Are AI Systems Truly Conscious? This Researcher Says Humanity May Never Know—and Explains Why That Matters
What if we simply cannot know whether an artificial intelligence is conscious, and what if that uncertainty itself is the real danger?
MJ Banias
MJ Banias is an editor and co-founder of The Debrief. He covers science, technology and defense, and you can follow him at mjbanias.com and on Twitter @mjbanias.
Will “Salt-Tolerant Plants” Soon Be Grown in the Lab? New Research Reveals How This Evolutionary Hack Could Happen
A new study offers a potential roadmap for protecting crops as sea levels rise and coastal soils become more saline.
Volcanoes, Famine and Grain Ships: How Climate‑Driven Trade May Have Brought the Black Death to Europe
Climate‑driven shifts due to volcanic activity, and the increase in grain trade helped bring the Black Death to Italian ports in 1347 and turned a regional disease into a continent‑wide catastrophe.
Ancient DNA Reveals Your Fur Baby Is a 2,000 Year Old North African Import
A new ancient DNA study argues that the familiar house cat is a relative latecomer, carried from North Africa into Europe only in 2,000 years ago.
Scienstists Reveal Samples from Near-Earth Asteroid Bennu Hold a Rich Collection of Life-Giving Ingredients
New analysis of samples from the near-Earth asteroid Bennu reveals a collection of organic molecules linked to the building blocks of life.
This 3.4-Million-Year-Old Foot Reveals Another Mysterious Early Human Species Once Walked in the Same Area as Our Ancestors
3.4 million years ago in the Afar region of Ethiopia, at least two different kinds of early human relatives walked the same landscape.
A Mysterious New “Structure” Has Been Discovered in Our Solar System’s Kuiper Belt
Far beyond Neptune, at the far outer rim of our Solar System, astronomers have spotted what looks like a hidden “structure” or “band” of small worlds.
Dwarf Galaxies Around Andromeda Are Revealing a Complex Story of Cosmic Death
A new study of M31, also known as Andromeda, explains how our cosmic neighbor kills off smaller nearby galaxies.
Forget Meat—Here Comes Genetically Modified Protein Fungus
Move over meat, scientists have engineered a fungal organism that produces protein more efficiently than conventional livestock while dramatically reducing environmental damage.
Life on Earth Began About One Billion Years Earlier than Previously Thought, New Research Finds
Scientists have detected signatures in ancient rocks that push back the timeframe for the discovery of early life by billions of years.
Watch As This Parasitic Ant Queen Deploys a “Chemical Weapon” and Tricks Worker Ants into Killing Their Own Mother
Researchers have discovered parasitic ant queens that use natural "chemical weapons" to trick ants from rival colonies.
No, Your Gut Microbiome Doesn’t Contribute to Autism—New Study Dismantles Decades of Misleading Claims
A comprehensive analysis has found no scientific evidence supporting the hypothesis that the gut microbiome causally contributes to autism.
Extraterrestrial Dust Trapped in Arctic Ice Challenges Our Understanding of Climate Change
A new study has opened a window into the Arctic’s distant past by using cosmic dust to reconstruct nearly 30,000 years of sea ice history.
70,000-Year-Old Crayons: New Evidence Shows Ancient Neanderthals Created Artistic Tools
70,000 years ago, Neanderthals living in Ukraine’s Crimea region deliberately shaped ochre into crayon-like tools for making marks and designs.
These Water-Rich Exoplanets Shouldn’t Exist—Now Astronomers Finally Know How They’re So Wet
A new study suggests mysterious water worlds may be manufacturing their own oceans through chemical reactions deep within their interiors.
This Black Hole Devoured a Star from Within, Causing a Record-Breaking Cosmic Explosion
Astronomers have discovered the longest gamma-ray burst ever recorded, revealing that a black hole literally consumed a star from the inside out over the course of seven hours.
Nanoparticle Vaccines May Be the Future of Cancer Treatment, New Study Claims
University of Massachusetts Amherst researchers have developed a nanoparticle-based vaccine that successfully prevented cancer development in up to 88% of mice.
3I/ATLAS is Displaying Surprising New Activity That Scientists Liken to “a Note from Another Planetary System”
Auburn University physicists have detected water activity in comet 3I/ATLAS, marking the first time hydroxyl gas, water's chemical signature, has been observed from an interstellar visitor.
The “Holy Grail of Forensic Investigation”: Scientists Recover Fingerprints from Spent Bullet Casings For the First Time
A new forensic investigation technique can recover fingerprints from bullet casings even after exposure to the extreme heat of gunfire.
