Innovations

Recent Innovations Stories

Artist’s impression of a small research satellite above Earth. The planned ETHOS mission will investigate how solar activity changes the upper atmosphere and increases drag on orbiting spacecraft.

ETHOS satellite mission could transform how scientists predict space weather

The ETHOS satellite mission will track the Sun, Earth’s upper atmosphere and orbital motion to investigate drag and help preserve solar-radiation records.

Joseph ShavitupdaPublished Nov 4, 2026 4:51 AM PST

A self-configuring chip separates partially coherent light into optical modes, with potential uses in microscopy and communication.

Innovations New Stanford-built optical chip ‘recycles’ light for faster computing and satellite communication Joshua Shavit

Researchers demonstrated that adjusting nanoparticle sizes and the lengths of their molecular coatings allows precise control over how particles connect, overcoming a major challenge in creating advanced materials.

Innovations MIT breakthrough could transform how scientists design materials at the nanoscale Shy Cohen

New thread-based circuits can bend and stretch like fabric, offering a future of nearly invisible wearable health technology.

Innovations Thread-based electronics could transform wearable health devices Rebecca Shavit

Artist’s illustration of antigen-coated M13 particles interacting with an immune cell. MIT researchers found that denser antigen displays strengthened targeted immune responses and improved tumor protection in mice vaccinated before exposure to cancer cells.

Health MIT scientists create nanoparticles to deliver cancer vaccines tailored to each patient Joseph Shavit

University of Birmingham physicist Giovanni Barontini operates equipment designed to trap and cool rubidium atoms.

Innovations Scientists created a ‘mini universe’ that measures time without a clock Joseph Shavit

An experimental implant converts glucose into gluconate, lowering blood sugar and body weight in diabetic mice. Human testing has not begun.

Health ETH Zurich’s electronic implant lowers blood sugar and body weight Joseph Shavit

The Lexicon installation was suspended in Deferrari Hall at the Boston Public Library.

Innovations MIT’s origami construction offers a new way to build lightweight curved structures Shy Cohen

A new electronic nose uses sensors and AI to detect food spoilage and allergens, offering a safer and smarter way to monitor freshness.

Innovations Berkeley’s new electronic nose recognizes food odors and signs of spoilage Joshua Shavit

Paired magnetic millirobots navigate a heart model and dock for payload delivery, an early step toward targeted infection treatment.

Health Johns Hopkins engineers develop magnetic millirobots for targeted heart drug delivery Mac Oliveau

UPenn engineers tested layered Mylar that retained vacuum insulation after repeated compression, suggesting possible lunar uses.

Space UPenn engineers created a flexible, durable insulator out of mylar to protect future lunar habitats Joshua Shavit

Northwestern physicists controlled a single positron’s quantum states, advancing efforts to compare matter and antimatter with greater precision.

Innovations Quantum first: Physicists contain a single antimatter particle for months Joseph Shavit

Water mist and gas running through an ultrasound tube emitted by 256 speakers.

Innovations Invisible ultrasound tube can transport solids, liquids, gases through mid-air Shy Cohen

Nivedita Arora Breed Chair Assistant Professor of Electrical and Computer Engineering and Computer Science wearing the GlassTENG prototype.

Health Smart glasses turn blinks and jaw movements into precise health monitoring Joseph Shavit

Four glowing ionic liquids can be mixed to create distinctive light signatures, offering a potential route to new security markings.

Innovations New glowing liquid technology could revolutionize the fight against counterfeit goods Joshua Shavit

A new MIT catheter coated with nanosensors can detect bladder cancer biomarkers directly inside the bladder and create chemical maps that reveal tumor locations long before they become visible.

Health New molecular camera could revolutionize bladder cancer screening Joshua Shavit

LSTs under construction at the CTAO-North site in La Palma, Spain.

Space New large-sized telescope array in Spain ushers in a new era in exploring the extreme universe Joseph Shavit