Scientists may have found clues to a mysterious fifth force of nature hidden in an ancient asteroid

An asteroid's orbit may reveal an invisible fifth force that could rewrite the rules of physics.

byTibi Puiu

Bennu, a near-Earth asteroid first discovered in 1999, has now become an unlikely tool in the search for something extraordinary — a fifth fundamental force of nature that could rewrite the rules of the universe.

For decades, scientists have understood the cosmos through the lens of four forces: gravity, electromagnetism, and the strong and weak nuclear forces. But for just as long, there have been whispers of a missing piece, a fifth force, waiting to be discovered. Now, with the help of Bennu, a team of international scientists believes they are inching closer to solving one of physics’ biggest mysteries.

The Search For The Fifth Force

In 2023, on a sunny morning in the Utah desert, a spacecraft returned to Earth after one of the most epic journeys in the history of human exploration. It made a trek of more than two billion miles. Inside was a capsule containing a treasure from the distant past: a sample of rock and dust from an ancient asteroid named Bennu.

Bennu is a spinning-top-shaped asteroid just 500 meters wide. It’s like a time capsule that holds the secrets of our solar system’s formation dating back over 4.5 billion years. Made of loose rubble, Bennu is thought to contain primordial compounds, including organic molecules that may have contributed to the rise of life on Earth. When the OSIRIS-REx spacecraft touched down on its surface in October 2020, it gathered these fragments, which could shed light on the building blocks of our own planet.

The data from that mission has already been a treasure trove for planetary science. But for physicists like Yu-Dai Tsai from Los Alamos National Laboratory, Bennu’s path through space offers something more: a chance to detect an invisible hand shaping its motion.

“Interpreting the data we see from tracking Bennu has the potential to add to our understanding of the theoretical underpinnings of the universe,” Tsai said.

His team’s study suggests that small, barely detectable deviations in Bennu’s orbit could signal the presence of a fifth force — a force that might help explain dark matter, the mysterious substance that makes up most of the universe but remains unseen.

In many ways, this is not a new idea. Physicists have been on the hunt for a fifth force since the 1980s. They’ve imagined it as everything from a form of antigravity to a cosmic essence they dubbed “quintessence,” thought to explain the universe’s accelerating expansion. But the precise movements of Bennu offer a rare, controlled environment to test this idea in real time.

Anomalies

Here’s how it works: as Bennu orbits the Sun, it is pulled by gravity, nudged by solar radiation, and impacted by tiny forces we can’t see. Imagine playing a game of billiards, but every ball moves with a slight, invisible push. You would start to suspect that the table was slightly tilted — even if you couldn’t see the tilt. That ’tilt’ is essentially what Tsai and his team are trying to uncover.

The researchers studied Bennu’s exact orbit using data from OSIRIS-REx and earlier ground-based observations. They then asked: Is there anything in Bennu’s path that doesn’t quite add up? Could there be a subtle force, too small to measure directly, but strong enough to alter the asteroid’s journey?

“The trajectories of objects often feature anomalies that can be useful in discovering new physics,” said Tsai. Indeed, this kind of detective work has yielded scientific breakthroughs before. In the mid-1800s, astronomers used tiny irregularities in the orbit of Uranus to predict the existence of Neptune — decades before they had the telescopic power to spot it directly through a lens.

But there’s a catch. For every Neptune, there’s also a Vulcan. That was the name for a hypothetical planet that scientists once believed existed between Mercury and the Sun, used to explain oddities in Mercury’s orbit. Turns out, it didn’t exist at all (though it made for good Star Trek lore).

A Window Into Dark Matter?

Bennu might not hold all the answers, but it’s giving researchers an important clue. In their analysis, Tsai’s team didn’t find evidence of a fifth force — yet. What they did find were some of the most stringent limits ever placed on how strong or far-reaching such a force could be.

If this fifth force exists, it’s hiding very well. The team was able to rule out certain models of fifth forces that rely on particles known as ultralight bosons. Some physicists believe these bosons could reveal dark matter.

Dark matter, the invisible substance that makes up roughly 85 percent of all matter in the universe, has long eluded scientists. We know it’s there because galaxies spin faster than they should based on their visible matter alone—something is holding them together. But what that “something” is remains one of science’s greatest enigmas. Finding a fifth force could provide a much-needed breakthrough.

Eyes on Apophis

Bennu may not have cracked the case, but it’s just the beginning. Tsai’s team plans to continue their work by studying Apophis, another near-Earth asteroid that will make a spectacularly close flyby in 2029, passing within just 20,000 miles of our planet. NASA’s OSIRIS-APEX mission will track Apophis as it zooms by, and the team hopes it will provide even better data to test for the elusive fifth force.

“The tight constraints we’ve achieved translate to some of the tightest-ever limits on Yukawa-type fifth forces,” said Sunny Vagnozzi, a cosmologist from the University of Trento and a co-author on the study, referring to the mathematical framework used to describe these forces.

For now, though, the search continues. As this research shows, asteroids aren’t mere space debris, but could hold the key to forces we can’t see — but which shape everything around us.

• The findings appeared in the journal Communications Physics.

{ https://www.zmescience.com/ }

26-10-2024 om 21:34 geschreven door peter  

Nu komeet C/2023 A3 (Tsuchinshan–ATLAS) helder aan de hemel staat, neemt ook in Nederland en België het aantal waarnemingen toe. Dit bijzondere hemellichaam, eerder dit jaar ontdekt door de observatoria in China en Zuid-Afrika, was aanvankelijk alleen zichtbaar vanuit zuidelijker gelegen gebieden. Maar na zijn passage langs de zon in september schittert de komeet nu aan de nachthemel en biedt een prachtige kans voor waarnemers op het noordelijk halfrond. Vanaf 12 oktober kunnen kijkers in Nederland en België de komeet bewonderen, vooral in de vroege avond.

C/2023 A3 heeft een lange en bewogen reis achter de rug, waarbij zijn zichtbaarheid en helderheid onzeker waren door mogelijke fragmentatie en veranderingen in zijn kernstructuur. De komeet bleek echter bestand tegen de hitte en straling van de zon en komt nu steeds dichter bij de aarde. Dankzij zijn nabijheid en helderheid is de komeet al met het blote oog te zien en gedetailleerd te observeren met een verrekijker of camera.

Op deze eerste foto, gemaakt door Arnold van Rooij uit Zutphen, zien we komeet C/2023 A3 op een heldere herfstavond boven de horizon verschijnen. Deze opname, gemaakt op 14 oktober om 20:00 CEST, toont de opvallende helderheid, vorm, coma en stofstaart van de komeet die zijn reis aan onze hemel vervolgt:

Hieronder een selectie van bijzondere opnamen van de komeet, die de diversiteit en pracht van C/2023 A3’s passage aan de hemel laten zien, zowel vanuit Nederland als daarbuiten:

Op 23 oktober maakte de Vlaamse Volkssterrenwacht Urania uit Hove (Antwerpen), België onderstaande livestream van de komeet met een presentatie over de komeet:

• https://youtu.be/48fe8QquU0o

Comet C/2023 A3 Tsuchinshan-ATLAS at its closest to the Earth: online observation – 12 Oct. 2024.

Onderstaande videobeelden werden gemaakt op 12 oktober vanuit Manaukea (Hawaii), V.S., met de NAOJ Subaru Telescoop:

• https://youtu.be/CctFLzGqMJo

Comet C/2023 A3 Tsuchinshan-ATLAS at perihelion: online observation – 28 Sept. 2024

Videobeelden SOHO

De zonnekijker die zich later ontpopte tot een kometenjager: het verhaal van de Solar and Heliospheric Observatory (SOHO) ruimtetelescoop. Zoals de naam al weggeeft was SOHO van origine vooral bedoeld om de zon en en diens corona te observeren en doet dit nog steeds, hoewel met een andere functie; het traceren van kometen -ideaal voor de passage van C/2023 A3-. Middels SOHO is dan ook onderstaande video gemaakt, waarop de passage van de komeet rond de Zon zich toont, een opname die plaatsvond in de periode 7 oktober t/m 13 oktober jl.:

Comet C/2023 A3 brightens SOHO’s week (standard processing)

Zelf waarnemen

Wil je zelf een blik werpen op de komeet vanuit Nederland of België? Dat kan! Want sinds 12 oktober staat de komeet hoog genoeg aan onze horizon en passeert het dichtst bij de aarde op 0,47 AE, (ongeveer 71 miljoen kilometer). Wel met een verrekijker, en steeds vlak na zonsondergang. Sinds 21 oktober is de komeet het gunstigst te zien vanuit onze streken.

Je kunt op de onderstaande sterrenkaart de passage volgen door de sterrenbeelden Slang, Slangendrager en Adelaar van 12 oktober tot aan de jaarwisseling, wanneer de komeet te ver van de zon verwijderd zal zijn om nog zichtbaar te zijn. Zie voor tijdentabellen en meer over het volgen van de komeet hemel.waarnemen.com of TheSkyLive.com.

Mocht je zelf spectaculaire foto’s (hebben) weten te maken van de komeet, en je wilt deze graag delen met Scientias.nl, dan staan we daar zeker voor open! Wellicht herpubliceren wij deze in een later artikel met jouw toestemming; upload of link jouw opname in de reacties hieronder, of email deze aan de moderator (op hoge kwaliteit liefst) incl, je naam, datum en plaats van opname en wat je nog meer kwijt wilt.

