The Debrief
The Debrief
Menu logo
  • Science
  • Defense
  • Space
  • Astronomy
  • Tech
  • Energy
  • Physics
  • Newsletter
  • Submissions
  • About
magnetoplasmadynamic electric propulsion thruster

NASA Tests Prototype ‘Magnetoplasmadynamic’ Electric Propulsion Thruster Designed to Power Future Trips to Mars

language

Universal Patterns Emerge in Human Languages, Revealing “Four Surprising Laws” Behind Their Evolution

Linear Elamite

A Mysterious 4000-Year-Old “Lost” Writing System Has Finally Been Decoded, in a Modern “Rosetta Stone” Breakthrough

ET AI

Will ET or AI Represent Our First Encounter with Superhuman Intelligence?

Avi Loeb·May 26, 2024
Astronomer Avi Loeb argues that humans need to make sure that we will not be on the “menu” of either ET or AI.
space debris

A Mysterious Object Discovered in the North Carolina Mountains Likely Fell from Space. Here’s What We Think It Is.

Micah Hanks·May 24, 2024
A strange-looking object recently discovered in the mountains of Western North Carolina by an area maintenance worker is believed to be debris that fell from space earlier this week.
predator-prey interactions

Scientists Reveal “Sixth Sense” These Creatures Use to Detect Predators Before They Strike

Micah Hanks·May 24, 2024
A recent study has revealed a new dimension of predator-prey interactions that had remained previously unknown to science.
strings that can almost vibrate forever

Engineers Invent Strings That Can (Almost) Vibrate Forever

Christopher Plain·May 24, 2024
A team of engineers reports they have invented strings that can almost vibrate forever, which could revolutionize nanotechnology.
Armor

One of the Oldest Suits of Armor Ever Found Was Just Tested by Marines in Simulated Combat

MJ Banias·May 24, 2024
According to a new study, researchers utilized Marines to test one of the oldest suits of armor ever found.
Euclid Perseus

Euclid First Look: Stunning New Images From ESA Mission Reveal Billions of Mysterious Orphan Stars

Micah Hanks·May 23, 2024
The Euclid satellite mission has dispatched its first collection of scientific imagery, revealing a dazzling display of orphan stars.
Neuralink brain chip

The FDA Has Approved Neuralink’s Brain Chip Implant Technology for a Second Patient

Chrissy Newton·May 23, 2024
The FDA has approved Elon Musk's Neuralink to implant its experimental brain chip technology in a second individual, following issues that arose with its first patient.
cosmic event

7000-Year-Old Evidence of a Mysterious Cosmic Event is Helping Reveal the Secrets of an Ancient European Settlement

Micah Hanks·May 22, 2024
Data from an ancient cosmic event has helped researchers accurately date a prehistoric settlement in northern Greece.
dyson spheres

Do Dyson Spheres Exist? Here’s Another Way We Could Find Evidence of One.

Avi Loeb·May 22, 2024
If Dyson spheres were built around stars and eventually break over time, we might find pieces of broken ones in interstellar space.
X-plane

Look: DARPA’s High-Speed X-Plane Just Got a Makeover, New Images Reveal

Micah Hanks·May 22, 2024
An experimental high-speed, vertical-lift X-plane has a new look, as revealed in new conceptual images as the aircraft moves toward its preliminary design phase.
habitable planets, earth-sized planet

Earth-Sized Planet Orbiting the Most Common Star in the Galaxy Found Hanging Out in Our Cosmic Back Yard

Christopher Plain·May 22, 2024
Researchers operating a worldwide network of telescopes say they have spotted an Earth-sized planet hanging out in our cosmic backyard.
pulsed plasma propulsion

This NASA-Funded Pulsed Plasma Propulsion System Could Carry Humans to Mars in Just Two Months

Micah Hanks·May 21, 2024
A groundbreaking new pulsed plasma propulsion system could soon enable faster and safer crewed missions to planets like Mars.
seafloor holes

These Mysterious Seafloor Holes Off the California Coast Have Long Baffled Scientists. Now We Know Their Cause.

