Scientists Are Decoding a Mysterious Form of Writing From the Ancient Inca Empire—Here’s What It Reveals
Researchers studying an ancient form of string-writing used in pre-Columbian South America have unraveled new clues to a longstanding mystery.
Micah Hanks
Micah Hanks is creator, co-founder, and Editor-in-Chief of The Debrief. He covers science, defense, and technology in his writing and podcasts, and you can find him at micahhanks.com and on X @MicahHanks.
Emergency Drill Reveals U.S. Government’s “Cosmic Blindspot” with Sobering Vulnerabilities to Solar Storms
A new report on the U.S.'s readiness in the face of threats from space has revealed concerns about our vulnerability to major solar storms.
Look: NASA’s Perseverance Rover Catches Rare Glimpse of a Mystery in the Martian Skies
NASA’s Perseverance rover has captured new images of a mystery gleaming in the Martian skies as dawn approached over the Red Planet earlier this year.
14,000 Years Ago, a Mysterious Solar Event “500 Times More Intense” Than Any Previously Known Bombarded Earth—Could it Happen Again?
New findings suggest that a mysterious solar event roughly 500 times more powerful than any recorded by scientists struck the Earth near the end of the last Ice Age.
The Hunt for “Planet X”: Is a Secret “Super-Earth” Lurking in Our Solar System?
This week, an old astronomical controversy is renewed as researchers present new evidence for a hidden "Planet X" in our solar system.
James Webb Space Telescope Confirms Major Discovery of Water Ice in Alien Planetary System for the First Time
The James Webb Space Telescope has confirmed the presence of water ice in a planetary system beyond our own for the first time.
“This Has Left Us Scratching Our Heads.” NASA’s James Webb Space Telescope Spots Unexpected Light Activity on Jupiter
Stunning auroral activity has been observed on Jupiter, in an unexpected new discovery that has perplexed astronomers as to how it happens.
The Website of the Office of the Director of National Intelligence Has Been Missing in Action for Days
The official website of the U.S. Office of the Director of National Intelligence (ODNI) appears to have been taken down over the weekend.
Hidden Beneath Antarctic Ice for Eons, a “Deeply Puzzling” Soviet-era Discovery Finally Reveals Its Secrets
Scientists reveal new discoveries about a mystery that has remained hidden beneath Antarctic ice for half a billion years.
Department of Energy-Funded Fusion Breakthrough Achieves “Paradigm Shift” in Magnetic Confinement
Scientists have achieved a breakthrough in magnetic confinement that could potentially quicken the advancement for fusion energy.
The Kessler Syndrome: Crisis in Space Intensifies as Thousands of Satellites Crowd Earth Orbit
This week we look at the "Kessler Syndrome," and how a chain reaction of orbital collisions could jeopardize infrastructure in space.
“Anomalous” Discovery in Antarctica Has Left Climate Scientists Scratching Their Heads
A discovery in Antarctica has revealed something few scientists would have expected: a reversal of its decades-long ice loss.
DARPA-Funded Research Develops Novel Technology to Combat Treatment-Resistant PTSD
Groundbreaking research has revealed a new method of potentially eliminating hard-to-treat post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) diagnoses.
Pentagon Reveals Its Secretive New Talon-A Hypersonic Test Vehicle Has Completed a Second Experimental Flight
The Pentagon has revealed the completion of a second successful flight of a new reusable hypersonic test vehicle.
“I Thought I Was Witnessing End Times.” Massive Green Fireball Spotted by Hundreds as It Lit Up the Western Sky
An exceptionally bright green fireball was spotted by hundreds of sky watchers in the western U.S. over the weekend.
What’s That? NASA’s Curiosity Rover Spots Weird “Honeycomb” and “Waffle” Patterns on Mysterious Martian Rocks
NASA’s Curiosity rover has discovered odd polygonal fractures on the Martian surface that resemble honeycombs or waffle-like patterns.
Leaked Secrets, Empty Chairs: Pentagon Struggles as Leadership Crisis Continues
The Pentagon faces a critical moment as leadership turmoil, security leaks, and vacancies threaten its readiness amid global tensions.
Denisovans, Genetic Ghosts, and Relicts from the Past
This week we explore recent discoveries about the mysterious Denisovans that are causing scientists to rethink humanity's ancient history.
New Webb Telescope Findings Bring Black Hole Mysteries and the Hidden Side of Star Formation into Focus
New data from the MIRI EGS Galaxy and AGN (MEGA) survey showcases the power of the James Webb Space Telescope's Mid-Infrared imaging capabilities.
Satellite Data is Revealing the Return of an Elusive Predator to Finland’s Remote Wilderness
Satellite imagery is helping unveil the return of a predator to Finland’s remote forests, in an innovative new approach to wildlife research.
Secretive Cape Canaveral Launch Linked to Pentagon’s New “Dark Eagle” Hypersonic Weapon
A test launch from Cape Canaveral Space Force Station on Friday is believed to have involved the secretive new Dark Eagle Hypersonic missile.
Tracks Spotted Across the Martian Landscape by NASA Orbiter Reveal a Red Planet “Curiosity”
New photos captured by NASA’s Mars Reconnaissance Orbiter (MRO) reveal the first known imagery of the intrepid Curiosity rover in transit.
New Findings Cast Doubt on Spectral Evidence of Life on Distant Exoplanet K2-18b
New analysis casts doubt on potential biosignatures detected in the atmosphere of exoplanet K2-18b that could indicate the presence of life.
Global Tensions Surge as U.S. Expands Strikes in Yemen, Calls Out Russia on Ukraine Attacks
This week, dual escalations in Yemen and Ukraine raises sharp questions about America’s strategic priorities and its ability to manage simultaneous flashpoints across the globe.
