MIT Physics
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Official account for the MIT Department of Physics
“Our results lay the groundwork for subsequent studies aiming to measure violations of fundamental symmetries at the nuclear level,” says study co-author Ronald Fernando Garcia Ruiz. “This could provide answers to some of the most pressing questions in modern physics.”
With a new molecule-based method, physicists peer inside an atom’s nucleus
Physicists at MIT have developed a new way to probe inside an atom’s nucleus, using the atom’s own electrons as “messengers” within a molecule. In a study appearing today in the journal Science, the p...
physics.mit.edu
October 24, 2025 at 1:42 PM
“Our results lay the groundwork for subsequent studies aiming to measure violations of fundamental symmetries at the nuclear level,” says study co-author Ronald Fernando Garcia Ruiz. “This could provide answers to some of the most pressing questions in modern physics.”
In a new study, MIT researchers, including Professor Liang Fu, evaluated quantum materials’ potential for scalable commercial success — and identified promising candidates. #cmt
physics.mit.edu/news/why-som...
physics.mit.edu/news/why-som...
Why some quantum materials stall while others scale
People tend to think of quantum materials — whose properties arise from quantum mechanical effects — as exotic curiosities. But some quantum materials have become a ubiquitous part of our computer har...
physics.mit.edu
October 15, 2025 at 2:08 PM
In a new study, MIT researchers, including Professor Liang Fu, evaluated quantum materials’ potential for scalable commercial success — and identified promising candidates. #cmt
physics.mit.edu/news/why-som...
physics.mit.edu/news/why-som...
A new method turns down quantum noise that obscures the “ticking” of atoms, and could enable stable, transportable atomic clocks. #atomicphysics #VladanVuletic
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physics.mit.edu/news/mit-phy...
MIT physicists improve the precision of atomic clocks
Every time you check the time on your phone, make an online transaction, or use a navigation app, you are depending on the precision of atomic clocks. An atomic clock keeps time by relying on the “tic...
physics.mit.edu
October 10, 2025 at 2:36 PM
A new method turns down quantum noise that obscures the “ticking” of atoms, and could enable stable, transportable atomic clocks. #atomicphysics #VladanVuletic
physics.mit.edu/news/mit-phy...
physics.mit.edu/news/mit-phy...
Congratulations!
physics.mit.edu/news/riccard...
physics.mit.edu/news/riccard...
Riccardo Comin, two MIT alumni named 2025 Moore Experimental Physics Investigators
MIT associate professor of physics Riccardo Comin has been selected as 2025 Experimental Physics Investigator by the Gordon and Betty Moore Foundation. Two MIT physics alumni — Gyu-Boong Jo PhD ’10 of...
physics.mit.edu
October 10, 2025 at 2:35 PM
Congratulations!
physics.mit.edu/news/riccard...
physics.mit.edu/news/riccard...
Big news: MIT is joining the Giant Magellan Telescope consortium!
This $2.6B observatory in Chile will have 5× the light-gathering power of today’s telescopes, enabling breakthroughs in exoplanets, black holes, and more.
#MIT #GMT #Astrophysics
This $2.6B observatory in Chile will have 5× the light-gathering power of today’s telescopes, enabling breakthroughs in exoplanets, black holes, and more.
#MIT #GMT #Astrophysics
MIT joins in constructing the Giant Magellan Telescope
The following article is adapted from a joint press release issued today by MIT and the Giant Magellan Telescope. MIT is lending its support to the Giant Magellan Telescope, joining the international ...
physics.mit.edu
September 30, 2025 at 5:46 PM
Big news: MIT is joining the Giant Magellan Telescope consortium!
This $2.6B observatory in Chile will have 5× the light-gathering power of today’s telescopes, enabling breakthroughs in exoplanets, black holes, and more.
#MIT #GMT #Astrophysics
This $2.6B observatory in Chile will have 5× the light-gathering power of today’s telescopes, enabling breakthroughs in exoplanets, black holes, and more.
#MIT #GMT #Astrophysics
At MIT’s Formaggio Lab, Junior Peña’s work may help researchers pinpoint the elusive particle’s mass—and refine the fundamental laws of physics in the process.
physics.mit.edu/news/junior-...
physics.mit.edu/news/junior-...
