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    The uncertain role of natural gas in the transition to clean energy

    A new MIT study examines the opposing roles of natural gas in the battle against climate change — as a bridge toward a lower-emissions future, but also a contributor to greenhouse gas emissions. Natural gas, which is mostly methane, is viewed as a significant “bridge fuel” to help the world move away from the greenhouse […] More

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    Hacking into a sustainable energy future

    During the third weekend in November, students from MIT and colleges across the globe convened on MIT’s campus to hack real-world challenges in the energy industry at the 2019 MIT EnergyHack. Hackers arrived at the Stata Center that Friday evening and had 36 hours to come up with a solution to the challenge they were […] More

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    Toward more efficient computing, with magnetic waves

    MIT researchers have devised a novel circuit design that enables precise control of computing with magnetic waves — with no electricity needed. The advance takes a step toward practical magnetic-based devices, which have the potential to compute far more efficiently than electronics. Classical computers rely on massive amounts of electricity for computing and data storage, […] More

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    MIT Energy Initiative report charts pathways for sustainable personal transportation

    In our daily lives, we all make choices about how we travel and what type of vehicle we own or use. We consider these choices within the constraints of our current transportation system and weigh concerns including costs, convenience, and — increasingly — carbon emissions. “Insights into Future Mobility,” a multidisciplinary report released today by […] More

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    Researchers generate terahertz laser with laughing gas

    Within the electromagnetic middle ground between microwaves and visible light lies terahertz radiation, and the promise of “T-ray vision.” Terahertz waves have frequencies higher than microwaves and lower than infrared and visible light. Where optical light is blocked by most materials, terahertz waves can pass straight through, similar to microwaves. If they were fashioned into […] More

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    Historian of the hinterlands

    History can help us face hard truths. The places Kate Brown studies are particularly full of them.   Brown, a historian in MIT’s Program in Science, Technology, and Society, has made a career out of studying what she calls “modernist wastelands” — areas suffering after years of warfare, social conflict, and even radioactive fallout from […] More

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    Helping lower-income households reap the benefits of solar energy

    Rooftop solar panels are a great way for people to invest in renewable energy while saving money on electricity. Unfortunately, the rooftop solar industry only serves a fraction of society. Many Americans are unable to invest in rooftop solar; they may be renters or lack the upfront money required for installations or live in locations […] More