Discovery in NASA’s OSIRIS REx Mission Samples Point to Asteroid Bennu’s Surprising Origins
Asteroid samples retrieved by NASA’s OSIRIS-REx mission have revealed the presence of components hinting at the origins of life on Earth.
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.
Beneath Antarctica’s Ice Sheets, Scientists Have Just Made a Wet and Worrying Discovery
Researchers in Antarctica report a concerning new discovery involving ice melting on Earth’s southernmost continent.
DARPA Teases Newest ‘X-Plane’ Images as Mysterious Hybrid Electric Propulsion Craft Gets Official Designation
DARPA has revealed the official designation of a next-generation X-plane it currently has under development.
CERN Experiment Reveals “Spooky Action at a Distance” Persists Between Top Quarks
Quantum entanglement in top quarks has been demonstrated, according to the results of a groundbreaking experiment by physicists at CERN.
James Webb Space Telescope Captures Images of Rare Phenomenon Long Anticipated by Astronomers
NASA’s James Webb Space Telescope has captured striking new images of the Serpens Nebula, revealing a rare alignment of stellar jets that offers new insights into how stars form.
Videos Reveal This Bloodsucking Parasite Doing Something Odd That Settles a Century-Old Debate
Videos reveal a surprising new behavior in a species of leech that settles more than a century of debate among scientists.
Department of Energy Scientists Achieve Fusion Milestone with Promising New Plasma Escape Mechanism
In a fusion energy milestone, researchers have revealed new ways of improving reactor efficiency and longevity while reducing the potential for damage.
NASA Plans to Put an Artificial Star in Orbit. Here’s Why.
NASA plans to deploy an artificial “star” into orbit in a forthcoming space mission to enhance astronomical measurements.
NASA Restores Communication to Voyager Spacecraft in Seemingly Impossible Feat
This week, NASA has achieved the seemingly impossible by restoring full communication to its iconic Voyager I spacecraft.
Emergency in Orbit
This week on The Micah Hanks Program, we look at several of the most alarming incidents that have occurred in the history of spaceflight, as well as occasional encounters with unidentified objects reported by astronauts during orbital operations.
U.S. Air Force and Lockheed Martin Test Advanced Mk21A Missile Reentry Vehicle Over the Pacific
The USAF and Lockheed Martin have announced the successful completion of a test involving the Mk21A future intercontinental ballistic missile reentry vehicle.
What’s That? Look at What NASA’s Lunar Reconnaissance Orbiter Just Spotted on the Far Side of the Moon
Look at what has turned up in new images of the far side of the Moon captured by NASA's Lunar Reconnaissance Orbiter.
Scientists Produce Black Hole ‘Plasma Fireballs’ on Earth in New Breakthrough Experiment
Researchers have produced high-density “plasma fireballs” on Earth, recreating conditions that naturally occur around black holes.
Einstein Telescope to Usher New Era in Astrophysics with Observations of Gravitational Waves
The Einstein Telescope, a state-of-the-art new gravitational wave detector, could mark the beginning of a new era in astrophysics.
Emergency on the ISS? Disturbing Audio Led to Concerns About a Medical Situation in Space
This week, we examine an incident that unfolded this week that led to concerns about a possible medical emergency on board the International Space Station.
Secret Military Tech and UAP “Silent Giants”
This week on The Micah Hanks Program, we look at some of history’s most famous cases involving encounters with “silent giants” that include massive black triangular UAP.
Anomalous Satellites? DARPA Deploys New System for Detecting Unusual Objects in Orbit
DARPA has a new tracking system to detect objects in orbit that exhibit anomalous behavior that may threaten U.S. national security.
Clash Between General Relativity and Quantum Mechanics Could Be Resolved by New Mathematical Framework
New research is offering fresh insights into the long-held divide between general relativity and quantum mechanics.
