International Fusion Energy Experts Are Looking to Lasers for the Future of Clean Energy
Fusion energy researchers around the world are increasingly looking to lasers as the path toward producing cleaner, more sustainable energy in the years ahead.
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.
U.S. Department of Energy to Make Major Fusion Energy Announcement This Week: Here’s What We Know
Scientists from the Nuclear Ignition Facility at Lawrence Livermore National Laboratories (LLNL) have achieved a major milestone in fusion energy as the energy needed to cause the reaction was less than the energy produced.
Plasma Propulsion Discovery Could Herald a ‘New Era of Space Exploration’
Researchers say they have discovered the solution to a problem that has long hindered progress with a novel form of plasma propulsion.
Compromise 2023 NDAA Outlines Provisions for Military, Disruptive Tech, UAP, and More
This week, a compromise has been reached between the House and Senate Armed Services Committees regarding the National Defense Authorization Act for 2023.
Odd Emissions Detected from a High-Energy Space Object Prompted Investigations by Astronomers. Here’s What They Found.
Astronomers say the results of a long-term study of a distant, high-energy space object have yielded new details about the behavior of one of our universe’s most prevalent extragalactic sources of gamma rays.
Levitation Breakthrough Achieved in New Study of Acoustic Radiation Force Phenomenon
Expanding the field of acoustic levitation, a team of researchers has revealed new applications for levitating small objects with sound.
What’s That Rumbling Beneath Yellowstone? Supervolcano Study Doubles Past Magma Estimates
According to new research, the Yellowstone Supervolcano contains almost twice the amount of magma researchers once believed.
The DOD’s 2022 China Military Power Report: An Estimate of the Situation
This week, we look at the DOD's annual China Military Power Report, identifying China’s current military aspirations and ability to upset the international order.
Recent Pilot UAP Sightings Point to Aviation Safety Challenges, Experts Say
Several recent pilot UFO sightings may have been explained, but ongoing incidents involving unidentified aerial phenomena point to safety issues and other challenges for aviators.
The USAF’s B-21 Raider Will Be Unveiled This Week: Here’s What We Know About the World’s First Sixth-Generation Aircraft
This week the public will finally get its first look at Northrop Grumman's B-21 Raider. Here's what we know about the world’s first sixth-generation aircraft.
Science Textbooks May Be Wrong? Fossil Mystery Has Scientists Scrutinizing Brain Evolution
Half a billion years ago, an ancient wormlike animal was preserved in a seabed, whose fossil remains are now challenging our current theories about brain evolution.
Algorithm in U.S. Government Test Hacked in Under an Hour with Unique Mathematical Theorem
Belgian researchers successfully hacked a United States government algorithm with a special theorem developed by a Canadian mathematician.
The Strange Case of the ODNI’s Missing UAP Report
In this Thanksgiving installment of the Intelligence Brief Newsletter, we look at the latest status of a "missing" UAP report scheduled to be delivered to Congress last month.
Asteroid Impact in Canada May Have Left Something Behind That Astronomers Now Want
Astronomers say an asteroid impact in Canada near the shores of Lake Erie could provide a rich source of information for future studies.
Anti-Aging Technology Will Help Indiana Jones ‘Time Travel’ Back to 1944 to Battle Nazis
Actor Harrison Ford will be time-traveling back to 1944 to fight Nazis with the help of anti-aging technology in the fifth installment of the Indiana Jones film series.
‘Impossible’ Discovery Reveals New Science Linking Genetics and Human Height
New results from the largest genome-wide association study ever carried out have revealed a link between genetics and height, according to the authors of a recent paper.
Take a Scroll Through the Cosmos With This Awe-Inspiring New Map of the Universe
A new map of the universe has been made available free to the public, showing the cosmos in unprecedented color and detail.
Nation’s Largest Center for Historical Records on UFOs to be Established in New Mexico
At its new home in New Mexico, the National UFO Historical Records Center is set to become the largest archive of historical records on UAP ever assembled.
A Curious New Organism Has Been Discovered Hiding Within an Underground Cave
Japanese researchers have discovered a new microorganism within a cave that could offer clues about the evolution of multicellular life.
NASA Successfully Launches its Artemis I Mega Rocket, Carrying Orion to the Moon
NASA landed another huge success this week as it launched it's impressive Artemis rocket into space, which is now on its way toward the Moon.
Defying Current Theories, Researchers Say Something ‘Unexpected’ Has Been Observed During Fusion Experiments
New studies reveal unexpected behavior of ions in fusion reactions, which may offer clues in the effort to achieve sustained fusion ignition.
Physicists Claim Wormholes May Have Been Detected, with Help from a New Theoretical Model
Wormholes may have already been detected, but have been hiding in plain sight, according to a team of Bulgarian physicists.
This Concerning Theory May Explain Why We Haven’t Found Evidence of Intelligent Alien Life
A team of researchers argues the "Great Filter" theory could offer a concerning explanation for why astronomers have yet to find evidence of intelligent alien life.
Caught on Tape: A Sticky Study in Electricity Solves an 80-Year-Old Physics Mystery
New insights into the phenomenon of contact electricity have been revealed by a research team with the Ulsan National Institute of Science and Technology.
“Vastly Underestimated” Ice Loss Presents a Grim Forecast for Future Sea Level Rise
This week, we analyze a recent international study pointing to a greater sea level rise in the years ahead than previous models expected.
