Odd “Polygons” on Mars, a Rendezvous with Space Objects, and a Deep Earth Mystery
This week in stories at The Debrief, we look at unusual features discovered on Mars, a pair of celestial rendezvous, and a deep Earth mystery.
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.
Earth Has a ‘Quasi-Moon’ Lurking Nearby, and These Are the First Images of the Space Object That Prove It
The Chinese Tianwen-2 mission has captured the first imagery of a space object that some astronomers are calling Earth’s “quasi-moon.”
Archaeologists Opened a Chinese Lord’s 2,600-Year-Old Tomb—and Discovered Dozens of “Deactivated” Metallic Artifacts
Why were dozens of bronze artifacts discovered within an ancient Chinese tomb "deactivated" at the time of their placement?
Surprising Evidence of a ‘Lost’ Ancient City is Emerging from Beneath the Sands of Egypt’s Western Desert
Archaeologists have found the remains of an ancient 'lost' city in Egypt’s western desert, Ministry of Antiquity officials have revealed.
Look: Japan’s Hayabusa2 Spacecraft Just Had a Close Encounter with the Mysterious Asteroid ‘Torifune’
The Hayabusa2 spacecraft completed its flyby of the asteroid Torifune over the weekend, according to Japan’s space agency.
How Did a Crab Become Trapped in a Bottle with an Opening Too Small to Enter? Once-Baffled Scientists Say They’ve Solved the Mystery
An oceanic mystery has unfolded with the discovery of a crab in a plastic bottle with an opening too small for the crustacean to fit through.
Deep Inside the Earth’s Molten Core, a Sudden ‘Reversal’ Now Has Scientists Searching for Answers
The molten iron core deep within our planet could be much more dynamic and complicated than previously known, new research suggests.
Look: NASA Celebrates “America 250” This Independence Day With a Patriotic View of the Cosmos
With the arrival of America’s 250th birthday this Independence Day weekend, NASA is marking the occasion with a patriotic-themed perspective on the cosmos.
NASA’s Curiosity Rover is Investigating Unusual Polygon Structures That Look Like a “Giant Martian Honeycomb”
An odd-looking series of polygon-shaped structures have been discovered on Mars, as revealed in new images obtained by NASA’s Curiosity Rover.
America at 250: From the Battle for Independence, to the Fight Over Artificial Intelligence
As America celebrates its 250th birthday, we look at technological revolutions that have shaped the country—and the AI revolution now poised to redefine its future.
A Mysterious Circular Structure Buried Under the North Sea Has Revealed New Evidence of an Ancient Cataclysmic Event
Scientists have solved the mystery of an unusual circular structure beneath the North Sea that has been debated for more than two decades.
One of the Ancient World’s ‘Seven Wonders’ Resurfaces, a Red Planet Photo Op, and an “Impossible” Artifact
This week, The Debrief looks at the rediscovery of one of the Seven Wonders of the Ancient World, a stunning new image of Mars, and much more.
“We Don’t Have Any Records So Far”: Archaeologists Discover Ancient ‘Monolith’ in Mexico Unlike Anything Previously Seen
Archaeologists in Mexico report the “unprecedented” discovery of an unusual monolith and pre-Hispanic ruins unlike others in the region.
Ancient Romans Buried Secret Coin Hoards Across Europe and Never Retrieved Them—Now Archaeologists Finally Know Why
Scholars may have solved an enduring archaeological riddle: why ancient Romans concealed massive coin hoards and never returned for them.
“It Has a Hidden Order That Becomes Visible”: Physicists Just Discovered a Bizarre New Quantum State
An unusual new type of quantum state has been revealed by theoretical physicists by pushing particles to their limits.
Scientists Create Bio-Inspired Robots to Hack the Hovering Powers of This Exceptional Species to Build Better UAVs
An innovative new approach to building safer, more efficient small unmanned aerial vehicles is taking a cue from nature.
Lost for Centuries, One of the Seven Wonders of the Ancient World Has Been Rediscovered, and is Now Rising from the Mediterranean Sea
After more than seven centuries, the third-longest-surviving of the seven ancient wonders is rising again, offering archaeologists clues to the appearance and construction of this historic marvel.
