Artifact found in footsteps of Jesus unveils new era of history

• READ MORE:  Scientists make new discovery in cloth 'Jesus was buried in'

By STACY LIBERATORE FOR DAILYMAIL.COM

Archaeologists have uncovered two lost settlements of ancient Rome, suggesting the empire's control stretched wider than previously believed.

They found an ancient slab of volcanic rock fashioned into a rectangular artifact, which was used to mark land borders in Galilee, between northern Israel and southern Lebanon.

Carved in Ancient Greek lettering, the stone proclaims that the previously unknown towns of Tirathas and Golgol were under the control of the Roman Empire, and featured the name of four governors in charge of managing the empire's territories abroad.  

The etchings date back 1,720 years ago during the reign of Caesar Marcus Aurelius Alexander, the ruler featured in the original 2000 Gladiator movie.

The location showed that people living within the boundary were under imperial rule, being taxed by the Roman Empire located 2,500 miles away in Italy.

But it also has religious significance. The stone was found in Upper Galilee believed to be where Jesus preached, walked on water and was baptized. 

The team, from the Hebrew University, emphasized that 'such discoveries provide a unique glimpse into the lives of ancient inhabitants, the pressures they faced and the enduring traces of their communities in the archaeological record.'

Professor Uzi Leibner said: 'Finding a boundary stone like this not only sheds light on ancient land ownership and taxation but also provides a tangible connection to the lives of individuals who navigated these complex systems nearly two millennia ago.'

Archaeologists uncovered a stone (left shows the inscription highlighted) in the region where 

The ancient Romans controlled a large portion of the Middle East, including Anatolia, the Levant, parts of Mesopotamia, and Arabia. They also had power over Israel from 63 BC until 135 AD.

The stone was found at the site of Abel Beth Maacah, an ancient city in the Upper Galilee region of Israel.

'The names Tirthas and Golgol are not known from any other boundary stones found in the area, nor from any ancient source,' the team shared in the study, saying that these are two new settlements of the vast Roman Empire.

Archaeologists speculated that a large ruin found in the area in the late 19th century could have resided in Tirthas. The previous excavation recorded the site as Kh. Turritha.

'The resemblance of the names Turritha – Tirthas, located in the same vicinity, can hardly be coincidental and it is likely that the former preserves the ancient name,' researchers wrote.

'The surveyors did not provide any description besides 'large heaps of basalt stones', and we could find no archaeological information on this site, located today on the Lebanese side of the border.'

However, the border stone was made of basalt which is a dark-colored, igneous rock that forms when lava cools quickly at the Earth's surface.

'If the suggestion to identify Tirthas with Kh. Turritha is correct, then the field(s) of Golgol/m could have been located anywhere to the west, south, or north of the original spot of the boundary stone,' reads the study. 

Archaeologists unearthed a boundary stone in Galilee that featured ancient Greek inscriptions of previously unknown territories, revealing the Roman Empire's control extended further and for longer than previously believed The stone was found at the site of Abel Beth Maacah 

Galilee, located in northern Israel and southern Lebanon, is mentioned in the Bible as the venue for most of Jesus' ministry and where he walked on water and was baptized

Archaeologists speculated that a large ruin found in the area in the late 19th century could have resided in Tirthas. The previous excavation recorded the site as Kh. Turritha

There are some sites with Roman-period remains west of tell Abel Beth Maacah, but none bear a name resembling Golgol.

'However, there is a low, round hill, standing less than a kilometer from the eastern slopes of Abel Beth Maacah that may be identified with it,' said the researchers.

They linked Golgol with Gilgal and Golgotha because of the linguistic, topographical and cultural similarities between the names.

Gilgal, mentioned in the Book of Joshua, was the eastern border of Jericho where the Israelites camped after crossing the Jordan River following their exodus from Egypt.

And Golgotha is the name of the hill in Jerusalem where Jesus was crucified, as described in the Bible's four Gospels. The name translates to 'place of the skull'. 

This discovery adds to a unique corpus of over 20 boundary stones concentrated in the northern Hula Valley and surrounding areas. 

The stones mark a period of heightened administrative control aimed at standardizing taxation and clarifying land ownership. 

This specific find highlights the interconnectedness of historical geography, economic policies and local settlement patterns. 

{ https://www.dailymail.co.uk/ }

26-01-2025 om 21:56 geschreven door peter  

The tests were conducted by Rubin’s international commissioning team, composed of hundreds of engineers, scientists, and observing specialists. According to a statement issued by the Rubin Observatory, the test included verifying that the telescope’s complex systems were all working together, testing the early image quality in all six of the system’s filters, and running the data processing pipelines. They also verified that the system can transmit large amounts of data from the observatory to the Department of Energy’s SLAC National Accelerator Laboratory.

They also confirmed the Active Optics System (AOS), which maintains the precise positions and shapes of the telescope’s three large mirrors. The Simonyi Survey Telescope, the camera, data systems, networks, and everyone involved in the engineering test were said to have performed exceptionally well. The test delivered high-quality images within the first hours, even though most of the detailed optical adjustments and environmental controls were not fully activated. Per the statement:

“Thanks to the dedicated efforts and talents of thousands of people over many years, the telescope had been assembled with all its complex parts positioned correctly to better than about one millimeter. Equally satisfyingly, the high-speed network connecting Chile and the data center at SLAC, the data systems, and the algorithms for analyzing the data worked well, too.”

The LSSTCam has 189 CCD sensors, giving it a field of view roughly 45 times the size of a full Moon – over 21 times that of the ComCam. For the final phase of construction, the LSSTCam will replace the ComCam on the Simonyi Survey Telescope. When coupled with this 8.4-meter (27.5-ft) telescope, the LSTTCam will capture images of very faint and variable objects at an unprecedented rate. The installation will take a few months, followed by the observatory capturing its “First Look” images of the cosmos.

“The success of the engineering test phase has given a surge of excitement and anticipation to the team,” said Deputy Director for Rubin Construction Sandrine Thomas. “Reaching this milestone has offered a small taste of what is to come once Rubin Observatory begins its 10-year survey.” Once the final testing and verification phase is complete, the Rubin Observatory will begin the most comprehensive data-gathering mission ever performed in the history of astrophysics.

The observatory is named in honor of American astronomer Dr. Vera C. Rubin, whose work was foundational to the theory of Dark Matter. By repeatedly scanning the southern sky with its cutting-edge instruments for a decade, Rubin will create an ultra-high-definition time-lapse record of the cosmos. This data will allow scientists to investigate Dark Matter, Dark Energy, and other mysteries facing astronomers, astrophysicists, and cosmologists today.

Further Reading: 

• Rubin Observatory

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{ https://www.universetoday.com/ }

26-01-2025 om 16:18 geschreven door peter  

Don’t know about you but when I think of Earth my mind is filled with the diversity of life and the rich flora and fauna. In reality, about 99% of Earth is uninhabitable; deep underground places with high pressure and temperature where even the toughest bacteria cannot survive. There are places though where life thrives from tiniest toughest bacteria to the largest elephant. Then there are places that are habitable but devoid of life; lava flows are a great example and the space between microbes. A paper recently released looks at these uninhabited, habitable areas and wonders what we may learn as we search for life in the Universe.

Life on Earth has taken millions of years to evolve to the state we see today and has invaded nearly every corner of the planet. That is, except those places where the environment is so extreme that even the toughest extremophile cannot survive. These regions include places like the Atacama Desert in Chile, one of the driest places on Earth, where rainfall is so rare that even microbial life struggles to survive. Similarly, parts of Antarctica’s dry valleys feature subzero temperatures, minimal liquid water, and high salinity in some soils, creating an environment hostile to most life forms. It raises interesting questions and perhaps pose limitations on life’s ability to survive. 

We can learn a lot from life on Earth as we hunt for live elsewhere in the Universe. At the moment, there is just one place in the cosmos where we know life has evolved, that’s on Earth. A paper recently authored by Charles S Cockell from the University of Edinburgh explores what we might learn from the inhospitable places on Earth and how that might inform our search for extraterrestrial life. The paper discusses places where active microorganisms cannot be found in particular those places where the physical and chemical conditions are not far from areas that support life. 

