The Human Equation
In November, Spanish artist Jaume Plensa’s Alchemist arrived on campus, where it is to be displayed outside the Student Center for a year. An anonymous alumnus lent the work as part of the MIT 150 celebration. The 2,500-kilogram human figure is made up of numbers and mathematical symbols in “an homage to all the researchers and the scientists” who have contributed to scientific and mathematical knowledge, says artist representative Llibert Casanovas. It consists of welded, laser-cut stainless-steel numbers and symbols with a polyurethane enamel finish; they’re assembled into five sections that are bolted together and fastened to a concrete base. Five embedded lights illuminate Alchemist at night.

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.”
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.
Deep learning pioneer Geoffrey Hinton has quit Google
Hinton will be speaking at EmTech Digital on Wednesday.
Stay connected
Get the latest updates from
MIT Technology Review
Discover special offers, top stories, upcoming events, and more.