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How Netha Hussain uses Wikipedia to fight health misinformation

Meet Netha Hussain, the India-born medical doctor in Sweden who has garnered widespread recognition for her unwavering commitment to combating medical misinformation.

Dipin Damodharan

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Netha Hussain at Singapore during Wikimania 2023. Credit: Bijay Chaurasia/Wikimedia Commons

As social media became popular, so did the flood of information. This is the post-truth era of content explosion, where unreliable news and information spread like wildfire. Fake news comes in many forms, depending on one’s interests and religious frameworks. It was rampant throughout the COVID-19 pandemic. In such a complicated time, it assumes great significance to lead the fight against fake information. When the battle is against health misinformation, it becomes a noble act.

This is Netha Hussain, a Sweden-based doctor and Wikimedian who has been relentlessly fighting against medical misinformation for the last 14 years. Born in the southern Indian state of Kerala, Netha holds a PhD in Clinical Neuroscience from the University of Gothenburg, Sweden. She has received the Honourable Mention Award from the Wikimedia Foundation in recognition of her fight against fake information and the Open Source Academic Award from the renowned American company Red Hat for health articles written on Wikipedia.

Organizations, including the United Nations, have praised Netha’s efforts. EdPublica brings you the story of Netha’s fight against medical misinformation, which also reminds us of the importance of scientific literacy. Recently, she has been working on mapping and bridging the knowledge gaps related to women’s health on the English Wikipedia. This WikiProject is an initiative to identify knowledge gaps and improve the quality of content related to women’s health in Wikimedia projects.

Image credit: Adam Novak / Wikimedia Foundation

The news came at a time when the COVID-19 pandemic was at its peak. “A few people were hospitalized after eating a fruit that not many people had heard of. It was poisonous. They believed that eating it would help them fight against COVID-19. They got that information from the Internet.”

It is recurring incidents like the one above that give more strength and relevance to the struggle of this young doctor in her inexorable fight against false information related to health that fills the online space. Many methods had been touted as treatments that offered no guarantee of preventing the impact of the COVID-19 virus. She laid out all this. The Wikipedia article written by Netha was widely discussed globally. Organizations like the United Nations mentioned this Indian woman doctor on their official social media platforms and shared her video.

If we don’t…

Netha has been writing articles on Wikipedia for over 14 years. She started by writing an article about Chammanthi (a spread typically associated with Indian cuisines). Later, the young doctor wrote on many subjects, with articles focused on COVID-19 being the most popular. Settled in Sweden, she is a clinical neuroscientist with an interest in research.

“People trust me because I am a doctor. Having a medical degree helps combat fake news. Wikipedia has very few medical editors, which also increases my responsibility. If we don’t, no one else will. No one knew anything about COVID-19 at the beginning. Later, I learned it for my profession. It has also been used in Wikipedia,” states Netha.

The ‘Viral’ Article

“I had to write notes as part of my studies. So, I thought that if I go ahead and write it on Wikipedia, it will be useful for the rest of us. Whatever is being taught that day, I look it up on Wikipedia while studying it. Then I try to improve that article. And then it became an easy process,” Netha recalls her journey.

Netha Hussain at EduWiki Conference 2023/ Credit: Bondova devojka/Wikimedia Commons

Netha says that when the flow of writing came, the later work changed to a way of being able to articulate points and find references. She writes mostly health-related articles on Wikipedia. Being a voluntary activity, there is no financial benefit to it. According to Netha, the most reliable information is written in a language that people can easily understand.

“It is a very difficult task to prevent and eliminate fake information,” says Netha. “It’s like a genie out of a bottle. Once it’s released, it’s awfully hard to get back in. It will spread very quickly.”

“Fake news has been a problem since the start of COVID. If you eat garlic, you will not get COVID. COVID will not come in the summer. So many rumors were spread. Fake propaganda was active here when COVID first started in China,” Dr. Netha points out.

As mentioned earlier, she has been a Wikipedia volunteer for over 14 years and is a prominent Wikimedian. Wikimedians are those who write and edit articles on Wikipedia, the free online encyclopedia. Netha’s Wikipedia article, List of unproven methods against COVID-19, was seriously discussed across the world. She detailed the list of non-scientific methods related to COVID-19.

At the same time, Netha reminds us that Wikipedia is never a definitive source. “However, there is very little misinformation because everyone is there to help others. Mostly good information. Many editors, like me, watch Wikipedia pages. Everything will be checked to see if someone is editing and if it has credibility. It’s just that it can sometimes take time to spot errors in poorly read articles.”

Netha’s lead article on COVID-19 was one of the most read pieces. The article, titled The COVID-19 Pandemic, was read by more than 40 million people in March–April 2020 alone. “No other article has been read by so many people in such a short period of time. So, it is a record on Wikipedia itself,” says Netha.

“When people rely on Wikipedia, they should be given good information, or they will go somewhere else and be cheated. That’s why I think this work is important,” says Netha confidently.

