The purpose of this blog is the creation of an open, international, independent and free forum, where every UFO-researcher can publish the results of his/her research. The languagues, used for this blog, are Dutch, English and French.You can find the articles of a collegue by selecting his category. Each author stays resposable for the continue of his articles. As blogmaster I have the right to refuse an addition or an article, when it attacks other collegues or UFO-groupes.
Druk op onderstaande knop om te reageren in mijn forum
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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.
06-01-2026
Scientists spot a massive object quietly shadowing Earth’s orbit
Scientists spot a massive object quietly shadowing Earth’s orbit
Story byCassian Holt
Scientists spot a massive object quietly shadowing Earth’s orbit
Far from the bright glare of the Moon, a much smaller companion has been quietly keeping pace with Earth, looping around the Sun in a complex dance that only looks like a shared orbit from our vantage point. Astronomers now recognize this object, designated 2025 PN7, as a quasi-moon, a tiny asteroid that appears to shadow our planet without being truly captured by its gravity. The discovery turns a routine scan of the sky into a reminder that even in our own celestial backyard, there are still neighbors we are only just meeting.
Despite the headline-friendly idea of a “massive” new world, the reality is more subtle and scientifically richer: 2025 PN7 is physically small but dynamically significant, a compact body whose path reveals how Earth interacts with the swarm of rocks that share its orbital neighborhood. In practical terms, this is a miniature object with outsized importance for understanding near-Earth space, planetary defense, and even the long-term story of how material moves through the inner Solar System.
Meet 2025 PN7, Earth’s tiny quasi-moon
The object at the center of this story is not a second Moon in any familiar sense, but a modest asteroid that happens to move in step with Earth around the Sun. Cataloged as 2025 PN7, it follows a path that keeps it relatively close to our planet over long stretches of time, so from certain perspectives it seems to hover near us like a faint, offbeat satellite. Astronomers classify such bodies as quasi-moons or quasi-satellites, a label that reflects their gravitational independence from Earth even as they trace a similar yearly journe
What makes 2025 PN7 stand out is not its bulk but its delicacy: observations indicate it measures just 19 units across, a scale that places it firmly in the “tiny companion” category rather than anything approaching a true second Moon. That compact size, combined with its subtle motion against the background stars, explains why it could orbit in this configuration for a long time before anyone noticed, and why its discovery has prompted a fresh look at how many other small neighbors might be sharing Earth’s path around the Sun.
How a “surprise sidekick” was finally spotted
Finding something as small as 2025 PN7 requires both patient sky coverage and sensitive detectors, and in this case the breakthrough came from a survey instrument built precisely for that task. The asteroid was discovered on July 30, 2025 by the Pan-STARRS1 telescope at Haleakalā Observatory in Hawaii, a facility designed to sweep large swaths of the sky for moving points of light that betray the presence of near-Earth objects. That combination of wide-field imaging and repeated exposures allowed astronomers to pick out the faint track of this new body against the static star field.
In social media posts describing the find, researchers likened the object to a “surprise sidekick,” emphasizing that such a small body, only 19 units across, had been quietly accompanying Earth without drawing attention to itself. The discovery at Pan on the summit of Haleakalā Observatory in Hawaii underscores how modern survey programs can reveal companions that would have been invisible to earlier generations of telescopes, even though they share our planet’s orbital neighborhood.
What makes a quasi-moon different from a real Moon
Although 2025 PN7 is already being described as a quasi-moon, that label can be misleading if it is taken to mean Earth has acquired a second natural satellite in the same sense as the familiar Moon. A true moon is gravitationally bound to its planet and orbits that planet directly, tracing a closed path around it while both bodies circle the Sun. In contrast, a quasi-moon like 2025 PN7 orbits the Sun, not Earth, and only appears to loop around our planet because its orbital period and shape are closely matched to ours.
The distinction becomes clearer when compared with other known quasi-satellites, such as (469219) Kamoʻoalewa (2016 HO3), which is described as a quasi-satellite of Earth that, in certain frames of reference, appears to orbit our planet even though it is really circling the Sun. Studies of Kamo have even suggested it may be a fragment of the Moon blasted into space, highlighting how quasi-moons can be both dynamically intriguing and compositionally revealing. By placing 2025 PN7 in this context, astronomers can use its motion to probe the subtle gravitational interplay between Earth, the Moon, and the swarm of near-Earth asteroids.
A companion hiding in plain sight for decades
Orbital reconstructions indicate that 2025 PN7 has likely been accompanying Earth for a long time, its path shaped by the same solar gravity that governs our own orbit. Astronomers analyzing its trajectory have concluded that this asteroid has been shadowing Earth for decades, maintaining a configuration that keeps it relatively close to our planet without ever becoming a conventional satellite. That long-term stability is part of what makes the object so scientifically valuable, since it offers a natural experiment in how small bodies can share a planet’s orbital space over extended periods.
Reports on the discovery emphasize that Astronomers now see 2025 PN7 as an asteroid that has been moving with Earth for decades, effectively hiding in plain sight because of its tiny size and the complexity of its apparent motion in the sky. The fact that such a long-standing companion could go unnoticed until now underscores both the limitations of past surveys and the growing power of new instruments to map the near-Earth environment in far greater detail.
Earth’s “New Cosmic Companion” and what it tells us
Beyond the orbital mechanics, 2025 PN7 has quickly taken on a more evocative identity as Earth’s New Cosmic Companion, a phrase that captures both its proximity and its novelty. Descriptions of the find frame it as The Story of Quasi Moon 2025 PN7, a narrative that situates this small body within a broader effort to catalog the subtle, often surprising structures that share our planet’s path around the Sun. By treating it as a character in that story, scientists and communicators alike are highlighting how even a 19-unit-wide rock can reshape our sense of the Solar System’s architecture.
Analyses of Earth and its New Cosmic Companion emphasize that quasi-moons like 2025 PN7 remind us that space is full of surprises, particularly in the near-Earth region where gravitational resonances can trap small bodies in unusual configurations. The Story of Quasi Moon 2025 PN7 is therefore not just about a single asteroid, but about the dynamic processes that populate our orbital neighborhood with temporary companions, some of which may eventually escape or collide with other objects as their paths evolve.
How surveys and interstellar visitors sharpen our view
The detection of 2025 PN7 is part of a larger revolution in how astronomers scan the sky, driven by systematic survey programs that repeatedly image wide fields to catch anything that moves. One example is the ATLAS project, which has already demonstrated its power by identifying Comet 3I/ATLAS, an interstellar object discovered by a NASA-funded survey telescope in Rio Hurtado, Chile. That discovery relied on a survey strategy that flags unusual trajectories, and the same philosophy underpins the work of facilities like Pan-STARRS1 that are now revealing quasi-moons and other subtle companions.
According to Comet 3I/ATLAS facts, the object was identified through a survey approach that can pick out faint, fast-moving bodies, including those on paths that indicate an origin outside the Solar System. That same survey mindset has also led astronomers to spot other strange visitors, such as the interstellar object discussed in a Jul video that describes something unusual moving through our Solar System and heading our way. By refining these techniques, researchers are better equipped to notice both dramatic interstellar interlopers and quiet, long-term companions like 2025 PN7.
From Oumuamua to 3I/ATLAS: context for small, strange objects
The excitement around 2025 PN7 also reflects a broader fascination with small, hard-to-classify objects that challenge our expectations about what orbits the Sun. Earlier interstellar visitors such as ʻOumuamua showed that not every passing body fits neatly into the categories of comet or asteroid, and subsequent detections have reinforced that lesson. In one widely discussed case, NASA confirmed that a mysterious object shooting through the Solar System was an interstellar visitor and even assigned it a new name, underscoring how quickly such discoveries can reshape scientific debates.
Reports on that event note that NASA experts concluded the object was not bound to the Sun in the long term, marking it as a traveler from beyond our planetary system. A similar story has unfolded with Interstellar object 3I/ATLAS, which passed Earth and is now leaving the Solar System, headed out again after its brief visit. Coverage of Interstellar 3I/ATLAS highlights how even a relatively small body can carry crucial information about conditions in distant star systems, just as a quasi-moon like 2025 PN7 can illuminate the fine structure of our own orbital environment.
Why a tiny quasi-moon matters for planetary defense
On a practical level, the discovery of 2025 PN7 feeds directly into the growing field of planetary defense, which depends on a detailed inventory of near-Earth objects and their trajectories. Even though this particular asteroid is only 19 units across and poses no known threat, its detection proves that such small bodies can share Earth’s orbit for decades without being cataloged, a gap that matters when assessing impact risks. By refining the techniques that revealed this quasi-moon, astronomers improve their chances of spotting more hazardous objects of similar size or slightly larger before they come too close.
The broader survey ecosystem that caught 2025 PN7 is also responsible for identifying other unusual bodies, including the interstellar object highlighted in a An interstellar object video that describes something strange moving through our Solar System. Each of these detections, whether a fleeting visitor like 3I/ATLAS or a long-term companion like 2025 PN7, adds to a statistical picture of how many small objects cross Earth’s path and how their orbits evolve. In that sense, a tiny quasi-moon is not just a curiosity, but a data point that helps refine models used to protect the planet from future impacts.
The quiet revolution in mapping Earth’s orbital neighborhood
Stepping back, 2025 PN7 is part of a quiet revolution in how thoroughly we map the space around Earth, a process driven by better detectors, smarter software, and coordinated survey strategies. Where earlier generations of astronomers might have focused on bright planets and comets, today’s instruments are tuned to pick out faint, fast-moving specks that reveal a rich population of near-Earth asteroids, quasi-moons, and other transient companions. Each new detection, from Kamoʻoalewa to 3I/ATLAS to 2025 PN7, fills in another piece of a complex gravitational puzzle.
As I see it, the real story behind Earth’s so-called “second moon” is not about size or spectacle, but about the precision with which we can now track even a 19-unit-wide rock as it quietly shadows our orbit. The work that identified 2025 PN7, building on survey methods refined in projects like ATLAS and on analyses that recognized quasi-satellites such as Kamoʻoalewa, shows how far observational astronomy has come in just a few decades. It also hints at how many more subtle companions may still be waiting in the data, small in scale but large in what they can teach us about the constantly shifting architecture of our Solar System.
As Venezuelan dictator Nicolas Maduro heads to a New York court to face drug charges, the first images of a top-secret US drone sent to capture him have emerged.
Footage shared online captured a US Air Force RQ-170 Sentinel coming in for a landing at sunrise at a Puerto Rico base after the January 3 raid.
Reports suggested that at least one RQ-170 Sentinel took part in the overnight operation to arrest the Venezuelan president and his wife, who the US has said it does not recognize as the legitimate leader of the South American nation.
Although the Sentinels have reportedly been in service for the last 20 years, the Air Force has only acknowledged their existence since December 2009, when it supported missions in Afghanistan.
During the operation, the drone or drones were operating overhead in Venezuelan airspace, particularly around Caracas, though exact paths haven't been detailed due to their top-secret nature.
Unnamed government officials said the CIA quietly deployed stealth drones over Venezuela for months, using them to track President Maduro’s movements and build an intimate picture of his daily routines ahead of the operation, the New York Times reported.
While the location of the footage is unconfirmed, the airfield could be Roosevelt Roads Naval Air Station in Puerto Rico, which shuttered in 2004.
Images posted online by Air Force Southern appeared to show unit patches worn by military personnel, indicating the RQ-170 Sentinel may have been operating in Latin America since December.
The RQ-170 Sentinel has been in service in the US Air Force since around 2007, and it is believed to have been flying over Caracas during the strike on Venezuela
Military analysts suggested the RQ-170’s likely contribution was long-term, covert monitoring of Maduro’s compound.
They compared it to the weeks of silent intelligence collection that preceded the 2011 operation against Osama bin Laden, when US forces depended on continuous surveillance of a single, high-value location.
The clips captured the growl of the jet engines and blinking lights on the rear fuselage as the drone soared over the US territory.
Along with the RQ-170 Sentinels, over 150 aircraft took part in Maduro's arrest, launching from multiple bases in the region.
The drone was designed by Lockheed Martin's Skunk Works division exactly for this type of mission, providing surveillance of high-value targets inside hostile territory and support for special operations teams like Delta Force, who captured Maduro.
According to The War Zone, there are only about 20 to 30 RQ-170 drones in service, operating from bases like Creech Air Force Base in Nevada.
The 432nd Wing, headquartered at Creech AFB, is the Air Force's primary wing for remotely piloted drones and is believed to be the main operator of the RQ-170.
Creech is also less than 100 miles from the Area 51 base in Nevada, which has become notorious for its development and testing of top-secret aircraft for decades.
The unmanned aircraft is believed to have advanced sensors for mapping and tracking moving targets, infrared cameras to provide nighttime video, and high-tech intelligence tools for intercepting enemy communications.
US forces struck Fuerte Tiuna on Saturday, capturing Nicolas Maduro and his wife without suffering casualties
About 20 to 30 RQ-170 Sentinels are believed to be in use by the Air Force, providing surveillance and tracking targets during military operations
At the same time, military technology experts believe US cyberwarfare units also played a role in the attack, sending the entire target area into a blackout as the raid began.
Part of the strike appeared to have included a massive power outage around Fuerte Tiuna, Venezuela's largest military complex in Caracas.
DigitalWarfare.com's James Knight told the Daily Mail before the military operation that US cyber forces had been mapping out targets to strike digitally in Venezuela and other hostile nations for years.
That process included meticulously making sure civilian facilities, such as hospitals, did not lose power if American forces hacked into the country's electrical grid.
As Knight assessed in December, the US appeared to focus its efforts on Venezuela's military C2 networks - the communication systems for the country's troops.
US Air Force Gen. Dan 'Razin' Caine, the Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, said: 'As the force began to approach Caracas, the Joint Air Component began dismantling and disabling the air defense systems in Venezuela, employing weapons to ensure the safe passage of the helicopters into the target area.'
'The goal of our air component is, was, and always will be to protect the helicopters and the ground force and get them to the target and get them home.'
President Trump appeared to confirm that US cyber units blacked out the area during Operation Absolute Resolve, saying: 'It was dark, the lights of Caracas were largely turned off due to a certain expertise that we have, it was dark, and it was deadly.'
A centuries-old Bible chronology suggests we are living in a pivotal year, as humanity enters an era of divine judgment, renewal or reset.
A video shared on Instagram by Kaylah Hodgins focuses on timelines found in a Bible published in 1818, which contains the Old and New Testaments along with the Apocrypha, a collection of ancient biblical-era writings long debated over whether they belong in Scripture.
According to the Bible, the world began in 4004 BC. It lists 3,974 years from Adam to Christ, plus another 1,815 years from Christ's birth to the Bible's publication year.
Combined, these figures total 5,789 years from Creation to the early 19th century.
Hodgins then extended the count to include the years since the Bible was printed, arriving at roughly 6,000 years, a milestone some interpret as signaling the close of humanity's current age.
In certain Jewish and Christian traditions, history is seen as following a seven-part structure modeled on the seven days of Creation.
In this framework, the world experiences six 'days,' or 6,000 years, of human labor and turmoil, followed by a seventh 'day' of rest, often associated with a messianic or millennial reign.
Reaching the end of the sixth 'day' is considered a major turning point, marking the close of humanity's current era and the start of a new, divinely guided phase.
A video, shared on Instagram by Kaylah Hodgins, focuses on timelines found in a Bible published in 1818, which contains the Old and New Testaments along with the Apocrypha, a collection of ancient biblical-era writings long debated over whether they belong in Scripture
According to the Bible, the world began in 4004 BC
The theory does not predict a sudden destruction of the planet, supporters have said, but rather a dramatic transition.
Some described it as the end of an age of human dominance.
