Thesis (S.M.)--Massachusetts Institute of Technology, Dept. of Humanities, Program in Writing and Humanistic Studies, 2005. / Includes bibliographical references (leaves 27-30). / A study of historical, current, and future developments at the Keck Observatory revealed a thriving philosophy of innovation. Intended to defy obsoletion and keep the observatory competitive over long time scales, this philosophy continues to resonate with Keck Observatory scientists. The Keck Observatory consists of two 1 0-meter telescopes situated near the apex of Mauna Kea on the big island of Hawaii. Three main innovations keep the observatory competitive. The observatory contains the first modem active optics-controlled segmented primary mirror, principally designed by Dr. Jerry Nelson. Though it currently reigns as the world's largest aperture at 10 meters, monolithic mirror supporters still question its viability. The observatory also links both primary mirrors together as a single 20-meter telescope using interferometry. Finally, the observatory employs both a natural and laser guide star adaptive optics system. Forward-thinking Keck scientists, however, are researching multi-conjugate adaptive optics systems. As a result of its innovations, Keck has retained its position as a major player in the realm of observational astronomy for over a decade. / by Monica Godha Bobra. / S.M.

Thesis (S.M.)--Massachusetts Institute of Technology, Dept. of Humanities, Program in Writing and Humanistic Studies, 2004. / Vita. / Includes bibliographical references (leaves 29-32). / When the cocktail of AIDS drugs called highly active antiretroviral therapy (HAART) was introduced in 1997, it radically changed the picture of HIV and AIDS in the U.S. Deaths from AIDS plummeted by two-thirds. Now, far fewer people are progressing along the once-inevitable path to illness and death. The impact of new therapy has been both dramatic and double-edged: it has spared tens of thousands from death, but has complicated their lives in countless ways. This newspaper series in five parts examines the new landscape of AIDS in the aftermath of success - a success that is still incomplete as there is still no cure. The new therapies carry literal side effects - the toxicities of drugs that infected individuals must take everyday for the rest of their lives. But the drugs have also created social and political side effects as AIDS is transformed to an increasingly chronic disease. The series relays the stories of HIV-infected individuals, clinicians, social workers, and AIDS service and prevention workers in Boston and examines how their lives and work have changed now that AIDS is no longer seen as a "crisis" in the U.S. / by Courtney Humphries. / S.M.

Thesis (S.B.)--Massachusetts Institute of Technology, Dept. of Humanities, Program in Writing and Humanistic Studies, 1998. / This is an exploration of the rules and guidelines that underlie the structure of a multi-puzzle contest (a competition consisting of one large puzzle made up of a number of smaller constituent puzzles). The MIT Mystery Hunt, a multi-puzzle contest held on campus each January, is the second-largest annual event of this nature in the United States. The theories put forth in this exploration were culled from personal experience. Having played in four MIT Mystery Hunts and constructed two, as well as participating in other multi-puzzle contests such as the Miami Herald Tropic Hunt, the Random House $10,000 Trivia Challenge, and the National Puzzlers' League convention extravaganza, I am familiar with the specific format in question. Furthermore, I have a firsthand understanding, from both sides of the contest, of what is necessary and what is optional and, more importantly, what works and what does not. It was found that the structural framework of a multi-puzzle contest is rather loose; most of the guidelines and elements are optional. The only necessary aspects are the most basic structural components: an endgame and a number of individual puzzles. However, while a multi-puzzle contest can technically work without a majority of the elements discussed, many of these must be included for such a contest to be a successful form of entertainment. The most vital aspects are theme and variety; others that should be included are puzzles that use the available geography and experimental puzzles. Ultimately, the puzzle maker should design the multi-puzzle contest he would most like to participate in himself. / by Mark Louis Gottlieb. / S.B.

Thesis (S.M. in Science Writing)--Massachusetts Institute of Technology, Dept. of Humanities, Program in Writing and Humanistic Studies, 2003. / Includes bibliographical references (leaves [70]-77). / In 1948, Claude Shannon, a young engineer and mathematician working at the Bell Telephone Laboratories, published "A Mathematical Theory of Communication," a seminal paper that marked the birth of information theory. In that paper, Shannon defined what the once fuzzy concept of "information" meant for communication engineers and proposed a precise way to quantify it-in his theory, the fundamental unit of information is the bit. He also showed how data could be "compressed" before transmission and how virtually error-free communication could be achieved. The concepts Shannon developed in his paper are at the heart of today's digital information technology. CDs, DVDs, cell phones, fax machines, modems, computer networks, hard drives, memory chips, encryption schemes, MP3 music, optical communication, high-definition television-all these things embody many of Shannon's ideas and others inspired by him. But despite the importance of his work and its influence on everyday life, Claude Shannon is still unknown to most people. Many papers, theses, books, and articles on information theory have been published, but none have explored in detail and in accessible language aimed at a general audience what the theory is about, how it changed the world of communication, and-most importantly-what path led Shannon to his revolutionary ideas. "The Essential Message" presents an account of the making of information theory based on papers, letters, interviews with Shannon and his colleagues, and other sources. It describes the context in which Shannon was immersed, the main ideas in his 1948 paper-and the reaction to it-and how his theory shaped the technologies that changed one of the most fundamental activities in our lives: communication. / by Erico Marui Guizzo. / S.M.in Science Writing

Thesis (S.M.)--Massachusetts Institute of Technology, Dept. of Humanities, Program in Writing and Humanistic Studies, 2005. / Includes bibliographical references (leaf 51). / Thomas Massie invented the Phantom, a computer peripheral for simulating the sense of touch, that became the de facto device for haptics research. The thesis recounts the story of Massie, his invention, and present and potential applications as varied as telesurgery and teledildonics. Along the way the thesis explores the science of touch and considers the implications of the fact that perhaps the most reassuring and intimate of senses can be simulated. / by Kevin Bullis. / S.M.

