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MIT researchers crack secrets of proton movement in metal oxides with new model
DMSE Professors Bilge Yildiz, Ju Li, and other researchers at MIT have developed a new physical model that can help “improve predictions of proton mobility across a wide…
This ancient construction site in the ruins of Pompeii is revealing new secrets about the 2,000-year-old recipe for Roman concrete
A new paper by Professor Admir Masic, DMSE alum Ellie Vaserman, and colleagues details their new findings on the specific ingredients used by ancient Romans to develop durable…
This startup makes ammonia by turning the planet into a chemical reactor
As an ingredient in fertilizer, ammonia keeps the world fed—and researchers are exploring ways it could someday power homes or vehicles. But producing it today relies heavily on…
Felice Frankel invites readers to see the beauty in science
MIT research scientist and science photographer Felice Frankel has released a new book, Phenomenal Moments, showcasing striking images of natural phenomena—from flowers to sautéing peppers—that invite viewers to…
Maps shows US’ critical minerals as China battle heats up
Amid intensifying U.S.–China trade tensions, Elsa Olivetti speaks with Newsweek’s Jasmine Laws about America’s continued dependence on China for processing rare-earth elements. Despite sizable U.S. deposits, China controls about 90 percent…
DMSE senior turns fish scales into biodegradable plastic
Sometimes the answers to seemingly intractable environmental problems are found in nature itself. Take the growing challenge of plastic waste. Jacqueline Prawira, a senior in the Department of Materials…
Discovery of the week: Magnetic transistors
For years, researchers have been trying to use magnets in transistors to enable faster, more energy-efficient semiconductors, writes Alex Knapp in The Prototype newsletter. Now, DMSE engineers have…
We’ve been using lithium-ion batteries for decades. Now we know more about how they work
MIT researchers—including Yang Shao-Horn—have developed a new model that illustrates the chemical mechanisms underlying lithium-ion batteries, reports Gayoung Lee for Gizmodo. The findings could lead to “faster, more efficient batteries…
Scooped by a cupcake business: Why we called our green-cement company Sublime Systems
Leah Ellis, a former DMSE postdoc and co-founder of MIT startup Sublime Systems, speaks with Nature reporter Jacqui Thornton about the company’s beginnings. “I felt that the word ‘sublime’ encapsulated…
Meet the Ethiopian entrepreneur who is reinventing ammonia production
Growing up in Ethiopia, where electricity was unreliable and homework was often done by candlelight, Assistant Professor Iwnetim Abate developed a lifelong fascination with energy. Today, he’s advancing…