Others have framed it more vaguely, suggesting major global upheaval, moral reckoning, or spiritual transformation rather than a single catastrophic event.
Biblical scholars, however, have urged caution when interpreting the timeline.
Most emphasized that the Creation date printed in old Bibles reflects one historical interpretation, not a universally accepted doctrine.
The date of Creation was developed by James Ussher, a 17th-century Irish Archbishop and renowned biblical scholar famous for his Ussher chronology, a detailed calculation placing the Bible's creation of the world in 4004 BC.
By carefully adding the lifespans of biblical figures, the ages of patriarchs, and key events such as the Flood, Ussher determined that Creation occurred in 4004 BC, even assigning a specific day, October 23, for when the first “day” of the world began.
Centuries later, Bibles published in the 18th and 19th centuries, including the 1818 edition featured in the viral video, included chronological tables derived from Ussher’s work.
It lists 3,974 years from Adam to Christ, plus another 1,815 years from Christ's birth to the Bible's publication year. Combined, these figures total 5,789 years from Creation to the early 19th century
These tables were often placed at the front of the Bible and gave readers a year-by-year account of biblical history, from Creation to the Bible’s publication date.
Modern theology generally treats Ussher’s chronology as symbolic rather than literal, and scientific evidence places Earth’s age at roughly 4.5 billion years.
Many churches also reject date-based end-times speculation, warning that such calculations have repeatedly failed throughout history.
The viral video has sparked discussion not just among believers but also among historians and social media users curious about the intersection of faith, numerology, and history.
Many commenters are sharing screenshots of old Bibles, debating whether other editions give slightly different totals, or questioning the significance of the 6,000-year framework altogether.
Some see it as a reminder of humanity’s smallness in the span of time, while others treat it as a symbolic countdown that lends urgency to moral or spiritual reflection.
While the Bible itself does not explicitly state that reaching 6,000 years marks the end of human history, apocalyptic interpretations of Ussher’s timeline have persisted for centuries.
The seventh “day” of rest, derived from the Creation story, is often imagined as a thousand years of renewal, justice, or divine rule.
For many, the milestone is less about literal prophecy and more about the cultural and spiritual resonance of imagining the world at the edge of a new age.
Scientists have discovered a new type of astronomical object, calling the strange entity a 'window into the dark universe'.
The object known as Cloud-9 is a completely starless, gas-rich cloud of dark matter located 14 million light-years from Earth.
The cloud's core is a vast, compact sphere of neutral hydrogen, about 4,900 light-years across.
That is more than 1,000 times greater than the distance between Earth and the nearest star, Proxima Centauri.
However, despite containing abundant stellar fuel, astronomers have now used the Hubble Space Telescope to confirm that Cloud-9 contains no stars whatsoever.
Scientists say that makes the cloud a building block of a galaxy that never quite formed, left over as a relic from the early universe.
Co-author Dr Andrew Fox, of the European Space Agency and the Space Telescope Science Institute, told the Daily Mail: 'You can think of it as a failed galaxy.
'A ghostly object that didn’t quite have enough mass to become self-gravitating and cross the threshold into star formation.'
Scientists have discovered a new type of astronomical object, a cloud of dark matter and hydrogen gas that contains no stars. Pictured: Magenta shows radio data from the gas cloud, and the dotted circle shows the peak of radio emissions
Cloud-9 is a previously theoretical type of object known as a Reionization-Limited H I Cloud, or 'RELHIC'.
'The main piece of evidence for dark matter in this cloud is its size,' says Dr Fox,
'A cloud this size needs a source of gravity to hold it together. There are no stars to provide this gravity, and the neutral hydrogen gas does not contain enough mass, so dark matter must be the culprit. Without it, the cloud would simply fall apart.'
By looking at the radiation emitted by gases in the cloud, scientists estimate that the mass of hydrogen within is about one million times that of the sun.
However, for the cloud not to drift apart, Dr Fox and his colleagues estimate that it must contain around five billion solar masses of dark matter.
This discovery is extremely exciting for astronomers because RELHICs like Cloud-9 offer a snapshot into an exceptionally early moment in the universe's history.
Scientists say that the strange object (pictured), dubbed Cloud-9 and located 14 million light-years from Earth, is a failed galaxy that didn't have enough mass to produce stars
Dr Fox says: 'Theories of galaxy formation predicted that there is a minimum threshold of dark matter required to ignite star formation and turn a dark cloud into a luminous galaxy.
'With Cloud-9, we have an example of an object just below this threshold, containing no stars.'
Although some scientists had thought that RELHICs might exist, they have proven exceptionally hard to find.
If the cloud were much larger, the gases would collapse into stars and form a galaxy; much smaller, and it would have fallen apart and blown away.
Co-author Dr Alejandro Benitez Llambay, of the Milano-Bicocca University in Milan, told Daily Mail: 'Cloud-9 is a rare "middle ground" survivor.'
'According to our models, fewer than 10 per cent of halos in this mass range remain in such a pristine state, making Cloud-9 a "missing link" in our understanding of how galaxies are born.'
Likewise, since these objects don't contain any stars, RELHICs barely give off any of their own radiation and are exceptionally difficult to detect.
Cloud-9 was first spotted three years ago by the Five-hundred-meter Aperture Spherical Telescope (FAST) in Guizhou, China.
If the cloud had more mass, the gases would have collapsed into stars and formed a galaxy like its neighbour, the M94 spiral galaxy (pictured). Cloud-9 had just enough mass to stay together, but not so much that it formed stars
However, it is only now that researchers have been able to use the Hubble Telescope to confirm that it contains no stars, making it very likely to be a RELHIC.
Lead author Dr Gagandeep Anand, of the Space Telescope Science Institute, says: 'Before we used Hubble, you could argue that this is a faint dwarf galaxy that we could not see with ground-based telescopes. They just didn't go deep enough in sensitivity to uncover stars.
'In science, we usually learn more from the failures than from the successes. In this case, seeing no stars is what proves the theory right. It tells us that we have found in the local universe a primordial building block of a galaxy that hasn't formed.'
The discovery of Cloud-9, published in The Astrophysical Journal Letters, also makes it likely that there are more RELHICs out there, even in our local neighbourhood.
China's FAST telescope is particularly good at spotting these kinds of dark gas clouds, so researchers hope to discover more in the future.
Dr Fox adds: 'There absolutely should be more RELHICs out there, and we are looking for more candidates. We need more cases to know whether Cloud-9 is an oddball with unusual properties, or alternatively, is fairly typical.'
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.
This is the moment deep sea explorers captured an incredibly elusive creature on camera – the giant phantom jellyfish.
Eerie footage shows the rare animal, which has only been filmed around a dozen times, gently pulsing and swirling its way through the water off the coast of Argentina.
It was captured on film by scientists at the Schmidt Ocean Institute, whose remotely operated vehicle (ROV) was on its descent to explore the Colorado-Rawson submarine canyon wall.
At 253 metres (830 feet) down, they came across the enormous ghostly jellyfish, which was first discovered in 1899.
It boasts arms that can reach more than 10 metres (33 feet) long and a main body that measures over a metre (3.3 feet) wide.
It lives anywhere from surface level to 21,900ft deep, but mostly sticks to an area called the twilight zone which is too deep for most light to reach.
In the clip, the jellyfish is lit up by the ROV's lights and appears to be swimming downwards, slowly pulsing as small fish swim around it.
Most impressive are its four long ‘mouth arms’, which scientists believe are used to grab and trap prey, trailing up above it.
Eerie footage shows the rare animal, which has only een filmed around a dozen times, gently pulsing and swirling its way through the water off the coast of Argentina
According to the scientists, giant phantom jellyfish appear to live in all oceans except for the Arctic.
It is assumed they feed on plankton and small fishes, but very little is known about how the jellyfish survives.
It has only been documented around 100 times since it was first discovered, and is thought to be one of the largest invertebrate predators in the deep sea ecosystem.
Two previous sightings of it in the Gulf of Mexico suggest the species might hunt by clinging to subsea structures.
This means its arms would be freed up to trap food, but that sort of behaviour has never been directly witnessed.
Before underwater robots were invented, experts used trawling nets to study deep sea creatures such as this species of jellyfish, known as Stygiomedusa gigantea.
However, when one is captured and brought to the surface, researchers said its silky-looking frame turns to 'gelatinous goo'.
That makes underwater robots the best way to observe the species and learn more about how it survives.
At 253 metres (830 feet) down, they came across the enormous ghostly jellyfish, which was first discovered in 1899
In the clip, the jellyfish appears to be swimming downwards, slowly pulsing as small fish swim around it
While the first specimen was collected 127 years ago, it took 60 years to recognise it as a new species.
A separate research organisation – the Monterey Bay Aquarium Research Institute (MBARI) – say their ROVs have logged ‘thousands of dives’ deep into the ocean, but have only seen the spectacular species nine times.
‘MBARI’s observations of Stygiomedusa gigantea have helped illuminate its ecological role in the ocean’s depths,’ they write on their website.
‘During an expedition to the Gulf of California, MBARI’s ROV Tiburon recorded a fish - the pelagic brotula - alongside a giant phantom jelly. Researchers watched the brotula hover above the bell of its host and swim in and out of the jelly’s voluminous oral arms.
‘The wide-open waters of the midnight zone offer little shelter, so many creatures find refuge in the gelatinous animals that are abundant in this environment.’
What is the giant phantom jellyfish?
Stygiomedusa gigantea is a type of giant deep sea jellyfish that is rarely seen but believed to be widespread throughout the world.
It is thought to be one of the largest invertebrate predators in the deep sea ecosystem.
The jellyfish has an umbrella-shaped bell that can be up to a 3.3ft (1 metre) wide.
It also has four 'paddle-like' arms up to 32ft (10m) long, which, as scientists believe may be used to trap prey because they lack stinging tentacles.
Giant Stygiomedusa have been observed and filmed off the Pacific coast of the United States by and by deepwater robots off the coast of Japan and in the Gulf of Mexico.
The reddish purple coloured creature lives anywhere from surface level to 21,900 feet, but mostly sticks to an area called the twilight zone, which is too deep for most light to reach.
It is assumed they feed on plankton and small fishes, but very little is known about how the jellyfish survives.
A new study argues that AI can never be more creative than humans, but many experts argue that AI's output will only ever be as good as its input — with the goalposts shifting as AI improves in the years to come.
Generative AI will never have human experiences, but it can still be creative.(Image credit: Getty Images)
David Cropley, a professor of engineering innovation at the University of South Australia and sole author of the study, found the limit of AI’s abilities lies somewhere between the amateur and professional level in human beings, meaning AI will never outstrip the creativity of the most talented human artists.
Cropley’s finding, however, has done little to quell concerns that AI will cause creative sectors of the economy to disappear. Experts continue to debate the creative potential of AI, and how we define creativity is one of the biggest stumbling blocks. Just like “smart” or “attractive," "creative” is a very human descriptor that can mean different things in different domains, and that defies easy or quantitative measurement.
Cropley applied the Standard Definition of Creativity to the outputs of various large language models (LLMs), such as ChatGPT. He found that “while AI can mimic creative behavior — quite convincingly at times — its actual creative capacity is capped at the level of an average human and can never reach professional or expert standards under current design principles,” according to a statement.
"Many people think that because ChatGPT can generate stories, poems or images, that it must be creative. But generating something is not the same as being creative," Cropley said. "Typically, 60% of people are below average when it comes to creativity, so it's inevitable that a sizable slice of society will think that LLMs like ChatGPT are creative, when they're not. Highly creative people will recognize the weaknesses in the generative AI systems."
AI is not human
Jack Shaw of Shawfire Media, an e-commerce strategist who deploys and benchmarks LLMs to generate and test marketing content, said that under some definitions, the assertion of the study is correct. "If creativity means reframing a brief, setting new cultural cues, and taking responsibility for risky choices that could fail, then humans lead. Models synthesise patterns optimized for likelihood; they do not carry intent, lived context, or stakes, and they do not originate goals."
The biggest gap in AI’s creativity is that it will never have a human experience, said Alesha Brown, founder and CEO of Fruition Publishing Concierge Services and Alesha Brown Productions, companies that help authors, thought leaders and brands turn lived experiences into books, films and campaigns.
"No LLM wakes up with a childhood trauma, a cultural lineage, or a moral conflict and decides, 'I'm going to make a film or write a book that could cost me relationships but might free other people'," she said. "That ‘why’ behind the work — the willingness to risk reputation, income, or belonging for an idea — is a big part of what we intuitively count as creativity, and AI doesn't have that. It's an argument about agency and depth, not an ironclad mathematical proof that AI can never match or surpass us."
But AI is creative
But by other benchmarks, AI can be considered creative. Gor Gasparyan, co-founder and CEO of Passionate Agency, a digital intelligence agency that offers digital experiences with a focus on AI engineering, thinks the idea of a mathematical limit to AI creativity is based on an old-fashioned definition of the word that discounts the value of novelty.
"In my practice, AI models produce keywords and theme connections that are novel to our human SEO experts 80% of the time, which leads to content strategies that haven't been considered before," Gasparyan said.
To Iliya Rybchin, founder and principal of AI consulting firm Vorpal Hedge, AI generates creative materials in a very similar way to humans. "Both humans and LLMs rely on the same underlying mechanism — recombining stored patterns under constraints. The real problem isn't that AI 'lacks creativity', it's that we keep packaging creativity in mystical language that collapses as soon as we look at how human creators actually work,” he said.
"We romanticize the novelist staring at a blank page or the chef conjuring a dish nobody has ever imagined before,” he explained — but talented creators pull from their lived experiences, having tasted foods, read literature and learned skills that they then recombine into new variations.“None of this is ex-nihilo creation, it's high-fidelity remix. In reality, creativity is almost exclusively combinatorics."
He added that the claim AI has a mathematical ceiling lower than humans is a math error. "If creativity is the ability to connect unconnected dots, the entity with the most dots wins."
That principle is why AI could match human creativity, said James Lei, CEO of legal class action platform Sparrow. "Creativity is generation plus selection against a purpose," he said. "Generation is the ability to produce many candidates, while creativity requires novelty, usefulness and acceptance by an audience or domain gatekeepers. This is why AI already works for ad concepts, onboarding flows, contract clause options and musical motifs, where quality is measurable and the brief anchors direction."
You get out what you put in
Some experts believe any perceived shortcomings of AI are caused only by a lack of input from humans. For instance, if you can give clear instructions, set ways to judge results and keep improving them through human feedback and tests, Lei adds, AI meets the standard because it generates new options and the process keeps those that add value. "Where it struggles is open-ended, long-horizon agenda setting that draws on lived experience, embodied context and cross-domain judgement."
Vague prompts may also result in AI that outputs a fairly bland idea, said Amit Raj, founder of The Links Guy, an SEO consultancy that uses AI workflows in content marketing tasks. "But give it context, challenge it, refine it and debate with it, and creativity emerges."
Ultimately, the definition of creativity will continue to evolve as long as the debate over the creative ability of AI persists, said Paul DeMott, Chief Technology Officer at Helium SEO. "The argument about how creating something is not equivalent to being creative is the indication that we're shifting goalposts," he said. "Critics claimed AI was devoid of intent, then emotional richness, then originality. We conceptualize creativity as anything humans can accomplish that machines can't, then redefine it when machines break that barrier."
'Artificial intelligence' myths have existed for centuries — from the ancient Greeks to a pope's chatbot
Prometheus – Heinrich Füger (c.1817)
(Image credit: Heinrich Füger, Public domain, via Wikimedia Commons)
It seems the AIhype has turned into an AI bubble. There have been many bubbles before, from the Tulip mania of the 17th century to the derivatives bubbleof the 21st century. For many commentators, the most relevant precedent today is the dotcom bubble of the 1990s. Back then, a new technology (the World Wide Web) unleashed a wave of "irrational exuberance." Investors poured billions into any company with ".com" in the name.
