Technology regulationHow Much Regulation of the Tech Industry Is Too Much? Published 24 February 2021 As prominent figures, including former President Donald Trump, are banned from social media platforms for posting disinformation or inflammatory remarks, technology regulation has become a hot topic of debate. “We are living in times where technology has fundamentally changed almost

PolarizationHow Shared Partisanship Leads to Social Media Connections By Peter Dizikes Published 24 February 2021 It is no secret that U.S. politics is polarized. An experiment conducted by MIT researchers now shows just how deeply political partisanship directly influences people’s behavior within online social networks. The Twitter experiment shows clear self-selection into social media “echo

Texas power outagesWhat Went Wrong with Texas’ Power Grid? Published 24 February 2021 On 13 February, a severe winter storm swept across Texas and nearby southern states, bringing sub-zero temperatures and snowfall as far south as the border with Mexico. The polar air that descended on Texas lasted many days, leading to a statewide crisis

Water securityA Looming Crisis for Local U.S. Water Systems? By Sara Frueh Published 24 February 2021 Water bills in the U.S. are eating up a growing share of household budgets — and becoming increasingly unaffordable for low-income families. In many cities, shrinking populations and aging infrastructure mean increasingly unaffordable water. Water bills in the U.S. are

Iran’s nukesIAEA Chief: Iran to Give “Less Access” to UN Nuclear Inspectors Published 22 February 2021 The head of the UN’s nuclear watchdog agency said after talks in Iran on February 21 over Tehran’s threat to curb international inspections that the two sides reached an agreement but that Iran will suspend a key document on

ExtremismExtremist Minds: These Psychological Traits Might Help Identify People Vulnerable to Becoming Radicalized By Leor Zmigrod Published 22 February 2021 The characteristics of peoples’ brains might offer clues about the political beliefs they hold dear. In a study of around 350 U.S. citizens, we examined the relationship between individuals’ cognitive traits – the unconscious ways

ExtremismInoculating against the Spread of Radical-Islamist and Islamophobic Disinformation Published 22 February 2021 Misinformation, disinformation, and propaganda are core components of radicalization and extremism and apply equally to Islamist radicalization and the generation of Islamophobia. One method of countering disinformation is to inoculate the information consumer. Misinformation, disinformation, and propaganda are core components of radicalization and

EarthquakesThe Disaster that Helped the Nation Prepare for Future Earthquakes: Remembering San Fernando Published 22 February 2021 The San Fernando earthquake struck Southern California 50 years ago, killing 64 people and costing over $500 million in damages. The quake prompted federal, state and local action to reduce earthquake risks and bolster public safety. The San Fernando

IEDsIdentifying Skin Proteins Left on IEDs Published 22 February 2021 Following a terrorist bombing, can the bomb maker be identified by skin proteins left on the bomb components they handled? A small team of biology and explosives experts combined their knowledge and experience to successfully carry out a series of 26 confined detonations over a

Planetary securityThe Cataclysm that Killed the Dinosaurs By Juan Siliezar Published 22 February 2021 It was tens of miles wide and forever changed history when it crashed into Earth about 66 million years ago. The Chicxulub impactor, as it’s known, was a plummeting asteroid or comet that left behind a crater off the coast of Mexico