27 Astonishing Alien Encounters: Eyewitness Accounts That Defy Explanation

Fans of shows like Ancient Apocalypse and Ancient Aliens will find the documentary 27 Alien Encounters by Highly Credible Eyewitnesses both fascinating and provocative. This documentary delves into strange and perplexing UFO encounters that challenge our understanding of physics and the universe. Unlike typical tales of UFO sightings, these encounters involve highly credible witnesses, making the accounts even more compelling.

The Phenomenon of Alien Encounters

UFO sightings often describe objects that hover silently before speeding away at incredible velocities, shapes shifting, and sizes changing. Witnesses report these objects emitting beams of light over nuclear bases, illuminating roads, and even entire towns. More astonishing are the accounts of abductions and the mysterious reasons behind why these extraterrestrials might be here on Earth. Various governments and military forces are aware of these occurrences, indicating a phenomenon that could impact society, world structure, and our very understanding of existence.

Dimensions Beyond Physical Space

The documentary suggests that space might not be the final frontier. Instead, it posits that there could be dimensions beyond the physical universe that humans have yet to understand fully. Scientists now agree that other planes and dimensions exist, though they know little about them. Daily, there are sightings that defy logic and suggest that aliens might be accessing these dimensions or using advanced technology to traverse them.

Historical Encounters

Strange sightings are not a modern phenomenon. Petroglyphs in the Southwest and the Nazca lines in Peru depict beings and craft that suggest ancient encounters with extraterrestrials. These historical markers indicate a long history of contact with beings from other worlds.

The Westall Encounter

One notable event was the 1966 Westall encounter in Melbourne, Australia, witnessed by over 200 people, including pupils and teachers. They saw a silver-gray object landing before it abruptly took off again, leaving scorch marks. The sheer number of witnesses and the response from the police and Air Force add credibility to this sighting.

The Mirabo Incident

In 1886, a Venezuelan family experienced a bizarre and tragic encounter during a lightning storm. Their hut was bathed in dazzling light, and they suffered symptoms resembling radiation poisoning, long before radiation was known. This case remains unexplained but suggests a possible alien encounter.

The Falcon Lake Incident

In 1967, Steven Michalak of Manitoba, Canada, reported an encounter with two UFOs. Investigating the objects, he was blasted with hot gas, leaving him with distinctive burn marks and symptoms of radiation poisoning. This case stands out because of the physical evidence and Michalak’s resulting injuries.

The Cash-Landrum Incident

In 1980, Betty Cash, Vickie Landrum, and her grandson Colby encountered a diamond-shaped object in Texas. The encounter left them with severe health issues consistent with radiation exposure. Despite pursuing answers through the courts, official agencies denied any knowledge of the incident.

Mass Sightings

The documentary highlights several mass sightings that are hard to dismiss. In 1957, multiple residents of Levelland, Texas, reported a fiery object that caused electrical malfunctions in vehicles. Similarly, in the early 1980s, thousands of residents in Hudson Valley, New York, witnessed a V-shaped array of lights. In 1997, the Phoenix Lights incident saw thousands of Arizonans observing mysterious lights in the sky.

The Battle of Los Angeles

In 1942, American troops in Los Angeles attempted to shoot down an unidentified object in what became known as the Battle of Los Angeles. Despite firing 1,400 rounds, no wreckage was found, suggesting the object was something beyond known technology.

Underwater Encounters

The documentary also explores USOs (Unidentified Submerged Objects), such as the 1952 incident aboard the USS FDR, where a metallic object was seen rising from the water. These underwater sightings suggest that extraterrestrial activity may not be limited to the skies.

Theories on Alien Motivations

The documentary explores various theories on why aliens might visit Earth. Some suggest simple curiosity, while others propose that aliens are conducting genetic experiments or seeking resources. Abduction accounts often include warnings of environmental destruction, hinting that some extraterrestrials might be concerned about humanity’s future.

VIDEO:

• https://youtu.be/giYXBnzkT_4

With more recordings of UFOs due to modern technology, the frequency and credibility of sightings continue to grow. 27 Alien Encounters by Highly Credible Eyewitnesses presents compelling evidence and testimony that invite viewers to reconsider the possibility of extraterrestrial life and its impact on our world. As sightings increase and technology advances, we may one day find definitive proof that we are not alone in the universe.

{ https://www.latest-ufo-sightings.net/ }

11-07-2024 om 17:46 geschreven door peter  

De asteroïde die de aarde zal raken heet Bennu

©NL Beeld

De asteroïde die de aarde zal raken heet Bennu
Onderzoekers hebben de precieze datum bepaald waarop een asteroïde mogelijk de aarde zou kunnen inslaan, met een kracht die gelijk is aan die van 22 atoombommen. Dit hemellichaam, genaamd Bennu, nadert onze planeet elke zes jaar. Wetenschappers zijn echter van mening dat 24 september 2182 de datum zou kunnen zijn waarop er een reëel risico bestaat op een botsing tussen de aarde en de asteroïde.

Ondanks dat de mogelijke datum van de apocalyptische gebeurtenis nog ver weg is, is NASA momenteel bezig met intensieve inspanningen om de asteroïde Bennu af te buigen en bevindt zij zich in de laatste fase van haar missie. Zeven jaar geleden lanceerde de Amerikaanse ruimtevaartorganisatie een sonde naar de asteroïde met als doel monsters te verzamelen, in de hoop dat de verzamelde informatie een mogelijke catastrofale ontmoeting zou kunnen helpen voorkomen.

Asteroïden hebben de aarde door de jaren heen vele malen getroffen. Bekijk de volgende galerij voor enkele van de meest betekenisvolle effecten.

©Shutterstock

Meteoor inslag locatie, VS
Meteor Crater, ook bekend als Barringer Crater, gelegen nabij Flagstaff, Arizona, is een grote meteorietinslagkrater. Dit opmerkelijke natuurverschijnsel is een van de best bewaarde kraters in zijn soort op onze planeet, met een diameter van ongeveer 1200 meter en een diepte van ongeveer 170 meter.

©Public Domain

Tenoumer krater, Mauritanië
Het kenmerkende geologische kenmerk van de Tenoumer-krater in de Sahara-woestijn van Mauritanië is de dramatische, bijna cirkelvormige rand. De foto van Michael Dennig geeft perfect de afmetingen van de krater weer.

©Getty Images

Vredefort krater, Zuid-Afrika
De Vredefort krater in de Zuid-Afrikaanse provincie Vrijstaat is de grootste bevestigde inslagkrater op aarde, met een diameter van meer dan 300 km (190 mijl). De afbeelding toont de Vredefort Dome, het centrale deel van de krater.

©Shutterstock

Kaali-krater, Estland
Kaali verwijst naar een groep van negen meteorietkratermeren in het dorp Kaali op Saaremaa, een Ests eiland. Dit cluster van meren werd gevormd rond 1530-1450 v.Chr.

©Shutterstock

Gosses Bluff Impact Site, Australië
De opmerkelijke meteoorkrater Gosses Bluff, gelegen in het zuidelijke deel van het Northern Territory, heeft een diameter van 5 km en een randhoogte van 200 meter. Deze locatie wordt door de westerse Arrernte Aboriginals Tnorala genoemd en wordt als een heilige plaats beschouwd.

©Getty Images

Manicouaganmeer, Canada
Het Manicouagan Reservoir in het centrum van Quebec ontstond 214 miljoen jaar geleden door een meteoorinslag. René-Levasseur Island is het eiland in het midden van het meer. De hele formatie wordt gewoonlijk "het oog van Quebec" genoemd.

©Shutterstock

Wolfe Creek-krater, Australië

De Wolfe Creek-krater in West-Australië is een opmerkelijk intacte inslaglocatie. Het meet een diameter van ongeveer 875 meter (2871 ft) en heeft een diepte van 60 meter (200 ft) van rand tot vloer. Deze krater, die minder dan 120.000 jaar oud is, ligt in het hart van het Wolfe Creek Meteorite Crater National Park.

©Public Domain

Sudbury-bekken, Canada
Het Sudbury Basin in Ontario beslaat ongeveer 10-15 km (6,2-9,3 mijl) en ontstond ongeveer 1,8 miljard jaar geleden. Een afbeelding van het bassin wordt weergegeven in NASA's wereldbolsoftware WorldWind.

©Getty Images

Popigai-krater, Rusland
De Popigai-krater, gelegen in Siberië, werd ongeveer 35 miljoen jaar geleden gevormd. De oostkant van de krater, met een diameter van 100 km (62 mijl), is linksboven in het satellietbeeld zichtbaar.

©Getty Images

Acramankrater, Australië
Lake Acraman in Zuid-Australië is een opvallend kenmerk van de Acraman-krater, die ongeveer 590 miljoen jaar geleden werd gevormd door een asteroïde-inslag. Dit satellietbeeld legt de 40 km lange krater vast, met het meer in het hart.

©Getty Images

Karakul-krater, Tadzjikistan
Karakul is de aangewezen naam voor het meer gelegen in een aanzienlijke inslagkrater van 52 km (32 mijl) in het Tadzjiekse Nationale Park. Deze formatie, zichtbaar op dit satellietbeeld, is ongeveer 25 miljoen jaar geleden ontstaan.

©Getty Images

Chesapeake Bay, VS
Ongeveer 35 miljoen jaar geleden werd de Chesapeake Bay aan de oostkust van Amerika gevormd door sediment dat over het puin van een meteoorinslag viel. De afbeelding toont een deel van de inslagstructuur in Virginia.

©Getty Images

Bosumtwi-krater, Ghana
Lake Bosumtwi is het enige natuurlijke meer in Ghana, gelegen in een oude inslagkrater ten zuidoosten van Kumasi. De Ashanti-bevolking vereert Bosumtwi als een heilig waterlichaam.

©Shutterstock

Morasko Meteoriet Natuurreservaat, Polen
Het Morasko Meteoriet Natuurreservaat ligt in de bossen nabij Poznań. Bezoekers kunnen zeven kraters verkennen, waarvan de grootste een diameter van ongeveer 100 meter (328 ft) heeft en een diepte van ongeveer 11 meter (36 ft) bereikt.

©Getty Images

Lonarkrater, India
Het Lonar-meer in de staat Maharashtra is ontstaan ​​door een meteorietinslag die ongeveer 35.000 tot 50.000 jaar geleden plaatsvond.

