An Ancient Celtic Skull Discovered in Spain Reveals a Tale of Brutal Roman Intimidation Tactics
Roman soldiers decapitated an enemy and placed his skull on the wall of their fort, to be found 2,000 years later by archaeologists.
Ryan Whalen
Ryan Whalen covers science and technology for The Debrief. He holds an MA in History and a Master of Library and Information Science with a certificate in Data Science. He can be contacted at ryan@thedebrief.org, and follow him on Twitter @mdntwvlf.
Scientists Revisiting the ‘Faraday Effect’ Have Uncovered a Surprising Magnetic Interaction Between Light and Matter
New research reveals light's magnetic field directly influences matter, causing scientists to rethink the 'Faraday Effect.'
X-Ray Imaging Uncovers Hidden Structures in Liquid-Metal-Grown Crystals
The delicate internal structure of platinum crystals growing in liquid metal has been revealed, according to new research employing a powerful X-ray technique.
“There’s an Operating System that Exists, that Emerges in a Primordial State”: New Research Reveals Our Brain’s “Preset” Conditions
New models show that our brains are "pre-wired," and that electrical activity begins even before any external experiences occur.
Scientists Reveal How Severely a Geomagnetic Superstorm Erodes Earth’s Protection from Dangerous Space Radiation
Researchers have now measured how violent space weather events called geomagnetic superstorms disrupt the Earth’s protective plasmasphere.
James Webb Space Telescope Captures Stunning Images of “Repetitive, Predictable Structures” in a Rare Star System
The James Webb Space Telescope has captured the first-ever image of four dust spirals surrounding the Wolf-Rayet stars in the Apep system.
The Origins of Theia, the Cosmic Impactor that Violently Birthed the Moon, Has Finally Been Revealed
New research reveals that Theia, the colossal, Mars-sized impactor that collided with the Earth to birth our Moon, may have come from the direction of the Sun.
A Strange Rock Discovered on the Martian Surface May Be a Visitor From Outer Space
3I/Atlas isn’t the only unusual space rock to be spotted recently, as NASA’s Mars Perseverance Rover has spotted a possible meteorite.
Mysterious Magnetic Fossils Left Behind by An Unknown Ancient Creature Offer Clues to the Origins of Nature’s “Sixth Sense”
Ninety-seven-million-year-old magnetic fossils, left behind in sea beds by an unknown creature, may have been a biological GPS.
Astronomers Have Observed the First Coronal Mass Ejection Outside Of Our Solar System, Spelling Bad News for Exoplanet Habitability
For the first time, astronomers have spotted a coronal mass ejection exploding from a star other than our Sun.
Forget Drop Bears, Ancient Australia’s Real Life “Drop Croc” Ambushed Its Prey from Above
Australia may be known for its tourist myth of the drop bear, but researchers have now uncovered the remains of a real-life “drop croc.”
Scientists Confirm Discovery of Massive Crater in China, Revealing Scale of Ancient Impacts Was “Far Greater than Previously Recorded”
A recently discovered impact crater in China is among the best-preserved ever found, offering insight into how space rocks shaped our planet.
“Our Current Models Are Being Put to the Test”: Researchers Say Our Solar System is Moving Impossibly Fast
Our solar system appears to be breaking the cosmic speed limit, casting fresh doubt on the Standard Model of Cosmology.
“Practical Large-Scale Quantum Computation” Could Be on the Horizon as Researchers Solve Problematic Error Rate
The long-standing issue holding back quantum computing, its high propensity for errors, may finally be in the past.
“A New Window into the Hidden Architecture of Our Galaxy”: Astronomers Discover Lost Stars Concealed Among the ‘Seven Sisters’ of the Pleiades
The “Seven Sisters” of the Pleiades are among the most visible stars from Earth, but new research says the cluster is larger than suspected.
“Alarm Bells Went Off”: New Research Takes a Critical Look at the Landmark UFO Cult Study ‘When Prophecy Fails’
New research reexamines 'When Prophecy Fails,' the classic study of an American UFO cult, raising new questions about the work's claims.
