Christopher Plain, Author at The Debrief

Light Sail Could Reach Proxima Centauri in 20 Years

Christopher Plain·February 21, 2022

Researchers have proposed a light sail design that should be able to survive the stresses of an interstellar voyage.

Solar Power Without Direct Sunlight? This Researcher Says It’s Possible

Christopher Plain·February 21, 2022

An engineering student from the Philippines has created a solar panel that doesn’t require direct sunlight to generate power.

NASA is Playing with Fire. In Space. Literally.

Christopher Plain·February 18, 2022

A new set of NASA experiments will test how fire acts and how to extinguish it in the...

Meth Use Really Does Make You Insane

Researchers See Five-Fold Increase in Psychosis with Regular Use

Christopher Plain·February 18, 2022

New research indicates that the illicit use of amphetamines like meth can cause a five-fold increase in psychosis.

“Kill Switch” Successfully Inserted into Genetically Engineered Organisms

Christopher Plain·February 17, 2022

A “kill-switch” which causes genetically engineered organisms to self-destruct has been successfully inserted into a custom-made microbe.

Evidence of Habitable Zone Planet Found Lurking in Orbit Around White Dwarf

Christopher Plain·February 17, 2022

Researchers studying a white dwarf star say they have detected signs of a possible planet orbiting within the star’s habitable zone.

Newly Discovered Trojan Asteroid Has Same Orbit as Earth

Rare Space Rock Could Service Future Deep Space Missions

Christopher Plain·February 17, 2022

Physicists have discovered a Trojan asteroid orbiting the Sun at the same distance as Earth, only the second such space body discovered.

New Planet Found Orbiting Proxima Centauri

Christopher Plain·February 16, 2022

Scientists have detected signs of a third planet orbiting Proxima Centauri, which is Earth’s closest stellar neighbor.

This Real-Life Transformer Robot Can Drive, and Fly

Christopher Plain·February 14, 2022

Researchers have created a real-life transformer robot that can change from a driving vehicle to a flying one, and then back again.

Fusion Reactor Breakthrough Readies Stage for ITER

Christopher Plain·February 14, 2022

Researchers have produced the largest energy output from any fusion reactor to date using the exact type of fuel used by the sun.

Tech Talk Reviews HALO Infinite & The Pattern

Christopher Plain·February 11, 2022

In the latest edition of The Debrief’s Tech Talk, resident techno-nerds Mr. Stefan Gearhart (aka the camp counselor,...

Origins of Life on Earth May Be Extraterrestrial After All

Christopher Plain·February 11, 2022

Researchers have shown that amino acids can form peptides, the building blocks of life, in space, potentially explaining the origin of life.

Birds with Big Brains Best at Resisting Climate Change

Christopher Plain·February 11, 2022

New research shows that birds with big brains are better at resisting climate change-induced shrinking than birds with...

Scientists Make Cannabis Without Growing the Plant

Technology May Also Help Feed and Medicate Future Space Colonists

Christopher Plain·February 10, 2022

BioHarvest Sciences has announced the successful production of 22 pounds of fully viable cannabis biomass without actually growing the plant.

China Reveals Its Newest Plans for Space Dominance

Christopher Plain·February 10, 2022

In a newly issued white paper, China has charted out the next five years of its space program's ambitious goals.

Oversized Animal Weapons May Actually Be a Big Bluff

Christopher Plain·February 9, 2022

Oversized animal weapons may not indicate better fighters but instead may show the animal is cheating to appear more threatening.

In the Search for E.T., Moon Size Matters

Christopher Plain·February 8, 2022

New research indicates that the size of Earth’s moon relative to the size of the planet may have been key to the development of life.

New “Impossible” Plastic is Stronger than Steel

Christopher Plain·February 8, 2022

Researchers at MIT have created a new type of two-dimensional plastic that is stronger than steel or even bulletproof glass.

World’s Oldest Tortoise Still Doing His Thing Reptile Style

Christopher Plain·February 4, 2022

At 190 years old, Jonathan the "sexually active" tortoise has been declared the oldest living tortoise to ever live.

Sorry Everybody, but Alcohol “Directly Causes” Cancer

Christopher Plain·February 3, 2022

Alcohol consumption directly causes a number of types of cancer regardless of other lifestyle choices, according to a new genetic study.

Deep Space Travelers May Imitate Hibernating Squirrels

Christopher Plain·February 2, 2022

Deep space travelers and others suffering from muscle loss may be able to take advantage of a trick used by squirrels during hibernation.

Exoplanet Atmosphere Mapped by Researchers

Results Will Help Search for Extraterrestrial Life

Christopher Plain·February 2, 2022

Researchers have created a three-dimensional map of the atmosphere of an exoplanet 322 light-years from Earth. The resulting...

Ball Lightning First Described by 12th Century Monk

Christopher Plain·January 31, 2022

A text from a 12th-century English monk known for his interest in weather seems to be the first written account of ball lightning.

Laser Beams to Power Satellites in Low Earth Orbit

Christopher Plain·January 29, 2022

A new project from researchers in the U.K is aiming to use laser beams to power satellites while they are out of sight of the sun.

Frogs Regrow Lost Legs After Innovative New 24-Hour Treatment

Christopher Plain·January 28, 2022

Scientists say they have helped African clawed frogs regrow lost legs, using a one-day treatment that kicks off...

