Satellites Have Been Mysteriously Failing in Orbit—Now Scientists Know the Reason Why
This week, scientists at Los Alamos National Laboratory have discovered the phenomenon behind sudden spacecraft failures in orbit.
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.
A Neolithic “House of the Dead,” Cannabis Cures for Insomnia, and a Solar Mystery is Finally Solved
This week, archaeologists excavating an enigmatic Neolithic site in central Turkey have uncovered a “House of the Dead” containing human remains, and much more.
3I/ATLAS is Now Headed Toward Mars, as Mystery Surrounding Interstellar Visitor Grows
This week, anticipation builds as astronomers await what the closest approach of the interstellar comet 3I/ATLAS might reveal.
Unexpected “Hybrid Ancestry” of This Superfood Staple Reveals Its Secret—and Surprisingly Complex—Genetic History
Despite being a staple food for millions, the genetic secrets of the sweet potato have remained a mystery to scientists... until now.
“Mirror Life” Has Scientists Sounding Alarms, an “Anomaly” Off the Coast of Europe, and Time Traveling with Your Mind
This week, we examine an anomaly off the European coast, threats from "mirror life," and a rare neurological condition.
Scientists Have Traced Mysterious Earthquakes Rocking Southern Europe to an “Anomaly” Deep Beneath the Seafloor
New evidence is helping scientists track the origins of mysterious earthquakes that have been rattling Southwest Iberia in recent months.
Scientists Fear “Mirror Life” Synthetically Produced in the Lab Could Create a Dangerous New Form of Biology
Scientists are warning that creating “mirror life,” a radical new concept in synthetic biology, could potentially have dangerous repercussions.
Could Alien Technosignatures Be Detected from Interstellar Objects Like 3I/ATLAS? These Astronomers Say It’s Possible.
A new study says interstellar objects entering our solar system could offer scientists a chance to search for signs of alien technology.
Deep Underground, a Gigantic Sphere is Accelerating the Quest for Mysterious ‘Ghost Particles’
With JUNO’s official launch, a new era of neutrino experiments is about to take shape within the facility's gigantic spherical observatory.
A ‘Giant’ Manifestation of a Long-Puzzling Magnetic Mystery Has Been Observed For the First Time
A very large occurrence of the "anomalous Hall effect," a long-studied magnetic mystery, has been recorded by scientists in Japan.
Is There a Secret Pro-U.S. ‘Influence Operation’ Underway in Greenland?
This week, allegations of a pro-American influence operation in Greenland have stirred diplomatic tensions.
3I/ATLAS Was Just Spotted by the James Webb Telescope, Confirming an Odd New Discovery About the Strange Interstellar Comet
An unusual interstellar visitor speeding through our solar system was recently spotted by the powerful eye of NASA’s James Webb Space Telescope (JWST).
The 3I/ATLAS Comet Mystery Deepens, Artificial Photosynthesis on the Horizon, and an Odd Light-Warping Altermagnet
In the latest from The Debrief, an interstellar comet's mystery deepens with 'tantalyzing' new observations of the mysterious object 3I/ATLAS, and much more.
3I/ATLAS Comet Mystery Deepens After ‘Tantalizing’ New Observations by NASA’s SPHEREx Mission
3I/ATLAS has captured the attention of astronomers—and the public’s fascination—as new clues about its mysterious nature are revealed.
Antarctica is Undergoing ‘Abrupt Changes’ That Scientists Can’t Easily Explain—And They Might Fuel Future Catastrophes
A concerning new study warns that Antarctica is entering an era of abrupt environmental change, which scientists warn may be irreversible.
DNA from Mysterious Ancient Hominins Made Its Way to America—And It May Have Helped Early Humans Survive
DNA from ancient Denisovans may have played a significant role in helping humans adapt to new environments, new study reveals.
What Came Before the Big Bang? New Study Says ‘Numerical Relativity’ Could Unlock Cosmology’s Biggest Mysteries
New research suggests numerical relativity, a computational approach to the Einstein's equations, could resolve some of cosmology's greatest questions.
