Breakthrough Experiments Show How to Detect Hidden Objects Like Submarines and Buried Treasure Using Physics
New experiments demonstrate how to detect hidden objects like submarines or buried treasure using the power of acoustical physics.
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.
James Webb Space Telescope Detects “Sign of Life” Molecule Phosphine on a Brown Dwarf 54 Light Years From Earth
Scientists using the James Webb Space Telescope have detected the "sign of life molecule" phosphine in the atmosphere of a brown dwarf star.
“These Large Engravings Are Not Just Rock Art”: Mysterious 12,000-Year-Old Pictographs Uncovered in the Arabian Desert
An international team of archaeologists has discovered several mysterious, 12,000-year-old rock art "road signs" in the Arabian desert.
Breaking Physics? Scientists Defy Heisenberg Uncertainty Principle in Landmark Experiment
Scientists reveal unprecedented ability to "side-step" the Heisenberg Uncertainty Principle by simultaneously measuring location and momentum
If You Have Trouble Listening in a Crowded Room, Your Hearing May Not Be to Blame
Scientists studying the ability to distinguish between voices speaking simultaneously have identified a culprit beyond poor hearing.
Unraveling Gravitropism: Scientists Decode the Unusual Relationship Between Gravity and Plant Roots
An international team of scientists has unraveled the mysterious relationship between gravity, and the growth trajectories of plant roots.
“These Features Were Completely Unexpected”: Webb Telescope Detects Unexplained ‘Structures’ in Saturn’s Atmosphere
The James Webb Space Telescope has spotted mysterious structures in Saturn's atmosphere that scientists cannot easily explain.
“The Earth May Not Be as Extraordinary as We Think”: Study Finds Earthlike Planets Are Common, but Not So for ‘Water Worlds’
New simulations suggest Earthlike planets may be much more typical than previously thought whereas water worlds may not.
Walking Across Water? New Evidence Reveals Ancient Humans Moved from Turkey to Europe on Foot
131 relics discovered between Turkey and Europe suggest ancient humans traversed a currently submerged land bridge during the last Ice Age.
US Navy Scientists Teach Zero-Gravity Robot to Fly in Space Without Human Interference
US Naval Research Laboratory scientists have successfully trained an Astrobee zero-gravity robot to fly in space without human interference.
Life on Enceladus? New Findings Impact Chances of Life in the Subsurface Ocean of Saturn’s Icy Moon
New experiments of ice on the surface of Saturn's moon Enceladus successfully recreates organic compounds without a subsurface ocean.
“Everything is Born out of Nothing”: Scientists Release Video of First-Ever Visible ‘Time Crystal’
Scientists have released a video showing the world's first ever 'visible time crystals' that continue to move and change shape over time.
EV Battery Breakthrough! 800 km Range Lithium Metal Technology has “Ushered in a New Era”
After a four-year effort, Korean scientists have announced a breakthrough lithium-metal EV battery that can extend vehicle range to 800 km.
You’re Welcome, Couch Potatoes. Binge-Watching TV is Actually Good for You
Binge-watching TV which has often been considered a negative behavior may have positive mental health benefits including helping with stress.
These Ingenious Spiders Use Light from Captured Fireflies as “Bait” to Attract More Prey
Scientists find evidence of spiders trapping fireflies and letting them live for extended periods of time to attract additional prey.
“We Are No Longer Limited by the Laws of Physical Reality”: Scientists Use Virtual Reality and an ‘Invisible’ Robot to Move Real-World Objects
New Princeton University video shows how virtual reality and an invisible robot can deliver digital objects to real-world users.
Watch: Death Valley’s Mysterious ‘Sailing Stones’ Inspire Ice Slingshot That Propels Frozen Discs Without External Force
Virginia Tech engineers have designed an “ice slingshot” that can propel frozen disks of water across a flat, grooved surface without any external force.
Scientists Turn to ‘Black Metal’ to Make Ultra-Powerful Solar Thermoelectric Generators
Scientists have created a solar thermoelectric generator covered with black metal that is 15 times more powerful than the best alternatives.
“We Just Opened Up a Pandora’s Box”: Ionic Liquid Discovery May Expand Habitable Zones in Search for Alien Life
MIT study suggests ionic liquid-based life forms could survive on the surface of rocky planets previously considered uninhabitable.
James Webb Space Telescope Spots “Mysterious Objects” So Bright They Challenge Current Ideas About the Early Universe
The James Webb Space Telescope has spotted 300 bright, mysterious objects in deep space that defy traditional cosmological classification.
Scientists Invent Record-Breaking Indoor Solar Panels That Could Make Batteries Obsolete
New indoor solar panels that are six times more energy efficient than current options could make batteries for home electronics obsolete.
New Research Probes Link Between Claims of Past Life Memories, Trauma, and Spiritual Beliefs
New research is exploring potential links between claims of past life memories, trauma, and spiritual beliefs.
Scientists Directly Measure ‘Impossible’ Zero-Point Motion That Cannot be Explained Classically
Scientists say they have achieved the "impossible" by directly measuring zero-point motion in a molecule at its lowest energy state.
Scientists Uncover New Evidence Supporting Controversial Theory That a Comet Impacted Earth 12,800 Years Ago
Core samples collected near Greenland support the controversial theory a comet impact 12,800 years ago caused global temperatures to drop.
Prometheus Announces Game-Changing Breakthrough in E-Fuels Direct Air Capture Technology
Prometheus Fuels has announced a breakthrough in e-fuel production that uses solar energy and carbon dioxide to make several varieties.
