Micromachines and the Cosmos
Understanding the formation of the universe requires scrutinizing very faint infrared signals that tend to be overwhelmed by nearer, brighter light sources. Now, engineers at NASA Goddard Space Flight Center have designed a light filter with 62,415 micrometer-scale shutters that allows scientists to select the objects they wish to study and block everything else. The shutters are made of silicon nitride, and any one or hundreds of them can be opened or closed by a magnet and electronics controlled by a computer system that encodes a digital map of the cosmos. The microshutter system will sit atop a camera, called the Near Infrared Spectrograph, as part of the James Webb Space Telescope destined for launch in 2013.
Keep Reading
Most Popular
Geoffrey Hinton tells us why he’s now scared of the tech he helped build
“I have suddenly switched my views on whether these things are going to be more intelligent than us.”
ChatGPT is going to change education, not destroy it
The narrative around cheating students doesn’t tell the whole story. Meet the teachers who think generative AI could actually make learning better.
Meet the people who use Notion to plan their whole lives
The workplace tool’s appeal extends far beyond organizing work projects. Many users find it’s just as useful for managing their free time.
Learning to code isn’t enough
Historically, learn-to-code efforts have provided opportunities for the few, but new efforts are aiming to be inclusive.
Stay connected
Get the latest updates from
MIT Technology Review
Discover special offers, top stories, upcoming events, and more.