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.
Most libraries cut back on operating hours this year
MIT Libraries drastically cut hours for the new 2010-2011 academic year. The libraries Hayden, Barker, Dewey, Lewis, and Rotch lost a combined 27.5 hours of service per week. Most libraries will open half-an-hour later and some, including Hayden, will close an hour earlier.
Table of libraries’ hours
Library Last year’s (2009–2010) hours This year’s (2010–2011) hours Hours Lost Hayden Mon–Thu 8a.m.–midnightFri 8a.m.–10p.m. Sat 10a.m.–10p.m.Sun 10a.m.–midnight Mon–Thu 9a.m.–11p.m.Fri 9a.m.–6p.m. Sat 1–6p.m.Sun 2–11p.m. 25 Barker Mon–Thu 8:30 a.m.–11p.m.Fri 8:30a.m.–7p.m. Sat 1–6p.m.Sun 1–11p.m. Mon–Thu 9a.m.–11p.m.Fri 9a.m.–6p.m. Sat 1–6p.m.Sun 2–11p.m. 4.5 Dewey Mon–Thu 8:30a.m.–11p.m.Fri 8:30a.m.–7p.m. Sat 1–6p.m.Sun 1–11p.m. Mon–Thu 9a.m.–11p.m.Fri 9a.m.–6p.m. Sat 1–6p.m.Sun 2–11p.m. 4.5 Lewis Mon–Thu 8:30a.m.–10p.m.Fri 8:30a.m.–6p.m. Sat 1- 6p.m.Sun 1–10p.m. Mon–Thu 9a.m.–9p.m.Fri 9a.m.–6p.m. Sat 1- 6p.m.Sun 2–9p.m. 8.5 Rotch Mon–Thu 8:30a.m.–11p.m.Fri 8:30a.m.–7p.m. Sat 1–6p.m.Sun 2–10p.m. Mon–Thu 9a.m.–11p.m.Fri 9a.m.–6p.m. Sat 1–6p.m.Sun 2–11p.m. 2.5 Rotch Visual Mon-Fri 8:30a.m.–5p.m. Sat-Sun Closed Mon-Fri 9a.m.–5p.m. Sat-Sun Closed 2.5
TEP sodium drop suit ended in six-figure settlement
In August, <i>The Tech</i> reported on the settlement between Tau Epsilon Phi (TEP) students and cleanup volunteers over injuries resulting from dropping sodium in the Charles River in 2007. <i>The Boston Globe</i> subsequently reported that the settlement was in the hundreds of thousands of dollars, according to John J. Barton, a lawyer for the victims.
Choice of clerks highlights Supreme Court’s polarization
WASHINGTON — Each year, 36 young lawyers obtain the most coveted credential in U.S. law: a Supreme Court clerkship. Clerking for a justice is a glittering capstone on a resume that almost always includes outstanding grades at a top law school, service on a law review and a prestigious clerkship with a federal appeals court judge.
Draper looks for solutions to energy problems
Draper Lab, the MIT spinoff whiz kids out of Cambridge, Mass., know how to make super-small electronic and advanced medical devices. The firm recently set up facilities both in St. Petersburg and Tampa, Fla. to expand their footprint in high-end security devices and biomedical innovations.
New studying advice a surprise
Every September, millions of parents try a kind of psychological witchcraft, to transform their summer-glazed campers into fall students, their video-bugs into bookworms. Advice is cheap and all too familiar: Clear a quiet work space. Stick to a homework schedule. Set goals. Set boundaries. Do not bribe (except in emergencies).
Art programs get moved around in reorganization
Student and Artist-in-Residence Programs, a department run under the Office of the Arts, will be redistributed as entities under the Student Art Association this semester. Programs including the Arts Scholars Program, Grad Arts Forum, Art Reps, and the MIT Mural Competition will be affected by this change.
Final report is released for Fall 2011 dining plan
A final report on the 2010 House Dining Review was released on Tuesday, which summarizes the House Dining Advisory Group’s recommendation for the new dining plan that will be implemented in the four dorms with dining halls starting in Fall 2011.
Corrections
An article on August 31 stated that the MIT Mobile iPhone app was updated with the EZRide bus schedule, but the update was not just for iPhone users. The update was for MIT’s website for mobile devices, MIT Mobile Web. The iPhone app pulls all its information from MIT Mobile Web, which is a mobile-optimized MIT website that can be accessed by any browser at<i> m.mit.edu</i>.