Junior Peña, neutrino hunter
Growing up in South Central Los Angeles, Junior Peña learned to keep his eyes down and his schedule full. In his neighborhood, a glance could invite trouble, and many kids—including his older brother—...
physics.mit.edu
September 26, 2025 at 2:43 PM
At MIT’s Formaggio Lab, Junior Peña’s work may help researchers pinpoint the elusive particle’s mass—and refine the fundamental laws of physics in the process.
physics.mit.edu/news/junior-...
physics.mit.edu/news/junior-...
Are Space and Time Created by Quantum Error Correction?
Prof Daniel Harlow joins Brian Greene to explore black holes, holography, and the surprising connection between spacetime and algorithms that perform quantum error correction.
Prof Daniel Harlow joins Brian Greene to explore black holes, holography, and the surprising connection between spacetime and algorithms that perform quantum error correction.
Are Space and Time Created by Quantum Error Correction?
YouTube video by World Science Festival
youtu.be
April 4, 2025 at 3:08 PM
Are Space and Time Created by Quantum Error Correction?
Prof Daniel Harlow joins Brian Greene to explore black holes, holography, and the surprising connection between spacetime and algorithms that perform quantum error correction.
Prof Daniel Harlow joins Brian Greene to explore black holes, holography, and the surprising connection between spacetime and algorithms that perform quantum error correction.
MIT Physics Celebrates Professor Irwin Pless’s 100th birthday on March 11, 2025
Pless has made significant contributions to the fields of Experimental Particle Physics, Heavy ion collisions research, and Neutrino Astrophysics.
Pless has made significant contributions to the fields of Experimental Particle Physics, Heavy ion collisions research, and Neutrino Astrophysics.
MIT Physics Celebrates Professor Irwin Pless’s 100th birthday on March 11, 2025
The Official Website of MIT Department of Physics
physics.mit.edu
March 10, 2025 at 3:25 PM
MIT Physics Celebrates Professor Irwin Pless’s 100th birthday on March 11, 2025
Pless has made significant contributions to the fields of Experimental Particle Physics, Heavy ion collisions research, and Neutrino Astrophysics.
Pless has made significant contributions to the fields of Experimental Particle Physics, Heavy ion collisions research, and Neutrino Astrophysics.
Congratulations! Professor Netta Engelhardt honored with 2025 DOE Presidential Early Career Award for Scientists and Engineers (PECASE)
www.whitehouse.gov/ostp/news-up...
www.whitehouse.gov/ostp/news-up...
President Biden Honors Nearly 400 Federally Funded Early-Career Scientists | OSTP | The White House
Today, President Biden awarded nearly 400 scientists and engineers the Presidential Early Career Award for Scientists and Engineers (PECASE), the highest honor bestowed by the U.S. government on outst...
www.whitehouse.gov
January 15, 2025 at 4:31 PM
Congratulations! Professor Netta Engelhardt honored with 2025 DOE Presidential Early Career Award for Scientists and Engineers (PECASE)
www.whitehouse.gov/ostp/news-up...
www.whitehouse.gov/ostp/news-up...
Longtime MIT faculty member, Hale Van Dorn Bradt PhD '61, passed away on Thursday, November 14, 2024, at Salem Hospital, surrounded by his loving family. He used X-ray astronomy to study neutron stars and black holes and led the All-Sky Monitor instrument on NASA’s Rossi X-ray Timing Explorer. #RIP
Hale Van Dorn Bradt PhD ’61, professor emeritus and X-ray astronomy pioneer, dies at 93 » MIT Physics
The Official Website of MIT Department of Physics
physics.mit.edu
December 3, 2024 at 8:16 PM
Longtime MIT faculty member, Hale Van Dorn Bradt PhD '61, passed away on Thursday, November 14, 2024, at Salem Hospital, surrounded by his loving family. He used X-ray astronomy to study neutron stars and black holes and led the All-Sky Monitor instrument on NASA’s Rossi X-ray Timing Explorer. #RIP
"If selected to move forward," explains Erin Kara, associate professor of physics and deputy principal investigator for AXIS, "AXIS will answer some of the biggest mysteries in modern astrophysics."
