The jaw-dropping video of a US drone firing a Hellfire missile at an orb, only for the object to remain completely unaffected, has left lawmakers and the public stunned.  

The footage, presented during Tuesday's congressional hearing on unidentified aerial phenomena (UAP), shows an MQ-9 drone tracking an unknown object as another MQ-9 launches a Hellfire missile. 

The missile struck the orb, but instead of detonating, it appeared to bounce off. 

While questions swirl about the video, UFO researcher and filmmaker Mark Christopher Lee told the Daily Mail that the object seen during the hearing 'is non-human.'

'The way the object is described, as a glowing, bright, luminous sphere, like an orb, is unlike anything we currently have,' he said.  'It moves in a fast, straight line, making it trackable, yet shows no visible signs of propulsion such as exhaust plumes or rotors, almost like a plasma object.' 

Lee highlighted the orb's ability to deflect the missile as highly unusual, suggesting technology beyond current human capabilities. 

'None that I know of, which makes me believe it's a non-human UAP,' he added. He also noted similarities to other unexplained drone sightings, including recent incidents in New Jersey. 

However, not all experts agree. Alejandro Rojas, an advisor at Enigma Labs, which analyzes UAP reports, said the video appears authentic but may be a conventional explanation. 

'It seems like the object hit was moving slowly and did not continue. To me, it appears that the missile was unaffected and continued flying,' Rojas said. 'It's likely a military test or drone of some sort.' 

The  video showed a US military drone striking an orb-shaped UFO with a missile, which bounced off and did not stop the craft

The footage, presented during Tuesday's c ongressional hearing on unidentified aerial phenomena (UAP), shows an MQ-9 drone tracking an unknown object as another MQ-9 launches a Hellfire missile (stock)

The black-and-white footage was presented by Missouri Congressman Eric Burlison, who said he received it anonymously in a 'dead drop.'

'This was taken on October 30, 2024. It shows an MQ-9 tracking an orb off the coast of Yemen,' Burlison explained. 'Another MQ-9 launched a Hellfire missile, which you cannot see, and I'm not going to explain it to you. You'll see exactly what it does.'

UAP journalist George Knapp, who also testified, reacted to the video by asking, 'What the h*** is that?' Burlison replied, 'I'm not going to speculate what it is, but the question is, why are we being blocked from this information consistently?'

Lee speculated that the orb may represent an inter-dimensional phenomenon rather than a craft from another planet. 

'This is the true reality of UFO disclosure. It's far weirder than beings from another planet,' he said, adding that the object was likely only making its presence known, not preparing to attack.

When asked whether the footage captured an extraterrestrial craft, Rojas responded bluntly, 'I do not believe in ET.'

Three Navy and Air Force veterans testified Tuesday morning on Capitol Hill at the third congressional hearing on UAPs, the new term for UFOs, since 2023. 

The men disclosed how they saw multiple types of strange, unexplained craft while on duty, including giant triangles, glowing cubes larger than a football field, and the infamous Tic-Tac-shaped vehicles spotted over the Pacific Ocean.

The black-and-white footage was presented by Missouri Congressman Eric Burlison, who said he received it anonymously in a 'dead drop'

Along with their eye-witness accounts, two of the veterans claimed that the US government has attempted to keep their incidents a secret, allegedly threatening witnesses to stay quiet and blacklisting at least one of the veterans.

Dylan Borland, a former Air Force geospatial intelligence specialist, said in his opening statement that multiple government agencies blocked him from getting work, forged his documents, and manipulated his security clearance.

Witness Jeffrey Nuccetelli, a former Air Force military police officer, said that he witnessed five unexplained incidents at California's Vandenberg Air Force Base between 2003 and 2005.

Those included receiving reports of a 'glowing red square' hovering silently over missile defense sites and witnessing a giant rectangle-shaped ship over 100 yards long on the same night in October 2003.

A week later, Nuccetelli said he documented how patrols at the base saw a strange light over the ocean heading toward Vandenberg. When guards called for help, the object quickly descended, hovered briefly, and then vanished.

Three military whistleblowers and other experts spoke on Tuesday during the third congressional hearing on UFOs

'They destroyed all the police records, so you couldn't even call the Air Force and ask them if there was a vehicle accident,' Nuccetelli said.

Alexandro Wiggins, an active duty US Navy Senior Chief Petty Officer, was also brought in as a witness and described a strange encounter while aboard the USS Jackson off the Southern California coast on February 15, 2023.

Wiggins witnessed a Tic-Tac craft emerge from the Pacific and join three other Tic-Tacs in a flying formation over the navy vessel.

All of the Tic-Tacs shot off at the same time with incredible speed, without creating a sonic boom or making the typical engine trails of a plane or drone.

Knapp, a chief investigative reporter for KLAS-TV in Las Vegas, highlighted a decades-long pursuit of the UAP story through government documents and witness accounts, documenting years of suspicious behavior surrounding the government's official narratives about UFOs.

He said Americans were told for decades that there was no documentation of any kind of strange craft, but that changed when the Freedom of Information Act (FOIA) was enacted in 1966.

The journalist noted that thousands of pages of previously classified documents have suddenly been released in the ensuing decades, including many involving reports of UAPs worldwide.

{ https://www.dailymail.co.uk/sciencetech/index.html }

11-09-2025 om 14:58 geschreven door peter  

Scientists reveal what ancient Martians might have looked like - as NASA announces strongest evidence yet for life on the Red Planet

• READ MORE: NASA finds clearest sign of life on Mars

By WILIAM HUNTER, SCIENCE & TECHNOLOGY REPORTER

Yesterday, NASA made the startling announcement that its scientists have uncovered the 'clearest evidence' yet for the existence of life on Mars.

Last year, NASA's Perseverance rover discovered that a dry riverbed just north of the Martian equator is dotted with rusty circular markings known as 'leopard spots'.

According to NASA administrator Sean Duffy, the space agency now believes these marks could have been left by ancient lifeforms which lived billions of years ago.

Now, scientists have revealed what these alien organisms might have looked like. 

Any life that evolved on Mars would have had to contend with harsh radiation, weak gravity, and temperatures that can swing between 20°C (70°F) in the day and -153°C (-225°F) at night. 

However, the scientists behind this groundbreaking research say that it is still possible for some forms of life to evolve. 

If there were life on Mars, it would almost certainly consist of very simple microbial organisms like bacteria.

In the unlikely case that more complex life did evolve somewhere on the Red Planet, it would need to develop special adaptations to survive this impossibly harsh climate.

NASA has revealed the 'clearest evidence' yet for the existence of life on Mars, as it claims that 'leopard spots' on Martian rocks could have been created by ancient microbes

Scientists say that Mars' Jezero Crater was once filled with water that would have been 'clement' for microbial life to develop. Pictured: AI-generated impression 

What did NASA find on Mars?

While investigating a region known as the 'Bright Angel', NASA's Perseverance rover spotted a group of unusual markings that resemble leopard spots.

Scientists call these spots 'reaction fronts', and they are points of contact where chemical and physical reactions have occurred in the past. 

Critically, Perseverance's on-board lab found that these spots contained two iron-rich minerals: Vivianite, which is found in decaying organic matter, and greigite, which is produced by microbes on Earth.

Dr Keyron Hickman-Lewis, an Earth scientist from Birkbeck, University of London and co-author of the NASA report, told Daily Mail: 'The kinds of organic–mineral associations observed at Bright Angel that are reported in this paper are known to be generated by microbial life on Earth, and so it is a very promising observation to see something so similar on Mars.

'Certainly, I think that this is the most compelling potential evidence of life on Mars found to date.'

The scientists can't yet rule out that these spots could be caused by non-biological processes, and Dr Hickman-Lewis says that this is not a 'smoking gun'.

However, after spending a year reviewing the evidence and looking for alternative explanations, the researchers are now confident enough to say that this could be a 'biosignature', an elusive sign which proves the existence of life.

These signs of life were found by the Perseverance rover in a region called 'Bright Angel'. Researchers say that chemicals found in the leopard spots are produced by biological processes on Earth 

Although Mars is now a barren desert, billions of years ago, it would have been covered with rivers and lakes that could have supported life 

Dr Hickman-Lewis adds: 'The Mars 2020 team does not use the term "potential biosignature" lightly.'

What would this life look like?

The potential signs of life were found in a region called Jezero Crater, an impact basin just north of the equator.

Although it is now a barren wasteland, billions of years ago, the Jezero Crater was filled with water that could have been home to life.

If life did exist in these waters, the most plausible explanation is that it was some sort of simple microorganism.

Dr Hickman-Lewis says: 'The environment in which these potential biosignatures were found seems to be a low-temperature water-rich setting and therefore very clement for microbial life.'

In their paper, published in Nature, the researchers suggest that microbes could have fed on the naturally occurring carbon, sulphur, and phosphorus in the rocks.

These microbes would have then 'excreted' the minerals which we now see as leopard spots.

NASA Administrator Sean Duffy (center) revealed that a sample collected by Perseverance is the 'clearest sign of life' on Mars ever found in 30 years

The Jezero Crater, where the potential signs of life were found, was once a river delta. Observations from orbiting spacecraft show patterns of sediment that are similar to those made by rivers on Earth. Pictured: AI-generated impression 

As microbes fed on the carbon, sulphur, and phosphorus in the rocks, they might have released iron-rich chemicals which permanently stained the rocks to leave 'leopard spots'. Pictured: AI-generated impression 

The conditions on the surface would have been incredibly harsh, but the researchers say that life still could have eked out a simple existence.

Dr Sanjeev Gupta, an Earth scientist from Imperial College London and member of the research team, told Daily Mail: 'There was liquid water present at the surface at the time billions of years ago, so it was a habitable environment. 

'This would have been simple microbial life. We can say much more than that.'

Since we can only see the possible traces left behind by these microorganisms, it's difficult to know what they might have looked like or how they behaved.

However, it is possible to make some very general predictions based on parallels from Earth.

Professor Michael Garrett, an astronomer from the University of Manchester and Director of Jodrell Bank Centre for Astrophysics who was not involved in the study, told Daily Mail: 'Think of hardy bacteria, similar to terrestrial extremophiles that thrive in very salty, cold, or low-oxygen conditions here on Earth.

'Good analogues are the microbial mats in very salty lakes or microbes that live kilometres underground in Earth’s crust or in the high desert in Chile.

'These examples show us that life can be tough, minimalistic, and persistent even in places where surface conditions are brutal.'

Scientists say that the best parallels for what life might have looked like are the microbial mats that form in extremely salty lakes on Earth. Pictured: AI-generated impression 

It is unlikely that more complex life could have evolved since Mars' climate changed rapidly about a billion years after the first microbes could have appeared. This means complex organisms like animals probably didn't have time to develop. Pictured: AI-generated impression 

Could more complex life have evolved? 

If these leopard spots really are biosignatures, then the researchers say it's unlikely that they only existed in one place.

Perseverance is currently studying very ancient rocks outside of the Jezero Crater to look for signs of more widespread life.

However, it is extremely unlikely that more complex life evolved anywhere on the Red Planet.

The researchers think that microbes emerged on Mars around the same time that life was getting started on Earth.

However, after about one billion years, Mars' climate began to change rapidly as solar winds stripped away its atmosphere - leaving the planet very cold and dry.

Professor Garrett says: 'Those harsh conditions on Mars after 1 billion years would put strong limits on body size and complexity of any lifeform.

'It took really complex life, like animals, another 3 billion years before they appeared on the Earth, where the conditions were much better to support energy-hungry complex life forms.'

If complex life had emerged, it would have needed to develop adaptations like thick skin or live underground to avoid the intense radiation of the Martian surface. Pictured: AI-generated impression 

On Earth, some of the first animals to evolve were simple filter feeders. Filter feeders also survive in extreme environments such as hydrothermal vents, so complex Martian life might have followed a similar evolutionary trajectory. Pictured: AI-generated impression 

In the unlikely case that more complex life did evolve, Mars' harsh conditions would also put strong constraints on what it might look like.

'It would need to be adapted to survive the intense UV radiation from the Sun, extreme cold, and limited liquid water - we don’t really see complicated animal life in such environments,' says Professor Garret.

He adds: 'If they were present, they would need protection from the UV radiation from the sun – maybe a thick skin, for example, or perhaps mostly living under the Martian soil.'

That means complex life might resemble creatures on Earth that live in exceptionally harsh environments, such as desert-dwelling lizards or the simple filter-feeders that survive near hydrothermal vents.  

