Topic: Massachusetts Institute of Technology

Archimedes' flaming death ray was probably just a cannon, study finds

Archemedes' burning mirror, a device that was thought to concentrate the sun's rays into a laser beam that repelled an invading Roman fleet in 212 BC, was more likely a steam cannon, new research suggests.
06/29/2010 01:58 pm

'Programmable matter' can fold itself into an origami airplane

'Programmable matter': Scientists have invented self-folding sheets that can flex themselves into origami airplanes and boats.
06/29/2010 01:22 pm

North Korea: Latest rant could be tied to political transition

North Korea accused the US Monday of aggressive military moves in the zone separating the two Koreas. The North is undergoing a leadership transition.
06/28/2010 06:38 pm

Should the US lean more on natural gas in its energy mix?

Natural gas could serve as a carbon-light ‘bridge fuel’ while renewable energy sources are still gaining ground in the US energy mix, a new study from MIT says.
06/25/2010 06:09 pm

A planet with 4,500-m.p.h. winds? Now that's a superstorm.

Scientists have succeeded in clocking the winds in the atmosphere of a planet orbiting a star in the constellation Pegasus. Windiest planet in our solar system is Neptune, at 1,200 m.p.h.
06/23/2010 05:58 pm

'Why design now?' explores ways to solve problems with innovative design.

Solving problems with sustainable – and beautiful – design is the focus of a new exhibition in New York.
06/21/2010 03:15 pm

Tax VOX What lawmakers can learn from the DC Metro system's fare schedule

While opaque fares may generate more revenue, the transit system may lose the benefit of congestion pricing if riders don't know how much they are paying.
06/15/2010 05:26 pm

Dump your PC for an iPad? Probably not. PCs aren't quite dead yet.

Ready to throw away your PC in favor of an iPad? You might want to wait a bit.
06/15/2010 04:44 pm

New BP oil spill flow estimates: 20,000 to 40,000 barrels per day

The latest revisions from four teams of scientists find that up to 1.76 million barrels from the BP oil spill had escaped into the Gulf of Mexico by June 3.
06/11/2010 12:14 pm

Renewable energy pioneer wins prestigious technology prize

Swiss scientist Michael Graetzel won the 2010 Millennium Technology Prize for his work on inexpensive solar cells for renewable energy projects.
06/09/2010 03:44 pm

Finding a better way to bridge the digital divide

Getting the world set up online is fine. Next: Delivering content that serves the world.
06/02/2010 04:09 pm

BP oil spill: an unexpected laboratory for deep-sea disaster

The BP oil spill is a unique event, so scientists are converging on the Gulf to try to understand how best to combat deep-sea oil spills and what effects they have on the environment.
05/27/2010 06:58 pm

How bad is Gulf oil spill? A global Q&A on offshore oil spills

With some 1,200 offshore oil rigs operating today, oil spills are still relatively rare. But experts warn that safety procedures and cleanup methods have not kept pace with drilling at ever-deeper depths.
05/24/2010 04:56 pm

West Philadelphia high school dares to build a 100 m.p.g. car

Students from West Philadelphia make a viable 'X PRIZE' run against auto companies from around the globe. The potential prize: $7.5 million for the school and a 100 m.p.g. car for the world.
05/24/2010 04:11 pm

J. Craig Venter Institute creates first synthetic life form

A team of scientists at the J. Craig Venter Institute announced that they have successfully created a living organism with a completely synthetic genome.
05/21/2010 03:12 pm

Yves Behar's vision of low-cost glasses for students

See Better to Learn Better: Inexpensive, durable – but still 'cool' – glasses from Yves Behar help Mexican schoolchildren to focus.
05/20/2010 03:16 pm

Gallery Banned by Israel: Noam Chomsky, and who else?

Some Indian villages prefer to put women in power

India’s parliament erupted at a proposal last month to reserve one-third of seats for women. But village-level quotas putting women in power have won many supporters.
05/11/2010 11:33 am

Tricky maneuver: Will containment cap stop the BP oil spill?

Crews are lowering a steel and concrete containment cap over the underwater source of the BP oil spill in the Gulf of Mexico. It's a tricky maneuver, and there's no guarantee it will work.
05/07/2010 05:25 pm

Gulf oil spill: Why booms, in short supply, may not save the day

Prices jump for oil-containment booms, as communities scramble to protect their coastlines from the approaching slick from the Gulf oil spill. Moreover, booms are effective only in certain conditions, experts say.
05/05/2010 02:22 pm

NPT 101: Will the US accept a nuclear-capable Iran?

Iran President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad restated his opposition to nuclear weapons at the Nuclear Non-Proliferation Treaty (NPT) conference this week. But analysts say that an Iran capable of building a nuclear bomb is something that the US may have to get used to.
05/05/2010 02:19 pm

How to stop the BP oil spill: What else can be tried now?

BP has failed to manually shut the blowout preventer, and it could take three months to drill a relief well. Before then, BP will try to put a giant hood over the leaking wellhead, or perhaps even install a second preventer. But no short-term options have a proven track record to stop an oil spill.
05/03/2010 09:12 pm

NPT 101: Why Iran sees nuclear 'hypocrisy'

Iran President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad argued at the NPT Review Conference that the US, the only nation to use a nuclear bomb in war, has not lived up to its promises of nonproliferation. Iran seeks help from the NPT to level the playing field.
05/03/2010 06:14 pm

Did asteroids bring water to Earth?

Water ice discovered on the surface of an asteroid orbiting the sun between Jupiter and Mars lends credibility to the theory that asteroids, not comets, brought water to Earth.
04/29/2010 05:47 pm

Stephen Hawking aliens theory doesn't scare planet hunters

British scientist Stephen Hawking says that aliens might 'conquer and colonize' Earth. His colleagues disagree.
04/26/2010 02:05 pm