Halloween Treat | | | PhD student Ashley Kaiser recently grew millions of carbon nanotubes — each incredibly strong and only 1/10,000 the width of a human hair — and immersed them in a guiding liquid. Upon drying, the nanotube “forest” created a recognizable spooky pattern. 👻 Full story via MIT News → |
3Q: Alyce Johnson on upholding the rights of MIT’s transgender community At MIT, “we are committed to looking after each other,” says the interim Institute community and equity officer. Full story via MIT News → | |
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Harnessing the power of sustainable energy With a love for the environment that took root on his family’s farm, senior Jesse Hinricher aims to put less expensive components into more efficient batteries. Full story via MIT News → | |
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Machines that learn language more like kids do A new model could improve human-computer interaction and provide insight into how children learn language. Full story via MIT News → | |
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Insights from MIT scholars on the 2018 election SHASS faculty members offer research-based commentaries, plus a “Music for the Midterms” playlist and an election book list. Full story via MIT News → | |
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Multitasking is bad, and you really shouldn’t do it // BuzzFeed “When someone is on the phone with you, they have no idea what’s going on in front of you,” says Professor Earl Miller of the problems posed by multitasking while driving. “That’s just plain dangerous.” Full story via BuzzFeed → |
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Lasers could be used to store data // Forbes MIT researchers have developed a technique to store information using lasers instead of electrons; the development could yield “a wave of new-generation data storage devices.” Full story via Forbes → |
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Ethics and autonomous vehicles // The Economist Associate Professor Iyad Rahwan and colleagues conducted a global survey to determine how people felt about the ethical dilemmas presented by autonomous vehicles. Full story via The Economist → |
| | This week, BAMIT, the organization of black alumni of MIT, celebrates the 50-year history of the MIT Black Students’ Union. Today, “the number of black women in the freshman class is nearly equal to the number of all women in my class,” BSU co-founder Linda Sharpe ’69 says. Full story via Slice of MIT → | | | I am proud that we do not fear each other or the world. As one can see any day in the Infinite Corridor, our openness to talent from every faith, culture, nation and background is central to our success, and central to our humanity. | —MIT President L. Rafael Reif, in a letter to the community reaffirming the Institute’s stance on the rights and safety of all at MIT Full letter via MIT News → | | Back in 2010, Michael Yoshitaka Erlewine PhD ’14 dazzled his fellow linguistics scholars with this impressive Stata-o’-lantern. It was created in the likeness of Building 32, MIT’s iconic Ray and Maria Stata Center, designed by architect Frank Gehry and home to the Department of Linguistics and Philosophy, the Computer Science and Artificial Intelligence Laboratory, and more. 🎃 Archive story via MIT News → | This edition of the MIT Weekly was brought to you by biologists in costume. 🛸 Thanks for reading, and have a great week! —Maia, MIT News Office |
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