Het Mysterie van de Dogon en Sirius: Een Diepgaande Analyse

Het verhaal van de Dogon-stam en hun vermeende astronomische kennis over Sirius heeft al decennia lang velen gefascineerd. Sinds de publicatie van Robert Temple’s boek The Sirius Mystery in 1976 wordt deze theorie vaak aangehaald binnen de gemeenschap van oude astronauten en alternatieve geschiedschrijving. Volgens deze theorie zou de Dogon-stam, afkomstig uit West-Afrika, kennis bezitten over sterrenstelsels die zelfs de moderne wetenschap nog niet volledig had bevestigd, en zouden hun mythen en legendes verwijzen naar buitenaardse bezoekers uit het Sirius-stelsel. Maar hoe geloofwaardig zijn deze beweringen? En welke feiten, tegenstrijdigheden en interpretaties liggen er onder de oppervlakte? In dit artikel nemen we een diepgaande, gestructureerde kijk op het Sirius-mysterie, de rol van de Dogon-stam, de historische context, wetenschappelijke bevindingen, en de verschillende meningen die hierover bestaan.

Had de Dogon-stam buitenaardse oorsprong?

1. Introductie tot het Sirius-mysterie

Het mysterie rondom Sirius begon met de publicatie van The Sirius Mystery door Robert Temple. Hierin wordt beweerd dat de Dogon-stam uit Mali in West-Afrika opmerkelijke kennis bezat over het Sirius-stelsel, inclusief details die pas met de komst van telescopen konden worden bevestigd. Temples theorie suggereert dat deze kennis mogelijk afkomstig is van buitenaardse wezens die de aarde duizenden jaren geleden bezochten, en dat deze getuigenissen de basis vormen voor hun mythen over 'buitenaardse' entiteiten.

Kort samengevat: de Dogon zouden weten dat Sirius niet slechts een heldere ster is, maar dat het een driesterrenstelsel is, inclusief Sirius B, een compacte witte dwergster die niet met het blote oog zichtbaar is. Daarnaast zou de stam ook kennis hebben over Saturnus en haar ringen, evenals over vier grote manen van Jupiter en de spiralvorm van de Melkweg. Deze kennis zou onmogelijk zijn zonder geavanceerde telescopische instrumenten, die in de oudheid niet beschikbaar waren.

Een close-up van leden van de Dogon-stam

2. De rol van Marcel Griaule en de kennis van de Dogon

Een belangrijke spil in het Sirius-mysterie is de Franse antropoloog Marcel Griaule. In de jaren 1940 en 1950 reisde hij af naar Mali om de Dogon-stam te bestuderen. Griaule en zijn collega Germaine Dieterlen documenteerden uitgebreide mondelinge overleveringen en mythes van de Dogon. Volgens hun bevindingen bevatte hun cultuur beschrijvingen van het Sirius-stelsel, inclusief details over Sirius B, die pas in 1862 door astronomen werd ontdekt.

Griaule beschreef dat de Dogon het bestaan van Sirius B kenden, terwijl het met het blote oog niet zichtbaar is. Hij interpreteerde hun verhalen als bewijs dat de stam kennis had die niet mogelijk kon zijn zonder buitenaardse inmenging. Daarnaast zou de stam ook informatie hebben over de ringen van Saturnus en de vier grote manen van Jupiter. Deze bevindingen werden gepubliceerd in diverse werken, waaronder Le Renard Pale (1956).

Het feit dat de Dogon al dergelijke details kende, vooral vóór de ontdekkingen van de moderne astronomie, leidde tot speculaties dat zij mogelijk contact hadden gehad met buitenaardse wezens of dat hun mythologie symbolisch verwijst naar geavanceerde kennis.

3. Wat weten we eigenlijk over Sirius en de sterren

Voordat we verder ingaan op de theorieën, is het belangrijk om de astronomische context te schetsen. Sirius is de helderste ster aan de nachtelijke hemel, bekend sinds de oudheid. Zijn hoofdbestanddeel, Sirius A, is ongeveer twee keer zo groot als onze zon en straalt 25 keer zo fel.

In 1862 ontdekte de Amerikaanse astronoom Alvan Clark dat Sirius een compagnon had: Sirius B, een witte dwergster. Deze werd pas met telescopen zichtbaar en was dus voor oude beschavingen onzichtbaar. Hoe konden de Dogon dan al weten van Sirius B?

Andere details uit de mythologie van de Dogon verwijzen ook naar de ringen van Saturnus en de vier grote manen van Jupiter. Deze objecten waren toen nog niet met het blote oog zichtbaar en werden pas later door telescopen ontdekt. Dit roept vragen op over de aard van de kennis die de Dogon zouden bezitten en hoe deze kennis zou zijn overgedragen.

4. Het werk van Robert Temple en de interpretaties

Robert Temple baseerde zijn theorie op de gegevens van Griaule en Dieterlen, maar breidde deze uit met vergelijkingen uit andere oude culturen. Hij stelde dat de mythes van de Dogon overeenkomen met astronomische gegevens die pas in de 20e eeuw bevestigd werden. Volgens Temple zouden de verhalen niet slechts symbolisch zijn, maar feitelijke herinneringen aan buitenaardse contacten.

Hij trok parallellen met mythologieën uit onder andere het oude Sumerië, waarin figuren zoals Oannes worden beschreven. Oannes was een wezen dat half mens, half vis was en als schepper van beschaving wordt beschouwd. Temple en anderen suggereren dat deze verhalen mogelijk verwijzen naar een gemeenschappelijke bron van kennis, mogelijk buitenaards, dat zich wereldwijd verspreidde.

Daarnaast wordt er gespeculeerd over een mogelijke derde ster in het Sirius-stelsel (Sirius C), waarvan sommige astronomen in de jaren 1990 dachten dat ze anomalieën in het systeem hadden ontdekt. Tot op heden is deze ster niet bevestigd, maar de mogelijkheid blijft een fascinerend onderdeel van het mysterie.

5. Kritiek en tegenargumenten

Niet iedereen gelooft in de buitenaardse herkomst van de kennis van de Dogon. Kritieken wijzen op verschillende punten:

• Culturele contaminatie: Sommige wetenschappers stellen dat de kennis mogelijk via Europese ontdekkers en missionarissen tot de Dogon is gekomen. In de jaren 1920 en 1930 was er veel interactie tussen Europeanen en de regio, en het is mogelijk dat de verhalen werden beïnvloed door de toenmalige astronomische kennis die in Europa gangbaar was.

Hoe wist de Dogon-stam zoveel over Sirius?

• Misinterpretaties: Onderzoekers zoals Walter Van Beek betwijfelen of de verhalen werkelijk verwijzen naar Sirius B of dat ze symbolisch of zelfs verkeerd geïnterpreteerd zijn. Van Beek stelt dat Griaule mogelijk informatie heeft vergaard via een beperkt aantal bronnen en dat de verhalen niet zo uniek zijn als wordt beweerd.

• Wetenschappelijke onwaarschijnlijkheid: Sommige wetenschappers wijzen erop dat de Dogon geen kennis hadden over Uranus, Neptunus of Pluto, laat staan dat ze details wisten over sterren die pas met moderne telescopen werden ontdekt. Dit ondermijnt het idee dat hun mythologie een exacte astronomische kennis bevat.

• Veronderstellingen over buitenaardse invloed: Het blijft speculatief of mythologische verhalen daadwerkelijk verwijzen naar buitenaardse wezens, of dat ze symbolisch of allegorisch zijn.

6. De rol van de mythen en symboliek

Mythologie en symboliek vormen de kern van veel culturen over de hele wereld en bieden een diep inzicht in hoe oude beschavingen hun wereldbeeld construeerden. Veel onderzoekers benadrukken dat mythologische verhalen niet altijd letterlijk moeten worden genomen, maar eerder dienen als een rijke, complexe taal vol symbolen en allegorieën die universele principes, spirituele waarheden en culturele waarden uitdrukken. In het bijzonder bij de Dogon-cultuur in West-Afrika zien we dit duidelijk terug. Hun mythologie over de Nommo, de waterwezens die uit de sterren zouden zijn gekomen, en de verhalen over Sirius, de heldere ster aan de hemel, bevatten lagen van betekenis die verder gaan dan oppervlakkige astronomische gegevens. Deze verhalen kunnen worden geïnterpreteerd als symbolische representaties van universele kosmische principes, zoals de verbondenheid tussen hemel en aarde, het ontstaan van het universum en de menselijke zoektocht naar spirituele kennis.

De verhalen over Nommo en Sirius worden vaak geïnterpreteerd als allegorieën die de menselijke relatie met het universum en de spirituele wereld uitdrukken. Ze dienen niet alleen als historische overleveringen, maar ook als rituele gidsen en educatieve instrumenten binnen de gemeenschap. De symboliek in deze mythes speelt een belangrijke rol in het overdragen van culturele en spirituele waarden van generatie op generatie. Door middel van verhalen over half-visachtige wezens, sterren en kosmische gebeurtenissen, wordt een universeel taalgebruik ontwikkeld dat begrijpelijk en memorabel is. Deze verhalen functioneren als een soort kosmisch geheugen, dat niet alleen de kennis van astronomische verschijnselen vastlegt, maar ook de diepere betekenis ervan in het menselijk bestaan.

Bovendien vervult mythologie een rituele en pedagogische functie binnen de gemeenschap. Ze helpen bij het versterken van de sociale cohesie, het overbrengen van morele lessen en het onderwijzen over de natuurlijke en bovennatuurlijke wereld. De symboliek in deze verhalen biedt een manier om complexe ideeën op een eenvoudige, visueel aansprekende wijze over te brengen. Door het gebruik van symbolen zoals sterren, water, dieren en mythologische wezens, worden abstracte concepten tastbaar en gemakkelijk te herinneren. Dit maakt mythologie een krachtig middel om universele kennis op een culturele en spirituele wijze door te geven, waardoor het een integraal onderdeel wordt van de identiteit en wereldbeschouwing van de gemeenschap.