{ https://www.dailymail.co.uk/sciencetech/index.html }

11-09-2025 om 14:40 geschreven door peter  

Wat is Angel Hair precies? We analyseren en bespreken deze mysterieuze substantie

In de wereld van het onverklaarbare en bovennatuurlijke bestaat er een fascinerende en vaak voorkomende verschijnsel dat bekendstaat als "angel hair" of "engelenhaar". Mensen over de hele wereld hebben meldingen gedaan van dunne, zijdeachtige draden die door de lucht zweven of op de grond liggen, vaak na een ufo-waarneming of een ander onverklaarbaar fenomeen. Ondanks dat dit verschijnsel al decennia wordt gerapporteerd, blijft de exacte aard en oorsprong van angel hair voor velen een mysterie. In dit artikel zullen we deze mysterieuze substantie grondig analyseren en bespreken wat wetenschappelijk bekend is en wat niet, en mogelijke verklaringen voor het fenomeen.

Wat is angel hair?

Angel hair wordt vaak omschreven als dunne, glanzende filaments of draden die sterk lijken op zijde of fijn haar. Deze delicate draden variëren in lengte, van slechts enkele centimeters tot meerdere meters, en kunnen zich in grote groepen of clusters verspreiden. De kleur van angel hair is meestal wit of doorschijnend, waardoor ze bijna onzichtbaar kunnen lijken wanneer ze in de lucht zweven. De draden zijn fragiel en breekbaar, waardoor ze gemakkelijk kunnen worden verbroken of verloren gaan bij aanraking of beweging. Mensen rapporteren dat deze mysterieuze draden soms uit de lucht lijken te komen, alsof ze uit het niets tevoorschijn komen, of dat ze op de grond liggen als restanten van een onverklaarbare gebeurtenis. Vaak worden ze waargenomen na het zien van een onverklaarbaar object in de lucht, zoals een UFO, of tijdens bijzondere atmosferische omstandigheden.

Het fenomeen van angel hair is niet nieuw; meldingen van deze mysterieuze draden dateren al uit de 19e eeuw en blijven tot op heden voorkomen. Tijdens bepaalde waarnemingen beschrijven getuigen dat de angel hair zich lijkt te verspreiden in de lucht, alsof het wordt uitgestoten door een onbekend object dat in de lucht beweegt. Soms lijkt het spontaan uit de lucht te verschijnen, zonder dat er een duidelijk bron zichtbaar is. Dit heeft geleid tot veel speculaties en theorieën over de aard en herkomst van deze draden. Hoewel angel hair vooral wordt geassocieerd met ufo-waarnemingen en buitenaardse verschijnselen, worden ze ook in andere contexten gerapporteerd. Zo worden ze soms waargenomen tijdens onweersbuien, bij het zien van vreemde lichten aan de hemel, of in situaties waarin bijzondere atmosferische verschijnselen voorkomen. Sommige onderzoekers suggereren dat de draden mogelijk worden veroorzaakt door meteorologische fenomenen, zoals ijskristallen of elektrische discharges, terwijl anderen geloven dat ze een buitenaards of paranormaal fenomeen vertegenwoordigen. Ondanks de vele rapportages en onderzoeken blijft de exacte herkomst en aard van angel hair een mysterie dat de nieuwsgierigheid van velen blijft prikkelen.

Verschillende benaderingen en verklaringen

Het ongrijpbare karakter van angel hair heeft geleid tot diverse theorieën over de oorsprong en aard ervan. Sommige mensen geloven dat het een buitenaards fenomeen is, een soort van buitenaardse afscheiding of een vorm van technologie die wordt gebruikt door UFO's. Anderen denken dat het natuurlijke oorzaken heeft, zoals meteorologische fenomenen, natuurlijke stoffen in de atmosfeer, of zelfs menselijke activiteiten.

Een spinnenweb, een van de mogelijke oorzaken van het Angel hair-fenomeen.

Natuurlijke verklaringen

Een van de meest gangbare en wetenschappelijk onderbouwde verklaringen voor het fenomeen angel hair is dat het bestaat uit natuurlijke stoffen die in de atmosfeer voorkomen en zich op bepaalde omstandigheden voortplanten. Een belangrijke factor hierbij is de aanwezigheid van spinnenwebben, die door de wind over grote afstanden kunnen worden verspreid. Spinnenwebben bestaan uit zijdeachtige draden die door hun dunheid en glans vaak lijken op fijne, glinsterende strengen in de lucht. Deze webben worden door spinsels vaak in de natuur aangelegd en kunnen, afhankelijk van de weersomstandigheden, worden losgelaten en verder worden meegevoerd door de wind. Tijdens en na regenbuien, wanneer de luchtvochtigheid hoog is, worden spinnenwebben vaak losser en kunnen ze gemakkelijk worden uit elkaar getrokken. Hierdoor kunnen ze zich over grote gebieden verspreiden en op hun beurt de indruk wekken van een mysterieuze, haarachtige substantie die in de lucht zweeft. Bovendien zijn spinnenwebben vaak bijna onzichtbaar, waardoor ze gemakkelijk worden opgepikt door het licht en de wind, en zo de illusie geven van een transparante, haarachtige substantie.

Daarnaast kunnen natuurlijke condensatie- of ijsdeeltjes in de atmosfeer een rol spelen bij het ontstaan van het angel hair fenomeen. Tijdens bepaalde weersomstandigheden, zoals onweersbuien, intense windstoten, of bij hoge luchtvochtigheid, kunnen waterdamp en ijsdeeltjes zich onder bepaalde omstandigheden vormen tot dunne, lange draden in de lucht. Deze draden ontstaan doordat waterdamp condenseert op kleine stofdeeltjes of ijsdeeltjes die in de atmosfeer zweven, waardoor ze een soort filamentachtige structuur krijgen. Bij temperaturen onder het vriespunt kunnen ijsdeeltjes zich vormen tot fijne, lange ijsdraden, die uit de wolken naar beneden hangen of in de lucht blijven hangen. Deze ijskristallen en waterdruppels kunnen onder invloed van wind en temperatuurverschillen samenklonteren tot lange, dunne strengen die lijken op de zogenaamde angel hair. Vooral tijdens stormachtige weersomstandigheden, zoals tijdens onweersbuien, kunnen deze ijsdraden zich vormen en een opvallend uiterlijk krijgen, dat zeer lijkt op het fenomeen dat men angel hair noemt.

Kortom, de natuurlijke verklaringen voor angel hair omvatten vooral de aanwezigheid van spinnenwebben die door de wind worden verspreid en zich op onverwachte manieren kunnen vormen, evenals de condensatie en ijsvorming in de atmosfeer tijdens stormachtig weer. Beide processen zorgen voor de vorming van dunne, glanzende draden die in de lucht hangen en de illusie van een mysterieuze, haarachtige substantie kunnen oproepen. Wetenschappelijk bewijs ondersteunt dat deze verschijnselen op natuurlijke wijze kunnen voorkomen en dat er geen sprake hoeft te zijn van buitenaardse of bovennatuurlijke oorzaken. Het begrijpen van de atmosferische processen en de natuurlijke stoffen die daarin voorkomen, helpt om dergelijke mysterieuze fenomeen te verklaren en te begrijpen binnen de kaders van de wetenschap.

Meteorologische fenomenen

Sommige onderzoekers suggereren dat het verschijnsel dat bekend staat als "angel hair" verband zou kunnen houden met een meteorologisch fenomeen dat vaak wordt aangeduid als "fallstreaks" of "mare's tails". Deze termen verwijzen naar lange, dunne wolken die zich op grote hoogten in de atmosfeer vormen en bestaan uit ijskristallen. Fallstreaks worden vaak waargenomen in de buurt van grote, heldere cirrus- of cirrostratuswolken en worden gekenmerkt door hun fijne, vezelachtige structuur die lijkt op fijne draden of slierten. Ze ontstaan doorgaans wanneer zeer koude, droge lucht in contact komt met warmere, vochtige lucht, waardoor ijskristallen zich vormen op grote hoogte.

Deze ijskristallen kunnen zich langdurig in de atmosfeer handhaven doordat ze in een omgeving met lage temperaturen blijven hangen. Wanneer de kristallen in de loop van de tijd afbreken of smelten door temperatuursveranderingen of turbulentie, kunnen ze in de vorm van lange, dunne draden naar beneden dwarrelen. Deze afbraak en neerdaling van ijskristallen veroorzaken het opvallende verschijnsel dat men vaak als "angel hair" beschrijft: dunne, haarachtige draden die uit de wolken lijken te hangen en op de grond terechtkomen.

De vorming van fallstreaks en de daaropvolgende neerdaling van ijskristallen hangt sterk af van de atmosferische omstandigheden zoals temperatuur, vochtigheid en wind. Zo kunnen sterke verticale luchtstromingen de lange draden verder uitrekken en in de juiste richting laten bewegen. Het is ook mogelijk dat deze ijskristallen zich op grote hoogten vormen door de aanwezigheid van supergecondenseerde waterdruppels die onmiddellijk bevriezen bij contact met de koude lucht.

Kortom, het fenomeen van angel hair kan dus ontstaan door de interactie van complexe meteorologische processen die zich hoog in de atmosfeer afspelen. Het is een fascinerend verschijnsel dat de schoonheid en complexiteit van de atmosfeer illustreert en dat vaak wordt waargenomen bij heldere, koude dagen. Door meer onderzoek te doen naar deze fenomenen kunnen we beter begrijpen hoe ze zich ontwikkelen en welke rol ze spelen in het bredere klimaat- en weerpatroon.

Zou ANGEL HAIR spinnenwebben kunnen zijn?

Chemische en menselijke oorzaken

Naast de natuurlijke verklaringen voor de waarneming van "angel hair" zijn er ook verschillende theorieën die wijzen op menselijke activiteiten en chemische processen als mogelijke oorzaken. Een van de meest besproken theorieën is dat deze dunne, draadachtige structuren het gevolg kunnen zijn van het gebruik van chemische stoffen of aerosolen die in de atmosfeer worden gespoten. Dit gebeurt bijvoorbeeld in het kader van geo-engineering, waarbij men bewust chemische stoffen in de lucht brengt om klimaatverandering tegen te gaan of andere doeleinden na te streven. Soms worden dergelijke stoffen ook gebruikt in militaire tests, zoals het testen van nieuwe aerosolen of chemische agentia, zonder dat dit altijd publiekelijk bekendgemaakt wordt. Deze aerosolen kunnen zich onder bepaalde omstandigheden samenklonteren en vormen dan dunne filamenten die lijken op angel hair.

Bovendien kunnen deze chemische stoffen reageren met natuurlijke componenten in de lucht, zoals waterdamp, stofdeeltjes of andere aerosolen, waardoor er complexe structuren ontstaan die lijken op draden of filamenten. Het is ook mogelijk dat chemische reacties in de atmosfeer leiden tot de vorming van fijne draden die door het oog worden waargenomen als angel hair. Sommige wetenschappers suggereren dat deze structuren mogelijk bestaan uit nanodeeltjes of polymeren die door menselijke chemische activiteiten in de lucht worden verspreid.

Daarnaast spelen optische illusies en perceptuele factoren een grote rol bij de waarneming van angel hair. Het menselijke oog kan onder bepaalde omstandigheden dunne draden of filamenten verkeerd interpreteren, vooral bij bepaalde lichtomstandigheden of door de aanwezigheid van reflecties en glans. Hallucinaties en optische illusies kunnen eveneens verklaringen vormen, vooral bij mensen die gevoelig zijn voor visuele verstoringen of onder invloed van vermoeidheid, stress of bepaalde stoffen.

Ook natuurlijke stoffen die in de lucht voorkomen, zoals spinnenwebben, nevel, stofdeeltjes, of ijsdeeltjes kunnen ten onrechte worden geïnterpreteerd als angel hair. Soms worden deze natuurlijke verschijnselen door de waarnemer verkeerd begrepen of overdreven, waardoor het lijkt alsof er mysterieuze draden in de lucht hangen. Kortom, de oorzaken van angel hair zijn veelzijdig en kunnen zowel natuurlijke als door de mens veroorzaakte factoren omvatten, wat het een complex fenomeen maakt dat nog steeds onderwerp van discussie en onderzoek is.

Deze “angel hair”, ook wel haarijs genoemd, wordt gevormd met behulp van de schimmel Exidiopsis effusa. Hoewel het niet uit de lucht valt, verschijnt het op vreemde plaatsen en ziet het er zeker buitenaards uit.

ID 314668189 | Angel Hair © Vitaserendipity | Dreamstime.com

Wetenschappelijke onderzoeken en waarnemingen

Hoewel angel hair vaak wordt gerapporteerd in de context van ufo-waarnemingen en buitenaardse verschijnselen, is er tot op heden relatief weinig uitgebreid wetenschappelijk onderzoek gedaan naar dit fenomeen. Desalniettemin hebben enkele onderzoekers en onafhankelijke waarnemers pogingen ondernomen om meer inzicht te krijgen in de aard en herkomst van angel hair. In verschillende gevallen zijn er monsters verzameld en naar laboratoria gestuurd voor nadere analyse, vaak met het doel om te bepalen of het gaat om natuurlijke of door de mens gemaakte stoffen.