Three decades later, another new technology has unleashed another wave of exuberance. Investors are pouring billions into any company with "AI" in its name. But there is a crucial difference between these two bubbles, which isn't always recognised. The World Wide Web existed. It was real. General Artificial Intelligence does not exist, and no one knows if or when it ever will.
In February, the CEO of OpenAI, Sam Altman, wrote on his blog that the very latest systems have only just started to "point towards" AI in its "general" sense. OpenAI may market its products as "AIs," but they are merely statistical data-crunchers, rather than "intelligences" in the sense that human beings are intelligent.
So why are investors so keen to give money to the people selling AI systems? One reason might be that AI is a mythical technology. I don't mean it is a lie. I mean it evokes a powerful, foundational story of Western culture about human powers of creation.
Perhaps investors are willing to believe AI is just around the corner because it taps into myths that are deeply ingrained in their imaginations?
The myth of Prometheus
The most relevant myth for AI is the Ancient Greek myth of Prometheus.
Prometheus was a Titan, a god in the Ancient Greek pantheon. He was also a criminal who stole fire from Hephaestus, the blacksmith god. Hiding the fire in a stalk of fennel, Prometheus came to earth and gave it to humankind. As punishment, he was chained to a mountain, where an eagle visited every day to eat his liver.
Prometheus' gift was not simply the gift of fire; it was the gift of intelligence. In Prometheus Bound, he declares that before his gift humans saw without seeing and heard without hearing. After his gift, humans could write, build houses, read the stars, perform mathematics, domesticate animals, construct ships, invent medicines, interpret dreams and give proper offerings to the gods.
The myth of Prometheus is a creation story with a difference. In the Hebrew Bible, God does not give Adam the power to create life. But Prometheus gives (some of) the gods' creative power to humankind.Hesiod indicates this aspect of the myth in Theogony. In that poem, Zeus not only punishes Prometheus for the theft of fire; he punishes humankind as well. He orders Hephaestus to fire up his forge and construct the first woman, Pandora, who unleashes evil on the world.
The fire that Hephaestus uses to make Pandora is the same fire that Prometheus has given humankind.
In this 18th-century engraving, Prometheus constructs the first man.
The Greeks proposed the idea that humans are a form of artificial intelligence. Prometheus and Hephaestus use technology to manufacture men and women. As historian Adrienne Mayor reveals in her book Gods and Robots, the ancients often depicted Prometheus as a craftsman, using ordinary tools to create human beings in an ordinary workshop.
If Prometheus gave us the fire of the gods, it would seem to follow that we can use this fire to make our own intelligent beings. Such stories abound in Ancient Greek literature, from the inventor Daedalus, who created statues that came to life, to the witch Medea, who could restore youth and potency with her cunning drugs. Greek inventors also constructed mechanical computers for astronomy and remarkable moving figures powered by gravity, water and air.
The Pope and the chatbot
2,700 years have passed since Hesiod first wrote down the story of Prometheus. In the ensuing centuries, the myth has been endlessly retold, especially since the publication of Mary Shelley's Frankenstein; or the Modern Prometheus in 1818.
But the myth is not always told as fiction. Here are two historical examples where the myth of Prometheus seemed to come true.
Gerbert of Aurillac was the Prometheus of the 10th century. He was born in the early 940s CE, went to school at Aurillac Abbey, and became a monk himself. He proceeded to master every known branch of learning. In the year 999, he was elected Pope. He died in 1003 under his pontifical name, Sylvester II.
Rumours about Gerbert spread wildly across Europe. Within a century of his death, his life had already become legend. One of the most famous legends, and the most pertinent in our age of AI hype, is that of Gerbert's "brazen head." The legend was told in the 1120s by the English historian William of Malmesbury, in his well researched and highly regarded book, Deeds of the English Kings.
Gerbert was deeply learned in astronomy, a science of prediction. Astronomers could use the astrolabe to predict the position of the stars and foresee cosmological events such as eclipses. According to William, Gerbert used his knowledge of astronomy to construct a talking head. After inspecting the movements of the stars and planets, he cast a head in bronze that could answer yes-or-no questions.
First Gerbert asked the head:
"Will I become Pope?"
"Yes," answered the head.
Then Gerbert asked: "Will I die before I sing mass in Jerusalem?"
"No," the head replied.
In both cases, the head was correct, though not as Gerbert anticipated. He did become Pope, and he sensibly avoided going on pilgrimage to Jerusalem. One day, however, he sang mass at Santa Croce in Gerusalemme in Rome. Unfortunately for Gerbert, Santa Croce in Gerusalemme was known in those days simply as "Jerusalem."
Gerbert sickened and died. On his deathbed, he asked his attendants to cut up his body and cast away the pieces, so he could go to his true master, Satan. In this way, he was, like Prometheus, punished for his theft of fire.
It is a thrilling story. It is not clear whether William of Malmesbury actually believed it. But he does try to persuade his readers that it is plausible. Why did this great historian with a devotion to the truth insert some fanciful legends about a French pope into his history of England? Good question!
Is it so fanciful to believe that an advanced astronomer might build a general-purpose prediction machine? In those days, astronomy was the most powerful science of prediction. The sober and scholarly William was at least willing to entertain the idea that brilliant advances in astronomy might make it possible for a Pope to build an intelligent chatbot.
Today, that same possibility is credited to machine-learning algorithms, which can predict which ad you will click, which movie you will watch, which word you will type next. We can be forgiven for falling under the same spell.
The anatomist and the automaton
The Prometheus of the 18th century was Jacques de Vaucanson, at least according to Voltaire:
Bold Vaucanson, rival of Prometheus,Seems, imitating the springs of nature,To steal the fire of heaven to animate the body.
Jacques de Vaucanson – Joseph Boze (1784)
(Image credit: Joseph Boze, Public domain, via Wikimedia Commons)
Vaucanson was a great machinist, famous for his automata. These were clockwork devices that realistically simulated human or animal anatomy. Philosophers of the time believed that the body was a machine — so why couldn't a machinist build one?
Sometimes Vaucanson's automata were scientifically significant. He constructed a piper, for example, that had lips and lungs and fingers, and blew the pipe in much the same way a human would. Historian Jessica Riskin explains in her book The Restless Clock that Vaucanson had to make significant discoveries in acoustics in order to make his piper play in tune.
Sometimes his automata were less scientific. His digesting duck was hugely famous, but turned out to be fraudulent. It appeared to eat and digest food, but its poos were in fact prefabricated pellets hidden inside the mechanism.
Vaucanson spent decades working on what he called a "moving anatomy." In 1741, he presented a plan to the Lyons Academy to build an "imitation of all animal operations." Twenty years later, he was at it again. He secured support from King Louis XV to build a simulation of the circulatory system. He claimed he could build a complete, living artificial body.
Three of Vaucanson’s famous automata: the Flute Player, the Digesting Duck, and the Provençal Farmer, who played the pipe and tambourine. (Image credit: See page for author,Public domain, via Wikimedia Commons)
There is no evidence that Vaucanson ever completed a whole body. In the end, he couldn't live up to the hype. But many of his contemporaries believed he could do it. They wanted to believe in his magical mechanisms. They wished he would seize the fire of life.
If Vaucanson could manufacture a new human body, couldn't he also repair an existing one? This is the promise of some AI companies today. According to Dario Amodei, CEO of Anthropic, AI will soon allow people "to live as long as they want." Immortality seems like an attractive investment.
Sylvester II and Vaucanson were great technologists, but neither was a Prometheus. They stole no fire from the gods. Will the aspiring Prometheans of Silicon Valley succeed where their predecessors have failed? If only we had Sylvester II's brazen head, we could ask it.
The unusual cloud formations has been spotted in north Wales
The unique formations are often referred to as pancake clouds as they appear flat and are sometimes stacked together.
Their official name is lenticular clouds, originating from a Latin word meaning "lens-like".
People visiting Traeth Llanddwyn in Newborough were lucky enough to catch a glimpse of the sight as they drifted over from the Pen Llŷn mountains.
Dove Rosalinda
One local described the sight as "special"
Hikers in Snowdonia and the Llŷn Peninsula were taken aback by the clouds as they made a quick appearance only lasting for about 10 minutes.
Dove Rosalinda often hikes in Snowdonia and said she had seen UFO clouds before.
She described her first time seeing the phenomenon as "special" because they do not last very long.
Dove Rosalinda
Pilots avoid flying near the lenticular clouds as they can cause turbulence
How are UFO clouds formed?
UFO or lenticular clouds form when stable, moist air travels over mountains and creates standing waves in the atmosphere.
As the air cools, it then condenses into flat clouds, often stacking up like UFOs or pancakes.
Lenticular clouds often signify strong winds on the ground below.
The Met Office said: "When air blows across a mountain range, in certain circumstances, it can set up a train of large standing waves in the air downstream, rather like ripples forming in a river when water flows over an obstruction.
"If there is enough moisture in the air, the rising motion of the wave will cause water vapour to condense, forming the unique appearance of lenticular clouds."
The Met Office says pilots avoid flying near the lenticular clouds as they can cause turbulence but some experienced glider pilots like them as it is a visual representation of where the air is rising.
Flying saucer–shaped object filmed over São Paulo highway, Brazil but what was it?
Flying saucer–shaped object filmed over São Paulo highway, Brazil but what was it?
The footage was reportedly recorded by Michelli Azuma on December 25, 2025, at around 9:52 a.m., while traveling along the Anhanguera Highway near Campinas, São Paulo.
In the video, a disc-shaped object appears to glide across the sky at a seemingly high speed. Its movement stands out when compared to the witness’s vehicle, estimated to be traveling at roughly 100 km/h, making the object’s motion appear unusually fast and controlled.
As with many such sightings, questions quickly arise: is this a genuine unidentified flying object, or could it be a drone or another advanced, man-made aerial device.
That uncertainty is further amplified in an era of rapid artificial intelligence development, where distinguishing between authentic footage and fabricated or digitally altered content has become increasingly difficult.
In the modern UFO debate, the line between what is real and what is fake has never been more blurred but the rise of AI generated UFO videos doesn’t disprove UFOs, but it raises the bar for evidence and while many sightings are eventually explained, a small percentage remain unresolved.
Anthropologist Clyde Kluckhohn described skinwalkers as secret witches (mostly male, some female) who creep out in the night to take the form of swift-moving animals like the wolf and coyote.
Skinwalkers are witches from Navajo mythology who can shape-shift into animals like wolves, coyotes or birds to cause harm.
They possess supernatural abilities such as speed, mimicry, mind control.
There are many shape-shifting figures in other cultures around the world.
They can shape-shift, transforming into animals — such as wolves, coyotes or birds — to carry out harmful deeds. These creatures, known as skinwalkers, are a part of Navajo mythology. Sometimes reduced to mere werewolves, skinwalkers possess supernatural abilities, including speed, stealth and the power to mimic the voice or appearances of others to deceive or cause harm.
Learn more about skinwalkers, their characteristics and portrayals in pop culture.
Originating from Navajo (Diné) folklore, a skinwalker is a malevolent witch capable of transforming into, possessing or disguising themselves as an animal. Also called yee naaldlooshii, the phrase translates to "with it, he goes on all fours."
A person becomes a skinwalker by committing a heinous act, like killing a family member. This gives them supernatural powers, allowing them to shape-shift from a human to an animal at will. They often become coyotes, wolves, foxes or bears, though they can take the form of any animal.
Several accounts of skinwalkers recall seeing animals walk on hind legs. For example, one person said, "My uncle and cousin saw a large deer on the side of the road. When they got closer it hopped over the fence like a bipedal man."
Witches in Navajo Culture
While both men and women can be witches in Navajo culture, the term most commonly describes men. This is unlike other cultures where the term "witch" typically defines a woman.
Characteristics and Supernatural Abilities of Skinwalkers
Skinwalker. HowStuffWorks/Midjourney
Here are a few defining characteristics and abilities of skinwalkers:
Shapeshifting: They can transform into various animals, such as wolves or coyotes. They'll change forms depending on their needs. For example, if they need immense strength, they might become a bear. Skinwalkers assume these roles voluntarily — it's not a curse, like being a werewolf.
Supernatural speed: They move at incredibly fast speeds.
Mimicry: They can imitate human voices or animal sounds to deceive others.
Mind control: They influence or control the thoughts of others.
Cursing: They can cast harmful spells or curses.
Physical strength: They have superhuman strength.
Glowing eyes: According to legend, you can tell if you're in the presence of a skinwalker by their eyes. If you shine a light on one when they're in animal form, their eyes glow bright red. In human form, their eyes seem animal-like.
Becoming a Skinwalker: The Witchery Way
People become skinwalkers in Navajo culture by committing taboo acts, such as murder, often of a close relative, as part of a dark initiation into the Witchery Way. This transformation involves mastering the use of dark magic, including shapeshifting and casting curses, to harm others.
The Witchery Way is a form of Navajo witchcraft that focuses on malevolent practices, contrasting with the healing and protective spiritual traditions. Those who choose the Witchery Way use these powers for personal gain or revenge.
Skinwalkers and Bad Fortune
In Navajo culture, skinwalkers are often to blame when things go wrong, such as illness, misfortune or unexplained deaths. The reason is that skinwalkers are witches who can manipulate and harm through dark magic. Therefore, when something out of the ordinary or unexpected happens, like crop failures, people take it to be the work of a skinwalker.
How to Detect a Skinwalker
Detecting a skinwalker is challenging because of their ability to shape-shift and blend in with their surroundings. However, some believe that unusual animal behavior, such as animals acting unnaturally or with glowing eyes, can be a sign of a skinwalker.
They may also move in unnatural or distorted ways, even when in human form. Additionally, skinwalkers may cause feelings of intense fear or unease when they are near. People often associate hearing voices or animal sounds mimicking humans with the presence of a skinwalker.
Skinwalker Sightings and Controversy
There are many accounts of skinwalker sightings. And there also many stories debunking these stories. For example, someone claimed there was a skinwalker sighting in New Mexico. The image went viral on Facebook. However, the truth eventually came to light: The image came from a movie.
Additionally, some interpretations of skinwalkers are inaccurate, like a 2017 episode of "Ghost Adventures" on the Travel Channel.
According to ICT News, one unnamed source said, "We were appalled by the ridiculous conjecture in 'Ghost Adventures.' There was a staged fire with an animal skull, feather and a bullet and bizarre explanations from white men who came to 'get' the story that fit their series. It was like people told them the craziest things and they gobbled it up, or worse yet, they made it up. The references to a phoenix found in the cave and the arch as a gateway to evil are not from our culture. I wonder if the Navajo people in that episode knew what the producers were conjuring up. It was laughable and sad — an amateurish, negative representation of Navajo culture.”
How to Protect Yourself From a Skinwalker
Skinwalkers. HowStuffWorks/Midjourney
Skinwalkers inflict pain and are almost impossible to catch and get rid of. To get rid of a skinwalker, you need a powerful shaman who knows the right spells and incantations to get the skinwalker to turn on itself. You can also shoot the witch with bullets dipped in white ash, but the shot must hit them in the neck or the hand.
Secret Navajo Witches
In his 1944 book "Navaho Witchcraft," noted anthropologist Clyde Kluckhohn explored magical traditions of contemporary Navajo people. Specifically, in his book he examined the "influencing of events by supernatural techniques that are socially disapproved."
The author noted that English-language translations like "witchcraft," are useful shorthand in this case, but they're not perfect. You can draw similarities between real or imagined European witches and skinwalkers, but the Navajo spirit world is undoubtedly unique.