7. De mogelijke invloed van Europese ontdekkingsreizen

Een belangrijke vraag binnen de studie van de mythologie van de Dogon en andere oude culturen is in hoeverre externe invloeden hebben bijgedragen aan de kennis en verhalen die deze groepen bezitten. Een veelgehoorde verklaring voor de nauwkeurigheid van de Dogon-vertellingen over Sirius en andere astronomische details is dat deze kennis mogelijk is aangeleerd of beïnvloed door contact met Europeanen, vooral tijdens de 19e en vroege 20e eeuw. Tijdens deze periode ondernamen Europese ontdekkingsreizigers, missionarissen en handelaren uitgebreide reizen naar West-Afrika. Ze brachten niet alleen goederen en religieuze ideeën mee, maar ook nieuwe kennis over astronomie, sterrenkaarten en wetenschappelijke inzichten.

Deze interacties zouden hebben geleid tot de integratie van Europese astronomische kennis in de mythologische verhalen van de Dogon. Het is mogelijk dat de verhalen over Sirius en de sterrenhemel in hun cultuur werden aangepast of gemodificeerd onder invloed van deze externe kennis. Daardoor kunnen de verhalen overeenkomsten vertonen met latere wetenschappelijke ontdekkingen, terwijl ze oorspronkelijk mogelijk geen toegang hadden tot dergelijke gegevens. Bijvoorbeeld, de nauwkeurige beschrijvingen van de positie en beweging van Sirius kunnen het resultaat zijn van observaties die later door Europeanen werden gedeeld, en vervolgens in de mythologie werden verwerkt.

Sommige onderzoekers stellen dat deze culturele uitwisselingen en contacten met buitenstaanders een grote rol hebben gespeeld in de evolutie van mythologische verhalen. In sommige gevallen kan het lijken alsof oude culturen beschikten over geavanceerde astronomische kennis die niet overeenkomt met de technologische ontwikkeling van die tijd. Het is daarom belangrijk om kritisch te kijken naar de interpretaties van mythologieën en te onderzoeken of deze verhalen wellicht een samensmelting zijn van oorspronkelijke culturele tradities en externe invloeden.

Het belang van deze hypothese ligt in de mogelijkheid dat mythologische verhalen niet altijd puur authentiek zijn, maar beïnvloed kunnen zijn door de contacten met andere beschavingen. Dit betekent niet dat de verhalen minder waardevol zijn, integendeel, het benadrukt juist de dynamiek en de complexe geschiedenis van culturele uitwisselingen. Door deze lens kunnen we beter begrijpen hoe mythes kunnen evolueren en zich aanpassen aan nieuwe kennis en contexten. Tegelijkertijd onderstrepen deze overwegingen de noodzaak om mythologieën niet slechts te zien als vaststaande historische feiten, maar als levende, ademende tradities die zich aanpassen en integreren met nieuwe inzichten.

8. Andere oude beschavingen en de universele aard van de legendes

De verhalen over sterren, hemellichamen en buitenaardse wezens zijn niet uniek voor de Dogon-cultuur. In feite past het Sirius-mysterie binnen een breder patroon van vergelijkbare mythologische verhalen die wereldwijd voorkomen en die wijzen op een mogelijk gedeeld oerbeeld of universeel menselijk verlangen om de mysteries van het heelal te begrijpen. Veel oude beschavingen ontwikkelden hun eigen verhalen en symboliek rondom de hemel, waarbij ze vaak verhalen vertellen over goden, helden of wezens uit de sterren die invloed uitoefenden op de aardse beschavingen.

De Sumerische mythologie, bijvoorbeeld, spreekt over de Anunnaki, een groep goddelijke bemanningsleden die uit de sterren zouden zijn gekomen. Sommige onderzoekers verbinden deze verhalen met buitenaardse bezoekers die mogelijk een rol speelden in de schepping van de mensheid en de ontwikkeling van de beschavingen. Ook in de Egyptische mythologie zijn er verhalen over goden en koningen die uit de sterrenhemel kwamen, zoals Osiris en Horus, die vaak worden afgebeeld met kosmische symboliek en verbondenheid met de sterren. In de Maya- en Azteekse culturen vinden we verhalen over kosmische wezens en helden die de mensheid beïnvloedden en die vaak geassocieerd worden met planeten, sterren en andere hemellichamen.

Deze parallelle verhalen kunnen wijzen op een universeel menselijke behoefte om de kosmos te verklaren en te verbinden met ons eigen bestaan. Ze illustreren hoe verschillende culturen, onafhankelijk van elkaar, vergelijkbare symboliek en concepten ontwikkelden om de relatie tussen aarde, hemel en het onbekende te begrijpen. Het feit dat zulke verhalen in geografisch en cultureel uiteenlopende gebieden voorkomen, suggereert dat er mogelijk een oerbron van kennis of een gedeeld archetype is dat diep in de menselijke psyche ligt. Deze universele mythes bieden niet alleen inzicht in de oude wereldbeelden, maar ook in onze hedendaagse zoektocht naar de oorsprong en de plaats van de mens in het heelal.

Veel details van de Dogon-mythen zijn ook te vinden in verslagen van UFO-ontmoetingen

9. Moderne interpretaties en UFO-verbindingen

In de afgelopen decennia heeft de interesse in het verband tussen mythologie, buitenaardse bezoekers en UFO’s een nieuwe impuls gekregen. De zogenoemde Ancient Astronaut Theory stelt dat buitenaardse wezens in het verleden contact hebben gehad met de mensheid en dat zij de basis hebben gelegd voor onze beschavingen. Volgens deze hypothese zouden oude monumenten, kunst en mythes bewijs zijn van fysieke ontmoetingen met buitenaardse wezens.

Veel onderzoekers en UFO-enthousiastelingen leggen verbanden tussen mythologische verhalen over waterwezens zoals Nommo, Oannes en andere watergeesten, en mogelijke herinneringen aan buitenaardse bezoekers die zich onder water verborgen of zich in de oceanen zouden bevinden. Water en oceaangebieden vormen een terugkerend thema in mythes over buitenaardse wezens, wat de hypothese versterkt dat dergelijke entiteiten mogelijk onderwater leefden of nog steeds bezoeken. Sommige theorieën suggereren dat deze wezens niet alleen spiritueel of symbolisch waren, maar ook fysieke wezens die in de geschiedenis van de mensheid een rol speelden.

De interpretatie van oude teksten en symbolen speelt hierbij een centrale rol. Bijvoorbeeld, de verhalen over de Drie Wijzen die de geboorte van Jezus bezochten, worden soms geïnterpreteerd als symbolische verwijzingen naar sterrenbeelden zoals Orion en Sirius. De drie sterren van Orion’s Belt worden vaak in verband gebracht met de reis en zoektocht van de wijzen, en kunnen symbool staan voor een kosmisch pad dat leidt naar Sirius, de heldere ster die in veel mythes een centrale rol speelt. Dergelijke symboliek kan worden gezien als een soort kosmische codering, die door oude beschavingen werd gebruikt om astronomische verschijnselen te markeren en te communiceren.

Hoewel deze interpretaties controversieel blijven en vaak op speculatie zijn gebaseerd, bieden ze een fascinerend venster op hoe oude verhalen mogelijk een geheime codering bevatten voor astronomische kennis of zelfs fysieke ontmoetingen met buitenaardse wezens. Ze onderstrepen ook de voortdurende menselijke fascinatie met het onbekende en de vraag of wij in het verleden contact hebben gehad met andere intelligente levensvormen. Het bestuderen van deze theorieën stimuleert niet alleen de nieuwsgierigheid, maar ook de zoektocht naar een breder begrip van onze geschiedenis en de plaats van de mensheid in het kosmische geheel.

Zijn de wortels van de Dogon in het Sirius-stelsel

10. De interpretatie van oude teksten en symboliek

Een ander belangrijk aspect binnen de studie van mythologie en oude teksten is de interpretatie van symboliek en codering. Oude teksten zoals de Bijbel, de Vedische geschriften, de Egyptische inscripties en andere heilige geschriften bevatten vaak lagen van symboliek die mogelijk verwijzen naar astronomische verschijnselen, kosmische gebeurtenissen of buitenaardse invloeden.

Neem bijvoorbeeld de verhalen over de Drie Wijzen die de geboorte van Jezus bezochten. Deze drie wijzen worden door sommigen geïnterpreteerd als symbolische verwijzingen naar de sterrenbeelden Orion en Sirius, die in de winter zichtbaar zijn en een belangrijke rol spelen in de oude astronomie. Orion’s Belt, een opvallende sterrengroep, wordt vaak in verband gebracht met de reis en zoektocht van de wijzen, die mogelijk een symbolische representatie zijn van een sterrenpad dat naar Sirius leidt.

Daarnaast worden in oude Egyptische teksten en kunstwerken vaak sterren en hemellichamen afgebeeld met een diepe symbolische betekenis. De sterrenbeelden worden vaak gekoppeld aan goden, koningen en kosmische principes. Het gebruik van symbolen zoals de Crook en de Fluit, de piramides en de sterrenteksten in de grafkamers van farao’s, suggereren dat oude volkeren een uitgebreide kennis hadden van astronomische verschijnselen en deze verwerkten in hun religieuze en rituele praktijken.

Het is belangrijk te beseffen dat deze teksten vaak meerdere lagen van betekenis bevatten en dat interpretaties subjectief blijven. Sommige onderzoekers zien in oude mythes en teksten geheime codes die verwijzen naar kosmische gebeurtenissen, buitenaardse bezoeken of verborgen kennis. Het onderzoek naar deze interpretaties vereist een combinatie van archeologie, astronomie, symboliek en geschiedenis. Het biedt de mogelijkheid om oude beschavingen niet alleen te zien als religieuze of culturele entiteiten, maar ook als voorlopers van moderne wetenschappelijke kennis.

