How the human neck became a locus of power, beauty and frailty

The neck’s vitality and vulnerability are rooted in a quirky evolutionary history.

Kent Dunlap, Professor of Biology, Trinity College • conversation
Feb. 10, 2025 ~7 min

Study in India shows kids use different math skills at work vs. school

Students can excel at mental math in marketplace jobs but struggle with formal math in the classroom, and vice versa.

Peter Dizikes | MIT News • mit
Feb. 5, 2025 ~9 min


Introducing the MIT Generative AI Impact Consortium

The consortium will bring researchers and industry together to focus on impact.

Liam McDonnell | Office of Innovation • mit
Feb. 3, 2025 ~12 min

Engineering the social: Students in this course use systems thinking to help solve human rights, disease and homelessness

Control systems keep your house warm and your car’s speed constant, but they could also help address societal problems.

Raúl Ordóñez, Professor of Electrical and Computer Engineering, University of Dayton • conversation
Jan. 28, 2025 ~5 min

Medical research depends on government money – even a day’s delay in the intricate funding process throws science off-kilter

A member of a grant review panel explains the ins and outs of applying for research funding – and the consequences of when the process suddenly stops.

Aliasger K. Salem, Associate Vice President for Research and Professor of Pharmaceutical Sciences, University of Iowa • conversation
Jan. 28, 2025 ~8 min

Why government can’t make America ‘healthier’ by micromanaging groceries purchased with SNAP benefits

Maintaining a good diet is not cheap or straightforward, especially on a low income.

Danielle Krobath, Assistant Professor of Epidemiology, University of South Carolina • conversation
Jan. 27, 2025 ~9 min

An eye for an eye: People agree about the values of body parts across cultures and eras

People from many different cultures across the globe and across millennia largely agree about which body parts are most valuable – and how much compensation they warrant when injured.

Jaimie Arona Krems, Associate Professor of Psychology, University of California, Los Angeles • conversation
Jan. 10, 2025 ~11 min

Q&A: Examining American attitudes on global climate policies

Professor Evan Lieberman describes new research in which he and colleagues find a sharp partisan divide over providing aid to poor nations.

MIT Center for International Studies • mit
Jan. 10, 2025 ~7 min


Teaching AI to communicate sounds like humans do

Inspired by the mechanics of the human vocal tract, a new AI model can produce and understand vocal imitations of everyday sounds. The method could help build new sonic interfaces for entertainment and education.

Alex Shipps | MIT CSAIL • mit
Jan. 9, 2025 ~8 min

What is a war crime?

Wars always include killings and destruction, but there are limits. An expert in international law explains the rules of war laid out in the Geneva Conventions − and why they’re so hard to enforce.

Hurst Hannum, Professor of International Law, Fletcher School of Law & Diplomacy, Tufts University • conversation
Jan. 6, 2025 ~8 min

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