Based on his interviews with Navajo people, Kluckhohn pieced together general descriptions of the various forms of witchcraft that existed within Navajo legend. He described skinwalkers as secret witches (mostly male, some female) who creep out in the night to take the form of swift-moving animals like the wolf and coyote.
Shape-shifters in Other Cultures
While skinwalkers are part of Navajo culture, there are many examples of shape-shifters in cultures around the world.
Pukwudgies: These small, humanoid creatures are part of Wampanoag folklore. They can shapeshift, sometimes into animals, though they often appear in their original form. Pukwudgies are tricksters but can be dangerous if you provoke them.
Werewolves: These creatures can transform between human and wolf forms. They are a part of many European folk stories, such as those from France, Germany and Eastern Europe.
Tlāloc: The Aztec god of rain and fertility, Tlāloc can change forms. The gods in Aztec mythology frequently take on different animalistic features or change their appearances to interact with the world or teach mortals lessons.
Selkies:Selkies can change from seals to humans. They are part of the folklore of Scotland and Ireland.
Nagual: In Mesoamerican traditions, a nagual is a human who can transform into an animal, often a jaguar, dog or bird.
Vampires: In Slavic folklore, there are stories of vampires that can transform into bats, wolves and other creatures.
Studying the Skinwalker
Other anthropologists have studied and written about skinwalker beliefs over the decades since Kluckhohn's work. In the 1984 book "Some Kind of Power," Margaret K. Brady explored the social importance of skinwalker narratives among Navajo children. She discussed how the skinwalker tales functioned to both serve as childhood ghost stories and echo contemporary Navajo cultural concerns.
In the 2016 book "Upward, Not Sunwise," anthropologist Kimberly Jenkins Marshall discussed the way skinwalker accounts and beliefs factored into neo-pentecostal Navajo communities.
While it might seem paradoxical that one might convert to Christianity and retain belief in skinwalkers, Marshall explored the ways traditional beliefs survive in the face of culture rupture.
In the 2007 journal article "Watching Navajos Watch Themselves," anthropologist Sam Pack examined the way often-flawed media representations of Navajo culture — including the 2002 movie "Skinwalkers" — clashed with cultural understanding of what it means to be Navajo.
Skinwalker Ranch
Skinwalker Ranch (also known as Sherman Ranch) borders the Uintah and Ouray Indian Reservation in Utah and is a hotbed of strange phenomena. The cattle ranch has spawned a popular book ("Hunt for the Skinwalker"), a feature-length documentary of the same name and a History Channel series ("The Secret of Skinwalker Ranch").
As the story goes, Terry Sherman and his family gained widespread attention after encountering numerous inexplicable phenomena on their Utah property, famously dubbed "Skinwalker Ranch" in reference to Navajo legends of shapeshifting witches. The 512-acre ranch in the Uintah Basin has been the epicenter of numerous unexplained incidents, such as UFO sightings, livestock mutilations and other mysterious activities.
In 1996, the Sherman family sold the ranch to billionaire Robert Bigelow, who was significantly interested in paranormal activities. Bigelow established the National Institute for Discovery Science (NIDS) to investigate the paranormal incidents occurring there.
The ranch has since become synonymous with paranormal and UFO-related activities, spurring substantial intrigue, skepticism and various investigations. In 2016, Robert Bigelow sold the ranch to Brandon Fugal.
"From encounters with mythical animals, to numerous cattle mutilations, poltergeist activity, crop circles, sightings of glowing orbs and even flying saucers, virtually everything you might call 'paranormal' has been reported at the ranch and surrounding properties," wrote Austin Craig in TechBuzz in 2021.
Fugal told the publication there was a 100-year-old history of paranormal activity, including skinwalker sightings, at the property.
The Ute Tribe Steer Clear of the Ranch
The Uintah and Ouray Indian Reservation is the home of the Ute tribe. At one time, the Ute enslaved some of the Navajo people and also joined with U.S. troops against the Navajo during the Civil War. The result was that the Navajo were expelled from their lands in the Four Corners area, though they returned later.
The Ute believed the Navajo put a curse on them and left shape-shifters among them because of their vile deeds. This is why, allegely, the Ute will not go near Skinwalker Ranch.
Previous owners of the ranch had reported strange occurrences. Fugal said he bought the cattle ranch in 2016 not believing he would see anything unusual. Six months later, he saw "UFO activity" in broad daylight
Cultural Appropriation and Celebration
And so we come to another key aspect of the media's relationship with the skinwalker: cultural appropriation. Pack wrote that the Navajo viewers he questioned generally seemed to enjoy the film "Skinwalkers," despite some cultural and linguistic inaccuracies.
And yet, he also stressed, "This does not mean that the Navajo respondents in my study did not challenge the rights of both Anglos and non-Navajos to undertake such films."
While 2002's "Skinwalkers" was helmed by Cheyenne/Arapaho tribe member Chris Eyre and starred a predominantly Native American (but non-Navajo) cast, other media incarnations of the skinwalker have come at the hands of non-Native people.
In 2016, "Harry Potter" creator J.K. Rowling garnered criticism for including an altered version of the skinwalkers in her online series, "History of Magic in North America." Critics charged that the series reduced an important and interconnected part of Native belief to a mere prop in an Anglo-centric story.
Celebrations
In the Oregonian's coverage of the controversy, however, Douglas Perry pointed to a counterexample of an Anglo author whose treatment of Navajo culture was well-received by the Navajo Nation.
The late novelist Tony Hillerman was awarded the Navajo Special Friends of the Dineh Award in 1991. Hillerman frequently wrote about Navajo culture and Navajo cultural values and even penned the 1986 detective novel "Skinwalkers," upon which Chris Eyre's 2002 adaptation was based.
Where does all of this leave us concerning the mysterious skinwalker? Many contemporary Native Americans would argue that its place is in the living beliefs and customs of the Navajo — and that, as such, it is not necessarily open to interpretation and reinvention by those outside of it. Leave the skinwalker to the night.
This article was updated in conjunction with AI technology, then fact-checked and edited by a HowStuffWorks editor.
Anthropologist Clyde Kluckhohn described skinwalkers as secret witches (mostly male, some female) who creep out in the night to take the form of swift-moving animals like the wolf and coyote.
Skinwalkers are witches from Navajo mythology who can shape-shift into animals like wolves, coyotes or birds to cause harm.
They possess supernatural abilities such as speed, mimicry, mind control.
There are many shape-shifting figures in other cultures around the world.
They can shape-shift, transforming into animals — such as wolves, coyotes or birds — to carry out harmful deeds. These creatures, known as skinwalkers, are a part of Navajo mythology. Sometimes reduced to mere werewolves, skinwalkers possess supernatural abilities, including speed, stealth and the power to mimic the voice or appearances of others to deceive or cause harm.
Learn more about skinwalkers, their characteristics and portrayals in pop culture.
Originating from Navajo (Diné) folklore, a skinwalker is a malevolent witch capable of transforming into, possessing or disguising themselves as an animal. Also called yee naaldlooshii, the phrase translates to "with it, he goes on all fours."
A person becomes a skinwalker by committing a heinous act, like killing a family member. This gives them supernatural powers, allowing them to shape-shift from a human to an animal at will. They often become coyotes, wolves, foxes or bears, though they can take the form of any animal.
Several accounts of skinwalkers recall seeing animals walk on hind legs. For example, one person said, "My uncle and cousin saw a large deer on the side of the road. When they got closer it hopped over the fence like a bipedal man."
Witches in Navajo Culture
While both men and women can be witches in Navajo culture, the term most commonly describes men. This is unlike other cultures where the term "witch" typically defines a woman.
Characteristics and Supernatural Abilities of Skinwalkers
Skinwalker. HowStuffWorks/Midjourney
Here are a few defining characteristics and abilities of skinwalkers:
Shapeshifting: They can transform into various animals, such as wolves or coyotes. They'll change forms depending on their needs. For example, if they need immense strength, they might become a bear. Skinwalkers assume these roles voluntarily — it's not a curse, like being a werewolf.
Supernatural speed: They move at incredibly fast speeds.
Mimicry: They can imitate human voices or animal sounds to deceive others.
Mind control: They influence or control the thoughts of others.
Cursing: They can cast harmful spells or curses.
Physical strength: They have superhuman strength.
Glowing eyes: According to legend, you can tell if you're in the presence of a skinwalker by their eyes. If you shine a light on one when they're in animal form, their eyes glow bright red. In human form, their eyes seem animal-like.
Becoming a Skinwalker: The Witchery Way
People become skinwalkers in Navajo culture by committing taboo acts, such as murder, often of a close relative, as part of a dark initiation into the Witchery Way. This transformation involves mastering the use of dark magic, including shapeshifting and casting curses, to harm others.
The Witchery Way is a form of Navajo witchcraft that focuses on malevolent practices, contrasting with the healing and protective spiritual traditions. Those who choose the Witchery Way use these powers for personal gain or revenge.
Skinwalkers and Bad Fortune
In Navajo culture, skinwalkers are often to blame when things go wrong, such as illness, misfortune or unexplained deaths. The reason is that skinwalkers are witches who can manipulate and harm through dark magic. Therefore, when something out of the ordinary or unexpected happens, like crop failures, people take it to be the work of a skinwalker.
How to Detect a Skinwalker
Detecting a skinwalker is challenging because of their ability to shape-shift and blend in with their surroundings. However, some believe that unusual animal behavior, such as animals acting unnaturally or with glowing eyes, can be a sign of a skinwalker.
They may also move in unnatural or distorted ways, even when in human form. Additionally, skinwalkers may cause feelings of intense fear or unease when they are near. People often associate hearing voices or animal sounds mimicking humans with the presence of a skinwalker.
Skinwalker Sightings and Controversy
There are many accounts of skinwalker sightings. And there also many stories debunking these stories. For example, someone claimed there was a skinwalker sighting in New Mexico. The image went viral on Facebook. However, the truth eventually came to light: The image came from a movie.
Additionally, some interpretations of skinwalkers are inaccurate, like a 2017 episode of "Ghost Adventures" on the Travel Channel.
According to ICT News, one unnamed source said, "We were appalled by the ridiculous conjecture in 'Ghost Adventures.' There was a staged fire with an animal skull, feather and a bullet and bizarre explanations from white men who came to 'get' the story that fit their series. It was like people told them the craziest things and they gobbled it up, or worse yet, they made it up. The references to a phoenix found in the cave and the arch as a gateway to evil are not from our culture. I wonder if the Navajo people in that episode knew what the producers were conjuring up. It was laughable and sad — an amateurish, negative representation of Navajo culture.”
How to Protect Yourself From a Skinwalker
Skinwalkers. HowStuffWorks/Midjourney
Skinwalkers inflict pain and are almost impossible to catch and get rid of. To get rid of a skinwalker, you need a powerful shaman who knows the right spells and incantations to get the skinwalker to turn on itself. You can also shoot the witch with bullets dipped in white ash, but the shot must hit them in the neck or the hand.
Secret Navajo Witches
In his 1944 book "Navaho Witchcraft," noted anthropologist Clyde Kluckhohn explored magical traditions of contemporary Navajo people. Specifically, in his book he examined the "influencing of events by supernatural techniques that are socially disapproved."
The author noted that English-language translations like "witchcraft," are useful shorthand in this case, but they're not perfect. You can draw similarities between real or imagined European witches and skinwalkers, but the Navajo spirit world is undoubtedly unique.
Based on his interviews with Navajo people, Kluckhohn pieced together general descriptions of the various forms of witchcraft that existed within Navajo legend. He described skinwalkers as secret witches (mostly male, some female) who creep out in the night to take the form of swift-moving animals like the wolf and coyote.
Shape-shifters in Other Cultures
While skinwalkers are part of Navajo culture, there are many examples of shape-shifters in cultures around the world.
Pukwudgies: These small, humanoid creatures are part of Wampanoag folklore. They can shapeshift, sometimes into animals, though they often appear in their original form. Pukwudgies are tricksters but can be dangerous if you provoke them.
Werewolves: These creatures can transform between human and wolf forms. They are a part of many European folk stories, such as those from France, Germany and Eastern Europe.
Tlāloc: The Aztec god of rain and fertility, Tlāloc can change forms. The gods in Aztec mythology frequently take on different animalistic features or change their appearances to interact with the world or teach mortals lessons.
Selkies:Selkies can change from seals to humans. They are part of the folklore of Scotland and Ireland.
Nagual: In Mesoamerican traditions, a nagual is a human who can transform into an animal, often a jaguar, dog or bird.
Vampires: In Slavic folklore, there are stories of vampires that can transform into bats, wolves and other creatures.
Studying the Skinwalker
Other anthropologists have studied and written about skinwalker beliefs over the decades since Kluckhohn's work. In the 1984 book "Some Kind of Power," Margaret K. Brady explored the social importance of skinwalker narratives among Navajo children. She discussed how the skinwalker tales functioned to both serve as childhood ghost stories and echo contemporary Navajo cultural concerns.
In the 2016 book "Upward, Not Sunwise," anthropologist Kimberly Jenkins Marshall discussed the way skinwalker accounts and beliefs factored into neo-pentecostal Navajo communities.
While it might seem paradoxical that one might convert to Christianity and retain belief in skinwalkers, Marshall explored the ways traditional beliefs survive in the face of culture rupture.
In the 2007 journal article "Watching Navajos Watch Themselves," anthropologist Sam Pack examined the way often-flawed media representations of Navajo culture — including the 2002 movie "Skinwalkers" — clashed with cultural understanding of what it means to be Navajo.
Skinwalker Ranch
Skinwalker Ranch (also known as Sherman Ranch) borders the Uintah and Ouray Indian Reservation in Utah and is a hotbed of strange phenomena. The cattle ranch has spawned a popular book ("Hunt for the Skinwalker"), a feature-length documentary of the same name and a History Channel series ("The Secret of Skinwalker Ranch").
As the story goes, Terry Sherman and his family gained widespread attention after encountering numerous inexplicable phenomena on their Utah property, famously dubbed "Skinwalker Ranch" in reference to Navajo legends of shapeshifting witches. The 512-acre ranch in the Uintah Basin has been the epicenter of numerous unexplained incidents, such as UFO sightings, livestock mutilations and other mysterious activities.
In 1996, the Sherman family sold the ranch to billionaire Robert Bigelow, who was significantly interested in paranormal activities. Bigelow established the National Institute for Discovery Science (NIDS) to investigate the paranormal incidents occurring there.
The ranch has since become synonymous with paranormal and UFO-related activities, spurring substantial intrigue, skepticism and various investigations. In 2016, Robert Bigelow sold the ranch to Brandon Fugal.
"From encounters with mythical animals, to numerous cattle mutilations, poltergeist activity, crop circles, sightings of glowing orbs and even flying saucers, virtually everything you might call 'paranormal' has been reported at the ranch and surrounding properties," wrote Austin Craig in TechBuzz in 2021.
Fugal told the publication there was a 100-year-old history of paranormal activity, including skinwalker sightings, at the property.
The Ute Tribe Steer Clear of the Ranch
The Uintah and Ouray Indian Reservation is the home of the Ute tribe. At one time, the Ute enslaved some of the Navajo people and also joined with U.S. troops against the Navajo during the Civil War. The result was that the Navajo were expelled from their lands in the Four Corners area, though they returned later.
The Ute believed the Navajo put a curse on them and left shape-shifters among them because of their vile deeds. This is why, allegely, the Ute will not go near Skinwalker Ranch.
Previous owners of the ranch had reported strange occurrences. Fugal said he bought the cattle ranch in 2016 not believing he would see anything unusual. Six months later, he saw "UFO activity" in broad daylight
Cultural Appropriation and Celebration
And so we come to another key aspect of the media's relationship with the skinwalker: cultural appropriation. Pack wrote that the Navajo viewers he questioned generally seemed to enjoy the film "Skinwalkers," despite some cultural and linguistic inaccuracies.