Door oude teksten te bestuderen en te proberen de symboliek te ontcijferen, krijgen we een fascinerend inzicht in hoe onze voorouders de hemel observeerden, hun kosmische wereld interpreteerden en deze kennis verwerkten in verhalen die generaties lang werden doorgegeven. Deze verhalen vormen een brug tussen mythologie, wetenschap en spiritualiteit, en herinneren ons eraan dat de menselijke nieuwsgierigheid naar de kosmos altijd een fundamenteel onderdeel van onze cultuur is geweest.

Veel oude teksten spreken over vreemde bezoekers uit de hemel

11. De vraag of de kennis van de Dogon echt is of een mythe

De vraag of de kennis van de Dogon over Sirius en andere hemellichamen echt oud is en mogelijk buitenaards van oorsprong, of dat het simpelweg een culturele mythe betreft, blijft een belangrijk en intrigerend onderwerp binnen de antropologie en astronomie. De Dogon, een inheemse stam uit Mali, staan bekend om hun complexe mythologie en kennis van sterrenbeelden, vooral Sirius. Volgens sommige onderzoekers zouden de Dogon al eeuwenoude kennis hebben die ver reikt in de geschiedenis en mogelijk gebaseerd is op contacten met buitenaardse wezens of oude ontdekkingen die niet met hun technologische niveau kunnen worden verklaard.

Echter, wetenschappers zoals Walter Van Beek en anderen betwijfelen de authenticiteit van deze beweringen. Ze wijzen op verschillende inconsistenties in de verhalen en op het ontbreken van concreet bewijs dat de Dogon daadwerkelijk wisten van sterren die pas in de 20e eeuw werden ontdekt door moderne astronomen. Zo zou de kennis over Sirius B, de witte dwergster die in de jaren 1930 werd geïdentificeerd, niet expliciet voorkomen in de traditionele verhalen van de Dogon. Bovendien werd vastgesteld dat sommige details mogelijk door buitenstaanders of door middel van interpretatie zijn toegevoegd of beïnvloed.

Aan de andere kant is het opvallend dat de verhalen van de Dogon vaak overeenkomen met latere astronomische ontdekkingen. Dit fenomeen roept vragen op over de mogelijkheid dat deze kennis inderdaad eeuwenoud is en op een of andere manier is doorgegeven, of dat er sprake is van een vorm van culturele overdracht en interpretatie die overeenkomsten creëert met moderne wetenschap. Het feit dat de verhalen zo nauwkeurig lijken te verwijzen naar astronomische feiten die pas in recentere tijden werden ontdekt, maakt het een complex en fascinerend vraagstuk dat verdere studie en onderzoek rechtvaardigt.

Kortom, er bestaat nog geen definitief bewijs dat de kennis van de Dogon buitenaards of oud astronomisch van aard is, maar het blijft een boeiend onderwerp dat de grenzen tussen mythologie, cultuur en wetenschap op de proef stelt.

Is er meer onderzoek te doen naar de Dogon-stam?

12. Conclusie en reflectie

Het Sirius-mysterie is een complex en fascinerend onderwerp dat vragen oproept over de aard van menselijke kennis, mythologie, en mogelijk buitenaards contact. De verhalen van de Dogon-stam, zoals vastgelegd door Griaule en Dieterlen, suggereren dat er een soort verloren kennis zou kunnen zijn die verder gaat dan wat men zou verwachten voor een primitieve samenleving.

Toch moeten we kritisch blijven en rekening houden met de mogelijkheid dat deze informatie is beïnvloed door culturele, historische en wetenschappelijke factoren. Of de kennis echt afkomstig is van buitenaardse wezens, of dat het een product is van menselijke creativiteit en interculturele uitwisseling, blijft onderwerp van debat.

Wat wel vaststaat, is dat het Sirius-mysterie een belangrijke plek inneemt in de zoektocht naar onze geschiedenis en onze plaats in het universum. Het daagt ons uit om verder te denken, te onderzoeken en onze verbeelding de vrije loop te laten, in de geest van grote denkers zoals Albert Einstein die stelde dat “verbeelding belangrijker is dan kennis”.

Hebben buitenaardse wezens in de oudheid wijsheid aan mensen doorgegeven?

Samenvatting:
Het Sirius-mysterie, gebaseerd op de vermeende kennis van de Dogon-stam over het Sirius-stelsel, blijft een intrigerend fenomeen dat vragen oproept over de oorsprong van menselijke kennis, mythologie, en mogelijk buitenaards contact. Hoewel er sterke parallellen zijn met moderne astronomie, blijven veel bewijzen onzeker en open voor interpretatie. Het verhaal benadrukt het belang van kritisch denken, het onderzoeken van bronnen, en het openstaan voor nieuwe ideeën die onze kijk op geschiedenis en het universum kunnen veranderen.

{ PETER2011 }

Credit: Spaceflight Now

Jeff Bezos’s Blue Origin rocket explodes into giant fireball during test

Jeff Bezos has lost one of his rockets after the Blue Origin spacecraft exploded into flames during a takeoff test in the US.

The test flight ended in a flop before it started after the dramatic explosion rocked the Cape Canaveral Space Force Station and the surrounding areas in Florida.

While no one was hurt in the incident, the rocket was totalled after the blast which led to a huge fireball engulfing the launch pad and the spacecraft.

Homes were shaken nearby at around 9pm on Thursday as the explosion lit up the area.

The rocket involved in the blast was the New Glenn model, developed by Blue Origin space technology company, founded by Amazon billionaire Bezos in 2000.

Bezos said on X after the accident: ‘It’s too early to know the root cause, but we’re already working to find it.

‘Very rough day, but we’ll rebuild whatever needs rebuilding and get back to flying. It’s worth it.’

New Glenn, named after the NASA astronaut John Glenn, was meant to take off next week carrying internet satellites.

Elon Musk, another billionaire involved in space development and the world’s richest man, offered his condolences to Bezos.

He wrote on X: ‘Sorry to see this, I hope you recover quickly.’

Musk’s SpaceX Starship spacecraft exploded in a fireball in June last year during the rocket’s test phase.

Blue Origin made headlines in April last year when singer Katy Perry joined an all-female crew along with Bezos’s partner Lauren Sánchez, Gayle King, Aisha Bowe, Amanda Nguyen, and Kerianne Flynn for a suborbital flight lasting 11 minutes.  

While the mission, flown on the New Shepard rocket, was billed as a spaceflight promoting equality, it received widespread backlash on social media, with critics calling it ‘pointless.’  

Bezos’s Blue Origin has come under fire for promoting space tourism.

The New Shepard rocket offered a short, 10 to 12-minute stint into the boundary of space, giving deep-pocketed tourists a few minutes without gravity.

The space tourism flights are on pause at the moment so that the company can focus resources on the moon project and the NASA Artemis missions.

{ https://metro.co.uk/news/  }

A missing Air Force general met members of the Pentagon's shadowy space unit just hours before he disappeared, footage shows. 

Police spoke to an unidentified female witness who claimed she and members of the US Space Force had dinner with William Neil McCasland the night before he vanished without a trace on February 27.

McCasland is a retired Air Force Major General who has been linked to both US nuclear research and classified UFO-related programs during his career.

He met with the group at a restaurant in Albuquerque, New Mexico, around 6pm local time, according to a phone call between police and the witness, obtained by the Law&Crime Network from bodycam footage.

Officially, the Space Force equips the military for operations in space, protecting satellites and other assets from threats, but the newest branch of the Armed Forces also tracks unexplained space objects, such as UFOs, as part of national security.

The unnamed caller claimed she worked with McCasland, who was still a member of the Kirtland Partnership, a nonprofit working to protect and expand Kirtland Air Force Base, a major military research facility and nuclear weapons lab.

Previously, McCasland's wife, Susan Wilkerson, had posted online that the retired general only had 'very commonly held clearances' since retiring from the Air Force 13 years ago, but the new witness revealed that the 68-year-old was still a key figure in secretive government circles.

'He was the head of Air Force Research Lab to the point the man's names are in the UFO documents that are fixed to be released,' the witness claimed. 'He's in that depth, so he has a very high security clearance.'

William Neil McCasland, 68, was last seen around 11am on Friday, February 27 near Quail Run Court NE in Albuquerque, the Bernalillo County Sheriff's Office said

The sheriff's office has issued a Silver Alert, a public notification system used in the US to locate missing seniors or individuals with Alzheimer's, dementia or other mental disabilities

However, the woman who met with McCasland said something seemed wrong during the meeting with Space Force and the retired general was not acting like himself that night.

'I was shocked this morning when I saw the alert because what I noticed Thursday evening [February 26] is that he wasn't his usual self. He was kind of spacey and quiet and you know that that happens with people.'

The bodycam footage also revealed the conversation between officers from the Bernalillo County Sheriff's Office and Wilkerson, revealing that McCasland's disappearance caught her completely off guard.

However, she noted that the retired general was just prescribed a new medication hours before he vanished, which was supposed to help battle several symptoms he was having that may have been signaling cognitive decline.

'Today he had taken a drug that the doctor prescribed last night that was supposed to help him sleep,' she said in the recording obtained by Law&Crime Sidebar with Jesse Weber.

'With weight gain, he's lost about 20 pounds for no reason, and with anxiety, today he woke up and said, "Well, I have got better sleep, but it's like the after effects of a bad hangover. I'm just foggy. I can't get any motivation to do anything."' 

McCasland was reportedly seeing doctors for his physical and mental difficulties. Before police arrived at the home, Wilkerson had told 911 dispatchers the military veteran feared his brain was 'deteriorating.'

He was last seen leaving his home without his phone, wearable devices or any identification and his wife told authorities she believed McCasland 'had planned not to be found.'

McCasland reportedly had ties to US government projects involving nuclear research and UFO-related technology. A witness claimed he met with the US Space Force on February 26

McCasland had changed his clothes and only took a pair of boots and his .38-caliber revolver before vanishing around 11am that morning. There has been no sign of the general since that time.

He was previously in charge of both Kirtland Air Force Base in New Mexico and the Air Force Research Laboratory at Wright-Patterson in Ohio.

UFO enthusiasts have linked both facilities to secret studies of advanced aerospace technology and unexplained phenomena for decades, although officials maintain they focus on national security and experimental defense projects.

