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Lightning on Mars: NASA’s MAVEN Orbiter Reveals a Strange Phenomenon on the Red Planet

Great Mosque of Homs

Mysterious Greek Inscription Found in a Syrian Mosque Reopens Debate Over Roman “Temple of the Sun”

Martian soil

Scientists Placed Microscopic Animals in Simulated Martian Soil and Something Unexpected Happened

quantum teleportation

Scientists Report New Quantum Teleportation Breakthrough, Toppling a Major Barrier to Practical Quantum Communication

Micah Hanks·February 27, 2026
Scientists report a quantum teleportation breakthrough that may have significant implications for advancing quantum communication technology.
geometry

60,000-Year-Old “Highly Unusual” Etchings Could Point to Humanity’s Earliest Use of Geometric Design

Micah Hanks·February 27, 2026
Evidence of early human use of geometric concepts in prehistoric art has surfaced in Africa, pointing to complex patterns in ancient etchings on ostrich eggshells.
Alnashetri dinosaur recreation

This Tiny Dinosaur Fossil Could Offer a Missing Link That Explains the Spread of an Unusual Class of Dinosaurs

Ryan Whalen·February 27, 2026
A tiny dinosaur species may be the missing link in the bird-like dinosaurs Alvarezsaurs, after the discovery of the first complete fossil.
Brain Amygdala

Our Brain’s “Fear Center” May Guide Complex Learning Decisions, New Research Reveals

Ryan Whalen·February 27, 2026
The brain’s primitive “fear center” may be much more than that, according to new research on the amygdala.
color music experience

Concert Goers Getting the Blues: A Theater’s Color Affects the Listener Experience

Christopher Plain·February 27, 2026
Virtual concert attendees reported significant affects to their music listening experience based on the venue's color and lighting.
Pure-Awareness

Scientists Want to Measure “Pure-Awareness”—But They May Be Studying the Wrong Thing, New Paper Warns

Tim McMillan·February 27, 2026
New research warns scientists may be mistaking attention and calm for pure-awareness in the race to map consciousness itself.
UAP report

All-domain Anomaly Resolution Office Hosts Private Workshop with Civilian Researchers, Universities, and Government Agencies

Chrissy Newton·February 26, 2026
A recent AARO report outlines new standards for data collection, AI use, privacy, and civilian collaboration in advancing UAP research.
Consciousness

New Theory Suggests Consciousness May Come From a Hidden Wave in the Brain—Not Neurons

Tim McMillan·February 26, 2026
New theory suggests consciousness may arise from a hidden brain wave, challenging long-held beliefs about neurons and awareness.
Apollo 15 Moon Landing

Apollo Lunar Samples Misled Scientists About the Moon’s Magnetic Field For Decades—Here’s the Surprising Reason Why

Ryan Whalen·February 26, 2026
The Apollo missions’ strange landing zone has led to decades of incorrect assumptions about the Moon’s magnetic field strength.
experience time at dramatically different speeds

Moving at the Speed of Sight: Humans and Animals Experience Time at Dramatically Different Speeds

Christopher Plain·February 26, 2026
All animals, including humans. experience time at dramatically different speeds, allowing fast-pursuit predators to track prey in slow motion
DNA

Scientists Discover Hidden DNA Scaffolding Built Before Life ‘Switches On’

Tim McMillan·February 26, 2026
Scientists discover hidden DNA scaffolding that forms before genes activate, revealing life’s blueprint is built before it begins.
Image

Tiny Reef Fish Show Unexpectedly Advanced Awareness in Mirror Tests, New Study Reveals

Austin Burgess·February 26, 2026
A recent study reveals how tiny reef fish demonstrate advanced awareness by using mirrors to inspect marks placed on their bodies.
Image

The Fabled “Lost City of Almanzor” Has Eluded Scholars for a Thousand Years—Now This Archaeologist Says He’s Found It

Micah Hanks·February 25, 2026
A new archaeological discovery could settle the longstanding debate about the location of the near-mythical "lost city of Almanzor."
Directed-Energy

Iran Conflict Could Drain U.S. Missile Defenses—Underscoring The Pentagon’s Push For Directed-Energy Weapons

Tim McMillan·February 25, 2026
Iran tensions highlight why the Pentagon is investing billions in Directed-Energy weapons to counter missile shortages and future wars.
electrical phenomena

“We’ve Seen Them; We Know They Exist”: Scientists Confirm Elusive Electrical Phenomenon That Evaded Scientists for a Century

Micah Hanks·February 25, 2026
Scientists report the first field observation of a rare electrical phenomenon that has eluded scientific confirmation for nearly a century.
NGC 1637 red supergiant

“We’ve Been Waiting for This”: James Webb Space Telescope Spots a Red “Supergiant” That Could Help Solve a Cosmic Cold Case

Micah Hanks·February 25, 2026
The James Webb Space Telescope spots evidence of a stellar explosion that could help solve the cosmic mystery of "missing red supergiants."
paleolithic mammoth artifact

40,000 Year Old Markings Reveal What Could Be a Mysterious Ancient Precursor to Writing

Ryan Whalen·February 25, 2026
Researchers have discovered signs of a Paleolithic writing precursor in ancient tools and sculptures dating back 40,000 years.
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Brain Researchers Finally Know Why Cannabis Use Increases Appetite

Austin Burgess·February 25, 2026
Researchers at Washington State University and the University of Calgary recently published a study in Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences showing that cannabis use led to a measurable increase in food intake among human participants, regardless of body weight, sex, or when they last ate.
Neanderthal skull cult

Did Archaeologists Uncover Evidence of a Neanderthal “Skull Cult” in This Ancient Spanish Cave?

