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.

The Curious Case of the Vanishing Meteorites in Antarctica

This week on The Debrief Weekly Report...

MJ Banias·April 16, 2024

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

MJ Banias·April 10, 2024

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

MJ Banias·April 10, 2024

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

MJ Banias·April 4, 2024

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

MJ Banias·March 26, 2024

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

MJ Banias·March 22, 2024

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

MJ Banias·March 21, 2024

Mysterious "fairy circles" in Africa that have long baffled scientists aren't the work of angry gods after all, but something even stranger.

An LSD Trip to the Stars

This week on The Debrief Weekly Report...

MJ Banias·March 20, 2024

On today’s episode, Kenna and Stephanie talk about new LSD policies that may alter how we deal with mental health in the future. The duo also dive into a new form of space sickness and the discovery of a 2,000 year old relic in the shape of hand.

Mold Will Be the Food of Our Dystopian Future: New Research Examines the Future of Fungi as Food

MJ Banias·March 16, 2024

A new study shows researchers want to genetically engineer mold to replace animal proteins and meat as a food staple in the future.

New Study Says Mars Wasn’t That Wet, Not a Great Contender for Alien Life

MJ Banias·March 15, 2024

A new study may prove that Mars was not as wet as we previously thought, making it more difficult for ancient alien life to have formed there.

Our Stressed Out Little Planet

MJ Banias·March 9, 2024

This week, MJ and Stephanie dive into mental health studies and the future of work. The pair also get into a satellite swarm that astronomers want to build to look for life, the discovery of a giant creature in the Amazon, and much more.

Newly Found Remains of a 390 Million-Year-Old Forest Reveals Something Mysterious About Ancient Trees

MJ Banias·March 8, 2024

Researchers have uncovered the earliest fossil evidence of an ancient 390-million-year-old forest, and it alters how our understanding of ancient Earth.

Astronomers Discover Something Strange About The Oldest ‘Dead’ Galaxy in the Universe

MJ Banias·March 7, 2024

Astronomers discovered the oldest 'dead' galaxy ever observed, but it seems to challenge our understanding of early galaxy evolution.

Jupiter’s Moon Europa Remains Compelling in the Search for Extraterrestrial Life. Here’s Why.

MJ Banias·March 5, 2024

Jupiter's moon Europa continues to capture our imaginations in the ongoing search for extraterrestrial life.

Ancient Bacteria Is Coming Back To Life

This week on The Debrief Weekly Report...

MJ Banias·February 29, 2024

On today’s episode, Kenna and Stephanie unleash the bacterial beast as ancient and dormant bacteria are waking up. They also dive into DARPA's new marine quantum project, and take a bite out of the snake venom situation.

Earth Can Be Used as a Guinea Pig to Search for Extraterrestrial Life with This New Telescope, Astronomers Say

MJ Banias·February 27, 2024

Researchers have just published a study that could advance our ability to detect extraterrestrial life, and Earth served as the guinea pig.

This New Exosuit Will Use Artificial Intelligence To Decode Brain Signals For Movement

MJ Banias·February 26, 2024

The Wyss Synapsuit Exosuit uses artificial intelligence to decode brain signals into actual movement for users.

40,000 Years Ago, Neanderthals Developed This Sticky Technology to Help Them Craft Stronger Tools

MJ Banias·February 23, 2024

Neanderthals in Europe were using a glue-like adhesive around 40,000 years ago, new research reveals.

Climate Change Is Impacting Solar Panels and Will Cause Them to Degrade Faster

MJ Banias·February 21, 2024

A recent study says climate change may be accelerating the degradation of solar panels, causing them to break down faster.

That “Death Star Moon” is Fully Operational!

This week on The Debrief Weekly Report...

MJ Banias·February 16, 2024

On today’s episode, Kenna and Stephanie explore Saturn's "Death Star" moon and the recent findings that could hint at what lurks beneath its dark surface. The dynamic duo also dive into the deep sleep science of hibernation and why blueberries are blue. How did we not know this? Turns out, we just figured it out.

This Strange Phenomena Could Place NASA’s Lunar Landers At Risk

It's a sticky situation...

MJ Banias·February 16, 2024

NASA has embarked on the Electrostatic Regolith Interaction Experiment (ERIE) to combat the hazards posed by lunar dust.

The US Government Wants to Combat Cyber Attacks with Psychology

MJ Banias·February 15, 2024

The U.S. Government has launched a program that will attempt to leverage psychology in defending against future cyber attacks.

Space Force Will Take Command of Future Live Target-Tracking Satellites

MJ Banias·February 15, 2024

The U.S. Space Force is set to take command of a new fleet of satellites that will provide real-time monitoring of ground targets around the globe, offering unprecedented surveillance capabilities.

