The purpose of this blog is the creation of an open, international, independent and free forum, where every UFO-researcher can publish the results of his/her research. The languagues, used for this blog, are Dutch, English and French.You can find the articles of a collegue by selecting his category. Each author stays resposable for the continue of his articles. As blogmaster I have the right to refuse an addition or an article, when it attacks other collegues or UFO-groupes.
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Deze blog is opgedragen aan mijn overleden echtgenote Lucienne.
In 2012 verloor ze haar moedige strijd tegen kanker!
In 2011 startte ik deze blog, omdat ik niet mocht stoppen met mijn UFO-onderzoek.
BEDANKT!!!
Een interessant adres?
UFO'S of UAP'S, ASTRONOMIE, RUIMTEVAART, ARCHEOLOGIE, OUDHEIDKUNDE, SF-SNUFJES EN ANDERE ESOTERISCHE WETENSCHAPPEN - DE ALLERLAATSTE NIEUWTJES
UFO's of UAP'S in België en de rest van de wereld Ontdek de Fascinerende Wereld van UFO's en UAP's: Jouw Bron voor Onthullende Informatie!
Ben jij ook gefascineerd door het onbekende? Wil je meer weten over UFO's en UAP's, niet alleen in België, maar over de hele wereld? Dan ben je op de juiste plek!
België: Het Kloppend Hart van UFO-onderzoek
In België is BUFON (Belgisch UFO-Netwerk) dé autoriteit op het gebied van UFO-onderzoek. Voor betrouwbare en objectieve informatie over deze intrigerende fenomenen, bezoek je zeker onze Facebook-pagina en deze blog. Maar dat is nog niet alles! Ontdek ook het Belgisch UFO-meldpunt en Caelestia, twee organisaties die diepgaand onderzoek verrichten, al zijn ze soms kritisch of sceptisch.
Nederland: Een Schat aan Informatie
Voor onze Nederlandse buren is er de schitterende website www.ufowijzer.nl, beheerd door Paul Harmans. Deze site biedt een schat aan informatie en artikelen die je niet wilt missen!
Internationaal: MUFON - De Wereldwijde Autoriteit
Neem ook een kijkje bij MUFON (Mutual UFO Network Inc.), een gerenommeerde Amerikaanse UFO-vereniging met afdelingen in de VS en wereldwijd. MUFON is toegewijd aan de wetenschappelijke en analytische studie van het UFO-fenomeen, en hun maandelijkse tijdschrift, The MUFON UFO-Journal, is een must-read voor elke UFO-enthousiasteling. Bezoek hun website op www.mufon.com voor meer informatie.
Samenwerking en Toekomstvisie
Sinds 1 februari 2020 is Pieter niet alleen ex-president van BUFON, maar ook de voormalige nationale directeur van MUFON in Vlaanderen en Nederland. Dit creëert een sterke samenwerking met de Franse MUFON Reseau MUFON/EUROP, wat ons in staat stelt om nog meer waardevolle inzichten te delen.
Let op: Nepprofielen en Nieuwe Groeperingen
Pas op voor een nieuwe groepering die zich ook BUFON noemt, maar geen enkele connectie heeft met onze gevestigde organisatie. Hoewel zij de naam geregistreerd hebben, kunnen ze het rijke verleden en de expertise van onze groep niet evenaren. We wensen hen veel succes, maar we blijven de autoriteit in UFO-onderzoek!
Blijf Op De Hoogte!
Wil jij de laatste nieuwtjes over UFO's, ruimtevaart, archeologie, en meer? Volg ons dan en duik samen met ons in de fascinerende wereld van het onbekende! Sluit je aan bij de gemeenschap van nieuwsgierige geesten die net als jij verlangen naar antwoorden en avonturen in de sterren!
Heb je vragen of wil je meer weten? Aarzel dan niet om contact met ons op te nemen! Samen ontrafelen we het mysterie van de lucht en daarbuiten.
27-01-2026
Prophecy from apocalyptic 'messiah' warns of death so widespread 'even birds won't escape'
Prophecy from apocalyptic 'messiah' warns of death so widespread 'even birds won't escape'
A poem written over 120 years ago by a revered religious figure has resurfaced as some fear its prediction of an apocalyptic event could be coming true today.
Hazrat Mirza Ghulam Ahmad, also known as the Promised Messiah and the Imam Mahdi, wrote a 1905 poem describing massive earthquakes and destruction across the world, which some have now interpreted as awarning of World War III.
In the poem, published around the time of his death in 1908, Ahmad predicted streams of blood flowing from widespread death, entire regions being wiped out, a massive earthquake, and even strange sky events beyond scientific explanation.
It mentions of calamity befalling the Czar of Russia has been seen by some as foreshadowing modern conflicts involving Russia, such as the war in Ukraine and continued tensions with the US and NATO.
'A sign will come some days hence, which will turn over villages, cities and fields. Wrath of God will bring a revolution in the world, the undressed one would be unable to tie his trousers,' Ahmad's 1905 poem described.
'Suddenly, a quake will severely shake, mortals, trees, mountains and seas, all. In the twinkling of an eye, the land shall turn over, streams of blood will flow like rivers of water.'
Ahmad, born in 1835 in Qadian, India, founded the Ahmadiyya Movement in Islam and dedicated his life to defending his faith against criticisms from other religions, such as Christianity. He also claimed to receive multiple divine revelations.
Ahmad's followers believe he was divinely appointed as the guided leader expected in Islamic End Times prophecies.
A 1905 poem and prophecy of global destruction by Hazrat Mirza Ghulam Ahmad has resurfaced as some believe it is close to coming true
(Stock Image)
The poem described a devastating earthquake which would shake 'mortals, trees, mountains and seas,' just as recent natural disasters, like the March 2025 quake in Myanmar
(Pictured)
There is some skepticism about the potential ties to current world tensions, as Russia no longer has a Czar in 2026 and some believers have suggested that Ahmad's predictions referred to a major earthquake in India before his death.
In his book Barahin-e-Ahmadiyya, written in the late 1800s, Ahmad wrote that a 'warner came unto the world, but the world accepted him not,' which believers have suggested meant disasters and wars would break out after a divine messenger was rejected by the people.
'There will be death on such a large scale that streams of blood will flow. Even birds and grazing animals will not escape this death,' the religious leader foretold.
'Those days are near, indeed they are at the door, when the world shall witness the spectacle of a doomsday.'
He also spoke of 'mighty assaults' from God and heaven that seemed to depict the launching of missiles in a global war, and the immense distress this would cause the leader of Russia.
'The terror of it will exhaust everyone, the great and the small, even the Czar will be at that hour in a state of the utmost distress,' Ahmad wrote in the poem.
'It will be a glimpse of wrath, that heavenly sign, the sky shall draw its dagger to attack.'
The poem also described the wrath of God assaulting from heaven and the sky drawing 'its dagger to attack,' similar to the image of a missile flying through the air (Stock Image)
Hazrat Mirza Ghulam Ahmad (Pictured) was the founder of the Ahmadiyya Movement in Islam and promoted the religion as a peaceful and tolerant faith
Despite his dire warnings of the future, Ahmad's main goal for the founding of the Ahmadiyya Movement was to present Islam as a peaceful, tolerant, and rational religion based on the Quran and the example of the Prophet Muhammad.
After Ahmad's death in 1908, the Ahmadiyya movement split into two main branches due to disagreements over their late leader's exact religious status.
Ahmadiyya Muslim Community sees him as a subordinate prophet under Muhammad, while the Lahore branch views him strictly as a reformer without prophethood.
However, both acknowledge the existence of the 1905 poem and its prophecy of a cataclysmic event following Ahmad's death, which both branches suggest includes events that have already taken place.
Specifically, Lahore interpreted Ahmad's warning to be about World War I, which began in 1914. Meanwhile, the Ahmadiyya Muslim Community has suggested that the quake mentioned by Ahmad described major seismic events in India.
However, the prophecy has resurfaced in 2026 as scientists in the US prepare to update the so-called Doomsday Clock, which is said to show how close the world is to a man-made global catastrophe, such as nuclear war.
As of last year, the clock has sat at 89 seconds to midnight, the closest it has ever come in its 78-year history of reaching the presumed End Times.
High-resolution map shows dark matter's gravity pulled normal matter into galaxies
High-resolution map shows dark matter's gravity pulled normal matter into galaxies
The James Webb Space Telescope in space near Earth.
Credit: NASA/dima_zel
Scientists have created the highest resolution map of the dark matter that threads through the universe—showing its influence on the formation of stars, galaxies and planets.
The research, including astronomers from Durham University, UK, tells us more about how this invisible substance helped pull ordinary matter into galaxies like the Milky Way and planets like Earth.
The findings, using new data from NASA's James Webb Space Telescope (Webb), are published in the journal Nature Astronomy.
The study was jointly led by Durham University, NASA's Jet Propulsion Laboratory (JPL), and the École Polytechnique Fédéral de Lausanne (EPFL), Switzerland.
In 2007, astronomers produced the first detailed map of the hidden dark matter of the COSMOS field. By measuring how gravity from unseen matter bends the light of background galaxies, the map shows how dark matter is distributed and acts as the hidden framework on which visible galaxies are built.
Credit: NASA, ESA and R Massey (California Institute of Technology).
The new map confirms previous research and provides new details about the relationship between dark matter and the normal matter from which we—and everything we can touch or see—are made.
When the universe began, dark matter and normal matter were probably sparsely distributed.
Scientists think dark matter clumped together first and then pulled in normal matter, creating regions where stars and galaxies began to form.
How dark matter shaped the universe
Using data from the James Webb Space Telescope, astronomers have produced one of the most detailed maps to date of dark matter. By measuring how gravity from unseen matter bends the light of background galaxies, the map shows how dark matter acts as the hidden framework on which visible galaxies are built. The overlaid contours mark regions of equal dark-matter density, highlighting where this invisible matter—shown here in a blue color—is most strongly concentrated.
Credit: Dr. Gavin Leroy/COSMOS-Webb collaboration.
In this way, dark matter determined the large-scale distribution of galaxies we see in the universe today.
By prompting galaxy and star formation to begin earlier than they would have otherwise, dark matter also played a role in creating the conditions for planets to eventually form. Without it we might not have the elements in our galaxy that allowed life to appear.
Using data from the James Webb Space Telescope, astronomers have produced one of the most detailed maps to date of dark matter. By measuring how gravity from unseen matter bends the light of background galaxies, the map shows how dark matter acts as the hidden framework on which visible galaxies are built. Here the Dark matter map from the JWST telescope is framed inside the original HST map from 2007.
Credit: Dr. Gavin Leroy/Professor Richard Massey/COSMOS-Webb collaboration.
Research co-lead author Dr. Gavin Leroy, of the Institute for Computational Cosmology, Department of Physics, Durham University, said, "By revealing dark matter with unprecedented precision, our map shows how an invisible component of the universe has structured visible matter to the point of enabling the emergence of galaxies, stars, and ultimately, life itself.
