The humanoid robot designed 'for a lifetime': China reveals creepy bots that look and feel like real humans – and they can even reproduce 90% of our movements

• READ MORE: Humanoid robot is spotted BEGGING on a street in China

By WILIAM HUNTER, SENIOR SCIENCE & TECHNOLOGY REPORTER

China has revealed a new generation of creepy humanoid robots that are designed for a 'lifetime' of companionship.

At an event in the Chinese tech hub of Shenzhen, UBTech Robotics launched the world's first mass–produced ultra–realistic humanoid robots.

These Uworld U1 androids are covered with 'biomimetic skin' that looks and feels just like that of a real human.

And the company even claims that the robots' specially designed 'spines' mean they can reproduce 90 per cent of human movements.

The male and female versions stand at 183 and 169 centimetres tall respectively, and weigh about half as much as their average human counterpart.

They are being offered for sale in a basic torso–only version as well as in two full–body options with more advanced features.

UBTech says that prices start at £13,218 (119,88 RMB), with the high–end units costing up to £109,205 (990,000 RMB).

However, not everyone appears to be a fan of the robots, with one horrified viewer branding the bots 'soulless golems'.

China has revealed a new generation of creepy humanoid robots that are designed for a 'lifetime' of companionship 

Unlike most humanoid robots, which are designed for factory floors and industrial labour, the U1 androids have been created to be 'companions'.

UBTech founder Zhou Jian described this as the next phase in 'human–machine symbiosis'. 

He said: 'First robots work in factories, then they enter our homes, and finally integrate seamlessly into our lives.'

With that goal in mind, these uncanny androids have been designed to be as realistic as possible.

The bots feature 88 servo joints, a specialised dual–pivot biomimetic cervical spine, and thousands of components in the head to reproduce human facial expressions.

Jiao Jichao, vice–president of UBTech and head of its Embodied Intelligence and Humanoid Robotics Research Institute, told the South China Morning Post that the face was the biggest problem.

Mr Jichao says: 'One of the biggest challenges was making the robot look and behave naturally after fitting complex mechanical systems into a human–sized body, as well as ensuring its facial expressions matched speech and emotion and that it could deliver consistent performance at scale.'

To ensure that the robot can act like a human as well as looking like one, UBTech says each bot comes with an on–board AI specifically designed for 'long–term companionship'.

At an event in the Chinese tech hub of Shenzhen, UBTech Robotics launched the world's first mass–produced ultra–realistic humanoid robots

These Uworld U1 androids are covered with 'biomimetic skin' that looks and feels like a real human

This AI is supposedly capable of 'recognising more than 20 fine–grained emotional states with an accuracy rate exceeding 90 per cent'. 

Staff at the launch event told reporters: 'The robot can hold conversations, maintain eye contact with users, and is available for sale only to adults.'

UBTech says that 13,361 people have already paid a £330 (3,000 RMB) deposit to secure their spot in the pre–order waitlist.

The company also says it will donate 100 androids to vulnerable groups, including 'children growing up apart from one or both parents, older adults living alone, and families facing difficult circumstances', by the end of this year.

On social media, some tech fans were amazed by the announcement, with one commenter writing: 'It's so cool looking, like it came right out of a sci–fi movie.'

While another chimed in: 'Fascinating to see UBTECH delivering this level of realism and emotional intelligence in a mass–produced humanoid.'

However, despite the apparent popularity, some commenters slammed these bots' eerie appearances and apparently limited functionality.

One commenter wrote on X: 'A mannequin with a microphone and a c***** AI model, big whoop.'

UBTech says that these robots have been specifically designed to provide companionship, and are pitched as a solution to China's loneliness problem 

'They do NOT look human,' added another. 

One commenter wrote: 'It won't be cheap, obviously, but it'll be totally worth it, at least until they decide to slit my throat in my sleep.'

This comes after humanoid robots in China suffered several viral disasters.

Shocking footage filmed at a show in Shaanxi Province, China, on 21 March, shows a Unitree robot slapping a young boy across the face.

During a routine, the bot veered towards the crowd with sweeping arm movements, ultimately catching the boy in the head as it performed a pirouette.

Similarly, at a sports day event in Xinjiang Uygur Autonomous Region in north–western China, a robot was filmed performing a martial arts routine.

But as children ran onto the pitch to join it, the bot collapsed, aiming kung fu kicks towards baffled performers who worriedly backed away.

{ https://www.dailymail.com/sciencetech/index.html }

EXCLUSIVE - Trump's inner circle have shown me the real UFO disclosure: The president has an imminent speech 'written and ready'... what he'll explain about non-human life will make it all make sense

By CHRIS MELORE, US DEPUTY SCIENCE EDITOR

President Donald Trump allegedly has a speech 'written and ready' that could finally provide the world with the truth about UFOs. 

Mark Christopher Lee, who correctly predicted several aspects of Trump's UFO disclosure plans in the Daily Mail earlier this year, now claims the president has prepared a speech that would amount to a historic 'soft disclosure' of extraterrestrial life. 

White House officials have told the Daily Mail that no speech discussing this topic has been planned.

However, Lee revealed that multiple sources believe the speech not only exists but may have been moved up to take place during the NATO summit in Turkey on July 8, which is also the anniversary of the Roswell UFO incident in 1947 - though he is less confident about the exact timing of the speech. 

'People I have spoken with in Washington have told me that a speech on the topic has been prepared and is ready to go,' Lee told the Daily Mail. 'Whether it happens tomorrow or in the coming days, it appears imminent.' 

The alleged draft of the speech is said to mention specific UFO incidents over the last 80 years, including Roswell, the US Navy's encounter with a craft called the 'Tic Tac' in 2004 and multiple UFOs spotted by fighter jets along the East Coast in 2015.

These incidents have been in the public zeitgeist for years now, but Lee says Trump will go a step further, and confirm these incidents are believed to have involved craft and beings of a 'non-human origin.'

He is also expected to reveal that forensic testing done on entities found in crashed UFOs proves these beings were not from Earth, according to Lee. 

'The text claims Trump would explain past secrecy, announce declassification steps, a new interagency task force, and international cooperation - while stating this is "not a threat, but an opportunity to unite humanity,"' the filmmaker revealed.

President Donald Trump has already directed the Pentagon to disclose all files related to UFOs and the search for alien life, a process which started on May 8

Mark Christopher Lee, a UK-based ufologist and filmmaker, has said a speech has been prepared by Trump and that address may come as soon as July 8, 2026

Trump has expressed support for increased transparency and 'disclosure' regarding UFOs, though his personal interest in the subject has historically been described as skeptical or limited.

'Am I a believer? No, I probably can't say I am. But I have met with people who are serious people who say there are some really strange things that they see flying around out there,' Trump said during an appearance on YouTuber-turned-WWE star Logan Paul's podcast last year.

Trump's own daughter-in-law, Lara, said multiple times she had been led to believe a speech had been written and was ready for the public to hear. 

Lee said one of his sources was Robert Bigelow, an American businessman and billionaire known for his work in real estate, hotels and space technology - as well as his strong personal interest in UFOs and government transparency.

Lee has alleged that Bigelow, a major donor to Trump's 2024 election campaign, has taken credit for convincing the president to prepare this speech.

According to a report in Rolling Stone, Bigelow reportedly met with Trump cabinet member Robert F Kennedy Jr in December, with the discussion quickly pivoting from health and homelessness to 'the matter of UFOs and paranormal activity.'

The Daily Mail has reached out to Bigelow for comment. 

Another source was US television producer David Broadwell, credited with working on the series Beyond Skinwalker Ranch, which investigates paranormal and UFO-related phenomena.

Broadwell told the Daily Mail that his sources in Washington 'were all talking about this speech' and he chose to disclose this information to several researchers who investigate UFOs. 

Robert T Bigelow (Pictured) is founder and president of Bigelow Aerospace and also a major donor to President Trump's 2024 campaign

Trump's February 19 order to disclose any and all information on alien life came hours after he scolded former President Obama for saying in an interview that aliens were real

To this point, the US government has maintained that no physical evidence of UFOs or alien life has ever been found to have visited Earth. 

Despite that stance, Trump has publicly criticized former President Obama for allegedly revealing classified information when he said that aliens 'are real, but I haven't seen them and they're not being kept at Area 51.'

