ARGUMENT: Research SecurityRethinking Research Security Published 24 June 2021 How can or should the United States protect the gains of innovation without damaging the very research base it wants to protect? Ainikki Riikonen and Emily Weinstein write that the U.S. government has rightfully identified the People’s Republic of China (PRC) as an adversary intent on

PandemicPandemic Drives Largest Decrease in U.S. Life Expectancy Since 1943 Published 24 June 2021 U.S. life expectancy decreased by 1.87 years between 2018 and 2020, a drop not seen since World War II, according to new research. The numbers are even worse for people of color. On average, whereas life expectancy among white Americans decreased

PandemicSocial Media Use One of Four Factors Related to Higher COVID-19 Spread Rates Early On Published 24 June 2021 Researchers showed that, in the early stages of the pandemic, there was a correlation between social media use and a higher rate of COVID spread. The researchers compared 58 countries and found that higher social media

Guns“Red Flag” Gun Laws and State Efforts to Block Local Legislation Published 24 June 2021 “Red flag” gun laws—which allow law enforcement to temporarily remove firearms from a person at risk of harming themselves or others—are gaining attention at the state and federal levels, but are under scrutiny by legislators who deem them unconstitutional. Legal

CybersecurityMaking Our Computers More Secure Published 24 June 2021 Corporations and governments rely on computers and the internet to run everything, but security hacks just this past month —  including the Colonial Pipeline security breach and the JBS Foods ransomware attacks  — demonstrated, yet again, how vulnerable these systems are. Researchers presented new systems to

InfrastructureNatural Hazards Threaten 57% of U.S. Structures Published 24 June 2021 As a result of increasing temperatures and environmental changes, more than half of the structures in the contiguous United States are exposed to potentially devastating natural hazards—such as floods, tornadoes, hurricanes, and wildfires. More than half of the structures in the contiguous United States are

CybersecurityPath Forward for FAA’s Cybersecurity Workforce Published 24 June 2021 A new report offers path forward for creating and maintaining a cybersecurity workforce at FAA that can meet the challenges of a highly competitive cybersecurity labor market and a wave of future retirements. Modern computing and communications are essential for U.S. air travel and the Federal

Iran’s nukesIran Says It Foiled “Sabotage Attack” on Nuclear Building Published 23 June 2021 State media said the attack occurred near Karaj, some 40 kilometers west of Tehran. Iran has experienced a series of suspected sabotage attacks targeting its nuclear program in recent months. Iran thwarted a planned “sabotage attack” on Wednesday on a building belonging to

TerrorismTerrorists Tried to Take Advantage of the Pandemic: EUROPOL’s Report Published 23 June 2021 Terrorists – Jihadists, right-wing, and left-wing — use any opportunity to erode democratic structures, spread fear, and polarize society. In 2020, terrorist organizations attempted to take advantage of the global pandemic to spread hate propaganda and exacerbate mistrust in public institutions.

Pandemic responseDeveloping Drones to Address Pandemic-Related Challenges in Scandinavia Published 23 June 2021 The onset of the Covid-19 pandemic spurred an immediate need to develop new, innovative systems in supply chains and infrastructure. And for three Norwegian graduate students enrolled in the MIT Professional Education Advanced Study Program (ASP), spring 2020 was the moment when