And yet, he also stressed, "This does not mean that the Navajo respondents in my study did not challenge the rights of both Anglos and non-Navajos to undertake such films."
While 2002's "Skinwalkers" was helmed by Cheyenne/Arapaho tribe member Chris Eyre and starred a predominantly Native American (but non-Navajo) cast, other media incarnations of the skinwalker have come at the hands of non-Native people.
In 2016, "Harry Potter" creator J.K. Rowling garnered criticism for including an altered version of the skinwalkers in her online series, "History of Magic in North America." Critics charged that the series reduced an important and interconnected part of Native belief to a mere prop in an Anglo-centric story.
Celebrations
In the Oregonian's coverage of the controversy, however, Douglas Perry pointed to a counterexample of an Anglo author whose treatment of Navajo culture was well-received by the Navajo Nation.
The late novelist Tony Hillerman was awarded the Navajo Special Friends of the Dineh Award in 1991. Hillerman frequently wrote about Navajo culture and Navajo cultural values and even penned the 1986 detective novel "Skinwalkers," upon which Chris Eyre's 2002 adaptation was based.
Where does all of this leave us concerning the mysterious skinwalker? Many contemporary Native Americans would argue that its place is in the living beliefs and customs of the Navajo — and that, as such, it is not necessarily open to interpretation and reinvention by those outside of it. Leave the skinwalker to the night.
This article was updated in conjunction with AI technology, then fact-checked and edited by a HowStuffWorks editor.
Chang’e 4 is a Chinese space probe that landed on the far side of the Moon on January 3, 2019. It not only studied the chemical composition of the rocks in this location, but also conducted the first experiment in history to grow plants on another celestial body.
The Chang’e 4 spacecraft
Chinese space program
January 3, 2019, was a triumph for the Chinese space program. The rest of humanity also had reason to rejoice. For the first time in history, the Chang’e 4 spacecraft landed on the far side of the Moon, which we never see from Earth.
The road to this landing was quite long. China was late to the lunar race between the US and the USSR. The PRC had to implement its lunar program in the 21st century. It began with two spacecraft that operated in lunar orbit, photographing and remotely sensing the Moon. Both were named after Chang’e, the Chinese goddess of the Moon.
Initially, the Chang’e 1 spacecraft operated in lunar orbit from 2007 to 2009. It made general observations, which were hardly surprising at the time, since the US had already found water on our satellite.
However, in 2010, Chang’e 2 was launched to the Moon. It photographed the surface of our satellite from an altitude of only 100 km. In 2012, based on the data it collected, the Chinese government presented the most detailed map of the Moon at that time, and it was confirmed that all this time, the Chinese had been looking for a landing site for Chang’e 3.
Around that time, the first discussions about China’s lunar ambitions began, but no one knew how seriously to take them, since only two countries – the US and the USSR – had successfully landed on the Moon at that point.
However, on December 14, 2013, Chang’e 3 landed in the Sinus Iridum of the Mare Imbrium. It was not only the first spacecraft in 37 years to remain intact after reaching the surface of our satellite. It also carried the Yutu rover, named after the jade rabbit, a character from Chinese legends who is said to have prepared the powder of immortality on the Moon. At that time, China was able to explore the material of our satellite for the first time and confirm that it was exactly as American and Soviet scientists had determined.
The Chang’e 3 landing site. Source: Wikipedia
The Chang’e 4
However, all this was a repeat of achievements made many years ago. In order to challenge the US, which had already announced plans to return to the Moon, it was necessary to show that Chinese missions could provide the global scientific community with data that no one had previously had access to.
This was the goal of the Chang’e 4 probe. In terms of design, it was a copy of the previous mission, with the same cameras and spectrographs, and even carried the Yutu-2 rover on board. However, this device was to land on the far side of the Moon, which humans first saw only in 1959 and, before the Chinese attempt, had only seen from orbit.
Moreover, Chang’e 4 was supposed to land in the Von Kármán lunar crater, which covers the much older and largest basin on our satellite, the South Pole-Aitken basin. Once, at the dawn of the solar system’s existence, a body much larger than the asteroid that ended the dinosaurs crashed into the Moon, which, scientists believe, led to the asymmetry of its two hemispheres: the visible and the reverse.
South Pole-Aitken basin. Source: Wikipedia
Almost all experimental data confirming this was obtained thanks to the Chinese missions Chang’e 4 and Chang’e 5, which followed it. But for them to be possible, it was first necessary to ensure their connection with Earth. This mission was entrusted to the Queqiao-1 relay satellite, which was launched to the Lagrange 2 point of the Earth-Moon system, i.e., directly behind our natural satellite.
Queqiao-1 began operating in May 2018, and in December of the same year, Chang’e 4 was launched to the Moon. It remained in orbit around our satellite for some time, and on January 3, 2019, it landed at the planned location. On the same day, it began scientific research and took photographs.
Yutu-2 rolled off the platform and began performing spectroscopic analysis of the rocks. After a few days, scientists had to interrupt their work because night fell on the Moon and the temperature dropped to extreme levels. However, two weeks later, when dawn finally broke, the mission resumed its work.
Yutu-2 . Source: news.cgtn.com
In total, Chang’e 4 lasted more than a year and a half. Technically, the mission is not yet complete. It is currently in sleep mode. Ultimately, it accomplished its main task: it examined the mantle rock emissions and noted how they are similar to and different from those found on the visible side of the Moon.
Growing plants on the Moon
The biggest difference in the design of Chang’e 4 from previous spacecraft was the addition of a module for biological experiments. It consisted of germinating seeds. This had been done repeatedly in space before, but it was all in Earth orbit.
It was Chang’e 4 that became the first spacecraft to successfully grow cotton, potato, and rapeseed seeds on another celestial body. This happened a few days after landing, and photos of the tiny sprouts went viral around the world. The experiment was supposed to last 100 days. During this time, the capsule with the samples had to be heated and humidified.
Plants on the Moon. Source: nextshark.com
Incidentally, it also contained yeast spores and Drosophila fly eggs. So, theoretically, an entire ecosystem could have developed on board in later stages. However, with the onset of the lunar night, the temperature outside dropped too sharply, and too much electricity was needed for heating. Therefore, the experiment had to be interrupted.
Nevertheless, it is considered successful and was extremely important for global science. It proved the fundamental ability of plants to overcome the most difficult stage of their development in space conditions. In the future, humans will inevitably live in space, and we will need oxygen and nutrients that plants can provide. To achieve this, large modules with artificial biospheres will need to be created on planets. Similar to the one that was on board Chang’e 4.
The Unsettling Account of Max Spiers and Dark and Deadly Projects!
The conspiracies surrounding "super soldiers" are just as far-fetched as those involving secret space programs, at least to many people. In fact, these two theories are often closely linked for fairly obvious reasons. Running such programs without significant leaks would be nearly impossible. But what if these programs involved time travel, memory wiping, or even age reversal? Or if these missions occurred on another planet, perhaps even in another galaxy, in a different time?
As outlandish as these ideas might seem to most, some individuals believe they are not only plausible but also the reality of our world. According to Laura Eisenhower, the great-granddaughter of President Eisenhower, "There is this whole other reality going on that we don’t hear about." Those who discuss these alternate realities are often labeled as "crazy" and dismissed by the majority.
While we should approach these claims with skepticism, they are not necessarily grounds for outright dismissal. Despite their seemingly outrageous nature, some of these ideas align well with other conspiracy theories that have since been proven true. For instance, the CIA's remote viewing and mind control experiments, or the U.S. government's previous denial of any interest in UFO phenomena, despite a wealth of declassified files that tell a very different story.
One of the most intriguing and sobering claims in the realm of conspiracy theories comes from the late Max Spiers, a British conspiracy researcher whose sudden death occurred under ominous and suspicious circumstances. Just days before he died in Poland, Spiers sent a text message to his mother that read, "If anything happens to me, please investigate."
Spiers had become a regular speaker on the UFO and conspiracy circuit. While some dismissed his talks, others were drawn to his claims and the stories he shared. He asserted that in his early 30s, he began experiencing a sudden recovery of blocked memories, with long-forgotten - or possibly never consciously known - experiences flooding back to him.
Spiers claimed that as a young child, he was "taken" by government forces and trained to serve as a "Super Soldier" for a secret world government, one that did not have humanity’s best interests at heart. Like others with similar claims, he said he spent several years on other worlds and even in different dimensions. After his service, he was age-reversed, had his memories wiped, and was returned to his childhood. As these memories resurfaced, he also realized he had certain "commands" or "trigger words" embedded deep in his subconscious. If activated, these triggers could compel him to perform actions, such as assassinations, without his conscious awareness.
Interestingly, many who worked with Spiers on television appearances and interviews reported that he seemed genuinely concerned about being followed by "agents." On some occasions, they, too, noticed a menacing and persistent presence that seemed to appear wherever they went.
In early July 2016, Max Spiers traveled to Poland to speak at an event and appear on Polish radio. Tragically, it was a trip from which he would not return alive. According to subsequent investigations, Spiers stayed with Monika Duval, a science-fiction publisher who had suddenly taken an interest in him for reasons unknown. Spiers became unexpectedly ill during the radio interview, forcing the interview to be paused multiple times.
From this point, the details of what happened become unclear. Potentially crucial information regarding Spiers’ final 24 to 48 hours emerged through a series of email correspondences. One of the writers was Duval, who had hosted Spiers and seemed to have accompanied him throughout his ill-fated trip. The other correspondents were a woman known only as Madelaine and a third person referred to as Mr. Kristoff, a quantum physicist based on the content of the emails.
The email exchanges suggest that both women were aware of Spiers’ medical conditions. For instance, Madelaine informed Kristoff - presumably at a point when Spiers was too ill to speak for himself - that he suffered from a personality disorder and paranoid schizophrenia, for which he was on medication. Kristoff recommended Niacin supplements and arranged to meet with Spiers and the two women. This meeting was supposed to take place on July 16th. However, shortly thereafter, Spiers was found dead.
According to the official findings, some facts about Max Spiers' final 24 hours are established. At least one doctor visited the property where he was staying and noted that Spiers had an extremely high temperature. More ominously, he had vomited "dark brown fluid," the nature of which remains unknown.
However, numerous suspicious activities allegedly occurred in the weeks and months following his death. For instance, by the time his body was returned to the United Kingdom - just six days after his death - it showed signs of decomposition that seemed unusually advanced. The deterioration was so severe that his family was advised against a formal identification. One family member who did view his remains described him as "barely recognizable."
Additionally, there was an unexplained red mark on his forehead. This mark was not mentioned in the detailed notes of the Polish emergency crew who attended the scene and attempted to revive Spiers, suggesting it may have appeared after his death. The official autopsy results were also deemed "inconclusive."
Even more suspicious was the complete erasure of his laptop, with every file and folder wiped clean. This was a significant amount of data, as Spiers had been researching his topics for over a decade, accumulating a vast digital archive. While it's not impossible that Spiers himself wiped the computer, it seems unlikely. Furthermore, his phone was similarly wiped, and its SIM card was removed, which remains missing.
If we revisit the strange red mark on Spiers' forehead and the black (or dark brown) fluid, he reportedly vomited - over two liters, according to Duval - many questions remain unanswered. These questions become even more pressing when considering allegations of bizarre rituals being performed on Spiers' body immediately after his death.
Spiers' mother, Vanessa, claimed that she spoke with Duval just hours after her son’s passing. She is certain that she heard some kind of ritual taking place in the background where her son’s body was lying. Amidst the audible flurry of activity, she distinctly heard words like "salt" and "milk," both of which are commonly associated with rituals and ceremonies.
This not only suggests a deeper connection to Spiers' death but also raises concerns about what might have transpired in those final moments. According to Vanessa, there was "definitely something going on," and it was clear that more than one person was present with Duval in the home. Could Spiers' death have been the result of a ritualistic act, possibly tied to his claims of involvement in Project Mannequin? Given that his most recent investigations reportedly involved a satanic black magic ring connected to prominent politicians and celebrities, these allegations of "black magic" warrant serious consideration.
And what should we make of the black substance that Spiers vomited? As strange and unbelievable as it may sound, some in the UFO and alien community refer to this as "Black Goo." This substance, despite sounding like something out of a science fiction novel, is believed by some to be an alien life form residing on Earth. According to certain researchers, this alien entity entered the United Kingdom and, subsequently, Europe after the Falklands War and is in a constant state of learning.
It’s worth noting that even within the conspiracy community, some individuals questioned Spiers’ credibility. Adam Borowski, a Polish conspiracy researcher, has stated in the BBC documentary Fractured that many theorists do not regard Spiers as credible. He claims the main issue is that Spiers "collects the research of others and presents it as his own." While this may seem harsh, after all, research often involves building on existing work, Spiers was a highly polarizing figure.
Conventional views suggest that Max Spiers was an intelligent individual who grappled with mild addictions and severe mental health issues, leading to an unfortunate and regrettable death. The emails from Madelaine seem to support this perspective - were they simply educated guesses, or had Spiers confided his struggles to her?
On the other hand, conspiracy theorists and truth seekers, regardless of how outlandish their claims may be, argue that Spiers was uncovering something darker than he might have realized and paid the ultimate price. In his final interview, he mentioned feeling "attacked" and a "crushing" sensation around his throat. Should we be too quick to dismiss these claims as mere effects of drug use?
Numerous theories are circulating about what really happened to Max Spiers, and it’s possible that the truth may involve elements from many of these theories. It’s plausible to accept that Spiers - a man in poor health - could have suffered a tragic accidental death. Unless new information emerges, the official account of his death will likely remain unchanged.
However, certain actions raise suspicions. For instance, the complete erasure of files on Spiers’ laptop - his life's work - seems suspicious. Additionally, the removal of the SIM card from his phone after his death suggests that there were potentially sensitive contacts and information on those devices. Vanessa has indicated that this information may have been something "someone didn’t want people to see."
The “dark mark” on Spiers’ forehead, visible in his morgue photograph, adds to the mystery. This mark is noted in Vanessa’s possession, but it is absent from the otherwise detailed emergency notes. Its presence raises questions about who is responsible and why it appeared.
Even more disturbing are Vanessa's comments about hearing strange activity in the background during her phone conversation with Monika Duval in the hours after her son's death. It sounded like some sort of ritual might have been performed - either in an attempt to revive Spiers or as a final act in a premeditated plan.
One of the most compelling claims made by Max Spiers was his alleged involvement in the top-secret program known as Project Mannequin. According to Spiers, this program, which involves both the NSA and British intelligence services, is a comprehensive cloning, behavioral, and training initiative. It targets individuals from a young age, enrolling them in mind-control sessions akin to MKUltra programming.
Typically, these individuals have military connections, such as having a high-ranking officer as a relative, though some are abducted from homeless shelters and similar environments. It's also notable that thousands of teenagers and young adults go missing each year, particularly in the United States and parts of Europe.
Spiers claimed that the core of the project is based in a clandestine, unacknowledged underground facility in Peasemore, Berkshire, England. This site, referred to as “AL/499 Base” or “Base 499,” is reportedly situated over 200 miles underground.
Various activities occur at this facility under the Project Mannequin banner. It is a hub for remote viewing sessions, among other things. Additionally, the facility runs intense training programs influenced by "Illuminati" control, designed to create mind-controlled and remotely activated assassins. The mind-control is so profound that these individuals often return to their "normal" lives, unaware of their covert assassin roles sanctioned by shadowy government entities.
While many dismiss Spiers’ claims as unsubstantiated, he is not alone in making such assertions, despite their shocking nature.
