Micah Hanks, Author at The Debrief

“It isn’t Ours.” Marco Rubio Says the Government is Taking Unidentified Aerial Phenomena Seriously

Micah Hanks·March 24, 2021

Marco Rubio recently weighed in on unidentified aerial phenomena, saying that the “stigma” associated with the subject has hindered government efforts at studying it.

This is the New High-Speed Propulsion System the DoD and Norway are Working On

Micah Hanks·March 24, 2021

The DoD and Norway aim to produce a new advanced solid fuel ramjet propulsion system with applications for future hypersonic weaponry.

This Rare Area 51 Footage Was Recently Removed by the CIA

Micah Hanks·March 23, 2021

Footage from Area 51, made at the remote USAF facility in 1960, offers a unique glimpse at one of the most secretive locations on Earth.

Richard Garriott Becomes First Astronaut and Polar Explorer to Visit Mariana Trench

Micah Hanks·March 23, 2021

Richard Garriott has become first person to have visited the Mariana Trench, both poles of the Earth, and also fly aboard the International Space Station.

Spacecraft Seen Over the Northeast Last Week Led to UFO Reports

Micah Hanks·March 22, 2021

Dozens of people in the U.S. reported seeing a Falcon 9 spacecraft streaking through the early morning sky shortly after 6 AM EDT on March 14.

Biologging Reveals Strange Circles Made by Marine Life, Baffling Researchers

Micah Hanks·March 22, 2021

Researchers using biologging technology have found that marine animals move in strange, circular patterns that scientists can't yet explain.

‘Oumuamua Not an Alien Spaceship, Likely a Piece of an Exoplanet, New Study Says

Micah Hanks·March 19, 2021

Two scientists from the University of Arizona believe they have solved the mystery behind ‘Oumuamua, suggesting its a piece of an exoplanet.

Incredible Winds on Jupiter Stun Researchers in Astronomical First

Micah Hanks·March 19, 2021

Astronomers have obtained measurements of the winds in Jupiter’s middle atmosphere with the Atacama Large Millimeter/submillimeter Array.

Hypersonics and Unidentified Aviation Hazards

Micah Hanks·March 18, 2021

This week, we examine hypersonics in Russia, the Pentagon's own renewed hypersonic efforts, and what NASA reports tell us about UFOs.

Newly Uncovered NASA Reports Reveal Pilot Encounters with UFOs

Micah Hanks·March 18, 2021

An investigation by The Debrief has revealed reports filed with NASA's Aviation Safety Reporting System detailing pilot encounters with UFOs.

Bacteria Strains Recovered From ISS Are New to Science, Study Says

Micah Hanks·March 18, 2021

Scientists have found that bacteria recovered from the International Space Station were previously unrecognized by science.

Remote Identification and Other New FAA Drone Rules Take Effect This April

Micah Hanks·March 17, 2021

According to the new guidelines, the FAA will now require Remote Identification, as well as new rules for Operations Over People, which will take effect on April 21, 2021.

Asteroid 2001 FO32 Will Pass the Earth Later This Month Without Incident

Micah Hanks·March 15, 2021

The near approach of asteroid 2001 FO32 follows on the coattails of a recent close encounter Earth had with 99942 Apophis.

The Epidemic of Forgotten Ideas: Science and the “Virus” of Innovation

Micah Hanks·March 12, 2021

Among the most significant scientific discoveries are forgotten ideas that reemerged, and saw widespread acceptance and implementation.

Gliese 486b, a Newly-Discovered “Super Earth,” Heats Up Exoplanet Studies

Micah Hanks·March 12, 2021

A gigantic, stony Earth-like world with rivers of lava and almost no atmosphere, Gliese 486b is lighting a fire under current exoplanet studies.

“Unmistakably of Extraterrestrial Origin,” IceCube Detects Rare Particle Event

Micah Hanks·March 11, 2021

A rare event predicted by a Nobel Laureate has been confirmed by scientists with the IceCube South Pole Neutrino Observatory.