Using data from the James Webb Space Telescope, astronomers have produced one of the most detailed maps to date of dark matter. By measuring how gravity from unseen matter bends the light of background galaxies, the map shows how dark matter acts as the hidden framework on which visible galaxies are built.
Credit: Dr. Gavin Leroy/Professor Richard Massey/COSMOS-Webb collaboration.
"This map reveals the invisible but essential role of dark matter, the true architect of the universe, which gradually organizes the structures we observe through our telescopes."
Understanding dark matter's elusive nature
This map shows the Dark Matter distribution in the COSMOS field observed by the Hubble Space Telescope (left) and by the James Webb Space Telescope (right). The overlaid contours mark regions of equal dark-matter density, highlighting where this invisible matter—shown here in a blue color—is most strongly concentrated.
Credit: Dr. Gavin Leroy/Professor Richard Massey/COSMOS-Webb collaboration.
Dark matter does not emit, reflect, absorb, or block light, and it passes through regular matter like a ghost.
However, it does interact with the rest of the universe through gravity, something the new map shows with a new level of clarity.
Evidence for this interaction lies in the degree of overlap between maps of dark matter and normal matter.
According to the research, Webb's observations confirm that this close alignment cannot be a coincidence. Instead, the astronomers say it is due to dark matter's gravity pulling normal matter toward it throughout cosmic history.
The Dark Matter distribution in the COSMOS field observed by the Hubble Space Telescope (left) and by James Webb Space Telescope (right).
Credit: Dr. Gavin Leroy/Professor Richard Massey/COSMOS-Webb collaboration.
Research co-author Professor Richard Massey, in the Institute for Computational Cosmology, Department of Physics, Durham University, said, "Wherever you find normal matter in the universe today, you also find dark matter.
"Billions of dark matter particles pass through your body every second. There's no harm, they don't notice us and just keep going.
"But the whole swirling cloud of dark matter around the Milky Way has enough gravity to hold our entire galaxy together. Without dark matter, the Milky Way would spin itself apart."
Mapping the universe with Webb
The area covered by the new map is a section of sky about 2.5 times larger than the full moon, in the constellation Sextans.
Webb peered at this region for a total of about 255 hours and identified nearly 800,000 galaxies, with many detected for the first time.
The scientific team then looked for dark matter by observing how its mass curves space itself, which in turn bends the light traveling to Earth from distant galaxies—as if the light of those galaxies has passed through a warped windowpane.
The map contains about 10 times more galaxies than maps of the area made by ground-based observatories and twice as many as the Hubble Space Telescope.
It reveals new clumps of dark matter and captures a higher-resolution view of the areas previously seen by Hubble.
Sharper images and future research
Research co-lead author Dr. Diana Scognamiglio, of NASA's Jet Propulsion Laboratory, said, "This is the largest dark matter map we've made with Webb, and it's twice as sharp as any dark matter map made by other observatories.
"Previously, we were looking at a blurry picture of dark matter. Now we're seeing the invisible scaffolding of the universe in stunning detail, thanks to Webb's incredible resolution."
To refine measurements of the distance to many galaxies for the map, the team used Webb's Mid-Infrared Instrument (MIRI).
Durham University's Center for Extragalactic Astronomy was involved in the development of MIRI, which was designed and managed through launch by JPL.
The wavelengths detected by MIRI make it adept at detecting galaxies obscured by cosmic dust clouds.
The team next plans to map dark matter throughout the entire universe, using the European Space Agency's (ESA) Euclid telescope and NASA's upcoming Nancy Grace Roman Space Telescope.
They will learn more about dark matter's fundamental properties and how dark matter might have changed over cosmic history.
However, that patch of sky studied in this latest research will be the reference on which all future mapping will be fine-tuned and compared.
More information:
Diana Scognamiglio, An ultra-high-resolution map of (dark) matter, Nature Astronomy (2026).
Underground shelters for the chosen, silence for the masses
Underground shelters for the chosen, silence for the masses
Back in 2013, we reported on the so-called elite survival bunkers and the notorious Deep Underground Military Bases — the D.U.M.B.s. Curiously, the rumors never faded. If anything, they feel more relevant today than ever.
Despite the public silence, world powers may already be aware of a looming global crisis, yet choose to say nothing. While the masses are distracted, preparations appear to continue behind closed doors.
Mainstream media keeps its spotlight fixed on geopolitical tension, conveniently ignoring escalating environmental and planetary risks. Governments offer no clear explanation. Scientists remain reserved. The pattern speaks for itself.
Evidence suggests the world’s major governments have been preparing for catastrophe far longer than most people realize.
Across continents, state agencies, defense contractors, and major corporations have accelerated underground construction to unprecedented levels. In the United States, massive subterranean complexes are being excavated in remote and restricted regions, well beyond public oversight. China has quietly built unusually deep subway networks beneath key cities, resembling a crash infrastructure program. Russia went public in 2011 with plans for roughly 5,000 new nuclear shelters for Moscow alone, while newer metro lines were designed to double as hardened bunkers.
More recently, former HUD official Catherine Austin Fitts alleged that the U.S. has been covertly constructing an underground “breakaway” civilization for the elite, designed for near extinction-level scenarios. She claimed trillions in unaccounted federal funds were diverted into subterranean infrastructure, including an underground command grid for continuity of government during nuclear war or worse, as well as advanced transit systems.
One acknowledged D.U.M.B. is the Cheyenne Mountain Complex, arguably America’s most secure and secretive military fortress. Imagine what else they've built. ( Video : take a look at the inside the Cheyenne Mountain Complex.)
Economist Mark Skidmore of Michigan State University reviewed federal financial discrepancies and concluded in 2017 that roughly $21 trillion in “unauthorized expenditures” occurred between 1998 and 2015 within the Department of Defense and the Department of Housing and Urban Development. One Army report alone listed $6.5 trillion in unsupported adjustments for fiscal year 2015 — fifty times its official budget.
After examining the missing trillions, Fitts estimated that at least 170 underground installations exist within U.S. territory, some rumored to extend beneath oceans and interconnect via classified high-speed transit systems. According to her, these would function as sanctuaries if governments anticipated a civilization level collapse.
Hollywood has long been accused of predictive programming, quietly introducing future technologies, events, or disclosures into films and entertainment well before they surface in reality. In the context of underground survival infrastructure, the film Greenland is frequently cited. Its storyline depicts an extinction-level disaster in which ordinary citizens are abandoned while selected individuals are quietly evacuated to fortified subterranean facilities, including a base beneath Greenland.
Confirmed or not, the pattern is hard to ignore: powerful institutions appear to be preparing for contingencies the public is not being informed about. And if the worst comes, one uncomfortable possibility emerges, the general population may be left to fend for itself.
In 2026, NASA will move from long-running development and testing into a phase defined by action, readiness, and progress. After years shaped by delays, redesigns, and risk reductions, many of NASA's most ambitious programs are finally lining up for execution. The result will be a year that could redefine how humans explore space and how science missions are delivered. Human spaceflight is once again the central focus.
After more than 50 years, humans are planning to return to the Moon. At the same time, the agency is testing new ways to communicate across deep space, manage crews, and operate complex systems from Earth. Meanwhile, the next-generation Nancy Grace Roman telescope is finished and preparing to launch, while NASA continues to build strong partnerships with commercial companies to improve its means to search for life outside Earth. Together, these efforts make 2026 more than just another year of planning. It represents a moment when planning turns into progress.
In 2026, NASA plans to take a major step in returning humans to the Moon with the Artemis II mission. This flight will be the first time astronauts reach the moon since the final Apollo mission concluded in 1972. A crew of four astronauts aboard NASA's Orion spacecraft will leave Earth from the Kennedy Space Center in Florida. The mission is planned to launch no later than April 2026, but NASA is actually aiming for a possible launch even sooner.
The trip will last only 10 days, during which the spacecraft will loop around the Moon and return to Earth. The astronauts won't land on the Moon because the true purpose of the Artemis II mission is to test life support, navigation, communication, and other systems with humans aboard in a deep-space environment. That said, Artemis II is more than just a technical tryout. It's a confidence builder for the later Artemis missions planned to take astronauts to the lunar surface, Mars' surface, and beyond. The excitement for Artemis II is global. NASA invited the public to sign up and have their names fly around the Moon during the mission. Projects like this can help people around the world feel more connected to space exploration in 2026.
2. NASA hones in on search-for-life missions
Artist's concept of the Habitable Worlds Observatory
In early January 2026, NASA announced that it was hearing proposals from companies who could help advance technology on the successor to James Webb, the Habitable Worlds Observatory (HWO). NASA plans to have HWO serve as a space telescope designed to image Earth-like planets orbiting distant suns and analyze their atmospheres for signatures of life. This new flagship telescope will push beyond what Hubble and James Webb can do. While these existing telescopes also have coronagraphs, or devices that block starlight so that scientists can get a better look at orbiting planets, HWO is expected to have one that is thousands of times more powerful.
NASA awarded three-year contracts to seven companies to build the technical foundations for HWO. Among these are some major players including Lockheed Martin, Northrop Grumman, and BAE Systems. In a statement, NASA administrator Jared Isaacman said humanity is ready to find life beyond Earth and that he believes developing such technology is a matter of urgency. HWO is NASA's boldest step yet in answering the question: Are we alone in the universe?
3. Laser-based communication is implemented
Illustration depicting transmits between NASA's Psyche spacecraft and Earth-based observatories
In recent years, NASA has been pushing the limits of how space communication works. Until now, spacecraft were using traditional radio waves to communicate with Earth. Now, new technologies are laser-based. They use pulses of light to send information, packing far more data in each transmission. This breakthrough could transform how missions share high-definition images, video, and scientific data across millions of kilometers.
NASA already successfully demonstrated how Deep Space Optical Communication (DSOC) works. The Psyche spacecraft, launched in October 2023, is equipped with this new technology, and it already received laser-encoded data over record-breaking distances. The first stream was, funnily enough, a video of a cat chasing a laser pointer. Throughout 2024 and 2025, the DSOC onboard Psyche continued to beat distance records.
This successful demonstration lays the groundwork for the operational use of laser communication in crew-supported missions like Artemis II. NASA will fly the Orion Artemis II Optical Communication System (O2O) aboard the Orion spacecraft. The Artemis crew will be able to send 4K ultra-high definition video, voice, procedures, images, and science data for the duration of the mission.
The Nancy Grace Roman telescope finishes its final tests
An engineer inspecting the primary mirror for NASA's Nancy Grace Roman Space Telescope
NASA's next great space telescope, the Nancy Grace Roman Space Telescope has officially moved from construction to completion. After years of development, the spacecraft's physical build is finished, and all major components have been assembled and integrated. Roman is NASA's next flagship telescope that combines Hubble-like resolution with a field view 100 times larger. That means it's capable of capturing huge cosmic areas in a single image.
