By Elizabeth Rayne

Here’s what you’ll learn in this story:

• A mysterious metal shard captured the imagination of the American public, because it was supposedly from a 1947 UFO that crashed on Earth.
• The sample seemed to have an unprecedented material structure that could indicate an extraterrestrial technosignature, or sign of alien technology.
• Scientists studying the specimen for its terahertz waveguide properties found a mix of different elements, mainly magnesium and zinc. Read on to learn what else they discovered.

As Earthlings, we’re curious about whether alien civilizations like ours are out there, or if they exist at all. That’s why scientists were intrigued when a mysterious shard of metal found on Earth exhibited signs that it might have come from intelligent minds on a distant planet.

This peculiar specimen fell to Earth around 1947 in the supposed UFO wreck. It seemed linked to the infamous Roswell incident, in which members of the general public believed was a flying saucer had crashed to Earth. However, the debris found in Roswell actually turned out to be from a U.S. Air Force balloon meant to spy on Soviet nuclear experiments.

The true origins of the metallic specimen, were debated for decades. The sample had an apparently unprecedented material structure that could indicate an extraterrestrial technosignature, or sign of alien technology.

Eventually, Blink-182 frontman and UFO enthusiast Tom DeLonge’s To the Stars Academy, an organization that independently researches possible alien phenomena, got a hold of it. Then, the All-Domain Anomaly Resolution Office (AARO), which investigates unidentified anomalous phenomena (UAP) for the U.S. government, took over the investigation. It was seeking to learn of any physical and chemical properties that made the object potentially capable of inertial mass reduction—levitation.

It turned out that the object was a magnesium alloy whose main components are magnesium and zinc. It also contains bismuth, lead, and other trace elements.

AARO asked Oak Ridge National Laboratory (ORNL) to conduct an analysis in 2022 because scientists were especially interested in whether the sample was of terrestrial origin and if its bismuth content meant it could have possibly been used by aliens as a terahertz waveguide, a metal object that directs electromagnetic waves emitted by an energy source. ORNL was originally established during WWII to investigate things such as atomic weapons, and most of what its scientists investigate is still energy-related. However, the lab has also studied materials suspected to be extraterrestrial.

This metal shard specimen “purportedly exhibits extraordinary properties,” according to AARO and ORNL’s recently published findings on the object.

ORNL scientists looked for evidence of life beyond our planet by studying the sample for possible biosignatures, which are naturally occurring substances associated with life, and technosignatures, which are signs of extraterrestrial technology that scientists seek out especially when searching for intelligent life.

Some UAPs might have both.

In looking for alien biosignatures, ORNL scientists wanted to see whether the metals in this alloy were from Earth. That meant investigating their isotopic signatures, which represent the ratios of different element isotopes—different atomic mass versions of the same element.

Analysis showed that the isotopic signatures of magnesium and lead indicated a terrestrial origin. The magnesium’s isotopic signature had undergone some separation of lighter and heavier isotopes, probably due to stress from heat and physical or chemical manufacturing processes. However, it was still within the normal range for magnesium that forms on Earth—not an alien biosignature.

The magnesium in this sample also showed a proportion of isotopes that occurs only in our solar system, strengthening the case for a local origin. Scientists know this because the isotopic signature of magnesium originally comes from a particular star-forming region and so is unique to each star system. Magnesium is an extremely common element in the universe, produced in great amounts by larger, older stars that scatter it into space when they die and go supernova. It is often recycled by young star systems, where it forms a unique isotopic signature, depending on the conditions.

The lead in the object also matched the isotopic signatures for lead that originates on Earth. These signatures are so distinct that there is no way they could have come from any other body—even the moon.

With no alien biosignatures present in the sample, the ORNL scientists turned their attention to technosignatures. Scanning transmission electron microscopy revealed that the crystalline structure of the magnesium was similar to the magnesium in alloys manufactured on Earth. With that confirmed, they tried to determine if the sample could have been part of a terahertz waveguide.

Waveguides are metal objects that transmit electromagnetic waves. For example, the magnetron in your microwave oven transmits waves to the main oven cavity, where they heat up leftovers. A terahertz waveguide levels up this technology with much more intense terahertz waves, hypothetically enough to levitate an object if built using the right methods and materials.

“Based on the technologies developed by humans, waveguides can only channel radiation for purposes of communication, data collection, or heating but the conjecture for the UAP was that they were used for levitation,” says Harvard University theoretical physicist Avi Loeb, PhD, who was not involved in the study. “That would represent a technology unknown to humans.”

To qualify as a piece of alien technology, the sample would need to have a single layer of pure bismuth between layers of the magnesium alloy. This is because unadulterated bismuth can guide energy just like the magnetron in your microwave. Unlike anything in your microwave, bismuth is capable of directing terahertz waves. The problem is that the bismuth in this sample is neither pure nor in a single layer. There are multiple layers of bismuth between the magnesium layers, and the bismuth itself contains lead, both of which would disrupt its functioning as a waveguide.

“ORNL has a high level of confidence that all data indicate the material was manufactured terrestrially—albeit using an uncommon mixture of elements by today’s standards—and then incurred damage caused by mechanical and heat stressors,” according to the report.

After seeing the analysis, To the Stars released a statement on its website, anticipating a meeting between its own scientists and the ORNL team. In particular, To the Stars is hoping to learn more because “the reports do not offer a firm conclusion as to the origin and purpose of the material along with other seeming anomalies. [To the Stars] has more questions about both reports.”

While we still don’t know exactly where on Earth the mysterious sample came from, all indications show that it belongs to our own planet. There is a likely origin story behind this object—it might be a product of post-WWII magnesium alloy research for lighter and stronger aircraft. Back then, magnesium alloys were poorly understood, according to the report.

Maybe this artifact wasn’t part of a larger piece of technology manufactured by alien hands, or whatever appendages and machines they might use. Still, this was a valuable exercise, because ruling out objects that originated on Earth only gives us a better idea of what could be truly extraterrestrial.

{ https://www.popularmechanics.com/popmechpro/ }

23-03-2026 om 22:35 geschreven door peter  

UFO Hunters Thought They Found Alien Metal, But Scientists Discovered Something Else

A metal shard tied to one of the most famous UFO crashes in history has finally been analyzed. The results? They might not be what you think.

Written by Sarah Jones

© Credit: To The Stars

A mysterious metal shard, once thought to be a piece of a UFO that crashed in 1947, has sparked years of wild speculation. UFO enthusiasts and alien theorists hoped it could be a clue that would finally prove extraterrestrial life. But after scientific analysis, it turns out the shard’s origins are far more down-to-Earth than anyone expected.

The piece of metal gained attention after some linked it to the infamous Roswell incident, where an alleged UFO crash in New Mexico sent shockwaves through the public’s imagination. Over the decades, many believed that Roswell held secrets about alien visitors, and this particular shard became a symbol of those hopes. But a deeper look into its composition has now revealed a far more mundane explanation.

The Roswell Phenomenon

When it comes to UFOs, few events are as iconic as the Roswell crash. In 1947, reports surfaced claiming that a “flying saucer” had crashed in New Mexico. The U.S. military later said it was just a weather balloon, but many conspiracy theorists refused to accept that explanation. Some believed that the wreckage contained not just ordinary metal, but fragments of a spacecraft from another world.

In recent years, the metal shard caught the attention of Tom DeLonge’s To the Stars Academy, a group dedicated to studying Unidentified Aerial Phenomena (UAP). The organization has been involved in numerous investigations and has even worked alongside the U.S. government’s All-Domain Anomaly Resolution Office (AARO), which focuses on UAPs. They hoped that the shard might hold answers to questions about UFOs, possibly revealing how extraterrestrial tech might work, or if such tech even exists at all. But in a twist no one saw coming, a much more terrestrial explanation has emerged.

Earthly Findings: It’s Not Alien After All

Scientists from Oak Ridge National Laboratory (ORNL) concluded that the metal shard had a very earthly origin. According to a report by the All-domain Anomaly Resolution Office (AARO), the shard was made primarily of magnesium and zinc, with traces of bismuth, lead, and other elements. The question was whether it had any bizarre properties that could indicate alien technology, especially considering earlier theories that it might somehow be involved in levitation. But unfortunately for UFO enthusiasts, the findings suggest the sample is just a weird piece of earthly metal, likely created by humans rather than extraterrestrials.

The ORNL team examined the isotopic signatures of the materials, essentially looking at the “fingerprints” of the elements within the shard. These signatures matched those found in Earth’s metals. For example, the magnesium had isotopic ratios consistent with those found in our solar system, which means it didn’t come from outer space. There was no trace of alien biosignatures either, which are naturally occurring substances associated with life from other planets.

“Based on the technologies developed by humans, waveguides can only channel radiation for purposes of communication, data collection, or heating, but the conjecture for the UAP was that they were used for levitation,” As stated by Avi Loeb, PhD, a theoretical physicist from Harvard University, who did not participate in the research.

Unexplored Theories and Missed Chances

Even though the shard was shown to be terrestrial, the mystery of its exact origin remains. Some scientists speculate that the metal might be a product of experimental research on magnesium alloys, which were being developed for aircraft in the post-WWII era.

At the time, magnesium alloys were relatively new, and researchers were experimenting with them to create stronger, lighter materials for military and civilian aircraft. It’s possible that the shard is a relic from these early aerospace experiments, especially considering the time period in which it emerged.

{ https://dailygalaxy.com/category/science/ }

23-03-2026 om 22:22 geschreven door peter  

Researchers Discover Evidence of a Massive Underground Water System on Mars

What if Mars never truly lost its water? New research is beginning to reveal a story that scientists didn’t fully anticipate.

Written by Sarah Jones

© Credit: Shutterstock

Mars was once far wetter than it appears today, and new research suggests much of that water did not disappear but migrated beneath the surface. Evidence from deep crater basins points to a planet-wide groundwater system that may have persisted long after surface conditions declined.

Scientists have been debating for years just how much water Mars had and how long it lasted. By looking at specific geological features, a new study in the Journal of Geophysical Research: Planets showed solid proof of how water evolved across the planet over billions of years.

Deep Craters Show Clear Signs of Ancient Water Activity

The research, led by Dr. Francesco Salese of Utrecht University, analyzed 24 enclosed craters in the Martian northern hemisphere. These basins lie about 2.5 miles (4 km) below Martian “sea level,” where distinct geological features were identified.

According to the findings, the craterschannels carved into walls, groundwater-formed valleys, delta-like deposits, and terraced structures. Each of these features indicates the sustained presence of water. Many formations occur at similar depths, between 4 and 4.5 km, suggesting a stable water table across multiple sites.

As stated by Salese, this consistency supports the existence of a widespread groundwater system rather than isolated water pockets.

“We traced this water in our study, as its scale and role is a matter of debate, and we found the first geological evidence of a planet-wide groundwater system on Mars.”

Evidence of Mars’ Watery Past

The uniform depth of water-related formations indicates the existence of a global water table beneath the Martian surface. Dr. Gian Gabriele Ori, co-author of the study, stated that this system may have been connected to a large ocean thought to have existed around 3 to 4 billion years ago.

“We think that this ocean may have connected to a system of underground lakes that spread across the entire planet,” Ori explained.

These subsurface lakes likely formed a vast, interconnected hydrological network during a period when Mars was more geologically active. The proposed model suggests that as surface water diminished, it migrated downward, stabilizing within the crust and feeding these underground reservoirs over long timescales.

Signs of Life-Friendly Conditions in Minerals

In five of the analyzed craters, researchers identified clays, carbonates, and silicates, minerals associated with water-rich environments and, on Earth, with life-supporting conditions. The study found that, these basins were deep enough to intersect water-saturated regions of the Martian crust for long periods. This increases the possibility that traces of past life could still be preserved within buried sediments.

Dr. Dmitri Titov, project scientist for ESA’s Mars Express mission, noted that such findings help identify the most promising targets in the search for past life.

“Findings like this are hugely important; they help us to identify the regions of Mars that are the most promising for finding signs of past life.”

{ https://dailygalaxy.com/category/astronomy/ }

23-03-2026 om 22:03 geschreven door peter  

What could go wrong? Scientists are about to LAND on a 'potentially hazardous' asteroid as it skims past Earth

• READ MORE: The mission to meet an Empire State Building–sized asteroid 

By XANTHA LEATHAM, EXECUTIVE SCIENCE EDITOR

A private space company will try to land on the 'potentially hazardous' asteroid Apophis when it skims past Earth in three years' time.

In echoes of the film Armageddon – when a team are sent to touch down on an asteroid and blow it up – scientists hope to send two 'landers' to explore the space rock during its flyby.

Apophis, which measures 340 metres (1,115 feet) across, was first discovered in 2004 and is heading in our direction from 140 million miles (225 million km) away.

