EXCLUSIVE - Mysterious symbols spanning the globe hint at a lost civilization 38,000 years ago

• READ MORE: Origins of Egypt's Great Pyramid upended as new clues point to lost civilization from 20,000 years ago 

By STACY LIBERATORE, US SCIENCE & TECHNOLOGY EDITOR

For centuries, mainstream archaeologists have dismissed the idea that an advanced civilization existed long before modern times.

Now, an independent researcher claims he has uncovered 'paradigm-shifting evidence of a lost civilization' that hid a sophisticated code through geometry, symbolism, and monument design across the globe to preserve its knowledge ahead of catastrophic events.

Matthew LaCroix told Daily Mail the discovery, sparked by a recent find in Egypt, links symbols across continents and dates back 38,000 to 40,000 years.

According to LaCroix, this civilization tracked cosmic cycles, anticipated global disasters, and embedded teachings about human origins, the structure of the universe, and divine existence into monuments and sacred sites.

His investigation began after identifying recurring giant T-shapes, three-level indents, and step pyramids carved into ancient stones worldwide.

'These specific symbols that are built in different size proportions, and the symbols are found in ancient stones around the world, are not supposed to exist; no cultures are supposed to have any cross-platform,' LaCroix explained.

The symbols appear in locations ranging from Turkey's Van region to South America and Cambodia.

According to LaCroix, the origin of this global system lies in eastern Turkey's Lake Van region at a site known as Ionis. 

He described it as the earliest source of the civilization's symbols, architecture, and teachings, dating it to around 40,000 years old. He argues it preserves the original blueprint later carried to places such as Giza and Tiwanaku.

The investigation began after finding recurring giant T-shapes (pictured), three-level indents and step pyramids carved into ancient stones worldwide, patterns he said should not exist across unrelated cultures, suggesting a shared origin rather than independent development.

The symbols appear in locations ranging from Turkey's Van region to South America and Cambodia

Recurring motifs, giant T-shapes, step pyramids, inverted pyramids, lions, and sacred geometry, appear at Ionis in their most concentrated form before repeating at distant sites worldwide, LaCroix added.

Nearby, the site of Kefkalesi provides one of the clearest examples of these symbols in stone.

The four-foot-by-four-foot basalt carving, known as the Kefkalesi relief, contains complex iconography that mirrors the symbols found at Ionis, Giza, and South American sites.

'This relief became one of the most important artifacts for my research,' LaCroix explained. 'It connects Egypt back to this region and lets us back-engineer the global pattern.'

He pointed out repeating motifs: 'Here are the T-shapes, repeating over and over. Here's your step pyramid with three doors and the lion right here. These same elements appear repeatedly across sites worldwide.'

Regarding the lion, he added, 'The lion is a guardian, and its placement helps explain the structure of the code.'

LaCroix said the relief solidified his interpretation of the symbols and accelerated his analysis of similar structures at the Sphinx Temple in Egypt.

Mainstream archaeologists, however, date known Lake Van sites to the Urartian period thousands of years ago and say there is no evidence supporting a pre-Ice Age global civilization, and no peer-reviewed research currently supports LaCroix’s proposed dating.

Another nearby site, Kefkalesi, provides one of the clearest examples of these recurring symbols in stone. Circled are step pyramids. The top is pointing to an inverted pyramid, and the center is highlighting a T

The image, which shows the Sphinx Temple located in front of the statue and closed to the public, revealed what he believes is an inverted step pyramid embedded in the structure

His breakthrough moment came in November 2025, when he re-examined a framed photograph of Egypt's Sphinx Temple he had owned for eight years.

The image, which shows the Sphinx Temple in front of the statue and closed to the public, revealed what he believes is an inverted step pyramid embedded in the structure.

'There, in front of me. It was like I had never seen it before. There was the inverted step pyramid, but the right side had been broken off,' he said.

That realization prompted LaCroix to analyze the entire Giza Plateau, where he identified repeated appearances of inverted step pyramids and giant T-shapes in the Sphinx Temple, Valley Temple and the mortuary temples of Khafre and Menkaure.

Some researchers have suggested the Sphinx was originally carved as a lion before later being reworked with the face of a pharaoh, though the theory is not accepted among mainstream archaeologists.

Using astronomical precession, a slow wobble in Earth's axis, and the Sphinx's proposed alignment with the constellation Leo, LaCroix narrowed the construction date to either around 12,000 years ago, near the end of the last Ice Age, or 38,000 years ago, one full precessional cycle earlier.

He dismissed the younger date, citing theories of catastrophic flooding that would have destroyed surface structures, and instead placed the Great Pyramids, Sphinx, and Valley Temple at roughly 38,000 years old.

Matthew LaCroix (right) told Daily Mail the discovery, sparked by a recent find in Egypt, links symbols across continents and dates back as far as 38,000 to 40,000 years ago. Pictured is a T-shaped symbol at the center of the stone slab

LaCroix said the same architectural layout also appears in South America at Tiwanaku and Puma Punku.

'The temple layout of the Acapana Pyramid, which is in Tiwanaku, is the exact same shape as the stone in those designs themselves, as the temple layout,' he explained.

LiDAR scans of Puma Punku revealed a massive T-shaped design, which LaCroix says reinforces his theory of a shared architectural template. 

'So, Fumapunku and Tiwanaku are like a mirror of Egypt in South America,' he said.

 

He also identified step pyramid designs inside the mortuary temples of Khafre and Menkaure (left)

The patterns he said should not exist across unrelated cultures, suggesting a shared origin rather than independent development

He also suggested that the lost civilization's messages were to tell humanity about the universe. The left symbolized the underworld, the center for reality andthe  right signified the spiritual world

At the center of LaCroix's interpretation is what he calls a cosmogram, an ancient geometric model representing the structure of the universe.

According to LaCroix, symbols such as three-level step pyramids, inverted pyramids, and T-shapes encode layered realities: the non-physical underworld, the physical realm, and the celestial realms.

'The left door represents the realm of reality called the underworld, or non-physical realm of reality,' he explained. 'Its counter, on the opposite, is the right door, which is the celestial realms of reality, where the angels are.'

The central vertical axis of the T symbol represents the 'middle door' that balances the system, a concept often referred to in ancient cosmology as the axis mundi, or central point connecting all realms.

'They're showing us how all of reality works, and how it all balances,' LaCroix said.

He tied this framework to preserved Egyptian traditions, particularly Hermeticism, an ancient spiritual and philosophical system attributed to Hermes Trismegistus that emphasizes humanity's connection to the cosmos, the divine, and hidden knowledge.

LaCroix believes the ancient code was deliberately hidden to preserve knowledge humanity later inverted.

Speaking philosophically, he added: 'Guess what, spoiler alert, we're doing everything basically the inverse opposite of what we're supposed to,' he warned.

He said the evidence suggests humans were once understood as divine and interconnected with all existence.

'We have ancient proof that shows that we're a divine being that's connected to the all, and a part of everything... we're supposed to be living in harmony with the Earth and the universe,' LaCroix said.

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New 'code' found in Egypt's Great Pyramid may finally reveal its true purpose

• READ MORE: I bled to death. As an atheist, I expected oblivion... but I entered the afterlife for six minutes and saw proof of what God is REALLY like. Everything on Earth is fake
  

By STACY LIBERATORE, US SCIENCE & TECHNOLOGY EDITOR

The Great Pyramid has guarded its secrets behind millions of tons of stone, but a new paper claims its greatest message may have been hiding in plain sight.

Independent researcher Sefy Levy argued that carefully chosen measurements on the monument’s exterior form a numerical system designed to survive long after its builders were gone.

Rather than being carved into a wall, the alleged code is said to be embedded in the pyramid’s height, base, sloping sides and overall shape.

Levy claimed those dimensions produce striking matches with the cycles of the moon, the calendar and planets visible to the naked eye.

He believes the numbers were intended to preserve the Egyptians’ knowledge of mathematics, time and the heavens for eternity.

'The pyramid was not built to last forever because it contained something valuable,' Levy wrote. 

'It was built to last forever because it was something valuable.'

The paper, posted in August, concluded with its boldest claim: 'The pyramid is not a container for knowledge. It is the knowledge, made stone.'

Independent researcher Sefy Levy argued that carefully chosen measurements on the monument’s exterior form a numerical system designed to survive long after its builders were gone

The interpretation remains highly speculative, as the paper has been posted on SSRN and Zenodo but has not undergone independent peer review. 

Levy has acknowledged that the numerical matches were initially found after the measurements and target values were known.

Mainstream Egyptology regards the pyramid as a funerary monument built for Khufu, around 4,500 years ago.

 Its empty granite sarcophagus, mortuary complex and royal cemetery support that function, but do not prove Khufu was buried there. 

No ancient text says its dimensions encode astronomy.

To uncover the alleged pattern, Levy examined the pyramid’s key measurements and divided them using fractions employed by ancient Egyptian scribes.

According to the paper, the answers repeatedly come close to numbers important in mathematics and astronomy.

One simple calculation produces 27.5, a near match for the roughly 27.55-day interval between successive lunar perigees, when the moon reaches its closest point to Earth.

Another produces exactly 70, which Levy connected to the roughly 70-day interval between the heliacal setting and rising of Sirius, when it was hidden by the sun’s glare. 

Rather than being carved into a wall , the alleged code is said to be embedded in the pyramid’s height, base, sloping sides and overall shape. Above is a tunnel entrance into the Great Pyramid

Egyptian tradition also associated about 70 days with mummification, although the match proves no deliberate connection.

Levy claimed other calculations come close to the repeating cycles of Saturn, Jupiter, Venus and Mars as they move across Earth’s sky. 

Read More

EXCLUSIVE

•  Mysterious symbols spanning the globe hint at a lost civilization 38,000 years ago 

He also argued that the pyramid’s proportions produce figures resembling pi and the golden ratio.

Together, the theory suggests the builders transformed the pyramid into a permanent stone record of their understanding of time, space and the heavens.

To test whether similar patterns would appear by chance, Levy generated 100,000 hypothetical Old Kingdom-style pyramids. 

These were not complete designs: a program varied their base widths from 75 to 440 royal cubits and their slopes across an ancient range.

The same test was applied to every model, and Levy reported that 2,419, about 2.4 percent, scored as many matches as the Great Pyramid or more. 

He argued that this makes coincidence less likely, but it remains his own simulation rather than independent confirmation. One stricter comparison was inconclusive.

Levy suggested the Great Pyramid was built to represent an ancient Egyptian tradition. It says the first land rose from a water world. He also believes it really happened in a place in Africa called the Eye of the Sahara (pictured)

The numerical code is only one part of Levy’s much more radical argument about the monument’s purpose.

Levy’s larger theory begins with an Egyptian creation tradition in which the first land rose from a world covered in water.

The tradition in which the first land rose from a chaotic, dark water world is known as the Heliopolitan creation myth, centered around the primeval mound called the benben.

He believes the pyramid was built to represent the primordial mound from which creation began.

Levy then made a much more controversial claim, suggesting the story may have been based on a real place where some distant ancestors of the Egyptians could have lived.

His candidate is the Eye of the Sahara, a huge ring-shaped formation in Mauritania with raised land at its center. 

Thousands of years ago, when the Sahara was greener and wetter, it may have been surrounded by water.

