Physics

Two MIT juniors named Truman ScholarsMcCord, Okuneye awarded $30,000 for graduate study toward careers in government, non-profits.

Predicting how proteins will partnerAmy Keating models critical interactions that underlie most cellular functions.

X-ray monitoring mission comes to an endThe RXTE satellite retires after 16 years.

Louis S. Osborne PhD ’50, longtime MIT physicist, dies at 88Developed many of the experimental techniques that are now standard practice in high-energy physics

Mysterious electron acceleration explainedComputer simulation identifies source of aurora-causing high-speed electrons in space

Making droplets drop fasterNew nanopatterned surfaces could improve the efficiency of powerplants and desalination systems.

MIT team promotes prostate cancer prognosis toolGroup is a semifinalist in MIT $100K Entrepreneurship Competition

My connectome, myselfNeuroscientist Sebastian Seung is on a quest to map brain connections that reveal how our memories and personalities take root.

Turning heat into powerA new kind of high-temperature photonic crystal could someday power everything from smartphones to spacecraft.

Solving energy problems, one molecule at a timeMaterials scientist explores new possibilities in topics from molecules to rooftop solar panels.

Astronomers find a dark matter galaxy far, far awayDiscovery could offer clues on the nature of dark matter.

Watching a gas turn superfluidNew work on ultracold gases may also help scientists understand high-temperature superconductors and neutron stars.

Two new Earth-sized exoplanets discoveredSome 950 light-years away, team finds smallest exoplanets yet detected.

Electronics takes on a new spinResearchers at MIT find a way to observe and control the way electrons spin on the surface of exotic new materials.

A novel way to concentrate sun’s heatMIT researchers find a way to generate power without the usual mirror arrays.

The new NSE strategyStrengthens core, opens boundaries; seeks better integration of technical and societal issues.

Seeing cancer in three dimensionsScientists find that the 3-D structure of a cancer cell’s chromosomes plays a big role in which genes get deleted or copied.

Lucas Papademos ’70, SM ’72, PhD ’78 named prime minister of Greece

Shining brightlyVast amounts of solar energy radiate to the Earth constantly, but tapping that energy cost-effectively remains a challenge.

Where the wind blowsHow far can wind power go toward reducing global carbon emissions from electricity production?

What can make a dent?Given the enormous scale of worldwide energy use, there are limited options for achieving significant reductions in greenhouse gas emissions.

Graphene shows unusual thermoelectric response to lightFinding could lead to new photodetectors or energy-harvesting devices.

Adam Riess ’92 wins Nobel Prize for physicsMIT alum cited for studying the universe’s expansion.

Kord Smith brings 30 years of simulation insight to NSE