Existing Laser Technology Could Be Used To Attract Aliens
If extraterrestrial intelligence exists somewhere in our galaxy, a new MIT study proposes that laser technology on Earth could, in principle, be fashioned into something…
MIT
Novel Surface Design Overcomes Condensation, Offers New Approach to Liquid-Repelling Surfaces
“Omniphobic” might sound like a way to describe someone who is afraid of everything, but it actually refers to a special type of surface that…
MIT Develops New Way to Help Blood Cells Regenerate Faster
Patients with blood cancers such as leukemia and lymphoma are often treated by irradiating their bone marrow to destroy the diseased cells. After the treatment,…
Dendrites Help Explain the Unique Computing Power of Our Brain
Neurons in the human brain receive electrical signals from thousands of other cells, and long neural extensions called dendrites play a critical role in incorporating…
Probiotics and Antibiotics Eradicate Drug-Resistant Bacteria
In the fight against drug-resistant bacteria, MIT researchers have enlisted the help of beneficial bacteria known as probiotics. In a new study, the researchers showed…
When light Causes a Photoinduced Phase Transition
The way that ordinary materials undergo a phase change, such as melting or freezing, has been studied in great detail. Now, a team of researchers…
New Polymer Material Uses Carbon Dioxide to Self‐Repair
A material designed by MIT chemical engineers can react with carbon dioxide from the air, to grow, strengthen, and even repair itself. The polymer, which…
Innovative Solution to Solving a Longstanding Fusion Challenge
Novel design could help shed excess heat in next-generation fusion power plants. A class exercise at MIT, aided by industry researchers, has led to an…
MIT Chemists Discover Unexpected Enzyme Structure
Many microbes have an enzyme that can convert carbon dioxide to carbon monoxide. This reaction is critical for building carbon compounds and generating energy, particularly…
‘Fingerprints’ of Ancient Weather Conditions
When a coastal tide rolls out, it can reveal beautiful ripples in the temporarily exposed sand. These same undulating patterns can also be seen in…
Scientists Observe Relationship Between Earth’s Surface Temperature and Its Outgoing Heat
Just as an oven gives off more heat to the surrounding kitchen as its internal temperature rises, the Earth sheds more heat into space as…
New Lithium-Based Battery Design Makes Use of Greenhouse Gas
New lithium-based battery could make use of greenhouse gas before it ever gets into the atmosphere. A new type of battery developed by researchers at…
Scientists Reveal How Phytoplankton Survive in Nutrient Deficient Ocean Gyres
Subtropical gyres are huge, sustained currents spanning thousands of kilometers across the Pacific and Atlantic oceans, where very little grows. With nutrients in short supply,…
Fish-Eye Lens May Produce Quantum Entanglement Between Atoms
Nearly 150 years ago, the physicist James Maxwell proposed that a circular lens that is thickest at its center, and that gradually thins out at…
New Research Shows How Sickled Red Blood Cells Clump Together
One of the most common complications of sickle-cell disease occurs when deformed red blood cells clump together, blocking tiny blood vessels and causing severe pain…
New Technique Allows Engineers To 3D Print Colloidal Crystals
MIT engineers have united the principles of self-assembly and 3-D printing using a new technique, which they highlight today in the journal Advanced Materials. By…
MIT Media Lab Researchers Develop Wireless Underwater to Air Communications
MIT researchers have taken a step toward solving a longstanding challenge with wireless communication: direct data transmission between underwater and airborne devices. Today, underwater sensors…
Scientists Reveal Cellular Changes That Lead to Chronic Allergic Inflammation
Findings suggest mechanisms for the persistence of nasal polyps and possible new treatment strategies. Chronic rhinosinusitis is distinct from your average case of seasonal allergies….