Austin Burgess, Author at The Debrief

Five Psychedelics, One Pattern: Largest Brain Imaging Study of Psychedelics To Date Reveals a Surprising Neural Signature

Austin Burgess·April 17, 2026

The largest brain imaging analysis of psychedelics to date, recently published in Nature Medicine, has identified two patterns of brain activity that appear across five different drugs.

Tibetan Buddhism and the Science of Death: New Perspectives on Consciousness and End-of-Life Care

Austin Burgess·April 15, 2026

At the 15th 'Behind and Beyond the Brain' Symposium, hosted by the Bial Foundation, experts in the fields of neuroscience, psychology, and philosophy gathered for three days to examine the science of end-of-life experiences.

A New Solar-Powered Device Could Bring Clean Drinking Water to Millions Using Sunlight and Food Dye

Austin Burgess·April 14, 2026

Described in the journal npj Clean Water, the system combines several proven disinfection methods into one compact device.

No Drugs Required: Brain Scans Reveal the People Who Can Enter a Self-Induced Trance

Austin Burgess·April 13, 2026

Researchers used functional magnetic resonance imaging (fMRI) to scan the brain of a woman who can enter a psychedelic-like trance state on her own, without drugs.

A Chaotic Chapter in Earth’s Magnetic History May Actually Follow a Hidden Pattern

Austin Burgess·April 9, 2026

Long before the first animals walked on land, Earth's magnetic field began to shift in chaotic ways that have puzzled scientists for decades.

Missing for 2000 Years, the “Lost” Verses from This Ancient Greek Philosopher’s Writings Have Finally Been Discovered

Austin Burgess·April 8, 2026

A papyrologist at the University of Liège has made a remarkable discovery in the archives of the French Institute of Oriental Archaeology in Cairo.

Tiny Robots Built From DNA Could Hunt Viruses and Deliver Drugs Inside the Human Body

Austin Burgess·April 7, 2026

A recent review published in the journal SmartBot says these DNA nanorobots could one day be capable of delivering drugs to specific locations in the body, capturing viruses like SARS-CoV-2, and even helping build tiny computing devices.

“Ghost Forests” Are Quietly Disrupting the Chemistry of Coastal Soils, Research Reveals

Austin Burgess·April 6, 2026

Recent research indicates that "ghost forests" impact their surrounding ecosystem in ways that extend beyond their haunting appearance.

Scientists Reveal Alcohol is Widespread in the Nectar from Flowers Pollinators Drink All Day

Austin Burgess·April 2, 2026

In the first large-scale survey of alcohol in floral nectar, biologists detected ethanol in samples from 26 of 29 plant species examined.

AI Has Revealed Unexpected Connections Between Ancient Alphabets Across Continents

Austin Burgess·April 1, 2026

Historians have observed that some letters in the Armenian, Georgian, and Caucasian Albanian alphabets closely resemble characters in Ethiopic, the ancient script of the Horn of Africa.

Vivid Dreams May Actually Make Your Sleep Feel Deeper, New Study Finds

Austin Burgess·March 31, 2026

A new study from the IMT School for Advanced Studies Lucca finds that vivid, immersive dreams can actually make sleep feel deeper, even when brain activity is higher.

Scientists Finally Understand How Mosquitoes Zero In on Human Targets “Like Little Robots”

Austin Burgess·March 30, 2026

A new mathematical model built from 20 million data points reveals the precise rules mosquitoes use to zero in on humans.

Scientists Discover Unusual Pigment Structures in Platypus Fur

Austin Burgess·March 25, 2026

A recent study published in Biology Letters reports that platypus hair contains hollow, spherical melanosomes, a combination not previously documented in mammals or other vertebrates.

Coffee and Tea Linked to Lower Dementia Risk Over Decades of Tracking

Austin Burgess·March 24, 2026

A long-term study led by researchers from Mass General Brigham found that moderate consumption of caffeinated coffee or tea was associated with a lower risk of dementia and improved cognitive performance in participants over time.

Innovative New Design Helps Superconductors Withstand Heat and Magnetic Fields

Austin Burgess·March 23, 2026

Researchers at Chalmers University of Technology shaped the surface where superconducting material is grown, improving its performance at higher temperatures, and preserving its stability in strong magnetic fields.

Falling Fruit Reveals a Hidden Pact Between Plants and Pollinating Beetles

Austin Burgess·March 23, 2026

A team at Kobe University has discovered a previously overlooked dynamic between the Japanese red elder plant and a group of beetles that both harm and help the plant.

The Origins of a Mysterious Structure Beneath the North Sea Has Finally Been Revealed—Along With the Tsunami Its Formation Caused

Austin Burgess·March 18, 2026

After years of debate, scientists have finally solved the mystery of a structure hidden under the North Sea.