The physical spaces where microbes cannot sustain the essential metabolic activity or even reproduce can be categorised into two groups: those with uninhabitable conditions and those with habitable but uninhabited spaces, also known as uninhabited habitats. You might need to read that a few times but it does make sense! Uninhabitable conditions occur in environments where life cannot exist due to extreme factors like intense heat, cold, salinity, or acidity. In contrast, uninhabited habitats are environments that are theoretically capable of supporting life but remain unoccupied, often due to barriers to colonisation or the absence of necessary organisms. The paper draws a strong differentiation between these ‘vacant niches.’

These uninhabited habitats, which form on both macroscopic and microscopic scales through diverse processes, offer opportunities for scientific investigation. They can act as negative control environments, helping to reveal how living organisms influence geochemical processes, and how they can provide a framework for studying processes like microbial succession and community development. Despite their potential significance, the occurrence of these habitats in environments at the physical and chemical extremes of life remain poorly understood.

As we continue our search for life across the universe, we may find many more locations like these. Doing so will help to expand our understanding of the distribution of habitable conditions and the potential for life across the universe. They may offer insights into the processes that make a location suitable for life, as well as the factors that have prevented life from arising or persisting there.

Source : 

• Where the microbes aren’t

{ https://www.universetoday.com/ }

26-01-2025 om 15:59 geschreven door peter  

Don’t know about you but when I think of Earth my mind is filled with the diversity of life and the rich flora and fauna. In reality, about 99% of Earth is uninhabitable; deep underground places with high pressure and temperature where even the toughest bacteria cannot survive. There are places though where life thrives from tiniest toughest bacteria to the largest elephant. Then there are places that are habitable but devoid of life; lava flows are a great example and the space between microbes. A paper recently released looks at these uninhabited, habitable areas and wonders what we may learn as we search for life in the Universe.

Life on Earth has taken millions of years to evolve to the state we see today and has invaded nearly every corner of the planet. That is, except those places where the environment is so extreme that even the toughest extremophile cannot survive. These regions include places like the Atacama Desert in Chile, one of the driest places on Earth, where rainfall is so rare that even microbial life struggles to survive. Similarly, parts of Antarctica’s dry valleys feature subzero temperatures, minimal liquid water, and high salinity in some soils, creating an environment hostile to most life forms. It raises interesting questions and perhaps pose limitations on life’s ability to survive. 

We can learn a lot from life on Earth as we hunt for live elsewhere in the Universe. At the moment, there is just one place in the cosmos where we know life has evolved, that’s on Earth. A paper recently authored by Charles S Cockell from the University of Edinburgh explores what we might learn from the inhospitable places on Earth and how that might inform our search for extraterrestrial life. The paper discusses places where active microorganisms cannot be found in particular those places where the physical and chemical conditions are not far from areas that support life. 

The physical spaces where microbes cannot sustain the essential metabolic activity or even reproduce can be categorised into two groups: those with uninhabitable conditions and those with habitable but uninhabited spaces, also known as uninhabited habitats. You might need to read that a few times but it does make sense! Uninhabitable conditions occur in environments where life cannot exist due to extreme factors like intense heat, cold, salinity, or acidity. In contrast, uninhabited habitats are environments that are theoretically capable of supporting life but remain unoccupied, often due to barriers to colonisation or the absence of necessary organisms. The paper draws a strong differentiation between these ‘vacant niches.’

These uninhabited habitats, which form on both macroscopic and microscopic scales through diverse processes, offer opportunities for scientific investigation. They can act as negative control environments, helping to reveal how living organisms influence geochemical processes, and how they can provide a framework for studying processes like microbial succession and community development. Despite their potential significance, the occurrence of these habitats in environments at the physical and chemical extremes of life remain poorly understood.

As we continue our search for life across the universe, we may find many more locations like these. Doing so will help to expand our understanding of the distribution of habitable conditions and the potential for life across the universe. They may offer insights into the processes that make a location suitable for life, as well as the factors that have prevented life from arising or persisting there.

Source : 

• Where the microbes aren’t

{ https://www.universetoday.com/ }

26-01-2025 om 15:59 geschreven door peter  

Scientists track intense radio signals from space to their origin – and are shocked by what they find

‘Just when you think you understand an astrophysical phenomenon, the universe turns around and surprises us,’ says scientist involved

26-01-2025 om 15:37 geschreven door peter  

While Coulson doesn’t think the people who claim to have seen Nessie are lying, he does think they are mistaken, that they have misidentified what they have observed. He is also dismissive of the photos and videos taken of the monster, which likewise have to be misidentifications (with the occasional hoax mixed in).

“In the case of the Loch Ness Monster they are either seeing bits of floating debris, or a bird such as a cormorant with a longish neck that sits low in the water. You might think that sounds unlikely, but I am always amazed at how bad people can be at judging size – particularly when they are hoping to see a particular animal,” he told the MailOnline, offering the expected response of the skeptic.

In Coulson’s case, though, he is not dismissing Nessie out of hand. He is doing so because he is convinced there is no scientific justification in believing in such a creature, based on what is known at this time.

• Mystery of the Stronsay Beast, Scotland’s Other Monster (Video)
• Have the Ancient Origins of Scotland’s Loch Ness Monster Been Identified on Film?

Examining the Evidence … Which Allegedly Doesn’t Exist

As part of his argument, Coulson points out that no skeletal remains of a deceased specimen have ever been found, and no one has ever caught a living one in a fishing net. This lack of evidence persists despite the fact that people have been organizing excursions seeking proof of Nessie’s existence for decades, often on boats equipped with sonar and underwater cameras designed to spot movement below.

Something solid and convincing should have been found by now, some sort of tangible evidence showing that a flesh-and-blood creature of impressive size and dimension is living in Loch Ness, Coulson insists. The only rational reason to explain this, he says, is that the creature doesn’t exist at all.

• Scientists Finally Closing in on Nessie, The Loch Ness Monster
• Slithering Through the Stories of Ancient Snake Deities: Serpent Gods of Ancient Mythology

Large Freshwater Loch Ness with Urquhart Castle in the foreground in Inverness Scotland. 

(Sam Fentress/CC BY-SA 2.0)

In a new article he wrote for The European (a publication he’s a science correspondent for), Coulson lays out his argument for the non-existence of Nessie, while also taking aim at Bigfoot and the Yeti, two other well-known cryptids (seemingly impossible creatures that are still said to exist).

“I would dearly love for Bigfoot, Yeti, the Loch Ness Monster and other cryptids to exist, but the scientific evidence says otherwise,” he wrote. “The likelihood of such beasts living undetected in forests, mountains and lakes, in great numbers, for thousands of years without leaving a single skeleton, fossil, bone fragment or skin sample is hard enough to swallow.”

He also asserts that from an evolutionary standpoint, there is no realistic scenario that would explain how such creatures could exist, if their home areas were so restricted and their population numbers so low that they could have somehow escaped verifiable detection for centuries.

{ https://www.ancient-origins.net/unexplained-phenomena }

25-01-2025 om 23:46 geschreven door peter  

This Man Claims Ex-Military Officer Worked At Area 51 Reveals UFOs Run on Space-Harnessed Electricity, Creating a “Void” for Travel

This Man claims a drunk ex-military officer from Area 51 revealed UFOs run on Space-Harnessed Electricity, creating a “void” for travel, not like combustion engines. He also said two stars in Orion’s Belt house “good aliens” (gray types), while a nearby star is home to “bad aliens” (tall, brown-skinned).

The person recounts a conversation he had with a drunk, ex-military neighbor, who allegedly worked at Area 51. According to the man, the discussion took place during a neighborhood blackout, when the stars were more visible due to the lack of light pollution. The neighbor pointed to a formation in the sky, identifying it as Orion’s Belt, and claimed that two of its stars were home to “good aliens,” while a nearby star housed “bad aliens.”

According to the neighbor, the “good aliens” resemble the stereotypical “grays”—small beings with large heads and oversized eyes. The “bad aliens,” in contrast, are tall, brown-skinned, emit a foul odor, and are somehow connected to the nearby star.