Calculations initially showed that it had a high chance of hitting our planet – up to 2.7 per cent – in April 2029, potentially destroying an area the size of a city.

While the threat has now been downgraded, with no chance of impact for at least 100 years, it will still pass extremely close to Earth.

As it flies by just 19,800 miles (32,000km) above our planet, two landers will attempt to touch down on the asteroid.

These cube–shaped devices will take pictures of the celestial rock as they slowly approach and gently land on its surface, collecting information on the asteroid's composition and surface structure.

'The goal is to gain images from the surface of the asteroid,' Miguel Pascual, chief science officer and co–founder of US company ExLabs told New Scientist. 'There's some really exciting science that can happen.'

A private space company will try to land on the 'potentially hazardous' asteroid Apophis when it skims past Earth in three years' time (artist's impression)

Apophis, which measures 340 metres (1,115 feet) across, was first discovered in 2004 and is heading in our direction from 140 million miles (225 million km) away

ExLabs has announced that its mothership spacecraft, named ApophisExL, has passed an important review phase ahead of a planned launch in 2028.

It will carry up to 10 spacecraft and instruments from different companies, including the two landers.

One is from an unnamed source, while the other is from Japan's Chiba Institute of Technology where it is being developed with the help of students.

ExLabs will deploy the lander, which is the size of a shoebox, from 400 metres (1,312 feet) above Apophis where it will then descend at 10 centimetres per second.

Its camera will continue to take images as it gently touches down around an hour later.

The landing will take place up to a week after Apophis's flyby of Earth, to ensure that it doesn't interfere with the asteroid's trajectory.

'Giving students the opportunity to design and fly hardware that will land on an asteroid is transformative,' Joi Ito, president of the Chiba Institute, said.

'It reshapes how they see engineering, science and their role in humanity's future in space.'

As shown in this diagram, the asteroid 99942 Apophis will skim by Earth at just 20,000 miles (32,000km) – one–tenth of the distance to the Moon 

The mission, described as the 'world's first commercial deep–space rideshare', is being supported by NASA's Jet Propulsion Laboratory.

Historically, missions to asteroids have been limited to large, multi–billion dollar programmes led by national space agencies.

ExLabs says its model can dramatically reduce costs and barriers to participation.

'We're working to overcome the barriers that have long kept deep–space exploration in the hands of only the largest space agencies,' said Keiko Nakamura–Messenger, vice president of Mission Development at ExLabs and a former NASA mission scientist.

'There are likely dozens of advanced, space–qualified instruments sitting in cleanrooms around the world, flight spares, experiments from missions that never launched, or amazing instruments developed by college students.

'ExLabs is building the affordable, flexible spacecraft needed to give these payloads real flight opportunities to the inner solar system.

'Our collaboration with Chiba Tech embodies our vision of deep space exploration: internationally collaborative, commercially enabled, and open to the next generation for the future space exploration.'

No private company has ever landed on an asteroid, although there may be an attempt later this year by US asteroid mining firm Astroforge.

When Apophis skims past Earth, its trajectory will take it so low that it will pass under geostationary satellites used to monitor the weather.

It will be 10 times closer to Earth than the moon and is expected to be visible to the naked eye for billions of people.

READ MORE

• We're safe! 'Potentially hazardous' asteroid Apophis will NOT collide with Earth in 2068 says NASA, after calculating the orbit of the Empire State Building-sized rock for the next 100 years

Experts have described the flyby as a 'once–in–a–lifetime event, providing an 'unprecedented opportunity' to study an asteroid up close. It could also improve planetary defence models.

Multiple spacecraft from the US, Europe, Japan and China are planning to study the asteroid before, during the after the flyby.

ExLabs has been contacted for more detail. 

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{ https://www.dailymail.co.uk/sciencetech/index.html }

23-03-2026 om 21:42 geschreven door peter  

Earth's climate is more out of balance than EVER before: Shocking report confirms humanity has just endured the 11 hottest years on record – as scientists warn 'every key indicator is flashing red'

• READ MORE: Unusual climate pattern could push temperatures to record highs

By WILIAM HUNTER, SENIOR SCIENCE & TECHNOLOGY REPORTER

The Earth's climate is more out of balance than at any other time in observed history, a shocking new report has revealed.  

Scientists from the World Meteorological Organisation (WMO) say that humanity has just endured the 11 hottest years on record from 2011 to the end of 2025.

Last year was the second or third hottest year on record, with an average temperature 1.43°C (2.57°F) above the 1850–1900 average.

From global temperature and greenhouse gas concentrations to sea levels and glacier retreat, scientists now warn that every indicator is 'flashing red'.

The WMO's annual State of the Climate report identifies large–scale changes that experts say could impact the planet for hundreds, if not thousands, of years. 

Importantly, the report gives the first clear view of Earth's energy imbalance, which measures the rate at which energy enters and leaves the atmosphere.

Our planet's energy imbalance is now at its highest in the 65–year observational record, triggering rapid warming of the atmosphere and oceans.

UN Secretary–General António Guterres says: 'Planet Earth is being pushed beyond its limits. Every key climate indicator is flashing red.'

Scientists warn that Earth's climate is more out of balance than ever before, as a shocking report shows that we have just endured the hottest 11 years on record 

2025 was the second or third hottest year on record, with an average temperature 1.43°C (2.57°F) above the 1850–1900 average

In an ideal world, the rate at which energy arrives from the sun would be roughly equal to the rate at which heat escapes through the atmosphere.

However, greenhouse gases like carbon dioxide, methane, and nitrous oxide trap infrared radiation in the atmosphere, throwing Earth's energy off balance.

The WMO now confirms that concentrations of these gases have reached their highest levels in history.

Carbon dioxide is now present at 423 parts per million in the atmosphere, which is 152 per cent of the concentration before the Industrial Revolution and the highest it has been in the last two million years. 

Likewise, nitrous oxide and methane are at their highest concentrations in the last 800,000 years.

The concentration of methane is 266 per cent of the pre–industrial level, while nitrous oxide is at 125 per cent of pre–industrial concentrations. 

That means heat is building up faster than it can escape, producing enormous amounts of excess energy.

WMO Secretary–General Celeste Saulo says: 'Scientific advances have improved our understanding of the Earth's energy imbalance and of the reality facing our planet and our climate right now.

The energy balance, which measures how fast energy enters and leaves the atmosphere, was at its most imbalanced since measurements began 65 years ago 

Over 90 per cent of the world's excess heat is absorbed by the ocean, driving rapid warming and an increased frequency of marine heatwaves 

'Human activities are increasingly disrupting the natural equilibrium and we will live with these consequences for hundreds and thousands of years.'

While the last 11 years have been the hottest on record, experts say that it is likely to get hotter in the coming years due to the natural El Niño weather cycle.

Dr Akshay Deoras, senior research scientist at the University of Reading, says: 'El Niño naturally releases a lot of heat from the ocean into the atmosphere, and when that sits on top of very high greenhouse gas levels it can push global temperatures to new records. 

'There is a good chance we will see El Niño conditions develop again later this year. Thus, it could bring another spike in global temperatures in 2026–2027 on top of the already high baseline.'

However, the part of the atmosphere that we feel only absorbs one per cent of that excess energy.

Of the remaining energy, five per cent is stored by the continental land masses, three per cent goes into melting ice, and more than 91 per cent is absorbed by the ocean. 

Ocean heat content hit a record high in 2025, and the rate at which the seas are warming has doubled from 1960–2005 to 2005–2025.

In fact, each of the last nine years set a new record for the amount of heat stored in the ocean.

Warming oceans have eroded the polar ice caps, with Arctic sea ice at or near its lowest point on record in 2025

Mass loss from glaciers has also been accelerating due to the warming planet, with 2025 seeing some of the most extreme melting in the last five years 

The WMO now estimates that the oceans absorb between 11 and 12.2 zetajoules of heat energy every year – equivalent to 18 times humanity's yearly energy consumption.

This is warming the oceans at a rapid rate and triggering profound consequences for the global climate, including marine heatwaves, sea level increases, and retreating polar ice.

In 2025, 90 per cent of the ocean's surface experienced an ocean heatwave, despite a cooling La Niña weather pattern. 

Professor Scott Heron, of James Cook University, says: 'Intensifying marine heatwaves have already impacted ocean systems through coral bleaching and mortality across the tropics, seagrass death and catastrophic marine disease outbreaks in tropical and temperate zones, as well as episodes of salmon lice in polar aquaculture. 

'If rainforests are thought of as the lungs of our planet, the ocean provides the heart and circulation – and human–induced climate change is giving us all heart disease.'

The WMO's research shows that sea levels are rising at an accelerating rate due to the melting of ice sheets and the natural expansion of warming water.

Sea levels in 2025 were comparable to their record highs in 2024, sitting 4.3 inches (11 cm) higher than they were at the start of satellite records in 1993.

Currently, the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC) estimates that sea levels could rise by 3.2ft (one metre) by 2100 if climate change is not slowed.

Since the warmer atmosphere holds more energy, recent years have also seen an uptick in the frequency and severity of extreme weather events 

However, a recent study has suggested that sea levels at the end of the century could be around 11 inches (28 cm) higher than expected in the UK and between 3.2ft and 4.9ft (1–1.5 metres) higher in parts of Southeast Asia.

With an estimated 50 to 80 million people currently living below sea level, even small increases could be devastating for millions of people in coastal areas.

Warming oceans are also causing the retreat of polar sea ice, with the annual sea ice extent in the Arctic at or near record lows in 2025 and average extents in the Antarctic at their third lowest on record.

Likewise, mass loss from glaciers in 2024 to 2025 was among the five worst years on record, with exceptional levels of mass loss in Iceland and the Pacific coast of North America.

At the same time, the warming of the climate is producing serious consequences that are already taking their toll on human life.

A warmer atmosphere carries more energy and water, which means that extreme weather events are more frequent and more devastating when they do occur.

Late last year, Hurricane Melissa made landfall in the Caribbean as the most powerful storm in Jamaica's history. 

Researchers found that the catastrophic category 5 hurricane had been made four times more likely by climate change. 

While some regions experienced record rainfall (dark blue), other areas saw record–breaking droughts (dark brown). These patterns are leading to more flooding and wildfires 

In a cooler world without climate change, a Melissa–type hurricane would have made landfall once every 8,000 years.

Meanwhile, back–to–back periods of extreme drought and heavy rainfall are leading to a greater number of more intense wildfires and flash floods around the world.

Dr Mortlock, head of climate analytics at the University of New South Wales, says: 'Even seemingly small increases in temperature can have outsized effects on extreme weather.

'The frequency and intensity of bushfires, floods, cyclones and hailstorms are all linked to the warming of the atmosphere. At the same time, more people are living in harm's way.'

Recent research shows that these shifting weather patterns also risk fuelling the outbreak of deadly diseases such as dengue fever.

Warmer, wetter weather is pushing the habitat of the disease–spreading Asian and Egyptian mosquitoes northwards, into cities including London, Vienna, Strasbourg, and Frankfurt.

Although the species is not in these cities yet, its rate of northward spread in France has been accelerating from about 6km (3.7 miles) per year in 2006 to 20km (12.4 miles) per year in 2024. 

A new study has shown that storms make outbreaks of this disease far more dangerous.

As the climate warms, it is becoming more suitable for mosquitoes that spread diseases such as dengue fever. Scientists now warn that these insects' breeding grounds could spread into northern Europe 

Following a cyclone in Peru during 2023, an outbreak of dengue fever was 10 times larger than normal for the area.

Experts say the weather which triggered the outbreak is now three times more likely due to climate change.  

Mr Guterres concludes: 'The State of the Global Climate is in a state of emergency.

'Today's report should come with a warning label: climate chaos is accelerating and delay is deadly.'

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 { https://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/index.html }

23-03-2026 om 21:26 geschreven door peter  

What Project Hail Mary gets WRONG: Scientist pinpoints the biggest flaws in Ryan Gosling's new sci–fi blockbuster – but says the portrayal of Rocky the alien IS accurate

• READ MORE: After Disclosure Day trailer, what aliens will really sound like

By SHIVALI BEST, SCIENCE & TECHNOLOGY EDITOR 

A scientist has revealed exactly what Project Hail Mary gets wrong about astrophysics – as well as the parts of the blockbuster that are bang on.

Based on the bestselling sci-fi novel by Andy Weir, the movie stars Ryan Gosling as teacher-turned-astronaut, Ryland Grace, who is sent into space to save the Earth after the sun starts dimming. 

During his time in space, Grace forms an unlikely friendship with an alien called Rocky, who proves to be a vital part of the Earth-saving mission. 

While the movie has rocketed to the top of the box office this week, Dr Jacqueline McCleary, an observational cosmologist at Northeastern University, says it has several flaws. 

The multi-year induced coma that Grace is put into as he travels the 11.7 light-years to nearby star, Tau Ceti, would give him brain damage, she points out. 

