The Future of NASA: Innovation, Exploration, and the Unknown
This week, NASA makes some big announcements outlining its mission in the decades ahead, and talks about part of its core mission: seeking the unknown.
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.
Study Finds Disinformation is Being Used to Manipulate Western Media… Like it Has Been Doing for Centuries
Researchers at Cardiff University say Western Media is being steered by Russian propaganda, but archaeology reveals it is a practice with ancient roots.
Unusual Sounds Produced by Bright Meteors Point to an Odd Acoustic Anomaly
Reports of odd sounds associated with bright meteors over the years point to a longstanding mystery of physics.
A Permanent U.S. Government Office of UAP Investigations?
Welcome to this week’s installment of The Intelligence Brief… in this edition we’ll be looking at 1) The...
Smoke on the International Space Station: It’s Time for an Upgrade
Another concerning incident earlier this week on the International Space Station points to deeper problems for future operations in orbit.
Deadly Supervolcano Eruptions Remain a Threat for Centuries, New Study Finds
Supervolcano eruptions, among the most deadly events that occur on planet Earth, may remain a threat for centuries according to new research.
Four Submarines All Vanished in the Early Months of 1968. The Story Behind Their Disappearances Remains a Cold War Mystery.
Questions linger over a bizarre series of Cold War incidents involving submarines that left few clues about what caused their destruction.
Questions linger over a bizarre series of Cold War incidents involving submarines that left few clues about what caused their destruction.
Questions linger over a bizarre series of Cold War incidents involving lost submarines, which left few clues about the cause of their destruction.
Researchers Develop a System for “Peer Review” Between Quantum Computers
A team of researchers believes they may have the answer, and it involves using multiple quantum computers to check each other’s work, a kind of quantum computing peer review.
Virgin Galactic “Red Light” Incident Gets Attention From the FAA
This week, new details emerge about how Richard Branson's successful Virgin Galactic spaceflight in July almost wasn't... prompting an FAA investigation.
NASA’s James Webb Space Telescope Successfully Concludes Its Pre-Launch Tests
The James Webb Space Telescope, NASA’s eagerly awaited new addition to its telescope array, has successfully completed its final run of tests, according to the space agency.
The Extraterrestrial Hypothesis: In the Debate Over UAP Origins, Scientists Wrestle With Possibilities… and Biases
As UFO interest reaches unprecedented heights, a favored theory about their origin presents new challenges for scientists.
As UFO interest reaches unprecedented heights, a favored theory about their origin presents new challenges for scientists.
As UFO interest reaches unprecedented heights, renewed favor for the "extraterrestrial hypothesis" reveals a new challenge for scientists.
COVID-19 Origins Remain Undetermined, According to Intelligence Community Assessment
An unclassified summary by the U.S. Intelligence Community shows that agencies remain divided over COVID-19 origins.
China Plans To Build a Massive Several Mile-Wide Spacecraft
It has been learned in recent days that China’s National Natural Science Foundation (NNSF) is moving forward with...
China’s Quest to Build a Mile-Wide Spacecraft
This week, we examine China's ambitions to build a mile-wide spacecraft, and what leaked emails are telling us about friction within the commercial space industry.
Impact at Popigai: Earth’s Most Unusual Crater Documents an Epic Ancient Cataclysm
The Popigai crater, a 100-km-wide impact area in Siberia, documents events from long ago that caused one of the greatest periods of change in Earth's long history.
NASA’s Ingenuity Helicopter Has Now Completed a Dozen Successful Flights Over Mars
With another successful flight logged on Sunday, NASA's Ingenuity helicopter has now completed a total of twelve flight missions on Mars.
Afghanistan in the Aftermath
This week, we examine whether there was intelligence on the developing situation in Afghanistan that might have foreshadowed events that have transpired in recent days.
Mysterious Asteroid Phaethon is Challenging What We Understand About Comets
A recent study proposes that the key to a mystery surrounding comet-like asteroid Phaethon could be a salty one.
The FAA Finally Admits it Documents Reports of Unidentified Aerial Phenomena
The FAA has now confirmed that it documents UFO reports, in contrast with the agency's history of avoiding involvement with the subject.
UFOs: The Cycle Continues
This week we examine the cycles of UFO interest throughout time, the pattern that emerges, and why current events involving the subject may represent something new for the future of UAP studies.
Pentagon’s UAP Task Force to Gain Broader Access to Intelligence on UFOs
New bill will give the task force unfettered access to UFO data, reports, and records.
New bill will give the task force unfettered access to UFO data, reports, and records.
The Navy's UAP Task Force will now have greater access to information collected by U.S. intelligence agencies about unidentified aerial phenomena, according to a new bill.
Earthquake Swarms Rocking Yellowstone May Help Explain a Longstanding Park Mystery
USGS data on recent earthquake swarms at Yellowstone may strengthen the case for a seismic theory behind the origin of one of the park’s most enduring mysteries.
Incident on the ISS: The “Anomaly” that Led to a Spacecraft Emergency
An incident aboard the ISS in recent days involving Russia’s Nauka module led to an unexpected spacecraft emergency.
Enter the Metaverse
With Facebook announcing it will build its own online universe, in this edition we’ll be analyzing the race to build a “metaverse."
