Dit is ons nieuw hondje Kira, een kruising van een waterhond en een Podenko. Ze is sinds 7 februari 2024 bij ons en druk bezig ons hart te veroveren. Het is een lief, aanhankelijk hondje, dat zich op een week snel aan ons heeft aangepast. Ze is heel vinnig en nieuwsgierig, een heel ander hondje dan Noleke.
This is our new dog Kira, a cross between a water dog and a Podenko. She has been with us since February 7, 2024 and is busy winning our hearts. She is a sweet, affectionate dog who quickly adapted to us within a week. She is very quick and curious, a very different dog than Noleke.
DEAR VISITOR,
MY BLOG EXISTS ALREADY 12 YEARS AND 11 MONTHS.
ON 06/05/2024 MORE THAN 1.972.210
VISITORS FROM 134 DIFFERENT NATIONS ALREADY FOUND THEIR WAY TO MY BLOG.
THAT IS AN AVERAGE OF 400GUESTS PER DAY.
THANK YOU FOR VISITING MY BLOG AND HOPE YOU ENJOY EACH TIME.
The purpose of this blog is the creation of an open, international, independent and free forum, where every UFO-researcher can publish the results of his/her research. The languagues, used for this blog, are Dutch, English and French.You can find the articles of a collegue by selecting his category. Each author stays resposable for the continue of his articles. As blogmaster I have the right to refuse an addition or an article, when it attacks other collegues or UFO-groupes.
Druk op onderstaande knop om te reageren in mijn forum
Zoeken in blog
Deze blog is opgedragen aan mijn overleden echtgenote Lucienne.
In 2012 verloor ze haar moedige strijd tegen kanker!
In 2011 startte ik deze blog, omdat ik niet mocht stoppen met mijn UFO-onderzoek.
BEDANKT!!!
Een interessant adres?
UFO'S of UAP'S, ASTRONOMIE, RUIMTEVAART, ARCHEOLOGIE, OUDHEIDKUNDE, SF-SNUFJES EN ANDERE ESOTERISCHE WETENSCHAPPEN - DE ALLERLAATSTE NIEUWTJES
UFO's of UAP'S in België en de rest van de wereld In België had je vooral BUFON of het Belgisch UFO-Netwerk, dat zich met UFO's bezighoudt. BEZOEK DUS ZEKER VOOR ALLE OBJECTIEVE INFORMATIE , enkel nog beschikbaar via Facebook en deze blog.
Verder heb je ook het Belgisch-Ufo-meldpunt en Caelestia, die prachtig, doch ZEER kritisch werk leveren, ja soms zelfs héél sceptisch...
Voor Nederland kan je de mooie site www.ufowijzer.nl bezoeken van Paul Harmans. Een mooie site met veel informatie en artikels.
MUFON of het Mutual UFO Network Inc is een Amerikaanse UFO-vereniging met afdelingen in alle USA-staten en diverse landen.
MUFON's mission is the analytical and scientific investigation of the UFO- Phenomenon for the benefit of humanity...
Je kan ook hun site bekijken onder www.mufon.com.
Ze geven een maandelijks tijdschrift uit, namelijk The MUFON UFO-Journal.
Since 02/01/2020 is Pieter ex-president (=voorzitter) of BUFON, but also ex-National Director MUFON / Flanders and the Netherlands. We work together with the French MUFON Reseau MUFON/EUROP.
ER IS EEN NIEUWE GROEPERING DIE ZICH BUFON NOEMT, MAAR DIE HEBBEN NIETS MET ONZE GROEP TE MAKEN. DEZE COLLEGA'S GEBRUIKEN DE NAAM BUFON VOOR HUN SITE... Ik wens hen veel succes met de verdere uitbouw van hun groep. Zij kunnen de naam BUFON wel geregistreerd hebben, maar het rijke verleden van BUFON kunnen ze niet wegnemen...
23-02-2017
UFO IN WICHITA, KANSAS MAKING SOME PRETTY STRANGE MOVEMENTS
UFO IN WICHITA, KANSAS MAKING SOME PRETTY STRANGE MOVEMENTS
A Redditor posted a time lapse from the skies in Wichita (Kansas). When he reviewed the footage at home, he saw a strange pattern of lights appear on his photographs.
His initial thought was that it must be a regular plane, except, the object makes some pretty unbelievable turns. Also the acceleration of the object is astounding. Note that the timelapse exists out of 8 seperate images and all images were taken in about 14 minutes in total. This is almost 2 minutes per photo.
If you look up other plane trails in the night sky, you'll be bombarded with them. But not one is making the same kind of steep turn.
The creator of the video (not the Redditor who posted the time lapse) estimated that he was facing the city of Wichita and thus the Air Force base.
Could this just be an F-16 stationed at the air force base or is this a UFO?
"La recherche du vivant sur une autre planète est aujourd'hui à portée de main" : une équipe de scientifiques a annoncé, mercredi 22 février, la découverte de sept exoplanètes rocheuses de la taille de la Terre, orbitant autour d'une même étoile. Trois de ces planètes sont situées dans une zone "habitable", c'est-à-dire à la distance idéale de leur étoile pour que leur température rende possible l'existence de la vie. Mais selon la Nasa, les sept planètes pourraient toutes abriter de l'eau liquide, "sous les bonnes conditions atmosphériques".
La découverte est l'oeuvre d'une équipe internationale de cherchurs, dirigée par un astronome de l'Université de Liège (Belgique), Michaël Gillon. Leur étude a été dévoilée dans la revue scientifique Nature, mercredi.
Une étoile naine, peu lumineuse et ultra froide
"C'est la première fois que l'on détecte autant de planètes de taille terrestre dont trois potentiellement 'habitables',pour lesquelles une étude poussée est possible avec la technologie actuelle, y compris la détermination de la composition atmosphérique et la recherche de traces chimiques de vie", estime-t-il.
Les sept planètes, qui pourraient avoir des températures assez proches de celles de la Terre, tournent autour d'une toute petite étoile peu lumineuse et ultra-froide, TRAPPIST-1, située dans notre galaxie, à "seulement" 40 années-lumière de nous.
"A présent, nous avons la bonne cible" pour rechercher la présence de vie éventuelle sur des exoplanètes, a déclaré Amaury Triaud, de l'Université de Cambridge, coauteur de l'étude.
Les caractéristiques de ces planètes doivent encore être étudiées plus en détail. En août 2016, des scientifiques avaient annoncé la découverte de l'exoplanète potentiellement habitable la plus proche de la Terre. Mais après plus d'études, ils avaient conclu, en février, que celle-ci ne pouvait probablement pas abriter de la vie.
STRANGE ENCOUNTERS: Chris Evers will be putting on the UFO convention this year
UFO enthusiasts will converge in east Hull for a convention being organised by man who saw "bright lights leapfrogging" over Bransholme.
Since his extra-terrestrial 'encounter' in February 1974, Chris Evers has been hooked on all things out of this world.
Mr Evers' convention, called 70 Years of the Modern UFO Era, will take place later this year and will feature talks from UFO enthusiasts.
Chris talking about the convention
He said: "Thirty years ago the only planets that we knew about were in our solar system. Since then, at least five or six thousand planets, not in our solar system, have been discovered. Based on these figures, there must surely be intelligence life forms out there."
Mr Evers has turned his passion into a career, and is editor of his own free online magazine, Outer Limits, that is read in 57 countries.
His interest was sparked by a chance encounter as a young man in Bransholme.
"I saw two, bright lights leapfrogging each other in the sky," he said. "At that time, you'd often see aircraft flying over Bransholme - but they didn't move like an aircraft."
SPOOKY: Chris Evers saw 'leapfrogging lights' over Bransholme
Five speakers are booked for the all-day convention, including local historian Mike Covell, who has conducted extensive research into UFO reports, and Paul Sinclair and Russel Callaghan, who have both written extensively on the subject. It will take place on September 9 at the Freedom Centre, in Preston Road.
Mr Evers, now of west Hull, said: "Mike will be looking back to 1801, when the region's first UFO sighting was recorded in Hull."
The common misconception is that UFO sightings began in America in 1947, when Kenneth Arnold saw unidentified objects flying over the Cascade Mountains, Mr Covell previously told the Mail. The famous Roswell incident – when an alien craft supposedly crashed in New Mexico – happened the same year.
