“Wild” Theory Behind Who—or What—Dug These Mysterious Ancient Amazon Caves
An international team of researchers has suggested a "wild" new theory to explain the creation of these mysterious ancient Amazon caves.
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.
Scientists Find Something Totally Unexpected Hidden Under Six North American Volcanoes
Cornell University scientists studying six North American volcanoes within the Cascade Range found something totally unexpected underneath.
Over 200 Newly Discovered Structures on the Far Side of the Moon Suggest Recent Activity
A scientific analysis of newly discovered structures on the dark side of the moon suggests relatively recent activity.
NASA’s Four PUNCH Spacecraft Nearing Launch to Investigate This Phenomenon
NASA's four PUNCH spacecraft have arrived at Vandenberg Space Force Base and are preparing for a February launch.
From Westeros to Physics: George R. R. Martin’s ‘Wild Cards’ Alien Virus Explored Through Science
A recent study explores the physics behind George R. R. Martin's "Wild Cards" alien virus, blending science with science fiction.
James Webb Space Telescope Just Spotted Something Astronomers Have Never Seen in our Solar System
Data from the James Webb Space Telescope and advanced computer models have classified a type of planet unlike any in our solar system.
Strange New Sea Creature Resembling Star Wars Villain Draws Its Name from the ‘Dark Side’
Researcher have named this newly discovered creature after the Sith Lord Darth Vader due to its resemblance to the character's iconic helmet.
Near-Light Speeds: How Astrophysical Shock Waves Act as Cosmic Particle Accelerators
Astrophysical bow shocks and other multiscale phenomena work like cosmic particle accelerators to launch electrons to near-light speeds.
New Effort to Harvest Energy in Space Funded by U.S. Office of Naval Research has Scientists Seeking Patent
A potentially breakthrough approach to harvesting energy in space has the scientists behind its discovery so excited they filed a patent.
Proof of Life on Mars? NASA Plans to Return Tantalizing Rover Samples to Earth by 2035
NASA says it has a dual approach plan to bring home potential proof of life on Mars by 2035 after updating its Mars Sample Return Mission.
Mysterious Submerged ‘Lost World’ Discovered Beneath the Pacific Ocean Stumps Scientists
An international team of geophysicists says it has discovered evidence of a "lost world" hidden beneath the Western Pacific Ocean.
Supercomputer Simulations of Plasma Beams in Electric Propulsion Engines Aims to Revolutionize Space Travel
Researchers used supercomputer simulations to unlock the secrets of electrons in plasma beams ejected by electric propulsion engines.
James Webb Space Telescope Spies Stars in “Dragon Arc” 6.5 Billon Light Years from Earth
Researchers using the James Webb Space Telescope have imaged individual stars in the Dragon Arc galaxy thanks to gravitational lensing.
NASA’s “LEXI” X-ray Vision Imager is Scheduled to Launch to the Moon This Month
NASA is planning to launch it LEXI X-ray imager, which is part of the ARTEMIS effort to return humans to the Moon, later this month.
Turn Trash into Treasure: Breakthrough Method Retrieves 99.9% of Gold from Electronic Waste
Cornell University researchers have developed a breakthrough non-toxic material that extracts 99.9% of the gold from electronic waste
The Force is Strong in This One: Engineers Discover All-Optical Nanoscale Force Detector
Engineers have discovered an all-optical nanoscale force detector that is up to 100 times more sensitive than existing nanoparticle sensors.
Fully Digital Twin of “Mcity” Simulated Urban Environment for Testing Autonomous Vehicles Now Available to Download
University of Michigan researchers have released a fully digital twin of their "Mcity" autonomous vehicle testing facility for download.
Artifacts on Mars Could Help Track Humanity’s Expansion into Space Similar to Earthly Archaeology, Researchers Say
Scientists say artifacts on Mars left behind by humanity should be tracked and preserved for future study just like heritage sites on Earth.
DARPA-funded Research May Help Future Space Explorers Eat Food Made From Asteroids
Western University researchers show how future astronauts and space colonists could survive on food made from asteroids.
Scientists Say Our Sun Could Release a Deadly ‘Superflare’ At Any Moment
Scientists warn that our sun eject a massive, potentially deadly burst of solar radiation called a "superflare" any day now.
Archaeologists Discover Mysterious 7,500-Year-Old Head with Reptilian Features
A team of Kuwaiti and Polish archaeologists have discovered a mysterious 7500-year-old figurine with reptilian features.
Mysterious New Deep Ocean Predator Discovered Thriving in the Extreme Depths of the Atacama Trench
Researchers exploring the extreme depths of the Pacific Ocean's Atacama Trench say they have discovered an entirely new species of predator.
35,000 Years Ago, Ancient Humans Entered a Deep Cavern to Worship this Enigmatic ‘Reptilian God’
An excavation of Manot Cave in Galilee, Israel, has discovered a turtle god totem worshipped in a deep, dark cavern over 35,000 years ago.
James Webb Space Telescope Confirms Controversial ‘Hubble Tension’ in Most Extensive Study of Universal Expansion
A Nobel Prize winning scientist using the James Webb Space Telescope has confirmed the controversial Hubble Tension.
Ultra-Powerful New WEAVE Telescope Undergoing ‘First-Light’ Spots High-Speed Cosmic Collision
Europe's ultra-powerful WEAVE telescope witnessed a two million miles per hour galactic collision while undergoing its inaugural first-light.