Negative Messaging is More Powerful, Even When it Comes to Food

Christopher Plain·January 28, 2022

Researchers studying the role labeling plays in the perception of food taste and quality have that found negative...

Are Earthlike Planets Plentiful Throughout the Milky Way?

Christopher Plain·January 28, 2022

Earthlike planets, which might have features like continents and liquid water on their surface, may be plentiful across the Milky Way galaxy.

Are Squids and Octopuses Actually Space Aliens?

Christopher Plain·January 27, 2022

Squids, octopuses and other cephalopods may be organisms from outer space, according to a 2018 scientific paper.

“Death Star” Moon Mimas May Have a Subsurface Ocean

Christopher Plain·January 26, 2022

Saturn’s moon Mimas, sometimes called the Death Star moon, may have a subsurface ocean capable of supporting extraterrestrial life.

Don’t Worry… Be Healthy? New Studies Link Worrying to Cardiovascular Health

Christopher Plain·January 26, 2022

Middle-aged men who worry more than their peers are at greater risk of heart attack, stroke, and other cardiometabolic-related health issues, according to new research.

Tech Talk with Josh and Stefan: Episode #2

The SiOnyx Aurora Pro Night Vision Monocular

Christopher Plain·January 24, 2022

If you are planning on hunting for UFOs (or anything else that may be hiding in the dark),...

Russian Space Junk Nearly Downs Chinese Satellite

Christopher Plain·January 21, 2022

A Chinese science satellite narrowly avoided a potentially catastrophic collision with debris from an exploded Russian satellite earlier...

Mars May Have Had an Ocean Three Billion Years Ago

Christopher Plain·January 21, 2022

New research indicates Mars may have had a liquid ocean on its surface 3 billion years ago even...

World’s First Space Studio to Launch by 2024

Christopher Plain·January 21, 2022

Space Entertainment Enterprise (S.E.E.) has announced plans for the world’s first entertainment production studio in space. With the...

How NATO is Preparing for War in Outer Space

Christopher Plain·January 20, 2022

The North Atlantic Treaties Organization (NATO) has issued a formal policy statement, which says that any attack on...

How Binge Watching Too Much TV Can Kill You

Christopher Plain·January 20, 2022

Watching television for more than four hours a day increases the likelihood of fatal blood clots by more...

Air Force Designing Robotic Fleet to Service Satellites

Christopher Plain·January 19, 2022

Leading a consortium of researchers selected by the Air Force Research Laboratory (AFRL) and the Air Force Office...

Mars Curiosity Rover Finds “Tantalizing” Signs of Life

Christopher Plain·January 19, 2022

NASA’s Mars Curiosity Rover has found signs of a type of carbon that is associated with biological processes...

Brains “Tune” to Unfamiliar Voices During Sleep

Christopher Plain·January 19, 2022

New research reveals how the brain balances the need to sleep with the need to wake up based on external sensory information.

Why Are Asteroids Sneaking Up on Earth?

Christopher Plain·January 18, 2022

NASA funded scientists have identified a celestial “danger zone” where asteroids approaching Earth can go undetected by the...

China Creates Gravity Chamber for Moon Simulations

Christopher Plain·January 18, 2022

Chinese scientists have created a gravity manipulation chamber that simulates low gravity environments like those found on the...

SETI to Begin Searching for Alien Lasers

Christopher Plain·January 18, 2022

The Search for Extraterrestrial Intelligence (SETI) is adding a new set of laser detectors to its arsenal, upping...

Personal Flying Saucer Makes 1st Successful Flights

Christopher Plain·January 17, 2022

Electric VTOL (vertical take-off and landing) manufacturer Zeva has announced that its Zeva Zero flying wing airframe recently...

Are Super-Earths Actually the Best Places to Search for ET?

Christopher Plain·January 17, 2022

Super-Earths may be the best place to search for extraterrestrial life due to their long-lived magnetic shields, according...

Chrissy Newton is Rebelliously Curious with Dave Foley

Christopher Plain·January 14, 2022

In the latest episode of Rebelliously Curious, The Debrief’s Chrissy Newton sits down with fellow Canadian and comedy...

Controversial ‘Smart Guns’ Finally Coming to Market

Christopher Plain·January 14, 2022

Smart guns, meaning guns that use technology to prevent unauthorized users from firing them, are finally coming to...

Chinese Rover Finds Water on the Moon

Christopher Plain·January 14, 2022

China’s Chang’E-5 rover has found evidence of water molecules on the surface of the moon. Also, measurements taken...

Astronomers Spot Second Ever Exomoon Candidate

Discovery May Mean Exomoons are Common, Increasing the Odds of Extraterrestrial Life.

Christopher Plain·January 13, 2022

Astronomers studying a huge, Jupiter-like exoplanet say they have successfully detected a moon in its orbit. Although this...

Organic Material in Martian Meteorite is NOT Biological

However, New Research Reconfirms Mars' Watery Past and Potential for Life

Christopher Plain·January 13, 2022

Organic material found in a Martian meteorite does not have a biological origin, new research has determined. Instead,...

Middle Aged Men Most Likely to Die from Sex

Christopher Plain·January 13, 2022

According to a recent study, middle aged men are more likely to die from a sudden cardiac event...