“Unpredictable Evolution” in 167-Million-Year-Old Fossil Challenges Ideas on the Ancient Origins of Snakes
A fossil discovered in Scotland provides new insights into one of paleontology's most enduring mysteries: the origins of snakes.
“We’re Going to See An Astronaut Death”: Government Report Issues Dire Warning Over Trump’s Budget Cuts to NASA
The White House wants to slash NASA's budget. Space agency whistleblowers say that poses major safety risks, and could potentially endanger astronauts.
Ancient Medicine or Something Else? Archaeologists Discover 34,000 Year Old Indigo Dye on Paleolithic Tools
Archaeologists have uncovered a 34,000-year-old mystery that's rewriting our understanding of early human behavior, and our use of indigo.
Common Elements: Everyday Iron Oxide Could Replace Rare-Earth Metals for Future Gadgets
A new study could mark a shift in our dependence on rare earth metals to simple iron oxide for all our future devices and gadgets.
From Ears to Rears, a Group of Chimpanzees is Putting Grass in Strange Places, and Scientists Are Fascinated
In Zambia, a peculiar trend has swept through a group of chimpanzees: blades of grass, stylishly dangling from ears and their behinds.
Cancel Concrete: This Innovative New “Living” Building Material Eats Carbon Dioxide
Researchers at ETH Zurich have developed a new living building material that pulls carbon dioxide (CO₂) from the air.
Certain Plants in the Galápagos May Be Devolving, New Research Reveals
Wild tomatoes on the Galápagos Islands may be providing scientists with an unprecedented look at “devolution” according to a new study.
Our 500-Million-Year-Old Immune System Keeps Us Alive—And Now We Understand How It Knows When to Activate
The immune system has evolved to act as a first responder against infections, and scientists have revealed how it knows when to activate.
Cold Cryptography: Scientists Can Now Encode Secret Messages in Ice
Scientists can now store secret messages by embedding them in the bubbles trapped inside ice using physics.
Scientists Detect Light Passing Through a Human Head in Medical First
Physicists have demonstrated the first detection of light transmitted through an entire human skull, revolutionizing brain scan technology.
“Ancient Carbon” is Leaking into Our Atmosphere, Upending Our Thinking on Climate Change Models
Rivers are major escape routes for ancient carbon that has been locked away for millennia, forcing us to change future climate change models.
Some Fish Have “Supergenes” Allowing Them to Evolve Faster and Better
A team of researchers has uncovered a “supergene,” a mechanism that helps new species arise and evolve with astonishing speed.
Scientists Reveal Plants Have a “Switch” That Allows Them to Redirect Root Growth to Seek Water
Plants utilize a rapid "molecular switch" in their roots that enables them to sense dry soils and redirect their growth to seek out water.
This “Stealthy” Ancient Volcano in Alaska Erupts Without Warning. Scientists Think They Now Know Why.
A new study explains why some volcanoes erupt “stealthily” and offers a roadmap to improve eruption forecasting.
Billion-Year-Old Hydrogen Factory Could Power Earth with Green Energy for the Next 170,000 Years
A new paper has dug into an energy treasure trove beneath our feet—natural hydrogen that could power society for the next 170,000 years.
Soviet-Era Kosmos 482 Space Probe Will Fall to Earth This Week—But Will It Burn Up During Re-Entry?
A Soviet space probe, stranded in Earth’s orbit for 53 years, is set to re-enter the atmosphere this week. And it may not burn up on re-entry.
Frankenstein’s Electric Organism
This week on The Debrief Weekly Report...
This week on The Debrief Weekly Report...
On this week's episode of The Debrief Weekly Report, Kenna, Steph and their producer Beemo, unravel ancient burnt scrolls, and explore how AI can be used to read them. They then zone out a bit and discuss a new study related to our brains and what is going on when we "blank." Finally, they get zapped by a new organism that can conduct electricity like a wire. Shocking!
Lucy in the Sky with Asteroids
This week on The Debrief Weekly Report...
This week on The Debrief Weekly Report...
On this week's episode of The Debrief Weekly Report, Kenna, Steph and their producer Beemo, look for Jupiter's Trojan asteroids with Lucy, NASA's far-out spacecraft. They then dive into a news story about a self-healing fungus that can be used as a building material, and then swim down into the depths to discuss the historic footage that captured our first glimpse of a colossal squid.
“Psycho Salmon, Qu’est-ce que c’est?”
