The Truth is Out There

In my early 20s, I spent more time watching The X-Files than I probably should admit. There was something captivating about Fox Mulder and Dana Scully uncovering secrets, solving mysteries, and questioning everything. Their world of clandestine investigations and eerie unknowns wasn’t just entertaining—it was inspiring. Watching them made me want to apply for the FBI. Why settle for watching the truth being uncovered when you can hunt for it yourself?

Years later, when I was assigned to Room 9930 of the FBI building to go undercover and catch the legendary spy Robert Hanssen, my mind couldn’t help but wander back to my X-Files days. Here I was, hunting for answers that would lead to Hanssen’s arrest, and it felt like I was living in my very own high-stakes, real-life X-File. I never did find Mulder’s basement office in the Hoover Building, but I did my fair share of exploring in the moments I wasn’t desperately trying to catch a spy.

Now, before you start picturing me with a flashlight in the dark chasing UFOs, let me clarify: I’m not saying I believe aliens are routinely dropping by Earth to admire our traffic jams and Netflix offerings. But I once had a fascinating conversation with a head scientist at the SETI Institute (Search for Extraterrestrial Intelligence), and what he told me stuck with me.

I skeptically confessed that I doubted extraterrestrials had ever graced us with their presence (despite my childhood love for E.T.). To my surprise, he completely agreed. But then he explained that with a cosmos as vast as ours, the sheer number of stars mathematically guarantees other worlds with intelligent life. The catch? Either they’re not advanced enough to cross billions of light years to visit, or they’re so advanced they couldn’t care less about us. To a civilization that could blink across the stars, we’d look like ants. Why expend the effort to visit a speck like Earth? And if they could get here, I doubt we’d know it—unless they wanted us to.

That conversation stayed with me, not because I now believe aliens are watching us binge-watch TV, but because it reminded me of the boundless questions humanity still faces. The mystery of what’s out there—and even what’s right here—is what makes life so incredible. It’s the pursuit of answers, the endless striving, that keeps us sharp, curious, and endlessly fascinating as a species.

For this issue of Spies, Lies & Cybercrime, I thought I’d dive into a few mysteries from my own running list. Some are quirky, some are weird, and others are just plain cool. And if there are extraterrestrials out there, I hope they’ve subscribed to this newsletter. After all, who wouldn’t love a little cybercrime with their stargazing?

Now on to the Mysteries

Mysteries

I’m the kind of person who drifts through different circles, absorbs way too much information, and—naturally—turns it all into lists. Not the kind of lists that end up in bestselling exposés or spark global intrigue, but ones that keep me sharp and in the know about the worlds I call my expertise: espionage, legal cases, and cybersecurity.

Those are the easy ones. Then there are my stranger lists—the ones that document the peculiar and the bizarre. Take, for example, Gregory Allen Justice, a defense contractor who thought he was spying for Russia (spoiler: it was the FBI all along) and insisted on being called “Brian” as his codename. Or Hanjuan Jin, who faked being sick to steal terabytes of data from Motorola for her cousin’s rival company in China. And let’s not forget Jesse McGraw, a.k.a. GhostExodus, who—brace yourself—was caught installing malware on hospital computers during his shift as a night security guard. His downfall? Posting the whole thing on YouTube.

If you’re intrigued, you’re in luck. These oddball spies and more will make their appearance in next week’s newsletter, 015: The Spies Are Out There. But in this week’s issue, I want to share something a little different.

I also keep a running list of answers to questions I didn’t even know I was asking—at least not until the answers smacked me in the face. Some are surprising, some are downright strange, and some make me wonder how I didn’t think to ask them sooner.

So, here’s my challenge to you: What’s the strangest answer you’ve stumbled upon to a question you didn’t even know you were asking? What mysteries have you solved in your own search for answers? Let me know—I’m always looking to expand my lists!

Why Don’t We Feel Like We’re on a Giant Tilt-A-Whirl While the Earth Spins at 1,000 Miles Per Hour?

It turns out that standing on Earth is a lot like sitting in a moving train or plane. When you’re inside one of those high-speed marvels, your relative speed to your immediate surroundings (the train or plane itself) is zero. You’re moving, but everything around you is moving with you—no drama, no wind-in-your-face action-movie nonsense. Similarly, as the Earth spins, we move with it, making our relative speed to its rotation effectively zero. And just like the walls of a train shield you from the outside world’s chaos, Earth’s atmosphere does the same for us, cocooning us in calm stillness. The result? We don’t feel a thing—no spinning, no dizziness, just the illusion of being perfectly still.

The Data

• Earth’s spin at the equator: 1,670 km/h (1,038 mph).

• Velocity relative to the spinning Earth: effectively zero for everything grounded on its surface.

• Earth’s atmosphere acts like a protective barrier, keeping the effects of rotation invisible to us—no 1,000 mph winds ruining your hairdo.

Are Asteroids Really Worth More Than All the Wealth on Earth?

The idea that asteroids like Psyche are worth $10 quintillion sounds impressive, but it’s more sci-fi than reality. While some asteroids contain valuable platinum-group metals (PGMs) like rhodium, their extraction is no small feat. These metals are rare but microscopic, making them incredibly difficult to process. Bulk materials like iron and aluminum are better left for space construction rather than hauling back to Earth, thanks to the cost of space launches. Asteroid mining has potential, but it’s far from the interstellar jackpot it’s hyped to be—at least for now.

The Data

• PGM Value: Rhodium can fetch $500,000/kg, making it worth extracting—if we can solve technical hurdles.

• Asteroid Psyche’s True Worth: The $10 quintillion figure assumes unrealistic purity and accessibility of materials.

• Cost Challenge: Launching metals from Earth costs $10,000/kg, making in-space use more viable for mined materials.

