Christopher Plain, Author at The Debrief

It Appears the Reports of Venus’s Death Were Greatly Exaggerated—New Models Suggest the Planet is Still Geologically Active

Christopher Plain·July 26, 2026

New computer models suggest that Venus is not geologically dormant as previously believed, including possibly active volcanoes.

“That’s No Moon!”: Astronomers Vexed by “Super Weird” Moon-Like Object Without a Planet

Christopher Plain·July 24, 2026

Astronomers have discovered a possible moon-like object they are calling an 'exosatellite' that astronomers cannot easily identify.

U.S. Space Development Agency Orders 36 Space Vehicles for Defense Against Missile Attacks

Christopher Plain·July 24, 2026

The U.S. Space Development Agency has ordered 36 space vehicles operating in four distinct orbits designed to defend against missile attacks.

“Everywhere We Looked, We Found the Temperature Rising”: NASA Identifies a “Surprise” Heat Signature Below the Surface of Jupiter’s Moon Io

Christopher Plain·July 23, 2026

NASA and Southwest Research Institute scientists report the "surprising" detection of a heat signature below Jupiter's moon Io's surface.

Archaeologists Unearth “Exceptionally Well-Preserved” 2,600-Year-Old Wooden Beams Burned in the First Temple Fire

Christopher Plain·July 22, 2026

Excavations in the City of David have unearthed 2,600-year-old, exceptionally well-preserved wooden beams from the 586 BCE First Temple fire.

Consistent With “Magic and Rituals”: Ancient Cave-Dwelling Australians Burned Grass for Spiritual Purposes Dating Back 25,000 Years

Christopher Plain·July 22, 2026

Discoveries inside an ancient Australian cave suggest ancient humans burned grass at the site for magic, healing, and spiritual rituals.

New Research Reveals How Traveling Brain Waves Allow Us to Predict, Reconstruct, and Perceive the World

Christopher Plain·July 21, 2026

New research suggests traveling brain waves in the visual cortex help humans predict, reconstruct, and perceive the physical world.

“It Was a Mix of Excitement and Disbelief”: When Scientists Sent Deep-Sea Rovers to Confirm a 1960s Theory, They Made a Surprising Discovery

Christopher Plain·July 20, 2026

Deep-sea images captured off the coast of Benin, where 1960s scientists suspected a dead coral reef existed, reveal a shocking discovery.

A New Solution to the Dinosaur-Killer Meteorite Mystery Creates Fresh Questions

Christopher Plain·July 20, 2026

A new analysis of debris from a 66-million-year-old meteorite that scientists call the dinosaur-killer has revealed another origin mystery.

Earth-like habitable-zone rocky exoplanet atmosphere

“A Major Milestone in the Search for Life on Other Planets”: First Ever Detection of an Atmosphere Around an Earth-Like, Habitable Zone Rocky Exoplanet

Christopher Plain·July 18, 2026

In a major boost to the search for life, Harvard astronomers have detected an atmosphere around a habitable-zone, Earth-like rocky exoplanet.

No Sample-Return Required? Scientists Demonstrate Extraterrestrial Biosignature Detection Method Using the Mars Rover’s Existing Instruments

Christopher Plain·July 17, 2026

A new mineral-based biosignature detection method could identify signs of life on Mars using the Perseverance Rover's existing tools.

Stalking Silence in Svalbard: Norse Scientists Unveil New Method for Tracking Silently Moving Objects in the Water

Christopher Plain·July 15, 2026

Norwegian scientists have unveiled a new method for tracking silently moving objects, including ships and whales, using fiber-optic cables.

Surprised Scientists Witness the Ocean Floor Literally Splitting Apart at Its Seams

Christopher Plain·July 14, 2026

For the first time in history geophysicists have witnessed the ocean floor literally splitting part at its seams in real time.

“We Call It Weather Jiu-Jitsu”: Scientists Want to Fight Extreme Weather With Precision ‘Nudges’ Instead of Force

Christopher Plain·June 25, 2026

Scientists have unveiled a method for controlling the weather with existing technology to alter the path of extreme storms before they land.

“It Was the Most Incredible Thing I Ever Witnessed”: New Film Details World’s First Private Astronauts—and a Life-Altering UAP Encounter

Christopher Plain·June 24, 2026

A newly released documentary film, 'Beyond Blue Sky: The Untold Story of the First Private Astronauts' describes one pilot's life-changing UAP experience.

Missing a Night’s Sleep Has an Effect on Your Brain You May Not Believe

Christopher Plain·June 24, 2026

New experiments have revealed that something unexpected happens inside your brain when you miss a night's sleep.

The Virtual World of Stonehenge Experience is Now Available Online for Free

Christopher Plain·June 23, 2026

The Virtual Word of Stonehenge exhibit in now available online, including an opportunity to travel back in time at the iconic site.

