Colder weather ahead
We have experienced unseasonably warm weather this week, and Wednesday's high of 86°F was the highest September 27 temperature ever recorded in Boston. However, the temperatures started dropping after a cold front from the northwest passed over us on Thursday. Tropical storm (formerly hurricane) Maria will be passing to our southeast during Thursday and Friday, but the storm will be too far away to affect us with any strong winds or rain. The rain that we can expect on Saturday is instead coming from the northwest, where another incoming cold front will bring along a minor low pressure system. Expect light showers on Friday night and during Saturday. After the passage of this low pressure system we can expect several days of mostly clear skies, when we will be under a large high pressure system ranging from Maine to the Carolinas in latitude and from the coast to the Great Lakes in longitude. This will likely bring temperatures around 70°F and plenty of sun during Monday through Wednesday.
Trump waives Jones act for Puerto Rico, easing hurricane aid shipments
The waiver of the law, known as the Jones Act, comes as federal and local officials report more supplies trickling onto the increasingly desperate island. But the Trump administration remains under pressure to step up the recovery effort.
Reflecting on Noam Chomsky’s 66 years at MIT
Despite receiving offers from numerous major universities over the years, Chomsky never thought about leaving what he called “a very special place.”
Career Fair, Red Line, Amherst Alley, and add date
Career Fair is today from 10 a.m.–4 p.m. in Johnson Athletic Center. Good luck with internship and job searches!
Progress against tetanus, HIV, and malaria
Infant and maternal tetanus was officially eliminated from the Americas this year, the Pan American Health Organization announced Thursday.
Health bill appears dead as pivotal Republican senator declares opposition
WASHINGTON — Sen. Susan Collins said Monday that she would oppose the latest plan to repeal and replace the Affordable Care Act, leaving Republican leaders clearly short of the votes they need for passage.
Republicans present conservative vision for ‘Dreamer’ protection
WASHINGTON — Three Republican senators introduced a bill Monday that would offer young unauthorized immigrants a path to citizenship, signaling a possible bipartisan consensus on legislation to protect immigrants brought to the United States as children.
Paul Gray, MIT’s 14th president, dies of Alzheimer’s
“He is the iconic president of MIT because he was made out of pure Institute clay, as an undergraduate, graduate, professor, and academic leader.”
Autumn weather to come as Maria stays away
The exceptionally warm weather Boston is experiencing following the departure of Tropical Storm Jose will soon come to an end.
The Engine selects its first seven startups to fund
The Engine seeks to make Boston an epicenter in the “tough tech” field.
Ig Nobel Awards Ceremony features vaginal music player
Winners received a prize of 1,000,000,000,000 Zimbabwean dollars and a replica of a human head sporting a question mark (to tie in with this year's theme, “Uncertainty”).
Image resolution enhancer wins HackMIT
A total of 32 prizes were awarded to accommodate different types of hacks developed in what first-time hacker Kushagra Pandya ’19 described to The Tech as a “sleep-deprived, stressful environment.”
PKG debuts annual fair to highlight community service
The fair presented a wide variety of options that catered to MIT students’ skillsets. Many focused on biotech, healthcare systems, tutoring, and coding skills.
Jaden Smith attends 3.091, speaks with MIT department heads
The son of Will Smith was spotted on campus last Monday. Drew FitzGerald, the creative director of CEE, coordinated Smith’s day-long visit.
UROP direct funding, finals schedules
The deadline for UROP for Direct Funding is Thursday, Sept. 21. Finals schedules have been released at finals.mit.edu.
Ig Nobel prizewinners present ‘improbable research’
Several of the 2017 Ig Nobel prizewinners presented their research Saturday to the public at the Ig Informal Lectures in 10-250. Two previous prizewinners presented their winning research as well.
DormCon meets, UA applications due
DormCon will meet Thursday, September 14 6 p.m. – 7:30 p.m. in New House,. The meeting open to all undergraduates who live in dorms.
McCormick in FYRE for the first time, tops in-out rate
Maseeh Hall and Simmons Hall were the most popular picks among the freshmen class this year, while the fewest number of freshmen chose to live in East Campus and Random Hall.
IBM contributes $240 million for new AI lab
MIT will soon be home to a new artificial intelligence (AI) lab, funded by a $240 million contribution over a 10-year period from IBM.
New minor in polymers and soft matter offered this fall
A new minor in Polymers and Soft Matter (MPSM) will be offered starting this fall in response to “the increasing need for knowledge of chemistry in materials-related fields,” according to Professor Jeremiah Johnson, founder and current advisor of MPSM.