MIT News - Science, Technology, and Society | Technology and society | Program in STS | History of science | History of MIT

news.mit.eduadded August 2026

Exploring the societal impacts of AI

At the recent AI and Society Forum at MIT, experts from across the Institute discussed the potential benefits and dangers of technological innovation on labor, the nature of work, civil discourse...

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MIT in the media: For the future of tech, "Massachusetts can absolutely lead"

MIT News - Science, Technology, and Society | Technology and society | Program in STS | History of science | History of MIT18 Jun 2026

On June 9, The Boston Globe released its 2026 “Tech Power Players” list, recognizing 50 influential local leaders in technology and business across Massachusetts.

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MIT Open Learning reaches all the way to the South Pole

From the icy expanse of the South Pole, John Della Costa, a researcher on the Background Imaging of Cosmic Extragalactic Polarization (BICEP) project, watches STS.042/8.225 (Einstein, Oppenheimer...

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MIT’s Initiative for New Manufacturing builds momentum

In May, the Initiative for New Manufacturing (INM) marked its first anniversary with MIT Manufacturing Week, four days of events that attracted more than 800 registrants including students...

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Harriet having it all

In winter 1997, at age 60, when many researchers might be looking forward to retirement, Harriet Latham Robinson SM ’61, PhD ’65 was pursuing a faculty position as the chief of microbiology and...

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The long history of vaccine hesitancy

Debates about vaccines are a recurring feature of contemporary politics. It turns out they actually date back more than 200 years, since the development of the first smallpox vaccine.

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Jinhua Zhao named head of the Department of Urban Studies and Planning

Jinhua Zhao MCP ’04, SM ’04, PhD ’09 has been appointed head of the Department of Urban Studies and Planning (DUSP), effective July 1.

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Startup’s nuclear-inspired cooling system could make data centers more sustainable

The rise of artificial intelligence is riding on the back of an enormous data center expansion. Data centers are projected to account for anywhere from 9 to 17 percent of total electricity usage in...

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The crucial human component in computing and AI

On April 30, the MIT Schwarzman College of Computing’s Social and Ethical Responsibilities of Computing (SERC) initiative hosted a full-day research symposium examining how artificial intelligence...

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PATH to boost AI training and career opportunities for industry-aligned jobs

MIT News - Science, Technology, and Society | Technology and society | Program in STS | History of science | History of MITby Media Lab4 Jun 2026

MIT, in collaboration with Georgia State University and a growing network of educational institutions, has announced expanded work under PATH (Pathways for AI Training and Hiring) — a multiyear...

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Featured video: MIT teachings, free to the world

MIT News - Science, Technology, and Society | Technology and society | Program in STS | History of science | History of MITby MIT Open Learning22 May 2026

A new short film from MIT Open Learning explores the origin, influence, and global reach of MIT OpenCourseWare, reflecting on its role in establishing MIT, in 2001, as the first higher education...

MIT Asia Real Estate Initiative expands its footprint in booming Asian cities

Urbanization in the Asia-Pacific region of the world is occurring at an alarmingly rapid pace, with more than 2.2 billion people now living in cities in the region, and an additional 1.2 billion...

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The Haystack 37m Telescope: A new era of astrophysical research

The Haystack 37m Telescope has been a landmark in radio astronomy and radar studies of the solar system since its first light in 1964.

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3Q: Why science is curiosity on a mission

MIT News - Science, Technology, and Society | Technology and society | Program in STS | History of science | History of MITby MIT News14 May 2026

This week, MIT launches a new initiative — titled Science Is Curiosity on a Mission — to make the case for the long-horizon, curiosity-driven science that has powered generations of American...

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A new unit of measurement to honor an influential MIT alumnus

The hallowed history of student pranks (often known as hacks) at MIT includes the annual Baker House Piano Drop and the MIT weather balloon at the Harvard-Yale football game in 1982.

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For most US drivers, EVs offer emissions benefits and cost savings

Despite regional variability in climate, electricity sources, congestion, and the wide variation in individual driving patterns, electric vehicles generate less greenhouse gas emissions and do not...

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Study: Firms often use automation to control certain workers’ wages

When we hear about automation and artificial intelligence replacing jobs, it may seem like a tsunami of technology is going to wipe out workers broadly, in the name of greater efficiency.

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The tech revolution that wasn’t

In 1960, engineers at India’s Tata Institute of Fundamental Research (TIFR) built what they called an “Automatic Calculator,” the country’s first working computer.

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Mapping molecular markers of physical fitness

Patterns of molecular activity in the blood may hold clues not only to how fit someone is, but also to the biological processes that support physical performance.

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A faster way to estimate AI power consumption

Due to the explosive growth of artificial intelligence, it is estimated that data centers will consume up to 12 percent of total U.S.

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