©Shutterstock

Middlesboro-krater, VS
De Middlesboro-krater in Kentucky dankt zijn naam aan de stad waar hij nu staat. De krater is ongeveer 5 km breed en vermoedelijk minder dan 300 miljoen jaar oud.

©Getty Images

Mistastin-krater, Canada
De Mistastin-krater werd ongeveer 36 miljoen jaar geleden gevormd als gevolg van een krachtige asteroïde-botsing in Labrador, Canada. De afbeelding toont Mishta-minishtikᐡ, het gebogen eiland van het meer, levendig.

©Shutterstock

Tswaing-krater, Zuid-Afrika
De schilderachtige Tswaing-krater ligt ten noordwesten van Pretoria en is vermoedelijk tussen de 220.000 en 52.000 jaar oud. Met name blijkt uit archeologisch bewijs dat de krater minstens 100.000 jaar geleden door mensen werd bezocht, zoals blijkt uit stenen werktuigen uit het middensteentijdperk.

©Shutterstock

Henbury Meteorites Conservation Reserve, Australië
Het Henbury Meteorites Conservation Reserve in het Northern Territory van Australië bestaat uit minstens 14 kraters. Deze kraters zijn het resultaat van een meteoriet die uit elkaar viel bij een botsing met het aardoppervlak. De grootste krater, die een combinatie is van twee kleinere kraters, is 217 meter lang, 111 meter breed en 15 meter diep.

©Getty Images

El'gygytgyn-krater, Rusland
Het El'gygytgyn-meer ligt binnen de poolcirkel in het noordoosten van Siberië en werd ongeveer 3,6 miljoen jaar geleden gevormd uit een inslagkrater van een asteroïde.

©Getty Images

Araguainha-impactstructuur, Brazilië
De inslagstructuur van Araguainha is gemakkelijk herkenbaar als een cirkelvormige omtrek met een diameter van 40 km (25 mijl), gelegen op de grens van de staten Mato Grosso en Goiás. Het wordt beschouwd als de grootste inslagkrater van Zuid-Amerika.

©Getty Images

Nördlinger Ries, Duitsland
De Nördlinger Ries is een belangrijke inslagkrater in het westen van Beieren en het oosten van Baden-Württemberg. Het werd gebruikt als trainingslocatie voor de Apollo 14-astronauten. De foto toont de zuidelijke bosrand van de Nördlinger Ries.

©Getty Images

Haughton-krater, Canada
De Haughton-krater, gevonden op het eiland Devon in Nunavut, is vermoedelijk ongeveer 39 miljoen jaar oud en is het resultaat van een asteroïde-inslag die een 23 km brede krater creëerde.

©Shutterstock

Lappajärvi-krater, Finland
Het Lappajärvi-meer, gelegen in de Finse regio Zuid-Österbotten, is een watermassa die de gedeeltelijk geërodeerde meteorietinslagkrater van Lappajärvi beslaat. Deze indrukwekkende krater, die 23 kilometer (14 mijl) beslaat, dient als herinnering aan een gebeurtenis die ongeveer 76 miljoen jaar geleden plaatsvond.

©Getty Images

Chicxulub-krater, Mexico
De Chicxulub-krater, gelegen onder het schiereiland Yucatán, is het gevolg van een enorme asteroïde-botsing die ongeveer 66 miljoen jaar geleden plaatsvond en leidde tot het uitsterven van dinosauriërs. Op deze NASA-foto van het noordwestelijke deel van het schiereiland benadrukt een vage donkergroene curve de overblijfselen van de inslagkrater, die de op een na grootste ter wereld is.

©Getty Images

Tunguska-evenement, Rusland
In het jaar 1908 drong een meteoriet de atmosfeer van de aarde binnen, maar in plaats van de grond te raken, ontplofte hij in de lucht. Deze buitengewone gebeurtenis vond plaats nabij de rivier Podkamennaya Tunguska en resulteerde in een wijdverbreide verwoesting. Hoewel er zich geen zichtbare krater vormde, veroorzaakte de explosie het afvlakken van ongeveer 80 miljoen bomen, waardoor een uitgestrekt bosgebied van 2.150 vierkante kilometer (830 vierkante mijl) werd aangetast. Bekende bronnen die informatie verstrekken over dit incident zijn onder meer NASA, de National Park Service, Smithsonian Magazine, Geopark Ries en EarthSky.

Als je geïnteresseerd bent, kun je hier ook enkele van de gevaarlijkste vulkanen ter wereld verkennen: Ontdek enkele van de gevaarlijkste vulkanen ter wereld

{ https://www.msn.com/nl-be/ } 

11-07-2024 om 17:25 geschreven door peter  

Map reveals eight UFO hotspots around the world – is your country on the list?

 Hiyah Zaidi

If you were to have an alien encounter, where in the world would you expect it to be?

Unidentified flying objects (UFOs), also known as unidentified anomalous phenomena (UAP), are a source of mystery and intrigue as cases of potential alien visitors sweep across the globe. 

But, where are the best places to go if you wanted to spot a UFO? American non-profit organisation the National UFO Reporting Center (NUFORC) has a bank of data revealing, they feel to be, the most credible or interesting cases. 

The organisation said these reports tend to be from ‘trained observers such as pilots, reports of anomalous structured craft seen at close distances, and reports with interesting and clear video or photographic evidence’.

Many of these cases stem back to the 1990s, and are posted in the author’s own words. So, where are the UFO hotspots around the world?

1. The United States

Naturally, the US made the top of the list with a whopping 133,682 apparent UFO sightings across the country dating back to 1995.

The state with the most viewings is California, with 16,399 ‘credible’ cases since the mid-90s, and the fewest number of viewings were around the capital, the District of Columbia, with only 155 cases.

In California, reported shapes often take the form of mysterious ‘lights’ or orbs.

One case as recent June 15 in Richmond reported three pink orbs glowing in the sky. The witness wrote: ‘Three orbs in a line coming up from the ground.

‘Was heading East on I-80 and saw three pink lights in a column. The lowest of the lights looked to be hovering just above the ground and the highest was probably 100-200ft in the air and the middle was directly in between the other two. They weren’t moving or blinking but eventually all three dimmed and went out.’

Another case report, from Minnesota, in 2008, details a cigar-shaped UAP. 

The witness wrote: ‘Small white cigar-shaped object, low in sky, hovered for 2 minutes, then disappeared, no trail.

‘Two friends and I were golfing on the 10th hole at North Links golf course, and there was a clear blue sky. As we looked forward into the sky, one of us noticed a white, cigar or tampon-shaped object sitting in the sky, no wings, obviously not a plane or helicopter, and there was no smoke or jetstream coming from the object. It was probably about 500 yards or so away in the sky.

‘We sat stunned, asking each other, “What could that possibly be, besides a UFO?”

‘No one wanted to tee off, because we wanted to wait to see what happened with the foreign craft.

‘After about two minutes, the craft gradually got smaller for about 10 seconds, and then completely disappeared like it went into stealth mode, again, no smoke or anything, it just vanished.

‘Within minutes of seeing the craft, a small army-type plane was flying in the same general area where we had seen the craft. We kept looking for the next two hours of golf, but no reappearance occurred.’ 

The organisation noted that the witness chose to remain totally anonymous and provided no contact information. 

2. Canada

Still in North America, the people of Canada have compiled 5,973 UFO sightings dating back to 1995. With a large number like this, NUFORC has split case reports by province, and revealed the highest number of reports came from the province of Ontario, with 2,547 reports. 

The fewest reports came from Prince Edward Island, with 27 ‘credible’ reports. 

In the province of New Brunswick, in the town of Bouctouche, two observers reported that they saw a disk-like object. The witnesses wrote: ‘On May 17, 2021, I was driving my friend home as I noticed lights in the sky and told my friend about it.

‘It was a line of lights – seems like stars, but was not – and then it faded away. We were 30 seconds from my friend’s house, so I rushed to park and got out of the car to see if we could see more.

‘We started looking up and suddenly saw an oval-shaped flying object that was moving. We noticed it was passing in front of two stars. It also looked like it had windows, but was very low on lighting around, we could only spot it because of window lights on the objects.

‘We could see it floating for like a good 30 seconds before we lost track of it.’

3. The UK

The UK is another well-known hotspot for UFOs, and has racked up 3,439 cases that date back to 1996. 

The reports appear across the country. One witness in Birmingham, in September 2009, said: ‘South Birmingham 11.40am, clear sky gold flat object a few feet square with slight bend.

‘On Sunday morning, while taking a coffee after some light housework –my wife was at morning work. I witnessed something exceedingly weird off the back patio.

‘I have no belief in UFOs – laws of physics dictate against it – and have always explained away anything unusual as helicopter lights etc but not this time, I’m afraid.

‘I observed a crazy sighting which I cannot figure out.

‘It looked like a piece of gold vellum paper, slightly folded as if hovering in the wind. It was sunny so I could have been catching the Sun. I also considered a butterfly.

‘However, it became apparent that the size was wrong for a butterfly, and paper, it was not – because the object proceeded to move out across the park at supernatural speed, with increasing velocity. I was completely dumbstruck and offer no explanation. I’m employed as a physics engineering technician.’

Over in Ciliau Aeron, Wales, a report in 2018 told of a sphere-shaped, house-sized, UFO that hovered above the valley. The witness reported: ‘I opened the back door at 6am to let the dogs out.

‘I looked across the fields to where I have a view of the Aeron Valley. It was very dark, but I immediately saw what I thought was a house on fire about half a mile away. 

‘I watched for a minute, planning to call 999. Then, the “fire” moved to the west a few hundred metres behind some trees. I realised it was a large sphere, the size of a house and seemed to churn or pulsate with its “fire”.

‘It was extremely bright and white/yellow in colour. Then it stopped where it hovered for a minute and then flew the other way to the east where it continued past its original position, all the way along the valley until out of sight. Just before it went out of sight, a bright red light appeared on the top half of the sphere.

‘It travelled in a straight path, sometimes behind trees at the speed of a car. It also had “sparks” flying out of it like molten metal falling to the ground. It didn’t make a sound. I believe it to have been something not of our Earth.’

4. Australia 

On the other side of the world, there is one surprising country that has quite a few sightings of UFOs. In Australia, data from the NUFORC revealed there have been 961 sightings since 1996, and some echo other reports from elsewhere in the world. 

In 2023, one witness in New South Wales reported a triangular UFO, with white lights that was moving fast and silently.