• De afgelopen decennia hebben ruimtetelescopen en satellieten prachtige foto’s gemaakt van nevels, sterrenstelsels, stellaire kraamkamers en planeten. Ieder weekend halen we een indrukwekkende ruimtefoto uit de archieven. Genieten van alle foto’s? Bekijk ze op deze pagina.

Bronmateriaal

• "Erwin" - x.com
• "Josh Dury B.A FRAS" - x.com
  
• "Wouter van Bernebeek" - x.com
  
• "LIVESTREAM - Komeet C/2023 A3 (Tsuchinshan-ATLAS)" - Youtube
  
• "C/2023 A3 Comet Tsuchinshan-ATRLAS over Maunakea, Hawaii" - Youtube
  
• "Comet C/2023 A3 brightens SOHO’s week (standard processing)" - Youtube
  
• "C-2023_A3_Tsuchinshan-ATLAS" - hemel.waarnemen.com
  
• Afbeelding bovenaan dit artikel: Arnold van Rooij, lezer van Scientias.nl

{ https://scientias.nl/ }

26-10-2024 om 21:22 geschreven door peter  

Rotsachtige planeten die om kleinere sterren cirkelen, kunnen namelijk een atmosfeer hebben die stabiel genoeg is om leven te ondersteunen.

Onderzoekers maakten vorige week bekend dat ze hebben gezocht naar tekenen van leven in het TRAPPIST-1-systeem. Met behulp van de Allen Telescope Array hebben ze 28 uur lang het hele systeem doorgespit op zoek naar radiosignalen die mogelijk van buitenaardse technologie afkomstig zijn. Helaas leverde de zoektocht naar aliens uiteindelijk niets op. Maar dat sluit de mogelijkheid van leven rond deze nabije ster nog niet uit, zo stelt een nieuwe studie nu.

TRAPPIST-1
Het TRAPPIST-1-systeem bestaat uit een kleine, koele ster (een zogenoemde rode dwerg, zie kader) op ongeveer 41 lichtjaar afstand van de aarde. Dit systeem herbergt zeven rotsachtige planeten, waarvan er enkele zich in de bewoonbare zone bevinden. In deze zone kunnen de omstandigheden geschikt zijn voor vloeibaar water, een essentieel element voor leven zoals wij dat kennen. Om deze redenen is TRAPPIST-1 een belangrijke bestemming in de zoektocht naar leven buiten de aarde.

Meer over rode dwergsterren
Rode dwergsterren (M-sterren) zijn de meest voorkomende en langstlevende sterren in het heelal. Ze zijn een stukje kleiner en koeler dan onze eigen zon. Rode dwergen blijken vaak, zoals dus ook bij TRAPPIST-1 het geval is, rotsachtige planeten te herbergen. En sommige van deze aardachtige werelden draaien ook nog eens in de leefbare zone. Al deze ingrediënten samen maken rode dwergen erg interessant in de zoektocht naar buitenaards leven.

Ondanks al deze gunstige aspecten hebben eerdere studies twijfels geuit over de bewoonbaarheid van de planeten in het TRAPPIST-1-systeem. Dat heeft vooral te maken met de sterke UV-straling waar planeten die rond rode dwergsterren draaien, mee worden gebombardeerd. Deze straling kan tot wel honderden duizenden keren sterker kan zijn dan wat de aarde van de zon ontvangt. Dit kan er vervolgens voor zorgen dat het oppervlaktewater weg brandt. Dit zou leiden tot een uitgedroogd oppervlak en, als alleen het waterstof uit de waterdamp ontsnapt, een ophoping van reactief zuurstof kunnen veroorzaken. Dit laatste zou de chemie die nodig is voor het ontstaan van leven in de weg staan. Over de kansen om leven te vinden rond rode dwergen zijn onderzoekers dan ook niet meer zo optimistisch.

Zoektocht naar aliens
Maar nu toont een nieuwe studie aan dat de zoektocht naar aliens rondom TRAPPIST-1 niet helemaal tevergeefs is geweest. Zo stellen onderzoekers nu dat rotsachtige planeten die rond rode dwergsterren draaien, toch een atmosfeer kunnen ontwikkelen die op lange termijn stabiel is. “Een van de meest fascinerende vragen in de exoplaneetastronomie is of rotsachtige planeten rond rode dwergsterren in staat zijn om hun atmosfeer te behouden die leven kunnen ondersteunen”, zegt hoofdauteur Joshua Krissansen-Totton. “Onze resultaten wijzen erop dat sommige van deze planeten inderdaad een atmosfeer kunnen hebben, wat de kans vergroot dat deze veelvoorkomende planetaire systemen levensvatbaar zijn.”

James Webb
Sinds de lancering eind 2021 heeft de James Webb-ruimtetelescoop de kans vergroot om tekenen van leven op exoplaneten, oftewel planeten buiten ons zonnestelsel, te ontdekken. Deze ruimtetelescoop is gevoelig genoeg om een aantal rode dwergster-systemen te observeren, waaronder het TRAPPIST-1-systeem. Tot nu toe suggereren gegevens dat de heetste rotsachtige planeten, die zich dicht bij de TRAPPIST-1-ster in de buurt bevinden, geen significante atmosfeer hebben. De telescoop heeft echter nog niet de mogelijkheid gehad om de planeten in de leefbare zone – die verder van hun ster liggen en de meest gunstige afstand voor vloeibaar water en leven bieden – duidelijk te karakteriseren.

Bewoonbare zone
De bewoonbare of leefbare zone is het gebied dat zich op een dusdanige afstand bevindt van een ster dat er eventueel leven mogelijk is. Belangrijkste voorwaarde daarbij is de temperatuur. Het moet er niet te warm of te koud zijn, zodat water niet bevriest of verdampt, maar vloeibaar blijft. Leuk weetje: dit gebied wordt ook wel de Goldilocks-zone genoemd, naar het sprookje van Goudlokje en de drie beren. Volgens het verhaal moet een meisje van drie borden pap proeven, waarbij het eerste te warm is, het tweede te koud en het derde precies goed.

Om te achterhalen of planeten in deze leefbare zone ook daadwerkelijk leefbaar zijn, hebben de onderzoekers in de nieuwe studie een rotsachtige planeet gemodelleerd terwijl deze zich in de gesmolten fase bevond en gedurende honderden miljoenen jaren afkoelde tot een vaste, aardachtige planeet. De resultaten laten zien dat waterstof en andere lichte gassen aanvankelijk naar de ruimte ontsnapten. Voor planeten verder van de ster vandaan, waar de temperatuur gematigder is, reageerde waterstof echter met zuurstof en ijzer in het binnenste van de planeet. Dit resulteerde in de vorming van water en andere zwaardere gassen, waardoor een atmosfeer ontstond die stabiel blijft in de loop der tijd.

Gematigde planeten
Kortom, de kans dat sommige planeten rondom TRAPPIST-1 leven herbergen, is best reëel. “Het is gemakkelijker voor Webb om de heetste planeten die dicht bij de ster staan te observeren, omdat ze meer thermische straling uitstralen, die minder wordt verstoord door de ster zelf”, aldus Krissansen-Totton. “Voor deze planeten hebben we een duidelijke conclusie: ze hebben geen dikke atmosfeer. Daarentegen kunnen de meer gematigde planeten mogelijk wel een atmosfeer hebben. Dit betekent dat ze nauwkeurig met telescopen onderzocht moeten worden, vooral vanwege hun potentie om bewoonbaar te zijn.”

De James Webb-telescoop heeft zoals gezegd nog niet kunnen vaststellen of de planeten die iets verder van de TRAPPIST-1-ster liggen een atmosfeer hebben. Maar als dat het geval is, zou dat betekenen dat ze vloeibaar water aan de oppervlakte en een gematigd klimaat kunnen hebben, wat gunstig zou zijn voor het ontstaan van leven. Krissansen-Totton betoogt dan ook dat het de moeite waard is om rotsachtige planeten die zich in de bewoonbare zone van het TRAPPIST-1-systeem bevinden, grondiger te bestuderen. Alleen zo zullen we definitief kunnen vaststellen of deze planeten inderdaad een atmosfeer en omstandigheden hebben die geschikt zijn voor leven.

Bronmateriaal

• "Rocky planets orbiting small stars could have stable atmospheres needed to support life" - University of Washington
• Afbeelding bovenaan dit artikel: via Canva Pro

{ https://scientias.nl/ }

26-10-2024 om 20:57 geschreven door peter  

NASA's Curiosity Rover may have found evidence of life on Mars

On the barren, cold expanses of Mars, a discovery has rocked the scientific world. The recent Mars rover unmanned mission has uncovered mud formations that tell tales of wet and dry spells spanning millions of years.

Could this revelation enhance the argument for life having existed on Mars? According to the research paper titled ‘Sustained wet-dry cycling on early Mars’ published in the prestigious peer-reviewed journal Nature, the answer looks promising.

The Hexagonal Clues

At the core of this breakthrough is the discovery of distinctive hexagonal patterns. These shapes, as scientists understand them, emerge when regions experience extended periods of wetness followed by prolonged dryness.

While it's been acknowledged that Mars holds remnants of dried rivers, lakes, and even seas – a testament to its once wet environment, the finding that Mars underwent wet-dry cycles multiple times potentially revolutionizes our understanding of the planet's past and its suitability for life.

Beyond the Ordinary: The Y-Shaped Cracks

Another highlight of the finding is the uniqueness of the mud formations. While past explorations revealed ‘T’ shaped mud cracks, this mission has, for the first time, unveiled hexagonal ‘Y’ shaped formations on Mars. Such patterns aren’t just intriguing geometrically, but they indicate a notably long sequence of wet and dry epochs, shedding light on Mars’ climatic history.