Like Spiers, James Casbolt also asserts insider knowledge of covert and expansive programs, including Project Mannequin, which he claims he was “born into.” He also alleges that his family has deep connections with both intelligence services and secret societies collectively referred to as the Illuminati. Moreover, he states that his lineage traces back to the “royal family of the French Revolution.”
This claim is particularly intriguing. Those who study secret societies and the possibility of influential families and organizations exerting control over global affairs may find it noteworthy. Many of the prominent families from that era had connections to Freemasonry, and depending on the specific royal family he references, there could even be ties to the Knights Templar.
Casbolt himself notes that he was selected for the project due to “rare genetic attributes” sought by the project's handlers. This raises questions about what makes his (and potentially his family’s) DNA so unique, if we take his claims at face value.
Additionally, Casbolt claims that Project Mannequin employs “esoteric methods such as numerology and archaeometry,” an advanced form of remote viewing. Interestingly, his own name, James Casbolt, when analyzed using ancient numerology methods, translates to “valiant, decorated warrior of death and destruction.”
Given his allegations of involvement in secret mind-controlled assassination teams, this connection is darkly fascinating. Casbolt describes these mind control programs as “multi-generational,” with each successive generation being “more easily programmed.” If we consider claims of mind-controlled politicians, it might be worthwhile to investigate some of the multi-generational political families further.
The goal of those running these programs is to create “genetically enhanced assassins and espionage agents.” They aim to develop “inborn genetic traits such as psychic abilities” through generational programs and possible cloning. This vision of military advancement is evident. However, any excitement about these advancements might be dampened by Casbolt’s assertion that these “genetic enhancement methods are a continuation of the work of Third Reich geneticists and mind control experts from World War Two.” According to the whistleblower, the Reich’s fascination with the occult and its desire to harness paranormal and astral powers drove these programs.
This claim is particularly intriguing given that many Third Reich scientists were brought to the United States after the war as part of Operation Paperclip. Officially, these scientists were said to have joined the regime out of necessity rather than ideology, to avoid losing their funding or facing worse consequences. However, many believe this may not be entirely true. While most Paperclip scientists were likely not active Third Reich members, it’s plausible that some were. The United States could not afford to let such valuable technological and intellectual assets fall into Soviet hands during the Cold War.
It is almost certain that some of these highly skilled but morally questionable minds operated within the “grey areas” of military intelligence.
The Montauk Project surfaced like the Philadelphia Experiment conspiracies. Like Bielek, Long Island native Preston Nichols began experiencing unusual visions. These turned out to be the recovery of intentionally repressed memories.
Nichols claimed to have been involved in Project Rainbow during the late 1960s before continuing his top-secret work with the U.S. government on Project Montauk. Project Rainbow, officially active from 1948 to 1968, was supposedly focused on weather control. However, many researchers believe it was actually a continuation of the Philadelphia Experiment. They suggest that Project Rainbow also involved elements of mind control, possibly as a precursor to the more extensive experiments carried out under the Montauk Project.
One of Nichols' notable claims was working on the concept of uploading a person’s mind—or soul—onto a digital computer. Considering this occurred in the 1970s and the long-standing belief that government technologies are often decades ahead of public knowledge, it is intriguing that such concepts are now emerging in mainstream science and news as "possible."
Nichols first encountered Bielek at the Montauk Project, although neither was initially aware of their previous connection. Both later described a sense of familiarity and eventually had their memories restored, revealing their shared past.
Once again, consider those unsettling moments when you feel like you recognize a stranger but can't place them. Could it be that more of us lead hidden double lives, even from ourselves? This idea might seem too far-fetched to entertain, yet given what we know about mind control and its various methods, we might need to question more deeply than we currently do. For instance, how can we be certain that our memories, thoughts, and ideologies truly belong to us? Delving into such questions could drive one to the brink of madness, but dismissing these possibilities entirely might be to our collective disadvantage.
This becomes even more intriguing when we examine the ongoing mind-control experiments under the Montauk name, conducted at the Montauk Air Force Station on Long Island. Is it a mere coincidence that Nichols lived in such proximity to the center of these ultra-secret projects?
Furthermore, Nichols claimed significant involvement in specific aspects of the Montauk program, including the Montauk Chair and the Montauk Boys Program. The latter, in particular, raises dark questions about the origins of the young subjects involved. These boys were trained to become "PSI Warriors," essentially super soldiers. Bielek also collaborated with Nichols on these projects. While the training of young minds is unsettling in itself, the alleged activities associated with the Montauk Chair are both chilling and captivating.
Nichols describes the Montauk Chair as a device utilizing quantum fields, which, according to him, can read a person's mind. There are even rumors suggesting that experiments involved having subjects visualize an object, like a playing card, to use the quantum fields to make that object appear in reality. Considering the advancements in quantum fields and energies in modern science, it’s worth pondering how much further ahead this technology might have been decades ago, given that they were reportedly operating about 50 years ahead of their time.
Additionally, many ancient Egyptian legends speak of a winged throne used by the creator god Ptah, who was said to imagine the world into existence while seated on this mysterious chair. With the ongoing interest in ancient esoteric knowledge, this parallel might be worth exploring further, particularly if one considers the theory that the bloodlines of ancient Egyptian "God-King" Pharaohs persist in today's European royal families and influential figures, including many US presidents. As improbable as it may seem, could there be a connection between the Montauk Chair and the legendary throne of Ptah? If so, might this be another instance of ancient myths concealing elements of truth within their narratives?
Under the Montauk Project, individuals with psychic abilities were seated in The Montauk Chair and would enter a psychic trance. A specially designed set of coils was used to tune into the emanations from their minds. Interestingly, these coils bore a striking resemblance to designs attributed to Nikola Tesla, suggesting that intelligence agencies may have used Tesla’s research after his death. These coils would then “digitize” the thoughts, converting them into computer code and displaying them as images, much like how pictures are shown on a standard computer screen.
It remains uncertain whether later experiments aimed at turning specific thoughts into tangible objects continued. However, the Montauk Chair was used for various other experiments. For instance, the coils' interaction with quantum energy fields was explored as a means to create a “vortex for time travel.” Given Bielek’s claims and those of others regarding secret time-travel missions by intelligence agencies, there might be more substance to these seemingly improbable ideas than many are willing to acknowledge. It’s possible that these efforts were more successful than most would suspect.
One of the most disturbing aspects of The Montauk Chair’s use involved a program that resulted in many boys being “lost forever” to the device.
In addition to the apparently lethal outcomes for some individuals involved in this grim program, there are also troubling connections to other dark conspiracies. Nichols and Bielek claim that one of the most sinister applications of The Montauk Chair was to generate, amplify, and "collect" raw energy produced through fear.
Details about how fear was "generated" or "collected" are scarce. However, a crucial question is: What was the purpose of this program? For instance, could this "collection of fear" in energy form be used like a gas or poison, potentially inflicting sudden terror that could incapacitate an enemy? This idea is intriguing and raises questions about whether we might have witnessed such effects in recent, brief conflicts.
On an even darker note, consider the claims of researcher and author David Icke, particularly his theories about reptilians. According to Icke, these reptilian entities require "fear" and other negative energies—such as anger, jealousy, violence, hate, and even the energy from extramarital affairs—to sustain themselves. Icke suggests that these negative emotions, which resonate at frequencies aligned with the reptilians, grant them increased power. In extreme cases, this energy can lead to the "possession" of individuals by these entities.
Al Bielek's impressive educational background, including a PhD in physics. Anyone who has heard him speak can attest to his thorough knowledge of the subject and his apparent mental clarity, despite his unconventional claims.
Bielek is not alone in this regard. Preston Nichols, often associated with the Montauk Project theories, is also highly educated, holding degrees in Psychology, Parapsychology, and, like Bielek, Electrical Engineering. Whether this is merely a coincidence or not, it is noteworthy that two well-educated individuals with similar professional backgrounds are making comparable claims.
Additionally, there is the matter of Ed and Duncan Cameron. Official records confirm that a Duncan Cameron did indeed work for the National Security Agency in the mid-1980s. Some researchers suggest that Ed and Duncan Cameron served as “liaisons” between the Navy and intelligence agencies. While it might be a coincidence that a Duncan Cameron appears in NSA records, Bielek’s account suggests that Ed Cameron was “regressed out of existence,” though he cannot explain how this was accomplished. He mentions that he can “only remember what his brain allows him to.”
One of the most intriguing claims about secret CIA time-travel missions comes from Dr. Andrew Basiago, who asserts that he was involved in these operations from childhood. According to Basiago, the CIA’s time-travel experiments date back to the late 1960s and often involved “gifted schoolchildren” whom the agency specifically sought out. Scientists believed that children, with their unprejudiced minds and limited life experience, were ideal candidates for time travel. Basiago also claimed that most adults involved in these missions would typically “go insane” as their preconceived notions of reality could not handle the concept and experience of time travel.
One of Basiago’s most controversial statements is his claim that in 1971, he saw photographs brought back from the future depicting the 9/11 attacks. He stated that these pictures were used for “research” purposes. This claim is particularly intriguing when you consider how many times apparent “warnings” of the attacks appeared in major films. Given the connections between Hollywood and intelligence agencies, these warnings, while still unlikely, seem less far-fetched.
Similar claims have been made by Michael Relfe, a former U.S. Army serviceman who alleged that he was “recruited” for top-secret service in 1976. In a story reminiscent of Randy Cramer’s, Relfe claimed that a portal transported him to Mars, where he worked for twenty years at a military research facility (just like the claim of Randy Cramer). They supposedly took place many years into the future to further secure these programs. After his service, Relfe was age-reversed, had his memory wiped, and was returned to society. Only years later did he begin to recover his memories.
Although he didn’t speak about his experiences until the 2000s, Randy Cramer claims that one night in 1987, when he was 17 years old, a bright light appeared in his bedroom, abruptly waking him. As he gathered his senses, he realized the light was shaped like a doorway, seemingly a portal. Standing in front of the glowing door were two men. One of them reached out to Cramer, assuring him it was safe to join them. Despite his disbelief at what was happening, Cramer stepped out of bed and approached the men at the doorway.
The next thing he knew, he found himself in a strange, hangar-like room filled with about 50 other teenagers. Almost all of them were captivated by an impressive black triangular craft in the center of the room. They were instructed to board the craft, which they all did without hesitation. This detail is particularly intriguing, especially considering the later revelations of TR-3B patents and the military's apparent ownership of such a craft. Does this make Cramer’s account more credible? At the time he shared his story, these documents were not yet publicly known.
Cramer claims that one of the military men instructed them to look up. When they did, they could see Earth through a glass window, and it was clear they were moving away from it. The military man informed them that everything they were about to do was to "defend it!" Though seemingly trivial, this statement's phrasing carries an air of quiet military authenticity.
According to Cramer, they eventually landed on the Moon. Interestingly, much like Swann, he described seeing enormous glass dome-like structures as they approached. From there, they transferred to another spacecraft, which took them to Mars. Cramer claims he spent the next twenty years as part of a “specialized off-planet military unit!”
He also asserted that he, like all those “selected” for this specialized military duty, possessed a very specific genetic makeup. This detail is particularly intriguing, as another whistleblower who claims involvement in similar secret programs and who has direct ties to one of the families involved made similar claims. While Cramer’s account may seem hard to believe, these small details might eventually prove their authenticity.
After two decades of active service, Cramer was returned to Earth. He was age-reversed back to 17 years old and returned to his bed in 1987 through the portal device, arriving within 15 minutes of his "abduction." No one was even aware he had been gone. Due to memory wiping and mind-control techniques, Cramer initially believed any lingering memories were just dreams. However, about a decade later, he began to recall more and more fragments of his past from the future.
Over time, he eventually unlocked the majority of his memories from his time on Mars. We should note that many people were, and continue to be, highly critical of Cramer’s claims.
Let’s revisit the claims that remote viewing sessions are conducted from deep underground at Base 499. Both Spiers and Casbolt have asserted their participation in these sessions. While these sessions are typically described as being for reconnaissance purposes, there are reasons to suspect that some of them might have more sinister objectives.
Spiers, for instance, reported experiencing “astral attacks” from entities opposing his disclosures. These attacks occurred during several pre-scheduled radio interviews, sometimes causing such severe disorientation that sessions had to be paused. Although some critics suggest that Spiers' symptoms resembled intoxication, he is not alone in his claims of astral attacks. These types of attacks are said to be employed by various intelligence agencies.
David Icke, in his book The Biggest Secret, describes how the “controlling elite” allegedly uses these “psychic wars” against one another and against anyone who challenges their power. Icke claims to have experienced such attacks himself and asserts that they can be lethal. Considering the mysterious nature of Spiers’ death and the surrounding conspiracy theories, it is worth considering whether his claims of astral attacks might be more credible than initially thought, even among conspiracy theorists.
It is also important to highlight the connection between astral attacks and the Vril Society, as well as various members of the Third Reich regime. This group had a strong belief in astral energies and entities. Many who claim involvement in these secret programs speak of a dominant “power” that orchestrates events. For instance, David Icke refers to this force as the reptilians, suggesting that they use astral energies and vibrations to align with and control a person’s mind and body, effectively possessing them. Other alleged insiders also report extraterrestrial control over these covert operations. This may illustrate how different fields of interest are interconnected in complex ways.
Many researchers believe that both the CIA and the KGB conducted research into and utilized psychic warfare against each other throughout the Cold War. Additionally, individuals like Uri Geller, who claims to have the ability to influence objects and people with his mind, are said to have been used by these governments to exert influence on international political opponents and affect their decisions. Some suggest that such efforts might even occur at high-level international meetings, such as those held by the United Nations.
Indeed, Laura Eisenhower’s statements about a “reality most of us don’t know exists” seem increasingly relevant in this context.
While many of the so-called super soldiers may genuinely believe they have physically traveled through time and to other worlds - and they might have - it's possible that their journeys are not physical in the conventional sense.
Reflecting on Ingo Swann's experiences and the extensive research on remote viewing conducted by intelligence agencies, it could be that these experiences are more accurately described as astral journeys. Perhaps soldiers like Randy Cramer are placed into a form of suspended animation, allowing their consciousness or life force to travel forward in time. They might be aware of this process at the time, or it could be that their experiences involve a distortion of reality.
Although it sounds far-fetched, the concept of consciousness traveling through time might be more plausible than the physical body doing so. For instance, Swann has reported traveling to other planets in this manner.
Further supporting this idea is the case of Paul Amadeus Dienach, who claimed to have traveled to the future while his physical body was in a coma. According to his memoirs, he lived in the year 3096 and experienced the world through the perspective of Andrew Notham, a resident of that era. After falling into a coma in 1922, Dienach asserted that his consciousness journeyed to the future, potentially explaining the nature of his coma. Upon waking from the coma, he recorded his experiences and later gave them to his student, George Papahatzis, who made several attempts to publish them.
How should we approach the outlandish claims discussed above? Consider how, before the CIA's forced disclosures about mind-control programs, such claims were widely dismissed as mere conspiracy theories. We now know that these programs were very real. Additionally, most researchers agree that when such information is officially released or declassified, it typically leaves out a significant amount, kept hidden under the guise of "national security."
The same skepticism applies to the Kennedy assassination. Few people accept the official narrative that Lee Harvey Oswald acted alone. Yet, the official story remains unchanged, and the full release of related documents has yet to occur. Setting aside the technological logistics, it’s worth asking how easy it is to dismiss such claims as outlandish.
Furthermore, consider the advanced technological, biological, and genetic breakthroughs that would likely be involved in such claims. Most researchers believe that intelligence agencies would keep such advancements secret for a long time, especially if they have military applications. Many would argue that these agencies are likely decades ahead of what they publicly reveal. Given the cutting-edge technology available today, it’s intriguing to imagine the advancements that might exist in secret, behind closed doors.
