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Beaver-like robots face off in annual MIT contest

Robots designed to toss pool-noodle trees into a river of ping-pong balls ruled over competitors focused on rescuing fuzzy toy beavers in this year's 2.007 contest, "Da (yes) MIT, or Save the Baby Beavers," held on Thursday, May 8, at MIT.

Alexander Rich receives prestigious Welch Award

For his pioneering work that has helped scientists unlock the mysteries of RNA and DNA, as well as important scientific discoveries that have opened up new fields of science, Alexander Rich had been named the 38th recipient of the Welch Award in Chemistry.

Study suggests caution on new anti-obesity drug

Anti-obesity drugs that work by blocking brain molecules similar to those in marijuana could also interfere with neural development in young children, according to a new study from MIT's Picower Institute for Learning and Memory.

Engineering an award-winning TV program

From hosting the show to advising behind the scenes, members of the MIT community have played an important role in developing and implementing the popular PBS series Design Squad, which recently won the prestigious George Foster Peabody Award.

Lightman lights up future for Cambodians

Alan Lightman, MIT physicist and writer, and his wife, Jeanne, made a pact a decade or so ago to turn their energies toward humanitarian pursuits. The latest of their efforts is a dream come true for residents of a small Cambodian village -- a new mosque.

Study debunks myth of job testing as race barrier

Do standardized tests that some employers require of job applicants serve as a barrier to equal employment? A pioneering study co-authored by an MIT economist shows that screening helps productivity without hindering minority hiring.

Harnessing sunlight on the cheap

For a project that could be on the very cutting edge of renewable energy, this one is decidedly low tech--and that's the point. A team of students is assembling a prototype for a concentrating solar power system built from simple, inexpensive materials.

MIT Media Lab announces associate directors

MIT Media Lab Director Frank Moss today announced the appointment of two associate directors: Hiroshi Ishii and Andrew Lippman, both long-term, prominent researchers at the Lab.

$4 million gift supports neuroscience innovation at MIT

Restoring memories by flashing brain cells with lasers and dissecting the genetic basis for language learning are among the projects at the Picower Institute for Learning and Memory at MIT to be funded with a new $4 million gift from The Picower Foundation.

MIT examines reality of slashing gasoline use

It is possible to slash fuel use by all vehicles on U.S. roads to pre-2000 levels within a few decades, but doing so would require immediate action on several challenging fronts, according to a new analysis by MIT researchers.