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.
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.
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.
Harvard Reveals Suspended Animation Drug that “Magically” Mimics Hibernation
Harvard researchers have announced the successful test of a seemingly magical 'suspended animation' drug that could aid trauma survival and organ transplantation.
Saturn’s ‘Death Star’ Moon Mimas is Hiding a Secret Beneath its Icy Shell. Astronomers Now Say It’s ‘a Prime Candidate for Study’
An international research team has announced the discovery of an ocean hidden beneath the surface of Saturn's "Death Star" moon, Mimas.
Look Who’s Clucking! Canadian Researchers Are Using Cutting-Edge Tech to Decode Chicken Chatter
Researcher from Dalhousie University in Nova Scotia say they are using advanced technology to successfully create a Star Trek-style universal chicken translator.
Forget Smart Watches. Here Come Smart Earrings
University of Washington researchers have developed a prototype pair of smart earrings that can monitor a wide range of bodily functions.
Exclusive: Morpheus Space Unveils New Thruster That Uses Liquid Metal as a Propellant
Morpheus Space has unveiled their new GO-2 field emission electric propulsion thruster that uses liquid metal as a propellant.
NASA Announces Discovery of a Cosmically Close “Super Earth” Orbiting Within its Star’s Habitable Zone
NASA researchers say they have spotted a Super Earth that is only 137 light years away and orbits within its star's habitable zone.
Focusing Ultrasound Deep into the Human Brain May Revolutionize the Treatment of Pain
Virginia Tech researchers say they have successfully reduced pain and its stress-induced effects by targeting focused ultrasound deep into the human brain.
NASA’s Curiosity Rover Closer to Solving Mystery of Methane Biosignature on Mars, Aiding Search for Life
Researchers are closing in the source of methane gas in the Martian atmosphere, upping the chances of finding signs of life on the red planet.
Mars Rover Spots Mysterious Polygons Hidden Beneath the Red Planet’s Surface
Ground penetrating radar data captured by China's Zhurong Mars rover has revealed the presence of a series of 16 mysterious polygons hidden beneath the planet's surface.
This “Magical” Sensor is Powered Exclusively by Sound and can be Activated with a Single Word
Swiss inventors have created a seemingly magical, patented sensor powered exclusively by sound that could have numerous medical and industrial applications.
Southwest Research Institute’s Supercritical CO2 Power Generation Demo Plant Announces Successful Test-Firing
The Southwest Research Institute has announced the first-ever successful test firing of their potentially revolutionary supercritical CO2 power demo pilot plant.
Homo Sapiens Arriving in Northern Europe Over 45,000 Years Ago Encountered This Enigmatic Human Species
Genetic Analysis of human bones shows Homo sapiens arrived in Northern Europe and encountered this enigmatic human species over 45,000 years ago.
Cutting-Edge Analysis of the Winchcombe Meteorite Confirms Presence of Life-Supporting Organic Compounds
Researchers using a high-resolution electron microscope have confirmed the presence of organic compounds within the Winchcombe meteorite without the use of any chemicals.
First Ever Successful Measurement of Material Aging in Glass Reveals Unexpected Time Reversibility
While making the first-ever direct measurement of material aging, German researchers unexpectedly discover time reversibility in glass.
Starfield, Xbox, and the European Space Agency Are Giving Away a Real-Life Spacesuit
Starfield creator Bethesda Game Studios, Xbox, and the European Space Agency are giving away a customized spacesuit to whoever comes up with the best design.
“Chimera” Metamaterial Achieves Previously Impossible Multi-Terrain Invisibility
A metamaterial that incorporates the camouflaging capabilities of three different animals successfully achieves the first-ever multi-terrain invisibility.
Chances That Odd Soil Samples Collected at Mars’ Jezero Crater Contain Signs of Ancient Life Just Increased Dramatically
New analysis of the subsurface features beneath Mars Jezero crater dramatically increases the chances the Perseverance rover's soil samples contain signs of ancient life.
Department of Energy-Funded Ultrafast Lithium Battery Charges in Just Five Minutes
A team of Cornell University researchers funded by the Department of Energy say they have invented a new lithium battery that can be fully charged in just five minutes.
People Living in the Andes 9,000 Years Ago May Completely Redefine Our Understanding of Hunter-Gatherers
Isotopic analysis reveals people living 9,000-6,500 years ago in the Andes Mountains were not hunter-gatherers as previously believed.
Did This Biomedical Sciences Professor Just Discover the Fountain of Youth?
Researchers specializing in aging and cellular senescence say they may have found a real-life fountain of youth hiding within our own bodies.
Darwin’s Theories About Life on Earth Gain Fresh Support, May Aid the Search for Life on Other Worlds
A new study by researchers from the University of Washington is lending fresh support to Charles Darwin's idea that the origin of life on Earth began in phosphate-rich bodies of water.