Spy agencies brief people in power. We brief you. Each week weâll bring you one story that matters, plus a few that donât!
Your Brief for August 29, 2024: Government banned books, Pure Green Greed, discovering a secret bunker and more!
News
Oasis Reunite
British rock band Oasis, comprised of brothers Noel and Liam Gallagher, has announced a major reunion tour. After a 15-year hiatus, the band will return in July with the shows kicking off in Cardiff, Wales. Oasis, formed in 1991, became a defining band of the âBritpopâ era, with albums like, Definitely Maybe, propelling them to global stardom. Known for hits Wonderwall and Don't Look Back in Anger, the duo have sold over 75 million records worldwide. Ongoing tensions between the bandmate brothers led to their split in 2009, after which both pursued solo careers. The announcement made headlines Tuesday, with predictions the reunion will generate substantial tour revenue. Ticket frenzy is already in full swing as fans struggle to contain their excitement. The concerts will take place across the UK and Ireland, stopping at iconic venues such as Wembley Stadium as well as multiple shows in the band's hometown of Manchester.
Image Credit: Shutterstock Kraft74
Sport
The Paris Paralympics
Who will take home sporting glory?
The Paralympics have come a long way since their origins in England during World War II. Founded by German-British neurologist Sir Ludwig Guttmann, the Stoke Mandeville Games games were created during the war to aid in the rehabilitation of soldiers with spinal cord injuries. In September 1943, Guttman took charge of the National Spinal Injuries Unit at Stoke Mandeville where he introduced his theories on treating patients who had paraplegia, a form of paralysis that mostly affects the movement of the lower body, with rehabilitation through sport. His practices led to national competitions, then the Stoke Mandeville Games, and finally evolved into the Paralympic Games!
Itâs 1992, and the Cold War is all but over. But for FBI Special Agent John Whiteside, busy wrapping up his work in a rural office outside of Phillidelphia, the counter-espionage case of a lifetime was about to begin. One more mission awaited him, and though Whiteside did not know it yet, it was a case he would remember for the rest of his life.
Sat in his office, Whiteside received a phone call informing him of a meeting about a top-secret case; the matter of which was so sensitive it couldnât be discussed over the phone! An anonymous source had reported a traitor within the NSA and the accused spy believed he'd gotten away with his crimes - but crimes of the past call for modern justice.
So who was this supposed traitor? His name was Robert Stephen Lipka; assigned to the NSA in 1963, it was alleged that he had passed over 200 top-secret documents to the KGB using a series of dead drop sites from 1965 to 1967. Thatâs 200 classified documents directly into the hands of the KGB at the peak of the Cold War! If the source was right, Whiteside could scarcely wrap his head around the national security implications, and the provided information noted that the potential traitor may be living in Lancaster County, Pennsylvania, the special agents jurisdiction. The hunt for the spy was afoot!
Could you turn up the heat on a cold case? Join John Whiteside in this weekâs podcast selection âPure Green Greedâ to find out what it takes to be a spycatcher.
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History
Discovering A Secret Bunker
What if one of the most critical sites of the Battle of Britain was hidden in plain sight?
Recent archaeological investigations have revealed that a World War II bunker, integral to the Battle of Britain, was cleverly disguised as a decorative garden in Uxbridge, a town in England. The bunker played a pivotal role in coordinating Britain's air defense, yet its true purpose was concealed beneath layers of earth and concrete, designed to absorb bomb impacts and blend seamlessly into the landscape of Hillingdon House.
During recent conservation work at the 86-year-old site, researchers from Historic England and the Museum of London Archaeology (MOLA) uncovered fascinating details about the bunkerâs camouflage and fortifications. The location, protected by thick earth and concrete layers, was also equipped with gun pits, pillboxes, and barbed wire to defend against potential ground attacks. British Prime Minister Winston Churchill visited the site during the war where he famously declared, "Never in the field of human conflict was so much owed by so many to so few." Fancy a visit? The site serves as a museum, preserving the history of this once-secret command post and its crucial role in the defense of Britain.
Image Credit: Historic England Archives
Science
A Chocolate Breakthrough
What if we could make chocolate without wasting any of the cacao fruit?
That's exactly what food scientists in Switzerland have achieved. At Zurichâs Federal Institute of Technology, researcher Kim Mishra and his team developed a method to produce chocolate while significantly reducing fruit waist. How? The team utilizes the entire fruitâpulp, juice, husk, and all, to make their chocolate. Traditionally, chocolate makers have only used the cocoa beans, discarding the rest of the fruit, which is about the size of a pumpkin and packed with nutritional value. Sugar is then added to reach the desired sweetness! However, the key to this latest chocolate innovation lies in the cocoa fruit's naturally sweet juice.
Containing 14% sugar, the juice is distilled into a concentrated syrup. The syrup is then combined with the pulp and dried husk to form a sweet cocoa gel, eliminating the need for additional sugar in the process! Not only does the technique promise a more sustainable way to produce chocolate, reducing food waste and environmental impact, but it also offers better economic opportunities for cocoa farmers as more can be done with their produce. While the cost of this new chocolate may be higher, it's reportedly just as delicious!
Books
15 Government Banned Books
How do governments stop you from reading about secrets?
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Researchers at the University of Reading have managed to instruct a hydrogel to play the 1970s computer game Pong in a surprising study! A piece of water-based gel was placed between two plates of electrodes, where electric currents representing the paddle and ball were administered through the gel. Over 20 minutes, the gel improved its game ability, keeping the ball in play for longer durations and reaching peak performance by the end of its session. Wild! Although the gel appears to be improving at Pong, the researchers emphasize that this does not mean the material is in any way alive. An idea seemingly straight out of the beloved 1997 film Flubber, directed by Les Mayfield, starring Robin Williams as a mad scientist who brings a blob of gel to life! Instead, the team suggests the hydrogel exhibits something more akin to a form of basic memory. Think you've got what it takes to beat the gel at Pong? Eye up your competition here!
Image Credit: Shutterstock Atosan
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