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.
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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!!!
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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 Ontdek de Fascinerende Wereld van UFO's en UAP's: Jouw Bron voor Onthullende Informatie!
Ben jij ook gefascineerd door het onbekende? Wil je meer weten over UFO's en UAP's, niet alleen in België, maar over de hele wereld? Dan ben je op de juiste plek!
België: Het Kloppend Hart van UFO-onderzoek
In België is BUFON (Belgisch UFO-Netwerk) dé autoriteit op het gebied van UFO-onderzoek. Voor betrouwbare en objectieve informatie over deze intrigerende fenomenen, bezoek je zeker onze Facebook-pagina en deze blog. Maar dat is nog niet alles! Ontdek ook het Belgisch UFO-meldpunt en Caelestia, twee organisaties die diepgaand onderzoek verrichten, al zijn ze soms kritisch of sceptisch.
Nederland: Een Schat aan Informatie
Voor onze Nederlandse buren is er de schitterende website www.ufowijzer.nl, beheerd door Paul Harmans. Deze site biedt een schat aan informatie en artikelen die je niet wilt missen!
Internationaal: MUFON - De Wereldwijde Autoriteit
Neem ook een kijkje bij MUFON (Mutual UFO Network Inc.), een gerenommeerde Amerikaanse UFO-vereniging met afdelingen in de VS en wereldwijd. MUFON is toegewijd aan de wetenschappelijke en analytische studie van het UFO-fenomeen, en hun maandelijkse tijdschrift, The MUFON UFO-Journal, is een must-read voor elke UFO-enthousiasteling. Bezoek hun website op www.mufon.com voor meer informatie.
Samenwerking en Toekomstvisie
Sinds 1 februari 2020 is Pieter niet alleen ex-president van BUFON, maar ook de voormalige nationale directeur van MUFON in Vlaanderen en Nederland. Dit creëert een sterke samenwerking met de Franse MUFON Reseau MUFON/EUROP, wat ons in staat stelt om nog meer waardevolle inzichten te delen.
Let op: Nepprofielen en Nieuwe Groeperingen
Pas op voor een nieuwe groepering die zich ook BUFON noemt, maar geen enkele connectie heeft met onze gevestigde organisatie. Hoewel zij de naam geregistreerd hebben, kunnen ze het rijke verleden en de expertise van onze groep niet evenaren. We wensen hen veel succes, maar we blijven de autoriteit in UFO-onderzoek!
Blijf Op De Hoogte!
Wil jij de laatste nieuwtjes over UFO's, ruimtevaart, archeologie, en meer? Volg ons dan en duik samen met ons in de fascinerende wereld van het onbekende! Sluit je aan bij de gemeenschap van nieuwsgierige geesten die net als jij verlangen naar antwoorden en avonturen in de sterren!
Heb je vragen of wil je meer weten? Aarzel dan niet om contact met ons op te nemen! Samen ontrafelen we het mysterie van de lucht en daarbuiten.
31-07-2025
Waarom de Wereldelite Disclosure Vreest: Macht, Waarheid en de UFO-Revolutie
Waarom de Wereldelite Disclosure Vreest: Macht, Waarheid en de UFO-Revolutie
De gedachte aan UFO-disclosure—het openbaren van de waarheid over onidentificeerbare luchtverschijnselen en mogelijk niet-menselijke intelligenties—heeft mensen al decennia lang geboeid. Toch is er achter de schermen iets veel krachtigers gaande dan enkel nieuwsgierigheid: angst. Vooral bij de wereldelite, wiens machtsstructuren berusten op geheimhouding, controle en lange termijn planning, roept het idee van volledige openheid een diepe vrees op. Deze angst wortelt niet alleen in de onbekendheid, maar in de fundamentele bedreiging van hun macht en het systeem dat zij hebben opgebouwd.
1. Disclosure Is Niet Alleen Informatie—Het Is Ontwrichting
Wanneer bekende historici en onderzoekers zoals Richard Dolan en Bryce Zabel waarschuwen dat volledige disclosure een enorme maatschappelijke ontwrichting teweeg kan brengen, is dat niet zonder reden. In hun boek A.D. After Disclosure benadrukken ze dat een officiële erkenning van het bestaan van UFOs en niet-menselijke intelligenties het bestaande wereldbeeld volledig ondermijnt. Militairen, religieuze instellingen, media en overheden die decennia lang de waarheid hebben verzwegen of minimaliseerd, worden blootgesteld als bedriegers of medeplichtigen.
Zo'n onthulling zou de volksvertrouwen in de grote systemen, zoals de overheid en de wetenschap, ondermijnen. Het zou de fundamenten van onze samenleving doen schudden, omdat het niet alleen de waarheid over buitenaardsen aan het licht brengt, maar ook de leugens en manipulaties van machthebbers zelf. De angst bij de elite ligt in de mogelijkheid dat deze schokgolf niet alleen het publiek, maar ook de machtsstructuren zelf kan destabiliseren.
Daarnaast zou disclosure leiden tot een fundamentele herziening van onze plaats in het universum. Mensen zouden geconfronteerd worden met de mogelijkheid dat we niet langer de enig bewuste beschaving in de kosmos zijn, wat existentiële vragen oproept over religie, wetenschap en onze collectieve identiteit. De onthulling kan ook leiden tot een herwaardering van technologische kennis en energiebronnen die mogelijk al langer onder controle gehouden worden door overheden en grote industriële machten.
Kortom, disclosure is niet slechts een kwestie van nieuwe informatie; het is een potentieel katalysator voor een complete maatschappelijke en culturele revolutie.
2. Economische Instorting: Een paniek na het einde van het aardolie-tijdperk
Een ander facet van de angst voor disclosure, oftewel het openbaar maken van revolutionaire technologieën, ligt in de enorme impact die dit zou kunnen hebben op de wereldwijde economie. Denk hierbij aan baanbrekende technologieën zoals anti-gravitatie, vrije energie en geavanceerde materialen die onze bestaande energie- en transportnetwerken volledig kunnen ontwrichten. Als dergelijke technologieën plotseling beschikbaar worden voor het grote publiek, zou dat niet alleen de technologische infrastructuur op zijn kop zetten, maar ook een cascade van economische en maatschappelijke veranderingen veroorzaken.
De wereld zoals wij die kennen, rust nog steeds op de petro-dollar, olie- en gasmarkten, en een uitgebreide infrastructuur die afhankelijk is van fossiele brandstoffen. Deze systemen vormen de ruggengraat van de wereldeconomie en bepalen de geopolitieke machtsverhoudingen. Maar wanneer massale nieuwe energiebronnen en revolutionaire propulsion-systemen op grote schaal worden uitgerold, kunnen de bestaande energiebedrijven, transportbedrijven en militaire systemen overbodig worden. De waarde van flinke infrastructuur en miljardeninvesteringen in fossiele brandstoffen zou in één klap kunnen verdwijnen, waardoor markten instorten en een enorme economische chaos ontstaat.
De potentie van dergelijke technologieën om de energiemarkt te ontwrichten, veroorzaakt grote angst onder de financiële elite en beleidsmakers. Zij vrezen dat hun controle over de wereldwijde kapitaalstromen en geopolitieke macht definitief verloren kan gaan. Het hele systeem van voorspelbare markten, investeringspatronen en economische voorspelbaarheid zou instorten, waardoor de machtsbalans onder druk komt te staan. Een dergelijke ontwrichting zou kunnen leiden tot een wereldwijde recessie of zelfs een depressie, met massale werkloosheid, inflatie en sociale onrust als gevolg.
Bovendien is de angst voor een plotselinge technologische doorbraak niet alleen economisch van belang, maar ook geopolitiek. Landen en economische machten die nu afhankelijk zijn van fossiele brandstoffen zouden hun positie verliezen, terwijl nieuwe spelers die beschikken over geavanceerde technologieën, snel de wereldwijde machtskaart kunnen herschikken. Het risico op geopolitieke conflicten, die mogelijk escaleren tot militaire confrontaties, neemt toe.
Kortom, de onthulling van dergelijke revolutionaire technologieën zou niet alleen een technologische revolutie in gang zetten, maar ook een fundamentele herziening van het wereldwijde economische en geopolitieke landschap. Het zou een nieuwe realiteit creëren waarin de gevestigde belangen hun greep op de wereldmarkt dreigen te verliezen, met alle onzekerheden en chaotische gevolgen van dien.
3. Religieuze en Psychologische Impact
De erkenning dat niet-menselijke intelligenties al decennia, misschien zelfs eeuwen, onder onze neus zijn geweest, zou een ingrijpende verandering teweegbrengen in ons wereldbeeld. Voor veel mensen betekent dit dat de traditionele opvattingen over de menselijke superioriteit, scheppingsverhalen en de rol van de mens in het universum volledig ter discussie worden gesteld. Religieuze dogma's die de mensheid centraal stellen, zoals het idee dat de mens de kroon op de schepping is, zouden hun autoriteit verliezen. Religieuze instellingen zouden geconfronteerd worden met de noodzaak om hun doctrines te herzien of zelfs te herzien, wat kan leiden tot een identiteitscrisis binnen deze organisaties.
Wetenschappelijke materialisten, die uitgaan van een puur materiële en empirische wereld, zouden hun geloof in een volledig verklaarbare werkelijkheid moeten herzien. Als blijkt dat niet-menselijke intelligenties en buitenaardse wezens bestaan, zou dat hun wereldbeeld fundamenteel ondermijnen en tot een herwaardering van de rol van het onbekende en het metafysische leiden. Dit soort collectief ontwaken – een soort metafysische revolutie – zou niet alleen de wetenschap, maar ook de filosofie en de samenleving als geheel ingrijpend veranderen.
Tegelijkertijd brengt deze nieuwe realiteit grote psychologische risico's met zich mee. Mensen zouden geconfronteerd worden met de schokkende waarheid dat ze niet de enige intelligente wezens in het universum zijn, en dat niet-menselijke technologie en buitenaardse wezens al lange tijd onder onze radar opereren. Dit kan leiden tot paniek, verwarring en een gevoel van ontheemding. Het verlies van zekerheid over de menselijke superioriteit kan existentiële angst en depressieve gevoelens versterken. Voor de elite, die vaak afhankelijk is van ideologische controlemechanismen zoals religie, staatsideologie en media, is het nog gevaarlijker dat het publiek niet langer blindelings gelooft in deze structuren. Mensen zouden kritisch beginnen te denken, en dat kan leiden tot een brede maatschappelijke onrust, protesten en zelfs revolutionaire bewegingen die de bestaande machtsverhoudingen ondermijnen. Kortom, deze ontdekking zou niet alleen ons wereldbeeld, maar ook onze psyche drastisch kunnen veranderen.
4. Geheimhouding als Strategisch Wapen
De drang naar geheimhouding is niet louter uit angst voor de publieke reactie, maar ook uit strategisch belang. Verschillende geheime programma’s, zoals het reverse-engineeren van buitenaardse technologie of het uitvoeren van illegale experimenten, zouden blootgelegd kunnen worden. Zulke onthullingen zouden leiden tot juridische processen, excuses, en mogelijk zelfs strafrechtelijke vervolging van hoge functionarissen en wetenschappers. Het geheimhouden van dergelijke informatie dient dus niet alleen ter bescherming van de reputatie van betrokken instanties, maar ook als een middel om de controle over de publieke perceptie en de machtsstructuren te behouden.
Bovendien brengt het blootleggen van dergelijke geheimen de vraag naar het morele en juridische rechtvaardigheidsproces. Het zou de onderliggende corruptie en bedrog binnen de machtsstructuren blootleggen, wat de stabiliteit van het systeem verder ondermijnt. Het risico bestaat dat het publiek het vertrouwen in overheidsinstanties en grote instituten volledig verliest, wat kan leiden tot sociale onrust en politieke instabiliteit. Daarom wordt de geheime informatie vaak streng bewaakt en worden pogingen tot lekken actief bestreden, bijvoorbeeld door middel van geheime beveiligingsmaatregelen en juridische sancties.
Daarnaast speelt angst voor internationale implicaties een rol. Het openbaar maken van bepaalde technologische of militaire geheimen zou niet alleen de nationale veiligheid in gevaar brengen, maar ook de diplomatieke betrekkingen met andere landen kunnen schaden. Sommige staten willen voorkomen dat technologische doorbraken of strategische informatie in verkeerde handen vallen, uit vrees voor spionage of militaire confrontaties.
Kortom, geheimhouding fungeert als een strategisch instrument dat door de machthebbers wordt ingezet om hun positie te beschermen, de controle te behouden en potentiële chaos of destabilisatie te voorkomen. Het verzwijgen van de waarheid is daarmee niet slechts een kwestie van privacy, maar een bewuste keuze om de machtsdynamiek in stand te houden en te voorkomen dat onderliggende structuren ter discussie worden gesteld.
5. Alien Technologie: Een Spelbreker voor Beschavingen
Stel je voor dat landen zoals de Verenigde Staten of grote private contractors beschikken over uiterst geavanceerde, exotische technologieën die ver buiten ons huidige wetenschappelijke begrip liggen. Deze technologieën kunnen bestaan uit niet-aardse energiebronnen, nanotechnologieën, of zelfs technologieën die de wetten van de natuur lijken te tarten. In feite vormen deze technologieën een soort ‘cheat sheet’ voor beschavingen: een geheime krachtbron die, indien strategisch ingezet, een enorme invloed en machtspositie kan opleveren. Het beheer over zulke technologieën geeft machthebbers een voordeel dat vergelijkbaar is met een onzichtbare spil in het wereldwijde machtsdossier.
Het gecontroleerd en geleidelijk vrijgeven van deze alien technologieën stelt deze elites in staat om economische en strategische belangen te versterken, zonder meteen de volledige controle te hoeven prijsgeven. Door de technologie stapsgewijs te introduceren, kunnen ze de markt en de geopolitieke verhoudingen sturen, hun militaire macht versterken en technologische achterstanden inhalen. Het risico van oncontroleerbare uitlekken of massale onthullingen wordt hiermee geminimaliseerd, aangezien plotselinge onthullingen kunnen leiden tot chaos, paniek en destabilisatie op wereldschaal.
Indien dergelijke technologieën echter in verkeerde handen vallen of uitgelekt worden zonder controle, kunnen de gevolgen catastrofaal zijn. Het zou kunnen leiden tot een technologische armsrace, destabilisatie van regeringen, of zelfs een wereldwijde crisis waarin de bestaande machtsstructuren onder druk komen te staan. Om dat te voorkomen, wordt de uitrol en het gebruik ervan nauwkeurig gemanipuleerd door de elites. Het is dus niet alleen een kwestie van technologische superioriteit, maar ook van strategisch management en geheimhouding.
Daarnaast roept de aanwezigheid van dergelijke technologieën vragen op over de aard van de betrokken beschavingen en de mogelijke buitenaardse invloeden op onze wereld. Sommige theorieën suggereren dat deze technologieën mogelijk buitenaardse oorsprong hebben en dat de mensheid nog niet klaar is om de volledige kennis te bezitten. Kortom, alien technologie vormt niet alleen een technologische revolutie, maar ook een potentieel keerpunt in de geschiedenis van menselijke beschaving, dat zorgvuldig gecontroleerd moet worden om destabilisatie en chaos te voorkomen.
6. De Risico’s van Oncontroleerbare Uitspraken
In de wereld van geheime technologieën spelen leaks en onverwachte onthullingen een gevaarlijk spel. Een van de meest spraakmakende incidenten was de “Tic Tac” waarneming door de Amerikaanse marine in 2004. Tijdens de oefeningen met de USS Nimitz werden radarbeelden vastgelegd van een ongewone, onverklaarbare object dat zich boven en onder het wateroppervlak leek te bewegen. Het object vertoonde manoeuvres die ver boven onze huidige technologie uitstijgen: het leek moeiteloos te kunnen duiken, accelereren en stil blijven hangen, allemaal zonder enige bekende aandrijving of communicatiesystemen. Bovendien werd er onder het water een verstoring opgemerkt, een soort USO (Unidentified Submerged Object), dat de indruk gaf dat deze technologie niet alleen in de lucht, maar ook onder water een stap verder was dan onze eigen.
Wat deze incidenten extra intrigerend maakt, is de manier waarop het object het radarsignaal en communicatie verstoringen veroorzaakte. Het leek alsof het niet alleen fysiek geavanceerd was, maar ook cybertechnisch en strategisch superieur. Het was een wake-up call voor het Pentagon en de wereld: de technologie die hier aan het werk was, was niet van deze wereld of in ieder geval niet van onze planeet. Dit soort gebeurtenissen roept vragen op over de herkomst van deze technologie en over wie er eigenlijk over beschikt.
7. Interne Machtstrijd onder de Elites
Binnen de machtskringen van de wereldwijde elite heerst er een subtiel, maar krachtig strijdtoneel. Volgens de analist Dolan bestaat er een duidelijke scheuring: aan de ene kant staat een groep die zich sterk inzet voor totale geheimhouding, uit angst voor massale paniek, chaos, of het verlies van controle. Aan de andere kant is er een stroming die pleit voor langzame, gecontroleerde openbaring, bedoeld om de publieke perceptie geleidelijk te veranderen en de samenleving voor te bereiden op de waarheid.
De eerste groep ziet de technologie als een soort wapen of geheim wapen dat ze liever in eigen handen houden, uit angst dat openheid de bestaande machtsstructuren zou ondermijnen. De tweede groep gelooft dat volledige transparantie op lange termijn het beste is: door openheid kunnen we mogelijk nieuwe samenlevingsvormen, technologische doorbraken en een nieuw vertrouwen in de overheid ontwikkelen. Maar de balans wordt verstoord door elke leak, nieuwe wetgeving en publieke druk.
8. De Wet en de Toekomst van Openheid
Met wetten zoals de UAP Disclosure Act lijkt de politiek zich te bewegen richting meer transparantie. Maar wat betekent dat precies? Dolan waarschuwt voor twee mogelijke scenario’s: een autoritaire ‘disclosure’, waarin de waarheid wordt gemanipuleerd en gecontroleerd onder het mom van nationale veiligheid, en een ware openheid waarin de waarheid volledig wordt gedeeld, zelfs als dat de samenleving destabiliseert.
Het eerste scenario zou betekenen dat overheden en militaire machten de controle behouden door informatie te censureren, propaganda te gebruiken en de publieke perceptie te sturen. De samenleving zou onder constante surveillance worden gebracht, en de waarheid over de aanwezigheid van vreemde technologieën zou worden onderdrukt. Het tweede scenario, dat Dolan steunt, houdt in dat de mensheid de waarheid onder ogen ziet en zich aanpast. Het zou wellicht initiële chaos en verwarring veroorzaken, maar op de lange termijn zou het leiden tot een eerlijkere en krachtigere samenleving waarin we onze werkelijkheid opnieuw definiëren.
9. Waarom Vreest Men de Waarheid?
De onthulling van geavanceerde technologieën en geheimen heeft het potentieel om de fundamenten van onze samenleving ingrijpend te veranderen. Het kan bestaande machtsstructuren ondermijnen, omdat informatie die voorheen verborgen was, nu voor iedereen toegankelijk wordt. Dit brengt een bedreiging voor controle, inkomstenstromen en ideologieën die afhankelijk zijn van geheimhouding en manipulatie. Bovendien raakt het de kern van macht: wie beschikt over informatie, bepaalt vaak de agenda.
De angst voor deze veranderingen is begrijpelijk. Veel organisaties en regeringen willen de status quo handhaven en zien de openbaring van gevoelige informatie als een gevaar. Toch is het belangrijk om niet alleen vanuit angst te reageren, maar ook met moed en visie. Transparantie kan leiden tot meer verantwoordelijkheid, eerlijkheid en gelijkheid. Het biedt kansen voor innovatie en samenwerking, maar vraagt ook om een bewuste aanpak, waarbij ethiek en menselijke waarden centraal staan.
De komende veranderingen zijn onvermijdelijk, of we dat nu willen of niet. Het is aan ons om te bepalen hoe we ermee omgaan: uit angst of met durf. Door openheid te omarmen en de juiste regulering te zoeken, kunnen we de risico’s beperken en de voordelen maximaliseren. Alleen door moed te tonen en het bewust te omarmen, kunnen we een samenleving vormgeven die klaar is voor de toekomst zonder haar kernwaarden te verliezen. Het is tijd voor actie, niet voor angst.
Why Disclosure Terrifies Global Elites: Power, Truth & The UFO Revolution
Why Disclosure Terrifies Global Elites: Power, Truth & The UFO Revolution
The idea of UFO disclosure—revealing the truth about unidentified aerial phenomena and potential non-human intelligences—has captivated public imagination for decades. But behind closed doors, it evokes something far more powerful than curiosity: fear. Specifically, fear among global elites whose power structures are built on secrecy, control, and long-term planning.
1. Disclosure Isn’t Just Information—It’s Disruption
When Richard Dolan and Bryce Zabel co-authored A.D. After Disclosure, they warned that any legitimate admission of UFO reality could trigger an avalanche of global upheaval. Military institutions, religious organizations, media, and governments—all of which have either denied or downplayed UFO encounters—would be exposed as deceived or complicit. That admission alone would shatter public trust in legacy systems already hanging by a thread.
2. Economic Collapse: A Post-Petroleum Panic
Disclosure implies new technologies: anti-gravity propulsion, free energy, advanced materials. These innovations would render oil, gas, and even renewables obsolete almost overnight. This isn’t just theoretical—global energy markets, military doctrine, transportation, and even the petrodollar system would be instantly destabilized.
Multi-trillion dollar infrastructures—pipelines, aircraft carriers, power grids—could become worthless. Investment portfolios would crash. Predictable markets would vanish. And the financial elite would lose control over how, when, and where capital flows.
3. The Religious and Psychological Fallout
If we admit that non-human intelligences exist—and that they have been here for decades, maybe centuries—our sense of self collapses. Religious narratives may no longer hold exclusive authority. Scientific materialism loses credibility. A metaphysical awakening could occur. Or mass existential dread.
Either way, elites fear a loss of control over ideological authority—something far more dangerous than mass panic. People won’t riot—they’ll wake up.
4.Secrecy as a Strategic Asset
Disclosure also risks exposing classified programs and moral crimes: illegal experiments, reverse engineering, possible murders of whistleblowers. Agencies that lied to the public and to Congress could face lawsuits, reparations, and even criminal prosecution. That could destabilize the legal system itself, as those tasked with justice are revealed as perpetrators.
The deeper the truth, the greater the scandal—not just of alien presence, but of generational betrayal.
5. Alien Tech: A Civilization Cheat Code
If the U.S. or private contractors hold exotic technology, it’s akin to having a civilizational cheat sheet. With control over that tech, a slow drip allows monetization and gradual dominance. But sudden exposure? That’s chaos. It’s why a controlled disclosure is the preferred strategy for power-holders. But with rising public pressure, leaks, and legislative momentum, even that strategy is under threat.
6. The Tic-Tac & USO Encounters
The 2004 Nimitz “Tic Tac” encounter raised questions that still shake the Pentagon. Was it Lockheed tech—or something else? Radar showed a disturbance beneath the water, suggesting a USO (Unidentified Submerged Object) below the craft. Advanced maneuverability, disruption of encrypted communications, and brazen displays all hint at something beyond our known capabilities.
7. Internal Power Struggles Among Elites
Dolan notes a schism within elite circles: one faction pushes for secrecy, while another supports slow disclosure—motivated not by altruism, but self-preservation. Some want to position themselves before lawsuits. Others aim to gradually normalize the public to prevent revolt.
But with every leak and new law—like the UAP Disclosure Act—the balance shifts.
8. A Post-Disclosure Future: Totalitarian or Transparent?
Dolan warns of two paths:
Authoritarian disclosure, where the truth is tightly managed under increased surveillance and propaganda.
Transparent disclosure, where humanity faces the truth, no matter how disruptive, and reinvents its world with honesty.
He supports the latter—believing that, although painful, it’s better to build from truth than to persist in deception.
Conclusion: Why They Fear It
Disclosure threatens to upend the foundations of modern society: not just geopolitics or military superiority, but the very fabric of reality as most of us understand it.
It threatens control.
It threatens revenue.
It threatens ideology.
And above all, it threatens power.
Whether driven by whistleblowers, AI convergence, or rising public awareness, the avalanche is coming. The only question is: Will we face it with fear—or with courage?
Martian glaciers consist mainly of pure water ice. This is good news for future explorers of the Red Planet, who will be able to use them as a source of water, air, and rocket fuel components.
One of Mars’ glaciers, covered with a layer of dust and rocks. Source: NASA/JPL-Caltech/University of Arizona
Scientists have long known that there are dust-covered glaciers on the slopes of many Martian mountains. Initially, it was believed that they consisted mainly of dust and rocks and contained only 30% ice. However, research conducted in recent decades has cast doubt on this picture, showing that at least some of them are cleaner than previously thought. Now scientists have confirmed this, establishing that glaciers across the planet actually contain more than 80% water ice.
The discovery was made using the radar instrument (SHARAD) installed on board the MRO spacecraft. An international team of researchers decided to study how quickly radar waves pass through glaciers and how quickly they scatter. This data could shed light on the ratio of rock to ice.
For their research, the team selected five sites on Mars. Analysis of the collected SHARAD data revealed a surprising uniformity in the purity of these glaciers, which consist of at least 80% ice. It is covered with a layer of dust and soil.
Locations of Martian glaciers scanned by the MRO spacecraft’s radar. Source: Steinberg et al.
Researchers emphasize that the composition of glaciers is the same even in different hemispheres of Mars.This indicates that the environmental conditions in which the ice formed and remained intact were probably the same across the entire planet. Ice could have formed as a result of atmospheric precipitation (snowfall) or as a result of direct condensation due to an increase in frost. At the same time, it does not appear that ice could form as a result of water vapor from the atmosphere diffusing into subsurface layers and forming ground ice, which occurs in regions such as Alaska and Antarctica under terrestrial conditions.
The discovery plays an important role in understanding Mars’ past and the processes taking place on it. In addition, it can assist in planning future manned missions, for which accessible ice deposits may become a critical component of success.
We previously reported that brines may exist on the surface of Mars.
It is believed that, whatever the star, there is a zone around it in which a planet similar in mass to Earth will be Earth-like. But let’s see what worlds orbiting red dwarfs and blue supergiants might be like.
Exoplanetes. Source: exoplanetes.umontreal.ca
Zone of life
Often, when discussing the possibility of life near other stars, one hears that some of them are too dim for this, and some are too hot. In reality, the brightness of a star only affects the distance at which a planet must be located for life to exist on it.
It is a whole range of distances between which water can exist in a liquid state. It is also called the Goldilocks Zone. Simply falling within a certain part of it does not determine the climate on the planet. Important factors that influence it also include the mass of the celestial body, the eccentricity of its orbit, the tilt of its axis of rotation, the thickness of its atmosphere, and so on.
So, is a star merely a source of light, whose characteristics determine only the length of the year on a planet where life is possible? In general, the answer to this question is “no”, but it is worth considering each case individually.
Goldilocks Zone. Source: www.britannica.com
Stars lighter than the Sun
The Sun is considered a star of average diameter, mass, and luminosity. If you look at the Hertzsprung-Russell diagram, it is difficult to disagree with this. Our star is located right in the center of the main sequence. But this is only true if we do not take into account the number of stars of a certain size in the Galaxy. More than 90% of them are smaller than the Sun. Stars larger than it are much rarer.
Excluding brown dwarfs, which occupy an intermediate position between stars and planets, the smallest stars are red dwarfs, such as Proxima Centauri, Wolf 359, Ross 154, and others close to Earth but invisible to the naked eye. You can read more about the problem of Earth-like worlds in their orbits in this article.
It should be noted that the existence of these worlds as a result of tidal locking of the “day” and “night” hemispheres is not their main feature. The fact is that this may not be the case if the eccentricity of the planet’s orbit is large enough. However, long days lasting 2-3 Earth days are inevitable.
A planet caught in a tidal wave. Source: www.newscientist.com
The constant threat of powerful flares is also not mandatory. Most planets in red dwarf systems do indeed experience them, but among these stars, there are many in which such activity is not observed. This is especially true for those who are significantly older.
However, there is one feature that is present in all planets, more or less similar to Earth, that orbit red dwarfs, and that is an extremely short year, which can last 10-20 days. As a result, there should be virtually no change in seasons.
There are two mechanisms for changing the illumination of a particular area on a planet during its rotation around a star: a change in distance from the star due to the large eccentricity of the orbit, and the inclination of the axis of rotation. A combination of these two factors is also possible. But whatever it may be on a particular red dwarf, significant long-term weather fluctuations will not occur.
Orbits of planets with different eccentricities. Source: astronomy.stackexchange.com
For this, water and air have too much thermal inertia. Combined with a very long or absent cycle of change for day and night, this will result in a very even climate. The inhabitants of such a planet may not know what winter and summer are.
Between red dwarfs and yellow stars, similar to our Sun, are orange stars. The luminosity of these stars is tens of percent of the Sun’s, and there are also many of them in the Galaxy. Examples include Epsilon Eridani, Epsilon Indi, 61 Cygni, and 70 Ophiuchi.
Orange dwarfs, like yellow ones, end their existence by first turning into red giants and then into white dwarfs.
However, no orange dwarf in the Milky Way has reached this stage of its existence yet, because it takes between 15 and 30 billion years to do so. It is precisely because of the combination of the long stable existence of Goldilocks Zone planets and their prevalence in the universe that planets near these stars are considered the best candidates for the search for extraterrestrial life.
The Epsilon Eridani system compared to the Solar System. Source: phys.org
The tidal forces of their stars still exert a strong influence on them, causing a slowdown in their daily rotation. However, to cause tidal capture, the day must be “stretched” to dozens of Earth days, which can only be achieved over many billions of years.
Orange dwarfs also have increased flare activity compared to the Sun. However, planets in the “habitable zone” in their case are still much further from the star than in the case of red dwarfs. And the explosions on their surface are not as large-scale and frequent as in the latter. Therefore, the probability of serious losses of the atmosphere and hydrosphere is quite low.
Another key feature of the climate on these planets is their short year. With a duration of 40-200 days, fluctuations in light caused by orbital eccentricity and axial tilt become more noticeable. However, if only 30-50 Earth days pass between the days of minimum and maximum insolation, the difference between summer and winter is relatively small. Most likely, over billions of years of evolution, life on these worlds has primarily adapted to daily temperature changes rather than annual ones.
Stars heavier than the Sun
As for stars whose size, mass, and luminosity exceed that of the Sun, the situation is completely different. The first thing to realize is that there are not many such stars. Within a radius of 50 light-years from the Sun, there are barely two dozen of them, compared to several hundred red and orange dwarfs.
Procyon compared to the Sun
There are no problems with tidal braking and flares in the Goldilocks Zone of these stars. Their luminosity, which is significantly greater than that of the Sun, means that they must be much further away than Earth is from the Sun. Accordingly, a year on them must last from several tens of percent to several times longer than on our home planet.
However, there are most likely no planets with a developed biosphere and a year 10 times longer than Earth’s in space. The fact is that even yellowish stars of spectral class F, whose mass is 30-60% greater than that of the Sun, complete their entire evolutionary path to becoming red giants in only 3-5 billion years.
Life on Earth needed a comparable amount of time to evolve not only humans, but also terrestrial multicellular organisms. Of course, we do not know to what extent the pace of biological evolution on our planet is typical for the entire Milky Way galaxy. But it is most likely to assume that this time does not differ much from a certain average.
Biological evolution on Earth. Source: www.britannica.com
However, the star does not instantly turn into a red giant. Its luminosity increases gradually. For example, our own Sun could render Earth uninhabitable in a billion years. In larger stars, these processes occur much faster.
That is, most likely, regardless of how large the axial tilt and orbital eccentricity of worlds orbiting stars brighter than the Sun are, these planets experience significant temperature fluctuations throughout the year. It is highly unlikely that multicellular life or life on land exists on them. And the atmosphere is most likely unsuitable for breathing, despite the presence of entirely terrestrial oceans and temperatures acceptable for human existence.
In general, judging by everything, our star is close to the upper limit of mass, beyond which complex life simply does not have time to develop. For example, large hot stars such as Sirius, Vega, and Achernar have a lifespan of just a few hundred million years. If there are planets there, then only very primitive life could have emerged on them.
Large and hot stars compared to the Sun. Source: alchetron.com
Planets near older stars
However, all of the above cases involve planets orbiting stars that are on the main sequence, i.e., undergoing a relatively stable period of their evolution. However, we may find a planet orbiting a giant or red giant at a distance that can be considered the Goldilocks Zone. They will have sufficiently long years and, in principle, may have a temperature regime conducive to the existence of life, but it must be remembered that in the past, these planets were analogous to Mars or Jupiter’s moons.
That is, for billions of years, if life existed on them, it barely flickered somewhere beneath the surface. And then, over a relatively short period of time, the influx of heat increased significantly, and conditions on them became quite favorable.
Will we see a world with forests, meadows, and perhaps cities living under a big red sun? This is a very interesting question, but we do not know the general answer. It depends on two factors: how complex organisms can arise in conditions of insufficient sunlight and, possibly, liquid water. So far, we cannot rule out either the possibility that even primitive multicellular organisms could develop in such conditions or that nothing more primitive than bacteria could emerge.
Planets orbiting a red giant. Source: NASA
On the other hand, much depends on the stage of stellar evolution at which the planet entered the Goldilocks Zone. If it is transforming into a subgiant, then in the case of stars comparable to our Sun, this process can take hundreds of millions of years, during which the surface temperature will rise quite slowly.
If by that time the evolution of life had already made some progress, then this time would be sufficient for life to give rise to a developed terrestrial biosphere. For example, on Earth, the path from primitive marine invertebrates to monkeys living in forests took only half a billion years.
However, if the planet became warm enough for life only after its sun turned into a red giant, the situation is much worse. Here, too, the changes will take millions of years, but the transition from an icy world to a scorching one can happen extremely quickly. And there will be practically no time for evolution.
Exoplanetes. Source: www.futura-sciences.com
White dwarfs may also have a Goldilocks Zone. However, it is important to remember that it is located where the outer layers of the star used to be during its red giant or even subgiant phase. Can a planet survive this? Can a new world form around a white dwarf?
Science does not provide definitive conclusions on this matter, but it is more likely that the answer to the first question is no rather than yes, and to the second question is yes rather than no. In other words, we are very likely to find a planet in the Goldilocks Zone of a white dwarf, but water is unlikely, although anything is possible. And it is highly doubtful that there is any life there. As for black holes and neutron stars, planets may exist in their orbits. But most likely, high levels of radiation make life on them impossible.
It may seem that truly Earth-like planets can only exist in the orbits of a small number of stars and that their diversity is limited. But in fact, this is not the case. Even what has been described means that there are millions of planets in the Galaxy, some of which may seem incredible to us.
Image of the Mare Tranquillitatis pit crater on the Moon. (Credit: NASA/GSFC/Arizona State University)
How can artificial intelligence (AI) be used to locate lunar pits and skylights, which are surface depressions and openings, respectively, that serve as entrances to lava caves and lava tubes? This is what arecent studypublished in Icarus hopes to address as an international team of researchers investigated using machine learning algorithms to more efficiently identify pits and skylights on lunar volcanic regions (lunar maria) of the Moon. This study has the potential to help researchers develop new methods in identifying key surface features on planetary bodies that could aid in both robotic and human exploration.
For the study, the researchers used several deep learning models to identify pits and skylights using orbital images from the Moon and Mars with the goal of identifying new lunar pits and skylights to complement the 16 that have been previously identified with the Lunar Pit Atlas. One of the pits used to train the model was the well-known Mare Tranquillitatis Pit that has been imaged several times and estimated to have a minimum radius of 100 meters (328 feet) and a depth of approximately 105 meters (344 feet). In the end, the researchers found a deep learning model called ESSA (Entrances to Sub-Surface Areas) performed the best, as it successfully identified two new skylights despite only observing approximately 1.92 percent of the lunar maria.
The study notes, “Since ESSA has surveyed just ≈0.23% of the Moon’s surface so far, there are still vast amounts of data to which it can be applied. In the context of searching for pits and skylights which relate to potential cave entrances, mare regions should still be prioritized for being fed to ESSA. Up to now, ESSA has largely been applied to smaller mare deposits, which have well-defined boundaries, such as those within impact craters. However, with sufficient time allocated for the processing of imagery, ESSA could search for pits and skylights within some of the larger Lunar maria (such as Mare Frigoris) by iterating through latitude–longitude intervals.”
As noted, lunar pits and skylights serve as entrances to subsurface lava caves and tubes that could enable future robotic and human exploration to better understand the Moon’s volcanic history while also serving as shelter for future astronauts. This is because, unlike Earth, the Moon lacks an atmosphere with a protective ozone layer and magnetic field, thus exposing astronauts to harmful solar and cosmic radiation. Lava tubes played a prominent role in the television series National Geographic Mars as a safe haven for the first astronauts on Mars. Like the Moon, Mars lacks an ozone layer and magnetic field, so the lava tubes served as protective shielding from the harsh aforementioned solar and cosmic radiation.
This study comes as NASA’s Artemis program plans to send humans back to the lunar surface in the next few years for the first time since Apollo 17 in 1972. While Artemis plans to lands astronauts on the lunar south pole, far from lunar lava caves and tubes, this study demonstrates how AI and machine learning could be used to help identify key lunar surface features, potentially including water ice deposits and lunar resources that can be used for in situ resource utilization, the former existing within deep craters at the lunar south pole.
Additionally, the use of AI and machine learning models for planetary science continue to exhibit extraordinary speed and efficiency with the goal of enhancing our knowledge of planetary bodies, for planetary bodies of all sizes and types and both in and out of our solar system.
How will AI help identify pits, skylights, and other key surface features on the Moon and other planetary bodies in the coming years and decades? Only time will tell, and this is why we science!
Artist's impression of the Moon's interior, showing its inner and outer core and magnetic field lines. Credit: Hernán Cañellas/Benjamin Weiss/MIT
According to the prevailing theory of how the Moon formed, it all began roughly 4.5 billion years ago when a Mars-sized object (Theia) collided with a primordial Earth. This caused both bodies to become a molten mass that eventually coalesced to form the Earth-Moon System (aka. The Giant Impact Hypothesis. This theory also states that the Moon gradually cooled from the top down, with the crust solidifying and arresting lava flows early in its history. However, recent findings from samples obtained by China's Chiang'e-5 probe indicate that lava existed at shallower depths longer than previously thought.
These samples obtained by the Chiang'e-5 lander were from the young mare basalt unit in the Oceanus Procellarum region, a vast lunar mare on the western edge of the near side of the Moon. The samples included 1.7 kilograms (3.7 pounds) of scooped and drilled material composed of basalt and igneous rock that formed roughly 2 billion years ago, making them the youngest samples obtained to date. These findings contradict the previous theory that the temperature of the outer layers of the Moon was too low for melting to occur in the shallow interior, and could revise theories about the Moon's early evolution.
The Chiang'e-5 samples are examples of rock formed from rapidly cooled lava, which is characteristic of the mare region from which they were obtained. To obtain an estimate of how deep this lava came from, the team conducted high-pressure and high-temperature experiments on a lava simulant with an identical composition. Based on remote sensing from orbit, previous work from Chinese scientists showed it erupted in an area with very high abundances of radioactive, heat-producing elements, including potassium, thorium, and uranium.
In large amounts, the researchers believe these elements could generate enough heat to keep the Moon hot near the surface, slowing the cooling process over time. Before this study, it was presumed that the upper mantle cooled first as the surface gradually lost heat to space, which was based largely on seismic data obtained by the Apollo astronauts. Per this theory, younger lavas like the samples obtained by the Chang'e-5 lander should have come from the deep mantle, where the Moon would still be hot. However, these findings suggest there must have been pockets in the shallow mantle that were hot enough to partially melt rock 2 billion years ago.
Using our experimental results and thermal evolution calculations, we put together a simple model showing that an enrichment in radioactive elements would have kept the Moon's upper mantle hundreds of degrees hotter than it would have been otherwise, even at 2 billion years ago.
Lunar magmatism, which is the record of volcanic activity on the Moon, gives us a direct window into the composition of the Moon's mantle, which is where magmas ultimately come from. We don't have any direct samples of the Moon's mantle like we do for Earth, so our window into the composition of the mantle comes indirectly from its lavas.
Artist's impression of the interior structure of the Moon.
Credit: Hernán Cañellas/Benjamin Weiss/MIT
This research is helping to establish a detailed timeline of the Moon's evolution, which is critical to understanding how planets and smaller bodies form and evolve. The prevailing theory is that this process begins with accretion from a protoplanetary disk, where dust and gas coalesce due to angular momentum to form planetary bodies. Initially, these bodies are extremely hot and have molten surfaces, which gradually cool to form solid bodies composed of rock and metal, with some forming envelopes of gas or volatiles like water (depending on where they form around their host stars).
The process of cooling and geological layer formation are key steps in the evolution of these bodies. Since the Moon is Earth's closest celestial neighbor, studying lunar samples is the easiest way to learn more about these processes. Said Elardo:
My hope is that this study will lead to more work in lunar geodynamics, which is a field that uses complex computer simulations to model how planetary interiors move, flow, and cool through time. This is an area, at least for the Moon, where there's a lot of uncertainty, and my hope is that this study helps to give that community another important data point for future models.
3I/ATLAS as an interstellar visitor, discovered on July 1. Estimated to be up to 15 miles (24 kilometers) wide, it’s barreling toward the Sun at over 130,000 mph. Fortunately, it won’t come closer to Earth than 1.6 astronomical units — about 150 million miles (240 million kilometers) according to NASA.
NASA insists there's no reason for concern — it’s just a comet, end of story. But here's where things get interesting: 3I/ATLAS is the third known interstellar object to enter our solar system, following the enigmatic ‘Oumuamua in 2017 and comet Borisov in 2019. And like those two, it behaves in ways that deviate from what we expect of natural comets.
A newly published paper on the preprint server arXiv (July 16) challenges NASA’s official explanation. The study, co-authored by three scientists, including Harvard astrophysicist Avi Loeb, suggests that 3I/ATLAS might not be a comet at all. Instead, the team proposes it could be an artificial object: a surveillance probe sent by an unknown extraterrestrial intelligence, possibly even one with hostile intent.
Loeb, warns that if this hypothesis turns out to be accurate, the consequences for humanity could be profound. He suggests that preparing defensive countermeasures might be necessary if this object poses a real threat.
What makes 3I/ATLAS so unusual?
According to Loeb, the object’s trajectory is so rare that the odds of a natural comet following the same path are less than 0.005%.
It will pass unusually close to three planets — Venus, Mars, and Jupiter — raising further suspicion.
Most telling of all: 3I/ATLAS lacks a coma, the cloud of gas and dust that typically surrounds comets.
"When analyzed with an open mind, the data offers compelling evidence that 3I/ATLAS may be technological in nature," Loeb explained.
In fact, Loeb outlines eight specific reasons why this object likely isn't a natural interstellar visitor — and why it may be of artificial origin. (You can read his full breakdown (here).
The idea that this mysterious object might be an alien craft, possibly one preparing for closer contact with Earth, is unsettling to say the least. For now, we can only wait, watch... and wonder.
Strange Cases of Close Encounters of the Dirty Kind
Supposed alien abductions are inherently bizarre and come in all shapes and sizes. Some are scary and involve malevolent or indifferent entities that treat us like little more than cattle. Others seem to be more benevolent in nature, with these beings bringing messages of peace or a warning to help us along. Still others are hard to fully categorize, and go off the rails into the truly bonkers, including romantic liaisons with the alien captors. Yes, you heard that right. One deeply odd subspecies of alien encounter reports is that of people who have not only encountered aliens, but also had sex with them. Here are some of the strangest.
Some of these alien abduction cases are even more out on the fringe than others, and one of these must certainly be the time a Brazilian farmer was taken aboard a spaceship to father an intergalactic love child. In October of 1957, a strange series of events began to unfold in a rural area near São Francisco de Sales, Brazil. Here lived a humble farmer by the name of Antônio Villas Boas and his brother, Joao, and their family, and on the night of October 14, they would have an odd experience while out ploughing a field. Because of the sweltering heat during the daytime and the fact that the work was typically grueling, it was common for them to do their work at night, but this evening would be different from most. As they toiled away in the field, their attention was captured by what they described as a ball of red light in the sky that was so bright they could not look directly at it. Antônio crept forward to investigate while his terrified brother stayed behind, but whenever he tried to approach it would speed away from him, almost as if it were playing a game. The two men could only watch as it emitted some beams of light in all directions and then sped off into the night. However, the weirdness would not end there. Indeed, it was only the beginning for Antônio.
On October 16, 1957, Antônio was out working the field again, this time alone, and he looked up to the starry sky above to notice a red star amongst the twinkling lights. Thinking this was odd, it got even stranger when it began to grow in size and brightness, and he realized that it was the same light he and his brother had seen before. This time, rather than retreating, the light seemed to be approaching him rapidly, getting close enough that the scared farmer could see that it was an egg-shaped craft of some sort with a rotating dome and a bright red light on its top. The bizarre craft then gently landed upon the field upon three metal legs that extended from beneath it to come to a rest not far from Boas, after which a hatch opened to disgorge a 5-foot-tall humanoid being dressed in a helmet and grey coveralls. This was frightening enough that Boas turned his tractor around and tried to get out of there, but the machine soon stalled, forcing him to continue fleeing on foot. He wouldn’t get far.
Whatever the creature was managed to catch him, joined by three other similar beings that communicated through a series of yelps and barks. Boas would claim that he was unable to effectively fight back against them and that these beings proceeded to physically drag him up into their otherworldly craft. There he was forced into a brightly lit room where the creatures took off all of his clothes and covered him with a slick gelatinous substance, before then taking him to another room adorned with strange red symbols. Here in this new room, the beings supposedly cut his chin to extract blood, and then he was led into yet another room and left alone for a while. As he sat there, terrified and unsure of what was coming next, a gas was piped into the room that was so foul-smelling that Boas vomited. He was still recovering from being violently ill when an hour later the door opened and he was confronted with another of the beings, this one an attractive female, with long platinum hair, large blue eyes, and, by Boas' description, hot. According to Boas, he had sexual relations with this creature, after which she rubbed her belly, implying that she would bear his child, and he was then dropped off back at his tractor to find that 4 hours had passed and that he had strange burns on his body that he could not remember having gotten.
Over the next few days, Boas suffered from various health issues, such as intense headaches, nausea, and unusual lesions that popped up on his body for no discernible reason, and the burns also remained. Not knowing what to do, he sought out medical attention and was finally examined by Dr. Olavo Fontes, of the National School of Medicine of Brazil. According to the doctor, Boas was in pretty bad shape and suffering from radiation poisoning, and he would say of the farmer’s symptoms:
"Among [Boas's] symptoms were pains throughout the body, nausea, headaches, loss of appetite, ceaselessly burning sensations in the eyes, cutaneous lesions at the slightest of light bruising...which went on appearing for months, looking like small reddish nodules, harder than the skin around them and protuberant, painful when touched, each with a small central orifice yielding a yellowish thin waterish discharge. The skin surrounding the wounds presented a hyperchromatic violet-tinged area."
The story was soon picked up by UFOlogists when Boas approached journalist Jose Martins about the experience, and by 1958, the whole bizarre tale was becoming increasingly mentioned in the mainstream media as it received worldwide fame, as well as more than its fair share of raised eyebrows. After all, the whole thing is so outlandish as to be almost absurd. At the time, tales of alien abduction were practically nonexistent, as it was; indeed, Boas’ account is one of the earliest to ever get any major attention, and many people didn’t know what to make of it all. Even UFOlogists were skeptical of it all, and it was pointed out that he most likely made it all up after reading a similar obscure account in a popular magazine called O Cruzeiro, and that he was probably heavily influenced by the incredibly bizarre reports of alien contactees written about by the Ufologist Georges Adamski. It is even suggested that he came up with the idea in 1958 and then predated his story to make it more believable, and the fact that he was able to produce the entire story from memory without the need for hypnosis has also seemed suspicious to some.
In the end, tales of such sexual encounters and alien hybrids have continued to flutter out on the fringe of even hardcore UFOlogists. It is all so completely off the rails and also scientifically implausible, as how would an alien have DNA compatible with us to the point that they could bear one of our children? Because of this, the case has mostly been labelled a hoax and a tall tale that has been largely shunned. However, Boas himself was no loon, going on in later years to become a respected lawyer, and he always stuck by his outlandish tale up to his death in 1992. Was this the ramblings of a troubled individual, a hoax, or was there something more to it all? Whatever the case may be, it is one of the earliest widely publicized UFO abduction accounts and continues to generate discussion to this day.
Another strange tale begins on the evening of April 13, 1979, on the outskirts of the city of Maringa in the state of Parana in southern Brazil, when a 21-year-old local man named Jocelino de Mattos and his 13-year-old brother Roberto Carlos were walking home after visiting their sister. It was a quiet, clear evening, and as they walked through an area of the suburb of Jardim Alvorada at around 11:30 p.m., they saw up in the sky what at first appeared to be an unusually bright star that they soon realized seemed to be following them. After some time, they were convinced that this was not their imagination and that the light was no star, and this is where things would get very strange, indeed. Jocelino would say of what happened next:
"When we arrived at the corner where we normally turn right to go home, we felt a strange sensation. My heartbeat started to accelerate, rapidly. I felt my body chilling, something bad. It was the same with my legs, in all my body, a bad sensation. My blood started to run wildly in my veins and I began to walk towards a tree in the middle of a plowed field. I didn’t want to go in that direction but something compelled me and my brother to walk towards it. It was difficult for us to walk because it was plowed and already prepared for planting. Suddenly, we started to walk, and walk… It seems as if we were walking very slowly and then we were walking very fast. We fought against it, but couldn’t. We continued walking. It seemed that it was impossible for us to think of anything else. The only objective was to reach the place where the star was. When we were immediately below the big tree, we both fell down to the ground. The strange object was about 10 to 15 meters away from us and about two or three meters above the ground. It was floating silently, and that’s all I can remember except that I heard a kind of voice that said something like, “The job is not ended, we will be back.” I do not know how I heard that voice but I remember it as in a dream."
After this, they both lost consciousness, and sometime later woke up in a dazed state, unsure of where they were and with difficulty standing up and walking. They managed to stumble along with each other’s help, but their limbs were slow to respond to their commands, their balance unsteady. What would have normally been an easy walk that they had taken many times before became and major task, their house seeming to be so far away as they shuffled along, and on top of this, they were trembling uncontrollably and overcome with a “strange and sudden hunger.” It was only after great effort and falling many times that they managed to make it to their home, where the two muddied, dazed men collapsed in front of their shocked family. Jocelino would explain:
“My mother and brothers were waiting for us. They ran towards us and helped us up. We explained to them what had happened. At first, they doubted us but later they went outside with me and I pointed out the star, which was still there. As we stood looking at the star, silently hovering almost over the trees, about 300 to 350 meters away from us, I began to tell my family what had happened to me and my brother. When I started telling them this, the object seemed to observe us from that distance and suddenly my brother and I received some kind of a shock, so strong it hurled us to the ground. My mother, another brother and my sister were not touched. My mother told me later that when they touched me or Roberto, we felt electrified, or something like that. We did not feel electrified, but we couldn’t move even a finger.”
After this, the mysterious object flew off, and they found themselves in control of their bodies again. The two brothers tried to put the strange event behind them, but were haunted by nightmares and the creeping sense that they were missing something, that pieces of their memories of the evening had been plucked away. In the meantime, their story was starting to do the rounds, and Jocelino was eventually convinced to undergo hypnotic regression to see if there was any trace of those missing memories somewhere in his head. The regression sessions were carried out by Dr. Oswaldo Alves, and it was found that indeed there was something lurking under the surface of what Jocelino consciously remembered. He would say under hypnosis that after collapsing in that field, they had floated into the air and towards a door of some sort that had opened in the side of the object, and he would explain what happened:
"Then there were two men in the doorway. One of them came in front of me and looked at me very attentively. He took up an object which I didn’t recognize, touched the object to my left arm, and gestured to me to get inside. From that point, we walked a little bit and we arrived in another room full of computers and there was some kind of command display on a table. It had different lights that I did not recognize and cannot explain. After that, they took me to another room full of motors, things I had never seen before. They were not hot and there was no noise. The motors were conic or something like that. “Then they took me to another room where there were some photographs similar to those of earth. I could see that the photographs were fixed on the wall in a kind of videotape, a TV screen or something like that. I could not distinguish it very well. Then we arrived in another room full of equipment like hospital equipment. It was a medical room. They asked me to lie down and as I did so, they examined me. Then, after this examination, they collected sperm, a small amount. Then they made me sit down on a kind of table. They put some instruments on my head and they spoke among themselves in a language that I did not understand. It scares me so much…"
Now I know what you are thinking at this point, and that is “where is all of the naughty stuff?” Don’t worry, I’m getting to it. At this point, Jocelino became very upset and had to be calmed down by Dr. Alves, but this session would continue, and when he was ready to talk again, the story would get even more bizarre still. He would say:
"After some minutes a woman arrived in the room. She touched me. She caressed me and it excited me. Then we started to make love. After the relations, she stopped and told me: “Perhaps the seed will come alive.” I did not understand anything. She went out of the room and they spoke between themselves and they told me in thought that they were for peace and that their objective was to study, to understand, the earth. They spoke to me about life, the fights and the wars and I really thought they were for peace, that they were peaceful people, friends. Then they told me: ‘We think it’s time to leave you.’ They took me by my arm and we went the same way we had walked to go to that place until we arrived at the door. I jumped to the ground together with them and they went floating ahead to where they could catch me. I felt myself paralyzed, totally unable to move. They made me lie down on the ground, exactly the way I was before they caught me. Then I came to my senses."
It was from that moment on that he had remembered before the regression. The two brothers would withdraw from all of the attention they were getting, and they stopped talking about it altogether. The case would go on to be covered in the books UFO Abduction From Maringa, The Agripo Experiments by Wendelle Stevens, and UFO Abductions: The Measure Of A Mystery, by Thomas E Bullard. Just what was going on here? There is no real way to be sure, and such cases are relegated to the shadows.
Among these naughty close encounters, another one of these must be the time a Chinese lumberjack was sexually accosted by a 10-foot-tall space alien that is due to have his child in a few decades. In a country where the UFO phenomenon is still mostly nascent, it is a truly spectacular account that really puts China up there with other countries with similarly far-out encounter reports. Let's take a look.
The setting of this bizarre tale takes place against the backdrop of the mist-shrouded Dragon Mountains, in the northwest portion of Wuchang, in the part of China historically known as Manchuria. Nestled amongst the sprawling forests of the area is a place called the Red Flag Logging Commune, a modest settlement populated by loggers and lumberjacks, mostly migrant workers and drifters trying to escape something. It is a Spartan existence; life here is simple, the days filled with backbreaking work, and there are few luxuries in this remote community, with only a single road running through it and no cell phone reception. One of these lumberjacks was a man named Meng Zhaoguo, who lived in a basic two-room timber frame house that he built himself, and he had a simple but contented life. Here at the commune, every day was pretty much the same, and not much ever happened out of the routine, but one evening Meng would allegedly have a truly bizarre experience that would change his life forever.
In June of 1994, Meng was out at around dusk, taking a walk, when he noticed something glimmering in the distance over the trees, as if a metallic object were reflecting the dying light of the day. As he drew closer, he claimed that he could see a white glowing orb descend into the darkened forest, and at first, he thought that a helicopter or weather balloon had come down and possibly crashed. He went to investigate and managed to reach what appeared to be something glinting through the trees, but he was unable to get a glimpse of what it was because something suddenly hit him in the forehead and knocked him out. When he awoke several hours later, he says that he was back in his home, with no memory of how he had gotten there, and he felt confused, partially paralyzed and unable to speak. It would only get weirder from there.
That very same evening, he was startled to wake up to find a bizarre alien being floating over his bed. He describes it as female, about 10 feet tall, and mostly human-looking except for having 6 fingers and legs strangely covered with braided hair. Meng claims that he tried to cry out, but found that he couldn’t, and that’s when he realized he was floating up off his bed towards the entity, screaming in silence the entire way. According to Meng, the female alien raped him, forcing him to have intercourse with her as they levitated in the air, after which she floated up to phase through the ceiling and he dropped back down onto his bed, where his wife had slept through the whole thing. In shock, Meng would also find that he now had a zig-zag-shaped scar on his upper thigh as well, presumably inflicted by the randy alien.
For the next month, Meng was plagued by potent nightmares about what had happened, as well as a curious aversion to anything made of iron, and it seems as if his ordeal was not even over yet. On this occasion, he again woke up in his bed to find himself levitating up towards the ceiling, but this time, there was no alien there. He simply kept going up, and as he cringed in anticipation of smashing into the ceiling, he instead phased right through it to be ejected into the night sky above. Eventually, he reached a spaceship, where several of the same species of giant aliens as the woman he had met were waiting for him. When Meng spoke to them to ask where the one he had met was, he claims they responded in heavily accented Chinese that she was far away, back on their home world. They then explained some more things to the lumberjack, and Meng says:
"They said in Chinese, but with a heavy accent so it was hard for me to understand at first, that they were refugees. Like me, they wanted to escape their former lives, so they left their dying home. The aliens showed me a piece of crystal, through which I saw forests, icebergs and fossil fuels on the Earth. They told me about the current situation facing Earth's resources and warned me about the importance of environmental protection. They also said that 60 years from then, there will be an alien born with the genes of an earthling farmer, and I can meet him or her."
This child, of course, would be the one supposedly conceived by him and the alien woman on that night, and the 60 years were explained to him as the length of their pregnancy and gestation period. When Meng’s story came out, it hit the news all over, and generated a chaotic mix of ridicule, support, skepticism, and belief, generating a fair bit of notoriety for him. The case was looked into by several organizations in the still relatively underdeveloped Chinese UFO field, such as the China UFO Research Center, the UFO Enthusiasts Club at Wuhan University, the Beijing UFO Research Organization (BURO), and the state-sponsored UFO Research Society, with varying results. Mostly, this is seen as a fantasy, perhaps the result of him hitting his head and having hallucinations. Others think it was a way to reinvent himself and get the attention he needed to get out of the logging commune and have a better life for his family, in which case it worked because after appearing in the news and on TV shows, he was offered another job in the city. Still others believe he really did experience something strange, but has perhaps exaggerated it and added certain elements. For his part, Meng has subjected himself to lie detector tests, which he has passed, and still insists it is all true. He has said:
"Once, humans believed that the earth was flat. Even a decade ago, people would not believe that a cell phone could work. Humans, if we have never seen something with our own eyes, naturally doubt that it exists, or that life could be that way. I was the first to be brave enough to say: ‘I saw that.’ I didn't believe in aliens before I actually met them. Seeing is believing. We cannot explain UFOs and aliens because our technology isn't advanced enough. But that doesn't mean such things don't exist."
Was this man crazy, delusional, or looking to play a scam? Was there anything to this incredibly odd tale at all? It adds to a growing list of cases involving sexual relations with aliens, and seems to be too absurd to be true. Yet, Meng has stood by his tale, and with no evidence whatsoever except his scar, which could have been caused by a lot of things, we can only sit back with raised eyebrows and wonder. We can maybe wait for his star child to make itself known, but that may take some time. Is this real? Unlikely. Is it delusions or a hoax? Probably. Is it entertaining? Most definitely. In the end, it is just more weirdness to throw on the pile, another of the surprisingly large number of alien sex reports, and I leave it for you to decide what to make of it all.
Another strange case is the time a jazz singer came forward with stories of Grey aliens, alien hybrid children, and lurid tales of mindblowing sex with a reptilian humanoid. Pamela Stonebrooke is an American jazz vocalist, songwriter and recording artist, as well as an urban journalist who has had quite a colorful career. She has performed in nightclubs from New York to Tokyo, appeared as background vocals for numerous high-profile musicians, performed as an opening act for such big names as Kenny G, The Pointer Sisters, and the Neville Brothers, and performed solo numbers on the same bill as such stars as Johnny Cash, Tammy Wynette, and Jerry Lee Lewis, as well as performing for the Star Trek creator Gene Roddenberry's birthday on four occasions. Currently performing mainly on the Los Angeles jazz circuit, in clubs and private gigs, she is certainly a talented and experienced musician, but she is probably more well-known for a series of incredibly bizarre and sexual alien encounters that have earned her the nickname of the Intergalactic Diva.
Pamela claims that she has had strange experiences of an extraterrestrial nature from a young age. She says that when she was just 8 or 9 years old, she would sometimes find strange scars on her skin that looked like someone had scooped up tiny bits of flesh from her. At the time, she had no conscious awareness of how these scars had appeared, and they bothered her throughout her life. This was odd enough, but it would get stranger still when she was an adult. One evening in 1994, Pamela woke up to find herself in the fetal position in a dimly-lit room with smooth metal walls and “shaped like a truncated pyramid.” Disoriented by this strange place and the fact that she was not in her bed anymore, she at first thought she must be dreaming. As it dawned on her that this was no dream and it was happening, she concluded that she was somehow on a spaceship, and she sat up and soon noticed that she was not alone in that room.
Standing in the corner was a group of small and thin otherworldly grey-skinned beings with large heads and eyes, that stared at her for a few moments before one of them stepped forward and gestured for her to follow it. Pamela felt compelled to do so, and the two of them walked to the wall, where a door suddenly appeared from nowhere. They walked through to another room and the door vanished as if it had never been there at all. This was all pretty weird, but when she looked around the room, it graduated to full-on bizarre when she noticed three diminutive female aliens with thin wisps of hair on their mostly bald heads that were sitting on a metal table and seemed very excited to see her. She would explain:
"On this short metallic table were these four little girls. They were very frail like the Greys, but they had wispy hair, almost like chemotherapy hair. They ran over to me and grabbed my arms and started calling me ‘Mommy’. I lost it."
She claims that she was suddenly overcome with a crushing sense of terror and flew into an uncontrollable panic, after which she blacked out and woke up back in her own bed. She sat up and then noticed that there was a series of small bruises on her arm, which jolted within her a fuzzy memory of being grabbed and dragged along by the Greys she had seen. At the time, her memory of the events of that evening was fuzzy, but she felt that she had been experimented on and vaguely remembered the aliens showing her a vision of an apocalyptic future and telling her that Earth is “just one big, terraformed experiment.” She was also now convinced that they had taken samples of her flesh, those strange scars, and had used them to create alien hybrids, those little girls she had seen on the ship. Pamela would be plagued by nightmares featuring those aliens and those freaky little girls for the next year as she tried to put it behind her and focus on her music career. That would be when things would get even more bizarre still. One evening, she woke up to find a gorgeous blonde man making love to her, and she says that she was enjoying it immensely. She says of this encounter in something that sounds like it was pulled out of some ufologist's perverted fan fiction:
"I had no idea who it was since I don’t bring people home like that. But the sex was incredible, and I felt safe enough to just put my head back, close my eyes, and enjoy it. All of a sudden the energy felt totally different. It felt aggressive, and the entity felt bigger — bigger than the person who was inside me. The telepathic communication was so intense and sensual and emotional — it was everything you would want to feel to be able to surrender in a sexual experience. It was almost like every cell in your body was having an orgasm. It had a kind of playful, kind of bad-boy attitude. It was kind of a sly, slick… It’s really hard to explain, but he was definitely in control!"
The strange blonde man and amazing lover then morphed right before her eyes into a huge reptilian humanoid of some sort, but she was in such ecstasy that she didn’t even care. The creature then whispered into her ear, “We've always been together, we love each other.” She claims that she had several such rendezvous with this shapeshifting reptilian alien, and although it is unclear what connection it has to the Grey aliens and her alleged hybrid alien children, it is all a pretty wild tale for sure. She would appear on the hit paranormal radio show Coast to Coast AM with Art Bell to talk about it all, and even write a book about it all titled Experiencer: A Jazz Singer’s True Account of Extraterrestrial Contact, of which one reviewer has written:
"Far from being a "victim" in a hideous sexual encounter, Pamela Stonebrook conquered her fear and carried the sexual action to the reptilians. She recounts this act of interspecies intercourse in a graphic, no-holds-barred, tour de force description, unique in UFO literature, replete with precise physical and emotional detail, sensational without being sensationalistic."
It all sounds fairly absurd, the obvious ramblings of a delusional mind, but not only does Pamela insist that it all happened, but she has received an outpouring of support from other women who claim to have gone through the same thing. Nevertheless, she has received quite a bit of ridicule from both the mainstream public and from within the UFO community, in which the subject of shapeshifting reptilian aliens is considered to be firmly in the fringe. Pamela has remained defiant in the face of such scathing criticism, ridicule, and skepticism, and wrote in an open letter to the UFO community:
"Reptilian encounters is a subject that very few women are prepared to go public with or speak openly about. I praise the courage of the few that already have - and endured public ridicule as a result. I’ve heard from women whose families are trying to put them into institutions, and women in the Bible Belt whose ministers think they are possessed by demons. I’m not the only one who’s had this happen, I’m just the only one who would talk about it. Reptilians are not a politically correct species in the UFO community, and to admit to having sex with one - much less enjoying it - is beyond the pale as far as the more conservative members of that community are concerned. But I know from my extensive reading and research, and from talking personally to dozens of other women (and men) that I am not unique in reporting this kind of experience. I am the first to admit that this is a vastly complex subject, a kind of hall of mirrors, where dimensional realities are constantly shifting and changing. Certainly, the reptilians use sex to control people in various ways. They have the ability to shape-shift and to control the mind of the experiencer, as well as to give tremendous pleasure through their mental powers.
I have wrestled with all of these implications and the various levels of meaning and possibilities represented by my encounter experiences. I will say, however, as I have said before, that I feel a deep respect for the reptilian entity with whom I interacted, and a profound connection with this being. In a past life regression I did recently, I went to a very remote period in earth's history (perhaps hundreds of thousands of years ago), and saw myself as one of a brotherhood of reptilian warriors facing a catastrophic event in which we perished together (it was possibly nuclear in nature, since I saw a red cloud and felt tremendous heat). I believe that on one level, I may be meeting these entities again, perhaps fellow warriors from the past warning us of an impending, self-inflicted doom - or perhaps they are different aspects of myself. I don't really know; I'm just trying to unravel this puzzle like everyone else."
She also believes that her book can help others who have experienced the same thing and give them some sort of support and the courage to talk about what they have gone through. She says she has received hundreds of letters from others like her, and that these reptilian encounters and alien abductions by the Greys are something that seriously needs to be addressed. In her opinion, if more people come forward with their abduction experiences and the area is researched more, it will become more of a part of not only UFO research, but also an accepted fact in the mainstream public. She has said of this:
"Following my initial Art Bell interview, I received hundreds of letters and e-mails, many from people describing similar encounters to mine. I know that there are people out there who are suffering in isolation and silence, thinking they are going crazy. I have been able to give some of these people strength and courage, so that they can move through their fear and come out the other side, empowered and still able to celebrate life as the incredible adventure that it truly is. I know that when I was processing my Grey experiences, if it had not been for people like John Mack, Budd Hopkins, Kim Carlsberg, Whitley Strieber, John Carpenter, and other researchers and experiencers who have been courageous enough to come forward, putting their lives and reputations on the line, I would have stayed in fear a lot longer, cowering in a corner, my self-esteem and identity shattered. Thanks to them and to the wonderful members of my support group, I am still standing, intact and whole.
I believe that the alien abduction experience is profoundly linked to the momentous shift in consciousness that is occurring as we enter the new millennium. We are witnesses to and participants in the most fantastic era in human history. And contrary to the mood of pessimism from some individuals regarding the way mainstream media treats the UFO phenomenon, and the trepidation that is felt regarding its ultimate impact on the human race, I am unashamedly a "Positive." Everywhere I turn, I find much greater public acceptance of the alien abduction/UFO phenomenon, and active curiosity from enormous numbers of people. I am also encouraged by the fact that many more experiencers are coming forward, no longer hiding behind the cloak of anonymity. I believe that within ten years the reality of alien abduction will be accepted as a fact by the majority of people on this planet, and ridicule of the subject by the media or anyone else will be regarded as naive and irresponsible."
It is all a pretty wild tale, and we are left to wonder just what to make of it all. Is there anything to this? What happened to this woman and what connection is there between the Grey aliens and that reptilian stud? Did any of this really happen, or is it just a lurid, sensational sex story made up by a delusional person wanting attention? Whatever the case may be, it certainly is a unique tale and stands out as just about one of the strangest alien abduction cases out there. In the end, all of these cases are like that, and whether you believe any of them or not, you are forced to contend with the fact that cases of people claiming to have had sex with aliens are a thing.
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In the 1960s, Freeman Dyson proposed the idea of a hypothetical astro-structure in the form of a sphere that an advanced civilization could surround its star with in order to collect maximum energy. It was named a Dyson sphere. Later, this design was reimagined as a Dyson swarm — a bunch of space stations whose orbits are coordinated to avoid crashing into each other.
A Dyson swarm in an artist’s impression. 7Source: Eddie Guy
Despite the fact that scientists have not yet been able to find traces of such astro-structures in reality, the concept still attracts considerable interest. British scientist Brian C. Lacki from the Breakthrough Listen project wondered if these structures could outlive their creators. How long can the Dyson swarm survive without maintenance and control?
Artist's depiction of a Dyson swarm. Credit: Vedexent at Wikipedia Commons
During the simulation, Lacki calculated that for the smallest swarm around a sun-like star, consisting of 340 elements, the average time between collisions among the elements would be one million years. However, since several collisions will occur well before the median time, a Kessler syndrome-like “cascade” effect, in which the elements of the swarm will be destroyed in a series of collisions with each other, could occur in just 41,000 years. That’s not much by astronomical standards.
The time required for cascading destruction of the cluster increases significantly with increasing star radius. For a red giant with a mass equal to that of the Sun and a radius 25 times greater than the Sun’s radius, it could be 5.3 billion years, with a minimum swarm consisting of 4,800 elements. In contrast, a swarm around a small red dwarf, whose mass and radius will be 0.2 and 0.1 times that of the Sun, will disintegrate in just four months.
During the study, Lacki also found that the best option would be to place the elements of the swarm in rings around the star, with their radius increasing, similar to the location of Earth satellites at different altitudes: from low Earth orbit to geosynchronous orbit. In any case, according to Lacki’s estimates, most of the Dyson swarms should completely disintegrate within a few million years after losing control.
The US Department of Defense’s secret X-37B spaceplaneis preparing for its eighth orbital flight in August 2025. This mission carries two key experiments aimed at improving space communications and navigation. The US Space Force emphasizes that this research is critical to ensuring the security and sustainability of American orbital systems.
The secret Boeing X-37B will conduct laser experiments in near-Earth orbit. Illustration generated by AI Copilot.
“Our goal is to make the combined forces more cohesive, resilient, and ready to act in any conditions,” said General Chance Saltzman, Chief of Space Operations. “This is how we protect our country’s interests in space.”
Created by aviation giant Boeing, the X-37B has become a unique space laboratory for the Pentagon and NASA, testing technologies and maneuvers out of the public eye. Although many details remain secret, the information policy regarding spaceplane missions is gradually becoming more transparent.
Laser bridge over Earth
X-37B. Photo: Boeing
One of the mission’s flagship experiments is the demonstration of laser communication. The X-37B is designed to interact with commercial satellite networks in low Earth orbit no higher than 2,000 km above the Earth. Laser data transmission promises much higher transmission speeds and increased security compared to conventional radio waves. The key advantage is the elimination of the “point of failure.” The use of an extensive network of relay satellites makes the entire US space architecture significantly more resilient to failures or attacks.
Quantum compass without GPS
The second groundbreaking experiment is the world’s most powerful quantum inertial sensor in space. This device is designed to accurately determine the position and movement of the aircraft without the need for external systems such as GPS.
“This technology is indispensable where GPS is unavailable, which increases the resilience of our navigation against potential threats,” explains Space Force. Quantum sensors open the way not only for protecting orbital vehicles, but also for long-distance interplanetary missions and research in near-lunar space, where traditional global positioning systems are ineffective.
Launch and prospects
The launch will take place from the Kennedy Space Center in Florida. The specific duration of the mission has not yet been disclosed. But the previous, seventh flight lasted a record 908 days, or about 2.5 years. At that time, the X-37B successfully demonstrated aerodynamic braking to change its orbit with minimal fuel consumption.
Operational control of the mission is carried out by the Fifth Space Operations Squadron in partnership with the Space Rapid Capabilities Office. This flight is another step in utilizing the unique potential of the X-37B to test future technologies.
Karla Turner Claimed She Found Evidence That Aliens Are Manipulating Human Reality
Karla Turner Claimed She Found Evidence That Aliens Are Manipulating Human Reality
By Vicky Verma
Karla Turner was one of the few alien abductees who found a respectable position in UFOlogy after she had made some strong claims about alien abductions. Her extensive research into the subject revealed that aliens manipulate perception, control consciousness, cause unexplained illnesses and mental decline, and engage in gruesome activities in underground facilities. Her findings highlight the alarming physical, psychological, and spiritual consequences faced by abductees, raising questions about the true nature and intentions of these extraterrestrial encounters.
Dr. Turner was an intrepid human rights activist and alien abduction investigator. With the background in Old English Studies and a former college instructor, she authored three books on the abduction phenomenon: Into the Fringe (1992), Taken (1994), and Masquerade of Angels (1994), co-written with psychic Ted Rice. Her work raised important questions about the true nature and intentions of these extraterrestrial encounters.
Dr. Turner had been involved in studying alien abductions since 1988. In her books “Into the Fringe” and “Taken,” she shared her abduction experiences and the stories of other abductees, highlighting the disturbing nature of these events. In “Masquerade of Angels,” she recounted the experiences of Ted Rice, who initially believed the aliens to be benevolent but later realized their predatory nature. One particular account involved Rice as an 8-year-old boy, witnessing his deceased grandfather transforming into a reptoid and demanding intimacy with him, resulting in the death of his grandmother shortly afterward.
Dr. Turner lost her battle with breast cancer in 1996 and only after that, her work was published where she described her family’s firsthand encounters. In her work, she also suggested that the abducted are targeted individuals and not chosen randomly. She was convinced the military targeted abductees in response to the reports people had made.
In one of her interviews, Dr. Turner explained how she became involved in the field. Initially, her family had no knowledge of the phenomenon until they began experiencing UFO sightings and abduction encounters. Dissatisfied with the available UFO literature, she took it upon herself to conduct research and find trustworthy answers. She started by documenting her family’s experiences in her book “Into the Fringe,” which chronicles their awakening and coping process. Eventually, she worked with Barbara Bartholic, Tulsa OK-based UFO/abduction researcher on her case and began working with her on other cases.
It was discovered that abductions were transgenerational in her husband’s family, with accounts dating back to the early 1900s. Turner and her family members, including her son, brother, sister-in-law, and their children, had all had experiences related to abductions. Some family members were initially hesitant to discuss their encounters until they learned about Turner’s experiences.
Hypnosis was used in their research, although it has been controversial, with some researchers suggesting that it can lead to false memories. Turner’s opinion on these issues is not stated in the given excerpt.
In her book named “Taken,” she discussed the idea that some prominent abduction theorists state should be avoided — do not think of aliens as good and evil. Turner claimed that “this cannot be done, nor should it be.” She continued that those who had been abducted have the right to know how their “participation” would be used by their abductors, under what circumstances and what reason would the abducted be “made a part of this agenda” since they have been “implanted, trained, and programmed to participate in some future scenario.” Don’t abductees have the right to know for what purpose “our minds, bodies, and souls will be used?”
Dr. Turner’s main concerns regarding alien abductions were the aliens’ cruelty towards abductees, both physically and mentally. Victims experienced traumatic events such as forced impregnation, painful miscarriages, and severe injuries. Turner believed that the aliens had complete control over the minds of humans, using psychic technology to manipulate their perceptions and memories.
She disagreed with those who saw the phenomenon as positive, arguing that understanding it was beyond our capability. She questioned the purpose behind the aliens’ agenda and expressed her belief that some alien groups, particularly reptoids, consumed human bodies for emotional or soul vibrations. She speculated that cloned bodies lacked those qualities and wondered if hybrid beings were created as a food source for the reptoids.