Just days after Obama's comments in February, Trump issued a historic order to the Pentagon to disclose any and all information on UFO encounters and investigations into alien life.

Since then, three tranches of files have been released by the US Department of War on a newly created website, which has already been viewed more than a billion times since its debut on May 8.

The files contain videos, audio recordings, pictures and thousands of pages of old reports by the FBI, NASA and Pentagon documenting cases of unexplained encounters and sightings throughout the world.

However, none of the declassified files have been called the 'smoking gun' of proof that definitively shows that aliens exist and have visited Earth in a genuine interstellar craft.

Lee - who produced and starred in the short film called July 8: The Day Everything Changes? - believes the historic speech is imminent in order to beat out several hostile nations the US is allegedly in a 'UFO Cold War' with, battling over technology and reversed-engineered breakthroughs from crashed spacecraft.

Lee said that July 8 'could be the perfect platform to frame UFOs [and] aliens as a common threat to NATO members and steal the ground on Russia and China.'

Major Jesse Marcel (Pictured), recovered debris from the 1947 Roswell crash in New Mexico. He said the debris could not melt or heat up and could not be punctured

The local paper's front page story reported that the Roswell Army field recovered a flying saucer on a New Mexico Ranch after metallic-looking, light but strong material was scattered across the land

Lee's predictions, given to the Daily Mail in January, have been spot-on to this point.

The filmmaker accurately claimed that public disclosure would begin this year, with UFO files rolling out from the Pentagon starting in May.

This also brought a renewed level of scrutiny from Capitol Hill, as Lee predicted. Member of the House Oversight Committee have continued to press the Trump Administration for full disclosure, including during a major news event on June 9.

Lee did claim he was 'misled and used' about by insiders who claimed full alien disclosure would come sooner and then stopped returning his calls after he went public with the information about Trump's speech.

However, the filmmaker has stood by the main belief that the speech is real and could come at any time.

'I just spoke to another journalist who has confirmed that there is a speech and it is imminent,' Lee told the Daily Mail.

If Trump were to confirm that the Roswell incident was real, it would validate recent claims that there has been an 80-year cover-up within the US government and possibly throughout the world to keep the knowledge of alien life a secret.

Roswell became the world's most famous UFO case, forming the foundation of modern extraterrestrial lore.

According to the original US military announcement on July 8, 1947, soldiers from Roswell Army Air Field in New Mexico recovered the wreckage of a 'flying disc' from a ranch near Roswell.

The story quickly made national headlines. However, the military changed its story the next day, saying it was just a weather balloon.

Many people still believe it was actually an alien spacecraft and that alien bodies were also recovered in the crash as well.

In recent years, military whistleblowers have stepped forward to publicly testify before Congress that the US government is actively operating a secret program that tracks and recovers crashed UFOs.

Whistleblowers, including Air Force veteran David Grusch, and members of the House Oversight Committee have now called on President Trump to not only disclose what the government has allegedly hidden, but also to grant immunity to all whistleblowers with knowledge of these programs.

{ https://www.dailymail.com/news/index.html }

Although many mystery objects that are found on beaches have Earthly origins, that wasn’t the case in this instance: according to Australian Space Agency officials, these mysterious metallic spheres actually did fall from space.

The Mystery Spheres of Forrest Beach

The mystery began on July 5, when Queensland Fire Department personnel responded to reports of unusual objects spotted by area residents along the nearby shoreline.

“Queensland Fire and Rescue crews are continuing to assist partner agencies following the discovery of several potentially hazardous objects around Forrest Beach in North Queensland,” the agency wrote in an update that appeared on its official Facebook page.

“Specialist QFR Scientific teams have safely secured a number of the items throughout the weekend and remain on scene continuing their work,” the statement read. “A 50-metre exclusion zone is still in place.”

“The nature and origin of the debris are still being investigated,” the Queensland Fire Department statement added.

The following day, the Australian Space Agency confirmed the outer space origins of these objects, according to The New York Times, although with one caveat: while the curious spheres fell from space, their deeper origins are here on Earth, having likely been related to debris from a rocket that recently reentered from orbit.

“The recovered objects appear to be pressure vessels from a space launch vehicle,” according to a statement released by the Australian Space Agency that said the metallic spheres were “consistent with debris from a foreign rocket body,” though offering few additional details about the objects and their specific origins.

The suspected pressure vessels would have been used as storage containers for substances used during the launch phase, or possibly while in orbit.

Space Debris Found in Australia

“The majority of returning space objects either arrive back in a controlled manner to a specific location on Earth, or burn up in the Earth’s atmosphere,” the Australian Space Agency states on a page on its website that discusses space debris that may be discovered in Australia.

“Some objects may survive uncontrolled re-entry, making it harder to predict where the debris may fall,” the FAQ page states. “While any space debris that survives re-entry is most likely to land in the ocean or in remote locations, the initial discovery of space debris on Australian territory may be by members of the public.”

According to officials with Australia’s National Emergency Management Agency, there was no risk posed by the objects found at Forrest Beach, although the area around the discovery site was temporarily closed while officials descended on the area to test for any signs of contamination from potentially volatile substances.

Australia Isn’t Alone

Debris suspected of originating from spacecraft has made its way to Australia in the past. One large example discovered by residents in northeastern Australia four years ago was determined to have belonged to part of a SpaceX Dragon spacecraft.

Australians aren’t the only ones making such discoveries. In 2024, NASA confirmed that an unusual object found on a remote property in Western North Carolina had also been SpaceX debris from one of the company’s Dragon capsules.

The Debrief was one of the first outlets to identify that object as possible SpaceX debris, after noting similarities to a confirmed portion of the trunk section from a Dragon capsule used during the SpaceX Axiom 3 mission that survived reentry over Saskatchewan on Feb 26, 2024, and was later discovered by a farmer on his property.

Our Fascination with Mysterious Metallic Spheres

Last year, similar claims involving the alleged recovery of a mysterious metallic sphere were reported in March near Buga, Colombia. Researchers who studied the object, which was allegedly observed passing through the sky before it was recovered from an area of thick undergrowth, claimed the object had “no welds or joints,” and that it featured unusual symbols on its surface.

The origins of the Buga mystery sphere remain undetermined, with some suspecting that, rather than space debris in this instance, the object may simply have been a hoax.

Such stories highlight our fascination with mysterious metallic spheres, which is nothing new, especially when it comes to mysterious sightings of unusual objects. During the height of the Second World War, The New York Times carried a news brief in its December 14, 1944 edition, which described observations by U.S. pilots involving unusual spherical objects seen over Europe.

“A new German weapon has made its appearance on the western air front,” the short Times article reads. “Airmen of the American Air Force report that they are encountering silver colored spheres in the air over German territory.”

“The spheres are encountered either singly or in clusters,” the brief concludes, adding that “Sometimes they are semi-translucent.”

In an April 2023 Senate Subcommittee on Emerging Threats and Capabilities hearing, Dr. Sean Kirkpatrick, at the time serving as the inaugural director of the Pentagon’s All-domain Anomaly Resolution Office, told lawmakers that small spherical objects accounted for a majority of the reports it receives involving what the U.S. military now calls unidentified anomalous phenomena (UAP), historically known as UFOs.

More Space Debris Could Be Found

While Australian officials have confirmed that the objects discovered at Forrest Beach aren’t evidence of visitors from space, they have nonetheless advised that it is possible additional debris could be found, and locals who may find such materials have been advised to alert the Australian Space Agency.

“Do not handle the debris,” the Australian Space Agency states on its website. “Space objects are built from a range of materials that may be hazardous. They should only be handled by appropriately trained and equipped professionals.”

Residents in Australia who discover possible space debris are advised to contact the country’s space agency using the official contact page available on its website.

• Micah Hanks is the Editor-in-Chief and Co-Founder of The Debrief. A longtime reporter on science, defense, and technology with a focus on space and astronomy, he can be reached at micah@thedebrief.org. Follow him on X @MicahHanks, and at micahhanks.com.

{ https://thedebrief.org/category/space/ }

6,000 Years Ago, Billions of Pounds of Copper Vanished From the American Wilderness

RamseyHardin

The Indigenous people near Lake Superior established pre-mining industries thousands of years before the pyramids of Egypt were constructed, and centuries before iron changed the military powers of the ancient world. 

