Six Secrets is now The Brief: Spy agencies brief people in power. We brief you. Each week we’ll bring you one story that matters, plus a few that don’t!

Your Brief for April 11, 2024: Money from the moon, the origins of the Rubik’s Cube and more!

News

Not such a secret identity

In a storyline that novelists wouldn’t dare to write, Yossi Sariel, the formidable leader of Israel's Unit 8200 and the nation's cyber supremo, has unwittingly unveiled his own covert identity as a high-ranking intelligence official.

An investigative team at British newspaper The Guardian uncovered a trail of digital breadcrumbs leading to Sariel's true identity, raising concerns about national security and operational integrity. The Guardian identified social media accounts used by the head of Unit 8200, and noted that Sariel even left traces of his activity on Wikipedia, where he used his real name and edited pages including one on Louis XIV of France!

These security lapses, linking back to a book Sariel published under a pen name in 2021, have ignited a storm of controversy around Israeli intelligence. The repercussions of these breaches extend beyond embarrassment, with experts highlighting the potential risks posed by Sariel's casual approach to online security. As Israel grapples with the fallout, questions loom over the future of Unit 8200 and the broader implications for national security.

Science

Money from The Moon

Did you see the blackout? At 4 minutes 28 seconds Monday’s solar eclipse was the longest totality viewed from land since 2010 - and the longest in the U.S. since 1806. But this show wasn't just cosmic, it was also economic: injecting a staggering $6 billion into the US economy thanks to millions of eclipse seekers making a holiday out of the spectacle and traveling far and wide to observe it firsthand.

If you missed this one, don’t worry! There’s another total eclipse happening on August 12, 2026 and according to Nasa it will be visible over Spain, Iceland, Greenland, Russia and a small area of Portugal - start saving for your vacation now!

Note: the image above was taken by Andrew James McCarthy who traveled 1400 miles to Missouri and captured thousands of photos with five cameras to get the money shot - you can download the mobile wallpaper or find out more here.

True Spies

Operation Ivy Bells

Fancy some time travel and a submarine mission! Head back to 1970 and Captain James Bradley has just had a daydream that will inspire one of the most audacious aquatic espionage missions of all time. 

Bradley, Head of US Navy Undersea Intelligence Gathering, sat in his unmarked office on the fifth floor of the Pentagon one evening when he was struck with an inspired idea: America could secretly tap the undersea communications cables that connect Soviet naval bases with leaders in the Kremlin, thus gaining a significant advantage for the Americans and potentially hastening the end of the nuclear stand-off between the two nations.

To execute Operation Ivy Bells, Captain Bradley faced a monumental challenge: How to set a listening device on a cable 300 feet beneath the surface of the ocean when the technology to tap a cable underwater doesn't yet exist? 

Bradley’s audacious plan pushed the boundaries of possibility and redefined the realm of underwater espionage. Christopher Drew and Sherry Sontag share a thrilling and often claustrophobic tale of covert submarine warfare in our podcast selection this week.

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Film

Searching for Justice

Why are so many musicians swindled by labels or thieving managers?

Two music fans from South Africa set out on a quest to find out. They unravel the improbable story of an elusive artist who wasn’t aware of his own international success? In a whirlwind adventure through the streets of Detroit and the bustling music scene of the 1970s. Academy Award-winning ‘Searching for Sugar Man’, directed by Malik Bendjelloul, is a journey through a mystery.

As the story unfolds, we’re taken on a remarkable journey of discovery, witnessing the revelation that Rodriguez has been working as a construction worker in Detroit, completely unaware of the impact his music has made. As the spotlight shines once again on the enigmatic artist, we begin to wonder: What happens now that the world knows he's alive? Who is responsible for leaving him in the dark all this time? Grab a fellow music lover and cozy up for an unforgettable journey into a world where truth is stranger than fiction.