The theory suggests that communities left as the region dried and eventually travelled east toward the Nile, taking memories of their old home with them.

Levy believes later generations recreated that memory at Giza. The pyramid represented the hill, while a harbor and lost Nile branch placed water at the complex’s edge. He interprets the westward causeways as symbolically connecting the setting sun, the dead and the proposed ancestral homeland.

In other words, Levy argues that the Great Pyramid preserved a story about where some of Egypt’s distant ancestors may have come from.

There is no direct evidence connecting the Eye of the Sahara to Giza or proving that this journey happened.

Great Pyramid’s TRUE Purpose? This Hidden Code Could Change Everything

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'Why would you ruin your career?': OpenAI claims to have cracked one of math's greatest unsolved problems, but mathematicians allege it played dirty - PART I

A breakthrough on the Navier-Stokes equations could be worth a $1 million prize, but a mathematician has serious questions about how OpenAI got there so fast.

 By Larissa G. Capella  Edited by Ben Turner, Pandora Dewan, Brandon Specktor, Laura Mondragón

Tristan Buckmaster, a mathematician at New York University, had just spent months working on what he believed could be a life-defining mathematical proof. Then, during a Sept. 6 meeting with OpenAI employees, he claims that he was issued a stark warning: "Why would you ruin your career?"

That exchange, which Buckmaster described in a detailed public statement this week, sits at the heart of a ballooning controversy around a famous set of mathematical equations called Navier-Stokes.

OpenAI says its artificial intelligence (AI) model has solved an outstanding problem tied to this 200-year-old set of fluid dynamics equations. The set of equations appears on the list of one of the seven Millennium Prize Problems posed by the Clay Mathematics Institute, and its solution comes with a $1 million reward. Buckmaster had been working on the same problem. And he has questions about how the company got there so fast.

The OpenAI breakthrough

The Navier-Stokes equations were formulated in the early 1800s by Claude-Louis Navier and George Gabriel Stokes. They're basically Newton's second law of motion for fluids, describing how any fluid moves: Push air with a fan blade, and the equations predict how that air will flow; or heat the atmosphere with sunlight, and they help forecast tomorrow's weather. They describe how planes fly and how blood moves through your arteries.

The problem is that nobody has proved whether the equations always produce finite answers. Could there be rare conditions that make the equations go haywire? This is called a "blowup," or singularity, which happens when a quantity that should represent something physical (like fluid speed or pressure) spirals toward impossible infinities at certain points in space and time.

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Elon Musk and Sam Altman claim we've reached the AI singularity. But how would we even know that happened?

Imagine the swirl of water circling a bathtub drain. The Navier-Stokes equations describe how it spins faster as it tightens toward the center. A blowup would mean the math predicts that spin is accelerating forever ‪—‬ an infinite speed at a single point. The bathtub can't do that, but if the equations can, that means the model we trusted for years is wrong and we wouldn't even know where it breaks.

Whether the Navier-Stokes equations can blow up is one of the most famous unsolved questions.

To find the answer, OpenAI used a technique called "forcing" ‪—‬ giving the simulated fluid a smooth, controlled nudge from the outside. Imagine flicking a spinning top with your finger to see if it would fall over ‪—‬ or, in the case of the Navier-Stokes equations, blow up.

OpenAI set roughly 10,000 AI agents to simultaneously work on the problem. The agents worked for about 88 hours straight, with 100 of them starting with the related Euler equations. This is a simpler cousin of Navier-Stokes that discards viscosity to describe fluid motion without internal friction.

After roughly 50 hours, OpenAI's agents found blowups in the Euler equations, OpenAI representatives wrote in a statement. This discovery convinced them that Navier-Stokes was within reach, and they turned their attention to the bigger problem.

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OpenAI described the singularity as a vortex spiraling tighter and tighter, stretching and thinning like pulled taffy. The result was a fluid that, mathematically, spins itself into infinity.

OpenAI ran the proof through a program called Lean, software that checks every step of a mathematical argument. The agents "sent 2.7 million messages and used approximately 130 billion output tokens," OpenAI representatives wrote in the statement. At a Sept. 8 news conference, company representatives said a similar effort performed by a customer would have cost $15 million.

The controversy

The result has created a blowup of its own within mathematics, centered around claims that OpenAI's models may have been given a head start by using the work of Tristan Buckmaster and Levent Alpöge, a mathematician at rival AI company Anthropic.

The two mathematicians had been working on the same strategy (smooth forcing) applied to those same Euler equations. The approach itself was developed by Diego Córdoba, a mathematician at the Institute of Mathematical Sciences in Madrid, and Luis Martínez-Zoroa, another mathematician at CUNEF University in Madrid. Almost no one else in the field was using it.

Buckmaster said that on Aug. 15 that he and Alpöge achieved blowup results for the Euler equations with smooth forcing. On Sept. 3, Buckmaster wrote that he received word through Alpöge that OpenAI had caught wind of their progress and adopted the same method.

"When I heard 'forced,'" Buckmaster wrote in his public statement, "it was a bright red flag."

His concern was that the smooth-forcing approach wasn't obvious or widespread. "The ideas making this line of attack possible are due to Córdoba and Martínez-Zoroa," Buckmaster wrote, crediting the two mathematicians who developed the technique. "Almost nobody else I know of was working on it."

And yet, according to OpenAI, the company launched its Navier-Stokes effort on Sept. 1 ‪—‬ the same day it heard "rumors of other Millennium Prize resolutions." Buckmaster claimed, in his public statement, that those rumors were about his and Alpöge's work specifically.

Sam Altman, OpenAI's CEO, acknowledged that the company had learned of Buckmaster and Alpöge's work before making its announcement. "We were curious if ours could do it too," he wrote on X. He added that "the approaches appear to be different" — a claim Buckmaster disputes.

OpenAI's statement names both Buckmaster and Alpöge, credits their independent resolution of the forced Euler problem, and says the company offered to co-publish.

"I did not get an answer"

Buckmaster also revealed that he had been using OpenAI's Codex coding assistant throughout his research, putting drafts of the work into the tool. OpenAI trains its models on user interactions, and Buckmaster said he asked the company directly whether his Codex sessions had been accessed.

"I asked whether the model had been trained on, or had access to, our sessions in Codex, into which we had been putting all our drafts," he wrote. "I asked again, about training, and I did not get an answer."

OpenAI's enterprise agreements govern how customer data can be used. But it's unclear whether Buckmaster was using Codex under an enterprise agreement or as an individual consumer — a distinction that may determine whether his drafts were available for training.

In a statement on X, OpenAI representatives denied that company employees or agents saw the pair's work "by any means" until it was publicly released. However, "we cannot rule out that de-identified data derived from their usage of our products helped improve our models," they added.

Then, there is the question of authorship. Buckmaster alleges that Sébastien Bubeck, who leads OpenAI's math research, twice pushed for Alpöge to be cut from the paper that the two mathematicians were preparing. Buckmaster emphasized that Alpöge works at Anthropic, a rival AI company.

We were curious if ours could do it too.

It was at that same Sept. 6 meeting that Buckmaster claimed that OpenAI presented him with two options, both of which required cutting Alpöge from authorship. He declined and said he told Bubeck that if OpenAI released its result as proposed, he would go public. Bubeck allegedly replied, "If you don't want me to be nice, then I don't have to be nice."

Bubeck has flatly denied the allegations, calling them "false and inflammatory" in a statement on X. "We did not use their prompt or proofs to prompt our models," Bubeck told Wired. Mark Chen, OpenAI's chief research officer, said at last night's news conference that he was "a little disappointed with the allegations."

"I have not seen OpenAI's proof," Buckmaster wrote. "I do not know what their model did, or how. I do not know whether our data was used. I am not accusing anyone of anything." He has called for an independent investigation into how OpenAI's work began.

In a closing line, he wrote, "I would much rather be talking about mathematics, Luis and Diego's ideas, and what this all means for the rest of us."

{ https://www.livescience.com/physics-mathematics }

'Why would you ruin your career?': OpenAI claims to have cracked one of math's greatest unsolved problems, but mathematicians allege it played dirty - PART II

A breakthrough on the Navier-Stokes equations could be worth a $1 million prize, but a mathematician has serious questions about how OpenAI got there so fast.

 By Larissa G. Capella  Edited by Ben Turner, Pandora Dewan, Brandon Specktor, Laura Mondragón

The community response

Córdoba, one of the original developers of the forcing technique, said he was stunned by how quickly the result had materialized. "We're a little bit in shock," he told Scientific American.

Other mathematicians have also responded to the news, with some expressing open dismay at how the results were released.

"We have now seen that even the rumor of someone working on a massive problem can trigger a massive amount of AI-powered effort to flatten it before the original research project has time to reach its full potential," Terence Tao, a professor of mathematics at UCLA, wrote on Mastodon. "The incentives may now be pointing in the direction of no longer sharing any promising research directions with the broader community, which would reverse centuries of traditions of open science and do serious long-term damage to the future of the field."

OpenAI's proof still awaits formal peer review, and the Clay Mathematics Institute has not yet issued an official verdict confirming or denying OpenAI's proof. But the episode has already surfaced troubling questions for the mathematics community. For example, when a company trains its models on the interactions of millions of users, who really owns the answers that emerge? And what does AI's involvement mean for the future of the field?

Those questions, unlike the Navier-Stokes problem, may not have a clean proof.

RELATED

{ https://www.livescience.com/physics-mathematics }

'Why would you ruin your career?': OpenAI claims to have cracked one of math's greatest unsolved problems, but mathematicians allege it played dirty

A breakthrough on the Navier-Stokes equations could be worth a $1 million prize, but a mathematician has serious questions about how OpenAI got there so fast.

 By Larissa G. Capella  Edited by Ben Turner, Pandora Dewan, Brandon Specktor, Laura Mondragón

Tristan Buckmaster, a mathematician at New York University, had just spent months working on what he believed could be a life-defining mathematical proof. Then, during a Sept. 6 meeting with OpenAI employees, he claims that he was issued a stark warning: "Why would you ruin your career?"

That exchange, which Buckmaster described in a detailed public statement this week, sits at the heart of a ballooning controversy around a famous set of mathematical equations called Navier-Stokes.

OpenAI says its artificial intelligence (AI) model has solved an outstanding problem tied to this 200-year-old set of fluid dynamics equations. The set of equations appears on the list of one of the seven Millennium Prize Problems posed by the Clay Mathematics Institute, and its solution comes with a $1 million reward. Buckmaster had been working on the same problem. And he has questions about how the company got there so fast.

The OpenAI breakthrough

The Navier-Stokes equations were formulated in the early 1800s by Claude-Louis Navier and George Gabriel Stokes. They're basically Newton's second law of motion for fluids, describing how any fluid moves: Push air with a fan blade, and the equations predict how that air will flow; or heat the atmosphere with sunlight, and they help forecast tomorrow's weather. They describe how planes fly and how blood moves through your arteries.

The problem is that nobody has proved whether the equations always produce finite answers. Could there be rare conditions that make the equations go haywire? This is called a "blowup," or singularity, which happens when a quantity that should represent something physical (like fluid speed or pressure) spirals toward impossible infinities at certain points in space and time.

