In her new book, “Birds Up Close,” materials engineer Lorna Gibson explores feathers, bones, bills, eggs, flight, and the mechanics behind birds’ extraordinary abilities. “I wasn’t writing it for engineers; I was writing it for birders,” she says.
Future quantum computers could break tried-and-true security schemes that now keep sensitive data secure. Engineers developed an ultra-efficient microchip to help protect power-constrained medical devices, like insulin pumps and pacemakers, from quantum attacks.
A new book by MIT faculty shows how the U.S. can move ahead in six key sectors, from semiconductors to biotechnology. “In each of these areas, there are breakthroughs to be had, where the U.S. can leapfrog competitors and gain an advantage,” Elisabeth Reynolds says.
Richard Linares is helping satellites safely navigate in increasingly congested orbits. “We want to enable all these economic opportunities that satellites give us,” he says. “And we are figuring out engineering solutions to make that possible.”
Ocean acidification threatens shellfish in Maine; MIT scientists are helping by working with fisheries to pull CO2 from seawater using electrodes. “Without science, we don’t have a prayer of continuing this industry,” oyster farmer Bill Mook says.
In a world without MIT, radar wouldn’t have been available to help win World War II. We might not have email, CT scans, time-release drugs, photolithography, or GPS. And we’d lose over 30,000 companies, employing millions of people. Can you imagine?
Since its founding, MIT has been key to helping American science and innovation lead the world. Discoveries that begin here generate jobs and power the economy — and what we create today builds a better tomorrow for all of us.