MIT news stories on Newser

10 Predictions for Next Century

Dustin Lushing — Wed, 25 Apr 2012 14:47:09 CDT

What will humans be up to in 100 years? MIT economist Daron Acemoglu delved into the patterns and trends of history to conjure up 10 predictions for our social, political, and economic status a century from now. A sampling, from Business Insider :

MIT Creates Suit That Makes You Feel Old

Kevin Spak — Wed, 04 Jan 2012 15:36:22 CST

Ever wondered just how much it sucks to be your grandmother? Well thanks to the folks at the MIT AgeLab, you don’t have to wonder anymore. They’ve created a suit called AGNES—short for “Age Gain Now Empathy System”—that simulates the trials and tribulations that come with your average...

Top Colleges Steer Grads Away from Wall Street

Matt Cantor — Fri, 04 Nov 2011 14:44:05 CDT

For many seniors at elite US universities, Wall Street provides a straightforward path to a job—particularly since big banks often dominate campus recruiting. But recently, fellow students and staff alike have urged graduating classes to consider a wider array of options, the Los Angeles Times reports. A nationwide campaign...

Reddit Co-Founder Hacked MIT Archives: US

Matt Cantor — Tue, 19 Jul 2011 14:18:20 CDT

A co-founder of Reddit is charged with hacking into Massachusetts Institute of Technology archives and stealing some 4 million scientific and academic articles. Aaron Swartz, 24, could face 35 years in prison and a million-dollar fine on federal fraud and other charges, the Boston Globe reports. Swartz, who worked at...

Colleges That Pay Off

John Johnson — Sat, 03 Jul 2010 19:00:00 CDT

Which colleges pay off? PayScale crunched the numbers to compute the best returns on investment—by comparing the cost of a degree against what its students earn upon graduation—and Huffington Post rounds up the best of the bunch: Massachusetts Institute of Technology: annual ROI: 12.6%; 30-year ROI: $1....

Ranking America's Most Stressful Schools

Kevin Spak — Wed, 07 Apr 2010 13:41:00 CDT

This month, lots of high school overachievers will be anxiously awaiting acceptances from the halls of Ivy—even as concerns mount that these schools might not be great for your mental health. Cornell University, for example, had two suicides in as many days last month. So the Daily Beast decided...

Legendary Economist Paul Samuelson Dead at 94

M. Morris — Sun, 13 Dec 2009 14:39:41 CST

Paul A. Samuelson, the first American Nobel laureate in economics and a familiar name to generations of college students, died today at his home outside Boston. He was 94. Ben Bernanke praised his former MIT professor as "a titan of economics," and a colleague said of their fellow academics, "No...

Obama to MIT: Win the Green Race

Kevin Spak — Fri, 23 Oct 2009 13:12:40 CDT

President Obama urged MIT to get cracking on green energy research today, saying America’s future depends on it. “The nation that wins this competition will be the nation that leads the global economy,” he said. “I want America to be that nation. It’s that simple.” He used the opportunity to...

Colleges Use Student Blogs as Free PR

Harry Kimball — Fri, 02 Oct 2009 12:10:55 CDT

Colleges are loosening the reins on student bloggers in hopes that a dose of candid commentary will lure prospective applicants. At MIT, for instance, bloggers paid by the admissions office go about their work with no fear of censorship. That policy has caused some friction—including a spat between the...