news

Precisely engineering 3-D brain tissuesNew design technique could enable personalized medicine, studies of brain wiring.

The robotic equivalent of a Swiss army knifeReconfigurable robot a step toward something that can become almost anything.

Scientists discover water ice on MercuryIce and organic material may have been carried to the planet by passing comets.

Knowing the scoreAt MIT, composer Keeril Makan has found a home for his innovative works.

J.J. Abrams: 'It’s like driving in the fog'Movie and television writer-producer shares his thoughts on how his production company compares with MIT’s Media Lab.

The music of the silksResearchers synthesize a new kind of silk fiber — and find that music can help fine-tune the material’s properties.

3 Questions: World energy outlookFatih Birol, chief economist at the International Energy Agency, talks about the future of fossil fuels and the prospects for curbing greenhouse-gas emissions.

Proving quantum computers feasibleWith a new contribution to probability theory, researchers show that relatively simple physical systems could yield powerful quantum computers.

Lead-proton collisions yield surprising resultsUnexpected data from the Large Hadron Collider suggest the collisions may be producing a new type of matter.

Scientists image brain structures that deteriorate in Parkinson’sNew MRI technique could help doctors track how patients respond to treatment.

Funneling the sun’s energyMIT engineers propose a new way of harnessing photons for electricity, with the potential for capturing a wider spectrum of solar energy.

Brain waves encode rules for behaviorFluctuations in electrical activity may also allow the brain to form thoughts and memories.

Ocean currents play a role in predicting extent of Arctic sea iceDiscovery of feedback between sea ice and ocean improves Arctic ice extent forecast.

What can logistics do for you?In a new book, an MIT professor argues that investment in global transportation hubs can spur a ‘feedback loop’ of regional growth.

Making ‘nanospinning’ practicalNanofibers have a dizzying range of possible applications, but they’ve been prohibitively expensive to make. MIT researchers hope to change that.

A different operating procedureMIT Sloan’s Katherine Kellogg goes inside hospitals to study medical practices.

New injectable gels toughen up after entering the bodyThese more durable gels could find applications in drug delivery and tissue engineering.

Department snapshot: Electrical Engineering and Computer ScienceEECS places renewed emphasis on interdisciplinary research, partnerships with alumni and industry, and experiential learning.

Controlling heat flow through a nanostructureMIT researchers find that heat moving in materials called superlattices behaves like waves; finding could enable better thermoelectrics.

From the water to WashingtonMIT senior Noam Angrist works to reform education and health care through youth mentorship and economics.