Assumed Rationality

Kim Barker and Brendan Hoffman, “How a Cheap Drone Punctured Chernobyl’s 40,000-Ton Shield,” The New York Times , March 25, 2025, sec. World, https://www.nytimes.com/2025/03/25/world/europe/drone-chernobyl-shield-ukraine-war.html ; IAEA, “Frequently Asked Chernobyl Questions,” Text (IAEA, November 7, 2016), https://www.iaea.org/newscenter/focus/chernobyl/faqs ; ILLIA NOVIKOV and EFREM LUKATSKY, “A...

In this episode of Assumed Rationality, Bree Megivern unpacks China’s recent military exercises around Taiwan, analyzing them as both a possible rehearsal for a blockade and a strategic message to Taipei and Washington, DC. The episode touches on the historical relationship between China and Taiwan and the international community’s reactions to the military exercises.  Have questions, comments, or...

Want to request an episode topic? Go to https://assumedrationality.com/   Sources:  Al Jazeera Staff, “Iran Responds to Trump Letter on Nuclear Talks, State Media Reports,” Al Jazeera, March 27, 2025, https://www.aljazeera.com/news/2025/3/27/iran-responds-to-trump-letter-on-restarting-nuclear-talks-state-media ;  Alex Plitsas, “After Proxies and Nuclear Program Threats, Iran May Turn to Terror Abr...

Request an episode topic at: https://assumedrationality.com/contact-assumed-rationality/   Sources:  Anna Caprile and Gabija Leclerc, “Russia’s ‘Shadow Fleet’: Bringing the Threat to Light,” Briefing (European Parliament, November 2024 https://www.europarl.europa.eu/RegData/etudes/BRIE/2024/766242/EPRS_BRI(2024)766242_EN.pdf ;   Eitvydas Bajarūnas, “Choking Russia’s Shadow Fleet in the Baltic,” CE...

Want to learn more:  AP, “Serbian Officials Deny Illegal Sonic Weapon Attack on Peaceful Protesters,” AP News, March 16, 2025, https://apnews.com/article/serbia-protest-sonic-weapon-8502587e5849997175a5ea02f98d2e19 ;  Big Brother Watch Team, “A Guide to Facial Recognition at Protests — Big Brother Watch,” A guide to facial recognition at protests — Big Brother Watch, August 2, 2023, https://bigbro...

Want to request an episode topic? Go to https://assumedrationality.com/   Sources:  Al Jazeera, “EU Leaders Back New Defence Spending Plans,” Al Jazeera, March 6, 2024, https://www.aljazeera.com/news/2025/3/6/eu-leaders-hold-emergency-summit-to-bolster-support-for-ukraine ; Directorate-General for Enlargement and Eastern Neighbourhood, “Doorstep by President von Der Leyen at the Leaders’ Meeting o...

Assumed Rationality is a weekly podcast hosted by Bree Megivern.

Want to learn more? Sources:  Atomic Heritage Foundation, “Camp Century - Nuclear Museum,” https://ahf.nuclearmuseum.org/, July 19, 2018, https://ahf.nuclearmuseum.org/ahf/history/camp-century/ ; Ernie Regehr, “NORAD Renewal and a Team Canada Approach to Security,” The Simons Foundation Canada, February 11, 2025, https://www.thesimonsfoundation.ca/sites/default/files/NORAD%20Renewal%20and%20a%20Te...

Sources:  Craig Nigrelli, William Jackson, and Kaleb Gillespie, “3 Chinese Warships Conduct Military Drills off Australia, Forcing Flight Diversions,” Straight Arrow News, February 21, 2025, https://san.com/cc/3-chinese-warships-conduct-military-drills-off-australia-forcing-flight-diversions/ ; Maj Timothy A Ornelas, “China’s Active Defense Military Strategy,” Marine Corps Gazette , 2021, 6; Midha...

Sources:  Andrew Roth, “Trump Says Palestinians Will Have No Right of Return to Gaza under His Plan,” The Guardian , February 10, 2025, sec. US news, https://www.theguardian.com/us-news/2025/feb/10/trump-buy-gaza-plan ; BBC News, “US Gaza Latest: Trump Will ‘look at All Options’ for Gaza Takeover as UN Warns against ‘Ethnic Cleansing,’” BBC News, accessed February 11, 2025, https://www.bbc.com/new...

Thank you for your patience as I try to improve my audio! Sources:  Andrew Yeo, “Expect to See More North Korean Weapons Reach Nonstate Armed Actors in 2024,” Brookings, accessed February 6, 2025, https://www.brookings.edu/articles/expect-to-see-more-north-korean-weapons-reach-nonstate-armed-actors-in-2024/ ;  Chris Panella, “North Korea’s Forces Appear to Be the Latest ‘expendable’ Army Chewed up...

Baltic Sentry: NATO’s Latest Mission  Want to learn more?  Christina Anderson and Amelia Nierenberg, “Sweden Suspects ‘Gross Sabotage’ After Damage to Cable Under Baltic Sea,” The New York Times , January 27, 2025, sec. World, https://www.nytimes.com/2025/01/27/world/europe/cable-baltic-sea-sweden-damage.html ; Dan Milmo, “Wire Cutters: How the World’s Vital Undersea Data Cables Are Being Targeted...

Want to learn more?  KOSTYA MANENKOV and DARIA LITVINOVA, “Belarus Poll Workers Describe Fraud in Aug. 9 Election,” AP News, September 1, 2020, https://apnews.com/article/international-news-ap-top-news-europe-72e43a8b9e4c56362d4c1d6393bd54fb ; Pjotr Sauer, “‘A Ritual for a Dictator’: Lukashenko Critics Decry Belarus Election,” The Guardian , January 23, 2025, sec. World news, https://www.theguardi...

Explore the chilling resurgence of chemical weapons in Sudan’s ongoing conflict and the global implications of their use. From the trenches of World War I to Assad’s atrocities and today’s looming threat in Khartoum, this episode unpacks the history, impact, and unanswered questions surrounding these weapons of fear. Be advised: this episode discusses war, genocide, and the use of chemical weapons...

This episodes discusses torture, please listen with care. Looking for more information? Alice Cuddy, “US Moves 11 Guantanamo Bay Detainees to Oman,” BBC, January 8, 2024, https://www.bbc.com/news/articles/ckg3k2v11k5o ; S O’Mara, “Captive Brain: Torture and the Neuroscience of Humane Interrogation | QJM: An International Journal of Medicine | Oxford Academic,” QJM: An International Journal of Medi...