The World’s Largest Prehistoric Copper Mining District

Rich deposits of copper lie on the Keweenaw Peninsula of modern-day Michigan and on nearby Isle Royale, where veins and large masses of pure native copper emerge naturally near the surface. Archaeologists have documented approximately 10,000 prehistoric mine pits on Isle Royale, with thousands more scattered across the Keweenaw Peninsula. Excavations have also uncovered massive hammerstones, wooden levers, abandoned extraction pits, and fire-cracked bedrocks - evidence of organized mining on an extraordinary scale. 

• A Metal of Power and Prestige: The Ancient Copper Industry of North America 
• Native North Americans Were Making Copper Tools in 7,500 BC 

Today, many of these same ancient mine pits remain visible beneath the forests of Isle Royale National Park, where they serve as silent guardians for generations of Indigenous miners whose engineering skills transformed the landscape long before the first European explorers set foot in North America. Yet, while the sheer scale of this mining operation is beyond dispute, an equally remarkable mystery remains. Despite the immense quantity of copper believed to have been extracted 3,000 to 6,000 years ago, only a small fraction survives as fragments in archaeological contexts. The fate of the rest of the copper continues to puzzle archaeologists, and it presents an enduring archaeological mystery. 

Wisconsin prehistoric timeline (Old Copper Culture chronology). Available through the museum's online Old Copper Culture exhibit.

(Milwaukee Public Museum)

The Old Copper Culture: Among the World’s Earliest Metalworkers

The people who created the copper industry are known among archaeologists as the Old Copper Culture, a specific archaic tradition that flourished around the Great Lakes between 7,500 and 9,500 years ago. Rather than practicing metallurgy by smelting ores, Indigenous communities took advantage of the region's unique deposits of native copper, a naturally occurring metal pure enough to be worked without melting. By repeatedly hammering the copper into shape and reheating it over time, a process known as annealing, they produced a wide range of durable tools and ornamental objects. Archaeological excavations have uncovered copper spear points, axes, knives, adzes, awls, fishhooks, bracelets, chisels, beads, and pendants, demonstrating how copper served both practical and ceremonial functions in everyday life. 

• Mystery Mines That Enriched The Old World
• Who Mined Lake Superior? Ancient Glyphs Solve Bronze Age Mystery (Video)

The influence of the Old Copper Culture extended far beyond the shores of Lake Superior. Geochemical tracing has located copper artifacts in the broader Great Lakes region, ranging from the upper Midwest to the Southeast. Such broad dispersal shows that early metalworkers participated in exchange networks linking diverse Indigenous communities across North America. Archaeologists continue to debate how these networks actually operated, but there is little doubt that Great Lakes copper became one of the continent’s most sought-after materials. Therefore, the achievements of the Old Copper Culture represent one of the earliest examples of metalworking on the American continent and one of the most sophisticated technological traditions of the prehistoric world. 

Copper knife, spearpoints, awls, and spud, Late Archaic period, Wisconsin, 3000 BC–1000 BC, Wisconsin Historical Museum.

(Daderot/CC0 1.0) 

Then the Mining Suddenly Stopped 

For thousands of years, the copper mines of the Lake Superior Region echoed with the sounds of hammerstones striking bedrock as generations of Indigenous miners extracted copper from the Keweenaw Peninsula and Isle Royale. Approximately three thousand years ago, this intensive mining activity abruptly ended. Archaeologists have found little evidence that new mine pits were opened on the same scale after this period, and the distinctive mining tradition that had once flourished in the Lake Superior Region gradually faded from the archaeological record. The disappearance is quite striking because the veins were far from exhausted. Vast quantities of native copper were left in the ground, prompting researchers to ask why Indigenous communities abandoned one of North America's richest mineral resources. 

• Archaeologists Have Dates Wrong for North American Indigenous History 
• Cahokia: The Rise and Fall of an Indigenous Empire 

There is broad agreement that intensive prehistoric mining declined around 1000 BC, but why this occurred remains actively debated. The archaeological record shows numerous abandoned mine pits, hammerstones left in place, and unfinished workings that were abandoned without explanation. Due to the lack of evidence for this period, the end of North America’s great prehistoric copper industry remains one of archaeology’s unanswered questions, one that inspires advanced technological research, including radiocarbon dating, geochemical analysis, and Indigenous archaeological analysis. 

Hammerstones atop the poor rock pile near McCargoe Cove, photographed in July 1954. National Visual Inventory Cards 50-545. Isle Royale National Park. From Archaeological History of Isle Royale and Ancient Copper Mining.

(National Park Service)

Conclusion

One of the most important technological advancements has come directly from geochemical and lead-isotope analyses. Researchers can compare the elemental composition of copper artifacts with that of known geological sources. Because the native copper deposits in the Lake Superior region exhibit distinct chemical signatures, researchers can determine whether an artifact originated on the Keweenaw Peninsula or Isle Royale. Recent studies confirmed that Great Lakes copper was distributed throughout eastern North America, appearing at archaeological sites hundreds of miles from its source. Combining radiocarbon dating with microscopic analysis of manufacturing techniques, researchers can trace the evidence of the sophisticated Indigenous exchange networks that connected prehistoric communities across the continent.

• Archaeologists in the Yukon find a Remarkably Intact Dart Lost by an Indigenous Hunter 1,000 Years Ago. 
• Maize, Not Metal, Key to New York Iroquoian Settlements' History 

The greatest mystery remains unsolved. While scientific analyses continue to improve estimates of active mining activity and chart Lake Superior copper circulation, many archaeologists suspect that a significant portion of ancient copper work remains undiscovered in unexcavated archaeological sites, buried ceremonial caches, submerged landscapes, and settlements that still haven’t been investigated. Others caution that historical estimates of the total quantity of copper mined may require further refinement as new data comes in. A new technological breakthrough has only generated new questions about the organization of prehistoric mining, the scale of long-distance exchange, and the social importance of copper within Indigenous cultures. The search for answers goes on, demonstrating that archaeology isn’t solely dedicated to uncovering ancient objects. Researchers are using scientific techniques to reconstruct forgotten economies, human connections, and technologies stretching back thousands of years.

• Abbott, Mark B., Daniel M. Pompeani, Brandon T. Nash, and colleagues. "Lead Isotope Analysis of Prehistoric Copper Artifacts from the Great Lakes Region." Journal of Archaeological Science 41 (2014): 766–775.
• Abbott, Mark B. “Early Mining and Metal Working on Michigan's Upper Peninsula.” University of Pittsburgh. Accessed July 5, 2026.https://sites.pitt.edu/~mabbott1/climate/mark/Current_Research/GreatLakes/GreatLakes.html
• Fagan, Brian M. Ancient North America: The Archaeology of a Continent. 5th ed. London: Thames & Hudson, 2017.
• Fagan, Brian M. People of the Earth: An Introduction to World Prehistory. 16th ed. New York: Routledge, 2020.
• Halsey, John R. “Prehistoric Copper Mining in Michigan: The Nineteenth-Century Discovery of ‘Ancient Diggings’ in the Keweenaw Peninsula and Isle Royale.” University of Michigan Press Blog. May 26, 2020.https://sites.lsa.umich.edu/archaeology-books/2020/05/26/prehistoric-copper-mining-in-michigan-the-nineteenth-century-discovery-of-ancient-diggings-in-the-keweenaw-peninsula-and-isle-royale/. 
• Martin, Susan R. Wonderful Power: The Story of Ancient Copper Working in the Lake Superior Basin. Detroit: Wayne State University Press, 1999.
• Warren, S., The Shawnee and Their Neighbors, 1795–1870. Urbana: University of Illinois Press, 2005.
• Milwaukee Public Museum. “Old Copper Culture.” Accessed July 5, 2026.https://www.mpm.edu/research-collections/anthropology/online-collections-research/old-copper-culture
• National Park Service. “Archaeological History of Isle Royale and Ancient Copper Mining.” Isle Royale National Park. Last modified May 28, 2024.https://www.nps.gov/articles/000/archaeological-history-ancient-copper-mining.htm.
• National Park Service. “Indigenous Mining.” National Park Service. March 8, 2024.https://www.nps.gov/articles/000/indigenous-mining.htm.
• Pauketat, T. R., ed. The Oxford Handbook of North American Archaeology. Oxford: Oxford University Press, 2012.
• Pleger, Thomas C. Old Copper and Red Ocher Social Complexity," published in the Midcontinental Journal of Archaeology 25, no. 2 (2000): 169-190. Available at: https://www.jstor.org/stable/20708133
• Pompeani, David P., Mark B. Abbott, Daniel J. Bain, Seth DePasqual, and Matthew S. Finkenbinder. "Copper mining on Isle Royale 6500-5400 years ago identified using sediment geochemistry from McCargoe Cove, Lake Superior." The Holocene 25, no. 2 (2015): 253-262. 
• Rapp, George, Jr., and John A. Gifford, eds. Archaeological Geology of North America. Boulder, CO: Geological Society of America, 1985.
• United States National Park Service. Isle Royale National Park: Prehistoric Copper Mining. Washington, DC: U.S. Department of the Interior.
• Wright, James V. A History of the Native People of Canada, Volume I (10,000–1000 BC). Ottawa: Canadian Museum of Civilization, 1995.