Gravity Without Mass? New Study Challenges the Existence of Hypothetical Dark Matter
A recent study that presents new challenges to the existence of dark matter suggests gravity may be able to exist even in the absence of mass.
Boeing’s Starliner Makes History With Successful First Crewed Launch
Welcome to this week’s Intelligence Brief… this week, Boeing made history with the launch of its first crewed...
NASA, AARO, and Scientists Pursuing the Unexplained
This week, we dive into recent discussions with military and intelligence professionals that underscore the seriousness of the UAP issue, highlighting skepticism towards AARO’s efforts and the need for a more collaborative approach to uncover the truth behind these mysterious encounters.
In the Remote Arctic, Giant “Invisible” Lifeforms Have been Discovered Lurking on Greenland’s Ice Sheet
Scientists have made an unexpected discovery on Arctic ice sheets, revealing the presence of giant "invisble" lifeforms.
ChatGPT “Major Outage” Raises Questions Amid Whistleblower Warnings of “Reckless” Race Toward AI Dominance
OpenAI’s ChatGPT is now back online following what the AI company behind the popular chatbot called a “major outage” that occurred on Tuesday.
James Webb Space Telescope Discovery Unveils Earliest Known Galaxy in the Universe, and a Few Surprises
Astronomers have discovered a pair of extremely distant celestial objects with help from NASA’s James Webb Space Telescope (JWST), one of which is believed to be the earliest known galaxy detected.
Enigma Project to Enable Remote Classified Work for U.S. Space Force Guardians
A new program that leverages cloud technology to facilitate a secure system for handling classified information could soon enable remote work for U.S. Space Force (USSF) Guardians.
Skeleton Recovered in Siberia Reveals Discovery of Previously Unknown Ancient Species
The recent discovery of a partial skeleton in Western Siberia has helped scientists identify a new ancient species.
Ongoing Sightings of This Enigmatic Lost Species Continue to Challenge Accepted Views on Its Extinction
Thylacine sightings have persisted for decades, causing some wildlife experts to wonder whether the species might have survived extinction.
How Concerned Should We Be About Falling Space Debris?
This week, we examine recent events that are causing heightened concerns about the potential threats associated with falling space debris.
Paradigm Shift: Odd Artifacts and Archaeological Mysteries
This week we examine archaeological discoveries that are causing many experts to revisit old perplexing questions about cosmic-scale events that occurred long ago, as well as questions over who may have been among the earliest to arrive in North America.
Mysterious “Hawking Radiation” May Be Detectable Using Contemporary Telescopes, Researchers Say
New research suggests that black hole mergers may produce smaller black hole “morsels” that could help astronomers detect Hawking radiation using current telescopes.
“FOO Fighter” Experimental Fire Control Satellite Program to Develop New Ground System Prior to Official Launch
The Space Development Agency (SDA) has announced it is moving forward with the development of a ground system infrastructure for its experimental “FOO Fighter” fire control satellites.
Something Odd is Happening Daily in Antarctica That Researchers Completely Overlooked Until Now
Something is happening each day at Antarctica's largest ice shelf that has previously gone unnoticed, despite more than a century of human activity in the area.
A Mysterious Object Discovered in the North Carolina Mountains Likely Fell from Space. Here’s What We Think It Is.
A strange-looking object recently discovered in the mountains of Western North Carolina by an area maintenance worker is believed to be debris that fell from space earlier this week.
Scientists Reveal “Sixth Sense” These Creatures Use to Detect Predators Before They Strike
A recent study has revealed a new dimension of predator-prey interactions that had remained previously unknown to science.
Pentagon Officials Say Russia Has Launched a Counter Space Weapon into Orbit
This week, a counter space weapon was reportedly placed into orbit by Russia in near proximity to a U.S. government satellite.
The DoD’s ‘Perception Management’ of UAP
This week on The Micah Hanks Program, we delve into what a former special agent characterizes as "perception management" being undertaken by the DoD regarding UAP.
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.
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.