Dit is ons nieuw hondje Kira, een kruising van een waterhond en een Podenko. Ze is sinds 7 februari 2024 bij ons en druk bezig ons hart te veroveren. Het is een lief, aanhankelijk hondje, dat zich op een week snel aan ons heeft aangepast. Ze is heel vinnig en nieuwsgierig, een heel ander hondje dan Noleke.
This is our new dog Kira, a cross between a water dog and a Podenko. She has been with us since February 7, 2024 and is busy winning our hearts. She is a sweet, affectionate dog who quickly adapted to us within a week. She is very quick and curious, a very different dog than Noleke.
DEAR VISITOR,
MY BLOG EXISTS ALREADY 12 YEARS AND 10 MONTHS.
ON 06/04/2024 MORE THAN 1.951.050
VISITORS FROM 134 DIFFERENT NATIONS ALREADY FOUND THEIR WAY TO MY BLOG.
THAT IS AN AVERAGE OF 400GUESTS PER DAY.
THANK YOU FOR VISITING MY BLOG AND HOPE YOU ENJOY EACH TIME.
The purpose of this blog is the creation of an open, international, independent and free forum, where every UFO-researcher can publish the results of his/her research. The languagues, used for this blog, are Dutch, English and French.You can find the articles of a collegue by selecting his category. Each author stays resposable for the continue of his articles. As blogmaster I have the right to refuse an addition or an article, when it attacks other collegues or UFO-groupes.
Druk op onderstaande knop om te reageren in mijn forum
Zoeken in blog
Deze blog is opgedragen aan mijn overleden echtgenote Lucienne.
In 2012 verloor ze haar moedige strijd tegen kanker!
In 2011 startte ik deze blog, omdat ik niet mocht stoppen met mijn UFO-onderzoek.
BEDANKT!!!
Een interessant adres?
UFO'S of UAP'S, ASTRONOMIE, RUIMTEVAART, ARCHEOLOGIE, OUDHEIDKUNDE, SF-SNUFJES EN ANDERE ESOTERISCHE WETENSCHAPPEN - DE ALLERLAATSTE NIEUWTJES
UFO's of UAP'S in België en de rest van de wereld In België had je vooral BUFON of het Belgisch UFO-Netwerk, dat zich met UFO's bezighoudt. BEZOEK DUS ZEKER VOOR ALLE OBJECTIEVE INFORMATIE , enkel nog beschikbaar via Facebook en deze blog.
Verder heb je ook het Belgisch-Ufo-meldpunt en Caelestia, die prachtig, doch ZEER kritisch werk leveren, ja soms zelfs héél sceptisch...
Voor Nederland kan je de mooie site www.ufowijzer.nl bezoeken van Paul Harmans. Een mooie site met veel informatie en artikels.
MUFON of het Mutual UFO Network Inc is een Amerikaanse UFO-vereniging met afdelingen in alle USA-staten en diverse landen.
MUFON's mission is the analytical and scientific investigation of the UFO- Phenomenon for the benefit of humanity...
Je kan ook hun site bekijken onder www.mufon.com.
Ze geven een maandelijks tijdschrift uit, namelijk The MUFON UFO-Journal.
Since 02/01/2020 is Pieter ex-president (=voorzitter) of BUFON, but also ex-National Director MUFON / Flanders and the Netherlands. We work together with the French MUFON Reseau MUFON/EUROP.
ER IS EEN NIEUWE GROEPERING DIE ZICH BUFON NOEMT, MAAR DIE HEBBEN NIETS MET ONZE GROEP TE MAKEN. DEZE COLLEGA'S GEBRUIKEN DE NAAM BUFON VOOR HUN SITE... Ik wens hen veel succes met de verdere uitbouw van hun groep. Zij kunnen de naam BUFON wel geregistreerd hebben, maar het rijke verleden van BUFON kunnen ze niet wegnemen...
31-08-2019
Astrophysicists Publish Instructions For a Do-It-Yourself Wormhole
Astrophysicists Publish Instructions For a Do-It-Yourself Wormhole
Have you ever sat in bad rush hour traffic (isn’t that redundant?) and said to yourself, “I could get out of this if I had a wormhole”? Me neither, but apparently some astrophysicists have and they’ve developed and published a set of step-by-step do-it-yourself instructions for building one – along with the prerequisite admonishments that these are for informational purposes only and you shouldn’t try this at home. HA! Let’s get started with our wormhole.
“We construct traversable wormholes by starting with simple four-dimensional classical solutions respecting the null energy condition and containing a pair of oppositely charged black holes connected by a non-traversable wormhole. We then consider the perturbative back-reaction of bulk quantum fields in Hartle-Hawking states. Our geometries have zero cosmological constant and are asymptotically flat except for a cosmic string stretching to infinity that is used to hold the black holes apart. Another cosmic string wraps the non-contractible cycle through the wormhole, and its quantum fluctuations provide the negative energy needed for traversability.”
OK, so all we need are a couple of oppositely charged black holes and two cosmic strings. For where to order those online, you might want to check with Zicao Fu, Brianna Grado-White, and Donald Marolf, authors of “Traversable Asymptotically Flat Wormholes with Short Transit Times,” a preprint paper published recently in arXiv.org. Fu is a PhD candidate, Grado-White a graduate student and Marolf a professor in the Department of Physics at the University of California, Santa Barbara. Their paper does indeed give step-by-step instructions, including the supporting documents and mathematical formulas, for building a wormhole that doesn’t have the instability problem most wormholes have.
“But this wormhole-via-charged-black-holes has two issues. One, it’s still unstable, and if something or someone actually tries to use it, it falls apart. The other is that the two oppositely charged black holes will be attracted to each other — both through gravitational and electric forces — and if they fall together you just get a single, big, neutrally charged and altogether useless black hole.”
Fortunately for those of us who are not astrophysicists, astrophysicist, Paul Sutter at The (trademark pending) Ohio State University has a simple explanation in Live Science. His good news is that charged black holes are real. His bad news is that using a pair with opposite charges means they want to come together right now over me. (John Lennon would have LOVED the idea of wormholes.) The good news is, a cosmic string – extremely thin 1-dimensional topological defects which may have formed during the early days of the universe – could be used to keep them separated … not perfectly, but better than the referee between contestants in a professional wrestling match. The paper suggests getting two cosmic strings and forming a closed loop between the black holes. The loop would then vibrate and churn the space around them until the energy goes negative, creating a negative mass that would stabilize the wormhole, allowing matter (cars?) or even just messages (Anybody home? Marco!) to pass through.
The bad news is (you knew there was more), cosmic strings are hypothetical. However, Sutter gives one more tantalizing bit of good news:
“Still, there’s no reason they can’t exist, so they’re fair game.”
Fair game? Game on! Stop wasting your time honking your horn in that traffic jam and start figuring out a way to get some black holes and a couple of cosmic strings.
Throughout history there have been those great figures whose names everyone seems to know, regardless of whether they actually know anything about them. These are the big hitters of history, seemingly larger than life, almost transcending the bounds of physical entities to become legends. Yet for as well known as they are and for as much as historians might know about their deaths, some of these legendary figures have managed to pose great mysteries in their passing, leading mighty lives only to vanish without a trace after death, only their memories remaining.
Going back into the mists of time we have the great Egyptian ruler Cleopatra, the last active ruler of the Ptolemaic Kingdom of Egypt, and her Roman General lover Mark Anthony. When Antony and Cleopatra were defeated in a massive naval battle against Octavian’s forces the during at the 31 BC Battle of Actium, Octavian moved to invade Egypt in 30 BC. Antony’s forces were crushed, and in defeat he committed suicide, likely by stabbing himself, although no one is quite certain. When Cleopatra learned of this death and was faced with being brought in before to a Roman triumphal in celebration of the loathed Octavian’s victory, she too killed herself in a fit of depression and defiance.
Mysteries have long swirled ever since around Cleopatra’s death, and despite the fact that she is one of the most recognizable, iconic, and well-known rulers in history, even all the way up into modern times, there is much we still don’t know about her last days and moments. One persistent mystery is how she died in the first place. The most common theory is that she killed herself by enticing an asp or other venomous snake to bite her arm, but there are all sorts of other ideas, including that she used a poison loaded hairpin she is said to have carried at all times, that she applied some sort of poisonous ointment to her skin, or that she simply overdosed on opium. No one really knows. We also don’t know where her final resting place is, as it was never recorded, although it was written that she was buried together with Mark Antony.
It has been theorized that Cleopatra would have had a tomb prepared for herself in some form, probably near Alexandria, but where it could be is anyone’s guess. There have been many digs trying to find the lost tomb of Cleopatra, and in 2009 archeologists investigated a promising site at the Taposiris Magna temple in Abusir, Egypt. Here there were found mummies, busts featuring her visage, a mask believed to have belonged to Mark Anthony, and coins with their likenesses, all of which seemed to suggest that Cleopatra and Antony were not far away, but the dig was ultimately unsuccessful. In more recent years it has been suggested that her tomb in fact might now lie under the sea, and in the end the lost tomb of Cleopatra is one of the holy grails of archeology.
Just as famous as Cleopatra was the iconic Alexander III of Macedon, more popularly known as Alexander the Great, who ruled from 356 BC to 323 BC and is well-known for his reign of stunning conquests spanning an empire from Greece to India and covering large swaths of Asia and northeast Africa. His inexorable, unstoppable path of victory came to an end in 323 BC, when he was killed in Babylon. His body was then supposedly placed within an opulent sarcophagus fashioned of solid gold and filled with honey, all of which was then placed within a golden casket and put on display in a tomb in Alexandria, where the sarcophagus was visited by such notable historical figures as Julius Caesar, Augustus, Cleopatra, Octavian, Caligula, Hadrian, Severus, Caracalla, and many others. The tomb was finally sealed after it was plundered for gold and Alexander’s breast plate was stolen, and it remained that way until Christianity came to the region in the 4th century and paganism was outlawed. After this, Alexander the Great’s tomb and casket just sort of vanished off the face of the earth. To this day no one has any idea where Alexander the Great’s tomb and sarcophagus are, with it being theorized to rest at a variety of places including Alexandria, Greece, or even all the way over in Venice, but despite countless expeditions it remains one of the great historical mysteries.
Speaking of empire building warlords, here we have the founder and first emperor of the Mongol Empire, Genghis Khan. During his reign and ruthless expansion across vast areas he would conquer regions sprawled out from the Caspian Sea to the Pacific and encompassing large portions of Eurasia and most of Central Asia and China. It would become one of the largest empires the world has ever known, all fashioned through a brutal and bloody campaign, and all darkly shadowed by a cloud of violent genocide and punctuated by the merciless massacres of countless innocent people. Genghis Khan is one of the most notorious, vicious, and feared tyrants in history, and upon his death on August 18, 1227 during a military campaign in China it is probably safe to say that there was no love lost among the cowering populace of the lands he had held in an iron, ravenous grip. However, for as much as we know about his specacular life, his death and final resting place remain complete mysteries.
Genghis Khan
One mystery is his exact cause of death, which has been variously theorized to have been dying in action, falling from a horse, or succumbing to some illness or infection of a wound, or even being murdered by his own men, but no one really knows. What we do know is that Genghis Khan had stipulated to his men that upon his death he was to be buried in an unmarked grave and its location kept a total secret. To this end, his closest men really went overboard. It is said that the location where he was buried was intentionally trampled over by nearly a thousand horsemen in order to mask its location, after which every single one of the horsemen was killed. Even as the body was being moved to its final resting place it is believed that his personal funeral escort had everyone who witnessed their movements executed, as well as the ones who dug the grave, to keep it all secret, with the final result being that no one has a clue as to where one of the most fearsome warlords in history is buried.
Of course with such a veil of secrecy there are other legends surrounding the grave of Genghis Khan as well, such as the legend that a whole river was diverted over the burial site to hide it. Although there is a mausoleum with some of Genghis Khan’s possessions located in the town of Ejin Horo Banner, Inner Mongolia, this is not his actual resting place, and archeologists have scoured the world trying to locate it, utilizing ground penetrating radar, satellite imagery, and all manner of cutting edge technology, but it has evaded all attempts to find it and remains lost to history.
Quite similar is the lost grave of another great ruler, Attila the Hun, who ruled the Huns from 434 to 453, and was the head of a great empire of tribes that stretched across large swaths of Central Asia, the Caucasus, and Central and Eastern Europe. He was known as a fearsome conqueror and plunderer who sought to spread out across Europe and Persia seeking to invade and dominate new lands, constantly battling the Romans and establishing himself as one of the Roman Empire’s greatest foes. In 453 Attila the Hun would according to records die a rather unusual death when he purportedly choked on a nosebleed at his own wedding feast, an odd end to such a ferocious and feared conqueror. Upon his death, it is said that Attila the Hun was buried within a coffin lavishly covered with gold and silver and filled with gems and other treasure, and that just as with Genghis Khan a river was diverted to hide the grave, and everyone who dug it was mercilessly killed to preserve its secret. Attila the Hun’s grave has never been found, and both he and even the Hunnic people themselves largely remain mysteries.
Attila the Hun
In later eras we have other tyrants and rulers who are known for their mysterious graves. Between 1448 to 1476, the area of modern day Romania known as Wallachia was ruled by Vlad III Dracula, also known as Vlad the Impaler, and perhaps even more known as the inspiration behind Bram Stoker’s Dracula, as well as for his infamous cruelty and his gruesome habit of impaling enemies on spikes. Vlad the Impaler was killed in battle against Ottoman forces and his body supposedly decapitated and chopped into pieces, but where his final grave is has remained a mystery. It was long thought that he was interred in the Monastery of Snagov outside of Bucharest, with an unmarked tombstone long thought to be his. However, in the 1930s this grave was dug up only to find the bones and jaws of horses. Since then there have been many proposed sites for Vlad the Impaler’s final resting place, but so far it has not been found, and the grave of the real life Dracula remains steeped in mystery.
It is not only rulers and warlords who are well known for their elusive final resting places, and some of the more famous mysterious lost graves belong to well-known artists. Perhaps the most famous of all of these is that of the great artist, inventor, overall polymath and master of the Renaissance, Leonardo Da Vinci. After dying in 1519 at the age of 67, which was quite old for the era, Da Vinci was supposedly interred beneath a church that was destroyed during the French Revolution in 1789. When workers rebuilding the site went through the rubble, they are said to have found some human remains and a part of a demolished headstone that were believed to have belonged to Da Vinci, and that these were brought to another chapel. Although his official resting place is France’s Chateau d’Amboise, it is still unknown if these remains and the piece of headstone kept there are really his at all, and even the description displayed at the grave explains it as merely the “presumed remains” of Da Vinci.
Leonardo Da Vinci
There is also the story of the grave of one of history’s great composers, Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart, who died in 1791 at the age of 35 from an unidentified illness. Considering how incredibly famous Mozart has become over the centuries, one would think that his grave would be known as well, but this does not seem to be the case. One of the problems is that in life he was not nearly as well-known as he would go on to be, after his death, and so his burial was not all that big of an event. In fact, it seems what has gone on to be considered one of the greatest composers of all time was rather unceremoniously put in a cheap wooden coffin and buried in a cemetery in a common, unmarked grave, possibly even buried in a sort of mass grave with others. Making things even more difficult is that in that era it was common to remove all of the graves to make way for new ones every 10 years, so Mozart’s remains could have gone anywhere, possibly even crushed or cremated and otherwise destroyed. In 1801, a gravedigger came forward to claim that he had in his possession the skull of Mozart, but DNA tests in later years have cast doubt on this. Where are Mozart’s remains? Ideas range from that they have vanished forever to that fans of the composer had them moved to a safe location, but in the end no one really knows.
Here we have looked at only a few of the lost graves and tombs of some of history’s most important people. Where did they go? How could such prominent, larger than life figures in life figures just disa ppear in death? Some of these lost graves have gone on to become some of the most highly sought after treasures in archeology, yet they remain hidden and evasive, keeping their secrets close. One day we may find the answers we seek, but for now these spectacular historical figures remain enigmas in death, seemingly eveporating into the mists of time.
Our Facebook page UFO sightings Hotspot has suddenly been terminated by Facebook because links posted on the page to articles on this website is against their community standards.
Facebook also has removed all the content on our back-up page Truth Behind Scenes for the same reason.
This is 100% proof that Facebook is working together with certain organizations to remove and hide all UFO evidence and is a serious attack on freedom of speech.
Weather Radar Map: High Speed Object Appears To Enter A "Vortex/Portal" In The Sky Over Long Valley
Weather Radar Map: High Speed Object Appears To Enter A "Vortex/Portal" In The Sky Over Long Valley
There was an incredible amount of lightning in the Long Valley on August 28, 2019, 9.45 pm, when a strange vortex/portal appeared on the weather radar map just above Long Valley.
Next, an anomaly came out of nowhere, entered and flew through the vortex/portal at a very high rate of speed on which then the vortex/portal disappeared.
According to MrMB333 the anomaly covered a distance of 60 miles in 20 minutes which is about 180 mph.
So, it looks like a portal opened up and something went through it, but what could it have been?
I was looking over a live volcano cam when I found an unknown object flying through the plume of smoke over the volcano. The object has no wings, tail or contrail. When I focus the object using a photo program, it appears to be a white disk with a dark hump at its lower center. There are no identifying marks on the craft. Also the second cam in the upper left corner caught nothing at all. It was invisible to that cam! That sound like the cloaking technology of aliens to me. So I'm calling this a real UFO. Scott C. Waring
UFO Surround Hot Air Balloon Over Netherlands On Video, UFO Sghting News.
UFO Surround Hot Air Balloon Over Netherlands On Video, UFO Sighting News.
Date of sighting: Aug 29, 2019
Location of sighting: Hoeven, Netherlands
An eyewitness was watching a hot air balloon when they noticed four UFOs, two on either side above the ballon. The UFOs seem to take this opportunity to both observe a human in a balloon and to reveal themselves to others. UFOs like to investigate literally anything that flies because its closest to them and because its human technology that needs to be scanned and recorded by them.
Notice how the all four UFOs are tilted to one side? Although inside the pilots will not notice that tilt. These are real UFO guys.
Scott C. Waring-Taiwan
Eyewitness states:
On August 29 around 19:00 2019 in village Hoeven in the Netherlands I got the feeling that I had to look outside and saw a hot air balloon with 4 orbs, saturn-like orbs next to it. I grabbed my phone to film it. In this video you can see the orbs, at the end of the video the video is 400% zoomed in to better see the moving orbs.
Five UFOs with Incandescent Lights Spotted Moving Above Fukushima, Japan
Five UFOs with Incandescent Lights Spotted Moving Above Fukushima, Japan
Conspiracy theories state that aliens from far away planets of the universe have visited earth for hundreds of thousands of years to monitor humankind’s activities.
According to many conspiracy theorists, paintings on Earth showing UFOs and extraterrestrial-like creatures indicate that space aliens had come to the earth in the past.
In a recent UFO sighting report, a YouTube video shows five UFOs moving over the Fukushima nuclear power plant in Japan. The video reveals that the mysterious event was recorded on August 20, 2019.
The UFOs on the video appear to have spherical shapes and incandescent lights while moving mysteriously in the skies. It cannot be determined in the footage whether the five lights come from different flying objects or multiple lights from a giant UFO.
Several viewers of the video commented that the existence of alien life on Earth is real and the latest UFO sighting video is undeniable evidence of their presence.
Similar lights were spotted over the Fukushima nuclear power plant a few hours before the earthquake that struck in 2011. During the earthquake that caused enormous damage to infrastructure and deaths, spheres of light had been observed coming out of the water at the edge of the power plant.
Today (July 31), The Planetary Society announced mission success as LightSail 2 — the bread-loaf-sized, crowdfunded, solar-powered spacecraft orbiting Earth — officially raised its orbit with the power of sunlight alone.
"Today, we declare mission success — we're going to a higher orbital altitude without rocket fuel, just with the push of sunlight,"
Planetary Society CEO Bill Nye said in a press conference.
Bill Nye✔@BillNye
We are officially declaring MISSION SUCCESS for our crowdfunded @exploreplanets#LightSail2 spacecraft! We did it people(s)!
"This is a very exciting day for us and for me personally," Nye said in the conference. "This idea that you could fly a spacecraft and could get propulsion in space form nothing but photons, it's surprising, and for me, it's very romantic that you'd be sailing on sunbeams."
After LightSail 2 successfully deployed its solar sail last week, mission managers remotely optimized the craft's orientation. With these small changes, the craft began raising its orbit above our planet, raising its apogee, or orbital high point. Within the past four days, the craft has raised its apogee about 1.2 miles (2 kilometers). The mission team behind the craft confirmed that this orbital raising could be due to nothing other than successful solar sailing, or propulsion from photons, particles that transmit light, from the sun.
The Planetary Society’s LightSail 2 captured this picture of Earth’s limb on July 6, 2019, at 12:41 a.m. EDT from a camera mounted on its dual-sided solar panels. The spacecraft was headed into orbital sunset at the time, and the sun is visible to the right. The photo is unmodified and shows a number of lens flare artifacts caused by sunlight scattering around the camera optics. LightSail 2’s dual fisheye cameras have fields of view of about 180 degrees, causing the arcs in the corners and some distortion.
(Image credit: The Planetary Society)
With this accomplishment, LightSail 2 becomes the first spacecraft to be propelled by solar sailing in Earth orbit; the first small spacecraft to be propelled by solar sailing; and the second-ever spacecraft, after Japan's IKAROS mission, to successfully use solar sailing, The Planetary Society said.
On June 25, LightSail 2 launched from NASA's Kennedy Space Center aboard a SpaceX Falcon Heavy rocket. On July 2, the 11-lb. (5 kilograms) cubesat signaled to Earth, marking the spacecraft's successful arrival in low Earth orbit. On July 23, the craft successfully deployed its solar sail and early data showed that its small motor was rotating and it had begun to turn the sail to the sun. That maneuver facilitates an extra "push" from the sun once per orbit. So far, the craft has captured and sent home images of its stellar view and solar sail deployment.
LightSail 2 aims to prove the effectiveness of solar sails, which propel spacecraft using photons. While photons have no mass, they can still transfer a tiny bit of momentum. So, when photons hit a spacecraft, for example, the craft is pushed very slightly away from the sun. Photons hit us here on Earth as well, but we aren't affected by their force.
Solar sails, like the one deployed by LightSail 2, are flat, ultrathin, mirror-like sheets that push a spacecraft forward when hit with photons. The main benefit of using this technology is that a craft with a solar sail wouldn't need to carry fuel and so could theoretically travel for longer periods of time, as it wouldn't need to refuel.
With the success of this mission, The Planetary Society has demonstrated the capabilities of solar sailing with the LightSail 2 craft. The organization hopes that this success will support future solar sailing efforts. Because spacecraft using solar sails don't require fuel, these missions could theoretically help scientists to reach farther out into the cosmos.
With solar sailing technology, "we'd ferry cargo to Mars, look for signs of life and change the course of human history!" Nye said to Space.com in the conference. "This technology enables us to take things to extraordinary destinations in the solar system and maybe even beyond in a way that's never been possible before, because you don't need fuel and you don't need all the systems to control fuel and manage fuel and handle fuel and buy fuel," he said.
Those curious about the spacecraft's continued journey around Earth should check in at LightSail 2 Mission Control, a dashboard displaying up-to-date information about the craft. The site is updated every time LightSail 2 beams down to Earth, and those visiting the site can check out the craft's location, mission time, battery charge and the status of any new developments like solar sail deployment.
This photograph shows the Laser Ranging Facility at the Geophysical and Astronomical Observatory at NASA's Goddard Space Flight Center in Greenbelt, Md. The observatory helps NASA keep track of orbiting satellites.
NASA
If there are advanced civilizations out there in the cosmos, the chances are they will have tried to contact us. Might they be using laser-based communications to do that?
Breakthrough Listen, an initiative to find signs of intelligent life in the universe, has announced that it will begin a search for a new kind of “technosignatures” beyond the Earth. “When it comes to intelligent life beyond Earth, we don’t know where it exists or how it communicates,” says Yuri Milner, founder of the Breakthrough Initiatives. “So our philosophy is to look in as many places, and in as many ways, as we can.”
What are technosignatures?
Technosignatures, also known as a “technomarker,” are signs of technology developed by intelligent life. We have not idea what form they would take, and whether we would be able to detect them. Perhaps they can only ever be recognizable to us 21st-century humans if they already exist on our own planet. For example, the mysterious dimming of Tabby's Star/Boyajian’s Star (actually called KIC 8462852) in the constellation of Cygnus, detected by Tabetha S. Boyajian in 2015, could be explained by the existence of an alien megastructure around the star periodically blocking light. To find those, telescopes need to look for optical pulses. Another avenue is to look for much faster optical pulses, which could be evidence of optical communications. That’s what Breakthrough Listen is now looking for.
The Laser Communications Demonstration (LLCD) demonstration consisted of a space terminal on the LADEE spacecraft and three ground terminals on Earth. Together, they demonstrated that it was possible to transfer up to 622 Mbps of data from the Moon with a space terminal that weighs less, uses less power, and occupies less space than a comparable RF system.
NASA
Why are we looking for fast optical pulse
Today In: InnovationOptical communication is about transmitting information via lasers. Essentially it’s an advance from radio frequency, which is limited in terms of bandwidth and spectrum. “Optical communication has already been used by NASA to transmit high definition images to Earth from the Moon, so there’s reason to believe that an advanced civilization might use a scaled-up version of this technology for interstellar communication,” says Dr. Andrew Siemion, leader of the Listen team at the University of California, Berkeley’s SETI Research Center (BSRC). In 2013-2014, NASA tested optical communication technology using lasers between its LADEE spacecraft in orbit of the Moon and three ground terminals on Earth. If we’re already sending "optical pulses" out into the cosmos, might advanced civilizations also be doing so?
VERITAS (Very Energetic Radiation Imaging Telescope Array System) is a major ground-based gamma-ray observatory located at the basecamp of the Fred Lawrence Whipple Observatory in southern Arizona. VERITAS comprises an array of four 12m optical reflectors for gamma-ray astronomy in the very high energy range.
THE VERITAS COLLABORATION
How Breakthrough Listen will search for technosignatures
Breakthrough Listen is after "pulsed optical beacons," which might reveal themselves as blue flashes high in the Earth’s atmosphere. If that’s the case, a bank of four 12-meter telescopes called VERITAS (the Very Energetic Radiation Imaging Telescope Array System) will find them.
Situated at the Center for Astrophysics/Harvard & Smithsonian, Fred Lawrence Whipple Observatory in Amado, Arizona, VERITAS telescopes–the world’s most powerful telescope array for studying high energy astrophysics with gamma rays–already conduct a radio frequency survey and a spectroscopic optical laser survey. This time, they’re looking for pulsed optical beacons as brief flashes of blue “Cherenkov” light (gamma rays coming from space) created when they hit the top of the Earth’s atmosphere.
“Using the huge mirror area of the four VERITAS telescopes will allow us to search for these extremely faint optical flashes in the night sky, which could correspond to signals from an extraterrestrial civilization,” remarked Prof. Holder.
How bright might these fast optical pulses be?
An artists illustration of the possible structures surrounding the star KIC 8462852. The Kepler observatory has discovered massive objects in orbit around the star. It is a possible sign of an advanced civilization.
GETTY
Will they be easy to detect?
Although the flashes of light–the pulsed optical beacons–will only last several nanoseconds, they will easily outshine any stars that lie in the same direction on the sky. Here’s the logic: the most powerful lasers on Earth deliver about 500 terawatts in a pulse lasting a few nanoseconds. If that kind of laser comes our way from a star system at the same distance as Tabby’s Star (1,468 light-years), the VERITAS telescopes will detect it.
However, most of the stars on the target list are at least 10 times closers, and some of them 100 times closer, than that. All four telescopes will monitor the sky simultaneously to avoid mistakes.
What is Breakthrough Listen?
A search for evidence of life in the Universe, Breakthrough Listen aims to survey one million nearby stars, the entire galactic plane and 100 nearby galaxies at a wide range of radio and optical bands.
A sister initiative, Breakthrough Watch, is conducting an optical search for Earth-like planets in the habitable zones of nearby stars, as is Breakthrough Starshot, an attempt to design and develop a space probe capable of reaching another star.
“Breakthrough Listen is already the most powerful, comprehensive, and intensive search yet undertaken for signs of intelligent life beyond Earth,” says Siemion. “Now, with the addition of VERITAS, we’re sensitive to an important new class of signals.”
India’s 2nd moon mission, Chandrayaan-2, successfully carried out its 3rd orbit-raising maneuver on Monday. It will soon enter trans-lunar orbit, with the goal of landing on the moon on September 7.
Mission sequence showing Chandrayaan-2’s trajectory. Image via ISRO.
India’s second spacecraft to the moon – an unprecedented attempt to soft-land on the lunar south pole – is steadily breaking free of Earth’s gravity. Chandrayaan-2, consisting of an orbiter, lander and rover, launched on July 22, 2019, from India’s spaceport in Sriharikota, Andhra Pradesh.
Once launched, the spacecraft entered a highly elliptical orbit around Earth. Multiple orbit-raising maneuvers have been now steadily increasing its altitude until Earth’s gravitational force becomes weaker and the moon’s influence can begin to take over. The third such maneuver was carried out successfully today, according to ISRO:
Third earthbound orbit raising maneuver for Chandryaan-2 spacecraft has been performed successfully today (July 29, 2019) at 1512 hrs (IST) as planned, using the onboard propulsion system for a firing duration of 989 seconds. The orbit achieved is 276 x 71792 km. All spacecraft parameters are normal. The fourth orbit raising maneuver is scheduled on August 2, 2019, between 1400 – 1500 hrs (IST).
If everything goes well, Chandrayaan-2 will soon enter trans-lunar orbit and land on the moon on September 7, 2019.
The instruments onboard the spacecraft will study the moon’s topography and chemical composition, and map the abundance of lunar water, especially at the polar regions. Chandrayaan-2’s predecessor, Chandrayaan-1, launched in 2008, confirmed the presence of lunar water.
The moon is positioned in such a way that some parts of the polar regions are permanently shadowed. Chandrayaan-1 also provided evidence of ice being present in craters of the south pole. Places like these allow water to freeze and to remain frozen. Building upon its precursor’s findings, Chandrayaan-2 will land on a high plain between two such craters in the southern hemisphere – Manzinus C and Simpelius N. While the evidence of lunar water is not new knowledge, the south pole is still unfamiliar terrain.
If Chandrayaan-2 is successful, India will be the fourth country after the U.S., China, and the Soviet Union to complete a soft landing on the moon. A recent attempt by an Israeli group was unsuccessful.
Chandrayaan-2 sits atop the GSLV MkIII-M1 rocket at the Satish Dhawan Space Centre in India.
Chandrayaan-2’s orbiter, rover, and lander are housed inside the Geosynchronous Satellite Launch Vehicle MkIII-M1 – India’s most powerful rocket.
Soon, the spacecraft will enter a Lunar Bound Phase where its propulsion systems will be fired to slow it down and insert it into an orbit around the moon. On day 43, the lander, called Vikram, will separate from the orbiter from a distance of 62 miles (100 km).
The lander will then attempt to soft-land – a first of its kind for India – using complex braking mechanisms. A few meters above the ground, all thrusters will shut off to allow a free fall. The quiet landing will ensure that the moon’s surface remains undisturbed and its dust unmoved, dust which could otherwise spurt all around the spacecraft due to the thrusters’ force and spoil its circuitry systems.
Once firmly on the ground, the lander will deploy its rover, called Pragyaan, which will perform on-site chemical analysis for one lunar day (14 earth days). Onboard Pragyaan, a suite of spectroscopic instruments will fire lasers at different locations on the lunar surface to analyze its chemical composition. The rover will primarily hunt for major rock-forming minerals such as sodium, magnesium, and iron. The orbiter carries the highest number of instruments and is also responsible for a large chunk of information. Studies such as 3-D mapping of the lunar surface, solar radiation monitoring and analyzing the moon’s ionosphere are crucial to understanding the moon’s evolution.
All in all, Chandrayaan-2 will not only help us understand our natural satellite better, but will also inform future manned missions to the moon, such as NASA’s Artemis in 2024.
Bottom line: India’s second spacecraft to the moon – Chandrayaan-2 – is steadily breaking free of Earth’s gravity. If everything goes well, it will soon enter trans-lunar orbit and land on the moon on September 7, 2019.
The U.S. Navy is working on new guidelines for its personnel to report sightings and other encounters with “unidentified aircraft,”Politico reports.
It sounds like a major step toward taking UFO encounters more seriously: the Navy’s new process would create formalized guidelines for sailors and pilots alike to report and analyze each one of the encounters.
The Truth Is Out There
No, this is definitely not the Navy confirming the existence of extraterrestrials, as Politico points out. It’s just giving the rank and file a chance to have their encounters examined by military authorities.
“There have been a number of reports of unauthorized and/or unidentified aircraft entering various military-controlled ranges and designated air space in recent years,” the Navy said in a statement to Politico. “For safety and security concerns, the Navy and the [U.S. Air Force] takes these reports very seriously and investigates each and every report.”
A Second Look
Rather than ignoring and dumping the data collected during sightings of UFOs and other “unexplained aerial phenomena,” as Pentagon officials put it, the sightings would be investigated and studied by personnel — though exactly who gets to review the data is unclear.
In 2017, the New York Times reported on a $22 million program by the Pentagon called the Advanced Aerospace Threat Identification Program that allegedly was devoted to the investigation of UFOs. Perhaps the Navy’s upcoming guidelines could simply be an outcome of that.
The iconic Arecibo Observatory in Puerto Rico has received new NASA funding to serve as one of Earth's asteroid guardians.
NASA awarded the University of Central Florida (UCF) — which oversees the Arecibo Observatory — a $19 million grant to observe and characterize near Earth objects that could pose a potential threat to the planet, or may be viable candidates for future space missions.
Asteroids that come within 5 million miles (8 million km) of Earth's orbit are deemed potentially hazardous by NASA, with the agency keeping track of them just in case one asteroid does pose a threat to Earth in the future. That's where the new grant comes in.
"Arecibo plays an important role in discovery and advancing our knowledge of our solar system and our universe," Francisco Cordova, observatory director, said in the statement. "We also play a critical role in helping to protect our planet through providing knowledge and unique expertise. It’s part of our mission and one of the reasons we are so passionate about our work."
UCF manages the Arecibo Observatory facility on behalf of the National Science Foundation.
Since the mid-1990's, the Arecibo radio telescope has been observing up to 120 objects a year. NASA uses that data in order to identify which asteroids or comets could pose a threat to Earth, and how to mitigate the potential risk. The data also helps NASA determine which asteroids could be fit for a space mission, how to land on an asteroid and potentially mine its raw material.
Members of the team working on the NASA project at the Arecibo Observatory review images of asteroids.
(Image credit: University of Central Florida)
"We can use our system to constrain the size, shape, mass, spin state, composition, binarity, trajectory, and gravitational and surface environments of NEOs and this will help NASA to determine potential targets for future missions," Anne Virkki, the Arecibo planetary radar program’s principal investigator, said in the statement.
The grant will also go towards supporting STEM education for high school students in Puerto Rico, providing classes for 30 students per semester on the science and research that goes on at the observatory.
Any theory of quantum gravity is going to have to grapple with some weird time stuff.
You've probably heard ofSchrödinger's cat, the unfortunate feline in a box that is simultaneously alive and dead until the box is opened to reveal its actual state. Well, now wrap your mind around Schrödinger's time, a situation in which one event can simultaneously be the cause and effect of another event.
Such a scenario may be inevitable in any theory of quantum gravity, a still-murky area of physics that seeks to combine Albert Einstein's theory of general relativity with the workings of quantum mechanics. In a new paper, scientists create a mashup of the two by imagining starships near an enormous planet whose mass slows time. They conclude that the starships could find themselves in a state where causation is reversed: One event could end up causing another event that happened before it.
"One can devise this kind of scenario where temporal order or cause and effect are in superposition of being reversed or not reversed," said study co-author Igor Pikovski, a physicist at the Center for Quantum Science and Engineering at Stevens Institute of Technology in New Jersey. "This is something we expect should take place once we have a full theory of quantum gravity."
The famous Schrödinger's cat thought experiment asks a viewer to imagine a box holding a cat and a radioactive particle, which, once decayed, will kill the unfortunate feline. By the principle of quantum superposition, the cat's survival or death is equally likely until measured — so until the box is opened, the cat is simultaneously alive and dead. In quantum mechanics, superposition means that a particle can exist in multiple states at the same time, just like Schrödinger's cat.
The new thought experiment, published Aug. 21 in the journal Nature Communications, combines the principle of quantum superposition with Einstein's theory of general relativity. General relativity says that the mass of a giant object can slow down time. This is well established as true and measurable, Pikovski said; an astronaut orbiting Earth will experience time just a smidge faster than his or her twin back on the planet. (This is also why falling into a black hole would be a very gradual experience.)
Thus, if a futuristic spacecraft were near a massive planet, its crew would experience time as a little bit slower than would people in a fellow spacecraft stationed farther away. Now, throw in a little quantum mechanics, and you can imagine a situation in which that planet is superpositioned simultaneously near to and far away from the two spacecraft.
Time gets weird
In this superpositioned scenario of two ships experiencing time on different timelines, cause and effect could get wonky. For example, say the ships are asked to conduct a training mission in which they fire at each other and dodge each other's fire, knowing full well the time the missiles will launch and intercept their positions. If there's no massive planet nearby messing with time's flow, this is a simple exercise. On the other hand, if that massive planet were present and the ship's captain didn't take the slowing of time into account, the crew might dodge too late and be destroyed.
With the planet in superposition, simultaneously near and far, it would be impossible to know whether the ships would dodge too late and destroy each other or whether they would move aside and survive. What's more, cause and effect could be reversed, Pikovski said. Imagine two events, A and B, that are causally related.
"A and B can influence each other, but in one case A is before B, while in the other case B is before A" in a superposition state, Pikovski said. That means that both A and B are simultaneously the cause and effect of each other. Fortunately for the likely-confused crews of these imaginary spacecraft, Pikovski said, they would have a mathematical way to analyze each other's transmissions to confirm that they were in a superpositioned state.
Obviously, in real life, planets don't move around the galaxy willy-nilly. But the thought experiment could have practical implications for quantum computing, even without working out an entire theory of quantum gravity, Pikovski said. By using superpositions in computations, a quantum-computing system could simultaneously evaluate a process as a cause and as an effect.
"Quantum computers may be able to use this for more efficient computation," he said.
NASA's James Webb Space Telescope Is Finally 100% Assembled
NASA's James Webb Space Telescope Is Finally 100% Assembled
The milestone was a long time coming.
The fully assembled James Webb Space Telescope with its sunshield and “unitized pallet structures” (which fold up around the telescope for launch) are seen partially deployed to an open configuration to enable telescope installation.
NASA's next big space observatory has finally come together.
Engineers have joined both halves of the $9.7 billion James Webb Space Telescope, which is scheduled to launch in March 2021, NASA officials announced today (Aug. 28).
"The assembly of the telescope and its scientific instruments, sunshield and the spacecraft into one observatory represents an incredible achievement by the entire Webb team," Webb project manager Bill Ochs, of NASA's Goddard Space Flight Center in Greenbelt, Maryland, said in a statement.
"This milestone symbolizes the efforts of thousands of dedicated individuals for over more than 20 years across NASA, the European Space Agency, the Canadian Space Agency, Northrop Grumman and the rest of our industrial and academic partners," Ochs added.
NASA's James Webb Space Telescope, the agency's next giant space telescope, is seen completely assembled for the first time at Northrop Grumman’s facilities in Redondo Beach, California in this image released Aug. 28, 2019.
(Image credit: NASA/Chris Gunn)
A side view of the James Webb Space Telescope after its spacecraft and telescope sections were assembled. (Image credit: NASA/Chris Gunn)
The James Webb Space Telescope's optical section (top) is carefully lowered into place on its Spacecraft Element in this view taken just before integration.
(Image credit: NASA/Chris Gunn)
The recent work took place at the Redondo Beach, California, facilities of Northrop Grumman, the prime contractor for Webb, which NASA bills as the successor to the iconic Hubble Space Telescope.
Using a crane, engineers gently lowered the telescope element, which consists of the optical and scientific gear, onto the spacecraft body. Webb's complex, foldable sunshield, which will keep the telescope's instruments cool during operation, was already connected to the spacecraft segment.
The team then connected the two halves mechanically. Technicians still need to make, and then test, the electrical connections between the pieces, NASA officials said.
The assembly milestone was a long time coming; the Webb Space Telescope mission has endured a series of delays and cost overruns. Since 2009, for example, the project's price tag has almost doubled, and its target launch date has been pushed back by nearly seven years.
But the telescope's great scientific potential makes all that hard work and struggle worthwhile, NASA officials have said. The powerful Webb, which is optimized to view the universe in infrared light, will allow astronomers to address some of the biggest cosmic questions once it's up and running at the sun-Earth Lagrange Point 2, a gravitationally stable point in space about 930,000 miles (1.5 million kilometers) from Earth.
Researchers will use the observatory to hunt for signs of life in the atmospheres of nearby alien planets, for example, and to study the formation of the universe's first stars and galaxies about 13.5 billion years ago.
"This is an exciting time to now see all Webb's parts finally joined together into a single observatory for the very first time," Gregory Robinson, the Webb program director at NASA Headquarters in Washington, D.C., said in the same statement. "The engineering team has accomplished a huge step forward, and soon we will be able to see incredible new views of our amazing universe."
Mike Wall's book about the search for alien life, "Out There" (Grand Central Publishing, 2018; illustrated byKarl Tate), is out now. Follow him on Twitter @michaeldwall. Follow us on Twitter@Spacedotcom orFacebook.
IS DIT HERT DOOR EEN UFO OP HOOGSPANNINGSKABELS GEDROPT? ( VIDEO )
IS DIT HERT DOOR EEN UFO OP HOOGSPANNINGSKABELS GEDROPT? ( VIDEO )
Al tientallen jaren zijn er talloze voorvallen waarbij dieren op bijna chirurgische wijze verminkt worden aangetroffen.
De ingrepen lijken uitgevoerd met een soort lasers en tal van mensen hebben deze verminkingen willen verklaren, maar geen enkele theorie heeft volledig inzicht over het fenomeen kunnen bieden.
Je vindt er zelden of nooit verhalen over in de mainstream media. De vreemde onverklaarbare verminkingen van dieren, waarvoor tot op de dag van vandaag nog geen verklaringen zijn gevonden.
Deze ingrepen zouden met de grootste (chirurgische) precisie uitgevoerd zijn en zelfs vermoedelijk met gebruik van lasers zijn gedaan. Tal van mensen hebben deze verminkingen willen verklaren, maar geen enkele theorie heeft volledig inzicht over het fenomeen kunnen bieden. Volgens sommigen zijn het UFO's die dit veroorzaken en anderen spreken dan weer van een grootscheepse samenzwering binnen de overheid die tests doen op deze dieren.
Een website die uitgebreid aandacht besteedt aan dit fenomeen is Ufowijzer. Paul Harmans vertelt het volgende over dierverminkingen:
"Het dierverminkingsfenomeen is er één waarbij veel mensen niet eens de moeite nemen er iets over te lezen, ze menen het zo wel te weten, hun ‘gezonde verstand’ spreekt hen in dat het gewoon menselijke dierenbeulen zijn die zo slim zijn dat ze nog nooit gepakt zijn, die zelfs nog nooit van afstand zijn waargenomen tijdens hun gruwelijke daden en die beschikken over technieken waar onze medische specialisten jaloers op zijn.
En ervaren spoorzoekers zouden van hen ook wel eens willen weten hoe ze hun voetsporen en dergelijke zo perfect kunnen uitwissen, veefokkers zouden ze willen vragen hoe ze zo snel en deskundig vee kunnen slachten dat een kwartier daarvoor nog springlevend was en politieagenten en zelfs de FBI ligt de brandende vraag op de lippen hoe zij al 40 jaar de perfecte misdaad hebben kunnen plegen. Maar we horen liever, van alweer de gedreven sceptici (ik kan er ook niets aan doen), dat het allemaal verklaarbaar is als zijnde een, weliswaar onbegrijpelijke, menselijke daad, dat slaapt toch veel rustiger?
Er doen zich ook andere onverklaarbare zaken voor met dode dieren zoals de dode elanden nabij een graancirkel waarover we het volgende schreven:
Zoals wevorige maand schreven in een artikel, lijkt het erop dat het aantal vreemde dierverminkingen weer aan het toenemen is.
"Harten, uiers, tepels, oren, tongen en reproductieorganen zijn lichaamsdelen die worden verwijderd en in de meeste gevallen is dat met chirurgische precisie gebeurd. Er is ook geen enkel spoor van bloed. Soms worden de verminkte dieren achtergelaten in de modder of diepe sneeuw, maar ondanks dat zijn er geen voetsporen of andere aanwijzingen dat er iemand is geweest".
Dat zien we in het onderstaande geval niet. Wel meer dan 100 dode elanden waar niemand een verklaring voor heeft. Echter, vlak in de buurt van deze dode dieren verschijnt er wel ineens een graancirkel.
Er zijn een aantal redenen om aan te nemen dat deze dieren misschien niet zijn overleden aan een plotseling optredende infectiezite zoals de autoriteiten zeiden te vermoeden.
Met het bovenstaande in het achterhoofd is de volgende foto zeer verbazingwekkend.
Het is een groot hert dat wordt gevonden bovenop hoogspanningsmasten en het ziet er als volgt uit:
Echter, er zijn talloze andere mensen die zeggen dat hoewel de foto wel degelijk echt is deze is genomen in de buurt van de Canadese stad Headingly en dat ze dit met eigen ogen hebben gezien.
Natuurlijk wordt er volop gespeculeerd over hoe dat hert daar in 's hemelsnaam terecht is gekomen. De enige “verklaring” die men kan bedenken is dat omdat er niet ver van die plek een spoorlijn loopt het dier wel door een trein geraakt zal zijn en omhoog geslingerd.
Door wetenschappers wordt dit echter tegengesproken vanwege het simpele feit dat als een dier door een rijdende trein gegrepen zou zijn het heel anderssoortige verwondingen zou hebben dan de op een merkwaardige wijze verminkte achterpoten.
Het zijn juist deze verminkingen aan de achterpoten die de theorie voeden dat het dier wellicht door een ufo is “onderzocht” en vervolgens gedropt waarbij het op de hoogspanningskabels terechtkwam.
Er is trouwens nog een vreemd mysterie met een hert en dat betreft de vondst van een jager in Delaware County in de Amerikaanse staat New York.
Een meter of vijf boven de grond hangt een groot hert in de bomen en niemand heeft enig idee hoe het daar terecht is gekomen.
Er kunnen natuurlijk andere verklaringen mogelijk zijn zoals een stelletje grappenmakers die dit hebben gedaan, maar dat lijkt niet echt waarschijnlijk. Zeker niet in afgelegen gebieden zoals waar bovenstaande voorvallen plaatsvonden.
Wel zijn er voorbeelden van bijvoorbeeld grote adelaars die proberen een jong hert mee te nemen en dit vervolgens laten vallen. Maar, de herten hierboven zijn te groot daarvoor en bovendien heeft de ene vreemde verminkingen aan de achterpoten.
An Anomalous Sudden Stratospheric Warming Is Forming Over Antarctica Right Now
An Anomalous Sudden Stratospheric Warming Is Forming Over Antarctica Right Now
A Sudden Stratospheric Warming is currently sweeping across parts of Antarctica right now. This is only the third such anomalous event in the southern hemisphere after 2002, and twice in 2010.
Find out now what they are and what are their possible impacts below. A sudden stratospheric warming (SSW) is an event where the polar vortex of westerly winds in the winter hemisphere slows down or even reverses direction over the course of a few days.
The change is accompanied by a rise of stratospheric temperature by several tens of kelvins.
The Earth is changing in so many ways. Hurricane headed to FL as we speak. Thanks for stopping by.
In an online chat with Apollo 11 astronaut Michael Collins, one Twitter user asked him, “Do you believe in life outside Earth?” and he simply replied, “Yes”. So, does that mean that he believes that microorganisms may live deep within layers of ice on far away planets, or does he believe that actual aliens really do exist? It’s a pretty vague answer that raises even more questions on what he believes in and what the astronauts may have witnessed while they were on the moon.
Back in 1969 when Collins, Neil Armstrong, and Buzz Aldrin conducted the first ever manned moon landing, there was a very odd exchange between the Apollo 11 crew and Mission Control. On the third day, Armstrong witnessed an unexplained object moving parallel to them, but it was brushed off as just the third stage of the Saturn-V rocket that had brought them into space. When Armstrong asked Mission Control, “Do you have any idea where the S-IVB is with respect to us?” they responded with, “The S-IVB is about 6,000 nautical miles from you now. Over.” Many people believe that what the crew witnessed was actually a UFO.
Michael Collins
And while Collins’ response on whether he believes life exists outside of Earth was a simple one-worded answer, he isn’t the first Apollo 11 astronaut to give his opinion on other worldly topics.
Buzz Aldrin and three other astronauts (Al Worden, Edgar Mitchell and Gordon Cooper) took part in a study where they all passed lie detector tests when asked about their experiences with UFOs. Aldrin has stated many times that he witnessed a UFO following them while he, Collins, and Armstrong were on their way to the moon. He stated, “There was something out there that was close enough to be observed, sort of L-shaped.”
Buzz Aldrin
And while Neil Armstrong never publicly discussed any interest in aliens, a letter that had been discovered suggests that he was in fact fascinated by UFOs and that he even invited a UFO expert to join him for dinner – where they more than likely discussed the topic of extraterrestrials.
Neil Armstrong
Another interesting fact about Armstrong is that he may have possibly been contacted by the “Men in Black”. In one portion of the 18-page FBI file on Armstrong, it stated that two “well-dressed” men walked into an Ohio Town Hall and asked several very personal questions about the astronaut, such as his address, how many children he had, and which restaurants he ate at. Seems a little suspicious if you ask me…
If you see the words “US military,” “secret urban tunnels,” “underground experimentation” and “urgent need” in the same sentence, it can’t be good news. If you see them in a tweet that links to an actual government website soliciting actual requests for proposals to satisfy those needs, it may be time to worry. If they emphasize that they need them “right away,” is it time to book the next flight to New Zealand? Or Mars?
@DARPA
Attention, city dwellers! We’re interested in identifying university-owned or commercially managed underground urban tunnels & facilities able to host research & experimentation. https://go.usa.gov/xVWCn
It’s short notice… We’re asking for responses by Aug. 30 at 5:00 PM ET.
That’s the ‘take us to your tunnels’ tweet posted on August 28, 2019 – just two days before they’re urgently needed – by the Defense Advanced Research Projects Agency (DARPA), the agency of the US Department of Defense responsible for the development of emerging technologies for use by the military. The link takes you to FedBizOps.gov, the Federal Business Opportunities website where private contractors can learn about open government projects. While it seems hard to believe that DARPA would be so public with its urgent needs, perhaps that’s part of the plan – make part of the project public so no one gets suspicious. Too late for that!
@DARPA
The ideal space would be a human-made underground environment spanning several city blocks w/ complex layout & multiple stories, including atriums, tunnels & stairwells. Spaces that are currently closed off from pedestrians or can be temporarily used for testing are of interest.
Testing? Testing what? The comments on the tweets give plenty of ideas from the ridiculous to the downright scary. They also point out that there are PLENTY of vast unused or unfinished tunnels and spaces around the country that were once planned for subways, cars, pedestrians, shopping malls and other innocent but underfunded purposes that had to be closed down before they could be completed and opened.
The subterranean domain – whether human-made tunnels, urban underground infrastructure, or natural cave networks – is becoming increasingly relevant for global security and disaster-related search and rescue missions As such, DARPA is interested in understanding the state-of-the-art in innovative technologies that have the potential to disruptively and positively impact how the underground domain is leveraged without prohibitive cost and risk to human lives.
DARPA is interested in understanding the state-of-the-art in innovative technologies that may enable future solutions to rapidly map, navigate, and search unknown complex subterranean environments to locate objects of interest. To support these technologies, DARPA is looking to find locations that researchers can utilize to experiment and enhance their innovative approaches.
The short explanatory document doesn’t really explain much. While it claims the project has a noble cause – training for “global security and disaster-related search and rescue missions” – it also wants to learn how to “rapidly map, navigate, and search unknown complex subterranean environments to locate objects of interest.” Whose tunnels are they planning to find and what “objects” are they interested in? Have they found the secret underground location of the Ark of the Covenant? The hiding place of the long-rumored-not-to-be-dead Elvis? A time machine? Putin’s mini-nukes? Anybody’s mini-nukes?
Is this test a failure or a success?
All of this sounds sinister, yet it also sounds like a moneymaker for a cash-strapped city stuck with an unfinished public works tunnel and looking for ways to pay for filling potholes. (Are you listening, Cincinnati?) Is the money worth the risk of DARPA collapsing the city into a massive sinkhole for “testing” purposes?
Sorry, DARPA. Only people are innocent until proven guilty, and that’s getting a little shaky these days. Secret government agencies that develop futuristic technologies are always under suspicion.
More and more, and day by day, people are asking me for my thoughts on the “Storming Area 51” saga. I’ll get right to the point. No one at all should ever be contemplating illegally penetrating a U.S. military base or a classified government facility. Trying to break into such a place should not be considered a bit of fun. It’s dangerous, reckless, and potentially deadly for anyone who thinks it’s cool to descend on Area 51. And, you would be breaking the law, to the extent that you would almost certainly end up serving significant jail-time. Just because the installation has a longstanding history of ties to the UFO phenomenon does not give anyone the right to try and “invade” the place. The only result for the idiots (there’s no other word that fits them better) who might be contemplating such a thing is a very, very bad one. It should be noted that something similar – to a degree anyway – occurred decades ago in the U.K. It was a situation that led the 1950s/1960s-era Ufologists involved to become the subjects of U.K. government files. In today’s world, however, things would be much more worse than having a Top Secret dossier opened on you. Let’s now take a look at that little-known, long-gone affair.
An arm of the U.K. Government’s Ministry of Defense, the Atomic Weapons Establishment – known informally as “Aldermaston” – is situated on what was previously a military base: Royal Air Force Aldermaston, Berkshire, England. It takes its name from the village that is home to the AWE. It’s important to note that in the late 1950s there was a great deal of concern on the part of the people of the U.K. that, in the event of a nuclear confrontation, the U.K. would end up getting dragged into the maelstrom and, inevitably, totally wiped off the map. The outcome of these concerns was that more and more people chose to take a highly proactive approach to making their concerns and fears known to the government of the day. This was largely due to the creation, in 1957, of the Campaign for Nuclear Disarmament (CND).
In an effort to highlight their views and worries relative to ever-growing nuclear proliferation, the CND decided to organize what became known as the “Aldermaston Marches.” The public was encouraged to hit the road – on foot – and head off from London to the AWE facility in the sleepy little village of Aldermaston, which dates back to the 12th century and that, today, has a population of barely one thousand. The first such march took place on the Easter weekend of April 4-7, 1958. It was a big event, one which let the U.K. Government know that not everyone was in accord with officialdom’s policy on nukes.
Several thousand people took to the highways and the byways, all to have their say. Loudly. The presence and actions of the CND clearly had sizable numbers of the people of the U.K. all revved up and ready to go. As evidence of this, in the march of 1960, more than sixty thousand people turned up at Trafalgar Square, London, with more than one hundred thousand making the trek to Aldermaston. It’s very important to note that members of the UFO/alien-themed Aetherius Society took a proactive part in every march from 1958 to 1965 (and, as a result, became the subject of secret, government surveillance). Such was the CND’s satisfaction with the first weekend of protest, the march became a yearly event: it continued until 1965 and was briefly resurrected in 1972.
It was certainly the case that the Aldermaston marches largely went ahead with an absolute minimum of violence. U.K. authorities, though, were very concerned (and justifiably concerned) by the possibility that the demonstrations just might have been secretly infiltrated by “Communist agitators;” even by Russian operatives, passing themselves off as members of the U.K. public and doing their utmost to whip up a frenzy and to get the lowdown on the CND. Both MI5 (the U.K.’s equivalent of the FBI) and MI6 (the U.K.’s CIA) were deeply worried that the Russians had wormed their way into the hearts of the CND and those who were coordinating the annual marches to Aldermaston.
For those fucking morons (and yes, you are fucking morons) who are still contemplating heading out to “storm” Area 51, in light of the Aldermaston affair of the 1960s and the concerns of MI5 and MI6, you may want to think carefully on the possibility that some of the “stormers” among you may not be ufologists, but foreign spies, seeking out what’s afoot at Area 51. Invading a government facility is something is something that should not be on the minds of anyone. Of course, the whole thing – that began as a stupid joke – may simple collapse on itself. That would be the best outcome possible. My final words to the would-be stormers: DON’T DO IT.
Jupiter has a total of 79 known moons and now five more of them have been givennew names with help from the public. Pandia, Ersa, Eirene, Philophrosyne, and Eupheme are the names of the moons.
With the approval of the International Astronomical Union (IAU), a contest was conducted by the Carnegie Institution for Science so the public could pick the names. Interestingly enough, the majority of the suggested names were submitted by children. Normally, the IAU picks out the names of planets and moons, but in more recent times, they have allowed the public to get involved with the naming process. In fact, the public has had a hand in naming several objects, such as alien stars and planets, as well as Mercury craters.
The process involved with picking a name is rather complicated. Those who participated in the contest earlier this year had to abide by several rules that included staying within the correct number of characters, as well as matching the direction of the moon’s orbit as that’s what decided the last letter of the name.
“There are many rules when it comes to how we name moons,” explained Carnegie astronomer Scott Sheppard who led the discovery of twelve of the moons that are orbiting Jupiter – and five of those twelve were the ones that were being named in the contest. He continued by stating, “Jovian naming conventions require its many moons to be named after characters from Greek and Roman mythology who were either descendants or consorts of Zeus, or Jupiter.”
So, let’s take a look at the origins of these very interesting new names for the five moons.
Pandia(formerly known as S/2017 J4) was named after the daughter of Zeus and the moon goddess Selene.
Ersa(formerly known as S/2018 J1) was named after another daughter of Zeus and Selene; also the sister of Pandia.
Eirene(formerly known as S/2003 J5) was named after the goddess of peace; she was the daughter of Zeus and Themis.
Philophrosyne(formerly known as S/2003 J15) was named after the spirit of welcome and kindness; and the granddaughter of Zeus.
Eupheme(formerly known as S/2003 J3) was named after the spirit of praise and good omen; also the granddaughter of Zeus and the sister of Philophrosyne.
I found this fascinating black structure on the moon Europa. Jupiter actually has 79 known moons so if this one has alien bases, then you can count on the others having them too. I made a video below to show how easy it is to find this structure. It has some remarkable right angles, huge fusalodge like body, dark large openings at its center, perhaps for docking ships, and two long wings, one on each side. This is huge guys, its about 20 miles across. I also notice a lot of other structures, however NASA has blurred them out so that the detail was lost. Watch the video I made and tell me what you think. Scott C. Waring-Taiwan
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- Gemiddelde waardering: 0/5 - (0 Stemmen) Categorie:Ruins, strange artifacts on other planets, moons, ed ( Fr, EN, NL )
33 Meter UFO At Area 51, On Google Earth Map, Video, UFO Sighting News.
33 Meter UFO At Area 51, On Google Earth Map - Video, UFO Sighting News.
Hello everyone. I found this UFO back in 2010 and made a video that got 1.4 million views on it. So I wanted to show the public that they can still see it. Most people don't know how to see the old photos on Google map, so here I show you how to see the 33 meter UFO. Google owns Youtube and they both have changed their publicity algorithms...a mathematical AI code that finds anything with fake news keywords...like the words UFO sighting, or aliens and labels them as fake news, then hiding them from the public. This is Google working with the US government to cover up any UFO or alien evidence and hide it from the public. I promise you...at the end of the week I will only have about 5,000 views on this video. The UFO is real, its still there, and I teach you how to find it in this video.
Its not Facebook the public should be worried about. Its Google and Youtube. They should be investigated by the FTC antitrust investigators for using Youtube channels data in illegal ways and uses that Youtube users do not agree too. We need the Federal Trade Commission to officially investigating Youtube and Google for potential violations of US antitrust law. By using the users data to regulate what the viewers see and don't see, Youtube is breaking its companies privacy policy deciding what a third party (viewers) are allowed to see and not see. Congress needs to investigate into why Youtube is attacking UFO researchers in such an unfair, segregated and bullying way. I will tweet to the house judicial committee about it. Perhaps they know something about this?
We visited the moon half a century ago, and have not been back since. During that time, we've launched robotic spacecraft across our solar system and learned about distant worlds. Meanwhile, scientists continue to ponder the rocky visitor to our night sky.
The Apollo missions helped us solve many of the moon's mysteries, but there are still many more questions that have been left unanswered — and even a couple that arose as a result of the samples brought back by the Apollo astronauts.
"There are numerous scientific questions that have emerged in part of the Apollo evidence," Roger Launius, former NASA chief historian, told Space.com. "There's a whole series of things to be gained from going back, such as collecting additional material and gathering new data."
As NASA prepares to send astronauts to the moon once again by the year 2024, and amid mixed messages from the U.S. administration regarding the upcoming mission, scientists reaffirm that the moon still holds many secrets that we need to explore.
"We have a lot of great questions," Sarah Noble, the Apollo next-generation sample analysis program executive at NASA headquarters in Washington, told Space.com. "What has happened over the past decade was that we put a lot of things in the orbit around the moon, which has given us a global picture.
"We know where to go to answer these questions now," Noble added.
Nearly 40 years after returning from the moon, water was found inside rock samples brought back by the Apollo 15 mission. The 2009 discovery opened up a whole new area of lunar research because it suggested that water could have existed on the moon since its formation.
Having water on the moon is crucial for future space exploration, as it could be used for drinking water and rocket fuel.
"For 40 years, we thought the samples were completely dry," Noble said. "We now understand that there's a water cycle, but we don't understand how it works."
We may not understand the water cycle yet, but we do have the tools to crack it now.
"From my perspective, we have all kinds of instruments that didn't exist before," Paul Hayne, assistant professor at the Department of Astrophysical and Planetary Sciences at the University of Colorado, told Space.com.
Hayne added that the instruments have become so miniaturized that they now easily fit into spacecraft.
Aside from water, recent evidence also suggested that there is ice on the moon. A 2018 study confirmed that there was frozen stuff on the ground in the moon's north and south poles.
"The one [question] that I'm very interested in is the question of ice and the poles," Hayne said. "We'd like to know how much [ice there is] and where, and collect new data to investigate this."
In order to detect the ice on the lunar surface, Hayne said that there are new tools such as infrared instruments to detect the chemical fingerprint of ice, thermal cameras and other heat-sending tools.
Samples of basaltic rocks, or solidified molten lava, brought back by the Apollo missions were mostly old, but some were found to be as young as a billion years old, according to Noble. (Scientists believe that the moon itself is 4.51 billion years old.)
Scientists know that volcanic eruptions took place on the lunar surface, but they are still unsure about the timeline over which these eruptions occurred and when the moon stopped being volcanically active.
"There's still some questions about how active the moon is today — that's kind of a hot area," Hayne said.
He added that besides not knowing when these volcanic eruptions stopped occurring, we also don't know what caused them in the first place — whether they were triggered by a giant impact to the moon or if the moon is radioactive.
Recent research has pointed out that moon rocks are rich in radioactive material like uranium, and a 2014 paper in Nature suggested that heat-producing elements like uranium, thorium and potassium are causing the lunar surface to expand and contract as it gets hotter and cooler. The cracks on the surface caused by this process would have allowed for the lava to flow through them.
Hayne suggests that scientists need to revise their models of the moon's volcanic activity as most of them think that it stopped being active a long time ago, which may not be true — some scientists believe that the moon is still tectonically active.
There is also debate over how old our moon is, with ages ranging from 4.5 billion years to a much younger 150 to 200 million years.
According to Noble, scientists have attempted to estimate the moon's age by analyzing the lunar rocks brought back by Apollo and by trying to date when the craters formed on the lunar surface, but there has been no consensus thus far.
"It's one of the big questions we want to answer," Noble said.
However, Noble added, it's not just about determining the moon's age but rather figuring out the ages of other rocky bodies in the solar system such as Mercury or Mars.
Once we know the age of the moon, we can estimate the age of other planets by comparing the number of craters between the moon and Mars or Venus. The more craters there are on the surface, the older the rocky body is.
Collecting as much information as we can from the moon will also eventually lead to a better understanding of other planetary objects in our solar system that we want to explore in the future. -
"The moon can help us understand how to live and operate on another body, say, for example, if we go to Mars," she said.
Amid an ongoing debate over whether we should return to the moon, lunar scientists reaffirm that it is absolutely necessary we do it for the sake of future space exploration and to learn more about our own planet.
"As a lunar scientist, I'm very excited about the science we can do on the moon," Noble said. "Our current plan is to hit the moon so we can move on and hit Mars."
Hayne agreed. "We have so much to learn still about the moon, which then not only tells us about other planets in the solar system but about the Earth itself," he said.
"Lastly, it's exciting," Hayne added. "It inspires people. There's no substitute to having boots on the ground."
The NASA veteran played a critical role in the first manned Moon landing alongside colleagues Neil Armstrong and Buzz Aldrin. After retiring from NASA in 1970, the astronaut has been a vocal supporter of establishing a human presence on Mars. Now, astronaut Michael Collins, 88, has opened up about the ultimate question of are we alone in the universe. In an online question and answer session on Twitter, Mr Collins’ 56,600 Twitter followers were given a chance to submit any burning queries they have.
In other cosmic queries, regarding his time in space, Mr Collins was asked about eating bacon in space, his favourite moments from Apollo 11 and why he grew a moustache during the Moon landing.
In regards to enjoying the bacon, the astronaut said: “No. Bacon should not be cubed!”
Mr Collins is a former American test pilot who served in the United States Air Force before joining NASA.
As a test pilot, Mr Collins has logged more than 4,200 hours in flight.
Through is work in the US Air Force, Mr Collins retired with the rank of major general.
Many of Mr Collins' followers also believe life in some form exists outside of Earth (Image: TWITTER)
Michael Collins flew the Command Module during the Apollo 11 Moon landing in 1969
(Image: NASA)
In July 1969, the astronaut flew the Command Module spacecraft around the Moon while astronauts Neil Armstrong and Buzz Aldrin descended to the surface for the first time in history.
NASA said: “After he graduated from the US Military Academy in West Point, New York, in 1952, he chose to become an Air Force test pilot.
“Selected by NASA as an astronaut in 1963, he served as the pilot for Gemini X and as the command module pilot for the Apollo 11 mission, the first time humans set foot on another celestial body.
“Collins retired from the Air Force as a major general and left NASA in 1970.”
Are White Holes Real And Can They Connect To Parallel Universes?
Are White Holes Real And Can They Connect To Parallel Universes?
By: Michael Chary
What Are White Holes?
When Stephen Hawking proposed the idea that a black hole will eventually evaporate by leaking radiation from its event horizon, there was a problem. If it evaporates, what happens to all of the information it sucked in?If quantum theory is correct, this would defy a fundamental law that information cannot be lost – it’s called the no-hiding theorem.
With the no-hiding theorem, if information is missing from one system, then it must simply be residing somewhere else in the universe – a cosmic game of hide-and-seek. So theoretically, if information is getting sucked in, it must be getting spat back out somewhere, and likely that’s through a white hole. But is it really possible that white holes exist?
One way to conceptualize this in a very basic mathematical sense is to think about the square root of 9. The answer is both 3 and -3. This is fundamentally part of what’s known as Schwarzchild geometry, the formulae used in general relativity to describe the gravitational field outside a spherical mass.
Just like the color black is the opposite of white, the white hole is the opposite of a black hole in every way. Light cannot escape a black hole, so light cannot enter a white hole. This would obviously make a white hole incredibly bright, and some quantum physicists believe that maybe some of the light in the universe we thought was coming from supernovae, may actually be from white holes.
Physicists also believe this concept could be germane when talking about the big bang and how our universe came into existence. They believe it’s possible that at the moment of creation, everything was expelled from a massive white hole on an incredibly large scale.
The premise of white holes is based on a theory positing that space-time is made of granular building blocks that can be quantified. This quantification comes in the form of loops, almost like little threads that are of a finite size – so finite they cannot be subdivided any further. To a viewer these loops would be make space-time appear to be smooth and continuous, but their granular nature would prevent highly dense bodies like neutron stars from collapsing into a point of infinite density.
So, in the case of black holes, these incredibly finite loops would prevent a collapse into infinity, but eventually the loops would only be able to compress to a certain point, until they exert an outward pressure, almost like a spring. This is referred to as quantum bounce, a rebound from a black hole ingesting everything into a white hole expelling everything.
Many argue, however, that white holes are theoretically impossible because they violate the second law of thermodynamics, stating that entropy cannot decrease in a system. But it depends on how one looks at entropy, with some physicists saying it refers to disorder, while others say it refers to information used to describe a system, and an argument over semantics ensues.
The aforementioned Schwarzchild geometry implies that a wormhole would connect a black hole and white hole with two distinct universes connected at their horizons, also known as an Einstein-Rosen bridge.
Unforunately, these wormholes would be highly unstable if they were even possible. It would also be impossible, with physics as we know it, for one to pass through a wormhole into another universe (also theoretical) due to a number of pesky things like being spaghettified when passing through a black hole’s event horizon before being compressed at the singularity. Though you might at least get to see some distorted light from the parallel universe on the other side.
But since this is mostly theoretical, there are always theoretical solutions, like using exotic matter to stabilize a wormhole. Exotic matter has negative mass and positive surface pressure. This would keep the throat of the wormhole stable, while also preventing it from collapsing. This could hypothetically allow for travelers to pass through.
Will we ever figure out if wormholes exist and whether they can be used for time travel or inter-dimensional travel? Or have we already?
Five Things You Didn’t Know About White Holes
Scientists believe they may have witnessed a white hole when a sudden burst of white light appeared out of nowhere and then vanished. Unfortunately, there haven’t really been any other similar events recorded to study.
In The Hitchhiker’s Guide to the Galaxy the people from the planet Magrathea create luxury planets for the galaxy’s richest people from the matter retrieved from white holes.
White holes are essentially time-reversed black holes containing a singularity existing in the past.
In the ‘70s, Stephen Hawking said black and white holes absorb and emit the same amount of radiation when they are in thermal equilibrium, making them indistinguishable. According to physicist Stephen Hsu, when a white hole is in isolation surrounded by empty vacuum space, it’s not in equilibrium, meaning it has nothing to absorb. This forces it to explode and release a large amount of thermal energy – what Hsu calls ‘quasithermal energy.’
SPOTTED: A BLACK HOLE THAT SHOULDN’T BE PHYSICALLY POSSIBLE
SPOTTED: A BLACK HOLE THAT SHOULDN’T BE PHYSICALLY POSSIBLE
IMAGE VIA NEEDPIX/VICTOR TANGERMANN
DAN ROBITZSKI
Chonk
Equipment designed to detect gravitational waves have picked up on some bizarre signals — possibly originating from a black hole twice as massive as physicists previously believed was possible.
The potential black hole would have to be 100 times as massive as our Sun to give off the signals that the facilities recorded, according to Quanta Magazine. Physicists now find themselves in a whirlwind as they try to sort out how the absolute unit of a black hole came to be.
Dead Zone
Normally, a black hole is formed when a star runs out of fuel and collapses. But that only works if the star’s core is less than 50 times the mass of our Sun, according to Quanta.
Otherwise, the core becomes unstable, either shedding matter until it’s small enough or obliterating itself in a spectacular supernova. Black holes larger than 130 solar masses can still form because the core’s collapse is like a runaway train too strong to stop — M87*, for instance, a black hole that scientists imaged back in April, is 6.5 billion times as massive as the Sun.
Reconciliation
To reconcile the new findings with existing theory, Quanta reports that astronomers suspect the bizarre black hole is the result of two smaller ones colliding and merging.
They suspect that in a dense pocket of the universe, 30 and 50-solar mass black holes could have merged together, and then once more collided with another small one to give off the signals that were just detected.
In a remarkable evolutionary windfall, fossil hunters have discovered neatly fitting halves of a nearly complete, 3.8-million-year-old hominid skull. This unexpected specimen shines some light on poorly understood, early members of the human evolutionary family.
The East African skull, which turned up at Ethiopia’s Woranso-Mille site, has been classified as Australopithecus anamensis. It is the oldest known species in a hominid genus that includes Australopithecus afarensis, known best for Lucy’s 3.2-million-year-old partial skeleton (SN: 10/28/14).
The research team, led by paleoanthropologist Yohannes Haile-Selassie of the Cleveland Museum of Natural History, describes its analysis of the skull in two papers published online August 28 in Nature.
“This specimen provides the first glimpse of the face of Australopithecus anamensis,” Haile-Selassie said during an Aug. 27 news conference. The skull, which is slightly larger than a modern adult human’s fist, also includes the first good example of an A. anamensisbraincase.
For early-hominid investigators, “this is the specimen we have been waiting for,” says paleoanthropologist Carol Ward of the University of Missouri in Columbia. Ward was not part of the Woranso-Mille team.
Until now, A. anamensis fossils consisted only of partial upper and lower jaws, isolated teeth, a braincase fragment and some lower-body bones (SN: 2/18/15). Those specimens, previously unearthed in Kenya and Ethiopia, date to between 4.2 million and 3.9 million years ago.
Then, on February 10, 2016, a member of the Woranso-Mille team noticed the lower part of a hominid skull protruding from eroding sediment. Later that day, Haile-Selassie found the braincase lying on the ground about three meters from the initial find. Soil sieving produced additional skull fragments.
Paleoanthropologist Yohannes Haile-Selassie holds a nearly complete Australopithecus anamensis skull shortly after its discovery at an Ethiopian site.CLEVELAND MUSEUM OF NATURAL HISTORY
Geoscientist Beverly Saylor of Case Western Reserve University in Cleveland led an effort to date the fossil by estimating the ages of nearby volcanic rock layers. Known reversals of Earth’s magnetic field in Woranso-Mille sediment also aided dating.
Geologic evidence indicated that the fossil A. anamensis individual had been covered in sandy deposits where a river entered a lake. The surrounding region was largely dry, but included some forested areas. Volcanic eruptions occasionally blanketed the lake and its surroundings.
A digital reconstruction of the Woranso-Mille skull helped to establish its species. The braincase displays features, such as a long, narrow shape and a roughly chimpanzee-sized brain, similar to those of even older proposed hominids such as Sahelanthropus tchadensisand Ardipithecus ramidus (SN: 2/16/11). In contrast, forward-projecting cheek bones recall those of later hominids, such as 2.5-million-year-old Paranthropus aethiopicus. That species belonged to an African line of big-jawed, small-brained creatures that died out around 1 million years ago. It’s hard to know whether these shared traits evolved independently, or if the traits signal an evolutionary relationship.
Further comparisons connected the Woranso-Mille skull to earlier A. anamensis finds. Many of the skull’s features differ from those of Lucy’s kind, Haile-Selassie says. For instance, A. anamensis possessed a sloping face, unlike the flat faces of A. afarensis.
Crucially, the Woranso-Mille skull differs enough from an approximately 3.9 million-year-old hominid forehead bone discovered in East Africa in 1981 to assign that older find, known as the Belohdelie frontal, to A. afarensis, Haile-Selassie contends. If so, A. anamensis— now placed at between 4.2 million and 3.8 years ago — and Lucy’s kind — dating to between 3.9 million and 3 million years ago — overlapped for at least 100,000 years. That scenario contradicts an earlier hypothesis that A. anamensis evolved directly into Lucy’s kind, with the earlier species disappearing as it morphed into its descendant species (SN: 4/12/06).
A discovery at an Ethiopian desert site of a nearly complete, 3.8-million-year-old Australopithecus anamensis skull is letting researchers reconstruct what the ancient individual looked like and its relationship to Lucy’s species.
A large A. anamensis group might have become isolated from its species-mates and then evolved into an early version of A. afarensis, Haile-Selassie speculates. In that case, other A. anamensis groups would have coexisted for a while with Lucy’s species.
While the newly discovered skull “fills a critical gap in Australopithecus evolution,” the evolutionary status of the Belohdelie frontal remains unknown, says paleoanthropologist William Kimbel of Arizona State University’s Institute of Human Origins in Tempe. More A. anamensis skulls are needed to assess whether the Belohdelie frontal displays traits more typical of that species or of Lucy’s kind, Kimbel says.
Paleoanthropologist Berhane Asfaw of Rift Valley Research Service in Addis Ababa, Ethiopia, agrees. Asfaw described the Belohdelie frontal in a 1987 paper. Frontal bone shapes vary considerably in Lucy’s species, which includes four partial skulls, he says. “And we don’t know what kind of face the Belohdelie frontal had.”
In all its largely intact glory, the Woranso-Mille skull highlights how little is known about the relationship between A. anamensis and Lucy’s kind, Ward says.
Meet the new moons of Jupiter. After a public contest, five newly discovered Jovian satellites now have official astronomical names, the International Astronomical Union announced August 26.
Planetary scientist Scott Sheppard of the Carnegie Institution for Science in Washington, D.C., reported the discovery of the moons in July 2018 (SN: 7/17/18), along with seven others. He and his colleagues spotted the moons while searching for a theoretical Planet Nine orbiting beyond Neptune (SN: 7/5/16).
The team solicited name suggestions for the moons on Twitter. There were some rules, most notably that Jupiter’s 79 known moons must all be named for descendants or consorts of the god Jupiter from Roman mythology, or Zeus in Greek myths. But that didn’t stop people from suggesting the names of beloved pets or, perhaps inevitably, Moony McMoonface.
Here are the winners:
Pandia:A daughter of Zeus and the moon goddess Selene, Pandia is the goddess of the full moon. One of the groups to enter this name in the contest was the astronomy club of the Lanivet Community Primary School in Bodmin, England, whose mascot is a panda.
Ersa: Sister of Pandia, Ersa is the goddess of dew. Several people suggested this name, including 4-year-old moon expert Walter, who got the judges’ attention with a song listing the largest moons of the solar system in size order.
Eirene:The goddess of peace, Eirene is the daughter of Zeus and Themis, a Greek Titaness who personifies divine order, justice and law.
Philophrosyne:A granddaughter of Zeus, Philophrosyne is the spirit of welcome and kindness.
Eupheme:Sister of Philophrosyne, Eupheme is the spirit of praise and good omen.
Pourquoi l’agence militaire américaine cherche-t-elle d’urgence une grande installation souterraine ?
Pourquoi l’agence militaire américaine cherche-t-elle d’urgence une grande installation souterraine ?
La DARPA a publié cette nuit un drôle de tweet qui intrigue… et inquiète.
C’est un tweet qui pose question, et qui n’a pas manqué de soulever inquiétudes et probablement d’imaginer les hypothèses les plus farfelues. D’autant qu’il n’émane pas de n’importe-qui, ni de Donald Trump (qui a dit c’est pareil ?) mais de la DARPA, (Defense Advanced Research Projects Agency), la très sérieuse – et parfois controversée – agence du département de la Défense des États-Unis chargée de la recherche et développement des nouvelles technologies destinées à un usage militaire. Pour mémoire, on attribue l’invention d’internet à cette agence dans les années 60.
Dans ce Tweet, la DARPA indique qu’elle est à la recherche d’installations souterraines urbaines capables d’accueillir des travaux de recherche et d’expérimentation. Jusque-là, rien de très affolant. Mais ce qui est plus étonnant, et a ouvert la voie à toutes les spéculations et tous les fantasmes, est le délai indiqué par le tweet. Il semblerait en effet que ce soit urgent, très urgent, puisque la date limite est celle du 30 août à 17h, heure de la côte est américaine.
Des installations souterraines pour autopsier des aliens ?
Pourquoi une telle urgence ? Que va-t-il se passer d’ici-là ? Mystère et boule de gomme. Probablement rien, comme vous pouvez très bien l’imaginer. Mais il n’en faut pas plus pour laisser nos esprits vagabonder et élaborer toutes sortes d’hypothèses, d’autant que la Darpa n’a pas voulu expliquer pourquoi elle avait besoin d’une installation souterraine aussi vite, alors que tous les détails de sa requête figurent dans une note officielle.
« Les infrastructures souterraines urbaines complexes peuvent présenter des défis importants pour la connaissance de la situation dans des scénarios sensibles au facteur temps, tels que le combat actif ou d’intervention en cas de catastrophe. La DARPA est intéressée à explorer ce domaine pour que les chercheurs puissent analyser et améliorer les approches visant à améliorer la connaissance de la situation et les délais d’intervention dans les scénarios d’urgence. Les sites soumis pourraient aider le milieu de la recherche à identifier des sites pertinents pour d’autres expériences sur le terrain afin d’accélérer la mise au point de ces technologies. », a déclaré à nos confrères de Gizmodo par courriel un porte-parole de Darpa qui a demandé à rester anonyme.
Alors, que va-t-il se passer d’ici demain soir ? Les paris sont ouverts (et les complotistes vont passer une bonne journée).
The little chopper will be the first rotorcraft ever to ply alien skies.
An engineer works on attaching NASA's Mars Helicopter to the belly of the Mars 2020 rover — which has been flipped over for that purpose — on Aug. 27, 2019, at the Jet Propulsion Laboratory in Pasadena, California.
The first-ever off-Earth helicopter just hooked up with its traveling companion.
Engineers at NASA's Jet Propulsion Laboratory (JPL) in Pasadena, California, attached the tiny Mars Helicopterto the agency's car-size Mars 2020 rover today (Aug. 28), agency officials announced.
The duo will launch together in July 2020 and touch down inside the Red Planet's Jezero Crater in February 2021. Once on Mars, the solar-powered, 4-lb. (1.8 kilograms) helicopter will detach and begin flying test sorties.
"Our job is to prove that autonomous, controlled flight can be executed in the extremely thin Martian atmosphere," Mars Helicopter project manager, of JPL, said in a statement. (Mars' air is just 1% as dense as that of Earth at sea level.)
"Since our helicopter is designed as a flight test of experimental technology, it carries no science instruments," she added. "But if we prove powered flight on Mars can work, we look forward to the day when Mars helicopters can play an important role in future explorations of the Red Planet."
For example, helicopters could serve as scouts for robots or human pioneers on Mars. Red Planet rotorcraft could also carry instruments and conduct a variety of science work of their own, NASA officials have said.
Mas 2020, which will soon get a catchier moniker via a student naming competition, will hunt for signs of long-dead Red Planet life in Jezero Crater, which hosted a river delta in the ancient past. The rover will also characterize the site's geology, collect and cache samples for future return to Earth and demonstrate gear that will generate oxygen from the carbon-dioxide-dominated Martian air, among other tasks.
"With this joining of two great spacecraft, I can say definitively that all the pieces are in place for a historic mission of exploration," Thomas Zurbuchen, associate administrator of the Science Mission Directorate at NASA's headquarters in Washington, D.C, said in the same statement. "Together, Mars 2020 and the Mars Helicopter will help define the future of science and exploration of the Red Planet for decades to come."
NASA plans to launch another rotorcraft soon as well — Dragonfly, which will soar through the thick atmosphere of Saturn's huge moon Titan. The life-hunting Dragonfly is scheduled to lift off in 2026 and land on Titan's frigid surface in 2034.
Mike Wall's book about the search for alien life, "Out There" (Grand Central Publishing, 2018; illustrated byKarl Tate), is out now. Follow him on Twitter @michaeldwall. Follow us on Twitter@Spacedotcom orFacebook.
In a bid to Expand Military Outreach, US to Launch Space Command Today
In a bid to Expand Military Outreach, US to Launch Space Command Today
In a bid to Expand Military Outreach, US to Launch Space Command Today :- The United States will officially launch the Space Command, also known as SPACECOM, on Thursday with a White House ceremony hosted by President Donald Trump and Vice President Mike Pence.
US to Launch Space Command Today
The SPACECOM is a key step for the US military to establish a proposed sixth branch of the military known as the Space Force. U.S. Air Force Gen. John Raymond will serve as the first head of Space Command (SPACECOM). At launch, Raymond will lead 87 active units handling operations such as missile warning, satellite surveillance, space control, and space support, Gen. Joseph Dunford said at a meeting of the National Space Council earlier this month.
In a press conference on August 20, Vice President Mike Pence said, “The United States Space Force will ensure that our nation is prepared to defend our people, defend our interests, and to defend our values in the vast expanse of space and here on Earth with the technologies that will support our common defence for the vast reaches of outer space.”
He further added, “The United States Space Force will ensure that our nation is prepared to defend our people, defend our interests, and to defend our values in the vast expanse of space and here on Earth with the technologies that will support our common defense for the vast reaches of outer space.”
Trump had directed the Pentagon to create a sixth military branch in June 2018. He said that the establishment of the SPACECOM was crucial in protecting the country’s interests amid pressure from international rivals Russia and China.
Meanwhile, as per the former Deputy Defence Secretary Patrick Shanahan, the SPACECOM will be different from the Space Force but they will work together.
He tweeted, “The Space Force will serve as a force provider for personnel, assets, and capabilities supporting space operations, while Space Command will serve as the operational command that will employ space capabilities and lead space operations. The differences between Space Force and US Space Command will largely parallel those of the other five military services and four functional combatant commands.”
NatureUit een analyse van de schedel van MRD blijkt dat hij ongeveer 3,8 miljoen jaar oud is.
WETENSCHAPTot voor kort was Lucy wellicht het beroemdste lid van het geslacht Australopithecus, een directe voorouder van de mens. Daar brengt het fossiel van MRD waarschijnlijk verandering in. Tenslotte kunnen we dankzij MRD, een mannelijke Australopithecus anamensis, eindelijk een gezicht plakken op een van onze oudste voorouders. Bovendien schudt MRD de evolutionaire tijdlijn door elkaar.
Lucy behoorde tot de Australopithecus afarensis, een soort die volgens de evolutionaire tijdlijn na de Australopithecus anamensis (rechtop) op aarde rondliep. Dat betekent dat Lucy en MRD elkaar nooit ontmoet zouden hebben. Maar nu blijkt uit een analyse van de schedel van MRD dat hij ongeveer 3,8 miljoen jaar oud is. Dat betekent dat de anamensis nog leefde toen zijn opvolger afarensis al bestond. Meer zelfs, de twee soorten zouden maar liefst 100.000 jaar samengeleefd hebben. De familie van MRD van 4,2 tot 3,8 miljoen jaar geleden en de familie van Lucy van 3,9 tot 3 miljoen jaar terug. De overlapping van de twee soorten schudt de evolutionaire tijdlijn - alsook het idee van een simpele, lineaire evolutie - grondig door elkaar.
Dat beschrijven de onderzoekers van het Cleveland Museum of Natural History in niet één maar wel twee papers in het vaktijdschrift Nature. In een eerste artikel omschrijven ze hun vondst, terwijl ze in een tweede artikel uit de doeken doen hoe ze de leeftijd van MRD bepaalden.
De verantwoordelijke voor de evolutionaire ‘chaos’ is Ali Bereino, een Ethiopische boer die in 2016 per ongeluk een schedel opgroef. Hij was eigenlijk een hol aan het graven om zijn pasgeboren geitjes te beschermen tegen hyena’s toen hij opmerkte dat er enkele tanden in het zand begraven waren. Al snel haalde hij er een volledig kaakbeen uit dat hij naar het team van antropoloog Yohannes Haile-Selassi van het Cleveland Museum of Natural History, bracht. Dat team groef uiteindelijk een vrijwel volledige schedel op.
Nature/ Cleveland Museum of Natural HistoryUit een analyse van de schedel van MRD blijkt dat hij ongeveer 3,8 miljoen jaar oud is.
MRD
MRD - genoemd naar de vindplaats Miro Dora, zo’n 50 kilometer ten noorden van Hadar waar Lucy gevonden werd - was een man met een hersengrootte van zo’n 370 kubieke centimeter, vergelijkbaar met die van een chimpansee. Hij had uitstekende jukbeenderen, langwerpige hoektanden en ovale oorschelpen. Op die manier kon er een gezicht gereconstrueerd worden van MRD. Zijn leeftijd werd bepaald door de bodemlaag waarin zijn schedel gevonden werd, te analyseren.
Het grote verschil tutssen MRD en Lucy? Lucy had een rond hoofd terwijl de schedel van MRD smaller en langwerpig is. MRD leek volgens paleontologen nog iets meer op een aap dan zijn opvolger. Toch behoorde hij wel degelijk tot de mensachtigen. “De ruggenwervel van MRD komt niet aan de achterkant van de schedel binnen, zoals bij viervoeters, maar aan de onderkant. Dat bewijst dat de soort op twee benen liep, en dus een mensachtige is”, aldus Fred Spoor, paleontoloog aan het Natural History Museum in Londen.
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YOU WON’T BELIEVE WHAT’S BURIED UNDER THE SAHARA…HIDDEN LOST ANCIENT CIVILIZATIONS BY BRIGHT INSIGHT
YOU WON’T BELIEVE WHAT’S BURIED UNDER THE SAHARA… HIDDEN LOST ANCIENT CIVILIZATIONS BY BRIGHT INSIGHT
I love the Bright Insight’s channel and I’m always happy to share Jimmy’s latest videos, like this one, which dropped last night. Are the sands of the Sahara Desert covering up ancient civilizations..?
Ancient Greek historian, Herodotus (484 – 425 BC) described the Nile River as moving from west to east, not from South to North, as it does today.
Jimmy from the Bright Insight YouTube channel is an Iraq War veteran who got to see some of these ancient wonders of the Middle East with his own eyes but he’s not content to merely point out how incredible they are. He has this to say about Ancient Egypt and the Sahara Desert: “The experts have always claimed that the Sphinxmust be around 4,500 years old, yet recent geological analysis implies that this cannot be the case, as the last time the Nile Delta region had significant rainfall was more than seven thousand years ago…Right in the timeframe of when the Sahara was Green and had ten times the rainfall that it does today…
“The scientific data overwhelmingly suggests that the Sphinx is at least double the age of what we were taught in school, which of course only further adds to the mystery of ancient Egypt, itself but think about what all of this means.
“The ancient ruins and relics that have been found from the Egyptians are concentrated largely around the Nile River and this makes total sense, as civilizations exist where there’s water. “So, combine that with the timeframe estimates of when the Sahara went from a lush green tropical paradise to a massive barren desert, several thousand years ago, well there’s obviously a connection here and going back to what I just pointed out, regarding the ancient Egyptians developing their civilization along the Nile River.
“While taking into account that the Sahara Desert was actually a hospitable environment, made up of rivers and lakes at that same period of time, we should ask ourselves if the old legends, stating that the Nile River once ran from west to east have merits… “Ancient rivers in the Sahara would have likely supported human migration routes. It seems to me that these areas around the rivers [in Northwest Africa] need to be excavated now.”
Je gelooft nooit wat er onder de Sahara begraven ligt. Kijk deze video over verloren beschavingen
Je gelooft nooit wat er onder de Sahara begraven ligt. Kijk deze video over verloren beschavingen+
De grootste woestijn op aarde blijkt een enorme begraafplaats te zijn waar talloze mysterieuze ruïnes en resten van onbekende beschavingen worden gevonden.
Ze zijn in de vergetelheid geraakt en duizenden jaren geleden verzwolgen door het zand. Vanaf hier wordt het vreemd.
In de afgelopen jaren verschenen er allerlei berichten waaruit blijkt dat de Sahara ooit groen en bewoond was.
Oogwenk
Met behulp van satellieten werden er oude riviernetwerken, megameren en sporen van verloren beschavingen ontdekt in en onder de woestijn.
Verder is gebleken dat de Sahara in een oogwenk is veranderd van een grasrijk landschap in dorre woestijn. Wat is er gebeurd?
We learn from our personal interaction with the world, and our memories of those experiences help guide our behaviors. Experience and memory are inexorably linked, or at least they seemed to be before a recent reporton the formation of completely artificial memories. Using laboratory animals, investigators reverse engineered a specific natural memory by mapped the brain circuits underlying its formation. They then “trained” another animal by stimulating brain cells in the pattern of the natural memory. Doing so created an artificial memory that was retained and recalled in a manner indistinguishable from a natural one.
Memories are essential to the sense of identity that emerges from the narrative of personal experience. This study is remarkable because it demonstrates that by manipulating specific circuits in the brain, memories can be separated from that narrative and formed in the complete absence of real experience. The work shows that brain circuits that normally respond to specific experiences can be artificially stimulated and linked together in an artificial memory. That memory can be elicited by the appropriate sensory cues in the real environment. The research provides some fundamental understanding of how memories are formed in the brain and is part of a burgeoning science of memory manipulation that includes the transfer, prosthetic enhancement and erasure of memory. These efforts could have a tremendous impact on a wide range of individuals, from those struggling with memory impairments to those enduring traumatic memories, and they also have broad social and ethical implications.
In the recent study, the natural memory was formed by training mice to associate a specific odor (cherry blossoms) with a foot shock, which they learned to avoid by passing down a rectangular test chamber to another end that was infused with a different odor (caraway).The caraway scent came from a chemical called carvone, while the cherry blossom scent came from another chemical, acetophenone.The researchers found that acetophenone activates a specific type of receptor on a discrete type of olfactory sensory nerve cell.
They then turned to a sophisticated technique, optogenetics, to activate those olfactory nerve cells. With optogenetics, light-sensitive proteins are used to stimulate specific neurons in response to light delivered to the brain through surgically implanted optic fibers. In their first experiments, the researchers used transgenic animals that only made the protein in acetophenone-sensitive olfactory nerves. By pairing the electrical foot shock with optogenetic light stimulation of the acetophenone-sensitive olfactory nerves, the researchers taught the animals to associate the shock with activity of these specific acetophenone-sensitive sensory nerves. By pairing the electrical foot shock with optogenetic light stimulation of the acetophenone-sensitive olfactory nerves, the researchers taught the animals to associate the two. When theylater tested the mice, they avoided the cherry blossom odor.
These first steps showed that the animals did not need to actually experience the odor to remember a connection between that smell and a noxious foot shock. But this was not a completely artificial memory, because the shock was still quite real. In order to construct an entirely artificial memory, the scientists needed to stimulate the brain in such a way as to mimic the nerve activity caused by the foot shock as well.
Earlier studies had shown that specific nerve pathways leading to a structure known as the ventral tegmental area (VTA) were important for the aversive nature of the foot shock. To create a truly artificial memory, the researchers needed to stimulate the VTA in the same way as they stimulated the olfactory sensory nerves, but the transgenic animals only made the light-sensitive proteins in those nerves. In order to use optogenetic stimulation, they stimulated the olfactory nerves in the same genetically engineered mice , and they employed a virus to place light-sensitive proteins in the VTA as well. They stimulated the olfactory receptors with light to simulate the odor of cherry blossoms, then stimulated the VTA to mimic the aversive foot shock. The animals recalled the artificial memory, responding to an odor they had never encountered by avoiding a shock they had never received.
For a long time, it has been a mystery how memories are formed in the brain—and what physical changes in the brain accompany their formation. In this study, the electrical stimulation of specific brain regions that led to a new memory also activated other brain regions known to be involved in memory formation, including an area called the basolateral amygdala. Because nerve cells communicate with one another through junctions called synapses, it has been assumed that changes in synaptic activity account for the formation of memories. In simple animals, such as the sea slugAplysia, memories can be transferred from one individual to another using RNA extracted from the one who experienced them. The RNA contains the codes for proteins made in the nerves of the animal associated with the memory. Memories have been partially transferred in rodents by using recordings of electrical activity of a trained animal’s memory center (the hippocampus) to stimulate similar patterns of nerve activity in a recipient animal. This process is similar to the new report described here, in that stimulating the electrical activity of specific neural circuits is used to elicit a memory. In the case of memory transfer, that pattern came from trained animals, whereas in the optogenetics study, the pattern of electrical activity associated with the memory was built de novo within brain of the mouse. This is the first report of a completely artificial memory, and it helps establish some fundamental understanding of how memories may be manipulated.
Research into memory and efforts to manipulate it have progressed at a rapid pace. A “memory prosthetic” designed to enhance its formation and recall by electrical stimulation of the memory center in the human brain has been developed with support from the Defense Advanced Research Projects Agency (DARPA). In contrast, memory erasure using what has been nicknamed the Eternal Sunshine drug (zeta inhibitory peptide, or ZIP)—after Eternal Sunshine of the Spotless Mind, a Hollywood movie with a mnemonic theme—is being developed to treat recollections of chronic pain.
There are legitimate motives underlying these efforts. Memory has been called “the scribe of the soul,” and it is the source of one’s personal history. Some people may seek to recover lost or partially lost memories. Others, such as those afflicted with post-traumatic stress disorder or chronic pain, might seek relief from traumatic memories by trying to erase them.
The methods used here to create artificial memories will not be employed in humans anytime soon: none of us are transgenic like the animals used in the experiment, nor are we likely to accept multiple implanted fiber-optic cables and viral injections. Nevertheless, as technologies and strategies evolve, the possibility of manipulating human memories becomes all the more real. And the involvement of military agencies such as DARPA invariably renders the motivations behind these efforts suspect. Are there things we all need to be afraid of or that we must or must not do? The dystopian possibilities are obvious.
Creating artificial memories brings us closer to learning how memories form and could ultimately help us understand and treat dreadful diseases such as Alzheimer’s. Memories, however, cut to the core of our humanity, and we need to be vigilant that any manipulations are approached ethically.
Well, pack it in kids, we’ve finally gone and done it. We reached grade A, genuine sci-fi dystopia. Scientists have now successfully created and implanted an artificial memory. That is, a memory of an event that never happened created from the ground up and implanted into an animal. They’ve only done it to a mouse so far, so we’ve still got a bit of time before this whole thing starts feeling like a David Lynch movie. But boy, oh boy, this definitely feels like one of those “so focused on if we could, we never stopped to think if we should” type of deals.
According to a recent article in the journal Naturetitled Memory formation in the absence of experience, scientists reverse engineered a memory to map the brain circuits involved in creating it—in this case the association of the smell of cherry blossoms with an electrical shock to the foot—then artificially implanted that memory in a mouse. Tests showed that the mouse behaved as if it actually remembered being shocked in the foot whenever it smelled cherry blossoms, despite the mouse never having been shocked nor been exposed to the scent of cherry blossoms.
Even ones that never happened!
Previous research had shown that it was possible to partially transfer memories from one rodent to another via reproducing the electrical activity associated with a specific memory in one mouse and jolting it into the brain of another mouse. This new experiment is different. This time the memory was created completely artificially from the ground up. This consisted of a few parts.
First, they used a technique called optogenetics. This involves fiber optic cables surgically implanted into the olfactory region of the mice’s brain so that light can be used to turn on proteins associated with specific smells. To do that, the mice had to be genetically engineered to only produce the light-sensitive protein in the region associated with acetophenone—AKA the scent of cherry blossoms. Now they could artificially create the scent of cherry blossoms in the brain of a mouse.
So we’re already into some wacky stuff, but don’t worry. It gets wackier.
The scientists identified the region of the brain responsible for creating an aversion to being shocked in the foot, an area called the ventral tegmental area (VTA). To link the two regions together, scientists then used a virus (yes, that’s correct) to implant those same light-sensitive proteins into the VTA. This way, they could use light to stimulate both regions at once. Fake memories at the speed of light.
And it worked. The mice were then placed in a rectangular chamber, one end of which smelled like cherry blossoms, while the other smelled like caraway. The mice avoided the end that smelled like cherry blossoms, because they remembered being shocked by it. In an article for Scientific American, Robert Marcone puts it this way:
The animals recalled the artificial memory, responding to an odor they had never encountered by avoiding a shock they had never received.
A little poke here, a little twist there, and you’ll remember that time you were the king of France.
Now, this is still a long ways off from being used in humans. But it is an active area of research. Of course it is important to study memory. Dementia and Alzheimer’s disease are nothing but tragedies, and the memory of trauma can take hold over a person’s life and never let go. It’s a very important area of study, but we must be careful. If there was a way to Eternal Sunshine of the Spotless Mind away painful events, would you do it? Maybe not, but someone would. Would you implant a fake memory of a trip around the world, or how about a fake memory of hitting a walk-off home run, just to boost your confidence and self image? How many companies— companies that already specialize in creating false narratives and self images built like houses of cards—are already working to sell you that walk-off home run?
Research like this is like playing with fire. That’s a neutral statement; playing with fire brought us down from the trees and allowed us to build a civilization, overcome the bounds of gravity, and put people on the moon. But it can also burn your house to the ground.
While most of Brazil is focused on the out-of-control fires in the Amazon (and rightly so), a few people are excited about new information and a possible new release of previously classified documents which revealed unbelievable details about an “invasion of UFOs” in 2008 that brought with them “luminous beings.” Why are they calling it an “invasion,” what were these luminous beings and what else might the Brazilian Air Force and government be hiding?
“It all started around 10 pm on a Wednesday night, November 19, 2008, just before Brazil’s match against Portugal, when from her apartment, Mrs. Renata Veloso Guerck Austriaco spotted a hexagonal light object accompanied of two other spherical flying objects that rotated under its orbit. As the UFO approached the Nossa Senhora Aparecida church, the streetlights of the Bela Vista neighborhood had a blackout, extinguishing block by block. From that moment, several claudienses began to observe the strange lights flying over the city and arriving to land in the countryside, along the MG 260 highway.”
That Google translation of Portuguese comes from a recent investigative report in the Brazilian media source saudedomeio.com, which brings readers up-to-date on the original 2008 sighting in Cláudio, a city in the state of Minas Gerais in southeastern Brazil. Police officers called to the scene said “We saw an oval-shaped, rectangular-shaped perched object, the size and appearance of a wheelless minibus, emitting white light, like a xenon headlight. This light came out of an opening that cut through the middle of that object. Then he went up until we lost sight of him.” Multiple witnesses reported seeing the lights over the next few days. (Photograph here.)
In 2015, investigators from Ovni Pesquia (UFO Search) magazine requested and received police documents which revealed much more. On November 20, two officers reported seeing aliens.
“We saw two luminous beings, about three feet tall, gliding through the reeds. We were in the Mitsubishi pickup truck on a back road when Sergeant William saw something in the woods. He turned the car 13533 towards the ‘luminous beings’, as we approached (15 or 20 meters), they began to slide through the reeds. We were about 20 km / h and these continued forward and to the right, it was noticeable that those things ‘walked’ without touching the ground. We saw no feet, no toes, but we saw arms, legs, and oval heads, and though they were bright, they did not illuminate.”
Illustration of another luminous being with oval head
The witnesses believed the aliens controlled their thoughts because they later had headaches, confusion, anxiety and a period of unaccountable time. The report states that other non-military witnesses had similar alien contacts and also reported electrical problems with their cars.
That brings us to new information uncovered in February of 2019 by investigators from Ovni Pesquia. They interviewed the witness who took the photographs (Corporal Rabelo) who revealed he was visited by “military personnel from Lagoa Santa Air Base” who took away his digital photo cards (luckily, he had a backup) and told him what he saw was “artificial gas burning.” Rabelo told the magazine investigators that the “artificial gas” looked more like a “two-story wheelless minibus UFO” that was also seen by another witness they interviewed as well, who told them this:
“It was the size of a truck, a minibus! It made no noise, just floated. I saw the reeds shine, because it was a very bright light. It looked like it had fire inside, very strange color.”
Were the aliens just making a pit stop?
Based on that, UFO Search investigators made yet another request through the Citizen Information Service for the official report, a reported sketch and the photos. That was in late February and, as of this writing of the new report in saudedomeio.com this week, they have received nothing and are crying cover-up:
“Will we have news of this “invasion” or will our Brazilian Air Force continue to cover the facts in that mining city? This is the question that doesn’t want to shut up!” }Will they ever get the secret report? Will they get a visit from mysterious men asking questions and taking their photo cards?
Uranus is one of the solar system’s most mysterious planets.
Scientists had long believed that the “ice giant” world has clouds of hydrogen sulfide, a compound that smells bad to people, but they couldn’t be certain.
New telescope observations confirm the planet is clouded by the chemical.
The discovery may help astronomers further unravel the twisted history of the solar system‘s formation.
Foto: NASA/JPL-Caltech A photo of Uranus taken by Voyager 2 in 1986 (edited to show its moon and rings).
Uranus, the seventh planet from the sun, has held a vital (and smelly) secret of the solar system for decades.
An international team of researchers reported on Monday that they’ve discovered evidence that Uranus holds one of the most unpleasant-smelling chemicals known to humankind.
“They found hydrogen sulfide, the odiferous gas that most people avoid, in Uranus’s cloud tops,” according to a press release from Gemini Observatory, a high-power telescope atop a Hawaiian volcano.
Voyager 2was the only spacecraft ever to visit the chilly, blue-green “ice giant.” The probe tried to see which chemicals were in Uranus’ clouds during its 1986 flyby, but it couldn’t tell scientists for certain.
Now, however, astronomers have used an instrument at the Gemini Observatory to “sniff” the planet’s gases from Earth. Their discovery could help write the book on when and where the planets of the solar system formed – and if they ever switched places.
“This is evidence of a big shakeup early on in the solar system’s formation,” Glenn Orton, a co-author of the new study and a planetary scientist at NASA’s Jet Propulsion Laboratory, told Business Insider. “There was definitely a migration taking place.”
The journal Nature Astronomy published the findings on Monday.
Why it took so long to detect Uranus’s stinky clouds
Foto: The Gemini North telescope at Mauna Kea, Hawaii, which is part of the Gemini Observatory project.sourceDave Mosher
The reason most people avoid hydrogen sulfide is because the compound is a signature ingredient in the scent of rotten eggs – and farts.
Humans can smell hydrogen sulfide when it makes up as little as three out of every billion molecules in the air, the EPA says. At higher concentrations, such as near volcanic areas, it can be poisonous. Breathing a concentration of a few hundred parts per million can kill a person in about half an hour, according to the Centers for Disease Control.
“If an unfortunate human were ever to descend through Uranus’s clouds, they would be met with very unpleasant and odiferous conditions,” Patrick Irwin, a physicist at the University of Oxford who led the new study, said in the press release. But he added that “suffocation and exposure” to Uranus’ -200 degree Celsius temperatures “would take its toll long before the smell.”
Researchers had long suspected that Uranus’s atmosphere was laced with hydrogen sulfide, and in concentrations dozens of times higher than at Saturn or Jupiter.
They couldn’t be certain, though, since Uranus orbits the sun from 1.85 billion miles away.
The vast distance, aside from making the planet distant and difficult to study, leads to blisteringly cold temperatures that freezes hydrogen sulfide. Hydrogen-sulfide ice can form clouds, but the solid crystals are hard for chemical-analyzing instruments called spectrometers to study. (The method works far better with liquids and gases.)
Irwin and others suspected there were at least whiffs of hydrogen sulfide gas drifting above the clouds. And now, thanks to an extremely sensitive Gemini instrument that can see light invisible to humans, Irwin said scientists “have the fingerprint which caught the culprit.”
Why the discovery might ‘shake up’ ideas about the solar system’s evolution
Foto: An artist’s conception of the dust and gas surrounding a newly formed planetary system. source NASA
Astronomers like Irwin have an interest in hydrogen sulfide on Uranus that goes far beyond the gas’ smell.
The discovery of hydrogen sulfide may help piece together the story of how the solar system formed and arranged itself some 4.6 billion years ago. Figuring out the exact makeup of distant planets could help determine where in the solar system they first formed – and how far they migrated away from the sun afterward.
Like all planets, Uranus and Neptune formed from a giant disk of gas and dust that shrouded the sun some 4.6 billion years ago. The planets are mostly made of heavier elements, and didn’t balloon with lightweight hydrogen and helium gases.
“Uranus and Neptune never had the time to grow into gas giants like Jupiter and Saturn,” Imke de Pater, an astronomer at the University of California Berkeley who wasn’t involved in the study, wrote in an accompanying article in Nature Astronomy. “The composition of a celestial body is a fundamental parameter in determining its formation and evolutionary history.”
The two planets failed to become gas giants (and instead became “ice giants”) for two main reasons.
First, the solar system’s early disk of dust and gas grew more diffuse farther out from the sun. With less material available, it took Uranus and Neptune longer to form.
Second, this slower formation gave the sun more time to blow hydrogen and helium out of the solar system with its stellar winds – before Uranus and Neptune could grow massive enough to capture it with their gravity.
“Giant planets form really fast, in a few million years,” Kevin Walsh, who studies planet formation at the Southwest Research Institute in Colorado, told Space.com in March. “That creates a time limit because the gas disk around the sun only lasts 4 to 5 million years.”
Scientists agree on this much, but Orton said they have “too many theories” about the migration of Uranus and Neptune, which came next.
Foto: A true-color photo of Uranus (left) and a false color image (right) taken at the turn of 1986 by NASA’s Voyager 2 probe. source NASA/JPL-Caltech
One leading idea says the planets coalesced millions of miles closer to the sun, then quickly migrated outward.
But Orton said the newly detected hydrogen sulfide – and a strange lack of ammonia in the Gemini Observatory readings – suggest the planets actually formed farther out, then moved inward. (The ratio of the two molecules suggests the worlds were once even colder than they are today.)
To solve the question once and for all, Orton says researchers need to send spacecraft to plunge through the clouds of Uranus, not unlike how the Cassini probe dove into Saturn. The goal: figure out the exact abundances of hydrogen sulfide and ammonia, among other gases, and use the readings to pin the exact birth locations of Uranus and Neptune.
“We’re working on that now,” Orton said, referring to a proposal for a new Uranus probe.
A massive planetary embryo may have hit Jupiter 4.5 billion years ago.
This Hubble Space Telescope view of Jupiter, taken on June 27, 2019, reveals the giant planet's trademark Great Red Spot, and a more intense color palette in the clouds swirling in Jupiter's turbulent atmosphere than seen in previous years. One new study suggest that the gas giant's dilute core was formed by a massive collision billions of years ago.
About 4.5 billion years ago, a young Jupiter collided head-on with a planetary embryo 10 times more massive than Earth. This giant impact formed Jupiter's dilute core, which contains hydrogen and helium, one new study suggests.
Before NASA's Juno mission launched to orbit and study Jupiter, scientists thought that the planet's core was dense and compact. "Astronomers assumed that Jupiter has a small compact core with a mass ranging from 5 to 20 Earth masses," lead study author Shangfei Liu of Sun Yat-sen University in Zhuhai, China, said in an email to Space.com.
This was assumed because Jupiter started off as a rocky and icy planetary embryo. However, studies using data from Juno found that the planet has an extended, dilute core — a core that is not only made up of rocky material and ice, but also hydrogen and helium. This "also means there is no sharp transition between the core and the envelope as we previously envisioned from planet formation theory," Liu said. This dilute core is something that scientists determined could not form naturally.
According to one new study, Jupiter's dilute core was formed by a collision with a massive, planetary embryo. This impact can be seen in this visualization.
(Image credit: Astrobiology Center, Japan)
"That's why we came up with the impact idea: Jupiter was smacked head-on by another massive planetary embryo (about 10 Earth masses) shortly after its formation," Liu said. "Such a catastrophic collision destroyed Jupiter's primordial compact core, and a dilute-core-like structure was formed."
The cores of both the young Jupiter and the planetary embryo merged in this violent impact, the authors of this new study suggest. The materials from both of these cores partially mixed with Jupiter's gaseous envelope, which can be detected in the planet's structure still today.
According to one new study, led by researcher Shangfei Liu, Jupiter's dilute core was created by a collision with a massive planetary embryo. This figure from the study visualizes that collision.
(Image credit: Shangfei Liu)
When Jupiter began building the massive, gaseous envelope that surrounds its core, "its mass increases about 30 times in a fraction of a million years," Liu said. This process, known as the runaway gas accretion stage, disturbed planetary embryos that were developing nearby.
"Through computational simulations, we show that there is at least 40% chance that Jupiter would collide with another planetary embryo in the next few million years," Liu added.
The team determined that the developing planet that collided with Jupiter must have been about 10 times the mass of the Earth, because "smaller impactors cannot penetrate Jupiter's massive envelope," Liu said. Additionally, the collision must have been head-on, because if the object didn't hit Jupiter directly, it would slowly sink toward the center instead of destroying the planet's core, as it would have less impact energy.
Surprise Discovery Reveals Ancient City of Troy is 5,500 Years Old
The city of Troy has fascinated people for millennia. Once thought to be purely mythological, the lost city emerged as a real place in history when it was discovered in Turkey by Heinrich Schliemannin the 1870s. Archaeologists in Turkey have now made a surprising discovery indicating the ancient city could be 600 years older than previously believed. This could transform our understanding of the historic city and our past.
Experts from the Archaeology Department of Canakkale Onsekiz Mart University (COMU) have been working on the archaeological site of Troy in recent years.
Troy is located in Turkey’s north-western Çanakkale province. It is located on a mound or tell, Hisarlık overlooking the Aegean. Troy has been a UNESCO World Heritage Site since 1988 and in 2018 the Turkish government celebrated the 20th anniversary of the awarding of this accolade.
The ruins of the legendary ancient city of Troy in Turkey.
Troy was immortalized by the legendary Greek poet Homer in his epic poem The Iliad . The work was a key text in the Classical World and is often regarded as the first work in Western Literature. The historicity of the city was proven by German archaeologist Heinrich Schliemann in the 1870s, who is regarded as one of the founders of modern archaeology. The Daily Sabahreports that Troy was the setting of the ‘‘Greek Trojan War in which Spartan and Achaean warriors from Greece besieged the city in 13th century B.C’’.
When Schliemann found the site, he believed that he had found evidence of the Trojan War that was so famously portrayed in the epic poem The Iliad . The German even named gold items he found after characters in the Homeric poem, such as ‘ Priam’s treasure’ and ‘Helen’s jewels’. However, there is much more to the history of the city than the reputed Greek and Trojan war.
Troy was destroyed and rebuilt many times over the millennia. It was built on a very strategic site and was as a result possibly attacked many times by invaders. The city may also have been burnt down accidentally. Moreover, earthquakes also may have destroyed the legendary city.
Since the 19 th century, ‘‘a total of 10 layers of settlements were discovered’’ reports Greece High Definition . Experts have called the layers Troy I to Troy XI. The first layer was found by Schliemann and every layer found since has been numbered and they have yielded many artifacts. These layers all represent settlements from Bronze Age cultures to the Byzantine Empire.
The Original Troy
The new layer which indicates a previously unknown destroyed settlement on the site has been termed Troy 0. Rüstem Aslan of COMU told the Daily Sabbah. "We found traces of burns, pottery and wooden beams in the Troy 0 layer". The archaeologists had found evidence for the earliest occupation of the location.
Based on the evidence found previously it was believed that the city was approximately 4,900 years old and dated to the Bronze Age. However, the latest discovery would indicate that the city was first established around 3,500 BC. This means that the settlement to the south of the Dardanelles dates back an astonishing 5,500 years. According to Greece High Definition , this ‘‘suggests the area may have been used as a settlement more than six centuries earlier than previously known’’.
The Enigma of Troy
Based on the various layers found at the ancient site, it appears the city had a very ancient and complex history. The latest finds, according to Argophila ‘‘may reshape our view of this fascinating ancient city’’. Historians are hoping the new layer at Troy may also provide new information not only on the evolution of the city but also on Bronze Age societies. Given the cultural and historic significance of the storied city, any future investigations will be closely followed around the globe.
Top image: Fresco of the battle of Troy. Credit: quasarphotos / Adobe Stock
The most recent social media movement regarding UFOs and Aliens involves Area 51. The idea is that a few hundred thousand people will attempt to #StormArea51 in search of UFOs and dead/alive alien bodies. Arguably, this can be blamed on various factors such as Bob Lazars appearance on Joe Rogan and an increased public interest in the UFO phenomena in recent years.
The idea of storming Area 51 is a joke, it is unlikely that most anyone will take the movement seriously or actually turn up. The secret military in Nevada base is most famously known for its development of advanced, next generation aircraft. However, some claims over the years have suggested there are other areas (S4) connected to the base that have crashed flying saucers. Bob Lazar being the most credible person to make such claims.
Area 51 itself doesn’t have UFOs, or aliens, and even if they ever did they would have been surely moved after the first unauthorised leak of the base by Bob back in 1989.
Despite the idiocy, illegal and bat-spit craziness of the idea of actively taking control of Area 51 there is something to be said for the baseline concept. Disclosing the secrets that are held by parts of the United States government on UFOs and Aliens, whatever they may actually be.
Tom Delonge, the head of To The Stars Academy (TTSA) took to social media (before deleting the tweets) to give an overview about the nature of the secrecy. TTSA have been working with congress to change the nature of national security policy regarding how UFOs are reported by military pilots.
Interestingly, Tom eludes to the fact the government does have detailed information, technology and ‘biological treasures’ aka dead aliens in jars. TTSA are working within the system to change the system, they aren’t tying to break it. The problem is that illegally storming Area 51 will bring about not much. Maybe a lot of violence. The movement may do better to peacefully demonstrate the request for congress to change policy, so that in time we can all see what the true reality actually is.
Nearly 40,000 fires are burning in Brazil’s Amazon rainforest, the latest outbreak in an overactive fire season. Don’t blame dry weather, say environmentalists. These Amazonian wildfires are a human-made disaster.
Smoke billows from a fire in the Amazon rainforest near Humaita, in the state of Amazonas, in the northwest corner of Brazil, on August 17, 2019.
Nearly 40,000 firesare incinerating Brazil’s Amazon rainforest, the latest outbreak in an overactive fire season that has charred 1,330 square miles (2,927 square km) of the rainforest this year.
Don’t blame dry weather for the swift destruction of the world’s largest tropical forest, say environmentalists. These Amazonian wildfires are a human-made disaster, set by loggers and cattle ranchers who use a “slash and burn” method to clear land. Feeding off very dry conditions, some of those fires have spread out of control.
Brazil has long struggled to preserve the Amazon, sometimes called the “lungs of the world” because it produces 20% of the world’s oxygen. Despite the increasingly strict environmental protections of recent decades, about a quarter of this massive rainforest is already gone – an area the size of Texas.
Deforestation in the Amazon has spiked since the election last year of the far-right President Jair Bolsonaro. Arguing that federal conservation zones and hefty fines for cutting down trees hinder economic growth, Bolsonaro has slashed Brazil’s strict environmental regulations.
There’s no evidence to support Bolsonaro’s view, Garrett says. She said:
Food production in the Amazon has substantially increased since 2004.
The increased production has been pushed by federal policies meant to discourage land clearing, such as hefty fines for deforestation and low-interest loans for investing in sustainable agricultural practices. Farmers are now planting and harvesting two crops – mostly soybeans and corn – each year, rather than just one.
Garrett’s research found that improved pasture management in line with stricter federal land use policies led the number of cattle slaughtered annually per acre to double. She wrote:
Farmers are producing more meat – and therefore earning more money – with their land.
Locations of fires, marked in orange, detected by NASA’s MODIS satellite from August 15 to August 22, 2019.
President Bolsonaro is also pushing forward an ambitious infrastructure development plan that would turn the Amazon’s many waterways into electricity generators.
The Brazilian government has long wanted to build a series of big new hydroelectric dams, including on the Tapajós River, the Amazon’s only remaining undammed river. But the indigenous Munduruku people, who live near the Tapajós River, have stridently opposed this idea.
According to Robert T. Walker, a University of Florida professor who has conducted environmental research in the Amazon for 25 years:
The Munduruku have until now successfully slowed down and seemingly halted many efforts to profit off the Tapajós.
But Bolsonaro’s government is less likely than his predecessors to respect indigenous rights. One of his first moves in office was to transfer responsibilities for demarcating indigenous lands from the Brazilian Ministry of Justice to the decidedly pro-development Ministry of Agriculture.
And, Walker notes, Bolsonaro’s Amazon development plans are part of a broader South American project, conceived in 2000, to build continental infrastructure that provides electricity for industrialization and facilitates trade across the region.
For the Brazilian Amazon, that means not just new dams but also “webs of waterways, rail lines, ports and roads” that will get products like soybeans, corn and beef to market, according to Walker. He said:
This plan is far more ambitious than earlier infrastructure projects that damaged the Amazon.
If Bolsonaro’s plan moves forward, he estimates that fully 40 percent of the Amazon could be deforested.
3. Road-choked streams
Roads, most of them dirt, already criss-cross the Amazon.
That came as a surprise to Cecilia Gontijo Leal, a Brazilian researcher who studies tropical fish habitats. She wrote:
I imagined that my field work would be all boat rides on immense rivers and long jungle hikes. In fact, all my research team needed was a car.
Perched culverts disrupt the water flow of Amazonian streams, isolating fish.
Image via Catesby Holmes.
Traveling on rutted mud roads to take water samples from streams across Brazil’s Pará state, Leal realized that the informal “bridges” of this locally built transportation network must be impacting Amazonian waterways. So she decided to study that, too. She said:
We found that makeshift road crossings cause both shore erosion and silt buildup in streams. This worsens water quality, hurting the fish that thrive in this delicately balanced habitat.
The ill-designed road crossings – which feature perched culverts that disrupt water flow – also act as barriers to movement, preventing fish from finding places to feed, breed and take shelter.
4. Rewilding tropical forests
The fires now consuming vast swaths of the Amazon are the latest repercussion of development in the Amazon.
Set by farmers likely emboldened by their president’s anti-conservation stance, the blazes emit so much smoke that on August 20 it blotted out the midday sun in the city of São Paulo, 1,700 miles (2,736 km) away. The fires are still multiplying, and peak dry season is still a month away.
Apocalyptic as this sounds, science suggests it’s not too late to save the Amazon.
Tropical forests destroyed by fire, logging, land-clearing and roads can be replanted, say ecologists Robin Chazdon and Pedro Brancalion.
Using satellite imagery and the latest peer-reviewed research on biodiversity, climate change and water security, Chazdon and Brancalion identified 385,000 square miles (997,145 square km) of “restoration hotspots” – areas where restoring tropical forests would be most beneficial, least costly and lowest risk. Chazon wrote:
Although these second-growth forests will never perfectly replace the older forests that have been lost, planting carefully selected trees and assisting natural recovery processes can restore many of their former properties and functions.
The five countries with the most tropical restoration potential are Brazil, Indonesia, India, Madagascar and Colombia.
Editor’s note: This story is a roundup of articles from The Conversation’s archives.
It's just over 50 years since the the Apollo 11 mission first landed humans on the moon, and (finally) the world's space agencies are now setting their sights on a new, ambitious target. It's quite possible that the next generation of astronauts may include the first person to set foot on Mars.
But if that's going to be the case, there's plenty of work to do yet. Successfully landing on Mars will mean overcoming a whole new set of challenges.
"We are not born to live in space – for us, space is still a hostile environment," says Tommaso Ghidini, head of the structures, mechanisms and materials division at the European Space Agency (ESA).
While it took days to the reach the moon, it's months or even years for the red planet. A zero gravity environment, loneliness and isolation, and a dangerous environment beyond the reach of traditional medical care all add up to make the journey to Mars one filled with risk.
For starters, astronauts on their way to Mars will need to deal with the higher levels of radiation that come with a journey outside the Earth's atmosphere and magnetic field. According to the ESA's ExoMars Trace Gas Orbiter, one single journey to Mars could see astronauts racking up 60% of the total radiation they should be exposed to in their entire lives – much more than their counterparts on the International Space Station, and several hundred times more than a human back on Earth would face in the same period. Increased radiation exposure is linked to a number of cancers, particularly leukaemia, so future Mars missions will need to develop new ways to cut the levels of carcinogens that astronauts are subjected to.
The solution, according to Ghidini, is some elegant engineering. Hydrogen-containing substances are proven to be good at protecting against radiation, which would mean water could be used as a protective layer within Mars-bound spacecraft. But water is both heavy and bulky, and very expensive to transport into space.
So the ESA is planning to use the fluids that are already onboard – like drinking water for the astronauts or propellants – and store them around areas where the astronauts sleep to give them the best radiation for the longest time. "That way, the water that you have to bring anyway is doing another noble function – protecting the astronauts," Ghidini says.
Water-lined space suits, with fluids concentrated around blood-producing areas of the body, which are already being tested on the ISS, would also be deployed to reduce radiation exposure.
A prolonged lack of gravity, both in space and on Mars, is another problem. As new bone forms along lines of stress; regular weight bearing exercise (even if it's just carrying your own body weight) is needed to stop bone withering away. As space is close to a zero G environment, astronauts experience little stress on their bones, and so fall victim to osteoporosis, a condition where bones can thin and fracture more easily.
While osteoporosis is a common condition on Earth, the near zero G environment in space could cause a new problem for astronauts' bones: they may be at risk of shattering, rather than fracturing as they might here on Earth. Astronauts will need to have a way of replacing any bone that may beyond repair.
The answer, says Ghidini, could lie in 3D bioprinting, where human skin, bones, and even organs could be printed on-demand in spacecraft or on the planet's surface.
Having on-demand replacement bones and organs available to Mars astronauts is one thing, but having the skills onboard the spacecraft when you need them to do the surgery is another.
"Once you have started the mission, you cannot abort it – you can't come back if you have a medical issue. You have to be able to heal the astronaut," Ghidini says.
Using robotic surgery equipment remotely operated by Earth-bound surgeons would seem like the ideal solution to onboard medical emergencies, but there's a 40-minute lag between a communication from Earth reaching Mars due to the distances involved – not the near real-time link that telemedicine would need.
Instead, one of the Mars crew would need to be the designated surgeon. If an emergency did strike, medical experts on earth could build a simulation of the astronaut-patient, which could be used by the astronaut-surgeon to practice on via an augmented reality (AR) headset, until they felt skilled enough to undertake the real surgery. The ISS has already tested the use of AR to help walk astronauts through new projects.
Space is a lonely place, so mental health is crucial.
Getty Images/iStockphoto
But the health problems that could dog a Mars mission would not only be physical: trapped in a small box floating through empty space with the same handful people for years would put a strain on anyone.
Keeping astronauts in good mental health is another priority for the ESA's researchers. The International Space Station is already seeing the first fruits of its work into mental health in the shape of an AI-equipped robot known as CIMON. It could eventually be used to help monitor and improve an astronaut's mood.
Keeping astronauts entertained is another way of helping their mental health hold up. Food, according to Ghidini, will be one source of distraction for the space travellers.
"We need to have, from an eating perspective, something that is more like an event – it's more social, it's even cultural. It's something where you stay together, you use your creativity, and you relax," he says.
That means cooking. Astronauts could be able to use 3D printing used to create meals with a sense of occasion, a break from a non-stop diet of pouches of dehydrated food. Ghidini's team has already 3D printed a pizza to show how on-demand food could help break the monotony of space dining.
Technologies developed as part of the race for space have now become commonplace: the CT scanner that was developed to test the structural integrity of materials used in the shuttle is now found in hospitals worldwide, while filters developed to recycle astronauts' urine inspired the filters used around the world to purify contaminated or unclean water.
Ghidini hopes that technology created for future Mars missions will eventually be used to improve the conditions for people here. And those next-generation technologies will have to be greener, too.
"We want to go to Mars in a respectful manner, and avoid the mistakes we have done on Earth. We want to go and do recycling on a massive scale – that's the way you do a mission like that, there is no other way. You have to recycle all the equipment, you have to use the resources you find in situ, and that is another lesson we need to bring back to Earth," Ghidini says.
Perhaps space travel will ultimately lend humanity a better perspective on its home planet.
"We are going to Mars because, first of all, we want to protect the Earth much better. Mars was an Earth before, and then it aged incredibly fast – we don't know why – and became what it is today, a cold desert with a mainly CO2 atmosphere. We want to understand what happened to Mars in order to avoid that it happens on Earth."
Explorations on Mars could point the way to new opportunities back on Earth.
Here's yet another reminder that alien worlds are far stranger and more diverse than our own solar system might suggest.
Astronomers just found a giant exoplanet three times more massive than Jupiter that loops around its host star on a highly elliptical path.
If this alien planet, known as HR 5183 b, were magically dropped into our solar system, its orbit would reach inside that of Jupiter but extend way out beyond the path of Neptune, discovery team members said.
This animated graphic shows the bizarre looping orbit of the alien planet HR 5183 b as compared to the orbits of planets in our own solar system. It takes between 45 and 100 years to complete one orbit, scientists say.
(Image credit: W. M. Keck Observatory/Adam Makarenko)
"This planet is unlike the planets in our solar system, but more than that, it is unlike any other exoplanets we have discovered so far," Sarah Blunt, a graduate student at the California Institute of Technology (Caltech) in Pasadena and lead author of a new study announcing the existence of HR 5183 b, said in a statement.
"Other planets detected far away from their stars tend to have very low eccentricities, meaning that their orbits are more circular," Blunt added. "The fact that this planet has such a high eccentricity speaks to some difference in the way that it either formed or evolved relative to the other planets."
HR 5183 b orbits a star that lies about 100 light-years from Earth. Blunt and her colleagues found the planet using the radial velocity method, which looks for the gravitational tugs a world exerts on its host star.
The research team has been watching the parent star with several different telescopes since the 1990s. That's not long enough to capture a full orbit of the newfound world, which takes between 45 and 100 Earth years.
But the astronomers were still able to confirm HR 5183 b's existence, showing that the radial-velocity method can identify planets even with such partial information.
"This planet spends most of its time loitering in the outer part of its star's planetary system in this highly eccentric orbit; then, it starts to accelerate in and does a slingshot around its star," study team member Andrew Howard, an astronomy professor at Caltech, said in the same statement.
"We detected this slingshot motion," Howard added. "We saw the planet come in, and now it's on its way out. That creates such a distinctive signature that we can be sure that this is a real planet, even though we haven't seen a complete orbit."
The magnitude of HR 5183 b's gravitational tug allowed the team to calculate the planet's mass: about three times that of Jupiter.
The exoplanet almost certainly started life on a circular path but then had its orbit reshaped by a gravitational encounter, probably with a similarly sized neighbor world, study team members said.
HR 5183 b reinforces a cosmic truth: Our Milky Way galaxy is studded with a staggering array of planets. There are worlds with three parent stars and "rogues" that zoom through space alone, forever in the dark. There are huge "hot Jupiters" that circle their parents in just a few Earth days, and there are big worlds like HR 5183 b that take decades to complete a lap.
"Copernicus taught us that Earth is not the center of the solar system, and as we expanded into discovering other solar systems of exoplanets, we expected them to be carbon copies of our own solar system," Howard said.
"But it's just been one surprise after another in this field," he added. "This newfound planet is another example of a system that is not the image of our solar system but has remarkable features that make our universe incredibly rich in its diversity."
The new study will appear in The Astronomical Journal.
Mike Wall's book about the search for alien life, "Out There" (Grand Central Publishing, 2018; illustrated byKarl Tate), is out now. Follow him on Twitter @michaeldwall. Follow us on Twitter@Spacedotcom orFacebook.
