a key brain circuit that controls anxiety levels, providing new insights into the development of effective treatments. The study found that manipulating this circuit can boost or reduce anxiety in mice, suggesting a promising avenue for future research.
Researchers at MIT have developed nanosensors that can detect variations in binding strength of antibody drugs, enabling more efficient production. The sensors also measure weak interactions with sugar chains, which are essential for drug effectiveness.
A new rechargeable flow battery has been engineered by MIT researchers, generating three times as much power per square centimeter as other membraneless systems. The device stores and releases energy through laminar flow, without relying on expensive membranes, and may enable cheaper, large-scale energy storage.
Researchers develop a lightweight structure made of tiny blocks that can be snapped together like bricks, revolutionizing the assembly of airplanes, spacecraft, and larger structures. The new material is 10 times stiffer for a given weight than existing ultralight materials and can be easily disassembled and reassembled.
Researchers at MIT and Boston Children's Hospital found a correlation between poor pre-reading skills in kindergartners and the size of a brain structure that connects language-processing areas. This study aims to identify children with dyslexia earlier, allowing for early intervention.
Researchers at MIT suggest designing products to help microentrepreneurs generate income is key to success. Factors such as reliability, profitability and multifunctionality often trump affordability in developing countries.
A new study by MIT professors found that online ratings can heavily influence people's judgments, with positively rated comments becoming increasingly popular and negatively rated comments triggering skepticism. However, the researchers also discovered limitations in this phenomenon, such as topical constraints.
Researchers at MIT and Max Planck Institute have mapped the wiring diagram of a tiny patch of mouse retina using a combination of human and artificial intelligence. They identified 950 neurons, including a new type of retinal cell, and classified most of them based on their connections with other neurons.
Researchers at MIT created a layer of tiny grains that can funnel acoustic waves, potentially leading to smaller electronic devices and new types of blast-shielding material. The discovery could also enable the development of microbalances capable of measuring tiny changes in weight.
Researchers found that AXL receptor pairs with EGFR to make tumors resistant to ErbB inhibitors. Combining drugs targeting AXL and EGFR receptors could offer a better way to fight tumors, according to the study.
Researchers developed a new framework to analyze ad hoc networks with fluctuating link quality, providing mathematical bounds on message propagation efficiency. The framework describes algorithms that can achieve maximal efficiency using randomness and adversarial relationships.
A new study from MIT suggests that dopamine signaling plays a crucial role in maintaining focus on long-term goals. The research reveals that the level of dopamine increases steadily throughout each trial, peaking as the animal approaches its goal, reflecting its distance from the reward.
Researchers at MIT have developed a new endoscopy technology that captures three-dimensional images of the colon surface, making it easier to detect precancerous growths. The technique, known as photometric stereo endoscopy, uses multiple light sources to create visual representations of surface features.
A new MIT study finds that even moderate mobility restrictions can decrease infection rates by up to 50% in highly interconnected areas. The researchers used data from the US census to simulate the flow of contagion and developed a quantitative measure called the price of anarchy.
MIT researchers have produced the fluidic analogue of the double-slit experiment and electron confinement in a circular corral, demonstrating remarkable accuracy in statistical behavior. This discovery offers insight into rational quantum dynamics and wave-particle duality.
Researchers use holographic duality to translate physics of black holes to superfluid turbulence, discovering turbulent flows behave like 3-D fluids. This breakthrough helps explain complex behavior of superfluids and provides new insights into the dynamics of these materials.
Researchers successfully created and stored false memories in mice using optogenetics, a technique that allows them to activate specific brain cells. The study suggests that many neurological traces of false memories are identical to those of authentic memories.
Researchers at MIT are developing a ceramic compound called silicon carbide (SiC) as an alternative to traditional zircaloy cladding for nuclear fuel rods. SiC shows promise in reducing the risk of hydrogen production by a thousandfold, while also potentially allowing for longer use of fuel rods and reduced spent fuel volume.
A new online tool helps quantify subjective opinions on city environments, linking safety perceptions to violent crime rates. The study found correlations between perceived class and safety scores in US cities compared to Austrian counterparts.
Researchers have unraveled the secrets of mussels' clinginess, discovering that their byssus threads can withstand impact forces nine times greater than stretching in one direction. The unique distribution of stiffness along the threads enables them to absorb nutrients while minimizing damage from waves.
Researchers have developed a new technology that can quickly turn genes on and off by shining light, enabling precise control over gene expression. This innovation has potential applications in understanding learning and memory, as well as studying epigenetic modifications.
Researchers at MIT have developed a computer system, Remy, that automatically generates efficient TCP congestion-control algorithms. These algorithms significantly outperform human-designed versions in simulations, yielding transmission rates 2-3 times higher and delay reductions of up to two-thirds.
Researchers at MIT have identified a hidden reservoir of lead-laden rocks in the Earth's mantle, which would make the planet's composition more similar to meteorites. This discovery could help explain the Earth's origins and provide insights into its evolution through history.
Scientists at MIT have developed a system to grow liver tissue that can support the liver stage of malaria parasites, allowing for testing of new drugs and vaccines. The system was used to study a vaccine for P. falciparum and showed promising results.
A team of MIT researchers investigated the factors controlling boiling heat transfer from a surface to a liquid, finding that surface porosity is the most important factor. They developed methodologies for systematically depositing nanoparticles onto surfaces with controlled wettability and porosity, leading to improvements in heat-tra...
Research shows that phytoplankton form concentrated patches in turbulent ocean water, counterintuitive to expectations of uniform distribution. This phenomenon, known as 'turbulent un-mixing,' helps phytoplankton find cells of the same species without sensory information.
Researchers at MIT create systems that can translate natural-language descriptions into working code in a few narrow cases. The method involves mapping regular expressions to equivalent natural-language expressions, enabling programmers to specify complex searches using simple language.
Researchers at MIT have discovered a new method to trap light that could find applications in lasers, solar cells, and fiber optics. The phenomenon involves destructive interference from waves of opposite phases, blocking certain wavelengths while allowing others to pass through.
Researchers at MIT used high-speed video to record individual marine bacteria and found that a small flexible rod called the hook bucks during forward swims, causing the cell to tumble and reorient. This unusual mechanism helps bacteria navigate toward food in nutrient-sparse ocean waters.
A new MIT study estimates that air pollution from coal emissions in China shortens lives by 2.5 billion years, with particulate matter levels over 400 micrograms per cubic meter found in the region. The research uses quasi-experimental methods to project life expectancy losses for 500 million Chinese residents north of the Huai River.