The ex-military officer provided a cryptic explanation when the man pressed his neighbor on how UFOs travel from these stars to Earth. He claimed that UFOs don’t rely on traditional propulsion systems like combustion engines. Instead, their technology supposedly harnesses electricity from space itself, enabling them to create a “void” in space. This void allows the UFOs to essentially “fall” through it, making travel extremely fast without the need for thrust-based motion. However, the explanation was vague and difficult to follow.

The man notes that the neighbor seemed genuine and convinced, despite being heavily intoxicated. This level of drunkenness casts doubt on the credibility of the story. The man also reflects on his own UFO sighting in the Mojave Desert, where he witnessed an object moving much faster than a plane. While he remains skeptical, he entertains the possibility that there might be some truth to these claims.

Interestingly, a month ago, Rep. Anna Paulina Luna posted this picture of the Constellation of Orion without a caption, and this man refers to the same place. In 2023, after the historic U.S. Congressional UAP hearings, she claimed she had seen [photo] evidence of UFO technology not made by any government

The Belt of Orion, an iconic constellation, is known for its three bright stars: Alnitak, Alnilam, and Mintaka. These celestial beacons, approximately 1344 light years away from Earth, have captivated the imaginations of astronomers and stargazers alike. Despite their luminous presence, the quest to find exoplanets orbiting these stars has been elusive. Current investigations have not confirmed any exoplanets, but intriguing signs suggest that there might be more to discover.

Alnitak stands out as the youngest of the trio at about 6.4 million years old. Observations from the Spitzer Space Telescope reveal a disk with intriguing structure and brightness variations, hinting at possible planetary formations or dust clumps.

Alnilam exhibits radial velocity variations that could indicate the gravitational influence of an orbiting planet. However, the evidence remains inconclusive, leaving room for further exploration.

Mintaka, sharing similar age and characteristics with Alnitak, also shows a Spitzer disk with intriguing variability. Its age is estimated to be between 6–7 million years, making it a relatively young star in the cosmic timeline.

Humanoid Beings from Orion????

On June 11, 2019, Colombia’s largest newspaper El Tiempo reported that strange tall creatures, whose height was more than 2 meters, had been regularly seen in Guasimal since 2012. The creatures always appear at night, they have a strange robotic voice and are dressed in black.

Guasimal is a small town near the west coast of Colombia. It is a quiet place, there are no prank-loving crowds of frivolous teenagers, but mostly ordinary poor people who raise cattle, work in sugar factories, make cheese, and plant fruit and vegetable crops.

Humanoids first appeared in December 2012 and have returned there every year since then. Each time, Guasimal became more and more popular among Colombian paranormal lovers. They come from all over the country to personally see the creatures. (Source °

Unfortunately, no one has managed to make a video or even a photo of the humanoids or their ship yet. There are only eyewitness accounts. Most often, all these stories are mistaken for ordinary urban horror stories. However, something happened in December 2018 that slightly changed the atmosphere around the alien visits to Guasimal.

Close contact was made between the aliens and local farmer Diego Mondragon. Until December 2018, aliens had also flown to his farm, but there were no close contacts then. At the same time, the aliens came very close to the farm buildings, and all the inhabitants of the farm got scared when they arrived. But Diego told them to calm down, saying that they were peaceful.

After that, Diego approached the five humanoids and they conveyed a message to him for all humanity. They said that people need to love each other, otherwise the human race will soon be destroyed.

They also said that they have lived in these places for 60 years and that they have a deep underground base near the village. They flew to Earth from the planet Orion.

On the same night, one of Diego’s neighbors called the police when he saw tall humanoids on the farm. And police officer Manuel Velandia Márquez responded to the call.

Read also:

• Tucker Carlson Says ‘There Are Forces That Are Not Human, Existing in a Spiritual Realm We Cannot See’
• CIA Built This Nuclear-Powered ‘Eagle’ Drone: Declassified in 2020, Developed in the ’60s at Area 51
• This New UFO Whistleblower Blowing The Lid Off Everything Says He Saw An “Egg-Shaped UAP” With No Visible Propulsion System

When he arrived, there were many people, and everyone was very nervous and shocked. He claimed to have seen dark silhouettes about two meters high. He said: “(They were) more human beings than we are. They will preserve something of humanity and prepare us for future events.” Velandia said his fellow police officers did not believe him, but he insisted that he had seen it all.

Diego first saw the humanoids when the dogs of his farm began barking loudly in the night and looked towards the chicken enclosure. At the same time, after seven years of observing aliens in Guasimal, he had never seen a UFO there. Other residents also saw only humanoids.

Ufologist Cristian Ramos from the Contact Ovni Colombia group became interested in this case in 2013, and according to him, he also saw those humanoids when he came there.

“In the distance, about 200 meters, there was a silhouette of about 2.30 meters, a thick build, black clothes, a black suit, boots. He wavered from left to right and never remained motionless. He watched us.”

Since then, police and journalists have interviewed many people in the Guasimal area, and many of them have told them stories of humanoids who could jump over the roof. Besides, they said that some people had also come into contact with them.

Orion’s Belt isn’t just beautiful to look at; it’s also inspired curiosity and stories in ancient cultures. The Egyptians, for example, aligned the Giza Pyramids with Orion’s Belt. This suggests they had advanced knowledge of the stars and possibly felt a spiritual connection to them. The way the pyramids were built, including the King’s and Queen’s Chambers, still sparked debates about their purpose and the Egyptians’ understanding of the universe.

The Dogon tribe has an impressive knowledge of astronomy. They connect Orion to twin gods called Nummo, who they say came from the stars to share knowledge and technology with humans. The Dogon also tells myths about Orion’s Belt, linking it to Amma, their supreme god and the creator of everything. To them, Orion’s Belt represents a special cosmic place where Amma’s order first appeared.

The Navajo people align their four sacred mountains in a way that some believe matches the pattern of Orion’s Belt. These mountains, such as San Francisco Peak, Blanca Peak, and Hesperus Mountain, are part of their spiritual beliefs.

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{ https://howandwhys.com/ }

25-01-2025 om 23:12 geschreven door peter  

The American Meteor Society website shared a video on their channel showing a fireball streaking across the skies of Michigan and Ohio on Sunday, January 19, 2025, around 01:31 UT. 

Though, Meteor Society noted that the video might not actually depict a fireball event, leaving some viewers curious about the meaning behind this statement. 

At the moment the fireball appears on camera, a strange object seems to materialize above it, expanding in size and partially obscuring the fireball before gradually fading out as the fireball continues its path through the sky. 

This phenomenon has sparked varied interpretations. Some suggest it might indicate alien intervention, while others offer a more plausible explanation: the "object" is likely a water droplet on the camera lens, creating the illusion of interaction with the fireball. 

However, since the Meteor Society suggested that it might not actually depict a fireball event, we might question whether it was truly a fireball, a meteor, including a water droplet, or something entirely different.

  

25-01-2025 om 22:26 geschreven door peter  

Republican Rep. Tim Burchett said in an interview Wednesday that an admiral — whom he did not identify — had told him of an unidentified craft moving at incredible speeds in the sea.

"They tell me something's moving at hundreds of miles an hour underwater... as large as a football field, underwater," the Tennessee congressman told former Republican congressman Matt Gaetz, who now hosts a show on right-wing news outlet One America News.

"This was a documented case and I have an admiral telling me this stuff."

Burchett, known for claims that the U.S. government is hiding existence of UFOs and other alien activity, said anything is possible given "the vastness of God's great universe."

However, he told Americans not to worry about the suspected extraterrestrials' extraordinary advances.

"I'm not worried about them harming me," he said. "I mean, with that capabilities, they would have barbecued us a long time ago." No evidence has been produced of intelligent life beyond Earth.

However, Congress has taken an increasingly serious look at reports of mystery flying objects, treating the once widely mocked topic of UFOs — now often dubbed Unidentified Anomalous Phenomena (UAPs) — into a serious issue.

