Euclid First Look: Stunning New Images From ESA Mission Reveal Billions of Mysterious Orphan Stars
The Euclid satellite mission has dispatched its first collection of scientific imagery, revealing a dazzling display of orphan stars.
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.
7000-Year-Old Evidence of a Mysterious Cosmic Event is Helping Reveal the Secrets of an Ancient European Settlement
Data from an ancient cosmic event has helped researchers accurately date a prehistoric settlement in northern Greece.
Look: DARPA’s High-Speed X-Plane Just Got a Makeover, New Images Reveal
An experimental high-speed, vertical-lift X-plane has a new look, as revealed in new conceptual images as the aircraft moves toward its preliminary design phase.
This NASA-Funded Pulsed Plasma Propulsion System Could Carry Humans to Mars in Just Two Months
A groundbreaking new pulsed plasma propulsion system could soon enable faster and safer crewed missions to planets like Mars.
These Mysterious Seafloor Holes Off the California Coast Have Long Baffled Scientists. Now We Know Their Cause.
Off the Central California coast, a massive field of seafloor holes roughly the size of Los Angeles has long perplexed researchers.
James Webb Space Telescope Discovery Reveals Earliest Black Hole Merger Ever Witnessed
Astronomers report the discovery of the most distant black hole merger ever observed, with help from NASA’s James Webb Space Telescope.
The Vatican Has Updated Its Guidelines for Evaluating Apparitions and Supernatural Phenomena. Here’s What That Means.
For the first time in decades, the Vatican has updated its process for evaluating visions of the Virgin Mary and other alleged supernatural phenomena.
Satellites Detected This Odd “Glow” Coming from Plants on Earth. Now Scientists Say It Could Help Predict Severe Droughts.
A glow that plants produce during photosynthesis could offer a breakthrough in predicting devastating droughts before they strike.
NASA’s Experimental X-59 “Quiet” Supersonic Aircraft Moves One Step Closer to Flight
This week, we examine NASA's efforts to bring quiet supersonic flight to commercial aviation as its X-59 experimental aircraft faces its most crucial challenges yet.
Skinwalkers on Capitol Hill
This week on The Micah Hanks Program, we discuss these recent revelations and explore the strange history that showcases the peculiar bridge between governmental curiosity and the enduring legends of Skinwalker Ranch.
“Alien World” Revealed in Most Detailed Map of the Human Brain Created by Google and Harvard Researchers
A team of Harvard and Google researchers have created the most detailed map of the human brain ever rendered.
Warp Drive Breakthrough Could Enable Constant-Velocity Subluminal Travel, Physics Team Says
A warp drive breakthrough has been unveiled by leading propulsion researchers in in a groundbreaking new study.
Archaeologists Unearth New Clues That Could Help Solve Centuries-Old “Lost Colony” Mystery
New evidence uncovered by archaeologists is bringing researchers closer than ever to revealing the fate of the famous Lost Colony of Roanoke.
Earthquake Swarms with No Clear Trigger Have Baffled Scientists for Years. This May Be What’s Causing Them.
New research has revealed that earthquake swarms may be linked to climate events that include heavy snowfall and rain, according to new findings by MIT scientists and an international team of colleagues.
James Webb Space Telescope Data Reveals New Insights Into the Brightest Gamma Ray Burst Ever Detected
James Webb Space Telescope data is offering new clues about a massive supernova associated with the brightest gamma-ray burst ever recorded.
Most Severe Geomagnetic Storm Forecast in Two Decades Could Mean Northern Lights Sightings
A severe geomagnetic storm is expected to occur over the weekend, which space weather experts say will likely begin as early as Friday afternoon or evening.
Future Humans Could be Haunted by Digital “Ghosts” of Their Dead Loved Ones, Researchers Warn
Researchers warn that people could become unintended targets of emotional distress from AI "deadbots" that emulate their deceased loved ones.
1600-Year-Old Stone Inscribed in Mysterious Ancient Language Unearthed in Accidental Discovery
A peculiar stone inscribed with a mysterious ancient language is revealing new insights to the ancient history of the British Isles.