Bezos Blasts Off
Jeff Bezos has made his trip to space and back, and as the "Billionaire Space Race" continues, more controversy ensues.
Havana Syndrome Incidents Strike Europe, With Up to 200 Americans Affected
New incidents involving “Havana Syndrome” have been ongoing, according to officials who say additional cases have occurred on a nearly weekly basis.
Government UFO Data Should be Studied by Scientists, This Astronomer Says
Americans have been left wondering whether information the U.S. government is collecting on UFO incidents will be provided to scientists for independent evaluation.
Branson and the Billionaire Space Race
This week's newsletter focuses on Richard Branson and the "Billionaire Space Race," as the English business mogul makes his way to space.
Incredible New Nanotech Material Can Produce Clean Energy Inside Your Body
This new nanotech material may allow the body to produce its own clean energy, used to power devices implanted within the body.
The JEDI Contract Gets Canceled
With the DoD’s recent cancelation of its JEDI contract with Microsoft, we look at the controversies that impeded the program’s progress.
Rise of the Supercentenarians: Record-Breaking Ages May Occur This Century
Are supercentenarians on the rise? A new study examines the likelihood that medical advances and other developments in the sciences could contribute to longer lifespans by the year 2100.
The UAP Report: Knowns and Unknowns
Welcome to this week’s Intelligence Brief… on the heels of last week’s big release of the UAP Task...
Government Releases Highly Anticipated Report on Unidentified Aerial Phenomena
A highly anticipated report detailing the U.S. government's assessments of military encounters with unidentified aerial phenomena (UAP) has just been released.
SETI and UAP: An Uneasy Alliance?
This week we look at SETI and UAP, and why some scientists think common ground exists between these very different areas of study.
Scientists Detect Signs of Life at a Distance Using Remote Sensing
Scientists say they have successfully detected signs of life using remote sensing techniques, in a research study that could be a breakthrough in the search for life on other planets.
The Fate of the Moon: Could Earth’s Satellite Ever Escape Its Orbit?
Could the Moon ever manage to escape Earth’s gravity? If this happened at some point in the future, where might the Moon go from there?
House Intelligence Committee Members Just Received a Classified Briefing on UFO Findings
A Congressional hearing could soon follow; it would be a political event decades in the making.
A Congressional hearing could soon follow; it would be a political event decades in the making.
On Wednesday, members of the House Intelligence Committee received a classified briefing with U.S. Navy and FBI officials on unidentified aerial phenomena.
The Pentagon’s New Plans for Military Operations in the Pacific
The Pentagon is planning for extended military operations in the Pacific, in response to growing concerns about military threats from China.
A “Day Without Space”: GPS Concerns May be Overblown, New Study Finds
A recent RAND study says that the risks associated with a hypothetical "Day Without Space" may be exaggerated, and even impossible in some instances.
NASA Awards Prize for Lab-Grown Tissue Made with 3D Printing Technology
NASA has announced a pair of winners in its Vascular Tissue Challenge, both of whom succeeded in creating functional human liver tissue using 3D printing technologies.
This Bizarre 24,000-Year-Old Siberian Organism Was Just Revived by Scientists
An ancient life form has been revived after remaining dormant in Siberian permafrost for close to 24,000 years.
From Allegation to Legislation: The HAVANA Act of 2021
This week we examine the recent passage of a bipartisan bill, the HAVANA Act of 2021, to aid victims of purported directed energy attacks.
Amazon Wants to Welcome You to Its Massive New Data Sharing Program
This week's Intelligence Brief looks at Amazon Sidewalk, the retail giant's new data sharing program, and issues it has raised with relation to data privacy and transparency.
Space Junk Causes Minor Damage to the ISS’s Robotic Canadarm2
An object identified as orbital debris or "space junk" recently struck the Canadian-operated robotic arm on the International Space Station, according to officials with the Canadian Space Agency.
“Extinct” Giant Galápagos Tortoise Species Rediscovered by Scientists
The rediscovery of a giant tortoise belonging to a species thought to have been extinct now for more than a century has been confirmed, according to Ecuador’s Ministry of Environment and Water.
Intelligence Community Will Probe Possible Lab Origins of COVID-19
The U.S. Intelligence Community has been tasked with probing deeper into whether COVID-19 might have origins in a laboratory.
White House Says President Biden Supports the Pentagon’s UAP Investigations
The ODNI's report is underway, but Psaki says "in terms of disclosure, that would be up to them."
The ODNI's report is underway, but Psaki says "in terms of disclosure, that would be up to them."
The White House acknowledged current efforts by the Office of the Director of National Intelligence (ODNI) to produce a report on unidentified aerial phenomenon, more commonly known as UFOs, during a press briefing on Tuesday.
Russia Announces Plans to Send Nuclear-Powered Spacecraft to Jupiter
Russia has announced ambitious plans to launch a new nuclear-powered spacecraft called Zeus on a 50-month-long mission.
Hubble Telescope Aids Astronomers in Tracking Mysterious Fast Radio Bursts
New clues about the mysterious fast radio bursts (FRBs) have emerged, as the locations of five of the strange signals have been located within a group of distant galaxies.
NASA’s OSIRIS-REx is Headed Back to Earth With Samples From an Asteroid
After several years in space, NASA’s OSIRIS-REx spacecraft is on its way back home with a trove of samples it collected during its historic retrieval mission.