Features Archives

FBI Warns Imminent Deepfake Attacks “Almost Certain”

Tim McMillan·March 26, 2021

The Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) has issued a unique Private Industry Notification (PIN) on deepfakes, warning companies that “malicious actors almost certainly will leverage synthetic content for cyber and foreign influence operations in the next 12-18 months.” The FBI’s...

Cartels Are Using ‘Narco-Drones’ to Smuggle Drugs Across US Border

Christopher Plain·March 26, 2021

Cartels are using 'narco-drones' to smuggle drugs across the border, and US officials have no idea how to stop them.

Faster-Than-Light Travel Is Coming At Us Faster Than We Thought

G. S. Jennsen·March 25, 2021

"It was May 2013, and I needed a faster-than-light drive something fierce." Best selling sci-fi author G. S. Jennsen dives into FTL travel.

Old Radioactive Russian Spy Satellites Fall to Earth, and More Will Soon Follow

Chris Rutkowski·March 25, 2021

In 1978, the Russian spy satellite, Cosmos 954, fell onto Canada, and it carried a nuclear reactor. More will be on the way soon.

This is the New High-Speed Propulsion System the DoD and Norway are Working On

Micah Hanks·March 24, 2021

The DoD and Norway aim to produce a new advanced solid fuel ramjet propulsion system with applications for future hypersonic weaponry.

Instant ‘Vaccine-in-a-Box’ is DARPA’s Solution to A Future Viral Outbreak

Christopher Plain·March 24, 2021

GE Research and DARPA want to build a "vaccine-in-a-box" to speed vaccine development from months to hours to prevent a future outbreak.

This Rare Area 51 Footage Was Recently Removed by the CIA

Micah Hanks·March 23, 2021

Footage from Area 51, made at the remote USAF facility in 1960, offers a unique glimpse at one of the most secretive locations on Earth.

Facial Recognition Drones Racially Profile But They Don’t Have To

Jane Moore·March 19, 2021

A start-up is poised to usher in the next era of biometric identification technology: drones using AI-powered facial recognition technology.

Newly Uncovered NASA Reports Reveal Pilot Encounters with UFOs

Micah Hanks·March 18, 2021

An investigation by The Debrief has revealed reports filed with NASA's Aviation Safety Reporting System detailing pilot encounters with UFOs.

Elon Musk Wants to Put Electrodes in your Brain

Designed to Aid the Disabled, Neuralink May One Day Allow You to Live Forever

Christopher Plain·March 18, 2021

Elon Musk has identified a new frontier he also plans to conquer: the human mind via a Brain Machine Interface (BMI).

Scientific Advances are Ruining Science Fiction

Douglas Richards·March 17, 2021

Best-selling science fiction author Douglas Richards explains why our exponential technological development is ruining a literary genre.

DARPA Will Use Marine Life to Spy on Enemy Subs

Tim McMillan·March 16, 2021

With PALS, DARPA is turning the sensors towards marine life in hopes of recruiting them as underwater spies.

Will Hyperintelligent Octopuses Take Over the World?

Mike Damante·March 15, 2021

What if massively-evolved octopuses were able to rule the world and then the entire universe? Scientists address our tentacle-filled future.

Mysterious Insignias and Symbols from the Classified World

From Aliens, Wizards, to Dragons. The Classified World is Teeming With Hidden Messages

Tim McMillan·March 12, 2021

The Debrief takes a look at 9 of the most mysterious emblems we've come across from within the classified world.

The Epidemic of Forgotten Ideas: Science and the “Virus” of Innovation

Micah Hanks·March 12, 2021

Among the most significant scientific discoveries are forgotten ideas that reemerged, and saw widespread acceptance and implementation.

“Unmistakably of Extraterrestrial Origin,” IceCube Detects Rare Particle Event

Micah Hanks·March 11, 2021

A rare event predicted by a Nobel Laureate has been confirmed by scientists with the IceCube South Pole Neutrino Observatory.

Mobile Device Use Impacts Attention, Cognition in Preschoolers, Study Says

Micah Hanks·March 9, 2021

A team of Hungarian researchers found that mobile device use by preschoolers may negatively impact their attention and social cognition development.

Is Our Universe a Neural Network? This Scientist Thinks So.

Micah Hanks·March 9, 2021

University of Minnesota Duluth scientist Vitaly Vanchurin thinks the universe may be a neural network, and suggests a "theory of everything."

