| Particle Robots | | | | | | Inspired by living cells, MIT researchers have developed simple robots that connect in large groups to move, transport objects, and complete other tasks. This “particle robotics” system could enable more scalable, flexible, robust robotics. Full story via MIT News → |
| Alana gift to MIT launches Down syndrome research center, technology program for disabilities Foundation’s $28.6 million gift will fund science, innovation, and education to advance understanding, ability, and inclusion. Full story via MIT News → | |
|
| MIT celebrates 50 years since the first moon landing Symposium featuring former astronauts and other Apollo mission luminaries examines the program’s legacy. Full story via MIT News → | |
|
| Susan Solomon, the climate optimist Her research pinpointed how CFCs caused the Antarctic ozone hole — and showed that the Montreal Protocol is helping to mend it. She’s convinced we can make progress on addressing climate change. Full story via MIT Technology Review → | |
|
| Open access task force releases draft recommendations The MIT community is invited to comment on ways to increase sharing of research, data, software, and more. Full story via MIT News → | |
|
| Meritocracy doesn’t exist, and believing it does is bad for you // Fast Company A study co-authored by Professor Emilio Castilla found that “in companies that explicitly held meritocracy as a core value, managers assigned greater rewards to male employees over female employees with identical performance evaluations.” Full story via Fast Company → |
|
| An hour of light and sound a day might keep Alzheimer’s at bay // Scientific American “This is the first time we’ve seen that this noninvasive stimulation can improve cognitive function,” says Professor Li-Huei Tsai of a new MIT study that suggests exposing patients to flashing light and pulsing sounds could reverse Alzheimer’s symptoms. Full story via Scientific American → |
|
| MIT offers an online course on the future of work // Axios MIT is offering an MITx course focused on the future of work that will “track technological history going back to the 19th century, income inequality, labor groups, automation, German manufacturing and more.” Full story via Axios → |
|
| Taking brain imaging even deeper // NIH Director’s Blog MIT researchers have developed a low-energy imaging approach called three-photon microscopy that allows exploration of all six layers of the visual cortex in a mammal’s brain. Francis Collins, National Institutes of Health director, notes that the researchers are proving themselves to be “biological explorers of the first order.” Full story via the NIH Director's Blog → |
|
| | | “One.MIT,” an art installation at MIT.nano (Building 12), displays a 6-inch silicon wafer depicting an image of MIT’s Great Dome. The image was formed by etching the names of more than 270,000 people associated with the Institute from 1861 to spring 2018. The names are too small to see with the naked eye, but a new website, onemit.mit.edu, enables anyone to search for a name and find its location in the mosaic. Full story via MIT News → |
| | | Li Fu Lee 李勵紱 was the first woman from China to attend MIT. Before coming to the Institute, she received a BS from the National Technical School of China. Upon her arrival at MIT in 1925, The Boston Globe noted: "without a doubt [Lee] is the most interesting coed that has ever registered as a student at Technology." She was one of only 25 women in the Class of 1929 and one of the first women to receive a BS in electrical engineering from the Institute. After earning her degree and returning to China, she worked as an engineer and taught at a university. Learn more via "China Comes to MIT" → |
| | | Not to be outdone by Pi(e) Day, organizers of last week’s MIT Apollo 50+50 symposium — a celebration of Apollo 11, its many MIT connections, and ongoing and future work related to space exploration — commissioned this unique space cake, complete with Saturn V rocket and lunar landing module. Stellar! Learn more via MIT AeroAstro → |
This edition of the MIT Weekly was brought to you by Keytar Bear sightings. 🐻
Thanks for reading, and enjoy your week!
—Maia, MIT News Office |
|
|
