The Intelligence Brief Archives

NASA’s Unidentified Anomalous Phenomena Report: Key Takeaways

Micah Hanks·September 14, 2023

Welcome to this week’s installment of The Intelligence Brief… the results of an assessment by NASA’s Unidentified Anomalous Phenomena (UAP) Independent Study Team are in. In our analysis, we’ll be looking at 1) what the study set out to achieve,...

Introducing Replicator, The Pentagon’s New ‘Game-Changing’ AI Drone Initiative

Micah Hanks·September 7, 2023

This week's newsletter looks at the DoD's new Replicator initiative to leverage autonomous systems against emerging military threats.

The DOD Taps AI to Monitor Washington D.C.’s Airspace, and AARO Gets a New Website

Micah Hanks·August 31, 2023

This week, we look at the DOD and its plans to use artificial intelligence (AI) to help monitor the airspace over the nation’s capital.

Questions About Unidentified Anomalous Phenomena Enter the 2024 Presidential Race

Micah Hanks·August 24, 2023

As things start gearing up for the 2024 election season, the UAP question already managed to make its way into the first round of debates featuring eight GOP hopefuls.

Amidst Controversy, Google Has a New Secret Project to Help it Dominate the AI Landscape

Micah Hanks·August 17, 2023

Google is reportedly working on a new secret AI project amidst turmoil in the tech industry's race toward AI dominance.

The Struggles of a Whistleblower: Separating Fact From Fiction in the Latest UAP Revelations

Micah Hanks·August 10, 2023

In this week's Intelligence Brief newsletter, we look at a recent report involving UAP whistleblower David Grusch’s past struggles since leaving active duty.

NASA is Gearing Up for the First Rocket Launch from Another Planet

Micah Hanks·August 3, 2023

This week, we examine recent tests being carried out by NASA are paving the way for the historic first rocket launch from Mars.

The Congressional Hearing on UAP: What We Learned From Yesterday’s Testimony

Micah Hanks·July 27, 2023

This week's Intelligence Brief newsletter looks at the key takeaways from the latest in a recent series of Congressional hearings on unidentified anomalous phenomena (UAP).

National Security Subcommittee Hearing on UAP: Here’s What to Expect Next Week

Micah Hanks·July 20, 2023

This week, we look at the latest news in advance of next week’s National Security Subcommittee Hearing on UAP.

James Webb Space Telescope Celebrates First Year With New Stunning Cosmic Imagery

Micah Hanks·July 13, 2023

This week, we’ll be looking at the James Webb Space Telescope's recent achievements as it reached one year since heading into orbit.

DARPA’S New SHIELD Program Plans to Purge Your Blood of Pathogens, Roomba-Style

Micah Hanks·July 6, 2023

This week's Intelligence Brief examines DARPA's new SHIELD program, which aims to protect warfighters against infections from pathogens.

“I don’t really understand why they can do it.” The Godfather of AI Returns With a Warning

Micah Hanks·June 29, 2023

The “Godfather of AI” has returned to offer more words of caution about the potential issues humankind could face in the future with AI.

The Search for Titan: Knocking Sounds, a Debris Field, and Breaking Developments in the Rescue Effort

Micah Hanks·June 22, 2023

Welcome to this week’s installment of The Intelligence Brief… as the search for a missing submersible has captured the world’s attention, this week we’ll be analyzing the rescue effort and examining 1) what we currently know about the search for...

DARPA and NASA’s Jet Propulsion Lab Unite to Combat File Format Dangers with ‘SafeDocs’

Micah Hanks·June 15, 2023

DARPA and JPL team up with the SafeDocs program to provide new tools that allow safe access to online documents.

Whistleblower Claims Congress is Being Kept in the Dark About U.S. Recovery of Non-Human Craft

Micah Hanks·June 8, 2023

This week, a whistleblower has claimed the U.S. government is withholding information about non-human craft from Congress.

NASA’s UAP Study: Here Are the Key Takeaways from Yesterday’s Public Briefing

Micah Hanks·June 1, 2023

Welcome to this week’s installment of The Intelligence Brief… yesterday, members of a NASA independent study team that are conducting an evaluation of unidentified anomalous phenomena (UAP) convened for their first public meeting. In our analysis this week, we’ll be...