However, their existence also poses a question: Why weren’t they detected earlier? The answer lies in their vulnerability. ‘Y’ formations are extremely prone to erosion, potentially explaining their elusive nature up until now.

Gearing Up for the Hunt for Martian Life

The implications of this discovery are far-reaching. With knowledge about Mars' wet-dry cycles and the conditions most conducive to life, the scientific community is better equipped than ever before in the search for extraterrestrial life.

The newfound mud formations, bearing clues of possible organic activity, have given researchers a more targeted area to investigate. It's a massive step forward in our relentless quest to determine if Mars ever hosted life forms, even if they were just microscopic entities.

Mars, often seen as our desolate neighboring planet, continues to unravel its mysteries, challenging our perceptions and fueling our curiosity. Each discovery brings us closer to understanding not just Mars, but the broader universe and our place within it.

The Mars rover mission's latest findings are not just about unique mud formations; they're about the potential stories these formations hold, stories of life's resilience, adaptability, and the infinite possibilities that lie beyond our Earthly realm.

Note: Materials provided above by The Brighter Side of News. Content may be edited for style and length.

• Like these kind of feel good stories? Get The Brighter Side of News' newsletter.

{ https://www.thebrighterside.news/ }

26-10-2024 om 20:39 geschreven door peter  

Het raadsel van de Sfinx is het oudste enigma over de menselijke conditie: ken je de betekenis ervan?

door Janine

Carole Raddato/Wikimedia Commons - CC BY-SA 2.0

Mensen zijn al sinds de oudheid gefascineerd door puzzels en raadsels, zozeer zelfs dat ze vandaag de dag nog steeds van dit tijdverdrijf genieten.

Hoewel we niet precies kunnen vaststellen wanneer deze passie begon, weten we dat een van de eerste bekende enigma’s het beroemde raadsel van de Sfinx is.

Het is een episode die deel uitmaakt van de mythe van Oedipus en die ook vandaag de dag, na duizenden jaren, nog steeds fascineert.

En ondanks het feit dat dit raadsel bij veel mensen bekend is, verbergt het nog steeds betekenissen die het onderzoeken waard zijn.

Raadsel van de Sfinx: het verhaal

Het Enigma van de Sfinx is een van de beroemdste episodes uit de Griekse mythologie en in het bijzonder uit de mythe van Oedipus. Zoals we zullen zien, past het verhaal perfect in de reeks gebeurtenissen die ertoe zullen leiden dat de jonge Oedipus zijn voorspelling en zijn lot vervult.

In de Griekse mythologie is de Sfinx een wezen met het lichaam van een leeuw, het hoofd van een vrouw en de vleugels van een vogel die in de buurt van de stad Thebe leeft. Aan voorbijgangers legt het wezen een raadsel voor dat beroemd is geworden als het raadsel van de Sfinx, hier in een van zijn bekendste varianten:

Wat is het dier dat 's ochtends op vier benen loopt, 's middags op twee en 's avonds op drie?

Wat is het antwoord?

Het antwoord op het raadsel van de Sfinx

Geen van de voorbijgangers kan een antwoord vinden en daarom kan hij zijn weg niet vervolgen.

Op een dag wordt Oedipus echter geconfronteerd met het mythologische wezen dat hem, zoals gewoonlijk, ook het raadsel voorlegt. Oedipus denkt er even over na en geeft dan zijn antwoord:

Het dier is de mens, die zich als kind op vier benen voortbeweegt, als volwassene rechtop op twee voeten, en als oude man een stok nodig heeft om zich voort te bewegen, het derde been.

De Sfinx kan zich alleen maar overgeven en de jonge Oedipus laten passeren, die dan Thebe kan binnengaan. Maar dat is nog niet alles, want juist door het verslaan van de Sfinx zal Oedipous koning van Thebe worden.

Enigma van de Sfinx: de betekenis

Project Gutenberg - Public Domain

Tegenwoordig is het raadsel van de Sfinx zo beroemd dat iedereen het antwoord kent. Niet iedereen is zich echter bewust van de betekenis ervan, die diepgaand en symbolisch is en verband houdt met de menselijke conditie. Dit raadsel doet in feite denken aan concepten als:

De cyclus van het leven. Het menselijk bestaan ​​is opgedeeld in drie grote fasen, terwijl het leven van de mens wordt afgebeeld als een hele dag, van zonsopgang tot zonsondergang.

Zelfkennis. Om het raadsel van de Sfinx op te lossen, moet ieder mens zichzelf begrijpen voordat hij een antwoord kan vinden. Om de Sfinx te verslaan moet je zelfbewust zijn.

Wijsheid en verlossing. Kennis wordt gezien als een sleutel om de beproevingen en gevaren van het leven te overwinnen: dankzij zijn antwoord redt Oedipus Thebe en de Thebanen.

Technisch gezien kunnen we nog een andere hypothese naar voren brengen. Het enigma van de Sfinx is het bewijs dat kennis ook tot ondergang kan leiden, zoals Oedipus uit de eerste hand zal ervaren zodra hij koning van Thebe wordt.

Het tweede raadsel van de Sfinx

Zoals we al zeiden kent iedereen het raadsel van de Sfinx, maar niemand weet dat sommige versies van de mythe ook een tweede raadsel bevatten.

Nadat het mythologische wezen één keer was verslagen, zou het Oedipus een tweede, nog ingewikkelder raadsel hebben gesteld:

Er zijn twee zussen: de eerste zet de ander op de wereld, en zij baart op haar beurt de eerste. Wie zijn het?

Opnieuw denkt Oedipus hier een tijdje over na en geeft dan zijn antwoord, dat het juiste is: de twee zussen zijn dag en nacht. Om te begrijpen waarom, moeten we onthouden dat “dag” en “nacht” in het klassieke Grieks vrouwelijk zijn.

Net als bij zijn eerste raadsel stelt de Sfinx dus ook hier een raadsel over diepzinnige concepten als de cyclische aard van de tijd. 

In ons geval kunnen we eenvoudigweg erkennen dat deze raadsels helemaal niet zo eenvoudig op te lossen zijn, tenzij we buiten de gebaande paden denken. Of Oedipus zijn.

{ https://www.curioctopus.nl/ }

26-10-2024 om 18:55 geschreven door peter  

A strange image has been circulating across social media in Thailand, showing a large, dark pillar-like structure mysteriously appearing in the sky over Ubon Ratchathani. According to the photographer, the picture was taken on Sunday, October 20, 2024, while they were trying to capture the "beautiful, colorful sky.

This peculiar sighting isn't entirely unprecedented. Similar strange phenomena have been reported before. On October 7, 2015, a mysterious "floating city" with skyscrapers appeared in the clouds over Foshan, Guangdong province in China. Again, on March 18, 2016, ghostly buildings were seen above the sea along the port of Dalian, in Liaoning Province, China, lingering in the sky for several minutes. 

Most recently, on September 11, 2020, an eerie image resembling the Hogwarts School from Harry Potter was spotted hovering over modern buildings in Jinan, Shandong Province. On July 14, 2022, a bizarre occurrence was also witnessed by residents in Haikou, Hainan, where a mysterious floating city appeared in the sky. 

Scientists suggest that these events are most likely optical illusions, with mirages being the leading theory. Mirages occur when light rays bend, causing distant objects or parts of the sky to appear displaced. One specific type, known as a Fata Morgana, can create towering, distorted images of distant objects, contributing to these surreal sights. 

Although the sightings between 2015 and 2022 were witnessed by many, the photographer in Thailand later realized that the mysterious pillar hadn't been visible to the naked eye at the time. This discovery has led some to speculate that the phenomenon might have been caused by a Project Blue Beam test, holographic technology, or even a temporary vortex connected to a parallel universe.

  

{ https://ufosightingshotspot.blogspot.com/ }

26-10-2024 om 18:37 geschreven door peter  

Last Monday, paraglider Alex Lang was flying high above the Great Pyramid of Giza when he noticed unexpected movement at its peak. To his surprise, it wasn't a person, but a dog perched at the top of the ancient monument. 

Image credit: Alex Lang.

Lang, who recorded the bizarre sighting, described the dog barking and chasing birds from the very summit of the pyramid. 

The footage left people both fascinated and confused, wondering how the dog had managed to scale such an immense structure. Some even joked that it might be a manifestation of Anubis, god of funerary practices and care of the dead. However, the main concern was whether the dog could safely make its way back down. 

    

Luckily, a few days later, the dog was captured on video making its way down the ancient landmark, appearing calm and unscathed, as if the climb had been no big deal.

Image credit: abcnews.

Link video dog making its way down.

• https://www.tiktok.com/@abcnews/video/7427042186371386654/

{ https://ufosightingshotspot.blogspot.com/ }

26-10-2024 om 18:30 geschreven door peter  

Imagine waking up one morning to a world where everything you know is turned upside down. Overnight, groundbreaking (false) archaeological discoveries challenge the foundations of every major religion, leaving society in turmoil and disbelief. 

Before you can even comprehend what’s happening, the sky begins to change. Towering, hyper-realistic projections of gods appear above major cities worldwide, communicating directly with their followers, not through spoken words, but telepathically. 

As panic grips the planet, reports of UFO sightings flood the news. Global leaders urge people to unite in the face of an impending extraterrestrial threat. In just two days, the world you once knew has crumbled. 

