The US invented shopping malls, but China is writing their next chapter

China has a lot of vacant retail space, including many underused shopping malls. An urban policy scholar describes how the Chinese are rethinking what the mall is for.

John Rennie Short, Professor Emeritus of Public Policy, University of Maryland, Baltimore County • conversation
Jan. 5, 2024 ~9 min

How we discovered that Uranus and Neptune are actually nearly identical in colour

It turns out Uranus actually changes colour throughout the year.

Patrick Gerard Joseph Irwin, Professor of Planetary Physics, University of Oxford • conversation
Jan. 5, 2024 ~7 min


Is oxygen vital for advanced alien tech?

New research explores the links between atmospheric oxygen and detecting alien technology on distant planets.

Lindsey Valich-Rochester • futurity
Jan. 3, 2024 ~6 min

Privatised Moon landings: the two US missions set to open a new era of commercial lunar exploration

The Peregrine and Nova-C landers are due to carry out valuable science at two diverse lunar locations.

Ian Whittaker, Senior Lecturer in Physics, Nottingham Trent University • conversation
Jan. 2, 2024 ~8 min

2023 Was Another Big Year for Space Missions

VOA Learning English • voa
Dec. 31, 2023 ~5 min

A carbon-lite atmosphere could be a sign of water and life on other terrestrial planets, MIT study finds

A low carbon abundance in planetary atmospheres, which the James Webb Space Telescope can detect, could be a signature of habitability.

Jennifer Chu | MIT News • mit
Dec. 28, 2023 ~8 min

From the Moon's south pole to an ice-covered ocean world, several exciting space missions are slated for launch in 2024

Expect lots of space missions to launch this coming year, with exciting new science to follow.

Ali M. Bramson, Assistant Professor of Earth, Atmospheric, and Planetary Sciences, Purdue University • conversation
Dec. 26, 2023 ~9 min

MIT in the media: 2023 in review

MIT community members made headlines with key research advances and their efforts to tackle pressing challenges.

MIT News • mit
Dec. 21, 2023 ~18 min


Why are some black holes bigger than others? An astronomer explains how these celestial vacuums grow

Pictures of black holes have a white outline around them when photographed, due to one of black holes’ unique and key features.

Jaclyn Champagne, JASPER Postdoctoral Researcher, University of Arizona • conversation
Dec. 18, 2023 ~6 min

Scientists and space agencies are shooting for the Moon -- 5 essential reads on modern lunar missions

Chandrayaan-3’s successful landing on the Moon made 2023 a big year for lunar exploration, and future years will come with even more discoveries.

Mary Magnuson, Assistant Science Editor • conversation
Dec. 12, 2023 ~8 min

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