Generative AI for Top Secret Missions? Microsoft Deploys GPT-4 for Classified Operations
Welcome to this week’s Intelligence Brief… on Tuesday, it was announced that Microsoft is deploying its GPT-4 large...
The UFO Silencers
This week, we look at AARO’s investigations into potentials means by which those with insider knowledge could be potentially be held accountable, and finally, the UFO folklore involving claims of “UFO silencers” from over the decades.
Deep Within These Ancient Lava Tube Caves, Archaeologists Have Made an Unprecedented Discovery
Archaeologists say remarkable archaeological discoveries are being unearthed deep within ancient lava tube caves in northern Saudi Arabia.
These Enigmatic “Yooperlites” Found in Michigan Reveal a Luminous Surprise Under Ultraviolet Light
In Michigan's Upper Peninsula, stones called "Yooperlites" that glow when exposed to ultraviolet (UV) light are capturing the fascination of the rockhounding world.
Scientists Create Swarming Micro-Robots That Can “Hunt” Microplastics and Bacteria Contaminating Water
Scientists report the development of microbiotic swarms that capture microplastics and potentially harmful microbes in water, paving the way for new approaches to combatting pollution in our oceans and waterways.
Astronomers Detect Unusual X-Ray Pulsar Producing Bursts of Energy Current Models Can’t Explain
An unusual celestial object recently discovered by astronomers has been revealed to be a bursting accreting millisecond X-ray pulsar, according to newly published research.
This Well-Known UFO Debunker is Skeptical of the DoD’s Recent Investigations into Aerial Mysteries. Here’s Why.
A prominent UFO skeptic says he has a few problems with recent investigations by the DoD's All-domain Anomaly Resolution Office.
Veins in Plant Leaves Inspire Creation of a New “Universal” Law Based on a Century-Old Theory
A new twist on a century-old law draws inspiration from nature, and could lead to more efficient batteries and improvements to a range of other technologies.
DARPA’s Futuristic Manta Ray Unmanned Underwater Vehicle Sees First Full-Scale Ocean Testing
DARPA's Manta Ray prototype uncrewed underwater vehicle (UUV) has successfully completed initial full-scale tests in an ocean environment.
New Fusion Milestone with Tungsten ‘WEST’ Tokamak Sustains Super-Hot Plasma for Record-Breaking Six Minutes
A record-breaking milestone in fusion has been achieved using a device internally clad in tungsten, according to researchers at Princeton Plasma Physics Laboratory.
Synthetic Cells That Mimic Biology Could Offer Clues on Mysteries of Life, its Origins, and Extraterrestrials
Scientists are making progress in the development of synthetic cells capable of emulating the biological processes of living systems, which could expand our knowledge of life’s essential functions and potentially offer new clues about the origins of life on Earth.
DoD Official Warns Congress About Russia’s Potential Use of a Nuclear Weapon in Space
This week, lawmakers in Washington were warned about a potentially devastating Russian anti-satellite nuclear weapon during a House Armed Services subcommittee hearing.
Incident at Eglin Air Force Base
This week on The Micah Hanks Program, we dive into several issues with the All-domain Anomaly Resolution Office's recent investigation into an alleged UAP incident at Eglin Air Force Base.
Mysterious Roman Dodecahedrons Have Baffled Researchers for Centuries. These Theories Could Help Solve the Mystery.
The mysterious Roman dodecahedrons have baffled researchers for centuries. Now, recent discoveries could be moving archaeologists closer to unraveling their mystery.
China is Preparing to Send Its Chang’e-6 Spacecraft to Explore the Far Side of the Moon
China is reportedly preparing to deliver a robotic spacecraft to the Moon’s far side as part of a series of upcoming missions in advance of the country’s aims to establish a presence on the lunar South Pole.
NASA is Developing Future Propulsion Systems and Improving Sustainability with This Pint-Sized Jet Engine
A small-scale jet engine compact enough to fit on a tabletop is helping to make the future of aviation more sustainable, according to NASA engineers currently involved in tests that could help pave the way toward new aircraft propulsion systems of the coming decades.
