Scientists Find Intense Breathwork Can Trigger Psychedelic-Like States and Lasting Psychological Changes
Breathwork may trigger psychedelic-like states, emotional breakthroughs, and psychological insights without drugs, new study finds.
Tim McMillan
Tim McMillan is a retired police lieutenant, investigative reporter and co-founder and Executive Director of The Debrief. His writing covers defense, science, and the intelligence community. You can follow him at lttimmcmillan.com and on Twitter @lttimmcmillan.
Modern Neuroscience Is Starting to Look Surprisingly Similar to Freud’s Theory of the Mind
A new study finds surprising parallels between Freud’s theories of the mind and modern neuroscience, suggesting the brain may work as a prediction machine.
Russia Has Now Lost More Troops in Ukraine Than in Every War Since World War II Combined, New Analysis Finds
Russia has suffered up to 1.4 million casualties in Ukraine, a CSIS analysis finds, exceeding all Soviet and Russian wars since WWII.
Could Spaceflight Alter Human Consciousness? Scientists Say Microgravity May Mimic Psychedelic Brain States
Consciousness may change in space, as new research suggests microgravity reshapes the brain and produces effects resembling psychedelic states.
NASA and USAF-Backed Research Reveals the Breakthrough Propulsion Technology That Could Propell Future Satellite Swarms
A NASA and USAF-backed study demonstrates propellantless satellite formation control using magnetic forces for future spacecraft swarms.
High-Dose Psilocybin Case Report Suggests Hidden Function May Persist in Advanced Alzheimer’s
High-dose psilocybin case report describes temporary speech, mobility, and continence gains in a woman with advanced Alzheimer’s disease.
“We Must Act Now”: Congress Warns of Potential Threat in New Effort to Ban A.I. From Making Life-and-Death Military Decisions
Proposed "HALO Act" would require human oversight of AI weapons, ban autonomous nuclear decisions, and impose new Pentagon AI safeguards.
The Outer Space Treaty Was Designed for the Cold War—Researchers Say It Can’t Handle What’s Coming Next
Scientists warn the Space Treaty that has governed orbit for decades may be ill-equipped for a future shaped by militarization and lunar rivalry.
We Need a Way to Detect Conscious AI Before It’s Too Late—Here’s What Has Scientists Sounding the Alarm
Could Conscious AI be closer than we think? Researchers propose a new method to detect machine awareness before the question becomes urgent.
Stonehenge Mystery Deepens as New Study Reveals Altar Stone’s 466-Mile Journey Across Ancient Britain
New study reveals how Stonehenge's Altar Stone may have traveled hundreds of miles across prehistoric Britain before arriving at the monument.
Scientists Warn the Global Population Could Halve by 2064—a Hidden Pattern Reveals the Worst-Case ‘Crisis’ Scenario
A new Mathematical Model traces 12,000 years of population growth and warns how fast Earth's limits could reshape human life.
Scientists May Have Found a New Way to Detect Dark Matter—By Listening to Black Holes
Scientists used gravitational waves from black hole mergers to search for dark matter and found a surprising clue.
Rethinking Consciousness: Could Everything From Animals to AI Be Aware?
A new paper argues that scientists may need a radically new approach to studying consciousness, including in animals and AI.
Scientists Investigate ‘Quantum Consciousness’—But the Brain May Still Defy Physics
Quantum consciousness theories are gaining scientific scrutiny as researchers test whether quantum effects shape awareness.
Twin Study Suggests Genetics May Strongly Influence IQ and Future Success
Recent twin study suggests genetics may play a major role in IQ, education, and long-term socioeconomic success.
Astronomers May Have Found Remnants of a Lost Galaxy Named “Loki” Hidden in the Milky Way
Ancient stars near Earth may be remnants of a lost galaxy called Loki, revealing clues about the Milky Way’s violent past.
DARPA’s ‘Pulling Guard’ Program Could Solve the Strait of Hormuz Crisis—But Not Until 2029
DARPA’s Pulling Guard program aims to protect ships from swarm attacks, but it may arrive too late for the Hormuz crisis.
Latest Research Reveals the Hidden ‘Light and Dark Sides’ of Gaming—and Why Both Are True
Gaming’s impact isn’t simply good or bad—new research reveals how it shapes mental health, behavior, and society in complex ways.
Ukraine Says It Captured a Russian Position Using Only Unmanned Systems—A Glimpse of Future Warfare
Ukraine claims it captured a Russian position using only unmanned systems, signaling a major shift in the future of warfare.
New Measurement Deepens the Mystery of “Hubble Tension,” Suggesting Physics We Don’t Understand
New measurement deepens Hubble Tension, suggesting the Universe may be expanding faster and hinting at unknown physics.
Robot Dogs on Mars? New Study Shows Semi-Autonomous Machines Could Transform Planetary Exploration
Robot dog ANYmal could transform Mars and Moon exploration, enabling faster, semi-autonomous missions across extreme terrain.
Scientists Document Unprecedented Chimpanzee “Civil War”—And It May Reveal the Roots of Human Conflict
Rare chimpanzee “civil war” reveals how social bonds collapse into violence, offering new insight into human conflict origins.
Earth May Sit in a Rare ‘Chemical Goldilocks Zone’ That Makes Life Possible, New Study Suggests
Scientists say Earth may sit in a rare Goldilocks zone where key elements align, making life far less common in the universe.
Roman Sanctuary Found Beneath Frankfurt Could Transform What We Know About Religion on Rome’s Frontier
Archaeologists uncover a vast Roman sanctuary in Nida, revealing new clues about ritual life and religion on the empire’s frontier.