The next step is to launch this space telescope. Final testing and preparations are ongoing as engineers simulate the launch vibrations, cold of space, and long-term operations far from Earth to make sure this next-generation telescope will be fully operational before the launch. The telescope is scheduled to go online in May 2027, but as the work progresses fast, there are indications that the launch could be moved to September 2026. While the launch preparations continue, the scientific community is already gearing up. In 2025, NASA ca }ed for research proposals using the Ronan telescope. It could be that 2026 sees some of these come to life.
Mars contains water, though mostly as subsurface permafrost. Surface water is readily visible at some places, such as the ice-filled Korolev Crater, near the north polar ice cap (Credit : ESA/DLR/FU)
Scientists have known that Mars has water for some years, documenting ice beneath the surface, moisture locked in soil, and vapour drifting through the thin atmosphere. The challenge facing future human missions isn't finding water on the Red Planet, it’s figuring out how to actually extract and use it.
Dr Vassilis Inglezakis at the University of Strathclyde has tackled this practical problem in a new study that compares the various technologies capable of recovering Martian water. While previous research focused on identifying where water exists, this analysis examines the crucial next step which is the evaluation of how effectively each extraction method would work under authentic Martian conditions.
Reliable water access would prove essential not just for drinking but for producing oxygen and fuel, dramatically reducing dependence on supplies shipped from Earth at enormous expense. A self sufficient Mars base needs local water, and it needs extraction systems that actually function in an environment far harsher than anywhere on Earth.
Gullies, similar to those formed on Earth, are visible on this image from Mars Global Surveyor and are thought to be formed by transient running water on the surface of Mars.
Inglezakis compared three primary water sources and their associated technologies. Subsurface ice emerges as the most promising long term option, offering substantial quantities of relatively pure water once drilling or excavation equipment reaches deposits typically buried beneath meters of dry soil and rock. The energy costs of melting ice pale in comparison to the water yield, making this approach economically viable for permanent settlements.
Soil moisture presents a trickier proposition. Martian regolith contains water molecules chemically bound to minerals, which can be liberated through heating. However, the process demands significant energy to extract relatively modest amounts of water, making it better suited as a supplementary source or emergency backup rather than a primary supply.
Atmospheric water harvesting represents perhaps the most intriguing possibility, particularly for missions exploring regions far from known ice deposits. Mars's atmosphere contains water vapour, though in concentrations far lower than Earth's driest deserts. The study proposes new harvesting approaches that could capture this atmospheric moisture, offering a potentially valuable water source when nothing else is accessible. The technology would need to operate continuously, compensating for the atmosphere's stinginess through persistent collection over extended periods.
This map shows the ice thickness at Mars’s Medusae Fossae Formation (MFF) if we assume that the dust is 1000 feet thick. In this case, the total volume of water ice contained within the MFF deposits, if it melted, would be enough to cover Mars in an ocean of water approximately 3 metres deep (Credit: ESA)
The analysis evaluates each method across multiple criteria; energy requirements, equipment complexity, scalability from small exploration missions to large settlements, and reliability under varying Martian conditions. Temperature extremes, dust storms, and equipment degradation from the planet's corrosive soil all factor into determining which technologies would prove practical rather than merely theoretically possible.
As Inglezakis notes, much of Mars remains unexplored, and the search for accessible water continues. But understanding which extraction technologies could realistically function on the Red Planet proves equally crucial for planning sustained missions and eventual permanent settlement. The research provides a roadmap for making future Mars missions more self sufficient, transforming the planet's scattered water resources from tantalising discoveries into practical assets for human survival.
Moisture extracted from the atmosphere of Mars could provide a valuable alternative water supply if humans are ever to inhabit the red planet, a study has found.
However, the research from a Strathclyde University academic found that ice located beneath the surface of Mars would provide the most viable long-term solution.
Dr Vassilis Inglezakis examined the various ways of obtaining water on Mars in a paper in the Advances In Space Research journal.
The planet has several potential sources of H2O - including underground ice, soil moisture, and atmospheric vapour.
While underground ice could provide a long-term solution, Dr Inglezakis's research noted there are unlikely to be any accessible deposits near locations where explorers would land.
Harvesting water from the atmosphere is challenging as it requires more power and energy - but he suggested it could provide an alternative in areas were subsurface ice is inaccessible, or as a backup supply.
Dr Inglezakis, from the university's Department of Chemical and Process Engineering, said: 'Reliable access to water would be essential for human survival on Mars, not only for drinking but also for producing oxygen and fuel, which would reduce dependence on Earth-based supplies.
'This study is one of the first to compare the various technologies that could be deployed to recover water in a Martian environment.
Mars has several potential sources of H20 - including underground ice, soil moisture, and atmospheric vapour
'It also puts forward new ideas for atmospheric water harvesting, offering potentially valuable alternatives where other sources are inaccessible.'
The paper discusses each method in terms of energy demands, scalability, and suitability for different Martian conditions.
The analysis suggests subsurface ice is the most viable long-term water source.
The study examined ways of obtaining water on Mars
Nasa/ESA
Dr Inglezakis added: 'While the search for water continues and much of Mars remains unexplored, a clear understanding of available technologies and their realistic applications will be key to supporting sustained missions and eventual settlement.
'The research offers insights for future space exploration missions, supporting efforts to make them more self-sufficient and sustainable.'
Joe Rogan's latest podcast guest delved into controversial scans showing an enormous underground structure beneath the Great Pyramid of Giza, potentially rewriting ancient history.
The scans were conducted by Italian scientist Filippo Biondi and the Khafre Project team using synthetic aperture radar. This satellite imaging technology maps subsurface features by bouncing radio waves off the ground.
More than 200 scans from multiple satellites, including Italy's Cosmo-SkyMed and the US-based Capella Space, showed uniform results suggesting massive pillars about 65 feet in diameter wrapped in spirals and plunging nearly 4,000 feet deep.
Those pillars appear to end in 260-foot cubic chambers beneath all three pyramids and the Sphinx, which Biondi described as 'huge chambers' measuring roughly 260 feet in length and width.
The scans also highlighted shafts descending about 2,000 feet that intersect horizontal corridors roughly 10 feet tall, leading Biondi to speculate the pyramids may not be tombs but ancient power plants or vibration devices for out-of-body experiences.
Rogan echoed the radical implications, saying: 'They're not tombs,' and adding that if the data is accurate, the pyramids may be 'just the tip of the iceberg.'
Biondi dated the underground structures to 18,000 to 20,000 years ago, linking them to Zep Tepi, the mythic 'First Time' when gods first ruled and civilization began.
He also pointed to salt residues from ancient seawater flooding as evidence of a great flood event that could support the theory of a far older civilization beneath Giza.
The researcher team has released a model of the structures hiding below the Giza plateau, which includes three pyramids and the Great Sphinx
Italian scientist Filippo Biondi was the latest guest on the Joe Rogan Experience, where he discussed the scans showing the hidden megastructure
However, the Khafre Pyramid team believes the structures are much older and are hiding an underground world built by a lost civilization.
The key driver of the controversy is the credibility of the technology, which Biondi said he developed through 'top secret projects for the Italian military' and has applied to sites like the Mosul Dam and Italy's Grand Sasso laboratory.
It's patented, peer-reviewed, and built for precision, yet when the scans are applied to Giza, the reaction is fierce. Mainstream archaeologist Dr Zahi Hawass has called the scans 'This is bulls***.'
Biondi admitted that he and Armando Mei, who is part of the team, initially doubted the data, holding the results for six months, suspecting processing artifacts.
'My opinion was that it was not real. I was thinking that maybe it was noise or some artifacts due to our processing procedures,' he said.
Confirmation came from multiple satellite systems and benchmarks, including exact mapping of Italy's Grand Sasso particle collider, which lies about 4,600 feet deep inside a mountain.
Biondi said the consistency across datasets was what ultimately convinced him the findings were real.
The scans captured enormous shafts descending from the pyramids
The Giza complex consists of three pyramids, Khufu, Khafre and Menkaure, built 4,500 years ago on a rocky plateau on the west bank of the Nile River in northern Egypt
After initially relying only on Italy's Cosmo-SkyMed satellites, the team expanded its analysis to US-based Capella Space satellites and others, seeking confirmation through diversity of sources.
'Once we had the same results while we were using American satellites… and also other satellites always the same results, we decided to disclose,' he said.
In total, more than 200 scans returned the same structural patterns.
Rogan pointed out that the technology has already been validated elsewhere, including its ability to precisely map Italy's underground Gran Sasso laboratory, a particle physics facility buried roughly 4,600 feet inside a mountain. '
We know it's accurate, we know it works,' Rogan said, calling resistance to the findings 'confirmation bias.'
Biondi emphasized that his work does not involve penetrating the ground with radar beams, a common online criticism.
Hawass has used that argument to dismiss the claims, telling the Daily Mail: 'They used topographic radar.
'They claim it reaches more than 1,000 feet down to a city. But any scientist who understands tomographic radar knows it only reaches about 60 feet. Their theory is completely wrong.'
However, Biondi explained that the method analyzes mechanical vibrations naturally present on Earth's surface and reconstructs subsurface features through tomographic inversion.
'We are not penetrating anything,' he said. 'We are just grabbing the entropy that is on the surface of the earth.'
The scans indicated not only vertical structures but horizontal corridors roughly nine feet tall that connect the shafts and chambers beneath the plateau.
The scans also captured large rooms at the bottom of the shafts
After gathering the data, researchers used a special algorithm that turned the information into vertical images of the ground beneath the pyramid, capturing the first look at the hidden structures. Pictured are the eight wells under the pyramid
According to Biondi, existing shafts between the pyramids, currently blocked by debris, may already provide access points to the underground system.
'Those shafts go down, down, down… and they reach chambers that are below,' he said, estimating depths of about 1,968 feet.
Biondi argued that physical excavation may not even be necessary to confirm the findings.
He has proposed a project to Egyptian authorities that would focus on clearing debris from existing shafts and deploying robotic drones, rather than digging new tunnels.
'We want to use machines, not humans,' he said, estimating the cost of such an effort at roughly $20 million.
Rogan repeatedly returned to the scale of the implications. If the data holds up, he said, the pyramids, long considered among humanity's greatest architectural achievements, may be only the visible remnants of something far larger.
'Those immense structures that have baffled mankind forever are just the tip of the iceberg,' Rogan said.
Biondi agreed, stressing that the measurements are the only subsurface data currently available for the Giza Plateau.
'What we found is something that has been confirmed by our measurements,' he said. 'At the moment, these are the only data that we have.'
Despite the controversy, Biondi said he welcomes replication by other research groups and remains open to scrutiny.
'I am happy if somebody can replicate things,' he said. 'If other research groups can replicate the things that I'm showing, I'm happy.'
For now, the scans remain unverified by direct exploration, suspended between radical possibility and entrenched skepticism.
But as Rogan put it, ignoring the data outright would be a mistake. 'If you're skeptical, we should probably explore it,' he said. 'And if it's wrong, okay. But if it's right, it's a crime not to investigate.'