Meanwhile, the idea that a so-called 'astrophage' could absorb sunlight or even survive the sun's atmosphere is 'a stretch,' she adds. 

However, Dr McCleary surprisingly says that the portrayal of the alien is somewhat accurate. 

'This story in particular falls on the line of close enough to be enjoyable and, more importantly, self-consistent. It's a grammar unto itself, but it's legible,' Dr McCleary said. 

Based on the bestselling sci–fi novel by Andy Weird, the movie stars Ryan Gosling as teacher-turned-astronaut, Ryland Grace, who is sent into space to save the Earth after the sun starts dimming

What Project Hail Mary gets wrong?

1. The idea that 'astrophages' could be causing the sun to dim

It's central to the plot, but the idea that 'astrophages' could be causing the sun to dim is described by Dr McCleary as 'a stretch'. 

These microorganism-like creatures are said to absorb sunlight – a behaviour based on how microbes on Earth absorb sunlight and use it for energy. 

However, Dr McCleary points out a crucial 'mismatch'. 

'There's orders of magnitude mismatch between what a microbe could store… and what the sun actually puts out in terms of energy,' Dr McCleary explained. 

Every second, the sun emits 100,000,000,000,000,000,000,000,000 joules of energy – millions of times more than the energy used by all of Earth over the course of an entire year!

What's more, the astrophages would need to stay alive in the sun's atmosphere which is incredibly hot, reaching around 2.7million degrees Celcius. 

To reach Tau Ceti – a star almost 12 light-years away that astrophages have been unable to dim – Grace and his two colleagues are put into an induced coma

What will aliens sound like?

If aliens evolved on a planet with air, then sound is a very good means of communication.

That means aliens from Earth-like worlds would likely have some form of spoken language.

How this language sounds will depend on their physiology, but it may not be that different from the variety of sounds we hear from life on Earth.

However, scientists also point out that aliens may not use sound to communicate. 

They may use chemical pheromones or light to communicate instead.  

For comparison, here on Earth, the highest temperature that any microbe can withstand is just 122°C.

2. The multi-year induced coma that Grace is put under

To reach Tau Ceti – a star almost 12 light–years away that astrophages have been unable to dim – Grace and his two colleagues are put into induced comas. 

Sadly, this proves fatal for the other two astronauts, while Grace has memory loss when he eventually wakes up. 

As Dr McClearly points out, multi-year induced comas are very dangerous, and Grace's memory loss would likely be more severe brain damage.

On Earth, most induced comas last days or weeks. 

Some patients have woken up after decades – including Munira Abdulla, who regained consciousness after 27 years in a coma following a car crash. 

However, in general, comas lasting beyond four weeks are considered dangerous, and recovery is extremely rare. 

It's central to the plot, but the idea that 'astrophages' could be causing the sun to dim is described by Dr McCleary as 'a stretch'

What Project Hail Mary gets right

1. What Rocky the alien looks like

As far-fetched as it sounds, the film's depiction of Rocky the alien as a rocky, spider–like creature might be accurate – particularly compared to aliens in other sci–fi blockbusters, according to Dr McLeary. 

She explained: 'People are now starting to talk about sentient plasmas as a potential lifeform. 

'The notion of a completely different biology, completely different body chemistry adapted to different conditions is very clever.'

2. What Rocky the alien sounds like

In Star Wars, most species use Galactic Basic as a shared language, represented as English in the films. 

In contrast, Rocky speaks in strange, musical-sounding tones, with Grace forced to slowly piece together a translator to communicate with the alien. 

As far-fetched as it sounds, the film's depiction of Rocky the alien as a rocky, spider–like creature might be accurate according to Dr McLeary

The spacecraft that Grace travels in is based on 'totally conventional, well–accepted physics', says Dr McCleary

According to the experts, the Project Hail Mary depiction is likely more accurate. 

Speaking to the Daily Mail after the recent release of the Disclosure Day trailer, scientists explained that depending on where they come from, aliens will probably sound very different to humans.

Mia Belle Parkinson, a PhD candidate at the UK Centre for Astrobiology, told Daily Mail: 'It's easy to think about intelligent alien beings that look and sound like us. 

'However, this would not be the case at all. What if these beings evolved on a world completely dissimilar to ours?'

Read More

• As the Disclosure Day trailer drops, scientists reveal what aliens could really sound like 

3. The design of the spacecraft

The spacecraft that Grace travels aboard features a propulsion system in the back like a regular rocket, and a front half that can detach and spin. 

This spin creates gravity, allowing Grace to live and work in a 'normal' environment. 

In the real world, a spacecraft like this hasn't been built yet – but that's not to say it's not plausible. 

Dr McLeary explains that the design is based on 'totally conventional, well–accepted physics'.

The most scientifically accurate sci-fi movies, according to NASA

1. Gattaca (1997)
2. Contact (1997)
3. Metropolis (1927)
4. The Day the Earth Stood Still (1951) 
5. Woman in the Moon (1929)
6. The Thing from Another World (1951) 
7. Jurassic Park (1993) 

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{ https://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/index.html }

23-03-2026 om 17:54 geschreven door peter  

Nessie, is that you? Loch Ness Monster has been 'spotted' FIVE times this year, official records show

• READ MORE: British daredevil swimming 1,000 miles around Iceland's coastline

By SHIVALI BEST, SCIENCE & TECHNOLOGY EDITOR 

The Loch Ness Monster was 'spotted' five times in 2025, official records have revealed. 

The mythical creature has been a staple feature of Scottish folklore for centuries, but gained worldwide attention in 1933, when the first photo was snapped.

Since then, 1,165 sightings have been recorded by The Official Loch Ness Monster Sightings Register. 

The five sightings of the creature, nicknamed Nessie, took place across just an eight-month period. 

The first was on 22 March, when a couple visiting from London spotted a mysterious 'hump' in the water. 

Two months later, in May, a visitor reported a 'long and thin' creature in a boat's wake. 

In August, a 'long time local' reported a sighting, before two visitors claimed to spot Nessie within weeks of each other in October. 

Here's a closer look at the five sightings, and exactly what was seen. 

In May, a visitor viewing the loch from a high vantage point at around 15:40 spotted a small motor boat entering the bay

22 March 

At around 7pm on 22 March, a couple visiting from London heard a 'quiet splash' at Fort Augustus. 

'We were right at the point where the River Taff connects to Loch Ness, on the north bank,' one of them said. 

'At first I noticed a very quiet splash sound as if something was cutting stealthily into the water and this drew my attention to the south side of the water. 

'There I saw something moving through the water, between 130 and 160 feet away from us. 

'It was paler than the jet-black water around it, but in the gloom it was impossible to determine a hue.'

The couple described the sighting as a 'hump', adding that it was 'large and alive'.  

'Kind of like if a large seal or walrus was swimming in the water but for some reason it's head was hidden, like just it's back was exposed,' they explained. 

The mythical creature has been a staple feature of Scottish folklore for centuries, but gained worldwide attention in 1933, when the first photo was snapped

In late August, a long time local resident shot a two-minute video of something under the water near Lochend

While it was too dark to pick up on details like texture, the couple soon realised that there was a second mass in its wake.

'It was roughly the same size and shape as the leading mass but perhaps lower in the water,' they added. 

'There was maybe 1.5 to 2 meters gap between the humps from my line of sight. I think until I saw the second hump I was thinking it was a seal that was behaving strangely.'

The creature soon left the area, moving towards the deeper part of the loch, before disappearing.  

'Later when we talked about it, my partner told me that from her vantage point it was clear that the two humps were on one creature, that it was one long creature,' the viewer added. 

23 May

In May, a visitor viewing the loch from a high vantage point at around 15:40 spotted a small motor boat entering the bay. 

Using binoculars, he peered at the boat's wake, and spotted something 'long and thin' pop up.

On 15 October, Peter Hoyle was visiting the Loch from Moray, when he spotted a dark shape sticking out of the water

While the object vanished a few times, he managed to catch it on film, with the entire sighting lasting just five minutes.   

29 August

In late August, a long time local resident shot a two-minute video of something under the water near Lochend. 

Filmed at 09:15 during 'calm clear conditions', the footage shows an unusual disturbance pattern on the surface of the water. 

Despite living in the area for 30 years, the resident said they had 'never seen anything like this before.'  

15 October 

On 15 October, Peter Hoyle was visiting the Loch from Moray, when he spotted a dark shape sticking out of the water. 

The shape was moving from the right side of the loch to the left, travelling 'fairly quickly, but not boat speed'. 

Finally, Mishawn Mielke, a tourist from Texas, was visiting Urquhart Castle when she reported seeing a black head in the water at 14.45

Within 30 seconds, the shape had disappeared into the depths of the water - although Mr Hoyle did manage to capture footage of the short sighting. 

28 October 2025

Finally, Mishawn Mielke, a tourist from Texas, was visiting Urquhart Castle when she reported seeing a black head in the water at 14.45. 

'I first saw it and was like wow, that looks just like images I saw from the sightings website,' she said.

'It didn't look like a wave, it actually looked like the head of something popping up. it made a distinct pattern in the water I couldn't see anywhere else, kind of like its own wake. And than it was gone. 

'From that distance I'd say the water pattern was at least 3m long.'

Webcam images

Four sightings were also reported via webcam images in 2025, although these are listed separately.

Read More

• Nessie hunters are telling the truth! Those who spot the monster really do see something, study says 

'Over the past few years, and especially during the Covid crisis, many images that we receive come from the Loch Ness Webcam,' The Official Loch Ness Monster Sightings Register explains on its website.

'For reasons outwith the control of the camera operators, the resolution of some of the images from the camera has at times been less than ideal. 

'As such, it has been more difficult to identify what some images submitted. 

'Given they are still "unexplained" though, we decided that from 2021 onwards, such images would be listed separately from those that are reported by people who saw something while physically at the loch.'

What IS the Loch Ness Monster?

Rumours of a strange creature living in the waters of Loch Ness have abounded over the decades, yet scant evidence has been found to back up these claims.

One of the first sightings, believed to have fuelled modern Nessie fever, came in May 2, 1933.  

On this date the Inverness Courier carried a story about a local couple who claim to have seen 'an enormous animal rolling and plunging on the surface'.

Another famous claimed sighting is a photograph taken in 1934 by Colonel Robert Kenneth Wilson.

It was later exposed as a hoax by one of the participants, Chris Spurling, who, on his deathbed, revealed that the pictures were staged.

Other sightings James Gray's picture from 2001 when he and friend Peter Levings were out fishing on the Loch, while namesake Hugh Gray's blurred photo of what appears to be a large sea creature was published in the Daily Express in 1933.

Robert Kenneth Wilson, a London physician, captured arguably the most famous image of the Loch Ness Monster. The surgeon’s photograph was published in the Daily Mail on April 21, 1934 - however it was later proven to be a fake 

The first reported sighting of the monster is said to have been made in AD565 by the Irish missionary St Columba when he came across a giant beast in the River Ness.

But no one has ever come up with a satisfactory explanation for the sightings - although in 2019, 'Nessie expert' Steve Feltham, who has spent 24 years watching the Loch, said he thought it was actually a giant Wels Catfish, native to waters near the Baltic and Caspian seas in Europe.

An online register lists more than 1,000 total Nessie sightings, created by Mr Campbell, the man behind the Official Loch Ness Monster Fan Club and is available at www.lochnesssightings.com. 

So what could explain these mysterious sightings? 

Many Nessie witnesses have mentioned large, crocodile-like scutes sitting atop the spine of the creature, leading some to believe an escaped amphibian may be to blame.

Native fish sturgeons can also weigh several hundred pounds and have ridged backs, which make them look almost reptilian.

Some believe Nessie is a long-necked plesiosaur - like an elasmosaur - that survived somehow when all the other dinosaurs were wiped out.

Others say the sightings are down to Scottish pines dying and flopping into the loch, before quickly becoming water-logged and sinking.

While submerged, botanical chemicals start trapping tiny bubbles of air.

Eventually, enough of these are gathered to propel the log upward as deep pressures begin altering its shape, giving the appearance of an animal coming up for air.

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{ https://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/index.html }

23-03-2026 om 17:32 geschreven door peter  

A fast–moving creature has been filmed rising and sinking out of Loch Ness – sparking excitement that it could be the Loch Ness monster.  

Sasha Lake, 31, was standing on the banks of the loch on 1 March at around 6pm, when he spotted something moving in the water. 

The mysterious object was moving at incredible speed against the waves – and luckily Mr Lake had his phone at the ready to capture it on camera. 

'I was excited and intrigued. I only stopped filming because it went out of view,' he said. 

Mr Lake, from Bath, showed the footage to Alan McKenna, the leader of Loch Ness Exploration, who claims there is 'no animal that we know of in Loch Ness that can reach this speed.'