Musically Inspired Time-Rondeau Crystal Breakthrough Promises Quantum Technology That Stores Data Within Time Itself
Researchers at UC Berkeley have observed a time-rondeau crystal, where long-term temporal order coexists with short-term disorder.
“Tectonics, Climate, and Life Co-Evolved Through Deep Time”: How a Supercontinent Breakup Produced All Complex Life on Earth
All complex life on Earth may be the result of plate tectonics tearing apart the ancient supercontinent Nuna 1.5 billion years ago.
Satellite Communications Breakthrough Could Pave the Way Toward ‘Quantum Energy’
Researchers say once-impossible Earth-to-space quantum light transmissions are now a reality, paving the way toward ultra-secure satellite communications.
Scientists Discover Extremophiles Thriving in Blue ‘Volcanic Goo’ Deep in the Ocean
New research reveals that in some of the most inhospitable parts of the ocean depths, a blue volcanic mud contains evidence of extremophiles.
This Unexpectedly Massive Ancient Mayan Settlement May Have Been a “Cosmogram” Map of the Universe
An ancient Mayan monument found at Mexico’s Aguada Fénix site in 2020 has now been revealed by archaeologists as a cosmogram.
Fortune Favors the Aggressor: Research Says World Superpowers are Vulnerable to Cyber Warfare Attacks from Smaller Nations
In the wake of increasing state-directed cyberattacks, researchers have developed a model of cyber warfare that yields surprising conclusions.
“Magic-Angle” Graphene Superconductor Research May Herald “The Holy Grail of the Entire Field”
With a “magic-angle,” MIT researchers have discovered a new path to possible room temperature superconductivity.
Could Dark Matter Be Under the Influence of a Mysterious “Fifth Force”?
New research finally answers whether hypothetical dark matter follows the same behavior as regular matter, a long-standing mystery.
5,000-Year-Old Discovery at Canaanite Cult Site Dubbed “One of Very Few Known from Such an Ancient Period”
Artifacts uncovered near the Tel Megiddo archaeological site in Israel reveal an ancient Canaanite cult and its worship practices.
“Monster of the Earth”: Archaeologists Uncover Ceremonial Marker Revealing Royal Power at Maya Site
Archaeologists have made a discovery offering new insights into the political power and religious symbolism of the Maya Late Classic period.
Colossal Biosciences Advances Its De-Extinction Efforts with Acquisition of Cloning Company Viagen
Colossal Biosciences has expanded its efforts to save animals currently on the brink with its acquisition of the cloning company Viagen.
New Physics May Be Needed”: How a Gamma-Ray-Tracing Plasma Fireball Experiment at CERN Put Cracks in the Standard Model
Researchers at CERN may be on the verge of explaining the universe’s missing gamma rays and hidden magnetic fields.
Scientists Map the Colors of Life to Hunt for Potential Biosignatures on Alien Worlds
In the search for alien life, one Cornell researcher says color may be a telltale sign of biosignatures on far-off exoplanets.
Breakthrough Model Helps Scientists Identify Quantum ‘Doorway’ Needed for Electron Emission
Researchers from TU Wien have calculated the precise mechanisms of electron emission through a quantum door.
Major Paleontology Shake-Up Reveals ‘Teenage T. rex’ Wasn’t a Teen at All, Flipping “Decades of T. rex Research on Its Head”
A major shake-up in dinosaur paleontology reveals that what scientists have long called "Tyrannosaurus" is actually two species.
New Evidence Reveals Early Dark Energy May Have Had a Surprising Effect on Cosmic Expansion
Very early dark energy (vEDE) may have accelerated the universe’s expansion just 380,000 years after the Big Bang, new research suggests.
Warwick Researcher Revives Century-Old Math to Help Model Dangerous Nanoparticles
A University of Warwick researcher has developed a model for the movement of dangerous, irregularly shaped nanoparticles.
