Physics

Composing and consciousnessDustin Katzin’s friends say he is an Academy Award just waiting to happen.

Stacking 2-D materials produces surprising resultsNew experiments reveal previously unseen effects, could lead to new kinds of electronics and optical devices.

Lawmakers visit MIT’s Alcator C-Mod tokamak

Secret of efficient photosynthesis is decodedMIT researchers find that the key to purple bacteria’s light-harvesting prowess lies in highly symmetrical molecules.

Five from MIT win Early Career AwardsAlexander-Katz, Detmold, Fu, Tisdale and Williams honored by Office of Science of the Department of Energy.

An MIT physics MOOC five years in the makingMaterials for the new MITx summer course Mechanics ReView have been refined during a half-decade of development

Cheaters lessen colony survival under stress in yeast experimentMIT researchers find that high ratio of freeloaders makes it more likely colony will die from sudden shock to environment.

Understanding the turbulence in plasmasNew experiments in a tokamak fusion reactor reveal details of a cooling process, potentially bringing practical fusion closer.

3Q: Enectali Figueroa-Feliciano on possible hints of dark matterMIT physicist explains how new results from an underground experiment add intrigue to the hunt for dark matter.

New five-planet system contains two that are in the ‘habitable zone’Potentially habitable planets are slightly larger than Earth.

Anna Frebel receives NSF CAREER AwardFrebel will work on identifying large numbers of 12 to 13 billion-year-old stars in the galactic halo

Shedding light on the search for dark matterPhysicists and astronaut discuss cosmic ray detector’s findings of possible signs of dark matter.

Early warning signs of population collapseSpatial measurements of population density could reveal when threatened natural populations are in danger of crashing.

NASA selects MIT-led TESS project for 2017 mission$200 million project will launch telescopes to perform full-sky search for transiting exoplanets.

Applying physics, teamwork to fusion energy scienceZach Hartwig combines disciplines to help advance nuclear fusion as a practical energy source.

CERN announces measurement of antimatter excess in spaceMIT physicist and AMS spokesman Samuel Ting presents results via webcast.

A new understanding of metallic glassSimulations reveal that the formation of some glassy materials is like the setting of a bowl of gelatin.

Gore wins $1.13 million NIH grantAward will fund study evolution of antibiotic-resistance in bacteria

Obama hosts Dresselhaus, Graybiel and Luu in Oval OfficeThe three MIT scientists are among six winners of the 2012 Kavli Prizes to visit the White House.

OCW provides challenges for talented young studentIndian teen Tuhin Bagi uses MIT OpenCourseWare to enhance his studies and set his sights on future endeavors.

Research update: A new model accurately predicts three-dimensional sand flowModel may be useful in improving the flow of grain in silos, and drug capsules in pharmaceutical manufacturing.

New solar-cell design based on dots and wiresMIT researchers improve efficiency of quantum-dot photovoltaic system by adding a forest of nanowires.

Study offers new way to discover HIV vaccine targetsRagon Institute researchers develop a method to identify weak points in viral proteins that could be exploited for vaccine development.

Searching for solar systems like our ownJosh Winn’s hunt for exoplanets may someday reveal habitable, Earth-like worlds.

Predicted state of atomic collapse seen for first timeResearchers observe a basic quantum-mechanical phenomenon theorized decades ago by pioneers of atomic theory.

Allen Family Foundation grants Gore $1.5 million for research

Temkin named IEEE Plasma Science and Applications Award winnerRichard J. Temkin cited for contributions to the field of high power gyrotrons and their applications

A new look at high-temperature superconductorsMethod allows direct detection of rapid fluctuations that may help to explain how high-temperature superconducting materials work.