NASA Needs a “Miracle” to Save Voyager 1

MJ Banias·February 11, 2024

NASA's Voyager 1, the most distant human-made object in space, is facing a critical situation following a computer glitch that has compromised its ability to transmit essential telemetry data back to Earth.

Whistleblower Who Exposed Midjourney’s Nude Image Generation Banned From Platform

MJ Banias·February 8, 2024

AI platform Midjourney banned a researcher shortly after he blew the whistle on the platform's content filters and the nude images the AI was generating.

Volcanic Lightning Could Have Ignited Life on Earth, New Study Finds

MJ Banias·February 7, 2024

A new study proposes that volcanic lightning may have played a pivotal role in sparking the origin of life on Earth.

Those Astronauts are Naked!

This week on The Debrief Weekly Report...

MJ Banias·February 6, 2024

SUBSCRIBE TO ‘THE DEBRIEF WEEKLY REPORT’: APPLE PODCASTS | SPOTIFY On today’s episode, Kenna and Stephanie get into some cool spacesuits...

Scientists Succeed in Producing A Durable “Time Crystal”

MJ Banias·February 2, 2024

Researchers have developed an ultra-robust time crystal, and a new method to keep it stable for over 40 minutes.

AI Image Generator Midjourney Is Accidentally Creating NSFW Content, Violating Its Own Guidelines

The Debrief ran a test, and stumbled onto a nude beach...

MJ Banias·February 1, 2024

AI-image platform Midjourney is accidently generating nude images, making some critics wonder what is going on behind the virtual scenes.

The Road to Hell Chickens is Paved With Good ‘Egg-tentions.’

This week on The Debrief Weekly Report...

MJ Banias·January 31, 2024

SUBSCRIBE TO ‘THE DEBRIEF WEEKLY REPORT’: Apple Podcasts | Spotify On today’s episode, Kenna and Stephanie descend into the darkest depths...

James Webb Space Telescope Captures Amazing New Images of 19 Distant Spiral Galaxies

MJ Banias·January 29, 2024

NASA's James Webb Space Telescope (JWST) has captured a stunning new series of near- and mid-infrared images that depict 19 nearby spiral galaxies in vivid detail.

Human-Sized “Hell Chicken” Roamed The Earth Millions of Years Ago, New Paleontological Research Finds

MJ Banias·January 26, 2024

Scientists have unearthed a new ancient species with a name straight out of a B-movie: the "Hell Chicken."

Something is Orbiting These Distant Exoplanets After All, According to Researchers Who Fire Back Over Exomoon Controversy

MJ Banias·January 25, 2024

Have we discovered Exomoons? Recent news of moons orbiting planets outside our solar system has sparked debate in the astronomical community.

To Pew or Not to Pew, That is the Question

MJ Banias·January 24, 2024

On today’s episode, the team travels deep into the Amazon rainforest in search of a hidden and elusive 2,500 year old civilization.

13-Billion-Year-Old Black Hole is the Oldest Ever Observed, and It Has a Monstrous Appetite

MJ Banias·January 21, 2024

Astronomers have detected the oldest black hole ever observed, dating back to just 400 million years after the Big Bang.

These Pests Have Evolved a Resistance to Farming Insecticide, New Study Reveals

MJ Banias·January 19, 2024

Researchers have documented the first-ever case of insecticide resistance in field-collected populations of a bluegreen aphid.

Organized Crime is Leveraging Artificial Intelligence and Cryptocurrencies, Concerning New UN Report Says

MJ Banias·January 17, 2024

New UN report says organized crime has turned to AI and cryptocurrencies to stay ahead of the curve, and the law.

That Dark Energy is Really Killing My Vibe

This week on The Debrief Weekly Report...

MJ Banias·January 16, 2024

On today's episode, we jump into a blue light technology that can help you fall asleep, why you probably hate vegetables, and new research into dark energy.

Want to Visit an Exoplanet? Make Sure You Check Out This Travel Calculator

MJ Banias·January 12, 2024

The Exoplanet Travel Planner Calculator is your next essential tool for that trip to another planet. Kinda.

The Art of Shooting Crows with Lasers

MJ Banias·January 11, 2024

On today's episode, we jump into the world of hypnosis, why we should use lasers to scarecrows, and the weird discovery of a giant worm creature that wants to eat you.

5,000 Years Ago, Human Migrations Altered European DNA Making It More Susceptible to Disease

MJ Banias·January 10, 2024

New research just identified the source of several neurodegenerative diseases including multiple sclerosis, and how an ancient migration brought it to Europe.

Data Solutions Provider TELUS International is Paying $50 for Images of Kids to Train Google’s AI

MJ Banias·January 9, 2024

Google and TELUS International have collaborated to collect biometric data from children for age verification purposes to train their facial recognition software.