Superior Mirage Appearances Explain “Phantom Ships” Seen for Centuries

Micah Hanks·March 8, 2021

A superior mirage photographed off the English coast helps explain tales of "ghost ships" that shaped maritime folklore for centuries.

Your Skin Can Power Your Future Fitbit, New Study Says

Christopher Plain·March 8, 2021

In a recently published study, a team of researchers from Colorado University, Boulder have developed a ring-like device that captures heat from the human body and converts it into usable electricity. Life saving devices and wearable gadgets like a Fitbit can...

Disk-Shaped Aircraft Can Levitate To Near-Space Using Only Solar Power

Tim McMillan·March 5, 2021

Researchers have developed micro-disks that can levitate in the mesosphere using only sunlight as propulsion

Top 7 “Drone Killers” Currently in Development

Militaries around the world know UAVs are a threat. Here is The Debrief's list of the top 7 "Drone Killers."

Christopher Plain·March 5, 2021

Militaries around the world know UAVs are a threat. Here is The Debrief's list of the top 7 "Drone Killers."

This Solar Car Promises to Travel 1000 Miles On A Single Charge

Christopher Plain·March 4, 2021

Aptera Motors says it will finally deliver its first purely solar car that can travel 1000 miles on one charge later this year.

Mysterious New Warp Drive Patent Surfaces Online

Christopher Plain·March 2, 2021

After appearing for decades in science fiction, then moving into an actual theory, a new patent for an updated warp drive was published last year to no fanfare. Like many other false starts in cutting-edge research, the patent may represent the next step...

Is Apple Really Building A Car?

Ryan Sprague·March 2, 2021

Is there really an Apple car? There is a lot of smoke but no fire. What do we know, and what is still a mystery?

Perseverance Brought a “Family Portrait” to Mars, Continuing a NASA Tradition

Micah Hanks·March 1, 2021

Perseverance arrived on Mars with a "family portrait," continuing a long NASA tradition of sending images to space detailing life on Earth.

The Pros and Cons of Animal Cloning

Tim McMillan·February 25, 2021

The Debrief takes a deep dive and looks at the varying pros and cons of animal cloning and genome editing of species.

Humanity’s Enduring Fascination With Mars

Micah Hanks·February 17, 2021

Our fascination with Mars has endured for centuries, and recent days have shown that we are closer than ever to unlocking the many mysteries of the Red Planet.

Roboticist Behind Mars Helicopter Ingenuity Says First Flight Is “A Wright Brothers Moment”

Christopher Plain·February 17, 2021

The Debrief was given the chance to sit down with NASA’s Jaakko Karras, the roboticist who built the Mars Helicopter Ingenuity.

Meet the Apache V6- The Army’s Newest Version of the Iconic AH-64 Gunship

Tim McMillan·February 11, 2021

The U.S. Army recently announced the latest version of their iconic helicopter gunship, the AH-64E Apache V6, has entered service. Purpose-built to defeat enemy armor, personal, and reconnaissance, the AH-64 Apache has been one of the world’s most fearsome attack...

William Shatner Says We’ll Find Life on Mars and That We Are Not Alone

The Debrief sat down with the actor to talk about his TV show, extraterrestrials, and the mysteries he finds compelling.

MJ Banias·February 10, 2021

The Debrief interviewed the most famous science fiction icons, William Shatner, and his belief that there is life on Mars and that we are not alone.

Vertical Farming Is The Future of Food Production

Vertical Farming is more efficient but will it replace traditional farming?

Christopher Plain·February 9, 2021

Vertical farming is a novel agricultural technique that may soon have farmers rethink and reshape how they grow food.

Does ‘Oumuamua Prove Science Doesn’t Want To Find Aliens?

Tim McMillan·January 27, 2021

The debate over whether or not 'Oumuamua was an artificial alien object is far deeper than most realize and speaks of science as a whole.

The Decades-Long UFO Taboo the Biden Administration Will Have to Face

Tim McMillan and Tom Rogan·January 19, 2021

After more than 70 years of avoidance, the Biden administration may find itself in a position of being unable to avoid the UFO taboo.

Shocking Documents Show Government Paid Millions to Chase UFOs and Werewolves

MJ Banias·January 13, 2021

A Debrief investigation and new unredacted documents shows the odd history of a secretive government program into UFOs and the paranormal.