Micah Hanks·May 21, 2024
Off the Central California coast, a massive field of seafloor holes roughly the size of Los Angeles has long perplexed researchers.
dyson spheres alien technology

The Search for Alien Technology May Have Actually Found Something

Christopher Plain·May 21, 2024
A team of astronomers searching the cosmos for signs of alien technology think they may have actually found something.
CosmoAgent

Cutting-Edge AI Program “CosmoAgent” Simulates First Contact With Alien Civilizations

Tim McMillan·May 21, 2024
Researchers develop "CosmoAgent," a groundbreaking AI framework to simulate human-alien interactions and interstellar coexistence.
black hole merger

James Webb Space Telescope Discovery Reveals Earliest Black Hole Merger Ever Witnessed

Micah Hanks·May 20, 2024
Astronomers report the discovery of the most distant black hole merger ever observed, with help from NASA’s James Webb Space Telescope.
Vatican

The Vatican Has Updated Its Guidelines for Evaluating Apparitions and Supernatural Phenomena. Here’s What That Means.

Micah Hanks·May 20, 2024
For the first time in decades, the Vatican has updated its process for evaluating visions of the Virgin Mary and other alleged supernatural phenomena.
droughts

Satellites Detected This Odd “Glow” Coming from Plants on Earth. Now Scientists Say It Could Help Predict Severe Droughts.

Micah Hanks·May 20, 2024
A glow that plants produce during photosynthesis could offer a breakthrough in predicting devastating droughts before they strike.
Perception of Time

Perception of Time Can Be Skewed by What We See, New Research Reveals

Tim McMillan·May 20, 2024
New research reveals visual stimuli can skew our perception of time, challenging conventional understandings of how time is encoded by the brain.
solar power

This New Solar Power Technology Generates A Massive Amount of Heat, No Fossil Fuels Required

MJ Banias·May 17, 2024
Researchers can harness solar energy at temperatures exceeding 1,000°C and could maybe revolutionize high-temperature industrial processes. 
AI music

Music in the AI Era: Run-DMC’s Darryl McDaniels and Industry Professionals Weigh In

Chrissy Newton·May 17, 2024
Artists are expressing mixed opinions about the rising prevalence of AI music production, from its potential benefits to its misuse and legal ramifications.
planet

MIT Astronomers Say They Have Discovered a Planet Current Theories Can’t Explain

Christopher Plain·May 17, 2024
Astronomers from MIT say they have discovered a distant planet so unusual that they cannot explain how it exists.
pyramid

This Long Lost Waterway May Hold the Secrets to How the Pyramids Were Built

MJ Banias·May 16, 2024
New research sheds light as to how the pyramids were built, but also why they rest in the middle of a barren desert.
Truth Effect

Repetition Creates False Memories: New Study Exposes the “Truth Effect” and Its Impact on Misinformation

Tim McMillan·May 16, 2024
Research reveals that the "truth effect" and "illusion of knowledge effect" create false memories from repeated information, impacting beliefs in the digital age.
most detailed map

“Alien World” Revealed in Most Detailed Map of the Human Brain Created by Google and Harvard Researchers

Micah Hanks·May 16, 2024
A team of Harvard and Google researchers have created the most detailed map of the human brain ever rendered.
hypersonic missile

US and Japan Sign Agreement to Build Hypersonic Missile Interceptors by 2030s

MJ Banias·May 15, 2024
The United States and Japan have officially signed a cooperative agreement to develop a hypersonic missile interceptor by the 2030s.
warp drive

Warp Drive Breakthrough Could Enable Constant-Velocity Subluminal Travel, Physics Team Says

Micah Hanks·May 15, 2024
A warp drive breakthrough has been unveiled by leading propulsion researchers in in a groundbreaking new study.
boiling in partial gravity