Since the unit's creation in 2019, the military has publicly acknowledged that the Space Force has a major presence at both locations.

The branch uses Kirtland for its Space Systems Command and Space Rapid Capabilities Office. Meanwhile, Space Force runs the National Space Intelligence Center out of Wright-Patterson.

The Ohio military complex has a long history of UFO-related rumors, with former government scientists Hal Puthoff and Eric Davis claiming the debris from the alleged UFO crash in Roswell, New Mexico, in 1947 was taken to Wright-Patterson for examination.

Tennessee Congressman Tim Burchett told WABC radio in March that McCasland was the key figure in America's secret research into UFO and extraterrestrial technology.

Burchett said: 'He's the guy [who] had a lot of nuclear secrets. I've been told by several sources that he was the gatekeeper for the UFO stuff.'

Just days before the Pentagon began releasing declassified UFO files to the public in early May, Air Force veteran David Grusch specifically named McCasland as one of the officers who had been in charge of non-human craft recovery and reverse-engineering UFOs.

Grusch, who is now a UFO whistleblower and adviser to Congressman Eric Burlison of Missouri, claimed that the general had not been cooperative with lawmakers seeking to interview individuals tied to America's alleged contact with aliens.

Grusch told Chris Farrell on Judicial Watch: 'They already have the list of some of these hostile folks that ran those programs. Unfortunately, one of those individuals, Major General retired Neil McCasland, is currently missing, which is very concerning to me as well.'

The footage also revealed that officers spoke with McCasland's neighbors after his disappearance, including a former subordinate of the general's who lived in the area.

'He used to be my boss. My boss's boss's boss,' the man told the Bernalillo County Sheriff's officers.

'I briefed him back in 2000 when he visited Boston. And I briefed for him projects I had. He was this scary colonel. He's a PhD. I'm a PhD, but like he's a PhD in some other science, engineering and then he ran the scientific lab and he's smart as hell.'

Although he admitted to not seeing McCasland for a long time, the scientist described him as 'really straight laced' and believed something would have been wrong for the general to walk off without warning.

Another New Mexico resident was seen telling police that she knew of possible trails and even an old horse tunnel under a nearby road that homeless people might now be using, but nothing pointed to foul play.

McCasland was last seen near Quail Run Court NE in Albuquerque just after leaving his own home while his wife was out of the house at a doctor's appointment.

Since March, McCasland's disappearance has been linked to several other missing person cases, all involving former or current government workers and scientists who worked at facilities the general oversaw.

Those cases include NASA scientist Monica Reza, government contractor Steven Garcia and Los Alamos National Lab workers Melissa Casias and Anthony Chavez.

Each went missing in 2025 and three of them vanished in nearly the exact same manner as McCasland, with Garcia, Casias and Chavez all leaving their homes on foot and leaving behind their phones and identification.

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Alien Base 450 Miles Long On North Pole Region Of Moon, Old NASA Photo, UFO UAP Sighting News.

Date of discovery: May 27, 2026

Location of discovery: Moons North Pole region

Source NASA Photo:

•  https://astrogeology.usgs.gov/search/map/moon-kaguya-tc-global-mosaic

I was digging through some old NASA files and found this very intriguing structure...one I can honestly say may be a 450 miles long, or 720km. Go ahead and say it, how's it even possible to hide an alien base that big on the moon without anyone noticing it? Well, it's close to the far side of the moon, the side thats hidden from Earth all the time...and on purpose I might add. Also the fact it's near the northern pole region also hides it. It's clear that aliens inhabited Earths moon, but that leaves so many unanswered questions...who are they? Is it a moon or is it a huge spaceship? Why are they here? How long have they been here? How do aliens control the moon to keep one side forever hidden from Earth? 

 

So you see, finding answers like in this photo below, only makes an endless number of questions without answers...and that, and that alone is the real reason people are scared to learn the truth. Now you know that aliens were here long before humans existed...and will continue to be here long after humans are gone. 

 

Scott C. Waring - UFO Sightings Daily 

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

Cigar UFO Stuns Eyewitness, Says possible abduction took place, Ambler, Pennsylvania, USA May 17, 2026, UAP Sighting News.

Date of sighting: May 17, 2026

Location of sighting: Ambler, Pennsylvania, USA

Source: NUFORC 

 

This report just in. An eyewitness saw a long cigar shaped UFO passing over Pennsylvania last week and the close up screenshot I made, has a tornado-like twisting cloud coming from above and touching the top of the UFO. Thats 100% alien there. No known tech can cause such an anomaly on any known aircraft. 

Scott C. Waring - UFO Sightings Daily 

 

Eyewitness states: 

 

The second photo he submitted is below, I made two closer screenshots and I focused them by hand, no ai. 

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3 UFOs turn into 2 Over Bowers Gifford, England May 20, 2026, Aliens 👽 UFO UAP Sighting News

Original photo uploaded with video by eyewitness. See the haze?

Date of sighting: May 20, 2026

Location of sighting: Bowers Gifford, England

Source: NUFORC

 

The eyewitness states that he saw three objects and in the video we see it transform from three to two in the middle of the video. Also he states there was a haze around the object. That 100% confirms that this was a real UFO. Often UFOs have a haze around them caused by the propulsion systems on board, not done on purpose, but an accident and it causes most UFO photos and videos to be blurry. This is the real deal. 

Scott C. Waring - UFO Sightings Daily

 

Eyewitness states: 

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

Noah's Ark mystery deepens as ancient map points to resting place of biblical vessel

By STACY LIBERATORE, US SCIENCE & TECHNOLOGY EDITOR

The largest known early world map may have pointed to the resting place of Noah's Ark for nearly 440 years.

Created in 1587 by Italian nobleman and cartographer Urbano Monte, the massive Planisphere stretches nearly 10 feet wide when fully assembled and is packed with elaborate illustrations of continents, mythical creatures and unexplored lands.

Hidden within the map is a small depiction of Noah's Ark resting on the mountains of Ararat in modern-day Turkey, the same region many believe still hides the legendary vessel.

The striking detail has sparked fascination because the Bible states in Genesis 8:4 that the Ark came to rest on the 'mountains of Ararat' after the Great Flood.

Some online viewers were stunned by how closely the illustration appears to align with the mysterious Durupınar site. 

Independent researcher Jimmy Corsetti wrote online: 'The same location as the Durupinar site, virtually the exact same length. Coincidence?' 

Researchers have investigated the site since the 1970s, hoping to determine whether the formation is a natural geological structure or the remains of the biblical Ark.

A team currently scanning the region recently claimed to have identified hidden chambers and tunnel-like spaces beneath the earth using ground-penetrating radar.

Hidden within the map is a small depiction of Noah's Ark resting on the mountains of Ararat in modern-day Turkey, the same region many believe still hides the legendary vessel

Just 18 miles south of Mount Ararat, Turkey's tallest peak, the Durupınar Formation emerged less than a century ago

Monte created the map during the height of the Age of Exploration, when European cartographers were rapidly redrawing the known world following voyages to the Americas and Asia.

Unlike most maps from the 16th century, the Planisphere was designed from a north polar perspective, placing the Arctic at the center of the world.

The enormous map consists of 60 separate hand-drawn sheets that can be assembled into a single circular image measuring nearly 10 feet across.

It is filled with elaborate illustrations of ships, sea monsters, mythical creatures and detailed notes describing distant lands and cultures.

Historians believe Monte was inspired to create the map after a Japanese delegation visited Milan in 1585, exposing Europeans to new global perspectives.

The original manuscript is now housed at Stanford University's David Rumsey Map Center, where it was digitally restored and made available online.

The depiction has drawn attention because it places Noah’s Ark on the mountains of Ararat centuries before modern researchers began searching the region for evidence of the biblical vessel.

The Bible recounts Noah's Ark resting on the 'mountains of Ararat' after a 150-day flood submerged the Earth, sparing only those aboard the wooden vessel.

Created in 1587 by Italian nobleman and cartographer Urbano Monte, the massive Planisphere stretches nearly 10 feet wide when fully assembled and is packed with elaborate illustrations of continents, mythical creatures and unexplored lands

A team of American researchers working at the Durupınar Formation near Mount Ararat uncovered evidence of hidden tunnels as described in the biblical account

Biblical measurements describe the ark as 300 cubits long, 50 cubits wide and 30 cubits high - that's approximately 515 feet long, 86 feet wide and 52 feet tall.

The measurements of the formation in Turkey appear to match those given in the Bible.

Located just 18 miles south of Mount Ararat, Turkey's highest peak, the Durupınar Formation has only been known to the modern world for less than a century.

According to local reports, heavy rains and earthquakes in May 1948 washed away the surrounding mud, revealing the mysterious formation. It was then discovered by a Kurdish shepherd.

What is even more intriguing is that the formation sits near a mountain with a peak that some believe matches the ark's shape and dimensions.

According to biblical measurements, the ark was '300 cubits long, 50 cubits wide, and 30 cubits high,' roughly 515 feet long, 86 feet wide and 52 feet tall.

Archaeologist and amateur researcher Ron Wyatt first visited the Durupınar site in eastern Turkey in 1977, claiming the boat-shaped geological formation was the remains of Noah's Ark.

In 2024, researchers identified angular structures as deep as 20 feet beneath the surface, features that could represent rooms below a deck-like platform

Decades later, in 2019, the Noah's Ark Scans team began exploring the mysterious mound with modern technology to peer deep below the surface.

The idea that the ark landed on Mount Ararat has long sparked debate. While many scientists argue that the formation is a naturally occurring geological feature, others are convinced it points to something far more extraordinary.

The team at Noah's Ark Scans firmly believes the latter.

The team recently announced the discovery of hidden tunnels as described in the biblical account.

Andrew Jones, an independent researcher with Noah's Ark Scans, used ground-penetrating radar to uncover a network of 'corridors' converging on a hollow central chamber he dubbed the atrium.

Jones linked the discovery to the Bible's description of the Ark, which states the boat contained three internal levels built to shelter Noah, his family and pairs of animals.