{ https://www.ancient-origins.net/history-0 }

Another Success for Hayabusa 2 as it Completes a Flyby of Asteroid Torifune

{ https://www.universetoday.com/ }

Green glowing UFO Over Converse, Texas. USA June 18, 2026, five full min of video! UAP Sighting News.

Date of sighting: June 18, 2026

Location of sighting: Converse, Texas, USA

Source: Youtube

 

This eyewitness has recorded five full minutes of raw unedited footage of a green glowing UFO over Texas. This UFO is partly cloaked, well, I mean as it moves, since its rotating slightly, parts of it become invisible so it looks like four separate pieces at times, but it is one single craft. Wow, this guy just had the dream we all have of encountering a colorful UFO close up for five full minutes! How exciting this must have been. This UFO wanted to be seen, after its telepathy sensed it being watch...it put on a show for him showing its maneuverability and at different angles. Aliens...they want full disclosure too. They don't like hiding. 

Scott C. Waring - UFO Sightings Daily 

 

Eyewitness states: 

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

Mother sphere creates smaller orb, Ruskin, Florida, USA Jun 2026, UFO UAP Sighting news.

Date of sighting: June 18, 2026

Location of sighting: Ruskin, Florida, USA

Source: NUFORC

 

Catching a white sphere with an aurora around it is rare, but whats even more rare is seeing smaller spheres shooting out of it. Here the smaller orbs are dropping out directly below. They drop out cloaked, but are visible when they shoot off. The propulsion system is still visible (bright flash). This makes them visible for a split second. I love to see these type of catches. 

Scott C. Waring - UFO Sightings Daily 

 

Eyewitness states: 

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

By the spring of 1945, Hitler's regime was collapsing as Allied forces closed in from every direction. Yet according to persistent claims, one highly secret project continued until the very end. Known as Project Kronos, it is said to have centered on the mysterious device called Die Glocke ("The Bell"), allegedly developed using concepts inspired by a thousand-year-old Indian text. 

The project operated within underground facilities hidden beneath the mountains of Lower Silesia, particularly in the Riese Project complex. 

According to unverified reports, Die Glocke was capable of: manipulating gravity, generating anti-gravity effects, distorting time, opening portals, or even enabling time travel. 

The device was also said to be powered by a mysterious substance known as Xerum 525, described as a dense, purple, mercury-like liquid. Alleged test subjects reportedly suffered severe radiation burns, while others died under unexplained circumstances. 

Then, as the war ended, many of the scientists connected to the project reportedly disappeared, along with Hans Kammler, the SS general responsible for many of Germany's advanced weapons and underground construction projects, who allegedly oversaw the entire program.  

Decades later, the same technology resurfaced in a US Navy patent, and nobody could explain how it got there. 

This is the story of an alleged warning written a thousand years before World War II, the men who may have ignored it, and the mysterious thread said to connect an ancient king to modern spaceflight. Some parts are grounded in documented history, others remain speculation, and the full story is still unresolved.

  

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

{ https://theufotimes.com/gov-files }

Nimitz Tic Tac Incident

The Nimitz Tic Tac incident is one of the strongest modern UAP case files because it combines named military witnesses, radar discussion, and officially released U.S.

Navy video.

{ https://otherworlders.com/ }

ILLUSTRATIVE RECONSTRUCTION // NOT EVIDENCE

Overview

Blind Magazine’s latest feature traces a photographic history of UFOs as something more than a catalog of unexplained lights in the sky. In curator Philippe Baudouin’s view, these images are also cultural evidence—documents that reveal how public imagination, belief, and skepticism have evolved alongside changing ideas about extraterrestrial life. Presenting “Nous ne sommes pas seuls. Images extraterrestres” (“We Are Not Alone. Extraterrestrial Images”) at Espace Croisière through October 4, 2026, Baudouin frames the subject not as proof of alien visitation, but as a visual archive of humanity’s enduring uncertainty about its place in the universe.

Photography as a Record of Belief

Baudouin begins from a cosmological premise that many scientists and philosophers would recognize: with “billions of galaxies, billions of stars, and probably as many planets as there are grains of sand on a beach,” he argues, “what would be unreasonable is to think we are alone in the universe.” Yet he is careful to distinguish between possibility and evidence. Whether that life is microbial or intelligent, he says, “I’m simply incapable of telling you.” That uncertainty is precisely why the exhibition focuses on UFO imagery rather than definitive extraterrestrial proof. Photography, in this context, becomes a stand-in for scientific knowledge that remains elusive, offering a record of what people have seen, believed, or wanted to believe at different moments in time.

A Cult Image, and the Mystery Behind It

Among the exhibition’s standout images is a striking 1993 photograph by Yves Bosson, Jean-Claude Ladrat, constructeur de soucoupes volantes (“Jean-Claude Ladrat, Builder of Flying Saucers”), which captures a man seated beside his homemade flying saucer as if it were an ordinary piece of furniture. The image evokes a distinctly French episode of amateur ufology and popular television memory: Ladrat’s appearance on the cult documentary program Strip-Tease in La Soucoupe et le perroquet (“The Saucer and the Parrot”), where viewers saw him building a craft in his mother’s garden in Germignac, apparently destined for the Bermuda Triangle. Baudouin notes that Bosson’s photograph had “never been published or shown” before, sitting for years in the photographer’s archives. The story underscores one of the exhibition’s central ideas: some UFO photographs survive not because they solve a mystery, but because they preserve a memorable encounter between obsession, eccentricity, and belief.

From Science Fiction Icon to Archive

The exhibition also opens with a familiar cultural touchstone: the I Want to Believe poster made famous by The X-Files. Baudouin points out that the image behind that emblem was itself lifted from a real photograph taken in 1975 by Swiss farmer Eduard Albert “Billy” Meier, who claimed to have photographed more than 1,400 UFOs in the Swiss countryside between 1975 and 1980. One of Meier’s images was reportedly used without authorization to create the poster. That detail is revealing: even one of television’s most iconic symbols of UFO skepticism and wonder is rooted in a contested photograph. In Baudouin’s telling, this is where the exhibition’s logic becomes clearest—beneath the popular myth lies an image, and beneath the image, an unresolved mystery.

Why These Images Still Matter

Baudouin insists he is not a ufologist, but his curatorial approach suggests that the history of UFO photography is inseparable from broader questions about media, memory, and belief. These pictures do not merely illustrate a fringe topic; they show how societies have tried to visualize the unknown. In that sense, Blind Magazine’s feature presents UFO photography as both artifact and argument: a body of work that captures not only alleged objects in the sky, but also the enduring human desire to find meaning in what cannot yet be explained.

{ https://usubjects.com/  }

An expert has explained the steps to take after a UFO sighting

Mick West - who has looked into around 1,000 potential unidentified aerial phenomenon [UAP] sightings over the years - has given an insight into the steps you should take if you spot something strange in the sky revealing the apps that can help determine whether it's a genuine sighting or if there is a more Earthly explanation.

The most important factor in determining whether a sighting is genuine is having an original video - rather than a downloaded copy - and it's even better if there's audio too.

