| Modern Sci-Fi | | | | | At MIT, the permeable line between reality and science fiction is familiar territory. Students in course 21L.434 discover how science fiction of the 21st century is not only a way to envision future worlds, but a powerful way to think about the world we now inhabit. |
| Behind Covid-19 vaccine development A machine learning model developed jointly by Janssen and MIT data scientists played a key role in the clinical trial process for the Johnson & Johnson Covid-19 vaccine. |  |
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| Susan Solomon, scholar of atmospheric chemistry and environmental policy, delivers Killian Lecture The esteemed professor describes her path to the Institute, work on ozone depletion, and insights on the current state of climate policy. |  |
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| Improving the way videos are organized Netra, co-founded by Shashi Kant SM ’06, uses artificial intelligence to help companies sort and manage video content. |  |
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| Dynamic thinking about management problems MIT Sloan’s Hazhir Rahmandad investigates complex systems, from supermarkets to pandemics. |  |
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| Targeting the human-related numbers behind remote learning Senior Fiona Chen combines economics research and student advocacy to study the pandemic’s effect on students. |  |
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| How to get all the toothpaste out of the tube // The Economist |
Colgate will be using the super slippery, food-safe coating developed by MIT startup LiquiGlide to create a new line of toothpastes “that promise to deliver every last drop.” |
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| Opinion: A blueprint for designing hybrid work policies // Fortune Professor Erin Kelly and University of Minnesota Professor Phyllis Moen explore how to craft effective hybrid work policies that can benefit both employees and employers. |
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| Opinion: Why cash is better than expanded health insurance for the poor // The New York Times “If forced to prioritize how best to help those who are struggling economically — either because of the coronavirus pandemic or from longer-term, structural obstacles — it’s time to recognize that cash is more effective than insurance,” writes Professor Amy Finkelstein. |
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| The pandemic has “re-imagined how we can exhibit” says Venice Architecture Biennale curator Hashim Sarkis // Dezeen Hashim Sarkis, dean of the MIT School of Architecture and Planning, discusses how the field of architecture is transforming due to climate change, the Covid-19 pandemic, and efforts to increase diversity and representation. “Talent and imagination are not restricted to advanced development economically,” says Sarkis. “I hope this message comes across in this biennale.” |
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| | | As more and more members of our community vaccinate against Covid-19, and as the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention have begun relaxing guidelines, some questions linger as to the effectiveness of the vaccines. We know the vaccines available in the U.S. are close to 100 percent effective when it comes to preventing hospitalization and death. But we still hear of occasional breakthrough cases — fully vaccinated people who, nonetheless, have gotten sick from Covid-19. How worried should we be? A new post from MIT Medical explains. |
| 1,500,000 | | Approximate number of objects, prints, rare books, technical archives, drawings, photographs, films, holograms, and more that comprise the holdings of the MIT Museum — 26,000 of which have been digitized |
| | | This tent pitched under the Great Dome in the middle of the Barker Library Reading Room may look like a prank, but it’s all library business. When MIT Distinctive Collections was displaced from Building 14 due to the ongoing Hayden Library renovation, staff relocated to Barker and set up this clever tent, which helped maintain strict lighting and reflection levels necessary for imaging work. Since September, they’ve produced more than 20,000 images as requested by the MIT community. |
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