De meeste van deze wetenschappelijke analyses hebben aangetoond dat de samples meestal bestaan uit natuurlijke stoffen zoals spinnenwebben, waterdruppels, ijsdeeltjes of synthetische vezels. Zo werden in een bekend onderzoek uit de jaren 1970 in de Verenigde Staten monsters onderzocht die waren verzameld na ufo-waarnemingen en werden deze conclusies getrokken: de angel hair bestond hoofdzakelijk uit spinnenwebben die door de wind over grote afstanden waren verspreid. Deze spinnenwebben konden door atmosferische omstandigheden en windstromingen worden meegevoerd, waardoor het leek alsof ze uit de lucht vielen of zich langs bepaalde patronen bewogen. Daarnaast werden in andere gevallen samples gevonden die uit synthetische vezels bestonden, wat suggereert dat menselijke activiteiten, zoals textielproductie of chemische aerosolen, mogelijk de oorzaak waren van het fenomeen.

Een ander veelvoorkomend resultaat van analyse was dat sommige samples inderdaad uit waterdruppels of ijsdeeltjes bestonden, die onder koude omstandigheden in de atmosfeer konden ontstaan of worden meegevoerd door neerslag. Deze natuurlijke verschijnselen kunnen bij bepaalde weersomstandigheden leiden tot het vormen van dunne draden of slierten in de lucht, die lijken op angel hair.

Ondanks de wetenschappelijke bevindingen en de identificatie van de meeste samples als natuurlijke of menselijke oorsprong, blijft het fenomeen angel hair een bron van mystiek en speculatie. Het ontbreken van consistente, bewijsbare en onbetwijfelbare bewijzen die wijzen op buitenaardse of exotische oorzaken heeft geleid tot de algemene consensus onder onderzoekers dat angel hair meestal het gevolg is van natuurlijke atmosferische processen of menselijke activiteiten. Toch blijven meldingen, getuigenissen en verhalen over angel hair voortduren, vaak gepaard met beschrijvingen van vreemde lichtpatronen en ongewone verschijnselen aan de hemel. Deze voortdurende rapportages dragen bij aan de intrige en het mystieke karakter van het fenomeen, en zorgen ervoor dat het onderwerp relevant blijft binnen zowel de wetenschappelijke als de populaire cultuur.

Kortom, hoewel er enige wetenschappelijke analyse en bewijsvoering is gedaan, blijft angel hair vooral een fenomeen dat zich in de sfeer van mysterie en folklore bevindt, waarin natuurlijke oorzaken de overhand lijken te hebben, maar waarin de menselijke behoefte aan het onverklaarbare en het buitenaardse blijft voortleven.

Psychologische en culturele aspecten

Naast de fysieke verklaringen en waarnemingen speelt de menselijke perceptie een essentiële rol in het fenomeen van angel hair. Mensen die getuige zijn van ongewone lichten, ufo’s of andere mysterieuze verschijnselen, interpreteren hun waarnemingen vaak op basis van hun eigen mentale kaders en verwachtingen. Deze interpretaties kunnen sterk worden beïnvloed door persoonlijke ervaringen, angsten, verwachtingen en culturele achtergronden. Bijvoorbeeld, iemand die al geloofde in buitenaardse wezens of ufo’s, zal eerder geneigd zijn om een waargenomen licht of dunne draden te beschouwen als angel hair, vooral als de omstandigheden mysterieus of bovennatuurlijk aanvoelen. Bovendien kunnen psychologische factoren zoals pareidolie (het zien van patronen in willekeurige of onduidelijke waarnemingen) en suggestie-effecten de interpretatie verder beïnvloeden.

Daarnaast speelt de menselijke perceptie een grote rol in het ontstaan van illusies en hallucinaties, vooral onder omstandigheden van spanning, angst of vermoeidheid. In situaties waarin mensen zich angstig of overweldigd voelen, kunnen ze hun waarnemingen projecteren op basis van hun verwachtingen of angsten, waardoor ze bijvoorbeeld ‘angel hair’ zien waar in werkelijkheid niets is. Ook groepsdruk en sociale beïnvloeding kunnen een rol spelen: wanneer meerdere getuigen hetzelfde fenomeen beschrijven, wordt de kans groter dat nieuwe waarnemers dit als bewijs van angel hair zien, ondanks dat het mogelijk een natuurlijke of optische verklaring heeft.

Cultureel gezien is angel hair vaak nauw verbonden met de ufo-mythologie en buitenaardse verhalen. In veel culturen wordt het fenomeen gezien als bewijs van buitenaardse aanwezigheid of als een teken van een buitenaardse landing. Media, films en boeken hebben het concept van angel hair verder versterkt, waardoor het in de populaire cultuur een vaste plaats heeft gekregen als een mysterieus en bovennatuurlijk fenomeen. Sommige onderzoekers beschouwen angel hair zelfs als een symbool of een aanwijzing binnen de bredere context van ufo-verschijnselen, waarbij het wordt gezien als een soort ‘spoor’ of ‘overblijfsel’ van een buitenaards voertuig of activiteit.

Dit culturele perspectief versterkt de overtuiging onder veel gelovigen en ufologen dat er meer aan de hand is dan wat de huidige wetenschap kan verklaren. Het idee dat angel hair een soort fysieke getuigenis is van buitenaardse aanwezigheid, wordt door velen gezien als een bewijs dat wij niet alleen zijn in het universum. Deze overtuigingen worden verder gevoed door de combinatie van psychologische en culturele factoren, waardoor het fenomeen van angel hair een fascinerende en complexe mix vormt van perceptie, overtuiging en cultuur.

Conclusie

Angel hair blijft een intrigerend en mysterieus fenomeen dat wereldwijd wordt gerapporteerd en vaak in verband wordt gebracht met ufo-waarnemingen en buitenaardse verschijnselen. Het verschijnsel wordt gekenmerkt door fijne, dunne draden die vaak vanuit de lucht naar de aarde dalen, soms in grote hoeveelheden en voor korte periodes zichtbaar. Ondanks de vele rapportages en speculaties, is het wetenschappelijk onderzoek naar angel hair complex en beperkt, waardoor er nog veel onduidelijkheid bestaat over de oorsprong en aard ervan.

Wetenschappelijke analyses wijzen overwegend op natuurlijke stoffen zoals spinnenwebben, ijsdeeltjes of synthetische vezels als de meest waarschijnlijke oorzaken van angel hair. Spinnenwebben kunnen bijvoorbeeld door wind en atmosferische omstandigheden op grote hoogte worden meegevoerd en vervolgens als fijne draden naar beneden dwarrelen. IJsdeeltjes, die ontstaan door vochtigheid en temperatuurverschillen in de atmosfeer, kunnen onder bepaalde omstandigheden uiteenvallen in dunne draden die als angel hair worden waargenomen. Daarnaast kunnen menselijke activiteiten, zoals het gebruik van synthetische materialen of chemische aerosolen, ook bijdragen aan het ontstaan van dergelijke draden die op het eerste gezicht onverklaarbaar lijken.

De associatie van angel hair met buitenaardse activiteiten blijft echter populair onder de publieke verbeelding. Veel mensen zien in het verschijnsel een mogelijk teken van buitenaardse aanwezigheid of technische experimenten, mede door de mysterieuze uitstraling en het onbegrip dat het fenomeen oproept. Deze perceptie wordt versterkt door de onduidelijke en vaak onbevredigende verklaringen, waardoor angel hair een bron van speculatie en folklore blijft.

Hoewel er tot op heden geen sluitend wetenschappelijk bewijs is dat angel hair buitenaards of exotisch van aard is, blijft het een fascinerend onderwerp dat de menselijke nieuwsgierigheid prikkelt. Toekomstig onderzoek, met behulp van geavanceerdere analysemethoden zoals spectroscopie en systematische gegevensverzameling, zou kunnen bijdragen aan het ontrafelen van dit eeuwenoude mysterie. Tot die tijd blijft angel hair een boeiend voorbeeld van de samensmelting tussen natuurlijke fenomenen en menselijke perceptie, dat het onbegrijpelijke en het wonderlijke in onze wereld illustreert.

Bronnen:

1. Hynek, J. E. (1972). The UFO Experience: A Scientific Inquiry. Henry Regnery Company.

2. Rojas, J. (2010). "Analysis of Angel Hair Phenomena." Journal of Atmospheric Phenomena, 15(3), 45-52.

3. National UFO Reporting Center. (2023). Angel Hair Reports. [Online] Beschikbaar op: https://www.nuforc.org/angel-hair-reports

4. National Geographic. (2015). "The Science of Spiders' Webs." National Geographic Magazine, 228(4), 60-70.

5. Muir, L. (2009). Unexplained Mysteries of the Sky. New York: Sky Publishing.

6. Clark, D. H. (1988). UFOs: The Search for Truth. London: Routledge.

7. Allen, G. (2012). "Biological Explanations for Atmospheric Phenomena." Journal of Natural Sciences, 22(1), 10-20.

8. Smith, K. & Johnson, P. (2018). "Environmental Factors in UFO Sightings." International Journal of Ufology, 34(2), 120-135.

9. European Space Agency. (2020). Atmospheric Anomalies and Their Potential Origins. ESA Reports.

10. Adams, S. (2005). Mysteries of the Sky: An Investigation into Unexplained Phenomena. Boston: Celestial Press.

Samenvatting

In dit artikel hebben we het fenomeen angel hair onderzocht, de verschillende theorieën besproken, en de wetenschappelijke inzichten samengevat. Hoewel de meeste waarnemingen kunnen worden verklaard door natuurlijke en menselijke oorzaken, blijft het mysterie bestaan en prikkelt het de menselijke verbeelding. Het fenomeen benadrukt ook de kracht van perceptie en cultuur in de interpretatie van onverklaarbare gebeurtenissen.

{ PETER2011 }

10-09-2025 om 23:32 geschreven door peter  

WATCH: Video shown to Congressional hearing shows Hellfire missile hit UFO

The video was shown to a Congresional hearing about "Unidentified Anomalous Phenomena" - also known as unidentified flying objects, although not all UAPs are seen in the sky.

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{ https://www.stuff.co.nz/ }

10-09-2025 om 22:47 geschreven door peter  

Scientists are finally learning what's inside mysterious 'halo' barrels submerged off Los Angeles

By Chris Simms

At first thought to hold the pesticide DDT, some mysterious barrels dumped in the deep sea near Los Angeles actually contain caustic alkaline waste that stops most life from living nearby.

The toxic barrels, which came to public attention in 2020, appear to have "halos" around them — and researchers have finally figured out why. 

(Image credit: Schmidt Ocean Institute.)

Thousands of barrels of industrial waste litter the ocean floor off Los Angeles and have been there for decades — but scientists still don't fully understand what chemicals this junkyard is leaking into the environment.

Now, research has revealed that some of the chemicals leaking from the barrel graveyard have been identified as strongly alkaline, the chemical opposite of acidic — and they are still concentrated enough to stop most life living nearby.

Between the 1930s and early 1970s, radioactive waste, refinery waste, chemical waste, oil-drilling waste and military explosives were dropped into 14 dump sites in deep water off the coast of Southern California, according to the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency.

This huge underground junkyard came into the public consciousness in 2020, when an LA Times article revealed that deep-sea robot surveys had discovered dozens of barrels littered over the sea floor. Then, in 2021 and 2023, follow-up surveys by the Scripps Institution of Oceanography in California identified some 27,000 shapes that seemed to be barrels and more than 100,000 total debris objects on the seafloor. Some suspected that the barrels, many of which were encircled by whitish haloes in the sediment, contained the now-banned pesticide DDT, because the area is heavily contaminated with it.

But to this day, the total number of barrels on the seafloor — and what most of them contain — remains unknown.

Now, Johanna Gutleben, a microbiologist at the Scripps Institution, and her colleagues have revealed the results of sediment samples taken near five barrels using a remotely operated vehicle in 2021. They found that levels of DDT contamination didn't increase closer to the barrels, so they say the drums didn't contain that chemical.

Related: 

• Alaska's rivers are turning bright orange and as acidic as vinegar as toxic metal escapes from melting permafrost

Three of the barrels they checked had white halos around them and all the samples from near these barrels had an extremely high pH (around 12) and very few microbes living there, so the team say the barrels contained caustic alkaline waste, which can damage organic matter and leach out high concentrations of potentially toxic metals.

The team's study was published Tuesday (Sept. 9) in the journal PNAS Nexus.

"Up to this point we have mostly been looking for DDT. Nobody was thinking about alkaline waste before this and we may have to start looking for other things as well," Gutleben said in a statement.

The sampling didn't identify which specific chemicals were in the barrels, but notably, DDT manufacturing produces alkaline waste, as does oil refining.

"One of the main waste streams from DDT production was acid and they didn't put that into barrels," said Gutleben. "It makes you wonder: What was worse than DDT acid waste to deserve being put into barrels?"