Starhopper is passing the test-flight torch to orbital prototypes.
Starhopper's biggest leap was also its last.
SpaceX's first prototype for its Mars-colonizing Starship vehicle aced its final test flight today (Aug. 27), rising several hundred feet off the ground at the company's facility in the tiny South Texas town of Boca Chica.
Starhopper lifted off just after 6 p.m. EDT (2200 GMT; 5 p.m. local Texas time), reached a hover altitude and then flew sideways to touch town at a separate nearby landing pad. The entire flight lasted just 57 seconds.
"Congrats SpaceX team!!" SpaceX CEO Elon Musk wrote on Twitter just after the flight.
SpaceX launched its Starhopper rocket prototype on its highest flight ever on Aug. 27, 2019. The reusable hopping rocket flew from one pad to the other, with a targeted 500-foot (150 meters) ceiling at SpaceX's South Texas test site near Boca Chica Village.
(Image credit: SpaceX)
SpaceX launched its Starhopper rocket prototype on its highest flight ever on Aug. 27, 2019. The reusable hopping rocket flew from one pad to the other, with a targeted 500-foot (150 meters) ceiling at SpaceX's South Texas test site near Boca Chica Village.
(Image credit: SpaceX)
SpaceX launched its Starhopper rocket prototype on its highest flight ever on Aug. 27, 2019. The reusable hopping rocket flew from one pad to the other, with a targeted 500-foot (150 meters) ceiling at SpaceX's South Texas test site near Boca Chica Village.
(Image credit: SpaceX)
SpaceX launched its Starhopper rocket prototype on its highest flight ever on Aug. 27, 2019. The reusable hopping rocket flew from one pad to the other, with a targeted 500-foot (150 meters) ceiling at SpaceX's South Texas test site near Boca Chica Village.
(Image credit: SpaceX)
SpaceX launched its Starhopper rocket prototype on its highest flight ever on Aug. 27, 2019. The reusable hopping rocket flew from one pad to the other, with a targeted 500-foot (150 meters) ceiling at SpaceX's South Texas test site near Boca Chica Village.
(Image credit: SpaceX)
SpaceX launched its Starhopper rocket prototype on its highest flight ever on Aug. 27, 2019. The reusable hopping rocket flew from one pad to the other, with a targeted 500-foot (150 meters) ceiling at SpaceX's South Texas test site near Boca Chica Village.
(Image credit: SpaceX)
SpaceX launched its Starhopper rocket prototype on its highest flight ever on Aug. 27, 2019. The reusable hopping rocket flew from one pad to the other, with a targeted 500-foot (150 meters) ceiling at SpaceX's South Texas test site near Boca Chica Village.
(Image credit: SpaceX)
The ceiling for today's flight was 150 meters (about 500 feet), SpaceX founder and CEO Elon Musk said via Twitter this week. That limit was imposed by the U.S. Federal Aviation Administration, which grants licenses for launches and test flights.
So, today's leap was quite a bit higher than Starhopper's three previous forays off of terra firma. The first two, conducted in early April, produced barely any separation between the craft and the ground; Starhopper was tethered for safety's sake both times. The prototype was first unleashed on July 25; the vehicle rose an estimated 65 feet (20 m) into the Texas sky.
Starhopper is powered by a single Raptor, the next-generation engine that SpaceX is developing for use on Starship and its giant rocket partner, Super Heavy. The 100-passenger Starship will have six Raptors and the Super Heavy will sport 35, with space for two more on the rocket, Musk has said.
Those numbers could change, however. The billionaire entrepreneur has promised to give a Starship design update soon after Starhopper's final flight.
Starhopper now hands the test-flight reins to two orbital prototypes, which SpaceX calls Starship Mk1 and Mk2. The company is building Mk1 in Boca Chica and Mk2 on Florida's Space Coast, reasoning that a little intra-company competition will improve the final Starship design.
Both Mk1 and Mk2 will be powered by at least three Raptors, Musk has said. The test launches of these prototypes will pave the way for operational Starship flights, which could begin as early as 2021.
Those first few commercial liftoffs will probably loft communications satellites. But the first passenger trip could follow shortly thereafter; Japanese billionaire Yusaku Maezawa has booked a Starship flight around the moon, with a target launch date of 2023.
Mars missions will be next, if all goes according to plan. Indeed, that's SpaceX's ultimate goal; Musk has repeatedly said that he founded the company back in 2002 primarily to help humanity colonize the Red Planet and become a multiplanet species.
Starhopper's flying days may be done, but the stubby prototype will be retasked rather than put out to pasture.
"Yes, last flight for Hopper. If all goes well, it will become a vertical test stand for Raptor," Musk said via Twitter on Saturday.
Mike Wall's book about the search for alien life, "Out There" (Grand Central Publishing, 2018; illustrated byKarl Tate), is out now. Follow him on Twitter @michaeldwall. Follow us on Twitter@Spacedotcom orFacebook.
In the early 1990s, one thing was fairly certain about the expansion of the universe. It might have enough energy density to stop its expansion and recollapse, it might have so little energy density that it would never stop expanding, but gravity was certain to slow the expansion as time went on. Granted, the slowing had not been observed, but, theoretically, the universe had to slow. The universe is full of matter and the attractive force of gravity pulls all matter together. Then came 1998 and the Hubble Space Telescope (HST) observations of very distant supernovae that showed that, a long time ago, the universe was actually expanding more slowly than it is today. So the expansion of the universe has not been slowing due to gravity, as everyone thought, it has been accelerating. No one expected this, no one knew how to explain it. But something was causing it.
Eventually theorists came up with three sorts of explanations. Maybe it was a result of a long-discarded version of Einstein's theory of gravity, one that contained what was called a "cosmological constant." Maybe there was some strange kind of energy-fluid that filled space. Maybe there is something wrong with Einstein's theory of gravity and a new theory could include some kind of field that creates this cosmic acceleration. Theorists still don't know what the correct explanation is, but they have given the solution a name. It is called dark energy.
What Is Dark Energy?
More is unknown than is known. We know how much dark energy there is because we know how it affects the universe's expansion. Other than that, it is a complete mystery. But it is an important mystery. It turns out that roughly 68% of the universe is dark energy. Dark matter makes up about 27%. The rest - everything on Earth, everything ever observed with all of our instruments, all normal matter - adds up to less than 5% of the universe. Come to think of it, maybe it shouldn't be called "normal" matter at all, since it is such a small fraction of the universe.
This diagram reveals changes in the rate of expansion since the universe's birth 15 billion years ago. The more shallow the curve, the faster the rate of expansion. The curve changes noticeably about 7.5 billion years ago, when objects in the universe began flying apart as a faster rate. Astronomers theorize that the faster expansion rate is due to a mysterious, dark force that is pulling galaxies apart.
Credit: NASA/STSci/Ann Feild
One explanation for dark energy is that it is a property of space. Albert Einstein was the first person to realize that empty space is not nothing. Space has amazing properties, many of which are just beginning to be understood. The first property that Einstein discovered is that it is possible for more space to come into existence. Then one version of Einstein's gravity theory, the version that contains a cosmological constant, makes a second prediction: "empty space" can possess its own energy. Because this energy is a property of space itself, it would not be diluted as space expands. As more space comes into existence, more of this energy-of-space would appear. As a result, this form of energy would cause the universe to expand faster and faster. Unfortunately, no one understands why the cosmological constant should even be there, much less why it would have exactly the right value to cause the observed acceleration of the universe.
This image shows the distribution of dark matter, galaxies, and hot gas in the core of the merging galaxy cluster Abell 520. The result could present a challenge to basic theories of dark matter.
Another explanation for how space acquires energy comes from the quantum theory of matter. In this theory, "empty space" is actually full of temporary ("virtual") particles that continually form and then disappear. But when physicists tried to calculate how much energy this would give empty space, the answer came out wrong - wrong by a lot. The number came out 10120 times too big. That's a 1 with 120 zeros after it. It's hard to get an answer that bad. So the mystery continues.
Another explanation for dark energy is that it is a new kind of dynamical energy fluid or field, something that fills all of space but something whose effect on the expansion of the universe is the opposite of that of matter and normal energy. Some theorists have named this "quintessence," after the fifth element of the Greek philosophers. But, if quintessence is the answer, we still don't know what it is like, what it interacts with, or why it exists. So the mystery continues.
A last possibility is that Einstein's theory of gravity is not correct. That would not only affect the expansion of the universe, but it would also affect the way that normal matter in galaxies and clusters of galaxies behaved. This fact would provide a way to decide if the solution to the dark energy problem is a new gravity theory or not: we could observe how galaxies come together in clusters. But if it does turn out that a new theory of gravity is needed, what kind of theory would it be? How could it correctly describe the motion of the bodies in the Solar System, as Einstein's theory is known to do, and still give us the different prediction for the universe that we need? There are candidate theories, but none are compelling. So the mystery continues.
The thing that is needed to decide between dark energy possibilities - a property of space, a new dynamic fluid, or a new theory of gravity - is more data, better data.
What Is Dark Matter?
By fitting a theoretical model of the composition of the universe to the combined set of cosmological observations, scientists have come up with the composition that we described above, ~68% dark energy, ~27% dark matter, ~5% normal matter. What is dark matter?
We are much more certain what dark matter is not than we are what it is. First, it is dark, meaning that it is not in the form of stars and planets that we see. Observations show that there is far too little visible matter in the universe to make up the 27% required by the observations. Second, it is not in the form of dark clouds of normal matter, matter made up of particles called baryons. We know this because we would be able to detect baryonic clouds by their absorption of radiation passing through them. Third, dark matter is not antimatter, because we do not see the unique gamma rays that are produced when antimatter annihilates with matter. Finally, we can rule out large galaxy-sized black holes on the basis of how many gravitational lenses we see. High concentrations of matter bend light passing near them from objects further away, but we do not see enough lensing events to suggest that such objects to make up the required 25% dark matter contribution.
One of the most complicated and dramatic collisions between galaxy clusters ever seen is captured in this new composite image of Abell 2744. The blue shows a map of the total mass concentration (mostly dark matter).
However, at this point, there are still a few dark matter possibilities that are viable. Baryonic matter could still make up the dark matter if it were all tied up in brown dwarfs or in small, dense chunks of heavy elements. These possibilities are known as massive compact halo objects, or "MACHOs". But the most common view is that dark matter is not baryonic at all, but that it is made up of other, more exotic particles like axions or WIMPS (Weakly Interacting Massive Particles).
Take heart, Pluto-is-a-planet believers. You have a comrade at NASA. In fact, it’s the head honcho himself – Jim Bridenstine, the current NASA Administrator. While on a recent tour of the University of Colorado Boulder’s Aerospace Engineering Sciences Building, Bridenstine unexpectedly blurted this out:
“Just so you know, in my view, Pluto is a planet. You can write that the NASA administrator declared Pluto a planet once again. I’m sticking by that, it’s the way I learnt it, and I’m committed to it.”
OK, we just wrote it, Jim. However, does it really mean anything? Is Pluto officially a planet again? Will science textbooks and science fair solar system models be forced to change once more? What about some of the other so-called dwarf planets – at least one of which is actually larger than Pluto? Should they start lobbying?
A “dwarf planet” is a celestial body that (a) is in orbit around the Sun, (b) has sufficient mass for its self-gravity to overcome rigid body forces so that it assumes a hydrostatic equilibrium (nearly round) shape, (c) has not cleared the neighbourhood around its orbit, and (d) is not a satellite.
The IAU further resolves: Pluto is a “dwarf planet” by the above definition and is recognized as the prototype of a new category of Trans-Neptunian Objects.
The reason for Pluto getting voted off the planetary island by the IAU is that it has not used its gravitation to clear the area around it of space debris. The International Astronomical Union, founded in 1919, is an organization of the world’s astronomers whose mission is “to promote and safeguard the science of astronomy in all its aspects” and whose primary purpose is to hold scientific meetings. However, deeper down in its mission statement, it also takes on the responsibility of serving as “the internationally recognized authority for assigning designations to celestial bodies and surface features on them.” Did we get to vote on this? Can we vote them out now?
One astronomer thinks so. Planetary scientist Alan Stern, leader of NASA’s New Horizon’s mission – the one that sent back all of those fabulous photos of Pluto – had this to say about the IAU.
“My conclusion is that the IAU definition is not only unworkable and unteachable, but so scientifically flawed and internally contradictory that it cannot be strongly defended against claims of scientific sloppiness, “ir-rigor,” and cogent classification. The New Horizons project, like a growing number of the public, and many hundreds if not thousands of professional research astronomers and planetary scientists, will not recognise the IAU’s planet definition resolution of Aug. 24, 2006.”
Stern was, and still is, mad enough to invent a new word to describe the lack of stiff scientific discipline (ir-rigor) by the IAU in knocking Pluto out of the planet club. Bridenstine is no astronomer (hence not a member of the IAU) and his only qualifications for the NASA administrator job were that he’s a former Republican congressman who once ran the Air and Space Museum in Tulsa. He’s also a former climate change skeptic who has since publicly admitted he’s changed his mind about that, so perhaps he can get the IAU to change ITS mind about Pluto. He can use those NASA New Horizon photos showing Pluto’s mountain ranges and plains, evidence of avalanches, plutoquakes and possible liquid oceans, and its nice spherical shape, which many scientists now believe are all better signs that a space rock is qualified to be a planet.
Senator Vows A Disclosure on Aliens and UFOs If He Takes the White House
Senator Vows A Disclosure on Aliens and UFOs If He Takes the White House
Vermont Senator Bernie Sanders promised to tell the American public anything he learns about UFOs or aliens if elected president next year. The senator, who’s seeking the Democratic nomination to take on President Donald Trump, did the pledge in an interview recently released.
When pressed whether he would be open about alien knowledge with the public if he takes the White House, he said that his wife would demand to let the public know. Sanders explained that his wife is not a UFO nut, but she always asks information about the subject and even asks if he does have any access.
When questioned if he does have any access, Sanders responded that he honestly doesn’t, but he will declassify any information concerning aliens or UFOs.
The idea of aliens and UFOs has become an increasingly hot topic online in recent months. It started earlier this summer with the launching of the Facebook event titled “Storm Area 51, They Can’t Stop All of Us,”
The event ended up getting the attention of the Air Force after it racked up hundreds of thousands of Facebook users who signed up to raid the secret military facility in Nevada.
The Air Force made a warning to the would-be raiders that they are ready to defend the base that serves as their open training range.
The event page and its backup were shut down recently by Facebook because of violations to “community standards.”
Everybody wants a wormhole. I mean, who wants to bother traveling the long-and-slow routes throughout the universe, taking tens of thousands of years just to reach yet another boring star? Not when you can pop into the nearest wormhole opening, take a short stroll, and end up in some exotic far-flung corner of the universe.
There's a small technical difficulty, though: Wormholes, which are bends in space-time so extreme that a shortcut tunnel forms, are catastrophically unstable. As in, as soon as you send a single photon down the hole, it collapses faster than the speed of light.
But a recent paper, published to the preprint journal arXiv on July 29, has found a way to build an almost-steady wormhole, one that does collapse but slowly enough to send messages — and potentially even things — down it before it tears itself apart. All you need are a couple of black holes and a few infinitely long cosmic strings.
Easy-peasy.
The wormhole problem
In principle, building a wormhole is pretty straightforward. According to Einstein's Theory of General Relativity, mass and energy warp the fabric of space-time. And a certain special configuration of matter and energy allows the formation of a tunnel, a shortcut between two otherwise distant portions of the universe.
Unfortunately, even on paper, those wormholes are fantastically unstable. Even a single photon passing through the wormhole triggers a catastrophic cascade that rips the wormhole apart. However, a healthy dose of negative mass — yes, that's matter but with an opposite weight — can counteract the destabilizing effects of regular matter trying to pass through the wormhole, making it traversable.
Let's start with the wormhole itself. We need an entrance and an exit. It's theoretically possible to connect a black hole (a region of space where nothing can escape) to a white hole (a theoretical region of space where nothing can enter). When these two odd creatures join together, they form a brand-new thing: a wormhole. So you can jump into either end of this tunnel and instead of getting crushed into oblivion you just harmlessly waltz out the other side.
Oh, but white holes don't exist, either. Man, this is getting tricky.
Charge it up
Since white holes don't exist, we need a new plan. Thankfully, some clever math reveals a possible answer: a charged black hole. Black holes can carry an electric charge (it's not common because of the way they're formed naturally, but we'll take what we can get). The inside of a charged black hole is a strange place, with the normal point-like singularity of a black hole stretched and distorted, allowing it to form a bridge to another oppositely charged black hole.
Voila: a wormhole, using only things that might actually exist.
But this wormhole-via-charged-black-holes has two issues. One, it's still unstable, and if something or someone actually tries to use it, it falls apart. The other is that the two oppositely charged black holes will be attracted to each other — both through gravitational and electric forces — and if they fall together you just get a single, big, neutrally charged and altogether useless black hole.
(Image credit: Shutterstock)
Put a cosmic bow on it
So to make this all work we need to make sure the two charged black holes stay safely far away from each other, and make sure the tunnel of the wormhole can hold itself open. A potential solution: cosmic strings.
Cosmic strings are theoretical defects, similar to the cracks that form when ice freezes, in the fabric of space-time. These cosmic leftovers formed in the early, heady days of the first fractions of a second after the Big Bang. They are truly exotic objects, no wider than a proton but with a single inch of their length outweighing Mount Everest. You never want to encounter one yourself, since they would slice you clean in half like a cosmic lightsaber, but you don't have to worry much since we're not even sure they exist, and we've never seen one out there in the universe.
Still, there's no reason they can't exist, so they're fair game.
They have another very useful property when it comes to wormholes: enormous tension. In other words, they really don't like being pushed around. If you thread the wormhole with a cosmic string, and allow the string to pass along the outside edges of the black holes and stretch out of either end all the way to infinity, then the tension in the string prevents the charged black holes from being attracted to each other, holding the two ends of the wormhole far away from each other. Essentially, the distant ends of the cosmic string act like two opposing tug-of-war teams, holding back the black holes.
Calming the tremors
One cosmic string solves one of the problems (holding the ends open), but it doesn't prevent the wormhole itself from collapsing if you were to actually use it. So, let's toss in another cosmic string, also threading the wormhole, but also looping it through normal space between the two black holes.
When cosmic strings are closed in a loop, they wiggle — a lot. These vibrations churn the very fabric of space-time around them, and when tuned just right the vibrations can cause the energy of space in their vicinity to go negative, effectively acting like negative mass within the wormhole, potentially stabilizing it.
It seems a little complex, but in the recent paper, a team of theoretical physicists gave step-by-step instructions for constructing just such a wormhole. It's not a perfect solution: Eventually the inherent vibrations in the cosmic strings — the same ones that might keep the wormhole open — pull energy, and therefore mass, away from the string, making it smaller and smaller. Essentially, over time the cosmic strings wiggle themselves into oblivion, with complete collapse of the wormhole not far behind. But the kludged-together wormhole may stay stable long enough to allow messages or even objects to travel down the tunnel and actually not die, which is nice.
DNA Analysis Just Made The Eerie Mystery of Himalayan 'Skeleton Lake' Even Stranger
DNA Analysis Just Made The Eerie Mystery of Himalayan 'Skeleton Lake' Even Stranger
MICHELLE STARR
High in the Himalayas of India, amid the snow-capped peaks, nestles a mystery. Roopkund Lake is a shallow body of water filled with human bones - the skeletons of hundreds of individuals. It's these that give the lake its other name, Skeleton Lake, and no one knows how the remains came to be there.
One hypothesis is that some catastrophe, a single event such as a powerful storm, had befallen a large group of people. But DNA analysis of 38 of the skeletons has turned that idea on its head.
The remains appear to come from distinct groups of people from as far as the Mediterranean, and they arrived at the lake several times over a 1,000-year span.
"Through the use of biomolecular analyses, such as ancient DNA, stable isotope dietary reconstruction, and radiocarbon dating, we discovered that the history of Roopkund Lake is more complex than we ever anticipated," said geneticist David Reich of Harvard Medical School.
The story began to unfold a decade ago. Geneticist Kumarasamy Thangaraj of India's CSIR Centre for Cellular and Molecular Biology sequenced the mitochondrial DNA of 72 of the skeletons.
As Thangaraj and his late colleague Lalji Singh had expected, some of the skeletons had DNA consistent with a local Indian origin. But some did not. Several skeletons appeared to have originated around West Eurasia.
This warranted further investigation - a deep dive by way of whole genome sequencing. Genome-wide DNA was successfully generated for 38 individuals. These 38 genomes were then compared against 1,521 ancient and 7,985 present-day individuals from around the world.
(Himadri Sinha Roy)
This analysis revealed three distinct groups. The largest consisted of 23 individuals with DNA similar to that of people from present-day India. Apart from this, they seemed genetically unrelated.
The second-largest group, comprising 14 individuals, was a huge surprise. Their DNA was most similar to people in present-day Crete and Greece.
Finally, the one remaining individual had DNA suggesting a Southeast Asian origin.
"The presence of individuals with ancestries typically associated with the eastern Mediterranean suggests that Roopkund Lake was not just a site of local interest, but instead drew visitors from across the globe."
Analysis of isotopes extracted from the bones supported these findings. Certain stable isotopes in the soil can be taken up into plants, which are then consumed by people. The isotopes replace some of the calcium in teeth and bones; these can then be matched to geographical locations.
"Individuals belonging to the Indian-related group had highly variable diets, showing reliance on C3 and C4 derived food sources. These findings are consistent with the genetic evidence that they belonged to a variety of socioeconomic groups in South Asia," said archaeologist Ayushi Nayak of the Max Planck Institute for the Science of Human History.
"In contrast, the individuals with eastern Mediterranean-related ancestry appear to have consumed a diet with very little millet."
(Pramod Joglekar)
Even more surprising was the staggered arrival times of the groups. Radiocarbon dating placed the Indian-related bones between the 7th and 10th centuries CE. It's possible they were divided into different groups at different times within this timespan.
But the other two groups, from the Mediterranean and from Southeast Asia, were dated to between the 17th and 20th centuries CE. That's just a few hundred years ago. And it's possible that the remains that haven't been tested could include other groups, from other times and other regions.
It's possible we may never know - but future research could contain answers.
"It is still not clear what brought these individuals to Roopkund Lake or how they died," said geneticist Niraj Rai of the Birbal Sahni Institute of PalaeosciencesRai.
"We hope that this study represents the first of many analyses of this mysterious site."
Mysterie rond ‘Skelettenmeer’ wordt alleen maar groter. Wat is er met al deze mensen gebeurd?
In 1942 werden bij het Roopkund-meer in India vele honderden menselijke skeletten gevonden.
Uit onderzoek bleek dat ze al honderden jaren bij het meer in een onbewoond gebied op zo’n 5000 meter hoogte lagen.
Hoe de skeletten er precies terecht zijn gekomen bleef een mysterie.
In een nieuwe studie, gepubliceerd in het tijdschrift Nature Communications, proberen wetenschappers te achterhalen wat er bij het zogeheten ‘Skelettenmeer’ is gebeurd.
Meer vragen
Hun bevindingen roepen echter meer vragen op dan ze beantwoorden.
De onderzoekers hebben de resten van 38 skeletten onderzocht. In totaal 23 mensen blijken bij één of meerdere gebeurtenissen tussen de zevende en tiende eeuw om het leven te zijn gekomen.
Een andere groep van 14 slachtoffers kwam 1000 jaar later om, waarschijnlijk bij één enkele gebeurtenis.
De eerste groep is afkomstig uit Zuid-Azië, de andere uit Griekenland of Kreta.
Niet vastgesteld
De onderzoekers zeggen dat ze geen antwoord kunnen vinden op de vraag waarom mensen uit het Middellandse Zeegebied naar dit meer kwamen en wat ze daar deden.
Talloze wetenschappers hebben geprobeerd uit te zoeken wat er is gebeurd, maar de doodsoorzaak van de slachtoffers is nog altijd niet vastgesteld.
Nieuwe expeditie
De onderzoekers zijn vastbesloten het mysterie rond het Roopkund-meer te ontrafelen.
Zo wordt volgend jaar een nieuwe expeditie naar het onherbergzame gebied georganiseerd.
Metal-detecting couple find one of Britain's biggest ever treasure hoards as they discover almost 2,600 ancient coins worth around £5m in an unploughed field
Metal-detecting couple find one of Britain's biggest ever treasure hoards as they discover almost 2,600 ancient coins worth around £5m in an unploughed field
Adam Staples and Lisa Grace unearthed 'once in a lifetime' find of 2,600 coins
Although smaller than famous Staffordshire Hoard it is about £1m more valuable
The silver coins made up of King Harold II pennies from Anglo-Saxon England
There were also William the Conqueror coins, from after 1066 Norman conquest
Many in the find in Somerset in mint condition and could be worth £5,000 each
A metal-detecting couple have found one of the biggest treasure hoards in British history which is believed to be worth around £5million.
Adam Staples and partner Lisa Grace unearthed the 'once in a lifetime' find of almost 2,600 ancient coins that date back 1,000 years.
Although the find is smaller than the famous Staffordshire Hoard - the biggest collection of buried coins and artefacts discovered in Britain - it is thought to be at least £1million more valuable.
Adam Staples (right) and partner Lisa Grace (left) unearthed the 'once in a lifetime' find of almost 2,600 ancient coins that date back 1,000 years
The 2,571 silver coins are made up of King Harold II (pictured) pennies from the end of Anglo-Saxon England and William the Conqueror coins, after the 1066 Norman conquest
The 2,571 silver coins are made up of King Harold II pennies from the end of Anglo-Saxon England and William the Conqueror coins, after the 1066 Norman conquest.
Many of the coins are in mint condition and could be valued anywhere between £1,000 and £5,000 each.
Experts say the coins would have been a substantial amount of money at the time and belonged to an important, wealthy person who probably buried them for safekeeping.
The couple (pictured) notified both the county's local finds liaison officer as they were obliged to by law and have given the coins to the British Museum in London to evaluate
Mr Staples and Miss Grace, 42, made the astonishing find with their metal detectors while searching an unploughed field on a farm in the north east Somerset area in January.
As King Harold's reign only lasted nine months, before he was famously struck in the eye by an arrow at the Battle of Hastings, coins from that period are incredibly rare.
The hoard is also thought to contain coins struck by previously-unknown moneyers.
In an interview with Treasure Hunting Magazine, they described the hoard as 'amazing' and 'absolutely mind-blowing'
The couple notified both the county's local finds liaison officer as they were obliged to by law and have given the coins to the British Museum in London to evaluate.
Experts there have spent the last seven months assessing and cataloguing them and will later this week unveil them to the public for the first time.
If the hoard is declared treasure it will be up to a museum to compensate Mr Staples and Miss Grace with the monetary value of the coins - making them overnight millionaires.
The landowner will also be entitled to 50 per cent of the proceeds.
If the hoard is not deemed important enough for a museum then they will be returned to the finders who will will be able to sell the coins.
Mr Staples and Miss Grace, from Derby, have remained tight-lipped over their 'find of a lifetime'.
But in an interview with Treasure Hunting Magazine, they described the hoard as 'amazing' and 'absolutely mind-blowing.'
The metal detecting grapevine has also been rife with news of the find, with scores of people posting messages of congratulations to the couple.
What was the 'Staffordshire hoard'?
A treasure hunter made the find in 2009.
It was the most valuable hoard of Saxon gold in history - estimated to be worth £3.3million ($5 million) - and includes 500 pieces such as gold sword hilts, jewels from Sri Lanka and early Christian crosses.
The 1,300-year-old treasure was discovered by unemployed Terry Herbert in July in a field owned by a friend in Staffordshire.
Some of the artefacts uncovered in Fred's field that went on to be valued at more than £3m
Within days, the 55-year-old former coffin factory worker from Walsall had filled 244 bags with gold objects weighing in at more than 11lbs (5kg).
Mr Herbert, who bought an old metal detector for £2.50 18 years ago, said he was overwhelmed by the find – regarded as one of the most important in decades.
‘I have this phrase that I say sometimes – “spirits of yesteryear take me where the coins appear” – but on that day I changed coins to gold,’ he said.
Some of the artefacts uncovered in Fred's field that went on to be valued at more than £3m
‘I don’t know why I said it that day, but I think somebody was listening and directed me to it. Maybe it was meant to be, maybe the gold had my name on it all along.
‘I was going to bed and in my sleep I was seeing gold items.’
The jewels are thought to have come from Sri Lanka - carried to Europe by traders.
The gold probably came from the Byzantine Empire, the eastern remnant of the Roman Empire based in what is now Istanbul.
The treasure dates from 675 and 725AD, the time of Beowulf – the great Anglo-Saxon poem.
Nigel Mills, a coin expert and consultant for London auctioneers Dix Noonan Webb, said: 'I am told the coins are absolutely stunning.
'Each coin will have the moneyers name on and the mint of where it was issued.
'In the case of the Harold II coins, some will be from moneyers that we have not seen before.
'Harold II coins are rarer than William coins and could be worth between £2,000 to £4,000 each.
'The William I coins will be between £1,000 and £1,500. This hoard could be worth between £3m and £5m.
WHAT IS TREASURE?
Under the Treasure Act 1996, finders of potential treasure in England, Wales and Northern Ireland are legally obliged to notify their local coroner
An inquest then determines whether the finds constitute treasure.
If the find is declared treasure, the finder must offer it for sale to a museum at a price set by the British Museum's Treasure Valuation Committee.
A reward is then offered to the finders and other relevant parties.
'Museums have been buying up all of the hoards found, but in this case the hoard may be too great for them. It maybe that an appeal for sponsors is launched to try and acquire them.'
He added: 'They would have been buried within two or three years after 1066 and probably before 1072.
'The Romans buried their coins for the Gods but in this case they were probably hidden and the owner died before they could go back for them.
'It would have been a substantial amount of money back not. Not a king, but somebody high up and important, somebody of substance.
'They didn't have banks back then so where else were they going to store their money safely?'
A spokesman for the Metal Detectives Group said: 'When you find something like that you keep where you find it very quiet.
'If it is treasure it will be put out to tender to museums to acquire. A museum and treasure valuation committee will give the hoard a value.
'But you are talking a minimum of £500 per coin and with 2,500 coins that is a lot. But some will be rarer and more valuable than others.'
A spokesman for the British Museum said: 'We can confirm that a large hoard of late Anglo-Saxon and Norman coins was discovered in January and has been handed in to the British Museum as possible Treasure under the terms of the Treasure Act (1996). This appears to be an important discovery.'
Adam Staples and Lisa Grace were out searching in an unploughed field on a farm in the Somerset area in January of this year when they discovered one of the biggest ever treasure hoards in British history. They found nearly 2,600 ancient coins that date back 1,000 years and have an estimated worth of approximately £5million (just over $6.1 million in American money). Many of the coins were in mint condition and could be worth as much as £1,000 and £5,000 each.
The silver coins included King Harold II pennies which were from the end of Anglo-Saxon England, as well as William the Conqueror coins which date back to after the 1066 Norman Conquest. Since King Harold only reigned for nine months, coins from that time period are extremely rare. Experts believe that a wealthy person of importance probably buried the coins as they were worth quite a bit of money at that time. It has been estimated that whoever buried the coins would have done so after the year 1066 but before 1072.
After the couple found the coins, they contacted the county’s local finds liaison officer and the “treasure” was brought to the British Museum in London so they could evaluate them. The coins will be displayed for the public to see later this week. If the coins are declared as a treasure, the museum will pay the couple for the coins (landowner will get 50% of their value), however, if the museum decides that they don’t want the coins, they will be returned to the couple who would then be able to sell them on their own.
A spokesman for the British Museum stated, “We can confirm that a large hoard of late Anglo-Saxon and Norman coins was discovered in January and has been handed in to the British Museum as possible Treasure under the terms of the Treasure Act (1996). This appears to be an important discovery.”
(Not the coins mentioned in this article)
The largest collection of buried coins and artifacts ever discovered in Britain was the “Staffordshire Hoard” that a treasure hunter found in 2009. The large 1,300-year-old collection of Saxon gold included gold sword hilts, early Christian crosses, and jewels from Sri Lanka. The hoard was valued at around £3.3million (just over $4 million in American funds). And while Mr. Staples and Ms. Grace’s discovery is smaller, it is at least £1million more valuable.
The couple have remained pretty quiet about their findings, but they did do an interview with Treasure Hunting Magazine where they described their discovery as “amazing” and “absolutely mind-blowing”. You can see pictures of the coins here.
Among the oldest city sites found in Mesoamerica is the enigmatic cultural center of Monte Albán, the ancient political hub of the Zapotec people. This remarkable cultural group, who during their reign were called Be’ena’a, or“The People” in the indigenous Zapotec language, ruled from around 700 BC–1521 AD. Monte Albán served as the hub of a loosely-knit alliance of several Zapotec groups that had been rivals up until around 2000 years prior to the arrival of the Spanish.
Monte Albán is a structural marvel in itself, resting atop and artificially leveled hilltop in Mexico’s Oaxaca Valley. The city rests between the confluence of the Rio Atomic and the Rio Salado rivers, and quickly became the economic anchor of the region, promoting trade and craftsmanship that may have attracted more than 30,000 residents at the height of its growth and political influence over the region.
However, what has remained among the site’s most famous—and curious—attractions are not just the building structures that were once the great city of Monte Albán, but also the famous carvings that adorn the site, known today as Danzantes.
Danzantes on display at Monte Alban; note that many of the stone slabs on display are replicas, with the originals kept inside the complex for protection
(Credit: Anagoria/Wikimedia Commons).
The Danzantes are a remarkable collection of carved stone slabs that feature bas-relief art depicting humans in various striking poses. Their name (“Los Danzantes” in Spanish) means “the dancers,” in reference to the curious gestures and contortions many of the figures on the stone faces depict, which are reminiscent of dancers. This early interpretation of the nature of these images may have given rise to their name, but little else about the Danazntes suggests dancing or festivity; as a result, the meaning behind these images has remained an item of debate among archaeologists for decades.
One peculiar feature of many of the Danzantes bas-reliefs is the presence of facial hair in the form of long beards worn by many of the figures. Facial hair is not common among the indigenous peoples of the region, which makes the images all the more curious; could this mean that some of the Danzantes actually depict foreigners?
Bearded figure depicted on one of the Danzantes slabs; note the curious positioning of the figure’s hands
(Credit: Anagoria/Wikimedia Commons).
This may provide a clue to the meaning behind the images, since another problem with the “dancer” theory has to do with the fact that most of the Danzantes are also depicted nude. Dancers, whether male or female, would not have been depicted nude by the cultures of Central Mexico during this period, as it was considered disgraceful. However, nudity does appear in art from other locations in the region, generally in depictions of captives from warfare who have been stripped in humiliation, often prior to their execution. The fact that many of the Danzantes appear to be foreigners would make sense, particularly if these figures represent the captives of war.
Other peculiarities in the appearance of the Danzantes include the fact that their feet appear to be placed at vertical angles, which has led some to theorize that the movements represented by the posing of the figures could actually denote swimming, as proposed by Augustín Villagra in the 1939, within a report he produced for the International Congress of Americanists in Mexico City.
While it is true that certain art depicting the Danzantes does appear to imply curving lines and similar features that might represent water, the “swimmer” theory has its own problems. Some of the figures appear to possess genital mutilation, as well as the appearance of glyphs, scrolls, or perhaps even tattoos adjacent to the apparent emasculations. Some have interpreted this as possible evidence of shamanic practices, where “ecstatic emasculation” might have served some kind of ritual purpose with the characters, especially if they might represent priests. Further, the notion of emasculation could be consistent with the bearded depiction of some of the characters, which might convey accelerated aging after castration has occurred.
Stelae depicting Danzantes figure with possible entrails spilling from the abdomen region
(Credit: Anagoria/Wikimedia Commons).
Altogether, the best theory appears to be that of prisoners, or perhaps even slain bodies lying on the ground; this would appear to reconcile most, if not all of the features associated with the Danzantes, from the mutilations and placement of the limbs, to the fact that the feet do not appear to convey that they stand on level ground.
In John F. Scott’s 1978 The Danzantes of Monte Albán, he noted the likelihood that the images depicted slain bodies:
The Danzantes have contorted and highly asymmetrical postures; their arms sprawl in front of their torsos or over their heads. Most significant are the leg positions, which usually avoid any suggestion of resting on a ground line; quite possibly the Danzantes should be seen as if lying on the ground. The position of the limbs, the frequent indication of closed eyes on the grimacing faces, and the horizontal placement of slabs with elongated figures, all indicate that they represent slain victims lying on their sides or backs.
However, if the images of the Danzantes actually do illustrate slain enemies, what message was this intended to convey about Monte Albán to those who came there at the height of the Zapotecs?
Danzantes stela depicting scroll-like glyphs and symbols, some of which overlay the body of the character; note the placement of the limbs, suggesting a prostrate position of an individual lying on the ground
(Credit: Anagoria/Wikimedia Commons).
“This is the kind of propaganda that one associates with an emerging state that is fighting to take control over previously autonomous regions and wants to discourage resistance,” wrote Joyce Marcus, a Latin American archaeologist and professor in the Department of Anthropology at the University of Michigan, Ann Arbor.
Marcus continues:
“Of the shared conventions in Mesoamerican iconography some of the most widespread are those depicting captives. Prisoners are displayed in humiliation: they are stripped naked and bound, and their posture is awkward. The captors, in contrast, are dressed in elegant regalia and are posed in rigid dignity. If a prisoner has been sacrificed, he isshown with his eyes closed and his mouth open, and in many instances with flowery scrolls, presumably representing blood, issuing from his wounds.”
It would indeed seem likely that this is the best explanation for the enigma that is the Danzantes imagery at Monte Albán. In any case, their name appears to be a misnomer, as they certainly don’t seem to be dancers. And yet, unraveling the significance of these strange and, at times, rather grisly images tells us much about the politics and practices of this region of the ancient world. Nonetheless, Monte Albán and its curious stone stelae is a place that–to the modern observer–is, and probably will remain quite mysterious.
Two UFO Seen From Passenger Jet Over Mexico, Aug 2019, Video, UFO Sighting News.
Two UFO Seen From Passenger Jet Over Mexico, Aug 2019, Video, UFO Sighting News.
Date of sighting: Aug 2019 Location of sighting: Over Mexico This object was recorded by a person in a passenger jet over Mexico. The object seems to pass below the jet. The control is too big to be a jet or even several jets. There are only two possible explanations. 1st its a UFO entering earths atmosphere. Or 2nd, it is meteor entering earths atmosphere breaking up. To me it seems to be going too slow to be a meteor. This is a UFO. Its hidden in the cloud but is black and huge. Parts of it are sticking out of the front end showing reflectiveness. Clearly this UFO was trying to quickly hide from view of the passenger jet and created this cloud around it, but you can see it moving forward and the black UFO revealing itself a little bit. There is also a white diamond shaped UFO hovering above the black larger UFO. Can you see it? Its two UFOs! One guiding the other. There are several volcanos near Mexico city where huge UFOs have been seen entering and exiting on live cam. This UFO was headed to one of those volcanos, where an underground alien base sits 5-6km below the ground. Scott C. Waring
In the video captured by SOHO, you can see a number of objects zooming around the sun, which is blocked by an opaque disk to reduce glare. Seemingly right on top of the sun is Venus, which is bright and easy to spot. Left of center and not quite as bright as Venus, you can also see Mars. Just about 10 seconds into the video, the sun-bound comet suddenly becomes obvious and easy to detect.
Staying on course, the comet continues to head directly for the sun, where it is charges through the sun's atmosphere and is ultimately destroyed (though, of course, you can't see that in the video). This comet is most likely a Kreutz sungrazer, according to Phillips.
The Solar and Heliospheric Observatory (SOHO) observed a comet dive directly into the sun on Aug. 15, 2019.
(Image credit: NASA/ESO/SOHO)
Kreutz sungrazers are an interesting group of comets as there is no official definition for them. They have been observed for hundreds of years and were studied by Heinrich Kreutz in the 1880's and 1890's. These comets are thought to be fragments derived from a giant, ancient comet.
Citizen scientists discovered this pair of comets, a sungrazer and a sunskirter, on June 20, 2019.
(Image credit: NASA/ESO/SOHO)
This is not the first comet that SOHO spotted this summer. On June 20, 2019, two comets, one a Kreutz sungrazer and the other a Meyer sunskirter — comets that don't get quite as close to the sun as sungrazers — were identified. Citizen scientists detected the pair of comets using data from SOHO and NASA Solar Terrestrial Relations Observatory (STEREO) spacecraft missions as part of the Sungrazer Project.
Incredibly, over half of all known comets have so far been discovered by the Sungrazer Project, according to the project website. Discoveries of new comets can help scientists to study comet orbits, comet composition comet evolution and more. The discovery of sungrazers like the one spotted in this video can additionally support scientific studies of the sun.
Tardigrades, which live on every continent on Earth, are also (maybe) living on the moon, following the crash of a lunar lander carrying thousands of the microscopic water bears.
Did any of them survive the impact? If they did, what happens to them now?
When the tardigrades were placed on the Israeli moon mission Beresheet, they were in a tun state — dehydrated, with their chubby limbs and heads retracted and all metabolic activity temporarily suspended. Their arrival on the moon was unexpectedly explosive; Beresheet's crash landing on April 11 may have scattered the microorganisms onto the lunar surface.
Tubby tardigrades are notoriously tough, but were the Beresheet tardigrades hardy enough to survive that impact? It's certainly possible that some of them made it to the moon intact. But what would that mean for the moon to have what might be thousands of Earth microbes as new inhabitants? And what might it mean for the tardigrades?
First of all, is anyone in trouble for accidentally spilling tardigrades on the moon? That's a complicated question, but the short answer is no. Space agencies from around the world follow a decades-old treaty about what is permissible to leave on the moon, and the only explicit prohibitions are against weapons and experiments or tools that could interfere with missions from other agencies, according to the 1967 Outer Space Treaty.
In the decades that followed the treaty, other guidelines were created that acknowledged the risks of seeding other worlds with Earth microbes, and these stipulations outlined practices for sterilizing mission equipment to avoid contamination. But even though large space agencies typically follow these rules, there is no single entity enforcing them globally, Live Science previously reported.
Scientists have yet to find any evidence that the moon ever hosted living organisms (other than visiting astronauts and microbial hitchhikers from Earth) that could be threatened by microscopic invaders. However, contamination could carry serious consequences for missions to planets where life might yet be found, such as Mars; experts suggest that one potential consequence of colonizing Mars could be the extermination of native microbial life through exposure to Earth bacteria.
It's possible that even before the Beresheet tardigrades crashed on the moon, other forms of terrestrial microbes were already there: gut bacteria in abandoned bags of astronaut poo, said Mark Martin, an associate professor of biology at the University of Puget Sound in Tacoma, Washington.
"I'd be very surprised if you couldn't culture a few things out of the center of that freeze-dried material," Martin told Live Science. "Especially spore-formers. They make a very thick outer layer of their spore proteins that's known to protect them against dehydration, radiation — a variety of things."
Sole survivor
Tardigrades survive conditions that would destroy most other organisms; they do so by expelling the water from their bodies and generating compounds that seal and protect the structure of their cells. The creatures can remain in this so-called tun state for months and still revive in the presence of water; scientists even resuscitated two tardigrades from a 30-year deep freeze in 2016.
As a tun, a tardigrade can weather boiling, freezing, high pressure and even the vacuum of space, the European Space Agency (ESA) reported in 2008, after sending water bears into orbit. Ultraviolet radiation turned out to be the tardigrades' kryptonite, as few of the creatures survived full exposure to UV light during the ESA experiments.
This could be good news for the desiccated Beresheet tardigrades. If they landed in a spot on the moon shielded from UV radiation, the microscopic creatures might stand a chance of survival, Martin said.
"My guess is that if we went up in the next year or so, recovered the wreckage, and found these tiny, little tuns and put them in water, a few of them would come back to life," he explained.
But as long as the tardigrades remain on the moon, their chances of spontaneously awakening are low. Without liquid water, the tiny creatures will remain in a tun state, and while there's evidence of ice on the moon, liquid water is nowhere to be found.
Even if the lunar tardigrades did somehow encounter liquid water while still on the moon, without food, air and a moderate ambient temperature, they wouldn't last very long once they revived, Kazuharu Arakawa, a tardigrade researcher with the Institute for Advanced Biosciences at Keio University in Tokyo, told Live Science in an email.
"Much as I would love to see the establishment of the Lunar Tardigrade Republic, I don't think that's going to happen," Martin said.
NASA administrator Jim Bridenstine has reasserted his belief that Pluto should be a classed as a planet and reignited a debate which has raged for more than a decade,
Astronomers and leading scientists have long squabbled over the issue of Pluto and its classification as a non-planet since its demotion in 2006.
Mr Bridenstine st N ated in a recorded, but not broadcast, interview excerpt that he is still firmly of the belief that Pluto should be classed as a legitimate planet.
Scroll down for video
Mr Bridenstine stated in a recorded, but not broadcast, interview excerpt that he is still firmly of the belief that Pluto (pictured) should be classed as a legitimate planet
'Just so you know, in my view, Pluto is a planet,' he said while on a tour of the Aerospace Engineering Sciences Building at the University of Colorado Boulder.
'You can write that the NASA Administrator declared Pluto a planet once again. I'm sticking by that, it's the way I learnt it, and I'm committed to it.'
It comes on the 13th anniversary of Pluto's fall from grace and formal demotion to a 'dwarf planet'.
WHY IS PLUTO NOT A PLANET?
In 2006, the International Astronomical Union, a global group of astronomy experts, established a definition of a planet that required it to 'clear' its orbit, or in other words, be the largest gravitational force in its orbit.
Since Neptune's gravity influences its neighbouring planet Pluto, and Pluto shares its orbit with frozen gases and objects in the Kuiper belt, that meant Pluto was out of planet status.
Before 2006, there was never a formal definition for what constituted a planet.
Scientists argue that this means Pluto's demotion is unjust and unreasonable.
In 2006, the International Astronomical Union, a global group of astronomy experts, established a definition of a planet that required it to 'clear' its orbit, or in other words, be the largest gravitational force in its orbit.
The IAU used this to shake up the planetary world and remove Pluto from the ranks of the solar system's elite bodies, taking the number of planets down to nine.
Since Neptune's gravity influences its neighbouring planet Pluto, and Pluto shares its orbit with frozen gases and objects in the Kuiper belt, that meant Pluto was out of planet status.
But despite the official ruling, many have never accepted it.
Mr Bridenstein is one of the die-hard supporters of Pluto and his latest remark backs this up.
'Just so you know, in my view, Pluto is a planet,' Mr Bridenstine (pictured) said while on a tour of the Aerospace Engineering Sciences Building at the University of Colorado Boulder. 'You can write that the NASA Administrator declared Pluto a planet once again. I'm sticking by that, it's the way I learnt it, and I'm committed to it'
Cory Reppenhagen✔@CReppWx
My favorite soundbyte of the day that probably won't make it to TV. It came from NASA Administrator Jim Bridenstine. As a Pluto Supporter, I really appreciated this. #9wx#PlutoLoversRejoice@JimBridenstine
However, it is unlikely to sway the official bodies and spur them into action to reinstate Pluto.
A study from last year however, is one of the latest to ad more robust support than the whimsical wishes of the NASA administrator.
Research from the University of Central Florida in Orlando claims the reason Pluto lost its planet status is 'not valid'.
It reviewed scientific literature from the past 200 years and found only one publication - from 1802 - that used the clearing-orbit requirement to classify planets, and it was based on since-disproven reasoning.
'The IAU definition would say that the fundamental object of planetary science, the planet, is supposed to be a defined on the basis of a concept that nobody uses in their research,' said UCF planetary scientist Philip Metzger, who is with the university's Florida Space Institute.
'And it would leave out the second-most complex, interesting planet in our solar system.'
Metzger said moons such as Saturn's Titan and Jupiter's Europa have been routinely called planets by planetary scientists since the time of Galileo.
'We now have a list of well over 100 recent examples of planetary scientists using the word planet in a way that violates the IAU definition, but they are doing it because it's functionally useful.'
'It's a sloppy definition
'They didn't say what they meant by clearing their orbit. If you take that literally, then there are no planets, because no planet clears its orbit.'
Pluto should STILL be classified as a planet, Nasa chief claims
Pluto should STILL be classified as a planet, Nasa chief claims
Charlotte Edwards, Digital Technology and Science Reporter
POOR Pluto was declassified from being a planet in our Solar System to just a humble dwarf planet 13 year ago.
Despite it being over a decade since this decision was made, the topic is still hotly disputed and there are those who think Pluto should be labelled as a planet once more.
Pluto was considered to be a planet until it was declassified 13 years agoCredit: PA:Press Association
The International Astronomical Union made the final decision but it seems NASA administrator Jim Bridenstine has put himself firmly in Pluto's corner.
Bridenstine recently spoke out about his support for Pluto as a planet during a tour of the Aerospace Engineering Sciences Building at the University of Colorado Boulder.
The Nasa chief said: "Just so you know, in my view, Pluto is a planet.
"You can write that the NASA Administrator declared Pluto a planet once again. I'm sticking by that, it's the way I learnt it, and I'm committed to it."
Cory Reppenhagen✔@CReppWx
My favorite soundbyte of the day that probably won't make it to TV. It came from NASA Administrator Jim Bridenstine. As a Pluto Supporter, I really appreciated this. #9wx#PlutoLoversRejoice@JimBridenstine
Many people were taught that Pluto was one of the planets in our Solar SystemCredit: Getty - Contributor
Bridenstine's lighthearted comment doesn't change Pluto's classification but it does bring to light the ongoing debate once more.
Pluto was removed from the list of nine planets in August 2006 mostly because its properties were more suited to the definition of a dwarf planet.
The difference between a dwarf planet and a planet is largely to do with the space around it.
Planets have a clear area around their orbit whereas dwarf planets do not.
There are also many other celestial objects a similar size to Pluto with unclear orbits so some scientists have argued that if Pluto where to be considered a planet then all those other objects would have to be too.
However, Pluto has other features like a multilayered atmosphere, moons, weather and organic compounds that all make the issue regarding its planet status even trickier.
Pluto facts
Here's what you need to know...
Pluto was discovered in 1930
It was considered to be one of nine planets in our Solar System until 2006
The decision to declassify Pluto was controversial because, even though it is small and doesn't have a clear orbit, it has lots of other planet like features like an atmosphere and weather
Pluto is the largest dwarf planet
Pluto has five known moons
Pluto was visited by the New Horizons spacecraft in 2015, during which pictures were taken of its surface
WETENSCHAP & PLANEETHet is de laatste jaren wellicht een van de grootste discussiepunten onder astronomen: de status van Pluto. Sinds het het hemellichaam in 2006 niet langer een planeet, maar “slechts” een dwergplaneet werd genoemd, raken wetenschappers het niet meer eens met elkaar. Ook de NASA-directeur, Jim Bridenstine, mengt zich nu in het eindeloze debat. “Voor mij is Pluto een planeet. Je kan dus schrijven dat de beheerder van NASA Pluto opnieuw als planeet beschouwt”, zei hij gisteren op een bijeenkomst.
Toen Pluto in 1930 werd ontdekt door de Amerikaanse astronoom Clyde Tombaugh, werd het hemellichaam geclassificeerd als planeet en werd het zo de negende planeet van ons zonnestelsel. Toen men 62 jaar later ook andere even grote objecten in de ruimte ontdekte, kwam men op die beslissing terug. In 2006 werd uiteindelijk beslist om buitenbeentje Pluto, die kleiner is dan de overige planeten, als dwergplaneet te benoemen. Sindsdien hoort Pluto dus niet meer bij de overige planeten Mercurius, Venus, de Aarde, Mars, Jupiter, Saturnus, Uranus en Neptunus.
Sindsdien zijn er geregeld verhitte discussies over die degradatie. En nu mengt dus ook de NASA-directeur zich in het debat. Hij staat resoluut aan de pro-planeetzijde en trekt de beslissing van dertien jaar geleden in twijfel. “Ik blijf erbij, het is de manier waarop ik het geleerd heb, en ik blijf erachter staan”, verdedigde hij gisteren op een bijeenkomst van het FIRST Robotics event in Oklahoma.
Planeet
Volgens de definitie is een hemellichaam een planeet van zodra het aan drie criteria voldoet: het draait in een baan rond een ster, het heeft voldoende zwaartekracht om een ronde vorm aan te nemen en het bevindt zich in de baan baan rond een ster waar het zijn eigen baan heeft schoongeveegd van andere objecten.
Hoewel Pluto de eerste twee eigenschappen kan afvinken, is het niet groot genoeg om ook aan de derde eis te voldoen. Om die reden werd in 2006 dus beslist om het hemellichaam tot dwergplaneet te degraderen.
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Onderzoeker spot enorm ‘gezicht’ op Antarctica. Bekijk het zelf op Google Earth
Foto: Google Earth
Onderzoeker spot enorm ‘gezicht’ op Antarctica. Bekijk het zelf op Google Earth
Iemand is op Google Earth op iets vreemds gestuit. De persoon in kwestie ontdekte op Antarctica een soort gezicht, dat doet denken aan het legendarische gezicht op Mars.
De vondst werd onlangs op de Instagram-pagina ‘ufo_scandinavia’ gedeeld.
De onderzoeker was aan het speuren op Google Earth en kwam in het ijzige, bergachtige landschap opeens een gezicht tegen.
Geheimen
Er zijn onder meer ogen, een neus en een mond te ontwaren.
Volgens complottheoretici liggen er allerlei esoterische geheimen verscholen op Antarctica.
Veel mensen wezen op de gelijkenissen tussen de vondst en het gezicht op Mars in de regio Cydonia, dat in 1976 voor het eerst werd gefotografeerd door NASA’s Viking 1.
Coördinaten
Iedereen kan het ‘gezicht op Antarctica’ bewonderen door de volgende coördinaten in te voeren bij Google Earth: 72° 00′ 36″ S, 168° 34′ 53″ E.
Sceptici zeggen dat het ‘gezicht’ simpelweg een geval van pareidolie is en geen mysterieus verloren monument dat onder de sneeuw verborgen ligt.
Archaeologists have unearthed three ancient skeletons in Croatia — and two of them had pointy, artificially deformed skulls.
Each of those skulls had been melded into a different shape, possibly as a way to show they belonged to a specific cultural group.
Artificial cranial deformation has been practiced in various parts of the world, from Eurasia and Africa to South America. It is the practice of shaping a person's skull — such as through using tight headdresses, bandages or rigid tools — while the skull bones are still malleable in infancy.
Ancient cultures had different reasons for the practice, from indicating social status to creating what they thought was a more beautiful skull. The earliest known instance of this practice occurred 12,000 years ago in ancient China, but it's unclear if the practice spread from there or if it emerged independently in different parts of the world, according to a previous Live Science report.
In this case, archeologists found these three skeletons in a burial pit in Croatia's Hermanov vinograd archeological site in 2013. Between 2014 and 2017, they analyzed the skeletons using various methods, including DNA analysis and radiographic imaging— a method that involves using radiation to view the inside of an object such as a skull.
Their analysis revealed that the skeletons were all males who had died between ages 12 and 16. They all showed evidence of malnutrition, but that's not necessarily how they died. They could have had "some kind of disease that killed them quickly and didn't leave any traces on their bones," such as plague, said senior author Mario Novak, a bioarchaeologist at the Institute for Anthropological Research in Zagreb, Croatia.
The archaeologists didn't find artifacts in the burial that could have revealed the boys' social status, Novak said.
Analysis also revealed that the three had lived between A.D. 415 and 560, a time that corresponds to the Great Migration Period, which is "a very turbulent period in Europe's history," Novak told Live Science. Right after the fall of the Roman Empire, completely new populations of people and cultures began to arrive in Europe and become the basis for modern European nations. "In other words, this period set the foundations of Europe as we know it today," Novak said.
Indeed, DNA analysis of the ancient trio revealed that one of them had a West Eurasian ancestry, another a near-Eastern ancestry and the third an East Asian ancestry.
The boy who was of near-Eastern ancestry had a circular-erect type cranial deformation, which means that the frontal bone behind the forehead was flattened and the height of the skull was "significantly increased," Novak said. The boy who likely came from West Eurasia didn't have any skull deformation, and the boy with East Asian ancestry had a skull with an "oblique" deformation, which means the skull was elongated diagonally upward.
"We propose that different skull deformation types in Europe were used as a visual indicator of association with a certain cultural group," Novak said. As of yet, it's unclear what cultural groups they belonged to, though the East Asian boy could have been a Hun.
Now, Novak and his team hope to find more samples of cranial deformation from Europe to understand this phenomenon on a larger scale.
The findings were published yesterday (Aug. 21) in the journal PLOS One.
Buitenaards ogende schedels opgegraven in Kroatië. Archeologen zitten met veel vragen
Buitenaards ogende schedels opgegraven in Kroatië. Archeologen zitten met veel vragen
In Kroatië zijn twee vreemd gevormde menselijke schedels opgegraven. De schedels zien er buitenaards uit.
Ze zijn in 2013 ontdekt op een archeologische vindplaats in Osijek en in de jaren daarna geanalyseerd.
De schedels zijn allebei op een andere manier vervormd, mogelijk om te laten zien dat ze toebehoorden aan een specifieke culturele groep.
Turbulente periode
Uit de resultaten, die zijn gepubliceerd in het tijdschrift PLOS One, blijkt dat de schedels toebehoren aan twee jongens die ongeveer 1500 jaar geleden stierven.
Het is nog onduidelijk tot welke culturele groepen ze behoorden. Eén van de jongens is mogelijk een Hun geweest.
Ze leefden ergens tussen 415 en 560 na Christus, een turbulente periode in Europa.
Geesten
Het is ook niet duidelijk waaraan de jongens precies zijn overleden. Archeologen schatten dat ze tussen de 12 en 16 jaar oud waren.
In sommige culturen werd de schedel doelbewust vervormd. Dit had vaak te maken met status. Daarnaast geloofde men op deze manier dichter bij de geesten te staan.
Police and Forestry officials at Khao Kala in Nakhon Sawan on Aug. 16, 2019.
NAKHON SAWAN — Police are investigating whether a meditation center known for UFO sightings is encroaching on protected forests, after dual raids on Thursday and Friday.
Dozens of policemen and rangers rushed Khao Kala mountain for a second time Friday to determine whether the Khao Kala Meditation Center, run by a group of UFO believers, is encroaching on forest area. Police have also issued summons for the landowners of the meditation center.
“If we find anyone guilty of wrongdoing, we will file a criminal case against them. If a UFO descends and parks here, that’s even better. We’ll capture them all,” Police Maj. Gen. Damrong Petpong said.
Police were drawn to raid the area after the UFO Kaokala group organized a UFO-watching event for Saturday, with locals reporting that some adherents believe they are mediums for aliens from Pluto.
UFO Kaokala is a group of UFO believers who maintain that aliens communicate with them via meditation. They say their communications with aliens enhance their Buddhist practices and even help them predict natural disasters (a group member predicted in 2017 that World War III will ignite by 2022).
The group was founded in 1998, when nurse Somjit Reapeth said she saw aliens at Nakhon Sawan mountain. Since then, the mountain has become Thailand’s go-to UFO sighting spot.
Saturday’s event is actually Somjit’s birthday. As of press time, an organizer named “Jack,” whose phone number is on the event page, said that the event will still go on, but at the foothills rather than the peak of the mountain. Admission is free and transportation via van from Bangkok will be provided. Contact Jack at the number listed on the event page if interested.
Officials armed with coordinate measuring machines canvassed the mountain from its foothills to its peak on Thursday and Friday.
“The Forestry Department will use satellite GPS to check whether, and how much, the center is on forest space. We will proceed according to the law,” Pinit Laoyuu from the local Forestry Department said.
Pinit said Friday that he estimated about 3 to 5 rai (0.48 to 0.8 hectares) of the meditation center encroaches on forest. He said that forest officials will be securing the area.
“For the time being, we will not allow people to pitch tents or hold activities here since a case is ongoing,” Pinit said.
Adherents camped at Khao Kala in Nakhon Sawan on Aug. 16, 2019.
Charoen Raepetch, the listed owner of the meditation center, was not on site Thursday. When contacted, he said that he would not be returning to the mountain any time soon and half-jokingly said that he was “afraid the Forestry people would capture him.”
Police have summoned Charoen as well as others suspected of being involved in the meditation center for questioning.
Despite the police presence, locals have flocked to the mountain to take photos, exchanging alleged UFO sightings. Some say that the lights at night can be explained away by shooting range practice at a nearly military case. Others are UFO Kaokala adherents with tents, set on seeing aliens via meditation, with or without forestry officials nearby. The mediums include a doctor and a captain in the military.
Chaliew Phoocharoen, the sub-district head of Khao Kala tambon, said that most people living in the area are not alien believers, and that most of the followers are from out-of-town. µ
The Amazon Rainforest biome has an extension of about 6.7 million square kilometers shared between Brazil, Bolivia, Colombia, Peru, Ecuador, Venezuela, Guyana, Surinam and the French Guyana. Some 62% of it is in Brazil, where 84% of its original area at the time of the arrival of the Portuguese in 1500 A.D. are preserved. This mostly untouched area is about the size of France, Germany, the United Kingdom, Ireland, Norway, Finland, Sweden, Holland, Italy, Spain and Portugal together; if it were a country, it would be the world seventh in extension, larger than India.
The Amazon Rainforest must not be confused with the Legal Amazon (Amazônia Legal), a geographical region delimited for the purpose of establishing special tax regimes in order to encourage economic activities in the nine Northern Brazilian states. These states comprise 61% of the national territory but harbor less than 13% of the country’s population, and account for less than 8% of Brazil’s GDP. Their low living standards can be assessed by the fact that only 13% of its urban inhabitants have access to sewage systems; a great part of the 4 million Brazilians who do not have a simple toilet at home live there. The region also holds significant parts of other two Brazilian biomes, the Cerrado (savannah) and the Pantanal (wetlands). The Legal Amazon has 5.1 million sq.km; the Brazilian part of the Rainforest, 4.2 million sq.km.
The Rainforest is not the “lungs of the world”; its vegetal and animal biotas consume all the photosynthesis-generated oxygen in their process of respiration (yes, plants do breathe), so the net budget is near zero. (And lungs do not produce oxygen, after all.)
It is not a functional “carbon sink” either, because as a stable climax ecosystem its net carbon budget is also close to zero (except when it burns). Anyway, if people are worried about carbon, they should support the clearing of the forest and its replacement by the secondary regeneration vegetation (called “capoeira”) instead, that captures the atmospheric carbon during its growth, indeed. By the way, between 2008 and 2012, the area of “capoeiras” increased twice and a half faster than the area of cleared forest (there aren’t more recent data). (Disclaimer: I’m not suggesting this course of action.)
The Rainforest is obviously relevant for the biogeochemical cycles of the biosphere but it does not have any significant impact upon the world climate. Its chief contribution for the atmospheric dynamics is to recycle some half of the rainwater coming westwards from the Atlantic Ocean back to the atmosphere by means of evapotranspiration, forming a water vapor flow that is partly re-directed southward. This process is important for the Rainforest itself and its surroundings but its influence can hardly be regarded as being global.
The much-ballyhooed projections about a feared “tipping point” of deforestation beyond which the Rainforest would supposedly suffer an irreversible “dieback” are just products of mathematical models without factual evidence. These models may be useful as academic drills but should not be the turf of policymaking. If other biomes are useful for comparison, the Atlantic Forest (Mata Atlântica), with a biodiversity similar to the Rainforest, covered 1.3 million sq.km of the Brazilian territory along the coast in the 16th century, and has lost over 80% of its original area since but it has not suffered such a “dieback” so far. The hypothetical deforestation “tipping point” for the rainforest is 20%, a number that grants appealing apocalyptic forecasts and shocking media headlines but does not fit with the hard facts and the common sense.
The annual deforestation rates in the Legal Amazon have been decreasing steadily since the last decade, and are now well under 10,000 sq.km a year. Taking into account that much of this deforestation occurs in the Cerrado, a hypothetical linear projection using such rates suggests that it would take well over 400 years to clear the Rainforest entirely – an absurd scenario that is unimaginable by anyone in their right mind except some delusional and uninformed radical environmentalists, anyway.
Much of the deforestation occurs in private properties and government-sponsored settlement areas for small family farmers, meaning that it is legal. The Brazilian 2012 Forest Code allows that 20% of the property areas in the Rainforest and 50% in the Cerrado be cleared for economic use. Unfortunately, the deforestation rates regularly trumpeted in the media do not make this needed distinction.
The number of fires in the Legal Amazon (including the Cerrado) has also been falling since the record years of 2004-05; the projections for 2019 point that they will reach half or so the numbers of those years. A good deal of such fires occurs in private properties where people have been using fire as a method of cleaning the terrain for centuries; it’s not the best method but it is what they have access to. It’s relevant to notice that most of the fires are not located in the Rainforest itself but in its Southern transition zone to the Cerrado and in the Cerrado itself, as can be seen in the Fire Information for Resource Management System website (See this – the Rainforest is roughly delimited by the huge dark green and light green area north of parallel 15oS). Incidentally, one can also observe that Brazil is far from being alone in the current worldwide fire season.
There are over 25 million people living in the Legal Amazon, most of them in precarious socio-economic conditions. The vast majority of people who cut trees or make use of fire are not criminals but do it because they need to eke out a living somehow (of course, there are criminals that manage to avoid the law enforcement and the due punishment, like everywhere else). Keeping in mind the respective proportions, nobody but some stubborn environmentalists is regarding the Germans as environmental criminals because the remnants of the Hambach Forest near Köln are intended to be felled by the RWE energy company, in order to get the lignite in the subsoil needed to fuel thermoelectric plants, after chancellor Angela Merkel ordered the closing of several of the country’s nuclear plants for purely political reasons.
Brazil is a developing country and is still struggling to find its way towards the full development of its human and natural resources. For the Amazon region, the path is not “preserving” it as a gigantic combo of botanic garden and zoo, as many people seem to think naively. It must begin with the long overdue tasks of land rights regularization, ecological-economic zoning, adding value to the local productions and resources with the best techniques available, improving and expanding the infrastructure needed to enable quality of life gains for the local populations and a massive effort of research and development of its vast biodiversity resources, combining research institutions, private enterprises and the precious traditional knowledge of its inhabitants. In short, a kind of an Industrial Amazon 4.0, an impulse capable of bringing most of its inhabitants to the levels of wellbeing permitted by the 21st century knowledge. All this can and must be done with the needed care for the environment and, hopefully, we will be able to put this rational agenda in practice but a fundamental prerequisite for this is to dispel the myths and hysteria about the region and its development.
So, people, including foreign leaders and personalities, should inform themselves better before ridiculously blaming Brazil of “threatening the world climate”, or asking for sanctions against the country (mostly motivated by political and economical reasons). And the same goes for many Brazilians who are always willing to reverberate any criticisms against the country coming from abroad, regardless of their seriousness or lack thereof.
Geraldo Luís Lino is a Brazilian geologist, former environmental consultant and co-founder and director of the Ibero-American Solidarity Movement (MSIa – www.msiainforma.org); e-mail: geraldoluislino@gmail.com.
The original source of this article is Global Research
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Antarctica Anomaly Hunter Spots Massive 'Face' There Via Google Earth
Antarctica Anomaly Hunter Spots Massive 'Face' There Via Google Earth
An anomaly hunter scouring Google Earth for unusual sights stumbled upon a curious spot in Antarctica which gives the legendary ‘Face on Mars’ a run for its money.
The weird find came to light on August 20th when it was posted on the Instagram account ‘ufo_scandinavia.’
While looking at Google Earth images of Antarctica, the researcher noticed what appears to be a rather sizeable face standing out amid the frosty mountainous terrain.
Everything that happens in space is generally considered to be a “first.” While we’ve no confirmed verification of it, there’s probably even been a first sex act in space. What we haven’t had is the first crime in space … until now. The spouse of an astronaut is accusing her of stealing her identity while serving on the International Space Station and using it to illegally access her bank account while the couple is in the process of getting divorced. Who is responsible for policing space? NASA? The FBI? Interpol? The Space Force? Robocop? And who is responsible for handling the ensuing personal scandal that the accusation brought to light? NASA? Dr. Phil? Oprah?
“Just because it’s in space doesn’t mean it’s not subject to law.”
Mark Sundahl, director of the Global Space Law Center at Cleveland State University, told The New York Times he believes this crime in space is unprecedented. The accused is astronaut Anne McClain, who was onboard the ISS from December 3, 2018, to June 24, 2019, and achieved a bit of space notoriety when the first all-female spacewalk she was scheduled to be part of had to be scrapped due to a lack of two spacesuits small enough for women.
Astronaut Anne McClain
The accuser is Summer Worden, a former Air Force intelligence officer, who married McClain in 2014, filed for divorce in 2018 and complained to NASA in 2019 that McClain had sent her threatening emails and accessed her files illegally from space. The complaint was reported last week in The New York Times, effectively outing McClain and making her the first known gay astronaut of either sex. Sally Ride, the first American woman in space, was also gay but that was not revealed until after her death.
“The more we go out there and spend time out there, all the things we do here are going to happen in space.”
Sundahl certainly is right about that, although it appears NASA isn’t too happy about either the alleged identity theft nor the outing. McClain’s attorney says his client did nothing wrong, and the astronaut was interviewed under oath by the inspector general, where she explained that accessing Worden’s bank accounts was something she’s always done while away in order to make sure Worden had the finances available to care for their six-year-old child – a child they’re now fighting for custody of. McClain is a decorated Army pilot who flew over 800 combat hours in Operation Iraqi Freedom and is on a list of candidates NASA is considering to be the first woman on the moon. Worden is a former Air Force intelligence officer, so she should know about breaking into accounts and crimes. This sounds like an epic space crime battle the likes of which has never been fought before. Where will it take place and who will be the judge?
According to a 2014 interview with NASA engineer and instructor Robert Frost, the question first goes to the Outer Space Treaty of 1967. In Article VIII of the treaty states that:
“A State Party to the Treaty on whose registry an object launched into outer space is carried shall retain jurisdiction and control over such object, and over any personnel thereof, while in outer space or on a celestial body.”
International Space Station
That governs a spacecraft where all of the crew members are from the nation that launched it. However, the ISS has its own rule because its crew members come from so many different countries. For a crime committed there, we turn to an Intergovernmental Agreement signed by all parties in 1998. With regard to criminal conduct, it states:
“Canada, the European Partner States, Japan, Russia, and the United States may exercise criminal jurisdiction over personnel in or on any flight element who are their respective nationals.”
So the nation of the accused has jurisdiction over him or her. But which court would handle it? Worden filed her complaint with the Federal Trade Commission while McClain works for NASA. Based on how things have been going lately in lower courts, should this case go right to the Supremes?
It’s a bird, it’s a plane, it’s yet another group of mysterious lights in the sky. Shortly after a group of claimed UFOs were filmed by residents of Cincinnati, and a baffling string of sightings were reported over Wyoming, another group of UFOs has recently been spotted over the Crimean peninsula, which is either in Ukraine or Russia depending on whether you ask Ukraine or Russia, respectively.
Three separate videos of the incident were collected and uploaded to YouTube by the UFO channel The Hidden Underbelly 2.0—check the video out for yourself here. In all three videos, which all look to be shot around dusk, you can see six strange orange lights hanging in the sky, in what looks like a deliberate formation. The three videos all show very different views of the group of lights, but it’s still clear that they are all showing the same thing. This tells us two things: first, that this is an actual group of objects in the sky (seeing as how they’re subject to perspective and all that); and two, that the mysterious lights are fairly low in the sky.
The “UFOs” look to be in an intentional sort of formation. The third video in the group shows this the clearest, as if there are three groups of two lights all circled around a central point. It’s fairly certain, in fact, that whatever these lights are, there is an intention behind them.
So what are they? Folks in the comments on YouTube videos are usually pretty sure of themselves, so against my better judgement I entertained what they had to say for a minute or two. If it wasn’t definitely aliens, it was definitely flares from the Russian navy. So I looked up some videos of naval flares, including some from Russia, and nothing I could find looked like what was in the video. The color was right, for sure, but the thing about flares is they fall really fast. Flares don’t just hang out in the sky. These lights hang hovered around for a decent amount of time. So they’re probably not flares, and all we’ve learned is that shot-from-the-hip YouTube comments are hot garbage. Which is to say we’ve learned nothing at all.
Don’t worry it’s not aliens. World War III is just going to look really, really cool.
Although, to be fair, it probably does have something to do with the Russian military. After the Russian annexation of Crimea in 2014, they have kept a military presence on the peninsula; and according to an article published today by TASS, a Russian news site, the Russian air force just finished up combat exercises in Crimea involving air-to-air combat training against simulated airborne targets. Considering the videos were posted three days ago, there’s a distinct probability that these lights may be those simulated airborne targets.
But, you know, that could be Russia covering up that they’re absolutely lousy with aliens.
Pareidolia: the tendency to interpret a vague stimulus as something known to the observer, such as seeing shapes in clouds, seeing faces in inanimate objects or abstract patterns, or hearing hidden messages in music.
72°00′ 36.00” S , 168° 34′ 40.00” E: location of what many pareidoliacs see on Google Earth as a gigantic “grey alien face” bulging out of the ice in Antarctica.
Credit: Google Earth
Pity the poor person who finds an amazing likeness of Jesus burnt into their tortilla or toast. They can’t get anyone to pay attention to them now that Google is making satellite images available of the surfaces of the Earth, the Moon and Mars where anyone can piece together enough rocks, shadows and wind-blown sand or snow to see aliens, space ships, giant faces or any number of out-of-place images that put the burnt toast back in the toaster where it can get 15 minutes of flame instead of fame.
The latest example comes from the craggy white surface of Antarctica, where the anonymous owner of the ufo _scandinavia account posted a Google Earth image of what they describe as an “grey alien face.” While one can certainly find evidence of each of those things individually, is it that collectively? And if so, what if anything does it mean?
Credit: Google Earth
“GIGANTICA! Ancient Alien [NEW] Discovery “THE FACE” Antarctica? 2019-2020”
The YouTube channel thirdpahseofmoon managed to fill a 10-minute video (see it here) with as much as they could possibly come up with on the Google Earth image. The comments on the video and on the image posted by ufo_scandanavia are proof that imagination is not dead. On the other hand, if that’s a giant grey alien trying to chew its way to the surface of Antarctica, it definitely is dead. Is it a giant statue? If it is, it puts Mount Rushmore to shame. Or is it a message to future extraterrestrials visiting Earth, like “Kilroy was here”? Maybe the mouth opens and reveals an alien base?
Makes about as much sense as leaving messages with circles in a cornfield or lines in a desert, doesn’t it?
When the water levels began lowering outside Peraleda de la Mata in Cáceres, Spain, large standing stones revealed themselves in the reservoir. Nicknamed the “Spanish Stonehenge”, the location may have once been the site of ritual worship.
Of the 144 standing stones, several of them are as a tall as two meters high and have serpents engraved on them. The stones were arranged in a circular shape (just like Stonehenge), but nobody knows why they were put there in the first place or by whom.
Just like England’s Stonehenge (pictured here), some of the stones from the Spanish Stonehenge are two meters tall
It is believed that the site was created in the second and third millennia BC and was used as a sun temple on the banks of the River Tagus as well as a burial ground. “The site would have been created over thousands of years, using granite transported from kilometers away,” local official Angel Castaño stated to The Local. As for its purpose, Castaño explained, “They seemed to have a religious but also economic purpose, being at one of the few points of the river where it was possible to cross,” adding, “So it was sort of a trading hub.”
Nobody has seen the site for nearly six decades since it was submerged under water in 1963 after the construction of a dam made a reservoir. But with no rain, warm weather, and water extraction creating a drought in the area, the water levels lowered so much that the “Spanish Stonehenge” has re-emerged after hiding under water for many years. “We grew up hearing about the legend of the treasure hidden beneath the lake and now we finally get to view them” Castaño said. He also mentioned that while there may possibly be treasures hidden underneath the stones, just witnessing the stones themselves is enough of a treasure.
(Not an illustration of the Spanish Stonehenge)
Castaño and a group of locals are currently trying to preserve the site before it gets submerged under water again by campaigning to have the stones moved to another location on dry land. “If we miss this chance it could be years before they are revealed again,” Castaño insisted, adding, “And the stones, which are granite and therefore porous, are already showing signs of erosion and cracking, so if we don’t act now it could be too late.” They certainly have a valid point, as the last time the site was witnessed (until now) was 56 years ago. You can see pictures here of the “Spanish Stonehenge”.
With the pace of everyday life in the modern world, it can become easy to forget the more fundamental questions we have about who we are, and what it means to be a part of the great enigma that is humankind.
To borrow the words of historian Felipe Fernandez-Armesto, “As evolution slowly grinds out species, who’s human? Who’s to say? It is tempting to reserve the term human for ourselves—members of the species we call Homo sapiens.” Along similar lines, the late Philip Adler of East Carolina University acknowledged that “Paleoanthropologists continue to dig up specimens that challenge believers in human uniqueness,” and cause us to have to consider what, precisely, it means to be “human.”
Indeed, with time we may have to drastically rethink the uniqueness of humans in relation to the long line of ongoing hominin discoveries. A more remote possibility—but one which may nonetheless prove to be true—is the discovery of new hominin types that may have existed far more recently, or which might even still exist in small numbers today; a tantalizing, though increasingly unlikely prospect as time goes on. Technologies that are ever-steadily mapping remote corners of the world, in addition to issues like climate change, deforestation, population growth, and other environmental issues would no doubt present considerations in terms of the discovery of any new species, let alone those that might be large mammals resembling humans.
Nonetheless, several archaeological discoveries in recent years do suggest that unique kinds of early humans probably did, at very least, exist more recently than once believed.
As far back as 1979, a discovery was made in a cave in the Guanxi region of China that, decades later, would prove to be of remarkable significance in our broader understanding of human ancestry and the curious persistence of hominid types into recent times. Found at Longlin Cave a similar discovery was made one decade later at the Red Deer Cave site in Yunnan Province, China.
Charcoal remnants extracted from the same areas the fossils were tested in 2012, and found to be of remarkably recent ages: the fossils from Red Deer Cave yielded dates of between 14,300 and 12,600 years, while the earlier Longlin Cave discovery dated to even more recently at around 11,500 years ago.
Partial skull (reconstructed) found in Longlin cave in 1979
(Credit: PLOS One, Wikimedia Commons).
Named after the Red Deer Cave, which became the type site for the discoveries, this mysterious group of hominins bore a number of unique features that seem to place them in between modern humans and those of an earlier archaic variety. With the prevalence of Denisovan DNA remnants that exist among human populations in Southeast Asia, it has been proposed that the Red Deer Cave people might have been human-Denisovan hybrids.
The remains bear remarkable similarities to early archaic human types such as Homo erectus; however, since attempts at extracting DNA from the Red Deer Cave fossils have proven unsuccessful thus far, anthropologists have been at odds over whether to classify these as a new species.
Mandibles recovered from Red Deer Cave in Yunnan Province, China in 1989.
(Credit: PLOS One, Wikimedia Commons).
Opinions on the matter are wide and varied. Darren Curnoe, and evolutionary biologist with the University of New South Wales, Australia, gave an enthusiastic statement on the discovery to National Geographic in 2012.
“We have discovered a new population of prehistoric humans whose skulls are an unusual mosaic of primitive features, like those seen in our ancestors hundreds of thousands of years ago… In short, they’re anatomically unique among all members of the human evolutionary tree.”
Alternatively, some critics have argued that the fossils may simply be modern humans with an odd appearance.
Erik Trinkaus, Professor Emeritus of Physical Anthropology at Washington University in Saint Louis, called the discovery “an unfortunate over-interpretation and misinterpretation of robust early modern humans, probably with affinities to modern Melanesians,” stating that the finds were “nothing extraordinary.”
While attempts at gathering genetic information about the Red Deer Cave people have proven unsuccessful so far, could there actually be evidence for similar human relatives in our own DNA?
Recent genomic studies also seem to point to mysterious archaic human types that can also be traced in modern human DNA, but which remain unknown in the archaeological record. In other words, we can prove that in addition to Neanderthals and Denisovans, there are at least two other unknown archaic human types that anatomically modern humans met, lived alongside, and even interbred with within the last several tens of thousands of years.
Homo habilis skull reconstruction, which has been compared to certain features present with the Red Deer Cave specimens
(Public Domain).
Recently, I reported on a study published in the journal PNASwhich detailed genetic evidence for two unrecognized hominin species that existed in Asia. According to the study’s authors:
“At least 3 different hominin groups appear to have been involved in Asia, of which only the Denisovans are currently known. Several interbreeding events are inferred to have taken place east of Wallace’s Line, consistent with archaeological evidence of widespread and early hominin presence in the area.”
In other words, if this recent DNA evidence is any indication, we’re already certain there are indeed “missing links” in our evolutionary past, waiting to be corroborated in the fossil record.
Whether those fossils will be found or not, and later corroborated with evidence found in DNA remains to be seen. However, it is clear enough already from the data discussed here that there are plenty of mysteries about humanity’s past to keep us busy for some time to come.
Alien Ship Seen On Surface Of Sun In Video, UFO Sighting News.
Alien Ship Seen On Surface Of Sun In Video, UFO Sighting News.
Date of discovery:Aug 2019 Location of discovery: Sun, lower right corner. Source:Helioviewer.org I noticed this black triangle UFO about two weeks ago and have been following it. Some people tried to explain it away as dust on the lens of the sun satellite, but dust doesn't travel across the sun. Dust would stay in place. This object is dark black and that tells me its much colder than the surface of the sun. Alien technology could achieve this. If an alien species was billions of years ahead of our technology, such materials immune to heat would exist. This object is about the size of earths moon. The ship is huge and seems to be caught in the suns gravity. I believe the ship has some propulsion left because its sinking lower and lower slowly. Perhaps its hiding there from someone. Or perhaps its caught in the suns gravity and cannot escape, which would take months or even years for something the size of the moon to be pulled into the sun, especially if the ship is fighting it with some propulsion systems. Scott C. Waring-Taiwan
White Domed Disc captured above Mérida, Yucatán, Mexico
White Domed Disc captured above Mérida, Yucatán, Mexico
UFO accidentally captured in photograph by David Studer while vacationing in Merida, Yucatán Mexico on August 26, 2019. Mr. Studer has submitted the image to Mufon for further investigation.
If you look at the top center of the photograph and just above the clouds you will see it. A second unknown object flies close to the white domed disc.
The white domed disc was directly above the clouds and moving East and did not change direction.
NASA engineers are working on a new family of space robots that can roll, climb, and use artificial intelligence to navigate around obstacles in rough terrains on other worlds. Meet the family, here.
The climbing robot LEMUR rests after scaling a cliff in Death Valley, California in early 2019. The robot uses special gripping technology that has helped lead to a series of new, off-roading robots that can explore other worlds.
From uncovering the first clues of liquid water on Mars to crossing our solar system, NASA’s missions have been adventurous, to say the least. Ranger 3 was NASA’s first attempt to land a rover on the moon in 1962. Since then, numerous robots have followed Ranger 3 from Earth into space. Yet the surfaces of planets and moons in our solar system remain largely unexplored, partly because current space robots haven’t been capable of scaling cliffs, gripping icy surfaces and otherwise conquering hard-to-reach places.
This month (July 10, 2019), NASA’s Jet Propulsion Laboratory described its work on a new family of robots that can roll, climb, and use artificial intelligence (AI) to navigate around obstacles in rough terrains. These robots are currently being tested on Earth and will later be sent to places that are otherwise inaccessible by humans, helping scientists do meaningful science along the way.
A tiny climbing robot rolls up a wall, gripping with fishhooks – technology adapted from LEMUR’s gripping feet.
This new class of space robots will have functionalities inspired by the Limbed Excursion Mechanical Utility Robot (LEMUR), which was originally conceived as a repair robot for the International Space Station. In the video below, NASA describes LEMUR’s last field test, in Death Valley, California, in early 2019. The robot used hundreds of fishhooks to climb walls and AI to avoid obstacles that it could not climb. It also used its suite of scientific instruments to scan the rock for ancient fossils, and, as the video explains, it found some!
A direct application of this LEMUR field test would be searching for biosignatures – substances that provide evidence of life – on the planet Mars, perhaps in lake beds thought to hold signs of Martian life from the distant past.
While the LEMUR itself will not be sent into space, the engineers did adopt much of its AI and structural features into the next generation of robots that will act as our eyes and ears beyond Earth. Each one of them has unique features built into it to tackle harsh conditions and uncertain environments. Keep reading, to meet this new generation of space explorers.
Ice Worm was put to its first field test in the cave walls at Mount St. Helens in August 2018. The robot was belayed with a rope to ensure that it wasn’t damaged if it fell.
Engineers at NASA’s Jet Propulsion Laboratory in Pasadena, California, are developing a robot called Ice Worm in an attempt to navigate slippery surfaces. True to its name, the robot – adapted from a single limb of LEMUR – compacts its body before extending it to move forward. It proceeds an inch at a time by drilling one end of a limb into an icy surface, uses a grip to steady itself, then brings in the second limb to join the first using the same technique.
To move forward, it unscrews one foot, lengthens its body and screws it back into the ice a few meters ahead. Using the pressure sensors that instruct it how hard to drill into the ice, it repeats this over and over again to “inchworm” forward. Ice Worm also uses this method to anchor itself while analyzing the surface beneath to collect material in its legs that can be used to test salinity concentrations for microbial life.
Aaron Parness, an engineer at JPL, has trained Ice Worm in the remote regions of Antarctica, which is the harshest place they could find on Earth. The slippery ice coupled with the harsh environment will prepare the robot for similar conditions on the moons of Jupiter and Saturn. Another set of tests are lined up in glaciers on Mt. Rainier in Seattle. Parness commented:
Field testing shows you things that are hard to learn in the laboratory.
This 1.4-meter (4.6 foot) long robot is also being equipped with pattern recognition and machine learning – aspects of AI that allow it to learn from past mistakes and make optimal decisions. The robot will need to investigate patterns left behind by life in cave formations. In order to do so, it needs to be tiny and mobile enough to scuttle through the cave’s tiny gaps. For this, Parness and his team are working on miniaturized remote sensing and data analysis instruments that Ice Worm can wear like a backpack. Once ready, robots of this kind will be sent to the icy moons of Saturn and Jupiter to bring back samples for further analyses.
While this four-legged robot is also inspired by LEMUR in its size and build, RoboSimian has supple wheels made of music wire in contrast to LEMUR’s gripping ones, thus having greater flexibility on rough terrains. This concept first materialized as a part of the DARPA Robotics Challenge, which promoted robotic technology for disaster-response operations. The robot is built and trained to operate in dangerous environments, so it’s not surprising that RoboSimian – a four-legged robot that can walk, crawl, slide on its belly, and even do cartwheels – will most likely be sent to Saturn’s moon Enceladus. Saltwater oceans are theorized to be present under the icy surface of that distant moon. Its geysers may also contain signs of microbial life.
Nicknamed King Louie after a character in the film “Jungle Book,” RoboSimian is equipped with spectroscopic instruments that could explore Enceladus’ polar regions.
NASA engineers were inspired by gecko feet, such as the one shown here, in designing a gripping system for space. Just as a gecko’s foot has tiny adhesive hairs, so the JPL devices incorporate small structures that work in similar ways.
You can use tape only so many times before the adhesion wears off. Geckos, on the other hand, offer inspiration for glues that stick even after multiple uses. These tiny lizards have hair on their feet that allow them to cling to a wall with ease. Parness and his team designed a robot with similar features – gecko-inspired adhesives – synthetic hair that sticks to any surface.
These grippers can sustain up to 150 Newtons of force and have been tested in simulated microgravity environments. The gecko material itself was tested 300,000 times to make sure the stickiness does not wear off. This robot will one day repair satellites, service them, and even snatch space garbage.
Yet another robot inspired by LEMUR, the Underwater Gripper, adopted LEMUR’s 16 fingers and 250 fishhooks to hold on tightly to surfaces and drill into formations. This is particularly useful in environments where there is little to no gravity, especially underwater where the force of the drill could push the robot away.
As of now the robot is working with Nautilus – an underwater research vessel – to collect samples from water that are a mile below the surface. Eventually, it might be sent to explore the surfaces of asteroids and other similar bodies.
A tiny, solar-powered helicopter will accompany the Mars 2020 rover. Arash Kalantari, a JPL engineer, modified LEMUR’s design to build a robot that lands not just horizontally, but also vertically by clinging to rocks like a dragonfly.
MiMi Aung, project manager for the Mars Helicopter at NASA’s Jet Propulsion Laboratory in Pasadena, California, said:
Nobody’s built a Mars Helicopter before, so we are continuously entering new territory.
The Mars Helicopter is expected to reach Mars by February 2021 and will conduct geological assessments on the landing sites, assess natural resources and hazards for future space missions.
Bottom line: A new class of space robots have functionalities inspired by the Limbed Excursion Mechanical Utility Robot (LEMUR). While each design is unique in its abilities, there is one common goal that unites them all: the hunt for life beyond Earth.
Conspiracy theorists spotted what they think is the gigantic ship zoom through the Sun after a solar flare exploded from the surface. By analysing a series of NASA images, alien hunter Scott C Waring said the craft, which looks like it has a huge wingspan and a dipping tail similar to an angel, was there one minute and gone the next. This led Mr Waring to conclude it was travelling at the speed of light – something which no known thing in the Universe can do, apart from light.
Mr Waring also believes the UFO is the size of Jupiter – which has a diameter of 88,695 miles, 11 times that of Earth.
Mr Waring wrote on his blog ET Database: “I found this angelic UFO exiting our sun this week. The UFO came out right after a giant explosion happened.
“The UFO itself is huge compared to our sun. The angelic UFO is close to the size of Jupiter. This has to be one of the largest UFOs ever recorded exiting our sun.
“It moves really fast, because just a few minutes later, the photo of the same area shows it no longer there. Nothing that big could move that fast unless it has the ability to travel at light speed.
UFO SIGHTING: Angelic alien space ship the size of JUPITER seen near Sun – shock claim
(Image: NASA • GETTY)
“That my friends, is an alien craft.”
This is not the first time an alleged alien spaceship has been spotted near the Sun.
In September 2018, Maria Hill from Salem, Indiana, snapped images of the Sun, which she believes show a huge UFO followed by a massive fleet of smaller crafts passing behind.
The UFO flew out of the Sun
(Image: NASA • YOUTUBE)
Ms Hill wrote on Facebook alongside the images: “This is what showed up in my camera after I took a picture of the sun in the eastern sky this morning. iPhone 8 with a camera lens adapter.
“A green circular door-like object is at the centre of the vortex/worm hole and a serpent snake at the top right above it, by a circular disc. I am sure this has a symbolic meaning with the snake and the disc.”
Nat Geo Photographer Says He Encountered Advanced Underwater Aliens
Nat Geo Photographer Says He Encountered Advanced Underwater Aliens
National Geographic director of underwater photography, and member of OceanX has revealed in a recently published video he has encountered 'underwater aliens' that were much more advanced than humans.
Nat Geo Photographer Says He Encountered Underwater Aliens “More Advanced Than Humans”
The UFO subject has become an entirely liberal one in the last few months.
Never before have people had the freedom to speak out about Unidentified Flying Objects, Close Encounters, and potential alien sightings on Earth.
A Subject that was once deeply shrouded in a conspiracy, has now become the subject of study not only for science but the military and governments around the globe.
Videos have surfaced where we see pilots chasing down flying objects that are able to perform outlandish maneuvers; accelerating at incredible speeds, making nearly impossible turns, or stopping mid-air.
Shutterstock.
Pilots have described the objects they’ve encountered in the air as “unlike anything they’ve ever seen.”
But stories about aliens and UFOs don’t seem to plan on stopping anytime soon.
Now, it has been reported by the IBT that a Nat Geo photographer and member of the OceanX team has encountered underwater aliens during his diving assignments.
According to the photographer, the alien beings resemble stingrays although they appear to be much more advanced than humans.
This is according to Luis Lamar, National Geographic’s director of underwater photography, and member of OceanX.
According to his website, the underwater photographer “has sent robotic camera systems into one of the deepest ocean trenches on earth & he has logged hundreds of hours in manned submarines, including on five expeditions with the U.S. Navy’s deepest-diving manned research submersible ALVIN, diving beyond 12,000 feet deep in the abyss to photograph environments at the edges of the ocean frontier.”
The claims made by Lamar were presented in a short video made by his company, where the underwater photographer speaks about the different lifeforms he has encountered beneath the surface.
And while describing the numerous strange marine species he saw beneath the ocean, he discussed encountering what appeared to be alien beings, much more advanced than humans.
“I’ve seen giant deep sea arachnids, venomous sea snakes far offshore with, like bright-yellow heads,” Lamar revealed.
“Sharks in a frenzy, Orcas swarming all around me,” the underwater photographer continued.
“Some sort of you know, hyper-advanced aquatic alien creatures inhabiting the shallow waters, which almost look like stingrays.”
But although he has faced many ‘terrifying’ creatures while cataloging the beauties of our oceans, Lamar still argues the oceans are an incredible place to explore and be in.
But the claims made by Lamar are the first encounters.
US Navy Encounters
In fact, a report released in January of 2019 suggested that United States Nuclear Submarine have had their fair share of encounters with 0unidentified submerged objects, also known as USOs.
The report, released by the War Zone details encounters of US Navy personnel with Unidentified Submerged Objects.
One encounter, as detailed in the report, reveals how an attack submarine patrolling the North Atlantic picked up a fast moving object in the water.
Despite the fact that the military personnel could not identify the object, the report does suggest whatever it was, it was moving through the water at a speed of several hundred knots.
Sunken Alien Spaceships?
In 2018, it was reported that a shipwreck explorer and star of Discovery Channel’s documentary series “Cooper’s Treasure,” Darrel Miklos, encountered the crashed remains of an Alien spaceship inside the infamous Bermuda Triangle.
Using maps drawn by former NASA Astronaut Gordon Cooper to identify magnetic anomalies, Miklos has been hunting for shipwrecks in the Caribbean.
It was revealed that during one particular dive in the Bahamas, the Discovery Channel explorer came across a massive unidentified submerged object.
Speaking to the Daily Mail, Miklos revealed: “It was a formation unlike anything I’ve ever seen related to shipwreck material, it was too big for that.”
Meme invaders: How #StormArea51 became our new UFO reality
Meme invaders: How #StormArea51 became our new rreality
Ken Layne Special to DESERT magazine
The desolation of Nevada's Extraterrestrial Highway gives you plenty of time to think "what if?"
Trevor Hughes, USA TODAY
When you get mixed up with the UFO people, your life becomes deeply weird. Ask Matty Roberts, the 20-year-old engineering student from Bakersfield who created the #StormArea51 meme. He posted something dumb and funny on Facebook, proposing a nighttime invasion to “see them aliens,” and millions of people immediately signed up.
Most know it’s a joke. A few do not. More than a few will be headed up the Extraterrestrial Highway on Friday, Sept. 20, just to see what happens.
The Netflix documentary "Bob Lazar: Area 51 and Flying Saucers" has a lot of people thinking about that mysterious desert military installation 150 miles north of Las Vegas.
In 1989, Bob Lazar appeared on the KLAS-TV news to claim he worked on backward-engineered flying saucers. There were a few hundred holes in the story, but it hit a nerve. Area 51 became a meme of the first kind, a mythology that burrowed into the collective consciousness and never really left. "The X-Files" and "Independence Day" brought the paranoid tales to life. Video games, pop music and comic books elaborated the theology. Like Roswell before it, Nevada’s Area 51 became a dreamland of extraterrestrial secrets.
In this July 22, 2019 photo, Terris Williams visits an entrance to the Nevada Test and Training Range near Area 51 outside of Rachel, Nev. The U.S. Air Force has warned people against participating in an internet joke suggesting a large crowd of people "storm Area 51," the top-secret Cold War test site in the Nevada desert.
John Locher, AP
Pilots had been referring to the top-secret Air Force base at Groom Lake as “Dreamland” for years. Strange things were seen over this easternmost extension of Edwards Air Force Base, wonders in the sky. Some of these aerial oddities were later revealed as SR-71 Blackbird and U-2 spy planes. Some were Russian jet fighters stolen from Soviet airfields. And some remain unexplained: Lights dancing in the sky, things that hover with no visible or audible means of propulsion, sinister black triangles making 180-degree turns and shooting off like meteors.
Nevada is mostly federal land, and Area 51 is part of a vast, secret complex that includes the nation’s nuclear testing grounds at Yucca Flat, Nellis Air Force Range and the proposed nuclear waste dump within Yucca Mountain. Storming the base from all sides, as proposed by #StormArea51’s deliberately goofy battle plans, is impossible. But on the northeast side, where Highway 375 skirts the base’s buffer zone, tourists have been coming for a quarter-century to drink alien-labeled bottles of beer at the Little A’Le’Inn and take some pictures by the rural mailbox that marks a dirt road leading to the edge of the base. There’s the Alien Research Center down the road in Hiko, too, with a giant metallic space alien standing sentry outside the souvenir shop.
That’s where Roberts decided the millions would meet before the half-suicidal mob stormed Groom Lake under cover of darkness. Only those who could run like a beloved anime ninja named Naruto would survive to “see them aliens.” Woe to the Kyles, energy-drink-loving bros who would all be sacrificed to Area 51’s ruthless security forces so the speedier runners could slip through.
When a meme is embraced by the masses, jokes cease to exist. People are coming, and Roberts has now endorsed a peaceful festival on the fated day — hopefully the UFO Woodstock and not the Alien Altamont.
State of emergency: 'Storm Area 51' event pushes rural Nevada county to declare emergency
But it’s happening, there is no longer any doubt. Come Sept. 20, it’ll be bumper-to-bumper on the E.T. Highway from Las Vegas to the lonesome high desert of Lincoln County. It’s an easy two-hour drive from the suburban Vegas grid to Dreamland. Of course people are coming. The handful of mobile-home motel rooms were all booked up in Rachel, behind the Little A'Le'Inn, long before the U.S. Air Force and Nevada Highway Patrol were compelled to acknowledge at least some kind of looming invasion on the last weekend of summer. A media and tourist invasion, at least. A lot of people who didn’t quite get the joke, at worst.
If you couldn’t follow the anime character references or recognize the intentionally bad grammar and spelling, well maybe it sounded like a perfectly good idea, to storm the most mysterious military installation on the planet. It’s a natural and insane evolution of our current snarling discontent, the gleefully self-destructive populism, the impotent bafflement as everything actually falls apart, and the unavoidable awareness —especially in the desert with yet another power outage leaving you sweltering without air conditioning — that it’s getting harder to live on this Earth. It makes people loopy, makes people look for messiahs.
A souvenir shop that houses a brothel in an annex beckons visitors near a junction that leads to Area 51 on July 19, 2014 at Amergosa Valley, Nevada. Area 51 is another name for a portion of Edwards Air Force Base that UFO enthusiasts have theorized contains evidence of visitors from outer space.
Sean Gallup, Getty Images
The UFO phenomena is deeply weird and chaotic, like the subculture around it.
A close-range encounter shakes a person’s very soul. During the 1997 Phoenix Lights event, people pulled over on the freeways, gazing up in astonishment and horror at mile-wide silent aircraft that appeared to be right on top of them. The sense that the government is lying about UFOs is hard to avoid when, as happened in Phoenix, former Arizona Gov. Fife Symington made fun of the event and concealed his own up-close sighting on that otherworldly night of March 13, 1997. (Symington eventually admitted all, a decade later on CNN.)
There’s a baffling strangeness to these events. They rarely make any practical sense. The laws of physics are routinely and absurdly broken. And yet they are objectively real to the witnesses, regardless of what’s really behind the flying saucers and black triangles and other bizarre apparitions that haunt our skies and our social media. Military pilots chase them. Commercial pilots nervously report them. Millions of people around the world see Unidentified Aerial Phenomena every year. Maybe we are reaching a new level of global acknowledgement. Something is happening.
September event: After 'Storm Area 51' gets 2 million RSVPs, its creator announces alien-themed music fest
Wanna get away? Belize offers free trips to residents of Nevada town who want to escape 'Storm Area 51'
Rachel, Nevada: Hunting for Area 51's aliens along Nevada's Extraterrestrial Highway
UFOs are socially disruptive. The effects are unpredictable. An obvious meme or a science-fiction story can be taken at face value. Absurdities become reality. Jokes, hoaxes, lies, con-men and chaos are not bugs in the UFO operating system. They’re a feature.
Around the world but most vividly in the indigenous culture of the American Southwest, the trickster wreaks havoc for good or ill or just for the hell of it, right here in our everyday world. The trickster isn’t condemned to rule an underworld, because the trickster is an equal among gods. A lot of credible people have looked at Lazar’s story and rationally concluded that he made it up, as he claimed to have fanciful academic credentials — simultaneous masters degrees from MIT and Caltech, of which no trace can be found. He was convicted of felony pandering in Nevada, the year following his wild claims about working on alien saucers. And since childhood he has courted local publicity, first for his rocket-powered bicycle. Yet for 30 years, he has mostly stuck to the details of his flying saucer story.
That tale was mostly forgotten outside of the small and graying contingent of late 20th-century UFO researchers — and they had mostly dismissed it. Jeremy Corbell, an independent filmmaker who lives part-time near Pioneertown in the California desert, is fascinated by Lazar. Corbell has made a trio of feature-length documentaries about the UFO world, but the Lazar movie blasted right out of the flying-saucer cult and became a full-on pop culture phenomenon. "Bob Lazar: Area 51 and Flying Saucers" spent much of the summer as the No. 1 documentary on Netflix, right there on the home screen for millions of subscribers worldwide. It was already doing well when the monstrously popular podcaster Joe Rogan brought Corbell and Lazar to his show.
A still from the documentary "Bob Lazar: Area 51 & Flying Saucers," which will play at the 2019 Freep Film Festival/
FFF2019, Bob Lazar: Area 51 & Flying Sauc
'Bob Lazar: Area 51': In documentary, director investigates UFO whistle-blower's story
'Dangerous': Air Force responds to plans to 'storm Area 51' and 'see them aliens'
Roberts, our meme lord of Bakersfield, caught some of the Rogan episode. He watched the documentary. Inspired, he posted his meme to a Facebook group dedicated to nonsense. That should’ve been the end of it. Instead, Roberts became a global meme himself.
“It seems like a very Bakersfield thing to come out of here,” he told his hometown newspaper on July 27, with nearly four million people pledging some sort of interest in the formerly fake event. "I’ll just be scrolling through Facebook and I’ll just see my face photoshopped on the Extraterrestrial Highway.”
Roberts is now a part of UFO culture. Corbell sought him out as soon as the meme took off in July, and Las Vegas television reporter George Knapp interviewed him; Knapp is the reporter who originally interviewed Lazar. And Roberts now finds himself lord of a real UFO festival, his counsel and approval sought by these well-known names from the UFO world.
Reece D'Silva (holding camera) and Alexis Esparza take a selfie outside the entrance to Area 51 in Nevada while on a tour of the Extraterrestrial Highway.
Trevor Hughes, USA TODAY
I have become part of the UFO world, too. It always loomed large in my private life, even if mostly kept out of my work as a reporter and journalist. But five years ago, I left my last media job and started Desert Oracle, a small periodical and weekly radio show/podcast from Joshua Tree. UFOs are an inescapable and crucial part of desert history and culture: Roswell, Groom Lake, the Integratron, Gram Parsons and Keith Richards watching for flying saucers from a barber’s chair they dragged up Cap Rock. It wasn’t long before Corbell introduced himself to me, in the high desert restaurant La Copine, and said we needed to know each other. He was right.
Six weeks before #StormArea51 took over social media, Corbell and I were in the back seat of a Toyota 4Runner headed straight up a mountain dirt road just beyond Area 51. Knapp and his KLAS I-Team partner, chief photographer Matt Adams, were up front. They had joined me for an archeological field trip. I was seeking Pahranagat Man, the distinctive figure found only in the ancient rock art of Lincoln County around Groom Lake. This entity is so similar to the popular conception of “space aliens” supposedly kept at Area 51 that I thought it might be worthwhile to gaze upon these remote petroglyph panels, and contemplate the ridiculous synchronicity.
A giant alien sculpture looks out onto Nevada's Extraterrestrial Highway from the Alien Research Center.
Trevor Hughes, USA TODAY
What is Area 51?: We made contact with experts
Area 51: We visited Amargosa Valley where a brothel, truck stop await 1.7 million people
Jeremy, George and Matt had just returned from a UFO festival in Oregon, where they had appeared with both Lazar and Top Gun fighter pilot David Fravor, who chased fantastic unidentified craft all around the USS Nimitz carrier group training off the coast of San Diego in 2004. Because alongside the Lazar furor, the U.S. Navy has picked this time in history to reveal some of the interesting incidents its pilots have experienced over the past 15 years, including “Tic Tac” UFOs that supposedly hover just beneath the ocean’s surface and then shoot up to 30,000 feet in the blink of an eye. It’s a weird time.
And when the meme became reality, it was Jeremy on the phone to tell me that I would be emcee of the Sept. 20 festival at the Alien Research Center, owned by local businessman George Harris. It had all been decided. The UFO world works that way, sometimes. Who knows what interesting characters I’ll get to introduce to thousands of the faithful and curious. I wouldn’t miss it for the world, any world.
“Through all the joking, all this laughter, all the memes, I truly believe we have an opportunity to shine a light on the secrecy,” Corbell told me at the end of July. “We can have an impact on the way the topic is handled. Whatever’s going on is bigger than we can imagine.”
He doesn't look happy, but this little green man welcomes visitors to the Little A'Le'Inn on Nevada's Extraterrestrial Highway.
Trevor Hughes, USA TODAY
It was only a year or two ago when the easiest argument against the reality of Unidentified Aerial (or Underwater) Phenomena was to mention camera phones. If everybody’s got a camera in their pocket, why aren’t we inundated with UFO photos and footage?
And then, despite a phone camera’s infamous inability to even get a clear picture of the full moon, the videos and photos began flooding Instagram and YouTube. Take a look and you’ll see what I mean. Not the obvious CGI fakes with science-fiction spaceships, but the humble backyard footage of mysterious lights doing weird things in the evening or even daylight sky, traveling against the wind, forming diamonds and triangles and then just blinking off like somebody hit a switch, often with the perplexed audio commentary of a nearby child as the adult struggles to find and focus upon the weirdness overhead: Is it aliens? Are we gonna get abducted?
It took new imaging technology in the Navy fighter jets to produce those weird videos we saw on the front page of the New York Times. And when an East Coast-based carrier group was outfitted with the new gear, the oddball mystery craft began buzzing the training exercises on the Atlantic coast. Yet pilots saw the things with their own eyes, too — including a “sphere encasing a cube” that flew right between a pair of F/A-18s in close formation. Raytheon was so pleased with the media coverage that “UFO-spotter” systems are now mentioned in the aerospace contractor’s marketing materials.
Of the great historical waves of sightings, the most dramatic can predict future Earth technology, like the aerodynamic marvels seen up and down California during the mystery airship flap of 1896. Within 20 years of that hysteria, such airships were ferrying passengers across the skies, but they could never maneuver like those bizarre airships over San Francisco and Sacramento, with their impossibly bright spotlights and ability to vanish.
The black triangles predicted the shape and color if not the performance of the B-2 stealth bomber, which lacks the ability to hover silently over shocked motorists on a desert highway before shooting off into the atmosphere without producing so much as a breeze. (I have witnessed one of these peculiar craft, on the 395 in the Eastern Sierra, as have thousands of other California drivers who will never forget that particular road trip.)
This mural along Nevada's Extraterrestrial Highway reminds visitors of rumors of cow mutilations.
Trevor Hughes, USA TODAY
Now, maybe, our technology is making it a little easier to capture some of these phenomena on video. The U.S. Navy has announced it will no longer scorn pilots who file reports. The History Channel has a nearly all-UFO schedule, especially focused on the military sightings. Former Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid — a native of Searchlight, Nevada — has come out of retirement not to stump for Democrats, but to encourage serious work on the UFO enigma.
And then there’s the networking technology, in large part based on UFO researcher Jacques Vallée’s work on the early Internet. You no longer need to submit a UFO report to some amateur or for-profit organization and await their judgment or investigation. Just post it on Instagram, on Facebook, on Twitter or YouTube. If it’s compelling, it will soon be seen by thousands, maybe millions.
And if you’re Matty Roberts, trying out your meme skills, you might just win a permanent place in the culture. None of us know exactly what will happen on Sept. 20 out in tiny Hiko, Nevada, but none of us will be all that surprised if a fleet of UFOs buzzes our impromptu desert festival.
Ken Layne lives and works in Joshua Tree, as publisher of Desert Oracle and host of its companion podcast and radio show on Z 107.7 FM. Find out more at DesertOracle.com.
A painting on the side of the Little A'Le'Inn along Nevada's Extraterrestrial Highway hints at the reason for tourists to visit.
The U.S. Air Force's X-37B space plane just broke its spaceflight-duration record.
At 6:43 a.m. EDT (1043 GMT) today (Aug. 26), the robotic X-37B sailed past the program mark of 717 days, 20 hours and 42 minutes, which was set by the previous mission, known as Orbital Test Vehicle 4 (OTV-4).
The current mission, OTV-5, began on Sept. 7, 2017, with a liftoff atop a SpaceX Falcon 9 rocket. It's unclear what the space plane is doing up there now, or what it has done on past flights; X-37B missions are classified, and the Air Force therefore tends to speak of the vehicle and its activities in general terms.
"The primary objectives of the X-37B are twofold; reusable spacecraft technologies for America’s future in space and operating experiments which can be returned to, and examined, on Earth," Air Force officials wrote in the X-37B fact sheet.
"Technologies being tested in the program include advanced guidance, navigation and control, thermal protection systems, avionics, high temperature structures and seals, conformal reusable insulation, lightweight electromechanical flight systems, advanced propulsion systems, advanced materials and autonomous orbital flight, reentry and landing," the officials added.
The test campaign seems to involve pushing the X-37B's endurance, because each of the five missions has lasted longer than its predecessor. OTV-1 launched in April 2010, and returned to Earth that December after 224 days in space. OTV-2 ran for 468 days, from March 2011 through June 2012. OTV-3 launched in December 2012 and landed in October 2014, racking up 675 days of spaceflight. And OTV-4 landed in May 2017 after nearly 718 days in orbit.
OTV-5 is nowhere near the overall spaceflight-duration record, however. Earth-observation and communications satellites commonly operate for five years or more, as do robotic planetary explorers. NASA's Curiosity rover has been exploring Mars for more than seven years, for example, and the agency's twin Voyager probes are still going strong in interstellar space more than four decades after their launches.
The Air Force has at least two X-37Bs, both of which were built by Boeing. The solar-powered vehicles look like NASA's old space shuttle orbiters, but are much smaller; an X-37B could fit entirely within the shuttle's cavernous payload bay.
Each X-37B measures 29 feet (8.8 meters) long by 9.6 feet (2.9 m) tall, with a wingspan of about 15 feet (4.6 m). The space plane's payload bay is about the size of a pickup-truck bed.
Like the space shuttle, the winged X-37B launches vertically and lands on a runway. All five X-37B missions have lifted off from Florida's Space Coast. The first three landings took place at Vandenberg Air Force Base in California, but OTV-4 touched down at the Shuttle Landing Facility at NASA's Kennedy Space Center in Florida.
Mike Wall's book about the search for alien life, "Out There" (Grand Central Publishing, 2018; illustrated byKarl Tate), is out now. Follow him on Twitter @michaeldwall. Follow us on Twitter@Spacedotcom orFacebook.
NASA astronaut Anne McClain on Saturday (Aug. 24) refuted claims that she inappropriately accessed the bank account of her estranged spouse after details of their divorce were made public in the New York Times this week.
While in the middle of their separation process, McClain's spouse Summer Worden has claimed that McClain accessed her bank account from a NASA-affiliated computer network, according to a report from the New York Times on Friday (Aug. 23). Worden has accused McClain of identity theft and claimed the astronaut accessed the account from aboard the International Space Station during a recent space mission, and that the agency's Office of the Inspector General is looking into the matter.
"We've been going through a painful, personal separation that's now unfortunately in the media," McClain continued. "I appreciate the outpouring of support and will reserve comment until after the investigation. I have total confidence in the IG [Inspector General] process."
There’s unequivocally no truth to these claims. We’ve been going through a painful, personal separation that’s now unfortunately in the media. I appreciate the outpouring of support and will reserve comment until after the investigation. I have total confidence in the IG process.
The matter is currently being investigated and, according to this tweet by McClain, she will not be speaking about the claims any more until the investigation concludes and is resolved.
NASA has also responded to the claims made against McClain. The agency praised her accomplishments and career accomplishments while stating that they cannot comment on personal matters.
"Lt Col. Anne McClain has an accomplished military career, flew combat missions in Iraq and is one of NASA's top astronauts. She did a great job on her most recent NASA mission aboard the International Space Station. Like with all NASA employees, NASA does not comment on personal or personnel matters," NASA officials said in a statement to Space.com.
According to the New York Times report, an attorney representing McClain has stated that she accessed the account to provide financial support for Worden's 6-year-old son. The attorney stated that she had historically provided financial support for Worden's son and accessed the account before with the same password, without any direction from Worden to stop doing so.
McClain is a lieutenant colonel in the U.S. Army and veteran of one long-duration spaceflight to the International Space Station. She joined NASA's astronaut corps in 2013.
McClain has spent 204 days in space during her space station mission. She launched to the orbiting lab on a Soyuz spacecraft in December 2018 as part of the Expedition 58/59 crew and returned to Earth in June of this year. She performed two spacewalks as part of that mission.
In March, McClain was tapped to join crewmate Christina Koch on the first all-female spacewalk at the space station, but that plan was called off due to a lack of appropriately-sized spacesuits for the two women.
NASA astronaut Anne McClain is at the center of what may be the first-ever crime committed in space.
On Friday, The New York Timesreported that McClain’s estranged wife, Summer Worden, discovered that someone had accessed her bank account while McClain was on board the International Space Station — and the computer network that person used was registered to NASA.
Two Sides
According to the NYT’s story, Worden has since filed a complaint with the Federal Trade Commission accusing McClain of “identity theft and improper access to Ms. Worden’s private financial records,” while her family has filed a complaint with NASA’s Office of Inspector General.
During an under-oath interview with the Inspector General, McClain admitted that she accessed the bank account, but said she had Worden’s permission to do so.
Old Problems, New Venue
It might seem odd that the first space crime accusation has nothing in particular to do with space — it’s the type of marital dispute that happens regularly here on Earth.
However, Mark Sundahl, director of the Global Space Law Center at Cleveland State University, sees the allegation as an expected development given humanity’s increasing number of off-world endeavors.
“The more we go out there and spend time out there,” he told the NYT, “all the things we do here are going to happen in space.”
Like many NASA missions, Clipper will be looking for potential signs of life.
"We are building upon the scientific insights received from the flagship Galileo and Cassini spacecraft and working to advance our understanding of our cosmic origin, and even life elsewhere," said Thomas Zurbuchen, NASA's associate administrator for the Science Mission Directorate.
NASA hopes to have Clipper ready to launch by 2023, but the space agency is giving it some leeway to take off as late as 2025. Here's hoping for smooth sailing.
Ex UFO-chief claims he quit US government over alien encounter ‘cover-up’
Ex UFO-chief claims he quit US government over alien encounter ‘cover-up’
Debbie White
A FORMER X-Files boss says he quit a secret US government programme over an alien encounter “cover-up”.
Luis Elizondo swears that the existence of aliens, travelling at speeds of up to 8,000mph, has been proven "beyond reasonable doubt”.
Former head of the Pentagon’s real life X-Files programme, Luis Elizondo
Credit: YouTube
The distinguished former intelligence officer ran the Advanced Aviation Threat Identification Programme in the US, which looked into UFOs
Credit: Getty - Contributor
New TV series explores UFO sightings
Elizondo has spoken up as part of a crack team of UFO researchers exposing the incredible secrets of the Advanced Aerospace Threat Identification Program (AATIP), the American government’s secret UFO operation.
He features in a new six-part TV show, "Unidentified: Inside America’s UFO Investigation".
It sheds new light on unidentified flying phenomena in the US and around the world, according to television network History, which is airing the show in the UK from August 26.
The show has uncovered “shocking revelations from sources close to the Pentagon, the FBI and the US government”, History claimed.
Elizondo, a distinguished former intelligence officer, was the head of the secretive AATIP, run by a team of 12 in the Pentagon.
MORE WORK ON UFOS
But he quit the job in 2017, telling military bosses that the government was not taking sightings of unidentified craft by American warplanes seriously enough.
His letter, which was leaked, asked why more time wasn't being spent on the issue, to work out "capability and intent of these phenomena for the benefit of the armed forces and the nation".
Elizondo claims that several countries, including Britain, have been visited by beings in extremely advanced and unidentified aircraft, given that UFOs observed had "extreme manoeuvrability and hypersonic velocity".
In an interview with The Sunday Times last year, he said that there were UFO sightings where "performance parameters were so off the charts" they could not have been dismissed as a drone, missile or aircraft.
History said 'Unidentified: Inside America's UFO Investigation' exposes 'incredible secrets'
The show also features revelations from former Blink-182 frontman Tom DeLonge
One such example was an encounter between US commander David Fravor and an alien aircraft "shaped like a 40ft Tic Tac sweet".
The retired Navy pilot said: "It was rounded on both ends and had a cylindrical body."
Although he tried chasing it, the UFO sped off faster than any other aircraft and disappeared. Elizondo recently revealed a cockpit video of Fravor's 2004 encounter.
The alien aircraft was shaped like a 40ft Tic Tac sweet.
Retired US Commander David Fravor
After quitting the clandestine government UFO investigation unit, the X-Files expert joined like-minded people in the "To The Stars Academy", led by Blink-182 co-founder Tom DeLonge.
A public benefit corporation set up in 2017, the academy is a “collaboration between academia, industry and pop culture to advance society’s understanding of scientific phenomena and its technological implications.”
History's 'Unidentified' show features UFO-believer DeLonge and researchers such as Elizondo, who reveals details of the US government’s awareness, and cover-up of, extra-terrestrial lifeforms on earth.
The network said that the episodes include “footage recorded from the cockpit of supposed encounters and testimony from pilots whose planes flew by these 'craft' as well as classified reports from foreign governments”.
Former US commander David Fravor was flying an F18 fighter when he spotted a white unidentified craftCredit: ABC
'CREATURE OF THE SHADOWS'
Elizondo said: “I am a creature of the shadows; I spent my entire life in the shadows and it was a matter of survival for me.
“Being able to have the conversation now with the American people so they can finally know what’s going on… is a great privilege and honour for me.”
He admitted, however, that as ex-military intelligence, “I have a non-disclosure agreement with the US government. I still can’t talk about classified things.”
DeLonge told History he hoped the show would help switch the conversaton about UFOs “from being a fringe subject for the tin-foil hat brigade to a legitimate subject for discussion.
“My hope for the future is that people are no longer discussing if this is real or not.”
History UK tweeted: “This series is going to change people’s perception and it’s going to change it quickly.”
The show starts on History, August 26, in the UKCredit: Twitter/@HistoryUK
Tom DeLonge tweeted about the research, uncovered on 'Identified: Inside America's UFO Investigation'
Voormalige UFO-baas Amerikaanse overheid nam ontslag vanwege cover-up rond aliens. Wat weet hij?
Voormalige UFO-baas Amerikaanse overheid nam ontslag vanwege cover-up rond aliens. Wat weet hij?
Een voormalige X-Files-baas heeft gezegd dat hij het Amerikaanse UFO-programma heeft verlaten omdat contact met aliens ‘in de doofpot is gestopt’.
Luis Elizondo, die jarenlang aan het hoofd stond van het geheime UFO-project van het Pentagon, stelt dat het bestaan van aliens onomstotelijk is bewezen, schrijft The Sun.
Elizondo is te zien in een nieuwe tv-serie getiteld ‘Unidentified: Inside America’s UFO Investigation’.
Niet serieus
De serie werpt een nieuw licht op onbekende vliegende objecten die in de Verenigde Staten en de rest van de wereld worden gezien.
Bronnen dicht bij het Pentagon, de FBI en de Amerikaanse overheid doen in de serie ‘schokkende onthullingen’, aldus zender History.
Elizondo nam in 2017 ontslag omdat de overheid UFO-waarnemingen door gevechtspiloten volgens hem niet serieus nam.
Wezens
In zijn ontslagbrief vroeg hij waarom er niet meer tijd werd gespendeerd aan het fenomeen.
Hij claimde verder dat verschillende landen, waaronder Groot-Brittannië, zijn bezocht door wezens in extreem geavanceerde vaartuigen.
In een interview met de Sunday Times afgelopen jaar zei hij dat er UFO’s waren die zulke gekke dingen deden dat het geen drone, raket of vliegtuig konden zijn.
Geheimhoudingsverklaring
Onlangs sloot hij zich aan bij een onderzoeksgroep onder leiding van medeoprichter van de band Blink-182 Tom DeLonge.
In de tv-serie onthullen DeLonge en Elizondo wat de Amerikaanse overheid weet over buitenaardse levensvormen op aarde en hoe dit in de doofpot is gestopt.
Elizondo wees er wel op dat hij een geheimhoudingsverklaring heeft moeten ondertekenen, wat betekent dat hij nog niet kan praten over dingen die geheim zijn.
“There have been signs, symbols and objects in the skies of earth described as snakes, swords, lights and rockets. Slow-moving so-called meteors have zig-zagged their way above the clouds, and stratospheric explosions have rocked the land below. Mysterious rays stopped airplane motors over the world’s largest city as unidentified phantom planes puzzled the war departments of four nations. Ships and men were observed to drop from the heavens in isolated areas only to vanish.”
The rather bombastic passage above may bear a certain familiarity for some readers, particularly among those who have enjoyed the work of Charles Hoy Fort, that reclusive and often recalcitrant chronicler of all things “Damned” by the sciences. During the early part of the 20th century, Fort wrote of unusual phenomena in nature, penned in an idiosyncratic style of prose that paired florid passages with quick, jerky sentences. Ultimately, his unusual style of offerings would define an entire genre, and inspire other writers to seek out similar “forbidden” knowledge in the decades to come.
The quoted passage at the outset was not one of Fort’s offerings, however. These had been the words of one of Fort’s many admirers and imitators, although one that is perhaps too-often overlooked for his influence: Vincent Hayes Gaddis, an American writer who was perhaps best known for coining the term “Bermuda Triangle.”
Vincent Gaddis
Gaddis, born in Ohio in 1913, had worked as a writer in a number of career professions throughout the 1940s and 50s, before becoming a freelance writer. He also authored a number of books, among them American Indian Myths and Mysteries, a sensational contribution to the enduring genre of ancient mysteries, which was once described by Rutgers University historian William K. Powers as “histrionic and sensational, differing from Greek tragedy only in that it requires a deus ex machina beginning, rather than ending,” and an altogether “outrageous and intolerable book” similar in effect to the works of Erich von Däniken.
In his article “Creators of the Paranormal,” Joe Nickel noted in the May/June 2016 edition of Skeptical Enquirer how Gaddis ultimately gave a name to the allegedly mysterious region of the Atlantic Ocean where ships and planes were said to go missing:
His article in the February 1964 Argosy landed on major American newsstands and gave the mystery area a definitive name and ominous tone: “The Deadly Bermuda Triangle.” Gaddis followed a year later with a book on sea mysteries, Invisible Horizons (1965), in which a chapter gave an alternate, even more ominous name for the area, “The Triangle of Death.”
It might be argued, however, that the Bermuda Triangle had not been the only paranormal concept that Gaddis had helped to develop with his writing. In the June 1947 issue of Amazing Stories, an edition of the popular pulp magazine famous for having put the so-called “Shaver Mystery” on the map, Gaddis contributed an article entitled “Visitors from the Void,” in which he described a number of instances of unexplained aerial phenomena. For example:
“In April a light was observed at Jefferstown, Ky., in the midnight sky. It was over Fisherville, to the east, size of a large cantaloupe, glowed and receded in brillance like a heart throb, casting its light like a lampshade over the town. After ten minutes it vanished. On May 4 in the early morning there was a flash of light and an explosion reported over six states. Visible for three seconds. Buildings shaken.”
The emulation of Fort is obvious, right down to the sentence fragments and omission of copula (i.e. connecting words). However, what makes Gaddis’s 1947 article interesting apart from its unabashed Fortean derivation is the timing of the subject matter. In June of 1947, around the same time that his article appeared in print, the modern UFO phenomenon first entered the public zeitgeist with pilot Kenneth Arnold’s report of seeing “flying saucers” over Mount Rainer, Washington, on June 24th.
Obviously, Gaddis had to have written his article prior to June 1947 for it to have been included for publication in the edition of Amazing Stories for the month in question. Hence, his selection of subject matter could not have been influenced by the sudden media attention the “saucers” would be getting after Arnold’s sighting, which occurred just weeks later.
Another sample of Gaddis’s offerings from Visitors from the Void reads as follows:
“At 7:30 p. m. on the evening of June 1, 1945, something whizzed through the sky over Morganton, N. C, traveling northwest,” Gaddis reported in the article. “Tubular in shape, shiny, gleaming in the light as if covered with aluminum, five or six feet long, with a blue flame spurting from its tail. It disappeared in the vicinity of the mountains near Lake James and shortly later an explosive sound was heard.”
This description sounds almost reminiscent of the now-famous “Tic Tac” object or aircraft observed by Navy pilots in 2004, in association with the radar-visual UAP encounter reported by the Nimitz Carrier Strike Group at that time off the coast of southern California. With the exception of the “blue flame” the object produced, it is eerily similar in description to the object pilots Dave Fravor and others at the time of the 2004 incident described seeing.
It is also notable for the location, since Morganton, NC and the nearby Lake James are both near the area of Brown Mountain, which has long been associated with sightings of unusual nocturnal illuminations. This fact was not missed by Gaddis either, who noted the following:
“Near Morganton is Brown Mountain, scene of mysterious lights since the Civil War that are so puzzling that government geologists have conducted fruitless investigations. In my files is a long article on the Brown Mountain mystery that appeared in the Literary Digest for Nov. 7, 1925. These lights are about the size of a toy balloon, vary in color, move about, and appear and disappear abruptly.”
In addition to writing about aerial phenomenon in a way that seemingly anticipates modern UFOlogy (and only weeks before the appearance of flying saucers in the American media), Gaddis also notes a number of locations in his 1947 article which would later become staples of paranormal books and other media. For instance, Point Pleasant West Virginia also makes an appearance, as Gaddis describes an incident from October 11, 1931, where the alleged wreck of a dirigible was observed in the sky. “There were many witnesses who stated that the crash had occurred in the hills south of the city,” Gaddis wrote, noting that “White objects, believed to have been parachutes, fell with it,” as the mystery airship–of which no wreckage was ever found–allegedly went down.
John Keel, circa 1967
(Credit: Doug Skinner/JohnKeel.com)
More than two decades later, the town of Point Pleasant would become the famous epicenter of writer John Keel’s investigation into a mysterious “Mothman,” which became the focus of his 1975 book The Mothman Prophecies.
It is interesting (although very likely just coincidental) that Gaddis had managed to anticipate several aspects of the modern UFO craze, which would erupt in the months and years following his article in Amazing Stories. Thus, Joe Nickel’s acknowledgment of Gaddis as one of the many “creators” of modern paranormal subjects certainly appears to be accurate, and might even be extended beyond just his “naming” of the Bermuda Triangle.
The cause of elongated skulls – alien intrusion aside – is generally accepted to be the sadistic practice of binding a baby’s skull during its early soft state through subsequent growth years to curse the person with a long pointed head that was funny on Saturday Night Live but caused a life of pain and possible mental illness, with the only fame coming centuries later when the strange skulls were unearthed by puzzled archeologists. The reasons anyone would inflict such torture on innocents (as opposed to other tortures humans inflict on innocents to this day – a topic for greater philosophical and psychological minds) are still a mystery. However, a recent discovery of elongated skulls in Croatia points to a strange ancient nomadic culture that may have spread the practice as it traveled.
“We were inspired to study these individuals based on their unusual burial context as well as the identification of two different types of artificial cranial deformation in two of the individuals.”
Example of an elongated skull
In a press release announcing the study published recently in the journal PLOS ONE, co-author Daniel Fernandes, a postdoctoral fellow at the Department of Evolutionary Anthropology at University of Vienna, describes the recent discovery of the remains of three young males age 12 to 15 in a burial pit in the city of Osijek in eastern Croatia. (Pictures here.) What caught his eye was that two of the three had different types of elongated skulls and that that seemed to have been placed together deliberately with pottery and dead animals. Further analysis of these 5th century CE skeletons at first added to their mysterious appearance and burial because it appears the three came from widespread locations.
“Results of ancient DNA analyses indicate that the individual without artificial cranial deformation shows broadly West Eurasian associated-ancestry, the individual with the elongated skull has East Asian ancestry and the third individual has Near Eastern associated-ancestry.”
Ron Pinhasi, head of the ancient DNA laboratory at the University of Vienna and co-director of the study, reveals that the young man with an elongated skull from East Asia is the earliest East Asian to be found in Europe. This means the so-called Migration Period – the era from about 375 CED to 538 CE when the declining Western Roman Empire was invaded by Germanic tribes and the Huns – also included intrusions by East Asians as well. But why an East Asian with an elongated skull?
“Based on the presented results, we propose that the type of artificial cranial deformation may have been a visual indicator of membership in a specific cultural group, and that these groups were interacting closely on the Pannonian Plain during the Migration Period.”
Because of the rich artifacts found in other tombs of individuals with artificial cranial deformation, many researchers believe elongated skulls were a sign of nobility. However, these Croatian skeletons and their artifacts indicated they were poor, undernourished, nomadic and part of a common cultural group despite being from distinctly different geographic locations and having different (or no) forms of elongation. What does it mean that they all ended up in the Pannonian Plain during the Great Migration Period? Were they novices in the Distinguished Gentlemen of the Elongated Skull?
“This leads us to ask: is this a random peculiarity or part of a larger-scale pattern of association between ACD type and group membership? We believe that future multi- and inter-disciplinary studies combining archaeology, bioarchaeology, history, stable isotopes analysis, and ancient DNA, conducted on a larger skeletal sample from a wider region will aid us in answering this question.”
Ah! A new question requiring more research to compare elongated skulls around the world in a completely different way. These archeologists definitely know how to create job security. We await their future answers.