While its identity remains unclear, this is the first possible sighting of the Loch Ness monster this year. 

It comes after the monster, nicknamed 'Nessie', was 'spotted' five times in 2025, according to the The Official Loch Ness Monster Sightings Register. 

A fast–moving creature has been filmed rising and sinking out of Loch Ness – sparking excitement that it could be the Loch Ness monster

Sasha Lake, 31, was standing on the banks of the loch on 1 March at around 6pm, when he spotted something moving out of the water

The mythical creature has been a staple feature of Scottish folklore for centuries, but gained worldwide attention in 1933, when the first photo was snapped.

'I was there with the mystery in mind, of course, but there are so many aspects of Loch Ness that interest me,' Mr Lake said.

'But the potential of possibly experiencing something unusual is always in my thoughts, and part of the excitement.

'I always have my phone ready in my pocket. I'm not as easily fooled by things I see on the surface these days, so this really was an interesting experience.'

After seeing the movement on the surface of the water with his own eyes, he was even more shocked and excited to have captured it on video.

'I was incredibly intrigued, I was excited about the possibility that what I was filming and seeing was something out of the ordinary,' Mr Lake said.

'The way it moved, and the quickness of it, made me think, okay, alright, I definitely think this is something a little bit odd.

'There was a lot going through my mind.

After seeing the movement on the surface of the water with his own eyes, he was even more shocked and excited to have captured it on video

'I was just observing it and just thinking, right, I have a strong feeling that this could be something unusual, and I should film this.'

Freaked out, Mr Lake added: 'I stood there for a moment, processing what I had just experienced.

'I sat down, and tried to think of anything that could explain this, and I simply couldn't think of anything.

'I was in a state of confusion. I feel there is a strong possibility that I have filmed something unknown in Loch Ness. It has people scratching their heads.'

Mr McKenna, who runs the independent research group, Loch Ness Exploration said the speed of the object is what stands out to him the most. 

 'The first thing that jumps out straight away is the speed. You can definitely see the wash its creating at the head of the wake,' he explained.

'Hand on heart there's no obvious candidate for what it could be. It is far too fast for a seal, it's not a swimmer or kayaker, definitely not wind turbulence either.

'There's no animal that we know of in Loch Ness that can reach this speed.

'I think it's a really intriguing piece of footage. It's mad. There is definitely something there.'

READ MORE

• Nessie, is that you? Loch Ness Monster has been 'spotted' FIVE times this year, official records show

Shaun Sloggie, who works for cruise Loch Ness in Fort Augustus, was equally intrigued by the footage – particularly the fact the object appears to be moving against the waves.

'Whatever it is, it's moving fast and it's moving against the wind and waves,' Mr Slogie said.

And it must be pretty big making a wave like that.'

What IS the Loch Ness Monster?

Rumours of a strange creature living in the waters of Loch Ness have abounded over the decades, yet scant evidence has been found to back up these claims.

One of the first sightings, believed to have fuelled modern Nessie fever, came in May 2, 1933.  

On this date the Inverness Courier carried a story about a local couple who claim to have seen 'an enormous animal rolling and plunging on the surface'.

Another famous claimed sighting is a photograph taken in 1934 by Colonel Robert Kenneth Wilson.

It was later exposed as a hoax by one of the participants, Chris Spurling, who, on his deathbed, revealed that the pictures were staged.

Other sightings James Gray's picture from 2001 when he and friend Peter Levings were out fishing on the Loch, while namesake Hugh Gray's blurred photo of what appears to be a large sea creature was published in the Daily Express in 1933.

Robert Kenneth Wilson, a London physician, captured arguably the most famous image of the Loch Ness Monster. The surgeon’s photograph was published in the Daily Mail on April 21, 1934 - however it was later proven to be a fake 

The first reported sighting of the monster is said to have been made in AD565 by the Irish missionary St Columba when he came across a giant beast in the River Ness.

But no one has ever come up with a satisfactory explanation for the sightings - although in 2019, 'Nessie expert' Steve Feltham, who has spent 24 years watching the Loch, said he thought it was actually a giant Wels Catfish, native to waters near the Baltic and Caspian seas in Europe.

An online register lists more than 1,000 total Nessie sightings, created by Mr Campbell, the man behind the Official Loch Ness Monster Fan Club and is available at www.lochnesssightings.com. 

So what could explain these mysterious sightings? 

Many Nessie witnesses have mentioned large, crocodile-like scutes sitting atop the spine of the creature, leading some to believe an escaped amphibian may be to blame.

Native fish sturgeons can also weigh several hundred pounds and have ridged backs, which make them look almost reptilian.

Some believe Nessie is a long-necked plesiosaur - like an elasmosaur - that survived somehow when all the other dinosaurs were wiped out.

Others say the sightings are down to Scottish pines dying and flopping into the loch, before quickly becoming water-logged and sinking.

While submerged, botanical chemicals start trapping tiny bubbles of air.

Eventually, enough of these are gathered to propel the log upward as deep pressures begin altering its shape, giving the appearance of an animal coming up for air.

{ https://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/index.html }

23-03-2026 om 17:00 geschreven door peter  

Yes, there really is a massive “gravity hole” under the ice, known as the Antarctic Geoid Low (AGL). It’s one of the most extreme gravitational anomalies on Earth.

Instead, it’s a region where Earth’s gravitational pull is slightly weaker than average. Because of this, the planet’s “gravity surface”, called the geoid — dips by about 120 meters compared to the global norm. This subtle dip influences ocean behavior, sea level measurements, and even how ice sheets evolve over time. 

Recent research, including studies published in Scientific Reports, has helped scientists better understand what’s causing it. The answer lies deep within Earth, far below the Antarctic ice. XX Over tens of millions of years, slow-moving currents in the mantle, the layer beneath Earth’s crust, have shifted dense material around the planet. These movements, including sinking tectonic slabs, reduce mass in certain regions. Less mass means weaker gravity. 

Models suggest this anomaly has existed for at least 70 million years, dating back to the age of dinosaurs. It became significantly more pronounced between 50 and 30 million years ago, a period that also saw major climate shifts and the formation of Antarctica’s massive ice sheets. And importantly, it’s still evolving today, just at an incredibly slow pace. 

A weak-gravity region under Antarctica may have evolved alongside major climate changes, hinting that Earth’s deep interior could shape sea level and ice-sheet growth in unexpected ways.

Credit: Shutterstock

This isn’t guesswork. Scientists used global earthquake data, advanced physics simulations, and reconstructions of Earth’s interior to map the anomaly with increasing precision. 

Researchers used a computer model to discover that the gravity hole was weaker around 70 million years ago (left) but was becoming stronger 40 million years ago (right)

Scientific Reports

That being said, Antarctica does remain one of the most restricted and least explored places on Earth. Protected zones, such as the Antarctic Treaty System. Given that scientists now acknowledge the existence of a massive gravity anomaly, it raises questions about whether it could be linked to the hollow Earth theory, and prompts us to wonder what might truly lie hidden beneath the ice, beyond what is currently revealed to the public

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

23-03-2026 om 16:35 geschreven door peter  

Interpreting the Wheel of Ghosts

Existing interpretations have diverged in their explanations of what the Wheel of Ghosts meant to the people who built it. Those explanations run the gamut of what is generally assumed of these mysterious ancient sites: a ceremonial space, a burial mound, or an astronomical observatory.

However, these interpretations all relied on a major assumption that has proven false: that the Wheel of Ghosts is unique to the area.

That basic assumption has now been turned on its head by an international multidisciplinary team of physicists and archaeologists. Their work was rooted in remote sensing, a broad category of tools that have allowed archaeologists to view areas at broad scales, and even image beneath the ground. While such technologies have long existed, their increased adoption among archaeologists has led to major discoveries in the last two decades.

The Satellite View

Data for the research came from archives containing multiple satellite imagery platforms, including Google Earth Pro and CNES/Airbus. These archives held two decades of imagery captured between 2004 and 2024, providing multiple observations of the same regions over the years. Processing those images and then performing a comparative analysis helped the team to uncover these new sites.

Through AI processing, obscuring features like shadows and seasonal vegetation were mitigated, revealing features otherwise impossible to discern. These included signs of ancient human intervention, along with other notable landscape features, which were typically obscured. The team noted that this is a major boon to archaeology, alleviating the need for expensive, time-consuming expeditions to regions that may contain nothing of interest.

In the AI-processed imagery, researchers uncovered new sites resembling the wheel of Ghosts.

Credit: A. Kleiner

Uncovering Further Wheel of Ghosts-Like Sites

During their research, the team was shocked to find 28 sites resembling the Wheel of Ghosts, all of which had remained hidden in the area. These large, round structures shared many of the characteristics with Rujm El-Hiri and were all situated within a tight 16-mile radius of the site.

Amid the new discoveries, the Wheel of Ghosts remains singular in terms of its quality. Other sites were smaller, less elaborate, and more heavily degraded. This is likely why they remained undetected for almost six decades after the Wheel of Ghosts was first identified by modern archaeologists.

One of the primary impediments to clearly understanding the original site and these additional newly discovered structures is the broad time range archaeologists attribute to the original’s construction. This makes it difficult to determine exactly which group of people inhabited the area at the time, further clouding what these structures may have been intended for.

Intriguingly, while there seems to be a clear group of similar structures in this region, sites farther away in Galilee and Lebanon also resemble the Wheel of Ghosts in the new research. Tying together all of these sites, both near and far, will now require extensive on-the-ground research to determine if they were all occupied by a single culture

The paper, “Reassessing Rujm El-Hiri: Aerial Imagery and Stone Circles in the Proto-Historic Southern Levant,” appeared in PLOS One on March 18, 2026.

• Ryan Whalen covers science and technology for The Debrief. He holds an MA in History and a Master of Library and Information Science with a certificate in Data Science. He can be contacted at ryan@thedebrief.org, and follow him on Twitter @mdntwvlf.

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

22-03-2026 om 23:00 geschreven door peter  

“Many eyewitnesses in the state of Texas have filed reports on the American Meteor Society website of a bright fireball,” a NASA statement read. “The meteor was also detected by the Geostationary Lightning Mappers on the GOES satellites.”

Officials said the object became visible as it reached an altitude of about 49 miles above Stagecoach, which lies outside Houston to the northwest.

Before breaking apart approximately 29 miles above Bammel, Texas, the object reached speeds of 35,000 miles per hour, causing a loud boom reported by many in the region as the object streaked through the skies toward the southeast.

“The disintegration of the asteroidal fragment—which weighed about a ton with a diameter of 3 feet—unleashed an energy of 26 tons of TNT,” NASA’s statement read, “creating a pressure wave that propagated to the ground and causing the booms heard by some in the area.”

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

22-03-2026 om 22:12 geschreven door peter  

UFOs Landed In The Brazil Jungle, Google Earth Map! UFO UAP Sighting News.

Date of discovery: March 10, 2026

Location of discovery: Brazil jungle

Google coordinates: -25.152750, -49.407833

 

There are two hidden UFOs in the jungle of Brazil. One round and one triangle shaped. The round UFO has a very mechanical look to it with its arms and dark long windows between each arm. The triangle UFO is also unique in that it has a wing structure and tail wings. Now many UFO reports and videos have been coming out of Brazil this last twelve months and each one back this up...that UFOs land in the jungle forest in locations inaccessible to humans. These are rare catches, and I used google earth history to see they were not there a year before. Two UFOs which look like they are landed, not crashed. Two intact...alien craft...just sitting there...so the people on board could exit, explore and research the existing plants, animals, etc. 

Scott C. Waring - Taiwan 

 

 

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

22-03-2026 om 21:57 geschreven door peter  

While Searching The Bermuda Triangle For Lost Aircraft, History Channel Made A Tragic Discovery – And Contacted NASA To Confirm

Divers were searching the Bermuda Triangle for lost WWII planes when they found an odd – and clearly human-made – artifact buried in sand on the ocean floor.

 James Felton - Senior Staff Writer 

While exploring its natural habitat – the Bermuda Triangle – in 2022, History Channel stumbled across an intriguing piece of material, prompting them to contact NASA for further analysis.

Intrigue surrounding the Bermuda Triangle, a loosely-defined area of ocean between Florida, Puerto Rico, and Bermuda, can largely be traced back to an incident in 1945, known as "Flight 19".

On 5 December 1945, five TBM Avenger torpedo bombers carrying 14 men were participating in a mock bombing run in the Bahamas, a training exercise for student pilots.

In the second leg of the exercise, the team ran into some unusual trouble. In intercepted radio messages, one student pilot could be heard asking a crew member for a compass reading.

"I don’t know where we are," they could be heard replying. "We must have gotten lost after that last turn."

U.S. Navy Lieutenant Charles Carroll Taylor, an experienced pilot leading the flight, was later heard confirming similar issues to another pilot.

