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dark earth

2000-Year-Old Amazonian “Dark Earth” Causes Mysterious Plant Growth at Accelerated Levels, Baffling Researchers

cannabis zero-gravity alien civilizations

Massive Study Shows Overwhelming Support for Federal Cannabis Reform Amid Culture Shift

hidden property of light

“The Foundations for a New Generation of Light‑Based Technologies”: Scientists Uncover ‘Hidden’ Property of Light That Allows it to Spin and Twist

robot will find

Forget Vacuuming. This Robot Will Find Your Keys, Your Phone, and the TV Remote

Christopher Plain·May 16, 2023
The University of Waterloo researchers say they have developed a "super finder" robot that uses a camera and artificial intelligence to help people with dementia and either memory-related disabilities keep track of everyday items they can regularly lose.
neural networks

Breakthrough in Teaching Hard Physics to Neural Networks Reported by Los Alamos Physicists

Micah Hanks·May 15, 2023
Scientists with the Department of Energy’s Los Alamos National Laboratory say they have produced a new method that allows them to introduce hard physics constraints to the structure of neural networks.
meteorite

Will Your Home Be Hit by a Meteorite?

Avi Loeb·May 15, 2023
Could your home be hit by a meteorite? It isn't a frequent occurrence... but that doesn't mean it never happens.
mysterious infrasound

Mysterious Infrasound Signals of Unknown Origin Detected in Earth’s Stratosphere Baffle Scientists

Micah Hanks·May 12, 2023
A mysterious infrasound signal has been detected in Earth’s upper atmosphere, and U.S. Department of Energy scientists say they are currently unsure of its source.
hand held railgun

This Sci-Fi Looking Handheld Railgun May Be China’s Non-Lethal Weapon of the Future

Christopher Plain·May 12, 2023
The Official Chinese Government Media is reporting that they have developed a handheld railgun with some impressive performance claims.
extraterrestrial

Would You Press a Button on an Extraterrestrial Gadget?

Avi Loeb·May 11, 2023
If you were to recover an extraterrestrial gadget, would you press its buttons?
Hazy Mini Neptune

James Webb Space Telescope Directly Measures Light from Sub-Neptune Exoplanet for the First Time

Christopher Plain·May 11, 2023
For the first time ever, researchers using the James Webb Space Telescope have successfully measured the light coming from a sub-Neptune-sized exoplanet that orbits a star only 40 light years away.
anomaly detection

Pentagon’s New Anomaly Detection AI Software Unveiled at U.S. Spec Ops Event

Micah Hanks·May 10, 2023
The powerful new Argus dual-use anomaly detection AI agent was unveiled this week, which the DoD is using to map illicit activity around the globe.
Reentry Vehicle

Air Force Looking to Build More Accurate, More Lethal Nuclear Warhead Reentry Vehicle

Christopher Plain·May 10, 2023
Hoping to upgrade its aging fleet of Intercontinental Ballistic Missiles, the U.S. Air Force is asking its industry partners for ideas on a more accurate and more lethal Next Generation Reentry Vehicle.
Fomalhaut

Eerie Glowing Discs Spotted Around Fomalhaut in Infrared Images Captured by Webb Space Telescope

Micah Hanks·May 9, 2023
Astronomers studying the first asteroid belt ever seen beyond our solar system have detected a series of glowing discs encircling the star Fomalhaut, according to NASA.
U.S. Air Force

U.S. Air Force is Building Its Powerful New JESTR Rocket Project to Test Short-Burn Advanced Weapons

Christopher Plain·May 9, 2023
The United States Air Force is building a new set of rockets and test tracks that will aid in the development of advanced weapons that need to be tested in high-speed fast-burn scenarios.
particle beam

Particle Beam Breakthrough Achieves “Major Paradigm Shift” With Help From Machine Learning

Micah Hanks·May 9, 2023
An algorithm that allows more precise forecasts of the positions and velocities of a beam’s distribution of particles as it passes through an accelerator has been developed by researchers with the Department of Energy (DOE) and the University of Chicago.
PENTAGON

Pentagon Proposes Bold Move to Cut Red Tape in the Development of Breakthrough Technologies

Tim McMillan·May 9, 2023
The Department of Defense (DoD) is requesting new authorities that would allow the Pentagon to initiate the development of new breakthrough technologies without explicit pre-approval from Congress. 
Meta

Disinformation, Covert Influence, and Cyber-Espionage Still a Major Problem on Social Media, Latest Meta Report Reveals

Tim McMillan·May 8, 2023
Meta's Adversarial Threats Report offers the latest insights on how bad actors are using social media for malicious activities.
Boeing X-37B

Mysterious Chinese Spacecraft Returns to Earth, but Few Details Are Known About Its Secretive 276-Day Mission

Micah Hanks·May 8, 2023
An experimental Chinese spacecraft has just returned to Earth from its secretive 276 day mission. Here's what we currently know.
photosynthesis

Strange Physics State May Help Reveal Link Between Photosynthesis and Fifth State of Matter