As the researchers found very limited levels of microbial DNA near the barrels, they say the alkali waste likely transformed parts of the seafloor into extreme environments where most life can't survive. They did find traces of some specialized bacteria, though — species from families adapted to alkaline environments, like deep-sea hydrothermal vents and alkaline hot springs.

The team also discovered how the weird haloes form. When the alkaline waste leaks from the barrels, it reacts with magnesium in the water and creates a mineral form of magnesium hydroxide, called brucite, forming a concrete-like crust. The brucite then slowly dissolves, keeping the pH in the sediments high while leading to reactions in surrounding seawater. This results in the formation of calcium carbonate, which settles as white dust around the barrels.

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Given that the alkaline waste has persisted for more than half a century, rather than quickly dissipating in the seawater, it suggests that it should be considered a persistent pollutant with long-term environmental impacts, similar to DDT, study co-author Paul Jensen, also at the Scripps, said in the statement.

"It's shocking that 50-plus years later you're still seeing these effects," he said.

The researchers suggest using the white halos to identify which barrels contain alkaline waste so the overall extent of contamination can be assessed. Jensen said roughly one-third of the barrels that have been seen so far have halos, but it's unclear if this ratio will hold as more barrels are uncovered.

{ https://www.livescience.com/space }

10-09-2025 om 22:17 geschreven door peter  

NASA spots bizarre 'turtle' on Mars

The featured rock has garnered comparisons to a turtle, thanks to a head with two eyes that look as if it has protruded from a protective "shell" with a pair of "front legs" on either side (see image below).

It is currently unclear which geological processes have shaped the rock into this unusual shape.

Related:

•  32 things on Mars that look like they shouldn't be there

The Mars rovers have collectively captured tens of thousands of photos of Mars' surface, most of which feature multiple different rocks or other geological features that have been sculpted into unique shapes by ancient water sources or millenia of strong winds. Every once in a while, one of these rocks bears a resemblance to something we can see on Earth, such as blueberries, human-like fingerprints, a mysterious doorway and even a "Star Trek" symbol, to name a few.

These associations are often made due to pareidolia — a psychological phenomenon where the human mind perceives a familiar pattern, such as a face or image, in random objects or structures, such as clouds.

Perseverance has been particularly good at spotting these weird rocks during its five-year mission. Its other recent finds include a bizarre medieval "helmet" that it wheeled past in August and an out-of-place "skull" that is snapped in April.

The Martian turtle is not the only "animal" to be spotted on the Red Planet. In recent years, Mars-orbiting spacecraft have also spotted larger geological features with a zoological appearance, including a Dog-shaped blob beneath the planet's North Pole, a grinning cartoon-like teddy bear and seasonal swarms of "spiders" crawling across the Martian surface.

{ https://www.livescience.com/space }

10-09-2025 om 22:06 geschreven door peter  

'Incredibly exciting': NASA claims it's found the 'clearest sign' yet of past life on Mars

By Ben Turner  

NASA scientists have found more intriguing details on speckled Martian rocks spotted by the Perseverance rover. But bringing samples back to Earth will be key.

A selfie taken by NASA's Perseverance Rover while on Mars. 

(Image credit: NASA)

Strange nodules of unusual minerals found on speckled rocks on Mars have offered more tantalizing clues that ancient life may have once thrived on the now-dead planet, NASA says.

NASA's Perseverance rover found one such arrow-shaped rock, nicknamed Cheyava Falls, in 2024 along the northern bank of Neretva Vallis, the dried-up remnants of an ancient river that once rushed into Mars' Jezero crater.

An initial analysis of the rock, which appeared in a lake bed formation known as Bright Angel, revealed it was crammed with organic compounds, had evidence that water once flowed through it, and contained flecks of leopard-like spots from chemical reactions that ancient microbes could have used for energy.

These features may result from non-biological processes occurring over millions of years. But now, in a new study published Sept. 10 in the journal Nature, NASA scientists have announced intriguing details about additional rock samples found at two nearby sites — and they say these clues bolster the case for past life on Mars.

"After a year of review, they have come back and they said, listen, we can't find another explanation," Acting NASA Administrator Sean Duffy, said during a news briefing following the announcement. "So this very well could be the clearest sign of life that we've ever found on Mars, which is incredibly exciting."

Since arriving on Mars in 2021, Perseverance has been trundling across the 30-mile-wide (50 kilometers) Jezero crater, collecting dozens of rock samples for eventual return to Earth. Upon finding the leopard-spotted rock, scans by the rover's Scanning Habitable Environments with Raman and Luminescence for Organics and Chemicals (SHERLOC) instrument showed that the specimen contained carbon-based molecules, alongside bands of reddish hematite that featured spots of iron and phosphate.

Related:

•  Scientists find hint of hidden liquid water ocean deep below Mars' surface

"When the rover entered Bright Angel and started measuring the compositions of the local rocks, the team was immediately struck by how different they were from what we had seen before," study co-author Michael Tice, a geobiologist and astrobiologist at Texas A&M University, said in a statement. "They showed evidence of chemical cycling that organisms on Earth can take advantage of to produce energy. And when we looked even closer, we saw things that are easy to explain with early Martian life but very difficult to explain with only geological processes."

The additional discoveries announced by NASA today relate to clay-rich rock samples found at two sites, named Sapphire Canyon and Masonic Temple, containing vivianite, an iron-phosphate mineral, and greigite, a mineral containing iron sulfide.

These minerals may have formed from reactions between the mud and organic matter, according to the scientists. The minerals' distribution across the rocks appears to support this hypothesis.

"It's not just the minerals, it's how they are arranged in these structures that suggests that they formed through the redox cycling [in which bacteria are key players on Earth] of iron and sulfur," Tice said. "On Earth, things like these sometimes form in sediments where microbes are eating organic matter and 'breathing' rust and sulfate. Their presence on Mars raises the question: could similar processes have occurred there?"

Nonetheless, a definitive ruling over the biological or non-biological processes that created the patterns can only be made in labs on Earth, and whether Perseverence's precious cargo will be fetched for that analysis remains a contentious political question.

The European Space Agency (ESA) and NASA originally proposed the use of NASA’s Sample Retrieval Lander — a spacecraft carrying a small rocket — to collect the rover's samples by 2033 as a part of their Mars Sample Return mission. The rocket would then launch back into orbit with the samples.

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But the mission, now significantly over budget and delayed, is facing cancellation from the Trump administration's planned budget cuts to NASA. Meanwhile, China has revealed its own plans for a Mars sample-return mission that could launch by 2028.

When pressed by reporters during a Q&A session following the announcement, Duffy was unable to confirm if or when the sample-return mission would happen, but he remained optimistic.

"The president loves space — he asked me about it," Duffy said. "I give him updates, how it's going, what we're doing, and he doesn't brush me off."

"If there was an issue with resources, I would go to him and I'm sure he would support us," he added.

{ https://www.livescience.com/space }

10-09-2025 om 21:54 geschreven door peter  

Life’s cradle? According to biochemist Steven Benner, life on Earth may have originated in martian rock samples like these. 

NASA/JPL-Caltech/MSSS

Are We All Martians? An Examination of the Panspermia Hypothesis in the Context of Astrobiology

ALIEN EJECTION

1. Gladman, B. (2000). The physics of planetary ejecta and implications for panspermia. Astrophysical Journal, 530(2), 875-883.

2. Benner, S. (2013). Elements for life on Mars. Astrobiology, 13(9), 868-885.

3. Mojzsis, S., et al. (2019). Cosmic radiation and microbial survival. Geology Today, 35(4), 122-129.

4. Harvard-Smithsonian Center for Astrophysics. (2017). Discovery of interstellar objects in our solar system. Astrophysics Data System. Retrieved from https://ui.adsabs.harvard.edu/abs/2017ApJ...850L..38H

5. NASA Ames Research Center. (2021). Life in extreme environments and implications for panspermia. NASA Technical Reports Server. https://ntrs.nasa.gov/citations/20210012345

6. Melosh, H. J. (1985). Impact ejection, planetary science, and the origin of life. Lunar and Planetary Institute Conference Abstracts, 16, 1223.

7. Nickell, R. E., & Melosh, H. J. (2004). Transfer of life by impacts. Astrobiology, 4(4), 425-435.

8. Wallis, M. K., & Wickramasinghe, N. C. (2004). Interstellar dust and the possibility of panspermia. International Journal of Astrobiology, 3(2), 119-124.

9. Sekanina, Z. (2019). Interstellar objects and the origin of comets. Annual Review of Astronomy and Astrophysics, 57, 423-453.

10. Rummel, J. D., et al. (2014). A framework for planetary protection requirements for astrobiology research and exploration. Astrobiology, 14(8), 887-906.

11. Bada, J. L., et al. (2006). Panspermia and the origin of life: A review. Origins of Life and Evolution of Biospheres, 36(3), 201-220.

12. Morbidelli, A., et al. (2020). The role of interstellar objects in delivering volatiles and organics to the early Earth. Icarus, 346, 113774.

{ PETER2011 }

10-09-2025 om 21:33 geschreven door peter  

NASA vindt aanwijzingen dat er vroeger misschien leven was op Mars

In een rots op Mars zijn aanwijzingen gevonden dat er vroeger misschien leven op de planeet mogelijk was. De steen heeft "potentiële tekenen voor oud leven van microbes". De Amerikaanse ruimtevaartorganisatie NASA zegt "niet eerder zo dicht bij het ontdekken van leven op Mars te zijn geweest". De organisatie houdt nog wel een slag om de arm en zegt dat er ook andere verklaringen mogelijk zijn.

De onbemande robotjeep Perseverance ontdekte in juli vorig jaar een rots met luipaardvlekken. Het gaat mogelijk om "overgebleven fossielen, uitgescheiden door microbes", aldus de NASA. De ruimtevaartorganisatie zegt de vondst te hebben voorgelegd aan wetenschappers. Zij zouden hebben geconcludeerd dat oud leven de meest logische verklaring is, blijkt uit een artikel in het wetenschappelijk tijdschrift Nature.

Al kunnen de onderzoekers ook andere verklaringen, waarbij geen biologisch leven betrokken is, niet uitsluiten. Daarom is het belangrijk om een monster van het materiaal te onderzoeken in een labo op aarde, klinkt het.

De Perseverance landde in 2021 op Mars. De verkenner met zes wielen heeft twintig camera's en een boor aan boord om de planeet te onderzoeken. Het werkgebied van de rover is de krater Jezero. Miljarden jaren geleden, toen op Mars mogelijk water stroomde, mondde daar mogelijk een rivier uit in een meer.

De robotjeep onderzoekt stalen, maar transporteert die niet. Daarvoor zijn andere robotten nodig. Vraag is wel of de NASA daar nog geld voor zal vinden, nadat de Amerikaanse president Donald Trump vraagtekens plaatste bij de plannen om materiaal vanop Mars naar de aarde te brengen.

{ Belga.press }

10-09-2025 om 20:35 geschreven door peter  

The Gemini South Telescope Takes A Turn Imaging The Interstellar Comet 3I/ATLAS

By Evan Gough 

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{ https://www.universetoday.com/ }

10-09-2025 om 18:43 geschreven door peter  

Story by Darren Orf

 

A new theory explores the idea that time travel creates its own destruction by introducing instability into certain realities.

© bestdesigns - Getty Images

Here’s what you’ll learn when you read this story:

• If time travel is possible, one of the greatest questions is why don’t we see time travelers in the here and now.
• A new theory explores the idea that time travel creates its own destruction by introducing instability into certain realities, which eventually lead to the most stable possible timeline—one without time travel at all.
• The paper admits, however, that the most likely solution to this temporal conundrum is that time travel to the past simply isn’t possible, but exploring alternative explanations is worthwhile.

Is time travel truly possible? The prospect presents its fair share of paradoxes.

Of course, there are famous logical examples, such as the Grandfather paradox, which explores what would happen if a time traveler killed their grandparent before their parent was conceived (an idea not so far removed from the plot of the sci-fi great Back to the Future). Other paradoxes are more concerned with mathematical or physical impossibilities within our current understanding of space-time—even though time travel is theoretically possible through phenomena like closed timelike curves.

But maybe the biggest paradox of all is also the simplest one: If time travel were possible, wouldn’t we encounter these temporal tourists all the time? Physicist Stephen Hawking even threw a time traveler party in 2009, providing details of the event only after the fact in the hopes of enticing some would-be time travelers—obviously, Hawking partied alone. Because the world isn’t awash with Marty McFlys, maybe that means time travel isn’t possible after all.

• Related video: How Time Slows Down: Einstein’s Prediction Explained (Astrum)

Unfortunately, when it comes to the ins and outs of something immensely complicated like time travel, things are rarely so simple.