See dark matter like NEVER before: NASA reveals one of the most detailed maps of the elusive substance yet – confirming its vital influence on the universe
See dark matter like NEVER before: NASA reveals one of the most detailed maps of the elusive substance yet – confirming its vital influence on the universe
NASA has revealed one of the most detailed maps of dark matter yet.
Taken by the James Webb Space Telescope, the map suggests the elusive substance acts as a hidden framework on which entire galaxies are built.
According to researchers from Durham University, it could help to unravel the mystery of the formation of our Milky Way – as well as planet Earth.
'Wherever you find normal matter in the Universe today, you also find dark matter,' explained Professor Richard Massey, co–author of the study.
'Billions of dark matter particles pass through your body every second.
'There's no harm, they don't notice us and just keep going.
'But the whole swirling cloud of dark matter around the Milky Way has enough gravity to hold our entire galaxy together.
'Without dark matter, the Milky Way would spin itself apart.'
NASA has revealed one of the most detailed maps of dark matter yet. Taken by the James WebbSpace Telescope, the map suggests the elusive substance acts as a hidden framework on which entire galaxies are built
Dark matter is described as the 'glue' that holds the universe together.
However, because it's invisble, understanding exactly what it is or what is does has proved difficult.
Scientists have previously suggested that when the universe began, dark matter and normal matter were sparsely distributed.
Dark matter clumped together first, before pulling in normal matter, creating regions where stars and galaxies began to form.
By prompting this formation, dark matter also played a role in creating the conditions for planets to form – eventually allowing life to appear.
To prove this is the case, the research team turned to NASA's James Webb – the largest and most powerful telescope ever launched to space.
This allowed them to map dark matter with 'unprecedented precision'.
Because dark matter is invisible, the team looked for it by observing how its mass curves space itself, which in turn bends the light travelling to Earth from distant galaxies.
Because dark matter is invisible, the team looked for it by observing how its mass curves space itself, which in turn bends the light travelling to Earth from distant galaxies
The research team turned to NASA's James Webb – the largest and most powerful telescope ever launched to space
The map shows that dark matter interacts with the rest of the universe through gravity – seen by the degree of overlap between maps of dark and normal matter.
'By revealing dark matter with unprecedented precision, our map shows how an invisible component of the Universe has structured visible matter to the point of enabling the emergence of galaxies, stars, and ultimately life itself,' explained Dr Gavin Leroy, co–author of the study.
'This map reveals the invisible but essential role of dark matter, the true architect of the Universe, which gradually organises the structures we observe through our telescopes.'
In total, the area covered by the map is a section of sky about 2.5 times larger than the full moon, in the constellation Sextans.
It includes nearly 800,000 galaxies – about 10 times more than Webb's predecessor, Hubble, was able to observe.
Dr Diana Scognamiglio, co–author of the study from NASA's Jet Propulsion Laboratory, said: 'This is the largest dark matter map we've made with Webb, and it's twice as sharp as any dark matter map made by other observatories.
Created using data from NASA’s Webb telescope in 2026 (right) and from the Hubble Space Telescope in 2007 (left), these images show the presence of dark matter in the same region of sky. Webb’s higher resolution is providing new insights into how this invisible component influences the distribution of ordinary matter in the universe.
'Previously, we were looking at a blurry picture of dark matter.
'Now we're seeing the invisible scaffolding of the Universe in stunning detail, thanks to Webb's incredible resolution.'
The team now plans to map dark matter through the entire universe, using the European Space Agency's Euclid telescope alongside NASA’s upcoming Nancy Grace Roman Space Telescope.
Dark matter is a hypothetical substance said to make up roughly 85 per cent of the universe.
The enigmatic material is invisible because it does not reflect light, and has never been directly observed by scientists.
Astronomers know it to be out there because of its gravitational effects on known matter.
The European Space Agency says: 'Shine a torch in a completely dark room, and you will see only what the torch illuminates.
Dark matter is a hypothetical substance said to make up roughly 27 per cent of the universe. It is thought to be the gravitational 'glue' that holds the galaxies together (artist's impression)
'That does not mean that the room around you does not exist.
'Similarly we know dark matter exists but have never observed it directly.'
The material is thought to be the gravitational 'glue' that holds the galaxies together.
Calculations show that many galaxies would be torn apart instead of rotating if they weren't held together by a large amount of dark matter.
Just five per cent the observable universe consists of known matter such as atoms and subatomic particles.
An Egyptologist has proposed a new theory that the Ark of the Covenant was not merely a sacred container for the Ten Commandments, but a radical reimagining of ancient religious symbols.
David Falk, who holds a PhD in Egyptology from the University of Liverpool, argued the Ark was modeled on Egyptian ritual furniture, specifically shrines designed to hold a statue or idol.
But unlike Egyptian shrines, the Ark contained no idol, meaning it was built to show that God's presence did not require a physical representation, Falk suggested.
In ancient Egypt, sacred chests and shrines were often decorated with uraeus cobras that spat fire, symbols meant to protect and sanctify holy space.
Winged goddesses also appeared on Egyptian thrones and shrines, their outstretched wings signifying protection and divine power.
Falk argued the Ark borrowed this visual language but flipped it, creating sacred space not inside the box but above it, between the wings of the cherubim on the mercy seat.
If Falk is correct, the Ark's design reveals a deliberate theological innovation: a sacred object built to reject the religious norms of its time, while still using their symbols to mark it as holy.
The theory implies that the Israelites did not just abandon Egyptian religion, but they intentionally weaponized its symbols against it through the Ark.
A new theory has suggested that the Ark was built using ancient Egyptian religious symbols as a theological rebuke, a statement that the Israelite God was superior to Egyptian gods because he required no idol, and because his presence was not confined to a statue
The Bible states that the Israelites spent generations in Egypt, which would have led to absorbing all aspects of its culture and religious imagery.
Falk's theory suggested that, rather than simply abandoning these influences, the Israelites intentionally borrowed and reworked them.
The biblical relic would then function as a theological rebuke, a statement that the Israelite God was superior to Egyptian gods because He required no idol, and because His presence was not confined to a statue.
According to scripture, Moses placed the Ten Commandments inside the Ark, which was kept in the Tabernacle, a sanctuary built shortly after the Israelites' Exodus from Egypt, traditionally dated by some scholars to around 1445 BC.
The Book of Exodus describes the Ark as a gold-covered acacia wood chest with precise dimensions and carrying poles.
Its lid was topped with two cherubim facing one another, their wings outstretched to form a sacred space known as the 'mercy seat,' where God would commune with Moses.
The theory pointed to ancient Egyptian chests, noting how similar they are to the Ark
Falk noted in Biblical Archaeology that 'the Ark was constructed using a visual language that everyone knew 3,300 years ago, but is mostly lost to us today.'
His theory centers on the idea that the Ark was intentionally modeled on Egyptian 'shrine' furniture, which was often built to house a statue or idol of a deity.
These shrines were typically gold-covered and decorated with protective imagery.
The most common protective figures were the uraeus cobra, often depicted spitting fire, and winged goddesses, whose outstretched wings signified divine protection and power.
Falk argued that these symbols were not mere decoration, but active markers of sanctity, a way of announcing that a sacred presence was contained within.
However, rather than containing a physical god, the Ark may have been designed to create a holy space above its lid, between the wings of the cherubim on the mercy seat.
The mercy seat, a golden cover placed atop the Ark, featured two cherubim facing each other.
Their wings form a protective canopy, suggesting a sacred 'throne room' in the space between them. This, Falk argued, is a deliberate rejection of idol worship, a way of saying that God's presence cannot be captured in a statue.
According to scripture, Moses placed the Ten Commandments inside the Ark , which was kept in the Tabernacle, a portable sanctuary built shortly after the Israelites' Exodus from Egypt , traditionally dated by some scholars to around 1445 BC
The Ark's carrying poles also support Falk's argument, as in the Exodus description, the Ark was transported using poles that ran through rings attached to its sides.
Falk noted that this is consistent with Egyptian ritual chests, which were similarly designed to be carried by poles.
However, the Egyptian versions were built to carry idols, while the Ark was built to carry nothing inside.
This, Falk said, is the key difference: it retains the form of Egyptian sacred furniture, but removes its defining function.
If Falk's interpretation is correct, the Ark becomes a powerful symbol of Israelite identity and resistance.
Scientists Reveal Lightning Can Spawn UFO-Like Plasmoids in Shocking Experiments
Scientists Reveal Lightning Can Spawn UFO-Like Plasmoids in Shocking Experiments
New research shows self-organising plasma fireballs that resemble flying objects can emerge naturally from extreme electrical conditions
ByCrisnel Longino
A picture portraying a UFO flying.
A crack of lightning, a burst of heat, and suddenly a glowing sphere hangs in the sky like a craft from another world. Scientists now say this is not fantasy or folklore, but hard physics, after a growing body of peer reviewed experiments revealed that lightning and plasma can spontaneously create floating fireballs known as plasmoids.
Ball lightning has baffled witnesses for generations. During violent thunderstorms, people have reported silent glowing spheres drifting through streets, rolling along power lines, or even passing through walls. Local police and military authorities have logged hundreds of accounts each year, yet the phenomenon remained deeply mysterious because it appears randomly and vanishes within seconds.
From Storm Clouds to Strange Sightings
These shimmering orbs behave in ways that closely resemble famous UFO sightings, including the so called tic tac object filmed by the US Navy, raising dramatic questions about what people have really been seeing for centuries.
A major scientific book on the phenomenology of lightning now includes an explicit chapter on UFO-like events, arguing that many reports could be rooted in real atmospheric plasma rather than extraterrestrials. On page 68, the description of lightning born fireballs is so precise that it mirrors modern footage of the tic tac object struck by a missile and seemingly unharmed.
Laboratory research shows that under the right conditions, electricity can organise chaos into structure. Scientists call this the auto assemblage of ionospheric research instruments, a technical way of saying that giant plasmoids can self assemble in the sky. When electrons are pushed far from thermal equilibrium, they begin to behave like organisers of matter, transforming random sparks into stable glowing bodies. This process involves complex quantum effects such as Bose Einstein condensation, electron tunnelling and Josephson effects. Instead of being simple blobs of light, plasmoids act like dynamic systems that evolve step by step as energy changes around them.
Researchers have successfully recreated plasmoids inside laboratories, producing luminous spheres that look strikingly similar to natural ball lightning. One of the most dramatic experiments took place at the Heavy Ion Collider in New York, where beams of gold nuclei were smashed together at near light speed. The collision created a fireball of plasma 300 times hotter than the surface of the Sun. Remarkably, the fireball survived longer than the moment of impact itself. Scientists observed particles being absorbed into its core and re-emerging as thermal radiation, a process compared to how matter might fall into a black hole and reappear as Hawking radiation.
Are They Alive or Just Light?
The big question remains whether these plasmoids are merely exotic physics or something closer to proto intelligence. Some researchers suggest the structures show signs of organised behaviour, adapting to energy flows rather than dissolving instantly.
Critics argue they are simply electromagnetic shapes, no more sentient than foam or smoke. The debate is far from settled, and experts admit that much of the scientific literature is so technical that only a handful of specialists can fully interpret it. What is clear is that nature can create floating luminous objects without any need for alien pilots.