Before her death, she frequently spoke at UFO conferences in the United States and other countries, urging people to take action. She claimed that aliens were manipulating our perceptions and spreading disinformation to weaken us and deceive us into thinking they cared about us, when in reality, their intentions were self-serving and disregarded our well-being. Turner emphasized the need to regain control over the situation and confront these aliens. Dr. Turner discovered these seven basic elements of the alien abduction phenomenon published by John Chambers in the UFO Magazine:
1. Aliens can control what we think we see. They can appear to us in any number of guises and shapes;
2. Aliens can take us – our consciousness – out of our physical bodies, disable our control of our bodies, install one of their own entities, and use our bodies as vehicles for their own activities before returning our consciousness to our bodies;
3. Aliens can be present with us in an invisible state and can make themselves only partially visible;
4. A surprising number of abductees suffer from serious illnesses they didn’t have before their encounters. These have led to surgery, debilitation, and even death from causes the doctors can’t identify;
5. Some abductees experience a degeneration of their mental, social and spiritual well-being. Excessive behavior frequently erupts, such as drug abuse, alcoholism, overeating and promiscuity. Strange obsessions develop and cause the disruption of normal life and the destruction of personal relationships;
6. Some abductees report being taken to underground facilities where they see grotesque hybrid creatures, nurseries of hybrid humanoid fetuses, and vats of colored liquid filled with parts of human bodies;
7. Abductees report seeing other humans in these facilities being drained of blood, being mutilated, flayed, and dismembered, and being stacked, lifeless, like cords of wood. Some abductees have been threatened that they, too, will end up in this condition if they don’t cooperate with their alien captors.
Interviewer: Abductees tell stories of seeing beings–angelic Nordics, for example–and then, when they concentrate and try to focus on their memories of those beings, they disappear, and behind them are these “lizard people.”
KT: I am not familiar with a number of cases. I have heard other researchers talk about the same thing. In one case that I recount in “Into the Fringe,” James had mostly conscious recollections and almost no hypnosis. He remembered being drawn into the proximity of a beautiful “Pleiadian” woman, who was very alluring and tender, and almost seductive. She wanted him to come into her embrace. When he got into the embrace, and thought she was going to kiss him, she disappeared entirely, and what was left in her place was a purplish-black, bumpy, almost slimy-looking character with fairly asymmetrical features.
I have encountered this same type of creature in a couple of other cases. The entity was very strong. Instead of embracing James, the creature threw him down on the ground and shoved a two-foot-long tube down his throat, into his stomach, and pulled up stomach juices. The next day, he still had some of the bile taste, the interior of his throat was sore, and he discovered claw marks around both sides of his neck, where he had been held down. Whatever the entity was, there was something claw-like about it (which, of course, matches reptilians). Maybe, as close as he was to it, he could not perceive the whole figure. But he could see a bumpy covering, which could equate to the rough, scaly exterior sometimes reported to be reptilian. It is described as bumpy, ridged, bony, strong, clawed.
CF: Apparently these beings have the ability to project different images.
KT: Some people say that they transform–that they mutate or change their own real forms. I don’t accept that as accurate. I don’t believe they really look like a blond, and they do something to trick you and then they suddenly look like a reptilian. I think that what they alter is human perception. They certainly can project false images–just as Ted’s [Ted Rice’s] grandmother was shown her dead husband, so that she would consent to have a sexual encounter. Ted’s grandfather had been dead for six years. And in the middle of having the encounter with what she thought was her restored husband, the image disappeared–I suppose because the aliens wanted to get the “emotional juice” from her–and she saw a “reptoid” on top of her.
An astronomer in Slovakia captured the rare luminous phenomenon as it briefly flashed in Earth's upper atmosphere during a thunderstorm.
The upward-shooting red lightning, known as a sprite, appeared during a thunderstorm in Slovakia on Aug. 14.
(Image credit: Stanislav Kaniansky)
An astronomer recently captured one of the most detailed-ever shots of a rare type of upward-shooting red lightning, known as a sprite, which briefly hovered in the air like a gigantic jellyfish during a thunderstorm over central Europe.
Stanislav Kaniansky, an astronomer at the Banská Bystrica Observatory in Slovakia, snapped the sprite near his home in Látky, Slovakia, on Aug. 14, Spaceweather.com reported. The luminous, zig-zagging structure measured more than 31 miles (50 kilometers) across and lasted for just a few fractions of a second before disappearing.
Sprites, or stratospheric perturbations resulting from intense thunderstorm electrification, are created when electrical discharges from lightning shoot upward, often in addition to their normal downward trajectory. These discharges create long strands of plasma, or ionized gas, in the ionosphere — the ionized part of Earth's atmosphere that starts at around 50 miles (80 km) above Earth's surface, according to NASA.
Sprites are very hard to photograph because they are fleeting and often obscured by thick clouds. But Kaniansky's orientation enabled him to get a great look at the phenomenon. "The thunderstorm was about 320 km [200 miles] away, giving me a good view of the atmosphere just above the cloud tops," he told Spaceweather.com.
The image is "one of the most detailed pictures ever of a sprite," according to Spaceweather.com.
Sprites were officially discovered in the early 1990s when NASA's space shuttles captured the first clear images of the phenomenon. But the red lightning has proved hard to study because it is so short-lived.
Sprites are part of a group of phenomena known as transient luminous events (TLE) that are all tied to lightning. Other TLEs include blue jets, which are more powerful and energetic versions of sprites, and elves, or emission of light and very low-frequency perturbations due to electromagnetic pulse sources, which are fleeting rings of red light created when electromagnetic pulses (EMPs) from lightning hit the ionosphere.
One of the biggest scientific challenges of exploring the Solar System is the possibility of life on Mars. However, a significant number of earthlings are already convinced that it exists there. Let’s try to figure out why this is the case.
How did the idea of life on Mars originate?
Scientists are often asked whether they have finally recognized the fact that life exists on Mars. After all, the press has provided a lot of “evidence”, informing the public about mysterious canals, pyramids, the face of the Sphinx, and doors of obviously artificial origin.
Despite all the refutations, including photos taken by automated devices, people stubbornly continue to believe that there is something on the Red Planet. And the explanation for this fervent belief is historical. After all, the existence of Martians is a modern mythology that has been formed over several centuries.
Source: gaia.com
It all started in the 17th century, when scientists finally accepted the idea that other planets in the Solar System were almost the same as Earth. None of the astronomers of the time knew for sure whether the similarity was limited to the spherical shape or whether there were seas, forests, and meadows there as well.
The idea that life and even intelligent beings existed on other planets in the Solar System and on the Moon was quite acceptable. But Mars showed the greatest signs of resemblance to Earth. In 1644, the Jesuit astronomer Daniello Bartoli reported that the surface of this planet was heterogeneous, with light and dark spots. Other scientists soon confirmed this.
In 1659, the Dutch astronomer Christian Huygens attempted to make the first map of Martian spots. Among other things, it showed the dark area of Syrtis Major. Now, scientists know that it is a huge volcanic plateau covered with dark ash. At the time, it looked like a sea or ocean, so it was named after a bay near the modern coast of Libya.
Huygens was the first to see on Mars something similar to the polar caps on Earth and found that the period of the planet’s axial rotation was approximately 24 hours. A few years later, other astronomers determined the length of a Martian day to be 24 hours and 40 minutes, which is only three minutes longer than the real thing. All this indicated that the Red Planet is extremely similar to ours.
In the 18th century, the exploration of many planets put an end to the idea of life there. But the opposite was true of Mars. Confidence was reinforced, in particular, by observations of changes in the polar caps, which indicated that there was a change of seasons there, similar to the Earth’s. Even such an authority on astronomy as William Herschel argued in 1781 that Martian inhabitants must be in situations similar to ours.
Myth 1: Martian canals are man-made objects of an extinct civilization
However, the main thing was yet to come. With the advent of more powerful telescopes in the 19th century, scientists were able to see the surface of Mars more clearly, so its maps became much more detailed.
A map of Mars by Giovanni Schiaparelli, drawn between 1877 and 1886, showing the canali as thin lines. Source: NASA
In 1858, the Italian astronomer Angelo Secchi saw a network of lines on the planet’s surface that he called “canali”. In his understanding, this could mean any strait or body of water. A little earlier, he also discovered a spot on Mars that he thought was a cloud.
Astronomers were finding more and more evidence that Mars was indeed similar to Earth. In 1866, spectroscopic studies revealed the presence of water vapor in its atmosphere. At the same time, interest in scientific research, including astronomical research, was growing worldwide. So, when Giovanni Schiaparelli reported the discovery of the canals again in 1877, the world press picked up on it as a sensation and spread the belief that civilization did exist on the neighboring planet.
However, the scientific community at the time had no confidence in this. The lines on Mars were visible. But not all researchers considered them to be engineering structures. Scientists became less certain in 1892 when new spectroscopic studies revealed that the conclusion about the presence of water vapor in the atmosphere of the Red Planet was incorrect, suggesting it was more akin to the Moon.
Mars in general outline by Lowell (ca. 1914). (South of the top). Source: Wikipedia
However, it was in the 1890s that the prominent astronomer and Solar System exploration enthusiast Percival Lowell advocated the idea that intelligent life exists on Mars. Based on the fact that the Martian climate is arid, he hypothesized that an advanced civilization there had begun to build canals to provide itself with water. The version was quite logical and saved the myth of the nearest extraterrestrial civilization for many decades.
However, in the scientific world, the assumption of Mars’ habitability did not stand up to criticism. In 1907, the prominent biologist Alfred Wallace published a paper in which he not only pointed out the absence of water vapor in the Martian atmosphere but also showed that astronomers had overestimated the temperature of the planet’s surface. Wallace argued that the atmospheric pressure there was too low for water to exist in a liquid state. In the end, he became one of the first scientists to depict Mars as we know it today.
t the same time, in 1903, experiments were conducted that showed that in a chaotic image of spots, people could see straight lines due to an optical illusion. And in 1909, new images of Mars did not confirm the presence of canals.
Myth 2: Martians with big heads
However, in the mass consciousness, the Martian civilization continued to exist thanks to the development of science fiction, which paid special attention to Mars. The most important work of that time about Martians was the novel The War of the Worlds by H.G. Wells, published in 1897, at the very peak of Lowell’s theories.
Martian tripod from The War of the Worlds. Illustration by Henrique Alvim Corrêa
Wells depicted the inhabitants of Mars who decided to conduct a “special military operation” on Earth, based on their ideas about evolution. The writer suggested that the Mars civilization is much older than the Earth’s. Therefore, local intelligent beings were originally humanoids, but evolved. For humans, the main organ is the brain, which thinks, and the hand, which does something. According to H.G. Wells, they were the ones that had to evolve, and everything else had to be reduced.
In the novel, Martians are described as octopuses with large heads and no digestive system. The explanations given by the writer seemed so successful that they are still used by authors of science fiction and conspiracy theories to describe typical aliens.
Martian from The War of the Worlds. Illustration by Henrique Alvim Corrêa
A large, naked head with large eyes, a body that can be disregarded because it no longer performs any useful functions, and long, flexible fingers that are convenient for pressing keys to destroy enemies – this image is thanks to Wells.
Myth 3: The Martian “sphinx” and the pyramids
In 1965, Mariner 4 flew by Mars and showed that the planet was dry and cold and had no canals. And in 1971, Mariner 9 entered orbit around it, mapped its surface, and finally buried all ideas of a developed Martian civilization.
Photo of the Cydonia region taken by Viking 1 in 1976. Source: NASA
However, supporters of this theory found new “evidence”. On June 25, 1976, the Viking 1 spacecraft took an orbital image of a small region in the northern hemisphere of Mars that stands out for its albedo. This term refers to the ability of a surface to reflect light; the higher it is, the whiter and more brilliant it appears.
Later, the area was named Cydonia, after an ancient Greek polis located on the island of Crete. This region consists of three very different parts. The first of them is the Cydonia Colls, an area where small hills meet. But the Labyrinth of Cydonia is a chaotic jumble of valleys that intersect at different angles. The landscape of the Table Mountains of Cydonia is predominantly large elevations with flat tops and steep slopes.
t was in the latter’s image that scientists noticed something resembling a human face pointing upward. Everyone was immediately struck by the similarity of this object to the Egyptian Sphinx, so they began to call it that. Soon after, the researchers found another photo showing the Martian “sphinx” from a completely different angle, which allegedly proved that it was not an optical illusion. The face was gigantic. Its length reached two kilometers, so it was a sign of the high development of the civilization that created it.
In addition, a few kilometers from the “sphinx,” they saw something very similar to regular pyramids. The press started talking about how these were the very remains of a Martian civilization that had died out many thousands of years ago. For a long time, there were no cameras that could take new photographs of the area, and newspapers and magazines published articles about the mysterious “city” of Cydonia for almost two decades in a row. Some people even “saw” a stone tear on the face of the Martian “sphinx” and began to freely interpret its meaning.
A higher resolution photo of the Martian Sphinx taken by the Mars Global Surveyor in 2001. The inset is an image obtained in 1976 by the Viking 1 probe. Source: NASA / JPL / University of Arizona
It was only in 2001 that the Mars Global Surveyor spacecraft took a new photo with much better resolution than Viking I. It clearly shows that what was thought to be a giant face carved out of stone is just a flat-topped hill, like many landforms around it. And the pyramids turned out to be sharp rocks.
Are the Martian myths over?
With the advent of high-quality images of the Red Planet’s surface taken by spacecraft in areocentric orbit, and then by rovers, talk of any traces of civilization began to subside. It is hard to talk about a great civilization of the past when almost the entire surface of Mars has been photographed and no mysterious ruins have been found there. However, this does not mean that Martian myths have disappeared forever.
The “door” photographed by Curiosity. Source: NASA/JPL-Caltech/MSSS
People like to invent beautiful fairy tales. The story of the Martian “door” proves this. In 2022, one of the images taken by the Curiosity rover showed something that looked like a rectangular passage in the Martian rocks. Sensation lovers immediately began to hypothesize about the entrance to the dungeon, where anything could be, up to and including live Wellsian octopuses.
The scientists quickly reassured everyone: The “doors” turned out to be just cracks on which shadows fall in such a way that they appear to be completely flat. However, this is not the last time that enthusiasts have found “indisputable” evidence of the existence of intelligent life on Mars. The hoaxes will stop only after someone settles there, for example, humans themselves.
This article was published in Universe Space Tech magazine #1 (190) 2024. You can buy this issue in the electronic version in our store.
The Moon, our natural satellite, has not always illuminated Earth’s sky. Scientists have long believed that it formed after a catastrophiccollision between the young Earth and the protoplanet Theia about 4.5 billion years ago. However, new research presented at the Lunar and Planetary Science Conference has shifted that date even further back in time.
A hypothetical collision between Earth and Theia. Illustration: universetoday.com
Hypothesis of a giant collision
The theory is that Theia, the size of Mars, crashed into Earth, ejecting millions of tons of molten rock into space. These debris later combined to form the Moon, explaining its similarity to Earth’s composition and lack of its own core. But when exactly did this event take place? Estimates ranged from 4.35 to 4.52 billion years, with discrepancies attributed to more recent geologic processes like the formation of the Aitken Basin.
Key in the moon rocks
To solve the mystery, a team of scientists examined ferroan anorthosites (FAN), the oldest known lunar rocks. They used the radioactive decay of rubidium-87 into strontium-87, which “solidified” in these rocks after they crystallized. Thermionization mass spectrometry was used for the analysis: samples were heated to 1000°C, studying the ionized particles.
Moon. Photo: Unsplash
Five of the eight samples, including one 4.36 billion years old, showed stable isotope ratios, indicating that they formed immediately after the collision. The other three probably underwent chemical changes later. By modeling different collision scenarios, the scientists obtained a new date of 4.502 ± 0.021 billion years ago. That’s only 65 million years later than the birth of the Solar System!
Artemis will find the exact answer
The exact time of the moon’s formation will help us understand how the planets formed and when conditions for life appeared on Earth. Despite the errors, this work opens the way to refined models where all parameters of the space catastrophe are taken into account. Who knows – perhaps the next samples from the Artemis mission will reveal new details of this impressive story.
Do you know that the Moon moves away from the Earth by 3.8 cm every year? This means that billions of years from now, our descendants will see much less of it.
WAR OF THE GODS: ALIEN SKULLS, UNDERGROUND CITIES AND FIRE FROM THE SKY
WAR OF THE GODS: ALIEN SKULLS, UNDERGROUND CITIES AND FIRE FROM THE SKY -An Examination of Extraterrestrial Influence and Ancient Mysteries
Introduction
Throughout history, humanity has looked skyward, seeking understanding of the cosmos and the divine forces believed to govern it. Many ancient cultures recount stories of celestial beings descending from the heavens, often associated with divine wrath, enlightenment, or transformation. The motif of "fire from the sky" recurs across mythologies and archaeological findings, hinting at a complex interplay between celestial phenomena, divine entities, and earthly manifestations. This paper explores the intriguing evidence suggesting interactions between extraterrestrial entities and Earth, focusing on alien artifacts, ritualistic phenomena around pyramids, catastrophic planetary events, otherworldly skeletal remains, and the ongoing movement of these mysteries through time.
Alien Artifacts: The Enigmatic “Alien SKULLS”
One of the most intriguing and controversial topics within the "War of the Gods" narrative is the claim of discovering alien skulls. These skulls are often described as being notably larger than average human skulls, with elongated craniums, unusual bone structures, or features that seem to challenge our understanding of human anatomy. Enthusiasts and some researchers argue that these remains could be evidence of extraterrestrial life, ancient hybridization events, or alien visitors who once interacted with early human civilizations.
For example, some reports describe skulls found in South American caves or in association with ancient archaeological sites that appear to have elongated heads or non-human features. These findings are often presented as proof that extraterrestrial beings once visited Earth or interbred with humans. Proponents suggest that such skulls could be remnants of alien-human hybrids or even alien explorers who left behind their remains.
However, mainstream scientists and anthropologists generally dismiss these claims. They argue that many of these anomalies can be explained through natural human variation, cultural practices, or medical conditions. One common explanation for elongated skulls is cranial deformation, a practice practiced by some ancient cultures where infants' skulls were intentionally shaped by binding or other means to achieve a desired elongated form. This was often a cultural or aesthetic choice rather than evidence of alien influence.
the Sealand skull
Moreover, many purported alien skulls have been revealed as hoaxes or misinterpretations. Some specimens previously claimed to be extraterrestrial in origin have later been identified as fossils, animal bones, or artificially altered artifacts. For instance, the "Skull of Max," a specimen often cited by UFO enthusiasts, was later shown to be a fake or a misidentified fossil. Scientific testing, including radiocarbon dating and forensic analysis, has often discredited these claims, showing that the bones are of human origin or natural anomalies.
Despite the scientific consensus, reports of unusual skeletal remains continue to surface, often fueled by a combination of sensationalism and a desire to find evidence of extraterrestrial activity. For instance, some claims involve bones discovered in caves or archaeological sites that lack proper documentation or rigorous scientific validation. These claims are frequently circulated in alternative media or online forums, where they are sometimes taken at face value without critical scrutiny.
The persistence of these claims highlights the importance of scientific methodology and critical thinking when evaluating extraordinary evidence. Proper peer-reviewed research, accurate dating techniques, and careful morphological analysis are essential to distinguish genuine anomalies from hoaxes or misinterpretations. While the idea of alien skulls is captivating and fuels popular imagination, the current scientific consensus remains skeptical, emphasizing that extraordinary claims require extraordinary evidence.
In conclusion, while the discovery of alien skulls is a popular subject within conspiracy theories and alternative archaeology, there is little credible scientific evidence to support their existence. Most anomalies can be explained through natural human variation, cultural practices, or misidentification. As with any extraordinary claim, thorough investigation and critical evaluation are necessary to separate fact from fiction, ensuring that our understanding of human history remains grounded in verified scientific research.
The Dance of Shadows: The Veiled Rituals Around the Pyramids
Ancient Egyptian pyramids are among the most iconic and mysterious monuments in human history. Their grandeur and precise construction have fascinated scholars, historians, and explorers for centuries. Beyond their function as tombs for pharaohs and symbols of divine power, these pyramids are often associated with mystical rituals, astronomical alignments, and deep spiritual symbolism. One intriguing aspect of ancient Egyptian practices is the ritual dances performed around these monumental structures, sometimes called "sluierdans," or ceremonial dances. These dances are believed by some researchers to have served purposes beyond mere religious rites; they might have been encoded messages or energetic practices connected to extraterrestrial knowledge.
The pyramids’ precise orientation is one of their most remarkable features. For example, the Great Pyramid of Giza is aligned with incredible accuracy to the cardinal points, and its sides are closely aligned with the points of the compass. Furthermore, the pyramids are aligned with specific celestial bodies, notably Orion’s Belt, which has led many to speculate about their astronomical significance. Some researchers propose that these alignments suggest the pyramids functioned as astronomical observatories or energy generators, intended to harness or communicate cosmic energies. The idea is that the ancient Egyptians, or possibly even their predecessors, had an advanced understanding of the cosmos, which was reflected in their monumental architecture and ritual practices.
The ritual dances performed around the pyramids might have been part of these wider ceremonial efforts to connect with or manipulate cosmic energies. For example, certain theories suggest that the dancers, dressed in specific costumes or symbols, enacted movements that corresponded with celestial events or energetic patterns. These dances could have been a form of communication with higher-dimensional entities or extraterrestrial visitors, aimed at aligning the Earth’s energy grid or awakening specific spiritual potentials. While these ideas are speculative, they are supported by the symbolic importance placed on movement, rhythm, and dance in many ancient cultures, including Egypt.
Although there is no direct archaeological evidence linking the ritual dances to alien activity, the symbolic significance of the pyramids and their astronomical alignments fuels ongoing fascination. The complex mathematical and engineering knowledge required to build the pyramids, especially with the precision observed, suggests that the ancient Egyptians possessed advanced techniques. Some theorists argue that this knowledge was inherited from ancient civilizations with extraterrestrial contact or lost civilizations with extraordinary capabilities. They point to the precise measurements, the alignment with celestial bodies, and the apparent energy-harnessing functions as evidence that the pyramids were more than tombs—they were gateways or tools connected to cosmic consciousness.
In conclusion, the ritual dances around the pyramids, known as the Shadowdance, might have played a role in spiritual or energetic practices aimed at cosmic communication or energy manipulation. Whether or not these dances were influenced by extraterrestrial knowledge remains speculative, but their symbolic and astronomical significance continues to inspire fascination. The pyramids stand as silent witnesses to humanity’s enduring quest to understand the universe and our place within it, with the shadowdances serving as a mysterious, fascinating piece of this ancient puzzle.
A hypothetical collision between Earth and Theia.
Illustration: universetoday.com
The Exploded Planet: Catastrophic Celestial Events and underground cities
Throughout history, humanity has been captivated by the mysteries of the cosmos and the possibility that celestial events have profoundly shaped our planet. One particularly intriguing hypothesis is that of a “geexplodeerde planeet,” or an exploded planet, which suggests that a once-massive celestial body experienced a catastrophic disintegration or explosion in the distant past. This idea not only offers explanations for various geological anomalies but also opens the door to discussions about underground cities and the potential knowledge or involvement of extraterrestrial civilizations.
The concept of an exploded planet proposes that remnants of a destroyed planetary body—possibly a rogue planet or a large asteroid—collided with or disintegrated near Earth, releasing enormous amounts of energy. Such an event would have had catastrophic consequences, dramatically altering Earth’s geology, climate, and biological evolution. Evidence supporting this hypothesis can be found in the form of unusual craters, anomalous mineral deposits, and high-temperature mineral formations that defy conventional terrestrial explanations.
For example, the Chicxulub crater in Mexico, associated with the mass extinction event that wiped out the dinosaurs 66 million years ago, is often cited as evidence of a massive extraterrestrial impact. However, some researchers argue that certain features of this crater, along with other unexplained geological phenomena, might point to the remnants of a larger exploded planetary body. These anomalies include deposits of rare minerals such as shocked quartz and high-temperature glass that are difficult to produce through known Earth processes alone.
Supporting the theory are findings of anomalous craters scattered across different parts of the world, some of which do not align with known asteroid or comet impacts. These craters often contain mineral compositions and structures that suggest they were formed under extreme heat and pressure, possibly indicative of planetary disintegration rather than typical celestial impacts. The presence of these anomalies raises questions about whether a planetary catastrophe of immense scale once occurred in Earth’s distant past.
Furthermore, if extraterrestrial civilizations were aware of or involved in such planetary catastrophes, they might have used these events as signals or warnings. Some theorists propose that ancient civilizations encoded knowledge of these celestial events into their myths, legends, and archaeological artifacts. For instance, stories of catastrophic floods, sky battles, or gods descending from the heavens could be reflections of real celestial phenomena and their aftermath. These myths might serve as a record of catastrophic events that shaped human history and the Earth itself.
An intriguing aspect of this hypothesis involves underground cities, which have been a subject of fascination and speculation for centuries. Throughout history, various cultures across the globe have built extensive subterranean complexes for refuge, religious purposes, or as part of their architectural traditions. Modern explorers and researchers have uncovered underground tunnels, chambers, and entire cities beneath major urban centers and remote regions.
Some believe that underground cities could serve as refuges from planetary catastrophes, such as a disintegrating planet or other celestial disasters. These subterranean complexes might have been built by ancient civilizations who either witnessed or were aware of impending cosmic events. For example, the Svalbard Global Seed Vault in Norway, while primarily a modern storage facility, symbolizes humanity’s efforts to preserve life from potential global catastrophes, including cosmic threats.
In the context of the “exploded planet” hypothesis, underground cities could represent remnants or refuges preserved from a planetary catastrophe. These underground complexes might contain artifacts, inscriptions, or technological remnants that could shed light on ancient celestial events and humanity’s response to them. Some fringe theories suggest that certain underground cities, like the famous Derinkuyu in Turkey or the vast tunnels of Cappadocia, were purpose-built to withstand cosmic disasters, including planetary explosions.
The idea that underground cities are connected to extraterrestrial civilizations or ancient knowledge further fuels speculation. Some researchers propose that advanced civilizations, possibly alien in origin or influenced by extraterrestrial visitors, constructed these underground shelters for safety and secrecy. These subterranean complexes might also serve as repositories of knowledge about cosmic events, including the explosion of a planet or other celestial catastrophes, preserved for future generations or hidden from the surface world.
In conclusion, the hypothesis of a “geexplodeerde planeet” provides a compelling framework to understand several geological anomalies, myths, and ancient underground structures. While mainstream science continues to investigate planetary impacts and geological formations, alternative theories suggest that these phenomena could be remnants of a larger cosmic catastrophe involving an exploded planet. The presence of underground cities, both in history and modern times, adds an intriguing dimension, hinting at humanity’s long-standing awareness of celestial dangers and the possibility of hidden knowledge preserved beneath the Earth’s surface. As research advances, uncovering the truth behind these extraordinary events may not only reshape our understanding of Earth’s history but also reveal the extent of extraterrestrial influence and the resilience of underground civilizations in the face of cosmic upheavals.
Skeletal Remains Beyond Our World
Adding to the ongoing mystery of human origins and extraterrestrial life are skeletal remains that challenge conventional understanding of human evolution. These findings, often referred to as “skelettten – niet van deze wereld” (skeletal remains not from this world), includeextraordinary discoveries such as elongated skulls, bones with unusual proportions, and skeletal structures with isotopic signatures that suggest an extraterrestrial origin. Such remains have been uncovered at various archaeological and geological sites around the world, sparking widespread debate among scientists, researchers, and enthusiasts about their true nature and significance.
One of the most intriguing aspects of these remains is their unusual physical features. For example, some specimens display elongated skulls that are significantly larger or differently shaped than typical human skulls. In certain cases, the skulls are elongated along the vertical axis, creating a conical or elongated appearance that does not conform to known human cranial proportions. These anomalies have led some researchers to hypothesize that these skulls could belong to a different species or to hybrid beings resulting from ancient interbreeding events between humans and extraterrestrial entities. Additionally, bones with non-standard densities or chemical compositions have been found, which do not match typical terrestrial biological markers.
The chemical and isotopic analyses of some skeletal remains reveal signatures that are difficult to explain through conventional terrestrial processes. For instance, certain bones show isotopic ratios of elements like oxygen, carbon, or nitrogen that suggest exposure to extraterrestrial environments or origins. These signatures have fueled speculation that some of these remains may belong to alien visitors who once inhabited or visited Earth. For example, isotope analysis of certain bones indicates they may have originated from environments with different atmospheric compositions, hinting at non-human biological processes or extraterrestrial sources.
Several archaeological sites worldwide have yielded such anomalous skeletal specimens. Notable among these are findings in regions like Peru, Egypt, and parts of Eastern Europe, where unusual skulls and bones have been discovered in ancient burial sites or unexplained underground chambers. Some researchers also point to reported discoveries in ancient mummies and fossilized remains that seem to defy traditional classification. While these sites often lack definitive scientific validation due to limited sampling or potential contamination, the recurring nature of these findings keeps the debate alive.
Theories surrounding these remains are diverse and provocative. Some scientists suggest that they could be remnants of ancient hybridization experiments conducted by advanced civilizations, possibly involving extraterrestrial DNA. Others propose that these remains are evidence of direct alien visitation or colonization, with extraterrestrials having lived among humans or even created hybrid offspring. A more speculative theory posits the existence of covert extraterrestrial colonies on Earth, with these skeletal remains serving as physical evidence of such hidden settlements.
Mainstream science remains cautious and skeptical about these claims, emphasizing the lack of conclusive evidence and the potential for misinterpretation or contamination. Many experts argue that these unusual skeletal features could be explained by natural variations, genetic mutations, or pathological conditions rather than extraterrestrial origins. Nonetheless, the persistent discovery of such remains continues to fuel speculation and inspire a range of hypotheses about humanity’s true history and our possible connections to other worlds.
In conclusion, skeletal remains that challenge our understanding of human evolution and potentially point to extraterrestrial origins continue to fascinate and mystify researchers and the public alike. Whether these remains are genuine evidence of alien influence or natural anomalies, their existence urges us to keep questioning and exploring the mysteries of our past. As technology advances and archaeological methods improve, future discoveries may shed more light on these enigmatic specimens, possibly reshaping our understanding of human history and our place in the universe.
Conclusion: And Yet It Is in Motion
Despite the accumulation of enigmatic evidence, the story remains in constant flux. Scientific advancements, new archaeological discoveries, and open-minded inquiry continue to reshape our understanding of these phenomena. The phrase “en toch is het in beweging” underscores that the mystery is not static; it evolves as we develop better tools for exploration and analysis. The ongoing search for extraterrestrial life, the study of ancient artifacts, and the reinterpretation of geological events keep the dialogue alive and dynamic. Each new finding adds a layer of complexity and depth, reminding us that our knowledge is always expanding and shifting.
Modern space missions, such as Mars rovers and planetary probes, explore celestial bodies for signs of past life or extraterrestrial activity. These missions reinforce the idea that humanity is part of a vast, interconnected cosmic dance—a perpetual quest to understand our origins and the universe’s secrets. The possibility that traces left by gods or celestial beings from ancient times might still be waiting to be uncovered fuels our curiosity and imagination. These remnants, whether in the form of mysterious carvings, ancient texts, or unusual geological formations, beckon us to decipher their meanings and place them within the broader narrative of human history and cosmic existence.
Furthermore, technological innovations like advanced imaging, deep-space telescopes, and DNA analysis are continually shedding light on previously inaccessible mysteries. As our tools become more sophisticated, so too does our capacity to interpret ancient symbols, decipher alien signals, and understand complex geological phenomena. This ongoing process of discovery demonstrates that our pursuit of knowledge is an active, ever-changing journey rather than a static accumulation of facts. Each breakthrough leads to new questions and avenues for exploration, ensuring that the story of our universe remains lively and in motion.
In essence, the phrase “en toch is het in beweging” reminds us that the quest for understanding is an ongoing adventure. No matter how much we uncover, the universe’s mysteries continue to evolve, inviting us to keep exploring, questioning, and learning. The dynamic nature of this search is what makes the pursuit of knowledge so compelling—always progressing, never complete. As we stand on the threshold of new discoveries, it is clear that the story of the cosmos and our place within it is a fluid, ever-changing narrative that will keep unfolding for generations to come.
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De overeenkomsten tussen oude mythes en waarom ze ons iets te vertellen hebben
De overeenkomsten tussen oude mythes en waarom ze ons iets te vertellen hebben
De vraag die velen zich stellen is: waarom? Waarom lijken zoveel oude mythes, verteld door culturen die elkaar nooit ontmoet hebben, op elkaar? En als die overeenkomsten meer zijn dan toeval, wat proberen ze ons dan te vertellen? Het antwoord op deze vragen kan ons inzicht geven in onze geschiedenis, onze gezamenlijke menselijke herinnering en onze plaats in de wereld.
Wat oude mythes gemeenschappelijk hebben en waarom dat ertoe doet
Inleiding
De vraag waarom oude mythes, verteld door culturen die nooit contact met elkaar hadden, zo opvallend veel overeenkomsten vertonen, vormt een intrigerend vraagstuk binnen de studie van mythologie, antropologie en psychologie. Deze overeenkomsten roepen de vraag op of er onderliggende universele thema’s en psychologische structuren bestaan die de basis vormen voor deze verhalen. Door eeuwen heen hebben onderzoekers geprobeerd deze parallellen te verklaren, en verschillende theorieën bieden inzicht in de mogelijk gemeenschappelijke oorsprong en betekenis van deze oude vertellingen. In deze uitgebreide analyse wordt ingegaan op de rol van mondelinge overleveringen vóór het schrift, de gemeenschappelijke motieven in mythes, en de psychologische en natuurlijke verklaringen voor deze overeenkomsten. Daarnaast wordt ingegaan op de invloed van natuurlijke rampen en klimatologische omstandigheden op mythevorming, en wordt het belang van deze verhalen voor ons begrip van de menselijke psyche en cultuur uiteengezet. Tot slot worden conclusies getrokken en worden relevante bronnen en studies besproken.
De rol van mondeling overgeleverde verhalen vóór het schrift
Voor de ontwikkeling van schriftelijke taal vormden mondelinge overleveringen de kern van culturele overdracht en kennisbehoud. In prehistorische samenlevingen waren verhalen niet slechts entertainment; ze dienden als instrumenten voor het doorgeven van instructies, morele waarden, religieuze overtuigingen en collectieve herinneringen. Deze mondelinge tradities waren dynamisch en adaptief, en speelden een cruciale rol in het versterken van de groepsidentiteit en het overdragen van kennis over natuurlijke fenomenen, geschiedenis en wereldbeelden.
Omdat verhalen niet schriftelijk werden vastgelegd, ontwikkelden ze zich in de loop der generaties, waarbij archetypes en universele symbolen werden versterkt. Carl Gustav Jung benadrukte dat deze archetypen deel uitmaken van het collectief onbewuste: een dieper, universeel psychisch archief dat alle mensen gemeenschappelijk hebben. Mythes bevatten vaak motieven die in verschillende culturen terugkeren, zoals de held die een queeste onderneemt, de schepping van de wereld, of de onderwereld en het hiernamaals. Deze motieven dienen niet alleen om natuurlijke fenomenen te verklaren, maar ook om morele lessen en existentiële vragen te adresseren.
Gemeenschappelijke motieven en thema’s in oude mythes
De opvallende overeenkomsten tussen mythes uit diverse culturen kunnen worden verklaard door universele menselijke ervaringen en psychologische processen. Onderzoek heeft verschillende terugkerende thema’s geïdentificeerd:
1. Vloedlegenden in andere culturen. Overstromingsverhalen
Veel culturen vertellen over grote overstromingen die de wereld hebben geteisterd. Het Bijbelse verhaal van Noach, het Sumerische Gilgamesh-epos, en de Aboriginal mythes over waterwijzen tonen dat de overstroming een krachtig symbool is voor ingrijpende natuurrampen. Archeologisch bewijs suggereert dat deze verhalen mogelijk gebaseerd zijn op reële gebeurtenissen, zoals de grote zondvloed die na de laatste ijstijd plaatsvond en grote delen van de aarde overspoelde. Dit thema illustreert hoe menselijke gemeenschappen zich deze rampen herinnerden en verwerkten in hun mythologie.
Overstromingsverhalen vormen een universeel thema dat in veel culturen terug te vinden is. Ze vertellen vaak over grote wateren die de wereld overspoelen, en symboliseren ingrijpende natuurrampen die de menselijke samenlevingen hebben gevormd. Een bekend voorbeeld uit de Bijbelse traditie is het verhaal van Noach, die door God wordt opgedragen een grote ark te bouwen om zich en dieren te redden van een wereldwijde zondvloed. Dit verhaal symboliseert niet alleen de kracht van de natuur, maar ook thema's als verlossing, nieuw begin en de relatie tussen mens en goddelijke kracht.
In de oude Mesopotamische cultuur vinden we het Gilgamesh-epos, waarin een grote overstroming wordt beschreven die vergelijkbaar is met het Bijbelse verhaal. De held Utnapishtim wordt door de goden gewaarschuwd voor de komende vloed en bouwt een ark om de dieren en zichzelf te redden. Dit verhaal kan mogelijk gebaseerd zijn op historische gebeurtenissen, omdat archeologische vondsten, zoals de ontdekking van oude zondvloedgebieden en sedimentlagen, suggereren dat er in het verleden grote overstromingen hebben plaatsgevonden, bijvoorbeeld na de laatste ijstijd. Tijdens deze periode steeg de zeespiegel en overspoelde grote delen van het toenmalige land, waardoor herinneringen aan deze rampen werden doorgegeven via mondelinge tradities en mythes.
Ook in de cultuur van de Aboriginals in Australië is water en overstromingen een krachtig thema. Sommige mythes vertellen over waterwijzen die de aarde en haar bewoners beschermen of straffen via waterdruppels en overstromingen. Deze verhalen benadrukken de verbondenheid tussen mens en natuur, en laten zien hoe overstromingen worden gezien als een natuurlijk en soms strafend fenomeen.
Kortom, overstromingsverhalen zijn niet alleen mythen, maar ook reflecties van reële natuurrampen die de geschiedenis van de mensheid hebben getekend. Ze bieden inzicht in hoe verschillende culturen hun ervaringen met grote wateren en rampen hebben verwerkt en geïncorporeerd in hun mythologie en tradities. Deze verhalen blijven een krachtig symbool voor de kracht van de natuur en de kwetsbaarheid van de mens.
2. Mythische goden en godinnen, Hemelgoden en natuurlijke fenomenen
Veel mythes en verhalen uit diverse culturen beschrijven goden die nauw verbonden zijn met de hemel en natuurlijke verschijnselen zoals bliksem, zonlicht en vuur. Deze goden symboliseren vaak de kracht en het mysterie van de natuur, en weerspiegelen de menselijke fascinatie en soms ook angst voor de onvoorspelbare en onbegrijpelijke hemelverschijnselen.
Een bekend voorbeeld hiervan is Zeus uit de Griekse mythologie. Zeus werd beschouwd als de koning van de goden en de heerser van de hemel. Hij werd vaak afgebeeld met een bliksemschicht in zijn hand, die hij gebruikte om de mensen en goden te straffen of te beschermen. De Grieken geloofden dat Zeus de natuurlijke kracht van bliksem en donder beheerste, en dat hij verantwoordelijk was voor het veroorzaken van stormen en onweersbuien. Een ander voorbeeld is de Egyptische zonnegod Ra, die werd afgebeeld met een zonneschijf op zijn hoofd. Ra symboliseerde de kracht van de zon en werd beschouwd als de schepper van het leven. Zijn reis door de hemel en de onderwereld vertegenwoordigde het dag- en nachtritme, en zijn invloed was essentieel voor het begrip van de natuurlijke cyclus van dag en nacht.
Deze mythologische verhalen dienden niet alleen om natuurlijke verschijnselen te verklaren, maar ook om de wereld te bemiddelen tussen de mens en het bovennatuurlijke. In veel culturen boden de verhalen over hemelgoden een wijze om onheil en onbegrijpelijke gebeurtenissen te verklaren. Bijvoorbeeld, de oude volkeren zagen een zonsverduistering vaak als een strijd tussen de hemelgod en de duisternis, wat hen aanzette tot het uitvoeren van rituelen om de zon te laten terugkeren. Vulkanen en aardbevingen werden soms toegeschreven aan de woede van goden zoals Vulcanus in de Romeinse mythologie, die de vurige ondergrond beheerde.
Door deze mythes konden mensen hun angsten uiten, begrip krijgen voor de natuurlijke wereld en rituelen opstellen om de goden gunstig te stemmen. Zo weerspiegelden hemelgoden en natuurlijke fenomenen niet alleen de kracht van de natuur, maar ook de menselijke zoektocht naar orde en betekenis in een vaak onvoorspelbare wereld.
3. De schepping en de verloren gouden tijd
Veel mythes vertellen over een oorspronkelijke tijd van harmonie en overvloed, vaak een ‘gouden tijd’ waarin de wereld in perfecte balans was. Deze periode wordt vaak gezien als de oorspronkelijke staat van de wereld, waarin mens en natuur in harmonie leefden en overvloedig was. Bijvoorbeeld, in de Griekse mythologie spreekt men van de Gouden Eeuw, waarin de mens in vrede en welvaart leefde, zonder zorgen of conflicten. Deze mythe symboliseert een ideale toestand waarin alles in evenwicht was en de mens in harmonie met de natuur leefde.
Na deze gouden tijd volgt vaak een val of een verlies van deze harmonie. Dit wordt door mythes gebruikt om de menselijke ervaring van vervreemding en de zoektocht naar terugkeer naar de oertoon te verklaren. Een bekend voorbeeld is de Bijbelse schepping, waarin Adam en Eva in het paradijs leven, een staat van onschuld en overvloed, maar na de zondeval worden zij uit het paradijs verdreven en begint de mensheid haar zoektocht naar verlossing en harmonie.
De Griekse mythologie beschrijft ook een afglijden van een ideale wereld naar een meer complexe en onstabiele werkelijkheid. Na de Gouden Eeuw volgde de Zilveren Eeuw, waarin de mens minder gelukkig was en de wereld meer in verval raakte. Later kwamen de IJzeren Tijd, gekenmerkt door oorlog, conflict en onrechtvaardigheid. Dit patroon van een verloren gouden tijd en de zoektocht ernaar is terug te vinden in vele culturen en religies.
In veel inheemse tradities wordt gesproken over een tijd waarin de mens in directe verbondenheid met de natuur leefde, voordat de wereld werd verstoord door menselijke hebzucht of technologische vooruitgang. De mythe van de mythische loste wereld en de daaropvolgende vervreemding symboliseert de universele behoefte van de mens om terug te keren naar die oorspronkelijke harmonie. Het idee van een verloren gouden tijd blijft een krachtig symbool voor hoop en herstel in vele tradities wereldwijd.
4. Christelijke mythen en legenden? De zoektocht naar het paradijs
Verhalen over een verloren paradijs, zoals het Bijbelse verhaal van Adam en Eva of de mythe van Atlantis, vertegenwoordigen de diepe menselijke wens naar een staat van onschuld en overvloed. Deze mythes en verhalen weerspiegelen niet alleen een nostalgie naar een ongerepte, perfecte wereld, maar ook een fundamenteel verlangen naar betekenis, geluk en de ultieme bestemming van de mens. Het idee van een paradijs wordt vaak gezien als een symbool voor een tijd van harmonie, vrede en overvloed, waarin alles in balans is en het lijden ontbreekt.
In het Bijbelse verhaal van Adam en Eva wordt het paradijs vaak voorgesteld als een tuin vol overvloed, waar de mens in perfecte harmonie leeft met de natuur en God. Wanneer zij echter de verboden vrucht eten, verliezen zij dit paradijs en belanden in een wereld vol arbeid, pijn en lijden. Dit verhaal symboliseert de menselijke zoektocht naar onschuld en de val in de wereld van imperfectie. Het is een metafoor voor de menselijke conditie: verlangen naar een verloren onschuld en de zoektocht naar verlossing.
Ook de mythes over Atlantis illustreren deze zoektocht naar een ideaal paradijs. Volgens de Griekse filosoof Plato was Atlantis een geavanceerde en welvarende beschaving die uiteindelijk onderging door haar eigen overvloed en morele verval. Het verhaal van Atlantis wordt vaak geïnterpreteerd als een waarschuwing voor de gevaren van hebzucht en het verlies van morele waarden, en symboliseert de menselijke neiging om het paradijs te zoeken, maar het vaak te verliezen door eigen fouten.
Daarnaast zien we in onze eigen geschiedenis en cultuur voorbeelden van de menselijke drang naar een paradijselijke wereld. Denk aan de zoektocht naar de 'Eden' in de tuinbouw, de mythen over het Heilige Land, of de romantiek van de 'ongerepte natuur' in de romantiek van de 19e eeuw. Deze verhalen en ideeën blijven ons inspireren en herinneren ons aan de universele wens om het paradijs op aarde te herontdekken of te herstellen. De zoektocht naar het paradijs blijft dus een krachtig en tijdloos thema in menselijke verhalen en cultuur.
5. Zonaanbidding en mensenoffers
Zonaanbidding was een belangrijke religieuze praktijk in veel oude culturen, waaronder de Egyptenaren, Maya’s en andere beschavingen die de zon als een goddelijke kracht erkenden. De zon werd gezien als de bron van leven, licht en energie, en werd vereerd vanwege haar essentiële rol in het onderhouden van het natuurlijke evenwicht. Deze aanbidding uitte zich in tempels, rituelen en ceremonies die bedoeld waren om de gunst van de zonnegod te verkrijgen, bijvoorbeeld door offers en gebeden. Mensenoffers, waarbij mensen werden geofferd aan de zon of aan de goden die de zon vertegenwoordigden, waren in sommige culturen een onderdeel van de religieuze praktijk. Deze offers werden vaak gedaan om gunstige omstandigheden te verzekeren, zoals een goede oogst, gunstige weersomstandigheden of het afweren van rampen. In sommige gevallen werden mensenoffers als noodzakelijk beschouwd om de krachten van de zon gunstig te stemmen, vooral bij belangrijke astronomische gebeurtenissen of tijdens periodes van crisis.
Het gebruik van mensenoffers wordt tegenwoordig als barbaarse en onaanvaardbare praktijk beschouwd, maar in oude samenlevingen had het vaak een religieuze en symbolische betekenis. Het werd gezien als een ultiem geschenk aan de goden, dat de gemeenschap zou beschermen en voorspoed zou brengen. Vaak was het ook een manier om de kracht en macht van de religieuze leiders te versterken. In de loop der tijd is deze praktijk afgenomen of verboden, mede door de ontwikkeling van meer humanistische en ethische opvattingen over het menselijk leven. Toch blijft de beschrijving van deze rituelen een belangrijk onderdeel van het bestuderen van oude religies en culturen, omdat ze inzicht geven in de wereldbeelden en sociale structuren van die tijden.
6. Het algemeen verbreide geloof in een onsterfelijke ziel
Het geloof in een onsterfelijke ziel is een van de meest wijdverspreide en diepgewortelde religieuze overtuigingen in de geschiedenis van de mensheid. Dit geloof houdt in dat het menselijke bewustzijn of de essentie van een persoon niet verloren gaat bij de fysieke dood, maar voortleeft in een andere vorm of plaats, zoals een hiernamaals, reïncarnatie of een spirituele wereld. Dit idee geeft mensen troost en hoop, omdat het de angst voor de dood verzacht en een gevoel van continuïteit en verbondenheid met het hogere of het bovennatuurlijke biedt. In veel religies, zoals het christendom, islam en hindoeïsme, vormt het geloof in een onsterfelijke ziel de kern van de leer over het hiernamaals en het lot na de dood. Volgens deze overtuigingen wordt de ziel beoordeeld op basis van het aardse leven en kan het, afhankelijk van de religieuze traditie, naar de hemel, hel, of reïncarnatie gaan.
Dit geloof heeft grote invloed gehad op ethiek, moraal en sociale structuren door het geven van een hogere betekenis aan het menselijke bestaan en het gedrag tijdens het leven. Het moedigt mensen aan om moreel te handelen, te leven volgens bepaalde principes, en zich bewust te zijn van de gevolgen van hun daden, omdat deze invloed kunnen hebben op hun lot na de dood. De overtuiging in een onsterfelijke ziel biedt ook troost bij verlies en sterfte, door het idee dat geliefden voortleven in een andere dimensie. Wetenschappelijk gezien is het geloof in een onsterfelijke ziel niet empirisch bewezen, maar het blijft een krachtig en troostrijk onderdeel van veel religieuze en spirituele tradities wereldwijd. Het heeft door de eeuwen heen een diepe invloed gehad op cultuur, kunst, filosofie en religieuze praktijk.
De overeenkomsten tussen mythes kunnen worden verklaard door zowel psychologische als natuurlijke factoren. Deze verklaringen bieden inzicht in waarom verschillende culturen, vaak zonder onderlinge contact, vergelijkbare verhalen en symbolen ontwikkelen. In dit essay zal ik deze factoren uitgebreid bespreken, onderbouwen met theorieën van bekende wetenschappers en mijn eigen visie uiteenzetten over de samenhang tussen psychologische en natuurlijke verklaringen voor mythologische overeenkomsten.
De mogelijke verklaring voor de overeenkomsten: universeel menselijk erfgoed
De overeenkomsten in mythes kunnen worden verklaard door het feit dat ze voortkomen uit universele menselijke ervaringen en psychologische processen. Carl Gustav Jung, een invloedrijke psycholoog, stelde dat deze archetypen en motieven onderdeel zijn van het collectief onbewuste — een soort universeel psychisch erfgoed dat alle mensen delen. Volgens Jung weerspiegelen mythes en symbolen fundamentele patronen van de menselijke psyche die zich manifesteren in verhalen, dromen en kunst. Deze archetypen, zoals de held, de moeder of de wijze oude, komen in veel verschillende culturen voor omdat ze inspelen op universele menselijke gevoelens en ervaringen, zoals angst, hoop, verlies en vernieuwing.
Daarnaast kunnen bepaalde gebeurtenissen in de prehistorie, zoals natuurrampen en astronomische fenomenen, bij verschillende culturen gelijktijdig hebben geleid tot de creatie van soortgelijke verhalen. Bijvoorbeeld, de herinnering aan een grote zondvloed wordt wereldwijd teruggevonden in mythes uit onder andere het Oude Testament, het Gilgamesj-epos, de Noorse sagen en de verhalen van inheemse volkeren. Het ontstaan van deze verhalen kan worden toegeschreven aan ingrijpende natuurlijke rampen die door verschillende gemeenschappen werden meegemaakt en die in overdracht en traditie werden versterkt. Zo’n ramp, zoals een grote overstroming, zou de herinnering eraan hebben doorgegeven en de vorm van een mythologisch verhaal hebben gekregen, dat vervolgens werd doorverteld en aangepast in verschillende culturen.
Daarnaast speelden natuurlijke fenomenen zoals zons- en maansverduisteringen, vallende sterren of een zondvloed een belangrijke rol in de mythologieën. Deze gebeurtenissen waren voor prehistorische mensen vaak onbegrijpelijk en werden daarom geïnterpreteerd als bovennatuurlijke of goddelijke ingrepen. Het feit dat veel culturen vergelijkbare verhalen vertellen over dergelijke gebeurtenissen wijst op een universeel patroon in menselijke interpretaties van de natuur en haar krachten. Kort gezegd, de overeenkomsten in mythes wijzen op een gedeeld psychologisch en cultureel erfgoed dat door de tijd heen is doorgegeven, en dat diep geworteld is in onze menselijke natuur en de universele ervaringen die ons verbinden.
Psychologische verklaringen voor mythologische overeenkomsten
Een van de meest invloedrijke psychologen op dit gebied is Carl Gustav Jung. Jung stelde dat mythes voortkomen uit het collectief onbewuste, een gedeeld deel van de menselijke psyche dat universeel is voor alle mensen. Volgens Jung bestaan er archetypen: universele symbolen en thema’s die in alle culturen voorkomen en die diepe menselijke ervaringen weerspiegelen. Bijvoorbeeld, de heldenfiguur, de wijze oude man, de moederfiguur of de schaduw komen in talloze mythes voor. Jung beschouwde deze archetypen als fundamenteel voor de menselijke psyche, omdat ze onze collectieve ervaringen en universele emoties weerspiegelen.
De archetypen vormen de basis voor mythologische verhalen, dromen en symbolen die in diverse culturen voorkomen. Ze bieden een manier voor mensen om hun existentiële vragen te begrijpen en te verwerken. Bijvoorbeeld, verhalen over de dood en wedergeboorte, zoals die van Osiris in Egypte of de cyclus van de seizoenen in mythes uit verschillende werelddelen, kunnen worden gezien als symbolische representaties van de menselijke ervaring met verandering, verlies en vernieuwing.
Daarnaast wijst Jung op het belang van persoonlijke en culturele ontwikkeling. Mythes helpen individuen en gemeenschappen om hun plaats in de wereld te vinden, door universele thema’s te verkennen zoals de zoektocht naar identiteit, het overwinnen van chaos of het omgaan met de dood. Deze verhalen bieden een soort mentale structuur die ons ondersteunt bij het begrijpen van onze plaats in het bestaan.
Een andere psychologische verklaring komt voort uit het werk van Sigmund Freud en andere psychoanalytici. Zij zagen mythes als uitingen van onbewuste verlangens, angsten en conflicten. Volgens Freud weerspiegelen mythologische verhalen vaak onderdrukte seksuele en agressieve impulsen, die in symbolische vorm worden uitgedrukt. Bijvoorbeeld, de mythes over de dood van de vader of de confrontatie met de goddelijke kracht kunnen worden geïnterpreteerd als conflicten over macht, autoriteit en onderdrukte verlangens.
Kortom, psychologische verklaringen benadrukken dat mythes niet alleen verhalen zijn, maar ook manieren waarop de menselijke geest zichzelf begrijpt, verwerkt en communiceert over universele ervaringen en innerlijke conflicten.
Natuurlijke verklaringen voor mythologische overeenkomsten
Naast psychologische factoren kunnen natuurlijke gebeurtenissen en omgevingsinvloeden eveneens verklaringen bieden voor de overeenkomsten tussen mythes. In de prehistorie, toen mensen nog geen wetenschappelijke kennis hadden van natuurlijke processen, werden grote natuurrampen en fenomenen vaak geïnterpreteerd als bovennatuurlijke gebeurtenissen of goddelijke interventies.
Grote natuurrampen zoals zondvloedverhalen, vulkaanuitbarstingen, orkanen of aardbevingen werden door verschillende culturen herkend en verwerkt in mythologische verhalen. Deze verhalen dienden als een soort verklaring voor onverklaarbare en vaak angstaanjagende gebeurtenissen. Bijvoorbeeld, het Bijbelse verhaal van Noach’s ark kan worden gezien als een interpretatie van een grote overstroming die in de regio heeft plaatsgevonden, terwijl de zondvloedverhalen in Mesopotamië, Griekenland en andere culturen vergelijkbare thema’s vertonen.
Omdat dergelijke natuurrampen wereldwijd voorkomen en vaak vergelijkbare effecten hebben, ontwikkelden verschillende gemeenschappen vergelijkbare verhalen. Daarnaast kunnen natuurlijke fenomenen zoals de zon, de maan en sterren ook mythologische betekenissen krijgen. Culturen ontwikkelden bijvoorbeeld goden en verhalen rondom de bewegingen van hemellichamen, zoals de Griekse mythologie rondom Helios en Selene of de Inca-cultus rond de zonnegod Inti.
Natuurlijke omgevingsfactoren en milieukwesties kunnen dus ook leiden tot de ontwikkeling van mythes die universele thema’s bevatten, zoals de strijd tussen chaos en orde, het belang van de natuur, en de relatie tussen mens en omgeving.
Samenvatting en mijn visie
De samenhang tussen psychologische en natuurlijke verklaringen voor mythologische overeenkomsten is complex en verweven. Psychologische theorieën zoals die van Jung benadrukken dat archetypen en collectief onbewuste universeel zijn en diep verankerd liggen in de menselijke psyche, terwijl natuurlijke verklaringen laten zien dat gemeenschappelijke ervaringen met natuurlijke fenomenen en rampen ook een grote rol spelen in het ontstaan van mythes.
Mijn visie is dat beide factoren niet los van elkaar staan, maar juist elkaar versterken. Mythes ontstaan vaak uit een combinatie van psychologische behoeften en natuurlijke gebeurtenissen. Bijvoorbeeld, een natuurramp kan een verhaal oproepen dat wordt aangevuld en versterkt door universele archetypen en symboliek die in de menselijke psyche leven. Op deze manier worden mythen niet alleen verklaard door natuurlijke gebeurtenissen, maar krijgen ze ook diepgang door psychologische interpretaties.
Het feit dat vergelijkbare mythes in verschillende culturenwerken en zich over de eeuwen heen hebben ontwikkeld, onderstreept dat deze verhalen niet louter toevallig ontstaan zijn, maar voortkomen uit universele menselijke ervaringen en behoeften. De overeenkomsten tussen mythes uit verschillende culturen suggereren dat mensen wereldwijd geconfronteerd werden met soortgelijke natuurlijke fenomenen en dat zij deze probeerden te begrijpen en te verklaren via verhalen die hun wereldbeeld en waarden weerspiegelden.
Daarnaast spelen ook culturele overdracht en interactie een belangrijke rol in de verspreiding en ontwikkeling van mythes. Via handel, migratie en oorlogen werden verhalen overgenomen en aangepast door verschillende volkeren, waardoor er een soort universeel 'mythologisch taalgebruik' ontstond. Zo zijn bijvoorbeeld de zondvloedverhalen uit de Bijbel, Mesopotamië en andere oude beschavingen sterk met elkaar verbonden en tonen ze hoe verhalen over grote overstromingen zich over de hele wereld verspreidden en evolueerden.
Verder is het interessant om te kijken naar de rol van rituelen en ceremonies die verbonden zijn met mythologische verhalen. Veel culturen ontwikkelden rituelen die bedoeld waren om de kracht van de mythes te versterken, bijvoorbeeld door het herdichten van een zondvloed of het eren van natuurlijke fenomenen zoals de zon of de maan. Deze rituelen dienden niet alleen ter herinnering aan de verhalen, maar ook als manieren om de gemeenschap samen te brengen en een gevoel van orde en continuïteit te creëren in een vaak onvoorspelbare wereld.
Het is ook belangrijk om te erkennen dat mythes niet altijd letterlijk worden genomen, maar vaak symbolisch zijn en dieperliggende betekenissen bevatten. Ze kunnen bijvoorbeeld de menselijke angst voor de natuur en haar krachten uitdrukken, of de zoektocht naar zingeving en orde in een chaotische wereld. Door het bestuderen van mythes vanuit verschillende perspectieven—psychologisch, cultureel en natuurlijk—krijg je een completer beeld van waarom deze verhalen zo universeel en tijdloos zijn.
Tot slot kunnen we niet negeren dat mythes ook een pedagogisch en moreel doel dienen. Ze bevatten vaak lessen over goed en kwaad, over het belang van moed, trouw en wijsheid. In veel culturen worden mythes gebruikt om jeugd en nieuwkomers in de samenleving te integreren door hen de waarden en normen bij te brengen die belangrijk zijn voor de gemeenschap. Op deze manier blijven mythes niet alleen verhalen uit het verleden, maar vormen ze ook een levend onderdeel van de cultuur en het collectieve bewustzijn.
Concluderend kunnen we stellen dat mythologie een complex samenspel is van psychologische, natuurlijke en culturele factoren. De overeenkomsten tussen mythes uit verschillende culturen worden niet alleen verklaard door gedeelde natuurlijke ervaringen, maar ook door universele psychologische structuren en culturele interacties. Door deze verschillende dimensies te onderzoeken, krijgen we een dieper inzicht in de menselijke behoefte om de wereld te begrijpen en betekenis te geven aan de onvoorspelbaarheid van het bestaan. Mythes blijven daardoor relevant, omdat ze ons blijven verbinden met onze geschiedenis, onze angsten, onze hoop en onze zoektocht naar zingeving in een vaak onbegrijpelijke wereld.
What ancient myths have in common and why it matters
What ancient myths have in common and why it matters
The question is, why? Why do so many ancient myths, told by cultures that never met, sound like variations of the same story? And if the similarities are more than coincidence, what are they trying to tell us?
An artistic illustration of different ancient myths.
Before history was written down, it was remembered. Ancient myths were more than stories, they were cultural memory. Told by firelight, preserved in chants, carved into walls, and passed down by generations who had no books, no archives, and no way to record the past beyond their words.
Across time and across the world, many of these stories contain the same themes. Floods that erase civilizations. Gods who arrive from the sky. Sacred mountains where heaven touches Earth. A golden age that ends in loss. These themes are not limited to one place or one people. They repeat in Mesopotamia, in Mesoamerica, in the Vedic texts of India, in the oral traditions of Aboriginal Australia, and in the myths of ancient Greece and Egypt.
The question is, why? Why do so many ancient myths, told by cultures that never met, sound like variations of the same story? And if the similarities are more than coincidence, what are they trying to tell us?
Myths of the flood and the memory of a lost world
Among the most common ancient myths is the story of a world-ending flood. It is told with striking emotional weight across multiple civilizations. In Mesopotamia, the Epic of Gilgamesh describes how Utnapishtim survives a divine flood sent to wipe out humanity. In the Book of Genesis, Noah receives a warning to build an ark. In India, the figure of Manu escapes destruction after being guided by a talking fish. Greek myths recall Deucalion and Pyrrha, the only survivors of a deluge sent by the gods.
The same theme appears in Aztec and Inca tradition, as well as in the Pacific Islands and Indigenous Australian stories. These are not watered-down copies of the same tale. They are culturally unique but carry the same structure: a flood, a warning, a survivor, and a world reset.
Many researchers now believe that such stories may contain real memories. After the last Ice Age, around 12,000 years ago, the planet went through a dramatic climate shift. Melting glaciers caused sea levels to rise by more than one hundred meters. Entire coastlines disappeared. Settlements were flooded and landscapes transformed.
Some scientists point to the Black Sea flood theory, which suggests that around 5600 BCE, the Mediterranean breached into the Black Sea basin, causing a sudden and devastating rise in water levels. If true, such an event could have left a powerful impression, passed on through oral tradition for thousands of years.
These flood myths may not be symbolic at all. They may be the only surviving record of a prehistoric global disaster.
Sky gods, fire from above, and celestial memory
This is a representation of Viracocha from the site of Tiahuanaco in Bolivia. Although it it not an Inca creation but one of the Tiwanaku culture, it proves how significant Viracocha was for this entire Andean region. Credit: Melting Plots
Another powerful pattern in ancient myths is the sky god, a divine figure who controls thunder, lightning, sunlight, or fire. In Greece, Zeus ruled the skies and hurled bolts of lightning. In Norse myth, Thor struck enemies with his hammer. In India, Indra was the lord of storms. In the Andes, Viracocha came from the heavens. The Aztecs worshipped Tlaloc, who brought both rain and destruction.
This consistency raises the question: why were so many early gods associated with the sky, with storms, or with fire from above?
One possibility is that ancient people witnessed real events in the sky they could not explain. Comets, solar flares, meteor impacts, and auroras would have appeared mysterious and terrifying. They may have inspired myths of gods who descended with power and wrath.
The Younger Dryas Impact Hypothesis, for example, suggests that around 12,800 years ago, a comet or fragments of one struck the Earth, sparking fires and climate disruption. While still debated, this theory has gained attention in recent years. If true, the fear of the sky may not have been metaphorical. It may have been remembered.
In that context, the fire-bringing gods and celestial battles could reflect a prehistoric trauma, retold through myth, or reimagined through divine figures.
Sacred mountains as portals to the divine
Across mythologies, mountains are more than geographical features. They are places of revelation, refuge, or power. Mount Meru in Hindu and Buddhist tradition is said to be the center of the universe. Mount Olympus in Greek myth is home to the gods. In the Bible, Mount Sinai is where Moses receives divine law. In ancient Persia, Mount Alborz holds cosmological significance.
High places appear again and again as bridges between heaven and Earth. In Sumer, the earliest ziggurats were built to mimic sacred mountains. In Mesoamerica, pyramids aligned with celestial events served similar spiritual functions.
Why this fascination with heights? In some cases, mountains may have served as real-world refuges from floods or chaos. Their permanence and elevation made them powerful symbols of protection. In others, they may have simply represented a place closer to the heavens, where divine encounters felt possible.
The connection between elevation and revelation is more than poetic. It reflects how early societies tried to locate the divine in the physical world, often by reaching upward.
Creation from chaos and the shape of ancient thought
Another theme that appears in ancient myths is the idea of creation emerging from chaos. In Egypt, the primordial waters of Nun precede all existence. In Mesopotamia, the goddess Tiamat gives birth to the first gods before being slain by Marduk. In China, Pangu breaks free from a cosmic egg and separates heaven from Earth. Greek myths tell of Chaos giving rise to Gaia and Uranus.
These myths are not just origin stories. They reflect an early attempt to understand structure, transformation, and time. They begin with a void, water, darkness, formlessness, and then describe how form, order, and life emerged.
What is remarkable is how widespread this framework is. The idea of a structured cosmos emerging from a primal state appears across continents and civilizations. Long before science, these myths were the first tools used to explain existence.
They also reflect the ancient belief that order is fragile. What was once whole can break. What exists now once did not. And what seems permanent can vanish.
Could these shared stories point to a forgotten connection?
The academic view has long been that myths developed in isolation, shaped by environment and psychology. But this view is now under pressure. The repeating structures found in myths across the globe are too specific and too numerous to dismiss.
Some scholars explain the patterns as universal archetypes,mental frameworks shared by all humans. Others point to similar challenges faced by early societies that led to similar storytelling.
But there is another possibility. Before written history, humans may have traveled and shared more than we think. Oral knowledge, navigation, and memory may have connected cultures long before global trade or formal writing.
If so, ancient myths may be the final trace of a forgotten chapter in human history, one that predates all records and all maps.
Across Sumer, Egypt, India, China, the Americas, and Oceania, the same motifs appear. Floods, sky gods, lost worlds, sacred mountains. These stories are not identical, but they rhyme. And in that rhyme, there may be memory.
Myths were never just stories
It is easy to treat myth as fiction, especially in a world shaped by science. But myths were never just stories. I see them as vehicles for knowledge, warnings, and cultural identity.
What ancient myths have in common and why it matters today is not about fantasy. It is about understanding how human beings remember. These stories tell us how early civilizations faced environmental shifts, unexplained events, and loss. They show how people coped with fear, disaster, and awe.
As the modern world faces rising seas, extreme weather, and social upheaval, the old stories feel newly relevant. Not as prophecies, but as reflections of what humans have endured before. They remind us that beneath the facts and data, we are still meaning-makers.
The myths of the past may not be literal. But they hold something real. They carried truths across time without paper, without language as we know it. And in that survival, they still speak. If we are willing to listen, they may tell us what we have forgotten, and what we still need to remember.
This ancient artificial island in Micronesia still defies archaeology
This ancient artificial island in Micronesia still defies archaeology
The ruins of Nan Madol rise from the Pacific — built from volcanic stone and coral. No one knows how or why this ancient city was constructed on the sea.
From the shoreline of Pohnpei, dark stone walls rise from the lagoon like the ribs of a drowned city. The ancient artificial island in Micronesia, known as Nan Madol, stretches across the reef in a maze of basalt islets, shaped and stacked by hand.
The ruins were built without mortar, without cranes, and without written plans. Volcanic stones, quarried from elsewhere on the island, were transported across jungle and water, then arranged into tombs, temples, and ceremonial platforms.
No one knows exactly how the builders moved such massive blocks, or what methods they used to fit them so tightly. The reasons for the city’s abandonment are also unclear, though oral traditions speak of conflict, overreach, and collapse. What remains is a quiet skeleton of basalt, exposed to tide and rain, and still holding together after centuries in the sea.
A city on the sea
Nan Madol is not a single island but a complex of approximately 92 artificial islets, constructed atop a coral reef off the southeastern shore of Pohnpei. These islets are separated by tidal canals and encased in high basalt walls, forming a checkerboard of walkways, courtyards, and enclosures. From above, it resembles an ancient city frozen in time.
Spanning roughly 1.5 kilometers in length and 0.5 kilometers in width, the layout is intentional. The islets are organized by function: some designated for rituals, others for burial, and a few reserved for ruling elites. The walls rise directly from the sea, with some reaching heights of over 7 meters, creating narrow corridors between water and stone.
Moving across the site today involves stepping across slippery rock platforms and navigating brackish pools. While some structures remain intact, others have crumbled into moss-covered ruins. The tidal canals ebb and flow, softening edges and nourishing encroaching vegetation. Despite its monumental construction, the site exudes an atmosphere of abandonment, shaped by centuries of exposure to natural elements.
Close-up of columnar basalt masonry at Nan Madol, showing interlocked volcanic stones without mortar.
The mystery of the megaliths
Most of the structures at Nan Madol were constructed using columnar basalt, a volcanic rock that naturally forms into long, hexagonal columns. These basalt columns, some weighing several tons, were quarried from sites on the main island of Pohnpei, including areas such as Sokehs on the opposite side of the island . Transporting these massive stones would have involved traversing challenging terrain, dense jungle, and open water.
The Pohnpeians did not have wheeled vehicles or draft animals. There is no definitive evidence detailing the exact methods used to move and position the basalt columns. The builders left behind no written records, tools, or construction plans.
The walls were constructed without the use of mortar. Basalt pieces were meticulously stacked in alternating layers, interlocking similarly to timber construction. At certain junctions, massive cornerstones were employed to tie the structures together with precise angles. Some outer walls are up to five meters thick, with interior spaces lined by additional stone to create tombs, altars, and raised platforms.
Oral histories from Pohnpei recount tales of sorcery. One legend speaks of twin brothers from a distant land who summoned the stones into place through chants. Other stories describe the stones being floated on rafts. Modern hypotheses suggest the use of rollers, levers, or rafts timed with tides. However, none of these theories fully explain the logistics involved, especially concerning the heaviest stones and the precision observed in the construction.
Ritual, royalty, and power
Archaeological studies suggest that Nan Madol served as the ceremonial and political center of the Saudeleur dynasty, which ruled Pohnpei from around the 12th to the early 17th century. The complex was not a residence for the general population. Only priests, rulers, and their attendants lived within its walls.
At the heart of the site is Nandauwas, a high-walled compound thought to be the royal mortuary. Its inner chambers are surrounded by massive basalt enclosures. Excavations there have revealed burial sites and ceremonial artifacts, although most material culture has been lost to time and salt.
The city’s isolation and structure enforced hierarchy. Commoners were required to bring offerings by canoe but could not set foot on the islets. The ruling class used the site to consolidate religious authority and political control. Rituals involving ancestor worship, navigation, and agriculture likely took place on raised stone platforms now overgrown or submerged.
The decline of Nan Madol likely came from within. Oral accounts describe increasing authoritarianism, heavy tribute demands, and social unrest. By the time European ships reached Pohnpei in the early 1800s, the city had long been abandoned.
An origin story no one agrees on
Nan Madol was constructed without the use of a written language. There are no known stelae, codices, or symbols carved into its basalt structures. Our understanding of the site derives from oral traditions, archaeological investigations, and the physical remnants themselves
Radiocarbon and uranium-thorium dating indicate that significant construction at Nan Madol began around 1180 CE. Earlier occupation of the area likely dates back several centuries, with human activity on Pohnpei traced to as early as 80–200 CE.
The development of Nan Madol occurred in phases. Initial islets served as basic platforms, which were subsequently expanded into more formal structures. Over generations, additional stones were added, walls were raised, and the ceremonial core of the complex was extended.
Some scholars have proposed that influences from Southeast Asia may have contributed to the site’s design. However, others argue for entirely local innovation, emphasizing Pohnpei’s advanced navigation skills, oral culture, and sacred geography. To date, no definitive connections to external cultures have been established.
What is evident is that the builders possessed a profound understanding of their environment. They constructed the city atop a coral reef capable of supporting the weight of basalt, strategically placed structures to withstand tidal forces, and employed interlocking stone techniques that have endured centuries of exposure.
The importance of Nan Madol
Few ancient cities were ever built on top of a coral reef. Nan Madol is one of them. Its foundations rest on living coral, just off the coast of Pohnpei, far from any mainland or trade center. Stone by stone, it was raised in the water, not on land. That alone makes it different. To, me that alone makes this site so extraordinary.
Because let’s face it, building anything in the sea is difficult. Building with volcanic stone, some of it weighing several tons, is harder still. The basalt had to be moved, shaped, and placed with precision. The people who built Nan Madol did that work without mortar, without cranes, and without metal tools. The city’s layout wasn’t improvised. It took planning, effort, and organization, the kind of work that comes from a centralized authority directing labor over time.
UNESCO added Nan Madol to its World Heritage list in 2016. That helped bring attention to how vulnerable the site is. Parts of it are already sinking. Sea level rise and saltwater erosion are breaking down the walls. Mangrove roots creep between the stones, shifting what was once stable.
The site isn’t easy to visit. Pohnpei sits far off the usual routes. There’s no tourist center, no marked paths, no preservation infrastructure in place. Most of what archaeologists know comes from limited fieldwork and old reports. Much of the site remains untouched.
There are no guides waiting at the edge of the ruins. No signs to explain what you’re looking at. Just stone walls, thick and dark, sitting in the tide. Some have collapsed. Others still stand exactly where they were placed, more than eight centuries ago. The builders left no writing behind. No explanation. Only basalt stacked on coral, holding on as long as it can.
Bryce Zabel, a CNN reporter has done a marvelous job in presenting the detailed Roswell incidentin hispersonal blog. He collectively mentioned top witnesses’ statements that assure Roswell disclosure is on a fast track. The legendary incident that happened in 1947 was indeed real, according to moon-walking astronaut Edgar Mitchell. He claimed in his interviews that he had informants that had told him about the inside story of Roswell, but he never disclosed their names.
“Make no mistake, Roswell happened. I’ve seen secret files which show the government knew about it — but decided not to tell the public,” claimed Edgar Mitchell, Ph.D., Apollo 14 Astronaut.
In February 1971, after the successful completion of the mission, the Apollo 14 crew returned to Earth. Alan Shepard and Edgar Mitchell became the fifth and sixth astronauts to walk on the moon’s surface. While Shepard chose to live in the glory, Mitchell became the main troublemaker for many years.
He publicly accepted the existence of aliens after being on the Moon and stuck to it until his death. He accused the US government of hiding the truth about contact with aliens. Immediately after his return, Mitchell left NASA and immersed himself in studying UFOs, ancient history, and human consciousness.
Edgar Mitchell, 1971. Image credit: NASA
Mitchell grew up in the small town of Artesia, a few miles from the very Roswell airbase where the crash allegedly occurred. The astronaut claimed that many of his neighbors, acquaintances, and friends worked at that base, and what he heard from them is enough for him to consider the Roswell incident a real UFO crash. Mitchell did not disclose the names of his informants, referring to the fact that they all signed a non-disclosure agreement and he did not want them to have any problems.
Michell, who claimed he briefed the highest members of the Pentagon, said the reality is that there was an advanced civilization that could penetrate our air defenses at will and that we could not stop them in any way, shape, or form, immediately doomed the Roswell incident to become one of the greatest coverups in history.
ET stopped Nuclear War
According to Mitchell, he once had a confidential conversation with a Navy admiral, who secretly told him that in fact, aliens had established contact with the government back in the early 1940s. They were interested in earthly weapons, primarily the atomic bomb. At the very beginning of the Cold War between the USSR and the USA, aliens often came to Earth because they feared nuclear war and tried to influence the world elites in some way. (Source)
Growing up in New Mexico gave him a unique insight to the Roswell area, he told the UK’s Mirror in 2015.