In March 2024, the Pentagon released a report that it had no proof of UFOs, saying that many suspicious sightings turned out to be merely weather balloons, spy planes, satellites and other normal activity.

The Pentagon rejected claims made at a congressional hearing in 2023 by a former Air Force intelligence officer that the U.S. government had recovered a series of crashed unidentified aircraft and even non-human "biologics" over the decades.

In November, the Pentagon office investigating reports of UAPs received 21 reports last year that contain enough data for the intelligence community to continue actively investigating. 

US Congressman Tim Burchett, R-TN, speaks during bipartisan press conference on Capitol Hill in Washington, DC, on November 30, 2023, to discuss the US's lack of unidentified aerial phenomena (UAP) transparency.

JIM WATSON/AFP via Getty Images

UAPs encompass a broad range of strange objects or data points detected in the air, on land or at sea. The most well-known UAPs have been reported by military pilots, who typically describe round or cylindrical objects traveling at impossibly high speeds with no apparent means of propulsion. Some of the objects have been caught on video.

The military has launched efforts to help pilots to report UAPs in recent years, and the Pentagon office dedicated to examining the encounters has received hundreds of reports in recent years. 

Many UAP reports have been shown to have innocuous origins, but a subset has defied easy explanation. The issue has gained renewed attention from lawmakers over the past few years, with heightened concerns about the national security implications of unidentified objects flying in U.S. airspace.

{ https://www.cbsnews.com/ }

25-01-2025 om 17:56 geschreven door peter  

• READ MORE:  Americans reveal who they think is behind NJ drone invasion
• PODCAST: Listen to Welcome to MAGAland for the latest insider Trump news & gossip

By ELLYN LAPOINTE FOR DAILYMAIL.COM

A New Jersey Mayor has shared new footage of 'glowing orbs transforming into drones' over Long Island, adding more intrigue to this ongoing mystery. 

Michael Melham, the Mayor of Belleville, has been outspoken about the unexplained phenomena plaguing his state and the greater tri-state area since mid-November when the drones first appeared. 

He shared the bizarre footage on X, saying the clips 'appears to show glowing orbs turning into drones. Verified not to be planes via flight tracker. They hover. Glow. Then move.'

In a recent interview with NewsNation, Melham said he is still getting reports of drone sightings 'all over New Jersey, and even Long Island.'

'Here in New Jersey, we are about 500 mayors strong, we are still waiting for answers because our residents are still gravely concerned over what's flying just over our homes,' he said. 

In one of the videos, which appeared to have been shot with an infrared camera, a large ball of light can be seen slowly changing shape into what looks like a fixed-wing aircraft.

Another shows a bright white orb over the North Shore of Long Island, where the videographer told Melham that hundreds of drones can be seen nightly. This orb also gradually morphs into what appears to be a fixed-wing aircraft.

Melham emphasized the need for answers and expressed hope that President Donald Trump will shed light on the matter. Trump said Monday that he will 'tell the people' the truth about the drones. 

A video that appears to have been taken with an infrared camera shows an orb of light gradually changing shape into what looks like a fixed-wing aircraft 

Michael Melham, the Mayor of Belleville, has been outspoken about the unexplained phenomena plaguing his state and the greater tri-state area since mid-November when the drones first appeared

'Why don't we find out immediately,' Trump said while in the Oval Office. 'I can't imagine it's an enemy or there... people would've gotten blown up over [it].

'Maybe they were testing things. I don't know why they wouldn't have said what it was.'  

Trump had previously promised he would disclose the truth about the drones on day one of his presidency, but he has not shared any details as of yet. 

'The fact that he doesn't seem to have that many details... tells me that if he's not briefed on it yet, it's probably not a matter of national security, or certainly not an alien invasion or anything crazy like that,' Melham told NewsNation.

The mayor said it's 'more than likely' the aircraft are 'our own government or experimental drones that are up in the sky,' but added that residents are still concerned about the lack of answers from the government. 

'I do take the president at his word. I do think that we are gonna get some kind of disclosure,' he said, adding that it will 'come soon.' 

The videos Melham shared were taken by Dan Oliverio, who documents UAP (Unidentified Aerial Phenomenon) sightings through his Instagram account @OurStrangeSkies. Oliverio sent the footage directly to Melham.

Another video Melham shared showed a orb of white light over the North Shore of Long Island

This orb also morphed into what looks like a fixed-wing aircraft

Strangely, the video of the North Shore of Long Island shows a timestamp of January 28, 2025, which is six days after it was shared online by Melham. 

When asked about this, Oliverio told Melham that the incorrect timestamp was the result of faulty binoculars he used to take the video. 

Despite widespread public concern over sightings like these, the Biden administration had assured the public that the sightings were not a threat, brushing most off as hobbyist drones, commercial airplanes and even stars.

Melham is cautiously optimistic that the new administration could shed light on the mysterious aircraft, which he believes are definitely drones. 

'Our president-elect receives the same exact national intelligence briefing that our president does, so if it was a foreign adversary or something alien or extraterrestrial, I'm certain, as president-elect, he would have known,' he said. 

Some social media users who saw these videos are not convinced they are actually of orbs, drones or one morphing into the other.

'That's just a normal plane doing normal plane things,' one X user replied. 

'Its landing lights are facing the camera at first,' creating a lens flare, which is when light shone directly into a camera lens scatters and takes on an orb-like appearance.

'It then turns and the landing lights are facing away from the camera,' causing the lens flare to dissipate and allowing its true shape as a fixed-wing aircraft to become visible.

Others are still concerned that these are not 'normal' aircraft, and welcome Melham's continued push for answers. 

Numerous 'car-sized' drones first appeared over New Jersey in mid-November, and have since been reported by eyewitnesses all across the Northeast

'You are a hero to many Michael. Thanks for doing the essential work,' one X user replied. 

New Jersey still appears to be the epicenter of drone reports following the first sightings in November, when eyewitnesses reported 'car-sized drones' flying above a military base and President Donald Trump's golf course. 

But since then, hundreds of other reports have surfaced across the Northeast and even from several southern states, including Virginia, Kentucky and the Carolinas.

In December, Trump claimed 'the government knows what is happening' when asked about bizarre phenomenon during a news conference. 

Multiple Republican lawmakers echoed this claim and put forth theories that the drones were being operated by foreign adversaries such as China, Iran or Russia, as sightings were repeatedly reported over US military bases. 

But the White House said the sightings near or over Department of Defense (DoD) installations 'are not new.' 

'DoD takes unauthorized access over its airspace seriously and coordinates closely with federal, state, and local law enforcement authorities, as appropriate,' the statement read.

The Department of Homeland Security, DoD, Federal Aviation Administration and the FBI said the sightings were 'a combination of lawful commercial drones, hobbyist drones, and law enforcement drones, as well as manned fixed-wing aircraft, helicopters, and stars mistakenly reported as drones.'

READ MORE

• Drones 'the size of buses' are still invading New Jersey... as experts reveal why crisis has gone silent 

The UAP tracking website Enigma Labs has logged sightings as recently as January 7 in multiple Northeastern states, and their data suggests the reports have ramped up in recent weeks.

When the drones first started appearing in November, 22 people issued reports to Enigma starting on the 20th. But by December 31, that number dramatically increased to 347.

A drone ban was issued from December 18 to January 17, during which Enigma labs said the average number of reported sightings dropped by 43 percent.

Now, new data shows 36 sightings were logged the week of January 1, and nearly half were spotted in New Jersey.

Trump has yet to release the drone report he promised, and many Americans await new information about the alarming phenomenon they believe they have been experiencing. 

{ https://www.dailymail.co.uk/ }

25-01-2025 om 17:00 geschreven door peter  

• READ MORE:

By ELLYN LAPOINTE FOR DAILYMAIL.COM

UFO whistleblowers are set to expose an '80-year cover-up' of the existence of non-human existence in an upcoming documentary.  

Approximately 34 current and former senior members of the US government, military and intelligence community are also set to disclose details about a worldwide race to verse engineer alien technology.

'The Age of Disclosure,' by filmmaker Dan Farah, will premiere at the South by Southwest Film Festival in Austin, Texas this March. 