Astronomers Say They Are Close to Solving a Decades-Old ‘Intergalactic Mystery’
An international team of researchers has proposed an explosive solution to the decades-old intergalactic mystery of giant galaxy formation.
7,000-Year-Old Weapon Shows “Unprecedented Degree” of Precision and Technical Mastery
Analysis of a 7,000-year-old weapon kit discovered in a European cave has revealed an unprecedented degree of precision and technical mastery.
James Webb Space Telescope Spots Previously Hidden Planet in Star’s Habitable Zone
Astronomers using the James Webb Space Telescope report the discovery of a planet orbiting within the habitable zone of Kepler-51.
Astrophotographer Captures Mysterious Blue Flash During Avalanche
A Chinese astrophotographer says his camera captured a mysterious blue flash of light during an avalanche on Mount Xiannairi in Sichuan
Scientists Studying Near Earth Objects Release Stunning New Images from NASA’s NEOWISE Mission
NASA scientists studying Near-Earth Objects with NEOWISE release a treasure trove of never-before-seen images of the cosmos.
Source of Mysterious Glow First Spotted in the Pacific Ocean’s ‘Midnight Zone’ Finally Revealed
A mysterious glow coming from the Pacific Ocean's pitch-black "midnight zone" leads to the discovery of an enigmatic new life form.
Stellar Snapshot! Astrophysicist Captures First-Ever Close-Up Image of a Star in Another Galaxy
An astrophysicist and his team have made history by capturing the first-ever close-up image of a star in another galaxy.
Department of Energy Study Directly Refutes Alternate Theories of Gravity, Affirms Einstein
DOE study scanning over 6 million galaxies and quasars offers support for general relativity while refuting alternate theories of gravity.
Astrophysicist Believes He’s Solved ‘Baffling’ Zebra Patterned Signal Coming From the Crab Nebula
A theoretical astrophysicist believes he had solved the baffling mystery of the zebra patterned signal coming from the Crab Nebula.
First-Ever Discovery of Amber in Antarctica Reveals Continent Had Trees 90 Million Years Ago.
Scientists have discovered the first-ever sample of fossilized tree resin, known as amber, on Earth's southernmost continent of Antarctica.
James Webb Space Telescope Finds Stunning Evidence for Alternate Theory of Gravity
New discoveries from NASA's James Webb Space Telescope offer unexpected support for an alternate theory of gravity first proposed in 1998.
Study Finds People with Traditional Paranormal Beliefs Feel More Stressed Than Those with New Age Varieties
People with traditional paranormal beliefs report more feelings of stress and worse coping than those with new-age paranormal beliefs.
12,000-Year-Old Stones May Be Earliest Evidence of This Transformative Technology
A new analysis of 12,000-year-old stones from Israel shows that they may be the earliest evidence of this society-changing technology.
NASA-Funded Study May Have Finally Solved ‘A Mystery at the Sun’s Poles’
New research funded by NASA into the potential formation of solar vortices may finally solve the mystery at the sun's poles.
CERN Physicists Hunting for ‘New Physics’ with the Large Hadron Collider Reveal First Results
Cern physicists searching for the telltale signs of new physics within the Large Hardon Collider have released their first results.
Size Matters: Male Stalk-Eyed Flies with This Shorter Physical Feature Compensate by Being More Sexually Aggressive
Male stalk-eyed flies with shorter eyestalks compensate by being more aggressive to attract females who generally prefer longer eyestalks.
NASA AWE Instrument on the International Space Station Spots Something in the Atmosphere 55 Miles Above Earth
NASA says its Atmospheric Waves Instrument (AWE) recorded a series of intense gravity waves at high altitudes during Hurricane Helene.
Nuclear Electric Propulsion Spacecraft Design Moves European Space Agency Closer to 2035 Launch
The European Space Agency is moving one step closer to launching a nuclear-electric propulsion system for deep space missions in 2035.
Mysterious Fast Radio Bursts May Be Coming From These Massive Cosmic Structures, New Research Reveals
Cal Tech astronomers have found a link between mysterious radio signals called FRBs and magnetars within massive star-forming galaxies.
Fake Social Media Accounts with AI-Generated Images Linked to Spread of Propaganda and Conspiracies, New Research Shows
New research is revealing the prevalence of fake social media accounts using AI-generated images and their involvement with the spread of misinformation online.
12 Million Years Ago This Massive Predator “Terrorized” South America
The fossil of a massive predator called a terror bird that roamed South America 12 million years ago is from the largest animal ever found.
5,000-Year-Old Symbols Predating Recorded History Could Hold the Key to Decoding Undecipherable Ancient Texts
Scientists have started to decode mysterious symbols found on 5,000-year-old cylinder seals to trace the invention of writing.
Hybrid “Anti-Frost” Surface Prevents Accumulation on Airplane Wings and Power Lines for Days
Northwestern researchers have developed a novel anti-frost surface that prevents accumulation on airplane wings for a week or more.
Lidar Imagery Reveals More Than 6,500 Unexplored Ancient Mayan Settlements, Including Pyramids
Lidar scanning technology has revealed over 6,500 ancient Mayan settlements, including pyramids hidden by dense jungle forests.
Scientists Invent Ultrathin Film that Protects Electronics by Absorbing Electromagnetic Radiation
Materials scientists have invented a composite material that protects electronics by absorbing over 99% of electromagnetic radiation waves.