"Both my compasses are out, and I am trying to find Fort Lauderdale, Florida," he said in the recordings. "I am over land, but it’s broken. I am sure I’m in the Keys, but I don’t know how far down and I don’t know how to get to Fort Lauderdale."

That pilot urged Taylor to use the Sun, putting it on the port side, and the coastline to navigate their way back to Fort Lauderdale, but for reasons unknown, the advice was ignored.

{ https://www.iflscience.com/space-and-physics }

22-03-2026 om 21:45 geschreven door peter  

Story by Rafael Clemente

 

The idea of ​​sending that expedition to the Moon arose in the summer of 1968. It was a proposal put forward by George Low, head of the Apollo Spacecraft Program Office. The program envisioned a first flight of the main capsule around the Earth in October of that year; this would be followed by another, also orbital, which would include the lunar module. But the lunar module wouldn’t be ready until spring, which would delay the entire program, jeopardizing John F. Kennedy’s goal: “We choose to go to the Moon in this decade.”

Meanwhile, U.S. spy satellites had located the Russian N-1 super rocket (the equivalent of Wernher Von Braun’s Saturn V) installed at the Baikonur Cosmodrome. It might not yet be operational, but what was certain was that, using smaller Proton rockets, the Soviet Union could launch a Soyuz-type capsule on a circumlunar trajectory. It wouldn’t be a lunar landing attempt, but the propaganda impact would be immense.

The 'Apollo 8' crew (from left to right): James Lovell, William Anders and Frank Borman.

© Heritage Images (Heritage Space/Heritage Images via Getty Images)

Low sent his proposal to NASA’s top brass. If the first crewed Apollo flight was successful, the next one would be to our satellite. No lunar module. Just go, orbit a few times, and return.

The first manned mission, Apollo 7, was a success. A mixed bag, since all three astronauts caught colds that put them in a foul mood throughout the flight. This, combined with their exasperation at ground control’s constant changes and expansions to the experiment program, eventually erupted in the first mutiny aboard a spacecraft. None of the three ever flew again. But that’s another story.

• Related video: NASA is one step closer to re-sending astronauts to orbit the moon (WFAA-TV Dallas/Ft. Worth)

Thus, in November 1968, NASA officially announced the change of plans. Apollo 8, with its three crew members — Frank Borman, Jim Lovell, and William Anders — would go to the Moon, taking advantage of the next launch window in December. They would spend Christmas where no human being had ever been before. There was a sense of urgency. By then, the USSR had sent two capsules on the same trajectory. They carried no people, but they did have a small menagerie: a couple of tortoises, flies, earthworms, plants, seeds, and bacterial cultures. These were the first living beings to visit the vicinity of our satellite.

The 'Apollo 8' astronauts at Cape Kennedy, Florida, on December 21, 1968.

© Bettmann

(Getty Images)

In retrospect, the Apollo 8 flight was an extremely high-risk endeavor. Almost reckless. Without a lunar lander, the command module was entirely dependent on its maneuvering engine both to enter lunar orbit and to break out of orbit and return to Earth. There was no alternative. In all likelihood, any catastrophe along the way would have been fatal.

When, years later, Apollo 13 suffered an oxygen tank explosion, the crew was able to survive by converting their lunar module into a kind of lifeboat. The engine that was supposed to allow them to land on the Moon was used to maneuver them into a safe return trajectory to Earth (a trajectory very similar to that planned for Artemis 2). And it was by using up their reserves of air, water, and electricity that they were able to complete the journey.

Artemis 2 faces a similar problem: it also won’t have a lunar lander. This is the responsibility of SpaceX, Elon Musk’s company, and it’s still unknown when it will first fly. The contract with NASA requires demonstrating a successful descent and subsequent takeoff from the Moon under automated control before entrusting it with human passengers. That should happen in 2028, so time is of the essence.

View of the Moon taken during NASA's 'Apollo 8' mission in December 1968.© Interim Archives

(Getty Images)

NASA didn’t want to take the same risks as in 1968, especially with a new spacecraft that has only flown once without a crew. That’s why Artemis 2 won’t orbit the Moon. It will simply follow a figure-eight trajectory, passing high above the far side before heading back. Even if all propulsion systems failed, the return would be guaranteed from the very first minute. For NASA, that’s the most important thing.

And what will the astronauts do during the journey? Essentially, thoroughly test all the onboard systems, from the cameras and the computer for star navigation (the Apollo missions made do with a sextant and a computer with 38K of memory) to the new toilet built into the cabin floor, complete with a door to ensure some privacy. Half a century ago, astronauts only had plastic bags and had to trust that their colleagues would look the other way while they used them.

Specifically, the astronauts will practice the approach and formation flight with the rocket’s final stage. This is a preparatory exercise for what their Artemis 3 colleagues will have to do, but this time to dock with the lunar lander. It’s a routine maneuver, both in manual and automatic modes: the Soyuz and Dragon capsules perform it every time they have to deliver new crews to the International Space Station. But for the Artemis 2 Orion spacecraft, it’s a first.

'Apollo 8,' the first manned mission to lunar orbit, departing from Earth.

© Corbis (Corbis/VCG via Getty Images)

After all, NASA still remembers the problems that plagued another newly designed capsule — Boeing’s Starliner — in 2024 during its first attempt to dock with the International Space Station. Five of the 28 positional control engines failed, partly due to unexpected helium leaks and corrosion of the fuel valves. It was later discovered that the culprit had been ambient humidity while the rocket was on the launch pad.

The astronauts will serve as guinea pigs, and not just during the flight. For six months, the four have been providing blood, saliva, and urine samples to be compared with those obtained during and after the journey. The idea is to conduct a study of immune biomarkers. They have also provided bone marrow samples, which have been implanted in small, pen-sized devices to see how tissues respond to radiation and microgravity. And during the flight, their sleep, circadian rhythm, stress levels, and mood will be monitored. The attention to their mood is certainly intriguing. Not everyone has the opportunity to travel through space to contemplate, for a few hours, the side of the Moon that no one else sees.

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{ EL PAÍS US }

22-03-2026 om 21:14 geschreven door peter  

Key takeaways

De Amerikaanse luchtmacht versnelt de productie van de Northrop Grumman B-21 Raider stealthbommenwerper, de opvolger van de verouderde B-2 Spirit. Al bijna drie decennia lang vormt de B-2 een hoeksteen van de Amerikaanse nucleaire triade. Hoewel de vliegtuigen nog steeds operationeel zijn, naderen ze hun pensioen en moeten ze worden vervangen door een even geavanceerde bommenwerper.

B-21 Raider

Wikicommons

Verbeterde capaciteiten

De B-21, die al in de inventaris van de Amerikaanse luchtmacht is opgenomen met ten minste twee geleverde testvliegtuigen, belooft de wereldwijde aanvalscapaciteiten van de luchtmacht aanzienlijk te verbeteren. Hoewel het uiterlijk doet denken aan de B-2, zijn er belangrijke verschillen, zoals minder motoren en een kleinere voetafdruk.

Omdat het Ministerie van Luchtmacht de dringende behoefte aan de B-21 inziet, heeft het onlangs een overeenkomst gesloten met Northrop Grumman om de productie met ongeveer 25 procent te verhogen. Deze versnelling heeft tot doel de bommenwerpers sneller te leveren dan oorspronkelijk gepland, zodat er in de nabije toekomst een groter aantal gevechtsklaar is.

Budgettaire gevolgen

Het versnelde schema beperkt ook mogelijke budgetoverschrijdingen door meer vliegtuigen binnen een korter tijdsbestek te leveren. Het initiatief vereist 4,5 miljard dollar (3,9 miljard euro) extra, wat al eerder is goedgekeurd onder de Reconciliation Act voor het boekjaar 2025.

Het B-21-programma heeft zich grotendeels aan het oorspronkelijke tijdschema en budget gehouden. Dat is opvallend in vergelijking met andere Amerikaanse militaire projecten, die vaak kampen met vertragingen en kostenoverschrijdingen. Het valt nog te bezien of de versnelde levering invloed zal hebben op dit positieve trackrecord. (jv)

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22-03-2026 om 20:46 geschreven door peter  

Alle letters van DNA en RNA aangetroffen in Ryugu-stof

Yorick La Rivière - Redacteur astronomie/ruimtevaart & Moderator Disqus

In stof van de asteroïde Ryugu zijn alle vijf nucleobasen gevonden: de chemische letters van DNA en RNA. De vondst versterkt het idee dat de ingrediënten voor leven wijdverspreid waren in het vroege zonnestelsel en mogelijk via ruimterotsen op aarde zijn beland.

Wetenschappers hebben in stof van de asteroïde (ook: planetoïde) Ryugu iets bijzonders gevonden. Eerder werd in monsters van Ryugu al uracil gevonden, maar nu blijkt dat ook de andere vier nucleobasen aanwezig zijn.

In de monsters die de Japanse Hayabusa2-missie in 2020 naar de aarde bracht, zijn nu alle vijf de fundamentele nucleobasen aangetoond: adenine, guanine, cytosine, thymine en uracil. Dat zijn de chemische bouwstenen die samen de letters van DNA en RNA vormen. Volgens de onderzoekers laat dat zien dat belangrijke ingrediënten voor leven niet alleen op aarde voorkomen.

Deze ontdekking, gepubliceerd in Nature Astronomy, toont aan dat de chemische ingrediënten voor DNA en RNA niet alleen op aarde voorkomen, maar waarschijnlijk algemeen aanwezig waren in het vroege zonnestelsel.

Wat zijn nucleobasen eigenlijk?

Nucleobasen zijn de stikstofhoudende moleculen die de ‘letters’ vormen in de genetische code. In DNA werken adenine, guanine, cytosine en thymine; in RNA wordt thymine vervangen door uracil. Samen met suikers en fosfaten vormen ze nucleotiden, de bouwstenen van DNA en RNA. Zonder deze basen zou de blauwdruk voor groei, voortplanting en evolutie simpelweg niet bestaan.

De onderzoekers analyseerden twee monsters van het oppervlak van Ryugu en vonden in beide de volledige set. Het ene monster bevatte zelfs ongeveer drie keer zo veel van deze organische moleculen als het andere. Omdat de monsters rechtstreeks van Ryugu naar de aarde zijn gebracht en niet eerst door de aardse atmosfeer zijn gegaan, is de kans op vervuiling praktisch nihil. Daardoor leveren de monsters bijzonder sterk bewijs dat zulke moleculen ook buiten de aarde kunnen ontstaan.

Elke asteroïde heeft zijn eigen chemie

Opvallend genoeg is de chemische samenstelling van Ryugu niet identiek aan die van andere bekende ruimterotsen. In de Murchison-meteoriet, die in 1969 in Australië insloeg, zitten relatief veel purines (adenine en guanine). Daarentegen bevatten asteroïde Bennu en de meteoriet Orgueil (Frankrijk, 1864) juist meer pyrimidines (cytosine, thymine en uracil). Ryugu laat een meer evenwichtige verdeling zien. Dat wijst erop dat deze objecten elk een andere chemische en evolutionaire geschiedenis hebben doorgemaakt.

De onderzoekers denken dat ammoniak daarbij een belangrijke rol kan hebben gespeeld, al gaat het nog om een hypothese en niet om sluitend bewijs.

Een kosmisch verhaal van leven

Ryugu is een donkere, brokstukkenhoop van ongeveer 900 meter groot die behoort tot de zeldzame Cb-type asteroïden – rijk aan koolstof. Hij wordt gezien als een overblijfsel van het vroege zonnestelsel, ruim 4,5 miljard jaar oud. De monsters vertellen een fascinerend verhaal: ze bevatten sporen van vloeibaar water, aminozuren en zelfs vitamine B3, naast nu dus de complete set nucleobasen.

Deze opeenstapeling van vondsten maakt het steeds aannemelijker dat koolstofrijke asteroïden als Ryugu een soort tijdcapsules zijn waarin chemische ingrediënten uit het vroege zonnestelsel bewaard zijn gebleven. Dat zulke bouwstenen van DNA en RNA blijkbaar op meerdere plekken in het zonnestelsel konden ontstaan, zet ook het verhaal van ons eigen ontstaan in een groter kosmisch perspectief.

Met de vondst van alle vijf nucleobasen op Ryugu is een belangrijke mijlpaal bereikt. Het toont aan dat de moleculaire ‘letters’ van het leven niet alleen op aarde bestonden, maar wijdverbreid waren in de ruimte. Het verhaal van het leven op onze planeet is daarmee onlosmakelijk verbonden met de chemie van oeroude asteroïden die de bouwstenen miljarden jaren geleden mogelijk op veel plekken hebben afgeleverd. 

• Schrijf je in voor de nieuwsbrief! Ook elke dag vers het laatste wetenschapsnieuws in je inbox? Of elke week? Schrijf je hier in voor de nieuwsbrief!