Volt Typhoon: Chinese Hacking Effort Reveals “Stealthy and Targeted Malicious Activity”

Micah Hanks·May 25, 2023

This week, U.S. intelligence officials and industry leaders issued a warning about Volt Typhoon, a new state-sponsored Chinese hacking threat.

G7: World Leaders Prepare to Attend Summit in Hiroshima This Weekend

Micah Hanks·May 18, 2023

As world leaders convene for the annual G7 Summit, we’ll be analyzing the location, significance and other details about this year's meeting.

New National Defense Science and Technology Strategy is Released by the DoD

Micah Hanks·May 11, 2023

This week we take a look at the DoD's National Defense Science and Technology Strategy (NDSTS), outlining the Pentagon’s most urgent science and technology goals and other priorities.

A Warning From The Godfather of Artificial Intelligence

Micah Hanks·May 4, 2023

The "Godfather of A.I." has taken a big step back to warn us about the potential perils such technology might ensure in the years ahead.

New Concerns Over Threats from Space Revealed in Latest U.S. Classified Document Leak

Micah Hanks·April 27, 2023

This week's newsletter examines the latest concerns arising from U.S. top-secret document leaks, and what they convey about China and Russia’s space programs.

No Evidence of ET? Controversy Erupted After the Senate UAP Hearing. Here’s What the Critics Missed

Micah Hanks·April 20, 2023

In this week's Intelligence Brief newsletter, we examine the controversies surrounding yesterday's Senate UAP hearing, and several key takeaways that many critics of AARO overlooked.

Classified Document Leak Reveals Presence of Western Special Forces in Ukraine, and Much More

Micah Hanks·April 13, 2023

This week we analyze a recent U.S. classified document leak that reveals new details on Western allies and the war in Ukraine.

Mk-II Aurora Space Plane Completes Its First Rocket-Powered Flight, Sets Pace for Orbital Program

Micah Hanks·April 6, 2023

This week, we take a look at the successful rocket-powered test flight of the new Mk-II Aurora space plane by Dawn Aerospace.

Fast Radio Bursts Could Be Solved With Help From a 24-Year-Old Transplant Survivor

Micah Hanks·March 30, 2023

An international team of researchers says that they may have discovered something new about fast radio bursts that could help scientists determine more about their nature.

Bard is Born: Introducing Google’s Newest High-Performance Chatbot

Micah Hanks·March 23, 2023

This week we look at Google's announcement that it will soon begin opening access to Bard, its newest and most advanced chatbot.

Pentagon Space Mission Aims to Test Laser Power Beaming in Space

Micah Hanks·March 16, 2023

This week, we look at the NRL's efforts to use laser power beaming with its Space Wireless Energy Laser Link (SWELL).

2023 Annual Threat Assessment: Here’s What U.S. Intelligence Says You Need to Know

Micah Hanks·March 9, 2023

This week's newsletter examines an annual report from the ODNI detailing Intelligence Commnunity's threat forecast for the coming year.

Asteroid Ryugu, photographed by the Japanese Hayabusa-2 spacecraft (Credit: JAXA).

Asteroid Discovery Could Shed Light on the Mysterious Origins of Life on Earth

Micah Hanks·March 2, 2023

This week we look at how asteroid samples delivered to Earth by a Japanese spacecraft could shed light on the mysterious origins of life on Earth.

China Isn’t Giving Lethal Aid to Russia… Yet. Here’s What U.S. Officials Know.

Micah Hanks·February 23, 2023

This week's Intelligence Brief newsletter examines the Pentagon's recent statements on whether China plans to provide lethal aid to Russia.

U.S. Senators Leave Classified Briefing on Unidentified Objects With More Questions Than Answers

Micah Hanks·February 16, 2023

This week's Intelligence Brief looks at a recent classified briefing on the three objects recently shot down over North America, and what U.S. Senators had to say about it.

Unidentified Aerial Espionage: The Strange Saga of the Chinese Spy Balloon Shoot-Down

Micah Hanks·February 9, 2023

This week's Intelligence Brief newsletter examines the recent Chinese spy balloon controversy, and the current intelligence U.S. officials have gathered on it.

ChatGPT: Does This Clever Chatbot Mark the Dawn of a New Era in AI?

Micah Hanks·February 2, 2023

This week, we look at OpenAI’s impressive chatbot ChatGPT, and what it told The Debrief in a series of candid responses to our questions.

