Into The Abyss: Scientists Capture First-Ever Images of Ultra-Deep Waters Near the Mariana Trench
Scientists used an autonomous underwater vehicle to image previously unexplored, ultra-deep waters near the abyss of the Mariana Trench.
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.
Cosmic Mystery Solved? Earth May Reside Within a Huge ‘Void’ in Space
Scientists have proposed Earth is in the middle of a huge void in space, potentially resolving the cosmic mystery known as the Hubble Tension.
‘Space Ice’ Experiments Pour Cold Water on Panspermia Origin of Life Theories
Scientists studying space ice say the amorphous, low-density material's structure decreases the odds of a panspermia origin of life theories.
Scientists Say Deep Sleep Likely Increases Odds of “Eureka” Moments
Scientists trying to unlock the brain mechanisms behind so-called "eureka" moments of clarity gave found a possible connection to deep sleep.
Scientists Use Magnetic Levitation to Search for Ultralight Dark Matter
Rice University scientists have built a magnetic levitation sensor to spot quantum-level oscillations caused by ultralight dark matter.
Scientists Discover Ancient Temple From ‘Lost Civilization’ That Mysteriously Disappeared Over 1,000 Years Ago
Scientists have discovered the temple of a mysterious lost civilization in the Bolivian Andes that suddenly disappeared over 1,000 years ago.
How The Giant Magellan Telescope Could Confirm Potential Signs of Life Spotted by the James Webb Space Telescope
The Giant Magellan Telescope team explains how the observatory will help solve the mysteries of the cosmos including the search for life.
Scientists Are Trying to Explain a Mysterious ‘Cold Spot’ South of Greenland in the Atlantic Ocean
Scientists studying a mysterious cold spot south of Greenland in the Atlantic ocean have made a startling discovery.
Theory Proposing Three-Dimensional Time as the “Primary Fabric of Everything” Could Unify Quantum Physics and Gravity
A new, testable theory proposing three-dimensional time as the "primary fabric of everything" could help unify quantum physics and gravity.
Artifacts Discovered in 20,000-Year-Old Ice Age ‘Ice Cave’ Could Rewrite Human History
Artifacts found in a 20,000-year-old ice age 'ice cave' in Australia's remote Blue Mountains named Dargan Shelter could rewrite human history
Astronomers Have Made an “Exceptional” Discovery, Only the Third of Its Kind “In the Entire History of Observations”
An international team of scientists used expertise, patience, microlensing, and a little bit of luck to make an exceptionally rare discovery.
Study Confirms Controversial 23,000-Year-Old Human Footprints, Challenging Past Views on Peopling of the Americas
New radiocarbon dating of ancient mud samples confirm the controversial dating of 23,000-year-old footprints in White Sands, New Mexico.
New Solution to 120-Year-Old ‘Absolute Zero’ Problem Shows Einstein was Wrong
A newly published solution to a 120-year-old absolute zero problem shows that the criticisms of famed scientist Albert Einstein were wrong.
Antarctica Scientists “Don’t Actually Have an Explanation” for Strange Radio Pulses Coming from Below the Ice
Scientists hunting Antarctica for elusive neutrinos report the detection of strange radio pulses coming from beneath the ice.
Out-of-Body Experiences Could Be Coping Mechanisms Instead of Pathology, New Research Suggests
Scientists studying out-of-body experiences suggest they may be symptoms of these past experiences and not a cause of poor mental health.
Scientists “Were in Awe” as They Witnessed Longhorn Crazy Ants Perform Uncanny Feats of ‘Swarm’ Intelligence
Scientists studying Longhorn Crazy Ants witnessed a 'supercolony' perform several seemingly impossible feats of swarm intelligence.
James Webb Space Telescope Spots Source of ‘Extreme’ Redshift 7 Ultraviolet Light Powering Cosmic Reionization
The James Webb Space Telescope has spotted extreme galaxy clusters generating enough ultraviolet light to account for cosmic reionization.
Scientists Are ‘Playing with God’s Dice’ by Using Quantum Entanglement for this Game-Changing Random Number Generator
Scientists have built the first ever traceable and certifiable random number generator that uses quantum entanglement.
“People Thought This Couldn’t Be Done”: Ground-Based Telescopes Detect Echoes of “Cosmic Dawn” by Peering 13 Billion Years Back in Time
Astronomers have used Earth-based telescopes to look over 13 billion years back in time to the Cosmic Dawn just after the Big Bang.
A Rabbi, a Minister, a Monk, and a Priest Took Magic Mushrooms. Here’s What Happened
When a team of scientists asked over 30 leaders of the world's four major religions to take magic mushrooms, this is what happened.
Scientists Using LIDAR to ‘See’ Through the Dense Forest Canopy Make a Surprising 1,000-Year-Old Discovery
Dartmouth scientists using LIDAR-equipped drones to peer through Michigan's dense forest canopy have made a shocking 1,000-year-old discovery.
Scientists Successfully Simulate Bizarre Phenomenon Where “Light Appears to be Generated from Darkness”
Physicists have successfully simulated a bizarre phenomenon where three intersecting lasers create a third, resulting in light from darkness.
First-Ever “Metalenses” Turn Invisible Light Visible and Are Dramatically Thinner Than Glass Lenses
Breakthrough ultrathin metalenses not only focus light like traditional lenses but also turn invisible light into visible light.
“A Glimpse of the Future”: Scientists Suggest ‘Supermassive’ Alternative to Next Generation Supercolliders
Scientists say supermassive black holes that smash together particles at near light speeds could potentially replace high-cost supercolliders.
