A burst of “pink noise” may lead to more restorative sleep
Delivered at just the right time, this type of auditory stimulus can strengthen the flow of cerebrospinal fluid, which clears debris from the brain and keeps it healthy.
An electrochemical approach turns ammonia into pure hydrogen
An MIT team has demonstrated a more efficient way to extract pure hydrogen gas from hydrogen carrier molecules.
Study predicts large disparities in access to food, water, and energy in 2050
In some regions of the world, the poorest people may spend about 50 percent of their income on food, while the richest spend about 5 percent.
Researchers tune into Arctic under-ice sounds and test through-ice communication
The work is part of a multiyear effort to develop a distributed sensor network for relaying data collected from this critical region.
New method allows scientists to follow gene activity over time in the same cells
In the new method, cells package and export their RNA, enabling researchers to sequence and analyze the RNA without killing the cells.
Fabrication platform could enable flexible, transparent next-generation photonic chips
This scalable process produces high-performance chips for applications like discreet wearables or pliable augmented-reality displays.
New qubit architecture enables faster, more accurate operations
This advance could be a big step toward developing a scalable, practical quantum computer.
System helps humans predict when self-driving cars will make mistakes
A new method, called CW-Net, translates the reasoning process of an autonomous vehicle’s AI system into understandable concepts that explain its behavior.
New research shows a neutrino laser is impossible
Due to physical and fundamental limitations, an earlier proposal for producing laserlike beams of neutrinos cannot be achieved, scientists report.
Cognition and consciousness arise from analog computations, says new theory
The brain's ability to generate quick, nimble volitional thought — and a unified awareness of thought and experience — arises from analog computations, MIT neuroscientists argue in a new review.
Atlas of the brain’s striatum could guide researchers to new drug treatments
A new study reveals insights into populations of neurons affected by Huntington’s disease, schizophrenia, addiction, and other disorders.
Translating economic growth into better lives
Graduate student Lyonel Tanganco investigates how to improve public policy interventions and address challenges in nutrition, climate, and development.
MIT Quantum Initiative launches postdoctoral fellowship program
The Institute welcomes its first cohort of QMIT Fellows this fall to advance interdisciplinary quantum research.
Study: Peptides can form well-defined structures in harsh, Venus-like conditions
New research offers support for the possibility that complex biological molecules could exist in the highly acidic environment of Venus’s cloud layer.
Playing against climate risk
Climate scientist Sai Ravela is using games to help coastal communities find creative adaptations to climate change.