New James Webb Space Telescope Findings Are Challenging Our Accepted Ideas on How Galaxies Form
New findings made possible by NASA’s James Webb Space Telescope reveal how galaxies that formed early in the universe appear to have developed more quickly than past models suggested.
AARO Has Only “Moderate Confidence” in Findings From Its Latest UAP Investigation. It’s Easy to See Why.
The Pentagon’s All-domain Anomaly Resolution Office has released a report on its findings involving a UAP sighting reported by a military pilot near Eglin Air Force Base in January 2023.
UFOs: A Scientist’s Perspective
This week on The Micah Hanks Program, former R&D scientist Robert Powell joins us to discuss his nearly two decades of investigation into UFOs, culminating in his new book UFOs: A Scientist Explains What We Know (And Don’t Know).
DARPA’s Experimental RACER Heavy Platform is the Massive New Autonomous Fleet Vehicle of the Future
DARPA says it has successfully conducted tests with an extra-large new fleet vehicle as part of its Robotic Autonomy in Complex Environments with Resiliency (RACER) program.
Lockheed Martin’s ‘Mako,’ the U.S. Navy’s Powerful New Multi-Mission Hypersonic Missile, is Officially Unveiled
Lockheed Martin’s new Mako missile has officially made its debut, marking the arrival of the first hypersonic weapon developed for compatibility with fifth-generation fighter aircraft.
Dentist Makes an Unsettling Discovery in the Floor of His Parents’ Newly Renovated Home
An unsettling discovery in a renovated home reveals how evidence of the ancient past may quite literally be hidden right under our noses.
Voyager 1 Spacecraft Resumes Communication Thanks to Ingenious Engineering Hack Performed from 15 Billion Miles Away
After five months of silence, NASA engineers have successfully received communications from the iconic Voyager 1 spacecraft, allowing them to perform a health and status checkup on the most distant human-built object in the cosmos.
Astronomers Reveal an ‘Active Moon’ May be Hiding in Orbit Near This Recent James Webb Space Telescope Discovery
Emissions from a brown dwarf detected by the James Webb Space Telescope could point to the existence of a volcanically active moon in its orbit.
41,000 Years Ago, a Rare, Extreme Event Allowed an Onslaught of Cosmic Rays Through Earth’s Magnetic Field
New research reveals how cosmic rays bombarded the Earth 41,000 years ago as its magnetic field temporarily weakened.
Leaked Document Reveals Russia’s Latest Efforts to Weaken the West
This week we examine a newly leaked secret document outlining Russia’s aims to wage a campaign aimed at weakening the U.S. and other western nations.
Broken AARO: The Mellon Report, UAP, and Area 51
This week on The Micah Hanks Program, we analyze Christopher Mellon's response to the recent AARO historical report, along with several intriguing revelations it contains.
NASA’s Lunar Reconnaissance Orbiter Spotted the Moon’s Shadow on Earth During Recent 2024 Eclipse
From its position in orbit around the Moon, NASA’s Lunar Reconnaissance Orbiter was treated to a unique view of the recent 2024 full eclipse.
Department of Energy Fusion Discovery Could Allow Physicists to Tame Volatile Plasmas
A new strategy toward using fusion to produce electricity combines two methods of managing plasma to allow greater overall flexibility.
NASA Has Concluded Its Investigation of a Mystery Object That Crashed Into a Florida Home Last Month
An object that struck a home in Florida last month has been confirmed by NASA to have been released from the International Space Station.
James Webb Space Telescope Discovery Reveals a Dark Matter Anomaly Related to Ghostly ‘Einstein Ring’
A remnant of the early universe discovered last year by the James Webb Space Telescope has yielded a few astronomical surprises, including an Einstein ring and other properties that are now helping astrophysicists unveil new insights into the mysterious nature of dark matter.
Novel Material Capable of 190% Quantum Efficiency Could Revolutionize Solar Power Systems
A potentially revolutionary new material raises the quantum efficiency of solar panels to an unprecedented 190%