The report said: ‘Standing in my suburban backyard at 6:45pm EST looking at the stars facing West.

‘I saw the object as it passed directly overhead heading in a south westerly direction. The object was triangular in shape with approximately 10 lights on the forward two sides and 3 on the rear side. The lights were white and not flashing. Stars were blacked out within the triangle as it passed over.

The object appeared to be the size of a football field in width and there was no sound whatsoever. It appeared to be quite close.

‘I lost sight of the object as it passed over a hill to the south west. The object was visible to me for approximately 20 seconds.’

Triangular objects seem to be a popular shape for a UFO down under – another report in 2018 in Victoria spoke about a solid metallic object that was around five feet on all sides.

The witness wrote: ‘It was in the middle of the day, I was sitting on an oval [an Australian Football field] with my friend and I look up and see a giant metal triangle hovering without moving a bit away from us, not to far away, maybe half an oval away.

‘It looked like it was solid metal and after a few seconds of hovering in the same spot it zoomed away very fast over the tree line. It was a nice sunny day without any wind. It definitely wasn’t a drone or a weather balloon. The metal didn’t look bendable and looked like a solid triangle just in the sky.’ 

5. India

While we hear of many cases from countries like the US and the UK, we rarely hear of reports from countries such as India. However, according to the NUFORC, there are 502 ‘credible’ cases that stem back to 1999. 

In 2010, a woman in the city of Alwar saw a UFO hovering overhead for around five minutes. She reported the object looked like a disk, and featured lights, as well as an aura or a haze surrounding it. 

She wrote: ‘At 6:21pm, I was playing with my kids at the rooftop of our row house in Alwar city of Rajasthan State in India. Suddenly I saw a white and silver color saucer sparkling in the sky. It was moving in a zigzag way, it was moving towards the east and then suddenly changed direction to the north.

‘I told my parents and kids to also look and we all saw the object for around 5 minutes as it was moving very slowly and everybody was surprised to see the same thing. We tried to capture the picture of the object in our mobile phone camera but as the object was distant, we were not able to capture it.

‘Let me also say it was clear sky that day but suddenly we saw a rapid change in weather and after three hours a thunderstorm and lightning happened. I am not sure but this might be linked to this flying object.’

She wrote: ‘To add to my credibility I am a post graduate in science and a mother of two kids.’ 

In 2021, a witness in Jalpaiguri reported a hockey stick-shaped UFO that had lights, as well as an aura or haze. 

They wrote: ‘It looked like a hockey stick oscillating like a pendulum. The two crafts suddenly collided and there was light which moved northwards.

‘I was playing with my friends and we suddenly noticed something in the sky quite far above. There was a shrill sound for a matter of a few seconds. Most thought it to be a jet aircraft or a shooting star but I thought it was something else.

‘Then as we looked carefully we saw as if something like a hockey stick was upside down and it was showing oscillatory movement. Suddenly the two crafts of the same sort collided and a streak of light was emitted. Then we all thought it was a UFO.

‘We were amazed and the crafts were separated for around 20 minutes. Suddenly they collided and the light streak started moving straight towards the north eastern direction continuously for around another half an hour and it was of the same size quite unlike the common thing that we know.

‘Though we all understood that it was going far, however the size of the light streak didn’t decrease. Suddenly, in an absurd way again the light disappeared and nothing else was seen. We had no mobiles or cameras then and we were alone.’

6. South Africa

Another UFO hotspot on the list is the country of South Africa. According to the data, the country has 211 reports that date back to 1997. 

But despite the smaller number of cases, they are still just as eerie. One witness reported seeing a UFO over a rhino sanctuary in Klerksdorp, which has a no-fly zone.

The witness wrote: ‘I have some very weird footage for you from South Africa, captured at 4am by my son on a high security rhino farm with state of the art security systems, including radar – which was how the object was detected in the first place – and night sight cameras.

‘They could not identify the object on camera, and as it is a no fly zone, they dispatched a team of rangers, but no lights and no sound was heard by the team, so they could not locate anything as it was still dark.

‘The object was not travelling in a straight line, and it changed course as well. Hard to determine the height of it, as it looked high at some stages, and very low at other stages. This is definitely not a drone of some kind, and the shape seems to move on the top of the object as if scanning or something.

‘Just very very weird.’

Another report came through of an apparent UFO sighting in Cape Town near the harbour. The alleged UFO had lights, and was in the shape of a triangle. 

The witness reported: ‘South Africa also got UFOs. 

‘I just left the restaurant called Panama Jacks Seafood in Cape Town Harbour and took a photo of my wife in front of the massive harbour cranes and lights. I handed her the camera back and she put it back in her handbag. As we looked up for the last time at the enormous cranes [we saw] 3 x orange lights in a perfect triangular shape. 

‘They held formation in distance from each other, but were kind of erratic in movement, much the same way as a stingray fish would swim. Came from the ocean direction and passed over or left of Table Bay Mountain. I tried to get them on my Blackberry Cell phone camera but I could not find them on the screen. Sorry!’

7. Ireland 

Back in Europe, another UFO hotspot country that might be unknown, is Ireland. The country has reported 189 cases which date back to 1998. 

But despite being half a world away, the organisation revealed reports that also talked of a flying object moving in a zigzag pattern. One witness from Dublin in 1998 wrote of a strange light spotted with an aura nearby. The report said: ‘I was looking out my bedroom window staring at the stars when suddenly one moved.

‘At first I thought it was a satellite but it was zigzagging, jerking, moving in circles, and changing direction. I called my father and my brother and we went outside to look at it better. It stopped moving for a while then started moving again. I stayed there observing it for another 20 mins before I went inside again. When I got upstairs I couldn’t see it anymore…’ 

A more recent report from 2019 told of an apparent UFO that seemed to scan the sky with lasers. 

The report said: ‘At first it was just one blue glow in the clouds.

‘The glow would get stronger and then dim a little. Afterwards it moved and at stages bluish/white lights came through the clouds. Very hard to describe but the best example I can give is when you see a sci-fi movie where a robot or gadget 3D scans something with lasers.

‘These lights would light up the clouds but when they were visible they’d beam out one direction then change very quickly to another direction. They shot out at every angle too.

‘After maybe two minutes there were two blue glows behind clouds. Both moved rapidly from one point to another with flashing lighting up clouds as they stopped. When I could see the beam, it looked as though it came from a central point and spread out into a few beams like I said as though it was quickly scanning then moving.

‘Sorry I know it’s really hard to put into words this episode, but I didn’t know where or who else to report this to as I feel very uneasy about it all.’ 

In 2015, one person reported seeing a tear-shaped UFO in Florianopolis.

The witness said: ‘I was driving to class, when I looked up to see the sky and saw a lime green light, shaped like a teardrop, travelling really fast, and vanishing seconds later.

‘I’m positive it wasn’t a weather balloon or a drone, it appeared to be really high and the shape may be due to its velocity.’

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{ https://metro.co.uk/ }

10-07-2024 om 22:32 geschreven door peter  

Stunning UFO Sighting Over Rijeka, Croatia: Witness Captures Mysterious Blue Triangle

On the early morning of June 25, 2024, the skies over Rijeka, Croatia, became the scene of an extraordinary event that has left locals and UFO enthusiasts buzzing with excitement. At around 3 AM, a witness reported seeing a peculiar, bright blue, triangle-shaped object hovering stationary in the night sky. The sighting, which lasted approximately 10 minutes, has sparked a wave of speculation and intrigue.

Eyewitness Account

The witness, who managed to film the event, described the object as a solid triangle with a bright blue hue. “Filmed in Croatia yesterday 25.06 in 3 AM,” he shared. “It looked like some triangle-shaped object in bright blue color… it seemed like a solid object but who knows right… could this be some weather phenomenon or maybe some weird moonlight?” The witness also mentioned that the object didn’t appear to move despite high winds, ruling out the possibility of it being a drone. “It was there around 10 minutes that I was watching… but I don’t know how long did it stay… for me it didn’t seem like this was the moon but who knows.“

Theories and Speculation

This sighting has led to various theories ranging from weather phenomena to extraterrestrial visitors. The object’s bright blue color and triangular shape are not typical characteristics of known weather phenomena, leading some to speculate that it could be an unidentified flying object (UFO).

Expert Opinions

UFO sightings often attract a mix of skepticism and curiosity. Experts suggest that while unusual sightings like these are fascinating, they require thorough investigation. Atmospheric conditions, reflections, and other natural explanations need to be considered. However, the witness’s account of a stationary, bright blue triangle in high winds adds a layer of mystery that is not easily explained by conventional means.

Conclusion

Whether this sighting over Rijeka is a genuine UFO or a rare atmospheric event, it has undoubtedly captured the attention of many. As the video of the sighting circulates, more people are likely to weigh in with their interpretations and theories. For now, the mysterious blue triangle remains an enigma in the night sky of Croatia.

Watch the Video

• https://youtu.be/nMBM06vso7k

For a firsthand look at this intriguing sighting, check out the video below and decide for yourself what might be lurking in the skies over Rijeka.

{ https://www.latest-ufo-sightings.net/ }

10-07-2024 om 18:50 geschreven door peter  

In this case, the scenario some participants developed didn’t directly impact China or Russia. However, both could have been affected by a tidal wave if the target asteroid had landed in the Pacific Ocean. The scenario called for an asteroid a few hundred meters across that had a 72% chance of impacting the Earth in about 14 years. 

The projected path that the asteroid carved across the Earth went from the Pacific across northern Mexico and the southern US, passing directly over Dallas and Washington DC before crossing over the Atlantic Ocean, passing over Portugal, Spain (including Madrid), and northern Africa. It was probably not lost on participants that this scenario could directly affect the town they were sitting in.

Calculations showed that there was a 45% chance the impact wouldn’t affect anybody, a relatively high chance it would impact between 1,000 and 100,000 people, and a .04% chance it would impact more than 10 million people—for example, if it scored a direct hit on the Dallas metropolitan area. That uncertainty and the extended timeline gave the planetary defense officials the most significant trouble for this exercise.

As in Don’t Look Up, political considerations played the forefront in the participant’s minds. Many repeated the sentiment of one anonymous participant reported in the preliminary report: “I know what I would prefer [to do], but Congress will tell us to wait.” The uncertainty about impact, and especially about whether it would affect anyone at all, was a significant consideration. In the scenario, the asteroid passed behind the Sun, so additional observations to clarify those estimates weren’t possible for another seven months. 