ODNI 2.0: Historic Shakeup Hits U.S. Intelligence Community Amid Dramatic Spy Agency Cuts
This week, a historic shakeup within the Office of the Director of National Intelligence (ODNI) has been revealed.
These Cyborg Jellyfish Could Help Researchers Reach Inaccessible Ocean Depths and Inspire Future Deep Sea Vehicles
Cyborg jellyfish could soon help explore some of Earth’s most inaccessible ocean deaths, according to engineers at CU Boulder.
Move Over Iridium: Northwestern Breakthrough Solves Decades-Old Clean Hydrogen Fuel Problem in a Single Afternoon
The decades-long search for an alternative to iridium, one of the rarest and most expensive metals on Earth, may finally be over.
Researchers Just Created an Electron Beam Generator Using the Lead Tip of a Mechanical Pencil
Researchers have used the lead tip of a mechanical pencil to produce a low-cost, high-performance electron beam generator.
The Search for a ‘Theory of Everything,’ Levitation Using Sunlight, and Death Valley’s Mysterious Moving Stones
Physicists moving closer than ever to a 'Theory of Everything' and other science stories involving cosmology, robotics, and environmental mysteries are trending this week at The Debrief.
A Giant Rockfall at Yosemite Decades Ago Caused a Supersonic Airblast—Here’s What Made the One-of-a-Kind Event So Deadly
In 1996, an large rockfall in the Yosemite Valley resulted in a devastating event that generated a sonic boom and a huge granite dust cloud.
James Webb Space Telescope Discovers ‘Earendel,’ the Most Distant Star Ever Seen, Could Be Something Else
Earendel, which astronomers believed to be the most distant star ever observed, may be something else according to new research.
AI Has Spotted a ‘Very Strange’ Stellar Death Unlike Anything Astronomers Have Ever Seen
This week, astronomers have documented the occurrence of an unprecedented stellar death unlike anything seen before.
What Is It? Astronomers Reveal “Punctum,” a New Celestial Object Unlike Any Other Known to Exist
A faint signal detected in a nearby galaxy led to the discovery of "Punctum," a celestial object unlike any previously observed in our universe.
Astronomers Spot Ancient Fast Radio Burst from the Early Universe—And It’s the Most-Distant Ever Seen
The most distant fast radio burst ever observed, originating from a time when the universe was just three billion years old, has been detected by astronomers.
Scientists Measure ‘Impossible’ Quantum Motion, a Meteorite Smashes Into a Home, and NASA’s Webb Hunts a Missing Planet
This week, scientists say they have achieved the "impossible" by directly measuring zero-point motion in a molecule, and much more.
Scientists Use Lasers to Reveal Mysterious Hidden Phenomena Occurring Over Ocean Waves
Scientists using lasers have discovered a previously hidden environment that exists in the transitional zone between the air and the sea.
This Meteorite Crashed Through a Georgia Home—Experts Warn the Next Impact Could Be a “Catastrophic Situation”
A scientist who analyzed fragments of the McDonough meteorite, which struck a home in June, now warns of a future "catastrophic situation."
Medical Emergency Prompts Evacuation of U.S. Antarctic Base in Daring Midwinter Rescue Operation
An emergency medical situation prompted a demanding mid-winter evacuation from the United States' McMurdo Station in Antarctica this week.
A Nuclear Reactor on the Moon? U.S. Races to Deploy Nuclear Power in Space Amid China-Russia Push
A newly surfaced NASA directive reveals a fast-tracked effort by the United States to deploy a nuclear reactor on the Moon and Mars.
“Neglectons”—Particles Once Considered Mathematical Garbage—May Hold the Key to Quantum Computing
Researchers offer fresh perspectives on challenges in quantum computing with a new look at a once-overlooked particle called the "neglecton."
A Damaging Aquatic Invader Was Discovered in the Colorado River—Officials Have Finally Solved the Mystery of Its Origins
Officials were baffled by the surprise discovery of a destructive invasive species in the Colorado River earlier this year.