On this week's episode of The Debrief Weekly Report, Kenna and Steph, along with their feline producer, Beemo the Cat, run far far far far away from the "psycho salmon" that seem to be appearing due to pharmaceutical pollution in waterways. Next they play with some 3D holograms that have becoming interactive, and taste the latest research into 'digital flavor.'
The Night is Dark and Full of Dire Wolves
On this week's episode of The Debrief Weekly Report, Kenna and Steph howl about dire wolves, de-extinction, and the recent news that the long lost species has just been brought back to life. They then talk artificial intelligence and their knack for humanlike bias. Lastly, they take a big bite out of space miso aboard the ISS.
Pew Pew Pew!
This week on The Debrief Weekly Report...
This week on The Debrief Weekly Report...
On this week's episode of The Debrief Weekly Report, Kenna and Steph talk a new development in laser technology, and how light may be able to transform matter. Next, they take a hit on some cannabis news and a recent finding that illegal pot contains some really nefarious fungus. Lastly, they take a "voyage home" to find transparent wood?
Way Down We Go
This week on The Debrief Weekly Report...
This week on The Debrief Weekly Report...
On this week's episode of The Debrief Weekly Report, Kenna and Steph dive deep into the darkness of the ocean with NASA and France's space agency to understand how they were able to build the tools to generate ocean floor maps with incredible accuracy and detail. They then play a few brain games a new study says we can use to master pain, and talk about a new drug that may have significant impact for healing those who have suffered from a stroke.
Can We ‘Grow’ Space Stations?
This week on The Debrief Weekly Report...
This week on The Debrief Weekly Report...
On this week's episode of The Debrief Weekly Report, Kenna and MJ chat about the subtle art of growing space structures with living organisms. They then chuck an asteroid at Earth to test the latest mass extinction findings, and then take a nap because lack of sleep is directly correlated to belief in conspiracies.
DARPA Wants to Build Giant Space Structures Using Living Organisms
DARPA wants space structures that are grown rather than built, and the building blocks for these new structures are living organisms.
A Billion-Year-Old Life-Giving Mystery
This week on The Debrief Weekly Report...
This week on The Debrief Weekly Report...
On this week's episode of The Debrief Weekly Report, Kenna and Stephanie spelunk into a billion-year-old crater and discuss new theories regarding life on Earth. They then plow a quick news story regarding autonomous farming, and handle a great story about robotic arms being controlled by the mind.
When Brains Turn to Glass
This week on The Debrief Weekly Report...
This week on The Debrief Weekly Report...
On this week's episode of The Debrief Weekly Report, Kenna and Stephanie exercise their little grey cells as they turn to glass in the fires of Mount Vesuvius.
Hydrogen Mining the Misty Mountains
This week on The Debrief Weekly Report...
This week on The Debrief Weekly Report...
On this week's episode of The Debrief Weekly Report, Kenna and MJ climb to the mountain top and talk about mining hydrogen. They also get weird with shapeshifting embryonic robots, and then remember a time before smartphones made us dumb.
The Devil’s Money?
This week on The Debrief Weekly Report...
This week on The Debrief Weekly Report...
On this week's episode of The Debrief Weekly Report, Kenna and Stephanie cash out with a mysterious cult currency lost to the ages. They then discuss some interesting space news coming out of Australia, and finish off the show by listening to the healing tempo of music as medicine.
AI Phishing Revolution: Study Reveals Bots Now Out-Scheme Humans in Cyber Deception
New research has revealed that artificial intelligence systems are now capable of crafting phishing emails as effectively as human experts.
“Bone” Appétit
This week on The Debrief Weekly Report...
This week on The Debrief Weekly Report...
On this week's episode of The Debrief Weekly Report, Kenna and Stephanie grind up some news about an ancient discovery, and the use of bone powder in early Chinese hunter-gatherer societies. Next, they take a punch to the gut discussing a new study related to stomachs and sugars, and their impact on health. Lastly, they jump into a new robotics study concerning fleas and shrimp, and how scientists are using these tiny creatures to develop new technologies.
In Science We Trust
This week on The Debrief Weekly Report...
This week on The Debrief Weekly Report...
On this week's episode of The Debrief Weekly Report, Kenna and Stephanie bump into a large mysterious interstellar object that may have shaped the orbit of the planets in our solar system. They then put on a fashion show and try on a new solar cell material that could alter wearable technology. Lastly, they fortify society's faith in science, and a new study that indicates the public still puts trust in the sciences.