Microgravity Environment Can Disturb Sleep Rhythms of Astronauts, New Study Says
New research suggests astronauts may have a hard time getting a good night's sleep while in a microgravity environment.
Christopher Plain
Christopher Plain is Lead Science Writer at The Debrief. A science fiction and fantasy novelist of many years, you can follow and connect with him on X @plain_fiction, learn about his books at plainfiction.com, or email him directly at christopher@thedebrief.org.
NASA Veteran’s Propellantless Propulsion Drive That Physics Says Shouldn’t Work Just Produced Enough Thrust to Overcome Earth’s Gravity
A veteran NASA scientist says his company has tested a propellantless propulsion drive technology that produced one Earth gravity of thrust.
Experiments with Bilayer Graphene Reveal ‘Massless’ Movement of Electrons, Similar to Light
New experiments confirm that electrons travel through naturally occurring bilayer graphene much like light, without mass.
Study of Genetic ‘Copy-and-Paste’ Errors Reveals How Evolution “Cooked Up” the Animal Kingdom
A team of researchers has figured out how a series of genetic copy-and-paste errors "cooked up" the various species in the animal kingdom.
First-Ever 2D Single-Atom Layer of Gold Created Using 100-Year-Old Japanese Etching Technique
Swedish scientists report the first ever successful creation of a two dimensional single-atom layer of gold they are calling goldene.
‘Warp Factory’ Simulator from Physics Think Tank to Aid Creation of Star Trek-Style Warp Drives
Applied Physics has released its Warp Factory simulator and toolkit designed to help scientists create a Star Trek-style warp drive.
Astronomers Detect Unusual Radio Signals From Nearby Magnetar That Are ‘Behaving in Complex Ways’
Astronomers say they have detected unusual radio signals behaving in complex ways coming from Earth's closest magnetar.
RocketStar Successfully Demonstrates FireStar™ Nuclear Fusion-Enhanced Pulsed Plasma Propulsion Drive
RocketStar Inc. says they have successfully demonstrated their FireStar™ nuclear fusion-enhanced pulsed plasma electric propulsion drive.
DOE’s SLAC National Accelerator Laboratory Completes World’s Largest Digital Astronomy Camera Ever
Designers Say Camera Will “Soon Start Producing the Greatest Movie of All Time”
Designers Say Camera Will “Soon Start Producing the Greatest Movie of All Time”
After 20 years of hard work, engineers at the DOE's SLAC National Accelerator Laboratory have finally finished the world's largest digital astronomy camera ever.
Thousands of Meteorites Are Vanishing in Antarctica. Now Scientists have Revealed Why.
A new study says that as many as 12,200 extraterrestrial meteorites sitting on the surface of Antarctica are disappearing every year.
“Disturbing” Light Asymmetry Spotted on Exoplanet WASP-76b May Finally Have an Explanation
Astronomers say they may have finally unraveled the mystery of a disturbing light asymmetry observed on exoplanet WASP-76b.
‘Blue Energy’ Hack Dramatically Increases Power That Can Be Harvested from Ocean Waves
Scientists find a simple hack to greatly increase the output of blue energy generators that harvest the power of ocean waves.
“Intelligent Liquid” Created by Harvard Scientists Represents Strange “New Class of Fluid”
Harvard scientists create a first-of-its-kind programmable metafluid, a.k.a. an "intelligent liquid" with seemingly magical properties.
DARPA Unveils New GARD Program to Combat Adversaries Who Try to ‘Trick’ Advanced U.S. Tech
DARPA has pulled back the curtain on the GARD program, which counteracts adversary efforts to trick America's AI defense systems.
Holographic Breakthrough: Scientists Create Full-Color 3D Holographic Displays with Ordinary Smartphone Screen
Scientists say they have created realistic-looking 3D holographic displays using custom software algorithms and an iPhone 14 screen.
Incredible High-Tech Window Coating Allows Visible Light Through but Blocks Heat
Scientists have developed a new high-tech window coating that blocks unwanted heat but allows all visible light through.
Evidence of Quantum Gravity Remains Elusive in South Pole Experiments. An Odd Particle Could Hold the Answer.
Quantum Gravity experiments at the South Pole failed to discover elusive effects on the quantum coherence of neutrinos.
Controversial Solution to 70,000-Year-Old Mystery Challenges Previous Understandings of Ancient Human Expansion
A new solution to the 70,000-year-old mystery is challenging previous understandings of ancient human expansion across the globe.
Eating an Avocado a Day Had This Totally Unexpected Result
New research shows that study subjects who ate an avocado a day experience this totally unexpected health benefit.
Space Snowman: Astronomers Try to Unravel a Mysterious Object at the Edge of the Solar System
A team of researchers say they may have finally unraveled the mysteries of a distant space object known affectionately as "Space Snowman."
Astronomers Using the European Southern Observatory’s Very Large Telescope Spot Tiniest ‘Starquake’ Ever
An international team of astronomers studying orange dwarf stars has recorded the tiniest starquake, or stellar oscillation ever.
Natural Alternatives to Weight Loss Drugs Ozempic and Wegovy Identified by AI to Remain Secret For Now
A team of computer scientists say they have identified two natural alternatives to weight loss medications like Ozempic, Wegovy and Zepbound.
Sunlight Powers This New Self-Cleaning White Paint That Also Cleans the Air
Potentially revolutionary self-cleaning white paint that never fades and also cleans the air uses the power of ordinary sunlight.
NASA’s Europa Clipper Mission May Soon Discover Alien Life. Here’s What’s Making Experts So Confident.