Parabolic Flight Experiments Test Boiling in Partial Gravity to Prepare Future Off-World Colonists

Christopher Plain·May 15, 2024
Southwest Research Institute scientists are studying boiling in partial gravity to help future off-world colonists survive in space.
Lost Colony

Archaeologists Unearth New Clues That Could Help Solve Centuries-Old “Lost Colony” Mystery

Micah Hanks·May 14, 2024
New evidence uncovered by archaeologists is bringing researchers closer than ever to revealing the fate of the famous Lost Colony of Roanoke.
quantum laser

DARPA Funding Military-Grade Quantum Laser Prototype

Christopher Plain·May 14, 2024
DARPA is funding the development of a military-grade quantum laser prototype that can penetrate dense fog and operate over long distances.
artificial superintelligence

Artificial Superintelligence Could Doom Humanity and Explain We Haven’t Found Alien Civilizations, Proposes New Research

Tim McMillan·May 14, 2024
A recent study suggests artificial superintelligence could be the reason we haven't detected alien civilizations, warning of AI's existential risks to humanity.
proxima centauri b

Researchers Studying Proxima Centauri b Tout ‘Significant Leap Forward’ in Understanding Habitable Earth-Like Planets

Christopher Plain·May 14, 2024
A new analysis of exoplanet Proxima Centauri b marks a significant leap forward in understanding habitable Earth-like planets.
earthquake swarms

Earthquake Swarms with No Clear Trigger Have Baffled Scientists for Years. This May Be What’s Causing Them.

Micah Hanks·May 13, 2024
New research has revealed that earthquake swarms may be linked to climate events that include heavy snowfall and rain, according to new findings by MIT scientists and an international team of colleagues. 
brightest gamma-ray burst

James Webb Space Telescope Data Reveals New Insights Into the Brightest Gamma Ray Burst Ever Detected

Micah Hanks·May 13, 2024
James Webb Space Telescope data is offering new clues about a massive supernova associated with the brightest gamma-ray burst ever recorded.
Tatooine-style planet

Star Wars Tatooine-Style Planet with Two Suns Found Orbiting in the Habitable Zone

Christopher Plain·May 13, 2024
A Tatooine-style planet with two suns like Luke Skywalker's home in 'Star Wars' has been spotted in its host star's habitable zone.
severe geomagnetic storm

Most Severe Geomagnetic Storm Forecast in Two Decades Could Mean Northern Lights Sightings

Micah Hanks·May 10, 2024
A severe geomagnetic storm is expected to occur over the weekend, which space weather experts say will likely begin as early as Friday afternoon or evening.
deadbots

Future Humans Could be Haunted by Digital “Ghosts” of Their Dead Loved Ones, Researchers Warn

Micah Hanks·May 10, 2024
Researchers warn that people could become unintended targets of emotional distress from AI "deadbots" that emulate their deceased loved ones.
ancient language

1600-Year-Old Stone Inscribed in Mysterious Ancient Language Unearthed in Accidental Discovery

Micah Hanks·May 10, 2024
A peculiar stone inscribed with a mysterious ancient language is revealing new insights to the ancient history of the British Isles.
extremely low orbit propulsion system

UK Space Agency Testing Extremely Low Orbit Propulsion System That Runs on Solar Power and Thin Air

Christopher Plain·May 10, 2024
UK's new extremely low orbit propulsion system that could keep satellites aloft for years at a time will run on solar power and thin air
UAPs in Canada

UAPs in Canada: A Conversation with MP Larry Maguire on Disclosure, Transparency, and Government Action

Chrissy Newton·May 9, 2024
In a conversation with The Debrief, Canadian MP Larry Maguire shares his thoughts on the UAP subject and the Canadian government's position on these phenomena.
rocky exoplanet atmosphere

James Webb Space Telescope Finds ‘Best Evidence to Date’ for Rocky Exoplanet Atmosphere

Christopher Plain·May 9, 2024
NASA researchers using the James Webb Space Telescope have detected the ‘best evidence to date’ for a rocky exoplanet atmosphere.
iontronic memristor

New “Iontronic Memristor” Could Revolutionize Brain-Like Computing Using Only Salt and Water

Tim McMillan·May 9, 2024
The iontronic memristor, a breakthrough device mimicking human brain synapses with salt and water is advancing neuromorphic computing.