New African Species May Reveal the Evolutionary Origin of Magic Mushrooms

Austin Burgess·March 17, 2026

An international team of researchers from Africa and the United States identified a newly described species of psychedelic mushroom that is the closest known wild relative of P. cubensis.

Dolphin-Shaped Robot Skims Oil From Water Using Sea-Urchin-Inspired Technology

Austin Burgess·March 16, 2026

Researchers at RMIT University designed a small, remote-controlled robot that uses a sea urchin-inspired filter to remove oil from water.

Ancient DNA Reveals Ice Age Forests in the Lost World of Doggerland

Austin Burgess·March 14, 2026

Thousands of years before the North Sea flooded the region, a vast landscape known as Doggerland once connected Britain to mainland Europe.

Ancient DNA Reveals How Bronze Age Europeans Adapted to a Changing World

Austin Burgess·March 12, 2026

An interdisciplinary study recently published in Nature Communications provides a clearer picture of life in Central Europe between 1300 and 800 BCE, during the Urnfield culture.

Groundbreaking Research May Reveal How Forgotten Memories Can Be “Reactivated” in the Brain

Austin Burgess·March 11, 2026

A recent study published in the Journal of Neuroscience found that the brain can reactivate stored memories even without conscious awareness.

The Scholarship of Comics: Scholars Argue Western Definitions of Comics Overlook Global Traditions

Austin Burgess·March 9, 2026

A new book challenges what co-editor Dr. Joe Sutliff Sanders of the University of Cambridge calls a very narrow Anglo-European idea of what comics are.

Scientists Discover “Hidden” Lifeforms Thriving Beneath the World’s Driest Desert

Austin Burgess·March 9, 2026

A recent study from the University of Cologne has revealed that microscopic soil worms called nematodes form surprisingly diverse communities throughout the Atacama.

Researchers Create ‘Humanity’s Last Exam’ to Test the Limits of Artificial Intelligence

Austin Burgess·March 7, 2026

Tests that once challenged advanced AI models are now being solved with ease, making it harder for researchers to pinpoint what current systems are actually capable of.

NASA Study Suggests Martian Ice Could Preserve Signs of Ancient Life for Millions of Years

Austin Burgess·March 5, 2026

If life once existed on Mars, the most likely place to find evidence of it may be locked away in the planet’s ice.

Jurassic ‘Sword Dragon’ Fossil Narrows Timing of Ichthyosaur Evolution

Austin Burgess·March 3, 2026

The specimen, named Xiphodracon goldencapensis, also known as the "Sword Dragon of Dorset," was found near Golden Cap in Dorset in 2001 by fossil collector Chris Moore.

Mysterious Greek Inscription Found in a Syrian Mosque Reopens Debate Over Roman “Temple of the Sun”

Austin Burgess·February 28, 2026

A mysterious inscription within the Great Mosque of Homs in Syria is raising new questions over the location of the Roman Temple of the Sun.

Tiny Reef Fish Show Unexpectedly Advanced Awareness in Mirror Tests, New Study Reveals

Austin Burgess·February 26, 2026

A recent study reveals how tiny reef fish demonstrate advanced awareness by using mirrors to inspect marks placed on their bodies.

Brain Researchers Finally Know Why Cannabis Use Increases Appetite

Austin Burgess·February 25, 2026

Researchers at Washington State University and the University of Calgary recently published a study in Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences showing that cannabis use led to a measurable increase in food intake among human participants, regardless of body weight, sex, or when they last ate.

Scientists Have Long Searched for Evidence of Psychedelic DMT in the Brain—A New Study Challenges This Idea

Austin Burgess·February 24, 2026

For many years, researchers have questioned whether the psychedelic compound N,N-dimethyltryptamine (DMT) is produced naturally in the brain and if it might act as a signaling substance similar to serotonin.

This Ancient Chinese Mind-Body Exercise Has a Major Heart Health Benefit, New Study Finds

Austin Burgess·February 24, 2026

Recent clinical trials show that baduanjin, a traditional Chinese mind-body exercise, can lower blood pressure as much as brisk walking.

Study Challenges Long-Held View That Habits Cause Compulsive Behavior

Austin Burgess·February 23, 2026

In a recent study published in Neuropsychopharmacology, researchers from the University of Technology Sydney (UTS) found that inflammation in a key decision-making region of the brain led to more deliberate behavior, rather than more compulsive actions.

Brain Imaging Reveals How Psychedelics Blend Memory With Perception

Austin Burgess·February 21, 2026

In a recent study published in Communications Biology, researchers from Hong Kong, Singapore, and Germany used high-resolution brain imaging to show that psychedelics may redirect visual processing toward memory-related regions.