“It Was Completely Shocking to Me”: Archaeologists Discover the Earliest Monumental Egyptian Hieroglyphs Written 1,000 Years Before the Pyramids

Christopher Plain·June 22, 2026

Yale Archaeologists have discovered the earliest monumental Egyptian hieroglyphs, predating the Great Pyramid of Giza by over 1,000 years.

eVTOLS Are Here: Archer Aviation Confirms ‘Midnight’ Aircraft On-Track for FAA Certification, 2028 Olympics

Christopher Plain·June 22, 2026

Archer Aviation is in the final stages of FAA certification for its Midnight eVTOL aircraft and will ferry Team USA at the 2028 Olympics.

Scientists Release New Images Captured by the Lucy Spacecraft Flyby of Asteroid Donaldjohanson

Christopher Plain·June 22, 2026

Newly released images of the asteroid Donaldjohanson captured by NASA's Lucy spacecraft reveal age, rotation, and composition details.

darkest black, ultra-black, carbon nanotubes

Darkest Black Ever? New “Ultra-Black” Automotive Coating with Carbon Nanotubes Absorbs over 99% of Visible Light

Christopher Plain·June 18, 2026

To create the darkest black, scientists invented an ultra-black carbon nanotube automotive coating that absorbs over 99% of visible light.

Archaeologists Discover Stonehenge ‘Prototype’ Constructed 500 Years Before Britain’s Most Famous Megalithic Site

Christopher Plain·June 18, 2026

Archaeologists have discovered a Stonehenge 'prototype' structure aligned with the solstices that is 500 years older than the famous site.

Scientists Say We Need to Prepare Astronauts for What They May Encounter Inside the Moon’s Oldest and Largest Crater

Christopher Plain·June 17, 2026

Scientists examining the Moon's oldest and largest crater have provided a "roadmap" for what future Artemis astronauts may encounter.

Ancient Microbes Preserved in Rapidly Thawing Arctic Middens Are Waking Up—Could They Pose a Threat to Us Today?

Christopher Plain·June 17, 2026

An analysis of ancient microbes frozen in rapidly thawing ancient middens spanning Greenland estimates the potential for modern-day spread.

Quest for Fire: New Technique Pushes First Intentional Use of Fire to Over One Million Years Ago

Christopher Plain·June 16, 2026

Scientists studying the site of the oldest-known intentional use of fire have found evidence pushing that date past one million years ago.

Black Holes Aren’t Real? Astronomers Propose Elusive Formation Mechanism for “Gravastar” Alternative That is “Easier to Accept”

Christopher Plain·June 15, 2026

After 25 years of debate, scientists have proposed a mathematical model for an alternative to black holes called a gravastar.

Transformers on the Moon? Japan Reveals Details of Tiny Shape-Shifting Rover’s Historic Lunar Exploration

Christopher Plain·June 13, 2026

Japan's space agency has revealed details from their historic SLIM mission, including an autonomous shape-shifting rover's lunar exploration.

Art Fraudsters Beware: Science Has Found a Way to Tell a Fake Van Gogh from a Real One

Christopher Plain·June 12, 2026

A new forgery identification method using surface "texture" analysis has identified authentic artworks by van Gogh and at least one fake.

A Remarkable 400,000-Year-Old “Time Capsule” Unsealed in Israel Could Reshape Our Understanding of Early Human Evolution

Christopher Plain·June 12, 2026

Archaeologists in Israel have uncovered a remarkable site "protected from the ravages of time," revealing an early human presence that may extend to 400,000 years ago.

“When We Build the ARC Fusion Power Plant, It Will Work”: Company Claims Nuclear Fusion Reactor Design Will Produce More Energy Than It Consumes

Christopher Plain·June 11, 2026

Commonwealth Fusion Systems has published a series of papers they claim will lead to the successful construction of their ARC fusion reactor.

New Analysis Confirms the Universe is Still Expanding, Refuting Controversial 2025 Claims and Prompting Immediate Response

Christopher Plain·June 11, 2026

A new paper suggests a 2025 study claiming the universe is not expanding, which refuted a previous Nobel Prize-winning discovery, is wrong.

electric propulsion, electrospray thrusters

MIT Engineers Testing Exotic ‘Electrospray’ Propulsion for Faster, More Maneuverable Spacecraft

Christopher Plain·June 10, 2026

MIT engineers are testing "electrospray" propulsion thrusters that could make satellites and small spacecraft more powerful and maneuverable.

Decades of NASA Satellite Data Reveals the Elusive, Enigmatic ‘Urban Pulse” of Six Major Cities

Christopher Plain·June 9, 2026

Decades of satellite data have revealed the Urban Pulse of six cities worldwide, including the "health" of each city and its neighborhoods.

“SpiderCam, SpiderCam, Does Whatever a Spider Can?” 3D Camera Inspired by Jumping Spider is First to Operate Below One Watt

Christopher Plain·June 8, 2026

Northwestern engineers have unveiled an energy-efficient camera called SpiderCam that estimates depth in the same way that jumping spiders do.

