Spy agencies brief people in power. We brief you. Each week we bring you one story that matters, and a few that don’t!

Your Brief for February 6, 2025: Ancient scroll unraveled, The Sociopathic Spy, mussels on duty, The London Thirteen Club and more!

News

Ancient Scroll Unravelled

For the first time in 2,000 years, scientists have unlocked the secrets inside a burnt scroll from Herculaneum—without ever unrolling it. The scroll, charred by Mount Vesuvius’ eruption in 79 AD, is too fragile to be physically opened. However, researchers with the Vesuvius Challenge have used a combination of X-ray imaging and AI to virtually “unwrap” the text, revealing its words for the first time in centuries. Early findings suggest the scroll contains a philosophical work, with some letters and words already visible. Scientists are optimistic they’ll soon be able to reconstruct much of the full text. Hundreds of similar scrolls were discovered in Herculaneum, buried like Pompeii under volcanic ash, but past attempts to open them caused them to crumble. Many, housed in institutions like Oxford’s Bodleian Library, were long thought unreadable.

Image Credit: Vesuvius Challenge

True Spies

The Sociopathic Spy

Location: Unknown. Period: Classified. Hero? You decide…

James "Jim" Lawler is one of the CIA’s most successful recruiters of foreign spies. A 25-year veteran operations officer, he served in Oslo, Paris, and Zurich. But even he had to start somewhere. His first mission? To enlist a crucial intelligence asset for the USA. To do this, he would stop at nothing—manipulating, subverting, and seducing his target.

Working as a lawyer is one path to success, but Jim Lawler wanted adventure. He ditched his job in Texas and joined the CIA. On his first tour abroad, he was tasked with recruiting a spy working for a hostile government—knowing she’d be killed if her cover was blown. That’s when Jim realized something about himself: he was born with the kind of sociopathic personality that would ensure success in espionage.

A sociopath lacks empathy, feels little to no genuine remorse for their actions, and manipulates as naturally as breathing—where deceit is second nature. For a spy, that’s not a bad skill set to have. But life in the shadows was never really on the cards for Jim.

How far would you go? Join Jim in this week’s podcast selection, ‘The Sociopathic Spy’, to learn how to use every tool at your disposal to bind others to your will—to persuade someone to override their instinct for self-preservation by capitalizing on their deepest desires or darkest insecurities.

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Science

Mushroom Power

Could eating mushrooms help lower cancer risk?

Mushrooms have been a staple in traditional medicine for centuries, but now science may be catching up. A review of studies from Pennsylvania State University suggests that eating just two mushrooms a day may lower cancer risk by up to 45%. The secret? Ergothioneine: a powerful antioxidant found in mushrooms—especially in varieties like shiitake, oyster, and king oyster. Beyond potential cancer protection, mushrooms contain B vitamins, fiber, and minerals that support gut health and immunity. While the research is promising, experts say more studies are needed to understand the link. But if you need a reason to add mushrooms to your meals, this could be it!

History

The London Thirteen Club

Would you join a club dedicated to defying bad luck?

In 1890, a group of London gentlemen received an unusual invitation to an exclusive dining club that mocked superstitions. Inspired by a similar group in New York, historian William Harnett Blanch founded The London Thirteen Club—a gathering dedicated to proving that omens of bad luck were nonsense.

The club went all in on its theme, with dinners held on the 13th of the month. Attendees had to follow an undertaker under a ladder before reaching their seats, where they dined beneath open umbrellas. Peacock feathers—thought to carry the “evil eye”—adorned the tables, and the night began with the dramatic smashing of two mirrors. But not everyone was convinced—supposedly Oscar Wilde politely declined his invitation, writing: "I love superstitions. They are the opponent of common sense." Despite its elaborate efforts, the club couldn't quite banish superstition from society. But for a few nights a year, its members dined in defiance of bad luck—crossed fingers not required.

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Quirky

Mussels On Duty

Can shellfish decide when to shut off a city's water supply?

Eight mussels fitted with tiny sensors help to monitor Warsaw’s drinking water. If pollution levels rise, the shellfish instinctively close their shells, triggering the sensors and alerting the city’s control system. If four of the eight mussels clamp shut, the system automatically shuts off the water supply!

This unusual but effective method is used in over 50 water plants across Poland. Mussels are replaced every three months and returned to the wild, continuing their natural role as water filters—capable of processing up to 50 gallons of water daily. If they sense contamination, they shut tight, an early warning system that has proven more reliable than some high-tech alternatives. Sometimes, the most effective solutions have existed for millions of years!

Image Credit: Julia Pełka/Gruba Kaśka

Architecture

The Hole In The Pantheon

Where does the rainwater go?

Originally built by Marcus Agrippa during Emperor Augustus’ reign (27 BC–14 AD) and later reconstructed under Emperor Hadrian, the Pantheon is one of many architectural achievements of the ancient world. Its innovative drainage system highlights the Romans' advanced engineering techniques.

The iconic dome of Rome’s Pantheon has a massive hole in its center known as the oculus. This opening allows sunlight, and rain, to pour into the building. At first glance, this might seem like a major design flaw. But Roman engineers had a clever solution…

The Pantheon’s floor was designed as a perfect circle, with the center slightly raised about a foot. When rainwater falls through the oculus, it flows outward toward the room's edges—where a network of small drainage holes discreetly directs it outside. This simple yet effective system has kept the floor intact for nearly 2,000 years!

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