However, in 1801 Hull and the Humber featured in the local and national press, as well as science periodicals, when a fiery object appeared in the sky, bathing the city in blue light.
SIGHTING: An extract from a Hull Packet report from 1801
According to a report in the Hull Packet, a precursor to the Hull Daily Mail, after its initial disappearance, the UFO reappeared "looking like the face of the moon", before splitting into five circular balls of light.
One of the strangest cases centered on a report that a UFO landed in a park on the city's Longhill estate. Mr Covell's research reveals that on November 15, 1967, a group of Hull children saw a cigar-shaped craft descend and hover over the park, leaving burn marks on a hill.
Two police officers visited the 'landing site' and noticed burn marks on the hill but no sign of any such craft, according to Mr Covell. Initially they thought the children had been up to no good but their stories were said to have been very consistent.
Tickets cost £10 and are available directly from Mr Evers on 07962 397209.
Miles outside of the town of Roswell in 1947, something crashed. One-third of Americans believe it was a UFO.
UFO researcher Dennis Balthaser is trying to preserve the history of the infamous incident. But Balthaser is seeing his research hampered by witnesses dying, and his tour of the city impacted by the removal of old buildings with direct connections to the incident.
Over the three decades he has worked this mystery, he's had contact with many direct players in the drama. As the city if Roswell embraces the commercial appeal of the alleged alien saucer crash, this old guard UFOlogist is finding it hard to preserve the actual sites in town and continue his quest for what he feels is the truth.
0
1
2
3
4
5
- Gemiddelde waardering: 0/5 - (0 Stemmen) Categorie:News from the FRIENDS of facebook ( ENG )
Wisconsin witness sees UFO move out of water
Wisconsin witness sees UFO move out of water
A Wisconsin witness at Little Suamico reported watching a triangle-shaped object move out of Green Bay that appeared to be 100 to 150 feet in length, according to testimony in Case 80998 from the Mutual UFO Network (MUFON) witness reporting database.
The witness watched the object emerge out of Green Bay.
(Credit: Google)
The incident occurred at 2:10 a.m. on November 28, 2016, as the witness was outside stargazing with several friends and neighbors. The case was investigated by Wisconsin MUFON Susan Birttnen and closed as an Unknown.
“He reports they witnessed a triangular-shaped object fly out of the water ofGreen Bay, traveling at approximately 35 knots,” Birttnen wrote in her report.“It was so close that they could hear a muffled jet sound. As it came out of the water it turned on its side as it traveled west and gainedelevation.”
The object appeared to be 100 to 150 feet long. Pictured: Suamico, Wisconsin.
(Credit: Google)
The witness provided a description of the object.
“The color was dark and it had blue flashing lights,” the witness stated.“The elevation wasat 500 feet and the distance was less than 1,000 feet. The side of the triangle was between100 to150 feet.”
The witness believes the object may be something operated by the U.S. Air Force.
“I believe they are investigating the saucers and the orbs in some joint effort,” the witness stated.
The city of Little Suamico is located in Oconto County and is on the Bay of Green Bay. It is in the northeastern part of Wisconsin and part of the Green Bay Metropolitan Statistical Area. The Austin Straubel International Airport is 16 miles away.The Outagamie County Regional Airport is 39 miles away.
The moved to an altitude of just 500 feet. Pictured: Suamico, Wisconsin.
(Credit: Google)
“Based on the evidence and the data provided by the witness,” Birttnen wrote,“I conclude thatthis case is in the Unknown UAV Category.”
Please remember that most UFO sightings can be explained as something natural or man-made. The above quotes were edited for clarity. Please report UFO activity to MUFON.com.
Aliens have always been bound to sci-fi, because a lot of things need to go right in order for extraterrestrial beings visiting us to be possible. The two main criteria we can think of are they would have to be close enough to travel to Earth, and they would need to live on a planet that’s conducive to supporting life. It turns out that may be more possible than we previously thought, as NASA just discovered that orbiting a star 40 light-years away are seven planets that just might be livable (via Vox).
Trappist-1 is a dwarf star that’s about a tenth the mass of our Sun and a thousandth as bright. That makes it pretty cool (in temperature, not swag), meaning that planets can orbit it pretty closely while remaining in a habitable zone. By “habitable,” we mean that there’s great potential for liquid water to exist on their surfaces.
Three of the planets—e, f, and g, as labeled above—are in the most habitable zone, meaning water could most likely exist on them. Water may be possible on the other four planets as well, depending on the composition of their atmospheres, NASA astronomers said. This solar system seems very different from our own, mostly in its size: The distance between Trappist-1 and its most distant orbiting planet isn’t much greater than that between Jupiter and Callisto, its most distant moon.
Naturally, as we established from the very beginning, habitable planets have us very excited about the possibility of aliens, and even those in the scientific community share our fan-like enthusiasm. Weekly science journal Nature has already published a sci-fi story that stars a space adventurer on one of Trappist-1’s planets.
In the paper announcing the discovery, the scientists said we can expect to know a lot more about these planets “in a few years,” but until then, let’s leave our imaginations unbridled as we envision alien societies on these neighboring planets, and the peace, conflict, and adventure that exists among them.
You can watch the whole press conference right here!
Searching for Life on 7 Nearby Alien Worlds: How Scientists Will Do It
Searching for Life on 7 Nearby Alien Worlds: How Scientists Will Do It
By Mike Wall, Space.com Senior Writer
The hunt for signs of life on seven nearby exoplanets will likely begin just a few years from now.
An international research team announced today (Feb. 22) that seven roughly Earth-size alien worlds orbit the small, dim star TRAPPIST-1, which lies just 39 light-years from Earth. (For perspective: Our Milky Way galaxy is 100,000 light-years wide. The closest star to the sun, Proxima Centauri, is about 4.2 light-years away.)
Three of these planets appear to be in TRAPPIST-1's "habitable zone," the range of distances where liquid water (and, by extension, life as we know it) could potentially exist on a world's surface. And all seven may be capable of harboring water, given certain atmospheric conditions, study team members said. [Images: The 7 Earth-Size Worlds of TRAPPIST-1]
This combination of proximity and potential habitability makes TRAPPIST-1 an inviting target in the search for E.T.
"Looking for life elsewhere, this system is probably our best bet as of today," study co-author Brice-Olivier Demory, a professor at the Center for Space and Habitability at the University of Bern in Switzerland, said in a statement.
Characteristics of the seven TRAPPIST-1 worlds, compared to the rocky planets in our solar system.
Credit: NASA/JPL-CaltechFollow-up investigation of the TRAPPIST-1 worlds has already begun. For example, last year, observations by NASA's Hubble Space Telescope revealed that the two innermost planets do not possess large, puffy atmospheres, suggesting that the worlds are rocky rather than gaseous. (The discovery team announced in May 2016 that TRAPPIST-1 hosts three roughly Earth-size planets; the new study, which was published in the journal Nature, identifies a total of seven worlds orbiting the star.)
The team continues to study the TRAPPIST-1 system with Hubble. But such work can characterize atmospheres only in a relatively broad sense; the hunt for possible signatures of life such as oxygen and methane will require new instruments, the researchers said.
Luckily, such gear will be online soon. NASA's $8.8 billion James Webb Space Telescope (JWST) is scheduled to launch in late 2018, and three huge ground-based instruments — the European Extremely Large Telescope (E-ELT), the Giant Magellan Telescope (GMT) and the Thirty Meter Telescope (TMT) — should start observing the heavens by the early to mid-2020s.
Indeed, the TRAPPIST-1 system will likely be one of the first targets for JWST once the telescope is operational, Nikole Lewis, an astronomer at the Space Telescope Science Institute in Baltimore and co-leader of the 2016 Hubble study, said during a press briefing today. JWST's observations should allow astronomers to get a good handle on the TRAPPIST-1 planets' atmospheres by the early 2020s, Lewis added.
JWST, E-ELT, GMT and TMT will all be capable of sniffing out "biosignature" gases, their builders have said. (The big ground-based scopes will also be able to image a number of exoplanets directly, but the TRAPPIST-1 worlds aren't good candidates for such photography because they're so close to their parent star, study team members said.)
Detecting either oxygen or methane by itself in a planet's atmosphere wouldn't be compelling evidence of alien life, because both of these gases can be produced by abiotic as well as biotic processes, astronomers have stressed. Finding the two of them together, however, would be a different story.