If we consider the claims of recovered alien technology and potential extraterrestrial involvement, these assertions might start to seem more credible—if one believes in their validity.
The claims of Jack Shulman, for example, are particularly interesting. He argues that much of today’s advanced technology is derived from reverse-engineered alien technology, particularly from the Roswell crash. Shulman even posted what he claimed was evidence online and faced attempts by mysterious organizations to shut him down and his company. These attempts could be seen as a sign that there might be more truth to his assertions than many would think.
If Shulman and others with similar claims are correct, it raises intriguing questions about the nature of the alien technology being researched and tested by scientists in government black-budget programs. What kinds of experiments are being conducted, and for what purposes? Given the military's involvement, it's plausible that these experiments are linked to a covert “super soldier” program, either for space conquest or in response to a perceived external threat.
Ben Rich, former CEO of Lockheed’s Skunk Works, once said, “Anything you can imagine, we already have the technology to do.” He also noted, “These technologies are locked away in black budgets. It would take an Act of God to release them for the benefit of humanity!” Perhaps we should make of that what we will.
A newly discovered galaxy cluster could rewrite our understanding of the cosmos, as scientists spot 'something the universe wasn’t supposed to have’.
Researchers found that the cluster was burning five times hotter than expected just 1.4 billion years after the Big Bang.
Astronomers had thought that such extreme temperatures would only be possible in more mature, stable galaxy clusters that formed later in the universe's life.
This hot 'baby cluster' could suggest that the earliest moments of the universe were far more explosive than previously thought.
Scientists believe that the unexpected heat might be the product of three supermassive black holes hidden in the depths of the cluster.
Co-author Dazhi Zhou, a PhD candidate at the University of British Columbia, says: 'We didn’t expect to see such a hot cluster atmosphere so early in cosmic history.
'In fact, at first I was sceptical about the signal as it was too strong to be real.
'But after months of verification, we’ve confirmed this gas is at least five times hotter than predicted, and even hotter and more energetic than what we find in many present-day clusters.'
Scientists have discovered 'something the universe wasn’t supposed to have' as they find a galaxy cluster burning five times hotter than expected just 1.4 billion years after the Big Bang
They are enormous collections of individual galaxies, invisible dark matter, and superheated clouds of gas.
In the spaces between the galaxies, gas is heated into plasma that can reach hundreds of millions of degrees and shines brightly in the X-ray spectrum.
Scientists had thought this 'intracluster medium' was heated by gravitational interactions between galaxies as an immature, unstable cluster matures and collapses inward to a stable state.
However, the researchers' new discovery, published in Nature, suggests that this model of evolution might not be correct.
Using a group of telescopes known as the Atacama Large Millimeter/submillimeter Array (ALMA), the researchers looked 12 billion years into the past.
At this time, the galaxy cluster dubbed SPT2349-56 was extremely immature, but already extraordinarily large for its age.
Its core extends more than 500,000 light-years across, roughly the size of the vast halo of matter and dark matter surrounding the Milky Way.
Galaxy clusters are some of the largest objects in the universe, sometimes containing thousands of individual galaxies connected by clouds of superheated gas known as the intracluster medium. Pictured: A separate globular cluster known as NGC 2210
Using the ALMA (Atacama Large Millimeter/submillimeter Array) observatory, scientists measure the temperature of the intracluster medium in a galaxy cluster over 12 billion light-years from Earth. They discovered that this was far hotter than the best theories predicted
The cluster also contains more than 30 extremely active galaxies which produce stars over 5,000 times faster than our own galaxy.
However, when researchers used ALMA to measure the temperature of the intracluster medium, they found that it was far hotter than the models predicted for this time in the universe.
Scientists aren't entirely sure how the cluster came to be so much hotter than expected.
However, the researchers suggest that it could be related to the three recently discovered supermassive black holes in the cluster.
Supermassive black holes are the largest class of black holes, with masses at least 100,000 times greater than that of our sun.
Supermassive black holes are typically found in the hearts of galaxies, where they feed on gases and release huge quantities of X-ray radiation.
Co-author Professor Scott Chapman, of Dalhousie University who conducted the research while at the National Research Council of Canada, says that these black holes were 'already pumping huge amounts of energy into the surroundings and shaping the young cluster, much earlier and more strongly than we thought.'
Scientists say the heat was likely generated by three supermassive black holes. These are the largest class of black holes (artist's impression), and typically form in the cores of galaxies
This comes after researchers found a supermassive black hole actively growing inside a galaxy just 570 million years after the Big Bang (pictured), suggesting that black holes might have grown faster in the early universe than expected
Last year, researchers using the James Webb Space Telescope spotted a 'little red dot' supermassive black hole that was actively growing inside a galaxy just 570 million years after the Big Bang.
Importantly, this black hole was much bigger than the size of the host galaxy would suggest.
This implies that black holes may have grown faster than the galaxies that hosted them in the early universe, even in relatively small galaxies.
Professor Chapman says that studying how these dynamics unfold is critical to explaining the universe around us today.
He says: 'Understanding galaxy clusters is the key to understanding the biggest galaxies in the universe.
'These massive galaxies mostly reside in clusters, and their evolution is heavily shaped by the very strong environment of the clusters as they form, including the intracluster medium.'
Black holes are so dense and their gravitational pull is so strong that no form of radiation can escape them - not even light.
They act as intense sources of gravity which hoover up dust and gas around them. Their intense gravitational pull is thought to be what stars in galaxies orbit around.
How they are formed is still poorly understood. Astronomers believe they may form when a large cloud of gas up to 100,000 times bigger than the sun, collapses into a black hole.
Many of these black hole seeds then merge to form much larger supermassive black holes, which are found at the centre of every known massive galaxy.
Alternatively, a supermassive black hole seed could come from a giant star, about 100 times the sun's mass, that ultimately forms into a black hole after it runs out of fuel and collapses.
When these giant stars die, they also go 'supernova', a huge explosion that expels the matter from the outer layers of the star into deep space.
From the rise of the humanoid robot to the weird world of AI girlfriends, 2025 had no shortage of strange and transformative inventions.
Now, experts from the Nestaresearch foundation have revealed the global innovations and trends set to shape the world in 2026.
These emerging issues range from the staggering cost of 'sand theft auto' to the real consequences of what happens when babies are born in space.
The researchers warn that some of these new technologies, such as the use of artificial intelligence in government, could fundamentally reshape the world.
Others, like new anti-pothole technologies or 'customised' bus routes, have the potential to make our lives more comfortable.
Meanwhile, closer to home, tech companies' interest in placing advertisements inside our homes raises serious questions about privacy and data protection.
Laurie Smith, Head of Mission Discovery at Nesta, says: 'If 2026 is anything like last year, it will be full of developments - both mundane and extraordinary.
'That could make a profound change to our everyday lives and lead to new ways of thinking.'
Experts have warned that the question of what happens when babies are born in space will be one of the key trends for 2026
(stock image)
In 2025, research found that sperm and egg cells can survive in space to produce healthy offspring. However, little is known about the impacts of conception and development in space on the foetus.
Pictured: Passengers kiss aboard a flight simulating microgravity
One of the biggest technology trends of 2025 was the acceleration of the new space race.
Additionally, there is a pressing question of what nationality, if any, a baby born in space could be awarded.
Space cannot be owned by any nation, so babies born in space risk becoming stateless without a new legal framework.
This follows a year in which the space race between billionaire Elon Musk (pictured) and his rival Jeff Bezos accelerated, raising the possibility that humans may soon start living beyond Earth
The global innovations and trends set to shape 2026
Mr Smith told the Daily Mail: 'Before humans can think about living in space, we will need to understand all the implications of this - perhaps even one day needing to understand the implications of giving birth there.
'The first person to give birth in space might be a while away, but looking into how our bodies react to this is an important first step.'
On the other hand, a more grounded concern for the coming year is the alarming rise in global sand theft.
While sand might seem uninteresting, it is the primary ingredient in virtually all construction and infrastructure, from concrete to the silicon chips in your smartphone.
This makes sand the second-most consumed resource on Earth, creating a thriving black market for illegally mined sand.
Researchers estimate that the illegal sand market is worth between $200 billion and $350 billion (£149-261 billion) worldwide.
In Indonesia, police uncovered an illegal sand mining operation in the Mount Merapi National Park, estimated to have produced $134 million (£100 million) of revenue over two years.
Meanwhile, researchers believe that around 15.5 million cubic metres of sand are illegally removed from Vietnam's Mekong Delta every year.
Another alarming trend for 2026 is the rise of illegal sand mining. In 2025, police in Indonesia shut down an illegal sand mine believed to have produced $134 million (£100 million) of revenue over two years (pictured)
Researchers estimate that the illegal sand market is worth between $200 billion and $350 billion (£149-261 billion) worldwide. 15.5 million cubic metres of sand are removed from the Mekong Delta alone (illustrated) each year
Around the world, sand mining has increased flood risks in Uganda, destabilised and rerouted major rivers in India, and sparked a boom of deadly organised crime across Asia.
In 2026, Nesta predicts that the growing demand for sand will lead to even more uncontrolled mining unless urgent action is taken.
However, after a year dominated by the meteoric rise of AI, 2026 is also likely to be driven by the actions of the biggest tech giants.
Nesta warns that AI is likely to take an increasingly prominent role in the top roles of government.
Although AI has the potential to improve government efficiency, critics have raised concerns that replacing human decision makers with computers could make governments less accountable.
In another worrying development, Nesta researchers suggest that our homes could become the 'new frontier' of digital advertising in 2026.
In 2025, Samsung announced that it would start showing adverts on some of its new fridge models in the US and that it plans to put ads on 'every screen in the connected home'.
Experts say that AI will likely take on a larger role in governments around the world. This follows Albania's appointment of the world's first 'AI minister', named Diella (pictured), to its cabinet
Nesta warns that this 'crosses a line into private spaces and everyday tasks' and could turn our private homes into commercial zones.
However, not every 2026 trend has the potential to be as problematic, and many may actually improve our lives in noticeable ways.
Emerging 'data unions' could allow individuals to take collective ownership of their data and pull power back from the big tech companies.
While advances in quantum navigation could exploit the fundamental forces of physics to help planes and ships make safer journeys.
In the coming year, Nesta also claims that new inventions could pave the way for innovations in pothole-preventing technology.
However, innovative materials such as graphene - atom-thick grids of carbon atoms - have the potential to make roads more durable and better able to resist heat.
In a more positive trend, experts say that new technologies, like autonomous robots and advanced materials, could help remove the potholes from Britain's roads. Pictured: a Pothole robot being trialled in Hertfordshire
In the coming year, these developments could finally turn the tide in the UK's war against the pothole epidemic.
Likewise, traffic innovations using technology could soon make your commute even easier.
Mr Smith says: 'If British transport authorities were to consider bus routes, they could look to Shanghai, where last year they extended the rollout of its ‘Dingzhi’ system of customised bus routes.
'There, passengers propose new bus routes via an online platform. Once a route meets a minimum demand threshold - typically of 15-20 passengers per trip - it is approved and can start within days.'
Children will be born on the moon 'in a few decades', with whole families joining Europe's lunar colony by 2050, a top space scientist has claimed.
Professor Bernard Foing, ambassador of the European Space Agency-driven 'Moon Village' scheme, made the comments.
He said that by 2030, there could be an initial lunar settlement of six to 10 pioneers - scientists, technicians and engineers - which could grow to 100 by 2040.
'In 2050, you could have a thousand and then... naturally you could envisage to have family' joining crews there, he told AFP.
Speaking at this year's European Planetary Science Congress in Riga, Latvia, Professor Foing explained how humanity's moon colonies could quickly expand.
He likened human expansion on the moon to the growth of the railways, when villages grew around train stations, followed by businesses.
Potential moon resources include basalt, a volcanic rock that could be used as a raw material for 3D-printing satellites.
These could be deployed from the moon at a fraction of the cost of a launch from high-gravity Earth.
The moon also houses helium-3, a rare isotope on our planet, that could theoretically be used to generate cleaner, safer nuclear energy for Earth.
One of the main targets for moon colonies is water, locked up in ice on the moon's poles.
Water can be separated into hydrogen and oxygen, two gases which explode when mixed - providing rocket fuel.
It’s considered to be one of the most decisive steps in human evolution.
Now, scientists believe they have pinpointed when our ancestors made the transition from walking on all fours to standing on two legs.
An ape-like animal that lived in Africa seven million years ago is the best contender for humankind’s earliest ancestor, they say, as fresh analysis has revealed its bones were adapted to walking upright.
The fossilised remains of the species, called Sahelanthropus tchadensis, were first unearthed in the desert region of Chad, in north-central Africa, more than two decades ago.
The anatomy of the skull suggested that it likely sat directly on top of the spine – the first indication it may have walked upright.
But new analysis of the limbs confirms the species could move around on two legs, as the bones contain a feature only found in bipedal groups.
Scott Williams, an associate professor in New York University’s Department of Anthropology, led the study.
‘Our analysis of these fossils offers direct evidence that Sahelanthropus could walk on two legs, demonstrating that bipedalism evolved early in our lineage and from an ancestor that looked most similar to today’s chimpanzees and bonobos,’ he said.
Cast of the skull of Sahelanthropus tchadensis - a species discovered in the early 2000s which scientists now say may be our earliest ancestor
The iliofemoral ligament shown in humans (far left). The red arrows indicate the femoral tubercle, the point of attachment for this crucial ligament. The dark grey image represents the same bone in the Sahelanthropus species, with an overlay (far right) indicating it has the same features as modern-day humans, who walk upright
For their new study the researchers identified the presence of the femoral tubercle, a part of the body that is vital for walking upright, in the fossilised remains.
This is the point of attachment for the largest and most powerful ligament in the human body – the iliofemoral ligament – which connects the pelvis to the femur and prevents the body from bending backwards too much when standing up and walking.
Previous studies have also unearthed a ‘natural twist’ in the fossilised femur – the thigh bone – which helps legs to point forward.
Meanwhile 3D analysis has indicated gluteal – buttock – muscles similar to those in our early ancestors that keep hips stable and aid in standing, walking and running.
The team argue their new discovery, along with previous findings, mean the ancient species had the ability to walk upright.
‘Sahelanthropus was essentially a bipedal ape that possessed a chimpanzee-sized brain and likely spent a significant portion of its time in trees, foraging and seeking safety,’ Dr Williams said.
‘Despite its superficial appearance, Sahelanthropus was adapted to using bipedal posture and movement on the ground.’
This discovery makes the species the oldest known member of the human lineage since we split evolutionarily from chimpanzees.
An artist's impression of what Sahelanthropus may have looked like. Dr Williams said it likely looked most similar to today's chimpanzees and bonobos
The skull, ulna (forearm bone) and femur (thigh bone) of (left to right): a chimpanzee, Sahelanthropus and another human ancestor, Australopithecus
The fossilised remains of the species were first unearthed in the desert region of Chad, in north-central Africa, more than two decades ago
Humans and monkeys only diverged around eight to 19 million years ago, so the findings suggest that early humans became bipedal very soon after this split.
Sahelanthropus tchadensis
Sahelanthropus tchadensis is one of the oldest known species in the human family tree.
It lived sometime between seven and six million years ago in West-Central Africa.
The species was first discovered in 2001, after the remains of several individuals were discovered in Chad's Djurab Desert, including a very well-preserved cranium, nicknamed Toumai.
As part of the study the team compared the remains to those of other early human ancestors as well as living apes.
They found that Sahelanthropus had a relatively long thigh bone relative to a bone found in the forearm – further evidence that it walked on two legs.
They said that apes have long arms and short legs, while humans and our ancestors have relatively long legs.
Writing in the journal Science Advances they explained that bipedalism is a ‘key adaptation’ that differentiates hominins – humans and our extinct relatives – from living and fossil apes.