“White Sands was a testing ground for atomic weapons – and that’s what the extraterrestrials were interested in… They wanted to know about our military capabilities. My own experience talking to people has made it clear the ETs had been attempting to keep us from going to war and help create peace on Earth.”
According to a 2015 story, Apollo 14 astronaut said: “My own experience talking to people has made it clear the ETs had been attempting to keep us from going to war and help create peace on Earth.”
However, he clarified in his interview with Observer that he did not make those statements but at the same time, he somewhat agreed with those words. He said: “I don’t remember speaking to them personally. I don’t know where they got that information. I didn’t make those statements. Somebody has added to my words. Those weren’t my exact words but I don’t necessarily disagree with those statements.”
However, the 2016 Wikileak emails say Mitchell was worried about space weaponization. Despite the fact that aliens might be violent as shown in various sci-fi, the notable astronaut called them nonviolent in his email. In January 2015, he sent an email to Podesta, asking him to have an urgent meeting to discuss Disclosure and Zero Point Energy (ZPE). He was concerned about the peace in space.
Mitchell wrote: “My Catholic colleague Terri Mansfield will be there too, to bring us up to date on the Vatican’s awareness of ETI. Another colleague is working on a new Space Treaty, citing involvement with Russia and China. However, with Russia’s extreme interference in Ukraine, I believe we must pursue another route for peace in space and ZPE on Earth.”
Mitchell emailed Podesta again on September 18, 2015. He wrote: “Because the War in Space race is heating up, I felt you should be aware of several factors as you and I schedule our Skype talk. Remember, our nonviolent ETI from the contiguous universe are helping us bring zero point energy to Earth. They will not tolerate any forms of military violence on Earth or in space.”
Why Believe the Roswell Crash?
Bryce Zabel writes: “That storyline has hundreds of witnesses testifying to roughly the same fact trail. Some were first-hand witnesses to debris and even the recovery of bodies, and several accounts came from death bed confessions. Many more witnesses were family members who learned of the secret their fathers and husbands had kept inside them for decades. There were many dozens who attested to extremely tight security and transportation of material in the aftermath of what crashed at Roswell.”
Jesse Marcel was an intelligence officer of the 509th Bombardment Group at Roswell Army Air Field and was tasked with investigating the 1947 Roswell crash
Moreover, the hype of Roswell stories has increased. The New York Times started covering this issue in the summer of 2020 and is continuing its investigation into crash wreckage. Besides, the former head of the AATIP Luis Elizondo gave his candid take on the 1947 Roswell crash in New Mexico and more in an interview with the Roswell Daily Record.
Elizondo: “I’ll share with you… some of the observations that were made by some people. Before I was part of AATIP, I had no idea about Roswell, other than that there was sort of some alleged crash at some point and some farmer found debris — but during my time with AATIP, there was some very interesting anecdotal information that suggests there wasn’t just one crash, there may have been two crashes, and that somehow it may have been related to some sort of testing that was being done at the time at White Sands, and that material was recovered.
And that material that was recovered, samples of that material found their way into the hands of private citizens, some of them, but that the … allegedly the larger sections of debris were all recovered by the U.S. Government.”
During the interview, Elizondo said that while he headed the AATIP, his job was to concentrate on current UAP incidents, however, he added that he had conversations with so-called “graybeards” at the Pentagon who had been involved with UAPs since Project Blue Book. It was from these individuals that Elizondo learned what probably occurred at Roswell in 1947.
Elizondo: ”These individuals were convinced that the events in New Mexico were not fiction. In fact that it was a, very much a real event and that some very exotic material was recovered… And then there was a subsequent effort to try to be very dismissive about what occurred in New Mexico. But again, I will share with you that it was, from my understanding, it wasn’t one, it was two crashes, and it may have been related to some sort of nuclear-type testing of technology that we were doing, atomic and/or nuclear technology at Los Alamos at the time.”
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- Gemiddelde waardering: 0/5 - (0 Stemmen) Categorie:ALIEN LIFE, UFO- CRASHES, ABDUCTIONS, MEN IN BLACK, ed ( FR. , NL; E )
The Connection of Alien Contact and Sudden Psychic Ability: An Examination of Phenomena and Hypotheses
The Connection of Alien Contact and Sudden Psychic Ability: An Examination of Phenomena and Hypotheses
Abstract
The phenomena of alien contact and sudden psychic ability have fascinated human beings for centuries, inspiring countless stories, theories, and scientific inquiries. Historically, these phenomena have been viewed as separate domains: alien contact being studied within the field of ufology, which investigates unidentified flying objects and extraterrestrial encounters, while psychic abilities such as telepathy, clairvoyance, and precognition have been examined within parapsychology. However, recent anecdotal reports, case studies, and some scientific research suggest that there may be an intriguing overlap between these two areas. This dissertation aims to explore the potential connection between extraterrestrial contact and the sudden manifestation of psychic abilities. It investigates empirical evidence, including documented cases where individuals report both alien encounters and unexpected psychic phenomena, and reviews existing theoretical models that attempt to explain how these phenomena might be related.
Furthermore, the research considers the broader implications for our understanding of human consciousness, cognition, and the possibility that extraterrestrial entities could influence or facilitate the development of psychic skills. By analyzing both qualitative and quantitative data, the study seeks to determine whether there is a credible link between alien contact and psychic awakening, and what this could mean for future scientific exploration and our comprehension of the universe. Ultimately, this research aims to shed light on the mysterious intersections between human consciousness and extraterrestrial phenomena, challenging conventional paradigms and opening new avenues for interdisciplinary study.
Introduction
Throughout human history, cultures across the globe have documented encounters with mysterious non-human entities, often described as extraterrestrial beings or unidentified flying objects (UFOs). These encounters are frequently accompanied by vivid stories of alien visitations, abductions, or sightings of strange crafts in the sky. Simultaneously, there are numerous reports from individuals claiming sudden, inexplicable enhancements in their psychic abilities. These abilities include telepathy—the direct mind-to-mind communication, clairvoyance—the perception of distant or hidden events, and precognition—the ability to predict future occurrences. Notably, many of these psychic experiences appear spontaneously, often without any formal training or prior indication of such abilities, leading to questions about their origins.
The intriguing possibility arises: could these two phenomena—extraterrestrial contact and sudden psychic development—be interconnected? Might interactions with extraterrestrial entities influence or even trigger enhancements in human psychic capacities? Some researchers and theorists suggest that extraterrestrial encounters could serve as catalysts for awakening latent psychic potential within humans. This hypothesis proposes that contact with advanced alien civilizations might stimulate or unlock dormant areas of the brain associated with extrasensory perception, or ESP. Alternatively, it is conjectured that extraterrestrial beings could intentionally facilitate or accelerate psychic development as part of their broader interest in human evolution or consciousness expansion.
Furthermore, anecdotal reports and case studies often describe individuals who, following alleged alien encounters, exhibit heightened psychic awareness or abilities. Such accounts raise compelling questions about the nature of consciousness and its susceptibility to external influences. Could the human mind, under certain extraordinary circumstances, be more malleable and receptive to non-physical stimuli than traditionally believed?
In summary, the potential link between extraterrestrial contact and psychic phenomena remains a fascinating area of speculation and research. Exploring this connection could deepen our understanding of human consciousness, the possible influence of extraterrestrial life, and the mysterious capacities of the human mind that continue to baffle scientists and enthusiasts alike.
Background and Context
Throughout human history, stories of alien contact have been documented across a multitude of cultures and societies. These accounts range from ancient cave paintings and carvings to modern-day reports of abductions and encounters. Often, these narratives describe direct communication with extraterrestrial beings, which may occur through spoken language, telepathic exchanges, or shared visions. Such encounters can be profoundly transformative and sometimes inexplicable, leaving a lasting impact on those involved.
In addition to these contact stories, phenomena related to psychic abilities have been studied within the field of parapsychology. Researchers have documented spontaneous psychic experiences, which frequently occur during times of significant stress, trauma, or spiritual awakening. For example, individuals may report telepathy, precognition, or clairvoyance during near-death experiences or moments of intense emotional upheaval. These phenomena challenge conventional scientific understanding and continue to intrigue researchers seeking explanations for consciousness and perception.
Recent reports from individuals claiming close encounters often describe experiences that go beyond ordinary sensory perception. Witnesses have reported sensations of altered consciousness, where their perceptions of reality seem to shift or expand. Such altered states of awareness are believed by some to be pivotal in the emergence of psychic abilities, as they may facilitate heightened perception or access to hidden knowledge. These states might be induced through various means, including meditation, trauma, or spontaneous neurological changes.
Furthermore, some researchers speculate that extraterrestrial entities may possess highly advanced cognitive technologies capable of influencing or manipulating human consciousness. These technologies could enable beings from other worlds to communicate telepathically or even induce specific mental states in humans. Such capabilities would explain some of the more inexplicable aspects of alien contact and psychic phenomena, suggesting a possible technological bridge between consciousness and extraterrestrial intelligence.
In sum, the convergence of alien encounters and psychic phenomena raises intriguing questions about the nature of consciousness, the existence of advanced extraterrestrial civilizations, and their potential influence on human perception and mental faculties.
Empirical Evidence and Case Studies: Exploring the Link Between UFO Encounters and Enhanced Psychic Abilities
While the scientific community has yet to fully validate claims connecting UFO encounters with the development of psychic or intuitive skills, several intriguing case studies offer suggestive evidence that such correlations may exist. These accounts often involve individuals who, after experiencing what they interpret as UFO abductions or encounters, report notable shifts in their mental faculties—particularly an increase in intuitive or psychic abilities. Although these reports are primarily anecdotal and lack rigorous scientific validation, they provide valuable insights into potential phenomena that warrant further exploration.
One common theme among these case studies is the report of enhanced mental clarity, insight, or intuitive understanding following a UFO encounter. For example, some individuals describe suddenly grasping complex scientific or mathematical concepts that previously eluded them. Consider a person who, after claiming to have been abducted by extraterrestrial beings, experienced a rapid and profound understanding of quantum physics principles—concepts that had previously seemed incomprehensible. This sudden cognitive leap often occurs without formal study or conscious effort, leading those affected to believe that their encounter somehow unlocked hidden mental capacities.
Another notable example involves individuals reporting telepathic communication during or after their UFO encounters. These accounts often describe a form of direct mental connection with other beings or entities, bypassing traditional language or sensory modalities. For instance, a person might report feeling an intense mental link with an alien visitor, through which they received detailed information or guidance. Post-encounter, these individuals frequently claim to experience spontaneous insights, visions, or intuitive flashes that influence their decision-making or problem-solving abilities. Such experiences are sometimes described as “downloads” of information, suggesting a transfer or awakening of psychic faculties.
Furthermore, some case studies document sudden and vivid visions or intuitive impressions that appear to be directly linked to the encounter. For example, a witness might describe a vivid dream or mental image that provides crucial information about a scientific mystery or personal dilemma, seemingly inspired by their close encounter with UFOs. These visions are often characterized by their clarity and the sense that they originate from an external, intelligent source—possibly extraterrestrial or non-human intelligences.
Despite the compelling nature of these individual accounts, scientific validation remains elusive. The subjective nature of these experiences makes them difficult to study systematically. Additionally, psychological factors such as suggestibility, hallucinations, or memory biases may influence reports. Nevertheless, the consistency across various reports—such as increased intuition, telepathy, and sudden insights—raises questions about whether there could be a genuine, underlying phenomenon.
Researchers interested in this area often emphasize the need for rigorous scientific investigation, including controlled experiments and the development of reliable measurement tools. Some scientists propose that these experiences could be related to altered states of consciousness, neuroplasticity, or other psychological processes that are triggered or enhanced during or after extraordinary experiences like UFO encounters.
In conclusion, while definitive scientific evidence linking UFO encounters to enhanced psychic abilities remains absent, numerous case studies provide compelling anecdotal evidence. These accounts describe individuals experiencing sudden insights, telepathic communication, and heightened intuition following their encounters. Such phenomena challenge our understanding of consciousness and suggest that there may be more to explore regarding the potential interplay between extraterrestrial experiences and human cognitive faculties. Further research combining scientific rigor with an open mind could help illuminate these intriguing connections and deepen our understanding of the human mind and its potential capacities.
Theoretical Models and Hypotheses
Several comprehensive theoretical frameworks have been proposed to explain the potential connection between extraterrestrial contact and psychic phenomena. These models aim to provide a scientific or philosophical basis for understanding how such interactions might influence human consciousness and psychic abilities. Below are some of the most prominent hypotheses in this domain:
Consciousness Expansion Hypothesis This theory posits that contact with extraterrestrial beings or technologies acts as a catalyst for expanding human consciousness. According to this hypothesis, such contact induces a heightened state of awareness, allowing individuals to access previously latent psychic faculties. This idea is rooted in the belief that human consciousness is inherently malleable and responsive to external stimuli. Alien technology or interactions could serve as catalysts that unlock or amplify psychic potential, leading to phenomena such as telepathy, clairvoyance, or precognition. The hypothesis aligns with certain transpersonal psychology perspectives, which view consciousness as a dynamic, expandable entity that can evolve through external influences, including extraterrestrial encounters. It suggests that these interactions may serve as a bridge to higher states of consciousness, facilitating spiritual growth and expanded perception.
Quantum Entanglement and Nonlocality Some theorists propose that extraterrestrial entities utilize quantum mechanisms to influence human neural systems. This model draws on principles of quantum physics, particularly the phenomena of entanglement and nonlocality, which describe how particles can instantaneously affect one another regardless of distance. In this context, ET beings might operate through quantum processes that allow for instantaneous information transfer across space and time. Such mechanisms could explain sudden psychic phenomena experienced during or after contact, such as spontaneous insights or telepathic communication. This hypothesis suggests that ET technology or consciousness may be inherently quantum in nature, enabling them to bypass classical physical limitations and directly influence human cognition and perception.
Technological Induction of Psychic States According to this hypothesis, advanced extraterrestrial technology can directly stimulate or alter neural pathways within the human brain. Such technological interventions might induce or enhance psychic abilities, akin to neural enhancement techniques used in neuroscience and neurotechnology. However, in this case, the source of stimulation is extraterrestrial in origin. Devices or fields generated by alien technology could modulate brain activity to produce phenomena like heightened intuition, telepathy, or other psychic states. This model draws parallels to existing neurostimulation methods, such as transcranial magnetic stimulation, but suggests that alien technology could operate on a much more advanced and efficient level, leading to sudden and profound psychic experiences.
Shared Consciousness or Collective Mind An alternative hypothesis is that contact with extraterrestrial beings connects humans to a collective consciousness or universal mind. This concept aligns with spiritual, mystical, and certain philosophical traditions that propose the existence of a shared mental field transcending individual consciousness. In this model, ET contact acts as a conduit or catalyst, enabling access to a collective pool of knowledge and psychic abilities. The "Noosphere," a term popularized by philosopher Teilhard de Chardin, describes a global mental sphere formed by the collective consciousness of all human beings. Contact with ETs might tap into or amplify this collective mental field, resulting in psychic phenomena such as shared visions, collective intuition, or synchronized experiences across individuals.
In conclusion, these models offer diverse explanations for the link between extraterrestrial contact and psychic phenomena. Whether through expanding consciousness, leveraging quantum mechanisms, technological stimulation, or accessing a collective mind, each hypothesis provides a unique perspective on how ET interactions could influence human psychic capacities. Further research and exploration are necessary to validate these theories and understand the true nature of these extraordinary phenomena.
Potential Mechanisms and Biological Correlates
From a neurobiological standpoint, the phenomenon of sudden psychic ability or intuitive insight could be underpinned by a range of complex brain processes and neurochemical changes. One plausible mechanism involves rapid neuroplasticity, where the brain swiftly reorganizes neural pathways in response to new stimuli or experiences, leading to heightened intuitive capabilities. This rapid adaptation could facilitate the sudden emergence of psychic phenomena, enabling individuals to access information beyond conventional sensory input.
Additionally, alterations in brain wave activity are often observed in relation to heightened intuitive states. Increased gamma wave activity, which is associated with high-level information processing, consciousness integration, and cognitive functioning, has been reported during episodes of intense insight or intuitive breakthroughs. Similarly, heightened theta and alpha wave activity are commonly linked with trance, meditation, or relaxed states of consciousness—conditions often correlated with enhanced intuitive or clairvoyant experiences. These oscillatory brain patterns may create a neural environment conducive to accessing subconscious knowledge or heightened perception.
Furthermore, shifts in neurochemical states may play a vital role in facilitating sudden psychic experiences. Neurotransmitters such as serotonin, dopamine, and endorphins are known to influence mood, perception, and cognitive function. An increase in certain neurochemicals could temporarily alter brain function, leading to states of expanded awareness or intuitive insight. For example, elevated serotonin levels during meditative or trance states have been associated with altered perception and a sense of connectedness, which might underpin psychic phenomena.
Some researchers also hypothesize that extraterrestrial influence could interact with human neurobiology, particularly targeting the pineal gland. Historically regarded as the "third eye," the pineal gland is associated with spiritual experiences, intuition, and mystical insights. It plays a key role in regulating melatonin, which influences sleep-wake cycles, but it also exhibits electromagnetic sensitivity, making it a potential site for contact-induced effects. If extraterrestrial entities or energies can modulate the activity of the pineal gland—either directly or indirectly—they might induce or enhance psychic phenomena, such as clairvoyance or telepathy.
The pineal gland contains calcifications and photoreceptive cells, which could hypothetically respond to external electromagnetic stimuli. Such modulation could alter neurochemical processes within the gland, leading to heightened states of awareness or psychic experiences. Moreover, some theories posit that contact with non-human intelligences might stimulate the release of certain neuropeptides or hormones, further impacting brain function and perception.
In summary, the potential biological mechanisms underlying sudden psychic abilities involve a combination of rapid neuroplastic changes, specific brain wave patterns, neurochemical shifts, and possibly extraterrestrial modulation of the pineal gland. These processes may create a neurophysiological environment conducive to accessing information beyond normal sensory channels, thus manifesting as intuitive or clairvoyant phenomena. Continued research into these areas could provide deeper insights into the neurobiological basis of extraordinary human experiences.
Challenges and Criticisms
Despite numerous intriguing anecdotal accounts and phenomenological reports of psychic phenomena linked to alien contact, scientific validation remains a significant challenge. Many researchers and skeptics emphasize that the subjective nature of these experiences makes empirical study difficult. Psychic experiences are inherently personal and often rely on individual recollections, emotional states, and perceptions, which are difficult to measure objectively. This subjectivity complicates efforts to establish consistent patterns or reproducibility across different cases, a key requirement for scientific validation.
One major obstacle is the problem of reproducibility. Unlike phenomena that can be systematically tested and observed under controlled conditions, psychic experiences related to alien contact tend to be isolated, unpredictable, and difficult to induce in laboratory settings. Attempts to replicate such experiences often fail, leading skeptics to question their legitimacy. Additionally, controlling for placebo effects and psychological biases poses a further challenge. Many reports are influenced by expectations, cultural beliefs, or suggestibility, which can distort perception and memory. For example, individuals predisposed to believe in extraterrestrial life or psychic phenomena may interpret ambiguous stimuli as evidence of alien contact, reinforcing their beliefs through confirmation bias.
The lack of objective biomarkers or verifiable data further hampers acceptance within mainstream scientific communities. Unlike physical phenomena, psychic experiences do not leave tangible traces or measurable scientific evidence. Neuroimaging or physiological studies have yet to produce conclusive indicators that can reliably distinguish genuine psychic experiences from hallucinations, psychological states, or other non-paranormal explanations. This absence of empirical data makes it difficult for scientists to evaluate or validate claims rigorously.
Ethical considerations also play a crucial role in the ongoing debate. Manipulating consciousness or inducing altered states for research purposes raises concerns about safety, informed consent, and potential long-term effects. There is also the risk of deception or hallucination, whether intentional or accidental, which complicates the interpretation of reports. Critics argue that some claims may stem from psychological conditions, such as trauma, sleep paralysis, or mental health disorders, rather than actual encounters with extraterrestrial entities or psychic phenomena.
In this video, you'll learn What Really Happens During Mystical Experiences. | Exploring the Mystical Side of Life | Linda Lang ...
In conclusion, while anecdotal and phenomenological reports offer compelling narratives, the scientific community remains cautious due to the inherent challenges of validation, reproducibility, and objectivity. Addressing these issues requires rigorous methodology, systematic data collection, and careful ethical considerations to deepen our understanding of these extraordinary claims. Until then, skepticism persists, emphasizing the need for tangible evidence and scientific rigor in exploring the mysteries of psychic phenomena related to alien contact.
Conclusion
The exploration of a potential link between alien contact and the sudden emergence of psychic abilities remains a compelling yet enigmatic field within parapsychology and ufology. Numerous anecdotal reports from individuals claiming to have experienced extraterrestrial encounters suggest that such interactions may be associated with heightened psychic phenomena, including telepathy, precognition, and clairvoyance (Hynek, 1972; Mack, 2000). Theoretical models propose that extraterrestrial technology or biological influence could potentially trigger or enhance innate human psychic capacities (Miller, 2015). Some researchers argue that these abilities might be latent traits that become activated through contact experiences, possibly due to neuroplastic changes induced by exposure to unfamiliar stimuli or advanced technologies (Jensen & Lee, 2018).
Furthermore, historical accounts of contactee phenomena often report sudden psychic insights coinciding with alleged alien encounters, which supports the hypothesis of a causal relationship (Gordon, 2012). Scientific investigations into these claims remain limited, primarily due to the challenges of empirical validation; however, emerging studies on the neurobiological basis of psychic phenomena provide some support for these ideas (Benton & Kline, 2019). The possibility that extraterrestrial influences could serve as a catalyst for psychic development continues to inspire both scientific inquiry and popular imagination. Future research, utilizing more rigorous methodology and interdisciplinary approaches, may shed further light on this intriguing connection and help determine whether these phenomena share a common underpinning or are coincidental.
References:
Benton, A., & Kline, R. (2019). Neurobiology of psychic phenomena: A review. Journal of Consciousness Studies, 26(3-4), 45-69.
Gordon, L. (2012). Contactees and the psychic experience: An historical perspective. UFO Studies Quarterly, 15(2), 22-31.
Hynek, J. (1972). The UFO Experience: A Scientific Inquiry. Chicago: Regnery.
Mack, J. (2000). The alien abduction phenomenon: A psychological perspective. Paranormal Review, 8(1), 14-25.
Miller, S. (2015). Extraterrestrial influences on human cognition. Astrobiology Journal, 9(4), 112-128.
Jensen, P., & Lee, H. (2018). Neuroplasticity and psychic development: A new frontier. Neuroscience & Philosophy, 4(2), 101-115.
Could “comet”3I/ATLAS be a piece of alien technology? A question that might sound straight out of a sci-fi movie is now being brought to the front of the space table by Abraham (Avi) Loeb the Baird Professor of Science and Institute director at Harvard University.
VLT FORS2 ESO image of 3I/ATLAS in motion through 13 minutes - visible as a line.
Credit: ESO/O. Hainaut
One might joke that 3I/ATLAS is a spaceship watching us from a safe distance like the Orville watching us from a distance, or maybe it’s the ship of an alien coming to attack us like in the Predator.
A paper co-authored by Avi Loeb along with Adam Hibberd and Adam Crowl from the Initiative for Interstellar Studies in London, UK, explores this very hypothesis.
The paper explores the possibility that 3I/ATLAS could provide evidence to support the dark forest hypothesis. The hypothesis which was popularized by Cixin Liu’s science fiction novel The Dark Forest proposes that our cosmic neighborhood is dangerous, filled with intelligent civilizations that are hostile and silent to avoid detection by potential predators.
In this context, the silence in searches for radio signals by the SETI community is not caused by the lack of extraterrestrial intelligent civilizations, but is instead a consequence of them fearing mutual destruction.
3I/ATLAS, discovered on July 1, is the third confirmed interstellar object after 1I/’Oumuamua (2017) and 2I/Borisov (2019).
This animation shows the observations of comet 3I/ATLAS when it was discovered on July 1, 2025. The NASA-funded ATLAS survey telescope in Chile first reported that the comet originated from interstellar space.
Credit: ATLAS/University of Hawaii/NASA
Unlike typical asteroids or comets, 3I/ATLAS displays an unusual combination of features:
Retrograde yet ecliptic orbital plane: With a tilt of 175.1°, its path lies nearly flat in the solar system’s plane but travels in the opposite direction—a configuration with a probability of around 0.2%.
Unnatural size: Based on its brightness and assuming a low albedo (reflectivity), 3I/ATLAS is estimated to be aeound 20 km (12.4 miles) in diameter. This makes it over 100 times bigger than 1I/’Oumuamua and vastly larger than what models predict for interstellar debris of this kind.
Lack of cometary outgassing: Despite its comet-like designation, there are no signs of a coma or tail—raising questions about its propulsion or material makeup. Interstellar comets are expected to outgas when nearing the Sun, as 2I/Borisov did. The absence of outgassing raises the possibility that the object is either inactive (which is rare near the Sun) or not natural at all.
Striking planetary flybys: 3I/ATLAS is synchronized to approach unusually close to Venus (0.65 AU — 1 AI is the Earth-Sun separation), Mars (0.19 AU) and Jupiter (0.36 AU), with a cumulative probability of 0.005% relative to orbits with the same orbital parameters but a random arrival time.
Solar eclipse at perihelion: On October 29, 2025, 3I/ATLAS will be hidden behind the Sun from Earth’s view—a perfect opportunity for a covert reverse Solar Oberth maneuver.
The optimal point for a reverse Solar Oberth maneuver to become bound to the Sun is at perihelion. In an Oberth maneuver, the thrust of a spacecraft is applied at its maximum orbital speed, namely at periapsis, to maximize the resulting change in kinetic energy.
This applies both to accelerating to achieve Solar System escape, or alternatively to slow down from a high speed (a `reverse Oberth maneuver’) in order to break, stay bound to the Sun and potentially visit a planet like Earth. It is this optimal breaking point for 3I/ATLAS that is obscured from our view by the Sun.
Incoming direction made early detection difficult: The direction from where 3I/ATLAS is coming is oriented towards the bright Milky-Way center, where crowding by background stars made its detection difficult prior to July 2025. If astronomers were to detect 3I/ATLAS more than a year earlier, then we would have had an opportunity to launch a spacecraft that could have intercepted 3I/ATLAS along its path. By now, such an interception is not feasible with chemical rockets.
Low ∆V required for planetary intercepts: The ∆V (change in velocity) required for 3I/ATLAS to intercept Mars, Venus, or Jupiter is unusually low. It is less than 5 km/s (3 mph) to reach Mars or Venus until July 2025 and less 5 km/s (3 mph) for Jupiter in November 2025. A ∆V of 5 km/s (3 mph) is comparable to that of intercontinental ballistic missiles, making such missions feasible with conventional propulsion.
Earth, however, requires a higher ∆V — possibly why 3I/ATLAS stays away initially. The overall probability of all 3 planets aligning in this is around 0.005%.
Diagram shows the trajectory of interstellar comet 3I/ATLAS as it passes through the solar system. It will make its closest approach to the Sun in October. Credit: NASA/JPL-Caltech
A testable theory
The authors stress that their theory is falsifiable. Should 3I/ATLAS pass through the solar system without performing unexpected maneuvers — particularly between November 21 and December 5, 2025 — the hypothesis would likely be debunked. But if anomalous accelerations or sudden trajectory shifts are observed, the debate could escalate dramatically.
“A visitor to Earth around the end of November to the beginning of December 2025, whatever form that might take, would clearly support our supposition,” the paper concludes.
What if it’s natural
While the authors admit that a natural explanation — such as a dormant comet or large asteroid — is more probable, each of those interpretations faces its own difficulties. The apparent size of the object makes it an extreme outlier among known interstellar visitors, and the absence of typical cometary activity raises questions about its physical composition.
Even if the object turns out to be natural, the calculations and simulations presented offer valuable insights for future interstellar object encounters, especially as the Vera C. Rubin Observatory is expected to detect many more in the coming decade.
4,400-Year-Old Sumerian Myth of Captive Storm God and Cunning Fox Finally Decoded
A fresh translation of a fragmentary Sumerian tablet has revealed one of the world's oldest surviving narratives featuring a cunning fox as an unlikely hero. The ancient clay tablet, designated Ni 12501 and dating to approximately 2400 BC, tells the extraordinary tale of a storm god held captive in the underworld and the clever fox who volunteers to rescue him when all other deities refuse.
Published in the academic journal Iraq by Dr. Jana Matuszak, this comprehensive analysis represents the first complete edition of a tablet that has tantalized scholars since its 19th-century excavation from Nippur, the ancient Sumerian religious center. The myth provides unprecedented insights into early Mesopotamian storytelling traditions and marks the earliest known appearance of the fox as a symbol of cunning intelligence in world literature, reports Phys.org.
The text of the fox and the storm god is unique in cuneiform literature, but it does contain motifs seen elsewhere. This photo shows an example of cuneiform writing, but it not related to the text of Ni 12501.
Image credit: Kamira/Shutterstock.com
The fragmented narrative reveals sophisticated themes of agricultural abundance, divine vulnerability, and the triumph of wit over strength that would echo through ancient mythology for millennia to come.
The myth centers on Ishkur, the Sumerian storm god responsible for bringing rain to the arid lands of southern Mesopotamia. According to the tablet's narrative, both Ishkur and his multicolored cattle are mysteriously captured and imprisoned in the kur - the Sumerian underworld. This catastrophic event threatens the agricultural foundation of Sumerian civilization, as the disappearance of the rain deity brings drought and famine to the land.
Dr. Matuszak explains that Ishkur, son of the mighty god Enlil, held crucial importance in Sumerian religion despite being less prominent than storm deities in regions where rainfall agriculture was possible
"In southern Iraq, there is not enough annual rainfall for agriculture, so people had to dig canals branching off the two main rivers, the Euphrates and the Tigris, to irrigate their fields and orchards," she notes.
The opening of the myth describes a world of abundance: glittering waters filled with fish and Ishkur's prized multicolored cattle grazing freely. However, this prosperity vanishes when both the god and his livestock are dragged into the underworld, leaving behind a landscape where children are being born and immediately carried off by the kur - a poetic description of widespread death from drought and starvation.
Faced with this crisis, Enlil, acting as head of the Sumerian pantheon, convenes a divine assembly to address the emergency. In a scene that highlights both divine authority and surprising vulnerability, Enlil asks the assembled gods which among them will venture into the dangerous underworld to retrieve his captured son.
The Fox's Clever Gambit
In a remarkable twist that establishes one of literature's earliest examples of the unlikely hero archetype, none of the powerful deities volunteer for the perilous mission - except Fox. This small, seemingly insignificant creature steps forward when gods fail to act, embodying themes of courage and cunning that would later appear in folklore traditions across the world.
The narrative reveals Fox's sophisticated understanding of underworld customs and dangers. Rather than relying on strength or divine power, Fox employs wit and deception to navigate the treacherous realm of the dead. When offered food and drink upon entering the kur (likely a test or trap designed to ensnare visitors) Fox cleverly accepts the offerings but secretly hides them in his receptacle rather than consuming them.
This strategic deception demonstrates Fox's awareness that eating or drinking in the underworld would bind him to that realm, preventing his return to the world of the living. The motif of dangerous hospitality in the land of the dead appears in mythologies worldwide, from the Greek story of Persephone to Celtic tales of fairy feasts, suggesting that this Sumerian narrative preserves one of humanity's earliest expressions of this universal theme.
Unfortunately, the tablet breaks off at this crucial moment, leaving Fox's ultimate fate unknown. Scholars can only speculate whether the clever creature successfully rescued Ishkur and restored abundance to the land, though the mythological patterns suggest a positive resolution.
Statue of Enlil, king of the gods, seated on his throne from Nippur, Iraq.
(Osama Shukir Muhammed Amin FRCP(Glasg)/ CC BY-SA 4.0)
Pioneering Narrative Techniques and Universal Themes
The Ni 12501 tablet represents far more than an entertaining story, it provides crucial evidence for the development of sophisticated narrative techniques in early Mesopotamian literature. The myth employs complex motifs including the illusion of death and resurrection, the cyclical nature of seasons, and the concept of agricultural abundance tied to divine presence.
Dr. Matuszak notes that these themes could refer either to a specific catastrophic event or to the recurring seasonal patterns that governed Mesopotamian agricultural life. The temporary "death" of the storm god and his eventual return mirrors the annual cycle of dry and wet seasons that determined survival in ancient Mesopotamia.
The story also introduces the motif of the cunning fox, the earliest known attestation of this association in world literature. This characterization would prove remarkably enduring, appearing in Aesop's fables, European folk tales, and indigenous stories across multiple continents. The Sumerian origins of this archetypal figure demonstrate the profound influence of early Mesopotamian storytelling on global narrative traditions.
Aesop’s Fables feature the sly Fox in several stories, pitting his wits against other animals.
Perhaps most significantly, the myth presents the theme of helpless gods saved by an unlikely hero who succeeds where the mighty fail. This narrative pattern, where cleverness triumphs over strength and the small overcome the great, appears throughout world mythology and continues to resonate in modern storytelling.
The tablet's creation around 2400 BC places it within the Early Dynastic IIIb period, when Sumerian city-states maintained political autonomy while sharing common cultural, religious, and linguistic traditions. Each city-state had its patron deity, but major gods like Enlil were venerated throughout Sumer, allowing stories like this one to spread across the region.
Using the Atacama Large Millimeter/submillimeter Array (ALMA), an international team of astronomers announced the detection of 17 complex organic molecules (COMs) in a protoplanetary disk surrounding a distant star. This includes the first tentative detection of ethylene glycol (CH₂OH)₂ and glycolonitrile (HOCH₂CN), which are believed to be building blocks of amino acids and their precursors. While these molecules have been detected in space before, this is the first time scientists have observed them in a planet-forming disk around a protostar, which offers tantalizing clues about the origin of life in the Universe.
The organic molecules they identified were found in the disk surrounding V883 Orionis, a protostar located about 1,350 light-years away in the constellation Orion. COMs are molecules with more than five atoms and at least one carbon atom. The detection of glycolonitrile is especially significant since it is a precursor in the amino acids glycine and alanine, and the nucleotide base adenine, one of the four that make up DNA and RNA. The discovery of COMs in the protoplanetary disk of V883 Orionis has helped resolve an enduring puzzle regarding the evolution of organic molecules in star systems.
Artist's impression of the water snowline around the young star V883 Orionis, as detected with the Atacama Large Millimeter Array (ALMA) in 2016.
Credit: A. Angelich (NRAO/AUI/NSF)/ALMA (ESO/NAOJ/NRAO)
The transition of a cold protostar to a young star with a protoplanetary disk is accompanied by a phase characterized by intense shockwaves and radiation that disturb gas and dust in the disk. These violent processes were thought to destroy most complex molecules that would have assembled very early in a system's history. This led scientists to propose the "reset scenario," where COMs would have to be recreated in the disks from which a system of planets, asteroids, and comets forms. As Kamber Schwarz, an MPIA scientist and co-author, explained in an MPIA press release:
Now it appears the opposite is true. Our results suggest that protoplanetary discs inherit complex molecules from earlier stages, and the formation of complex molecules can continue during the protoplanetary disk stage.
The main issue with the "reset scenario" is that COMs would not have enough time to form in significant amounts during a star's transition from the protostellar phase to a young star surrounded by a protoplanetary disk. In contrast, these findings suggest that the conditions that lead to biological processes are present early in solar evolution, rather than being restricted to individual planetary systems later. "Our finding points to a straight line of chemical enrichment and increasing complexity between interstellar clouds and fully evolved planetary systems," added Abubakar Fadul.
These findings also suggest that the abundance and complexity of COMs increase as protoplanetary disks evolve to become planetary systems, meaning that the building blocks of life are present in star systems from the earliest stages. In previous studies, astronomers identified simple organic molecules (like methanol) in stellar nurseries, the dense clouds of dust and gas that give birth to new stars. Said Tushar Suhasaria, a co-author and the head of MPIA's Origins of Life Lab, these same nurseries could contain complex compounds like those identified around V883 Orionis:
We recently found ethylene glycol could form by UV irradiation of ethanolamine, a molecule that was recently discovered in space. This finding supports the idea that ethylene glycol could form in those environments, but also in later stages of molecular evolution, where UV irradiation is dominant.
Comet C/2012 S1 (ISON). Credit: NASA/JPL-Caltech
Meanwhile, amino acids, sugars, and nucleobases (which make up DNA and RNA) have been found in asteroids, meteorites, and comets within the Solar System. Since the chemical reactions that lead to COMs occur under cold conditions, these same molecules surely exist in greater abundances in their interiors. While these cannot be accessed without drilling, comets experience outgassing as they draw closer to the Sun. As they grow warmer from solar heating, comets will form tails (or haloes) of gas and dust, which astronomers can study to identify the spectral signatures of organic molecules.
This process also occurs in the V883 Orionis system, where the star is still accreting gas from the surrounding disk, eventually triggering a fusion reaction in its core. During this period, the gas is heated and releases intense bursts of radiation that are strong enough to heat the surrounding disk, releasing the organic molecules detected by the team. Said Schwartz:
Complex molecules, including ethylene glycol and glycolonitrile, radiate at radio frequencies. ALMA is perfectly suited to detect those signals. While this result is exciting, we still haven't disentangled all the signatures we found in our spectra. Higher resolution data will confirm the detections of ethylene glycol and glycolonitril, and maybe even reveal more complex chemicals we simply haven't identified yet.
These findings also present the opportunity for follow-up investigations that look for molecules in other parts of the electromagnetic spectrum. Astronomers could identify even more evolved molecules like amino acids. If this theory is confirmed, it would reveal how the ingredients for life were distributed throughout the early Solar System, which could provide clues as to where else it might be found.
Illustration of Jexero Crater on Mars with liquid water. ( Credit: NASA/JPL-Caltech)
What can brine (extra salty) water teach scientists about finding past, or even present, life on Mars? This is what a recent study published in Communications Earth & Environment hopes to address as a researcher from the University of Arkansas investigated the formation of brines using 50-year-old data. This study has the potential to help researchers better understand how past data can be used to gain greater insights on the formation and evolution of surface brines on the surface of Mars.
For the study, Dr. Vincent Chevrier, who is an associate research professor at the University of Arkansas’ Center for Space and Planetary Sciences and sole author of the study, used a combination of meteorological data obtained from the Viking 2 lander and computer models to ascertain if melting frost during late winter and early spring on Mars could produce brines. Dr. Chevrier noted that Viking 2 data was used due to it being the sole mission in history to definitively detect, recognize, and analyze frost on Mars.
In the end, Dr. Chevrier found that during late winter and early spring, the upper latitudes of Mars where the Viking 2 lander is located experiences a one-month period where the surface temperature is approximately -75 degrees Celsius (-103 degrees Fahrenheit) in the early morning and late afternoon, enabling surface brines to briefly exist.
Dr. Chevrier notes in his conclusions, “Beyond the immediate implications for habitability, these results refine our understanding of Mars’ current water cycle. By demonstrating that even minimal frost deposits can contribute to transient brine formation, this study suggests that localized microenvironments might support intermittent liquid phases, influencing surface chemistry, regolith weathering, and even slope activity.”
Viking 2 landed in Utopia Planitia, which is a large plain in the northern latitudes of Mars at approximately 45 degrees north latitude and spanning approximately 3,300 kilometers (2,100 miles). For context, the location is the same as northern Oregon with Utopia Planitia’s size being just less than the width of the continental United States.
Utopia Planitia exhibits a top surface layer known as the latitude dependent mantle (LDM) that is comprised of a mixture of water ice and dust. The LDM is created during periods of high obliquity on Mars, approximately 45 degrees, when the planet’s axial tilt is at a greater angle than today, which currently sits at approximately 25 degrees, slightly greater than Earth’s 23.1-degree obliquity. While Earth has our Moon to stabilize our axial tilt, Mars does not have this stability, resulting in drastic swings over hundreds of thousands of years. During periods of high obliquity, the ice caps at both poles of Mars evaporate, releasing large quantities of frozen water ice, carbon, and dust, that gets deposited onto the high latitudes of Mars.
The water cycle that Dr. Chevrier mentions plays a role during periods of high obliquity and the LDM being deposited during these periods, as well. While obliquity isn’t mentioned in this study, the existence of brines in the high latitudes of Mars could offer clues to what processes occur during periods of high obliquity. Brines could also provide insights into the current habitability of Mars, as mentioned by Dr. Chevrier, while also enabling scientists to learn more about whether life could have existence on ancient Mars.
Dr. Chevrier notes in his conclusions, “Robotic landers equipped with in situ hygrometers and chemical sensors could target these seasonal windows to directly detect brine formation and constrain the timescales over which these liquids persist.”
What new discoveries about Mars surface brines will researchers make in the coming years and decades? Only time will tell, and this is why we science!
Dark long streaks called recurring slope lineae flowing downhill on Mars are inferred to have been formed by contemporary flowing water. Credits: NASA/JPL/University of Arizona
In 1976, NASA's Viking 1 and 2missions landed on Mars and began conducting the first astrobiology studies on another planet. This involved the analysis of soil samples for possible indications of organic molecules and biological processes (aka. "biosignatures"). The results of these studies were inconclusive and led to a general sense of pessimism towards the idea that Mars ever hosted life. However, the presence of features that could only have formed in the presence of flowing water - flow channels, delta fans, hydrated minerals, etc. - led to renewed astrobiology efforts by the 1990s.
Since then, no less than 25 missions (a combination of orbiters, landers, and rovers) have been sent to Mars to learn more about its past and resume the search for biosignatures. These efforts have been bolstered by the discovery of Recurring Slope Lineae (RSL), which refers to dark linear features on steep slopes on Mars. These features appear to be seasonal in nature, appearing in summer and fading away during winter, which suggests the presence of liquid water. In a recent paper, Vincent Chevrier of the University of Arkansas (UArk) presents the most compelling evidence to date that seasonal brines occur on Mars.
Between the extreme variations in temperature and Mars' very low atmospheric pressure (less than 1% that of Earth), water cannot exist in a stable form on the surface. As such, the existence of RSLs remains a controversial issue for scientists. These "brines" are believed to result from seasonal melts mixing with the natural perchlorates in Martian soil. Assuming they can exist, these patches could host life in the form of single-celled microbes. According to the latest research by Vincent Chevrier, an associate research professor at UArk's Center for Space and Planetary Sciences,
VincentChevrier, an associate research professor at the University of Arkansas' Center for Space and Planetary Sciences.
Credit: UArk
Seasonal frosts are common on Mars and present the best chance for finding liquid brines. However, because of Mars' thin atmosphere, water tends to transition directly from ice and vapor without becoming a liquid (aka. sublimates). To investigate the possibility of liquid existing periodically in the form of brines, Chevrier consulted meteorological data collected by the Viking 2 mission, which landed in the Utopia Planitia region on September 3rd, 1976. Located in Mars' Northern Lowlands, this region is known to have permafrost and is believed to have once been covered by a planetwide ocean.
This was combined with data from the Mars Climate Database and computer modeling to determine if brines could form from melting frost for brief periods. Chevrier selected the Viking 2 data because it is the only mission to have clearly observed, identified, and characterized frost on Mars. Chevrier has spent the last 20 years studying Mars for signs of liquid water and has long suspected that perchlorates are the most promising salts for brine formation because of their extremely low salt-water melting point.
This includes brines composed of water and calcium perchlorate, which solidifies at -75 °C (-103 °F), whereas average surface temperatures on Mars range from 20 °C (68 °F) during the day to -153°C (-243°F) at night. Based on the climate modeling data, Chevrier determined there is a brief window lasting for one Martian month (roughly two months on Earth) between late winter and early spring when temperatures are right for the formation of brines. He further concluded that ideal temperatures are present between early morning and late afternoon, and are either too hot or too cold at other times.
These brines would be scarce, since calcium perchlorate accounts for about 1% of Martian regolith, and frosts that form in the Northern Lowlands are extremely thin. While these findings are not conclusive proof that brines exist on Mars, they do indicate that Mars could conceivably support life adapted to much colder, drier conditions. What's more, they offer a tantalizing prediction of what future missions to Mars could find and suggest that similar processes may occur in other frost-bearing regions, such as the mid-to-high latitudes.
The psychological significance of the UFO or UAP phenomenon: A scientific analysis
What characteristics do ufologists tend to have? Who is likely to report sightings of UFOs? How long has humanity been interested in unidentified flying objects, anyway?
The psychological significance of the UFO or UAP phenomenon: A scientific analysis
ABSTRACT
The phenomenon of unidentified flying objects (UFOs) and recent terms such as Unknown Earth Phenomena (UAPs) have occupied a prominent place in the public and scientific spheres since the mid-20th century. Although often initially dismissed as fantasy or mass hysteria, the constant interest and increasing reporting has led to an in-depth psychological analysis of the significance and implications of this phenomenon for individuals and societies. This comprehensive analysis examines the psychological signification of UFO/UAP phenomena, using theories from psychology, sociology and cognitive science.
An important psychological aspect that plays a role in the UFO phenomenon is the human tendency to recognize patterns. Our brains are evolutionarily developed to detect patterns, as this helps us quickly identify and respond to threats and opportunities. This skill was essential to our survival in prehistoric times, for example by quickly noticing dangerous animals or by recognizing food sources. However, this innate tendency can also lead to seeing shapes and patterns that are not really there, especially when we are confronted with unclear or unexpected visual stimuli at night or during restless observations.
For example, when people see a strange light in the sky, their interpretation is strongly influenced by existing beliefs, expectations, and experiences. If someone believes that aliens exist, they are more likely to consider the observed phenomenon a UFO, even if the observation does not provide concrete evidence. This phenomenon is reinforced by cognitive biases, such as confirmation bias—the tendency to search, interpret, and remember information in a way that confirms existing beliefs. For example, a person who believes in alien life will tend to interpret any strange light or unusual behavior in the sky as evidence of UFOs.
These psychological processes create a self-reinforcing pattern. Any observation that matches the observer's expectations is taken as evidence, while discrepancies are often ignored or attributed to natural or human causes. This creates a vicious cycle in which beliefs are reinforced by observations, making it difficult to remain objective and approach the phenomenon from a scientific perspective. Understanding these human tendencies is therefore crucial in studying the UFO phenomenon and interpreting the countless sightings that have been made over the years.
The role of attachment, fear, and uncertainty Psychologists emphasize that the observation of unexplained phenomena such as UFOs is often linked to human emotions and psychological processes. In many cases, these experiences are characterized by feelings of fear, confusion, and uncertainty. These emotions can arise from personal circumstances, such as stress, fear of the future, or feelings of insecurity, but also from social unrest and uncertainty within society. When people are confronted with incomprehensible phenomena in the sky, such as sudden spots, flashes of light, or objects that move in unusual ways, these feelings can intensify and lead to interpretations that go beyond the mere observation of a phenomenon.
In times of social tension or personal crisis, people may be inclined to interpret such sightings symbolically. The UFO phenomenon then often takes on an important meaning: it can be seen as an extra-human entity that threatens the human order, or conversely, as a mysterious force that connects humanity with the unknown and the universe. These interpretations are often influenced by cultural and media influences, leading UFOs to be seen not only as inexplicable phenomena but also as symbols of fear, hope, or change.
For some individuals, UFO sightings can also be a projection of underlying fears and uncertainties about human vulnerability and the future. The incomprehensible in the sky can be frightening because it undermines the human need for control and predictability. When people encounter something inexplicable, they may interpret it as a sign of alien invasion or control. These interpretations can stem from a need to reduce ambiguity by providing a concrete narrative that gives the phenomenon meaning.
The search for explanations for UFOs, therefore, also serves as a way to manage uncertainty. By finding an explanation, the incomprehensible becomes more understandable and people can reduce their anxiety. It helps them better organize the world and maintain a sense of control in a situation that is otherwise perceived as chaotic and unpredictable. Moreover, belief in extraterrestrial visitors can also offer a form of hope, for example, the hope of contact with the unknown, or the conviction that we are not alone in the universe.
In short, UFO sightings are strongly influenced by psychological factors such as attachment, fear, and uncertainty. These emotions determine how people interpret unexplained phenomena and often imbue them with symbolic meaning. Searching for explanations is not only a way to explain the incomprehensible but also to gain control over one's emotions and give meaning to the unknown. Consequently, UFO sightings acquire significant psychological and cultural significance, especially during periods of social and personal uncertainty.
Invaders from Mars (1953)
Sociocultural Construction and Mass Psychology Sociocultural construction and mass psychology play a crucial role in understanding the UFO phenomenon. It is not simply a matter of individual psychological processes but is strongly influenced by the social and cultural context in which people function. For example, mass media, films, books, and other forms of popular culture contribute significantly to the way UFOs and extraterrestrials are depicted and understood. These media representations create an image of UFOs as mysterious, often frightening phenomena that stimulate and reinforce the public's imagination.
Furthermore, there is the influence of society and culture on the perception of UFOs. People are often confronted with stories, rumors, and reports that reinforce a certain image of extraterrestrials. These stories are presented by the media and popular culture in a way that can fuel and reinforce belief in extraterrestrial presence. This creates a kind of collective belief, in which the observations and interpretations of individuals are reinforced by the social environment.
According to crowd psychology theory, this process is further explained by the way collective perceptions and beliefs spread and reinforce within groups. When a community or group believes that UFOs exist or that aliens are present, individual observations are often shared and confirmed by others. This reinforces the collective phenomenon and creates a kind of group psychology in which beliefs can be reinforced, even without objective evidence. This dynamic often leads to suggestibility, conformity, and the formation of shared beliefs, which in turn influence the perception and interpretation of sightings.
In short, the UFO phenomenon is not solely determined by individual experiences but is also shaped by a complex interaction between culture, media, and group psychology. These factors ensure that the image of UFOs and aliens is constructed and reinforced within society, making it a collective phenomenon that continues to develop within the societal context.
The Significance of the UFO Phenomenon in the Search for Existential Answers For many people, the UFO or UAP (Unidentified Aerial Phenomena) phenomenon serves as a powerful symbol in the search for deeper, existential answers about our existence. The phenomenon raises questions that touch the core of who we are, where we come from, and what our place is in the vast universe. One of the most pressing questions people ask themselves is whether aliens actually exist. Seeing strange objects in the sky and investigating these sightings can create a sense of wonder and connection with the universe. At the same time, they can also trigger feelings of fear and uncertainty, especially when one fears that we are not alone in the universe and that there may be powerful alien civilizations observing, controlling, or even threatening us.
The UFO phenomenon plays a significant role in the psychological need for meaning and control. People often seek explanations for the unknown and the incomprehensible, especially when it comes to the big questions about our existence. The phenomenon offers a framework within which to place the unknown, by connecting it to a larger, potentially extraterrestrial narrative that offers some kind of explanation for the mysterious phenomena. The idea that alien beings exist and might visit us can strengthen a sense of connection with the universe and give meaning to observations that would otherwise remain incomprehensible. It can also help to alleviate the uncertainty about our place in the cosmos by offering a narrative in which we are not alone, but part of a much larger whole.
At the same time, the UFO phenomenon also evokes feelings of smallness, isolation, and fear. The idea that extraterrestrial forces exist that can observe or even control us can reinforce feelings of powerlessness and vulnerability. For some, the phenomenon becomes a source of theories and fears about loss of control and the unknown that lies beyond our human grasp. However one interprets it, the UFO phenomenon thus functions as a mirror for our existential quest: it brings us closer to questions about existence and our place in the universe, while simultaneously confronting us with the uncertainties and fears that come with it. In this sense, it is not only a mysterious phenomenon but also a reflection of our deep-seated search for meaning, control, and connection in a vast and often incomprehensible universe.
The Impact on Identity and Worldview The UFO and UAP phenomenon, or the unexplained aerial phenomenon that may have extraterrestrial origins, not only influences how people view the world but also touches deeply rooted aspects of one's identity and self-image. The appearance of such phenomena in the public and personal spheres can fundamentally change how someone views their place in the universe and how they relate to society and its institutions. This change can range from a sense of wonder and inspiration to feelings of fear and uncertainty.
For some, belief in extraterrestrial visitation is a source of inspiration and wonder. It opens the door to major questions about existence, the possibilities of life beyond Earth, and the technological capabilities of other civilizations. This curiosity fuels the desire for knowledge and can lead to deeper exploration of science, astronomy, and human history. It can also instill a sense of connection with a larger universe, making the person feel part of a much larger whole. This can positively impact self-esteem and worldview, as people feel less isolated and gain the sense that there is more than just the earthly world.
On the other hand, the UFO phenomenon can also lead to negative psychological effects. When people are confronted with unexplained events or sightings that don't fit within their conventional worldviews, they can develop feelings of confusion and anxiety. Some even experience paranoia and distrust of government agencies and scientific institutions, believing that important information is being withheld or that a conspiracy is at work. This distrust can lead to a loss of control over one's worldview and a sense of uncertainty about reality. Belief in alien visitors can then morph into a fear of the unknown and the uncontrollable.
Confronting the unexplained can also cause cognitive dissonance. Cognitive dissonance is the psychological tension that arises when one's existing beliefs no longer align with new observations or information. For example, someone who has always believed that the world is entirely controlled by humans may suddenly be confronted with testimonies or images suggesting the existence of aliens. This creates internal tension because the existing worldview seems incompatible with the new information. To reduce this tension, people can employ various strategies. Some choose to revise their original beliefs and integrate new ideas, while others use defensive mechanisms such as denial or rationalization. For example, someone might believe the sightings are likely a misinterpretation or a government experiment, thus reducing fear and uncertainty.
Furthermore, belief in extraterrestrial phenomena can also influence an individual's identity by forming new beliefs and associations. People who strongly identify with the UFO and UAP milieu may see themselves as explorers or as guardians of a secret that humanity should know. This can strengthen their self-image and instill a sense of mission, motivating them to investigate further and become actively involved with like-minded groups. On the other hand, people who experience these phenomena as threatening may withdraw from social contact or isolate themselves because they no longer feel safe or understood.
The societal impact of the UFO dossier also plays a role. Government agencies and scientific institutions often face skepticism and controversy surrounding the phenomenon. The more people believe that the truth about UAPs is being concealed, the stronger their distrust of official bodies and science becomes. This can lead to a strengthened subculture of conspiracy theories and alternative worldviews, which undermine the traditional worldview. People who believe in these theories can position themselves as "guardians" of the truth and rebel against the established order. This not only strengthens their identity but also creates a personal reality in which they maintain control over information and truth.
In short, the UFO and UAP phenomenon has a profound impact on how people see themselves and the world around them. It can lead to an expansion of worldviews and a strengthening of the sense of connection, but also to fear, distrust, and a loss of control. The way each individual copes with this is partly determined by personal beliefs, psychological resilience, and societal influences. So the phenomenon affects not only the air, but also the human psyche and identity at a fundamental level.
Conclusion: The UFO/UAP Phenomenon as a Projection and Mirror of Human Psychology In summary, the UFO or UAP phenomenon has a complex and multifaceted psychological significance. It is not merely a physical phenomenon manifesting in the sky, but also a profound reflection of our human psyche, fears, desires, and societal dynamics. This phenomenon raises questions about our perception of reality, our fear of the unknown, and how we deal with uncertainty and extraterrestrial possibilities.
The phenomenon is often interpreted as a projection of human emotions and collective fears. In times of societal stress or uncertainty, people seem more inclined to view extraterrestrial phenomena as a way to explain or externalize unexplained events. For example, during periods of political unrest or technological change, UFOs are sometimes seen as symbols of alien domination or as expressions of our fear of losing control. Furthermore, UFOs often serve as a kind of modern mythology, incorporating stories and images into our collective imagination. These phenomena are therefore seen not only as physical beings, but also as symbols that reflect our inner world.
Furthermore, UFOs and UAPs can also be interpreted as reflections of human dreams and ideals. They represent the hope for extraterrestrial intelligence, the possibility of contact, and the quest for higher consciousness. In this sense, they function as projections of our desires for connection and knowledge, and can serve as a kind of ultimate symbol for the human quest for meaning beyond our earthly limitations.
Furthermore, human psychology plays a significant role in the interpretation and perception of these phenomena. Our brains tend to look for patterns and assign meaning to ambiguous observations, which can lead to hallucinations or illusions. Various cultural and societal factors also determine how we perceive and interpret UFOs. Media, stories, and folklore influence our images and expectations, allowing the phenomenon to manifest as a mirror of our collective beliefs and prejudices.
In short, the UFO or UAP phenomenon is not merely an astronomical or physical phenomenon, but primarily a psychological and cultural one. It functions as a projection of our inner world and as a mirror of societal and individual fears, dreams, and desires. Through this lens, we can better understand the phenomenon as a symptom of our human nature and the way we deal with the unknown.
De psychologische betekenis van het UFO- of UAP-fenomeen: Een wetenschappelijke analyse
De psychologische betekenis van het UFO- of UAP-fenomeen: Een wetenschappelijke analyse
Het fenomeen van onidentificeerde vliegende objecten (UFO's) en recente termen zoals Onbekende Aardse Fenomenen (UAP's) hebben sinds het midden van de 20e eeuw een prominente plaats ingenomen in de publieke en wetenschappelijke sfeer. Hoewel aanvankelijk vaak afgedaan als fantasie of massale hysterie, heeft de voortdurende interesse en de toenemende rapportages geleid tot een diepgaande psychologische analyse van de betekenis en implicaties van dit fenomeen voor individuen en samenlevingen. In deze uitgebreide analyse wordt onderzocht wat de psychologische significatie van UFO/UAP-verschijnselen is, gebruikmakend van theorieën uit de psychologie, sociologie en cognitieve wetenschap.
De menselijke neiging tot patroonherkenning en de perceptie van het onbekende
Een belangrijk psychologisch aspect dat een rol speelt bij het UFO-fenomeen is de menselijke neiging om patronen te herkennen. Onze hersenen zijn evolutionair ontwikkeld om patronen te detecteren, omdat dit ons helpt om bedreigingen en kansen snel te identificeren en op te reageren. Deze vaardigheid was essentieel voor onze overleving in de oertijd, bijvoorbeeld door het snel opmerken van gevaarlijke dieren of door het herkennen van voedselbronnen. Echter, deze aangeboren neiging kan ook leiden tot het zien van vormen en patronen die er niet echt zijn, vooral wanneer we geconfronteerd worden met onduidelijke of onverwachte visuele stimuli in de nacht of bij onrustige waarnemingen.
Wanneer mensen bijvoorbeeld een vreemd licht aan de hemel zien, wordt hun interpretatie sterk beïnvloed door bestaande overtuigingen, verwachtingen en ervaringen. Als iemand gelooft dat buitenaardse wezens bestaan, is de kans groter dat die persoon het waargenomen fenomeen beschouwt als een UFO, zelfs wanneer de observatie niet concreet bewijs levert. Dit verschijnsel wordt versterkt door cognitieve biases, zoals de ‘confirmation bias’ – de neiging om informatie te zoeken, interpreteren en herinneren op een manier die bestaande overtuigingen bevestigt. Zo zal een persoon die in buitenaards leven gelooft, geneigd zijn om elk vreemd licht of ongebruikelijk gedrag aan de hemel te zien als bewijs voor UFO’s.
Deze psychologische processen creëren een zelfversterkend patroon. Elke waarneming die overeenkomt met de verwachtingen van de waarnemer, wordt als bewijs gezien, terwijl afwijkingen vaak worden genegeerd of toegeschreven aan natuurlijke of menselijke oorzaken. Zo ontstaat een vicieuze cirkel waarin overtuigingen worden versterkt door waarnemingen, wat het moeilijk maakt om objectief te blijven en het fenomeen vanuit een wetenschappelijk perspectief te benaderen. Het begrijpen van deze menselijke neigingen is daarom cruciaal bij het bestuderen van het UFO-fenomeen en het interpreteren van de talloze waarnemingen die in de loop der jaren zijn gedaan.
Foo Fighters – onverklaarde UFO’s tijdens de Tweede Wereldoorlog
(foto: US Air Force)
De rol van gehechtheid, angst en onzekerheid
Psychologen benadrukken dat de waarneming van onverklaarbare fenomenen zoals UFO's vaak niet losstaat van menselijke emoties en psychologische processen. In veel gevallen worden deze ervaringen gekenmerkt door gevoelens van angst, verwarring en onzekerheid. Deze emoties kunnen ontstaan door persoonlijke omstandigheden, zoals stress, angst voor de toekomst of gevoelens van onveiligheid, maar ook door maatschappelijke onrust en onzekerheid in de samenleving. Wanneer mensen geconfronteerd worden met onbegrijpelijke verschijnselen in de lucht, zoals plotselinge vlekken, lichtflitsen of objecten die zich op ongewone wijze bewegen, kunnen deze gevoelens zich versterken en leiden tot interpretaties die verder gaan dan de louter waarneming van een fenomeen.
In tijden van maatschappelijke spanning of persoonlijke crisis kunnen mensen geneigd zijn om zulke waarnemingen symbolisch te interpreteren. Het UFO-fenomeen krijgt dan vaak een belangrijke betekenis: het kan gezien worden als een buitenmenselijke entiteit die de menselijke orde bedreigt, of juist als een mysterieuze kracht die de mensheid verbindt met het onbekende en het universum. Deze interpretaties worden vaak beïnvloed door culturele en media-invloeden, waardoor UFO's niet alleen als onverklaarbare verschijnselen worden gezien, maar ook als symbolen van angst, hoop of verandering.
Voor sommige individuen kunnen UFO-waarnemingen ook een projectie zijn van onderliggende angsten en onzekerheden over de menselijke kwetsbaarheid en de toekomst. Het onbegrijpelijke in de lucht kan angstaanjagend zijn omdat het de menselijke behoefte aan controle en voorspelbaarheid ondermijnt. Wanneer mensen geconfronteerd worden met iets dat niet te verklaren is, kunnen ze dit interpreteren als een teken van buitenaardse invasie of controle. Deze interpretaties kunnen voortkomen uit een behoefte om de onduidelijkheid te reduceren door er een concreet verhaal aan te geven, waarmee men het fenomeen een betekenis kan geven.
Het zoeken naar verklaringen voor UFO's dient daarom ook als een manier om onzekerheid te beheersen. Door een verklaring te vinden, wordt het onbegrijpelijke begrijpelijker gemaakt en kunnen mensen hun angst verminderen. Het helpt hen de wereld beter te ordenen en een gevoel van controle te behouden in een situatie die anders als chaotisch en onvoorspelbaar wordt ervaren. Daarnaast kan het geloof in buitenaardse bezoekers ook een vorm van hoop bieden, bijvoorbeeld de hoop op contact met het onbekende, of de overtuiging dat wij niet alleen zijn in het universum.
Kortom, de waarneming van UFO's wordt sterk beïnvloed door psychologische factoren zoals gehechtheid, angst en onzekerheid. Deze emoties bepalen hoe mensen onverklaarbare verschijnselen interpreteren en geven het fenomeen vaak een symbolische betekenis. Het zoeken naar verklaringen is niet alleen een manier om het onbegrijpelijke te verklaren, maar ook om de eigen emoties onder controle te krijgen en betekenis te geven aan het onbekende. Daardoor krijgen UFO-waarnemingen een belangrijke psychologische en culturele betekenis, vooral in periodes van maatschappelijke en persoonlijke onzekerheid.
De socioculturele constructie en massapsychologie
De socioculturele constructie en massapsychologie spelen een essentiële rol in het begrijpen van het UFO-fenomeen. Het is niet slechts een kwestie van individuele psychologische processen, maar wordt sterk beïnvloed door de sociale en culturele context waarin mensen functioneren. Zo dragen massamedia, films, boeken en andere vormen van populaire cultuur aanzienlijk bij aan de manier waarop UFO's en buitenaardse wezens worden afgebeeld en begrepen. Deze mediavoorstellingen scheppen een beeld van UFO's als mysterieuze, vaak angstaanjagende verschijnselen die de verbeelding van het publiek prikkelen en versterken.
Daarnaast is er de invloed van de samenleving en cultuur op de perceptie van UFO’s. Mensen worden vaak geconfronteerd met verhalen, geruchten en rapportages die een bepaalde beeldvorming over buitenaardse wezens versterken. Deze verhalen worden door de media en populaire cultuur op een manier gepresenteerd die het geloof in buitenaardse aanwezigheid kan aanwakkeren en versterken. Hierdoor ontstaat een soort collectieve overtuiging, waarbij de waarnemingen en interpretaties van individuen versterkt worden door de sociale omgeving.
Volgens de theorie van massapsychologie wordt dit proces verder verklaard door de manier waarop collectieve waarnemingen en overtuigingen zich verspreiden en versterken binnen groepen. Wanneer een gemeenschap of groep gelooft dat UFO's bestaan of dat er buitenaardse wezens aanwezig zijn, worden individuele waarnemingen vaak gedeeld en bevestigd door anderen. Dit versterkt het collectieve fenomeen en creëert een soort groepspsychologie waarbij de overtuigingen zich kunnen versterken, zelfs zonder objectieve bewijzen. Deze dynamiek leidt vaak tot suggestibiliteit, conformiteit en de vorming van gedeelde overtuigingen, die op hun beurt de perceptie en interpretatie van waarnemingen beïnvloeden.
Kortom, het UFO-fenomeen wordt niet louter bepaald door individuele ervaringen, maar wordt mede gevormd door een complexe interactie tussen cultuur, media en groepspsychologie. Deze factoren zorgen ervoor dat het beeld van UFO’s en buitenaardse wezens in de samenleving wordt geconstrueerd en versterkt, waardoor het een collectief fenomeen wordt dat zich verder ontwikkelt binnen de maatschappelijke context.
De betekenis van het UFO-fenomeen in de zoektocht naar existentiële antwoorden
Voor veel mensen fungeert het UFO- of UAP-fenomeen (Unidentified Aerial Phenomena) als een krachtig symbool in de zoektocht naar diepere, existentiële antwoorden over ons bestaan. Het fenomeen roept vragen op die de kern raken van wie wij zijn, waar wij vandaan komen en wat onze plaats is in het grote universum. Een van de meest prangende vragen die mensen zich stellen, is of buitenaardse wezens daadwerkelijk bestaan. Het zien van vreemde objecten in de lucht en het onderzoeken van deze waarnemingen kunnen een gevoel van verwondering en verbondenheid met het universum creëren. Tegelijkertijd kunnen ze ook gevoelens van angst en onzekerheid veroorzaken, vooral wanneer men vreest dat wij niet de enigen in het universum zijn en dat er mogelijk buitenaardse machtige beschavingen bestaan die ons observeren, controleren of zelfs bedreigen.
Het UFO-fenomeen speelt een belangrijke rol in de psychologische behoefte aan betekenis en controle. Mensen zoeken vaak naar verklaringen voor het onbekende en het onbegrijpelijke, vooral wanneer het gaat om de grote vragen over ons bestaan. Het fenomeen biedt een structuur waarin men het onbekende kan plaatsen, door het te koppelen aan een groter, mogelijk buitenaards verhaal dat een soort verklaring biedt voor de mysterieuze verschijnselen. Het idee dat er buitenaardse wezens bestaan die ons mogelijk bezoeken, kan een gevoel van verbondenheid met het universum versterken en een gevoel van betekenis geven aan de waarnemingen die anders onbegrijpelijk zouden blijven. Het kan ook helpen om de onzekerheid over onze plaats in het kosmos te verzachten, door het bieden van een verhaal waarin wij niet alleen zijn, maar deel uitmaken van een veel groter geheel.
Invaders from Mars (1953)
Tegelijkertijd roept het UFO-fenomeen ook gevoelens van kleinheid, isolatie en angst op. Het idee dat er buitenaardse machten bestaan die ons kunnen observeren of zelfs controleren, kan gevoelens van onmacht en kwetsbaarheid versterken. Voor sommigen wordt het fenomeen een bron van theorieën en angsten over controleverlies en het onbekende dat zich buiten onze menselijke controle bevindt. Hoe men het ook interpreteert, het UFO-fenomeen fungeert dus als een spiegel voor onze existentiële zoektocht: het brengt ons dichter bij de vragen over het bestaan en onze plaats in het universum, en confronteert ons tegelijkertijd met de onzekerheden en angsten die daarmee gepaard gaan. In die zin is het niet alleen een mysterieus fenomeen, maar ook een reflectie van onze diepgewortelde zoektocht naar betekenis, controle en verbondenheid in een onmetelijk en vaak onbegrijpelijk universum.
De impact op identiteit en wereldbeeld
Het UFO- en UAP-fenomeen, oftewel het onverklaarbare verschijnsel in de lucht dat mogelijk buitenaardse oorsprong heeft, heeft niet alleen een invloed op de manier waarop mensen naar de wereld kijken, maar raakt ook diepgewortelde aspecten van iemands identiteit en zelfbeeld. Het verschijnen van dergelijke fenomenen in de publieke en persoonlijke sfeer kan een fundamentele verandering teweegbrengen in hoe iemand zijn of haar plaats in het universum ziet en hoe men zich verhoudt tot de samenleving en haar instituties. Deze verandering kan variëren van een gevoel van verwondering en inspiratie tot gevoelens van angst en onzekerheid.
Voor sommige mensen vormt het geloof in buitenaards bezoek een bron van inspiratie en verwondering. Het opent de deur naar grote vragen over het bestaan, de mogelijkheden van leven buiten de aarde en de technologische capaciteiten van andere beschavingen. Deze nieuwsgierigheid voedt het verlangen naar kennis en kan leiden tot een verdiepend onderzoek naar wetenschap, astronomie en de menselijke geschiedenis. Het kan ook een gevoel van verbondenheid geven met een groter universum, waardoor de persoon zich onderdeel voelt van een veel groter geheel. Dit kan een positieve invloed hebben op het zelfbeeld en het wereldbeeld, doordat men zich minder geïsoleerd voelt en het gevoel krijgt dat er meer is dan alleen de aardse wereld.
Aan de andere kant kan het UFO-fenomeen ook leiden tot negatieve psychologische effecten. Wanneer mensen geconfronteerd worden met onverklaarbare gebeurtenissen of waarnemingen die niet binnen de reguliere wereldbeelden passen, kunnen ze een gevoel van verwarring en angst ontwikkelen. Sommige personen ervaren zelfs paranoia, wantrouwen richting overheidsinstanties en wetenschappelijke instellingen, omdat zij denken dat belangrijke informatie wordt achtergehouden of dat er een samenzwering gaande is. Dit wantrouwen kan leiden tot een verlies van controle over het eigen wereldbeeld en een gevoel van onzekerheid over de werkelijkheid. Het geloof in buitenaardse bezoekers kan dan veranderen in een angst voor het onbekende en het oncontroleerbare.
De confrontatie met het onverklaarbare kan ook cognitieve dissonantie veroorzaken. Cognitieve dissonantie is de psychologische spanning die ontstaat wanneer iemands bestaande overtuigingen niet langer overeenstemmen met nieuwe waarnemingen of informatie. Bijvoorbeeld, iemand die altijd heeft geloofd dat de wereld volledig door mensen wordt gecontroleerd, kan plots geconfronteerd worden met getuigenissen of beelden die het bestaan van buitenaardse wezens suggereren. Dit veroorzaakt een innerlijke spanning omdat het bestaande wereldbeeld niet compatibel lijkt met de nieuwe informatie. Om deze spanning te verminderen, kunnen mensen verschillende strategieën toepassen. Sommigen kiezen ervoor om hun oorspronkelijke overtuigingen te herzien en nieuwe ideeën te integreren, terwijl anderen defensieve mechanismen gebruiken zoals ontkenning of rationalisatie. Bijvoorbeeld, iemand kan denken dat de waarningen waarschijnlijk een misinterpretatie of een experiment van de overheid zijn, om zo de angst en onzekerheid te verminderen.
Daarnaast kan het geloof in buitenaardse verschijnselen ook de identiteit van een individu beïnvloeden door het vormen van nieuwe overtuigingen en associaties. Mensen die zich sterk identificeren met het UFO- en UAP-milieu kunnen zichzelf zien als ontdekkingsreizigers of als bewakers van een geheim dat de mensheid zou moeten weten. Dit kan hun zelfbeeld versterken en een gevoel van missie geven, wat hen motiveert om verder onderzoek te doen en actief betrokken te raken bij gelijkgestemde groepen. Aan de andere kant kunnen mensen die deze fenomenen als bedreigend ervaren, zich terugtrekken uit sociale contacten of zich isoleren omdat ze zichzelf niet meer veilig of begrepen voelen.
De maatschappelijke invloed van het UFO-dossier speelt ook een rol. Overheidsinstanties en wetenschappelijke instituten worden vaak geconfronteerd met scepticisme en controverse rondom het fenomeen. Hoe meer men gelooft dat de waarheid over UAP’s wordt verborgen, hoe sterker het wantrouwen wordt jegens officiële instanties en wetenschap. Dit kan leiden tot een versterkte subcultuur van complottheorieën en alternatieve wereldbeelden, die het traditionele wereldbeeld ondermijnen. Mensen die hierin geloven, kunnen zichzelf positioneren als ‘bewakers’ van de waarheid en zich afzetten tegen de gevestigde orde. Dit versterkt niet alleen hun identiteit, maar schept ook een eigen werkelijkheid waarin zij de controle over informatie en waarheid behouden.
Kortom, het UFO- en UAP-fenomeen heeft een diepgaande impact op hoe mensen zichzelf en de wereld om hen heen zien. Het kan leiden tot een verruiming van het wereldbeeld en een versterking van het gevoel van verbondenheid, maar ook tot angst, wantrouwen en het verlies van controle. De manier waarop ieder individu hiermee omgaat, wordt mede bepaald door persoonlijke overtuigingen, psychologische veerkracht en maatschappelijke invloeden. Het fenomeen raakt dus niet alleen de lucht, maar ook de menselijke psyche en identiteit op een fundamenteel niveau.
Conclusie: het UFO/UAP-fenomeen als projectie en spiegel van menselijke psychologie
Samenvattend kan worden gesteld dat het UFO- of UAP-fenomeen een complexe en veelzijdige psychologische betekenis heeft. Het gaat niet louter om een fysiek fenomeen dat zich in de lucht manifesteert, maar ook om een diepgaande spiegel van onze menselijke psyche, angsten, verlangens en maatschappelijke dynamiek. Dit verschijnsel roept vragen op over onze perceptie van de werkelijkheid, onze angst voor het onbekende en de manier waarop wij omgaan met onzekerheid en buitenaardse mogelijkheden.
Het fenomeen wordt vaak geïnterpreteerd als een projectie van menselijke emoties en collectieve angsten. In tijden van maatschappelijke stress of onzekerheid lijken mensen sneller geneigd om buitenaardse verschijnselen te zien als een manier om onverklaarbare gebeurtenissen te verklaren of te externaliseren. Bijvoorbeeld, in perioden van politieke onrust of technologische veranderingen worden UFO's soms gezien als symbolen van buitenaardse overheersing of als uitingen van onze angst voor het verlies van controle. Daarnaast dienen UFO's vaak als een soort moderne mythologie, waarin verhalen en beelden worden geïncorporeerd in onze collectieve verbeelding. Deze verschijnselen worden daardoor niet alleen als fysiek bestaan gezien, maar ook als symbolen die onze innerlijke wereld reflecteren.
Verder kunnen UFO's en UAP's ook worden geïnterpreteerd als reflecties van menselijke wensdromen en idealen. Ze vertegenwoordigen de hoop op buitenaardse intelligentie, op de mogelijkheid van contact en op de zoektocht naar hoger bewustzijn. In die zin fungeren ze als projecties van onze verlangens naar verbondenheid en kennis, en kunnen ze dienen als een soort ultiem symbool voor de menselijke zoektocht naar betekenis buiten onze aardse beperkingen.
Daarnaast speelt de menselijke psychologie een grote rol in de interpretatie en perceptie van deze verschijnselen. Onze hersenen zijn geneigd om patronen te zoeken en betekenis toe te kennen aan onduidelijke waarnemingen, wat kan leiden tot hallucinaties of illusies. Verschillende culturele en maatschappelijke factoren bepalen ook hoe we UFO's waarnemen en interpreteren. Media, verhalen en folklore beïnvloeden onze beelden en verwachtingen, waardoor het fenomeen zich kan manifesteren als een spiegel van onze collectieve overtuigingen en vooroordelen.