"They destroy each other," Shawn Domagal-Goldman, a scientist at NASA's Goddard Space Flight Center in Greenbelt, Maryland, said in 2014 during a NASA panel discussion about ancient Earth and habitable exoplanets. "If they're both there together, you know someone is bringing the methane in an atmosphere rich in oxygen, so that's what you're looking for. The most likely explanation is, it's life that's bringing the methane and oxygen to the party."
Artist's illustration of the surface of a planet in the TRAPPIST-1 system, which hosts seven roughly Earth-size worlds.
Credit: NASA/JPL-Caltech
So astronomers will likely search for methane, oxygen and other gas combos in the skies of the TRAPPIST-1 worlds when JWST and the big ground scopes become operational. But even success on this front would not necessarily provide universally accepted, slam-dunk evidence for life, said Michaël Gillon of the University of Liège in Belgium, leader of the new TRAPPIST-1 study.
"We will never be 100 percent sure until we go there, or get something," Gillon told reporters Tuesday (Feb. 21). (By "get something," he meant a signal from an alien civilization.)
A robotic probe won't be zooming through the TRAPPIST-1 system anytime soon, but this prospect is not out of the question. Last year, a team of scientists and engineers announced the $100 million Breakthrough Starshot project, which aims to develop the technology required to blast tiny, sail-equipped probes through space at up to 20 percent the speed of light using powerful lasers.
If Breakthrough Starshot pans out, such spacecraft could conceivably make it to the TRAPPIST-1 system about 200 years after lifting off.
Everything You Need to Know About NASA’s Epic 7-Planet Discovery Today
Everything You Need to Know About NASA’s Epic 7-Planet Discovery Today
NASA
IN BRIEF
NASA has discovered more than 2,000 exoplanets that could potentially be home to some sort of life – but we know very little about them. Today, that all changed, as NASA unveiled a solar system with a staggering 7 Earth-like planets that are similar in size and density to our own.
ALIEN WORLDS
It wasn’t too long ago that we thought Earth was the only habitable planet in the universe. But recent advancements in space technology have led to the discovery of one exoplanet after another, leading to the conclusion that life must exist outside of Earth.
To date, astronomers have identified a few alien planets that could potentially support life. For example, five exoplanets that are particularly promising are Wolf 1061C, a rocky exoplanet about the size of the Earth that is 13,8 light years away; Gliese 832C, a larger planet dubbed a “super-Earth;” Gliese 667Cc, which is 22light-yearss away in the Scorpius constellation; TRAPPIST-1d located in the Aquarius constellation; and Gliese 163C in the Dorado constellation.
These five are some of the closest Earth-like planets in the habitable zone of their parent star, but they are by no means the only ones that have been identified. NASA has actually discovered more than 2,000 planets that could be home to alien life – but for the most part, we know very little about them.
Today, everything changed.
NASA just held a press conference announcing the discovery of a solar system that has a host of Earth-sized planets. Three of these are located firmly in the habitable zone, meaning that they very likely have liquid water and could host life.
Here’s everything you need to know about these finds.
REDDIT AMA
According to NASA’s Reddit AMA, this discovery sets a new record for greatest number of habitable-zone planets found around a single star outside our solar system. Here are the other highlights:
How long would it take with current technology to get to this solar system?
NASA: Right now, there is no current technology that can get us to the new planetary system. That’s why we will use space-based telescopes to “remotely” investigate by observing the planets from afar. To see fledgling efforts to send tiny space craft to a different star (with one known planet) see this link.
Do we know the gravity, compared to Earth or Mars, on those 3 planets that could have water in them?
NASA: Determining the surface gravity requires knowledge of both the radius and mass. The uncertainties on the mass measurements are large, but our best guess is that the surface gravity of most of these planets is similar to that on Earth. One exception is planet f. It has the same radius as Earth but 68% the mass. That means the surface gravity will be 68% lower than on Earth.
What is the protocol if you do find any signs of life on any of the exoplanets? How long would it probably take from time of discovery to an actual announcement to the public?
NASA: We do not yet have a protocol. Most likely, we will make a tentative discovery that will take longer to confirm. But that is a great question, and something that has been thought about a lot by many different organizations. There is a great article on this by SETI scientist Dr. Duncan Forgan, which looks at many different scenarios in the age of 24-hour news and social media
Can we expect to have the technology in the next 20-30 years that we could see, for sure, that there would be life in those planets in form of vegetation?
NASA: In order to see vegetation and any other surface features (e.g. oceans, continents), we’ll need future telescopes beyond JWST [the James Webb Space Telescope, set to launch in 2018] that will be able to directly image exoplanets. JWST will observe planets transiting their host stars. Transits are when the planet passes between us and its star, and from these transits, we can observe how gasses in the planet’s atmosphere interact with starlight passing through the atmosphere. Unfortunately, this technique doesn’t allow us to see the surfaces of exoplanets. To do that, we’ll need future technology that may become available in the coming decades that will allow us to block out the star’s light and observe the planets directly. Examples of these technologies are starlight suppression tools called coronagraphs and starshades. The planets we observe directly with these starlight suppression techniques will not be spatially resolved: they will literally be single points of light, but don’t despair because we can still learn a lot from single points of light!
When should we expect the data/results around atmospheric composition to be released or published?
NASA: The first observations of the newly discovered planets are underway, as soon as the results successfully pass through the scientific peer review process we will be able to share what we are learning. Stay tuned this system has lots more exciting things to teach us.
How well can Kepler spacecraft detect planets around TRAPPIST-1 compared to Spitzer spacecraft?
NASA: Kepler can observe for about 80 days consecutively and will, therefore, provide a very important time series and information on the gravitational interactions between the planets which cause timing variations. It is possible that there may be additional planets not seen by Spitzer in 20 days which Kepler could uncover. Kepler and Spitzer have comparable capabilities for the detection of planets around the TRAPPIST-1 system.
Pics and video NASA has discovered a mini solar system of seven Earth-sized planets orbiting a small cool dwarf star, including three within the Goldilocks zone where liquid water is possible.
Last year, a telescope in Chile – dubbed the TRAPPIST aka the TRAnsiting Planets and PlanetesImals Small Telescope – spotted two planets orbiting an ultra-cool white dwarf star. This diminutive star has about eight per cent of the mass of our own Sun.
After refocusing the Spitzer and Hubble space telescopes on the dwarf system, the astroboffins identified seven distinct planets. Today they've gone public with their findings.
"The seven wonders of TRAPPIST-1 are the first Earth-size planets that have been found orbiting this kind of star," said Michael Gillon, lead author of a paper detailing the discovery, and the principal investigator of the TRAPPIST exoplanet survey at the University of Liege, Belgium. "It is also the best target yet for studying the atmospheres of potentially habitable, Earth-size worlds."
Cool dwarf stars are more common than our own type of star, but they weren't considered good candidates for spotting exoplanets because they don't put out much visible light. They do, however, put out a lot of ultraviolet light. This was perfect for Spitzer and enabled the telescope to measure the planets as they were passing in front of the star. The system has been named TRAPPIST-1 after the Chilean telescope.
Of the three planets in the system's habitable zone, the innermost, TRAPPIST 1e, is the closest in size to Earth and would get around the same level of sunlight from its dwarf as we do from our Sun. Planet 1f is slightly larger than Earth, has a nine-day orbit and gets about as much light as Mars, while Trappist 1g is the largest of the seven – about 113 per cent of the size of Earth.
How we measure up ... the seven Earth-ish-sized planets in the TRAPPIST system. Click to enlarge (Source: NASA)
All of the planets are very close to the dim star they orbit, which means they are tidally locked like our Moon and so have one side in permanent darkness. They should also be water-rich, since they would have formed much further away from their sun and then fallen inwards, Gillion said.
The embarrassment of riches around TRAPPIST-1, and the type of star itself, has raised hopes that there may be many more Earth-like planets in habitable zones than first thought, said Thomas Zurbuchen, associate administrator of the Science Mission Directorate at NASA headquarters.
"While only three of the planets are in the right zone for liquid water, you could also find liquid water on any of the seven, with the right atmospheric conditions," he said. "Finding a second Earth is not just a matter of if, but when."
