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:
All Content
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Monitor writers celebrate ‘unique’ moments
From crawling on the carpet with Ronald Reagan to sipping tea with the Che Guevara of Afghanistan, former staffers recount stories as the Monitor transitions to new formats.
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How enormous batteries could safeguard the power grid
Since sunlight and wind can be unreliable, renewable utilities install big backups.
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Obama budget: restoring income equality in the US?
Liberal economists see the $3.6 trillion proposal as a 'step in the right direction.'
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Batteries that recharge in seconds
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Robots tend the tomatoes
The plants request water or fertilizer, and robots deliver it.
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Microscopic objects may lead to large pollution solution
Column: These itty-bitty microbes are the most sophisticated chemists on Earth.
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Taking a page from Washington, cities craft their own stimulus
Unable to wait for federal help, they are finding ways to offer loans to local businesses.
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Alex and Me
A scientist, a bird, and an unexpected 30-year friendship.
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Will improved military enlistment last?
Retention rates may be hurt by the GI Bill's expanded school benefits as well as potential budget cuts.
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Obama’s bind over aid to banks
More US money won’t be easy to win, complicating his efforts to restore the system to health.
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New networks take nature’s pulse
Outdoor advances such as low-power chips and tiny solar panels let computers get a breath of fresh air.
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Stock-market buzz: Bees and fingers point out trends
Scientists examine bee dances and the hands of traders to determine where the market is headed.
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The top science stories of 2008
Column: Greatest advances include efforts to reprogram cells, ways to see distant planets, and a less expensive way to turn water into fuel.
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Credit crunch shows little sign of easing
Most banks have tightened lending, choking off needed credit for some US businesses.
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How underground 'hot rocks' could power America’s future
With enough investment, geothermal power could satisfy 10 percent of the US energy diet, energy experts say.
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Cities may sprout vertical farms
Proposed high-rise greenhouses could help solve a looming food crisis, professor says.
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Tokyo tests power-generating floor
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Obama’s science appointees called a team of all-stars
Accomplished and outspoken, they’re likely to tackle climate change head-on.
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Obama, science, and a new team in Washington
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Obama radio address: Technology key to planet's survival
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Obama names basketball buddy and fellow Harvard alum as Education Secretary
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Astronomer finds CO2 in exoplanet's atmosphere
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Rice-powered stove ignites new hope for poor farmers
Once thought to be waste, rice husks now can be used as clean, cheap fuel for developing countries.
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Reporters on the Job
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Today’s unsettling comparison to ‘the great dying’
250 million years ago, rising greenhouse-gas levels set off catastrophic changes.
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