Taken together, the evidence suggests that many historical UFO encounters may have been misidentified plasmoids born from lightning, plasma or extreme energy events. Yet the findings do not entirely close the door on extraterrestrial possibilities. Instead, they deepen the mystery, showing that our own planet can generate phenomena that look, move and behave like something straight out of science fiction.
An invasion of small metallic orbs has been spotted hovering over the US in recent years, leaving the Pentagon scrambling to identify these mysterious UFOs.
A new report from the crowdsourced platform Enigma, which allows people to report sightings of unidentified flying objects (UFOs), reveals more than 8,000 sightings across the US between December 2022 and June 2025.
Among these, 422 reports specifically describe metallic orbs, with the majority observed between 1am and 4am near military installations in New York, California, and Arizona.
Eyewitnesses, including civilians, pilots, and military personnel, reported seeing the spheres hover silently before moving at extreme speeds, leaving no trace of their departure.
Some of the sightings have been captured on video or radar, though many remain unexplained.
'I was walking into work when I looked up and saw two metallic liquid-like objects hovering for about two minutes,' said one witness over Brooklyn's Fort Hamilton in June 2024.
Another in California described seeing a metallic orb above Los Angeles shortly after a squadron of planes flew by.
Military drone footage from the Middle east in 2022 revealed a metal sphere flying through the sky in broad daylight (circled in purple)
The crowdsourced platform Enigma reported that over 8,000 orbs have been seen over the US since December 2022
However, some cases have remained unsolved, reportedly due to a lack of data. Of the 757 UFO cases between May 2023 and June 2024 released in AARO's annual report, 21 cases were classified as unresolved sightings.
Although the Pentagon and civilian groups like the National UFO Reporting Center (NUFORC) have also been cataloging these incidents, many have continued to baffle military officials, who have no way of explaining what was seen.
While the new report focused on the thousands of sightings in the US over the last three years, strange orbs have been documented all over the world, from Puerto Rico to the Middle East.
Moreover, these tiny craft have apparently been visiting our skies for decades, with pilots during World War II reporting similar orbs over the skies of Europe.
Enigma revealed that more than 360 'metallic orb' reports took place within a few miles of military bases here on US soil.
In three of those cases, witnesses revealed that the orbs got within five miles of Fort Hamilton in New York, Papago Military Reserve in Arizona, and Los Angeles Air Force Base on multiple occasions.
These mystery orb sightings include one shocking encounter revealed by Dr Sean Kirkpatrick, the former director of AARO, which was captured on a MQ-9 Reaper drone's camera in the Middle East in 2022.
Enigma revealed that witnesses spotted strange orbs flying above Fort Hamilton military base in New York multiple times
Even more close calls were documented around Los Angeles Air Force Base in California between 2022 and 2025
Kirkpatrick warned that if these videos didn't prove that aliens exist, then they're evidence that a rival foreign power could be 'doing stuff in our backyard.'
Some theories have suggested these orbs could be surveillance devices from foreign powers like China or Russia.
Government officials believed they might be advanced drones, due to their tremendous agility and ability to avoid radar, according to a 2022 report in the New York Times.
As for Enigma's report, many of the orb sightings have been concentrated in Texas and Florida.
In fact, visitors at Disney World's Epcot in Florida got an unexpected sight this month, when a glowing orb appeared over the amusement park.
After searching online and finding no information about drones or satellites in the area, Morgan Huelsman, digital director of The Bobby Bones Show, described the object as a 'UFO,' adding, 'definitely a UFO with aliens.'
The Enigma platform has also received sightings from all over the US, over critical infrastructure such as power plants, and over naval vessels at sea.
The Buga Sphere recovered in Colombia (pictured) remains one of the only pieces of physical evidence tied to metallic orb sightings worldwide
The 'Buga Sphere' has become a major topic of discussion among UFO researchers, with scientists claiming the object contains a maze of fiber-optic wires that suggest it can send and receive signals.
After striking a power line and crashing to the ground, the object also appeared to have somehow dehydrated the field it landed in, killing all the grass and soil where it touched down.
Scientists suggested this was proof that the object produced some kind of energy field, but researchers had not attempted to forcibly cut the object open so far. The sphere has since been taken to Mexico for further analysis.
However, UFO researcher Dr Julia Mossbridge from the University of San Diego is among the many who doubt the authenticity of the Buga Sphere, calling it a 'man-made art project.'
America's most sensitive nuclear sites have been secretly invaded by thousands of unidentified flying objects, a stunning new report has revealed.
Crowdsourced platform Enigma revealed to the Daily Mail that there have been more than 2,800 'unidentified aerial sightings' over 90 US nuclear plants or nuclear weapons facilities over the last eight decades.
The new report detailed sightings of objects often described as glowing orbs, disks, spheres, cylinders, or triangles hovering or flying in precise patterns within 25 miles of these nuclear sites.
One of the most recent reports from April 2025 captured video of a glowing orange ball changing shape while flying over Bear, Delaware, which is located near the Salem Nuclear Power Plant and Hope Creek Nuclear Generating Station in New Jersey.
'It just kept getting bigger, disappearing, bigger, disappearing. I thought it was just a star at first, or just a plane from a distance. Then I realized it got a lot, lot closer and kept getting closer and bigger. Then it started flashing,' the witness described.
'It wasn't a drone. It wasn't mechanical. It would actually morph into different shapes.'
One witness in California from April 2023 said: 'After hovering, it arched sideways and disappeared in the blink of an eye. I felt it was observing Diablo Canyon Nuclear plant.'
More than 70 of these reports specifically referenced UFOs with metallic or reflective surfaces flying over bases in broad daylight during the early dawn hours.
Over 1,800 UFO sightings have been reported near US nuclear power plants, while more than 1,000 sightings have been documented at military nuclear weapons sites
An image taken in February 2024 in Salem, New Jersey captured multiple small objects merging with a larger object near the local nuclear plant
Enigma added that nuclear sites and missile bases in Pennsylvania, North Carolina, and Florida saw the biggest clusters of sightings.
Moreover, these incidents exploded during the mysterious drone surge over the East Coast between November 2024 and February 2025.
Enigma said: 'Many of these sightings described structured, light-emitting objects that pulsed or changed color before disappearing - characteristics that closely resemble those attributed to the unidentified drones reported across the region at the time.'
One witness near the Salem nuclear power plant claimed that several small objects hovering over the facility seemed to combine into one large UFO in February 2024.
'I was coming up to the Salem hospital and saw these four lights in a square hovering over the building, it looked like, but the closer I got, they seemed to disappear,' the witness revealed.
'So I started recording, and you see all these little lights going into the big bright one and not coming back out.'
Although the Pentagon's All-domain Anomaly Resolution Office is charged with investigating reports of UFOs, the military has maintained that there has never been any physical evidence that proves extraterrestrials or UFOs exist.
The new report also detailed how many of the thousands of objects easily violated restricted airspace, raising concerns about how safe America's national security sites really are.
Enigma Labs has revealed that more than 2,800 UFO sightings have taken place directly over or nearby nuclear power plants and military bases
The sightings were reported over several years and sent to the crowdsourced platform by eyewitnesses, including civilians, pilots, and military personnel
'If these objects belong to foreign intelligence or advanced programs, they expose vulnerabilities in national defense,' Enigma researchers wrote in a statement.
'If they are something unknown to science, they may represent new physics or technology. Either possibility demands improved detection, data sharing, and protective measures.'
Enigma, which allows people to report sightings and share pictures or videos of UFOs on an app, noted that these incidents include the strange craft seen over Malmstrom Air Force Base in Montana in 1967, just as several Minuteman missiles shut down.
The sightings of strange craft and unidentifiable objects over nuclear plants weren't limited to just the US.
Researchers detailed how witnesses claimed they saw UFOs over two major nuclear disasters - the 1986 reactor meltdown in Chernobyl, Ukraine and the 2011 accident in Fukushima, Japan.
In Chernobyl, a bright cylindrical object was reportedly seen hovering near the burning remnants of the nuclear plant's Reactor 4. There has never been any confirmation that the radiation dipped after the sighting, as some have claimed.
During the Japanese meltdown, similar glowing objects were allegedly flying over the damaged reactor; however, these sightings were later suggested to be foreign drones conducting surveillance of the accident.
In 1967, multiple nuclear missiles were disabled during alleged UFO encounters over Malmstrom Airforce Base in Montana (Pictured)
Limerick Generating Station nuclear energy plant in Pottstown, Pennsylvania (Stock Image)
In the US, the sightings go all the way back to the dawn of the US nuclear program in the late 1940s, with Enigma detailing how 'bright green fireballs' were reported near Kirtland and Sandia Air Force Bases in New Mexico.
Overall, Enigma Labs has collected over 1,800 reports of UFOs flying and hovering near 53 nuclear power plants in the US.
Another 1,000 reports specifically mentioned incidents that allegedly took place over 37 US military bases linked to nuclear weapons research or missile launch sites.
Half of these sightings claimed that the objects were able to hover or seemed to float through the air, and one-third mentioned suddenly disappearing or vanishing into thin air.
New Report Finds Alarming Increase in UFO Sightings at Nuclear Facilities | Andrew Bustamante
Warning Issued That Alien Revelations Could Spark Financial Crisis
Warning Issued That Alien Revelations Could Spark Financial Crisis
A financial crisis could be triggered by an announcement that aliens exist, according to Helen McCaw, a former policy expert of the Bank of England.
McCaw told The Times of London that politicians and bankers can’t afford to dismiss alien life, and wrote to the governor of the Bank of England, urging him to organize a contingency plan in case the White House confirms alien existence.
Why It Matters
A 2021 study from the Pew Research Center found that nearly two-thirds of Americans believe that intelligent life exists beyond Earth. Some Americans, meanwhile, believe that there is proof of UFOs and alien life being concealed from the public by global governments. However, this belief is held by a significant minority.
Planet Earth visitor looks at an immersive presentation of Antarctica at the "Polar Experience" exhibition at the Arena venue on December 16, 2025 in Berlin, Germany.
McCaw was a senior analyst in financial security at the Bank of England for ten years, until 2012.
She told The Times, "The United States government appears to be partway through a multiyear process to declassify and disclose information on the existence of a technologically advanced non-human intelligence responsible for Unidentified Anomalous Phenomena (UAPs)."
"If the UAP proves to be of non-human origin, we may have to acknowledge the existence of a power or intelligence greater than any government and with potentially unknown intentions. It is entirely possible that government leadership and their central banks have not been properly briefed on the topic. UAP disclosure is likely to induce ontological shock and provoke psychological responses with material consequences," she said.
McCaw said there could be price volatility in the financial markets, and a collapse in confidence, in addition to a potential rush to safe assets such as gold.
She also told the outlet that the authorities should be prepared for unrest.
The report has quickly made an impact online.