West recommends a number of apps and programs which can be used to analyse the footage including Invisor, which can display and compare technical information about video, audio, and photo files, and the took he created himself called Sitrec, which uses line of sight mapping, flight data integration and sensor recreation.

He also highlights free-to-use app FlightRadar24, which tracks the movements of aircraft and can help establish what might be up in the air at the time of the sighting.

In a piece written for Skepticalinquirer.org, West explained how he used flight tracking to determine the validity of a potential sighting which appeared as three lights "hovering over a building" in the US state of Cincinnati.

He wrote: "One of the more common sources of UAP sightings is aircraft. In decades past, UFO researchers would have to call the local airports, or even travel agents, to try to determine what planes might have been seen.

"Now plane schedules are all online, and beyond that, we can now replay the flight activity over a certain area to see what planes might have been visible ...

"In a recent example, a spotter near Cincinnati saw what looked like a triangle of three lights hovering over a building at 00:14 UTC on October 12. I suspected this was three planes heading toward the camera.

"So, I ran through the process above, and sure enough there were three planes in a row heading straight for the camera location."

West also explained that some strange goings-on in the night sky can also be explained by stars, planets, and satellites.

He added: " Celestial objects, such as stars, planets, and satellites, can be viewed on sites (or apps) such as Stellarium. This allows you to see what the night sky would look like at any time, from any position on Earth.

"Many UAP sightings are planets, bright stars (such as Sirius), or satellites. Stellarium is clunky but powerful and accurate."

{ https://www.femalefirst.co.uk/ }

Lost Desert City Buried for 1,600 Years Unearthed in Egypt

RamseyHardin

For 1,600 years, a once-thriving frontier settlement lay buried beneath Egypt's western desert. Once governed by Byzantine officials, the city was covered by drifting sand that covered the streets and markets. Now, archaeologists have uncovered fourth-century workshops, a basilica-style church in the Dakhla Oasis, and well-preserved stone homes. Scattered coins and pottery fragments tell a story of everyday life during the Byzantine Empire’s struggles to maintain power in Egypt.

A Byzantine Settlement Emerges from the Sand

Mahmoud Massoud, Director General of Dakhla Antiquities and head of the excavation mission, expressed surprise at the “rich assemblage of artifacts and the components of a fully functioning community.” Discovered in Egypt's New Valley Governorate in the Western Desert during ongoing excavations at the Ain Al-Sabil archaeological site, the settlement is now on UNESCO's Tentative List, just a step away from being added to the World Heritage List.

• How Byzantine Art and Architecture Captivated the Known World 
• The Fantastic Basilica San Vitale is the Last Entirely Intact Byzantine Church 

According to Dr. Zahran Mahdi, director of the Excavations Department at the Islamic and Coptic Antiquities Sector, it is rare to find an intact Byzantine urban settlement. Islamic, Mamluk, and Ottoman building initiatives expanded over or reused earlier Byzantine layers. Urban construction projects used unfired mud bricks, so older layers were eroded or demolished. Intact settlements are usually discovered in remote arid regions where unsuccessful settlements were abandoned.

Excavated mudbrick residential buildings at the Byzantine city of Ain al-Sabil, Dakhla Oasis, Egypt.

(Supreme Council of Antiquities/Egyptian Ministry of Tourism and Antiquities)

Egypt Under Byzantine Rule

The Byzantine period in Egypt began in 395 AD, after the death of Emperor Theodosius I. The Roman Empire was divided into eastern and western regions, and Egypt became part of the Eastern Roman, or Byzantine, Empire, though the capital, Constantinople, was hundreds of miles away. The recently discovered settlement offers a glimpse of life at a time when Roman traditions, Christian beliefs, and Egyptian culture overlapped.

• Excavating Subeita, a Byzantine City In The Negev Desert 
• Adapting to Survive: How Byzantium Survived the Arab Invasions 

Egypt was both a wealthy and strategically important province because of its thriving agriculture and grain exports. It was known as the Breadbasket of the Byzantine Empire. During the Byzantine era, Christianity changed Egypt's religious and cultural practices. Christians built churches and monasteries in urban areas. Across Egypt, towns expanded under imperial rule. Unfortunately, religious disputes between the Byzantine authorities and the Coptic Christian congregations over differing beliefs about the nature of Christ created problems. The Byzantine Empire controlled Egypt until 641 AD, when Arab Muslim forces conquered the country. Many settlements built before 620-640 AD were abandoned or buried by the desert.

Bronze Byzantine coins excavated from the Ain al-Sabil settlement, Dakhla Oasis, Egypt.

(Supreme Council of Antiquities/Egyptian Ministry of Tourism and Antiquities)

Unearthing the Lost City

The mission from Egypt’s Supreme Council of Antiquities discovered the Byzantine city at the Dakhla Oasis and began excavations at the Ain Al-Sabil site. Dr. Hisham El-Leithy, secretary-general of the Supreme Council of Antiquities, believes the discoveries have helped researchers better understand the settlement’s urban design, social organization, and economic activities. They discovered a planned urban city, with intersecting streets, a central church, and substantial fortifications. There are open squares and courtyards throughout the settlement. The defensive structures include thick walls and two watchtowers.

• The Red Monastery: Will the Last Byzantine Monument in Egypt Survive Local Development? 
• The Realities of Daily Life for Common People in Ancient Egypt versus Ancient Rome 

Dr. Mamoud pointed out that the residential district contained many spacious homes with large halls and vaulted ceilings. Residents had bread ovens and kitchens with food storage. There were special areas with stone tools for grinding grain. One of the most impressive buildings, the home of a church deacon, Tisus, dates to the second half of the fourth century AD. Archaeologists also uncovered the house of Tapibos that served as a house-church before the construction of the basilica.

Artifacts Reveal Commercial Transactions

According to Dr. Mahdi, the most informative discovery was a collection of about 200 ostraca, or inscribed pottery fragments, written in both Coptic and Greek. They provide a record of commercial transactions, personal correspondence, and other aspects of daily life.

“One of the excavation’s most significant discoveries is a collection of nearly 200 inscribed ostraca (pottery fragments used as writing material) bearing texts in both Coptic and Greek,” Mahdi said.

The inscriptions record commercial transactions, correspondence, and other details of daily life. The discovery of a set of bronze coins featuring portraits of Byzantine emperors, Latin inscriptions, and Christian symbols, along with a group of gold coins dated to the reign of Roman Emperor Constantius II (337-361 AD), shows the changing circumstances and the residents’ connections during the Byzantine era.

• Christian Church Ruins Unearthed in Alexandria May Be Oldest Ever Found in Egypt 
• Emperor Theodosius I: Religious Intolerance in Ancient Rome and The End of the Olympics

The Importance of the Lost Byzantine Settlement

The Byzantine settlement under the desert sands is quite different from Egypt’s temples and pyramids. The town was not constructed to honor kings. Rather, it was part of the lives of ordinary people. The discoveries at the Dukhla Oasis provide the information that historians need to reconstruct life in the centuries between the ancient and medieval worlds.

• Top Image: Excavated mudbrick residential quarter at the former Byzantine city known today as Ain al-Sabil, Dakhla Oasis, Egypt. Official excavation photograph released July 2026.
• Source: Supreme Council of Antiquities/Egyptian Ministry of Tourism and Antiquities

By Ramsey Hardin

References

• Arkeonews. “Egypt Uncovers a Complete Byzantine City in the Dakhla Oasis, Preserving Streets, Homes, Church and Daily Records.” July 2026.https://arkeonews.net/egypt-uncovers-a-complete-byzantine-city-in-the-dakhla-oasis-preserving-streets-homes-church-and-daily-records/.
• Associated Press. “Egypt Uncovers Lost Byzantine-Era City in the Western Desert.” AP News, July 4, 2026. https://apnews.com/article/3fe1e9fbea2261e372db5ca4e90ea619.
• HeritageDaily. “Lost Byzantine City Rediscovered in Egypt’s Dakhla Oasis.” July 2026.https://www.heritagedaily.com/2026/07/lost-byzantine-city-rediscovered-in-egypts-dakhla-oasis/158514.
• Magdy, Samy. “Egypt Uncovers Lost Byzantine-Era City in the Western Desert.” ABC News, July 4, 2026. https://abcnews.go.com/International/wireStory/egypt-uncovers-lost-byzantine-era-city-western-desert-134472408.
• Ministry of Tourism and Antiquities. Discover Egypt’s Monuments. Accessed July 6, 2026.https://egymonuments.gov.eg/.
• Radley, Dario. “Byzantine City with 200 Written Records Uncovered in Egypt’s Dakhla Oasis.” Archaeology Magazine, July 5, 2026.https://archaeologymag.com/2026/07/byzantine-city-with-written-records-in-dakhla-oasis/.
• The Guardian. “Archaeologists Uncover Ancient Byzantine City in Egypt’s Western Desert.” July 4, 2026.https://www.theguardian.com/world/2026/jul/04/archaeologists-uncover-ancient-byzantine-city-in-egypts-western-desert.