Something is Swarming in Swirls of Green in the Black Sea—and These NASA Images Captured the Phenomenon from Orbit
NASA orbital imagery of the Black Sea has revealed eerie-looking swirls of turquoise-green swarming in its waters.
Look What NASA’s Mars Reconnaissance Orbiter Just Spotted Lurking in the Red Planet’s Arbot Hills
A tiny green dot in an image taken by NASA’s Mars Reconnaissance Orbiter captures a historic tale of Red Planet exploration.
2,700-Year-Old Assyrian Artifact Made from Odd Material Should Have Been “Impossible” to Craft with Ancient Tools, Archaeologists Say
Archaeologists have unearthed an artifact they say should have been "impossible" to craft using techniques available to artisans in the Near East nearly 2,700 years ago.
U.S. Tests Directed-Energy Weapon as Golden Dome Missile Shield Advances—Here’s What We Know
This week, the Pentagon announced a major milestone in the proposed Golden Dome missile defense system with the test of a next-generation directed-energy weapon.
Tiny Artifact Found by Metal Detectorist Complicates the Story of Sutton Hoo, May Rewrite the History of Early English Metallurgy
A chance discovery is challenging archaeologists’ understanding of one of England’s most famous archaeological sites.
NASA’s Webb Telescope Spied on Interstellar Object 3I/ATLAS as It Left Our Solar System—What It Spotted “Surprised Researchers”
Astronomers using NASA’s James Webb Space Telescope have revealed surprising new data about the mysterious interstellar comet 3I/ATLAS.
Deep in the Jungles of Borneo, Scientists Just Discovered a “Hyperparasite” Organism That Preys on Zombie Fungi
Scientists working in the jungles of Borneo report an unsettling discovery: a parasitic organism that they say has a hunger for zombie fungi.
Scientists Warn Extraterrestrial Encounters Could Endanger Earth—a Quarantine Facility on the Moon May Be Our Last Line of Defense
Researchers say a biocontainment facility on the Moon could be humanity's last line of defense against potential future alien contamination.
5,500 Years Ago, Something Was Killing Humans in Prehistoric Siberia—New Research Has Finally Revealed This Ancient Assassin
Why were so many children and adolescents among the dead at ancient burial sites in eastern Siberia? Scientists may finally have the answer.
Earthlings on Europa? Provocative Study Explores ‘Reverse Panspermia’ Scenario Where Earth Life May Have Invaded an Alien Moon
A provocative study suggests that Jupiter’s frozen moon Europa may not only be hospitable, but that life from Earth could be thriving there.
A Bizarre ‘Bullseye’ in Space Could Hold a Major Clue to Unraveling One of the Universe’s Greatest Mysteries
New research reveals how an unusual celestial object resembling a cosmic “bullseye” could offer clues to one of the most perplexing phenomena in our universe.
Could Humans Regrow Limbs? Scientists Are Closer Than Ever to Unlocking a Hidden Power of Regeneration
Scientists have regrown skeletal and connective tissues in mammals, marking a “critical step” toward enabling tissue regeneration in humans.
Physicists Say This Exotic Particle’s Odd Decay Could Reveal Clues to a Longstanding Mystery
Physicists have revealed that the unusual decay of an “exotic” subatomic particle could offer new clues to its mysterious structure.
Astronomers Observing a Supermassive Black Hole Just Had an Unexpected UFO Sighting
Scientists report the detection of one of the strongest "UFOs" astronomers have ever seen during observations of a supermassive black hole.
Grok Goes to War: Pentagon Reveals Musk’s AI Chatbot Launched Missiles in U.S. War with Iran
This week, we learned the Pentagon reportedly leveraged Elon Musk’s xAI to assist in the launch of as many as 2,000 munitions in the U.S. war with Iran.
NASA Just Tested a Secretive Experimental Aircraft in a “Major Milestone” for Supersonic Flight
An experimental aircraft just achieved a “major milestone” that NASA officials say brings the future of quiet supersonic...