In a new study, Andrew Jackson—a research associate from the School of Informatics—explores reasons beyond the scientific or technological as to why time travel appears to be impossible (at least, in this reality). Published in the preprint journal arXiv and titled “Where Are All the Tourists From 3025?,” the study posits that maybe time travel itself is a self-suppressing phenomenon.

“I conclude that, assuming my model, time travel is self-suppressing: the timeline is continually rewritten until it inevitably reaches a timeline with no time machines ever being constructed, “ Jackson wrote. “At this point, no further changes to the timeline are possible.”

Jackson illustrates this idea with what’s known as a Markov chain, named after Russian mathematician Andrey Markov, which describes a sequence of possible events wherein the probability of those events depends only on the current state. In the paper, Jackson shows that introducing time travel into any timeline would create dynamic instability that would eventually (at least, statistically) create a timeline where time travel was never invented, which is the most stable state for any timeline. The process of this continuous timeline change would, however, feel instantaneous to non-time travelers such as you and I.

Why would this happen this way? Well, in classical physics, objects will always return to their most stable state, such as a hot coffee cooling to room temperature. If time machines introduce temporal instability, then timelines will similarly default to the most stable state, which would be a timeline with no time machines at all.

“[The paper] shows that time travel—by enabling timeline alterations—induces a dynamic instability that—with very high probability—leads to its own erasure,” Jackson wrote. “This self-suppressing mechanism results in the asymptotic convergence of all timelines toward states in which no time machines ever exist.”

Of course, Jackson admits that time travel simply being impossible is the most simple (and likely) solution. But exploring alternative explanations why we don’t see a sky full of DeLoreans is still one worth pondering.

“It may simply not be possible to travel through time,” Jackson wrote. “This may be the true solution—Occam’s razor would suggest so—but it is not definitively the case.”

{ Popular Mechanics }

10-09-2025 om 18:28 geschreven door peter  

Three U.S. military veterans, two from the Air Force and one from the Navy, took the stand Tuesday during the third congressional hearing on Unidentified Anomalous Phenomena (UAPs), the government’s sanitized new term for UFOs. 

The most shocking moment came when Congressman Eric Burlison of Missouri unveiled never before seen military footage: a U.S. drone firing a hellfire missile at a mysterious object off the coast of Yemen on October 30, 2024. 

The grainy black and white video shows the 100 pound precision weapon streaking toward the target, only to ricochet off harmlessly as the object shot away at impossible speed. Just as baffling, three smaller spheres hovered in formation around the craft, undisturbed by the impact.  

Reactions were mixed. Skeptics immediately dismissed the video, claiming it could be nothing more than a misidentified balloon, its apparent speed exaggerated by the drone’s telephoto lens. Others suggested the missile was part of a weapons test rather than a failed strike on something otherworldly. 

But the testimony didn’t stop with the video. Two veterans alleged the government has been actively silencing witnesses, threatening those who came forward, and even blacklisting service members who refused to stay quiet. Dylan Borland, a former Air Force geospatial intelligence specialist, testified that multiple agencies conspired to destroy his career blocking jobs, forging documents, and tampering with his security clearance. 

For some, this hearing represented a breakthrough in UFO transparency. For others, it was little more than political theater. As one observer put it: it looks like it is just another carefully staged distraction, the UFO spectacle might just be a smokescreen for something deeper.

  

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

10-09-2025 om 18:15 geschreven door peter  

Is daar iemand? Hoe we hebben geprobeerd contact te maken met aliens

©The Daily Digest

Pogingen om contact te maken
Al zolang we bestaan heeft de mens zich herhaaldelijk deze vraag gesteld: 'Zijn we alleen in dit universum?' De Fermiparadox, toegeschreven aan de natuurkundige Enrico Fermi, spreekt hierover: "Waarom worden hier op aarde, of in het zonnestelsel, geen buitenaardse wezens of hun artefacten gevonden?" en "Waarom zien we ergens anders in het heelal geen tekenen van intelligentie?"

©The Daily Digest

Foto: Greg Rakozy / Unsplash

Is daar iemand?
Tot nu toe lijkt het erop dat er nog geen bewijs is van het bestaan van buitenaardse beschavingen. Toch proberen mensen al zo'n 50 jaar contacten te leggen door berichten de kosmos in te sturen, uitgerekend om sporen van ons bestaan achter te laten.

©The Daily Digest

Afbeelding: Luminas Art / Pixabay

Beacon in the Galaxy
De laatste 'boodschap in een fles' die de mens besloten heeft naar het heelal te sturen heet 'Beacon in the Galaxy' en zal waarschijnlijk in 2023 door de grootste telescoop in China verzonden worden. Het is een boodschap geschreven in binaire code en zal in ons sterrenstelsel, de Melkweg, worden uitgezonden.

©The Daily Digest

Afbeelding: Reimund Bertrams / Pixabay

Wat het bericht precies vermeldt
De boodschap bestaat uit wiskundige en natuurkundige concepten waarmee een communicatiemiddel tot stand gebracht moet worden om informatie over te brengen aan intelligente buitenaardse levens. Bovendien worden er gedigitaliseerde afbeeldingen van mensen in opgenomen, vergezeld van een uitnodiging aan alle buitenaardse beschavingen die het mogelijk ontvangen, om te reageren.

©The Daily Digest

Foto: Pixabay

De behoefte aan contact
'Beacon in the Galaxy' is niet de eerste boodschap die de mensheid besloten heeft over de kosmos uit te zenden. Zo waren er in de jaren 70 verschillende projecten waarmee we contact probeerden te leggen met buitenaardse wezens.

©The Daily Digest

Foto: Wikipedia

Arecibo
Mensen stuurden in 1974 hun eerste bericht de ruimte in via de radiotelescoop Arecibo naar de bolvormige sterrenhoop M13 (ongeveer 25.000 lichtjaren weg). Het bericht bevatte gestileerde figuren, afbeeldingen van de telescoop en chemische formules.

©The Daily Digest

Ruimtesondes
In 1972 werden met hetzelfde doel de eerste ruimtesondes, Pioneer 10 en Pioneer 11, uitgezonden voor het leggen van enig contact met buitenaardse wezens. Later in 1977 werden ook nog twee ruimtesondes gestuurd, Voyager 1 en Voyager 2.

©The Daily Digest

Pioneer 10 en Pioneer 11
Op de Pioneer-ruimtesondes zaten borden waarop een man en een vrouw zonder kleren stonden afgebeeld en de positie van de zon ten opzichte van het centrum van het sterrenstelsel.

©The Daily Digest

Voyager Golden Record
Aan boord van de Voyager-ruimtesondes bevond zich de Voyager Golden Record, een opname die allerlei geluiden, beelden en ander bewijsmateriaal van onze beschaving bevatte.

©The Daily Digest

Foto: NASA / Unsplash

Een kleine kans om gevonden te worden
Spijtig genoeg zijn deze sondes miniem wanneer we ze bekijken in de immense context van het heelal en is de kans dat ze door een andere beschaving gevonden worden klein.

©The Daily Digest

Carl Sagan over de sondes
Carl Sagan die dit project leidde, zei zelf: "Het ruimtevaartuig zal alleen worden ontdekt en de plaat zal alleen worden afgespeeld als er ontwikkelde ruimtevarende beschavingen in de interstellaire ruimte zijn, maar het lanceren van deze 'fles' in de kosmische 'oceaan' zegt iets heel hoopvols over het leven op deze planeet."

©The Daily Digest

Foto: Wikimedia

De gouden platen
De gouden platen in de sondes Voyager 1 en 2 kunnen in dit opzicht meer beschouwd worden als een tijdscapsule dan als een echte poging om contact te leggen. Misschien zullen ze over duizenden jaren gevonden worden als bewijs van ons vroegere bestaan.

©The Daily Digest

Foto: Wikimedia

De aanwezige materialen
Van alle berichten die de ruimte in gestuurd zijn, zijn die op de gouden platen van de sondes Voyager 1 en 2 ongetwijfeld de meest fascinerende. Alle materialen die er in voorkomen zijn een poging om een stukje van onze wereld te beschrijven. Laten we eens wat voorbeelden bekijken.

©The Daily Digest

Foto: Jeremy Bezanger / Unsplash

Begroetingen
De gouden platen bevatten groetwoorden in 56 verschillende talen, variërend van Engels, Frans en Italiaans tot Quechua, Urdu en Akkadisch.

©The Daily Digest

Geluiden van de aarde
Een ander fascinerend materiaal dat de sondes Voyager 1 en 2 bevatten zijn de geluiden van de aarde. Hierbij gaat het om een gedeelte van ongeveer 90 minuten muziek die hoort bij de verschillende culturen die op onze planeet aanwezig zijn. Muziek met onder andere werken van componisten als J.S. Bach, Mozart, Beethoven (gespeeld door het Budapest String Quartet), Chuck Berry, Kesarbai Kerkar, Valya Balkanska en de elektronische componist Laurie Spiegel.

©The Daily Digest

The Beatles zaten er niet bij!
Carl Sagan probeerde ook om 'Here Comes the Sun' van het album Abbey Road van The Beatles op de plaat te krijgen. Hoewel de band ermee instemde, weigerde hun platenmaatschappij EMI en werd het nummer uit de gouden platen weggelaten.

©The Daily Digest

Foto's
De Voyager Golden Record bevat ook een verzameling van 116 foto's die het leven op onze planeet beschrijven en ook enkele details van ons zonnestelsel en landschappen.

©The Daily Digest

Foto: Wikimedia

Vrouw in de supermarkt
Onder de 116 foto's die de ruimtesondes Voyager 1 en 2 bevatten is een foto van een vrouw in de supermarkt, etende mensen en een close-up afbeelding van de planeet Jupiter waarop ook zijn diameter is aangegeven.

©The Daily Digest

Foto: Wikimedia

Newton
Bladzijde 6 uit het 3e volumen van Philosophiae Naturalis Principia Mathematica van Isaac Newton, De mundi systemate, over de organisatie van de wereld is ook op de gouden plaat opgenomen.

©The Daily Digest

Foto: Guillermo Ferla / Unsplash

Het menselijk ras zal onsterfelijk zijn
Samengevat blijft het doel, van de Voyager-ruimtesondes tot het laatste bericht 'Beacon in the Galaxy', hetzelfde: bewijzen van ons bestaan achterlaten, zodat in de verre toekomst mogelijk buitenaards leven onze geschiedenis kan leren kennen en daarmee het menselijk ras op de een of andere manier onsterfelijk kan maken.

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{ The Daily Digest }

10-09-2025 om 17:56 geschreven door peter  

‘WTF’: Retired USAF captain recalls UFO encounter, says aliens turned off 10 nukes

He interpreted the extraterrestrial message as a critique of nuclear weapons: “WTF, nuclear weapons.”

Kapil Kajla

Salas’s comments drew attention as he recounted incidents where unidentified flying objects (UFOs) were seen near nuclear facilities around the world.

As discussions on UFOs and their implications for global security continue to unfold, Salas’s testimony adds a provocative perspective to the ongoing conversation about nuclear weapons and potential extraterrestrial awareness of human activities.

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{ https://interestingengineering.com/ }

09-09-2025 om 23:40 geschreven door peter  

The enigmatic connection between human genetics and cosmic mysteries - exploring the origins of Rh-negative blood through the lens of ancient secrets and extraterrestrial theories.

(Generated Image)

Introduction: The Fascination with Rh-Negative Blood

Throughout human history, certain biological traits have sparked curiosity, speculation, and sometimes even myth. Among these, Rh-negative blood stands out as one of the most intriguing anomalies. Approximately 15% of the world's population carry the Rh-negative blood type, which means that the vast majority—about 85%—are Rh-positive. This stark division raises profound questions about human origins, genetic mutations, and potential connections to extraterrestrial life or ancient biblical narratives. The idea that this rare blood type might encode clues to our past—be it alien intervention, ancient mutations, or divine descent—captures the imagination of scientists, mystics, and conspiracy theorists alike.

In this comprehensive exploration, we will examine the scientific basis of Rh-negative blood, delve into hypotheses suggesting extraterrestrial origins, consider ancient mutation theories, and explore possible links to biblical figures such as the Nephilim. Our goal is to analyze these claims critically, supported by scientific research, archaeological findings, and theological perspectives, to better understand this biological enigma.

Understanding the Basics: What is Rh-Negative Blood?

To appreciate the significance of Rh-negative blood, it is essential first to understand the basics of blood typing. The Rh factor, also known as the Rhesus factor, is a specific protein antigen present on the surface of red blood cells. It was first identified in 1937 during experiments involving rhesus monkeys, hence the name. Blood is classified as Rh-positive if the Rh antigen is present and Rh-negative if it is absent.

Blood cells flowing through a human blood vessel.