Uitgelezen? Luister ook eens naar de Scientias Podcast: 

Bronmateriaal

• "A complete set of canonical nucleobases in the carbonaceous asteroid (162173) Ryugu" - Nature Astronomy
  
• Afbeelding bovenaan dit artikel: Ryugu gefotografeerd door Hayabusa2, net voor landing in 2018. Foto: MASCOT/DLR /JAXA

Laatst aangepast op: 19 maart 2026

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{ https://scientias.nl/nieuws/astronomie-ruimtevaart/ }

22-03-2026 om 13:29 geschreven door peter  

Rare 'daytime fireball' meteor creates powerful sonic boom as 7-ton space rock explodes above eastern US

A hefty meteor exploded in the daytime skies over Ohio shortly after entering Earth's atmosphere on March 17. This photo, taken in Pennsylvania, shows the smoke trail leftover by the "fireball."

(Image credit: megan b. via AMS)

An extremely rare "daytime fireball" meteor was recently spotted streaking across sunny blue skies over the eastern U.S. after a fridge-size space rock exploded and triggered a powerful sonic boom. The unusual event, which was also visible from space, may have rained tiny meteorite fragments across the local area, experts say.

The 6-foot-wide (1.8 meters) asteroid entered Earth's atmosphere on Tuesday (March 17), at approximately 8:57 a.m. EDT, and began to burn up in the skies over Lake Erie in northern Ohio at a speed of around 40,000 mph (64,400 km/h), according to a NASA report. The flaming space rock, which weighed around 7 tons (6.4 metric tons), then broke apart around 30 miles (48 kilometers) above the town of Valley City near Akron, creating a bright flash that lasted for up to seven seconds.

Multiple eyewitnesses and security cameras recorded the explosion, and at least 200 people — from states including Ohio, Pennsylvania, Delaware, Illinois, Indiana, Kentucky, Maryland, Michigan, North Carolina, New Jersey, New York, Wisconsin, Virginia, West Virginia and the District of Columbia, as well as part

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Several people along the meteor's path reported hearing a loud bang coming from the sky, which was later confirmed to be a sonic boom from the fragmenting space rock, according to a post on the social platform X by the Cleveland branch of the National Weather Service.

The streaking fireball was also visible from space and was caught on camera by the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration's (NOAA) GOES-19 weather satellite, which orbits Earth at an altitude of around 22,000 miles (35,500 km), Live Science's sister site Space.com reported.

Fireball meteors occur when falling space rocks are superheated due to high levels of friction from the surrounding air, according to AMS. This eventually causes the object to break apart, which creates a bright flash of light.

These explosions can be extremely powerful. The latest fireball, for example, likely exploded with the equivalent force of 250 tons (227 metric tons) of TNT and unleashed pressure waves that "may have shook houses" on the ground, according to the NASA report.

{ https://www.livescience.com/space/astronomy/meteoroids }

21-03-2026 om 23:33 geschreven door peter  

Aliens are really just us human geezers, says TV star and UFO 'expert' Danny Dyer

The actor reckons the human race are aliens after arriving from another planet after the dinosaurs became extinct

BY John Ward

DANNY Dyer has claimed aliens do exist - because it is us that are actually them.

(Image: BBC)

Danny Dyer has claimed aliens do exist - because it is us that are actually them. The Rivals and EastEnders actor reckons the human race arrived from another planet when dinosaurs became extinct 66 million years ago.

Danny, 48, said: "I’ve got this theory they’d tell us that maybe we are the aliens and during the dinosaur period, a UFO crashed into the earth and we’re the result of it. "Because there’s a lot of mad s*** going on in the world, so I do think that anything’s possible."

Danny has been fascinated by extraterrestrial life for years and fronted a 2010 documentary I Believe in UFOs. In the BBC doc he examined "reported UFO landing sites and sinister evidence that aliens may have conducted scientific experiments in Britain".

Danny reckons reckons the human race arrived from another planet when dinosaurs became extinct 66 million years ago.

(Image: Getty)

Now he has told Rolling Stone magazine that he thinks Earth could do with a new influx of alien arrivals to sort out the world's problems.

He said: "Misogyny, sexism, homophobia and racism are all on the rise again. We’ve regressed as human beings, so we need some sort of reset, don’t we?

"That’s why I’m praying there are f****** aliens out there that are gonna come down and change everything. "Who else is gonna f****** do it? I got obsessed with the [active comet] 3I/ATLAS for a little while, but it turned out to be f*** all.

"I really felt, 'Maybe this is it. Maybe the aliens are going to show up.'"

Danny said previously that he believes aliens “are among us” – and they are monitoring the damage humans are causing the planet.

He told his daughter Dani, 25, on their Sorted With The Dyers podcast: “I have seen a couple. I won’t go into it now. “Aliens, they are among us. They’re about at the moment because they can see how much we’re destroying this f***ing planet.

Danny said previously to daughter Dani on a podcast that he believes aliens “are among us”

(Image: © Sky UK Limited)

“There’s the Greys which are the commonest ones with the massive heads. You can go right back to the Egyptian times and some of the stuff they were scratching on walls says it all.

“They were being visited quite often by aliens and of course then you didn’t have mobiles or the internet so no-one could really declare it. But he's far from the only celeb to believe they're real, as Gemma Collins has spoken about an encounter her mum claims to have had.

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{ https://www.dailystar.co.uk/news/latest-news/ }

21-03-2026 om 23:07 geschreven door peter  

Rocket scientist and Air Force general linked to UFOs vanish under similar strange circumstances five months apart

By KELLY GARINO, US REPORTER

A retired Air Force general known in UFO circles has gone missing during a hike in New Mexico, just months after a former colleague disappeared in a nearly identical case. 

US Major General William Neil McCasland, 68, was last seen on the morning of February 27 as he left his Albuquerque home with only a backpack, wallet and .38-caliber revolver for a trail run, according to the Bernalillo County Sheriff's Office.

Sources previously told The New York Post that McCasland was a 'gatekeeper' and 'participant' in the UFO community.

His disappearance has only fueled speculation around the disappearance of 60-year-old Monica Reza, who had worked on a rocket project overseen by McCasland, who also went missing in June 2025. 

In a chillingly similar case, Reza was last seen hiking in a California forest with a colleague, smiling and waving moments before she 'vanished off the face of the earth,' according to NewsNation. 

For months, authorities and volunteers have combed the area using every resource at their disposal, but the aerospace engineer remains missing without a trace. 

At a recent press conference, Sheriff John Allen said a Silver Alert was issued for McCasland after reports of a 'mental fog' in the months before his disappearance, adding that he had no other known health problems. 

Yet despite an intensive search involving drones, helicopters, ground crews and K-9 units, the avid outdoorsman - and any trace of his belongings - also remains missing. 

US Air Force Major General William Neil McCasland (pictured), 68, who was in the UFO community, went missing in February after leaving on a hike near his New Mexico home

Months before, 60-year-old Monica Reza (pictured), who had worked on a rocket project overseen by McCasland as an aerospace scientist, also went missing during a hike

McCasland's disappearance came days after President Trump pledged to release files on UFOs and extraterrestrial life

'Let me be straight. We've had a lot of tips, and we will go through every tip. But there are some tips with some outlandish theories, conspiracy theories,' the sheriff said.

'We will look into everything, but we are trying as a law enforcement agency and entity,' he added.

The general's wife, Susan McCasland, posted on Facebook to set the record straight amid what she described as 'misinformation' about her husband's disappearance. 

'It is true that Neil had a brief association with the UFO community,' she wrote. 'This connection is not a reason for someone to abduct Neil.

'Though at this point with absolutely no sign of him, maybe the best hypothesis is that aliens beamed him up to the mothership. However, no sightings of a mothership hovering above the Sandia Mountains have been reported.'

Just nine months ago, Reza - known professionally as Monica Jacinto at Aerojet Rocketdyne as a material scientist - was last seen hiking on the popular Mount Waterman Trail in the Angeles National Forest in Los Angeles. 

Like McCasland, she loved hiking. She was just 30ft behind the man she was with when she vanished on what was described as a 'normal day,' according to NewsNation.

'He turned around, next thing you know, she was just completely gone,' the outlet reported.

McCasland's wife Susan (both pictured) shared that her husband's UFO ties 'is not a reason for someone to abduct Neil'

In June 2025, Reza (pictured) was hiking 30 feet behind a companion on a Los Angeles trail when she 'vanished off the face of the earth'

'Rescue teams spent days looking for her, but actually never recovered her body.'

Reza worked for Aerojet Rocketdyne, a high-profile company funded for years by NASA and the Air Force Research Laboratory, according to SpaceNews.

In the 1990s, she engineered a nickel-based superalloy that could survive extreme oxygen environments without added weight - technology that helped create the AR1 engine, set to replace Russian RD-180 engines on United Launch Alliance rockets. 

Her patented invention brought her into McCasland's sphere, as he oversaw the Air Force group that funded early-2000s research on advanced materials for reusable spacecraft and weapons systems. 

McCasland's Air Force biography reveals he oversaw advanced materials as director of the Space Vehicle Directorate's materials wing and commanded the Phillips Research Site at Kirtland Air Force Base from 2001 to 2004.

His roles ultimately had a direct connection to Reza's highly successful research. 

The general had also led research at Ohio's Wright-Patterson Air Force Base, which Marik Von Rennenkampff, a former Obama-era national security analyst, described as 'where all the super-secret research happens,' CNN reported. 

On the day he vanished, McCasland spoke with a repair person at his home at 10am, while his wife left around an hour later for a medical appointment, the sheriff's office said. 

Reza (pictured) worked for Aerojet Rocketdyne, funded for years by NASA and the Air Force Research Laboratory, and created a nickel-based superalloy for rockets

McCasland (pictured) oversaw the Air Force group that funded Reza's early-2000s research

McCasland also led research at Ohio's Wright-Patterson Air Force Base (pictured)

She returned at noon to find her husband gone, though his phone, prescription glasses and smartwatch were still there. 

'His wearable devices and taking his phone were common practice with him. That is out of the norm,' Deputy Kyle Woods said during a press conference.

The sheriff revealed that authorities had gone door to door at 700 homes, including those near his Quail Run Court residence, trying to find him.

Search teams combed the areas McCasland often hiked, including Elena Gallegos and Domingo Baca Canyon, with dogs and horse units investigating mysterious odors. 

Days later, authorities discovered a US Air Force sweatshirt about a mile and a half from his home. While it hasn't been confirmed as McCasland's, no blood was found on it. 

Lt Woods said there has been no indication of foul play, nor any evidence from his electronic devices suggesting unusual circumstances.

Authorities mentioned McCasland's reported 'mental fog' but added that they would not provide further details regarding any mental health issues. 

'There's no indication, and we are not putting forward that Mr McCasland was disoriented or confused,' Woods said.

Sheriff John Allen said a Silver Alert was issued for McCasland (pictured) after reports of a 'mental fog' in the months before

McCasland (pictured) disappeared without his phone, prescription glasses and smartwatch

This photo shared on Facebook was taken of Reza in the hours before she went missing

'Arguably, he would still be the most intelligent person in the room that any of us would be in. Highly intelligent, highly capable,' he added.

Still, the deputy acknowledged the grim reality: 'We are many weeks in, and if he were to have gone into the mountains, the likelihood of surviving this time frame would be very low.'

Police said they are chasing every lead, but warned that countless 'rabbit holes' have made their work far more challenging. 

The overlap in timing, combined with the bizarrely similar details of both cases, has ignited a storm of online theories trying to connect them. 

McCasland's mysterious disappearance also comes just six days after President Donald Trump pledged to release long-awaited files on UFOs and extraterrestrial life.

Investigative journalist Ross Coulthart described him as 'a man with some of the most sensitive secrets of the United States head,' according to an interview on NewsNation.

'The timing is screechingly relevant,' he said. 'The fact that General Neil McCasland has disappeared off the face of the earth is a grave national security crisis for the United States of America.'

But the sheriff’s office has maintained that there is no evidence of criminal activity, including kidnapping. 

Investigative journalist Ross Coulthart described McCasland (pictured) as 'a man with some of the most sensitive secrets of the United States head'

McCasland's wife (both pictured) said her husband worked in the UFO community after retirement, offering unpaid expertise on military, technical and scientific matters

Retired FBI agent Jennifer Coffindaffer shared on X that she suspects McCasland (pictured) may have died by suicide

'Some of the tips coming in, I don't want to say that they are wasting our time because we would never say that, but they are tedious to go through,' Sheriff Allen said.

McCasland's wife clarified on social media that her husband did not have dementia and 'was not confused or disoriented.'

'It is true that when Neil was in the Air Force, he had access to some highly classified programs and information,' she wrote, adding that he had retired almost 13 years ago.

