A recent Pew Research study reveals that 40% of Americans foresee a negative societal impact from AI, while only 16% expect a positive one. Additionally, 63% feel the technology is progressing too rapidly. Many Americans also express dissatisfaction with spending over four hours daily on their phones, leading to a surge in online advice for…
Harvard leaders and Tishman Speyer CEO Rob Speyer, alongside Boston Mayor Michelle Wu and other local and state officials, gathered to mark the completion of the Enterprise Research Campus’s first phase in Allston last week. Harvard President Alan Garber highlighted the campus as a hub for researchers, entrepreneurs, and creative minds to collaborate on innovative…
Whitney Henry and Harikesh Wong have been honored as 2026 Pew Scholars in the Biomedical Sciences. The Pew Charitable Trusts revealed the 21-member cohort of early-career researchers, including the two MIT academics and two alumni, on June 16. Each recipient will obtain four years of funding to advance innovative research on human health and disease….
Researchers at MIT have found that ordinary graphite, commonly used in pencil lead, can exhibit complex properties at the microscale. A study published in Nature reveals that a specific microscopic structure within natural graphite can support several superconducting states. Superconductivity allows electrons to pair and move through a material without resistance. While many superconductors exist,…
The Antarctic ozone hole, identified in 1985, was a result of significant depletion in the Earth’s stratospheric ozone layer. This depletion was primarily caused by chlorofluorocarbons (CFCs), which were common in products like refrigerants and solvents. Global efforts to eliminate CFCs have helped the ozone layer begin to recover, particularly over Antarctica. The discovery was…
In the fall of 2023, I noticed something unusual in my students’ essays. Their work seemed to split into two distinct categories. One group submitted papers that were well-polished, particularly in grammar, and several students admitted during conferences that they heavily relied on AI tools, sometimes even for entire drafts. Surprisingly, many did not think…
A professor teaching undergraduate psychology courses emphasizes the importance of connecting course material with students’ real-life experiences. This approach helps students develop a stronger understanding and interest in the subject by applying knowledge to real-world contexts instead of memorizing information for exams (Fredricks et al., 2004; Kember et al., 2008). Students are encouraged to explain…
Envision a future scenario in a warehouse or office where you are tasked with training a new robotic colleague. The process involves demonstrating tasks physically while explaining them. For instance, when instructing the robot to place coffee on your desk without disrupting a Zoom meeting, it’s crucial to train it with clear data on the…
The expansion of U.S. data centers is primarily driven by the need to support artificial intelligence programs, raising concerns about their environmental impact and the strain on the energy grid. A recent MIT study suggests that the effects of data centers could vary significantly based on their energy consumption patterns. Shifting significant energy use to…
As an adjunct professor specializing in educational leadership, many of my students are professionals who attend classes after their workdays, often during evenings or weekends. I do not dismiss their absences as mere commitment issues; instead, I view them as challenges stemming from time, energy, and competing responsibilities. Despite the flexibility of accessing course materials…