The availability of resources was again a primary consideration, both to track the potential impactor closely enough and to design and execute a mission to potentially deflect it. Participants didn’t believe there would be enough resources for either task and stated that it was one of their main concerns in the future. 

They also agreed that the tabletop exercise was a massive success, with it allowing decision-makers who would be involved in an actual process of determining what to do with a potential real asteroid strike to think through the steps they would have to take and what the likely political and public responses would be. Plans for additional exercises are already in the works, and the final report of the session is due to be released on August 5th, with specific assignable action items to come as part of it. While any expected asteroid impact isn’t foreseen in the coming decades, these sorts of exercises will continue to hone what is arguably one of the most valuable skills of any space agency – how to protect ourselves from one of our biggest threats.

Learn More:

• NASA – Quick-Look Report – Planetary Defense Interagency Tabletop Exercise 5
• NASA – NASA Asteroid Experts Create Hypothetical Impact Scenario for Exercise
• UT – Another Asteroid Discovered Hours Before it Impacts the Earth
• UT – If You’re Trying to Prevent an Asteroid Impact, the Technical and Political Challenges are Staggering

Lead Image:

• This artist’s concept depicts an asteroid drifting through space. Many such objects frequency pass Earth. To help prepare for the discovery of one with a chance of impacting our planet, NASA leads regular exercises to figure out how the international community could respond to such a threat.
  Credit – NASA / JPL-Caltech

{ https://www.universetoday.com/ }

09-07-2024 om 22:29 geschreven door peter  

POSTED BY MARK THOMPSON

The Rugged Desert Moss Best Equipped to Survive on Mars

For decades, we have seen Mars as a desolate landscape devoid of any signs of life. Attempt to identify ways of growing plants and food on the red planet have focussed on greenhouse like structures to enable plants to survive, that is, until now! A desert moss called ‘Syntrichia caninervis’ has been identified and it can grown in extreme environments like Antarctica and the Mojave Desert. A new study revealed the moss can survive Mars-like environments too including low temperatures, high levels of radiation and drought. 

Mars has often be referred to as the “Red Planet” for its distinct red hue. It is the fourth planet from the Sun and to some extent resembles the Earth. Polar ice caps, seasonal weather patterns, extinct volcanoes, ancient riverbeds and flood plains are among the many surface features and. This cold world has fascinated us for centuries and its thin atmosphere, mostly made up of carbon dioxide, has been subjected to lots of studies. It has been thought for many years that it experiences some of the harshest weather conditions, including planet-wide dust storms but the recent study suggests there may just be a plant on Earth capable of surviving these conditions. 

Exploring and colonising planets like Mars can enhance human sustainability. Since no life forms have been found on Mars, introducing Earth organisms might be necessary for creating suitable conditions for human life in a process known as terraforming. This will involve selecting or engineering plants that can thrive in the harsh environments of an alien world. Few studies have tested organisms’ ability to withstand extreme environments of space or Mars, focusing mainly on microorganisms, algae, and lichens. However until recently, studies including mosses and whole plants have been lacking.

There have been many long term plans and even whimsical ideas to establish settlements on Mars. Pivotal to the success is the establishment of adapted crops that can grow in controlled, synthetic environments. However, to develop such a plant requires significant progress and development before plants are capable of growing in the soils and harsh conditions. In the report by lead author Xiaoshuang Li and team the incredible resilience of a moss called Syntrichia caninervis (S. caninervis) to survive a Mars-like environment even after having lost more than 98% of its water content. 

Studies into the resilience of the plants have shown they can withstand  extremely low  temperatures and regenerate even after being stored in a freezer at -80°C for five years or in liquid nitrogen for one month. S. caninervis also demonstrates high resistance to gamma radiation and can survive in simulated Martian conditions. 

The study concluded that S. caninervis is among the most stress-tolerant organisms known. It shows how it is a real potential species for the colonisation of alien worlds like Mars. The resilience to extreme conditions such as desiccation, low temperatures, and high radiation makes it an ideal for future terraforming efforts. It helps to understand the unique properties of this moss (in particular) and how it can form a foundational layer for biologically sustainable human habitats in space.

Source : 

• The extremotolerant desert moss Syntrichia caninervis is a promising pioneer plant for colonizing extraterrestrial environments

{ https://www.universetoday.com/ }

09-07-2024 om 22:18 geschreven door peter  

Intelligence Agents Investigate UFOs in Roswell (7 JUL 1947)

INTELLIGENCE AGENTS INVESTIGATE UFOS IN ROSWELL
On 7 July 1947, Counter Intelligence Corps (CIC) agents Lt. Col. Sheridan W. Cavitt, M. Sgt. Lewis S. Rickett, and Army Air Force intelligence agent Maj. Jesse A. Marcel investigated reports of an Unidentified Flying Object (UFO) that crash landed in Roswell, New Mexico.

The “Roswell Incident” occurred during the 1947 Flying Disc Craze, in which sixteen or more alleged sightings of UFOs were reported in the U.S. between May and July, many in the American Southwest. On 7 July 1947, a rancher named William “Mac” Brazel reported he had recovered “one of them flying saucers” on his ranch near Roswell. The investigation was turned over to Roswell Army Airfield, which assigned the case to Major Marcel.

During World War II, Jesse Marcel had attended the U.S. Army Air Force Intelligence School at Harrisburg, Pennsylvania, where he trained as a combat photo interpreter. He graduated in late 1942 and became an instructor until deploying with the 5th Bomber Command to the Southwest Pacific. After the war, Marcel was assigned to the 509th Composite Group, 313th Bombardment Wing, stationed at Roswell Army Airfield (Walker Air Force Base since 1948) and deployed during Operation CROSSROADS, the U.S. nuclear weapons tests in the Bikini Atoll in 1946. The unit was redesignated the 509th Bombardment Group, Very Heavy, in July 1946 and attached to the Strategic Air Command at Roswell.

For the investigation, Major Marcel was joined by Colonel Cavitt, commander of the 700th Air CIC Detachment’s Roswell office, and Sergeant Rickett from Cavitt’s office. The three men traveled to Brazel’s ranch and collected numerous pieces of what Cavitt later described as bamboo sticks and a “reflective sort of material” like aluminum foil. The next day, 8 July 1947, the incident appeared in local newspapers with headlines proclaiming the Air Force had recovered the remains of a “flying disc.” The excitement was short-lived. That same day, Brig. Gen. (later Lt. Gen.) Roger Ramey, commander of the Eighth Air Force at Fort Worth Army Airfield, held a press conference announcing the discovered materials belonged to a weather balloon. The incident was quickly forgotten.
 
The story resurfaced in 1978, when then-Lt. Col. Marcel claimed in an interview with ufologists (researchers of UFOs) that the materials were “extraterrestrial.” More witnesses came forward following publication of Marcel’s claims, and UFO enthusiasts grasped onto the story with a fervor, despite most “witnesses” providing only second- or thirdhand accounts. Even today, Marcel’s account remains the basis for conspiracists of a major military cover-up of extraterrestrial life at Roswell. Interestingly, shortly after the 1947 incident, Marcel’s personnel file noted his tendency to exaggerate. Contrary to Marcel’s remembrances, Colonel Cavitt later recalled, “I don’t think I even made a report to [700th CIC Headquarters], which I normally would if there was anything at all unusual.”

In 1994, an official U.S. Air Force investigation revealed the shredded remains of a UFO discovered in Roswell in July 1947 belonged to a prototype balloon for then-classified Project MOGUL. The project sought to “develop a technique capable of recording the sound of a nuclear detonation within the Soviet Union,” by placing “acoustic sensors (i.e. quasi-microphones) on balloons that operated at a steady state within the stratosphere.” In the summer of 1947, tests of these balloons were occurring at Alamogordo Army Airfield (Holloman Air Force Base since 1948), New Mexico, during which several balloons were lost. Project engineer Professor Charles B. Moore confirmed in 1994 that witness descriptions and photographs of the recovered Roswell UFO were consistent with the materials used in some of these balloons. MOGUL researchers reportedly used radio broadcasts of UFO sightings during the 1947 Flying Disc Craze to locate their lost balloons.

New issues of This Week in MI History are published each week. To report story errors, ask questions, or be added to our distribution list, please contact: TR-ICoE-Command-Historian@army.mil.

{ https://www.dvidshub.net/ }

09-07-2024 om 21:47 geschreven door peter  

By Danny Gutmann

A gigantic UFO beaming from the bottom with pulsating green lights has been caught on camera in Iran.

And the apparent spaceship has sparked debate among viewers after footage showing it hovering ominously was shared on TikTok.

The craft, which appears to be flying quite low at certain junctures, looked to have four circular rows of bright pulsating green lights with one solid dot in the middle of its underside.

Zipping through the skies over the capital Tehran, it's picked up on camera by several people. Its speed and altitude appear to change as it continues its journey.

The clip was posted on the social media platform on May 30 by TikTok user @jakestaxxx. It has received more than half a million views, viewers divided on what it is exactly.

One TikTok user believes the images were made using CGI 

( Image: jakestaxxx/TikTok)

One user, who claimed to have witnessed a UFO previously, seemed to take the TikTok post at face value, writing: "That's so cool, I've witnessed a real UFO close up but it was so fast coming down and it stopped only to do four circles around in the sky so fast then flew over us like that, awesome to witness."

But, for all those who were willing to believe it was in fact other worldly, there were others who disagreed, with some suggesting digital wizardry had been used.

One, though, was clear, saying: "Aliens just don't show up like that, there's galactic rules. If this was real it would have caused public unrest. I don't see any public unrest."

{ https://www.mirror.co.uk/news/ }

09-07-2024 om 21:34 geschreven door peter  

A number of sightings of UFO's were reported in south Wales at that time

(Image: Getty Images)

The BBC go back to the 1970's to try and get to the bottom of the sudden surge of UFO sightins in a small seaside Welsh town that left locals confused and scared

By Danny Gutmann

On a typically rainy February morning in a Brit seaside town more than four decades ago, a group of school boys saw something from the playground that they couldn't quite believe.

And now, 47 years after the baffling event in 1977, the BBC has investigated the reported UFO sighting in Broad Haven, Wales, as part of its new Paranormal series.

In the series, Sian Eleri travels to the town to try to uncover the truth behind what has become one of the most notorious UFO sightings ever in the UK.

David Davies was one of the boys who saw the 'craft', and he can still remember it clearly.