The UFO Conspiracy
This week, we examine a new academic paper that explores concerning trends that have recently emerged in the UAP research community, as well as potential biases in academic ideas toward the subject.
Are You in an Earthquake “Danger Zone?” Concerning New Research Challenges Past Data on Earthquake Faults
Scientists say the size of earthquake faults may have been previously underestimated, extending potentially dangerous earthquake zones.
Foreign Spies May Be Targeting DoD Personnel with Fake Jobs, U.S. Counterintelligence Officials Warn
U.S. officials warned this week that foreign spies are increasingly targeting current and former DoD personnel with fake job offers online.
NASA’s Lucy Spacecraft Had a Weird Close Encounter During Recent Asteroid Flyby, New Images Reveal
NASA’s Lucy spacecraft captured the most detailed images yet of an oddly shaped asteroid during its recent flyby.
‘Cosmic Radio’ Detector May Soon End the Hunt for Elusive Dark Matter
Inspired by the tuning mechanics of an automobile’s radio, a new detector could soon help solve the dark matter mystery.
Astronomers Just Made a Big Discovery About the Universe’s Largest Cosmic Structure
The largest cosmic structure ever observed by astronomers is revealing its biggest cosmic secrets yet, with a little help from powerful gamma-ray bursts.
Physicists Have Unlocked the Secret to the Perfect Cup of Coffee, While Using Fewer Beans
Getting the perfect cup of coffee as part of your morning ritual may have just gotten easier, thanks to the power of fluid dynamics.
Strange Desert Markings Resembling “Mysterious Writing” Spotted by Cameras on the International Space Station
Strange markings that resemble writing were recently spotted in the Tunisian desert by cameras aboard the International Space Station.
“Scientists Don’t Yet Fully Understand” These Intriguing New Gravitational Wave Detectors Designed by AI
Promising new designs for gravitational wave detectors developed by artificial intelligence have left scientists with new questions about the cosmos.
Is This the Tomb of Jesus? A 2000-Year-Old Site Beneath Jerusalem’s Church of the Holy Sepulchre Reveals Its Ancient Secrets
Archaeologists say new findings from one of Christianity’s holiest sites align with descriptions in the Gospels long associated with the tomb of Jesus.
Sailors Have Encountered This Bizarre “Twilight Zone” Phenomenon for Centuries. Now Scientists Hope to Solve the Mystery of “Milky Seas.”
Researchers have compiled the a new database of accounts of “milky seas,” pairing historic reports with satellite observations of strange marine bioluminescence.
James Webb Space Telescope Breakthrough Reveals “Compelling” New Evidence of Long-Hidden Black Hole in Galaxy M83
Compelling evidence of a long-sought black hole at the center of the galaxy M83 has been unveiled using the James Webb Space Telescope.
NASA’s Perseverance Rover Is Investigating a Mysterious Dark Stone of “Uncertain” Origin
NASA’s Perseverance rover has discovered a dark-colored stone with unusual features that “may have originated from elsewhere.”
Pentagon Shakeup Intensifies Amid Leak Investigation and High-Level Resignations
This week, an all-new series of controversies centered on U.S. Secretary of Defense Pete Hegseth has erupted in controversy at the Pentagon.
Return of the Tic Tacs
This week we dive into the latest news about an alleged UAP incident involving "Tic Tacs" seen from aboard the USS Jackson.
Einstein’s Unified Field Theory Realized? New Theory Unites Electromagnetism and Gravity Through Geometry
Researchers say they may have achieved Einstein's vision of a "unified field theory" that can unite two of nature's fundamental forces.
Colossal Squid Captured in First Confirmed Footage of One of the Deep Ocean’s Most Elusive Giants
Scientists say they have captured the first confirmed live footage of the colossal squid, one of nature’s most elusive, gigantic creatures.
A Mysterious Fossil from an Unknown Humanlike Species Once Baffled Scientists. Now We Know What It Is.
A once-mysterious fossil of an early hominin that walked the Earth alongside early modern humans has now been identified as Denisovan.
‘Sunbird’ Nuclear Rocket Revealed in New Video Offers a Look at the Radical Future of Space Exploration
The future of interplanetary travel is looking brighter, thanks to the new Sunbird nuclear-powered rocket designed by Pulsar Fusion.
U.S. Officials Warn of Arms Race in Orbit as Adversaries Test Space Weapons
U.S. military officials are sounding alarms over growing threats in space as Russia and China rapidly develop space weapons systems.
Strange “Supermazes” Are Stretching Our Understanding of Black Holes Beyond General Relativity
Physicists are reshaping our understanding of black holes in new research that maps theoretical structures within them known as “supermazes.”
Resurrection: Genetic De-Extinction Game-Changer
This week we look at the remarkable news involving the "resurrection" of dire wolves using cutting-edge de-extinction technology.
No Big Bang? Groundbreaking New Theory Could Upend the Standard Model of Cosmology
A new theory challenges the standard model of cosmology, arguing that dark matter and dark energy are not the forces behind cosmic expansion.
“Fiendish” Martian Dust Devils Dancing on the Red Planet Engage in Cannibalism as NASA’s Perseverance Rover Looks On
New images captured by NASA's Perseverance rover reveals a Martian dust devil as it "cannibalizes" another of its kind.
The Dire Wolf, an Extinct Canine that Roamed Prehistoric America, Has Been Resurrected
The dire wolf has been resurrected in a remarkable achievement by Texas-based biotechnology company Colossal Biosciences.
Liberation Day: U.S. Tariffs Rattle Markets Amid Rising Global Tensions
This week, markets recoil in response to the rollout of a controversial new "Liberation Day" tariff regime as global tensions are on the rise.