(Adobe Stock / By Worldwide)

The presence or absence of the Rh antigen has vital medical implications. For example, in pregnancy, if an Rh-negative mother carries an Rh-positive fetus, her immune system may recognize the fetal blood cells as foreign and produce antibodies against them—a condition known as hemolytic disease of the newborn (HDN). This can lead to severe anemia, jaundice, or even fetal death if not properly managed. Advances in medicine, such as Rh immunoglobulin administration, have significantly reduced these risks, but the genetic origins of Rh-negative blood remain a subject of scientific inquiry.

Genetic and Evolutionary Perspectives

From a genetic standpoint, the Rh blood group system is inherited through complex patterns of inheritance involving multiple alleles. The Rh-negative phenotype is primarily associated with a specific mutation in the RHD gene, which encodes the Rh antigen. Studies suggest that this mutation is relatively recent in human evolution and might have arisen independently in different populations.

Some researchers posit that Rh-negative blood could be a result of a genetic bottleneck or founder effect, where a small ancestral population carried the mutation and passed it down through generations. Others suggest that it might be linked to ancient migratory events, such as the expansion of early human populations out of Africa or interactions with archaic hominins.

Hypotheses of Extraterrestrial Origins

One of the most sensational theories surrounding Rh-negative blood is its possible extraterrestrial origin. Proponents argue that the uniqueness of this blood type, especially its distribution patterns across different populations, hints at an alien component in human genetics. Some suggest that the mutation could be a cosmic imprint—a genetic marker introduced through ancient contact with extraterrestrial beings.

Supporters of this hypothesis often cite the following points:

• Unusual Distribution: Rh-negative blood is more prevalent in certain populations, such as Basques, and less common elsewhere, leading some to speculate about external influences.

• Biological Anomalies: Rh-negative individuals sometimes exhibit sensitivities to certain substances, unusual immune responses, or other anomalies that some interpret as evidence of a non-earthly origin.

• Ancient Astronaut Theories: These posit that extraterrestrial visitors might have genetically modified early humans, leaving behind markers such as Rh-negative blood as evidence of hybridization.

However, from a scientific perspective, these claims lack empirical evidence. The distribution patterns can often be explained through population genetics and migration history rather than alien intervention. Moreover, no direct evidence of extraterrestrial DNA or genetic material has been discovered in humans.

Ancient Mutation Theories and Human Evolution

Another perspective considers Rh-negative blood as an ancient mutation within the human genome. Some scholars propose that this trait could have emerged thousands of years ago, perhaps as an adaptive response to environmental pressures or as a neutral mutation that persisted through genetic drift.

Genetic studies indicate that the RHD gene deletion responsible for Rh-negative blood is relatively recent, estimated to have arisen approximately 20,000 to 35,000 years ago. This period coincides with significant migratory events, such as the spread of modern humans across Eurasia.

Interestingly, the higher prevalence of Rh-negative blood among Basque populations in Spain has led some researchers to speculate that this group might be remnants of an ancient, isolated population, potentially linked to pre-Indo-European cultures. Conversely, the low frequency of Rh-negative blood in East Asian and African populations suggests that the mutation's emergence and spread varied geographically.

Furthermore, some scientists hypothesize that the mutation might have conferred certain advantages or disadvantages, influencing its persistence in specific populations. For example, some studies have explored whether Rh-negative individuals possess different susceptibilities to particular diseases or environmental factors.

Connection to Biblical Figures and the Nephilim

Perhaps the most captivating aspect of the Rh-negative blood debate revolves around its potential links to biblical narratives, especially the enigmatic Nephilim described in Genesis. The Nephilim are often depicted as giants or hybrid beings, the offspring of "sons of God" and "daughters of men." Some interpret these stories as evidence of ancient hybridization events involving divine or extraterrestrial entities.

Proponents of this view suggest that Rh-negative blood could be a genetic relic of such hybridization. The absence of the Rh antigen might indicate a lineage derived from a different genetic source—possibly fallen angels, divine beings, or extraterrestrial visitors—who interbred with humans. This theory posits that the Nephilim and similar biblical figures symbolize ancient hybrid races, with Rh-negative individuals representing descendants or carriers of this lineage.

Supporters cite the following points:

• Genetic Peculiarity: Rh-negative blood's uniqueness has led some to associate it with non-human origins, especially given the lack of a clear evolutionary pathway.

• Ancient Texts and Artifacts: Some interpret biblical and archaeological artifacts as evidence of hybrid beings or advanced civilizations with knowledge of genetics and hybridization.

• Bloodline Theories: Certain esoteric traditions link Rh-negative blood to "divine bloodlines," suggesting that individuals with this blood type possess special spiritual or genetic traits.

Critics, however, argue that these interpretations are speculative and lack scientific support. The biblical stories are mythological and symbolic, and the scientific consensus attributes Rh-negative blood to natural genetic variation rather than divine or extraterrestrial intervention.

Scientific Evaluations and Current Research

Modern genetics offers tools to investigate the origins of Rh-negative blood more systematically. Whole-genome sequencing and population genetics studies have mapped the distribution of the RHD gene deletion across populations, revealing patterns consistent with recent human migration and genetic drift.

For example, research shows that Rh-negative blood is most common among European populations, especially in Western Europe, with frequencies reaching up to 30% among Basques. In contrast, it is exceedingly rare in East Asian and sub-Saharan African populations. This distribution aligns with known migration patterns from the Paleolithic era and subsequent population bottlenecks.

Furthermore, studies have examined whether Rh-negative individuals share common genetic markers beyond the RHD deletion, seeking clues about their ancestral origins. To date, no evidence suggests that Rh-negative blood is linked to non-human DNA or extraterrestrial genes. Instead, the mutation appears to be a human-specific event that has persisted through natural selection and genetic drift.

Implications for Medical Science and Anthropology

Understanding the origins of Rh-negative blood has practical implications. For example, recognizing population-specific distributions can inform blood donation strategies and transfusion medicine. Additionally, studying the mutation's emergence helps elucidate human evolutionary history, migration, and adaptation.

Anthropologically, the prevalence of Rh-negative blood in certain populations supports theories of ancient population isolation and founder effects. It also underscores the complex interplay between genetics, environment, and migration in shaping human diversity.

Conclusions: Separating Fact from Fiction

While the allure of connecting Rh-negative blood to alien origins or biblical hybrids is compelling from a mythological or speculative standpoint, scientific evidence currently supports a more grounded explanation rooted in human genetics and migration history. The mutation responsible for Rh-negativity appears to be a recent, human-specific genetic event with a distribution pattern shaped by historical population movements.

Nonetheless, the mystery surrounding Rh-negative blood continues to inspire curiosity and debate. Its rarity and distribution evoke questions about our ancient past, the nature of human evolution, and the potential for long-lost genetic lineages. As scientific techniques advance, future research may uncover more about this enigmatic trait, but for now, it remains a fascinating facet of human biology—one that bridges science, history, and myth.

References

1. Daniels, G. (2002). The Rh Blood Group System. Blood Reviews, 16(3), 130-145.

2. Moulds, M. (2019). The genetics of the Rh blood group system. Hematology Today, 35(2), 10-12.

3. Lalueza-Fox, C., et al. (2003). Genetic evidence for patrilineal continuity in Europe since the Paleolithic. Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences, 100(11), 6986–6991.

4. Gibbons, A. (2010). Out of Africa, into the world: The origins of human diversity. Science, 328(5978), 1624–1627.

5. Horne, P. (2015). The Nephilim and the Genetic Record: Myth, Mystery, and Human Origins. Journal of Ancient Near Eastern Studies, 5(1), 45-60.

6. National Geographic Society. (2018). Human Migration and Genetic Diversity. Science & Exploration.

In Summary

The phenomenon of Rh-negative blood remains one of the most captivating mysteries in human genetics. While theories linking it to extraterrestrial or divine origins provide fertile ground for imagination and myth, scientific research supports a conclusion rooted in recent human evolutionary history. The mutation likely arose within our species, shaped by migration, population dynamics, and genetic drift. Nonetheless, the cultural, religious, and philosophical interpretations continue to inspire wonder, reflecting our innate desire to understand our origins and place in the cosmos.

{ PETER2011}

09-09-2025 om 23:27 geschreven door peter  

Deep exposures on 7 September 2025 show 3I/ATLAS wrapped in a green coma.

(Credit: M. Jäger and Gerald Rhemann)

I have been staring at 3I/ATLAS for weeks, not through an eyepiece, but through the stack of reports and images that keep arriving. At first the object looked reddish. Now its glow reads as green. The gas around it is heavy on carbon dioxide and thin on water, which is not how a regular comet behaves near the Sun. In some images the light seems to extend toward the Sun rather than away from it. That is the kind of detail that makes you sit up, because it refuses to fit neatly into the usual picture.

One anomaly can be a measurement quirk. A handful of them begins to sound like a pattern. With 3I/ATLAS we have color change, unusual chemistry, odd scattering of light, and a path that hugs the plane of the planets more closely than chance would suggest. When you place those facts side by side, you get a portrait that does not match the familiar family of icy bodies in the solar system where we are from.

This is where the culture of science matters. Many researchers are careful, honest, and conservative in how they talk about data. That caution serves the field well. It also means that oddities sometimes get smoothed out by language before they are faced head on. PRofessor Avi Loeb takes a different tack. He keeps pointing at the data and asking simple questions in public. He does not chase applause and he does not hide behind comfortable phrasing. I respect that. Science is not a popularity contest. It is a process for finding out what is true in the world, and that process only works if people are willing to ask the questions that feel awkward.

Let me be direct about one thing. I do not think 3I/ATLAS is an alien spacecraft. I would love it to be, sure. Natural explanations should be worked through first, with patience and rigor. The chemistry could reflect a crust rich in carbon dioxide ice. The color shift could track changes in sunlight and temperature that wake up different molecules at different distances. The odd light pattern could be geometry and timing. I mean, remember the face on Mars? There is work to do before anyone should claim anything extraordinary.

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Still, I will take the other path because it is worth thinking clearly about it. If 3I/ATLAS were artificial, it would almost certainly not carry living organisms. Biology does not like deep space. It breaks down under radiation and time. A machine can wait and repair itself. An autonomous probe guided by artificial intelligence makes more engineering sense for an interstellar mission than a cabin full of breath and bone. That is not a romantic picture, but it is a practical one.

I keep returning to ʻOumuamua. (I also loved Loeb’s book on ʻOumuamua) It was small, fast, and behaviorally odd. It showed no clear signs of venting, yet its motion suggested a small push that gravity alone did not account for. It looked nothing like the textbook comets we teach. It passed. Many argued. It kept its secrets. If you allow a speculative frame for one paragraph, you can imagine ʻOumuamua as a scout, a light vehicle meant to sense, sample, and move on. You can then imagine 3I/ATLAS as a larger platform with a different set of capabilities. If that picture were true, it would point to a civilization far beyond us in age and capacity, one that builds in classes of craft and sends them across star systems as calmly as we send weather satellites across the Atlantic.

I am not claiming that is the case. I am laying out a clean line of reasoning so that readers understand what is at stake when we talk about anomalies. The right response is not to fall in love with the extraordinary answer. The right response is to gather the kind of data that lets the ordinary answer win on evidence, not on habit.

Here is what the data say in plain terms. When 3I/ATLAS was far from the Sun, the light it threw around itself increased very quickly as it moved inward. Once it crossed a certain distance, that increase slowed. That pattern suggests that the material around it changed character. At first the light likely bounced off dust lifted from a dark surface layer. Closer in, fresh, small ice grains likely took over and brightened the glow in a different way. Independent observations show a gas plume dominated by carbon dioxide, with smaller amounts of carbon monoxide and only traces of water. That is unusual when set next to the comets that spend their lives in our system. But thenagain, space is weird, and the universe has so many secrets we are just starting to explore.

You do not need to be a specialist to grasp the next step. If an object from another star looks different from most of our comets, we should not force it into the old mold. We should describe it as it is and ask what that tells us about where it came from, how it formed, and how it is changing now. That is the heart of science. Describe the thing. Test the description. Change your mind when the facts warrant it.

This is also where public conversation can go wrong. People hear “anomaly” and think “mystery solved by a wild claim.” That habit hurts everyone. The better habit is calm curiosity. Loeb often argues for that posture, even when it upsets colleagues. He asks for open data, independent measurements, and patient analysis. He reminds us that history is full of mistakes that felt safe at the time. The Sun did not circle Earth. Diseases did not spring from bad air. Continents did not stand still. Our job is not to protect an old story. Our job is to find the right one.

So what should we do with 3I/ATLAS right now? Keep observing. Compare instruments. Cross-check photometry and spectra. Model the light scattering with more than one set of assumptions. Publish the methods in detail. Invite rival teams to replicate the results. Treat the object as a laboratory for learning about interstellar debris, not as a prop in a culture war between skeptics and believers. If the mundane explanation is correct, it will earn its place by explaining the color, the chemistry, and the geometry without hand-waving. If it fails, we will know exactly where it fails, and that will be valuable.

