• AMERICAN STEELBlocking the Nippon Steel Acquisition: Politics Versus Policy

    By Matthew P. Goodman

    A decision by President Biden to block Nippon Steel’s purchase of U.S. Steel would not be good policy or good politics.

  • ENERGY SECURITYUnder Both Trump and Biden-Harris, U.S. Oil and Gas Production Surged to Record Highs, Despite Very Different Energy Goals

    By Valerie Thomas

    Under each of the three most recent presidencies, Republican and Democratic alike, U.S. oil and gas production was higher at the end of the administration’s term than at the beginning. Presidents’ actions can matter for the industry’s future, but the major factors in U.S. oil and gas production so far have been increased production efficiency, increased global demand and the lower cost of natural gas compared with coal.

  • DEEPFAKESAn AI Lie Detector for Today’s Deepfake World

    By John Jeffay

    Revealense recognizes indicators from video clips that help client companies know if a customer is being truthful or not. For an AI lie detector, what matters more than the answers to questions are the levels of stress, cognition and emotion that the AI detects. The AI is trained to recognize cognitive dissonance, the discomfort we feel when we hold — and when we verbalize — conflicting beliefs, values or attitudes.

  • EXTREMISMThe Accelerationists’ App: How Telegram Became the “Center of Gravity” for a New Breed of Domestic Terrorists

    By James Bandler, A. C. Thompson, and Karina Meier

    From attempting to incite racially motivated violence to encouraging attacks on critical infrastructure, the alleged crimes planned and advertised by extremists on Telegram go far beyond the charges facing CEO Pavel Durov.

  • ECONOMIC SECURITYGetting Economic Security Right

    By Matthew P. Goodman

    National security policymakers are understandably worried about economic risks, but they shouldn’t lose sight of other national interests.

  • GUNSThe Country’s Biggest Ghost Gun Manufacturer Has Shuttered

    By Alain Stephens

    As its products increasingly turned up at crime scenes, Polymer80 drew scrutiny from law enforcement and policymakers.

  • SEMICONDUCTORSDefense Department Should Secure Access to Advanced Semiconductor Technologies

    A new, multipronged strategy is needed for the U.S. Department of Defense to secure access to advanced semiconductor technologies, one of the agency’s defining challenges, says a new report. DOD should invest in leap-ahead semiconductor technologies, work to reshore production capabilities, and strengthen industry and interagency engagement, says a new report.

  • VACCINESNew Method Developed to Detect Fake Vaccines in Supply Chains

    The global population is increasingly reliant on vaccines to maintain population health with billions of doses used annually in immunization programs worldwide. The vast majority of vaccines are of excellent quality. However, a rise in substandard and falsified vaccines threaten global public health. Unfortunately, there is currently no global infrastructure in place to monitor supply chains using screening methods developed to identify ineffective vaccines.

  • CYBERSECURITYComputer Scientists Discover Vulnerabilities in a Popular Security Protocol

    By Katie E. Ismael

    A widely used security protocol that dates back to the days of dial-up Internet has vulnerabilities that could expose large numbers of networked devices to an attack and allow an attacker to gain control of traffic on an organization’s network.

  • TELEGRAMConspiracy, Fake News, Crime: Why Is Telegram Controversial?

    By Thomas Latschan

    Telegram has been used by all sides in Russia, both pro-and anti-government groups. The arrest of CEO Pavel Durov in Paris has left Russia’s opposition worried. But the messaging app is well known for its drawbacks.

  • TELEGRAMAs Tools for Hybrid Threats, Apps Like Telegram Must Be Accountable

    By Fitriani

    Once celebrated as the ultimate tool for free communication thanks to its encryption and lax moderation practices, Telegram now stands accused by French authorities of facilitating criminal activities and possibly being exploited for hybrid threats, particularly by Russian state actors. Hybrid threats blend military force with non-military tactics including cyberattacks and disinformation.

  • ENERGY SECURITYTo Get Off Fossil fuels, America Is Going to Need a Lot More Electricians

    By Emily Pontecorvo

    To cut greenhouse gas emissions on pace with the best available science, the United States must prepare for a monumental increase in electricity use. Burning fossil fuels to heat homes and get around isn’t compatible with keeping the planet at a livable temperature. Appliances that can be powered by clean electricity already exist to meet all of these needs. The problem is, most houses aren’t wired to handle the load from electric heating, cooking, and clothes dryers, along with solar panels and vehicle chargers. And a shortage of skilled labor could derail efforts to “electrify everything.”

  • CLIMATE CHALLENNGESRevising the Cost of Climate Change

    By Christy DeSmith

    Climate scientists have warned of calamitous consequences if global temperatures continue their rise. But macroeconomists have largely told a less alarming story, predicting modest reductions in productivity and spending as the world warms. Until now. New study of economic toll yields projections ‘six times larger than previous estimates’.

  • FOOD SECURITYBiosecurity for Food Security

    By Saba Sinai and Andrew Henderson

    Biosecurity is a fundamental enabler for a country’s’ food security, a critical but often overlooked element of national security, and it is time for it to be treated accordingly.

  • CHINA WATCHChina May Be Putting the Great Firewall into Orbit

    By Mercedes Page

    The first satellites for China’s ambitious G60 mega-constellation are in orbit in preparation for offering global satellite internet services—and we should worry about how this will help Beijing export its model of digital authoritarianism around the world.