Artificial intelligence sheds light on how the brain processes language
Neuroscientists find the internal workings of next-word prediction models resemble those of language-processing centers in the brain.
Neutron star collisions are a “goldmine” of heavy elements, study finds
Mergers between two neutron stars have produced more heavy elements in last 2.5 billion years than mergers between neutron stars and black holes.
Dinosaurs may have lived in social herds as early as 193 million years ago
Fossils indicate a communal nesting ground and adults who foraged and took care of the young as a herd, scientists say.
How marsh grass protects shorelines
As climate change brings greater threats to coastal ecosystems, new research can help planners leverage the wave-damping benefits of marsh plants.
Scientists find evidence the early solar system harbored a gap between its inner and outer regions
The cosmic boundary, perhaps caused by a young Jupiter or an emerging wind, likely shaped the composition of infant planets.
Making data visualizations more accessible
Researchers find blind and sighted readers have sharply different takes on what content is most useful to include in a chart caption.
Distinguishing truth in communications
With a new National Science Foundation grant, Justin Reich and collaborators will apply information literacy research to communities outside the formal education system.
A robot that finds lost items
This robotic arm fuses data from a camera and antenna to locate and retrieve items, even if they are buried under a pile.
Zeroing in on the origins of Earth’s “single most important evolutionary innovation”
A new study shows oxygenic photosynthesis likely evolved between 3.4 and 2.9 billion years ago.
SpectrumX collective launches the first NSF Spectrum Innovation Initiative Center
MIT Haystack Observatory will be part of the new radio spectrum management and coordination center.
Researchers find a new way to control magnets
Reversible system can flip the magnetic orientation of particles with a small voltage; could lead to faster data storage and smaller sensors.
Study: As a population gets older, automation accelerates
Economists find companies’ adoption of robots is partly due to shortages in middle-aged labor.
Engineers create 3D-printed objects that sense how a user is interacting with them
Advance incorporates sensing directly into an object’s material, with applications for assistive technology and “intelligent” furniture.
Engineers grow pancreatic “organoids” that mimic the real thing
Studying these organoids could help researchers develop and test new treatments for pancreatic cancer, one of the deadliest types of cancer.
Making catalytic surfaces more active to help decarbonize fuels and chemicals
A new approach increases the efficiency of chemical reactions that are key to many industrial processes.