Mario Nawfal, a podcast host, said in a post on X viewed over 100,000 times, "WAIT…WHAT?! A former Bank of England policy analyst is warning the UK’s central bank to prepare for a financial crisis…caused by aliens."
What People Are Saying
Holly Wood, a researcher and public speaker sharing The Times piece, in a post on X viewed over 100,000 times: "And at the centre of it is my friend, Helen McCaw. A former Bank of England senior analyst in financial security. A Cambridge graduate. Someone whose actual job was to think about state-level risk, stability, and what breaks systems. I’m incredibly proud of her. She inspires me regularly. The question is no longer "is it real?" It’s "what happens when it’s confirmed?"
The YouTuber Hustle B****, in a post on X sharing The Times report, viewed over 100,000 times, which read in part: "READ THIS TWICE - THE GLOBAL FINANCIAL SYSTEM IS PREPARING FOR ALIENS. This is not a meme. This is not a fringe blog. This is an actual newspaper article reporting that the Bank of England has been urged to prepare for financial collapse if aliens are officially confirmed."
What Happens Next?
There is a continued interest in the idea of intelligent life beyond Earth. The documentary The Age of Disclosure made a significant impact online, with the trailer amassing millions of views and the documentary prompting a discourse about aliens.
The upcoming fictional film Disclosure Day, directed by Steven Spielberg, has also prompted significant interest, with the trailer fast amassing more than a million views on X. Disclosure Day is set for release in the U.S. on June 12, 2026.
There is currently no proof that the universe is home to other intelligent life forms aside from the ones that inhabit Earth, and evidence to the contrary would be a very big deal. There’s no telling how people would react to that development, but one expert has warned the Bank of England to be prepared for a financial crisis triggered by that revelation.
Humans have been debating the existence of extraterrestrial life for thousands of years. Thinkers in ancient Greece floated the notion of a “plurality of worlds” like the one we inhabit, and arguments for (and against) the probability of so-called “aliens” being real have gotten increasingly sophisticated as our knowledge of the universe has grown over the millennia.
The odds of Earth being the only planet in the universe to boast some sort of life are infinitesimally small, and the same can be said for the notion that humans are responsible for cultivating the most advanced society in existence.
With that said, we’re still waiting for the day when we’re treated to incontrovertible proof concerning alien life. It’s difficult to predict the impact that kind of discovery would have, but one economic expert is warning a major institution to be prepared for some negative ramifications if that information comes to light.
A former security analyst at the Bank of England is sounding the alarm about the economic ramifications of alien life being confirmed
Aliens have been a staple of science fiction for centuries, and while plenty of people have come forward with claims that they were abducted and ferried away to an unknown part of outer space in a UFO, they’ve been largely dismissed as crackpots.
The same can be said for the conspiracy theorists who are convinced the United States government (and others around the world) has engaged in a massive cover-up concerning aliens who’ve already visited Earth and UFOs that are purportedly being stored in a warehouse in Area 51.
A number of whistleblowers have come forward in recent years to support those claims, and Congress itself added some fuel to the fire with a series of hearings concerning the UFOs the military officially refers to as “unidentified anomalous phenomena.”
Those proceedings did not produce any concrete evidence concerning alien life, but according to The Times, the Bank of England has been warned to prepare for what would be one of the most monumental days in human history if that ends up changing.
Helen McCaw, who formerly served as a senior analyst specializing in financial security for that institution, recently sent a letter to Bank of England Governor Andrew Bailey to warn him about the potentially disastrous ramifications of alien life coming to light, saying:
“It is entirely possible that government leadership and their central banks have not been properly briefed on the topic. UAP disclosure is likely to induce ontological shock and provoke psychological responses with material consequences.
There might be extreme price volatility in financial markets due to catastrophising or euphoria, and a collapse in confidence if market participants feel uncertain on how to price assets using any of the familiar methods.”
McCaw warned the price of precious metals like gold and silver could either skyrocket or plummet, saying people may turn to those historically trusted assets or dump them out of fears that alien technology could cause their value to drop.
She also said digital currency like Bitcoin could end up being attractive if people lose their faith in government-backed funds and predicted it wouldn’t take long for chaos to reign if alien life is confirmed, adding, “I would say that in a matter of hours, you are going to have total financial instability….Even if you feel it’s very unlikely, it’s madness not to consider it and plan accordingly.”
The super-heavy Space Launch System rocket is what allows the Orion spacecraft not only to go into space, but also to fly to the Moon. The history of their creation was not easy, and the design deserves to be described in detail.
The SLS rocket and Orion spacecraft
The dream of returning to the Moon
Soon, four astronauts may embark on a journey around the Moon as part of the Artemis II mission. If this happens, it will be a great success not only for the United States but for all of humanity. But most of all, it will be a success for the NASA engineers who created the super-heavy Space Launch System rocket and the Orion spacecraft, as well as their European colleagues who developed the service module for the latter.
All these devices are true works of engineering genius. However, their path to space flight was extremely difficult and long. It all began in 2003, when the Columbia shuttle disaster forced the US to reconsider how and by what means it planned to explore space in the future. At that time, the main focus was on returning to the Moon. However, the giant Saturn-V rocket, which was used to send the Orion spacecraft there in the 1960s and 1970s, was no longer available, and it proved impossible to resume its production.
The response to this was the Constellation program, adopted in 2004. It involved the creation of two rockets: Ares I and Ares V. The first was larger and two-stage. With a height of 94 m, it was designed to carry 25.4 tons of payload into orbit. It was intended to carry the Orion manned spacecraft together with the Altair landing module.
Comparison of the Ares I and Ares V rockets with other space systems. Source: Wikipedia
Ares V was supposed to be smaller, also two-stage, and was supposed to launch the Orion upper stage into orbit. In space, both parts were supposed to connect and fly to the Moon. Outwardly, everything looked quite realistic, but in 2010, it was acknowledged that the program had failed due to underfunding, and of all the above, only the Orion spacecraft is at some stage of readiness.
Constellation was canceled, but plans to return to the Moon were not abandoned. In 2011, a new program called Artemis was adopted, in which only the Orion spacecraft remained from Constellation. Only now, instead of two large rockets, one giant rocket was to send it to the Moon. It was named the Space Launch System, or SLS.
SLS design
The Space Launch System is a three-stage rocket that can exist in several variants, depending on the tasks assigned to it. For the first three missions carried out under the Artemis program, a smaller variant called Block 1 is used. Its height is 98 m, and its mass when fueled is 2,610 tons.
SLS rocket. Source: Wikipedia
The “zero” stage in SLS is a pair of solid-fuel boosters. They are a modification of similar accelerators that were used for the Space Shuttle program. However, while the space shuttle used four segments connected in series, each with a diameter of 3.71 m, the lunar rocket has five, so each booster is actually over 50 m long.
A mixture of ammonium perchlorate, aluminum, and iron oxide enclosed within plastic is used as fuel. Segments containing this material burn out sequentially, propelling the SLS away from Earth and providing its initial acceleration.
After they have worked and separated, the main stage begins to operate. It is a huge metal tank with a diameter of 8.4 meters and a height of 65 meters. For comparison, this is equivalent to two nine-story residential buildings placed one on top of the other. Inside are tanks of liquid hydrogen and liquid oxygen, a cryogenic unit for their maintenance, and four RS-25 engines at the bottom. These were also used on the shuttle.
The central block of the SLS rocket. Source: Wikipedia
The upper stage of the rocket is called the Interim Cryogenic Propulsion Stage (ICPS). It is essentially a modified upper stage of the Delta III rocket.
It is 8.8 m high and 4 m in diameter. Inside are tanks containing liquid hydrogen and liquid oxygen. There is only one engine. In the Artemis I mission, it was an RL10B-2. In the second mission, it was replaced with a more powerful RL10C-2. The engine is designed for launch in the upper layers of the atmosphere.
Above all, this is the Orion spacecraft. It consists of two parts: a command module built by Lockheed Martin and a service module built in Europe by Airbus Defence and Space.
Orion spacecraft. Source: phys.org
The command module is a truncated cone with a diameter of 5.03 m and a height of 3.3 m. Inside, there is room for a crew of four astronauts, control systems, and scientific equipment. Attached to the bottom is a service module in the form of a cylinder with a diameter of 4 m and a height of 4 m. Its main purpose is to propel the spacecraft through space and supply its systems with electricity. To do this, it is equipped with an engine, its own fuel tanks, and folding solar panels. All of this is an adaptation of the systems used on the European ATV cargo spacecraft.
The long road to space
As you can easily see, most of the SLS components are not new, but are already used versions. This was done to make its creation cheaper and faster.
However, it was still not possible to complete everything on time. The Artemis program was supposed to begin with an unmanned flight around the Moon. Initially, it was planned that this would happen in 2017. But as time went on, it became increasingly clear that there would simply not be enough time to quickly assemble and test this most complex puzzle in the world.
Orion spacecraft. Source: Wikipedia
Many components could not even be manufactured on time. Therefore, the Artemis I mission dates kept getting pushed back. First to 2019, then to 2020. At the same time, the rest of the plans had to be changed as well.
The SLS and Orion, designed for the Artemis I mission, were first transported to the launch pad in March 2022. But that was not the end of the horror that accompanied its first launch. The rocket was refueled several times, a launch simulation was conducted, technical problems were found, and it was returned to the assembly shop. This continued until November, when it was finally launched.
Overall, the Artemis I mission was successful in terms of the flight to the Moon itself. There were problems with the spacecraft that were launched together with Orion as an additional payload, but this did not interfere with the plans to explore the Moon.
Launch of the Artemis I mission. Source: Wikipedia
Much more attention was paid to the Orion spacecraft, which, upon returning to Earth, was found to have problems with its heat shield, designed to protect it from atmospheric friction. The problem was not unsolvable, but it did require attention.
But then it turned out that while the first SLS was being prepared for launch, the schematics used to manufacture its components were compromised, and many things had to be redesigned. Therefore, it will not be possible to launch the second mission as quickly as possible.
At one point, delays in the Artemis II launch schedule led to fears that it would never happen. Criticism reached its peak in February 2025, when Elon Musk himself joined in. He stated that the SLS should be recognized as a non-viable concept and that instead of the Moon, it should fly to Mars.
The Artemis II mission crew. Source: Wikipedia
For a while, it seemed as if this idea would prevail. But then Starship, which was supposed to fly to the fourth planet from the Sun, suffered several accidents, and the technical staff of the Artemis project managed to solve the problem and complete the assembly of the rocket.
And now it has been delivered to the launch pad. This means that at least this launch will not be canceled due to technical problems. Another issue is that the procedure that took everyone involved six months of work and a lot of nerves in 2022 may now begin. Before launch, engineers must ensure that everything is working properly, and to do this, they will fuel the rocket and carry out all the procedures that will take place during launch. Except for the actual ignition of the engines.
Everything may work as it should the first time around. However, it is more likely that it will not. And then, the rocket will have to be brought back, and the launch postponed. After all, no one promised that it would be easy. But the rocket will only fly when everyone is confident that the technology is working as it should and the people on board are safe.