This scenario sounds like a plot from a science fiction movie, but some conspiracy theorists believe this could be part of a secret agenda known as Project Blue Beam, an alleged psyop designed by powerful elites to bring about a New World Order and reshape society. 

Serge Monast was such a conspiracy theorist. He is mostly known for his promotion of the Project Blue Beam conspiracy theory, Under the guise of a heart attack he died in his home in December 1996 at age 51. 

According to Serge Monast Project Blue Beam has four stages: 

Step 1: Discrediting Archaeological Knowledge. 

The first phase involves revealing falsified archaeological findings that call into question the core beliefs of every major religion, creating widespread confusion and societal disruption. 

Step 2: Global Holographic Projections of Religious Figures.

A "space show" is staged where three-dimensional holographic projections of messianic figures appear in the skies over different regions of the world, each corresponding to the dominant religious beliefs in that area. 

Step 3: Telepathic Communication. 

The third phase involves the use of advanced technology to simulate telepathic communication, where individuals believe they are receiving direct messages from their deities or spiritual leaders. 

Step 4: The Grand Deception. The final stage is divided into three parts: 

• Convincing the global population that an alien invasion is imminent in every major city. 
• Persuading Christians that the Rapture is about to occur. 
• Using a mix of electronic manipulation and supernatural forces to create an illusion that will penetrate all forms of communication and technology, even infiltrating household appliances. 

While many people dismiss Project Blue Beam as pure fantasy, the theory raises an unsettling question: could such a grand deception ever really be pulled off? And if so, how can we prepare for the possibility of such a dramatic upheaval?

  

{ https://ufosightingshotspot.blogspot.com/ }

26-10-2024 om 18:25 geschreven door peter  

Many unusual phenomena are witnessed in the sky, ranging from UFOs and mysterious orbs to figures from parallel universes. One notable incident occurred during a recent thunderstorm from an unknown location when amidst the raging storm, a powerful flash of lightning illuminates the night sky, revealing the haunting silhouette of a demon, caught mid-air. 

While this eerie vision was likely a result of the lightning itself, some claim it resembled Raijin, the Shinto god of lightning and thunder, a chaotic being born of death who brings the world vital rains as well as chaos and destruction . 

Regardless of the true nature of this event, it serves as a reminder that countless mysterious phenomena exist on and around our planet. Whether tied to the afterlife, parallel universes, intelligent extraterrestrial life, or folklore with roots in truth, most of these occurrences remain unexplained.

Link to the short video posted on TikTok:

• https://www.tiktok.com/@nc_batman_official/video/7417359739828440351/

{ https://ufosightingshotspot.blogspot.com/ }

26-10-2024 om 18:20 geschreven door peter  

Unveiling UFO Secrets: Lue Elizondo’s Revelations on UAPs and Government Secrecy

Lue Elizondo, a former U.S. intelligence officer and the director of the Pentagon’s Advanced Aerospace Threat Identification Program (AATIP), has played a critical role in bringing unidentified aerial phenomena (UAP) to the forefront of public discussion. Known for his work in UFO investigations, Elizondo’s revelations have sparked global intrigue, fueling the belief that humanity is not alone in the universe. Through his interviews, Elizondo has shed light on some of the most compelling UFO secrets, revealing both astonishing claims and uncomfortable truths about UAPs and their impact on national security.

The Dichotomy of UAPs: Truth or Mass Hysteria?

In his interview, Elizondo discusses the two possible realities surrounding UAP sightings: either they represent non-human entities visiting Earth, or we are witnessing a form of mass hysteria on an unprecedented scale. What makes this dilemma so significant is the credibility of those reporting UAP encounters, such as military generals, nuclear technicians, and trained pilots with high-level security clearances. These individuals are responsible for critical national security tasks, which raises serious concerns if their sightings are to be dismissed as mere psychological phenomena.

The discussion emphasizes the existence of advanced aerial objects, like the Tic Tac-shaped craft or black cubes and triangular craft, that seem to outperform the best of human-made technology. Elizondo describes these objects as more advanced than any known aircraft, leaving experts baffled by their speed, maneuverability, and ability to defy conventional physics.

The Legacy of UFO Secrecy in the U.S. Government

One of the key revelations Elizondo touches on is the deep-rooted secrecy in the U.S. government regarding UFOs. He explains that while parts of the government remain hostile toward public UFO disclosure, significant efforts have been made behind the scenes to bring the truth to light. His work, alongside colleagues like former deputy assistant secretary of defense Chris Mellon, led to the declassification of three key UAP videos in 2017, which were then shared with the public through a New York Times article. These videos showed UAPs displaying flight characteristics that defied explanation.

Elizondo’s role in UFO investigations also involves navigating the complexities of classified programs. For example, he hints at the possibility of reverse-engineering UFO technology in secretive government projects. According to Elizondo, there have been longstanding “legacy UFO programs” that involve studying non-human intelligence and possibly even crash retrievals. However, he admits that much of this information is still classified, and full disclosure remains elusive.

UAPs and Nuclear Sites: A Critical Connection

Another alarming connection highlighted by Elizondo is the apparent interest UAPs have in nuclear capabilities. This includes sightings over nuclear facilities and military bases, which raises concerns about the potential threat they pose to national security. Elizondo draws parallels between UAP observations and the Serengeti, where predators like cheetahs observe their prey. He suggests that these entities could be studying human nuclear capabilities with similar intent.

The recurring presence of UAPs near nuclear sites across the world, from the U.S. to Russia and China, lends credence to the idea that these phenomena are more than random sightings. Elizondo reveals that many military personnel, from missile operators to radar technicians, have reported UAP sightings near nuclear facilities, further intensifying the mystery surrounding these objects.

Remote Viewing and UAPs: A Glimpse into Psychic Espionage

A particularly intriguing aspect of Elizondo’s interview is his discussion on remote viewing, a practice associated with psychic espionage. He describes his own involvement in a CIA experiment in which he and colleagues attempted to remote view a high-value detainee in a secure facility. According to Elizondo, their remote viewing efforts were successful enough to produce startling results, which included the detainee experiencing strange phenomena, such as visions of five white figures shaking his bed. This episode underscores the possibility that human consciousness could play a role in perceiving or interacting with UAPs in ways that conventional science has yet to fully understand.

Elizondo also notes that this practice of remote viewing was not unique to the U.S. The Russians and other foreign powers engaged in similar programs, exploring the potential for using the mind as a tool for intelligence gathering. While he cautions that remote viewing is still not fully understood, the data collected through these programs suggest there is more to the human mind than we currently comprehend.

The Role of Science and Technology in Understanding UAPs

Throughout the interview, Elizondo emphasizes that UAP investigations require a scientific approach, one that goes beyond conventional thinking. He touches on theories involving the manipulation of space-time and gravity to explain how UAPs achieve their extraordinary flight capabilities. These craft may create a “space-time bubble” around them, allowing them to traverse great distances in short periods by warping the fabric of reality itself.

Elizondo points out that the material science behind UAPs could be far more advanced than what is currently understood by mainstream science. He references scientific models that support the idea of manipulating gravity as a field variable, something that could provide the key to unlocking the propulsion systems of these craft. This, however, is not widely accepted within the traditional scientific community, and Elizondo highlights the need for new frameworks in physics to fully comprehend UAP phenomena.

The Ethical Dilemma: Are We Ready for the Truth?

One of the most profound questions Elizondo raises in his interview is whether humanity is truly ready to accept the truth about UAPs. He notes that while the public has a right to know about these phenomena, the implications of full disclosure could be both transformative and destabilizing. The technology behind UAPs, if revealed, could lead to massive shifts in global power dynamics and military capabilities. There is also the potential for misuse of such technology if it falls into the wrong hands.

Elizondo believes that careful consideration must be given to how information is disseminated and who controls the narrative. He expresses hope that the next generation will be able to handle the truth in a responsible manner, ensuring that the knowledge of UAPs can benefit humanity rather than sow further division or conflict.

VIDEO:

• He’s Sitting On The BIGGEST UFO Secrets [Lue Elizondo Interview]

Lue Elizondo’s interview sheds light on some of the biggest UFO secrets, revealing the complexities of UAP encounters and the challenges of disclosing such information to the public. His insights suggest that UAPs are not just a phenomenon of curiosity but have real-world implications for national security, science, and our understanding of the universe.

As Elizondo points out, the conversation about UAPs needs to be had—sooner rather than later. The future may depend on how we approach these phenomena, not only from a scientific standpoint but also from a collective, ethical perspective. Whether we are dealing with visitors from other worlds, future versions of ourselves, or something even more mysterious, it is clear that the truth about UAPs could change everything.

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

26-10-2024 om 18:13 geschreven door peter  

Aliens Among Us: Unraveling the Mystery of Who They Really Are

Aliens have long captivated the human imagination. Whether through books, movies, or whispered rumors, the concept of extraterrestrial beings has been the source of fascination and speculation. But what if the beings we call “aliens” are not from distant star systems at all? What if they have been sharing our planet with us for thousands of years, living right beneath our feet? This theory challenges everything we think we know about UFOs, extraterrestrial life, and even human history. Let’s dive into the compelling argument behind “Aliens – Who They Are.”

The Persistent UFO Phenomenon

The skies have always been a stage for mysterious visitors, with UFO sightings reported throughout history. According to the UFO Reporting Center, over 150,000 sightings have been cataloged in the United States alone. From bright lights in the sky to objects moving at impossible speeds, UFOs have baffled witnesses, leaving many to wonder: Who is piloting these strange craft?