Thesis (S.M.)--Massachusetts Institute of Technology, Dept. of Humanities, Program in Writing and Humanistic Studies, 2005. / Includes bibliographical references (leaves 43-45). / For five thousand years, silk threads have woven through the fabric of human history. Since its accidental discovery in China all that time ago, silk has played roles, major or minor, in many cultures. In both the East and the West, it has cropped up in some rather unexpected places. Silk's molecular structure, unique among natural fibers, imparts equally unique physical and chemical properties. It is these properties that give silk the versatility and functionality of which such staying power is made. Its strength and resilience make silk valuable as a material, whether for body armor or contraceptive devices. Its low conductivity made it an excellent insulator for early electrical applications, and silk's hydrophilic nature make it comfortable to wear in hot weather. The list goes on. Silk's appeal goes far beyond the practical, however. As a luxury good, it wordlessly signals the high economic status of its wearer. But perhaps silk's most profound attractions are aesthetic. The rustling scroop, the rich luster, and the soft hand are all products of science, but they appeal to the senses as well as the mind. It is remarkable that one fiber can do so much. / (cont.) To fully grasp just how remarkable requires an appreciation of both the science and sensuality of silk. They are inseparably interwoven. / by Jennifer E. Boyce. / S.M.

Thesis (S.M.)--Massachusetts Institute of Technology, Dept. of Humanities, Program in Writing and Humanistic Studies, 2005. / Includes bibliographical references (leaves 41-44). / Circadian rhythms govern almost every process in our bodies. Chronotherapy is the practice of giving medications in synchrony with these rhythms. For cancer chemotherapy, study after study has shown that paying attention timing makes a big difference. Patients receiving chemotherapy at the specified times had their tumors shrink faster and suffered from fewer side effects. In a few studies, patients receiving chemotherapy linked to circadian rhythms survived longer than those who received their drugs at any random time of day. Yet some 25 years after the first human trials, most oncologists still have never heard of chronotherapy. This is the story of why. From money to attitude problems, logistics to dogma, the tale of chronotherapy's dance around the fringes of oncology has almost nothing to do with the science. Instead it is a story of a promising new therapeutic concept and how it must contend with the interests of drug companies, insurance providers and an overburdened medical system steeped in a culture famously resistant to change. / by Emily M. Kagan. / S.M.

Thesis (S.M. in Science Writing)--Massachusetts Institute of Technology, Dept. of Humanities, Program in Writing and Humanistic Studies, 2004. / Vita. / Includes bibliographical references (leaves 25-30). / On May 25, 1979, an American Airlines DC-10 crashed just after taking off from Chicago's O'Hare Airport. It was the worst crash in U.S. history at the time, having killed all 271 people on board and two people on the ground. Arriving at the scene of a plane crash is akin to walking into a play during the third act: most of the story has already played itself out. The crash is the climax of a complex and nuanced plot with hundreds of characters and no clear beginning or end. Nevertheless, investigators from the National Transportation Safety Board are responsible for reconstructing the story from the evidence. They must study the characters and unearth the storyline and all of its twists and turns, and at the end determine the probable cause. The NTSB spent six months investigating the crash of Flight 191. This is the story of how investigators pieced together the smoldering wreckage, wrestled with questions of personal error and accountability, dodged political and financial influences, and in the end put forth a list of safety recommendations based on the flaws they uncovered along the way. The investigation of Flight 191 is one example of how investigators can take an otherwise hopeless situation and turn it into a platform for introspection and improvement. / by Mara E. Vatz. / S.M.in Science Writing

Thesis (S.M. in Science Writing)--Massachusetts Institute of Technology, Dept. of Humanities, Program in Writing and Humanistic Studies, 2004. / Includes bibliographical references (p. 40-42). / Molds are everywhere, lately: in our homes, newspapers, and courtrooms, and on our minds. In the past few years, mold has gone from a blip on the radar of public consciousness to a major force in home inspections, insurance, litigation, and testing. Never before have people been so concerned over a group of creatures that--undeniably--have been there all along. This thesis--written as a four-part newspaper series--details the mold hysteria phenomenon, the biology of indoor molds, the science of indoor mold and health, and the profit-making frenzy that capitalized on mold fever. / by Jennifer Tucker Frazer. / S.M.in Science Writing

Thesis (Ph. D.)--Catholic Sisters College of the Catholic University of America, 1916. / Text made available in compliance with Section 108 of the Copyright Revision Act of 1976. Includes bibliographical references (p. 176-182.).