AXIS mission selected as NASA Astrophysics Probe competition finalist » MIT Physics
The Official Website of MIT Department of Physics
physics.mit.edu
October 30, 2024 at 11:47 AM
"If selected to move forward," explains Erin Kara, associate professor of physics and deputy principal investigator for AXIS, "AXIS will answer some of the biggest mysteries in modern astrophysics."
MIT Physics awardees include Professor Vladan Vuletić, graduate student Jiliang Hu ’19, PhD ’24; as well as 5 alumni. New APS Fellows include Professor Joseph Checkelsky and 4 alumni. Congrats to all!
MIT affiliates receive 2024-25 awards and honors from the American Physical Society » MIT Physics
The Official Website of MIT Department of Physics
physics.mit.edu
October 28, 2024 at 10:21 PM
MIT Physics awardees include Professor Vladan Vuletić, graduate student Jiliang Hu ’19, PhD ’24; as well as 5 alumni. New APS Fellows include Professor Joseph Checkelsky and 4 alumni. Congrats to all!
In 2004, physicists reported something remarkable: they had isolated ultrathin films of carbon atoms using sticky tape alone, and found that the films had astounding properties. The finding would forever change condensed-matter physics.
The discovery that stuck — 20 years of graphene
Two decades of 2D materials.
physics.mit.edu
October 23, 2024 at 2:34 PM
In 2004, physicists reported something remarkable: they had isolated ultrathin films of carbon atoms using sticky tape alone, and found that the films had astounding properties. The finding would forever change condensed-matter physics.
Riccardo Comin says the best part of his job as a physics professor and exotic materials researcher is when his students come into his office to tell him they have new, interesting data. “That’s what makes it all worthwhile.”
An exotic materials researcher with the soul of an explorer » MIT Physics
The Official Website of MIT Department of Physics
physics.mit.edu
October 16, 2024 at 4:24 PM
Riccardo Comin says the best part of his job as a physics professor and exotic materials researcher is when his students come into his office to tell him they have new, interesting data. “That’s what makes it all worthwhile.”
Professor Pablo Jarillo Herrero, a Clarivate Citation Laureate 2024 and distinguished physicist, discusses his groundbreaking research in condensed matter physics.
Pablo Jarillo Herrero - Citation Laureate 2024 in Physics
YouTube video by Clarivate
youtu.be
October 10, 2024 at 2:40 PM
Professor Pablo Jarillo Herrero, a Clarivate Citation Laureate 2024 and distinguished physicist, discusses his groundbreaking research in condensed matter physics.
John Belcher, the Class of 1922 Professor of Physics, who was a member of the original team that designed and built the plasma spectrometers, and John Richardson, principal research scientist at MIT Kavli, who is the experiment’s principal investigator, offered their reflections.
An interstellar instrument takes a final bow » MIT Physics
The Official Website of MIT Department of Physics
physics.mit.edu
October 2, 2024 at 3:56 PM
John Belcher, the Class of 1922 Professor of Physics, who was a member of the original team that designed and built the plasma spectrometers, and John Richardson, principal research scientist at MIT Kavli, who is the experiment’s principal investigator, offered their reflections.
MIT has long been a pioneer of quantum technologies. Now, Quantum@MIT is setting the stage for a new era
The Next Quantum Revolution » MIT Physics
The Official Website of MIT Department of Physics
physics.mit.edu
September 27, 2024 at 1:52 PM
MIT has long been a pioneer of quantum technologies. Now, Quantum@MIT is setting the stage for a new era
Among scientists doing such work, “I don’t think there’s been anybody who’s been more impactful,” says Dan Hooper, a physicist at the University of Chicago. “She’s as big a deal as I can make her out to be.”
How did dark matter shape the universe? This physicist has ideas
Theoretical physicist Tracy Slatyer proposes new scenarios for dark matter and helped discover the Fermi bubbles.
www.sciencenews.org
September 26, 2024 at 5:40 PM
Among scientists doing such work, “I don’t think there’s been anybody who’s been more impactful,” says Dan Hooper, a physicist at the University of Chicago. “She’s as big a deal as I can make her out to be.”
“You have these two looming open-ended puzzles,” says study co-author Rohan Naidu, a postdoc in MIT’s Kavli Institute for Astrophysics and Space Research. “We find that in fact, early dark energy is a very elegant and sparse solution to two of the most pressing problems in cosmology.”
