News and Blog Landing | MIT Sustainability

A large pool of meltwater over sea ice in the Beaufort SeaNASA/Operation IceBridge

MIT News Office

October 17, 2018

Arctic ice sets speed limit for major ocean current

Long-term melting may lead to release of huge volumes of cold, fresh water into the North Atlantic, impacting global climate.

Christopher Voigt, a professor of biological engineering, presents the latest research results for a J-WAFS-funded project that seeks to engineer cereal grains to produce their own fertilizer. Photo: Andi Sutton/J-WAFS

MIT News Office

October 16, 2018

Collaboration runs through J-WAFS-funded projects

Researchers from across MIT showcase J-WAFS-funded projects tackling critical water and food systems challenges from solutions-oriented perspectives.

A research collaboration agreement between the MIT Energy Initiative (MITEI) and INALUM was announced at a supporting event of the International Monetary Fund and World Bank Group Annual Meeting in Bali, Indonesia. Pictured, left to right: Busines...

MIT News Office

October 12, 2018

INALUM collaborates with MIT Energy Initiative to advance low-carbon energy technologies

Indonesian company will support research through MITEI’s Low-Carbon Energy Center for Materials in Energy and Extreme Environments.

Diagrams illustrate the self-healing properties of the new material. At top, a crack is created in the material, which is composed of a hydrogel (dark green) with plant-derived chloroplasts (light green) embedded in it. At bottom, in the presence o...

MIT News Office

October 11, 2018

Self-healing material can build itself from carbon in the air

Taking a page from green plants, new polymer “grows” through a chemical reaction with carbon dioxide.

The Fiat Flux team earned the $10,000 first-place prize for its prototype of a self-cleaning water filtration system. Team members pose with Michael Tarkanian (right), a senior lecturer in the Department of Materials Science and Engineering (DMSE...

MIT News Office

October 11, 2018

MADMEC finals spotlight promising materials science prototypes

Prizes went to solutions for improving water filtration systems, metal fatigue resistance, and boron production.

Matt Ellis PhD ’17 (left) and Sam Shaner SM ’14 PhD ’18 have designed a nuclear reactor that deploys a molten nitrate salt coolant that allows the reactor to reach higher operating temperatures than current water-cooled reactors.Photo...

MIT News Office

October 11, 2018

Powered by idealism and pragmatism

Matt Ellis PhD ’17 and Sam Shaner SM ’14, PhD ’18 launch a startup to develop an advanced nuclear reactor design.

Based on a rigorous, integrated analysis of population and economic growth, technological change, Paris Agreement pledges and other factors, the 2018 Food, Water, Energy and Climate Outlook projects likely global and regional environmental change...

MIT News Office

October 11, 2018

Charting the Earth’s future for the 21st century

MIT report highlights challenges and opportunities for conserving natural resources and stabilizing the climate.

Karen Dawson participates in a panel discussion about the new MIT interdisciplinary study, “The Future of Nuclear in a Carbon-Constrained World.”Photo: Diana Bowen

MIT News Office

October 5, 2018

Student insight on the "Future of Nuclear Energy" study

Student researchers lend voices, ideas for exploring nuclear energy’s potential to address climate change, and describe insights gained from the experience.

Columnist Thomas L. Friedman of The New York Times, delivering the fall 2018 Compton Lecture at MIT on Oct. 1.Image: Jake Belcher

MIT News Office

October 2, 2018

Thomas Friedman examines impact of global “accelerations”

In fall 2018 Compton Lecture, noted columnist discusses problems and opportunities arising from a society in flux.