Features Archives

Sermon of The Long Knives – An Analysis of Putin’s Latest War Cry

Tim McMillan·March 18, 2022

On March 16, Russian President Vladimir Putin gave a fiery speech to Russian cabinet members, offering a strong message that the war in Ukraine was part of an existential fight against the Western world. Speaking publicly for the first time...

General Relativity Instead of Modified Gravity

Avi Loeb·March 18, 2022

The proper interpretation of recently acquired satellite data relies on Einstein's theory of general relativity, which still presents the best description of gravity as we know it.

A new invention uses radio waves to harvest electricity, creating waves for the energy industry

Technology of the Future Could Turn Radio Waves into Electricity

Kenna Hughes-Castleberry·March 17, 2022

A new invention uses radio waves to harvest electricity, an innovation that could potentially make waves within the energy industry.

Do Spiders Fly Using Electricity?

Christopher Plain·March 17, 2022

New research shows that spiders who use silk threads to fly may be tapping into electricity in the Earth's atmosphere for lift.

Intelligent Communication: Understanding and Adaptation

There could be more than just distance that separates us from other intelligent life in the universe.

Avi Loeb·March 16, 2022

There could be more than merely distance that separates us from other intelligent life that exists in our universe.

Scientific Conference on Anomalous Aerospace Phenomena To Convene This Summer

Micah Hanks·March 16, 2022

One of the largest scientific conferences dealing with the study of anomalous phenomena occurring in U.S. airspace has just been announced, according to a leading scientific coalition that studies aerial mysteries.

Was This Underreported Fighter Plane Crash UFO-Related?

A Significant FAA Investigation Leaves Many Questions

Jazz Shaw·March 15, 2022

Multiple FOIA requests were sent to the Air Force based on the assumption that if one of their planes had gone down and they had lost a pilot, they would clearly have taken an interest... but did they?

Opinion: UFOs are a National Security Concern; the USAF Needs to Come Clean

Matthew Ford·March 14, 2022

Retired USAF officers have reported UAP in close proximity to military sites for decades. It is time for congress to demand answers.

Texas Company Colossal to Battle Extinction with Breakthrough Genetic Engineering

Colossal Biosciences says it plans to take on the environmental issues that lead to critical endangerment, and even revive long-extinct species.

Micah Hanks·March 11, 2022

Colossal Biosciences says it plans to take on the environmental issues that lead to critical endangerment, and even revive long-extinct species.

Communicating with Extraterrestrials

In this inaugural installment of "Our Cosmic Neighborhood", Avi Loeb gives us perspectives on the challenges presented by any future attempts at communication with extraterrestrials.

Avi Loeb·March 10, 2022

In this inaugural installment of "Our Cosmic Neighborhood", Avi Loeb gives us perspectives on the challenges presented by any future attempts at communicating with extraterrestrials.

A new AI program uses machine learning to decrypt intelligence documents in foreign languages

Machine Learning is Helping to Crack the Code of Intelligence Documents

Kenna Hughes-Castleberry·March 10, 2022

A new AI program uses machine learning to decrypt intelligence documents in a variety of different foreign languages.

No, Neural Networks are Not Conscious

Simon Spichak·March 9, 2022

Despite alarmist headlines in recent news, neural networks are not conscious. Here is what AI experts are really saying.

Will Cosmic Rays Reveal the Secrets of the Pyramids?

Christopher Plain·March 9, 2022

A team of researchers is planning to use cosmic rays to look deeper into Egypt’s Great Pyramid than ever before.

The Freedom of Information Act (FOIA) System is Broken, and Has Been Since Its Inception

That includes FOIA requests related to UFOs.

Jazz Shaw·March 8, 2022

The FOIA process is one of the strongest tools available to citizens seeking information from the government... but it is also rife with problems.

eco-anxiety, or the stress due to climate change, will no doubt continue to rise as global warming gets worse

What is Eco-Anxiety, and Do I Already Have It?

Kenna Hughes-Castleberry·March 8, 2022

Eco-anxiety, or the stress due to climate change, will no doubt continue to rise as global warming gets worse.

The “Moscow Signal”: How Russian Directed Microwave Rays Once Caused an International Incident

Decades ago, the Soviet Union admitted it spent decades blasting the U.S. Embassy in Moscow with "mysterious" beams.