The idea that UFOs are flown by extraterrestrials from far-off star systems has been the prevailing theory for decades. However, the sheer frequency of sightings, sometimes thousands a year, has cast doubt on the idea that these craft are traveling across vast interstellar distances just to visit Earth.

The Underground Connection

One of the more intriguing theories suggests that these beings might not be coming from outer space at all. Instead, they could be coming from beneath the Earth’s surface. There have been numerous reports of UFOs emerging from oceans, lakes, and even mountains, leading some researchers to believe that these crafts are not coming from “up there,” but from “down here.”

This theory proposes that a technologically advanced civilization has been living underground for thousands of years, possibly since a major cataclysm around 13,000 years ago. This underground civilization, which some call the “intraterrestrials,” may have been forced to retreat beneath the Earth due to a catastrophic event, such as a comet impact. The idea is that these beings, once part of the human race, have developed advanced technology far beyond our current capabilities.

A Breakaway Civilization?

The concept of a “breakaway civilization” is a central idea in this theory. It suggests that a group of humans split off from the rest of humanity and developed in isolation, leading to the evolution of advanced technology. These beings, who might be the pilots of the UFOs we see today, are not aliens but rather a branch of the human race that has remained hidden from the surface world for millennia.

Supporters of this theory point to historical records, such as ancient Sumerian texts, which describe advanced beings known as the Anunnaki. Some believe these texts hint at an advanced civilization that once existed on Earth, possibly the ancestors of the so-called intraterrestrials.

Encounters with UFOs and Advanced Beings

Many UFO sightings describe encounters with different types of beings, such as the “Grays” and the “Nordics.” The Grays, with their large black eyes and grayish skin, are often portrayed as the classic image of an alien. However, some researchers believe that these beings are not aliens but humans who have evolved after living underground for thousands of years. The theory is that the lack of sunlight and other environmental factors caused them to develop different physical characteristics.

In contrast, the Nordics are often described as tall, blond, and human-like. According to some accounts, these beings are our “cousins,” who might have emerged from underground at some point and blended in with surface humans. In fact, it is speculated that these beings have been influencing human history for centuries, posing as gods or extraterrestrial visitors.

The Hidden World Beneath Us

There are also tales of hidden underground worlds, such as those described by Admiral Richard E. Byrd, an American explorer. Byrd allegedly encountered a hidden world beneath the ice of Antarctica, where he met advanced beings with incredible technology. While this story is hotly debated, it has become a cornerstone for many UFO theories, adding fuel to the idea that an advanced civilization exists beneath the Earth’s surface.

Reports of strange phenomena around certain locations, such as heat signatures in areas where UFOs have been seen entering and exiting the Earth, lend credence to the idea that there are hidden underground bases. These bases, some believe, could be the home of the intraterrestrials, who have mastered the ability to travel between their world and ours.

Government Secrecy and UFOs

The involvement of governments in UFO phenomena is another major aspect of this theory. Since the infamous Roswell incident in 1947, there have been persistent rumors that governments around the world are aware of these beings and their advanced technology but are keeping it secret. According to some sources, President Eisenhower even had a secret meeting with Nordic extraterrestrials in the 1950s, where they allegedly warned him about the dangers of nuclear weapons.

More recently, the U.S. government has begun to acknowledge the existence of UFOs or UAPs (Unidentified Aerial Phenomena), with the Pentagon releasing declassified videos showing objects performing maneuvers that defy the laws of physics. While the government has stopped short of confirming the existence of extraterrestrial life, these admissions have opened the door to further speculation about what UFOs really are and where they come from.

The Cousins Among Us

The most startling aspect of this theory is the idea that these beings are not aliens at all but are our “cousins.” The intraterrestrials have been here all along, sharing the planet with us and possibly influencing our history from the shadows. According to this theory, they may have played the role of gods in ancient times, guiding humanity’s development and ensuring their own survival.

These beings may not want us to know that they exist, as human beings tend to react with fear to the unknown. However, as our technology advances and we begin to uncover more about the mysteries of UFOs, it is becoming harder for them to remain hidden.

Conclusion

The theory that aliens are not extraterrestrial but intraterrestrial beings reshapes how we view UFOs and the idea of extraterrestrial life. If true, it means that we are not alone on this planet, and that a breakaway civilization has been living among us, hidden from view, for thousands of years. Whether they are friend or foe remains to be seen, but one thing is clear: the mystery of who they are is only just beginning to unfold.

This theory offers an alternative to the popular narrative of aliens as visitors from distant galaxies. Instead, it proposes that they are part of our own history, deeply connected to humanity in ways we are only beginning to understand.

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

26-10-2024 om 17:28 geschreven door peter  

Hessdalen Lights: Real UAP Evidence Caught on Camera?

The Hessdalen Lights, a mysterious phenomenon witnessed in a remote valley in Norway, continue to baffle scientists, locals, and UFO enthusiasts alike. These strange, pulsating lights in the sky have sparked debates, theories, and numerous investigations over the years. In a recent expedition, retired F-16 pilot and UAP (Unidentified Aerial Phenomenon) investigator Chris Leos, along with fellow YouTuber Carl Crusher, ventured into Hessdalen to capture the elusive lights on camera. Their journey raises the question: could these lights be real evidence of UAPs, or is there a more conventional explanation?

The Investigation Begins

Chris Leos and Carl Crusher traveled to Hessdalen, a place long known for its unexplained light phenomena, to record and analyze these events. Hessdalen Lights have been reported as flashing, glowing orbs that hover in the sky or move erratically, disappearing and reappearing at random. Upon setting up camp, the duo witnessed several flashes, which they successfully caught on camera, prompting speculation about their origin.

The expedition took place in Hallin, Norway, a region famous for such sightings. As the team watched the sky through night-vision equipment, they saw bright flashes in the otherwise clear sky. The flashes were distinctive because they lacked the rhythmic patterns typical of aircraft or satellite lights. Chris, initially suspecting an airliner, quickly dismissed the idea due to the absence of clouds and the irregularity of the lights.

Real-Time Encounters and Analysis

During their stay, the team had a surprise encounter with a French media crew filming a documentary about UAP hunters. It was during this encounter that Carl Crusher, using his night-vision camera, captured one of the bright flashes. Chris and Carl both witnessed the flash in real time, sparking further discussions about whether the light could be a UAP or something more ordinary, like a satellite flare.

Despite their high-tech equipment and sharp observational skills, neither Chris nor Carl could conclusively identify the lights. The flashes did not conform to the typical characteristics of aircraft or satellite lights, and there were no visible clouds that could account for the phenomenon. This raised the possibility of the lights being UAPs or some other unexplained atmospheric event.

CE5: Communication with the Unknown?

One intriguing aspect of the investigation was the introduction of the CE5 (Close Encounter of the Fifth Kind) meditation technique, a method used by UAP enthusiasts to initiate communication with extraterrestrial intelligence. This practice involves meditative exercises that aim to call down UFOs or UAPs by focusing thoughts and intentions on them.

During the expedition, a local man named Eric shared a personal story. His wife, despite never having seen orbs before, felt an intuitive urge to go outside and look at the sky during a CE5 meditation session. To her surprise, she witnessed a mysterious orb after doing so. This anecdote added another layer of intrigue, suggesting a possible link between human consciousness and the appearance of the Hessdalen Lights.

While some remain skeptical of CE5 techniques, believers argue that the lights may be reacting intelligently, even telepathically, to observers. The idea that these lights could have some form of consciousness behind them continues to spark debate.

Exploring Possible Explanations

Although the flashes observed by Chris and Carl were impressive, the question remains: what exactly are they? The most common hypothesis is that the Hessdalen Lights may be related to satellites. However, Chris was quick to point out that the flashes didn’t resemble typical satellite behavior. A possible explanation is a satellite flare, a phenomenon where sunlight reflects off a satellite’s surface, causing a sudden, bright flash in the sky. Yet, the flashes seen in Hessdalen were unusual, appearing multiple times without the characteristic steady movement of satellites.

Other potential explanations include atmospheric phenomena, such as unusual magnetic or electrical anomalies, which could create the illusion of lights. However, many of these theories fail to fully explain the lights’ erratic behavior, or their apparent responsiveness to human observation, as some witnesses have claimed.

A Continuing Mystery

Despite the advanced technology and numerous investigations, the Hessdalen Lights remain largely unexplained. Chris Leos emphasized the need for further data analysis and detailed investigations to understand the lights’ true nature. He mentioned ongoing research efforts, including the use of automatic anomaly detection systems and satellite-based monitoring, to gather more concrete evidence.

While the lights could potentially be explained by natural phenomena or man-made objects, the possibility of UAPs continues to intrigue researchers and enthusiasts. The fact that Chris and Carl were able to capture these lights on camera adds weight to the argument that something extraordinary may be happening in Hessdalen.

VIDEO:

• Chris Lehto – Hessdalen Lights Caught on Camera! Real UAP Evidence?

The Hessdalen Lights continue to captivate the imaginations of those who witness them. Whether they are the result of UAP activity, satellite flares, or some other natural phenomenon, the lights remain an enduring mystery. The investigation by Chris Leos and Carl Crusher adds to the growing body of evidence, but also raises more questions than it answers.

For those interested in the search for UAPs or simply curious about unexplained phenomena, Hessdalen remains one of the most intriguing hotspots. As technology improves and more data is collected, the hope is that one day, the true nature of these lights will be revealed.

