High doses of anesthetic drugs can induce a deep state of unconsciousness linked with cognitive impairments after a patient wakes up. Researchers have now found EEG patterns that can track when unconsciousness may be more profound than necessary.

A new technique helps a user understand why a robot failed to complete a given task — say, picking up a mug. It can then fine-tune the robot, with minimal effort, to perform that same task more effectively.

Mathias Kolle examines the microstructure of butterfly wings, and other organisms, in search of ways to replicate their light-bending effects. His team is designing materials, inspired by nature, that exhibit advanced optical functions.

Through the MIT Indigenous Languages Initiative, Rani Ukhengching Marma works to preserve Marma, spoken by one of the largest Indigenous groups in Bangladesh. The language “is strongly associated with our ancestral lands, culture, and knowledge,” she says.

The ocean’s color has changed significantly in 20 years, and the trend is likely a consequence of human-induced climate change, scientists report. In particular, tropical ocean regions near the equator have become steadily greener over time.

Via @mit_spain on Instagram: “Great dinner meeting up with MIT-Spain interns living and working in Madrid!”