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...
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.
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.
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.