The researchers added further studies using infrared thermography (IRT), a heat-sensing technology that can uncover hidden structures underground, have also suggested the presence of a ship-shaped hull buried deep in the soil

'God told Noah to bring the animals in. And so these animals would have stayed there, plus Noah and his family,' Jones told GB News.

'What's interesting is that these voids are lining up below the ground - and they're not just random. These tunnels also follow a pattern. GPR is just a way to look below the soil using radar.'

He added further studies using infrared thermography (IRT), a heat-sensing technology that can uncover hidden structures underground, have also suggested the presence of a ship-shaped hull buried deep in the soil.

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Nature's destructive power was on full display in the Philippines, as a dazzling meteor burned through the sky above an erupting volcano.

Like a scene from a heavy metal music video, the green fireball blazed overhead as lava ran down the slopes of Mount Mayon – one of the world's most active volcanoes.

This incredible moment was captured at 10:33pm (15:33 BST) local time on May 25 by a network of cameras livestreaming the eruption.

Onlookers were 'shocked' and 'stunned' by the astonishingly rare coincidence on Monday night, according to the Philippine Information Agency.

One terrified local from the nearby town of Los Baños even said he 'thought it was a missile because of how bright it was'.

They added: 'It burned bright green and white for less than a second before it disappeared into the clouds'.

The Philippine Institute of Volcanology and Seismology (PHIVOLCS) initially claimed their cameras had spotted the meteor 'striking the northern slopes of Mayon Volcano'.

However, after reviewing the data more thoroughly, the agency later confirmed that the space rock actually broke up harmlessly in the atmosphere.

A video has captured the incredible moment a bright green meteor blazed over an erupting volcano in the Philippines 

In a post on X, PHIVOLCS wrote: 'Our review of seismic, infrasound and additional camera footages around the volcano indicate that the meteor disintegrated while in the atmosphere and did not strike the slopes of Mayon, contrary to our initial post.'

If the fireball had collided with the volcano, it would have almost certainly left a fairly obvious impression.

According to the Philippine Information Agency, one local astronomer calculated the meteor's energy was equivalent to 6.8 million kilograms of gunpowder.

PHIVOLCS' seismic data captured 27 volcanic tremors and 341 rock falls in the 24 hours surrounding the meteor's arrival.

However, there was no data to suggest that the meteor had impacted the ground or exploded with enough force to be felt on the surface.

On social media, space fans were shocked by the incredible spectacle.

One commenter on X wrote: 'Imagine checking a volcano cam before bed and seeing the apocalypse start.'

'I bet dinosaurs saw this kind of stuff a lot,' added another.

The shooting star was captured burning up above Mount Mayon, located on the island of Luzon, which is one of the most active volcanoes in the world 

Why are some meteors colourful?

Some meteors produce brightly coloured streaks as they pass through the atmosphere.

This is due to trace amounts of metals and other minerals that alter the colour of the flame.

This is similar to the 'flame test' many children will conduct in chemistry classes. However, the results aren't exactly the same due to the different processes involved. 

Orange–yellow: Sodium

Yellow: Iron

Blue–green: Magnesium

Violet: Calcium

Source: National Parks Service  

While one commenter joked: 'Damn, Philippines getting hit from all sides rn [right now].'

Although this might seem like an incredibly rare coincidence, the chances of a meteor arriving over Mount Mayon's eruption are actually relatively high.

Mount Mayon, located on the island of Luzon, is the most active volcano in the Philippines and one of the most violent anywhere in the world.

By the time the meteor appeared, the volcano was on its 140th consecutive day of effusive eruption – meaning lava is escaping onto the surface – which has been filmed continuously by multiple cameras.

Meanwhile, every day, around 25 million pieces of debris hit Earth and create shooting stars.

As tiny pieces of rock and dust collide with the planet, they smash into the upper layers of the atmosphere at speeds up to 45,000 miles per hour (72,400 km/h).

The enormous friction between the meteor and particles in the air heats their surface to around 1,600°C (2,912°F), vaporising them in a flash, which we see as a shooting star.

Typically, these meteors are white or yellow, but traces of metals in the rocky fragments can give them bright colours, including red, blue, and green.

By the time the meteor appeared, the volcano was on its 140th consecutive day of effusive eruption, meaning that lava has been escaping to the surface. However, there was no sign that the meteor hit the volcano or the surrounding area

Our atmosphere offers such effective protection against space rocks that only the largest pieces have a chance of making it to the ground.

Read More

• World's first nuclear explosion forged an 'impossible' crystal that's like NOTHING else on Earth 

Yet even these usually fall to Earth as small chunks that don't have the force to cause any destruction. 

However, the Earth has had a number of close calls with asteroids large enough to cause serious damage.

Earlier this month, a space rock called 2026 JH2 passed the planet at a distance of just 56,000 miles (90,000km).

Scientists said that this was 'as close as you can without hitting', but that there was no chance of a collision in the next 100 years.

The asteroid is up to four times the size of a London bus and packed enough potential energy to destroy a city.

Explained: The difference between an asteroid, meteorite and other space rocks

An asteroid is a large chunk of rock left over from collisions or the early solar system. Most are located between Mars and Jupiter in the Main Belt.

A comet is a rock covered in ice, methane and other compounds. Their orbits take them much further out of the solar system.

A meteor is what astronomers call a flash of light in the atmosphere when debris burns up.

This debris itself is known as a meteoroid. Most are so small they are vapourised in the atmosphere.

If any of this meteoroid makes it to Earth, it is called a meteorite.

Meteors, meteoroids and meteorites normally originate from asteroids and comets.

For example, if Earth passes through the tail of a comet, much of the debris burns up in the atmosphere, forming a meteor shower.

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Here's what NASA said about its permanent moon base plans - PART I

Story by Eric Lagatta, USA TODAY

Fleets of landers, rovers and drones will head to the moon in the months and years ahead before humans even step foot on the lunar surface for the first time in more than 50 years.

So says NASA, which is already working toward sending vehicles and cargo to construct an unprecedented moon base less than two months since the trailblazing Artemis II mission that sent four astronauts on a historic lunar journey.

The space agency on May 26 outlined the first of three phases under what it's calling its Moon Base initiative, which aims to not just return astronauts to the moon for the first time since the Apollo era, but establish a longstanding human presence. The United States' renewed interest in the moon comes as NASA sets its sights on sending astronauts to Mars.

“The Moon Base will be America’s and humanity’s first outpost on another celestial world,” NASA Administrator Jared Isaacman said in a statement. “Every mission, crewed and uncrewed, will be a learning opportunity as we return to the lunar surface, build the infrastructure to stay, and master the skills required to live and operate in one of the most demanding and dangerous environments imaginable."

©Provided by NASA
NASA released thousands of new photos taken during the Artemis II mission around the moon. The astronauts selected for the mission thoroughly documented the 10-day voyage, which included an April 6 lunar flyby as they traveled more than a quarter-million miles from Earth.

Here's everything to know about NASA's moon base and its plans to send astronauts back to the moon under its Artemis campaign.

• Artemis program: NASA's Artemis III mission begins to take shape ahead of moon landing

What is NASA's moon base?

NASA leaders have previously announced plans to construct a $20 billion moon base toward the largely unexplored lunar south pole. The base would come together across three phases during both uncrewed and crewed missions to deliver vehicles, equipment and infrastructure to the moon.

Once completed, the base would be where astronauts could live and work longterm with the dual objectives of studying the moon while also helping NASA learn how best to send the first humans to Mars.

{ https://www.today.com/ }

Here's what NASA said about its permanent moon base plans - PART II

Story by Eric Lagatta, USA TODAY

Fleets of landers, rovers and drones will head to the moon in the months and years ahead before humans even step foot on the lunar surface for the first time in more than 50 years.

First 3 moon base missions begin with Blue Origin lander launch

NASA leaders on May 26 unveiled details about the first three uncrewed missions planned for 2026 that will set the stage for the construction of the moon base.

Those ventures are due to begin in fall with the planned launch of the Blue Moon lunar lander being developed by billionaire Jeff Bezos' Blue Origin spaceflight company.

The Mark 1 variant of the lander, which differs from the Mark 2 variant in that it's not designed for humans, will carry NASA equipment while targeting a landing on the Shackleton Connecting Ridge. The region in the lunar south pole can receive solar power from the sunlight and is in constant view of Earth, enabling uninterrupted communications, according to NASA.

Two other landers are also due to launch in 2026 to deliver supplies and technology to the moon, including Astrobotic’s Griffin lander – which will also carry a rover to begin testing travel on the lunar terrain – and Intuitive Machines’ third Nova-C lunar lander.

"These missions are the first of more than a dozen missions that will be announced this year, each designed to generate operational data and reduce risk ahead of crewed Artemis surface activities," NASA said in a statement.

NASA to send 2 lunar rovers ahead of humans

NASA further announced that it has awarded contracts to two companies to develop lunar rovers for astronauts to drive on the moon.

Colorado-based Lunar Outpost and Astrolab of Hawthorne, California, will each receive about $220 million to build vehicles capable of slowly navigating the moon's rough terrain.

The contract, made under NASA's Commercial Lunar Payload Services initiative (CLPS,) ensures a rover will be ready on the moon before astronauts return as early as 2028 under the Artemis IV mission.

Each rover – which NASA calls a lunar terrain vehicle, or LTV – will be designed for different objectives.

Astrolab's compact vehicle is designed to carry astronauts and cargo with a weight limit of up to 2,000 pounds and a top speed of 6 mph, NASA said. Lunar Outpost's rover, nicknamed Pegasus, is lighter and can travel about three mph faster.

The companies have about 18 months to ready their landers for launch, according to NASA. Blue Origin was also awarded a contract worth up to $468 million to transport the rovers to the moon.

Drones to survey Artemis landing sites

Before NASA puts boots back on the ground, the agency is planning in 2028 to send a fleet of four drones to survey the moon for safe landing sites for astronauts.

The mission, called Moonfall, would use the drones to literally hop from one place on the surface to the next to gather and transmit data back to Earth.

