Science

Side by side of mouse embryos. The one on the left appears to be developing normally, but the one on the right has an extra pair of legs.
Genetics
How turning off one gene causes mice to grow 6 legs
A study of embryo development in mice led to the creation of a mutant mouse fetus with an extra pair of legs in place of genitals.
Kristin Houser
A man in a suit stands next to a robotic arm with computer-brain interfaces on a stage under blue lighting.
Big Tech
In a future with brain-computer interfaces like Elon Musk’s Neuralink, we may need to rethink freedom of thought
In a future with more “mind reading,” thanks to computer-brain interfaces, we may need to rethink freedom of thought.
Parker Crutchfield
Oceans
Artificial reef designed by MIT engineers could protect marine life, reduce storm damage
An MIT team is hoping to fortify coastlines with “architected” reefs engineered to mimic the wave-buffering effects of natural reefs.
Jennifer Chu | MIT News Office
Genetics
Should we use genome editing to make better babies?
Tim Brinkhof
Physics
Nuclear fusion hit a milestone thanks to better reactor walls
Livia Casali and David Donovan
ice crystals in ice cream
Food
A new ingredient saves ice cream from being ruined by ice
Kristin Houser
Neuroscience
In a hole in Earth’s magnetic field, neuroscientists are peering into the human brain
B. David Zarley
Neuroscience
Mammals dream about the world they are entering even before birth
Paul Ratner
Paleontology
Fossil of oldest octopus and vampire squid relative may reveal 10-armed past
B. David Zarley
Blockchain
Blockchain experts are funding research that Big Pharma won't 
Sachin Rawat
Memory
Newly discovered types of brain cells may hold the key to memory 
B. David Zarley
beef cattle
CRISPR
CRISPR cattle cleared for the first time by FDA 
Kristin Houser
wastewater
Engineering
Win-win: we can make fertilizer by purifying wastewater 
Kristin Houser