Pluto’s Alien Landscape Reveals “Bladed Terrain” Riddled with Massive Methane Ice Spires, Study Suggests
Pluto’s mysterious far side may conceal towering ice formations, according to research offering clues about the dwarf planet’s bladed terrain.
A Radioactive Wasp Nest Was Just Discovered at a Cold War-Era Nuclear Site by Department of Energy Officials
A concerning find was recently made at the Savannah River Site’s F-Area Tank Farm, involving the discovery of a radioactive wasp nest.
In the Darkness Between Stars, Mysterious Rogue Planets May Be Building Worlds of Their Own, Webb Telescope Reveals
New research has revealed that mysterious ‘rogue planets’ could be assembling scaled-down planetary systems of their own.
NASA Unveils ‘Hidden’ Cave Entrances to the Moon’s Secret Underworld
This week, a groundbreaking new study reveals the discovery of new caves on the Moon that could serve as natural entrances to the lunar underworld.
James Webb Space Telescope Spots a “Cosmic Starfish,” Revealing Multi-Polar Chaos in a Dying Star’s Final Act
NASA’s James Webb Space Telescope catches stunning new views of a complex multi-polar structure resembling a cosmic "starfish."
Scientists Are Still Perplexed by Quantum Physics and Can’t Agree on Its True Meaning, Landmark Survey Finds
Quantum mechanics remains mysterious as it turns 100, and a landmark survey reveals physicists are still sharply divided over its meaning.
Tsunami Waves Strike Pacific Nations After 8.8-Magnitude Russian Earthquake—Here’s What You Should Know
Several countries remain on tsunami alerts after a colossal magnitude 8.8 earthquake struck off Russia’s Kamchatka Peninsula late on Tuesday.
Kardashev Collapse? New Study Warns Alien Megastructures Could Destroy Themselves Before We Ever Find Them
A new study challenges whether alien megastructures, such as Dyson spheres, could last as durable signs of advanced civilizations.
13,000 Years Ago, a Catastrophic Flood Scoured Oregon’s Ancient Landscape—New Satellite Images Reveal the Lasting Impact
Evidence of an ancient catastrophic flood that occurred 13,000 years ago has been revealed in new images obtained by the Landsat 8 satellite.
Baltic Sea Turns an Eerie Green as Ancient Organisms Invade Its Waters, New Satellite Images Reveal
Brilliant swirls of green are adding color to the waters of the Baltic Sea, as its summer waters are being overrun with microorganisms.
Cosmic Radiation Gifted ‘The Fantastic Four’ With Superpowers—But What Would It Do to a Person in Real Life?
What would happen to someone in real life if they were exposed to the same cosmic forces that gifted The Fantastic Four with superpowers?
Aliens, or Something Else? Astronomers Thought Life Might Exist on This Exoplanet—New James Webb Telescope Data Says Otherwise
Claims that extraterrestrial life may exist on the exoplanet K2-18b face new challenges from James Webb Space Telescope data.
James Webb Space Telescope Sees ‘Zombie’ Black Holes Spring to Life, Feasting on Stars in Dramatic Tidal Disruption Events
Astronomers have made a series of first-of-their-kind observations that uncover the dusty remains of stars ripped apart by supermassive black holes.
Are the ‘Seeds of Life’ Assembled in Space? A Stunning Discovery Says It’s Possible
This week, astronomers using the ALMA telescope have made a landmark discovery in the search for the cosmic "seeds of life."
Stonehenge Mystery: Enigmatic ‘Newall Boulder’ Wasn’t Moved by Glaciers After All—Its True Origins Are Even More Striking
A discovery from England’s famous Stonehenge has now been traced to a surprising source, which upends past thinking on its origins.
Vera Rubin Observatory Unveils First High-Res Images of 3I/ATLAS—Captured Days Before Astronomers Knew It Existed
A mysterious new interstellar object, 3I/ATLAS, was discovered in July. It turns out that wasn't the first time our telescopes spotted it.