NASA‘s Jet Propulsion Laboratory in Southern California, which is designing the drones, has awarded Texas-based company Firefly Aerospace a $75 million contract build the spacecraft that will transport them from Earth orbit to the moon.

After the launch, Firefly's Elytra spacecraft will transport the drones to the moon and deploy them about 30 miles above the surface, the company said in a press release.

Artemis III astronauts to be announced

NASA also has plans to soon announce the four astronauts selected for the Artemis III mission.

The announcement will be made live at 11 a.m. ET Tuesday, June 9, at the agency’s Johnson Space Center in Houston, according to a press release.

In April, four astronauts traveled around the moon and back on the Artemis II mission without landing in a critical test of the Space Launch System rocket and the Orion crew capsule central to the missions. Next, four more astronauts will travel to Earth orbit in 2027 on the Artemis III mission that will test one or both commercial human lunar landers being developed by spaceflight companies SpaceX and Blue Origin.

Just like the Artemis II crew, the astronauts selected for the Artemis III mission will hitch a ride to Earth orbit aboard the Orion crew capsule, which will launch atop NASA's towering Space Launch System rocket from the Kennedy Space Center in Florida.

• Eric Lagatta is the Space Connect reporter for the USA TODAY Network. Reach him at elagatta@usatodayco.com
• This article originally appeared on USA TODAY: Here's what NASA said about its permanent moon base plans

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UFO researcher who died in police custody after chilling final posts was linked to dead anti-gravity scientist

• MORE: Missing scientist's shattered car sparks chilling mystery in remote New Mexico mountains 

By CHRIS MELORE, US DEPUTY SCIENCE EDITOR

A UFO and aerospace researcher's death is raising questions as the circumstances surrounding his final days remain a mystery months later.

Authorities in New Mexico said Martin Aidan Shaffer, 49, died while in police custody at the Torrance County Detention Facility in March 2026.

Shaffer had worked in the 'fringe science' community, collaborating with groups exploring advanced propulsion technology, including anti-gravity engines, which have been linked to UFO speculation for decades.

According to court records, the self-described inventor was being held on multiple charges, including arson and burglary, but the cause of his death has not been disclosed.

While alleged colleagues have claimed that Shaffer was suffering from mental health issues, the Taos, New Mexico resident's social media accounts revealed a much more disturbing story.

Shaffer had claimed that he was experimented on and had implants placed in his body, suggesting that he was being controlled by extraterrestrials. He even claimed without evidence that other researchers had tried to harm him.

A month before his death, he wrote on X: 'I want all these implants removed, I want to be free from my body mind which I do not control.' 

Meanwhile, Shaffer's case has now been linked to another dead scientist in the recent string of deaths and disappearances across the US, Amy Eskridge, who was also working on anti-gravity research and had claimed her life was in danger.

UFO and aerospace researcher Martin Aidan Shaffer, 49, reportedly died while in police custody in New Mexico in March 2026

Shaffer had written several posts on social media appearing to be in mental health distress

Shaffer had written several posts on social media appearing to be in mental health distress

Prior to his death, Shaffer had been making a string of disturbing posts, claiming he had been repeatedly assaulted in his own home and showed images of small bruises where implants had allegedly been inserted.

In one post on December 30, 2025, Shaffer sent a message to Elon Musk's brain implant company, Neuralink, claiming that extraterrestrials, also known as Non-Human Intelligence (NHI), had implanted technology in him.

'There's something that I'm experiencing with having an NHI implant that pertains directly to the development of neural link,' Shaffer claimed.

'I wish I could remove the implants and undo what has been done to me,' he added in another post. 

Shaffer had been connected to the Alternative Propulsion Engineering Conference, an online group of scientists, engineers and independent builders who discuss breakthrough theoretical aerospace technologies.

He also claimed to be the co-founder of Falcon Space, a New Jersey research startup working on creating advanced propulsion without relying on fuel-based rockets.

The host of the Liminality podcast on YouTube, who claimed she knew Eskridge, noted that Falcon Space was also founded by Mark Sokol, the late scientist's ex-boyfriend.

Eskridge publicly claimed that she had been attacked, drugged and threatened repeatedly by unknown assailants while she was working on anti-gravity engines and advanced security systems for the US Department of Homeland Security. 

Shaffer claimed that he had received implants from NHI (Non-Human Inntelligence)

Amy Eskridge was a scientist researching anti-gravity technology before her death in 2022 at age 34

Read More

EXCLUSIVE

•  Chilling calls from UFO-linked scientist that expose kidnapping attempt cast new doubts on 'suicide' 

Eskridge, 34, reportedly died from a self-inflicted gunshot wound to the head in 2022. However, the young scientist, who also allegedly suffered from mental health issues had repeatedly told colleagues she was not suicidal.

Shaffer's troubling posts appeared to begin after his tenure at Falcon Space from 2021 to 2023.

Social media exchanges between him and Sokol also showed an apparent falling out, with Shaffer claiming in November 2025 that Sokol 'threw me into traffic.'

No police report for the alleged incident could be found. Falcon Space also does not list Shaffer as one of the company's co-founders. 

Meanwhile, an X account for Falcon Space posted on May 21 that Shaffer allegedly 'died of a heart attack in police custody, arrested for burning down his ex girlfriends house who broke up with him for being delinquent and not contributing.'

The Daily Mail has reached out to authorities in New Mexico regarding the circumstances of Shaffer's death and the charges he was facing. The medical examiner's office has not revealed an official cause of death.

The events surrounding Shaffer's case became even stranger after his death, as an obituary online misspelled the scientist's name and did not list his date of birth. It is unclear who posted the memorial page or their connection to Shaffer.

Court documents from New Mexico revealed that Martin Aidan Shaffer died  after being taken to the Torrance County Detention Facility

An online obituary for Shaffer did not list his date of birth or spell his name correctly

Shaffer's sudden death and ties to the same community of scientists Eskridge had associated with has thrust the growing number of cases involving missing and dead researchers working in America's nuclear, aerospace and defense sectors back into the spotlight.

Among the missing are retired Air Force General William Neil McCasland, government contractor Steven Garcia, and nuclear lab workers Melissa Casias and Anthony Chavez. All vanished without a trace under nearly identical circumstances over the last year.

Eskridge's suicide in 2022 was one of the earliest incidents now believed to be under scrutiny by members of Congress and the FBI.

Former British intelligence officer Franc Milburn has previously told the Daily Mail he believes Eskridge's death was murder and that advanced directed energy weapons were used against her to derail her work.

Since her death, multiple scientists tied to advanced propulsion research or NASA's Jet Propulsion Lab have been murdered or died under circumstances which have never been revealed to the public.

While there have been no definitive links made between all of the cases throughout the US, multiple members of Congress have told the Daily Mail that each of their ties to sensitive government secrets or research spark concerns that foul play and a foreign power may be involved.

The FBI has been tasked by the White House with investigating the matter, but the agency has not produced their report despite President Trump saying it would come in early May.

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NASA boss reveals unsettling reality behind newly released UFO files

By STACY LIBERATORE, US SCIENCE & TECHNOLOGY EDITOR

The head of NASA says the UFO files expose years of unexplained encounters that government agencies failed to seriously investigate. 

Jared Isaacman told FOX News that the declassified videos, photos and documents reveal strange objects captured by military sensors around the world.

'What's being surfaced isn't crashed ships or alien bodies, but real unexplained phenomena,' the NASA administrator said.

Isaacman said many of the cases remained buried inside government databases for decades until President Donald Trump ordered agencies to revisit old records, search classified archives and publicly release what they found.

The comments came after the Trump administration released two batches of previously classified UFO records under a new disclosure initiative aimed at uncovering unexplained aerial incidents hidden inside federal archives.

Officials said additional releases from agencies, including the CIA, are expected in the coming weeks as pressure grows for greater transparency surrounding UFO investigations.

For decades, many UFO-related records remained locked away due to Cold War secrecy, national security concerns and fears about exposing sensitive military technology detected by radar and surveillance systems.

Critics have long argued that successive administrations avoided publicly acknowledging unexplained cases out of concern over public backlash, institutional embarrassment and growing conspiracy theories surrounding UFO investigations.

A video released in the first wave of UFO files appeared to show a glowing object resembling an 'eight-pointed star' with uneven arms moving across the sky

'I think the President has really got government agencies now taking this seriously, to go look at the files and bring the data to light, and he's putting it all out for everyone to analyze,' Isaacman told Fox News. 

'This is citizen science right now. Take a look at our files, tell us what you think.'

He added that he is not aware of any files containing information about alien bodies or spaceships, but 'observations from decades past, from some of our adversaries and potentially some of our allies, essentially saying, "We saw something, we documented it, and we kept it buried in a file somewhere,’ are now being made public."'

Isaacman suggested the disclosures should be viewed less as evidence of extraterrestrials and more as a growing collection of unexplained incidents now open to public scrutiny, with modern cameras, military sensors and newly released records providing more data than ever before. 

'Everybody’s got a camera phone, a doorbell camera. Every military aircraft flying has a million sensors,' he said. 

'You're gonna pick up things. Pick up things that flew at a different angle, you know, across the lens that maybe if you had a better angle on, you'd be like, oh, that's a balloon, or that might be a missile in a combat region. 

'But because we caught it at an angle, it's an unexplained phenomenon.' 

Bill Clinton and Jimmy Carter promised to release UFO files while in office.

Other files revealed unexplained phenomena above the lunar surface during the Apollo moon missions

During his 1976 presidential campaign, Carter famously promised the public that he would release all classified government UFO information. However, after being elected, he ultimately chose not to disclose these files, citing 'national security concerns.'

The Clinton administration was heavily lobbied by the UFO 'disclosure movement' during the late 1990s. 

READ MORE

EXCLUSIVE

• I'm a pastor who attended a secret UFO disclosure meeting. We saw images of 'translucent beings' that chilled me to the bone... the files could fulfil a dark biblical prophecy

In 1997, around the 50th anniversary of the Roswell Incident, Clinton publicly stated that he had ordered an official review of the 1947 event to see if the government was hiding the truth.

