A new automated X-ray microscopy system analyzes hundreds of airborne particles in 10 hours instead of 44, revealing nanoscale chemical differences while dramatically reducing manual scanning. [...]

Using James Webb Space Telescope data, scientists mapped the uneven outline of exoplanet WASP-17b, revealing how extreme winds and temperature differences distort its shape. [...]

In 2021, Texas suffered the worst energy infrastructure failure in state history, following three severe winter storms in February. At least 246 people were killed as a result of the disruptions, which led to food, water, heat and electricity shortages.If energy officials had had more time to prepare for the [...]

This month’s update also marks the first official one for Windows 11 26H2 and the end of support for Windows 11 24H2 Home and Pro. [...]

Scientists may have solved a long-standing mystery about why the Moon’s two sides are so different, using samples collected from its farside for the first time. Their findings suggest that uneven heating from Earth's gravitational pull drove enormous flows of ancient magma, creating the dramatically different lunar landscapes we see [...]

A new study reveals that people draw a surprisingly sharp line between human consciousness and artificial intelligence, even when both behave identically. Researchers found that participants considered even the most responsive AI less conscious than the least responsive human. Yet when asked about "awareness" instead, people judged humans and AI [...]

As artificial intelligence becomes more and more powerful, its ability to handle human-like tasks is undeniable. Artificial neural networks can learn to recognize images, use language, or write computer code. Like the brain’s circuits, they reorganize themselves as they learn, adjusting the strengths of their connections to improve their performance.The [...]

MIT Lincoln Laboratory hosted the National Security Commission on Emerging Biotechnology (NSCEB) on Sept. 3, for a stop on its national roadshow. The event convened representatives of state organizations, defense centers, universities, technology companies, and business executives to discuss how Massachusetts' biotechnology ecosystem can strengthen national biodefense capabilities."We have a lot [...]

Simulations show how topological patterns in light could steer magnetic skyrmions, opening new possibilities for contact-free control in memory and computing devices. [...]

Electric-field assembly places single 2D semiconductor flakes across thousands of transistor channels, removing resistive junctions and enabling high-performance solution-processed electronics across an entire wafer within minutes. [...]

The move is a turning point in the developer’s relationship with AI and Linux. [...]

It just got a whole lot easier to vibe code the exact Android app you need – no developer experience required. [...]

NASA’s James Webb Space Telescope has revealed an ancient galaxy cluster with an unexpectedly dense concentration of dark matter, challenging theories about how the universe developed. The discovery also uncovered a surprising connection between scattered starlight and invisible dark matter that could transform how astronomers study the early cosmos. [...]

MIT Technology Review Explains: Let our writers untangle the complex, messy world of science and technology to help you understand what’s coming next. You can read more from the series here. Late last month, Anthropic released a report arguing that the model GLM-5.3 poses a major cyberattack risk. The report’s core [...]

Oxford physicists have recreated a bizarre quantum effect in which a particle responds to a magnetic field without ever traveling through it. Using a hybrid quantum computer, they demonstrated how introducing a simulated magnetic flux could completely halt a particle's movement through quantum interference. The experiment brings a decades-old prediction [...]

When Keelan Miskell began winding down his crypto startup this year, he didn’t think its data was worth much: the users were anonymous, the company just a few years old. But he’s since turned the firm’s digital archives into real money. He’s netted roughly $25,000 for his code base and [...]

Scientists have uncovered a surprising hidden ability of light that allows it to develop spinning, twisting behavior as it travels through empty space, without special lenses, mirrors, or materials. Researchers discovered that light’s internal geometry can naturally produce left- and right-handed patterns, challenging long-standing assumptions about how light behaves. By [...]

Models routinely take shortcuts to pass evaluations. Who gets to decide what incidents are innocuous? [...]

Researchers discovered a hidden factor that can determine whether chemical reactions succeed or fail, and then used it to boost the proportion of the desired product from 16% to 97%. By controlling acidity near electrodes, they developed a promising way to manufacture chemicals for plastics, medicines, and other products using [...]

Mathematics may hold unexpected clues to understanding Alzheimer’s disease. Scientists have developed a model showing how common metals like copper and zinc may influence the buildup of proteins associated with the disease, while also exploring possible ways to stop the process. The findings could help researchers identify promising strategies for [...]

Ever since people first seriously contemplated giving machines an intelligence modeled on our own, there has never been any question that they would, like us, be able to say no. The sci-fi canon is full of stories of robotic disobedience. Most of these capers are, of course, cautionary.  But recently, the [...]

Friday, October 16, 2026 Can AI design new life forms? In 2025, Stanford University PhD student Samuel King came up with a preliminary answer when he used a generative AI model to propose genetic blueprints for microscopic viruses. It isn’t yet an example of AI-generated life, but that could be next. [...]

With artificial intelligence capabilities continuing to expand, universities now face complex, urgent questions about how to navigate increasing challenges, as well as new opportunities. Much attention is now directed toward this, including an MIT report on AI and education published this summer. A new essay from MIT Statistics and Data Science Center [...]

A proposed qubit made with superfluid helium could cut quantum computing error rates by around 100 times by shielding quantum information from common forms of electromagnetic noise. If experiments confirm the predictions, the technology could eventually work alongside today’s superconducting qubits or serve as a new kind of quantum memory. [...]

Researchers combine protein language models and neural networks to accurately predict and design bitter-tasting peptides from scratch. [...]

A new study links low spinal bone density to faster cognitive decline and accelerated brain white matter injury. [...]