Ancient Europeans Ate Some Pretty Gross Things, but The Ickiest One Was Probably by Accident

Christopher Plain·June 8, 2026

Analysis of dental tartar reveals that Ancient Europeans ate insects less often than humans near the tropics, and probably not on purpose.

After Swiss Scientists Injected ‘Repair’ Microrobots into the Injured Spinal Cords of Fish and Mice, Something Incredible Happened

Christopher Plain·June 7, 2026

After magnetically driven microrobots loaded with stem cells were injected into the injured spinal cord of a mouse, something happened.

“A Game Changing Warfighting Capability”: DIU-Funded Hermeus Says Autonomous, High-Mach Payload Release Test Flights to Begin

Christopher Plain·June 5, 2026

Aviation defense company, Hermeus, has announced new test flights to expedite carrying and releasing payloads at high-Mach speeds.

First Look: Enigmatic ‘Aurora’ Suborbital Spaceplane Spotted Carrying a Special John Hopkins Payload in Previously Unseen Video

Christopher Plain·June 5, 2026

Dawn Aerospace has released raw footage of its Aurora Spaceplane ferrying a Johns Hopkins Advanced Propulsion Lab payload to suborbital space.

Discovery Hidden Inside 520-Million-Year-Old Rocks Solves a Longstanding ‘Evolutionary Enigma’

Christopher Plain·June 4, 2026

A discovery hidden inside 520-million-year-old rocks has solved an evolutionary enigma and could even rewrite the entire tree of life.

EPFL Researchers Have Just Unleashed a Powerful Ultrafast Laser on a Chip They Call a “Holy Grail of Integrated Photonics”

Christopher Plain·June 3, 2026

Researchers have announced the first ultrafast laser delivering 1.05 nanojoules of energy in pulses as short as 147 femtoseconds integrated onto a photonic chip.

Scientists Discover an Astronomical ‘Rosetta Stone’ for Decoding Mysterious Cosmic Signals

Christopher Plain·June 3, 2026

Scientists claim to have discovered an astronomical 'Rosetta Stone' for mysterious cosmic signals that have perplexed astronomers for decades.

“Explore a Scene from Any Vantage Point You Want”: 3D Volumetric Video Breakthrough Means Streaming in 3D May Soon Be a Reality

Christopher Plain·June 2, 2026

A 3D volumetric video breakthrough overcoming previous technological limitations could finally enable true 3D streaming on everyday devices.

“How in the World Can These Things Happen?”: After a Series of ‘Mystery’ Quakes Shook Utah, Scientists Finally Think They Know Why

Christopher Plain·June 1, 2026

Nearly five decades after the first in a series of mystery quakes rocked the Utah-Wyoming region, scientists think they've figured it out.

Virtual astronauts in a Moon base Lunar base

Scientists Locked ‘Virtual’ Astronauts in a Moon Base with Equipment Failures, Moonquakes and Extreme Radiation. Here’s What Happened.

Christopher Plain·May 29, 2026

Scientists locked virtual astronauts in a simulated Lunar Base with system failures and natural disasters and watched how they'd respond.

Superhero Strength from Futuristic Clothing? Scientists Invent ‘Wearable Robot’ Fabric Muscle Clothing That Increases the Wearer’s Strength by 40%

Christopher Plain·May 26, 2026

Korea Institute of Machinery and Materials engineers reveal a fabric 'muscle' that makes the wearer stronger and increases range of motion.

“They Would Be Able to ‘See,’ ‘Hear,’ and ‘Think’”: Laser-Powered Ceramic Engines Could Drive Futuristic Intelligent 6G Networks

Christopher Plain·May 26, 2026

Chinese scientists claim they've tested a visible-light, laser-based ceramic engine that could enable AI-based intelligent 6G networks.

Over 1,100 Newly Identified Marine Species Include Ghost Shark Chimera and a Worm in a “Living Glass” House

Christopher Plain·May 25, 2026

Scientists have announced the discovery of over 1,100 new marine species, including the Ghost Shark Chimera and 'Glass House' worm.

5,000 Years Ago, Two Ancient Megalithic Societies Shared an Unknown Connection—Now Genetic Science Reveals Their Long-Hidden Secrets

Christopher Plain·May 22, 2026

Tests reveal that megalithic communities responsible for these massive stone monuments in ancient Europe were actually genetically related.

“Different Flows of Time All Exist at the Same Moment”: Scientists Claim Trapped-Ion Atomic Clocks Can Observe “Quantum Superposition of Time”

Christopher Plain·May 19, 2026

Scientists claim they can improve the sensitivity of atomic clocks to measure the quantum superposition of time and possibly explain gravity.

Scientists Looked Inside an ‘Impossible’ Crystal Formed in the Heart of a Nuclear Blast—And Found Something No One Had Ever Seen

Christopher Plain·May 15, 2026

Scientists have revealed something within a trinitite crystal formed during a 1945 nuclear blast that has never been seen before.