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.

We Can’t Stop Here. This is Emu Country!

This week on The Debrief Weekly Report...

MJ Banias·May 26, 2023

On today’s episode, scientists have released a new study concerning LSD’s positive effects on the learning process, Australia’s latest project to develop a laser gun that can stop a tank, and a preliminary study into what happens to consciousness in the human brain during death.

Saint Fetch, the Patron Robot of Lost Things

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MJ Banias·May 22, 2023

On today’s episode, researchers are trying to figure out how to utilize salamander cells to slow human aging, robots are being developed to aid dementia patients with finding lost items in their homes.

Now, I Am Become AI, the Destroyer of Worlds

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MJ Banias·May 12, 2023

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Live Long and Be Fabulous…

This week on The Debrief Weekly Report...

MJ Banias·April 28, 2023

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This LGBTQ+ Non-Profit is Getting The Attention of the Space Industry by Breaking Down Barriers

"Gaaays in Spaaace" is pressing for more LGBTQ+ representation in the space industry, and they are using science fiction like Star Trek to do it...

MJ Banias·April 27, 2023

LGBTQ+ non-profit "Gaaays in Spaaace" is pushing the space industry for change, and it's using science fiction like Star Trek to do it.

Strange Metals in a Strange Land…

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MJ Banias·April 21, 2023

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If an AI Could Read Your Mind, Love

MJ Banias·April 14, 2023

On this week's episode, MJ and Stephanie contemplate whether teaching AI to read minds could mean the end of humanity.

Don’t Leave your Black Hole Unattended

This week on The Debrief Weekly Report...

MJ Banias·April 10, 2023

On today’s episode, researchers have created an artificial Black Hole in a lab to test out warp drive theories, scientists in Israel have discovered that plants may be trying to communicate, and the US Air Force’s new StormBreaker smart missile is now ready to launch.

Another One Bites the Alien Space Dust…

This week on The Debrief Weekly Report...

MJ Banias·March 31, 2023

On today’s episode, a new report from NASA indicates Earth may have a big asteroid problem, astronomers have discovered a novel space object, and scientists out of Tokyo want to search cosmic dust for signs of alien life.

This Little Quantum Light of Mine

This week on The Debrief Weekly Report...The DARPA Liberty Lifter, A Particle Accelerator Breakthrough, and Controlling the Chaos of Light

MJ Banias·March 24, 2023

Join Stephanie Gerk and MJ Banias this week as they discuss the latest news from The Debrief, including whether DARPA can make a giant double-decker airplane.

One Small Step for Man’s Garbage: Space Junk, EV Aircraft, and Monitoring Earth’s Pollution with Satellites

This week on The Debrief Weekly Report...

MJ Banias·March 17, 2023

This week on 'The Debrief Weekly Report', we look at NASA and the Italian space agency's mission to monitor pollution, and how scientists around the world want to update the space treaty to include space junk.

Do Organoids Dream of Electric Bandages?

This week on The Debrief Weekly Report...

MJ Banias·March 10, 2023

On today’s episode, extremophile bacteria used to generate electricity and biological organoids are discussed.

The Universe Just Broke…

This week on The Debrief Weekly Report...

MJ Banias·March 3, 2023

A new tunnel has been found inside the Great Pyramid of Giza, physicists are rewriting the first law of thermodynamics, and our understanding of the universe is thrown into serious question.

Is That An Oblong Space Object in your Pocket, Or…

This week on The Debrief Weekly Report...

MJ Banias·February 24, 2023

Strangely shaped space objects, psychedelic medicine, and telepathic robot dogs from Australia are all topics in this episode.

Begun, the Balloon War Has…

This week on The Debrief Weekly Report...

MJ Banias·February 17, 2023

MJ Banias and guest co-host Micah Hanks discuss the U.S.'s recent war against balloons, a memory-enhancing new medicine, and more.

White House Says Mysterious Objects Shot Down Over the U.S. and Canada Remain Unidentified

MJ Banias·February 13, 2023

Several objects shot down over the United States and Canada within the last week remain unidentified, according to U.S. officials.

Wolf 1069b Was an Inside Job!