What Could a Cyber Criminal Really Do if They Took Over My Wi-Fi Router?

If an attacker takes control of your router, they essentially hold the keys to your digital castle. They can boot you off your own network, change your credentials and network name, or even hide your Wi-Fi entirely. Worse, they could turn your router into a botnet minion for cyberattacks or redirect your internet traffic to malicious sites. If encryption is disabled, they can intercept sensitive information like passwords. Thankfully, securing your router is easy: change the default admin credentials, update its firmware regularly, and enable WPA3 encryption to keep hackers out.

Data to Back Up the Answer:

• Default Credentials: 86% of users never change default login details, making routers easy targets.

• Botnets: Hacked routers are commonly integrated into botnets for DDoS attacks or spam campaigns.

• Malware Example: The VPNFilter malware infected millions of routers in 2016, stealing personal info and automating attacks.

When Will AI Surpass Human Intelligence, and Should We Be Excited or Terrified?

AI is already outperforming humans in specific tasks like chess, diagnosing disease, flying planes and data analysis, but achieving Artificial General Intelligence (AGI)—the point where AI matches human cognitive abilities across the board—is still on the horizon. Futurist Ray Kurzweil predicts that by 2029, AI will pass a valid Turing test, indicating human-level intelligence, and by 2045, we may reach the 'Singularity,' where AI surpasses human intelligence exponentially. However, current AI lacks emotional intelligence and the nuanced understanding inherent to humans. While AI can enhance productivity and innovation, it doesn't yet possess the empathy or creativity that define human experience. So, while AI continues to evolve rapidly, the timeline for it to truly outsmart humans in all facets remains a blend of informed prediction and speculative science fiction.

The Data

• Kurzweil's Predictions: AI will achieve human-level intelligence by 2029 and reach the Singularity by 2045.

• Current Capabilities: AI excels in specific tasks but lacks general cognitive abilities and emotional intelligence.

• Expert Opinions: While some experts anticipate rapid AI advancement, others, like Meta's AI head Yann LeCun, are skeptical about imminent superintelligence.

Why Do EV Batteries Act Like They’ve Gone Into Hibernation During Winter?

EV batteries 9and all batteries) struggle in the cold because lithium-ion technology is temperature-sensitive. Cold weather slows the chemical reactions needed to store and release energy, while thicker electrolytes further hinder ion movement. On top of that, winter driving demands—like heating the cabin and defrosting windows—drain the battery faster, since EVs can’t rely on engine heat like gas-powered cars. The result? A range drop of 20-30% in freezing conditions. Fortunately, preconditioning systems and faster-charging technologies are stepping in to help EV drivers face the cold without range anxiety.

The Data

• Range Impact: EV range can drop by 20-30% in freezing weather.

• Battery Chemistry: Colder temperatures increase internal resistance and thicken electrolytes, reducing efficiency.

• Solutions: Preconditioning systems warm the battery and cabin while plugged in, preserving range and comfort.

What Happens When a Hike Turns Into a 280-Million-Year-Old Time Machine?

A hiker in the Italian Alps stumbled upon a fossilized ecosystem dating back 280 million years, uncovering everything from amphibian footprints and belly skin imprints to fossilized plants and raindrops. This "lost world," hidden under snow and glaciers for millennia, offers an unparalleled glimpse into the Paleozoic era. As the ice melts, scientists are racing to study the site, mapping fossils on precarious cliffs with drones and helicopters. The discovery has the potential to become a living laboratory for paleontology, training future researchers while rewriting what we know about ancient life on Earth.

The Data

• Historical Significance: The site includes five species’ footprints, fossilized foliage, and even prehistoric raindrop imprints.

• Preservation Details: Fine-grain sediment preserved intricate details like skin imprints and ripple patterns from ancient lakes.

• Modern Efforts: Researchers are using drones and helicopters to map and recover fossils from this unstable high-altitude site.

Why Can’t You Smile in a Passport Photo?

Turns out, your joyless passport photo isn’t about ruining your day—it’s about making facial recognition technology’s job easier. Smiling alters facial proportions, confusing the algorithms that compare your photo to your real-life face. The U.S., along with most countries, requires a neutral expression to ensure accurate biometric scans at borders. The rule is universal, and trying to sneak in a grin could delay your passport application indefinitely. So, skip the pearly whites, embrace the neutral smize, and let your passport do the talking.

The Data

• Facial Recognition Challenges: Smiling shifts key facial measurements like pupil distance and mouth proportions, making scans unreliable.

• Universal Rule: Passport guidelines worldwide follow standards set by the International Civil Aviation Organization.

• Photo Rejections: Improper photos, like smiling ones, are the top reason for passport application delays.

And…Finally!

Are UFOs Evidence That We’re Not Alone, or Just a Cosmic Game of Hide-and-Seek?

In a riveting congressional hearing, whistleblowers from military and intelligence backgrounds testified that the U.S. government knows far more about Unidentified Anomalous Phenomena (UAPs) than it’s letting on. They shared stories of unexplained crafts and advanced technologies hidden behind layers of secrecy. Some believe these phenomena may indicate non-human intelligence, while others caution it could be foreign adversaries. Calls for transparency dominated the hearing, with demands for declassification of UAP data to determine whether we’re facing an interstellar mystery—or just earthbound geopolitical intrigue.

The Data

• Whistleblower Testimonies: Luis Elizondo alleged crash-retrieval programs and excessive secrecy harm national security.

• Credible Witnesses: A retired Navy admiral, a NASA official, and a counterintelligence officer emphasized the need for public access to UAP data.

• Transparency Push: Congress criticized the Pentagon’s lack of openness, with demands to bring classified UAP evidence into the public eye.

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Best,
Eric

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