Nobel Prize-winning physicist and team use Claude AI to solve decades-old math puzzle

No, OpenAI's models didn't go 'rogue' when they broke into Hugging Face. Here's what really happened.

Elon Musk and Sam Altman claim we've reached the AI singularity. But how would we even know that happened?

Imagine the swirl of water circling a bathtub drain. The Navier-Stokes equations describe how it spins faster as it tightens toward the center. A blowup would mean the math predicts that spin is accelerating forever ‪—‬ an infinite speed at a single point. The bathtub can't do that, but if the equations can, that means the model we trusted for years is wrong and we wouldn't even know where it breaks.

Whether the Navier-Stokes equations can blow up is one of the most famous unsolved questions.

To find the answer, OpenAI used a technique called "forcing" ‪—‬ giving the simulated fluid a smooth, controlled nudge from the outside. Imagine flicking a spinning top with your finger to see if it would fall over ‪—‬ or, in the case of the Navier-Stokes equations, blow up.

OpenAI set roughly 10,000 AI agents to simultaneously work on the problem. The agents worked for about 88 hours straight, with 100 of them starting with the related Euler equations. This is a simpler cousin of Navier-Stokes that discards viscosity to describe fluid motion without internal friction.

After roughly 50 hours, OpenAI's agents found blowups in the Euler equations, OpenAI representatives wrote in a statement. This discovery convinced them that Navier-Stokes was within reach, and they turned their attention to the bigger problem.

'You can't patch your way out of it': Cheap AI worm can spread between devices without human guidance — but how did scientists create it?

Mathematicians say these 60-sided dice are the fairest in the world

Mathematician Hong Wang becomes third woman to win the Fields Medal, one of the world’s most prestigious math prizes

OpenAI described the singularity as a vortex spiraling tighter and tighter, stretching and thinning like pulled taffy. The result was a fluid that, mathematically, spins itself into infinity.

OpenAI ran the proof through a program called Lean, software that checks every step of a mathematical argument. The agents "sent 2.7 million messages and used approximately 130 billion output tokens," OpenAI representatives wrote in the statement. At a Sept. 8 news conference, company representatives said a similar effort performed by a customer would have cost $15 million.

The controversy

The result has created a blowup of its own within mathematics, centered around claims that OpenAI's models may have been given a head start by using the work of Tristan Buckmaster and Levent Alpöge, a mathematician at rival AI company Anthropic.

The two mathematicians had been working on the same strategy (smooth forcing) applied to those same Euler equations. The approach itself was developed by Diego Córdoba, a mathematician at the Institute of Mathematical Sciences in Madrid, and Luis Martínez-Zoroa, another mathematician at CUNEF University in Madrid. Almost no one else in the field was using it.

Buckmaster said that on Aug. 15 that he and Alpöge achieved blowup results for the Euler equations with smooth forcing. On Sept. 3, Buckmaster wrote that he received word through Alpöge that OpenAI had caught wind of their progress and adopted the same method.

"When I heard 'forced,'" Buckmaster wrote in his public statement, "it was a bright red flag."

His concern was that the smooth-forcing approach wasn't obvious or widespread. "The ideas making this line of attack possible are due to Córdoba and Martínez-Zoroa," Buckmaster wrote, crediting the two mathematicians who developed the technique. "Almost nobody else I know of was working on it."

And yet, according to OpenAI, the company launched its Navier-Stokes effort on Sept. 1 ‪—‬ the same day it heard "rumors of other Millennium Prize resolutions." Buckmaster claimed, in his public statement, that those rumors were about his and Alpöge's work specifically.

Sam Altman, OpenAI's CEO, acknowledged that the company had learned of Buckmaster and Alpöge's work before making its announcement. "We were curious if ours could do it too," he wrote on X. He added that "the approaches appear to be different" — a claim Buckmaster disputes.

OpenAI's statement names both Buckmaster and Alpöge, credits their independent resolution of the forced Euler problem, and says the company offered to co-publish.

"I did not get an answer"

Buckmaster also revealed that he had been using OpenAI's Codex coding assistant throughout his research, putting drafts of the work into the tool. OpenAI trains its models on user interactions, and Buckmaster said he asked the company directly whether his Codex sessions had been accessed.

"I asked whether the model had been trained on, or had access to, our sessions in Codex, into which we had been putting all our drafts," he wrote. "I asked again, about training, and I did not get an answer."

OpenAI's enterprise agreements govern how customer data can be used. But it's unclear whether Buckmaster was using Codex under an enterprise agreement or as an individual consumer — a distinction that may determine whether his drafts were available for training.

In a statement on X, OpenAI representatives denied that company employees or agents saw the pair's work "by any means" until it was publicly released. However, "we cannot rule out that de-identified data derived from their usage of our products helped improve our models," they added.

Then, there is the question of authorship. Buckmaster alleges that Sébastien Bubeck, who leads OpenAI's math research, twice pushed for Alpöge to be cut from the paper that the two mathematicians were preparing. Buckmaster emphasized that Alpöge works at Anthropic, a rival AI company.

We were curious if ours could do it too.

It was at that same Sept. 6 meeting that Buckmaster claimed that OpenAI presented him with two options, both of which required cutting Alpöge from authorship. He declined and said he told Bubeck that if OpenAI released its result as proposed, he would go public. Bubeck allegedly replied, "If you don't want me to be nice, then I don't have to be nice."

Bubeck has flatly denied the allegations, calling them "false and inflammatory" in a statement on X. "We did not use their prompt or proofs to prompt our models," Bubeck told Wired. Mark Chen, OpenAI's chief research officer, said at last night's news conference that he was "a little disappointed with the allegations."

"I have not seen OpenAI's proof," Buckmaster wrote. "I do not know what their model did, or how. I do not know whether our data was used. I am not accusing anyone of anything." He has called for an independent investigation into how OpenAI's work began.

In a closing line, he wrote, "I would much rather be talking about mathematics, Luis and Diego's ideas, and what this all means for the rest of us."

The community response

Córdoba, one of the original developers of the forcing technique, said he was stunned by how quickly the result had materialized. "We're a little bit in shock," he told Scientific American.

Other mathematicians have also responded to the news, with some expressing open dismay at how the results were released.

"We have now seen that even the rumor of someone working on a massive problem can trigger a massive amount of AI-powered effort to flatten it before the original research project has time to reach its full potential," Terence Tao, a professor of mathematics at UCLA, wrote on Mastodon. "The incentives may now be pointing in the direction of no longer sharing any promising research directions with the broader community, which would reverse centuries of traditions of open science and do serious long-term damage to the future of the field."

OpenAI's proof still awaits formal peer review, and the Clay Mathematics Institute has not yet issued an official verdict confirming or denying OpenAI's proof. But the episode has already surfaced troubling questions for the mathematics community. For example, when a company trains its models on the interactions of millions of users, who really owns the answers that emerge? And what does AI's involvement mean for the 

New Revelations About the Origin of Interstellar Comet 3I/ATLAS

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Giant 'megalith structure' spotted on ocean floor sparks alien base theories

• READ MORE: I bled to death. As an atheist, I expected oblivion... but I entered the afterlife for six minutes and saw proof of what God is REALLY like. Everything on Earth is fake
  

By STACY LIBERATORE, US SCIENCE & TECHNOLOGY EDITOR

A mysterious structure spotted on the seafloor near Papua New Guinea has sparked claims that an alien base may be hiding below the surface.

Self-described UFO researcher Scott C Waring identified the enormous rectangular-shaped anomaly, suggesting it is approximately 10 miles long and four miles wide.

Waring said he discovered the formation while exploring the global ocean-floor maps produced by the Seabed 2030 project.

He described it as a ‘megalith structure’ and estimated that it could extend between 10 and 15 miles beneath the seabed.

Waring claimed its immense size, unusual shape and isolated location suggest it is far more than a natural geological formation.

‘This alien base looks clean and taken care of,’ he wrote, claiming its apparently uncovered surface meant it was still occupied.

He also claimed that 'aliens are living there right now.'

However, there is no independent evidence that the structure is artificial, occupied or anything other than a natural formation or mapping anomaly.

Self-described UFO researcher Scott C Waring identified the enormous anomaly, suggesting it approximately 10 miles long and four miles wide

Waring shared his discovery on his UFO Sightings Daily YouTube channel, saying: 'Found something that you’re not even going to believe. 

'You can’t even comprehend this exists because it’s real, and it’s out there under the ocean right now.' 

He went on to estimate that the structure could feature 20 different buildings, each the size of the Empire State Building. 

'This is just huge. It's big enough for an entire city to live inside of this. It is massive,' Waring said. 

Many of Waring's followers were also sure that the structure on the map was something worth investigating.

One user said, 'cool find,' while another simply commented, 'aliens.' 

However, confirming an alien would require detailed sonar surveys, underwater photographs and physical evidence.

Even more, the US government has long maintained that there is no evidence that Earth has been visited by aliens.

A mysterious structure spotted on the seafloor near Papua New Guinea has sparked claims that an alien base may be hiding below the surface

Waring announced another mysterious find this week, claiming to have uncovered evidence of a lost civilization off the coast of Cuba.

The seafloor data shows a series of faint, roughly parallel and intersecting lines across the seabed west of the island.

He estimated that the apparent site stretches seven or eight miles in one direction and approximately three miles in the other.

‘This new map is extraordinary,’ Waring said in a YouTube video highlighting the area. ‘In this one location, there is an ancient sunken city.

‘There are a lot of geometric shapes, which indicate there is something down here that was intelligently made,’ he added.

However, no archaeologists or marine scientists have examined the site or confirmed that the patterns represent physical, human-made structures. 

Waring said the scale and regularity of the shapes convinced him that they were unlikely to have formed naturally.

Waring other shapes near Cuba and Haiti (left of the island), arguing they could be the remains of a city constructed by ancient humans

He considered whether the supposed builders were humans or visitors from another world.

‘Now, is it ancient alien or is it ancient humans?’ Waring asked on his site, UFO Sightings Daily. ‘That’s the big question.’

He ultimately favored a lost human civilization, arguing: ‘I would probably go with ancient humans because the geometric design looks more primitive and less futuristic to me.'

Waring suggested the shapes could mark the remains of a settlement resembling Atlantis, the legendary civilization said to have disappeared beneath the sea.

‘This could be a long-lost city, long ago like Atlantis or something, built on the coral reef of an island area,’ he said.

He speculated that a powerful earthquake may have destabilized the island, causing the reef and everything constructed upon it to collapse into the ocean.

‘An earthquake just could have rattled it so much that coral could have just collapsed on itself and the whole island could have sunk,’ Waring explained.

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Mysterious 'vehicle of unknown origin' hidden at US Navy Base raises questions about secret UFO program

By CHRIS MELORE, US DEPUTY SCIENCE EDITOR

A mysterious UFO has been allegedly stored at a little-known US Navy base on the East Coast for decades as the military continues to reverse-engineer its secrets. 

A new report has claimed that Naval Air Station Patuxent River in Maryland, better known as Pax River, has kept an 'exotic vehicle of unknown origin' secretly housed there, possibly since the 1950s.

According to anonymous sources tied to Naval Air Systems Command (NAVAIR), which is headquartered at Pax River, certain military programs at the base have been involved in analyzing and exploiting technology recovered from non-human craft for years.