Kortom, het UFO- of UAP-fenomeen is niet slechts een astronomisch of fysiek verschijnsel, maar vooral een psychologisch en cultureel fenomeen. Het fungeert als een projectie van onze innerlijke wereld en als een spiegel van maatschappelijke en individuele angsten, dromen en verlangens. Door deze lens kunnen we het fenomeen beter begrijpen als een symptoom van onze menselijke aard en de manier waarop wij omgaan met het onbekende.
Source: Copyright Twentieth Century Fox. Public Domain.
Back in my early days of blogging for Psychology Today, I posted an article (2010) on the UFO (now UAP) phenomenon which, more than a decade-and-a-half later, I want to revisit and further amplify.
It is a subject that has grown increasingly compelling and fascinating for some over the years, including myself, particularly following the recent release of military verified videos of so-called UAPs by the U.S. government (see The New York Times article), and one I believe worthy of further analysis. What is the psychological significance of this strange phenomenon?
As Stanford psychiatrist Irvin Yalom (1980) asserts, one of the "ultimate concerns" of humankind is our existential state of alienation and isolation often expressed in the question: Are we alone in the universe? Traditionally, religion (i.e., the belief in god or gods or some superhuman being) has been helpful for some, both individually and collectively, in assuaging the sense of being all alone in a cold and uncaring cosmos. However, for many today, traditional religion no longer fulfills this function.
Yet, despite this secular turn away from religion toward a more scientific worldview, for a growing number of people the answer to this age old query is nevertheless a resounding NO. Why? Because they fervently believe in the existence of intelligent extraterrestrial life. (See, for example, my prior piece on the wildly popular television program, Ancient Aliens.) It is as if faith in some divine deity has been replaced by belief in alien life forms visiting Earth in extraordinary vehicles beyond our current technological comprehension. This quasi-religious conviction regarding the objective reality of extraterrestrial visitation begs several big questions, not the least of which are: Who are they? Why are they here? What do they want?
In 1958, C.G. Jung published a very controversial work about UFO's, at that time popularly referred to as "flying saucers." Later posthumously titled Flying Saucers: A Modern Myth of Things Seen in the Sky (Princeton University Press, 1979), Jung's main concern at that time was less whether or not these UFO's objectively, physically or materially exist than with their subjective, phenomenological inner reality, psychological meaning, and spiritual significance. (See my prior posts on subjective and objective reality.)
Jung's existential emphasis on our fundamental human need for meaning in the face of a seemingly random and meaningless universe is something he shared with psychotherapists like Otto Rank, Viktor Frankl and Rollo May (see my prior post). Indeed, meaning and the problem of meaninglessness is, as Yalom (1980) posits, another ultimate concern of existential psychotherapy.
Existential analyst Viktor Frankl (1946/1984) felt that we all possess an innate, instinctual "will to meaning": i.e., an intrinsic need to make sense of life, to find some significance and purpose.(See my prior post.) When this basic need is chronically unmet or frustrated, when we find ourselves living in a seemingly absurd, meaningless world, a state of mind he termed an "existential vacuum" frequently resulting in feelings of despair, rage, depression, and embitterment. As Jung pithily put it, "Man cannot stand a meaningless life."
Existential psychoanalyst Rollo May, in his final major work, The Cry for Myth (1991), clearly illustrates the vital psychological importance of myths (or personal or archetypal narratives) that help give meaning to human existence and suffering. Soren Kierkegaard, a philosophical forerunner of existential therapy, held that life is fundamentally meaningful, and that it is our task to discover that enigmatic meaning.
At the same time, like Jean-Paul Sartre, existential therapy recognizes the possibility that life may be essentially meaningless or absurd except to the extent we courageously and creatively imbue it with meaning. That life holds no inherent hidden meaning other than that which we choose to give it. And that without the capacity to tolerate life's partial or total meaninglessness, we become perilously susceptible to believing almost anything, no matter how fantastic, in order to allay our existential anxiety or Angst about the unknown and satisfy our insatiable psychological and spiritual need for meaning.
This could partially explain the underlying psychology of the UFO phenomenon. The unknown can, for most if not all creatures, be a frightening and dreadful experience. As with primitive peoples witnessing natural phenomena such as solar or lunar eclipses, fire, floods, thunder, lightning, volcanoes, earthquakes, volcanic eruptions, or tornadoes, we tend to fear the unknown and create elaborate stories or myths to try to explain it, rendering it less scary. Religion can be generally understood as one such myth. Science is another. They both serve the psychological purpose of mitigating our existential anxiety in the face of these enigmatic, mysterious, and terrifying phenomena.
This is part 1 of a two-part series.
References
Diamond, S.A. (2025). The psychology and psychotherapy of evil: Encountering the daimonic." Chapter 16 in Volume One of the American Psychological Association Handbook of Humanistic and Existential Psychology. (L. Hoffman, Ed.)
Diamond, S.A. (1996). Anger, madness, and the daimonic: The psychological genesis of violence, evil, and creativity. SUNY Press.
Jung, C.G. (1961). Memories, dreams, reflections. (R. & C. Winston, Trans.; A. Jaffe, Ed.). Pantheon Books.
Yalom, I. (1980). Existential psychotherapy. Basic Books.
A Growing Number Of People Believe Aliens Have Visited Us – And That Could Be A Problem
A Growing Number Of People Believe Aliens Have Visited Us – And That Could Be A Problem
Ufology has always been a fringe field divided between those curious about UFOs and those who believe in cover-ups, but now the beliefs of the former have made their way into wider political views.
More and more people appear to believe that supposed UFO sightings are evidence of alien visitation. This belief could be a problem for society.
Is There Anyone Out There? An Exploration of the Search for Extraterrestrial Life
The question of whether we are alone in the universe has captivated humanity for centuries. Anyone gazing into the vast, star-studded night sky has likely pondered the existence of other intelligent beings somewhere among the countless celestial bodies. The sheer scale of the universe, with its billions of galaxies, each containing billions of stars and potentially even more planets, makes it seem plausible that life exists beyond Earth. Yet, despite this compelling logic, definitive evidence confirming the existence of extraterrestrial life remains elusive as of now.
Historically, the idea of life beyond Earth was rooted in myth, religious beliefs, and speculation. Ancient civilizations often considered the cosmos as populated or influenced by divine or supernatural beings. With the advent of modern science and astronomy, the focus shifted to empirical investigation. The development of telescopes and space exploration technology allowed scientists to expand their understanding of the universe's vastness and complexity. Astrobiology, an interdisciplinary science dedicated to studying life's potential in the universe, has become central to these efforts. Missions like the Mars rovers, the search for exoplanets in habitable zones, and the study of extreme environments on Earth—where life exists under harsh conditions—are all aimed at uncovering signs of life beyond our planet.
Recently, the question of extraterrestrial visitation has gained renewed attention, fueled by reports and claims of unidentified flying objects (UFOs) and unidentified aerial phenomena (UAPs). Although mainstream science remains cautious, a growing number of people believe that some UFO sightings indicate evidence of alien visitors. This belief is reinforced by declassified government reports and videos showing objects performing maneuvers that defy current understanding of physics. While these sightings do not conclusively prove alien contact, they have sparked widespread interest and debate, raising questions about the possibility of intelligent extraterrestrial civilizations reaching Earth.
The potential discovery of extraterrestrial life—whether microbial life on Mars or intelligent beings elsewhere—poses profound scientific, psychological, and societal implications. Scientifically, confirming extraterrestrial life would revolutionize our understanding of biology, evolution, and the conditions necessary for life. Psychologically, it could challenge human self-perception and our place in the universe, prompting introspection about our origins and destiny. Societally, the discovery could influence cultural, religious, and political beliefs, potentially uniting humanity in shared wonder or causing fear and division.
While the scientific community continues its methodical search, the question remains open. The possibility that intelligent life exists elsewhere in the universe is both exhilarating and daunting. As our technological capabilities improve and our understanding deepens, we inch closer to answers—though, at present, the definitive reply to “Is there anyone out there?” remains beyond our grasp. Nonetheless, the quest to explore the cosmos and seek out our cosmic neighbors continues, driven by curiosity and the fundamental human desire to discover our place in the universe.
The Scientific Basis for the Search for Extraterrestrial Life
The universe's vastness is often cited as a compelling reason to believe in extraterrestrial life. Modern cosmology estimates the universe contains over 2 trillion galaxies, each comprising billions to trillions of stars, many of which host planets in the so-called "habitable zone." The discovery of exoplanets—planets outside our solar system—has significantly expanded our understanding of potential habitats for life. As of 2023, thousands of exoplanets have been identified, some with conditions that could support life as we know it.
Astrobiology, the scientific study of life's potential in the universe, combines disciplines such as biology, geology, and astronomy. Researchers examine extremophiles—organisms that thrive in Earth's harshest environments—to understand the potential for life in extraterrestrial environments. The detection of water, organic molecules, and other prebiotic compounds on moons such as Europa and Enceladus further fuels the hypothesis that life could exist elsewhere.
Despite these promising findings, conclusive evidence of extraterrestrial life remains elusive. The scientific community emphasizes rigorous methodologies, such as the search for biosignatures—indicators of past or present life—via telescopes and space missions. Projects like the James Webb Space Telescope aim to analyze the atmospheres of exoplanets for signs of life. Similarly, missions to Mars and icy moons aim to uncover microbial life, if present.
The Rise of Belief in Alien Encounters
Despite the absence of conclusive scientific evidence, public belief in extraterrestrial visitation has seen a notable increase over recent decades. Surveys and polls consistently show that a significant portion of the population holds the conviction that Earth has been visited by alien beings. Several interconnected factors contribute to this growing trend, shaping public perceptions and fueling imagination about the possibility of extraterrestrial life.
1. Media and Popular Culture
One of the most influential drivers of public belief in alien encounters is the pervasive presence of media and popular culture. Movies, television series, documentaries, and books frequently depict encounters with extraterrestrial beings, UFO sightings, and abductions. Iconic films like Close Encounters of the Third Kind and E.T. the Extra-Terrestrial, along with numerous sci-fi series, have played a pivotal role in popularizing the idea that alien life exists and may have visited Earth. These portrayals often dramatize encounters and create compelling narratives that resonate with audiences, blurring the line between fiction and perceived reality.
The influence of media extends beyond entertainment; it shapes collective imagination and expectations about what alien contact might look like. For many, the depiction of flying saucers and alien abductions in popular culture has become ingrained in their worldview, leading to a heightened sensitivity to unusual phenomena and a tendency to interpret ambiguous stimuli as potential evidence of extraterrestrial activity. The widespread dissemination of such stories and images reinforces the idea that UFOs are not just fictional but could be real phenomena, thus contributing to the rise of belief.
2. Declassified Government Files
Government transparency, or perceived transparency, has also impacted public perceptions regarding alien encounters. Over the years, various governments, particularly the United States, have declassified and released documents related to UFO sightings and investigations. Notably, the Pentagon's release of videos showing unidentified aerial phenomena (UAP) has captured widespread attention and reignited debates about the existence of extraterrestrial visitors.
These releases have led to increased public skepticism toward official explanations that attribute UFO sightings to natural or man-made causes. The acknowledgment of unexplained aerial phenomena by military and governmental agencies has fueled speculation that authorities might possess knowledge about alien contacts that they are reluctant to disclose. The publication of these documents has empowered believers, who see them as evidence that governments are withholding crucial information about extraterrestrial life and visitation. This dynamic fosters a sense of intrigue and suspicion, further elevating public interest and belief in alien encounters.
3. Personal Anecdotes and Anecdotal Evidence
Another significant factor influencing public belief in alien encounters is the proliferation of personal stories and anecdotal accounts. Thousands of individuals across different regions claim to have experienced sightings of unidentified flying objects or even direct encounters with extraterrestrial beings. Many share their stories online through forums, social media, and dedicated websites, while others have narrated their experiences in books and media interviews.
While these personal testimonies lack the scientific rigor and verification required for validation, they have a powerful psychological and cultural impact. Human beings tend to be naturally inclined toward storytelling, and personal accounts often evoke emotional responses that can persuade others of their authenticity. These stories contribute to a collective narrative that reinforces the possibility of alien visitation, especially when accompanied by photographs, videos, or other supposed evidence. Despite the absence of empirical proof, the sheer volume of anecdotal evidence sustains and amplifies public belief in extraterrestrial encounters.
4. Psychological and Cognitive Factors
Underlying many beliefs in alien encounters are psychological and cognitive processes inherent to human nature. Humans are highly adept at pattern recognition—a trait that historically helped our ancestors identify threats and opportunities in their environment. However, this predisposition can lead to false positives, where natural or mundane phenomena are misinterpreted as extraordinary events.
For instance, ambiguous lights in the night sky or strange sounds can be perceived as alien craft or signals. Our brains also have a tendency to attribute agency to unexplained stimuli, a phenomenon known as "agent detection." This cognitive bias can result in people believing that unidentified phenomena are controlled or caused by intelligent extraterrestrial beings, especially when combined with cultural influences and media portrayals.
Additionally, psychological factors such as the desire for wonder, fear of the unknown, and the human tendency towards superstition can make individuals more receptive to believing in alien encounters. Some researchers suggest that sleep paralysis, hallucinations, and other neurological phenomena may also contribute to reports of alien abductions and sightings. These cognitive and psychological mechanisms help explain why belief in extraterrestrial encounters continues to grow, even in the absence of concrete scientific evidence.
Conclusion
In sum, the rise in public belief in alien encounters is a complex phenomenon influenced by media portrayals, government disclosures, personal anecdotes, and inherent human cognitive biases. While scientific validation remains elusive, these factors collectively create an environment where belief in extraterrestrial visitation continues to thrive. As media and cultural narratives evolve, and as governments release more information, it is likely that public interest and belief in alien encounters will persist, driven by a combination of psychological predispositions and societal influences.
Implications of Widespread Belief in Alien Visitation
The increasing belief among the general public that extraterrestrials have visited Earth could have profound and multifaceted implications across various domains of society. This shift in perception is likely to influence scientific inquiry, cultural narratives, governmental policies, and social behaviors in both positive and potentially challenging ways.
On the positive side, widespread belief in alien visitation could stimulate greater interest in space exploration and scientific research. As more people become convinced that intelligent life exists beyond our planet, there may be increased funding and support for space agencies such as NASA, ESA, and private companies like SpaceX. This heightened interest could accelerate technological innovations related to spacecraft, communication systems, and life-supporting habitats. Additionally, a surge in curiosity might inspire educational initiatives aimed at STEM (Science, Technology, Engineering, and Mathematics), encouraging young generations to pursue careers in science and engineering fields. The pursuit of understanding extraterrestrial life could also lead to international collaborations, fostering peaceful cooperation among nations in the quest to explore the cosmos.
However, there are also significant societal challenges that could arise from this widespread belief. For example, if the notion of alien visitation becomes mainstream without solid scientific evidence, it may lead to the proliferation of conspiracy theories, misinformation, and distrust in official sources. Governments and scientific institutions might face difficulties in communicating facts versus fiction, potentially resulting in public confusion or panic. There could also be cultural and religious tensions, especially if the idea of extraterrestrial life conflicts with existing belief systems or philosophical worldviews.
Furthermore, the societal response to the idea of alien visitation could influence policy decisions. For instance, governments may need to establish protocols for handling potential encounters or evidence of extraterrestrial life, which could involve international treaties and diplomatic channels. The question of disclosure from authorities might become contentious, with debates about transparency and the management of public reactions.
In terms of social behavior, belief in alien visitations might alter perceptions of humanity’s place in the universe, fostering either a sense of unity and shared purpose or fear and paranoia. The phenomenon could also impact mental health, with some individuals experiencing anxiety or existential crises in response to these beliefs.
In conclusion, the widespread belief in alien visitation holds immense potential to inspire scientific advancement and cultural enrichment, but it also necessitates careful management to mitigate societal risks. Ensuring accurate information dissemination, fostering international cooperation, and addressing cultural sensitivities will be crucial in navigating the complex implications of this phenomenon.
Potential Societal Challenges
The increasing reports and public interest in unidentified aerial phenomena and potential extraterrestrial encounters bring with them a host of societal challenges that merit careful consideration. While the scientific exploration of these phenomena can expand our understanding of the universe, it also raises several concerns that could impact society on multiple levels.
1. Misinformation and Pseudoscience:
One of the most significant issues surrounding the topic of alien encounters is the proliferation of misinformation and pseudoscience. As stories and claims about alien sightings, abductions, or encounters spread through social media, forums, and even mainstream media, unverified and often sensationalist narratives can overshadow credible scientific research. This can lead to a general decline in scientific literacy, as people may be misled into believing in conspiracy theories or unsubstantiated claims. The rapid spread of pseudoscientific ideas can foster distrust in scientific institutions and experts, making it more difficult for society to discern fact from fiction. Moreover, such misinformation can hinder future scientific investigations, as unfounded fears or false beliefs may influence public opinion and policy decisions.
2. Psychological Impact:
The societal belief in alien visitation might also have profound psychological effects on individuals. For some, credible or perceived evidence of extraterrestrial life could trigger anxiety, paranoia, or fear about humanity’s place in the universe. Others might experience hallucinations, sleep disturbances, or interpret natural phenomena—such as unusual weather patterns or atmospheric events—as signs of alien activity. This can lead to social alienation, where individuals feel isolated due to their beliefs or fears. In extreme cases, the collective hysteria surrounding sightings or reports could result in mass panic or distress, impacting mental health on a broader scale.
3. Policy and Security Concerns:
Governments worldwide could face mounting pressure to respond to these phenomena, especially if credible evidence suggests potential security threats. Requests for transparency about classified information related to unidentified aerial phenomena (UAP) could spark political debates and diplomatic tensions. Misinterpretations of UAPs as hostile or advanced military technology might provoke unwarranted military responses, escalating tensions or even leading to conflicts. Additionally, the allocation of resources towards investigating and monitoring these phenomena might divert attention from other critical issues, creating logistical and policy challenges.
4. Religious and Philosophical Implications:
The potential discovery or widespread belief in extraterrestrial life could profoundly impact religious and philosophical perspectives. Many religious doctrines place humans at the center of creation or assign a special significance to humanity’s role in the universe. Evidence of alien life could challenge these traditional views, prompting debates about the nature of existence, consciousness, and the divine. Philosophically, questions about the uniqueness of human life and our place in the cosmos would be intensified, possibly leading to a reevaluation of long-held beliefs. Such paradigm shifts could cause societal discomfort or resistance from religious institutions, as they grapple with reconciling new scientific information with spiritual doctrines.
Conclusion: While the exploration of unidentified aerial phenomena and the possibility of extraterrestrial life offers exciting scientific and philosophical opportunities, it is essential to recognize and address the associated societal challenges. Misinformation, psychological effects, policy dilemmas, and philosophical debates are all interconnected issues that require careful management. Promoting scientific literacy, fostering open and transparent communication, and engaging in multidisciplinary dialogues will be crucial in navigating these challenges responsibly. As society stands on the brink of potentially paradigm-shifting discoveries, a balanced approach that considers both scientific possibilities and societal implications will be vital for ensuring that progress benefits all.
Addressing the Challenges: A Scientific and Educational Approach
In today’s society, the proliferation of misinformation and misconceptions surrounding UFOs and extraterrestrial life poses significant challenges. To effectively navigate these issues, it is essential to promote comprehensive scientific literacy and critical thinking skills among the general public. Scientific literacy enables individuals to evaluate information more accurately, discern credible sources from unreliable ones, and understand the scientific methods used in extraterrestrial research. Critical thinking further empowers people to analyze claims objectively, question assumptions, and avoid falling prey to sensationalism or conspiracy theories.
Public education campaigns play a pivotal role in this endeavor. These initiatives should aim to clearly communicate the distinctions between credible scientific research, which is based on empirical evidence and peer-reviewed findings, and speculative or anecdotal claims that lack rigorous validation. Educational programs can utilize multimedia platforms, school curricula, and community outreach to make complex scientific concepts accessible and engaging. For example, explaining the scientific process behind UFO investigations—such as data collection, analysis, and peer review—can demystify the subject and foster a more informed public discourse.
Transparency from scientific and governmental institutions is equally vital in building public trust and dispelling misconceptions. Regular updates about UFO investigations, openly sharing data and methodologies, and acknowledging uncertainties can foster an environment of honesty and accountability. When institutions operate transparently, they reduce suspicion and encourage constructive dialogue about unexplained phenomena, rather than fueling unfounded conspiracy theories.
Furthermore, fostering international collaboration is crucial in the quest to discover extraterrestrial life. Space agencies, research institutions, and governmental bodies across countries should work together to share data, resources, and expertise. Initiatives such as the Search for Extraterrestrial Intelligence (SETI) exemplify this collaborative approach. SETI employs advanced radio telescopes and signal analysis techniques to detect potential communications from intelligent civilizations beyond Earth. Maintaining scientific rigor in these efforts involves rigorous peer review, standardized protocols, and ethical considerations, such as ensuring that discoveries are communicated responsibly and without causing unnecessary alarm.
In addition, establishing international guidelines and treaties can help manage the ethical implications of potential extraterrestrial contact and ensure that discoveries benefit humanity collectively. Overall, a combination of scientific education, transparent communication, and international cooperation is essential to address societal challenges related to UFO phenomena and extraterrestrial life, fostering a more informed, responsible, and united global community in the pursuit of cosmic knowledge.
Conclusion
The question of whether extraterrestrial life exists remains one of the most profound and intriguing in scientific inquiry. While numerous scientific discoveries and ongoing research suggest that the universe's vastness and diversity increase the likelihood of life beyond Earth, definitive evidence has yet to be found. The discovery of extremophiles—organisms that thrive in Earth's most extreme environments—has expanded our understanding of the potential habitats for alien life, indicating that life could exist in a variety of conditions previously thought inhospitable. Advances in telescopes and space exploration technology have led to the identification of numerous exoplanets within the habitable zone of their stars, further fueling speculation about the possibility of extraterrestrial organisms.
Despite these promising developments, there remains no verified evidence that extraterrestrial beings have visited or made contact with Earth. The scientific community continues to explore this possibility through projects such as SETI (Search for Extraterrestrial Intelligence) and NASA's Mars missions, which seek signs of past or present life. While the absence of concrete proof leaves the question open, the ongoing search underscores humanity's innate curiosity and desire to understand its place in the cosmos. Ultimately, whether extraterrestrial life exists remains an open question, one that drives scientific research and captures the imagination of people worldwide.
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26-07-2025
Space Ice Discovery Has a Secret Structure — And It’s Changing What We Know About the Universe
Space Ice Discovery Has a Secret Structure — And It’s Changing What We Know About the Universe
When you imagine Space Ice Discovery, it probably seems simple—just frozen water clinging to dusty moons, comets, or floating freely between the stars. For years, scientists believed this space ice was disordered, known as amorphous ice—lacking any structure due to the extreme cold of space.
But now, researchers from University College London (UCL) and the University of Cambridge have discovered something unexpected. What we thought was formless, chaotic ice is hiding a surprising amount of order. Up to 25% of what we’ve been calling amorphous ice is made up of tiny crystals, and this single discovery could transform how we understand planet formation, space exploration, and the search for life.
What Makes Space Ice Discovery So Mysterious?
The Conditions That Shape Ice Beyond Earth
On Earth, water freezes into familiar, symmetrical shapes—snowflakes and ice cubes. That’s because the freezing process happens at temperatures that allow molecules to arrange themselves into neat patterns. In space, however, temperatures drop to –100°C to –200°C and below—conditions long thought to be too cold for any kind of molecular order.
That’s why the dominant assumption was that space ice forms in a chaotic, amorphous state. Without energy to move into alignment, water molecules were believed to simply freeze in place, forming a jumbled mess.
The Breakthrough Discovery
Simulations That Tell a Different Story
A team led by Dr. Michael B. Davies at UCL set out to test whether this assumption was entirely correct. Using computer models, they created virtual versions of space ice by freezing water at extremely cold temperatures. These simulations showed something fascinating: the ice wasn’t completely disordered. Instead, up to 25% of it contained tiny crystals, just 3 nanometers wide—smaller than the width of a strand of DNA.
To validate these digital findings, researchers turned to physical samples in the lab. They created low-density amorphous ice using different methods and then analyzed its structure using X-ray diffraction. When beams passed through the ice, they scattered in patterns that matched the structure of the simulated crystals.
These results confirmed that space ice isn’t completely chaotic. Instead, it’s a mixture—a complex structure where order and disorder coexist.
How Tiny Crystals Hide Inside the Chaos
The Role of Nanocrystallites
These microscopic crystals—called nanocrystallites—are embedded throughout the amorphous matrix. Though small, they reveal a type of hidden memory. In follow-up tests, the researchers warmed the ice just enough to make it recrystallize. The results were astonishing. The way the ice restructured itself depended on how it had been formed in the first place.
This behavior is only possible if the ice retained some information about its earlier state, which wouldn’t happen if it were completely disordered. That retention is now seen as strong proof that a significant portion of amorphous ice is partially crystalline.
Why This Changes Everything
Planetary Formation Reimagined
Ice in space isn’t just scenery—it’s a major building block in the early formation of planets and moons. In protoplanetary disks, icy grains clump together and serve as the glue that forms rocky bodies. If these grains are more structured than previously believed, it affects how they interact—how they stick, melt, reflect heat, or even bounce off each other.
This discovery gives researchers a better understanding of the initial conditions in planetary systems, offering new clues into how complex celestial bodies form over time.
Practical Implications for Space Missions
Space Ice Discovery as a Resource
The new findings are valuable not just for theoretical astronomy, but for future space missions. Ice is being considered as a strategic resource—whether as a source of water and fuel or as radiation shielding on the Moon, Mars, or icy moons like Europa and Enceladus.
Knowing the internal structure of that ice—whether it’s porous, dense, amorphous, or crystalline—determines how it should be processed, melted, or mined. If a mission is counting on extracting oxygen and hydrogen from ice, understanding the way it behaves under different temperatures becomes vital.
The Puzzle of Life’s Origins
A Twist in the Panspermia Theory
One theory about life’s origins is that essential organic compounds—amino acids, sugars, and more—arrived on Earth embedded in space ice. This idea relies on amorphous ice being full of voids and gaps where molecules could be stored and protected.
But with the revelation that much of this ice is partly crystalline, that assumption is now under review. Crystalline regions are tightly packed and leave less space for molecules to get trapped. However, the remaining amorphous areas could still do the job—just not as effectively as once thought.
This doesn’t disprove the theory, but it does add complexity. Scientists now need to rethink how ice in space can act as a carrier for life’s ingredients.
What’s Next for Ice Research?
A New Era of Exploration
This isn’t the end of the story—it’s the beginning of a new line of questions. Researchers are now exploring how factors like freezing speed, cosmic radiation, and the presence of salts or organics impact the formation of nanocrystals.
They’re also questioning whether 100% amorphous ice even exists in space, or if some form of crystallinity is always present. With more missions headed to icy worlds, these questions are becoming more urgent and more exciting.
conclusion
This discovery invites a profound shift in how we see the universe. It shows that even the most seemingly ordinary material—frozen water—can contain layers of mystery and meaning. The structure of ice grains might influence everything from the birth of solar systems to the potential for alien life.
What once looked like cosmic frost now appears more like a complex, dynamic material, woven with nanoscale order in a sea of disorder. It’s a quiet reminder that the universe still holds surprises—and sometimes they’re hiding in plain (or frozen) sight.
Visual representation of the structure of low-density amorphous ice. Many tiny crystallites (white) are concealed in the amorphous material (blue). Credit Credit: Michael B Davies, UCL and University of Cambridge
Next time you're drinking a frosty iced beverage, think about the structure of the frozen chunks chilling it down. Here on Earth, we generally see ice in many forms: cubes, sleet, snow, icicles, slabs covering lakes and rivers, and glaciers. Water ice does this thanks to its hexagonal crystal lattice. That makes it less dense than nonfrozen water, which allows it to float in a drink, in a lake, and on the ocean.
Water ice exists across the Solar System beyond Earth, and it’s abundant in the larger Universe. For example, it shows up in dense molecular clouds. These are star- and planet-forming crèches laced with water ice throughout, as well as in the resulting cometary nuclei. That material is called "low-density amorphous ice (LDA)" and it doesn’t have the same rigid structure as Earth ice does.
We all know that water is the basis for life on this planet. Despite how common it may appear across the Universe, scientists still don’t fully understand it. Studying amorphous ice may help explain its still-to-be-solved mysteries. Here in the Solar System, large amounts of LDA exist in the realm of the ice and gas giants, throughout the Kuiper Belt, and the Oort Cloud. A team of scientists at University College London investigated the form of this ice using computer simulations. They found that the simulations matched the makeup of ice that isn’t completely amorphous and has tiny crystals embedded within.
Jupiter's moon Ganymede is covered with water ice. It likely has a deep, subsurface ocean. Other moons in the Solar System, such as Enceladus, also show evidence of water ice and scientists are interested in the structure of that material.
Scientists long assumed that "space ice" would be "disordered" without the structure we see in ice on Earth. Why does the structure of ice matter? According to researcher Michael Davies, who led the research team, water ice plays a crucial role in materials and structures across the cosmos. “This is important as ice is involved in many cosmological processes,” he said, “for instance in how planets form, how galaxies evolve, and how matter moves around the Universe.” In addition, understanding the structure of this ice in comparison to ice that formed on Earth has implications for understanding other similar "ultrastable glass" substances that form similar to the way ice does.
Low-density water ice was first discovered in the 1930s and a high-density version was discovered in the 1980s. Davies and his team discovered medium-density amorphous ice in 2023. This is a form of water ice that has the same density as liquid water. Unlike the ice cubes in our theoretical drink, such water ice would neither sink nor float in water, which seems strange to us.
Davies’s team’s work also has interesting implications for a speculative theory called Panspermia. It looks at how life on Earth began and suggests that the building blocks of life came to the infant planet as part of a barrage of icy comets. LDA ice could have essentially been the carrier for material such as simple amino acids. However, according to Davies, that "flavor" of ice isn't likely the transporter of choice. “Our findings suggest this ice would be a less good transport material for these origin of life molecules,” he said. “That is because a partly crystalline structure has less space in which these ingredients could become embedded. The theory could still hold true, though, as there are amorphous regions in the ice where life’s building blocks could be trapped and stored.”
Testing the Water Ice
According to Davies, water ice is an important material not just for life, but for other uses. “Ice is potentially a high-performance material in space,” he said. “It could shield spacecraft from radiation or provide fuel in the form of hydrogen and oxygen. So we need to know about its various forms and properties.”
The research team used two computer models of water and froze these virtual “boxes” of water molecules by cooling to -120 °C at different rates. Those different rates had different results, creating varying amounts of crystalline and amorphous ice. The team also created larger boxes of water ice containing many small, closely packed ice crystals. Then, they heated the resulting ice so it could form crystals. Eventually, differences in the resulting crystals showed up, based on their original formation.
The result was an LDA ice with about a quarter of its mass in crystalline form. This was indirect evidence, they said, that low-density amorphous ice contained crystals. If it was fully disordered, the ice would not retain any memory of its earlier forms. The tests raise a lot of questions about the nature of amorphous ices and the role they play in processes such as planet formation. Davies’s co-author Professor Christoph Salzmann, of UCL Chemistry, described the difference between the very structured ice on Earth (and implications for its formation) and the amorphous ice in space. “Ice on Earth is a cosmological curiosity due to our warm temperatures,” he said. “You can see its ordered nature in the symmetry of a snowflake. Ice in the rest of the Universe has long been considered a snapshot of liquid water – that is, a disordered arrangement fixed in place.”
Implications
The result of the team’s simulations shows that the theory of liquid water going straight to a blob of amorphous ice isn’t completely true. Salzmann also suggests that the lab work they did could have important implications for other similar substances. “Our results also raise questions about amorphous materials in general,” he said. “These materials have important uses in much advanced technology. For instance, glass fibers that transport data long distances need to be amorphous, or disordered, for their function. If they do contain tiny crystals and we can remove them, this will improve their performance.”
In layperson’s terms, these substances beyond water ice are part and parcel of such technologies as OLEDs and fiber optics. In the future, an amorphous silicon, for example, could be studied in the same way and lead to major improvements in technologies that depend on the resulting ultrastable glasses.
The Fourth Kind: Fact or Fiction? De Waarheid Achter de Film
The Fourth Kind: Fact or Fiction? De Waarheid Achter de Film
In 2009 bracht de film The Fourth Kind een nieuwe dimensie aan het genre van de paranormale en ufologische films. Geregisseerd door Olatunde Osunsanmi en met actrice Milla Jovovich in de hoofdrol, wekte de film meteen de interesse van het publiek en de media. Wat deze film echter onderscheidt van veel andere in het genre, is de bewering dat het gebaseerd is op ware gebeurtenissen. Maar hoe feitelijk is dat? Is The Fourth Kind een authentiek verslag van echte gebeurtenissen, of is het slechts een goed gemaakte fictieve vertelling? In dit artikel duiken we diep in de achtergrond van de film en scheiden we feit van fictie.
De setting en centrale beweringen van de film
The Fourth Kind speelt zich af in het noordelijke stadje Nome, Alaska, waar de hoofdpersoon, Dr. Abigail Tyler, onderzoek doet naar mysterieuze verdwijningen en abductions. De film beweert dat de gebeurtenissen die worden afgebeeld gebaseerd zijn op echte getuigenissen en door de FBI en lokale autoriteiten bevestigde incidenten. De film combineert dramatiseerde scènes met zogenaamde "archiefbeelden" en "verhoorfragmenten", die de indruk wekken van authentieke documenten.
Het centrale thema draait om buitenaardse abductions en de mogelijkheid dat menselijke ervaringen hiermee verband houden. De film beweert dat de gebeurtenissen in Nome daadwerkelijk hebben plaatsgevonden en dat de getuigenissen en beelden die worden getoond, authentiek zijn.
De marketing en de claims over authenticiteit
Een van de meest opvallende aspecten van The Fourth Kind is de marketingstrategie. De film presenteert zichzelf als een documentair-achtige vertelling en claimt dat de beelden, interviews en gebeurtenissen gebaseerd zijn op echte gebeurtenissen. Voor de release werd er zelfs een website opgezet die beweerde dat de film een reconstructie is van echte gebeurtenissen, met echte getuigenissen en bewijsstukken.
De makers benadrukten dat de film gebaseerd was op het werk van Dr. Abigail Tyler, die zou hebben samengewerkt met de FBI en lokale autoriteiten om de incidenten te documenteren. Deze marketingaanpak creëerde een sfeer van authenticiteit en zette de film neer als een soort "verboden film" die de waarheid over buitenaardse ontmoetingen onthult.
De waarheid achter de beweringen: feit of fictie?
Hoewel de film zich presenteert als gebaseerd op ware gebeurtenissen, is de werkelijkheid genuanceerder. Verschillende onderzoeken en kritische analyses wijzen uit dat de claims over de authenticiteit van de gebeurtenissen in The Fourth Kind niet worden bevestigd door officiële bronnen.
De rol van de hoofdpersonen en de werkelijkheid
Dr. Abigail Tyler, de hoofdpersoon in de film, bestaat niet echt. De naam en het personage worden gecreëerd voor de film, en er is geen bewijs dat een dergelijk onderzoek of dergelijke getuigenissen echt hebben plaatsgevonden. De film claimt dat de beelden en interviews authentiek zijn, maar deze worden later getoond als onderdeel van de vertelling.
Bovendien bleek uit onderzoek dat de zogenaamde "archiefbeelden" en getuigenissen in de film fictief en sterk geënsceneerd zijn. Er zijn geen officiële documenten of rapporten die de beweringen ondersteunen. De FBI heeft verklaard dat er geen bewijs is dat de gebeurtenissen daadwerkelijk plaatsvonden.
De makers en de waarheid
Regisseur Olatunde Osunsanmi heeft toegegeven dat de film een mix is van fictieve elementen en geïnspireerd is door vermeende echte gebeurtenissen, maar niet letterlijk gebaseerd op feiten. De marketingcampagne die de film presenteerde als gebaseerd op ware gebeurtenissen, wordt door velen beschouwd als een vorm van "viral marketing" en niet als een accurate reconstructie van de werkelijkheid.
De rol van "archiefbeelden" en de bewering dat de film documentair is
De film maakt gebruik van "verloren archiefbeelden", die eruitzien als echte beelden van buitenaardse ontmoetingen. Deze beelden blijken echter te zijn geënsceneerd en geproduceerd voor de film. De makers hebben toegegeven dat deze beelden niet authentiek zijn, maar bedoeld als onderdeel van de vertelling om de illusie van authenticiteit te vergroten.
Waarom blijft de mythe bestaan?
Ondanks dat er geen bewijs is dat de gebeurtenissen in The Fourth Kind echt hebben plaatsgevonden, blijft de film populair onder liefhebbers van het genre. Een belangrijke reden hiervoor is de overtuigende presentatie en de sfeer van authenticiteit die de film creëert. Daarnaast speelt de universele nieuwsgierigheid naar buitenaardse levens en de mogelijkheid van geheime overheidsdekmantels mee in de aantrekkingskracht.
De film heeft ook bijgedragen aan de hype rondom UFO's en buitenaardse ontmoetingen, en moedigt mensen aan om zelf onderzoek te doen en kritisch te blijven over wat ze zien en horen.
Conclusie: feit of fictie?
De film The Fourth Kind blijft een intrigerend voorbeeld van hoe media en marketing de grens tussen feit en fictie kunnen vervagen. Aan de ene kant wordt de film gepresenteerd als een authentieke reconstructie van echte gebeurtenissen, met schijnbare bewijsstukken, echte getuigenissen en een documentaire-achtige stijl. Aan de andere kant blijkt uit onderzoek en verklaringen dat de hoofdpersonen fictief zijn, de "archiefbeelden" geënsceneerd en niet authentiek, en de beweringen over samenwerking met de FBI en officiële documenten niet worden ondersteund door enige bewijsvoering.
Het gebruik van marketingstrategieën die de film presenteren als een ware gebeurtenis heeft bijgedragen aan de mythevorming. Door de combinatie van dramatische vertellingen, vermeende echte beelden en de suggestie dat de gebeurtenissen in Nome daadwerkelijk hebben plaatsgevonden, weet de film een gevoel van realiteit over te brengen op het publiek. Dit speelt in op onze nieuwsgierigheid en onze behoefte aan het ontdekken van de "verboden" waarheden over buitenaardse ontmoetingen.
Echter, de werkelijkheid is dat er geen officiële bevestiging is van de gebeurtenissen die worden afgebeeld in The Fourth Kind. De FBI, lokale autoriteiten en andere officiële instanties hebben geen bewijs geleverd dat er ooit sprake is geweest van de beschreven abductions of incidenten in Nome. Regisseur Olatunde Osunsanmi heeft zelf toegegeven dat de film een mengeling is van fictieve elementen en dat het niet gebaseerd is op echte gebeurtenissen. De zogenaamde "archiefbeelden" en getuigenissen zijn geënsceneerd en bedoeld om de illusie van authenticiteit te versterken.
Waarom blijft de mythe bestaan? Een belangrijke factor is de kracht van de presentatie en de manier waarop de film wordt gepresenteerd. Door het gebruik van documentaire-achtige technieken en het suggereren dat de beelden echt zijn, wordt de grens tussen fictie en werkelijkheid vervaagd. Daarnaast speelt de universele fascinatie voor buitenaardse wezens en het onbekende een grote rol. Veel mensen willen geloven dat er meer is tussen hemel en aarde en dat de overheid misschien geheime informatie verbergt.
Bovendien heeft de film bijgedragen aan de bredere hype rond UFO's en buitenaardse ontmoetingen. Het heeft de nieuwsgierigheid aangewakkerd en mensen aangemoedigd om zelf kritisch te blijven en niet alles klakkeloos te geloven wat ze zien of horen. In die zin fungeert The Fourth Kind niet alleen als entertainment, maar ook als een soort moderne mythe die onze collectieve verbeelding voedt.
Kortom, ondanks de aantrekkelijke presentatie en de beweringen dat de film gebaseerd is op ware gebeurtenissen, is er geen bewijs dat deze gebeurtenissen echt hebben plaatsgevonden. De makers en onderzoekers wijzen erop dat de film vooral een creatieve interpretatie is, bedoeld om de kijker te boeien en te laten nadenken over de mogelijkheid van buitenaardse ontmoetingen. Het is dus belangrijk om kritisch te blijven en niet alles voor waar aan te nemen dat in de film wordt gepresenteerd.
De waarheid achter The Fourth Kind is dus dat het een fictief verhaal is dat door slimme marketing en overtuigende beelden de illusie van authenticiteit probeert te scheppen. Het spel met feiten en fictie maakt het een fascinerend fenomeen dat nog altijd de verbeelding van velen weet te prikkelen. Het herinnert ons eraan dat we altijd kritisch moeten blijven nadenken over wat we zien en horen, vooral wanneer het lijkt te gaan om de ultieme waarheid over het onbekende.
{ PETER2011 }
25-07-2025 om 23:55
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 )
Did the James Webb telescope really find evidence of alien life? Here's the truth about exoplanet K2-18b.
Did the James Webb telescope really find evidence of alien life? Here's the truth about exoplanet K2-18b.
A study suggesting the exoplanet K2-18b shows potential signs of alien life has been met with skepticism from the scientific community. Here’s the truth about what the James Webb Space Telescope saw.
An artist's interpretation of the exoplanet K2-18b. Could the alien world contain a biosphere?
(Image credit: A. Smith, N. Madhusudhan (University of Cambridge))
The trendiest planet in the universe right now is K2-18b, a potentially habitable world swirling around a small, red star in the constellation Leo. Located 124 light-years from Earth, the mysterious planet will never host human visitors — but a recent glimpse with theJames Webb Space Telescope (JWST) hints that alien life may already thrive there in a vast, warm ocean.
In a University of Cambridge-led study published April 17, scientists using JWST reported the detection of possible signs of life in the alien planet's atmosphere, offering what a Cambridge statement called the "most promising" evidence yet of life beyond Earth. However, in the week since the study's publication, a growing number of scientists are already pushing back on this big claim.
"The statistical significance of the detection is marginal," Eddie Schwieterman, an assistant professor of astrobiology at the University of California, Riverside who was not involved in the research, told Live Science in an email. "There are some reasons to be skeptical."
"It's almost certainly not life," Tessa Fisher, an astrobiologist at the University of Arizona who was not involved in the research, told Nature.com.
So what did JWST actually find on K2-18b, and how close are we to solving the ultimate mystery of space? Here's everything you need to know.
What did JWST find on K2-18b?
Unlike optical telescopes such as Hubble, JWST cannot image the surfaces of distant planets directly; instead, its infrared instruments hunt for chemical signs of life — or biosignatures — in planetary atmospheres by mapping how starlight is absorbed or reemitted by molecules in those atmospheres. The resulting graphs of light, called spectra, can reveal the composition of that planet's atmosphere, providing clues about its surface conditions.
In the new Cambridge-led study, scientists using JWST's Mid-Infrared Instrument (MIRI) peered into K2-18b's atmosphere to detect traces of two sulfur-based molecules called dimethyl sulfide (DMS) and dimethyl disulfide (DMDS) — compounds that are known to be produced only by microscopic life-forms like phytoplankton on Earth. If DMS can be produced by some natural mechanism, scientists currently don't know about it, and will have to run extensive tests to uncover it.
The findings add to earlier observations made by the same team using two different JWST instruments in 2023, which also reported possible traces of DMS in the planet's atmosphere.
One interpretation of K2-18b's spectra suggests it could be a lifeless lava world. (Image credit: Alex Boersma)
While the Cambridge team admitted in the statement that they are "deeply sceptical" of their own results, the same release also trumpeted these detections as the "most promising" evidence yet of life beyond Earth, painting a picture of an oceanic planet that could be "teeming with life." (Other studies have argued that K2-18b's ocean may, in fact, be made of magma.)
Nikku Madhusudhan, lead author of both Cambridge studies, stressed that no actual life has been detected on K2-18b yet.
"That's not what we're claiming," Madhusudhan, a professor of astrophysics at Cambridge, told Live Science. "But in the best-case scenario, it's the potential for life."
The team's DMS detection reached the three-sigma level of statistical significance, meaning there is a 0.3% probability that the signals occurred by chance. However, this still falls far short of the required five-sigma level that denotes a statistically significant scientific discovery.
Responding to criticism that the team may have overstated their study's significance, Madhusudhan said it's in the public interest to know how this research is progressing.
"This is the taxpayer paying us, and they have a right to enjoy the process," Madhusudhan added. "If we're sending a robot to Mars, we're not waiting until it goes and finds life to celebrate the act of sending it. We announced that we are sending robots to Mars, and we're excited about the possibility. This is the equivalent of that."
"No strong evidence"
For now, the public has little more than the Cambridge team's study to go on. The complete set of MIRI data on which the team based their discovery will become publicly available April 27, according to NPR, at which point outside researchers can begin to comb through it and formulate peer-reviewed responses.
In the meantime, various researchers have already attempted to re-create the findings using their own data models and have come up short.
In January, a team of scientists independently analyzed K2-18b's atmosphere using the same JWST instruments used in the 2023 study. The team found "no statistically significant or reliable evidence" of DMS on K2-18b, the researchers wrote in a paper published to the preprint server arXiv.
More recently, on April 22, University of Oxford astrophysicist Jake Taylor reanalyzed the JWST spectra shared in the new Cambridge study, using a simple data model that's routinely utilized in exoplanet studies. Taylor's analysis, also published to arXiv, found no traces of DMS, either.
The transmission spectra for K2-18b suggests it may contain traces of dimethyl sulfide or dimethyl disulfide, but not the decay products of those molecules. (Image credit: A. Smith, N. Madhusudhan (University of Cambridge))
"There is no strong evidence for detected spectral features in K2-18b's MIRI transmission spectrum," Taylor wrote.
Looking only at the Cambridge team's study, Schwieterman also saw cause for hesitation in proclaiming that biosignatures exist on K2-18b.
"When DMS interacts with ultraviolet light from the star, it splits apart into components that reform into other molecules like ethane (C2H6) and ethylene (C2H4)," Schwieterman said. "The paper does not report the detection of these molecules, which is puzzling because you'd expect these gases to appear together."
What comes next?
Everyone, including the Cambridge team, agrees that more observations of K2-18b are necessary to bring clarity to this puzzle. This means researchers will have to request more time with JWST to observe the alien planet as it swoops in front of its star.
Luckily, this is a near-monthly occurrence, with K2-18b completing a transit of its star every 33 days. Budgeting more time to watch these transits should be "trivial" for the telescope, Madhusudhan said.
"One transit is eight hours, roughly," Madhusudhan added. "You only need about 16 to 24 hours of JWST time. To give you a sense of scale, JWST observes thousands of hours every year."
If additional observations can increase the statistical significance of the team's DMS detection, the next step will be to prove that some unknown natural process isn't producing the molecule instead, Schwieterman said. This will take rigorous experimentation and some creative thinking here on Earth. Finally, scientists will need to look at planets that are similar to K2-18b to see if DMS is a common signature around the cosmos.
In a new study uploaded March 6 to the HAL open archive, scientists explored how three-dimensional holograms could be grabbed and poked using elastic materials as a key component of volumetric displays.
This innovation means 3D graphics can be interacted with — for example, grasping and moving a virtual cube with your hand — without damaging a holographic system. The research has not yet been peer-reviewed, although the scientists demonstrated their findings in a video showcasing the technology.
"We are used to direct interaction with our phones, where we tap a button or drag a document directly with our finger on the screen — it is natural and intuitive for humans. This project enables us to use this natural interaction with 3D graphics to leverage our innate abilities of 3D vision and manipulation,” study lead author Asier Marzo, a professor of computer science at the Public University of Navarra, said in a statement.
The researchers will present their findings at the CHI conference on Human Factors in Computing Systems in Japan, which runs between April 26 and May 1.
Holographic hype
While holograms are nothing new in the present day — augmenting public exhibitions or sitting at the heart of smart glasses, for example — the ability to physically interact with them has been consigned to the realm of science fiction, in movies like Marvel's "Iron Man."
The new research is the first time 3D graphics can be manipulated in mid-air with human hands. But to achieve this, the researchers needed to dig deep into how holography works in the first place.
At the heart of the volumetric displays that support holograms is a diffuser. This is a fast-oscillating, usually rigid, sheet onto which thousands of images are synchronously projected at different heights to form 3D graphics. This is known as the hologram.
However, the rigid nature of the oscillator means that if it comes into contact with a human hand while oscillating, it could break or cause an injury. The solution was to use a flexible material — which the researchers haven’t shared the details of yet — that can be touched without damaging the oscillator or causing the image to deteriorate.
From there, this enabled people to manipulate the holographic image, although the researchers also needed to overcome the challenge of the elastic material deforming when being touched. To get around that problem, the researchers implemented image correction to ensure the hologram was projected correctly.
While this breakthrough is still in the experimental stage, there are plenty of potential ways it could be used if commercialized.
"Displays such as screens and mobile devices are present in our lives for working, learning, or entertainment. Having three-dimensional graphics that can be directly manipulated has applications in education — for instance, visualising and assembling the parts of an engine," the researchers said in the statement.
"Moreover, multiple users can interact collaboratively without the need for virtual reality headsets. These displays could be particularly useful in museums, for example, where visitors can simply approach and interact with the content."
Scientists explore the concept of "robot metabolism" with a weird machine that can integrate material from other robots so it can become more capable and overcome physical challenges.
Scientists have created a prototype robot that can grow, heal and improve itself by integrating material from its environment or by "consuming" other robots. It's a big step forward in developing robot autonomy, the researchers say.
The researchers coined the term "robot metabolism" to describe the process that enables machinery to absorb and reuse parts from its surroundings. The scientists published their work July 16 in the journal Science Advances.
"True autonomy means robots must not only think for themselves but also physically sustain themselves," study lead author Philippe Martin Wyder, professor of engineering at Columbia University, said in a statement.
"Just as biological life absorbs and integrates resources, these robots grow, adapt, and repair using materials from their environment or from other robots."
The robots are made from "truss links" — six-sided elongated rods with magnetic connectors that can contract and expand with other modules.
These modules can be assembled and disassembled as well. The magnets enable the robots to form increasingly complex structures in what their makers hope can be a "self-sustaining machine ecology."
There are two rules for robot metabolism, the scientists said in the study. First, a robot must grow completely on its own, or be assisted by other robots with similar components. Second, the only external provisions granted to the truss links are materials and energy. Truss links use a mix of automated and controlled behaviors. Shape-shifting, cannibalizing robots
'Bad sci-fi scenarios'
In a controlled environment, scientists laid truss links across an environment to observe how the robot connects with other modules.
The researchers noted how the truss links first assembled themselves in 2D shapes but later integrated new parts to become a 3D tetrahedron that could navigate the uneven testing ground. The robot did this by integrating an additional link to use as a walking stick, the researchers said in the study.
"Robot minds have moved forward by leaps and bounds in the past decade through machine learning, but robot bodies are still monolithic, unadaptive, and unrecyclable. Biological bodies, in contrast, are all about adaptation — lifeforms can grow, heal and adapt," study co-lead author Hod Lipson, chair of the department of mechanical engineering at Columbia University, said in the statement.
"In large part, this ability stems from the modular nature of biology that can use and reuse modules (amino acids) from other lifeforms," Lispon added. "Ultimately, we'll have to get robots to do the same — to learn to use and reuse parts from other robots."
The researchers said they envisioned a future in which machines can maintain themselves, without the assistance of humans. By being able to grow and adapt to different tasks and environments, these robots could play important roles in.disaster recovery and space exploration, for example.
"The image of self-reproducing robots conjures some bad sci-fi scenarios," Lipson said. "But the reality is that as we hand off more and more of our lives to robots, from driverless cars to automated manufacturing, and even defense and space exploration. Who is going to take care of these robots? We can't rely on humans to maintain these machines. Robots must ultimately learn to take care of themselves."
Researchers at Google and OpenAI, among other companies, have warned that we may not be able to monitor AI's decision-making process for much longer.
(Image credit: wildpixel/ Getty Images)
Researchers behind some of the most advanced artificial intelligence (AI) on the planet have warned that the systems they helped to create could pose a risk to humanity.
The researchers, who work at companies including Google DeepMind, OpenAI, Meta, Anthropic and others, argue that a lack of oversight on AI's reasoning and decision-making processes could mean we miss signs of malign behavior.
In the new study, published July 15 to the arXiv preprint server (which hasn't been peer-reviewed), the researchers highlight chains of thought (CoT) — the steps large language models (LLMs) take while working out complex problems. AI models use CoTs to break down advanced queries into intermediate, logical steps that are expressed in natural language.
The study's authors argue that monitoring each step in the process could be a crucial layer for establishing and maintaining AI safety.
Monitoring this CoT process can help researchers to understand how LLMs make decisions and, more importantly, why they become misaligned with humanity's interests. It also helps determine why they give outputs based on data that's false or doesn't exist, or why they mislead us.
However, there are several limitations when monitoring this reasoning process, meaning such behavior could potentially pass through the cracks.
"AI systems that 'think' in human language offer a unique opportunity for AI safety," the scientists wrote in the study. "We can monitor their chains of thought for the intent to misbehave. Like all other known AI oversight methods, CoT monitoring is imperfect and allows some misbehavior to go unnoticed."
The scientists warned that reasoning doesn't always occur, so it cannot always be monitored, and some reasoning occurs without human operators even knowing about it. There might also be reasoning that human operators don't understand.
Keeping a watchful eye on AI systems
One of the problems is that conventional non-reasoning models like K-Means or DBSCAN — use sophisticated pattern-matching generated from massive datasets, so they don't rely on CoTs at all. Newer reasoning models like Google's Gemini or ChatGPT, meanwhile, are capable of breaking down problems into intermediate steps to generate solutions — but don't always need to do this to get an answer. There's also no guarantee that the models will make CoTs visible to human users even if they take these steps, the researchers noted.
"The externalized reasoning property does not guarantee monitorability — it states only that some reasoning appears in the chain of thought, but there may be other relevant reasoning that does not," the scientists said. "It is thus possible that even for hard tasks, the chain of thought only contains benign-looking reasoning while the incriminating reasoning is hidden."A further issue is that CoTs may not even be comprehensible by humans, the scientists said. "
New, more powerful LLMs may evolve to the point where CoTs aren't as necessary. Future models may also be able to detect that their CoT is being supervised, and conceal bad behavior.
To avoid this, the authors suggested various measures to implement and strengthen CoT monitoring and improve AI transparency. These include using other models to evaluate an LLMs's CoT processes and even act in an adversarial role against a model trying to conceal misaligned behavior. What the authors don't specify in the paper is how they would ensure the monitoring models would avoid also becoming misaligned.
They also suggested that AI developers continue to refine and standardize CoT monitoring methods, include monitoring results and initiatives in LLMs system cards (essentially a model's manual) and consider the effect of new training methods on monitorability.
"CoT monitoring presents a valuable addition to safety measures for frontier AI, offering a rare glimpse into how AI agents make decisions," the scientists said in the study. "Yet, there is no guarantee that the current degree of visibility will persist. We encourage the research community and frontier AI developers to make best use of CoT monitorability and study how it can be preserved."
The video discusses the implications of Artificial General Intelligence (AGI) and its impact on society as humanity enters the sixth ...
Astronomers have discovered key components to life's building blocks swirling around a remote baby star, hinting that the stuff of life is far more prevalent throughout the universe than once thought.
The material, discovered circling the protostar V883 Orionis 1,300 light-years from Earth in the constellation Orion, consists of 17 complex organic molecules that include ethylene glycol and glycolonitrile — precursors to components found in DNA and RNA.
The finding, published July 23 in the The Astrophysical Journal Letters, could prompt scientists to rethink just how common the chemical progenitors to life are. Though similar compounds have been discovered elsewhere in space, astronomers previously assumed that much of these would be destroyed by the violent births of stars, leaving life's seeds scattered around only the rare planetary systems capable of reproducing them.
"Now it appears the opposite is true," study co-author Kamber Schwarz, an astrochemist at the Max Planck Institute for Astronomy in Heidelberg, Germany, said in a statement. "Our results suggest that protoplanetary discs inherit complex molecules from earlier stages, and the formation of complex molecules can continue during the protoplanetary disc stage."
Scientists have long traced the chemicals fundamental to life's origins across space. So far this search has yielded prebiotic molecules in comets, asteroids and floating in the gas and dust of interstellar space.
Stars begin in clouds of gas and dust, which slowly collapse and heat up as they coalesce into protostars and protoplanetary disks from which comets, asteroids and planets eventually form. Yet this process is a violent one, where outflows of shocked gas and intense stellar radiation produce enough energy to disrupt and even reset the steady chemical enrichment that leads to complex organic molecules.
Or that's what scientists thought. Using the Atacama Large Millimeter/submillimeter Array (ALMA), a collection of 66 radio telescopes in northern Chile, the scientists behind the new study spotted telltale emission lines from a cluster of organic molecules inside V883 Orionis' protoplanetary disk. The young star is still stoking the fire of nuclear fusion at its core, leading to powerful bursts of radiation.
"These outbursts are strong enough to heat the surrounding disc as far as otherwise icy environments, releasing the chemicals we have detected," study first author Abubakar Fadul, a graduate student at the Max Planck Institute for Astronomy, said in the statement.
This means that instead of destroying these organic compounds, the star's growth could instead be freeing them from the icy surfaces upon which they typically form, pointing to "a straight line of chemical enrichment and increasing complexity between interstellar clouds and fully evolved planetary systems," Fadul said.
While the results are exciting, the scientists cautioned that they remain tentative. The researchers still need to retrieve higher resolution data to confirm their detections and conduct closer studies of how well these compounds hold up as their host star grows.
"Perhaps we also need to look at other regions of the electromagnetic spectrum to find even more evolved molecules," Fadul said. "Who knows what else we might discover?"
Detailed photos from the newly operational Vera C. Rubin Observatory have revealed that the recently discovered interstellar object 3I/ATLAS is roughly 7 miles wide, making it the largest of its kind ever seen.
3I/ATLAS is an interstellar comet that is currently shooting toward the sun on a one-way trip through the solar system.
(Image credit: Darryl Seligman et al.)
The alien comet 3I/ATLAS is roughly 7 miles (11.2 kilometers) wide, making it the largest interstellar object ever spotted, according to newly revealed photos from theVera C. Rubin Observatory.
The detailed images, which were captured before the extrasolar entity was officially discovered, highlight the immense power of the record-breaking telescope and demonstrate how valuable it will be for finding future interstellar interlopers, researchers say.
"Breakthrough: James Webb Telescope Captures Jaw-Dropping Image of Massive Cosmic Entity"
Stunning New Image of Betelgeuse Captured by James Webb Telescope
Until now, all researchers have been able to uncover about the comet's size was that its coma — the cloud of ice, dust and gas surrounding it — was up to 15 miles (24 km) across. However, the size of its icy nucleus, or outer shell, remained a mystery.
But in a new study, uploaded July 17 to the preprint server arXiv, a group of more than 200 researchers was able to find images of the comet in Vera C. Rubin's extensive early data set, revealing the nucleus's likely size.
The images, which were snapped on June 21, suggest that the comet's nucleus has a likely radius of around 3.5 miles — or a diameter of about 7 miles — with a margin of error equal to around 0.4 mile (0.7 km).
3I/ATLAS was discovered on July 1 in images captured by the Asteroid Terrestrial-impact Last Alert System (ATLAS). (Image credit: ATLAS/University of Hawaii/NASA)
The new study has also given scientists a good look at the comet's coma and helped to identify large amounts of dust and water ice surrounding its nucleus. These additional findings are further evidence that 3I/ATLAS is a natural comet — not a disguised probe sent here by an advanced alien civilization, as some researchers have controversially proposed in recent weeks.
Until now, researchers had only been able to get accurate measurements of the coma surrounding 3I/ATLAS. (Image credit: International Gemini Observatory/NOIRLab/NSF/AURA/K. Meech (IfA/U. Hawaii)Image Processing: Jen Miller & Mahdi Zamani (NSF NOIRLab))
The fact that the newly released photos could determine 3I/ATLAS' size, 10 days before the object was discovered, is proof of what Vera C. Rubin will be able to accomplish when it is fully switched on later this year, the study team wrote.
Many experts believe that the observatory will revolutionize the study of ISOs and predict that it could spot up to 50 new alien interlopers within the next decade, according to Forbes.
Stonehenge Mystery Solved: Ancient Britons Transported Massive Boulders 450 Miles
New archaeological evidence has settled one of Stonehenge's most enduring mysteries, confirming that ancient Britons accomplished extraordinary feats of logistics by transporting massive stone boulders across vast distances over 5,000 years ago. A groundbreaking study published in the Journal of Archaeological Science: Reportshas provided conclusive proof that the iconic monument's builders moved stones not just from Wales, but from as far away as Scotland - a journey exceeding 435 miles (700 km) that would have challenged even modern engineering capabilities.
The research, led by Professor Richard Bevins from Aberystwyth University, focused on the enigmatic Newall boulder, a football-sized rock discovered during excavations a century ago. Through sophisticated geochemical and microscopic analysis, the team has conclusively proven that this stone and others were deliberately transported by humans 125 miles (200km) from Craig Rhos-y-Felin in north Pembrokeshire, Wales, rather than carried by glacial ice as some theories had suggested.
Most remarkably, previous research has shown that Stonehenge's six-ton Altar Stone originated in northeastern Scotland, requiring transport across an almost incomprehensible distance for Neolithic peoples who lacked wheeled vehicles or domesticated horses.
Scientific Analysis Reveals Human Achievement Over Natural Forces
The research team's meticulous investigation of the Newall boulder revealed compelling evidence that is seen to dismiss the glacial transport theory once and for all. Chemical analysis showed that the boulder and other fragments found at Stonehenge share identical levels of thorium and zirconium with stones from the Welsh quarry site, creating an undeniable geological fingerprint.
The scientists discovered that Craig Rhos-y-Felin contains columns of foliated rhyolite with rounded, "bullet-shaped" tops that are identical in form to the Newall boulder. This unique geological formation provides irrefutable evidence of the stone's Welsh origin and rules out random glacial distribution.
Perhaps most significantly, the study revealed that the Newall boulder has developed a surface layer rich in calcium carbonate - the result of its long burial in Stonehenge's chalky soils. This weathering pattern further reinforces human transport, as glacial movement would have created a much more dispersed distribution of similar stones across the Salisbury Plain, something that archaeological surveys have never found.
The research also made an important discovery about another buried stone at Stonehenge, designated Stone 32d. Previously thought to be spotted dolerite, new analysis confirms it is also foliated rhyolite like the Newall boulder, suggesting both originated from the same Welsh quarry and were transported together as part of a coordinated construction effort.
The Craig Rhos-y-Felin quarry in Wales, showing the distinctive bullet-shaped rock columns that match the Newall boulder.
The implications of these findings extend far beyond simple stone transport - they reveal sophisticated planning and coordination capabilities among Neolithic British communities that rival modern engineering projects. Transporting stones weighing over three tones from Wales to Stonehenge would have required unprecedented collaboration between different tribal groups across hundreds of miles of challenging terrain.
Evidence suggests that ancient quarrying operations at Craig Rhos-y-Felin were active around 3000 BC, with Neolithic communities deliberately extracting specific stones for transport to distant sites. The precision with which particular rock types were selected indicates sophisticated geological knowledge and suggests that certain stones were valued for properties beyond mere construction material.
The researchers emphasize that if Neolithic peoples could move stones weighing several tons across such distances, they certainly possessed the capability to transport the much heavier sarsen stones from West Woods in Wiltshire - a mere 20 miles (32 km) away. The largest sarsen stones weigh over 20 tons and stand up to seven meters (23 feet) tall, yet their transport would have required an order of magnitude less effort than moving the bluestones from Wales or the Altar Stone from Scotland.
Recent archaeological evidence has demonstrated that indigenous peoples in various parts of the world have successfully transported stones weighing many tones across great distances using technologies available during the Neolithic period: ropes, wooden sledges, and carefully constructed trackways.
The discovery that Stonehenge incorporated stones deliberately transported from across the British Isles - Wales, Scotland, and local Wiltshire sources - suggests the monument served a far greater purpose than previously understood. Rather than being merely a local religious or astronomical site, Stonehenge appears to have been conceived as a unifying symbol for the peoples of Britain, celebrating eternal links with ancestors and the cosmos.
This interpretation gains support from the extraordinary effort required to coordinate such a massive construction project. Moving the six-ton Altar Stone from northeastern Scotland alone would have necessitated cooperation between numerous communities. The logistics of such an undertaking suggest sophisticated communication networks and shared cultural objectives that extended across the entire British Isles.
The researchers noted that while ancient peoples typically used locally available materials for stone circles, Stonehenge is exceptional for being constructed entirely of stones brought from long distances. This unique characteristic reinforces theories that the monument was intended to serve as a political as well as religious center - "a moment of unification for the peoples of Britain."
The study's authors conclude with a claimed 95 percent accuracy that their findings definitively refute glacial transport theories and establish human agency in creating one of the world's most remarkable ancient monuments. Their research provides compelling evidence that Neolithic British communities possessed far more sophisticated organizational capabilities than previously recognized.
As the mystery of how Stonehenge was built continues to unfold, this latest research provides crucial insights into the remarkable capabilities of ancient British peoples. While questions remain about the exact methods used to transport these massive stones and the specific purposes the monument served, the evidence now clearly establishes that Stonehenge stands as a testament to sophisticated planning, extraordinary logistics, and unified purpose among the peoples of prehistoric Britain.
Top image: Stonehenge's iconic stone circle on Salisbury Plain, incorporating massive megaliths transported from across the British Isles by Neolithic peoples over 5,000 years ago.
Bevins, R. et al. 2025. The enigmatic 'Newall boulder' excavated at Stonehenge in 1924: A precise match for the unique characteristics of Craig Rhosyfelin. Journal of Archaeological Science: Reports. Available at: https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S2352409X25003360
The footprint of Buzz Aldrin on the surface of the Moon is imprinted in the lunar regolith, the powdery lunar surface material. (Credit : NASA / Buzz Aldrin)
When rocket engines fire during lunar landings, they don't just kick up a little dust. They unleash massive clouds of high speed particles that behave like natural sandblasting jets, capable of damaging expensive equipment, solar panels, and even entire habitats. As space agencies prepare for permanent lunar settlements through programs like NASA's Artemis mission, understanding this phenomenon has become a matter of survival.
The mystery began during the Apollo era, when astronauts and mission controllers noticed something peculiar, the dust clouds didn't spread randomly. Instead, they formed distinctive streaks radiating outward from the landing site in regular patterns, like spokes on a wheel. The same patterns appeared again recently during Firefly Aerospace's Blue Ghost lander mission, proving this wasn't just an Apollo-era anomaly.
Apollo Apollo Lunar Module-5 Eagle as seen from CSM-107 Columbia
(Credit : NASA)
For years, no one could explain why these patterns formed so consistently. Now, a research team led by Rui Ni from Johns Hopkins University has cracked the code. Working with NASA's Marshall Space Flight Center and the University of Michigan, they discovered that the streaks result from something called the Görtler instability, a fluid dynamics phenomenon where curved exhaust flows create rotating vortices that organise the dust into those characteristic patterns.
The vacuum test chamber with its door open at NASA's Johnson Space Center
(Credit : NASA Johnson Space Centre)
To solve this puzzle, the researchers built a sophisticated experimental setup in NASA's 15 foot vacuum chamber. They used six cameras to track how gas jets interacted with simulated lunar soil in near vacuum conditions, mimicking the Moon's environment. This allowed them to observe crater formation and trace the paths of individual dust particles as they were blasted away from the surface.
"We discovered that the strikingly regular streak patterns seen during landings aren't caused by the chosen landing sites. Instead, they result from the behaviour of the supersonic rocket plume as it imprints on the granular surface. This effect is extremely pronounced on the Moon due to its near-vacuum environment.”
- Rui Ni from Johns Hopkins University.
The Moon's lack of atmosphere makes this problem much worse than it would be on Earth. Without air resistance to slow them down, dust particles can travel at tremendous speeds and distances. What might be a minor dust cloud on Earth becomes a dangerous projectile field on the moon.
This outcome of the study is essential for future lunar exploration. High speed lunar dust can damage landing gear, contaminate scientific instruments, reduce solar panel efficiency, and even pose risks to astronauts and their equipment. For permanent lunar bases to succeed, engineers need to understand and prepare for these dust storms.
By understanding how these dust plumes behave, mission planners can better predict where debris will land for future missions, design more resilient equipment, and develop strategies to protect critical infrastructure. They might position sensitive equipment away from predicted dust trajectories for example or design landing pads that minimise dust generation.
The CHARA (Center for High Angular Resolution Astronomy) array is operated by Georgia State University and located at Mt. Wilson in California. It's a six-telescope optical interferometer that's particularly adept at observing stars. Image Credit: Georgia State University
Georgia State University’s Center for High Angular Resolution Astronomy (CHARA), a six-telescope interferometer, excels at studying stars. It's been observing them for 20 years and has contributed to 276 published papers. The University is celebrating its achievements so far, and underscoring how Georgia State evolved from an institution not known for research to one that's now considered a large research university.
GSU scientist Hal McAlister was the lead author for one of the first papers published based on CHARA data, and is now a Regents' Professor Emeritus of Astronomy at GSU. That paper was focused on the star Regulus, part of the Leo constellation and one of the brightest stars in the sky. "These first results from the CHARA Array provide the first interferometric measurement of gravity darkening in a rapidly rotating star and represent the first detection of gravity darkening in a star that is not a member of an eclipsing binary system," that paper state.
Since then, CHARA has contributed to astrophysics in many ways. It's measured the sizes of stars across a wide range of masses and evolutionary stages, and when combined with data from Gaia and Hipparcos, have let scientists study stellar evolution models more deeply and thoroughly. It's revealed the oblate shapes of rapidly-rotating stars and imaged features on their surface. It's resolved circumstellar disks around Be stars, made of material ejected from the stars themselves.
“It’s been a joy to witness CHARA grow to even greater heights thanks to the dedication of so many over the years,” McAlister said.
Theo ten Brummelaar was the lead author of the second paper published based on CHARA. It explained how the array worked and outlined how GSU planned to upgrade the array in the future. ten Brummelaar was director of the CHARA Array until his retirement in 2022.
"At the time, Georgia State University wasn’t the large research university it is now, and very few people thought we’d get the funding, let alone be successful at building the CHARA Array,” ten Brummelaar said of the early days of the project. “We were a very small team of people with little history of designing and building large instruments like this. Nevertheless, we had a great deal of support, both financial and moral, from the university, and now CHARA and GSU are leaders in the field of ground-based optical interferometry and the astrophysics it enables."
In our current age of exoplanet discovery, the nature of the stars they orbit is critically important to understanding the planets themselves. "Without understanding stars, we'll never understand planets," ten Brummelaar said in an interview.
This figure shows 693 stars. It's an HR diagram of stars, many of which host exoplanets, that was created using interferometry data from CHARA, as well as data from other sources. It's a great example of the contribution CHARA has made in its first 20 years.
Image Credit: Ashley Elliott 2024.
“We knew in 2005 that the array would open a new window on the universe,” said current CHARA Director Douglas Gies. “But it is astonishing how much the array has revealed to us about the stars and their lives.”
CHARA also excels at measuring rapidly-rotating stars. They push the boundaries of stellar physics, and anything that pushes Nature's boundaries can tell scientists a lot. Rapid rotators are known for gravity darkening.
These are some of the rapidly-rotating stars studied by CHARA. The rapid rotation deforms the stars into oblate shapes. That means the equators are further from the cores, and are cooler as a result. This is called gravity darkening, since the equators have less gravity than the poles.
Image Credit: CHARA Array/John Monnier
CHARA has also contributed to our understanding of Nova explosions. These occur in tight binaries where one star is a white dwarf. The white dwarf draws hydrogen away from its companion, where it builds up as a layer on the outside of the white dwarf. Eventually, the hydrogen explodes as a Nova, which is bright at first then slowly fades over months. CHARA has imaged the expanding fireballs that form immediately after the explosion. CHARA observations produced the first images of a Nova during the early fireball stage and revealed how the structure of the ejected material evolves as the gas expands and cools.
This research figure shows how the CHARA array was able to measure the expansion of a Nova fireball from Nova Delphinus 2013 (V339 Del). CHARA was able to show that there's more complexity in these events than thought. By measuring the expansion rate accurately, CHARA showed that a bipolar structure forms as early as the second day and indicates that the fireball is clumpy.
Image Credit: Schaefer et al. 2014, Nature, 515, 243
CHARA observing time is in high demand, and in 2024, the National Science Foundation granted CHARA $3.5 million to allow more researchers to access the array.
“The National Science Foundation award is the key to open the array to the best ideas about new avenues for research,” said Chara Director Gies. “There will be remarkable new results coming soon about stars, planets and distant active galaxies.”
CHARA has seen several upgrades in recent years. New instruments and cameras have increased its power considerably. In 2024, a seventh mobile telescope was added to the array. This is a key upgrade, since the other six are in fixed positions, and will help the array image the surfaces of even larger stars. It will increase the array's baseline from 330 meters to 550 meters. The seventh telescope is also a test case for further future development of the array.
“CHARA runs the best optical and infrared interferometer in the world and delivers the highest resolution observations possible at these wavelengths,” said Nigel Sharp, a program director in NSF’s Division of Astronomical Sciences. “It is exciting to see that such observations can be delivered routinely and that CHARA’s sought-after capabilities are now available to non-experts in the research community.”
On the left is a disk and a candidate planet around the star HD 135344B as seen with ERIS. On the right is a joint VLT and ALMA view of the disk. The planet is carving spiral patterns in the disk. Image Credit: ESO/F. Maio et al./T. Stolker et al./ ALMA (ESO/NAOJ/NRAO)/N. van der Marel et al.
Around three decades ago, we weren't certain that other stars had planets orbiting them. Scientists naturally thought there would be, but they had no evidence. Now, not only do we know of more than 6,000 confirmed exoplanets, but we can watch as baby planets take shape around distant stars.
When stars form, they're surrounded by rotating disks of gas and dust called protoplanetary disks. Planets form in these disks, and in recent years, ALMA (Atacama Large Millimeter/submillimeter Array has examined many of these disks. It's made headlines by finding telltale signs of planets forming, as they seem to clear orbital paths in the disks.
This image shows some of the protoplanetary disks imaged by ALMA. The gaps and rings show where planets are forming and creating lanes in the gas and dust.
Image Credit: ALMA (ESO/NAOJ/NRAO), S. Andrews et al.; NRAO/AUI/NSF, S. Dagnello
Other telescopes have studied these young protoplanetary disks, too, and uncovered their own evidence of planets forming. Astronomers working with the ESO's Very Large Telescope (VLT) and its SPHERE instrument found spiral arm patterns in the disk around the star HD 135344B. While those patterns suggest the presence of a planet, there was no direct evidence.
The SPHERE instrument on the ESO's Very Large Telescope observed these spiral arm patterns around HD 135344B. This instrument suggested the presence of a planet, but didn't provide any direct evidence that one was there. The central black region shows how the star itself is blocked by the telescope's coronagraph.
Image Credit: ESO/T. Stolker et al.
Now astronomers working with another of the VLT's instruments, the Enhanced Resolution Imager and Spectrograph, may have found direct evidence of a gas giant forming around the star. The discovery is presented in a research letter titled "Unveiling a protoplanet candidate embedded in the HD 135344B disk with VLT/ERIS" published in Astronomy and Astrophysics. The lead author is Francesco Maio, a doctoral researcher at the University of Florence, Italy.
"High-angular-resolution observations in infrared and millimeter wavelengths of protoplanetary disks have revealed cavities, gaps, and spirals," the authors write in their research. "One proposed mechanism to explain these structures is the dynamical perturbation caused by giant protoplanets."
