Microbes and minerals may have set off Earth’s oxygenation
Scientists propose a new mechanism by which oxygen may have first built up in the atmosphere
Computational modeling guides development of new materials
Chemical engineers use neural networks to discover the properties of metal-organic frameworks, for catalysis and other applications.
Study: Ice flow is more sensitive to stress than previously thought
Changes to a key ice flow equation could refine estimates of sea level rise.
How to help humans understand robots
Theories from cognitive science and psychology could help humans learn to collaborate with robots faster and more effectively, scientists find.
Study reveals chemical link between wildfire smoke and ozone depletion
If wildfires become larger and more frequent, they might stall ozone recovery for years.
Physicists observe an exotic “multiferroic” state in an atomically thin material
Discovery shows for the first time that multiferroic properties can exist in a two-dimensional material; could lead to more efficient magnetic memory devices.
A security technique to fool would-be cyber attackers
Researchers demonstrate a method that safeguards a computer program’s secret information while enabling faster computation.
Singing in the brain
MIT neuroscientists have identified a population of neurons in the human brain that respond to singing but not other types of music.
Can machine-learning models overcome biased datasets?
A model’s ability to generalize is influenced by both the diversity of the data and the way the model is trained, researchers report.
Solar-powered system offers a route to inexpensive desalination
Passive solar evaporation system could be used to clean wastewater, provide potable water, or sterilize medical tools in off-grid areas.
MIT.nano receives grant to acquire focused ion beam scanning electron microscope
National Science Foundation award will allow the VELION FIB-SEM to become a permanent instrument in MIT.nano’s characterization facility.
Study suggests words are needed to think about numbers
Among adults who vary in their knowledge of number words, the ability to reason about numbers is bound by the highest number they can count to.
Making RNA vaccines easier to swallow
A pill that releases RNA in the stomach could offer a new way to administer vaccines, or to deliver therapies for gastrointestinal disease.
Tiny materials lead to a big advance in quantum computing
Using ultrathin materials to reduce the size of superconducting qubits may pave the way for personal-sized quantum devices.
Where did that sound come from?
MIT neuroscientists have developed a computer model that can answer that question as well as the human brain.