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.
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.
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.
5,500-Year-Old Discoveries in a Remote Mountain Cave Reveal Evidence of Prehistoric Industry Linked to the Dawn of Metallurgy
Strange green stones, possible hidden burials, and other discoveries have been made in a remote cave high in the Pyrenees mountains.
4,500-Year-Old Discovery on a Remote Island Could Change Everything We Know About Ancient Nautical Technology in the High Arctic
A discovery by archaeologists on a remote island in the High Arctic could upend past thinking on ancient seafaring technology.
In Antarctica, Scientists Just Discovered a Massive Hidden Structure Deep Below the Frozen Surface
A massive, semi-continent-sized subsurface structure has been discovered by scientists beneath Antarctica’s frozen surface.
A Spacecraft Mysteriously Went Silent—Now NASA Officials Are Speaking Up After Months of Speculation
This week, NASA has officially confirmed the end of its MAVEN Mars mission after the spacecraft mysteriously fell silent late last year.
Look What NASA Captured in Satellite Images as This Bizarre Phenomenon Erupted from the Heart of a Super Typhoon
A violent typhoon that tore across the North Pacific Ocean in April offered a rare look at an unusual spectacle of the natural world, captured in nighttime imagery by a U.S. satellite.
Physicists Tried Cutting a Photon in Half—Then Things Got Really Weird
What would happen if you tried to cut an elementary particle like a photon into smaller pieces? New research suggests it could get very weird.
One of America’s Rarest Species Just Narrowly Survived a Historic Wildfire—NASA Satellite Images Reveal the Stunning Damage
NASA satellite images reveal recent damage on Santa Rosa Island from what officials say was the largest Channel Islands wildfire on record.
A Massive 6000-Year-Old ‘Mega-Structure’ Unearthed by Archaeologists Reveals Links to a Mysterious Early European Culture
A massive discovery in northeastern Romania has revealed links to a curious ancient culture from ancient Eastern Europe’s Neolithic and Chalcolithic periods.
Gravity Mysteries Sealed in an Envelope, an Odd Schrödinger’s Cat State, and a Massive Discovery Under an NY Cemetery
This week at The Debrief, new clues to gravity mysteries, a fireball explosion captured in satellite imagery, and "Schrödinger’s Cat States" are all in the news.
Scientists Just Revealed Something Massive Has Been Hiding Beneath This New York Cemetery for More Than a Century
Cornell University researchers have confirmed a massive, century-old underground discovery hidden below a New York cemetery.
NASA Officials Confirm Rare Event Captured in Satellite Images That Caused Loud Booms Heard Throughout New England
Residents of New England were startled over the weekend as a loud quaking boom shook the northeast, while many observers spotted a bright fireball streaking through the skies over the U.S. and Canada.
Something Revealed Itself by Bending the Light of a Distant Star in 2019—Now Astronomers Are Racing to Find Out What It Was
For just an hour in late 2019, a cosmic mystery revealed itself to astronomers in an unprecedented way: by bending the light of a star.
New Report Highlights Official Concerns Over “Anti-Tech Extremism” in U.S. as AI-Related Fears Rise
This week, a new report argues that U.S. federal officials are warning about possible concerns over forms of anti-tech extremism in America.
In the High Himalayas, a Mysterious Animal That Has Intrigued Scientists for 160 Years Has Revealed an Astonishing Secret
A major biological surprise has emerged from the heart of the mysterious Himalayas, according to scientists who made the unexpected discovery.
ATLAS Collaboration Physicists Just Revealed the Discovery of an Entirely New Exotic Particle
In a physicists first, researchers with the ATLAS Collaboration report the successful observation of a new exotic particle.