The film claims there has been an 80-year cover-up of the existence of extraterrestrial intelligence and a secret war among nations racing to reverse engineer UFO technology — one that the US has long been a key player in.

Newly confirmed Secretary of State Marco Rubio, former senior intelligence official Luis Elizondo, and former NASA administrator and member of the agency's UAP (Unidentified Aerial Phenomena) study team Mike Gold will give their testimonies. 

In the trailer, released Wednesday, former Staff Director of the US Senate Select Committee on Intelligence Christopher Mellon said: 'This is the biggest discovery in human history.' 

These officials have served as prominent whistleblowers in the push for transparency about the federal government's supposed knowledge of and involvement with UAPs. 

Several of them testified at a Congressional hearing on the subject in November, arguing that the Department of Defense (DoD) has failed to inform the both Congress and the public of the existence and effectiveness of programs related to UAPs. 

A forthcoming UFO documentary will include interviews with dozens of current and former top US officials, including newly confirmed Secretary of State Marco Rubio

During the joint hearing, Elizondo, an ex-Defense Intelligence Agency (DIA) official, said under oath that he managed a highly classified Special Access Program (SAP) for the White House under the National Security Council before quitting the Pentagon in 2017.

He also testified that he was compelled — or perhaps encouraged — to sign agreements that restrict him from speaking out about certain SAPs, such as key projects involving UFOs, crashes and reverse engineering. 

Following his departure from the Pentagon, Elizondo helped release three of the most famous UFO videos in history, and has previously said that the US government is 'in possession of UAP technologies, as are some of our adversaries.' 

Just for months prior to testifying before Congress, he gave an exclusive interview to DailyMail.com in which he discussed intriguing and previously unknown UFO incidents, many of which are also detailed in his book, 'Imminent.'

These events include UAP sightings by military personnel, damage to military vehicles that he perceived as extraterrestrial sabotage, and even 'implants' found in military service members who had a run-in with a UFO.

Now, he is speaking out again in The Age of Disclosure. In the film's trailer, Elizondo says: 'We learned that the US government was involved in a long-running, secret war with other nations to collect and reverse-engineer vehicles not made by humans.' 

Mike Gold, another key source in the film, testified before Congress alongside Elizondo.

Gold previously served as NASA's associate administrator of space policy and partnerships and as a member of the organization's independent UAP study team in October 2022.

Luis Elizondo, an ex-Defense Intelligence Agency (DIA) official, testified before Congress that he previously managed a highly classified Special Access Program (SAP) for the White House 

In the November hearing, retired US Navy Rear Admiral Tim Gallaudet (far left), ex-DIA official Luis Elizondo (center left) and former NASA administrator Mike Gold (far right) testified to the US Governments knowledge of UAP and extraterrestrial intelligence

The film trailer features clips of UAP activity obtained from the US government 

He now serves as the Chief Growth Officer at Redwire, an American aerospace manufacturer and space technology company. 

But while at NASA, he championed for an end of stigma surrounding UAPs within the American space agency due to its popularity and trust among the public. 

During the November hearing, he spoke to the seriousness and reality of UFOs as an unsolved mystery worthy of large-scale scientific investigation.

'NASA personnel stepping forward and participating in such discussions would make a powerful statement to the scientific community that UAPs should be taken seriously and researched accordingly,' Gold said. 

Tim Gallaudet, an American oceanographer and retired Rear Admiral in the US Navy, also testified at the hearing and will be featured in The Age of Disclosure.

In his written testimony, Gallaudet described an experience he had while serving as Commander of the Naval Meteorology and Oceanography Command which confirmed that 'UAPs are interacting with humanity.'

Received an alarming email on the Navy's secure network from the operations officer of Fleet Forces Command in 2015, he wrote. At that time, his personnel were participating in a pre-deployment naval exercise off the US East Coast.

The email was addressed to all subordinate commanders, and the subject line read: 'URGENT SAFETY OF FLIGHT ISSUE.'

'Humanity is not the only intelligence in the universe,' Tim Gallaudet said in the trailer for The Age of Disclosure

In his written testimony, Tim Gallaudet recalled receiving an official email containing the 'Go Fast' video, a declassified US military UAP video taken aboard a Navy fighter jet from the nuclear aircraft carrier USS Theodore Roosevelt off the Florida coast

The body of the email effectively said: 'If any of you know what these are, tell me ASAP. We are having multiple near-midair collisions, and if we do not resolve it soon, we will have to shut down the exercise.'

Attached to the email was what is now known as the 'Go Fast' video, Gallaudet wrote, which is a declassified US military UAP video taken aboard a Navy fighter jet from the nuclear aircraft carrier USS Theodore Roosevelt off the Florida coast. 

The video shows an unidentified object moving at very high speed seemingly close to the ocean's surface. 

'The very next day, the email disappeared from my account and those of the other recipients without explanation,' Gallaudet wrote in his testimony.

But NASA has claimed it debunked any exotic or extraterrestrial theories put forth to explain the Go Fast video, stating their analysis 'reveals a less extraordinary interpretation.'

In a landmark advisory report released in 2023, the US space agency said — among other findings — that the Go Fast UFO was 'most likely' nothing more than a conventional object 'drifting with the wind.' 

Still, when speaking before Congress at the November 2024 hearing, Gallaudet said: 'There is a national security need for more UAP transparency. 

'In 2025, the US will spend over $900 billion on national defense, yet we still have an incomplete understanding of what is in our airspace.

'The failure of the Executive Branch to share UAP information with Congress is an infringement on the legislative branch that undermines separation powers and may be creating a constitutional crisis,' he added. 

Gallaudet is convinced that extraterrestrials and their technologies been present on Earth.

'Humanity is not the only intelligence in the universe,' he said in the trailer for The Age of Disclosure.

These officials, and many more, are set to reveal new details about the US government's records of UAP sightings, its involvement with these phenomena and the alleged cover-up that has kept this information secret for decades. 

{ https://www.dailymail.co.uk/ }

25-01-2025 om 16:36 geschreven door peter  

The northern hemisphere is a vast, smooth plain with a thinner crust and fewer craters. It is also less magnetized than the south.

Scientists have been puzzling over this dichotomy and have proposed different reasons for it. One leading theory involves a massive impact. Some researchers using geophysical modelling have suggested that a Pluto-sized body struck Mars early in its history. The impact could’ve created the northern lowlands as a gigantic impact basin.

Other researchers have proposed that the planet’s internal (endogenic) processes created the dichotomy. Plate tectonics or mantle convection could’ve been behind it.

Either way, the dichotomy is fundamental to understanding Mars. We can’t understand the planet’s evolution without revealing the mystery behind the dichotomy. This is why NASA and the DLR launched the InSight lander, which reached the Martian surface in November 2018.

The lander’s name stands for Interior Exploration using Seismic Investigations, Geodesy, and Heat Transport. Among its instruments was SEIS, the Seismic Experiment for Interior Structure. SEIS helped scientists better understand Marsquakes by detecting and measuring hundreds of them. It also helped them measure crustal thickness and investigate the mantle. InSight’s data also helped them constrain the size of Mars’ core.

Scientists are still working with InSight’s data, and a new research letter published in the AGU’s Geophysical Research Letters suggests that Mars’ convection is behind the Martian dichotomy. It’s titled “Constraints on the Origin of the Martian Dichotomy From Southern Highlands Marsquakes.” The authors are Weijia Sun from the Chinese Academy of Sciences and Professor and geophysicist Hrvoje Tkalcic from the Australian National University.

The authors state the Martian dichotomy in clear terms: “The Martian hemispheric dichotomy is delineated by significant differences in elevation and crustal thickness between the Northern Lowlands and Southern Highlands.” The altitude difference is about equal to the height of the tallest mountains on Earth.

This research is based on a cluster of Marsquakes in the Terra Cimmeria region of the southern highlands. “We analysed waveform data from so-called low frequency marsquakes captured by NASA’s InSight seismograph on Mars,” Professor Tkalcic said. “In doing this, we located a cluster of six previously detected, but unlocated marsquakes in the planet’s southern highlands, in the Terra Cimmeria region.”