Millions of years ago, some of the most remarkable creatures ever to walk the earth would begin to emerge out of East Africa. Loping along with ease, their forelimbs could just as easily carry them at speed along the ground as they could into the heights of trees. These remarkable creatures were adept in several different kinds of locomotion: in addition to their climbing prowess and their four-legged movement across the ground, they could also stand upright and, perhaps stumbling at first, carry themselves aloft on two legs for impressive distances.µ
With time, these arboreal creatures began to learn that standing upright gave them several advantages; no less among them had been the ability to see greater distances and to spot predators when they were further out. On such occasions, the little creatures could emit sharp whistles and other sounds that, with time, became more and more complex as the sounds turned from shrill warnings to outright mimicry of the sounds produced by the other creatures around them.
Over the passing of generations, these arboreal apes also began to create unique sounds of their own, which they could use to communicate with a depth and clarity no other creatures in the animal kingdom had ever mastered.
These early apes where hungry, like all creatures in nature, but they had something else that motivated their actions apart from a sheer desire for food: curiosity. As they moved about, they began to master their environments, first using stones to break open nuts, seeds, and shells and to grind simple grains that grew in their habitat. Pounding these rocks against hard surfaces often caused them to fracture; there is little doubt that these creatures soon realized how much more could be done with a stone that bore chipped, sharpened edges.
Their curiosity carried them further and further along, and by around 2 million years ago, early migrations by the upright walking ancestors of modern humans out of Africa and into other parts of the world were well underway. These early humans spread first into parts of the Middle East, and then into Europe; by around 25,000 years ago, the genus Homo could be found on each of the world’s continents, with the exception of Antarctica.
The debate has continued as to when, precisely, modern humans first arrived in the Americas. With each new discovery that pushes back the timescales on such migrations to the new world, all new controversies ensue; but this is by no means anything new in the history of anthropological study.
Even at the time of the groundbreaking discoveries of the Folsom and Clovis cultures in the American Southwest during the early part of the last century, which clearly showed that humans had arrived in America by the end of the last ice age (and perhaps even earlier), much doubt was expressed by experts in the anthropological field. Most notably, Aleš Hrdlička, founder and first curator of physical anthropology of the U.S. National Museum (later renamed and known today as the Smithsonian Institution National Museum of Natural History), presumably went to his grave having never acknowledged the discoveries, preferring to believe that humans simply couldn’t have been on the American continent any earlier than 3000 or so years ago.
Today, archaeological sites like the Gault site in Texas, as well as Bluefish Caves in Alaska, clearly show that humans were there well in advance of 13,000 years ago, and perhaps even tens of thousands of years ago. Compelling discoveries at locations like Monte Verde, Chile—where radiocarbon dates may indicate a human presence as far back as 33,000 years—continues to tempt us with the idea of much earlier human arrivals in the Americas. Even more controversial sites like the Topper site in Allendale County, South Carolina, suggest dates going even further back to 50,000 years for human occupation, an idea which, understandably, remains controversial today.
But could there have been even earlier arrivals than these?
In 2017, one of the most controversial archaeological papers in recent memory was published in the journal Nature, having to do with a possible early human site in San Diego County, California. Known as the Cerutti Mastodon site, the paleontological remains found at the site, which the 2017 research team found close to stones they believe were used as hammerstones and anvils, boast a seemingly incredible radiocarbon date of 130,700 years.
“To demonstrate such early occupation of the Americas requires the presence of unequivocal stone artifacts,” said archaeologist Michael Waters of the claims. “There are no unequivocal stone tools associated with the bones… this site is likely just an interesting paleontological locality.” Detractors made the reasonable assertion that marks on the mastodon remains that indicated possible butchering were likely to have been the result of highway construction projects underway at the location in recent years. Adding to the extraordinary nature of the claimed discoveries at the site is the fact that along with an absence of any human bones, or irrefutable tools in context with extinct megafaunal remains that can be reliably dated, the site remains an outlier: where are the other sites of similar age in the region, let alone in North America?
Interestingly, less than three hours from the Cerutti site is what had once been the most controversial archaeological site in North America: the Calico Mountain site, located near Barstow, California. Proponents of the site’s legitimacy contend that it is the oldest archaeological site anywhere in the Western Hemisphere, where more than 60,000 possible lithic tools were recovered during excavations, which led to a shocking discovery: some of the tools from Calico appeared to date as far back as 200,000 years.
If true, this presents a number of problems. In addition to their incredible age, this is around the same time that anatomically modern humans begin to appear in the fossil record in Africa. Hence, if tools found at the Calico Mountain site were to be reliably dated back to 200,000 years, it could only mean that their makers must have been an earlier archaic human ancestor such as Homo erectus, Homo Neanderthalensis, or even the latter’s close relatives, the enigmatic Denisovans (an implication which would equally apply to the Cerutti site).
Understandably, the extraordinary nature of these claims was not received well by the anthropological community at large. However, neither were they met with complete opposition, as J. M. Adovasio notes in his Strangers in a New Land: The First Americans:
“The Calico site was by no means unanimously discredited at the time—indeed, news of the findings there garnered interest among the growing ranks of archaeological scholars whose criticism of the Clovis First model had been gathering through the 1970s and 1980s. But Calico is now held in widespread disregard among professional archaeologists, largely due to the lack of indisputable artifacts in the Lake Manix and Calico Lithic Industry assemblages, the lack of valid cultural features, a suspicion that the age of any valid archaeological deposit at the location is radically younger than that proposed, and the site’s apparent position as a secondary deposit in an alluvial fan.”
Needless to say, both the Calico site, and the Cerutti site just a few hours further south, will continue to have their proponents—particularly among those advocating controversial ideas about earlier arrivals in the Americas (notably, author Graham Hancock discusses these locales, and others like them, in his new book America Before, which has no doubt introduced the controversy to an all-new audience). To be able to accept such incredible antiquity for sites like these, as noted earlier, calls for more than just an open mind as to when modern humans arrived on the continent: it would also appear to require acceptance that our early hominid cousins were more highly mobile than once thought.
Interestingly, new studies in the field of genomics are helping to shed light on some of the mysteries of human ancestry. Today, traces of both Neanderthal and Denisovan DNA can be found in human populations around the world; however, the notable prevalence of Denisovans in Southeast Asia up until their demise around 40,000 years ago would likely have placed them closer to the Beringia land bridge that would have existed for a time during the Pleistocene, suggesting these mysterious archaic humans as possible contender for sites like Cerutti and Calico.
That is, of course, if they are ever reliably proven to represent conclusive evidence of a hominid presence in the early Americas. By that time, perhaps other sites will have emerged, and we will ultimately have gained a more broad understanding of humanity’s arrival in the Americas… and whether the first immigrants were really “human” in the same sense that we would recognize today.
Here is a report that was turned into Coast To Coast about a deer that was found on top of a power line. The power line is 22 feet up and seems to have been dropped from above. I don't believe an each is big enough to carry such an animal. That is one big deer. So the question is...did a UFO drop the deer out after doing experiments on it? I think to know that for sure we need a closer look at the deer to examine it for puncher woulds, cuts, bites and such. That would be the only way to learn what it was that caused this to happen. UFOs are known to sometimes abduct a person or explore and examine things in nature.
There was even an old UFO report about such an incident being witnessed in the mounts of the US. Its was Feb 25, 1999 in the Cascade mountains near Mount St Hellens, Washington. A team of forest workers watched as a UFO came down from the sky and hovered over a elk. Then the UFO rose up and lifted the elk with an invisible force. The forest workers watched as it moved higher and higher vanishing above. (redition photo below). So you see, its very possible a UFO abducted the deer and its even backed up by past sighting evidence. Not to mention thousands of animal mutilation incidents caused by aliens doing medical research on the animals.
Scott C. Waring
Coast to Coast states:
Conservation worker and C2C listener Bruce shares this bizarre photo of a deer that somehow wound up atop a power pole in a rural area somewhere in the northeast. According to Bruce, the most likely explanation for how the deer wound up there is that it was hit by a train, since there are train tracks several yards away. However, he notes, "the deer would have to have traveled in the air approximately 45 feet (across) to the pole and reach a height of approximately 22 feet (up) to reach the top of the pole."
Amazing Entities Or Mega Structures? On Sky Map, Taurus Constellation, UFO Sighting News.
Amazing Entities Or Mega Structures? On Sky Map, Taurus Constellation, UFO Sighting News.
I was looking over Taurus constellation using a sky map and found these two giant orbs objects. They are actually moving and there is a glowing trail behind them from where they came. That means they were moving very fast, and then came to a stop. I see a lot of similarities between these donut objects and the pulsing donut UFOs seen by NASA during the Tether incident. The objects that looked like this actually broke the 5 mile long tether in the middle by passing through it. The UFOs during the tether incident were huge! Several miles across! Many people mistakenly assume the objects were just inches in size. I am also thinking that they could be mega structures, space station like spacecraft that jump from location to location. Its really hard to tell unless we can send a space craft to investigate it, but I'm sure its long gone by now. This thing travels fast, but these seems to be a lot out there according to the tether incident NASA video. Watch my video and please subscribe to my Youtube channel ET DATA BASE. Scott C. Waring-Taiwan
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- Gemiddelde waardering: 0/5 - (0 Stemmen) Categorie:Ruins, strange artifacts on other planets, moons, ed ( Fr, EN, NL )
Snake-Like UFO Returns as New York Resident Captures the Latest One On Video Over Clayville
Snake-Like UFO Returns as New York Resident Captures the Latest One On Video Over Clayville
A conspiracy theorist has claimed that a snake-like UFO has been captured on camera for the first time in several weeks.
Last month, UFO conspiracy enthusiasts were rocked about the videos of cylindrical objects flying over the US.
With the last clip appeared on July 13, it seemed the sightings had dried up.
But now, a Clayville, New York resident in the US believes they may have recorded one on camera.
YouTube username beamsinvestgations1 posted the footage showing a black cylindrical UFO hovering in the sky. The incident reportedly happened on August 6.
The witness said it was a gigantic snake UFO moving like it was alive.
Online UFO conspiracy theorists said the UFO has segments or spheres with the mysterious articulated body.
It appears in the video the camera struggles to focus, but the object in question is said to be at a high altitude, so it must have been massive as the witness described.
Some UFO enthusiasts believe captures like this should be treated with great scientific importance, but academics do not seem to take such material seriously.
Sceptical observers of UFO sightings such as this one have claimed in the past that they could be just strange-shaped balloons across the sky.
Others think that this kind of objects may be advanced spacecraft of the United States Air Force.
Scientists have been keeping a close watch on ‘Oumuamua, the cigar-shaped object from far beyond our own solar system that wandered toward us in 2017. Soon after, Harvard scientists proposed that it could be an alien probe sent from far away, stirring up even more interest in the mysterious object. A new article published Monday in Nature Astronomy, however, officially rules out the alien probe hypothesis — but that doesn’t mean we’ve learned all we can from ‘Oumuamua.
When scientists first took a close look at ‘Oumuamua in 2017, its strange shape raised eyebrows, as did its unexpected acceleration, which at first could not be explained by gravity alone. Those observations, among other strange characteristics, are what led the Harvard team to propose their alien hypothesis. But the new analysis, led by Matthew Knight, Ph.D., a research scientist at the University of Maryland’s astronomy department, leverages years of observations to argue that even ‘Oumuamua’s most suspicious qualities can be explained by the impressive natural forces that govern our universe.
Knight tells Inverse that our work on objects like ‘Oumuamua is just getting started. By 2022 he believes that new technology will help us answer a bigger question: Is ‘Oumuamua weird, or is it our solar system that’s unusual?
“We might have to rethink what is normal and instead think of our solar system as being weird!” says Knight.
Oumuamua was first detected by the University of Hawaii's Pan-STARRS1 telescope in Haleakala, Hawaii.
How Do We Account for Oumuamua’s Weirdness?
Research published in March 2018 suggested that Oumuamua came from a binary star system with a hot, high-mass star. Knight and his team also propose that it was flung our way from its home system. They believe that it’s a planetesimal, which is a building block of a planet (or, at least, a piece of one). Knight favors the idea that it’s “a comet-like body that contained buried ice with a rather unusual composition
With its origin established, the paper then offers natural explanations for Oumuamua’s weirder aspects.
The strange upticks in speedcan be explained by outgassing, as a 2018 study also noted. Outgassing is a release of gasses from an object, like a comet, as they are heated by the sun. That process likely propelled the Oumuamua along, resulting in a speed boost.
Artist's concept of interstellar asteroid 1I/2017 U1 ('Oumuamua) as it passed through the solar system after its discovery in October 2017. The aspect ratio of up to 10:1 is unlike that of any object seen in our own solar system.
Its strange, cigar-like shape can be explained in a few ways.
One idea is that ‘Oumuamua was reshaped passing close by a giant planet or a low-mass star that “tidally disrupted” its structure (essentially tore it apart using gravity). There are also two related theories proposing that it was either pelted by loads of tiny dust grains moving at high speeds or was squished between two other, large planetesimals.
Knight admits that he and his co-authors aren’t satisfied with any of these explanations so far, which is why they concede that ‘Oumuamua’s shape is still an open question. He is hopeful that we’ll have answers soon, though, because he thinks we will detect more objects like ‘Oumuamua.
A New Barometer for What Is “Weird”
Knight explains that ‘Oumuamua’s oddness raises a bigger question about what we consider odd. Is Oumuamua weird, or is our own solar system strange?
That, he says, depends on your reference point. We’re only beginning to have the capability to scan the skies for strange objects of all sizes. As our technology improves, we may start to notice many more objects like ‘Oumuamua before they come wandering into our view by accident.
“If we start seeing an appreciable number of interstellar objects and they frequently display properties that seem unusual compared to things in our solar system (such as their shapes being highly elongated or having seemingly exotic compositions), then we will be forced to reconsider how representative our solar system is compared to other solar systems,” says Knight.
The team is excited about a new telescope project called the Large Synoptic Survey Telescope, which is intended to begin operations around 2022. It’s slotted to take a 10-year survey of the sky and collect 15 terabytes of data every night. “LSST will be more powerful than any existing surveys,” says Knight, and thus will allow us to see fainter, more distant objects that come from faraway systems.
Those far-flung systems may be a lot different from our own, and there is some evidence that they too may have giant planets orbiting close to their stars. Because giant planets like our own Jupiter likely played a role in shaping the nature of comets and asteroids in our own solar system, these “hot Jupiters,” as Knight calls them, could be shaping objects in their own way that’s totally foreign to us since our solar system isn’t configured that way.
“It wouldn’t be terribly surprising to me if we started seeing evidence that our comets and asteroids are unusual,” he adds.
In the future, it may become clear that it’s not ‘Oumuamua that’s weird. It might just be us.
Abstract: The discovery of the first interstellar object passing through the Solar System, 1I/2017 U1 (‘Oumuamua), provoked intense and continuing interest from the scientific community and the general public. The faintness of ‘Oumuamua, together with the lim- ited time window within which observations were possible, constrained the information available on its dynamics and physical state. Here we review our knowledge and find that in all cases, the observations are consistent with a purely natural origin for ‘Oumuamua. We discuss how the observed characteristics of ‘Oumuamua are explained by our extensive knowledge of natural minor bodies in our Solar System and our current knowledge of the evolution of planetary systems. We highlight several areas requiring further investigation.
The eerie, hellish glow coming from the Moon may seem unreal in this image, since it’s invisible to our eyes. But instruments that detect gamma rays tell us it’s real. More than just a grainy, red picture, it’s a vivid reminder that there’s more going on than meets human eyes.
It’s also a reminder that any humans that visit the Moon need to be protected from this high-energy radiation.
From Cosmic Rays to Gamma Rays
NASA’s Fermi Gamma-Ray Space Telescope captured these images of the Moon’s gamma rays. In this part of the electromagnetic spectrum, the Moon is actually brighter than the Sun. That’s because the Sun produces most of its energy in other parts of the spectrum, though it does emit some gamma rays, especially during solar flares.
Most gamma rays in our Solar System come from distant sources like quasars and active galactic nuclei (AGN.) The Moon is an indirect source of gamma radiation, and produces gamma rays through its interaction with cosmic rays.
Cosmic rays are a type of high-energy radiation that for the most part is produced outside our Solar System. They’re produced by things like supernovae and active galactic nuclei. When cosmic rays strike matter, like the surface of the Moon in this instance, they create gamma rays.
An artist’s concept of an active galactic nuclei hosting an energetic blazar. Active galacitc nuclei are one source of cosmic rays. When those rays strike the Moon, gamma rays are created. Credit: NASA/Goddard Space Flight Center Conceptual Image Lab.
Two scientists at Italy’s National Institute of Nuclear Physics, Mario Nicola Mazziotta and Francesco Loparco, have been studying the Moon’s gamma radiation as a means to understand cosmic rays. Cosmic rays are fast-moving particles, and they gain their acceleration from their sources, like the aforementioned supernovae and AGN.
“Cosmic rays are mostly protons accelerated by some of the most energetic phenomena in the universe, like the blast waves of exploding stars and jets produced when matter falls into black holes,” explained Mazziotta in a NASA press release.
The particles that make up cosmic rays are electrically charged. When they strike a magnetic field, like the Earth’s magnetosphere, they’re mostly deflected. But the Moon lacks a magnetic field. As a result, even the weakest cosmic rays strike the Moon’s surface directly, and that produces gamma rays. The Moon actually absorbs most of the gamma rays it creates, but some escape out into space.
And the Fermi Telescope can see them, turning the Moon into a kind of inadvertent particle detector.
The Fermi Gamma-Ray Space Telescope (FGRST) has been at work for 11 years now. Mazziotta and Loparco have studied images of the Moon from the length of the telescope’s mission, and over that time, the view has improved.
“… the Moon would never go through its monthly cycle of phases and would always look full.”
Francesco Loparco, Italy’s National Institute of Nuclear Physics.
The strength of the Moon’s gamma rays is not always consistent. It varies over time. Mazziotta and Loparco gathered together data of the Moon’s gamma rays that exceeded 31 million electron volts, which is 10 million times more powerful than visible light, and organized them over time. That resulted in the following image, which shows the view improving over time.
These images show the steadily improving view of the Moon’s gamma-ray glow from NASA’s Fermi Gamma-ray Space Telescope. Each 5-by-5-degree image is centered on the Moon and shows gamma rays with energies above 31 million electron volts, or tens of millions of times that of visible light. At these energies, the Moon is actually brighter than the Sun. Brighter colors indicate greater numbers of gamma rays. This image sequence shows how longer exposure, ranging from two to 128 months (10.7 years), improved the view. Credit: NASA/DOE/Fermi LAT Collaboration
“Seen at these energies, the Moon would never go through its monthly cycle of phases and would always look full,” said Loparco.
The fact that the Moon emits these gamma rays is cautionary. NASA’s Artemis Program will see more astronauts on the Moon for potentially longer periods of time than other Moon missions. They’ll have to be protected from both the cosmic rays that strike the Moon, and the Moon’s gamma rays that result.
A Complex Interaction
The interplay between cosmic rays, gamma rays, the Moon and the Sun can be complex. Gamma rays can have different energy levels. For instance, these FGRST images only capture gamma rays that exceeded 31 million electron volts (MeV) by a certain amount. But gamma rays can be far more energetic than that, and can be in the billions or even trillions of MeVs.
The Fermi Gamma-Ray Space Observatory is not the only observatory to see the Moon’s gamma radiation. The Compton Gamma Ray Observatory captured this image of the Moon’s gamma rays. Image Credit: By D. J. Thompson, D. L. Bertsch (NASA/GSFC), D. J. Morris (UNH), R. Mukherjee (NASA/GSFC/USRA) – ur=http://heasarc.gsfc.nasa.gov/docs/cgro/epo/news/gammoon.html., Public Domain, https://commons.wikimedia.org/w/index.php?curid=19838942
Since the electrical charge of cosmic rays means they can be deflected by magnetic fields, and the Sun has a powerful magnetic field, only the most powerful ones can strike the Sun. In turn, these powerful cosmic rays strike the dense part of the Sun’s atmosphere and create very powerful gamma rays. So the Sun is actually brighter in gamma rays above 1 billion electron volts than the Moon is.
The Sun’s 11-year cycle also affects the cosmic rays that strike the Moon, and the gamma rays that result. During that cycle, the Sun experiences variations in its magnetic field. As a result, sometimes more cosmic rays strike the Moon than other times. This variability in cosmic rays striking the lunar surface creates a variability in lunar gamma rays. According to Fermi data, it can vary by 20%.
The Sun’s magnetic field varies in both strength and complexity during its 11-year cycle. This comparison shows the relative complexity of the solar magnetic field between January 2011 (left) and July 2014. In January 2011, three years after solar minimum, the field is still relatively simple, with open field lines concentrated near the poles. At solar maximum, in July 2014, the structure is much more complex, with closed and open field lines poking out all over.
Gamma rays coming from the Moon, and the cosmic rays that cause them, both pose a threat to astronauts because both are ionizing radiation with great penetrating power. It takes a lot of shielding to prevent them from striking astronauts. Materials with high atomic numbers are effective shields. Lead (atomic number 82) is a good shield because it’s also very dense.
For lower energy gamma rays, the risk to astronauts is due to exposure over time. Think of an x-ray technician vs. an x-ray patient. A patient’s lifetime exposure to x-rays is not very high, so a patient accepts the risk. For the technician however, things are different. They’re exposed each work day, so they leave the room and are shielded from the x-rays by materials like lead.
It’s similar for astronauts. The more time they spend on the Moon in a gamma ray/cosmic ray environment, the more they need to limit their exposure. Not only by shielding, but by timing.
Trying to Understand the Moon’s Radiation Environment
This Fermi Gamma-Ray Space Telescope data is helping scientists understand the gamma ray/cosmic ray risk on the Moon. If there are times when the Moon emits 20% less gamma radiation because of the Sun’s 11-year cycle, then it may be sensible to make use of that time.
If we saw the sky in gamma rays, the same way the Fermi Space Telescope does, it would be unrecognizable. This image was constructed from six years of Fermi observations. It shows the entire sky at energies between 50 billion (GeV) and 2 trillion electron volts (TeV). The bright band in the middle is the central plane of the Milky Way. Some of the brightest sources are pulsar wind nebulae and supernova remnants within our galaxy, as well as distant galaxies called blazars powered by supermassive black holes. Labels show the highest-energy sources, all located within our galaxy and emitting gamma rays exceeding 1 TeV. Image Credit: NASA/DOE/Fermi LAT Collaboration
Exposure to radiation is one of the main barriers to space travel and long-term space missions. Earth’s magnetosphere and atmosphere are both radiation shields. But even in Low-Earth Orbit, astronauts risk exposure to greater radiation.
If we’re going to have a human presence on the Moon, it’s imperative that we understand the radiation environment there. NASA has been looking into the lunar radiation environment as far back as 2005 in anticipation of a human outpost on the Moon. When they launched the Lunar Reconnaissance Orbiter (LRO) in 2009, it contained an instrument called the Cosmic Ray Telescope for the Effects of Radiation (CRaTER).
CRaTER’s job is to characterize the Moon’s radiation environment and the biological impact it will have on astronauts. It uses plastics to mimic human tissue and placed them behind different shielding materials. At the time, Harlan Spence, the Principal Investigator CRaTER said, “Not only will we measure the radiation, we will use plastics that mimic human tissue to look at how these highly energetic particles penetrate and interact with the human body.”
The Fermi images of the Moon’s gamma rays are another piece of the radiation puzzle. And that’s a puzzle that has to be solved before there’s a realistic hope of a long-term lunar base, or crewed missions to Mars.
On Earth, methane gas is often associated with microbial life. Scientists find methane in Mars’ atmosphere, too. Could it be life-related? We still don’t know, but a new study shows wind erosion is likely not the cause.
Mars is a rocky world, and some scientists have theorized that erosion by wind causes Mars rocks to produce methane. But a new study from Newcastle University refutes that.
What is producing methane on Mars? That is a question that scientists have been trying to answer for quite some time now. There are various possibilities, both geological and biological, but narrowing them down has been a challenge. Could it really be a sign of … life? Now, a new study has shown that at least one of the geological scenarios is very unlikely: wind erosion of rocks.
Researchers at Newcastle University in the U.K. published their peer-reviewed findings in Scientific Reports on June 3, 2019, and a new press release was issued on August 12, 2019. From the article abstract:
Seasonal changes in methane background levels and methane spikes have been detected in situ a metre above the martian surface, and larger methane plumes detected via ground-based remote sensing, however their origin have not yet been adequately explained. Proposed methane sources include the UV irradiation of meteoritic-derived organic matter, hydrothermal reactions with olivine, organic breakdown via meteoroid impact, release from gas hydrates, biological production, or the release of methane from fluid inclusions in basalt during aeolian erosion. Here we quantify for the first time the potential importance of aeolian abrasion as a mechanism for releasing trapped methane from within rocks, by coupling estimates of present day surface wind abrasion with the methane contents of a variety of martian meteorites, analogue terrestrial basalts and analogue terrestrial sedimentary rocks. We demonstrate that the abrasion of basalt under present day Martian rates of aeolian erosion is highly unlikely to produce detectable changes in methane concentrations in the atmosphere. We further show that, although there is a greater potential for methane production from the aeolian abrasion of certain sedimentary rocks, to produce the magnitude of methane concentrations analysed by the Curiosity rover they would have to contain methane in similar concentrations as economic reserved of biogenic/thermogenic deposits on Earth. Therefore we suggest that aeolian abrasion is an unlikely origin of the methane detected in the martian atmosphere, and that other methane sources are required.
A history of key methane measurements on Mars from 1999 to 2018.
One of the more recent theories was that wind erosion of rocks could produce the methane detected in the lower atmosphere. But the team’s findings showed that it wouldn’t be able to produce methane in the amounts observed, according to Jon Telling, a geochemist at Newcastle University:
The questions are – where is this methane coming from, and is the source biological? That’s a massive question and to get to the answer we need to rule out lots of other factors first.
We realized one potential source of the methane that people hadn’t really looked at in any detail before was wind erosion, releasing gases trapped within rocks. High resolution imagery from orbit over the last decade have shown that winds on Mars can drive much higher local rates of sand movement, and hence potential rates of sand erosion, than previously recognised.
In fact, in a few cases, the rate of erosion is estimated to be comparable to those of cold and arid sand dune fields on Earth.
Using the data available, we estimated rates of erosion on the surface of Mars and how important it could be in releasing methane.
And taking all that into account we found it was very unlikely to be the source.
What’s important about this is that it strengthens the argument that the methane must be coming from a different source. Whether or not that’s biological, we still don’t know.
Artist’s concept of ESA’s Trace Gas Orbiter, part of the ExoMars mission, analyzing the Martian atmosphere.
Observations from both orbiting spacecraft and the Curiosity rover, as well as telescopes on Earth, have shown that methane levels in the Martian atmosphere appear to be seasonal, peaking in the summer and fading again in the winter. Just why that is isn’t known yet, but it indicates a regular process is occurring, whether geological or biological. Oddly, ESA’s Trace Gas Orbiter (TGO) hasn’t detected any methane yet, although that is one of its main objectives. But that may simply be because of the seasonality of the methane, or because TGO focuses its observations on the upper levels of the atmosphere, and most of the other methane detections have been closer to the ground.
Most scientists now think the methane originates from underground, perhaps as ice clathrates that thaw in the summer and release methane, or maybe a biological source that responds to the warmer temperatures. Even if the methane is bound up in clathrates, the actual origin of it could still be either geological of biological (ancient life). Or it may be produced by warm groundwater interacting with olivine in rocks. If so, that would indicate that there is still some residual geological activity below Mars’ surface, and that itself could provide a habitable environment for microorganisms, even if they didn’t actually produce the methane. Other causes, such as meteorites or comets, probably wouldn’t produce enough of the gas to match observations, either, according to recent studies.
Last April, a new report showed that a spike in methane levels was detected at the same time – for the first time – by both the Curiosity rover and the orbiting Mars Express back in 2013. And last June, Curiosity detected its largest-evermeasurement of methane so far. Why are there these peaks in methane emissions, only for the gas to virtually disappear afterwards? There is still a lot we don’t know, as Emmal Safi, a postdoctoral researcher at Newcastle University, indicated:
It’s still an open question. Our paper is just a little part of a much bigger story.
Ultimately, what we’re trying to discover is if there’s the possibility of life existing on planets other than our own, either living now or maybe life in the past that is now preserved as fossils or chemical signatures.
Illustration depicting what processes could create and destroy methane on Mars. The methane most likely originates from below the surface and is released into the atmosphere through subsurface cracks.
The idea that Mars’ methane might come from life is an exciting one, of course, since most of the methane on Earth is produced by living organisms. But non-biological explanations would need to be eliminated first. The research from Newcastle University shows that at least one of the possible geological explanations for the methane is unlikely, but there is still a lot of work for scientists to do to determine just what is producing it.
Bottom line:This new study would seem to eliminate one possible source of Mars’ methane: wind erosion of rocks on the surface. This bolsters the probability that the methane originates from underground.
On tall ice structures high in the Chilean Andes, researchers found algae growing on snow. They don’t entirely understand how the algae are able to bloom.
These elongated, thin blades of hardened snow or ice are called nieves penitentes. They’re found closely spaced and pointing towards the general direction of the sun. Recently, researchers were surprised to find patches of red ice on the sides of some of the penitentes, which turned out to be a unique snow algae.
A new study found snow algae on nieves penitentes [Spanish for "penitent-shaped snows”] at high elevations in the Chilean Andes.
Steven Schmidt is a University of Colorado, Boulder professor, specializing in microbial ecology. He’s one of the paper’s authors. He told GlacierHub.
The expedition was an epic and very arduous trip to a remote mountain. The original goal was to sample a lake below a remnant glacier high on the mountain, but the lake was frozen solid and the winds were horrendous, so we worked lower on the mountain and carried out the first-ever search for life on nieves penitentes.
Nieves penitentesform when windblown snow banks build up and melt due to a combination of high radiation, low humidity, and dry winds. The snow melts into the pinnacle-shape which earned penitentes their name: they are said to resemble monks in white robes paying penance. Penitentes are important to the dry, high-altitude areas where they’re found, because they can be a periodic source of meltwater for the rocky ground.
Schmidt described how the researchers were surprised to find patches of red ice on the sides of some of the penitentes. He told GlacierHub:
We took samples from these patches and later found that they contained some unique snow algae and a thriving community of other microbes.
The study was published the peer-reviewed journal Arctic, Antarctic, and Alpine Research on June 12, 2019.
Matthew Davey, a plant and algal physiologist at Cambridge University, who was not involved in the study, told GlacierHub:
Snow algae are microscopic plant-like organisms that are able to live on and within the snowpack.
Snow algae is also known as watermelon snow because of the color it creates on the surface of snow and ice. The snow’s watermelon hue is caused by an abundance of natural reddish pigments called carotenoids which also shield the algae from ultraviolet light, drought, and cold, contributing to their ability to survive in extreme environments.
Researchers don’t entirely understand how the algae bloom in high density given the low temperatures and high light levels they live with. Davey explained:
There is evidence that they can be deposited by wind, they could already be in the rock surface from previous years or they could be brought by animals. Once the snow has melted slightly, so there is liquid water, the algae can reproduce and bloom within days or weeks. During this time they can start green, then turn red, or stay green or stay red – it depends on the algal species.
The samples of snow algae were collected from penitentes on the Chilean side of Volcán Llullaillaco. It is the second tallest active volcano in the world after Ojos del Salado and it sits on Chile’s border with Argentina. The penitentes were between 1-1.5 meters tall (about 39 to 60 inches tall). The presence of snow algae on penitentes is notable because the algae can change the albedo of ice and increase melting rates.
The study describes the environment that the samples were collected in as “perhaps the best earthly analog for surface and near-surface soils on Mars,” opening the door for implications in astrobiological research. The high elevation where the snow algae was found is responsible for the conditions that create an almost extraterrestrial environment; there are very high levels of ultraviolet radiation, intense daily freeze-thaw cycles, and one of the driest climates on the planet.
Penitente-like structures were recently found on Pluto and possibly on Europa, one of Jupiter’s moons. In the context of these discoveries, Schmidt said that “penitentes and the harsh environment that surrounds them provide a new terrestrial analog for astrobiological studies of life beyond Earth.” The finding in the new study that “penitentes are oases of life in the otherwise barren expanses” pushes the boundaries of the current understanding of the cold-dry limits of life.
The surface of Pluto’s Tartarus Dorsa region, where penitentes were also found.
Scientists suddenly have a whole lot more data on one of the strangest and most recent mysteries in the cosmos, so-called fast radio bursts. First discovered in 2007, these fleeting blasts of radio waves originate thousands, millions or even billions of light-years from Earth.
FRBs have influenced the design of new radio telescopes like the Canadian Hydrogen Intensity Mapping Experiment (CHIME). And now a team of Canadian and American researchers using CHIME has reported a major new set of FRB detections that could fine-tune our understanding of where these enigmatic signals come from and what produces them.
The group says it's discovered eight new bursts that repeat.
Watch this:Repeating radio signals coming from space
"Repeating FRBs are highly valuable from an observational perspective since their repeating nature make them better candidates for localizing their host galaxies and multi-wavelength follow-up observations that can help determine if FRBs emit at wavelengths other than radio," said Ryan McKinven, one of the researchers who is based at the University of Toronto and co-author of a paper about the FRBs.
Those follow-up observations could provide details about the origins of the strange bursts, he added. A larger sample size of repeating FRBs to study could also help scientists answer one of the obvious questions about non-repeating FRBs: Could they actually be repeating FRBs that just haven't been recorded as repeating yet?
While dozens of FRBs have been detected and cataloged over the past 12 years, few of those deep space signals had been known to repeat themselves. Two have been documented so far in published, peer-reviewed journals. Two others -- one via a Russian radio telescope, the other via Australia -- have been reported but not yet reviewed.
So with this batch of bursts, the number of reported repeaters has tripled -- from four to 12.
"Discovering different types of FRBs at an unexpected rate, we will soon open new windows into understanding the cosmological origin of these high-energy astrophysical phenomena," said co-author Masoud Rafiei-Ravandi of the Perimeter Institute for Theoretical Physics.
In addition to the sheer number of repeating FRBs discovered in one haul, one of the newfound repeaters appears to be much closer to Earth than the handful of fast radio bursts that have been traced back to a source galaxy. So far, traceable FRBs seem to come from sources on the other side of the universe -- we're talking billions of light-years away.
However, in the new paper, the authors suggest that one of the repeating FRBs could actually originate near the edge of our own Milky Way galaxy but caution that more study is needed to better localize the signal.
"Knowing that we are observing every patch of sky visible to CHIME once every day, it was only a matter of time before we detected a very nearby source," co-author Pragya Chawla of McGill University said.
Studying relatively nearby FRBs will hopefully allow scientists to get a better idea of just what the heck is throwing off these signals, which could be anything from far-fetched notions like alien starships to the less fantastic but more powerful sources, like neutron stars.
Mystery sunken 3,000BC temple dubbed ‘Spanish Stonehenge’ appears after drought dries up reservoir
Mystery sunken 3,000BC temple dubbed ‘Spanish Stonehenge’ appears after drought dries up reservoir
Sean Keach, Digital Technology and Science Editor
AN ANCIENT sunken temple in Spain that dates back 5,000 years has been revealed thanks to a drought.
Dubbed the 'Spanish Stonehenge', this collection of 144 standing stones may have once been a site of ritual worship.
The mysterious site has been revealed thanks to a droughtCredit: Rubén Ortega Martín/Raíces de Peralêda
Some of the stones stand two metres high, and are engraved with serpents.
The giant megaliths are arranged in circles but – just like Stonehenge – no one knows who put them there, and why.
The lost site was submerged back in 1963, after the building of a dam created a reservoir in the area.
But warm weather and large amounts of water extraction saw the stones re-emerge from the deep.
Some of the stones stand up to two metres tall
Credit: Rubén Ortega Martín/Raíces de Peralêda
The 'Spanish Stonehenge' has been lost for 60 years, and could date back to 3,000 BCCredit: Rubén Ortega Martín/Raíces de Peralêda
"We grew up hearing about the legend of the treasure hidden beneath the lake and now we finally get to view them," said local official Angel Castaño, speaking to Spain's The Local.
"There certainly may have been treasures buried beneath the stones once upon a time.
"But for us now, the treasures are the stones themselves."
Angel is now leading a "race against time" to preserve the site before the rains come – and submerge the temple again.
The site is believed to have been created in the second and third millenia BC
And it's said that it was used as a sun temple on the banks of the River Tagus.
It was last seen by locals six decades ago, and formed part of local legends.
"The site would have been created over thousands of years, using granite transported from kilometres away," Angel explained.
"Like Stonehenge, they formed a sun temple and burial ground.
"They seemed to have a religious but also economic purpose, being at one of the few points of the river where it was possible to cross.
"So it was a sort of trading hub."
Angel and a group of local residents are campaigning to move the stones to a site on dry land.
Otherwise, the waters will rise again and the stones will be lost.
"We have had no rain this summer, so the drought but also a policy of extracting water to send to Portugal has combined to lower the water table and reveal the stones," Angel explained.
"But that can all changed very quickly."
The site was thought to be condemned to the history books in the 1960s when a Spanish general ordered the construction of a hydroelectric dam in Peraleda de la Mata, near Cáceres in Extremadura
“If we miss this chance it could be years before they are revealed again.
"And the stones, which are granite and therefore porous, are already showing signs of erosion and cracking, so if we don't act now it could be too late."
Experts now hope to preserve the stones – by moving them to dry land using machines
Credit: Rubén Ortega Martín/Raíces de Peralêda
What is Stonehenge?
What you need to know about Britain's most mysterious monument
Stonehenge is a prehistoric monument in Wiltshire
It's a ring of standing stones that measure around 13 feet high and seven feet wide
Each stone weighs roughly 25 tons
Experts say that the monument was constructed between 3000 and 2000 BC
In 1882, it was legally protected as a Scheduled Ancient Monument
And in 1986, the site and surroundings became a UNESCO World Heritage Site
Stonehenge itself is owned by the Crown and managed by English Heritage
But the land around Stonehenge is owned by the National Trust
Part of what makes Stonehenge so mysterious is that it was produced by a culture with no written records
Scientists regularly debate over how and why Stonehenge was built, and what it was used for
One theory suggests Stonehenge was a sacred burial site
Another proposes that it was used for celestial and astronomical alignments
And some think it was an ancient place of healing
It used to be believed that it was created as a Druid temple
But we now know that Stonehenge predated the Druids by around 2000 years
The site was reportedly first uncovered by the Ancient Romans.
However, they weren't rediscovered until German priest and archaeologist Hugo Obermaier visited in the 1920s.
He excavated the site and reportedly took treasures back to Germany.
But the stones themselves remained, and disappeared under a reservoir after the building of a dam in 1963.
"It isn't a difficult thing to move them, we have machinery now to do that," said Angel.
"Let's just hope that there is the political will to save them while we can."
Two Colossal Crystal Pyramids Found in Center of The Bermuda Triangle
Two Colossal Crystal Pyramids Found in Center of The Bermuda Triangle
With the help of today’s advanced technology, Dr. Meyer Verlag has managed to discover two huge pyramids at the bottom of the ocean.
These pyramids are extremely large. To give you an idea, they are 3 times larger than the pyramid of Cheops in Egypt.
It seems that these pyramids are constructed of a type of crystal that could not be identified.
They are about 2000 meters deep at the bottom of the ocean.
According to researcher Meyer Verlag, these crystal pyramids may be the reason why there are so many mysterious disappearances in that area.
There is also a theory that these crystal pyramids belong to the ancient city of Atlantis.
Scientists are optimistic and believe that these pyramids will be investigated very closely in the near future.
And this can give us some very important answers regarding the mysterious disappearances of the Bermuda triangle or even about the lost city of Atlantis.
Archaeologists Who Discovered Giant Skeletons Were Threatened: “You’re playing with fire”
Archaeologists Who Discovered Giant Skeletons Were Threatened: “You’re playing with fire”
Since ancient times there are stories and stories about giants. These creatures were so large that the earth shook as they walk.
There are reports about a very controversial case that took place in Romania in the 1940s.
At that time, a team of foreign archaeologists discovered a lot of precious artifacts that it seems to have belonged to the Dacian leader, Burebista.
From the accounts of that time, it seems that one of the archaeologists by the name of Ionita Florea, discovered a huge skull.
The skull was about five times larger than a human skull. Shortly after the discovery of the giant skull, Ionita Florea was removed from the team, and foreign archaeologists have managed to uncover 80 more giant skeletons.
These giant skeletons were hidden or destroyed. It is not known exactly where the skeletons are.
Another very strange case was when the inhabitants of the village of Scaieni in Romania discovered a cemetery full of giant skeletons, when they were trying to plant an apple orchard.
In 2009, a television channel began a thorough investigation of the phenomena in the Bucegi Mountains.
But the entire team of researchers and journalists were threatened by telephone by several people who did not reveal their identity.
These people wanted at all costs that this investigation be stopped immediately.
These unknown persons threatened with death the entire team investigating Bucegi Mountains. It seems that the entire operation that investigated the phenomena in the Bucegi mountains was stopped shortly.
And none of the team members ever wanted to make a statement. Watch the following video:
Researchers have made incredible advancements in the detection and study of exoplanets in recent years, spotting literally thousands of new planets and learning tantalizing details about them. Scientists can often tell how warm a planet’s surface is, what its atmosphere is made of, and whether or not it could hold liquid water on its surface.
All of this information helps in the never-ending search for extraterrestrial life, but what if an intelligent race of aliens were looking at us? Would they be able to see that Earth is habitable, or perhaps even detect the presence of life here from a distance? A new study published in Scienceattempts to answer that question, and the answer is just as complicated as you’d expect.
The idea here is that by modeling what a distant civilization would see when looking at Earth, we might get a better idea of what traits to seek out when searching for life-supporting exoplanets of our own. To build this model of a “distant Earth,” the research team collected nearly 10,000 images of Earth snapped from NASA’s Deep Space Climate Observatory satellite and used them to build a two-dimensional picture of the light reflecting off of Earth across multiple wavelengths.
This, the researchers say, offers a reasonable estimate of what an intelligent civilization might see when observing our planet at a distance of many light-years. The image might look like little more than a colorful blob, but it’s actually a rough outline of Earth’s continents and oceans.
The scientists suggest that, if we could interpret the light curves of exoplanets in the same way, we may be able to estimate an Earth-like planet’s potential to support life.
“The analysis of light curves in this work have implications for determining geological features and climate systems on exoplanet,” Siteng Fan, lead author of the work, told Universe Today. “We found that the variation of light curve of Earth is dominated by clouds and land/ocean, which are both crucial to the life on Earth. Therefore, Earth-like exoplanets which harbor this kind of features would be more likely to host life.”
Next year is going to be a pretty big deal for scientists studying Mars, with both NASA’s Mars 2020 mission and the ExoMars rover mission kicking off in the summer. NASA, the European Space Agency, and Russia’s Roscosmos are all doing their best to plan for the landing of their respective rovers, and they recently gathered in a place that looks a lot like Mars to test a few new ideas.
The international group of researchers met in Australia and set their sights on the dry and dusty conditions of the Australian Outback, which is a decent analog for the Red Planet.
The challenges of controlling a mobile robot on another planet are many, but the scientists are doing their best to plan ahead, especially when it comes to search for evidence of life on Mars.
“The Pilbara Outback is home to the oldest confirmed fossilized lifeforms on Earth, called stromatolites,” Ken Farley of NASA’s Jet Propulsion Laboratory said in a statement. “If we can better understand how these fossils came to be here – and the nearby geological signposts that help point the way to them – we’ll be that much more prepared when hunting for signs of life on Mars.”
Practicing the ability to spot areas where clues about ancient life on Mars may be hiding could come in handy for both teams during their respective missions, but there’s no guarantee that either mission will lead to the discovery of extraterrestrial life.
Both the Mars 2020 mission and the ExoMars rover mission are expected to launch in July of 2020, with NASA’s spacecraft arriving at the Red Planet in February 2021 and the ExoMars rover touching down sometime in March 2021.
Souvent on croise des personnes sceptiques, remettant en cause l’aventure spatiale. Pourtant l’ensemble de l’oeuvre est très facilement sous la main. Mais se plonger dans le travail colossal de cette entreprise demande toujours trop d’effort pour les détraqueurs. Un grand classique est le passage de le Ceinture de Van Halen par les missions Apollo. Beaucoup disent que c’est impossible. Sauf que le sujet a été traité comme jamais et qu’il est encore traité aujourd’hui : un essais complet a été fait sur la futur capsule pour Mars ( on en parle pas sur le petit écran mais des rapports et des photos sortent chaque mois et pendant qu’on se tourne les pouces les mecs on fait une mission complète dans la ceinture de Van Halen, non habité, pour mesurer la réaction et les taux de radiation de cette futur capsule ). Mais revenant à Apollo, voici toutes les références si l’on vous ressort ce sujet … Voilà je vous ai tout mis avec les liens qui vont bien comme ça ça clos le débat.
APOLLO : LA CEINTURE DE VAN ALLEN :
Voici quelques éléments pour le sujet qui nous intéresse aujourd’hui : comment les missions Apolloont résolu le passage de la ceinture de Van Allen ?
Rapport de la NASA des doses radiactive des équipages des missions Appolo lors du passage de la ceinture de Van Allen. (réf 1)
Les doses radioactives reçues lors des missions lunaires, incluant la traversée de la ceinture de Van Allen et l’exposition aux rayonnements cosmiques, furent relativement faibles. On peut noter dans ce tableau que les astronautes d’Apollo 14 furent les plus exposés avec une dose absorbée au niveau de la peau de 1,14 rads soit 11,4 milligrays.
Dosimètre personnel de Collins.
Si l’on considère un facteur de pondération pour la peau de 0,01 et un facteur de pondération pour les rayonnements de 20 (cas le plus pénalisant), les astronautes d’Apollo 14 ont reçu une dose de 2,24 millisieverts.
Si l’on se réfère à un tableau de radiation classique dans le milieu médical, Apollo 14 a reçu une radiation équivalente à une radio de la poitrine … Par comparaison, la limite annuelle pour les travailleurs du secteur nucléaire en France est de 20 millisieverts. (réf.2)
SYNTHÈSE TECHNIQUE COMPLÈTE SUR LES RADIATIONS LORS DES MISSIONS APOLLO :
Cette synthèse nous fait un point sur les radiations lors du passage de la ceinture de Van Allen, sur les radiations relevées dans le module lunaire et lors des sorties ELM.
Ce document fait également un bref descriptif des instruments utilisés pour faire les mesures. Ciquez sur l’image ci-dessous pour télécharger.
La ceinture de Van Allen : note technique de Mars 1973 de la NASA faisant la synthèse des missions Apollo vis à vis des doses de radiation des équipages d’Apollo. Cliquez sur l’image pour accéder à la note technique originale.
TRAJECTOIRE DU PASSAGE DE LA CEINTURE DE VAN ALLEN POUR APOLLO 11.
Une maquette d’ingénierie grandeur nature chez Michoud Assembly Facility pour la contruction de la futur Saturn V. Le recours à la maquette est essentiel sur ces projets R&D. Saturn avait besoin non seulement d’experts en fusées, mais également d’équipes de construction pour construire certains des plus grands bâtiments du monde.
(NASA).
Étages de la fusée Saturn V en cours d’assemblage à Michoud Assembly Facility
(NASA).
Les ingénieurs d’IBM travaillent à l’intérieur de l’unité Instrument de Saturn V, le «cerveau» responsable du guidage et de la navigation. La structure en anneau s’intègre entre le troisième étage le plus élevé du véhicule et le vaisseau spatial Apollo. (NASA).
LIENS & RÉFÉRENCES SUR APOLLO & LE PASSAGE DE LA CEINTURE DE VAN ALLEN :
For an asteroid, Ryugu has surprisingly little dust on its surface
For an asteroid, Ryugu has surprisingly little dust on its surface
The space rock may hide the fine debris inside larger rocks or eject it into space
Germany’s MASCOT probe took this photo just before landing on the asteroid Ryugu. The craft found a landscape of crumbly and jagged rocks, but not much actual dust.
Ryugu is a neat freak. The surface of the small, near-Earth asteroid is surprisingly free of dust, observations from Germany’s MASCOT lander show.
The asteroid, thought to have formed from the breakup of a larger body around 700 million years ago, has no atmosphere to protect it from interplanetary dust streaming through the solar system(SN: 4/27/19, p. 4). These miniature missiles pummel exposed space rocks at high speed, breaking down their surfaces into thin layers of dust and dirt, such as those found on the moon and the asteroid Vesta.
But when MASCOT bounced across Ryugu in October 2018 (SN Online: 9/24/18), the lander took high-resolution photos that show no sign of any dust-sized particles, down to a resolution of about 100 micrometers, about the thickness of a sheet of paper, researchers report in the Aug. 23 Science.
“After a few tens of millions of years, you should have dust on the surface,” says planetary scientist Ralf Jaumann of the German Aerospace Center in Berlin. “If it’s not there, you should have some kind of physical, geological processes which clean up these bodies.”
The MASCOT lander took many pictures as it bounced over Ryugu’s surface, and revealed a rugged terrain largely free of dust.R. JAUMANN ET AL/SCIENCE 2019
Ryugu could hide its dust in larger, porous rocks or deep in its interior, Jaumann and colleagues say. Shaking due to a meteorite impact may shuffle the particles into bigger surface rocks or down through small surface cracks to the asteroid’s center and out of sight, the way small nuts end up at the bottom of a cup of trail mix.
Or Ryugu could spray dust into space when sunlight heats patches of trapped ice and releases volatile gases. A similar asteroid, Bennu, seems to spew plumes of small rocks into space, according to NASA’s OSIRIS-REx spacecraft (SN: 4/13/19, p. 10). But Jaumann thinks that explanation is less likely for Ryugu. Observations from the Japanese Hayabusa2 craft, which has been orbiting Ryugu since June 2018 and brought MASCOT along, suggest that Ryugu has less water in its minerals than Bennu (SN: 1/19/19, p. 6).
There’s another possible explanation for Bennu’s dust sprays, says OSIRIS-REx principal investigator Dante Lauretta of the University of Arizona in Tucson. He thinks frequent temperature changes on Bennu’s surface as the different sides of the asteroid rotate in and out of sunlight could make the asteroid’s larger rocks fracture like a snapped cracker, spraying crumbs into space.
If something similar happens on Ryugu, “then Ryugu should also be ejecting particles,” he says. Hayabusa2 may just not be in the right position to see the sprays. “It would be very cool if we saw it.”
But snapping rocks might create more dust, not less, he notes. An answer to the mystery may not come until after Hayabusa2 returns to Earth with samples of Ryugu’s surface and subsurface in late 2020 (SN: 8/17/19, p. 14).
If you’re looking for something that deserves to be blamed for all of the bad news lately, scientists have for the first time ever witnessed a black hole consuming a neutron star with a satisfied belch and a lip-smacking smile. OK, they couldn’t quite see those last two and it happened 900 million years ago, but it’s definitive proof of a long-held theory and that means it could happen again … and again and again. Is this how it will all end? Did it really cause ripples in space and time? Is the grass greener on the other side of the black hole?
“This is a huge milestone—if it stands up.”
The “milestone” astrophysicist Patrick Brady, spokesperson for the Laser Interferometer Gravitational-Wave Observatory (LIGO), is referring to in the announcement in Science is the discovery of gravitational waves (so the answer to the “ripples in time and space” question is ‘yes’) which have been traced to the collision of a black hole and a neutron star 900 million light-years away – a collision which left only the black hole standing. The discovery was made by LIGO – which gets credit for the first detection of gravitational waves in 2015 – and Virgo, a gravitational wave detector near Pisa, Italy, and involved close to 1700 scientists between the two organizations.
Aerial view of the LIGO Hanford Observatory.
“We’ve never detected a neutron star and a black hole together. If it turns out to be right, then we’ve confirmed a new type of star system. It’s that fundamental.”
Ryan Foley, an astronomer at UC Santa Cruz, told Vice that the discovery last week of a gravitational wave called S190814bvset off a wave of excitement and the search for its source, the so-called “optical counterpart” that is the bright light caused by a neutron star crashing into something. Those somethings are normally other neutron stars … but not this time. A small optical counterpart would confirm that the black hole swallowed the neutron star rather than shredding it to pieces — an event that Foley, Brady and other scientists are cautiously optimistic about.
“The neutron star/black hole system is particularly exciting because we haven’t seen any case of that before, and there’s a lot of interesting stuff we could learn if we did detect it.”
Artist’s depiction of the aftermath of a black hole hating a neutron star
The “interesting stuff” includes how atoms are built and other secrets of subatomic physics and the expansion rate of the universe. Proving most astronomers are big kids at heart (and well behind the rest of the world in their video games), Simon Stevenson, an astronomer with Swinburne University of Technology in Australia, described to CBS what all of this will look like.
“We will either see a neutron star being ripped apart by a black hole, or getting swallowed whole like Pac-Man swallowing a ghost. Either way, we are in for a show!”
Sounds like they will be too busy to play a game of Fortnite and pick up some new analogies.
The team behind NASA's InSight lander has informally named a rock on Mars “Rolling Stones Rock” after the band.
A little larger than a golf ball, the rock appeared to have rolled about 3 feet (1 meter) on Nov. 26, 2018, propelled by InSight's retrorockets as the spacecraft touched down to study the Red Planet's deep interior.
In images taken by InSight the next day, several divots in the orange-red soil can be seen trailing "Rolling Stones Rock." It's the farthest NASA has seen a rock roll while landing a spacecraft on another planet.
NASA will use its robotic missions to Mars to help prepare for eventual human exploration of the Red Planet. Charged with returning astronauts to the Moon, NASA's Artemis program is the next step in human exploration. It is a part of NASA's broader Moon to Mars exploration approach, which will quickly and sustainably explore the Moon and enable humanity's next giant leap to Mars.
Linda Moulton Howe: Invisible Flying Object That Sounds Like a Jet Interrupts Beam of High Power Laser Pointer
Linda Moulton Howe: Invisible Flying Object That Sounds Like a Jet Interrupts Beam of High Power Laser Pointer
Lately, many strange and unknown flying objects have been observed in the sky. Now, according to the latest reports and published by Linda Moulton Howe, people heard strange jet-like sounds but their were no planes, even according to two witnesses, the invisible craft interrupted the beam of high power laser pointers.
Image: Transparent ‘invisible’ craft photographed in the sky above Kaufman, Texas on July 19, 2016.
On August 14, 2019, a scientist in San Diego, California, who has heard loud jet noises in clear sky and two times flashed a powerful laser in direction of unexplained jet noise and saw the beam interrupted by something invisible.
Earlier this month, a Boeing employee witnessed the same phenomenon.
Boeing employee: “I took my high power laser pointer and shot it up in the direction of the unexplained loud jet sound. … On two separate occasions, I have seen the beam interrupted momentarily — It seems to me there is a real physical object moving through the air that is simply not visible.”
In both cases the laser beam was interrupted – Does that mean that there is a real physical object moving through the air that is simply not visible?
In the next video Linda Moulton Howe talks on the invisible flying object reported by the Boeing employee. (Report starts at the 9.50 mark in the video.)
Pristine wall art and delicate pots have been found inside a stunning thousand-year-old imperial tomb unearthed by Chinese builders of a school sports field.
The underground chamber - believed to be one of several rooms - was located underneath Xiaojingyu Elementary School in the city of Taiyuan.
The school field was undergoing renovations, with workers sinking new foundations when they unintentionally punched through the ceiling of the burial chambers.
They are believed to date back to the Tang Dynasty, one of the greatest empires in the medieval world that ruled from 618 to 907 AD.
Pristine wall art and delicate pots have been found inside a stunning thousand-year-old imperial tomb unearthed by Chinese builders of a school sports field
Officials said the perfectly preserved murals and pottery appeared to be from the middle of the Tang Dynasty.
A cultural relics expert told local media the work bears the style of a roughly half-century period known as 'Sheng Tang', when the dynasty flourished between 713 and 766 AD.
A tombstone inside the burial chamber suggested the individual laid to rest underground was 'not a commoner'.
Their exact identity remains shrouded in mystery, however.
The underground chamber - believed to be one of several rooms - was located underneath Xiaojingyu Elementary School in the city of Taiyuan
They are believed to date back to the first century Tang dynasty, one of the greatest empires in the medieval world
A tombstone inside the burial chamber suggested the individual laid to rest underground was 'not a commoner', but their identity remains shrouded in mystery
The Tang era is seen by many historians as an era of progress as well as the greatest period for Chinese poetry.
Chinese civilisation flourishing during the first half of the dynasty before the empire eventually collapsed under social unrest.
Construction work at Xiaojingyu Elementary School, which is in Taiyuan's Wanbailin District, has been halted since the discovery.
An official said further excavations into the tomb would not be easy due to the primary school's teaching buildings nearby.
The work will require extensive negotiations with the school, which could be asked to relocate and have its building demolished.
The school field was undergoing renovations, with workers sinking new foundations when they unintentionally punched through the ceiling of the burial chambers
The eighth century heralded the second important epoch in Tang history, which is ranked as the classical period of Chinese art and literature, as it set the high standard to which later poets, painters, and sculptors aspired
WHAT DO WE KNOW ABOUT THE TANG DYNASTY?
After 300 years of division and fragmentation following the collapse of the Han dynasty in 220 AD, China was once again unified under the Sui dynasty (581–618).
The political and governmental institutions established during this brief period lay the foundation for the growth and prosperity of the succeeding Tang dynasty.
Marked by strong and benevolent rule, successful diplomatic relationships, economic expansion, and a cultural efflorescence of cosmopolitan style, Tang China emerged as one of the greatest empires in the medieval world.
Merchants, clerics, and envoys from India, Persia, Arabia, Syria, Korea, and Japan thronged the streets of Chang’an, the capital, and foreign tongues were a common part of daily life.
In the beginning decades of the Tang, especially under the leadership of Emperor Taizong (r. 626–49), China subdued its nomadic neighbors from the north and northwest, securing peace and safety on overland trade routes reaching as far as Syria and Rome.
The seventh century was a time of momentous social change; the official examination system enabled educated men without family connections to serve as government officials.
This new social elite gradually replaced the old aristocracy, and the recruitment of gentlemen from the south contributed to the cultural amalgamation that had already begun in the sixth century.
The eighth century heralded the second important epoch in Tang history, achieved largely during the reign of Emperor Xuanzong (r. 712–56), called minghuang—the Brilliant Monarch.
It is rightfully ranked as the classical period of Chinese art and literature, as it set the high standard to which later poets, painters, and sculptors aspired.
Construction workers at an elementary school in school in China thought they were renovating the school’s sports field. Instead they ended up up unearthing a mysterious 1,000-year-old tomb filled with pottery and art from the Tang dynasty of imperial China.
The tomb was discovered underneath Xiaojingyu Elementary School in the city of Taiyuan. Workers were setting new foundations for structures in the sports field when they accidentally punched through the ceiling of the 1,000 year old tomb. Which probably came as a decent surprise. The tomb is believed to be one of several rooms in a larger underground complex.
Inscriptions on in the mysterious tomb indicate that it belonged to someone of influence, but the exact identity of the eternal resident is still unknown. Archaeologists who have examined the ornate underground tomb say that it most likely dates back to the rule of the Tang dynasty, a golden age and high point of imperial China, which lasted from 618 to 907 AD.
According to the Daily Mail, a “cultural expert” told local media that the artwork bears the very specific style of a roughly 50-year period known as Sheng Tang, when the Tang dynasty flourished between 713 and 766 AD.
Mural from the Tang dynasty similar to those found in the newly discovered tomb.
The Tang dynasty period was one of immense progress until it collapse.d after social unrest during. At its height, Tang China was a period of social progress and imperial expansion. During the Tang dynasty, China stretched its economic influence across the world, trading with other empires even as far as Rome and Syria and merchants, envoys, and travelers from other nations were a common sight in the capital. It was also a period of progress in education and art. The Tang period of imperial China was the first to enable educated men without family connections to serve as government officials. The Tang dynasty is also seen by historians as the high water mark for classical Chinese literature and art. The tomb found in Taiyuan was probably built during the reign of Emperor Xuanzong, who was called minghuang or “brilliant monarch.”
Engraved brick from the Tang dynasty.
Since the discovery of the tomb, construction work at Xiaojingyu Elementary School has been halted. Officials say that further excavations will be difficult due to the proximity of the school’s teaching buildings. According to the officials, negotiations with the school may result in the school having to be relocated and its buildings torn down. Fairly ironic for what started as a renovation project.
But, even if the school is shut down for a little while, it might end up having a net positive impact on the children’s education. I know if, when I was a kid, a thousand-year-old tomb from Imperial China destroyed my school, I’d want to know everything there was to know about imperial China. That’s how you get kids interested in history.
According to new evidence obtained from excavations, archaeologists say that the ancient city of Troy in northwestern Turkey may have been more than six centuries older than previously thought. Rüstem Aslan, who is from the Archaeology Department of Çanakkale Onsekiz Mart University (ÇOMU), said that because of fires, earthquakes, and wars, the ancient city of Troy had been destroyed and re-established numerous times throughout the years.
In the last 150 years or so, ten layers of settlements had been uncovered and they were named “Troy I” to “Troy XI”. This year, however, they discovered an eleventh layer of settlement that they named “Troy o”. “We found traces of burns, pottery and wooden beams in the Troy o layer,” Aslan told the Daily Sabah.
Ancient city of Troy
The items recovered were of great significance as they prove that the city’s history dates back to approximately 5,500 years ago in around 3500 BC. Prior to this year’s significant discovery of an eleventh layer, the previous layers of the settlements were from the ancient Greek to Byzantine time periods between 3000 BC and 1300 AD.
The ancient city of Troy can be found on the mounds of Hisarlik, looking over to the Turkish Aegean coastal plain. It is known as one of the most famous and most visited archaeological sites in the entire world. Excavations of the ancient city began in 1870 by a German businessman named Heinrich Schliemann, who is very well known in the field of archaeology.
Troy was famously known in the Greek Trojan War when Spartan and Achaean warriors from Greece laid siege on the city in the 13th century BC. It was written about in the famous poem called The Iliad by the Greek poet Homer.
Trojan horse of Troy
As for more recent times, in order to celebrate the 20thanniversary o+f being declared a UNESCO World Heritage site, the Turkish government declared the year 2018 the “Year of Troy”. Hundreds of thousands of visitors have toured the famous archaeological site, which also includes a Troy Museum that opened in 2018 and houses around 2000 artifacts representing the ancient city. You can see more pictures here of the archaeological site of Troy.
APAnne McClain verbleef zes maanden in het Internationaal ruimtestation (ISS). Daar zou ze het bankaccount van haar ex gehackt hebben.
Het Amerikaanse ruimtevaartagentschap NASA heeft officieel een onderzoek opgestart naar een mogelijk misdrijf dat in de ruimte zou gepleegd zijn. Het gaat wellicht om het eerste ruimtemisdrijf ooit, zo meldt de krant New York Times.
De astronaute Anne McClain zou zich op onrechtmatige wijze toegang hebben verschaft tot de bankrekening van haar ex-vrouw. Ze zou dat gedaan hebben tijdens haar zes maanden durende missie in het internationaal ruimtestation ISS. Toen Summer Worden, de ex van McClain, dat ontdekte, diende ze een klacht in bij de Federal Trade Commission. Ook bij de algemene inspectie van NASA werd intussen een klacht neergelegd.
Volgens New York Times is er wellicht geen geld van de rekening gehaald. De astronaute wordt wel beschuldigd van identiteitsfraude. Ook wordt aangehaald dat McClain mogelijk op zoek was naar bewarend materiaal om Worden de voogdij over hun zoon te ontzeggen. McClain, die in juni naar de aarde terugkeerde, zegt via haar advocaat dat ze niets verkeerd heeft gedaan. Ze zegt dat ze in het ISS enkel de gemeenschappelijke rekening van het koppel bekeek, omdat ze wilde nagaan of alles in orde was met de - nog steeds verstrengelde - financiën van het ex-koppel. Zo wilde ze zeker weten of er nog wel genoeg geld aanwezig was voor de opvoeding van hun kind. McClain zegt dat dit tijdens de relatie ook al gebeurde en dat ze gewoon gebruik maakte van het wachtwoord dat ze toen van Worden had gekregen.
Maan
McClain is een gelauwerd militair en astronaut. In de Irakoorlog maakte ze meer dan achthonderd gevechtsvluchten. Ze staat ook op de kandidatenlijst van de NASA van astronauten die mogelijk als eerste vrouw op de maan zullen landen.
EPADe capsule van de Sojoez-MS-14 is onbemand, maar bevat wel de mensachtige robot Fiodor, die 1,80 meter groot is en bijna 160 kilogram weegt.
WETENSCHAPDe Russische Sojoez-capsule met aan boord de humanoïde robot Fiodor, is er niet in geslaagd om zich op het voorziene uur vast te hechten aan het internationaal ruimtestation ISS. Dat melden de Russische nieuwsagentschappen. Er zal wellicht maandagmorgen een nieuwe poging volgen.
De koppeling had vanmorgen om 7.30 uur (Belgische tijd) automatisch moeten gebeuren, maar voorlopig heeft die nog niet kunnen plaatsvinden. De capsule was tot op 96 meter van de aanmeerplek genaderd, maar begon daarna weg te driften. Momenteel bevindt ze zich op ongeveer 280 meter van het ISS, zo meldt een reporter van het persbureau Tass vanuit het controlecentrum. Het ruimtevaartuig heeft de manoeuvres voor het uitvoeren van de koppeling opnieuw moeten opstarten. Volgens het Amerikaanse ruimtevaartagentschap is het mislukken van de koppeling niet te wijten aan de capsule. Wel zou er een probleem zijn met Kurs, het naderings- en koppelingssysteem op het ruimtestation. Een volgende poging om aan te meren zal wellicht pas na 48 uur uitgevoerd kunnen worden, ten vroegste maandagmorgen dus. Tot die tijd zal de Sojoez-capsule, met aan boord Fiodor, op “veilige afstand” van het ISS blijven.
Skybot F-850 De capsule van de Sojoez-MS-14 is onbemand, maar bevat wel de mensachtige robot Fiodor, die 1,80 meter groot is en bijna 160 kilogram weegt. Fiodor - Skybot F-850 voor de vrienden - is een Russische voornaam, maar luidt in het Engels Fedor. Dat staat voor “Final Experimental Demonstration Object Research”.
De robot moet twee weken lang verschillende taken uitvoeren onder toezicht van de Russische kosmonaut Aleksandr Skvortsov. Hij zal de vaardigheden van Fiodor testen onder micro-zwaartekracht. Een van de belangrijkste vaardigheden van de robot is dat hij menselijke bewegingen kan imiteren, waardoor hij astronauten kan helpen of taken van hen kan overnemen. Zijn terugkeer is voorzien op 6 september om 20.13 uur Belgische tijd.
Fiodor heeft zelfs een eigen account op Instagram en Twitter, waarop hij een inkijk geeft in de dagelijkse beslommeringen van een humanoïde robot.
VIA REUTERSFiodor heeft net genoeg plaats in de Sojoez-capsule, die verder onbemand is.
Onbemande capsule
Rusland heeft sinds 2002 gebruik gemaakt van Sojoez-FG-draagraketten om mensen naar het ISS te brengen. Maar in 2020 wordt overgeschakeld op de draagraket Sojoez-2.1a, die ook al een Russische vrachtruimteschip van het type Progress gelanceerd heeft. Een lancering met een Progress mislukte, vandaar de test met een Sojoez-capsule die niet bemand is.
About 35 million years ago, an asteroidtraveling nearly 144,000 mph (231,000 km/h) smashed into the Atlantic Ocean near the modern-day town of Cape Charles, Virginia. The space rock vaporized instantly, but its impact triggered a gargantuan tsunami, cast up a monsoon of shattered rocks and molten glass that spanned hundreds of miles and carved out the single largest crater in the United States — the so-calledChesapeake Bay impact structure.
Today, that 25-mile-wide (40 kilometers) crater is buried half a mile below the rocky basement of Chesapeake Bay — the 200-mile-long (320 km) estuary linking Virginia and Maryland on the East Coast. That hasn't stopped scientists from trying to piece together the site's mysterious history since it was first discovered during a drilling project in 1990.
In a recent study of ocean sediment cores taken almost 250 miles (400 km) northeast of the impact site, researchers found traces of radioactive debris dating to the time of the strike, providing fresh evidence of the impact's age and destructive power.
When the Chesapeake Bay impactor smashed into the Atlantic, it showered the surrounding land and water with shards of molten glass (known as "tektites") for hundreds of miles in every direction. This rain of meteoric debris formed what scientists call the North American tektite strewn field, the study authors wrote, which stretches from Texas to Massachusetts to Barbados, covering about 4 million square miles (10 million square km) of terrain. By studying shards of meteoric rock buried deep within this sweeping field of impact wreckage, scientists can gather clues about the asteroid's key characteristics, including its age.
The Chesapeake Bay impactor threw molten debris over 4 million square miles (10 million square km) of land and water, from Massachusetts to Barbados.
(Image credit: GEBCO world map 2014)
In their recent study (published June 21 in the journal Meteoritics and Planetary Science), researchers from Arizona State University dated 21 microscopic shards of zircon — a durable gemstone that can survive underground for billions of years. These zircons were lodged in a sediment core taken from roughly 2,150 feet (655 meters) below the Atlantic Ocean. Not only is zircon commonly found in tektites, but it is also a choice mineral for radiometric dating, thanks to some of its radioactive elemental components.
In this case, the researchers used a dating technique called uranium–thorium–helium dating, which looks at how radioactive isotopes, or versions, of uranium and thorium decay into helium. By comparing the ratios of specific helium, thorium and uranium isotopes in each mineral sample, the researchers calculated approximately how long ago the zircon crystals solidified and started to decay.
The team found that the 21 crystals ranged widely in age, running the gamut from about 33 million to 300 million years old. The two youngest samples, which had an average age of about 35 million years old, fit in with previous studies' estimates for the time of the Chesapeake Bay impact. A closer examination showed that the zircons also bore a cloudy appearance and deformed surface, two signs the minerals were kicked through the air and water by a great impact.
The team concluded that these two young crystals were part of the Chesapeake impact's path of destruction, confirming that the impact occurred about 35 million years ago. Moreover, the researchers wrote, it showed that uranium–thorium–helium dating is a viable method for constraining the age of ancient impact events, giving scientists a fresh tool to reveal our planet's long and violent past.
We're already picking up more signals from deep space.
Danielle Futselaar
Fast radio bursts from space are a uniquely 21st-century mystery. They were first identified just 12 years ago and, up until very recently, almost nothing was known about them and where they come from.
FRBs are essentially just what they sound like -- radio signals from somewhere in deep space that last for just milliseconds.
"Fast radio bursts are exceedingly bright given their short duration and origin at great distances, and we haven't identified a possible natural source with any confidence," Avi Loeb, a Harvard-Smithsonian Center for Astrophysics theorist, said in a press release back in 2017.
Since then, an "FRB Theory Wiki" hosted by the McGill Space Institute has grown to include over four dozen possible explanations ranging from "annihilating mini black holes" to "alien light sails," although most explanations at this point have something to do with pulsars or neutron stars.
An (extraterrestrial) intelligent explanation?
It should really be no surprise that, as with most space stuff that can't yet be explained without a doubt by some natural phenomenon, aliens have been proposed as a possibility, including by Loeb himself.
"An artificial origin is worth contemplating and checking," he says.
Loeb and his colleagues worked out how much power would be needed to send such signals across the universe. Turns out it would require covering two Earth-size planets with energy collectors, leading Loeb to theorize that such a massive project might be used not to communicate, but to propel starships using high-energy beams.
While aliens might be the most exciting possible explanation, that doesn't mean they're the most probable. There are, after all, natural phenomena in the cosmos that could generate such signals and are known to actually exist, which is more than we can say for extraterrestrials.
In addition to neutron stars, there's also exploding black holes, magnetars and hypothetical blitzars that could be throwing off radio emissions that eventually make it to us.
Or maybe there are different types of FRBs out there or different explanations we haven't even thought of yet.
One aspect of FRBs that has made them so hard to trace back to a source is that they rarely seem to repeat. For the first decade of FRB research, they were all just detected and never heard from again. Then, in January 2017, researchers announced they'd finally identified that FRB 121102 repeats.
This allowed them to trace the blinking signal to a surprising source: a distant dwarf galaxy 3 billion light-years beyond the Milky Way.
"That's weird isn't it? You'd expect to find FRBs where there are more stars ... more stars means more neutron stars," Shriharsh Tendulkar of McGill University and the discovery team said at the time.
But after the CHIME radio telescope in British Columbia came online in late 2017, scientists had a new and highly valuable stream of FRB observations at their disposal. As of August 2019, a total of a dozen repeating fast radio bursts have now been confirmed or are in the process of being confirmed.
Notably, one of the repeating FRBs picked up by the new Canadian Hydrogen Intensity Mapping Experiment (CHIME) appears to be much closer than the first couple observed. While those came from somewhere billions of light years away on the other side of the universe, this newly heard one could come from the edge of our own galaxy.
As more new observing equipment comes online, our understanding of FRBs could begin to crystallize very soon.
Researchers have also been able to integrate artificial intelligence with one telescope in Australia to detect FRBs in real-time as they arrive at Earth. That could rapidly speed up the work of studying the odd signals, which previously required combing through past observations taken months or even years previous.
At this rate, we might soon be able to stream FRBs live as they arrive at our planet. Podcasts are fun, but I now look forward to a golden age of (tiny) bite-sized alien radio broadcasts.
NASA scientists recently discovered an enormous crater in Greenland that was likely caused by a meteorite or some other unidentified object. Bigger than Washington DC or even Paris, the crater is hiding under the deep snow of Greenland. What caused the impact is unknown. Though, it could be the very same UFO that brought us the sand that we use nowadays to make our glass.
What NASA Knows About UFO
NASA has being studying ETs for many years now. The agency managed to discover secret planets in multiple different solar systems and flying objects that could easily be alien ships. Although there were no official statements, it is no secret that aliens likely exist. And these very aliens have been helping humanity for many years.
Aliens Who Brought Us Glass
In recent discoveries, NASA outlined the idea of a star that hit our planet millions of years ago. This unidentified object could represent the resources that aliens tried to send to help sustain life on Earth. When you put together recent events, it is possible to believe that intelligent species sent ancient objects to Earth.
If Aliens Knew How to Make Artificial Stars
Chinese scientists have recently managed to create their very own mini sun, which is artificial. This artificial sun can reach a temperature of one million degrees Celsius. This makes one think that intelligent creatures might be able to harness artificial stars. If they are more intelligent than us, they could have learned how to create artificial suns millions of years ago. If they did, they might be millions of steps ahead of our innovations. They might even treat humans in a similar way to how humans treat lab rats. Meaning, there is a possibility that these outer space civilizations are keeping us alive for the purpose of running experiments on us.
There’s Data from “Star Trek: The Next Generation,” R2-D2 and C-3P0 from “Star Wars,” and of course the super-scary HAL 9000 from “2001: A Space Odyssey.”
But space bots aren’t just science fiction anymore: Russia has sent a robot to space to learn how to help cosmonauts and astronauts aboard the International Space Station.
Model Skybot F-850, nicknamed “Fyodor” — short for Final Experimental Demonstration Object Research — is shaped like a human and designed to perform tasks that humans can do, like using a screwdriver or a wrench. It blasted off from Kazakhstan late Wednesday aboard an unmanned Russian Soyuz MS-14 rocket, and will arrive at the ISS Saturday and spend five days aboard.
The spaceship that Fyodor flew on usually carries a crew of three into space. But Fyodor had the whole ship to itself. The robot might be sitting in the driver’s seat, but it’s not flying the rocket. The ship is on autopilot, using its own internal navigation system — another non-human helper — called Kurs.
Дмитрий Рогозин
@Rogozin
Робот платформы F.E.D.O.R. показал навыки стрельбы с двух рук. Идёт работа над мелкой моторикой и алгоритмами принятия решений
The Russians want to be clear: Fyodor isn’t a killer robot, though it canshoot guns. It’s designed to be used in all sorts of high-risk scenarios, including gunfights and space. It’s nimble, able to administer first aid with its metal, hinged, human-like fingers, which can also pull a gun’s trigger.
“We are not creating a terminator but artificial intelligence which will have a great practical importance in various fields,” said Deputy Prime Minister Dmitry Rogozin in a tweet in 2017, referring to the sci-fi film about a time-traveling murderous android played by Arnold Schwarzenegger. Rogozin also praised the robot’s “decision-making skills.”
Video of the launch shows the robot sitting in the pilot’s seat, holding a small Russian flag. Beside Fyodor sat a small toy Russian cosmonaut, which floated into the air as the rocket left the Earth’s atmosphere and entered into low-gravity space.
Robots like Fyodor, which stands at 5-foot-11 and weighs about 350 pounds, have been around for about five years, and other models have been used to drive cars and conduct rescue work, according to Space.com.
And though Russia’s never sent a humanoid robot into space before, the primary purpose of the flight was to test the rocket Fyodor was on, NASA spokesperson Rob Navias said during the launch broadcast. This was the first time that this particular capsule-rocket combination has been used for a flight of this type, and researchers want to be sure the flight is safe for humans before sending actual people up to space on them.
Fyodor’s good for figuring that out. The android is equipped with a bunch of sensors that will help give a sense of just how comfortable — or uncomfortable — a flight on this ship will be for human astronauts.
The spacecraft is also bringing up nearly 1,500 pounds of supplies and food for the station's six-person crew.
Fyodor isn’t the first robot to visit the ISS. The U.S. sent up Robonaut 2 back in 2011, specially-equipped with (very goofy-looking) “climbing legs” for zero-gravity mobility. It was designed to help astronauts in high-risk situations, and was sent back to Earth in 2018 after experiencing some technical difficulties.
Japan also sent up Kirobo, a friendly Japanese-speaking robot modeled on manga character Astro Boy, designed to keep astronauts from getting lonely in space. The robot got lonely in space after his buddy, Japanese astronaut Koichi Wakata, went home to Earth.
"I'm a little tired, so I think I'll rest awhile, but I hope you'll look up at the sky sometimes and think of me,” Kirobo said in a video messageafter Wakata left the ISS.
Cover: Humanoid robot Fyodor prepares for the Soyuz MS-14 orbital flight to the International Space Station aboard a Soyuz-2.1a rocket carrier. Roscosmos State Corporation/TASS (Photo by TASSTASS via Getty Images)
ONDERZOEKERS TREFFEN STERRENSTOF AAN IN ANTARCTISCHE SNEEUW
ONDERZOEKERS TREFFEN STERRENSTOF AAN IN ANTARCTISCHE SNEEUW
Vivian Lammerse
De sneeuw bevat de zeldzame isotoop ijzer-60 die ontstaat bij enorme stellaire explosies.
Elk jaar dwarrelt er kosmisch stof op aarde neer. De hoeveelheden kunnen variëren van enkele duizenden tot wel tienduizend ton. Het meeste hiervan bestaat uit hele kleine deeltjes afkomstig van planetoïden of kometen in ons zonnestelsel. Maar nu zijn onderzoekers op iets heel bijzonders gestuit. De sneeuw op Antarctica blijkt namelijk de zeldzame sterrenstof ijzer-60 te bevatten die mogelijk uit de interstellaire buurt afkomstig is. De bevindingen zijn gepubliceerd in Physical Review Letters.
Meer over ijzer-60 IJzer-60 is een onstabiele radioactieve isotoop van ijzer, een overgangsmetaal. Deze isotoop komt niet van nature op aarde voor en ontstaat uitsluitend als gevolg van supernova-explosies of door reacties van kosmische straling met kosmisch stof. Vervolgens bereikt maar een hele kleine hoeveelheid de aarde.
Diepzee Het is niet voor het eerst dat wetenschappers de zeldzame isotoop op aarde aantreffen. Zo’n twintig jaar geleden vond een onderzoeksteam ijzer-60 in afzettingen afkomstig uit de diepzee. Het zette onderzoeker Gunther Korschinek, destijds deel van het onderzoeksteam, aan het denken. Want zouden er ook sporen van stellaire explosies terug te vinden kunnen zijn in pure, onaangeroerde Antarctische sneeuw?
Sneeuw Om deze hypothese te verifiëren reisde een nieuw team af naar Antarctica en verzamelde zo’n 500 kilogram sneeuw, dat vervolgens naar München werd getransporteerd. Daar werd de sneeuw gesmolten en het smeltwater van de vaste componenten gescheiden. Met behulp van verschillende chemische methoden vonden de onderzoekers uiteindelijk vijf ijzer-60-atomen. “Door onze analyses konden we uitsluiten dat de ijzer-60 afkomstig was van kosmische straling, kernproeven of reactorongevallen,” vertelt onderzoeker Dominik Koll. “Omdat de radioactieve isotoop niet van nature op aarde voorkomt, wisten we dat de ijzer-60 afkomstig moest zijn van een supernova.”
Wanneer Hoewel dit al een ontdekking op zich is, kon het onderzoeksteam ook nog eens relatief nauwkeurig bepalen wanneer de ijzer-60 op aarde is afgezet. Zo was de geanalyseerde sneeuwlaag niet ouder dan 20 jaar. Bovendien konden de onderzoekers uitsluiten dat de isotoop van een hele verre stellaire explosie afkomstig is, omdat de deeltjes in dat geval tijdens hun reis door de barre omstandigheden in de ruimte zouden zijn verzwolgen. Koll gaat er daarom vanuit dat de gevonden isotoop afkomstig is uit de interstellaire buurt, bijvoorbeeld uit de gaswolk waarin ons zonnestelsel zich momenteel bevindt.
“Ons zonnestelsel is ongeveer 40.000 jaar geleden deze wolk binnengegaan en zal deze binnen een paar duizend jaar weer verlaten,” legt Korschinek uit. “Als onze hypothese correct is, zou materiaal uit ijskernen ouder dan 40.000 jaar geen ijzer-60 bevatten.” Vervolgonderzoek kan eigenlijk niet uit blijven. “We zouden hiermee de overgang van het zonnestelsel naar de gaswolk kunnen verifiëren,” gaat Korschinek verder. “En dat zou een baanbrekende ontdekking zijn.”
India's Chandrayaan-2 mission captured this photograph of the moon on Aug. 21, 2019, days after the mission entered lunar orbit. It's Chandrayaan-2's first photo of the moon.
(Image credit: ISRO)
India'sChandrayaan-2 mission is in orbit around the moon, and its view is spectacular.
The spacecraft entered lunar orbit on Aug. 19 (Aug. 20 local time at mission control in India), about a month after its launch, on July 22. In order to make the journey more feasible with a smaller rocket, the spacecraft took a long road to the moon, with about seven weeks between launch and the scheduled touchdown of the mission's lander and orbiter.
The Indian Space Research Organisation (ISRO), which runs the Chandrayaan-2 mission, has now released the spacecraft's first image of the moon taken from orbit. That image was snapped from about 1,650 miles (2,650 kilometers) above the lunar surface on Wednesday (Aug. 21). The photograph shows part of the far side of the moon, including Apollo crater and Mare Orientalis.
But that region is not Chandrayaan-2's destination. An orbiter will separate from the Indian mission, and then the lander, with a rover tucked onboard, will head toward a location much closer to the moon's south pole, with landing scheduled for Sept. 6 (Sept. 7 local time at mission control).
The ISRO chose that destination in part based on the findings from the mission's predecessor, which carried the instrument that spotted water ice frozen in permanently shadowed craters near the lunar south pole. And so India built a second mission, adding a landed component this time, to follow up on that discovery.
If the lander safely touches down, India will become the fourth country to complete that feat, after the Soviet Union, the U.S. and China. The lander and rover would operate for one lunar day but are not designed to withstand the frigid lunar nights.
Editor's note: This article has been updated to correct a description of the region shown in the photograph. Email Meghan Bartels at mbartels@space.com or follow her @meghanbartels. Follow uson Twitter @Spacedotcom and on Facebook.
A video taken just before 4 a.m. on August 11th over Jackson Hole in Wyoming appears to show an unidentified flying object emit a flash of light before streaking away. A second, larger flash occurs after it is off-screen.
The object was spotted on the webcam at Spring Creek Ranch by an anonymous witness who was trying to keep an eye out for the Perseid Meteor Shower.
The witness sent the video to Buckrail the same morning it was shot.
Buckrail released two versions of the video.
The original is three minutes and thirty five seconds long and shot frame-by-frame, wherein the camera only records one image every second.
A sped up version shows a much smoother flight.
The object is too bright and moving too slowly to be a meteor, and, according to the flight log database on the US Department of Transportation website, no flights were in that airspace at the time the video was recorded.
“My coworker thought something was broken on the camera,” the witness said. “I checked online, there weren’t any flights that I could find at that time.”
“It would totally be a plane in my mind if there weren’t a weird, bright flash in the end," she added.
Historical weather data does not show any meteorological explanation, such as lightning, for the flash.
A drone or fighter jet have both been lobbied as possible explanations for the object.
Samuel Singer, former Executive Director of Wyoming Stargazing, speculated that the object could be a drone, and local photographer and drone pilot Sam Cook agreed, since FAA guidelines require drone lights to be visible for at least three statute miles.
That's "pretty bright," said Cook.
Michael Brotherton, a professor of Astronomy at the University of Wyoming, also agreed that a drone is a valid hypothesis.
The flash of light could have been a relatively dim flash exaggerated by the webcam's low-light sensitivity, he said.
“There does seem to be a flash of light from the object partway through that is likely artificial,” Brotherton wrote in an email to Buckrail.
A former Air Force turned commercial pilot asked about the video said it could be a fighter jet pilot “showboating over the valley with an afterburner and flares.” While there is a jet route matching the object's path in the video, there is no military training airspace in that area, and most fighter jets fly in pairs unless they're moving from base to base. The early morning hour, too, would have been an unusual time for a fighter jet to be flying solo.
So far, the object remains unexplained.
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Look out, aliens, because human scientists are about to start snapping some photos of you.
The Department of Energy’s Brookhaven National Lab has finished construction on the 3.2-gigapixel sensor array for the world’s largest camera, which is ready to take photos of life, the universe, and everything that cosmology, physics, and astronomy can create. The camera will be used in the Large Synoptic Survey Telescope (LSST), a massive telescope that will observe the universe like never before.
“This is the biggest charge-coupled device (CCD) array that has ever been built,” Paul O’Connor, senior scientist at Brookhaven Lab’s instrumentation division, said in a press release. “It’s three billion pixels. No telescope has ever put this many sensors into one camera.”
Now that the array is done, work can continue on the massive telescope that is currently under construction on a mountaintop in Chile. I’m not going to pretend to understand the technology that is involved with this massive camera (Gizmodo has you covered on that front), but the digital sensor array is an important part of the project—a collaborative effort involving more than 30 institutions from around the world. Once complete, it will be used to create a time-lapse movie of the complete visible universe accessible from Chile.
And rest assured, photography technology has improved since the days when they had to build a train-size camera just to photograph a train, so while the telescope is large, it’s not as big as the universe it hopes to capture on film.
Riddle as Himalayan skeleton lake is found to contain remains of hundreds of people who died thousands of years apart, including bodies from as far away as Greece
Riddle as Himalayan skeleton lake is found to contain remains of hundreds of people who died thousands of years apart, including bodies from as far away as Greece
Roopkund Lake on Indian side of the Himalayas thought to be site of catastrophe
Mystery first emerged amid WW2 when British guard found lake full of skeletons
Now, scientists believe Greeks were among hundreds of those who died at site
This suggests that the lake drew visitors from across the globe not just locals
DNA from remains found high in the Himalayas suggest that Greeks were among hundreds of people who died at a mysterious location known as Skeleton Lake.
Roopkund Lake on the Indian side of the Himalayas was once thought to be the site of an ancient catastrophe that left several hundred people dead.
But the first ancient whole genome DNA data from India shows that several different groups of people died at the lake in several incidents up to 1,000 years apart.
The mystery first emerged during the Second World War when a British guard discovered the frozen lake full of skeletons some 16,000 feet (5,000 metres) above sea level.
Study senior author Doctor Niraj Rai, of the Birbal Sahni Institute of Palaeosciences in India, said: 'Roopkund Lake has long been subject to speculation about who these individuals were, what brought them to Roopkund Lake, and how they died.'
DNA from remains found high in the Himalayas (pictured) suggest that Greeks were among hundreds of people who died at a mysterious location known as Skeleton Lake
WHAT HAPPENED AT SKELETON LAKE?
Theories ranging from a landslide to a mass suicide were put forward to explain the deaths, but it is only recently that researchers believe they know what caused the cracks in their skulls.
A 2004 expedition to the site concluded the group was killed by cricket ball-sized hailstones during a sudden storm.
This, they decided, was the only way to explain why the skulls and shoulder bones of the dead had all been hit by rounded objects directly from above.
As there was nowhere to shelter in the valley, the group was at the mercy of the storm.
Their bodies lay in the lake, which regularly freezes, for the next 1,200 years until their wartime discovery
Researchers say that analysis of DNA obtained from the skeletons reveals that they derive from at least three 'distinct' genetic groups.
The first group was made up of 23 people with ancestries that are related to people from present-day India, who do not appear to belong to a single population, but instead derived from many different groups.
The second largest group is made up of 14 individuals with ancestry that is most closely related to people who live in the eastern Mediterranean, especially present-day Crete and Greece.
A third individual has ancestry that is more typical of that found in South East Asia.
Stable isotope dietary reconstruction of the skeletons also supports the presence of multiple distinct groups.
Study first-author Éadaoin Harney, from Harvard University, said: 'We were extremely surprised by the genetics of the Roopkund skeletons.
'The presence of individuals with ancestries typically associated with the eastern Mediterranean suggests that Roopkund Lake was not just a site of local interest, but instead drew visitors from across the globe.'
Radiocarbon dating indicates that the skeletons were not deposited at the same time, as previously assumed.
Instead, the study showed that the two major genetic groups were actually deposited around 1,000 years apart.
The first ancient whole genome DNA data from India shows that several different groups of people died at the lake in several incidents up to 1,000 years apart. Pictured: Snow covered bones at Roopkund Lake
First, during the 7th to 10th Centuries, individuals with Indian-related ancestry died at Roopkund, possibly during several distinct events.
But it was not until sometime during the 17th to 20th Centuries that the other two groups, likely composed of travellers from the eastern Mediterranean and South East Asia arrived at Roopkund Lake.
Ice melting revealed even more skeletal remains, floating in the water and lying around the lake's edges.
The first assumption was that they were the remains of Japanese soldiers who had died of exposure while trying to invade British India. But it soon became apparent that the bones were much older.
Many theories were put forward as to how so many people had died at such a remote location - including an epidemic, landslide, and ritual suicide.
One popular theory was that the people whose remains were found there had been killed by giant hailstones.
Roopkund Lake (pictured) on the Indian side of the Himalayas was thought to be the site of an ancient catastrophe that left several hundred people dead
The Mystery of the Himalayas’ Skeleton Lake Just Got Weirder
The Mystery of the Himalayas’ Skeleton Lake Just Got Weirder
Every summer, hundreds of ancient bones emerge from the ice. A new genetic study helps explain how they got there.
Roopkund Lake, in the Indian Himalayas, is frozen for much of the year. But in warmer months it delivers a macabre performance, earning the nickname Skeleton Lake.CreditCreditAtish Waghwase
By Robin George Andrews
Nestled in the Indian Himalayas, some 16,500 feet above sea level, sits Roopkund Lake. One hundred and thirty feet wide, it is frozen for much of the year, a frosty pond in a lonely, snowbound valley. But on warmer days, it delivers a macabre performance, as hundreds of human skeletons, some with flesh still attached, emerge from what has become known as Skeleton Lake.
Who were these individuals, and what befell them? One leading idea was that they died simultaneously in a catastrophic event more than 1,000 years ago. An unpublished anthropological survey from several years ago studied five skeletons and estimated they were 1,200 years old.
But a new genetic analysis carried out by scientists in India, America and Germany has upended that theory. The study, which examined DNA from 38 remains, indicates that there wasn’t just one mass dumping of the dead, but several, spread over a millennium.
The report, published Tuesday in Nature Communications, has led to a “far richer view into the possible histories of this site” than previous efforts provided, said Jennifer Raff, a geneticist and anthropologist at the University of Kansas who was not involved with the work.
Anthropologists have known about Roopkund Lake for several decades, but little was known about the provenance of its skeletons. Rockslides, migrating ice and even human visitors have disturbed and moved the remains, making it difficult to decipher when and how the individuals were buried, much less who they were. “In a case like this, that becomes impossible,” said Cat Jarman, a bioarchaeologist at the University of Bristol in England who was not part of the research team.
Genetic analysis has helped make some sense of the jumble of bones. The researchers, led in part by Niraj Rai, an expert in ancient DNA at the Birbal Sahni Institute of Palaeosciences in India, and David Reich, a geneticist at Harvard University, extracted DNA from the remains of dozens of skeletal samples, and managed to identify 23 males and 15 females.
Based on populations living today, these individuals fit into three distinct genetic groups. Twenty-three, including males and females, had ancestries typical of contemporary South Asians; their remains were deposited at the lake between the 7th and 10th centuries, and not all at once. Some skeletons were more ancient than others, suggesting that many were interred at the lake lifetimes apart.
Human skeletal remains at Roopkund lake. A new genetic study partially identified some of the individuals: young and old, some interred long before others, none of them related.
CreditHimadri Sinha Roy
Then, perhaps 1,000 years or so later, sometime between the 17th and 20th centuries, two more genetic groups suddenly appeared within the lake: one individual of East Asian-related ancestry and, curiously, 14 people of eastern Mediterranean ancestry.
How all these individuals met their end is anyone’s guess. There’s no evidence of bacterial infections, so an epidemic was probably not to blame. Perhaps the challenging high-altitude environment proved fatal.
The earlier study, of five skeletal samples, found three with unhealed compression fractures, perhaps inflicted by huge hailstones, although that conclusion is open to debate. In any case, across a range of centuries “it’s hard to believe that each individual died in exactly the same way,” said Éadaoin Harney, a doctoral student at Harvard and the lead author on the study.
The individuals included children and elderly adults, but none were family relatives. Chemical signatures from the skeletons indicate that the individuals had significantly different diets, adding support to the notion that several distinct population groups are represented.
If accounts of their journeys exist somewhere, none have been uncovered so far. “We have searched all the archives, but no such records were found,” said Dr. Rai.
The researchers note that Roopkund Lake is situated on a route known to modern-day Hindu pilgrims, so perhaps some of the South Asian individuals died while taking part. But that is less likely to explain the presence of individuals from the distant eastern Mediterranean.
Perhaps they weren’t actually Mediterranean migrants, Dr. Jarman said. Their genetic ancestry resembles that of present-day people from Greece or Crete, but current distribution may not apply to ancient populations. Regardless, this group came from somewhere far from Roopkund Lake, for reasons unknown.
Maybe the site held significance for groups with various religious beliefs, said Dr. Jarman. Maybe some of the skeletons were brought for burial, possibly to be left in the lake. Or maybe there were ill-fated explorers — driven by a desire to see a spectacular mountain range, killed by their own curiosity.
A few answers have begun to emerge, at least. Archaeology is full of such enigmatic sites, Dr. Reich said, and when science comes along and digs in, “it enriches the story in immeasurable ways.”
View of Skeleton Lake, where hundreds of bodies appear when the snow melts. Researchers have now discovered the bodies belonged to distinct groups and were deposited there over 1,000 years.
PRAMOD JOGLEKAR
Skeletons at the lake in the Himalayas. Researchers do not know why people from the Mediterranean ended up there.
Area 51is a region of the southern Nevada desert owned and operated by the US Air Force, within their larger Nellis Air Force Base and Nevada Test Site, a huge swath of land stretching from the Indian Springs Auxiliary Field to the Tonopah Test Range. Just a few hours from Las Vegas, this site has entered conspiracy theory and general cultural folklore as an alleged secret containment area for the US government to house either extraterrestrials, captured extraterrestrial spaceships, reverse-engineered technology from aliens, or some mixture of related alien spookery.
Area 51 shares this honor with other sites maintained by the US government in the American southwest, to wit Roswell Army Air Field in Roswell, New Mexico, and more recently, a supposed Dulce Base in Dulce, New Mexico. All three of these sites have been the focus of theories about the US government hiding evidence of aliens and their ships there. We’ll get into the give-and-take of theory and fact on all three of these sites, because even if we don’t find flying saucers, the answers are pretty mind-blowing anyway!
In any case, Area 51 is a site related to the US military and a matter of national security, so aliens or not, the USAF tends to keep mum about what exactly they do there. Area 51 is at least part of a secrecy designation of some sort, official or unofficial. This fans the flames of conspiracy theories, of course.
In July of 2019, Area 51 suddenly spiked in popularity again when a Facebook event titled “Storm Area 51, They Can’t Stop All of Us” proposed a mass charge on foot by the general public to raid the Area 51 facility and discover once and for all whether it is housing any aliens. The original poster, Matty Roberts in California, later recanted that the post was just a joke. But despite this, the meme went viral, with some 3 million people signing up. Even a number of celebrities weighed in, including Elon Musk, which is the threshold for crazy ideas reaching critical mass on the Internet.
For the record, the USAF has released a statement saying the facility will be protected from a mass raid like any military base would. And yes, indeed, the world’s largest and most expensive military force can “stop all of you” with some ammo to spare if it comes to that, although the most likely outcome of a civilian breech is getting arrested by the Lincoln County Sheriff.
But let’s back up here: First off, is Area 51 really worth storming at all?
WHAT WE CAN CONFIRM ABOUT AREA 51
Area 51, and the surrounding Nellis Air Force Base and Nevada Test Site, has a history going back to the Cold War. It started out being used as a testing grounds for nuclear weapons, and yes, we mean the kind that make mushroom clouds. Along with being such a remote location handy to test bombs, the flat, virtually featureless desert of Nevada also makes a good airport location, so they threw in the air force base too.
Now, when you have a remote airport where you’re already keeping off-limits because it’s a nuclear test range, it’s also a handy place to fly something when you need a little privacy. And that, it turns out, is exactly what was going on when a 2013 declassified documentrevealed that Area 51 was a testing site for US spy planes, including the U-2 and OXCART aerial surveillance programs. Beyond that, the area has served as a proving ground for numerous Lockheed craft, and nearby Tonopah Test Range has served as a reverse-engineering arena for captured foreign aircraft. Yes, we do this! Over the years whenever US armed forces get their mitts on aircraft from another country, particularly from less-than-friendly neighbors, they take it out to Tonopah to see what she can do. Some of these exercises include simulated dogfights between the foreign craft and our own equipment. Cool job, isn’t it?
Photo: Finlay McWalter / CC by SA-3.0 / Wikimedia Commons
A 1966 CIA diagram of Area 51, found in an untitled, declassified paper, showing the runway overrun for OXCART (Lockheed A-12) and the turnaround areas.
As for Roswell, the supposed crash of a UFO there in 1947 was explained as a weather balloon. Buy it or not, that’s the story. As for Dulce, there are Cold War missile installations there, but no air base confirmed. But when it comes to Area 51, we have a whole list of interesting US military airborne activity that’s come and gone or is rumored to be ongoing now.
Strictly speaking, we have indeed confirmed “UFOs at Area 51”! Just remember that “UFO” just stands for “Unidentified Flying Object,” and anybody sighting a strange airplane swooping by, which is still part of a top-secret military experiment, can definitely say they saw a flying object they could not identify. Furthermore, there’s even a kernel of truth in the “reverse-engineering foreign technology” part, if you just substitute “foreign governments” for “aliens.”
REALITY CHECK
Before we ask if there’s aliens at Area 51, we have to define what we mean. Surely the first thing we have to throw out is our popular concept of “aliens.” If you’re talking about little green men from Mars in those 1950s-style flying saucers that look like an orange wearing a tutu, then no, they don’t exist. But any living organism originating from any point but planet Earth does qualify as an alien!
If we were to discover and confirm extraterrestrial life, it would automatically be the most shattering news ever in recorded history. That applies even down to the smallest bacteria. As it is, the collective human race has been busily scouting for the tiniest nit of alien life. We have rovers on Mars, probes in space, SETI scanning the skies, telescopes probing the farthest reaches of the universe. The 50th anniversary of the Apollo Moon Landing has just passed, and we’re more interested in off-Earth exploration than ever before.
Buzz Aldrin salutes the U.S flag on the Moon / NASA / Neil A. Armstrong
So it’s highly unlikely that if we were to actually uncover alien life forms of any kind, that we would keep it a secret. Just think, the first person to confirm extraterrestrial life guarantees themselves a place in the history books! They’d have a career for life just giving TED talks after that. Their name would be celebrated in science alongside Galileo, Einstein, and Hawking. There is an informal global competition underway to discover extraterrestrial life.
The motivation to keep it a secret is minimal. But… suppose there was something dreadful about this extraterrestrial life form? What if it had some Lovecraftian evil power, what if it was intelligent and demanded secrecy on threat of invasion, or what if it presented some health threat to the human race in some other way, such as an infection vector? You can never say “never” when dealing with the unknown!
Conclusively, we’d have to move that scenario to “implausible,” but not “impossible.”
IS THERE A CONSPIRACY TO SPREAD A CONSPIRACY?
Keep in mind, any military operation involving flying things you want to keep a secret isn’t hurt at all by UFO rumors. And it’s not like the US government hasn’t enjoyed a convenient smokescreen provided by a conspiracy theory obfuscating what it’s really up to before. Just look at these official mission patches for US spy satellite launches by the CIA / NSA / DOD. Come on, they’re messing with our heads on purpose here!
So whether you want to believe or not, there’s government on one side and commerce on the other who both benefit when you go chasing flying saucers. Which still doesn’t mean there are no aliens anyway, but, as usual, does indicate that the truth is always far more complex than we first assume.
A robot deployed on one of the darkest asteroidsin the solar system may now shed light on the origins of some of the oldest, rarest meteorites, a new study finds.
These findings suggest that this asteroid formed during a collision of two very different space rocks, the scientists said. The research also suggests that dust may float off this asteroid, possibly driven by electric fields.
In 2018, the Japanese spacecraft Hayabusa2 arrived at Ryugu, a 2,950-foot-wide (900 meters) near-Earth asteroid that is one of the darkest celestial bodies in the solar system. Its name, which means "dragon palace," refers to a magical underwater castle in a Japanese folktale.
One reason scientists may want to learn more about Ryugu is because its orbit brings it close — potentially dangerously close — to Earth.
"Knowing the composition and geological structure of asteroids and comets is essential to [developing] mitigation strategies in the case of potential collision scenarios," study lead author Ralf Jaumann, a planetary scientist at the Institute of Planetary Research in Berlin, told Space.com.
In addition, previous research suggested Ryugu may contain primordial material from the nebula that gave birth to the sun and its planets. Hayabusa2 is designed to return samples from the asteroid to shed light on the formation of the solar system.
The first image captured by the MASCOT rover during its descent to Ryugu's surface.
(Image credit: Jaumann et al., Science (2019))
To investigate Ryugu's surface, Hayabusa2 deployed the Mobile Asteroid Surface Scout (MASCOT) lander. This shoebox-size robot took photos both as it dropped from the main Hayabusa2 spacecraft onto Ryugu and after it landed on the asteroid's surface, where it operated for a little more than 17 hours before its batteries ran out.
"To have this small lander reaching the surface and providing detailed images of the surface was very exciting," Jaumann said.
MASCOT found Ryugu was covered with two kinds of rocks and boulders — one dark with a cauliflower-like, crumbly surface and the other bright with smooth faces and sharp edges. Both types are nearly evenly distributed on the surface of the asteroid, suggesting Ryugu was a pile of rubble that coalesced after two parent bodies crashed into one another, "indicating a violent history of asteroid collision," Jaumann said.
Close-up images of Ryugu's dark, rough stones revealed they often seem to possess small, colored inclusions similar to those found in one of the most primitive and rare types of meteorites, known as carbonaceous chondrites.
"Carbonaceous material is the primordial material of the solar system, from which all planets and moons originate," Jaumann said. "Thus, if we want to understand planetary formation, including the formation of Earth, we need to understand its building parts." He said the new findings support long-standing speculation that carbonaceous chondrites come from C-type asteroids — dark-gray, carbon-rich space rocks such as Ryugu.
Unexpectedly, the MASCOT images of Ryugu showed no fine dust, which scientists had expected would accumulate on the asteroid's surface due to micrometeoroid impacts and other forms of weathering. The mission's predecessor, Hayabusa, found that another rubble-pile asteroid, Itokawa, also seemed dust-free.
The researchers suggested that some as-yet-unknown force removes dust from Ryugu's surface. Electric fields on the asteroid might cause dust to float away, Jaumann said, or micrometeoroid impacts and seismic vibrations could be responsible.
The scientists detailed their findings online on Aug. 22 in the journal Science.
We don't have optimum ocean-circulation patterns, it would seem.
The artist's concept depicts Kepler-62f, a super-Earth exoplanet in the habitable zone of a star smaller and cooler than the sun, located about 1,200 light-years from Earth in the constellation Lyra.
Alien planets with more favorable ocean-circulation patterns might support life in even greater abundance and variety than our own world does, the study determined.
"Life in Earth's oceans depends on upwelling (upward flow), which returns nutrients from the dark depths of the ocean to the sunlit portions of the ocean where photosynthetic life lives," study leader Stephanie Olson, of the University of Chicago, said in a statement.
"More upwelling means more nutrient resupply, which means more biological activity," added Olson, who presented the new research today (Aug. 22) at the Goldschmidt Conference in Barcelona, Spain. "These are the conditions we need to look for on exoplanets."
The new study provides a step in this direction. Olson and her team used computer models to determine which types of alien worlds have the most efficient ocean upwelling and are therefore probably especially good places for life as we know it to thrive.
"We found that higher atmospheric density, slower rotation rates and the presence of continents all yield higher upwelling rates," Olson said.
"A further implication is that Earth might not be optimally habitable — and life elsewhere may enjoy a planet that is even more hospitable than our own," she added, describing this conclusion as "surprising."
"We expect oceans to be important in regulating some of the most compelling remotely detectable signs of life on habitable worlds, but our understanding of oceans beyond our solar system is currently very rudimentary," Chris Reinhard, of the Georgia Institute of Technology, said in the same statement.
"Dr. Olson's work represents a significant and exciting step forward in our understanding of exoplanet oceanography," added Reinhard, who was not involved in the new study.
Oceans are probably incredibly common across the Milky Way galaxy. After all, observations by NASA's Kepler space telescope and other instruments suggest that about one in four stars hosts a potentially Earth-like planet — a rocky world at the right orbital distance to host liquid water on its surface.
And our own solar system hosts multiple ocean worlds, though most of them are very different from Earth. Jupiter's moons Europa, Callisto and Ganymede are all thought to harbor big oceans of liquid water beneath their icy shells, for example, as does Saturn's moon Enceladus.
The oceans of Europa and Enceladus are thought to be in contact with the moons' rocky cores, making possible complex chemical reactions that may well have led to life, scientists say.
Mike Wall's book about the search for alien life, "Out There" (Grand Central Publishing, 2018; illustrated byKarl Tate), is out now. Follow him on Twitter @michaeldwall. Follow us on Twitter@Spacedotcom orFacebook.
Pentagon Finally Admits They Investigate UFO Sightings
Pentagon Finally Admits They Investigate UFO Sightings
The Pentagon has finally uttered the words it always avoided when discussing the possible existence of UFOs — “unidentified aerial phenomena” — and admits that it still investigates reports of them.
In a statement provided exclusively to The Post, a Department of Defense spokesman said a secret government initiative called the Advanced Aerospace Threat Identification Program “did pursue research and investigation into unidentified aerial phenomena.”
And while the DOD says it shut down the AATIP in 2012, spokesman Christopher Sherwood acknowledged that the department still investigates claimed sightings of alien spacecraft.
“The Department of Defense is always concerned about maintaining positive identification of all aircraft in our operating environment, as well as identifying any foreign capability that may be a threat to the homeland,” Sherwood said.
“The department will continue to investigate, through normal procedures, reports of unidentified aircraft encountered by US military aviators in order to ensure defense of the homeland and protection against strategic surprise by our nation’s adversaries.”
Nick Pope, who secretly investigated UFOs for the British government during the 1990s, called the DOD’s comments a “bombshell revelation.”
Pope, a former UK defense official-turned-author, said, “Previous official statements were ambiguous and left the door open to the possibility that AATIP was simply concerned with next-generation aviation threats from aircraft, missiles and drones — as skeptics claimed.
“This new admission makes it clear that they really did study what the public would call ‘UFOs,’ ” he said.
“It also shows the British influence, because UAP was the term we used in the Ministry of Defence to get away from the pop culture baggage that came with the term ‘UFO.’ ”
John Greenewald Jr. — whose website The Black Vault archives declassified government documents on UFO reports, “Bigfoot” sightings and other subjects — also called the Pentagon’s use of the term “unidentified aerial phenomena” unprecedented in its frankness.
“I’m shocked they said it that way, and the reason is, is they’ve seemingly worked very hard not to say that,” he said.
“So I think that’s a pretty powerful statement because now we have actual evidence — official evidence — that said, ‘Yes, AATIP did deal with UAP cases, phenomena, videos, photos, whatever.’”
Greenewald said he hopes that the Pentagon will release more information about the AATIP, either by voluntary disclosure or through requests under the federal Freedom of Information Act.
“But at least we’re one step closer to the truth,” he said.
The existence of the AATIP was revealed in 2017, along with a 33-second DOD video that shows an airborne object being chased by two Navy jets off the coast of San Diego in 2004.
At the time, former Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid (D-Nev.) took credit for arranging $22 million in annual funding for the AATIP, telling the New York Times that it was “one of the good things I did in my congressional service.”
Reid’s home state of Nevada hosts the top-secret military installation known as “Area 51,” long rumored to be the storehouse for an alien craft which crashed in Roswell, New Mexico, in 1947. Reid, through a spokeswoman, declined to comment.
De geheimen van de piramides onthuld. Kijk deze fascinerende documentaire
De geheimen van de piramides onthuld. Kijk deze fascinerende documentaire
Al eeuwenlang spreken de zeven wereldwonderen tot de verbeelding van de mensen. Eén daarvan springt eruit: de Grote Piramide in Egypte.
Men veronderstelt dat de piramide diende als grafmonument voor farao Cheops. Was dat ook echt zo? Er is immers nooit een sarcofaag, een mummie of een spoor van grafschatten gevonden.
Regisseur Patrice Pooyard is ook gefascineerd geraakt door dit monumentale bouwsel dat al zoveel eeuwen onze aarde siert.
Twijfel
Hij was onder de indruk van het feit dat de Egyptenaren dit enorme aardbevingbestendige bouwwerk in slechts 20 jaar gemaakt zouden hebben met als enige gereedschap een hamer en beitel.
Toch begon Pooyard te twijfelen aan deze aannames, die al jaren vanzelfsprekend zijn. Ook trok hij in twijfel dat de piramide van Gizeh een grafmonument was.
Door een ingewijde werd hij aangespoord om op onderzoek uit te gaan, en niet alleen in Egypte.
Heel andere conclusie
Hij raadde hem aan om ook andere archeologische plaatsen van betekenis verspreid over de hele wereld te bezoeken.
Het werd een reis van Paaseiland naar Peru, van China naar Mexico en uiteindelijk bracht het onderzoek hem opnieuw naar Egypte. Daar kwam Pooyard tot een heel andere conclusie dan de egyptologen.
Plek van kennis
De Grote Piramide van Gizeh was geen graf, maar een plek van kennis en die plek was en is wereldwijd van belang.
Pooyard legde zijn bevindingen vast in een fascinerende documentaire waarin hij ook zijn conclusies toelicht.
Ving Nikola Tesla buitenaardse signalen op? Dit is wat hij ontdekte
Ving Nikola Tesla buitenaardse signalen op? Dit is wat hij ontdekte
In juli 1899 claimde Nikola Tesla tijdens onderzoek naar onweersbuien in Colorado Springs een onbekend signaal te hebben opgevangen.
Tesla vermoedde dat de signalen uit de ruimte afkomstig waren, onder meer van Mars.
Eens in de 1,8 jaar staat Mars dichter bij de aarde dan normaal en tijdens één van die close encountersdacht Tesla dat hij signalen van Mars had opgepikt, aldus natuurkundige John Brandenburg in het programma Ancient Aliens.
Buitenaardse aanwezigheid
In 1901 schreef hij in een artikel voor magazine Collier’s Weekly getiteld ‘Praten met de planeten’ over zijn geloof in buitenaardsen.
Hij raakte geobsedeerd door de signalen van andere planeten, merkt schrijver Tim Schwartz op.
“Gebaseerd op de signalen die hij ontving, ontwikkelde hij een theorie dat er al tenminste 1000 jaar een buitenaardse aanwezigheid op aarde was, die de mensheid vanaf het begin controleerde,” zegt Schwartz.
Diskrediet
In dezelfde periode kreeg Tesla het aan de stok met J.P. Morgan en Thomas Edison, indertijd twee machtige figuren, stelt Brandenburg.
“Hij wilde signalen sturen naar de planeet Mars en zijn vijanden gebruikten dit om hem in diskrediet te brengen,” vervolgt hij.
In 1910 werkte Tesla al aan ontwerpen van vliegtuigen gebaseerd op antizwaartekracht. Die zouden er nooit komen.
One thing you can say about Elon Musk – he’s always thinking. (OK, there’s a lot of things you can say about Elon Musk, but we don’t have that kind of bandwidth.) Take, for example, his ideas about terraforming Mars, which came from his idea that people living inside of artificial environment enclosures on the planet might not do too well physically and mentally (think Biosphere 2), which came from his idea of colonizing Mars, which … you get the idea – Elon is always thinking. How could humans live on Mars without airtight habitats? By turning the planet into a junior Earth, and the best way to do that is by creating an ultra-fast evolution from barren dirt to bountiful rainforests … or at least enough food and atmosphere to live, work and survive outside. And his original idea for doing that was …
This goes back to 2015 when Musk first said his solution for raising the temperature on Mars to make it habitable for humans would be to “Drop thermonuclear weapons over the poles.” Once the smoke cleared, Musk figured enough trapped CO2 would be released from Martian soil to create an instant Earth atmosphere and kickstart an evolution. Scientists – both environmental and rocket – as well as ethicists and other humans have been objecting to this idea ever since, but busy idea-man Elon has just gotten around to coming up with a new one.
“Might make sense to have thousands of solar reflector satellites
to warm Mars vs artificial suns (tbd)”
That’s a mighty big ‘to be determined’ – starting with how does one get thousands of solar reflector satellites into Martian orbit – but it’s less radioactive (both literally and figuratively) so it has generated some consideration and reflection. Not because Elon said it but because Rigel Woida, an optical sciences and engineering student at the University of Arizona, wrote an award-winning paper in 2007 on using large aperture, lightweight orbital mirrors for terraforming targeted areas on the Martian surface. He proposed orbiting a 1.5-km array of 150 segmented, 150-meter-diameter mylar balloons that would collect sunlight and beam it to a square-kilometer area of the Martian surface.
“I adjusted the aperture so the reflector would heat a square-kilometer of Mars’ surface to roughly Tucson daytime illumination and temperatures. This would have immediate benefits for the astronauts. It would increase the light level, solar panel energy collection and bring the temperature of that part of the planet up to Earth’s. Astronauts wouldn’t have to work in freezing temperatures or spend energy thawing frozen water – water they need for manufacturing fuel to return to Earth, as well as water needed for consumption. Eventually, using techniques like these, humans might cultivate plants on Mars.”
It’s a start
That’s EXACTLY what I mean, Elon is probably thinking but certainly not saying for obvious reasons. Woida received a $9,000 NASA Institute for Advanced Concepts (NIAC) Student Fellows Prize for his idea. Musk received … well, that’s “tbd.” This idea seems more scientifically possible and certainly less radioactively controversial. But, is it ethical to terraform any other world to turn it into a junior Earth for the purpose of Earthlings colonizing it? Remember what happened on Earth so many times when settlers brought their own plants and animals to new lands? Are they the invasive species … or is it the humans who thought it was a good idea?
That answer requires more than just thought, doesn’t it? Elon?
Invisible flying object that sunds like a jet interrupts beam of high power laser pointer
Invisible flying object that sounds like a jet interrupts beam of high power laser pointer
Lately, many strange and unknown flying objects have been observed in the sky. Now, according to the latest reports and published by Linda Moulton Howe, people heard strange jet-like sounds but their were no planes, even according to two witnesses, the invisible craft interrupted the beam of high power laser pointers.
Image: Transparent ‘invisible’ craft photographed in the sky above Kaufman, Texas on July 19, 2016.
On August 14, 2019, a scientist in San Diego, California, who has heard loud jet noises in clear sky and two times flashed a powerful laser in direction of unexplained jet noise and saw the beam interrupted by something invisible.
Earlier this month, a Boeing employee witnessed the same phenomenon.
Boeing employee: “I took my high power laser pointer and shot it up in the direction of the unexplained loud jet sound. … On two separate occasions, I have seen the beam interrupted momentarily — It seems to me there is a real physical object moving through the air that is simply not visible.”
In both cases the laser beam was interrupted - Does that mean that there is a real physical object moving through the air that is simply not visible?
In the next video Linda Moulton Howe talks on the invisible flying object reported by the Boeing employee. (Report starts at the 9.50 mark in the video.)
A mysterious UFO above Amsterdam triggered a lot of speculations online about space alien craft sightings and even dark angels.
A strange aerial event was recently observed in the skies above the Dutch capital just as a tornado wreak havoc across the city centre last week.
YouTube channel Mavi777 uploaded the video online showing what seems to be a glowing UFO in the sky close to the top of the swirling column. The footage was reportedly recorded on August 10 as stated in the caption, but the integrity of it could not be immediately confirmed.
The unusual event shown in the clip led several social media users to suspect a possible appearance of a UFO with some of them claiming that these objects and the plasma orb lights are dark angels or the fallen ones that cauterise and kill animals for genetic parts and suck all the blood out as a sacrifice.
When the first dead bull turned up at the end of July, it didn’t raise an alarm at the Silvies Valley Ranch.
Cattle sometimes die suddenly on the ranch’s 140,000 acres in Harney County — struck by disease or felled by a broken leg and unable to find a way out of the rugged, forested terrain.
But by the time ranch hands discovered four more dead bulls within 24 hours, they knew they were likely dealing with deliberate, premeditated killings.
They’re still baffled by the circumstances. There were no wounds. No signs of a struggle. And the bulls’ genitals and tongues had been carefully removed.
The killing and mutilation of the 4 and 5-year-old Hereford bulls in the prime of their productive lives has since spurred a multi-agency investigation in eastern Oregon, but detectives have turned up no leads and haven’t yet even settled on a cause of death.
“How somebody put these bulls on the ground at what would be arguably a fairly close range — and to do it in a way that didn’t leave any signs, no trace evidence, no footprints, no struggle marks from the animal, no broken limbs — I have no idea,” said Colby Marshall, vice president of the Silvies Valley Ranch.
The mystery deepens because there’s no obvious reason someone would want those animal parts. They aren’t prime targets for black market sales, authorities said.
The deaths are eerily similar to a rash of livestock killings and mutilations across the West in the 1970s, when hundreds of cows and bulls turned up dead, also of seemingly unknown causes and with their genitals and tongues missing.
Back then, theories ran the gamut from a government conspiracy and UFOs to natural deaths and scavengers. Today, the circumstances at Silvies Valley Ranch point to humans as the probable culprits because of the precise cuts on the bulls.
Anything else for now is speculation, including ideas of what might have killed a bull without leaving marks. Marshall said he wonders if the killer used poison darts.
“We think that these are very sick and dangerous individuals and they need to answer for this horrible crime,” he said.
***
Silvies Valley Ranch, about 40 minutes north of the county seat of Burns, has put up a $25,000 reward for information on the bull killings that leads to an arrest and conviction, and the Oregon Cattlemen’s Association has offered its own $1,000 reward.
The investigation has pulled in Oregon State Police as well as the U.S. Forest Service because the cattle were grazing on a federal allotment in the Malheur National Forest.
The ranch is owned by veterinarian Scott Campbell, who bought the enterprise in 2006. Since then, it’s expanded into tourism with a golf course and resort on site, but still maintains around 4,500 head of beef cattle, including around 100 bulls.
The five dead bulls were found on July 30 and 31, in a wooded area about 15 miles from U.S. 395, the nearest major road. They were each about a quarter mile apart, Marshall said. There is some official disagreement on when they were killed — the Harney County Sheriff’s Office, which saw only four of the bulls, puts the deaths at three to 14 days before discovery, but Marshall believes the cattle were discovered within 24 to 48 hours of their deaths.
The delay in finding the animals is not unusual in such a remote area, where ranchers are tasked with patrolling large tracts of land, said Jerome Rosa, executive director of the Oregon Cattlemen’s Association. Harney County is Oregon’s largest county, covering more than 10,000 square miles where cattle outnumber people 14-to-1.
“These are huge, vast, steep landscapes with lots of rock and trees and brush,” Rosa said. “Ranchers may not see their cattle for long stretches of time.”
Beef is Oregon’s largest agricultural commodity, drawing in nearly $1 billion a year – and most cattle crimes typically involve theft, Rosa said.
This makes the deaths at Silvies Valley Ranch particularly bizarre, he said, because the bulls were worth a lot of money alive, particularly for breeding.
Marshall estimated their value at up to $7,000 apiece and said they would have sired at least 100 calves each over the remainder of their lives.
“Their productive life was a huge economic opportunity for the ranch, and now that’s completely lost,” he said. “We’re talking hundreds of thousands of dollars.”
Silvies Valley Ranch
The five dead bulls were found on July 30 and 31, in a wooded area about 15 miles from U.S. 395, the nearest major road. Their genitals and tongues had been cleanly removed.
Marshall has heard from several other Oregon ranchers who reported similar killings on their property over the past few decades — including cows that had been found with their udders, vulvas and tongues removed.
One of these ranchers, Terry Anderson, found a dead cow on land he was renting near Pendleton in 1980. Its udder had been cleanly removed and Anderson could see no clear evidence of what had killed the animal.
“There was no visible bullet hole or anything there,” Anderson recalled this week. “It was so unusual. It just left you with an eerie feeling.”
The hundreds of cattle deaths in the 1970s — largely concentrated in the Midwest — caused a media sensation as ranchers roiled by an economic crisis blamed a government conspiracy, according to Michael Goleman, a history professor at Somerset Community College in Kentucky who researched the phenomenon.
Because the killings were scattered across different states, investigators reached no overarching conclusion on the cause of the deaths, but Goleman said some people believed the government was conducting weapons tests on the cattle.
Facing pressure from ranchers, the FBI opened an investigation in 1979 into the deaths of 15 cattle in New Mexico, ultimately concluding that there was no evidence of intentional mutilation by humans and the animals had likely died of natural causes.
Since then, scattered reports have made headlines, including the discovery of several mutilated cows in Kansas in 2016 and five cows in 1990 that had been killed and dissected on a farm in Washington. Goleman said conspiracy theorists have pinned the blame on everything from satanic cults to aliens.
But Silvies Valley Ranch isn’t placing its bets on paranormal activity, though Harney County Sheriff’s Deputy Dan Jenkins said he’s gotten a few suggestions that Sasquatch may be responsible. He’s received around 20 calls from around the western U.S. since news about the deaths started spreading.
Jenkins, the lead investigator on the case, said the lack of physical evidence at the crime sites — no footprints, no tire or ATV tracks — means authorities are relying on witnesses to call in to the tip line and report any suspicious activity they might have seen in the area.
***
David Bohnert, a professor at Oregon State University who studies beef cattle, said two things typically kill livestock: poisoning from eating toxic plants and people.
In this case, poisoning is unlikely, given the number of bulls involved and the plants in the area, he said. Larkspur typically flowers earlier in the year, while hemlock, another deadly plant, grows only around rivers and streams — not the dry forests where the bulls were found.
Plus, the fact that all five cattle killed were bulls, Bohnert said, is statistically unlikely to occur in nature — they make up only about 4% to 6% of a herd.
That leaves human activity as the most likely cause, he said. Adding to the evidence is the surgical precision with which the genitals and tongues were removed. Scavengers would leave obvious signs of tearing with teeth, claws or beaks, he said.
Bohnert said he has heard rumors of bull testicles being considered an aphrodisiac, and both tongues and genitals can be eaten — the famous “Rocky Mountain Oysters” come to mind. But he could think of no reason why someone couldn’t just legally buy the animal parts.
Yet the human explanation comes with its own difficulties.
Taking down a 2,000-pound bull is no easy feat, and Marshall said there were no signs of a struggle — the bulls were all lying on their sides as if they had just fallen over and died.
He said he could only think that some kind of toxic dart might kill a bull from a distance. But he has no proof of it and may never find it. It’s not clear if a dart would leave a detectable imprint.
In the meantime, tissue samples taken from the carcasses are still being analyzed for toxins and no results are available yet, Marshall said. Even with the tests, the killings may remain an enigma. The bulls had been left to decompose for several days, making a toxicology screen difficult to do, he said.
Until a suspect is found, ranch employees are on high alert, particularly those who patrol vast areas alone on ATV or on horseback.
Rosa said the news had also concerned other ranchers — but that greater awareness could also lead to faster answers in the tight-knit ranching community.
“The neighbors and the folks that are in those areas know each other,” Rosa said. “And when there’s someone strange or different that’s out and about, they take notice of that, and they let each other know.”
Crop circles have been appearing around the world for centuries.
Source:Supplied
IT all started with a UFO sighting.
Dr Horace Drew, 61, was just 10 years old when he allegedly saw an unidentified, silver, windowless craft hovering in the sky near his suburban home, in Jacksonville, Florida. The encounter lasted only moments but led to a lifelong fascination with the extraterrestrial.
“I saw a UFO, so I knew they were real from an early age,” Dr Drew told news.com.au.
The scientist, who holds a PhD in Chemistry from Caltech, the California Institute of Technology, and worked for CSIRO as a molecular biologist, has been researching crop circles and aliens for 20 years. Dr Drew relocated to Australia in the 1980s but most of his work has taken him overseas, predominantly to Europe.
“They’re quite rare in Australia,” he said.
He, along with many conspiracy theorists, believe crop circles are the work of aliens or human time travellers. Sceptics say most are probably man-made.
A crop circle is typically defined by standing wheat stems that have been flattened in the shape of a circle or more complex pattern. They tend to appear mainly in developed Western or secularised countries — including Japan.
The cause of many of the circles is unknown despite various natural and unorthodox explanations having been put forward. Some crop circles have been proven to be hoaxes.
But according to Dr Drew, a number are legitimate and contain puzzles that can be decoded and linked to time travel and alien life.
He told news.com.au he had visited about “two dozen crop circles” around the globe in his career. Typically, they were between 50-500m in length, he said.
“This has led to at least one major breakthrough the discovery of a more advanced binary code than our computers currently use.”
Dr Drew claimed that aliens or human time travellers have been leaving the crop circles on Earth as messages to “us or themselves”.
Sightseers visit an incorporated oversized crop circle in a cornfield, not far from the small community of Mammendorf near Munich, southern Germany, on August 3, 2016. The crop circle had a diameter of 180 metres.
Picture: AFP / Christof StacheSource:AFP
WHY ARE THERE CROP CIRCLES?
Dr Drew said he was one of a handful of scientists around the world who had worked to successfully decode some of the messages in crop circles.
According to him, some crop circles provide general descriptions of the future.
“Other crop (circles) show schematic images of the future for astronomical or human events,” he said.
He said some of the decoded messages read: ‘Much pain but still time. Believe. There is good out there’; ‘Beware the bearers of false gifts and their broken promises’; ‘We oppose deception. Conduit closing’.
Dr Drew has developed at least two theories as to the purpose of the circles by reading their “advanced (version of) binary codes”.
“One theory is that they are trying to introduce themselves to us peacefully, like we do using bubbles with dolphins,” he said.
“When (humans) want to talk with dolphins we put little bubble circles under the ocean with a generator. We watch the dolphins come up and play and investigate, and we study them.
“This is called the ‘dolphin communication project’.”
He said the dynamic between the way humans interact with dolphins and whales was likely comparable to how extraterrestrials communicate with us.
“Barack or Trump have never said to a dolphin: ‘take me to your leader I want to sign a treaty with you’,” he said.
“And (the extraterrestrials are) not interested in making a treaty with us.
“They are ahead of us like we are ahead of the dolphins and the whales.”
His second theory was that the messages “are not even for us”.
Dr Drew said human time travellers from the distant future could be creating the circles as directional markers, to help them navigate “in their distant past, which is our present”.
“There are definitely humans living there in about 5000 years with time travel capability,” he said.
“They’re coming back and flying all over Earth.
“They seem to just say ‘this is a certain day’ and mark it.
“So the trouble is we don’t know space time physics enough to understand what’s happening. It’s beyond our knowledge.
“Maybe they don’t want us to know about it. It might be just for them.”
It’s a theory shared by many in his field of work.
A crop circle once appeared in field of wheat at Clay Hill, Warminster, Wiltshire. The site, made famous by UFO sightings in the 60s and 70s, had crop circle experts baffled over the 200 foot design.
Source:Supplied
HOW ARE THEY MADE?
Dr Drew said the circles appeared to be created by an “unknown energy that heats the crops up”.
“It’s like microwave energy but is something beyond earth’s science,” he said.
“It can pattern the wheat.
“No one sees or hears anything and that's why its so hard to prove. If there’s a craft, it’s silent, noiseless.”
But there’s nothing to fear, according to him.
“Don’t be afraid,” he said.
REAL OR A HOAX?
Telling the difference between a real crop circle and a hoax is like differentiating between an original painting and a fake, according to Dr Drew.
“There are some things to look for,” he said.
Crops that are bent “halfway up” their stems, rather than on the ground ,is one telltale sign “cereologists”, or someone that advocates paranormal explanations of crop circles, look for to determine that it’s not a hoax.
“You can’t absolutely prove a crop circle wasn’t a hoax but you can give a high probability and judgment,” he said.
“If there’s a hoax the word of it gets around very fast, people are aware, people are not that easily fooled.”
Scientist Dr Horace Drew said he took this photos in a “newly found crop” circle at Etchilhampton near Decizes, England in July, 2012. “About 25 per cent of fallen wheat stems inside the picture were bent by unknown energies,” he told a conference on Wednesday.
Source:Supplied
In 1991, English pranksters Doug Bower and Dave Chorley took credit for most of the crop circles across southern England made since 1978. They were inspired by the Tully “saucer nest” case in Australia, where a farmer found a flattened circle of swamp reeds after observing a UFO.
Using basic tools including a plank of wood, rope, and a baseball cap fitted with a loop of wire to help them walk in a straight line, they said they made complex crop circles in England — which others then copied all over the world into the 1980s.
