Science Archives

Exciting Conspiracy Theories Offer Psychological Payoff New Research Finds

Tim McMillan·October 5, 2021

New research published in the British Journal of Psychology suggests people tend to believe conspiracy theories for the same reason they enjoy a good fantasy novel or science fiction movie. The fantastic, often convoluted, views are exciting and entertaining. The bulk of...

Are Transdermal Patches The Future of Medicinal Magic Mushrooms?

MJ Banias·October 4, 2021

This transdermal patch will deliver psilocin, the active ingredient in psilocybin mushrooms, with fewer risks for medical treatment.

Bats May Have Infected Us With COVID-19, But New Research Says They Can Help Us Fight It

Candy Chan·September 29, 2021

Could new treatments for Covid-19 come from the carrier of the disease itself? Bats may just be our answer to curing COVID-19.

Army Researchers Wage Genetic Warfare on Disease Spreading Mosquitoes

Tim McMillan·September 28, 2021

New U.S. Army-funded research published in the Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences reveals gene-editing techniques can be used as a means of pest control to help reduce the spread of infectious diseases commonly transmitted by mosquitoes, such as Zika or...

New Discovery on the “Strangest Exoplanet Ever Found” Has Astronomers Puzzled

Candy Chan·September 27, 2021

Astronomers have now detected clouds on a gas giant exoplanet nearly 520 light-years from Earth.

Inside the World’s Most Exclusive (and Strange) Anti-Gravity Club

Christopher Plain·September 22, 2021

They wanted to defy a basic and fundamental force of the universe: gravity. Welcome to the wildest bunch of scientists you've ever met.

Scientists Used Electricity to Alter Our Understanding of Liquids, Then They Made This Amazing Video

Christopher Plain·September 21, 2021

A mesmerizing 2-minute video released by researchers from Aalto University in Finland shows how various liquids reacted to electric fields, and it is weird.

LSD Induced Changes May Explain How Brain Generates Behavior

Christopher Plain·September 17, 2021

Researchers have found that LSD causes changes in the brain that may offer insight into how the brain actually directs behavior.

Unusual Sounds Produced by Bright Meteors Point to an Odd Acoustic Anomaly

Micah Hanks·September 17, 2021

Reports of odd sounds associated with bright meteors over the years point to a longstanding mystery of physics.

Will Birds or Toads Be the New Tsunami Early Warning System?

Jazz Shaw·September 14, 2021

Scientists have recently begun investigating whether there may be a better way to detect an earthquake and the answer may come from birds.

The Woolly Mammoth Will Be Back In 6 Years, Says New Start-Up in Partnership with Harvard University

MJ Banias·September 13, 2021

Colossal plans on bringing the woolly mammoth back from the dead and returning an ancient species to the Arctic tundra.

High Serotonin Levels Combat Cocaine Addiction in Mice, Says New Study

Happiness is...not being addicted to cocaine.

Candy Chan·September 10, 2021

Researchers have found that elevated serotonin levels, the hormone of happiness, can prevent cocaine addiction in mice. What does this mean for us?

Deadly Supervolcano Eruptions Remain a Threat for Centuries, New Study Finds

Micah Hanks·September 10, 2021

Supervolcano eruptions, among the most deadly events that occur on planet Earth, may remain a threat for centuries according to new research.

Animals Are ‘Shape-Shifting’ in Response to A Warming Climate, Says New Study

Christopher Plain·September 9, 2021

New research indicates that many animals are rapidly 'shape-shifting' and changing their biology in a last-ditch effort to survive climate change.

Researchers Develop a System for “Peer Review” Between Quantum Computers

Micah Hanks·September 7, 2021

A team of researchers believes they may have the answer, and it involves using multiple quantum computers to check each other’s work, a kind of quantum computing peer review.

Most Fast-Evolving Genes Are Linked to the Evolutionary “Big Bang” of the Human Brain

New Research Narrows in on the Mystery of the Human Brain's Rapid and Unprecedented Evolutionary Development

Tim McMillan·September 3, 2021

New Research Narrows in on the Mystery of the Evolutionary "Big Bang" of the Human Brain By Examining "Human Accelerated Regions" of Genetic Code.

Octopuses May Have the Rare Ability For Targeted “Throwing,” New Research Suggests

Tim McMillan·September 2, 2021

A team of scientists says a recent analysis suggests wild octopuses may possess the ability for targeted “throwing” – a trait that’s extremely rare in non-human animals. Researchers first noticed the unique behavior while conducting a field study of wild octopuses in...

