Digest for 3/4/2026

Fake news can sway elections, tank economies and sow discord in everyday life. Data scientist Sinan Aral demystifies how and why it spreads so quickly -- citing one of the largest studies on misinformation -- and identifies five strategies to help us unweave the tangled web between true and false.

The more fortified the halls of power become, the more important a free press becomes, says journalist Heather Brooke. She talks about the struggle for information -- and how a more open government can lead to a more just society.

Taking lessons from a historical pattern called 'Thucydides's Trap,' political scientist Graham Allison shows why a rising China and a dominant America could be headed towards a violent collision no one wants -- and how we can change course before it's too late.

Political scientist Ian Bremmer argues that the world is entering a new era of technopolarism, where technology companies hold unprecedented power, reshaping global geopolitics.

Economist Keyu Jin offers a look at China's economic ascent over the past four decades, charting the policies, technological developments and cultural shifts that propelled it to become a global superpower -- and exploring what this might mean for the rest of the world.

Historian Yuval Noah Harari explores the tension between nationalism and globalism, and how it shapes our divided world.

How can the US recover after the negative, partisan presidential election of 2016? Social psychologist Jonathan Haidt studies the morals that form the basis of our political choices. In conversation with TED Curator Chris Anderson, he describes the patterns of thinking and historical causes that have led to such sharp divisions in America -- and provides a vision for bridging the divide.

Ten days after 9/11, a shocking attack at a Texas mini-mart shattered the lives of two men: the victim and the attacker. In this stunning talk, Anand Giridharadas, author of 'The True American,' tells the story of what happened next. It's a parable about the two paths an American life can take, and a powerful call for reconciliation.

Journalist Carole Cadwalladr investigates how data analytics and targeted ads on Facebook influenced the Brexit vote and the 2016 US election, highlighting the dangers of AI-driven misinformation in democratic processes.