Mysterious UFMysterious UFO-shaped 'Dorito' aircraft spotted over Area 51 as strange military code is heardO-shaped 'Dorito' aircraft spotted over Area 51 as strange military code is heard
An off-the-grid explorer has spotted a mysterious UFO-shaped aircraft flying over the top secret US military base Area 51.
Anders Otteson, a self-described backpacker and videographer, was documenting his trip to the desert surrounding the infamous Nevadafacility on January 14 when the unidentified craft was seen flying overhead at around 3am local time (6am ET).
Otteson had already seen what appeared to be a B-2 Spirit stealth bomber flying over Area 51 two hours earlier and noted that this craft was shaped more like an 'equilateral triangle,' which UFO researchers have called the 'Dorito.'
Moreover, a scanner monitoring Area 51's unencrypted radio frequencies picked up a bizarre transmission full of code words themed around beer, food, and snacks instead of standard military jargon.
Otteson noted that this isn't the first time the mystery aircraft has been seen flying over the US.
Twice in 2014, photographers caught the same Dorito-shaped object on camera, revealing that the craft looked nothing like the US military's current stealth bomber planes or known drones.
Area 51 has been involved in the development and testing of revolutionary and experimental aircraft for decades, including the F-117 Nighthawk, America's first stealth bomber.
The explorer claimed that the latest sighting of the Dorito adds to recent reports of triangle-shaped objects seen over Southern California and Death Valley, near the Nevada Test and Training Range (NTTR) where Area 51 sits.
Anders Otteson, a Youtuber and explorer, captured video of a triangle-shaped aircraft flying over Area 51's restricted airspace
Area 51, an area of more than 2.9 million acres, is located at the Nevada Test and Training Range
On his Uncanny Expeditions YouTube channel, Otteson said he was camping in the Tikaboo Valley of the Nevada desert, on public land near Groom Lake Road, which overlooks Area 51's restricted airspace and front gate area when the Dorito appeared.
Around 1am local time, he spotted and filmed what appeared to be the B-2 flying overhead from the northwest, which had allegedly originated from Whiteman Air Force Base in Missouri.
Hours later, Otteson observed the second aircraft performing a low flyover from the northwest, passing directly over his position before continuing onward.
The Dorito triangle's flight path was consistent with a low-altitude pass over the area like other military aircraft, though the explorer wasn't able to determine its exact heading.
Although the B-2 has a similar V-wing design, the Dorito had a drastically different body, with a noticeably flatter trailing edge, no wings, or jagged rear section like the stealth bomber.
'Are we looking at a classified test flight or run-of-the-mill training sortie?' Otteson said. 'I certainly think we have something interesting here.'
The mystery sighting over Area 51 played out very much like the Dorito sightings in 2014; one captured by photographer Jeff Templin in Wichita, Kansas and another by photographer Steve Douglas in Amarillo, Texas.
Both showed similar unidentified triangle-shaped aircraft that looked unlike known Air Force planes or drones. The main difference was this new incident took place over a base infamously tied to UFO sightings since the 1950s.
US Air Force F-117 stealth bombers (Pictured) were part of the top-secret projects being worked on at NTTR, which is home to Area 51
The US Air Force strictly enforces the perimeter around Area 51, a classified military facility linked to UFO sightings for decades
As for the strange radio code picked up on fellow UFO researcher Joerg Arnu's scanner, military personnel at Area 51 were heard using words such as 'pretzel snack,' 'corona pretzel snacks zero with cheese,' 'profile Michelob,' 'Imperial with garlic,' and 'fridge hydrate' to mask what they were saying.
While the familiar flight path of the Dorito and the military code words point to the craft being a manmade aircraft, triangle-shaped UFOs have been a frequent sighting over the US for decades.
According to the National UFO Reporting Center (NUFORC), there have been 10 UFO sightings throughout the US in January that mention a triangle-shaped object flying overhead.
Unlike the Dorito over Area 51 hover, the UFOs has bright or flashing lights that could be seen clearly by witnesses on the ground.
Overall, there have been 85 triangle-shaped UFO reports since November 2025 throughout the world, including in the UK, Canada, Germany, and Brazil.
Black Triangle UFO: The Truth Behind the TR-3B Mystery
Netizens react to the dorito-shaped aircraft
The video of the aircraft sent many into a frenzy, worrying about aliens and UFOs. However, others were more fixated on the peculiar description of its shape, as a 'dorito'.
"Do average americans don't know the word "triangle"?" wrote one X user.
"Thus must be one of the many classified secret transport aircraft that were rarely seen in many black ops scenarios" theorised another.
"Obviously aliens. There’s no way it can just be a triangular shaped jet," claimed one.
"And here's where all military spending will be shown to the world. The government is the one flying the UFOs if you haven't figured that out yet then geeze" added another.
"We are ruling out that it’s a Dorito?" quipped one.
Matt Humpage, Northern Rogue Studios via Loron / Cooper et al.
It’s a plant! It’s a fungus! It’s… an entirely new type of lifeform hitherto unknown to science?
That appears to be the case for a puzzling, spire-shaped organism that lived over 400 million years ago, according to a new study published in the journal ScienceAdvances. After analyzing its internal structures, the authors argue that the mystifying ancient beings known as prototaxites don’t belong to any of the existing biological kingdoms.
“It feels like it doesn’t fit comfortably anywhere,” Matthew Nelsen, a senior research scientist at the Field Museum of Natural History who wasn’t involved in the work, told Scientific American. “People have tried to shoehorn it into these different groups, but there are always things that don’t make sense.”
The name Prototaxites means “early yew” or “first yew,” a misnomer that captures the debate that has surrounded its nature for over a century. With its resemblance to a tree trunk, scientists initially suspected it was some kind of extinct tree when its fossils were first unearthed in 1855.
This assumption would probably offend the prototaxites were they still alive to hear it. In reality, the peculiar pillars likely emerged before the first trees appeared on Earth some 400 million years ago, and at an estimated height of around 26 feet, would’ve absolutely towered over other land organisms at the time.
What was the nature of these colossi? Scientific speculation abounded once it became clear that it wasn’t a plant. In the decades that followed its discovery, the consensus flipped to it being a kind of algae. In more recent decades, the suspicion became that it was some kind of giant fungus, because it appeared that they contained carbon isotopes typically found in such organisms.
Boldly, the authors of the new paper — which we’ve been following since back before it was peer-reviewed — say that everyone’s got it all wrong. The tubelike structures in the fossils are wild and varied, unlike the structures in modern fungi, which are more ordered, SciAm noted. There were also no detectable traces of chitin, a chemical that makes up the cell walls of all known fungi.
P. taitimaterial from the Rhynie chert.
(A to C) Images of two of the four thin sections containing the fragments that constitute the P. taiti type material, including the fragment with medullary spots (B) and peripheral region (C). (D to L) P. taiti material used in this study. (D and E) Lyon 156 with P. taiti highlighted in dashed lines. (E) Thin section produced from the block in (D) showing the fractured P. taiti specimen. (F) Magnified image of the thin section in (E) showing the characteristic tubes and medullary spots of P. taiti. (G and H) Thin section made from Lyon 48 with P. taiti in dashed box. (H) Detail of thin section in (G) showing the tubes. (I to M) Imaging and reconstruction of a large, exceptionally well-preserved P. taiti from NSC.36. (I) Photogrammetry model of NSC.36 before cutting with surface exposed P. taiti circled by dashed line. (J) Photogrammetry model of NSC.36 after initial cutting of the block with P. taiti circled by a dashed line. (K) Block of NSC.36 from which thin sections were produced, showing medullary spots throughout the body. (L) Thin section taken from the block in (K) showing characteristic tubes and medullary spots of P. taiti. (M) Artist reconstruction of P. taiti within the Rhynie ecosystem including hypothesized reconstruction of the aerial portion. Illustration by M. Humpage, Northern Rogue Studios. Scale bars: 3 m (M), 3 cm (I), 2 cm (J), 1 cm (D), 5 mm (E, G, and K), 1 mm (C), 500 μm (A and L), 200 μm (B and F), and 100 μm (H). Specimen accession codes: GLAHM Kid 2523 (A and B), GLAHM Kid 2525 (C), Lyon 156 (D), Lyon 156 MPEG0078 (E and F), NSC.36 (I to K), and NMS G.2024.5.7 (L).
“It doesn’t seem to have any of the characteristic features of the living fungal groups,” co-lead author Laura Cooper, a researcher at the University of Edinburg, told SciAm, adding that many facets of its biology elude our understanding, not just its taxonomy. “How it actually works energetically is still a complete mystery.”
Some argue that Prototaxites represent a completely extinct lineage of fungus, which, if true, means it would have had to independently evolve into a new form of complex life, according to Kevin Boyce, a paleobotanist at Stanford University who coauthored a 2022 paper with Nelsen on the organisms — something that would be astounding in its own right. “No matter what,” Boyce told SciAm, “it’s something weird doing its own thing.”
The medullary spots and tube types of P. taiti are morphologically distinct from extinct or extant fungal groups.
(A) Transmitted light image showing a medullary spot within the body of P. taiti. (B) The same medullary spot imaged using CLSM, showing the spot to be composed of densely packed fine tubes contrasting with the less densely packed body. (C to E) Details of tubes types 1 to 3 seen in the body of P. taiti: a small diameter type 1 tube with a septal pore (C), a larger diameter type 2 tube (D), and a type 3 tube with annular thickenings (E). (F to H) Airyscan CLSM three-dimensional imaging reveals that in the medullary spot region all tube types are connected through a highly branched network. Tubes of a variety of morphologies (highlighted in cyan in F and G) were found to be connected to each other in a dense and fine branching network through the construction of a 3D model (G) using Airyscan CLSM z-stack data (the first image in the stack is shown in F). Examination of the spot region (H) supports the interconnection of all tube types through fine branching at the medullary spots, as shown in the schematic in (I). Scale bars: 100 μm (A), 50 μm (E and H), 20 μm (F), and 10 μm (C and D). Specimen accession code: NMS G.2024.5.7.
Cooper, however, remains adamant that the Prototaxites are too “fundamentally different” to shove it into the category of fungi. Science doesn’t like outliers, so if it is something entirely new, chances are there’s something else like it out there that we haven’t stumbled on yet. And so, according to Vivi Vajda, a paleobiologist at the Swedish Museum of Natural History, the “next step would be to find other fossil life forms with similar chemical fingerprints to trace this enigmatic life form through the tree of life,” she told Science.
A major debate over the construction of the mysterious Neolithic Stonehenge site in the UK may finally have been resolved, after new evidence strongly suggests the stones were carried to the site by humans, not by natural processes.
The work, conducted by Curtin University researchers, discounts the likelihood that glaciers transported the blue stones used to construct the famous megalithic site. Archaeologists have long debated Stonehenge’s construction methods, and the recent paper published by the researchers in Communications Earth & Environment brings valuable new information to the discussion.