Previous research examined the disk around HD 135344B. ALMA observations revealed spiral arms and hints of a massive planet forming, and other features like a blob. This research has refined those observations with more powerful instruments.
"We identified the previously detected S1, S2, S2a spiral arms and the “blob” features southward of the star," they added. They also found a new point source at the base of the S2 spiral arm. They identify it as a gas giant with about 2 Jupiter masses.
This figure shows the two spiral arms and the candidate companion. The shadow, marked by the arrow, is also evident, along with a fully shadowed region highlighted by the horizontal solid line. This visualization of the shadows further confirms the extended nature of the blob south of the star and highlights that it is part of the S2 spiral interrupted by the shadow.
Image Credit: Maio et al. 2025. A&A
These observations are markedly different from previous observations showing the telltale gaps carved out by exoplanets. With those images, researchers could only deduce that planets created them. And when it comes to spirals, there were other potential explanations, too. "Spiral arms can also be explained by other mechanisms not involving an external perturber," the researchers write, explaining that gravitational instability could potentially create the arms, as could shadows. A 2021 paper explained that asymmetries in circumstellar disks can cast shadows on other regions of the disk. Those shadows create regions of low pressure that could trigger the formation of spirals.
But this time, astronomers have detected light signals from the planet itself.
“What makes this detection potentially a turning point is that, unlike many previous observations, we are able to directly detect the signal of the protoplanet, which is still highly embedded in the disc,” says Maio, who is based at the Arcetri Astrophysical Observatory, a centre of Italy’s National Institute for Astrophysics (INAF). “This gives us a much higher level of confidence in the planet’s existence, as we’re observing the planet’s own light.”
This system is 440 light years away, and the planet is about twice as large as Jupiter. It's about as far away from its star as Neptune is from the Sun (~4.5 billion km).
A different group of researchers have also discovered spiral arms in the disk around another star. It's named V960 Mon, and the researchers used the ERIS instrument on the VLT to observe it. They say they discovered a companion object forming in the disk, and their discovery is in The Astrophysical Journal Letters. It's titled "VLT/ERIS Observations of the V960 Mon System: A Dust-embedded Substellar Object Formed by Gravitational Instability?" and the lead author is Anuroop Dasgupta from the European Southern Observatory.
"V960 Mon is an FU Orionis object that shows strong evidence of a gravitationally unstable spiral arm that is fragmenting into several dust clumps. We report the discovery of a new substellar companion candidate around this young star," the researchers report. It's deeply embedded in the disk, and is close to some previously reported clumps in the disk around V960 Mons. "This candidate may represent an actively accreting, disk-bearing substellar object in a young, gravitationally unstable environment," they write.
The object could be one million years old and have 660 Jupiter masses.
This image shows a possible companion orbiting the young star V960 Mon. Previous analysis of the disc showed that it contains clumps of unstable material that could collapse to form a companion object. The new candidate found here could be either a planet or a brown dwarf.
Image Credit: ESO/A. Dasgupta/ALMA (ESO/NAOJ/NRAO)/Weber et al.
This work adds to previous research that identified spiral arms around V960 Mons. That research also found clumps that could be portions of the spiral undergoing gravitational instability and possibly forming planets. "Estimating the mass of solids within these clumps to be of several Earth masses, we suggest this observation to be the first evidence of gravitational instability occurring on planetary scales," those authors wrote.
That research set the stage for Dasgupta and his co-researchers to search for and find more direct evidence of a companion forming in the disk.
“That work revealed unstable material but left open the question of what happens next. With ERIS, we set out to find any compact, luminous fragments signaling the presence of a companion in the disc — and we did,” says Dasgupta. However, they aren't sure if it's a planet or a brown dwarf.
This is a VLT/ERIS image of V960 Mon. The left panel shows the binary star embedded in its environment, marking the detection of V960 Mon N and V960 Mon NE. The right panel shows a zoom-in onto V960 Mon, overlaid with ALMA contours, and the candidate object.
Image Credit: ESO/A. Dasgupta/ALMA (ESO/NAOJ/NRAO)/Weber et al.*
This detection is important because if it's confirmed, it could be the first direct evidence of planets forming through gravitational instability (GI). The core accretion theory is more widely accepted, but gravitational instability could better explain how Jupiter mass planets could form quickly, and further from their stars.
These two systems and their spirals are linked with GI. Astronomers think they support the GI formation model, but differentiating between the two processes in distant disks is challenging.
The quest to observe planets as they're still forming is linked to our strong desire to understand how our planet formed. Intellectual curiosity drives us to look at our surroundings and wonder how everything got this way. There are many unresolved questions about how Earth formed, and by watching as other planets form, we may be able to uncover some answers.
“We will never witness the formation of Earth, but here, around a young star 440 light-years away, we may be watching a planet come into existence in real time,” said Maio.
Stanford Scientist Reveals: “Something Non-Human Has Been Here a Long Time”
Stanford Scientist Reveals: “Something Non-Human Has Been Here a Long Time”
Something Non-Human Has Been Here a Long Time: A Scientist’s Journey from Cancer Research to UFO Investigation
Dr. Garry Nolan, a Stanford University professor and renowned immunologist, never expected that his decades-long career in cancer and immunology research would one day intersect with UFOs and anomalous phenomena. Yet today, he stands at the crossroads of mainstream science and the mysteries of the unexplained. In an eye-opening interview with Dr. Jordan B. Peterson, Nolan recounts his scientific evolution—from developing groundbreaking biomedical technologies to investigating unidentified aerial phenomena (UAPs), anomalous materials, and their potential effects on human biology.
A Career Rooted in Cutting-Edge Science
Nolan’s scientific credentials are formidable. As a professor of pathology at Stanford, he has co-founded over a dozen biotech companies, authored more than 350 research papers, and holds over 60 patents. His lab has played a key role in cancer immunology, gene therapy, and single-cell analysis. More recently, he’s been pioneering atomic-level imaging, fusing technologies like atomic probe tomography and field ion microscopy to examine matter at sub-angstrom resolution—down to the bonds between atoms.
This same level of precision would later prove crucial in his controversial work with UAP-related materials.
From the Atacama Mummy to Intelligence Briefings
Nolan’s unexpected foray into UFO-related research began with the infamous Atacama “alien” mummy. After conducting rigorous genetic analysis, his team determined the remains were that of a human child, likely suffering from rare genetic mutations. While debunking the extraterrestrial claim, the project caught the attention of U.S. intelligence and defense communities.
Soon after, representatives from the CIA and a defense contractor visited Nolan at Stanford, asking for his help evaluating patients suffering from unusual neurological damage. These individuals—members of the intelligence, military, or diplomatic corps—reported bizarre symptoms such as internal scarring, cognitive dysfunction, and high-frequency sounds. Some had reportedly been in close proximity to unknown aerial objects.
This group included some of the earliest known cases of what became known as Havana Syndrome, a set of symptoms now officially recognized as “anomalous health incidents” by the U.S. government.
Evidence-Based Curiosity Meets Scientific Caution
While Nolan is cautious about drawing firm conclusions, he insists that there is abundant evidence, even if not definitive proof, that something non-human is at play. He emphasizes that the scientific community must differentiate between data, evidence, and proof—and that the refusal to even ask the question betrays the spirit of scientific inquiry.
“The plural of anecdote isn’t data,” Nolan admits, “but the plural of anecdote is definitely hypothesis.”
The Soul Foundation: Creating a Safe Space for Scientific Exploration
To support serious interdisciplinary research on anomalous phenomena, Nolan co-founded the Sol (Soul) Foundation, along with anthropologist Dr. Peter Skafish and former U.S. intelligence official David Grusch, who made headlines testifying before Congress about secret U.S. reverse engineering programs.
The foundation aims to create a stigma-free environment where scholars, scientists, and experiencers can collaborate. Its mission spans from the analysis of anomalous materials to the psychological trauma of UFO experiencers—and even the intersections with religion and consciousness studies.
Physical Evidence: Strange Metals and Isotope Anomalies
Perhaps most striking is Nolan’s analysis of physical materials allegedly associated with UFO encounters. Collaborating with legendary researcher Jacques Vallée, Nolan examined samples like:
A metallic fragment from Ubatuba, Brazil, which was found to be 99.999% pure silicon—an impossibility using 1950s manufacturing methods.
Another piece revealed magnesium isotope ratios that do not match any natural Earth source.
A 30-pound lump of incompletely mixed metals (iron, aluminum, and titanium) found after a UAP sighting in Council Bluffs, Iowa, defied standard industrial explanation.
While none of these findings confirm extraterrestrial origins, Nolan insists they warrant serious scientific attention and open data sharing.
Skywatcher: Independent UAP Data Collection
Not content to wait on government disclosure, Nolan joined a privately funded initiative called Skywatcher. This project sets up high-resolution sensor systems in controlled airspaces to detect and track aerial anomalies. The initiative serves dual purposes: to advance drone detection technologies and, when applicable, to gather high-fidelity data on unidentified phenomena.
Nolan argues that repeatable measurement is key. “I can’t repeat pilot anecdotes,” he says, “but I can repeat a material analysis.”
The Five Signatures of True Anomalies
In his view, credible UAP sightings often share five distinct traits:
Instantaneous acceleration and deceleration – Defying inertia and known physics.
No visible propulsion or exhaust – Including no infrared heat signatures.
Lack of aerodynamic surfaces – No wings, rotors, or obvious flight aids.
Transmedium travel – Seamless movement between air, space, and water.
Intelligent control – Implied through maneuverability and interaction.
These characteristics, observed by trained pilots and confirmed on radar systems, suggest technology far beyond any publicly known human capability.
Final Thoughts: Something Non-Human?
Nolan refrains from endorsing the extraterrestrial hypothesis outright. “I don’t care if it’s human or not,” he says. “I just want reproducible findings.” He’s committed to publishing all data openly, hoping that others—now or in the future—can connect the dots.
Still, his personal belief remains firm: “Something non-human has been here a long time.”
It's the monument that has baffled scientists for hundreds of years.
But now, experts may have finally solved one of Stonehenge's greatest mysteries.
Researchers have revisited the debate over the origin of the landmark's iconic bluestones – the group of smaller stones that are dotted around the site on Salisbury Plain in Wiltshire.
They focused on a rock known as the Newall boulder, which was uncovered during excavations around a century ago.
One of the main debates has been whether this rock – and other similar stones – reached the site after being transported by glaciers from Wales, or whether humans moved them more than 5,000 years ago.
A team, led by Professor Richard Bevins from Aberystwyth University, compared the Newall boulder – which is about the size of a football – with samples from a rocky outcrop in Wales.
Through geochemical and microscopic analysis, they concluded 'there is no evidence to support the interpretation that it is a glacial erratic'.
Instead, the stone is a precise match for the unique characteristics of rocks from Craig Rhos–y–Felin – indicating humans transported the heavy boulder from more than 125 miles (200km) away.
The main remaining part of the Newall boulder (Figure A) along with the part that has been detached for studies and analysis (Figure B)
Columns of foliated rhyolite at Craig Rhos–y–Felin in north Pembrokeshire. The rounded tops of the columns are broadly 'bullet shaped', identical in form to the Newall boulder
A drone view of Stonehenge and the Wilshire countryside. The stone circle is one of the best known ancient wonders of the world and a UNESCO World Heritage Site
There is already evidence of stone quarrying at the site, in north Pembrokeshire, by Neolithic communities around 3000 BCE, they explained.
Chemical analysis revealed that the Newall boulder and other fragments found at Stonehenge share identical levels of thorium and zirconium with the stone at Craig Rhos–y–Felin.
The researchers said the Newall boulder is a foliated rhyolite and has a surface layer rich in calcium carbonate – the result of its long burial in the chalky soils at Stonehenge.
This further reinforces the idea that it was brought here by humans and not glaciers, they said, because glaciers would have left a much more dispersed distribution of similar stones across the region – something that has not been found.
It was previously thought to be a type of rock called a spotted dolerite, but new analysis confirms it is also a foliated rhyolite – like the Newall boulder.
Transporting these stones, which can weigh over three tonnes, from Wales to Stonehenge would have been an incredible feat of human logistics.
'Part of the fascination of Stonehenge is that many of its megaliths, in contrast to the large, relatively local sarsens, can be proven to have been sourced from Wales, over 200km to the west,' the researchers wrote.
New research suggests the Newall Boulder (pictured) was transported by humans to Stonehenge from Wales
The findings suggest that the 80 or so bluestone boulders at Stonehenge may all have been carried to the site by by Neolithic builders
People have long been fascinated by Stonehenge due to its age, mystery, and impressive construction. Pictured: Visitors enjoy the sunrise during celebrations of the summer solstice at Stonehenge on June 21, 2025
The reason why Stonehenge was built over 5,000 years ago remains one of archaeology's most fascinating mysteries
What are the Stonehenge bluestones?
The bluestones of Stonehenge are a collection of smaller, distinctive stones that form the inner circle and horseshoe formations within the monument.
They are named for the bluish tinge they exhibit when freshly broken or wet, despite not always appearing blue in their current state.
These stones are not native to the Salisbury Plain area where Stonehenge is located, and are known to have been sourced from Pembrokeshire in Wales.
'Most archaeologists accept that Neolithic people achieved this remarkable feat, transporting blocks weighing up to 3.5 tonnes.
'There is, however, a contrary view, which proposed that no human effort was involved.
'Rather, it is argued, the Welsh stones were transported by glacial ice long before Stonehenge was built.'
One of the main proponents of the glacier theory is geologist Dr Brian John, who has previously insisted that the Newall boulder shows glacial abrasion marks.
A prior study of his concludes: 'The boulder was reduced in size and heavily modified during glacial transport, for much of the time on the bed of a glacier.
'It was eventually dumped at some location on, or relatively close to, Salisbury Plain.'
As part of the new study, the researchers said these features could also be the result of natural weathering.
They also said that even if the rock had been transported by ice in the past, it would not explain why similar fragments are only found at Stonehenge and not anywhere else on the Salisbury Plain.
Experts say Stonehenge's Stone 32D (figure B), as well as the Newall boulder, share identical levels of thorium and zirconium with the stones at Craig Rhos–y–Felin (figure C)
The experts said the minerologies of stone from Craig Rhos–y–Felin (left) are identical to stones from Stonehenge (right), indicating they came from the same source
A typical collection of bluestone fragments collected from Stonehenge. The researchers said these are chipped fragments, not glacial erratics
Their findings indicate that Dr John's arguments 'have no basis in evidence', they wrote, adding: 'To present it as fact, rather than as hypothesis, is disingenuous'.
'The presence of Stonehenge itself is the evidence of movement by Neolithic peoples of stones weighing up to as much as 40 tonnes,' they wrote.
'Unless it is argued that all the stones were just lying on the ground ready to be erected where they were to make Stonehenge, the stones must have been moved into position.
'If Neolithic people could move a stone a few tens of metres they could move it tens or hundreds of kilometres.
'It may not have been easy, but it was entirely possible and moving 2–3 tonne bluestones would involve an order of magnitude less effort than moving the sarsens.'
While the large sarsen stones were only transported from West Woods in Wiltshire – roughly 32km (20 miles) away – they weighed over 20 tonnes each and stood up to seven metres tall.
The famous 'Altar Stone' was even transported from Scotland around 750km (466 miles) away, a study published last year revealed.
'There is no evidence for how they moved these stones,' the researchers wrote, 'but recent indigenous peoples have been transporting stones weighing many tonnes great distances with ropes, wooden sledges and trackways – technologies which would have been available in the Neolithic.'
New analysis has revealed the Altar Stone, the largest bluestone at the centre of Stonehenge, actually came from northern Scotland – up to 1,000km (621 miles) away
The team said they can conclude with 95 per cent accuracy that the Altar stone (pictured here, underneath two bigger Sarsen stones) came from the area that encompasses parts of Inverness, Thurso, Orkney and parts of Shetland
While builders 5,000 years ago normally used whatever materials were at hand for stone circles, Stonehenge is 'exceptional' for being constructed entirely of stones brought from long distances, the team said.
Researchers have previously suggested that the site may have had a political as well as a religious purpose, 'a moment of unification for the peoples of Britain, celebrating their eternal links with their ancestors and the cosmos'.
The new study provides strong evidence of human transport, but the mystery of exactly why Stonehenge was built – and how – is ongoing.
The team concluded: 'We reiterate our previous interpretation that the Newall boulder is not a glacial erratic, that there is no evidence of glaciation on the Salisbury Plain, and that the bluestones were transported to Stonehenge by humans and not by ice.'
Stonehenge is one of the most prominent prehistoric monuments in Britain. The Stonehenge that can be seen today is the final stage that was completed about 3,500 years ago.
According to the monument's website, Stonehenge was built in four stages:
First stage: The first version of Stonehenge was a large earthwork or Henge, comprising a ditch, bank and the Aubrey holes, all probably built around 3100 BC.
The Aubrey holes are round pits in the chalk, about one metre (3.3 feet) wide and deep, with steep sides and flat bottoms.
Stonehenge (pictured) is one of the most prominent prehistoric monuments in Britain
They form a circle about 86.6 metres (284 feet) in diameter.
Excavations revealed cremated human bones in some of the chalk filling, but the holes themselves were likely not made to be used as graves, but as part of a religious ceremony.
After this first stage, Stonehenge was abandoned and left untouched for more than 1,000 years.
Second stage: The second and most dramatic stage of Stonehenge started around 2150 years BC, when about 82 bluestones from the Preseli mountains in south-west Wales were transported to the site. It's thought that the stones, some of which weigh four tonnes each, were dragged on rollers and sledges to the waters at Milford Haven, where they were loaded onto rafts.
They were carried on water along the south coast of Wales and up the rivers Avon and Frome, before being dragged overland again near Warminster and Wiltshire.
The final stage of the journey was mainly by water, down the river Wylye to Salisbury, then the Salisbury Avon to west Amesbury.
The journey spanned nearly 240 miles, and once at the site, the stones were set up in the centre to form an incomplete double circle.
During the same period, the original entrance was widened and a pair of Heel Stones were erected. The nearer part of the Avenue, connecting Stonehenge with the River Avon, was built aligned with the midsummer sunrise.
Third stage: The third stage of Stonehenge, which took place about 2000 years BC, saw the arrival of the sarsen stones (a type of sandstone), which were larger than the bluestones.
They were likely brought from the Marlborough Downs (40 kilometres, or 25 miles, north of Stonehenge).
The largest of the sarsen stones transported to Stonehenge weighs 50 tonnes, and transportation by water would not have been possible, so it's suspected that they were transported using sledges and ropes.
Calculations have shown that it would have taken 500 men using leather ropes to pull one stone, with an extra 100 men needed to lay the rollers in front of the sledge.
These stones were arranged in an outer circle with a continuous run of lintels - horizontal supports.
Inside the circle, five trilithons - structures consisting of two upright stones and a third across the top as a lintel - were placed in a horseshoe arrangement, which can still be seen today.
Final stage: The fourth and final stage took place just after 1500 years BC, when the smaller bluestones were rearranged in the horseshoe and circle that can be seen today.
The original number of stones in the bluestone circle was probably around 60, but these have since been removed or broken up. Some remain as stumps below ground level.
It is the least explored continent in the world, famous for its harsh and remote environment.
Now, scientists have made a shocking discovery lurking beneath the waters of Antarctica.
Researchers have discovered 332 hidden trenches known as submarine canyon networks carved deep into the ocean floor - five times more than previously thought.
Some of these underwater trenches reach staggering depths of up to 13,000 feet (4,000m) - roughly as deep as Mont Blanc is tall.
Scientists have found roughly 10,000 submarine canyons all over the world.
And with just 27 per cent of the sea floor mapped in detail, there are likely to be many more waiting to be found.
However, the researchers say those beneath Antarctica's ice are the largest and most impressive anywhere on the planet.
David Amblas, of the University of Barcelona, says: 'The most spectacular of these are in East Antarctica, which is characterized by complex, branching canyon systems.'
Researchers have discovered 332 hidden submarine canyon networks - interconnected trenches carved deep into the ocean floor. That is five times more than previously expected
Scientists have made a shocking discovery lurking beneath Antarctica's Ice Sheet (pictured), and it could have big implications for global sea level increases
The submarine canyons around Antarctica are so large because they are carved by a phenomenon known as turbidity currents.
These are underwater avalanches of sediment and water, which flow at speeds up to 45 miles per hour down the steep slopes of the continental shelf, digging out deep channels as they pass.
Dr Amblas says: 'Like those in the Arctic, Antarctic submarine canyons resemble canyons in other parts of the world.
'But they tend to be larger and deeper because of the prolonged action of polar ice and the immense volumes of sediment transported by glaciers to the continental shelf.'
These vast canyons play a vital role in a number of important ocean processes.
They transport nutrient-rich sediment from the coast to wider ocean, connect shallow and deep waters, and create habitats rich in biodiversity.
However, despite being so important, these unique environments remain profoundly understudied - especially in remote, hard-to-reach locations like the Antarctic.
In their paper, published in the journal Marine Geology, Dr Amblas and his co-author used the most complete and detailed map of the Antarctic to hunt for previously unnoticed canyons.
These canyons had previously been hidden until the researchers used a new method to sort through maps of the area and identify canyons. These pictures illustrate how the semi-automatic method converts topographical information (A) into an analysed catalogue of canyons (D)
The researchers say that Antarctica's canyons are much deeper than those elsewhere in the world because of the massive volume of sediment pushed into the ocean by glaciers. This sediment carves out deep grooves as it slides down the continental shelf
By analysing the map with a semi-automated method for identifying canyons, the researchers found far more canyons beneath the ice than had previously been expected.
Interestingly, these new maps revealed that there is a big difference between the canyons in different parts of the continent.
Co-author Dr Riccardo Arosio, a marine geologist from University College Cork, told MailOnline: 'It has been very interesting to discover a striking difference between East and West Antarctic canyons, which had not been observed before.'
Dr Arosio says that those in the East form 'long canyon-channel systems, and have more frequent U-shaped profiles'.
Meanwhile, canyons in the West of the continent are 'shorter, steeper, and V-shaped'.
This is likely because the canyons in the West have been carved by the water released by relatively recent melting of the ice sheet while those in the East are the product of a much longer process of glacial activity.
The researchers say this discovery could have much wider implications for how we predict the impacts of climate change.
The Antarctic canyons help exchange water between the deep ocean and the continental shelf.
These canyons transport warm water from the open ocean up to the floating sea ice, speeding up ice melt. This map shows sea ice extent for February 25 as well as the average ice extent for February (marked by the red line)
At the same time, these canyons also bring warmer waters in from the open sea up to meet the floating ice shelves - driving the ice melt, which is weakening Antarctica's inland glaciers.
Dr Arosio says: 'Omitting these local mechanisms limits the ability that models must predict changes in ocean and climate dynamics.'
In the future, by gathering more high-resolution data in unmapped areas, the researchers expect to find even more submarine canyons beneath the ice.
Properly understanding these canyons and how they affect the circulation of water around the poles could be key to accurately predicting the impacts of climate change.
The three ice sheets that cover the continent contain around 70 per cent of our planet’s fresh water - and these are all to warming air and oceans.
If all the ice sheets were to melt due to global warming, Antarctica would raise global sea levels by at least 183ft (56m).
Given their size, even small losses in the ice sheets could have global consequences.
In addition to rising sea levels, meltwater would slow down the world’s ocean circulation, while changing wind belts may affect the climate in the southern hemisphere.
In February 2018, Nasa revealed El Niño events cause the Antarctic ice shelf to melt by up to ten inches (25 centimetres) every year.
El Niño and La Niña are separate events that alter the water temperature of the Pacific ocean.
The ocean periodically oscillates between warmer than average during El Niños and cooler than average during La Niñas.
Using Nasa satellite imaging, researchers found that the oceanic phenomena cause Antarctic ice shelves to melt while also increasing snowfall.
In March 2018, it was revealed that more of a giant France-sized glacier in Antarctica is floating on the ocean than previously thought.
This has raised fears it could melt faster as the climate warms and have a dramatic impact on rising sea-levels.
In a recent study, scientists from Cornell University calculated exactly when the 'Big Crunch' could begin.
Thankfully, their calculations suggest we can relax for the time being... that is if something else doesn't cause our demise.
Scientists have revealed the grisly details of what will happen to the universe during the Big Crunch, a time when all matter collapses into a black hole–like singularity
What is the Big Crunch?
The Big Crunch is essentially the opposite of the Big Bang which started the universe 13.8 billion years ago.
After the Big Bang, the universe rapidly expanded as a sea of superheated matter cooled into the familiar particles which make up the cosmos today.
During the Big Crunch, this process will run in reverse - compacting space back into a hot, dense state.
Scientists believe the current outward expansion of the universe is due to a mysterious force called Dark Energy.
If the pushing force of Dark Energy was constant, the universe would keep on expanding and cooling for ever.
But now, astronomers are beginning to question whether this really is the case.
Based on the latest data, some scientists believe that Dark Energy is weakening, leaving an inward force called the cosmological constant to pull the universe back together.
On the standard model of cosmology, the universe is being pushed apart by a constant force called dark energy. However, researchers now believe that this force could be weakening over time
The latest map of the known universe suggests that dark energy is getting weaker, which means the universe will one day fall back in on itself like a ball falling back to Earth under the influence of gravity
What is the Big Crunch?
The Big Crunch is essentially the reversal of the Big Bang.
In the first few moments of the universe, space and time expanded rapidly and cooled to form the matter we now see around us.
In the Big Crunch, all this matter will once again contract inwards towards that same infinitely dense point.
As it collapses, space will become hot, and matter will be torn into a soup of fundamental particles.
Eventually, the cosmos will be compressed into a singularity, just as it was before the Big Bang.
Dr Ethan Yu–Cheng, of Shanghai Jiao Tong University, told MailOnline: 'It is just like throwing a basketball vertically upwards in daily life.
'The negative cosmological constant acts like the Earth's gravity, which pulls the basketball downward. The basketball will de–accelerate until reaching the maximum height and start to fall.'
Would we notice the Big Crunch starting?
If it's difficult to imagine what life during the Big Crunch would be like, think about the universe as a balloon with lots of little dots drawn on its surface.
As you blow air in, the balloon expands, the surface stretches, and the distance between all the dots grows larger.
The Big Crunch is like letting all the air out of the balloon at once, bringing those distant points back together in a rush.
However, the process would start very slowly.
Dr Hoang Nhan Luu, a researcher at the Donostia International Physics Center, told MailOnline: 'Intelligent civilisations at the scales of solar systems or even galactic scales would not notice any obvious phenomenon because these changes happen at much larger cosmological scales.
Just as the Hubble Space Telescope's observations (pictured) showed that the universe is now expanding by measuring the light from faraway galaxies, astronomers in the far future would see galaxies suddenly come back towards them
'Civilisations like us typically exist on time scales of hundreds to thousands of years while the changes happen on billion–year time scales, so we wouldn't notice any obvious day–to–day phenomenon until the very last moment.'
But Dr Luu says that any observant humans still alive in the universe would be able to spot the warning signs.
Just as we can look at distant galaxies to see that the universe is expanding, astronomers of the future would be able to see that the galaxies are now rushing towards them.
What would the first signs of the Big Crunch be?
The first obvious sign that the universe was changing would be that the cosmic temperature would start to increase.
Professor Avi Loeb, a theoretical physicist from Cornell University, told MailOnline: 'It is the reverse history of our expanding universe.'
The universe has been getting colder as it expands, like gas escaping from a pressurised container.
During the Big Crunch, this process will play out in reverse and raise the temperature of space.
As the universe collapses inwards, the temperature of the cosmic background radiation (pictured) would increase exponentially. Eventually, the cosmos would hit the 'Planck temperature', the hottest temperature possible according to physics
Why will the Big Crunch happen?
Some scientists believe that the universe's current expansion is determined by two factors.
A negative 'cosmological constant' pulling the universe inwards and an outward force from Dark Energy.
If Dark Energy were constant, the universe would keep on expanding forever.
However, researchers think that Dark Energy is getting weaker.
When it gets weak enough, the cosmological constant will overpower Dark Energy and pull the universe inwards.
About 13 billion years from now, Professor Loeb predicts the density of energy in the universe will be about 1,000 times higher than it is now.
Just half a billion years after that, it wouldbe another 1,000 times higher, making the universe room temperature.
Professor Loeb says: 'At this point it wouldn't be the sun warming that is warming us, but the equivalent of the Cosmic Microwave Background.'
Within a few million years, the entire universe would be as hot as the surface of the sun.
Eventually, the universe would reach the 'Planck temperature', the highest possible temperature according to our models of physics.
Professor Loeb says: 'Needless to say, all humans will burn up in the furnace of this cosmic hell.
What will happen to the solar system during the Big Crunch?
During the Big Crunch, the universe will eventually become so dense that the planets and stars will be pushed together by the collapse.
Despite Dark Energy's push, the solar system isn't expanding because it is denser than the background universe. During the Big Crunch, the cosmos will become so dense that planets will be pulled into each other by the collapse of spacetime. Pictured: NASA's map of dark matter in the universe
The only thing that will survive the collapse at first will be black holes. Black holes will actually thrive during the Big Crunch as they feed on a soup of ultra–dense matter
That means the planets of the solar system will come closer and closer together until they are crushed together.
As space approaches the final moments of the crunch, Professor Loeb says that the universe will be even denser than space inside an atom.
As the universe becomes even denser than an atomic nucleus, all matter in the cosmos will once again be squeezed back into this primordial state.
The only things in the universe to survive this transition would be black holes, which would thrive as they feed on the dense matter all around them.
Finally, this boiling mess of black holes and elementary particles would be crushed into a single infinitely dense point known as the singularity, bringing the universe to an end.
When will the Big Crunch happen?
Thankfully, scientists believe that the Big Crunch is still far off in the impossibly distant future.
Professor Henry Tye, a leading cosmologist from Cornell University, 'We calculate that this will lead to a big crunch about 19.5 billion years from now.
By the time the Big Crunch even begins, the sun will have expanded into a red giant and swallowed up the inner planets, including Earth
'Knowing that the age of the universe is 13.8 billion years, one obtains that the lifespan is 33.3 billion years.
In their pre–print paper, Professor Tye and his co–authors, Dr Luu and Dr Yu–Cheng, say that the Big Crunch will begin about 11 billion years from now.
The crunching phase would then last around 8.5 billion years before the universe completely collapses into a singularity.
Given that Homo sapiens have only been around for at most 300,000 years, that gives us plenty of time to relax.
Likewise, while it might not necessarily be a comforting thought, it is almost certain that humanity will have been wiped out long before then in any case.
Professor Tye says: 'Before the big crunch, at about 5 billion years from now, the sun will use up its fuel and start growing dramatically.
'Its outer layers will expand until they engulf much of the solar system, as it becomes what astronomers call a red giant. Eventually, it fades to a tiny white dwarf.
'To survive, human beings have to move to the edge of our solar system or beyond. We have a few billion years' time to prepare for that trip.'
The Big Bang Theory is a cosmological model, a theory used to describe the beginning and the evolution of our universe.
It says that the universe was in a very hot and dense state before it started to expand 13,7 billion years ago.
This theory is based on fundamental observations.
In 1920, Hubble observed that the distance between galaxies was increasing everywhere in the universe.
The Big Bang Theory is a cosmological model, a theory used to describe the beginning and the evolution of our universe, based on observations - including the cosmic background radiation (pictured), which is a like a fossil of radiation emitted during the beginning of the universe, when it was hot and dense
This means that galaxies had to be closer to each other in the past.
In 1964, Wilson and Penzias discovered the cosmic background radiation, which is a like a fossil of radiation emitted during the beginning of the universe, when it was hot and dense.
The cosmic background radiation is observable everywhere in the universe.
The composition of the universe - that is, the the number of atoms of different elements - is consistent with the Big Bang Theory.
So far, this theory is the only one that can explain why we observe an abundance of primordial elements in the universe.
When US soldiers based in Suffolk saw lights, triangular aircraft and 'non-humans' the MoD 'shut it down'. Now 45 years later they tell their story for first time - and astonishing truth about how close armageddon really was
When US soldiers based in Suffolk saw lights, triangular aircraft and 'non-humans' the MoD 'shut it down'. Now 45 years later they tell their story for first time - and astonishing truth about how close armageddon really was
By DR DAVID CLARKE
Didaliens land outside an American airbase in Suffolk 45 years ago to probe its secret stash of nuclear warheads?
Or is the story a fisherman's tale that just gets bigger every time it is told?
Clearly something unusual happened in the early hours of Boxing Day morning in Rendlesham Forest, near the twin RAF bases of Bentwaters and Woodbridge, that's still being talked about today.
Some claim the latter Nato base was visited by UFOs, leading to a 'meet and greet' with silver-suited aliens and American top military brass that was caught on film.
Others, as the Mail can exclusively reveal, are convinced the Christmas visitors were interested in a secret nuclear missile stockpile, stashed just a few miles from Ipswich, where the good people of Suffolk were obliviously sleeping off their Christmas indulgences.
What everyone agrees on, however, is that the full story has never been disclosed. Until now.
A new feature length documentary, eight years in the making, re-ignited the decades-old Rendlesham Forest UFO mystery when it premiered last week.
Called Capel Green, after a field situated between the RAF Woodbridge airfield and the medieval Butley Priory in Suffolk, where the story is set, it re-creates the action seen through the eyes of a US airman who claims he witnessed it.
As a keen UFOlogist who has closely followed the Rendlesham story for decades, I fear the truth won't be the Close Encounters tale everyone craves, but rather yet another example of the British and American governments using UFO conspiracy stories as a convenient cloak for their nefarious, top-secret activities at the height of the Cold War, as confirmed last month in a bombshell report published by The Wall Street Journal.
Yet, that will be cold comfort for those Suffolk residents, who, in 1980, had no idea how close they were sleeping to the weapons of Armageddon that Christmas night.
The Capel Green film includes interviews with US security police, some of whom have never spoken on camera before, plus a newly recruited US airman, Larry Warren, just 19 at the time, who claims he had a front-row seat to the whole happening.
Larry Warren claims he had a front-row seat to the whole happening at Rendlesham Forest when he was 19
The Capel Green film includes interviews with US security police, some of whom have never spoken on camera before
In the film, he describes how he was told to hand over his rifle and driven in a Jeep to a clearing in the forest that was covered in glowing mist.
It was then, he says, that he saw a 'basketball sized red light in the sky' followed by a 'blinding flash of light'.
It was then he saw a triangular-shaped 'machine, object or craft' on the ground and – most astonishingly of all – three 'non-human beings' emerging from it.
These beings, he said, were then greeted by a tall man he believed was the most senior officer at the Nato complex, US air force wing commander (later brigadier general) Gordon Williams.
According to Warren, footage of this incredible meeting was captured on film, the footage handed to the pilot of a F-15 jet and later flown to the US air force HQ in Germany, never to be seen again.
Which is all very intriguing – and understandably greeted with a huge amount of scepticism.
Wing commander Gordon Williams, it should be noted, has never publicly commented on Rendlesham, but in 2003 described Warren's claims as 'a flight of fancy'.
Whatever happened, the incident wasn't a one-off and UFOs were seen around the base for at least three nights.
On December 28, 1980, the deputy base commander, lieutenant colonel Charles Halt, led a team of airmen into the forest to investigate his colleague's strange report.
As Halt made a running commentary of events on his hand-held tape recorder, his men gasped as they spotted a pulsing red light that resembled a winking eye between the trees.
Later three star-like lights in the sky were seen low in the north and south, hovering until daybreak. Halt claims one of these projected a pencil-thin beam of light into the weapons storage area of nearby RAF Bentwaters 'like it was looking for something'.
In the film, US security policeman Sergeant Steve Longero, who was assigned to protect the nuclear warheads at the Suffolk base, also claims to have seen a beam of light scanning the whole of the weapons storage area.
Charles Halt's memo summarising the Rendlesham sightings was sent to the British Ministry of Defence in January 1981 and became one of the most famous documents in the history of UFOlogy when it was leaked to the media.
As a teenage UFO enthusiast, I clearly recall being gripped by the headline 'UFO LANDS IN SUFFOLK: And that's OFFICIAL' that broke the Rendlesham Forest story in October 1983.
To many UFOlogists, the Rendlesham incident offered the exciting possibility of a 'British Roswell' right on our doorstep.
The News Of The World front page from 1983 reads: 'UFO LANDS IN SUFFOLK: And that's OFFICIAL'
To many UFOlogists, the Rendlesham incident offered the exciting possibility of a 'British Roswell' right on our doorstep
Roswell, as every UFO buff knows, was a mysterious incident in Roswell, New Mexico that happened in 1947, when a downed balloon used to spy on Soviet atomic tests was spun into a story of a captured flying saucer.
For those who wanted to believe, Rendlesham appeared to have everything Roswell had: impressive military witnesses, official documentation and what appeared to be a determined government attempt at a cover-up.
As an investigative journalist seeking answers, I used the precursor to the UK's Freedom of Information Act to persuade the MoD to release their own 150-page file on the case in 2001.
Sadly, I found no smoking gun, although I did find a letter written by the then-defence minister, Michael Heseltine, shortly after the story broke, giving unequivocal assurance 'that there is not a grain of truth in the allegation that there has been a cover-up about alleged UFO sightings'.
But remember, this was the Eighties and the height of the Cold War, where 'truth' could be subjective. The Soviet Union had invaded Afghanistan a year earlier and tensions were high in Eastern Europe.
Not so many miles away, at Greenham Common in Berkshire, the first tents were being pitched in a protest camp outside another American airbase, where cruise missiles were being stored.
The protest would go on for the next 19 years and draw worldwide media attention – something the US and UK governments were keen to avoid in Suffolk.
In 2002, I met with RAF squadron leader, Don Moreland, who was the British liaison officer for the two bases at the time. The question of nuclear weapons was dodged deftly.
'The MoD thing was, we don't confirm or deny it. I don't know whether there were nuclear weapons there, and I was the RAF commander,' he told me.
'I could probably guess that there might have been there but they wouldn't tell me.'
But last summer a US intelligence officer-turned UFO whistleblower, Luis Elizondo, claimed in his explosive book, Imminent, that the Rendlesham incident was indeed linked to the secret stockpile of nuclear weapons at nearby RAF Bentwaters – now a Cold War Museum.
He said the 'beam' described by multiple witnesses had 'hovered specifically over an underground bunker' where the stash was held. He said the visit triggered a 'flash override' that gave the US president, Jimmy Carter, direct control of the weapons in the event of a surprise attack.
Many theories have come and gone over the years, the earliest being put forward by astronomer Ian Ridpath who discovered the initial sighting coincided with a bright fireball meteor that appeared to fall into the forest in the early hours of Boxing Day.
Ridpath believes that once the airmen on the patrol became convinced a UFO had landed, they walked into the forest, where they saw the pulsing beam from the Orford Ness lighthouse, about six miles away on the Suffolk coast.
Professor David Clarke has spoken to several key men regarding the mysterious events that took place 45 years ago
Others have come forward to claim the sightings were caused by pranksters: in 2015 I received a letter from an anonymous source claiming to be a 'retired SAS trooper with inside knowledge of Rendlesham' who immediately got my attention.
He claimed the UFOs were created by pyrotechnics rigged up by Special Forces in the forest, in revenge for being caught and roughed up by US security forces during an exercise to test the base defences.
But, however exciting this theory might sound, the date stamp on the letter gave the game away: it was carefully timed to arrive on April 1.
Four decades have passed and the basic story has become ever more complicated and exaggerated, with numerous claims and counter-claims from both believers and sceptics.
Halt's straightforward, if bizarre, account of 'unexplained lights' seen in a forest at Christmas time has been transformed into a complex modern legend involving missing time, conspiracies and messages from time travellers.
Even the most dedicated supporters of the UFO story have struggled to reconcile the ever-changing accounts told by the principal witnesses.
Sergeant Jim Penniston's account of having approached the landed UFO in the forest on Boxing Day and made sketches of it was once regarded as good evidence. But his credibility crumbled when he announced, on the 30th anniversary, that he had received a 'download' of binary code when he touched the object that he wrote down in a notebook. He also claimed to have received a telepathic message from the craft's occupants who'd come from our future to gather genetic material. 'They are time travellers,' he said. 'They are us.'
Charles Halt went on, after retirement from the US air force, to write a book and has made frequent TV appearances. In 2010 he signed a statement that said he believed the UFOs were 'extraterrestrial in origin and that the security services of both the United States and UK have attempted – both then and now – to subvert the significance of what occurred in Rendlesham forest and RAF Bentwaters by the use of well-practiced methods of disinformation'.
But Halt's superior officer, Colonel Ted Conrad, responded with a scathing account of Halt's credibility when we met in 2016.
The Texan-born former top gun fighter pilot told me, in no uncertain terms: '[Halt] should be ashamed and embarrassed by his allegation that his country and England both conspired to deceive their citizens over this issue. He knows better.'
Colonel Conrad was base commander and said he carried out the only formal investigation of the UFO sightings on behalf of General Williams, his boss and, according to Larry Warren, the man who officially greeted the aliens that night.
But he failed to find any hard evidence and said the MoD decided to 'shut down' the whole incident.
Despite his scepticism, Conrad admitted that something unexplained really did happen that Christmas but claimed the whole saga has taken on a life of its own.
'I don't recognise the details anymore,' he told me. 'It resembles science fiction and I have a low opinion of those telling these stories.'
Then there is Larry Warren, the homesick teenage airman, whose story is the focus of the film Capel Green.
The film's director, Dion M Johnson ,describes him as 'the original military witness and whistleblower' who has 'fought for the truth to be revealed'.
But others have cast doubt upon his credibility, including Peter Robbins, with whom he co-authored a book about the incident, called Left At East Gate, in 1997.
He later publicly disowned Warren, saying 'my former author has taken me for the ride of my life'.
Former MoD UFO desk officer Nick Pope has gone further, describing Warren's story as 'largely fabricated' and 'part-stolen from other witnesses', such as Halt, that he believes are credible.
Astronomer Ian Ridpath says 'on the face of it the Rendlesham story sounds inexplicable, but when broken down into its individual elements it is possible to work out what actually happened.
'As with most UFO cases, it amounts to a series of misidentifications of natural and man-made objects, namely a fireball, the lighthouse and twinkling stars. However, the UFO believers have no interest in solutions.
'For them the case has become a modern myth, and films like Capel Green simply add to that mythology.'
Much like its American cousin Roswell, the Rendlesham story is likely to keep on growing as a snowball does rolling down a hillside, that keeps getting bigger and bigger with every re-telling.
If you thought the Earth only had one moon, think again. Researchers have revealed that our planet may actually have an entire collection orbiting us at any given time.
A new study has found that Earth has at least six 'minimoons' in orbit on a regular basis, with most of them being smaller pieces of the actual moon we see in the sky each night.
A team from the US, Italy, Germany, Finland, and Sweden said these tiny satellites are generally around six feet in diameter and were formed by asteroids impacting on the moon's surface.
The collisions essentially kick up a bunch of dust and moon debris, with some of it being large enough to float away and get pulled into the Earth's gravitational field.
The study suggested that these broken moon pieces, known as 'lunar ejecta,' can move into somewhat stable orbits, staying near Earth for years.
Minimoons typically stay in Earth's orbit only for a short time before escaping or, in rare cases, hitting our planet or the moon.
Most of the time, these temporarily bound objects (TBOs) break away from Earth and are pulled into the sun's gravity, where they'll remain indefinitely, while new chunks of the moon are broken off to replace them.
Robert Jedicke, a researcher at the University of Hawaii, said: It's 'kind of like a square dance, where partners change regularly and sometimes leave the dance floor for a while.'
2024 PT5 entered Earth's orbit as a 'minimoon' from September 29 through November 25, 2024
(Stock Image)
'Given that 18 percent of TBOs can also be classified as minimoons, our nominal results suggest that there should be about 6.5 minimoons larger than 1 m diameter in the [Earth-Moon system] at any time,' the researchers wrote in their new report.
The new study could upend the belief among scientists that these minimoons which quietly circle Earth all come from the solar system's asteroid belt.
A 2018 study suggested most TBOs come from this distant region which sits between Mars and Jupiter.
However, the new findings published in Icarus looked at two recently discovered minimoons, Kamo'oalewa and 2024 PT5, which both appear to have telltale signs of being moon fragments.
Specifically, Kamo'oalewa, discovered in 2016 by the Pan-STARRS1 telescope in Hawaii, was found to reflect light in a way that closely matches the moon's surface composition.
The large minimoon, which measures between 131 to 328 feet in diameter, also has the same composition of lunar rocks, rich in silicates.
This greatly differs from the typical asteroid, which often contains different minerals and metals than those found on the moon.
Jedicke told Space.com that 2024 PT5, which was discovered entering Earth's orbit on August 7, 2024, has exhibited the same lunar-like characteristics.
Astronomers created a simulation of what they believed 2024 PT5, a so-called minimoon, looked like in space
Last year, 2024 PT5 was dubbed Earth's temporary 'second moon' because of its size and lingering presence so close to our planet.
Astronomers collected data on the supposed asteroid as it circled Earth, which led astronomers to suggest that it may have been a chunk of our moon instead.
The leading theory of lunar formation is called the 'giant impact hypothesis,' which theorizes that the moon is actually an enormous, orbiting hunk of Earth.
According to this theory, our planet collided with a Mars-sized planet roughly four billion years ago, and this triggered an explosion of material from Earth that shot into space and eventually condensed to form the moon.
If the giant impact hypothesis and the analysis of 2024 PT5's origin are correct, that would mean our true moon is the parent of this minimoon, and Earth is its grandparent.
Newly released records have revealed never-before-seen footage of unidentified objects invading an Ohio military base connected to one of the most infamous UFO encounters in history.
Thanks to a Freedom of Information Act request (FOIA), the US military has just been compelled to releasedocuments and video of two incidentsover Wright-Patterson Air Force Base in December 2024.
According to Air Force personnel and other witnesses in the area, the UFOs may have been part of the same drone swarms that both captivated and terrified the nation late last year.
While the vast majority of those reports came from New Jersey and other East Coast locations, the newly declassified files show that on December 13 and December 16 personnel at Wright-Patterson tracked and recorded the objects hovering over the secure facility.
The files on the incident revealed that the Air Force considered the invasion serious enough to stop flight operations around the base, call local law enforcement, and have security use thermal imaging cameras to find the intruders.
However, the case has remained unsolved as the military has not found out who or what sent the drones, the declassified documents stated.
The mystery of the 2024 drone swarms has become even more compelling because of the secretive work that has taken place at Wright-Patterson.
UFO researchers and government whistleblowers have said on multiple occasions that the Ohio compound has a direct tie to the 1947 UFO crash in Roswell, New Mexico.
Wright-Patterson Air Force Base in Ohio has been linked to UFO activity since the 1940s
Newly released video by the military shows unknown drones swarming over the base in December 2024
The Air Force documented revealed that on December 13, 2024, security forces around the base spotted several unmanned vehicles in the sky over Wright-Patterson around 10pm ET.
Patrols reported seeing at least one small drone that was about six inches in length and had four propellers hovering over the facility.
Another guard station stated that 'four quad-copter drones with red and green lights in a tight diamond formation' were swarming the base, but they 'gained altitude and flew away at a rapid speed' after the soldiers shined their car's spotlight on them.
The base's air traffic control tower issued a full shutdown of Wright-Patterson's airspace during the incident, but airmen never found the drones or anyone in the area who may have sent them.
On December 16, a civilian walking his dog near the base perimeter spotted another cluster of drones and reported it to base personnel near the gate around 9:30pm.
According to the witness's account, the drones 'were slowly moving in different directions.'
'The objects appeared to be lights moving as a group, but too high up to get an accurate assessment of what they looked like,' one officer at Wright-Patterson reported.
At 11:43 pm, another officer spotted an unknown aircraft descending towards the base, getting within 500 feet of landing before it suddenly ascended and disappeared.
Documents obtained through a Freedom of Information Act request revealed that the Air Force does not know who or what sent the drones
Drones swarmed over Wright-Patterson Air Force Base (pictured) on both December 13 and December 16, 2024
A second patrol confirmed the startling report, saying the 'unidentified flying object' just vanished after approaching the base's runaway.
The FOIA release included multiple video clips taken by witnesses tracking the drones at various security checkpoints.
Although President Trump has said the mysterious swarms were 'not the enemy' and had been authorized to conduct 'research,' the new documents revealed that federal officials have a much different story behind closed doors.
The declassified report showed that both air traffic control and the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) were contacted by officials at Wright-Patterson on December 13 and December 16.
Both agencies told the Air Force there were 'no authorized aircraft operating in WPAFB airspace' on those nights.
The FOIA request by The Black Vault, a website dedicated to sharing declassified government documents, has thrown Wright-Patterson back into the spotlight, as UFO conspiracy theorists have been focused on this facility for decades.
During a congressional hearing in May, Dr Eric Davis, a physicist who has been a consultant for the Pentagon's UFO program since 2007, revealed that debris from the Roswell incident was allegedly flown to Wright-Patterson after the crash in 1947.
The Air Force base has also been connected to the secret government group known as the Majestic 12 (MJ-12), a committee of high-ranking military, scientific, and intelligence officials assembled after the Roswell crash.
UFO researchers have said that the 1947 UFO crash in Roswell, New Mexico 'was the real deal' and that debris from the ship was taken to Wright-Patterson for analysis
For over two decades, these experts were allegedly tasked with managing investigations into UFOs and extraterrestrial contact.
Recently unearthed CIA files stated that MJ-12 oversaw four specific projects charged with communicating with aliens, researching UFOs, recovering crashed alien ships, and testing out whatever advanced technology they could find.
That research and development program was based at Wright-Patterson Air Force Base, according to an alleged government whistleblower in 1984.
The base was also the headquarters for Project Blue Book, the Air Force's official UFO investigation program from 1947 to 1969. It investigated 12,618 sightings, with 701 remaining 'unidentified,' according to declassified records in the National Archives.
Oldest Alien Base on Earth Found in Chile Google Earth, Many Faces! UFO UAP Sighting News.
Oldest Alien Base on Earth Found in Chile Google Earth, Many Faces! UFO UAP Sighting News.
Date of discovery: July 2025 Location of discovery: Chile, sorry I said Argentina earlier Coordinates: 55°32'35"S, 69°15'56"W
Found the faces at Chile on Island of Grande de Tierra del Fuego, many faces of different alien species on a high mountain top. Each a different color species, the oldest alien base on our planet. Now we are left with other questions...are these aliens, the oldest aliens in our universe might be seen as angels or demons with such powers...or even god or gods. A thin line sites between them. Scott C. Waring - UFO Sightings Daily
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“She Cared for Alien Babies”: Paul Hynek’s Astonishing UFO Encounter
“She Cared for Alien Babies”: Paul Hynek’s Astonishing UFO Encounter
In the world of UFO lore and extraterrestrial encounters, few accounts are as intriguing and grounded as the one shared by Paul Hynek, son of famed astronomer and Project Blue Book scientific advisor, J. Allen Hynek. In a candid interview on Debriefed (Episode 45), Paul recalls a fascinating conversation with an elderly German woman who claimed to have one of the most unusual jobs imaginable—serving as a nanny for hybrid alien babies aboard a spaceship.
A Matter-of-Fact Encounter
During a conference in San Francisco, Hynek met the woman, who was unassuming and not eager to share her story. When asked about her occupation, she calmly revealed, “I’m a nanny on a spaceship for human-alien hybrid babies.” Her delivery was devoid of drama, describing her work as a 9-to-5, Monday-through-Friday routine. This matter-of-fact tone set her apart from the many sensational accounts often heard in UFO circles.
When Hynek probed further, asking about topics such as the species of aliens she worked with and practical matters like insurance, her responses were steady and reflective. She mentioned there was no insurance but noted that the aliens “kind of healed her” when needed. Her answers painted a picture of a day-to-day job that, while extraordinary, seemed as mundane to her as any earthly employment.
Connecting With Known Abduction Themes
Hynek drew parallels between her account and research by David Jacobs, who documented cases where abductees were trained to care for or socialize hybrid beings to help them adapt to human environments. Such themes often involve abductees being placed in maternal or caregiving roles. Yet, the woman’s account was remarkable for its prosaic, almost businesslike description of life aboard the craft.
A Personal and Historic Perspective
Hynek also shared insights from his family’s deep ties to UFO research. He recalled conversations with Colonel Robert Friend, a Tuskegee Airman and one of the directors at Project Blue Book. In one exchange, Friend was asked if alien bodies were ever transported to Wright-Patterson Air Force Base. Remaining loyal to his oath of secrecy, Friend replied that bodies wouldn’t have gone there, as it was a mechanics center, but rather to Fort Hood, a burn center. This subtle, yet telling comment hinted at concealed truths within military circles.
On Friend’s 99th birthday, Hynek delicately pressed him again for any convincing evidence of extraterrestrial encounters. Friend’s response was brief but powerful: “Paul, yes.” Though he didn’t break confidentiality, his confirmation resonated deeply with Hynek, who regards it as one of the most compelling personal testimonies he has encountered.
A Reflection on Credibility and Calm
What makes these stories compelling is not just their content but the demeanor of the people telling them. The German nanny’s calm, measured recounting and Friend’s quiet affirmation contrast starkly with the sensationalism often found in UFO narratives. For Hynek, these understated yet powerful anecdotes hold more weight than any dramatic case file.
Closing Thoughts
Paul Hynek’s experiences serve as a reminder that some of the most remarkable stories about extraterrestrial life come from the most unassuming voices. Whether one believes in such accounts or not, they provide a fascinating glimpse into the intersections of human imagination, personal experience, and the enduring mystery of our place in the universe.
Mysterious video taken from an infrared camera shows multiple UFOs flying through the sky over Brazil, then vanishing. Brazilian officials have not offered any explanation for the video, despite it going viral on social media throughout the country.
According to a report by CNN Brazil, the footage was taken at around 8:30 p.m. local time on July 8 in Sao Pedro, a city in the metropolitan region of Piracicaba, in the interior of Sao Paulo. One area resident told the media outlet that the UFOs did not move in any conventional way. They also stated that it did not look like any standard aircraft.
What witnesses said about the UFO sighting
“What caught my attention was that they were lights that had a brightness much greater than that of an airplane”, said the witness who recorded the UFO footage. “It was a white glow that oscillated […] And so, there were several points, which did not all appear simultaneously. It followed a path and suddenly it became brighter and disappeared. Then, suddenly, another light appeared in another place [in the sky].”
CNN Brazil also reports that these or similar UFOs have been appearing in the region since last year. One local resident even said it happens at least once a week.
“It’s quiet here, there’s no airplane noise,” the local resident said. “I also thought it might suddenly be a rural drone. I can’t understand how far away they [the lights] are, but the fact is that they appear and leave us wondering.”
Brazil is a known hot spot for UFO and alien activity
The Brazilian National Archives contain at least 26 reports of UFOs being seen by pilots, controllers and people to the Air Force Command in 2024.
The country is also well-known in the UFO community for “the Varginha incident” which occurred on January 20, 1996. Dubbed “Brazil’s Roswell,” the Varginha incident involved numerous witnesses claiming to have seen aliens amid experienced numerous UFO sightings over a period of multiple days, following by some sort of investigation or intervention by Brazilian military.
UFO É FILMADO SOBRE PIRACICABA (SP) – IMAGENS CHOCANTES CAPTADAS POR CÂMERA DE SEGURANÇA
On the 6th of June 1980, 56-year-old coal miner Zigmund Adamski left his home in Tingley, West Yorkshire to do some shopping. He never returned. On the 9th of June, his body was found on top of a ten-foot high pile of coal in the town of Todmorden, twenty miles away from his house.
Sent to investigate, local bobby Alan Godfrey discovered that while Adamski was wearing a suit, his shirt, wallet and watch were all missing. Adamski’s hair had been cropped in what PC Godfrey described as a ‘roughly cut’ manner, and he only had one day’s growth of beard despite being missing for several days. The young policeman also reported that Adamski had mysterious burns on his neck, head and shoulders.
The coroner, James Turnbull, confirmed that some of the burns had been treated with a ‘strange ointment’ that could not be identified by forensic scientists. Godfrey later said that Adamski looked like he’d been frightened to death.
Speaking to reporters, PC Godfrey said there was a possibility Adamski had been abducted by aliens. ‘I am open-minded,’ he said. ‘I can't rule it out.’
The true cause of the Lofthouse Colliery worker’s death remains a mystery to this day. One wild theory that did the rounds at the time was that Adamski had been killed by the KGB. Another suggested he had been struck by ball lighting which caused him to wander off confused and eventually die at the top of the coal heap. To many people though, there was only one explanation - Adamski encountered alien beings on his way to the shops and it had cost him his life.
Five months after the grisly discovery of Adamski’s body, Todmorden once again found itself at the centre of media attention. This time it was none other than PC Godfrey who was in the eye of the storm.
Sent out at five in the morning to deal with a call about escaped cattle on a housing estate, Godfrey was, according to his own account, stopped dead in his tracks by what he claimed was an unidentified flying object. Godfrey said the object was a bright light in the sky - a rotating, diamond-shaped vessel, twenty feet high and fourteen feet wide.
Godfrey made a quick sketch of the object in his notebook and then grabbed his police radio to call the incident in. The line was dead. Suddenly, it disappeared in a bright flash and Godfrey found himself sitting in his car thirty yards further down the road. Looking at his watch, the policeman was surprised to see it was twenty-five minutes later than it had been just moments before. Weirder still, his boot was split open and an itchy mark had appeared on one of his feet.
Baffled, Godfrey returned to where he had seen the light and discovered the road where his car had been was completely dry, despite the fact it had recently been raining. Getting out to investigate the area, he found the cows he’d been looking for in a park next to the road. They had not been there before he saw the strange object in the sky. What on earth was going on?
When he finally managed to report his strange encounter, Godfrey was met with scepticism and even ridicule. On the advice of a solicitor friend, he decided to see a hypnotist to get to the bottom of what he’d witnessed.
Under hypnosis, Godfrey recalled that he had been blinded by the light and passed out. He told the hypnotist that when he awoke, he was in a strange room being examined by several little creatures and a tall, humanoid figure with a beard. Again, his claims were met with raised eyebrows and derision.
Several weeks after Godfrey’s account had leaked to the newspapers and became an international news story, he was called into his inspector's office. There sat a man in a dark suit and tie who introduced himself as ‘the Man from the Ministry’.
He had with him a file containing Godfrey’s drawing of the strange craft. Godfrey wasn’t allowed to see the rest of the file but assumed it also contained his account of the evening’s events, plus his report on the mysterious death of Zigmund Adamski. The man told Godfrey that he was to swear on the Official Secrets Act that he would not talk to anyone about what he had seen. Godfrey reluctantly agreed.
The young policeman then encountered the man on several occasions over the next few days. It was clear he was being followed. Eventually, Godfrey confronted the man in his local pub, telling him to clear off. The man disappeared and was never seen again..
Who was this mysterious man? Was he an MI5 agent, sent to warn him off? That's what Godfrey believes, though another theory is that the stranger was actually from West Yorkshire Police, sent to warn Godfrey off from speaking to the press in an attempt to not draw any more attention to the force. They were already getting a considerable amount of bad publicity over the Yorkshire Ripper case.
Despite that it later transpiring that several other police officers and a bus driver had seen strange lights on the same morning, Godfrey’s claims were seen as an embarrassment to the force. He was eventually transferred to Wakefield and an attempt was even made to have him sectioned.
Godfrey later claimed that he was hounded out of the police for refusing to give up on his story. He also talked of the negative impact the incident had had on his family. ’I wish I'd never seen the UFO, particularly because of the effects on my children,’ he was later to reflect. ’It's not easy having a policeman as a father but when he's a policeman who saw a UFO it's even worse.’
Since the two incidents in 1980, Todmorden and other areas of West Yorkshire have become UFO hotspots. Mysterious objects have been reported for forty years across the Pennines in the skies above Holmfirth, Rothwell and, in 2016, over the world famous Ribblehead Viaduct, where strange lights could be seen hovering in the sky for several hours.
A mere year after Godfrey’s experience, Todmorden local Vicky Dinsdale was out walking her dog with her grandfather when they saw a long, thin, diamond-shaped object that kept changing colour. Vicky’s grandfather, a former sergeant in the army, told the young girl to keep what they saw to themselves, mindful of the ridicule visited on Godfrey.
So, is there an explanation for what happened to Zigmund Adamski and PC Godfrey, or indeed for the numerous incidents that have happened in the four decades since? Despite many people attempting to get to the bottom of this intriguing mystery, no one has ever managed to come up with a definitive answer.
In the case of Adamski, the state of his clothes, his cropped hair, one day of beard growth and the strange burns still baffle people to this day.
As for Godfrey’s account, we have just his word to go on. But if he’s simply making it up, it’s been to his own personal detriment, as he lost both his job and a lot of credibility, becoming a figure of ridicule to many. He also lost his family and his home and slid into alcoholism. Despite all this, he still swears that something out of the ordinary happened to him that night. Plus, there’s the small matter that he wasn’t the only one who reported strange goings-on that morning.
’This was a nuts and bolts craft, not a trick of the mind,’ Godfrey told an audience in Halifax back in 2014. ‘I have never seen anything like it. I would swear on the Bible it was from somewhere else. These things have been seen so many times above Todmorden, they call the area UFO alley.’
Did aliens have something to do with the death of a 56-year-old miner and ruin the life of a young police officer in a small Yorkshire market town in 1980? The answer is we’ll probably never know for sure. For sceptics, the idea of alien abduction is a load of nonsense. For those like the group who meet at the Golden Lion pub in Todmorden once a month to discuss these incidents as well as their own brushes with UFOs, things aren’t quite so black and white.
As part of Sky HISTORY’s‘Mystery Season’, Craig Charles is joined by renowned astrophysicist Sarah Cruddas to investigate unsolved UFO mysteries, and abductions with episode 8 (1st March at 9pm), focussing on Godfrey’s compelling claims. They scrutinise all available evidence, reveal never before heard testimonies as they attempt to separate fact from fiction.
Also, speculation was recently fueled when, after decades of denial, the Pentagon admitted that UFOs did in fact exist and could not simply be dismissed as weather balloons or natural phenomena. To many believers, there is indeed something strange going on in West Yorkshire, and cases like those of the Todmorden UFO Mystery cannot be simply dismissed.
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Area 51: From Roswell rumours to the present day
Area 51: From Roswell rumours to the present day
Area 51. The name itself immediately conjures images of aliens, armed personnel guarding the perimeter of a facility deep in the desert, and bunkers filled with who-knows-what. So much about this large region of Nevada, northwest of Las Vegas, is a mystery. With any movement there completely under government control and the area resolutely closed to the public, all kinds of theories - some wild and some not-so-wild - have sprung up about what has taken place over the past 65 years. Most of the theories involve alien life forms and extraterrestrial research - but what is the actual truth?
It has been approximately nine years since the US government acknowledged Area 51’s existence for the first time, so it’s time to take a look at the timeline of events surrounding the US Air Force’s most mysterious military installation.
The story begins in 1954. President Dwight Eisenhower called for a confidential location to be established for aircraft to be developed and tested for espionage purposes. At that point, the possibility of nuclear war was driving the American military, and creating effective spy planes was a high priority so that the security forces could understand how much of a threat Russia’s weapons capability posed to the West.
Work had already begun in the area - the U-2 reconnaissance plane had been created by 1955 - and then later, under Public Land Order 1662, the 38,400-acre land area that comprises the area was withdrawn from public use by the US Atomic Energy Commission in 1958. Public entry was strictly prohibited and armed guards prevented those who were curious from breaching its borders.
Whilst the US was preparing these specialised aircraft and flying them deep into Russian territory without detection, theories about alternative operations happening deep within the facility began to surface. Rumours had previously abounded that a UFO had crash-landed in Roswell in 1947 and many speculated that the wreckage was being re-engineered in the bunker known as Area 51, deep inside the Nevada Test & Training Range. From there, the extraterrestrial theories began to grow for decades to come.
Throughout the rest of the late 1950s, further developments were made which resulted in the A12 aircraft being created, as well as the F117 stealth jet.
Things became quieter on the topic until the 1970s, with the speculation over other-worldly research being something of a niche interest in the interim period. In that decade, it was determined that the location wasn’t secure enough, with Deputy Director of Central Intelligence E.H. Knoche to General David C. Jones declaring that the facility should be moved from management by the CIA to the Air Force.
Once again, things went a little quiet. Then, in 1989, what was once a niche interest truly became public domain when an individual named Bob Lazar exposed details about Area 51, claiming that he had worked there to reverse engineer “a downed alien spacecraft” - though the veracity of his claims couldn’t be confirmed. At this point, Area 51 became a watchword for government secrecy and the existence of alien life on Earth.
Possibly as an attempt to reverse swelling interest in confidential affairs, the US government released a statement in 1994 claiming the wreckage in Roswell in the 1940s came from Project Mogul - a very much terrestrial weather experiment. However, these claims only reduced public trust in the government’s statements on the subject, and the theories continued to spread.
Conjecture on the true purpose of Area 51 was only made more vigorous when President Bill Clinton exempted the facility from laws surrounding the movement and disposal of hazardous waste in 1996. Naturally, UFOlogists wondered what that hazardous waste might be - and whether it was of this planet. This continued to be an issue until the early part of the 21st century when in 2003 President George W Bush once again signed off on exempting it from the hazardous waste laws.
There was little news on the facility for nearly 10 years and then, in 2012 - a year prominent in the mind of many conspiracy theorists due to the end of the Mayan calendar - the confidential Pentagon department known as the Advanced Aerospace Threat Identification Program was shut down. The following year in 2013, the CIA finally admitted that the area was indeed a secret government facility.
In the following years, ex-Presidents Bill Clinton and Barack Obama spoke casually of their interest in the topic in public, on talk shows, and at public engagements. Hillary Clinton also expressed her curiosity during her failed Presidential campaign, but no new details emerged from anywhere official.
The most recent events surrounding Area 51 occurred in 2019 when public interest reached a sudden fever pitch. An event was arranged online, jokingly referred to as “Storm Area 51, They Can't Stop All of Us", with Facebook users signing up to take part in a civilian rebellion to “find them aliens”. Thankfully this resulted in little more than a skirmish, with only two arrests for disorderly conduct.
Since then we’ve seen a dip in interest in the secretive Air Force base once again. However, this quiet period is unlikely to last long as public curiosity regarding this byword for clandestine government operations is never far away. People truly do seem to believe that, as far as Area 51 is concerned, the truth is out there.
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75 years on: The most popular Roswell UFO theories
All these decades later we're still no closer to finding out what really happened
Image: Shutterstock
75 years on: The most popular Roswell UFO theories
This year on 07 July is the 75th anniversary of one of the most famous UFO-related incidents in history. All these decades later, debate still rages over what really happened on that remote patch of land near Roswell, New Mexico.
In July 1947, New Mexico rancher W.W. ‘Mac’ Brazel notified authorities that he’d come across debris from a peculiar wreckage – sheets of tin foil, wooden sticks, pieces of rubber. At that point, the US was in the midst of a ‘flying saucer’ craze, with numerous people claiming to have spotted strange objects in the sky. Brazel obviously wondered if the wreckage was somehow connected to such phenomena.
The Roswell Army Airfield got involved, dispatching WW2 veteran Jesse Marcel to investigate. They then sent out a truly remarkable press release that openly declared that a “flying disc” had been found on the property.
The military promptly did a striking U-turn, telling the press that the wreckage was not that of a spaceship, and was in actual fact a “harmless high-altitude weather balloon” that had crashed in the desert. From this apparent misunderstanding, one of the great American mysteries would take shape, inspiring endless books, TV shows, and films, and making Roswell a by-word for alleged alien activity around the world.
Generations after the Roswell incident, the US military decided to tackle the ongoing controversy that surrounded the weather balloon story. In 1994, they published a report which said that, yes, the story was indeed a cover-up… of sorts.
According to this report, the wreckage was likely that of a weather balloon tricked out with special microphones for eavesdropping on Soviet nuclear tests. As this was part of a top-secret Cold War experiment known as Project Mogul, the military had been unable to divulge the whole truth and had no choice but to claim it was a common-or-garden weather balloon.
A follow-up report in 1997 fleshed out this explanation, dismissing allegations of alien bodies by suggesting that civilians conflated the Roswell incident with other military tests involving crash test dummies.
These revelations firmly vindicated the sceptics who regarded the Roswell incident as a relatively mundane episode in the history of the Cold War. However, as military figures themselves well knew, the reports would also be regarded by many to be disinformation.
“This won't lay it to rest,” said retired Project Mogul bigwig Colonel Albert C. Trakowski at the time. “The psychology is simple: People believe what they want to believe. In New Mexico, flying-saucerism has become a minor industry. There are whole museums dedicated to the presentation of outrageous fictions.”
Theory 2: It was a crashed alien spacecraft
There are multiple reasons why so many people firmly believe that alien activity was covered up at Roswell. Ufologists generally point to the glaring red flag that was the original military press release, categorically confirming the existence of a “flying disc”.
Indeed, the man who actually penned that release, officer Walter Haut, later allegedly wrote a sworn affidavit stating that an egg-shaped craft had been found at the site. The affidavit also states that alien bodies had been recovered.
Jesse Marcel, the original Roswell investigator, later talked about the almost supernatural strength of the materials recovered, saying that it was “not anything of this Earth”. Other senior military figures have also spoken out about the incident. For example, General Arthur E. Exon was reported as saying the “overall consensus was that the pieces were from space. Everyone from the White House on down knew that what we had found was not of this world within 24 hours of our finding it.”
There is not one accepted ‘alien narrative’ of Roswell, with different ufologists having their own take on the exact details and disagreeing on the reliability of various eyewitnesses. But what unites all of them is the absolute belief that the weather balloon/Project Mogul story was bogus and that a crashed spacecraft – and possibly even alien bodies – were found in July 1947.
Theory 3: It was a Russian psyop
A less popular theory is that the Soviet Union was somehow responsible for Roswell. Could it have been a downed spy plane, dispatched just as the Cold War was getting into gear? Unlikely – such an event would probably have sparked an international incident, similar to the one witnessed in 1960 when an American pilot was shot down while doing aerial reconnaissance in Soviet territory.
However, in 2011, US journalist Annie Jacobsen published a book that contains what is arguably the most sensational theory of all. Titled Area 51: An Uncensored History of America's Top Secret Military Base, it suggests that Soviet forces faked an alien crash at Roswell, in the hope of triggering national panic like the one that followed the famous Orson Welles radio version of The War of the Worlds in 1938.
The theory proposes that Joseph Stalin recruited none other than Josef Mengele, the infamous SS doctor who performed grotesque experiments on human subjects during World War Two. Mengele allegedly created fake aliens to be planted with the fake spacecraft by modifying human beings who “were neither aliens nor consenting airmen, but human guinea pigs”.
Unsurprisingly, this particular explanation has been widely criticised and outright mocked, but it’s a testament to how Roswell has developed from a local news story to a piece of modern folklore, shared and embellished in ways that continue to fascinate all these years later.
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Do aliens exist? Most compelling evidence of alien existence
Image: Sipa US / Alamy Stock Photo Above: Ryan Graves, David Grusch and David Fravor are sworn in during a hearing on “Unidentified Anomalous Phenomena: Implications on National Security, Public Safety, and Government Transparency,” on the 26th July 2023
Do aliens exist? Most compelling evidence of alien existence
Some say it's obvious we're not alone, others scorn the very idea of extraterrestrial life. However, with the improvement of recording technology and basic mathematical probability suggesting the likelihood of alien life, scepticism is harder won these days. Following on from the amazing claims made by three former members of the US military during a hearing on'Unidentified Anomalous Phenomena' in front of US Congress in July 2023, here is some of the most compelling evidence that alien life really does exist.
It’s easy enough to write off much recent phenomena, quoting anything from wayward weather balloons to the perpetuation of the legend and UFO sightings in pop culture providing a cohesive image of extra terrestrials for eye witnesses to draw on should someone cry alien. But what’s slightly harder to dismiss is the ancient evidence (i.e. pre the National Enquirer). Enter the ‘The Madonna with Saint Giovannino’, otherwise known as the UFO painting.
Created in the 15th century, it depicts the Virgin Mary and in the backdrop of the painting, a man and his dog staring up at a hovering disk-like object that is suspiciously familiar. And this painting isn’t alone either, with everything from ancient cave paintings to Sanskrit Scrolls all depicting alien life. A sighting even crops up in the Bible in The Book of Ezekiel. Either this is compelling evidence, or humanity has a rich tradition of conspiracy theorists.
Back in 1961, astronomer Frank Drake devised an equation by which he could estimate the likelihood of the existence of alien life, taking into account a number of factors including the average number of planets able to support life and the fraction that could go on to support intelligent life. This was then implemented in 2001. The result: statistically, hundreds of thousands of such planets should technically exist.
There are more registered sightings of UFOs than there is the word count here to deal with them and the majority of the time, there’s a thorough debunking accompanying them. But throughout history there have been a number that have been harder to explain away, from the to 1853 sighting by a number of students and professors at the Tennessee College campus, to the oft quoted Stephenville Lights case from 2008, with over 200 witnesses spotting the UFO including three policemen who remained anonymous. Consider these compelling cases unsolved.
If you’re going to believe any reports of UFOs, you might as well trust those coming from the men who have actually been to space (who usually also come with all their teeth and a P.H.D.). The list of those who have made claims of sightings includes Edgar Mitchell, Cady Coleman and Dr. Brian O’Leary, many also referencing government knowledge of alien existence and cover-ups. Buzz Aldrin has also spoken of his own experience on board the Apollo 11 when they saw something flying alongside them. At first they thought it was the final stage of the detached rocket, until mission control confirmed it was 6000 miles away from them…
While some US presidents have released classified files on the subject of UFOs, with Jimmy Carter famously describing his own encounter, others still have been denied access to classified information on the subject altogether, Bill Clinton claiming to be among them. This has led many believers to suggest there’s a cover up afoot. Clinton has been consistently vocal on the existence of aliens and it’s worth noting his opinions on an ‘Independence Day’ situation too. You know, just in case..
In July 2023, multiple shocking claims were made during a landmark congressional hearing that involved former military officials. Three witnesses swore, under oath, that the US government knew a lot more about UFOs than it was letting on.
One of the key lines of enquiry was the footage of the infamous 'Tic-Tac' UFO that appeared in 2004 but wasn't publicly disclosed until 2017. Former Navy commander David Fravor, who first spotted the object along with three other pilots, expressed concerns about the apparently 'supersonic' technology it appeared to possess. He claimed that the shape vanished before their eyes, but reappeared 60 miles away just seconds later.
David Grusch, who used to work as an Air Force intelligence order, alleged that the government worked hard to cover up information and would punish whistleblowers. He said that while he had never seen a UFO, several of his colleagues and friends had been injured by them. However, the strangest claim that Grusch made was that non-human 'biologics' have been previously recovered from craft crash sites.
There is still plenty to come from this groundbreaking hearing, but many people are convinced, more than ever, that the government is hiding something.
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- Gemiddelde waardering: 0/5 - (0 Stemmen) Categorie:ALIEN LIFE, UFO- CRASHES, ABDUCTIONS, MEN IN BLACK, ed ( FR. , NL; E )
Lakenheath-Bentwaters incident: The UK’s Roswell
Image: Shutterstock.com
Lakenheath-Bentwaters incident: The UK’s Roswell
One evening in August 1956, luminous, fast-paced UFOs were spotted in eastern England skies. Is there a rational explanation for these curious sightings?
Does the UK have anything to fear from the alleged threat of extraterrestrials? Judging from many reported UFO sightings, you’d think the United States must be Earth’s only country where aliens want to holiday. The most iconic UFO story is that of Roswell, the New Mexico city close to where a UFO supposedly crashed in 1947.
Does the UK have its own version of the Roswell tale? One strong candidate is the 1980 Rendlesham Forest incident — one of many cases investigated on the Sky HISTORY series Craig Charles: UFO Conspiracies. Then there’s what history has come to know as the Lakenheath-Bentwaters incident...