This week on The Debrief Weekly Report...

MJ Banias·February 10, 2023

On today’s episode, physicists have developed a ‘ghost ruler’ using neutrinos, Wolf 1069b is the latest exoplanet discovery, and the future of drone technology is getting scary.

Do Dodo Birds Taste Like Chicken?

This week on The Debrief Weekly Report...

MJ Banias·February 5, 2023

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De-Extinction Company Colossal Gets a Mammoth Investment, Wants to Resurrect the Dodo.

Colossal Biosciences says it wants to bring the DoDo back to life...

MJ Banias·January 31, 2023

Colossal Biosciences has announced plans to return the Dodo bird from extinction after 150 millions dollar rase.

Our New Podcast ‘The Debrief Weekly Report’ Covers Today’s News and the Science of Tomorrow

"The Debrief Weekly Report", a science news podcast for those who think about tomorrow, will have you girding your ions.

MJ Banias·January 30, 2023

The Debrief is excited to announce the launch of a brand new weekly news podcast, The Debrief Weekly Report, hosted by MJ Banias and Stephanie Gerk.

China Says They Are Solving a Major Hypersonic Hurdle with Metamaterials and WiFi

At hypersonic speeds, communication is impossible. Or, at least it was...

MJ Banias·January 20, 2023

The Chinese government announced it has allegedly solved the issue of communication for hypersonic missiles and aircraft using WiFi and metamaterials.

Star Trek is Motivating This Team of Scientists to Build a Working Warp Drive Spacecraft

Creating a warp bubble is only a part of the project, and mastering nuclear fusion is the larger prize.

MJ Banias·November 28, 2022

Dr. Greg Hodgin, founder of ZC Inc., discusses his love of Star Trek and how he and his company is planning to build the world's first warp drive spacecraft.

DARPA Is Engineering Plants to Help Clean Soil Contaminated by Explosive Chemicals

The Ceres Project Will Automate Soil Remediation with Bioengineered Plants

MJ Banias·November 15, 2022

A new DARPA program wants to remediate soil contaminated with explosives and aircraft fuel using bioengineered plants.

These Are the Top Four Theories That Could Bring Us Closer to Faster-Than-Light Travel

MJ Banias·November 3, 2022

The speculative science of faster-than-light travel is still a dark art, so can these theories turn science fiction into science fact?

Can Elon Musk Really Be Our Hero?

Starlink can be a weapon against dictators, but is Elon Musk strong enough to wield it?

MJ Banias·October 18, 2022

A nation's fight rides on the whims Elon Musk. Is he our hero or will he inevitably be pulled by corporate interests?

This Ghost Ship Could Cause Earth’s Next Greatest Environmental Catastrophe

The UN crowdfunded the money to drain the FSO Safer, but the ship still sits off the coast of Yemen, and the winds are coming.....

MJ Banias·September 20, 2022

Loaded with 1.14 million barrels of oil, the FSO Safer is quickly falling apart, and could soon play host to an environmental disaster.

Are Incels the Future Face of Terrorism?

The Radicalism of Extremist Nihilists

MJ Banias·August 10, 2022

A look at the dark online world of incels, an online community of mostly young men who share extreme views based on their perception of being unable to attract women sexually.

We’ve Lost The Fight Against Extreme Heat So We Now Have to Adapt, Says New Report

MJ Banias·June 29, 2022

Global warming is causing irreversable extreme heat, meaning we must strengthen power grids, alter how we look at our cities, and our world.

Recent Pattern of Behavior Shows Russia Is The ‘Mad Dog’ of Outer Space

This isn't the first time Russia has played fast and loose with its space assets.

MJ Banias·November 18, 2021

A pattern of reckless behavior indicates Russia may no longer be a "white hat" in the global space community.

Are Transdermal Patches The Future of Medicinal Magic Mushrooms?

MJ Banias·October 4, 2021

This transdermal patch will deliver psilocin, the active ingredient in psilocybin mushrooms, with fewer risks for medical treatment.

Astronomers Discovered A Weird “Void” In Space, and It Has A QR Code.

Go get your phone right now!