Next year, when the much-delayed James Webb telescope finally lifts off, it will have TRAPPIST-1 as one of its first targets. The enormous power of the telescope will enable astronomers to see into the atmospheres of the planets and look for evidence of oxygen, ozone and methane – considered possible signs of life – and will also calculate their temperatures.
Because the planets are so close together, if you were to stand on the surface of one, you'd see the other six looking as large or larger than our moon. NASA has designed a travel poster for the system just in case – but getting there to check out the view could take a while.
The system is located about 39 light years away from Earth, so we won’t be seeing a probe there in our lifetimes, even if the Starshot program is successful. Nikole Lewis, astronomer at the Space Telescope Science Institute, pointed out it would take 44 million years to get there at the speed of a standard jet aircraft.
In the meantime, there's always Proxima Centauri, around which there is an Earth-style planet in orbit. It is just 4.25 light years away, and is the first Starshot target. But getting people out that far is a "100 miracle project," Zurbuchen said. ®
Researchers working worldwide have been fascinated with exoplanets for a long time now. Today (as announced in an earlier post) scientists at a NASA conference announced some great new discoveries that were made. The search for life beyond Earth has continued for a long time and the researchers have made a breakthrough discovery in which they have found a planetary system with a number of Earth-sized planets. These planets discovered could potentially host liquid water and as I’ve said before, where liquid water is present life usually follows.
Potential life forms may exist beyond our Solar System
The scientists working with telescopes at the European Southern Observatory and NASA announced an entire system of Earth-sized planets. Knowing that they are Earth-sized is not enough, what’s more intriguing is the fact that density measurements of the planets indicate that six innermost are Earth-like rocky worlds.
If you’re still not excited then this is just the beginning, three of the planets discovered lie in a star’s habitable zone. The term might be familiar to some of you, but if it isn’t then the habitable or goldilocks zone as it is sometimes called, is the region around a star where a planet would be able to have liquid water. This essentially means that three of these alien planets may have entire oceans of water and this brings us back to the theory of increased probability of life forms in liquid water filled areas.
This system has the largest number of Earth-sized planets
Other planets discovered may not have oceans of water but the team of researchers stated that liquid water is still a genuine possibility on those planets. The lead author, Michaël Gillon, stated that this newly discovered system has the largest number of Earth-sized planets ever found. In addition to this it also has the largest number of worlds that could support liquid water:
“This is an amazing planetary system — not only because we have found so many planets, but because they are all surprisingly similar in size to the Earth!”
The co-author of the search, Amaury Triaud, stated that the star in this system is an “ultra-cool dwarf,” he also clarified what this means relating to the planets:
“The energy output from dwarf stars like TRAPPIST-1 is much weaker than that of our Sun. Planets would need to be in far closer orbits than we see in the Solar System if there is to be surface water. Fortunately, it seems that this kind of compact configuration is just what we see around TRAPPIST-1.”
Just 40 light years away
The newly found system is just 40 light years away, before anyone starts stating the obvious we know that this is too far to reach with current technology. But still there’s hope that future technology might get us there a lot faster and safer. We can’t reach those Earth-like planets right now but at least we know they exist, and we know that there is potential for life out there.
See These Breathtaking Photos Of Mars Taken By NASA’s MAVEN Spacecraft
The Hubble Space Telescope is being used to look at atmospheres around the planets while the TRAPPIST-1 is of sheer importance for future study of these exoplanets. Another researcher, Emmanuël Jehin, remarked how future telescopes could allow us to actually see this planetary system a lot more in depth than we can now, he stated that:
“With the upcoming generation of telescopes, such as ESO’s European Extremely Large Telescope and the NASA/ESA/CSA James Webb Space Telescope, we will soon be able to search for water and perhaps even evidence of life on these worlds.”
PLANETARY LINEUP Seven Earth-sized planets orbit the star TRAPPIST-1 with short periods, from 1.5 to 20 Earth days. This artist’s illustration shows potential differences in the planets’ surfaces and sizes.
JPL-CALTECH/NASA
A nearby ultracool star harbors seven Earth-sized planets, three with orbits that potentially put them in a habitable zone. That makes the system, around a star called TRAPPIST-1, a prime target in the search for signs of alien life. Its discovery also hints that many more cousins of Earth may be out there than astronomers thought.
“It’s rather stunning that the system has so many Earth-sized planets,” says Drake Deming, an astronomer at the University of Maryland in College Park. It seems like every stable spot where a planet could be, there is an Earth-sized one. “That bodes well for finding habitable planets,” he says.
Michaël Gillon, an astrophysicist at University of Liège in Belgium, and colleagues announced last year that they had found three Earth-sized planets around TRAPPIST-1, an ultracool dwarf star previously called 2MASS J23062928−0502285 (SN: 05/28/16, p. 6). The star, about the size of Jupiter and much cooler than the sun, is 39 light-years from Earth in the constellation Aquarius. Follow-up observations with ground-based telescopes and the Spitzer Space Telescope now reveal that the third planet is actually four additional Earth-sized ones, three of which could be habitable. If those planets have Earthlike atmospheres, they may even have liquid water oceans on their surfaces, Gillon and colleagues report online February 22 in Nature. Data also revealed signs of a seventh outer planet in the system.
All seven planets were detected by watching how their star dims as the planets pass in front of it from Earth’s vantage point. Calculations of the amount of starlight blocked by each transit indicates that all seven have roughly the same radius as Earth. These dips in starlight can also reveal how fast the planets orbit the star: The innermost one makes a round trip in 1.5 Earth days, while it takes the outermost one about 20 days.
Story continues below slideshow
SIMILAR BUT DIFFERENT Planets orbiting the star TRAPPIST-1 are a lot alike in some ways and distinct in others. Click through this slideshow to discover each planet’s specs, including how long it takes to orbit the dwarf star, distance from the star (in astronomical units), and radius and mass relative to Earth.
JPL-CALTECH/NASA
SIMILAR BUT DIFFERENT Planets orbiting the star TRAPPIST-1 are a lot alike in some ways and distinct in others. Click through this slideshow to discover each planet’s specs, including how long it takes to orbit the dwarf star, distance from the star (in astronomical units), and radius and mass relative to Earth.
JPL-CALTECH/NASA
SIMILAR BUT DIFFERENT Planets orbiting the star TRAPPIST-1 are a lot alike in some ways and distinct in others. Click through this slideshow to discover each planet’s specs, including how long it takes to orbit the dwarf star, distance from the star (in astronomical units), and radius and mass relative to Earth.
JPL-CALTECH/NASA
SIMILAR BUT DIFFERENT Planets orbiting the star TRAPPIST-1 are a lot alike in some ways and distinct in others. Click through this slideshow to discover each planet’s specs, including how long it takes to orbit the dwarf star, distance from the star (in astronomical units), and radius and mass relative to Earth.
JPL-CALTECH/NASA
SIMILAR BUT DIFFERENT Planets orbiting the star TRAPPIST-1 are a lot alike in some ways and distinct in others. Click through this slideshow to discover each planet’s specs, including how long it takes to orbit the dwarf star, distance from the star (in astronomical units), and radius and mass relative to Earth.
JPL-CALTECH/NASA
SIMILAR BUT DIFFERENT Planets orbiting the star TRAPPIST-1 are a lot alike in some ways and distinct in others. Click through this slideshow to discover each planet’s specs, including how long it takes to orbit the dwarf star, distance from the star (in astronomical units), and radius and mass relative to Earth.
JPL-CALTECH/NASA
SIMILAR BUT DIFFERENT Planets orbiting the star TRAPPIST-1 are a lot alike in some ways and distinct in others. Click through this slideshow to discover each planet’s specs, including how long it takes to orbit the dwarf star, distance from the star (in astronomical units), and radius and mass relative to Earth.
JPL-CALTECH/NASA
To calculate the planets’ masses, which range from about half to 1.5 times that of Earth, researchers looked at the way the six inner planets tug on each other. The mass and size data together then allowed the team to calculate the planets’ densities, suggesting that the inner six are rocky.