Micah Hanks·May 8, 2023
Scientists with the University of Chicago say they have discovered links between photosynthesis and an unusual state that facilitates the flow of energy through materials, according to newly published research.
Mayan calendar

Key to Ancient Mayan Calendar Mystery May Have Finally Been Discovered, Scientists Say

Micah Hanks·May 5, 2023
One of the great mysteries of the ancient Americas has finally been solved, according to anthropologists who say they may have unraveled the longstanding mystery of the ancient Mayan calendar.
NASA Astromaterials

Chrissy Newton Gets Rebelliously Curious with NASA Astromaterials Expert John E. Gruener

Christopher Plain·May 5, 2023
In the latest episode of Rebelliously Curious, The Debrief's Chrissy Newtn sits down with NASA Astromaterials expert and former "space farmer" John E. Gruener.
Search for Extraterrestrial Intelligence

Search for Extraterrestrial Intelligence to Get a Boost from This Colossal Radio Array in New Mexico

Micah Hanks·May 4, 2023
The search for extraterrestrial intelligence (SETI) will soon be getting help from one of the world’s largest and most powerful radio telescope arrays, as scientists continue to scour the universe for evidence of extraterrestrials and their technologies.
frontiers of science

Frontiers of Science: Our Survival in the Milky Way

Avi Loeb·May 4, 2023
The frontiers of science and our knowledge of the universe naturally lie on the boundary between the known and the unknown.
Lockheed Martin MLRS

U.S. Army Makes Massive Bet on Lockheed Martin Guided MLRS Multiple Launch Rocket System

Christopher Plain·May 3, 2023
The U.S.> Army has awarded contractor Lockheed Martin over $4.7 billion to deliver the guided version of its Multiple Launch Rockets System, or MLRS, by 2026.
Eddington limit

Breaking the Eddington Limit? NASA Study Unravels Sources of Ultra-Luminous X-Rays

Micah Hanks·May 3, 2023
Astronomers say distant mega light-emitting objects may be defying the Eddington limit and offer a new hypothesis as to how that might occur.
Chicago O'Hare UAP

The Chicago O’Hare UAP Incident: Physics Team’s Analysis Offers a Fresh Look at This Famous 2006 Case

Christopher Plain and Micah Hanks·May 2, 2023
According to a group of physicists, witness descriptions of the famous 2006 Chicago O’Hare UAP incident are suggestive of a form of advanced propulsion that may one day revolutionize space travel. 
Dark Matter

The Mysterious Nature of Dark Matter May Finally be Solved

Christopher Plain·May 2, 2023
A new study proposes that Dark Matter, the elusive substance that makes up 85% of the universe, is likely made up of ultralight particles known as axions and not the Weakly Interacting Massive Particles, or WIMPs, favored by most current theories.
balloon

Pentagon Confirms New Details on Mysterious Balloon Being Tracked by U.S. Military Over Hawaii

Micah Hanks·May 1, 2023
A balloon of unknown origin is being tracked by the U.S. military after it passed over Hawaii, according to a Pentagon spokesperson and other officials familiar with the developing situation.
Chinese airship

New Satellite Images Reveal First Look at Chinese Airship and Laser Anti-Satellite Weapons Capabilities

Micah Hanks·May 1, 2023
New satellite images of a suspected Chinese airship were released online on Monday by geospatial-intelligence company BlackSky.
international space station

In a Surprise Move, Russia Says it Will Support International Space Station Operations Through 2028

Micah Hanks·April 28, 2023
Russia says it has agreed to continue to support the International Space Station (ISS) until 2028 despite mounting tensions between Moscow and Western nations, according to a recent statement from NASA.
S62

Density: What Matters in the Universe

Avi Loeb·April 28, 2023
If we ever use these dark components to fuel engines of interstellar spacecraft, we will need to know their local densities. Avi Loeb weighs in.
smart material

Breakthrough Smart Material Can Change Shape and Color In Response To Multiple Stimuli

Tim McMillan·April 27, 2023
Researchers have created a breakthrough smart material that can change its shape and color after being activated by heat and electricity.
LGBTQ space industry

This LGBTQ+ Non-Profit is Getting The Attention of the Space Industry by Breaking Down Barriers

MJ Banias·April 27, 2023
LGBTQ+ non-profit "Gaaays in Spaaace" is pushing the space industry for change, and it's using science fiction like Star Trek to do it. 
Senate Hearing on Unidentified Aerial Phenomena

Here Are the Major Takeaways You Missed From the Recent Senate Hearing on Unidentified Aerial Phenomena

Tim McMillan·April 26, 2023
Here are the key takeaways you likely missed from the recent Senate hearings on AARO and unidentified aerial phenomena.
NASA Satellite data

Odd Green Light Filmed Over Japan Came from Space, but NASA Satellite Data Reveals It Was No Meteor

Micah Hanks·April 26, 2023
Whatever flashed through the skies over Japan certainly wasn’t a bird or a plane… could it have been a meteor? As it turns out, NASA satellite data had the answer.
rocket

How to Land a Rocket on Another Planet Without Wreaking Havoc

Christopher Plain·April 26, 2023
How to land a rocket on another planet, moon, or even a comet without completely destroying the landing site or damaging the craft.
Landsat 9

Mysterious Tracks Spotted in Landsat 9 Satellite Images Over Greenland Prompt NASA Investigation

Micah Hanks·April 25, 2023
The Landsat 9 Earth observation satellite captured imagery of a series of mysterious tracks as it passed over Greenland on March 13, 2023. Here's what a NASA investigation determined.
AI alignment research

Is AI Alignment Research Akin to “Helicopter Parenting”?