NAVAIR is a major part of the US Navy, which handles everything related to naval aircraft, weapons, and aviation systems. It designs, builds, tests, buys, repairs, and keeps Navy and Marine Corps aircraft ready for use.

Speaking to the Liberation Times, the unnamed sources claimed that two types of aircraft have been trying to spy on what the US has at Pax River. One is allegedly drones from China, and the other are non-human UFOs.

Recently, this spying activity has allegedly increased and moved closer to land, including right around the Navy base on the Chesapeake Bay.

Although the claims could not be confirmed by the Daily Mail, UFO whistleblower Luis Elizondo stated in written testimony to Congress that a specially built hangar was constructed at Pax River specifically for the transfer of extraterrestrial technology.

Under oath, Elizondo described a plan where this hangar would help major defense contractor Lockheed Martin move non-human technology to another company called Bigelow Aerospace for further study and analysis.

Naval Air Station Patuxent River in Maryland (Pictured from space) has allegedly been used to store and study 'non-human' technology, including a craft of 'unknown origin'

UFO whistleblowers have continued to claim to Congress that the US military is in possession of advanced extraterrestrial technology it is working to reverse-engineer

The Daily Mail has reached out to Lockheed Martin for comment. Bigelow Aerospace went dormant as a company in 2020, laying off its entire workforce during the Covid pandemic. 

According to the sources who spoke to Liberation Times, the US government allegedly has a secret contingency plan for moving the unidentified craft if its specific location at Pax River becomes publicly known or is threatened by further spying.

The report added that some of the activity seen taking place near the base is believed to be linked advanced drones or aircraft that use technology that's been copied and developed from the supposed exotic materials.

Although Elizondo claimed that a new facility was built at Pax River just for these UFO transfers, the anonymous sources said none of them took place after the CIA's former director of science and technology blocked companies from gaining access.

Elizondo is a former senior intelligence official who worked at the Pentagon, where he led a secret government program called the Advanced Aerospace Threat Identification Program (AATIP).

AATIP studied unidentified anomalous phenomena (UAP), the new name for UFOs, determining if they were a possible threat to national security.

Elizondo, a whistleblower since 2017, testified under oath in 2024 to Congresswoman Nancy Mace that the government maintains secret programs to recover crashed spacecraft. 

Additionally, Elizondo's testimony noted that these programs have successfully reverse-engineered some of this technology and that the US was now in possession of advanced non-human equipment, including at bases like Pax River.

Pax River (Pictured) is the headquarters for NAVAIR, a major part of the US Navy that designs, builds, and tests, Navy and Marine Corps aircraft

Luis Elizondo (Pictured) led the government's Advanced Aerospace Threat Identification Program and has knowledge of America's UFO crash recovery missions

'These facilities included locations in the Las Vegas area and a newly built hangar at the Patuxent River Naval Air Station (“PAX”),' Elizondo said in his testimony.

'Specifically, the PAX River hangar was designed to facilitate the transfer of future materials via air and river.'

The Maryland base has been home to the Naval Air Warfare Center Aircraft Division (NAWCAD) since 1992, a group that conducts research, development, testing, and evaluation of new aircraft and weapons, including advanced and experimental projects.

Although the US military has said there has never been any physical evidence of UFOs recovered, multiple former government employees and scientists have come forward to claim that several vehicles have been recovered since the 1940s.

Last year, Dr Hal Puthoff, a physicist and electrical engineer who worked on the government's psychic spy and UFO research programs, revealed on the Joe Rogan Experience podcast that the US military has recovered more than 10 spacecraft since the infamous Roswell incident.

Although there was no evidence to confirm it, Puthoff claimed that some of these craft were actually fully intact craft that had been 'gifted' to humans by extraterrestrials.

Thousands of reports of large, silent drones (Pictured) over New Jersey and sensitive sights along the East Coast started in November 2024 and carried into 2025

The unverified claims about Pax River and potential spying overhead come just one year after hundreds of unidentified drones and UFOs were spotted flying over the East Coast by both the military and the American public. 

The bizarre drone swarms appeared to focus on US military installations as well as other key sites, including President Trump's property in New Jersey.

Many Americans described them as 'car-sized drones', making no noise as they flew closely overhead of residential neighborhoods from November 2024 until early 2025. 

To this day, the origin of the drones, their targets over New Jersey and the rest of the East Coast, and their research remain a mystery.

However, an unnamed private firm contracted by the US military eventually took responsibility for the drone swarms, claiming they were conducting tests of their advanced aerial craft, according to off-the-record comments at an Army summit in August 2025.

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NASA discovers mysterious holes punched into the surface of Mars – and scientists have no idea what created them

By WILIAM HUNTER, SENIOR SCIENCE & TECHNOLOGY REPORTER

NASA has discovered a series of mysterious holes punched into the surface of Mars.

Researchers spotted the strange structures as the Curiosity rover made its slow way up the Valle Grande, a broad valley cutting through Mars' Mount Sharp.

Although small holes aren't uncommon on a planet so hammered by meteor impacts, scientists say they have no idea how these particular pits formed.

Unlike other holes found on Mars, the ones found scattered over the Valle Grande's bedrock are broad, shallow, and 'unlike quite anything we have seen in the past'.

Dr Michelle Minitti, MAHLI Deputy Principal Investigator, wrote in a blog post: 'After Curiosity’s 14 years on the surface, Mars continues to surprise.'

She added: 'They were a welcome new puzzle into the processes that have affected this particular section of rocks.'

NASA has discovered a series of mysterious holes punched into the surface of Mars (pictured), and scientists have no idea what formed them

On both Earth and Mars, small holes worn into the bedrock are a relatively common discovery.

These typically form when a tough pebble or intrusion gets stuck in a bed of softer rock.

When these resistant intrusions are eventually weathered out of the softer surrounding rock, they leave small impressions behind.

However, NASA scientists were stumped when they discovered none of the normal signs of this familiar process.

Dr Minitti wrote: 'The pits of this week were much broader and shallower than past features and were not accompanied by obvious objects that were once in the pits.'

The Curiosity rover was instructed to use the Mars Hand Lens Imager (MAHLI) to photograph the pits from close range.

Meanwhile, the Mastcam camera took a series of overlapping images of the surrounding terrain.

Combined, these images will allow scientists to make a full three-dimensional map of the pits and to measure their shapes and depth.

The broad pits were found on the slopes of Mount Sharp, a vast mountain formed inside a dried-out lake on the Martian surface 

The researchers hope that this should shed some light on how these enigmatic pits came to be dotted over the flanks of Mount Sharp.

It may be that the holes were formed by an unusual property of the surrounding rock, a previously unknown erosion process, or some entirely other factor.

However, that research will take time, meaning scientists currently have no idea how these holes were formed.

Nor were the holes the only mystery encountered by Curiosity in this part of the Martian mountain.

The researchers also noticed rapid changes in appearance between nearby layers of rock bed, including tough grey areas that resist erosion differently from their surroundings.

NASA suggests that this could be evidence of rapid changes in the conditions under which these layers of rock were laid down millions or even billions of years ago.

Curiosity was directed to sample the chemistry of these unusual layers, but further analysis will take more time.

Scientists are particularly interested in this area of the Martian surface because it could unlock the secrets of the Red Planet's distant past.

NASA says that Mount Sharp's sedimentary layers are a 'history book' recording the Red Planet's distant past, which could reveal whether it ever hosted life 

The Gale Crater is believed to have been formed around three billion years ago when a massive asteroid collided with the Martian surface.

At its centre is Mount Sharp, which rises about 3.4 miles (5.5km) above the floor of Gale Crater.

NASA says the mountain's sedimentary layers are a 'history book of sequential chapters recording environmental conditions when each stratum was deposited'.

Even more excitingly, experts believe that Gale Crater was filled with water after it formed before eventually drying out some time in the past.

Scientists, therefore, believe that the crater could be one of the best places to find evidence of life that could have survived during the planet's warm, wet past.

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Secret space-age weapon built to spy on Americans spotted at China's Area 51

• READ MORE: UFO disclosure movement's astonishing new Trump claims: Secret Oval Office meetings... Air Force One plan... and 'imminent' next move
  

By CHRIS MELORE, US DEPUTY SCIENCE EDITOR

A top-secret military aircraft the size of a US stealth bomber has been spotted flying around a base that has been called China's Area 51. 

Aviation researcher Andreas Rupprecht, a specialist in Chinese military aircraft who posted the leaked photos of the nearly 50ft-long craft on social media, said it is believed to be a giant, twin-engine drone called the WZ-X. 

Commercial satellites first captured images of the WZ-X at China's Malan Air Base in May 2025. Secret test programs of futuristic aircraft at the Chinese facility have drawn comparisons to the infamous US base in Nevada linked to experimental aircraft and even UFOs.

Military analysts believe the 'monster' drone will be used by the Chinese Air Force for high-altitude, long-endurance intelligence, surveillance and reconnaissance (HALE ISR).

This means it could be tasked with spotting US ships, mapping air defenses and passing along targeting data and locations for missile strikes.

Rupprecht, who has been recognized as a specialist on Chinese military aviation, said the top-secret drone likely has a range of 12,000 miles and can fly at altitudes of more than 60,000 feet.

This means the drone, nicknamed the 'Monster of Malan' by military media outlets, would be able to travel from China's Area 51 and perform spy missions on any US city, from Los Angeles to New York, and still have fuel left to travel thousands of miles.

Although satellites have seen the alleged drone on the ground and in the air over northwest China, the People's Liberation Army Air Force has not officially confirmed the aircraft’s existence, name or capabilities.

Satellite images have spotted a giant, unmanned aircraft being developed at a secret Chinese military facility

The craft is believed to be the WZ-X, a drone capable of reaching any US city

Based on images obtained from satellites, including from US aerospace company Planet Labs, the mystery craft is believed to be similar in shape to the US RQ-180 military drone, but much larger.

Its estimated wingspan of 170 feet would make it roughly the same size as an American B-2 stealth bomber, a plane which can carry both nuclear weapons and more conventional 'bunker buster' bombs.

While some military drones do carry a large array of missiles, it remains a mystery if the WZ-X is able to carry any weapons.

However, the drone's flight ceiling of 66,000 feet, according to Rupprecht, would mean this spy craft is capable of cruising 16,000 feet higher than the B-2 bomber.

This means the air is much thinner, so the drone uses less fuel and can stay aloft for many hours while it potentially looks down on large cities or military bases.

At that height, and with its stealth aircraft shape, the WZ-X also becomes even harder to see on radar.

Rupprecht also noted in a social media post that a second, large flying-wing drone - sometimes called GJ-X - was also seen at the same base in China.

Malan has become the Chinese military's main testing center for all types of unmanned aircraft, Rupprecht claimed. 

Defense expert and author Andreas Rupprecht claimed the WZ-X would be used for spy missions on military ships, cities and defense installations

Multiple drones and experimental aircraft have been seen at the Chinese testing facility known as Malan Air Base

Area 51, an area of more than 2.9 million acres, is located at the Nevada Test and Training Range

Satellite photos dating back to 2022 have shown that the base has undergone a massive expansion, adding new hangars, runways and other buildings likely connected to the building of large spy planes like the WZ-X and GJ-X.

These alleged programs have sparked concerning comparisons to America's Area 51, which the US intelligence community admitted was real and not just a myth in 2013.