They made a circle for journalists, which was later declared authentic by a cereologist. They then revealed their hoax to the world, spurring on even more copycats.
Scientist Dr Horace Drew has been researching crop circles and aliens for 20 years.
Source:Supplied
Dr Drew said there was a lot of scientific evidence to show that some crop circles were made by human time travellers or extraterrestrial beings. “Laboratory results on plant or soil samples taken from a crop circle in Brazil in October of 2016 show that it was formed by unknown sterilising images,” he said.
The earliest mention of a crop circle dates back to the 1500s. A woodcut from the time showed a “mowing devil” making the pattern.
An aerial view shows people strolling through a crop circle on a field near Mammendorf, southern Germany, on July 26, 2016. The pattern had a diameter of 180 meters.
Picture: AFP / Sven Hoppe.Source:AFP
GOVERNMENT SECRETS?
Earlier this month, US TV host Jimmy Kimmel asked former US President George Bush if he went through “secret files, the UFO documents” when he was in office.
But instead of laughing off the question, the former commander in chief replied: “Maybe.”
Mr Kimmel then asked him if there were “any great secrets you know that you can’t share with people?”
“Yeah, there are,” Mr Bush said. “But I’m not telling you.”
Many conspiracy theorists and some scientists, including Dr Drew, argued that Mr Bush’s comments indicated the US government knows much more about extraterrestrial life than it has publicly revealed.
“The politicians are scared they'll lose votes if they talk about it,” Dr Drew said.
He said international media had also played a part in causing the public to doubt the legitimacy of crop circles and aliens.
But according to him, its important for humans to keep seeking answers.
“The ET visitors have technologies which would benefit us greatly, for example, how to make safe, clean energy without burning oil, coal or gas,” Dr Drew said.
“Ultra-fast propulsion systems, based on gravity and inertia, could carry us safely to distant planets or stars.
“We may also need to upgrade our planetary defences soon, to protect against ET’s who may not be friendly.”
There’s still a lot more to be understood but Dr Drew’s hope is that he one day gets a closer look at what was inside the UFO he believes he saw as a child.
“I’d like to meet (the extraterrestrials or human time travellers) in person,” he said.
“But I don’t think they're going to do that.
“Whichever scientific team is doing this I don’t think we’re supposed to have full knowledge of it because it will interrupt their program, whatever they're doing.”
NASA announced in 2012 that it was working to build a "warp drive" that could enable "faster-than-light" travel. Two years later and the space agency hasn't built a spaceship capable of such speeds yet — but thanks to artist Mark Rademaker, we now know what one could look like. The result is the IXS Enterprise, a ship that shares similarities with both its science fiction Star Trek namesake, and NASA's real-world space shuttle.
Rademaker worked together with NASA's Dr. Harold White to produce visual concepts for the craft. White and his team at NASA are hoping to make "faster-than-light" travel possible with Alcubierre drives. The drives, named for physicist Miguel Alcubierre, theoretically work by distorting space-time. By expanding the space behind a ship and contracting the space in front of it, the IXS Enterprise could drastically speed up our space travel potential, making the 4.3 light-year journey to Alpha Centauri in around two weeks.
Rademaker says he was influenced in the design for his Enterprise by Matt Jefferies' sci-fi artworks from the 1960s. But where famed aviation artist Jeffries, who helped create the spaceships of the Star Trek universe, imagined spindly craft with thin rings, the IXS Enterprise sits inside two circles chubby enough to power its Alcubierre drive. The spacecraft is fatter than most of Jefferies' sci-fi ships, too, capable of bearing four cylindrical pods on its flanks, and sporting a wide, flat, duck's bill of a command module. Speaking at the SpaceVision conference last year, Dr. White justified the design, saying that "if you're going to go to all the trouble of making it that big, you might as well fit all you can in there."
Until NASA announces a breakthrough in its research of Alcubierre drives and "faster-than-light" travel technology, Rademaker's concepts will remain only concepts. But his visualization of the IXS Enterprise still gives us a glimpse of the kinds of vehicles we'll hopefully one day be able to use to travel to strange new worlds, to seek out new life, and new civilizations.
Scientists discovered the first planet outside of our solar system in 1992, and today more than 4,000 exoplanets have been confirmed. In a new study, researchers have found that some of these exoplanets may have conditions that are even more well-suited to host life than our own planet.
“This is a surprising conclusion,” said Dr. Stephanie Olson, who led the investigation, “It shows us that conditions on some exoplanets with favorable ocean circulation patterns could be better suited to support life that is more abundant or more active than life on Earth.”
Because it is impossible to reach such distant planets with space probes, scientists are working with remote sensing tools like telescopes to explore the conditions on various exoplanets, and sophisticated models must be used to interpret these remote observations. Dr. Olson’s team used ROCKE-3D software, which was developed by NASA to simulate the climates and ocean habitats of different types of exoplanets.
“NASA’s search for life in the Universe is focused on so-called habitable zone planets, which are worlds that have the potential for liquid water oceans. But not all oceans are equally hospitable – and some oceans will be better places to live than others due to their global circulation patterns,” said Dr. Olson.
“Our work has been aimed at identifying the exoplanet oceans which have the greatest capacity to host globally abundant and active life. Life in Earth’s oceans depends on upwelling (upward flow) which returns nutrients from the dark depths of the ocean to the sunlit portions of the ocean where photosynthetic life lives. More upwelling means more nutrient resupply, which means more biological activity. These are the conditions we need to look for on exoplanets.”
Artist’s concept shows what the TRAPPIST-1 planetary system may look like.
Image Credit: NASA/JPL-Caltech
After modeling a variety of exoplanets with potential, the experts were able to define the types of exoplanets which stand the best chance of sustaining life.
“We have used an ocean circulation model to identify which planets will have the most efficient upwelling and thus offer particularly hospitable oceans,” said Dr. Olson. “We found that higher atmospheric density, slower rotation rates, and the presence of continents all yield higher upwelling rates. A further implication is that Earth might not be optimally habitable – and life elsewhere may enjoy a planet that is even more hospitable than our own.”
“There will always be limitations to our technology, so life is almost certainly more common than ‘detectable’ life. This means that in our search for life in the Universe, we should target the subset of habitable planets that will be most favorable to large, globally active biospheres because those are the planets where life will be easiest to detect – and where non-detections will be most meaningful.”
The research was presented by Dr. Olson at the 2019 meeting of the Goldschmidt Geochemistry Congress in Barcelona.
‘Spaceshuttle-UFO’ vastgelegd in Washington. Fotograaf doet onverwachte ontdekking
Foto: Wikimedia Commons CC0
‘Spaceshuttle-UFO’ vastgelegd in Washington. Fotograaf doet onverwachte ontdekking
Een fotograaf uit de Amerikaanse staat Washington heeft op een foto die hij had gemaakt van Whitehorse Mountain een onbekend vliegend object vastgelegd.
De UFO is op 22 juli 2018 op klaarlichte dag waargenomen.
De getuige laat weten dat hij het object in eerste instantie niet had gezien op de foto.
Geen vliegtuigen of helikopters
Foto: MUFON
Pas na het croppen van de afbeelding en het toepassen van kleurcorrecties werd het object zichtbaar.
“Op het moment dat ik de foto maakte stond ik naar de zon gericht en moest ik de bovenkant van de camera afdekken om een lensflare te voorkomen,” zei de getuige.
“Er waren op dat moment voor zover ik weet geen vliegtuigen of helikopters in het gebied, maar het was erg warm, er stond een harde wind en er was veel verkeer, dus ik heb snel een foto gemaakt en ben weer verder gegaan,” klonk het.
Zeer interessant
Ik woon niet in het gebied, dus ik weet niet hoe vaak er lijnvliegtuigen zijn te vinden, aldus de getuige.
“Hoe dan ook was het zeer interessant om dit aan te treffen op de foto,” besloot hij.
Spaceshuttle
Een onderzoeker van het MUFON (Mutual UFO Network) in Washington heeft bepaald dat het hier gaat om een Unknown Aerial Vehicle. Onbekend dus.
Volgens sommigen lijkt de UFO erg op een spaceshuttle.
It’s official, NASA is going alien hunting. The space agency announcedTuesday that the next phase of the Europa Clipper mission is confirmed, meaning that within the next four to six year NASA will be sending a spacecraft to Jupiter’s moon Europa to determine if it can support life and maybe, just maybe, find a handful of aliens.
Europa is seen as one of the best, if not the best, candidates for extraterrestrial life within our solar system. Europa is slightly smaller than Earth’s moon and has a crust composed mostly of water ice. Europa also has an oxygen atmosphere, although it is extremely thin and would be indistinguishable from the vacuum of space for the purposes of not suffocating. But it’s not the ice surface or the thin oxygen atmosphere that excites scientists about the moon.
Because Europa is a very young moon, relatively speaking, and has the smoothest surface of any body in the solar system, scientists hypothesize that the thin ice crust of the moon actually hides a massive subsurface ocean. Estimated to be approximately 61 miles thick, this moon-wide ocean would be kept liquid by tidal flexing as the orbits close to Jupiter. Scientists believe that the ocean pulls down chemicals from the moon’s surface. A big, warm-enough-to-be-liquid, salt water ocean that sucks in chemical compounds. Sounds like a prime alien-fishing hole.
Europa
(credit: NASA/JPL/Galileo Project)
The Europa Clipper mission would be the first spacecraft to study the surface of Europa. Previous missions have flown by and taken some stunning pictures, but none have been able to study what’s happening on or below the surface. the confirmation of the mission allows the next steps to be taken in the construction and testing of the spacecraft and science payload. In a press release, Thomas Zurbuchen, associate administrator for the Science Mission Directorate at NASA Headquarters in Washington, said:
“We are all excited about the decision that moves the Europa Clipper mission one key step closer to unlocking the mysteries of this ocean world. We are building upon the scientific insights received from the flagship Galileo and Cassini spacecraft and working to advance our understanding of our cosmic origin, and even life elsewhere.”
Artist’s concept of a water plume on Europa
(credit: NASA/ESA/K. Retherford/SWRI)
So when will we see it launch? 20 years? 40? Actually, it should be much sooner than that. NASA says that in the interest of cost-efficiency they are planning to have the equipment built and ready for launch as early as 2023. However they say that failing a 2023 launch date, the latest it would launch is 2025.
So it will launch pretty soon, relatively speaking. After it does launch however, Europa Clipper will take roughly six years to reach its target. This is due to space being big. So we have until 2031, on the outside range, to see if there are any alien-fish or space-dolphins out there. That is, of course, unless things go weird at Area 51 next month.
NASA found alien planet that has tri-star sky like in ‘Star Wars’
NASA found alien planet that has tri-star sky like in ‘Star Wars’
NASA has discovered an exoplanet with three “suns” in its sky. Star Wars, anyone?
Astronomers think they've spotted an alien planet with three suns on its horizon, but that still isn't the most interesting thing about the strange new world's sky.
Scientists found the world, which they've dubbed LTT 1445Ab, in data gathered by NASA's Transiting Exoplanet Survey Satellite (TESS).
LTT 1445Ab orbits just one of the three stars, all of which are red dwarfs in the latter half of their lives, and the system is about 22.5 light-years away from Earth.
"If you're standing on the surface of that planet, there are three suns in the sky, but two of them are pretty far away and small-looking," co-author Jennifer Winters, an astronomer at the Harvard-Smithsonian Center for Astrophysics, told New Scientist. "They're like two red, ominous eyes in the sky” reports Space.com.
Nasa geeft steen op Mars de naam ‘Rolling Stones’ - HLN.be
Nasa geeft steen op Mars de naam ‘Rolling Stones’ - HLN.be
YoutubeDe steen 'Rolling Stones'
WETENSCHAP & PLANEETDe Amerikaanse ruimtevaartorganisatie Nasa heeft een steen op Mars naar de rockband Rolling Stones genoemd.
De “Rolling Stones Rock” is iets groter dan een golfbal, zo liet de Nasa donderdag weten op een persconferentie in het Californische Pasadena.
De steen was in beweging gezet door de turbulentie die door de motor van het landingstuig Insight werd veroorzaakt bij de landing in november 2018. Daardoor was de steen enkele meters verderop gerold. De sporen daarvan zijn op oranjerode foto’s van het Marsoppervlak te zien. Het is de eerste keer dat een Nasa-ruimtevaarttuig op een vreemde planeet een steen op die manier in beweging heeft gezet, aldus de Nasa.
“Dit is een mijlpaal in onze lange en bewogen geschiedenis”, lieten de Stones donderdagavond weten op hun concert in Pasadena.
Chris Pizzello/Invision/APDe logo’s van The Rolling Stones en van Nasa werden gisteren voor de start van het concert van The Rolling Stones op grote schermen afgebeeld.
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Archeologen ontdekken drie ‘buitenaardse’ schedels in Kroatië - HLN.be
Archeologen ontdekken drie ‘buitenaardse’ schedels in Kroatië - HLN.be
PLOS OneDe drie schedels waren afkomstig van 'gewone' jongens die 12 tot 16 jaar oud waren toen ze stierven. De rare vorm van hun schedel is het resultaat van opzettelijke schedelvervorming.
WETENSCHAPIn Kroatië zijn drie menselijke schedels opgediept, al twijfelden de archeologen een fractie van een seconde of het niet over de restanten van buitenaardse wezens ging. Tenslotte hadden de schedels een puntige, onaardse vorm. In werkelijkheid ging het om kunstmatig vervormde schedels.
De schedels werden in 2013 reeds teruggevonden op een archeologische site in Osijek. De jaren daarop werden de merkwaardige schedels geanalyseerd en die analyse werd nu gepubliceerd in het tijdschrift PLOS One.
Doodsoorzaak Uit de resultaten van de archeologen blijkt dat de schedels wel degelijk afkomstig waren van drie ‘gewone’ jongens die zo’n 1.550 jaar geleden stierven. Op dat moment waren de tieners vermoedelijk 12 tot 16 jaar oud. Daarbij waren ze duidelijk ondervoed, maar onduidelijk is nog of ze daaraan ook gestorven zijn.
Hun geschatte sterfdatum (415 tot 560 na Christus) komt immers overeen met de val van het Romeinse Rijk. Daarop kwamen nieuwe bevolkingsgroepen en culturen aan in Europa, alsook strubbelingen en nieuwe ziektes.
En wat dan met die vreemd gevormde schedels? Het klinkt misschien gek, maar het fenomeen waarbij de schedel opzettelijk vervormd werd, kwam in verschillende werelddelen voor. Mensen met zo’n vreemd hoofd vervulden doorgaans een hogere positie in de samenleving, wilden hun intelligentie in de kijker zetten, en/of dichter bij de geesten staan.
Het vervormen van de schedel gebeurde voornamelijk bij kinderen, omdat een kinderhoofd nog tamelijk ‘plooibaar’ is. Bij de kinderen werd het hoofd dan tussen twee houten planken gewikkeld waardoor een geforceerde en onnatuurlijke groei werd opgedrongen. Het resultaat? Langwerpige en puntige schedels die een onaardse indruk nalaten.
Natuurlijk liepen de praktijken waarbij het hoofd werd vervormd, niet altijd succesvol af. Zo zijn er reeds talrijke restanten ontdekt van kinderen die hoogstwaarschijnlijk stierven na het uitvoeren van een zogenaamde schedelbinding.
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Earth is an Exoplanet to Aliens. This is What They’d See
Earth is an Exoplanet to Aliens. This is What They’d See
The study of exoplanets has matured considerably in the last ten years. During this time, the majority of the over 4000 exoplanets that are currently known to us were discovered. It was also during this time that the process has started to shift from the process of discovery to characterization. What’s more, next-generation instruments will allow for studies that will reveal a great deal about the surfaces and atmospheres of exoplanets.
This naturally raises the question: what would a sufficiently-advanced species see if they were studying our planet? Using multi-wavelength data of Earth, a team of Caltech scientists was able to construct a map of what Earth would look like to distant alien observers. Aside from addressing the itch of curiosity, this study could also help astronomers reconstruct the surface features of “Earth-like” exoplanets in the future.
The study that describes the team’s findings, titled “Earth as an Exoplanet: A Two-dimensional Alien Map“, recently appeared in the journal Science Mag and is scheduled for publication in The Astrophysical Journal Letters. The study was led by Siteng Fan and included multiple researchers from the California Institute of Technology’s Division of Geological and Planetary Sciences (GPS) and the NASA Jet Propulsion Laboratory.
Artist’s impression of an exoplanet atmosphere reacting from interaction with its star. Credit: NASA, ESA, and G. Bacon (STSci)
When looking for potentially habitable planets beyond our Solar System, scientists are forced to take the indirect approach. Given that most exoplanets cannot be observed directly to learn of their atmospheric composition or surface features (aka. Direct Imaging), scientists must be satisfied with indications that show how “Earth-like” a planet is.
As Fan told Universe Today via email, this reflects the limitations that astronomers and exoplanet studies are currently forced to contend with:
“Firstly, current exoplanet studies have not figured out what the least requirements are for habitability. There are some proposed criterions, but we are not sure if they are either sufficient or necessary. Secondly, even with these criterions, current observation techniques are not good enough to confirm the habitability, especially on Earth-like exoplanets due to the difficulty of detecting and constraining them.”
Given that Earth is the only planet we know of that is capable of supporting life, the team theorized that remote observations of Earth could act as a proxy for a habitable exoplanet as observed by a distant civilization. “Earth is the only planet we know that contains life,” said Fan. “Studying what the Earth looks like to distant observers would give us the direction of how to find potential habitable exoplanets.”
Direct image of exoplanets around the star HR8799 using a Vortex coronagraph on a 1.5m portion of the Hale telescope. Credit: NASA/JPL-Caltech/Palomar Observatory
One of the most important elements of Earth’s climate (and which is critical to all life on its surface) is the water cycle, which has three distinct phases. These include the presence of water vapor in the atmosphere, clouds of condensed water and ice particles, and the presence of bodies of water on the surface.
Therefore, the presence of these could be considered potential indications of habitability and even indications of life (aka. biosignatures) that could be observed from a distance. Ergo, being able to identify surface features and clouds on exoplanets would be essential in order to place constraints on their habitability.
To determine what Earth would look like to distant observers, the team compiled 9740 images of Earth that were taken by NASA’s Deep Space Climate Observatory (DSCOVR) satellite. The images were taken every 68 to 110 minutes over a two year period (2016 and 2017) and managed to capture light reflected from Earth’s atmosphere at multiple wavelengths.
Fan and his colleagues then combined the images to form a 10-point reflection spectrum plotted over time, which were then integrated over the Earth’s disk. This effectively reproduced what Earth might look like to an observer many light-years away if they were to observe Earth over a two year period.
Surface features could be more discernible using a new method developed at Caltech. Credit: IAU/L. Calçada
“We found that the second principal component of Earth’s light curve is strongly correlated to the land fraction of the illuminated hemisphere (r^2=0.91),” Fan said. “Combining with the viewing geometry, reconstructing the map becomes a linear regression problem.”
After analyzing the resulting curves and comparing them with the original images, the research team discovered which parameters of the curves corresponded to land and cloud cover. They then picked out the parameters that most closely related to land area and adjusted it to the 24-hour rotation of the Earth, which gave them a contoured map (shown above) that represented what Earth’s light curve would look like from light years away.
The black lines represent the surface feature parameter and correspond roughly to the coastlines of the major continents. These are further colored in green to provide a rough representation of Africa (center), Asia (top right), North and South America (left), and Antarctica (bottom). What lies in between represents the Earth’s oceans, with the shallower sections denoted in red and the deeper ones in blue.
These kinds of representations, when applied to the light curves of distant exoplanets, could allow astronomers to assess whether an exoplanet has the oceans, clouds, and icecaps – all necessary elements of an “Earth-like” (aka. habitable) exoplanet. As Fan concluded:
“The analysis of light curves in this work have implications for determining geological features and climate systems on exoplanet. We found that the variation of light curve of Earth is dominated by clouds and land/ocean, which are both crucial to the life on Earth. Therefore, Earth-like exoplanets which harbor this kind of features would be more likely to host life.”
The horror flick “Alien” hit the screen 40 years ago, in the summer of 1979. The film is one of Hollywood’s best-known sci-fi blockbusters.
In the decades since “Alien” came out, depictions of aliens in movies have changed dramatically.
Instead of showing extraterrestrial life as humanoid, directors have instead depicted aliens as bacteria, as in the movie “Life,” or as amorphous lifeforms, as in the movie “Arrival.”
According to one scientist, these depictions are more scientifically realistic and align more with what researchers think aliens might look like.
The 1979 blockbuster “Alien” opens with a tension-filled scene: A spider-like creature attacks an astronaut named Thomas Kane on an unknown planet.
The crew of Kane’s ship brings him back on board with the mysterious critter still attached to his spacesuit. Under the fluorescent lights, the creature seems to die, detaching from Kane’s face. When the astronaut eventually wakes up, he seems unharmed by the encounter.
But a miniature alien later bursts out of his chest in a shower of blood as his shocked crewmates scream.
The xenomorph, as it’s called, grows to be larger than any human, with glossy black skin, razor-sharp teeth, claws, and a tail.
Foto: An alien attached itself to the astronaut Thomas Kane’s face in the 1979 movie “Alien.”
source20th Century Fox via YouTube
In the four decades since “Alien” came out – the film’s 40th anniversary was in May – that creature’s image has influenced moviegoers’ mental pictures of alien life.
But as NASA has embraced the objective of searching for extraterrestrial life in our galaxy, the scientific understanding of what extraterrestrials might look like has converged around a type of lifeform far different from the director Ridley Scott’s brainchild.
Today, astrobiologists suspect that extraterrestrial lifeforms are likely to be microscopic in nature, akin to the bacteria scientists find in extreme environments on Earth.
Hollywood filmmakers have started to embrace this idea and depict aliens as less humanoid, according to the physicist and author Sidney Perkowitz. In other words, the days of little green men and giant scaly monsters in alien movies are over.
“In the old science-fiction flicks of the 1950s and ’60s, if you did an alien, monster, or robot, it was a guy dressed up and stomping around a sound stage,” Perkowitz, who cofounded the National Academy of Sciences’ Science and Entertainment Exchange group, which connects directors with science advisers, told Business Insider. “In the last few decades, CGI has changed that, allowing for the potential of really life-like, imaginative creatures.”
No more little green men
The chance that alien life looks humanoid is infinitesimal.
“We don’t have any reason to believe that they would look anything like us,” Andrew Siemion, the director of the Berkeley SETI (Search for Extraterrestrial Intelligence) Research Center,told Vox. “The form of a human being is the result of several billion years of evolution.”
Perkowitz said that Scott and other directors’ decisions to make extraterrestrials appear human-like could simply boil down to cost.
“Humanoid aliens are cheap to portray,” he said.
He added that the problem with “Alien” wasn’t just that the movie portrayed the alien as humanoid – it was that the extraterrestrial was depicted as unintelligent and beast-like. The xenomorph doesn’t try to communicate with the astronaut crew; instead, it eats the crew members one by one until Sigourney Weaver’s character blasts it into space.
“It’s hard to imagine a different lifeform would have such a negative reaction to another lifeform – nothing lives for pure evil,” Perkowitz said, adding: “If we always decide that ‘the other’ is hostile or contemptible, how does that encourage our efforts to relate to them?”
But the examples of nonhostile aliens in Hollywood are few and far between (Steven Spielberg’s E.T. notwithstanding). That’s because, according to Perkowitz, society uses film to explore what it’s afraid of.
Sci-fi films are reflections of what society is worried about
Hollywood blockbusters’ references to science don’t arise in a vacuum – they mirror trends in scientific discovery and their effects on culture. In the 1950s and 1960s, for example, movies like “Dr. Strangelove” featured nuclear scientists because people had memories of the atomic bomb and a fear of nuclear war, Perkowitz said.
“Even if the sci-fi film doesn’t know it’s doing it, a closer watch shows that the movies reflect society’s current anxieties,” he said.
Alien movies are no different. These days, Perkowitz said, humanity isn’t afraid of carnivorous xenomorphs. Instead, he continued, we worry about “something viral – a biological entity that spreads quickly and causes harm.”
At a time when mosquitoes that carry viruses like Zika and dengue fever are spreading farther thanks to warmer temperatures, “nuclear radiation isn’t the concern anymore,” Perkowitz said. So some alien movies now depict a contagion that comes from outer space.
In the 2017 movie “Life,” for example, Jake Gyllenhaal’s character and his crewmates aboard the International Space Station discover a life form that supposedly caused extinction on Mars and threatens life on Earth.
Foto: Jake Gyllenhaal in a scene from the 2017 science-fiction movie “Life.”
sourceSony Pictures Entertainment, Inc.
Film studios primarily choose to present aliens as malevolent microbes in this way to get people to the box office, Perkowitz said, adding that “on the whole, Hollywood isn’t concerned with the social responsibility of getting the science right.”
But in this case, he added, the depiction could help establish more appropriate expectations for any discovery of life that NASA might make. The agency is preparing to look for extraterrestrial life on Jupiter’s moon Europa with its planned Clipper mission in 2025. Scientists think any life there “may look like microbes, or maybe something more complex,” a NASA report said.
The best portrayal of aliens in film?
Perkowitz pointed to the creatures called heptapods in the 2016 movie “Arrival” as an exemplary depiction of non-humanoid aliens that attempt intelligent contact. That’s because they don’t remotely resemble humans, are not hostile, and try to communicate rather than attack.
In the movie, Amy Adams plays a linguistics professor who works to communicate with the heptapods, which sport long muscular torsos and seven legs. Eventually, she discovers that the aliens speak using logograms – inkblot-like symbols that can stand for a word, an entire sentence, or even a feeling.
The humans and the aliens, through extensive trial and error, establish a mutual language without destroying each other.
Foto: Amy Adams’ character tries to communicate with alien lifeforms in the 2016 movie “Arrival.”
sourceParamount Pictures
“That movie is a great example of, perhaps, how would we really go about meeting aliens if we do ever meet intelligent life out there,” Perkowitz said
Stargazers in northern Norway enjoyed an unexpected light show when a new NASAtest showered the skies with brushstrokes of blue and orange-colored gases.
The lights, which looked like an 'alien attack' attack to some, were actually a part of an ongoing NASA experiment dubbed The Auroral Zone Upwelling Rocket Experiment (AZURE).
As a part of the mission, NASA says it has launched the AZURE test rocket -- the first of eight such planed launches -- that aim to study the patterns of solar winds.
The eye-catching lights were created by releasing two harmless gases into the atmosphere — trimethylaluminum as well as a mixture of barium and strontium — so researchers can study the paths of particles in the Earth's ionosphere, NASA says.
Scroll down for video
Captures of the show were grabbed via a webcam run by Lights Over Lapland, which helps sightseers get a glimpse of Aurora's through guided tours.
According to scientists, the experiment will also help unlock the forces behind one of nature's most capturing phenomenon, the Aurora Borealis.
Auroras — the shows of green, blue, and purple light observed in the skies of regions close to the Earth's poles — are created by solar winds interacting with the planet's magnetic field.
When the particles of the two atmospheric regions collide and their respective particles are charged, the trajectories are changed, which forces electrons and protons down into the atmosphere at which point humans are able to observe them as streaks of colorful light.
Gases released by NASA in their vapor test were subject to a similar process.
While scientists have inferred the cause of Auroras, they have yet to actually observe the pattern and behavior of solar winds and the ionosphere that drive them beyond computer-generated models.
No need to run for cover yet. Alien-like lights in skies over Norway were the result of a test by NASA to study solar winds and Earth's upper atmosphere.
Projects like the one witness by stargazers this month will help scientists gain exact measurements of both horizontal and vertical pathways of particles in the ionosphere over a range of altitudes and help increase understanding of the Auroras they create.
Solar winds have not yet been concretely tracked by scientists who rely mostly on computer-generated models.
In addition to creating beautiful displays of light, the interaction between solar winds and the Earth's magnetic field are also crucial to creating the conditions for much of our planet's life.
Solar winds, waves of particles released from the sun, are rife with radiation, which if beamed to the Earth's surface, would severely damage all of our planet's inhabitants.
Instead, however, the sun's particles are deflected away from the planet by the Earth's magnetic field, known as the magnetosphere.
NASA says its experiments will also help to glean a fuller picture of what happens when particles from the solar winds are forced into our atmosphere and exactly where they go.
HOW IS THE SOLAR WIND FORMED?
The sun and its atmosphere are made of plasma – a mix of positively and negatively charged particles which have separated at extremely high temperatures, that both carries and travels along magnetic field lines.
Material from the corona streams out into space, filling the solar system with the solar wind.
But scientists found that as the plasma travels further away from the sun, things change.
Views of the solar wind from NASA's STEREO spacecraft (left) and after computer processing (right). Scientists used an algorithm to dim the appearance of bright stars and dust in images of the faint solar wind
The sun begins to lose magnetic control, forming the boundary that defines the outer corona – the very edge of the sun.
The breakup of the rays is similar to the way water shoots out from a squirt gun.
First, the water is a smooth and unified stream, but it eventually breaks up into droplets, then smaller drops and eventually a fine, misty spray.
A recent Nasa study captured the plasma at the same stage where a stream of water gradually disintegrates into droplets.
If charged particles from solar winds hit Earth's magnectic field, this can cause problems for satellite and communication equipment.
WETENSCHAPRusland heeft bij een test met een gemoderniseerde Sojoez-draagraket en een onbemande Sojoez-capsule de humanoïde robot Fiodor naar het Internationaal Ruimtestation ISS gelanceerd. Het ding zal daar meerdere testen uitvoeren.
Van op de basis Bajkonoer in Kazachstan vertrok om 05.38 uur Belgische tijd een Sojoez-2.1a draagraket. Die slingerde de onbemande capsule Sojoez-MS-14 naar het ISS.
Deze gemoderniseerde Sojoez-draagraket moet voor bemande vluchten de sinds 2002 ingezette Sojoez-FG vervangen die ook Frank De Winne in de ruimte heeft gebracht. Het model 2.1a heeft ook al een Russische vrachtruimteschip van het type Progress gelanceerd, na sinds 2004 voor satellietlanceringen te zijn ingezet.
Eén lancering met een Progress mislukte, vandaar de test met een Sojoez-capsule die voor het eerst niet bemand is.
AFP
De capsule moet zaterdag om 07.30 uur Belgische tijd koppelen aan de Russische Pojsk-module van het ISS en vertrekt op 6 september om 20.13 uur Belgische tijd.
De capsule vervoerde alleen vracht, waaronder een humanoïde robot, die 1,80 meter groot is en bijna 160 kilogram weegt. Fiodor, alias Skybot F850, is een Russische voornaam, maar luidt in het Engels Fedor. Dat staat voor “Final Experimental Demonstration Object Research”.
EPA
Fiodor heeft een eigen Instagram- en Twitterprofiel, waarop volgers een blik krijgen in het dagelijkse leven van de robot. Zo is te zien hoe Fiodor leert om een fles water te openen.
Aan boord van de ISS zal de robot verschillende taken uitvoeren onder toezicht van de Russische kosmonaut Aleksandr Skvortsov. Hij kwam een maand geleden in de spacemeccano aan. Hij zal de vaardigheden van Fiodor testen onder micro-zwaartekracht. Een van de belangrijkste vaardigheden van de robot is dat hij menselijke bewegingen kan imiteren, waardoor hij astronauten kan helpen of taken van hen kan overnemen.
“Hij moet vijf of zes taken uitvoeren die een geheim blijven”, zei Jevgeni Doedorov, de verantwoordelijke van het bedrijf dat Fiodor ontwikkelde.
WETENSCHAP Het Roopkundmeer in de Indiase Himalaya is een mysterieuze plek. Het ondiepe bevroren gletsjermeer te midden van de besneeuwde bergtoppen ligt vol met honderden menselijke skeletten. Daaraan dankt het meer dan ook zijn lugubere bijnaam: Skeleton Lake. Niemand weet echter hoe al die menselijke botten daar beland zijn. Nieuw DNA-onderzoek maakt het mysterie nu nog groter.
Onderzoekers schatten dat er zo’n 500 menselijke skeletten op de bodem van het meer liggen. Het Roopkundmeer ligt langs de route van de Nanda Devi Raj Jat, een beroemd festival en pelgrimstocht. De botten liggen verspreid over de bodem, geen enkel skelet is intact. Tijdens de Tweede Wereldoorlog ontdekte een boswachter bij toeval de spookachtige locatie.
De aanvankelijke hypothese was dat een grote groep mensen getroffen was door een of andere catastrofe, zoals een heel zware storm. DNA-onderzoek van 38 skeletten maakte nu echter komaf met dat idee. Uit de genetische analyse blijkt immers dat de stoffelijke resten afkomstig zijn van afzonderlijke bevolkingsgroepen die op verschillende tijdstippen gedurende een tijdsspanne van ongeveer 1000 jaar aan het meer toekwamen. Dat blijkt uit een studie die werd gepubliceerd in het wetenschappelijk tijdschrift Nature Communications.
“We ontdekten dat de geschiedenis van het Roopkundmeer complexer is dan we ooit hadden gedacht”, zegt geneticus David Reich van de Harvard Medical School.
ShutterstockHet meer ligt vol met menselijke beenderen.
Verschillende origine
Tien jaar geleden onderzocht Kumarasamy Thangaraj, een geneticus van het CSIR Centrum voor Cellulaire en Moleculaire Biologie in India, het DNA van 72 skeletten uit het meer. Hij stelde vast dat sommige beenderen een lokale Indiase origine hadden, maar andere niet. Zo bleken sommige botten van Zuidoost-Aziatische afkomst te zijn.
Een internationaal team van een 25-tal archeologen, genetici en andere specialisten vergeleek nu het DNA van 38 skeletten uit het meer. Zij stelden vast dat de botten afkomstig waren van drie verschillende groepen: de grootste groep bestond uit 23 individuen met DNA dat vergelijkbaar is met dat van leden van de huidige Indiase bevolking.
Middellandse Zee
Het DNA van de tweede grootste groep, 14 individuen, bleek tot hun verbazing vergelijkbaar te zijn met dat van mensen die vandaag leven in Kreta en Griekenland. Het laatste individu had DNA dat wees op een Zuidoost-Aziatische afkomst.
“We waren bijzonder verrast door de genetica van de Roopkundskeletten”, zegt evolutiebioloog Éadaoin Harney van de Universiteit van Harvard. “De aanwezigheid van individuen met een afkomst die typisch in verband gebracht wordt met het oosten van het Middellandse Zeegebied suggereert dat Roopkund Lake niet alleen lokaal een belangrijke plek was, maar bezoekers aantrok uit de hele wereld.”
Tijdspanne van 1000 jaar
Nog verrassender was de aankomst van de groepen. Uit koolstofdatering blijkt dat de botten van Indiase afkomst dateren van de zevende tot de tiende eeuw. De twee andere groepen, uit het Middellandse Zeegebied en Zuidoost-Azië, dateren van tussen de 17de en 20ste eeuw.
De kans bestaat dat er in het meer nog niet nader onderzochte botten liggen die afkomstig zijn uit andere tijden en regio’s. De wetenschappers hopen nu dat verder onderzoek zal uitwijzen wat deze individuen naar het meer bracht en hoe ze aan hun einde kwamen.
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'Storm Area 51' event pushes rural Nevada county to declare emergency
'Storm Area 51' event pushes rural Nevada county to declare emergency
Ed Komenda Reno Gazette Journal
LAS VEGAS, Nev. – Commissioners in Nevada's rural Lincoln County have voted to pre-sign an emergency declaration ahead of the "Storm Area 51" raid event that's so far drawn more than 2 million RSVPs on Facebook.
On Monday, the county board unanimously voted, 4-0, to approve the declaration in preparation for a mysterious affair that could draw thousands of curious visitors to the desert.
"We passed this with the caveat that this may or may not happen," said District D Commissioner Kevin Phillips. "We're just trying to do the best we can to prepare for something we know not of. We have no pickin' idea what we're going to face – if anything."
California resident Matty Roberts created the event – called "Storm Area 51, They Can't Stop All of Us" – in June after listening to an episode of the Joe Rogan Experience podcast. The tongue-in-cheek event scheduled for Sept. 20 quickly generated millions of accepted invitations.
Lincoln County is home to the town of Rachel, the self-proclaimed "UFO Capital of the World," located on State Route 375 – dubbed in 1996 the "Extraterrestrial Highway."
The actual Area 51 site is a classified military facility set inside a test and training range roughly the size of Connecticut. Intrigue surrounding the impenetrable desert compound for decades has fueled conspiracy theories and local lore about what exactly goes on there.
'See them aliens': Nearly 400K people have signed up for Facebook event to 'storm' Area 51
'Unified curiosity': After 'Storm Area 51' gets 2 million RSVPs, its creator announces alien-themed music fest
But it’s a mystery that’s now driving an unknown number of unknown people from unknown corners of the country to the Nevada hinterlands. Lincoln County leaders are using this preemptive emergency declaration as a beacon to state officials that there’s a chance more people will show up than local authorities can handle.
An emergency declaration allows the state to supply resources in the event the outpost of 5,200 people needs help.
"It's a smart chess play," Phillips said.
Air Force spokeswoman Laura McAndrews said in a statement to USA TODAY that military officials were aware of the event that aims to uncover what many people believe are conspiratorial secrets of the military installation in Nevada.
McAndrews didn't specify any security plans at the base, but she did warn those thinking of entering the area.
"The Nevada Test and Training Range is an area where the Air Force tests and trains combat aircraft," McAndrews said. "Any attempt to illegally access military installations or military training areas is dangerous."
Noodtoestand afgekondigd om bestorming Area 51. Hoe Nevada zich voorbereidt op een menigte waarheidszoekers
Noodtoestand afgekondigd om bestorming Area 51. Hoe Nevada zich voorbereidt op een menigte waarheidszoekers
In Lincoln County in Nevada is uit voorzorg de noodtoestand afgekondigd in verband met de verwachte bestorming van Area 51.
Al meer dan twee miljoen mensen hebben zich aangemeld voor het Facebookevenement ‘Bestorm Area 51’ in september. Nog eens 1,5 miljoen mensen zijn geïnteresseerd.
Het is goed mogelijk dat duizenden nieuwsgierigen zullen afreizen naar de woestijn. Veel motels zijn al volgeboekt.
UFO-hoofdstad van de wereld
“We proberen ons zo goed mogelijk voor te bereiden op iets waar we niets over weten,” zei bestuurslid Kevin Phillips.
Matty Roberts uit Californië maakte het evenement in juni aan nadat hij een aflevering van de podcast van Joe Rogan had bekeken.
Het begon in eerste instantie als grap, maar de aanmeldingen bleven maar binnenstromen.
In Lincoln County bevindt zich Rachel, de zelfverklaarde ‘UFO-hoofdstad van de wereld’.
Niet zonder gevaar
De nabijgelegen militaire basis Area 51 wordt al decennia met complottheorieën omgeven. Zo zouden er onder meer UFO’s en lichamen van aliens worden bewaard.
Woordvoerster van de Amerikaanse luchtmacht Laura McAndrews zei tegen USA Today dat legerfunctionarissen op de hoogte zijn van het evenement.
Ze waarschuwde mensen om het gebied niet te betreden.
“De Nevada Test and Training Range is een gebied waar de luchtmacht gevechtstoestellen test,” zei McAndrews.
“Het betreden van militaire installaties of militaire trainingsgebieden is niet zonder gevaar,” voegde ze toe.
‘Biofluorescent World’ may not have the same cachet as Jurassic World, but it may be closer to reality … and it just might be the place where we finally find extraterrestrial life forms. A new study proposes that the exoplanets with the highest probability of hosting life forms are often hit with heavy doses of ultraviolet radiation and life there may develop the same protective mechanism that some undersea coral use on Earth to protect themselves – biofluorescence. The end result would be that these life forms would glow in soft blues, greens and other colors that could easily be picked up by telescopes trained to look for them. Will the catchphrase of the inevitable remake of everyone’s favorite extraterrestrial movie be “ET, put on a shade!”?
“Our first targets in the search for signs of life are orbiting nearby M stars, such as the planets in the Proxima Centauri, Ross-128, LHS-1140, and TRAPPIST-1 systems.”
In the latest edition of the Monthly Notices of the Royal Astronomical Society, Jack O’Malley-James, a research associate at the Cornell Center for Astrophysics and Planetary Science, describes how he and co-author Lisa Kaltenegger from the Cornell astronomy department decided where to look for glowing aliens. Those four M-stars are spot. Especially when they’re already peering at M-type stars. Also known as red dwarfs, those are the most common stars in our universe, and they happen to host a lot of planets in their Goldilocks zone.
Unfortunately for any planets orbiting them, they also emit solar flares that can engulf these planets with ultraviolet radiation, especially if they’re in the Goldilocks zone where life is most likely to develop. As the saying goes – if the radiation doesn’t kill it, it will make it stronger … or at least adaptable to it. That’s what some forms of coral do in shallow waters – absorb blue and ultraviolet photons and re-emitting them at longer wavelengths which just happen to be fluorescent. That’s bioflorescence — the emission of light by a substance that has absorbed light of a shorter wavelength. (FYI: bioluminescence is a chemical reaction that generates light and is independent of radiation.)
“If you and I would have evolved on such a world, we would probably glow too, as that would have had advantages in survival.”
Kaltenegger’s point in LiveScience is logical, but would there be enough of us glowing brightly so that we could be seen by telescopes in other solar systems? Possibly, if enough of us and all of the other life forms on Earth were biofluorescent. Of course, that’s not the case since we have an atmosphere that blocks most of the rays from us (and sunblock for the rest). O’Malley-James and Kaltenegger are hoping that planets orbiting nearby red dwarfs in their Goldilock zones will have enough bioflourcent beings to light up the planet, even briefly, so that one of our telescopes can pick it up. One of our future telescopes, that is. Our current models can’t pick it up – or they would have already.
What about when life forms from these glowing planets send their ships to Earth? Will we be able to spot them at night? Will they look at our pitiful non-glowing bodies with disdain?
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Incoming: Is Earth About to GetStruck by the Big One?
Incoming: Is Earth About to Get Struck by the Big One?
How many headlines have we seen lately talking about space rocks, you know asteroids or meteors the size of something fierce? Well, today is no exception for those of you paying attention.
CHILLING footage has emerged of the European Space Agency (ESA) dealing with the hypothetical imminent threat of an asteroid hurtling towards Earth.!
Asteroids capable of destroying cities on Earth have the potential to slip through NASA satellites, giving humans just days to prepare. As a result, scientists at the ESA concerned about the threat to Europe are launching a new £915,000 telescope in the next week. Flyeye will be able to scan space and identify any possible objects heading to Earth, giving enough time to plan accordingly.
Planet X Nibiru Is Heading Towards Earth And Will End All Life ( NASA Warning: After 7 Days, North America will Shake Strongly When Pole Shift Takes Place )
Planet X Nibiru Is Heading Towards Earth And Will End All Life ( NASA Warning: After 7 Days, North America will Shake Strongly When Pole Shift Takes Place )
A NASA paper suggests that Planet Nibiru exist and it could have deadly consequences for the planet.
A NASA paper which was originally published in 1988 is said to reveal that there is a mysterious unnamed planet beyond the tiny ice planet of Pluto. It is believed by many that the Planet X referred to by NASA could be the fabled Planet Nibiru which many thinks could be the initiator of a major, imminent apocalyptic event for the people of Earth.
The cataclysmic event will be caused by the sheer force of gravitational strength
The study in question concerned observations on gravitational influences on a group of celestial objects which were referred to as “extreme trans-Neptunian objects” (ETNOs). Planet X or Planet Nibiru was said to be much larger than Earth and has a considerably longer orbital period. Best estimates by NASA suggested that the orbital period of the planet spanned a remarkable three thousand six hundred years.
Planet “X” Nibiru also was known as Planet Nine
This previously concealed study has suggested to many people that NASA and the United States government have been aware of the presence of Planet Nibiru for many years and that they are also away from the catastrophic effects its gravitational power could have for life on planet Earth. The secret NASA files apparently reveal that Planet Nine has disrupted the orbits of other planets in its orbital period and that it is imminently about to enter a disruptive passage into the inner solar system.
Currently, it is thought that the planet is emitting waves of ‘plasmatic energy particles’ which will eventually come to disrupt the core flows of Earth. This disruption is likely to trigger huge and catastrophic changes in the Earth’s climate. It is thought that the effects of the Planet Nibiru can already be felt on Earth in the form of increased seismic and volcanic activity, bizarre weather patterns and an uptick in natural disasters. Disturbingly, it is believed that this freak meteorological activity will become much worse before coming to a head at the end of the year.
Planet Niribu which will cause a pole shift
It is thought that this cataclysmic event will be caused by the sheer force of gravitational strength by Planet Niribu which will cause a pole shift on the planet Earth. This will lead to approximately two-thirds of the human population being wiped out. It is also estimated that a further two-thirds of those who survive will perish over the next six months due to starvation and exposure to the elements. It is said that this has been common knowledge among NASA personnel and officers within the Pentagon and the CIA for quite some time. However, these government agencies have elected to keep this information concealed from the public in a bid to subdue the panic that this event will undoubtedly cause.
Confused birds changing direction in the sky, asteroids falling to the earth, compasses flipping direction.It all sounds like doomsday –or at the very least random chaos, which may all be caused by the imminent shifting of the North and South Pole – so scientists say.According to research and data sets collated by European Space Agency satellites called Swarm, the Earth’s magnetic field has been weakening. This has meant big weak spots over the Western Hemisphere while the field has been strengthened over the Indian Ocean. One explanation given for this was that the poles were getting ready to flip. Hence compasses that once pointed north, would now point south.
Scientists understand that Earth’s magnetic field has flipped its polarity many times over the millennia. In other words, if you were alive about 800,000 years ago, and facing what we call north with a magnetic compass in your hand, the needle would point to ‘south.’ This is because a magnetic compass is calibrated based on Earth’s poles. The N-S markings of a compass would be 180 degrees wrong if the polarity of today’s magnetic field were reversed. Many doomsday theorists have tried to take this natural geological occurrence and suggest it could lead to Earth’s destruction. But would there be any dramatic effects? The answer, from the geologic and fossil records we have from hundreds of past magnetic polarity reversals, seems to be ‘no.’
Reversals are the rule, not the exception. Earth has settled in the last 20 million years into a pattern of a pole reversal about every 200,000 to 300,000 years, although it has been more than twice that long since the last reversal. A reversal happens over hundreds or thousands of years, and it is not exactly a clean back flip. Magnetic fields morph and push and pull at one another, with multiple poles emerging at odd latitudes throughout the process. Scientists estimate reversals have happened at least hundreds of times over the past three billion years. And while reversals have happened more frequently in “recent” years, when dinosaurs walked Earth a reversal was more likely to happen only about every one million years.
Sediment cores taken from deep ocean floors can tell scientists about magnetic polarity shifts, providing a direct link between magnetic field activity and the fossil record. The Earth’s magnetic field determines the magnetization of lava as it is laid down on the ocean floor on either side of the Mid-Atlantic Rift where the North American and European continental plates are spreading apart. As the lava solidifies, it creates a record of the orientation of past magnetic fields much like a tape recorder records sound. The last time that Earth’s poles flipped in a major reversal was about 780,000 years ago, in what scientists call the Brunhes-Matuyama reversal. The fossil record shows no drastic changes in plant or animal life. Deep ocean sediment cores from this period also indicate no changes in glacial activity, based on the amount of oxygen isotopes in the cores. This is also proof that a polarity reversal would not affect the rotation axis of Earth, as the planet’s rotation axis tilt has a significant effect on climate and glaciation and any change would be evident in the glacial record.
Earth’s polarity is not a constant. Unlike a classic bar magnet, or the decorative magnets on your refrigerator, the matter governing Earth’s magnetic field moves around. Geophysicists are pretty sure that the reason Earth has a magnetic field is because its solid iron core is surrounded by a fluid ocean of hot, liquid metal. This process can also be modeled with supercomputers. Ours is, without hyperbole, a dynamic planet. The flow of liquid iron in Earth’s core creates electric currents, which in turn create the magnetic field. So while parts of Earth’s outer core are too deep for scientists to measure directly, we can infer movement in the core by observing changes in the magnetic field. The magnetic north pole has been creeping northward – by more than 600 miles (1,100 km) – since the early 19th century, when explorers first located it precisely. It is moving faster now, actually, as scientists estimate the pole is migrating northward about 40 miles per year, as opposed to about 10 miles per year in the early 20th century.
Another doomsday hypothesis about a geomagnetic flip plays up fears about incoming solar activity. This suggestion mistakenly assumes that a pole reversal would momentarily leave Earth without the magnetic field that protects us from solar flares and coronal mass ejections from the sun. But, while Earth’s magnetic field can indeed weaken and strengthen over time, there is no indication that it has ever disappeared completely. A weaker field would certainly lead to a small increase in solar radiation on Earth – as well as a beautiful display of aurora at lower latitudes – but nothing deadly. Moreover, even with a weakened magnetic field, Earth’s thick atmosphere also offers protection against the sun’s incoming particles.
The science shows that magnetic pole reversal is – in terms of geologic time scales – a common occurrence that happens gradually over millennia. While the conditions that cause polarity reversals are not entirely predictable – the north pole’s movement could subtly change direction, for instance – there is nothing in the millions of years of geologic record to suggest that any of the 2020 doomsday scenarios connected to a pole reversal should be taken seriously.
An alternative computer model, a Hyderabad computer model, predicted the polar shifts and also that it may cause serious problems making the earth unsustainable or unsuitable to live in with the increased tectonic activity, the weakening of immune systems of animals and increased cosmic radiation. Because when the polar shift happens, there is a point at which the Earth’s magnetic field reaches zero Gauss i.e. zero magnetism. Coinciding with the sun’s polar reversal, which happens on an eleven-year cycle, is likely to cause huge problems. Beyond all the doomsday talk, there is a serious consequence that every time polar shift does happen, the magnetic field depletes, the only thing protecting us from harmful solar rays. It has been depleting at an alarming rate over the last couple of centuries, every time there is a move in the current of the iron core. This may lead to massive ozone holes, which apparently was responsible for the extinction of the dinosaurs.What can we do to prepare apart from increased sun block?
The rule has also been that with every pole reversal, catastrophe hits the earth – whole species go into extinction, earthquakes and other natural disasters ensue – what’s to say that another major shift in the poles will not trigger cataclysm or is not in fact already happening. The pole shift will cause major shifts in the tectonic plates and in the current climate and onslaught of incidents – all signs point north . . or south now.
So whether we face a future of increasing blackouts or declining consumption, the climbing costs of keeping the lights on means more of us might be switching off. But clearly that doesn’t need to be the final verdict: increasing investments in installing smart grids now could prepare us for increased electricity demand in the future.
Hopefully before another major solar event happens, we might at least have the ability to anticipate it. To, at least, mitigate damages, people could be informed of the exact time and nature of the event, lessening panic and chaos. They could also be instructed to stay off the roads, airlines could be entirely shut down, and protective structures could be created/used (or there might be ways for people to maximize safety at home). While these actions wouldn’t ensure safety, being informed would be the key to recovering from the event. NASA is also aware of the potential problems, and is actively researching solutions. The agency says:
[Space weather] is a problem the same way hurricanes are a problem. One can protect oneself with advance information and proper precautions. During a hurricane watch, a homeowner can stay put … or he can seal up the house, turn off the electronics and get out of the way. Similarly, scientists at NASA and NOAA give warnings to electric companies, spacecraft operators and airline pilots before a CME comes to Earth so that these groups can take proper precautions.
Ring-shaped UFO flying over Adirondack Mountains, New York
Ring-shaped UFO flying over Adirondack Mountains, New York
On August 1, 2019 I was fishing with two friends at the Hudson River in the Adirondacks. We thought we were alone, but suddenly there was a large crowd of people in rafts coming down the river as well as a pedal-driven train tour along the railroad tracks.
My friend took a picture of the crowd. We did not see anything unusual at the time, but on looking at one of the pictures later, there is a very strange image in the upper right hand corner. It appears to show a possible ring-shaped object flying over the bridge, with a jet trail or something behind it.
I am a paranormal investigator with the TAPS Family, so my friend sent it to me for my opinion. I was there when it was taken, and I know that it has not been modified in any way.
The only thing I can come up with for a natural explanation is that it could possibly be a water droplet on the lens, just causing a very strange light reflection.
But I thought you guys would have more experience looking at such photos than I so I would be interested in your opinion.
We checked all the other photos taken at the time and there are no other such anomalies. There is no photo taken directly after this one, but one taken right before has nothing on the lens. Mufon case 102827.
Glowing Fireball UFO Shoots Out Mysterious Orb Over Egyptian Pyramid
Glowing Fireball UFO Shoots Out Mysterious Orb Over Egyptian Pyramid
The aerial object in the video is not something that can be generally seen across the sky, but opinions differ over whether it is the product of intelligent aliens or a natural phenomenon.
The footage of the UFO sighting was reportedly recorded over the pyramids of Egypt. It has caused bizarre claims, including from people who believe that the real builder of the pyramid had returned to check out their creation.
It shows a glowing white fireball streaking across the sky reportedly above an Egyptian pyramid when a white orb appears to suddenly shoot off and move in the opposite direction from the space rock.
A tourist reportedly recorded the video and uploaded it to the Chinese YouTube channel Bizarre World back in June.
Most commenters suggest that it is a flying saucer, but there are others who believe that it’s a fragment of a meteor.
The UFO streaks across the sky and part of it shoots out another white orb, which seemingly travels in the opposite direction. It looks to some UFO enthusiasts that intelligent beings who built the pyramids were doing a flyby to check on them.
Russia's Skybot F-850: "Not a Terminator" but a space robot, and will launch to the International Space Station on a Soyuz space capsule in August 2019.
When a Russian Soyuz spacecraftlaunches from Kazakhstan for the International Space Station tomorrow night, it will carry a single, if strange, passenger — a humanoid robot, sitting in the commander's chair of the crew capsule.
The robot, dubbed Skybot F-850, is one of the latest versions of Russia's FEDOR robots, which have been developed as an all-purpose stand-in for humans in everything from rescue work to driving cars — and now, flying into space.
It's the first time that a robot will take the commander's place in a Soyuz — the Skybot will monitor and report on conditions during the otherwise uncrewed flight, including the forces on the spacecraft as it enters orbit and the start of zero gravity.
Russia's humanoid The Skybot F-850 can act autonomously, or mimic the actions of a human controller.
(Image credit: Androidnaya Technika)
Russia has been developing the FEDOR robots since 2014. Bloshenko said the Skybot version that will fly to the ISS is made from robust materials designed to withstand vibrations during the launch and the demands of operating in space.
Special movement algorithms have also been installed and the actions of the Skybot will be purposefully limited to ensure that it doesn't cause any damage to the ISS by accident, he said.
Artificial intelligence allows the Skybot to move and act autonomously, or it can work in "avatar" mode under the control of an operator wearing a full-body "control suit," Bloshenko said.
The robot's humanoid design, and in particular its advanced robot hands, allow it to work with standard "human" tools: Videos show it walking, turning a valve, unlocking a door, and working a fire extinguisher, an electric drill and a gas torch for welding.
Videos of the robot have shown it driving a car and a quad bike — and even, on one notable occasion in 2017, firing two automatic pistols at targets on a gun range.
That prompted then Deputy Prime Minister Dmitry Rogozin to insist Russia was not developing robots as weapons: "We are not creating a Terminator, but artificial intelligence that will be of great practical significance in various fields," he wrote on Twitter.
Russia's space agency Roscosmos says the Skybot F-850 will serve as a "social companion" for human crew on the International Space Station.
(Image credit: Androidnaya Technika)
The Skybot F-850 may be the first Russian robot on the ISS, but NASA and the European Space Agency (ESA) have been working with robots on the space station for several years already.
NASA's Robonaut 2, a humanoid without legs designed to work alongside astronauts, flew to the ISS in 2011 and performed well until 2014 — but it started having problems after that and was brought back to earth in 2018. It's now being updated, and is expected to return to the ISS next year.
Meanwhile, ESA's roughly spherical "social robot," CIMON — which stands for Crew Interactive Mobile Companion — has flown on the ISS since 2018.
CIMON is designed to recognize faces, take photographs and video, and help astronauts communicate with IBM's natural-language processing computer, Watson, here on Earth.
The most advanced robots on the ISS arrived earlier this year, with NASA's Astrobee project.
Two of the cube-like, free-flying robots were flown to the ISS in April, with a third due next month. They are designed to take over from the venerable SPHERES satellites, which have flown on the ISS for over 10 years as an experimental hardware platform.
But the replacement Astrobees are a lot smarter than SPHERES, and they will serve as payload carriers for experiments. In due course they may take over some routine tasks on the ISS, such as instrument surveys and carrying out inventories of equipment.
"Crew time will always be a precious resource during crewed spaceflight," Maria Bualat, the Astrobee project manager,told Space.com. "Assistant robots like Astrobee or Robonaut or the new Russian humanoid are going to help free up astronaut time by taking over some of the repetitive or even dangerous tasks that the crew must currently do."
While the current generation of ISS robots, including the Astrobees and Skybot, were designed to work only inside the ISS, development work was being carried out on robots that could work on the outside, in space itself, she said.
"If you have, like, an external robot, then you can maybe do some repair work, like repairing an external leak without having astronauts suit up and perform an EVA [extravehicular activity]," Bualat said. "So it can also make it safer for astronauts."
Viruses, ET and the octopus from space: the return of panspermia
Viruses, ET and the octopus from space: the return of panspermia
A major paper revives the oft-mocked theory that life on Earth began in a rain of cosmic microbes. Stephen Fleischfresser reports.
The search for ET, say researchers, could start and end with the octopus.
VIZERSKAYA/GETTY IMAGES
The peer-reviewed journal Progress in Biophysics and Molecular Biology recently published a most remarkable scientific paper. With 33 authors from a wide range of reputable universities and research institutes, the paper makes a seemingly incredible claim. A claim that if true, would have the most profound consequences for our understanding of the universe. Life, the paper argues, did not originate on the planet Earth.
The response?
Near silence.
The reasons for this are as fascinating as the evidence and claims advanced by the paper itself. Entitled Cause of the Cambrian Explosion – Terrestrial or Cosmic?, the publication revives a controversial idea concerning the origin of life, an idea stretching back to Ancient Greece, known as panspermia.
The scientific orthodoxy concerning the origin of life is called abiogenesis. This suggests that at some point in the earth’s early history, conditions were favourable for the creation of complex organic chemistry that, in turn, led to the self-organisation of the first primitive life forms.
Much is understood about the process, but exactly how information came to be coded in nucleic acids (DNA and RNA) to form the system of genetic inheritance and expression, and how this transformed into life itself, remains unknown. The other slightly uncomfortable aspect of the abiogenic account is that it seems to take place in a surprisingly short amount of time. The theory requires that the "primordial soup" from which self-replicating RNA emerged formed within an 800 million year period following the stabilisation of the Earth's crust, a timeframe some researchers think is too narrow.
Despite its drawbacks and lack of detail, abiogenesis is the consensus, the only plausible hypothesis for the origin of life.
The panspermia hypothesis, however, disputes nearly every aspect of this story.
Of the 33 authors, Edward Steele and Chandra Wickramasinghe are the most well-known.
Steele, an Australian immunologist, has a history as something of a maverick. He has long championed the idea of inheritance of acquired characteristics, a theory first aired by Jean-Baptiste Lamarck, the French evolutionist prior to Darwin.
Although the latter much admired Lamarck’s work, most scientists have since discarded it. In 1979, Steele took a contrary position, advocating a neo-Lamarckian idea known as “somatic selection hypothesis", published in 1979. The later advent of epigenetics, and the discovery of horizontal gene transfer (HGT) in numerous microbial organisms have somewhat restored Lamarck’s tarnished reputation, with some biologists suggesting HGT represents "a form of (quasi)Lamarkian inheritance".
Wickramasinghe is a famed astronomer and astrobiologist with an illustrious career. He has held a string of professorships at Universities in both England and Sri Lanka, and has more than 70 publications in Nature.
One of his more notable contributions, along with his long-time collaborator, the late Sir Fred Hoyle, was the hypothesis that interstellar dust was partly made up of organic molecules, which Wickramasinghe went on to confirm experimentally. This finding prompted him to become a lifelong advocate of the panspermia hypothesis, publishing numerous papers on the topic.
Hoyle thus exerts a posthumous influence over the new paper. Originally Wickramasinghe’s PhD supervisor, he was an odd mix of genius and far-out ideas: he formulated the notion of stellar nucleosynthesis, the now well-established theory that says all elements heavier than helium are created through fusion in the hearts of stars. He also thought that the famous Archaeopteryx fossil, transitional between dinosaurs and birds, was a manufactured fake.
Astronauts working on the exterior of the International Space Station, which research has found to be covered in bacteria.
NASA/SCIENCE SOURCE
Hoyle and Wickramasinghe developed the model of panspermia at the centre of the recent study. The new paper is a review of “the key experimental and observational data gathered over the past 60 years”, write the authors, “consistent with or predicted by the Hoyle-Wickramasinghe (H-W) thesis of Cometary (Cosmic) Biology”.
The H-W model holds, the authors state, “that life was seeded here on Earth by life-bearing comets as soon as conditions on Earth allowed it to flourish (at or just before 4.1 billion years ago); and living organisms such as space-resistant and space-hardy bacteria, viruses, more complex eukaryotic cells and organisms, … perhaps even fertilised ova and plant seeds, may have been continuously delivered ever since to Earth helping to drive further the progress of terrestrial biological evolution.”
In other words, the researchers suggest that abiogenesis did not happen on Earth and the main source of genetic novelty is not caused by the selection of naturally occurring advantageous mutations, but rather comes from a rain of extra-terrestrial living matter that integrates itself, via neo-Lamarckian mechanisms such as horizontal gene transfer, into the genomes of terrestrial life.
Beyond this, the model also postulates that various epidemics are caused by the arrival of viruses from space and that extra-terrestrial retroviruses drove the Cambrian explosion.
Not to mention that the octopus might well be an alien.
One might be tempted to laugh, if it weren’t for the volume of titillating evidence they present, and the nagging worry that the naysayers have been wrong before. For decades everyone knew, for example, that continents didn’t just go drifting about the place. Until they did.
But just because theories seen as crackpot by the scientific establishment have later been vindicated does not necessarily mean that is the case here.
The proof advanced “would support an extra-terrestrial origin of life,” writes commentator and evolutionary scientist Keith Baverstock from the University of Eastern Finland, puts it in the same issue of the journal, but is “not evidence that could not be explained in any other terms." In other words, the argument advanced by Steel and colleagues in plausible, but not convincing.
Nonetheless, the paper has withstood a year of intense peer review. As Steele points out to Cosmos, “It has thus passed some severe and tortuous tests already.” The tension between the evidence and the claims based on it make for uneasy reading.
Just as the field of Alzheimer’s research ponders if its main theory of many decades is wrong, perhaps it is worth entertaining a quaint notion: what if panspermia is right?
The paper is remarkable in tone. Far from the cautious claims of normal scientific literature, it is almost triumphant. “The consistency with panspermia of a vast swathe of new data,” Wickramasinghe tells Cosmos, “often entailing new and unexpected developments of technology, over the past four decades have given us the confidence to adopt this tone.”
The evidence is enough to back their confidence, fascinating and detailed. Central to their paper, and indeed their model of panspermia, is the action of viruses, retroviruses, in particular, and much of the evidence presented revolves around them.
Retroviruses are fiendishly clever. They are the foremost practitioners of horizontal gene transfer, integrating their own genetic material into the genome of the infected host to produce more viruses.
Intriguingly, if they infect germline cells, sperm or ova, for example, then the organism will transmit the integrated retrovirus, known as a provirus, to their descendants. In other words, the acquired genetic material becomes part of the offspring’s inheritance. It’s a solidly Lamarckian mechanism and Steele’s own somatic selection hypothesis is based on such viral capacities.
This ability to affect the genetic makeup of their hosts makes viruses a force to be reckoned with. As a group of researchers, led by microbiologist Matthew B Sullivan, wrote in 2016, “viruses modulate the function and evolution of all living things, but to what extent remains a mystery.”
And the truth is there are a lot of viruses around.
Virologist Curtis Suttle from the University of British Columbia in Canada and his colleagues last year published the first research into the number of viruses being deposited from the atmosphere. The amount is staggering, possibly billions a day for every square metre of the earth. Viruses are puissant and ubiquitous.
Steele and colleagues seem to have been finally spurred to action by new virological data connecting viruses and evolution.
In 2017 Pakorn Aiewsakun and Aris Katzourakis from the University of Oxford in the UK published a paper in Nature Communications that concluded that “retroviruses emerged together with their vertebrate hosts in the ocean” at least 460 million years ago. They also established that the two entities demonstrate patterns of co-speciation: as the host organisms transform into new species, their viral counterparts similarly transform. This, claim Steele and colleagues, is a key prediction of the H-W panspermia hypothesis.
Steele and colleagues derive two points from Aiewsakun and Katzourakis’ findings.
The first is that viruses are successful only because they have evolved to make use of the host’s cellular machinery and genetic regulatory make-up – that is, they are “in touch with the whole of the cell’s very ability to grow and divide to produce progeny cells and to evolve”. Given this, evidence that retroviruses emerged at the same time as, and co-speciated with, their hosts, simply doesn’t add up. Retroviruses are carefully adapted to the stable make-up of their target hosts and such co-variance just shouldn’t happen.
The second point is that the emergence of these retroviruses barely predates the Cambrian Explosion, a period in which sudden and unparalleled biological diversity and complexity appeared on Earth. They also emerge not long after a mass extinction event at the end of the Ediacaran period, 542 million years ago.
Panspermia accounts for all this, the authors explain, thus: the Ediacaran extinction was most likely brought about by comets that brought with them complex retroviruses. The retroviruses were the main driver of the Cambrian explosion. They integrated themselves into the genomes of countless terrestrial species, introducing novel genetic material which resulted in an explosion of diversification of living forms.
They integrated so quickly and easily, without the need or time to evolve to the target host’s genetic make-up, because they arrived already primed to do so. This is because the H-W panspermia hypothesis posits a cosmic biology, in which, write the researchers, “the entire galaxy (and perhaps a local group of galaxies) constitutes a single connected biosphere”. All life, both terrestrial and extra-terrestrial, is related, according to this view, as all life comes from the greater biosphere in which genetic material in the “cosmic gene pool” is readily shared. There is an underlying biochemical unity of all life, differing only in which isotopes of essential elements life from different parts of the universe might use.
One of the loudest champions of panspermia theory, the late astronomer, Fred Hoyle.
DAVID LEVENSON/GETTY IMAGES
As Wickramasinghe puts it, “Our point of view is that in the context of an interconnected cosmic biosphere involving at least 100 billion habitable exoplanets in our galaxy alone, and with continuing exchanges of biomaterial, large scale HGT including exchanges of complex genetic packages in the form of viruses, seeds, bacteria is unavoidable.”
One of the reasons for adopting panspermia, he explains, is the “superastronomically improbable transition from non-life to life”.
The idea that abiogenesis occurred on the cosmically insignificant earth in an awkwardly short amount of time strikes him as improbable, at best.
“The choice between life originating on Earth against manifestly insuperable odds,” he says, “and an origin in the connected volume of a large part of the almost infinite universe is a simple binary choice. We chose the most probable.”
Steele and colleagues argue that abiogenesis is deeply unlikely here on earth and that “it is many orders of magnitude more likely that it emerged in one of the trillions of comet-like incubators or water-bearing planets (cosmic-wide versions of Darwin's 'warm little ponds') at a very early time in the growth of this universe”.
Despite this, Wickramasinghe, Hoyle and Steele have all entertained the notion that there is no need for such a creation story. When asked if there must be abiogenesis at some point, somewhere in the universe, Steele replies, “Actually no. If the universe is steady state infinite there is no formal abiogenesis! I am not saying I agree with that. But Big Bang or steady state are so mind-boggling I find both incredible!”
The reason for this, and a common factor amongst the three scientists, is a commitment to, or interest in, the steady state theory of cosmology.
The idea, first put forward by Hoyle and two colleagues in 1948, holds that the universe has no beginning or end and remains the same size. As matter at the outer reaches of the universe loses energy and goes dark, new matter is created.
In this view, biology is as timeless and without origin as the universe itself. Hoyle famously lost the fight over cosmological models to George Gamow and the advocates for the Big Bang. Despite the discovery of cosmic microwave background radiation in 1964, something predicted by Big Bang theory, Hoyle never recanted his beliefs, and the steady state universe seems an underlying presence in the H-W model of panspermia.
The background theories and characters may be unsettling, but they don’t detract from the evidence upon which the paper rests, which must be taken on its own terms. Much of it is peer reviewed, but it is not always as persuasive as billed. Nonetheless, there is a good deal that gives one pause for thought.
For example, when asked why we haven’t found obvious signs of microbial life elsewhere in the solar system, both Steele and Wickramasinghe seem adamant that such evidence has, in fact, been found. Both point to the work of Gilbert Levin, the principal investigator of the 1976 Viking mission to Mars and his colleague Patricia Straat. Viking’s results pointed to something with a metabolism in the Martian soils, but then couldn’t detect any organic material. The result is interesting, but inconclusive.
The authors also insist fossil microbes have already been found in various meteorites, including the famous Murchison meteorite that fell in Victoria, Australia, in 1969. While they point to refereed journal articles for support, it seems the jury is still out. Once again, the evidence is tantalising but not conclusive.
More recently, traces of seemingly biological carbon deposits have been found in rocks predating the emergence of life, during a period of heavy comet and asteroid bombardment. The authors see this as evidence of life carried to earth, but, as Baverstock suggests, there are other reasons such carbon might be there.
More intriguing is the discovery of bacteria and microbes in unlikely places, such as the stratosphere, 30 to 40 kilometres above the surface of the planet, and more excitingly on the outside of the International Space Station. In the case of the ISS, contamination has been ruled out and the physics suggests that it is not possible for the microbes to have been lofted up from the earth’s surface.
Just as fascinating are suggestive astronomical findings, such as the Rosetta mission’s discovery of organic compounds on and around the comet 67P/Churyumov-Gerasimenko. This finding coincides nicely with Hoyle and Wickramasinghe’s demonstration that interstellar dust is partly made of organic molecules.
Perhaps the most intriguing astronomical evidence of all is that which converted Steele to the panspermia hypothesis.
A development from the research into organic interstellar dust, the spectrum of light produced as infra-red radiation passes through cosmic dust turns out to have the exact same spectral signature as freeze-dried E. coli bacteria. Steele’s frustration with the scientific community’s indifference to this staggering result is palpable.
“All our knowledge of the universe,” he says, “has been built this way – get the spectrum (emission, absorption) in the laboratory on Earth, then focus the telescope on a cosmic source/object and ask, What is the spectrum or signature? Does it match that found in the Earth-based laboratory?”
The answer? “It is an exact match – you cannot get better than that in science.”
So why has the result largely been passed over as a curiosity? Steele muses, “The situation is reminiscent to the problem Galileo had with the Catholic priests of his time – most refused to look through his telescope to observe the moons of Jupiter.”
Perhaps the most controversial aspect of the new paper concerns the origins of the octopus. The discussion begins, as it so often does in the paper, with some intriguing evidence.
Cephalopods (the group comprising squid, cuttlefish, nautilus and octopus) have a somewhat confusing evolutionary tree, first appearing in the late Cambrian period and seemingly descending from an ancestral primitive nautiloid.
Of these, the octopus is the most striking, with features, such as a complex nervous system, sophisticated eyes and a capacity for camouflage, that appear quite suddenly in its evolution. The genes necessary for this transformation, the authors suggest, are not present in its ancestry. Thus, they hold that “it is plausible then to suggest they seem to be borrowed from a far distant ‘future’ in terms of terrestrial evolution, or more realistically from the cosmos at large.”
Interestingly, the octopus has some real and pervasive biochemical differences from the nautilus, presumably the closest living relative of the former’s ancestor. In particular, there is evidence of extensive changes in the RNA, and thus proteins, found in the neural structures of cephalopods.
These changes have been evolutionarily preserved and are not found to this extent elsewhere in nature, not even in the nautilus. This indicates that a qualitative evolutionary transformation occurred relatively recently and abruptly in behaviourally complex cephalopods. The sheer scale of these changes leads the authors to conclude that it cannot be explained by normal neo-Darwinian processes. Or even Lamarckian processes. And they may have a point.
But here things get weird. “One plausible explanation, in our view, is that the new genes are likely new extraterrestrial imports to Earth – most plausibly as an already coherent group of functioning genes within (say) cryopreserved and matrix protected fertilised octopus eggs,” write the authors. This would “be a parsimonious cosmic explanation for the octopus' sudden emergence on Earth [about] 270 million years ago.”
It’s moments like this that point to the source of the paper’s unease. It lies not with the evidence it presents, but rather the larger conclusions drawn.
The evidence is nonetheless provocative. Taken together it indicates, if nothing else, that there is much we don’t know and that our prevailing scientific orthodoxies will undergo transformations, as all scientific theories do.
The orthodox scientific response is encapsulated in the commentary from the decorated virologist Karin Moelling of the Max Planck Institute Molecular Genetics, in Berlin, and Institute of Medical Microbiology, Zürich, published in the same journal issue.
“So this article is useful, calling for attention, and it is worth thinking about,” she says, “yet the main statement about viruses, microbes and even animals coming to us from space, cannot be taken seriously.”
These kinds of pronouncements have led to the near-radio silence from the media, except for the occasional piece riffing on the theme of space octopuses. Scientific commentary is muted, confused by the tension between the outlandish claims and the peer-reviewed status of the paper.
Maybe we should side with sage advice of the journal’s editor, the renowned British biologist Denis Noble. “The usual mantra ‘further research is needed’ applies even more than usual,” he writes. “In the future, the ideas will surely become testable.”
The authors, too, think this the best course of action. “The whole issue is on the verge of being decided by decisive evidence of extra-terrestrial life being found elsewhere in our solar system,” they conclude.
Instead of dismissing panspermia out of hand, perhaps then, we should just wait for the discoveries that future space probes might bring. Evidence, as always, will be the ultimate decider.
In de studie, uitgevoerd door 33 gerenommeerde wetenschappers, wordt geclaimd dat leven niet op aarde is ontstaan.
En toen bleef het oorverdovend stil.
Heel groot vraagteken
De wetenschappers hebben onderzoek gedaan naar de Cambriaanse explosie, waarin in ongeveer vijf miljoen jaar de evolutie op hol geslagen leek, iets wat tot nu toe wetenschappelijk gezien een heel groot vraagteken was.
Volgens de onderzoekers komt het leven dat indertijd ontstond uit de ruimte.
Ze wijzen erop dat er steeds meer exoplaneten worden ontdekt in de bewoonbare zone rond dwergsterren.
Kometen
De kans is dan ook groot dat er genetische uitwisseling plaatsvindt via aardachtige planeten, klinkt het.
De meeste wetenschappers gaan ervan uit dat het leven op aarde is ontstaan uit niet-levende materie, zoals eenvoudige organische verbindingen. We spreken in dit geval ook wel van abiogenese.
De auteurs van de studie zeggen dat leven via kometen naar de aarde is gebracht. Denk daarbij aan bacteriën, virussen en meer complexe organismen.
Fossielen
De onderzoekers baseren zich op gegevens die in de afgelopen 60 jaar zijn verzameld.
Ze dragen bewijzen aan in de vorm van fossielen van micro-organismen die zijn gevonden in meteorieten en bacteriën die in de bovenste lagen van de atmosfeer zijn ontdekt en die uit de ruimte lijken te komen.
Are Near-Death Experiences Just Comforting Illusions?
Are Near-Death Experiences Just Comforting Illusions?
Verified perception during NDEs suggests they may have some basis in reality.
We all know the classic features of the near-death experience: floating above one’s body, moving through a tunnel toward a bright light, seeing a review of the events of one’s life, meeting the souls of deceased loved ones and possibly even a divine figure, and, in the end, suddenly being thrust back into one’s body.
Surveys indicate that from 4 to 15% of people have had a near-death experience or “NDE” (Gallup and Proctor 1982; Knoblauch et al. 2001; Perera et al. 2005), and most of these people find their lives profoundly changed by the experience (Noyes et al. 2009). Afterward, they are left with the conviction that life does not end with the death of the body, that our souls live on in a realm that transcends the physical reality of daily life.
But is this true? Are NDEs really evidence for the immortality of consciousness, or are they just illusions created by the chemistry of a dying brain, which many people happen to interpret in a comforting way?
As you might expect, this is not an easy question for science to answer, because the realm that NDErs claim to experience—if it does exist—is likely not the sort of thing whose presence we can directly confirm with the aid of a telescope or other physical device. Nevertheless, there are certain aspects of some NDEs that are verifiable.
It has been reported that some NDErs have correctly perceived physical events that they could not have normally seen or heard even if their brains and bodies had been fully functional. A number of such cases have been investigated by various researchers and collected by Titus Rivas, Anny Dirven, and Rudolf H. Smit in their 2016 book The Self Does Not Die.
For instance, in a case reported on by hospice physician John Lerma (2007, 10-12), an 82-year-old man had an NDE in which he floated out of his body in the hospital trauma room. From a position up above the goings-on there, he saw a quarter sitting on the right-hand corner of the eight-foot-high cardiac monitor, a quarter dating from the year 1985. After he was resuscitated, he asked Lerma to go and check whether the quarter was really there, so he could know whether his very affecting spiritual experience was real. Lerma took a ladder and climbed up to look, and there indeed was the 1985 quarter, just as the patient had seen it.
In another case, this one originally recorded by Kenneth Ring and Madelaine Lawrence (1993), a patient described having an NDE in which she was pulled upward through the floors of the hospital until she came up out of the roof. From there, she noticed a red shoe lying on the roof. A skeptical physician later went onto the roof to check and indeed discovered the red shoe she’d described.
Other NDErs have received verification for their perceptions of distant events as diverse as their grandmothers both suddenly taking up smoking(Rivas et al. 2016, 44), their wife and daughter discussing taking cuttings from a unique tree in a hospital courtyard (45), and a leg amputation in a nearby operating theater, which the NDEr described in some detail (59).
In other cases, it has been verified that an NDEr accurately perceived an event that occurred precisely during the period when the NDEr’s heart was stopped and normal brain function had ceased. In fact, Rivas, Dirven, and Smit devote an entire chapter of their book to cases of awareness and perception during cardiac arrest.
One example is the case of a man who saw his dentures being removed and put on a tray on the crash cart. While this event did not happen at any great distance from his body, it occurred while the patient was “ashen gray, with livor mortis (in which blue-black discoloration occurs where blood pools in the lowest areas of the corpse) and blue lips and nails. He exhibited no blood circulation…[and] had no heart rhythm” (Rivas et al. 2016, 63).
As Rivas, Dirven, and Smit make clear, “[d]uring cardiac arrest, the brain activity of the cortex is shut down within an average of about 15 seconds to such an extent that, according to materialists, no complex conscious experiencing can occur after this point” (55). By the time the man who saw his dentures removed was brought into the hospital, he had been in cardiac arrest for a great deal longer than 15 seconds. He had been found “unconscious, stone cold, and apparently clinically dead out in a meadow…. In the ambulance, they tried to resuscitate him, but failed…” (63).
This explains the man's blue appearance when he arrived at the hospital, where his dentures were removed before the renewal of resuscitation efforts. Those resuscitation efforts then took over an hour to be effective enough for the patient to be transmitted to the ICU. And yet, about a week later, the patient spoke to the nurse who had removed his dentures and said that he had seen the nurse place them on the pull-out shelf of a cart with lots of bottles on it, which is exactly what the nurse had done.
Now, do these NDE perceptions prove that all of the other aspects of NDErs’ experiences are accurate—for instance, that they really did meet their deceased loved ones, or that they truly met God? No, they don’t prove this. But they do suggest that NDEs might include contact with reality, even without normal heart or brain function, and that this contact may actually stretch beyond what we are capable of when our bodies are operating normally.
References
Gallup, G., & Proctor, W. (1982). Adventures in immortality: A look beyond the threshold of death. New York: McGraw-Hill.
Knoblauch, H., Schmied, I., & Schnettler, B. (2001). Different kinds of near-death experience: A report on a survey of near-death experiences in Germany. Journal of Near-Death Studies 20(1): 15-29.
Lerma, J. (2007). Into the light: Real life stories about angelic visits, visions of the afterlife, and other pre-death experiences. Pompton Plains, NJ: New Page Books.
Noyes, R., Fenwick, P., Holden, J. M., & Christian, S. R. (2009). Aftereffects of pleasurable Western adult near-death experiences. In J. M. Holden, B. Greyson, and D. James (Eds.), The handbook of near-death experiences: Thirty years of investigation (pp. 41-62). Santa Barbara, CA: Praeger Publishers.
Perera, M., Padmasekara, G., & Belanti, J. (2005). Prevalence of near-death experiences in Australia. Journal of Near-Death Studies 24(2): 109-16.
Ring, K., & Lawrence, M. (1993). Further evidence for veridical perception during near-death experiences. Journal of Near-Death Studies 11(4): 223-9.
Rivas, T., Dirven, A., & Smit, R. H. (2016). The self does not die: Verified paranormal phenomena from near-death experiences (W. Boeke, Trans., J. M. Holden, Ed.). Durham, NC: IANDS Publications.
Zijn bijna-doodervaringen echt of een illusie? Dit zet je ongetwijfeld aan het denken
Zijn bijna-doodervaringen echt of een illusie? Dit zet je ongetwijfeld aan het denken
Bewijzen bijna-doodervaringen dat bewustzijn onsterfelijk is of zijn het illusies die worden voortgebracht door het brein?
Sommige mensen die een bijna-doodervaring hebben gehad, waren getuige van gebeurtenissen die ze normaal gesproken niet konden zien of horen, zelfs als hun brein en lichaam zouden werken.
Zo had een 82-jarige Amerikaanse man een bijna-doodervaring waarbij hij in het ziekenhuis uit zijn lichaam trad.
Kwartje
Zijn aandacht werd getrokken door een kwartje uit 1985 dat hij op de hartbewakingsmachine zag liggen.
Toen hij weer bij kennis kwam, bleek er op de machine inderdaad een kwartje te liggen.
Een andere patiënt werd tijdens een bijna-doodervaring door de verdiepingen van het ziekenhuis getrokken tot ze uitkwam bij het dak.
Schoen
Daar zag ze een schoen liggen.
Een sceptische arts besloot later naar het dak te gaan en trof daar tot zijn verbazing een rode schoen aan.
In een ander geval zag een man van bovenaf hoe zijn kunstgebit werd verwijderd, terwijl hij vlak daarvoor een hartstilstand had gekregen.
De man werd bewusteloos, ijskoud en klinisch dood gevonden in een weiland. In de ambulance werd tevergeefs geprobeerd om hem te reanimeren.
Precies
Pas een uur later slaagden artsen erin om hem bij kennis te brengen.
Een week later zei hij tegen de zuster dat hij had gezien hoe ze zijn kunstgebit had uitgedaan en in een karretje met flessen erop had gelegd. Dat was precies wat de zuster had gedaan.
After Watching This You Will Wonder What Is Going on Underground!
After Watching This You Will Wonder What Is Going on Underground!
Are they living down there, deep under the surface?
With all of these stories of subterranean creatures from all around the world, and missing people in National Parks, ( Missing 411), and all around the world, I believe that there may be some truth behind these stories.
I Have Been A Believer In The ” Hollow Earth” Theory Since The Summer Of 1966!!!!!!! The Christian Bible Even Stated That ” There Were Giants In The Earth In Those Day”s Before The Fallen Angels Matted With The Daughters Of Men And Begat More GIANTS!!!!!!! Is The Earth Full Of Caverns, Portals To Other Dimensions, Hollowed Etc……. Whatever The Truth Is There Is Something To The ” Hollow Earth Theory”!!!!!!!🌬😮🙄😱🤔😱👊🏾L.E.
Asteroid shock: NASA preparing for ‘colossal God of Chaos’ rock to arrive in next 10 years
Asteroid shock: NASA preparing for ‘colossal God of Chaos’ rock to arrive in next 10 years
NASA has begun preparations for the upcoming ‘God of Chaos’ Apophis asteroid which is considered potentially hazardous to Earth as it passes so close to the planet it will be UNDERNEATH TV satellites.
NASA has already begun preparations for the arrival of asteroid 99942 Apophis - dubbed the ‘God of Chaos’ asteroid - which will skim past the earth in 10 years. The asteroid measures 340 meters across and will pass within just 19,000 miles of Earth’s surface. Apophis is one of the largest asteroids to pass so close to the Earth's surface and a collision with the planet has the potential to be devastating for all life on Earth.
The asteroid is set to get closer to the earth than communication and weather satellites in orbit. Most satellites in Earth's orbit are geostationary orbit 36,000 km away (22,236 miles) from the planet.
Apophis is travelling at almost 25,000 mph meaning a slight detour from its trajectory could be catastrophic.
Apophis' size and proximity to Earth have resulted in it being categorised as a Potentially Hazardous Asteroid (PHA) and NASA is keen to learn as much from the asteroid as possible to help prevent further asteroid issues in the future.
NASA scientist are aware that as the asteroid flies by the planet in 2029, its orbit trajectory may also change thus raising fears that in the future the massive rock could collide with the planet.
The rock is expected to shine exceptionally bright in the sky and pick up speed as it flies across the sky in 2029.
NASA have become preparing for the asteroid Apophis passing by the Earth in 2029
(Image: NASA)
The Apophis close approach in 2029 will be an incredible opportunity for science according to NASA scientists
(Image: NASA)
It will be travelling so fast it is will cross the width of the Moon in a minute and be as brightly lit as stars in the night sky.
According to some researchers, the immense size of the rock is not a cause for concern as there is a 1 to 100,000 chance of the asteroid striking the earth.
NASA have begun preparing to study the rock as it flies past earth and insisted it would be a great opportunity for the world to learn more about similar asteroids.
Radar NASA scientist Marina Brozovic said: “The Apophis close approach in 2029 will be an incredible opportunity for science.”
Astronomer Davide Farnocchia added: “We already know that the close encounter with Earth will change Apophis’ orbit.
The asteroid will first be visible to the naked eye in the night sky over the Southern Hemisphere in Australia
(Image: Getty)
Asteroids true value - revealed (Image: EXPRESS)
“But our models also show the close approach could change the way this asteroid spins and it is possible that there will be some surfaces changes, like small avalanches.”
The path of the asteroid as it passes by the planet has also been estimated by scientists.
It will be first visible to the naked eye when it arrives in the night sky over the Southern Hemisphere, shooting across the east coast to the west coast of Australia.
It will continue to make its way around the world, cross the Indian Ocean on its way to the US.
A giant asteroid nicknamed the God of Chaos will be passing dangerously close to Earth very soon and may actually collide with the planet on one of its future trips. Fortunately, we have Elon Musk, Joe Rogan, the Daily Express and NASA on the case … not necessarily in that order (also fortunate). Should we be worried? About the asteroid, I mean.
Let’s start with Joe Rogan, since he gets more publicity that the rest of the parties combined. He tweeted that “asteroid shock” message on August 18 after reading an article in the Daily Express about asteroid 99942 Apophis – which measures 370 meters (.23 miles) in diameter and will make a well-publicized trip very close to Earth (within 19,000 miles away) in 2029. That’s a massive asteroid that would put the dinosaur-killing one to shame, which is why it caused a minor panic when it was discovered in 2004 and a miscalculation gave it a high probability (2.7%) of hitting Earth in 2029 and a higher probability in 2036. The error was found and new calculations reduced the odds on an impact substantially, although it will still be close enough for the best observations ever of an asteroid of that size, both by scientists and Earthlings. However, the nickname God of Chaos is still there, so publications like the Daily Express use it whenever they can, along with simulations showing what kind of damage an impact could do … it’s business, baby.
An illustration of the distance between the Apophis asteroid and Earth at the time of the asteroid’s closest approach. The blue dots are man-made satellites that orbit our planet, and the pink represents the International Space Station.
Elon Musk @elonmusk Great name! Wouldn’t worry about this particular one, but a big rock will hit Earth eventually & we currently have no defense.
Joe Rogan was probably betting that his doobie-smoking buddy Elon Musk would see his tweet, and he was right. As CEO of SpaceX, Musk should know his space stuff and he’s right that Apophis won’t live up to its nickname but another asteroid surely will sometime in the future … perhaps near, perhaps far. However, his assessment that we have “no defense” may not be quite right. While it’s probably true that a completely unexpected asteroid (and we see plenty of them) would leave us defenseless, one as well-known as Apophis with a similar lead time could conceivably be deflected by a current nuclear-tipped rocket or one developed specifically for it. That’s what Elon Musk may have his eye on with his SpaceX rockets. Some people could also be evacuated to Mars or the Moon on his rockets, assuming the upcoming impact was revealed to the public by NASA and world governments – or hidden to avoid panic and financial problems … which is conspiracy theorist Joe Rogan’s area of expertise.
The truth is, NASA is actually looking forward to studying Apophis on its flyby – both to learn more about it and asteroids in general and to get an even better handle on the probability of it hitting Earth in the future, not to mention what signs to look for with other potentially collision-possible near-Earth asteroids.
Apophis (he’s the serpent)
While it’s entertaining to poke fun at Elon Musk, Joe Rogan and the Daily Express, in this case they brought Apophis, asteroids, NASA and the reality of an asteroid impact and asteroid avoidance much brooder attention than they normally get. The only party who might be disappointed in all of this would be Apophis himself – the actual ancient Egyptian god of chaos whose namesake is refusing to live up to his reputation.
People have long speculated on the wonders that might be hidden deep within the Earth’s surface. While so far no one has found dinosaurs, an interior black hole, or a breakaway Nazi civilization, geologists have found evidence for a vast and mysterious reservoir of primordial magma that has been completely undisturbed for more than 4 billion years. They haven’t quite found it yet, but they’ve found some compelling and shiny evidence: a treasure trove of rare super-deep diamonds older than Earth’s moon.
The super-deep diamonds are recognizably different than the well-known diamonds formed at more shallow depths (you know, the ones we’ve been conned into caring about by the De Beers Group) and were discovered when volcanic eruptions in Brazil brought them to the surface. In their paper recently published in Science, researchers say that examining these diamonds has resulted in chemical proof that a magma reservoir which has remained stable and unchanging since the formation of planet Earth does in fact exist. Geochemist Suzette Timmerman of the Australian National University says:
“Diamonds are the hardest, most indestructible natural substance known, so they form a perfect time capsule that provides us a window into the deep Earth.”
Earth’s mantle is the layer that is squeezed between the molten core of our planet and the outer crust (where we live) and is nearly impossible to study. It’s hundreds of miles straight down and not only would it be impossible to drill down there, the heat and pressure would simultaneously crush and boil anything we might send down. We think that the Earth’s mantle is solid, but since the 1980’s there has been speculation that there may be a reservoir of the “primordial soup” that hasn’t been turned over and solidified in the few billion years the planet has been around.
There may be a reservoir of magma older than the Earth’s moon somewhere deep in Earth’s mantle.
The theory is based off isotopes of helium found in volcanic lava. Some volcanic lava has a remarkably high ratio of helium-3 to helium-4. This unusual ratio of helium isotopes is also found in extremely old meteorites that have fallen to Earth, but not in the rock an soil we find up here on the crust. But because the ancient helium signature is only found coming out of the hottest volcanoes, it’s impossible to tell where it originated.
According to researchers, this batch of super-deep diamonds offers proof that the primordial reservoir exists. The diamonds contain trapped remnants of helium that may have been formed before the collision that created the Earth’s moon. According to the researchers, finding the isotopic pattern in these diamonds means that the helium must have come from where the diamonds were formed, or even deeper. According to Tinnerman:
“My research is unique in that it gives the first direct depth constraints on where this primordial reservoir is located (more than 410 km depth), as we know the diamonds formed in the transition zone (410-660 km depth).”
Diamonds are nothing but rock poop, people.
Eargh scientist Matthew Jackson from the University of California Santa Barbara, who was not involved in the research but has studied the helium isotope patterns for decades, believes this is an important step forward. He says:
“This is an interesting result, with a lot of potential to ‘map out’ where elevated 3He/4He domains are located in the Earth’s deep interior
Helium can diffuse rapidly at mantle conditions, so it will be important to evaluate whether the ancient helium signature reflects compositions trapped at diamond-formation depths, or the composition of the host lava that transported to diamonds to the surface.”
It’s amazing how much we’re finding out about the composition of our own planet, and how much we still have yet to learn. It’s also amazing that we’ve been sold the idea of the extreme rarity of diamonds when they quite literally shoot out of the ground.
Mauna Loa Solar Observatory, USA recorded 'Something' strange near our Sun
Mauna Loa Solar Observatory, USA recorded 'Something' strange near our Sun
On August 19, 2019 a strange event happened in space when the sun was almost blocked out by 'something'. The images were captured by several NASA satellites monitoring the sun and uploaded by Era Dimensional on his Facebook page.
Maybe a solar eclipse? A solar eclipse occurs when the moon gets between Earth and the sun, and the moon casts a shadow over Earth. A solar eclipse can only take place at the phase of new moon, when the moon passes directly between the sun and Earth and its shadows fall upon Earth's surface.
But, it was not the Moon passing in front of the Sun, since the last solar eclipse took place on July 2, 2019 and the next solar eclipse will take place on December 26, 2019.
On the same day the Mauna Loa National Solar Observatory in the USA also recorded something strange in the afternoon of August 19, 2019 when the image of the sun began to fail on which a strange structure in the shape of a honeycomb became visible.
It is quite possible that at the moment the images were taken a large object passed between the satellites and the sun and while the honeycomb image looks like a fractured lens, it is more like the result of a disturbance caused by the passing object whether it was a planet, asteroid or an interstellar alien craft remains a question.
We might have found the first ever recorded case of a black hole swallowing a neutron star.
Artist’s rendering of the black hole consuming the neutron star. Image credits Carl Knox / OzGrav Centre of Excellence.
Research led by members from The Australian National University (ANU) report detecting a black hole swallowing a neutron star for the first time on Wednesday 14 August 2019.
Big Meal
“About 900 million years ago, this black hole ate a very dense star, known as a neutron star, like Pac-man—possibly snuffing out the star instantly,” said Professor Susan Scott from the ANU Research School of Physics, who leads the General Relativity Theory and Data Analysis Group.
Both neutron stars and black holes are super-dense remnands of dead stars, and some of the most extreme forms of matter in the known universe. And now, we might have stumbled upon a merger of these two.
Earlier this month, gravitational-wave sensor arrays in the United States and Italy detected ripples in space and time which point to a previously unseen event of cataclysmic proportions — a black hole consuming a neutron star. We’re safe in our corner of the solar system, however: the event took place around 8,550 million trillion kilometres away from Earth.
Professor Scott, also a Chief Investigator with the ARC Centre of Excellence for Gravitational Wave Discovery (OzGrav), says that the discovery completes the “trifecta of observations” that the team has been striving towards: the merger of two black holes, the collision of two neutron stars, and the merger between a black hole and a neutron star.
“The ANU SkyMapper Telescope responded to the detection alert and scanned the entire likely region of space where the event occurred, but we’ve not found any visual confirmation,” she explains.
Researchers are still crunching the data to confirm the exact size of the two stellar bodies. Until the final results are published in peer-reviewed scientific journals, take them with a pinch of salt — however, preliminary data suggests it’s highly that what we’re seeing is a black hole enveloping a neutron star.
“Scientists have never detected a black hole smaller than five solar masses or a neutron star larger than about 2.5 times the mass of our Sun,” Professor Scott said.
“Based on this experience, we’re very confident that we’ve just detected a black hole gobbling up a neutron star.
“However, there is the slight but intriguing possibility that the swallowed object was a very light black hole—much lighter than any other black hole we know about in the Universe. That would be a truly awesome consolation prize.”
The data was recorded by the Advanced Laser Interferometer Gravitational-wave Observatory (LIGO), the most advanced instrument of its kind ever build that comprises twin detectors in the US, and Virgo, a gravitational-wave detector in Italy run by the European Gravitational Observatory.
Scientists may have been looking for extraterrestrial life in all the wrong places.
Astronomers were just able to rule out life on an entire class of exoplanets. The research, published Monday in the journal Nature, looked specifically at the exoplanet LHS 3844b — a small, rocky planetorbiting a star similar to our Sun. The study found that this particular exoplanet is too hot to support an atmosphere, and Scientific American reports that the scientists behind it suspect similar worlds are as well.
Whether these rocky, roughly-Earth-sized exoplanets that orbit Sun-like red dwarf stars make good candidates for alien life is an ongoing debate among astronomers, according to SciAm. But this new research may have put the final nail in the coffin, at least for exoplanets that orbit their stars as closely as LHS 3844b.
The study found that the exoplanet orbits its star similarly to how the Moon orbits Earth — the same side is always facing inward. That star-facing side of the planet sits at a roasting 767 degrees Celsius, while the other side is over a thousand degrees colder, resting at -273 C.
If the exoplanet had a habitable atmosphere, those extreme temperatures may have blended together to form a more temperate, planet-wide climate. But because they didn’t, the astronomers behind the study concluded that hot, rocky planets like LHS 3844b can’t support an atmosphere and therefore can’t support life.
“To have life as we know it, you need to have liquid water,” Abraham Loeb, an astronomer at The Center for Astrophysics at Harvard University and the Smithsonian Institution who worked on the study, told SciAm. “In order to have liquid water, you need an atmosphere.”
That’s bad news for scientists who hinged the search for alien life on that particular class of exoplanets, but in the long run it could help scientists narrow down their search. If anything, this finding can give scientists a better understanding of what does and does not fall within the habitable zone, which is the range of distances from which an exoplanet can orbit its star and still potentially support life.
“The discovery of a lack of an atmosphere on this planet doesn’t make it any less likely that planets in the habitable zone would have an atmosphere,” Tiffany Jansen, a Columbia University astronomer who didn’t contribute to the new study told SciAm.
Laura Kreidberg, another Harvard astronomer who worked on the research, told SciAmthat she’s holding out hope for these planets. That’s because the factors that create and strip away exoplanetary atmospheres are still poorly understood and will remain so until future James Webb Space Telescope is deployed.
“If you were an alien looking at our solar system and saw Mercury, you’d be a little discouraged,” she told SciAm.
Private Facts About Ufo Sightings Only the Experts Know Exist
Private Facts About Ufo Sightings Only the Experts Know Exist
Who Else Wants to Learn About Ufo Sightings?
Usually once you speak about UFO sightings, most men and women feel that I mistook it for something else or they may think that it is only a crap. UFO sightings aren’t a modern phenomenon, they aren’t a US-only phenomenon. UFO sightings are now able to easily be captured on video, while it’s through a telephone or video camera. In any event, UFO sightings aren’t something which’s new to society. They have become an ever-popular subject. On weekdays it appears that UFO sightings are driven by men and women that are routinely outside daily, rain or shine. The most frequently known UFO sighting in the USA is called the Roswell UFO sighting of 1947.
UFOs aren’t so hampered. The UFO looks like it’s been seen by a great deal of individuals. Throughout that time period, there were two triangle UFOs sighted in the exact place.
Understanding Ufo Sightings
The planet has to be in a comparatively circular orbit otherwise it will stray from the habitable zone. It must be large enough to hold an atmosphere. Earth is nowhere to be viewed. Even when you kept to a great deal of earth based templates for life it would be quite simple for chance and accident to create something very different from that which we know.
For aliens to produce a round trip they would need to live for at least 6,000 decades. Real aliens are less inclined to be evil. In terms of Bigfoot sightings, ape-like creatures are seen all over the usa and Canada. There’s no unitary creature known as the government, which is in fact a group of interrelated hierarchies with diverse incentives and power structures. A lot of people have long believed that they’re not the only creatures that inhabit the universe. It’s not clear to me that the only means to produce an intelligent creature that evolves to the cover of the food chain is to make a human with bilateral symmetry.
There’s more to the story. It’s possible to read my hub stories on what I’ve sighted. If you get a crazy or creepy story all you need to do is call and inform them, or email it to them. There are many haunting stories and unexplained events which are the makings of a multitude of cinematic pleasures.
The evidence might have been much more compelling, in the event the very first recorded incident was not revealed as a hoax. Before you make a decision as to what you believe, we implore you to comprehend the evidence. For starters, so many men and women say reflexively that there’s no evidence of an ET presence engaging our planet, when they don’t really know the evidence. There are not many very good explanations for the majority of the Hudson Valley sightings. Among the arguments that scientists use to debunk UFO sightings is that our planet has existed for over four billion decades, hence the odds are incredibly small that the aliens would just chance to arrive here during the few decades that we’ve got technology.
Somewhere beyond all of the tumult lies the reality. Somewhere in the middle of all the controversy lies it. There’s very little doubt that the net has played a part in the development of UFO reports in the past several years, though most can be explained by natural or human-caused phenomena. In the Washington Post Dan Drezner implies that the simple fact that the Department of Defense is starting to engage with the notion of UFOs weakens their thesis, but I am not certain that’s perfect. Why is everyone slightly obsessed with the thought of extraterrestrial life. Though there are plenty of questions regarding the JFK assassination, it is a prime example of individuals attempting to earn sense about something which you can’t make sense of. Each year, the subject of UFOs grows in popularity, and that’s primarily because of the simple fact they’re actually real.
In recent months, according to a number of scientific reports, the dusty winds and sand dune formations on the planet Mars have grown even more mysteries. In this episode, we explore why Electric Universe geology may hold the key to resolving both the mysterious processes in Mars’ past, and those happening today.
Conservation worker and C2C listener Bruce shared a bizarre photo on CoastToCoast Facebook pageof a deer that somehow wound up atop a power pole in a rural area somewhere in the US northeast.
According to Bruce, the most likely explanation for how the deer wound up there is that it was hit by a train, since there are train tracks several yards away.
However, he notes, "the deer would have to have traveled in the air approximately 45 feet (across) to the pole and reach a height of approximately 22 feet (up) to reach the top of the pole."
But being hit by a train seems unlikely, that kind of impact would have made the picture to gruesome however the deer shows no signs of external wounds.
Could it be that a large and strong bird like an eagle or something like the legendary creature the so-called thunderbird must have tried carrying it and dropped it because too heavy or maybe the deer has fallen victim to a failed alien abduction?
The question remains, how did the deer ended up on top a power pole?
“If we find anyone guilty of wrongdoing, we will file a criminal case against them. If a UFO descends and parks here, that’s even better. We’ll capture them all.”
What kind of world do we live in when people who have been contacted by extraterrestrials can’t find a place on their own planet to meet and talk about it? That’s what happened in Thailand last week as dozens of police officers and park rangerstwice stormed the meeting place of the UFO Kao Kala group – an assembly of UFO believers and claimed contactees who meet on Mount Khao Kala, considered to be one of the top UFO hotspots in Asia, to meditate, discuss their experiences, hear about the latest messages from extraterrestrials and train to become alien communicators. It’s no surprise that outsiders are suspicious of the group and its meeting place in the popular mountain park and recently forced these raids on the premise that the private group was getting too large for the building and encroaching onto public land. Fact, fallacy or fear?
Notification of Activities for Coordination for Warning Groups (Khao Kala)
Saturday, August 17, 2019, the group invites everyone to join at
6:00 pm to host a meal for participants. Anybody can cook as well. 19.00 hrs. Dharma lecture, with video screenings by Ajarn Somchit Rueangpetch (responsible person in the area department).
We invite everyone interested in aliens and disasters. Join activities to meet and exchange experiences.
*** Can bring a tent to sleep on his shell. Or will go to sleep at the Scout camp Below are *** Khao Kala, Khao Kala UFO Observatory, Moo 10, Phu Ta Ching Sub-district, Phra Non Subdistrict, Mueang District, Nakhon Sawan Province
This innocent-sounding announcement (except for the “warnings” and “disasters” parts) triggered the raids on August 15 and 16 at the Khao Kala Meditation Center. The event was being held in part to celebrate the birthday of Somjit Reapeth, the founder of the group, who in 1997 received a call from her father to come to Khao Kala where she and her sisters claim to have seen the UFO he said contained aliens who were communicating with him while he meditated. Her father taught Somjit how to communicate with them and translate their messages. They then founded UFO Khao Kala to train more people and meet with other contactees.
“Each of us is assigned to do a different task by the aliens. The main mission is to learn how to deal with the upcoming disaster that will wipe out half the humans in the world. We are getting ready for that day.”
In a 2015 interview with the Bangkok Post, Dusadee Prasonsuk, one of 60 members trained by Somjit to be part of the group’s first alien squad, explained the alien messages and warnings of disaster that brings the group together. In the same article, Somjit described some of the aliens she’s interacted with. (Photos here.)
Mrs Somjit Raepeth, 56, member of Khao Kala group
Paranormal activity: Somjit Raepeth, 56, runs the UFO Khao Kala group. Her father was the first one in their family to make contact with aliens, she says.
Spooky spot: The UFO group meditate on top of Hill 145. The hill also allegedly hides a wormhole, which they say aliens use as a gateway to travel through dimensions.
“The aliens we contacted are from Pluto and a planet outside of our solar system called Logu Kata Paka Tigong. They have high virtues and morals. The only way to make contact with them is to practise dhamma to the highest levels.”
Pluto
At a UFO Khao Kala seminar in 2017, contactee and Harvard-trained doctor Dephanom Muangman revealed a prediction the aliens gave him:
“There will be a Third World War in the next five years because Trump is president. This will be true, because they told me that Bangkok would flood back in 1997.”
Is UFO Khao Kala a collection of real contactees, a heavy-duty Buddhist meditation group, just another New Age organization or something else? More importantly, no matter which they are, did they deserve to be raided … twice? Are locals concerned because the group may be camping on the mountain, afraid of people who think differently than they do or terrified that these are real alien contactees who may be facilitating disaster rather than predicting it?
Throughout human history there have been those who have claimed to have chanelled the higher knowledge of celestial or divine beings, much of which has ended up in volumes of texts for us to peruse and try to wrap our heads around, looking for some meaning in this chaotic cosmos we call home. One very strange such text showed up in the 1950s, purporting to give glimpses into secrets beyond our imagination, and whose contents remain disputed and authorship unknown to this day.
The incredibly weird story of the book known only as The Urantia Book supposedly begins back in 1911, when a married pair of doctors in Chicago, William and Lena Sadler, were approached by a woman who had a strange tale to tell. She claimed that her husband would go into unusually deep trances from which he could not be woken from, and during which he would seem to become possessed by outside forces. The Sadlers came to observe the man during these episodes, and indeed he seemed to be conveying verbal messages from spiritual beings he called “student visitors,” which would then be recorded on paper until there were voluminous transcriptions of these supposed communications. Sadler was deeply skeptical at first, as he was a long time debunker of psychic powers and spiritual mediumship, and in 1929 would even write a book on how fraudulent he thought it all was, entitled The Mind at Mischief. However, in this case he says he found that he was compelled and unable to come to a rational explanation for what he and his wife had witnessed, one of only two cases he had ever encountered that he could not explain, writing of it:
The other exception has to do with a rather peculiar case of psychic phenomena, one which I find myself unable to classify. I was brought in contact with it, in the summer of 1911, and I have had it under my observation more or less ever since, having been present at probably 250 of the night sessions, many of which have been attended by a stenographer who made voluminous notes. A thorough study of this case has convinced me that it is not one of ordinary trance. This man is utterly unconscious, wholly oblivious to what takes place, and, unless told about it subsequently, never knows that he has been used as a sort of clearing house for the coming and going of alleged extra-planetary personalities. Psychoanalysis, hypnotism, intensive comparison, fail to show that the written or spoken messages of this individual have origin in his own mind. Much of the material secured through this subject is quite contrary to his habits of thought, to the way in which he has been taught, and to his entire philosophy. In fact, of much that we have secured, we have failed to find anything of its nature in existence.
The Sadlers would spend many sessions with this mysterious individual, becoming more and more convinced that something truly strange was occurring. The patient would come to the attention of a group of Sadler’s friends, who also came to observe these sessions after reading some of the transcripts, and at one point whatever entities were speaking through the man invited them to ask whatever questions they wanted of it. The group would compose 30 individuals, who called themselves “The Forum” and end up asking hundreds of questions to these “beings,” recording all of the answers. It is the original transcripts and the answers to these questions that would inevitably be compiled into what has come to be called The Urantia Book, with “Urantia” being the entities’ name for “Earth.” In 1925, The Forum made a pledge not to discuss what they had learned with the outside world, and the manuscript was largely hidden away, being revised and added to over the years with further communications with the spirits, in some cases even having whole sections purportedly just magically appear out of thin air.
This would go on for decades, with the book growing and being expanded and revised as these “celestial entities” were contacted through the original medium, all while it and the subject’s identity were kept a total secret, until in 1955 permission to publish it was granted by the spiritual beings that they had allegedly been in contact with. The Urantia Book was then finally released by a tax-exempt educational society in Illinois specifically formed for this purpose, called The Urantia Foundation. The copyright for the material would pass into public domain in 2006, and it has been widely published by others since then. Now that we have the origins of this bizarre book out of the way, you might be wondering what it is actually about, and that is a pretty strange story in its own right.
The Urantia Book is more or less essentially a very long, often rambling hodgepodge of spiritualism, philosophy, and pseudo-science, covering such heady topics as the nature of the universe, the origins of mankind, the meaning of life, the nature of God and the universe itself, the life of Jesus, a very bizarre and elaborate alternate history of Earth, a cosmology of extraterrestrial spirit beings, and extensive pondering on the relationship between God and humans. It is all far too detailed and long to really get into too many details here, but among the book’s many “revelations” is that there is a multiverse and “superuniverses,” that Jesus is the most important spirit being in this universe and shares much of his lore in other sources, although it is claimed here that he was born of natural means of conception rather than a virgin birth and did not perform many of the miracles he is credited with in the Bible, and that God is a being that operates on several levels of reality. There are also references to other celestial beings and entities. It is all presented in an extremely long, detailed text pervaded with numerous illustrations, and it is quite utterly mind-boggling on first look, and it is all presented as authoritative fact.
Of course considering the apparent paranormal source of the manuscript and its otherworldly claims, there has been quite a lot of skepticism aimed its way, and none of this is helped by the fact that many of the “scientific facts” it spews are flat-out wrong and very much a product of their time, not really in keeping with the supposition that this comes from omnipotent advanced beings. Nevertheless, this has not stopped the popularity of the book from spreading. In the 1970s, The Book of Urantia was popular among musicians, and it has its adherents to this day, some who believe it literally, with some channelers claiming to even be still in contact with the entities responsible for the original texts, and others who think it is the truth disguised as fiction, open to interpretation and requiring us to think it through. Still others take it to be nothing more than purely a form of science fiction, historical fiction or fantasy, although it is very well thought out, with noted skeptic Martin Gardner calling it highly imaginative, with “cosmology that outrivals in fantasy the cosmology of any science-fiction work known to me.” Less positive reviews come from a skeptic who says it is all “fascinating, inspiring, compelling, haunting, entertaining, annoying, incomprehensible, and always wordy,” although it is almost universally said to demonstrate a high level of writing ability despite its density.
To this day The Urantia Book remains much discussed and debated, with its original author completely unknown, its history unconfirmed, and the identity of the supposed original channeler of it all completely a mystery. It has been called the real deal, a message of divine inspiration from higher forces, as well as a piece of fiction or even a total hoax or propaganda pulled off by humans, maybe even Sadler himself, with much of it possibly plagiarized from other works. So what are we dealing with, a divine compilation of universal secrets bequeathed upon us by forces beyond our understanding, or a collection of absurd ramblings written by false prophets, charlatans, and hoaxers? Whatever the case may be, it sure is a strange odyssey all the same.
For the past several months, I’ve been conducting interviews with leading UFO researchers from countries around the world in an effort to paint a clearer picture of global UFOlogy today.
This week, our global UFO trek takes us to Sweden, and to Clas Svahn. The author of more than 25 books, Clas features regularly on TV, radio and in printed media as an expert in UFOs, astronomy and space research. He is the editor of UFO-Sweden’s quarterly magazine UFO-Aktuellt and has been Head of Education of field investigators since the late 1990s. He has personally investigated somewhere in the region of 1,500 reports of alleged UFOs.
Clas Svahn, International director for UFO-Sweden and chairman for the Foundation Archives for the Unexplained (AFU).
RG: Who have been the defining figures in Swedish UFOlogy over the past 70 years, for better or for worse, and why?
The first big name in Swedish UFOlogy was Gösta Rehn who published four books (one translated into English) between 1966 and 1976. Rehn, though an ET believer, advocated a more scientific approach to the topic as a reaction to the early-1960s Adamski-and-contactee-oriented debate. After Rehn, several more ET-oriented authors followed, like Staffan Stigsjöö and Boris Jungkvist. In the early 1990s, several new age-focused authors like Sune Hjorth and Kristina Wennergren took yet another step from the scientific approach suggested by Rehn. Since the middle o the 1990’s I have tried to change this and today the Swedish UFO debate is more balanced. My books have been read by tens-of-thousands of Swedes and I am often interviewed on TV, radio and in newspapers.
Gösta Rehn, a pioneer in Swedish UFOlogy.
RG: In terms of UFOlogy, Sweden is known for its historic ‘Ghost Rocket’ sightings of 1946. Could you explain the general nature of these sightings and share with us the best theories to account for them?
It is not possible to answer this question short and concise since the material covering the Ghost Rockets is huge and compelling. What I can say is that the Ghost Rockets are one of the truly mysterious phenomena connected to UFOs. They got their name from a Swedish newspaper editor in May 1946 since they looked like the V-bombs used by Nazi-Germany during the last years of WWII. On August 14th, Swedish Air Force pilot Lieutenant Gunnar Irholm and Corporal Möller were flying on a training mission between Malingsbo and Krylbo in Dalecarlia. The time was a couple of minutes after ten o’clock in the morning and the visibility was good with a rainstorm coming in from the southeast. The two men were flying a B18A bomber at 650 feet (200 meters) over a forest area 4.3 miles (7 kilometers) east-northeast of Malingsbo church when Gunnar Irholm suddenly saw an unknown aircraft coming from his left on a southeasterly course in front of their airplane. Gunnar Irholm remembered when interviewed in 1986: “Just over the horizon I could see an elongated object without the typical features of an aircraft. It had no tail fin, for example. What we saw was the picture of a cigar, a torpedo. We were close enough to be sure that this was not an aircraft.”
His report was filed just minutes after landing in Västerås. There, Gunnar Irholm wrote that after spotting the object they lost eye contact for a short period of time, but after adjusting their height it reappeared 20 seconds later. “I immediately put my aircraft on a parallel course and put on full power. The shortest distance we had to the craft was just over 3,000 feet [one kilometer] but I soon realized that we were not able to catch up with the craft which speed I estimate to between 370 and 430 miles [600 kilometers and 700 kilometers] per hour. Two minutes later it had vanished to the South East,” Irholm wrote in the official report. The unknown object vanished into the storm cloud.
The Swedish Ghost Rocket Committee
A full investigation was made and Lieutenant Irholm and Corporal Möller were both summoned to a meeting with one of the prime investigators from the Ghost Rocket committee, Eric Malmberg, eight days later. Eric Malmberg’s conclusion was that the object had not been a Swedish aircraft. But what was it? Malmberg later said in an interview: “He must have seen something. I later got to know Gunnar Irholm very well and he was always a very balanced person.” And Gunnar Irholm was a pilot with great experience. At the time of the observation he was in charge of a division of B18s and would later the same year fly to Britain in charge of bringing four J28 Vampires back to Sweden. He was later appointed to head the military testing grounds at Malmslätt where new aircraft, missiles and rockets were tested before being used by the armed forces.
Beside this report, the crashes are still one thing that puzzles me. I have spent days together with the witnesses of the July 19th crashes where four objects dived into lakes during four hours. Search teams from the Swedish military looked for them but found only holes at the bottom of the lakes, no debris. What did they see? I do not know but I am sure that they witnessed a real, physical phenomenon.
RG: What is the Swedish government’s official stance on UFOs? When was the last time it issued a statement on the subject?
During the last five years or so the Swedish armed forces have distanced themselves from the topic and are not publishing any statistics anymore. I have even been denied a short summary of how many ”unknowns” the air force investigated during 2000 to 2018. This is a break with how the military used to handle UFOs. After the Ghost Rocket wave the military put a great effort into investigating sightings and did so for many years until 1965 when this responsibility was handed over to the Defense Research Institute (FOI). After that, real investigations ceased and the reports coming to the military were just filed without any interviews or investigations being conducted. Our proximity to Russia makes the military cautious to publish reports of unknowns since they could be used by other countries as a means to measure the capacity of the Swedish radar systems.
Rosenbad in Stockholm, the seat of the Swedish government.
RG: Does the Swedish Ministry of Defence have an official UFO investigations unit?
No, not any more. There is still a ”UFO desk” but it never investigates UFO reports from the public but sends the observers to UFO-Sweden instead.
RG: Has the Swedish government shown more or less transparency on the UFO subject than the US government?
Hard to say. A couple of years ago UFO-Sweden had all the reports in the FOI files scanned and handed over on a hard drive when I asked for them. And I have never had any problems with getting comments regarding UFOs when I have asked for them – until now. As I see it, the Swedish military doesn’t know much more about the origin a of the unknowns than I and UFO-Sweden do.
RG: Tell us a bit about your organisation, UFO-Sweden. How many members do you have, and what kind of activities do you engage in? How many smaller Swedish UFO groups are you aware of, if any?
UFO-Sweden started in 1970 (and we will be 50 years 2020) as an organization more inclined to publish cases that showed that we had an ET presence on Earth than to try and find explanations to those reports. Ten years later UFO-Sweden was divided into two groups, one that took a more scientific stance and one that continued on the ET path. It was a very painful process since most of the persons once founding UFO-Sweden were convinced that the UFO enigma already was solved and that all that now had to be done was to inform the Swedish citizens and our leaders that the Earth was visited by beings from other worlds. This standpoint made several serious investigators leave the organization or decide not to join it in the early years.
Today UFO-Sweden is a stable and very well maintained group of dedicated researchers. We have around 500 members and a circulation of our glossy magazine UFO-Aktuellt of 1,200 copies. Our report centre investigates between 250 and 300 reports every year.
UFO-Swedens delivers lectures and training courses, and, since 2019, also holds regional meetings with members. We publish yet another magazine beside UFO-Aktuellt called Rapport-Nytt aimed at members and field investigators (500 copies).
There are no other groups in Sweden anymore.
RG: What are the most active regions of Sweden for UFO sighting reports?
The most active regions are the regions where UFO-Sweden has field investigators or groups. Where people can find someone to report to. There are no “hotspots;” the reports are evenly distributed over Sweden. When UFO-Sweden, during several years, made a survey by knocking doors and asking people all over the southern part of Sweden if they had seen anything in the sky that they couldn’t explain ten per cent of the 1,600 we talked to said that they had. Just a few of them had reported their observation to the authorities or to UFO-Sweden which makes us think that there are one millions possible UFO observations out there (Sweden has a population of ten millions) that we still don’t know of. Today UFO-Sweden has 20,000 reports in our files.
RG: Have you personally had any UFO sightings?
Since I am an amateur astronomer I have been standing outside beneath the dark and starry sky for hundreds of hours. I have seen a couple of strange lights and objects but only one that still baffles me. It was in November 1995 when me and my wife stood outside our house just after 1am after returning home from a friend looking to the East. A couple of minutes earlier we had passed two men standing at a bus stop pointing to the sky looking at something, which we at the time could not see. Trying to locate whatever it was we both scanned the sky but saw nothing but stars. Suddenly three white-glowing objects, all formed like a cross with even arms like plus signs, flew out of the darkness from East. They flew over us without changing positions and my first thoughts that they were birds reflecting the lights from the city below soon turned out to be wrong. As I ran around the corner of our house I could see the three objects vanishing from my sight. I have no idea of what they were or where they came from and the investigator that was assigned to investigate our observation never found an explanation.
Clas Svahn
RG: How long have you been involved in the UFO subject; roughly how many cases have you personally investigated; and what conclusions, if any, have you drawn about the underlying nature of UFO phenomena?
I started out as an avid amateur astronomer when I was eleven years old in the late 60s, and astronomy is still one of my biggest interests. But soon I got interested also in UFO anomalies. I started reading as many books as I could find and cut out newspaper articles and pasted them on paper (I still have them!). When I was 16, in May 1974, I started a local UFO group in my hometown and began to investigate reports of unidentified flying objects. Since then I have investigated around 1,500 cases but have not one simple single explanation for all of them. To me UFOs are not just one phenomenon but many, and I am cautious when it comes to saying what it all could be. But I think it is way too early to say that we have visitors from other planets coming here in spaceships. To me, the UFO enigma is much more complex than that.
I consider myself to be a critical investigator and all answers, as long as they could be substantiated, are good answers. To me there are no easy answers to be found when it comes to UFOs. If you stick with one favourite hypothesis, that could be ETH or many skeptics point of view that there is nothing to UFOs at all, you are bound to miss vital information. For me, UFOs are a label for many different phenomena. I do not think that what often is called The UFO Enigma has just one answer. Reading reports of strange lights, “crafts, ”“aliens” and other anomalies in books and newspapers from earlier days it is clear to me that the alien answer is not the only one. Some reports that I have investigated have had a very physical part which to me points to these objects being a real phenomena.
RG: How can Swedish UFOlogy, and UFOlogy in general, better itself?
In many ways of course. We are good at many things like educating our field investigators which we’ve done since the mid-1970s during yearly courses. But we need to get better in making them stay within the organization. But that is a problem we share with all other UFO organizations around the world. There are only so many very good and interesting reports every year and the field investigators must work with loads of mundane and not very exciting observations before getting to a ”good case.” That is a problem because many of the investigators get frustrated and drop out while waiting.
I am also chairman for Archives for the Unexplained (AFU), the world’s largest archive when it comes to the unknown. We are growing all the time, but so fast that we are lacking money for making our holdings available in the way we would like them to be. I hope that AFU (www.afu.se) will get more funding from interested persons around the world and maybe my new book (”Files of the Unknown) about AFU and a crowd funding effort we are starting soon will change that. AFU is hugely important for researchers and I would like the archive to be used even more.
When it comes to UFOlogy, in general I think that we all must be better researchers and better educated in physics, psychology and the misinterpretations that may account for than 90 per cent of the observations. Real UFO phenomena are not as common as you may think.
For more information about UFO Sweden, visit their website.
Fast radio bursts – those mysterious short yet powerful signals from other galaxies – are pretty rare. While some people claim they’re signals from alien civilizations, others doubt that theory because only two of the dozens discovered so far were repeated from the same location. That theory may have just received some much-needed credibility with the discovery of eight different repeating signals, with one set coming from a nearby galaxy. Can we yell “It’s aliens!” now?
“There is definitely a difference between the sources, with some being more prolific than others. We already knew from FRB 121102 that the bursts can be very clustered: sometimes the source doesn’t burst for hours and hours and then suddenly you get multiple bursts in a short amount of time. We have observed the same thing for FRB 180916.J0158+65, for which we report ten bursts in this paper.”
Physicist Ziggy Pleunis (a top candidate for “Best Astronomer’s Name”) of McGill University is a co-author of the report accepted by the Astrophysical Journal Letters announcing the discovery of eight repeating Fast Radio Burst (FRB) signals using the Canadian Hydrogen Intensity Mapping Experiment (CHIME) telescope. CHIME has been optimized for finding FRBs by searching a wide section of the sky for a lower range of frequencies than most radio telescopes. In an interview with ScienceAlert, Pleunis explained that some of these FRBs repeated only once while one flashed 10 times. Because the intervals between repeating FRBs varied so much in length, some astronomers suspect that all FRBs repeat eventually.
Another interesting observation from these new FRBs is that their wave frequencies get successively lower over time – what the paper calls a “downward frequency drift.” While this could be a sign that whatever is generating the signal is fading away, researchers aren’t ready to call them distress calls from a dying civilization. The polarization of one of the signals showed it came from an extreme magnetic environment – most likely a black hole or a neutron star. Finally, the FRB signals varied in their dispersion. As expected, a highly dispersed signal indicates it has traveled a long distance. One of these eight FRBs had the lowest dispersion rate ever detected, meaning it could be located very close to our galaxy – astronomically speaking, of course.
Speaking of speaking astronomically …
“I think (and I hope!) the paper will prompt other astronomers to point their telescopes to these newly discovered sources. Then, there is a lot of information here for model builders to work with. I think it will help them figure out what produces repeating FRBs. Also, I think our findings will influence the search strategy of other teams that try to discover repeating FRBs.”
Pleunis and the large team of astronomers who co-authored the report are obviously excited about their discovery. Coupled with the recent announcement of development of an AI FRB-detection system, we could be hearing about a lot more repeaters very soon … and hopefully on their origin.
The Federal Bureau of Investigation has released its files on another famous name in the annals of ufology: George Van Tassel, alleged UFO contactee, and builder of California’s famous Integratron.
Van Tassel was like many in the 1950s UFO scene, who prior to his interest in visitations by “Space Brothers” had been heavily involved with metaphysical subjects and groups. What set him apart from many others, however, was Van Tassel’s legitimate involvement with mechanical engineering and aviation. Van Tassel was barely out of his teens when he relocated to California from his hometown in Jefferson, Ohio, to work in a garage owned by his uncle.
It was while working there that he met a German immigrant and part-time prospector named Frank Critzer. Staking his claim near Giant Rock, California, Critzer was later killed during a police raid that occurred at the location in 1942; it was later revealed that Critzer had been a suspected German spy.
Van Tassel in 1964
(Credit: KVOS Channel 12 Films, Center for Pacific Northwestern Studies, Western Washington University)
After Critzer died, Van Tassell took an interest in an abandoned airport near Giant Rock and was later granted a contract by the Federal Government to undertake a restoration of the property under the Bureau of Land Management. With his background in mechanical engineering and prospective airstrip near Giant Rock, Van Tassel went on to work for some of the more high profile names in aviation during the ensuing years; these included Lockheed, and flight innovator Howard Hughes’ own Hughes Aircraft, among others. Eventually, Van Tassel would also turn his airport and surrounding attractions near Giant Rock into a sort of “Mecca” for the soon-to-be-booming flying saucer craze.
The FBI’s file on Van Tassel, numbering 315 pages, is mostly concerned with photocopies of pamphlets Van Tassel co-authored, which includes one titled, “Proceedings from the College of Universal Wisdom” (Van Tassel was Director of the College of Universal Wisdom in the early 1950s, according to the pamphlet). The batch of documents opens with a letter by an individual (whose identity is redacted) sent to John F. Malone, the Special Agent in Charge at the FBI’s Los Angeles, California field office. The letter explains that the author is filing the information with Malone “at the request of my friend” (a name that is also redacted), who had been “Seeking some information concerning the activities of individuals and the group known as the College of Universal Wisdom.”
“The group ostensibly is devoted to a study of space ships and interplanetary communication,” the unnamed individual writes, “but its consistent ‘line’ in its publication is an attack upon atomic weapons and preaching of a nebulous peace. George W. Van Tassel is listed as Director of the College of Universal Wisdom, and I know nothing whatever concerning him.
“However, at least one of the prominent guests at the space ship convention at Giant Rock Airport, Sunday, April 4th, has been questioned about supposed communist affiliations,” the informant writes.
However, in addition to Van Tassel’s associations with the Giant Rock area and his organization, the files do elaborate on the Bureau’s concerns about Van Tassel’s airstrip, and the location’s former connections to a possible German spy during the war.
“You may recall that this area was the scene of some sensational happenings during World War II,” the author of the letter to Special Agent Malone writes, “when it was believed to be the projected site for refueling of suicide planes, possibly to be launched from Japanese submarines on the Gulf of California in an attempt to reach and bomb Hoover Dam’s penstocks and power houses to cripple the airplane industry here. Your office no doubt has the full story on what happened then including the destruction by dynamite in an underground room beneath Giant Rock of the then owner.”
Incidentally, Van Tassel and his family actually lived in quarters within these areas excavated by Critzer in the 1940s, and beginning in 1953, he began holding public meditation events in these underground chambers. The same year was the launch of the annual Giant Rock Spacecraft Convention, as referenced in the letter to Special Agent John Malone, which ran until Van Tassel’s death in 1978.
The Big Bang Theory hasn’t been having a good year. First, of course, the iconic television sitcom of the same name ended. Besides being a top-performing show right up until the end, it did wonders for convincing the general public that nerds can be cool while showing nerds that they can meet attractive soulmates as long as they don’t spend too much discussing Star Trek movies or string theory. Then last week, THE Big Bang theory itself was brought into question by new data which seems to show that an old star appropriately dubbed “Methuselah” is actually older than the universe. If that hit to its big ego was wasn’t big enough, a study released this week showing how dark matter, which was thought to have been created by the Big Bang, actually predates it. What next? Secret documents showing Dr. Sheldon Cooper cheated on his IQ test?
“If dark matter were truly a remnant of the Big Bang, then in many cases researchers should have seen a direct signal of dark matter in different particle physics experiments already.”
Tommi Tenkanen, a postdoctoral fellow in Physics and Astronomy at the Johns Hopkins University and author of “Dark Matter from Scalar Field Fluctuations” published recently in Physical Review Letters, uses the enemy of many weak theories – mathematics – to put the Big Bang theory into question. Tenkanen developed a simple mathematical framework (graphs can be seen here) which illustrates a scenario where dark matter was produced in a period of cosmic inflation BEFORE the Big Bang, causing a massive production of scalars. Scarlars (also called scalar boson – you can see where this is going) are boson particles whose spin equals zero. The only boson particle ever found is the Higgs boson, also known affectionately as the ‘God particle’ because it gives all other particles their mass. In other words, it created the mass of the universe, which up until now was believed to have birthed the universe.
Figure 1
The parameter space relevant for the “fuzzy DM” scenario [25]. Contours show the value of H∗ required for χ to constitute all DM. The regions below the horizontal red dashed line and between the dotted green lines are in tension with observations of the Lyman-αforest [26] and the recent Event Horizon Telescope data due to the black hole superradiance mechanism [27], respectively. See also Ref. [28] which placed tentative constraints excluding the entire region shown here. The lower limit for x axis, χ∗/H∗≃7×104, is given by the isocurvature constraint (14).
Figure 2
The region of the model parameter space where the scalar simultaneously constitutes all DM (along the red curve) and avoids the DM isocurvature constraints (blue region). Also the region m≤0.4GeV, H∗≲105GeV in the lower left corner is allowed. The result is not sensitive to the exact value of β. Above the blue region, m>H∗, the scalar fluctuations during inflation are strongly suppressed.
Does this mean dark atter really existed before the Big Bang?
“We do not know what dark matter is, but if it has anything to do with any scalar particles, it may be older than the Big Bang. With the proposed mathematical scenario, we don’t have to assume new types of interactions between visible and dark matter beyond gravity, which we already know is there.”