“Their Identity Remains a Mystery”: Archaeologists Unearth Evidence of Mysterious Ancient Humans on “Hobbit’s” Neighbor Island
Archaeologists don't know who made one-million-year-old stone tools recently found on Sulawesi Island near the home of the "Hobbits."
Scientists Successfully Synthesize ‘Superalcohol’ Seed of Life Molecule in Space-Like Conditions
Scientists announce the first ever successful synthesis of a "superalcohol" seed of life molecule that could aid the search for life in space.
“Rare Snapshot of a Vanished Arctic World”: 75,000-Year-Old Cave Reveals Complex Ice Age Community
An international team of explorers have revealed unexpected findings discovered in a 75,000-year-old ice age European Arctic cave.
“Sound Transmission Isn’t Necessary”: Visual Microphone Decodes Vibrations to Hear Without Listening
Scientists have invented the first-ever single-pixel "visual microphone" that detects vibrations with light and converts them back to sound.
Engineers Invent “Cosmic Veil” That Could Revolutionize Energy Generation in Space
Engineers have announced the development of a "cosmic veil" they believe could dramatically improve energy generation in space.
Scientists Propose Origin Story for “Puzzling” Hot Zone Beneath America They’re Calling the North Atlantic Anomaly
Scientists studying a puzzling hot zone beneath America, called the North Atlantic Anomaly, have proposed a mantle wave origin hypothesis.
Scientist Demonstrates Detection of Near-Earth Objects Like Spacecraft and Asteroids with Heliostats
Sandi Lab experiments demonstrate how heliostats that concentrate solar energy can detect Near Earth Objects like asteroids and spacecraft
U.S. Space Force’s Enigmatic X37-B Space Plane to Test Next Generation Lasers and Quantum Inertial Sensors
The U.S. Space Force is preparing to launch the enigmatic X37-B spaceplane to study next-generation lasers and quantum inertial sensors.
Einstein Was Wrong? ‘Idealized’ Double-Slit Experiment Ends Nearly 100-Year-Old Debate
MIT scientist built an idealized, atomic-scale version of the famous double slit experiment which showed Albert Einstein was wrong.
Experiments Show Mental “Time Travel” Trick Can Improve Recall and Restore Lost Memories
Experiments show mental "time travel" recreating the circumstances of the original memory can improve recall and restore lost memories
Scientists Decode “Perplexing Mystery” of How X-rays, Electric Fields, and Electron Avalanches Create Powerful Lightning Strikes
Penn State University scientists have demonstrated the complex series of events occurring inside thunderclouds that create lightning strikes.
‘Extreme’ Chip Will Help LHC Scientists Explore Fundamental Questions About the Universe
Columbia University engineers invent an extreme chip capable of surviving the harsh radiation emitted during high-energy LHC experiments.
Martian Gravity Surprise Offers NASA Clues to Why Its Robotic Rovers Are Getting Stuck
Scientists show a misunderstanding of gravity explains why successful Earth-based simulations that free trapped rovers fail on other planets
A ‘Neurobiotic’ Sixth Sense? Scientists Find Microscopic Organisms Can Directly Communicate with the Human Brain
Scientists have revealed a potential 'neurobiotic' sixth sense derived from direct communication between microorganisms and the human brain.
Scientists May Have Finally Solved the Origin Mystery of the Moon’s Exosphere
A new analysis of lunar exosphere origin theories has cast doubt on how much the high-energy solar wind really impacts its formation.
Extreme Plasmons Breakthrough Makes Gamma-Ray Lasers and Future Multiverse Probes “Very Probable”
Engineers invent a material with extreme plasmons that could aid sci fi technologies like gamma ray lasers and tools to probe the multiverse
James Webb Space Telescope Made a ‘Puzzling’ Discovery on Jupiter’s Moon Europa—These Scientists May Have an Answer
SWRI experiments could explain puzzling levels of equatorial hydrogen peroxide on Saturn's moon Europa detected by the JWST.
Scientists Reveal Most Detailed Map of Antarctica’s Seafloor Canyons Ever Made
Scientists have just published the most detailed map of Antartica's seafloor revealing ultra-deep canyons reaching up to 4,000 meters.
Seismologists Identify Rare Supershear Event During Devastating Myanmar Quake
Seismologists reveal that the March 28, 2025, Myanmar earthquake likely moved at 'supershear' velocity, which is analogous to supersonic.
Mysterious Object Spotted by ESO Telescope Could Reveal a Hidden “Companion” Lurking Near a Remote Star
Scientists studying data from the VLT's ERIS instrument have spotted a mysterious object in the vicinity of star V960 Mon they can't explain
ESO’s Very Large Telescope Spots Newfound Protoplanet Sculpting Patterns in a Distant Star’s Disc
Scientist studying a star over 440 light-years away have spotted a planet creating intricate patterns in the star's protoplanetary disc.
DARPA-Funded Tech Unleashes Robots That Feed on Robots to Heal, Grow, and Evolve
DARPA-funded scientists have demonstrated a concept that sounds like a science fiction horror movie, which they call "robot metabolism."
James Webb and ALMA Telescopes Spy First-Ever “Dawn” of Planets Forming Around a Sun
Astronomers using ALMA and the James Webb Space Telescope witnessed the dawn of a solar system, including the first stages of planets forming
Scientists Achieve the “Impossible” by Detecting Invisible Forces in Ordinary Metal
Scientists hunting invisible forces in non-magnetic metals with the optical Hall effect report the first-ever successful detection.
Forget OLEDS, QLEDS and PHOLEDS. New Ultra-Bright QRLEDS Are Finally Here
A team of scientists trying to improve upon OLEDs and QLEDs used in modern smartphone displays have created ultra-bright QRLEDs.