This Common Element Slammed Into the Earth Over 3 Billion Years Ago, and Allowed Life to Form
A new study examines how zinc from asteroids that crashed into Earth billions of years ago played a pivotal role in the emergence of life.
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.
Meals on Heels
This week on The Debrief Weekly Report...
This week on The Debrief Weekly Report...
On this week's episode, Kenna and Stephanie run around the sea floor with a fish that has evolved to taste with its feet. They then veg out and discuss some vertical farming innovations, and how Germany wants to fuel its country one balcony at a time.
Germany Has Installed 550,000 Balcony Solar Panels. The United States Could Do it Too
Germany has outfitted over half a million balconies with solar panels to fight the climate crisis. Can the United States follow suit?
Is this 1,000 Year Old Ancient Mysterious Seed the Basis for the Biblical “Balm of Gilead?”
Scientists have successfully grown a tree from a 1,000-year-old seed with some speculating that this could be the long lost “Balm of Gilead.”
The Great Eel-scape
This week on The Debrief Weekly Report...
This week on The Debrief Weekly Report...
On this week's episode, Kenna and Stephanie slay while discussing how the popular role playing game Dungeons and Dragons can positively impact people with autism. Following a close call with a troll, they discuss the science behind "out of body experiences." The two hosts then swarm a new study concerning Japanese eels, and the long awaited video evidence that the creatures have evolved a method to escape the stomachs of their predators after they have been eaten.
We Can See Right Through You
This week on The Debrief Weekly Report...
This week on The Debrief Weekly Report...
On this week's episode, Kenna and Stephanie become totally clear on a new method that can turn living skin transparent. They then discuss some shocking new research on whether gold can make electricity and how a new type of "biohybrid" robot is changing our understanding of robotics.
Will China Hydrate the Moon?
This week on The Debrief Weekly Report...
This week on The Debrief Weekly Report...
Kenna and Stephanie dip their toes into a story about Chinese scientists who say they have found a way to produce water on the Moon.
Is That A “Hidden Consciousness” In Your Brain, Or Are You Just Happy to See Me?
This week on The Debrief Weekly Report...
This week on The Debrief Weekly Report...
Stephanie and Kenna are back for a new season of The Debrief Weekly Report. In this episode, they take a mental dip into new findings regarding "hidden consciousness" inside the brain. They also discuss why playing video games is good for your mental well being, and a brand new bandage that uses water and electrical currents to heal wounds faster!
‘Killing’ Asteroids May Subject Earth to Meteoroid Bombardment, New Research Reveals
A new study maps out the ejecta from NASA's Asteroid impact DART mission. Turns out, the debris could hit Earth in 7 years.
Addicted to True Crime, Death, and Dark Events? New Research Aims Understand Why.
A new study examines why people love “dark events” and the handful of different social and scientific factors that push us to desire them.
These Microrobots Mimic Beetles For Insect-Like Flight
New research is attempting to make robot flight more efficient by turning to nature, and the flight characteristics of beetles.
Scientists Have Found The “Pain Control Pathway” That Influences the Placebo Effect
Neuroscientists have made a discovery about the “Placebo Effect,” shedding light on a “pain control pathway” that underlies this phenomenon.
Trees Are Now Moving Due to Climate Change, But It’s Not the First Time
Trees in Brazil's Atlantic Forest are moving in response to climate change, according to new studies into an ancient phenomenon.
Newly Discovered Exoplanet Baffles Astronomers, Who Call it “Wacky” and “Eccentric”
Astronomers have found an eccentric exoplanet, making it quite “wacky” compared to other exoplanets that have been found.
4.2 Billion Years Ago, Our Last Universal Common Ancestor Was in an “Arms Race” Against Life’s Greatest Adversary: The Virus
Scientists have traced the origins of life back 4.2 billion years, and how our earliest ancestor fought life’s greatest enemy, the virus.
These Robots Kill Cancer Cells
This week on The Debrief Weekly Report...
This week on The Debrief Weekly Report...