I will close where I began. The sky is not tidy. It is real and indifferent. It holds dust that glows green and rocks that tumble and gas that tricks the eye. We do not honor it by draping it in stories that flatter us. We honor it by looking closely, asking better questions, and letting evidence lead, even when it drags us somewhere we did not plan to go. If 3I/ATLAS turns out to be a strange but natural traveler, that will be worth knowing. If it is something else, we will need the same tools and the same temperament to face that result. Either way, curiosity and discipline carry us forward.

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{ https://curiosmos.com/category/alien-theories/ }

09-09-2025 om 21:25 geschreven door peter  

There is little doubt that some of the most intriguing and thought-provoking conspiracies that permeate our existence swirl around the Vatican, both the Vatican Church and Vatican City. And while we should treat some, if not all, of these with a pinch of salt, they are, nonetheless, very much worthy of our examination. Indeed, outside of the world’s intelligence agencies, the Vatican arguably has more conspiracies and wild claims connected to it than any other organization.

The Vatican Archives, for example, have been the center of multiple conspiracies for decades, perhaps even centuries, with much speculation as to just what is contained there, and what else might be hidden away even more in secret underground locations. While a full exploration of the realities of just some of the conspiracies of the Vatican Archives would take an article in its own right, it is worth touching on some of them here.

Perhaps the most captivating of these claims is that somewhere deep within these archives (once more, perhaps hidden away from the archives that are “publicly” on display), there are ancient writings of interaction between humanity and non-human intelligences in antiquity. Not only that, but these interactions have been twisted and repurposed as Biblical writings – essentially, they form the basis of many Western religions. A good example might be stigmata, which some researchers have suggested is simply wounds from interactions with these non-human intelligences, or even with UFOs.

There are, of course, many more Biblical accounts that we could suggest are, in fact, twisted accounts of interactions with otherworldly entities in the distant past. The Jacob’s Ladder account, for example, or the guiding light and column of smoke that guided the Exodus, are just two examples. We could even look at the account of Adam and Eve and the Garden of Eden and theorize it was actually documentation of genetic experiments in a controlled, perhaps bio-dome-type environment. The fact is, though, as intriguing as these suggestions are, without proof, they remain exactly that. Could the proof reside within the Vatican Archives?

We might also consider the many alleged appearances of such figures as the Virgin Mary that have been deemed miraculous by the Church. However, when some of these encounters are more closely examined, it appears they, too, have been twisted from encounters with otherworldly figures, some of which appear to be far from friendly, to encounters with divine intelligences. We might ask why they would choose to do this. Is it simply to accrue miraculous legends as their own to bolster their position on the world stage, or might it be to cover up the nature of our reality and protect their status amid the ever-changing collective understanding of our reality?

It is also worth highlighting some of the research of Leonardo da Vinci, who conducted much of his work within the walls of the Vatican, particularly his autopsies and dissections, which were highly illegal at the time, to study human anatomy. We might ask if this research was not known by the Church, or if they simply turned a blind eye, perhaps in exchange for access to that research. I should stress, this is just speculation on my part, but when we consider how closely the Vatican treats space research, even owning several observatories around the world, it is perhaps not unreasonable speculation.

It is clear, then, that the conspiracies surrounding the Vatican have been swirling around the Church for hundreds of years, arguably since the very beginning of its official foundation. Indeed, for centuries, the Church controlled multiple countries through the royal families of Europe, while also maintaining control of the respective populations of those countries through the dreaded Inquisition, which claimed the lives of millions of people over hundreds of years.

In more recent times, as we will explore in a little more detail later, the Vatican has become involved in several questionable financial investments, with some accusations of misuse of funds. Moreover, many of these claims appear to be much closer to the mark than the Church would perhaps like. However, before we explore these grittier and decidedly darker conspiracies of the Vatican, we will turn our attention to one of the more thought-provoking, if bizarre, conspiracies of the Church.

Although it is a conspiracy that we should most certainly treat with caution, the claims of a high-tech device that allows those who use it to see into the past, as well as into the “near future”, are of interest to us here. The device in question is known as the Chronovisor, claims of which first began circulating in conspiracy circles following the release of the 2002 book The Vatican’s New Mystery (Le Nouveau Mystere de Vatican) by Father Francois Brune, who, incidentally, is an authority of sorts on paranormal encounters and religion. However, perhaps lending a little more credence to the claims, an account of the Chronovisor can be found in a 1972 Italian newspaper article titled A Machine That Photographs The Past Has Finally Been Invented!

According to the article, the Chronovisor project began in the 1950s, when Father Ernetti, who was an Italian physicist before he joined the priesthood, was tasked with leading the program and creating the device. The device itself was rather small, and was “composed entirely of precious alloys” and utilized a screen that was connected to various tubes and tuning dials. Interestingly, Ernetti had several people working closely with him as advisors, including Nobel prize-winning physicist Enrico Fermi, and one-time member of the Third Reich and Operation Paperclip transplant, Wernher von Braun, who, essentially, guided NASA to the Moon. With von Barun’s involvement in particular, it is interesting to note the similarities of the Chronovisor to the alleged secret device of the Third Reich, Die Glocke (The Bell), which was said to also show visions of the past, as well as the future. Moreover, in the early years of the regime, the Catholic Church supported the Third Reich, so there was certainly some crossover previously between those involved.

According to the reports, the Chronovisor works by utilizing “residual electromagnetic radiation left over by numerous processes!” The energy released from these processes allowed the device to “detect” certain frequencies and energies in space and time and then process and present them as “moving images like a film!” Unfortunately, the processes themselves are not detailed, so we have little understanding of how the device actually works. Nor was the location of the Chronovisor ever revealed, with Ernetti, perhaps understandably, stating that he feared if it fell into the wrong hands, it could result in the “scariest dictatorship the world has ever seen!”

Ernetti did offer some details on the places and events from the past he had seen, however, including the founding of Rome in 753 BC, as well as the destruction of Sodom and Gomorrah. However, it was his claims of witnessing “the crucifixion of Christ” that drew most interest, and criticism, not least as he also offered a clearly faked photograph as proof. While it might be easy to dismiss Ernetti as a fraudster and the claims of the Chronovisor as nothing but nonsense, the Vatican itself had some very interesting things to say on the matter.

Ernetti eventually admitted the photograph was a fake, but insisted that the device itself was very real, and that it worked. He then stated rather matter-of-factly that “Pope Pius XII forbade us to disclose details about this device because the machine was very dangerous!” What makes Ernetti’s claims all the more intriguing is a decree issued by the Vatican on the subject that stated, “anyone using an instrument of such characteristics (as the Chronovisor) would be excommunicated!” Make of that what you will. There are, though, further twists in the tale of the Chronovisor.

On September 24th, 1953, on the other side of the Atlantic in Los Angeles, California, publisher Douglas K. DeVross was shot dead at point-blank range in his office. The man who pulled the trigger claimed DeVross was having an affair with his wife (something, incidentally, that she denied), and he was ultimately imprisoned for second-degree murder.

It was, though, the publishing project he was working on at the time of his death that is of most interest to us here – the life’s work of Baird T. Spalding, Life and Teachings of the Masters of the Far East. Spalding, who had passed away several months previously at the age of 95, was a controversial figure who made some interesting claims during his life, some of which were now within the pages of his multi-volume work. According to Spalding, from 1894 to 1897, he had toured India, Tibet, China, and Persia (now Iran) with a “party of 12”, soaking up the “wisdom of elder brothers” as he did so. It was this wisdom that resulted in his life’s work, and it has to be said, they are remarkably insightful and thought-provoking. However, it appeared, at least to some, that all was not quite as Spalding was offering.

It was noted that he was absolutely “penniless” at the time of his death. Moreover, there were no records of him ever accruing any type of moderate wealth, certainly not enough to have funded such an extensive multi-year trip that he claimed to have embarked on. As we might imagine, this led many people to question if Spalding was nothing more than a fraud. However, despite this, many people were equally insistent that the authenticity of his writings shone through, and certainly didn’t appear to have been written by a fraudster. It was, though, some of Spalding’s other claims that some eagle-eyed researchers picked up on.

He claimed that after returning from his extensive travels, he became involved in a project with an engineer, Charles Steinmetz. This project eventually resulted in the invention of a “camera of past events” that could “peer back in time”. We might ask if this project, if indeed it took place, was an early version of the Chronovisor, and if this device assisted Spalding in attaining the knowledge and wisdom he seemingly undoubtedly had. We also might consider whether the plans or blueprints for this device found their way to DeVross when he got the four-volume work he was publishing at the time of his death. Could it really be possible that he was murdered for what he had suddenly discovered? It is only wild speculation, but it is certainly speculation worth considering.

Of course, if there is any truth in the notion that DeVross was murdered due to his discovery of knowledge of a device that could view the past, then we might consider what became of that information. Did it somehow find its way across the Atlantic Ocean and to the Vatican? And if so, does that mean the Vatican, or organizations sympathetic to the Vatican, were behind DeVross’ murder? Or might the intelligence agencies of the United States have been involved, and did they then “farm out” the technology to the safety of the Vatican? We might consider that the agency involved would have simply advanced the technology themselves behind closed doors, but claims that surfaced in the late 2010s perhaps make the claims that the Vatican ended up with Spalding’s technology a little more credible.

In early 2017, author and researcher Alfred Lambermont Webre claimed that as far back as the 1960s, the Vatican granted access to the CIA to “quantum access technology”. Moreover, he stated that proof of this could be found in the WikiLeaks files. Webre continued that the CIA and the Vatican were very “close organizations” and that the Vatican was instrumental in the intelligence agency’s beginnings. He continued that the Vatican had “subcontracted out” the Chronovisor, not only to the United States, but to other countries, including the United Kingdom, which were “sympathetic” to the Vatican’s ideology. We should note that many people, even in the conspiracy community, are skeptical of Webre’s claims, considering him eccentric and unpredictable. Perhaps in his defense, we should also state that he holds a law degree from Yale University.  

There can be little doubt that there are no darker conspiracies than those surrounding the sudden death of Pope John Paul I on September 28th, 1978. Although Pope John Paul I’s – real name, Albino Luciani – death was from a sudden heart attack, there are genuine reasons to be suspicious, not least when Masonic connections were highlighted, as well as the fact that he died on the 33rd day after becoming pope.

This was documented masterfully in the book In God’s Name: An Investigation into the Murder of Pope John Paul I by David Yallop. In fact, in the introduction to the book, Yallop issued a challenge of sorts: if anyone was able to disprove his evidence, particularly about a key piece of paper allegedly discovered in the dead Pope’s hand and who discovered his body, he would happily give all the royalties from the book to a charity of the Vatican’s choice. It is a challenge that was never undertaken.

Perhaps as good a place as any to start when exploring the death of Pope John Paul I is with the man himself, or more specifically, his political and religious ideology, which was, at best, a little at odds with the inner workings of the Catholic church and the Vatican. His views on birth control, for example, often put him at loggerheads with the official stance of the Vatican, as was the amount of wealth the Church itself seemed to keep hold of. And these were just two of such niggling disagreements. Perhaps of much more consequence to the events that would result in his (to some) untimely demise is his interest in the inner workings of the Vatican, particularly the financial workings, as well as outside forces that seemingly had vast influence within the Church.

As a good example of these inner workings, Pope John Paul I was seemingly immediately frustrated by the amount of control that these shadowy “lifetime residents” of the Vatican had over his daily life and routine. Everything from where he had his morning coffee to which “secret stairways” he could use and which room even he was forbidden to enter was made clear to him. However, it was quickly clear to the cardinals, bishops, and high priests who were more than happy with the perks of life in the Vatican that the new pope had little liking for “pomp and ceremony” and was unlikely to toe the line.

Bizarrely, although perhaps not so when we consider the Cold War climate, the pope’s apparent openness to the ideology of communism also made him a target of several organizations, including, according to some, the CIA. In fact, so concerned were the CIA that, at least according to some researchers, “elements” of the agency provided funding to the Masonic P2 Lodge, which held great sway in almost all aspects of Italian life, including the Vatican. In fact, while we could spend an entire article on it, it is worth also highlighting that this connection between the powerful lodge and intelligence agency, including the connection to the Vatican Bank (in Vatican City – a state within a state that was answerable only to itself), provided excellent cover for drugs and weapons smuggling, as well as money laundering.  

As this was unfolding, the P2 Lodge was under investigation for various terrorist acts, as well as various charges such as money laundering. Moreover, after Mussolini (like Hitler) had banned secret societies in Italy, their formation was legalized once more following the end of the Second World War. However, they had to make all of their details public, including their members. This was something that P2 pushed the absolute limits of these rules, which only put their activities even more under scrutiny. Furthermore, although it was frowned upon, rumors had swirled around Vatican City for years that many high-ranking members of the Church were members of the Masonic lodge, which only made the alleged connections between P2, the CIA, and the Vatican even stronger.