Cannibalistic Cane Toads May Hold the Secrets of Biological Evolution

Jazz Shaw·September 1, 2021

Cannibalistic cane toads are causing problems in Australia, but scientists think they may still teach us a few things.

COVID-19 Origins Remain Undetermined, According to Intelligence Community Assessment

Micah Hanks·August 28, 2021

An unclassified summary by the U.S. Intelligence Community shows that agencies remain divided over COVID-19 origins.

New Whale Species Named After A “God of Death” Hunted on Land and Underwater, New Fossil Discovery Indicates

MJ Banias·August 27, 2021

Scientists discovered a fossil in Egypt's Western Desert of a whale that had four legs and could live both underwater and on land.

Climate Scientists Want To Use Our Poop To Feed and Fuel the World, and It’s A Genius Idea

Re-using biomass creates a "circular bioeconomy" which could dramatically slow carbon emissions.

Sarah London·August 25, 2021

It's a crappy situation, but scientists say we can solve the climate crisis by harvesting biomass from our waste to feed and fuel the world.

Spiders Are Nature’s Best Engineers, and their Webs Prove It

Christopher Plain·August 25, 2021

New research has found that spiders, "nature’s engineers," build lightweight and high-performance web architectures with surprising strength and other capabilities.

These 7 “Star Trek” Technologies May Soon Become Reality

Star Trek inspires us to look forward, so let's do just that.

Christopher Plain·August 24, 2021

7 "Star Trek" inventions that could quickly become reality, and will let humans one day boldly go where we've never gone before.

That Rattlesnake You Hear Is Not As Close As You Fear

Christopher Plain·August 19, 2021

New research shows that the acoustic display of rattlesnakes, which has been interpreted for decades as a simple acoustic warning signal about the presence of the snake, is in fact a far more intricate interspecies communication signal.

Northern Bees Could Thrive As the Earth’s Climate Heats Up, New Study Says

A bee's flight is directly affected by heat, a new study in Functional Ecology proves. Southern bees, well...they're screwed.

MJ Banias·August 18, 2021

Climate change is affecting the effectiveness of bee flight, and while this could benefit northern bees, southern bee species are screwed.

Scientists Convert Light into Matter and Antimatter, New Study Confirms

Christopher Plain·August 16, 2021

Scientists have turned light into matter, and its counterpart antimatter, all in one step proving a nearly century-old theory as correct.

Marijuana Can Induce Feelings of “Oceanic Boundlessness” Similar to Psychedelics, New Research Suggests

Tim McMillan·August 12, 2021

New research suggests Tetrahydrocannabinol or THC – the psychoactive ingredient most commonly found in marijuana – can induce feelings of oneness with the greater universe, often referred to by psychologists as “oceanic boundlessness.” The phrase initially coined by French author...

Ancient Tablet Displays Pythagorean Theorem 1,000 Years Before Pythagoras was Even Born

Liam Stewart·August 12, 2021

A 4000-year-old tablet displays a form of geometry from Babylon, thousands of years before the math was thought to have been discovered.

New Study Says Infant Mice Dream About Their Future World. Do We?

Liam Stewart·August 6, 2021

Infant mice and other mammals may be already dreaming of the world they are about to be born into before their eyes even open.

Animal Life On Earth Emerged Far Earlier Than Previously Believed

Jazz Shaw·August 6, 2021

A new study has revealed the existence of sponges as early as 890 million years ago, making them the oldest known animal life on Earth.

Researchers Use Acoustic Levitation to Create a “Tractor Beam” of Sound

Christopher Plain·August 5, 2021

Researchers with Tokyo Metropolitan University have developed a "tractor beam" using sound waves to manipulate objects without actually coming into contact with them.

Earthquake Swarms Rocking Yellowstone May Help Explain a Longstanding Park Mystery

Micah Hanks·August 5, 2021

USGS data on recent earthquake swarms at Yellowstone may strengthen the case for a seismic theory behind the origin of one of the park’s most enduring mysteries.

Marijuana on the Mind? This Cannabinoid May Be Able to Treat Epilepsy, Study Says

Christopher Plain·August 3, 2021

Researchers studying how the brain calms epileptic seizures found a cannabinoid similar to those in marijuana may help with future treatment.