The length of each planet’s day may sync with its stellar orbit, so the innermost planet’s day lasts 1.5 Earth days and the outermost planet’s day lasts about 20 Earth days. That’s like Earth rotating once in 365 days instead of in 24 hours. Such a spin means the same side of a planet faces the star throughout the planet’s orbit, giving it a day side and a night side. Astronomers feared that would make the planets too hot on the day side and too cold on the night side to be habitable. But if they have Earthlike atmospheres, TRAPPIST-1e, TRAPPIST-1f and TRAPPIST-1g would be warm enough all over to have liquid water, making them ripe for life. The seventh planet, TRAPPIST-1h, is probably icy, Gillon says, maybe like Jupiter’s moon Europa.
EARTH’S COUSINS Detecting seven Earth-sized planets orbiting an ultracool dwarf star is exotic. This video describes some of the data collected to make the discovery and what the analyses are revealing about these foreign worlds.
Finding these seven planets suggests that Earth cousins may be more common than expected. “We are on the right angle to see this system and its Earth-sized planets,” says Deming, who was not involved in the study. “For every system we see, there are dozens more that we don’t.” Stars like TRAPPIST-1 with Earth-sized planets are probably not rare, he notes. If they were, it would have taken many more observations to find them. The fact that Gillon and colleagues’ pilot project to study ultracool dwarfs spotted planets so quickly indicates that it may be the norm for these stars to harbor planets similar to Earth.
Studying the atmospheres of such planets could reveal if they have life, especially if gases such as methane and oxygen are detected. It could be possible to study the planets’ atmospheres with the Hubble Space Telescope or its successor, the James Webb Space Telescope, slated to launch in 2018. Deming is cautious, however, about how easy these atmospheric studies of the planets will be. Ultracool dwarfs’ starlight can vary, he notes. There are also atmospheric effects from the stars that astronomers don’t yet understand. Both could make it difficult to decipher what gases are in the planets’ atmospheres.
Didier Queloz, a study coauthor and an astronomer at the University of Cambridge, is a bit more optimistic. “We have no idea what these planets look like now. They could be wet or dry. We just don’t know,” he says. “But for the first time since the first exoplanet was discovered 25 years ago, we may be able to answer the question about life beyond our solar system.”
Andre Milne says Area 51 is used for exploring Russian fighter plane technology.
The top-secret US Airforce facility hidden away in the Nevada desert is so classified that it was only in 2013 that the US Government openly admitted it existed.
And, last year Hillary Clinton vowed to send in a task force to find out just what goes on inside it if she made it to the White House as part of her election campaign.
Theories about what Area 51 is used for range from the development of classified aircraft to a storage facility for recovered UFOs and alien body parts after alleged flying saucer crashes.
Armed private security guards are authorised to use "lethal force" on anyone foolish enough to enter the site unannounced.
Last year, Express.co.uk ran a poll asking readers if they believed evidence of alien visitations of Earth was being hidden in Area 51.
There were 7,139 votes, and a remarkable 66 percent thought there was an alien cover up under way inside Area 51.
But, industry insider Andre Milne, founder of defence technology firm Unicorn Aerospace, which describes itself as "the world's leading developer of advanced navigation technology", claims this is not the case.
He says one of Area 51's main purposes is to test Russian warplanes to ensure the US stays one step ahead of its Cold War rival.
Mr Milne claimed the US Airforce (USAF) uses Area 51 to study Russian fighter jets - something that used to be done by The 4477th Test and Evaluation Squadron at various locations until it was formally disbanded in July 1990.
He said: "An operational priority of the USAF is to fully understand the maximum endurance combat threshold of any potential adversaries primary front line military fighter aircraft.
"Following the official disbandment of The 4477th Test & Evaluation Squadron that was tasked with actively studying Russian fighter jets, Area 51 is now the unofficially designated base that does the exact same work as The 4477th.
Area 51 is a highly secured aerospace facility tasked with a wide variety of objectives to ensure the United States maintains a cutting edge of tactical air superiority against any potential threats.
Andre Milne
"Hopefully this helps in quashing the nonsensical myth that Area 51 is intertwined with some fictitious alien technology conspiracy.
"Area 51 is a highly secured aerospace facility tasked with a wide variety of objectives to ensure the United States maintains a cutting edge of tactical air superiority against any potential threats."
Last month Expresss.co.uk revealed pictures taken by a photographer of a mock dog fight between a US F-16 and a Russian Sukhoi SU-27 taking place in the skies above Area 51, before the fighters returned to base..
Mr Milne said that was an example of the work at Area 51 he has told of being underway.
He has previously told how so-called "Black Projects" are also underway inside Area 51.
Black Projects is a conspiracy theory name for the top-secret development of new experimental military aircraft.
Mr Milne says this is also ongoing at Area 51.
He said: "Area 51 is a very well secured US Air Force base that is mandated to test and evaluate the performance of experimental and or classified US military aircraft.
"The whole alien question being run out of Area 51 is complete nonsense."
According to its website, Unicorn Aerospace is "committed to development of advanced aerospace technologies in order to maximise revenue stream growth potential into the respective markets of the private commercial and public military sectors.".
Express.co.uk has contacted the United States Department of Defense for comment.
0
1
2
3
4
5
- Gemiddelde waardering: 0/5 - (0 Stemmen) Categorie:News from the FRIENDS of facebook ( ENG )
Russian soldiers zapped by aliens after shooting down UFO, declassified CIA report claims
Russian soldiers zapped by aliens after shooting down UFO, declassified CIA report claims
RUSSIAN military shot down a UFO before they were attacked and killed by the surviving aliens, it is sensationally claimed in a declassified CIA report.
The shocking report, which includes claims that 23 soldiers were turned into stone by the aliens in the UFO after they transformed into a ball of light, was buried among thousands of declassified files published online by the US intelligence agency.
The report in question, created on March 27 1993, is a translation by the CIA of a report from the Ukrainian newspaper Ternopil vechirniy.
The newspaper report said that after Mikhail Gorbachev lost power in 1991, many KGB files made their way to the CIA, including an alleged 250-page dossier on the bizarre UFO attack, which included pictures and witness testimonies.
The report suggested that a low flying flying saucer had appeared over a military unit in training in Siberia, before one of the soldiers fired a surface to air missile, bringing it down.
GETTY
The UFO was said to have been shot down by Russian soldiers.
CIA
The now declassified CIA report with the extraordinary claims.
It said: "Five short humanoids with large heads and large black eyes got out.”
Two soldiers are said to have survived, who described how, after emerging from the debris, the five beings merged into a brilliant white spherical ball of light that buzzed and hissed.
It then exploded, and as it did 23 soldiers who stood watching were turned into stone, the report claimed.
The two survivors had been in a shaded area, it said.
Five short humanoids with large heads and large black eyes got out.
CIA report
The report said: "The KGB report goes on to say that the remains of the 'petrified soldiers' were transferred to a secret research institution near Moscow.
"Specialists assume that a source of energy still unknown to Earthlings instantly changed the structure of the soldiers living organisms, having transformed it into a substance whose molecular structure was no different to limestone.
"A CIA representative stated: 'if the KGB file corresponds to reality, this is an extremely menacing case.
"The aliens possess such weapons and technology that go beyond all our assumptions'."
It is not explained in the document why the CIA held a translation of the Ukrainian newspaper report on file.
However, the translated newspaper report contained in the declassified CIA file said the source of the information had come from the Canadian Weekly World News, which was known at the time for publishing outlandish and fictional news headlines.
According to UFO website anf YouTube channel Lionsground, "you have to be careful about what the CIA publishes online, as it could be misinformation."
0
1
2
3
4
5
- Gemiddelde waardering: 0/5 - (0 Stemmen) Categorie:ALIEN LIFE, UFO- CRASHES, ABDUCTIONS, MEN IN BLACK, ed ( FR. , NL; E )
‘Aliens accidentally killed me but took my corpse onto UFO to save my life' - shock claim
‘Aliens accidentally killed me but took my corpse onto UFO to save my life' - shock claim
A MAN was accidentally killed by a laser blast from a UFO… before his corpse was taken aboard and he was miraculously brought to life, it has astonishingly been claimed.
The events which allegedly happened to Travis Walton 41 years ago are one of the world's most infamous so-called alien abduction cases.
But, it now appears he may not actually have been abducted after all - but instead rescued.
The twist in the story has been revealed by UFO researcher JP Robinson, after a meeting with Mr Walton at an alien conference.
