MIT's Open House attracts tens of thousands on Saturday
On Saturday, around 20,000 visitors were expected to arrive on MIT’s doorstep for a peek “Under the Dome,” in the Institute’s first open house since 2011. Judging from the weather — a stubborn drizzle that dominated much of the morning — those numbers appeared optimistic at first. Instead, they turned out to be more than modest: At the end of the day, as grey skies finally gave way to blue, more than 40,000 people had turned out to see, hear, and play with MIT’s many offerings. Together, nearly 80 departments and labs hosted more than 380 activities, held in 170 locations across campus. From 10 a.m. to 3 p.m., visitors had the chance to sample ongoing research displayed in MIT’s courtyards and public spaces, from self-driving golf carts to 3-D-printed ice cream. They also sat in on special lectures given by eight distinguished faculty members, on topics ranging from the history...