News Archives - The Debrief

Our New Podcast ‘The Debrief Weekly Report’ Covers Today’s News and the Science of Tomorrow

"The Debrief Weekly Report", a science news podcast for those who think about tomorrow, will have you girding your ions.

MJ Banias and Stephanie Gerk·January 30, 2023

The Debrief is excited to announce the launch of a brand new weekly news podcast, The Debrief Weekly Report, hosted by MJ Banias and Stephanie Gerk.

China Says They Are Solving a Major Hypersonic Hurdle with Metamaterials and WiFi

At hypersonic speeds, communication is impossible. Or, at least it was...

MJ Banias·January 20, 2023

The Chinese government announced it has allegedly solved the issue of communication for hypersonic missiles and aircraft using WiFi and metamaterials.

Want to be the next Elon Musk? There’s a College Degree For That Now

Mike Damante·June 10, 2021

ASU now has a 12-month program in Executive Master of Global Management: Space Leadership, Business, and Policy to train a future Elon Musk.

Blast from the Past: Astronomers Detect “Extreme” Event From Proxima Centauri

Micah Hanks·April 23, 2021

Astronomers have observed an “extreme” flaring event on Proxima Centauri, which they believe to be the largest the star has ever been seen to produce.

Neuralink Founder Says We “Could Build Jurassic Park.” Should we?

Mike Damante·April 7, 2021

Neuralink co-founder Max Hodak tweeted, “We could probably build Jurassic Park if we wanted to.” Is it even possible to bring dinosaurs back?

Biden Pledges To Nearly Triple Science Research Funding

Tim McMillan·March 26, 2021

During his first press conference, U.S. President Joe Biden said his administration was planning to invest heavily in science, pledging to increase federal funding for scientific research “closer to 2%” of America’s overall GDP. “Back in the ’60s, we used to...

Richard Garriott Becomes First Astronaut and Polar Explorer to Visit Mariana Trench

Micah Hanks·March 23, 2021

Richard Garriott has become first person to have visited the Mariana Trench, both poles of the Earth, and also fly aboard the International Space Station.

New Cancer Treatment Uses A Mini CERN Particle Accelerator To Blast Tumors With Ion Beams

MJ Banias·February 26, 2021

The Next Ion Medical Machine Study uses CERN particle accelerator technology to build next gen ion accelerators to treat cancerous tumors.

Europe At The Forefront of Hypersonic Missile Defense

Germany joined its European allies this month in the space based hypersonic missile defense system, TWISTER.

Christopher Plain·December 23, 2020

Europe may be technologically poised to lead the world in defense against future hypersonic missiles via its space-based TWISTER program.

New ‘Comet Chaser’ Spacecraft Will Lurk in Orbit Waiting for A Target

Part of the European Space Agency’s Comet Intercept mission, the proposed vehicle would lurk in an orbital “dead zone” for years before selecting its target.

Christopher Plain·December 20, 2020

Part of the European Space Agency’s Comet Intercept mission, a 'comet chaser' probe will lurk in orbit waiting for a target to come along.

New Commercial Satellite’s Images Are So Clear They Raise Privacy Concerns

Ryan Sprague and MJ Banias·December 19, 2020

Capella Space just announced that it has created a satellite so powerful that it can see through walls and take crystal clear photos anywhere.

High Tech MXene Fabric Being Developed to Stop “Havana Syndrome” Attacks

MXene can absorb and reflect electromagnetic waves, and researchers claim it can keep spies and diplomats safe from microwave attacks.

Christopher Plain·December 16, 2020

MXene can absorb and reflect EM waves, and researchers claim it can keep spies and diplomats safe from microwave attacks, dubbed "Havana Syndrome."

Cutting-Edge Simulation Technology Being Developed for Military Training

Combining real-life historical military engagements with modern simulation technology, the program is touted as “the ultimate tool for military education and battle analysis."

Christopher Plain·December 16, 2020

With hopes of improving the training of future U.S. military leaders, researchers at Purdue University have developed a cutting-edge simulation program that offers students a virtual reality 3-D tour of the famed WWII D-Day battle at Normandy, France. By taking...

Star Trek Style “Tricorder” App Turns iPhone into a DNA Sequencer

iGenomics App Able to Sequence DNA on a Mobile Device

Collin Jones·December 7, 2020

Scientists from Cold Spring Harbor Laboratory have developed a mobile DNA sequencer reminiscent of the "tricorder" featured in Star Trek.

Elon Musk Says SpaceX Will Have Humans on Mars by 2026

Ryan Sprague·December 7, 2020

Last week, Elon Musk, CEO of SpaceX, said that he is confident that his company will be launching a crew to Mars by 2026.

DeepMind Makes AI History By Solving “Protein Folding Problem”

The achievement will likely have a significant impact on the future of computational and molecular biology.

Adam Kehoe·December 3, 2020

On Monday, DeepMind Technologies announced a major breakthrough in what is known in computational biology as the "protein folding problem."

Is There Life on Mars? New Study Says It’s Probably Underground

MJ Banias·December 3, 2020

A new study concludes that if life ever existed on Mars, it would have to dwell well below the planet's surface.

New Findings May Place the Asteroid Apophis Within Striking Distance of Earth

Apophis May Strike Earth in 2068 Due to Yarkovsky Effect.

MJ Banias·December 2, 2020

New data presented in late October indicates that the 340-meter-wide Apophis asteroid may drift much closer to Earth than initially thought.

Researchers Want to Build A Laser ‘Tractor Beam’ to Control Weather

A New Study Proposes Using Lasers to Manipulate The Path of Lightning.

MJ Banias·December 1, 2020

A new study by an international team of scientists proposes using lasers to create a tractor beam to manipulate lightning during storms.

DARPA’s Dream of a Tiny Robot Army Is Close To Becoming a Reality

DARPA edges closer to its dream of having 250 AI drones for urban warfare environments.

Tim McMillan·December 1, 2020

DARPA edges closer to its dream of having 250 AI drones for urban warfare environments.

Astronomers Analyze A Rare 470 Year Old ‘Baby’ Magnetar

Swift J1818.0−1607 Is A Rare Magnetar But Its Even More Special Because Its Just A Baby.

Chris Rutkowski·November 30, 2020

Astronomers analyse a 470 year old "baby" cosmic object known as a magnetar using the Chandra X-ray Observatory.

Kidon – Israel’s Shadowy Group of Elite Killers

The assassination of Chief Iranian Nuclear Scientist, Mohsen Fakhrizadeh, bear all the hallmarks of Mossad's expert group covert killers.

Tim McMillan·November 30, 2020

The assassination of Chief Iranian Nuclear Scientist, Mohsen Fakhrizadeh, bear all the hallmarks of Mossad's expert group covert killers- Kidon.

This Lava Exoplanet is Comprised of Burning Rock

Things are looking rocky on K2-141b.

MJ Banias·November 10, 2020

Scientists used simulations to map out the surface conditions of the lava exoplanet K2-141b, a world where it rains burning rocks.

Senator Marco Rubio Weighs in on Military Studies of Unidentified Aerial Phenomena

The Senate Intelligence Committee has requested a report... but will we get one?

Micah Hanks·July 21, 2020

The Senate Intelligence Committee has requested a report... but will we get one?

Unidentified: Navy Confirms Objects In These Videos Can’t Be Explained

Micah Hanks·October 9, 2019

In a noteworthy, but widely overlooked official statement, the U.S. Navy appears to have acknowledged that it cannot identify objects seen in a series of controversial videos. The unidentified objects appear in a series of three videos released by Tom...