MJ Banias·September 28, 2021

Astronomers have discovered a giant "void" in our Milky Way, and for the first time, you can use your phone to see it up close.

The Woolly Mammoth Will Be Back In 6 Years, Says New Start-Up in Partnership with Harvard University

MJ Banias·September 13, 2021

Colossal plans on bringing the woolly mammoth back from the dead and returning an ancient species to the Arctic tundra.

The Drinking Water Aboard the International Space Station Is A Cesspool, New Study Confirms

New Study Examines How Microbial Life Affects Drinking Water for Long Haul Space Missions

MJ Banias·September 8, 2021

A new study explores how multi-species microbial populations affect potable water safety during space missions proving space water is gross.

Galaxies Pass Gas, New Study Confirms

MJ Banias·September 1, 2021

New research indicates that galaxies consume gas clouds to form stars and then release polluted gases back out into their environment.

Our Solar System’s “Oort Cloud” Is Home to Countless Interstellar Visitors, Says New Research

MJ Banias·August 31, 2021

A new study says there are more interstellar objects in the Oort Cloud than previously thought, and they like wandering into our solar system.

New Whale Species Named After A “God of Death” Hunted on Land and Underwater, New Fossil Discovery Indicates

MJ Banias·August 27, 2021

Scientists discovered a fossil in Egypt's Western Desert of a whale that had four legs and could live both underwater and on land.

Northern Bees Could Thrive As the Earth’s Climate Heats Up, New Study Says

A bee's flight is directly affected by heat, a new study in Functional Ecology proves. Southern bees, well...they're screwed.

MJ Banias·August 18, 2021

Climate change is affecting the effectiveness of bee flight, and while this could benefit northern bees, southern bee species are screwed.

This Popular Video Game Accidentally Turned Gamers Into Wildlife Nerds, New Study Says.

Red Dead Redemption 2 Seems To Have Taught Players About Wildlife Without Even Trying

MJ Banias·July 9, 2021

A new study had gamers identify animals from Red Dead Redemption 2, a popular video game. Turns out the game turned them into wildlife nerds.

China Confirms It Has Its Own UFO Task Force

Chinese Military Said to Be Using AI to Track an Increase in “Unidentified Air Conditions.”

MJ Banias·June 4, 2021

With the looming release of a national intelligence report detailing U.S. military encounters with “Unidentified Aerial Phenomena” or...

Human Hibernation for Space Travel is Possible, But Your Body Doesn’t Like It

MJ Banias·June 2, 2021

Human hibernation could allow us to sleep our way through the solar system but the human body isn't exactly built for it.

Infamous 90’s “Alien Autopsy” Film Is Being Sold As A Million Dollar NFT

Creator Claims the CIA Authenticated the Film. They Didn't. But Who Cares Right?

MJ Banias·May 26, 2021

NFT auction house Rarible has listed a still frame of an alleged dead alien from the 1995 infamous film, Alien Autopsy, for $1,000,000.

Entrepreneur Wants to Build Future Satellites out of Mushrooms

MJ Banias·May 20, 2021

One entrepreneur is working towards designing satellites out of mycelium. Though it sounds wild, mushrooms are a solid building material.

Possible Third Case of “Havana Syndrome” Reported on U.S. Soil

MJ Banias·May 18, 2021

A third suspected case of “Havana Syndrome” may have occurred on U.S. soil, igniting concerns that more attacks could occur.

Access to Ethical Meat Will Motivate Future Hunters

MJ Banias·May 17, 2021

A new survey indicates that the future of hunting in the United States may shift towards sustainability and ethical meat consumption.

New Propulsion System Inspired By Dying Stars Can Reach a Hypersonic Mach 17

MJ Banias·May 13, 2021

A new propulsion system can reach Mach 17 (13,000 mph), and it was inspired by the explosion that occurs when a star dies.

Researchers Say a Quantum Internet Is Needed to Keep Data Safe

Quantum Computers will be able to easily decrypt complex algorithms and experts are saying this reality is closer than we think.

MJ Banias·May 11, 2021

By 2030, a quantum internet may be needed in order to keep digital communication safe from quantum computers.

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