‘Sahelanthropus is interpreted here as an African ape-like early hominin that demonstrates some of the earliest adaptations to bipedalism,’ they wrote.
They said they believe the evolution of walking upright was a ‘process rather than an event’, in which bipedal behaviour gradually increased over time.
This means the species may have had the ability to walk on two legs on land, but also to swing through the trees like a monkey.
Other experts have previously cast doubt on the idea that Sahelanthropus is a human forebearer.
When the species was first discovered in 2001 Milford Wolpoff, a professor of anthropology at the University of Michigan, called them into question.
The timeline of human evolution can be traced back millions of years. Experts estimate that the family tree goes as such:
55 million years ago- First primitive primates evolve
15 million years ago- Hominidae (great apes) evolve from the ancestors of the gibbon
7 million years ago- First gorillas evolve. Later, chimp and human lineages diverge
5.5 million years ago - Ardipithecus, early 'proto-human' shares traits with chimps and gorillas
4 million years ago- Ape like early humans, the Australopithecines appeared. They had brains no larger than a chimpanzee's but other more human like features
3.9-2.9 million years ago - Australoipithecus afarensis lived in Africa.
2.7 million years ago - Paranthropus, lived in woods and had massive jaws for chewing
2.6 million years ago - Hand axes become the first major technological innovation
2.3 million years ago - Homo habilis first thought to have appeared in Africa
1.85 million years ago- First 'modern' hand emerges
1.8 million years ago- Homo ergaster begins to appear in fossil record
800,000 years ago- Early humans control fire and create hearths. Brain size increases rapidly
400,000 years ago - Neanderthals first begin to appear and spread across Europe and Asia
300,000 to 200,000 years ago - Homo sapiens - modern humans - appear in Africa
54,000 to 40,000 years ago - Modern humans reach Europe
Belgisch ufo-meldpunt kreeg afgelopen jaar 237 meldingen, slechts handvol ging over drones
Het Belgisch ufo-meldpunt heeft in 2025 in totaal 237 meldingen ontvangen over vreemde of onverklaarbare vliegende objecten. Dat blijkt maandag uit het jaarverslag van de organisatie. Opvallend is dat de “dronegolf” die ons land eind vorig jaar overspoelde, niet tot een enorme stijging in de cijfers heeft geleid.
Wie in België een vreemd luchtverschijnsel of een onverklaarbaar object aan de hemel waarneemt, kan daarover sinds 2007 melding maken bij het ufo-meldpunt. Een team van vijf wetenschappers kan zich dan over de kwestie buigen en een verklaring proberen te geven voor het waargenomen fenomeen. In 2024 kreeg het meldpunt 164 meldingen binnen, vorig jaar waren dat er plots 237. Een stijging met 44 procent dus. De meeste meldingen werden gedaan in de maanden maart en september.
De stijging in maart kan volgens het ufo-meldpunt voornamelijk verklaard worden door de brandstoflozing van de Falcon 9, een rakettrap van ruimtebedrijf SpaceX. Die lanceerde toen een satelliet in een baan om de aarde. Na de lancering werd brandstof geloosd, wat resulteerde in de waarneming van een “voorbijdrijvende spiraalvormige wolk”. Daarnaast lagen ook zogenaamde skytracers (dynamische lichtspots, red.) en de satelliettreintjes van Starlink opnieuw aan de basis van een aanzienlijk aantal waarnemingen.
In november vorig jaar werd ons land opgeschrikt door een vloedgolf aan drones die plots boven verschillende militaire basissen en luchthavens werden gespot. Opvallend genoeg kreeg het meldpunt uiteindelijk slechts elf meldingen binnen die later aan die reeks incidenten konden worden gelinkt. “Mensen werden aangespoord om de politie te contacteren als ze iets zagen wat op een drone leek”, legt onderzoeker Frederick Delaere uit.
In de meeste gevallen bleek dat mensen werden misleid door gewone vliegtuigen, helikopters of sterren. Ook de Verhees-delta, het zelfgemaakte vliegtuig van de Limburgse ingenieur Bart Verhees, zette dit jaar opnieuw een aantal mensen op het verkeerde spoor.
In 2024 kreeg het meldpunt 164 meldingen binnen, vorig jaar waren dat er plots 237. Een stijging met 44 procent dus. De afgelopen tien jaar waren dat er maar twee keer meer: in 2019 en 2020.
De meeste meldingen werden gedaan in de maanden maart en september, en in de provincies Antwerpen en Oost-Vlaanderen.
De stijging in maart kan volgens het ufo-meldpunt vooral verklaard worden door een brandstoflozing van de Falcon 9, een rakettrap van ruimtevaartbedrijf SpaceX. Die lanceerde toen een satelliet in een baan om de aarde. Na de lancering werd brandstof geloosd, wat resulteerde in de waarneming van een “voorbijdrijvende spiraalvormige wolk”. Daarnaast lagen ook zogenaamde skytracers (dynamische lichtspots) en de satelliettreintjes van Starlink opnieuw aan de basis van een aanzienlijk aantal waarnemingen.
In november vorig jaar werd ons land opgeschrikt door een golf van drones die boven militaire basissen en luchthavens werden gespot. Opvallend genoeg kreeg het meldpunt slechts elf meldingen binnen, die later aan die reeks incidenten konden worden gelinkt. “Mensen werden aangespoord om de politie te contacteren als ze iets zagen wat op een drone leek”, legt onderzoeker Frederick Delaere uit.
Message from UFO left in UK forest finally released after 40 years by Ministry of Defence
Message from UFO left in UK forest finally released after 40 years by Ministry of Defence
Sergeant James W Penniston says a code was downloaded into his mind after touching a UFO in Suffolk 40 years ago - and it allegedly contains coordinates to ancient sites with a cryptic message
Four decades ago, a Suffolk forest became the epicentre of an infamousUFO sighting that would not only mystify scientists for years to come but also send shockwaves through the United States Air Force (USAF).
However, the secret code linked to this event would remain under wraps for many years. On 26 and 28 December, 1980, USAF security personnel reported witnessing an unusual orange light descending into the forest. Subsequently, RAF Woodbridge deputy base commander Lt Col Charles Halt penned a memo to the Ministry of Defence (MoD), detailing an encounter with what seemed to be a UFO in Rendlesham forest, as per BBC reports. One serviceman, Sergeant James W Penniston, alleged he came face-to-face with the mysterious craft in the forest. In his revealing book 'The Rendlesham Enigma: Book 1: Timeline', Penniston claims that after touching the unidentified object, a code was telepathically implanted into his mind.
A number of books have been published by witnesses
(Image: Getty Images)
Nearly four decades post the incident, Penniston made the code public. The cryptic sequence purportedly includes coordinates leading to ancient sites and a message that some Reddit users interpret as a communication from future humans, reports the Daily Star.
Penniston alleges his message read:
Exploration of Humanity 666 8100.
52.0942532N 13.131269W (Note: This coordinate might be inaccurately transcribed due to its pointing to the Atlantic Ocean, suggesting a possible error in the original message or its interpretation. ).
Continuous For Planetary ADVAN?
Fourth Coordinate Continuout UQS CbPR BEFORE.
16.763177N 89.117768W.
34.800272N 111.843567W.
29.977836N 31.131649E.
14.701505S 75.167043W.
36.256845N 117.100632E.
37.110195N 25.372281E.
Eyes of Your Eyes.
Origin 52.0942532N 13.131269W.
Origin Year 8100.
USAF security policeman John Burroughs, who ventured out to examine the sighting, claimed he spotted a beacon deep within the woodland, flickering with green, red, orange and white lights before a brilliant white flash erupted and a crimson, oval, sun-like craft materialised in the clearing. The object soared above the treeline before shooting off at lightning speed. Burroughs, who dedicated 27 years to the US military, revealed: "It's been a crazy 40 years [since the encounter]. Just when you think the story is over, another thing happens."
Some say the sighg remains unexplained
(Image: Getty Images/Science Photo Library RF)tin
Journalist and scholar Dr David Clarke, whose freedom of information requests resulted in the MoD releasing their Rendlesham files, insisted the initial encounter witnessed by USAF security personnel remains unexplained. "There is still an element of mystery. What happened to those three guys on the first night I still find baffling. Maybe they did see something that was inexplicable," he said. Ministry of Defence (MoD) official Simon Weeden declared the Rendlesham allegations were deemed to hold "no defence significance".
Weeden, who departed the MoD in 1988, was the initial investigator of Lt Col Halt's memo. Weeden stated: "Nearly always the reports we got were from ordinary members of the public. This one was very unusual in that it came from a military source. Once we had been through all the basic checks and found there was nothing seen on radar - no obvious explanation, no obvious threat to air defence - we decided no further action was needed."
British military ‘wanted to acquire UFO technology to protect Brits
British military ‘wanted to acquire UFO technology to protect Brits
Luke Alsford
British military thought there was a ‘basis in fact’ to the UFO sightings
(Picture: Getty Images/iStockphoto)
The British military thought there was ‘basis in fact’ toUFO sightings and wanted to get their hands on the ‘extraterrestrial’ technology, previously secret files show.
Confidential memos from the Defence Intelligence Staff (DIS) within the Ministry of Defence warned that ‘unidentified aerial phenomena’ (UAP) were a ‘potential threat’ to the UK in the 1990s.
One internal correspondence from March 4, 1997 reads: ‘Logic would indicate that if significant numbers are reporting seeing strange objects in the sky then there may be a basis in fact.
‘It could be argued that UAPs pose a potential threat to the defence of the realm since we have no idea what they are!’
The report referenced reports in Belgium of low-flying back triangles
(Picture: Getty Images)
Intelligence officers appeared particularly concerned about the reports of large, silent, low-flying black triangles which came out of Belgium in their thousands between November 1989 and April 1990.
The reports sparked calls for Britain to try get hold of the technology.
The document noted: ‘A supplementary issue is the possibility of technology acquisition.
‘UAPs do not appear to use conventional reaction propulsion.
‘The Belgian deltas (confirmed by the country’s MoD) hovered for long periods and accelerated quickly to supersonic speeds, outrunning F-16s.
‘If this represents real technology perhaps it should be acquired.’
Another briefing letter, marked ‘Secret UK Eyes B’, acknowledged that the British military did not have the ‘reported technology’.
It added: ‘No matter the origin, the determination of the technology, and possible acquisition, is a matter for Defence Intelligence Staff [DIS].’
The correspondence added that ‘some reports described objects in terms of manoeuvre, speed and shape which lie beyond our engineering knowledge and that which could be reasonably expected from hostile powers.’
The file also stressed that most UFO reports were tenuous, with only a small number that could not be explained immediately.
The documents jokingly dismissed the possibility of alien life as part of fringe conspiracy theories.
The file reads: ‘Mention of UAPs is guaranteed to generate mirth and Little Green Men jokes, possibly because of the fringe element of “crazies”.’
Rendlesham Forest UFO sightings ‘confirmed’
Rendlesham Forest was home to one of the world’s most famous UFO sightings (Picture: Shutterstock / RMC42)
A separate file from the British Military sheds new light on the Rendlesham Forest incident.
Dating back to December 1980, members of the US Air Force stationed at RAF Bentwaters and RAF Woodbridge in Suffolk, England, reported seeing unexplained lights and a craft in the forest.
Witnesses, including high-ranking officers, described seeing a glowing, metallic, triangular object hovering and emitting strange beams of light.
The document says that the Rendlesham Forest ‘landing’ was ‘confirmed by the US unit commander and others’.
It adds: ‘In both [Rendlesham Forest and Belgian] cases the UAP apparently did not use any conventional propulsion system and could hover as well as move at considerable speed.
‘The French have always had an interest in this topic … and I am aware that there is an informal intelligence grouping in the US.’
The sightings sparked front page news
The sighting has fuelled decades of speculation and conspiracy theories ranging from alien encounters to secret military tests.More Trending
One UFO expert, Philip Mantle, toldMetrohe is convinced something happened over those fateful nights in 1980 – but doesn’t necessarily think aliens were involved.
The former Director of Investigations for the British UFO Research Association speculated that soldiers could have come into contact with ‘strange plasma’ that caused ‘electromagnetic effects’.
The previously secret file also claimed to have a ‘Moscow report’ that suggested ‘two military scientists are responsible for UFOs’.
10 Weird Archaeological Facts That Will Blow Your Mind
10 Weird Archaeological Facts That Will Blow Your Mind
Archaeology isn’t just about dusty ruins and ancient pottery—it’s full of bizarre discoveries that challenge what we think we know about the past. From mysterious artifacts to unusual burial practices, here are 10 of the strangest archaeological facts ever uncovered!
1. The Ancient Egyptians Used Honey to Treat Wounds
Over 4,000 years ago, Egyptian doctors used honey as an antiseptic to prevent infections. They believed it had magical healing properties, but modern science confirms they were onto something—honey is naturally antibacterial and still used in medicine today!
2. The Romans Had Heated Floors Over 2,000 Years Ago
While people in medieval Europe shivered in their castles, the ancient Romans were enjoying underfloor heating! They built a system called hypocaust, where hot air from a furnace flowed beneath raised floors—basically, ancient central heating.
AI-generated image (provided by author).
3. The Mystery of the Screaming Mummies
Some mummies have been found with terrifying, open-mouthed expressions, leading to myths of cursed souls trapped in eternal screams. But archaeologists say this happens because the jaw drops open after death—still creepy though!
AI-generated image (provided by author).
4. The 5,000-Year-Old "Chewing Gum"
Archaeologists in Sweden found a piece of ancient chewing gum made from birch bark tar, complete with human teeth marks! It’s believed Stone Age people chewed it for fun, to clean their teeth, or as medicine—kind of like prehistoric bubble gum.
Graves from the Middle Ages reveal skeletons with stakes through their hearts, rocks in their mouths, or even decapitated heads. These were suspected vampires, buried in ways to prevent them from rising from the dead.
AI-generated image (provided by author).
6. The 2,000-Year-Old Fast Food Joint
In Pompeii, archaeologists found a well-preserved street food stall (thermopolium) with painted menus showing the food they served. Turns out, fast food isn’t a modern idea—Romans were grabbing quick bites over 2,000 years ago!
An ancient Roman fast food counter that was unearthed in Pompeii last year will open to the public. (Luigi Spina / AFP).
7. The Alien-Like Elongated Skulls
Ancient skulls with unnaturally long shapes have been found worldwide, from South America to Asia. Some believe they’re proof of alien contact, but archaeologists explain they were intentionally reshaped using tight bindings, possibly as a status symbol.
Deep in the Honduran jungle, explorers uncovered ruins of a mysterious, forgotten civilization, which legends call "The White City" or "City of the Monkey God." Even weirder? Many of the researchers got sick after excavation, leading to rumors of an ancient curse.
AI-generated image (provided by author).
9. The 2,000-Year-Old Roman Concrete That Won’t Break
Ancient Roman concreteis stronger than modern concrete, especially in seawater. Scientists discovered it gets stronger over time due to a chemical reaction with seawater, making it almost indestructible—unlike today’s crumbling bridges!
AI-generated image (provided by author).
10. The 10,000-Year-Old Carvings of "Giants"
At Göbekli Tepe in Turkey, archaeologists found huge stone pillars covered in carvings of strange, humanoid figures. Built over 6,000 years before the Egyptian pyramids, the site has led some to speculate about lost civilizations—or even ancient giants!
Archaeology is full of mysteries, and every discovery raises new questions about our past. From vampire burials to unbreakable Roman concrete, history is weirder than we ever imagined! Which fact surprised you the most?
Top image: Orlando Hollywood Studios, ‘The Great Movie Ride’ featuring Indiana Jones finding the Ark of the Covenant.
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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.