The CIA revealed previously classified documents that the top-secret facility in the Nevada desert was established in the 1950s and played a major role in the creation of America's own revolutionary spy plane - the U-2.

Since then, amateur photographers and UFO researchers have captured numerous images and videos of strange and unknown objects flying over Area 51 that do not match the design of any known military aircraft.

While Malan Air Base has not been linked to the UFO phenomenon to the same level as Area 51, members of Congress and the White House claimed in the documentary 'The Age of Disclosure' that the US, Russia and China were all racing to be the first to fully weaponize non-human tech.

Documentary director Dan Farah said that several US officials, including Secretary of State Marco Rubio and former Director of National Intelligence James Clapper, believed the world was now locked in a new Cold War to reengineer the alien technology recovered from these ships.

Unnamed sources tied to the US Naval Air Systems Command have also claimed that two types of aircraft have been trying to spy on what the US has at a top-secret facility in Maryland known as Pax River.

The source told the Liberation Times that one was allegedly drones from China and the other was non-human UFOs.

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UFOs: 6 Things You Need to Know About These Mysterious Objects

For over 60 years, the topic of unidentified flying objects (UFOs) has been met with skepticism, denial, and endless speculation. Only recently has the U.S. Department of Defense officially acknowledged the existence of these enigmatic phenomena. But what exactly are UFOs? Are they natural phenomena, visits from extraterrestrial beings, or simply illusions? This article explores the latest insights, historical context, scientific perspectives, and what the future might hold regarding these mysterious flying objects.

© 3000ad/Shutterstock, US Navy

1. Quick guide to UFOs - That's why we're talking about it: In 2017, three videos surfaced showing fighter jets encountering UFOs. - UFO fever flared up again.
2. What does it mean? UFO is short for unidentified flying object.
3. Number to remember: 274 – the number of UFO incidents reported by US government employees alone between September 2022 and May 2023.

1. What Are UFOs? Definition and History

The term UFO is an abbreviation of "Unidentified Flying Object," referring to any aerial phenomenon that cannot be immediately identified as a conventional aircraft, natural celestial event, or optical illusion. The term has been in use since the early 1950s, but sightings of strange objects in the sky date back thousands of years.

Ancient civilizations documented strange lights and shapes in the sky. For example, Chinese observers in 240 BC marveled at a mysterious light, which modern historians believe was likely the comet Halley. These early reports, although lacking modern technology, indicate that humans have long been fascinated by unusual aerial phenomena.

The modern UFO era began in 1947 when American businessman Kenneth Arnold reported nine high-speed, disc-shaped objects flying near Mount Rainier, Washington. His description led to the media coining the term "flying saucers," which quickly entered popular culture. That same year, the infamous Roswell incident occurred, where an alleged alien spacecraft crash in New Mexico. Despite the lack of conclusive evidence, Roswell became a symbol of extraterrestrial conspiracy theories and government cover-ups.

© Roswell Daily Record

The U.S. Air Force introduced the term "UFO" to describe aerial sightings that defied explanation, and later, the term "UAP" (Unidentified Anomalous Phenomena) gained popularity, encompassing not just aerial objects but also underwater phenomena and other strange occurrences.

2. Types of UFO Sightings and Their Explanations

UFO sightings are generally categorized into three groups:

• Identifiable: These include known aircraft, weather balloons, stars, planets, or natural phenomena like meteors and atmospheric optical illusions.

• Inconclusive: Reports where insufficient data prevent definitive identification. These are often vague, lacking in detail, or involve fleeting observations.

• Unidentified: Sightings that cannot be explained after investigation, representing the "true" UFOs or UAPs.

The renowned astronomer Allan Hendry conducted an extensive study of over 1,300 UFO reports. His findings indicated that approximately 88.6% of sightings could be explained by natural or man-made phenomena, such as aircraft or optical illusions. About 2.8% involved incomplete data, and roughly 8.6% remained unexplained, classified as genuine UFOs or UAPs.

© Tulumnes

It's essential to emphasize that "unexplained" does not necessarily mean alien spacecraft. Many of these cases could involve secret military technology, natural phenomena not yet understood, or psychological factors influencing perception.

3. Are UFOs Secret Military or Experimental Aircraft?

A significant portion of UFO sightings may be attributed to advanced military technology. Historically, aircraft like the SR-71 Blackbird, the stealth F-117 Nighthawk, and the B-2 Spirit bomber operated in secrecy long before their public acknowledgment. These aircraft utilized groundbreaking technology, including stealth shaping, high-speed capabilities, and advanced avionics.

© Aaron Allmon II/U.S. Air Force

Modern reconnaissance planes and experimental drones could also account for some sightings. For example, in recent years, pilots have reported encounters with objects performing maneuvers impossible for known aircraft, such as rapid accelerations, sudden stops, or hovering without visible propulsion.

However, these sightings often involve objects exhibiting flight characteristics that defy known aerodynamics and physics. Observers have reported craft making sharp turns at hypersonic speeds or disappearing suddenly, which challenges current understanding of technology and physics. While some speculate these could be secret projects, others suggest they may be phenomena beyond our current technological grasp.

© 3000ad/Shutterstock

• UFOs have three tricky features

Some UFOs are clearly not planes, balloons or astronomical phenomena. UFOs seem to perform manoeuvres that are impossible with known technology and defy the laws of nature.

- Engine doesn't give off heat

According to Newton's laws, you need a force to make a physical object move. In a jet, the force is a jet engine that generates heat. There are countless UFO sightings without heat, so they must be using some unknown technology that gives them power without producing heat.

© twintyre/Shutterstock

- Ufos fly without wings or a rudder

Planes use wings – airfoils – to comply with the law of gravity. The wings control the airflow to keep the plane in the air. A disc- or cigar-shaped UFO doesn't have these, so it must have a technology that we don't know about.

© U.S. Air Force photo/Alex R. Lloyd

- Vaartuig maakt onmogelijke manoeuvres

Jachtvliegers worden getraind om de 8 à 9 g waaraan ze worden blootgesteld in scherpe bochten aan te kunnen. Maar er zijn ufo’s gemeld die zo snel van richting veranderen dat de g-impact zeker 10 keer zo hoog moet zijn. Daarbij worden de piloot en het toestel terstond vernietigd.

© Maciej Kopaniecki/Shutterstock

There are lots of types of control surfaces and wings, but they all make sure the plane stays in the air and is manoeuvrable.

Engines can be designed to be quieter and give off less heat, but planes rely on jet engines to move forward.

So sightings of UFOs that don’t seem to have wings, rudders or engines and perform baffling manoeuvres are not secretly some new type of aircraft.

4. Why Are UFOs So Intriguing and Significant?

If UFOs are indeed extraterrestrial spacecraft, their existence would mark one of the most revolutionary discoveries in human history. It would imply intelligent life beyond Earth, potentially opening the door to interstellar communication, technological exchange, and a profound shift in humanity's understanding of its place in the universe.

Conversely, if UFOs are advanced Earth-based technology, they could represent a new frontier in military innovation—ultra-efficient propulsion systems, silent aircraft, or other breakthroughs that are kept under wraps. Such revelations would have enormous implications for defense, geopolitics, and technological development.

The intrigue surrounding UFOs is also driven by their potential threat or opportunity. Unexplained objects operating in sensitive airspaces could pose national security risks, especially if they are capable of maneuvers beyond current human capabilities. Conversely, discovering that some UFOs are visitors from other worlds could inspire scientific breakthroughs and cultural shifts.

Three videos spark a UFO hunt

1. The FLIR video was recorded in November 2004 by a fighter pilot off the west coast of the US. It apparently shows a fast-flying, 12-15 metre long, oval object

The FLIR video, captured in November 2004 by a fighter pilot off the west coast of the US, supposedly shows a 12-15-m-long, oval-shaped object moving really fast.

© U.S. Navy

2. De Gimbal-video toont een incident dat plaatsvond voor de oostkust van de VS in januari 2015, toen meerdere piloten een ongeïdentificeerd vaartuig – ufo – volgden.

© U.S. Navy

3. De Go Fast-video toont dezelfde gebeurtenis als de Gimbal-video, maar de objecten zijn vanuit een andere hoek gefilmd. Hier lijken de ufo’s onnatuurlijk te vliegen.

© U.S. Navy

5. The U.S. Government’s Approach and Investigations

For decades, governments worldwide have been reticent about UFOs, often dismissing sightings or classifying information. Only recently has there been a shift toward transparency. In 2020, the U.S. Department of Defense officially acknowledged several videos depicting unidentified objects observed by military pilots. These videos, leaked earlier, showed objects performing extraordinary maneuvers, such as rapid acceleration and hovering without visible means of propulsion.

In 2022, the U.S. established the All-domain Anomaly Resolution Office (AARO) to investigate reports of UAPs across air, sea, land, and space. The agency's goal is to analyze and understand these phenomena, assess potential threats, and improve national security measures.

Within its first year, AARO collected over 800 reports, with 274 incidents documented between September 2022 and May 2023. These reports include sightings from military personnel, commercial pilots, and civilians, many of which remain unexplained even after rigorous analysis.

Internationally, no unified system exists for UFO monitoring. Some countries, like the United Kingdom and France, have their own investigations and databases, but global coordination remains limited. The lack of comprehensive monitoring makes it difficult to assess the true scope and nature of UFO phenomena.

6. Are UFOs Extraterrestrial or Could They Be Something Else?

The origin of many UFOs remains a matter of debate. If they are extraterrestrial, they would be spacecraft from distant civilizations traveling across interstellar distances. Considering the vastness of space, such travel would require technology far beyond current human capabilities.

Even traveling at a significant fraction of the speed of light, reaching our closest star system, Proxima Centauri (about 4.2 light-years away), would take thousands of years with current spacecraft. The Voyager probes, launched in 1977, travel at about 60,000 km/h and have only just exited our solar system after over four decades.

Theoretical physics offers possible solutions for faster travel, such as wormholes—hypothetical shortcuts through spacetime predicted by Einstein's general relativity. If such structures exist and can be stabilized, they could enable near-instantaneous travel between distant points, making interstellar journeys feasible for advanced civilizations.

Alternatively, some researchers suggest that UFOs might be terrestrial in origin, representing secret experimental technology or even natural phenomena misinterpreted as craft. Others propose that some sightings are optical illusions or psychological effects, amplified by media and cultural influences.

7. The Future of UFO Research and Public Interest

Interest in UFOs continues to grow, fueled by declassified government videos, scientific inquiries, and media coverage. The establishment of agencies like AARO demonstrates a shift toward scientific investigation rather than dismissiveness.

Upcoming advancements in radar, satellite surveillance, AI analysis, and international cooperation could provide more definitive data. As technology improves, we may be able to distinguish between natural phenomena, secret technology, and genuine extraterrestrial visitors.

Public curiosity remains high, with many awaiting concrete evidence of extraterrestrial life. Scientific endeavors like the Search for Extraterrestrial Intelligence (SETI) continue scanning the cosmos for signals from alien civilizations, but so far, no confirmed contact has been made.

Conclusion

UFOs remain one of the most fascinating and elusive mysteries of our time. While most sightings can be explained by natural phenomena or human technology, a small percentage defy current understanding and continue to intrigue scientists, governments, and the public alike. As investigations advance and our technological capabilities grow, we may one day uncover the truth behind these enigmatic objects—whether they are visitors from distant worlds, secret military projects, or natural wonders of our universe. Until then, the skies will keep inspiring wonder and curiosity.