Join Stephanie and Kenna for the last episode of the season as they discuss a new nano robot developed in Sweden that can kill cancer cells in mice. They also open a channel to the ISS and discuss how NASA is using laser relays to send photos and messages to astronauts. Lastly, they take a trip and talk about how a new study says that micro-doses of LSD can aid in healthy sleep.
A Future War is Brewing in the Arctic. This is How We Stop It Before it Starts.
A new battleground is emerging in the Arctic. With vast natural resources and newly accessible shipping routes, the stakes are high.
These 500 Million-Year-Old Fossils May Hold The Secrets of Ancient Life on Earth, But There’s a Problem
Researchers are turning to AI for help categorizing ancient fossils called palynomorphs that hold the secrets to Earth's ancient past.
Twinkle Twinkle Artificial Star
This week on The Debrief Weekly Report...
This week on The Debrief Weekly Report...
In this week’s episode of the DWR, Stephanie and Kenna discuss NASA's plan to build an artificial star for astronomical measurements. They also explore a lost Greek temple mentioned in ancient graffiti, and a new black hole discovery using magnetic winds to feed.
Newly Discovered “Magnetic Winds” Are Feeding Supermassive Black Holes, Making Them Grow
Astronomers have discovered powerful magnetic winds fueling a distant supermassive black hole to grow larger.
2,500-Year-Old Graffiti Points to Existence of a Lost Ancient Greek Temple
Researchers have uncovered unique graffiti that may indicate there once stood a massive Greek temple since been lost to history.
No, Smartphones and Computers Didn’t Kill Penmanship. It’s Been “Dead” for Centuries.
It is a common belief that modern technology has led to the decline of penmanship. It turns out that it has been terrible for centuries.
The Quest for “The Quest”
This week on The Debrief Weekly Report...
This week on The Debrief Weekly Report...
In this week’s episode of the DWR, Stephanie and Kenna go green as they discuss a novel breakthrough in the successful generation of electricity by algae. The dynamic duo also discuss the Einstein Telescope and the discovery of the lost ship, The Quest, off the coast of Newfoundland, Canada.
The Language On This 1,000 Year Old Stone is a “Glyph Breaker’s Nightmare.” Scientists Want to Use AI to Crack It.
The Singapore Stone has stood as one of Southeast Asia's most enigmatic artifacts. Now, researchers want to use AI to decode its mysterious symbols.
Mysterious Space Object Transmitting Radio Signals Every 54 Minutes Baffles Scientists
Astronomers have detected a mysterious radio signal from deep space that evades current scientific understanding.
That Washing Machine is a 3D Printer
This week on The Debrief Weekly Report...
This week on The Debrief Weekly Report...
In this week’s episode of the DWR, MJ and Kenna discuss the successful 3D printing of metal material on the ISS. The dynamic duo also dives into the first-ever Master’s Degree in Psychedelics offered at the University of Ottawa and a new metal coating that changes regular glasses into night-vision goggles.
Astronauts Take One “Giant Leap” for Space Travel With First 3D-Printed Metal Aboard the ISS
The European Space Agency has successfully produced the first 3D-printed metal aboard the International Space Station.
New Study Says Life on Earth May Have Originated in Saudi Arabia 3.48 Billion Years Ago
Scientists have identified living stromatolites on Saudi Arabia’s Sheybarah Island in the Red Sea, an area that could have been home to life 3.5 billion years ago.
What are “Ghost Roads” and Why Are They Destroying the Natural World?
Researchers have unveiled the extensive and devastating impact of ghost roads on the tropical forests.
One of the Oldest Suits of Armor Ever Found Was Just Tested by Marines in Simulated Combat
According to a new study, researchers utilized Marines to test one of the oldest suits of armor ever found.
This New Solar Power Technology Generates A Massive Amount of Heat, No Fossil Fuels Required
Researchers can harness solar energy at temperatures exceeding 1,000°C and could maybe revolutionize high-temperature industrial processes.
This Long Lost Waterway May Hold the Secrets to How the Pyramids Were Built
New research sheds light as to how the pyramids were built, but also why they rest in the middle of a barren desert.