A Secretive Technology Could Be Bad News For Capitol Rioters

Tim McMillan·January 12, 2021

Unbeknownst to them, a secretive technology that might have been in use could spell bad news for pro-Trump extremists who stormed the U.S. Capitol Building. On Wednesday, January 6th, hordes of pro-Trump extremists stormed the U.S. Capitol, sending elected representatives,...

New Study Shows Robots May Be Able to Have ‘Empathy’

Researchers develop a robot that can predict the actions of another based purely on visual cues.

MJ Banias·January 11, 2021

A new study from Columbia University has proven that a robot can anticipate another robot's actions based solely upon visual cues. Empathy may be next.

The ISS is Going to Have a Space Hotel

Headed by a Former NASA Manager, Axiom is eyeing a 2024 Launch

Christopher Plain·January 11, 2021

Space hotels are a science fiction staple, but have remained out of reach until now. Axiom is building one and NASA is funding it.

The Nevernight Connection – A ‘Candy Store’ for Espionage

Tim McMillan·January 5, 2021

Dramatically shaking his head, “Five years working side-by-side. You think you know a guy,” mutters the fictional Rob Carson with palpable disgust. In the next scene, a static video characteristic of a police car-mounted camera captures a sheriff’s deputy, gun...

The Nashville Bombing, an In-Depth Analysis of this Bizarre Event

Tim McMillan·January 4, 2021

Early Christmas morning, residents of the trendy condos along Second Avenue overlooking the bustling historic district of downtown Nashville, Tennessee, found themselves jolted awake by the startling sounds of rapid gunfire. Just a block shy of the Cumberland River, the...

Farewell 2020: Five Cosmic Stories We Didn’t Cover But Wish We Had

Did You Catch These Stories in 2020?

Ryan Sprague·December 31, 2020

As we say "farewell to 2020," and welcome 2021 with open arms, here are five cool space stories we missed and wish we hadn't.

UFOs Are Still a Mystery, and 2020 Showed Us the DoD is Paying Attention

2020 has seen many advances related to UFOs, but the subject remains a historical mystery and a challenge to science.

Micah Hanks·December 31, 2020

2020 has seen many advances related to unidentified aerial phenomena, or UFOs, but the subject remains a historical mystery and a challenge to science.

Robotic Combat Vehicles and AI Aircraft Announced by U.S. Military

A series of recent announcements indicate the U.S. armed forces are placing big money into robotics and AI.

Christopher Plain·December 30, 2020

A trio of recent announcements in December indicate that the US military is investing in robotic combat vehicles and AI fighter aircraft.

UAP Task Force to Provide Report to Senate Intelligence Committee

The recent passing of the Intelligence Authorization Act for 2021 may help shed light on the Pentagon's current investigations into UFOs.

Ryan Sprague and Tim McMillan·December 29, 2020

While the Intelligence Authorization Act for 2021 has been passed, questions remain about a forthcoming report by the Navy's UAP Task Force.

Gravitational Waves Could Solve A Great Cosmic Mystery

New research suggests that gravitational waves may help unravel questions about the current rate of expansion of our universe.

Micah Hanks·December 29, 2020

New research suggests that gravitational waves may help unravel questions about the current rate of expansion of our universe.

Meet The Scientists Hunting for Alien Technology Through ‘Technosignatures’

MJ Banias·December 28, 2020

The scientists who search for extraterrestrial technosignatures are coming up in the astronomy world and they want you to know it.

NASA Reached New Heights in 2020, While Aiding the Fight Against COVID-19

Micah Hanks·December 23, 2020

Overcoming all obstacles, NASA made waves in 2020, setting the stage for future missions to Mars, while managing to aid in pandemic relief.

Quantum Teleportation Achieved, Say Team of Leading Scientists

Tim McMillan·December 18, 2020

A group of leading scientists announced the first-ever successful demonstration of sustained long-range, high-fidelity, quantum teleportation.

Cozy Bear — Russia’s Cyberspies Suspected In Latest Government Hacks

Tim McMillan·December 18, 2020

Earlier this week, The Debrief reported U.S. government networks were targeted by a Russian hacking group called Cozy Bear, in what could end up being one of the most significant hacking incidents to date. Currently, the true scope and implications...

Dwarf Planet Ceres A Possible Candidate For Extraterrestrial Life

MJ Banias·December 16, 2020

New data indicates that Ceres may be an ocean world, and other recent discoveries suggests that water may be common in our solar system.