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Unveiling the Secrets of the Solar System: A Retrospective Analysis of Subaru Telescope Data and Its Implications for Cometary Surface Evolution

Abstract

Advancements in astronomical instrumentation and data analysis have continually expanded our understanding of the universe. Notably, the Subaru Telescope, an 8.2-meter optical-infrared observatory located atop Mauna Kea, Hawaii, has facilitated groundbreaking observations of distant galaxies and other celestial objects. However, archival data from this facility have also yielded unexpected discoveries, such as the rare detection of the surface of comet 28P/Neujmin. This dissertation examines the serendipitous finding, explores the scientific significance of such observations, and discusses their implications for understanding cometary surface evolution and Solar System formation. Emphasizing the importance of archival data analysis, this work underscores the potential for future discoveries by revisiting existing datasets with refined techniques.

Actually, astronomers were busy studying the more than 2000 distant stars and galaxies in this photo when they suddenly discovered something very rare in our own solar system.

© NAOJ

1. Introduction

The pursuit of understanding the universe has driven astronomical research for centuries. Modern telescopes like the Subaru Telescope, situated at the summit of Mauna Kea in Hawaii, have been instrumental in probing the distant cosmos, primarily aiming to observe galaxies over 13 billion light-years away. Yet, the vast repositories of data accumulated over years often harbor unanticipated treasures, as exemplified by the recent serendipitous detection of comet 28P/Neujmin's surface in archival images.

This dissertation aims to contextualize this discovery within the broader scope of astronomical research, emphasizing the importance of archival data analysis, the scientific relevance of comets as primordial Solar System bodies, and the potential for uncovering new phenomena through re-examination of existing observations.

2. The Subaru Telescope: Capabilities and Scientific Objectives

The Subaru Telescope, operated by the National Astronomical Observatory of Japan (NAOJ), is a state-of-the-art observational facility optimized for wide-field optical and infrared imaging. Its primary scientific goals include:

• Investigating galaxy formation and evolution.
• Studying dark energy and dark matter.
• Exploring the properties of distant celestial objects such as quasars and supernovae.

Constructed with a large primary mirror of 8.2 meters, Subaru provides exceptional sensitivity and resolution, enabling astronomers to detect faint objects billions of light-years away. Its instrumentation includes advanced cameras and spectrographs, facilitating a broad range of astrophysical studies.

• 2.1 Observational Strategies

The telescope conducts both targeted observations and large-scale surveys, often involving routine data collection that can later be archived for secondary research. This routine nature of data acquisition results in extensive datasets, some of which contain unforeseen features or objects.

The astronomers were lucky, because the Earth, the comet and the Sun lined up in a rare, perfect line, so the comet was lit from behind. This is called the opposition effect.

© NAO

3. Archival Data and Serendipitous Discoveries

Archival data, defined as previously collected observations stored in repositories, are invaluable resources for scientific research. Re-examining such data with modern analysis techniques can reveal phenomena unnoticed during initial observations.

• 3.1 Historical Context

Historically, astronomical archives have been instrumental in discovering variable stars, transient events, and solar system objects. For example, the identification of supernovae in archival images has contributed significantly to cosmology.

• 3.2 Case Study: Discovery of Comet 28P/Neujmin's Surface

In 2016, during routine imaging sessions, the Subaru Telescope captured over 2000 celestial objects, including stars and distant galaxies. A decade later, researchers revisited these images to search for subtle features or transient phenomena. During this re-analysis, they identified an unexpected object: the surface of comet 28P/Neujmin.

This detection was remarkable because comets are typically observed at close approach to the Sun, where their activity produces a coma of gas and dust, obscuring the nucleus. In this case, the comet was observed at a significant distance, providing a rare glimpse of its bare surface.

4. Comets as Primordial Solar System Relics

Comets are icy, rocky bodies originating from the outer regions of the Solar System, primarily in the Kuiper Belt and Oort Cloud. They are considered time capsules, preserving material from the epoch of planetary formation approximately 4.6 billion years ago.

• 4.1 Composition and Structure

Comets consist of a nucleus composed of ices, dust, and organic compounds. When approaching the Sun, sublimation of ices creates a surrounding coma and a tail. However, at large heliocentric distances, comets remain inactive, revealing their surfaces in a more pristine state.

• 4.2 Significance in Solar System Studies

Analyzing cometary material provides insights into the early solar nebula's composition, the processes of planetary accretion, and the distribution of organic compounds essential for life.

• 4.3 Surface Observation Challenges

Direct observations of cometary nuclei are rare due to their small size, distance, and the presence of a coma. Typically, spacecraft missions like Rosetta have provided detailed surface imagery, but ground-based observations are limited.

5. The Case of Comet 28P/Neujmin

Comet 28P/Neujmin, discovered in 1936 by Grigory Neujmin, is a short-period comet with a highly elliptical orbit. It resides beyond Saturn's orbit during its inactive phase, with its nucleus lying approximately 10 astronomical units (AU) from the Sun.

• 5.1 Orbital Characteristics
  • Orbital period: approximately 15 years.
  • Distance at aphelion: beyond Saturn (~9-10 AU).
  • Surface conditions: extremely cold, rendering it largely 'naked'—that is, with minimal or no coma.
• 5.2 Observational Context

In 2016, Subaru observations coincided with a rare alignment: the Earth, Sun, and comet aligned in a near-perfect line, producing an opposition effect. This enhances the brightness and visibility of the comet’s surface, as sunlight directly back-illuminates the nucleus.

• 5.3 The 'Naked' Surface Observation

The detection of the comet's surface was facilitated by the alignment and the distance from the Sun, which minimized the coma and allowed for direct imaging of the nucleus. This rare event provided an unprecedented opportunity to study the surface composition and morphology of an object typically hidden beneath a veil of gas and dust.

6. Implications for Surface Evolution and Solar System Formation

The ability to observe cometary nuclei directly, especially in their inactive state, offers critical insights into the surface evolution of these bodies.

• 6.1 Surface Features and Processing

Surface features such as craters, fractures, and albedo variations inform theories about surface aging, space weathering, and collisional history. Repeated observations over time can reveal how surfaces evolve due to sublimation, impact exposure, or thermal stresses.

• 6.2 Temporal Changes and Surface Dynamics

Applying observational methods similar to those used in the Subaru data analysis to multiple comets can uncover how surface structures develop and change over time, shedding light on the physical processes governing small body evolution.

• 6.3 Broader Impacts

Understanding the surface properties of comets informs models of Solar System formation, migration of small bodies, and the delivery of volatiles and organics to Earth. Such data can refine our comprehension of planetary system development across the galaxy.

7. Future Directions: Mining Archival Data for New Discoveries

The Subaru example underscores the potential for discovering new phenomena through re-analysis of existing datasets. As data processing techniques improve, the likelihood of uncovering overlooked features increases.

• 7.1 Advanced Image Processing and Machine Learning

Applying machine learning algorithms to archival images can identify subtle or transient objects, such as faint cometary surfaces or small asteroids.

• 7.2 Systematic Surveys and Monitoring

Implementing systematic re-examination protocols for large datasets can facilitate the detection of rare events, including surface changes in comets, asteroid impacts, or transient solar system phenomena.

• 7.3 Collaborative Data Sharing

Fostering open access to astronomical archives and encouraging cross-disciplinary collaborations will accelerate discovery and deepen our understanding of the Solar System's history.

8. Conclusion

The rediscovery of comet 28P/Neujmin's surface in Subaru's archival images exemplifies the profound scientific potential of existing observational data. It highlights how routine surveys aimed at distant galaxies can serendipitously capture objects within our Solar System, providing invaluable insights into their physical characteristics.

This case emphasizes the importance of revisiting and reanalyzing archival data with modern techniques, as it can lead to breakthroughs in understanding the formation, evolution, and current state of small Solar System bodies. As observational capabilities and data processing methods continue to advance, the prospects for uncovering new phenomena and refining our models of Solar System history are promising.

Ultimately, such discoveries contribute to a more comprehensive picture of our cosmic neighborhood, informing theories of planetary system evolution and the origins of life-essential compounds.

{ PETER2011 }

Wiskundeprobleem waar wetenschappers al 90 jaar op puzzelen opgelost door AI

 

Negentig jaar lang kwamen wiskundigen er niet uit. Nu zegt OpenAI dat een AI-model het antwoord heeft gevonden op het zogenoemde Navier-Stokes-probleem, een van de grootste onopgeloste vraagstukken in de wiskunde. Het model zou daar slechts 88 uur voor nodig hebben gehad. "AI is ons de baas. En dat is ook wel een beetje eng."

Het is ingewikkelde materie. "Zelfs voor mij is het moeilijk te begrijpen", vertelt wiskundige Menno Lagerwey, in het dagelijks leven wiskundedocent en bekend door zijn toegankelijke uitlegfilmpjes over wiskunde: 'Math with Menno'. 

Ook Justin Dauwels, universitair hoofddocent aan de TU Delft en deskundige op het gebied van machine learning en generatieve AI, keek op verzoek van RTL Nieuws naar de bewering van OpenAI.

Hoe het weer zich ontwikkelt

Het Navier-Stokes-probleem, zeggen zij, gaat over de manier waarop water, lucht en andere vloeistoffen en gassen bewegen. 

Wetenschappers gebruiken al tientallen jaren ingewikkelde rekenregels om bijvoorbeeld te voorspellen hoe lucht rond een vliegtuig stroomt, hoe het weer zich ontwikkelt en hoe windmolens het beste kunnen worden ontworpen.

Maar wiskundigen wisten niet zeker of die berekeningen in álle situaties blijven kloppen. Kan er bijvoorbeeld een situatie ontstaan waarin de snelheid oneindig groot wordt? Zo'n punt wordt een singulariteit genoemd.

Volgens OpenAI heeft het AI-model nu aangetoond dat dit inderdaad kan gebeuren.

OpenAI claimt doorbraak in wiskunde: 'Probleem na 90 jaar opgelost'

Het model van OpenAI beschrijft een wervel die steeds sterker en langer wordt, totdat in een bepaalde tijd die zogenoemde singulariteit ontstaat: het punt waarop de berekening geen normale waarde meer geeft. 

'Wiskunde op Champions League-niveau'

Dat is het probleem en de ontdekking, simpel uitgelegd. Maar nog steeds ingewikkeld, beaamt Lagerwey. "Het is echt wiskunde op Champions League-niveau. Zo'n hoog niveau dat misschien alleen een enkeling in Nederland dit echt begrijpt."

In de algemene relativiteitstheorie bestaan ook singulariteiten, bijvoorbeeld de klassieke singulariteit die met het binnenste van een zwart gat wordt geassocieerd, zegt Justin Dauwels van de TU Delft. 

Hebben we ook echt iets aan deze ontdekking? Niet direct. De directe impact op technologie is waarschijnlijk beperkt, zegt Dauwels. "Ingenieurs gebruiken Navier–Stokes al lang in simulaties. Het betekent niet dat we morgen ineens veel betere vliegtuigen of weersmodellen hebben."