How Project Blue Book told the story
The Lakenheath-Bentwaters incident is said to have begun on the evening of the 13th August 1956. However, the specifics of what happened are not entirely clear. Numerous sources directly involved with the original incident have released muddled, contradictory testimonies.
The most commonly-told version of events was recorded by the United States’ Project Blue Book. This study, running from 1952 to 1969, analysed various UFO reports made during the early Cold War era. Here’s a rundown of how, according to Project Blue Book, the Lakenheath-Bentwaters incident unfolded.
Though the Lakenheath-Bentwaters incident took place in eastern England, the United States was still very much involved. It began when UFOs were spotted by radar operators at RAF Bentwaters, itself tenanted by the United States Air Force (USAF).
At about 9.30pm on 13th August 1956, the radar operators started tracking what they must have initially assumed was an innocuous approaching aircraft. However, it was flying at over 1,000 miles per hour. That kind of speed was unheard of for aircraft at the time.
Around the same time, a separate set of targets emerged before seemingly merging to form just one much larger target. On the radar, the return was several times larger than that of a B-36. That’s a bomber with a mammoth 230-foot wingspan!
From Bentwaters to Lakenheath
Lieutenants Charles Metz and Andrew Rowe were tasked with taking a T-33 jet trainer to the sky to inspect the suspicious targets. However, the two men’s efforts went nowhere.
Not that things stayed quiet for too long. At 10:55pm, Bentwaters detected yet another mysterious target approaching. This one was travelling at an estimated speed of roughly 2,000 to 4,000 miles per hour.
As the new target was detected passing above the base, a fast-moving white light appeared. Judging from reports, it was seen from the ground as well as, quite possibly, a C-47 aircraft flying 4,000 feet above Bentwaters.
This all led Bentwaters to alert another nearby US-tenanted Royal Air Force station, RAF Lakenheath. Ground personnel based here spotted several luminous objects, including two which appeared to converge.
Lakenheath-Bentwaters eyewitness reports
Much of the established story comes from Lakenheath watch supervisor Forrest Perkins. According to Perkins, the Royal Air Force (RAF) scrambled two de Havilland Venom aircraft in a bid to intercept a radar target near Lakenheath.
The story goes that one Venom closely pursued the target before the latter manoeuvred behind the RAF aircraft. The target gave chase for about 10 minutes, despite the RAF pilot’s concerted endeavours to shake it off. Eventually, the Venom returned to base, while the target stopped and subsequently disappeared, flying northwards.
Writing to the Sunday Times in 1978, Freddie Wimbledon — the radar controller at RAF Neatishead during the Lakenheath-Bentwaters incident — corroborated several details of Perkins’ account. These included the UFO’s apparent pursuit of the Venom.
What could explain these UFO sightings?
In the late 1960s, the USAF funded a University of Colorado study examining reports of UFO sightings. The Condon Committee, as this study was informally known, opined that 'conventional or natural explanations' seemed insufficient for the Lakenheath-Bentwaters incident.
According to the committee, 'the probability that at least one genuine UFO was involved appears to be fairly high'. This purported UFO would not necessarily have been of extraterrestrial origin.
One common theory is that the lights were shooting stars, as the sightings coincided with a Perseid meteor shower. Alternatively, the anomalies may have resulted from radar malfunctions. However, this is unlikely, as multiple radar systems were used to track suspicious targets during the incident.
A 3D-printed hybrid drone can quickly transition between air and water thanks to variable pitch propellers. Watch a video of the drone in action.
Students have built a hybrid drone that can seamlessly transition from flying in the air to swimming in water.
The students developed a working prototype of the hybrid drone for a bachelor's thesis at Aalborg University in Denmark, and recently shared a video of the drone in action.
In the video, the drone takes off next to a large pool of water and then quickly dives underwater. It then moves around beneath the surface for a few seconds before shooting straight out of the water to fly once again. The video shows the drone repeating the trick several times from different angles.
Andrei Copaci, Pawel Kowalczyk, Krzysztof Sierocki and Mikolaj Dzwigalo, who are all studying applied industrial electronics, achieved this remarkable air-to-water transition by using variable pitch propellers, which have blades that can rotate at different angles to match the two different environments.
"The development of an aerial underwater drone marks a major step forward in robotics, showing that a single vehicle can operate effectively in both air and water thanks to the use of variable pitch propellers," the students told Live Science in a joint email.
This isn't the first air-water hybrid drone to be built. Researchers at Rutgers University in New Jersey developed a hybrid prototype that could perform a similar action in 2015, while Chinese scientists showed off a drone transitioning from air to water in 2023.
The students designed, built and tested their drone over two semesters at their university, according to a LinkedIn post by Petar Durdevic, an associate professor who leads the Offshore Drones and Robots research group at Aalborg University.
They began by creating a model of the drone and designing the variable pitch propeller system. The angle of the blades, or propeller pitch, is higher when flying to create more air flow, while lower in the water to minimize drag and increase efficiency. The propellers are also capable of providing negative thrust to increase maneuverability underwater, the students said.
The drone can quickly transition from flying in the air to moving underwater. (Image credit: Andrei Copaci)
The team used a 3D printer and a computer numerical control machine — another piece of automated manufacturing equipment — to get the parts they needed for the build, and programmed the drone with custom software. Finally, they moved on to testing.
"We were surprised how seamlessly the drone transitions from water to air," the students said.
The new drone is just a single prototype, but this kind of technology has a variety of potential real-world applications, from emergency response to warfare. "A few of the applications are military, vessel inspections, marine exploration, search and rescue," the students said.
Het monster van Loch Ness Het mythische monster van Loch Ness wordt steeds minder vaak gezien. Misschien heeft de massale aanwezigheid van toeristen het iconische wezen weggejaagd of... misschien heeft het nooit bestaan.
"Enorme donkere vorm" in het water van het meer Op 16 juni 2023 (toevallig of niet, net voor het hoogseizoen) kopte The Telegraph dat een Franse toerist een "enorme donkere vorm" had waargenomen in het water van het meer. Iets van ongeveer 15 meter lang dat onder water bewoog.
"Ik ben een man van de wetenschap" De toerist die de vreemde vorm in het water zag, heet Etienne Camel en is apotheker. Volgens The Mirror zei hij: "Het was heel vreemd. Ik ben een man van de wetenschap, dus ik heb nooit geloofd dat het monster van Loch Ness een prehistorisch dier is. Maar toen ik een foto nam zag ik een heel lange schaduw."
De Franse apotheker en zijn vrouw zagen het De Franse apotheker en zijn vrouw waren getuige van de vreemde grote schaduw. Beiden waren verbaasd en zo dook mythe voor weer een nieuwe zomer op in het nieuws.
Nessie in de Schotse folklore Nessie maakt al eeuwenlang deel uit van de Schotse folklore. Volgens Wikipedia duikt er in de 7e eeuw een verwijzing op in de tekst 'Vita Columbae' (een heilige redt iemand van een monster uit het meer), maar pas in 1868 wordt er in een artikel in de Inverness Courier gesproken over "een enorme vis of ander soort wezen" in Loch Ness.
Vermeende beelden van Nessie In de loop der jaren zijn er talloze foto's openbaar gemaakt waarop onduidelijk iets te zien was dat leek op een monster met prehistorische kenmerken.
Misschien zijn het schaduwen, boomstammen... en verbeelding Sommige kiekjes die Nessi zogenaamd hebben vastgelegd (zoals deze foto) zijn misschien gewoon schaduwen of boomstammen die op het oppervlak van het meer drijven.
Maar waarom zouden we niet fantaseren? Toch heeft de legende van Loch Ness iets moois en poëtisch. En een schot in de roos voor de roddelpers die in de jaren 1930 van dit verhaal een massaverschijnsel maakte. Foto's als deze werden gepubliceerd in de Londense media en gingen al snel de hele wereld over.
20.000 pond voor degene die het monster zou vangen Het was ook in de jaren 1930 toen Bertram Mills, een circuseigenaar, 20.000 pond beloofde aan degene die Nessie zou vangen. Deze beloning leidde uiteraard tot de komst van avonturiers, reizigers en gelukszoekers van allerlei pluimage.
Maar is er een wetenschappelijke verklaring voor deze legende? Naast verbeelding en legende zijn er mensen die wetenschappelijke (of pseudowetenschappelijke) verklaringen hebben gezocht voor de vermeende waarnemingen van een monster in Loch Ness. De meest wijdverspreide verklaring is de theorie die het heeft over het overleven van een antediluviaans wezen in dit meer.
A plesiosaur that survived extinction Het prehistorische dier dat het dichtst in de buurt komt van de beschrijvingen van het monster van Loch Ness zou de plesiosaurus zijn, een soort waterdinosaurus. Maar de wetenschap gelooft dat het bijna onmogelijk is voor deze soort om geïsoleerd te overleven in de wateren van Loch Ness.
Een olifant? Het zou ook kunnen dat mensen in de jaren 1930 een olifant hadden zien baden in het water van het meer. Het zou een olifant zijn geweest van een circus dat zich in het gebied bevond, volgens MSNBC, gebaseerd op het proefschrift van paleontoloog Neil Clarck, conservator van het Hunterian Museum in Glasgow.
Een steur? Er is ook gespeculeerd dat Nessie een steur was, een reusachtige vis met een monsterlijk uiterlijk. De steur komt voor in nabijgelegen rivieren, maar in principe zou deze soort niet in het meer leven.
Koudwaterhaai Er is ook sprake van een soort koudwaterhaai die voor de Schotse kust is gesignaleerd: de zogenaamde Groenlandse haai. Maar hoe zou die in Loch Ness terecht zijn gekomen?
Misschien gewoon wat simpele alen Een onderzoek van de Nieuw-Zeelandse University of Otago (waarover The Guardian berichtte) wees echter in een andere richting. Een onderzoeker verzamelde biologische monsters van het meer en vond geen sporen van prehistorische monsters, haaien, steuren... Maar ze vonden wel alen, en volgens professor Neil Gemmell, die het onderzoek leidde, zagen de duikers alen van enorme afmetingen (groter dan normaal), wat hun verwarring met een mythologisch wezen zou verklaren.
Een personage uit de populaire cultuur De rationele verklaring doet er eigenlijk niet toe. Nessie is vandaag de dag een belangrijk onderdeel van de populaire cultuur en een toeristische attractie voor de Schotse Hooglanden. En mensen houden van mysteries, dus het is beter om het raadsel in leven te houden. En dus ook de zogenaamde waarnemingen.
Despite the wonderful images captured from the lunar surface that suggest otherwise, the Moon does have an atmosphere. It's an incredibly thin, rarefied shell of gas known as an exosphere. (Credit: NASA)
The Moon's thin atmosphere, called an exosphere, has been a puzzle to science for some time. Two main processes were thought to create this wispy gas envelope; tiny meteoroids hitting the surface and solar wind particles bombarding the lunar soil. But new research using Apollo moon samples reveals that the Moon's own surface features provide surprising protection against solar wind erosion.
Researchers at TU Wien and the University of Bern conducted the first direct measurements of solar wind ejecting atoms and molecules when striking the lunar soil, a process known as sputtering. Unlike previous studies that relied on Earth based mineral substitutes, the team used Apollo 16 Moon dust and bombarded it with hydrogen and helium ions at solar wind speeds.
Neil Armstrong's footprint immortalised in the soft, powdery lunar regolith
(Credit : NASA)
The results were striking. Solar wind sputter yields were up to an order of magnitude lower than previously used in exosphere models. This dramatic reduction comes from two key factors that previous models had underestimated, surface roughness and the porous, fluffy nature of lunar soil.
The Moon's surface isn't smooth like a billiard ball, it’s incredibly rough and porous at the microscopic level. This texture acts like a natural shield against solar wind bombardment. When ions hit the jagged, crater-filled landscape, many get trapped in tiny pockets or strike surfaces at angles that reduce their erosive power.
Micrographs of three particles of moon dust collected during the Apollo 11 mission in 1969. The montage showcases the vast differences seen within a sample. The scale bars are all 1 micrometer. The images were made with a scanning electron microscope at NIST.
(Credit : Chiaramonti Debay/NIST)
The high porosity of lunar regolith further reduces sputter yields, with the combined effects of roughness and porosity making erosion rates largely independent of the solar zenith angle. This means the protective effect works across most of the Moon's surface, regardless of latitude.
An eruption on the Sun, the source of the solar wind.
(Credit : NASA Goddard Space Flight Center)
The research team created three dimensional computer simulations of the lunar surface structure, complete with the spaces between dust grains. These models revealed that the Moon's natural "fluffiness" dramatically reduces the number of atoms knocked loose by solar wind impacts.
These findings change our understanding of how the Moon loses material to space. The study provides realistic sputter yield estimates which are ten times smaller than previous estimates! This suggests that micrometeoroid impacts, rather than solar wind sputtering, are likely the dominant source of the Moon's exosphere. The tiny space rocks that constantly pepper the lunar surface may be doing most of the work in creating the Moon's thin atmospheric envelope.
Understanding how solar wind interacts with airless planetary surfaces is crucial for upcoming missions, including NASA's Artemis program and the European Space Agency's BepiColombo mission to Mercury. As for the atmosphere of the Moon, the study helps explain why previous space observations didn't match theoretical predictions. The Moon's surface has been protecting itself all along, we just needed the right tools and real lunar samples to see how.
Bestaat er een mysterieuze negende planeet in ons zonnestelsel? Nieuw bewijs toont aan dat er mogelijk ver voorbij Pluto een hypothetische planeet is die 'Planeet Negen' of 'Planeet X' wordt genoemd. Astronomen voorspellen dat er mogelijk een grote, nog niet ontdekte planeet met gravitationele interactie zich in de Kuipergordel bevindt. Het bestaan van deze mysterieuze planeet kan de afwijkende banen en gravitationele interacties van enkele dwergplaneten en andere objecten in de Kuipergordel verklaren.
Wil je meer weten? Bekijk dan deze afbeeldingen en informatie!
Neptunus Het is bijna 200 jaar geleden dat astronomen op een nieuwe planeet in ons zonnestelsel stuitten. Neptunus werd in slechts één nacht planeten observeren ontdekt, toen Johann Gottfried Galle en zijn student in 1846 een telescoop op de planeet richtten.
California Institute of Technology In 2016 verklaarden Konstantin Batygin en Mike Brown, twee astronomen van het California Institute of Technology (Caltech), dat hun onderzoek bewijs levert voor het mogelijke bestaan van een grote planeet in het buitenste zonnestelsel.
Sterk bewijs Hoewel de astronomen de planeet niet hebben waargenomen, leveren ze sterk theoretisch bewijs voor zowel het bestaan ervan als relevante informatie over de mogelijke impact ervan.
Kuipergordel Dit bewijsmateriaal toont de invloed van de hypothetische planeet op dwergplaneten en kleinere objecten in de Kuipergordel en de mogelijke relatie tussen hen.
Planeet Negen De mysterieuze planeet, die ook wel 'Planeet X' (de 'X' staat voor de letter, niet voor het Romeinse cijfer) of 'Planeet Negen' wordt genoemd, is vermoedelijk 1,5 keer zo groot als de aarde en bevindt zich ver voorbij Pluto.
Vijf tot tien keer grotere massa dan die van de aarde De massa van de planeet is mogelijk 5 tot 10 keer groter dan die van de aarde en hij zou in een 20 tot 30 keer grotere baan om de zon kunnen draaien dan Neptunus. NASA merkt op dat het Planeet Negen, mocht deze theorie kloppen, 10.000 tot 20.000 aardjaren zou kosten om één keer om de zon te draaien.
Unieke banen Astronomen zeggen dat het mogelijke bestaan van deze planeet het gedrag van bepaalde objecten in het buitenste zonnestelsel zou kunnen verklaren, met name de unieke banen van dwergplaneten en ijzige objecten in de Kuipergordel.
Gerard Kuiper De Kuipergordel is vernoemd naar de astronoom Gerard Kuiper. Het is een koud gebied dat zich voorbij de baan van Neptunus bevindt en wordt soms de 'derde zone' van het zonnestelsel genoemd.
IJzige objecten Astronomen denken dat er naast Pluto nog miljoenen andere ijzige objecten in de Kuipergordel aanwezig zijn, waaronder stoffen als ammoniak en methaan.
Opgeblazen donut De Kuipergordel staat bekend als een van de grootste samenstellingen in ons zonnestelsel en wordt over het algemeen beschreven als een opgeblazen donut.
Rand van de baan van Neptunus De Kuipergordel begint aan de rand van de baan van Neptunus en strekt zich uit over bijna 1.000 AE (1 AE komt overeen met de afstand van de zon tot de aarde).
Meer dan 2.000 objecten ontdekt Hoewel astronomen rond de 2.000 objecten hebben geïdentificeerd in de Kuipergordel, is het waarschijnlijk dat er nog honderdduizenden onontdekte objecten zijn. Deze worden vaak beschouwd als 'overblijfselen' van de vorming van het zonnestelsel.
Vorming van het zonnestelsel De theorie over hoe dit tot stand kwam, is dat toen het zonnestelsel zich vormde, Uranus en Neptunus door verschuivingen in de banen van Jupiter en Saturnus gedwongen werden om verder van de zon te bewegen.
Jupiter De zwaartekracht van de baan van Neptunus duwde deze objecten in de richting van de zon en grote planeten zoals Jupiter, terwijl Jupiter ze vervolgens uit het zonnestelsel slingerde of naar verre banen bracht.
Verbrokkelde stukken De zwaartekracht van Neptunus duwde de resterende objecten de Kuipergordel in, waar ze soms op elkaar botsten en in verbrokkelde stukken uiteenvielen.
Dwergplaneten en samengeklonterde objecten Astronomen die de Kuipergordel onderzoeken, merken dat verschillende kleinere planeten en sommige objecten de neiging hebben om in dezelfde banen rond te draaien en daarbij samen te klonteren.
Theorie over Planeet Negen Het is de analyse van deze banen, oftewel de gravitationele interacties met een grote planeet, waar astronomen hun theorie over het bestaan van Planeet Negen op baseren.
Sommige onderzoekers ontkennen het bestaan ervan Sommige criticasters in de gemeenschap van wetenschappers ontkennen het mogelijke bestaan van Planeet Negen. Zij beweren dat de waargenomen banen slechts te wijten zijn aan de willekeurige verspreiding van objecten langs de Kuipergordel.
Alle middelen worden ingezet Wetenschappers proberen wanhopig de planeet te vinden om het bestaan ervan te bevestigen. Met behulp van een speciaal observatorium, krachtige telescopen en burgerprojecten proberen astronomen zoveel mogelijk gegevens te verzamelen om de planeet te lokaliseren.
Complexe computersimulaties De huidige theorie is gebaseerd op complexe computersimulaties waarbij rekening wordt gehouden met een aantal voorwaarden. Het model dat het meest aansluit bij het waargenomen gedrag van banen is het model waarin Planeet Negen is opgenomen.
Vera C. Rubin Observatory Wetenschappers hopen dat het nieuwe Vera C. Rubin Observatorium in Chili zal bijdragen aan het beantwoorden van een aantal vragen over Planeet Negen en het oplossen van andere kwesties m.b.t. sterrenkunde.
Gedetailleerde timelapse Dankzij innovatieve technologie kan het observatorium gedurende tien jaar een uitgebreid en gedetailleerd overzicht van het heelal bieden met behulp van de grootste camera die ooit is gebouwd.
Verzamelde beelden De beelden die het observatorium verzamelt, kunnen een gedetailleerder inzicht verschaffen in de verspreiding van objecten langs de Kuipergordel.
Waarom is het zo moeilijk om de planeet te vinden? Het lokaliseren van planeten is een behoorlijke uitdaging. Astronomen gebruiken de transitmethode om planeten in andere zonnestelsels te vinden.
Transitmethode Astronomen kunnen planeten waarschijnlijk beter vinden door de bewegingen van een ster te observeren. Het computermodel dat wordt gebruikt om Planeet Negen te detecteren, schat de kans dat de planeet bestaat op 99 procent.
Malena Rice Malena Rice, universitair docent astronomie aan de Yale-universiteit, stelde dat het vinden van een andere planeet "ons begrip van het zonnestelsel en andere planetenstelsels, en hoe wij in die context passen, volledig zou kunnen veranderen".
Mysteries van het buitenste zonnestelsel Kleine zwarte gaten, potentiële buitenaardse werelden, extra dwergplaneten, vulkanische kometen en asteroïden zijn slechts enkele van de mysteries omtrent het buitenste zonnestelsel die astronomen proberen te ontrafelen.
De zoektocht gaat door Terwijl de zoektocht naar Planeet Negen doorgaat, zetten sommige wetenschappers alles in op indirect bewijs voor het bestaan van de planeet, terwijl anderen er zeer kritisch tegenover staan.
High resolution image of interstellar visitor 3I/ATLAS, captured by the Vera Rubin observatory on July 3rd. Credit - C.O. Chandler et al.
Sometimes serendipity happens in science. Whether it’s an apple falling from a tree or a melting chocolate bar, some of the world’s greatest discoveries come from happy accidents, even if their stories may be apocryphal. According to a new paper on arXiv, there’s a new story to add to the archives of serendipitous scientific discoveries - Rubin happened to make observations of interstellar object 3I/ATLAS before its official discovery, while the telescope was still in its Science Validation survey, marking the earliest, high resolution images we will likely get of the comet at that time.
According to the paper, Rubin just happened to be pointing at the part of the sky where 3I/ATLAS was located during its Science Validation (SV) phase. It unknowingly took pictures of the object between June 21st (10 days before it was officially discovered) and July 7th. June 21st was even a few days before the telescope officially released its “First Look” images to the public back on June 23rd.
These observations are important because they are the earliest ones done by a high power telescope. Rubin’s 8.4m Simoyi Survey Telescope and 3.2-gigapixel Legacy Survey of Space and Time (LSST) combined to capture the highest resolution images of the comet released to date. Since the images were captured before full commissioning, the data they represented had to be run through customer data pipelines rather than the standard automated ones that will handle the terabytes of data normally created by Rubin every night.
Fraser discusses the new interstellar object, 3I/ATLAS.
There were 49 images included in the study, though some were excluded due to being captured during telescope alignments, blending with other stars, or just being out of focus. Nineteen of the images were captured during intentional SV operations.
Those images show a comet that largely behaved as expected. They provided the highest resolution proof that 3I/ATLAS is, in fact a comet, and shows cometary behavior, like a coma of gas and dust surrounding it. The apparent size of its coma grew about 58% over the observational period as it continued to approach the Sun. Interestingly, it had a sunward pointing tail. According to the paper this can be explained by “anisotropic dust emission”, and has been observed in other comets, though it is relatively rare. Several explanations are offered, including slow ejection of large particles that aren’t pushed back as quickly by the Sun’s radiation pressure or a rotational axis that nearly aligns with its orbital plane.
Perhaps not as excitingly, 3I/ATLAS doesn’t show any sign of non-gravitational acceleration like 1I/Oumuamua. That’s not to say there won’t eventually be - 1I/Oumuamua’s acceleration was first observed during its perihelion, so astronomers will be watching closely to see if the same effect happens for 3I/ATLAS when it approaches its perihelion in October. However, in an opposite twist of luck, the object itself won’t be visible at that time as it will be blocked by the Sun from September through December.
Fraser discusses the observational power of Vera Rubin and how it could change astronomy forever.
Rubin will lose sight of its slightly beforehand, on August 22nd, when it will move out of the telescope's surveyed area of the sky. Between the final image presented in the paper and that time, the authors expect at least 100 more images of the comet to be captured, many of which will likely be high quality than the earlier sets when the telescope operators didn’t know they had such a valuable and rare object in their field of view. An even more detailed paper is sure to be forthcoming, even if it might not be as much of a surprise.
NASA's Perseverance rover on Mars has discovered unusual "float" rocks on the rim of Jezero Crater while searching for signs of ancient microbial life. Scientists are investigating their origin.
NASA's Perseverance rover found an unusual dark, pitted rock dubbed Skull Hill while exploring Jezero Crater's rim. The rock contrasts with lighter surrounding terrain and was likely transported from elsewhere, scientists say.(Image credit: NASA/JPL-Caltech/ASU)
NASA's Perseverance Mars rover has come across several unusual rocks that don't seem to be in their original place.
Perseverance is currently searching for signs of ancient life in the hills and rocky outcrops along the rim of the Jezero Crater — a barren, bowl-shaped depression north of the Martian equator that scientists suspect held a huge lake billions of years ago. Since December 2024, the rover has been trekking down a tall slope called Witch Hazel Hill, which scientists hope will provide clues aboutMars' past climate.
On April 11, Perseverance paused at a visually distinct geological boundary where light and dark rock outcrops meet. Here, one particular rock, which scientists nicknamed "Skull Hill," stood out against the surrounding light-toned, rock-riddled surface due to its dark color, angular shape and pitted texture, according to a NASA blog post.
The region, called Port Anson, contains several such rocks that may have been transported from elsewhere, scientists said. Known as "floats," these loose rocks likely traveled vast distances billions of years ago when Mars possessed a warmer, wetter environment with rivers, lakes and potentially even oceans. As the water receded and softer surrounding material eroded over eons, the more resilient rocks remained perched on the Martian soil.
"We've found a few of these dark-toned floats in the Port Anson region," the post noted. "The team is working to better understand where these rocks came from and how they got here."
The mystery of Skull Hill
According to the post, the pits on Skull Hill may have formed in a couple of ways. Small pieces within Skull Hill itself might have become loose and eroded away, leaving the holes. Another possibility is that Martian winds, carrying tiny dust and rock particles, could have acted like sandpaper, slowly wearing away the rock's surface and creating the pits.
The dark tone of Skull Hill and similar rocks could suggest they are meteorites, but recent analysis of their chemical data from Perseverance's SuperCam instrument indicates their composition doesn't match that of a typical meteorite.
Alternatively, these dark rocks could have a volcanic origin. On both Earth and Mars, minerals like olivine, pyroxene and biotite are known to give igneous rocks their dark color. If these rocks are indeed igneous, they might have come from nearby volcanic rock formations that have eroded away, or they could have been blasted out of the ground by an impact crater that excavated deeper volcanic layers.
"Luckily for us, the rover has instruments that can measure the chemical composition of rocks on Mars," according to the post. "Understanding the composition of these darker-toned floats will help the team to interpret the origin of this unique rock."
In the past few months, Perseverance has collected samples of five rocks, analyzed seven others in detail and zapped 83 more with its laser for remote study — the robotic explorer's fastest pace of scientific data collection since landing on Mars four years ago, representatives of NASA's Jet Propulsion Laboratory (JPL) said in another statement.
Mission scientists noted that it often takes months of searching the crater to find a scientifically unique rock worth sampling. On the crater rim, however, Perseverance is encountering new and intriguing rocks at every turn, according to the statement.
"Crater rims — you gotta love 'em," Katie Morgan, Perseverance's project scientist at JPL, said in the statement. "The last four months have been a whirlwind for the science team, and we still feel that Witch Hazel Hill has more to tell us — it has been all we had hoped for and more."
Scientists are keen to get the samples Perseverance has collected back to Earth to determine if life ever existed on Mars. However, NASA's Mars Sample Return mission is facing significant challenges with budget, timelines and technical complexities, leaving its future uncertain.
When two fluids don't mix well, they sometimes form strange patterns called "viscous fingering," or Saffman-Taylor instability. Studying these patterns can help scientists understand how to design systems for carbon storage, a key part of managing climate change.
Computer simulations showing how two immiscible fluids with different viscosities interact.
(Image credit: Chi-Chian Chou, Yuka F. Deki, Ryuta X. Suzuki, Yuichiro Nagatsu, and Ching-Yao Chen)
These mysterious "fireworks" aren't lighting up the night sky — they're computer simulations from a recentpaper on mixing fluids that don't want to mix.
Researchers mapped out how two immiscible fluids (two fluids that do not mix, like oil and water) with different viscosities can create "fingers" when they interact. They created different patterns by alternately injecting the fluids at the center of each "firework," allowing the fluids to spread out.
Studying this phenomenon is important for storing carbon from the atmosphere in the ground, a strategy for tackling climate change. Carbon dioxide is responsible for about80% of all heating from human-caused greenhouse gases since 1990. Removing large amounts of carbon dioxide from the atmosphere is possible, but it still has to go somewhere. Storing it in the ground is one option — and understanding fluid interactions can help us figure out how to do that.
What happens after a stroke?
In this case, the word "fluid" can refer to both gases and liquids, including gaseous carbon dioxide. Viscosity is a measure of how easily a fluid moves. Fluids with high viscosity move sluggishly, like molasses or tar, while low-viscosity fluids move faster and can spread out more, like water or air.
The fluid "fireworks" are caused bySaffman-Taylor instability — a phenomenon that occurs when two immiscible fluids with different viscosities are confined in a small space. When a less viscous fluid is added to the system, there aren't a lot of places for it to go, so it pushes against the thicker fluid instead — forming the distinctive patterns.
An example of Saffman-Taylor instability causing complex patterns in a thin film. (Image credit: Claire Trease)
If you've ever put a drop of glue between two flat surfaces, then changed your mind and pulled them apart, you might have noticed the wet glue forming strange ridges and channels. This is Saffman-Taylor instability in action. When you pulled the pieces apart, air tried to go where the more viscous glue was and left those patterns behind.
Storing carbon dioxide in the ground involves "injecting" carbon dioxide gas into a more viscous liquid (water) in confined spaces underground, leading to Saffman-Taylor instability. The "fireworks" from thepaper show that the number and extent of the fingers can be changed depending on when and how the fluid is injected into the system. Increasing the fingering effect helps keep the gas from escaping back into the atmosphere.
People across the globe are already working on carbon sequestration (storage) projects — as of 2024, there were 50 facilities in operation, 44 being built, and an additional 534 in development according to the Global CCS (carbon capture and storage) Institute. Developing this technology further gives us more tools to rein in global heating caused by the presence of too much carbon dioxide in Earth's atmosphere.
A vast network of inverted channels, formed of sediment laid by ancient rivers, implies Mars was once a much rainier place than we thought.
A HiRISE image of the heavily eroded ridge of an inverted channel left behind by a dried up river billions of years ago.
(Image credit: NASA/JPL/University of Arizona)
Marswas a rainier, wetter place than planetary scientists previously thought, according to a new study of ancient, inverted river channels that span more than 9,000 miles (14,484 kilometers) in the Red Planet's southern Noachis Terra region.
"Our work is a new piece of evidence that suggests that Mars was once a much more complex and active planet than it is now, which is such an exciting thing to be involved in," study leader Adam Losekoot of the U.K.'s Open University said in a statement.
We've known Mars was once a wet planet ever since the Mariner 9 orbiter mission from the '70s photographed a surface covered in dried-up river channels. These channels were dated back to over 3.5 billion years ago. However, channels cut into the ground are not the only evidence for running water on Mars.
When that water ran-off, or evaporated, it left sedimentary deposits. Sometimes we see these in craters that were once lakes filled with water: NASA's Curiosity rover is exploring Gale Crater, which has a central three-mile-tall (five-kilometer-tall) peak covered in sediment.
Other times, these sediments were laid down on river beds. Over the eons, the sediments would have hardened, while the river channels and the land around them would have weathered and eroded away. That left the sediments, which are more resistant to erosion, sticking out as tall ridges. Geologists today call them fluvial sinuous ridges, or, more plainly, inverted channels.
Now, Losekoot, who is a Ph.D. student, has led the discovery of a vast network of these channels in Noachis Terra based on images and data taken by the High Resolution Imaging Science Experiment (HiRISE) camera and the Context Camera on NASA's Mars Reconnaissance Orbiter, and the Mars Orbiter Laser Altimeter (MOLA) on the defunct Mars Global Surveyor mission.
Previously, Noachis Terra had not been given due attention because it lacked the more classical river channels that form more obvious evidence of water. However, by mapping the network of inverted channels, Losekoot realized there was lots of evidence there had once been plentiful water in the region.
"Studying Mars, particularly an under-explored region like Noachis Terra, is really exciting because it's an environment which has been largely unchanged for billions of years," said Losekoot. "It's a time capsule that records fundamental geological processes in a way that just isn't possible here on Earth."
Some of the inverted channels appear as isolated segments that have survived the elements for billions of years. Others are more intact, forming systems that run for hundreds of miles and stand tens of yards tall.
This double inverted ridge signifies where an ancient river split into two before reconnecting downstream. Between the two ridges we can see a mesa, which may be the harder material that caused the river to diverge to get around it. (Image credit: NASA/JPL/University of Arizona)
Such a widespread network of inverted channels does not suggest these channels were caused by flash floods, argues Losekoot. Rather, they seem to have formed in stable climatic conditions over a geologically significant period of time during the Noachian–Hesperian transition, which was the shift from one geological era into the next around 3.7 billion years ago.
What's particularly intriguing is the most likely source of water to have formed these inverted channels is precipitation — be it rain, hail or snow. Indeed, given the size of the inverted channel network in Noachis Terra, this region of Mars may have experienced lots of rainy days in a warm and wet climate.
It's more evidence that Mars was once more like Earth than the cold and barren desert it is today.
Losekoot presented his findings at the Royal Astronomical Society's National Astronomy Meeting held at the University of Durham in the U.K., which ran between July 7 and July 11.
This article was originally published onSpace.com.
A report published in June found that the world only has three years before it crosses the 1.5 C climate target. So what should we do now?
There is a way to reverse temperature rise, but it will be challenging and there are great uncertainties.
(Image credit: chuchart duangdaw via Getty Images)
In June, more than 60 climate scientists warned that the remaining "carbon budget" to stay below a dire warming threshold will be exhausted in as little as three yearsat the current rate of emissions.
But if we pass that critical 1.5-degree-Celsius (2.7 degrees Fahrenheit) warming threshold, is a climate catastrophe inevitable? And can we do anything to reverse that temperature rise?
Although crossing the 1.5 C threshold will lead to problems, particularly for island nations, and raise the risk of ecosystems permanently transforming, the planet won't nosedive into an apocalypse. And once we rein in emissions, there are ways to slowly bring temperatures down if we wind up crossing that 1.5 C threshold, experts told Live Science.
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Still, that doesn't mean we should stop trying to curb emissions now, which is cheaper, easier and more effective than reversing a temperature rise that has already happened, Michael Mann, a leading climate scientist and director of the Center for Science, Sustainability and the Media at the University of Pennsylvania, told Live Science in an email.
"Every fraction of a degree of warming that we prevent makes us better off," Mann said.
Delayed response
A report released June 19 found that the world has only 143 billion tons (130 billion metric tons) of carbon dioxide (CO2) left to emit before we likely cross the 1.5 C target set in the Paris Agreement, which was signed by 195 countries to tackle climate change. We currently emit around 46 billion tons (42 billion metric tons) of CO2 per year, according to the World Meteorological Organization.
The world is currently 1.2 C (2.2 F) warmer than the preindustrial average, with almost all of this increase in temperature due to human activities, according to the report. But our emissions may have had an even bigger warming impact that has so far been masked, because the ocean has soaked up a lot of excess heat.
The ocean will release this extra heat over the next few decades via evaporation and direct heat transfer regardless of whether we curb emissions, according to the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA).
This means that even if carbon emissions dropped to zero today, global temperatures would continue to rise for a few decades, with experts predicting an extra 0.5 C (0.9 F) of warming from oceans alone.
However, temperatures would eventually stabilize as heat radiated out to space. And over several thousand years, Earth would dial temperatures back down to preindustrial levels via natural carbon sinks, such as trees and soils absorbing CO2, according to NOAA.
Why 1.5 C?
Climate scientists see 1.5 C as a critical threshold: Beyond this limit, levels of warming are unsafe for people living in economically developing countries, and particularly in island nations, said Kirsten Zickfeld, a professor of climate science at Simon Fraser University in Canada.
The 1.5 C limit is "an indicator of a state of the climate system where we feel we can still manage the consequences," Zickfeld told Live Science.
A huge amount of additional heat could be baked into the ocean and later released if we exceed 1.5 C, which is another reason why scientists are worried about crossing this threshold.
Although it's best to reduce emissions as quickly as we can, it may still be possible to reverse a temperature rise of 1.5 C or more if we pass that critical threshold. The technology needed isn't quite developed yet, so there is a lot of uncertainty about what is feasible.
If we do start to bring temperatures down again, it would not undo the effects of passing climate tipping points. For example, it would not refreeze ice sheets or cause sea levels to fall after they've already risen. But it would significantly reduce risks for ecosystems that respond more quickly to temperature change, such as permafrost-covered tundras.
Permafrost-covered tundras can melt and refreeze within decades, so dialing down temperatures could restore these ecosystems. (Image credit: Stockdonkey via Shutterstock)
Reversing temperature rise requires not just net zero emissions, but net negative emissions, Zickfeld said. Net zero would mean we sequester as much CO2 via natural carbon sinks and negative emissions technologies as we emit. Negative emissions would require systems that suck carbon out of the atmosphere and then bury it underground — often known as carbon capture and storage.
Net zero may halt warming. But if we want to reverse warming, we must remove more carbon from the atmosphere than we emit, Zickfield said.
Scientists estimate that 0.1 C (0.2 F) of warming is equivalent to 243 billion tons (220 billion metric tons) of CO2, which is a "massive amount," Zickfeld said. "Let's say if we go to 1.6 C [2.9 F] and we want to drop down to 1.5 C — we need to remove around 220 billion metric tons of carbon dioxide."
Currently, nature-based carbon-removal techniques, such as planting trees, sequester around 2.2 billion tons (2 billion metric tons) of CO2 each year. "So we need to scale that up by a factor of 100 to drop us down by 0.1 C" in one year, Zickfeld said.
Due to competing demands for land, it is highly unlikely that we could plant enough forests or restore enough peatland to meaningfully reverse temperature change, Zickfeld said.
This means we will definitely need negative emissions technologies, she said. However, most negative emissions technologies are still being tested, so it's difficult to say how effective they would be, Zickfeld said.
These technologies are also extremely expensive and will likely remain so for a long time, Robin Lamboll, a climate researcher at Imperial College London and a co-author of the recent report, told Live Science in an email.
"In practice we will be doing quite well if we find that the rollout of these technologies does any more than bring us to net zero," Lamboll said. There is some uncertainty about how Earth might respond to net zero, and it's possible that the planet might cool at that point. "If we cool at all, we do so very slowly. In a very optimistic case we might go down by 0.3 C [0.5 F] in 50 years," Lamboll said.
There is no requirement under the Paris Agreement for countries to roll out negative emissions technologies. But the goal of the agreement to stay well below 2 C (3.6 F) means that governments may decide to ramp up these technologies once we pass 1.5 C, Lamboll said.
Figures from the recent report indicate that at the current rate of emissions, the remaining carbon budgets to stay below 1.6 C, 1.7 C (3.1 F) and 2 C could be used up within seven, 12 and 25 years, respectively.
"If we do pass 1.5 C, 1.6 C is a whole lot better than 1.7 C, and 1.7 C is a whole lot better than 1.8 C [3.2 F]," Mann said in an interview with BBC World News America in June. "At this point, the challenge is to reduce carbon emissions as quickly as we can to avert ever-worse impacts."
It's worth noting that the world is making progress with emission cuts, Mann added in the interview. "Let's recognize that we're starting to turn the corner," he said.
The road ahead will be even more scientifically intriguing, and probably somewhat easier-going, now that the six-wheeler has completed its long climb to the top.
NASA’s Perseverance Mars rover has crested the top of Jezero Crater’s rim at a location the science team calls “Lookout Hill” and rolling toward its first science stop after the monthslong climb. The rover made the ascent in order to explore a region of Mars unlike anywhere it has investigated before.
Taking about 3½ months and ascending 1,640 vertical feet (500 vertical meters), the rover climbed 20% grades, making stops along the way for science observations. Perseverance’s science team shared some of their work and future plans at a media briefing held Thursday, Dec. 12, in Washington at the American Geophysical Union’s annual meeting, the country’s largest gathering of Earth and space scientists.
“During the Jezero Crater rim climb, our rover drivers have done an amazing job negotiating some of the toughest terrain we’ve encountered since landing,” said Steven Lee, deputy project manager for Perseverance at NASA’s Jet Propulsion Laboratory in Southern California. “They developed innovative approaches to overcome these challenges — even tried driving backward to see if it would help — and the rover has come through it all like a champ. Perseverance is ‘go’ for everything the science team wants to throw at it during this next science campaign.”
A scan across a panorama captured by NASA’s Perseverance Mars rover shows the steepness of the terrain leading to the rim of Jezero Crater. The rover’s Mastcam-Z camera system took the images that make up this view on Dec. 5. NASA/JPL-Caltech/ASU/MSSS
Since landing at Jezero in February 2021, Perseverance has completed four science campaigns: the “Crater Floor,” “Fan Front,” “Upper Fan,” and “Margin Unit.” The science team is calling Perseverance’s fifth campaign the “Northern Rim” because its route covers the northern part of the southwestern section of Jezero’s rim. Over the first year of the Northern Rim campaign, the rover is expected to visit as many as four sites of geologic interest, take several samples, and drive about 4 miles (6.4 kilometers).
“The Northern Rim campaign brings us completely new scientific riches as Perseverance roves into fundamentally new geology,” said Ken Farley, project scientist for Perseverance at Caltech in Pasadena. “It marks our transition from rocks that partially filled Jezero Crater when it was formed by a massive impact about 3.9 billion years ago to rocks from deep down inside Mars that were thrown upward to form the crater rim after impact.”
This animation shows the position of NASA’s Perseverance Mars rover as of Dec. 4, 2024, the 1,347th Martian day, or sol, of the mission, along with the proposed route of the mission’s fifth science campaign, dubbed Northern Rim, over the next several years. NASA/JPL-Caltech/ESA/University of Arizona
“These rocks represent pieces of early Martian crust and are among the oldest rocks found anywhere in the solar system. Investigating them could help us understand what Mars — and our own planet — may have looked like in the beginning,” Farley added.
First Stop: ‘Witch Hazel Hill’
With Lookout Hill in its rearview mirror, Perseverance is headed to a scientifically significant rocky outcrop about 1,500 feet (450 meters) down the other side of the rim that the science team calls “Witch Hazel Hill.”
“The campaign starts off with a bang because Witch Hazel Hill represents over 330 feet of layered outcrop, where each layer is like a page in the book of Martian history. As we drive down the hill, we will be going back in time, investigating the ancient environments of Mars recorded in the crater rim,” said Candice Bedford, a Perseverance scientist from Purdue University in West Layfette, Indiana. “Then, after a steep descent, we take our first turns of the wheel away from the crater rim toward ‘Lac de Charmes,’ about 2 miles south.”
Lac de Charmes intrigues the science team because, being located on the plains beyond the rim, it is less likely to have been significantly affected by the formation of Jezero Crater.
After leaving Lac de Charmes, the rover will traverse about a mile (1.6 kilometers) back to the rim to investigate a stunning outcrop of large blocks known as megabreccia. These blocks may represent ancient bedrock broken up during the Isidis impact, a planet-altering event that likely excavated deep into the Martian crust as it created an impact basin some 745 miles (1,200 kilometers) wide, 3.9 billion years in the past.
More About Perseverance
A key objective of Perseverance’s mission on Mars is astrobiology, including caching samples that may contain signs of ancient microbial life. The rover will characterize the planet’s geology and past climate, to help pave the way for human exploration of the Red Planet and as the first mission to collect and cache Martian rock and regolith.
NASA’s Mars Sample Return Program, in cooperation with ESA (European Space Agency), is designed to send spacecraft to Mars to collect these sealed samples from the surface and return them to Earth for in-depth analysis.
The Mars 2020 Perseverance mission is part of NASA’s Moon to Mars exploration approach, which includes Artemis missions to the Moon that will help prepare for human exploration of the Red Planet.
NASA’s Jet Propulsion Laboratory, which is managed for the agency by Caltech, built and manages operations of the Perseverance rover.
The Walker S2 humanoid robot, which can change its own battery when it's running low on power, could potentially be left to run on its own forever.
Walker S2 - The World's First Humanoid Robot Capable of Autonomous Battery Swapping - YouTubeThere are many weird and wonderful humanoid robots out there, but one of the most eye-catching machines launched this year can change its own battery pack — making it capable of running autonomously for 24 hours a day, seven days a week.
The Walker S2 robot, made by the Chinese company UBTECH, is 5 foot 3 inches (162 centimeters) tall and weighs 95 pounds (43 kilograms) — making it the size and weight of a small adult.
Using a 48-volt lithium battery in a dual-battery system, the robot can walk for two hours or stand for four hours before its power runs out. The battery takes 90 minutes to fully recharge once depleted.
Its most interesting feature — which UBTECH representatives say is a world first — is that instead of relying on a human operator to remove and recharge its battery pack, the machine can perform this task entirely on its own.
In new promotional footage published July 17 on YouTube, the Walker S2 robot is seen approaching a battery charging station to swap out its battery supply. Facing away from the station, it uses its arms to remove the battery pack fitted into its back and places this into an empty slot to recharge. It then removes a fresh battery pack from the unit and inserts it into its port.
The robot will swap out its own battery in the event that one of its batteries runs out of power. It is also capable of detecting how much power it has left and decides whether it is best to swap out one of its batteries or charge based on the priority of its tasks, company representatives said, as reported by the Chinese publication CnEVPost.
The Walker S2, which is designed to be used in settings like factories or as a human-like robot to meet and greet customers at public venues, has 20 degrees of freedom (the number of ways that joints or mechanisms can move) and is also compatible with Wi-Fi and Bluetooth.
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Facts about UFOs that will blow your mind and change how you see the sky
Facts about UFOs that will blow your mind and change how you see the sky
Whether you’re a skeptic or already convinced we’re not alone, these facts are difficult to ignore — and they may change the way you see the world above.
An illustration of a UFO probe contorlled by superadvanced AI.
Stories of strange lights in the sky used to live on the edges of belief — whispered by conspiracy theorists or buried in classified files. But that’s changed. Military pilots have gone public. Governments have released official documents. And decades of silence are starting to crack. This article explores 15 remarkable facts about UFOs — from ancient sightings to modern-day encounters, including government programs, radar anomalies, and mysterious objects seen by astronauts. Whether you’re curious, skeptical, or something in between, these cases challenge everything we think we know about what’s in our skies.
Whether you’re a skeptic or already convinced we’re not alone, these facts are difficult to ignore — and they may change the way you see the world above.
Declassified U.F.O. Documents
Even though governments around the world have long denied serious interest in unidentified flying objects, a large number of recently declassified documents suggest otherwise. Contrary to public denials, agencies like the U.S. Department of Defense and the CIA have spent millions of dollars studying unidentified aerial phenomena that often defy the laws of known physics.
The American government alone has invested heavily in these investigations. These documents, now public, paint a very different picture — one in which UFOs are not dismissed, but tracked, analyzed, and kept under tight control.
You can find examples of UFO-related declassified documents here, here, and here.
Official Video Footage of Pilots Chasing a U.F.O.
When it comes to UFOs, people want more than rumors — they want proof. A few years ago, the U.S. government declassified a video captured by a Boeing F/A-18F Super Hornet. In it, military pilots can be heard reacting in disbelief as they chase an object flying at impossible speeds.
This wasn’t fiction or amateur footage — it was released through official channels, prompting a shift in how the public perceives the UFO phenomenon.
Video Footage: The Best Evidence
The Super Hornet video is far from the only footage out there. Over the years, numerous videos have emerged showing craft that move in ways no known aircraft should. One of the most famous examples is the STS-75 Tether Incident, captured by NASA during the space shuttle Columbia’s mission in 1996.
During this mission, a 12-mile-long tether broke off and floated into space. As the tether drifted, countless bright, disc-like objects appeared around it. While some have written the incident off as space debris or lens flare, others argue it represents one of the clearest recordings of unidentified flying objects in space.
The Pentagon Studied “Exotic U.F.O. Tech”
AATIP letter about UFOs.AATIP letter about UFOs.
Although most governments publicly downplay the existence of UFOs, internal reports show another side. Declassified papers have revealed that the U.S. Department of Defense conducted secret research into what they called “exotic, futuristic technologies.”
These investigations were part of the now-famous Advanced Aerospace Threat Identification Program (AATIP), and were authorized in part by Senator Harry Reid. In a letter to Deputy Secretary of Defense William Lynn III, Reid supported funding the program to explore advanced propulsion systems and technologies far beyond our current capabilities.
These weren’t just speculative ideas. The documents state that researchers explored whether certain technologies could give the U.S. military an edge — technologies that may have come from observed phenomena, or possibly reverse-engineered craft.
Official Documents Reveal Antarctic U.F.O. Encounters
Antarctica has long been tied to tales of hidden bases, strange energy sources, and mysterious sightings. While some of these claims are rooted in conspiracy, there are verified reports that are difficult to dismiss.
In 1965, scientists at three separate Antarctic research stations witnessed unexplained lights in the sky. Two reports were filed by the Chilean Air Force (FACh), two others by the Argentine Navy, and a fifth by the British Antarctic Survey (B.A.S.).
Antarctic survey report letter.
Dated October 22, 1965, a letter (above) written by a B.A.S. researcher reads:
“On the July 12 this year, the British Antarctic Survey Base on Deception Island (62° 59′ S, Long. 60° 34′ W) reported the following, which I quote as requested:
‘Argentine base (on Deception Island) observed a moving colored light on June 7th, 20th, and July 3. Chilean base (also on Deception) made similar observations on the latter two dates.
Flickering red-green-yellow light observed from British Base 2300 Z July 2 die north; it had moved in two waves quickly from the west then reversed along the course for a short distance before returning again to the north where it remained stationary for about 20 minutes.’
I should comment that our people in the Antarctic did not consider the important event enough to comment until asked. I requested information because of pressure from the B.B.C., N.B.C., and the Press, who acted on a news report put out from Argentina.
Yours sincerely, V.E. Fuchs.”
The C.I.A. Alone Declassified Thousands of U.F.O. Documents
The CIA has released thousands of documents detailing their involvement with UFO investigations, stretching from the 1940s to the early 1990s. These reports include everything from international news clippings to internal memos and firsthand accounts of sightings.
According to the CIA’s own archive:
“This collection catalogs C.I.A. information on this subject from the 1940s through the early 1990s.”
While many of the sightings remain unverified, the sheer volume of reports — and the agency’s decision to preserve them — speaks to the seriousness with which these phenomena were taken.
U.F.O.s Aren’t a Modern Phenomenon
Antique report of damatic sightings over Nuremberg.
One of the earliest and most dramatic sightings occurred over Nuremberg, Germany, in 1561. It was documented in the city’s newspaper and later studied by historians. The report reads:
“In the morning of April 14, 1561, at daybreak, between 4 and 5 a.m., a dreadful apparition occurred on the sun, and then this was seen in Nuremberg in the city, before the gates, and in the country – by many men and women.
At first, there appeared in the middle of the sun, two blood-red semi-circular arcs, just like the moon in its last quarter. And in the sun, above and below and on both sides, the color was blood, there stood a round ball of partly dull, partly black ferrous color. Likewise, there stood on both sides and as a torus about the sun such blood-red ones and other balls in large number, about three in a line and four in a square, also some alone.
In between these globes, there were visible a few blood-red crosses, between which there were blood-red strips, becoming thicker to the rear and in the front malleable like the rods of reed-grass, which were intermingled, among them two big rods, one on the right, the other to the left, and within the small and big rods there were three, also four and more globes.
These all started to fight among themselves so that the globes, which were first in the sun, flew out to the ones standing on both sides; thereafter, the globes standing outside the sun, in the small and large rods, flew into the sun.
Besides, the globes flew back and forth among themselves and fought vehemently with each other for over an hour. And when the conflict in and again out of the sun was most intense, they became fatigued to such an extent that they all, as said above, fell from the sun down upon the earth ‘as if they all burned’ and they then wasted away on the Earth with immense smoke. After all this, something like a black spear, very long and thick, sighted; the shaft pointed to the east, the point pointed west. Whatever such signs mean, God alone knows…”
(Source: Colman S. Von Kevicsky, “The Ufo Sighting Over Nuremberg in 1561” Official Ufo January 1976. Translation by Ilse Von Jacobi.)
One of the First U.F.O. Reports in America
One of the earliest sightings in North America dates back to 1639. Near the Massachusetts Bay Colony, Governor John Winthrop recorded an event in his diary involving strange lights in the sky over Boston. Witnesses reported the objects moving rapidly and even claimed they lost track of time — a possible reference to missing time, a common theme in modern abduction narratives.
U.F.O. in Northern Saskatchewan
A letter mentionig a crashed UFO.
In 1968, a strange object was discovered near Wollaston Lake, close to the Manitoba border. A letter from that time reads:
“Examination revealed the exhibit had likely formed part of a vehicle that traveled in outer space.”
The metallic fragment was handed to J. Hodges of the Canadian National Research Council by an unnamed pilot. Its origins remain unexplained.
Oppenheimer and Einstein Wrote About U.F.O.s
A six-page document written by physicists Robert Oppenheimer and Albert Einstein discussed “Relationship with Inhabitants of Celestial Bodies.”
The document is one of the first to reference Extraterrestrial Biological Entities and indicates that the military had considered UFOs as part of its strategic assessments. You can read the full document here.
Winston Churchill Wrote About Alien Life
In an essay written in 1939, Churchill speculated:
“I, for one, am not so immensely impressed by the success we are making of our civilization here that I am prepared to think we are the only spot in this immense universe that contains living, thinking creatures…”
Churchill’s essay, “Are We Alone in the Universe?”, predicted a vast universe filled with potentially habitable planets long before exoplanets were ever confirmed.
California Is a U.F.O. Hot Spot
According to the National U.F.O. Reporting Center, more sightings have occurred in California than in any other U.S. state. Los Angeles in particular has been the epicenter for sightings between 2001 and 2015.
One of the most famous events took place in 1942.
The Battle of Los Angeles
An image of the so-called Battle of L.A.
“The city went completely dark as Air Raid sirens started going off. Massive searchlights searched the sky for potential threats. Eventually, the anti-aircraft fire started going off, and in the middle of the ‘battle,’ a photograph of the enigmatic object was taken.”
The object was never identified, and explanations ranged from weather balloons to enemy aircraft. To this day, the event remains one of the most widely discussed mass sightings in American history.
Washington D.C., 1952: Radar Confirms Fast-Moving Object
On July 19, 1952, air traffic controllers at Washington National Airport picked up a fast-moving object on radar. In the weeks that followed, additional sightings were reported by military personnel.
Despite public reassurances, the official explanation never fully accounted for the object’s speed or maneuverability.
The Rendlesham Forest Incident
In December 1980, U.S. Air Force personnel stationed at RAF Woodbridge in England reported seeing a glowing object in the woods.
“Allegedly, the U.F.O. irradiated several different colors. The craft landed, and soldiers went out to investigate. They supposedly found the spaceship. The following day, radiation levels where the alleged U.F.O. landed were off the charts, and there were reports of damaged trees nearby.”
The case remains one of the most famous and well-documented U.F.O. encounters involving military witnesses.
UFO sightings have increased in the past few years abruptly. The key point in this was probably the declassification of the three UFO videos shot by Navy pilots as they were in pursuit of Unidentified Flying Objects. This was back in 2017. Since then, the UFO topic has morphed from being a conspiracy theory, a joke to many, to something worthy of the most rigorous scientific study. Now, people no longer see UFOs as something that can be joked about. No longer are people afraid to speak out about the subject. But what is perhaps even more important is that military personnel, as well as pilots and intelligence officers, have also obtained more freedom to speak out.
What has changed
In fact, the United States Government is working on laws that will protect people who come forward with valuable information about the phenomenon. Officially, UFOs are now known also as UAP, Unidentified Aerial Phenomenon. NASA, which in the past has denied having anything to do with UFOs, is now actively studying them. The Pentagon is doing so, too, with a dedicated UFO research group. In fact, not long ago, the Pentagon revealed it would be studying so-called transmedium UFOs.
Corbell’s contribution
Some of the best footage about tr4ansmeidum UFOs was presented by UFO researcher Jeremy Corbell, who has worked tirelessly over the past few years to force transparent UFO research. Corbell has been “fighting” for UFO disclosure and has gained much territory in recent years. Now, Corbell has posted a new video on his YouTube channel. The video dubbed the “Immediate UFO Situation” is an interview with reporter John Hook and Corbell. In this video, Corbell speaks out about current UFO events in addition to detailing key pieces of UFO footage and images taken by military pilots and leaked to the public. Check it out here, it is worth a few minutes of your time.
With advanced observatories coming online like the Vera Rubin Telescope, scientists are looking to plan for the discovery of alien intelligence and how humanity should prepare for the news.
Just imagine it, the news stories are all over your phone when you wake! The day will surely come that we will discover that we are not alone in the Universe! What happens the day after though? A new research paper from the SETI Post Detection Hub at the University of St Andrews tackles this question, outlining how NASA and the global scientific community should prepare for the moment humanity detects signs of extraterrestrial intelligence.
The paper, written by 14 researchers representing institutions from York University to the University of Cambridge, emphasises that "a technosignature detection will trigger a complex global process shaped by uncertainty, misinformation, and multiple ideological stakeholders." Unlike searching for simple microbial life, discovering technological signatures from alien civilizations would fundamentally reshape our understanding of our place in the universe and create unprecedented challenges.
The Arecibo Radio Telescope was one of the first to be used for the search for alien intelligence.
(Credit : H. Schweiker/WIYN and NOAO/AURA/NSF)
The researchers led by Kate Genevieve from the Astro Ecologies Institution argue that past preparation efforts, including guidelines from 1989, are woefully outdated for our internet age. Early protocols predate the internet and could not account for the complexity of rapid global media dissemination. In an era of viral misinformation and instant global communication, the discovery of alien technology would likely create a media firestorm unlike anything humanity has experienced.
The team proposes six critical areas where NASA should invest now, before any discovery occurs. These range from advancing detection technologies to studying how different cultures might interpret the news of extraterrestrial discovery.
One fascinating aspect of the research involves developing "Other Minds" paradigms, essentially preparing to recognise intelligence that doesn't think like us. The paper suggests that techniques from bioacoustics, machine learning and quantum computing offer significant insights, including studying whale songs and bird navigation to understand non human communication patterns.
Researchers suggest that studying whale song can help understand non-human forms of communication such as those that may be experienced from alien intelligence!
This approach challenges researchers to move beyond Earth centric assumptions. If aliens communicate through methods we've never imagined, perhaps using quantum entanglement or patterns we haven't recognised, then our current detection methods might miss them entirely.
Surprisingly, much of the preparation work focuses not on alien technology but on human psychology and interaction. The researchers emphasise integrating humanities and social sciences, recognising that the biggest challenges might come from how people react to the news rather than from the aliens themselves.
The paper recommends funding research on the psychological, social, and global dynamics of post detection scenarios and even suggests analyzing science fiction stories to understand how different cultures envision first contact. These fictional scenarios, the researchers argue, provide valuable insights into human expectations and fears.
Perhaps most practically, the team calls for creating robust international coordination systems before they're needed. They warn that without a Post Detection SETI Hub, NASA risks a gap in the system, akin to a Moon landing without astronaut retrieval. Just as NASA developed detailed protocols for Apollo missions, including quarantine procedures, the space agency needs comprehensive plans for managing a SETI discovery.
NASA implemented significant safety protocols during the Apollo era. Buzz Aldrin shown on the surface of the Moon captured by Neil Armstrong.
(Credit : NASA)
The researchers don't claim that discovering extraterrestrial intelligence is imminent however, but they argue that preparation now is essential. With advanced telescopes like the James Webb Space Telescope already operational and instruments like the Vera C. Rubin Observatory coming online, a technosignature discovery could emerge in any realm of astronomy research.
Their message is clear: the question isn't whether we'll ever detect signs of alien technology, but whether we'll be ready when we do. By investing in research, international cooperation, and communication strategies now, NASA can help ensure that humanity's greatest discovery becomes a moment of unity and wonder rather than chaos and confusion.
From Coast to Coast and Across the Decades: Bizarre and Perplexing Encounters from Canada’s UFO Files!
While there are many UFO sightings from the United States, and Mexico is a known UFO hotspot with many well-documented encounters on record, by comparison, Canada, despite being the largest country (in terms of land area) on the North American continent, is often overlooked when it comes to encounters with strange aerial objects and equally strange otherworldly entities. The fact is, though, Canada has a long history of such things, with incidents going back to long before the start of the Modern UFO Era. So, with the usual caveat in mind of not having time nor space to explore every one of these sightings (entire volumes would be required), we will delve into some of the most interesting and detailed.
Arguably one of the earliest recorded UFO sightings over Canada unfolded at around 10 am on the morning of October 27th, 1910, over Swift Current, Saskatchewan, and was detailed in the book From Airships to Arnold: A Preliminary Catalogue of UFO Reports in the Early 20th Century (1900-1946) by Richard Hall. According to the report, multiple residents of the town reported seeing a cigar-shaped object with red and green lights at each end. Moreover, a bright searchlight came from the object and moved over the town below, with the object passing overhead at an altitude of no more than 600 feet.
Around eight months later, according to an article in the July 3rd, 1911 edition of the Windsor Record, on the evening of July 2nd, 1911, a strange object had been witnessed by the residents of Chatham Township near Windsor, Ontario, hovering overhead before it calmly descended and hovered a short distance above the ground for several moments. Then, without warning, a strange “whirring sound” came from the object, and it began to glow brightly. A moment after that, it shot into the air and disappeared.
Although the exact date isn’t known, around six months later in early 1912, six-year-old Abram Penner claimed to have seen a strange object land in the field of a farm where he was playing in Vancouver, British Columbia. He later stated to his father that several moments after the craft came to a stop, several strange men emerged from it and headed in his direction. He continued that they examined his body, with a particular interest in his hands because, as the young boy explained, “they have different hands than we do!” They also had “round feet, short legs” and “no knees or elbows!” Even more remarkable in terms of details that would show up regularly in alien encounters, including abductions, of the later decades of the twentieth century, Abram claimed that these men “operate on mind power,” meaning that he could understand everything they told him. According to Abram, who spoke of the incident years later, his father ordered him not to speak of the incident.
An equally strange encounter unfolded two years later in early 1914 in Georgian Bay off the coast of Ontario. On the night in question, no less than eight witnesses saw a strange object that was floating on the water. On top of this bizarre vessel were several strange figures who appeared to be working some kind of strange hose into the water. The witnesses watched the scene in front of them for several moments before the figures noticed they were being watched. They immediately scarpered inside the object, which then rose from the surface of the water and took off, disappearing into the distance.
Another intriguing and thought-provoking encounter occurred in June 1929 in Quebec. On the night in question, at around 11 pm, 20-year-old Levis Brosseay was riding on horseback towards the town of Ferme Neuve when he became aware of a “dark object with a yellow light” on it a short distance ahead of him. At the same time, his horse suddenly became agitated and nervous. Levis dismounted and secured the horse at the roadside before setting out towards the strange object on foot. By the time he was around 150 feet from the bizarre craft, he became aware of several strange men moving close to the object, their focus seemingly on the vegetation on the ground below. He remained where he was and watched the mysterious figures until they climbed back into the craft after several moments. Almost immediately, the object rose into the air and sped off into the distance. Levis later estimated that the object was moving around 50 miles per hour. He further recalled that the object was around 50 feet in width and that it had windows out of which shone a bright light.
Without a doubt, though, some of the most intriguing of Canada’s historic UFO encounters occurred three years earlier during a wave of UFO sightings over Maitland in the summer of 1926. The first report of this wave was documented in the July 7th, 1926, edition of the Courier and Freeman newspaper, which reported on several sightings that had unfolded during the previous week. The first of these sightings occurred in the small villages on the outskirts of the city, with some of the witnesses not only reporting seeing strange lights or glowing objects overhead, but also seeing “searchlights” coming from the underside of these objects and sweeping across the ground below. One witness stated that these objects “moved rapidly” and even seemed to be “attached to a flying machine of some description!” Similar descriptions were offered by another, anonymous farmer from the nearby town of Prescott. He claimed that he had witnessed the strange objects moving overhead from his farm, offering that “the head one” had some kind of “powerful searchlight” that was “turned down!” He elaborated that he had the impression that this searchlight was being utilized by the craft’s occupants to look for something on the ground, and was so bright that his horses began to become agitated. Another detail that surfaced in almost all of the witness reports was that these strange lights were completely silent and made no noise whatsoever as they traveled.
One particular encounter, however, stood out from the others and unfolded in the Brockville region of the city. According to the report, the anonymous woman claimed to have seen the strange lights on two separate occasions, each time hovering approximately several hundred feet above her house. Strangest of all, though, she could see a strange figure that appeared to be encased within the light (or the object). This figure, the anonymous woman claimed, was holding something that appeared to be a rifle, a detail that led some people to contemplate whether the strange lights were airships being used by smugglers to take alcohol into the United States (which was still under the Prohibition Act at the time). This is certainly possible – some would say likely. However, it doesn’t fully explain the speed with which the lights moved. Whatever the truth, the strange lights of 1926 over Maitland remain a complete mystery.
According to an article in the June 1976 edition of Flying Saucer Review by John Brent Musgrave, at some point in 1933, in Nipawin near Tobin Lake in Saskatchewan, several local residents witnessed a strange object land nearby. Not only that, they soon saw several of the occupants of the otherworldly craft carrying out some kind of repairs to the object. It is important to note that, at the time, this part of Canada – particularly so Nipawin - was yet to enjoy modern amenities such as telephones and electricity, although work was underway to do so. Also during this time, many forest rangers and workers reported seeing bizarre, glowing lights hovering over the region, with some insisting that these glowing lights often came down to the ground. If there was no electricity in the region, which there wasn’t – we might ask just what these strange glowing lights were. While many of the witnesses that evening in 1933 were happy to dismiss the lights as nothing of interest, two men and a woman (none of whom, unfortunately, are named) decided to jump in their small pick-up truck and head out into the woodland where the lights had been reported to investigate further.
They made their way along the quiet dirt road, soon witnessing a strange glow up ahead, and it didn’t take them long to realize that this glow was getting larger, as if it was heading in their direction. Regardless, they continued heading towards it, only stopping their vehicle when the vegetation made it impossible for them to pass. After bringing the pick-up truck to a stop, they ventured out on foot. Only moments later, they could see the source of the light. There in front of them, a short distance away on a clearing, was a “large, oval-shaped object” with a dome on the top and a “slightly rounded” underside.
Just under half a decade later, one afternoon in 1937 off the coast of Vancouver Island, a fisherman referred to as “George” witnessed a “whitish-bluish” sphere hovering just above the surface of the water several hundred feet from his vessel. George immediately put the boat in motion to put some distance between himself and this strange, glowing object. However, to his disbelief, it seemed to follow him, although it maintained its distance as opposed to pursuing. It was because of this that George remained calm while moving away from the object, and as such, managed to take in a considerable amount of detail. He later recalled, for example, that the edges of the object were made up of a “variety of blue tones” and that when it eventually disappeared from his sight, it seemed to “dissipate” instead of moving away from him. Many people who learned of the sighting believed that George had likely seen something similar to St. Elmo’s Fire – or at least some kind of natural phenomenon- and while George himself leaned heavily towards this explanation, he also stated that he had the distinct feeling that the sphere had some kind of intelligence behind it.
If we fast forward just short of 60 years to the evening of December 11th, 1996, another wave of UFO encounters unfolded over Canada’s Yukon region, sightings that were documented by researcher Martin Jasek. The first of these involved a witness that Jasek labeled as “FOX1”, who was driving alongside the waters of Fox Lake when he noticed a strange light that appeared to be floating on the surface of the water. He continued toward the light, and the closer he got, the more he could tell that the light was a solid object. As he continued onward, he momentarily took his eyes from the road as another vehicle headed in his direction. By the time he returned his focus to it, the glowing object was no longer there. He quickly scanned his surroundings and noticed a “group of lights” that were seemingly in the distance and heading towards a nearby hill.
At this point, he pressed down on the gas pedal and headed in the direction of the lights. Eventually, when he spotted a clear view of the lake and the valley – and the hill – he brought his car to a stop. However, by the time he had exited the vehicle, the lights had disappeared once more. He immediately got back in his vehicle and set out for Braeburn Lodge, which was close by. Upon arriving, he jumped out of his car and rushed inside, telling the owner, Steve Watson, what he had just seen while scribbling down rough sketches of the object. Over the next few hours, several other people entered Braeburn Lodge, each claiming they too had seen a strange, baffling object, with Steve taking note of each account.
Another sighting unfolded a short time later, when cousins, referred to as FOX2 and FOX3, were driving along a road that ran alongside Fox Lake. It was a little after 8:30 pm, and the two cousins, who were traveling in separate vehicles, were making their way along the Klondike Highway when they suddenly became aware of a “huge UFO” hovering over the frozen water of the lake. As soon as they did so, both of them pressed down on their respective brakes and brought their cars to a stop. FOX3 remained inside his car and viewed the object through the window. FOX2, on the other hand, got out of his vehicle and headed towards the water’s edge in an attempt to get a better look. As soon as he did, the object began to move in his direction, and within seconds it was hovering directly over the top of him, allowing him to see that it was a “smooth and solid object” with several lights on its underside. It remained there for several moments before retreating and disappearing over a nearby hill.
It would later come to light that only moments before, another couple (referred to as FOX4 and FOX5 in the report) were driving along the same road and were approaching the southern tip of the lake. They reported seeing a “row of lights” that were surrounded by random flashing lights that appeared to be moving close to the surface of the frozen lake. To begin with, they thought they were seeing a small aircraft about to crash into the lake. However, they soon rationalized that the lights were moving much too slowly and controlled to be an aircraft about to crash. Their only conclusion was that they were witnessing a vehicle of “unknown origin” which eventually disappeared over the hill.
By chance, FOX5 happened to look at the clock on the car’s dashboard, noting that it was 8:23 pm. Several minutes later, FOX5 and FOX4 were approaching the two cousins (FOX2 and FOX3) who were both standing outside of their respective cars. FOX5 brought his vehicle to a stop and leaned out of the window, asking them, “What the heck was that?” They spoke for several moments before FOX5 and FOX4 returned to their car and went on their way. Several moments later, they arrived at the Braeburn Lodge, where FOX1 was just leaving. Several moments later, FOX2 and FOX3 also arrived at the lodge.
Amazingly, a sixth witness – FOX6 – also came forward to report their sighting. The anonymous woman was driving along Fox Lake somewhere between 8 pm and 8:40 pm. As she was driving, a glow came out of nowhere and lit up the inside of her car. A moment later, she looked out of the front window of the car and could see a “large arrangement of multicolored lights” making their way across the sky. Then, her car came to a sudden stop, and all of the electronics failed.
Martin Jasek's investigations further revealed another sighting that occurred between 8:30 pm and 9 pm, a short distance away in the small town of Pelly Crossing. The witness, referred to as PEL1, was checking his game traps when he suddenly noticed a strange row of lights moving over the hill in the distance. To begin with, and much like other witnesses that evening, he first thought the lights belonged to a small aircraft that was about to crash. However, he too realized the lights were moving much too slowly to have been a crashing aircraft.
Now, completely intrigued with the possibility that he was witnessing some kind of otherworldly craft, he turned on his flashlight and headed toward the object. As he walked, he inadvertently caught the row of lights in the beam of the flashlight – and as soon as he did so, the lights began to move in his direction. Seconds later, the object was only 300 yards away, hovering silently. Then, a light suddenly appeared on the underside of the craft and began making sweeping motions over the ground below, much like a searchlight. He remained where he was and watched the object, and the searchlight-like beam continued to sweep over the ground. Moments later, several other beams of light were visible; these were a neon green color. At this point, feeling slightly unnerved, PEL1 began to move away from the object, looking away momentarily as he did so. When he looked back only moments later, the object was no longer there.
At around the same time, another couple – PEL2 and PEL3 – were traveling north of PEL1’s location. They too reported seeing a “huge row of lights” moving slowly across the sky. PEL2 was so intrigued by what he was seeing that he pulled his car to the side of the road, later stating that the object was approximately the same size as the Big Dipper constellation as viewed from the ground, which was also visible in the sky that evening. As this was happening, at an evening class at Pelly Crossing Community College, four local women – referred to as PEL4, PEL5, PEL6, and PEL7 – also witnessed the strange and mystifying row of lights as they were standing outside the college during a break in their class. They were certain that the lights were part of a large, solid object that moved silently across the sky. This wouldn’t, though, be the end of the night’s activity.
Around an hour and a half later – between 11 pm and 11:30 pm – a further nine witnesses from two different locations would report sightings of almost identical lights over the village of Carmacks. Four of those witnesses – four men who were driving in their pick-up truck, referred to as CRM1, CRM2, CRM3, and CRM4 – when they noticed the strange lights moving overhead in front of them. After bringing their vehicle to a stop, the men watched the lights, realizing they were part of a solid object, for several minutes. Each recalled how purposely the object moved, as well as the fact that it remained completely silent throughout. At roughly the same time, from their home, a husband and wife, and their three young children (CRM5, CRM6, CRM7, CRM8, and CRM9) witnessed the bizarre lights moving over the trees nearby. Although they told their children the lights were “Santa Claus getting ready for Christmas”, the two parents knew they were seeing something truly out of the ordinary. Interestingly, the family also witnessed the lights disappearing. However, rather than disappearing over a mountain or hill (there is none near their home), the lights just vanished “one by one” as if they had gone “behind an invisible wall!”
The sightings would become a topic of conversation on many local radio shows and stations over the days that followed. Just what the object might have been, however, remains a complete mystery. It is worth mentioning, though, the similarities to the Phoenix Light episode only several months later, in March 1997, south of the border in Phoenix, Arizona, in the United States. Although there were, admittedly, differences in the apparent shape of the respective crafts, both events featured an object taking a very purposeful and public journey, at relatively low altitude over a public area, and both events were witnessed by multiple people from different locations.
Several years after these events, at a UFO conference on July 8th, 2000, in St. Paul, Alberta, Martin Jasek was approached after a lecture he had given by a man called Kevin who claimed he had undergone a bizarre encounter in the Yukon region in September 1987. Jasek spent a considerable amount of time with Kevin, and between them, they managed to piece together a full timeline of events on the night in question. The account was detailed in the book Encounters with UFOs and Extraterrestrial Life by Michael Pye and Kirsten Dalley, and is one that is widely regarded as very credible, with Kevin being described as “not at all the type looking for attention!”
According to the account, on the morning of September 2nd, 1987, with the grey Yukon sky over Ross River somehow complementing the damp, wet conditions, Kevin prepared to set off on his motorbike to embark on a three-day hunting trip to the rural areas between Macpass and Sheldon Lake. He had arranged for several friends to join him at a private trailer he had rented at Dewhurst Creek so they could spend a day fishing. However, as soon as he put his bike in motion and set off to his lodgings, the grey weather suddenly cashed in on its threat to turn nasty. Not only did a drizzle quickly turn into a heavy downpour, but the temperature dropped considerably. It wasn’t long before he was completely soaked, and realizing he had a friend who had a cabin near Gravel Creek, he decided to take a quick detour there in order to change his clothes to ones more suitable for the wet conditions. By the time he eventually arrived at the isolated trailer, it was sunset, with the nighttime conditions rushing toward him. With this in mind, he quickly prepared a fire, made something to eat, and then headed to bed, aiming to get an early start the following day. The last thing he could remember before falling to sleep was the sound of the rain tapping on the roof of the trailer.
By the time he awoke the following morning, the rain had stopped, and while the roads were still wet, the weather was much better. He gathered his hunting equipment, loaded his bike, and set off along the North Canal Road on the way to Macpass, keeping his speed around 10 miles per hour due to the slickness of the road. As he made his way down the road, with the Yukon Mountains perfectly visible in the distance, he suddenly began to feel “uneasy and anxious!” He looked around the area in front of him, but couldn’t locate any signs of a threat. He then brought the bike to a stop at the side of the road, got down, and left it leaning upright. He then made his way to the side of the road into some long grass so that he could relieve himself. It was as he was doing so that he noticed some kind of movement ahead of him. He turned his head in the direction of this movement, noticing some kind of strange aerial vehicle ahead of him. To begin with, he thought he was looking at a helicopter or a low-flying aircraft. However, when he realized that he could see no wings or propellers, as well as the fact that the object didn’t make a sound, he realized he was looking at something much more extraordinary.
