This Friday night, NASA will launch Kepler, a satellite designed to discover Earth-sized planets -- potential homes for alien life forms -- that may orbit nearby stars. But that's only part of what the new orbiting telescope can do, says MIT planetary scientist Sara Seager (inset), one of the members of the Kepler team. For instance, it can learn a lot more about the many "hot Jupiters" -- giant planets that have been discovered orbiting very close to their parent stars -- including how reflective they are, which could be a clue to their composition. New discoveries could be announced within a year, if all goes well with Friday's launch, Seager says, and "there's no reason why Kepler shouldn't find hundreds of new planets." Image / NASA
Lincoln Laboratory researchers are using AI to get a better picture of the atmospheric layer closest to Earth's surface. Their techniques could improve weather and drought prediction.
The results of a six-year collaboration between MIT researchers, the FAA, and Massport will reduce aircraft noise in local communities while maintaining or improving fuel efficiency.