Stanford Researchers Create First-Ever Augmented Reality 3D Holographic Headset Using Ordinary Glasses

Christopher Plain·May 9, 2024
A team of Stanford researchers has created the world's first augmented reality 3D holographic headset using ordinary glasses.
lava tube caves

Deep Within These Ancient Lava Tube Caves, Archaeologists Have Made an Unprecedented Discovery

Micah Hanks·May 8, 2024
Archaeologists say remarkable archaeological discoveries are being unearthed deep within ancient lava tube caves in northern Saudi Arabia.
Yooperlites

These Enigmatic “Yooperlites” Found in Michigan Reveal a Luminous Surprise Under Ultraviolet Light

Micah Hanks·May 8, 2024
In Michigan's Upper Peninsula, stones called "Yooperlites" that glow when exposed to ultraviolet (UV) light are capturing the fascination of the rockhounding world.
microplastics

Scientists Create Swarming Micro-Robots That Can “Hunt” Microplastics and Bacteria Contaminating Water

Micah Hanks·May 8, 2024
Scientists report the development of microbiotic swarms that capture microplastics and potentially harmful microbes in water, paving the way for new approaches to combatting pollution in our oceans and waterways.
X-ray pulsar

Astronomers Detect Unusual X-Ray Pulsar Producing Bursts of Energy Current Models Can’t Explain

Micah Hanks·May 8, 2024
An unusual celestial object recently discovered by astronomers has been revealed to be a bursting accreting millisecond X-ray pulsar, according to newly published research.
black hole

Journey to Earth’s Nearest Black Hole

Avi Loeb·May 8, 2024
Recently, the Gaia collaboration discovered the most massive black hole that originated from the collapse of a star in the Milky Way galaxy. What would it be like to visit it?
UFO skeptic

This Well-Known UFO Debunker is Skeptical of the DoD’s Recent Investigations into Aerial Mysteries. Here’s Why.

Micah Hanks·May 7, 2024
A prominent UFO skeptic says he has a few problems with recent investigations by the DoD's All-domain Anomaly Resolution Office.
century-old theory

Veins in Plant Leaves Inspire Creation of a New “Universal” Law Based on a Century-Old Theory

Micah Hanks·May 7, 2024
A new twist on a century-old law draws inspiration from nature, and could lead to more efficient batteries and improvements to a range of other technologies.

The Intelligence Brief

Roman telescope

NASA’s Newly Completed Roman Telescope is Poised to Unlock Dark Energy and Exoplanet Mysteries

Feature Stories

Japan Airlines

What Really Happened to Japan Airlines Flight 1628 in 1986?

warp drive

Meet The Man Behind NASA and DARPA’S Warp Drive Programs

galactic nuclei

The Gifts of Active Galactic Nuclei

© Copyright 2026 The Debrief. All Rights Reserved.

 

The thoughts, views, and opinions expressed in articles on this site belong solely to the authors and do not necessarily reflect those of The Debrief, or of other groups or individuals featured on this site.
ADVERTISE

 

CONTACT

 

ABOUT
EDITORIAL GUIDELINES

 

COPYRIGHT

 

PRIVACY
  • Send a News Tip
  • The Intelligence Brief
  • Get Our Newsletter
The Debrief
  • Science
  • Defense
  • Space
  • Astronomy
  • Tech
  • Energy
  • Physics
  • Newsletter
  • Submissions
  • About
Type to search or hit ESC to close
See all results