During a recent talk at the Harvard Radcliffe Institute, author Lauren Groff surprised her interviewer by confessing that she writes and publishes poetry under a pseudonym. Responding to a question from fellow author Gish Jen, who moderated the first Virtual Radcliffe Book Talks session, Groff laughed and said, “I do write poetry and I publish…
As the United States marked its 250th anniversary, geneticists also had a reason to celebrate. The National Institutes of Health recently declared that the “All of Us” Research Program has become the largest global database combining health and genomic data. Initiated in 2015 during the Obama administration, the project aims to gather genetic and health…
The U.S. Supreme Court’s recent ruling on campaign finance is unlikely to cause significant changes for political parties, according to Nicholas Stephanopoulos, a professor at Harvard Law School. However, it might enable wealthy donors to more easily circumvent individual giving limits. Fifty years ago, the Supreme Court in Buckley v. Valeo struck down spending limits,…
The brain’s wiring is constantly evolving. Neural pathways are reshaped as we engage with the world and acquire new knowledge. At MIT’s McGovern Institute for Brain Research and York University, scientists are using brain activity analysis and computational modeling to understand these changes better. McGovern Institute postdoc Lynn Sörensen, MIT Professor James DiCarlo, and York…
Researchers in tissue engineering aim to create living organs and tissues from cells to replace damaged body parts. While artificial livers, kidneys, and muscles have been successfully grown, replicating complex blood vessel networks has been elusive. Without these networks, artificial tissues can’t function properly. MIT engineers have discovered a method to control blood vessel growth…
Renowned biologist Connie Cepko, recognized for her contributions to vision-related disease research, is handing over her scientific endeavors to a new generation of researchers. Cepko, who holds the title of Bullard Professor of Genetics and Neuroscience at Harvard Medical School, will retire on July 31, motivated by a desire to provide opportunities for younger scientists…
Illustrated by Harry Haysom from Ikon Images, Harvard librarians unveil their top 27 summer book picks. Tenzin Dickie of Harvard Library Communications published the list on July 13, 2026, covering categories like Fiction, Science Fiction & Fantasy, and Nonfiction. Among the fiction picks, Richard Russo’s ‘Straight Man’ stands out. It’s a humorous academic farce where…
Robots on city streets are becoming a more familiar sight, yet they are not yet the versatile helpers needed in kitchens or factories. A key hurdle is gathering data, as robots, like humans, learn effectively through experience. Teaching them various actions in different environments is a laborious and time-consuming process. “Using simulation as a training…
Infrared cameras can detect things invisible to the naked eye, like gas leaks from pipelines, chemicals in the air, or heat escaping from buildings. However, advanced infrared light sensing still requires costly and large systems. Researchers at MIT have developed a chip-based optical device capable of dynamically controlling incoming infrared light, functioning as a tunable…
The surge in the use of generative artificial intelligence has led to numerous open-source models being available online, enabling users to tailor them for specific tasks like creating product images in different artistic styles. Unfortunately, these models are also being exploited by malicious individuals to generate illegal content, such as hate speech or child sexual…
