Topic: Massachusetts Institute of Technology
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Get irrational: 3.14 things to do on Pi Day
March 14 is Pi Day, which celebrates the mathematical constant measuring the ratio of a circle's circumference to its diameter (beginning with 3.14). Pi Day is celebrated internationally, and in 2009 it was decreed an official holiday by the US House of Representatives. Here are 3.14 ways to celebrate.
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Four job trends for 2013
With unemployment still high, many Americans are looking to find a job, change careers, or update their skills. Here are four trends for 2013 that can help you make smart career moves.
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The 20 most fascinating accidental inventions
Most inventors strive for weeks, months, or years to perfect their products. (Thomas Edison tried thousands of different light bulb filaments before arriving at the ideal mixture of tungsten.) But sometimes, brilliance strikes by accident. Here's a salute to the scientists, chefs, and everyday folk who stumbled upon greatness – and, more important, shared their mistakes with the world.UPDATE: After great reader feedback, we've added five additional accidental inventions: Stainless steel, plastic, ice cream cones, Post-it Notes, and matches.
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A literary road trip through New England
Take a trip through historic New England and visit the homesteads of famous literary figures.
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Tax tips: Top 5 reasons to hire a tax pro
Tax tips can take you only so far if you're filling out your own returns. Sometimes, you need a tax pro. Most taxpayers, to the tune of 60 percent, opt to go with a tax professional. That share has climbed steadily: Just 41 percent used a professional preparer 30 years ago. Although a growing swath of the population – about 20 percent – is using tax-preparation software to complete returns, according to the Internal Revenue Service (IRS), it seems that software isn't displacing accountants as much as it's simply becoming the mode of choice for do-it-yourself filers. As the Tuesday, April 17, tax filing deadline nears, here are five cases in which it might be wise to consider bringing a pro aboard:
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Cyber security: Power grid grows more vulnerable to attack, report finds
'Smart grid' features and Internet-based connections to the US power grid are proliferating, increasing pathways for would-be cyber attackers, says a study from MIT. What to do?
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Squid robot: Gumby-like robot squeezes through tight spaces (VIDEO)
It's the latest prototype in the growing field of soft-bodied robots. Researchers are increasingly drawing inspiration from nature to create machines that are more bendable and versatile than those made of metal.
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Energy secretary, grilled over Solyndra, says politics played no part in loan
Energy Secretary Chu testified in Congress Thursday for nearly four hours. He took responsibility for extending loan guarantees to the now-bankrupt Solyndra, but said his actions were strictly legal.
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SOPA fight over 'Internet censorship' attracts Yahoo, Google
SOPA "jeopardizes" Internet business, claim Twitter, Google, Yahoo and others. The SOPA bill amounts to "Internet censorship," some argue.
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Goldman Sachs to Europe's rescue
Italy's new leader, Mario Monti, is an ex-Goldman Sachs executive. Who knows more about debt problems than anyone else? The people who cause them, of course.
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OWS: 'Occupy' protesters prepare for winter
"Occupy" protesters endured their first major snowstorm over the weekend. Will potentially dangerous winter weather hamper the movement?
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In Pictures: War by remote control
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Post oil: Glimpses of life after fossil fuel
Contentious debates about "peak oil" aside, imagining how the world looks post oil is increasingly easy as alternatives to fossil fuel develop rapidly.
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No job? Make your own. Here are 7 ways to get help.
One alternative to looking for a job is to make your own. Here are seven nonprofits who offer tools, training, and ideas to get workers started.
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ALMA telescope poised to peer into hidden corners of the cosmos
The ALMA radio telescope array set to come on line this week will give astronomers an unprecedented look into areas of the universe obscured from other telescopes – from star nurseries in other galaxies to the black hole at the center of the Milky Way.
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Occupy Wall Street: flash in the pan or beginning of a movement?
A growth spurt sent the Occupy Wall Street movement sprawling across the US and into other countries. It's showing greater organization and widening appeal. Will it hold together?
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The Red Sox complete epic collapse and suffer from cosmic farce
Wasn’t this sort of thing supposed to be a part of the Red Sox past? Bill Buckner’s booted ground ball? A “Curse of the Bambino” and World Series futility for over 86 years?
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The Monitor's View: Bypassing the jobs impasse in Washington
If the president and GOP dig in their heels and wait for 2012 to decide who’ll get their way on creating job, others will have to fill the void.
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Casinos multiply as states, such as Massachusetts, hunt for jobs, revenue
Ohio, Kansas, and Maryland now have casinos. Florida may consider them. Massachusetts is poised to invite them in. Hard times tip the balance to economic over social issues, analysts say.
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College rankings: Princeton, Harvard best colleges
College rankings from U.S. News & World Report put five Ivy League schools in Top 10 best colleges. University of Maryland-Baltimore is up-and-comer in college rankings.
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Do you have to be a math whiz to understand 'Best College' rankings?
U.S. News & World Report's just-released college rankings pass judgment on more than 1,000 institutions, using an exhaustive three-step process. But don't worry, we won't test you on it.
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Opinion: Make college accessible to the masses – and jobless
When American educators can say, "A degree in X means a graduate has mastered the following things," then it shouldn't matter how a person got a degree or where. That will make it possible for many more people to earn degrees, especially online.
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GRAIL space mission will paint a fuller picture of the moon
NASA's GRAIL mission, which launched Saturday, will plumb the depths of the moon by measuring its gravity field. It should reveal much about the moon's formation and evolution.
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The world's top universities in 2011
For the second year in a row, the United Kingdom’s University of Cambridge topped America’s Harvard University in the annual QS ranking of the world’s top universities. Quacquarelli Symonds (QS), a UK-based higher education consulting firm, released its much-anticipated list of the top 300 today. Academic reputation – a subjective assessment – accounts for 40 percent of the score that determines where schools end up on the rankings. You can get a closer look at the methodology here. This year’s top 10 dropped American universities Princeton and California Institute of Technology in favor of two other leading US schools. You can check out last year’s top 10 here and explore why QS’s rankings caused such a stir.
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New York City storm surge: How high will the flood waters go?
New York City is bracing for a storm surge Sunday morning that could be four feet or more above the tides, according to storm surge models. It has evacuated parts of the city and shut down the airport and subways.
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Will Bernanke announce another round of quantitative easing?
Experts warn against policy initiatives with questionable benefits
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East Coast earthquake: How does a 5.9 temblor happen in Virginia?
Fault lines in the East are not as apparent or as active as in the West, but certain stresses can lead to a rupture. Tuesday's East Coast Earthquake was the biggest in 100 years.
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Used soda bottles light up the world – for free
Refracted sunlight from soda bottles acts as a 'light bulb' in dimly lit homes in the developing world
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How much are Twitter and BlackBerry to blame for British riots?
British officials have criticized social media for its role in organizing and fanning the riots throughout England. But experts suggest that much of the criticism is misplaced.
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Five myths about Africa
Matt Damon, listen up: After five years of covering Africa, our departing correspondent tells how his perceptions have changed about a complex continent, including why some Africans resent celebrity visits.
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