She points out that there are many reasons why we are misled by fake information. “One of the reasons is our biases. Some illnesses do not require modern medicine. Some require fasting. We make sure that our understandings are somehow correct and reject those that are not. We believe in messages sent by someone. And the flood of information is a problem.” Netha says the key is to teach people how to spot fake information. Learning to spot fake information should start in childhood. The way science is taught should be changed.

Dr. Netha hails from Kunnamangalam, a town located in the Kozhikode district of the South Indian state of Kerala. She moved to Sweden to pursue her PhD studies after graduating from Calicut Medical College with a degree in medicine and surgery.

Dipin is the Co-founder and Editor-in-Chief of EdPublica. A journalist and editor with over 15 years of experience leading and co-founding both print and digital media outlets, he has written extensively on education, politics, and culture. His work has appeared in global publications such as The Huffington Post, The Himalayan Times, DailyO, Education Insider, and others.

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Society

INM: MIT’s Bold Push to Regain America’s Productive Edge

The ambitious initiative aims at reinvigorating U.S. manufacturing with cutting-edge innovation

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MIT President Sally A. Kornbluth. Image credit: Jake Belcher/MIT

In a move to reshape the future of American industry, the Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT) has launched its Initiative for New Manufacturing (INM), an Institute-wide effort aimed at revitalizing U.S. manufacturing through next-generation technologies, research, education, and deep collaboration with industry.

Announced today, INM seeks to strengthen key sectors of the U.S. economy and spark nationwide job creation. The initiative will bring together MIT’s extensive research capabilities and educational resources to help companies of all sizes increase productivity and build a more resilient and human-centered manufacturing landscape.

“We want to work with firms big and small, in cities, small towns and everywhere in between, to help them adopt new approaches for increased productivity,” MIT President Sally A. Kornbluth wrote in a letter to the Institute community this morning. “We want to deliberately design high-quality, human-centered manufacturing jobs that bring new life to communities across the country.”

“We want to work with firms big and small, in cities, small towns and everywhere in between, to help them adopt new approaches for increased productivity

Kornbluth emphasized the significance of the effort, stating in a media statement: “Helping America build a future of new manufacturing is a perfect job for MIT — and I’m convinced that there is no more important work we can do to meet the moment and serve the nation now.”

Industry Collaboration

INM has already attracted strong industry support, with its first five founding consortium members — Amgen, GE Vernova, PTC, Siemens, and Sanofi — joining forces to fund initial research projects, particularly in the area of artificial intelligence for manufacturing.

“There is tremendous opportunity to bring together a vibrant community working across every scale — from nanotechnology to large-scale manufacturing,” said Anantha Chandrakasan, MIT’s chief innovation and strategy officer and dean of engineering. “MIT is uniquely positioned to harness the transformative power of digital tools and AI to shape the future of manufacturing.”

The initiative will support research, education, and real-world applications — including new manufacturing labs, a “factory observatory” program to connect students with live production sites, and thematic pillars ranging from semiconductors and biomanufacturing to defense and aviation.

Workforce development is also central to INM’s mission. It will include TechAMP, a program designed to bridge the gap between technicians and engineers through collaboration with community colleges, along with AI-powered teaching tools and expanded manufacturing education on campus.

The initiative is co-directed by three MIT faculty: John Hart, head of mechanical engineering; Suzanne Berger, an Institute Professor and political scientist; and Chris Love, professor of chemical engineering. Julie Diop serves as executive director.

At a recent MIT symposium titled “A Vision for New Manufacturing,” Berger underscored the urgency of the moment: “The rationale for growing and transforming U.S. manufacturing has never been more urgent than it is today. What we are trying to build at MIT now is not just another research project. … Together, with people in this room and outside this room, we’re trying to change what’s happening in our country.”

Love added: “We need to think about the importance of manufacturing again, because it is what brings product ideas to people… There is a real urgency about this issue for both economic prosperity and creating jobs.”

Echoing the sentiment, Hart emphasized the long-term significance of the initiative: “While manufacturing feels very timely today, it is of enduring importance… Working with industry — from small to large companies, and from young startups to industrial giants — will be instrumental to creating impact and realizing the vision for new manufacturing.”

A Continuum of Commitment

INM builds on a legacy of MIT initiatives aimed at supporting manufacturing, including the 1989 book Made in America, the Production in the Innovation Economy project, and The Engine, a venture fund launched in 2016 to back hardware-based startups.

As Kornbluth noted in her letter, “We want to reimagine manufacturing technologies and systems to advance fields like energy production, health care, computing, transportation, consumer products, and more… and we want to reach well beyond the shop floor to tackle challenges like how to make supply chains more resilient, and how to inform public policy to foster a broad, healthy manufacturing ecosystem that can drive decades of innovation and growth.”

With its launch, MIT’s Initiative for New Manufacturing marks a renewed commitment to restoring American manufacturing leadership through innovation, collaboration, and education — aimed squarely at building a stronger, more equitable industrial future.

