News + Media

	In the News February 18, 2020 Fact-checking Tom Cotton's claims about the coronavirus Tara SubramaniamCNN Vipin Narang quoted: "the thing that weighs against the claim is that it's a terrible bioweapon. If you were engineering a bioweapon this would have the absolute opposite of the characteristics you would want." Cotton's other hypotheses were more plausible, Narang said. "If the claim is that there were bats at the facility that may have had the novel coronavirus and there was a lapse in security and protocol, it's possible but it doesn't sound like there was anything intentional," Narang said. "Unless there's strong evidence to the contrary that should be the operating assumption."
	In the News February 17, 2020 Tom Cotton keeps repeating a coronavirus conspiracy theory that was already debunked Paulina Firozi The Washington Post Vipin Narang quoted: After Cotton’s Sunday remarks, Narang said, “These kinds of conspiracy theories are unhelpful. I don’t think it’s particularly helpful, and it’s borderline irresponsible to — and it’s without evidence, so at this point it’s a conspiracy theory — peddle it,” he said. “Cotton should spend more time funding the agencies in the United States that can help contain and combat the virus rather than trying to assign blame.”
	In the News February 10, 2020 Might technology tip the scales? Leda ZimmermanDepartment of Political Science Benjamin Chang, a PhD candidate in the Department of Political Science, is using his understanding of computer science to explore the impacts of artificial intelligence on military power, with a focus on US and China.
	In the News February 10, 2020 The 2 most controversial national security items in Trump’s new budget Alex WardVox Vipin Narang quoted: Experts are split on whether a nuclear modernization program, which gained steam in the Obama years, is a good idea. “If you’re going to have the force, make sure it’s safe, secure, and reliable,” says Vipin Narang, a nuclear expert at MIT. “Some, not all, of the force and the delivery platforms are decades old.” He added that “it just can’t sit and rot.”
	Analysis + Opinion February 7, 2020 Iraqi protesters will likely push forward despite violence Marsin AlshamaryThe World \| PRI Despite violence, Iraqi protesters have made political gains, the most significant of which is the recognition by all parties that legitimacy can only come from the people.
	In the News February 6, 2020 China's 'grand gestures,' propaganda aim to calm fears about coronavirus Elizabeth ShimUnited Press International (UPI) Grad student Kacie Miura quoted: In building the new hospitals, the Chinese government could have had other objectives aside from treating sick patients. Authorities allow the construction to be viewed live online, creating a spectacle and an image of a government "in control of the situation and capable of accomplishing monumental tasks," Miura said.
	In the News February 4, 2020 US military deploys new type of nuclear weapon seen as key to countering Russia Ryan Browne, Barbara Starr and Zachary CohenCNN Vipin Narang quoted: The real difference is the ability to threaten "and penetrate targets deep in adversary territory that current aircraft deliverable low yield nuclear weapons cannot reach," according to Vipin Narang, an associate professor of political science at MIT.
	In the News February 3, 2020 Beyond Harvard prof's arrest, increased scrutiny over research conflicts sparks 'a whole lot of anxiety' Carrie JungWBUR Joel Brenner quoted: "The FBI and other counterintelligence officials have been warning of these problems for at least 20 years now," he said. "The academic community has been very skeptical."
	Analysis + Opinion February 3, 2020 Fireflies have a mating problem: The lights are always on Shola LawalThe New York Times These are tough times for fireflies. Like a lot of other insects, they face increasing threats from habitat loss, pesticides and pollution. But they also have a problem that’s unique to luminous bugs: It’s getting harder for them to reproduce because light pollution is outshining their mating signals.
	In the News January 29, 2020 Experts debunk fringe theory linking China’s coronavirus to weapons research Adam Taylor The Washington Post Vipin Narang quoted: Vipin Narang, a professor at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology, wrote in a message on Twitter that a good bioweapon “in theory has high lethality but low, not [high], communicability” and that spreading such ideas would be “incredibly irresponsible.”