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Spy Objects

Spies in the Skies

The lights switch off and a military aircraft hangar plunges into darkness. Star Trek actor Jason Isaacs reaches out in the blackness to find human connection. In a story straight out of science fiction, Isaacs explains how he ended up in a dark room with a $2 billion Cold War killing machine, the B-2 bomber. 

The B-2 debuted in 1989,  months before the historic fall of the Berlin Wall. A testament to engineering prowess, what sets the B-2 apart isn't just its hefty price tag – it's the groundbreaking technology that allows it to penetrate the most advanced anti-aircraft defenses. Decades after its construction the aircraft is still shrouded in mystery, all the more reason for the secret blacked-out Hangar where Isaacs and the B-2 bomber first met.

Armed with both conventional and thermonuclear weapons, this stealth bomber is a force to be reckoned with. It's not just an aircraft; it's a symbol of human ingenuity pushing the boundaries of flight and espionage.

Hop in the cockpit with Jason Isaacs and discover how it feels to come face-to-face with the beast.

Puzzles

Mr. Rubiks Cube

How did the Rubik’s cube explode upon the world? It’s the spring of 1974, Hungarian architect Ernő Rubik has just created what would become one of the most iconic puzzles of all time. His quest to model three-dimensional movement and build a mechanism which allowed cubes to move independently of each other led to his concept of the ‘Bűvös kocka’ or ‘Magic Cube’.

Rubik built his puzzle unintentionally, only realizing his creation’s true potential upon seeing what happened when he scrambled his new mechanism and tried to restore it.  His experimentation evolved into the Rubik's Cube, captivating millions of minds and sparking a global phenomenon. With over 350 million sold by 2018, this deceptively simple puzzle has transcended its humble beginnings to inspire artworks, films, and even a competitive sport known as speedcubing. The current world record is held by Max Park with a seriously impressive 3.13 second solve (watch Max solve it here).

Can you solve the cube? At first glance it appears straightforward, yet completing the puzzle requires navigating through an astonishing number of potential variations – over 43 quintillion. To master the cube, you must jump into a world of mathematical principles and strategic movements.

Puzzle enthusiast Lynn Watson has prepared the crossword ‘Mission Possible’ for you to solve. Don’t worry, this ones takes less practice than solving Mr. Rubik’s puzzle!

Games

Blokus

Not ready for ‘Rubik's Cube’? Try a game of Blokus and prepare for mayhem! This colorful and innocent-looking game has a capacity for treachery that can ensure siblings stop speaking to each other!

Blokus is a strategy game where your objective is to place your colored pieces to occupy as much space as possible. But there’s a catch: each of your pieces must touch corners with a piece you’ve already played. You can’t play a piece if its sides touch any of your other pieces. To conquer the board and snake your way across your opponent’s line takes strategy and cunning.

Created by French mathematician Bernard Tavitian, Blokus has garnered numerous awards, including the prestigious Mensa Select award. We highly recommend it!

Music

What’s the secret behind ‘Smoke On The Water’?

It’s the summer of 1972 on Lake Geneva. The sun has set and Deep Purple are in town and mean business. The band find themselves at a casino in Montreux while crafting their legendary album Machine Head. Frank Zappa and the Mothers of Invention are performing at the infamous Montreux Jazz Festival when chaos erupts – a flare gun sets the venue ablaze, leaving Deep Purple without a place to record. Now, what's a band to do in such a predicament?

Enter the casino caretaker, who promptly arranges a new location for their musical endeavors – a nearby theater. With a sprinkle of ingenuity, the band rigged the Rolling Stones' mobile studio, as you do, and got to work! Under the reflections of the moon on Lake Geneva, amidst the echoes of a jam sesh and a burning building, a riff emerged – a riff so iconic it demanded to be immortalized. ‘Smoke on the Water’ is born, inspired by the day's chaos.

Pay close attention as the lyrics tell the story, from “But some stupid with a flare gun - burned the place to the ground” to “The Rolling Truck Stones thing just outside - Huh, making our music there now”. Listen now!

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