Well, if the math says it did … then it did – although it would be nice to have some physical evidence to back it up. Tenkanen told Phys.org that’s coming in 2022 when the Euclid satellite is launched by the European Space Agency (ESA) and the Euclid Consortium. It will be carrying a near-infrared space telescope that will accurately measure the acceleration of the universe as it expands, thus giving scientists the means to trace back to the origins of dark energy (the theoretical cause of the expansion) and dark matter (the content of up to 85% of the universe).
Or not.
“It’s going to be very exciting to see what it will reveal about dark matter and if its findings can be used to peek into the times before the Big Bang.”
That’s a BIG if … meaning the Big Bang theory — and the universe and all that is in it — is safe.
I like my black holes like I like my internal organs: doing what they’re supposed to and not surprising anyone. After all, we barely even understand black holes beyond descriptions that would fit perfectly in an H.P. Lovecraft novel—a dead star at the center of the galaxy, collapsed under its own tremendous mass to an impossible singularity, warping the very fabric of reality around it like a cloak blacker than the blackest night, as even light itself struggles feebly and fails to escape its terrible pull. Yeah, I don’t want any surprises from black holes.
But alas, the great old one has awakened and all humanity’s brightest minds know not for what weird purpose. According to astronomers, the supermassive black hole at the center of the Milky Way has been acting really strange. Sagittarius A* (Sgr A*) is a pretty quiet and mundane supermassive black hole (as far as they go). It’s fluctuations in the brightness of the “electromagnetic counterpart” are normally relatively small. This summer, however, that seems to have changed. Observations from the Keck telescope have recorded massive spikes in the brightness of Sgr A*, including one when the black hole spiked to 75 times its normal brightness and held there for a period of two hours.
Astronomer Tuan Do at the University of California Los Angeles, who observed the unprecedented spike in Sgr A* says:
“I was pretty surprised at first and then very excited. The black hole was so bright I at first mistook it for the star S0-2, because I had never seen Sgr A* that bright. Over the next few frames, though, it was clear the source was variable and had to be the black hole. I knew almost right away there was probably something interesting going on wit h the black hole.”
Tuan Do’s research was recently published in the Journal of Astrophysical Letters, but astronomers still don’t know what’s caused these massive spikes. Black holes don’t emit light on their own (go figure), but the swirling disk of stuff around it does. The so-called accretion disk consists of dust and gas and busted up cosmic debris that is pulled towards the black hole but doesn’t make it past the event horizon. Sometimes unlucky stars passing through the neighborhood have their matter ripped out by the supermassive black hole’s enormous gravity and assimilated by the accretion disk. The working hypothesis for the spikes in Sgr A*’s brightness is that it got its claws on an unusually large object and pulled it into the accretion disk, though what the object could be is unknown.
Astronomers will keep studying Sgr A* and try to figure out just what it’s up to. The Keck telescope only has a few more weeks where it will have the right angle to observe Sgr A*, but there are four more telescopes that have been pointed at it all summer with their data yet to be released. After that, the center of our galaxy won’t be observable again until 2020. Which leaves an approximately six month blind spot, and as everyone knows, black holes only strike when you’re not looking.
One of America’s most secretive and yet also highly publicized research facilities sure knows how to stay in the headlines. As the hype surrounding the controversial and misguided “Storm Area 51” event continues to grow, the off-limits and extremely classified Air Force testing ground appears to have held a massive test of some kind this past weekend.
While there are no details coming from the Armed Forces themselves, several Notices to Airman (NOTAMs) which were published publicly seem to indicate that the skies over the Nevada Test and Training Range were occupied by something spooky this past weekend. NOTAMs are documents filed with aviation authorities like America’s FAA which notify pilots of potential hazards or off-limit airspace.
Much of the airspace surrounding Area 51 was off limits over the weekend, even to military aircraft.
Beginning on August 8, several aviation enthusiasts and observers began noticing curious NOTAMs and posting them to Twitter. The notices indicated several massive blocks of airspace surrounding Groom Lake and Tonopah Test Range, some of America’s most secretive locations where the most cutting-edge and classified aerospace technologies are developed and tested. The airspace above those areas were restricted from August 10 until the early morning on August 12.
The NOTAMs all specified an unlimited ceiling for these areas, meaning the airspace above these ranges was off limits essentially all the way up to outer space. Aviation journalists around the internet speculated that this likely indicates a test of some type of space-to-surface or surface-to-space technology, although it could simply be a way of ensuring that nobody without the proper security clearances got to see whatever shiny new toys the Air Force was testing over the weekend.
Many speculate the exercise was a test of a directed energy weapon, rocket, or missile.
While there’s no telling what may have been tested over the weekend, some aerospace experts have suggested it was likely a classified drone exercise, a rocket launch of some kind, a test of an exotic directed energy weapon, or perhaps even an early flight of the B-21 Raider, the Air Force’s upcoming next-generation stealth bomber.
Whatever it was, this weekend proves why we won’t get anywhere close to the secretive test range next month when we try to storm Area 51. That entire complex is one of the most heavily-guarded and restricted places on Earth and the site of some of the world’s most sophisticated weapons development. Are a bunch of Naruto-running millennials really going to be able to storm the barriers and evade armed guards?
The strange object sparked theories of possible extraterrestrial sightings and even “dark angels”. A video showed the mystery object on YouTube channel Mavi777, which depicts a strange glowing object flying in the sky above the tornado. One user commented on the video claiming the “orb lights” are the “fallen ones”.
Mysterieus object gespot in minitornado die door Amsterdam raasde. UFO-waarneming?
Mysterieus object gespot in minitornado die door Amsterdam raasde. UFO-waarneming?
Eerder deze maand raasde een minitornado door het centrum van Amsterdam. Het natuurverschijnsel zorgde op verschillende plekken in de stad voor schade.
Veel mensen plaatsten op sociale media spectaculaire filmpjes. Daarop is te zien dat de windhoos met grote snelheid over gebouwen en water gaat.
Er zou tegelijkertijd een mysterieus object zijn gespot.
Vreemd oplichtend object
In een filmpje, geplaatst op het YouTube-kanaal mavi 777, is een vreemd oplichtend object te zien in de lucht boven de tornado.
Eén iemand reageerde: “Ongelooflijke beelden. We zijn niet alleen.”
Een ander claimde dat het ging om drones die werden ingezet om de kracht van de tornado te meten.
Geen verklaring
Deze maand werd ook een vreemd fenomeen in de lucht vastgelegd boven Brazilië. Daar verscheen een oplichtend T-vormig object in de wolken.
De maken van de beelden zei: “Het lijkt op lichtbreking, maar doet ook denken aan een soort energiebron.”
Er is nog geen verklaring voor beide gebeurtenissen, schrijft de Daily Express.
Ik heb één keer contact gehad met een buitenaards wezen. Oud-minister van Defensie vertelt alles wat hij weet Ik heb één keer contact gehad met een buitenaards wezen. Oud-minister van Defensie vertelt alles wat hij weet in Buitenaards 19 augustus 2019 07
Ik heb één keer contact gehad met een buitenaards wezen. Oud-minister van Defensie vertelt alles wat hij weet
Pas geleden hield de Canadese oud-minister van Defensie Paul Hellyer op aanraden van vrienden een vraag- en antwoordsessie op internetforum Reddit.
Hij plaatste een foto van zichzelf met in zijn handen een handgeschreven aankondiging als bewijs.
Reddit-gebruikers mochten hem het hemd van het lijf vragen over onder meer de Deep State/Cabal, global warming, politiek en buitenaardsen.
Telepathisch
De meeste mensen stelden hem vragen over buitenaards leven.
De 95-jarige Hellyer zei persoonlijk één keer contact te hebben gehad met een buitenaards wezen.
Hij kreeg naar eigen zeggen te horen dat er acht verschillende soorten zijn die samenwerken met individuen zoals hijzelf, die betrokken zijn bij Disclosure en het verspreiden van de waarheid.
“Ze leerden me ook om telepathisch te communiceren,” schreef hij.
De oud-minister merkte op dat er inmiddels genoeg bewijs is voor buitenaards contact.
Pentagon
Hij merkte op dat een buitenaards wezen drie tot vier jaar in het Pentagon heeft gewoond. Dit wezen, Valiant Thor geheten, zou van Venus afkomstig zijn geweest.
In zijn nieuwste boek ‘Hope Restored’ staat een foto van Thor.
“Ze deelden hun technologieën met ons en zowel de Verenigde Staten als Rusland hebben ze gebruikt voor militaire doeleinden,” zei Hellyer.
Hij voegde toe dat ook de microchips in onze smartphones zijn gebaseerd op buitenaardse technologie.
Twee kolonies
De ex-minister verwees naar Courtney Brown van het Farsight Institute, die heeft gezegd dat wezens van Mars tenminste twee kolonies op aarde hebben.
“Ik heb veel foto’s [van aliens] gezien,” zei Hellyer. “Ze zijn niet allemaal mensachtig. Sommigen zien er heel anders uit.”
Volgens hem werken overheden – met name de Amerikaanse overheid – al decennia samen met meerdere soorten.
Illuminati
Overheden hebben miljarden geïnvesteerd in het ontkennen van het bestaan van UFO’s en buitenaardsen, benadrukte hij.
Hierachter schuilt volgens Hellyer de Cabal, die bestaat uit de Illuminati, de ‘Drie Zusters’ zoals hij ze noemt – de Bilderbergers, Council on Foreign Relations en Trilaterale Commissie – de banken, het oliekartel, de transnationale corporaties, de inlichtingendiensten (CIA, FBI, NSA, MI6, Mossad) en een groot deel van het Amerikaanse leger.
Filer’s Files #46 – 2018 President Reagan Chased UFOs - PART II
Stond George Van Tassel in contact met een buitenaards wezen van Venus? Lees deze FBI-documenten
De Amerikaanse schrijver en ufoloog George Van Tassel claimde in contact te staan met een buitenaards wezen van de planeet Venus. De FBI heeft documenten over hem geopenbaard.
Van Tassel was tussen 1930 en 1947 als vliegtuigingenieur werkzaam voor diverse vliegtuigbouwers, waaronder Douglas Aircraft, Hughes Aircraft en Lockheed.
Hij beweerde dat een aantal technologieën van de Amerikaanse luchtmacht en marine zijn verkregen van buitenaardsen.
Integratron
Van Tassel werd in 1953 bekend toen hij claimde dat hij op een nacht wakker werd gemaakt door een alien van Venus genaamd Solgonda.
Het wezen zou hem hebben uitgenodigd aan boord van diens ruimteschip, waar hij door middel van telepathie de blauwdruk kreeg voor een apparaat dat hij de Integratron zou noemen.
Dit apparaat was naar verluidt in staat om mensen te verjongen, maar ook om door de tijd te reizen en antizwaartekracht op te wekken.
Mysterieuze omstandigheden
Het was de bedoeling dat iedereen er gratis gebruik van zou kunnen maken.
Het apparaat was een vreemde houten structuur met een koepel, zonder schroeven of spijkers.
Van Tassel stierf in 1978 onder mysterieuze omstandigheden aan de gevolgen van een hartaanval. Zijn apparaat is nooit afgemaakt en zijn werk werd in beslag genomen door de overheid.
There is no doubt that the object in the footage is extraterrestrial, but opinions differ over whether it is a natural phenomenon or the product of intelligent life.
Footage of a purported UFO sighting, filmed above the pyramids in Egypt, has prompted outlandish claims that ‘the real pyramid builders’ had returned to see their creation.
A glowing white fireball is seen streaking across the sky over an Egyptian pyramid, when suddenly a white orb seems to shoot off and travel in the opposite direction from the space rock.
The video was filmed by a tourist and uploaded to the Chinese YouTube channel Bizarre World back in June.
While most commenters argued that the mysterious object was a fragment of a meteor, there were also suggestions that it was a flying saucer.
“The UFO streaks across the sky like a meteor, but then part of it shoots out another white orb and that orb travels in the opposite direction,” Scott C Waring, a prominent UFO hunter, wrote on his website ET Database.
“It looks to me like the people who built the pyramids were doing a flyby to check on it.”
Mysterieuze lichtbol boven Egyptische piramide leidt tot speculatie over UFO’s. Wat is dit?
Mysterieuze lichtbol boven Egyptische piramide leidt tot speculatie over UFO’s. Wat is dit?
Beelden van een mysterieuze lichtbol boven een piramide in Egypte hebben voor consternatie gezorgd.
In onderstaand filmpje is een witte vuurbal te zien in de lucht boven een Egyptische piramide.
Opeens komt er uit het object een witte lichtbol tevoorschijn die in tegengestelde richting beweegt, schrijft het Russische persbureau Sputnik.
Vliegende schotel
De beelden zijn gemaakt door een toerist en in juni op een Chinees YouTube-kanaal met de naam ‘Bizarre wereld’ geplaatst.
Sommigen stelden dat het mysterieuze object een onderdeel van een meteoor was. Anderen beweerden dat het ging om een vliegende schotel.
Piramidebouwers
“De UFO schiet als een meteoor door de lucht, maar dan komt er plotseling een witte lichtbol uit die in tegengestelde richting beweegt,” schreef UFO-jager Scott C. Waring op zijn website ET Data Base.
Hij suggereerde dat de oorspronkelijke piramidebouwers weer teruggekeerd zijn.
Glowing planets elsewhere in the universe might be home to alien life, scientists have said.
We might be able to spot evidence of aliens on other planets by looking out for the distinctive glow, allowing astronomers to understand distant worlds' life through Earth's telescopes, they say.
The alien worlds might be glowing with spectacular and beautiful colours, the researchers say – a light show that could be the result of a process that keeps life on those planets from being destroyed by radiation.
The harsh ultraviolet light that is thrown out from red suns was once thought to mean instant death for life on other planets. But scientists say that it could actually be an important clue that allows us to see it: triggering a glow that emanates out into the rest of the universe and is visible from Earth.
"This is a completely novel way to search for life in the universe," said lead author Jack O'Malley-James, a researcher at Cornell's Carl Sagan Institute. "Just imagine an alien world glowing softly in a powerful telescope."
The phenomenon is called biofluorescence and the glow is formed as protection from the radiation that planets are hit with from their sun, according to the new research.
The discoveries are published in the Monthly Notices of the Royal Astronomical Society and promise a new way of looking for biosignatures – or indications of living things on other planets – that could help us finally discover alien life elsewhere in the universe.
"On Earth, there are some undersea coral that use biofluorescence to render the sun's harmful ultraviolet radiation into harmless visible wavelengths, creating a beautiful radiance," said co-author Lisa Kaltenegger, associate professor of astronomy and director of the Carl Sagan Institute. "Maybe such life forms can exist on other worlds too, leaving us a telltale sign to spot them."
Many of the planets outside of our own solar system are thought to orbit around M-type stars. Those are the most common kinds of stars in the universe, and regularly send out flares that hit the planets that orbit around them.
Those flares could be lighting up their planets with beautiful colours, astronomers suggest in the new paper. And those beautiful colours could be picked up by new telescopes either on Earth or sent up into space by humanity.
When the planets are hit by ultraviolet rays, they can be absorbed into longer and less damaging colours. That process is called photoprotective biofluorescence, and astronomers might be able to search for evidence of it to look for alien life.
"Such biofluorescence could expose hidden biospheres on new worlds through their temporary glow, when a flare from a star hits the planet," said Professor Kaltenegger.
To study the glow, scientists looked at similarly fluorescent pigments on Earth, which are commonly found in coral. That allowed them to model the kind of colours that other planets might emit, and allows them to simulate the strength and characteristics of any signal that would be detected on Earth, including whether it would be an indication of life.
It could now help astronomers examine planets we already know about, including Proxima b, a planet orbiting around our nearest neighbour star and a potential home for alien life. Researchers hope that could be used as a target to allow us to learn more about it from afar.
"These biotic kinds of exoplanets are very good targets in our search for exoplanets, and these luminescent wonders are among our best bets for finding life on exoplanets," O'Malley-James said.
Future telescopes could be developed to pick up exactly that glow as it is sent through the universe.
"It is a great target for the next generation of big telescopes, which can catch enough light from small planets to analyze it for signs of life, like the Extremely Large Telescope in Chile," Kaltenegger said.
Wetenschappers ontdekken ‘compleet nieuwe manier’ om aliens op te sporen. Hier moeten we op letten
Wetenschappers ontdekken ‘compleet nieuwe manier’ om aliens op te sporen. Hier moeten we op letten
Planeten in het heelal die een gloed afgeven, kunnen buitenaards leven herbergen. Dat hebben wetenschappers gezegd.
We kunnen bewijs voor het bestaan van aliens vinden door te speuren naar deze gloed, zeggen ze.
We zullen daarbij moeten letten op spectaculaire en prachtige kleuren, aldus de onderzoekers.
Waarneembaar
“Zo’n lichtshow kan het gevolg zijn van een proces dat het leven op die planeten beschermt tegen vernietiging als gevolg van straling,” klinkt het.
Astronomen dachten altijd dat ultraviolet licht afkomstig van rode sterren leven op andere planeten zou vernietigen.
Maar nu zeggen wetenschappers dat zulk licht een gloed veroorzaakt die vanaf de aarde waarneembaar is met behulp van telescopen.
Biofluorescentie
“Dit is een compleet nieuwe manier om naar leven in het universum te zoeken,” zei hoofdonderzoeker Jack O’Malley-James van het Carl Sagan Institute.
Men spreekt in dit geval ook wel van biofluorescentie. De gloed wordt gevormd als bescherming tegen straling die planeten raakt.
Het onderzoek is gepubliceerd in de Monthly Notices of the Royal Astronomical Society.
Verborgen biosferen
Op aarde maken sommige koraalsoorten gebruik van biofluorescentie om schadelijke ultraviolette straling van de zon om te zetten in zichtbare straling, aldus coauteur Lisa Kaltenegger.
“Wellicht bestaan dergelijke levensvormen ook op andere werelden en kunnen we ze op deze manier spotten,” zei ze.
Biofluorescentie kan verborgen biosferen op nieuwe werelden ontmaskeren op het moment dat de planeet wordt geraakt door een zonnevlam, zei professor Kaltenegger.
Astronomers Have Detected a Whopping 8 New Repeating Signals From Deep Space
MICHELLE STARR
One of the biggest mysteries out there in the Universe is inching closer to answers. An astonishing eight new repeating radio signals known as fast radio bursts (FRBs) have been detected flaring from deep space.
This brings the known total of repeating FRBs to 10. It means we're starting to build a statistical database of repeaters, which could help astronomers to figure out what these signals actually are.
Fast radio bursts are certainly perplexing. They are detected as spikes in radio data, lasting just a few milliseconds. But, in that time, they can discharge more energy than 500 million Suns.
Most FRBs are only detected once and can't be predicted, so tracing them back to their source is really tricky (although, as demonstrated earlier this year for the first time, not impossible).
That's why repeaters are so important. And the news that they are not as rare as we thought means it might be possible to trace more back to their source galaxies, and determine what kinds of environments they come from.
We can also start looking for similarities and differences between repeating FRBs.
"There is definitely a difference between the sources, with some being more prolific than others," physicist Ziggy Pleunis of McGill University told ScienceAlert.
"We already knew from FRB 121102 that the bursts can be very clustered: sometimes the source doesn't burst for hours and hours and then suddenly you get multiple bursts in a short amount of time. We have observed the same thing for FRB 180916.J0158+65, for which we report ten bursts in this paper."
On the other side of the scale, six of the FRBs reported in the paper only repeated once, and the longest pause between signals was over 20 hours. The eighth one (FRB 181119) repeated twice after the initial detection, pinging a total of three times.
We don't yet know what this means, but it could indicate - as hypothesised in a paper last month by Harvard-Smithsonian astrophysicist Vikram Ravi - that all FRBs are actually repeaters, but some are a lot more active than others.
"Just as some volcanoes are more active than others, and you can think a volcano is dormant because it has not erupted in a long time," Pleunis noted.
But there are similarities between FRBs, too. The individual bursts from repeaters seem to last a little bit longer than the bursts from one-off FRBs. That's pretty interesting.
There's also the frequency drift. The first two repeaters - FRB 121102 and FRB 180814 - showed a downward drift in frequency, with each burst getting successively lower. Think of a sad trombone sound effect.
Most of the eight new repeaters,also demonstrated this downward frequency drift. This could be a clue as to what's producing the signals.
"I just think it is so amazing that nature produces something like that," Pleunis said. "Also, I think that there is some very important information in that structure that we just have to figure out how to encode and it has been a lot of fun to try to figure out what exactly that is."
CHIME is optimised for monitoring a very broad swathe of the sky, across a lower range of frequencies than radio telescopes like ASKAP or the Parkes Observatory in Australia, which have also detected FRBs.
So far, CHIME's approach is proving remarkably effective at detection. In addition to these repeaters, and the repeater announced in January, CHIME has detected a number of one-off bursts, too. It's not optimised for tracing those detections to a source, though.
That's where the broader scientific community comes in. Just today, a different team of researchers, including Ravi, announced they had made headway localising the eight new repeaters to known galaxies, just based on the direction the signals came from.
We can even roughly tell how far away the bursts may have originated based on how dispersed the signal is - the higher these measures, the farther the distance.
In fact, this is where it gets intriguing, because one of the signals, FRB 180916, has the lowest dispersion seen yet, indicating that it could be nearby.
"Even with the biggest telescopes, if it's closer to you, you always get a better view than if it's something farther away," astronomer Keith Bannister from Australia's national science agency CSIRO, who was not involved in the research, told ScienceAlert.
"So that particular low dispersion measure was super exciting, because there's a good chance that that will be nearby. And that means it will be easier to look at, once we really know exactly where it is in the sky."
The polarisation of the signals (how twisted the signal is) is informative, too. If the signal is really twisted up, it means it came from an extreme magnetic environment, such as can be found around a black hole or neutron star. This is what the signal from FRB 121102 was like.
But the team was able to measure the polarisation of one of the new signals, FRB 180916, and it was really low. This tells us that not all repeating FRBs come from extreme environments.
We don't know what this means yet. We don't know if there are several different classes of objects or events producing these signals. We don't know if they all repeat, or why they repeat. But these results are bringing us tantalisingly close to finally having some answers.
"I think (and I hope!) the paper will prompt other astronomers to point their telescopes to these newly discovered sources," Pleunis said.
"Then, there is a lot of information here for model builders to work with. I think it will help them figure out what produces repeating FRBs.
"Also, I think our findings will influence the search strategy of other teams that try to discover repeating FRBs."
The research has been submitted to The Astrophysical Journal and is available on arXiv.
Astronomen vangen 8 mysterieuze signalen uit de ruimte op. Ze hebben één ding gemeen
Astronomen vangen 8 mysterieuze signalen uit de ruimte op. Ze hebben één ding gemeen
Astronomen hebben meer raadselachtige signalen uit de ruimte opgevangen. Het gaat om zogeheten herhalende radioflitsen, waar inmiddels 10 van zijn ontdekt.
Begin dit jaar waren er nog maar twee bekend, FRB 121102 en FRB 180814 geheten.
Met behulp van de CHIME-radiotelescoop in Canada zijn er nu nog acht gevonden.
Veel actiever
“Ik denk (en hoop!) dat onze paper ertoe zal leiden dat andere astronomen hun telescopen op deze nieuw ontdekte bronnen gaan richten,” zei natuurkundige Ziggy Pleunis van de McGill-universiteit.
“Ik denk dat het zal helpen om te achterhalen wat de bron van herhalende radioflitsen is,” vervolgde Pleunis.
De nieuwe ontdekking lijkt erop te wijzen dat alle snelle radioflitsen zich herhalen, maar dat sommige veel actiever zijn dan andere.
Vulkanen
Pleunis trok een parallel met vulkanen: “Sommige vulkanen zijn actiever dan andere; soms lijkt een vulkaan inactief omdat hij een lange tijd niet is uitgebarsten.”
Het is vooralsnog onbekend hoe deze mysterieuze signalen ontstaan.
Theorieën variëren van botsingen tussen neutronensterren tot boodschappen van buitenaardse wezens.
(Natural News) Black holes possess immense amounts of energy, and this very property has given a researcher the idea to use black holes as “launch pads” for starships preparing to explore the deep space. The black holes would curve laser beams back toward a receiving starship, and the boost in energy would helpaccelerate large spacecraft to relativistic speeds.
Astronomers could also investigate if alien civilizations relied on such a “halo drive,” as the study calls it, by seeing if pairs of black holes combine more often than expected.
Current spacecrafts burn huge amounts of fuel to push themselves through space; propellants occupy precious space and weight; and of course, the fuel supply aboard any spaceship eventually runs out.
Laser propulsion offers an alternative to fuel-based drives. Firing powerful beams of light at the reflective sails of a spaceship accelerates the craft forward. Since lasers consume electricity instead of fuel, they will function as long as the ship has power.
Taking the gravitational slingshot maneuver to a relativistic level
A “slingshot maneuver” takes advantage of the gravitational field of a celestial body to increase the speed of a spacecraft. Larger bodies possess more mass and gravity, so they impart higher speeds.
Researcher Freeman Dyson has taken that concept to the extreme. His “Dyson slingshot” uses a compact pair of white dwarf stars or neutron stars for the slingshot maneuver. The powerful gravity of those binary systems would speed up the spacecraft to relativistic speeds.
However, white dwarf stars and neutron stars emit intense radiation. Their gravitational forces might also rip apart the starship that tries to use them for a slingshot maneuver.
Kipping improved Dyson’s proposal by substituting a laser beam for the starship itself for the slingshot maneuver. Furthermore, he recommended using black holes instead of dying or dead stars.
The gravitational field of a black hole is so strong that it prevents anything that enters it from leaving. (Some believe the captured matter will eventually get released.) Even if photons only pass by, their course changes as the gravity tugs on the particles.
Kipping got the idea from a 1993 study by researcher Mark Stucker on gravitational mirrors. Stucker brought up the possibility of slinging a photon back to its source by using the immense gravity of a black hole.
Expanding on this, Kipping surmised that if the black hole was traveling in the direction of the source of the photon, the light particle would absorb some of its gravitational energy. A laser beam would come back stronger.
Black holes might propel alien starships with halo drives at sub-light speeds
Kipping dubbed his gravitational mirror-accelerated laser propulsion system as the “halo drive” for the ring of light it produced around the black hole. His calculations showed that the drive would speed up objects with the mass of Jupiter to relativistic speeds.
“A civilization could exploit black holes as galactic waypoints,” he wrote in his study.
Faster-moving black holes imparted more energy on a halo drive. Kipping sought out pairs of black holes that gravitated toward each other.
He calculated the increases from binary black hole systems where the partners orbited each other at relativistic speeds. These pairs were rare since they merged much faster than the other 10 million binaries in the universe.
Halo drive-equipped starships might also use solitary supermassive black holes that rotated at relativistic speeds.
Kipping advised other researchers to search for clues that alien civilizations tapped binary black hole systems for powering halo drives. Since the drive absorbed energy from the pairs, they increased the rate at which the black holes came together.
Gebruiken aliens zwarte gaten om door het heelal te reizen? Onderzoekers komen met opvallende theorie
Gebruiken aliens zwarte gaten om door het heelal te reizen? Onderzoekers komen met opvallende theorie
Je hoort wetenschappers vaak zeggen dat aliens onze planeet niet kunnen bereiken vanwege de enorme afstanden die ze dan zouden moeten overbruggen.
Een astronoom van de Columbia University in New York lijkt nu een oplossing voor dit probleem te hebben bedacht.
David Kipping zegt dat je ruimteschepen ter grootte van een planeet kunt aandrijven met behulp van een zogeheten ‘halo drive’ die werkt op basis van de extreme zwaartekrachtsgolven in zwarte gaten.
Katapulteren
Het is dan niet langer mogelijk dat de brandstof opraakt, aldus Kipping.
De astronoom liet zich inspireren door het werk van natuurkundige Freeman Dyson.
Dyson stelde voor om ruimteschepen als het ware te katapulteren bij enorme planeten of zwarte gaten, door gebruik te maken van de zwaartekrachtsgolven.
Versnellen
Toen NASA de Voyager en Galileo naar Jupiter stuurde, bleken de onbemande sondes te versnellen dankzij de enorme omvang van de planeet en de snelheid waarmee hij om de zon draait: 13,1 kilometer per seconde.
Je hoeft volgens Kipping niet eens met je ruimteschip in de buurt van een zwart gat of enorme planeet te vliegen.
Laser
Je stuurt fotonen of lichtdeeltjes met behulp van een laser naar bijvoorbeeld een zwart gat en gebruikt ze bij terugkeer, als ze geladen zijn, om het schip aan te drijven.
Met een lichtzeil kun je op deze manier zelfs de grootste ruimteschepen voortbewegen zonder dat je brandstof nodig hebt, stelt Kipping.
Deze technologie zou de schepen in staat stellen snelheden te bereiken die dicht in de buurt van de lichtsnelheid komen.
In onderstaand filmpje bespreekt hij de halo drive:
Camera SpaceX-satelliet legt mysterieus object vast. Bekijk de beelden
Camera SpaceX-satelliet legt mysterieus object vast. Bekijk de beelden
Op YouTube zijn beelden verschenen van een mysterieuze lichtbol in de buurt van de Amos 17-satelliet van SpaceX, die onlangs is gelanceerd. Dat schrijft het Russische persbureau Sputnik.
Het object vliegt snel door het beeld, buigt af naar links en verdwijnt vervolgens.
Blake en Brett Cousins van het YouTube-kanaal thirdphaseofmoon zeggen op basis van de bewegingen die het object maakt dat het geen ruimtepuin kan zijn.
Ongewone manoeuvre
“Hoe kan het naar links afbuigen in de ruimte tenzij het beschikt over een aandrijfsysteem?” vroeg Blake, toevoegende dat het object de satelliet volgens velen ‘in de gaten houdt’.
Als het ruimtepuin was geweest, dan zou het in een rechte lijn bewegen. In plaats daarvan maakt het een ongewone manoeuvre, klonk het.
Bekijk de beelden, die inmiddels al zo’n 100.000 keer zijn bekeken, hieronder:
Is this proof of LIFE on Mars? NASA's Curiosity rover snaps photos of Martian mushrooms that prove the red planet is home to organic lifeforms, scientists claim in controversial study
Is this proof of LIFE on Mars? NASA's Curiosity rover snaps photos of Martian mushrooms that prove the red planet is home to organic lifeforms, scientists claim in controversial study
Images from NASA's Mars Curiosity show pictures of mushrooms and funghi
Some scientists claim these NASA images show the red surface is not barren
The claims from the researchers have yet to be confirmed or refuted by NASA
Images from the surface of Mars reveal the presence of mushrooms, a group of scientists claim in a controversial new study.
It states some images captured by NASA's Curiosity show fungi is growing on the surface of the supposedly barren planet.
The claims have yet to be confirmed or refuted by NASA.
Scroll down for video
A study claims some objects captured by NASA's Curiosity show fungi is growing on the surface of the supposedly barren planet (pictured)
The research lists 15 images as evidence of algae, lichens and 'Martian mushrooms'.
Photographic evidence of such flourishing lifeforms, should the discovery be confirmed, would likely revolutionise our understanding of Mars and life outside of Earth.
Dr Regina Dass, of the department of microbiology at the school of life sciences, India, the study's co-author said: 'There are no geological or other abiogenic forces on Earth which can produce sedimentary structures, by the hundreds, which have mushroom shapes, stems, stalks, and shed what looks like spores on the surrounding surface,' the Express reports.
'In fact, fifteen specimens were photographed by NASA growing out of the ground in just three days.'
It remains unknown why life may have sprouted on Mars but it is possible conditions are more suitable for cultivating life underground than on the surface.
A controversial piece of research such as this is subjected to extensive vetting by peers within the scientific community.
The research states 15 images include evidence of algae, lichens and 'Martian mushrooms' (pictured). The claims have been published in Journal of Astrobiology and Space Science Reviews
Photographic evidence of such flourishing lifeforms, should the discovery be confirmed, would revolutionise our understanding of Mars. Images from the rover include purported evidence of 'life' on martian rocks
Editors of the journal say six independent scientists and eight senior editors were recruited to scrutinise the study.
Eleven recommended publication on the grounds certain revisions were implemented and three rejected the results.
Other academics proposed an alternative explanation and say it is more feasible the specimens are hematite, a form of iron oxide.
The journal stated: 'Evidence is not proof and there is no proof of life on Mars.
'Abiogenic explanations for this evidence can't be ruled out.'
WHAT EVIDENCE DO SCIENTISTS HAVE FOR LIFE ON MARS?
The search for life on other planets has captivated mankind for decades.
But the reality could be a little less like the Hollywood blockbusters, scientists have revealed.
They say if there was life on the red planet, it probably will present itself as fossilized bacteria - and have proposed a new way to look for it.
Here are the most promising signs of life so far -
Water
When looking for life on Mars, experts agree that water is key.
Although the planet is now rocky and barren with water locked up in polar ice caps there could have been water in the past.
In 2000, scientists first spotted evidence for the existence of water on Mars.
The Nasa Mars Global Surveyor found gullies that could have been created by flowing water.
The debate is ongoing as to whether these recurring slope lineae (RSL) could have been formed from water flow.
Meteorites
Earth has been hit by 34 meteorites from Mars, three of which are believed to have the potential to carry evidence of past life on the planet, writes Space.com.
In 1996, experts found a meteorite in Antarctica known as ALH 84001 that contained fossilised bacteria-like formations.
However, in 2012, experts concluded that this organic material had been formed by volcanic activity without the involvement of life.
Signs of Life
The first close-ups of the planet were taken by the 1964 Mariner 4 mission.
These initial images showed that Mars has landforms that could have been formed when the climate was much wetter and therefore home to life.
In 1975, the first Viking orbiter was launched and although inconclusive it paved the way for other landers.
Many rovers, orbiters and landers have now revealed evidence of water beneath the crust and even occasional precipitation.
Earlier this year, Nasa's Curiosity rover found potential building blocks of life in an ancient Martian lakebed.
The organic molecules preserved in 3.5 billion-year-old bedrock in Gale Crater — believed to have once contained a shallow lake the size of Florida's Lake Okeechobee — suggest conditions back then may have been conducive to life.
Future missions to Mars plan on bringing samples back to Earth to test them more thoroughly.
Methane
In 2018, Curiosity also confirmed sharp seasonal increases of methane in the Martian atmosphere.
Experts said the methane observations provide 'one of the most compelling' cases for present-day life.
Curiosity's methane measurements occurred over four-and-a-half Earth years, covering parts of three Martian years.
Seasonal peaks were detected in late summer in the northern hemisphere and late winter in the southern hemisphere.
The magnitude of these seasonal peaks – by a factor of three – was far more than scientists expected.
The researchers pointed out features in 15 images that resembled algae, lichens, and mushrooms on Earth. They added that the shapes were impossible to replicate by non-living forces like geological movements.
“There are no geological or other abiogenic forces on Earth which can produce sedimentary structures, by the hundreds, which have mushroom shapes, stems, stalks, and shed what looks like spores on the surrounding surface,” claimed Pondicherry University researcher Dr. Regina Dass. “In fact, fifteen specimens were photographed by NASA growing out of the ground in just three days.”
Dass and her colleagues published their findings on the Journal of Astrobiology and Space Science Reviews. Due to their bold claims of finding fungal life on the surface of Mars, their research paper received thorough vetting by other researchers.
Some academics have suggested that the “Mars mushrooms” found by the researchers were more likely to be hematite, a form of iron oxide that was plentiful on Mars. The journal itself stressed the difference between evidence and proof, and classed the findings under the former. (Related: Geological curiosity: Mars “blueberries” reveal what ancient Mars may have looked like.)
The search for more evidence of life on Mars
Researchers don’t know why life may have developed on Mars. Some of them theorize that the conditions underground may prove more hospitable to life than its surface.
While movies depict alien life in various exciting and horrifying ways, real life would probably turn out to be tamer. Experts think that any lifeforms found on Mars would appear as fossils of bacteria that died long ago.
The Red Planet is currently rocky and barren. The majority of its water is trapped in the ice caps at the polar regions.
However, researchers have uncovered evidence that liquid water once flowed across the surface of Mars. In 2000, NASA’s Mars Global Surveyor photographed gullies that might have been dug out of the ground by flowing water.
They also evaluated several meteorites originating from Mars that crashed on Earth. These chunks of metal and rock provide a glimpse of Mars during earlier periods.
Found in Antarctica in 1996, the ALH 84001 meteorite bears features that resemble fossilized bacteria. While a 2012 study eventually attributed the formation to volcanic origins instead of biological life, other Martian space rocks may present more concrete evidence.
Organic molecules in ancient lake beds and methane spikes during certain seasons
When Mariner 4 arrived at Mars in 1964, it sent back the first close-up photographs of the planet. Researchers noticed the presence of terrain features that might have formed during a time when Mars enjoyed a moist climate conducive to organic life.
Over the decades, orbiters, landers, and rovers found evidence that water lurked beneath the dry surface of Mars. They even came across clues that the planet experienced precipitation on rare occasions that its thin atmosphere gathered enough condensed water vapor for the weather event.
In 2019, the Curiosity rover came across organic molecules in the bedrock of Gale Crater, a Martian lake bed dated 3.5 billion years old. These molecules had the potential to become the building blocks of simple lifeforms.
Curiosity also sniffed out regular spikes of methane levels in the atmosphere over three Martian years. In the northern hemisphere, the gas greatly increased during late summer. In the southern half of Mars, the spikes appeared deep into the winter season.
NASA heeft foto’s van paddenstoelen op Mars, zeggen wetenschappers. Bewijs voor buitenaards leven?
NASA heeft foto’s van paddenstoelen op Mars, zeggen wetenschappers. Bewijs voor buitenaards leven?
Op foto’s van het oppervlak van Mars zijn paddenstoelen te zien, zo beweren wetenschappers.
Zij stellen in een studie dat er schimmels groeien op de rode planeet. De Amerikaanse ruimtevaartorganisatie NASA heeft nog niet gereageerd op het onderzoek.
De onderzoekers laten 15 foto’s zien die volgens hen bewijzen dat er algen, mossen en paddenstoelen groeien op Mars.
15 soorten
“Er zijn geen geologische of andere abiogene krachten op aarde die honderden van dit soort structuren kunnen voortbrengen,” zei coauteur Regina Dass.
“Ze hebben de vorm van paddenstoelen, stelen, stengels en sporen,” vervolgde dr. Dass. “Er zijn 15 soorten gefotografeerd door de NASA die in drie dagen tijd uit de grond groeiden.”
Het is onduidelijk hoe het kan dat er wellicht opeens leven is ontstaan op Mars.
Baffling mystery: Star that’s older than the universe
Baffling mystery: Star that’s older than the universe
It’s something that shouldn’t be possible. Scientists have been left baffled by a star that appears to be older than the universe itself.
Astronomers are stumped over a star that appears to be older than the universe.
So how is that possible? That’s the question that an international conference in California attempted to answer.
But instead of solving the mystery, theorists are now questioning whether there is something wrong with the current scientific model of the universe — based on Einstein’s famous theories.
The star known as HD 140283 appears to be older than the universe.
Picture: ESA/HubbleSource:Supplied
The best estimates put the universe’s age at about 13.8 billion years. But the star, HD 140283, appears to be 14.5 billion years old — a difference of 0.7 billion years.
“It’s a riddle of cosmic proportions: How can the universe contain stars older than itself?” physicist Robert Matthews wrote for The National.
“That’s the conundrum now facing astronomers trying to establish the age of the universe — and its resolution could spark a scientific revolution.”
Dubbed the “Methuselah star”, HD 140283 is about 200 light-years away from Earth. It’s one of the oldest stars known.
“Astronomers now know it contains very little iron — which means it must have been formed before this element became common in the universe,” Dr Matthew wrote.
“And that implies HD 140283 must be almost as old as the universe itself.”
So what should we make of the discrepancy?
The exact age of the universe is imprecise. Scientists say it could be 800 million years younger or older.
According to Dr Matthews, new research into gravitational waves could also resolve the paradox.
Einstein’s famous theory of gravity is also in the spotlight.
His general theory of relativity, one of the towering achievements of 20th-century physics, is one of the most successful theories devised.
It’s also been repeatedly backed by observational evidence.
But Dr Matthews said applying the theory to the whole universe had led to surprising results.
“In the meantime, theorists have been busy dreaming up new physics that might solve the problem,” he wrote.
Een raadsel van kosmische proporties. Deze mysterieuze ster is ouder dan het universum zelf
Een raadsel van kosmische proporties. Deze mysterieuze ster is ouder dan het universum zelf
Een ster die ouder lijkt te zijn dan het universum stelt astronomen voor een raadsel. Hoe is dit mogelijk?
Onderzoekers vragen zich af of er misschien iets mis is met het huidige wetenschappelijke model van het universum, dat gebaseerd is op de theorieën van Einstein.
Geschat wordt dat het heelal ongeveer 13,8 miljard jaar oud is.
Raadsel
Dat terwijl de ster, HD 140283, 14,5 miljard jaar oud lijkt te zijn. Dat zou de ster 0,7 miljard jaar ouder dan het universum maken.
“Het is een raadsel van kosmische proporties,” schreef natuurkundige Robert Matthews voor The National.
“Hoe kan het universum sterren bevatten die ouder zijn dan het universum zelf?” vroeg hij.
Oudst bekende ster
HD 140283, ook wel de ster van Metusalem genoemd, bevindt zich op zo’n 200 lichtjaar van de aarde. Het is de oudst bekende ster.
“Astronomen weten nu dat hij heel weinig ijzer bevat, wat betekent dat hij moet zijn gevormd voordat het element op grote schaal voorkwam in het universum,” schreef dr. Matthews.
“Dat betekent dat HD 140283 net zo oud moet zijn als het universum zelf,” klonk het.
Zwaartekrachtsgolven
Wetenschappers weten niet precies hoe oud het heelal is. Het zou zo’n 800 miljoen jaar jonger of ouder kunnen zijn.
Volgens dr. Matthews moet het onderzoek naar zwaartekrachtsgolven meer duidelijkheid geven.
The supermassive black hole at the center of our galaxy suddenly lit up brighter than scientists had ever seen, and nobody knows why
The supermassive black hole at the center of our galaxy suddenly lit up brighter than scientists had ever seen, and nobody knows why
Morgan McFall-Johnsen
An artist's concept of a supermassive black hole surrounded by a swirling disk of material falling onto it.
The supermassive black hole at the center of the Milky Way is normally quiet, but in May it surprised astronomers with an unprecedented explosion of infrared light.
The closest supermassive black hole to Earth, called Sagittarius A*, or Sgr A*, suddenly got 75 times brighter than normal along the near-infrared region of the light spectrum for two hours on May 13, a team of scientists has found.
According to a new paper they published on August 5 in arXiv, a Cornell University repository for scientific papers that are not yet peer reviewed, this was the brightest flash scientists had seen in 20 years of observing the black hole - and twice as bright as any previously recorded.
"The black hole was so bright I at first mistook it for the star S0-2, because I had never seen Sgr A* that bright," Tuan Do, an astronomer and lead author of the paper, told ScienceAlert. "I knew almost right away there was probably something interesting going on with the black hole."
The new findings "push the limits of the current statistical models," since those don't account for infrared flux levels this high, and suggest scientists' understanding of our galaxy's central black hole is not up-to-date, the team wrote in the paper.
The Milky Way's spiral centres around a supermassive black hole. Scientists think that every galaxy has one at its center.
Scientists think every galaxy has an especially dense "supermassive" black hole at its center. The proximity of Sgr A* makes it the easiest black hole for scientists to study. The team that discovered this unprecedented flare-up observed Sgr A* for four nights with an infrared camera at the Keck Observatory on Mauna Kea in Hawaii.
They were hoping to test Albert Einstein's theory of general relativity by observing how the black hole warped a nearby star's light. They got what they came for, plus the unprecedented infrared flare.
Do tweeted a time lapse of the event on Saturday.
Tuan Do@quantumpenguin
Here's a timelapse of images over 2.5 hr from May from @keckobservatory of the supermassive black hole Sgr A*. The black hole is always variable, but this was the brightest we've seen in the infrared so far. It was probably even brighter before we started observing that night!
For three of the four nights of observation, the black hole was in "a clearly elevated state," Do's team wrote.
"We think that something unusual might be happening this year because the black hole seems to vary in brightness more, reaching brighter levels than we've ever seen in the past," Do told Vice.
But the researchers aren't sure what exactly is going on.
In black holes, matter gets packed into a tiny space, giving them extremely powerful gravity - Sgr A*, for example, has the mass of 4 million suns. The pull of a black hole is so strong that even light cannot escape, so researchers have to observe the infrared or X-ray light that radiates out from the black hole and interacts with nearby gas and stars.
The researchers think such an interaction could have caused this bright flash. Specifically, they said, an interaction with a nearby star that passed near Sgr A* in 2018 could have disturbed gas flows at the edge of the black hole's grasp.
They also pointed to a dust cloud that passed near Sgr A* in 2014 but didn't get dramatically torn apart the way astronomers thought it would. The brightness could be a "delayed reaction," they wrote.
NASA's Chandra X-ray Observatory captured an unprecedented X-ray flare from Sagittarius A* in 2013. This event was 400 times brighter than the usual X-ray output from the black hole.
In 2013, scientists detected an equally mysterious X-ray flare-up from Sgr A*, which was 400 times brighter than its normal levels of X-ray radiation.
Scientists should continue monitoring Sgr A* to see if it's experiencing significant changes, Do's team wrote. More research could also be used to update models of the regular flux of the black hole's radiation levels.
"Many astronomers are observing Sgr A* this summer," Do told Vice. "I'm hoping we can get as much data as we can this year before the region of the sky with Sgr A* gets behind the sun and we won't be able to observe it again until next year."
Het zwarte gat in het centrum van de Melkweg is opeens 75 keer helderder geworden en niemand weet waarom
Het zwarte gat in het centrum van de Melkweg is opeens 75 keer helderder geworden en niemand weet waarom
In slechts twee uur tijd is het zwarte gat in het centrum van ons sterrenstelsel 75 keer helderder geworden.
Sinds het moment dat wetenschappers het object 20 jaar geleden voor het eerst begonnen te bestuderen, is het nog nooit zo helder geweest.
De Keck-telescoop op Hawaï stond op 12 mei op het hart van de Melkweg gericht toen astrofysicus Tuan Do van de Galactic Center Group plotseling een ongewoon felle vlek waarnam.
Vreemd
Hij dacht in eerste instantie dat het om de nabijgelegen ster S0-2 ging.
Naarmate het helderder werd, kwam hij al snel tot de conclusie dat het raadselachtige supermassieve monster de oorzaak was.
“Ik vond het vreemd aangezien het zwarte gat nog nooit eerder zo helder is geweest,” zei Do.
Kaars
Normaal gesproken flikkert het als een kaars, soms zelfs zo zwak dat het niet waarneembaar is.
Hij speculeerde dat er mogelijk meer gas wordt opgezogen door het zwarte gat en dat het daardoor helderder is geworden.
Het verschijnsel zou ook kunnen zijn veroorzaakt door de mysterieuze gas- en stofwolk G2 die in 2014 rond het zwarte gat is waargenomen.
Vuurwerk
Destijds verwachtten sommige astronomen vuurwerk te zien, maar zij werden teleurgesteld.
Binnenkort zullen met behulp van de Event Horizon Telescope beelden worden gemaakt van het zwarte gat, Sagittarius A* geheten.
Rare Blue UFO Seen From Plane Over Ocean Near Taiwan, Aug 12, 2019, Video, UFO Sighting News.
Rare Blue UFO Seen From Plane Over Ocean Near Taiwan, Aug 12, 2019, Video, UFO Sighting News.
Date of sighting: Aug 12, 2019 Location of sighting: Ocean, 1 hour from Taiwan This was sent to me by a friend who saw this blue disk over the cloud during sunset. They were about one hour away from Taiwan when they noticed this glowing blue disk over the dark clouds. The disk seems to be hiding behind the darker cloud. The person said they kept it in sight as long as they could, but soon it was behind the plane. This is great raw footage of a rare glowing blue UFO over the ocean. The best time to see a UFO is during sunset, because the suns angle cuts through any cloaked craft in the sky revealing it for a few minutes. Scott C. Waring
Guys this really makes me angry. Its one thing to see those Instagramers using photoshop for selfies, but its another to catch NASA using it for photo that they make public. I wanted to have a better look at this photo, so I downloaded it and added light to it. Suddenly I saw a mess all around the edges of the photo and across its surface. The photo looks grainy and sandy. Its got scratches and brush marks on it, as if someone used a paint brush to wipe off the dirt from a camera lens. I'm really not sure what NASA did. Did they paint this scene and pretend its a photo? Or did they turn this horrible photo into a HD perfection by using photoshop to fool the public? That original photo was literally garbage! And the used photoshop to make it acceptable by the public. Thats like feeding people recycled food when they thought they were eating freshly made food. It sickens me. One thing is certain, we cannot trust NASA to release unedited photo to the public. This is 100% proof they edit photos and if they do that, they also will edit out alien structures and ships. Scott C. Waring-Taiwan
Ancient Writing Reveals Mythological Weapon Hiding In Crater On Moon, UFO Sighting News.
Ancient Writing Reveals Mythological Weapon Hiding In Crater On Moon, UFO Sighting News.
Guys, I found the letters VEL with an arrow after it pointing up. I believe that this is referring to the ancient holy mythological spear VEL in which a goddess embodied all her powers into the spear so that it can protect her son in battle. Its an ancient religious holy relic which is still worshiped and celebrated in countries today. I believe that this holy relic spear has powers that were given not by a goddess, but by an advanced alien race that were godlike and the mother made this weapon to protect her son in battle. Much like Thor was given a hammer from his father. I also believe that the arrow at the end of the word VEL is a spear, pointing to where the ancient spear is hidden. This is in Jackson Crater on Earths moon. What better way to hide a relic from humanity than to place it on a moon orbiting the planet? VEL is real and it could be a dangers weapon in the wrong hands. Scott C. Waring-Taiwan Source moon photo: Source photo:
UFO Seen During Daytime Causes Camera To Die, Video, UFO Sighting News.
UFO Seen During Daytime Causes Camera To Die, Video, UFO Sighting News.
Date of sighting: August 9, 2019 Location of sighting: Unknown This UFO glowed brightly during sunset as they were driving down the dirt road. However the camera battery suddenly died, making the video very short. UFOs often cause electronic disruption...as seen with the camera cutting out. The person is speaking Spanish and you can clearly hear their astonishment at what they were seeing. Many times the outer hull of UFOs will appear to be bright light. Maybe its the propulsion that causes that or maybe they think appearing as light is less frightening for eyewitnesses. Either way, many UFO reports do report of glowing objects. This looks 100% real. I believe the area has a high chance of being Mexico from its appearance. Scott C. Waring-Taiwan
This is a great video of a UFO over Jackson, Wyoming last weekend. This is not just a disk, but an orb maker. Its planting orb drones every so often to cover and record an area. At 2:36 it becomes very bright...and produces a drone...which you can see below it. This is a rare catch. I only see a video of a seeding event every few years. This video is teaching us why the UFO came. To gather intel. Also, it will come back for the mini drones in a few weeks. Till then the mini drones fly around from cloud to cloud, usually cloaked, but can be easily seen with an infrared camera. They will follow birds, planes and explore while recording everything.
Scott C. Waring
News states:
The reader who sent in the video, who wishes to remain anonymous for her job’s sake, was working a night shift and decided to keep an eye on the webcam at Spring Creek Ranch, from SeeJH because she knew the Perseid Meteor Shower was active and she might catch a glimpse. Then, at right around 3:41 a.m., she saw something on the screen that caught her eye. “My coworker thought something was broken on the camera,” she said. It could have been a meteor, but it was moving too slowly and seemingly too close to the ground. A plane, perhaps? “I checked online, there weren’t any flights that I could find at that time.” Buckrail also checked the flight log database on US Department of Transportation website and no flights are recorded in that airspace at that time. (more at source)
Baseball Size UFO Lands On Water Caught On Animal Ca! Photos, UFO Sighting News.
Baseball Size UFO Lands On Water Caught On Animal Cam! Photos, UFO Sighting News.
Date of sighting: July 31, 2019
Location of sighting: Virginia Beach, Virginia, USA
Source:MUFON #102694
A persons wildlife cam caught something interesting two weeks ago. An aliens orb was caught touching the waters surface. Proof that this is not just a light reflection is that the orb is making a reflection of itself in the water. That is 100% proof that it is a real object, not an photo artifact or glitch. These orbs are interested in all forms of life from the biggest to the smallest. They can only be seen if they want to be seen, but usually are cloaked so the human eye cannot detect them, however an infrared night camera can. IR cameras cut through the cloak and can see the outline of the object really well, although the detail of the object inside is still hard to see.
I found some faces in a Mars photo today. I think the faces are literally the most important discovery a person can make next to actually finding a living alien life form. The faces tell us what they saw, what they looked like, what they feared. It shows us the character of the person, are they forgiving, kind, thoughtful, cruel, angry, mean, feared. A single face tells us so many things its unbelievable.
For some people its nothing, they fear that someone will label them as crazy. But when a stone ancient face was found on Earth in North Carolina last month...everyone could see it...even though its characteristics were less defining and less detailed than the faces I show you here today. Just because I found it on Mars...people are afraid...because if they say....yes...then they are literally changing everything they were ever taught and programed to think about life. That...is a frightening thing for anyone to encounter.
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- Gemiddelde waardering: 0/5 - (0 Stemmen) Categorie:Ruins, strange artifacts on other planets, moons, ed ( Fr, EN, NL )
Was Atlantis Seen From Space Or Just Pixelation? You Decide. UFO Sighting News.
Was Atlantis Seen From Space Or Just Pixelation? You Decide. UFO Sighting News.
Date of sighting: Aug 12, 2019
Location of sighting: Earths orbit
Source: NASA space station cam
I was watching the space station live cam when I noticed the same structures under the ocean many times. What I mean is that the cam was not live at all but playing the same video all week. I saw these buildings and decide to record them. Once I enlarged them I became confident that these were ancient ruins under the ocean. Watch in the video how you can see the reflection of the sun off the surface of the water on the upper right part of the video. The long white trail...is a contrail from a jet. often seen from orbit, not a river as some suggested. This may be the lost city of Atlantis. I see no other known city of such size. Those buildings are hundreds of miles across!
Flying Orb Caught On Forest Cam Observing Deer, Video, Aug 2019, UFO Sighting News.
Flying Orb Caught On Forest Cam Observing Deer, Video, Aug 2019, UFO Sighting News.
Date of sighting: August 8, 2019 This orb was recorded on a deer cam a few nights ago. The orb is seen near the animals, observing and following them as they eat the grass. These orbs are thought to be alien drones which enable aliens to see, hear and even feel the things around the orb drone. Most aliens cannot live with our air, gravity, bacteria and other elements that may be fatal to them. Each species adapts to their own planets environment and each planet has a different environment in which life sprung forth. For instance we often make the mistake that all life must breath air...but its not true. For instance two years ago Russian astronauts cleaning the space stations solar panels found reported finding giant plankton living on the solar panels in space without air. Of course NASA ignored this and never reported anything about it, but Russia got credit for finding the first alien life on that day. Humans are not the only interest to aliens, our whole planet and every living thing on it is of interest to them. This camera has an infrared filter on it and flashes an IR light allowing it to see anything in the area, even if it was cloaked. A normal camera might not pick up this orb in the daytime. Scott C. Waring
President Kennedy Was Killed To Stop Disclosure Of Aliens, Will Bernie Sanders Be Next? UFO Sighting News.
President Kennedy Was Killed To Stop Disclosure Of Aliens, Will Bernie Sanders Be Next? UFO Sighting News.
Date of announcement: August 2019 Sen. Bernie Sanders promises to reveal the truth about aliens if he ever becomes president in the 2020 presidential election. Now the problem here is that most people believe the president can just say what they want and do what they want when it comes to aliens. Thats not true at all. President Kennedy was assassinated by the CIA or MIB in order to stop him from releasing information about the existence of aliens. Its true, I was first to publish it in my book "UFO Sightings of 2006-2008." Where I first publish a document that I had found that revealed a memo from president Kennedy to NASA telling them to reveal all information NASA has learned about space to the public...less than a week later he was dead. Now many people tried to take credit for my hard work by saying they discovered the document...all were published after my book. But I'm use to that happening. What I'm saying is any president who thinks he can reveal the truth...will be killed by the CIA. No president not even Trump has the courage or the power to reveal the existence of intelligent aliens. Scott C. Waring
Space Station Found At Orion Constellation! Video, UFO Sighting News.
Space Station Found At Orion Constellation! Video, UFO Sighting News.
Date of discovery: Aug 2019 Location of discovery: Orion Constellation I have been using this map program a few years now and have kept loads of things I have found in a file, this object being one of them. This giant blue crystal-like space station is out there near the Orion Constellation near the back foot. In the video I thought it was the head are, my bad. Clearly aliens can build a space station any way they want and this one seems to have a very artistic appearance to it. If your species is so advanced that their technology is millions of years ahead of our own, then they wont need planets any longer. They literally can chose to create their own planet size space stations and move from place to place in the universe. I would love to meet this species. It looks like a very creative species. If you can help me out by liking my video and subscribing, I sure would appreciate it. Thanks, Scott C. Waring-Taiwan
I found a lot of alien structures, some are buildings and others appear to be landed ships. The structures are all silver metallic objects with shiny white reflective windows. These buildings are very old, but out in the vacuum of space structures can remain intact for millions of years. I imagine that one of these structures would easily be taken over by a group of human traveling to the moon and would make a great starting point for someone like Jeff Bezos space exploration program Blue Origins. The structure are right there, ripe for the taking, and waiting for new occupants and with the alien tech inside they should have power for hundreds of years. Can you see it? Blue Origins Space City at Dionysius crater becoming the next vacation resort. Scott C. Waring
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19-08-2019
UFOs Caught Visiting The Space Station, Close Up, High Detail! Video, UFO Sighting News.
UFOs Caught Visiting The Space Station, Close Up, High Detail! Video, UFO Sighting News.
Date of sighting: May 12, 2019
Location of sighting: Space Station
This is one of the most extraordinary UFOs I have ever seen at the space station. Youtube user Tom Brown caught something on the space station live cam that is mind blowing. Two triangle UFOs move upward and within view of the camera, at that point the UFOs realise that they have been seen and move away, vanishing into the darkness of space. The camera also notices the UFOs and tries to move away from that location. UFOs often move in pairs, I have seen orbs in pairs move like this, but never triangle UFOs and never this close with such amazing detail. And we see each one is a different color, one red larger craft and one smaller grey-brown craft. These are 100% alien craft watching over the space station.
DE UFO-INVASIE VAN WASHINGTON IS NOOIT OPGEHELDERD ( VIDEO )
DE UFO-INVASIE VAN WASHINGTON IS NOOIT OPGEHELDERD ( VIDEO )
Gedurende twee weekenden in 1952 was heel Amerika in de ban van een ufo invasie boven Washington.
Talloze getuigen zagen ze, ze zijn gefilmd, militaire jets probeerden ze te achtervolgen en nooit is er een fatsoenlijke verklaring gekomen.
Je hebt van die ufo waarnemingen die zo fenomenaal zijn dat ze nooit weggaan. Eén daarvan is de zogenaamde ufo invasie die plaatsvond boven Washington in de zomer van 1952.
De gebeurtenissen die toen plaatsvonden worden ook wel omschreven als "The Big Flap" en het begon allemaal kort voor middernacht op zaterdag 19 juli 1952.
Op dat moment zag luchtverkeersleider Edward Nugent op zijn radarscherm op Washington National Airport zeven traag bewegende objecten die in niets leken op militaire of burgervliegtuigen.
Hij riep zijn baas erbij en zei voor de grap dat hij een vloot vliegende schotels op zijn scherm zag.
Op hetzelfde moment waren er nog twee verkeersleiders die een vreemd fel licht zagen dat stil leek te hangen en toen plotseling met een enorme snelheid wegschoot.
Op het nabijgelegen militaire vliegveld Andrews Air Force Base zagen verkeersleiders ook vreemde onbekende blips op hun radarschermen. Objecten die plotsklaps wegschoten met naar schatting snelheden hoger dan 10.000 kilometer per uur.
Eén van de verkeersleiders op Andrews keek door het raam naar buiten en zei dat hij iets zag dat leek op een oranje vuurbol met een staart.
Een burgerpiloot die op dat moment in dat gebied vloog maakte melding van zes langgerekte felle lichten die eruit zagen als vallende sterren.
Vervolgens zagen de verkeersleiders op hun schermen dat de ufo’s langs het Capitool en het Witte Huis vlogen, waarna ze opeens weg waren.
De kranten in die tijd stonden bol van de spannende verhalen over de gebeurtenis.
Maar, dat was nog niet het einde van de ufo’s, want de volgende zaterdag waren ze terug boven de Amerikaanse hoofdstad.
Hetzelfde soort blips verscheen op de radarschermen en dit keer werden er twee jets de lucht in gestuurd om polshoogte te nemen.
Het waren twee F-94 jets die op zoek gingen naar de vreemde objecten.
Echter, er gebeurde iets bijzonders, want iedere keer als ze door de verkeersleiders naar een bepaalde positie werden gedirigeerd en daar aan kwamen, waren de objecten plots verdwenen.
Eindelijk zag één van de piloten zelf een fel licht in de verte en zette de achtervolging in.
“Ik probeerde contact te maken met de “bogies” op een hoogte van minder dan 1000 voet”, zei de piloot later tegen de pers. “Ik vloog met maximum snelheid, maar zelfs toen kwam ik helemaal niet dichterbij. Ik heb uiteindelijk de achtervolging maar opgegeven, want ik had geen schijn van kans om ze in te halen”.
Direct na deze gebeurtenissen was er verwarring alom en had de luchtmacht nog niet echt de gelegenheid gehad om een goed verhaal te bedenken, hetgeen blijkt uit de volgende videoclip waar Tyler van Secureteam deze week mee kwam.
Het is een verklaring van generaal majoor Samford die gewoon toegeeft dat ze niet weten wat hier allemaal gebeurde.
Later werd uiteraard de hele gebeurtenis zoals gewoonlijk in de doofpot gestopt en kwam de luchtmacht met een verklaring dat hier sprake was geweest van een temperatuurinversie, hetgeen een soort mirage effect veroorzaakt zou hebben.
Kortom, iedereen zou dingen hebben gezien die er niet echt waren. Aangezien dit gebeurde in een tijd alle mensen nog geloofden wat kranten drukten en deze het verhaal van de inversie allemaal braaf plaatsten, verdween deze fenomenale gebeurtenis naar de achtergrond.
Echter, zoals we zes jaar geleden al schreven, er zat nog een bijzonder staartje aan dit verhaal.
Het merkwaardige echter, afgezien van de bijzondere waarnemingen, was dat de Amerikaanse luchtmacht, De Los Angeles Herald Examiner en Life Magazine ongeveer een week voordat de waarnemingen begonnen aangetekende brieven ontvingen waarin werd meegedeeld dat deze gebeurtenis zou gaan plaatsvinden.
Deze brieven waren afkomstig van George van Tassel. Hij stond in contact met buitenaardse beschavingen. Hij was ook de eerste die de naam “channeling” gebruikte om te kunnen differentiëren tussen zijn manier van communiceren en die van spirituele mediums.
Al op heel jeugdige leeftijd had Van Tassel grote belangstelling voor vliegen en het duurde dan ook niet lang voordat hij zijn vliegbrevet had. Voor de oorlog werkte hij jaren als testpiloot en gedurende de Tweede Wereldoorlog heeft hij veel gevlogen met de beroemde Howard Hughes.
Na de oorlog had hij genoeg van de hectiek en opende zelf een klein vliegveld in de woestijn in Californië, Great Rock genaamd. Het is dan ook op dit vliegveld waar een UFO is geland in 1953 en George voor het eerst fysiek contact maakte met de buitenaardsen.
George had voor het eerst contact met de buitenaardsen in 1952 en dat was wanneer ze hem vertelden dat ze naar de aarde waren gekomen vanwege hun zorgen omdat de mens erin was geslaagd een atoombom te ontwikkelen en te laten ontploffen. Sinds die tijd zijn ze eigenlijk ook permanent op aarde omdat de mensheid tot op de dag van vandaag niet heeft laten zien dat we geen gevaar meer opleveren voor de rest van het zonnestelsel.
George van Tassel die in 1978 is overleden, had ook het grote voorrecht om mee te gaan voor een vlucht in een UFO. Daarnaast heeft hij veel informatie ontvangen ondermeer over tijdreizen.
Nu is er een zeldzame video opgedoken van een oud interview met George van Kassel uit 1968. Kijk en luister wat hij te vertellen had op televisie destijds in een uitzending die op 18 juni 1968 werd uitgezonden.
VREEMD OBJECT ONTDEKT IN STERRENBEELD ORION ( VIDEO )
VREEMD OBJECT ONTDEKT IN STERRENBEELD ORION ( VIDEO )
Het sterrenbeeld Orion is fascinerend, omdat er veel verbanden te vinden zijn met onze aarde.
Van de Egyptische piramiden, tot de tweede ster en de miermensen van de Hopi indianen, allen wijzen zij naar Orion waar nu een vreemd groot object is ontdekt.
Via een lezer (dank!) werden we opmerkzaam gemaakt op een bijzondere ontdekking in het sterrenbeeld Orion door de altijd zoekende Scott Waring.
En dat verhaal schijnt inderdaad te kloppen, want iedereen kan met behulp van een bepaald programma zelf kijken en dit object ontdekken.
Het is een programma van de American Astronomical Society en het heet Worldwide Telescope.
Met behulp van dit programma heeft Scott helemaal bovenin het sterrenbeeld Orion het volgende bizar ogende object ontdekt.
Wanneer je het beeld plat neerlegt, ziet het er zo uit:
Een opmerkelijk gegeven is dat de beelden die door de American Astronomical Society worden gebruikt niet afkomstig zijn van Google.
Wij weten niet of bij Google hetzelfde object te vinden is, maar zo niet dan zegt dat nog weinig omdat Google nogal eens beelden censureert.
In de volgende video vertelt Scott wat meer over zijn ontdekking.
Wat het ook is, de afmetingen van het object zijn enorm. Is het een enorm ruimtestation van buitenaardsen zoals Scott denkt, of is het misschien toch iets in de software wat dit veroorzaakt.
In de volgende video die we van de lezer kregen, wat meer achtergrond over waarom de Orion nevel voor ons mensen zo interessant is.
Ook de miermensen van de Hopi’s zijn afkomstig uit de Orion Nevel.
De Hopi geloven in een eeuwige cyclus van schepping en vernietiging. Hierdoor worden er onophoudelijk werelden geschapen en vernietigd. De eerste wereld werd vernietigd door vuur, de tweede door vorst en de derde door een zondvloed. Wij leven in de 4de wereld, deze wereld zou vol met pijn, leed en erg hard zijn. De Hopi overleefden de vernietiging van de derde wereld door zich ondergronds terug te trekken. Dit zal nog tweemaal gebeuren, maar alleen zij met een puur hart kunnen deze plek betreden. Ondergronds leven de miermensen, zij worden beschreven als bleek met grote hoofden en zwarte ogen. Ze hebben kleine lichaampjes, met dunne armen en soms 6 vingers. De miermensen tonen verbazend veel overeenkomst met de greys
Uit mijn verhaal (zie de complete 142 afleveringen) dat de tweede ster, de bij-Zon Ra (of Anu of Gud) afkomstig is uit de Orion-Nevel (de kraamkamer van jonge sterren) uit het zogenaamde Orion-sterrenstelsel. Dat in acht genomen hebbende is het niet zo heel vreemd dat de ‘miermensen’, aldus de Hopi in Amerika, volgens hen afkomstig zijn van Orion. Niet alleen omdat hun lijven de vorm blijken te hebben van een Mier en dat die Mier weer lijkt op de vorm van Orion, maar ook omdat ze zich evoluëerden op de planeten rond de tweede ster Ra. Hun essentie, hun ‘sterrenstof’ komt van Orion, eenvoudigweg omdat ze meekwamen met de jonge nog ‘vuurbrakende’ ster!
GRAANCIRKEL REUSEN, NEDERLAND HOUDT MOGELIJK VERBAND MET KOMST TWEEDE STER...
GRAANCIRKEL REUSEN, NEDERLAND HOUDT MOGELIJK VERBAND MET KOMST TWEEDE STER...
We schreven onlangs een artikel over een nieuwe graancirkel bij het Brabantse plaats Reusel.
Net zoals graancirkels al eeuwenlang voorkomen, zo kan deze wel eens verwijzen naar de komst van de tweede ster.
Naar aanleiding van ons eerdere artikel over de vreemde gebeurtenissen bij Reusel en de vervolgens ontdekte graancirkel, ontvingen wij het volgende van Evert Jan Poorterman als mogelijke verklaring (dank!). Alhoewel hij zelf zegt geen graancirkeldeskundige te zijn, weet hij er wel veel vanaf en daarom hier zijn verhaal.
Dit artikel hoort thuis in de categorie die je op-ed artikelen zou kunnen noemen. Het woord op-ed is een afkorting voor “opposite the editorial page” en zijn artikelen die worden geschreven door een gastauteur. Ze weerspiegelen vaak een eigen mening en/of visie die niet per definitie hoeft overeen te komen de mening/visie van de redactie.
Daarnaast zijn er nog ook nog lezersbrieven, incidentele stukken die door lezers geschreven kunnen worden en eventueel gepubliceerd, waarvoor hetzelfde geldt.
Ik verbaas me ten hoogste dat... anno 2020, want daar zijn we bijna, er nog mensen zijn die schaamte voelen opkomen of gene hebben te melden dat ze tijdens een wandeling vreemde tekeningen in een veld zien! Graancirkels of het 'graancirkelfenomeen' (bodemgliephen, afdrukken...) is nu ruim veertig jaren in de publiciteit, maar bestaat al eeuwen. Velen hebben zich over het fenomeen gebogen; letterlijk en figuurlijk, van wetenschapper tot bevlogen amateur of geïnspireerde spirituele waarheidsvinder.
Er is binnen het fenomeen veel gaande, op allerlei niveaus. En onderzoek heeft al heel veel opgeleverd, maar ook heel veel nog niet. Ik ben er bij betrokken geraakt door twee formaties bij Brummen waar ik woon... en als maatje van Robert Boerman gingen we op onderzoek uit en werden we lid van de 'graancirkelclub' in Nederland en bezochten we tweejaarlijks de bijeenkomsten in Epe (later soms ook op andere locaties). Daar werden foto's getoond en gemaakte video's en hoorden we de verhalen uit eerste hand.
Leuke mensen en beslist niet gek... maar wel allemaal met een gezonde interesse in het onvermijdelijke fenomeen dat ons in het hart raakt. Veel van die geïnteresseerden hebben diepere verlangens en zoeken op meerdere terreinen naar bevrediging van hun innerlijke honger naar weten en naar kennis en inzicht in het hogere, het diepere en willen graag doordringen in de essentie van al wat is. Dat onbewuste mensen hen 'kraken' in de media of de 'afbeeldingen' gewoon wegmaaien door angst, ongeloof, religie is kwetsend.
Ik ben niet direct betrokken, maar het fenomeen blijft me interesseren omdat ik linken zie met de eindtijd, de komst van de tweede ster en met de 'anunnaki'. We zijn een tijdmoment binnen gegleden waarin we van het Vissen-tijdperk naar het Waterman-tijdperk gaan (Vissen = saamhorigheid, Waterman = communicatie/egoïsme), we door het stof van een ster zijn gegaan (supernova, SN1989), we door een fotonenzône zouden gaan (kan het sterrenstof zijn van die SN1989), er een einde komt aan de Kali Joega en...
dat de tweede ster weer terugkeert in ons zonnestelsel, nà een reis van 3600 jaren. We zitten op een kruispunt van tijd en ruimte, want er zou ook een dimensie-stap gemaakt moeten worden om aansluiting te blijven houden (of te verkrijgen nadat we door de 'anunnaki' geblokkeerd werden en onttrokken aan de natuurlijke voortgang van de tijd in de Melkweg) met de voortgang en ontwikkeling van de Melkweg. Daarbij willen krachten de 'anunnaki' van deze planeet verdrijven en zal oorlog ons deel worden.
Wellicht willen bepaalde oerkrachten contact maken met de open en meer bewuste mensen, die rede en hart laten oordelen (geestkracht en intuïtie/gevoel) over wat zich aanbied in de velden en akkers. Er schijnt een 'kracht' te zijn die dat contact wil, maar niet met iedereen. Legermachten willen ook doordringen in het fenomeen en houden de enthousiaste onderzoekers nauwlettend in de gaten. Achter de schermen zijn velen actief met dit fenomeen, terwijl de mensen in het veld worden weg gezet als 'aluhoedjes'...
naïeve dromers, kleurrijk volk, onnozele wereldverbeteraars en futuristische nerds. Dat mag deels zo zijn, maar binnen dat tot die formaties in de gewassen aangetrokken volk zitten lieden die naar de essentie van de boodschappen zoeken. Die willen doordringen en contact maken... of gewoon het fenomeen kunnen verklaren omdat het rust geeft. Wat de motivatie ook is; velen zullen geroepen worden, doch enkelen zijn uitver'koren'! hahaha... Ik zie in deze 'eenvoudige' grasformatie uiteraard een link met de tweede ster.
Egyptische RA als veerboot (pendelschip) op zijn ruimtereis... rode ster onderweg door de ruimte...
AdinkRAhene - hoofdsymbool van de Adinkra in Afrika (Ashanti-volk)... staat voor grootheid en charisma en leiderschap...
Egyptische RA, ook geheim teken van de Illuminatie (boven); buitenste cirkel is hun reikwijdte, stip zijn de Illuminatie zelf... het zou ook een teken zijn voor/van heksen/wicca... Het stelt RA voor (eronder), de tweede Zon, de bij-Zon en die zou vijf keer groter zijn dan Jupiter (5 x 140.000 kilometer is 700.000 kilometer in doorsnee) en dat is iets meer dat de helft van de Zon (1.393.000 kilometer). Als de tweede ster dichterbij de Zon komt komen meegevoerde gassen vrij (groenblauw ioniserend licht) en komt magma naar buiten en gaat het stomen... Ruimtewateren gaan condenseren... en zo bouwt de tweede Zon een enorm halo op, aureool of nimbus, een kortdurende atmosfeer van stof, stoom en gassen. De tweede ster zal daarom opzwellen tot groter dan de Zon.
Sieraad 'God' (Bangrui kristal) voor vrouwen in Ghana... rode ster met 'uitstraling'...
In drie stappen groeit de ster naar het dubbele en driedubbele van zijn oorspronkelijke formaat. Zo lijkt het wel bij Reusel in het gras. Ster RA zwelt op, wordt dubbelgroot en zelfs driedubbel groot... en bouwt tijdelijk een dichte atmosfeer op. Hij staat dan NiBiRu ofwel, 'hoog aan de hemel' en klimt hoger dan de Zon. Hij is dan ook groter dan de Zon en werkelijk indrukwekkend. Veel mensen zakken ineen op straat, krijgen spontaan hartvarkens, happen naar lucht en blijven dood achter na dit aanschouwd te hebben.
Ik ben geen graancirkeldeskundige (graancirkel, cropcircle, kornkreise, gewasformatie, bodemglief/glieph), maar ben wel sinds 1998 bezoeker van de bijeenkomsten van de 'graancirkelclub' in Nederland. En zoals ik aangeef omdat ik verwantschap zie met de komst van de tweede ster en de eindtijd. De boodschappen zijn er niet voor niets nu. Er is wat gaande en er is iets op komst. Dat was en is mijn insteek.
Nou ja... ik weet er wel het nodige van af inmiddels uiteraard. De echte liggen altijd op leylijnen/krachtlijnen of krachtcentra... totdat het één keer niet zo was. Ze spelen met ons. Ook het vinden van wit poeder of een witachtige substantie (zeer zuivere vorm van silicium/Si14 – heb een potje vol met dat spul = 99% zuiver silicium en dat vindt je hier niet in die zuivere vorm – hooguit 25,7% zuiver silicium in de aardekorst – in Silicon Valley smachten ze naar dat spul dat als halfgeleider kan dienen in de steeds snellere computers. Om deze zuivere vorm te verkrijgen zou men een mega-miljoenen kostende fabriek/laboratorium moeten bouwen en dan is die 99% nog niet haalbaar) duidt op de echtheid en de gebarsten knopen van de gewasstengels (door extreme hitte geëxplodeerd) en/of dode vliegen die vastkleven aan de aren en stengels. En dan nog beweren grappenmakers 's nachts zo'n formatie gemaakt te hebben met een plank aan twee touwen (model schommel)... en met een tot vizier gebogen koperen draad aan hun pet bevestigd hahaha! Doe het maar eens in het donker; een perfecte formatie leggen op de kruising van een of meerdere krachtlijnen. Niet voor niets is het leger (Engeland) zeer geïnteresseerd in het fenomeen. In Nederland is dat volgens mij niet het geval; wel eens een afgevaardigde van de regering in verband met de 'voedsel en warenwet' als ik me niet vergis.
Een klein dorp in Brabant, niet ver van de Belgische grens, lijkt behoorlijk wat buitenaardse belangstelling te trekken.
Er zijn berichten van een getuige die een driehoekig object zag opstijgen en er verschijnen foto’s van een nieuwe graancirkel.
Waarom Reusel in de belangstelling staat van onbekende entiteiten is niet duidelijk, maar wel dat er daar wat loos is.
Eerder dit jaar (juni) publiceerden wij het volgende over dit dorp en een mysterieuze graancirkel die opeens verscheen.
Het blijft een fascinerend fenomeen, die graancirkels en nog steeds jaar na jaar verschijnen ze weer.
Over het algemeen zijn de graancirkels die in Nederland worden aangetroffen wat minder spectaculair dan die in Engeland en de boeren in ons land schijnen ook wat minder geduld te hebben dat die in het buitenland.
Zo werd er vorig jaar een graancirkel ontdekt in Zevenbergen en zoals we toen schreven, maakte de boer er korte metten mee
En nu ontvangen we het volgende bericht van een lezer (dank!) uit Reusel in Noord Brabant over wederom een graancirkel in die provincie.
Het bericht luidt als volgt:
Toen ik met mijn hond ging wandelen zag ik op de hoek Laarakkerdijk, Schepersweijer in Reusel een grote tekening in de vorm van 3 cirkels. Deze stond in het gras.
Ik durf het bijna niet te zeggen want ik ben een nuchtere Reuselse boer maar het leek nog het meest op een graancirkel. Ik durfde er eerst geen melding van te maken omdat ik bang ben voor gek verklaard te worden maar zag op FB dat een boer er een foto van gemaakt heeft met zijn drone.
Zie bijlage. Is dit een UFO waarneming of kan dit ook door bijvoorbeeld windmolens komen? Die staan er enkele in dat gebied.
Tot zover de lezer.
Nee, het lijkt ons niet dat windmolens dit soort structuren in het graan kunnen veroorzaken. Er is natuurlijk altijd de mogelijkheid dat dit door mensenhanden is gemaakt en in dat geval zouden wij graag horen van diegenen die dit gemaakt hebben.
Wat wij ervan kunnen maken is dat het de stand van 3 hemellichamen representeert. Daarbij zouden we misschien de zon zien met de aarde en daartussen een andere planeet? Het lijkt in ieder geval dat er aandacht wordt gevraagd voor een stand van bepaalde planeten, uitgelijnd op een bepaalde manier.
En dan is er met zoals de meeste graancirkels geen enkele "logische verklaring" met betrekking tot de makers, behalve dat ze door ons onbekende entiteiten of vliegende objecten (ufo's) zijn gemaakt.
We horen graag van lezers wat hun gedachten zijn over deze graancirkel en wat deze zou kunnen uitbeelden. Je kunt ons emailen via redactie (apenstaart) niburu.co
We zijn nu een aantal maanden verder en nu schijnt er wederom iets aan de hand te zijn in Reusel.
Via een lezer ontvingen wij het volgende bericht en een aantal foto’s (dank!).
Er is afgelopen nacht (zondag op maandagnacht) wederom een vreemd object gezien. Deze keer een hard bonzend geluid en lichtflitsen. Er wordt een driehoekig voorwerp gerapporteerd. Tevens heeft een buurt bewoner melding gemaakt van cirkels in zijn gras. Dit lijkt veel op de ervaringen die ik eerder met jullie deelde.
Is er vaker wat binnengekomen?
Ik denk ik laat het weten, wellicht de moeite waard om eens te onderzoeken. Ik hoop dat iemand kan vertellen wat het is.
Dit zijn de bijgevoegde foto’s.
Een getuige vertelt verder letterlijk een driehoekig object te zien opstijgen en een vreemd geluid te horen (een soort van luid bonzen) rond een uur of één in de nacht van zondag op maandag.
De foto’s schijnen op Facebook te zijn gedeeld door ene Piet Huijbregts, waarschijnlijk de eigenaar van Huijbregts garage dat grenst aan het veld waar de graancirkels zijn ontdekt.
We hebben iemand die een soort luid bonzend geluid hoort, naar buiten kijkt en een driehoekig object ziet opstijgen. Wat niet duidelijk is, is of dit gebeurde vanaf hetzelfde veld waar de graancirkels zijn gevonden.
Dan hebben we iemand anders die de graancirkels ontdekt en dat lijkt een beetje teveel toeval om niets met elkaar te maken te hebben.
Bovendien zijn er enkele maanden geleden vrijwel identieke graancirkels aangetroffen in Reusel op, zo te zien, een andere locatie in Reusel.
Het zou mooi zijn als er wat meer duidelijkheid omtrent dit mysterie zou komen. Mochten er mensen zijn die meer weten of die mensen kennen in Reusel die misschien meer weten; alle informatie is welkom.
Massive UFO appears above ancient Ley-line in London, UK
Massive UFO appears above ancient Ley-line in London, UK
In June 2019, UFO Researcher Miller captured from the 5th floor roof top balcony with his Ipad at 10.27 several images of the sky in all directions.
After reviewing the images, Miller noticed in one of a the images a huge UFO in the cloud formation.
In the second image the UFO is no longer visible; instead we see that a strange triangle has appeared between the clouds.
Since Miller stated that the location is situated on an ancient Ley-line crossing the magnetic world grid is it quite possible that the UFO probably piloted by extraterrestrials has used the invisible powers and energy coming from the Ley-lines for navigation.
Mysterious force of nature known as Ley-lines, invisible geometric alignments that ran across ancient landscapes, connecting both natural and sacred prehistoric structures such as ancient monuments, stone circles and megaliths together.
All Ley-lines run over the electromagnetic fields of the earth and lead to the planetary Grid.
Flying Saucer becomes visible over Zagreb, Croatia during thunderstorm
Flying Saucer becomes visible over Zagreb, Croatia during thunderstorm
On June 16, 2019 during a thunderstorm over Zagreb, Croatia a huge UFO can be seen in the middle of the thunderstorm.
The photographer who submitted the images to Mufon talks about a pyramid-like object, but after enlarging the object it appears to be a clear flying saucer type UFO.
Photographer: I saw something strange in the sky under clouds...pyramid like object was standing there in the moment when thunder strike.
It appears out of no where - Unknown luminous tubes flying over Area 51
It appears out of no where - Unknown luminous tubes flying over Area 51
What are these flying tubes? The objects are not looking like planes or helicopters, maybe drones or sky-divers? Or another secret project tested by the folk at Area 51?
The photographer who submitted the images to Mufon states: On Aug 8 2019, I was at Area 51 Black Mail Box location. I was taking images of the sky with a 15 second time exposure. When out of the corner of my eye I noticed these two lights darting in and out.
And finally a minute latter launch into a steady eastward direction, controlled and slow. The images will show change in color and proximity of crafts to each other.
The photographer continues to say: I don't think they are helicopters because they just were to close together. When they took off, they flew like regular aircraft as we know in a straight line headed east.
Linda Moulton Howe Is An Alien Megastructure Circling A Star In Space?
Linda Moulton Howe Is An Alien Megastructure Circling A Star In Space?
The light pattern of a middle aged star called KIC 8462852, some 1,480 light-years from Earth suggests that some kind of complex matter structure is circling the star, causing intermittent brightening and dimming by "a mass of objects," according to Prof. Jason Wright, an astronomer at Penn State University.
He told Linda that he and his colleagues are studying all possible natural explanations, and the exotic though unlikely possibility that it could be a "swarm of megastructures" built by an advanced alien civilization to harvest energy from the star.
At the suggestion of the Penn State team, SETI started pointing their Green Bank radio telescope at the unusual star to check for signals.
Huge Alien Space Station Found At Orion Constellation
Huge Alien Space Station Found At Orion Constellation
Is this blue object an extraterrestrial space station, a docking station for incoming and outgoing alien craft, especially for all those cigar-shaped UFOs traveling through the Orion Constellation which have been spotted by several sky-watchers over the years?
They call the object: Star - Name Phi1 Orionis, 37 Orionis, HR1876, SAO112914, HD36822, DM BD+09 877 but it is clear that it is not a star as they want us to believe. Open the link worldwidetelescope.org > Constellations > Constellations Names > find the Orion Constellation > Zoom in.
Mysterious Flash on Jupiter captured in rare footage
Mysterious Flash on Jupiter captured in rare footage
A stargazer landed the shot of a lifetime on Wednesday after he captured extremely rare footage of a mysterious flash of light on Jupiter, which may have been an elusive meteor explosion.
Texas astrophotographer Ethan Chappel captured the incredible sight while he was filming the planet, and said the event on Jupiter's southern equatorial belt "looks awfully like an impact flash." A bright spot can be seen appearing out of nowhere before it quickly fades away, reports RT.
"After I checked the video and saw the flash, my mind started racing! I urgently felt the need to share it with people who would find the results useful," Chappel told ScienceAlert.
Astronomer Jonti Horner said he had "never seen anything like that before," and described the flash as "just totally breathtaking."
"A lot of the time these things will go unnoticed and unobserved," he explained. "Half of them will happen on the far side of the planet. So there's a lot of things working against seeing these events."
A 1998 study found the rate of large impacts on Jupiter are between 2,000 and 8,000 times the rate of impacts on Earth. Capturing the impacts are rare, however. One was captured in 2009 and again in 2010.
Video impact on Jupiter Twitter account Chappel AStro:
‘Storm Area 51’ Turns Into Festival, May Feature Surprise Performance by Limp Bizkit
‘Storm Area 51’ Turns Into Festival, May Feature Surprise Performance by Limp Bizkit
Conspiracy theorists and UFO enthusiasts who were originally planning to storm Area 51 may now just be going to party in the desert.
After the creation of a Facebook page for the event to raid the actual military base went viral, the little motel near the secretive Air Force facility started booking up.
The original event “Storm Area 51, They Can’t Stop All of Us” drew the attention of more than 2 million people who responded to attend the event scheduled for September 20. Several major brands also announced promotional tie-ins, including Bud Light as it announced an Area 51-themed beer and pledged a free drink to any ETs that escaped the facility. Arby’s also revealed that they would have a food truck at the event.
The event creator Matty Roberts is now planning to launch an actual alien-themed festival instead of raiding Area 51. Called as Alienstock, the festival is set to feature arts, live music, and camping under the sky. It is set to take place for the same dates as the original Area 51 event but does not include running faster than bullets and storming Area 51, which is a heavily guarded military base.
According to Alienstock website, the festival will be set in Rachel, a town in Nevada that reportedly holds a population of 54 permanent residents. The site claims to be working with an extraterrestrial-themed motel/restaurant The Little A’Le ‘Inn, which is the only motel/restaurant in the entire town.
The motel/restaurant website does put in a link to the Alienstock website. It announces the inn is booked solid for Alienstock. It also warns visitors to fill up their tanks at nearby towns as there’s no gas available in Rachel.
While no acts have been confirmed for the live music, Limp Bizkit will reportedly be performing in the area. Representatives for Limp Bizkit and Alienstock did not immediately return our requests for comment, but the band did a post on Instagram about performing at S4, a secretive location near Area 51.
US Woman Captures Mysterious Flying Objects Over Texas
US Woman Captures Mysterious Flying Objects Over Texas
A YouTube video showing nine dark dots that made the rounds online has caught the attention of UFO conspiracy enthusiasts. The mysterious objects were reportedly spotted over Odessa in Texas.
The video description states that the driver had spotted the mysterious air show while waiting at a traffic light.
The blogger thought of birds and balloons when she first saw the UFOs but later came to doubt after she noticed that one of the objects was larger and had a different shape. She also observed the larger object starting to flash like it was reflecting light from the sun.
The woman had to stop recording the video when she was going to drive from the traffic lights, but she said that the objects had all disappeared when she had managed to turn the car around.
The video shows two main UFOs with several strange dark spheres encircling them. Conspiracy theorists thought these two UFOs were exploring the area with the dark orbs as their probes.
NASA’s Curiosity Rover Captures Unidentified Glowing Light on the Red Planet
NASA’s Curiosity Rover Captures Unidentified Glowing Light on the Red Planet
NASA’s Curiosity rover has captured a photograph of a mysterious bright glow on a distant hillside on Mars.
The black and white picture shows the landscape of the desert with high rocky hills in the background.
A little elongated white blob seems to be streaking past in front of the larger rock formations.
The image was taken on June 16, and conspiracy theorists have said the picture is evidence of aliens on the Red Planet.
The probe, which landed on the Martian surface in 2012, is armed with 17 cameras. It has since roamed all over Mars, beaming back large amounts of data along with vast quantities of photos.
On its mast, the rover has two mounted navcams, which look like eyes. The right navcam captured the image in question, but the left camera was not looking in a similar direction.
The appearance of the unidentified white blob has been rapid as it disappears in photos taken immediately before and after.
In 2014, another bright spot in photographs captured by the rover made headlines, and people claimed it was light from an alien hut.
The video description states the witness of the strange event saw UFOs that looked like some craft moving across the sky without any sound.
It seems that going into Area 51 might not be necessary to see creatures altogether from another planet as one Facebook event suggests. A mass UFO sighting was recently reported in Wyoming, US.
In a description of the YouTube video showing the UFOs, the phenomenon took place on July 26 over Casper City.
It presented the testimony, quoted by the owner of the YouTube channel Hidden Underbelly 2.0 from the eyewitness, saying the objects in the video were not orbs but rather appeared like crafts moving in complete silence.
The witness said they were not drones as they did not hear the propellers, but they had no idea what were those mysterious aerial things.
Boven ‘topgeheim’ heb je nog meerdere niveaus. Waarom zelfs presidenten geen toegang hebben tot UFO-geheimen
Boven ‘topgeheim’ heb je nog meerdere niveaus. Waarom zelfs presidenten geen toegang hebben tot UFO-geheimen
Presidentskandidaat Bernie Sanders zei onlangs in de podcast van Joe Rogan dat hij informatie over aliens zal vrijgeven als hij de verkiezingen wint.
De Amerikaanse media-analist Lionel gelooft niet dat de senator daadwerkelijk UFO-geheimen gaat onthullen.
“De Amerikaanse president heeft hier niets mee te maken,” zei hij tegen RT America. “Boven ‘topgeheim’ heb je nog meerdere niveaus waar geen president ooit toegang tot heeft gehad.”
Kletskoek
Dit is dus kletskoek, aldus Lionel.
Over aliens, vliegende schotels en UFO’s zei hij: “Dit is het belangrijkste onderwerp dat verborgen wordt gehouden.”
Er is geen enkele nieuwsredactie die het onderwerp bespreekt zonder het in het belachelijke te trekken of weg te wuiven, voegde hij toe.
Veel mensen vragen zich af waarom de overheid informatie over UFO’s achterhoudt.
Antizwaartekracht
“Je hebt het hier over aandrijving op basis van antizwaartekracht,” reageerde Lionel. “Heb je enig idee wat dit zou betekenen voor onze wereld, die draait om olie?”
Als tweede reden noemde hij dat de machthebbers niet willen dat wij ons als ras – de aardlingen – verenigen.
“Dit is het belangrijkste onderwerp dat er is,” besloot hij.
Usually once you speak about UFO sightings, most people today believe that I mistook it for something else or they may think that it is merely a crap. UFO sightings are now able to easily be captured on video, while it’s through a telephone or video camera. They have become an ever-popular subject. In any event, UFO sightings aren’t something which’s new to society. During February in Minnesota, for instance, only 69 UFO sightings are reported since the start of the 21st century. On weekdays it appears that UFO sightings are driven by men and women that are routinely outside daily, rain or shine.
The Basics of Ufo Sightings That You Can Benefit From Starting Today
Most UFO sightings were reported in the usa, with 26 sightings happening during November. In the Washington Post Dan Drezner implies that the simple fact that the Department of Defense is starting to engage with the notion of UFOs weakens their thesis, but I am not certain that’s right. Before you make a decision as to what you believe, we implore you to comprehend the evidence. For starters, so many folks say reflexively that there’s no evidence of an ET presence engaging our planet, when they don’t really know the evidence. Many still seek out proof of aliens. The evidence might have been much more compelling, in the event the very first recorded incident was not revealed as a hoax. If you’re still not convinced or want to read more evidence an Arizona UFO might not be a laughing matter, you might delight in seeing for yourself, more UFO Evidence.
There are not many fantastic explanations for the majority of the Hudson Valley sightings. Among the arguments that scientists use to debunk UFO sightings is that our planet has existed for at least four billion decades, hence the odds are really small that the aliens would just chance to arrive here during the few decades that we’ve got technology. Despite the fact that there are a lot of questions regarding the JFK assassination, it is a prime example of folks attempting to earn sense about something which you can’t make sense of. Each and every calendar year, this issue of UFOs grows in popularity, and that’s primarily because of the simple fact they’re actually real.
The Foolproof Ufo Sightings Strategy
The most well-known story was about a five year-old community girl who entered the forest simply to return five decades later wearing the very same clothes. Evidently, fake stories appear to find the most positive attention should they promise something spectacular. Which made the story of what it is that they witnessed that night even more curious. There are various haunting stories and unexplained events which are the makings of a multitude of cinematic pleasures.
The video has become the fodder for numerous arguments and debates about the authenticity of the same. It shows three different sightings of suspected UFOs in three different parts of the world. In the proper hands an actual video can be made to look as a hoax but only to a different expert” when examining it. Real videos of any type, on any subject can be placed through a filter to make it resemble a fake. Pictures in magazines are touched up for decades, and video does not need to be much different. Meditative images are also consciously utilised in yoga, for instance, to focus the mind as a way to yield a particular spiritual outcome.
There’s a complete fleet of them, among the pilot said. A number of other pilots have witnessed that same specific thing. Besides that simple fact, it may even be possible to blind a UFO pilot.
Life After Ufo Sightings
Skepticism doesn’t mean doubting everything. Skepticism isn’t cynicism. Skepticism is a means of thinking.
On December 15th, 2005, A friend and I had the following UFO sighting. At 3:30 am, on this morning, with me at the wheel, my friend and I went on a little drive to see the UFO activity in Utah Valley. We focused our attention mainly on two areas.
1-The night sky above Spanish Fork City, Utah.
2-The Spanish Fork City Airport.
Both of us were absolutely astounded, to say the least as we approached Spanish Fork City from the north when we observed one of the biggest UFOs that I’ve ever seen. The diamond-shaped UFO was floating slowly, about 300 feet above this city, moving northbound.
We were fascinated with the camouflaging measures, used by this sinister looking spaceship. Reproduced into this massive UFO’s outer shell, were the lights (yes they were HIGH INTENSITY DISCHARGE LAMPS) of the city of “Woodland Hills” which is a few miles south of Sp.Fk.
Looking directly at this UFO, one may very well be inclined to believe that they are merely looking at some boring city lights, which we are all so familiar with. This, I believe, is exactly what the Aliens are counting on. In my opinion, it is an absolutely ingenious camouflaging measure.
As I gazed wide-eyed and open-mouthed at this colossal craft which I estimated to be about three city-blocks wide and two blocks tall (please excuse my inarticulate and unscientific terminology), I had an inexplicable and conclusive feeling that I was looking at an “airborne Alien nursery!”
Both of us were also very intrigued by the appearance of two “EYES,” human looking in every way about six-feet in diameter which were placed into the sides of the UFO’s outer shell. The technology which the spaceship exhibited in placing so many lights of various sizes which matched all of the lights of Woodland Hills, revealed a high degree of intelligence, in my opinion, of those who possessed and piloted it!
At the Spanish Fork Airport at 5:30 am, as we sat parked, we observed a strange sight. Rolling slowly down the runway, escorted by a low-flying, egg-shaped UFO, was some type of wheeled unit which appeared to be some type of “star projector.” It was close in size to a typical “potato chip” truck. An astounding number of glistening lights, all of which had the appearance of “stars,” covered this mysterious contraption.
The “projector” looked to be rolling down the runway of the airport. I knew, however, that it could be somewhere else, perhaps far beyond our locale. I have been aware now, for some time, that the Aliens have the technology to mask the precise locations of their hardware and activities, by making their appearance seem always to be “distant” as one approaches those areas.
Our presence did not go unnoticed by the “Aliens” as we quickly perceived that six UFOs of various sizes were gradually moving towards us using the HIDLs around us as “cover.” After aligning the lights of their ships, to the HIDLs, I believe, they can then sneak up on their targets.
Perched menacingly atop a nearby building behind the airport parking lot where we sat in our car, we observed an egg-shaped UFO, about 20 feet-wide and 10 feet-tall creeping up on us. Suddenly (I suspect in an effort to distract us from viewing the “star projector”), its right light got brighter and bigger and split into four quarters; two blue and two red, in color. The red quarters then shifted places with the two blue quarters.
A white light then appeared in the midst of the two red quarters of light, about the size of a silver dollar, which continued to gradually grow in size.
Anticipating that something big was about to happen, I sarcastically said to my friend beside me “I’ll bet a helicopter comes out of it; I was wrong! The white light continued growing in size as it slowly moved towards us.
We watched in absolute awe and suspense as it was quickly transformed into a small, white airplane with two red ipinstripes on it!(something like a small cessna).
Traveling at a speed of what appeared to be only ten m.p.h., it swooped slowly down to land… shining a bright spotlight momentarily at us, as it proceeded to taxi down the runway to a hangar behind the airports offices.
The planes appearance took us back a bit. I felt unhesitatingly obliged to turn the car’s ignition key and punch my foot to the accelerator! At that moment my greatest priority was to rush immediately away from the strangeness of what we had just witnessed!
For the next two hours, we drove around the area – dazed and somewhat confused – wondering to ourselves what might happen next. When we began to feel our bodies experiencing a sudden, extremely uncomfortable fever, I began to be suspicious, that perhaps a small Alien probe was traveling with us, either above or beneath the car which was perhaps emitting some type of radiation.
Stopping the car, I got out and knelt down to look under it. Finding nothing, I walked around the car for a full inspection, as I did, I noticed that one of the “high pressure sodium vapor lights” which was directly behind the local “solid waste transfer station” about 100 yards away, was emitting, or shooting a great many, large, bright orange sparks directly towards us!
We quickly fled the area, placing ourselves well out of range of what I perceived to be some type of weapon intended to dissuade those unwelcome and pesky humans who were in the area, from hanging around and making further observations of the Aliens ongoing activities!
At 7:30 am, as we made our way home, I casually looked back towards Spanish Fork, and was amazed to see two “black helicopters” attending to a slow moving cloud, shaped precisely like the massive UFO which we had been observing with interest throughout the night! It crept slowly away, at the same speed as all of the clouds around it, until it rose up gracefully above the nearby mountains and disappeared.
Flying Saucer in the clouds above Jaksonville, Florida
Flying Saucer in the clouds above Jaksonville, Florida
The photographer was driving home from work when he noticed a disc-shaped object in the clouds above Jaksonville, Floirda.
He was able to take a picture before the UFO vanished and said: "The flying-saucer-shaped object looks nothing like I have ever seen before in my time in the military and outside."
Mufon case 102650 - Date of sighting: 2017-10-03 - Image submitted to Mufon: 2019-08-10.
Mysterious Flash on Jupiter captured in rare footage
Mysterious Flash on Jupiter captured in rare footage
A stargazer landed the shot of a lifetime on Wednesday after he captured extremely rare footage of a mysterious flash of light on Jupiter, which may have been an elusive meteor explosion.
Texas astrophotographer Ethan Chappel captured the incredible sight while he was filming the planet, and said the event on Jupiter's southern equatorial belt "looks awfully like an impact flash." A bright spot can be seen appearing out of nowhere before it quickly fades away, reports RT.
"After I checked the video and saw the flash, my mind started racing! I urgently felt the need to share it with people who would find the results useful," Chappel told ScienceAlert.
Astronomer Jonti Horner said he had "never seen anything like that before," and described the flash as "just totally breathtaking."
"A lot of the time these things will go unnoticed and unobserved," he explained. "Half of them will happen on the far side of the planet. So there's a lot of things working against seeing these events."
A 1998 study found the rate of large impacts on Jupiter are between 2,000 and 8,000 times the rate of impacts on Earth. Capturing the impacts are rare, however. One was captured in 2009 and again in 2010.
The service module fired its propulsion system continuously for 12 minutes.
The Aug. 5 test was conducted using a qualification version of the propulsion system at NASA’s White Sands Test Facility near Las Cruces, New Mexico. While the system never left the ground, it simulated one of the most taxing situations the spacecraft’s engines could encounter after launch.
Photo: NASA
The main rocket engine for NASA’s Orion spacecraft, which will be used during the space agency’s Artemis Program, has passed a critical test.
NASA plans to return to the moon by 2024 under direction from the White House. The Artemis Program intends to land more men on the moon as well as the first women.
The propulsion system for Orion’s service module fired continuously for 12 minutes during a test this week, simulating engine activity during an abort-to-orbit scenario. The propulsion system showed it was capable of getting the craft into orbit around the moon if the interim cryogenic propulsion stage (ICPS) had not put the craft on the correct path.
The tests form part of the formulation of a contingency plan that would allow the mission to be completed, in part or entirely, should the launch procedure not go according to plan. Engineers fired Orion’s main engine and all eight of the module’s auxiliary engines at the same time and conducted a battery of tests during the 12-minute simulation.
“The tests at White Sands have been very helpful to better understand and operate our service module propulsion system,” said Jim Withrow, project manager for the test article. “This firing was one of a series of tests performed to date and in the coming months to simulate contingency modes and other stressful flight conditions.”
NASA building on success
NASA has made good progress on the Orion Spacecraft with this week’s test coming just a month after the craft’s crew capsule successfully completed a launch-abort test.
“This was our most demanding test for the pressurization system, including our propellant tanks, valves and other components,”Josh Freeh, deputy manager of the Orion Service Module at NASA’s Glenn Research Center said in a statement issued to the press.
“Inserting Orion into lunar orbit and returning the crew on a trajectory back home to Earth requires extreme precision in both plotting the course and firing the engines to execute that plan … With each testing campaign we conduct like this one, we’re getting closer to accomplishing our missions to the Moon and beyond,” Mark Kirasich, program manager for Orion at NASA’s Johnson Space Center added.
Crew safety and mission integrity are a big priority for NASA who want to ensure the expensive mission is a success while also ensuring the safety of the astronauts.
“Well, we’re looking at really anything that can threaten their lives,” Jason Hutt, Orion Crew Systems Integrations Lead said during the In Case of Emergency podcast.
“So we’re looking at fires — see, you know, we had the Apollo 1 Fire early on in our history, and that’s something that we use — we’ve studied that event to make sure that we don’t repeat something like that. We’ve looked at a leak in the spacecraft, we know there’s been history with the collision with the Mir Program that caused the depress on that, we look at that type of situation, and then there are other medical emergencies and things like that that we need to prepare for, while astronauts are typically the healthiest people on to planet, we still need to prepare for things that are unexpected in those events.”
This alien statue is 100% evidence that intelligent aliens once lived and thrived on Mars. I can easily make out the feet, legs, upper legs and thinner waist, shoulders, neck and extraordinary detailed head with extended cranium.
This is a fantastic discovery by Youtube Art Alien who finds some really incredible alien artefacts on Mars. This find is one that allows us to see what the aliens that lived here once looked like, how tall they were and how they had a larger cranium. Undeniable evidence that is proof that NASA true purpose is to hide the truth from the public.
Space Station Found At Orion Constellation! Video, UFO Sighting News.
Space Station Found At Orion Constellation! Video, UFO Sighting News.
Date of discovery:Aug 2019 Location of discovery: Orion Constellation I have been using this map program a few years now and have kept loads of things I have found in a file, this object being one of them. This giant blue crystal-like space station is out there near the Orion Constellation near the back foot. In the video I thought it was the head are, my bad. Clearly aliens can build a space station any way they want and this one seems to have a very artistic appearance to it. If your species is so advanced that their technology is millions of years ahead of our own, then they wont need planets any longer. They literally can chose to create their own planet size space stations and move from place to place in the universe. I would love to meet this species. It looks like a very creative species. If you can help me out by liking my video and subscribing, I sure would appreciate it. Thanks, Scott C. Waring-Taiwan
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- Gemiddelde waardering: 0/5 - (0 Stemmen) Categorie:Ruins, strange artifacts on other planets, moons, ed ( Fr, EN, NL )
Dozens of UFOs Caught on Video Over Wyoming
Dozens of UFOs Caught on Video Over Wyoming
The video description states the witness of the strange event saw UFOs that looked like some craft moving across the sky without any sound.
It seems that going into Area 51 might not be necessary to see creatures altogether from another planet as one Facebook event suggests. A mass UFO sighting was recently reported in Wyoming, US.
In a description of the YouTube video showing the UFOs, the phenomenon took place on July 26 over Casper City.
It presented the testimony, quoted by the owner of the YouTube channel Hidden Underbelly 2.0 from the eyewitness, saying the objects in the video were not orbs but rather appeared like crafts moving in complete silence.
The witness said they were not drones as they did not hear the propellers, but they had no idea what were those mysterious aerial things.
Astronomers discovered a car-size asteroid hours before it slammed into Earth and burned up in the atmosphere this past weekend, news sources report.
Meteorologists noticed an unusually bright flash signature over the Caribbean waters 170 miles south of Puerto Rico
Scientists in Hawaii initially spotted the asteroid, named 2019 MO, on Saturday (June 22). Soon after, the heavenly traveler broke apart in large fireball as it hit the atmosphere about 240 miles (380 kilometers) south of San Juan, Puerto Rico, according to the University of Hawaii.
This is only the fourth time in history that scientists have spotted an asteroid so close to impact. The other three detections all occurred within the past 11 years, including 2008 TC3, 2014 AA and 2018 LA, which landed as a meteorite in southern Africa just 7 hours after it was noticed by scientists. [Doomsday: 9 Real Ways Earth Could End]
Unlike 2018 LA, Earth's latest visitor was harmless and didn't make it to the ground. But the asteroid, 13 feet (4 meters) long, still made a spectacular fireball that was equivalent to about 6,000 tons of exploding TNT, according to the Center for Near Earth Object Studies (CNEOS), which is run by the Jet Propulsion Lab in Pasadena, California.
The asteroid's impact was so powerful, even satellites in orbit spotted it. Satellites operated by the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) recorded its impact and destruction at 5:25 p.m. EDT (21:25 UTC), as you can see on this tweet below.
Ernesto Guido@comets77
Small Asteroid (NEOCP A10eoM1) impacted Earth on 2019 June 22
At the time of impact, 2019 MO was traveling about 33,300 mph (14.9 km/s), CNEOS reported. NOAA's Geostationary Lightning Mapper onboard the satellite GOES-East also mapped the asteroid, according to The Weather Channel.
Using these telescopes, astronomers observed 2019 MO four times in just 30 minutes, when the asteroid was just 310,600 miles (500,000 km) from Earth, or 1.3 times the distance from Earth to the moon.
At first, scientists gave it a two out of four rating, meaning it appeared unlikely to hit Earth. But as more data came in, they upgraded 2019 MO to a four. The Nexrad (Next-Generation Radar) weather network in Puerto Rico, which is operated by NOAA's National Weather Service, also spotted the asteroid, pinpointing its entry location, according to Cnet.
2019 MO was much smaller than the 66-foot-long (20 m) meteor that exploded over Chelyabinsk, Russia, in 2013. The energy released by that meteor was equivalent to about 440,000 tons of TNT.
Now that ATLAS is up and running (it began operating in 2015), it will detect all kinds of asteroids, big and small. The system's two telescopes, situated 100 miles (160 km) apart, scan the night sky for asteroids every two nights. Since then, hey have discovered about 100 asteroids larger than about 100 feet (30 m) in diameter every year.
In theory, ATLAS should be able to find smaller asteroids, such as 2019 MO, about half a day before they arrive and larger objects, like the Chelyabinsk meteor, a few days before they hit, the university said.
That's good news, as we could all use a warning before asteroids cause enormous fireballs in the sky or send chunks of space rock hurtling toward Earth.
Strange Meteorite Discovered In Siberia Contains An 'Unnatural' Crystal
Strange Meteorite Discovered In Siberia Contains An 'Unnatural' Crystal
Despite the level of understanding and knowledge the world has about so many things, everyone is still getting excited about new discoveries and this one is no exception. A rare meteorite, which was found in Siberia, contains a crystal, or at least what appears to be a crystal. The mineral itself is quite rare as well and is also a mystery. While crystal is the term used to describe it, no one's sure what it actually is but here's what they know so far:
The Discovery
A fair few years ago now, scientists discovered a small piece of a mineral that was created shortly after the solar system, some four and half billion years ago. The mineral was brought to Earth by the Khatyrka meteorite, which landed in Eastern Siberia. Obviously, a 4 billion-year-old mineral would be incredibly interesting to almost anyone, but not so much in this case. It was still quite intriguing but not for its sheer age, as many would expect, but for its atomic structure instead.
(A) Grain 126A; red dashed box indicates the region to be enlarged in (B).
(B) The area where there are the three metal assemblages containing the two different icosahedral phases; red dashed boxes (indicated as 1, 2 and 3) indicate the regions to be enlarged in panels on right. Panels 1, 2 and 3 show the different associations of minerals in the three metal assemblages.
The structure that this mineral possesses is one that has never before been found in nature, although it has been created in laboratory environments. It was referred to as a quasicrystal because from the exterior it resembles a crystal, but on the inside, it's a whole other kettle of fish.
Crystal or No Crystal?
Many people are probably wondering - what constitutes a crystal? A mineral needs to have set properties, specifically with the atomic structure, to be considered a crystal. Namely, it needs lattices. A crystals atoms are arranged in lattice structures, are very predictable, and will just keep repeating themselves. However, while this new mineral may look like a crystal on the outside, it isn't a crystal on the inside. The quasicrystal did have lattices, however, they were ordered and not consistent and identical. Therefore, it can't be a crystal, can it?
A lab-made quasicrystal made of Ho-Mg-Zn with a dodecahedral shape AMES lab, US Department of Energy
The atoms were arranged in a variety of different configurations, which, based on human understanding of science and chemical composition, was simply not possible in nature. Yet here it is. Despite quasicrystals being created in labs since the 1960s, many scientists still doubt the fact that they can exist in nature. It is with this in mind that the teams studying the crystal have concluded that it was formed off the planet and traveled here. Even so, if it was formed under astrophysical conditions over 4 billion years ago, it's still proof that this phase of matter can remain stable over huge periods of time, perhaps even indefinitely.
The discovery of these quasicrystals really puts into perspective how much we think we know as an intelligent species, but also reminds us that we don't know nearly as much as we think we do. The universe is a huge place with diversity around every corner and there's still so much more to find out. Researching these quasicrystals would be a good place to start but there's still so much more still to discover.
NASA Figured Out How To Make Food Out Of CO2 - It Could Feed Billions
NASA Figured Out How To Make Food Out Of CO2 - It Could Feed Billions
A company from Finland, Solar Foods, are planning to sell food created from carbon dioxide (CO2). They are, quite literally, creating food out of thin air! The company has plans to bring a new protein powder, Solein, to market. It's made out three simple, cheap, and readily available ingredients - CO2, water, and electricity. While this may not sound appealing at first, it's actually incredibly nutritious. Essentially, its a high-protein, ingredient, resembling flour, that contains 50 percent protein content, 5–10 percent fat, and 20–25 percent carbohydrates.
There are a massive number of potential uses for an ingredient such as Solein and it is expected to be the main component of a lot of foods when it hits the shelves in 2021. It's most likely to first appear in protein shakes and yogurt, both of which are simple foods to add it to. This may be a very exciting development as the creation of Solein is carbon neutral but it also helps remove CO2 from the atmosphere, being beneficial in two respects!
Beginning in 2018, Solein has come so far since it was created. NASA actually came up with the idea first and Solar Foods has since taken it to a commercial level. With plans to release the product as soon as 2021 and produce 2 million meals every year, it won't be long before Solein is in everything. By 2050, the company has high hopes to be providing sustenance for up to 9 billion people as part of a $500 billion protein market. At the rate things have taken place so far, there's no doubt that Solar Foods will achieve their targets.
To create Solein, Solar Foods extracts CO2 from the air using carbon-capture technology. Then, they combine the carbon dioxide with water, nutrients, and vitamins, using 100 percent renewable solar energy from their partner, Fortum, to promote a naturalfermentation process similar to the one that produces yeast and lactic acid bacteria. This is such a natural process, needing no man-made products, that it could single-handedly solve the world's food crisis.
Furthermore, Solar Foods has claimed that their product is completely free from agricultural limitations, and they aren't lying! Solein can be grown indoors so there's no need for arable land, and it's not dependent on favorable weather either. In fact, this seems so promising that the European Space Agency has already started working with the company in an attempt to develop foods for off-planet production and consumption. This could be the answer that they have been looking for.
Earth narrowly avoided a catastrophic collapse of the magnetic field that protects our planet 565 million years ago, it has been revealed.
Researchers say that it is had collapsed, life on Earth would have faced severe challenges as the solar wind would have stripped the planet of its atmosphere and bombarded the surface with harmful radiation.
Researchers found that, luckily, our planet's core solidified 'right in the nick of time', recharging Earth's magnetic field when it was at its weakest point.
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Rochester researchers say earth was saved by the planet's core solidifying, recharging Earth's magnetic field when it was at its weakest point.
The discovery provides a new insight into the formation of Earth's core, and backs the theory the Earth's core is relatively young.
Scientists led by Richard Bono, a palaeomagnetism researcher at the University of Rochester, studied single crystals of plagioclase and clinopyroxene formed 565 million years ago in what is now Canada's eastern Quebec.
Our planet's magnetic field is believed to be generated deep down in the Earth's core.
This data allowed them to reconstruct this timeline of Earth's inner core 'nucleation,' or solidification for the paper published online this week in Nature Geoscience.
They found unprecedentedly low geomagnetic field intensities, revealing there was a high frequency of magnetic reversals at that time, suggesting that the geodynamo was on the point of collapsing.
'An enduring mystery about Earth has been the age of its solid inner core,' the researchers wrote.
Estimates of when the inner core solidified vary widely, ranging between 2.5 billion and 500 million years ago.
In an accompanying News & Views article, Peter Driscoll writes that 'the nucleation of the inner core may have occurred right in the nick of time to recharge the geodynamo and save Earth's magnetic shield.'
Driscoll said scientists had previously interpreted the weak magnetic field 565 million years ago as being the result of 'rapid tectonic motion, hyper-frequent polarity reversals, and even an equatorial dipole.
'A young inner core is consistent with thermal history models of the Earth9–12 that predict a large transfer of heat from the core to the mantle due, indirectly, to upward revisions to the thermal conductivity of the core,' he wrote.
The new study could also improve the search for alien life, giving astronomers a new glimpse into how planets that can sustain life form.
Earth is made up of several different layers, each with unique properties.
HOW DOES A LIQUID IRON CORE CREATE EARTH'S MAGNETIC FIELD?
Our planet's magnetic field is believed to be generated deep down in the Earth's core.
Nobody has ever journeyed to the centre of the Earth, but by studying shockwaves from earthquakes, physicists have been able to work out its likely structure.
At the heart of the Earth is a solid inner core, two thirds of the size of the moon, made mainly of iron.
At 5,700°C, this iron is as hot as the Sun's surface, but the crushing pressure caused by gravity prevents it from becoming liquid.
Surrounding this is the outer core there is a 1,242 mile (2,000 km) thick layer of iron, nickel, and small quantities of other metals.
The metal here is fluid, because of the lower pressure than the inner core.
Differences in temperature, pressure and composition in the outer core cause convection currents in the molten metal as cool, dense matter sinks and warm matter rises.
The 'Coriolis' force, caused by the Earth's spin, also causes swirling whirlpools.
This flow of liquid iron generates electric currents, which in turn create magnetic fields.
Charged metals passing through these fields go on to create electric currents of their own, and so the cycle continues.
This self-sustaining loop is known as the geodynamo.
The spiralling caused by the Coriolis force means the separate magnetic fields are roughly aligned in the same direction, their combined effect adding up to produce one vast magnetic field engulfing the planet.
At the deepest level is the inner core which is believed to be solid. This produces Earth's magnetic field and protects us from cosmic radiation.
The next layer is Earth's liquid core which is a fluid layer about 2,200 km (1,400 miles) thick and composed of mostly iron and nickel.
The mantle is the largest region of subterranean Earth and makes up around 84 percent of the planet's volume.
It sits between the crust and the outer core and is broken down into two sections - upper and lower.
The asthenosphere is a part of the upper mantle that sits below the lithosphere and is believed to be involved in plate tectonic movement.
Earth is made up of several different layers, each with unique properties. These are: lithosphere, asthenosphere, mantle and core (pictured)
The lithosphere is the region of the planet that is known as the crust and some pats of the uppermost mantle. it features everything we think of as the ground.
It is made up predominantly of silica and is broken up into the tectonic plates.
The Lithosphere-Asthenosphere boundary (LAB) is defined by a difference in response to stress.
The plates and the lithosphere often remain rigid but the weaker and more viscous asthenosphere can move and is know to move.
This movement causes plates to move into, underneath and below others and the LAB is the fundamental cause behind tsunamis and earthquakes as well as mountain range formation.
The last reversal of Earth's magnetic poles happened long before humans could record it, but research on the flow of ancient lava has helped scientists estimate the duration of this strange phenomenon.
A team of researchers used volcanic records to study Earth's last magnetic-field reversal, which occurred about 780,000 years ago. They found that this flip may have taken much longer than researchers previously thought, the scientists reported in a new study.
Earth's magnetic field has flipped dozens of times in the past 2.5 million years, with north becoming south and vice versa. Scientists know the last reversal took place during the Stone Age, but they have little information about the duration of this phenomenon and when the next "flip" might occur.
In the new study, the researchers relied on flow sequences of lava that erupted close to or during the last reversal, to measure its duration. Using this method, they estimated that the reversal lasted 22,000 years — much longer than the previous estimates of 1,000 to 10,000 years.
"We found that the last reversal was more complex, and initiated within the Earth's outer core earlier, than previously thought," lead study author Bradley Singer, a professor of geoscience at the University of Wisconsin-Madison, told Space.com.
While conducting studies on a volcano in Chile in 1993, Singer stumbled upon one of the lava-flow sequences that recorded part of the reversal process. While trying to date the lava, Singer noticed odd, transitional magnetic-field directions in the lava-flow sequences.
"Such records are indeed extremely rare, and I am one of very few people who date them," Singer said.
Since then, he's made it his career-long goal to better explain the timing of magnetic-field reversals.
The reversals take place when iron molecules in Earth's spinning outer core start going in the opposite direction as other iron molecules around them. As their numbers grow, these molecules offset the magnetic field in Earth's core. (If this were to happen today, it would render compasses useless as the needle would swing from pointing towards the north pole to pointing to the south.)
During this process, Earth's magnetic field, which protects the planet from hot sun particles and solar radiation, becomes weaker.
"This kind of duration would mean the shielding of the Earth from solar radiationwould be very complex and, on average, less effective over a longer time period," John Tarduno, a professor of geophysics at the University of Rochester who was not involved in the study, told Space.com. "The actual effects of that are still debatable, and they're not as tragic or as extreme as someone might suggest, but there still can be important effects."
Some of these effects, Singer suggested, could include genetic mutations or additional stress on certain animal or plant species, or possible extinctions, due to increased exposure to harmful ultraviolet light from the sun. An increase in particles from the sun entering Earth's atmosphere could also cause disruption to satellites and other communication systems, like radio and GPS, he added.
Recent reports of the magnetic field jolting from the Canadian Arctic toward Siberia have sparked debate over whether the next magnetic-field reversal is imminent and what kind of impact that would have on life on Earth.
However, Singer dismissed these claims. "There is little evidence that this current decrease in field strength, or the rapid shift in position of the north pole, reflect behavior that portends a polarity reversal is imminent during the next 2,000 years," he said.
Using the data gathered from lava flows, geologists can learn a lot more about magnetic-field reversals. "Even though volcanic records are not complete records, they're still the best kind of records we have of recording a given time and place," Tarduno said. "Higher accuracy in the age dating, and being able to get more detailed records [of the reversals]...will give the community a lot to think about," he added.
Invading Area 51? Life & Death, Were Bodies Actually Recovered at Roswell? Bernie Sanders for Disclosure? (End of Days)
Invading Area 51? Life & Death, Were Bodies Actually Recovered at Roswell? Bernie Sanders for Disclosure? (End of Days)
Kevin Randle has, for more than forty-five years, studied the UFO phenomena in all its various incarnations. His training by the Army and the Air Force provides Randle with a keen insight into the operations and protocols of the military, their investigations into UFOs, and into a phenomenon that has puzzled people for more than a century.
During his investigations, Randle has traveled the United States to interview hundreds of witnesses who were involved in everything from the Roswell, New Mexico crash of 1947, to the repeated radar sightings of UFOs over Washington, D.C. in 1952, to the latest of the abduction cases.
Peter Robbins is one of the most respected investigative writers and public speakers on the subject of UFOs. He has more than thirty years of experience as a researcher, investigator, writer, lecturer, activist, and author. A regular guest on radio shows around the country, he has appeared on or been a consultant to numerous television shows and documentaries. He is also co-author of the British best-seller, Left at East Gate: A First-Hand Account of the Rendlesham Forest UFO Incident, Its Cover-Up, and Investigation.
One of the best-known UFO abduction stories is that of Travis Walton. He claims that on Nov. 5, 1975, as he and six others were returning from a day’s work cutting logs in Arizona’s Sitgreaves National Forest, he was zapped by a beam of light from the UFO, and taken aboard the craft for five days. His story won $5,000 as the Best UFO Case for 1975 from the National Enquirer, has been the subject of several books, as well as the Hollywood movie Fire in the Sky (1993).
The discovery of 39 ‘hidden’ ancient galaxies urges scientists to rethink their theories of fundamental aspects of the Universe — including supermassive black holes, star formation rates, and the ever-elusive, dark matter.
In an unprecedented discovery of astronomers, researchers have utilised the combined power of a multitude of observatories across the globe to discover a vast array of 39 previously hidden galaxies.
The finding — described by the researchers from the University of Tokyo as a ‘treasure trove’ — is the first multiple discoveries of this kind. But the finding is significant for more than its size alone.
In addition to containing a wealth of newly discovered ancient galaxies, an abundance of this particular type of galaxy suggests that scientists may have to refine current models of the universe.
This is because our current understanding of the universe and how it formed is built upon observations of galaxies in ultraviolet light. But observations in these wavelengths under-represent the most massive galaxies — those with high dust content and crucially, the most ancient.
This means that a discovery of such galaxies — such as the one just made — must force us to reconsider the rates of star formation in the early universe. The study explains that the population of stars discovered may mean that star formation rates were actually ten times greater in early epochs than previous estimates held.
There are also particular ramifications for our understanding of both supermassive black holes and their distribution, and for the concept of dark matter — the elusive substance which makes up 80% of the matter in the universe.
Despite the wealth of astronomical data that has become available to scientists since the launch of the Hubble Space Telescope, researchers at the Institute of Astronomy in Toyko were aware there were things that Hubble simply couldn’t show us. It was these things — fundamental pieces of the cosmic puzzle — that they wanted to investigate.
They achieved this by unifying different observatories, using them to look more deeply in the Universe than Hubble alone could do. This is what led them to this huge collection of galaxies.
Researcher Tao Wang describes the uniqueness and magnitude of the team’s discovery: “This is the first time that such a large population of massive galaxies was confirmed during the first two billion years of the 13.7-billion-year life of the universe.
“These were previously invisible to us.”
Wang continues: “This finding contravenes current models for that period of cosmic evolution and will help to add some details, which have been missing until now.”
A different view of the universe
Wang explains that if we could see these galaxies and the light they shed, our view from the Milky way would be significantly different: “For one thing, the night sky would appear far more majestic. The greater density of stars means there would be many more stars close by appearing larger and brighter.
“But conversely, the large amount of dust means farther-away stars would be far less visible, so the background to these bright close stars might be a vast dark void.”
The galaxies have been difficult to see from Earth due to how faint they are. Were we able to see these stars, their density would make the night sky majestic, Wang says.
The light from these galaxies also has to battle extinction — the absorption of light) by intervening interstellar dust clouds. The light from the galaxies also has to travel great distances meaning the wavelength is redshifted by the expansion of the universe making it even less visible.
Professor Kotaro Kohno explains that this phenomenon is how the galaxies escaped Hubble’s gaze: “The light from these galaxies is very faint with long wavelengths invisible to our eyes and undetectable by Hubble.
“So we turned to the Atacama Large Millimeter/submillimeter Array (ALMA), which is ideal for viewing these kinds of things. I have a long history with that facility and so knew it would deliver good results.”
This redshift due to cosmic expansion does have its advantages, however. It allows astronomers to estimate not just the distances to the galaxies in question, but it also allows them to calculate just how long ago the light was emitted.
The hidden implications of these hidden galaxies
The team’s finding is so controversial and poses such a radical rethink that they found their fellow astronomers were initially reluctant to believe they had found what they claimed.
Wang explains: “It was tough to convince our peers these galaxies were as old as we suspected them to be. Our initial suspicions about their existence came from the Spitzer Space Telescope’s infrared data.
“But ALMA has sharp eyes and revealed details at submillimeter wavelengths, the best wavelength to peer through dust present in the early universe. Even so, it took further data from the imaginatively named Very Large Telescope in Chile to really prove we were seeing ancient massive galaxies where none had been seen before.”
The discovery has the potential to reshape our ideas of the supermassive black holes that scientists currently believe nestle at the centre of most galaxies.
Kohno elaborates: “The more massive a galaxy, the more massive the supermassive black hole at its heart.
“So the study of these galaxies and their evolution will tell us more about the evolution of supermassive black holes, too.”
Kohno also explains that some ideas regarding dark matter may have to be revised, too: “Massive galaxies are also intimately connected with the distribution of invisible dark matter. This plays a role in shaping the structure and distribution of galaxies. Theoretical researchers will need to update their theories now.”
In addition to the potential shake up the team believes that their findings may already present, they expect more surprises to come.
Wang concludes: These gargantuan galaxies are invisible in optical wavelengths so it’s extremely hard to do spectroscopy, a way to investigate stellar populations and chemical composition of galaxies. ALMA is not good at this and we need something more.
“I’m eager for upcoming observatories like the space-based James Webb Space Telescope to show us what these primordial beasts are really made of.”
Original research:T. Wang, C. Schreiber, D. Elbaz, Y. Yoshimura, K. Kohno, X. Shu, Y. Yamaguchi, M. Pannella, M. Franco, J. Huang, C.F. Lim & W.H. Wang. A dominant population of optically invisible massive galaxies in the early Universe. Nature. DOI: 10.1038/s41586–019–1452–4
The cover of the Voyager Golden Record. Two of these are currently hurtling through space aboard probes, ready to be found by aliens. NASA/JPL/PUBLIC DOMAIN
IN THE LATE SUMMER OF 1977, NASA launched a pair of interstellar probes, Voyager 1 and 2. Like most spacecrafts, these two were built to gather information about unknown realms. More unusually, they also had something to give in return: Each held a copy of what’s known as the Golden Record, a set of images and sounds carefully chosen to give anyone who might find them a taste of Earthly life.
More than 40 years after its launch, the Golden Record hasn’t found any extraterrestrial listeners—that we know of. It does, however, enjoy serious hometown fandom. Here on Earth, it’s been the subject of poetry books, an as-yet unproduced screenplay, and at least one SXSW panel. Last year, after a successful Kickstarter campaign, it even got a vinyl re-release. In a way, the record has already found its intended audience. As consultant B.M. Oliver wrote in a history of the project, “its real function … is to appeal to and expand the human spirit.”
But at least two diehard fans think there’s something to be gained from considering alternative audiences a bit more rigorously. “Every time you try to communicate, you have an intention you are after,” says Sheri Wells-Jensen, a linguistics professor at Bowling Green University, and a board member of Messaging Extraterrestrial Intelligence (METI), an organization dedicated to reaching out to aliens. “But you have no idea how you’re going to be received.”
Lately, Wells-Jensen, along with fiction writer Rebecca Orchard, have been examining the Golden Record with new eyes and ears. The result has been a confusing cacophony. “There are so many ways it could be misunderstood,” says Orchard, who presented on the topic at METI’s “Language in the Cosmos” conference this May. Like hapless teens making a mixtape, we’ve etched our soul onto this record and flung it at beings we don’t understand in the slightest. If they actually found it, what would they even think?
Getting to this scenario—in which someone Out There actually intercepts, and seriously tries to decode, the Golden Record—requires working through whorl after whorl of improbabilities. First of all, as its creators knew full well, “there’s an infinitesimally small chance that the Golden Record will be picked up,” says Wells-Jensen. “[The Voyager probes] are tip-toeing around out there in the interstellar void. They’re itty-bitty, and it’s dark … the odds are low.”
But suppose someone does tow the record out of nothingness, and bring it to some sort of extraterrestrial DJ station. In that case, “there are two things that could happen,” Wells-Jensen says. The first option is that the aliens already know what to do—that they’ve got a whole stack of interstellar missives, and a set of criteria for understanding them. She launches into an imitation: “They’re like, ‘Oh, it’s another artifact, from another planet that’s just creeping into a technological phase of civilization! A baby race. Isn’t it cute?’”
The second possibility, she continues, “is that instead, they look at it and go, ‘What the heck is that?’” It’s this particular what-if, she and Orchard agree, that is the most fun to think about.
The Golden Record is stuffed to the gills with information. It has 116 images, a mix of songs in different musical styles, and greetings recorded in 55 languages. There’s an audio collage, “The Sounds of Earth,” that starts with a sonic interpretation of planetary motion and ends with the zap of a pulsar, with stops in between for clanging rocks, barking dogs, and chugging tractors. There is also an hour’s worth of brain-and-heart data, transformed into sound. This came courtesy of the record’s creative director, Ann Druyan, who later wrote that she was thinking about “the history of ideas,” “the predicament our civilization finds itself in,” and “what it [is] like to fall in love”—specifically with project lead Carl Sagan, who she later married.