New Study Suggests Consciousness Is Shaped by the Body’s Signals—and How We Experience Time
Consciousness may arise from the body and time perception, not just the brain, according to new scientific research.
Psilocybin Shows Breakthrough Potential for Quitting Smoking, Beating Nicotine Patches in Clinical Trial
Psilocybin therapy shows promise for quitting smoking, outperforming nicotine patches in a new clinical trial study.
U.S. Pilot Rescued Deep Inside Iran After F-15 Shootdown in High-Risk Special Ops Mission
Downed U.S. Pilot rescued inside Iran after F-15 shootdown in high-risk mission involving special forces and airpower.
U.S.-Iran War Update: F-15 Possibly Shot Down, Hormuz Crisis Deepens and NATO Fractures, Amidst Claims the End is Near
Iran war enters a dangerous new phase as Hormuz tensions grow, NATO fractures, and Trump weighs further escalation.
Can Humans Have Babies in Space? New Study Reveals a Surprising Problem
New study finds microgravity disrupts sperm and embryo development, raising concerns about human reproduction in space.
12,000-Year-Old Native American Dice Rewrite the Ancient History of Probability
Ancient dice dating back 12,000 years suggest early humans understood chance and probability long before mathematics emerged.
Can AI and One of History’s Most Preeminent Military Strategists Explain the U.S.-Iran War? The Answer Was Striking
AI applies Clausewitz to the U.S.-Iran war, revealing how strategy, politics, and power shape a conflict still far from resolved
U.S.-Iran War Update: Conflicting Peace Talk Claims and Possible Deception Mask a War That’s Still Expanding
U.S.-Iran war update: stalled talks, military buildup, and deception raise fears the Iran conflict is far from ending
Scientists Say These 45 Exoplanets Could Be Humanity’s Real-Life “Hail Mary” Targets For Alien Life
Researchers identify 45 rocky exoplanets that may offer the best chances yet to find alien life beyond Earth.
The Strange Reason Humans Have Been Obsessed With Crystals for 800,000 Years—Chimps Might Have the Answer
Study reveals why humans and chimpanzees are drawn to crystals, uncovering deep evolutionary roots behind our fascination.
The “Secrecy Paradox”: New Study Reveals the Hidden Social Game Behind “Insider Knowledge”
New study reveals how the Secrecy Paradox shapes status, spreads secrets, and drives hidden hierarchies in online communities.
Ancient “Machine Gun” May Have Been Used in Pompeii Siege, Study Finds
New study suggests Pompeii siege damage may reveal use of an ancient rapid-fire weapon, reshaping views of Roman warfare.
AI Therapists May Be Doing More Harm Than Good, Study Warns
Study finds AI therapists may reinforce harmful beliefs, show bias, and fail in crises, raising serious mental health concerns.
U.S.-Iran War Update: Energy War Spreads Across Gulf, Raising Fears of a Conflict With No Clear End
Iran war expands into an energy crisis, raising global risks and making a clear end to the conflict harder to see.
Why Some People Can Control Their Dreams: New Study Links Synesthesia to Lucid Dreaming Power
Synesthesia may explain why some people can control their dreams, revealing a surprising link between perception and lucid dreaming.
Scientists Use “Smart Underwear” to Measure How Often People Fart—And the Results Are Higher Than You Think
Scientists used smart underwear to track how often people fart, revealing surprising results about gut microbes and what’s normal.
Mysterious Ultra-High-Energy Neutrino Could Be Evidence of New Physics, Study Suggests
Record-breaking 220 PeV neutrino detection could hint at new physics, challenging what scientists know about the universe.
Scientists Say Left-Handed People Are More Competitive and There’s an Evolutionary Reason Why
New research suggests left-handed people may be more competitive than right-handers, offering clues to an evolutionary advantage.
U.S.-Iran War Update: Strait of Hormuz Crisis Deepens and a Conflict That May Be Harder to End
The U.S.-Iran war widens as attacks on shipping, oil flows, and military targets push the Strait of Hormuz crisis to the center.
New Research Finds AI Labels Can Backfire, Making Misinformation Seem More Credible
New study finds labeling AI-generated content can backfire, making misinformation seem more credible online.
DARPA Reveals the X-76: The X-Plane Aims to Combine Helicopter Freedom With Jet Speed
DARPA’s X-76 experimental aircraft aims to combine helicopter flexibility with jet-like speeds and runway-independent flight.
U.S.-Iran War Update: Strikes Hit Energy Sites and Gulf Still Under Drone Fire, as Oil Spikes Near $120
Weekend strikes and missile attacks widen the U.S.–Israel war with Iran, raising fears over energy markets and escalation.
New Study Reveals Intelligence Doesn’t Come From One Part of the Brain—It Emerges From the Whole Network
New research suggests Intelligence may emerge from how the brain’s networks work together rather than a single “intelligence center.”
U.S.–Israel Campaign Against Iran Shifting to “Phase Two”—Here’s What Comes Next
The U.S.–Iran war enters a new phase as U.S. and Israeli forces shift strikes toward Iran’s missile factories and defense industry.
The U.S.-Iran Conflict Has Had an Unexpected Impact on China’s View of American Power
China may be drawing a different lesson from the U.S.-Iran war as analysts warn against underestimating American military power.
Archaeologists Discover Ancient ‘King’s Order’ That Confirms a Semi-Legendary Nubian King Was Real
A rare ancient document from Sudan confirms the historical existence of King Qashqash, a Nubian ruler once known only from legend.