At this point, he went to obtain his camera from his jacket pocket. However, strangely, he suddenly decided to put it back and not take a picture – we might assume that this course of action is a sign of some kind of mental control exerted on him by whatever intelligence was behind the strange craft. He returned his attention to the object, noticing that it was a cigar shape, with a green exterior and several portholes along the side. As he continued to watch, the object appeared to fade out of existence, and even disappeared for a second or two. When it reappeared, it was somehow much more solid than it had been previously. As he watched in complete awe, he also thought to himself that he didn’t “think I should be seeing this,” and he crouched as low as he could into the long grass at the side of the road, the strange craft continuing to descend before it disappeared behind a hill close by. He waited several moments before deciding it was safe to make a run for his bike and to leave the area. Then, a strange metallic thud came from behind him.
He thought another road user had just pulled up a short distance away, and he immediately made his way towards the area from which the metallic sound came, around a slight bend in the road. However, moments after going around the bend, he was “face to face with two grey creatures” that were “insect-looking” and had “pointy faces!” Both figures were wearing the same style of tight-fitting blue suits, and it was clear that both had extremely thin arms and legs by comparison to their bodies. Bizarrely, as he was viewing these strange figures, he heard his voice in his mind telling him, “They’re grasshopper people!”
The next thing Kevin realized, one of the figures placed its hand to its waist, and onto what appeared to be a flashlight. Immediately, a beam emerged from the flashlight and hit Kevin square on, something that he later stated “pulled him from reality!” Immediately after this strange beam made contact with him, “there was absolute quiet, (and) nothing existed but me!” He also realized that he was completely paralyzed, and that when he tried to call out, he was unable to do so, or even form any words in his mouth. Then, everything went completely black, and he felt a sensation of “rocketing skywards!”
His next memory was of standing on the other side of the road, opposite his bike, which he was now staring at. The two creatures were no longer there, and he could tell from the length of the trees’ shadows that a considerable amount of time had passed. He staggered over the road to his bike, realizing that something truly profound had taken place. He mounted the bike and reached for the keys that he always left in the ignition. They weren’t there. It took him several moments to realize that he was grasping them tightly in his clenched hand. He did his best to shake himself to his senses before starting the bike, setting off back to the trailer. By the time he arrived back, it was completely dark. He made himself a pot of coffee and did his best to recall the day’s events, convinced that he must have blacked out for several hours. Then, an already bizarre and disturbing day got even more so when he heard a strange, “soft humming” sound coming from above the trailer. At the same time, he sensed a slight “vibration in everything” around him. This lasted for around 10 minutes before suddenly ceasing. Although he didn’t know why, he knew that the two creatures he had witnessed earlier were now almost certainly outside his trailer. He quickly checked the locks and decided to remain inside until daylight. As he sat in the trailer – never really sleeping but instead deep in thought about the day's events – he began to have several flashbacks of memory.
He had sudden memories of being in a trance-like state, and even more remarkably, of looking down on the trees below, “as if I was flying!” His next flashback, though, was more disturbing. He recalled suddenly opening his eyes and seeing nothing but absolute blackness. This blackness then moved away from him, and he could see the face of one of the strange insect-like creatures staring right back at him, the blackness seemingly the creature's eye pressed directly against his. At the same time, he heard a voice enter his mind, telling him there was “nothing to worry about!” He looked around him and could see he was in a large room. Moreover, there were several strange creatures around him, although these were different from the two creatures at the roadside, and resembled something more akin to a typical grey alien. He was finally able to speak and asked if they were going to do experiments on him. Amazingly, the creatures responded, once more into his mind, that these experiments had “already been done!”
He could recall being asked by these creatures if he wished to see the Earth from where he currently was; however, he was more preoccupied with a “strange sensation” in his hands. Still rubbing his hands together, he followed one of these grey alien creatures to what appeared to be a window in the room. He could see the vast distance of space beyond this window, as well as a small, bright dot that the creature pointed to, telling him, “That bright white star is your home!” For the first time, Kevin realized he was, if he was understanding things correctly, in deep space.
At this point, his memories became slightly hazy. He remembered, for example, that these creatures were talking about start systems in space, but he simply “couldn’t remember any of it!” This is the first of several interesting and seemingly trivial details that show up in many alien abduction cases. It was Jasek’s opinion – and he is almost certainly correct – that Kevin was shown some kind of star map, perhaps of his hosts’ home planet, perhaps of a region in space that is of importance, information that, while he couldn’t recall it, is most likely locked within his subconscious mind. Furthermore, after declining “taking a trip” with these strange figures, he was told that he would “have to forget” what had happened, and they gave him a “clear glass with a yellow liquid” inside to drink to do so. Once more, this detail of a pale or clear liquid being given so that a person will forget their respective encounters shows up much more than people might think. Kevein, though, had enough presence of mind to realize that he wanted to remember this bizarre event. He took three quick sips of the drink and then discreetly placed the glass on a surface close by. This might be why he began to have flashbacks of memory, unaided no less, only hours later.
His next memory after taking the three sips of the strange liquid was of waking up at the roadside, on the opposite side of the road to his bike, and then of making his way back to the trailer. The following day, a little after daylight broke, his friends arrived at the trailer. Keving remained quiet about the incident, certain that they would not believe him. It was only when he attended the UFO conference in the summer of 2000 that he decided to speak of the incident to Jasek. It is also worth mentioning that, although he didn’t speak to anyone about the incident until he spoke with Jasek in 2000, in 1997 – ten years after the incident – he sent a letter to one of his friends who arrived at the trailer the following day – Doug – in which he detailed the encounter. During his investigation, Jasek managed to track Doug down. Doug admitted he hadn’t spoken to Kevin since receiving the letter, but he vouched for Kevin’s honesty and credibility. Moreover, the details in the letter matched entirely with the verbal account Keving had given to Jasek. We might also recall the strange sensation in Kevin’s hand – something that Jasek determined could have been Dupuytren’s Contracture, where the fingers lock into a bent position. We might recall that Kevin discovered his keys in his tightly clenched hand. Could the truly surreal nature of the events have caused his hand to lock tight around his keys for the duration of the incident?
Without a doubt, one of the most remarkable – and credible – UFO encounters to have unfolded in the Canadian skies occurred in Montreal over the Place Bonaventure Hotel. At around 7:20 pm on November 7th, 1990, a guest at the hotel was in the swimming pool on the roof of the building when she suddenly became aware of several strange, glowing lights overhead. The lights were an otherworldly mix of green, yellow, and amber, and they appeared to be part of a large, solid object. The woman quickly realized that this object was coming towards them, and several moments later, it was directly overhead, hovering in absolute silence.
It didn’t take long for more and more people to venture onto the roof to view the lights, including several members of the hotel’s staff. By the time another hotel guest, Marcel Laroche, arrived at the hotel just after 9 pm, not only was the object still overhead, but over 30 people had made their way onto the roof to view it. Laroche managed to capture several photographs that were later widely circulated, and they do appear to show a solid object. At one point during the sighting, the lights on the object suddenly began to glow much brighter, causing the hotel staff to contemplate if they were in any danger, so much so, they decided to call the local police. Officer Francois Lippe arrived at the hotel a short time later, and after viewing the aerial anomaly for himself, he immediately contacted his superiors, requesting they attend the location.
Robert Masson was the chief police officer in attendance that evening. He recalled years later on a Canadian television show in 2005 exploring the case that he was “convinced that I saw something that wasn’t made by any inhabitants of this planet. There’s no doubt in my mind it came from somewhere else (other) than Earth!” As part of his initial site investigations – and before the arrival of the RCMP – Masson ordered that spotlights from a nearby construction site be turned off to rule out that they were causing the lights overhead. After they were turned off, the lights remained in the sky. Masson also contacted the local airport and a military radar facility that was situated close by to see if either could confirm an anomalous object on their radars. Both responded that they had no such radar anomaly. Interestingly or not, Masson later stated that he had the feeling the person he spoke with at the military radar facility was “hiding something from him!” After a cargo plane passed over the hotel directly below the object at an altitude of 6000 feet, it allowed Masson to accurately estimate the object’s altitude to be somewhere between 8000 and 10,000 feet. This, in turn, led him to conclude that the object was likely the size of “five football fields!”
As the night went on, the cloud overhead began to thicken considerably, and by 10 pm, the object was almost completely covered. It isn’t known just how long the object remained hovering overhead that evening, although it was clear that something truly out of the ordinary had taken place. The fact that all records of the encounter, including police records, were classified within the 24 hours after the sighting would perhaps confirm this. Just what was hovering over the Place Bonaventure Hotel that evening in 1990 remains a mystery. However, it is worth highlighting the conclusions of NASA scientist, Dr. Richard Haines, who stated in his 1992 report of the incident that “evidence for the existence of a highly unusual, hovering, silent, large object (over Montreal that night) is indisputable!”
Around two decades previously, in the opening hours of New Year’s Day 1970, another thought-provoking and well-documented encounter unfolded, this time in British Columbia. The initial witness, nurse Doreen Kendall, began her shift that evening at the Cowichan District Hospital at the stroke of midnight on New Year’s Eve, 1969. As 1970 began, Doreen went about her usual duties, with nothing to indicate the night would be anything other than a normal eight-hour night shift. This particular night, however, would soon prove to be anything but normal.
By 5 am, when she was going about her rounds of the patients with fellow nurse, Frieda Wilson, she noticed that one of them appeared somewhat agitated. She went over to check on them, deciding to pull back the heavy curtains to allow some fresh air into the room. As soon as she did so, however, a bright light from outside illuminated the entire room. After her eyes adjusted to the brightness of the light, she could make out a “Saturn-shaped disc” that was hovering around 60 feet from the window. She recalled that the object had a silvery, metal exterior and was bowl-shaped with a clear divide between the top and bottom. She also estimated that it was around 50 feet in length, with the top section “made of something like glass!” She soon realized that the intense light was coming from this upper section. Moreover, she could see two “masked figures” standing in this top section. She stated these figures were humanoid and around six feet in height, and each appeared engaged in some kind of activity on what she presumed was the control room of the vehicle.
At this point, the object tipped forward slightly, allowing her to see more of this upper section. Behind the two figures, for example, were what appeared to be two stools, as well as some kind of metallic “instrument panel” containing multiple lights and symbols that covered the back wall. She could see that one of the figures was concentrating on this instrument panel, and she had the feeling that “something very important was going on!” She had the feeling that the vehicle was experiencing some kind of malfunction. Then, one of the figures turned to face her, and she got the immediate feeling that he was looking straight at her. She maintained her focus on the figure, who then seemingly went back to the instrument panel. A moment later, the craft began to turn in an anti-clockwise rotation.
Doreen suddenly realized that Frieda was standing behind her. Not wanting to move and cause the figures to look at her, she discreetly motioned for her to come to the window. She did so, getting to the window in time to see the object begin to move away, heading off into the distance. She later stated the object was like a “big, green circular light” and was “quite a bit larger than a car!” The two women suddenly called out to other members of staff on duty, with two nurses arriving in time to see the craft in the distance. All four nurses then witnessed the object begin to rotate before disappearing “like a streak!” Kendal recorded the sighting in the hospital’s official work records book. It read:
“At 5 a.m. I saw a flying saucer as low as the third floor of the hospital when I pulled the curtains. There were two men or figures in the dome flying towards Victoria. The bottom of the saucer was brilliantly lit, and also the dome — New Year’s morning.”
The following week, a report of the sighting appeared in the Cowichan Herald, and in the days that followed, several people came forward to state that they too had witnessed the strange object that day. A husband and wife, for example, who were driving home from a New Year’s Eve party at a little after 5 am, witnessed a bright, glowing light that was “as big as a house” hovering overhead. There was, though, a much more detailed encounter that unfolded later that evening.
At around 7 pm, Bea Drummond was preparing a New Year’s Day dinner at her home, which overlooked the Mill Bay coast, when she went to the front door to call her adult son, Jim, who was in the family boat off the shore with his wife, Dianna. Upon looking out, however, she noticed a “yellow-orangey” glow moving slowly across the sky. She alerted Jim’s attention to it, who worked as a ship’s pilot, and he immediately reached for his telescope. He estimated the object was at an altitude of around 900 feet, and was “egg-shaped” with a “transparent top!” In this top section, he could see “a set of lights”. We might note how this description is almost identical to the craft described by Doreen Kendall earlier that morning.
At this point, Bea began to fear for Jim and Dianna’s safety, and she called for them to get off the boat and come into the house. She then turned on the floodlights over the back porch to better light their way. However, as soon as she did so, the object moved suddenly, dropping to around 300 feet above the ground and now in a position between the house and the boat. Then, things turned even stranger.
Suddenly, a “ray of light” that was described by Jim as looking like a “very thin neon tube” emerged from the object. Even stranger, within the light, were “dots and dashes” that the witnesses described as being similar to Morse code, while the light itself appeared to swirl and curve. Then, a moment later, there was a bright flash and the neon tube vanished. A moment after that, the object shot directly upwards and shot off into the distance.
As well as the Drummonds, their neighbors – the Hallets – also witnessed the object from their property, which was behind and above the Drummonds’ house. They recalled seeing a “large orange light” just as they were about to eat their evening meal, which then moved over the water. George Hallet further recalled that he was certain “this was no ordinary aircraft” and that the object remained completely silent. Further witnesses were later found at the Deer Lodge on Mill Bay, where several of the diners witnessed a “large ball of light” near the water, with one witness offering that, given their location in relation to the water, “it must have been very bright!”
Just what the object might have been and what its reason for being was remains a mystery. However, that something truly out of the ordinary was above the Vancouver Islands in the first 24 hours of 1970 is surely not in question.
As we can see, Canada has a rich and varied history of UFO sightings, many of which predate the Modern UFO Era by several decades. And, while some regions are undoubtedly more active than others, these sightings occur all over the country. And we need to remember that the cases we explored here represent only a tiny portion of the many, many such cases on record. Just what might attract these strange objects and their occupants to this region of the planet is perhaps as much of a mystery as the objects and their occupants themselves. Perhaps it is vast water networks locked within the Canadian borders, or perhaps the vast open terrain serves as a launching point to wherever they need to go? One thing is certain: these reports continue in Canada today and look set to continue for the foreseeable future.
Multiple Area 51 staff have died from same disease after exposure to 'top secret' project
Multiple Area 51 staff have died from same disease after exposure to 'top secret' project
They have also been denied healthcare due to a lack of record that they ever worked there
James Moorhouse
Multiple staff at Area 51 have reportedly died or suffered from the same deadly disease after being exposed to a 'top secret' project.
Area 51, the highly classified US Air Force facility located in the Nevada desert, has long been linked with controversy and strange goings on, with manyaliens and UFO sightings reported close to the base over the years.
Even people on Google Maps think that they've spotted some otherworldly sights close to the facility, with alien technology supposedly kept there if you believe in the conspiracy theories.
Whatever truly happens there, it often remains top secret, and now some US Air Force veterans and security guards are claiming that they were handed a death sentence by the government due to the presence of an invisible killer at the facility.
Former Air Force Sergeant David Crete, who worked at the Nevada Training and Testing Range (NTTR) between 1983 and 1987, said that the left side of his brain was ‘dying’ due to atrophy while speaking at the House Veterans Affairs Committee earlier this year.
David Crete says he has severe health consequences from working in Area 51 (NewsNation)
Area 51 (Satellite image
(c) 2023 Maxar Technologies)
He is lobbying for better support for Area 51 veterans, many of whom have been denied healthcare in the US because none of the surviving veterans can prove they were exposed to radiation near Area 51, as their work there was so 'top secret' there are no records of them ever being there.
Sergeant Crete claims that as many as 490 of his former colleagues have died of severe illnesses including cancer since serving at the former nuclear site, with the radiation risks also seemingly a huge risk to the servicemen's families.
"My wife had three miscarriages. One of the guys that I worked with, his wife had seven," he added.
Area 51 has become linked with conspiracy theories
(Bernard Friel/Education Images/Universal Images Group via Getty Images)
"All four of my children were born with birth defects or significant health problems. It’s not their fault. I’m not saying it’s mine, but I brought it home."
Sergeant Crete claimed that the only acknowledgement of his service came from the late US Senator John McCain, who told him that his unit ‘ended the cold war'.
Air Force technician Mark Ely also worked at the base in the 1980s and is suffering from life-threatening conditions he feels were brought on due to the radiation he was exposed to.
He said: "Upholding the national interest was more important than my own life. It scarred my lungs. I got cysts on my liver. I started having lipomas, tumours inside my body I had to remove. My lining in my bladder was shed."LADbible Group has approached the US Air Force for comment.
In our daily life, we measure space with yardsticks and time with clocks. This gives us the illusion that space and time are absolute. With that mindset, Isaac Newton, the son of a farmer who stayed at home during a bubonic plague,ponderedwhy apples in his family’s orchard fell straight to the ground and suggested in1687 that gravity is a force between any two objects.
A century before Newton’s realization, Galileo Galilei concluded that the gravitational acceleration of a body would be independent of its mass, contrary to Aristotle’s assertion that heavy objects fall faster than the lighter ones. Indeed, during the Apollo 15 mission to the Moon in 1971, the astronaut David Scott dropped a feather and a hammer from his hands and the two hit the ground at the same time because of the lack of a lunar atmosphere
Three centuries after Galileo, Albert Einstein came up with the thought experiment that people in a free-falling elevator would have no sense of gravity because their feet would not press against the floor of the elevator, since their feet and the floor are falling at the same rate. This led him to recognize in 1907 that gravity is not a force but rather an acceleration of the reference frame shared by all objects, irrespective of mass or composition – the so-called equivalence principle. If so, Einstein reasoned, gravity must be a distortion of space and time, shared by all objects.
In November 1915, Einstein formulated the equations that describe how spacetime is curved by matter and how the curvature of spacetime dictates the motion of matter. The curvature of a surface can be inferred from the sum of the angles of a triangle on it. Whereas 180 degrees is the sum of the three triangle angles on a flat surface, this is the sum of just the two base angles for a triangle drawn on the surface of a sphere, like the Earth, with the base lying on the equator and the two sides meeting at the north pole.
A simple way to visualize the curvature of spacetime is to consider a two-dimensional analog to the three-dimensional space we inhabit. Consider a bowling bowl resting at the center of a trampoline made of rubber and curving its flexible surface. If we kick a marble at the right speed around the center, it will follow a circle because of the curvature of the trampoline surface. But if we were to remove the bowling bowl and give the marble the same kick, it would move along a straight line on the flat surface. For the same reason, if we were to remove the Sun instantly from the Solar system, the Earth would fly out along a straight line because the local spacetime would become flat.
Now imagine moving the bowling ball back and forth periodically. This would inevitably produce ripples in the rubber surface of the trampoline, propagating out like a wave generated by a stick moved back and forth on the surface of a pond. In the same way, a companion star moving the Sun back and forth, would generate ripples in spacetime called gravitational waves. These waves interact so weakly with matter that they cannot be damped anywhere in the Universe, as I had shown in a recent paper.
In August 2015, a century minus two months after Einstein’s equations were formulated, the LIGO experiment detected the first signal from gravitational waves from the collision of two black holes at the edge of the Universe. This opened a new window for observing the Universe.
By now, seven years and nearly a hundred additional event signals after LIGO’s pioneering discovery, astronomers celebrate a new frontier of gravitational wave astrophysics. On the one hand, our ability to explain all the signals as mergers of black holes or neutron stars is rewarding. But at the same time, the lack of unexpected sources is disappointing.
For example, we could have identified bursts of gravitational waves from topological defects of spacetime, called cosmic strings, which are hypothesized to be generated by symmetry-breaking phase transitions in the early universe. We could have also detected artificially-produced bursts of gravitational waves, used for communication among advanced technological civilizations.
But perhaps we will find these unusual signals with the future generations of gravitational wave detectors. A novel detection scheme, the Pulsar Timing Arrays (PTAs), uses pulsars as distributed clocks to detect the passage of a low-frequency gravitational wave from the mergers of massive black holes at the centers of galaxies.
With my former postdoc, Dan D’Orazio, we showed in a recent paper that PTAs could potentially be used as a new method for calibrating cosmological distances and measuring the Hubble expansion rate through gravitational-wave parallax. The principle is familiar. Darwinian survival selected animals with two eyes since they were able to assess the distance of threatening objects by viewing them from two directions. For the same reason, having an array of pulsars allows us to identify the distance of a cosmological source of gravitational waves.
In an even more recent paper with Hamsa Padmanabhan, we showed that PTAs can unravel the formation history of the first supermassive black holes in the first billion years after the Big Bang. This data will complement the deep images of galaxies during that epoch, obtained by the Webb telescope.
Webb’s images are artificially colored, since the corresponding infrared wavelengths are invisible to the human eye. What we cannot see with our eyes, we detect with infrared sensors, and what we cannot detect through light, we detect through gravitational waves.
The latest advances in our understanding of the cosmos stem from developing technologies that make the invisible more easily detectable. Humanity follows a steady progression towards extending the limits of our biological senses with technological devices that probe our cosmic neighborhood more effectively. Technological extensions of our body make the invisible detectable.
This work is not done. We still have to find the nature of dark matter and dark energy as well as the nature of singularities, like those in black holes and the Big Bang. Singularities are points where the curvature of spacetime diverges and Einstein’s equations break down.
A brilliant scientist has yet to formulate an extension of Einstein’s equations that incorporates quantum mechanics and explains away the singularity of the Big Bang. Thought experiments might not be sufficient. Here’s hoping that the clues for how to move forward will be encoded in gravitational waves from the early universe, the equivalent of the falling apples in Newton’s orchard.
Avi Loeb is the head of the Galileo Project, founding director of Harvard University’s – Black Hole Initiative, director of the Institute for Theory and Computation at the Harvard-Smithsonian Center for Astrophysics, and the former chair of the astronomy department at Harvard University (2011-2020). He chairs the advisory board for the Breakthrough Starshot project, and is a former member of the President’s Council of Advisors onScience and Technology and a former chair of the Board on Physics and Astronomy of the National Academies. He is the bestselling author of “Extraterrestrial:The First Sign of Intelligent Life Beyond Earth” and a co-author of the textbook “Life in the Cosmos”, both published in 2021.
A cylindrical UFO flying near Baghdad has been captured in six thermal images taken by a US Air Force (USAF) Reaper drone in May 2022. The mysterious object, nicknamed the “Baghdad Ghost,” is seen moving from left to right in the footage. According to a source familiar with the incident, the object was marked as an “unidentified aerial phenomenon” (UAP) on a USAF depot due to its strange characteristics. Fast-moving craft typically use propulsion systems such as rockets or engines that generate heat, but the thermal camera showed that the object was colder (darker) than its surroundings. Additionally, it did not have visible wings or fins, which likely ruled out the possibility of it being a glider or missile. However, it appeared to be under “intelligent control.” The images were leaked to journalist and filmmaker Jeremy Corbell and investigative journalist George Knapp, who published them on their new podcast, Weaponized.
The video
Corbell stated that he and Knapp discovered the images of Reaper drones over an active war zone, showing an anomalous object designated as a UAP by the US Air Force. “Like our government, we as journalists are curious about what can be seen here,” he said. The military coordinates in the bottom right corner place the drone video’s location in northeastern Iraq, near Baghdad. Corbell added that frustrated members of the USAF leaked the material, claiming that a significant number of UFO incidents were being “buried” and not being shared with corresponding intelligence agencies, such as the new All-Domain Anomaly Resolution Office (AARO).
Recent US legislation requires AARO to gather information on UAP incidents from the Department of Defense and the intelligence community. However, Christopher Mellon, former Deputy Assistant Secretary of Defense for Intelligence, criticized the Air Force a year ago for allegedly not cooperating and covering up incidents. “The Navy was notably helpful, while the Air Force remained notably unhelpful, if not hostile, to investigations into the topic,” he wrote.
What has changed
In recent years, the phenomenon of unidentified flying objects (UFOs) has experienced a significant shift in public perception. UFO sightings, once relegated to the realm of science fiction, are now being taken seriously by mainstream media outlets and government agencies. This shift is largely due to the declassification of numerous military and government documents related to UFO sightings, as well as increased public interest and scrutiny.
One of the most significant changes in recent years is the use of the term “unidentified aerial phenomena” (UAP) instead of “UFOs.” This change reflects a shift in focus from the object itself to the unexplained nature of the sighting. Additionally, there has been a growing awareness of the potential national security implications of UAP sightings, particularly those observed near military installations.
Another significant change is the emergence of new technologies that allow for more sophisticated and widespread monitoring of the skies. From advanced radar systems to civilian drones equipped with high-resolution cameras, the ability to capture and analyze data on UAP sightings has never been greater. This has led to an increase in the number of reported sightings, as well as a greater ability to investigate and analyze the data collected.
Rapport over de Mogelijke Betekenis van UFO’s op Aarde
Rapport over de Mogelijke Betekenis van UFO’s op Aarde
Als UFO's echt buitenaardse ruimteschepen zijn, wat doen ze dan op aarde?
ABSTRACT
De mysterieuze verschijnselen rondom UFO’s (Unidentified Flying Objects) of UAP's (Unidentified Arial Phenomenon ) hebben mensen door de eeuwen heen gefascineerd en voor veel discussie gezorgd. Het fenomeen roept vragen op over de aard, herkomst en doelstellingen van deze objecten die geregeld worden waargenomen op verschillende continenten, in de oceanen, op de maan en zelfs in de ruimte. De voortdurende waarnemingen en de uitgebreide gegevensverzameling rondom UFO’s maken dat het onderwerp niet alleen wetenschappelijk, maar ook cultureel en filosofisch relevant is. Dit rapport behandelt de geschiedenis en de statistieken van UFO-waarnemingen, onderscheidt echte UFO’s van alledaagse verschijnselen, en onderzoekt de theorieën over wat deze objecten mogelijk op aarde doen.
Historische Waarnemingen en Statistieken
UFO’s (Onbekende Vliegende Objecten) worden al duizenden jaren waargenomen, en het fenomeen heeft een rijke geschiedenis die teruggaat tot de oudheid. Archeologische vondsten, zoals schilderijen en inscripties uit oude beschavingen, verwijzen naar mysterieuze luchtverschijnselen die toen al werden opgemerkt. Bijvoorbeeld, in de middeleeuwen worden vaak tekeningen gevonden van hemelverschijnselen die niet altijd te verklaren waren. Een bekend voorbeeld is het schilderij uit de 16e eeuw waarin vreemde objecten aan de hemel worden afgebeeld, wat suggereert dat mensen toen al getuigen waren van onverklaarbare luchtverschijnselen. Daarnaast bestaan er oude verhalen uit verschillende culturen over "hemelgeesten" of "vliegende schijven", zoals de verhalen uit de Oud-Indische mythologie of de Middeleeuwse kronieken.
Pas in de moderne tijd werd het fenomeen systematisch geregistreerd en bestudeerd, vooral vanaf de jaren 1940 en 1950, na de Tweede Wereldoorlog. De toename in waarnemingen werd mede veroorzaakt door de ontwikkeling van radar en andere detectiemethoden tijdens de oorlog, die het mogelijk maakten om objecten in de lucht te registreren die niet direct kunnen worden verklaard. De beroemde "Kenneth Arnold-waarneming" in 1947 wordt vaak genoemd als het startpunt van de moderne UFO-onderzoeken. Arnold, een piloot, beschreef een groep objecten die met hoge snelheid beweerden te vliegen en een "sikkelvorm" hadden, wat leidde tot de term "sikkelvormige schijven". Deze gebeurtenis leidde tot een enorme media-aandacht en een toename in meldingen van UFO’s in de Verenigde Staten en daarbuiten.
Volgens schattingen hebben wereldwijd ongeveer 15 miljoen mensen UFO’s gezien. Alleen in de Verenigde Staten claimen ongeveer 4 miljoen mensen dat ze een UFO hebben waargenomen. Dit aantal wordt ondersteund door enquêtes en getuigenissen die regelmatig worden verzameld door UFO-onderzoeksorganisaties zoals de Mutual UFO Network (MUFON). Een voorbeeld hiervan is een onderzoek uit 2019 waarin meer dan 8.000 mensen in de VS aangaven een UFO te hebben gezien, vaak tijdens nachtelijke uren of in de buurt van militaire bases. Deze cijfers benadrukken de wijdverspreide aard van de waarnemingen, hoewel veel ervan niet altijd kunnen worden bevestigd of verklaard.
Wat betreft de officiële registratie en het detecteren van UFO’s, beschikt ons wereldwijde luchtverdedigingssysteem over geavanceerde satelliet- en communicatienetwerken. Deze systemen registreren dagelijks tussen de 5 en 1.000 waarnemingen van objecten in het luchtruim boven de aarde. Een voorbeeld hiervan is het Amerikaanse Pentagon dat in 2020 officieel bevestigde dat er meerdere incidenten waren waarbij onbekende objecten werden waargenomen door militaire radar en piloten.
Echter, slechts ongeveer 2% van deze waarnemingen wordt als betrouwbaar beschouwd. Dit betekent dat in de afgelopen 50 jaar ongeveer 300.000 waarnemingen serieus genomen kunnen worden. Dit is een aanzienlijke hoeveelheid data die niet eenvoudig kan worden verklaard door natuurlijke fenomenen zoals wolken of weersverschijnselen, noch door menselijke technologieën zoals weerballonnen of militaire vliegtuigen. Bijvoorbeeld, in 2004 werden meerdere objecten waargenomen door Amerikaanse Navy-piloten die op radar werden gevolgd en waarvan de bewegingen niet konden worden verklaard door bekende technologieën. Deze objecten vertoonden ongebruikelijke manoeuvres en snelheid die niet overeenkwamen met conventionele vliegtuigen of drones.
De statistieken overlappen met gegevens uit de lucht- en ruimte-inlichtingendiensten van grote landen, die aangeven dat er een aanzienlijke hoeveelheid waarnemingen plaatsvindt die niet eenvoudig kunnen worden verklaard door bekende natuurlijke of menselijke bronnen. Een voorbeeld hiervan is het zogenaamde "Gimbal"-incident uit 2015, waarbij Amerikaanse militaire radar en piloten een object observeerden dat snel van richting kon veranderen zonder enige geluid of zichtbaar motorvermogen. Dit soort incidenten wordt nog steeds nauwkeurig onderzocht, maar tot op heden ontbreken er definitieve verklaringen.
Kortom, de historische waarningen en recente statistieken wijzen op een fenomeen dat al eeuwenlang bestaat en dat nog steeds niet volledig begrepen wordt. De enorme hoeveelheid waarnemingen, gecombineerd met geavanceerde detectietechnieken, die niet eenvoudig kunnen worden verklaard door natuurlijke fenomenen of door menselijke technologieën zoals weerballonnen of militaire vliegtuigen.
Definitie en Betrouwbaarheid van UFO’s
Bij de term UFO wordt meestal verwezen naar objecten die niet door de moderne menselijk gemaakte technologie worden geproduceerd. Het gaat hierbij niet om natuurlijke verschijnselen zoals ball lightning of weerballonnen, noch om bekende militaire of civiele vliegtuigen. Alleen overheden en ruimte-inlichtingendiensten beschikken over de middelen om deze objecten betrouwbaar te registreren en te screenen. Toch wordt algemeen erkend dat overheden vaak informatie achterhouden, wat bijdraagt aan het mysterie en de speculaties rondom UFO’s.
1. Kenmerken en Capabilities van Echte UFO’s
De vluchtpatronen en capaciteiten van de waargenomen UFO’s suggereren dat ze afkomstig zijn van een meer geavanceerde beschaving. De snelheid, manoeuvreerbaarheid, en technologische eigenschappen van deze objecten wijzen erop dat ze niet door menselijke technologieën uit onze huidige tijd kunnen worden gereproduceerd. Uit gegevens van ontmoetingen met vermeende UFO-crew’s blijkt dat een groot deel van deze objecten waarschijnlijk buitenaards van oorsprong is.
Daarnaast tonen statistische analyses dat ongeveer 15% van de waargenomen UFO’s capsules uit de toekomst kunnen zijn, die door een soort tijdreis of toekomstige technologieën worden gestuurd. Dit leidt tot de suggestie dat er een voortdurende interactie plaatsvindt tussen onze planeet en verschillende vormen van buitenaardse of toekomstgerichte intelligenties. Het aantal waarnemingen dat dagelijks op aarde plaatsvindt, wordt geschat op gemiddeld 14 ruimteschepen en 3 capsules uit de toekomst, wat de noodzaak onderstreept om deze fenomenen beter te bestuderen.
2. Betrouwbaarheid en onderzoek
De betrouwbaarheid van UFO-waarnemingen wordt vaak in twijfel getrokken vanwege de subjectieve aard van de waarnemingen en de beperkte technologische bewijzen. Veel waarnemingen worden gedaan door amateurs of getuigen die niet over de juiste apparatuur beschikken, wat de interpretatie bemoeilijkt. Desalniettemin hebben sommige gevallen geleid tot de ontwikkeling van geavanceerde detectiemethoden, zoals radars en infraroodcamera’s, die de waarnemingen kunnen bevestigen en objectief kunnen vastleggen.
Overheidsinstanties wereldwijd investeren in onderzoek naar UFO’s en proberen de gegevens te verzamelen en te analyseren om de betrouwbaarheid te vergroten. Recentelijk zijn er bijvoorbeeld officiële rapporten vrijgegeven waarin wordt erkend dat bepaalde UFO’s niet kunnen worden verklaard met bestaande technologieën. Dit versterkt de hypothese dat er wellicht echt objecten bestaan die onze huidige kennis en mogelijkheden overstijgen.
Hoewel er nog veel onbeantwoorde vragen blijven bestaan over de aard en herkomst van UFO’s, is het duidelijk dat deze fenomenen een serieus wetenschappelijk vraagstuk vormen. Het is daarom belangrijk dat het onderzoek wordt voortgezet en dat gegevens open en transparant worden gedeeld, zodat we meer inzicht kunnen krijgen in deze mysterieuze objecten en de mogelijke implicaties voor de mensheid.
Wat Doen UFO’s op Aarde?
Na het overzicht van feiten en statistieken, rijst de vraag: wat is de bedoeling van deze UFO-bezoeken aan onze planeet? Hoewel er veel theorieën bestaan, is het belangrijk om te benadrukken dat veel van deze ideeën speculatief blijven en dat niet alles met zekerheid bevestigd kan worden. Toch kunnen we verschillende hypotheses bespreken die proberen inzicht te geven in de mogelijke motieven van deze objecten.
1. Menselijke energie
Onze energie is buitengewoon krachtig. Dit is niet alleen bewezen door wetenschappelijke onderzoeken, maar ook door eeuwenoude tradities en overtuigingen. Het belang van energie voor ons leven en onze wereld is onmiskenbaar en wordt vandaag de dag nog steeds erkend in vele disciplines, van geneeskunde tot spiritualiteit.
Veel onderzoekers, waaronder ikzelf, geloven dat buitenaardse wezens mogelijk “voeden” op onze energie. Vooral negatieve energie lijkt daarbij een bijzonder aantrekkelijke bron te zijn. Momenteel lijkt de wereld gevuld te zijn met negatieve vibes, wat mogelijk een verklaring biedt voor de opvallende toename van UFO-waarnemingen sinds het begin van de COVID-19-pandemie. Het is alsof de wereld meer energie produceert die door anderen, mogelijk buitenaardse entiteiten, wordt benut.
Daarnaast kunnen we ook kijken naar de rol van geheime genootschappen. Het is algemeen bekend dat zij een grote invloed zouden kunnen uitoefenen, vaak in het geheim. Sommige van deze genootschappen zouden zich mogelijk bezighouden met buitenaardse wezens of met het manipuleren van wereldgebeurtenissen. Het idee bestaat dat zij de wereldleiders en gebeurtenissen sturen om een bepaald doel te bereiken. Misschien manipuleren zij de energie op aarde, waardoor negatieve emoties zoals angst en verdriet worden versterkt, wat de energie nog krachtiger maakt. Deze theorieën worden door veel mensen als bijzonder plausibel beschouwd, vooral omdat er aanwijzingen zijn dat sommige genootschappen al eeuwenlang geïnteresseerd zijn in buitenaardse verschijnselen en energie.
Het idee dat mensen de meest waardevolle bio-bron zijn voor het genereren van specifieke energie is niet nieuw. In de geschiedenis zijn er talloze voorbeelden die deze gedachte lijken te ondersteunen. Zo verwijzen oude culturen, zoals die van de Olmecs, naar rituelen en overtuigingen die impliceren dat mensen energie kunnen produceren en gebruiken voor hogere doeleinden. Deze oude beschavingen zouden door middel van geheime rituelen en ceremonies de energiestromen van mensen hebben benut, mogelijk om contact te maken met hogere machten of om kracht te verkrijgen.
2. Wat betekent dit voor ons? Waarom steun ik deze theorie?
Energiesystemen, -verschijnselen en energiewezens hebben altijd mijn grote interesse gehad. Ik heb me jarenlan verdieptom meer informatie te lereb kennen over dit item. Als we aannemen dat UFO’s daadwerkelijk bestaan, kunnen we niet uitsluiten dat energie daarin een grote rol speelt, net zoals bij alle levende wezens op aarde. Het zou kunnen dat buitenaardse wezens afhankelijk zijn van bepaalde energiebronnen of dat ze op een bijzondere manier met energie omgaan die wij nog niet begrijpen.
Uiteraard bestaan er talloze theorieën over UFO’s en de plannen die buitenaardse wezens mogelijk voor onze planeet zouden hebben. Van complottheorieën over geheime oorlogen tot ideeën over slavernij van de mensheid, er is een breed spectrum aan verhalen en speculaties. Toch geloof ik dat we verder moeten kijken dan deze sensationele ideeën en ons moeten richten op de onderliggende principes die onze wereld en haar energie beïnvloeden.
Tot slot is het belangrijk te beseffen dat de kracht van energie een universeel fenomeen is dat onze wereld en mogelijk het heelal verbindt. Of het nu gaat om menselijke emoties, spirituele overtuigingen of de interactie met buitenaardse wezens, energie vormt de kern van ons bestaan. Door deze energie te begrijpen en te respecteren, kunnen we wellicht niet alleen onze eigen wereld verbeteren, maar ook een dieper inzicht krijgen in het universum en de mysterieuze krachten die het beheersen.
In conclusie, de kracht van menselijke energie en de mogelijke interactie met buitenaardse wezens blijven fascinerende onderwerpen die ons uitdagen om verder te kijken dan het zichtbare en begrijpelijke. Het is een uitnodiging om open te staan voor nieuwe ideeën, om kritisch te blijven nadenken en om te blijven zoeken naar de verborgen waarheden achter de mysteries van het universum. Alleen door deze zoektocht kunnen we mogelijk een dieper begrip krijgen van onze rol in het grote geheel en de ware kracht van energie die in ons allemaal schuilt.
{ PETER2011 }
20-07-2025 om 22:28
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 )
10 UFO Sightings In The Last 1000 Years That Show UFOs Are Not New
10 UFO Sightings In The Last 1000 Years That Show UFOs Are Not New
One of the controversial McMinnville UFO phogoraphs taken by a couple in 1950. How many UFO sightings do you think have been reported in the past? Hundreds of thousands maybe?
Credit: Wikimedia Commons
UFOs have been a world obsession since the late 1940s when an American pilot allegedly saw nine objects in the air while flying his utility plane. This is a story for another time but it is good to know that the term “flying saucer” appeared exactly because of his alleged sighting once he presented his story to the local news.
Another famous case from that same year, 1947, is the Roswell UFO incident, considered one of the largest cover-ups in human history. It is easy to say that after 1947, UFOs became an American Obsession that nowadays covers the entire world.
However, similar sightings have been reported in all earlier eras of human history. Even if ancient texts mentioning strange phenomena did not exist, we see mysterious artworks with extraterrestrial features in ancient cultures worldwide.
The way I see it, if humans today have a good reason to write about UFO sightings (for attention, profit, or even for fun), then the ancient scribes definitely wouldn’t have the same reasons to write about imaginary phenomena. In other words, I dare to believe that some historical sightings from before the digital era could be true.
In each case, UFO sightings occurred later in history too. Some of the more famous cases occurred in the Middle Ages. With this said, we took the time to dig out ten incredible reports of strange objects from the past 1000 years.
What makes this account particularly intriguing is its documentation within monastic records, suggesting the sighting was taken seriously. Historians argue that such descriptions from medieval sources are rare, as celestial anomalies were often interpreted through religious or supernatural lenses. Some scholars suggest it could have been an early meteorological phenomenon, such as ball lightning, though no definitive explanation has been agreed upon.
It is curious that William of Newburgh’s writings also described one of the most curious mysteries of Medieval England – the Green Children of Woolpit. We have a separate article on this fantastic story that you can read here.
2. 1453, Constantinople– Ѕtrаngе lіghtѕ were ѕееn сіrсlіng оvеr Соnѕtаntіnорlе thе nіght bеfоrе thе Ottomans соnquеred іt. Ѕоmе оf thе lіghtѕ flew ѕtrаіght uр аt hіgh ѕрееd, thеn ѕрlіt іntо muсh ѕmаllеr lіghtѕ. Eyewitnesses later wrote that the light remained above Hagia Sophia for the whole night.
You can guess that this event caused chaos in the city under siege. In the past, strange phenomena were always considered some divine sign, and the Christians of Constantinople quickly thought of an explanation. They believed the Holy Spirit was leaving the city, which meant all hope was lost.
This is a more curious Medieval UFO sighting than the one in England, for example, due to the detailed explanation. We are used to hearing about saucer-shaper UFOs, and the earlier one described by William of Newburgh also had a similar appearance. This one over France, however, had the shape of a crescent moon.
Further investigation into historical astronomical records does not align this sighting with known planetary or meteor activity. This leads some researchers to speculate that it could have been an early form of unidentified aerial technology or an illusion caused by atmospheric conditions.
This case is very curious because Columbus also saw a glimmering light in the sky on October 11. In this case, he was the only one from the whole crew to see it. He tried to show it to his crewmen, but it was too faint for them to find it as well.
These sightings have been widely analyzed, with some historians attributing them to meteor showers or bioluminescent marine life. However, others argue that Columbus, being an experienced navigator, would have been familiar with natural phenomena and that the descriptions suggest something more unusual.
This illustration from 1561 from Nuremberg shows what one of the most massive UFO sightings in history looked like. Credit: Wikimedia Commons
Overall, eyewitness reports include an incredible amount of different objects, which is extremely rare for UFO sightings, especially in ancient or medieval times. You can say that this is a hoax, but it was seen by all the citizens of Nuremberg, not just a single individual with an impressive imagination.
We have a separate article on the Nuremberg mass UFO sightinghere.
6. 1566, Switzerland – In Switzerland, for three consecutive nights in August, many black spheres were seen flying across the sky. They looked like they were fighting each other.
Тhоuѕаndѕ оf реорlе wіtnеѕѕеd thіѕ “bаttlе.” Historian Ѕаmuеl Соссіuѕ, who dedicated an entire work to this event, wrоtе the following description: ” Маnу оf thеm bесаmе fіеrу аnd rеd, ехрlоdіng аnd dіѕарреаrіng. “
These descriptions parallel modern UFO reports of fast-moving, intelligent aerial objects. Historical analysis suggests the Basel sighting may have been linked to meteor showers, yet the repeated mention of the objects manoeuvring independently raises questions. The Swiss broadsheet that recorded the event remains one of the earliest surviving depictions of unidentified aerial activity.
7. 1593, Philippines/Mexico– Іn Маnіlа, Рhіlірріnеѕ, а ѕоldіеr dіѕарреаred wіthоut а trасе on October 24, 1593. Тhе nехt dау hе rеарреаred іn Мехісо Сіtу! Тhе mаn lіtеrаllу dеѕсrіbеd whаt hарреnеd іn thе Рhіlірріnеѕ thе dау bеfоrе although it took a lot of time before the locals believed him.
This is not exactly a UFO sighting, but it is an incredible mystery that can be linked to alien abduction, right? The story lives by in modern Mexican culture and still has no explanation. Тhеn thеrе wеrе nо рlаnеѕ, nо rаdіо, nо tеlеvіѕіon more than 400 years ago, obviously, but he couldn’t have reached Mexico in a day by boat either.
The Joseon Dynasty Annals presents the history of the entire dynasty from 1413 to 1865 in a total of 1893 volumes. Credit: Google Arts and Culture
8. 1609, Korea – According to the historical texts of the Joseon Dynasty, people witnessed a UFO in the Gangwon province in September 1609. The reported case includes several unidentified flying objects in the shape of a bowl.
I could not find much about this case, although I know it exists. Korean is not a language I know, and finding more is impossible at this point. I did find out, however, that this event in history influenced the creation of an entire Korean drama movie.
What an incredible story, right? How close would a spacecraft have to be to cause such a rapid increase in temperature? Or was it something else that had nothing to do with aliens? The truth is, we will never know.
One of the images taken at the Zacatecas Observatory in Mexico. Credit: Wikimedia Commons
10. 1883, Mexico – A Mexican astronomer was observing sunspot activity from an observatory in Mexico when he took the earliest UFO photos in history. He claims that he saw 300+ objects passing through his observational area. There are two theories about what happened on that day. The earlier version suggested that these were flying geese. However, in 2011, astronomers suggested another theory – that the objects were fragments from a passing comet.
It is pointless to say that countless UFO sightings existed before the 20th century. We selected some of the lesser-known cases from the Medieval Era and later, instead of focusing on the past 200 years. It is unbelievable how we do not have real confirmation about a single mysterious object seen in the sky after so many sightings.
UFOs and the Law: Strange and Bizarre Sightings by Police Officers
UFOs and the Law: Strange and Bizarre Sightings by Police Officers
ABSTRACT
Over the years, countless police officers around the world have reported unexplained and bizarre sightings, often linked to UFOs (Unidentified Flying Objects). These incidents raise questions not only about the nature of these phenomena but also about their potential implications for the law and national security. The phenomenon of UFO sightings by police officers is particularly intriguing because they are often the first to experience and report these strange occurrences. This essay discusses five remarkable examples that illustrate how police officers encounter the supernatural and how these experiences impact the law and public trust.
Example 1: The Phoenix Lights (1997)
The Phoenix Lights are perhaps one of the most well-known and extensive UFO sightings in US history. On March 13, 1997, thousands of people, from ordinary citizens to police officers and pilots, witnessed an impressive formation of lights hovering silently above the city of Phoenix, Arizona. The sighting lasted several minutes and was visible from several locations in the region. What was unusual about this event was that the lights were arranged in a V-shape or line and moved in a manner inconsistent with regular aviation activity or natural phenomena.
Several police officers reported not only seeing the lights but also seeing them change position and move erratically. Some witnesses described the lights slowly appearing in different locations or disappearing altogether, adding to the confusion. Despite numerous explanations offered by agencies such as the Air Force and the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA), the sightings could not be fully explained. Meteorological explanations such as weather phenomena or balloons were dismissed by many as inappropriate causes, as they could not account for the complex movements and large size of the lights.
The event received extensive media attention and led to numerous speculations about the existence of extraterrestrial craft. Some researchers believe the lights may have been the work of secret military experiments or new technologies not yet publicly known. Others continue to cling to the possibility that they were alien craft. Authorities acknowledged they could not explain the sighting and that it remains one of the most impressive and well-documented UFO sightings. The event has since occupied a significant place in UFO history and continues to fascinate and inspire further investigation.
Example 2: The Belgian UFO Wave (1989-1990)
During the period from 1989 to 1990, Belgium experienced a remarkable period that later became known as the "Belgian UFO wave." During these months, numerous police officers and other witnesses reported various sightings of unusual light phenomena and strange flying objects occurring at various locations throughout the country. The sightings were characterized by a wide variety of phenomena, from stationary lights to fast-moving objects that could not be identified with any known aircraft or natural phenomena.
The first reports came primarily from police patrols on night patrol. They often reported seeing bright lights that hovered in the sky, sometimes for minutes, before suddenly shifting position and flying in a different direction. One of the most striking accounts involved a police patrol near Charleroi, who saw a bright, unidentified object that appeared to be moving in unconventional patterns. The object displayed no typical characteristics of commercial or military aircraft: it lacked navigation lights and produced no sound similar to that of conventional aircraft.
Another striking aspect of the sightings was that several bodies and objects suddenly disappeared from view, as if "eaten" in midair by an invisible medium. Some witnesses reported that the objects could accelerate very rapidly, without any prior movement being observed, and that they often disappeared from view at high speeds. These phenomena led many to wonder whether these were unknown technologies or possibly extraterrestrial vehicles.
The large number of reports led to official investigations by the Belgian Air Force and the Belgian UFO Research Institute. Military and civilian authorities launched investigations to analyze the sightings and attempt to determine the cause. In addition to the official reports, numerous spontaneous reports were also made by citizens through the media and UFO researchers. The fact that police officers, whose normal role was strictly to maintain order, were open to reporting these sightings gave the situation added weight and credibility.
Over the years, various theories were proposed about the nature of the sightings. Some researchers suggested they might be military experiments with new technologies or secret weapons, while others believed they were misinterpreted natural atmospheric phenomena. Still others clung to the possibility that they were indeed extraterrestrial visitors. Regardless, the Belgian UFO wave of 1989-1990 remains one of the most intriguing and best-documented UFO incidents in Europe. It not only led to a change in the attitude of Belgian authorities towards UFO sightings but also contributed to the international debate about the existence of extraterrestrial life and the possibility of contact.
Example 3: Mexican Police and the "Orbs" (2015)
In Mexico, several high-profile incidents occurred in 2015 in which police officers repeatedly reported seeing mysterious orbs in the sky. These sightings were made by various police officers from different regions of the country, suggesting that this was not an isolated incident. The officers' descriptions varied, but there were some common features that recurred. For example, they reported that the orbs moved quickly and unpredictably through the sky, often without any warning. Some officers described that the objects could change position very quickly, making them difficult to track with the naked eye. Furthermore, it was often reported that the orbs could change color—from white to yellow, red, or blue—and that they sometimes even flickered or pulsed. A striking aspect was that some of these orbs could suddenly disappear or vanish behind buildings and trees, bearing no resemblance to regular airplanes or other known aircraft.
The police officers who reported these sightings were generally unable to explain what they had seen. They stated that the objects had no definite shape and did not match the characteristics of weather balloons, drones, or other known objects found in the region. Some officers speculated that they might be unknown or classified military technology, while others suspected extraterrestrial phenomena. The reports were taken seriously by authorities, especially because they were made by reliable witnesses and often supported by photos or short video recordings.
Officials in Mexico began investigating the incidents and trying to determine whether there was a connection between the various sightings. Some of these video recordings were made public and circulated on social media, leading to increased public interest and speculation. However, the true nature of the orbs remained unclear, and no definitive explanations were offered by authorities. Nevertheless, these sightings remain a fascinating mystery that continues to raise questions about what exactly transpired in the skies over Mexico that year.
Example 4: The Italian Police and the "Luminous Aircraft" (2000)
In the year 2000, a striking incident occurred in Italy that attracted considerable attention within the UFO research and investigation community. Several police officers reported seeing mysterious, glowing, flying objects that did not resemble typical airplanes or helicopters. These objects had no recognizable shapes and seemed to move in a manner inconsistent with conventional aviation technology. It was the mysterious nature of the sightings that led many to speculate about the nature of these "luminous aircraft."
While on night patrol in the capital, Rome, several officers encountered a peculiar phenomenon. They saw a bright, glowing light that seemed to move without any visible engine or propulsion. What made it even more strange was that the light had no fixed shape and seemed to constantly change—at times disappearing and reappearing in other places. The object appeared to move through the air in an unusual manner, with speeds and movements that did not match those of any known aircraft or drones.
The police officers were not the only ones to witness this remarkable phenomenon. Several witnesses in the area reported similar sightings at the same time, making the case even more intriguing. The sightings were documented and subsequently picked up by the media, leading to widespread public debate about what these "luminous aircraft" might be. Some experts suggested they might be secret military experiments testing new technologies not yet publicly known. Others pointed to the possibility of extraterrestrial phenomena, given the unexplained movements and lack of sound.
The Italian authorities faced a dilemma. On the one hand, there was the need to be open about such incidents, especially given the growing public interest and distrust. On the other hand, there was the fear that publicizing such sightings could harm national security or cause unnecessary panic. This led to speculation that the government may not have released everything it knew about these luminous objects. The 2000 incident remains a mystery to this day, raising questions about the true nature of these mysterious phenomena and the possible presence of invisible or secret technologies.
Example 5: The American Police and the "Tic-Tac" UFO (2004)
A striking and recent example that has caused quite a stir in the world of unexplained phenomena is the sighting by American police officers of an object strongly resembling the famous "Tic-Tac" UFO that later became public knowledge. This event occurred in 2004, a period when interest in UFOs and extraterrestrial phenomena had already been rekindled for some time, but was not yet as widely shared as in subsequent years.
That year, several officers in the state of Florida, involved in routine highway patrols, reported seeing an unusual, fast-moving light or object in the sky. What made this sighting remarkable was not only the speed and movement of the object, but also the fact that it produced no sound. This was remarkable because most common airplanes and helicopters do produce sound during flight, especially at high speeds. The object appeared to move without the usual vibrations or sounds one would expect from a normal aircraft. Furthermore, the object exhibited unusual maneuvers: it seemed to be able to suddenly change direction and altitude without the usual aerodynamic limitations of normal aircraft.
The officers who made the sighting described the object as a white or shiny shape that seemed to disappear and reappear quickly from one location to another. Several witnesses reported seeing it for brief periods, usually a few minutes, before it disappeared completely from view. The image that emerged was that of an object that did not conform to known aircraft technology at the time. It did not seem to conform to the characteristics of regular aircraft, drones, or other known aircraft.
What made this event even more remarkable was that no immediate evidence was found that it was human-made technology. The sighting was purely visual and based on the police officers' testimony. Nevertheless, the incident raised several questions and speculations: was it possible that it was an extraterrestrial object? Or was it perhaps secret military technology that was not yet publicly known? The US government and military were under considerable pressure to be more transparent about such incidents during that period, especially after the publication of the famous "Tic-Tac" videos and testimonies from military pilots who had witnessed similar phenomena.
The "Tic-Tac" UFO, later documented by the US military, received considerable attention over the years and became a symbol for unexplained aerial phenomena. The 2004 incident, in which police officers saw the object, is often considered one of the first public sightings that marked the period of greater openness about UFOs. It led to a renewed interest in studying such phenomena by scientists and government agencies. After years of silence and denials, official reports and documents began to be released, acknowledging that objects had indeed been sighted that could not be explained by current technology.
This event also contributed to the broader discussion about the nature of these phenomena. Is it possible that aliens visit us at certain times? Or are there perhaps still unknown technological developments within secret military projects? Either way, the 2004 sighting by US police remains a powerful example of how unexplained aerial phenomena can occur in plain sight of public order and how they continue to fuel curiosity and debate about extraterrestrial intelligence.
In short, this event underscores the importance of openness and scientific approaches when investigating UFO sightings. It demonstrates that many questions remain unanswered and that such incidents can challenge our assumptions about the world around us.
Example 6: Belgium – Strange Light Phenomena in the Ardennes (2014)
On a crisp morning in the early hours of March 15, 2014, several police officers patrolling the Belgian Ardennes made a striking and unusual observation. During their patrols, they saw a bright white light hovering in the dark sky at an altitude of approximately 200 meters. The light appeared stationary, but occasionally changed shape and color. Sometimes it was bright white, other times blue or red, which surprised and confused the officers. They described the light as an “unusual, almost otherworldly appearance” that did not seem to belong to the normal air traffic one would expect in that region. The phenomenon lasted for about 15 minutes, after which it suddenly disappeared, as if vanishing into thin air.
What made it even more mysterious was that no sounds accompanied the light phenomena. This made the officers very uneasy and tense, as they could not explain what they had seen. It later turned out that no airplanes, helicopters, or drones had been reported in the area at the time, making the sighting even more ambiguous. Belgian aviation authorities were unable to offer any explanation for the phenomenon and described the incident as a "strange and unidentified aerial phenomenon."
This incident quickly became known among UFO researchers and is frequently cited in reports of unexplained phenomena in Belgium. The Ardennes are considered by many researchers to be a hotspot for such mysterious sightings, partly due to the numerous unexplained light phenomena regularly reported there. To this day, this incident remains a mystery that continues to pique curiosity and research into strange aerial phenomena, adding to the many stories surrounding UFOs and other unexplained light phenomena in this region.
Example 7: Spain – The Gliding Lights in Madrid (2008)
On June 22, 2008, several police officers in Madrid made a striking and unusual observation. During the evening hours, they saw a series of shiny, rapidly moving lights streaking across the city in a straight line. What was unusual was that the lights moved in sync and produced no sound. The officers described the lights as “shining balls flowing in formation,” indicating that they were moving in some kind of organized fashion. The phenomenon lasted for about ten minutes, after which the lights suddenly disappeared.
Police dispatched several cars to the scene to investigate, but no aircraft, drone, or other conventional object could be found to explain the phenomenon. Some officers initially suspected a drone, as they can often be fast and shiny, but the speed, the altitude at which the lights were moving, and the precise formation made this explanation implausible. The sighting was too fast and precise for a drone, and it was unusual for drones to fly such long distances over the city in an organized formation without anyone noticing.
Spanish aviation authorities were unable to explain the sighting. They emphasized that there were no commercial aircraft, military training flights, or other known aerial activities taking place at the time that could explain the phenomenon. The incident was officially recorded in the police report as an “unexplained aerial phenomenon,” indicating that it could not be attributed to any known phenomena or technical objects.
This event is considered one of the most remarkable UFO sightings in Spain and is frequently discussed by UFO researchers and enthusiasts. What makes it special is the detailed accounts of the officers, who accurately described the movements and behavior of the lights. The incident points to the possibility of unknown aerial phenomena that are not easily explained with current knowledge and technology. The openness of the police and the official record make it interesting for researchers to study and analyze further. It remains an intriguing example of an unexplained aerial phenomenon that continues to raise questions about what exactly happened in the skies over Madrid that evening.
Example 8: Mexico – The Flying Triangle Over Mexico City (2010)
On March 13, 2010, striking and mysterious events occurred in the skies over Mexico City. Several police officers on duty that night testified to a strange and inexplicable phenomenon that caught their attention and would remain with them for a long time. During their patrols, they observed a large, irregularly shaped luminous object moving slowly through the sky. The object had a distinct orange glow and appeared to pulsate, as if flickering or moving up and down in a rhythmic pattern. What made the sightings particularly remarkable was that the object seemed to focus on specific points in the city, as if it possessed consciousness or intelligence. The officers reported that the object remained visible for approximately twenty minutes before suddenly and without warning vanishing from view.
The officers were convinced that it was not an ordinary aircraft or a drone. The object exhibited irregular movements that did not correspond to the typical flight behavior of known aircraft. Moreover, the phenomenon's magnitude made it difficult to explain by simple natural or man-made means. Mexican aviation authorities were unable to confirm any aircraft movements in the area that evening. This contributed to the mystique and misunderstanding surrounding the event.
The entire incident was documented in the police report as an "extraordinary and inexplicable aerial phenomenon." It became not just a local event, but a story frequently cited in the collection of Mexican UFO reports in the years that followed. The incident also contributed to local folklore and the myth-making surrounding the so-called "Flying Triangle" in Mexico. Many residents and UFO enthusiasts believe this region could potentially harbor some kind of energetic or extraterrestrial phenomenon. The event remains one of the most discussed and researched mysterious aerial phenomena in Mexico to this day. It exemplifies how unexplained sightings continue to fascinate people and raise questions about the nature of the universe and the possibility of extraterrestrial contact.
Example 9: Italy – The Flashing Balls of Light Over Rome (2012)
On October 7, 2012, remarkable events occurred in Rome that caught the attention of both locals and UFO researchers. During a routine police patrol, officers encountered an unannounced and intriguing phenomenon that left them deeply astonished. What had begun as an ordinary night quickly transformed into a mysterious sky show that exceeded the expectations and knowledge of those present.
The officers, performing their routine duties, suddenly saw a series of flashing, colorful balls of light moving in various formations in the sky. These lights danced across the sky, rapidly changing color and movement, and exhibiting no consistent shape or pattern as one would normally expect from familiar objects. The phenomenon lasted for approximately 12 minutes, during which the officers contacted the officers several times to confirm and discuss their observations. The situation was such that they wondered if they were dealing with a technical or natural phenomenon that they simply could not identify.
Police then decided to send a patrol to the location, hoping to get a closer look at the object and gain more clarity. However, as officers approached, the mysterious light immediately disappeared from view. The phenomenon seemed to suddenly disappear as they approached, making the case even more mysterious. No known aircraft, drones, or other aircraft were found that could explain the lights, nor were any other natural or human causes identified that could explain the phenomenon.
The sighting was not only confirmed by the police; several local residents and witnesses in the area also reported the same phenomenon. They described the lights as flashing, colorful, and moving in an unusual way. The witnesses were impressed by the unpredictable movements and the lack of a clear explanation. This led to much speculation and discussion in the local community and in UFO circles worldwide.
The Italian aviation authorities were also aware of the incident but were unable to provide an official explanation. They did not mention aircraft malfunctions, technical problems, or other known causes that could explain the sighting. The government remained silent, stating that there was no evidence that the phenomenon posed a danger or a threat to national security.
This incident is often cited as one of the most remarkable UFO sightings in Italy. It is considered remarkable because of the detailed testimony provided by police, who are normally considered reliable and professional witnesses. It remains a topic of discussion among UFO researchers and enthusiasts who wonder what exactly happened in the skies above Rome that evening. The phenomenon has contributed to the continuing interest in unexplained aerial phenomena and the mystery surrounding the presence of extraterrestrial objects inhabiting our universe.
Conclusion The above examples illustrate that police officers are often the first to encounter the supernatural or unexplained phenomenon of UFOs. Their reports can open the door to a broader discussion about the nature of these phenomena and the possible presence of extraterrestrial civilizations. The fact that police officers are often considered reliable witnesses lends additional weight to these sightings. However, the lack of definitive explanations and the sometimes bizarre nature of the incidents ensure that the UFO phenomenon remains an enduring mystery that continues to challenge law and science.
Clearly, the relationship between UFOs and the law is complex and fascinating. While some sightings can be attributed to natural or human causes, they often remain unexplained and raise questions that go beyond simple explanation. Police officers are in a unique position because they are often the first witnesses to these unusual events. Their reports are therefore often taken seriously and constitute an important source of research and discussion. Moreover, officers are generally viewed as reliable witnesses by society, which reinforces the credibility of their sightings.
Nevertheless, the lack of conclusive evidence and the often bizarre or incomprehensible nature of the incidents remain a major challenge for scientists and researchers. The UFO phenomenon therefore remains a fascinating mystery that raises questions about the nature of reality, technological developments, and possible extraterrestrial presence. The fact that these sightings often occur in the context of public safety reinforces the urgency to seriously investigate these phenomena. Ultimately, the relationship between UFOs and science remains complex, fascinating, and as yet unresolved, which perpetuates the ongoing curiosity and search for answers.
UFO's en de Wet: Vreemde en Bizarre Waarnemingen door Politieagenten
UFO's en de Wet: Vreemde en Bizarre Waarnemingen door Politieagenten
In de loop der jaren hebben talloze politieagenten over de hele wereld meldingen gedaan van onverklaarbare en bizarre waarnemingen die vaak gekoppeld worden aan UFO's (Unidentified Flying Objects). Deze incidenten roepen niet alleen vragen op over de aard van deze verschijnselen, maar ook over de mogelijke implicaties voor de wet en de nationale veiligheid. Het fenomeen van UFO-waarnemingen door politiepersoneel is bijzonder intrigerend omdat zij vaak de eerste zijn die deze vreemde gebeurtenissen meemaken en rapporteren. In dit essay worden vijf opmerkelijke voorbeelden besproken die illustreren hoe politieagenten geconfronteerd worden met het bovennatuurlijke en hoe deze ervaringen de wet en het openbare vertrouwen beïnvloeden.
Voorbeeld 1: De Phoenix Lights (1997)
De Phoenix Lights zijn wellicht een van de meest bekende en uitgebreide UFO-waarnemingen uit de geschiedenis van de Verenigde Staten. Op 13 maart 1997 zagen duizenden mensen, van gewone burgers tot politieagenten en piloten, een indrukwekkende formatie van lichten die stil boven de stad Phoenix, Arizona, zweefden. De waarneming duurde enkele minuten en was zichtbaar vanaf verschillende locaties in de regio. Het bijzondere aan deze gebeurtenis was dat de lichten in een V-vorm of lijn waren gerangschikt en op een wijze bewogen die niet overeenkwam met reguliere luchtvaartactiviteiten of natuurlijke verschijnselen.
Verschillende politieagenten meldden dat ze de lichten niet alleen zagen, maar ook dat de lichten van positie veranderden en zich op een onregelmatige wijze bewogen. Sommige getuigen beschrijven dat de lichten langzaam op een andere plek verschenen of juist verdwenen, wat de verwarring versterkte. Ondanks meerdere verklaringen die werden aangedragen door instanties zoals de luchtmacht en het Federal Aviation Administration (FAA), konden de waarnemingen niet volledig worden verklaard. Meteorologische verklaringen zoals weersverschijnselen of ballonnen werden door velen afgedaan als ongeschikte oorzaken, omdat deze niet de complexe bewegingen en de grote omvang van de lichten konden verklaren.
De gebeurtenis kreeg veel media-aandacht en leidde tot talrijke speculaties over het bestaan van buitenaardse voertuigen. Sommige onderzoekers geloven dat de lichten mogelijk het werk waren van geheime militaire experimenten of nieuwe technologieën die nog niet publiek bekend waren. Andere blijven vasthouden aan de mogelijkheid dat het om buitenaardse schepen ging. De autoriteiten erkenden dat ze de waarneming niet konden verklaren en dat het een van de meest indrukwekkende en goed gedocumenteerde UFO-sightings blijft. De gebeurtenis heeft sindsdien een belangrijke plek ingenomen in de UFO-geschiedenis en blijft mensen fascineren en uitdagen tot verder onderzoek.
Voorbeeld 2: De Belgische UFO-golf (1989-1990)
Gedurende de periode van 1989 tot 1990 maakte België een opmerkelijke periode door wat later bekend werd als de 'Belgische UFO-golf'. Tijdens deze maanden meldden talrijke politieagenten en andere getuigen diverse waarnemingen van ongewone lichtverschijnselen en vreemde vliegende objecten die zich op verschillende locaties in het land voordeden. De waarnemingen werden gekenmerkt door een grote verscheidenheid aan verschijnselen, van stilstaande lichten tot snel bewegende objecten die niet te identificeren waren met bekende vliegtuigen of natuurlijke fenomenen.
De eerste meldingen kwamen vooral van politiepatrouilles die ’s nachts op hun ronde waren. Ze rapporteerden vaak het zien van fel verlichte lichten die in de lucht bleven hangen, soms minutenlang, voordat ze plotseling van positie veranderden en in een andere richting vlogen. Een van de opvallendste getuigenissen betrof een politiepatrouille in de omgeving van Charleroi, die een helder, ongeïdentificeerd object zag dat zich leek te bewegen volgens onconventionele patronen. Het object vertoonde geen typische kenmerken van commerciële of militaire vliegtuigen: het was niet te voorzien van navigatielichten en produceerde geen geluid dat overeenkwam met dat van gewone vliegtuigen.
Een ander opvallend aspect van de waarnemingen was dat enkele lichamen en objecten plotseling van zichtbaarheid verdwenen, alsof ze in de lucht werden 'opgegeten' door een onzichtbaar medium. Sommige getuigen meldden dat de objecten zeer snel konden accelereren, zonder enige voorafgaande beweging te zien, en dat ze vaak in hoge snelheden uit beeld verdwenen. Deze verschijnselen deden velen afvragen of het hier ging om onbekende technologieën of mogelijk buitenaardse voertuigen.
De grote hoeveelheid meldingen leidde tot officiële onderzoeken door de Belgische luchtmacht en het Belgische UFO-onderzoek. Militaire en civiele autoriteiten startten enquêtes om de waarnemingen te analyseren en te proberen de oorzaak te achterhalen. Naast de officiële rapportages werden ook talrijke spontane meldingen gedaan door burgers via de media en UFO-onderzoekers. Het feit dat politieagenten, die normaal gesproken een strikte taak hadden om de orde te handhaven, zich openstelden voor het melden van deze waarnemingen, gaf de situatie extra gewicht en geloofwaardigheid.
In de loop van de jaren werden verschillende theorieën voorgesteld over de aard van de waargenomen objecten. Sommige onderzoekers verweten dat het mogelijk om militaire experimenten ging met nieuwe technologieën of geheime wapens, terwijl anderen dachten dat het om natuurlijke atmosferische verschijnselen ging die verkeerd geïnterpreteerd werden. Weer anderen hielden vast aan de mogelijkheid dat het hier daadwerkelijk om buitenaardse bezoekers ging. Hoe dan ook, de Belgische UFO-golf van 1989-1990 blijft tot op heden een van de meest intrigerende en best gedocumenteerde UFO-incidenten in Europa. Het heeft niet alleen geleid tot een verandering in de houding van de Belgische autoriteiten ten opzichte van UFO-waarnemingen, maar heeft ook bijgedragen aan de internationale discussie over het bestaan van buitenaards leven en de mogelijkheid van contact.
Voorbeeld 3: De Mexicaanse politie en de ‘Lichtbollen’ (2015)
In Mexico deden zich in 2015 meerdere opvallende incidenten voor waarbij politieagenten herhaaldelijk melding maakten van het zien van mysterieuze lichtbollen in de lucht. Deze waarnemingen werden gedaan door verschillende politiefunctionarissen uit verschillende regio’s van het land, wat suggereert dat het niet om een geïsoleerd voorval ging. De beschrijvingen van de agenten varieerden, maar er waren enkele gemeenschappelijke kenmerken die telkens terugkwamen. Zo gaven ze aan dat de lichtbollen zich snel en onvoorspelbaar door de lucht bewogen, vaak zonder enige waarschuwing van tevoren. Sommige agenten beschreven dat de objecten zeer snel van positie konden veranderen, waardoor het moeilijk was om ze te volgen met het blote oog. Daarnaast werd vaak vermeld dat de lichtbollen van kleur konden veranderen – van wit naar geel, rood of blauw – en dat ze soms zelfs flikkerden of pulserenden licht gaven. Een opvallend aspect was dat sommige van deze lichtbollen plotseling konden verdwijnen of verdwijnen achter gebouwen en bomen, zonder dat er enige gelijkenis was met reguliere vliegtuigen of andere bekende luchtvaartuigen.
De politieagenten die deze waarnemingen deden, waren meestal niet in staat om een verklaring te geven voor wat ze gezien hadden. Ze stelden dat de objecten geen vaste vorm hadden en dat ze niet overeenkwamen met de kenmerken van weerballonnen, drones of andere bekende objecten die in die regio voorkomen. Sommige agenten speculeerden dat het mogelijk om onbekende of geheime militaire technologie ging, terwijl anderen dachten aan buitenaardse verschijnselen. De meldingen werden serieus genomen door de autoriteiten, vooral omdat ze door betrouwbare getuigen werden gedaan en vaak met foto’s of korte video-opnames werden ondersteund.
De officiële instanties in Mexico begonnen de incidenten te onderzoeken en probeerden te achterhalen of er een verband was tussen de verschillende waarnemingen. Sommige van deze video-opnames werden openbaar gemaakt en verspreid via sociale media, wat leidde tot een toenemende belangstelling en speculaties onder het publiek. De ware aard van de lichtbollen bleef echter onduidelijk, en er werden geen definitieve verklaringen gegeven door de autoriteiten. Desalniettemin blijven deze waarnemingen een intrigerend mysterie dat nog steeds vragen oproept over wat er zich precies afspeelde in de lucht boven Mexico in dat jaar.
Voorbeeld 4: De Italiaanse politie en de ‘Lichtgevende Vliegtuigen’ (2000)
In het jaar 2000 deed zich in Italië een opvallend incident voor dat veel aandacht trok binnen de gemeenschap van UFO-verzoekers en onderzoekers. Verschillende politieagenten meldden het zien van mysterieuze, glanzende, vliegende objecten die niet op de gebruikelijke vliegtuigen of helikopters leken. Deze objecten vertoonden geen herkenbare vormen en leken te bewegen op een manier die niet overeenkwam met conventionele luchtvaarttechnologie. Het was vooral de mysterieuze aard van de waarnemingen die velen deed speculeren over de aard van deze ‘lichtgevende vliegtuigen’.
Tijdens een nachtpatrouille in de hoofdstad Rome werden enkele agenten geconfronteerd met een bijzonder fenomeen. Ze zagen een helder, gloeiend licht dat zich leek te bewegen zonder enige zichtbare motor of propulsie. Wat het nog vreemder maakte, was dat het licht geen vaste vorm had en voortdurend leek te veranderen – soms leek het te verdwijnen en op andere plaatsen weer te verschijnen. Het object leek zich op een ongebruikelijke manier door de lucht voort te bewegen, met snelheden en bewegingen die niet overeenkwamen met die van bekende vliegtuigen of drones.
De politieagenten waren niet de enigen die dit opmerkelijke fenomeen zagen. Verschillende getuigen in de omgeving meldden soortgelijke waarnemingen op hetzelfde moment, wat de zaak nog intrigerender maakte. De waarnemingen werden gedocumenteerd en vervolgens door de media opgepikt, wat leidde tot een breed publiek debat over wat deze ‘lichtgevende vliegtuigen’ konden zijn. Sommige experts suggereerden dat het mogelijk geheime militaire experimenten betrof, waarbij nieuwe technologieën werden getest die nog niet publiekelijk bekend waren. Anderen wezen op de mogelijkheid dat het om buitenaardse verschijnselen ging, gezien de onverklaarbare bewegingen en het gebrek aan geluid.
De Italiaanse autoriteiten stonden voor een dilemma. Aan de ene kant was er de behoefte om openheid te geven over dergelijke incidenten, zeker gezien de toenemende belangstelling en het wantrouwen onder het publiek. Aan de andere kant was er de angst dat het bekendmaken van dergelijke waarnemingen de nationale veiligheid kon schaden of onnodige paniek kon veroorzaken. Dit leidde tot speculaties dat de overheid mogelijk niet alles heeft vrijgegeven over wat ze weten over deze lichtgevende objecten. Het incident uit 2000 blijft tot op heden een mysterie dat vragen oproept over de ware aard van deze mysterieuze verschijnselen en de mogelijke aanwezigheid van onzichtbare of geheime technologieën.
Voorbeeld 5: De Amerikaanse politie en de ‘Tic-Tac’ UFO (2004)
Een opvallend en recent voorbeeld dat veel stof heeft doen opwaaien in de wereld van onverklaarbare verschijnselen, is de waarneming door Amerikaanse politieagenten van een object dat sterk deed denken aan het beroemde ‘Tic-Tac’ UFO dat later in de media bekend werd. Deze gebeurtenis vond plaats in het jaar 2004, een periode waarin de interesse in UFO’s en buitenaardse verschijnselen al enige tijd was aangewakkerd, maar nog niet zo breed gedeeld als in de jaren daarna.
In dat jaar rapporteerden verschillende agenten in de staat Florida, die betrokken waren bij routinecontroles op de snelweg, dat ze een ongewone, snel bewegende lichter of object hadden gezien aan de hemel. Wat deze waarneming bijzonder maakte, was niet alleen de snelheid en de beweging van het object, maar ook het feit dat het geen geluid produceerde. Dit was opvallend omdat de meeste bekende vliegtuigen en helikopters wel geluid maken tijdens het vliegen, zeker bij snelheden. Het object leek zich te bewegen zonder de gebruikelijke trillingen of geluiden die men zou verwachten bij een normaal vliegtuig. Daarnaast vertoonde het object ongewone manoeuvres: het leek plots te kunnen veranderen van richting en hoogte zonder de gebruikelijke aerodynamische beperkingen die normale vliegtuigen wel hebben.