The case began in November 1975 in the Apache-Sitgreaves National Forest, near Phoenix, Arizona, when six forestry worker colleagues of Mr Walton's reported him missing after they allegedly saw him get blasted back 20 feet by an energy beam from a UFO that "appeared over the trees”.
Officers thought it was an elaborate cover up and that they had actually killed him and disposed of the body.
But five days later he turned-up, saying he had been abducted by aliens and had been forced to punch his way out.
He relayed what happened in his book Fire In The Sky which was turned into a Hollywood movie of the same name in 1993.
He claims to have seen three grey aliens on the UFO, and later, human-looking beings described as "smooth-skinned and blemish-less".
Now, Mr Robinson has relayed the new details on his website.
He wrote: "I was never convinced of the authenticity of this incident, not to say I didn't believe it, just that you can never be wholly sure.
"All that changed when I met Travis Walton… and got the fantastic opportunity to speak face to face with the man who claims to have met beings from another world, and try to figure out whether he is for real or just a reallygood liar!
YouTube
Travis Walton claims he was killed by a UFO then aliens inside it saved his life.
"After having spent quality time in his presence and talking privately about his experience, I can only conclude that this man really did meet these beings aboard their ship.
"What wasn't clear before was the question of why would they 'zap' him with that beam of light to begin with?
"It's all a bit too sci-fi for me.”
However, he said he now realises it was an accident, which killed Mr Walton.
He said: ”Travis was in the wrong place at the wrong time and should never have been stood so close to such an incredible machine.
"He himself explained that he was just about to turn back to the truck seconds before being struck.
"It now seems that as the craft was preparing to take off into the night sky it inadvertently knocked Travis for six, killing him in the process.
"Yes, you read that right. Travis told me that he believed that he was actually dead.
"So now we get to the real question which so many people ask...why did they take him on board? Well, according to the man himself, they took him in order to save his life - and this they clearly succeeded in doing."
Mr Robinson said the story now had a "more legitimate tone".
TRAVISWALTON
Travis Walton in 1975 around the time of the bizarre incident.
Yes, you read that right. Travis told me that he believed that he was actually dead.
JP Robinsion
He added it was “an accident and an act of humanitarianism.”
He said: "Travis Walton has made me believe again, or should I say know again, that we truly are in the midst of something remarkable and it is only a matter of time before the bigger picture is revealed."
Now, 41 years on, Mr Walton and his former co-workers still maintain their account of what is recognised as the world's most remarkable UFO sighting and alien abduction claim on record.
The team, who were on a tree-thinning project, have all passed lie detector tests over the remarkable incident in November 1975, adding credibility to their account.
The seven of them reported how they were driving in the forest in a truck when they first saw mysterious lights which then appeared to be a flying saucer up in the canopy.
A mesmerised Mr Walton was the only one among them to venture out of the vehicle and approach the craft, despite his colleagues pleading with him not to go near.
Mr Walton said: "My eyes were just riveted on this thing. Then it threw me back through the air 20 feet."
His colleagues reported seeing him fly backwards with his back arched from a beam of light bearing down from the craft.
The terrified men fled in the vehicle, but returned later when there was no trace of the UFO or Mr Walton.
Mr Walton insists he woke up inside an alien craft, lying on a table and surrounded by three aliens with other humanoid looking beings in the background.
He said: "I got this rush of adrenaline and jumped from the table and just lashed out. Then I blacked out and woke up on the side of the road and ran to the nearest call box and collapsed."
What he didn't know at the time was he had been gone for five days.
There are still sceptics however, and those who claim it was an elaborate hoax.
The www.occupytheory.org website, part of the Occupy movement, is not convinced by the story and points out there were no witnesses to Mr Walton being drawn up into the spacecraft, adding that he could have hid for five days before reappearing.
In a report about the case, the website said: "Once Walton returned he wouldn’t just talk to the press.
"He’d only talk with publications that believed in UFOs.
"The story ran in the National Enquirer in 1975."
It also claimed he failed a lie detector carried out by the Enquirer and there was a history of UFO/alien claims among his immediate family before the "abduction".
0
1
2
3
4
5
- Gemiddelde waardering: 0/5 - (0 Stemmen) Categorie:ALIEN LIFE, UFO- CRASHES, ABDUCTIONS, MEN IN BLACK, ed ( FR. , NL; E )
‘Aliens accidentally killed me but took my corpse onto UFO to save my life' - shock claim
‘Aliens accidentally killed me but took my corpse onto UFO to save my life' - shock claim
A MAN was accidentally killed by a laser blast from a UFO… before his corpse was taken aboard and he was miraculously brought to life, it has astonishingly been claimed.
The events which allegedly happened to Travis Walton 41 years ago are one of the world's most infamous so-called alien abduction cases.
But, it now appears he may not actually have been abducted after all - but instead rescued.
The twist in the story has been revealed by UFO researcher JP Robinson, after a meeting with Mr Walton at an alien conference.
The case began in November 1975 in the Apache-Sitgreaves National Forest, near Phoenix, Arizona, when six forestry worker colleagues of Mr Walton's reported him missing after they allegedly saw him get blasted back 20 feet by an energy beam from a UFO that "appeared over the trees”.
Officers thought it was an elaborate cover up and that they had actually killed him and disposed of the body.
But five days later he turned-up, saying he had been abducted by aliens and had been forced to punch his way out.
He relayed what happened in his book Fire In The Sky which was turned into a Hollywood movie of the same name in 1993.
He claims to have seen three grey aliens on the UFO, and later, human-looking beings described as "smooth-skinned and blemish-less".
Now, Mr Robinson has relayed the new details on his website.
He wrote: "I was never convinced of the authenticity of this incident, not to say I didn't believe it, just that you can never be wholly sure.
"All that changed when I met Travis Walton… and got the fantastic opportunity to speak face to face with the man who claims to have met beings from another world, and try to figure out whether he is for real or just a reallygood liar!
YouTube
Travis Walton claims he was killed by a UFO then aliens inside it saved his life.
"After having spent quality time in his presence and talking privately about his experience, I can only conclude that this man really did meet these beings aboard their ship.
"What wasn't clear before was the question of why would they 'zap' him with that beam of light to begin with?
"It's all a bit too sci-fi for me.”
However, he said he now realises it was an accident, which killed Mr Walton.
He said: ”Travis was in the wrong place at the wrong time and should never have been stood so close to such an incredible machine.
"He himself explained that he was just about to turn back to the truck seconds before being struck.
"It now seems that as the craft was preparing to take off into the night sky it inadvertently knocked Travis for six, killing him in the process.
"Yes, you read that right. Travis told me that he believed that he was actually dead.
"So now we get to the real question which so many people ask...why did they take him on board? Well, according to the man himself, they took him in order to save his life - and this they clearly succeeded in doing."
Mr Robinson said the story now had a "more legitimate tone".
TRAVISWALTON
Travis Walton in 1975 around the time of the bizarre incident.
Yes, you read that right. Travis told me that he believed that he was actually dead.
JP Robinsion
He added it was “an accident and an act of humanitarianism.”
He said: "Travis Walton has made me believe again, or should I say know again, that we truly are in the midst of something remarkable and it is only a matter of time before the bigger picture is revealed."
Now, 41 years on, Mr Walton and his former co-workers still maintain their account of what is recognised as the world's most remarkable UFO sighting and alien abduction claim on record.
The team, who were on a tree-thinning project, have all passed lie detector tests over the remarkable incident in November 1975, adding credibility to their account.
The seven of them reported how they were driving in the forest in a truck when they first saw mysterious lights which then appeared to be a flying saucer up in the canopy.
A mesmerised Mr Walton was the only one among them to venture out of the vehicle and approach the craft, despite his colleagues pleading with him not to go near.
Mr Walton said: "My eyes were just riveted on this thing. Then it threw me back through the air 20 feet."
His colleagues reported seeing him fly backwards with his back arched from a beam of light bearing down from the craft.
The terrified men fled in the vehicle, but returned later when there was no trace of the UFO or Mr Walton.
Mr Walton insists he woke up inside an alien craft, lying on a table and surrounded by three aliens with other humanoid looking beings in the background.
He said: "I got this rush of adrenaline and jumped from the table and just lashed out. Then I blacked out and woke up on the side of the road and ran to the nearest call box and collapsed."
What he didn't know at the time was he had been gone for five days.
There are still sceptics however, and those who claim it was an elaborate hoax.