Laboratory experiments show a NASA mission planned for launch as soon as this October could be the first ever to detect alien lifeforms.
Archaeologists Discover 1,000-Year-Old Ice Skate Made of Animal Bone
Czech archaeologists performing a rescue dig in the basement of a local house say they have discovered a 1,000-year-old ice skate.
Uncanny “Adaptive Durability” Makes This Strange New Material Stronger Every Time You Hit It
Engineers have invented a seemingly magical material possessing 'adaptive durability' that makes it stronger after repeated impacts.
Excavations of 7,000-Year-Old Underwater Village Reveal Use of Advanced Nautical Technology
Excavations at a 7,000-year-old village that is currently underwater reveal the use of advanced nautical technology by ancient sailors.
The “Nocebo” Effect: Scientists Explore How Words and Beliefs Can Make You Sick
A new book about the "nocebo" effect explores how words alone may be powerful enough to exacerbate or even cause negative health outcomes.
Astronomers Reveal the Largest Ever Three-Dimensional Map of the Known Universe
Data collected from quasars fueled by supermassive black holes helps create the first-ever three-dimensional map of the known universe.
“Drinking Bird” Toy Generator Makes Electricity from Evaporating Water
A new device based on the drinking bird toy can generate up to 100 volts of usable electricity from just evaporating water.
Archaeologists Unearth 2,000-Year-Old Relic Covered in Mysterious Symbols from Lost Ancient Language
Archaeologists have unearthed a 2,000-year-old hand covered in mysterious symbols from an unknown, ancient language they've never seen.
NASA’s Jet Propulsion Laboratory Has Created a Snake-like Robot to Search for Life on Enceladus
NASA's Jet Propulsion Laboratory has built a snake-like robot called EELS to search Saturn's moon Enceladus for signs of life.
Engineers Create “Ultrablack” Coating for Light-Sensitive Equipment Operating in Outer Space
Engineers create an "ultrablack" coating for space applications that absorbs 99.3% of the light it encounters across a wide range of light wavelengths.
New Cosmic Expansion Data Could Mean “We Have Misunderstood the Universe”, Nobel Prize Physicist Says
A Nobel Prize winning physicist studying cosmic expansion says that new astronomical data may mean we have misunderstood the universe.
Researchers Create First-Ever Single-Molecule Devices That Can Be Turned ‘On’ and ‘Off’ Using Only Light
Researchers say they have built the first-ever nanoscale, single-molecule electronic devices that can be turned on and off with light.
Glowing Plants that Turn Energy into Light Are About to Be Commercially Available for the First Time
Company Light Bio says it will begin shipping orders for the first-ever commercially available glowing plants next month.
Groundbreaking Wearable Technology Can Accurately Detect and Decipher Human Emotions in Real Time
This is Not Your Grandmother's Mood Ring
This is Not Your Grandmother's Mood Ring
Scientists invent a potentially groundbreaking wearable device that can detect facial movements to accurately translate human emotions.
Harvard Scientists Say New Research “Sets the Stage” For Helping Humans Regrow Lost Limbs
Harvard scientists say they have moved one step closer to science that could allow humans the ability to regrow lost limbs.
Universal Antivenom Able to Treat Nearly All Deadly Snakebites May Soon Be a Reality
Scientists at the Scripps Research Institute are closing in on a universal snake antivenom that could prevent over 100,000 deaths a year.
Inventors Create World’s First ‘Water Batteries’ That Won’t Catch Fire or Explode
An international team of researchers have invented to world's first water batteries that could soon replace lithium-ion batteries.
Scientists Can See Around Obstacles With This Reality Hack that Turns Ordinary Surfaces Into Mirrors
A pair of scientists say they have developed a potentially revolutionary technique that lets them see around obstacles.
Ancient Megalithic Structure Older than the Egyptian Pyramids Discovered in the Peruvian Andes
A nearly 5,000-year-old ancient megalithic site discovered in the Peruvian Andes is older than the Pyramids of Egypt.
DARPA’s New REMA Program is Turning Ordinary Drones into Autonomous Killing Machines. Kind of.
DARPA's newly announced REMA program hopes to turn ordinary commercial and military drones into autonomous killing machines.
New Photonic Computer Chip Performs Calculations at ‘Light Speed’ Using Light Waves Instead of Electricity
Insane new photonic computer chip can perform calculations at light speed by replacing electricity with light waves.
Scientist Says Engaging One Particular Sense May Dramatically Reduce Feelings of Depression
Scientists have discovered that engaging in this particular human sense can trigger positive memories to help battle feelings of depression.
Scientists Have Designed the World’s First True ‘One-Way Glass’ Using the Magic of Metamaterials
A team of materials scientists say they have designed a novel optical NME metamaterial that could be used to build true one-way glass.
Stunning Images Reveal How Melting Ice is Making Huge Parts of Greenland Live Up To Its Name
As ice sheets and glaciers melt away, huge portions of Greenland are becoming covered in wetlands and vegetation.
Massive Stone Wall Built More Than 10,000 Years Ago Found Hidden Beneath the Baltic Sea
Researchers have discovered a submerged, 10,000-year-old massive stone wall that is one of the oldest man-made megastructures ever found.
Breaking: Satellite Failure Scuttles First-of-Its-Kind In-Space Test of Physics-Defying Quantum Drive
The cancellation of the first in-space test of a controversial quantum drive has been announced due to an electrical failure on its host satellite.
At Long Last, Scientists Have Finally Solved the Mystery of Why Blueberries Are Blue. Seriously.
For the first time in human history, we finally have a scientific explanation for why blueberries are blue.