Lab Blog

In early November, I had the chance to participate in the 72nd Student Conference on U.S. Affairs with two other members of the Virginia Tech community. Hosted annually at West Point, Delegates from prominent universities and colleges across the country are invited to participate in drafting memorandum on a pressing issue to a relevant…

Under the current Chinese President, Xi Jinping, China has risen from a developing country to an economic powerhouse. Although the CCP (Chinese Communist Party) has implemented several economic and social reforms, President Xi also emphasizes strengthening China’s image, both domestically and internationally. He has done so, in part, by glorifying the idea of the…

Disinformation has become a much larger problem globally within the past decade, and with the increasing volume of disinformation comes a technological revolution. Automated disinformation has taken over the field, with bots amplifying, spreading, and even creating content autonomously. Many new advancements have allowed individuals as well as state actors to create heretofore unseen…

Deepfakes are videos or photos that have been digitally changed whether by AI or humans to create an image/video that is seemingly realistic. These videos can include alterations in which someone’s face has been digitally imputed to say anything the programmer wants. Deepfakes result in nearly indistinguishable vocal intonations and facial movements from the…

In the middle of the night you awake with a sudden stomach pain and you feel like you can’t move you instinctually grab your phone and call 911. An ambulance arrives and rushes you to the hospital where you begin to receive treatment from an emergency room doctor. Now you might not understand everything…

“The pen is mightier than the sword.” That the phrase highlights the notable influence of words and their potential power to change the world for the better. However, that same power can make words a far more violent and cruel weapon than a sword. In the case of misinformation, words can damage a countless…

Over the past few years, the speed at which disinformation is created, distributed, and consumed has become a growing concern for governments, businesses, and citizens. The spread of false information isn’t a new phenomenon, and the terms disinformation and fake news can be traced back to the 1950s. The rise of social media and…

Who decides what is right and wrong? As humans we are taught by our parents/guardians the difference between right and wrong and we are taught the morals and values that not only guide our lives but that also serve to make us functioning members of society. That being said morals and values may have…

Often when people think of space exploration, the first thing that comes to mind is Neil Armstrong setting foot on the moon. Although this was a remarkable achievement, space exploration also results in scientific advances that regularly make a positive impact right here on earth. Many of the discoveries we learned about in grade…