Childhood’s End?: India’s Population Control Policy and Our Sterile Future

Candy Chan·July 30, 2021

Uttar Pradesh, India’s most populous state, has proposed legislation to implement a two-child policy and voluntary sterilization program.

Climate Change May Be Weakening Earth’s Vital Signs, New Study Says

Liam Stewart·July 29, 2021

While the history of human-caused climate change is relatively short given the Earth’s lifespan, it has also been occurring for longer than many may realize.

As Fish Stocks Continue to Be Depleted, What is the Future of Fishing?

AI and smart boats will create a sustainable future for fishing, but only if we update a tired and wasteful industry.

Coty Perry·July 23, 2021

Scientists predict we will deplete our fishing stocks by 2050, which begs a big question: What is the future of fishing?

Ancient Plagues and New Evidence That Prepared Humanity for Today’s COVID Crisis

Candy Chan·July 19, 2021

A new study reveals that the Black Death had spread much farther than previously thought. Could it be that ancient plagues taught us lessons?

Scientists Examine New Ways Forensic Geology Can Track Criminals

Tim McMillan·July 16, 2021

In a new study, researchers examined new ways forensic geology, can be used to help police to track down criminals.

New Cancer-Killing Radiation Therapy Gets an Upgrade from Quantum Physics

Candy Chan·July 15, 2021

Cancer cells die within three days with radiation therapy enhanced by iodine particles, according to new research.

Through a Child’s Eyes: “Backward Masking” Reveals What Babies See That We Can’t

Christopher Plain·July 12, 2021

Japanese researchers were led to a surprising conclusion about infants during recent experiments with a process known as "backward masking."

Incredible New Nanotech Material Can Produce Clean Energy Inside Your Body

Micah Hanks·July 12, 2021

This new nanotech material may allow the body to produce its own clean energy, used to power devices implanted within the body.

New Research Solves 40-year Mystery of Jupiter’s X-ray Auroras

Tim McMillan·July 9, 2021

An international team of researchers says they have solved the 40-year enigma of why magnificent bursts of X-ray auroras are released every few minutes on the planet Jupiter.

Climate Change Has Affected Our Body Size for The Last Million Years, Says New Study

Candy Chan·July 8, 2021

Climate is a main driver of changes in body size, according to new research performed jointly by teams of researchers with the University of Cambridge and the University of Tübingen in Germany.

Climate Change Causing More Than 5 Million Deaths Annually, Says New Study

Tim McMillan·July 7, 2021

A just published study says nearly 5.1 million extra deaths a year can be attributed to the global effects of climate change.

Rise of the Supercentenarians: Record-Breaking Ages May Occur This Century

Micah Hanks·July 7, 2021

Are supercentenarians on the rise? A new study examines the likelihood that medical advances and other developments in the sciences could contribute to longer lifespans by the year 2100.

Psychedelic Drug Psilocybin Sparks Immediate and Lasting Growth To Neural Connections

Tim McMillan·July 5, 2021

Just published research shows a single dose of the psychedelic drug psilocybin has immediate and long-lasting increases in neural connections.

Remembering Tunguska: A Mystery Explosion that Baffles The CIA Over a Century Later

Theories Continue to Run Wild As Scientists Try to Explain the 15 Megaton Blast That Shook Sibera

Ryan Sprague·July 1, 2021

Several theories have been brought forward to explain it, but the Tunguska event remains a mystery over a hundred years later.

Meet the Man Building an Anti-Gravity Device, and the Alien God That Inspired Him

Pushed by the Frontiers of Science, The Debrief's Chris Plain Falls Down The Rabbit Hole With The Man Trying To Detect Warp Signatures and Defy Gravity

Christopher Plain·June 29, 2021

Anti-gravity, alien gods, UFOs and the frontiers of science. Genius and madness are separated by a fine line, meet the guy who crosses it.

The Top 5 Craziest Things Humans Have Done to Tardigrades

Whether we crash them into the Moon or shoot them from guns, humans are trying to become more like those cute 'water bears.'

Liam Stewart·June 22, 2021

Here are the top 5 insane things we have subjected Tardigrades to for science. Tough little bears can survive anything, well, almost...

Scientists Detect Signs of Life at a Distance Using Remote Sensing

Micah Hanks·June 22, 2021

Scientists say they have successfully detected signs of life using remote sensing techniques, in a research study that could be a breakthrough in the search for life on other planets.