After hearing from other students in the school talking about seeing a UFO outside, he went to investigate for himself and to 'prove them wrong' – but he saw the same thing, a bus sized 'silver, cigar-shaped object' with a 'red pulsating glow' on top.

What was even more staggering was that the children were asked to draw a picture of what they had seen. And, spookily, they all depicted the same other worldly spaceship.

But, that's not all – during the four-part series, Sian goes on to uncover various other peculiar sightings in Wales.

Just two months later Rosa Granville, who owned the Haven Fort Hotel, described seeing a UFO, but this time there was something even more troubling about what had been captured.

Speaking to the BBC on the 40th anniversary in 2017, Rosa said 'faceless humanoid' creatures appeared from a 'upside-down saucer'.

Sian Eleri investigates the surge in UFO sightings in South Wales during the late 1970s 

( Image: BBC/Twenty Twenty Productions Ltd/Rory Jackson)

She said: "There was light coming from it and flames of all colours. Then (the creatures) came out of these flames, that's what I don't understand,".

Sian explores many different reasons for such a huge number of reported UFO sightings in the area, including the theory that the objects could have been RAF aircraft.

The RAF Museum states that between 1970 and 1990 there were five airfields in south Wales, which does support the possibility that the UFOs were in fact regular aircraft being used by the military.

{ https://www.mirror.co.uk/news/ }

09-07-2024 om 21:22 geschreven door peter  

The world watched on in anticipation as NASA sent astronauts to walk in space for the first time, but one of those on board spotted something that he just couldn't take his eyes off

By Danny Gutmann

On what was set to be remembered for being the very first space walk, an unusual sighting by astronaut Jim McDivitt means it will always be remembered for something very different.

Flying through the eerily black sky in June 1965 aboard NASA's Gemini 4 mission, astronaut Jim claimed he saw a mysterious 'beer can' like UFO flying past him.

So much so, even 10 years later he still couldn't let go of what he saw on that day.

Speaking to US television all those years later, he said: "At the time I saw it, I said there was something out in front of me or outside the spacecraft that I couldn't identify and I never have been able to identify it, and I don't think anybody ever will.

Jim paid close attention to the suspected UFO, noting it's every movement 

(Image: NASA)

"We were in drifting flight and my partner, Ed White, was asleep. I couldn't see anything out in front of me except just the black sky.

"And it was rotating around, I noticed something out in front that was a white cylindrical shape with a white pole sticking it out of one corner of it - it looked like a beer can with a smooth pencil sticking out. I grabbed two cameras and took pictures of it.

"As the sun shone on the window, I could no longer see out and the thing just disappeared.

"They checked NORAD records to see what they had up on radar and there wasn't anything within very close range of us."

Jim's partner on board, Ed White was asleep at the time of the sighting 

(Image: Getty Images)

But, unlike many UFO sightings that are told from anecdotal evidence alone, Jim had been careful to photograph what he had seen.

But, as the public eagerly awaited the release of the photos, they were ultimately underwhelming and became known as the 'tadpoles' thanks to their blurry complexion.

Jim said: "I've seen the photos that were released. I went back and went through each frame of all of the pictures that we took and there wasn't anything in there like what I had seen."

After further inspection and analysis, any hope that Jim had become one of the rare few to have spotted alien life were quashed completely after another explanation came to light.

Speaking in 1999 he said: "And really what it was, was a reflection of the bolts in the windows.

"The windows were made up of about three or four or five panes of glass, so that if one got broken we still had some pressure integrity.

"And these little things, when the Sun shined on them right, they’d multiply the images off the different panes. And I’m quite sure that that’s what this thing was."

{ https://www.mirror.co.uk/news/ }

09-07-2024 om 21:07 geschreven door peter  

AI Focuses Photo of Jupiter moon Amalthea, Looks Like Deathstar, UFO Sighting News. 4K video.

Please hit subscribe friends. Guys I found this years ago and I used my original photo, the NASA link is going 404 error and was moved or deleted. However here is a similar photo of two different moons taken by Voyager 1 probe so maybe you can help me by finding this original photo on the NASA site if it still exists. This moon is a an alien space-station, thats why NASA took it down. Jupiter has 95 moons and some are artificially made. 100% proof that aliens exist in our solar system. 

Thanks, Scott C. Waring Similar 

 

NASA photo of different moons: 

• https://nssdc.gsfc.nasa.gov/imgcat/html/object_page/vg1_1610104.html

{ https://www.ufosightingsdaily.com/ }

09-07-2024 om 20:50 geschreven door peter  

Massive Triangular UFO Over Puerto Rico: Eyewitness Accounts & Stunning Photos

On May 15, 2005, a remarkable UFO sighting over Carolina, Puerto Rico, captured the attention of both locals and the broader UFO research community. Witnesses reported seeing an immense triangular object in the sky, an event that included unusual electromagnetic effects and has since sparked considerable discussion and analysis. This article delves into the details of that night, examining eyewitness accounts, photographic evidence, and the potential implications of this mysterious encounter.

The Sighting

The primary witness, Alfredo, provided a detailed account of his experience near the Los Angeles development in Carolina. Around midnight, Alfredo noticed a strange glow emanating from behind a hill, accompanied by the unsettling sounds of dogs barking and birds singing. When he stepped out of his van to investigate, he saw an enormous triangular object silently passing overhead.

Description of the UFO

Alfredo described the UFO as being as large as one or two ballparks. It moved very slowly and emitted a bright white light from its center, with no observable lights on its edges. Despite its size and proximity, the object made no noise, a characteristic often reported in other UFO sightings. The intense light from the UFO also emitted heat, which Alfredo could feel as it passed over him.

Electromagnetic Interference

One of the most striking aspects of the sighting was the electromagnetic interference caused by the UFO. As it passed over Alfredo’s van, the vehicle’s engine and lights abruptly failed, as did nearby streetlights. Despite this, Alfredo’s camera phone remained functional, allowing him to capture photographs of the object. This selective failure of electronic devices raises intriguing questions about the nature of the UFO’s electromagnetic effects.

Photographic Evidence

Alfredo managed to photograph the UFO by adjusting his camera phone’s light settings to compensate for the brightness. The images, taken in 2005, provide compelling visual evidence of the sighting, capturing the immense triangular shape and central light source. These photos have since been analyzed and remain a critical piece of evidence in this case.

Physical and Health Effects

Following the sighting, Alfredo’s van developed unusual red and mud-colored spots on its paint, which he was unable to remove. This type of physical effect on vehicles has been reported in other UFO cases, suggesting a potential interaction between the UFO and the vehicle’s surface. Additionally, Alfredo experienced health issues two weeks after the sighting, becoming bedridden with symptoms similar to a severe cold. Despite medical tests showing normal results, Alfredo felt watched and experienced disturbed sleep, adding a psychological dimension to his experience.

Wider Witness Testimony

Although Alfredo was the primary witness, other individuals, including administrative personnel at Luis Muñoz Marín International Airport, also observed the UFO. The sighting’s proximity to the airport raises the possibility that more people saw the object, especially given its size and the effects on local streetlights.

Analysis and Implications

The sighting in Puerto Rico shares common elements with other UFO encounters, including the silent, slow movement of the object, its immense size, and the electromagnetic interference it caused. The physical and health effects reported by Alfredo add another layer of complexity to the case. The selective failure of electronics, while the camera phone remained operational, is particularly intriguing and warrants further investigation.

VIDEO:

• Chris Lehto – Massive Triangular UFO Over City: Eyewitnesses & Photographic Proof!

• https://youtu.be/KyXZ8oxoOeY

The May 15, 2005, UFO sighting over Carolina, Puerto Rico, remains a significant case in the study of unidentified aerial phenomena. The combination of eyewitness testimony, photographic evidence, and reported physical and health effects provides a rich source of data for researchers. As more witnesses come forward and additional analysis is conducted, this case continues to contribute valuable insights into the nature of UFOs and their potential impact on both technology and human health.

{ https://www.latest-ufo-sightings.net/ }

09-07-2024 om 18:35 geschreven door peter  

©NASA Earth Observatory/Wikimedia Commons

Enormous Crater 3x the Size of the Grand Canyon Discovered in U.S.
There are various craters that have been discovered around the United States, thanks to giant asteroids and meteors from outer space crashing into Earth millions of years ago.

These craters can come in all shapes and sizes. Often, average Americans don’t even realize some of these enormous craters even exist — and can be found in their local areas. In fact, the largest crater ever discovered in the U.S. is about three times larger than the Grand Canyon.

©DiscoA340/Wikimedia Commons

What Are Impact Craters?
Impact craters occur on the Earth’s surface after large space rocks, such as meteors or asteroids, hit the planet forcefully, leaving behind a changed landscape.

These so-called impact events occur over millions of years. As there can be different types of sizes of these space rocks, the types of craters they leave behind can vary.

©Public Domain/Wikimedia Commons

Discovering Craters
While you may think that it’s easy to spot a crater — after all, they can often appear to be giant holes in the ground — scientists have long explained that discovering craters can be quite difficult.

Scientists conduct many tests to fully understand if an impression on the Earth is from a meteor or asteroid — or if it’s from something else.

©Westwind Air Service/Unsplash

Uncovering Hidden Impact Craters
There are many crater sites around the world that likely haven’t been discovered yet, as weathering and erosion can keep these sites from view.

In some cases, scientists have even stumbled upon impact craters without even realizing it, only learning the truth after some studies have been conducted on the region.

©NASA/Wikimedia Commons

Understanding the Planet’s Age
There are a variety of reasons why studying impact crater sites is so important. Scientists explain that these craters can help us better understand how old a planet is.

For example, Earth is a relatively newer planet than the Moon and Mercury, which have many noticeable craters. The Moon even has about 9,137 craters on its surface that scientists have recognized. More could be found in the future.

©Chase O/Unsplash

Craters in the U.S.
Meanwhile, in the United States, at least 28 different impact crater sites have been found and uncovered by scientists.

These crater sites vary greatly in size and range. Diameters can be as small as 0.1 kilometers to as large as 90 kilometers.

©Steve Adams/Unsplash

The Largest Crater Sites in the U.S.
The largest crater site in the country can be found in none other than the Chesapeake Bay. The Chesapeake Bay Crater was first discovered in the 1990s by C. Wylie Poag, quite by accident.

Poag was in the region for an offshore drilling project when this stunning discovery was made. The crater site was hidden beneath the Chesapeake Bay’s floor for centuries before Poag finally realized the truth of the Bay.