Nuclear Thermal Propulsion Spacecraft May Carry Humans to Mars, as U.S. Announces First Testing in 50 Years

Micah Hanks·January 26, 2023

A nuclear thermal rocket is under development by the U.S., which could produce a spacecraft capable of manned missions to Mars.

The 2022 Annual Report on UAP: Four Significant Takeaways You Probably Missed

Micah Hanks·January 19, 2023

This week, our double-sized analysis will be focusing on four key takeaways you might have missed from the 2022 Annual Report on UAP.

Mystery Antennas Turning Up in Utah Have Officials Stumped. Here’s What They Might Be.

Micah Hanks·January 12, 2023

Officials in Utah have been perplexed by the appearance of "mystery antennas" that have been cropping up in remote locations on public lands.

Is Disruptive Innovation on the Decline?

Micah Hanks·January 5, 2023

A recent study into the increasing volume of scientific and technological publications in recent years has observed what a team of researchers is calling a decline in “disruptive” innovation.

NASA’s NEO Surveyor Will Defend Earth Against ‘Invisible’ Threats From Space

Micah Hanks·December 29, 2022

This week, we analyze NASA's next-generation telescope NEO Surveyor, which will hunt for "dark" asteroids and comets.

Key Takeaways You Need to Know from the DOD’s Recent AARO Media Roundtable on UAP

Micah Hanks·December 22, 2022

This week we analyze a recent DOD media roundtable on the efforts of the All-domain Anomaly Resolution Office (AARO) and its UAP studies.

“Signals of Interest” Turn Up in SETI Search Aided by Citizen Scientists

Micah Hanks·December 15, 2022

Welcome to this week’s installment of The Intelligence Brief… while the big news this week involves the U.S. Department of Energy’s historic achievement of fusion ignition, elsewhere, advances in the search for extraterrestrial intelligence (SETI) in recent days are pointing to promising results....

Compromise 2023 NDAA Outlines Provisions for Military, Disruptive Tech, UAP, and More

Micah Hanks·December 8, 2022

This week, a compromise has been reached between the House and Senate Armed Services Committees regarding the National Defense Authorization Act for 2023.

The DOD’s 2022 China Military Power Report: An Estimate of the Situation

Micah Hanks·December 1, 2022

This week, we look at the DOD's annual China Military Power Report, identifying China’s current military aspirations and ability to upset the international order.

The Strange Case of the ODNI’s Missing UAP Report

Micah Hanks·November 24, 2022

In this Thanksgiving installment of the Intelligence Brief Newsletter, we look at the latest status of a "missing" UAP report scheduled to be delivered to Congress last month.

NASA Successfully Launches its Artemis I Mega Rocket, Carrying Orion to the Moon

Micah Hanks·November 17, 2022

NASA landed another huge success this week as it launched it's impressive Artemis rocket into space, which is now on its way toward the Moon.

“Vastly Underestimated” Ice Loss Presents a Grim Forecast for Future Sea Level Rise

Micah Hanks·November 10, 2022

This week, we analyze a recent international study pointing to a greater sea level rise in the years ahead than previous models expected.

The Inside Story Behind the Recent Record-Breaking North Korean Missile Frenzy

Micah Hanks·November 3, 2022

This week we’ll be looking at events leading up to a recent series of missile launches by North Korea, and what it means in terms of the country’s expanding capabilities.

NASA UAP Study Update: Team Members Assemble as Study Officially Goes Underway

Micah Hanks·October 27, 2022

With NASA's UAP study now underway, in recent days we learned who the space agency has selected to collect and study data related to the phenomenon.

Unidentified Aerial Phenomena and Aviation Safety: A Persistent Challenge

Micah Hanks·October 20, 2022

This week we look at UAP pilots have recently reported, interpretations of what they might be, and their relevance to aviation safety.

Smashing Success: NASA Presents a Promising DART Mission Update

Micah Hanks·October 13, 2022

Welcome to this week’s installment of The Intelligence Brief… now that NASA’s investigation team has had time to go through the data following its Double Asteroid Redirection Test (DART) experiment, the preliminary results are in, and things are looking encouraging. We’ll...

Russian Space Agency Seeks to Continue Operations Aboard the ISS Beyond 2024

Micah Hanks·October 6, 2022

This week, we look at how the Russian space agency is now looking at the possibility of continuing its space operations aboard the International Space Station beyond 2024.