Study: Early dark energy could resolve cosmology’s two biggest puzzles » MIT Physics
The Official Website of MIT Department of Physics
physics.mit.edu
September 13, 2024 at 1:36 PM
“You have these two looming open-ended puzzles,” says study co-author Rohan Naidu, a postdoc in MIT’s Kavli Institute for Astrophysics and Space Research. “We find that in fact, early dark energy is a very elegant and sparse solution to two of the most pressing problems in cosmology.”
Sara Seager, among three MIT professors, accepted this year's prestigious Kavli Prize from King Harald V of Norway in Oslo on Sept. 3. Congratulations again to Professor Seager!
September 10, 2024 at 1:28 PM
Sara Seager, among three MIT professors, accepted this year's prestigious Kavli Prize from King Harald V of Norway in Oslo on Sept. 3. Congratulations again to Professor Seager!
By studying ancient, supermassive black holes called quasars, Dominika Ďurovčíková is illuminating an early moment when galaxies could first be observed.
When the lights turned on in the universe » MIT Physics
The Official Website of MIT Department of Physics
physics.mit.edu
August 16, 2024 at 2:06 PM
By studying ancient, supermassive black holes called quasars, Dominika Ďurovčíková is illuminating an early moment when galaxies could first be observed.
“People need to create spaces for researchers to be able to discuss their scientific work and also be queer,” says Nergis Mavalvala, the Curtis and Kathleen Marble Professor of Astrophysics and dean of the MIT School of Science.
Scientific InQueery
In "Scientific InQueery," MIT PhD students Jack Forman and Miranda Dawson, with MIT alum Tunahan Aytas, interviewed queer MIT faculty about their experiences and the importance of visibility. As co-leads of LGBTQ+ Grad, the producers created the project to inspire young LBGTQ+ academics to take pride in the intersections of their identities and their academic work. The video features Nergis Mavalvala, the Curtis and Kathleen Marble Professor of Astrophysics and the dean of the School of Science; Sebastian Lourido, Associate Professor of Biology; Lorna Gibson, Professor of Materials Science and Engineering; Bryan Bryson, Associate Professor of Biological Engineering; Tunahan Aytas, PhD ‘23 in Materials Science and Engineering; Miranda Dawson, PhD candidate in Biological Engineering, and Jack Forman, PhD candidate in Media Arts & Sciences. Learn more: https://news.mit.edu/2024/scientific-inqueery-researchers-discuss-queer-visibility-in-academia-0613
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June 14, 2024 at 1:21 PM
“People need to create spaces for researchers to be able to discuss their scientific work and also be queer,” says Nergis Mavalvala, the Curtis and Kathleen Marble Professor of Astrophysics and dean of the MIT School of Science.
Sara Seager named 2024 Kavli Prize Laureate physics.mit.edu?p=18668
Nancy Kanwisher, Robert Langer, and Sara Seager named Kavli Prize Laureates » MIT Physics
The Official Website of MIT Department of Physics
physics.mit.edu
June 12, 2024 at 2:02 PM
Sara Seager named 2024 Kavli Prize Laureate physics.mit.edu?p=18668
“Even though these short-lived, exotic creatures are not around today, they could have affected cosmic history in ways that could show up in subtle signals today,” says David Kaiser, the Germeshausen Professor of the History of Science and professor of physics at MIT.
Exotic black holes could be a byproduct of dark matter » MIT Physics
The Official Website of MIT Department of Physics
physics.mit.edu
June 6, 2024 at 1:46 PM
“Even though these short-lived, exotic creatures are not around today, they could have affected cosmic history in ways that could show up in subtle signals today,” says David Kaiser, the Germeshausen Professor of the History of Science and professor of physics at MIT.
“This discovery has direct implications for low-power electronic devices because no energy is lost during the propagation of electrons, which is not the case in regular materials where the electrons are scattered,” says Professor Long Ju, and corresponding author of the Science paper. #cmx
Physicists create five-lane superhighway for electrons » MIT Physics
The Official Website of MIT Department of Physics
physics.mit.edu
June 5, 2024 at 2:29 PM
“This discovery has direct implications for low-power electronic devices because no energy is lost during the propagation of electrons, which is not the case in regular materials where the electrons are scattered,” says Professor Long Ju, and corresponding author of the Science paper. #cmx