©Tim Hart/Unsplash

Larger Than the Grand Canyon
Scientists have deemed the Chesapeake Bay Crater to be the most significant impact crater throughout the entire United States, as it’s enormous.

This crater site has a diameter of 53 miles. This makes it larger than the Grand Canyon, which has a widest point of about 18 miles.

©Max Shein/Unsplash

How This Crater Site Formed
According to scientists, this crater likely formed about 35 million years ago when a bolide — a very large crater-forming body — crashed into what is now known as Virginia’s Hampton Beach.

This 3 km long bolide traveled at 144,000 miles per hour before colliding with the planet, leaving a 1.3 km deep impact crater behind.

©Sara Cottle/Unsplash

A Changed Region
This collision left behind a completely different region, as scientists believe that the crater impact excavated coastal aquifers.

In our present day, a large reservoir filled with water 1.5 times saltier than seawater lies in the impact spot. Because this water is incredibly salty, it cannot be used for many purposes, such as for drinking water.

©Carol M. Highsmith/Wikimedia Commons

Changing the Rivers
This crater also changed how the rivers flow in the area. For example, rivers like the Rappahannock flow to the Atlantic in a southeast direction.

Researchers believe that, after this collision, the York and James rivers changed their flow to head northeast to the crater.

{ https://www.msn.com/en-us/  }

09-07-2024 om 17:17 geschreven door peter  

Remnants of Mars’s Violent Past Are Hidden In this New ESA Express Orbiter Image

Picture something like an abandoned Mordor, but with glaciers.

BY KIONA SMITH

 

WELCOME TO ARSIA MONS

The Martian volcano Arsia Mons looms nearly 6 miles above the surrounding landscape, but its peak lies off-camera in this image from the European Space Agency’s Mars Express Orbiter. Instead, the image focuses on the volcano’s northwestern flank, which rises from the plain in a wide slope up toward the southeast (the lower left corner of the image).

To the southwest (the upper left of the image), the terrain is rough, with clusters of strangely-shaped mounds split by networks of valleys. As you move north, though, that rough terrain smooths out, giving way to a wide swath of gentle slopes and lobe-like cliffs. Ancient glaciers probably carved this terrain and wore it smooth — and left behind rocky debris in their wake. Farther east lie the remains of ancient, long-cooled lava flows, partially covered in zebra stripes of windblown sand and dust.

And curving northeast across the mountain’s lower slope is a 375-mile-long scar in the Martian ground known as Aganippe Fossa. This steep-walled trench is what geologists call a graben: an area where a planet’s crust is being stretched, creating cracks called faults. When the rock between the faults drops downward and creates the floor of a rift valley like Aganippe Fossa, it’s called a graben; the higher rocks on either side of the rift are called horsts.

Planetary scientists at ESA say Aganippe Fossa probably formed because a huge mass of magma beneath the feet of Arsia Mons was welling upward, stretching the planet’s rocky crust to its breaking point.

Aganippe Fossa is just part of a fascinating landscape once shaped by flowing lava and ice. Around Arsia Mons, satellite images show that the ceilings of some lava tubes (underground tunnels once filled with flowing magma) have collapsed inward, leaving these volcanic caves open to the Martian sky. And during the Martian autumn, an icy cloud wraps the top of Arsia Mons in a glittering shroud of ice droplets which can stretch hundreds of miles across the sky.

{ https://www.inverse.com/ }

09-07-2024 om 16:47 geschreven door peter  

Story by James Dorman

©Noah's Ark Discovered Project / Facebook

Archeologists Believe They've Located the Remains of Noah's Ark
The story of Noah’s Ark is perhaps one of the most universally known Bible tales. The biblical patriarch used his enormous eponymous vessel to allow his family and a menagerie of animals to survive a great flood and repopulate the earth in its aftermath.

Researchers examining a peculiar geological formation in modern Turkey believe they may have in fact found the remains of Noah’s Ark, which would shine a whole new light on our understanding of the ancient world.

©Grant Whitty/Unsplash

Biblical Flood
The story of Noah’s Ark is one of the more memorable tales from the Bible. Ahead of a great flood, God chooses a man and instructs him to build an enormous boat and populate it with two of every animal, alongside his family.

The story goes that God observed man’s corruption, violence and weakness. Abhorred by the actions of his creation, God looked to wipe the slate clean with a cleansing flood and restore man’s goodness.

©Elias Null/Unsplash

Hunt for the Ark
The story is known all around the world. Many view it, along with other stories in the bible, as simple metaphor and myth, perhaps inspired by some natural calamity like a devastating flood of some kind.

Others believe the event occurred exactly as described in the Bible, and finding the remains of the Ark would prove their stance correct. Scholars, archaeologists and even amateur adventurers have tried, and failed, to locate the Ark over the years.

©Daniel Born/Unsplash

The Ark’s Location
The Bible states that the Ark arrived on Turkey’s “mountains of Ararat” after the 150-day flood sent by God. Since 2021, archaeologists have been working at a geological formation in the Doğubayazıt district of Ağrı in eastern Turkey, which aligns well with the description in the Bible.

The Durofeiner formation looks, from above, to have a boat-like outline. Some suggest this could in fact be the fossilized remains of the Ark.

©Wikimedia Commons

Noah’s Ark Research Team
Many have believed Mount Ararat to be the Ark’s final resting place for some time now. Recent work at the Durofeiner site has been carried out by a collaboration between Turkish and American universities, the “Mount Ararat and Noah’s Ark Research Team.”

Researchers have taken samples from the rock formation, and tests revealed seafood, clay and marine materials. Some claim this as evidence of human activity in the region.

©Rod Long/Unsplash

Age of the Site
The 500-foot-high rock formation sits just 3 miles from the Turkey/Iran border. It’s composed primarily of limonite.

Researchers have determined that test samples from the site are around 3,500 to 5,000 years old. Biblical archaeologists and scholars put the time of the 150-day flood from the Noah’s Ark tale at around 3,000 BC, meaning the samples align well with this time frame.

©Julia Koblitz/Unsplash

Human Activity in the Region at the Time of the Flood
Dr. Faruk Kaya of the Agri Ibrahim Chechen University claims the data gathered from the samples is proof of human activity in the area during the period following the biblical flood.

In her words: “According to the preliminary findings of our research, we believe that human activity occurred in this region during the Chalcolithic period (Stone and Copper Age), specifically between 5,500 and 3,000 BC.”

©Scott Graham/Unsplash

Too Early to Draw Conclusions
Dr. Kaya was careful to stress that while these findings are promising for Ark hunters, they are far from conclusive, and it’s too early to tell whether they could lead to the discovery of Noah’s Ark.

In the same study, Dr. Kaya says: “Noah’s flood is believed to have taken place 5,000 years ago, and our findings indicate the presence of life in this region during that time. However, it is too early to draw definitive conclusions.”

©Trust “Tru” Katsande/Unsplash

Dispute of the Findings
Not everyone supports the suppositions of the Mount Ararat team, and many geologists in particular have pushed back against their claims. Far from being evidence of human activity, they believe the formation at the Durofeiner site is simply ancient rocks.

It would take something far more substantial than the current findings to convince many in the geological community that researchers have found the fossilized remains of Noah’s Ark.

©Lukas Hron/Unsplash

Flood Myths and Actual History
Many ancient cultures share narratives of massive, cataclysmic floods. They likely represent a shared symbolic representation in mythical narratives of survival, rebirth and intervention of the divine.

These stories may indicate how ancient cultures responded to natural disasters. If we examine flood myths alongside geological evidence, we can start to get an idea of what actually happened and what is mythical embellishment.

©Dan Dimmock/Unsplash

Future Research
Through multidisciplinary research of things like the Durofeiner site by archaeologists, Bible scholars and geologists working in tandem, we may be able to start to recontextualize the myth of Noah’s Ark into an established, historical narrative.

Researchers are far from done with the Durofeiner site and are planning excavations to conduct detailed analysis and hopefully uncover new artifacts. They hope to get greater insight into the history of the region, particularly ancient civilizations in the area, and hopefully firmly establish the existence of Noah’s Ark.

©Ben White/Unsplash

Transparency Is Key in Future Research
Whatever the findings at the Durofeiner site ultimately mean, future research is probably warranted. It will be crucial to keep this research transparent, though, so that it’s properly framed.

Things can sometimes get contentious when science meets faith. Having a multidisciplinary team can help to give findings proper context without a skewed narrative one way or the other. If findings don’t completely support the myth of the great flood and Noah’s Ark, there is still meaningful significance to finding proof of human activity in an area of biblical importance.

{ https://www.msn.com/en-us/ }

09-07-2024 om 16:32 geschreven door peter  

KIJK. Zo ziet de simulator Mars Dune Alpha eruit

• https://youtu.be/03YR3kylNik

• https://youtu.be/Bf0OMzhv9-s

• https://youtu.be/nXvhADWPih0

De eerste missie van het zogeheten Chapea-programma werd in juni vorig jaar opgestart. Dat programma moet het mogelijk maken om een toekomstige missie naar de rode planeet beter voor te bereiden.

In this image made from video provided by NASA, the crew members of the first CHAPEA mission, Kelly Haston, center, shakes hands with NASA Deputy Director Flight Missions Kjell Lindgren, second right, as other crew Ross Brockwell, emerges from their craft, July 6, 2024, at Johnson Space Center in Houston, Texas.

NASA via AP

De vier deelnemers, twee mannen en twee vrouwen, hebben exact 378 dagen doorgebracht in de Mars Dune Alpha. Dat is een huis van 160 vierkante meter dat het leven op Mars moet nabootsen. De simulator staat opgesteld in het onderzoekscentrum van Nasa in Houston, in de Amerikaanse staat Texas.

De Mars Dune Alpha had onder meer een verticale boerderij om sla te laten groeien, een kamer voorbehouden voor medische procedures, een ontspanningsruimte en werkposten. Via een sas kwamen de bewoners terecht in een Marsachtge omgeving. Op het rode zand bevonden zich een weerstation, een toestel om bakstenen te maken, een kleine serre en een loopband, waarop de valse astronauten, opgehangen aan riemen, konden lopen. Het huis was gemaakt met een 3D-printer.

Crew Health and Performance Exploration Analog (CHAPEA) is a series of analog missions that will simulate year-long stays on the surface of Mars. Each mission will consist of four crew members living in Mars Dune Alpha, an isolated 1,700 square foot habitat.