In the meantime, adventurers and researchers continue to flock to Hessdalen, hoping to catch a glimpse of these enigmatic flashes in the sky. Could they be UAPs? Only time, and further investigation, will tell.

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

26-10-2024 om 17:18 geschreven door peter  

UAP Research Gains FBI Attention: Nightcrawler Researchers Unveil Astonishing UFO Footage

In recent years, the growing interest in Unidentified Aerial Phenomena (UAP), commonly referred to as UFOs, has drawn attention from both the public and government agencies. Among the noteworthy contributors to this research is Nightcrawler Research, a group spearheaded by twin brothers Gerry and John Tedesco, both of whom are electrical engineers. Their work, initially rooted in studying cancer clusters on Long Island, has taken an unexpected turn toward UAP research, ultimately catching the eye of the FBI and other federal agencies.

From Cancer Clusters to UAP Investigations

The Tedescos’ foray into UAP research began in an unexpected way. Originally, the brothers were focused on analyzing cancer clusters on Long Island, prompted by the loss of friends and a desire to use their scientific expertise to investigate environmental contaminants. Equipped with a mobile laboratory filled with detection gear and cameras, they sought to uncover any correlation between pollutants and the rise of cancer cases in the region.

However, their direction shifted when the Director of National Intelligence released a landmark report on UAPs in 2021. Intrigued by the findings, Gerry and John turned their research toward the skies, leveraging their engineering skills and high-tech equipment to capture unprecedented footage of these mysterious aerial phenomena.

Cutting-Edge Technology in the UAP Field

One of the defining aspects of Nightcrawler Research’s work is their use of advanced technology. The brothers have invested a significant portion of their personal savings into acquiring state-of-the-art equipment. This includes hyperspectral cameras, which are capable of capturing light spectrums beyond what the human eye can perceive. This technology has proven invaluable in detecting and filming objects that are invisible under normal conditions, further strengthening their case for the existence of UAPs.

During their research along the flight routes near Long Island, particularly in areas where aircraft approach and depart from JFK International Airport, the Tedescos managed to record a series of astonishing encounters with UAPs. One notable example includes footage of a cylindrical object—referred to as a “Tic-Tac”—that appeared to fly perilously close to a passenger aircraft. The clarity of these images, particularly when viewed in slow motion, has caught the attention of aviation safety authorities due to its potential implications for air traffic safety.

Gaining Federal Attention

The work of the Tedesco brothers has not gone unnoticed. Their methodical, data-driven approach has attracted the interest of not only UAP enthusiasts but also government bodies. Recently, they accomplished what few UAP researchers have managed to do: they had a peer-reviewed paper on UAPs published in a prominent scientific journal. This achievement brought their research to the forefront, and soon after, federal agencies, including the FBI and Homeland Security, began to take notice.

The government’s interest is likely tied to national security concerns, as many of the UAPs the Tedescos captured were found in close proximity to commercial aircraft. The risk these objects pose to flight safety has raised alarm bells, particularly given their unknown origins and capabilities. As more footage and data have surfaced, the FBI has begun engaging with the researchers, possibly signaling a broader federal inquiry into UAPs beyond what has been publicly acknowledged.

The Importance of Their Work

What sets Nightcrawler Research apart is not just their impressive technological setup but also their dedication to approaching the UAP phenomenon scientifically. As trained engineers, Gerry and John Tedesco are able to scrutinize their findings with a critical eye, ensuring that what they present is backed by data. Their use of hyperspectral imaging has allowed them to film objects that otherwise would have gone unnoticed, expanding our understanding of what might be out there.

While much of the UAP conversation has been shrouded in mystery and skepticism, the Tedescos’ work brings a level of credibility and scientific rigor to the field. By documenting their findings through peer-reviewed research, they are helping to shift the dialogue surrounding UAPs from fringe theory to mainstream scientific inquiry.

VIDEO:

• https://youtu.be/WEbBeP_InYw

Nightcrawler Research’s work is a testament to the power of scientific curiosity and technological innovation in exploring the unknown. What began as a local investigation into cancer clusters has transformed into a significant UAP research project, one that has captured the attention of federal agencies like the FBI. As concerns about national security and flight safety grow, it is likely that researchers like the Tedescos will play an increasingly important role in unraveling the mystery of UAPs. Their groundbreaking footage and data have already provided a clearer glimpse into the phenomenon, and as their work continues, we may soon find more answers to the questions that have puzzled humanity for decades.

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

26-10-2024 om 16:41 geschreven door peter  

Beste bezoekers,

3 weken geen updates wegens vakantie op deze blog. Vanaf 27 oktober as ben ik terug en zal ik asap het laatste nieuws terug op mijn blog plaatsen.

Alvast bedankt voor jullie begrip en bezoek

Peter2011

Dear visitors,

3 weeks no updates due to vacation on this blog. From October 27th I will be back and I will post the latest news on my blog asap.

Thanks in advance for your understanding and visit

Peter2011

Chers visiteurs,

aucune mise à jour sur ce blog depuis 3 semaines en raison des vacances. Je serai de retour à partir du 27 octobre et publierai les dernières nouveautés sur mon blog dès que possible.

Merci d'avance pour votre compréhension et visite.

Peter2011

05-10-2024 om 17:19 geschreven door peter  

Do you think the U.S. government is hiding, and possibly reverse-engineering, extraterrestrial technology? Think again. Or better yet, don’t think about it at all. Nothing to see here.

That’s the underlying message of a report released last month by the Department of Defense. The 63-page “Report on the Historical Record of U.S. Government Involvement with Unidentified Anomalous Phenomena (UAP)” concludes that the DoD’s All-Domain Anomaly Resolution Office (AARO) “found no evidence that any [U.S. Government] investigation, academic-sponsored research, or official review panel has confirmed that any sighting of a UAP represented extraterrestrial technology.”

The AARO, as The Guardian summarizes, is “a government office established in 2022 to detect and, as necessary, mitigate threats including ‘anomalous, unidentified space, airborne, submerged and transmedium objects’.”

This report comes on the heels of, and in contradiction to, what was arguably the most high-profile hearing on UAPs—formerly known as unidentified flying objects, or UFOs—in decades: the August 2023 testimony of “whistleblower” Dave Grusch.

In the bombshell hearing, Grusch, a former member of the Pentagon’s UAP Task Force, claimed that he had been made aware of a “multi-decade UAP crash retrieval and reverse engineering program.” But his claims were never substantiated, and while the new report never mentions Grusch by name, it does offer plausible explanations for the phenomena he described in his testimony.

This is hardly the first government report to debunk stories about little green men and their strange flying saucers. So, why do Americans keep clinging to conspiracy theories about extraterrestrial visitors? Blame science fiction, the AARO report says:

“A consistent theme in popular culture involves a particularly persistent narrative that the USG—or a secretive organization within it—recovered several off-world spacecraft and extraterrestrial biological remains, that it operates a program or programs to reverse engineer the recovered technology, and that it has conspired since the 1940s to keep this effort hidden from the United States Congress and the American public.

AARO recognizes that many people sincerely hold versions of these beliefs which are based on their perception of past experiences, the experiences of others whom they trust, or media and online outlets they believe to be sources of credible and verifiable information. The proliferation of television programs, books, movies, and the vast amount of internet and social media content centered on UAP-related topics most likely has influenced the public conversation on this topic, and reinforced these beliefs within some sections of the population.”

The X-Files and the internet helped guide curious people toward the fringes of ufology. But to fully understand the ongoing public skepticism regarding the government-provided explanations about aliens, we must consider the man who was once responsible for upholding these “official” stories—and examine his stunning evolution from a fellow skeptic to the world’s leading UFO advocate.

Who Was J. Allen Hynek?

Josef Allen Hynek, who was born on May 1, 1910, developed an interest in the cosmos following an episode of illness during his childhood. The sickness steered his curiosity away from following in the footsteps of his mother and father—a schoolteacher and cigar manufacturer, respectively—and toward the universe. Biography writes:

“An introduction to the stars came after Hynek was bedridden with scarlet fever at age seven: Having run through their supply of children's books to read, his mom turned to textbooks, with a high school edition on astronomy capturing the boy’s attention.”

From an early age, Hynek’s passion for science was mixed with a penchant for mystery and a pursuit of philosophical thought. He had “an interest in more esoteric subjects, particularly the works of the Rosicrucian secret societies and hermetic philosopher Rudolf Steiner,” according to Biography.

In 1934, as a doctoral student, Hynek contributed to observations of the Nova Herculis supernova at Perkins Observatory in Ohio. By 1936, he joined Ohio State University’s Physics and Astronomy Department. His research over the next 12 years culminated in his appointment as director of the university’s McMillin Observatory.

And that’s when the U.S. government came calling—with an unusual request.

How Did J. Allen Hynek Become Involved With UFOs?

In the waning days of World War II, American fighter pilots reported seeing aircraft that were unlike any previously encountered in combat. Some described “orange, flowing lights,” while another pilot “saw a red-ish, wingless, cigar-shape object.”

These accounts reached the media, and a population exhausted by war both wondered and worried about the tales of the strange aircraft. But the occurrences were ultimately attributed to “electrostatic or electromagnetic phenomena.”

The incident involving pilot Kenneth Arnold on June 24, 1947, however, wasn’t as readily explained—and, more crucially, it wasn’t as easily dismissed. As PopMech previously summarized:

“While searching for a Marine Corps C-46 transport plane, experienced pilot Kenneth Arnold diverted from his original flight path to help search the southwest slope of Mount Rainier. During the search, Arnold observed nine “peculiar-looking” and possibly “completely round” objects flying in a formation that reminded him of geese. It was later estimated they were flying in excess of 1,000 miles per hour. When he reported it (and assuming they were a new type of jet or experimental military aircraft), the Army Air Corps dismissed it as a mirage or hallucination.”