{ https://www.ancient-origins.net/news-history-archaeology }

If you saw an alien ship landed on Earths moon, would you even recognize it? UFO UAP Sighting News.

Date of discovery: July 6, 2026

Location of discovery: Earths moon, Apollo 15 image

Source photo: 

• https://data.lroc.im-ldi.com/apollo/view?camera=P&image_name=AS15

The moon is a junkyard for discontinued alien ships. Guys, I found a lot of these things last night and I really wanted to share them with you today. So take your time, stare at the ones for a while to let your eyes adjust to the black and white. And don't worry if you don't see it, it took me decades, since I've been doing this since 1975. There are not a few, but hundreds of structures on the moon, in just this one single photo. I noticed that there is a white crater rim around each of these structures that I found, and I pieced together that maybe these are not craters at all because the objects in the middle of them looked like they were man-made intelligently made structures. So I kind of pieced together that these structures are actually ships. You see the ships are landing on the surface of the moon and as they get close to the moon, they stir up a lot of dust.This dust is fresh and white because it's deeper and it has not been exposed to the sun. So this dust turns into a white oval or circle surrounding the alien ship that landed in that location. Now don't try to decide for yourself what an alien ship should look like, because you and I are not aliens. As humans we think like a human, we assumes things are supposed to be a certain way due to our human cultures and teachings. Therefore we must look at things scientifically...you need to look for intelligently made designs things that have a 90° angles to them in many different positions. Things that just don't look natural to you. And it is very possible that if it's on the moon and you will find one of these objects, and it will have a 95% chance to be alien technology.

Scott C. Waring - UFO Sightings Daily

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

One and done! NASA Artemis II astronaut Jeremy Hansen dramatically RETIRES after a single mission around the moon – as one fan asks 'what do you guys see up there that you don't want to go back?'

• READ MORE: Who will be first Brit on the moon? Tim Peake gives his verdict

By SHIVALI BEST, SCIENCE & TECHNOLOGY EDITOR 

Colonel Jeremy Hansen has dramatically retired, after just one mission into space with NASA. 

The Canadian astronaut was one of four members of the Artemis II team, who made history earlier this year by flying around the moon. 

While that mission was Colonel Hansen's first, he has now revealed that it was also his last. 

Taking to X, he said: 'Today, I am sharing a significant next step in my journey. 

'This September, after 32 years of military service and 17 years as a Canadian Space Agency astronaut—culminating in the incredible privilege of flying around the Moon on Artemis II—I will be transitioning from my full–time role at the CSA.'

The news has left many fans devastated, with one claiming that Colonel Hansen's retirement has come 'too soon'. 

Another said: 'Can only imagine how you top circling the moon. But I imagine you will.'

And one ominously asked: 'Many astronauts step down from active space flight duty after returning to earth. What do you guys see up there that you don't want to go back?' 

Colonel Jeremy Hansen has dramatically retired, after just one mission with NASA

The Canadian astronaut was one of four members of the Artemis II team, who made history earlier this year by flying around the moon. Pictured (from left): Jeremy Hansen, Victor Glover, Reid Wiseman and Christina Koch

While Colonel Hansen has only been to space once, he has been an astronaut since 2009, when he was selected through the CSA's astronaut recruitment campaign.

In 2013, he took part in a mission here on Earth, dubbed the CAVES program, in which he lived underground for six days. 

The following year, he lived on the ocean floor in the Aquarius habitat for seven days. 

However, it was not until 2023 that he was finally selected for a mission into space – being assigned as mission specialist for Artemis II, the first crewed mission to the moon since the Apollo missions over 50 years ago. 

From 1–10 April, Colonel Hansen and his crewmates – Reid Wiseman, Victor Glover, and Christina Koch – travelled around the moon and back aboard the Orion spacecraft. 

The crew made history by travelling farther than any humans in history, breaking the record previously held by the crew of Apollo 13. 

Colonel Hansen also became the first Canadian and first non–American to take part in a lunar mission.

'Colonel Jeremy Hansen made history as the first Canadian to take part in a lunar mission, an achievement that has inspired every generation of Canadian,' said The Honourable Mélanie Joly, Minister of Industry and Minister responsible for Canada Economic Development for Quebec Regions.

Colonel Hansen became the first Canadian and first non–American to take part in a lunar mission

From 1–10 April, Colonel Hansen and his crewmates – Reid Wiseman, Victor Glover, and Christina Koch – travelled around the moon and back aboard the Orion spacecraft

'His extraordinary achievements have not only advanced Canada's role in space exploration but have shown young Canadians what is possible when talent, determination and ambition are matched with opportunity.'

While Colonel Hansen is retiring, he says this is 'far from a departure.' 

'To ensure continuity in this mission, the Royal Canadian Air Force is enabling my transition into a Reservist role,' he explained. 

'This unique position is a deliberate launchpad designed to leave the door open for creative, ongoing ways to support and enable the vital work happening in Canada with respect to space, and I'm excited for the new challenges it will bring. 

'Our future depends on a fierce continuation of Canadian innovation and exploration in space. 

'The technological breakthroughs and economic benefits born from this sector are vital for our country and the world, and I am as determined as ever to push that work forward. 

'To the Canadian Armed Forces, the CSA, NASA, our international partners, and my family: thank you. 

'And to all Canadians: thank you for believing in what our country can achieve when we aim high. The mission continues.'

The news comes shortly after NASA revealed its all–male crew for the Artemis III mission. 

Read More

• NASA faces backlash after revealing four astronauts for key Artemis III moon mission

NASA's Randy Bresnik, Frank Rubio and Andrew Douglas will join European Space Agency (ESA) astronaut Luca Parmitano in orbital tests ahead of the lunar landing. 

Scheduled for 2027, Artemis III will test rendezvous and docking operations between the Orion spacecraft and commercial human landers in low–Earth orbit as part of preparations for future lunar exploration.

But the reveal of the crew quickly drew criticism on social media, where users pointed out that none of the astronauts selected for the historic mission are women.

{ https://www.dailymail.com/sciencetech/index.html }

Earth's second MOON is revealed for the first time: Chinese satellite beams back incredible image of rare 'micromoon'

• READ MORE: The blow–by–blow account of dinosaur–killing asteroid impact 
  

By XANTHA LEATHAM, EXECUTIVE SCIENCE EDITOR

Scientists have captured the first image of a rare 'minimoon' that loops around the Earth like a dance partner.

Asteroid 2016 HO3, also known as Kamoʻoalewa, is locked into an orbit around the sun while tracing a circle around our planet.

It was first spotted around a decade ago by the Pan–STARRS 1 asteroid survey telescope on Haleakala, Hawaii.

Now, a probe sent by the China National Space Administration (CNSA) mission has just returned its first picture of our small celestial neighbour.

The image shows a grey space rock with jagged edges, with the vastness of space as a backdrop.

While it is too distant to be considered a true satellite of our planet, it is the best and most stable example to date of a near–Earth companion, or 'quasi–satellite'.

'After a 400–day, one billion–kilometre (621 million–mile) journey, the Tianwen–2 probe recently made a successful encounter with asteroid 2016 HO3, reaching a distance of 20 kilometres (12.4 miles) from the asteroid to begin scientific exploration. During its approach to the asteroid, the probe acquired image data,' CNSA said in a statement.

As part of its mission, Tianwen–2 will conduct in–orbit observations of the rock and even collect samples to bring back to Earth.