De kennis die hiervoor gebruikt is, kan gebruikt worden in andere vakgebieden, zegt Lagerwey. "Dat is hoe wiskunde werkt. Ik denk vooral dat de essentie moet zijn: dat we verslagen worden door AI op dit gebied."

1 miljoen dollar

Want AI heeft wel 'even' een van de grootste vraagstukken in de wiskunde opgelost, de zogenoemde Millenniumproblemen. Die werden in 2000 door het Clay Mathematics Institute aangewezen als enkele van de belangrijkste onopgeloste vragen in de wiskunde. Voor een oplossing ligt per probleem 1 miljoen dollar klaar. Tot nu toe was slechts één van de zeven opgelost.

"Heel wat wiskundigen hebben hier véél meer tijd in gestoken."

Lagerwey heeft een dubbel gevoel bij deze ontdekking. "Toen de zeven problemen werden geformuleerd, was het idee van: als het lukt om deze op te lossen, dan zijn we als mensheid heel ver. Als een soort stip aan de horizon. Maar het is jammer dat AI dit nu heeft gedaan. Als mens staan we in ons hemd. Het zou mooi zijn als het een mens was gelukt, nu is het ons niet echt gelukt."

Dauwels ziet dat anders. "Hebben we dan ook van vliegtuigen verloren, omdat wij zelf niet kunnen vliegen? Het is toch fantastisch dat we dankzij vliegtuigen ver kunnen reizen. Ik denk dat het daarom ook veelbelovend is dat AI ons kan helpen bij het leveren van wiskundige bewijzen. Dat zal kunnen leiden tot rigoureuzer onderzoek, betrouwbaardere technologieën en impactvolle innovatie."

10.000 AI-agenten

Voor de oplossing zette OpenAI naar eigen zeggen ongeveer 10.000 AI-agenten in: AI-systemen die zelfstandig aan verschillende onderdelen van het probleem werkten. Onderzoekers van het bedrijf stuurden ideeën tussen de verschillende groepen heen en weer. Het uiteindelijke bewijs is door een computer gecontroleerd.

De claim is daarmee nog niet automatisch geaccepteerd door wiskundigen. "Dat moet echt door een mens worden gedaan", zegt Lagerwey. OpenAI heeft het bewijs openbaar gemaakt, zodat andere experts het kunnen bestuderen en controleren.

De New York Times schrijft dat juist daar een belangrijke vraag ligt: kan het AI-systeem daadwerkelijk aantonen dat die oplossing klopt en inzicht geven in waarom het probleem op deze manier kan worden opgelost?

Spectaculair

De ontwikkeling voedt ondertussen een groter debat over de rol van AI in de wiskunde. Volgens de New York Times is dit het meest spectaculaire voorbeeld tot nu toe van de manier waarop AI het vakgebied verandert. Daar kleven wel zorgen aan. Juist het worstelen met wiskundige problemen levert vaak nieuwe inzichten op, schrijft de krant. 

Terence Tao, hoogleraar aan de Universiteit van Californië, die volgens de krant door velen wordt beschouwd als de beste wiskundige van zijn generatie, zegt: "Nu kan AI vragen oplossen zonder er echt iets aan te hebben. Het is alsof je machines hebt die gewichten voor je tillen in de sportschool."

'Wiskunde is een vaardigheid'

Lagerwey is het daarmee eens: "Dit speelt ook op de middelbare school. Het denkwerk gaan we steeds meer uitbesteden aan AI. Maar wiskunde is een vaardigheid die je moet trainen. Een work-out. Ik vrees dat als we dit uitbesteden, we dan collectief dommer worden. Ik heb het beste voor met mijn leerlingen. Ik wil dat ze zelf nadenken."

Om zijn leerlingen te helpen, maakt Lagerwey YouTube-filmpjes. Die zijn soms meer dan 40 miljoen keer bekeken. Ook in het theater kan Menno op veel enthousiasme rekenen:

{ https://www.rtl.nl }

Study Includes Accusations of Cold War in Space Activities

In the 20th century, the concept of war in space remained mostly in the realm of science fiction, as depicted in popular films like Star Wars. Today, advances in space access, orbital maneuvering technologies, and weapons systems have made the possibility of a future conflict in space a very real security concern, and several nations engage in espionage using reconnaissance spacecraft to obtain information on valuable defense targets in Earth’s orbit.

According to the authors of the new study, “acquiring multi-aspect payload information of non-cooperative targets to infer their functions and mission statuses is of great significance for space security assessment.”

The study authors highlight a series of relative motion configurations that modern spy satellites employ, including fly-around, hovering, and drifting flight. They also point to real-world “adversarial” U.S missions they suggest were designed to gather intelligence on their GEO defense assets.

“Since 2014, the US GSSAP (United States Geosynchronous Space Situational Awareness Program) satellite has carried out hundreds of maneuvers and has conducted close observation operations on dozens of normally working satellites near GEO orbit,” the Beijing University of Technology scientists write.

The study authors also include a specific July 2021 accusation, where they charge that “the U.S. satellite ‘USA-271’ deliberately approached the operational ‘Practice 20’ satellite in geostationary orbit and flew in close proximity.”

In an email to The Debrief, a U.S. Space Command Spokesperson did not address the specific incident or the accusations of “dozens” of similar operations, but offered some insight into the agency’s thinking.

“USSPACECOM, working with allies and partners, plans, executes, and integrates military spacepower into multi-domain global operations in order to deter aggression, defend national interests, and when necessary, defeat threats,” the spokesperson told The Debrief, adding that “we have nothing additional to add in response to the article.”

Getting Closer to Adversarial Satellites and Extending Observation Time

In a step toward potential dogfights between satellites, the Chinese scientists looked at several challenges faced by current spy satellites.

For example, they explain, since most spacecraft observation cameras are mounted in a fixed position, “frequent large-angle attitude maneuvers are time-consuming and consume substantial fuel.” The researcher also noted that several different angles and approaches could yield different categories of intelligence data.

However, changing angles and orbital planes requires fuel, an extremely limited resource in GEO. Therefore, the researcher accounting for all the variables required to gather intelligence on adversarial spacecraft as efficiently as possible “has become a key bottleneck in enhancing space situational awareness capabilities.”

To find an optimized solution, the team designed what they called a “waypoint trajectory planning scheme” and a “multi-impulse maneuver strategy” using a common game-theory tool called “minimum integral squared control” theory. Unlike previous research aimed at extending spy satellite observation time and fuel efficiency, the Chinese scientists said their use of sequential coalition game theory “is introduced for the first time into the multi-model combined observation problem.”

Next, the researchers designed a “game tree.” A press release said this approach lets the spacecraft select the “optimal combination of initial motion points and close-range operation models at each stage under minimum fuel constraints, thereby generating an optimal observation strategy sequence.”

Finally, the researchers ran simulations to see whether their approach improved sensor observation times and field of view while reducing fuel use.

Successful Simulations and Future Reinforcement Learning Plans

As hoped, the Beijing University of Technology team said their simulations supported the theories. Specifically, the study authors said the simulations showed that their spacecraft efficiency algorithm “can successfully generate a multi-model combined observation strategy sequence under minimum fuel constraints.”

“The effective observation time increases with larger observation distances and field-of-view angles, and reducing the model configuration size also contributes to improved observation performance,” they explained. The study authors also said that the simulation results “demonstrate that the algorithm can successfully generate the optimal combined observation sequence under minimum fuel constraints.”

When discussing next steps, the Chinese scientists said they will explore optimal initial points to further improve maneuver efficiency. They also plan to explore a “reinforcement learning method,” suggesting future spacecraft could learn and adapt to evolving conditions to further enhance their cold war in space information-gathering capabilities.

Study’s War in Space Implications “Extends Beyond any Single Algorithm”

To understand the potential implications of the Chinese study, including its impacts on a potential future war in space, The Debrief reached out to former U.S. Air Force officer Shelli Brunswick, CEO and Founder, SB Global LLC.

According to the author and futurist, the Chinese team’s research matters not just because it proves China has deployed a “new operational surveillance capability.” Instead, Brunswick said that the work is significant because it “illustrates how sophisticated coordination and optimization could make spacecraft observation more efficient, persistent, and strategically useful.”

The Blue Marble Space Visiting Scholar also told The Debrief that the work “should not be interpreted as demonstrating a complete pursuit-and-evasion capability against a spacecraft that is actively responding,” since the work assumes a stationary target without maneuvering capabilities. Still, Brunswick noted, the Chinese framework “shows how game-theoretic planning could help an observing satellite gather information from multiple angles while managing limited resources.”

When discussing the potential implications for the broader U.S.-China space-security competition, including how such enhanced spacecraft could lead to more activities that could be construed as hostile, the space strategist said this area of research “extends beyond any single algorithm.”

“As rendezvous and proximity operations become more sophisticated, the line between inspection, space situational awareness, intelligence gathering, and potentially threatening behavior becomes increasingly difficult to interpret,” she explained.

When suggesting what potential strategic responses the U.S. and its allies might employ in the emerging cold war in space, Brunswick told The Debrief that they should include “more resilient architectures, improved space-domain awareness, clearer expectations for close approaches, stronger communication mechanisms, and deeper coordination with commercial and international partners.”

“The challenge is not simply detecting another spacecraft—it is understanding capability and intent early enough to respond responsibly and effectively,” Brunswick explained.

The study “Spacecraft Proximity Operation Model-Based Sequential Coalitional Observation Game Strategy Design” was published in Space: Science & Technology. 

• Christopher Plain has spent the last six years as Associate News Editor and Head Science Reporter at The Debrief. Follow and connect with him on X, learn about his novels at plainfiction.com, or email him at christopher@thedebrief.org.

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

On August 30, 2026, a SpaceX Falcon Heavy rocket launched the Roman  telescope — named after NASA’s first female chief astronomer, Nancy Grace Roman — from Launch Pad 39A at the Kennedy Space Center. The spacecraft embarked on a three-month journey covering approximately one and a half million kilometers to the Lagrange point L2, where the James Webb Space  Telescope has been operational foreveral years. Beyond this point, the similarities between the two telescopes cease. A comparison of the Roman telescope with the James Webb Space Telescope reveals two contrasting engineering approaches; these differences are apparent from the size of the mirrors to the very shape of the structures.

This is a documentary photograph capturing the launch of the Roman Space Telescope (Nancy Grace Roman). The SpaceX Falcon Heavy launch vehicle is depicted deploying the observatory into orbit, with the silhouette of the vehicle positioned directly against the sun’s disk at the moment the photograph was taken. The launch occurred on August 30, 2026, from Launch Pad 39A at the Kennedy Space Center in Florida. Photo credit: John Kraus (NASA).

Two mirrors of different sizes

The primary mirror of the Roman telescope is a single, solid piece coated with silver, measuring 2.4 meters in diameter — identical to that of the Hubble Space Telescope. The Webb Telescope features a considerably larger mirror, 6.5 meters across, composed of 18 hexagonal beryllium segments with a thin gold coating. This surface gathers approximately six times more light than Hubble’s mirror. The size of the mirror directly influences both the sensitivity and resolution: the larger the mirror, the fainter the signals the telescope can detect and the finer the angular details it can resolve. Consequently, Webb is capable of observing faint and distant objects and resolving finer details that the Roman Telescope cannot achieve. The Roman Telescope was constructed with a smaller mirror because its observational targets are closer and do not require such an extensive field of view. 