Bill Stafford/NASA

De deelnemers mochten de simulator niet verlaten. Ze konden met vrienden en familie communiceren, maar dat gebeurde dan wel in ‘Mars-tijd’. Het versturen van een kort tekstbericht naar de buitenwereld duurde daardoor meestal 22 minuten.

De prestaties en cognitieve capaciteiten van de deelnemers werden tijdens het experiment nauwlettend in het oog gehouden. Dat moest het mogelijk maken om “belangrijke dingen te leren over complexe systemen en het zal de reis naar Mars en terug veel veiliger maken”, zegt Julie Kramer van Nasa.

Crew Health and Performance Exploration Analog (CHAPEA) is a series of analog missions that will simulate year-long stays on the surface of Mars. Each mission will consist of four crew members living in Mars Dune Alpha, an isolated 1,700 square foot habitat.

Bill Stafford/NASA

Crew Health and Performance Exploration Analog (CHAPEA) is a series of analog missions that will simulate year-long stays on the surface of Mars. Each mission will consist of four crew members living in Mars Dune Alpha, an isolated 1,700 square foot habitat.

Bill Stafford/NASA

Crew Health and Performance Exploration Analog (CHAPEA) is a series of analog missions that will simulate year-long stays on the surface of Mars. Each mission will consist of four crew members living in Mars Dune Alpha, an isolated 1,700 square foot habitat.

Bill Stafford/NASA

Ross Brockwell, een van de vier vrijwilligers, omschrijft zijn deelname aan het experiment als een geweldige ervaring. “Ik hoop echt dat we hierdoor een beetje dichter bij de realiteit van mensen op Mars kunnen komen.”

Nasa wil in 2025 en 2027 nieuwe Chapea-missies uitvoeren.

Lees ook:

• Hebben we dankzij de Maya’s dadelijk zelfs op Mars voldoende eten? Teelmethode uit oudheid heeft toekomst in de ruimte

• KIJK. In deze woning van NASA gaan vier mensen een jaar lang het leven op Mars simuleren

• KIJK. NASA test met succes raketmotor die ons sneller naar Mars zou kunnen brengen

{ https://www.hln.be/ }

09-07-2024 om 15:56 geschreven door peter  

Boffins have come up with a theory as to why UFOs are regularly seen near high-speed planes and nuclear warheads - and why they might be becoming more intrusive at US bases

The unconfirmed UFO appearance near Concorde - which has resurfaced on Reddit's UFOs subchannel , appears in a 1976 British Airways advert where an orb-like UFO can be seen darting toward the aircraft in an inquisitive way before accelerating away.

After the Fukushima lab disaster in Japan, witnesses told Netflix docuseries Encounters that UFOs saved them by lowering radioactivity levels.

Several glimmering white orbs could be seen above the plant after the nuclear disaster in 2011, and appeared to drop into the lab before emerging again.

At the Queen's Platinum Jubilee in June 2022, the monarch was honoured with a presentation by nine fighter jets letting off streams of smoke in the Union Jack's red, white and blue colours.

Reddit users were quick to point out that an unidentified disc could be seen near the jets - but no clear answer has ever been given to explain what it was.

There have also been reports of UFOs being seen after rocket test-fires.

New research from retired US Air Force staff sergeant Larry Hancock, and Ian Porritt, a data analyst affiliated with Harvard's UFO-hunting Galileo Project, shows the unusual activity around nuclear weapons and facilities has shifted over the years.

The studies suggest that at first the UFOs seemed interested in the production of nuclear weapons, but now pop up around silos and bomber bases.

When a new arsenal of ICMBs was built in the 1960s, UFOs became “much more intrusive” in their approach of ICBM bases, Porritt previously said, adding: “They're very low altitude, they penetrate the security perimeters of the base.”

There is also a theory that UFOs are actually “turning off” nuclear weapons - with several reports of this happening by the US military since the 60s.

In the pair’s latest study, the research concludes: “Notable unidentified aerial phenomena loitering, military intrusions and weapons facility interference were documented in a series of incidents in 1967 (Malmstrom AFB) and 1975 (Loring AFB and Malstrom AFB), where at least one flight of 10 Intercontinental Ballistic Missiles (ICBMs) was officially recorded as having unexplainably gone off alert status.”

The study discusses how former US Air Force ICBM launch officer Robert Salas said he was asked by the AARO to gather information after he said an orange flying disc shut off 10 warheads at Malmstrom Air Force Base in Montana in 1967.

He was later forced to sign an NDA on the matter by the Air Force Office of Special Investigations.

And in June 2023, two Air Force veterans told DailyMail.com they had testified to the All-domain Anomaly Resolution Office (AARO) that UFOs turned off their nuclear warheads.

The former head of the Advanced Aerospace Threat Identification Program, Lue Elizondo, has previously said there “seems to be a lot of correlation” between UFO appearances and nuclear sites.

And independent researcher Robert Hastings said in 2010: “Declassified US government documents and witness testimony from former or retired US military personnel confirm beyond any doubt the reality of ongoing UFO incursions at nuclear weapons sites.'”

{ https://www.dailystar.co.uk/ }

08-07-2024 om 23:52 geschreven door peter  

Het mysterie van de “oudste computer ter wereld” na 2000 jaar ontrafeld, dankzij zwaartekrachtgolven

Door Janine

Freeth et al./Scientific Reports - 2021

Als we een computer beschouwen als een mechanische rekenmachine, dan is de oudste tot nu toe gevonden computer het Mechanisme van Antikythera. Dit oude technologische wonder dateert van meer dan 2000 jaar geleden en is al lange tijd een mysterie dat moet worden opgelost. Terwijl sommige onderzoeken het in verband brachten met de Egyptische zonnekalender, heeft een recente studie aangetoond dat het mechanisme de Griekse maankalender volgt, en dat niet alleen. Aan de basis van de nieuwe ontdekking liggen in feite zwaartekrachtgolven: laten we eens kijken hoe dit mogelijk is!

Het Mechanisme van Antikythera

Als je hem vandaag de dag ziet, in zijn 82 fragmenten die zijn ondergebracht in het Nationaal Archeologisch Museum in Athene, in Griekenland, lijkt hij niet meer dan een vrijwel verwoeste vondst. In werkelijkheid wordt het Mechanisme van Antikythera beschouwd als 's werelds oudste computer, een machine die de astronomische bewegingen van de maan, zonsverduisteringen en de positie van de zon kon voorspellen, evenals die van de vijf destijds bekende planeten.

Het was in feite een geavanceerd astronomisch instrument, gebouwd tussen de derde en eerste eeuw voor Christus en samengesteld uit een complex systeem van tandwielen en tandraderen. In de loop der jaren hebben verschillende studies het Mechanisme van Antikythera diepgaander geanalyseerd en de interne tandwielen en gemechaniseerde werking van de structuur onthuld. Kortom, 's werelds oudste computer werd ontworpen om Babylonische astronomische cycli, Platonische wiskunde en Griekse astronomische theorieën te combineren. Het doel: de beweging van hemellichamen voorspellen op basis van de Egyptische zonnekalender. Of misschien niet?

Mechanisme van Antikythera en zwaartekrachtgolven: de nieuwe studie

Freeth et al./Scientific Reports - 2021

Een recent onderzoek door onderzoekers van de Universiteit van Glasgow heeft de heersende interpretatie over het gebruik van de Antikythera in twijfel getrokken. Met behulp van geavanceerde methoden die zijn ontwikkeld op het gebied van onderzoek naar zwaartekrachtgolven was het feitelijk mogelijk om te onthullen dat de component die verantwoordelijk was voor de kalender 354 of 355 gaten had, één voor elke dag van het jaar. Dus geen 365, zoals in de Egyptische zonnekalender, maar 354 of 355, zoals in de Griekse maankalender. Dit zijn de woorden van Graham Woan, een van de auteurs van het onderzoek:

De precisie van de plaatsing van de gaten zou extreem nauwkeurige meettechnieken en een ongelooflijk vaste hand vereisen om ze te maken. Het is een prachtige symmetrie dat we de technieken die we vandaag de dag gebruiken om het universum te bestuderen, hebben aangepast om een ​​mechanisme beter te begrijpen dat mensen bijna twee millennia geleden hielp de hemel te volgen.

De oudste computer ter wereld, van meer dan 2000 jaar geleden tot nu

Marsyas/Wikimedia Commons - CC BY-SA 3.0

De technieken die zijn ontwikkeld op het gebied van onderzoek naar zwaartekrachtgolven zijn, zoals we hebben gezien, gebruikt om het mysterie van het Mechanisme van Antikythera te ontrafelen. Wat echter opvalt is, afgezien van de feitelijke kalender die dit instrument meer dan 2000 jaar geleden moest meten, de realisatie ervan. Want om de 354 of 355 gaten te maken en de Griekse maankalender te meten was een vaardigheid nodig die de komende duizend jaar niet meer zou worden gezien. Voor een even nauwkeurige astronomische klok had men moeten wachten op het Astrarium van Giovanni Dondi, dat rond 1300 werd gebouwd.

Kortom, het Mechanisme van Antikythera blijft een buitengewone getuigenis van het vernuft van het oude Griekenland en het vermogen om kunst, wetenschap en vakmanschap te combineren in een uniek artefact. Wat voor velen de oudste computer ooit gevonden is, is daarom veel meer: het bewijs van een wereld die inmiddels ruim 2000 jaar verdwenen is, maar vandaag de dag levendiger is dan ooit.

Source:

• https://www.nature.com/articles/s41598-021-84310-w
• https://bhi.co.uk/wp-content/uploads/2024/06/07-HJJuly24-AOTM-2.pdf

{ https://www.curioctopus.nl/ }

08-07-2024 om 22:12 geschreven door peter  

Unlocking the Roswell Mystery: Science’s Next Frontier

The mystery surrounding the 1947 Roswell incident continues to captivate the imagination of UFO enthusiasts and researchers alike. Nick Pope, a former investigator of UFO sightings for the British government, asserts that modern forensic technology should be utilized to revisit the site near Roswell, New Mexico. His stance is that the location, which the military initially claimed to have recovered a flying disc from before retracting the statement a day later, still holds significant scientific potential.