Winchcombe Meteorite That Lit Up UK Skies May Contain Building Blocks of Life

Micah Hanks·March 11, 2021

A brilliant fireball that lit up the UK skies last month has been recovered on UK soil, and its chemical makeup makes it one of the rarest of its kind.

Vislink: The Pentagon’s New Eyes

Micah Hanks·March 10, 2021

In this week’s edition of The Intelligence Brief, we look at The Pentagon’s new $4 million deal with Vislink and other news related to surveillance.

Russia and China Plan to Build a Moon Base, Russian Space Agency Says

Micah Hanks·March 10, 2021

Russia and China have announced plans to collaborate on building a moon base for future lunar research, according to the Russian space agency Roscosmos.

Betelgeuse Mystery May Be Solved with Help from a Stellar “Monster”

Micah Hanks·March 10, 2021

The mysterious dimming of Betelgeuse, observed since 2019, may have been solved with new data from Hubble's Space Telescope.

iMac Pro is Discontinued as Apple Sets Pace for Designs of the Next Decade

Micah Hanks·March 10, 2021

The iMac Pro, a computer once hailed by Apple as the strongest and most formidable in its entire inventory will no longer be made, the company has confirmed.

Mobile Device Use Impacts Attention, Cognition in Preschoolers, Study Says

Micah Hanks·March 9, 2021

A team of Hungarian researchers found that mobile device use by preschoolers may negatively impact their attention and social cognition development.

Is Our Universe a Neural Network? This Scientist Thinks So.

Micah Hanks·March 9, 2021

University of Minnesota Duluth scientist Vitaly Vanchurin thinks the universe may be a neural network, and suggests a "theory of everything."

Robotic Dog “Zeus” Spotted At Recent SpaceX Crash Site

Micah Hanks·March 9, 2021

A robotic dog made a surprise appearance as it was seen lurking around the crash site of SpaceX's SN10 prototype.

Fireball Over the Northeast Produced a Loud Sonic Boom, Witnesses Say

Micah Hanks·March 8, 2021

A brilliant fireball lit up the northeastern sky on Sunday afternoon, producing a sonic boom heard by residents in the U.S. and Canada.

Superior Mirage Appearances Explain “Phantom Ships” Seen for Centuries

Micah Hanks·March 8, 2021

A superior mirage photographed off the English coast helps explain tales of "ghost ships" that shaped maritime folklore for centuries.

Apophis, a Feared Future Earth Impactor, Just Flew Past Us

Micah Hanks·March 8, 2021

Apophis, a near-earth asteroid as large as the Eifel Tower, has kept some astronomers on edge about its future flybys.

With the Help of a Dead Insect, Israeli Researchers Created an “Ear-Bot”

Micah Hanks·March 4, 2021

A group of biotechnology researchers have succeeded in using the auditory organ from a dead locust to animate a one-of-a-kind "Ear-Bot."

Drones: Flight of the Force Multipliers

Micah Hanks·March 3, 2021

In this installment of the Intelligence Brief, we look at the use of autonomous drones by U.S. Customs and Border Patrol, and resulting issues in Silicon Valley and industry.

Experts Baffled by Strange Stripes in Siberia

Micah Hanks·March 3, 2021

Satellite photos of Russia’s Markha River in Arctic Siberia have provided clues to an odd geological riddle.

Space Hurricanes Confirmed by Scientists Studying Mysterious Plasma Phenomena

Micah Hanks·March 3, 2021

Scientists have confirmed the existence of "space hurricanes" that produce showers of electrons instead of water and wind.

New Study Says Atlantic Ocean Circulation is Weakest in 1600 Years

Micah Hanks·March 2, 2021

A recent study suggests that the Atlantic Ocean circulation that affects climate conditions is moving more slowly than it has since 400 AD.

