October 31, 2020
Greetings! There are just three days left until Election Day in the U.S. As we head into the final stretch of this election season, voting resources remain available at MITvote.

Now, here’s the latest from our community.
Cough Screening
Researchers have found that asymptomatic Covid-19 patients may have distinctive coughs. Indecipherable to the human ear, the differences can be picked up by artificial intelligence. Coughs recorded through a cellphone app could serve as a convenient screening tool.
Top Headlines
Angelika Amon, cell biologist who pioneered research on chromosome imbalance, dies at 53
Professor and mentor for more than 20 years at MIT redefined scientists’ understanding of the biology of cell division and proliferation.
MIT Heat Island
Study helps explain why motivation to learn declines with age
Research on mice suggests aging affects a brain circuit critical for learning to make some types of decisions.
MIT Heat Island
3 Questions: Adam Berinsky on how to assess election polls
MIT political scientist explains the responsibilities leaders have for shaping and sharing factual, truthful information in the nation's political discourse.
MIT Heat Island
A wearable sensor to help ALS patients communicate
Researchers have designed a skin-like device that can measure small facial movements in patients who have lost the ability to speak.
MIT Heat Island
Testing sewage to home in on Covid-19
Letting an algorithm decide which maintenance holes to test for evidence of coronavirus could improve pandemic containment efforts.
MIT Heat Island
#ThisisMIT
In the Media
Meet MIT’s first Black female student body president // The Kelly Clarkson Show
Danielle Geathers, president of the MIT Undergraduate Association, joins Kelly Clarkson to discuss her goals for her presidency.
This startup wants to get you hooked on a fancy instant coffee alternative // Fast Company
Cometeer, an MIT startup, offers a new way to deliver and consume craft coffee at home. It arrives in frozen pucks to retain “all the complex flavors of the bean, as if a coffee expert had brewed it for you.”
Opinion: A brief, intense shutdown would give the U.S. a second chance against the virus // The Washington Post
Professor Scott Sheffield argues that “circuit breakers” — strict closures for limited periods of time — could be used to help reduce Covid-19 infections.
Why science labs love older scientists // Next Avenue
Institute Professor Sallie “Penny” Chisholm and her work investigating Prochlorococcusare featured in a piece highlighting scientists over age 65 who are making “enormous contributions to their fields of expertise.”
Harvard joins MIT in backing $250 million venture fund targeting hard-sell startups // Forbes
Katie Rae, CEO and managing partner of The Engine, discusses the second round of funding raised by The Engine and how the venture is looking to help support tough tech ideas.
Trick or Treat?
Happy Halloween! For your pumpkin-carving pleasure, the MIT Alumni Association has developed a set of Institute-themed stencils for use by the community. They and other fun resources are included in a party kit created for the recent MIT Family Weekend.
Voting Lines
What does queuing theory say about managing polling places at the confluence of the U.S. elections and the Covid-19 pandemic? Here are six big takeaways about lines for voting, from the MIT Election and Data Science Lab.
Race, Ethnicity, and Politics
As we near Election Day, MIT OpenCourseWare is offering past MIT course materials for free relating to U.S. politics and government. Course 17.269 (Race, Ethnicity, and American Politics), for example, explores race and representation, measurement of racial and ethnic identities, voting rights and electoral districting, protest and other forms of political participation, and the meaning and measurement of racial attitudes.
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