Micah Hanks·March 4, 2022

Decades ago, the Soviet Union admitted it spent decades blasting the U.S. Embassy in Moscow with mysterious rays later dubbed the "Moscow Signal".

The Search for ET: What Do the Best Scientists in the Milky Way Know?

Avi Loeb·March 3, 2022

An encounter with an ET culture would be a humbling experience, since we will have to admit that our modern science was developed only over the past century out of the 4.5-billion-years-long history of Earth.

The Secretive History of the NSA’s UFO Studies in the Sixties

Jazz Shaw·March 2, 2022

What is the position of the National Security Agency (NSA), arguably one of the most secretive groups in America's security apparatus, on UFOs?

Exploring Venus in a Manta Ray Inspired Spacecraft

Christopher Plain·March 1, 2022

A new spacecraft inspired by the manta ray and designed to surf the clouds of Venus has received a second round of funding from NASA.

The Milky-Way’s Gifts to Life Expectancy

Avi Loeb·February 23, 2022

We live in the gravitational potential well of the Milky Way galaxy, and therefore we age more slowly than the cosmos at large. By how much?

Project Sign: What Did the Air Force Think About “Spacemen” in 1948?

Jazz Shaw·February 22, 2022

Modern questions about UAP mirror what was being debated seventy years ago during Project Sign, the first USAF study of the phenomenon.

Light Sail Could Reach Proxima Centauri in 20 Years

Christopher Plain·February 21, 2022

Researchers have proposed a light sail design that should be able to survive the stresses of an interstellar voyage.

Solar Power Without Direct Sunlight? This Researcher Says It’s Possible

Christopher Plain·February 21, 2022

An engineering student from the Philippines has created a solar panel that doesn’t require direct sunlight to generate power.

Mind the Gap: A Lesson in Cosmic Stoicism

Avi Loeb·February 18, 2022

If human beings ever locate and interact with an extraterrestrial civilization, how will we play 'realpolitik' with them?

Mysterious 18-minute Radio Pulses Are Not from “Little Green Men”

Avi Loeb·February 16, 2022

On January 26, 2022, a group of astronomers authored a report about mysterious radio pulses repeating periodically every 18.18 minutes from a source in the sky labeled GLEAM-X.

What Was Pilot Thomas Mantell Chasing When His Plane Crashed in 1948?

Balloon, UFO, or something else? Questions remain over one of the most famous--and tragic--UFO incidents of the 1940s

Jazz Shaw·February 15, 2022

Balloon, UFO, or something else? Questions remain over one of the most famous--and tragic--UFO incidents of the 1940s

China Reveals Its Newest Plans for Space Dominance

Christopher Plain·February 10, 2022

In a newly issued white paper, China has charted out the next five years of its space program's ambitious goals.

Stellar Engines: As Galaxies Emit Light, Their Expansion Reveals a Unique Phenomenon

Avi Loeb·February 9, 2022

Our observation of the behavior of galaxies reveals phenomena that have received surprisingly little attention in the scientific literature.

Opinion: When it Comes to the USAF and UAP, the Tide May Finally Be Turning

Robert Powell·February 7, 2022

Is the USAF beginning to show serious concern regarding the UAP issue? It could be that the tide is finally turning.

Virtual restaurants may be the next new trend thanks to bitcoin and social isolation

Can Virtual Restaurants Actually be Successful?

Kenna Hughes-Castleberry·February 7, 2022

Virtual restaurants may be the next new trend thanks to bitcoin and the COVID-19 pandemic causing social isolation.

NASA’s Updated Transition Plan for the International Space Station Includes Crashing it Into the Pacific

Micah Hanks·February 4, 2022

NASA has updated its transition plan for the international space station, as it nears the end of its operational lifespan.

What’s The Air Force Really Trying To Hide?

Debrief Art·February 4, 2022

Last June, the Director of National Intelligence (DNI) released a public report entitled Preliminary Assessment: Unidentified Aerial Phenomena. The report confirmed that vehicles of unknown origin and capability are operating on a recurring basis, with seeming impunity, in restricted U.S. military airspace....

Why is the Air Force AWOL on the UAP Issue?

Christopher Mellon·February 3, 2022

The U.S. Air Force and its component organizations have detected and tracked thousands of UAP from 2004 to 2021... but you wouldn't know that from their official statements on the subject.