This is the first image of the rare 'minimoon', 2016 HO3, that loops around the Earth like a dance partner

Kamo'oalewa, whose name alludes to an offspring that travels on its own, was discovered by the PanSTARRS telescope in Hawaii in 2016. Its orbit in relation to Earth and the sun is pictured

Tianwen–2 launched on 29 May 2025 from the Xichang Satellite Launch Center as part of CNSA's first asteroid sample–return mission.

After its long journey from Earth, the probe made its first optical detection of Kamoʻoalewa on June 6, and by June 19, it had approached to within 1,242 miles (2,000 km).

By July 2, it was just 12.4 miles (20km) away from the asteroid – close enough to capture an image clearly showing the space rock, which is believed to be 130 to 328 feet (40 to 100 metres) in diameter.

The probe's mission was described in a paper published in Space Science Reviews earlier this year.

'Among the known near–Earth asteroids, 2016 HO3 is an exceptionally rare Earth co–orbital object,' physicist Rongqiao Zhang, of the Lunar Exploration and Space Engineering Centre in Beijing, and his colleagues, wrote.

'As an Earth quasi–satellite, its orbital period is close to that of Earth, enabling low energy transfer…and providing favourable conditions for tracking, control, and communication.

'Its unusual orbit, enigmatic origin and largely uncharacterized physical properties make it a compelling candidate for addressing fundamental questions about the origins of Earth's quasi–satellites and the dynamical evolution of their orbits.'

The asteroid is one of only seven Earth quasi–satellites identified to date – but it is the closest at around 25.8 million miles (41.6 million kilometres) away.

As part of its mission, Tianwen–2 will conduct in–orbit observations of the rock and even collect samples to bring back to Earth

After launching from Earth (1) the probe travelled to the quasi–moon for analysis and to collect samples (2–4). After spending nine months at this asteroid, Tianwen–2 will drop off a capsule of samples from the quasi–moon during a flyby of Earth (5–6) before continuing to main–belt comet 311P (7–9)

What are quasi–moons? 

2023 FW13 is a quasi–moon – a subcategory of near–Earth asteroids that orbit the sun but remain close to Earth.

Quasi–moons follow elliptical (not perfectly circular) orbits around the sun that are very similar to Earth's.

They often look like they are orbiting Earth, like the moon, but actually remain gravitationally bound to the sun rather than Earth.

The samples that the probe sends back to Earth will help confirm whether 2016 HO3 is a fragment of the moon, which has been suggested in previous studies.

Renu Malhotra, a University of Arizona space expert, said analysis of light reflected from the space rock suggests it's made from the same material as minerals in lunar rocks from NASA's Apollo missions.

When the asteroid was first discovered, Paul Chodas, manager of NASA's Centre for Near–Earth Object (NEO) Studies, said: 'Since 2016 HO3 loops around our planet, but never ventures very far away as we both go around the sun, we refer to it as a quasi–satellite of Earth.

'Our calculations indicate 2016 HO3 has been a stable quasi–satellite of Earth for almost a century, and it will continue to follow this pattern as Earth's companion for centuries to come.'

In its yearly trek around the sun, asteroid 2016 HO3 spends about half of the time closer to the sun than Earth and passes ahead of our planet, and about half of the time farther away, causing it to fall behind.

Its orbit is also tilted a little, causing it to bob up and then down once each year through Earth's orbital plane.

In effect, this small asteroid is caught in a game of leapfrog with Earth that will last for hundreds of years.

The asteroid's orbit also undergoes a slow, back–and–forth twist over multiple decades.

Read More

• World's oldest known asteroid impact: Crater in Western Australia was created when a space rock smashed into Earth 3 BILLION years ago, study reveal

'The asteroid's loops around Earth drift a little ahead or behind from year to year, but when they drift too far forward or backward, Earth's gravity is just strong enough to reverse the drift and hold onto the asteroid so that it never wanders farther away than about 100 times the distance of the moon,' Dr Chodas said.

'The same effect also prevents the asteroid from approaching much closer than about 38 times the distance of the moon. In effect, this small asteroid is caught in a little dance with Earth.'

After spending nine months at this asteroid, Tainwen–2 will drop off a capsule of samples from the quasi–moon during a flyby of Earth.

Then, it will continue on to main–belt comet 311P, which is past Mars.

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.

Astronomers Just Found Earth's Secret Second Moo

Earth's Second Moon 2024 PT5 Explained: Rare Celestial Event

{ https://www.dailymail.com/sciencetech/index.html }

Mysterious interstellar comet 3I/ATLAS could be three times OLDER than Earth, study reveals

• READ MORE: NASA confirms 3I/ATLAS is a comet - and NOT an alien spacecraft

By SHIVALI BEST, SCIENCE & TECHNOLOGY EDITOR 

Scientists have revealed the age of the mysterious interstellar comet, 3I/ATLAS, for the first time.    

The strange object sparked fears of an alien invasion when it whizzed through our solar system at the end of the last year. 

Thankfully, NASA soon confirmed that it was simply a comet. 

'We want very much to find signs of life in the universe... but 3I/ATLAS is a comet,' Amit Kshatriya, a senior NASA official, said at the time. 

While 3I/ATLAS is definitely a comet, its composition and age have remained unclear.

Now, astronomers have used the European Southern Observatory's Very Large Telescope (VLT) to solve these mysteries. 

According to their observations, 3I/ATLAS likely originated in the outskirts of an old star system, and is around three times older than Earth. 

'The field of interstellar objects is still very new, and we do not really know what to expect. Every time a new one is discovered, we have new surprises,' said Cyrielle Opitom, a researcher at the University of Edinburgh.

Scientists have revealed the age of the mysterious interstellar comet, 3I/ATLAS, for the first time

3I/ATLAS is only the third interstellar object ever discovered, after 1I/ʻOumuamua and 2I/Borisov, which were spotted in 2017 and 2019, respectively. 

The composition of the first two interstellar objects was difficult to determine, as they were too faint. 

However, thanks to 3I/ATLAS' unprecedented brightness, scientists were able to determine its composition – and therefore age.

The team measured the ratios of carbon and nitrogen isotopes in cyanide molecules present in the gas around the comet, which are known to be good indicators of a comet's origin. 

'Unlike comets from our Solar System, this interstellar visitor carries unusually high carbon and nitrogen isotopic ratios,' explained Aravind Krishnakumar, a researcher at the University of Liège and co–author on the new study. 

According to the analysis, the comet likely formed in the outer regions of an old, 'low–metallicity' star.

As the name suggests, this is a type of star with few elements heavier than helium, that is thought to have formed when the universe was much younger – and less chemically rich – than it is now. 

For this reason, the team suggests that 3I/ATLAS originated around a star much older than the sun. 

The team measured the ratios of carbon and nitrogen isotopes in cyanide molecules present in the gas around the comet – known to be a good indicator of a comet's origin

Read More

• Bon voyage! Interstellar comet 3l/ATLAS safely passes Earth and is now whizzing towards Jupiter 

'3I/ATLAS is a really exciting opportunity to probe the composition of another planetary system, one that formed long before our Sun and Solar System even existed,' said co–author Rosemary Dorsey, a researcher at the University of Helsinki, Finland. 

3I/ATLAS is now moving away from the sun, meaning it is getting progressively fainter. 

Unfortunately, this means that opportunities to view the comet with the VLT are also nearing their end. 

However, the European Southern Observatory is currently working on an even bigger telescope, appropriately named the Extremely Large Telescope (ELT), which could provide further viewing opportunities in the future.

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.

