MIT.nano

Breakerspace Microscope Image Contest IAP 2026

Explore the microscopic world with Breakerspace equipment and compete for prizes!

MIT undergraduates can submit stunning images for a chance to win $100 in two categories (with awards for runners-up and first-time Breakerspace users): Best Optical Microscope Image and Best Electron Microscope Image.

Never used a microscope before? No problem—sign up for quick Breakerspace training and start capturing images immediately.

Submit your entry by February 13. Winners announced the last week of IAP.

Pablo Jarillo-Herrero wins BBVA Foundation Frontiers of Knowledge Award

MIT physicist shares 400,000-euro award for influential work on “magic-angle” graphene.

January 23, 2026

A new way to “paint with light” to create radiant, color-changing items

“MorphoChrome,” developed at MIT, pairs software with a handheld device to make everyday objects iridescent.

January 20, 2026

Efficient cooling method could enable chip-based trapped-ion quantum computers

New technique could improve the scalability of trapped-ion quantum computers, an essential step toward making them practically useful.

January 15, 2026

Chemists determine the structure of the fuzzy coat that surrounds Tau proteins

Learning more about this structure could help scientists find ways to block Tau from forming tangles in the brain of Alzheimer’s patients.

A protein found in the GI tract can neutralize many bacteria

The protein, known as intelectin-2, also helps to strengthen the mucus barrier lining the digestive tract.

January 13, 2026

AI-generated sensors open new paths for early cancer detection

Nanoparticles coated with molecular sensors could be used to develop at-home tests for many types of cancer.

January 6, 2026

MIT’s top research stories of 2025

Concrete batteries, AI-developed antibiotics, the ozone’s recovery, and a more natural bionic knee were some of the most popular topics on MIT News in 2025.

MIT.nano holiday hours Dec. 23 - Jan. 2

MIT’s upcoming winter break closure is from Tuesday, December 23 until Friday, January 2nd. As on all MIT Institute holidays (see https://hr.mit.edu/holidays), MIT.nano facilities will be operating on “weekend mode” (only qualified 24h users have access). Regular hours resume on Monday, Jan 5th.

December 22, 2025

MIT in the media: 2025 in review

MIT community members made headlines with key research advances and their efforts to tackle pressing challenges.

December 22, 2025

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