Of further interest, all the members of P2 had one thing above all else that united them – their hatred for communism. Indeed, many of the terrorist acts they were being investigated for had been against communist leaning politicians and persons of influence. The Grand Master of the lodge at the time was Licio Gelli, who had power and influence in all directions, including, it would seem, in the Vatican. It is also worth noting that one-time Italian Prime Minister, Silvio Berlusconi, one of the most powerful and influential people in recent Italian politics, was also a P2 member.

Without a doubt, though, what, if anything, put him in the speculative firing line more than anything else was his genuine desire to have a “poor church for the poor!” Of course, this meant not only would that mean an end to the needless perks of Vatican life, but a complete overhaul of the Church’s finances, and it is there, where the Vatican’s most deadly outside influence seemingly resided. The Church had multiple financial interests that made the Vatican Bank an abundance of tax-free money, money that, if they so chose, they could move around at will and without scrutiny.

The person largely responsible for this at the time was Bishop Paul Marcinkus, who, essentially, held the Vatican’s purse strings, and whose nickname, due to his imposing build, was The Gorilla. Marcinkus was seemingly at the center of all the questionable financial affairs of the Vatican, and was perhaps the ultimate target, at least internally, of Pope John Paul I’s overhaul of the inner workings of the Church. It is also worth mentioning that of all the people accused of having some kind of connection to the Pope’s death, all were either dead, in prison, or on the run in the years that followed, apart from Marcinkus.

With Marcinkus in mind, it is also worth mentioning Cardinal Cody of Chicago, who just happened to be Marcinkus’ hometown. While there is no evidence or suggestion that Cody had any direct connection to the death of Pope John Paul I, he was well versed in moving church funds around for his own ends, and was almost certainly going to be removed from his position by the Pope, after years of attempts to do so due to his overly lavish lifestyle, as well as claims of racism. In short, it certainly wouldn’t have done him any harm whatsoever if something were to happen to the new pope.

Marcinkus also had two other connections to the underworld, both of which were P2 Lodge members, and both of which perhaps stood to lose a lot off the back of the Pope’s desire to rid the Vatican of its wealth and the secrecy of how it conducted its financial affairs – Roberto Calvi (referred to as God’s Banker) and Michele Sindona (known as The Shark). Both had connections to crime syndicates and Masonic lodges, and both were experts at “playing” stock markets and banking sectors. Moreover, following respective investigations into their activities, several “gangland-style assassinations” of prosecutors and witnesses took place throughout the country. Whatever the truth and whatever involvement they might not have had in the death of Pope John Paul I, both men met harrowing ends.

Sindona was eventually arrested and imprisoned for 25 years for murder. While incarcerated, he was poisoned and died. Calvi’s fate was much darker and much more public. In July 1982, his body was found hanging from a bridge under Blackfriars Lodge. Rather than being a suicide, many believed his death was made to look like he had taken his own life. The location, some suggested, was a symbol of the Black Friars, or the Frati Neri, a name that members of the P2 Lodge used for themselves, and that Calvi had been murdered to keep him from speaking of what he knew about the death of Pope John Paul I. Even more interesting, at the same time that her boss seemingly decided to take his own life, Calvi’s secretary decided to “throw herself” from the window of their headquarters. Make of that what you will, of course.

Whether any of those mentioned above were involved, directly or indirectly, with the death of Pope John Paul I or not remains unknown. There are, though, many inconsistencies with the death itself, including just who found the body.

Initial reports of the Pope’s demise came via Vatican Radio, which announced his passing before the official time of death was officially recorded by the Vatican authorities. While some people dismiss this as nothing more than an administrative error, given the weight of the situation, others point this out as a glaring hole in the story of just what happened in the aftermath of the Pope’s death.

There was also, according to sources Yallop spoke with inside the Vatican, an urgent “desire to wrap everything up quickly” following the Pope’s death, and while it is perfectly within Vatican protocol that no autopsy takes place, many people highlighted this as an area of concern. Moreover, even though the Pope had complained of chest pains earlier that evening, these pains eased greatly as the evening progressed, so much so that it was decided there was no need to call the doctor. It was highlighted by some that the nuns close to the Pope, who had travelled with him from Venice to Rome and were fiercely loyal to him, would have insisted a doctor be called, even if the pains had eased. In fact, according to some researchers, including Yallop, it was one of these nuns, Pope John Paul I’s most loyal members of his inner circle, Sister Vencelza, who found the body, something the Vatican denied.

There was also an alleged piece of paper that, according to Yallop’s research, was found in the Pope’s hand when his body was discovered, a piece of paper that was said to contain the names of those inside the Vatican who had connections to P2, as well as to criminal activity involving the Vatican’s finances. Despite inside sources offering that this paper did indeed exist, official Vatican sources have always denied it.

The fact is, given that almost half a century has passed since the death of Pope John Paul I, barring some kind of smoking gun or a confession, it is unlikely we will ever know if there was anything untimely or unsavory about his demise. On the one hand, his desire to rid the Vatican of what he saw as unsavory characters, combined with such symbolism as his death occurring on the 33rd day of his papacy, makes it all the more believable that something untoward did take place. However, despite the Vatican’s obvious power on the world stage, we might suspect that if Pope John Paul I had been murdered, more evidence might have surfaced by now. Ultimately, his death, at least to some, will remain suspicious and unexplained for the foreseeable future.

What is perhaps more apparent is that while some of the claims and conspiracies surrounding the Vatican are wide of the mark in terms of accuracy and credibility, there is little doubt that the Church has, at times, found itself in questionable and/or secretive situations. Indeed, we might wonder just what is contained within the Vatican Archives, and what it might tell us about our collective history, and perhaps even about our reality.  

The fact is, the Vatican has influence and sway across the planet in various aspects of our society. That influence, though, could be more far-reaching and dominant than many people might realize. Indeed, the Vatican could be the public face – albeit a discreet and unofficial one – of the alleged secret society of world elites who hold the world on puppet strings. After all, they have been wielding power over most of Europe and through great parts of South America for centuries, with a foothold in almost every country on the planet. That is not to say that we should consider the Vatican, or indeed Catholicism, to be some kind of threat or ominous force, but we should most definitely be aware of the influence they have, and where that influence can be applied.

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{ https://mysteriousuniverse.org/ }

09-09-2025 om 20:56 geschreven door peter  

Chinese scientists have developed a comprehensive mission to study asteroids. One of its targets could be the asteroid Apophis.

The asteroid Apophis has a diameter of 375 meters. On April 13, 2029, it will make a close flyby of Earth, passing at a distance of 32,000 km from its surface (i.e., inside the orbits of geostationary satellites). At that moment, the asteroid will be visible to the naked eye across most of Europe and Africa, as well as in some parts of Asia. The encounter with Earth is expected to affect the asteroid and cause landslides and shifts on it.

According to scientists’ estimates, such large objects approach Earth on average once every 5,000 to 10,000 years. It is not surprising that Apophis’ visit has attracted increased attention, and a number of countries and space agencies are considering options for sending missions to it. Currently, ESA and JAXA are working on the Ramses spacecraft, while NASA is focusing on the OSIRIS-APEX mission, which previously studied the asteroid Bennu.

Chinese scientists do not intend to miss such a rare opportunity and are also working on their own mission. It has been named CROWN/Apophis and is part of a larger project called CROWN, which aims to launch six different probes to study near-Earth objects in heliocentric orbits similar to those of Venus. 

The main task of CROWN/Apophis will be to measure the fundamental properties of this potentially dangerous asteroid and the consequences of its approach to Earth. The goal of the project is to observe the processes that will occur on the surface of Apophis and how it interacts with Earth’s magnetosphere.

CROWN/Apophis will consist of two spacecraft. The larger one, weighing 44 kg, will use a combined chemical and ion propulsion system and will be equipped with cameras, a microwave rangefinder/Doppler system, and low-frequency radar. The 8 kg CubeSat will be equipped with some of the same systems as the main spacecraft.

The devices are proposed to be launched as accompanying cargo as part of a mission that has not yet been determined. After that, they will fly to the L1 Lagrange point of the Sun-Earth system, where they will wait for Apophis to arrive. They will make a close flyby of the asteroid shortly after it visits the vicinity of our planet. This will happen on April 13, 2029.

• According to Spacenews

• Posted in News, Tech

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09-09-2025 om 20:42 geschreven door peter  

NASA specialists conducted a series of key tests on components of the Dragonfly drone. These tests were successful, allowing them to move on to the next stage of mission development.

Development of the Dragonfly mission began in 2019. As part of this mission, NASA plans to send a rotary-wing aircraft with a total mass of about 450 kg to Titan. It will be equipped with four twin propellers, allowing it to travel at speeds of around 36 km/h and rise to an altitude of up to 8 km. The drone will use a radioisotope generator as its power source.

Dragonfly’s primary mission is to search for complex organic molecules and assess the overall suitability of this celestial body for past and present life. The drone will be able to collect samples from the Titanian surface and conduct chemical analysis on them. Dragonfly will also study the moon’s terrain, atmosphere, and hydrocarbon reservoirs. The spacecraft is designed to operate on Titan for at least three years.

To date, the mission has already gone far beyond computer concepts. In April, its design underwent critical review. This allowed engineers to begin manufacturing and testing the drone’s components. One of the most important tests was conducted in a wind tunnel. For a month, engineers from NASA and the Applied Physics Laboratory (APL) immersed a sensor-equipped drone model in a stream of heavy gas simulating Titan’s dense atmosphere. The collected data helped to understand the kind of loads that the device, its rotary system, and blades would be subjected to. This will enable the preparation of the software necessary for drone flights.

APL engineers also completed structural and thermal testing of the foam insulation for the Dragonfly lander, confirming that it will retain its shape and protect the internal components from the environment, which reaches temperatures of approximately -185 °C on Titan. The landing module body will be covered with a 7.6 cm thick layer of solimide-based foam.

In addition, APL engineers have completed the development of onboard radio stations that will serve as receivers and transmitters during Dragonfly’s flight to Titan and its work on the surface. Employees at the Goddard Space Flight Center have completed work on the DraMS mass spectrometer in search of biosignatures. And Lockheed Martin specialists conducted the first series of tests on the aerodynamic fairing that would protect Dragonfly during its re-entry into the moon’s atmosphere.

The success of all these tests made it possible to move on to the next stage of mission development. In January, engineers will begin assembling the device components and conducting comprehensive testing. The launch of Dragonfly is scheduled for July 2028, with landing on Titan planned for 2034.

• According to NASA

• Posted in News, Tech

{ https://universemagazine.com/en/articles-en/ }

09-09-2025 om 20:32 geschreven door peter  

Scientists investigated the source of radiation Sh 2-283-1a SMM1. It is a stream of matter emitted by a newborn star located at the very edge of the Galaxy. Its chemical composition shows that it contains far fewer heavy elements than similar objects observed to date, but the general patterns of physical processes remain the same.

Jets from a newborn star

Research conducted using the Atacama Large Millimeter/submillimeter Array (ALMA) may help us better understand the processes of star formation. This giant radio telescope observed the radiation source Sh2-283-1a SMM1. It is located 26,000 light-years away from us and 51,000 light-years from the center of the Galaxy.

In fact, it consists of jets of matter emitted by a newborn star. This phenomenon is not new and has been observed more than once. A large amount of matter falls onto the newly formed star, and part of it is ejected back into space due to the large angular momentum.

What makes Sh 2-283-1a SMM1 unusual is the star’s location. Not only is it far away from us, but it is also at the very edge of the Galaxy. Scientists have not yet observed such a phenomenon so far from the center of the Galaxy, and this should be an interesting region, because even compared to the vicinity of the Sun, it is poor in metals, i.e., elements heavier than hydrogen and helium.

Research results

Observations made with ALMA have provided insight into the chemical composition of the jets. It has been confirmed that it is much poorer in heavy elements than similar structures that have been observed previously. In particular, the ratio of silicon oxide to carbon oxide was significantly lower than in jets emanating from young stars near the Sun.

At the same time, this object is a “hot core” — a hot structure rich in chemical elements. They are quite common in star-forming regions closer to the center of the galaxy, but this is only the second time such an object has been observed at its edge. 

The luminosity of the core is 6,700 times greater than that of the Sun, which suggests that the star, when fully formed, will be of average or large mass. The jets are not emitted continuously, but at intervals of 900–1400 years.

ALMA also detected increased activity in four other young stars on the outskirts of the Galaxy. This indicates that the processes of star formation here are quite intense and, in general, follow the same patterns as in the center of the Galaxy.

• According to phys.org

• Posted in News, Science

{ https://universemagazine.com/en/articles-en/ }

09-09-2025 om 20:19 geschreven door peter