The www.occupytheory.org website, part of the Occupy movement, is not convinced by the story and points out there were no witnesses to Mr Walton being drawn up into the spacecraft, adding that he could have hid for five days before reappearing.
In a report about the case, the website said: "Once Walton returned he wouldn’t just talk to the press.
"He’d only talk with publications that believed in UFOs.
"The story ran in the National Enquirer in 1975."
It also claimed he failed a lie detector carried out by the Enquirer and there was a history of UFO/alien claims among his immediate family before the "abduction".
Adapted from the novella Story of Your Life by Ted Chiang, about a linguist who decodes an alien language, Eric Heisserer’s script was too intricate, too cerebral to interest studio executives. He shopped his screenplay around Hollywood for years before he found producers to champion the project. And only after another few years of re-working the script did it land on director Denis Villeneuve’s desk, who turned it into the Oscar-nominated film Arrival for Paramount Pictures.
The fact that Villeneuve’s Arrival—a heady sci-fi studio film with a female scientist as its main character—was nominated for the Oscar for best picture at all is worth celebrating. (Heisserer was also nominated for his adapted screenplay.) It won’t, however, win the night’s biggest award. Betting sites put the film’s odds of winning at around 100 to 1, far behind the two favorites, La La Land and Moonlight.
But that matters not. Because against the odds, Arrival works. One could name several different reasons for its critical and commercial success: Amy Adams’s sublimely understated performance; Jóhann Jóhannsson’s cryptic, alluring score; Bradford Young’s stunning photography; or editor Joe Walker’s scrupulous puzzle-playing, to name only a few.
Arrival‘s ultimate triumph, though, is how all of these things, together with the conceptual consistency of Villeneuve’s filmmaking, combine to pull off one of the most remarkable plot twists in cinema history.
It’s easy shorthand, but to call what happens toward the end of Arrival a “twist” is a disservice to its genius. Film twists often materialize out of thin air, tricks or random reversals inserted purely for shock value. The ending of Arrival doesn’t shock so much as it re-contextualizes the entire experience of watching the film. It represents a paradigm shift in the story: Villeneuve and company change the game right in front of your eyes, and you don’t realize it until the exact moment that you need to.
In the beginning of the film, we see Louise Banks, the linguist played by Amy Adams, caring for her young daughter, who’s dying. Throughout the film, Louise dreams of her daughters death, the flashbacks of a grieving mother. Of course, it’s not until the climax of the film does Louise (and, thus, the viewer) recognize that these aren’t flashbacks but flashforwards to the tragic story of a life yet lived, that of her future daughter. Studying the extraterrestrial language, she learns, has re-wired her brain to perceive time nonlinearly, just as the aliens do.
This actually isn’t the first time that this magic trick of storytelling has been performed on screen. But it has never been executed so beautifully. And it’s certainly never been bound so closely to the meaning of the film or the experience of watching it.
A masterclass of foreshadowing presages the final reveal. The best twists, as I’ve written before, must have breadcrumbs laid out for the viewer to find—but they should be more apparent the second time around than during the initial viewing, almost as if you get a special pair of glasses to see them, after you watch the film once.
A whole new world. (Paramount Pictures)
Allusions to Arrival‘s nonlinear narrative and the circular nature of its storytelling are present in every aspect of the film. Jóhannsson’s enchanting score contains musical palindromes—vocal patterns that repeat backwards and forwards. (Hannah, the name of Louise’s daughter, is also a palindrome.) The set design of Louise’s home, the university where she teaches, and the interior of the aliens’ ship all look like one another.
“You can see elements of the horizontal ship chamber where Louise communicates with aliens reflected in her house and in the classroom, ” production designer Patrice Vermette told Vanity Fair. “For Louise, the idea of the chamber was pre-conveyed in her world.” Villeneuve also told the set designers to incorporate circularity into their designs whenever they could “without making it obvious,” Vermette said.
One of the most famous principles of drama is “Chekov’s gun,” which states that each element of a narrative, however small, must be important to the story. “One must never place a loaded rifle on the stage if it isn’t going to go off,” the Russian writer Anton Chekov, is believed to have said.
These hints at the interrelation of present, past, and future don’t just factor into the story of Arrival (and thus fulfill Chekov’s principle)—they are the story. In the film, language literally changes the way Louise can perceive the world. That process is mirrored in how the “twist” and the visual language of cinema alter your perception of events as the movie watcher.
In the video above, Evan Puschak of the popular YouTube channel Nerdwriter breaks down some of the brilliance of Arrival‘s storytelling technique. The language that the aliens gift to Louise echoes the “unique perspective a film can gift a filmgoer,” he says. Films, essentially, can guide us through time in ways our own reality can’t.
In a way, the alien language lets Louise see the story of her life as if she were watching a movie of it—capable of moving both backwards and forwards, knowing the ending before it happens but still choosing to see it through.
Arrival is a completely different movie the second time you see it, once you know which scenes take place when. More clues start to present themselves: Early in the film, Louise’s partner, a physicist (played by Jeremy Renner), reads from her book about linguistics. “Language,” he recites, “is the first weapon drawn in a conflict.” Later on, Louise translates a message from the aliens: “Offer weapon.” The humans think they’re being threatened with a literal weapon, but remember—what’s the first “weapon” drawn in a conflict? Why, language, of course. The aliens were merely offering humanity the gift of their all-seeing language.
Louise and Ian, the physicist, nickname their two alien counterparts Abbott and Costello, a clever reference to the duality of meaning for anyone familiar with the “Who’s on First?” comedy routine by the legendary duo. It seems obvious in retrospect, but the first time around, even the most discerning of viewers are not equipped to notice clues like that, without, of course, the gift of knowing the future.
It’s rare, but not unprecedented, for a plot twist to double as a paradigm shift. Christopher Nolan’s Memento did it. M. Night Shyamalan’s The Sixth Sense did it too. What sets Arrival apart is how the game-changer is also the central theme of the film—that how we perceive the world is defined by how, and with whom, we communicate.
It would all fall apart without Denis Villeneuve’s impeccable eye for detail. Arrival is a film by a filmmaker refreshingly in total command of his craft. Villeneuve knows precisely what he intends to convey to the viewer, and with the help of actors, writers, editors, musicians, cinematographers, and set designers committed to that singular vision, he delivered the most rewarding cinematic experience of 2016.
0
1
2
3
4
5
- Gemiddelde waardering: 0/5 - (0 Stemmen) Categorie:ALIEN LIFE, UFO- CRASHES, ABDUCTIONS, MEN IN BLACK, ed ( FR. , NL; E )
Nasa announcement: Will it announce the discovery of alien life at the 6pm press conference?
Nasa announcement: Will it announce the discovery of alien life at the 6pm press conference?
Nasa will hold a press conference at 6pm today in which it will present a finding "beyond our solar system", leading to hopes that it may be the discovery of alien life.
Although the content of today’s “major announcement” remains shrouded in mystery, the agency has said it will reveal details of “exoplanets”, planets which orbit stars other than the sun.
A possible appearance of the planet Kepler-452b, the first near-Earth-size world to be found in the habitable zone of star that is similar to our sunCREDIT: CREDITS: NASA/JPL-CALTECH/T. PYLE
These are significant because they are the major hope for discovering life beyond planet Earth, and scientists focus particularly on those a similar distance from their star as Earth is from the sun.
One of the great questions of all time is whether we are alone in the universePaul Hertz, director of the Astrophysics Division, NASA in Washington
If the announcement is not the discovery of alien life, the most significant detail may be the extent to which the new planet or planets have the conditions favourable for life, which would make them the focus of more intense study by astronomers.
The most significant detail in this respect is whether or not the new planet or planets include liquid water, the principal ingredient for life.
“One of the great questions of all time is whether we are alone in the universe," Paul Hertz, director of the Astrophysics Division at Nasa's headquarters in Washington, said at the time.
Watch | Nasa release video of Pluto 'landing'
“We live in a time when humanity can answer this question scientifically. And the first sign of answering this question is looking at exoplanets."
Nasa has so far analysed dozens of planets that orbit sun-like stars at similar distances as the Earth to the sun.
At a press conference earlier this year the organisation announced it had discovered 1,284 new planets, nine of which were in the "habitable zone".
The press conference will take place at 6 pm GMT (1 pm EST) on Wednesday.