These quakes gave the researchers new seismic data from previously unstudied regions, which is significant because it allows them to compare the data to seismic data from other regions, especially from the Cerberus Fossae region in the northern lowlands.

Cerberus Fossae is a series of near-parallel fissures on Mars. Scientists think they were created by the Tharsis volcanoes to the east and Elysium to the west.

The researchers worked with InSight’s seismic data and improved the signal-to-noise ratio. That improvement allowed them to pinpoint the locations of the marsquakes. “Here, we improve the signal-to-noise ratios and determine the locations of the low-frequency marsquakes recorded during the InSight mission. We find a new cluster of marsquakes in Terra Cimmeria, Southern Highlands, in addition to those previously located in Cerberus Fossae, Northern Lowlands,” they write.

The researchers used what’s called the spectral ratio method to determine the quality of the waves. In this context, quality refers to how quickly seismic waves lose energy as they travel through the Martian interior. It’s expressed as a value for ‘Q’ which was different between the Cerberus Fossae region and the Terra Cimmeria region.

“Using the spectral ratio method, we estimate the quality factor Q in the range 481–543 for Terra Cimmeria versus 800–2,000 determined for Cerberus Fossae,” the researchers explain. A higher Q in the Southern Highlands’ Terra Cimmeria indicates that seismic waves there ‘attenuate’ or lose energy more quickly.

Such a large difference in Q between regions indicates that the subsurfaces are substantially different from one another. Temperature and mantle convection could be the key. “The attenuation difference might be linked to the temperature differences between the two hemispheres, along with more vigorous convection beneath the Southern Highlands,” the paper states.

“The data from these marsquakes, when compared with the well-documented northern hemisphere marsquakes, reveal how the planet’s southern hemisphere is significantly hotter compared to its northern hemisphere,” Professor Tkalcic said. “Understanding whether convection is taking place offers clues into how Mars has evolved into its current state over billions of years.”

Researchers’ primary goal in studying the Martian dichotomy has been to determine whether endogenic or exogenic processes or events are responsible. However, the impact theory is hampered by timing. There are significant geochronological constraints for giant impacts on Mars. Crater data, mineral distribution, and the presence of river channels all conflict with the impact hypothesis, which most researchers suggest had to have happened early in the Solar System’s history.

“These seismological observations, together with geochronological constraints of giant impacts, reinforce the “endogenic” hypothesis that mantle convection causes the crustal dichotomy,” they explain.

Are these findings a breakthrough in understanding the Martian dichotomy? Possibly. Compared to our seismic probings of Earth’s interior, Mars is practically undiscovered.

“On Earth, we have thousands of seismic stations scattered around the planet. But on Mars, we have a single station, so the challenge is determining the location of these marsquakes when you have only a single instrument,” Professor Tkalcic said.

It seems that the researchers have met that challenge.

“These findings, supported by geochemical analysis of Martian meteorites, provide valuable in situ seismological observations that support the “endogenic” hypothesis, suggesting that mantle convection plays a crucial role in forming the Martian crustal dichotomy,” the authors explain.

{ https://www.universetoday.com/ }

25-01-2025 om 01:31 geschreven door peter  

Posted by Mark Thompson

NASA is Testing Shape Memory Alloy Wheels

Rovers on alien worlds need to be built of strong stuff. The dry rugged terrain can be punishing on the wheels as they explore the surface. In order to prevent the damage to the wheels, NASA is testing a shape memory alloy material that can return to its original shape after being bent, stretched, heated or cooled.  NASA has already used this material for years but never in tires, in what may be its perfect application.

Rovers are a common sight now as they explore the surface of other planets. Their versatility and ability to respond to the environment and commands from mission controllers make them a valuable exploration tool. Cameras, sensors, collection instruments and analysis tools are common onboard systems that provide information about the local environment. There have been a number of well known examples such as the Mars rovers; Spirit, Opportunity, Curiosity and Perseverance. They have helped us to learn about the geology, atmosphere, presence of water and habitability of the planet. Taken Mars as a case in point, we have only explored 1% so there is most certainly still a need for robotic rover exploration. 

Perhaps the most robust aspect of a rover is its wheels and tires. They must be capable of coping with rugged, uneven and rocky surfaces yet light enough not to cost a fortune to launch to the alien worlds. NASA has recently undertaken and completed a rigorous round of testing of a new tire using revolutionary shape memory alloys material. The tire technology was developed at the Glenn Research Center in partnership with Goodyear Tire and Rubber. 

The shape memory alloys have been used for numerous applications due to their unique feature of being able to return to their original shape after being deformed. They are typically made from combinations of metals like nickel and titanium which exhibit the property known as super-elasticity. The fascinating property allows the material to ‘remember’ its original shape and have been used in medical devices like stents, wires and various aerospace components. This is the first time NASA have explore their use in tyres. 

The idea about their use in rover wheels came about rather by chance. Dr. Santo Padula II, materials research engineer at NASA Glenn Research Center came across Colin Creager a NASA mechanical engineer while leaving a meeting. Creager explained about the work he was doing in the Glenn Simulated Lunar Operations Laboratory (a simulated lunar surface) to improve rover performance. Having enjoyed a tour of the facilities, Padula noticed the rover tyres were made of steel. Padula immediately realised that the steel wheels would get irreversibly damaged through use ultimately leading to their failure to provide traction. On discussing the matter, Creager explained it was the only problem they couldn’t solve. 

As a materials researcher Padula told him about his  work on a new alloy that would solve the problems with wheel irreversible deformations. The SMA tires concept was born. The two joined forces to develop the first nickel-titanium tires that would deform but return to their original shape and, after rigorous testing, the SMA tires became the solution to Creager’s problem. 

The team is now looking for other ways that SMAs can be used in other space exploration such as habitat protection. The extreme environment of space with meteoroid impacts being a regular occurrence make memory alloys the ideal solution. As robotic exploration continues apace and human exploration of our Solar System moves forward, SMAs look set to be a real game changer in ensuring safety and continued operation of a multitude of space hardware. 

Source :

• NASA Sets Sights on Mars Terrain with Revolutionary Tire Tech

Link :

• https://www.nasa.gov/technology/nasa-sets-sights-on-mars-terrain-with-revolutionary-tire-tech/

{ https://www.universetoday.com/ }

25-01-2025 om 01:04 geschreven door peter  

See 10 Mysterious ‘UFO Sighting’ Photos From History

By Lily Rothman and Liz Ronk

After confusion swept Los Angeles early on Feb. 25, 1942, the report from Western Defense Command was vague: “Unidentified aircraft were reported in the Los Angeles area.”

What was experienced on the ground on that day 74 years ago, however, was very specific. As TIME reported the following week, “Los Angeles citizens crawled out of beds and goggled at the moon. The city had been blacked out. Suddenly, from dozens of Army anti-aircraft posts, searchlights lanced the dark. Orange bursts blossomed in the sky. The city shook with the concussion of ack-ack guns. For almost two hours, except for one 15-minute interval of scary silence, batteries coughed steadily, spewed 1,430 rounds of ammunition into the night.”

For residents for whom the memory of Pearl Harbor was fresh, the possibility of an attack—later dubbed the “Battle of Los Angeles”—seemed very real. But the shot-down plane that the L.A. Times reported on was never found, and the Secretary of the Navy announced that the whole thing had been a false alarm, though Army officials maintained that enemy planes had in fact been sighted in the area.

Whatever did cause the air raid procedure to be launched, it’s no wonder that the Battle of Los Angeles is also a favorite event for UFO conspiracy theorists.

Read more: This Is Why People Think UFOs Look Like ‘Flying Saucers’

In fact, it wasn’t until years later, in 1947, that the common flying saucer image of a UFO would begin to sweep through American popular culture. But, in the years that followed, the reports poured in. Here are a few of the early images that captured the imaginations of those who wished—or feared—to discover that we Earthlings might not be alone.

