Content by David L. Chandler
Bubble Findings Could Unlock Better Electrode and Electrolyzer DesignsImproving the efficiency of electrochemical processes that produce fuels, chemicals, and materials

Wed, 10/23/2024 - 12:02
Industrial electrochemical processes that use electrodes to produce fuels and chemical products are hampered by the formation of bubbles that block parts of the electrode surface, reducing the area available for the active reaction. Such blockage…
High-Temperature Superconducting Magnets Are Ready for FusionMIT and Commonwealth Fusion Systems confirm means for an economic, compact fusion power plant
Tue, 03/19/2024 - 12:02
In the predawn hours of Sept. 5, 2021, engineers achieved a major milestone in the labs of MIT’s Plasma Science and Fusion Center (PSFC) when a new type of magnet, made from high-temperature superconducting material, achieved a world-record magnetic…
MIT Engineers Develop Low-Cost Terahertz CameraGreater sensitivity and speed for industrial inspection, airport security, and communications
Wed, 11/30/2022 - 12:01
Terahertz radiation, with wavelengths that lie between those of microwaves and visible light, can penetrate many nonmetallic materials and detect signatures of certain molecules. These handy qualities could lend themselves to a wide array of…
A New Method Boosts Wind Farms’ Energy Output Without New EquipmentEngineers squeeze more power out of existing installations by modeling entire wind farms instead of single turbine
Wed, 08/31/2022 - 12:01
Virtually all wind turbines, which produce more than 5 percent of the world’s electricity, are controlled as if they were individual, freestanding units. In fact, the vast majority are part of larger wind farm installations involving dozens or even…
Engineering Seeds to Resist DroughtA new seed-coating process could facilitate agriculture on marginal arid lands by enabling the seeds to retain any available water
Thu, 08/05/2021 - 12:02
This story was originally published by MIT News. As the world continues to warm, many arid regions that already have marginal conditions for agriculture will be increasingly under stress, potentially leading to severe food shortages. Now,…
A Method to Assess Covid-19 Transmission Risks in Indoor SettingsMIT researchers have developed a publicly available model based on physics and data from past spreading events
Wed, 05/12/2021 - 12:02
This story was originally published by MIT News. Two MIT professors have proposed a new approach to estimating the risks of exposure to Covid-19 under different indoor settings. The guideline they developed suggests a limit for exposure time, based…
Artificial Muscles Could Be a Boon for Biomedical Devices and RoboticsA single fiber is capable of lifting loads of up to 650 times its own weight
Wed, 07/31/2019 - 12:01
As a cucumber plant grows, it sprouts tightly coiled tendrils that seek out supports to pull the plant upward. This ensures the plant receives as much sunlight exposure as possible. Now, researchers at MIT have found a way to imitate this coiling-…
MIT and NASA Engineers Demonstrate a New Kind of Airplane WingWing’s shape shifts automatically for aerodynamic loads (e.g., takeoff, landing, cruising)
Tue, 04/16/2019 - 12:00
A team of engineers has built and tested a radically new kind of airplane wing, assembled from hundreds of tiny identical pieces. The wing can change shape to control the plane’s flight, and could provide a significant boost in aircraft production,…
Using Artificial Intelligence to Engineer Materials’ PropertiesNew system of ‘strain engineering’ can change a material’s optical, electrical, and thermal properties
Wed, 02/27/2019 - 12:02
Applying just a bit of strain to a piece of semiconductor or other crystalline material can deform the orderly arrangement of atoms in its structure enough to cause dramatic changes in its properties, such as the way it conducts electricity,…
Spinning New Materials in a ThreadFiber-drawing technique can synthesis new materials, a boon for complex electronic circuitry
Wed, 05/25/2011 - 15:04
Photo: Greg Hren/RLE Researchers at MIT have succeeded in making a fine thread that functions as a diode, a device at the heart of modern electronics. This feat—made possible by a new approach to a type of fiber manufacturing…