5,000-Year-Old Missing Formula for ‘Egyptian Blue’ Reveals Unusual Optical, Magnetic, and Biological Properties
Scientists recreating the lost formula for 5,000-year-old Egyptian Blue affirm its unusual optical, magnetic, and biological properties.
Satellite Scanning the World’s Oceans Detects Elusive Phenomena Scientists Say Had “Been Hiding in Plain Sight”
Scientists using satellite data to analyze the behavior of the world's oceans have spotted unusual forces operating on and below the surface.
Scientists Reveal New Clues About Ancient Lost World Hidden Beneath the Ice of Antarctica
A chemical analysis of rocks from an ancient lost world hidden beneath the ice sheets of Antarctica has yielded several new insights.
Scientists Invent a 2D Material with Exotic Properties Called ‘Glaphene’ that “Nature Does Not Make on its Own”
Scientists have invented a new two-dimensional (2D) material called 'glaphene' that combines the exotic properties of other materials.
Astronomers Detect Repeating Signals From Space Object That’s “Unlike Anything We Have Seen Before”
Astronomers have reported the discovery of a mysterious object in deep space that emits radio signals and X-rays in a repeating pattern.
Scientists Find “Up to a 40% Chance” Theoretical ‘Planet Nine’ Exists Given the Correct Conditions
A new analysis of planet formation models estimates the odds of a theoretical Planet Nine orbiting our sun at 40% given proper conditions.
Lunar Magnetism Mystery “Still Unexplained” as Material Detected on Far Side of the Moon Stumps Scientists
MIT scientists propose a radical new theory to explain why some rocks on the far side of the moon are highly magnetic.
“We’ve Got a New Mystery on Our Hands”: Scientists Stumped by Unexplained Motion in Titan’s Atmosphere
Scientists studying the atmosphere of Saturn's moon Titan have discovered a mysterious, gyroscopic motion they can't quite explain.
Scientists Studying High-Energy Gamma Ray Bursts During Lightning Storms Witness a “Shocking” Event
Scientists were trying to unravel the mystery of gamma ray bursts detected during lightning storms when they witnessed something shocking.
Optical Breakthrough: Tunable ‘Metalenses’ Could Enable Realistic Holograms and Invisibility
An optical breakthrough in plastic metalenses designed to offer ultrafine control of light could enable realistic holograms and invisibility.
DARPA Shatters Optical Power Beaming Record with Latest High-Energy Laser Demonstrations
New DARPA optical power beaming demonstrations using a high-energy laser and a new receiver shatter previous records for distance and power.
Scientists Studying Life Forms at the Base of a Glacier in Antarctica Make a Shocking Discovery
Scientists studying extreme life forms living at the base of a glacier in Antarctica made a shocking discovery.
World’s Most Powerful Laser, ‘ZEUS,’ Equips U.S. With Beam Surpassing 100x Global Electric Power Output
University of Michigan scientists say the most powerful laser ever built, called ZEUS, just achieved two petawatts of power.
Astronomers Detect Mysterious, Perfectly Spherical Object in Deep Space Emitting Radio Signals
An international team of astronomers have detected an invisible, mysterious, nearly perfectly spherical object emitting radio signals.
Scientists Reveal Clever Trick to Detect Explosive Munitions on the Seafloor Using Sound Waves
A new approach for detecting unexploded munitions on the seafloor using sound waves could save lives and prevent serious injury.
“No One Knows How to Explain This Behavior,” Says Scientist Stumped by Odd Pulses Coming From Sun-Like Stars
A NASA veteran’s multi-year survey of over 1,300 Sun-like stars has discovered several mysterious fast pulses of light that defy traditional cosmological explanations.
Ingenious Method for Logging Into Your Computer May be the Biggest “Little” Idea of All Time
Scientists have created an entirely new method for logging in to a computer by storing and retrieving data in a whole new way.
NASA Mission Reveals “Ground Shaking” New Insights into Mysterious Structures on Venus
A fresh look at data from NASA's Magellan mission has revealed potentially ground-shaking insights into mysterious structures on Venus.
“It Can Kill Anything You Throw at It.” ‘Skinwalker’ Parasite Kills Human Cells and Wears Their Remains as a Disguise to Escape Death
Scientists unmask a 'Skinwalker' parasite that kills human cells and then wears their skin as a disguise to avoid detection.
Does ‘Minecraft’ Have Free Will? Expert Says Game’s Voyager Agent Meets All Three Conditions
A Finnish philosophy professor says the generative AI 'Voyager' agent in Minecraft meets the three primary criteria for free will.
Quasars May Help Detect Gravitational Waves from Ancient Black Hole Collisions, This Astrophysicist Says
An astrophysicist has proposed a new method for detecting slow-moving gravitational waves using light from distant quasars.
A Centuries-Old “Impossible” Equation, Once Considered Unsolvable, Finally Has a Solution
A mathematician and a computer scientist have just solved an "impossible" equation that has been considered unsolvable for centuries.
Infrasound Technology Proves Critical for Planetary Defense Against Threats from Outer Space
A Sandia National Laboratories scientist has demonstrated how infrasound technology can improve planetary defense against threats from space.
I Think, Therefore I Am: Study Pitting Top Theories of Consciousness Against Each Other Reveals Its Findings
A team of scientists in an 'adversarial collaboration' put two of the top theories of consciousness to the test and this is what they found.
Fusion Breakthrough: Magnet Powerful Enough to Levitate an Aircraft Carrier Marks Final Step Before ITER Reactor Assembly
In a nuclear fusion breakthrough, ITER scientists have announced the completion of a magnet powerful enough to levitate an aircraft carrier.
Robot Powered by Infrared Light Climbs Wire While Carrying 12 Times its Weight
Engineers reveal a soft ring robot powered by infrared light that can climb a wire like a cable car but without any wheels.