{ https://time.com/ }

24-01-2025 om 23:19 geschreven door peter  

 The Unexplained Phenomena of UAPs: Evidence of Potential Extraterrestrial Origins

In recent years, Unidentified Aerial Phenomena (UAPs), commonly referred to as UFOs, have captured the attention of scientists, researchers, and the general public alike. With a series of high-profile sightings and government disclosures, the discussion surrounding UAPs has intensified, leading to a growing body of evidence suggesting that some of these phenomena may indeed have extraterrestrial origins.

Historical Context

The fascination with UAPs is not a new phenomenon. Reports of strange flying objects date back centuries, with historical records indicating encounters that could not be easily explained by the knowledge of the time. However, it is in the last few decades that the phenomenon has gained significant traction, especially with the advent of advanced technology and scientific inquiry.7

A picture of a flying saucer photographed by farmer Paul Trent, over his farm in Minnville, Ore., on May 11, 1950.Paul Trent

Bettmann/Corbis

Government Acknowledgment

In 2020, the U.S. Department of Defense established the Unidentified Aerial Phenomena Task Force, which was tasked with investigating sightings of UAPs by military personnel. The release of a report in June 2021 indicated that many of the observed phenomena remain unexplained, with 143 out of 144 incidents classified as UAPs lacking sufficient data for a definitive conclusion. This acknowledgment from a credible government entity lends weight to the idea that there may be something genuinely extraordinary occurring in our skies.

Eyewitness Accounts and Video Evidence

Numerous eyewitness accounts from credible sources, including military pilots and air traffic controllers, have provided compelling narratives of UAP encounters. Videos captured by advanced targeting systems, such as the FLIR (Forward Looking Infrared) cameras, show objects exhibiting flight patterns and speeds that defy the current understanding of aerodynamics and technology. These videos, which have been officially released, depict UAPs performing maneuvers that suggest capabilities far beyond any known human-made aircraft.

Scientific Inquiry and Theoretical Implications

The scientific community has begun to take UAPs seriously, with various researchers advocating for a rigorous investigation into these phenomena. Theoretical physicists have proposed that if these UAPs are indeed extraterrestrial in origin, they may utilize technologies based on principles of physics that are not yet understood. Concepts such as warp drives or manipulation of gravitational fields may provide explanations for the extraordinary capabilities exhibited by these objects.

The Search for Extraterrestrial Life

The ongoing search for extraterrestrial life has taken on new urgency in light of UAP sightings. The discovery of exoplanets in habitable zones and the detection of organic molecules on Mars further support the possibility that life exists beyond Earth. If UAPs are indeed linked to extraterrestrial civilizations, it could revolutionize our understanding of life in the universe and our place within it.

Conclusion

While the evidence surrounding UAPs is still largely inconclusive, the growing acknowledgment from government entities, credible eyewitness accounts, and the potential for advanced technologies suggest that there may be more to these phenomena than meets the eye. As scientific inquiry continues and new data emerges, the possibility of UAPs being manifestations of extraterrestrial life remains an intriguing avenue of exploration. The quest for understanding these mysterious phenomena is not just a search for answers but also a journey that may ultimately redefine humanity's understanding of the cosmos.

{ peter2011 }

24-01-2025 om 22:24 geschreven door peter  

On January 22, 2025, a mysterious boom echoed through the suburbs of Salt Lake City, Utah, leaving both residents and authorities searching for answers. The incident occurred around 3 AM, startling communities near the state’s capital as a massive explosion shattered in the sky. 

Security cameras captured the event, showing the night sky illuminated by a bright flash, followed by the thunderous noise that residents reported hearing from miles away. 

“When we’re getting calls from multiple cities miles apart, it’s clear this was something significant, that’s just not typical" said Bill Merritt of the West Valley City Police Department, who described the event as very bizarre. 

Speculation about the origin of the boom ranges from a meteorite entering the atmosphere to possible experiments with explosives and even theories of extraterrestrial involvement.

  

Interestingly, this wasn’t an isolated event. Just 10 days earlier, on January 12, a similar phenomenon occurred in San Dimas, California. In that case, CCTV footage also captured a bright flash followed by a loud explosion, eerily similar to what unfolded in Utah. 

When you add these unexplained flashes and booms to the growing list of strange phenomena across the U.S. and other parts of the world—such as unidentified drones, glowing orbs in the sky, flickering streetlights, reports of mysterious fog, and snow that appears to resemble artificial flakes many are left asking: what is really going on and are all these strange events somehow interconnected?

   

The video above begins with the flash and boom in San Dimas, California, and later features, among other topics, the appearance of unusual snow.

Conversations in city-based Facebook groups early Wednesday had residents speculating on everything from fireworks to munitions detonations to a blown transformer. Some even wondered if it was a meteorite.

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

24-01-2025 om 21:30 geschreven door peter  

All 74 exocomet belts, as imaged in this study.

Image: Prof. Luca Matrà.

The study of exoplanets is challenging enough with the immense distances and glare from the host start but astronomers have taken planetary system explorations to the next level. A team of astronomers have recently announced that they have observed belts of icy pebbles in systems with exoplanets. Using a radio telescope they have been able to detect wavelengths of radiation emitted by millimeter-sized pebbles created by exocomet collisions! Based upon this survey, they have found that about 20% of planetary systems contain these exocometary belts.

Our own Solar System is peppered with them so it’s perfectly reasonable to expect to find them in planetary systems around other stars. The so called exocomets are generally only detected when they pass through or near to our own system. It would also be reasonable to assume they are made of the same icy and rocky material as our own comets but they can still provide valuable insights into the formation and evolution of exoplanetary systems. The first such comet was discovered around the star Beta Pictoris in the 19080s.

A team of astronomers that have been working upon the REASONS (REsolved ALMA and SMA Observations of Nearby Stars) study and have imaged exocomet belts around nearby stars! ALMA (the Atacama Large Millimeter/submillimeter Array) and SMA (Submillimeter Array) are powerful radio observatories that explore the skies in millimetre and submillimeter wavelengths. ALMA is based in northern Chile and composed of an array of 66 dishes and SMA is in Hawaii consisting of 8 dishes. 

The team led by astrophysicists from Trinity College Dublin have been revealed images that reveals pebbles and hence the locations of exocomets. In most cases, they are located tens to hundreds of astronomical units from their host star (one astronomical unit is the average distance from Earth to the Sun.) At theses immense distances from the star the temperatures will be in the between -250 and -150 degrees where any water will be frozen. The observations have detected the radiation emitted from the exocometary collisions. It’s the first time such an in depth analysis has been completed and to date, they have released images from belts in 74 exoplanetary systems. 

The rings are quite varied with some multiple disks and risks, others exhibiting high eccentricity. The eccentricity suggests that there are planets in these systems causing gravitational effects to modify the distribution of the pebbles in the belts.

Co-author of the study Dr Sebastian Marino,  Royal Society University Research Fellow from the University of Exeter explained “The images reveal a remarkable diversity in the structure of belts. Some are narrow rings, as in the canonical picture of a ‘belt’ like our Solar System’s Edgeworth-Kuiper belt. But a larger number of them are wide, and probably better described as ‘disks’ rather than rings.”

The study was able to develop a model showing that the number of pebbles seems to decrease for older planetary systems. This makes sense since an aged system will have run out of exocomets to generate the debris. They also found that the decrease in pebbles is faster when the belt is closer to the star.

Over the last few decades the focus seems to have been on exoplanets but this recent study has shown that the field of exocometary research is well and truly off the starting blocks and revealing fascinating insights into the exoplanetary systems. 

Source : 

• Astrophysicists reveal structure of 74 exocomet belts orbiting nearby stars in landmark survey

{ https://www.universetoday.com/ }

24-01-2025 om 00:00 geschreven door peter  

Alien life may look nothing like life on Earth — so how should we go about looking for it?

Detecting life beyond Earth

Since the first discovery of an exoplanet in 1995, over 5,000 exoplanets, or planets orbiting other stars, have been found.

Many of these exoplanets are small and rocky, like Earth, and in the habitable zones of their stars. The habitable zone is the range of distances between the surface of a planet and the star it orbits that would allow the planet to have liquid water, and thus support life as we on Earth know it.

