Science

Why happiness is not the best indicator of well-being

Achieving values and pursuing growth is the real secret to a fulfilled life.

Jason Crawford

How Arc Institute is bringing science into the century of biology

Stephen Johnson

A vibrant graphic illustration featuring a large leafy plant with integrated plant sensors, comic-style speech bubbles containing exclamation marks, and a round bubble depicting ants, set against a blue textured background.

Agriculture

Plant sensors could act as an early warning system for farmers

Using sensors made from carbon nanotubes, researchers discovered signals that help plants respond to stresses like heat, light, or attack.

Anne Trafton | MIT News Office

Neuroscience

Scientists use ultrasound to control brain cells in animals

Researchers have used ultrasound to trigger the brain cells of mice with a technique called sonogenetics.

B. David Zarley

Genetics

DNA used to make the world’s tiniest “radio”

Scientists have created the world's smallest antenna, measuring only five nanometers in length. It is designed to decipher real-time changes in proteins and records and transmits data via light signals.

Teresa Carey

Sports

Olympic skiers and snowboarders are competing on 100% fake snow – here's the science behind it

Peter Veals

Inventions

New synthetic tooth enamel is stronger than the natural kind

A synthetic tooth enamel that outperformed the natural kind in strength and durability tests could have applications beyond dentists' offices.

Kristin Houser

Genetics

New breed of pig will provide organs for human transplantation

German researchers are breeding a new type of pig that’s been genetically modified to have organs ideal for human transplantation.

Kristin Houser

Transportation

How slime molds can design efficient subway networks without human help

A new computer models shows how slime molds may design efficient subways without our help.

Scotty Hendricks

Engineering

MIT’s new material is stronger than steel and as light as plastic

A new material out of MIT that’s stronger than steel and as light as plastic could one day coat smartphones, hold up bridges, and more.

Kristin Houser

Medicine

Monkeys’ alcohol consumption drops 50% after hormone therapy

Heavy-drinking monkeys cut their alcohol consumption by 50% after researchers treated them with a hormone called “FGF21.”

Kristin Houser

Neuroscience

Researchers can predict rats’ behavior by reading their brains

A team at the University of Oregon have decoded the patterns of brain activity to predict basic actions in mice.

Teresa Carey

Biology

“BioDome” triggers near-complete limb regeneration in frogs

A new limb regeneration treatment allowed adult African clawed frogs to regrow near-complete functional legs following amputation.

Kristin Houser

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