'It seems quite unlikely that he was taken to extract very dated secrets from him,' she added.

She revealed that his ties to the UFO world came via Tom DeLonge, ex-frontman of Blink-182 and founder of To The Stars.

She said her husband willingly worked with DeLonge after retiring, offering unpaid expertise on military, technical and scientific matters to bring authenticity to his books and media projects. 

'After the Russians hacked John Podesta's emails, there was less contact with Tom and the community pushing for release of UFO information,' she said.

'Neil does not have any special knowledge about the ET bodies and debris from the Roswell crash stored at Wright-Patt.' 

Authorities and volunteers combed the area using every resource at their disposal (pictured), but Reza remains missing

Reza's (pictured) technology helped create the AR1 engine, set to replace Russian RD-180 engines on United Launch Alliance rockets

Pictured above is an image shared on Facebook showing volunteers in the search for Reza

Meanwhile, retired FBI agent Jennifer Coffindaffer shared on X that she suspects McCasland may have died by suicide.

'Not that I believe the premise, but what I do believe is that likely, General McCasland took his life,' Coffindaffer wrote.

'He retired over a decade ago,' she added. 'I don't believe his military background has anything to do with his disappearance. His health may have. We don't know his medical condition, but was it grievous?'

{ https://www.dailymail.co.uk/sciencetech/index.html }

21-03-2026 om 22:44 geschreven door peter  

UFO's boven de VS - ‘Collega’s noemen mijn theorie belachelijk’: UFO-expert over onze buitenaardse buren

'Wellicht gaat het om verkenningstechnologie die van heel ver weg werd uitgestuurd. Mogelijk bestaat die beschaving zelfs niet meer'

Bron ll

In de Verenigde Staten werden de afgelopen week maar liefst drie unidentified flying objects, ofwel ufo’s, uit de lucht geschoten. De eerste was 99% zeker een Chinese spionageballon, de andere twee zijn minder duidelijk. Sinds het coronajaar 2020 schoot het aantal meldingen van waargenomen onverklaarbare objecten spectaculair omhoog. De Amerikaanse overheid én NASA doen er al jarenang in het grootste geheim onderzoek naar. Wat is de link met het interstellaire object dat in 2017 ons zonnestelsel doorkruiste? En met de ufo’s die in België gerapporteerd zijn? The truth is out there. Én in Humo.

Dit artikel is geschreven  doorAyfer Erku

Veel dossiers van het Pentagon blijven top secret, maar er zijn wel beelden vrijgegeven van onbekende objecten die Amerikaanse gevechtspiloten tijdens vluchten hebben waargenomen: tuigen die met een hypersonische snelheid in verschillende richtingen bewogen en door de geluidsmuur braken, zonder dat er een knal te horen was. Het Pentagon heeft het trouwens al enkele jaren over UAP, Unidentified Aerial Phenomena, omdat de term ‘ufo’ te geladen is en te veel aan groene mannetjes doet denken. ‘Het is duidelijk dat de legertop die ufomeldingen al enkele jaren ernstig neemt,’ zegt de Israëlisch-Amerikaanse astrofysicus Avi Loeb. ‘Nu moeten onafhankelijke wetenschappers de getuigenissen van de piloten grondig onderzoeken.’

Avi Loeb is ervan overtuigd dat er buiten ons zonnestelsel intelligente levensvormen bestaan. Volgens hem is er ook al contact geweest: in 2017 vloog een onbekend object door ons zonnestelsel, mogelijk een buitenaardse verkenner. Over dat object heeft hij nu het boek ‘Buitenaards’ gepubliceerd. Voor u met de ogen rolt: Loeb is een gerenommeerde professor aan Harvard, waar hij naam heeft gemaakt met zijn onderzoek naar zwarte gaten en de oorsprong van het heelal. Hij was de langstzittende voorzitter van de afdeling astronomie van de universiteit, heeft samengewerkt met Stephen Hawking en deel uitgemaakt van de presidentiële adviesraad voor wetenschap en technologie.

HUMO Professor, u kijkt vast uit naar dat rapport van het Pentagon?

AVI LOEB «Ik ben heel nieuwsgierig! Het zijn geen gewone getuigenissen van mensen die iets zagen vliegen dat later een weerballon of een drone bleek te zijn. De piloten zaten in militaire toestellen met hoogtechnologische instrumenten en infraroodcamera’s. Dat was ook de reden waarom die getuigenissen zo lang geheim zijn gebleven: de instrumenten waren gesofisticeerde defensieapparatuur. Als je de beelden bekijkt, zie je een object dat zich voortbeweegt op een manier die niet mogelijk is. Ofwel gaat het om een natuurfenomeen dat we nooit eerder hebben waargenomen, ofwel gaat het om iets buitenaards. In beide gevallen zullen we iets kunnen leren van die getuigenissen.»

HUMO Er wordt geopperd dat minstens een aantal van die objecten Chinese of Russische spionagetoestellen zouden zijn.

LOEB «Dat betwijfel ik. Als het Pentagon dat zou vermoeden, zou het de beelden niet zomaar vrijgeven.Ik hoop dat wetenschappers toegang zullen hebben tot alle gegevens, en niet alleen tot wat er nu is vrijgegeven. De piloten die die objecten hebben gezien, zijn niet dom, maar ze hebben niet de kennis om er kritische conclusies uit te trekken. Wij wel. Wij kunnen onderzoeken waarom er geen knal was toen de objecten zich sneller dan het geluid voortbewogen, en of zich een schokgolf heeft voorgedaan of niet.»

HUMO Denkt u dat wetenschappers de gegevens zullen mogen onderzoeken?

LOEB «Dat denk ik wel, ja. De baas van de NASA heeft dat toch laten uitschijnen. Maar ik ben niet zeker of sommige wetenschappers ze zullen wíllen onderzoeken.»

HUMO Niet alle wetenschappers zijn even enthousiast als u?

LOEB (lacht) «Helaas! Het zou me niet verbazen dat ze het rapport ridiculiseren en zeggen dat er belangrijker zaken zijn om te onderzoeken. Ze beseffen niet dat de verwachtingen hooggespannen zijn en dat de bevolking een uitleg verdient. Maar ik vrees dat ze het rapport van tafel zullen vegen met argumenten als: ‘Het zal wel aan de instrumenten van de piloten gelegen hebben.’ Onzin, ik ben er zeker van dat het Pentagon minstens drie keer heeft gecheckt of die wel goed werkten. En ik vrees ook dat ze zullen twijfelen aan de mentale gezondheid van de gevechtspiloten. Wat even grote onzin is: zij zijn jarenlang zwaar getraind. Bovendien bevestigen de verschillende getuigenissen elkaar.»

Enkele jaren geleden meldde een man bijna elke dag ufo’s, maar hij stond bij de luchtmachtbasis in Kleine-Brogel

Bron AFP

BUITENAARDS BEZOEK

HUMO In uw boek ‘Buitenaards’ zegt u dat een buitenaards technologisch object ons zonnestelsel heeft doorkruist.

LOEB «Inderdaad, dat is in het najaar van 2017 gebeurd. Een ruimtetelescoop in Hawaï heeft het toen opgemerkt terwijl het ons zonnestelsel verliet, het was dus een heel kortstondige waarneming. Het werd ‘Oumuamua gedoopt, wat Hawaïaans is voor ‘verkenner’. Het object was groter dan een voetbalveld en heel dun en plat. Eerst dachten we dat het een rots was, of misschien een komeet of een asteroïde. Maar toen ik het begon te bestuderen, zag ik dat het geen typische kometenstaart had. Het was ook niet omgeven door gas of een stofwolk. En het had een vreemde pannenkoekvorm, waarop het zonlicht werd weerkaatst. Dat was al vreemd, maar wat mij overtuigde, was dat het zich van de zon weg bewoog en er niet door werd aangetrokken: het werd voortgestuwd. Eerst vermoedde ik dat het om een overblijfsel van een verre, buitenaardse beschaving ging. Maar na verdere studie van het bewijsmateriaal denk ik dat het om een vorm van buitenaardse technologie gaat.»

HUMO Wat bracht u op dat denkspoor?

LOEB «‘Oumuamua vertoonde geen klassieke eigenschappen van een komeet of een asteroïde, en het leek zich ook voort te bewegen met licht. En iedere acht uur tuimelde het. Bovendien leek het platte oppervlak een soort zonnepaneel, waarop zonnestralen werden opgevangen als energiebron.»

HUMO U ging onlangs nog verder: de aanwezigheid van ‘Oumuamua in ons zonnestelsel zou iets te maken hebben met de vreemde objecten die de gevechtspiloten zagen.

LOEB «Ja, misschien was ‘Oumuamua wel een soort ontvanger van signalen. En misschien waren de dingen die de piloten hadden gezien, verkenningssondes die al vroeger in onze atmosfeer waren geplaatst. En mogelijk tuimelde ‘Oumuamua om de signalen van die sondes goed te kunnen opvangen en zo gegevens te verzamelen.»

HUMO Nu klinkt u als FBI Special Agent Fox Mulder uit ‘The X-Files’.

LOEB (lacht) «Ik weet het, het klinkt allemaal vergezocht, maar het is een plausibele verklaring.»

HUMO Maar het blijft een hypothese?

LOEB «Inderdaad, want het object is weg. Maar misschien levert onderzoek van wat de Amerikaanse piloten hebben gezien, meer resultaten op.»

HUMO Betekent de doortocht van ‘Oumuamua dat buitenaardse beschavingen ons in de gaten houden?

LOEB «Niet noodzakelijk. Wellicht gaat het om verkenningstechnologie die van heel ver weg werd uitgestuurd. Mogelijk bestaat die beschaving zelfs niet meer.»

HUMO Wat kunnen we dan leren van ‘Oumuamua?

LOEB «We weten nu dat zulke objecten in ons zonnestelsel voorkomen. We zouden daarop kunnen anticiperen, zodat we niet alleen een glimp opvangen, maar het object langere tijd kunnen volgen of misschien zelfs een ruimtetuig eropaf kunnen sturen om foto’s te maken. We zouden er zelfs op kunnen proberen te landen om onderzoek te verrichten.»

HUMO Een soort verkenningsmissie?

LOEB «Waarom niet? In 2016 hebben we de sonde OSIRIS-REx de ruimte ingestuurd. Die heeft twee jaar later monsters genomen op de planetoïde 101955 Bennu, en keert nu terug naar de aarde. Over iets meer dan twee jaar zullen we die stalen kunnen analyseren. Onderzoek op een object als ‘Oumuamua zou ons inzichten kunnen opleveren over technologie die miljoenen jaren vooruit is.»

HUMO Uw collega’s zijn minder enthousiast: u wordt publiekelijk afgemaakt.

LOEB «Inderdaad. Ze maken mijn theorie belachelijk, maar ik trek het mij niet aan. Ik ben het intussen gewend. Mijn vroegere onderzoeken naar zwarte gaten en de formatie van de eerste sterren werden ook eerst als nonsens afgedaan. Die maken nu deel uit van het curriculum.

»Als ik over ‘Oumuamua spreek, bots ik op een veelzeggend stilzwijgen. Sommigen noemen mijn werk zelfs een belediging voor de wetenschap. Er doen ook grapjes de ronde: ‘Als er nog eens een vreemd object in de ruimte te zien is, moeten we het zeker niet tegen Avi zeggen.’ Dat kleuterniveau, daar heb ik mee te maken.»

HUMO Hun conclusie is dat ‘Oumuamua een weggeslingerd stuk is van een dwergplaneet, en geen verkenningssonde.

LOEB «Dat is ook een hypothese, maar die houdt geen rekening met alle bijzonderheden van ‘Oumuamua. Hoe kon het object zich met zo’n snelheid weg van de zon bewegen? Waarom tuimelde het om de acht uur om zijn as? Die onderzoekers zeggen: ‘We hebben het onderzocht, er is niets aan de hand.’ Ik vraag mij af of we met zo’n conservatieve houding ooit buitenaards leven kunnen ontdekken. Misschien staart dat leven ons wel in het gezicht en willen we het gewoon niet zien. Het is een kwalijke houding, omdat het jonge onderzoekers ontmoedigt om radicaal nieuwsgierig te zijn en out of the box te denken.»

HUMO Critici zeggen dat theorieën als die van u het ernstige onderzoek naar ufo’s onderuithaalt. Het is nu al op eieren lopen om niet voor gek te worden uitgemaakt, klinkt het.

LOEB «Maar ik zeg toch niet dat er groene mannetjes op bezoek zijn geweest? Ik zeg alleen dat we als wetenschappers al het beschikbare bewijsmateriaal moeten bestuderen. En de verklaring moet zo sluitend mogelijk zijn. Ik kan begrijpen dat dat vervelend is voor al wie ‘Oumuamua per se als iets natuurlijks wilde catalogiseren.»