The sample of exoplanets detected so far projects 300 million potential biological experiments in our galaxy — or 300 million places, including exoplanets and other bodies such as moons, with suitable conditions for biology to arise.

The uncertainty for researchers starts with the definition of life. It feels like defining life should be easy, since we know life when we see it, whether it's a flying bird or a microbe moving in a drop of water. But scientists don't agree on a definition, and some think a comprehensive definition might not be possible.

Related: 

• 12 strange reasons humans haven't found alien life yet

NASA defines life as a "self-sustaining chemical reaction capable of Darwinian evolution." That means organisms with a complex chemical system that evolve by adapting to their environment. Darwinian evolution says that the survival of an organism depends on its fitness in its environment.

The evolution of life on Earth has progressed over billions of years from single-celled organisms to large animals and other species, including humans.

Spectroscopy might detect signatures of oxygen in a planet's atmosphere, which microbes called blue-green algae created by photosynthesis on Earth several billion years ago, or chlorophyll signatures, which indicate plant life.

NASA's definition of life leads to some important but unanswered questions. Is Darwinian evolution universal? What chemical reactions can lead to biology off Earth?

Evolution and complexity

All life on Earth, from a fungal spore to a blue whale, evolved from a microbial last common ancestor about 4 billion years ago.

The same chemical processes are seen in all living organisms on Earth, and those processes might be universal. They also may be radically different elsewhere.

In October 2024, a diverse group of scientists gathered to think outside the box on evolution. They wanted to step back and explore what sort of processes created order in the universe — biological or not — to figure out how to study the emergence of life totally unlike life on Earth.

Two researchers present argued that complex systems of chemicals or minerals, when in environments that allow some configurations to persist better than others, evolve to store larger amounts of information. As time goes by, the system will grow more diverse and complex, gaining the functions needed for survival, through a kind of natural selection.

They speculated that there might be a law to describe the evolution of a wide variety of physical systems. Biological evolution through natural selection would be just one example of this broader law.

In biology, information refers to the instructions stored in the sequence of nucleotides on a DNA molecule, which collectively make up an organism's genome and dictate what the organism looks like and how it functions.

If you define complexity in terms of information theory, natural selection will cause a genome to grow more complex as it stores more information about its environment.

Complexity might be useful in measuring the boundary between life and nonlife.

However, it's wrong to conclude that animals are more complex than microbes. Biological information increases with genome size, but evolutionary information density drops. Evolutionary information density is the fraction of functional genes within the genome, or the fraction of the total genetic material that expresses fitness for the environment.

Organisms that people think of as primitive, such as bacteria, have genomes with high information density and so appear better designed than the genomes of plants or animals.

A universal theory of life is still elusive. Such a theory would include the concepts of complexity and information storage, but it would not be tied to DNA or the particular kinds of cells we find in terrestrial biology.

Implications for the search for extraterrestrial life

Researchers have explored alternatives to terrestrial biochemistry. All known living organisms, from bacteria to humans, contain water, and it is a solvent that is essential for life on Earth. A solvent is a liquid medium that facilitates chemical reactions from which life could emerge. But life could potentially emerge from other solvents, too.

Astrobiologists Willam Bains and Sara Seager have explored thousands of molecules that might be associated with life. Plausible solvents include sulfuric acid, ammonia, liquid carbon dioxide and even liquid sulfur.

Alien life might not be based on carbon, which forms the backbone of all life's essential molecules — at least here on Earth. It might not even need a planet to survive.

Advanced forms of life on alien planets could be so strange that they're unrecognizable. As astrobiologists try to detect life off Earth, they'll need to be creative.

One strategy is to measure mineral signatures on the rocky surfaces of exoplanets, since mineral diversity tracks terrestrial biological evolution. As life evolved on Earth, it used and created minerals for exoskeletons and habitats. The hundred minerals present when life first formed have grown to about 5,000 today.

For example, zircons are simple silicate crystals that date back to the time before life started. A zircon found in Australia is the oldest known piece of Earth's crust. But other minerals, such as apatite, a complex calcium phosphate mineral, are created by biology. Apatite is a primary ingredient in bones, teeth and fish scales.

Another strategy to finding life unlike that on Earth is to detect evidence of a civilization, such as artificial lights, or the industrial pollutant nitrogen dioxide in the atmosphere. These are examples of tracers of intelligent life called technosignatures.

It's unclear how and when a first detection of life beyond Earth will happen. It might be within the solar system, or by sniffing exoplanet atmospheres, or by detecting artificial radio signals from a distant civilization.

The search is a twisting road, not a straightforward path. And that's for life as we know it — for life as we don't know it, all bets are off.

• This edited article is republished from The Conversation under a Creative Commons license. Read the original article.

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23-01-2025 om 23:31 geschreven door peter  

Did people report seeing UFOs before the 20th century?

"There's no question that human beings have depicted or reported or chronicled things about strange, anomalous things in the sky dating back to the ancient world," Greg Eghigian, a professor of history and bioethics at Penn State, told Live Science.

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• How would we give aliens directions to Earth?

Rather, the context and form of these accounts make it difficult to pinpoint what can be definitively described as the first recorded UFO sighting. For example, according to Aubeck, ancient texts like Sumerian and Babylonian cuneiform tablets, like those in the Šumma ālu series and other divination texts from the second and first millennia B.C., provide the first known recordings of potential UFO sightings, though these are interpreted as omens. These accounts describe changing shapes in the sky and black meteors, which, at the time, were regarded as religious harbingers. However, these texts lack visual depictions or illustrations.

"I can't put a lot of stock in those stories because they're completely decontextualized from the society in which they're made," Eghigian said. These accounts may not be claims of extraterrestrials visiting Earth, but rather religious scriptures or written stories. In these cases, it can be difficult to separate cultural lore from an individual's attempt to describe a sight they could not explain, from comets to lenticular clouds.

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23-01-2025 om 22:59 geschreven door peter  

Did Noah's flood really happen?

If the "heavens" opened and all of the water in the atmosphere came down at once as rain, the planet would be submerged — but only to a depth of about 1 inch (2.5 centimeters), according to the U.S. Geological Survey.  That's not enough water to justify a canoe, let alone a massive ark. 

According to historical documents, Noah's flood is a retelling of older stories, and it's likely allegorical rather than a literal recounting of an event. Ira Spar, professor of ancient studies at Ramapo College of New Jersey, told Live Science that the biblical stories in the Old Testament, which were written down between 800 B.C. and 500 B.C., likely came from older oral traditions and multiple sources.

There are slightly different accounts of Noah's flood story in other religious books, such as the Quran, while earlier versions of a cataclysmic flood stem from ancient Mesopotamian texts. Spar noted that there's a Sumerian flood story recorded in fragments that dates back to the late third millennium B.C.

"Who knows how far back the story goes?" Spar said. 

If we consider the sources of Noah's flood to be regional floods and not a global flood, then it's not so far-fetched. Montgomery explained that some "geologically plausible" floods could have occurred that inspired the story. 

For example, in the late 1990s, oceanographers William Ryan and Walter Pitman hypothesized at an American Geophysical Union meeting that around 7,500 years ago, the Mediterranean Sea started flowing into the then-isolated Black Sea, causing massive flooding around the Black Sea, which could be the origins of Noah's flood, the journal Science reported in 1998.

"That would have been a disruptive event that flooded the whole known world to the people who were living there, and that could have gone on to seed the story of Noah's flood with some of the survivors who fled to Mesopotamia," Montgomery said. 

A 2009 study published in the journal Quaternary Science Reviews argued that the flooding would have been much more minor than what Ryan and Pitman proposed, if it happened at all. But while the inspiration for the story of Noah's flood is open to debate, there are plenty of other flood stories from around the world that have been seemingly inspired by regional events. 

Montgomery said that many Indigenous American stories in the Pacific Northwest, for example, involve floods that sound a lot like tsunamis, with great waves crashing onto the shore. The same is true for stories from the seismically active coasts of South America and the South Pacific islands.

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23-01-2025 om 22:25 geschreven door peter