Out of the Shadows: When Mainstream Media Began Taking the UFO Topic Seriously

Jazz Shaw·February 3, 2022

When it comes to UFOs, the mainstream media only recently got into the game. Here are some of the major voices who helped make that happen.

AI: Intelligent Adaptation, or Barbarian Duplication?

Avi Loeb·February 2, 2022

Once we begin sending our assets to other planets, what should be our goal? There are two basic choices: AI, or the way of the barbarian.

“Ghosts” of the Early Universe Reveal Clues, and Controversies, About the Formation of Galaxies

Micah Hanks·February 1, 2022

Astronomers have learned surprising things from the oldest and most distant galaxies in our universe, a search that has also led to a few controversies.

The science of VR vision is important as it helps make the virtual experience more realistic.

The Science of VR Vision: How Does Virtual Reality Imagery Work?

Kenna Hughes-Castleberry·February 1, 2022

The science of VR vision is important as it helps make the virtual experience more realistic for users to enjoy.

Ball Lightning First Described by 12th Century Monk

Christopher Plain·January 31, 2022

A text from a 12th-century English monk known for his interest in weather seems to be the first written account of ball lightning.

social isolation and loneliness has been correlated with teeth loss, in a new study from NYU

If you have Fewer Friends You may have Fewer Teeth

Kenna Hughes-Castleberry·January 31, 2022

Social isolation and loneliness have been correlated with teeth loss, in a new study from NYU looking at over 4,000 adults.

The Secret Life of Drugs: A Much Awaited Tell-All from the Species in Your Feces

Are we flushing away important health information with every bowel movement?

Simon Spichak·January 27, 2022

A group of scientists studying drugs thinks important health information can be found in what we flush down the toilet every day.

Are Squids and Octopuses Actually Space Aliens?

Christopher Plain·January 27, 2022

Squids, octopuses and other cephalopods may be organisms from outer space, according to a 2018 scientific paper.

The Confessions of a High-Functioning Psychopath

Dylan Stoll·January 26, 2022

You've probably met many psychopaths in your lifetime, and didn't know it. Welcome to the world of the high-functioning psychopath.

ANALYSIS: Were Sweden’s “Mystery Drones” Russian PSYOPS?

Tim McMillan·January 24, 2022

Authorities in Sweden have said that swarms of mystery drones repeatedly violated restricted airspace over several sensitive areas and government facilities for nearly a week. The incidents began on January 13, when an unidentified drone was spotted flying near Kiruna airport...

Brains “Tune” to Unfamiliar Voices During Sleep

Christopher Plain·January 19, 2022

New research reveals how the brain balances the need to sleep with the need to wake up based on external sensory information.

The St. Clair Triangle UFO Incident of 2000: A Fresh Look

Jazz Shaw·January 19, 2022

In the early morning hours of January 5, 2000, something odd was observed in the skies by police officers in southern Illinois. What was the St. Clair Triangle UFO?

Are Super-Earths Actually the Best Places to Search for ET?

Christopher Plain·January 17, 2022

Super-Earths may be the best place to search for extraterrestrial life due to their long-lived magnetic shields, according to a recent study. Scientists had previously thought that Earth-sized rocky exoplanets, meaning planets located outside of our own solar system that...

Apple's VR Headsets are designed for shorter use periods. Is this to help a user have a healthier experience, or to avoid the metaverse?

Is Apple Averse to the Metaverse?

Kenna Hughes-Castleberry·January 13, 2022

Unlike some companies, Apple is not jumping onto the metaverse bandwagon. Instead, its new augmented reality (AR) and virtual reality (VR) headset is intended for a more mindful gaming experience. Is Apple really focusing on the user for their headset...

Extraordinary Evidence Requires Extraordinary Funding: The Search for Extraterrestrial Technology

Trying to catch extraterrestrial technology in our solar system requires a very expensive fishing rod.

Avi Loeb·January 11, 2022

Space is vast so sensitive telescopes and patience are needed for an interstellar fishing trip when catching extraterrestrial technology.

Dogs can Tell the Difference Between Languages

Christopher Plain·January 10, 2022

After recently reports that dogs can distinguish as many as 89 different words, a completely different research team has learned that dogs can tell the difference between various human languages. The same research determined that dogs can also differentiate between...

Will Smartphones Begin using 3D Holograms?

Kenna Hughes-Castleberry·January 8, 2022

Researchers have developed a device that may be able to create miniature 3D holograms for smartphones to use.