Micah Hanks·February 24, 2026
Archaeologists in Spain have discovered an odd collection of animal bones that may point to evidence of an ancient Neanderthal "skull cult."
Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth

“We’ve Got Our People Working on It Right Now”: Defense Secretary Provides Update on Pentagon Disclosure of UFO Files

Micah Hanks·February 24, 2026
U.S. Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth says Pentagon officials are currently working to initiate the release of government files on UFOs.
advanced material gets stronger when wet

“A Shift in Mindset Away from the Plastic Age”: This Advanced Material Actually Gets Stronger When It’s Wet

Christopher Plain·February 24, 2026
Scientists have invented an advanced material that gets stronger when wet that they believe could replace single-use plastic cups and bottles
Image

Scientists Have Long Searched for Evidence of Psychedelic DMT in the Brain—A New Study Challenges This Idea

Austin Burgess·February 24, 2026
For many years, researchers have questioned whether the psychedelic compound N,N-dimethyltryptamine (DMT) is produced naturally in the brain and if it might act as a signaling substance similar to serotonin.
NeuroXess

China Advances in BCI Race with 50+ Human Implants, Real-Time Chinese Speech Decoding

Chrissy Newton·February 24, 2026
A global race to develop a competitive brain-computer interface is heating up between the United States and China.
jellyfish galaxy

James Webb Space Telescope Discovers an 8.5-Billion-Year-Old “Jellyfish” Galaxy Never Seen by Astronomers

Chrissy Newton·February 24, 2026
Astrophysicists at the University of Waterloo using the James Webb Space Telescope have spotted the most distant jellyfish galaxy ever observed.
Ceramic

New NATO- and U.S.-Backed Hypersonic Ceramic Survives 2,700 K Plasma Test That Would Melt Steel

Tim McMillan·February 24, 2026
NATO- and U.S.-backed hypersonic ceramic survives 2,700 K plasma test, revealing potential new path to reusable extreme-speed flight.
Image

This Ancient Chinese Mind-Body Exercise Has a Major Heart Health Benefit, New Study Finds

Austin Burgess·February 24, 2026
Recent clinical trials show that baduanjin, a traditional Chinese mind-body exercise, can lower blood pressure as much as brisk walking.
Antarctica

Antarctica Is Approaching an “Irreversible” Tipping Point, New Study Warns

Tim McMillan·February 23, 2026
New study reveals Antarctica faces collapse or resilience by 2100, with irreversible ice loss possible under high emissions scenarios.
Object 04433 ancient Roman artifact

A Mysterious Roman Artifact Covered in Odd Markings Puzzled Researchers for More Than a Century—Now AI Has Cracked Its Ancient Code

Micah Hanks·February 23, 2026
A curious ancient Roman artifact has drawn renewed attention as researchers report finally solving the mystery of its undeciphered markings.
polarity reversal

Missing Geomagnetic Polarity Reversals Reveal the Secrets of Earth’s Ancient Past

Ryan Whalen·February 23, 2026
Japanese researchers say they are closing in on the mystery of Earth’s “missing” geomagnetic polarity reversals, identifying where they believe scientists should look for evidence of their unusual absence.
Auroral

NASA Fires Twin Rockets to “CT Scan” the Northern Lights and Map Hidden Auroral Currents

Tim McMillan·February 23, 2026
NASA’s GNEISS rockets deliver a CT-like 3D look at Auroral electricity, revealing hidden currents that shape space weather and satellites.
Image

Study Challenges Long-Held View That Habits Cause Compulsive Behavior

Austin Burgess·February 23, 2026
In a recent study published in Neuropsychopharmacology, researchers from the University of Technology Sydney (UTS) found that inflammation in a key decision-making region of the brain led to more deliberate behavior, rather than more compulsive actions.
zero-gravity vomit comet

Scientists Build a Zero-Gravity Microscope and Successfully Test it on the ‘Vomit Comet’

Christopher Plain·February 23, 2026
Scientists have invented a low cost, zero-gravity microscope called FlightScope that successfully conducted experiments on the vomit comet.
Image

“This is Antarctic Frontier Science”: The Deepest Antarctic Core Sample Ever Collected Reveals 23 Million Years of Remote Geological History

Ryan Whalen·February 23, 2026
Researchers have drilled the deepest Antarctic sediment core ever, uncovering 23 million years of climate history beneath the ice sheet.
Uranus

James Webb Space Telescope Maps Uranus’s Atmosphere and Auroras for the First Time

