Rafael Maranon's Blog

MIT News

• 3 Questions: Adam Berinsky on the unpredictable GOP campaign
  The 2012 Republican primary season has featured many sharp swings in the polls, some of which have caught seasoned political professionals by surprise. MIT News spoke with Associate Professor of Political Science Adam Berinsky, an expert in public opinion and director of MIT’s Political Experiments Research Lab (PERL), about the unpredictable nature of the o […]
• A new twist on nanowires
  Nanowires — microscopic fibers that can be “grown” in the lab — are a hot research topic today, with a variety of potential applications including light-emitting diodes (LEDs) and sensors. Now, a team of MIT researchers has found a way of precisely controlling the width and composition of these tiny strands as they grow, making it possible to grow complex st […]
• A faster way to catch cells
  Separating complex mixtures of cells, such as those found in a blood sample, can offer valuable information for diagnosing and treating disease. However, it may be necessary to search through billions of other cells to collect rare cells such as tumor cells, stem cells or fetal cells. “You’re basically looking for a needle in a haystack,” says Sukant Mittal, […]
• Toying with biological systems
  Bacteria don’t normally take photographs. Nor do they attack tumor cells or produce chemicals. But with some help from biological engineer Chris Voigt, they can do all that and more. Voigt, who joined MIT’s faculty in July as an associate professor of biological engineering, likes to tinker with bacteria and other microbes to get them to perform myriad usefu […]
• An element that's rare on Earth is found far, far away
  Nearly 13.7 billion years ago, the universe was made of only hydrogen, helium and traces of lithium — byproducts of the Big Bang. Some 300 million years later, the very first stars emerged, creating additional chemical elements throughout the universe. Since then, giant stellar explosions, or supernovas, have given rise to carbon, oxygen, iron and the rest o […]
• Successful human tests for first wirelessly controlled drug-delivery chip
  About 15 years ago, MIT professors Robert Langer and Michael Cima had the idea to develop a programmable, wirelessly controlled microchip that would deliver drugs after implantation in a patient’s body. This week, the MIT researchers and scientists from MicroCHIPS Inc. reported that they have successfully used such a chip to administer daily doses of an oste […]
• Susan Hockfield to step down
  Susan Hockfield, the 16th president of the Massachusetts Institute of Technology, announced today her intention to step down from her position. Hockfield has served as president since December 2004 and will continue to serve until the next president takes office. Hockfield’s tenure has been marked by her energetic response to two seemingly competing imperati […]
• Prions play key role in yeast survival and evolution
  Misfolded proteins called prions are best known for causing neurodegenerative disorders such as Creutzfeldt-Jakob disease and mad cow disease. However, a new study by scientists at MIT’s Whitehead Institute finds that they can also play a much more beneficial role.The research team, led by Susan Lindquist, has shown that in yeast, prions awaken dormant stret […]
• New system allows robots to continuously map their environment
  Robots could one day navigate through constantly changing surroundings with virtually no input from humans, thanks to a system that allows them to build and continuously update a three-dimensional map of their environment using a low-cost camera such as Microsoft’s Kinect.The system, being developed by researchers at MIT’s Computer Science and Artificial Int […]
• Microchips’ optical future
  As the United States seeks to reinvigorate its job market and move past economic recession, MIT News examines manufacturing’s role in the country's economic future through this series on work at the Institute around manufacturing.Computer chips are one area where the United States still enjoys a significant manufacturing lead over the rest of the world. […]