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EDUNEWS & VIEWS

Harvard Pledges $250 Million for Research After Federal Funding Slash

The administration has defended the funding freeze as part of a broader campaign to address what it characterizes as pervasive anti-Semitism on campuses and to roll back diversity programs

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Image credit: Kalhh from Pixabay

Harvard University has announced a $250 million investment to sustain vital research programs in the face of steep federal funding cuts imposed by the Trump administration.
The move follows a sweeping $2.6 billion reduction in government grants to the Ivy League institution, citing alleged discriminatory practices and refusal to comply with federal oversight mandates. The cuts, which Harvard is actively challenging in court, have already suspended or canceled dozens of projects—some of which were considered critical to public health and technological innovation.

University President Alan Garber and Provost John Manning issued a joint statement on Wednesday, emphasizing the urgent need to protect research initiatives. “While we cannot fully offset the financial blow from halted federal support, we are committed to backing essential research during this transitional period,” they said. The university is also working with faculty to secure alternative funding channels.

Harvard has strongly criticized the federal measures, calling the termination of grants “unlawful” and accusing the administration of interfering with academic independence. The university contends that the loss of funding not only halts groundbreaking work but also threatens years of scientific progress.

At the heart of the dispute is a broader political clash over university governance. Harvard, whose endowment reached $53.2 billion in 2024, has become a focal point of the Trump administration’s efforts to reshape higher education policy. The White House has demanded greater control over admissions, hiring, and the political climate on campus—demands Harvard has resisted.

The administration has defended the funding freeze as part of a broader campaign to address what it characterizes as pervasive anti-Semitism on campuses and to roll back diversity programs. Critics argue these moves are part of a larger effort to suppress progressive academic culture and penalize dissent over U.S. foreign policy, especially in light of recent student protests against the war in Gaza.

In recent weeks, federal authorities have also taken steps to revoke visas of international students involved in these demonstrations, accusing them of ties to militant organizations—allegations civil rights groups and university leaders have strongly disputed.

With tensions between the federal government and top academic institutions mounting, Harvard’s legal challenge could set a precedent for how universities navigate political interference while safeguarding research, free speech, and academic autonomy.

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Health

Robot Helps Elderly Sit, Stand, and Stay Safe from Falls

The innovation comes at a time when the United States faces a dramatic demographic shift

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Image credit: MIT News/ Courtesy of the researchers

As America’s population ages faster than ever before, a team of engineers at MIT is turning to robotics to meet the growing eldercare crisis. Their latest invention, the Elderly Bodily Assistance Robot—or E-BAR—aims to provide critical physical support to seniors navigating life at home, potentially reducing the risk of injury and relieving pressure on a strained care system.

The innovation comes at a time when the United States faces a dramatic demographic shift. The nation’s median age has climbed to 38.9, nearly ten years older than in 1980. By 2050, the number of adults over 65 is projected to surge from 58 million to 82 million. As demand for care rises, the country is simultaneously grappling with shortages in care workers, escalating healthcare costs, and evolving family structures that leave many elderly adults without daily support.

“Eldercare is the next great challenge,” said Roberto Bolli, a graduate student in MIT’s Department of Mechanical Engineering and one of E-BAR’s lead designers, in a media statement. “All the demographic trends point to a shortage of caregivers, a surplus of elderly persons, and a strong desire for elderly persons to age in place.”

E-BAR is designed to address exactly that challenge. The mobile robot acts as a robotic support system, following a user from behind and offering both steadying handlebars and rapid intervention in case of a fall. It can support a person’s full weight and includes side airbags that inflate instantly to catch users if they begin to fall—without requiring them to wear any equipment or harnesses.

“Many older adults underestimate the risk of fall and refuse to use physical aids, which are cumbersome, while others overestimate the risk and may not exercise, leading to declining mobility,” said Harry Asada, the Ford Professor of Engineering at MIT, in a media statement. “Our design concept is to provide older adults having balance impairment with robotic handlebars for stabilizing their body. The handlebars go anywhere and provide support anytime, whenever they need.”

The robot consists of a heavy, 220-pound base equipped with omnidirectional wheels, allowing it to maneuver easily through typical home spaces. From its base, articulated bars extend and adjust to assist users in standing or sitting, and the handlebars provide a natural, unrestrictive grip. In testing, E-BAR successfully helped an older adult complete everyday movements such as bending, reaching, and even stepping over the edge of a bathtub.

“Seeing the technology used in real-life scenarios is really exciting,” said Bolli.

The team’s design, which will be presented later this month at the IEEE Conference on Robotics and Automation (ICRA), aims to eliminate the physical constraints and stigmas often associated with eldercare devices. Their approach prioritizes both independence and safety—key values for aging Americans seeking to remain in their homes longer.

While E-BAR currently operates via remote control, the team plans to add autonomous capabilities and streamline the device’s design for home and facility use. The researchers are also exploring ways to integrate fall-prediction algorithms, developed in a parallel project in Asada’s lab, to adapt robotic responses based on a user’s real-time risk level.

“Eldercare conditions can change every few weeks or months,” Asada noted. “We’d like to provide continuous and seamless support as a person’s disability or mobility changes with age.”

As the nation prepares for the realities of an aging population, MIT’s work offers a glimpse into a future where robotics play a central role in eldercare—enhancing both quality of life and personal dignity for millions of older adults.

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