A giant space rock demolished an ancient Middle Eastern city and everyone in it – possibly inspiring the Biblical story of Sodom

New research suggests that fire from the sky in the form of a small asteroid annihilated a city near the Dead Sea 3,600 years ago.

Christopher R. Moore, Archaeologist and Special Projects Director at the Savannah River Archaeological Research Program and South Carolina Institute for Archaeology and Anthropology, University of South Carolina • conversation
Sept. 20, 2021 ~10 min

Making catalytic surfaces more active to help decarbonize fuels and chemicals

A new approach increases the efficiency of chemical reactions that are key to many industrial processes.

David L. Chandler | MIT News Office • mit
Sept. 7, 2021 ~6 min


Using adversarial attacks to refine molecular energy predictions

MIT researchers find a new way to quantify the uncertainty in molecular energies predicted by neural networks.

Vineeth Venugopal | Department of Materials Science and Engineering • mit
Sept. 1, 2021 ~7 min

Machine learning discovers new sequences to boost drug delivery

MIT researchers employ machine learning to find powerful peptides that could improve a gene therapy drug for Duchenne muscular dystrophy.

MIT Schwarzman College of Computing • mit
Aug. 10, 2021 ~8 min

Designing less addictive opioids, through chemistry

While the COVID-19 pandemic raged on, the opioid epidemic got worse as drug overdose deaths soared. New research proposes a way to chemically modify opioids to reduce the risk of addiction.

Aaron W. Harrison, Assistant Professor of Chemistry, Austin College • conversation
July 16, 2021 ~8 min

Software to accelerate R&D

The alumni-founded startup Uncountable has developed a digital workbook to help scientists get more out of experimental data.

Zach Winn | MIT News Office • mit
July 13, 2021 ~8 min

Ultralight material withstands supersonic microparticle impacts

The new carbon-based material could be a basis for lighter, tougher alternatives to Kevlar and steel.

Jennifer Chu | MIT News Office • mit
June 24, 2021 ~8 min

Geometrically baffling ‘quasicrystals' found in the debris of the first-ever nuclear blast

The quasicrystals were 'accidentally' synthesised during the first test of a nuclear bomb in July 1945.

Robert A Jackson, Reader, School of Chemical and Physical Sciences, Keele University • conversation
June 2, 2021 ~7 min


How metals work together to weaken hardy nitrogen-nitrogen bonds

Study yields clues into how nitrogenase, an enzyme critical for life, converts nitrogen into ammonia.

Anne Trafton | MIT News Office • mit
May 27, 2021 ~6 min

Oil companies are going all-in on petrochemicals – and green chemistry needs help to compete

As global oil consumption drops, oil companies are pivoting to petrochemicals, and could crowd out bio-based alternatives.

Constance B. Bailey, Assistant Professor of Chemistry, University of Tennessee • conversation
May 25, 2021 ~10 min

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