To an Earthly listener, this is all pretty understandable. Crickets and chimpanzees? We’ve heard those guys. “El Cascabel” followed by “Johnny B. Goode”? Let’s rock. Crushing on Carl Sagan? Hey, many of us get that, too. But begin to abstract yourself away, and the record looks and sounds increasingly curious. “It’s almost dizzying to think about all the different ways that these moments could be misinterpreted,” Orchard says.
Take, for example, that series of multilingual greetings. The messages say everything from “Hi, how are you?” to “We greet you, O great ones,” in languages that range from Akkadian to Zulu. Linda Salzman Sagan, who coordinated the recordings, described the overall effect as “an aural Gestalt, in which each culture is a contributing voice in the choir.” The structure of the recording—each snippet said by a different voice, one after another—might help to get this across, she wrote.
The cover of the “Sounds of Earth” side of the Voyager Golden Record. NASA/JPL/PUBLIC DOMAIN
As Wells-Jensen points out, though, there are plenty of other interpretations available. “We can tell that those voices changing mean a different individual is speaking,” she says. “But that’s not necessarily clear [to an alien].” Is the whole recording one person, speaking in different ways? After all, many of the albums made on Earth are meant to showcase all the different things one person’s voice can do.
Or maybe it’s meant to be some kind of time-lapse—akin to Tony Schwartz’s “Nancy Grows Up,” in which the documentarian distilled recordings from 13 years of his niece’s life into a few minutes of sound. Another section of “Sounds of Earth” compilation does strive to be somewhat chronological: it moves from “timeless” sounds, like rainstorms and footsteps, through more recently developed ones, such as Morse code and rocket ships. If the aliens managed to figure this out, why wouldn’t they assume that “Greetings to the Universe in 55 Different Languages” was instead “Earthling Grows Up”?
Even if they do grok that it’s multiple people, Wells-Jensen adds, “Why are they talking to each other? Are they having an argument? Are they playing a game, like we play telephone? Is it a religious ritual?” When you start to think in this way, 55 disjointed greetings all in a row doesn’t seem like an obvious call at all.
Then there are all of the things that could be considered clues, but aren’t. Orchard is particularly fascinated by the record’s 116 images, a selection of which can be seen here. “If you look at the photos back to back, parts of them form a narrative,” she says. For example, a fertilized ovum is followed by a fetus, and then a baby being born. Other juxtapositions, though, are not narrative at all. “There’s a picture of a toad in a hand, followed by a picture of a dead, upside-down alligator.” We humans know that these are two different creatures. But aliens, in their attempts to understand, might draw other conclusions. “Does the toad grow into that alligator?”
It’s also easy to imagine the aliens playing the “Sounds of Earth” while flipping through the images, lining the two up slideshow-style. (It’s a worthwhile exercise.) Some convergences are lucky: a photo of the Red Sea, for example, lines up with the sound of dripping water. But with others, further confusion emerges. The photo of an eagle, for example, goes with the sound of a chittering monkey, or perhaps even a clucking chicken (it’s hard to say for sure). Later, “you get the sound of a chainsaw with a little daffodil,” says Wells-Jensen. “So that’s one way in which the thing could be interpreted wrong.”
Both Wells-Jensen and Orchard emphasize that they’re not trying to pull a gotcha on the record’s creators, who were well aware of its limitations. In Murmurs of Earth, Sagan, Ann Druyan, Jon Lomberg, and others wrote at length about the many decisions they made during the compilation process. Some were rhetorical: They didn’t include any overtly distressing images, like mushroom clouds or sick people, because what if aliens took them as intimidations? Others were bureaucratic: NASA insisted that they include a roll-call list of various members of the 1977 U.S. Senate.
This kind of thing is a large part of why, just 40 years on, certain aspects of the record look ridiculous to Earthlings, too. “But you have to remember, they had six weeks!” says Wells-Jensen. “They did a great job.”
Besides, start thinking about what you’d do differently, and confusion starts to seem inevitable. Perhaps, rather than including so many messages in so many different languages, you want to say the same thing over and over again, in a Rosetta Stone sort of way. Wells-Jensen says this might not be such a great idea either, as it violates a conversational maxim that, at least on Earth, seems to be fairly common.
“If I tell you something four times, is that me trying to be really careful and really clear, or is that me telling you that you’re stupid?” she explains. “Or does it mean that I’m really boring, because I’ve only got one thing to say?” As for the photo/sound problem, should you make sure all those things line up perfectly? And if so, as Wells-Jensen puts it, “what sound does a flower make anyway?”
An artist’s impression of Voyager 1’s “view” of the solar system, as it hurtles away from it. NASA/ESA/G.BACON/CC BY-SA 4.0
It’s enough to make one throw up one’s hands (and then put them down again, for fear of being seen as threatening to aliens). Other attempts at interstellar communication come with their own pros and cons. We beamed some scientific information toward a star cluster way back in 1974. In 2008, we sent a Doritos commercial to a nearby solar system.
METI tried its own strategy in 2017: it sent out a radio wave transmission made up of arithmetic, trigonometry, and geometry, working under the theory that whoever has the technology to receive the message probably understands math. Wells-Jensen considers all of this, collectively, to be a decent strategy. “I don’t know if we can be less confusing,” she says. “But we can, and should, try different things.”
Before and after we’ve tried them, it can’t hurt to think about how they might be received—even if we spin completely around, record-style, and end up mostly learning about ourselves instead. After all, “we’re just babies,” reiterates Wells-Jensen. “We just started going to our own moon.” We’ve still got a lot of work to do.
An animation shows the random appearance of fast radio bursts (FRBs) across the sky. Astronomers have discovered about 85 since 2007, and pinpointed two of them.
Sudden shrieks of radio waves from deep space keep slamming into radio telescopes on Earth, spattering those instruments' detectors with confusing data. And now, astronomers are using artificial intelligence to pinpoint the source of the shrieks, in the hope of explaining what's sending them to Earth from — researchers suspect — billions of light-years across space.
Usually, these weird, unexplained signals are detected only after the fact, when astronomers notice out-of-place spikes in their data — sometimes years after the incident. The signals have complex, mysterious structures, patterns of peaks and valleys in radio waves that play out in just milliseconds. That's not the sort of signal astronomers expect to come from a simple explosion, or any other one of the standard events known to scatter spikes of electromagnetic energy across space. Astronomers call these strange signals fast radio bursts (FRBs). Ever since the first one was uncovered in 2007, using data recorded in 2001, there's been an ongoing effort to pin down their source. But FRBs arrive at random times and places, and existing human technology and observation methods aren't well-primed to spot these signals.
Now, in a paper published July 4 in the journal Monthly Notices of the Royal Astronomical Society, a team of astronomers wrote that they managed to detect five FRBs in real time using a single radio telescope.
Wael Farah, a doctoral student at Swinburne University of Technology in Melbourne, Australia, developed a machine-learning system that recognized the signatures of FRBs as they arrived at the University of Sydney's Molonglo Radio Observatory, near Canberra. As Live Science has previously reported, many scientific instruments, including radio telescopes, produce more data per second than they can reasonably store. So they don't record anything in the finest detail except their most interesting observations.
Farah's system trained the Molonglo telescope to spot FRBs and switch over to its most detailed recording mode, producing the finest records of FRBs yet.
Based on their data, the researchers predicted that between 59 and 157 theoretically detectable FRBs splash across our skies every day. The scientists also used the immediate detections to hunt for related flares in data from X-ray, optical and other radio telescopes — in hopes of finding some visible event linked to the FRBs — but had no luck.
Their research showed, however, that one of the most peculiar (and frustrating, for research purposes) traits of FRBs appears to be real: The signals, once arriving, never repeat themselves. Each one appears to be a singular event in space that will never happen again.
Tardigrades Have Landed on the Moon. Here's What Their Survival Could Mean for Humanity.
Tardigrades Have Landed on the Moon. Here's What Their Survival Could Mean for Humanity.
The microscopic tardigrade—also known as the water bear—is the only animal that can survive the cold, irradiated vacuum of outer space. Here's what makes these little guys so amazing.
Tardigrades are one of the most fascinating creatures on Earth—and now, the moon, too. The mysterious microscopic critters have landed on the lunar surface in what sounds like the beginning of a sci-fi thriller. But they're not there as part of a hostile takeover. They're there completely by accident.
Back in April, the moon-bound Israeli spacecraft Beresheet crashed due to a computer error. Scientists loaded the tardigrades onto the Beresheet along with human DNA samples; when the lunar lander crashed, thousands of dehydrated tardigrades might have spilled onto the moon's surface, according to a WIREDreport.
The tardigrades were in "tun" form, a dormant state where they shrivel up into a ball, expel most of the water in their bodies, and lower their metabolism via cryptobiosis until they enter an environment better suited to sustain life. They can exist like this for decades. They're also pretty hardy and can endure the harshest environments, including subzero temperatures—and the recent crash landing.
"Tardigrades can survive pressures that are comparable to those created when asteroids strike Earth, so a small crash like this is nothing to them," Lukasz Kaczmarek, an expert on tardigrades, told The Guardian.
So what does this mean for humanity? That depends on what the research produces. If humans can replicate cryptobiosis in the way tardigrades do, we'd live far longer than the average life expectancy of 78.7 years for Americans.
According to Kaczmarek, when a tardigrade enters the tun state, it doesn't age. It becomes dormant at one month old and can wake up years later and still biologically be the same age.
“It may be that we can use this in the future if we plan missions to different planets, because we will need to be young when we get there," said Kaczmarek.
Until then, here's everything you need to know about these weird, wonderful creatures.
What's so special about tardigrades?
Tardigrades are a class of microscopic animals with eight limbs and a strange, alien-like behavior. William Miller, a leading tardigrade researcher at Baker University, says they are remarkably abundant. Hundreds of species "are found across the seven continents; everywhere from the highest mountain to the lowest sea," he says. "Many species of tardigrades live in water, but on land, you find them almost everywhere there's moss or lichen."
In 2007, scientists discovered that these microscopic critters can survive an extended stay in the cold, irradiated vacuum of outer space. A European team of researchers sent a group of living tardigrades to orbit the earth on the outside of a FOTON-M3 rocket for 10 days. When the water bears returned to Earth, the scientists discovered that 68 percent lived through the ordeal.
Wait, what? How is that possible?
Although (as far as we know) tardigrades are unique in their ability to survive in space, Miller insists that there is no reason to believe they evolved for this reason or—as a misleading VICE documentary has implied—that they are of extraterrestrial origin. Rather, the tardigrade's space-surviving ability is the result of a strange response they've evolved to overcome an earthly life-threatening problem: a water shortage.
Land-dwelling tardigrades can be found in some of the driest places on earth. "I've collected living tardigrades from under a rock in the Sinai desert, in a part of the desert that hadn't had any record of rain for the previous 25 years," Miller says. Yet these are technically aquatic creatures, and require a thin layer of water to do pretty much anything, including eating, having sex, or moving around. Without water, they're about as lively as a beached dolphin.
But land-dwelling tardigrades have evolved a bizarre solution to living through drought: When their environment dries up, so do they. Tardigrades will enter a state called desiccation, in which they shrivel up—losing all but around 3 percent of their body's water and slowing their metabolism down to an astonishing 0.01 percent of its normal speed. In this state, the tardigrade just persists, doing nothing, until it's inundated with water again. When that happens, the creature pops back to life like a re-wetted sponge and continues onward as if nothing had happened.
What's even more astonishing is that tardigrades can survive being in this strange state for more a decade. According to Miller, a few researchers believe some species of tardigrades might even be able to survive desiccation for up to a century. Yet the average lifespan of a (continuously hydrated) tardigrade is rarely longer than a few months.
"It sounds quite strange," says Miller, "that even though these tardigrades only live for a few weeks or months, that lifetime can be stretched over many, many years."
How does being dried out protect them from the vacuum of space?
In its desiccated state, the tardigrade is ridiculously, almost absurdly resilient. Laboratory tests have shown that tardigrades can endure both an utter vacuum and intense pressures more than five times as punishing as those in the deepest ocean. Even temperatures up to 300 degrees Fahrenheit and as low as -458 degrees F (just above absolute zero) won't spell the creature's doom.
But the exact source of its resilience is a mystery, says Emma Perry, a leading tardigrade researcher at Unity College in Maine. "In general, we know very little about how this species functions, especially when we're talking about the molecular level."
There are clues. Scientists have learned that when the tardigrade enters its desiccated state, "it replaces some of its cell contents with a sugar molecule called trehalose," Perry says. Researchers believe this trehalose molecule not only replaces water, but also in some cases can physically constrain the critter's remaining water molecules, keeping them from rapidly expanding when faced with hot and cold temperatures. This is important, because expanding water molecules (like what happens when you get frostbite) can mean instant cellular death for most animals.
What about space radiation?
Space is deadly, and not just because of the vacuum. Outside our protective atmosphere there is killer radiation caused by distant supernovae, our sun, and other sources. Space radiation comes in the form of harmful charged particles that can imbed in the body of animals, ripping apart molecules and damaging DNA faster than it can be repaired.
But here, too, the tardigrade seems oddly prepared for life in space. According to Peter Guida, the head of NASA's space radiation laboratory, one of the biggest radiation concerns for astronauts (and space-bound tardigrades) is a set of molecules called reactive oxygen species. Ionizing radiation enters the body and bores into wayward molecules that contain oxygen. In simple terms, those newly irradiated molecules then troll through the body causing all sorts of harm.
Tardigrades during their desiccated state produce an abnormal amount of anti-oxidants (yes, these actually exist outside the health-food world), which effectively neutralize those roaming, evil reactive oxygen species. Partly because of this talent, tardigrades have been found to withstand higher radiation doses with far greater success than researchers would otherwise believe they should.
The reason that tardigrades would have evolved to survive high radiation doses is a mystery, too. However, Miller points to a leading theory: Perhaps tardigrades evolved to be swept up by the wind and survive in the earth's atmosphere—which would explain not only their hardiness but also that they're found the world over.
However it happened, there's still much, much more to learn about these fascinating creatures.
Millions of people from around the world claim to have been abducted by extraterrestrials.
The typical testimony from abductees describes how they are taken from their beds, homes, cars, and other locations and transported to spaceships manned by small grey aliens with oversized black, slanted eyes.
Memories of the abduction include being unable to move, hearing buzzing sounds, electrical sensations and difficulty breathing due to pressure on the chest.
In Netflix documentary Top 10 Secrets and Mysteries narrator Robert Russell said: “In analysing the statements of people who claim to have encountered or been abducted by aliens, there are similarities.
“There’s the UFO sighting, then an intense ray of light and a crackling sound, followed by paralysis of the contact or abductee while remaining fully conscious.”
However, some experts offer a different explanation for the alien abduction phenomenon: sleep paralysis.
Sleep paralysis is a known, documented condition which is when someone consciously awakens from sleep during the night but their body is completely immobilised.
In a typical sleep-paralysis episode, a person wakes up paralysed, with senses a presence in the room. They feel fear or even terror and may hear buzzing and humming noises, or see strange lights.
Alien abduction HORROR: Aliens cause human “Paralysis” while fully conscious
(Image: Getty)
A visible or invisible entity is even felt on their chest, shaking, strangling or prodding them.
Attempts to fight the paralysis are usually unsuccessful.
The phenomenon is experienced by millions of people, even larger numbers than polls conducted asking about alien abduction experiences.
Aspects of the experience reported by those who have had a sleep paralysis experience overlap considerably with those of alien abduction.
This theory would not argue that all abductions are because of sleep paralysis but may go some way to explaining some accounts.
This short video, just over a minute long, takes you on a journey from 1991, when no exoplanets were known, to today’s 4,003+ known exoplanets. Why the plus? According to the NASA Exoplanet Archive, the number of known exoplanets has already jumped up to 4,031 and counting!
Astronomers have discovered more than 4,000 exoplanets – planets orbiting other stars – so far, with a lot more waiting for confirmation. Now, NASA has published a cool new video “summary” of the findings, a time-lapse map if you will, of the locations of these distant worlds in our galaxy. The video was produced by SYSTEM Sounds (Matt Russo, Andrew Santaguida), using the NASA Exoplanet Archive. It was posted to YouTube on July 7, 2019, by NASA’s APOD Videos and it ran as an Astronomy Picture of the Day on July 10.
Even though the video is short, just over a minute long, it takes the viewer on a time-lapse, condensed journey from 1991, when no exoplanets were known, to today, with more than 4,003 known exoplanets. More than? Yes. According to the NASA Exoplanet Archive the number is now at 4,031, so the map is already outdated! The map not only shows the planets’ locations, but also color-codes them based on what method they were discovered with, whether by radial velocity, transit, imaging or microlensing. What starts as an empty background becomes a galaxy filled with planets. And those are only the ones we know about so far.
It’s hard to think back to before the early 1990s, when astronomers believed exoplanets existed, but had not found a single one in outer space. Now we know of thousands, and scientists estimate that there are billions in our galaxy alone. When you combine that with the fact that there are at least 100 billion known galaxies, the total numbers of likely exoplanets becomes mind-boggling to contemplate.
The Kepler Space Telescope alone has confirmed 2,345 exoplanets, with another 2,420 awaiting confirmation. The Kepler mission has ended, but there are still tons of data to be analyzed, and many more worlds to be confirmed. Kepler revolutionized our knowledge of exoplanets, revealing a wide variety of worlds. Many are rocky planets like Earth, while others are like mini-Neptunes, and others are gas giants like Jupiter, extremely hot because they’re orbiting so close to their stars. Smaller rocky planets and planets that are gaseous but smaller than Neptune actually appear to be the most common exoplanets, at least from what we know so far, which is encouraging for the search for life elsewhere.
TESS – Transiting Exoplanet Survey Satellite – is the newest space telescope dedicated to planet-hunting, and already has confirmed an additional 24 planets plus 993 additional candidates so far, as listed on the NASA Exoplanet Archive. One advantage that TESS has is that is observing stars that are closer to us than the ones that Kepler looked at. That means those planets will be easier targets for follow-up observations, including by upcoming space telescopes such as the James Webb Space Telescope (JWST) , which can better analyze those planets’ atmospheres. By studying the atmospheres, scientists can search for evidence of biosignatures, gases in the atmosphere that may be produced by living organisms. On Earth, that would include oxygen and methane, although there are ways those gases can be created without life as well. Certain combinations of such gases, though, would more likely have a biological origin.
Artist’s concept of Kepler-186f, the first Earth-sized exoplanet found orbiting in the habitable zone of its star. A growing number of such worlds have been found in recent years.
Artist’s concept of seven Earth-sized worlds in the TRAPPIST-1 planetary system. TRAPPIST-1e is one of the closest rocky planets orbiting a red dwarf star that may be able to support life.
Of course, beyond just finding out how many planets might be out there, people mostly want to know how many exoplanets might be habitable, or better yet, actually inhabited by some form of life. The search for biosignatures is one way to try to determine if a given planet has life. At the other end of the spectrum, a highly advanced alien civilization might make its presence known through megastructures such as Dyson spheres or other technosignatures.
We haven’t yet found any unambiguous evidence for alien life on any exoplanets, but we may be getting closer. Extrapolating from what has been discovered so far, rocky worlds like Earth are now thought to be some of the most common in our galaxy. That is an exciting development in itself. This includes some super-Earths, which are larger than Earth but smaller than Neptune. Some of those planets have been found in the habitable zones of their stars, like Earth is, where temperatures could allow liquid water on their surfaces (depending on other variable factors). Other super-Earths are thought to be true water-worlds, completely covered by oceans.
What seems certain is that this map will continue to grow in the years ahead, with thousands more exoplanets expected to be discovered by TESS and other upcoming planet-hunting missions.
Here’s the new map of known exoplanets, or planets orbiting distant suns. It’s all 4,003 known exoplanets discovered as of 2019. This image was an Astronomy Picture of the Day for July 10, 2019.
Image via NASA/APOD.
Bottom line: This cool new time-lapse video map by SYSTEM Sounds (M. Russo, A. Santaguida) – using the NASA Exoplanet Archive – shows all of the exoplanets discovered so far, from 1991 to the present.
Most people don’t associate the US Pacific Northwest with earthquakes, but maybe they should. It’s home to the 600-mile (1,000-km) Cascadia megathrust fault, stretching from northern California to Canada’s Vancouver Island.
What’s going on about 90 miles (150 km) below the Earth’s surface?
The Pacific Northwest is known for many things – its beer, its music, its mythical large-footed creatures. Most people don’t associate it with earthquakes, but they should. It’s home to the Cascadia megathrust fault that runs 600 miles (966 km) from Northern California up to Vancouver Island in Canada, spanning several major metropolitan areas including Seattle and Portland, Oregon.
This geologic fault has been relatively quiet in recent memory. There haven’t been many widely felt quakes along the Cascadia megathrust, certainly nothing that would rival a catastrophic event like the 1989 Loma Prieta earthquake along the active San Andreas in California. That doesn’t mean it will stay quiet, though. Scientists know it has the potential for large earthquakes – as big as magnitude 9.
Geophysicists have known for over a decade that not all portions of the Cascadia megathrust fault behave the same. The northern and southern sections are much more seismically active than the central section – with frequent small earthquakes and ground deformations that residents don’t often notice. But why do these variations exist and what gives rise to them?
Ourresearch tries to answer these questions by constructing images of what’s happening deep within the Earth, more than 90 miles (144 km) below the fault. We’ve identified regions that are rising up beneath these active sections which we think are leading to the observable differences along the Cascadia fault.
Cascadia and the ‘Really Big One’
The Cascadia subduction zone is a region where two tectonic plates are colliding. The Juan de Fuca, a small oceanic plate, is being driven under the North American plate, atop which the continental U.S. sits.
The Juan de Fuca plate meets the North American plate beneath the Cascadia fault.
Subduction systems – where one tectonic plate slides over another – are capable of producing the world’s largest known earthquakes. A prime example is the 2011 Tohoku earthquake that rocked Japan.
Cascadia is seismically very quiet compared to other subduction zones – but it’s not completely inactive. Research indicates the fault ruptured in a magnitude 9.0 event in 1700. That’s roughly 30 times more powerful than the largest predicted San Andreas earthquake. Researchers suggest that we are within the roughly 300- to 500-year window during which another large Cascadia event may occur.
Many smaller undamaging and unfelt events take place in northern and southern Cascadia every year. However, in central Cascadia, underlying most of Oregon, there is very little seismicity. Why would the same fault behave differently in different regions?
Over the last decade, scientists have made several additional observations that highlight variations along the fault.
One has to do with plate locking, which tells us where stress is accumulating along the fault. If the tectonic plates are locked – that is, really stuck together and unable to move past each other – stress builds. Eventually that stress can be released rapidly as an earthquake, with the magnitude depending on how large the patch of fault that ruptures is.
Geologists have recently been able to deploy hundreds of GPS monitors across Cascadia to record the subtle ground deformations that result from the plates’ inability to slide past each other. Just like historic seismicity, plate locking is more common in the northern and southern parts of Cascadia.
Geologists are also now able to observe difficult-to-detect seismic rumblings known as tremor. These events occur over the time span of several minutes up to weeks, taking much longer than a typical earthquake. They don’t cause large ground motions even though they can release significant amounts of energy. Researchers have only discoveredthese signals in the last 15 years, but permanent seismic stations have helped build a robust catalog of events. Tremor, too, seems to be more concentrated along the northern and southern parts of the fault.
What would cause this situation, with the area beneath Oregon relatively less active by all these measures? To explain we had to look deep, over 100 kilometers (60 miles) below the surface, into the Earth’s mantle.
Green dots and blue triangles show locations of seismic monitoring stations.
Physicians use electromagnetic waves to “see” internal structures like bones without needing to open up a human patient to view them directly. Geologists image the Earth in much the same way. Instead of X-rays, we use seismic energy radiating out from distant magnitude 6.0-plus earthquakes to help us “see” features we physically just can’t get to. This energy travels like sound waves through the structures of the Earth. When rock is hotter or partially molten by even a tiny amount, seismic waves slow down. By measuring the arrival times of seismic waves, we create 3-D images showing how fast or slow the seismic waves travel through specific parts of the Earth.
Ocean bottom seismometers waiting to be deployed during the Cascadia Initiative.
Image via Emilie Hooft.
To see these signals, we need records from seismic monitoring stations. More sensors provide better resolution and a clearer image – but gathering more data can be problematic when half the area you’re interested in is underwater. To address this challenge, we were part of a team of scientists that deployed hundreds of seismometers on the ocean floor off the western U.S. over the span of four years, starting in 2011. This experiment, the Cascadia Initiative, was the first ever to cover an entire tectonic plate with instruments at a spacing of roughly 30 miles (50 km).
What we found are two anomalous regions beneath the fault where seismic waves travel slower than expected. These anomalies are large, about 90 miles (150 km) in diameter, and show up beneath the northern and southern sections of the fault. Remember, that’s where researchers have already observed increased activity: the seismicity. Interestingly, the anomalies are not present beneath the central part of the fault, under Oregon, where we see a decrease in activity.
Regions where seismic waves moved more slowly, on average, are redder, while the areas where they moved more quickly are bluer. The slower anomalous areas 90 miles (150 km) beneath the Earth’s surface corresponded to where the colliding plates are more locked and where tremor is more common.
The tectonic plates float on the Earth’s rocky mantle layer. Where the mantle is slowly rising over millions of years, the rock decompresses. Since it’s at such high temperatures, nearly 1500 degrees Celsius (2700 F) at 100 km (60 mi) depth, it can melt ever so slightly.
These physical changes cause the anomalous regions to be more buoyant – melted hot rock is less dense than solid cooler rock. It’s this buoyancy that we believe is affecting how the fault above behaves. The hot, partially molten region pushes upwards on what’s above, similar to how a helium balloon might rise up against a sheet draped over it. We believe this increases the forces between the two plates, causing them to be more strongly coupled and thus more fully locked.
A general prediction for where, but not when
Our results provide new insights into how this subduction zone, and possibly others, behaves over geologic timeframes of millions of years. Unfortunately our results can’t predict when the next large Cascadia megathrust earthquake will occur. This will require more research and dense active monitoring of the subduction zone, both onshore and offshore, using seismic and GPS-like stations to capture short-term phenomena.
Our work does suggest that a large event is more likely to start in either the northern or southern sections of the fault, where the plates are more fully locked, and gives a possible reason for why that may be the case.
It remains important for the public and policymakers to stay informed about the potential risk involved in cohabiting with a subduction zone fault and to support programs such as Earthquake Early Warning that seek to expand our monitoring capabilities and mitigate loss in the event of a large rupture.
Boven ‘topgeheim’ heb je nog meerdere niveaus. Waarom zelfs presidenten geen toegang hebben tot UFO-geheimen
Boven ‘topgeheim’ heb je nog meerdere niveaus.Waarom zelfs presidenten geen toegang hebben tot UFO-geheimen
Presidentskandidaat Bernie Sanders zei onlangs in de podcast van Joe Rogan dat hij informatie over aliens zal vrijgeven als hij de verkiezingen wint.
De Amerikaanse media-analist Lionel gelooft niet dat de senator daadwerkelijk UFO-geheimen gaat onthullen.
“De Amerikaanse president heeft hier niets mee te maken,” zei hij tegen RT America. “Boven ‘topgeheim’ heb je nog meerdere niveaus waar geen president ooit toegang tot heeft gehad.”
Kletskoek
Dit is dus kletskoek, aldus Lionel.
Over aliens, vliegende schotels en UFO’s zei hij: “Dit is het belangrijkste onderwerp dat verborgen wordt gehouden.”
Er is geen enkele nieuwsredactie die het onderwerp bespreekt zonder het in het belachelijke te trekken of weg te wuiven, voegde hij toe.
Veel mensen vragen zich af waarom de overheid informatie over UFO’s achterhoudt.
Antizwaartekracht
“Je hebt het hier over aandrijving op basis van antizwaartekracht,” reageerde Lionel. “Heb je enig idee wat dit zou betekenen voor onze wereld, die draait om olie?”
Als tweede reden noemde hij dat de machthebbers niet willen dat wij ons als ras – de aardlingen – verenigen.
“Dit is het belangrijkste onderwerp dat er is,” besloot hij.
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Accidental FOIA Reveals Mind Control Documents; Here’s Further Evidence This Technology Exists
Accidental FOIA Reveals Mind Control Documents; Here’s Further Evidence This Technology Exists
Accidental FOIA Reveals Mind Control Documents; Here’s Further Evidence This Technology Exists by Aaron Kesel – Activist Post
Journalist Curtis Waltman filed a Freedom of Information Act request with the Washington State Fusion Center(which is partnered with Department of Homeland Security) to obtain information about Antifa and white supremacist groups; instead of getting information on how the agency targets the groups, he got way more than the information he was looking for – Curtis was accidentally sent a mysterious file with the label “EM effects on human body.zip.” The file included methods of “remote mind control,” MuckRockreported.
According to MuckRock, the mind control documents came from the Department of Homeland Security-linked agency in the form of a file called “EM effects on human body.zip.” The file reportedly contained various diagrams detailing the horrors of “psycho-electronic weapon effects.”
One document lists the various forms of torment made possible by using “remote mind control” methods, from “forced memory blanking” and “sudden violent itching inside eyelids” to “wild flailing” followed by “rigor mortis” and a remotely induced “forced orgasm.” It was not immediately clear how the documents wound up in the agency’s response to a standard FOIA request, but there was reportedly no indication the “remote mind control” files stemmed from any government program.
According to Popular Mechanics, the documents are not official documents but are rather documents captured by the Fusion Center.
The federal government has absolutely experimented with mind control in a variety of methods, but the documents here do not appear to be official.
Waltman had no idea why these documents were included in his request and isn’t sure why the government is holding them. The WSFC did not respond to requests for more information.
The documents themselves are quite bizarre and, honestly, despite reports dismissing them, it is worth remembering that this is exactly what the CIA was working on for years during MKULTRA. That program was supposed to have been shut down after the Church Hearings and other congressional hearings exposed all of the CIA’s clandestine activities at the time many that violated human rights including experimentation on patients and the American population without their knowledge.
Last year, it was revealed that mainstream science had caught up with the black project world (CIA) and had successfully weakened or strengthened particular memories from the brain or outright deleted inherited memories from mice, Activist Postreported.
There was a series of CIA mind control programs including BLUEBIRD, ARTICHOKE, MKULTRA, MKSEARCH and MKNAOMI during the ’50s to ’90s. The CIA sought to blank-slate test subjects wiping memories through drugs, electric shock, high-pitched sound and other torture techniques.
The Project Bluebird/Artichoke document below was kept hidden and under wraps and distracted from other subprojects in MKULTRA through Operation Dormouse for a reason; just read the documents it’s literally the CIA suggesting to create mind-controlled slaves that can covertly commit murder in the 1950s-’60s.
Although, many suspect that this project involved the South American plant derivative, scopolamine, a dangerous substance known as the “zombie drug.” Documents released only a few weeks ago in the JFK files suggest that the CIA was using electromagnetic weaponry to accomplish this goal. How? Well, it started out with using electrodes on a subject’s brain, and I suspect it evolved into tapping into the brain’s own natural frequency over time as the Army documents details on Voice To Skull technology decades later.
In the mid-1950s, neurophysiologist Carl Wilhelm Sem-Jacobsen built his own EEG lab at Gaustad psychiatric hospital in Norway with copious funding from the Rockefeller, Ford, and other “charitable” foundations. He soon took on multiple U.S. government contracts from the Air Force, Navy, and NASA for research using electrodes implanted in the brains of psych patients to carry out what many have said was unethical research.
These experiments melded over time and were continued under the auspices of a Project MKUltra branch and evolved to what was known as Project Artichoke.
Our government performed various unethical experiments on thousands of Americans for decades on the record exposed by the Church Committee. But before MKULTRA in 1947 the Navy and OSI conducted the first known post-war mind control program, Project Chatter, which continued the drug experiments of the Nazis.
Project Chatter was a highly classified Navy program to search for a truth drug that would get its victim to speak fast. They tested all types of drugs including barbiturates, amphetamines, and heroin. The studies involved “mind control” experiments by hypnosis and narco-hypnosis.
In 1953, Project Chatter was abandoned by the Navy for other projects like the Navy’s project “Perfect Concussion” which was Subproject 54 under MKULTRA. Scientists focused on testing ultrasound signals to create amnesia. In the documents, the Navy sought to create “Sub-aural frequency blasts” which means “below the ear.” Sub-aural frequency would indicate the potential usage of infrasound i.e. sonar.
Around the same time of Project Chatter, another compartmentalized group was running Project Moonstruck which sought to use electronic implants in brain and teeth for tracking, mind and behavior control, conditioning, programming, covert operations through Electronic Stimulation of the Brain, E.S.B. (Auspiciously the documents for Moonstruck are missing, only mere references can be found on sites archiving our history.)
The Army eventually founded Operations Third Chance and Derby Hat which both used LSD; other project names remain unknown though the existence of these programs is unquestionable.
The goals of MKULTRA were to break down human beings both physically and mentally, and modify and control their behavior as well as test chemicals on people for research purposes. These means included but were not limited to, hypnosis, chemical, biological and radioactive exposure. President Bill Clinton was forced to apologize after parts of these programs were revealed to have been continuing after the Church Committee Hearings and they were caught running experiments on Africans under the Tuskegee experiment.
Dr. Ewen Cameron was partially backed by the CIA during project MKULTRA and used electrodes to zap the memories from his unwitting patients’ brains during the 1950s. This method of torture was called “psychic driving.”
After horrendous electric shocks, drugs were given to the test subjects to put them into days of prolonged delirious sleep. Cameron would then subject them to audio tapes he made in which he repeated certain phrases thousands of times with the hope of producing new personalities within them.
A 2012 lawsuit filed by veterans’ groups, against the CIA and the DOD, refers to Cameron’s methods. The suit also states that two researchers, Dr. Louis West and Dr. Jose Delgado, working together under the early CIA MKULTRA subproject 95, utilized two protocols: brain implants (“stimoceivers”) and RHIC-EDOM (Radio Hypnotic Intracerebral Control-Electronic Dissolution of Memory) to program the minds of victims.
Translation: they sought to bury memories, and implant false memories that never happened.
The CIA ultimately found that stress and sleep deprivation can make people more susceptible to false memories as have other researchers.
Although, the new documents are presumed to not be government documents, there are other documents released in 2006 from the U.S. Army Intelligence and Security Command entitled, “Bioeffects of Selected Nonlethal Weapons.”
The document is dated in 1998, over 15 years ago. One of the main topics regards the effects of “radio frequency directed energy.” The document discusses the “incapacitating effect” of “microwave hearing,” exactly like the new document describes.
There is no sound propagated through the air like normal sound. This technology in its crudest form could be used to distract individuals; if refined, it could also be used to communicate with hostages or hostage takers directly by Morse code or other message systems, possibly even by voice communication.
From that document, the technology is able to be tuned into a single person like a radio station.
The phenomenon is tunable in that the characteristic sounds and intensities of those sounds depend on the characteristics of the RF energy as delivered. Because the frequency of the sound heard is dependent on the pulse characteristics of the RF energy, it seems possible that this technology could be developed to the point where words could be transmitted to be heard like the spoken word, except that it could only be heard within a person’s head. In one experiment, communication of the words from one to ten using ‘speech modulated’ microwave energy was successfully demonstrated. Microphones next to the person experiencing the voice could not pick up the sound. Additional development of this would open up a wide range of possibilities.
Further, the paper discusses using this technology to disrupt neural control, which “activates specific forms of behavior such as sexual, aggressive, ingestive activities.”
Besides implanting memories, the military later attempted to create what it deemed Voice To Skull technology.
Voice To Skull is described in the patent as a “hearing system” where “Sound is induced in the head of a person by radiating the head with microwaves in the range of 100 megahertz to 10,000 megahertz that are modulated with a particular waveform.”
Similar psychotronic technology to Voice To Skull that wasn’t directly beaming frequencies into people but rather using radio stations to broadcast a signal outside of the human hearing range was used by the Pentagon, known as Silent Sound Spread Spectrum (SSSS) or S-quad. U.S. Psychological Operations officers tested this technology on Iraqi troops in Kuwait during Operation Desert Storm in 1991.
A news briefing detailed how American troops would take over the Iraqis’ FM stations and broadcast a silent signal underneath the audible programming:
The clandestine station programming consisted of patriotic and religious music and intentionally vague, confusing and contradictory military orders and information to the Iraqi soldiers in the Kuwaiti Theater of Command (KTO). The size and power of enemy forces was always intentionally exaggerated. Surrender was encouraged. According to statements made by captured and deserting Iraqi soldiers, however, the most devastating and demoralizing programming was the first known military use of the new, high tech, type of subliminal messages referred to as Ultra-High-Frequency ‘Silent Sounds’ or ‘Silent Subliminals’. (Newsweek, July 30, 1990, Page 61) Although completely silent to the human ear, the negative voice messages placed on the tapes alongside the audible programming by psyops psychologists were clearly perceived by the subconscious minds of the Iraqi soldiers and the silent messages completely demoralized and instilled a perpetual feeling of fear and hopelessness in their minds.
Then there is the suggestion of using Voice To Skull technology in Afghanistan under the moniker “Voice Of Allah” a few years back under the George Bush administration. That plan also included the broadcasting of a hologram image of what Allah was depicted to have looked like. Further, there was a plan years prior to do the same thing to other Arab nations.
The Gulf War hologram story might be dismissed were it not the case that washingtonpost.com learned that a super secret program was established in 1994 to pursue the very technology for application to PSYOPS. The “Holographic Projector” is described in a classified Air Force document as a system to “project information power from space … for special operations deception missions. (Source: Washington Post)
Steven Corman, writing at the COMOPS journal, described his own encounter with this technology:
At a government workshop some time ago I head someone describe a new tool that was described as the “voice of Allah.” This was said to be a device that would operate at a distance and would deliver a message that only a single person could hear. The story was that it was tested in a conflict situation in Iraq and pointed at one insurgent in a group, who whipped around looking in all directions, and began a heated conversation with his compatriots, who did not hear the message. At the time I greeted this story with some skepticism.
It appears that some of the troops in Iraq are using “spoken” (as opposed to “screeching”) LRAD to mess with enemy fighters. Islamic terrorists tend to be superstitious and, of course, very religious. LRAD can put the “word of God” into their heads. If God, in the form of a voice that only you can hear, tells you to surrender, or run away, what are you gonna do?
CNET once reported on the technology, noting that users don’t hear sound through their ears but instead the sound resonates and reverberates inside the person’s head – except in that case it was used for advertising.
The folks who heard the ad for A & E’s TV show “Paranormal State” emitted from a billboard in New York City’s Greenwich Village must have thought it was pretty weird. As they walked into the targeted area they were exposed to highly focused sound, picked up not by their ears, but by their skulls. The otherwise inaudible sound waves are experienced via bone conduction–the sound resonates inside the passerby’s head.
The use of mind control technologies was predicted as well in the military publication of Strategic Studies Institute of the U.S. Army War College, published in 1994.
This is not science fiction. This is, to put it bluntly, mad science driven by insanity. These are declassified black projects or SAPs (special access programs.) Much of what the clear world or civilian population knows about military technology is severely underestimated despite the public nature of certain technologies like the heat ray and sound cannon. If you dig even deeper there is an old reference on the Army’s website for a technology called “Voice To Skull.” (ARMY SITE YANKED WIRED REPORTED) [ARCHIVED COPY OF ARMY PAGE]
Dr. Joseph C. Sharp completed the first successful test of auditory microwave technology which could bypass the ears and beam sound directly into a person’s head at the Walter Reed Army Institute of Research in 1973.
Sharp, strapped inside an isolation chamber, heard “words” beamed at him in a pulsed-microwave audiogram. (An audiogram is a computerized analog of the spoken voice.) ARPA, now DARPA, researcher Robert O. Becker at the time foresaw “obvious applications in covert operations.”
Becker imagined barrages of “voices” driving an enemy insane, and post-hypnotic suggestion radioed to programmed assassin directing the test subject to kill its target. According to Naval Captain Paul Tyler in a 1976 essay, “The Electromagnetic Spectrum in Low-Intensity Conflict,” a “speed-of-light weapons effect” could be achieved with “the passage of approximately 100 milliamperes of directed frequency through the myocardium, leading to cardiac standstill and death.”
In 1975, a neuropsychologist Don R. Justesen, the director of Laboratories of Experimental Neuropsychology at Veterans Administration Hospital in Kansas City, unwittingly leaked National Security Information when he published an article in American Psychologist on the influence of microwaves on living creatures’ behavior. In the article, he quoted the results of an experiment described to him by his colleague, Joseph C. Sharp, who was working on Pandora, a secret project of the American Navy.
By radiating themselves with these ‘voice modulated’ microwaves, Sharp and Grove were readily able to hear, identify, and distinguish among the 9 words. The sounds heard were not unlike those emitted by persons with artificial larynxes (pg. 396).
Dr. Milton Zaret, a leading microwave scientist was later recruited by “Pandora,” a CIA project code-named for the study of radio-frequency-directed brain response he stated,
The CIA inquired whether I thought electromagnetic radiation beamed at the brain from a distance could affect the way a person might act, and if microwaves could be used to facilitate brainwashing or to break down prisoners under investigation.
It’s long been known that microwaves at certain frequencies can produce an auditory effect that sounds like it’s coming from within someone’s head. Then there’s the question of classified microwave work at Brooks Air Force Base which officials have refused to talk about.
In January 2007, Washington Postwrote on the same subject:
In 2002, the Air Force Research Laboratory patented precisely such a technology: using microwaves to send words into someone’s head… Rich Garcia, a spokesman for the research laboratory’s directed energy directorate, declined to discuss that patent or current or related research in the field, citing the lab’s policy not to comment on its microwave work. In response to a Freedom of Information Act request filed for this article, the Air Force released unclassified documents surrounding that 2002 patent — records that note that the patent was based on human experimentation in October 1994 at the Air Force lab, where scientists were able to transmit phrases into the heads of human subjects, albeit with marginal intelligibility. Research appeared to continue at least through 2002. Where this work has gone since is unclear — the research laboratory, citing classification, refused to discuss it or release other materials.
Previous research in electromagnetic weapons has shown that low-frequency waves or beams can affect brain cells, alter psychological states and make it possible to transmit commands directly into someone’s thought process making them think it’s their own thoughts. In fact there is even a patent which suggests doing just that.
In the 1940s George Estabrooks, a Harvard University graduate, Rhodes Scholar and chairman of psychology at Colgate University, Canada, acknowledged conducting extensive hypnosis work on behalf of the CIA, FBI and military intelligence creating Manchurian candidates. He boasted to Science Digest in 1971: “I can hypnotize a man — without his knowledge or consent — into committing treason against the United States.” Estabrook (Bowhart. Operation Mind Control.)
Eight years later, it was reported that a “Man Hallucinates, Says Microwaves Are Murdering Him,” in the March 21, 1979, edition of the Los Angeles Herald Examiner and later New Scientist. That man was electronics engineer Leonard Kille, who founded the Scientific Engineering Institute (SEI) on behalf of the CIA. In July 1968 at South Vietnam’s Bien Hoa Hospital, SEI teams had implanted electrodes in the skulls of Vietcong prisoners of war in experimental attempts to direct the behavior of brain-wired subjects by remote control.
Kille himself was a test subject of the electrodes implanted in his brain. In 1971, a hospital attendant found Kille holding a metal wastebasket over his head in an attempt to “stop the microwaves.” A sympathetic doctor at Boston’s VA hospital, where Kille was transferred, ordered him “a large sheet of aluminum foil so he may fashion a protective helmet for himself.” Not informed that Kille had electrodes implanted his head, the VA doctors diagnosed him as a delusional paranoid individual.
In 1965 The New York Timesreported obscure EMR experiments secretly funded by the government under the front-page headline: “Mind Control Coming, Scientist Warns.” University of California psychology professor Dr. David Krech is quoted warning, “EMR research may carry with it even more serious implications than the achievements of the atomic physicists.”
Earlier, a 1963 CIA-issued manual on the study of Radio-Hypnotic Intra-Cerebral Control (RHIC) explained:
When a part of your brain receives a tiny electrical impulse from outside sources, such as vision, hearing, etc., an emotion is produced—anger at the sight of a gang of boys beating an old woman, for example. The same emotions of anger can be created by artificial radio signals sent to your brain by a controller. You could instantly feel the same white-hot anger without any apparent reason.
Richard Helms oversaw military-oriented EMR research into the transmission of strategic subliminal messages into the aggregate minds of enemy populations. In a 1964 memo to the Warren Commission regarding the possibility that Lee Harvey Oswald had been a mind-controlled assassin, Helms outlined the existence of “biological radio communication.” “Cybernetics science of communication and control theory that is concerned with the study of automatic control systems, such as the brain and mechanical-electrical communications,” Helms admitted, “can be used in molding of a child’s character, the inculcation of knowledge and techniques, the amassing of experience, the establishment of social behavior patterns … all functions which can be summarized as control of the growth processes of the individual.”
A subsequent CIA directive, summarized in a brochure on “cybernetic technique” distributed by Mankind Research Unlimited, an EMR study facility in Washington, D.C., detailed the deep state’s development of a “means by which information of modest rate can be fed to humans utilizing other senses than sight or hearing.” According to the brochure, the CIA’s cybernetic technique, “based on Eastern European research,” involved beaming information via radio frequencies to individual human nerve cells. The purpose, the directive stated, was for “the enhancement of a subject’s mental and physical performance.”
“Recently researchers from the University of Washington showed that they could send one person’s thoughts through a computer to control the hand motion of a person sitting half a mile away. The team first demonstrated this brain-to-brain connection was possible back in August 2013. But now the researchers have put the technology through more rigorous testing and are close to making it usable in real-world scenarios,” Live Science reported.
Neuroscientists in France implanted false memories into the brains of sleeping mice in 2015. Using electrodes to directly stimulate and record the activity of nerve cells, they created artificial associative memories that persisted while the animals snoozed and then influenced their behavior when they finally woke up. MIT scientist also achieved the same result using mice in a similar experiment prior in 2013.
Meanwhile, Japanese researchers have developed a trick to implant false visions into people’s brains, altering the way they experience the world and potentially even the way they think.
In 2016, Dailymail reported that scientists had discovered a disturbing trick to plant false experiences into people’s brains.
As Huffington Postreported in 2014, “Mind control is becoming a reality,” in the clear science world, while black project scientists are far ahead of these advances as this article illustrates. Knowing all this information and seeing all the cited times in history that a shooter has heard voices in their head, one has to question if all the shootings were legitimate or if some of them were deep state CIA operations. (See my article: “I HEAR VOICES: MKUltra? A Worrying Trend Of Mass Shooting Suspects Throughout History Before Committing Horrific Murders.“)
With the inadvertent release of suspicious files talking about mind control it seemed like no better time to put this article out. Will the disclosure of this technology allow for the acceptance that it exists rather than constant ridicule with tinfoil hats? This entire article is cited to its teeth — your move CIA.
Jupiter Just Got Slammed by Something so Big We Saw it From Earth (Video)
Jupiter Just Got Slammed by Something so Big We Saw it From Earth(Video)
Something Enormous Just Smashed Into Jupiter *Above Normal Hurricane Season Likely*Landslide*
Jupiter just got slammed by something so big we saw it from Earth
It’s bright, it’s white and fortunately it’s very far away from here.
The apparent moment of impact on the solar system’s largest world.
Ethan Chappel
An amateur astronomer caught something spectacular with a backyard telescope Wednesday when he recorded a bright flash on the surface of Jupiter. The biggest planet in the solar system routinely delivers stunning pictures, like those snapped by NASA’s Juno spacecraft, but the unexpected flash has astronomers excited at the possibility of a meteor impact.
Ethan Chappel pointed his telescope at the gas giant planet at just the right time, capturing the white spot seen on the lower left side of the planet in the above images on Aug. 7.
While it has yet to be confirmed by a second observer, it looks like a large asteroid crashing into the gas giant planet. The flash is brief and quickly fades away, boosting the idea that it was likely caused by an impact.
“Another impact on Jupiter today!” astronomer Dr. Heidi B. Hammel wrote on Twitter. “A bolide (meteor) and not likely to leave dark debris like SL9 did 25 years ago.”
SL9 is Comet Shoemaker-Levy 9, which famously impacted Jupiter in 1994. Hammel led the team that used the Hubble Space Telescope to study the impact and how the planet’s gassy atmosphere responded.
Something remarkable to consider is that the apparent size of the flash is almost the size of Earth, which is tiny next to the giant gas planet. For reference, about three Earths could fit inside Jupiter’s Great Red Spot, which is also visible.
Of course, this doesn’t mean that whatever hit Jupiter was the size of a planet, just that the collision looks to have released a lot of explosive energy. Sky and Telescope’s Bob King says, if confirmed, this would be the seventh recorded impact of Jupiter since Shoemaker-Levy and the first in over two years.
Better to keep all that asteroid traffic directed in the outer solar system, we’ve had enough space rock scares here in the past month.
I found a lot of alien structures, some are buildings and others appear to be landed ships. The structures are all silver metallic objects with shiny white reflective windows. These buildings are very old, but out in the vacuum of space structures can remain intact for millions of years. I imagine that one of these structures would easily be taken over by a group of human traveling to the moon and would make a great starting point for someone like Jeff Bezos space exploration program Blue Origins. The structure are right there, ripe for the taking, and waiting for new occupants and with the alien tech inside they should have power for hundreds of years. Can you see it? Blue Origins Space City at Dionysius crater becoming the next vacation resort. Scott C. Waring
10-08-2019 om 12:15
geschreven door peter
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Asteroid 2019 MO exploded in our atmosphere with an energy of about 3 to 5 kilotons of TNT. Such events happen once or twice yearly, astronomers say. Most are unexpected, but this space rock was detected hours before it struck.
The small, harmless, 4-meter near-Earth asteroid – now designated 2019 MO – created this bright flash when it struck Earth’s atmosphere on June 22, 2019, over the Caribbean.
Images via RAMMB/CIRA/Colorado State University.
Scientists have confirmed a meteor impact with Earth’s atmosphere over the Caribbean last weekend. The bright flash was detected by by NOAA’s GOES-16 satellite and other meteorological satellites, showing the event occurred on Saturday, June 22, 2019, at around 5:25 p.m. EDT (21:25 UTC) some 170 miles (274 km) south of Puerto Rico. Astronomer Peter Brown, a meteor expert from University of Western Ontario in Ontario, Canada, said that an infrasound station located in Bermuda did detect airwaves produced by the space rock’s impact in the atmosphere. The object is believed to have been a small asteroid, and it was unusual in that it was detected prior to its impact – in the hours before – by the Atlas (Asteroid Terrestrial-impact Last Alert System) in Hawaii. Brown said the impact was:
… consistent with 3 to 5 kilotons (of energy).
By contrast, the atomic bomb dropped on Hiroshima on August 6, 1945, exploded with an energy of about 15 kilotons of TNT. Both the energy released, as well as the observations made from the Atlas Observatory, suggest the June 22 space rock was about 13 feet (4 meters) in diameter. Originally designated A10eoM1, the rock has now been designated as asteroid 2019 MO.
Although small space rocks and fragments rain down on Earth’s atmosphere continuously, experts at NASA’s Center for Near Earth Object Studies say that large events such as the one on June 22 occur about once or twice a year. Earth’s atmosphere does its job in protecting us in these cases, causing drag or friction that disintegrates most of these small objects before they strike the ground (although a few do strike, and more fall into the ocean). Read more: Whoa! 26 atom-bomb-scale asteroid impacts since 2000
Tony Dunn@tony873004
Earth got hit a few days ago by newly-discovered asteroid 2019 MO.@pgbrown has more graphics.
After analyzing the satellite images, expert meteor photographer Frankie Lucena commented:
Looks to be a mighty impressive event, for sure.
Some satellite images show the bright flash produced by the meteor, and seconds later, a line of its dissipating smoke trail.
Asteroid 2019 MO is believed to have had an orbit outside that of Earth and extending almost to Jupiter’s orbit.
Image via NASA/JPL-Caltech.
According to Italian amateur astronomer Ernesto Guido, this is only the fourth time in history that an impacting object was observed prior to atmospheric entry.
Bottom line: Asteroid 2019 MO exploded in Earth’s atmosphere on June 22, 2019, with an energy equivalent to about 3 to 5 kilotons of TNT. Such events happen unexpectedly, once or twice yearly, astronomers say. This one was unusual in that the asteroid was detected in the hours before it struck.
Felle lichtbol en harde knal boven Oost-Nederland; vermoedelijk een meteoor
UPDATEIn Oost-Nederland zijn vanavond rond kwart voor tien veel mensen opgeschrokken door een harde knal. Op twitter vragen veel mensen, ook uit de regio, zich af wat het geweest kan zijn. Toen kwamen er ook nog berichten of een felle lichtbal.
Teake Dijkstra
De officiële instanties konden aanvankelijk geen duidelijkheid verschaffen. Het meest aannemelijk is dat het een meteoor was, een stuk ruimtegruis dat verbrandt in de dampkring.
Halverwege de avond kwam een reeks tweets op gang van mensen uit Zwolle, Dalfsen en Ommen, maar ook uit Almelo, Oldenzaal en Harbrinkhoek die de knal gehoord hebben. Later kwamen er ook berichten van verder weg, tot in Drenthe en Friesland, waar vooral werd gemeld dat er een lichtflits voorbij schoot. Het zou kunnen gaan om een meteoor, zo werd gesuggereerd.
Bij de Veiligheidsregio IJsselland waren rond tien uur nog geen meldingen binnen. Ook bij de politie hadden zich nog geen mensen gemeld. ,,Het is geen knal van een plofkraak of zoiets geweest. Het is niet een zaak waar wij mee bezig zijn”, zegt Anne Coenen namens de politie IJsselland.
Verschijnselen
Volgens Annemarie Hoogendoorn, woordvoerder van het KNMI, heeft het de verschijnselen van een meteoor die door de dampkring kwam en daarbij is verbrand. ,,Dat veroorzaakt een lichtbal. Doordat de lucht uitzet kan dat een knal veroorzaken’’, aldus Hoogendoorn, ,,net als bij onweer.’’
Op de weersatellieten is het niet gesignaleerd, maar de satellieten draaien om de wereld en waren mogelijk op dat moment juist niet hier, veronderstelt ze. ,,Zeker weten we het niet, maar de meldingen van een lichtbol en een knal zijn typisch voor een meteoor.
Geluidsbarrière?
In reacties op internet werd ook geopperd dat een vliegtuig door de geluidsbarrière zou zijn gegaan. Woordvoerder Sander Kuypers van Defensie daarover: ,,Ik heb even navraag gedaan, maar wij vliegen vanavond niet, dus het is geen vliegtuig van ons dat door de geluidsbarrière is gegaan. En zover nu bekend is er ook geen snelle reactie nodig geweest om iets te onderscheppen”.
Geen knal gehoord. Wel in Almelo een meteoriet gezien om 21:30. Bewoog in noordwestelijke richting en liet soort rookspoor na bij doven. Dat moet de knal veroorzaakt hebben.
De landelijke Werkgroep Meteoren kreeg in hoog tempo zo'n 150 meldingen binnen, uit het hele land, zegt Joost Hartman. Of het een meteoriet is? ,,Zou best kunnen. Wij weten op dit moment nog niet veel.’’
Ook op de website Watwasdieknal.nl kwamen de meldingen overal vandaan.
dokRob@dokRobNL
Zag net meteoriet overschieten zo'n 50 meter boven m'n hoofd in park Westerveld in Elde die richting Driel ging. Ik dacht eigenlijk dat hij in het park zou neerstorten. Was een object die vanachter een fel licht gaf, en van voor donker, geluidloos en met hoge snelheid...
The picture here comes from a long time NASA scientist, one of many photos covered-up and hid from the public from the Voyager mission in 1980. That mission was tasked with photographing Saturn, its rings and its moons.
Reflect On:
What does this mean for humanity? Why the cover-up? Are we ready to accept that this may be a reality? What kinds of implications are there from the realization that we are not alone, and that highly advanced, intelligent beings are out there?
The pictures NASA got back from the Voyager mission to Saturn in 1980 were apparently so mind-altering that they locked them up–at least that’s what retired U.S. Army Command Sergeant Major Bob Dean said in this lecture. He also showed numerous photographs from the Apollo missions that were never released to the public. You can view some of those photographs here. Multiple governments, like Russia, have been calling for an international investigation as to where photographs, footage and Moon rocks disappeared to.
The picture above does not come from Dean, it comes from one of his good friends Norman Bergrun, a scientist and engineer who was part of NASA’s voyager program. He worked at NASA for decades at the Ames Research Centre. He also worked at Lockheed Martin where he managed the Polaris missile tests. Unfortunately, he recently passed. You can view his obituary here.
He is a legend for going public.
Luminous Source
What is the picture of? It’s a “luminous source,” that comes from Bergrun’s Book, “The Ringmakers of Saturn.” He had to go through a lot of trouble to publish it, and had to leave the country in order to do so, as Dean explained in the lecture linked above.
According to Bergrun, there are several large craft “proliferating” out around Saturn and its moons. His book goes into much greater detail, and although it’s hard to find and costs thousands of dollars, it is linked online, here.
Frustrated By Non-Disclosure
According to Dean, Bergrun got frustrated later in life that the decision was made not to tell the public what they had photographed at Saturn. My previous article Long-Time Nasa Scientist Blows The Whistle On Tall Black Extraterrestrial Beings describes Bergrun exposing the existence of what he calls extraterrestrial ‘vehicles’ that were responsible for making the rings around Saturn.
In a rare interview he gave with Kerry Cassidy of Project Camelot (below), he expressed his great concern of the UFO cover-up and stated with enthusiasm that “people have got to be made aware that those things are real.” I’ve presented this video in multiple articles, but anytime you mention him, you must present this interview !
The Takeaway
In his book, Norman makes it a clear point to emphasize that these objects have probably been around much longer than we have. He also states that if there was any ill intent towards our planet, something probably would have happened by now and there is a reason that these objects (which he stated are intelligently controlled, not by us) have not come in close proximity to our planet. By coming closer than they already are they may, and already probably do have some effects on our own weather. This is something Norman also mentions in his book.
A lot of ridicule and fear exists behind this topic, and today it’s no longer taboo as mainstream disclosure has begun. We are becoming more aware, and despite mainstream media and the global elite having a lot to lose from the disclosure of this type of information (propulsion systems, oil, etc..), the truth is leaking out. It’s a field filled with information and disinformation, so one has to be cautious and remain skeptical. At the end of the day, we know that we are not alone, and it has huge implications for all areas of humanity–not the least of which is that it will ultimately force humanity to look within.
More awareness of this presence is coinciding with a massive ‘spiritual’ awakening that’s happening on the planet, and this is not by coincidence. It seems that a growing awareness of what’s out there will serve to help humanity better understand itself.
A gaping hole in a dying tectonic plate beneath the ocean along the West Coast of the United States may be wreaking havoc at Earth's surface, but not in a way most people might expect.
This gash is so big it may trigger earthquakes off the coast of Northern California and could explain why central Oregon has volcanoes, a new study found.
The researchers in the new study aren't the first to suggest that the Michigan-size Juan de Fuca (pronounced "wahn de fyoo-kuh") plate has a tear. But thanks to a new, detailed dataset, they're the first to say so with certainty. [The Science of Plate Tectonics and Continental Drift (Infographic)]
"Where other people had debated whether or not it [the tear] was there, we can pretty confidently say that it's real," study lead researcher William Hawley, a doctoral student in the Earth and Planetary Science Department at the University of California, Berkeley, told Live Science.
The Juan de Fuca plate is long, stretching about 600 miles (1,000 kilometers) along the Pacific Northwest coast, from Vancouver Island, Canada, to Cape Mendocino, California. "No part of it is above the water. It's a total oceanic plate" that's subducting, or diving beneath another plate, in this case the North American plate (a continental plate), Hawley said.
From 2011 to 2015, scientists boated out over different parts of the Juan de Fuca plate, dropped ocean-bottom seismometers underwater and let these sensors collect seismic data from earthquakes all over the world for a year.
Scientists aboard the R/V Thomas G. Thompson recover a seismometer, part of the Cascadia Initiative, off the coast of Oregon and Washington. This instrument spent a year on the seafloor, recording earthquakes from all over the world.
(Image credit: William Hawley)
When the year was up, the researchers returned, fished up the seismometers and uploaded the data, which allowed them to create a tomography, or layout, of the plate. Then, they deployed the devices to other spots on the plate. "It was an enormous community effort," Hawley said.
The data from these seismometers showed how seismic waves traveled through the plate, which, in turn, revealed information about the plate's composition and varying temperatures. One region under central Oregon showed a gap in high-velocity seismic waves, which Hawley interpreted to be the hole.
But why does this hole exist? Hawley and study co-researcher Richard Allen, director of the Berkeley Seismological Laboratory, hypothesized that there is a weak zone in the Juan de Fuca plate that exists because the plate formed at two overlapping ridge segments. As this weakened zone of the oceanic plate goes under the continental plate, it unzips from the bottom up (from the underside upward), creating a gash.
"This tearing may eventually cause the plate to fragment, and what is left of the small pieces of the plate will attach to other plates nearby," the researchers wrote in the study. In other words, "we're witnessing the death of a plate," but it will take at least a few million years to die, Hawley said.
The volcanoes in central Oregon may have arisen because of a tear in the Juan de Fuca tectonic plate.
(Image credit: Shutterstock)
Hawley and Allen estimated that the hole is located at a depth of between 155 and 60 miles (250 and 100 km). The tear itself, which is narrower on top and widens with depth, is about 120 miles (200 km) wide. [Hidden Undersea Mountains Uncovered with Satellites (Photos)]
Moreover, it appears that material is getting pushed up through the tear, which may have led to the formation of the volcanoes in central Oregon's High Lava Plains about 17 million years ago, Hawley noted. In fact, it's incredible how many geographical and seismic features in the Pacific Northwest fit into the researchers' hypothesis, he said.
"The story links the hole in the tomography with this known weak zone in a plate and with a series of volcanic centers in Oregon and with a series of earthquakes and faults off the coast of Northern California," Hawley said.
The research is a "thought-provoking idea paper," said Ray Wells, a research geologist emeritus with the U.S. Geological Survey in Portland, Oregon, who was not involved with the study.
"I'm happy to see more data indicating a hole in the Juan de Fuca plate," Wells told Live Science in an email. "The coincidence of the hole with the location of a subducted zone of weakness in the Juan de Fuca plate is interesting and could help to produce a tear."
UK’s ‘Area 51’ revealed where ‘alien abductions’ happened, flying saucers were monitored and UFO-style aircraft were tested REVEALED
UK’s ‘Area 51’ revealed where ‘alien abductions’ happened, flying saucers were monitored and UFO-style aircraft were tested -- REVEALED
Daniel Hall
OVER a million alien enthusiasts recently signed up to a Facebook event to storm Area 51 — the secretive US military base believed by some to hold the wreckage of crashed UFOs.
But if Brits want to don tin foil hats and look for evidence of extraterrestrials in the UK, where should they go?
The Taranis UAV – real RAF technology that looks like it could be alien
The Facebook plan to storm the American base to “see them aliens” began as a joke which is now being taken seriously — deadly seriously.
Not only did Facebook pull down the page, the Air Force issued a chilling warning to potential raiders that: “The US Air Force always stands ready to protect America and its assets.”
It’s not known exactly what secrets the shadowy base has that authorities are desperate to defend.
But conspiracy theorists in the UK don’t need to look as far afield as the States for mysterious government facilities linked with UFOs.
Nick Pope ran the Ministry of Defence’s UFO project in the 1990s, looking into reports of flying saucers, crop circles, and even abductions.
Here he reveals the secret spots that might be “Britain’s Area 51”.
NICK POPE
Nick Pope ran the MoD’s UFO team in the 1990s
UFO investigation centre
RAF Rudloe Manor, Wiltshire
Theory: Alien technology being kept in secret underground lab
For years, conspiracy theorists believed the government was hiding something at RAF Rudloe Manor in Corsham, Wiltshire.
And to some extent, they were right — documents made public in 2010 admitted that the base WAS used in UFO investigations.
That’s because Rudloe Manor was home to the Flying Complaints Flight, a unit of the RAF Police which gathered reports of UFO sightings from RAF bases and passed them to the MoD HQ.
And the secret site came under even more scrutiny when it was revealed there was a vast network of underground tunnels beneath the base.
Ufologists had suspected this for years but instead of the tunnels being used to hide alien technology they were nuclear bomb shelters.
The vast subterranean bunkers would be where government ministers and royals would’ve been evacuated to if there was a nuclear strike on Britain.
Even though Rudloe Manor was closed in 2000, it still attracts conspiracy theorists — some have been arrested by MoD Police for breaking in.
Nick himself had a brush with the authorities when he was filming a documentary there with presenter Giorgio Tsoukalos a few years ago.
He said: “As a former MoD employee I didn’t feel it was appropriate for me to approach the site, so Giorgio went alone.
“Within moments, military police turned up and halted filming, further fuelling the conspiracy theories.”
CONTAINS PUBLIC SECTOR INFORMATION LICENSED UNDER THE OPEN GOVERNMENT LICENCE V3.0.
RAF Rudloe Manor, which closed in 2000, was the UK’s centre for UFO investigations
CONTAINS PUBLIC SECTOR INFORMATION LICENSED UNDER THE OPEN GOVERNMENT LICENCE V3.0. The subterranean facilities are connected to a labyrinth of secret bunkers
GETTY - CONTRIBUTOR The Operations Room at Rudloe Manor in 1943
UFO project HQ
Ministry of Defence Main Building, London
Theory: UFO investigations team officially shutdown but still running in secret
Inside Room 8245 in the MoD Main Building in Whitehall, the government’s main UFO project looked into the strange reports of flying saucers around the UK.
In the 50 years the project ran until 2009, around 12,000 cases were looked into by the team.
Although most were debunked, around five per cent of the cases couldn’t be explained.
And although the project was officially closed down a decade ago, Nick believes it still operating but now in secret.
He claims a source in the MoD told him Americans were now running the project.
And another told him investigations have just moved to a new part of the building where the investigators are jokingly referred to as Mulder and Scully.
Nick even says protesters have already turned up at the site to demand answers in October 1995.
He said: “It wasn’t quite on the scale of what’s threatened for Area 51.
“Around 20 people assembled outside Parliament and then marched over to Main Building, waving signs that said ‘UFOs are real’, before handing in a letter demanding an end to UFO secrecy.
“I’d left the UFO project by then, but they somehow got hold of my new phone number and I had to meet them and formally take possession of their letter.”
ALAMY
The MOD Main Building in London was once the main headquarters for the UK’s UFO project
Britain’s X-Files
The National Archives, Kew
Theory: Sensitive documents about aliens kept secret after sham public release
The UK’s National Archives in Kew are the final repository of the MoD’s real-life X-Files.
Last year, declassified files there showed the government had spent 50 years looking into UFOs in the hope we could steal alien technology to develop super weapons during the Cold War.
The once-secret files showed UFOs were real and being taken seriously.
They also detailed near misses between RAF aircraft and UFOs which posed a dangerous threat to the crew’s safety.
The first load of these files was made public in the National Archives in 2008 — and Nick was enlisted to help with their publicity.
And over the next 11 years, more and more information came out, but some files were still redacted.
This made some people think the government was holding information back.
But Nick says: “The blacked-out material is often just names and addresses of UFO witnesses, withheld to protect people’s privacy.
“If people could see the uncensored files, all people will find out is that Mr Smith of 22 Acacia Avenue saw a UFO while out walking his dog sometime back in 1985!”
ALAMY
The National Archives near Kew, where all the UFO files are kept
ALAMY It took 11 years to make all the files public – with the most recent only released in April this year
Secret weapons research centre
RAE Farnborough, Hampshire
Theory: Site of ‘alien abductions’ is primary location where alien tech would be kept
The Royal Aerospace Establishment at Farnborough, Hampshire has previously been called Britain’s Area 51.
RAE Farnborough was originally set up as an aircraft and weapons research facility at the turn of the twentieth century and closed in the late 1980s.
In 2015, a lengthy report by conspiracy theorists claimed the site was well-connected to UFO sightings — and even alien abductions.
Rumours persist, and Farnborough is currently home to QinetiQ, a defence technology company that researches and develops cutting-edge equipment including weapons, robotics and space-related tech.
And Nick says if the UK ever did get hold of extraterrestrial tech, it probably would’ve been sent to Farnborough for study.
But he also wants to pour cold water on the claims that the site ever did have alien tech — as he had a close relationship with someone who knew for a fact there were no UFO weapons there.
Nick said: “I’m sceptical about this, for a very good reason — one that’s generated a few conspiracy theories.
“My late father, Dr. Geoffrey Pope, was the Director of RAE Farnborough, before ending his MoD career as the Deputy Chief Scientific Adviser.”
“As he once joked: ‘If there was spaceship in a hangar somewhere in the UK, it would have been my hangar!'”
WIKIPEDIA
RAE Farnborough – where aircraft research was conducted since World War One
UFOs by numbers
In 2018, a proposed NASA Budget included $10 million to find aliens.
There were 2, 579 reported sightings in 2019 alone in the US.
3,000 attended the world’s largest UFO conference, ‘Contact in the Desert’ in 2019.
It took 8 years for the US Military to acknowledge the existence of Area 51 (they confirmed in 2013, after a 2008 FOI).
30,000 Lloyds of London insurance policies claim to have been sold for alien abduction.
The sci-fi aircraft factory
BAE Warton, Lancashire
Theory: Next-generation aircraft developed from UFOs
BAE Systems is one of the world’s biggest defence companies and Warton is its manufacturing and testing facility.
It’s the birthplace of some of the most innovative fighter jets ever made, including the Typhoon and the Tornado.
But multiple conspiracy theorists say they’ve seen UFOs flying over the airfield, sparking rumours of alien technology at the site.
In fact, the MoD even had to officially deny that it had been testing its new unmanned aircraft, Taranis, after a UFO was blamed for the destruction of a wind turbine.
And Nick says you only have to look at the development of cutting-edge aircraft to be confident BAE Warton has technology the public don’t know about.
He said: “People would be staggered if they knew how long ago stealth technology was being developed, many years before anything was officially acknowledged.
“The RAF’s proposed Tempest aircraft – BAE Systems is one of the partners – will be armed with lasers and hypersonic weapons, and accompanied by a drone swarm.
“If this is the stuff they’re telling you about, what aren’t they telling you?”
BAE Systems’ testing facilities in Warton has been the source of many supposed UFO sightings
ALAMY LIVE NEWS
A full-scale mock-up of the new Tempest aircraft in development
An artist's illustration of a massive impact on earth. Some single-celled organisms may be able to survive extreme impacts such as these, scientists say.
Life has had plenty of opportunities to spread throughout the Milky Way galaxyover the eons, a recent study suggests — and our own Earth may be one of the key dispersal points.
The sun's random motion through space has brought it close to many other stars over the past 4.6 billion years. These close encounters likely jostle far-flungcometsfree from both systems, sending them careening toward the passing star, said study author Robert Zubrin, president of the Colorado-based company Pioneer Astronautics.
This "comet swapping" is probably responsible for many of Earth's past mass extinctions, Zubrin found. But the phenomenon has also likely aided life in the bigger picture, helping it hop from island to island across the vast ocean of space, he said.
"It's a mechanism whereby life could have been delivered to us, and whereby we have probably delivered life to lots of other places over the past 3.5 billion years," Zubrin told Space.com. "And if you simply extrapolate off of that and say, 'Everybody's doing this,' you've got the galaxy as a supercritical reactor, saturating itself with life."
This conclusion is based on some straightforward calculations, which take into account the average stellar density in the sun's neighborhood (0.003 stars per cubic light-year), the sun's velocity relative to this star field (about 22,370 mph, or 36,000 km/h) and the makeup of the Milky Way's stellar population (about 75% small, dim red dwarfs, for example).
Zubrin also assumed that other stars harbor huge comet repositories on their outskirts, like our own sun's Oort Cloud. The extent of the Oort Cloud is unknown; its outer edge is estimated to lie anywhere between 30,000 and 100,000 astronomical units (AU) from the sun. (1 AU is the average Earth-sun distance — about 93 million miles, or 150 million kilometers.)
Zubrin employed a relatively conservative size estimate, setting our Oort Cloud's radius at 40,000 AU. He then used that figure to estimate the average radii of other star types' Oort Clouds. Red dwarfs, for example, should be able to hold onto comets out to about 20,000 AU, he determined.
It's unclear how many comets lie in the Oort Cloud. Zubrin assumed a population of 1 trillion — an estimate that's thrown around frequently — and therefore arrived at a density of four comets per 1,000 cubic AU.
The sun can gravitationally capture another star's Oort Cloud object if it gets within 10 AU of that object, Zubrin determined. So, there could be a lot of captures per stellar encounter. For example, say the sun gets within 20,000 AU of another star. The sun would carve a roughly 20,000-AU path through that alien Oort Cloud, potentially capturing 25,000 objects (assuming alien Oort Clouds also harbor about four objects per 1,000 cubic AU.)
These captured bodies would come barreling toward the inner solar system, drawn by the sun's powerful gravitational tug. And some of our Oort Cloud objects would do the same, in the other direction.
"The great majority of impacts caused by disrupted objects would no doubt be delivered to gas-giants type planets," Zubrin wrote in the study, which was published in June in the International Journal of Astrobiology. "However, with such a large number of objects released per pass, Earth-sized worlds would likely be impacted as well."
The numbers are different for stars of different sizes, because they have stronger or weaker gravitational pulls depending on their masses. A red dwarf with 30% the mass of the sun, for example, would have to get within 3 AU of another star's Oort Cloud object to snag it, Zubrin found.
He used all of this information (and more) to calculate the frequency of close stellar encounters, and to get a handle on their consequences. And the results were striking, if you'll pardon the pun.
He found that our sun has had about 47 close stellar encounters per billion years over the course of its 4.6-billion-year life, with about half of those flybys involving red dwarfs. That works out to about one encounter every 21 million years.
This latter figure is intriguingly close to the inferred periodicity of mass extinctions here on Earth, which seem to occur every 20 million to 40 million years. Scientists have proposed that comet impacts are dealing these death blows, and have therefore come up with possible mechanisms that could send these icy wanderers screaming toward Earth at regular intervals.
For example, some researchers have posited that the sun has an undiscovered companion, dubbed Nemesis, which jostles our Oort Cloud every 26 million years or so. Others think this destabilization comes courtesy of a disk of galactic dark matter, which our solar system travels through on a similar timescale.
But Zubrin's work fingers alien comets, not those native to our own solar system, as the primary agents of destruction.
His calculations also suggest that solar systems frequently trade material via such comet bombardments. For example, dust blasted off Earth by impacts can be pushed outward by sunlight pressure at 67,000 mph (108,000 km/h), Zubrin wrote — considerably faster than two stars are moving relative to each other in a typical close encounter.
That means microbes could make the jump from our system to a temporary neighbor. And they could do so relatively quickly, avoiding extensive exposure to damaging deep-space radiation. (The idea that life has hopped from world to world, and perhaps even from solar system to solar system, is known as panspermia. There are multiple variants. For example, some scientists think Earth life was seeded intentionally by intelligent aliens — a concept known as directed panspermia.)
"Furthermore, even if ejected material fails to hit the passing solar system, it could become captured in the home solar system’s Oort Cloud," Zubrin wrote. "Such material, as well as dust particles containing microbes previously driven outward by the pressure of sunlight, could be stored for long periods in Oort Cloud objects in deep freeze under effective ice shielding until a subsequent encounter with a different passing stellar system causes it to be released and transferred at that time."
Our sun is more massive than 90% of the stars in the Milky Way, so our Oort Cloud is more extensive than most. This means that we've been the dominant donor in most stellar encounters, delivering about three times more cometary bombardments on other solar systems than we ourselves receive, Zubrin said.
The overall implication of these results is exciting for astrobiologists, and anyone else who hopes Earth life isn't alone in the universe.
"The galaxy has been seeded with life, if from no other source than the Earth," Zubrin said.
Mike Wall's book about the search for alien life, "Out There" (Grand Central Publishing, 2018; illustrated byKarl Tate), is out now. Follow him on Twitter @michaeldwall. Follow us on Twitter@Spacedotcom orFacebook.
Dark matter is already one of the oddest and biggest mysteries in the universe. However, a new study out of Johns Hopkins University is putting an even bigger cloud over it. The study outlines a new theory that dark matter may have actually predated the Big Bang and offers methods to identify it with astronomical observations.
Credit: Wikimedia Commons.
“The study revealed a new connection between particle physics and astronomy. If dark matter consists of new particles that were born before the Big Bang, they affect the way galaxies are distributed in the sky in a unique way,” says Tommi Tenkanen, a postdoctoral fellow in Physics and Astronomy at Johns Hopkins and the study’s author. “This connection may be used to reveal their identity and make conclusions about the times before the Big Bang too,”
Previously, dark matter was thought to have arisen from the Big Bang like regular matter and that dark matter must be just leftovers. However, the paper — published in Physical Review Letters — says maybe not so much.
Data gathered by the Hubble Space Telescope informs a map of dark matter.
While not much is known about dark matter’s origins, astronomers have shown that it plays a crucial role in the formation of galaxies and galaxy clusters. Though not directly observable, scientists know dark matter exists by its gravitation effects on how visible matter behaves and is distributed in space.
The study shows that dark matter — which is believed to make up 80 percent of the matter in the universe — might have been produced prior the Big Bang during a point in time known as the cosmic inflation when space was expanding very rapidly. The rapid expansion is believed to lead to copious production of certain types of particles called scalars. But so far, only one scalar particle has ever been found, the infamous Higgs boson.
While the idea that dark matter existed before the Big Bang is not new, other theorists have not been able to come up with calculations that support the idea.
The new study shows that researchers have always overlooked the simplest possible mathematical scenario for dark matter’s origins. The new report offers up a way to test the origin of dark matter by observing the signatures it leaves on the allocation of matter in the universe.
“While this type of dark matter is too elusive to be found in particle experiments, it can reveal its presence in astronomical observations,” said Tenkanen. “We will soon learn more about the origin of dark matter when the Euclid satellite is launched in 2022. It’s going to be very exciting to see what it will reveal about dark matter and if its findings can be used to peak into the times before the Big Bang.”
New research centering around the Unruh effect has created a set of necessary conditions that theories of quantum gravity must meet.
Quantum physics has, since its development in the early years of the 20th century, become one of the most successful and well-evidenced areas of science. But, despite all of its successes and experimental triumphs, there is a shadow that hangs over it.
Despite successfully integrating electromagnetic, the weak and strong nuclear forces — three of the four fundamental forces — quantum physics is yet to find a place for gravity.
As such, it cannot link with one of physics other great triumphs, that of Einstein’s theory of general relativity. Thus, physicists are currently working hard to develop a quantum theory of gravity.
Now researchers led by the SISSA (Scuola Internazionale Superiore di Studi Avanzati), the Complutense University of Madrid and the University of Waterloo — have identified the sufficient and necessary conditions that the low-energy limit of quantum gravity theories must satisfy to preserve the main features of the Unruh effect.
Any new theory of physics must factor in this effect — this means quantum gravity theories too, must have a place for the Unruh effect and its predictions (which are detailed below).
The new study — published in the journal Physical Review Letters — provides a solid theoretical framework to discuss modifications to the Unruh effect caused by the microstructure of space-time.
Eduardo Martin-Martinez, an assistant professor in Waterloo’s Department of Applied Mathematics, elaborates on the team’s work: “What we’ve done is analyzed the conditions to have Unruh effect and found that contrary to an extended belief in a big part of the community thermal response for particle detectors can happen without a thermal state.”
The team’s findings of importance because the Unruh effect exists in the boundary between quantum field theory and general relativity, and quantum gravity, which we are yet to understand.
“So, if someone wants to develop a theory of what’s going on beyond what we know of quantum field theory and relativity, they need to guarantee they satisfy the conditions we identify in their low energy limits.”
What is the Unruh effect?
The Unruh effect was first described by Stephen Fulling in 1973, followed by Paul Davies in 1975 and William G Unruh — after whom it was named — in 1976.
W.G Unruh, one of the developers of the Unruh effect, after whom it was named.
It predicts that an observer in a non-inertial reference frame — one that is accelerating — would observe photons and other particles in a seemingly empty space while another person who is inertial would see a vacuum in that same area.
In other words; a consequence of the Unruh effect is that the nature of a vacuum in the universe is dependant on the path taken through it.
As an analogy, consider a universe with a constant temperature of zero and in which, no heat arises from the effects of friction or kinetic energy contributions. A still thermometer would have its mercury-level sat permanently at zero.
But the Unruh effect posits that if that thermometer was waved from side-to-side, the temperature measured would no longer be zero. The temperature measured would be proportional to the acceleration that the thermometer undergoes.
Raúl Carballo-Rubio, a postdoctoral researcher at SISSA, Italy, explains further: “Inertial and accelerated observers do not agree on the meaning of ‘empty space.
“What an inertial observer carrying a particle detector identifies as a vacuum is not experienced as such by an observer accelerating through that same vacuum. The accelerated detector will find particles in thermal equilibrium, like a hot gas.”
He further explains that as a result of this, it is reasonable to expect that any new physics that modifies the structure of quantum field theory at short distances, would induce deviations from this law.
Carballo-Rubio continues: “While probably anyone would agree that these deviations must be present, there is no consensus on whether these deviations would be large or small in a given theoretical framework.
“This is precisely the issue that we wanted to understand.”
Defining the conditions theories of quantum gravity must satisfy
The researchers analyzed the mathematical structure of the correlations of a quantum field in frameworks beyond standard quantum field theory.
The result of this analysis was then used to identify the three necessary conditions that are sufficient to preserve the Unruh effect.
Low-energy predictions of quantum gravity theories can be constructed from the results. The findings of this research provide the tools necessary to make these predictions in a broad spectrum of situations.
Having been able to determine how the Unruh effect is modified by alterations of the structure of quantum field theory, as well as the relative importance of these modifications, the researchers believe the study provides a solid theoretical framework to discuss and perhaps test this particular aspect as one of the possible phenomenological manifestations of quantum gravity.
This is particularly important and appropriates even if the effect has not yet been measured experimentally, as it is expected to be verified in the not so distant future.
ESO/VPHAS+ team/N.J. Wright (Kee‘Zeemeeuwnevel’ zo wordt het fenomeen op de indrukwekkende foto genoemd, simpelweg omdat het geheel lijkt op een vliegende zeemeeuw. Spot jij de zeemeeuw?
WETENSCHAP‘Zeemeeuwnevel’ zo wordt het fenomeen op de indrukwekkende foto genoemd, simpelweg omdat het geheel lijkt op een vliegende zeemeeuw. Die kosmische meeuw is het resultaat van de energie die vrijkomt bij de geboorte van nieuwe sterren, en deze meeuw werd ‘gevangen’ met de VLT Survey Telescope (VST) van de Europese Zuidelijke Sterrenwacht (ESO).
De VLT Survey Telescope (VST) is momenteel de grootste surveytelescoop ter wereld, en in staat om alles wat zich in de hemel afspeelt, in zichtbaar licht waar te nemen. Dat demonstreert de telescoop met deze indrukwekkende foto. De ‘hemelse vogel’ die daarop straalt, bestaat uit een mengsel van gloeiende gaswolken, donkere stofbanen en heldere sterren.
Nieuwe sterren worden geboren uit samentrekkende gas- en stofwolken en de straling van de jonge sterren geeft de wolken prachtige kleuren. Het licht dat niet wordt uitgestraald door het geïoniseerde gas rondom de sterren, wordt weerkaatst door sterren in de omgeving.
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Are Alien Messages Encoded in our DNA?
Are Alien Messages Encoded in our DNA?
Are we alone in the universe? This is a question most people have pondered at one time or another.
Since the distances between us and the nearest habitable planets can only be measured in light years, direct proof of alien life will remain incredibly difficult to come by. The SETI project has been searching for radio signals beamed out into space by aliens, but so far this quest has proved fruitless. If we one day develop warp drive, or if other intelligent life forms discover it, perhaps a visitation will take place that settles the question once and for all.
But then again, perhaps aliens already have visited here in the past. Or maybe they’re visiting right now and have been doing so all along. But for reasons we cannot fathom, they’re either unable or unwilling to contact us openly. If that is the case, they may have left coded information behind somewhere announcing their presence, waiting for us to become advanced enough to find it and correctly interpret its meaning.
If extraterrestrials have left behind some hidden but decipherable proof of their existence, to test our intelligence and level of scientific advancement, they might have left it inside the cells of our body – in our DNA, the ultimate building block of life on Earth.
Some researchers believe data revealing the truth about our origins and about our connection to alien life can in fact be found by searching within. They posit that human beings were created as biological mirror images of our progenitors, a superior extraterrestrial civilization that paved the way for our existence millions of years ago.
This is a provocative thesis, to be sure. If true, it would give a whole new meaning to the Biblical phrase “for you were made in my image.” Under this scenario, the voice of God might actually have been the voice of a scientific genius from another planet.
We might expect the discussion of such a concept to be confined to the fringes of the alternative science milieu, or to be incorporated into the plotline of a science fiction show or movie. But surprisingly, the idea is being taken seriously in at least one bastion of mainstream astronomical science.
A Biological SETI
In 2013, two scientists affiliated with the Fesenkov Astrophysical Institute in Kazakhstan published an article in the journal Icarus suggesting that the search for extraterrestrial life should be expanded to include a survey of human DNA.
Physicist Vladimir Sherbak and astrobiologist Maxim Makukov are convinced we’ve been genetically engineered by beings from another star system. These founders may have done so directly while visiting here hundreds of millions of years ago. Or, they may have sent an information-packed signal into space that reached Earth and somehow triggered alterations in our DNA. Or, they may have seeded our planet from space with alien genetic material that evolved elsewhere (presumably on their planet of origin).
The latter thesis is known as panspermia, and it has attracted the support of some influential scientists, including by Francis Crick, the co-discoverer of the DNA molecule. Makukov and shCherbak believe this is the most likely alternative, and that our creators intentionally chose Earth as a landing site for their genetic payload.
“Once fixed, the code [in our DNA] might stay unchanged over cosmological timescales,” the two scientists from Kazakhstan wrote in Icarus. “Therefore it represents an exceptionally reliable storage for an intelligent signature.”
Makukov and shCherbak say human DNA looks as though it has been created with mathematical precision. “Simple arrangements of the code reveal an ensemble of arithmetical and ideographical patterns of symbolic language. Furthermore, it includes the use of decimal notation and logical transformations that are accurate and systematic.”
In support of their imaginative theory, Makukov and shCherbak have spotted a specific repeating numerical pattern in the human genetic code. By looking closely at the various mathematical ratios, fractions and constants that show up in calculations and measurements of human DNA, they’ve uncovered multiple instances where the number ‘37’ seems to play a prominent role . In their Icarus research paper, the scientists listed nine instances where the number ‘37’ could be derived by performing calculations somehow related to DNA’s chemical structure, and they calculated the odds of that happening by random at 10 trillion to one against.
“It was clear right away that the code has a non-random structure,” Makukov told an interviewer. “The patterns that we describe are not simply non-random. They have some features that, at least from our point of view, were very hard to ascribe to natural processes.”
Expressed in the metric system, the normal body temperature of a human being is 37 degrees Celsius . And according to the latest estimates, there are approximately 37 trillion cells in the human body . So even outside its inclusion in our DNA, the number ‘37’ does help define who we are in some fundamental ways. This is just as we might expect, if that number were included in DNA as a sign.
Evolution or Panspermia? Why Not Both?
The two Kazakhstan scientists are not the first to note certain patterns or regularities in DNA that may be difficult to fit in a Darwinian evolutionary framework. Hardcore Darwinists refuse to accept this, and they have a tendency to reflexively dismiss skeptics as Intelligent Design advocates, conflating their objections with Creationist religious beliefs.
But these tactics have not stopped people with legitimate scientific credentials from asking hard questions about the conventional story of evolution, or from offering alternative ideas to explain the origin and development of life on Earth. Creationists aren’t the only ones expressing doubts about the ability of Darwinism or neo-Darwinism to explain every aspect of our development as a species.
In fact, there is nothing in the Makukov and shCherbak hypothesis that is incompatible with the principles of evolution, not even the Darwinian version. Even if this planet was somehow helped along on the path to producing intelligent life, evolutionary factors may still have been active contributors to the production of the final result. The creation of life on Earth may have involved both natural processes and outside intervention, the latter helping to shape the course of evolution without replacing it.
One thing is for sure, and that is that we really know very little for certain about the origin of life on this planet. There are many mysteries and contradictions in our evolutionary history that are yet to be unraveled.
Top image: Did alien’s code our DNA? Credit: Oleksandr / Adobe Stock
Zitten er buitenaardse boodschappen verscholen in ons DNA? Deze wetenschappers zeggen van wel
Zitten er buitenaardse boodschappen verscholen in ons DNA? Deze wetenschappers zeggen van wel
Kazakse wetenschappers stellen dat er in ons DNA een genetische code van buitenaardse wezens zit.
Zij schreven in het wetenschappelijke tijdschrift Icarus over hun onderzoek, dat moet uitwijzen dat het menselijk DNA door een oude buitenaardse beschaving werd gecodeerd.
Volgens de onderzoekers van de Universiteit van Kazachstan en het Fesenkov Astrofysisch Instituut kan de wiskundige code van het menselijk DNA niet alleen worden verklaard door de evolutietheorie.
Buitenaards signaal
Ze denken dat 97 procent van het menselijk DNA bestaat uit een genetische code afkomstig van buitenaardse levensvormen.
Een oude beschaving heeft in de Melkweg lang geleden een buitenaards signaal uitgezonden, dat uiteindelijk de weg naar de aarde vond en een genetische code in het DNA van mensen implanteerde, aldus de wetenschappers.
Astrobioloog Maxim Makoekov van het Fesenkov Astrofysisch Instituut in de Kazakse stad Alma-Ata stelt dat al het aardse leven uit de ruimte is gekomen.
Stempel
Hij zegt bovendien dat het leven op aarde miljarden jaren geleden is geschapen door aliens. Volgens Makoekov bevat ons DNA een buitenaardse ‘stempel’.
“Deze stempel kan gedurende vele kosmologische tijdperken onveranderd blijven; het is de meest duurzame constructie die we kennen,” schreef hij.
Anders verlopen
“We werden miljarden jaren geleden buiten het zonnestelsel gemaakt. De mensheid speurt de ruimte af met telescopen op zoek naar aliens, maar een buitenaardse boodschap kan net zo goed al in onszelf zitten,” zei hij.
“Vroeg of laat moeten we accepteren dat al het leven op aarde de genetische code van onze buitenaardse familie bij zich draagt en dat de evolutie anders is verlopen dan gedacht,” besloot hij.
INTERESSANT DIMENSIEVRAAGSTUK VOOR ZEER SLIMME LEZERS
INTERESSANT DIMENSIEVRAAGSTUK VOOR ZEER SLIMME LEZERS
We weten dat we beschikken over zeer slimme lezers die soms met verbazingwekkende dingen komen.
Zo ook nu, maar nu is er hulp nodig van anderen om een revolutionaire theorie een stap verder te brengen.
Hierna volgt een verhaal/theorie van een lezer (dank!) dat we publiceren precies zoals we dat hebben ontvangen.
Het is geen gemakkelijke kost en zal menigeen boven de pet gaan. Desondanks, mochten er lezers zijn die behulpzaam kunnen zijn bij het uitwerken bij het verdere traject, laat ons alsjeblieft weten via redactie(apenstaart)niburu.co (geschreven als normaal emailadres).
Beste Niburu redactie,
Alles bevindt zich in twee dimensies: een bewegende en een stilstaande dimensie. Beide dimensies hebben omgekeerde eigenschappen, zijn reciprook, zeg maar zijn x en 1/x In beide dimensies is voortplanten, propagatie, van elektrische signalen mogelijk. Tot op heden maakt men alleen gebruik van propagatie in de bewegende dimensie, dit zijn de em-golven.
Nog niet ontdekt is propagatie in de stilstaande dimensie. Deze zien eruit als pulsen in het audio gebied en worden (voorlopig) me-pulsen genoemd. Hersengolven lijken hierop. Nikola Tesla maakte hier al gebruik van, met wat hij dacht, zijn telecommunicatie met mars.
Tussen alle twee vaste punten met een zelfde afstand is een zelfde vaste tijd. Deze tijd is de tijd dat licht erover doet om deze afstand te overbruggen. Deze vaste tijd s zoals wij dit waarnemen, is in de omgekeerde vaste dimensie een trilling, is 1/s Dit bepaalt de selectiviteit van het signaal, net als dit het geval is bij elektromagnetische golven.
em-golven bewegen van binnen naar buiten me-pulsen bewegen van buiten naar binnen
Mijn vraag aan jullie is, weten jullie iemand binnen jullie netwerk, die hier eens op een verstandige manier naar zou kunnen en willen kijken.
Dit verklaart waarom nog steeds geen buitenaardse intelligente signalen zijn ontvangen. Er wordt alleen maar gekeken naar em-golven.
Deze me-pulsen bevinden zich in de vaste dimensie. Hebben als groot voordeel, kunnen zeer grote afstanden overbruggen zonder noemenswaardige tijdsvertraging en kunnen bijna oneindig veel data bevatten. Hiermee vergeleken zijn de tot nu toe gebruikte elektromagnetische golven primitief en inferieur.
Dit is een puls waarmee 1E30 data mee te coderen is. Puls breedte is 0,002 sec. ! (klik op plaatje voor grotere afbeelding)
Heb deze pulsen bij toeval ontdekt, mede op aanwijzingen van Nikola Tesla. Volgens hem zouden er elektrische signalen bestaan die omgekeerde eigenschappen zouden hebben als elektromagnetische golven. Hier werkte hij zelf ook mee. Omdat bekend is hoe em-golven werken kun je uitzoeken hoe omgekeerde elektrische signalen eruit zouden kunnen zien, en hoe dit verder allemaal werkt. Bijzonder is dat me-pulsen in een kooi van Faraday te meten zijn, een geheel afgesloten blikken doos, ook doos in doos en al af niet aan aarde, dit maakt allemaal niet uit. De toegepaste sensor zijn twee vaste punten, in de stilstaande dimensie, zoals eerder is beschreven.
Deze sensor heeft iets elektrische lading nodig om te kunnen functioneren en mag niet belast worden. De afstand tussen deze twee vaste punten ligt rond de 830 nanometer, dit bepaalt de selectiviteit. Dit komt overeen met de golflengte van infrarode straling, toeval? Zeer veel verschillende signalen zijn hier mee te meten. Met ongeveer 50% van alle sensoren zijn signalen te meten.
Omdat deze te meten zijn, moet er ook een manier zijn om deze te genereren. Na wat speurwerk is ontdekt hoe dit werkt. Verplaatsen van elektronen binnen een geleider geeft em-golven. Elektronen uit een geleider laten wegvloeien geeft me-pulsen. Bijvoorbeeld: een Teslaspoel genereert me-pulsen. Is aan een kant niet aangesloten en werkt ook in een kooi van Faraday, een doos.
Heb destijds een demonstratie gegeven op het kennispark bij de UTwente. Naar aanleiding hiervan is contact gezocht met afdelingen en wetenschappers.
Hier heeft men inderdaad op gereageerd. Probleem was dat dit nieuwe elementaire wetenschap betreft, en dit eerst wetenschappelijk, wiskundig, aangetoond en bewezen zou moeten worden, ook voordat met hier praktisch mee aan de gang zou kunnen gaan. Omdat wetenschappers razend druk zijn en een eigen agenda hebben, zou ik dit zelf moeten uitzoeken, en hier moet ik passen, dat red ik niet. Ben geen Maxwell. En voor verder onderzoek heb je toch een plek aan een universiteit nodig.
Verder heb ik contact gezocht met Innovation Lab TU Eindhoven, maar nog geen reactie terug gehad. Volgens mij zien ze water branden als ze dit horen.
Als het klopt wat hier beschreven is, heeft dat nogal wat consequenties.
Surprisingly, some sites appear to get a strong knowledge of the bizarre nature of the phenomena and a couple well-placed sources of information. The source states it has been foggy for the previous 3 days in the region. The CIA files contain a succinct overview of the events and can be considered on the agency’s website. Meditative images are also consciously utilised in yoga, as an example, to focus the mind to be able to yield a particular spiritual outcome. Within seconds the 2 objects place a tremendous distance between themselves. The objects appear at various occasions and at distinct points. There are lots of strange artifacts on earth and very frankly I didn’t expect to find one.
UFOs aren’t so hampered. The UFO looks like it’s been seen by plenty of individuals. There isn’t a great deal of in between when it has to do with UFOs.
With the numbers of UFO sightings increasing each calendar year, it’s important that you know just where to report a UFO sighting and what information will be necessary as a way to report it successfully. Usually once you speak about UFO sightings, most folks feel that I mistook it for something else or they may think that it is merely a crap. UFO sightings aren’t a modern phenomenon, they’re not a US-only phenomenon. During February in Minnesota, for instance, only 69 UFO sightings are reported since the start of the 21st century. Recently, among the most renowned mass sightings was the Phoenix Lights.
Ufo Sightings – Dead or Alive?
Project Blue Book provides a helpful example. Clearly, fake stories appear to find the most positive attention should they promise something spectacular. History has proven they need to. Science isn’t so superficial. Someone has to cover science and every previous scientist. Mimicking science isn’t the exact same as doing science. Actually, scientists and a great deal of non-believers make no fuss about expressing their scepticism in regards to extrasensory perception.
What the In-Crowd Won’t Tell You About Ufo Sightings
Extrasensory perception is used for several reasons like holistic wellbeing and energy healing methods to list a few. For that reason, it IS reality. Because of the remoteness of the area, their existence was considered to be a myth for many decades. There’s very little doubt that the world wide web has played a part in the development of UFO reports lately, though most can be explained by natural or human-caused phenomena. So, there’s no need to be concerned about the 156,353 UFO sightings and warnings. Despite the fact that there are plenty of questions regarding the JFK assassination, it is a prime example of individuals attempting to earn sense about something which you can’t make sense of. My issue with channels that concentrate on conspiracy theories, is that so a lot of them just state things as a fact rather than presenting it as a potential outcome.
Ufo Sightings for Dummies
The processing capability to create an entire universe would be enough to predict the future outcomes of such rules. UFO sighting levels depend on not only the presence of unrecognizable objects, but in addition, naturally, on the probability of actually reporting such observations. The growth of social media means that now, everybody has a voice. The trend is tough to notice in the beginning, mostly because there only a couple of dozen reports each month for a lot of the 20th century. The coming shift, or ascension because it’s called, will be a lot more subtle in nature than you could think.
Dead planets send out 'zombie' radio waves by forming a magnetic circuit with their star and these signals can be detected on Earth, scientists discover
Dead planets send out 'zombie' radio waves by forming a magnetic circuit with their star and these signals can be detected on Earth, scientists discover
When stars like the sun expand they can strip planets down to just their cores
These dead worlds for a magnetic circuit with their star and emit radio waves
Researchers calculated how long these planetary corpses could survive for
Some may last for a billion years meaning some should be detectable from Earth
Dead men don't tell tales — but dead planets may, with researchers planning to hunt for their corpse-like cores based on the radio signals they emit.
When stars like the sun get old and burn all their fuel, they expand into red giants before shedding their outer layers and then collapsing into a so-called white dwarf.
In the process, any orbiting worlds get their surface and upper layers flayed off — leaving behind a small, dead, remnant core. One day, this will be Earth's fate.
In the meantime, however, researchers from the UK and the US have determined the best white dwarf stars to study in the hope of finding such dead planets.
The metallic cores of these dead worlds form a magnetic circuit with their host star, emitting radiation that should be detectable from the Earth.
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Dead men don't tell tales — but dead planets may, with researchers planning to hunt for their corpse-like cores based on the radio signals they emit. Pictured, an artist's impression of the surviving core of a 'dead' planet orbiting a white dwarf
Astrophysicists Dimitri Veras of the University of Warwick and Alexander Wolszczan of the Pennsylvania State University assessed the likelihood of planets surviving long enough for us to spot them after their star transitioned into a white dwarf.
From their models, the duo found that some planetary cores could survive for more than 100 million years — and, in some cases, even for as long as a billion years.
Lasting this long, they say, means that we have a chance of being able to spot some of these dead worlds from the Earth — a feat the pair hope to accomplish from Puerto Rico's Arecibo observatory and the Green Bank Telescope in West Virginia.
'We will use the results of this work as guidelines for designs of radio searches for planetary cores around white dwarfs,' said Professor Wolszczan.
'Given the existing evidence for a presence of planetary debris around many of them, we think that our chances for exciting discoveries are quite good.'
The dead planets should be detectable because their metallic remains and the white dwarf star they orbit can form a type of magnetic circuit that emits radio waves.
In fact, this same induction effect can be seen in our solar system, in which Jupiter and its moon Io for a circuit of their own.
'There is a sweet spot for detecting these planetary cores: a core too close to the white dwarf would be destroyed by tidal forces, and a core too far away would not be detectable,' said Dr Veras.
'Also, if the magnetic field is too strong, it would push the core into the white dwarf, destroying it.'
The dead planets should be detectable because their metallic remains and the white dwarf star they orbit can form a type of magnetic circuit that emits radio waves. Pictured, an artist's impression of a white dwarf star sitting at the heart of a dead planetary system
Given these limits, the researchers are only planning to look for planets around white dwarfs with relatively weaker magnetic fields and that orbit at distances between three times the sun's radius and the distance between the Sun and Mercury.
'Nobody has ever found just the bare core of a major planet before, nor a major planet only through monitoring magnetic signatures, nor a major planet around a white dwarf,' Dr Veras added.
'Therefore, a discovery here would represent "firsts" in three different senses for planetary systems.'
WHAT WILL HAPPEN TO EARTH WHEN THE SUN DIES?
Five billion years from now, it's said the sun will have grown into a red giant star, more than a hundred times larger than its current size.
Eventually, it will eject gas and dust to create an 'envelope' accounting for as much as half its mass.
The core will become a tiny white dwarf star. This will shine for thousands of years, illuminating the envelope to create a ring-shaped planetary nebula.
Five billion years from now, it's said the sun will have grown into a red giant star, more than a hundred times larger than its current size (file photo)
While this metamorphosis will change the solar system, scientists are unsure what will happen to the third rock from the sun.
We already know that our sun will be bigger and brighter, so that it will probably destroy any form of life on our planet.
But whether the Earth's rocky core will survive is uncertain.
A discovery would also help reveal the history of these star systems,' said Dr Veras.
'For a core to have reached that stage it would have been violently stripped of its atmosphere and mantle at some point and then thrown towards the white dwarf.'
'Such a core might also provide a glimpse into our own distant future, and how the solar system will eventually evolve.'
While most astronomers are looking for signs of life on other planets, a few on the apocalyptic side are looking for signs of dead stars and dead planets in an attempt to look into Earth’s hopefully far-off future. What they have found so far is mysterious zombie signals coming from these planets that are no more than giant balls of metal orbiting dead white dwarfs. What is making these strange zombie sounds? Are they calling around the universe for brains?
“Nobody has ever found just the bare core of a major planet before, nor a major planet only through monitoring magnetic signatures, nor a major planet around a white dwarf.”
That is, nobody before Dr. Dimitri Veras from the University of Warwick’s Department of Physics and his team in May of 2019 discovered SDSS J1228+1040 – a white dwarf star (a dead star with no fusion occurring) located about 411 lights years away. According to the press release announcing their new study in the Monthly Notices of the Royal Astronomical Society, they also found the remains of one planet. Specifically, the rock orbiting SDSS J1228+1040 appears to be the core of the planet – what’s left after the dying star stripped it of its atmosphere and outer layers, leaving just a cold mass of hardened metals.
It’s a zombie planet … not a planet of zombies
They also discovered something else – a radio signal coming from the zombie planet. Based on a similar signal coming from Jupiter and its moon Io, they determined that the white dwarf and the planet core formed a unipolar inductor circuit with the metallic core acting as a conductor. The radiation from the unipolar inductor circuit forms radio waves which can be picked up by radio telescopes on Earth. Why is this a big deal?
“There is a sweet spot for detecting these planetary cores: a core too close to the white dwarf would be destroyed by tidal forces, and a core too far away would not be detectable. Also, if the magnetic field is too strong, it would push the core into the white dwarf, destroying it. Hence, we should only look for planets around those white dwarfs with weaker magnetic fields at a separation between about 3 solar radii and the Mercury-Sun distance.”
Veras points out that astronomers now have an excellent tool for finding other dead planets. And why is THAT a big deal?
“A discovery would also help reveal the history of these star systems, because for a core to have reached that stage it would have been violently stripped of its atmosphere and mantle at some point and then thrown towards the white dwarf. Such a core might also provide a glimpse into our own distant future, and how the solar system will eventually evolve.”
Yep. Looking at SDSS J1228+1040 and its signal-sending zombie planet are a look into our future. How far into our future? That depends on us (oh boy) and the lifespan of our sun, which is estimated to be about five billion more years. What this new discovery does tell Veras is how long a dead Earth will continue to exist and send its own zombie signals to other galaxies … one billion years.
Which do you think will come first … the end of the Sun or the end of the Earth? Don’t bother betting – there won’t be any bookies left anyway.
We’ve all read the endless headlines. Millions of people may or may notbe “storming” Area 51 next month only to find impenetrable roadblocks manned by heavily armed private security forces equipped with gear we didn’t even know existed. Regardless of what becomes of the “Storm Area 51” phenomenon, the highly classified United States Air Force research and testing facility located deep within the Nevada desert has become somewhat of a cause célèbre.
Companies large and small and celebrities from all walks of public life are jumping on the social media bandwagon to try and attach their name to the event which, if nothing else, has provided the year’s best memes and reminded us just how soullessly devoid of a sense of humor the Armed Forces are. But hey, maybe that’s their job.
There’s nothing funny about the business of killing people.
Case in point: declassified documents from the CIA’s CREST database were unearthed recently revealing the great lengths the USAF went to in an attempt to lure the nation’s best mindsto the desolate Area 51 facility. The documents were dug up by government accountability and transparency advocates MuckRock who regularly publish declassified FBI and CIA files.
The documents detail the difficulties the Air Force faced in both attracting and retaining personnel during the OXCART program, the above top secret research project which led to experimental aircraft such as the A-12 OXCART and its successor, the SR-71 Blackbird. That project required the extraordinary talents of the nation’s best aerospace engineers – engineers who weren’t too keen on moving to a remote facility in the middle of the scorching, desolate Nevada desert.
The internal CIA memo describes how the Air Force struggled to keep its best scientists for various reasons, although those who remained at the base did so solely to avoid taking their children out of school or avoid selling their houses during low-demand times:
That memo goes on to describe the Air Force’s attempts to avoid a “mass exodus” of scientists and engineers fed up with the bleak living and working conditions, noting that “personnel problems at Area 51 and throughout the OXCART project continue to be a point of issue”:
To help attract and retain the personnel necessary to keep the OXCART program running, the CIA put together a list of selling points which could be pitched to prospective Area 51 employees. These include descriptions of Las Vegas as “an affluent metropolis” full of “high-priced homes” and “a population as transient as a desert thunderstorm.” Sign me up!
For the Area 51 base itself, the CIA recommended promoting it to USAF staff by advertising free lodging and meals, television, air conditioning, and, I kid you not, “pies and cakes”:
The USAF’s personnel retention campaign must have worked, because the CIA was able to successfully develop the A-12 and SR-71, two of the world’s most advanced spy aircraft. To this day, the SR-71 holds the world record for the fastest air-breathing manned aircraft and is likely the cause of many UFO sightings and much misinformation as the USAF and CIA worked to keep their most advanced aircraft in the dark.
Forget seeing them aliens. When we storm Area 51 next month, let’s go for the real prize: America’s unsung heroes, the pies and cakes of Area 51.
UFOs Caught Visiting The Space Station, Close Up, High Detail! Video, UFO Sighting News.
UFOs Caught Visiting The Space Station, Close Up, High Detail! Video, UFO Sighting News.
Date of sighting: May 12, 2019
Location of sighting: Space Station
This is one of the most extraordinary UFOs I have ever seen at the space station. Youtube user Tom Brown caught something on the space station live cam that is mind blowing. Two triangle UFOs move upward and within view of the camera, at that point the UFOs realise that they have been seen and move away, vanishing into the darkness of space. The camera also notices the UFOs and tries to move away from that location. UFOs often move in pairs, I have seen orbs in pairs move like this, but never triangle UFOs and never this close with such amazing detail. And we see each one is a different color, one red larger craft and one smaller grey-brown craft. These are 100% alien craft watching over the space station.
In an interview with Joe Rogan, the Democratic presidential candidate promised to reveal information related to aliens and unidentified flying objects if elected president in 2020.
Sanders, one of the leading 2020 Democrats, told podcast host Joe Rogan on Tuesday that his wife would "demand" he tell people about the mysterious phenomena.
“Well I tell you, my wife would demand I let you know," he told Rogan who asked whether Sanders would disclose that information.
When Rogan asked whether his wife was a UFO nut, he said she wasn't but said she has previously asked him about the information he might have as a senator. “No, she’s not a UFO nut. She goes, Bernie, ‘What is going on do you know? Do you have any access?’"
Warner's spokesperson indicated that the senator sought to probe safety concerns surrounding "unexplained interference" naval pilots faced, according to Politico. The outlet reported more briefings were being requested as news surfaced that the Navy revised its procedures for personnel reporting on unusual aircraft sightings.
As part of a program investigating the issue, Navy personnel reportedly told Pentagon officials that they encountered aircraft that appeared to defy the laws of physics and aerodynamics while in military airspace.
Navy strike group pilots also reported seeing strange objects flying above 30,000 feet at hypersonic speeds with no visible engine or infrared exhaust fumes, according to the New York Times.
President Trump has said that he doesn't believe UFO's exist but is open to the idea. "Well, I don't want to really get into it too much. But personally, I tend to doubt it," he previously told Fox News host Tucker Carlson. "I'm not a believer, but you know, I guess anything is possible."
Mysterious object spotted lurking in background of ISS before NASA 'cuts' live feed
Mysterious object spotted lurking in background of ISS before NASA 'cuts' live feed
NASA cameras captured a UFO hovering near the International Space Station before the live feed was mysteriously cut, conspiracy theorists have claimed.
While experts often dismiss them as space junk, the conspiracy flames are often fuelled further when the live feeds seem to cut almost immediately after the objects appear – leading to bizarre claims NASA is covering up alien life.
Footage of a mystery object lurking in the background of the ISS has now emerged to reignite the conspiracy.
The video shows what appears to be a craft with two legs coming off it hovering near the station
YouTube conspiracist Of Sound Mind and Body said in the clip: “As you can see, there is a massive object lurking in the background.
“The object is completely illuminated by the sun and it is very hard not to notice its bizarre shape.”
The screen then turns blue, leading the theorist to suggest NASA deliberately cut the feed.
“After a few moments of the object being completely in the open for all to see, guess what happens next?” he continues.
MYSTERY: A bizarre object was spotted on a NASA live feed before it was cut (Pic: NASA)
“Viewers were then hit by the infamous NASA blue screen – we say ‘infamous’ due to the number of times it happens when a UFO is seen.”
Renowned truth-seeker Streetcap1 originally spotted the object back in 2016, but the frenzy around it has reignited after Of Sound Mind and Body posted it last month.
Prominent alien hunter Scott C Waring also weighed in on the footage on his blog ET Database.
This giant lenticular cloud appeared over the Turrialba Volcano on November 6, 2015.
“[The video] shows an extraordinary UFO with a shape unlike anything I have ever seen before,” he said.
“The object was recorded on live NASA space station cam and has a very strange appearance. It is clear to me that UFOs frequently visit the space station to keep an eye on humanities progress.”
But some viewers dismissed the sight as nothing more than a reflection on the space station’s window.
NASA onderbreekt livestream door UFO in beeld. Wat mogen we niet zien?
NASA onderbreekt livestream door UFO in beeld. Wat mogen we niet zien?
Al jaren zien mensen die naar de livestream van het internationale ruimtestation ISS kijken vreemde objecten boven de aarde.
Volgens experts gaat het in de meeste gevallen om ruimtepuin, maar anderen zijn daar niet zo zeker van. Sommigen beweren dat de NASA probeert te verdoezelen dat we worden bezocht.
Er zijn nu beelden opgedoken van een mysterieus object in de buurt van het ISS, zo schrijft de Britse Daily Star.
Enorm object
Onderstaand filmpje toont een object met twee poten bij het ruimtestation.
“Zoals je kunt zien bevindt zich op de achtergrond een enorm object,” aldus het YouTube-kanaal Of Sound Mind and Body.
“Het object wordt volledig verlicht door de zon en zijn bizarre vorm is bijna niet te missen,” klinkt het.
Vaker
Het scherm kleurt binnen enkele seconden helemaal blauw, wat er volgens het kanaal op wijst dat de NASA de stream doelbewust heeft onderbroken.
Volgens het kanaal gebeurt het vaker dat het beeld blauw wordt op het moment dat er een UFO in de buurt van het ruimtestation komt.
Bernie Sanders belooft dat hij informatie over aliens zal vrijgeven als hij wint. Heeft hij toegang?
Bernie Sanders belooft dat hij informatie over aliens zal vrijgeven als hij wint. Heeft hij toegang?
De Amerikaanse senator Bernie Sanders heeft beloofd dat hij als president informatie over aliens en ongeïdentificeerde objecten zal vrijgeven.
De Democratische presidentskandidaat zei dinsdag in de podcast van Joe Rogan dat zijn vrouw zou ‘eisen’ dat hij de mensen alles vertelt over het mysterieuze fenomeen.
Hij ontkende dat zijn vrouw een UFO-enthousiasteling is, maar zei wel dat ze hem eerder vragen had gesteld over informatie waar hij als senator mogelijk toegang tot had.
Serieus
“Weet jij wat er speelt? Heb jij toegang?” vroeg ze aan hem.
Onlangs werden Amerikaanse congresleden geïnformeerd over UFO’s die worden gespot door marinepiloten.
De Amerikaanse marine neemt dit soort meldingen sinds kort serieus en doet onderzoek naar de waarnemingen.
Alles mogelijk
Piloten lieten functionarissen van het Pentagon weten dat ze vaartuigen in de lucht zagen die de natuurkundige wetten leken te tarten.
Dezelfde piloten zagen op zo’n 10 kilometer hoogte ook vreemde objecten die hypersonische snelheden bereikten en geen motor of uitlaat leken te hebben.
President Trump heeft gezegd dat hij niet in UFO’s gelooft, maar hij voegde daaraan toe dat ‘alles mogelijk is’.
To understand the challenge of capturing data on fast radio bursts, it pays to spend some time on a late summer night watching kids trying to catch fireflies. The bugs blink rapidly and unexpectedly in places whether they’re not looking, and are gone by the time they get to the location … only to see them blink somewhere else. Fast radio bursts – the mysterious radio waves from other galaxies – act in a similar manner, with the added challenge that their blink happened billions of years ago, so tracing the light back to the source – catching the FRB firefly – is impossible without being able to look right at it when it flashes. While it won’t help the firefly chasers (good news for the bugs), artificial intelligence may have allowed a group of astronomers to watch fast radio bursts in real time.
“It is fascinating to discover that a signal that travelled halfway through the universe, reaching our telescope after a journey of a few billion years, exhibits complex structure, like peaks separated by less than a millisecond.”
That explains why Wael Farah, a Swinburne University of Technology (Australia) PhD student, was inspired to develop a Fast Radio Burst detection system, and is the first person to discover FRBs in real-time with a fully automated, machine learning system. But how did he do what no other scientist has done before? With machine learning. As described in a press release from the university announcing the publication of Farah’s study (with others) in the Monthly Notices of the Royal Astronomical Society, Farah used the on-site computer at the Molonglo Radio Observatory near Canberra to recognize the signs of FRBs and immediately capture them, filtering out the signals of cell phones, earth transmission, pulsars and other radio waves. Is this a big deal?
“By using a real-time FRB detection system, we captured raw voltages for five of the six events, which allowed for coherent dedispersion and very high time resolution (10.24 μs) studies of the bursts.”
The study reveals that Farah’s FRB detection system found five FRBs in real time in the short period between June 2017 and December 2018. To put that in perspective, the first FRB was detected in 2007 and only about 40 have been seen since. Farah found five more in just 18 months, including an FRB described as “the most energetic one yet.”
But wait … there’s more.
The study did not find any repeating bursts, which shows just how difficult they are to find, and estimated that there are about 59 to 157 FRBs occurring every day, which is seven times lower than previous estimates. This is all the more reason to congratulate Farah and his team for developing their detection system.
Now, can he come up with a phone app for detecting fireflies? Asking for a friend.
It the annals of “This changes everything!” discoveries, this story may be quickly charging to the top, potentially pushing one or more by Albert Einstein out of the way. An ancient star just 190 light years from ours is living up to its nickname of the “Methuselah star” after new calculations of the age of the universe put this star’s birthday slightly BEFORE the Big Bang. Is that vibration you feel Albert Einstein spinning in his grave or Dr. Sheldon Cooper banging on a Hollywood producer’s door demanding one more episode?
“Measurements made using relatively nearby galaxies suggest the universe is hundreds of millions of years younger than the age indicated by the heat still radiating outwards from the Big Bang. And the difference between them seems too large to dismiss as a fluke. Worse still, some of the results now imply that the universe is younger than the oldest known star.”
Which came first?
Physicist Robert Matthews, a member of the UK’s Royal Astronomical Society writing for The National in the United Arab Emirates, digs deeper into a recent paper published in Nature Astronomy and presented at an astronomy meeting in California in July 2019. “A Hubble constant measurement from superluminal motion of the jet in GW170817” is obviously written for physicists and astronomers, so it’s nice of Matthews to break it down into simple-to-understand concepts – scary as they might be. Using Einstein’s Theory of General Relativity, scientists have long traced the ever-expanding universe back to its origin point – the so-called Big Bang – put the age of the universe at around 13.8 billion years. That total has become accepted because … Einstein.
However …
“We have found that this is the oldest known star with a well-determined age.”
In 2013, Howard Bond of Pennsylvania State University and a team of astronomers used the Hubble Telescope to determine that the age of HD 140283, — the Methuselah star – is 14.5 billion years (plus or minus 0.8 billion years), which makes it older than the universe. The study reviewed by Matthews was supposed to resolve this obvious dilemma for astronomers by using gravitational ways as an alternative method for determining the age of the universe and the date of the Big Bang. This method is based on the Hubble constant – which is the speed at which a galactic object is moving away from the Earth divided by the distance traveled. Unfortunately, using the collision of two stars in 2017 as the event they measured, astronomers found that the Hubble constant … wasn’t. As a result, it delivered a different age of the universe … one that’s still less than the age of the Methuselah star.
Could the age of HD 140283 be the problem?
“Astronomers now know it contains very little iron – which means it must have been formed before this element became common in the universe.”
Because of its close proximity to Earth, that measurement is considered reliable, meaning that its estimated age of 14.5 billion years is accepted. Now what?
“Unfortunately, it’s still too rough and ready to resolve the paradox of the Methuselah star or the mystery of the two cosmic ages. In the meantime, theorists have been busy dreaming up new physics that might solve the problem. And in another case of history repeating itself, one of the leading ideas is the “force-from-nowhere” dreamt up by Prof Hoyle, who was later knighted. Astronomers already think this so-called Dark Energy played a critical role in the Big Bang – although they still have no idea where it came from. But with one leading astronomer at last month’s meeting describing the current impasse as a scientific crisis, the time may have come to think the unthinkable.”
English astronomer Sir Fred Hoyle coined the term “Big Bang” but later rejected the theory in favor of his steady-state model, which is based on a continuous creation of matter rather than one big bang, thus making the universe age-infinite. While this would resolve the Methuselah conflict, this theory was rejected by most astronomers and physicists as unthinkable.
Is it time to reject the Big Bang theory? Is it time to think the unthinkable?
Despite what many see as a fundamental flaw in the government Disclosure movement, many hopeful seekers hold on to the notion that world governments may someday release their knowledge of alien visitation, long-forgotten advanced civilizations hiding on Earth, or other high-strangeness. This hope is predicated entirely on the belief that world governments in fact have knowledge to hide, a belief that many in the ufological world suspect is misguided.
Still, we’ve entered an era where politicians and figures within the U.S. Department of Defense seem to be taking seriously the UFO phenomenon and other related phenomena. Seem to be, anyway. There remains much we don’t know about what has been said in closed-door briefings on Capitol Hill and the content of those briefings will likely remain unknown.
Some perhaps small basis for the current ‘small-d’ disclosure in Washington stems from the run-up 2016 presidential election. During that hotly contested election, Wikileaks released a trove of emails between Hillary Clinton’s campaign manager John Podesta and Tom Delonge discussing high-level government officials and topics ranging from the Roswell crash to what we now know is To the Stars Academy. That leak led to pressure on both Clinton and Trump to debate the UFO phenomenon on the 2016 campaign trail – although that debate never materialized.
Now, as the 2020 presidential election looms, candidates are already being asked about what has become one of the hottest topics of the day. This week, Senator Bernie Sanders of Vermont, a front runner in 2016 and again now in 2020, went on the Joe Rogan Experience to discuss his platform for president. During the interview, Rogan naturally asked Sanders about extraterrestrials and what Sanders would or would not disclose if elected:
Rogan: “If you got into the office and you found out something about aliens, if you found out something about UFOs, would you let us know?”
Sanders: “Well I tell you, my wife would demand I let you know.”
Rogan: “Is your wife a UFO nut?”
Sanders: “No, she’s not a UFO nut. She goes, Bernie, ‘What is going on do you know? Do you have any access?’”
Rogan: “You don’t have any access? You’ll let us know though?”
Sanders: “Alright, we’ll announce it on the show. How’s that?”
Rogan’s show has in recent months hosted many of the most controversial figures in the UFO community including Tom Delonge and Bob Lazar, so it’s no surprise that Rogan asked Sanders about aliens. Sanders played the question off in characteristic nonchalance before moving on to more terrestrial topics.
Joe Rogan
As the UFO phenomenon continues to take center stage in Washington, D.C., could we actually soon see a president elected on a platform of disclosure?
Perhaps the bigger question remains: is there anything actually to disclose?
Amazing Interdimensional Alien Orb caught on deer cam in Alma Center, Wisconsin
Amazing Interdimensional Alien Orb caught on deer cam in Alma Center, Wisconsin
Orbs are still a big mystery and recent images of such an Orb captured on a deer cam in Alma Center, Wisconsin show again that this phenomenon is still not understood.
The images clearly show that the Orb lights up before it moves away from a tree, next it is hanging motionless in the sky for more than 1 hour.
What stands out is that this Orb which is actually an interdimensional alien vehicle is surrounded by an electromagnetic field which is said to be used for navigation, transportation and propulsion as well as for protection of the energy and shield the beings inside the Orb.
The GIF-animation above shows the Orb lights up before it moves away from the tree and the electromagnetic field around the Orb as it is hanging motionless in the sky.
The deer cam owner who submitted the images to Mufon said: I caught this glowing object on my deer cam camera. I am retired and a vivid bowhunter. I have 4 photos that have a time span of 1 hour 43 mins.
The first two photos are 1 min apart and show a bright object near my food plot. Photos 3 and 4 the object is closer and in photo 4 it is over a deer. The photos of 3 and 4 are also a minute apart.
The date is wrong in the photos. My camera faces south and it is not the moon in the photo because it is never that low in the southern sky. Also the camera will only take a picture if something is moving. The night of the 17th of July was calm with no wind. I have never seen something this strange.
I was looking over some Comet 67P photos at the JPL site and found this one to have two interesting structures. I colored the objects yellow to make them easier to see. The round object looks like its a spaceship that landed in that location. The cube like structure may also be ship that landed long ago. The objects have an interesting design and are probably not something that most people expect alien ships to look like. This is the singing comet. The comet that has been sending a message 24 hours a day for the last three decades. The message may be coming from one of these ships.
Something big just blocked out the sun today and no one even seemed to notice it. I found these images on a SDO NASA site that observes the sun through different filters and I put them to together so you can see them in real time as it happened. The reason nobody noticed is that it wasn't visible on Earth, but was actually only visible from the location of the SOHO NASA satellite. So, the real question I have is, did a UFO pass between the satellite and the sun causing this? Whatever it was it was huge! I have reported earth size UFOs near the sun a lot over the last month found in SOHO sun images, so it really has me concerned? What is NASA not telling us? Why didn't they talk about this with the public? This is crazy important astronomy news and yet nothing from NASA? If they don't want to talk about it, you can bet that its something that would frighten the pubic. This may be astronomy history being made, the first ever eclipse recorded off world. Scott C. Waring-Taiwan
I found this doorway into the back of a structure on Mars today in a gigipan photo. The structure looks like it has been created from the materials on Mars, sort of a clay like substance made by hand. Instead of bricks, they used globs of clay. The entrance is huge on the back of the structure and can easily be seen since it has been painted white or coated white with some substance. The top is triangular like most houses have on Earth. The structure is also perfectly placed so that it is balanced to the environment and not tilted, even though its on a hillside. The hill gives the structure a great view of the horizon. This structure is about 2 meters tall, but I believe that we only see about 5% or less, the other 95% will be below the ground to keep the home cool. Scott C. Waring
Nine years ago I reported a whole lot of alien artefacts in one photo, including a woman, man and child statues on a hillside. Then NASA deleted one of the photos, but I found a similar, yet darker photo a few years later. The statue of a woman has a highly detailed green robe, which you can see the folds within it. She has long hair down to the shoulders a thiner waste and here arm is also covered with here robe sleeve up to the wrist area, where the color of her hand turns to pinkish. Her figure is undoubtedly that of a human-like female. The man laying down in front of her also has a green outfit on. He has a bald hairless head that is pink. The little child in front of them is less obvious to the untrained eye. He is sitting down, legs forward and arms behind himself. This woman on Mars, is literally the Mona Lisa of Mars. She is flawless in every way, and yet even this evidence is not enough to convince some. Its obvious to me that no photo, regardless of how clear or how close the evidence is...will every bring about disclosure. So the real question is....what will? Scott C. Waring
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Facebook Removes Viral ‘Storm Area 51’ Event
Facebook Removes Viral ‘Storm Area 51’ Event
More than two million UFO enthusiasts responded to the call of “Storm Area 51, They Can’t Stop All of Us” Facebook event page, but they recently found it suddenly blocked by Facebook because of violations to “community standards.”
The Facebook event page managed to attract a high volume of attendees and made Las Vegas strip club to pledge of bringing its dancers to entertain the masses. Without further reason, Facebook removed the page over the weekend, including the backup page set by the organizers.
The would-be raiders aired their frustration on Reddit and regrouped to share their theories. Others went to Twitter with Area 51 memes. Many agreed to the assumption that Facebook CEO Mark Zuckerberg is an ET from Area 51 and he does not want his secret to be disclosed to the public.
Some pointed out that the raid could still take place as everyone knew the time and the place already. Another one opined that Facebook has not heard of the Streisand effect. All hotels nearby are booked for the dates surrounding September 20.
The Pentagon has also done its part to discourage would-be raiders from pursuing their plan by issuing a warning that the US Air Force always stands ready to protect the US and its assets.
Alien Abductee of the Fame Pascagoula Abduction Will Recall Their Horrific Experience
Alien Abductee of the Fame Pascagoula Abduction Will Recall Their Horrific Experience
The alien abductee behind one of the biggest stories on alien abduction is speaking out after his shocking testimony four decades ago that sparked a media storm.
Calvin Parker was only 19 when the notorious Pascagoula Incident took place. He and co-worker Charles Hickson were out fishing in Pascagoula, US when they were allegedly set-upon by a UFO.
Parker and Hickson reported their ordeal that night of October 11, 1973, to the local Sheriff.
Amazingly, the sheriff believed what they had said with Hickson even passed a lie-detector test. The next day the area was filled with reporters from different parts of the country.
Unlike the flying saucer from another planet popularised in cartoons, the UFO described by both men looked more egg-shaped. They estimated it to be around 30 feet long with blue flashing lights and accompanied by a buzzing sound.
The alien creatures that allegedly abducted them were described as nightmarish, mumbling humanoids. These ET abductors were also said to have grey, elephant-texture skin, claw-like three-digit hands, and rounded feet. They also have a slit for a mouth but no eyes.
Hickson has died at the age of 42, but a historical plaque near the incident now stands testimony to one of the best-documented alien abduction cases in the world.
Parker is now exclusively re-stating his traumatic experience at a conference this August 17 in Pontefract, West Yorks. The event is being co-organised by the famous UFO researcher Philip Mantle.
The conference is Mr Parker’s only presentation in the UK. He won’t be speaking anywhere else as he is planning to retire and get back to a more peaceful life in his houseboat, according to Mr Mantle. The conference gives delegates a once in a lifetime chance to meet Calvin Parker in person.
Amid the 1973 media frenzy, Parker mostly stayed in the background but has now gone on-the-record with his new book Pascagoula-The Closest Encounter.
According to the book’s promotional statement, Mr Parker and Hickson were taken aboard the spaceship by the hovering aliens and subjected to an examination, where they became so terrified and thought they would die.
SPEAKING OUT: Calvin Parker of Pascagoula Abduction fame will recall the 1973 horror
(Pic: FLYING DISK PRESS)
Calvin Parker was just 19 years old when he and co-worker Charles Hickson were allegedly set-upon by a UFO while out fishing in Pascagoula, US.
Both men reported their ordeal to the local Sheriff that night, on October 11, 1973.
Astonishingly, the sheriff believed their accounts, with Hickson even passing a lie-detector test, and the next day reporters from across the US raced to the area.
Unlike the stereotypical “flying saucer” UFO popularised in cartoons, the spaceship described by the men looked more egg-shaped in sketches detailing their claims.
EERY: The Pascagoula Encounter site in 1973
(Pic: FLYING DISK PRESS)
“THE UFO CONFERENCE IN PONTEFRACT WILL PROVIDE DELEGATES WITH THE ONCE IN A LIFETIME OPPORTUNITY TO MEET CALVIN PARKER IN PERSON”
UFO researcher Philip Mantle
The UFO they said they saw was also estimated to be a staggering 30ft long and accompanied by blue flashing lights and a buzzing sound.
Even worse, the creatures which allegedly abducted the pair were described as nightmarish, mumbling humanoids.
These “alien abductors” were said to have grey, elephant-textured skin, claw-like three digit hands, a slit for a mouth and no eyes.
Instead of feet, they were said to have rounded feet or pads.