Researchers Detect a Mysterious ‘Structure’ Hidden Beyond the Milky Way’s Zone of Avoidance
A research team has reported the discovery of a large extragalactic structure obscured from view beyond a portion of the Milky Way galaxy, in a new paper outlining their preliminary findings.
A “Living Fossil” Has Been Discovered Alive in California’s Coastal Waters
The recent amazing discovery of a "living fossil" revealed a species presumed to be extinct that was alive and well in an unlikely place.
“Unexpected” Discovery in Anti-Aging Science Reveals Process that Lengthens Immune Cell Lifespan
A new breakthrough in anti-aging science that slows the degradation of immune cells has been reported by an international team of scientists.
NASA-Funded Project Will Crowdsource Data to Study Mysterious Transient Luminous Events
Lightning sprites and other mysterious Transient Luminous Events (TLEs) will be explored in a new NASA-Funded citizen science project.
The Inside Story Behind the Recent Record-Breaking North Korean Missile Frenzy
This week we’ll be looking at events leading up to a recent series of missile launches by North Korea, and what it means in terms of the country’s expanding capabilities.
North Korea Launches Record-Breaking Barrage of Missiles, Prompting Air Raid Alert and Evacuations
North Korea reportedly fired almost two dozen missiles early on Wednesday, prompting evacuations to underground shelter facilities on South Korea’s Ulleung island.
“Quantum Watch” Helps Physicists Reveal a Completely New Way to Measure Time
An international team of physicists says it has discovered a new way to measure time, in a research effort that led to the creation of a kind of “quantum watch.”
Existence of Long-Rumored ‘Strange Star’ Made of Weird Matter May Finally Be Confirmed
Composed entirely of strange “quark matter,” astronomers believe they may have discovered a long-rumored space object possessing unusual stellar qualities.
Newton’s Law of Universal Gravitation is Challenged by Controversial New Astrophysics Discovery
New discoveries by a team of astrophysicists are pointing to revelations that could challenge Newton's Law of Universal Gravitation.
NASA UAP Study Update: Team Members Assemble as Study Officially Goes Underway
With NASA's UAP study now underway, in recent days we learned who the space agency has selected to collect and study data related to the phenomenon.
This Quantum Inertial Sensor Could Help the Military’s Next-Gen Aircraft Navigate Without GPS Satellites
A new quantum inertial sensor that relies on a laser and vacuum system is so small it could fit on a kitchen tabletop... and it could help navigate tomorrow's next-gen aircraft.
Unidentified Aerial Phenomena and Aviation Safety: A Persistent Challenge
This week we look at UAP pilots have recently reported, interpretations of what they might be, and their relevance to aviation safety.
“Any Idea What They Are?” American Pilots Report Multiple Encounters with Unusual ‘Racetrack’ UAP in Recent Weeks
Pilots and crews from more than 15 commercial aircraft say they have recently encountered unusual "Racetrack" UAP in American airspace.
What Made the Mushrooms Magic: Psychedelic Study Explores the Odd Evolution of Mind-Altering Fungi
Scientists are trying to narrow down what led certain fungi to take the unique evolutionary path that helped them produce psychedelic compounds.
Smashing Success: NASA Presents a Promising DART Mission Update
Welcome to this week’s installment of The Intelligence Brief… now that NASA’s investigation team has had time to go...
Faster Than Light Speed? ‘Star Crash’ Produces Cosmic Blast That Seemed to Defy Physics
A cosmic blast caused by a “star crash” between two neutron stars produced an effect that seemingly defied the laws of physics, according to researchers.
Flying Saucer? No, But This Inflatable Heat Shield Could Help Astronauts Land on Mars
NASA's new inflatable heat shield, which may one day assist in landing humans on Mars, will soon be launched from Vandenberg Space Force Base.
Unsettling Security Threat Revealed as AI “Thermal Attack” Guesses Passwords in Seconds
A potential security threat has been revealed in a recent study where passwords were easily guessed by an AI-driven thermal imaging system.
A New Quasiparticle Has Been Created in Breakthrough Research by Physicists
A new type of magnetic quasiparticle has been created, according to researchers who coupled light with an array of extremely thin magnets.
Jacques Vallée: Pursuing Unidentified Aerial Phenomena and ‘Impossible Futures’
The 83-year-old scientist tells The Debrief what more than six decades of studying aerial mysteries have taught him about UAP phenomena and the scientific process.
Russian Space Agency Seeks to Continue Operations Aboard the ISS Beyond 2024
This week, we look at how the Russian space agency is now looking at the possibility of continuing its space operations aboard the International Space Station beyond 2024.
Puzzling Plasma Phenomenon Could Hold the Key to a Breakthrough in Fusion Energy
A team of physicists at Princeton Plasma Physics Lab says they have narrowed down what causes plasma disruptions during fusion reactions.
Controversial Ukrainian UAP Study Shot Down in Statement by Scientific Council
A Ukrainian UAP study claiming to have captured images of unknown aerial objects has been taken to task by astronomers with the country's National Academy of Sciences.
Are Intelligent Extraterrestrials Hiding from Us? In Fact, it Might Be the Other Way Around
Could intelligent aliens be hiding from us? A new research paper asks if a unique astronomical phenomenon could effectively hide Earth from any friendly aliens' view.
When Radiation Meets Metal: The Complicated Science of Material Failure
Welcome to this week’s installment of The Intelligence Brief… items in our queue this week include how a team...