When Arnold believed the Army dismissed his claims too lightly, he reached out to the press. His discussion with Bill Bequette from the East Oregonian newspaper resulted in Bequette creating the term “flying saucers” to describe the unusual objects Arnold reported seeing.

America’s intelligence apparatus was still nascent at the time; the Office of Strategic Services (OSS) dissolved in 1945, and its successor, the Central Intelligence Agency (CIA), wouldn’t form until three months after Arnold reported his sighting. If there were mysterious objects flying in America’s airspace, the U.S. didn’t know where they could be coming from: The USSR? Enemies abroad? Aliens from another world?

It was crucial, then, to investigate whether these claims had any truth to them, and just as important to reassure a nervous American public that there was no cause for alarm (even if that might not have been true).

The U.S. Air Force enlisted Hynek to serve as an “astronomical consultant” for “Project Sign,” its initiative dedicated to examining the multitude of reports. Throughout Project Sign, Hynek meticulously analyzed each account of unusual aerial occurrences and categorized them accordingly. Per Biography:

“There were those which were simply astronomical observations, like the appearance of a meteor, those explained by meteorology, like an unusually shaped cloud, and those which captured accounts of man-made objects, like balloons. That left about 20 percent with no clear explanation...”

Hynek’s later writings suggest that he had hoped for additional investigations to address the questions posed by the remaining 20 percent of unexplained cases. However, the U.S. government, apprehensive about public fears during the Cold War and the potential for those fears to be manipulated, preferred to make such questions go away. And so, Project Sign evolved into “Project Grudge.”

“The staff,” the Report on the Historical Record of U.S. Government Involvement with Unidentified Anomalous Phenomena summarizes, “especially those who seemed to lean towards belief in the ‘interplanetary’ origin of UFOs, were reportedly purged from the organization.”

Project Grudge released only one report, in August 1949. “There is no evidence that objects reported upon are the result of an advanced scientific foreign development; and, therefore they constitute no direct threat to the national security,” the report determined. It concluded by recommending that “the investigation and study of reports of unidentified flying objects be reduced in scope.”

Hynek, disillusioned with the direction the investigations took, characterized Project Grudge as a “public relations campaign.”

What Was Project Blue Book?

Project Grudge’s conclusions failed to quell concerns about what people now referred to as “unidentified flying objects,” or UFOs. So the Air Force resumed its investigations once more, this time in its most famous form: “Project Blue Book.”

The Air Force again brought in Hynek for Project Blue Book, permitting him to actually conduct field investigations into these phenomena himself. Hynek’s perspective on the extraterrestrial theories regarding the unexplained sightings evolved from his days with Project Sign. As Biography observes:

“While he had harbored plenty of skepticism the first time around, he found his assumptions challenged by the rational recollections of witnesses, and began thinking about the legitimate scientific study of these 'Unidentified Flying Objects' or 'UFOs.'”

However, Hynek quickly realized that he was seen more as an instrument to dismiss alien speculation than as a scientist tasked with exploring such possibilities. As Biography notes, “By the 1960s, Hynek found himself in conflict with the restrictive supervision of the Air Force.”

One particularly embarrassing incident for Hynek came in 1966, when he was sent to investigate “reports of unusual lights in separate areas of Michigan over successive nights.” Hurried to provide an explanation and pressed to steer clear of extraterrestrial theories, Hynek was compelled to suggest publicly that the sightings might be attributed to “swamp gas.”

Getty Images

Hynek dismisses a Michigan sighting of a UFO as luminous swamp gas at a press conference in 1966.

The term “swamp gas” became a proto-meme of the mid-60s, and House Minority Leader (and future president) Gerald Ford demanded answers for the seemingly shoddy investigation. “Called to testify,” Biography notes, “Hynek used the occasion to argue for an extensive, transparent study of UFOs.”

Hynek broke from the directives of the Air Force, and just three years later, Project Blue Book was completely terminated. But that didn’t stop the astronomer.

What Did J. Allen Hynek Do After Project Blue Book?

Freed from the constraints of the Air Force, Hynek initiated a public campaign to promote the rigorous scientific investigation of what he called “ufology.” This effort first materialized as his 1972 book, The UFO Experience: A Scientific Inquiry.

Hynek wrote about his philosophy on the study of UFOs, his observations from decades working on Project Sign and Project Blue Book, and his scale for classifying UFO sightings, which involved both distant and close encounters. He classified distant observations as either “nocturnal lights,” “daylight discs,” or for those not seen directly by human eyes, “radar/visuals.”

The other observations—“close encounters”—also broke down into three categories. HISTORY summarizes:

“Close Encounters of the First Kind meant UFOs seen at a close enough range to make out some details. In a Close Encounter of the Second Kind, the UFO had a physical effect, such as scorching trees, frightening animals or causing car motors to suddenly conk out. In Close Encounters of the Third Kind, witnesses reported seeing occupants in or near a UFO.”

That final category inspired the title of the classic 1977 Steven Spielberg film, Close Encounters of the Third Kind. Hynek was reportedly paid for the use of the title and for his role as a consultant on the movie, and he also made a brief appearance in the Best Picture nominee. Hynek also appeared on shows like “The Dick Cavett Show” and “In Search Of...,” spoke on the university lecture circuit, and even presented on UFOs to the United Nations. His life’s work inspired a two-season TV series that aired in the 2010s, aptly named Project Blue Book.

getty images//Getty Images

Dr. J. Allen Hynek holds a pipe and one of his magazine editorials while serving as technical advisor for the film, ’Close Encounters of The Third Kind,’ directed by Steven Spielberg, 1977.

Crucially, while Hynek openly discussed the limitations he faced during his tenure with the Air Force and was forthright about its apparent lack of genuine interest in investigating the possibility of alien encounters, his written work never fully embraced conspiracy theories. That wouldn’t be true for those who came after him.

J. Allen Hynek: the Man behind UFO "Project Blue Book"

What Is J. Allen Hynek’s UFO Legacy?

In 1986, the year Hynek died, conspiracy theorist George C. Andrews published Extra-Terrestrials Among Us, a book that incorporated ideas of ufology into existing ideas of government conspiracies and secret organizations. In Andrews’ grand vision of a global conspiracy, he claimed extraterrestrials were behind the killing of President John F. Kennedy.

In 1991, conspiracy theorist Bill Cooper incorporated Andrews’ theories into his manifesto, Behold a Pale Horse, one of the more widely read books of fringe political conspiracies. Where Hynek kept his speculations scientific, The New Republic noted that Cooper’s co-opting of ufology was “...the tip of a spear asserting that the number one thing we had to fear was not little green men, but the government that colluded with them, appropriating their technology against us.”

Hynek’s legacy risks being overshadowed by the extreme and politically charged theories of self-proclaimed ufologists that emerged in his wake. His ambition was for ufology to gain recognition as a legitimate scientific field; however, the proliferation of conspiracy theories that came after him provided the government with further justification to dismiss the subject entirely.

The new AARO report states that during the time Hynek was working with Project Blue Book, “about 75 percent of Americans trusted the [US government] ‘to do the right thing almost always or most of the time.’” But, the report notes, since 2007, that number has never risen above 30 percent. “This lack of trust probably has contributed to the belief held by some subset of the U.S. population that the USG has not been truthful regarding knowledge of extraterrestrial craft.”

Ultimately, the Air Force’s efforts to stifle Hynek—pressuring him to offer the public standard responses to questions he wasn’t even allowed to ask—appears to have backfired.

Ironically, the Air Force’s attempts to quiet suspicions only fueled them, leading to more conspiracy theories and distrust. People came to believe that the government was hiding the truth, contrary to Hynek’s actual revelation: that, in reality, the people at the top may not care much about finding the answers after all.

{ https://www.popularmechanics.com/science/ }

05-10-2024 om 17:17 geschreven door peter  

{ https://www.universetoday.com/ }

05-10-2024 om 16:45 geschreven door peter  

It’s not long before a conversation about space travel is likely to turn to the impact on the human body. Our bodies have evolved to exist on Earth with a constant force of 1G acting upon them but up in orbit, all of a sudden that force is apparently lacking. The impact of this is well known; muscle loss and reduction in bone density but there are effects of spaceflight. Cosmic radiation from the Galaxy has an impact on cognition too, an effect that has recently been studied in mice!

When an object like the space station is in orbit around the Earth it is in a state known as freefall. This means it is constantly falling to Earth but the curvature of the Earth is constantly falling away from it. In other words, it is constantly falling but never reaches the ground. This state means anyone or anything inside the space station would also fall at the same rate but this would be experienced as floating. Muscle loss and reduction in bone density are the well known impacts of such an environment but there are more that await a space traveller. 

Galactic cosmic radiation (GCR) is made up of energy originating from sources outside of our Solar System. These tend to be from supernova explosions and other energetic events in deep space. The particles from GCR are mostly protons and electrons along with some heavier nuclei. They can penetrate our atmosphere but the Earth’s magnetic field offers some protection to those on the surface. To those venturing out into space, things are a little less rosey for GCR can have quite an impact on astronauts. 