PETRIFYING: An artist’s sketch of the alien described by Parker and Hickson
(Pic: FLYING DISK PRESS)
TRAUMATIC: Calvin Parker says he was kidnapped by floating aliens
(Pic: FLYING DISK PRESS)
Hickson, then 42, has since died, but a historical plaque near where the pair say they were taken now stands testimony to what is described as one of the world’s best-documented cases of an alien abduction.
Parker is now exclusively re-telling his traumatic ordeal at a conference in Pontefract, West Yorks., this August 17.
Internationally-known UFO researcher Philip Mantle, who co-organised the event, said: “The UFO conference in Pontefract will provide delegates with the once in a lifetime opportunity to meet Calvin Parker in person.
“This will be his one and only presentation in the UK.
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PAPER CUTTING: Prof Allen Hynek said the pair ‘were not crackpots’ amid (Pic: FLYING DISK PRESS)
“After this year he will not be be speaking anywhere else and plans to retire to his houseboat and get back to a more peaceful life.”
Parker largely stayed in the background amid the 1973 media frenzy but has now gone on-the-record with his new book Pascagoula — The Closest Encounter.
According to its blurb, both Hickson and Parker were taken aboard the spacecraft by the “floating aliens” and “subjected to an examination”, whereupon the pair became so terrified they thought they would die.
Tickets for the conference in Pontefract, Yorkshire, are on sale now and can be bought here.
To many, ancient Egypt is synonymous with the pharaohs and pyramids of the Dynastic periodstarting about 3,100 BC. Yet long before that, about 9,300 - 4,000 BC, enigmatic Neolithic peoples flourished. Indeed, it was the lifestyles and cultural innovations of these peoples that provided the very foundation for theadvanced civilizations to come.
But who were they? As it turns out, they haven’t actually been studied much, at least relative to their successors. But our excavations of six burial sites – with some of the analyses recently published – have now provided important insights into their mysterious ways of life.
Neolithic Burial Sites
One reason why we know so little about Neolithic Egypt is that the sites are often inaccessible, lying beneath the Nile’s former flood plain or in outlying deserts. What’s more, if you were an archaeologist what would you rather study – a pyramid near Cairo or a possible rock alignment in some remote desert?
Though not lush, the Neolithic was wetter than today, which allowed these ancient herders to populate what is now the middle of nowhere. We focus on the Final Neolithic (4,600 - 4,000 BC), which was built on the success of the Late Neolithic (5,500 - 4,650 BC) with domesticated cattle and goats, wild plant processing, and cattle burials . These people also made apparent megaliths, shrines, and even calendar circles – which look a bit like a mini Stonehenge.
During the final part of the Neolithic, people started burying the dead in formal cemeteries. Skeletons provide critical information because they are from once living people who interacted with the cultural and physical environments. Health, relationships, diet, and even psychological experiences can leave telltale signs on teeth and bone.
In 2001-2003 we excavated three cemeteries from this era – the first in the western desert – where we uncovered and studied 68 skeletons. The graves were full of artifacts, with ornamental pottery, sea shells, stone and ostrich eggshell jewelry. We also discovered carved mica (a silicate mineral) and animal remains, as well as elaborate cosmetic tools for women and stone weapons for men.
We learned that these people enjoyed low childhood mortality, tall stature, and long life. Men averaged 5.6 feet (170 centimeters), while women were about 5.2 feet (160 centimeters). Most men and women lived beyond 40 years, with some into their 50s – a long time in those days.
Strangely, in 2009 - 2016, we dug two more cemeteries that were very different. After analyzing another 130 skeletons, we discovered that few artifacts accompanied them, and that they suffered from higher childhood mortality as well as shorter lives and stature. We’re talking several centimeters shorter and perhaps ten years younger for adults of both sexes.
Astonishingly, the largest of these two cemeteries had a separate burial area for children under three years of age, but mostly infants including late-term fetuses. Three women buried with infants were also found, so perhaps they died in childbirth. In fact, this is the world’s earliest known infant cemetery.
Interpreting the Findings From the Neolithic Discoveries
So, what can this tell us about these peoples, let alone their descendants? As it turns out, a lot. We can use the findings to make interpretations about gender, life-stage, well-being, status, and other things.
For example, why were there such differences between the two grave sites ? They could have been separate populations, but it is unlikely based on overall physical similarities. So perhaps they imply variation by status – with one graveyard being for the elite and the other for workers. This is the earliest such evidence in Egypt.
The sites also shed light on the family structures of the time. The overall sex ratio across all cemeteries is three women to each man, which may indicate polygamy. However, the total number of burials and a lack of reference to individual houses suggests these were extended family cemeteries.
We also believe that attainment of ‘personhood’ – the age children are socialized into being ‘people’ – was from three years, given their inclusion in adult cemeteries.
There is also clear evidence of respect for previously buried people by later mourners reusing the graves to bury their dead. When coming across old skeletons, they often carefully repositioned the bones of these ancestors. In some interesting cases, they even made attempts to ‘reconstruct’ the skeletons by replacing teeth that had fallen out – back into the skeleton – and not always correctly (see top image).
These behavioral indicators, together with the seemingly innovative technological and ceremonial architecture mentioned earlier, such as the calendar circles and shrines, imply a level of sophistication well beyond that of simple herders. Taken together, the findings provide a glimpse of things yet to come in ancient Egypt.
Conservation of Neolithic Sites
A key component of our work involves conservation of Egyptian (and world) heritage. We found no evidence of grave looting, unlike for sites in the Nile Valley. The last people to touch Neolithic material at Gebel Ramlah lived during that time. However, wind-related erosion has reached a point where once-buried remains lie on or near the surface.
Well preserved site verses wind‐eroded Neolithic remains at Gebel Ramlah.
In fact, the pace of destruction has increased significantly since 2001. Once exposed, the context of these sites can be lost, and organic material can get sandblasted to bits. This means that if we hadn’t discovered these remains when we did, they would have soon been lost forever. But sadly, this likely means that other sites from the time are literally disappearing.
For that reason, we and the SCA have decided that, when we have studied our material, all will be reburied on site to, hopefully, survive for a few more thousands of years.
Top image: Example skull of Neolithic people. Source: ( Author provided / The Conversation )
Though it may seem like an odd question, it’s now being asked after an unidentified flying object (UFO) was spotted over Mexico: Do aliens drive drunk?
“A UFO video posted to YouTube on August 3rd, 2019 shows an unidentified flying object hovering over the skies of Mexico as witnesses comment and chuckle in the background. What’s so funny? Unlike most UFO sightings, this strange aircraft is reeling crazily in the air, wobbling and dipping up and down and side to side as though the pilot has lost control of the ship.”
Interestingly, the video is taken against the backdrop of a clear blue sky, making it much easier to see than many of the videos of objects taken at night which often don’t show much detail and suffer from the camera operator shaking as they film the UFO.
Clearly, the Mexico UFO has the shape we’ve come to expect:
“The shape of this UFO is reminiscent of many other historical sightings, especially those from the early days of reporting strange, futuristic aircraft in the skies all over the world, beginning just after World War 2 and continuing to this day.
“In fact, it has apparently been the goal of military and commercial aircraft manufacturers to adopt a saucer-style aerodynamic shape in the belief that such a design is more advantageous for high speed flight above Earth and, perhaps, even into the upper reaches of the atmosphere and on out into space without relying on gigantic (and expensive) solid fuel rockets.”
Two UFOs filmed over England in September of 2018 (Via YouTube)
The usual cause of these UFO sightings is man-made objects such as weather balloons or drones, but that doesn’t stop speculation that we might be seeing visitations from travelers who have come from distant galaxies to explore our planet.
And UFO sightings are on the increase:
“Worldwide, UFO sightings have dramatically increased over the last decade or two, mostly due to the fact that billions of people all around the globe carry smart phones capable of taking fairly high quality pictures and videos, leading to an explosion of UFO sightings posted to sharing sites like Youtube and Vimeo.”
This UFO was filmed at night and confirmed by police.
But despite the origin of these objects, the one filmed over Mexico has some aberrations in that it didn’t fly in the usual straight or zigzag patterns that amaze those who see them. Instead, it appears the pilot is about to lose control of the vehicle in the Mexican video. Does that make it even more mysterious, or does it suggest the object must be under remote control?
Whatever the answer to the wobbly UFO seen over Mexico, it’s yet another reminder that there’s an endless supply of things in this universe we still don’t understand.
Here’s video of the Top 10 UFO sightings from around the world:
One of the biggest questions surrounding the most recent known spate of UFO encounters with U.S. Navy pilots—those that occurred off the southeastern seaboard of the United States between 2014 and early 2015—pertains to how persistent they actually were. We know Super Hornet aircrews from Strike Fighter Squadron 11 (VFA-11), the Red Rippers, detected unknown objects multiple times on radar and one aircrew even had a close encounter visually with one of them, but what about the rest of the many Hornet squadrons based at Naval Air Station Oceana, not to mention the E-2 Hawkeye squadrons from nearby NAS Norfolk? We have the answer to this question and it is remarkable.
A source with knowledge of the events has made it clear to The War Zone that presence of the mysterious objects in the restricted training airspace off America's east coast was so pervasive that it was largely common knowledge among local flying units. They noted that the majority of the Super Hornet squadrons equipped with AN/APG-79 Active Electronically Scanned Array (AESA) radars—you can read all about this technology and how it was key in detecting these objects in our exclusive piece on the subject—at the time were having the same experiences, as well as the crews flying the new E-2D Hawkeye with its incredibly powerful AN/APY-9 radar suite. It literally became such a common and near everyday occurrence that Naval Aviators and Naval Flight Officers from the base would talk about it informally with regularity.
The E-2D Hawkeye is one of the most capable aerial surveillance platforms ever created.
But that doesn't mean formal action wasn't taken. Beyond filing an official safety report after one of the jets almost hit one of the unidentified objects—described eerily as a translucent sphere with a cube structure suspended inside of it—Notices To Airman (NOTAMs) were posted regarding the dangers potentially posed by unknown aerial vehicles flying in the same military operating areas that aircraft from NAS Oceana frequented for training. This action was taken by the base's command leadership as they couldn't figure out how else to address the bizarre issue and its perceived threat to their aircrews'safety.
We have since filed Freedom Of Information Act (FOIA) requests for copies of these NOTAMs, as well as documents regarding how the decision to file the NOTAMs was made at the command level.
Another burning question surrounding these events pertains to whether or not additional visual encounters occurred beyond the one near miss with the Super Hornet and the 'cube inside an orb' object. Our source tells us that therewere many more, and yes, they all resulted in the exact same descriptionof the object. So, we are talking about a uniform set of very strange looking objects here that were spotted on radar, by infrared targeting pods, and by the naked eye, frequently over 2014 and the first part of 2015 above the waters off America's southeastern coastline.
VFA-11's color jet pulls in to park at NAS Oceana.
As we noted in our last piece on the subject, these encounters dropped off to the point they were described as fleeting and inconclusive at best once VFA-11 and its carrier air wing went on cruise to the Middle East in early Spring of 2015. In addition, we know that the carrier strike group and its aircraft were equipped with key new sensor fusion technologies for that deployment, a fact that is eerily similar to the circumstances surrounding the now famous 'Tic Tac' incident nearly a decade earlier. All of which makes these objects' presence during the time leading up to that deployment that much more curious.
Yet at the same time, the fact that the volume of these recent encounters seems much greater and spread over a much larger period of time versus the infamous incident in 2004 is puzzling. And none of this even addresses the very peculiar physical appearance of these objects, but we have another report on that subject that will be filed in the very near future.
Still, at least we now have a much better sense of how widespread these encounters were and the cultural impact that they had on the Navy's east coast master fighter jet base. This also underscores just how taboo this topic was to military aviators. The fact that these types of events could have been so pervasive, yet kept so hushed-up outside of Navy tactical aircraft aircrew circles, is telling in itself and provides good evidence as to why the Navy had to officially change is procedures for its personnel reporting such strange incidents.
All this comes as Congress is taking a high-interest in the subject as of late, with multiple briefings being given to key lawmakers with the military's top witnesses.
Whatever the case may be, we are definitely entering into uncharted territory when it comes to this long shunned and abused topic. What exactly that will mean when it comes to actually getting to the truth of the matter remains to be understood.
Where in the Universe Can You Find a Black Hole Nursery?
Where in the Universe Can You Find a Black Hole Nursery?
Gravitational wave researchers at the University of Birmingham have developed a new model that could help astronomers track down the origin of heavy black hole systems in the Universe.
Black holes are formed following the collapse of stars and possibly supernova explosions. These colossally dense objects are measured in terms of solar masses (M⊙) – the mass of our sun.
Typically, stars will only form black holes with masses of up to 45 M⊙. These systems then pair and merge together, producing gravitational waves that are observed by the LIGO and Virgo detectors.
Credit: NASA/CXC/A.Hobar
Stellar collapse, however, causes instabilities that prevent the formation of heavier black holes – so a new model is needed to explain the existence of binary black hole systems with masses larger than about 50 M⊙.
These objects are thought to be formed from binary black holes which have then gone on to merge with other black holes. Scientists believe that these ‘next generation’ black holes —made up of the merger of their ‘parents’ — might be the heavier black holes observable by LIGO and Virgo.
In a new study, published in Physical Review D Rapid Communications, researchers from the University of Birmingham’s Institute for Gravitational Wave Astronomy, suggest that future detections of multiple generations of black-hole mergers would allow us to figure out their birthplace. They have produced new calculations that could help astronomers better understand these mergers – and where to find them.
“Star clusters – groups of stars that are bound together by gravity – might act like black-hole ‘nurseries’, providing an ideal environment to grow generations of black holes, ” explains Dr Davide Gerosa, lead author of the paper. “But in order to know what type of star clusters are most likely to be capable of producing these, we first need to know something about the physical conditions that would be needed.”
The team believes they have found part of the solution to this puzzle by calculating the likely ‘escape speed’ a cluster needs to have to be able to host a black hole with a mass above 50 M⊙. The escape speed is the velocity at which an object would need to be travelling to escape gravitational pull. For instance, a rocket leaving earth would need to be travelling at 11km/s (25,000 mph) to get into orbit.
When they merge, black holes receive recoils or kick. Much like a gun recoils as a bullet is shot, black holes recoil as gravitational waves are emitted. The next generation of black holes can form only if their parents have not been ‘kicked out’ of the cluster, i.e. only if the escape speed of the cluster is large enough.
The team calculated that observing black holes with mass above 50 M⊙ would suggest that the cluster where they lived had an escape speed larger than about 50km/s.
Co-author Professor Emanuele Berti from Johns Hopkins University, explains: “Gravitational wave observations provide an unprecedented opportunity to understand the astrophysical settings where black holes form and evolve. A very massive event would point towards a dense environment with large escape speed”.
Where might you find these types of dense clusters? Many predictions for LIGO and Virgo so far concentrated on ‘globular clusters’ – spherical collections of about a million stars tightly bound together in the outskirts of galaxies. Their escape speed, however, is too low. This new study finds globular clusters are unlikely to host multiple generations of black holes. Astronomers will need to look further afield: nuclear star clusters, found towards the centre of some galaxies are dense enough and might provide the type of environment needed to produce these objects.
“Gravitational-wave astronomy is revolutionizing our understanding of the Universe,” says Dr Gerosa. “We are all waiting for upcoming results from LIGO and Virgo to put these and other astrophysical predictions to the test”.
Contacts and sources: Beck Lockwood The University of Birmingham
Citation: Gerosa et al (2019). ‘Escape speed of stellar clusters from multiple-generation black-hole mergers in the upper mass gap’. Physical Review D – Rapid Communications.
Mass UFO sightings over Cincinnati as mystery lights filmed vanishing…
Mass UFO sightings over Cincinnati as mystery lights filmed vanishing…
(Daily Star) – Social media has been flooded with reports of UFOs appearing over Cincinnati, as baffling footage appears to show lights vanishing and reappearing. Shocked witnesses Laina and Angie captured the bizarre sighting in the skies above the city in Ohio, US, on August 3. The clip begins with for bright objects moving in a line across the grey clouds. But, one-by-one, they start to vanish from sight. A fifth light then emerges on the left-hand side of the screen.
YouTube conspiracist MrMBB333 who uploaded the clip and said: “They didn’t go behind the clouds, they were in front of the clouds. “Something comes in from the left, they appear to be in a straight row and at a slight angle.” When the conspiracist switches the light formats, he claims the footage shows the planes turning “invisible”. “It was still daylight, so if they were some sort of physical craft, which I’m sure they probably were, how come you couldn’t see them?” he asks.
GO Ms. Tree now has two epic catches on her resume.
The speedy, net-equipped SpaceX boat plucked a payload fairing out of the sky for the second time ever on Tuesday evening (Aug. 6), during the launch of the Amos-17 communications satellite atop a two-stage Falcon 9 rocket.
"Rocket fairing falls from space & is caught by Ms Tree boat," SpaceX founder and CEO Elon Musk said about 75 minutes after liftoff via Twitter, where he posted a 28-second-long video of the fairing half settling into GO Ms. Tree's net in the Atlantic Ocean, far off the Florida coast.
Payload fairings are the protective nose cones that surround satellites during launch. SpaceX fairings are composed of two halves, each of which is equipped with small, steering thrusters and parafoils to aid in recovery efforts.
There's a significant financial incentive to recover and reuse payload fairings; each one costs about $6 million, Musk has said. (SpaceX uses identical fairings for its Falcon 9 and Falcon Heavy rockets.)
And that's where GO Ms. Tree — formerly known as Mr. Steven — comes in. Saltwater is extremely corrosive, so keeping fairing halves dry makes reuse more feasible, Musk has said.
GO Ms. Tree's first successful catch occurred on June 25, during the third-ever Falcon Heavy launch. That breakthrough didn't come out of the blue; the boat had come close to snagging a fairing several times over the preceding months.
SpaceX also reuses its rockets, of course. The company has successfully landed Falcon 9 first stages 44 times to date, and more than 20 boosters have taken to the skies multiple times. Such activities are part of the company's vision to slash the cost of spaceflight, thereby enabling ambitious exploration feats such as the colonization of Mars.
The Falcon 9 that launched yesterday had a used first stage; the booster had two previous liftoffs under its belt, in fact. But there was no third landing for this rocket; Amos-17 is a very heavy satellite bound for a relatively distant orbit, so the booster didn't have enough fuel left over to get itself back home safely.
Mike Wall's book about the search for alien life, "Out There" (Grand Central Publishing, 2018; illustrated byKarl Tate), is out now. Follow him on Twitter @michaeldwall. Follow us on Twitter@Spacedotcom orFacebook.
The bizarre and hellish atmosphere of Venus wafts around the planet's surface in this false-color image from the Japanese Aerospace Exploration Agency's Akatsuki spacecraft. Citizen scientist Kevin Gill processed the image using infrared and ultraviolet views captured by Akatsuki on Nov. 20, 2016.
Everyone wants to get off the planet Earth and go explore the solar system, without realizing just how good we've got it down here. We've got a lot of air, more liquid water than we know what to do with, a nice strong planetary magnetic field that protects us cosmic radiation, and nice strong gravity that keeps our muscles strong and our bones thick.
But still, we look to our planetary neighbors for places to visit and maybe even live. And Mars has all the attention nowadays: it's so hot right now, with everyone practically climbing over each other's rockets to get there in to build a nice little red home.
But what about Venus? It's about the same size as the Earth and the same mass. It's actually a little bit closer than Mars. It's definitely warmer than Mars. So don't why don't we try going for our sister planet instead of the red one?
Oh, that's right: Venus is basically hell.
Dante's journey
It's hard to not exaggerate just how bad Venus is. Seriously, imagine in your head what the worst possible planet might be, and Venus is worse than that.
Let's start with the atmosphere. If you think that the smog in LA is bad, you should take a whiff of Venus. It's almost entirely carbon dioxide and chokingly thick with an atmospheric pressure at the surface 90 times that of Earth. That's the equivalent pressure of a mile beneath our ocean waves. It's so thick that you almost have to swim through it just to move around. Only 4% of that atmosphere is nitrogen, but that's more nitrogen total than there is in the Earth's atmosphere.
And sitting on top of this are clouds made of sulfuric acid. Yikes.
Sulfuric acid clouds are highly reflective, giving Venus its characteristic brilliant shine. The clouds are so reflective, and the rest of the atmosphere so thick, that less than 3% of the sun's light that reaches Venus actually makes it down to the surface. That means that you will only vaguely be aware of the difference between day and night.
But despite that lack of sunlight, the temperature on Venus is literally hot enough to melt lead, at over 700 degrees Fahrenheit (370 degrees Celsius) on average. In some places, in the deepest valleys, the temperature reaches over 750 degrees Fahrenheit (400 degrees Celsius), which is enough for the ground itself to glow a dull red.
And speaking of day and night — Venus has one of the most peculiar rotations in the solar system. For one, it rotates backward, with the sun rising in the west and setting in the east. Second, it's incredibly slow, with one year lasting only two days.
Additionally, Venus once had plate tectonics that shut off long ago, and its crust is locked.
Because Venus is made of pretty much the same stuff as our Earth, and has roughly the same size and mass, scientists are pretty sure that, back in the early days of the solar system, Venus was kind of nice. It probably supported liquid water oceans on the surface and white fluffy clouds dotting a blue sky. Actually, quite lovely.
But four and a half billion years ago, our sun was different. It was smaller and dimmer. As stars like our sun age, they steadily grow brighter. So back then Venus was firmly planted in the habitable zone, the region of the solar system that can support liquid water on the surface of a planet without it being too hot or too cold.
But as the sun aged, that habitable zone steadily moved outward. And as Venus approached the inner edge of that zone, things started to go haywire.
As the temperatures rose on Venus, the oceans began to evaporate, dumping a lot of water vapor into the atmosphere. This water vapor was very good at trapping heat, which further increased the surface temperatures, which caused the oceans to evaporate even more, which caused even more water vapor to get in the atmosphere, which trapped even more heat, and so on and so on as things spiraled out of control.
Eventually, Venus became a runaway greenhouse with all the water dumped into the atmosphere trapping as much heat as possible, with the surface temperatures continuing to skyrocket.
The liquid water that had been on the surface helped keep the tectonic plates nice and flexible, in a sense adding lubrication to the process of plate tectonics. But without the oceans, plate activity ground to a halt, locking the surface of Venus in place. Plate tectonics play a crucial role in regulating the amount of carbon dioxide in the atmosphere. Essentially, carbon binds to elements in dirt and rocks, and those dirt and rocks eventually get buried far beneath the surface over the course of millions of years as the plates rub up against each other and sink below each other.
But without this process, carbon that was locked in the dirt just slowly outgassed or dumped out in massive volcanic events. So, once the oceans evaporated, the carbon problem on Venus became even worse with nothing to sequester it. Over time, the water vapor in the atmosphere got hit by enough sunlight to break it apart, sending the hydrogen into space, with all that mass being replaced by carbon dioxide rising up out of the surface.
The once and future Earth
And as that atmosphere grew thicker, the conditions on the surface grew even more hellish.
The atmosphere might even have had enough drag to literally slow down the rotation of Venus itself, giving it its present-day sluggish rates.
Once this process was complete, which probably took 100 million years or so, the potential for any life on Venus was snuffed out.
And here's the worst part about the story of Earth's twisted sister. This is our fate, too. Our sun isn't done aging, and as it grows older, it grows brighter, with the habitable zone steadily and inexorably moving outward. At some point within the next few hundred million years, the Earth itself will approach the inner edge of the habitable zone. Our oceans will evaporate. Temperatures will spiral upward. Plate tectonics will shut off. Carbon dioxide will dump into the atmosphere.
And by that time, our solar system will be home to not just one hell but two.
Loch Ness skipper captures sonar image of 25ft “creature” deep below the waves
Loch Ness boat skipper claims he’s finally found Nessy as sonar image shows ’25ft monster lurking beneath waves’
Emily Prescott
A BOAT skipper claims he's finally found the Loch Ness Monster lurking beneath the waves in Scotland.
Mike Bell captured the remarkable sonar image which he reckons shows 25ft-long Nessie.
Sonar image which Mike Bell claims shows a 25ft-long Nessie lurking deep beneath the wavesCredit: Deadline News
Credit: Deadline News
The sonar pictur, taken while he was taking a group of tourists for a trip on LochNess on June 27, shows the bottom of the loch, a fish and a long, thin object about 115ft below the surface.
But when the 24-year-old skipper took readings at the same spot the mystery object had vanished.
Mike, from nearby Drumnadrochit, said: “I would like to think this is our creature, Nessie.
"It’s my first year being the skipper in the boat in five months and I’ve never seen it or had something that big on the sonar.
“My dad is the more experienced skipper who has been doing this for a few years and has said he’s never seen it that big before on the sonar. It’s my first sighting of Nessie and I think my dad is a wee bit jealous as he has never seen it.
“The standard size on the sonar is usually a sharp prick suggesting a small fish. The large line about 35 metres in the water was about 10-25 feet.
“An object of that size I would think is way too big for the normal species in the loch. It must have been about five or six minutes we spent trying to pick up this creature again.”
On the site 18,000 people said they are going to a Storm Loch Ness event with 38,000 “interested”.
The RNLI said the water is very deep and has an average temperature of 6C but is prone to deteriorating conditions with wave heights of 4m being recorded.
It was reported last month that a couple caught Nessie while holidaying in the highlands.
Gloria and Ian Davison saw a dark creature with a head and neck as they drove alongside Loch Ness.
The stunned couple stopped their car by Urquhart Bay and watched the creature for a minute before it disappeared.
Nessie was reported to have been seen 15 times in 2018.
Research carried out last year revealed that the mythical creature is worth £41m a year to the Scottish economy.
The first encounter of the beast is said to have been encountered by Irish Missionary St Columba in the River Ness in 565AD.
Mike's boat with Castle Urquhart in the background
Kapitein spot 7,5 meter lang ‘wezen’ op grote diepte in meer van Loch Ness. Is dit het legendarische monster?
Kapitein spot 7,5 meter lang ‘wezen’ op grote diepte in meer van Loch Ness. Is dit het legendarische monster?
Een kapitein heeft een ruim 7,5 meter lang ‘wezen’ vastgelegd in het meer van Loch Ness. Mike Bell nam op 27 juni een groep toeristen mee het meer op, toen er plotseling iets vreemds op zijn sonar verscheen.
Op zo’n 35 meter onder het wateroppervlak verscheen een lang, dun object.
Mike keerde vrijwel meteen om, maar het object was inmiddels verdwenen. Het lijkt dus niet te gaan om een boomstam of iets dergelijks.
Iets vreemds
Mike vertelde de toeristen over Loch Ness en het kasteel, toen één van hen plotseling iets vreemds zag op de sonar.
Op een diepte van 35 meter verscheen een groot object, dat volgens Mike best eens het Monster van Loch Ness zou kunnen zijn.
De kapitein zei nog nooit zoiets groots op zijn sonar te hebben gezien.
Bestormen
Tienduizenden mensen willen later dit jaar op zoek gaan naar het Monster van Loch Ness door het beroemde meer in Schotland te bestormen.
Op Facebook hebben al meer dan 27.000 mensen laten weten dat ze erbij zullen zijn. Nog eens 51.000 mensen geven aan dat ze geïnteresseerd zijn.
Gevaren
De RNLI, een goed doel dat levens redt op zee, heeft mensen gewaarschuwd voor de gevaren van het diepe water.
De organisatie is bezorgd dat duizenden mensen op 21 september zullen afreizen naar het meer.
If there was ever a story in need of a “What could possibly go wrong?” lead-in, this is it. A story broke this week that an Israeli spacecraft which crashed on the moon in April was carrying tardigrades – those indestructible little eight-legged water bears that have been found on Earth in extreme conditions where no other life forms can survive. They’re also the first Earth life forms to survive in the vacuum of space. And … get your “What could possibly go wrong?” sign ready (or use Murphy’s) … they appear to have survived the crash on the Moon. (Hold up sign now , then sigh loudly.)
“We believe the chances of survival for the tardigrades… are extremely high.”
Wired broke this story on August 5th, which is almost four months to the day after Nova Spivack and his colleges at the Arch Mission Foundation watched a live feed from Israel’s mission control center for Beresheet, a ship attempting to become the first private spacecraft to land on the Moon. It crashed, but that wasn’t Spivack’s fault. However, it was definitely of concern to him because his part of the mission through the Arch Mission Foundation was to create a “backup of planet Earth” on the Moon in the form of a DVD-sized digital archive containing 30 million pages of information (let’s call it a ‘life on Earth’ instruction manual) and … get ready to hold up that sign again … human DNA samples and thousands of dehydrated tardigrades.
“We sent enough DNA to regenerate life on Earth, if necessary. Although it would require more advanced biotech than we have to do that. At least our DNA is offsite now. But note that cells and DNA cannot survive or reproduce on the moon. Yet if retrieved they could be useful.”
Retrieved by whom? Or what? They could definitely be useful if they survived intact with the library/instruction manual. And that is precisely what Nova Spivack confirmed to Wired.
“About the tardigrades in the Lunar Library: Some are sealed in epoxy with 100 million human, plant and microorganism cells. Some are encapsulated onto the sticky side of a 1cm square piece of Kapton tape that is sealed inside the disc stack. They cannot reproduce on the moon.”
As cries of alarm arose following the Wired interview, Spivack tried to cover his exposed posterior by explaining in tweetsthat, although the medium they are stored on survived, the tardigrades “cannot reproduce on the moon.” Which would be comforting information if they weren’t stuck to a disc containing instructions on how to make them reproduce.
If name Arch Mission Foundation sounds familiar, they’re the people who put a copy Isaac Asimov’s Foundation trilogy on a disc and stuck it in the glove compartment of Elon Musk’s Tesla, which is now far out in space. The lunar library on the Moon has much, much more.
“The lunar library on the Beresheet lander consisted of 25 layers of nickel, each only a few microns thick. The first four layers contain roughly 60,000 high-resolution images of book pages, which include language primers, textbooks, and keys to decoding the other 21 layers. Those layers hold nearly all of the English Wikipedia, thousands of classic books, and even the secrets to David Copperfield’s magic tricks.”
Wikipedia! That has everything! Good thing it’s not completely accurate, right? RIGHT? Even scarier, stuck to the disc was a chuck of synthetic epoxy similar to the resin we find on Earth containing million-year-old fossilized insects that are being extracted for their preserved DNA. Spivack and his team put their own hair follicles and blood samples in the resin, along with some of the dehydrated tardigrades. The rest of them they smeared on a tape that was attached to the outside of the disc. That means it’s already exposed on the lunar surface. Hold up that sign again.
“Our job, as the hard backup of this planet, is to make sure that we protect our heritage—both our knowledge and our biology. We have to sort of plan for the worst.”
That’s the ‘noble cause’ Spivack uses to justify the Arch Mission Foundation and the tardigrades now waiting to be revived by the first alien who can read the disc – placing the essence of humanity in a safe place should that same humanity destroy itself on Earth.
There are churches around the world claiming to have a piece of the true cross – enough that if put together would create a “Life of Brian”-esque field of crosses looking on the bright side of life. The same can’t be said of the Shroud of Turin – considered by many to be the burial cloth of Jesus of Nazareth, complete with an image that has defied scientific verification for centuries. While most beliefs in its authenticity are based on faith rather than fact, the Catholic Church has never officially passed judgment on it and most Christian denominations now look at it more with respect rather than unquestioning belief. Still, many would like to know the truth. A new study shows once again just how difficult this is to do.
“In 1988, three laboratories performed a radiocarbon analysis of the Turin Shroud. The results, which were centralized by the British Museum and published in Nature in 1989, provided ‘conclusive evidence’ of the medieval origin of the artefact. However, the raw data were never released by the institutions. In 2017, in response to a legal request, all raw data kept by the British Museum were made accessible. A statistical analysis of the Nature article and the raw data strongly suggests that homogeneity is lacking in the data and that the procedure should be reconsidered.”
Full-length photo of the Shroud of Turin
The 1988 radiocarbon tests on the Shroud of Turin – conducted by researchers from the University of Arizona, Oxford University, and the Swiss Federal Institute of Technology under the auspices of the British Museum — dated the cloth to between 1260 and 1390 – thus concluding it is a forgery. While the results were published, the raw data was kept hidden under a ‘shroud’ of secrecy. Why?
“For almost 30 years, scholars asked in vain for the raw data from the three laboratories and the supervising institution, the British Museum. I graduated in law, so I had the idea to make a legal request based on the Freedom of Information Act. The British Museum was the only institution to fully and quickly answer my request.”
French independent researcher Tristan Casabianca, together with a team of Italian researchers and scientists, were the first outsiders to see the raw data, and spent two years going through the hundreds of pages of research. The answer to the question of why it was kept secret eventually became apparent … the data was flawed, making the conclusion invalid.
“The tested samples are obviously heterogeneous from many different dates. There is no guarantee that all these samples, taken from one end of the shroud, are representative of the whole fabric. It is, therefore, impossible to conclude that the Shroud of Turin dates from the Middle Ages.”
Explaining to the National Catholic Register the results of his study, published in the journal Archaeometry, the Catholic Church is so protective of the shroud that it only allowed the 1988 researchers to take samples from the very edge of the cloth – an area that many believe was repaired after the shroud was partly burned in a fire in 1532. To Casabianca and his team, not taking random samples from multiple locations was a violations of the scientific method and should have been clearly stated – thus requiring the researchers to not draw any conclusions. Instead, this breach in scientific protocol was glossed over and no one was brave (or dumb) enough to challenge the British Museum on the obviously highly controversial results.
Full length negatives of the Shroud of Turin
Casabianca doesn’t fear the museum nor the Catholic Church nor those who believe science should not interfere with faith. He recommends new radiocarbon tests on threads from multiple locations.
“On a much deeper level, I would like to emphasize that those findings show why Christians should have no reason to be afraid of the scientific process. The quest for truth is at the heart of our faith and will never be a danger for our belief system. That’s why we should not be afraid of new tests on the Turin shroud.”
Good luck with that. As Russ Breault, the president of the Shroud of Turin Education Project Inc., points out:
“Politically the Church does not want to be viewed as anti-science. Hence, the shroud is often referred to as a ‘symbol of Christ’s suffering, worthy of veneration.’”
The fifth largest body of water in Sweden, Storsjön Lake has something in common with Loch Ness, Scotland. No prizes for guessing what it is: a lake monster. Or, perhaps, an entire colony of them. Its name is Storsjöodjuret, and it’s a creature with a long history. In 1635, a priest named Morgens Pedersdens wrote the following, which suggests the Swedish Nessie is a beast of supernatural proportions, rather than one of a flesh and blood nature: “A long, long time ago two trolls, Jata and Kata, stood on the shores of the Great-Lake brewing a concoction in their cauldrons. They brewed and mixed and added to the liquid for days and weeks and years. They knew not what would result from their brew but they wondered about it a great deal. One evening there was heard a strange sound from one of their cauldrons. There was a wailing, a groaning and a crying, then suddenly came a loud bang.”
The story continues: “A strange animal with a black serpentine body and a cat-like head jumped out of the cauldron and disappeared into the lake. The monster enjoyed living in the lake, grew unbelievably larger and awakened terror among the people whenever it appeared. Finally, it extended all the way round the island of Frösön, and could even bite its own tail. Ketil Runske bound the mighty monster with a strong spell which was carved on a stone and raised on the island of Frösön. The serpent was pictured on the stone. Thus was the spell to be tied till the day someone came who could read and understand the inscription on the stone.”
Fifty years later, in 1885, the monster was still attracting the attention of people in the region of Storsjön Lake. Andreas Plantin stated of the serpent of the deep: “It is said that beneath this stone lies a dreadfully large head of a serpent and that the body stretches over Storsjön to Knytta by and Hille Sand where the tail is buried. The serpent was called a rå and therefore shall this stone be risen. Since no one peacefully could cross [Storsjön], the ferryman and his wife states, along with many others, that in the last turbulent time this stone was tore down and broken in two. As long as this stone laid on the ground many strange things occurred in the water, until the stone was risen and assembled anew.”
The stone to which Plantin was referring to was the Frösö rune-stone. For those who may not know, rune-stones are ancient, raised stones inscribed with runic symbols. That the Storsjöodjuret has a connection to the Frösö rune-stone is yet another indication that in times past the beast was perceived as a paranormal one. It’s important to note, however, that the Storsjöodjuret is not just a creature of the distant past. The 1970s saw a number of significant encounters with the creature. On August 2, 1973, a man named Ragnar Bjorks had a notable sighting of the monstrous serpent. He said at the time:
“As I am the fisheries officer in this area and I was out checking to see that all the anglers had there valid permits. But instead of anglers I saw something peculiar, a big tail that was about 0.5 meters high just above the surface. At first I thought it was a piece of driftwood. But when I got closer I saw a colossal fish whose tale was out of the water. My rowing boat is 3.8 meters long and I estimate that the fish was 2 meters longer than my boat. When I was by the side of this monster I took my oar and hit it straight over its back.” By Bjorks’ own admission, “I shouldn’t have done that.” He explained why: “In the same moment the animal slapped the water with its tail so that the boat was thrown 3 or 4 meters into the air. Strangely enough, the boat came down again on its keel but I had to balance it. I believe that God was with me then.”
As for the specific description of the beast of the waters, Bjorks said: “The creature was grey/brown on top and yellow underneath and was 5½ to 6 meters long. I think it was a marl, a voracious, predatory fish that grows over 16 feet long in some countries. Yes, it was a real experience and many people will think that this Storsjöodjuret is a mere fake, but I’ve seen it with my own eyes and I’m not afraid to talk about it. Some years ago my wife saw it. It had two humps and was slowly moving forward. I didn’t believe her but now I’m convinced.”
Also convinced were Rolf Larsson and Irene Magnusson, who saw the legendary monster three years after Ragnar Bjorks. It was July 1976 when the pair, fishing on the lake at the time, had an extraordinary encounter. Larsson said: “We were about 500 meters from land and we were going home when we passed a buoy. Suddenly some waves rocked the boat. Fifty or sixty meters from us between land and the boat we saw something that moved under the surface. Then it came up to the surface, not with a splash but with smooth waves. The part of the body we saw above water was not more than 20-30 cm high and about 1 meter long. But from the amount of water it displaced we could see that it was a large object beneath the surface. I would like to compare it with an upside-down boat; you only see the keel of it. Irene was as pale as a corpse.”
Like the Loch Ness Monster, Ogopogo, and Champ, the Storsjöodjuret continues to be seen. And, just like the “big three,” it continues to elude capture and identification. The mystery of Sweden’s most famous monster lives on.
How would you feel if you looked out your window and saw a giant ball of fire doing loops across the sky? That’s got to be one of the more unnerving types of UFOs to see. An alien spaceship might be a little reality-shattering but at least there would be a little bit of context—it’s a real weird vehicle, but at least you know what a vehicle is. A big ball of fire apocalyptically pirouetting over a small English town, though? That’s just plain odd.
The 'fireball' seen over Brixworth.
Photo: Lauren Tester
The latest mysterious fireball was seen in the skies over Northhampton, England. Luke Pawsey, 20, spoke to the Northhampton Chronicle and Echo about the video of the bizarre event, filmed by his friend Lauren Tester at her home. You canwatch the video for yourself here. The footage is short, only a few seconds long, but it shows a large flaming object doing loops in the sky. You can even see the smoke from previous loops faintly to the right of the fireball, indicating that it is in fact a literal great ball of fire.
It literally looks like this.
Luke Pawsey says he doesn’t believe that the fireball was man made or a weird type of lightning. He believes that it is in some way alien. Pawsey says:
“I think it’s an unidentified flying object (UFO) but when people imagine that they think of a spaceship which I don’t think it was. But how do we know what’s out there, especially if it doesn’t exist to us? It could be aliens but I don’t want to say for certain as I don’t know.”
Strangely, it seems that Pawsey and Tester are the only witnesses to the bizarre event. Pawsey says it’s hard to believe that no one else saw a giant dancing fireball in the sky:
“It’s baffling and it really is a mystery that’s why I’m so interested in it. No one knows what it is and by the time you get someone to look at it, it’s gone.
Yet this isn’t the first time a big, ridiculous, and unexplained fireball has appeared. It’s not even the first time it’s happened in Northhampton. In 2014 a video was posted online of what can only be described as “probably the same thing.” 11-year-old Katie Real filmed a looping fireball UFO over Northampton as her parents watched. Fiona Fearon, Katie’s mom, said in 2014:
“Initially we thought it could be a plane on fire but it appeared to be dancing across the sky. It was an amazing sight. It’s very weird. [Our children] were very excited by it. It looked like a ball of fire moving around in the sky.”
Could be a wizard did it. It is England, after all.
Often, mysterious fireballs and dancing lights are explained away with two words: “ball lightning.” The problem with that is although it’s a term composed of two words we know—”ball” and “lightning”—science still considers ball lightning to be an unexplained phenomenon. It’s called a type of lightning because it’s associated with thunderstorms (sometimes) and because it looks like it’s probably electric in nature. But the list of proposed explanations for ball lightning is long and ridiculous, and due to its extreme rarity science has never been able to study it under controlled conditions. No one knows what it is, and using an unexplained phenomenon to explain away an unexplained phenomenon seems like the definition of madness.
But it’s understandable that folks would be looking for something to make a giant dancing fireball seem a bit more mundane. But at the end of the day, no matter what name you give it, it’s still a giant dancing fireball in the sky.
Expert Warns Alien Hybrids Are Being Assimilated Into Our Society and Culture
Expert Warns Alien Hybrids Are Being Assimilated Into Our Society and Culture
David Jacobs on CoastToCoast AM warned that the marginalization of abductions has served to obscure an ongoing agenda centered around overtaking the planet via ET-human hybrids.
According to his research, this plan involves gradually populating the Earth with these entities, which he calls 'hubrids,' that look and act like normal humans, but are actually hybrids that possess mind abilities.
Since the hubrids were created and raised off planet, Jacobs claimed, human abductees are being used by the ETs to educate and train the entities for easier assimilation into our society and culture.
While Jacobs conceded that he has yet to decipher the reason behind this surreptitious infestation of the planet, he expressed certainty that humans are poised to ultimately become a second class species to the hybrids which are usurping our world.
And not only David Jacobs believes that Alien-Hybrids are being assimilated into our society and culture, Oxford professor Dr. Young-hae Chi also believes alien-human hybrid species are among us.
Dr. Young-hae Chi at the austere British institution claims bug-like aliens walk among us, and says they’re having very close encounters with humans - interbreeding to create a new hybrid species that could one day save Earth from climate change and other disasters.
The visitors are hardly altruists — they are meddling in our affairs because they share a “comprehensive biosphere” with humans, according to Dr. Young-hae Chi instructor in Korean at Oxford’s Oriental Institute.
“They come not for the sake of us, but for the sake of them, their survival, but their survival is actually our survival as well — the survival of the entire biosphere,” explained Chi, Read more here.
WETENSCHAP & PLANEETHet is een vraag die heel wat wetenschappers bezighoudt. Is er nu wel of geen leven op de maan? Een recente mislukte maanlanding zou er wel eens voor gezorgd kunnen hebben dat we vanaf nu van levende organismen op de maan mogen spreken.
Eind februari lanceerde Israël de eerste private maanlander Beresheet, tot in april plots alle contact werd verbroken. De maanlander zou nu toch voor een primeur hebben gezorgd. En wat voor één. De Beresheet had namelijk zogenaamde beerdiertjes mee, minuscule meercellige organismen die erom bekend staan te overleven bij extreme omstandigheden.
Volgens de Arch Mission Foundation, de organisatie achter de mislukte maanlanding, zouden deze ‘sterkste dieren op aarde’ wel eens “de enige overlevenden” kunnen zijn van de missie.
Op aarde leven beerdiertjes op hoge bergtoppen, in verzengende woestijnen en in het ijs op Antarctica. Dr. Karl Shuker schreef in zijn boek The Hidden Powers of Animals dat de diertjes zelfs overleven in vloeibaar helium en wanneer ze worden gekookt aan 149 graden Celsius.
De verborgen kracht van het beestje zit hem in de mogelijkheid om zichzelf als het ware te verschrompelen tot een ‘zaadachtige’, waarbij al het water afgestoten wordt en het metabolisme tot stilstand komt. Het is in deze toestand dat het diertje dergelijke extreme omstandigheden kan overleven.
Reëel
In 2007 ontdekten wetenschappers dat deze diertjes ook wel eens de zware condities van ruimtereizen zouden kunnen overleven. En dat zou bij deze dus gebeurd zijn.
Volgens Lukasz Kaczmarek, een astrobioloog aan de Adam Mickiewicz University in Poznań, is de kans reëel dat de diertjes de crash hebben overleefd. “Beerdiertjes kunnen een druk die ontstaat wanneer asteroïden crashen op aarde overleven, dus een dergelijke kleine crash betekent niets voor hen.” Hij voegde eraan toe dat de diertjes het waarschijnlijk nog enkele jaren kunnen uithouden.
Geen kolonisatie
Een kolonisatie van de maan is echter onbestaande. “Ze kunnen de maan niet koloniseren, omdat er geen atmosfeer en vloeibaar water voorhanden is,” aldus Kaczmarek. “Maar het zou mogelijk zijn om ze terug naar de aarde te brengen en opnieuw tot leven te wekken.” Gedehydrateerde beerdiertjes zijn namelijk in het verleden al opnieuw tot leven gewekt door hen in water te stoppen, waarna ze hun leven van voordien gewoon verderzetten.
Philippe Reekie, een collega-astrobioloog aan de Universiteit van Edinburgh, bevestigt de stelling van Kaczmarek. Maar, zo voegt hij er aan toe, als de beerdiertjes zich in hun normale toestand bevonden, is de kans groot dat ze de impact toch niet hebben overleefd. “In hun normale staat kun je de beestjes namelijk makkelijk doden.”
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Facebook verwijdert evenementen die oproepen tot bestormen Area 51. Wat mogen we niet weten?
Facebook verwijdert evenementen die oproepen tot bestormen Area 51. Wat mogen we niet weten?
Een Facebookevenement dat opriep tot het bestormen van Area 51 werd binnen korte tijd een internetsensatie.
Meer dan twee miljoen gebruikers meldden zich aan, Jimmy Kimmel en Stephen Colbert besteedden er aandacht aan en de Amerikaanse luchtmacht riep mensen op om niet te komen.
Facebook heeft de pagina nu opeens verwijderd, schrijft CNET.
Zonder reden
Organisator Matthew Roberts liet via zijn persoonlijke Facebookpagina weten dat de social mediareus het evenement had verwijderd omdat het ‘in strijd is met de gemeenschapsnormen’.
“Ze hebben me nooit een reden gegeven,” zei hij tegen CNET.
“Ik heb een nieuwe pagina aangemaakt, waar 15.000 mensen zich hebben aangemeld, die inmiddels ook zonder reden is verwijderd,” vervolgde hij.
Festival
Roberts wil nu een festival gaan organiseren in Rachel in Nevada met Area 51 als thema. Hij maakte hier een evenement voor aan op Facebook, maar al snel werd ook die pagina verwijderd.
Area 51 is een geheime legerbasis op zo’n 250 kilometer van Las Vegas in Nevada. Niemand weet precies waar de basis voor wordt gebruikt.
Aliens
Volgens complottheorieën worden er buitenaardse ruimteschepen of aliens bewaard op de basis.
De locatie kreeg zijn naam in 1951, toen wrakstukken van de Roswell-UFO zouden zijn overgebracht naar de legerbasis.
In 2013 werd het bestaan van Area 51 voor het eerst officieel erkend.
Divers Uncover Ancient Temple Submerged Within The 'Egyptian Atlantis'
DAVID NIELD
The ancient Egyptian city of Heracleionwas once a bustling trading port. Now, it lies 45 metres (about 148 feet) under the Mediterranean Sea. Recently, divers have revealed perhaps the best find since the submerged city was rediscovered two decades ago.
In their most recent underwater expedition, Egyptian and European experts have found significant remains of a large temple under the sea, as well as several ships laden with treasure such as coins and jewellery.
Archaeologists led by Franck Goddio, who was also in charge of the very first underwater exploration of Heracleion, think they have found the stone columns from the city's main temple (called Amun Garp), as well as the remains of a smaller Greek temple.
The remarkable treasures show how the enchanting site is still revealing its secrets many years after it was first explored, as thousands of years of sediment and mud get sifted through.
Such discoveries have been made possible thanks to a range of sophisticated scanning tools that can discern objects on the seabed floor and even beneath it, despite the obfuscating sediment.
Joining together geophysical data from satellite positioning, echo sounders, nuclear magnetic resonance magnetometers and side-scan sonar, researchers have acquired such comprehensive scans, that the team discovered a group of ports close by Heracleion that weren't previously known about.
Armed with this information, archaeological divers then plunged down to the remains for a closer look. As for the other finds besides the temples, the divers report coming across bronze coins from the reign of King Ptolemy II(283 to 246 BCE), plus pottery, jewellery, and storage utensils found in the remains of several ships.
The archaeologists also dug up coins from the Byzantine era, which means it's likely that the city was inhabited from at least the fourth century BCE. Another finding was the missing part of a ceremonial boat that had been found on a previous excavation.
Further discoveries were made at Canopus, another nearby submerged city. These included coins from the Ptolemaic and Byzantine eras, plus rings and earrings from Ptolemaic times.
Recovered coins and jewellery.
(Christoph Gerigk/Franck Goddio/Hilti Foundation)
Heracleion (also known as Thonis) is thought to have been built during the 8th century BCE on the banks of the Nile river, and is so named because the hero Hercules himself once visited it – or so the legend goes. It's now known informally as Egypt's Atlantis.
"The objects recovered from the excavations illustrate the cities' beauty and glory, the magnificence of their grand temples and the abundance of historic evidence," states a project description on Goddio's website.
"Colossal statues, inscriptions and architectural elements, jewellery and coins, ritual objects and ceramics – a civilisation frozen in time."
Exactly how it ended up underwater remains a mystery to historians, but the best guess is that rising sea levels, seismic activity, and crumbling foundations caused the entire city to slide into the Mediterranean, at least 1,000 years ago.
Now the team of deep sea archaeologists is preparing their findings for publication in a scientific journal. It's going to be fascinating to find out what Heracleion turns up next; Goddio estimates that only about 5 percent of the city has so far been revealed.
Archeologen hebben in de onderwaterruïnes van de Egyptische stad Heracleion meerdere ontdekkingen gedaan.
De ruïnes van wat ook wel het Egyptische Atlantis wordt genoemd, bevinden zich op zo’n 2,5 kilometer voor de kust op een diepte van ruim 10 meter in de Abu Qir-baai.
Tijdens een recente expeditie stuitten Egyptische en Europese duikers op een mysterieuze onderwatertempel en diverse scheepswrakken vol schatten.
Byzantijnse periode
De ontdekkingen konden worden gedaan met behulp van sonar, satellietgegevens, magnetometers en dieptemeters.
Duikers die de ruïnes verkenden, ontdekten ook munten, sieraden en aardewerk.
Sommige munten dateren van de Byzantijnse periode, wat betekent dat de stad tot tenminste de vierde eeuw voor Christus werd bewoond.
Kolossale standbeelden
Heracleion is naar verluidt in de achtste eeuw voor Christus gesticht langs de oever van de Nijl.
Het is nog altijd een mysterie waarom de stad, waar ook kolossale standbeelden zijn gevonden, ten onder is gegaan.
Vijf procent
De bevindingen worden binnenkort gepubliceerd in een wetenschappelijk tijdschrift.
Naar schatting is pas zo’n vijf procent van de stad blootgelegd. Wie weet wat voor geheimen Heracleion nog zal prijsgeven.
Spectaculair: kijk hoe een enorme ‘spookstad’ verschijnt op een meer in China
Spectaculair: kijk hoe een enorme ‘spookstad’ verschijnt op een meer in China
Beelden van een enorme ‘spookstad’ op een meer in China maken veel los. Het opmerkelijke verschijnsel deed zich zondag voor op het Hongzemeer in de stad Huai’an.
In een filmpje, dat al snel viral ging op Chinese social media, kunnen aan de horizon ‘oude gebouwen, torens, stadsmuren en huizen’ worden gezien.
Fata morgana
De luchtspiegeling was maar liefst 40 minuten lang te zien. Veel lokale bewoners keken verbaasd toe.
Dit fenomeen wordt ook wel een fata morgana genoemd. Het is een verschijnsel waarbij er grote temperatuurverschillen bestaan tussen verschillende luchtlagen.
Het scheidingsvlak tussen luchtlagen met verschillende temperaturen kan zich onder specifieke omstandigheden als spiegel gaan gedragen.
Niet bekend
Ook kan de luchtlaag met de laagste temperatuur zich zo als lens gaan gedragen.
Het is nog niet bekend van welke stad de ‘spookstad’ op het Hongzemeer een reflectie is geweest.
Residents in the Chinese city of Huai'an were stunned yesterday after a giant mirage of a 'ghost city' emerged over the horizon.
The rition appeared in the afternoon over the Hongze Lake in the province of Jiangsu in eastern China, according to local media.
Ancient Chinese buildings with curved roofs, trees and a giant wind turbine were among the eerie images rising up through the mist that had descended over the lake. There is usually nothing but sky across the horizon.appa
Residents of the Chinese city of Huai'an were yesterday stunned to see the ghostly apparition of an ancient city over a freshwater lake. The unusual sight appeared on a humid afternoon
Amazed residents rushed to see the unusual spectacle, which lasted about half an hour on the south-western part of the lake, reported Jiangsu News Broadcast.
Occupying 2,069 square kilometres (798 square miles), Hongze is the fourth largest freshwater lake in China.
One of the eyewitnesses, a photographer named Chen Kai, told newspaper Modern Express that he spotted the sight after a rainfall.
Mr Chen said he saw a cluster of ancient Chinese buildings which stood about a dozen stories, including octagonal gate towers, city wall and residential buildings.
The mirage was spotted by a photographer named Chen Kai who was taking pictures by the lake yesterday afternoon. It was believed to be one of the clearest mirage recorded in the area
It is believed that the sight was a mirage - a form of illusion that is common in humid weather.
The phenomenon is caused when moisture in the air becomes warmer than the temperature of water below.
As the rays of sunlight cross from the colder air into the warmer air it is 'bent' or refracted - creating a reflection in the air.
The patterns in the mirage are typically blurred and shimmering with a resemblance to human structures. They are similar to a reflection seen in water.
Occupying 2,069 square kilometres, Hongze is the fourth largest freshwater lake in China
The director of the Hongze Lake Museum, Mr Pei, told reporters mirages had appeared in the region in the 1950s and 1960s, according to the city's archives.
The mirage yesterday was believed to be one of the clearest ever recorded in the area.
Footage of the 'ghost city' has caused a sensation on the Chinese social media, with web users flocking to identify the structures in the optical illusion.
Mr Chen said he was yet to find out the original site of the reflection captured on his footage.
Mass UFO sightings reported over Cincinnati as mystery lights filmed vanishing from sight
Mass UFO sightings reported over Cincinnati as mystery lights filmed vanishing from sight
SOCIAL media has been flooded with reports of UFOs appearing over Cincinnati, as baffling footage appears to show lights vanishing and reappearing.
Shocked witnesses Laina and Angie captured the bizarre sighting in the skies above the city in Ohio, US, on August 3
The clip begins with for bright objects moving in a line across the grey clouds.
But, one-by-one, they start to vanish from sight.
"They're gone, I just don't know," one of the camerawomen says as the objects then re-appear.
A fifth light then emerges on the left-hand side of the screen.
YouTube conspiracist MrMBB333 who uploaded the clip and said: “They didn’t go behind the clouds, they were in front of the clouds.
“Something comes in from the left, they appear to be in a straight row and at a slight angle.”
When the conspiracist switches the light formats, he claims the footage shows the planes turning “invisible”.
BIZARRE: The bizarre sightings were captured over multiple states in the US (Pic: YOUTUBE / MRMBB333 / THIRDPHASEOFMOON / ALBERT513TV )
“It was still daylight, so if they were some sort of physical craft, which I’m sure they probably were, how come you couldn’t see them?” he asks.
Another eyewitness captured the moment from a different location in Cincinnati and submitted it to YouTube star Blake Cousins, of thirdphaseofmoon.
The clip captured the lights changing from a triangular shape into a straight line before moving back.
Three of the four lights disappear for a few moments before gradually reappearing.
SIGHTINGS: The bizarre lights were spotted some 600 miles away (Pic: YOUTUBE / THIRDPHASEOFMOON)
Other videos have surfaced on Twitter since the sighting on Saturday and dozens of people have claimed they saw the lights as well.
One YouTuber uploaded a clip of the lights moving throughout the sky.
The cameraman shouts: “We’ve got aliens in Cincinnati.”
A viewer commented: "I saw the same lights!"
STRANGE: The lights in the sky appeared to move (Pic: YOUTUBE / MRMBB333)
Area 51: 'UFOs' seen giving off bright lights from plane window
Another person said: "I saw that UFO move up in the air into some clouds and then down and side to side."
Over the last month, multiple sightings of a “snake-like” UFO have hit the headlines.
A conspiracy theorist told Daily Star Online that the series of snake-shaped UFOs spotted across the US could be military craft linked to the Space Force.
The first sighting of the mysterious object happened last month when YouTuber Cody Kennedy was stunned to discover a flashing light hovering above the Mojave Desert in California.
The remains of a microscopic drop of ancient seawater was used to re-establish the date that plate tectonics started on Earth.
The remains of a microscopic drop of ancient seawater has assisted in rewriting the history of Earth’s evolution when it was used to re-establish the time that plate tectonics started on the planet.
Credit: Wits University
Plate tectonics is Earth’s vital – and unique – continuous recycling process that directly or indirectly controls almost every function of the planet, including atmospheric conditions, mountain building (forming of continents), natural hazards such as volcanoes and earthquakes, formation of mineral deposits and the maintenance of our oceans. It is the process where the large continental plates of the planet continuously move, and the top layers of the Earth (crust) are recycled into the mantle and replaced by new layers through processes such as volcanic activity.
Where it was previously thought that plate tectonics started about 2.7 billion years ago, a team of international scientists used the microscopic leftovers of a drop of water that was transported into the Earth’s deep mantle – through plate tectonics – to show that this process started 600 million years before that. An article on their research that proves plate tectonics started on Earth 3.3 billion years ago was published in the high impact academic journal, Nature, on 16 July.
Credit: Wits University
“Plate tectonics constantly recycles the planet’s matter, and without it the planet would look like Mars,” says Professor Allan Wilson from the Wits School of Geosciences, who was part of the research team.
“Our research showing that plate tectonics started 3.3 billion years ago now coincides with the period that life started on Earth. It tells us where the planet came from and how it evolved.”
Earth is the only planet in our solar system that is shaped by plate tectonics and without it the planet would be uninhabitable.
For their research, the team analysed a piece of rock melt, called komatiite – named after the type occurrence in the Komati river near Barberton in Mpumalanga – that are the leftovers from the hottest magma ever produced in the first quarter of Earth’s existence (the Archaean). While most of the komatiites were obscured by later alteration and exposure to the atmosphere, small droplets of the molten rock were preserved in a mineral called olivine. This allowed the team to study a perfectly preserved piece of ancient lava.
“We examined a piece of melt that was 10 microns (0.01mm) in diameter, and analysed its chemical indicators such as H2O content, chlorine and deuterium/hydrogen ratio, and found that Earth’s recycling process started about 600 million years earlier than originally thought,” says Wilson. “We found that seawater was transported deep into the mantle and then re-emerged through volcanic plumes from the core-mantle boundary.”
The research allows insight into the first stages of plate tectonics and the start of stable continental crust.
“What is exciting is that this discovery comes at the 50th anniversary of the discovery of komatiites in the Barberton Mountain Land by Wits Professors, the brothers Morris and Richard Viljoen,” says Wilson.
Contacts and sources: University of the Witwatersrand
Citation: Deep hydrous mantle reservoir provides evidence for crustal recycling before 3.3 billion years ago. Alexander V. Sobolev, Evgeny V. Asafov, Andrey A. Gurenko, Nicholas T. Arndt, Valentina G. Batanova, Maxim V. Portnyagin, Dieter Garbe-Schönberg, Allan H. Wilson, Gary R. Byerly. Nature, 2019; 571 (7766): 555 DOI: 10.1038/s41586-019-1399-5
Linda Moulton Howe: MO41, the Incredible UFO Case Before Roswell
Linda Moulton Howe: MO41, the Incredible UFO Case Before Roswell
COAST TO COAST AM.Earthfiles investigative reporter Linda Moulton Howe presented a report on the new book, “MO41, The Bombshell Before Roswell,” interviewing its author Paul Blake Smith, a longtime Missouri resident who decided to dig deeply into the 1941 crash of a UFO near Cape Girardeau, Missouri.
The incident began on the night of April 12, 1941, when local resident, Pastor William G. Huffman, was called by police authorities to travel immediately to a crash site to give ministerial rites to three passengers, two dead and one still alive, Smith recounted.
According to Huffman, when he was escorted to the site, he saw a crashed metal spaceship, and nearby were three identical Grey aliens, “almost as if they were released from a cookie cutter.” The recovered aliens were “incinerated from within” as though they could not breathe our atmosphere, Rev. Huffman recalled.
Are you ready for human-monkey hybrids? How about human-rat or human-mouse combinations? Can you accept the justification being given by scientists and government officials giving their approval that it’s for a ‘noble cause’ – creating much-needed human transplant organs – and that no actual hybrid creature will be brought to full development? That they will be interrupted or destroyed or ‘terminated’ before they reach that point? Well, get ready for some hybrids because the news out of China and Japan recently says they‘re either approved, just around the corner or already here. Can there be any scarier development in the world today?
Let’s start with the human-monkey hybrid. Announced by the Spanish news source El Pais, a team led by Juan Carlos Izpisúa genetically modified monkey embryos to deactivate the genes that create organs, then injected them with human stem cells that generated human organs instead. If his name sounds familiar, it could be because in 2017 Juan Carlos Izpisúa announced that he had created human-pig hybrids. Izpisúa works for the Salk Institute of the U.S. in conjunction with (ironically) the Catholic University of Murcia (UCAM) in Spain. The research is done in China where regulations against such experiments are lax at best. They also prefer to call the human-monkey combinations ‘chimeras’ because they’re not half-human and half monkey but merely monkeys developing human organs. Less creepy but still unethical enough that they destroy the embryos after 14 weeks to avoid more controversy. While his human-pig chimeras were ultimately unsuccessful, Izpisúa is confident it will eventually work and be accepted by the general public.
“History shows us again and again that, over time, our ethical and moral scales change and mutate, like our DNA, and what yesterday was ethically unacceptable, if that really means a breakthrough for the progress of humanity, today it is now an essential part of our lives.”
Is this the future?
This takes us to Japan, where that country’s education and science ministry issued new guidelines saying human-animal hybrids or chimeras can now be gestated to term and recently gave approval to renowned geneticist Hiromitsu Nakauchi at the University of Tokyo to create the first ones using rats and mice. In The Asahi Shimbun, Nakauchi described his plans to genetically modify fertilized eggs of rats and mice to deactivate the genes for making a pancreas, then inject them with humaniPS (induced stem) cells in the eggs, place them in rats and mice and allow them to be born, where their development will be monitored. As a precautionary measure, they will examine the brains of the rodent embryos after they reach a certain stage of development and end the experiment if the number of human cells in occupies more than 30 percent of the rat’s brain. That would signal that the human cells are taking over – a situation that is considered unethical … but still legal.
“We don’t expect to create human organs immediately, but this allows us to advance our research based upon the know-how we have gained up to this point.”
While the researchers say they plan to create human livers and kidneys as well as pancreas, Nakauchi tries to assail fears by saying the chances for living hybrids are nill.
“At that level, an animal with a human face will never be born.”
However, monkeys with human organs are already being recreated in China, where Nakauchi’s Japanese restrictions, minimal as they might be, are non-existent. You don’t have to have seen “Island of Lost Souls” (the 1932 pre-censorship horror film adaptation of H.G. Wells’ novel “Island of Dr. Moreau”) to come to the conclusions of Jiro Nudeshima, a life science specialist who co-heads a civic group focusing on the ethical concerns raised by life science research. He tells Asahi Shimbun:
“It is problematic, both ethically and from a safety aspect, to place human iPS cells, which are still capable of transforming into all types of cells, into the fertilized eggs of rats and mice. There is also a risk that a certain body part unexpectedly becomes chimera, a condition in which heterologous cells exist in one body, by mixing human cells into the brains or reproductive cells of rats and mice.”
Kathleen Burke as the Panther Woman in “Island of Lost Souls”
Dr. Moreau had no restrictions and an isolated island filled with apes and big cats to experiment with. Could it happen in real life?
Not 1 but 3 cigar-shaped UFOs appear above Mougins, France
Not 1 but 3 cigar-shaped UFOs appear above Mougins, France
On July 31, 2019 the photographer spotted two cigar-shaped UFOs in the sky above Mougins in France.
UFO 1 - Mougins, France
UFO 2 - Mougins, France
Both UFOs move at high speed, with the first UFO flying through a cloud and the second UFO coming into view above the cloud.
Besides, there is a strange triangle structure is visible in the cloud.
Coincidence or not but nine days earlier, on July 22, 2019 a similar cigar-shaped UFO has been filmed while flying over the same location in Mougins, France.
UFOs Seen Over California Beach On Aug 4, 2019, Photos, UFO Sighting News.
UFOs Seen Over California Beach On Aug 4, 2019, Photos, UFO Sighting News.
Date of sighting: Aug 4, 2019 Location of sighting: Huntington Beach, California, USA Source: MUFON #102536 Witnesses caught a fleet of bright objects over Huntington Beach two days ago. The objects were glowing orbs, but there was a single orb that seems to have been metallic and not glowing. The eyewitness said they noticed the objects as they began to rise higher and higher into the atmosphere and out of sight. Its very possible that these UFOs were exploring under the ocean off California and then decided to end their mission and return to its own planet or space station. There is a well known alien base off Malibu, California, these UFOs may have come from there. Scott C. Waring
Alien Orb Recorded Following Deer On Hunter Cam, July 17, 2019, UFO Sighting News.
Alien Orb Recorded Following Deer On Hunter Cam, July 17, 2019, UFO Sighting News.
Date of sighting: July 17, 2019
Location of sighting:Alma Center, Wisconsin, USA
Source: MUFON #102537
A hunter caught a glowing orb on his animal camera two weeks ago. The orb is actually watching and following a deer! The deer is caught in only the last photo, but its obvious that the alien probe is following it. Also I notice the date on the camera seems to be different than the date on his MUFON report. I think he may have never set the date on the camera correctly. I've been guilty of such things myself many times. Don't like wasting time trying to figure some of those things out. He says the photos were taken July 17 last month. This camera is using infrared which sees well at night and also will see any cloaked object. Awesome catch, and proof that aliens are interested in literally every form of life on Earth.
Scott C. Waring-Taiwan
Eyewitness states:
I have a series of 4 photos caught on my deer cam. I am a avid bow hunter and got these pictures when I checked my camera.
US Congressman Warns UFOs Could Pose a Serious Threat on National Security
US Congressman Warns UFOs Could Pose a Serious Threat on National Security
A US Congressman warns that UFOs could pose a severe security risk in a letter written to the Navy. North Carolina Republican Representative Mark Walker also asked if investigators had recovered physical evidence of unidentified aerial phenomena (UAP).
These pictures show ‘tic-tac’ UFOs caught on camera by US Navy pilots
After hearing dozens of reports of strange encounters between highly advanced UFOs and naval aviators, the former pastor wrote to US Navy Secretary Richard Spencer.
In the past two years, information of unexplained sightings has been leaking out after details of Advanced Aerospace Threat Identification Program (AATIP), which was a secret government programme, leaked into the public domain.
This is the letter Mark Walker wrote to Richard Spencer, Secretary of the US Navy
A declassified document which gives details of some of the research papers produced by AATIP investigators
This project was involved in investigating and exploring UFO encounters and exotic technologies such as antigravity, wormholes, cloaking, high energy laser weapons, and warp drives.
In his letter, Walker wrote: ‘Based on pilot accounts, encounters with UAPs often involved complex flight patterns and advanced manoeuvring, which demand extreme advances in quantum mechanics, nuclear science, electromagnetics and thermodynamics.
‘If the accounts are true, the unidentified crafts could pose a serious security risk to our military personnel and defence apparatus.
‘They could also represent a tremendous opportunity for advancements in science and technology that can contribute to the public good.
’ The letter also noted ‘reports of significant investments in advanced aerospace technologies’ by China and asked: ‘Does the department have any information regarding private companies or foreign nations who have made significant advancements in aerophysics?
In his letter, Walker believes too that details on encounters with UAPs are vital to the national security and scientific research as well as to public interest.
A number of US Navy pilots have reported encounters with mysterious UFOs which had no visible engine and produced no exhaust plumes but were capable of travelling at hypersonic speeds and soaring to incredible heights.
Nick Pope
We asked Nick Pope, former UFO investigator at the British Ministry of Defence, for his theories about the origins of these craft.
He said: ‘Even if the US government doesn’t have all the answers, somewhere in the system there will be a “best assessment” of the situation.
‘Even if much of it is classified and can’t be released, the assessment probably gives an indication of the official view on these encounters.
‘There are probably only four viable theories.
‘Firstly, the sightings and the videos we’ve all seen of US Navy jets chasing UFOs are attributable to some combination of pilot misperceptions, radar glitches and FLIR (Forward-Looking Infrared) system anomalies.
‘Secondly, we’re dealing with US black project technology. We hear a lot, for example, about drone swarms and hypersonic missiles. Is it possible that such technology is being ‘blind tested’ against the US Navy?
‘Thirdly, we’re dealing with foreign military aircraft, missiles or drones. Realistically, only Russia or China are likely to possess such technology and risk using it in this way.
‘The fourth and final option is that this is extraterrestrial. It would be interesting to know if this theory has been considered and forms part of any official assessment. Conversely, if it can’t be confirmed, has it at least been eliminated?
‘When I was working on this issue at the Ministry of Defence, we gave the extraterrestrial hypothesis serious consideration and while we didn’t have proof this was what we were dealing with, we didn’t rule it out – as some of the recently-declassified MoD UFO files show.
‘In relation to my list of options, if the first or second ones are the answer, this would be troubling on many levels, but if the third or fourth options turn out to be the solution, the defence and national security implications are staggering and frightening.
‘The fourth, of course, would take us into new and game-changing territory.’
Nick Pope greets fans and supporters at an AlienCon event
Nick Pope, a former investigator at the British Ministry of Defence, said the letter from Congressman Mark Walker is a sign of the growing political pressure for answers about UFOs and is consistent to the reports that many US Senators have received a classified briefing from Pentagon on the situation. Nick Pope also believes that Walker’s letter comes on the heels of the revelation from President Donald Trump that he had a meeting on the issue.
Pope said the newly-released letter from Congressman Mark Walker is a ‘hugely significant development and a sign of the growing political pressure for answers about UFOs’ which ‘comes on the heels of the revelation that a number of US Senators have received a classified Pentagon briefing on the situation, and the statement from President Trump that he had a meeting on the issue’.
He continued: ‘It’s a welcome sign that the taboo about discussing UFOs is less of a problem than it used to be. It wasn’t very long ago that politicians avoided the subject altogether, because of the perceived stigma and the fear of ridicule. It’s yet more proof that the subject has come out of the fringe and into the mainstream.
‘Mark Walker mentioned the US Navy’s recently-issued guidance to its pilots, telling them what to do if they encounter what the Navy refers to as “unidentified aerial phenomena” – UAP is the recognized government, military and intelligence community term for what the media and the public call UFOs. The Navy has refused to make this guidance public because it contains classified information, and while I understand this, I hope the Congressman will be able to press for the release of a redacted version, that might give people at least an indication of what we’re dealing with here.
‘I hope Congressman Walker will publish the reply he receives, will stay involved, and will encourage other members of Congress to get involved. And I hope he’ll write to the Secretary of the US Air Force too – it’s inconceivable that the USAF wouldn’t have something to add to all this. It would also be helpful to get some clarity over who’s leading on this topic in Congress: the Armed Services Committee, the Homeland Security Committee or the Intelligence Committee.
‘I hope that Congressman Walker will stay alongside this issue and I’d be happy to use my own official knowledge and experience of handling this issue to work with him – and anyone else in Congress – to try to get some clarity here. I know from my own experience in the MoD that information about military capabilities, intelligence assessments of other nations’ technology, and methods and sources of gathering intelligence must remain classified.
‘But it might be possible to find a way of producing an unclassified summary that would at least indicate whether the current best assessment is misidentification, US black project technology, foreign military activity, or extraterrestrial visitation.
‘Given that other Senators have already received classified briefings on the situation from US Navy officials, one obvious strategy would be for Congressman Walker to request the same briefing, after which he could give people an unclassified summary of what was discussed.’
That's the argument advanced by a pair of Japanese astrophysicists, who wrote a paper proposing a new search for millions of "isolated black holes" (IBHs) that likely populate our galaxy. These black holes, lost in the darkness, sip matter from the interstellar medium — the dust and other stuff floating between stars. But that process is inefficient, and a great deal of the matter gets expelled into space at high speeds. As that outflow interacts with the surrounding environment, the researchers wrote, it should produce radio waves that human radio telescopes can detect. And if astronomers can sift out those waves from all the noise that's in the rest of the galaxy, they might be able to spot these unseen black holes.
"A naive way to observe IBHs is through their X-ray emission," the researchers wrote in their paper, which has not yet been formally peer reviewed and which they made available July 1 as a preprint on arXiv.
Why is that? As black holes suck the matter from space, that matter at its fringes accelerates and forms what’s known as an accretion disk. The matter in that disk rubs against itself as it spins toward the event horizon— a black hole's point of no return — spitting out X-rays in the process. But isolated black holes, which are small compared to supermassive black holes, don't emit a great deal of X-rays this way. There simply isn't enough matter or energy in their accretion disks to create large X-ray signatures. And past searches for IBHs using X-rays have failed to produce conclusive results.
"These outflows can possibly make the IBHs detectable in other wavelengths," the researchers, Daichi Tsuna of the University of Tokyo and Norita Kawanaka of Kyoto University, wrote in their paper. "The outflows can interact with the surrounding matter and create strong collisionless shocks at the interface. These shocks can amplify magnetic fields and accelerate electrons, and these electrons emit synchrotron radiation in the radio wavelength."
In other words, the outflow sliding through the interstellar medium should get electrons moving at speeds that produce radio waves.
"Interesting paper," said Simon Portegies Zwart, an astrophysicist at Leiden University in the Netherlands, who was not involved in Tsuna and Kawanaka's research. Portegies Zwart has also studied the question of IBHs, also known as intermediate-mass black holes (IMBHs).
"It would be a great way to find IMBHs," Portegies Zwart told Live Science. "I think that with LOFAR [the Low-Frequency Array in the Netherlands], such research should already be possible, but the sensitivity may pose a problem."
IBHs, Portegies Zwart explained, are thought of as a "missing link" between the two types of black holes astronomers can detect: stellar-mass black holes that can be two to possibly 100 times the size of our sun, and supermassive black holes, the gargantuan beasts that live at the cores of galaxies and are hundreds of thousands of times the size of our sun.
Stellar-mass black holes are occasionally detectable in binary systems with regular stars, because the binary systems can produce gravitational waves and companion stars can provide fuel for large X-ray bursts. And supermassive black holes have accretion disks that emit so much energy that astronomers can detect and even photograph them.
But IBHs, in the midrange between those two other types, are far more difficult to detect. There are a handful of objects in space that astronomers suspect might be IBHs, but those results are uncertain. But past research, including a 2017 paper in the journal Monthly Notices of the Royal Astronomical Society, which Portegies Zwart co-authored, suggests millions of them could be hiding out there.
Tsuna and Kawanaka wrote that the best prospect for a radio survey of IBHs probably involves using the Square Kilometre Array (SKA), a multi-part radio telescope due to be built with sections in South Africa and Australia. It's slated to have a total radio-wave collecting area of 1 square kilometer (0.39 square miles). The researchers estimate that at least 30 IBHs emit radio waves that the SKA will be able to detect during its first, proof-of-concept phase, which is scheduled for 2020. Down the road, they wrote, the complete SKA (scheduled for the mid-2020s) should be able to detect up to 700.
Not only should SKA be able to spot radio waves from these IBHs, they wrote, it should also be able to precisely estimate the distance to many of them. When that time comes, finally, all these missing black holes should start to come out of hiding.
Ground zero for the impact that caused a Marsmega-tsunami more than 3 billion years ago may have been found.
The meteor that spawned that ancient flood probably blasted out Lomonosov Crater, a 75-mile-wide (120 kilometers) hole in the ground in the icy plains of the Martian Arctic, a new study reports.
Lomonosov's large size suggests that the impactor itself was big — similar in scale to the 6-mile-wide (10 km) asteroid that hit Mexico's Yucatan Peninsula 66 million years ago, sparking a mass extinction that killed off 75% of Earth's species, including the dinosaurs.
Such big space rocks don't hit the Red Planet (or Earth) very often. So, the new study provides some important clues about Mars' ancient northern ocean, and the planet's past potential to host life as we know it, team members said.
"The implication is that the ocean would have retained a liquid component for a very long time," study co-author Alexis Rodriguez, a senior scientist at the Planetary Science Institute in Tucson, Arizona, told Space.com. He offered 4 million to 5 million years as a representative figure, but stressed that the number is just an estimate.
A cold and mysterious ocean
Mars' big, salty northern ocean likely formed about 3.4 billion years ago. The ocean's existence is widely accepted by Mars researchers, Rodriguez said, but there is considerable debate about its nature.
For example, some scientists believe the ocean was relatively long-lived, if quite cold. But others don't think the ancient Martian climate could have supported stable bodies of surface water for long, and therefore argue that the ocean froze over very quickly — perhaps in a few thousand years or less.
Thenew study, which was published in late June in the Journal of Geophysical Research: Planets, bolsters the former viewpoint.
Rodriguez and his colleagues, led by François Costard of the French National Center for Scientific Research, built upon several years of previous research into the ocean and its imprints on the landscape of ancient Mars.
For example, Rodriguez led a 2016 study that identified huge lobes in the northern plains — features that strongly resemble marks left by tsunamis here on Earth. The team determined that the lobes were carved out by two different mega-tsunamis, which flooded the region more than 3 billion years ago.
Mars does not have significant plate-tectonic activity, so the big waves were probably unleashed by impacts. So, Costard, Rodriguez and their colleagues hunted for craters left behind by the cosmic culprits, narrowing the search over the next few years.
That search may now be over, at least for one of the two impactors. Multiple lines of evidence point to Lomonosov, the scientists report in the new study. For example, Lomonosov is in the right place, it's the right age (as determined by crater counts), and it looks a lot like marine craters here on Earth.
Lomonosov fits the bill in other ways as well. For instance, the crater is about as deep as scientists think the shallow northern ocean was at the time of impact. And part of Lomonosov's rim is missing, which is consistent with a mega-tsunami; the displaced water may have knocked this big chunk free as it raged.
While this evidence is suggestive, however, it does not yet rise to the level of a smoking gun, Rodriguez said.
"This crater is a candidate," he said. "I would not go so far as to say this is definitely the crater that produced the tsunami."
That tsunami, by the way, is probably the first of the two big floods that Rodriguez and his colleagues identified back in 2016. That earlier mega-tsunami featured both runoff and backwash flows, the latter of which are caused by water returning to the sea. Lomonosov seems to have been carved by both types of flows.
The second mega-tsunami caused runoff but not backwash, suggesting that Mars, and the ocean, may have been colder at the time. It's possible the northern ocean had a significant amount of ice cover when this other impactor came crashing down, he added.
Lomonosov is interesting enough on solely geological grounds.
"This is possibly the first time that a potential marine crater associated with a tsunami has been investigated outside Earth," Rodriguez said.
And then there are the astrobiological implications. As noted above, Lomonosov's size suggests the northern ocean — a potentially habitable environment — persisted for a relatively long time. It's statistically unlikely, after all, that the Lomonosov impact occurred right after this liquid ocean formed.
And even if the ocean were largely frozen at the time, the impact would have created an environment favorable to life as we know it: The tremendous energy unleashed would have melted lots of ice and created a hydrothermal system at Lomonosov, Rodriguez said.
The crater is therefore a tantalizing target for future life-hunting missions. Robotic explorers probably aren't up to the task, however, because the Lomonosov area is covered by an ice layer about 33 feet (10 meters) thick, Rodriguez said.
But human explorers could probably drill down through the ice and access sediments on the crater floor. And these pioneers could use the abundant water ice for life support, providing an exploration twofer.
Mike Wall's book about the search for alien life, "Out There" (Grand Central Publishing, 2018; illustrated byKarl Tate), is out now. Follow him on Twitter @michaeldwall. Follow us on Twitter@Spacedotcom orFacebook.
VIDEO. UFO-meldpunt onderzoekt waarneming in Bevingen - HLN.be
VIDEO. UFO-meldpunt onderzoekt waarneming in Bevingen - HLN.be
Dirk Selis
RVEen omwonende zag enkele vreemde lichtpunten aan de hemel. Mogelijk gaat het om drones.
SINT-TRUIDEN Afgelopen maandag werd boven een graanveld in Bevingen een unidentified flying object (ufo) waargenomen. Ooggetuigen filmden enkele vreemde lichtflitsen, die even snel alweer verdwenen. “Het zouden gewoon drones kunnen zijn”, aldus het Belgisch UFO-meldpunt. “Maar of we daar zeker van zijn? Dat niet, nee.”
“Ik heb geen idee wat het was”, zegt Mathieu Helleputte. “Maandagavond omstreeks 22.10 uur zagen we plots drie zeer felle lichtpunten boven een graanveld in Bevingen tijdens het dassenspotten. Heel ongewoon, ze bewogen razendsnel. Ik heb net op tijd mijn gsm op ‘filmen’ kunnen zetten. Vier seconden later waren ze weg. We hebben nog dertig minuten staan wachten, maar er kwam niets meer. Vrienden van mij raadden mij aan het te melden bij het Belgisch UFO-meldpunt, wat ik ook gedaan heb.”
Lichtkogels
Frederick Delaere, coördinator van het Belgisch UFO-meldpunt, vertelt wat er mogelijk te zien is op de beelden: “Na het ontvangen van deze waarneming en het bekijken van het bijhorende foto- en videomateriaal, konden de onderzoekers van het Belgisch UFO-meldpunt voorlopig twee mogelijke verklaringen naar voren schuiven. Het uiterlijk en gedrag van het fenomeen doet in verschillende opzichten denken aan lichtkogels. Dergelijke kogels worden wel vaker ingezet in de omgeving van luchthavens om bijvoorbeeld vogels af te schrikken en zo het luchtverkeer veilig te laten verlopen.”
Het fenomeen doet op meerdere vlakken denken aan lichtkogels, al meldde de regionale luchthaven alvast dat die niet van bij hen kwamen
Frederick Delaere
De regionale luchthaven (Limburg Regional Airport bvba) liet echter weten dat er op dat moment geen lichtkogels werden afgevuurd. Delaere: “Dit sluit evenwel niet uit dat iemand anders buiten de luchthaven dergelijke kogels heeft afgeschoten. Wel werd door de luchthaven bevestigd dat er op het moment van de waarneming verschillende drones met ledverlichting in het luchtruim aanwezig waren.”
Getuige ondervragen
Dergelijke toestellen worden volgens Delaere regelmatig vanaf de desbetreffende luchthaven opgelaten. Bovendien strookt de kijkrichting van de waarneming met de richting waarin de drones op dat moment vlogen. Maar voorlopig kan niet met zekerheid worden meegedeeld of hier lichtkogels of drones te zien zijn. “Verder onderzoek en eventuele ondervraging van de getuige zullen hier binnenkort misschien uitsluitsel over geven. Momenteel is het nog te vroeg om een definitieve uitspraak over de herkomst van het verschijnsel te doen”, aldus Delaere.
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- Gemiddelde waardering: 0/5 - (0 Stemmen) Categorie:HLN.be - Het Laatste Nieuws ( NL)
3 mysterieuze lichtbollen verschenen boven graanveld in België. Check hier de beelden
Foto: YouTube/Dirk Selis
3 mysterieuze lichtbollen verschenen boven graanveld in België. Check hier de beelden
Vorige maand is boven een graanveld in het Belgische dorp Bevingen een onbekend vliegend object vastgelegd op camera. Dat schrijft nieuwssite HLN.
In onderstaand filmpje zijn drie vreemde lichten te zien in de lucht.
Mathieu Helleputte zag op maandagavond 15 juli rond 22.10 uur plotseling drie felle lichten boven het graanveld verschijnen.
Razendsnel
“Heel ongewoon,” zei hij. “Ze bewogen razendsnel. Ik heb net op tijd mijn gsm op ‘filmen’ kunnen zetten. Vier seconden later waren ze weg.”
Helleputte besloot de waarneming op aanraden van vrienden te melden bij het Belgisch UFO-meldpunt.
Het meldpunt liet weten dat de mysterieuze bollen aan lichtkogels doen denken. Die worden soms ingezet in de omgeving van vliegvelden om vogels af te schrikken.
Niet met zekerheid
De enige luchthaven in de buurt liet weten dat er op dat moment geen lichtkogels werden afgevuurd.
Wel zouden er op het moment van de waarneming drones in de lucht aanwezig zijn geweest.
“Maar voorlopig kan niet met zekerheid worden meegedeeld of hier lichtkogels of drones te zien zijn,” aldus coördinator van het meldpunt Frederick Delaere.
Potentially habitable 'super-Earth' discovered just 31 light-years away
Potentially habitable 'super-Earth' discovered just 31 light-years away
Follow-up research could reveal if the planet is rocky or has oceans.
The GJ 357 system has three planets that we know of. One, named GJ 357 d, sits within the star's habitable zone and could sustain liquid water on its surface.
Jack Madden / Carl Sagan Institute; Cornell University
By Denise Chow
Astronomers announced Wednesday that they had discovered the nearest potentially habitable planet outside our solar system.
The newfound exoplanet — a so-called super-Earth named GJ 357 d — lies 31 light-years away from our solar system. It’s about six times more massive than our planet and orbits in its host star’s habitable zone, where water could exist in liquid form on the surface.
There’s no evidence at this point that life exists on the exoplanet, only that conditions there could support life as we know it.
“It’s a distance from the star that is not too hot and not too cold,” said Lisa Kaltenegger, an associate professor of astronomy and director of the Carl Sagan Institute at Cornell University in Ithaca, New York. The findings, published in the journal Astronomy & Astrophysics, were presented Wednesday at an exoplanet conference in Cambridge, Massachusetts.
Kaltenegger, who co-authored a study about the newfound exoplanet, said the discovery was totally unexpected. “It was like a freebie, because it was discovered in the follow-up,” she said of an analysis of observational data obtained from NASA’s planet-hunting TESS satellite and ground-based telescopes. “I was on vacation at the time, and I was completely surprised.”
Using TESS, a $337-million spacecraft that was launched in April 2018, the astronomers had detected another planet orbiting the same star, known as GJ 357. When they used ground-based telescopes at the Institute of Astrophysics of the Canary Islands and the University of La Laguna to conduct follow-up research on that planet, known as GJ 357 b, the scientists found two more planets in the system, including GJ 357 d.
The other two known planets in the star system, GJ 357 b and GJ 357 c, are not thought to be habitable because surface temperatures on the two worlds would be scorching. The surface of exoplanet GJ 357 c, for instance, is estimated to be about 260 degrees Fahrenheit, according to Kaltenegger.
Little is known about the potentially habitable planet, which takes almost 56 days to orbit its host star at a distance roughly one-fifth of the distance between Earth and the sun. Kaltenegger said a pair of next-generation telescopes — the James Webb Space Telescope that is scheduled to launch in 2021 and the Extremely Large Telescope in Chile that is expected to begin operating in 2025 — should reveal more, including whether the planet is rocky or has oceans.
“This is definitely going to be one of the best targets for these telescopes because it’s so close and so bright,” Kaltenegger said. “This means we can collect that light and analyze it further to see the chemical composition of the atmosphere, or if we see signs of liquid water or oxygen. The closer the better and the brighter the better, and this one happens to be both.”
Elisabeth Adams, an associate research scientist at the Planetary Science Institute in Somerville, Massachusetts, called the discovery of GJ 357 d “really exciting” — especially because the alien world is relatively close by in astronomical terms.
“This is going to be one of the best ones to go look at with the James Webb Space Telescope,” Adams said. “It’s a really good candidate to get atmospheric measurements, and that would tell us the composition or if there’s oxygen, and from there, that would tell us how habitable it is.”
Since GJ 357 d is so much more massive than Earth, Adams said any life that exists there would likely be very different from life on our planet. The planet’s mass suggests it could support a giant ocean, she added, “so it could have aquatic life.”
Kaltenegger said she and her colleagues plan to study the exoplanet more closely in the coming months, and will conduct additional observations of GJ 357 to look for other planets in the star system.
Editor's note:An earlier version of this article misstated Lisa Kaltenegger's role in the research. She was a co-author of the study in Astronomy & Astrophysics, not the study's leader.
That is the biggest bs description that I have ever heard in my life what a lousy excuse don’t believe your eyes that city is there as sure as I’m standing here this is got to be part of CERN the big Collider bringing another dimension in to ours!
Let me ask all the people that watch this one question how do you make a mirage of a giant generating fan spinning especially with photos as clear as those we’ve all seen the shimmering roads out in the distance where you can see the heat off the road.
An entire city with buildings roofs and a spinning fan? Not creepy at all is it? Why are government scientists out there already? G.M.
Bewoonbare superaarde ontdekt waar vloeibaar water kan bestaan. Deze spannende ontdekking kwam totaal onverwacht
Bewoonbare superaarde ontdekt waar vloeibaar water kan bestaan. Deze spannende ontdekking kwam totaal onverwacht
Astronomen hebben aangekondigd dat ze de meest nabijgelegen bewoonbare planeet buiten ons zonnestelsel hebben ontdekt.
De nieuwe exoplaneet, een zogeheten superaarde met de naam GJ 357 d, staat op 31 lichtjaar van ons af.
Hij is ongeveer zes keer zo groot als onze planeet en bevindt zich in de bewoonbare zone, wat betekent dat er water in vloeibare vorm kan bestaan.
Totaal onverwacht
Er is op dit moment geen bewijs dat er leven is, maar theoretisch gezien kan er leven bestaan zoals wij dat kennen.
“Het is er niet te warm en niet te koud,” zei Lisa Keltenegger van de Cornell University in New York.
Ze voegde toe dat de ontdekking totaal onverwacht kwam.
De planeet werd pas ontdekt toen telescopen op het aardoppervlak werden gericht op een planeet die met behulp van NASA’s TESS-satelliet was gevonden. “Ik was op dat moment op vakantie en totaal verrast,” klonk het.
Weinig bekend
Met behulp van TESS ontdekten astronomen de planeet GJ 357 b. Toen ze telescopen op de planeet richtten, ontdekten ze nog twee andere hemellichamen, waaronder GJ 357 d.
De andere planeten zijn waarschijnlijk niet geschikt voor leven. Op GJ 357 c bedraagt de temperatuur bijvoorbeeld gemiddeld 126 graden Celsius.
Voor nu is er nog weinig bekend over de bewoonbare planeet, die in 56 dagen een rondje om zijn ster maakt.
Keltenegger zei dat telescopen de komende jaren meer moeten gaan onthullen. Zo moet onder meer worden uitgezocht of de planeet rotsachtig is en of er oceanen zijn.
Hele spannende ontdekking
Elisabeth Adams van het Planetary Science Institute in Massachusetts sprak van een ‘hele spannende’ ontdekking.
“Op basis van de massa van de planeet kunnen we opmaken dat er mogelijk een gigantische oceaan kan zijn,” zei ze. “Er zou dus zeeleven kunnen zijn.”
UFOs aren’t so hampered. There isn’t a great deal of in between when it has to do with UFOs. Take for instance the significant number of photographs that have been published of UFOs. Throughout that time period, there were two triangle UFOs sighted in the very same place.
UFO sightings are reported throughout history. They are not a modern phenomenon, they are not a US-only phenomenon. Usually once you speak about UFO sightings, most folks feel that I mistook it for something else or they may think that it is merely a crap. UFO sightings are now able to easily be captured on video, while it’s through a telephone or video camera. In any event, UFO sightings aren’t something which’s new to society. They have become an ever-popular subject. During February in Minnesota, for instance, only 69 UFO sightings are reported since the start of the 21st century.
The evidence might have been much more compelling, in the event the very first recorded incident was not revealed as a hoax. The overwhelming evidence of UFO’s from previous civilizations on Earth is really the most convincing proof I can imagine. There are also a number of witnesses. It is difficult to understand what’s real evidence and what’s fake evidence. If you’re still not convinced or want to read more evidence an Arizona UFO might not be a laughing matter, you might delight in seeing for yourself, more UFO Evidence. There are not many excellent explanations for the majority of the Hudson Valley sightings. Among the arguments that scientists use to debunk UFO sightings is that our planet has existed for at least four billion decades, hence the odds are really small that the aliens would just chance to arrive here during the few decades that we’ve got technology.
The video has become the fodder for several arguments and debates about the authenticity of the same. It was suppose to show a glowing object racing across the video feed. It shows three different sightings of suspected UFOs in three different parts of the world. Take a look at the pictures and videos and you decide by yourself. Some video footage implies that the objects move quickly. What earns the video footage even more credible is there is footage taken by different individuals in various areas of town. Which made the story of what it is that they witnessed that night even more curious.
The phenomenon lasted about two seconds. Anyway, there’s a danger in conspiracy thinking since it may obfuscate the borderline of authentic wisdom and fantasy or projection. There’s very little doubt that the web has played a part in the development of UFO reports in the past few years, though most can be explained by natural or human-caused phenomena. Nearly all UFO sightings were reported in the usa, with 26 sightings happening during November. Countless quantities of images and videos pop up online everyday, and it is challenging to distinguish what’s reliable. So, there’s no need to be concerned about the 156,353 UFO sightings and warnings. UFO sighting levels depend on not only the presence of unrecognizable objects, but in addition, needless to say, on the chance of actually reporting such observations.
Loch Ness may not have exotic dancers(although the idea has now been planted) nor the marketing effort behind its Storm Loch Ness event as compared to the big one at Area 51, but it does have one thing – plenty of sightings of something not easily explained away that could make 2019 a record-breaking year for Loch Ness monster encounters. Would an Inverness Strippermobile and a Watching For Nessie’s Head and Tailgate Party bring the creature up from the depths – not to mention plenty of other creatures with currency to rain on the dancers? Or is the real cause for the increase in sightings in 2019 the unusually hot weather in the area making the loch too warm for this cold-blooded (unless it’s a mammal?) creature?
“It was a dead calm, warm night and this thing broke the surface a few hundred yards away. I couldn’t make out a head or anything – but there was something in the middle that was different to the rest of it. I watched it for about 90 seconds. It was moving and disappeared. I don’t believe Nessie is a dinosaur or anything like that – but there is something in there for sure.”
New eyewitness Richard Cobb from Bradford, England, told the Daily Record he was staying at the Craigdarroch Inn in the Highland village of Foyers (“spectacular views over Loch Ness, the perfect place to sit, relax and do a spot of Nessie hunting”) on July 25th when he saw something is the water at about 9:30 pm that he couldn’t explain. (Picture here.)
Nessie sighting by Richard Cobb
(Image: Western Isles News)
“I’ve been coming to Loch Ness since 1992 and I know what a boat wake looks like. But there were no boats around when this thing surfaced. I never believed in Nessie – but now I’m not so sure. What I saw was just weird.”
Boat wake
Well, that account plus a photo (which definitely looks like a boatless boat wake) was good enough to add Cobb’s sighting to the list maintained by the Official Loch Ness Monster Sightings Register, which puts it at 2019 sighting #12 after adding a photo taken by Tracy Power (see picture here) on July 13 of a dot on the surface that, as a geomorphologist, she’s sure was not a buoy. That followed two sightings by armchair CCTV watcher Eoin O’Faodhagain and the rare sonar sighting by boat captain Mike Bell
Tracy Power's sighting of Nessie
(Image: Western Isles News)
Speaking of CCTV, that camera is managed by Mikko Takala, head of the Loch Ness Monster Fan Club and a longtime researcher and scientist, who thinks Nessie is heating up the local tourism trade and sightings business because it’s hot.
“There has been a slight increase in surface temperatures in Loch Ness due to climate change. It is possible that a cold blooded creature like Nessie may be encouraged to return and or stay longer in the warming waters of Loch Ness.”
Back just a few years ago when there were no sightings, Takala blamed Nessie’s disappearance on cold weather, excess road salt in the loch and noise from wind farms. He obviously prefers more sightings, but not at the expense of the climate.
Is weather or climate change the reason for this one-more-and-it’s-a-record year for Loch Ness monster sightings? Is it more tourists with more cellphones and more brief pictures of wakes, logs, fish and other things that can be mistaken for a monster?
Would a Strippermobile bring more sightings or distract the boat captains from watching their sonar for monsters, underwater logs, sand bars and piers?
There has long been an intriguing theory on our reality, that of the concept that we do not exist in a vacuum, and that far from the only universe there are countless others coexisting side by side. It is a notion known as the “multiverse,” and it really opens a lot of mind-bending possibilities and spins on what we think we know. The idea is that there are literally infinite versions of realities and different timelines all simultaneously existing in tandem, perhaps only separated by a thin curtain through which others may on occasion bleed through to each other. What this might entail is left open for debate, but one often talked about consequence of such a merging or opening between alternate dimensions is that people or other creatures from those realities might cross over into our own, strangers in a strange land that temporarily visit only to once again vanish without a trace.
A very strange encounter was included in the book Mysterious Disappearances: And Other Strange Tales, by Robert Quinn, and allegedly took place in the state of Utah in 1977. The two witnesses, called Ben and Steve, were out hiking and photographing sandstone formations in the wilds and set up camp for the night near some sandstone outcroppings, before continuing their adventure the next morning. It was on this day as they hiked along that a strange wind kicked up out of nowhere, growing in intensity and sending swirls of sand and dust spinning through the air. The winds were reaching gale force, and were so ferocious that the two men decided to take shelter in a sandstone cave, and this was when they would have their strange experience.
Utah sandstone formations
As they looked out into the fierce winds, they allegedly spied a figure running at full speed across the open desert landscape right through the gusts of wind, and looking through their binoculars they could see that this was no ordinary person. The man they saw was very tall and well-built, with long hair whipping about and dressed in a bright red loincloth, some sort of multicolored beaded headdress, and with curious metal rings wrapped around his arms. Who was this strangely dressed individual and why was he running about in the storm? The book gos on to explain what happened next:
As the runner moved along something resembling a small dust devil was seen moving along with him as if it had intelligence. If the man slowed, so did the dust devil. If he changed direction, so did the whirling dust cloud. It resembled a race between two cross-country runners. At one time, the man paused and looked around, as if he didn’t know where he was. The dust devil circled him until he once again moved on. It was the craziest thing both had ever witnessed. The two friends noticed the strong wind had diminished when the stranger first appeared. By now the “two” had covered some four hundred yards as they moved north. Reaching a high rise both disappeared over its edge and disappeared.
After this the wind stopped altogether to leave silence in its wake, just as suddenly as it had appeared. Was this some lost wayward wanderer from some other reality? This book has a few other equally strange encounters of what can only be described as some creature falling through the cracks between dimensions, and another happened to a woman called Grace, who is from New Mexico but at the time was visiting family in Connecticut. One day she was apparently out doing some chores in the biting cold of a December day, and she looked up at a hill on the rural property and saw what she at first took to be an animal rummaging about near a gazebo her son had built near the top of the hill. She looked into her binoculars and soon realized that it was no animal, but something far stranger.
She could see that it was in fact a diminutive little man just over a foot in height, who appeared to look rather bewildered and confused “like he didn’t know where he was,” and was shivering with the cold. The little man then stepped into some snow and disappeared. When Grace’s son and his wife returned she told them of what she had seen, and they went to investigate, finding a hole in the snow but no tracks leading away and no sign of the little man. The book goes on to offer an idea of what might have happened, which could be a very similar explanation for all of these sorts of cases:
In theory, this might have occurred: he fell through a slip in time and space from another world or dimension by accident. One morning he was standing in his world, then BINGO. He drops into ours on a snow-covered hill. The poor guy can’t realize how he arrived there. Seconds later, BINGO, he’s back to his world, telling a fantastic yarn nobody believes. They might have thought differently if he had arrived covered in snow.
Perhaps even odder is a case from July of 1975, which also revolves around some sort of “little person.” The report comes from an area of the Adirondack Mountain Range, in upstate New York, where a couple by the names of Mike and Janice lived. The couple one day returned from weekend trip to visit relatives in Long Island, when Janice realized that their rock garden looked off somehow, as if someone had gone around and rearranged some of the stones, flowers, and decorations. Since no one lived around them and this was a rural area, they could not figure out why this should be, but sort of just put it out of their minds as no damage had been done.
A few weeks later, they went out to find that overnight the whole garden had been rearranged and altered yet again. As they looked around, thinking this must surely be someone playing a rank on them, they found what appeared to be tiny human footsteps in the earth, which had been muddied by a rain the previous evening. A few nights after this they looked outside to see a soft white light emanating from the garden, and when they looked they could both see that the light was perfectly circular, yet even stranger than the light itself was what was moving about within it. There within the mysterious light was allegedly a tiny woman standing around a foot tall, with long hair and dressed in a long white dress. She didn’t seem to realize she was being watched, and went about rearranging rocks and flowers, looking almost annoyed, and then one day the little woman just vanished and never returned. One wonders if this was a gardener in some dimension that had become intertwined with ours temporarily, and if perhaps she was the one wondering who was messing with her garden.
One of the oddest and well-circulated stories of some sort of person appearing from what seems to be another dimension allegedly took place in 1954 at Haneda Airport in Tokyo, Japan. In July of that year, a Caucasian looking man dressed in a suit stepped off a plane that had originated in Europe and causally made his way to customs. When customs asked him the purpose of his visit, he told them that he was there on business, and had indeed been to Japan several times before for the same reason. In fact, the man was conversant in Japanese, as well as French and Spanish. Indeed, his wallet contained currencies from a few European countries. At this point, he seemed to be just an intelligent, well-traveled business man, and there was no reason to be suspicious. Yet then they asked him where he was from and things got strange.
When asked his country of origin, the man matter-of-factly stated he was from Taured, as if it was the most natural answer in the world. The problem is, there is no such country, and when the suspicious customs officer informed him of this the man looked baffled, presenting his passport and insisting that this was indeed where he was from and that it was a country lying between France and Spain. The official-looking passport was indeed issued from a country called Taured, and held customs stamps from several European countries, as well as three previous stamps from Japan, just as the man had said. The man even had a valid-looking driver’s license from Taured. At this point the enigmatic stranger was starting to arouse suspicion, and he was ushered away for further questioning.
He was shown a map of Europe and asked to point out where Taured was, yet he seemed genuinely bewildered when he could not locate it there where he claimed it should have been. The only country that was in the location he indicated was the tiny nation of Andorra, and the frustrated man claimed that it was Andorra that was the made-up country and that in its place should be Taured; a country he claimed had existed for over 1,000 years. The skeptical customs officials asked him where he was headed for work, and when they tried the number that the man provided the company on the other end of the line stated that they had never heard of him. A call to the hotel where he claimed to be staying likewise turned up no evidence that he had ever booked a room there, and furthermore the bank information he gave turned out to be from a bank that no one had ever heard of and which could not be contacted. Baffled authorities decided to book him into a hotel under observation as they tried to figure out what to make of his story, yet the following day the man was nowhere to be found in his room, despite the fact that authorities had been outside the whole night. He had simply vanished. Later, when police went to the airport to retrieve the man’s passport and driver’s license for an investigation, they were found to be mysteriously gone without a trace as well.
It is hard to know what to make of this account. Although it has appeared in many Internet articles, as well as mentioned as a factual account in several books, such as The Directory of Possibilities and Strange But True: Mysterious and Bizarre People, there seems to be a lack of any solid original source to verify it all, giving it more the distinct air of an urban legend. Nevertheless, there have been numerous theories posed for who the mysterious stranger could have been, ranging from a time traveler to a visitor from some parallel dimension who had somehow pushed through the veil that separates our realities. Unfortunately, there is little we can do to prove or disprove this amazing story, and it remains a curious mystery.
Similarly there was a case from the mid 1950s in the State of New Jersey at an unspecified town. Here there was one day found an elderly lady who was just sort of wandering about in the street dressed in period clothing from the 1800s. The lady drew quite a crowd, but she seemed to be too disoriented and confused to pay much attention to the onlookers. She called out in what was described as a strange accent, and when someone finally approached her the lady supposedly ran down an alleyway. When she was followed it was found that the woman had just vanished, even though there was no known exit from this particular alleyway. Who was this lady? Had she just sort of wandered in from another dimension and then wandered back out?
There is also a phantom dimensional traveler tale from 1851, when a man calling himself Joseph Vorin was found wandering about a village in the rural German district of Lebas, near the town of Frankfort-on-the-Oder. Thinking he was a vagrant drifter, authorities approached the stranger and asked him where he had come from. The stranger, who appeared to be Caucasian, answered in broken German that he was from a faraway country called “Laxaria,” which he claimed could be found out over the seas in a region he identified as Sakria, neither of which were real places that anyone had ever heard of. When he was detained and brought to Frankfurt for further questioning, things got more bizarre still.
Vorin was found to be unfamiliar with any other European language except German, of which he had only a rudimentary grasp, but he claimed to be a native speaker of two unintelligible languages which he said were called Laxarian and Abramian, with one being the written language of the “Clerical Order of Laxaria” and the other the common language of his people. The stranger was apparently very persuasive, explaining the geography of his country and even his religion, which he called Ispatian, in great detail. Vorin further claimed that he had been searching for his missing brother, but that he had become shipwrecked on his journey and had ended up in Germany. It seems that in the end, the baffled authorities came to the conclusion that he was telling the truth and released him, after which he seems to have just disappeared from history and perhaps from our reality as well.
Along these lines is a case that was related to me directly by a reader who says he believes he had an encounter with someone from another dimension during his days as a security guard at an unspecified airport. He claims that they had to respond to a call for a man who was wandering about babbling nonsensically and scaring other passengers in the airport. When they approached him he seemed to be very panicked and confused, wild-eyed and seemingly on drugs, and he was unable to respond to questions directed at him. He was brought in to be questioned and calmed down somewhat, but his speech was unintelligible. On his person was found a passport for the United States, but the design of it was all wrong, and it looked almost like a really bad, cheap forgery. He also had a driver’s license on him that was written in some sort of gibberish that resembled English, but which made no sense. When the man was supplied a pen and a paper he wrote down a number, and it was assumed that this was his flight number, but no such flight number was registered by any airline in the airport for that day. Things got pretty bizarre when the stranger gestured that he needed to go to the bathroom, but when he didn’t come out for some time the doors were open to find he was just gone, even though there was no other exit. It is hard to know how much veracity this account holds, but if it is true at all one cannot shake the feeling that this was possibly a confused temporary visitor from an alternate reality who was scared and had no idea where he was.
In every one of these cases we have people or other strange figures that seem to have stepped into our reality from some other place, seemingly quite by accident considering their reactions to being here in many instances. It brings up a very strange theory that our reality as we known it perhaps brushes up against and even bumps into others, all separated by some veil that normally keeps us separated, but at certain times is porous enough to allow something or someone to slip through for some time, only to have them fall back out to wherever they came from. Is this what is going on in these cases? Are we living in some sort of multiverse with cracks in the borders that we can fall through from time to time? Or is this something else? There is currently no way to know, and such tales of these strange visitors serve to merely stir the imagination, a fascinating glimpse at a perhaps groundbreaking revelation on reality as we know it.
Even though the man who first announced it admitted it was a hoax and the corporate sponsors keep lining up faster than you can say “Two million people? We’ll bring the beer, beef and music!”, the ‘Storm Area 51: They Can’t Stop All of Us’ event has managed to keep some modicum of reality with serious warnings by the U.S. military to stay away and recent appearances by UFOs to remind the masses what they’re actually supposed to be storming about. However, the proverbial ‘line in the deserted desert dust’ may have been crossed this weekend with the announcement that the event will now feature “exotic dancers” – the too-modest-to-say-it-out-loud code name for strippers. Will this push the attendance to three million? Will they recruit some tall, skinny, pale dancers with big heads for the aliens?
“Come September 20th, we’ll be there. We know what most Americans know – that strippers make any event better – and this one will be no exception.”
The extraterrestrials probably know it too, but Ryan Carlson, Director of Operations for Déjà vu Services, reminds everyone that Rachel, Nevada, is not just near Area 51 but it’s also right down the road from Las Vegas, the city which made the company’s Strippermobile famous. If the name Déjà vu Services sounds familiar, it’s the company which last year named Stormy Daniels (yes, THAT Stormy Daniels) as its corporate spokesperson. So why isn’t the event being called “Stormy Area 51”? Probably fearing that name might draw the wrong crowd, Déjà vu Services is instead bringing about a dozen of its regular dancers and calling it the “Ultimate Alien Tailgate Party.”
“We don’t know if there’s aliens at Area 51, but if there are, they’ll be entertained upon their rescue, along with any party-goers that attend. After all, if an iconic institution like the American strip club isn’t a way to welcome our extraterrestrial friends, then we don’t know what is.”
Will the Strippermobile strippers perform for free? Maybe for aliens with proper ID and proof of age, but everyone else is encouraged to bring plenty of U.S. dollar bills to ‘make it rain’ on the dancers (look it up – like you don’t already know what it means). There’s no mention of “VIP rooms” or alien probing, so you might want to check with the official Deja Vu Strippers website for any special packages for the event.
Make it rain?
While it’s kind of obvious what “Storm Area 51” attendees will think of the Strippermobile, what about the poor residents of Rachel – all 50 or so of them — who are being stormed? Those not planning to stay and cash in have been invited by the Belize Tourism Board to enter its “Belize Tourism Board “Rachel Retreat” Official Sweepstakes” for a chance to win one of ten prize packages of airfare and accommodations for a three-day two-night stay in Belize for one person (valued at up to $2,000 USD) on the weekend of September 20th. That’s one-fifth of the town, so good luck finding someone to give you directions to the nearest gas station (it’s 50 miles away).
Is the “Ultimate Alien Tailgate Party” a great addition to the Storm Area 51 extravaganza? A distraction designed to give people something to do besides storming? A clever way to get the aliens to come out on their own?
There’s still plenty of time to find out … and make your plans.
1976 was a historic year for Americans. A contentious U.S. election was underway between incumbent Gerald Ford and Jimmy Carter, his Democratic challenger. It was also the year of the bicentennial, as the United States celebrated two centuries since its founding. And like NASA had done less than a decade before by putting men on the moon, in September of that year the space agency would seek to make history again, as the Viking 2 mission went speeding toward the Red Planet in an attempt to place an unmanned lander on Martian soil.
In the humid summer months preceding the successful Viking 2 mission, its predecessor, Viking 1, had already been in orbit around Mars, sending back a constant stream of photographs which NASA scientists planned to use to help them locate a suitable landing site for Viking 2. On July 25th, the usual batch of images were being received and processed, when a peculiar geological feature of the planet began to reveal itself.
One of the photos depicted a sloping prominence, befitted with a number of depressions and rock formations that, casting hard shadows and observed under the sharp contrast of Viking 1’s photography, bore an obvious likeness to a human face.
Some thought little of it, chalking the ghostly visage staring back at the orbiting Viking 1’s cameras as being merely an instance of pareidolia—the natural tendency of the human eye to assemble familiar shapes and images from random features in nature.
Most who observed the area depicted in the photograph probably thought this, in fact. Although it is hard to imagine that there weren’t some, at least—or perhaps even several—who hadn’t cautiously entertained the other possibility: what if there had been a civilization on Mars at one time? And if so, what if this gloomy face befitted upon an odd, polygonal mountain in the Cydonia region, might actually be some remnant of that civilization?
It wasn’t long before NASA determined that the “face” on Mars was, in fact, a natural formation. In their own words, upon releasing the image publicly just days later, the space agency described a “huge rock formation in the center… which resembled a human head.”
The famous photograph from Viking 2 in 1976, which spurred debate over a “Face on Mars”
(Credit: NASA).
The image was, of course, enough to get people talking, whether or not they believed NASA’s determination about the photograph. Many found it impossible to believe that the likeness of the curious features in the photograph to a human face could be pure coincidence. The hope for discovery of life on Mars had already been a source of great anticipation: now an eager public was nearly sold on the idea, but instead of microbes, hoped that within the coming months there would be irrefutable evidence of life on the planet in the form of archaeological traces of a civilization that once lived there.
Interestingly, some scientists were concerned about the emphasis being placed on the search for life on Mars. “There is also a fear that if too much emphasis is placed on the possibility of life and none is then found, as still seems likely, the public will consider the mission a futile failure,” a New York Times article reported on July 22, 1976, just three days before the photos of Cydonia returned to Earth depicting what many believed to be a face.
However, if the famous “face on Mars” had indeed been such, it would raise a number of hard questions. Chief among them is: how could a feature like this—if artificial, as many claimed—have lasted for the untold amounts of time that passed before Viking 1 arrived… especially considering how much it appears to have weathered in the few decades since that time?
While the 1976 photographs remain the most famous ones of the region depicting an alleged face, NASA has released numerous additional photos of the location over the years, captured during ensuing missions (which is interesting in itself, since it shows that there was at least a modicum of interest in the unusual collection of features). However, as we can see in the photos below, NASA’s infamous face didn’t appear to age very well:
By 1996, the “face” looked a lot more like a pile of rocks
(Credit: NASA).
Arguably, the more perplexing element to the region where the Martian “face” appears is not the rocky places that form what many liken to eyes, a nose, and a mouth, but the odd, almost geometric shape of the outcrop itself. According to Space.com, “The rocky outcropping that creates the illusion is approximately a mile across and bears a resemblance to buttes or mesas from the American West. It likely formed from a combination of landslides and collected debris.”
Additionally, the differences between the 1976 and 1998 photos are actually greater than those between the first photos, and some of the most recent, in which the face-like details appear to have returned, although only slightly:
Perhaps what is most fascinating about all of this is people’s desire to look for unusual things on barren, alien worlds. Rather than aliens, or simply a desire to believe in them, people’s interpretations of Martian “anomalies” seems to say an awful lot about us.
I’m reminded of a story my grandmother told me once as a child. Often at night, she and her siblings would become very frightened by the sound of loud crashes that came from the back of their family home. Occurring only at night, they would emanate from the back of the home, the portion facing the forest at the edge of their property. Naturally, they began to believe that an animal—or perhaps something else—had been appearing and pounding on the house at night. Several years later, she laughed about how she finally learned that the thick slabs of pine in the walls would creak and pop as they cooled at night, no monsters necessary.
In much the same way that some people interpret random, natural events as evidence of “supernatural” happenings, people seem to both enjoy, and at times even display a need to look for structured things in environments where none should exist. In years since, similar “anomalies” have continued to appear on Mars, which range from odd structures and other alleged “manmade” features, to sightings of Bigfoot.
So let’s face it: that famous “face on Mars” was never really a face at all. Of course, that’s not to say that there aren’t other “faces” that have been spotted on the Red Planet…
Thirteen years ago, mysteriously looking glass beads were discovered inside of ancient clam shells and now new evidence has revealed their origin. Researchers believe that the glass pearls are microtektites which are byproducts of a meteor impact. This is, however, the first time that they’ve been found inside of old clam shells.
A pair of microtektites found inside ancient clam shells.
Image: Kristen Grace, Florida Museum
While more research needs to be conducted on these celestial pearls, it is believed that they were created when a meteorite smashed into the Florida coast approximately 2 or 3 million years ago. “This is the first report of microtektites in Florida and one of only a few findings of space debris found in the state,” Mike Meyer, who is a researcher at Harrisburg University of Science and Technology, explained to Gizmodo. He is also the lead author of the study that was published in Meteoritics and Planetary Science.
So how exactly were they formed? The glass beads were created during the impact of when a meteor struck the planet. “When a large enough impact occurs, the impactor – a meteorite or comet or what not – mostly vaporizes, but so does the rock and soil it hits,” Meyer explained, adding, “Most rocks are composed of minerals that contain silica, so there is a lot of it to melt. That melted debris flies away from the impact site and cools as it travels through the air, usually giving it an aerodynamic shape of some sort.”
Microtektites look like pearls but are clear
After the materials cool off in the atmosphere, they drop back to the ground. While the larger pieces (tektites) are mostly in the shape of teardrops, the smaller pieces (microtektites) are round. The pieces eventually end up in the water and they get collected inside of clam shells where they remain preserved.
Interestingly enough, it was Meyer and his classmates that originally found the glass beads at a Sarasota County quarry thirteen years ago. They found a total of 83 of the tiny glass pearls that measured just 200 micrometers in diameter.
Now, over a decade later, he and his colleagues decided to analyze the glass pearls. They studied them using scanning electron microscopy, back-scatter imaging, and x-ray spectroscopy in order to find out what they were made from. They even compared them to other microtektites, cosmic spherules (micrometerorites), and volcanic rocks.
(Not microtektites)
They ruled out volcanic rock because the shape and composition wasn’t right and they concluded that there was no way that a human could have contaminated the beads as they were closed off inside of fossilized clams for millions of years. The only possible explanation is that they were microtektites that were formed from “the debris created by an impact event,” Meyer stated.
What’s even more interesting is that the microtektites were discovered at four different sedimentary depths which could suggest that several impacts occurred there. The researchers plan on conducting more studies on these incredible otherworldly glass beads as well as searching for more of them along the coast of Florida. Pictures of the microtektites can be seen here.
Scientists Just Built a Mini Sun - See What Happened!
Scientists Just Built a Mini Sun - See What Happened!
The sun’s solar wind affects nearly everything in the solar system. It can disrupt the function of Earth’s satellites and creates the lights of the auroras.
A new study by University of Wisconsin–Madison physicists mimicked solar winds in the lab, confirming how they develop and providing an Earth-bound model for the future study of solar physics.
Scientists constructed a 3-meter-wide (10 feet) aluminum vacuum chamber, which they dubbed "the Big Red Ball," to re-create some of the solar physics that take place in and around the sun.
I found some ancient walls and a fallen monolith today in a gigs-an photo. The walls have a lot of perfect right angles and layered stones which sometimes are seen in nature, but most often seen in ancient structures here on earth. There was also giant arrow head like fallen statue with half of it covered in years of mars dirt. Finding one object suggests we have evidence, but finding three geometrically perfect shapes tells me this is 100% real...the site of an ancient civilisation. Scott C. Waring-Taiwan
Mars and Oklahoma might share a surprising seismic bond.
The fracking boomhas spurred a surge of tremors across the Sooner State and neighboring Texas, scientists say. These quakes are caused by the injection of wastewater underground, which increases pressure and leads to the slippage of tectonic faults.
Michael Manga, a planetary scientist at the University of California Berkeley, and his colleagues propose that compressed aquifers can trigger marsquakes. The compression comes courtesy of the Red Planet's frigid temperatures, which freeze the aquifers' upper layers. (Water expands as it freezes, you may recall.)
But the compression alone probably isn't enough to get the red ground shaking, according to the researchers. Their computer simulations identified two likely triggers — tidal tugs from Phobos, the larger and closer-orbiting of Mars' two moons, and changes in barometric pressure caused by the warming and cooling of the planet's thin atmosphere.
Further observations by InSight may reveal whether this interpretation is correct, the researchers said. If it is, future Mars explorers could use quakes to find groundwater, then access the stuff simply by drilling down. No pumping would be required; the pressurized water would come bubbling to the surface on its own.
And this general process may not be restricted to Earth and Mars. The compression of subsurface water may give rise to ice volcanoes, ridges and other features on the icy moons of the outer solar system, according to Manga.
He and his colleagues detailed the research earlier this month in the journal Geophysical Research Letters.
NASA's $800 million InSight mission touched down on the Red Planet in November 2018. The lander is using a suite of supersensitive seismometers and other gear to map the Martian interior in unprecedented detail.
Not everything is going smoothly, however. InSight's burrowing heat probe has not dug as deeply as desired, and mission team members are still trying to figure out what halted its progress.
Mike Wall's book about the search for alien life, "Out There" (Grand Central Publishing, 2018; illustrated by Karl Tate), is out now. Follow him on Twitter @michaeldwall. Follow us on Twitter @Spacedotcom or Facebook.
The space agency announced today (June 27) that the next mission in its New Frontiers line of medium-cost missions will be Dragonfly, a rotorcraft designed to ply the skies of the huge, hazy and potentially life-hosting Saturn moon.
If all goes according to plan, Dragonfly will launch in 2026 and land on Titan eight years later, NASA officials said. The probe will then spend at least 2.5 years cruising around the 3,200-mile-wide (5,150 kilometers) moon, making two dozen flights that cover a total of about 110 miles (180 km).
The 10-foot-long (3 meters) Dragonfly will gather a variety of data at each of its stops. Such work will help scientists learn more about Titan, the only solar system body other than Earth known to host stable bodies of liquid on its surface.
Titan's surface lakes, rivers and seas aren't composed of water, however: The frigid moon's climate system is based on hydrocarbons, in particular methane and ethane.
The mission is geared toward characterizing Titan's chemistry in detail. Complex organic molecules are known to swirl in the moon's thick, nitrogen-dominated atmosphere, and some scientists think its hydrocarbon seas could host exotic forms of life.
Titan also hosts another potentially habitable environment — a buried ocean of liquid water, which sloshes beneath the moon's icy crust.
Dragonfly could conceivably find evidence of Titan life, if the moon is indeed inhabited. And, because Titan is very similar to the early Earth, the mission's observations may shed light on the chemical processes that helped life get going on our planet, NASA officials said.
"Titan is unlike any other place in the solar system, and Dragonfly is like no other mission," Thomas Zurbuchen, NASA's associate administrator for science at the agency’s headquarters in Washington, D.C., said in a statement.
"It's remarkable to think of this rotorcraft flying miles and miles across the organic sand dunes of Saturn's largest moon, exploring the processes that shape this extraordinary environment," he added. "Dragonfly will visit a world filled with a wide variety of organic compounds, which are the building blocks of life and could teach us about the origin of life itself."
Dragonfly will land among Titan's dunes, then make its way toward its final destination, the 50-mile-wide (80 km) Selk Crater. Selk is a particularly good place to study prebiotic chemistry and look for signs of life, NASA officials said. That's because the three ingredients necessary for life as we know it — liquid water, organic molecules and energy — mixed during the impact that created the crater. (Titan's bedrock is water ice.)
Dragonfly will be nuclear powered, like NASA's Mars rover Curiosity, the New Horizons Pluto probe and many other deep-space explorers.
Dragonfly will be the fourth mission in the New Frontiers program, following New Horizons, the Juno probe to Jupiter and the OSIRIS-REx asteroid-sampling mission. Dragonfly's development costs are capped at $850 million, though the mission's total price tag, including launch, will probably top $1 billion.
The other finalist for the mid-2020s New Frontiers launch slot was the Comet Astrobiology Exploration Sample Return (CAESAR) mission, which proposed snagging bits of Comet 67P/Churyumov-Gerasimenko — the same icy wanderer studied up close by Europe's Rosetta mission.
Dragonfly won't be the first craft to land on Titan. That honor belongs to Europe's Huygens probe, which touched down on the moon in January 2005. Huygens traveled to the Saturn system with NASA's Cassini spacecraft, which orbited the ringed planet from mid-2004 through September 2017.
Mike Wall's book about the search for alien life, "Out There" (Grand Central Publishing, 2018; illustrated by Karl Tate), is out now. Follow him on Twitter @michaeldwall. Follow us on Twitter @Spacedotcom or Facebook.
A fisherman from Murmansk, Russia, is sharing snaps of his grotesque and fascinating fishy finds online, much to the horror of the internet.
Roman Fedortsov, 39, spends a lot of his time on fishing trawlers, coming into contact with a wide variety of sealife.
The trawlers he works on are tasked with catching commercial fish such as cod, haddock and mackerel, but the bizarre critters pictured below make an appearance too.
This pale toadfish, a foot-long (30cm) fish which lives on the continental shelf around New Zealand between 140 and 550 fathoms (250m-1,000m) depth, is one of Russian fisherman Roman Fedortsov's bizarre catches
The stoplight loosejaw fish, related to the viperfish, is so-named for the red and green photophores or luminescent organs under its eyes, which it uses like headlights to find prey in the darkness of the deep ocean. Its oversized lower jaw hinges out from its head to a quarter of its body length, and can snap shut like a trap
Bright orange blobs, slug-like lumps, fish with teeth and bulging eyes; His discoveries may look more like aliens than fish to the untrained eye, but Roman is apparently interested and impressed by what he encounters.
These aquatic curiosities were mainly found in the Norwegian and Barents seas while some of them came ashore from the Atlantic Ocean.
Roman went to Marine University in Murmansk and is an expert on processing and preparing fish.
He has set up his social media accounts to share these pictures with people who otherwise might not get to see them.
Screamadelica! This orange sea anemone, which dwells on the bottom in shallow waters, gives the illusion of having two huge eyes. Although they resemble flowers, sea anemones are predatory animals
This deep-sea horror, apparently a viperfish, is among the collection of marine freaks. Viperfish, whose serpent-like body measures one to two feet in length (30-60cm), use a luminescent lure to attract prey up to their own size, which they spear with their needle-like teeth before swallowing whole
Roman previously told the Press Association: 'All kinds of fish are beautiful in their own way.
'I can not say that they are 'scary' or 'ugly'.'
'People are very interested in unusual sea creatures,' he added
'I think the reason for such popularity was the fact that an ordinary sailor can face life with unusual 'fantastic creatures'.'
This anglerfish is one of the deep-sea monsters caught by the Russian trawler. The anglerfish uses a glowing lure, seen here protruding from its snout, to attract prey in the darkness of its deepwater habitat. Its jaws and stomach can extend to swallow prey twice its own size
Frilling! This frilled shark shows its unusual teeth. The species has been called a 'living fossil' since it shows features of primitive fossil sharks. Its mouth is positioned at the front of its head, rather than underneath like most sharks. Its slender, eel-like body can grow to six feet (2m) long
'Readers have the impression that with each trawl we bring aboard unusual fish specimens,' the fisherman added.
'In fact, this is far from the case. It is a rarity.
'On the other hand, even a famous fish can be photographed so that it will seem to be a 'monster'.'
'Most of the raised fish do not survive due to the difference in pressure,' he added.
'Commercial fish is processed, non-food bycatch is used for the production of fish meal.'
This red snapper's stomach has burst out of its trumpet-like mouth as a result of the rapid pressure change caused by being brought up too quickly from the depths
A wolffish, a species that lives on the continental shelf to depths of 2,000 feet (600m), where they eat shellfish that they crush with their strong canine and molar teeth
Another wolffish, also known as the sea wolf. Some species grow to over six feet (2m) in length
This Sunfish, or Mola, may be the largest sea creature landed by the Russian trawler. These huge fish, found far out to sea near the surface, can grow to up to 15 feet (4.5m) and weigh up to 5,000lb (2,300kg)
Googly eyes: This cusk (left) and another, unidentified fish (right) have huge, bulging eyes like many deep-sea species. The cusk is a cod-like fish found in the north atlantic
A sea spider, part of a group of marine species related to land-dwelling insects and spiders. Like a spider, it sucks nutrients from soft-bodied invertebrates through a proboscis. Its stomach extends into its legs
Swashbuckling: A black scabbardfish, a species of the piratical-sounding cutlassfish family, shows off its needle-like teeth. The species is named for its dark steely blue colour and long, slender body. This fast-swimming predator can grow more than 3 feet (1m) in length, and lives in very deep water from 600 to 5,600 feet (180m to 170m)
This weird, unidentified fish bears a disturbing likeness to the monster from the 1979 sci-fi horror film Alien
Alien species? This sea creature looks like the 'facehugger' from Ridley Scott's Science Fiction film Alien
Another big-mouthed predator caught in the nets of the trawler
This toad-like fish is among the odd-looking sea creatures trawled up in the boat's nets
The bug-eyed beauty is one of the weird fish caught by a fisherman from Murmansk
Russian fisherman Roman Fedortsov shows off a jade-coloured fish caught in the nets of his trawler
A remora, which attaches itself to the undersides of sharks and rays to scavenge scraps that fall from their mouths
Lifting the snout of this blob-like fish reveals a crustacean it was devouring at the moment it was caught
A king crab, a north Pacific species which can grow up to six feet (2m) across, and is heavily fished for its meat.
A sea anemone (left) and another unidentified sea creature (right). Sea anemones look like flowers but are in fact predatory animals. They are related to both jellyfish and coral polyps
A close-up view of the unidentified bug-eyed fish caught in the trawler's nets
An unidentified fish, possibly a blobfish. Blobfish, realated to toadfish, live in very deep water, where they hunt by ambush. Their metabolism is very slow, which gives them a lifespan of up to 130 years
This toothy specimen of a puffer fish is one of many unusual sea creatures caught by the russian trawler. They puff themselves up, exposimg the sines on their skin, when threatened. The four large teeth are used to crush their mollusc prey
This horrifying unidentified cyclops may be a species of flatfish
A squid, one of many sea creatures caught in the nets of the Murmansk-based Russian trawler
Brown psolus, a U-shaped relative of the sea cucumber, which attaches itself to rocks with the rectangular sole seen on the left, and extends its tentacles to feed
The brown psolus in the centre, a relative of the sea cucumber, shows its feeding tentacles
Russian trawlerman Roman Fedortsov displays an unidentified life-form from his collection
An unidentified bottom-dwelling sea animal caught in the nets of the russian trawler from Murmansk
Russian fisherman Roman Fedortsov holds a Brown Psolus, a sedentary species of sea cucumber
Four bottom-dwelling invertebrates, likely some species of sea cucumber. The sea cucumber lives on the bottom, where it eats detritus and keeps the marine environment clean. Its leathery skin covers a protective endoskeleton
Scientists often kill animals — that’s just a grisly fact of biological research.
But it’s a bit more complicated in the theoretical future where we’ve made first contact with extraterrestrial life. At that point, science author Guy Harrison argues in a Psychology Today op-ed that biologists may have to come to terms with killing alien life in the name of scientific progress — which raises a difficult question: at what point does scientific inquiry outweigh the value of life?
Litmus Test
Harrison suggests guidelines that future biologists may find helpful. For instance, any extraterrestrial life that shows signs of intelligence ought to be spared. In that case, we may be able to learn about the alien lifeform by using our words instead of our scalpels.
Otherwise, scientists might consider collecting individual aliens to store in a museum’s archive, or to cut open and study. But Harrison argues in Psychology Today that the issue is too complex and ambiguous to draw up any binding rules in advance.
