Conquering Math | | | Initially unsure about changing his major to mathematics, junior Alula Hunsen took the plunge after surviving a tough final exam — and enjoying it. “I got over my fear of math by realizing that I could take it a step at a time,” he says. Full story via MIT Spectrum → |
Josh Tenenbaum receives 2019 MacArthur Fellowship Brain and cognitive sciences professor studies how the human mind is able to learn so rapidly. Full story via MIT News → | |
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Perception of musical pitch varies across cultures 🎶 How people interpret musical notes depends on the types of music they have listened to, researchers find. Full story via MIT News → |
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Computing and artificial intelligence: Humanistic perspectives from MIT How the humanities, arts, and social science fields can help shape the MIT Schwarzman College of Computing — and benefit from advanced computing. Full story via MIT News → | |
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Researching the economics of science PhD student Carolyn Stein explores the impact of scientists being “scooped” when a competing research team publishes results first. Full story via MIT News → | |
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First-year students encouraged to “reuse, refill, replenish” | MIT welcomed the Class of 2023 with an initiative to reduce the impact of water consumption through reusable water bottles and other sustainable habits. Full story via MIT News → | |
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Burn camp brings together children living with scars // The Washington Post Graduate student Ensign Christian Montgomery participated in this year’s International Burn Camp as part of an effort to support and inspire young people living with burn scars. “My scar is just something on my skin,” he said. “It’s not any deeper than that.” Full story via The Washington Post → |
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To pay attention, the brain uses filters, not a spotlight // Quanta Magazine | MIT researchers have identified a brain circuit that suppresses distracting information. They hope the work will lead to “a better understanding of how body and mind ... are deeply and inextricably intertwined.” Full story via Quanta Magazine → |
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Members of a remote Bolivian tribe do not hear pitch as others do // Forbes MIT researchers have found that the ability to detect musical octaves “is not really all that natural. It’s a skill we got from being surrounded by music in which the octave is an important element.” Full story via Forbes → |
| | | I can’t wait for the day when someone who needs a transplant doesn’t have to wait on a list. | | —Nina Tandon SM ’06, CEO of EpiBone, which is growing human bones from stem cells for better integration into the body Full story via Slice of MIT → | | Since 2001, the Great Glass Pumpkin Patch has brightened the Institute each year with more than 2,000 colorful glass pumpkins, all handblown by artists at the MIT Glass Lab. The event is a popular showcase of the Glass Lab, where MIT community members learn and practice the ancient craft of glassblowing. The 2019 Great Glass Pumpkin Patch takes place this weekend on the Kresge Oval. Learn more | Video on the Glass Lab → | This edition of the MIT Weekly was brought to you by the art of dropping balls. 🤹♀️ Thanks for reading, and enjoy your week! —MIT News Office |
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