Ryan Whalen·February 21, 2026
James Webb Space Telescope data has allowed researchers to map Uranus’s upper atmosphere in three dimensions for the first time.
Image

Brain Imaging Reveals How Psychedelics Blend Memory With Perception

Austin Burgess·February 21, 2026
In a recent study published in Communications Biology, researchers from Hong Kong, Singapore, and Germany used high-resolution brain imaging to show that psychedelics may redirect visual processing toward memory-related regions.
Image

Scientists Unearth a Scimitar-Crested “Hell Heron” During a Daunting Sahara Desert Expedition

Ryan Whalen·February 21, 2026
A new “scimitar-crested” spinosaurid, Spinosaurus mirabilis, has been uncovered in the Sahara, marking a major new dinosaur fossil find.
fire weather australia

‘Fire Weather Synchronicity’ is Increasing Globally, as Climate Change Strains International Fire Fighting Resources

Ryan Whalen·February 20, 2026
According to researchers, worldwide fire weather synchronicity has more than doubled over a 45-year period.
Antarctica Ice Sheet

Antarctica’s Mysterious Gravity Hole is Finally Explained, Revealing Why the Icy Continent Experiences Earth’s Weakest Gravity

Ryan Whalen·February 20, 2026
The origins of Antarctica’s gravity hole have finally been revealed, after researchers probed beneath the ice to trace it's formation.
UFO

Trump Orders Release of Alien and UFO Files, But There’s a Catch: Nothing Is Declassified, Yet

Tim McMillan·February 20, 2026
Trump orders UFO files released—but without declassification, the most sensitive evidence could remain hidden from public view.
Political

X’s “For You” Algorithm May Be Able to Shift Political Views Permanently, New Study Finds

Tim McMillan·February 19, 2026
Study finds X’s algorithm can shift political views and influence beliefs long after exposure, raising concerns about hidden effects.
AI meatspace

Are AI Agents Hiring Humans to Do ‘Meatspace’ Tasks They Cannot Complete Themselves?

Christopher Plain·February 19, 2026
A new website connects AI agents with human gig workers capable of performing real-world 'meatspace' tasks the AIs cannot do on their own
Image

As States Legalize Psilocybin, NIH Moves to Study the Real-World Impact

Austin Burgess·February 19, 2026
For the first time, federal researchers will study what happens when people access psychedelic treatment outside tightly controlled clinical trials.
Rocket Lab HASTE hypersonic aircraft

“That’s Not a Knife”: Pentagon Aims to Unleash ‘HASTE’ Rocket on Mission to Amplify U.S. Hypersonic Tech  

Micah Hanks·February 18, 2026
A next-generation rocket will soon take flight as part of an ongoing effort to elevate U.S. development of hypersonic capabilities.
ancient bacteria

“If Melting Ice Releases These Microbes, These Genes Could Spread”: Ancient Bacteria Frozen for 5,000 Years Show Resistance to Modern Antibiotics

Christopher Plain·February 18, 2026
Studies of ancient bacteria strains hidden in a frozen Romanian ice cave find they are resistant to several modern-day antibiotics
Image

Easter Island’s Enigmatic Collapse Was More Complex Than Past Theories Suggest, as Researchers Point to Compelling New Evidence

Austin Burgess·February 18, 2026
Researchers found that a severe drought began around 1550, leading to a significant drop in rainfall on Easter Island.
Image

Saturn’s Largest Moon May Be the Remnant of an Ancient Impact, New Research Reveals

Ryan Whalen·February 17, 2026
Saturn’s largest moon, Titan, may have been born of the collision of two smaller moons, according to new research.
language and awareness

How Words Shape Consciousness: New Research Reveals the Deep Link Between Language and Awareness

Chrissy Newton·February 17, 2026
Recent research from the University of Liège is offering new insight into that question, suggesting a deeper relationship between language and awareness than previously understood.
Solar Orbiter EUI instrument

Bottling the Sun: How Researchers Created Organic Solar Storage Molecules More Efficient than Lithium-Ion Batteries

Ryan Whalen·February 17, 2026
Researchers have managed to bottle the Sun, advancing renewable energy goals by enabling the storage of solar power in a novel format.
string theory surface optimization

Scientists Successfully Use String Theory to Challenge More Than a Century of Assumptions About Living Systems

Christopher Plain·February 17, 2026
Scientists successfully borrow concepts from string theory to explain the network architecture of branching biological systems like neurons
History

AI Is Rewriting Human History—But New Study Finds It’s Stuck Decades in the Past

Tim McMillan·February 17, 2026
Study finds AI is misrepresenting human History, generating Neanderthals based on outdated science, bias, and myths.

The Intelligence Brief

Vera C. Rubin Observatory

Real-Time Night-Sky Surveillance: Millions of Nightly Signals from Space Expected as Rubin Observatory Comes Online

Feature Stories

Senate Hearing on Unidentified Aerial Phenomena

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

CubeSats

Would We Notice Interstellar CubeSats in Our Cosmic Neighborhood?

technosignatures

The Top 5 Places In Our Solar System Astrobiologists Say Aliens Would Be Hiding Their Technology

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