HUMO U verwijt uw collega’s kortzichtigheid?

LOEB «Inderdaad. ‘Waar is het bewijs?’ roepen ze als ik mijn theorie over ‘Oumuamua uiteenzet. Maar zij doen wel al tientallen jaren onderzoek naar donkere materie, iets dat in de ruimte zou bestaan, maar niet zichtbaar is. Een bewijs dat die donkere materie bestaat, is er vooralsnog niet. Het gaat om vermoedens. We weten alleen dat het gaat om deeltjes die geen wisselwerking met licht vertonen. En toch worden er honderden miljoenen aan dat onderzoek gespendeerd en vindt iedereen dat nuttig. Maar als ik onderzoek naar buitenaards leven wil doen, dat een veel grotere impact op de mens zou kunnen hebben, wordt er concreet bewijs geëist. Ze vergeten dan dat Fritz Zwicky, de wetenschapper die in de jaren 30 op de proppen kwam met de theorie van de donkere materie, ook werd weggehoond.»

HUMO U herinnert in uw boek meermaals aan de kritiek die de Italiaanse natuurkundige Galileo Galilei in de 17de eeuw te verduren kreeg.

LOEB «Ja, ook hij moest afrekenen met kortzichtigheid. De zon draaide rond de aarde en niet anders, volgens zijn tegenstanders. De wetenschap moest het afleggen tegen de consensus van wat hoorde te zijn. Daarom verzet ik mij zo tegen wetenschappers die vooral hun imago en hun onderzoek willen beschermen.»

HUMO U hebt het momentum wel mee, want door het Pentagon-rapport is nu bijna iedereen ervan overtuigd dat er meer onderzoek naar ufo’s gedaan moet worden.

LOEB «Ja, politici en burgers gniffelen steeds minder als het over ufo’s en de mogelijkheid van buitenaards leven gaat. We lijken eindelijk volwassen te worden.»

VLIEGENDE LAMPEN

Het ufo-onderzoek is niet alleen in handen van astrofysici als Avi Loeb. Op kleinere schaal ontleedt Frederick Delaere, coördinator van het Belgisch UFO-meldpunt, getuigenissen van mensen die vreemde fenomenen hebben gezien. Hij en zijn collega’s zoeken dan naar verklaringen: was het een ballon? Een satelliet? De vlieger van de buurjongen? Of een ruimteschip? Delaere zag het aantal meldingen de afgelopen jaren sterk toenemen, vorig jaar zelfs met 64 procent.

FREDERICK DELAERE «Dat had vooral met de lockdown te maken. De mensen zaten in hun tuin of op hun terras en hadden meer tijd om naar de lucht te kijken. We hebben in 2020 niet minder dan 446 meldingen ontvangen. De meeste konden we snel verklaren: dat waren de lichtjes van de Starlink-satellieten die Elon Musk net had gelanceerd. In andere gevallen ging het om het ruimtestation ISS, insecten op de camera of voorbijvliegende vogels.»

HUMO Hoe kun je een vogel voor een ufo houden?

DELAERE «Mensen zien soms zwakke oranje lichten zonder enig geluid voorbijvliegen. Maar eigenlijk zijn het vogels die de oranje straatverlichting weerkaatsen. Ik heb dat zelf ook al twee keer gezien: het is erg misleidend.»

HUMO Het Belgisch UFO-meldpunt bestaat sinds 2007 en heeft intussen 3.153 meldingen van ufo’s geregistreerd. Het overgrote deel is verklaard, maar 54 mensen kregen geen duidelijk antwoord van u.

DELAERE «In die gevallen konden we niet achterhalen wat ze hadden gezien. Soms wilden de mensen ook niet meewerken of was hun uitleg te vaag. En heel af en toe blijkt pas later wat er aan de hand was. In 2019, bijvoorbeeld, hadden een aantal mensen een witte bol zien ontploffen boven Gent. We hebben lang naar een verklaring gezocht. Het was geen ster en ook geen satelliet, en het KMI liet ons weten dat het geen weerballon van hen was. Weken later vernamen we dat een student in Ierland een weerballon met een gps had opgelaten en het signaal boven Gent was kwijtgeraakt: zijn ballon was ontploft.»

HUMO Maar soms is er echt geen verklaring?

DELAERE «Inderdaad. Twee jaar geleden meldde een 58-jarige vrouw uit Lint dat ze donkere cirkels had gezien. Zij was rond drie uur ’s nachts haar paardenstal aan het uitmesten, en toen ze naar buiten liep, zag ze acht grote, zwarte schijven boven haar woning hangen, twee per twee op een rij. Heel stil, zonder geluid. Een uur later hingen ze er nog. We zijn haar gaan opzoeken om de locatie te onderzoeken en ons een beeld van haar te vormen. Ze had geen problemen met haar ogen en leed evenmin aan een psychische aandoening. Ze bleek erg nuchter van geest, ze was geen godsdienstfanaticus of sektelid. Ze was ook niet bijster geïnteresseerd in ufo’s. Uiteindelijk hebben we niets gevonden.»

HUMO Hoe onderzoeken jullie een waarneming ter plaatse?

DELAERE «We kijken naar de omgeving, houden rekening met de meteorologische toestand en meten de afstand en de hoek van de verschijning. Zo’n plaatsonderzoek kan veel mogelijkheden uitsluiten. We hebben ooit een melding gekregen van een man die vreemde lichten had gezien en daar ook een foto van had genomen. Toen we ter plaatse kwamen, bleek dat er wat verder een bouwkraan stond die ’s nachts werd verlicht.»

HUMO Zijn er mensen die meerdere keren bellen?

DELAERE (knikt) «Dat zijn onze seriemelders. We zijn meteen op onze hoede als mensen meerdere keren een ufo zien. De kans dat je één keer in je leven iets onverklaarbaars ziet, is erg klein. Dat iemand meermaals zoiets ziet, is wel erg verdacht. Enkele jaren geleden meldde een man bijna elke dag ufo’s: hij ging telkens op de Oudsberg in Limburg staan om daar ufo’s te spotten en te filmen. Die beelden stuurde hij dan naar mij. In drie maanden tijd had hij negentig ufo’s gezien, beweerde hij. Maar hij stond bij de luchtmachtbasis in Kleine-Brogel, en al die ufo’s bleken vliegtuigen te zijn. Eén keer ging het om straatlampen.»

HUMO Straatlampen bewegen toch niet?

DELAERE «Nee, maar hij hield zijn camera niet stil, waardoor hij de indruk had dat die lichten zich verplaatsten (lacht). Toen we hem vroegen of we ter plaatse mochten komen voor een onderzoek, antwoordde hij dat dat zinloos was: die ufo’s kwamen alleen voor hem. Tja, dan weet je het wel.»

COMPLOTTHEORIE

HUMO Van 1989 tot 1991 regende het ufomeldingen in België.

DELAERE «Inderdaad, van heinde en verre kwamen journalisten en ufofanatici naar ons land. In die jaren zijn er zo’n twaalfhonderd waarnemingen geweest – ook van rijkswachters, legerofficieren, meteorologen en wetenschappers. Velen zagen lichtjes in driehoekvorm met in het midden een oranje licht. De algemene conclusie was dat men de meeste meldingen niet kon verklaren. Er waren veel foto’s genomen, maar die waren bijna allemaal erg wazig. De VS ontkenden dat het hun militaire vliegtuigen waren, de Belgische luchtmacht ook. Volgens mij waren een deel van die waarnemingen gewone vliegtuigen, maar zeker weten we het niet.»

HUMO Bent u zelf een ufofanaat? Waarom hebt u anders een meldpunt opgericht?

DELAERE «Ik was als kind al gefascineerd door ufo’s, maar ik dacht dat die enkel in de VS te zien waren. Toen bleek dat ze ook in België werden gespot, ben ik met getuigen gaan praten. Ik voelde snel dat mensen een verklaring wilden voor de vreemde dingen die ze zagen. Tijdens de ufogolf van 1989-’91 konden ze naar het Franstalige Sobeps bellen, maar dat is er in 2007 mee gestopt. Wij hebben het toen overgenomen voor het Vlaamse landsgedeelte, en in Wallonië is nu Cobeps actief.»

HUMO Krijgen jullie ook valse meldingen binnen?

DELAERE «Zeker, en door de gesofisticeerde software is het soms heel moeilijk om aan te tonen dat een foto vals is. Vroeger bestond een vervalsing bij wijze van spreken uit een bord dat in de lucht werd gegooid en gefotografeerd. Of werden vage foto’s gemaakt van een driehoek uit piepschuim waar lichtjes aan waren gemonteerd.»

HUMO Zoals de wereldberoemde vervalsing ten tijde van de ufogolf.

DELAERE «Ja. Dat was trouwens de enige van alle foto’s uit die periode die scherp was (lacht). Je zag er duidelijk drie grote lichten in driehoekvorm op, met een licht in het midden. De foto was gemaakt door ene Patrick Maréchal, die bij hoog en bij laag beweerde dat het om een ufo ging. De NASA heeft de foto onderzocht en zelfs astrofysici waren overtuigd van de echtheid ervan. Het beeld verscheen wereldwijd in de media en was een sensatie. Majoor-generaal Wilfried De Brouwer zwaaide ermee als bewijsstuk op een persconferentie in 2007 in Washington: ‘Ufo’s bestaan. We hebben het bewijs!’»

HUMO Vier jaar later bleek dat Patrick Maréchal een foto had genomen van een stuk karton, waar hij lampjes aan had vastgemaakt.

DELAERE «Dat was een afknapper, ja. Er zijn nog steeds believers die volhouden dat de foto echt is, en dat Maréchal gedwongen werd om te zeggen dat hij zelf een ufo had gemaakt, omdat niemand mocht weten wat hij had gezien. Complottheorieën en ufo’s gaan altijd goed samen.»

HUMO Blijft het aantal ufomeldingen stijgen?

DELAERE «Neen, dit jaar zijn het er een pak minder. We hebben een IFO-databank ingevoerd, een register van identified flying objects. We leggen de melders een dertigtal mogelijkheden voor van wat ze misschien hebben gezien. Was het geen ster? Een meteoor of een speelgoedballon? Er staan ook foto’s bij, zodat ze hun waarneming kunnen vergelijken. Door die eerste schifting krijgen we een pak minder meldingen, nu zitten we aan 91. Maar de commotie rond het Pentagon-rapport zal ons de komende weken wel een aantal telefoontjes opleveren (lacht).»

ARK VAN NOAH

HUMO Professor Loeb, gelooft u dat er buitenaardse tuigen boven onze hoofden rondcirkelen?

LOEB «Ik denk wel dat mensen ufo’s zien, maar dan echt ongeïdentificeerde tuigen: er is altijd wel een logische verklaring.»

HUMO U bent daar nuchter in?

LOEB «Ja, ik ben wetenschapper, ik hou me niet bezig met geromantiseerde versies van buitenaardse wezens.»

HUMO Hebt u nooit naar ‘The X-Files’ of ‘Star Trek’ gekeken?

LOEB «Neen, ik erger mij dood aan sciencefiction. De wetten van de fysica worden daar voortdurend in geschonden, ik word er hoorndol van! (lacht)

»Als kind wilde ik filosoof worden, en de grote vragen van het leven interesseren mij nog steeds. Daarom ben ik ook zo gefascineerd door mijn onderzoek. Als blijkt dat we niet alleen zijn, zal dat ons, mensen, op onze plaats zetten. Het feit dat we niet de intelligentste wezens van het universum zijn, zal ons misschien wat bescheidenheid bijbrengen. Dat besef zal een nog grotere schok veroorzaken dan ten tijde van Galilei en Copernicus, toen bleek dat we toch niet het centrum van het heelal waren. Misschien raken we dan ook onze arrogantie over de klimaatverandering kwijt.»

HUMO De toekomst van de mensheid ligt in de ruimte, schrijft u in ‘Buitenaards’.

LOEB «Ja, net omdat we zo arrogant zijn en geen concrete acties ondernemen tegen de opwarming van de aarde, denk ik dat we tot uitsterven gedoemd zijn. Daarom kunnen we beter nu al maatregelen nemen: we zouden bijvoorbeeld een ruimteschip met alle levensvormen het heelal in kunnen sturen. Een soort ark van Noah, maar dan met DNA van leven op aarde, en artificiële intelligentie die dit leven via 3D-printers kan reproduceren als de omstandigheden zich ertoe lenen. Het zouden weliswaar kopieën van levensvormen op aarde zijn, maar ons voortbestaan is dan wel verzekerd.»

HUMO Dat klinkt als het scenario van een sciencefictionfilm.

LOEB (lacht) «Wel, als een filmmaker me ooit zou bellen, zal ik ervoor zorgen dat de wetten van de natuurkunde niet met de voeten worden getreden.»

21-03-2026 om 21:56 geschreven door peter