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In a New York Times UpShot blog, Assistant Professor of Government Brendan Nyhan writes about how misinformation and conspiracy theories are hampering efforts to fight the Ebola outbreak. “False beliefs may not be the biggest obstacle to containing the Ebola outbreak, but they make an awful situation worse,” says Nyhan.

“People in the affected regions have become especially distrustful of doctors, with some suggesting the disease is a hoax. These beliefs are often based on conspiracy theories that the disease was invented by national governments in search of international aid or political power.”

Read the full opinion piece, published 8/25/14 by The New York Times.