GCR is a real problem for longer duration space exploration like trips to Mars since currently, the radiation can penetrate spacecraft shielding and be a real threat to human health. Studies to date have shown that GCR can have an effect cognitive abilities on mice in the short term however a new study paints a rather more bleak picture. The paper published in the Journal of Neurochemistry reports that GCR exposure can have long lasting effects too. 

Surprisingly, the team studied the impact on both male and female mice by subjecting them to a multi-particle spectrum GCR similar to the radiation that would be experienced on a deep space mission. The experiment was undertaken at Brookhaven National Laboratory where a 33-ion beam was used to simulate radiation from space. The team found that the radiation impaired numerous central nervous system functions from memory, pattern separation (when the brain minimises overlap between patterns of neuronal activity that represents similar experiences), anxiety, vigilance, social novelty (tendency to spend time with a previously unknown mouse rather than a familiar mouse!) and motor controls.

The discovery that the impact on females was more pronounced was unexpected but the team also established that mice which were fed an antioxidant and anti-inflammatory drugs known as CDDO-EA were less effected. The findings will be of immediate benefit to space exploration but will also help us to understand the long term impact on our cognition from radiation.

Source : 

• Can cosmic radiation in outer space affect astronauts’ long-term cognition?

{ https://www.universetoday.com/ }

05-10-2024 om 16:37 geschreven door peter  

(Photo : UTokyo | 東京大学/ X) Living microbes found in 2-billion-year-old rock from South Africa could be a time capsule to the early evolution of life on Earth and improve our chances of finding evidence of life on Mar.

A sealed rock fracture almost 50 feet below ground has remained home to microbes for the last 2 billion years—the oldest life ever discovered in such conditions. The nearly 1-foot sample, excavated beneath South Africa’s Bushveld Igneous Complex, predates the previous microbial record-holders by as much as 1.9 billion years. The finding could help researchers better understand the earliest stages of evolutionary life not just on Earth, but on Mars, as well.

The findings, published October 2 in the journal Microbial Ecology, come from a team at the University of Tokyo’s Department of Earth and Planetary Sciences, who confirmed the previous oldest known lifeforms in 2020.

“We didn’t know if 2-billion-year-old rocks were habitable… so this is a very exciting discovery,” Yohey Suzuki, study lead author and an associate professor in the University of Tokyo’s Graduate School of Science, said in a statement on Thursday.

Uncovering microbes hidden from the surface world for eons required building upon the researchers’ previous methodologies for determining an organism’s age and origin. Doing so required combining three types of imaging approaches—electron microscopy, fluorescent microscopy, and infrared spectroscopy—to confirm if the microbial life really was that old, or if it came from accidental contamination during excavation and analysis. After staining the cells’ DNA, researchers looked at the microbes’ proteins as well as their surrounding clay habitat, and determined them to be both alive and native to the fissure sample.

How the microbes have been able to continue existing longer than almost any other life on Earth likely comes in large part from their habitat. Located in northeastern South Africa, the Bushveld Igneous Complex (BIC) is a roughly 41,000-square-mile region known for rich deposits of ore, including an estimated 70 percent of all mined platinum. Billions of years ago, volcanic magma cooled incrementally beneath the Earth’s surface in regions as thick as 5.6 miles.

These formations have remained largely unchanged since then, but also include tiny fissures in which microbial life became densely packed. At the same time, clay sediment capped any gaps near these cracks, trapping the tiny organisms inside while allowing nothing else to enter. Experts theorize that allowed the stability for microbial life to continue at an extremely slow pace with little-to-no evolutionary changes. With further exploration, the team hopes to detail what some of the planet’s earliest life looked like billions of years before the arrival of humans.

A rock structure scientists at University College London believe could contain the earliest fossils of life ever found.

(UCL)

Future findings aren’t necessarily limited to expanding our understanding of how organisms evolved on Earth over time. The research team hopes their additional discoveries can one day also help search for evidence of life on Mars.

“NASA’s Mars rover Perseverance is currently due to bring back rocks that are a similar age to those we used in this study,” Suzuki explained. “Finding microbial life in samples from Earth… makes me excited for what we might be able to now find in samples from Mars.”

{ https://www.msn.com/en-us/ }

05-10-2024 om 16:24 geschreven door peter  

Scientists begin testing space thruster that could boldly go where no one has gone before

by University of Southampton

Deep space exploration might no longer be confined to sci-fi after scientists began testing a rocket thruster which promises to boldly go further than ever before.

Astro engineers from the University of Southampton are trialing a new propulsion system which can power spaceships through the stars using any type of metal as fuel.

They say this means crafts fitted with the technology could fly indefinitely by refilling their tanks using minerals harvested from asteroids or far-off moons.

Lead scientist Dr. Minkwan Kim, from the University of Southampton, has been tasked with testing the propulsion system in his labs to measure its thrust.

He said the tech could help spaceships and probes travel to regions of the universe previously thought unreachable.

Dr. Kim added, "Spacecraft have limited amounts of fuel because of the enormous cost and energy it takes to launch them into space.

"But these new thrusters are capable of being powered by any metal that can burn, such as iron, aluminum or copper.

"Once fitted, spacecraft could land on a comet or moon, rich in these minerals, and harvest what it needs before jetting off with a full tank.

"It could open up vast new frontiers and accelerate our understanding of the universe."

Once blasted above the Earth's atmosphere, spacecraft are mostly propelled by rare gas phase fuels such as xenon or krypton, which also power the Starlink satellites.

Scientists from Southampton are working with British-based space firm Magdrive on the propulsion system. The technology is named Super Magdrive.

Dr. Kim, who created a plasma thruster design for the SpaceX Falcon 9 rocket launched last year, said he hopes the tech can be used for future deep-space missions.

He added, "The system could help us explore new planets, seek out new life, and go where no human has gone before—enabling never-ending discovery."

{ https://phys.org/space-news/ }

05-10-2024 om 16:09 geschreven door peter  

Lunar Ice Deposits are More Extensive than Previously Thought

Prior studies found signs of ice in the permanently shadowed regions near the south pole of the Moon, including areas within Cabeus, Haworth, Shoemaker and Faustini craters. A new analysis of data from NASA’s Lunar Reconnaissance Orbiter (LRO) shows there is widespread evidence of water ice within permanently shadowed regions outside the south pole, towards at least 77 degrees south latitude.

This illustration shows the distribution of permanently shadowed regions (in blue) on the Moon poleward of 80 degrees south latitude. They are superimposed on a digital elevation map of the lunar surface (gray) from the Lunar Orbiter Laser Altimeter instrument on board NASA’s Lunar Reconnaissance Orbiter.

Image credit: NASA / GSFC / Timothy P. McClanahan.

Ice could become implanted in lunar regolith through comet and meteor impacts, released as vapor (gas) from the lunar interior, or be formed by chemical reactions between hydrogen in the solar wind and oxygen in the regolith.

The permanently shadowed regions (PSRs) typically occur in topographic depressions near the lunar poles.

Because of the low Sun angle, these areas haven’t seen sunlight for up to billions of years, so are perpetually in extreme cold.

Ice molecules are thought to be repeatedly dislodged from the regolith by meteorites, space radiation, or sunlight and travel across the lunar surface until they land in a PSR where they are entrapped by extreme cold.

The PSR’s continuously cold surfaces can preserve ice molecules near the surface for perhaps billions of years, where they may accumulate into a deposit that is rich enough to mine.

“Our model and analysis show that greatest ice concentrations are expected to occur near the PSRs’ coldest locations below 75 Kelvin (minus 198 degrees Celsius, or minus 325 degrees Fahrenheit) and near the base of the poleward-facing slopes of PSRs,” said Dr. Timothy McClanahan, a researcher at NASA’s Goddard Space Flight Center.

“We can’t accurately determine the volume of the PSRs’ ice deposits or identify if they might be buried under a dry layer of regolith.”

“However, we expect that for each surface 1 m² residing over these deposits there should be at least about five more liters of ice within the surface top 1 m, as compared to their surrounding areas.”

Dr. McClanahan and colleagues used LRO’s Lunar Exploration Neutron Detector (LEND) instrument to detect signs of ice deposits by measuring moderate-energy, ‘epithermal’ neutrons.

Specifically, they used LEND’s Collimated Sensor for Epithermal Neutrons (CSETN) that has a fixed 30-km (18.6 mile) diameter field-of-view.

Neutrons are created by high-energy galactic cosmic rays that come from powerful deep-space events such as exploding stars, that impact the lunar surface, break up regolith atoms, and scatter subatomic particles called neutrons.

The neutrons, which can originate from up to about a 1-m (3.3-foot) depth, ping-pong their way through the regolith, running into other atoms. Some get directed into space, where they can be detected by LEND.

Since hydrogen is about the same mass as a neutron, a collision with hydrogen causes the neutron to lose relatively more energy than a collision with most common regolith elements.

So, where hydrogen is present in regolith, its concentration creates a corresponding reduction in the observed number of moderate-energy neutrons.

“We hypothesized that if all PSRs have the same hydrogen concentration, then CSETN should proportionally detect their hydrogen concentrations as a function of their areas,” Dr. McClanahan said.

“So, more hydrogen should be observed towards the larger-area PSRs.”

• The findings were published this week in the Planetary Science Journal.
• T.P. McClanahan et al. 2024. Evidence for Widespread Hydrogen Sequestration within the Moon’s South Pole Cold Traps. Planet. Sci. J 5, 217; doi: 10.3847/PSJ/ad5b55
• This article was adapted from an original release by NASA.

{ https://www.sci.news/ }

05-10-2024 om 15:58 geschreven door peter