New record for fusion

Alcator C-Mod tokamak nuclear fusion reactor sets world record on final day of operation.

MIT to neutralize 17 percent of carbon emissions through purchase of solar energy

Partnership of three local organizations could set a sustainability example for others to follow.

President Obama discusses artificial intelligence with Media Lab Director Joi Ito

One-on-one conversation in WIRED focuses on advancements in artificial intelligence and how society should respond to related concerns.

Paula Hammond elected to the National Academy of Medicine

Chemical engineer recognized for her contributions to medicine and health.

Harnessing the power of citizens

PhD student Lily Bui works with communities around the world to gather data from the bottom up.

Algorithm connects students to the most interesting person they’ve never met

Tuka Al-Hanai and Mohammad Ghassemi have connected over 500 MIT students for more than 1,000 lunch meetings.

Professor Emeritus Whitman Richards dies at 84

Longtime professor and beloved advisor was known for advances in experimental and theoretical studies of vision, perception, and cognition.

Melik Kaylan writes for The Wall Street Journal about “Syria: A Living History,” an exhibit curated by Prof. Nasser Rabbat. Kaylan writes that the exhibit is “a poignant, cathartic show. The visitor can’t help feeling awe and veneration for the immortal works of art mixed with a bittersweet sense of what humans are capable of—at their best and worst.”

Guardian reporter Amy Fleming spotlights Prof. Robert Langer’s work revolutionizing medicine. Fleming notes that “Langer’s trailblazing research in nanotechnology, which ranges from haircare to cancer treatments, has already improved the lives of at least 2 billion people.”

Researchers from the Broad Institute will co-lead an initiative aimed at mapping and describing every cell in the human body, writes Kate Kelland of Reuters. "We now have the tools to understand what we are composed of, which allows us to learn how our bodies work, and uncover how all these elements malfunction in disease," explains Prof. Aviv Regev.

Making a splash in health care economics

Heidi Williams builds all-new data sets to answer questions about innovation and biomedical research.

A delicate balance between positive and negative emotion

Neuroscientists identify two neuron populations that encode happy or fearful memories.

Electron-phonon interactions affect heat dissipation in computer chips

Study shows particle collisions may explain overheated circuits, improve thermoelectric devices.

Stretchy optical fibers for implanting in the body

Biocompatible fibers could use light to stimulate cells or sense signs of disease.

A new player in appetite control

Brain cells that provide structural support also influence feeding behavior, study shows.