Perseverance Brought a “Family Portrait” to Mars, Continuing a NASA Tradition

Micah Hanks·March 1, 2021

Perseverance arrived on Mars with a "family portrait," continuing a long NASA tradition of sending images to space detailing life on Earth.

Space Planes and Mystery Missiles

Micah Hanks·February 24, 2021

The Pentagon's latest solar experiments aboard the X-37B, as well as a mysterious object observed by pilots recently over New Mexico, are covered in this week's Intelligence Brief.

Perseverance Makes Historic Touchdown on Mars

Micah Hanks·February 18, 2021

Perseverance has successfully landed on Mars, and begins its mission to help scientists learn more than ever before about our rocky red neighbor.

Touchdown: Perseverance Lands on Mars

Micah Hanks·February 18, 2021

This week's Intelligence Brief covers NASA's ambitious plans to land the Perseverance rover on Mars, its most dangerous landing mission yet.

Humanity’s Enduring Fascination With Mars

Micah Hanks·February 17, 2021

Our fascination with Mars has endured for centuries, and recent days have shown that we are closer than ever to unlocking the many mysteries of the Red Planet.

The Great Mars Invasion of 2021

Micah Hanks·February 11, 2021

An "invasion" of Mars is currently underway... we look at this, the difficulty many past nations have had getting to Mars, and the latest US Navy activities which have led to UFO sightings.

The Latest From The Debrief

Micah Hanks·February 4, 2021

Here are the top stories we’re covering right now… Lockheed’s SR-72 Spy Plane May Be Autonomous and Reach...

The Latest SpaceX Starship Crash Highlights Musk’s Issues With the FAA

Micah Hanks·February 3, 2021

This week, we look at the recent crash landing of the SpaceX SN9 prototype, and why the FAA's response illustrates ongoing issues Elon Musk has with the agency.

The Search for Extraterrestrial Life

Micah Hanks·January 28, 2021

This week, the search for extraterrestrial life takes center stage as we examine how scientists are looking for answers to one of life's greatest questions.

The Latest From The Debrief

Micah Hanks·January 21, 2021

Here are the top stories we’re covering right now… Hubble Spies a Stellar “Ghost” Last Seen at the...

Inauguration Day: Biden’s New DoD and Aerial Threats

Micah Hanks·January 21, 2021

This week's newsletter covers the inauguration of President Biden, his cabinet picks and defense strategy, and what the new administration's attitudes toward the UAP issue may be.

Hubble Spies a Stellar “Ghost” Last Seen at the End of the Roman Empire

Micah Hanks·January 21, 2021

The Hubble Space Telescope is helping astronomers study the remains of a star that exploded nearly 1700 years ago.

The Latest From The Debrief

Micah Hanks·January 15, 2021

Here are the top stories we’re covering right now… Are the New Chinese Aircraft Carriers a Threat? China...

The Final Frontier

Micah Hanks·January 14, 2021

Nuclear energy in space, a global space alliance proposal by the EU and the Space Force’s current public relations issues are all topics in this week's Intelligence Brief.

The Latest From The Debrief

Micah Hanks·January 7, 2021

Here are the top stories we’re covering right now… Sandia Labs Will Begin Developing Novel Alloys Using Machine...

Siege at the U.S. Capitol

Micah Hanks·January 7, 2021

An unprecedented breach of the U.S. Capitol Building on Wednesday was among many factors this week that raise questions about our of state of preparedness.

Police, FAA Notified After Sightings of Unidentified Aerial Object Over Hawaii

Micah Hanks·January 2, 2021

An unidentified aerial object that recently appeared in the night sky over Honolulu resulted in 911 calls to local law enforcement, as well as inquiries with the Federal Aviation Administration.

The Latest From The Debrief

Micah Hanks·January 1, 2021

Here are the top stories we’re covering right now… Farewell 2020: Five Cosmic Stories We Didn’t Cover But...