Ancient Solar Storms Played a Key Role in the Emergence of Life on Earth, New Study Suggests
New research reveals how powerful coronal mass ejections may have been essential to the rise of life on planet Earth.
“The Silent Strain We See Today Could Lead to Tomorrow’s Disasters”: India’s Sinking Cities Put Millions of Lives at Risk
India’s largest cities are sinking, which may lead to a future catastrophe with millions of lives and thousands of buildings at risk.
Unexpected Earth-Sized Exoplanets Discovered in Binary Star System “Test the Limits of Planet Formation Models”
A trio of newly discovered exoplanets is defying the expectation that binary systems are hostile to planet formation, according to an international team of researchers.
Physicists Revive a 19th-Century Theory of “Cosmic Knots” to Help Untangle the Mysteries of Dark Matter and Neutrinos
A long-dismissed theory involving "cosmic knots" could help explain the origins of neutrino masses, dark matter, and other mysteries.
Elusive ‘Alfvén Waves’ Have Been Discovered in the Sun’s Corona, Ending Nearly a Century of Searching
Scientists have finally discovered theoretical torsional Alfvén waves within the Sun’s corona, concluding a decades-long search.
“Nowhere Else Could We Have Achieved This”: This Physics Experiment Aboard the ISS Could Significantly Improve Spacecraft Safety
European researchers aboard the ISS are investigating the fundamental nature of condensation to mitigate hazards to spacecraft electronics.
Striking New Fossils From a Dinosaur “Mummy Zone” Helped Solve a Mystery More Than a Century in the Making
The preserved record of “dinosaur mummies” soft tissue discovered in Wyoming is shedding new light on what these creatures truly looked like.
NASA’s James Webb Space Telescope Has Discovered Evidence of Unexpected Chaos in the Early Universe
New James Webb Space Telescope observations indicate that early galaxies were more chaotic than previous results suggested.
When the Mind Talks Back: Revealing Study Could Finally Reveal Why Schizophrenia Patients Hear Voices
New research indicates that schizophrenia’s auditory hallucinations may result from the brain failing to recognize its inner monologue.
The Brain’s Hidden Radar: How Theta Waves Sweep the Mind to Spot the Unexpected
Brainwaves scan the cerebral cortex like a radar system to bring attention to visual anomalies, according to new MIT research.
As the Arctic Melts, a Hidden Process Beneath the Ice Could Help Fight Climate Change
While the loss of Arctic Sea ice remains an impending climate disaster, the melting may give an unexpected boost to carbon-eating algae.
“What Is the Origin of the Waves?” Scientists Hunt the Source of Mysterious Ultra-Low Frequency Gravitational Signals
Ultra-low frequency nanohertz gravitational waves emanating from pulsars may be revealing the fabric of the universe.
Quantum ‘Time Reversal’ Breakthrough Doubles the Accuracy of Optical Clocks, May Advance the Quest for Dark Matter
MIT researchers unlock a hidden effect to stabilize optical clocks, which may help advance the search for elusive phenomena like dark matter.
Anomalous Discovery in Ancient Rocks Reveals Evidence of a 4.5-Billion-Year-Old “Proto Earth”
In a rare glimpse into the earliest days of our planet, scientists have discovered remnants of the “proto Earth.”
The South Atlantic Anomaly Is Growing—ESA Satellites Reveal New Concerns Over What That Could Mean for Spacecraft
New data from the European Space Agency’s Swarm satellite constellation reveals a dynamic shift in the South Atlantic Anomaly.
“This Contradicts a Rule in Chemistry”: Unexpected Discovery Reveals ‘Impossible’ Molecular Combinations Could Exist on Saturn’s Moon Titan
Impossible molecular combinations are possible on Saturn’s moon Titan, changing our understanding the potentially life-containing body.
“A New Era in Exploring Matter’s Most Extreme Frontier”: Aftermath of the Big Bang Revealed in Quark Gluon Plasma Experiments
Pushing scientists closer than ever to understanding the Big Bang, physicists have finally measured the temperature of quark-gluon plasma.