This Breakthrough Propulsion Technology Could One Day Carry Humans to the Stars—But There’s a Problem
A futuristic propulsion system may have a few hurdles to cross before it can attain the near-light-speeds many experts had hoped for.
“This is Far from an Ordinary Burial”: Archaeologists Have Made Rare Discoveries in an ‘Elite’ Siberian Grave
A burial site uncovered by archaeologists in southern Siberia has revealed a series of unusual discoveries.
Forgotten in a Museum for Two Centuries, This Weird Artifact’s Rediscovery Upends a Long-Held Belief About the Vikings
A curiosity that had been locked away in a museum’s archives for more than 200 years is now revealing clues to a longstanding Viking mystery.
Scientists Uncover New Evidence of Mysterious ‘Time-Reversal Symmetry Breaking’ in This ‘Exotic’ Kagome Metal
Physicists report the discovery of new evidence for a mysterious quantum state in an unusual class of materials.
Experts Warn of Potential Covert Misuse of Fusion Reactors—Antineutrino Detectors Could Offer a Safeguard, New Research Reveals
New research reveals how fusion reactors could be monitored for any potential illicit production of plutonium for nuclear weapons.
A Venus Flytrap Mystery That Has Perplexed Scientists Since Darwin Has Finally Been Solved
New research is finally shedding light on one of the Venus flytrap's most curious and enduring mysteries.
The Pentagon Just Released Its Third Batch of UAP Files—What Have We Learned from the PURSUE Releases So Far?
What do the Pentagon's latest releases of UAP records reveal? The Debrief takes a look at what's in the new files, what's missing, and how it relates to public attitudes toward the UAP issue.
This Unusual Artifact Resembling a TV Remote Could Reveal the Oldest Evidence of Numerical Calculation in Mesoamerica
Archaeologists have discovered an unusual artifact they say could represent the earliest known use of written numbers ever discovered in Mesoamerica.
New SPHEREx Space Telescope Images Confirm a Major Problem That Many Astronomers Were Afraid Of
Nearly 3 out of every 4 images obtained by NASA’s SPHEREx space telescope now confirm something many astronomers had been afraid of.
Pentagon Official Provides Update on “Hazardous Materials Incident” That Prompted Shelter-in-Place Order
A shelter-in-place order was issued at the Pentagon on Thursday following what was characterized as a “hazardous materials incident”.
U.S. and Iran Exchange New Strikes as Conflict Edges Closer to Wider War
This week, the U.S and Iran engaged in a new round of military strikes, sparking concerns over the potential for a broader-reaching conflict.
Earthquake Experts Modeled 1,000 Years of Activity in California—What They Found Now Has Scientists Concerned
California could be due for a major earthquake in the near future, according to concerning new models based on a millennium of data.
2,600-Year-Old Underground Discovery Reveals a Mysterious Ancient Structure Hidden Below Egypt’s Nile Delta
A curious recent discovery has revealed a promising new underground archaeological find at the ancient site of Buto in Egypt’s Nile Delta.
“We Must Strengthen Our Processes”: NASA Issues Update on ‘Antenna Mishap’ Involving Deep Space Station 14
NASA officials have completed an investigation into an incident that caused damage to the 70-meter Deep Space Station 14 antenna last September.
An Explorer Vanished Searching for a ‘Lost Civilization’ in the Amazon—Now Archaeologists Think They May Have Found It
Advancements in archaeology made with LiDAR and other technologies are revealing evidence of a "lost civilization" in the heart of the Amazon.
Mysterious Artificial Islands in Scotland Have Long Perplexed Archaeologists—A New Discovery Reveals Clues to Their Ancient Origins
Scattered throughout Scotland’s ancient lochs, curious structures known as crannogs have long intrigued archaeologists and historians.
This Ancient Artifact Remained Unidentified for Decades—Now It’s Rewriting the History of One of Japan’s Early Iron Technologies
An iron artifact recovered by archaeologists may be the oldest of its kind ever found in Japan, according to new research.