Kepler planet has given it's name to an inhabitable zoneCREDIT: TELEGRAPH
'Great observatory'
The Spitzer Space Telescope was launched in 2003 and uses infrared technology to examine planets light years away.
After 4,930 days in space the telescope, the fourth and final element of NASA's Great Observatories programme, the craft is now more than 145 million miles from Earth.
It was named, following a public vote, after Lyman Spitzer, a major champion of space telescopes in the 1940s.
In just under 75 minutes we will know what new worlds it has seen.
NASA has given few clues as to its announcement at 6pm GMT, but we do know scientists from its Spitzer telescope will be at the press conference.
They spend their time observing 'exoplanets', and in particular looking for ones similar to Earth that could support life.
Alien breakthrough: NASA makes MASSIVE leap in hunt for extraterrestrial life
Alien breakthrough: NASA makes MASSIVE leap in hunt for extraterrestrial life
SPACE boffins have made a key discovery in the search for extraterrestrial life.
Ocean world Enceladus would appear to be one of the many cold, icy and inhabitable landmarks in the solar system.
But Saturn's moon has been earmarked as a potential home for other life after a salt water ocean was found beneath the moon's crust.
And experts believe there could be hydrothermal activity as well, which would further support alien life.
NASA
BREAKTHROUGH: NASA has made a shock discovery on Enceladus
That has altered the way we think about where life might be found in our own Solar System, and in the worlds beyond”
Linda Spilker
NASA's Cassini spacecraft has now detected geysers under the planet's surface erupting into space.
The plumes emitted from the planet included gases and salts as well as water vapour, proving the existence of the global saltwater ocean.
Cassini project scientist Linda Spilker said extensive study of the moon has suggested it is being heated by tidal forces from Saturn, and could well support organic life.
GETTY
ALRIGHT GEYSER: How the water supply might look
Life has been found in similar conditions in extinct oceans under the surface of the earth.
She added: "That has altered the way we think about where life might be found in our own Solar System, and in the worlds beyond."
Other ocean worlds such as Jupiter's moon Europa, Saturn's moon Titan and Neptune's moon Triton are also being studied for alien life forms.
You know what doesn't make sense? Rampantspeculation that somehow this press conference, scheduled for 1 p.m. ET on a Wednesday — the same time the science journal Nature lifts its embargo every week — is an announcement that NASA has found alien life in the universe.
That hasn't stopped numerous news organizations and people on social media from speculating that the space agency will, in fact, publicly announce that aliens are real and we've found them. This is my favorite headline so far: "Has Nasa found ALIENS? Space agency to announce ‘discovery beyond our solar system"
'World on brink of being told aliens EXIST' after NASA 'hints at announcement'
THE world's population is being primed for an announcement that aliens have visited Earth after NASA hinted at new developments, conspiracy theorists have shockingly claimed.
Has Nasa found ALIENS? Space agency to announce ‘discovery beyond our solar system’ http://shr.gs/wKN2RVX
Has Nasa found ALIENS? Space agency to announce ‘discovery beyond our solar system’
NASA scientists are about to announce “new findings on planets that orbit stars other than our sun”- prompting speculation that it may have found ALIEN life.
If you want to watch the NASA announcement — which is seriously not about aliens but is about something cool — the agency will stream it live in the window below starting at 1 p.m. ET Wednesday.
This isn't the first time NASA has gotten the internet's hopes up by plugging a mysterious sounding announcement before a science journal's embargo lifts, either.
This kind of thing seems to happen every time the agency hints at announcing any science result at all.
There's nothing inherently wrong with NASA's habit of mysteriously announcing that an announcement will be made.
It's actually a great strategy if you want people to watch your mid-day press conferences. But that said, it's also clear that this whole thing just gives news outlets free rein to speculate in an attempt to drive plenty of traffic.
But here's a good rule of thumb for all you consumers of news out there: It's not aliens.
Besides, we all know that if it ever is aliens, that news will be dumped overboard on a Friday evening before a long weekend.
0
1
2
3
4
5
- Gemiddelde waardering: 0/5 - (0 Stemmen) Categorie:ALIEN LIFE, UFO- CRASHES, ABDUCTIONS, MEN IN BLACK, ed ( FR. , NL; E )
50.000 jaar oude bizarre organismen ontdekt in gigantische ondergrondse kristallen
50.000 jaar oude bizarre organismen ontdekt in gigantische ondergrondse kristallen
Wetenschappers hebben in een Mexicaanse mijn vreemde levensvormen gevonden die in ondergrondse kristallen gevangen zitten, schrijft nieuwssite MNN.
Vermoed wordt dat de microben al minstens 50.000 jaar in de kristallen leven.
Het is NASA-wetenschappers gelukt om enkele van de organismen te verwijderen uit de kristallen en weer tot leven te wekken.
Superleven
Je waant je in de mijn van Naica, die zich 300 meter onder de grond bevindt, op een andere planeet. Er schijnt geen licht naar binnen en de temperatuur loopt er op tot 65 graden Celsius.
De onderzoekers weten nog maar heel weinig over de organismen die in de gigantische kristallen zijn gevonden.
“Het is superleven,” zei Penelope Boston van het NASA Astrobiology Institute (NAI). De 40 soorten microben die ontdekt zijn, zijn totaal verschillend van alle andere levensvormen.
Bizar
De organismen, die leven van onder meer ijzer en zwavel, zijn zo bizar dat hun meest naaste verwanten zich op de genetische stamboom zo ver bevinden als mensen van paddenstoelen.
Onder het ijs van Antarctica werden enkele jaren terug levende organismen van een half miljoen jaar oud gevonden.
De ontdekking bewijst volgens de wetenschappers dat leven op aarde onder extremere omstandigheden kan gedijen dan altijd werd gedacht.
Beste bezoeker, Heb je zelf al ooit een vreemde waarneming gedaan, laat dit dan even weten via email aan Frederick Delaere opwww.ufomeldpunt.be. Deze onderzoekers behandelen jouw melding in volledige anonimiteit en met alle respect voor jouw privacy. Ze zijn kritisch, objectief maar open minded aangelegd en zullen jou steeds een verklaring geven voor jouw waarneming! DUS AARZEL NIET, ALS JE EEN ANTWOORD OP JOUW VRAGEN WENST, CONTACTEER FREDERICK. BIJ VOORBAAT DANK...
Druk op onderstaande knop om je bestand , jouw artikel naar mij te verzenden. INDIEN HET DE MOEITE WAARD IS, PLAATS IK HET OP DE BLOG ONDER DIVERSEN MET JOUW NAAM...
Druk op onderstaande knop om een berichtje achter te laten in mijn gastenboek
Alvast bedankt voor al jouw bezoekjes en jouw reacties. Nog een prettige dag verder!!!
Over mijzelf
Ik ben Pieter, en gebruik soms ook wel de schuilnaam Peter2011.
Ik ben een man en woon in Linter (België) en mijn beroep is Ik ben op rust..
Ik ben geboren op 18/10/1950 en ben nu dus 73 jaar jong.
Mijn hobby's zijn: Ufologie en andere esoterische onderwerpen.
Op deze blog vind je onder artikels, werk van mezelf. Mijn dank gaat ook naar André, Ingrid, Oliver, Paul, Vincent, Georges Filer en MUFON voor de bijdragen voor de verschillende categorieën...
Veel leesplezier en geef je mening over deze blog.
![]({"default":{"load":"default","w":"68","h":"38","src":"//img-s-msn-com.akamaized.net/tenant/amp/entityid/AAne6Di.img?h=382&w=680&m=6&q=60&o=f&l=f"},"size3column":{"load":"default","w":"62","h":"35","src":"//img-s-msn-com.akamaized.net/tenant/amp/entityid/AAne6Di.img?h=351&w=624&m=6&q=60&o=f&l=f"},"size2column":{"load":"default","w":"62","h":"35","src":"//img-s-msn-com.akamaized.net/tenant/amp/entityid/AAne6Di.img?h=351&w=624&m=6&q=60&o=f&l=f"}})
/https%3A%2F%2Fblueprint-api-production.s3.amazonaws.com%2Fuploads%2Fcard%2Fimage%2F390142%2F636fcb93-26fd-4ad1-95f2-dbf7e2cdc766.jpg)
