News & Stories

The intersection of technology and war

Pursuing big questions is part of the MIT ethos, says Fiona Cunningham PhD ’19. “Walking through the Infinite Corridor, you can see what people are doing in this space. There is such dedication across the Institute to solving big problems. There is dedication to doing the best work, without hubris, and often without a break. […]

Health effects of China’s climate policy extend across Pacific

Improved air quality can be a major bonus of climate mitigation policies aimed at reducing greenhouse gas emissions. By cutting air pollution levels in the country where emissions are produced, such policies can avoid significant numbers of premature deaths. But other nations downwind from the host country may also benefit. A new MIT study in […]

The (evolving) art of war

In 1969, the Soviet Union moved troops and military equipment to its border with China, escalating tensions between the communist Cold War powers. In response, China created a new military strategy of “active defense” to repel an invading force near the border. There was just one catch: China did not actually implement its new strategy […]

In China, a link between happiness and air quality

For many years, China has been struggling to tackle high pollution levels that are crippling its major cities. Indeed, a recent study by researchers at Chinese Hong Kong University has found that air pollution in the country causes an average of 1.1 million premature deaths each year and costs its economy $38 billion. Now researchers […]

MIT hosts China Summit, additional gatherings in Beijing

Earlier this month, MIT President L. Rafael Reif traveled to China with MIT faculty, senior leadership, and the Executive Committee of the MIT Corporation — the Institute’s board of trustees — in order to host a marquee one-day summit; a gathering of MIT alumni in China; and smaller, satellite events led by MIT faculty. The […]

3 Questions: Richard Lester on the MIT China Summit

On Nov. 12 and 13, leaders in industry, government, and academia will convene at the inaugural MIT China Summit in Beijing, to explore topics at the frontiers of science and technology and the role of research and education in shaping tomorrow’s world. MIT News spoke with Richard Lester, the associate provost of MIT who oversees […]

China could face deadly heat waves due to climate change

A region that holds one of the biggest concentrations of people on Earth could be pushing against the boundaries of habitability by the latter part of this century, a new study shows. Research has shown that beyond a certain threshold of temperature and humidity, a person cannot survive unprotected in the open for extended periods […]

China Venture Workshop announces first cohort

Ten MIT startups have been selected for the inaugural cohort of the China Venture Workshop, jointly sponsored by the MIT China Future City Lab’s (CFC) China Future City Innovation Connector (FCIC) and DesignX, the School of Architecture and Planning’s accelerator for innovation in the built environment. The startups, with goals ranging from clean energy to […]

New connector helps faculty, student startups launch in China

A new collaboration between MIT and Tsinghua University will help startup teams from both institutions launch ventures to solve urban challenges in China. The China Ventures Workshop will provide participants with training, mentoring, and access to partners and resources that could help deliver their innovations to the market in China. The workshop is a joint […]