However, the subsequent findings maintained that the crash was merely a high-altitude weather balloon.

On Wednesday, President Trump held a Cabinet meeting where he said: 'We’re releasing a lot of information having to do with extraterrestrial terrestrial things and people are totally fascinated by it.

'It's literally trending number one, can you believe it?'

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In a recent interview, Steven Greer responded to Vice President JD Vance after Vance controversially suggested that aliens could actually be demons. The remarks, made during an appearance on the Benny Johnson Show, drew concern from Greer, who warned that such statements could fuel hysteria and religious extremism surrounding the UFO phenomenon. 

He stressed that highly advanced extraterrestrial technology may appear “magical” to humans, but should not automatically be interpreted as something supernatural or evil.

Referencing decades of involvement in UFO research — including private meetings with Vatican officials, Greer argued that portraying extraterrestrials as demonic blurs the line between spiritual belief and scientific investigation, potentially undermining credible research into the phenomenon. 

He also criticized what he called “interstellar racism” within ufology, where beings are judged negatively based solely on their appearance, and urged public figures to approach the subject more responsibly. 

Greer further claimed that certain hardline factions within intelligence communities continue to push extreme religious narratives about UFOs, which he believes could increase fear and division. As discussions around disclosure continue to grow worldwide, he emphasized the need to move beyond fear, superstition, and sensationalism when addressing the possibility of extraterrestrial encounters.

  

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

NASA has unveiled plans to construct a $20 billion moon base by 2032, giving humans their first permanent outpost on another celestial body.

But what will this 'city' on our lunar satellite look like?

The lunar outpost will initially be fairly basic, using a simple collapsible structure carried all the way from Earth.

However, as NASA's presence becomes more permanent, the small camp will soon expand into a sprawling modular metropolis.

Dr Simeon Barber, a lunar scientist from the Open University, told the Daily Mail that Antarctic research stations are a good comparison for NASA's moon base.

Just like a home on the moon, these remote habitats need to be self–sufficient, built with materials carried over long journeys, and to protect their inhabitants from harsh conditions.

But Dr Barber says that a moon base will also require 'specific requirements stemming from the unique circumstances at the moon'.

This means that NASA's moon base will probably end up as a widely spread collection of prefabricated modules, sprawling over hundreds of square miles.

As NASA unveils plans to construct a $20 billion moon base by 2032, experts reveal what this base would really look like. Pictured: A NASA render of its planned moon infrastructure 

On Tuesday, NASA Administrator Jared Isaacman laid out the agency's three–stage plan to build a permanent presence on the moon.

Between autumn this year and 2029, the agency will oversee up to 21 lunar landings to deliver scientific equipment and robotic scouts.

A fleet of MoonFall helicopter drones and uncrewed rovers will patrol the South Pole region, looking for sources of water and an ideal location for human settlement.

Between 2029 and 2032, the first humans will start to arrive, establishing basic infrastructure, habitation, and power supplies.

Finally, in 2032, NASA will move into the final stage of permanent occupation, establishing a full–time moon base with regular crew rotations and resupply landings.

Speaking at a press conference, Mr Isaacman identified the biggest challenge as the moon's astonishingly harsh conditions.

On the lunar surface, temperatures can swing from around 100°C (212°F) in the day to –100°C (–148°F) at night.

This is accompanied by the constant threat of radiation, impact from micrometeorites, and harmful clouds of choking lunar dust.

The first habitats to be sent to the moon would be simple, modular structures constructed on Earth. They may be parts of the spacecraft that took the astronauts to the surface.

Picutred: A NASA rendering of a modular habitat unit 

Using modular parts will allow NASA to start very simple and expand the base as needed, adding more facilities and quarters for more crew 

'There is no atmosphere to moderate these extremes,' added Mr Isaacman.

Given these conditions, the first requirement for a lunar base is that it offers enough protection for the astronauts living there.

Dr Barber says: 'It needs to provide a habitable environment. So, air to breathe, temperature control to tame the wild day–night changes at the Moon's surface, protection from radiation, and from the very fine, abrasive and toxic Moon dust.'

However, a moon base also needs to cater to astronauts' basic physical and psychological needs.

Astronauts will need space to wash and shower to keep infections at bay, as well as plenty of space to exercise to fight the muscle and bone loss which comes with living in reduced gravity.

'And not to forget, the explorers will be living in harsh and stressful conditions, so mental health will be important,' adds Dr Barber.

This means the crew will need somewhere to rest and relax after a hard day at work exploring the deadly lunar surface.

With so many different requirements, the most likely solution is to send prefabricated structures from Earth that can be assembled on the lunar surface.

Experts say that the first structures may be inflatable, packing down very small on Earth before expanding on the moon. Pictured: A NASA concept for inflatable lunar housing 

These could be made from repurposed parts of the spacecraft that sends the astronauts to the moon in the first place, or simply using the lander itself.

NASA has also investigated using inflatable structures that could be packed up very small before expanding on the surface.

Professor Mahesh Anand, an expert on the lunar surface from the Open University, told the Daily Mail: 'The earliest habitable structure on the Moon will most likely be constructed largely from materials brought from Earth and, later, combined with materials derived from the landing region.

'A self–inflatable tent made of light, but mechanically very strong material, could be sited in a sheltered place in the vicinity of the lander, which would probably offer the least risk.'

Much like the International Space Station, modular options will allow the moon base to start simple before attaching more parts as needed.

Experts say that astronauts could then bury these early structures in lunar regolith, the loose soil of the moon's surface, to provide some basic protection from meteorites and radiation.

The big leap forward for the moon base will come when NASA installs a nuclear reactor around 2029.

NASA has been working on small 40–kilowatt–class reactors that are designed to be launched inert from Earth and activated upon arrival.

NASA is already preparing small 40–kilowatt–class nuclear reactors that are designed to be launched inert from Earth and activated upon arrival

These nuclear reactors will need to be kept far from the moon base, or buried deep in the lunar regolith to protect astronauts from radiation. Pictured: A NASA rendering of a small nuclear reactor on the moon 

Due to the radiation risk, astronauts would also need to place these far from their actual habitat or bury them deep within the lunar regolith.

However, once the astronauts have a steady supply of power, they will be able to start gathering and processing materials from the moon's surface, in a process called 'in situ extraction'.

Dr Barber explains: 'Earth's strong gravity field means a lot of energy is required to lift anything off Earth's surface and then land it on the Moon.

'So there is a strong argument for living off the land and making use of local resources.'

NASA is currently developing robots that can convert lunar soil into bricks to be used in construction, as well as ways of processing the regolith into new materials.

Recent research has shown that lunar regolith can be 'printed' using a laser, melting layers of dust to form highly durable structures.

These methods could be used to 3D print entire buildings that would be a more comfortable, permanent housing solution for the astronauts.

But this new industrial expansion would also shape the layout of the moon base.

Astronauts will start mining the lunar dust to process it into more advanced building materials, allowing for more complex structures. Pictured: A NASA rendering of a mining station on the moon 

Unlike an Antarctic research station, which keeps everything tightly packed in one structure, a moon base would need to be spread out over miles.

The radiation from the nuclear reactor would need to be kept at a safe distance, as would the sites for excavating and processing the hazardous moon dust.

Likewise, some scientific instruments would need to be kept in a 'radio–quiet' location, far from any potential interference.

This means that the final moon base would look a lot less like an Earth–based research outpost and more like a sprawling collection of individual structures, dotted over a vast blank terrain.

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Declassified UFO files: Video of Lake Huron encounter with F-16 near UP released by Pentagon

By David Komer

'UFO SHOT DOWN': US Military F-16 Hits Mystery Object with Missile Over Lake Huron,

Iran UAPs

• F-16C encounter with UAP over Lake Huron in 2023 including in Pentagon file release

A newly declassified video of an encounter from Feb. 2023 that happened after a weather balloon was shot down. A bright white orb appears in the infrared camera to the right and floats around the frame. Video released by the Department of Defense.

The Brief

• The second set of newly declassified UFO files includes an incident of an F-16c encounter over Lake Huron from 2023.
• On video a military jet shoots down what appeared to be a weather balloon object on camera before a white circular object appears.
• The object floats around the crosshairs of the gun camera before eventually disappearing.

FOX 2 

The Pentagon's newest release on Unidentified Anomalous Phenomena Friday includes a mysterious incident over Lake Huron near Michigan's Upper Peninsula after a shoot-down a few years ago.

Timeline:

The revelation comes from a Feb. 12, 2023 incident which was part of a second set of declassified files. 

A newly declassified video shown in infrared, depicts an object appearing to be a weather balloon shot down – moments before a bright white object appears to the right of the crosshairs.

The bright white object appears to float around the crosshairs on video before eventually disappearing.

In the declassified release, a 46-second video with redactions shows the encounter, labeled "USAF ANG F-16C [CALLSIGN] Shoots Down UAP over Lake Huron with [Weapon System], 12 Feb 2023," from an infrared sensor "aboard a U.S. military platform operating within the United States Northern Command area of responsibility in 2023." 

"At the 11-second mark, the sensor focuses on an area of contrast in the center of its field-of-view," the video description says. "At the 20-second mark, the footage appears to depict a kinetic interaction between two distinct areas of contrast, with the initial subject of the footage fragmenting in a radial displacement pattern that suggests a high-energy event."

The file release does not speculate on the origin of the object, saying it was for informational purposes only.

Two screenshots of what appeared to be a balloon shot down in the moments before the bright object appeared:

Before and after pictures captured from DOD released video.

"Readers should not interpret any part of this description as reflecting an analytical judgment, investigative conclusion, or factual determination regarding the described event’s validity, nature, or significance," the statement said.

More than 60 new files ranging from government documents, military surveillance videos and audio transcriptions of people reporting unexplained orbs, disc and fireballs.  The review and declassification is being handled by the Department of Defense, with support from the Director of National Intelligence. 

Most of the documents, videos and files are from unresolved cases, some previously released, with no definitive determination on the nature of what was observed. 