Width vs. depths

The most straightforward method to conceptualize the distinction between the two spacecraft is to liken them to camera lenses. Webb operates akin to a potent telephoto lens: it concentrates on a minute segment of the sky, capturing intricate details. Conversely, Roman functions as a wide-angle lens, encompassing expansive regions within a single frame. Its field of view exceeds Hubble’s by at least one hundredfold. Central to the spacecraft is the 300-megapixel Wide Field Instrument, a wide-format camera equipped with eighteen detectors, each approximately the size of a cracker. Over a span of five years, Roman is projected to survey an area of the sky roughly fifty times greater than the coverage achieved by Hubble in thirty years of operation. Nevertheless, the Webb telescope’s field of view remains relatively narrow — less than ten square arcminutes — and it is not intended for extensive wide-field sky surveys.

Different regions of the infrared spectrum

Both telescopes detect infrared light, each within its respective spectral range. Roman covers a spectrum from approximately 0.5 to 2.3 micrometers, which encompasses visible light and the near-infrared region. Webb extends its observational capabilities significantly further, spanning from 0.6 to 28.5 micrometers, reaching into the mid-infrared range. This distinction is due to the expansion of the universe, whereby light from the most ancient galaxies has been stretched and shifted toward the red end of the spectrum over billions of years. The earliest stars are detectable only in long infrared wavelengths. Webb is specifically tasked with observing this light. Conversely, Roman’s observation targets are comparatively closer in both time and space; their emitted light experiences less redshift, allowing the telescope to operate effectively at shorter wavelengths.

Why does Webb appear so unusual?

Operating within the long-wavelength infrared spectrum necessitates maintaining the telescope at a low temperature, as the instrument’s own thermal emission could obscure the faint signals it aims to detect. The Webb telescope is safeguarded by a five-layer sunshield, comparable in size to a tennis court — approximately 21 by 14 meters. This shield continually sustains the mirror and instruments in shadow, thereby cooling them to approximately –233°C. To accommodate this structure within the rocket’s fairing, engineers ingeniously folded the telescope akin to origami, and it subsequently unfolded over several days post-launch. Roman features a more straightforward design: its smaller mirror and shorter infrared wavelength enable the use of a compact thermal protection system, and the spacecraft itself is roughly the size of a tour bus, eliminating the need for a large sunshield. 

Artist’s rendering of the James Webb Space Telescope. Illustration: ESA, NASA

The pursuit of knowledge in telescopic observations

Roman was primarily developed to investigate dark energy and dark matter — two elements that influence the universe’s expansion and structure, yet remain largely enigmatic to science. Wide-field surveys can theoretically yield statistical data on billions of galaxies, enabling astronomers to observe how the universe’s expansion has evolved over time. The second principal objective is to identify exoplanets outside our Solar System, utilizing various detection methods. The initiative will be anchored by a comprehensive survey of the central regions of the Milky Way, employing two principal techniques. The transit method involves observing periodic dimming of a star as a planet transits in front of it; according to NASA estimates, this method could identify approximately 100,000 exoplanets. This projection is based on models contingent upon the actual prevalence of planets, the observation schedule, and data processing quality. Gravitational microlensing detects brief luminous flashes when a star with an orbiting planet passes in front of a more distant star; the gravity of the intervening star acts as a lens, magnifying the background star’s light. This method is expected to discover over a thousand additional planets, particularly those residing in distant orbits. 

Separately, a coronagraph — a device that obstructs the star’s light to enable direct imaging of faint planets and protoplanetary disks around stars — will be tested onboard. For the Roman mission, this primarily constitutes a technological experiment aimed at refining the methodology for subsequent missions.

Webb emphasizes the exploration of cosmic history. It examines the earliest galaxies formed shortly after the Big Bang, monitors the emergence of stars and planetary systems within dust clouds, and analyzes the light from exoplanet atmospheres into spectra, seeking indications of diverse molecules.

Orbit, data rate, and operating time

Both observatories will be positioned in orbit around the L2 point, approximately 1.5 million kilometers from Earth. At this location, the combined gravitational forces of the Sun and Earth balance the centripetal force necessary for the spacecraft to orbit the Sun at the same velocity as Earth and maintain alignment with it. This point is inherently marginally stable; therefore, the telescope sustains its proximity through minor periodic engine adjustments that necessitate only a minimal expenditure of fuel.

Roman will transmit approximately 1.4 terabytes of data daily, representing the highest data transmission rate among NASA’s astrophysics missions. The initial images are anticipated to be released in early 2027, subsequent to a three-month instrument calibration period. The primary mission is planned to span five years, with fuel reserves expected to last at least twice that duration. The Roman telescope possesses a distinctive history: its mirror and structure were initially designed for a reconnaissance satellite for the U.S. National Reconnaissance Office, and the equipment was subsequently transferred to NASA.

The manner in which the two telescopes will operate collaboratively

From the outset, NASA envisioned Roman and Webb as an integrated observational team. Roman conducts extensive sky surveys to identify rare and anomalous objects, precisely where statistical analysis suggests a potential for further investigation. Webb then allocates its substantial mirror to examine the most compelling findings in greater detail, surpassing the scope of broad survey techniques. Additionally, Roman possesses the capability to provide contextual information surrounding regions already examined by Webb, thereby facilitating a comprehensive understanding. In conjunction with the Hubble  Space Telescope and the Chandra X-ray Observatory, these instruments offer astronomers both panoramic views and detailed observations, ranging from proximal planets to galaxies at the farthest reaches of the observable universe. 

• Posted in Articles

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

Tiny Salt Crevices Could Act As Miniature "Greenhouses" For Martian Microbes

{ https://www.universetoday.com/ }

10 Mile Long Alien Base Found In Ocean Off Australia, Seeing is believing! UFO UAP Sighting News. 👽

Date of discovery: Sept 8, 2026

Location of discovery: Ocean Below Australia

Source map:

• https://seabed2030.org/

Now this is exciting. Not often you find something in the middle of nowhere that is ten miles by four miles across and not to mention this megalith structure is also deep, I would estimate it to go at least 10-15 miles deep or more. How can such a structure exist without everyone knowing? Easy, Google is controlled by the US gov and they clearly want to help hide the truth about aliens. Sure the US is releasing small videos clips and files 50 at a time, but honestly, they have hundreds of thousands of such files on hand and they are giving a thirsty man a single drop of water to quench his thirst? No way. I will take matters into my own hands and get it done faster. This alien base looks clean and taken care of, without any sand or sea growth covering it up...you know what that means...aliens are living there right now! Its not abandoned its occupied. 

Scott C. Waring - UFO Sightings Daily

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

AI could 'kill all humans' by the end of the decade, Anthropic researcher warns – as he quits over 'out of control' superintelligence race

By SHIVALI BEST, SCIENCE & TECHNOLOGY EDITOR 

A researcher at a leading AI company has quit over concerns that big tech firms are in an 'out of control' race to build systems that could wipe out humanity. 

Jacob Coxon has left Anthropic after spending the last three years training new AI models.

He claims that neither the firm behind the Claude system – nor ChatGPT creators OpenAI, where he previously worked – were 'acting responsibly' over the safety of AI.

And he even warned that artificial intelligence could 'kill all humans' by the end of the decade. 

Posting on X, he said: 'I resigned from Anthropic today. I spent the last three years doing pretraining research at both OpenAI and Anthropic. 

'Neither company is acting responsibly. They are racing straight to self-improving superintelligence and gambling with our lives.'

A researcher at Anthropic has quit over concerns that big tech firms are in an 'out of control' race to build systems that could wipe out humanity 

In a series of tweets explaining his decision to leave Anthropic, Mr Coxon urged people to 'not underestimate the power' of AI – particularly if it becomes 'superintelligent'

In response to Mr Coxon, Evan Hubinger, Alignment Science lead at Anthropic, said that the firm believes AI has the potential to kill humans

In a series of tweets explaining his decision to leave Anthropic, Mr Coxon urged people to 'not underestimate the power' of AI – particularly if it becomes 'superintelligent'. 

Superintelligence is the point at which an artificial system becomes more powerful than any individual, company or even nation.

'These will soon be superhuman systems that can hack anything, revolutionize any field overnight, and acquire real power and resources. We have all witnessed the progress in each of these domains, and progress is not slowing,' Mr Coxon said.

'The people building AI earnestly believe that it could kill us all by the end of the decade,' he said.

'This is not a marketing stunt. If anything, many executives and senior researchers will couch their phrasing in the press to sound sensible - but I hear the same people express fear privately. No other human activity poses this level of danger.'

According to Mr Coxon, this danger is 'well-understood' at Anthropic. However, the company is 'locked in a race to get there first'.

He explained: 'Accepting this race and entering the "endgame" is a hubristic gamble that should not be launched from a private company's [messaging system] Slack. Attempting to speedrun alignment should require extraordinary confidence that there are no better trajectories available.'

As an example, the researcher highlights the recent Hugging Face attack, which saw a firm hacked by OpenAI's rogue AI. 

He said: 'Warning shots like the Hugging Face attack have made pacing agreements between U.S. labs more viable. I don't feel like we're on track to prevent a global race, which may require costly actions such as a temporary ban on improving model capabilities.'

To conclude, he urged fellow AI researchers to 'consider what the next few years will actually look like'.

Hollywood has long warned of the dangers of these technologies, in films such as The Terminator and its sequels. 

Terminator Genisys, the fifth film in the series...  Hollywood has long warned of technology's threat to humanity

Mr Coxon asked: 'Do you want to kick off a superintelligent RL [reinforcement learning] run without a rigorous understanding of its mind? Should you put your head down because "it's happening anyway" – or take this moment to call for different conditions?'

In response to the post, Evan Hubinger, Anthropic's AI safety lead, confirmed that the firm believes AI has the potential to kill humans.

On X, Mr Hubinger said: 'Jacob is correct here – we really do earnestly believe AI could kill all humans! I personally think it is >10% within the next decade. I believe Anthropic is trying its best, but we do not yet have a plan to solve alignment for superintelligence and are not clearly on track to.'

The news comes as Ed Davey claimed that Anthropic did not submit its latest model to the AI Security Institute for testing due to 'pressure from the Trump administration.'

Speaking at Prime Minister's Questions today, he cited a Financial Times report on the subject, and asked: 'Does the Prime Minister think it is acceptable for President Trump to undermine Britain's efforts to keep the world safe from dangerous AI?'

In response, Andy Burnham said that 'conversations with Anthropic will continue'.

He added: 'AI poses risks to our national security, but it also could be the source of solutions.'

Mr Coxon isn't the first expert to raise concerns over superintelligent AI in recent days. 

His comments come shortly after Geoffrey Hinton – a Canadian researcher often referred to as the 'Godfather of AI' – warned that superintelligent systems could 'lead to human extinction'.

'We would be very foolish to develop superintelligence now, when there is no scientific consensus it can be developed safely and controllably,' Dr Hinton said. 

'Losing control over AI smarter than ourselves could be catastrophic and could even lead to human extinction.'

Anthropic's Claude is one of the leading large language models (LLMs), which are trained by scraping vast amounts of text so they can understand and generate human-like language and responses to questions. 

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