Avi Loeb·April 25, 2023
AI alignment research aims to steer AI toward the intended goals or ethical principles of humans. But at what point are we over-parenting?
superalloy GRX-810

NASA’s Incredible Superalloy GRX-810 May Lead to New Breakthroughs in Spacecraft Construction

Micah Hanks·April 24, 2023
A new 3D printable superalloy capable of producing components for aircraft and spacecraft with unprecedented durability could represent a major breakthrough for the aerospace industry, according to a new NASA study.
emergency alert system

Extreme Weather Warnings and More: The U.K. Just Tested Its Controversial New Emergency Alert System

Ellie Sivins·April 24, 2023
The U.K. is implementing its new emergency alert system, partially in response to the rapid rise of extreme weather events globally.
intelligence community

Intelligence Community Leaders Meet at Wright Patterson for “Historic” National Security Briefing

Micah Hanks and Tim McMillan·April 21, 2023
Leaders from the U.S. intelligence community met in Ohio on Friday for an unprecedented national security briefing at Wright Patterson AFB.
Rhessi

Department of Defense Confirms Reentry of Spacecraft That Plunged into the Sahara Desert This Week

Micah Hanks·April 21, 2023
The Rhessi satellite that spent the last decade collecting data about the Sun fell from the sky this week, raining debris over the Sahara.
Psyrreal

New Free VR Program, Psyrreal, Lets You Experience Psychedelic Trips Without Drugs

Tim McMillan·April 20, 2023
Researchers have created a new freely available VR program called Psyrreal that can simulate the subjective effects of psychedelic experiences.
UAP

Senate Hearing on UAP Reveals New Videos and Common Features, but Says No Proof of ET

Micah Hanks·April 19, 2023
Common shapes of UAP and other characteristics, as well as a pair of new videos were presented in Wednesday's Senate hearing on UAP.
Hearing on UAP

April 19th Senate Hearing on UAP: The Shot Heard Round the World

Avi Loeb·April 19, 2023
On April 19, 2023, exactly 248 years after the Lexington-Concord Battle, a public Senate hearing on UAP is to be held by the Senate Committee on Armed Services.
HADES

The U.S. Army is Seeking Next-Gen Prototypes To Deliver HADES To Its Adversaries

Tim McMillan·April 18, 2023
The Army is looking to upgrade its aging fleet of ISR aircraft by advancing its next-generation platform known as HADES.
Chinese spy balloon

New Concerning Details About Chinese Spy Balloon Technology Revealed in U.S. Classified Document Leak

Micah Hanks·April 18, 2023
The Chinese spy balloon that passed over the United States in February is believed to have possessed power generation capabilities able to support advanced radar technology, according to classified U.S. intelligence documents leaked online.
Thomas Jefferson National Accelerator Facility

The U.S. Department of Energy’s National Accelerator Facility Reveals Stunning Details in Virtual Tour

Christopher Plain·April 18, 2023
The Thomas Jefferson Lab has released an interactive map that lets users take a virtual tour of their National Accelerator Facility.
QUICKSINK

Air Force Releases Footage of its Devastating ‘QUICKSINK’ Smart Bomb Blasting a Massive Cargo Ship in Half

Christopher Plain·April 17, 2023
A new video released by the Air Force Research Laboratory shows the lethal QUICKSINK smart bomb sinking a derelict cargo ship to the bottom of the Gulf of Mexico in one single shot, a feat usually reserved for submarine-launched torpedoes.
ChatGPT

AI-Powered Coding Revolution: ChatGPT, a Game Changer for Software Developers

Corey Gaspard·April 17, 2023
“Is ChatGPT coming for my job”? Some longtime developers are wondering... it's time to address the AI elephant in the room.
strange metals

Mystery of “Strange Metals” and Their Uncanny Behavior Is Closer to Being Resolved, Research Team Says

Micah Hanks·April 14, 2023
Researchers at the University of Toronto say they are closer than ever before to resolving the curious behavior of “strange metals,” a metallic phase of matter that is not described well in current theory.
unidentified aerial phenomena

Unidentified Aerial Phenomena: Science “From Farm to Table”

Avi Loeb·April 14, 2023
Scientists, working with open data like the Galileo Project comprises, must help the U.S. government unravel the nature of UAP.
gravity light

Let There Be Gravity? New Theory Says Gravity May Have Created the Universe’s First Light

Christopher Plain·April 13, 2023
A potentially "illuminating" new theory says that the universe's first light may have been ripped from the fabric of space/time by the extreme forces of gravity in the form of gravitational waves that existed right after the big bang.

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