Is 3I-ATLAS Older Than Earth? Scientists Investigate | WION Podcast

July #13 MUFON eNewsletter - JUNE 2026 sightings report

NATIONS OF THE WORLD UNITED STATES 387 UNITED KINGDOM 21 CANADA 18 BRAZIL 9 INDIA 5 FRANCE 5 AUSTRALIA 4 MEXICO 3 GERMANY 3 THAILAND 3 ITALY 3 ARGENTINA 2 IRELAND 2 CHILE 2 SLOVENIA 2 NEW ZEALAND 2 HUNGARY 1 SAINT VINCENT AND THE GRENADINES 1 TURKEY 1 BAHAMAS 1 CYPRUS 1 NETHERLANDS 1 SPAIN 1 JORDAN 1 POLAND 1 TAIWAN 1 MOROCCO 1 UKRAINE 1 BELARUS 1 DENMARK 1 ISRAEL 1 SRI LANKA 1 VENEZUELA 1 CAMBODIA 1 GUATEMALA 1 MALAYSIA 1 PORTUGAL 1 AUSTRIA 1 COLOMBIA 1 IRAN 1 NEPAL 1 SOUTH AFRICA 1 BOTSWANA 1 PANAMA 1 SWEDEN 1   TOTAL: 500 SHAPE Circle 82 Sphere 63 Unknown 41 Other 36 Disc 30 Oval 28 Star-like 22 Triangle 18 Cylinder 15 Tic Tac 14 Square/Rectangular 12 Cigar 11 Fireball 11 N/A 10 Bullet/Missile 6 Flash 5 Boomerang 5 Diamond 5 Blimp 4 Egg 3 Cross 3 Saturn-like 2 Cone 2 Cigar 6 STATES OF THE U.S.A. California 45 Florida 26 Texas 25 Arizona 20 Washington 19 New York 19 Pennsylvania 18 Ohio 18 Michigan 15 Illinois 15 Georgia 11 North Carolina 10 Colorado 10 Tennessee 9 Nevada 9 Virginia 9 New Jersey 8 Indiana 8 Kentucky 8 Oregon 8 Idaho 7 Oklahoma 7 Massachusetts 6 Arkansas 6 Alabama 4 Maryland 4 South Carolina 4 Minnesota 4 Mississippi 4 Iowa 4 Louisiana 4 Connecticut 3 Utah 3 Alaska 2 Hawaii 2 New Mexico 2 Rhode Island 2 Wisconsin 2 Missouri 2 West Virginia 1 South Dakota 1 District of Columbia 1 North Dakota 1 New Hampshire 1 DISTANCE < 100 ft 64 101-500 ft 51 501 ft - 1 Mile 85 Over 1 Mile 81 Unknown 63 NO VALUE 25 ERT Most impressively there were 18 Landings, Hovering, or Takeoffs reported, and 42 Entities observed.

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Ancient 'lost world' discovered off the US West coast rewrites story of first Americans who arrived 13,000 years ago

• READ MORE: America's greatest mystery was a lie: Truth about the Lost Colony of Roanoke revealed by experts

By STACY LIBERATORE, US SCIENCE & TECHNOLOGY EDITOR

A remote 'lost world' off California's coast could rewrite the story of the first Americans. 

Hidden among the Channel Islands are 13,000-year-old human remains, ancient settlements and evidence suggesting some of the continent's earliest inhabitants may have arrived by boat rather than crossing an inland ice corridor. 

If correct, the theory would overturn decades of conventional thinking that the first Americans crossed a land bridge from Siberia and traveled south through an ice-free corridor in western Canada. 

Instead, it suggests Ice Age humans reached North America thousands of years ago by following a coastal 'kelp highway,' using boats to move along the Pacific shoreline and settle places like the Channel Islands. 

The islands have also yielded the bones of pygmy mammoths and remarkably preserved archaeological sites that offer an unprecedented glimpse into Ice Age life.  Scientists have described the chain of islands as a place where ancient landscapes and human history have been frozen in time. 

Researchers said the evidence points to a forgotten maritime migration that could fundamentally change our understanding of America's earliest people. And they believe many of the answers may still be waiting to be uncovered. 

The Channel Islands have been studied by scientists and archaeologists for more than a century, with some of their most important discoveries, including the remains of Arlington Springs Man, emerging during excavations in the mid-20th century. 

Now, a new documentary released on June 30 on the YouTube channel Timeline is bringing fresh attention to these discoveries and the mysteries that still lie beneath the islands and surrounding waters.

The eight California Channel Islands lie in the Pacific Ocean off Southern California, stretching from Point Conception near Santa Barbara to south of Los Angeles. Pictured is Santa Cruz, one of the islands

Not all archaeologists agree that the Channel Islands provide definitive proof of a maritime migration. 

While many researchers now accept that people were present in the Americas before the Clovis culture, experts continue to debate exactly when the first settlers arrived and whether they traveled by sea, by land, or through a combination of routes. 

The eight California Channel Islands lie in the Pacific Ocean off Southern California, stretching from Point Conception near Santa Barbara to south of Los Angeles.

Author Frederic Caire Chiles, who has a PhD in history from the University of California at Santa Barbara, said in the film: 'They are the trace of a vanished world.'

The four northern islands – San Miguel, Santa Rosa, Santa Cruz and Anacapa – were not always where they are today.

Geologists say they were once located much farther south, near present-day San Diego, before tectonic forces slowly carried them north and rotated them by around 110 degrees.

The islands have become a treasure trove for archaeologists because their ancient deposits have remained remarkably undisturbed, preserving evidence erased elsewhere by rising seas and thousands of years of human activity.

Among the most significant discoveries is Arlington Springs Man, human remains found on Santa Rosa Island and eventually dated to at least 13,000 years old. 

Pictured is the site where the Arlington Springs Man was discovered 

Bones of a man were uncovered 37 feet below waterlaid sand, mud and gravel sediments in 1959.

Dr Thomas Stafford, a geologist and radiocarbon dating expert, said that after testing the remains in 2001, the bones were the oldest dated human skeletal remains in North America.

The discovery was particularly important because the remains are roughly the same age as the Clovis culture, long considered the first people to inhabit the Americas. 

But unlike the Clovis sites found inland, Arlington Springs Man was discovered on an offshore island, suggesting some of North America's earliest inhabitants may already have been skilled seafarers. 

The Clovis people, known for their distinctive fluted spear points, were once thought to have entered North America through an ice-free corridor in Canada.

The Channel Islands discovery raised the possibility that another group may have reached the continent by boat, following the Pacific coastline instead. 

The islands have also yielded the bones of pygmy mammoths and remarkably preserved archaeological sites that offer an unprecedented glimpse into Ice Age life

Five of the islands have been established as a national park

But the Channel Islands presented a puzzle. People living on an offshore island 13,000 years ago would have needed boats to get there, suggesting seafaring technology existed much earlier than previously believed. 

Some researchers have argued that the ice-free corridor may not have been fully open or ecologically viable when the first people reached the islands, raising the possibility that they arrived by sea instead.

Researchers call this the 'kelp highway' hypothesis. Dr John Johnson, curator of anthropology at the Santa Barbara Museum of Natural History, said: 'All the way from Japan to Baja California, there are kelp forest ecosystems that have very similar suites of animals.

'This connects with the whole idea of a coastal migration, an ancient coastal migration where people would have been using watercraft and going around glaciers when they encountered them and working their way down until they came to California.'

'People showed up on this island 13,000 years ago or thereabouts and evolved through time into the group we know as the Chumash.'

The Chumash ancestral homeland spans California's central and southern coast and includes the four northern Channel Islands.

During the Ice Age, mammoths roamed what was once a single larger island made up of today's northern Channel Islands before evolving into dwarf versions known as pygmy mammoths.

Pictured is a view from across Santa Rosa Island

The species vanished around the same period humans appeared on the islands, fueling speculation that some of North America's earliest inhabitants may have encountered, and perhaps hunted, the miniature elephants.

For thousands of years, the islands became the homeland of the ancestors of the Chumash people, who developed sophisticated maritime communities and traded shell bead money with mainland groups.

The islands were forever changed after Portuguese explorer Juan Rodríguez Cabrillo became the first European to reach California in 1542.

'This was the furthest projection of Europe into a world that they knew nothing about,' one historian explained.

Disease, colonization and social upheaval eventually devastated Indigenous communities and led to the abandonment of the islands.

One of the most remarkable stories to emerge from this period is that of the 'Lone Woman of San Nicolas Island,' later immortalized in the novel Island of the Blue Dolphins. She survived alone on the island for about 18 years before being rescued in 1853.

Today, scientists believe the islands still hold countless secrets beneath their rugged landscapes and surrounding waters.

During the Ice Age, sea levels were hundreds of feet lower, meaning areas that are now underwater were once dry land that may have been inhabited by some of America's earliest people.

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