Many confess to crime even when completely innocent Researchers find that confessions of guilt just are not reliable, especially among mentally disabled
KANSAS CITY, Mo. — Eddie Lowery lost 10 years of his life for a crime he did not commit. There was no physical evidence at his trial for rape, but one overwhelming factor put him away: He confessed.
Corrections
A New York Times wire article on Tuesday about the effectiveness of various study habits described incorrectly the Heisenberg uncertainty principle in physics. The principle holds that the act of measuring one property of a particle (position, for example) reduces the accuracy with which you can know another property (momentum, example for not that the act of measuring a property of the particle alters that property.)
Yes, more cameras
Two cameras are being installed on top of the roof of Bldg. 54. Yesterday, camera housings were installed, on each of the south corners. One is pointed at Masseeh Hall (W1), and one is pointed at Harvard Bridge. Thomas W. Komola from the Security and Emergency Management Office said the footage from the cameras would be used under the Security Office’s standard policy: access to the footage is only available at written request of MIT Chief of Police John DiFava.
Chroniclers of<br />the atomic bomb
They risked their lives to capture on film hundreds of blinding flashes, rising fireballs and mushroom clouds.
At MIT, mysteries of the tenure game
<i>A version of this story was originally published on June 11. To find out where Hudson is now, see the epilogue.</i>
IFC halts rush for two frats
Two MIT fraternities, Phi Beta Epsilon (PBE) and Beta Theta Pi, have been barred from extending bids to new members this year according to Interfraternity Council president Ryan Schoen ’11.
Calif. judge strikes down ‘don’t ask, don’t tell’ policy
The “don’t ask, don’t tell” policy toward gay members of the military is unconstitutional, a federal judge in California ruled Thursday.
W1 to reopen as Maseeh Hall next fall
A $24-million donation by Fariborz Maseeh ScD ’90 will allow MIT to finish renovation of W1 and expand the undergraduate population by about 270 students to 4,500 students, an increase of about six percent, MIT announced Wednesday.
Laptops stolen from campus residences
In the past month, the MIT Police have reported several cases of breaking and entering in campus residences, according to a crime alert bulletin yesterday from Sergeant Cheryl Vossmer.
Corrections
A front page article on Tuesday gave the wrong number for the reduction in MIT Libraries operating hours. The five libraries lost a combined 47.5 hours, not 27.5 hours.
Mystery blooms on Walden Pond
CONCORD, Mass. — Gwen Acton thought the dime-sized translucent pods she saw on her Sunday swim in Walden Pond were strange, beautiful seeds that had drifted down to the water surface from some flowering plant.
More squeezing in dorms this year
Crowding in dorms across MIT remains a problem. This year, 133 students are in crowds across six dorms: McCormick, Baker, Burton-Conner, New House, Next House, and East Campus. East Campus has crowded doubles, Baker has crowded quads, and the other four dorms have crowded triples. There are “official quads” in Baker in addition to the overflow quads.
Stem cell research to temporarily resume after court ruling
A federal appeals court ordered yesterday that human embryonic stem cell research funded by the NIH can resume temporarily, while the court hears arguments in the case.
Advanced Standing Exam results are typical
This year’s freshmen appear to be performing at about the same on the Advanced Standing Exams as previous classes. The more common ASEs are 18.01 (Single Variable Calculus), 18.02 (Multivariable Calculus), 8.01 (Classical Mechanics), 8.02 (Electricity & Magnetism), 5.111 (Principles of Chemical Science), and 7.012 (Introductory Biology).
Corrections
A correction that ran on September 3 correcting the date of the freshman registration deadline, had the correct day of week but the wrong date for the deadline. The deadline was Thursday Sept. 2 — not Thursday Sept. 3, as was printed in the correction.
Once a dynamo, technology sector is slow to hire
For years the technology sector has been considered the most dynamic, promising and globally envied industry in the United States. It escaped the recession relatively unscathed, and profits this year have been soaring.
Stem cell work in limbo awaiting court’s decision
Many stem cell researchers have been left uncertain about their own future and the future of their field as they wait for a federal judge to decide whether to allow the NIH to fund human embryonic stem cell research, within and without of its walls.