Explorations at Stonehenge
Uncertainty about how the site’s enigmatic altar stone arrived at Stonehenge has long fueled scholarly debate. In 2024, Curtin University researchers determined that the altar stone at the site had been transported from Scotland. For the new work, the Curtin University team used a form of mineral fingerprinting to provide new scientific evidence for how the transport occurred. To do so, the team explored rivers surrounding southern England’s Salisbury Plain, seeking mineral grains.
Analyzing these grains at Curtin University’s John de Laeter Centre revealed a geological record of the movement of sediment throughout Britain on a scale of millions of years. Especially crucial were zircon crystals, among Earth’s toughest materials, which are preserved for immense periods of time.
“If glaciers had carried rocks all the way from Scotland or Wales to Stonehenge, they would have left a clear mineral signature on the Salisbury Plain,” said lead author Dr Anthony Clarke from the Timescales of Minerals Systems Group within Curtin’s School of Earth and Planetary Sciences. “Those rocks would have eroded over time, releasing tiny grains that we could date to understand their ages and where they came from.
“Humans Moved the Stones”
“We looked at the river sands near Stonehenge for some of those grains the glaciers might have carried and we did not find any,” Dr Clarke added. “That makes the alternative explanation—that humans moved the stones—far more plausible.”
While the work suggests that human ingenuity, not natural processes, moved these immense slabs of rock, exactly how that was accomplished remains a mystery.
“Some people say the stones might have been sailed down from Scotland or Wales, or they might have been transported over land using rolling logs, but really we might never know,” Dr Clarke said. “But what we do know is ice almost certainly didn’t move the stones.”
Ongoing Explorations at Stonehenge
“Stonehenge continues to surprise us,” said co-author Professor Chris Kirkland, also from the Timescales of Mineral Systems Group at Curtin. “By analysing minerals smaller than a grain of sand, we have been able to test theories that have persisted for more than a century.”
Given the site’s great antiquity, it has remained a focus of archaeological inquiry, although many questions about Stonehenge remain. Fortunately, modern technologies—including the geochemical tools used in the recent work—are helping to provide answers to some of these lingering mysteries over time.
“There are so many questions that can be asked about this iconic monument,” Professor Kirkland says. “For example, why was Stonehenge built in the first place?”
Kirkland points out that the site most likely had multiple purposes, which, in addition to its ritual significance as an ancient temple, likely included serving as a calendar, and even a site for feasts and other gatherings. “So asking and then answering these sorts of questions requires different sorts of data sets, and this study adds an important piece to that bigger picture.”
The paper, “Detrital Zircon-apatite Fingerprinting Challenges Glacial Transport of Stonehenge’s Megaliths,” appeared in Communications Earth & Environment on January 21, 2026.
Ryan Whalen covers science and technology for The Debrief. He holds an MA in History and a Master of Library and Information Science with a certificate in Data Science. He can be contacted at ryan@thedebrief.org, and follow him on Twitter@mdntwvlf.
The simulation theory In 2003, Oxford University philosopher Nick Bostrom proposed the simulation hypothesis. He published a paper discussing the possibility of humanity existing within a computer simulation.
Popularized The theory became famous thanks to films like 'The Matrix', and other science fiction works, but science communicators and researchers have also discussed it.
What it proposes The theory proposes that we could be the subjects of a simulation if a more advanced society created a highly complex simulation of how their ancestors lived.
A cascade of simulations The theory stemmed from the notion that our computers keep getting more advanced and allow us to process more complex simulations, like video games.
Odds Bostrom proposed the hypothesis as a trilemma, allowing other philosophers and even physicists to calculate the odds of reality being a simulation.
Three statements The trilemma is the counterposition of three statements, one of which must be true. Bostrom proposed three concepts related to simulation theory.
We can't The first statement described the possibility that humanity would go extinct before reaching the computing capability to develop a simulation complex.
We do The third and last statement was that there is such a simulation, and most humans living in the way we are now are part of it and not the base reality.
Most recent analysis However, a more recent analysis that reduced the problem to a dilemma by making the first two statements real reduced the possibilities: chances are close to 50-50.
It depends on the future of AI Still, the last analysis depends on advancing AI and computing capabilities. If they keep growing, the chances of our reality being simulated also increase.
Other ways of looking at it However, analyzing the odds is not the only way of looking at the simulation dilemma; other researchers have also studied it from an empirical point of view.
Is it worth it? Some have even wondered if it is worth investigating the simulation hypothesis, considering how unlikely it is to disprove it through evidence.
How can we know? Without considering the probabilities or the truth or false approach to the trilemma, it isn't easy to find ways to determine if our reality is simulated or the base reality.
A comedian's take During a guest appearance in Neild DeGrass Tyson's podcast, comedian Chuck Nice said something that could give science the empirical key: "What if the speed of light is a limit imposed by the programmer?"
Fouad Khan Fouad Khan, a senior editor at Nature Energy, believes the simulation hypothesis confirms that we cannot travel faster than the speed of light.
What is processor speed? It takes a computer the same time to make any addition, whether 2+2 or 3243+2323; the processor's speed determines how fast things go, not the complexity of the operation.
So, according to Khan, the speed of our processor would be the speed of light. He argues the same as Nice; it is not a random limit but one set up by the programmer.
It is tough to know, but maybe we should accept that. Philosopher Preston Greene has suggested not to look because, if it were true, such knowing might end the simulation.
The Raëlians Humans have always been fascinated by stories about UFOs and aliens. There are those who consider reports of sightings and encounters with creatures anecdotal. However, there are also those who truly believe in the existence not only of life outside Earth but also in its influence on ours. This is the case of the Raëlians.
A new religious movement The Raelian movement was founded in 1976, in France by the “prophet” Claude Vorilhon. He claimed to have met extraterrestrials, who made an important communication to him on December 13, 1973.
The Elohim would create life on Earth According to Claude Vorilhon, the message said that life on Earth had been created by beings very similar to men: the Elohim, or “those who came from the sky”, thanks to advanced genetic engineering techniques.
Humans born from an experiment Therefore, the human beings would be the result of an ingenious experiment by advanced extraterrestrials, who used the DNA of the Elohim themselves. Furthermore, these beings named Vorilhon, as their Raël, or “messenger of the Elohim”.
Claude Vorilhon as Ambassador of the Elohim Claude Vorilhon, journalist and former race car driver, later wrote two books on the subject: 'Le Livre Qui Dit la Vérité' ('The Book Which Tells the Truth'), in 1974, and 'Les Extra- terrestrial M'ont Emmené sur Leur Planète' (Extraterrestrials Took Me to Their Planet), in 1975. The latter was based on a hypothetical new encounter with the Elohim.
The structure of the Raëlian movement The Raël (i.e. Vorilhon) is located at the top of the six-level hierarchical structure of the Raëlian movement, which requires all its members to follow a healthy lifestyle and a vegetarian diet.
Embassy for the Elohim Those who have decided to join the Rëelian movement are invited to donate 10% of their income to the construction of an embassy of the Elohim in Jerusalem, for when they return to Earth.
Expected return in 2035 The movement believes that the great return of the extraterrestrial Elohim to Earth will occur in the year 2035, as long as humans fulfill certain objectives, such as spreading Raëlian teachings and building the embassy.
“A kind of headquarters in neutral territory” According to Ezael De Marco, head of the Raëlian movement in Italy, interviewed by Messaggero, the embassy, with extraterritorial status, would be “a kind of headquarters in neutral territory, consisting of 24 apartments, a restaurant, a conference room and a swimming pool, to establish and found a new order based on the beginnings of science".
Who will come? And he added: “A dozen or so individuals will come, accompanied by the great prophets (Jesus, Moses, Buddha, Muhammad), who will leave another planet where they live happily, thanks to a sophisticated cloning process, to be alongside their children".
How Moses, Jesus, Muhammad and Buddha were born According to the Raëlian movement, Moses, Jesus, Muhammad and Buddha were prophets sent to Earth to help and guide human beings. All were born from the relationship between a human woman and an Elohim, aided by genetic engineering and DNA synthesis.
How do you join the Raëlian movement? To be part of the Raëlian movement one must go through an initiation rite, with characteristics similar to Christian baptism, carried out only by higher-level followers.
The initiation rite This ritual can only be performed four times a year: on the first Sunday in April (to commemorate the first time that Raël baptized the first members of the movement), on the 6th of August (to remember the atrocities of Horoshima), on the 7th of October (date on which Raël would have met Jesus, Muhammad and Buddha, during his second meeting with the Elohim) and December 13th (date of the first meeting).
Telepathic communication During the initiation rite, according to the Raëlian movement, it is important to communicate telepathically with the Elohim, so that they record all the genetic information of the initiate.
Immortality for the most worthy As with most well-known religions, in the Raëlian movement there is a kind of reward for behaving in a dignified manner in this life. The Elohim, after having judged the actions of the members who have reached the end of their earthly existence, will be able to decide whether to guarantee them immortality. How? Through cloning.
“If we deserve it, we will be recreated” “At the end of our life journey, they measure with a large space computer whether the personal balance was positive or negative. If we deserve it, we will be recreated and we will keep all the knowledge acquired in the previous life”, Ezael De Marco told the Italian publication Messaggero.
The Elohim do not work or follow any laws Di Marco also described how the Elohim spend their days: “They don't work, they are happy and enjoy life. Everything that needs to be done is entrusted to biological robots.” This civilization also does not follow any laws: “Laws are for men, not for gods. The geniocratic government of the Elohim", he says.
The controversies The Raëlian movement is not exempt from strong controversies, which have accompanied it over the years, especially with regard to cloning and other types of alleged abuses.
The Raëlians claim to clone people In 1997, the Raëlians founded Clonaid, an organization that claims to have cloned a child named Eva and subsequently other individuals. Independent scientists have never had the opportunity to examine the alleged child or the technology used, which is why the scientific community claims it is a hoax.
Abuse accusations In the Raëlian movement, sexuality also plays a decidedly important role: free love is promoted. Thus, its members have often been attacked by the media and accused of abusing women.
The controversial official symbol Another heated debate concerns its official symbol, made up of a Star of David and a swastika. After numerous public protests, the latter was replaced by a stylized flower, although the old symbol remains very present among the faithful.
120 thousand members The Raëlian movement has spread throughout the world over the years. To date, according to Di Marco, around 120,000 people in more than 100 countries have joined.
Most of the information in this gallery is taken from an article written by Anna Kira Hippert and published on the website Religionmediacentre.org.uk..
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Over mijzelf
Ik ben Pieter, en gebruik soms ook wel de schuilnaam Peter2011.
Ik ben een man en woon in Linter (België) en mijn beroep is Ik ben op rust..
Ik ben geboren op 18/10/1950 en ben nu dus 75 jaar jong.
Mijn hobby's zijn: Ufologie en andere esoterische onderwerpen.
Op deze blog vind je onder artikels, werk van mezelf. Mijn dank gaat ook naar André, Ingrid, Oliver, Paul, Vincent, Georges Filer en MUFON voor de bijdragen voor de verschillende categorieën...
Veel leesplezier en geef je mening over deze blog.