The Epicenter of UFO Mysteries

Nick Pope describes Roswell as the ground zero of modern UFO mysteries. Contrary to the common belief that the media or public first broke the story, it was actually the U.S. military that announced the recovery of a “flying disc.” This statement was quickly retracted and replaced with an explanation involving a weather balloon. Despite the retraction, the incident’s enduring power is evident as people continue to discuss and speculate about it nearly eight decades later.

The Call for Forensic Investigation

Pope advocates for the application of contemporary forensic methods to investigate the Roswell site thoroughly. He suggests that technologies like DNA analysis and other modern forensic tools could uncover new evidence about what truly happened in 1947. According to Pope, this isn’t just about anecdotal accounts of lights in the sky; there were credible reports of something crashing, which means there could be physical evidence to analyze. Conducting a forensic investigation could potentially yield new insights and perhaps even debris from the crash site.

Contemporary Theories on Extraterrestrial Presence

In addition to discussing Roswell, Pope also comments on a recent research paper exploring the hypothesis that aliens may already be present on Earth. This 42-page paper, authored by three researchers including two from Harvard University, proposes that these beings could be living underground or might even be time travelers. While the paper does not present these ideas as facts, it encourages the scientific community to consider them seriously and investigate rigorously.

The Shift in Scientific Discourse

Pope finds it refreshing that the scientific community is now more open to discussing unconventional theories about extraterrestrial life. He notes that a few years ago, such discussions would have been inconceivable. Now, with public hearings in Congress and academic papers on the subject, there is a growing willingness to ask “what if” questions. This shift represents a significant vindication for those who have long been marginalized for entertaining these ideas.

Military Sightings and Compelling Evidence

Reflecting on his time investigating UFO phenomena for the British government, Pope points to sightings by military pilots as some of the most compelling evidence. These sightings are often corroborated by radar data, infrared camera footage, and sometimes satellite data. Although much of this information remains classified, Pope is hopeful that more of it will be declassified and made available to the public in the near future.

The Public’s Right to Know

One of the central issues Pope addresses is the balance between national security and the public’s right to information. While there are valid concerns about causing public panic or giving adversaries an advantage, Pope believes that ultimately, people have the right to know the truth. He advocates for greater transparency and hopes that more classified information will be released to the public.

VIDEO:

• UFO expert: ‘There is science to be done in Roswell’ | NewsNation Prime
• https://youtu.be/zyJ-jVBkwJM

Nick Pope’s insights highlight the enduring intrigue of the Roswell incident and the potential for modern science to shed new light on this historical mystery. His call for a renewed forensic investigation into the Roswell site underscores the importance of utilizing contemporary technology to explore unexplained phenomena. As scientific discourse evolves to include more open-minded investigations into extraterrestrial theories, the possibility of uncovering new truths about UFOs becomes ever more exciting.

{ https://www.latest-ufo-sightings.net/ }

08-07-2024 om 22:01 geschreven door peter  

To be honest, we’re tired of waiting. Where are they? Where on Earth are all the aliens?

Well, not on Earth, or anywhere near, that’s very much the point. 

At a conservative estimate, there are 200 billion galaxies in the universe. Let’s say there are 100 billion stars in each. Even if only 1% of those stars had a single planet orbiting around them, that’s still 200 quintillion possible new Earths.

Then let’s assume a planet has a one in a trillion chance of having the magic combination of water, temperature and chemicals for that magic spark to happen.

That still means there should be life on a few hundred thousand planets.

Surely one of those should have said hello by now?

Who knows what form alien life could take?

(Picture: Getty/Science Photo Libra)© Provided by Metro

Of course, not all of those will be home to intelligent life. We don’t know what they’ll be home to. Microbes. Crustaceans. Alien birds that fly using their ears, Dumbo-style. Jellyfish that look like VHS tapes. Space dinosaurs. 

But among all those planets, around all those stars, in all those galaxies, there absolutely has to be some other form of intelligent life.

It isn’t a new conundrum. In fact, it has long had a name – the Fermi paradox.

Apparently, in 1950, Nobel Prize-winning physicist Enrico Fermi and his colleagues at the Los Alamos National Laboratory in New Mexico were enjoying a lively discussion about flying saucers over lunch when he blurted out ‘Where is everybody?’.

Well, we feel the same, and decided to ask a few experts why we haven’t found anyone – or been found – yet.

2. The Great Filter theory

There are, sadly, many reasons why we may not have yet discovered alien life out there.

One of these, the Great Filter theory, proposes that there are simply so many hurdles to get over for intelligent life to reach a point we could see it, it is highly improbable they will be able to clear each of them and reach the same point us, or even further. 

‘Just because a planet is capable of supporting life, doesn’t necessarily mean that it will form there,’ says Dr Greg Brown, an astronomer at the Royal Observatory Greenwich.

‘It certainly doesn’t mean that that life will overcome the myriad barriers between simple single-celled lifeforms and intelligent life capable of communicating with other civilisations across space, or that those changes will happen in such a way that they are active at the same time as us.’

3. The ‘Gaian bottleneck’ hypothesis

This similar hypothesis considers how hard it is even to create the right conditions for even most basic forms of life, never mind getting to the point we are now.

‘This is an idea I happen to agree with,’ says Dr Paul Byrne, associate professor of Earth, Environmental, and Planetary Sciences at Washington University in St Louis. ‘That it’s perhaps not difficult for life to emerge, but it’s extremely difficult for life to be sustained.

‘For example, we know that Earth has had liquid water on its surface for virtually all of its lifetime. That’s a crazy long time for conditions on the surface to remain pretty much between 0C and 100C. 

‘We also know that life emerged at least as far back as 3.4 billion years, and possibly longer. But we also know that it’s at least possible that Venus had oceans for a time, and so it, too, might have had truly Earth-like habitable conditions – and perhaps even life. 

‘But if it did have oceans, something went wrong at some point in the past to push the planet into a runaway greenhouse, and those oceans boiled off into space. Today, Venus is sterile, at least at the surface.’

Likewise, Mars once had liquid water flowing across its surface, and both the Moon and Mercury had thick, moist atmospheres for a very short time.

‘So getting a habitable environment might not be all that difficult, and maybe so is making life from non-life – known as abiogenesis,’ says Dr Byrne.

‘But keeping things nice and amenable to life could be really, really hard. Perhaps Earth is the only place in the solar system that has successfully managed it.’

5. They’re only microscopic, and living in oceans

The search for extraterrestrial intelligence, or SETI, is one thing, but trying to confirm, 100%, that a planet has some microscopic wrigglies wriggling around is even more difficult.

But that doesn’t mean we’re not trying.

Warwick University PhD researcher Faith Hawthorn says: ‘There is some potential precedent for this in our own solar system, as we think that some moons of Jupiter and Saturn – Europa and Enceladus in particular – have liquid water oceans underneath thick crusts of ice on their surfaces.

‘Given the right sources of energy and the water providing a medium for chemical reactions, it may be a suitable environment for microbial life to form. 

‘However, this would be extremely difficult – if not impossible – to detect on exoplanets.’

Detecting the presence of non-intelligent life, in the sense that they won’t be sending out signals, is generally focused on biosignatures in the atmosphere, offering chemicals and clues to what is living within it.

This would still be unlikely in the case of, say, microscopic life at the bottom of an ocean.

But in September last year, Nasa discovered the strongest evidence for life yet when detecting the presence of dimethyl sulphide (DMS) in the atmosphere of K2-18 b, an exoplanet 120 light-years away.

DMS is produced by life, primarily phytoplankton in oceans, rivers and lakes. 

6. We’re missing their signals, either because of the wrong frequency or timing

This is a big one. Yes, the universe is vast, so you’d imagine there should be other life out there. But it’s also really, really old – more than 13 billion years (or double that, according to one recent study), so what are the chances of us all being around at the same time?

‘If we compress Earth’s evolutionary timeline into a 24-hour period, life emerges at 4am,’ says Dr Minjae Kim, an astrophysicist at the University of Warwick.

‘The extinction of dinosaurs occurs at 11:41pm. The history of human-like creatures, exemplified by species like Australopithecus afarensis, begins at 11:58:43pm. 

‘Essentially, human-like life has existed for a mere 77 seconds in this analogy. Remarkably, the timeframe in which humans have developed technology capable of interacting with potential extraterrestrial life is significantly shorter – less than a single second. This possibly implies remarkably brief technological lifespans compared to the overall age of planetary systems.’

Dr Byrne agrees.

‘The most likely explanation in my opinion is that space is ****ing huge and time is really long,’ he says. ‘Even if a sentient species emerged on a planet close enough for us to detect their signals, a difference of only a few ten thousand years would mean we’d miss them if their civilisation only lasted for a few millennia. 

We need to give it more time

We humans are famously impatient, and have only been able to properly search the vastness of space for a few decades. 

And while we know for sure there aren’t Martian-built canals on the Red Planet or a man on the Moon, there is still much more to explore.

‘We’re still continuing to develop higher-resolution spectrographs and instruments,’ says Ms Hawthorn. ‘These include those on the James Webb Space Telescope that would be able to sensitively detect biomarkers in the atmospheres of planets, so the next few years could start to be a game-changer for this.’

We’re also discovering new exoplanets – planets beyond our solar system – all the time.

Dr Paul Strøm, assistant professor at the University of Warwick, adds: ‘One natural step forward is to try to estimate the number of life-bearing planets and look for good candidates of favourable life hosting environments.

‘There are several examples of how this is being done currently – looking for life on the moons of Jupiter, listening out for radio signals and looking for other planets which may have the right conditions for life to emerge to mention only a few. 

‘Just 25 years ago, the idea of detecting the composition of atmospheres of planets outside of our own solar system domain was only found in [theoretical] science. Today it is a reality. We can detect the composition of these exoplanets, and even monitor their weather patterns. How exciting!’

The big question

‘So where is everybody?’ asks Dr Byrne.

‘They’re dead, or they haven’t come to be yet, or they’re too far away.

‘This, to me, is by far the most likely explanation for the seeming contradiction between there being loads of planets and zero evidence for alien civilisations. It’s a space and time numbers game.

‘Which doesn’t make it any less depressing, mind.’  

MORE : 

• ‘Diminishing probability’ of aliens on Earth is ‘not a good thing’, Pentagon UFO boss says

MORE :

• Alien life could be hiding deep inside Saturn’s ‘Death Star’ moon

MORE : 

• Mercury could be home to alien life – hiding beneath its surface

{ https://metro.co.uk/news/ }

08-07-2024 om 21:48 geschreven door peter