Dig deeper:

The Feb. 12 incident happened amid a flap of weather balloon sightings, including one which was labeled a Chinese spy balloon shot down over the Atlantic Ocean.

The head of NORAD and U.S. Northern Command declined to give any details about what it was, but in retrospect was likely commenting on the balloon, and not the balloon-like object.

Gen. Glen D. VanHerck, the commander of the United States Northern Command and North American Aerospace Defense Command, did not categorize those objects as balloons publicly at the time.

"I haven’t ruled out anything," VanHerck said at the time when asked if the objects could be aliens or something else extraterrestrial. 

Related: 

• Mysteries swirl around object shot down over Lake Huron

According to the general, an object was spotted on a radar in Canada the day before. That object then crossed into the U.S. and was spotted over Montana. However, the track was lost. An object spotted in Wisconsin was "likely" the same one as the one seen in Montana.

Featured article

• Unidentified object shot down over Lake Huron -- Everything we know about it

An unidentified object was shot down over Lake Huron on Sunday. It's the fourth object to be shot down by U.S. fighter jets in eight days.

VanHerck said the military prepared to engage the object and watched it pass over Lake Michigan before shooting it down over Lake Huron.

Ominously, in retrospect, when asked at the time if there are potentially more objects flying, VanHerck said "it’s certainly possible," but he could not confirm that.

For more information, click here for the latest batch of files: war.gov/UFO/

Picture captured from DOD released video with red circle added.

The Source: Information for this story is from newly released Pentagon files as well as prior reporting about the Feb. 12, 2023 suspected military weather balloon encounter over Lake Huron.

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How a radical new view of life could reveal its origin – and aliens

We've been looking at nature the wrong way, argues Rowan Hooper. If we stop focusing on the individual, we get a whole new picture of how life on Earth – and elsewhere – may have begun

By Rowan Hooper

Gilles & Cecilie

Overview

A fresh line of research is challenging long‑standing ideas about how life began on Earth. Recent analyses of material returned from asteroid Ryūg‑yu reveal nucleobases—the molecular building blocks of DNA and RNA—formed in space and possibly delivered to the early planet. The discovery dovetails with a growing appreciation for symbiosis in biology and resurrects Charles Darwin’s “warm little pond” speculation, suggesting that life’s origin may be a story of cosmic chemistry meeting terrestrial partnership. The implications reach beyond Earth, offering a new framework for the search for alien biology.

Space‑Born Nucleobases

Japan’s Hayabusa‑2 mission retrieved samples from Ryūg‑yu in 2020, and subsequent laboratory work identified several uracil and adenine derivatives that match those found in terrestrial organisms. Researchers argue these molecules formed in the asteroid’s icy matrix under ultraviolet radiation and cosmic‑ray bombardment, a process that can assemble pyrimidine and purine rings without any biological catalyst. “The chemistry we see on Ryūg‑yu is indistinguishable from that required for the first genetic polymers,” says Dr Miyu Tanaka of the Institute of Space and Astronautical Science. If such compounds were abundant in the early solar system, they could have been delivered in large quantities to the Hadean Earth, seeding the planet with the raw material for RNA‑based life.

From Darwin’s Pond to Hydrothermal Vents

For more than a century, the dominant narrative has been that life emerged in a “warm little pond” rich in ammonia, phosphates and energy sources, an idea Darwin himself entertained in an 1871 letter to Joseph Hooker. Modern studies, however, have shifted focus to deep‑sea hydrothermal vents, where mineral pores create natural electrochemical gradients that could drive pre‑biotic reactions. Biochemist Nick Lane of University College London notes, “The internal pores of the vents have cell‑like structures with electrically charged catalytic surfaces, while the continuous flow gives continuous reactivity.” The Ryūg‑yu findings add a third dimension: organic precursors may have arrived from space before terrestrial environments became chemically favorable, providing a head‑start that bridges the gap between cosmic synthesis and Earth‑bound catalysis.

Symbiosis as a Lens on Origins

The new perspective aligns with a broader scientific movement that places symbiosis at the heart of biological complexity. In her forthcoming book Togetherness, author‑researcher Gilles Hooper‑Rowan argues that cellular cooperation—whether between algae and fungi in lichens or between mitochondria and host cells—has been under‑appreciated in evolutionary narratives. By viewing the origin of life as a collaborative process—first between molecules formed in interstellar ice, then between mineral surfaces in vents, and finally between emerging protocells—researchers gain a more integrated picture of how complexity can arise without invoking a single “primordial soup” event.

Implications for the Search for Extraterrestrial Life

If nucleobases can be synthesized and preserved in asteroids, they become a universal metric for habitability. Future missions to carbon‑rich bodies such as Ceres or comet 67P/Churyumov‑Gerasimenko will likely prioritize detecting these molecules, expanding the catalogue of “pre‑biotic inventory” beyond Earth. Moreover, the idea that life’s chemistry is portable across planetary systems strengthens the case for looking for biosignatures on exoplanets with volatile delivery histories, such as those orbiting young, dusty stars where cometary bombardment is common.

Next Steps and Cautious Optimism

Scientists caution that delivery alone does not guarantee the emergence of life; the transition from free nucleobases to self‑replicating polymers remains a formidable gap. Ongoing laboratory simulations aim to replicate the combined effects of space‑borne organics, vent‑like mineral scaffolds, and fluctuating redox conditions. As Dr Tanaka emphasizes, “We are moving from asking whether extraterrestrial chemistry contributed to life, to how it integrated with Earth’s own processes.” The convergence of astrobiology, geochemistry, and symbiosis research promises a more nuanced narrative—one that may finally answer the age‑old question of our origins while guiding the hunt for life beyond our world.

{ https://usubjects.com/  -

 https://www.newscientist.com/subject/life/ }

The Trump Administration released a fresh wave of UFO files last week, including never-before-seen footage of mysterious metallic spheres flying throughout the world.

The latest batch in the White House's push for UFO disclosure arrived Friday, including 46 videos Congress has been demanding the Pentagon release for months.

Some of the clearest images seen were of strange orbs or silver spheres appearing to float or travel at extreme speeds over mountains, oceans and even military targets.

Those mysterious sightings add to the growing number of reports and physical encounters humans have allegedly had with the ball-like objects that have seemingly invaded the entire planet.

In fact, a study from the crowdsourced platform Enigma, which allows people to report sightings of UFOs, revealed more than 8,000 sightings of orbs across the US between December 2022 and June 2025.

These reports did not even include the startling recovery of a metallic sphere seen floating above South America last year before crashing to Earth in Buga, Colombia.

The new footage released last week also matched hundreds of specific reports from witnesses who have seen 'metallic orbs' with no visible engine quickly moving through the sky.

Despite releasing the new information, the US government has not publicly commented on where these spheres are believed to have come from, what their intentions are or if the military has recovered any of these objects.

Pictured: A sphere-shaped craft seen in the latest batch of UFO file disclosed by the Pentagon. The object was seen flying over an undisclosed country on October 7, 2020

Among the most startling new videos released by the Pentagon was one captured by a US military satellite on April 12, 2021.

US Central Command, which is responsible for military operations in the Middle East, Central Asia and parts of Africa, captured nearly five minutes of color video as the satellite chased a large silver sphere over an unknown mountain range.

The UFO could be seen traveling at high speed and moving effortlessly above the terrain despite having no clear signs of an engine or way of flying that fast.

Another sphere-shaped craft was reported to the Pentagon in 2024, when another military satellite captured infrared video of the object over a large body of water repeatedly pulsating with a blinding light.

The satellite followed the UFO as it appeared to rotate and then began flashing brightly, giving off rays of light while flying low over the water at high speed.

Compared to the UFO seen flying over the mountains, the pulsating orb appeared to change shape and moved erratically as the satellite struggled to keep the image centered for more than three minutes.

So far, the Pentagon has released over 200 files related to UAPs, which have long been an object of public fascination, following the directive from Trump.

Officials noted, however, that many of the records lacked a fully verified chain of custody, raising questions about how the materials were obtained and authenticated.

US military satellites spotted a strange UFO pulsating with light over an undisclosed location at sea

While many of these mysterious spheres from an unknown source have been seen moving at extreme speed, others have been caught trying to stay hidden from human eyes.

On November 23, 2020, US satellites from US Central Command captured an eerie sight as a large spherical craft slowly moved in and out of a pocket of thick clouds.

The dark UFO appeared to carefully weave through the dense clouds, allowing military cameras to zoom in and follow the strange orb.

Other new clips seen in the latest release from the Pentagon included multiple UFOs flying together in coordinated patterns, while others described more ‘erratic movement’ and glowing spheres hovering stationary before rapidly disappearing.

While the latest videos released by the US Department of War allegedly show UFOs stalking areas in foreign countries, Enigma revealed last year that more than 360 'metallic orb' reports have taken place within a few miles of military bases here on US soil.

In three of those cases, witnesses revealed that the orbs got within five miles of Fort Hamilton in New York, Papago Military Reserve in Arizona, and Los Angeles Air Force Base on multiple occasions.

Satellite images from US Central Command captured a slow moving sphere hiding within thick clouds

The 'Buga Sphere' displays symbols that researchers in South America compared to ancient scripts, including runes, Ogham and Mesopotamian writing systems

Meanwhile, it remains unclear if the objects can be seriously damaged by human technology.

Last year, Congressman Eric Burlison of Missouri revealed footage of an orb-shaped UFO off the coast of Yemen being struck by a Hellfire missile from US military drone and surviving the impact.

The 100-pound air-to-ground precision weapon bouncing off the mysterious orb, which continued traveling at extreme speed as several fragments of the orb which broke away during the impact continued to fly next to the UFO.

In Colombia, the so-called Buga Sphere allegedly collided with power lines in the city, sending it crashing to Earth and landing in a local field.

However, that sphere reportedly continued to emit some type of energy which scorched the grass around it, killed the local soil and allegedly caused those who touched it to become ill as if they had been exposed to a form of radiation.

More UFO files are expected to be released by the Pentagon, but an exact date for the third release has not been announced.

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