US and Japan Sign Agreement to Build Hypersonic Missile Interceptors by 2030s
The United States and Japan have officially signed a cooperative agreement to develop a hypersonic missile interceptor by the 2030s.
That Lava Tube is Full of Humans
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 head first into a lava tube in Saudi Arabia that once served as a human dwelling.
Scientists Keep Finding Giant Sinkholes in China that Hide Ancient Forests, Unknown Wildlife, and Long Lost DNA
In the heart of China, massive sinkholes hide ancient forests teeming with life. A new study published in March finds that these forests contain long lost DNA.
This New Solar Thermal Propulsion System Could Revolutionize How We Navigate the Cosmos
Solar thermal propulsion has been a hot topic for future satellites in Earth’s orbit, but a new start-up promises to build it.
Voyager’s Whisper in the Darkness
This week on The Debrief Weekly Report...
This week on The Debrief Weekly Report...
On today’s episode, Kenna and Stephanie open a channel to the Voyager 1 probe, and discuss how some clever NASA engineers have reestablished a link with the decades old system. They also chat about some fancy house plants that can clean your home's air, and the "spiders" that haunt Mars.
The Mars Express Orbiter Just Captured This Eerie Phenomenon on the Red Planet
The Spiders of Mars? Or Something Else Entirely?
The Spiders of Mars? Or Something Else Entirely?
The ESA's Mars orbiter captured this eerie Martian phenomenon. Are those spiders? Or something even weirder?
Let Slip the Mysterious Dogs of War
On today’s episode, MJ Banias sits down with guest co-host, author, and historian Amy Shira Teitel from the History Channel's "The Proof is Out There: Military Mysteries."
3.7 Billion Years Ago, the Earth’s Magnetic Field Played A Vital Role in the Evolution of Life
3.7 billion years ago, Earth's magnetic field helped life thrive, and new evidence says it was much stronger than we originally thought.
Something is Affecting Gravity in our Solar System, and Astronomers Say It Could Be an Unknown Planet
Scientists believe they may be closing in on a mysterious, unseen "Planet 9" that could be lurking in our solar system.
The Milky Way’s Largest Black Hole is “Lurking” Surprisingly Close to Earth
The largest Black Hole ever discovered in the Milky Way, with a mass of 33 solar masses, is "lurking" surprisingly close to Earth.
Purple Exoplanets Could Be Teeming with Alien Life
Purple exoplanets could be teeming with life as purple bacteria may have an easier time surviving in harsh conditions.
The Curious Case of the Vanishing Meteorites in Antarctica
This week on The Debrief Weekly Report...
This week on The Debrief Weekly Report...
On today’s episode, Kenna and Stephanie ride the waves into "blue energy." They also hunt for clues to find the vanishing meteorites in the Antarctic, and work up the strength to take on a novel robot that utilizes biological muscle tissue.
Analysis of North American Indigenous Languages Points to New Model for Settlement of the Americas
A new study argues that ancient American Indigenous languages originated from the other side of the world, in Siberia.
This Ancient Food Could Help Keep Astronauts Alive On Long Haul Space Missions
New research reveals olive oil may help alleviate many of the health risks associated with space travel.
This Ukrainian Intel Company Wants Your Help Finding Russian War Criminals
This is X-Ray Contact, a Ukrainian intelligence company providing a free search toolkit to hunt Russian war criminals.
Exposed: South African Government Website Published Personal Data of its Lawmakers
Members of the South African parliament have had their personal contact information publicly listed on the parliament's official website, exposing them to a security risk.
Digital Research Just Uncovered A Family Secret of the World’s Most Famous Playwright
William Shakespeare's Unknown Sister Penned A Curious Religious Tract
William Shakespeare's Unknown Sister Penned A Curious Religious Tract
A University of Bristol academic has uncovered that a mysterious religious tract found in the attic of William Shakespeare's Stratford home in the mid-1700s was written by the famous playwright's unknown sister, Joan Shakespeare.
African ‘Fairy Circles’ That Once Baffled Scientists Point to Mysterious ‘Swarm Intelligence’ in Plants
Mysterious "fairy circles" in Africa that have long baffled scientists aren't the work of angry gods after all, but something even stranger.