Superior Life
This all assumes that we would even be able to kill an extraterrestrial. It’s possible that any life out there is vastly superior to humanity, making the whole debate moot.
“If we do find life out there somewhere,” Harrison writes, “maybe it will be contemplating the moral implications of killing us for further study.”
The popular picture of the Milky Way as a flat disc is based on the observation of 2.5 million stars out of a possible 2.5 billion. The artists' impressions are therefore rough approximations of the truer shape of our galaxy, according to Dr Dorota Skowron of Warsaw University.
"The internal structure and history of the Milky Way is still far from being understood, in part because it is extremely difficult to measure distances to stars at the outer regions of our galaxy," she said.
To gain a more accurate picture, Dr Skowron and her colleagues measured the distances of some of the brightest stars in the Milky Way, called Cepheid variable stars. These are massive young stars that burn hundreds, if not thousands, of times brighter than our own Sun. They can be so bright that they can be observed at the very edge of the galaxy.
Not only that, they also pulsate at regular intervals at a rate that is directly related to their brightness.
Image copyrightMARK GARLICK/SCIENCE PHOTO LIBRARYImage captionArtists' impressions which depict the Milky Way as a flat disk will have to be revised
This enables astronomers to calculate their distance with great precision.
Most of the stars were identified by the Optical Gravitational Lensing Experiment (OGLE) at Las Campanas Observatory (LCO) in Chile's southern Atacama Desert. Przemek Mroz, a member of the OGLE team, said that the results were surprising.
Image copyrightK. ULACZYK/J. SKOWRON / OGLE/WARSAW UNIVERSITYImage captionWarsaw Telescope and Milky Way Cepheids discovered by the OGLE survey
"Our results show that the Milky Way Galaxy is not flat. It is warped and twisted far away from the galactic centre. Warping may have happened through past interactions with satellite galaxies, intergalactic gas or dark matter (invisible material present in galaxies about which little in known)."
Vooral het oosten van ons land steunt en kreunt onder de droogte en de reden daarvan heeft te maken met de komende mini ijstijd.
Natuurlijke cycli worden door klimaat zakkenvullers gebruikt om burgers nog meer geld afhandig te maken.
Zelden is de mensheid zo bedonderd en belazerd als in onze tegenwoordige tijd met de klimaatonzin. Een tijd waar natuurlijk voor komende cycli worden aangegrepen om de niet bestaande klimaatopwarming te verkopen.
Zo zijn we letterlijk dood gegooid met alarmerende verhalen over het noordpoolgebied en hoe daar alles in record tempo smelt en hoe we daar binnenkort helemaal geen ijs meer zullen hebben.
In 2007 voorspelde Al Gore dat tegen 2013 de gehele Noordelijke IJszee volkomen ijsvrij zou zijn. In de zomer van 2012 bereikte het ijsniveau in dat gebied een dieptepunt. Gesterkt door dit gegeven besloot de Australische professor Chris Turney een expeditie te organiseren naar dat gebied om te bewijzen dat er een rampzalig smelten van ijs plaatsvond. Echter, hij kwam helaas met zijn schip totaal vast te zitten in het ijs dat zo dik was dat hij niet eens gered kon worden door moderne ijsbrekers.
De volgende grafiek laat de huidige temperatuur zien in het Noordelijk Poolgebied ten opzichte van de gemiddelde temperaturen van een ruim veertig jaar durende periode.
En dan zie je dat het dit jaar kouder is dan het langjarig gemiddelde, in plaats van warmer. De groene lijn is het gemiddelde over de periode 1958-2002, de rode lijn de temperatuur van dit jaar en de blauwe lijn de grens van 0 graden.
We hebben onlangs in een artikel aangetoond dat het KNMI een frauduleus instituut is dat knoeit met temperaturen om zo aan te tonen dat er tegenwoordig meer hittegolven zijn dan vroeger, terwijl het in werkelijkheid precies andersom is.
In Frankrijk doet Meteo France precies hetzelfde. Onlangs kondigden zij het volgende aan:
NEW HEAT RECORD for France! Gallargues-le-Monteux (30) has officially reached 45.8 °C, shattering the previous national maximum temperature record of 44.1 °C set in 2003!
Dit is ook niet waar, want in 1930 werd in Parijs al een temperatuur van 50 graden Celsius gemeten.
Van dezelfde Dr. Waheed Uddin is de volgende grafiek afkomstig die bevestigt wat wij al eerder hadden geschreven en dat is dat de komende zonnecyclus die duurt tot 2030, nauwelijks enige activiteit van de zon laat zien.
Dat betekent dat wij nu heel snel richting een langdurige koude periode op aarde gaan, iets dat door de mainstream media in alle toonaarden zal worden ontkend.
Je ziet daar bijvoorbeeld ook geen berichten zoals de volgende: 11 juni dit jaar was de koudste dag op die datum in Groot-Brittannië in 141 jaar.
Enkele dagen geleden waren de midzomerse temperaturen in sommige delen van Amerika zo laag dat er 131 jaar oude kouderecords werden gebroken.
Ook in de buurt van Moskou is het abnormaal koud voor de tijd van het jaar. In de vroege ochtend van 30 juli werd net buiten Moskou een temperatuur gemeten van 3,1 graad Celsius. De laagste temperatuur ooit gemeten op die dag in dat betreffende gebied.
Een kenmerk van een komende mini ijstijd is zoals we vaak schreven een verandering van de jetstream. Hierdoor komen andere luchtstromen op gang en kan in ons gebied ineens hete lucht uit de Sahara worden aangevoerd, of ijskoude lucht vanaf de noordpool.
In zowel het ene als het andere geval betekent dat voor ons iets dat we niet gewend zijn en dat is droogte. Omdat een groot deel van het jaar de aangevoerde lucht niet meer uit het westen komt, maar uit of het noorden of het zuiden, betekent dit dat we steeds minder neerslag krijgen.
Beken en vennen die droog te staan, verkruimelde heide en kwetsbare diersoorten als de kamsalamander die dreigen te verdwijnen. Natuur en landbouw in het oosten van Nederland zuchten en steunen onder de droogte en gebrek aan regen. Beregenen uit oppervlaktewater mag al niet meer. In de buurt van kwetsbare natuurgebieden grondwater onttrekken voor de landbouw is inmiddels ook taboe om de natuur te beschermen. De regenbuien van nu - eind juli - is een druppel op de gloeiende plaat.
Op zich hebben we te maken met een volkomen natuurlijk verschijnsel dat zich eens in de zoveel jaar voor doet en dat schaamteloos wordt gekaapt door de zakkenvullende Samsommen en kornuiten, geloofd door naïeve burgers die denken dat de aarde nu echt opwarmt en dat dit door de mens wordt veroorzaakt.
Voor hen hebben we één advies: koop een paar wanten, want je zult ze nodig hebben.
Alien Hunter 'Discovers' China's Own Area 51 on Google Maps
Alien Hunter 'Discovers' China's Own Area 51 on Google Maps
While the whole world’s attention has been focused on arguably America's most mysterious military facility, Area 51, which a bunch of alien hunters are preparing to "raid" next month, a YouTube video, whose authenticity cannot be verified, has emerged claiming that there's a similar, "top secret", base in China.
As everyone appears to be hyped up about the legendary US Air Force base in Nevada, known as Area 51, a YouTuber and conspiracy theory enthusiast claims to have discovered a similar mysterious facility in China.
Scott C Waring has uploaded a video to YouTube, in which he found something that he alleges looks like a top secret base in a desert near the Mongolian border, in Gansu Province.
In the clip, Scott says that the base is “like something out of the movies” and shows some sort of a cutting edge aircraft stored there. According to him, the 10-metre-wide jet “screams out top secret project”.
“I found a military base in China that seems to be the equivalent and copy of Area 51. There is even smaller area, one of which has a black stealth aircraft that could be made from alien technology and be space travel capable. This is amazing and may have been created as the Chinese solution to the American Area 51”, he elaborates.
While many users sided with Scott, leaving such comments as, “They are hiding something”, others were sceptical, suggesting that it was simply a “drone launch pad”.
The mysterious Area 51 in Nevada has been a real magnet for conspiracy lovers with many speculating that the secretive base might prove the existence of extraterrestrial life. Last month, the alien hunting craze spiralled out of control as millions of people backed a Facebook event, dubbed “Storm Area 51, They Can’t Stop All of Us”. The gathering is set for 20 September and has already given birth to a bunch of hilarious ET-related memes.
Alienjager ontdekt ‘Chinese versie van Area 51’ op Google Maps. Bekijk de beelden
Foto: YouTube/ET Data Base
Alienjager ontdekt ‘Chinese versie van Area 51’ op Google Maps. Bekijk de beelden
Terwijl alle ogen momenteel gericht zijn op Area 51, een mysterieuze legerbasis in Amerika die in september mogelijk gaat worden bestormd door een menigte UFO-jagers, zijn er beelden opgedoken van een soortgelijke ‘topgeheime’ basis in China.
Een YouTuber en complotonderzoeker heeft een mysterieuze militaire installatie ontdekt in China, schrijft het Russische persbureau Sputnik.
Scott C. Waring heeft een video op YouTube geplaatst waarin hij zegt op een topgeheime basis in de woestijn bij de grens met Mongolië te zijn gestuit.
Kopie
De basis ‘lijkt uit een film te komen’ en geavanceerde vliegtuigen te herbergen.
“Ik heb een legerbasis in China gevonden die een kopie lijkt te zijn van Area 51,” lichtte hij toe.
“Er is ook een kleiner gebied, waar een zwart stealthvliegtuig staat dat gemaakt kan zijn met behulp van buitenaardse technologie en dat mogelijk door de ruimte kan reizen,” zei hij.
Verbergen
Veel internetgebruikers reageerden lyrisch op de vondst. “Ze verbergen iets,” zei iemand.
Anderen waren sceptisch en suggereerden dat het een lanceerplatform voor drones is.
Most cattle mutilations are found after the fact and after the animal is dead, when its organs have already been removed and blood drained. That wasn’t the case recently in Argentina, where multiple local news sources reported a rancher finding a newborn calf, which had wandered off and was missing for days, mutilated but still alive, with parts missing but mysteriously … no bleeding. Did they call in a pet psychic? Mr. Spock to do a Vulcan mind-meld? What could have caused this strange mutilation? Is this a new and gruesome trend?
“He showed no signs of bleeding, both in the wounds of the snout, as in the superficial lacerations, in the tongue, dry wounds are observed, as burned.”
“He” is a calf born recently at the El Boyero tambo or ranch in a small farm town between Realicó and Adolfo Van Praet in the La Pampa Province of central Argentina. According to Notife.com, a member of the Sánchez family which owned the tambo said the calf was completely normal at birth and therefore left to its own devices in the field. A day later, the calf was reported missing and a search began. How hard is it to the find a day-old calf? More difficult than one might imagine, as it was days later when the newborn was finally located – in a state that left the owners in shock.
“One of the owners of the field where the beef appeared reported that he was surprised on Monday afternoon when he found the calf with a violent mutilation in the upper maxillofacial region, presenting the missing part of the entire upper part of the snout.”
(Pictures can be seen here – warning: they’re gruesome). The calf was missing a large part of the upper front of its face. Whatever mutilated it was apparently going after the tongue – a body part that is normally removed in other mysterious mutilations – because it had lacerations. Like other mysterious mutilations, the wounds were not bleeding. Unlike them, this particular one was not done with the surgical precision usually reported. Despite the attack which removed the calf’s upper jaw and teeth, it was miraculously eating. However, local veterinarian Carlos Arese was not hopeful. As he tells Infopico.com:
“In this case there is a predisposition on the part of the owners to feed them with a bottle, but there is no possibility of living in the state that it is because those parts do not regenerate. It would have to be sacrificed.”
As of this writing, that has not been reported, allowing the other ranchers in the area to contemplate what they may be dealing with.
“The people of the field rule out that the injuries that the animal presents are from some other wild animal in the area.”
Well, a ‘normal’ wild animal. No one has ruled out a Chupacabra … or humans performing some sort of bizarre ritual. Or aliens. All they have to go on is a poor struggling calf with grotesque mutilations that are mysteriously not bleeding. What next? Perhaps the report in Infotecrealico.com puts it best:
“At the moment there is no logical explanation for the event, also considering the possibility of having been attacked by a wild animal, but the doubt of being so, being the veal alone, is why he did not kill her to feed …? , for now everything is uncertainty, in the case of this little earth.”
“For now everything is uncertainty” on this little earth. A reflection on a cattle mutilation … or our times?
It has been almost 40 years since Britain had its most famous UFO sighting which many people have nicknamed “Britain’s Roswell” (Rendlesham Forest Incident). And now, a new witness has come forward with some pretty incredible information. For the first time since it happened, retired US serviceman, Sergeant Michael Smith, has come forward with his experience on the frightening encounter in 1980 in the Suffolk countryside.
The Rendlesham Forest UFO sightings took place over several nights in late December of 1980 when several military personnel claimed to have seen a strange light appearing between the twin bases of RAF Bentwaters and RAF Woodbridge in the Rendlesham Forest in Suffolk, England. Jim Penniston and John Burroughs were sent to investigate the strange light. As they got closer, Penniston said that Burroughs seemed to have vanished into thin air for a few moments before returning. What’s even stranger is that Burroughs has no memory of what happened right after he seen the unexplained light until the following morning and he developed serious health issues after his encounter.
Rendlesham Forest
The UFO was also witnessed by Deputy Base Commander, Lieutenant Colonel Charles Halt as well as his team. He claimed that a beam of light shot towards the ground from the unknown craft. He eventually talked about the incident by stating, “Here I am, a senior official who routinely denies this sort of thing and diligently works to debunk them, and I’m involved in the middle of something I can’t explain.”
Steve Longero, who was a US Air Force police officer that was working at RAF Bentwaters and RAF Woodbridge, came forward in 2016 to report that he witnessed strange lights while he was on duty.
Now, three years later, Michael Smith has come forward with what he witnessed when he was a member of the 81st Airborne Police Squadron at RAF Bentwaters when he was just 19 years of age. According to Smith, he was outside when he witnessed a glowing light in the woods (he explained it as looking like a reddish colored ball). “It stopped right in front of me – it just stayed there and hovered two feet off the ground and I called for reinforcements. I was scared to death,” he said. Here you can see Smith’s interview on what he witnessed the night of “Britain’s Roswell”.
So, did they witness an actual flying saucer? There have numerous theories as to what they actually saw, from a fireball, to nocturnal lights, beams from a lighthouse, and bright stars. There was even a story that was published claiming that it was all just a prank played on the US Air Force by the SAS. Even the Ministry of Defense announced at the time that there was no threat to national security; therefore, an investigation was never conducted.
But for those who allegedly witnessed the event, they know what they saw and no amount of conspiracy theories or other potential explanations can change their minds. To this day, the Rendlesham Forest Incident remains unexplained. A sketch of the unexplained craft, as well as other pictures from the incident can be seen here.
A drawing of the craft seen during the unexplained incident
Credit: Alamy
An information board in Rendlesham Forest
Credit: Alamy
A UFO trail sign at Rendlesham Forest, which has become a tourist hotspot
UFO emerges from a portal over ancient Machu Picchu in Peru
UFO emerges from a portal over ancient Machu Picchu in Peru
The popular tourist attraction Machu Picchu in the Andes Mountains in Peru, is not only known for its sophisticated dry-stone walls that fuse huge blocks without the use of mortar, intriguing buildings that play on astronomical alignments, but also known for the many mysterious UFO sightings above the Incan citadel often photographed by tourists.
Now, on July 20, 2019 a tourist made some images at the 'sun Gate' of Machu Picchu when he noticed in one of the images a strange UFO.
It seems as if the UFO emerged from a portal or wormhole. The shadow under the UFO indicates that it is moving above the surface.
The photographer who submitted the images to Mufon said: Mid afternoon while visiting Machu Picchu we were at the "sun gate "overlooking the archaeological site. It was broad daylight and clear sky.
I decided to take a couple selfies. I took the two photos only 1 or 2 seconds apart. There were about 10 people all looking out over the city and no one heard or seen a thing.
UFO emerges from a portal?
Later that evening while reviewing the photos I saw something what appeared to be a condor which amazed me because we had not seen anything that day even though great visibility but when I blew up the photo it was very evident this was no bird. As yet no persons from Peru or other have been able to give certain identification to the object.
UFO Sighting Was Caught In Paris, France Video. 2009, UFO Sighting Daily News.
UFO Sighting Was Caught In Paris, France Video. 2009, UFO Sighting Daily News.
Date of sighting: 2009
Location of sighting: Paris, France
This UFO Sighting apparently happened in 2009, before all the fakes were being made. It was sent to me back in 2009 by a military guy in France who wishes to remain anonymous. I held onto it for a year because frankly I was scared to post it on my site. Now imagine this craft and how all the bugs got ironed out of it today in 2019, ten years later. The USAF probably has a whole fleet of these, but in my opinion they have to be stationed on off world, because I don't believe it would be so easy to hide these things flying around. The USAF probably took over an abandoned city on the moon and use it as the newest top secret military base the USA has ever had. This UFO sighting was caught in Paris, France and some people believe this is part of the US gov Aurora Project. You decide. The tactical reconnaissance TR-3B's (code-named Astra) first operational flight was in the early 90s. The triangular shaped nuclear powered aerospace platform was developed under the Top Secret, Aurora Program with SDI and black budget monies. At least 3 of the billion dollar plus TR-3Bs were flying by 1994. The Aurora class craft is the most classified aerospace development program in existence. The TR-3B is the most exotic vehicle created by the Aurora Program. It is funded and operationally tasked by the National Reconnaissance Office, the NSA, and the CIA. The TR-3B flying triangle is not fiction and was built with technology available in the mid 80s gathered from Apollo 18, 19 and 20 covert missions to the moon to salvage alien technology that NASA found. Scott C. Waring-Taiwan
When I was looking at the recent rover photo, I noticed something that at first looks like a foot and lower leg of a statue, but now I am confident it is actually the lower leg of an ancient robot. You can see the foot area with a lower tread and thick heal on it, the upper part of the boot like foot. The thing that convinces me about it being robot is that if you look at the leg attached to the shoe, you will see hing areas that a robot might have. Robot leg on Mars, NASA really needs to address these discoveries.
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Mars City Found!!! NASA Source Photo!!! Absolute100% Proof Of Life!!! UFO Sighting News.
Mars City Found!!! NASA Source Photo!!! Absolute100% Proof Of Life!!! UFO Sighting News.
Here is a Mars photo with a lot of structures in its lower left area. The structures have a lot of right angles and odd shapes. One structure has a huge circular black dome over it, another has a orb like pear on a tower. Its really something that just needs to be talked about, not with me so much, but with NASA. Why isn't NASA talking about these structures? Whats NASA working so hard on that they cant take five minutes to tell the public about the structures on Mars?
Scott C. Waring - Taiwan
04-08-2019 om 12:26
geschreven door peter
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- Gemiddelde waardering: 0/5 - (0 Stemmen) Categorie:Ruins, strange artifacts on other planets, moons, ed ( Fr, EN, NL )
Spectacular blue lava flows at this Indonesian volcano
Spectacular blue lava flows at this Indonesian volcano
Photographer Olivier Grunewald first learned about the Kawah Ijen volcano in 2008. A sulfur mine by day, this infernal Indonesian mountain turns into a surreal alien landscape when the night comes. His pictures—taken in very dangerous conditions—are stunning:
He and his friend Régis Etienne have gone back repeatedly to photograph and film this incredible unearthly patch of glowing blue lava. A recent 52-minute documentary film is the result of 30 nights in hazardous conditions.
But it's the sulfur mine workers who are constant toiling among the flames. Here is the description Olivier sent to us:
For over 40 years, miners have been extracting sulphur from the crater of Kawah Ijen in Indonesia. To double their meagre income, the hardiest of these men work nights, by the electric blue light of the sulphuric acid exhaled by the volcano.
As the light of day recedes, an eerie incandescence appears to rise from the depths of the Kawah Ijen crater. The high-temperature liquid sulphur that flows from an active vent at the edge of the world's largest hydrochloric acid lake flares in blue flames that can reach up to 5 metres.
At the foot of the glow, miners bustle amidst the toxic fumes. They are monitoring the flow of molten sulphur as it pours out of pipes at 115 °C, and its subsequent crystallisation. Breaking up, gathering up, loading up and transporting the coagulated blood of the earth earns them a living. By the blue light of the flare, they extract hunks of sulphur, then carry them up the flank of the crater to sell for 680 roupees per kilo (about €0.04). But the loads they carry, weighing between 80 and 100 kilos, cost them their health—and sometimes their life. By working nights, they manage to haul out two loads every 24 hours, doubling their salary, avoiding the daytime heat of the Kawah Ijen cauldron, and despite the condition remaining independant
The sulphur, among the purest in Indonesia, is destined for the food and chemical industry. Whitening sugar, at the price of their health and youth, such is the destiny of these serfs to sulphur.
Olivier is a four-time World Press Photo winner. After studying commercial photography in Paris, he first began shooting natural landscapes after a shoot with rock climbers. He's been photographing volcanos since 1997. You can see more of Oliver's work at his website.
THE PENTAGON IS LAUNCHING MASS SURVEILLANCE BALLOONS OVER AMERICA
THE PENTAGON IS LAUNCHING MASS SURVEILLANCE BALLOONS OVER AMERICA
ILITEPHOTO/FLICKR
DAN ROBITZSKI
Eagle Eye
The Pentagon is launching spy balloons over the Midwest to monitor and track individual people and vehicles.
The point of the balloons is “to provide a persistent surveillance system to locate and deter narcotic trafficking and homeland security threats,” according to documents filed with the Federal Communications Commission. But, as The Guardian reports, that also means everyday people will be subjected to sweeping government surveillance — without their knowledge or consent.
99 Red Balloons
The surveillance experiment began in mid-July, according to The Guardian, and will run at least through September. The balloons will carry sensors that track every vehicle within a 25-mile radius.
While the Pentagon touts the balloons as a way to quickly spot threats, civil liberties groups have a different view on the matter.
“We do not think that American cities should be subject to wide-area surveillance in which every vehicle could be tracked wherever they go,” Jay Stanley, a senior policy analyst at the American Civil Liberties Union, told The Guardian. “We should not go down the road of allowing this to be used in the United States and it’s disturbing to hear that these tests are being carried out, by the military no less.
When humans landed on the moon (photographed here from the International Space Station), it changed the way that Earthlings thought about aliens, SETI Institute astronomer Seth Shostak told Live Science.
Credit: NASA JSC
On July 20, 1969, astronauts Neil Armstrong and Buzz Aldrin walked on Earth's moon for the first time in human history. Four days later, they — along with Apollo 11 command module pilot Michael Collins — were locked up on an American aircraft carrier in the middle of the Pacific Ocean.
The triumphant astronauts were in quarantine. Per a NASA safety protocol written half a decade earlier, the three lunar visitors were escorted directly from their splashdown site in the central Pacific to a modified trailer aboard the USS Hornet, where a 21-day isolation period began. The objective? To ensure that no potentially hazardous lunar microbes hitchhiked back to Earth with them. [5 Strange, Cool Things We've Recently Learned About the Moon]
Of course, as NASA quickly confirmed, there were no tiny aliens lurking in the astronauts' armpits or in the 50 pounds (22 kilograms) of lunar rocks and soil they had collected. But despite this absence of literal extraterrestrial life, the Apollo 11 astronauts still may have succeeded in bringing aliens back to Earth in another way that can still be felt 50 years later.
Pres. Richard Nixon welcomes the Apollo 11 astronauts back to Earth after their historic voyage to the moon. The astronauts were confined within one of NASA's Mobile Quarantine Facilities for 21 days to ensure they would not contaminate Earth with any potential lunar bacteria after their short lunar sojourn.
Credit: NASA
"Today, about 30 percent of the public thinks the Earth is being visited by aliens in saucers, despite the evidence of that being very poor," Seth Shostak, senior astronomer at the SETI Institute — a nonprofit research center focused on the search for alien life in the universe — told Live Science. "I think the moon landing had something to do with that."
Shostak has been searching for signs of intelligent life in the universe for most of his life (and, fittingly, shares a birthday with the Apollo 11 landing). Live Science recently spoke with him to find out more about how the moon landing changed the scientific community's pursuit of aliens and the world's perception of them. Highlights of our conversation (lightly edited for clarity) appear below.
LS: What did the moon landing teach humans about extraterrestrial life?
They knew for 100 years that the moon had no atmosphere, because when stars pass behind the moon they just disappear; if the moon had an atmosphere, stars would get dimmer as they got closer to the moon's edge. Plus, just look at the moon: There's no liquid, temperatures in the sun are hundreds of degrees, temperatures in the shade are minus hundreds of degrees — It's awful!
That said, I think the moon landing did affect the public perception of extraterrestrial life. Up until then, rockets and so forth were just science fiction. But the Apollo missions showed that you could travel from one world to another on a rocket — and maybe aliens could, too. I think that, from the public's point of view, this meant that going to the stars wasn't always going to be just fiction. Suddenly, the universe was a little more open.
LS: In 1969, did scientists think there might be aliens somewhere else in the solar system?
Shostak: Mars was the Great Red Hope, if you will, of extraterrestrial life in the solar system. People were very optimistic in 1976 when the Viking landers plopped down onto Mars that there would be life. Even Carl Sagan thought there might be critters with legs and heads running around there. Scientists were kind of disappointed when it didn't look like Mars had much life, either.
If you ask scientists today where's the best place to look for life in the solar system, they'll probably say Enceladus or one of the other moons of Jupiter or Saturn. There still could be microbial life on Mars, but to find it you'll have to dig a really deep hole and pull stuff up. Some of these moons, on the other hand, have geysers that shoot the material right into space, so you don't even have to land a spacecraft to find it.
LS: What did the search for extraterrestrial intelligence (SETI) look like around 1969?
Shostak: Modern SETI experiments began in 1960 with astronomer Frank Drake and his Project Ozma, where he searched for inhabited planets around two stars using a radio telescope. [After four years of searching, no recognizable signals were detected.]
But by 1969, SETI was being done informally by people who were working at telescopes, looking up the coordinates of nearby stars and hoping to pick up radio waves in their spare time. But it wasn't really organized until the NASA SETI program began in the 1970s. It was a serious program that, at one point, had a budget of $10 million a year, so NASA could build special receivers, get telescope time and all that sort of stuff.
The NASA SETI program began observing in 1992 — and, in 1993, Congress killed it! Ultimately, a democratic congressman from Nevada killed it. I find it ironic that a congressman from Nevada — home of Area 51 and the extraterrestrial highway — voted down the NASA SETI program, when they profit more from the public fascination with aliens that anywhere else.
Longjiang-2 outlived its planned one-year design life.
Earth photobombs the far side of the moon in this color-corrected photo taken by China's Longjiang-2 microsatellite on Feb. 4, 2019, at 10:20 a.m. EST (1520 GMT).
China's tiny lunar orbiterLongjiang-2, also known as DSLWP-B, crashed intentionally into the moon's far side on July 31, according to media reports.
The 104-lb. (47 kilograms) Longjiang-2 was sent into space on May 21, 2018, along with the Chang'e 4 lunar probe's relay satellite, and entered orbit around the moon four days later. (Longjiang-2's sister satellite, Longjiang-1, failed to reach lunar orbit.)
The small spacecraft operated in orbit for 437 Earth days, exceeding its one-year designed lifespan. It was then brought down in a controlled fashion at 10:20 a.m. EDT (1420 GMT; 10:20 p.m. Beijing time) on July 31, China's state-run Xinhua news agency reported, citing the China National Space Administration's Lunar Exploration and Space Program Center as a source.
"The micro satellite carried an ultra-long-wave detector, developed by the National Space Science Center of the Chinese Academy of Sciences, aiming to conduct radio astronomical observation and study solar radiation," Xinhua wrote.
"As a part of the international cooperation behind China's Chang'e 4 mission, Longjiang-2 also carried an optical camera developed by the King Abdulaziz City for Science and Technology of Saudi Arabia," the news agency added. "The camera has captured 30 high-definition images of the moon."
There is a new crater on the Moon... We are already 5 minutes past the moment DSLWP-B would've appeared from behind the Moon if it had not crashed. The fact that we are no longer receiving signals means it has impacted the lunar surface. RIP DSLWP-B.
"There is a new crater on the Moon," Cees Bassa, a satellite observer and astronomer working at ASTRON, the Netherlands Institute for Radio Astronomy, tweeted on July 31.
"We are already 5 minutes past the moment DSLWP-B would have appeared from behind the Moon if it had not crashed. The fact that we are no longer receiving signals means it has impacted the lunar surface. RIP DSLWP-B," Bassa added in the same tweet.
The collision with the moon was planned since January of this year and was done as a means to end the mission without leaving debris in lunar orbit, amateur radio expert Daniel Estévez wrote in a recent blog post.
Estévez explained in an earlier post that, on Jan. 24, the periapsis (low point) of the lunar orbit of DSLWP-B was lowered by approximately 310 miles (500 kilometers), so that orbital perturbations would eventually force the satellite to collide with the moon.
Leonard David is author of the recently released book, "Moon Rush: The New Space Race" published by National Geographic in May 2019. A longtime writer for Space.com, David has been reporting on the space industry for more than five decades. Follow us on Twitter@Spacedotcom orFacebook.
Are aliens using super powerful flashlights to get our attention? Astronomers think there's a chance they are.
Since the invention of the radio, humans have been silently listening to the stars, wondering if we are alone in the universe. But if intelligent alien life does exist, the extraterrestrials could be using other forms of technology to communicate. Astronomers are beginning to not only listen to the cosmos but also gaze toward it for other signs of alien tech: laser beams.
Breakthrough Listen, the most extensive Search for Extraterrestrial Intelligence (SETI) program in history, announced that its team will begin looking for new signs of alien technology using the Very Energetic Radiation Imaging Telescope Array System (VERITAS) at the Fred Lawrence Whipple Observatory in Amado, Arizona.
"When it comes to intelligent life beyond Earth, we don't know where it exists or how it communicates," Yuri Milner, billionaire particle physicist and founder of Breakthrough Listen, said in a statement. "So our philosophy is to look in as many places, and in as many ways, as we can. VERITAS expands our range of observation even further."
Using VERITAS, astronomers will begin scanning the night sky for nanosecond flashes of light from nearby stars. Like a lighthouse beacon for the cosmos, these brief pulses of optical light would outshine any nearby stars and could indicate a method of alien communication.
"With the addition of VERITAS, we're sensitive to an important new class of signals: fast optical pulses," Andrew Siemion, the director of Berkeley's SETI Research Center, said in the statement. "Optical communication has already been used by NASA to transmit high-definition images to Earth from the moon, so there's a reason to believe that an advanced civilization might use a scaled-up version of this technology for interstellar communication."
The array of four optical 12-meter telescopes of the Very Energetic Radiation Imaging Telescope Array System (VERITAS) at the Fred Lawrence Whipple Observatory in Amado, Arizona.
(Image credit: The VERITAS Collaboration)
VERITAS has looked for such laser pulses from the mysteriously dimming Tabby's Star after some had speculated there could be an alien megastructure surrounding it that caused the odd dimming. If the most powerful lasers on Earth were used at Tabby's Star and pointed in our direction, VERITAS could detect them. Of the 1 million stars on the Breakthrough Listen target list, most of them are 10 to 100 times closer to Earth than Tabby's Star, meaning even weaker laser flashes from intelligent aliens could be detected.
The array of four 12-meter optical telescopes is traditionally used to detect gamma rays — high-energy radiation emitted by extreme cosmic objects like exploding stars and even black holes — in the night sky. When gamma rays hit Earth's atmosphere, they produce very faint blue flashes of light called Cherenkov radiation, because the particles travel faster than the speed of light through air. So the blue flashes are the light equivalent of a sonic boom. The telescope array's ability to detect and pinpoint the source of these short-lived blue flashes made it the perfect candidate to search for laser beams from distant stars and galaxies.
"It is impressive how well-suited the VERITAS telescopes are for this project, since they were built only with the purpose of studying very-high-energy gamma rays in mind," David Williams, a member of the VERITAS collaboration and professor of physics at the University of California, Santa Cruz, said in the statement.
The Breakthrough Listen initiative is a $100 million, 10-year project funded by Yuri Milner, a Russian billionaire and science philanthropist. The project, which began in 2015, has already surveyed more than 1,000 stars within 160 light-years away from Earth for signs of alien radio signals, with no positive results.
"We believe that life arose spontaneously on Earth, so in an infinite universe, there must be other occurrences of life," famed physicist Stephen Hawking said during the initiative's launch. "Somewhere in the cosmos, perhaps intelligent life might be watching these lights of ours, aware of what they mean. Or do our lights wander a lifeless cosmos, unseen beacons announcing that, here on one rock, the universe discovered its existence? Either way, there is no better question."
Als we dit doen, dan verschijnt inderdaad het ruimteschip:
"Dus helaas, weer zo'n nepnieuws artikel. Er wordt helemaal niks weggestoken. De hires versie is er nog steeds! Wel straf dat ze een UFO laten staan op een officieel beeld ;)"
De high resolutie versie is er nu weer inderdaad, maar dat was eerder klaarblijkelijk niet het geval:
I checked the Apollo index for 11 and found that all the high resolution photos now say "Print resolution jpg 0MB size".
Bovenstaande is afkomstig van een lezer van Scott Waring en daarnaast schrijft Scott zelf ook nog het volgende:
This UFO was in the photo, but now the photo is about 50% more blurry and the object is covered with a black dot area, which can be seen if you add lots of light to the photo.
Er zijn een aantal mogelijkheden:
Of die lezer van Scott, hijzelf, wij en talloze andere lezers van de website van Waring hebben niet goed gekeken, of de originele foto van NASA is teruggeplaatst naar aanleiding van dat artikel, waardoor het dan inderdaad een nepnieuwsartikel lijkt.
Hoe dan ook, het ruimteschip is weer te zien wanneer je de high resolution optie kiest.
Origineel artikel: 2 augustus 2019
De man die al heel veel heeft ontdekt op foto’s van NASA en onverdroten daarmee doorgaat is Scott Waring.
Enkele weken geleden maakte hij een video omdat hij op een foto van NASA iets bijzonders had ontdekt.
Apollo 12 was de tweede missie van het Apolloprogramma waarbij op de maan werd geland. De lancering vond plaats op 14 november 1969. De bemanning bestond uit Pete Conrad (commandant), Alan Bean (piloot maanlander) en Richard Gordon (piloot commandomodule).
Er even vanuit gaande dat er daadwerkelijk mensen op de maan zijn geweest, dan heeft ook deze bemanning op de maan rondgelopen en toen ze dat deden hebben ze waarschijnlijk ook het vreemde ruimteschip gezien dat net boven de horizon viel waar te nemen.
In de volgende video bespreekt Scott de opname en zijn gedachten over wat het zou kunnen zijn.
Deze video is gemaakt op 22 juni 2019 en onder de video zet Scott de link naar de originele NASA foto waar dit ruimteschip op is te zien.
Nu, enkele weken later, staat er een artikel op de website van Scott waarin een lezer weet te vertellen dat het ruimteschip op de NASA foto weg is.
Dat niet alleen, een hele serie foto’s van Apollo missies 11 t/m 14 zijn dusdanig veranderd dat het volgens de lezer niet meer de moeite waard is om ernaar te kijken.
De manier waarop ze dat hebben gedaan is door de originele resolutie zodanig te verlagen, dat wanneer je probeert de foto’s wat te vergroten je een grijs korrelplaatje ziet waar niets meer op te herkennen is.
Uiteraard is ook Scott hevig teleurgesteld dat ze na al die jaren nog steeds gewoon alles wegpoetsen en de wereldbevolking een rad voor ogen draaien.
Apollo 12 was de tweede missie van het Apolloprogramma waarbij op de maan werd geland. De lancering vond plaats op 14 november 1969. De bemanning bestond uit Pete Conrad (commandant), Alan Bean (piloot maanlander) en Richard Gordon (piloot commandomodule).
Er even vanuit gaande dat er daadwerkelijk mensen op de maan zijn geweest, dan heeft ook deze bemanning op de maan rondgelopen en toen ze dat deden hebben ze waarschijnlijk ook het vreemde ruimteschip gezien dat net boven de horizon viel waar te nemen.
In de volgende video bespreekt Scott de opname en zijn gedachten over wat het zou kunnen zijn.
Deze video is gemaakt op 22 juni 2019 en onder de video zet Scott de link naar de originele NASA foto waar dit ruimteschip op is te zien.
Nu, enkele weken later, staat er een artikel op de website van Scott waarin een lezer weet te vertellen dat het ruimteschip op de NASA foto weg is.
Dat niet alleen, een hele serie foto’s van Apollo missies 11 t/m 14 zijn dusdanig veranderd dat het volgens de lezer niet meer de moeite waard is om ernaar te kijken.
De manier waarop ze dat hebben gedaan is door de originele resolutie zodanig te verlagen, dat wanneer je probeert de foto’s wat te vergroten je een grijs korrelplaatje ziet waar niets meer op te herkennen is.
Uiteraard is ook Scott hevig teleurgesteld dat ze na al die jaren nog steeds gewoon alles wegpoetsen en de wereldbevolking een rad voor ogen draaien.
There have been so many theories – logical, evidence-based, conspiracy and otherwise – about the strange disappearances which have come to be known as the Dyatlov Pass Incident that it’s becoming almost mandatory that when another one pops up, the first question to ask is, “Have we heard this one before?” The latest one comes from a large news agency in Russia and has to do with a mysterious yet well-known condition among indigenous people known as “polar hysteria.” Have you heard this before?
“Once I was visiting my daughter, who taught at the largest university in the Arctic Circle – the Murmansk Arctic State University, where they told me about a strange disease. The disease manifests itself in the fact that people are temporarily disconnected from the real perception of the environment – they hear voices, sounds, see angels or beautiful female faces, and at the same time repeat movements. There is evidence of a sudden departure to the north of entire camps of northern peoples, leaving burning centers and crying babies.”
Vasily Mekhonoshin, who describes himself as a researcher but doesn’t say what his specialty is (we’ll assume for this article that it’s the Dyatlov incident), wrote a letter to the editorial board of the Russian news agency ura.ru describing his theory about the sudden and yet unexplained deaths of Igor Dyatlov and seven other skier/hikers in February 1959 in the northern Ural Mountains of the former Soviet Union. He calls it “meryachka” which is the word used by the Pormors – descendants of settlers from Novgorod. The Saamis (formerly known as Laplanders) call it Emerik while the Yakuts (who live in the Republic of Sakha) call it the “shaman’s navy” (this sounds more like a mistranslation by Google). North American Inuits call it pibloktoq and the American Psychiatric Association calls it Arctic or Polar Hysteria. So, why does Vasily Mekhonoshin call it the cause of the demise of the Dyatlov group?
“Witnesses noted that people covered by the “meryachka” tend to move north, become insensitive to pain and cold, some tear their clothes on, and if someone tries to stop them, they become aggressive and resist with inhuman force. The condition can last a long time, at the end convulsions and sobs can be observed, and then deep sleep. A person comes to himself unexpectedly and does not remember any of this.”
Hmm. That sounds like some of the strange behavior indicated by the state of the campsite. Mekhonoshin surmises that the cold and sensory deprivation experienced by the hikers had put them in this zombie state of polar hysteria, causing them to leave camp in a violent disarray, tear off their clothes and move to the northeast before waking up confused, partially naked and unable to return – ultimately freezing to death.
Are there any holes in Mekhonoshin ‘s polar hysteria theory? The condition was unknown outside of northern indigenous cultures until Western explorers encountered them. After studying people showing the strange symptoms, scientists tended toward polar hysteria being an Arctic cultural disorder caused by the lack of sun, extreme cold, isolation and the desolated state of northern villages. Further, they saw it more in women than men (hence the term ‘hysteria’) and attributed that to more women being left alone while the men left to hunt, fish or explore.
Polar hysteria?
If that’s the case, the Dyatlov group is disqualified on a number of counts. The hikers were mostly men and not indigenous but Russian university students living in dorms, not isolated villages. They were also exposed to the extreme cold for a relatively short period, not the mind-numbing months of arctic winters. Finally, psychologists suggest that there are few observed victim of polar hysteria and most of the early accounts are by male explorers of female natives. Finally, the cultures practiced shamanism and unfamiliar ceremonies that may have confused outsiders. In other words, there’s plenty of doubt that ‘polar hysteria’ is a real condition.
That diagnosis won’t stop people like Vasily Mekhonoshin and other trying to solve the mystery of the Dyatlov Pass Incident. He gets credit for one thing … I haven’t heard that one before.
As anyone who has researched UFOs knows, the United States frequently tests new aerospace technologies on its own soil much to the fear and confusion of citizens below. The history of the American government’s experimental aircraft testing is a long and sordid one, involving all manner of misinformation, misdirection, and seeming misanthropy.
A 72-foot long helium-filled balloon flies 2,500 feet above the U.S.-Mexico border near Roma, Texas. The Department of Defensel is testing the surveillance balloons to see if they could be effective spotting drug smugglers and threats.
(Christopher Sherman/AP)
Over the last few years, evidence keeps stacking up that may suggest the military industrial complex is up to its old tricks once again, but insane-sounding, gravity-bending, electromagnetically-propelled aircraft aren’t the only things the Pentagon may or may not be testing over America’s skies. According to an exclusive report published in The Guardian this week, the Pentagon is currently flying experimental high-altitude balloons over several American states as a means of conducting wide-area persistent surveillance. Are spy satellites not enough?
The Guardian came across documents filed with the FCC (Federal Communications Commission) that grant a “Special Temporary Authorization” for “high altitude MESH networking tests over South Dakota to provide a persistent surveillance system to locate and deter narcotic trafficking and homeland security threats.”
MESH networking is a type of communications network in which each node can communicate directly with each other node in a non-hierarchical manner. In the case of these high-altitude balloons, it would seem that each balloon can communicate with other balloons using their own network, thus needing FCC approval for the use of the airwaves.
Google and other tech firms have been testing MESH network balloons for years as a means of bringing high-speed internet to rural areas.
The balloons fly high up in the stratosphere (up to 65,000ft or 19,000m) and carry sophisticated radar systems that can track multiple vehicles or individuals simultaneously over a 25-mile wide area. According to the FCC filings, the balloons also carry wide-area nine-camera systems known as Gorgon Stare which can record panoramic views of entire cities. The balloons were launched from rural South Dakota and will float over Minnesota, Iowa, Wisconsin, Illinois, and Missouri until September 2019.
The Gorgon Stare system has been previously deployed on drones over battlefield areas.
Many observers have pointed out just how terrifying and dystopian such an experiment is. Jay Stanley, a senior policy analyst at the American Civil Liberties Union, shared his organization’s fears over the new experimental surveillance project with The Guardian:
We do not think that American cities should be subject to wide-area surveillance in which every vehicle could be tracked wherever they go. Even in tests, they’re still collecting a lot of data on Americans: who’s driving to the union house, the church, the mosque, the Alzheimer’s clinic. We should not go down the road of allowing this to be used in the United States and it’s disturbing to hear that these tests are being carried out, by the military no less.
This latest development only adds to what fellow MU contributor Nick Redfern calls “the growing phenomenon of drones and surveillance.” As our skies become increasingly filled with autonomous aircraft tracking our every movement and communication, we’re losing more and more of the freedom that we once shared as private citizens. Just wait until Facebook and Elon Musk get their technological tendrils directly into your brain and connect it to the Pentagon balloons’ MESH network.
The evidence in this book may not ultimately give you the “smoking gun” you are looking for on your journey, but I guarantee it will give you a box of bullets when you find it.
In 1996, John Greenewald, Jr. began researching the secret inner workings of the U.S. Government at the age of fifteen. He targeted such agencies as the CIA, FBI, Pentagon, Air Force, Army, Navy, NSA, DIA, and countless others.
Greenewald utilized the Freedom of Information Act (FOIA) to gain access to more than two million pages of documents. This archive includes information relating to UFOs, the JFK Assassination, chemical, biological, and nuclear weapons, and top secret aircraft. He took the millions of pages, and over the course of more than two decades, has built an archive known around the world, as The Black Vault.
Inside The Black Vault: The Government’s UFO Secrets Revealed takes you on a journey within the secret world of unidentified aerial phenomenon that has plagued the military since at least the 1940s. Declassified records prove that the UFO topic is one of the most highly classified and most elusive subjects the U.S. Government has ever dealt with. Each chapter explores various agencies and their documents, and Greenewald breaks down the meaning of why some of the most important documents are relevant to proving a massive cover-up.
Along with declassified documents, Greenewald outlines the struggle it took him to get them. No other topic has proven so difficult, in more than 8,000 FOIA requests that he has filed. He explores why that might be and meets skeptics and debunkers head on, outlining why some of their more prominent rebuttals for it all cannot be true.
John Greenewald, Jr. began researching government conspiracies at the age of 15. For more than two decades, he has turned his popular website, TheBlackVault.com, into one of the internet’s premiere resources for officially declassified U.S. Government documents, totaling more than 2,000,000 pages. Greenewald is also a television producer, having helped create a variety of programs for outlets such as the History Channel, National Geographic Channel and the Discovery Channel, and has been a guest on hundreds of radio and television programs throughout the globe.
UFOs aren’t so hampered. The UFO looks like it’s been seen by lots of individuals. Throughout that time period, there were two triangle UFOs sighted in the identical place.
UFO sightings are reported throughout history. UFO sightings are now able to easily be captured on video, while it’s through a telephone or video camera. Usually once you speak about UFO sightings, most people today feel that I mistook it for something else or they may think that it is merely a crap. UFO sightings aren’t a modern phenomenon, they aren’t a US-only phenomenon. They have become an ever-popular subject. In any event, UFO sightings aren’t something which’s new to society. During February in Minnesota, for instance, only 69 UFO sightings are reported since the start of the 21st century.
Ufo Sightings – Overview
What earns the video footage even more credible is there is footage taken by different folks in various areas of town. Some video footage implies that the objects move quickly. The video has become the fodder for quite a few arguments and debates about the authenticity of the same. It was suppose to show a glowing object racing across the video feed. Take a look at the pictures and videos and you decide by yourself. The video shows three unique sightings of suspected UFOs in three unique regions of the world. When there are a couple who strongly think that the extraterrestrial baby exist, others are doubtful and don’t look at the evidence to be sufficient.
What You Need to Do About Ufo Sightings Beginning in the Next 5 Minutes
There are lots of theories,” Kay stated. There are not many fantastic explanations for the majority of the Hudson Valley sightings. Among the arguments that scientists use to debunk UFO sightings is that our planet has existed for at least four billion decades, therefore the odds are incredibly small that the aliens would just chance to arrive here during the few decades that we’ve got technology.
The unexplained cases appear to be similar in a lot of ways. The evidence might have been much more compelling, in the event the very first recorded incident was not revealed as a hoax. For starters, so many folks say reflexively that there’s no evidence of an ET presence engaging our planet, when they don’t really know the evidence. There are also a number of witnesses. Before you make a decision as to what you believe, we implore you to comprehend the evidence. It is difficult to understand what’s real evidence and what’s fake evidence. If you’re still not convinced or want to read more evidence an Arizona UFO might not be a laughing matter, you might delight in seeing for yourself, more UFO Evidence.
A number of the scenarios, in some few incidents, ended up regarding the steps of a couple disturbed individuals. UFO sighting levels depend on not only the presence of unrecognizable objects, but in addition, needless to say, on the chance of actually reporting such observations. What’s more, the radiation levels measured at UFO sightings consistently demonstrate a greater count than that which is normally found in the surroundings. Countless quantities of images and videos pop up online everyday, and it is a challenge to distinguish what’s reliable.
UFOs and aliens have been one of the biggest mysteries of all times. Bizarre sightings, flashes of light in the sky, stories of abductions and testimonies from controversial places like Area 51 feed these conspiracy theories. While many argue that aliens and UFOs are not real and are just a phenomena that exist in science-fiction films, it seems that they have been around for longer than we know.
This article will demonstrate a series of artwork, dating from prehistoric times to the Renaissance, that portray some freaky, extraterrestrial-type objects. While we can never fully know what the artist was trying to show us, some of these pieces scream: Aliens are real!
Keep reading to see if we can convince you.
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15. THE LOLLADOFF PLATE
Pinterest
This interesting plate was discovered in Nepal and according to Crystalinks, dates back to 7000 BCE. This artefact has a bizarre spiral design and features an alien-like figure at the bottom of the artwork.
The figure has a typically larger, bald head and resembles what we commonly think when imagining extraterrestrials. It seems nothing has changed over the past 9000 years!
14. AN ALIEN BATTLE
Psychology Today
This image was discovered on a piece of wood in Nuremberg, Germany in 1561. This bizarre image features many colorful circular objects flying in the sky surrounded by what appears to be missiles.
It is commonly believed that this work of art is meant to illustrate an alien battle witnessed by Germans in the 16th century. Spooky!
13. THE GLORIFICATION OF THE EUCHARIST
Cell Code
This artwork was painted by Bonaventura Salimbeni in the 17th century. This famous oeuvre is located in San Lorenzo, a beautiful church in Italy. While this may appear to be your typical renaissance painting, the weird satellite-like device seems out of place, no?
Many argue that the resemblance to Sputnik 1 is undeniable.
12. THE ANNUNCIATION WITH SAINT EMIDUS
Pinterest
This work was painted in the 15th century by Carlo Crivelli, an Italian artist. This religious artwork depicts classical catholic figures such as Mother Mary, however, there is something unusual about it.
A beam of light is shooting from the top left-hand corner and forms a halo on Mary. Could it be aliens?
11. THE CRUCIFIXION OF CHRIST
Pinterest
This painting is found today in the Visoki Decani Monastery in Kosovo and demonstrates Jesus’ crucifixion. Notice the figures flying in the sky on the left- and right-hand side.
To my knowledge, planes, jets and any type of aircraft did not exist in the 14th century, so what could these possibly be?
10. THE BAPTISM OF CHRIST
Curiator
This work of art was created by Aert de Gelder, a dutch artist in the 18th century. This painting is meant to capture the moment of Jesus’ baptism, however, beams of light coming from a circular object in the sky is what grabbed our attention.
This has to be a UFO!
9. THE MADONNA WITH SAINT GIOVANNINO
ChurchPOP
This image, painted in the 15th century, appears to depict a mother praying with her young children, however, there is something hidden in the background. A flying object is seen in the top right-hand side and in the distance, a man and his dog seem to be frightened by it.
Listverse explains that because the dog seems to be barking at the object, it definitely cannot be a divine symbol.
8. THE MIRACLE OF SNOW
Wikipedia
The Miracle of Snow was painted by Masolino Da Panicale in the 15th century.
It is supposedly meant to depict a snowfall that happened in Rome in the 300s, however, snow is not supposed to look like big, circular flying objects. What else could it be then? Hm...
7. ISRAEL, PUT YOUR HOPE IN THE LORD’ PAINTING
The Sun
This painting is extremely freaky. A strange flying object, which resembles a UFO, is portrayed floating above a burning church.
It’s unclear whether the object is helping or causing the fire but it definitely looks suspicious. The messaging here is quite frightening.
6. ST. JOHN THE BAPTIST
BordomTherapy
Leonardo Da Vinci was a brilliant inventor, artist, and scientist who always added secret messages in his work.
In this painting of Saint John, completed in the 16th century, there is a hidden alien face that is only visible when the painting is mirrored. There is no way this is a coincidence.
5. 1ST CENTURY MAYAN CARVING
BordomTherapy
This chilling carving dates back to the 1st century. In the carving, a man is seen bowing down or surrendering to a strange figure in the sky.
The being in the sky eerily resembles an extraterrestrial, specifically the big, bald head and beaming eyes.
4. EGYPTIAN PICTOGRAPH
BordomTherapy
Aliens get hungry too, right? This Egyptian pictograph, which dates back to 400 BCE, portrays a man offering a bird to a weird alien figure wearing a cloak.
This may be a settlement offer or maybe him surrendering to this spooky being. We’ll never know.
3. GLOWING GERMAN WHEELS
Gizmodo
This image depicts a sighting of UFOS in Germany in the 17th century.
Glowing circular shapes are floating in the sky while people gather on the ground observing them. Crystalinks explains that these were described as glowing wheels by Germans. How weird!
2. ITALIAN CAVE PAINTIN
Crystalinks
This cave painting is thought to have been created around 10,000 BCE in Val Camonica, Italy. In the center of the painting, an alien-like figure is depicted holding a smaller, yet similar figure. On the outskirts, other beings appear to watch, both afraid and intrigued.
This definitely could represent an alien sighting.
1. SAINT WOLFGANG AND THE DEVIL
Catholic Exchange
This painting leaves no room for skepticism. Michael Pacher’s work literally depicts an alien, decked out with wings, an extra face on its buns and scary horns.
Weirdly enough, the creature seems to be helping Saint Wolfgang. What does this say about Pacher’s view on religion…
We Found It...6000 Year Old Ancient Flying Machine Evidence Hidden in India! Vimanas!
We Found It...6000 Year Old Ancient Flying Machine Evidence Hidden in India! Vimanas!
Thousands of years ago, ancient flying machines existed on Earth and then they left along with their creators. In the thousands of years that followed, India began constructing temples that resembled the Vimanas.
Vimāna is the mythological flying palaces or chariots described in Hindu texts and Sanskrit epics. The Pushpaka Vimana of the king Ravana is the most quoted example of a vimana. Vimanas are also mentioned in Jain texts.
NASA has just discovered a potential “super-Earth” outside our solar system which is located comfortably inside its star’s habitable zone, meaning it could be ripe for human colonization.
While monitoring the star named GJ 357, which sits just 31 light years away in the constellation Hydra, the space agency’s Transiting Exoplanet Survey Satellite (TESS) caught the star dimming every 3.9 days, indicating the presence of at least one transiting exoplanet.
Watch the following video presentation by NASA:
After some further solar sleuthing, the researchers came across a clutch of planets, the most promising of which, GJ 357 d, has conditions which indicate that it could sustain life.
Given its position relative to its star, the NASA boffins estimate that it receives similar amounts of solar energy that Mars receives from our sun. So far so good.
“This is exciting, as this is humanity’s first nearby super-Earth that could harbor life,”gushed one of the lead astronomers, Lisa Kaltenegger.
They are now hoping to discover that the planet has a dense atmosphere that can trap enough heat to warm it and allow liquid water on its surface.
Without an atmosphere, however, the planet likely has an equilibrium temperature of around -64 Fahrenheit (-53 Celsius), which would make it a frozen hellscape and likely nigh on impossible to colonize without expending vast resources – ice picks at the ready, everyone.
TESS, which is designed to comb the universe for habitable worlds, also found two other planets orbiting the star.
GJ 357 b is estimated to be about 22 percent larger than Earth and it orbits the star 11 times closer than Mercury orbits our own sun, gaining it the moniker ‘hot Earth.’
‘Hot Earth’ boasts a balmy ‘equilibrium temperature’ of 490 degrees Fahrenheit (254 degrees Celsius), meaning a ‘hard no’ for potential future human colonization as, even if it is found to have an atmosphere, it would be far too hot to sustain life.
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On July 22, 2019, a NASA-operated aircraft made a long, low-altitude survey of areas struck by the recent California earthquakes. Flight tracking website FlightAware.com tracked the path of the McDonnell Douglas DC-8-70, registered to NASA under the call sign NASA817, and images of the aircraft’s flight path show it to have clearly zig-zagged directly over the San Andreas fault. Is NASA worried that The Big One is coming?
The aircraft flew well below 1,000 feet for large portions of its flight, frightening and confusing southern California residents below. “It was scary, a little bit. You didn’t know if was going to land,” said CBSNLA anchorwoman Jasmine Viel after she saw the aircraft during her commute. “Everyone kind of stopped in their cars, looking up. It was big and loud.”
NASA’s DC-8 science aircraft
After receiving several calls about a plane flaying dangerously low overhead, the Los Angeles Sheriff’s Department assured the public via Twitter that the plane belonged to NASA and posed no threat. NASA has yet to respond inquiries asking why the plane was flying so low over densely populated areas.
The recent wave of earthquakes in California revealed that scientists are still working to understand the complex interactions of seismic forces and structures underneath America’s west coast. For years, many have predicted that “The Big One” is imminent, an earthquake that will destroy much of what we know today as California and create a tsunami that could send cities crashing into the waves. Is this why NASA were flying a DC-8 precariously low over California?
While some of the more conspiratorial and sensational YouTube channels and blogs are covering this flight as proof of some sort of impending doomsday, the fact is that NASA operates many of the most advanced scientific aircraft and instruments the U.S. government possesses, so of course they would want to study the aftereffects of recent earthquakes in order to assess future or even current risks. On NASA’s Airborne Science website, the space agency writes that the DC-8 “provides a unique set of NASA supported aircraft that benefit the earth science community” and “carry the sensors that provide data to support and augment NASA spaceborne missions.”
The aircraft has previously been used to study radiation and chemical gases in the atmosphere.
Still, it’s odd that NASA has yet to comment on the activities of NASA817 over Southern California. Let’s say, very hypothetically, that NASA came across evidence suggesting The Big One is coming and coming soon. Would they tell the public and most certainly create panic, chaos, and pandemonium?
In the quest to storm Area 51 and free the aliens being held there – or at least free the truth about what exactly IS being held there – it appears the aliens are winning. Last week, a video appeared of what the uploader claimed was a UFO speeding across the desert sky near where on September 20th there will either be a storming, a concert, free beer, specially-designed roast beef sandwiches, all of the above or the largest mass jailing in U.S. history. This week, another YouTuber posted more videos of strange glowing objects in the night sky over what he claims is an area near Area 51. Is this a distraction by the military? A clever marketing ploy by the people trying to make a buck on the storming? Are aliens trying to cover up the cover-up? Is this fun or what?
“The UFO’s returned again tonight over Area 51, they were only visible for about 20 seconds. I am sorry for the poor quality, I have focused my camera and set it for low light so the video will be better. I know they will return.”
On July 30th, YouTuber Showdaam posted the second of two videos of what he described as UFOs over Area 51. The July 29th video (see it here) shows what looks like a bright and slow-moving round white light. The July 30th video (see it here) looks like two reddish lights close together. These are visible for a short period and then disappeared. In the audio, Showdaam indicates that there were actually a “few days” between the sightings. Kudos to The Hidden Underbelly 2.0, another YouTube site, which managed to contact Showdaam and find out the videos were actually taken in March 2019. If you’re keeping track, that’s a number of months BEFORE the whole Storm Area 51 hoax/event/extravaganza began.
Sheep Range (https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/User:Stan_Shebs)
Another thing you might have noticed in these videos is that they’re over houses. Area 51, as the Air Force and local law enforcement in Rachel, Nevada, are warning stormers, is out in the middle of the desert. Rachel has barely 50 residents and no buildings like these. Hidden Underbelly 2.0 found out that the video was taken near the Sheep Mountain Range, which is north of Las Vegas and close to 100 miles south of Rachel. While Showdaam says “I see these phenomena quite often so I will have my DSLR next time to capture a better quality video,” it would be nice if he saw them closer to Area 51 and closer to the time of the Storming.
All of the lights are on the ground in Las Vegas and no one ever looks up from the slots anyway
Still, UFOs are UFOs and “close” counts for something … right? It’s entirely possible that what Showdaam has been seeing are military aircraft – after all, Area 51 IS an Air Force base used for testing new and secret aircraft. He’s also promising live coverage of the Storm Area 51 event on September 20th. We already know he has a nose for UFOs. Maybe he’ll see something there too.
Keep that DSLR handy and pointed ABOVE the Stormers!
In 1903, a man named Oscar Frederickson, of Winnipegosis, Canada wrote a fascinating and extensive report on his knowledge of huge lake monsters in the early decades of the twentieth century, all of which came from witnesses, both first- and second-hand. He began his account like this: “In 1903, I lived with my parents on Red Deer Point, Lake Winnipegosis. Our house was situated about two hundred yards from the shore. About a mile south of our place lived a man by the name of Ferdinand Stark. One day Stark was down by the lake shore when he saw what he thought was a huge creature in the lake. It was moving northward along the shore, a short distance out. Stark wanted someone else to see the strange animal, and as we were his nearest neighbors, he came running along the lake to our place. All the while, he could see the creature moving in the same direction as he was, only going a little slower than he was running.
“Stark arrived at our home very much excited and breathing heavily, and asked my dad and mother to hurry down to the lake to see a strange animal in the water. By the time my parents got down to the lake shore, there was nothing to be seen. Whatever Stark had seen had disappeared. Looking somewhat bewildered, but still visibly excited, Stark began to describe what he had seen. All he could see of the creature was its big back sticking out of the water, and it was very dark or black in color. A number of gulls followed it and kept flying down to it as if they were picking at it. My parents did see quite a number of gulls still flying around.
“In 1935, Mr. Cecil Rogers of Mafeking and I made a trip to Grand Rapids on Lake Winnipeg. While there, I called on Mr. Valentine McKay, a resident of Grand Rapids for many years. As we were talking, the conversation drifted to strange animals that had existed at one time. To my surprise, McKay said he had seen some such animal in Lake Winnipegosis.” McKay, very pleased by the fact that Frederickson took his story seriously and did not poke fun at him, prepared a carefully written statement for the monster hunter, which read as follows:
“In September, 1909, I was traveling alone in a canoe from Shoal River on Lake Winnipegosis to Grand Rapids on Lake Winnipeg. At the time I saw this animal I was standing on the lake shore. I had stopped at Graves’ Point to make tea. I was at the edge of the bush getting willows for a campfire, when I heard a rumbling sound like distant thunder. As I looked out on the glassy surface of the calm water, I saw a huge creature propelling itself on the surface of the water about four hundred yards out from shore. A large part must have been submerged, judging by the great disturbance of the water around it.
The creature’s dark skin glistened in the autumn sun, said Frederickson, “and I estimated it was moving at the rate of two to three miles an hour. As I watched it, a member of the body shot up about four feet, vertically, out of the water. This portion seemed to have something to do with the creature’s method of locomotion. The course it was taking was toward Sugar Island or Sleep Rock. I watched it till it went out of sight. The number of gills, hovering around this creature, followed it as far as I could see.” Frederickson had something notable to say on this particular story: “Mr. McKay said he had described this creature to a geologist by the name of Craig who said it was quite possible that it was a remaining specimen of a prehistoric animal that was once plentiful.”
On the matter of the two men in question – Ferdinand Stark and Valentine McKay – Frederickson made a number of observations and comments: “A great many people will think these two men just made up a story about seeing some strange animal or creature in Lake Winnipegosis. But, it is hardly probable that both men would think up a yarn about the gulls. Stark and McKay never met, as far as I could find out. Stark moved from Winnipegosis about 1904 or 1905, and where he is now, if still living, I have not been able to find out.”
Muskellunge — the type of monster normally seen in Canadian lakes
Frederickson had yet another account to relate on this particular matter of unidentified, large beasts on the loose in the early part of the twentieth century: “In 1934, Captain Sandy Vance lived on Graves’ Point. One day he was over at Sitting Island, which is on the northeast side of the point. He saw what he thought was a huge animal a short distance off shore. Vance said it was the biggest living creature he had ever seen in water. Mr. Vance had been captain on freight tugs for many years on Lake Winnipeg and Lake Winnipegosis. He said he had often seen moose and deer in water, so there is no reason not to believe that he saw some strange living creature. Captain Vance died some years ago. He was well known here.”
And, finally, there is the following, short but intriguing, account from Frederickson: “There are quite a few Natives who have seen some strange thing. They call it ‘the big snake.’ Those of Shoal River claim that a monstrous animal was seen often off Sugar Island and Steep Rock in Dawson Bay during the latter part of the 19th century.”
Details about the Advanced Aerospace Weapons System Applications Program (AAWSAP), sometimes also referred to as AATIP, or the Advanced Aerospace Threat Identification Program, have been trickling out over the last few years, although there are contradictions and misdirections aplenty.
What we do know is that largely thanks to former Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid of Nevada, the Defense Intelligence Agency at some point was spending dozens of millions of dollars a year in order to study alleged unknown flying objects or aerial phenomena in the name of national security. We also know that Luis Elizondo, the counterintelligence officer and tactical-backpack-sporting star of the History Channel’s somewhat controversial Unidentified series, was involved in some way, although his exact role is still unclear.
Luis Elizondo, who is strangely comfortable on camera and may or may not have been the director of AATIP/AAWSAP.
While many journalists and ufologists have pointed to the program as evidence of the U.S. government’s knowledge of extraterrestrial visitation or other high strangeness, the reality is likely more prosaic. The Defense Intelligence Agency is well aware that like the U.S., other nations are testing advanced new aerospace technologies including space-based weapons and vehicles, hypersonic technologies, radical new forms of stealth techniques, and more. AAWSAP was most likely created to determine where the U.S. stood in the race to test or deploy those technologies and weapons in the field.
Case in point: investigative reporter George Knapp has released another document (PDF download link here) that sheds light on at least some of the activities of AAWSAP. Knapp shared the document “Detection and High Resolution Tracking of Vehicles at Hypersonic Velocities” created by Dr. William Culbreth, a professor of Mechanical Engineering at the University of Nevada, Las Vegas. It’s unclear when the document was written, but Knapp writes that Culbreth was “already looking at this challenge a decade ago as part of a classified Pentagon program.”
The Boeing X-51 Waverider hypersonic aircraft.
The document is one of 38 Defense Intelligence Reference Documents (DIRDs) that AASWAP produced and explores various methods that could be used to counter hypersonic objects like next-generation intercontinental ballistic missiles and space-based reentry weapons. Infrared systems, LIDAR technologies, seismography, and even infrasound detection methods are discussed in the paper as possible methods of detecting and tracking these next-generation weapons and vehicles that China, Russia, and the United States are currently developing. According to the Silva Record, the document was produced by the Bigelow Aerospace Advanced Space Studies program and submitted to AASWAP as part of a Pentagon contract Bigelow secured.
One interesting section of the document states that “technology changes in aircraft will generate the need for newer detection and tracking techniques,” and lists five categories of objects capable of hypersonic speeds: space debris, reentry craft, meteors, missiles, and hypersonic aircraft. Apparently, Culbreth’s research even included stranger topics. “We looked at technology people had envisioned, that included chemical rockets, nuclear fission rockets, nuclear fusion rockets, anti-matter and even the possible use of rotating black holes in order to create propulsion systems,” Culbreth told Knapp in an interview. “All of these seemed very blue sky. Right now at CERN (European Organization for Nuclear Research), people are putting, in little bottles, anti-matter, anti-hydrogen. And anti-matter is an extremely dense energy. So, we’re getting there.”
Images of two of the Navy’s patented theoretical hypersonic aircraft.
Ultimately, the document is far from a smoking fun of anything, but adds more context to ongoing revelations surrounding AATIP/AAWSAP and the mysterious objects detected by Navy pilots in now-infamous encounters that have attracted the attention of members the United States congress. Was this shadowy program designed solely to get out ahead of the next generation of aerospace weapons and technologies, or could there be more to the story as many observers suspect?
Wanli is a beachside town in Taiwan that’s been abandoned since the 1970s and nobody seems to know why. The fact that it’s been abandoned for several decades isn’t even the oddest thing about this town – it has very creepy-looking UFO-shaped houses. There are, in fact, only two types of houses in this town – the flying-saucer-shaped ones that are called Futuros, and the boxy, square homes that are named Venturos.
Futuro houses look like flying saucers with an airplane-style front door and windows. The circular space inside of the houses contain a kitchen, bedroom, bathroom, and sitting area. Originally, the pre-fabricated plastic houses were created as ski chalets that were so light they could be airlifted to any location. The ones in Wanli, however, have pebble-concrete steps in addition to the flying-saucer-type legs.
Wanli, Taiwan
According to Atlas Obscura, it was Finnish architect Matti Suuronen who designed the houses, but the ones in Wanli apparently weren’t sanctioned by him. So the question of where the houses originated from and when they were built remains a mystery.
In addition to the strange-looking homes, there is no real explanation as to why the town was abandoned in the 1970s, although people suspect that it had something to do with a property development that was built close to the area, as well as the fact that the construction of the houses became much too expensive to complete.
Not only has the town been mysteriously abandoned and has UFO-shaped homes, it also has a reputation for being haunted. There were numerous mysterious accidents and suicides during its construction that suggests that something paranormal is lurking there, according to Insh. Even construction workers who were at the location were scared away due to the alleged ghost sightings. A video taken by Insh (which can be seen here) gives an inside look at the abandoned town.
Unfortunately, many of the UFO-shaped homes are in really poor conditions with the insides crumbling apart, wallpaper torn off the walls, and wrecked furniture from the mist of the salty sea water as well as typhoons that have battered the area. Old yellow-colored newspapers, unmade beds, and rusty old tea kettles litter the dirty floors of many of these homes.
On a positive note, there are a few residents who have cleaned up some of the homes and who are currently living in them. Some developers are interested in the “UFO village” and so far four of the Futuro houses have “vanished” from the site. It’s unclear whether the flying-saucer-themed houses will eventually be demolished, but for now this is one of the most bizarre-looking places on Earth and an interesting spot for UFO enthusiasts who want to check out the location.
Religious texts of the world have always held a deep sense of allure, fascination, and mystery, and mankind has for centuries pored through them trying to glean some meaning to their existence from them, studying their teachings and looking for hidden contexts and interpretations behind what they have to say. It is telling that even thousands of years after they are written we study them and dissect them, scouring their pages for the answers we seek. Yet, in addition to finding meaning in what is written, there are some who look for literal hidden messages embedded in the text in the form of codes that are often claimed to have been put there by God.
The idea that there are secret codes and information hidden within the Bible is nothing new, and has been going on in some form for centuries. In as early as the 13th century rabbi Bachya ben Asher had been finding messages hidden in the Hebrew Bible, or Torah, and in later years there were various attempts to decipher hidden messages within the Hebrew Bible and Old Testament, notably by the famed inventor Isaac Newton. In the 1940s and 50s it gained some attention through the work of Rabbi H.M.D. Weissmandel, who believed that there was secret information hidden within the Torah, that could be gleaned through the use of “skip codes,” which are basically a type of encoded series of letters in manuscripts which are separated by a particular number of other letters that can be strung together to spell out words. This basic premise would be picked up by other researchers and mathematicians, who also became convinced that there were secret encrypted codes buried within the Torah and the Old Testament, with the idea emerging that these were actual messages from God and could even tell the future, and the means for figuring it all out began to evolve.
The main method developed over the years for deciphering these supposed codes in the Hebrew Bible and Old Testament is called the Equidistant Letter Sequence method, or ELS. The way it supposedly works is basically the same as the “skip codes,” in that letters in a sequence will be separated by a certain number of spaces within the text. If one knows the precise number of spaces to skip in any given passages, they can supposedly take those separated letters and isolate them to link them together to form new words and messages that have been hidden there. It is sort of like a sophisticated word search, and words are often put together in arrays, lining up horizontally, vertically, or diagonally within texts to form these mysterious messages.
Although some variant of this basic technique has been around for centuries, it remained rather obscure until the 1980s, when mathematicians Eliyahu Rips and Yoav Rosenberg, of the Hebrew University of Jerusalem, looked into these codes and did a formal study of them in 1985, which came to be known as the “Great Rabbis Experiment.” They would go on to claim that they had derived various biographical information and birth and death dates concerning various rabbis encoded into the Old Testament centuries before any of them had even been born, and also insisted that their findings were beyond explainable by random statistical chance. Rips would declare in the study, “the only conclusion that can be drawn from the scientific research regarding the Torah codes is that they exist and that they are not a mere coincidence.” The study would go on to be published in the peer-reviewed journal Statistical Science, but of course the idea of prophetic messages from God hidden in the bible was bound to generate plenty of skepticism and controversy, and it did.
More experiments would be carried out by other researchers, such as those conducted in 1997 by Harold Gans, former Senior Cryptologic Mathematician for the United States National Security Agency, who was skeptical at first but also found that there was indeed information encoded within the Bible that was beyond the scope of mere coincidence or random chance. However, the one who would truly popularize the notion of Bible Codes and launch them into the public consciousness was an American journalist and author named Michael Drosnin, who in 1997 released a book on the matter called The Bible Code, which would take the world by storm and become a massive, smash hit best seller.
Drosnin had become interested in the concept of Bible codes after speaking with one of the authors of the paper, Eliyahu Rips, in Israel in 1992. He became rather obsessed with the idea of these encrypted codes from God, and spent a large amount of time pouring through the pages of the Old Testament looking for such messages, which he believed could be used to predict the future. He would claim to have found a veritable treasure trove of such hidden information, the most well-known of these being his prediction of the imminent assassination of Israeli politician, statesman and general Yitzhak Rabin, which he warned Israeli officials of, yet they did not act on it and Rabin would be assassinated in 1995. Drosnin claimed to have found information on many assassinations in the Bible, including those of Robert F. Kennedy, John F. Kennedy, Anwar el-Sadat, and others.
These aren’t even the weirdest of Drosnin’s claims and information and predictions from the Bible codes. Drosnin was convinced that the Hebrew Bible could be used to tell the future that he insisted that Israel was using Bible codes to gain an advantage over their enemies, notably during the Persian Gulf War in 1991. He also claimed that he had found predictions buried in this ancient text on Thomas Edison and his discoveries concerning electricity and the light bulb, Newton’s work on the principles of gravity, the Nazi Holocaust, the Pearl Harbor attacks, the Oklahoma City bombing, the Gulf war, and even a failed prediction of World War III breaking out in 1996, another wrong one about a cataclysmic earthquake that would wipe out Los Angeles in the year 2010, as well as some mysterious world-ending apocalypse that was supposed to occur between 1998 and 2006. Among many others. To make it all even more bizarre, Drosnin claimed to not even believe in God, and instead theorized that these messages had all been implanted into the Bible by aliens from outer space.
Considering that you are still here reading this and that there has been no World War III or extinction level event you can see that this was all incredibly hit or miss, and Drosnin gained an intense amount of criticism for his work, including none other than the very mathematicians who had supposedly established these codes in the first place, Rips and Doron Witztum. They were quick to distance themselves from Drosnin’s work, despite the fact that it was ostensibly based on their own, because they thought he was overzealous with his predictions and warping their findings. They basically saw him as a crackpot, and although they stood by the existence of these codes they did not believe that these codes could be used to spontaneously predict the future, instead saying that the codes only worked when looking back through the past in hindsight, when the searchers specifically knew what they were looking for. They would say of Drosnin’s work:
It is literally impossible to make future predictions based on codes. Mr. Drosnin’s book does have some examples of codes that are statistically significant, and some that aren’t, and the problem is that any layman reading that book will have no way of making a distinction. I don’t think the code makes predictions. I think it reveals probabilities. so I can’t say what will happen in the next five years. Also it is not a crystal ball – you can’t just ask the Bible to tell you about tomorrow or next year. You can only find what you know how to look for – you must have some idea of what you’re looking for.
Other criticism quickly followed as well, with many experts decrying the methods used to come up with these predictions. The sticking point for most was suspicions that the Bible codes were inherently hogwash to begin with. The criticisms are numerous, the main one being that this is simply finding patterns in randomness, and that anyone can find any kind of message they want if they stare at some text and pick it apart for long enough. Drosnin could have just been seeing what he wanted to see. Drosnin responded to this by challenging others to find the same kinds of codes using his system in Moby Dick, which was actually taken up by mathematician Brendan McKay, who also found the same kind of patterns in randomness within it. Nevertheless, Drosnin stuck by his assertion that only the Bible held the true codes.
Another criticism is that there is also the fact that the Hebrew Bible is not necessarily in the same words and form that it was centuries ago, and has gone through a great number of revisions and versions, so how is it that these spacing of words would reveal the same coded messages now as they supposedly did back then? Drosnin was further accused of mistranslating Hebrew words to fit his own needs and twisting meanings to seem more mysterious. And how does that work if people make predictions and messages out of English translations of a book that was originally worded in Hebrew? Wouldn’t that essentially destroy the code if it is using ELS methods? Then of course there is the fact that many of Drosnin’s predictions were just plain wrong. Throw in talk of space aliens and it is understandable that there should be some skepticism towards his work and Bible codes in general. Nevertheless, Drosnin would amazingly write two more books on the matter, called The Bible Code II: The Countdown, (2002) and The Bible Code III: Saving the World (2010), all of which are littered with wrong predictions to the point that one critic lamented, “If you are laying bets based on Drosnin, you had better be willing to bet on all possible outcomes.”
Despite skepticism and backlash, there are many proponents who think there is something to it all. Drosnin’s work has taken on a life of its own, and other books have followed as well, with many of them going on to be best sellers. For instance, there is Cracking the Bible Code, by psychiatrist Jeffrey Satinover, in which it is claims that there is infinite knowledge contained within the codes and that “All that was, is, and will be unto the end of time is included in the Torah, the first five books of the Bible.” There is also more recently the 2014 best seller by Timothy Smith called The Chamberlain Key, described as “the Da Vinci Code on steroids, but it’s true.” In addition to these books there are many people who have continued on with this work on Bible codes, claiming to have found countless messages and predictions, ranging from a U.S. war with China to the revelation to Elvis Presley’s death, to the Roswell UFO crash, and all manner of truly outlandish conspiracy theories. It is clear that although these codes are now largely dismissed by scientists they are still very much going strong and the debate and controversy surrounding them are not over. So what is going on here? Random chance, misguided grasping for answers, or messages from God or even aliens? The debate goes on.
Rectangular UFOs seen above Brazil, Mexico and Hawaii
Rectangular UFOs seen above Brazil, Mexico and Hawaii
What are these rectangular UFOs in the skies over Araguan, Brazil, Aztec, New Mexico and Maui, Hawaii. Are these objects the latest developments in the field of hand-made UFOs similar to the Tic Tac UFOs and the Cube in Sphere UFOs seen by the US Navy?
On July 2, 2019 rectangles UFOs have been photographed while flying over Araguan, Brazil and Aztec, New Mexico.
The photographer who took a photo of the square/rectangle UFO over Araguan, Brazil says:
While living in Araguari, MG Brazil I liked to photograph contrails and in Araguari there was no shortage of interesting contrail patterns daily.
Anyway, while looking at my photos on my laptop I noticed a strange object. At first I thought it might have been caused by some sort of malfunction of the curtain or dust on the sensor.
As I zoomed in to the object it looked more like a door, a pure black door with what looked to be 2 emissions coming out of two of the corners of this door/ portal. Mufon case 102315.
The Photographer who took an image of a square/rectangle UFO over Aztec, Mexico says:
My wife was taking pictures of the clouds in the east at sunset. A few minutes after taking the pictures she noticed this saucer or cigar shaped object in one of the pictures. Mufon case 102318.
And last month, June 2019, a photographed took an image of a square/rectangle UFO over Maui, Hawaii.
This photographer said: While driving up mount Haleakala in Maui I took this picture and didnt notice anything until weeks later when i was going over my vacation photos.
The object was not seen live. The object was in only one frame, nothing before or after. Unkown altitude but as you can see it was above the cloud line. Mufon case 101379.
I was looking through Tycho crater and found eight really interesting alien structures. Each is a different shape and size. Most are about 600-800 meters across so they are big, but appear small in the photo. The white shinyness of the structures seems to be a defence mechanism so they wont be seen as easily. Just like how the stealth bomber has a black radar resistant coating on it to make it look like a flock of birds on radar. Also aliens use intelligent design using nature and mechanical influence together. Growing their buildings and ships because its easier and faster. If humanity can make it to Tycho crater, I'm sure the technology there, the bases and the ships will be enough to save the human race and allow us to make new homes across the universe. Scott C. Waring
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- Gemiddelde waardering: 0/5 - (0 Stemmen) Categorie:Ruins, strange artifacts on other planets, moons, ed ( Fr, EN, NL )
SCIENTISTS BUILT A BALL OF PLASMA THEY CALL A “MINI-SUN”
SCIENTISTS BUILT A BALL OF PLASMA THEY CALL A “MINI-SUN”
NASA/VICTOR TANGERMANN
DAN ROBITZSKI
Paging Doc Ock
Physicists at the University of Wisconsin-Madison built a swirling orb of plasma they’re calling a “miniature Sun” — so they can study how stars work up close.
The mini-sun, complete with its own powerful electromagnetic field, will help the scientists understand solar wind as well as how the real Sun occasionally blasts out plasma,according to Space.com. The mini-sun has been in the works since 2012, and could help scientists gain a better understanding of some of the Sun’s more mysterious behavior.
Solar Winds
Our sun is a constantly-swirling ball of superhot plasma. Sometimes, some of that plasma gets ejected out into the cosmos. But the mechanics of how and why it happens aren’t fully understood, according to the team’s research, published this week in the journal Nature Physics.
The mini-Sun recreates those ejections through what Space.com calls “plasma burps.” The first time the Big Red Ball burped up, it came as a surprise to the physicists. But since then, the ejections have given the physicists a hands-on way to understand how the Sun behaves and why.
Japan Approves Groundbreaking Experiment Bringing Human-Animal Hybrids To Term
Japan Approves Groundbreaking Experiment Bringing Human-Animal Hybrids To Term
Stem cell biologist Hiromitsu Nakauchi has been waiting for this moment for more than a decade.
After years of planning, the persistent researcher has at last received approval from a government willing to pursue one of the most controversial scientific studies there is: human-animal embryo experiments.
While many countries around the world have restricted, defunded or outright banned these ethically-fraught practices, Japan has now officially lifted the lid on this proverbial Pandora's box. Earlier this year, the country made it legal to not only transplant hybrid embryos into surrogate animals, but also to bring them to term.
As a lead stem cell researcher at the University of Tokyo and Stanford University, Nakauchi has gone from country to country, chasing his dream of one day growing customised human organs in animals like sheep or pigs.
With more than 116,000 patients on the transplant waiting list in the United States alone, Nakauchi hopes his idea can transform lives.
That ultimate goal is still a long way off, but the next step in his research has at last been given the green light by ministry officials in Japan. As the first researcher to receive government approval since the 2014 ban, Nakauchi plans on taking things slowly so that public understanding and trust can catch up.
"We don't expect to create human organs immediately, but this allows us to advance our research based upon the know-how we have gained up to this point," Nakauchi told The Asahi Shimbun.
The experiments will start by injecting human induced pluripotent stem cells into rat and mice embryos, all of which have been genetically manipulated so that they cannot make pancreases.
The goal is for the rodent embryo to use the human cells to build itself a pancreas, and for two years, the team plans on watching these rodents develop and grow, carefully monitoring their organs and brains in the process. Only then will the researchers ask for approval to do the same with pigs.
While human-animal embryos have been created in the past - such as pig-human embryos and sheep-human embryos - they've never been allowed to develop to term before.
One of the biggest fears with this type of research centers on exactly where these human stem cells actually go in an animal, and what type of cells they could develop into, once they are injected.
While Nakauchi and his team are trying to target this treatment to just the pancreas, if they detect more than 30 percent of the rodent brains are human, they will suspend the experiment. These are part of the government's conditions to prevent a "humanised" animal from ever coming into existence.
Nakauchi, however, doesn't think this is going to happen. Last year, he and his colleagues at Stanford successfully made the first human-sheep embryo, and although it was destroyed after just 28 days, the hybrid contained no organs and very few human cells - only about one in 10,000 or less.
"We are trying to ensure that the human cells contribute only to the generation of certain organs," Nakauchi explained the winter edition of Stanford Medicine's Out There.
"With our new, targeted organ generation, we don't need to worry about human cells integrating where we don't want them, so there should be many fewer ethical concerns."
Thousands of Gold and Precious Metal Items Found in Saka Burial Mound
The Kazakhstan government has announced a very exciting archaeological find in a remote mountainous area of the country. A team of archaeologists has unearthed a huge trove of golden objects and jewelry. The find is considered to be one of the most important in relation to the ancient Saka people and culture and one of the most significant in the history of Kazakhstan. This treasure is expected to yield important insights in the lives of the once mighty Saka people.
Who were the Saka?
The Saka were a nomadic people who spoke an Iranian language and were a sub-group of the great Scythian group who dominated the Eurasian Steep for centuries. The Saka core area was in Central Asia and from here they expanded into Iran, India and Central Asia. They were renowned for their horsemanship and their metal work. The Saka were first recorded in the 9 thcentury BC and were a major military power. However, they faded from the pages of history over time, but archaeologists have been rediscovering their culture and history in the twentieth century.
The burial mound is one of 200 or so found on the Eleke Sazy plateau.
(Image: east2west news)
A Real Treasure Trove
Kazakhstani archaeologists were excavating a Kurgan or a burial mound in the remote Eleke Sazy plateau in the Northeast of the Central Asian Republic. The team of experts is led by Professor Zainolla Samashev, who stated that “a large number of valuable finds in this burial mound” was unearthed, reports KITCO News . The site was first excavated two years ago, but there was also some digging at the site in the 18 th century in the reign of Tsar Peter the Great.
In total some 3000 golden objects have been recovered. The golden treasure includes plates, and jewelry, including, chains with precious stones and bell-shaped ear-rings. A large number of exquisitely crafted animals have also been found. There have also been a great number of golden beads that were used to decorate the elaborate clothing of the Saka. It is believed that the find dates from approximately 2,800 to 3000 years ago.
The burial mound is thought to be the final resting place of a noble couple or a family who belonged to the Saka elite. Typically, members of the elite were buried in Kurgans. The team of archaeologists has still not uncovered the remains of those who were buried in the mound and this raises the prospect of even more discoveries.
The discovery of the treasure is demonstrating the great metal-working skills of the Saka people. The golden objects demonstrate that they could rivet gold and according to the Sun, ‘show sophisticated micro-soldering technique’. This allowed them to create beautiful jewelry and other artifacts. They clearly had advanced metallurgical skills and were adept at mining and extracting gold.
There has been great excitement in Kazakhstan at the announcement of the discovery. KITCO News reports that Danial Akhmetov, the local Governor, stated that the find “gives us a completely different view of the history of our people.’ The discovery of the priceless golden objects shows that the people of Kazakhstan are descended from a great culture.
The Importance of the find
The discovery of so many astonishing golden objects is demonstrating the sophistication of the Saki and that they were master craft persons. It also demonstrates that, despite the fact that the Saki were nomads, they were very advanced. The discovery of the golden objects and the expectations of many more in the Kurgan will allow experts to gain more insights into the Saki and their culture.
There are plans for more excavations in the area, it is believed that there are some 200 burial sites in the locality. There are so many located here because, according to the Daily Mail, ‘the plateau with rich pastures was seen as paradise by the Saka Kings’. However, experts are cautious about how many more discoveries are yet to be made. That is because grave robbers and looters have long been removing precious items from the Kurgans.
IMAGES: TO THE STARS MEDIA / JOHN SCIULLI/GETTY IMAGES FOR WIRED
Former Blink 182 frontman and current UFOlogist Tom DeLonge says that his UFO research organization has acquired “potentially exotic materials featuring properties not from any known existing military or commercial application.” It has not yet provided any proof to back up this claim.
For 70 years, the UFO community has been engaged in active debate regarding physical debris from unidentified flying objects, but the general public got a true taste of that in 2017 when the New York Timesran an article about a secret Pentagon UFO program. The article tantalizingly noted that aerospace billionaire Robert Bigelow, whose interest in UFOs is no secret, modified buildings to house “metal alloys and other materials…that [allegedly] had been recovered from unidentified aerial phenomena.”
These "alien alloys" quickly became the topic of great intrigue. DeLonge's To the Stars Academy, a UFO research outfit that may or may not be broke, said that it has recently acquired some metamaterials, though it's not clear whether they are the same ones referenced in the NY Times article.
“The structure and composition of these materials are not from any known existing military or commercial application,” Steve Justice, To The Stars Academy's COO and former head of Advanced Systems at Lockheed Martin's Skunk Works said in a statement. “They've been collected from sources with varying levels of chain-of-custody documentation, so we are focusing on verifiable facts and working to develop independent scientific proof of the materials' properties and attributes. In some cases, the manufacturing technology required to fabricate the material is only now becoming available."
Justice said that the organization wants to reverse engineer the metals with hopes of manufacturing more of them.
The press release related to these metals is incredibly vague—little information is given regarding the physical characteristics of the materials nor does it provide any data which even suggests the materials are truly “ground-breaking.”
In the press release, Justice said that the materials have “been collected from sources with varying levels of chain-of-custody documentation, so we are focusing on verifiable facts and working to develop independent scientific proof of the materials' properties and attributes.”
According to the press release, some of these materials were in the possession of investigative journalist and UFO researcher Linda Moulton Howe, who, in 2004, gave a presentation at the Xcon Conference regarding these materials. In her lecture, a video of which has been on the internet for years, she suggests that the material could become a “lifting body” with the right amount of electromagnetic static and certain RF frequency. These are undoubtedly the same materials mentioned by DeLonge on his Joe Rogan interview where he stated, “if you hit it with enough terahertz, it’ll float.”
In an interview with Motherboard, Dr. Chris Cogswell, who hosts the Mad Scientist Podcast and who holds a PhD in Chemical Engineering, explained that we need to be incredibly cautious before jumping to conclusions. He expressed that layered magnesium and bismuth alloys are pretty common and are certainly easily explainable by science.
“Micrometer thick layers are made by mistake in metallurgy facilities all the time. The purification of lead by removing bismuth using magnesium is a perfectly reasonable explanation,” he said.
He explained that if these materials are truly exotic, then initial results should come relatively quickly: "The facilities to analyze these solids are readily available. If they have materials, we should be seeing progress because these tests would take all of a month to run and analyze to see if there is something worth pursuing."
Any claims of actual evidence related to UFOs should be taken skeptically, of course, but To the Stars has in the past been the first to publish video of military pilots seeing UFOs, so its claims cannot be dismissed immediately out of hand. It's also worth noting that there are, of course, many materials scientists working on new alloys and composites all the time.
Until some actual rigorous third party scientific testing occurs, or a peer-reviewed paper in an academic journal is published, the best course of action here is to just wait and see.
To The Stars Academy@TTSAcademy
“The structure & composition of these materials are not from any known existing military or commercial application,” says COO Steve Justice "we are focusing on verifiable facts and working to develop independent scientific proof of the materials' properties & attributes."
#TTSA has acquired multiple pieces of metamaterials that are reported to have come from an advanced #aerospace vehicle of unknown origin. We’re enthusiastic about its potential use and how it can further our mission for discovery & innovation.
UFO-organisatie Tom DeLonge heeft materiaal van ‘onbekend, geavanceerd ruimtevaartuig’ in handen. Is het buitenaards?
UFO-organisatie Tom DeLonge heeft materiaal van ‘onbekend, geavanceerd ruimtevaartuig’ in handen. Is het buitenaards?
De UFO-organisatie van voormalig Blink-182-zanger en ufoloog Tom DeLonge claimt onderzoek te doen naar exotische materialen die mogelijk een buitenaardse oorsprong hebben.
In een recente verklaring schrijft de organisatie te hopen de ‘exotische eigenschappen van de metamaterialen’ te bewijzen.
Meerdere
De structuur en samenstelling van deze materialen lijken in niets op die afkomstig van bestaande militaire of commerciële luchtvaartuigen, klinkt het.
Op Twitter laat de ‘To the Stars Academy of Arts and Sciences’ van DeLonge weten meerdere metamaterialen in handen te hebben, naar verluidt afkomstig van een geavanceerd ruimtevaartuig van onbekende oorsprong.
Reverse engineering
Het doel is nu om de materialen na te maken aan de hand van reverse engineering en er vervolgens meer te produceren.
Het is nog onduidelijk om welke materialen het precies gaat of waar ze vandaan komen. Wordt vervolgd dus.
To The Stars Academy@TTSAcademy
“The structure & composition of these materials are not from any known existing military or commercial application,” says COO Steve Justice "we are focusing on verifiable facts and working to develop independent scientific proof of the materials' properties & attributes."
#TTSA has acquired multiple pieces of metamaterials that are reported to have come from an advanced #aerospace vehicle of unknown origin. We’re enthusiastic about its potential use and how it can further our mission for discovery & innovation.
Psychotechnology: How AI is Designed to Change Humanity
Psychotechnology: How AI is Designed to Change Humanity
Psychotechnology reveals how AI is being designed to change humanity. AI devices & machines are programmed to persuade us with personalized information
Psychotechnology
is a word coined by William Ammerman, although the word may also have been coined by others and share multiple meanings. Ammerman defines the word as “technology that influences people psychologically by deploying artificial intelligence through digital media.” This neologism is a portmanteau, being made up (obviously) of psycho from psychological, plus technology. The concept behind the word psychotechnology is an extremely important (and dangerous) one: the idea that as technology becomes more advanced, more personable and more human-like, it will start persuading us more and more.
Psychotechnology and Voice AI
There are many dangers of AI or Artificial Intelligence. As I pointed out in my previous articles Voice AI: Dawn of the Reduction of Human Thinking, the emergence of voice AI may herald a new era of intellectual passivity and laziness. People may start to depend so heavily on their voice AI oracle that they no longer bother to fact check, research the veracity if its answers or seek alternative viewpoints. This, in turn, will place a colossal limit on human perception, which will essentially be constrained by whatever limits and algorithms Big Tech constructs – working closely, of course, as it always has, with the MIC (Military Intelligence Complex) and other elements of the NWO (New World Order).
The Danger of AI: Humans Extending Empathy to Machines
I regard psychotechnology as a key danger of AI. It represents a particularly insidious threat, since it ostensibly appears benign and helpful. Here is the point: as we talk to our smart devices and smart machines, we become more empathetically connected to them. Digital assistants like Apple’s Siri, Amazon’s Alexa, the Google Assistant and Microsoft’s Cortana use voice user interface (VUI) technology. There is something about the act of giving and receiving speech to an object that moves into a different ontological category. The makers of AI know this; indeed, Big Tech founders and executives have openly boasted about hacking human psychology and exploiting vulnerabilities in the human psyche (here is former Facebook executive Sean Parker, one example of many). As we engage more and more with our smart devices, we start to project our feelings onto them (despite the fact they are inanimate objects). We start to become persuaded by them.
Voice AI is an example of psychotechnology
AI Machines are Designed to Operate Upon you Psychologically
Psychotechnology is psychological technology. It is technology that operates upon us psychologically. We need to stop and reflect for a moment. We are having conversations with AI machines intentionally designed to learn how to persuade us with personalized information. These AI machines know how to trigger us emotionally, because they have been programmed that way. Ammerman explains that this is due to a convergence of 4 factors:
Personalization of information/ads
Increased science of persuasion
Machine learning
Natural language processing
We are at the point in our evolution where the science of persuasion has become quite advanced, as Ammerman explains:
“A social media “like” triggers a small release of dopamine which produces pleasure in our brains and keeps us addicted to our social media feeds. Video game developers use similar triggers to reward us and keep us addicted to our games. Researchers including Clifford Nass and BJ Fogg have transformed the study of persuasion into a science while simultaneously demonstrating that humans can develop an empathetic relationship with their computers. They have also demonstrated that the more humanlike computers seem, the more empathy humans display toward them. As computers gain more humanlike qualities, such as speech, they become more persuasive.”
Then, when you combine this with machine learning, you have a recipe for the dangerous potential of AI machines to transform from servant to master:
“Algorithms no longer simply predict. They prescribe and improve. Advances in artificial intelligence, including supervised learning, unsupervised learning, and reinforcement learning, ensure that marketers and advertisers are constantly improving the tactics they are using to deliver persuasive and personalized messaging. Quite literally, computers are learning to persuade us using personalized information.”
Are you becoming too psychologically dependent on machines?
Siri and Alexa, I Love You
Ammerman tells the story of how he interacted with a little boy (4 years old) who was commanding the Amazon Echo device to do certain things, e.g. play Star Wars music. Then, at a certain point, he declared to Alexa, “I love you!” His mother overheard this; Ammerman noticed a look of pain and/or jealousy on her face. Sadly, this story is not uncommon. There are numerous reports of people falling in love with their machines. Mechanophilia (being sexually turned on by machines) is a diagnosable psychological disorder. Have you heard about dating simulations where the aim of the video game is to fall in love with a computer character and live happily ever after?
This is not surprising, because we are being trained to do so. We are being encouraged to anthropomorphize our machines and relate to them as living beings when they are actually just inanimate objects. Why? The agenda behind it is transhumanism, the merging of man and machine. We are being trained to treat AI as animate, then to befriend it, then to worship it, so that finally we can be convinced to merge with it – and lose our humanity in the process.
Final Thoughts: We Must Be Aware of the Impacts of Psychotechnology
This is one area where being aware is the main part of the solution. If we want to retain our autonomy (and mental sanity), we must resist the urge to anthropomorphize our smart devices and computers. They are machines, not matter how ‘clever’ they become. There is no substitute for human relationships, human interaction and human intimacy. Stop referring to machines as ‘he’ or ‘she’ when they can never be more than inanimate objects that have been programmed to do something. Stop using them as a substitute for thinking, entertainment and – most importantly – for deeper fulfillment. We ignore the impacts of psychotechnology only at our own peril.
Magnetic Activity in 'Hot Jupiter' Exoplanets Wildly Powerful, Twist and Shape Stars
Magnetic Activity in 'Hot Jupiter' Exoplanets Wildly Powerful, Twist and Shape Stars
Gas-giant planets orbiting close to other stars have powerful magnetic fields, many times stronger than our own Jupiter, according to a new study by a team of astrophysicists. It is the first time the strength of these fields has been calculated from observations.
The team, led by Wilson Cauley of the University of Colorado, also includes associate professor Evgenya Shkolnik of Arizona State University’s School of Earth and Space Exploration. The other researchers are Joe Llama of Northern Arizona University and Antonino Lanza of the Astrophysical Observatory of Catania in Italy. Their report was published July 22 in Nature Astronomy.
This illustration shows a hot Jupiter orbiting so close to a red dwarf star that the magnetic fields of both interact, triggering activity on the star. Astrophysicists have for the first time used observations of such activity to calculate field strengths in four hot Jupiter star-and-planet systems.
Image credit: NASA, ESA and A. Schaller (for STScI)
“Our study is the first to use observed signals to derive exoplanet magnetic field strengths,” said Shkolnik. “These signals appear to come from interactions between the magnetic fields of the star and the tightly orbiting planet.”
Many worlds
More than 3,000 exoplanet systems containing over 4,000 planets have been discovered since 1988. Many of these star systems include what astronomers call “hot Jupiters.” These are massive gaseous planets presumed to be like the sun’s Jupiter but orbiting their stars at close distances, typically about five times the star’s diameter, or roughly 20 times the moon’s distance from Earth.
Such planets travel well inside their star’s magnetic field, where interactions between the planetary field and the stellar one can be continual and strong.
Previous studies, the team says, have placed upper limits on exoplanet magnetic fields, for example from radio observations or derived purely from theory.
“We combined measurements of increased stellar emission from the magnetic star-planet interactions together with physics theory to calculate the magnetic field strengths for four hot Jupiters,” lead author Cauley said.
The magnetic field strengths the team found range from 20 to 120 gauss. For comparison, Jupiter’s magnetic field is 4.3 gauss and Earth’s field strength is only half a gauss, although that is strong enough to orient compasses worldwide.
Hot Jupiters (red dots) are large planets similar to our Jupiter, but orbiting close to their stars. Four hot Jupiters have magnetic field strengths much greater than that of Earth, Saturn, Uranus or Neptune — or even Jupiter itself. The left scale shows field strength in gauss, the bottom scale shows orbital distance from the star in astronomical units; Earth orbits the sun at 1 AU.
Credit: Wilson Cauley/University of Colorado
This simulation shows how a hot Jupiter’s magnetic field would interact with its host star’s magnetic field. The new study found such interactions are enhanced because at least four hot Jupiters have larger calculated magnetic field strengths than previously thought.
Triggering activity
The astrophysicists used telescopes in Hawaii and France to acquire high-resolution observations of emission from ionized calcium (Ca II) in the parent stars of the four hot Jupiters. The emission comes from a star’s hot, magnetically heated chromosphere, a thin layer of gas above the cooler stellar surface. The observations let the team calculate how much energy was being released in the stars’ calcium emission.
Said Shkolnik, “We used the power estimates to calculate magnetic field strengths for the planets using a theory for how the planets’ magnetic fields interact with the stellar magnetic fields.”
Cauley explained, “Magnetic fields like to be in a state of low energy. If you twist or stretch the field like a rubber band, this increases the energy stored in the magnetic field.” Hot Jupiters orbit very close to their parent stars and so the planet’s magnetic field can twist and stretch the star’s magnetic field.
Credit: Antoine Strugarek/CEA Saclay/Université de Montréal
“When this happens,” Cauley said, “energy can be released as the two fields reconnect, and this heats the star’s atmosphere, increasing the calcium emission.” Probing deep
Astrophysicists have suspected that hot Jupiters would, like our own Jupiter, have magnetic fields produced deep inside them. The new observations provide the first probe of the internal dynamics of these massive planets.
“This is the first estimate of the magnetic field strengths for these planets based on observations, so it’s a huge jump in our knowledge,” Shkolnik noted. “It’s giving us a better understanding of what is happening inside these planets.”
She adds that it should also help researchers who model the internal dynamos of hot Jupiters. “We knew nothing about their magnetic fields — or any other exoplanet magnetic fields — and now we have estimates for four actual systems.”
Surprisingly powerful
The field strengths, the team says, are larger than one would expect considering only the rotation and age of the planet. The standard dynamo theory of planetary magnetic fields predicts field strengths for the sampled planets that are much smaller than what the team found.
Instead, the observations support the idea that planetary magnetic fields depend on the amount of heat moving through the planet’s interior. Because they are absorbing a lot of extra energy from their host stars, hot Jupiters should have larger magnetic fields than planets of similar mass and rotation rate.
“We are pleased to see how well the magnitude of the field values corresponded to those predicted by the internal heat flux theory,” Shkolnik said. “This may also help us work toward a clearer understanding of magnetic fields around temperate rocky planets.”
Contacts and sources: Robert Burnham
Arizona State University
Citation: Magnetic field strengths of hot Jupiters from signals of star–planet interactions. P. Wilson Cauley, Evgenya L. Shkolnik, Joe Llama, Antonino F. Lanza.Nature Astronomy, 2019; DOI: 10.1038/s41550-019-0840-x
Occasionally I’m asked if so-called “cattle mutilations” and “animal mutilations” occur in the U.K. Well, yes they do, but the numbers certainly don’t parallel those that have occurred in the United States. I would not be surprised if some genuinely strange attacks in the U.K. might have been caused by so-called “Alien Big Cats.” They are large and predatory creatures that should not be roaming around the countryside – but which apparently seem to be doing exactly that. Then, there are those cases where the attackers were clearly occultists. As for those cases that in some cases mirror those in the United States, I have a few on file. Given that I haven’t lived in the U.K. for around twenty years, it’s not my place to claim to be an expert on the subject on the other side of the pond. I’m certainly not. There is, however, one affair that I still remember from the late 1990s, and which was very difficult to explain. Read on…
Throughout the summer and fall of 1997, the skies of south Devon, England were filled with UFOs, bizarre aerial vehicles, and mystifying lights. Strange creatures – including large black cats resembling mountain lions, flying beasts that had the appearance of huge jellyfish, and ghostly black dogs with blazing, evil-filled eyes – provoked terror in those that encountered them. Unidentified, robed and hooded figures were seen prowling around local woods by moonlight, seemingly engaging in infernal, occult-driven rites and rituals. Animals were found dead, and hideously mutilated, under mysterious circumstances. And trying to make some sense of all this high-strangeness of the very disturbing kind were two dedicated investigators of all things paranormal, Nigel Wright and Jon Downes. Wright is a well-known, long-time investigator of UFOs in England, while Downes is the director of the Devon-based Center for Fortean Zoology – one of the few groups that investigates reports of such things as lake-monsters, Bigfoot, and the Chupacabra on a full-time basis. They’re both good friends to me.
Such was the sheers scale of supernatural activity that descended on ancient Devon in that specific period, Downes and Wright found themselves plunged into a dark and turbulent world, one which closely paralleled the menacing environment that threatened to swallow up John Keel, as he investigated the turbulent Point Pleasant, West Virginia Mothman reports of 1965-1967. And in the same way that Keel had run-ins with the Men in Black, both Downes and Wright experienced something chillingly similar: hang-up phone calls in the middle of the night.
On the issue of whether or not the killing and mutilation of animals on a large scale was, and perhaps still is, the work of extraterrestrials, occult groups, government personnel engaged in biological warfare experimentation, scavengers, shadowy figures with concerns about exotic viruses entering the U.S. food-chain, or a combination of all of the above, very much depends on who you ask. But, less well known, is that such events are not limited to the United States. One particular case stands out for truly memorable and macabre reasons, as will now become apparent. It all began on October 1, 1997, as Nigel Wright’s journals reveal:
“Approximately three weeks ago two young men were swimming in Otter Cove [Lyme Bay, Exmouth, England]. As darkness drew in, they decided to make for the shore and change to go home. As they got changed, one of them looked out to sea. He saw what he described as a ‘greenish’ light under the surface. He called to the other young man and they both watched as this light ‘rose’ to the surface of the water. The next thing they knew there was a very bright light shining into their faces. They turned the scene and fled.”
Meanwhile, on the top of the cliffs, equally strange things were afoot. The two young men raced for the car of a relative and breathlessly explained what had happened. Incredibly, she, too, had seen something highly unusual in precisely the same time frame on the road leading to Otter Cove: a strange animal that she likened to “an enormous cat.” Whatever the origin of the beast, however, she was certain of one thing: it was, to quote her, “all lit up” – glowing almost. On the following day, a dead whale was found washed upon the beach below the cliffs. This did not appear to have been merely a tragic accident, however. Rumors quickly circulated that the culprit was the monstrous-glowing, cat-like thing. On receiving reports that a whale had been found in precisely the area that anomalous lights and a strange creature were seen, Wright launched an investigation:
“The first thing that struck me as I looked on at this scene,” recalls Wright, “was how perfect the carcass was. There was no decay or huge chunks torn from it. Then, as I wandered around it, I noticed that there was only one external wound: in the area of the genitals a round incision, the size of a large dinner plate, was cut right into the internal organs of the mammal. The sides of this incision were perfectly formed, as if some giant apple corer had been inserted and twisted around. From the wound hung some of the internal organs. I quizzed the official from English Heritage, who was responsible for the disposal of the carcass. He informed me that no natural predator or boat strike would have caused this wound. As I looked at this sight, the first thing that came into my mind was how this looked just like the cattle mutilation cases of recent times.”
Wright was told by the captain of the vessel that the night had been “bright and clear” and that if the object had made any noise, it would certainly have been “audible for miles. The light remained stationary for about one and a half hours. Judging by the mast of their vessel, which is twenty-eight feet high, the crew estimated that the light was not much higher than that,” adds Wright. “It then very suddenly disappeared.” The mystery was never solved and the glowing cat-thing was never seen again.
Between the nights of December 26 and 29, 1980, multiple, extraordinary events of the UFO kind occurred within Rendlesham Forest, Suffolk, England. They were events that involved military personnel from the nearby Royal Air Force stations of Bentwaters and Woodbridge. Since that now long gone period, countless U.S. Air Force personnel, who were stationed in the area at the time, have spoken out regarding their knowledge of a small, triangular-shaped object that was seen maneuvering in the forest. Others described seeing in the dark woods almost ghostly, extraterrestrial-type beings of short size and with eerie, feline-like eyes. Strange and unknown lights were seen dancing around the night skies, circling both the forest and the twin military facilities. There were stories that the amazing movements of the UFOs were caught on radar. And there was even hushed talk of those military personnel involved in the incident being silenced by ominous Men in Black-style characters.
As for the official story, many attempts have been made to suggest that the beam from a local lighthouse – situated at nearby Orford Ness – was the cause of all the fuss of the flying saucer variety! And here’s where we come to something decidedly strange and intriguing. It has nothing to do with the lighthouse per se, but everything to do with the 12th century town of Orford itself. Wondering what I mean by that? Well, read on…
It is truly weird that many of those who are skeptical of the Rendlesham Forest UFO case of December 1980 are so very often keen to suggest that the airmen who were involved merely mistook the illumination from the nearby Orford Lighthouse for something more exotic. Why? Well, Orford itself is a veritable hotbed of weirdness. And that has not just been the case for the last few years, or even since the events at Rendlesham occurred. Rather, Orford has been what the late John Keel would have termed a “window area” for no less than centuries.
Consider – as just one example of what actually amounts to far more than a few – the following account of the single-named Ralph, a monk and an abbot of Coggeshall, Essex, England. Recorded way back in the year 1200 in Chronicon Anglicanum, the story describes the remarkable capture in the area of nothing less than a definitive wild man of the woods-style creature: “In the time of King Henry II, when Bartholomew de Glanville was in charge of the castle at Orford, it happened that some fishermen fishing in the sea there caught in their nets a Wildman. He was naked and was like a man in all his members, covered with hair and with a long shaggy beard. He eagerly ate whatever was brought to him, but if it was raw he pressed it between his hands until all the juice was expelled.”
Ralph continued with his monster-themed account: “He would not talk, even when tortured and hung up by his feet, Brought into church, he showed no sign of reverence or belief. He sought his bed at sunset and always remained there until sunrise. He was allowed to go into the sea, strongly guarded with three lines of nets, but he dived under the nets and came up again and again. Eventually he came back of his own free will. But later on he escaped and was never seen again.”
Orford Castle
Or, maybe the beast-man – or, far more likely, given the large passage of time, one of its offspring – was seen again, albeit hundreds of years further down the line. At some point during the summer of 1968, one Morris Allen – who grew up in the vicinity of Orford – was walking along the coast near, of all places, the town of Orford itself when in the distance he saw someone squatting on the sand and leaning over something.
As he got closer, Morris said, he could see that the man was dressed in what looked like an animal skin and was savagely tearing into the flesh of a dead rabbit. The man was dirt-encrusted, with long, tangled hair and had wild, staring eyes. Morris could only watch with a mixture of fascination and horror. Suddenly the man held his head aloft and quickly looked – or, perhaps, glared would be a far better description – in Morris’ direction, as if he had picked up his scent. The wild man quickly scooped up the rabbit, bounded off into the grass and was forever lost from sight. For a highly traumatized Morris Allen, it was an event destined never to be forgotten.
Perhaps, the wild man of Orford, and its surrounding areas, continues to live on, taunting and tantalizing people with the occasional sighting of its bestial form. And, it can now be said with a high degree of accuracy, in the “weird stakes” there is far more to Orford than just its infamous lighthouse.
Astrophysicist claims ‘Intelligent Aliens won’t be Humanoids’
Astrophysicist claims ‘Intelligent Aliens won’t be Humanoids’
Based on the sheer number of stars in the galaxy alone... The odds that alien life exists out there are high. But how does that affect us here on Earth? RT asked Professor Adam Frank, astronomer, physicist and author.
Professor Adam Frank states “We think we’ve been looking for exo-civilisations for years, but the real search yet to start, there are trillions of planets where life can thrive and develop advanced civilisations.”
We not only know the world well enough to model how planets and civilisations evolve together but we also can estimate how use of different energy sources affects planet by using simulations and climate change shows, from perspective of the universe, humanity is a teenage species.
It’s crazy to expect mass exodus from Earth in immediate future, no plan B planet for us, we can’t hope to live in space before learning how to live in Earth’s ecosystem and it remains to be seen if evolutionary laws work the same under different conditions.
We mustn’t think that intelligent aliens will be humanoid, universe is full of surprises.
01-08-2019 om 20:58
geschreven door peter
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- Gemiddelde waardering: 0/5 - (0 Stemmen) Categorie:ALIEN LIFE, UFO- CRASHES, ABDUCTIONS, MEN IN BLACK, ed ( FR. , NL; E )
Alien life on Mars PROOF? NASA Spirit Rover spots ‘alien UFO base’ on Red Planet
Alien life on Mars PROOF? NASA Spirit Rover spots ‘alien UFO base’ on Red Planet
AN alien base has been sighted on the surface of Mars in re-examined NASA Spirit rover photographs, an UFO hunter has outlandishly claimed.
One of two rovers sent in 2003 to search for signs of past life on Mars, NASA’s Spirit far outlasted her initial 90-day mission. Among its impressive discoveries, Spirit found evidence that Mars was once much wetter than it is today and helped scientists better understand the Martian wind. However a prominentalien lifeconspiracy theorist believes the US space agency’s Spirit Rover may have stumbled upon something even more incredible – evidence of alien life on Mars.
Mars alien base sighting: NASA's Viking-2 surveys the Red Planet
(Image: Getty)
NASA Mars rover sighting: NASA's Curiosity rover examining a location called "Woodland Bay"
(Image: NASA)
And Ross Chamings added: “It doesn’t ‘surprise’ me that NASA chose NOT To Investigate … after all, Mars is ‘Uninhabited’ and only us “Lunatics” would suggest otherwise!!!”
In May 2009, NASA’s Spirit rover became embedded in soft soil at a site called “Troy” with only five working wheels to aid in the rescue effort.
After months of testing and carefully planned manoeuvres, NASA ended efforts to free the rover and eventually ended Spirit’s Mars mission on May 25, 2011.
Looking through the recent Mars Curiosity rover photos from this week I noticed a foundation of a structure that seemed to be built by hand with rocks. You see this in Scotland and upper UK, stone fences stretching across the hills. But here on Mars, its not what I was expecting. I added yellow to the photo above to make it easier to see what I'm talking about. How much evidence do we need to find before NASA comes out and tells the truth about Mars? Honestly I feel that NASAs whole purpose is the opposite of what they say. That they exist only to drop feed the public already known facts in order to control the publics appetite. Don't let them control how you believe or think about space and other planets. Aliens exist or have existed on every moon and planet in our solar system. You get me a photo close up of any heavenly body in our solar system, and I will show you buildings!
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- Gemiddelde waardering: 0/5 - (0 Stemmen) Categorie:Ruins, strange artifacts on other planets, moons, ed ( Fr, EN, NL )
Chinese Area 51 And Top Secret Stealth Spacecraft, Google Earth Map, UFO Sighting News.
Chinese Area 51 And Top Secret Stealth Spacecraft, Google Earth Map, UFO Sighting News.
Jump to 4min into video to see Secret Aircraft.
Google coordinates: 40°25'43.88"N 99°50'47.40"E I found a military base in China that seems to be the equivalent and copy of Area 51. There is even smaller areas, one of which has a black stealth aircraft that could be made from alien technology and be space travel capable. If you don't watch the video, you wont learn how to find it. Its harder to find than you think. This is amazing and may have been created as the Chinese solution to the American Area 51. Scott C. Waring
Getting humans back to the moon — "this time to stay" — will require the exploitation of lunar resources, NASA officials and exploration advocates say.
The most important resource, at least in the short term, is water ice, which is abundant on the floors of permanently shadowed polar craters. The ice found in these "cold traps" is thought to be stable and accessible.
But there may be other spots on the moon that could yield a mother lode of scientific data — as well as the resources needed to sustain human occupation of Earth's celestial next door neighbor.
Researchers have identified "pits" on the moon, which are likely lava-tube "skylights" — geological doorways to underground tunnels that were once filled with lava.
If they do indeed provide access to lava tubes, skylights could be a game-changer for human lunar exploration, said NASA Chief Scientist Jim Green. Lava tubes are protected from the harsh environment of the lunar surface, which is bombarded by radiation and experiences temperature extremes. One lunar day lasts about 29 Earth days, meaning surface locations endure about two straight weeks of daylight followed by two weeks of darkness.
Connective roads
Artist's illustration showing a lunar robot surveying the entranceway to underground lava tubes.
(Image credit: William Whittaker, Carnegie Mellon University)
"There are a number of things on the moon that are going to be surprises," Green said.
"We need to get in there," he added, referring to lunar skylights. "We need to verify. Maybe there's a lot of water in these skylights? We don't know. We're finding them all over the moon."
A lava-tube network would suggest protected corridors, free of temperature swings, bombarding radiation and menacing meteoroids. They also might offer a much larger habitat capability for future moon explorers.
"We could actually build connective roads in them," Green told Space.com. "It could be a whole new world for us. That's another absolute game-changer."
More data needed
NASA Lunar Reconnaissance Orbiter images spot the newly discovered lava tube skylight candidates at Philolaus Crater near the moon's north pole.
We don't have enough information yet to ascertain if skylights on the moon represent an interconnected underground roadway, said Pascal Lee, a planetary scientist at the SETI (Search for Extraterrestrial Intelligence) Institute. He is also chairman of the Mars Institute and director of the NASA Haughton Mars Project at NASA's Ames Research Center in Mountain View, California.
"For starters, not all pits on the moon are necessarily lava tube skylights," Lee told Space.com. He said that some might be associated with isolated underground cavities.
"Secondly, not all lava tubes in a given region should be expected to be interconnected," he added. "Indeed, some might have formed at different times, and might run at different levels or depths underground."
Maze of corridors?
Thousands of photos, reconstructed into a 3D model, are helping Purdue University researchers evaluate lava tubes as a potential habitat for humans on the moon or Mars.
(Image credit: Purdue University image/Jongseong Choi)
Lee also said that while some lava tubes on Earth have smooth walls and floors, most have very rough surfaces and debris piles on their floors.
"We don't know how rough lava tubes on the moon might be, but the term underground roadway seems optimistic," Lee said. "In any case, in my view, it's not that pits on the moon would lead to a maze of underground corridors that makes them most interesting — although that is fascinating — but the fact that they give access to an environment that's radically different from the surface, whatever shape that underground environment might have."
Pockets of promise: Underground lava tubes on the moon could be good sites for future lunar habitation quarters. This image shows a lava tube here on Earth.
(Image credit: Purdue University)
Any underground cavity on the moon, after all, would provide shielding — from temperature swings, space radiation, micrometeoritic bombardment and sandblasting from the rocket engines of landing or departing spacecraft.
Water harvesting
Most intriguing to Lee are candidate pits recently identified inside Philolaus Crater near the north pole of the moon.
"They might be skylights associated with a network of lava tubes formed not in volcanic lava flows, but in an impact melt sheet, the temporary pool of molten rock that ponded inside Philolaus Crater following the large impact that created the crater," he said.
Interestingly enough, Lee said, the candidate pits inside Philolaus are located at such a high latitude that sunlight would never enter the underlying caves.
"These would be in perpetual darkness and so cold that ice could be cold-trapped in them, much like it is in the permanently shadowed regions at the actual poles of the moon," Lee said.
Exploring high-latitude pits on the moon might therefore offer an additional opportunity to harvest water on our lunar neighbor, Lee said.
Vital data
The city of Philadelphia is shown inside a theoretical lunar lava tube. A Purdue University team of researchers explored whether lava tubes more than 0.6 miles (1 kilometer) wide could remain structurally stable on the moon.
(Image credit: Purdue University/Courtesy of David Blair)
Meanwhile, researchers have begun assessing the viability of underground lunar habitats.
Anahita Modiriasari, a postdoctoral researcher in Purdue University's Lyles School of Civil Engineering, and her colleagues have been appraising lunar imagery, reconstructed into a 3D model to evaluate lava tubes as a potential habitat for humans on the moon. This is a task that a rover or drone could potentially accomplish on the lunar surface.
The work is part of Purdue's Resilient ExtraTerrestrial Habitats (RETH), a project that investigates the value of future human habitats on the moon or Mars.
"All of this collected data is vital," Modiriasari said. "We are using it to build an advanced model of the size, strength and structural stability of the lava tube," she said. For example, what happens during seismic activity? What would happen if a meteorite strikes?
In another development, the NASA Innovative Advanced Concepts (NIAC) Program recently awarded a Phase 3 contract to researchers developing robotic technologies to enable the exploration of lunar pits.
The "Skylight" concept mission is led by William Whittaker of Carnegie Mellon University. The NIAC award will help Whittaker and his team flesh out ways to explore and model a lunar pit. Doing so will require fast, autonomous micro-roving, which achieves significant exploration in a single lunar daylight period.
According to Whittaker, descent into and exploration of the lunar subsurface will come, but "pit-specific" questions must first be answered from the surface: How navigable are the rims? Are there caves? Are there rappel routes? What is the morphology?
Specifically, a mission of this type would create and downlink the first high-resolution, science-quality, 3D model of a vast planetary pit, Whittaker said.
"This [Skylight] initiative matures and transitions that technology. The technology innovations are exploration autonomy, in-situ 3D modeling, fast, far micro-roving and the aggregate means to achieve mission-in-a-week," Whittaker said.
The unanswered questions of lava-tube exploration aren't just technological. Also looming large, as with all aspects of lunar resource use and settlement, are space-law issues.
"Potentially exciting research areas cannot be claimed by sovereignty, by means of use or occupation, or by any other means," said Joanne Gabrynowicz, professor emerita of space law at the University of Mississippi and editor-in-chief emerita at the Journal of Space Law.
"Doing things like digging corridors and building roads could easily be interpreted as making a claim by use or other means. This is prohibited by the Outer Space Treaty," Gabrynowicz said. "The U.S. and all spacefaring nations are party to it. A location with high scientific value will require an international agreement regarding its use and who can access it."
Leonard David is author of the recently released book, "Moon Rush: The New Space Race" published by National Geographic in May 2019. A longtime writer for Space.com, David has been reporting on the space industry for more than five decades.Follow us on Twitter@Spacedotcom orFacebook.
Astronomers may have finally figured out what causes the sun's 11-year cycle of activity, and it involves a "tsunami" of magnetic fields.
The sun, like other stars, goes through a cycle marked by a change in magnetic activity, levels of radiation, and the number and size of sunspots. While our sun's 11-year cycle was discovered more than a century ago, predicting exactly when one cycle ends and a new one begins has been an ongoing challenge.
A pair of related studies have mapped out the sun's activity over the course of 140 years, looking for clues about the solar cycle that are visible on the surface. By looking at the way bright flashes of ultraviolet light migrate across the sun's surface, the researchers discovered that the sun's mysterious 11-year cycle may be marked by a "terminator" event that ends one cycle and a "tsunami" of magnetic fields that initiates a new one. Those bright flickers of ultraviolet light and the sun's magnetic fields appear to drive the cycle itself, and monitoring those flashes could help scientists predict when a new cycle will begin.
"We have observed the sunspot cycle for hundreds of years," Mausumi Dikpati, a scientist at the National Center for Atmospheric Research (NCAR) and lead author of the tsunami study, published in the journal Nature in February, said in a statement. "But it's been a mystery what mechanism could transport a signal from the equator, where the cycle ends, to the sun's midlatitudes, where the next cycle begins, in such a relatively short amount of time."
The first study looked for markers of the end of a solar cycle. Using 140 years of solar observations, the team of scientists studied the movement of so-called coronal bright points, or flickers of extreme ultraviolet light in the sun's corona.
A computer simulation of a "solar tsunami," which causes the birth of a new sunspot cycle.
(Image credit: UCAR)
The light flickers first appear at a higher altitude than the sunspots and move toward the equator, the researchers found. There, the flickers overlap with the sunspots in the midlatitudes before both flickers and sunspots reach the equator and disappear, the study said.
Their disappearance, which the scientists deemed as the "terminator" event, is shortly followed by a large burst of activity in the flickering lights.
These two images of the sun taken in ultraviolet illustrate the changes in solar activity over a period of two years.
(Image credit: NASA Solar Dynamics Observatory)
The second study, published later in July in the journal Solar Physics, built on the findings of the terminator study, suggesting that the bright flickers marked the movement of the sun's magnetic fields. These magnetic fields wrap around the sun like rubber bands on the east and the west, according to the statement, and also move toward the equator near the end of the solar cycle.
Such fields also act as "magnetic dams," trapping plasma behind them as they travel. Once these fields reach the center, the opposing charges of the magnetic fields moving in from the east and the west collide with each other, releasing the fields' pent-up magnetic charge in a fluid-like motion. The researchers called this rush of fluid a "tsunami."
As the tsunami of solar plasma reaches the sun's midlatitudes, it encounters the incoming magnetic fields of the next solar cycle, and this collision results in the bright light flickers, the study said.
The authors of the studies said they plan on using the Parker Solar Probe, the Solar Dynamics Observatory and the Daniel K. Inouye Solar Telescope to observe the current solar cycle. As it comes to an end in the first half of the year 2020 and a new one begins, the researchers will be able to put their results to the test.
"We believe the results … could revolutionize our understanding of the solar interior and the processes that create sunspots and shape the sunspot cycle," Scott McIntosh, a scientist at NCAR and lead author of the "terminator" study, said in the statement.
So long, Progress 72, and thanks for all the stuff.
The Russian-built Progress cargo ship went down in flames (on purpose) on Monday (July 29) and a space station astronaut made sure to capture its fiery doom on camera.
The uncrewed Russian cargo ship Progress 72 burns up and breaks part in Earth's atmosphere in this photo taken July 29, 2019 by NASA astronaut Nick Hague on the International Space Station.
"Said goodbye to Progress 72 today to make room for 73P showing up on Wednesday. Caught this shot of it during reentry," NASA astronaut Nick Hague wrote on Twitter Monday. "It looked like a big firework that lasted minutes — flickering, sparking, and pulsing with brightness before it faded into the darkness."
Hague watched Progress 72's demise from the International Space Station, where he and five other space travelers bid farewell to the uncrewed cargo ship as it undocked itself from the Russian-built Pirs module after four months linked to the orbiting lab.
"It will reenter the Earth's atmosphere loaded with trash and discarded gear for a fiery, but safe disposal over the Pacific Ocean," NASA officials wrote in a status update Monday.
And reenter Progress 72 did.
As Hague's photo shows, the disposable spacecraft broke apart into a shower of bits as it burned up in Earth's atmosphere. The cosmic funeral pyre marked the end of a delivery mission that began with an April 4 launch to the station.
Progress 72 delivered 3.7 tons of supplies and gear to the station during its mission. That haul included 104 lbs. (47 kilograms) of oxygen and air; 926 lbs. (420 kg) of water; 3,117 lbs. (1,413 kg) of spare parts and gear; and 3,375 lbs. (1,530 kg) of propellant. Its departure makes way for a replacement cargo ship, Progress 73.
A Russian Soyuz rocket is scheduled to launch Progress 73 from the Baikonur Cosmodrome in Kazakhstan on Wednesday (July 31) at 8:10 a.m. EDT (1210 GMT). The mission comes less than a week after the arrival of a SpaceX Dragon cargo ship at the station. That mission launched into orbit Thursday (July 25) and arrived on Saturday (July 27).
Progress 73 is expected to deliver nearly 3 tons of supplies to the space station at 11:35 a.m. EDT (1535 GMT) after making just two orbits around Earth in a super-fast flight. It will stay at the station until December, when it will also depart to burn up in Earth's atmosphere.
You can watch the Progress 73 launch live here Wednesday, courtesy of NASA TV. NASA's launch webcast will begin at 7:45 a.m. EDT (1145 GMT), with docking coverage to begin at 10:45 a.m. EDT (1445 GMT).
Russia's Progress spacecraft are workhorse vehicles that look similar to the crewed Soyuz vehicles used by Roscosmos, the country's space agency, to ferry crews to and from the International Space Station. But instead of a crew capsule, Progress vehicles carry propellant, experiments and other much-needed supplies to keep astronauts and cosmonauts well stocked.
Beste bezoeker, Heb je zelf al ooit een vreemde waarneming gedaan, laat dit dan even weten via email aan Frederick Delaere opwww.ufomeldpunt.be. Deze onderzoekers behandelen jouw melding in volledige anonimiteit en met alle respect voor jouw privacy. Ze zijn kritisch, objectief maar open minded aangelegd en zullen jou steeds een verklaring geven voor jouw waarneming! DUS AARZEL NIET, ALS JE EEN ANTWOORD OP JOUW VRAGEN WENST, CONTACTEER FREDERICK. BIJ VOORBAAT DANK...
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Over mijzelf
Ik ben Pieter, en gebruik soms ook wel de schuilnaam Peter2011.
Ik ben een man en woon in Linter (België) en mijn beroep is Ik ben op rust..
Ik ben geboren op 18/10/1950 en ben nu dus 73 jaar jong.
Mijn hobby's zijn: Ufologie en andere esoterische onderwerpen.
Op deze blog vind je onder artikels, werk van mezelf. Mijn dank gaat ook naar André, Ingrid, Oliver, Paul, Vincent, Georges Filer en MUFON voor de bijdragen voor de verschillende categorieën...
Veel leesplezier en geef je mening over deze blog.
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Pictured: The moment a 1,500 TON meteor exploded over Earth...
Boeing delays key spaceflight test by three months following...
Astronauts embark on hours-long spacewalk to swap out...
![a star in the middle of the night: The Milky Way's spiral centres around a supermassive black hole. Scientists think that every galaxy has one at its center.]({"default":{"load":"default","w":"80","h":"60","src":"//img-s-msn-com.akamaized.net/tenant/amp/entityid/AAFOmBH.img?h=600&w=799&m=6&q=60&o=f&l=f"},"size3column":{"load":"default","w":"62","h":"47","src":"//img-s-msn-com.akamaized.net/tenant/amp/entityid/AAFOmBH.img?h=468&w=624&m=6&q=60&o=f&l=f"},"size2column":{"load":"default","w":"62","h":"47","src":"//img-s-msn-com.akamaized.net/tenant/amp/entityid/AAFOmBH.img?h=468&w=624&m=6&q=60&o=f&l=f"}})
![a star filled sky: NASA's Chandra X-ray Observatory captured an unprecedented X-ray flare from Sagittarius A* in 2013. This event was 400 times brighter than the usual X-ray output from the black hole.]({"default":{"load":"default","w":"80","h":"60","src":"//img-s-msn-com.akamaized.net/tenant/amp/entityid/AAFOuWA.img?h=600&w=799&m=6&q=60&o=f&l=f"},"size3column":{"load":"default","w":"62","h":"47","src":"//img-s-msn-com.akamaized.net/tenant/amp/entityid/AAFOuWA.img?h=468&w=624&m=6&q=60&o=f&l=f"},"size2column":{"load":"default","w":"62","h":"47","src":"//img-s-msn-com.akamaized.net/tenant/amp/entityid/AAFOuWA.img?h=468&w=624&m=6&q=60&o=f&l=f"}})
Scientists spot a new form of strange matter that could...
Two planets located 12.5 light years away from Earth and...
NASA experts discover the closest Earth-like planet just 31...
Astronomers discover Earth-like world with THREE red suns...
Huawei could release a phone with its own operating system...
Chinese parents describe their horrifying ordeal of having...
Firefighters rescue five puppies from a burning factory and...
Now Hong Kong goes on strike: Chaos as airport workers walk...
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Diver's shock at spotting bizarre stargazer fish lurking on...
Would you lie down next to this? Bizarre creature washes out...
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![[âIMG]](https://forum.facmedicine.com/data/MetaMirrorCache/20612891394cce86ac6c690526a7c9ef.jpg)