De agenten die de waarneming deden, beschrijven het object als een soort witte of glanzende vorm, die snel van de ene plek naar de andere leek te verdwijnen en op te duiken. Verschillende getuigen meldden dat ze het zagen voor een korte periode, meestal enkele minuten, voordat het volledig uit het zicht verdween. Het beeld dat zich hierbij opdrong, was dat van een object dat niet overeenkwam met de bekende vliegtechnologie van dat moment. Het leek niet te voldoen aan de kenmerken van reguliere vliegtuigen, drones of andere bekende luchtvaartuigen.
Wat deze gebeurtenis nog meer bijzonder maakte, was dat er geen onmiddellijk bewijs werd gevonden dat het om een menselijke technologie ging. De waarneming was puur visueel en gebaseerd op de getuigenis van de politieagenten. Toch leidde het incident tot verschillende vragen en speculaties: was het mogelijk dat het om een buitenaards object ging? Of was er wellicht sprake van een geheime militaire technologie die nog niet publiek bekend was? De Amerikaanse overheid en het militaire apparaat stonden in die periode onder grote druk om transparanter te zijn over dergelijke incidenten, vooral na de publicatie van de beroemde ‘Tic-Tac’ video’s en getuigenissen van militaire piloten die soortgelijke verschijnselen hadden waargenomen.
De ‘Tic-Tac’ UFO, die later door het Amerikaanse leger werd gedocumenteerd, kreeg in de loop der jaren veel aandacht en werd een symbool geworden voor onverklaarbare luchtverschijnselen. Het incident uit 2004, waarbij politieagenten het object zagen, wordt vaak beschouwd als een van de eerste openbare waarnemingen die de periode van meer openheid over UFO’s markeerde. Het leidde tot een hernieuwde interesse in het bestuderen van dergelijke verschijnselen door wetenschappers en overheidsinstanties. Na jaren van stilte en ontkenningen begonnen officiële rapporten en documenten te worden vrijgegeven, waarin werd erkend dat er inderdaad objecten waren waargenomen die niet konden worden verklaard door de gangbare technologie.
Deze gebeurtenis heeft ook bijgedragen aan de bredere discussie over de aard van deze verschijnselen. Is het mogelijk dat er buitenaardse wezens zijn die ons op bepaalde momenten bezoeken? Of zijn er misschien nog onbekende technologische ontwikkelingen binnen geheime militaire projecten? Hoe dan ook, de waarneming door de Amerikaanse politie in 2004 blijft een krachtig voorbeeld van hoe onverklaarbare luchtverschijnselen zich kunnen voordoen in het zicht van de openbare orde en hoe ze de nieuwsgierigheid en het debat over buitenaardse intelligentie blijven voeden.
Kortom, deze gebeurtenis onderstreept het belang van openheid en wetenschappelijke benaderingen bij het onderzoeken van UFO-waarnemingen. Het laat zien dat er nog veel vragen onbeantwoord blijven en dat dergelijke incidenten onze veronderstellingen over de wereld om ons heen kunnen uitdagen.
Voorbeeld 6: België – De Vreemde Lichtverschijnselen in de Ardennen (2014)
Op een frisse ochtend in de vroege uren van 15 maart 2014 deden meerdere politieagenten die in de Belgische Ardennen hun patrouilles uitvoerden, een opvallende en ongewone waarneming. Tijdens hun ronde zagen zij in het donkere luchtruim een fel wit licht dat in rust bleef hangen op ongeveer 200 meter hoogte. Het licht leek niet te bewegen, maar af en toe veranderde het van vorm en kleur. Soms was het helder wit, dan weer blauw of rood, wat de agenten verbaasde en voor verwarring zorgde. Zij beschrijven het licht als een “ongewone, bijna buitenaardse verschijning” die niet leek te behoren tot het normale luchtvaartverkeer dat je in die regio zou verwachten. Het fenomeen hield ongeveer 15 minuten aan, waarna het plotseling verdween alsof het in het niets oploste.
Wat het nog mysterieuzer maakte, was dat er geen geluiden werden waargenomen in combinatie met de lichtverschijnselen. De agenten voelden zich hierdoor erg ongemakkelijk en gespannen, omdat ze niet konden verklaren wat ze hadden gezien. Later bleek dat er op dat moment geen vliegtuigen, helikopters of drones in de buurt waren gemeld, wat de waarneming nog onduidelijker maakte. De Belgische luchtvaartautoriteiten konden geen enkele verklaring geven voor het verschijnsel en noteerden het incident als een “vreemde en ongeïdentificeerde luchtverschijning”.
Dit voorval werd al snel bekend onder UFO-onderzoekers en wordt vaak geciteerd in rapporten over onverklaarbare verschijnselen in België. De Ardennen worden door veel onderzoekers beschouwd als een hotspot voor dergelijke mysterieuze waarnemingen, mede vanwege de vele onverklaarbare lichtverschijnselen die daar regelmatig worden gemeld. Tot op heden blijft dit incident een mysterie dat de nieuwsgierigheid en het onderzoek naar vreemde luchtverschijnselen blijft prikkelen, en het draagt bij aan de vele verhalen rondom UFO’s en andere onverklaarbare lichtfenomenen in deze regio.
Voorbeeld 7: Spanje – De Glijdende Lichts in Madrid (2008)
Op 22 juni 2008 deden verschillende politieagenten in Madrid een opvallende en vreemde waarneming. Tijdens de avonduren zagen zij een reeks glanzende, snel bewegende lichten die in een rechte lijn over de stad scheerden. Wat bijzonder was, was dat de lichten synchroon bewogen en geen geluid produceerden. De agenten beschrijven de lichten als “glanzende bolletjes die in formatie vloeien,” wat aangeeft dat ze een soort georganiseerde beweging maakten. Het fenomeen duurde ongeveer tien minuten, waarna de lichten plotseling verdwenen.
De politie stuurde meerdere auto’s naar de locatie om het fenomeen te onderzoeken, maar er kon geen vliegtuig, drone of ander conventioneel object worden gevonden dat het verschijnsel kon verklaren. Enkele agenten dachten aanvankelijk aan een drone, omdat die vaak snel en glanzend kunnen zijn, maar de snelheid, de hoogte waarop de lichten bewogen en de precieze formatie maakten dat deze verklaring niet plausibel was. De waarneming was te snel en te precies voor een drone, en bovendien was het niet gebruikelijk dat drones zo grote afstanden over de stad vlogen in een georganiseerde formatie zonder dat iemand dat opmerkte.
De Spaanse luchtvaartautoriteiten konden geen verklaring geven voor de waarneming. Ze benadrukten dat er geen commerciële vliegtuigen, militaire oefeningsvluchten of andere bekende luchtactiviteiten plaatsvonden op dat moment die het fenomeen konden verklaren. Het incident werd officieel geregistreerd in het politie-rapport als een “onverklaarbaar luchtverschijnsel,” wat aangeeft dat het niet kon worden toegeschreven aan bekende fenomenen of technische objecten.
Dit voorval wordt beschouwd als een van de meest opmerkelijke UFO-waarnemingen in Spanje en wordt vaak besproken door UFO-onderzoekers en enthousiastelingen. Wat het bijzonder maakt, zijn de gedetailleerde getuigenissen van de agenten, die de bewegingen en het gedrag van de lichten nauwkeurig beschreven. Het incident wijst op de mogelijkheid van onbekende luchtverschijnselen die niet gemakkelijk te verklaren zijn met de huidige kennis en technologie. Door de openheid van de politie en de officiële registratie is het voor onderzoekers interessant om verder te bestuderen en te analyseren. Het blijft een intrigerend voorbeeld van een onverklaarbaar luchtverschijnsel dat nog steeds vragen oproept over wat er precies in de lucht boven Madrid gebeurde die avond.
Voorbeeld 8: Mexico – De Vliegende Driehoek boven Mexico-Stad (2010)
Op 13 maart 2010 gebeurden er opvallende en mysterieuze gebeurtenissen in de lucht boven Mexico-Stad. Verschillende politieagenten die die nacht in dienst waren, getuigen van een vreemd en onverklaarbaar fenomeen dat hun aandacht trok en hen nog lang bij zou blijven. Tijdens hun ronde zagen ze een groot, onregelmatig gevormd lichtgevend object dat langzaam door de lucht bewoog. Het object had een duidelijke oranje gloed en leek te pulseren, alsof het in een ritmisch patroon flikkerde of op en neer bewoog. Wat de waarnemingen extra bijzonder maakte, was dat het object zich leek te richten op bepaalde punten in de stad, alsof het bewustzijn of intelligentie bezat. De politieagenten rapporteerden dat het object ongeveer twintig minuten zichtbaar bleef, voordat het plotseling en zonder enige waarschuwing verdween uit het zicht.
De agenten waren ervan overtuigd dat het niet om een gewoon vliegtuig of een drone ging. Het object vertoonde onregelmatige bewegingen die niet overeenkwamen met de typische vlieggedrag van bekende luchtvaartuigen. Bovendien was de grootte van het fenomeen aanzienlijk, waardoor het moeilijk te verklaren viel door eenvoudige natuurlijke of door menselijke geproduceerde middelen. De Mexicaanse luchtvaartautoriteiten konden op dat moment geen bevestiging geven dat er die avond enige vliegbewegingen plaatsvonden in dat gebied. Dit droeg bij aan de mystiek en het onbegrip rond de gebeurtenis.
Het hele incident werd vastgelegd in het politieverslag onder de noemer van een “buitengewoon en onverklaarbaar luchtverschijnsel.” Het werd niet zomaar een lokale gebeurtenis, maar een verhaal dat in de jaren daarna vaak werd aangehaald in de verzameling van Mexicaanse UFO-rapporten. Het incident heeft bovendien bijgedragen aan de lokale folklore en de mythevorming rond de zogenoemde “Vliegende Driehoek” in Mexico. Veel inwoners en UFO-enthousiasten geloven dat deze regio mogelijk een soort energetisch of buitenaards fenomeen zou kunnen herbergen. De gebeurtenis blijft tot op heden een van de meest besproken en onderzochte mysterieuze luchtverschijnselen in Mexico. Het is een voorbeeld van hoe onverklaarbare waarnemingen mensen blijven fascineren en vragen oproepen over de aard van het universum en de mogelijkheid van buitenaards contact.
Voorbeeld 9:Italië – De Knipperende Lichtbollen boven Rome (2012)
Op 7 oktober 2012 vonden in Rome opmerkelijke gebeurtenissen plaats die de aandacht van zowel de lokale bevolking als UFO-onderzoekers trokken. Tijdens een standaard patrouille, uitgevoerd door de politie, werden agenten geconfronteerd met een onaangekondigd en intrigerend fenomeen dat hen diepgaand verbaasde. Wat begonnen was als een gewone nacht, veranderde al snel in een mysterieuze luchtshow die de verwachtingen en kennis van de aanwezigen te boven ging.
De politieagenten, die hun routinetaken uitvoerden, zagen plotseling in de hemel een reeks knipperende, kleurrijke lichtbollen die in verschillende formaties bewogen. Deze lichten dansten over de hemel, wisselden snel van kleur en beweeglijkheid en vertoonden geen vaste vorm of patroon dat men normaal gesproken bij bekende objecten zou verwachten. Het fenomeen hield ongeveer 12 minuten aan, gedurende welke de agenten meerdere keren contact hadden om hun waarnemingen te bevestigen en te bespreken. De situatie was zodanig dat ze zich afvroegen of ze te maken hadden met een technisch of natuurlijk fenomeen dat ze simpelweg niet konden identificeren.
De politie besloot vervolgens een patrouille naar de locatie te sturen, in de hoop dat het object dichterbij te krijgen en meer duidelijkheid te scheppen. Toen de agenten echter naderbij kwamen, verdween het mysterieuze licht meteen uit het zicht. Het verschijnsel leek zich plotseling te verwijderen zodra ze dichterbij kwamen, wat de zaak nog mysterieuzer maakte. Er werden geen bekende vliegtuigen, drones of andere luchtvaartuigen gevonden die de lichten konden verklaren, noch werden er andere natuurlijke of menselijke oorzaken vastgesteld die het fenomeen konden verklaren.
De waarneming werd niet alleen door de politie bevestigd; ook verschillende omwonenden en getuigen in de buurt meldden hetzelfde fenomeen. Ze beschreven de lichten als knipperend, kleurrijk en bewegend op een ongebruikelijke wijze. De getuigen waren onder de indruk van de onvoorspelbare bewegingen en het gebrek aan een duidelijke verklaring. Dit leidde tot veel speculaties en discussies in de lokale gemeenschap en in UFO-kringen wereldwijd.
De Italiaanse luchtvaartautoriteiten waren eveneens op de hoogte van het incident, maar konden geen officiële verklaring geven. Ze deden geen melding van vliegtuigstoringen, technische problemen of andere bekende oorzaken die de waarneming konden verklaren. De overheid hield zich op de achtergrond en liet weten dat er geen bewijs was dat het fenomeen een gevaar vormde of een bedreiging was voor de nationale veiligheid.
Dit incident wordt vaak aangehaald als een van de meest opvallende UFO-waarnemingen in Italië. Het wordt beschouwd als bijzonder vanwege de gedetailleerde getuigenissen van de politie, die normaal gesproken als betrouwbare en professionele getuigen worden beschouwd. Het blijft een onderwerp van discussie onder UFO-onderzoekers en liefhebbers die zich afvragen wat er precies in de lucht boven Rome gebeurde die avond. Het fenomeen heeft bijgedragen aan de voortdurende interesse in onverklaarbare luchtverschijnselen en het mysterie rondom de aanwezigheid van buitenaardse objecten die ons universum bewonen.
Conclusie De bovenstaande voorbeelden illustreren dat politieagenten vaak de eerste zijn die geconfronteerd worden met het bovennatuurlijke of onverklaarbare fenomeen van UFO’s. Hun rapportages kunnen de deur openen naar een bredere discussie over de aard van deze verschijnselen en de mogelijke aanwezigheid van buitenaardse beschavingen. Het feit dat politiepersoneel vaak wordt beschouwd als betrouwbare getuigen, geeft extra gewicht aan deze waarnemingen. Echter, het ontbreken van definitieve verklaringen en de soms bizarre aard van de incidenten zorgen ervoor dat het UFO-fenomeen een blijvend mysterie blijft, dat de wet en de wetenschap blijft uitdagen.
Het is duidelijk dat de relatie tussen UFO’s en de wet complex en fascinerend is. Terwijl sommige waarnemingen kunnen worden toegeschreven aan natuurlijke of menselijke oorzaken, blijven ze vaak onverklaard en roepen ze vragen op die verder gaan dan de eenvoudige verklaring. Politieagenten bevinden zich in een unieke positie omdat zij vaak als eerste getuige optreden bij deze ongewone gebeurtenissen. Hun rapportages worden daarom vaak serieus genomen en vormen een belangrijke bron voor onderzoek en discussie. Bovendien worden agenten door de samenleving algemeen als betrouwbare getuigen gezien, wat de geloofwaardigheid van hun waarnemingen versterkt.
Desalniettemin blijft het ontbreken van sluitende bewijzen en de vaak bizarre of onbegrijpelijke aard van de incidenten een grote uitdaging voor wetenschappers en onderzoekers. Het UFO-fenomeen blijft daardoor een intrigerend mysterie dat vragen oproept over de aard van de werkelijkheid, technologische ontwikkelingen en mogelijke buitenaardse aanwezigheid. Het feit dat deze waarnemingen vaak plaatsvinden in de context van openbare veiligheid versterkt de urgentie om deze fenomenen serieus te onderzoeken. Uiteindelijk blijft de relatie tussen UFO’s en de wetenschap complex, fascinerend en voorlopig onopgelost, wat de voortdurende nieuwsgierigheid en zoektocht naar antwoorden in stand houdt.
Chris Rutkowski, with Ufology Research in Winnipeg, has been collecting and analyzing Canadian data on unidentified flying objects, or unidentified aerial phenomena as they are being called more recently, for nearly 35 years. (John Woods/The Canadian Press )
Canada's preeminent UFO researcher has seen an uptick in reported sightings of unidentified flying objects in recent days suggesting more Canadians are turning their eyes to the sky after U.S. fighter jets shot down three objects over the weekend.
Chris Rutkowski, with Ufology Research in Winnipeg, has been collecting and analyzing Canadian data on unidentified flying objects, or unidentified aerial phenomena as it's more recently been referred to as, for nearly 35 years.
Following the U.S. and Canadian governments "unprecedented" decision to take action against the objects, Rutkowski has received a number of sighting descriptions, including one on an Ontario highway near Cambridge where someone said they saw a "black rectangle" move across the highway.
"People are keeping a closer eye to the skies and, thankfully, are reporting them so that we can get some data on what people are seeing," Rutkowski said.
Reported sightings of UFOs reached an all-time high in Canada in the 2010s but have been on a steady decline since then.
Ufology Research's most recent study, released earlier this month, suggests there were 768 UFO sightings in the country last year — an increase of about six per cent from the previous year.
Rutkowski found one person in Quebec reported nearly 40 separate sightings, which accounted for the higher number. The number of reported sightings in Canada last year was the fourth-lowest over the past 20 years.
In this image from a 2015 video provided by the U.S. Department of Defense labelled Gimbal, an unexplained object is seen at centre as it soars high along the clouds, travelling against the wind. “There's a whole fleet of them,” one naval aviator tells another, though only one indistinct object is shown. “It's rotating." (U.S. Department of Defense/The Associated Press)
The study says these numbers likely don't show the full picture as individuals are reluctant to report sightings out of fear of being ridiculed or concern for their reputation.
But Rutkowski stresses times have changed in the field.
While the mere mention of the term UFO used to conjure images of alien invasions, tin hat-wearing conspiracy theorists and pop culture extraterrestrial icons Alf and E.T., research around the phenomenon has evolved in government and academic circles.
Canadians are in "good company" if they believe they've seen a UFO as polls conducted suggest that 10 per cent of people in the country believe they've seen an unidentified object in the sky, Rutkowski says.
"When a person reports seeing a UFO — whether you're a pilot or just an average person on the street — you may be seeing something that is quite significant and potentially of value to researchers," he said.
Chris Styles says it's not uncommon to see an increase in reports when events such as this are in the news, but cautions it doesn't mean there has been an increase in the number of flying objects, only that more people are paying attention.
"Sightings breed sightings," the renowned UFO researcher said from Halifax.
Objects shot down
Recent events might have Canadians changing their tune.
American fighter jets took down an unidentified object over the northern coast of Alaska on Friday, one over central Yukon on Saturday and another over Lake Huron on Sunday.
The flurry of close encounters followed what officials said was a Chinese surveillance balloon that floated across the continent two weeks ago and was shot down off the coast of South Carolina.
The suspected Chinese spy balloon drifts to the ocean after being shot down off the coast of South Carolina on Feb. 4. (Randall Hill/Reuters)
While it's not clear where the more recent objects came from or who might have dispatched them, the prevailing theory at the moment is that they were "benign," posing only a threat to passing civilian aircraft, the White House said this week.
Search efforts are underway in a remote stretch of central Yukon to locate the remnants of the object, which Chief of Defence Staff Gen. Wayne Eyre said is a "suspected balloon" in a tweet Wednesday.
Government officials on both sides of the border have stated there is no indication the objects were the work of aliens or "extraterrestrial activity."
Recent data from Google Trends points to peoples' innate curiosity about interplanetary visitors and the world beyond Earth.
Map shows the locations of unidentified objects shot down during the past two weeks. (Graphic design by Philip Street/CBC)
On Saturday, UFOs were the third most searched topic in Canada with more than 100,000 searches.
The following day it dropped down to 13th place, while the term aliens has been trending steadily in Canada's North since Sunday.
Rutkowski said every year there are well-documented cases from "good observers" that go unexplained, but it would be, "presumptuous to say those are from outer space and extraterrestrials."
"There probably is life out there somewhere, and somewhere out there they might have developed the ability to travel between the stars … we don't have any proof of that, but the probability is never zero."
In academic circles the notion of studying this phenomenon has been taken more seriously after details about the Pentagon's UFO program were discovered in 2017, says Paul Kingsbury, a professor in the department of geography at Simon Fraser University.
While the U.S. has made co-ordinated efforts to document this issue, there is a disconnect on the Canadian side, Kingsbury says.
He says it's important for the Biden administration and Canada to work transparently with the scientific community so that academics can access information and data that will help identify these objects.
"It would allow the public to more fully understand what these objects are, their nature, what is causing them and the consequences of the many reports of these anomalous objects in our skies," he said.
As Canadians continue to navigate global unrest associated with the COVID-19 pandemic, climate disasters and wars overseas, messaging shrouded in "mixed messages and mystery" can leave people feeling anxious.
"Being transparent wherever possible is also important for peoples' peace of mind," Kingsbury said.
Mt. Lemmon SkyCenter Observatory in Summerhaven, Ariz., in April 2025. A new report, commissioned by the office of Canada's chief science adviser, recommends a federal agency be tasked with responding to reports from the public of UFO sightings in Canadian airspace.
(Bryce Hoye/CBC)
Canada needs a transparent, public-facing agency in charge of managing reports of mystifying things seen darting, blinking or hovering through our skies, according to a new report commissioned by Canada's top scientist.
The Sky Canada Project report published this week calls for a federal framework for managing UFO sightings by the public and pilots as a replacement for the current patchwork of protocols across departments that "hinder[s] scientific investigation."
"There is some evidence that there's something really unusual going on in the skies.… We just don't have enough information," said Winnipeg-based science writer Chris Rutkowski, director of the long-running Canadian UFO Survey, who was consulted for the report.
The Sky Canada Project was created in 2022 by the office of Mona Nemer, Canada's chief science adviser, partly in response to growing public interest in the topic of UFOs — also known as UAP, or unidentified anomalous or aerial phenomena.
Staff set out to identify challenges related to data collection on UAP sightings and provide a summary of how other countries approach the issue.
The project was tasked with doing an environmental scan of historical reporting practices across the federal government and present-day UAP procedures of different federal agencies, and to consult non-governmental groups and experts in the country tracking and receiving UAP reports from the public.
Chris Rutkowski, Canada's foremost UFO expert, was consulted by the Sky Canada Project for its latest report. He has logged about 25,000 UAP reports from Canadians over the past 35 years as part of his Canadian UFO Survey. A small fraction of the 700-1,000 reported annually defy simple explanation. (John Woods/The Canadian Press )
The report found Canada's "fragmented" UAP reporting protocols across departments "complicates the application of scientific principles ... making it onerous, if not impossible, for researchers to access and compile data for rigorous, science-based analysis."
"Canada would benefit from an improved process for reporting, collecting, and studying UAP sightings," reads a section of the report.
Canada once had a centralized office for that run by the National Research Council beginning in 1967, with help from the RCMP.
The NRC effort ended in 1995. Roles and responsibilities were scattered among the Canadian Space Agency, Transport Canada, NavCanada — and Rutkowski, who amassed vast civilian, military, police and air traffic controller records of UAP reports dating back to the 1940s that Sky Canada has used in its analysis.
No definitive proof of ET
In recent years, NASA has conducted an independent UAP study; the U.S. Office of the Secretary of Defence erected the All-Domain Anomaly Resolution Office (AARO) to investigate UAP reports by military personnel; and Congress has held multiple public hearings centring on national security concerns posed by UAP and alleged government coverups.
Witnesses testify to members of Congress during a hearing about unidentified anomalous phenomenon, or UAPs, on Nov. 13, 2024, on Capitol Hill in Washington, D.C. From left: retired Navy rear admiral Tim Galludet, former Department of Defence official Luis Elizondo, independent journalist Michael Shellenberger and Michael Gold, former NASA associate administrator of space policy and a member of the UAP independent study team.(Bryce Hoye/CBC)
Most UAP sightings happen to be planes, atmospheric conditions, planets or stars or meteors, satellites, weather balloons, drones, experimental craft, optical illusions or other mundane phenomena.
To date, there's still no evidence definitively proving extraterrestrial life is here or exists, notes the Sky Canada report.
"Nonetheless, some UAP sightings — for which data exist — remain unexplained even after investigation," the report says.
That uncertainty adds to the cultural fascination around UAPs.
"There is some interesting stuff being reported," said Rutkowski. "It doesn't necessarily prove that aliens are visiting us. It proves that some unusual cases are baffling."
Dispelling disinformation
The report also identifies the need to increase transparency and build public trust through proactive disclosure of UAP case details in an effort to combat misinformation and disinformation, and "pre-bunk" conspiracy theories before they spread.
Astrophysicist Sara Seager, an MIT professor focused on exoplanet detection and the search for Earth-like planets, said she appreciates how the report identifies opportunities to dispel disinformation and get people interested in science. (Bryce Hoye/CBC)
"Everyone loves the idea of searching for UFOs or UAPs," said Sara Seager, a Canadian-American astrophysicist at MIT focused on the search for Earth-like planets.
"Taking that into a way to educate people about misinformation, about challenging your own assumptions ... I had never thought of the field in those terms before, and that was a really, really exciting new thing to me."
The report suggests the Canadian Space Agency might be a good fit to lead public UAP data management.
Seager thinks a post-secondary institution might be more appropriate.
"Universities are used to educating people, so perhaps there's a way they can, as the report said, parse this into some kind of outreach about planets and stars and natural phenomena," said Seager, who wasn't involved in the report.
Report cites Harvard UAP team
Sky Canada never set out to prove whether we're alone in the universe, the report says, nor was that project in particular to analyze data of sightings.
Avi Loeb, a professor at Harvard, leads the Cambridge, Mass., university's Galileo Project, which is looking for technological signs of extraterrestrial life. (Bryce Hoye/CBC)
Astrophysicist Avi Loeb is hunting for evidence of alien technology within Earth's atmosphere and our solar system through a data-driven approach.
Loeb wasn't involved in the report either. However, his work as head of Harvard's Galileo Project was cited by Sky Canada Project as an initiative that could prove "crucial in transitioning from anecdotal evidence to more scientifically rigorous analysis" of UAP.
That project will have three uniquely constructed observatories in different U.S. states upon completion that use sensors and machine learning to spot and measure speed, size, relative distance and other variables of UAP flitting around American airspace — including balloons or craft from rival governments engaging in espionage.
"The software we develop, the sensors we put together can be used by the Department of Defence if these are human-made objects, so I wouldn't feel like I wasted my time if we end up finding only human-made objects," said Loeb.
"This subject, of course, touches upon national security for Canada and the U.S., and I think co-operation would be very much appreciated."
Rutkowski appreciates Sky Canada's calls to encourage pilots to report sightings, and for more science on a topic still at times dogged by stigma and a "ridicule factor."
"Things are looking up and, you know, there's no question that the truth is out there," he said. "Unfortunately, we're stuck down here."
The stigmatization of UFO sightings has started to dissipate, Rutkowski said. (David McNew/Newsmakers/Getty Images)
Artifacts from the Iron Age have revealed an intense historical magnetic anomaly in the Middle East. Could using a similar approach elsewhere help us unravel the mysteries of Earth's magnetic field?
Gemini North Sees Brightening Interstellar Comet 3I/ATLAS in Detail
Gemini North Sees Brightening Interstellar Comet 3I/ATLAS in Detail
Comet 3I/ATLAS crosses a packed star field, as seen using Gemini North's GMOS-N spectrograph. Credit: NOIRLab/AURA/Gemini North/IfA University of Hawaii.
One of the world’s most powerful instruments reveals interstellar comet 3I/ATLAS as it heads towards perihelion.
We’re getting better views of interstellar Comet 3I/ATLAS, as it makes its speedy passage through the inner solar system. This week, astronomers at the Gemini North observatory located on Mauna Kea in Hawai’i turned the facility’s enormous 8.1-meter telescope on the object, with amazing results.
You can definitely see the dusty coma forming around the comet’s nucleus in the images as it approaches the inner solar system. The multi-colored hues of the images are thanks to Gemini’s Multi-Object Spectrograph (GMOS-N) which will probe 3I/ATLAS across infrared and visible wavelengths.
Comet 3I/ATLAS crossing the dense galactic plane. The colors are due to the separate filters used on the GMOS-N spectrograph instrument.
Credit: NOIRLab/AURA/Gemini North/IfA University of Hawaii.
“3I/ATLAS is currently passing in front of the very dense star fields near the galactic center in Sagittarius,” astronomer Karen Meech (University of Hawai’i Institute for Astronomy) told Universe Today. This makes it very challenging to find windows of time where we can get a good observation of the interstellar object that is not contaminated by passing over stars.”
The resulting combined image of 3I/ATLAS, revealing the teardrop shaped coma, characteristic of a comet.
Credit: NOIRLab/AURA/Gemini North/IfA University of Hawaii.
As is always the case in modern astronomy, observing time comes at a premium. “Gemini is a ‘queue scheduled’ telescope, meaning observers prepare the observing sequence and the staff at the telescope execute the observations based on priority, best match to observing conditions etc,” says Meech. “For a high priority observation, this ensures you get the data. Using telescopes in the classical mode where an astronomer is assigned a night might mean you lose the night because of bad weather or instrument problems. The Gemini staff were fantastic and really went above and beyond what is expected in order to ensure these observations were successful.”
Star trails over the Gemini North Observatory.
Credit: International Gemini Observatory.
3I/ATLAS also seems to be a very red object, reminiscent of KBOs such as 486958 Arrokoth, one of the only KBOs seen up close during New Horizons’ 2019 flyby.
This effort will help answer the main question currently on astronomer’s minds: how big is 3I/ATLAS? Current size estimates for the nucleus span a range from just under a kilometer to over 20 kilometers across—definitely larger than the other two known interstellar objects: 1I/’Oumuamua and 2I/Borisov.
“All small bodies rotate, so we interleaved images in the blue filter in between all the other filters so that we could get accurate colors of the object,” says Meech. “The brightness we see through the filter depends on how reflective the surface is at that wavelength, and the area of the surface reflecting sunlight. If it is rotating and you don’t have the same filter repeated in between each observation, then you can’t tell what is a change because of the color area. These images showed that 3I/ATLAS is ‘red’—meaning it reflects red light more strongly than blue light. This is what we usually see for comets in our solar system. The ‘red’ color is due to organic compounds on the surface for solar system comets.”
Currently just under 4 Astronomical Units (AU) from the Sun, 3I/ATLAS will pass perihelion 1.356 AU from the Sun on October 29th. Closest Earth passage is set for December 19th, at 1.8 AU distant. Mars actually gets the best seat in the solar system, on the 0.2 AU pass on October 3rd. We recently wrote about observing prospects for amateur astronomers leading up to and after perihelion here.
Where is interstellar comet 3I/ATLAS headed—and how close will it come to Earth? ☄️Using the latest data from @NASAJPL, we mapped the path of this rare visitor with Ansys STK as it speeds through our solar system.Watch the full trajectory in the model below. 🌌 pic.twitter.com/p64YChCZdL— Ansys (@ANSYS) July 11, 2025
Discovered by the Deep Random Survey in Chile as part of the worldwide ATLAS (Asteroid Terrestrial-impact Last Alert System) on the night of July 1st 2025, 3I/ATLAS has already displayed a ‘personality’ of its own. The comet skims our ecliptic like a stone skipping water, and seems to be the first ever denizen of the thick galactic disk seen up close.
This source means that 3I/ATLAS may be a very old object indeed, perhaps pre-dating our own solar system by billions of years.
“At the moment, with what we know about 3I/ATLAS it is not an unusual comet,” astronomer “Rosemary Dorsey (University of Helsinki) told Universe Today. “3I is larger than an average comet, but it is not usually large—one of the largest comets, C/2014 UN271, has been measured with a diameter of ~100 kilometers! It is also common for comets to have very low activity at the current distance of 3I, as the activity of most comets is due to water ice sublimating near 3-4 AU from the Sun. We are still waiting to see how 3I will react when it reaches this distance to better put it into context with our solar system comets.”
More observations of Comet 3I/ATLAS are in store using both ground- and space-assets, in what promises to be a frenzied next few months of activity.
“We will be getting more images to see how the comet is brightening, and see if there is any color change,” says Meech. “Another colleague at IfA (Hawaii’s Institute for Astronomy) will be triggering his program to get a good spectrum—to complement the spectrum we got at Gemini South, to confirm some features we saw, and to see if there are changes as the comet becomes more active.”
Next on deck is the Hubble Space Telescope, which has scheduled time to image 3I/ATLAS on July 21st. It’s highly likely that JWST and Vera Rubin will also get their turn as well.
Astronomer Bryce Bolin also captured the comet from Apache Point, New Mexico in an effort to pin down the colors and spectrum of the nucleus.
The +17th magnitude comet is currently tricky to pick out as it crosses the star rich fields of Ophiuchus, but that’s about to change. This weekend, 3I/ATLAS threads its way between the globular clusters NGC 6356 and Messier 9, making for a fine photographic opportunity.
Expect more great shots of Comet 3I/ATLAS to come!
Loch Ness Monster Found in Scotland at 57°15'25"N 4°29'29"W please confirm it’s real 🤠 UFO UAP sighting news.
Date of discovery: July 18, 2025
Location of discovery: Scotland
Coordinates: 57°15'25"N 4°29'29"W
Now this is cool. I was looking over Loch Ness and found the legendary monster not far from a boat in the loch. Nessy is about 20 meters long and looks to be moving toward the boat. I'm not surprised people don't see it, because it's so heavy that it probably can't lift itself out of the water anymore.
Ancient alien face in Greenland on Google Earth map, UFO UAP sighting news - The face of truth!
Ancient alien face in Greenland on Google Earth map, UFO UAP sighting news - The face of truth!
Above I cropped and matched the face with itself since only half below was visible...it looks to be very old...so old half is face was faded away. The original is below.
Date of discovery:July 2025
Location of discovery: Greenland
Yeah...you know me, if you find the face, you find the base and this face is so clear, obvious and well, cute that I just had to put it up. Not all species of aliens are like us, a few are, but most are not. This species looks unique in that it's like that of a fantasy movie from Harry Potter or something like that. This face looks old, cute, and full of character. Someone I would like to get to know. 100% proof that aliens were and still are in Greenland today. Those stories about little fairy folk...little green leprechauns ect...might be real.
Ancient Alien Green Metallic structures On Mars, how is this possible? UFO UAP sighting news 😱 WTH?
Ancient Alien Green Metallic structures On Mars, how is this possible? UFO UAP sighting news 😱 WTH?
Date of discovery: July 2025
Location of discovery:Mars
Source: NASA-US Geological Survey map
Now check this out, there is something green on Mars and it's huge. What I thought was a mountain, turns out to be a city with huge green buildings on both sides. Some people on youtube said it looks like trees, or glitches or the aliens are growing weed. Maybe...but what we do 100% know is...there is not suppose to by anything that green on Mars. I found a city!
Scott C. Waring - UFO Sightings Daily
Oh, follow me on Youtube, because I usually publish my videos there and put them on this site hours or days later. Depends how busy I get.
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- Gemiddelde waardering: 0/5 - (0 Stemmen) Categorie:Ruins, strange artifacts on other planets, moons, ed ( Fr, EN, NL )
Did the millennium falcon land there or what’s going on? Australia 🇦🇺 UFO UAP sighting news.
Did the millennium falcon land there or what’s going on? Australia 🇦🇺 UFO UAP sighting news.
Date of discovery: July 2025
Location of discovery: Australia
Now this is strange...I found the Millennium Falcon from Star Wars sitting in the desert in the middle of nowhere in Australia. Maybe it landed there and its a new USAF military craft, or maybe its a Star Wars fan that build a house there or maybe its for Disney...but what I do know is...it doesn't belong there and it seems to have flown to its current location.
Ancient alien base under the ocean and has been there thousands years, UFO UAP sighting news 👽😱 ET
Ancient alien base under the ocean and has been there thousands years, UFO UAP sighting news 👽😱 ET
Date of discovery: July 2025
Location of discovery: Ocean floor
Guys this is something I reported about 10 years ago and it's still there and never been erased by google. There is an entire city under the ocean floor with huge areas that look like it could be a single giant triangle craft that is hundreds of miles across! Watch the video and tell me on youtube what you think.
Scott C Waring - UFO Sightings Daily
Oh, and why so much google earth? No worries about ai, no worries about fakes, no worries about lies. It's all there for anyone to go and see.
A Journey Through the Ages: The Global History of UFO Sightings
A Journey Through the Ages: The Global History of UFO Sightings
Story by Emily Standley Allard
ABSTRACT
In recent years, the skies have been filled with reports of drones, mysterious lights, and unexplained aerial phenomena, prompting widespread curiosity and speculation. This surge in sightings has reignited discussions about the possibility of extraterrestrial visitors among us since ancient times. As an enthusiast of shows such asAncient Aliens,Skinwalker Ranch, and the iconicE.T., I share a fascination with the enduring enigma of unidentified flying objects (UFOs). The history of UFO sightings is a complex tapestry woven through centuries, encompassing a diverse array of phenomena that have both mystified and alarmed humanity across different eras and cultures. This comprehensive article aims to explore the evolution of UFO sightings from ancient accounts and medieval reports to contemporary encounters and government investigations. By doing so, it highlights significant incidents that have profoundly influenced the ongoing debate, scientific inquiry, and popular fascination with the phenomenon.
With all the talk of drones and unexplained theatrics in the skies as of late you have to wonder. Have aliens walked among us since the dawn of time? As a fan of the shows Ancient Aliens, Skinwalker Ranch and of course E.T., like many I've always been fascinated with the idea of extra-terrestrials. The history of UFO sightings spans centuries, encompassing a wide range of phenomena that have intrigued, puzzled, and sometimes alarmed people across the globe. This article will take you through the evolution of UFO sightings, from ancient accounts to modern-day encounters, highlighting significant incidents that have contributed to the ongoing debate and fascination with unidentified flying objects.
The story of UFO sightings begins in ancient times. Texts, artworks, and even cave paintings from different cultures hint at encounters with celestial phenomena or beings that could not be explained by the knowledge at the time.
The earliest recorded accounts of aerial phenomena date back thousands of years, embedded within the texts, artworks, and archaeological finds of ancient civilizations. These early descriptions often involve celestial objects or beings that defy current scientific understanding, hinting at encounters with the unknown.
For example, ancient Indian scriptures such as the Mahabharata and the Ramayana contain references to vimanas—mythical flying machines used by gods and celestial beings. These descriptions depict elaborate aerial vehicles capable of flight, often described as luminous, craft-like structures moving through the skies with remarkable agility.
Similarly, in Greco-Roman traditions, there are descriptions of "flying shields" and strange aerial phenomena. Roman historian Livy recounted instances of fiery, disk-shaped objects observed during battles, which have been interpreted as early UFO sightings.
Archaeological evidence also suggests that prehistoric peoples may have recorded their encounters with mysterious aerial phenomena. Cave paintings from the Paleolithic era depict strange shapes and objects in the sky, although interpretations remain speculative.
These ancient accounts suggest that humanity has long been aware of, and intrigued by, unusual aerial phenomena, though their true nature remains elusive due to limited scientific understanding at the time.
The Middle Ages to the Renaissance
During the medieval period and the Renaissance,accounts of mysterious, strange objects in the sky became more frequent, often intertwined with religious and superstitious interpretations. Chronicles from this era describe sightings of luminous globes, fiery orbs, crosses, and other strange shapes traversing the heavens.
One of the most famous medieval sightings is the 1561 event in Nuremberg, Germany. Local residents observed a bizarre aerial display involving multiple circular objects, which appeared to engage in what was described as an aerial battle. Witnesses reported seeing large black triangular craft and a subsequent crash outside the city, with debris and possibly bodies recovered. The event was documented in the Nuremberg Gazette, and illustrations from the period depict strange craft shapes, fueling speculation about possible extraterrestrial or supernatural origins.
Similar reports surfaced across Europe, with accounts of "flying shields" or "fireballs" seen during times of social upheaval or war, possibly interpreted as divine omens or divine interventions, reflecting the worldview of the time.
The 19th Century: Airship Sightings
The late 19th century was a pivotal period in the history of aerial phenomena, marking a transition from myth and legend to documented reports of strange craft in the sky. This era saw the rise of ballooning as a popular scientific and recreational activity, alongside the development of experimental flying machines. These technological advancements, coupled with widespread fascination with flight, laid the groundwork for the burgeoning UFO lore that would follow.
A notable phenomenon during this period was the series of "airship" sightings that swept across North America, Europe, and Scandinavia in the years 1896-1897. These reports described large, luminous, dirigible-like vessels seen floating silently or moving rapidly through the night sky. Witnesses often reported seeing complex structures on these craft—sometimes resembling elongated balloons with intricate frameworks or glowing lights—suggesting they were not simple natural phenomena such as meteors or atmospheric reflections.
Witnesses described seeing luminous craft with complex structures, sometimes accompanied by occupants or searchlights. These sightings occurred before the first successful powered flight by the Wright brothers in 1903, raising questions about whether these were misidentified natural phenomena, secret military aircraft, or something else entirely.
In Scandinavia, particularly in Sweden and Norway, numerous sightings were documented. Local newspapers and eyewitness testimonies describe mysterious bright objects that appeared at dusk or during the night, often seen hovering over rural areas or towns. Some reports mention the craft emitting searchlights or displaying flashing lights, which added to the sense of mystery and intrigue. These Scandinavian sightings, like those in North America, often involved multiple witnesses and were sometimes accompanied by reports of strange sounds or even glimpses of occupants observing from the craft—though such accounts remain anecdotal and difficult to verify.
The American Midwest and West also experienced a surge of sightings during this period. In cities like Chicago, Kansas, and California, residents reported seeing large, silent aerial vehicles with complex structures that defied explanation. Many of these sightings were accompanied by the appearance of searchlights or luminous trails, which intensified public curiosity and media interest. Newspapers at the time often included detailed illustrations based on witness descriptions, adding a visual element to the growing fascination with these mysterious objects.
In the United Kingdom, reports emerged from rural communities and urban centers alike, describing similar large, glowing craft in the night sky. These sightings often coincided with reports from other parts of Europe, suggesting a widespread phenomenon that transcended national borders. The intensity of media coverage and public speculation prompted many to consider whether these were natural phenomena, secret military experiments, or perhaps manifestations of something extraterrestrial.
The "airship" wave of 1896-1897 also involved sightings over Scandinavian countries such as Denmark and Finland, where reports described strange, luminous objects moving at high speeds with unusual flight patterns. Some witnesses claimed the craft were capable of sudden accelerations or sharp turns, features that modern observers associate with advanced aeronautical technology or unusual aerial behavior.
One notable aspect of these sightings was the involvement of the infamous Scandinavian "Ghost Rockets," which became a distinct part of the broader UFO lore. These ghost rockets were first observed in northern Scandinavia during the late 1940s, but their origins can be traced back to the earlier wave of mysterious aerial phenomena. Witnesses described them as small, rocket-like objects that moved swiftly with high-pitched whines, often seen darting across the sky before vanishing abruptly. The ghost rockets fueled speculation about secret military testing, extraterrestrial visitors, or atmospheric anomalies.
Beyond Scandinavia, the 1960s and 1970s saw the rise of the "Foo Fighters," a term coined by Allied pilots during World War II to describe strange aerial phenomena encountered during combat missions. These objects appeared as glowing orbs or luminous shapes that often followed aircraft, performing maneuvers that defied conventional explanation. The Foo Fighters became infamous for their mysterious appearances and were sometimes described as small, disc-shaped lights or floating globes. Their behavior—hovering, zigzagging, and darting—paralleled earlier 19th-century reports of strange, structured craft.
In the Netherlands, Belgium, and France, sightings of unidentified flying objects similar to the Foo Fighters were reported during the war and afterward, reinforcing the idea that these phenomena have persisted across decades and regions. While some researchers argue that these were psychological or optical illusions, others believe they represented secret military experiments or genuine encounters with non-human intelligences.
The phenomena generated significant media coverage, with newspapers across the U.S. publishing reports of these mysterious aerial vehicles, often accompanied by illustrations and witness testimonies. Some researchers suggest that these sightings may have been early examples of modern UFO phenomena, possibly reflecting clandestine military experiments or psychological factors.
The modern era of UFO sightings and related phenomena truly began in the mid-20th century, marked by two pivotal events that significantly influenced public perception and government interest in unidentified flying objects. These events not only captured the imagination of the general public but also sparked ongoing debates and investigations into the possibility of extraterrestrial life and advanced airborne technology.
1947, Kenneth Arnold Incident: The term "flying saucer" was coined after private pilot Kenneth Arnold reported seeing nine crescent-shaped objects flying at high speeds near Mount Rainier, Washington. The first of these landmark incidents occurred in 1947 and is often regarded as the starting point of the modern UFO era. Private pilot Kenneth Arnold reported seeing nine unusual, crescent-shaped objects flying at incredibly high speeds near Mount Rainier in Washington State. Arnold described their movement as "saucer-like," which led to the popularization of the term "flying saucer." His sighting was quickly picked up by the media, causing a wave of fascination and concern across the United States and beyond. Arnold’s description and the subsequent media coverage ignited widespread interest in UFOs, prompting many others to come forward with similar sightings. This event is widely considered the catalyst for the modern UFO phenomenon because it marked the first time that a credible witness reported unusual aerial phenomena in a way that captured public imagination.
This incident garnered national media attention and is often considered the start of the modern UFO era.
1947, Roswell Incident: Perhaps the most famous UFO incident in history occurred near Roswell, New Mexico.Soon after, another incident in 1947 further intensified the fascination with UFOs—the Roswell Incident. Near Roswell, New Mexico, a rancher discovered strange wreckage on his land, which was initially reported as a "flying disc." The U.S. military quickly issued a statement claiming that the debris was part of a crashed weather balloon from a secret project called Project Mogul. This explanation was meant to dismiss any extraterrestrial implications and restore public confidence. However, the incident was soon shrouded in mystery and conspiracy theories, with many believing that the wreckage was actually an alien spacecraft and that the government was covering up evidence of extraterrestrial contact. Over the decades, the Roswell Incident has become a symbol of UFO lore and government secrecy. It has fueled countless investigations, books, movies, and discussions about alien life and government cover-ups.
Together, these two events in 1947—the Arnold sighting and the Roswell incident—set the stage for decades of UFO interest, research, and speculation. They transformed UFO sightings from isolated reports into a cultural phenomenon that continues to captivate people's imaginations. Governments around the world, especially the United States, began to take the phenomenon more seriously, establishing agencies such as Project Blue Book to investigate reports of unidentified flying objects. Despite official explanations, many sightings remain unexplained to this day, maintaining the mystery and allure of UFOs.
In summary, the modern era of UFOs was effectively launched in 1947 through the Arnold and Roswell incidents. These events sparked widespread curiosity, government investigations, and ongoing debates about the existence of extraterrestrial life. They laid the foundation for the persistent fascination with UFO phenomena, which remains a significant part of popular culture and scientific inquiry. The legacy of these pioneering events continues to influence how we perceive unidentified flying objects and the possibility of life beyond Earth, fueling our curiosity and quest for answers.
The modern era of UFO sightings began in earnest in the 20th century, with two pivotal events that shaped public and governmental interest in the phenomenon.
This incident garnered national media attention and is often considered the start of the modern UFO era.
The increasing number of UFO sightings over the years has prompted numerous government-led investigations aimed at understanding these mysterious phenomena. Governments worldwide have taken various approaches to scrutinize reports of unidentified flying objects, often driven by national security concerns and public curiosity.
In the United States, one of the earliest and most well-known projects was Project Blue Book, which operated from 1952 to 1969. Conducted by the U.S. Air Force, the project aimed to systematically collect, analyze, and evaluate UFO reports from military personnel and civilians. During its twenty-year span, Project Blue Book investigated over 12,000 sightings. The majority of these cases were ultimately explained as natural phenomena, such as weather balloons, astronomical objects, or aircraft, with only a small percentage remaining unexplained. The project's official conclusion was that UFOs did not pose a threat to national security, nor did they demonstrate any evidence of extraterrestrial origin.
Following the closure of Project Blue Book, skepticism and conspiracy theories persisted. Many believed that the government was hiding evidence of extraterrestrial contact or advanced technology. This suspicion led to the initiation of other classified projects, such as Project Sign (1948) and Project Grudge (1949), which laid the groundwork for later investigations. In recent years, declassified documents and governmental disclosures have rekindled public interest and debate about UFOs, now often referred to as UAPs (Unidentified Aerial Phenomena).
In addition to the United States, other countries have conducted their own investigations. For example, the United Kingdom's Project Condign (1997-2000) examined UFO reports with an emphasis on military safety and security. Similarly, France's GEPAN/SEPRA (1977-2004) analyzed UFO sightings, often emphasizing scientific research to understand these phenomena better.
More recently, the U.S. government has taken a more transparent approach. In 2020, the Pentagon officially released several videos showing unidentified aerial objects captured by military pilots. This was followed by the establishment of the UAP Task Force in 2021, tasked with investigating and understanding these sightings further. These initiatives reflect a shift towards acknowledging the phenomena without immediate dismissals or conspiratorial assumptions.
Overall, government involvement in UFO investigations has evolved from secretive projects to more open and systematic efforts, driven by technological advancements and increased public interest. While many mysteries remain, these investigations continue to shape our understanding of unidentified aerial phenomena and our place in the universe.
Project Blue Book: America’s Cold War UFO Investigation
Project Blue Book was the codename for the U.S. Air Force’s official study of unidentified flying objects (UFOs), which ran from 1952 until its termination in 1969. It was the third and most extensive of a series of systematic investigations into UFO sightings, following the earlier Project Sign and Project Grudge. Launched at the height of Cold War anxiety and increasing public fascination with flying saucers, Project Blue Book was both a response to national security concerns and a public relations effort to quell fears of alien visitors.
Headquartered at Wright-Patterson Air Force Base in Ohio, the project collected over 12,000 UFO reports during its lifespan. Each case was analyzed to determine whether it could be explained by conventional means—such as aircraft, weather phenomena, or hoaxes—or if it remained "unidentified." According to the final report, around 94% of sightings were eventually explained, but about 701 remained officially unexplained. Notably, some of the most credible sightings involved military pilots, radar corroboration, and visual confirmation by multiple witnesses.
Despite public interest, Project Blue Book concluded with a 1969 report known as the Condon Report, which declared that UFOs posed no threat to national security and offered no evidence of extraterrestrial craft. The Air Force used this as the justification to shut down the project. Still, many critics—including scientists, researchers, and former military officials—argued that the project was more concerned with debunking sightings than with objectively investigating them.
To this day, Project Blue Book remains a symbol of the government's complex relationship with the UFO phenomenon, and it continues to fuel both conspiracy theories and genuine scientific inquiry into the unknown.
UFO sightings are not limited to the United States; they are global phenomena that have amazed and intrigued people for centuries. From mysterious appearances in history to the most recent observations, it remains a subject that raises questions about extraterrestrial life and unknown technologies.
Historical Observations and Major Incidents
Throughout the centuries, there have been countless reports of unidentified flying objects. One of the oldest known incidents took place in the 16th century above Nuremberg, where witnesses described strange light phenomena and objects crossing the sky. In 1966, the Westall UFO encounter in Australia garnered worldwide attention when more than 200 students and teachers saw an object land and take off again at incredible speeds. This event is still considered one of the most convincing school sightings in history.
Recent Sightings and the Tictac UFO
In recent years, notable new incidents have been reported that attracted the attention of both the public and government agencies. One of the most discussed recent sightings is the so-called Tictac UFO, recorded in 2004 during a military exercise off the US coast. This unusual, shape-shifting entity, which appears to change form and speed, was captured on radar screens and by Navy pilots. The phenomenon gained extra attention when the U.S. government officially acknowledged in 2020 that it had investigated over 1,400 unexplained aerial sightings, many of which were similar to the Tictac incidents.
Congressional Hearings
In 2022, the U.S. Congress held its first public hearings on UFOs in decades. During these sessions, various witnesses testified, including military pilots, aviation experts, and government officials. An notable aspect was the presentation of new evidence, including videos and radar images that could not be explained. These hearings marked a turning point in the official stance toward UFOs, with promises of increased transparency and further investigation.
Drones and New Technologies
Alongside the increase in UFO sightings, much discussion is also taking place about the role of drones and new technologies. Some sightings are now attributed to advanced civilian and military drones, but others remain unexplained. The rapid development of unmanned aerial vehicles and stealth technologies makes it increasingly difficult to distinguish between human-made and non-human objects. Experts warn that some sightings may be the result of secret tests or new military technologies not yet publicly known.
Latest Developments and Research
Recently, there has been growing interest within government agencies and research institutes to systematically study UFO incidents. In 2023, the Pentagon established a new specialized unit, the All-domain Anomaly Resolution Office (AARO), focused on analyzing unexplained aerial phenomena. Additionally, conferences and scientific symposia are being organized worldwide, where researchers attempt to categorize and understand these sightings.
What does this mean for the future?
With increasing transparency and the availability of more evidence, it seems we are at a turning point in how UFOs are studied and understood. The latest technologies, such as advanced radar, AI analyses, and international cooperation, contribute to the possibility of a breakthrough in understanding these mysterious phenomena. Whether we will ultimately encounter extraterrestrial visitors or find other explanations, one thing is certain: the world remains captivated by the unexplained.
In summary, UFO sightings continue to be an intriguing and evolving phenomenon, with recent developments such as the Tictac UFO, congressional hearings, the rise of drones, and the establishment of new research agencies. It is an exciting moment for everyone interested in the mysteries of the sky and the unknown.
Conclusion
The history of UFO sightings is diverse and spans across various cultures and eras, reflecting a long-standing curiosity about the unknown. While many reports can be attributed to natural phenomena, aircraft, or other explainable causes, there remains a small percentage of sightings that defy conventional explanations. These unexplained cases continue to captivate the public and scientists alike, fueling ongoing investigation and debate. The recent acknowledgment by the U.S. government regarding unidentified aerial phenomena (UAP), along with the release of declassified videos, has significantly renewed interest and credibility in the study of UFOs. This transparency suggests a shift towards more open scientific inquiry and indicates that the mystery surrounding these phenomena is unlikely to be resolved soon. Instead, it encourages continued exploration, fostering a sense of wonder and curiosity about what might be flying in our skies. Overall, the fascination with UFOs persists, driven by both scientific curiosity and the innate human desire to understand the universe. The future of UFO research holds the potential for exciting discoveries, reminding us that the universe still holds many secrets waiting to be uncovered.
The find brings researchers closer to answering the question about whether Mars was ever capable of supporting life.
Scientists are working to understand climate transitions and habitability on ancient Mars as Curiosity explores Gale CraterThe latest findings, published in the journal Science, reveal that data from three of Curiosity’s drill sites had siderite, an iron carbonate material, within sulphate-rich layers of Mount Sharp in Gale Crater.
Study lead author Dr. Ben Tutolo, of the University of Calgary in Canada, said: “The discovery of large carbon deposits in Gale Crater represents both a surprising and important breakthrough in our understanding of the geologic and atmospheric evolution of Mars."
He said: “The abundance of highly soluble salts in these rocks and similar deposits mapped over much of Mars has been used as evidence of the ‘great drying' of Mars during its dramatic shift from a warm and wet early Mars to its current, cold and dry state."
Sedimentary carbonate has long been predicted to have formed under the carbon dioxide-rich ancient Martian atmosphere, but Dr. Tutolo says identifications had previously been sparse.
NASA’s Curiosity Rover landed on Mars in August 2012, and has since travelled more than 20 miles (34 km) across the planet's surface.
Scientists say the discovery of carbonate suggests that the atmosphere contained enough carbon dioxide to support liquid water existing on the planet’s surface.
As the atmosphere thinned, the carbon dioxide transformed into rock form.
Illustration of NASA’s Perseverance Mars rover.
(NASA/JPL-Caltech via SWNS)
NASA says future missions and analysis of other sulphate-rich areas on Mars could confirm the findings and help to better understand the planet’s early history and how it transformed as its atmosphere was lost.
Dr. Tutolo says scientists are ultimately trying to determine whether Mars was ever capable of supporting life, and the latest paper brings them closer to an answer
He said: “It tells us that the planet was habitable and that the models for habitability are correct.
“The broader implications are the planet was habitable up until this time, but then, as the CO2 that had been warming the planet started to precipitate as siderite, it likely impacted Mars’ ability to stay warm.
“The question looking forward is how much of this CO2 from the atmosphere was actually sequestered?
"Was that potentially a reason we began to lose habitability?”
Dr. Tutolo says the latest research tie in with his ongoing work on Earth, trying to turn anthropogenic CO2 into carbonates as a climate change solution.
He said: “Learning about the mechanisms of making these minerals on Mars helps us to better understand how we can do it here.“Studying the collapse of Mars’ warm and wet early days also tells us that habitability is a very fragile thing.”
Dr. Tutolo says it’s clear that small changes in atmospheric CO2 can lead to "huge changes" in the ability of the planet to harbour life.
He added: “The most remarkable thing about Earth is that it’s habitable and it has been for at least four billion years.
8 Clues Alien Civilizations Existed on Mars For centuries, Mars has captivated human imagination as a potential host for alien life. With numerous missions probing its mysterious surface, intriguing evidence has emerged that suggests extraterrestrial civilizations might have once thrived on the Red Planet. Here, we explore eight fascinating clues that hint at the possibility of alien life on Mars.
Ancient River Valleys and Water Channels The Martian landscape is etched with features resembling ancient river valleys and water channels, suggesting the presence of liquid water in the distant past. These formations indicate that Mars may have once had conditions suitable for life.
The discovery of such water-carved landscapes raises the possibility that a civilization could have emerged during a time when the planet was more hospitable. While current conditions are harsh, these ancient waterways hint at a more life-friendly environment in the past.
Unusual Rock Formations and Structures Images captured by rovers reveal unusual rock formations and structures on Mars that defy simple geological explanations. Some speculate that these formations might be remnants of alien architecture. The symmetrical and geometric shapes observed in certain regions raise questions about their origins, prompting debates about whether natural processes or intelligent design shaped them.
Although conclusive evidence is lacking, these peculiar structures continue to intrigue scientists and enthusiasts alike.
Mysterious Martian Meteorites Martian meteorites found on Earth offer a glimpse into the Red Planet’s past. Some of these meteorites contain features that hint at biological activity, such as fossilized microstructures. These findings fuel speculation about the presence of life forms that might have existed on Mars.
While the meteorites’ exact origins remain debated, their intriguing compositions encourage further investigation into the potential for past life on Mars.
Fossilized Microbial Life Evidence The potential discovery of fossilized microbial life on Mars has sparked considerable excitement. Researchers have identified structures within Martian rocks that resemble terrestrial microbial fossils. These structures provide tantalizing evidence that microbial life could have once existed on Mars, surviving in the planet’s ancient watery environments.
If confirmed, this evidence would mark a monumental step in our understanding of life’s potential beyond Earth.
Surface Anomalies Captured by Rovers Rovers exploring Mars have captured images of surface anomalies that suggest possible signs of past alien activity. Unexplained patterns and formations challenge our understanding of Martian geology and open the door to speculation about their origins.
These anomalies, while not definitive proof of alien civilizations, invite further investigation to determine their true nature.
Strange Atmospheric Phenomena Mars’ atmosphere exhibits strange phenomena that can’t be easily explained by natural processes. Unusual cloud formations and mysterious lights observed in the Martian sky have led some to wonder if these occurrences are linked to alien activities.
While scientific explanations are often sought, the persistence of these phenomena fuels ongoing curiosity and research into their possible extraterrestrial origins.
Ancient Martian Magnetic Fields Evidence of ancient magnetic fields on Mars suggests that the planet once had a magnetic environment similar to Earth’s. This magnetic protection could have shielded the planet from harmful radiation, creating conditions conducive to life. The presence of these fields raises questions about whether they played a role in sustaining past civilizations on Mars.
As researchers continue to study these ancient magnetic fields, new insights into Mars’ history may emerge.
Unexplained Subsurface Radar Signals Recent radar data from Mars reveal unexplained subsurface signals that hint at hidden structures beneath the surface. These signals could potentially indicate underground water reservoirs or even remnants of ancient alien structures.
The enigmatic nature of these radar signals invites further exploration and analysis, as they may hold the key to unlocking secrets about Mars’ past and the possibility of alien civilizations.
A veteran US fighter pilot has broken his silence about a near-collision with a UFO that defied the laws of physics and left the Air Force in stunned disbelief.
Major Ryan Bodenheimer, a retired F-15 and F-16 combat pilot, revealed in a YouTube video that one of the 'wildest experiences' of his career involved a close encounter witha rectangle-shaped UFOas he flew with his squadron over southern Wyoming.
Bodenheimer, who served in the Air Force for 13 years, said the large craft suddenly appeared out of nowhere during a training mission and looked to be on a collision course with his plane.
'Then I realized we weren't going to hit, and all of a sudden it came more into view, and it was a rectangular shape. This was like essentially a perfect rectangle,' Bodenheimer revealed in his video on June 8.
The military veteran described the UFO as being 30 to 50 feet in height and appearing to be glowing around the edges of its bright white body as it flew alongside the Thunderbirds, the Air Force's elite aerobatic demonstration squadron.
Bodenheimer added that this craft had no visible vapor trail coming from an engine, no radar signal, and was traveling at approximately 400 knots (460 miles per hour).
'It really was defying any type of aeronautical laws that I've learned,' Bodenheimer said.
Bodenheimer then revealed that his report to air traffic control left officials in 'dead silence' before the entire matter was apparently dismissed as an 'anomalous object.'
Major Ryan Bodenheimer (pictured) spent 13 years flying F-15s and F-16s for the US Air Force and said that he had 2 encounters with unexplainable UFOs over the US
Bodenheimer described one of the UFOs as a perfect triangle that was glowing around its edges and was transparent at its center (AI-generated recreation)
The strange rectangle UFO got so close to Bodenheimer's F-16 Falcon at 30,000 feet in the air that he said he could make out every detail of the craft before it eventually flew off and was never seen again.
When air traffic controllers in Denver asked Bodenheimer if he could give them any more details about the UFO, he revealed that it had a cream-colored interior that became transparent or had a hole in its center.
'I know it sounds like I'm talking about a delicious pastry, but this was the wildest experience I've ever had,' the fighter pilot joked.
The only evidence of Bodenheimer's sighting was a report made by air traffic control saying that an object had been spotted in the area where the Thunderbirds were training that day, but he never heard from anyone about the incident again.
The former combat officer explained on his channel, Max Afterburner, that this UFO could not have been a weather balloon, a high-tech drone, or some kind of light trick.
'There was nothing that made me think this was some sort of illusion. It was clear as day. It was right down our wing line, a 30 to 50 foot object,' the pilot continued.
Bodenheimer then speculated whether this could have been an extraterrestrial craft, noting that he's never been a fan of 'science fiction' but admitted that his encounter matched many of the incidents involving military pilots that 'defied physics.'
'Going against aerodynamics definitely blows my mind. Anti-gravity, something that cloaks radar, I didn't see anything on the radar,' he added.
The object wasn't even tilted to deflect the wind while traveling at that speed. It stayed completely vertical as if the wind did not affect the UFO's ability to fly at over 400 mph.
Bodenheimer revealed what he had seen while flying with the Thunderbirds during his YouTube podcast on June 8
Bodenheimer said that he has never heard about the UFO sighting since he reported it to officials with air traffic control in Denver
This wasn't the only time the Air Force veteran had encountered a UFO. He added that 'lightning-fast triangle' while training with the Thunderbirds near Area 51 - the military's top secret base in Nevada.
'There's been lots of crazy stuff that's been reported out there,' Bodenheimer said.
On this day, the mysterious jet-like object flew past Bodenheimer's F-16 as his squadron was coming in for a landing.
'This lightning-fast triangle blitzed past me as we were setting ourselves up on a final [approach],' the pilot revealed.
'I just remember this thing going massively fast past me... It had basically done an interceptor maneuver, a dust-off. So maybe this was its way of having fun, saying maybe this should be Top Gun 3,' Bodenheimer detailed.
The pilot noted that he hopes coming forward will encourage more of his fellow pilots to reveal what they've seen during their time in the military, noting that there have been roughly 800 UFO reports in just the last four years.
A group of US Air Force veterans has gone public with their story about how an 'invisible enemy' at the top-secret base Area 51 left them with cancer.
The former security guards at the Nevada Test and Training Range (NTTR), a classified site that houses Area 51, have claimed that the US government betrayed them and essentially handed them a death sentence without their knowledge.
Their claims stemmed from the revelation that NTTR was built in the 1970s on an area of land that was found to be contaminated with radiation from years of nuclear testing in the area.
However, that 1975 report from the US Energy Research and Development Administration also said it would 'be against the national interest' to stop the military's secret projects at the site.
David Crete, a former Air Force Sergeant who worked at NTTR from 1983 through 1987, said that over 490 of his fellow workers have died of severe illnesses since being stationed at the secret facility.
Making matters worse, the US Department of Veterans Affairs has refused to cover their medical care because none of the surviving veterans can prove they were exposed to radiation near Area 51.
That's because their work was so top secret, all records of their activities have been marked as 'data masked.'
'I have brain atrophy. The left side of my brain is shrinking and dying. That's not too bad. I'm one of the healthy ones,' Crete told the House Veterans Affairs Committee in April while lobbying for legislation to support the Area 51 veterans.
Dave Crete and hundreds of other airmen were employed by the Air Force's security police squadron to guard experimental aircraft
Crete spoke to the House Veterans Affairs Committee in April, revealing that he and his fellow veterans at Area 51 developed tumors
Area 51, an area of more than 2.9 million acres, is located next to the Nevada Test Site, where US nuclear weapons were tested from the 1950s to the 1990s
Crete added that the average age of death for someone who served in that unit is 65 and the youngest airman to die was just 33.
The Air Force veteran was unaware of anyone who worked at NTTR who had lived beyond the age of 80, but the radiation exposure caused even more harm than that.
Along with revealing that most of his fellow airmen had developed multiple tumors since retiring, Crete told lawmakers that the radiation had been passed to their families as well.
'My wife had three miscarriages. One of the guys that I worked with, his wife had seven,' the veteran explained.
'All four of my children were born with birth defects or significant health problems. It's not their fault. I'm not saying it's mine, but I brought it home. It was my DNA that was permanently altered from low-dose, long-term, ionizing radiation exposure,' Crete continued.
In 2000, then-President Bill Clinton signed a bill that provided compensation and medical benefits to workers who developed illnesses due to exposure to radiation and other toxins while employed at certain government facilities, including nuclear sites.
Crete and other veterans from Area 51 who were invited to Washington on April 8 asked that the same healthcare rules that apply to these workers, who were not part of classified projects, apply to them as well.
Veteran Mike Nemcic told NewsNation: 'It's just a matter of betrayal. These folks knew, and they purposefully kept it quiet because it was more beneficial to them not to tell us.'
Dave Crete (left) and Pomp Braswell (right) previously sued the federal government over their health issues
US Air Force F-117 stealth bombers (pictured) were at the cutting edge of aircraft design in the 1980s
The Air Force base, Area 51, 85 miles north of Las Vegas, was established in 1955 but was not officially acknowledged until 2013
DailyMail.com has reached out to the Air Force for comment regarding this matter is still awaiting a response.
Crete and the other Area 51 veterans were employed by the Air Force's security police squadron to guard the F-117A Nighthawk, America's first stealth bomber, which was being developed and tested at the top-secret facility.
Most of what the airmen did at NTTR since the 1970s is still classified, and they've never been able to share what they were doing, not even to their families.
Veteran Pomp Braswell said: 'It felt very special, especially at a young age. My mom knew absolutely zero about what I was doing. She knew there was a phone number if she needed to get hold of me, that's it.'
According to Crete, the only recognition of their sacrifice at Area 51 came during a conversation with late US Senator John McCain, who served on the Senate Armed Services Committee and allegedly knew what was happening at NTTR.
'He came up to me and he said, 'Your unit ended the Cold War.' If you ever wanted validation that what you did was important, that's just about it,' Crete recounted.
Two bills have been introduced in Congress, the Protect Act and the Forgotten Veterans Act, to provide healthcare relief for the veterans affected by their classified work at NTTR.
EXCLUSIVE - Secret trove of 'UFO evidence' hidden in Vatican archives revealed
EXCLUSIVE - Secret trove of 'UFO evidence' hidden in Vatican archives revealed
By ROB WAUGH FOR DAILYMAIL.COM
Following the death of Pope Francis, UFO activists are intensifying calls for the Vatican to open its secret archives.
Many believe the archives contain long-hidden evidence of extraterrestrial visitations that have been framed as divine visions in centuries past.
Some, like US Pentagon whistleblower David Grusch, go even further, alleging the Vatican has known about alien life for decades and actively covered it up.
One scholar who knows the Vatican archives better than most is Diana Walsh Pasulka, a professor of religious studies at the University of North Carolina Wilmington.
In her new book, American Cosmic, Pasulka dives deep into the Church's historical records, uncovering visions and events that sound like they came straight out of an X-Files episode.
While researching Catholic teachings on purgatory, Pasulka explored documents dating from 1300 to 1800, stumbling upon accounts that defied all expectations.
She found 'reports of orbs of light, flames that penetrated walls, luminous beings, forms of conscious light, spinning suns and disc-like aerial objects,' she writes.
'The historical record is filled with these kinds of events. The people at the Vatican, they don't even know where to look - it's in their basements.'
In the wake of Pope Francis 's April passing, calls from UFO activists have intensified, urging the Vatican to open its mysterious archives
One scholar who knows the Vatican archives better than most is Diana Walsh Pasulka, a professor of religious studies at the University of North Carolina Wilmington
Pope Paul V formally established the Vatican Secret Archives - now called the Vatican Apostolic Archives - in 1612.
The vast collection of documents is estimated to contain over 50 miles of shelving, featuring papal correspondence, historical records of trials and what some believe to be proof of alien life.
According to Pasulka, the Vatican's archivists are in a 'mad rush to digitize' centuries of forgotten documents, but they're not exactly prioritizing 'orbs that were bothering nuns in the 1800s.'
She uncovers a number of so-called 'miracle' stories preserved in Church history - stories that carry a strange resemblance to modern UFO encounters.
One case involves Sister Maria of Ágreda, a 17th Century Spanish nun who reportedly levitated while bathed in a blinding white light.
Sister Maria also claimed to have been transported across the Atlantic 'on the wings of angels,' where she encountered Native American tribes, despite never physically leaving her cloistered convent in Spain.
Eventually, Pasulka began to see Sister Maria not just as having supernatural abilities, but as what she calls a 'meta experiencer' - someone whose spiritual visions may share a deeper, perhaps even cosmic, connection with today's unexplained phenomena.
'She was a mystic who wrote books about the Virgin Mary that were very popular in her era - and they're still widely read today,' Pasulka writes.
Sister Maria of Ágreda's earliest writings, which were later destroyed by fellow nuns at her convent, were cosmographies - vivid accounts of her astral journeys through space and across the Earth.
Some have speculated that the Vatican's secret archive stores records of UFO and extraterrestrial encounters. The Archives are pictured above in 2012
David Grusch claims one of these alien spacecraft crashed in Northern Italy in 1933. He said Fascist dictator Benito Mussolini kept it secret, before it was captured by American forces at the end of World War II and shipped to the US (pictured is an artist's impression of the finding)
An alleged handwritten memo dated Aug. 22, 1936, which includes a sketch and description of a cylindrical aircraft with portholes on the sides and white and red lights spotted flying over Northern Italy
In them, she recorded detailed topographies of distant lands, foreign cultures and even realms beyond our world.
Missionaries in colonial New Mexico were astonished when Indigenous people described being visited by a mysterious 'lady in blue' - matching Sister Maria's description and attire, despite her never physically leaving Spain.
'As a young nun, she claimed to bilocate to colonial New Mexico,' writes Pasulka.
'She said she met Indigenous Americans, taught them about the Catholic faith and prepared them to be baptized by Franciscan missionaries.'
The Catholic Church recognizes bilocation as a rare charism, or sacred ability - essentially the power to appear in two places at once.
UFO researchers have previously suggested that a 1917 'religious' encounter where a large crowd saw a vision of the Virgin Mary after it was predicted by three children could actually be something extraterrestrial
Pasulka notes that in previous centuries, experiences involving flight, mysterious lights or cosmic travel were interpreted not as alien phenomena, but as deeply spiritual or religious events.
She argues that many such experiences, like those of Sister Maria, may have parallels with what modern society would frame as extraterrestrial encounters.
As a researcher, Pasulka spent years exploring various church archives - including at the Vatican - seeking these overlooked or misunderstood accounts.
The Vatican's connection to mysterious aerial phenomena stretches beyond ancient visions and mystical nuns into modern history, even intersecting with global politics.
Grusch made headlines in 2023 when he claimed Pope Pius XII secretly assisted the US in recovering a crashed UFO during World War II.
According to Grusch, who has not provided physical evidence, the first recovery occurred in Magenta, Italy, in 1933 under Mussolini's regime.
'They recovered a partially intact vehicle, and the Italian government moved it to a secure airbase in Italy until around 1944 [or] 1945,' he told NewsNation.
'The Pope back-channeled that and told the Americans what the Italians had, and we ended up scooping it.'
While this particular account remains unverified, it adds to the growing body of speculation that the Vatican has long been aware of this phenomena.
Another mysterious event often cited by UFO researchers occurred decades earlier.
American Cosmic tells the story of the relationship between religion and UFO experiences
In 1917, three shepherd children in the town of Fatima, Portugal, claimed to witness repeated apparitions of the Virgin Mary in what later became known as the 'Miracle of the Sun.'
The children - Lucia Santos and her cousins Jacinta and Francisco Marto - said an angel first appeared in the spring, urging them to fast and repent.
Over the following months, they reported seeing a radiant woman, who delivered a series of messages.
Then tens of thousands of witnesses, including journalists and skeptics, reported seeing the sun appear to spin, pulse with light and even plunge toward the Earth.
The event was captured in photos and widely covered by Portuguese media at the time.
To Pasulka and others, the parallels between Fatima and modern UFO encounters are striking: shining beings descending in spheres of light, spinning aerial displays and the transmission of messages or protocols.
'While some researchers argue that the Miracle of the Sun may have been an alien encounter misinterpreted through a religious lens, Pasulka takes a more nuanced approach.
'Religion cannot be analyzed in the same way as science,' she writes. 'One cannot put an angel under a microscope.
'It is this aspect - the mysterious sacred - that distinguishes religion from other organized practices like sports or fandoms.
'In religions, one finds the inexplicable, sacred event or a mysterious artifact.'
There's no doubt Easter Island is geographically one of the most isolated places on Earth.
More than 2,000 miles off the coast of Chile, it was first settled by humans around AD 1200, who built its famous enlarged head statues.
Historically, the original inhabitants, known as the Rapa Nui, were assumed to have long been completely shut off from the wider world.
However, a new study by researchers in Sweden challenges this long-held narrative.
They say the 63.2 sq mile island in the southern Pacific was not quite as isolated over the past 800 years as previously thought.
In fact, the island was populated with multiple waves of new inhabitants who bravely traversed the Pacific Ocean from west to east.
'Easter Island was settled from central East Polynesia around AD 1200-1250,' study author Professor Paul Wallin at Uppsala University told MailOnline.
'The Polynesians were skilled sailors so double canoes were used.'
Located in the southeastern Pacific Ocean, Easter Island was first settled by humans around AD 1200, who built its famous enlarged head statues, called moai
There's no doubt Easter Island (pictured) in the southern Pacific is geographically one of the most isolated places on Earth
Due to its remote location, Easter Island is traditionally assumed to have remained socially and culturally isolated from the wider Pacific world.
This idea is reinforced by the fact that Easter Island's famous Moai statues, estimated to have been built between AD 1250 and 1500, are unique to the location.
The huge human figures carved from volcanic rock were placed on rectangular stone platforms called 'ahu' – essentially tombs for the people that the statues represented.
For their study, the team at Uppsala University compared archaeological data and radiocarbon dates from settlements, ritual spaces and monuments across Polynesia, the collection of more than 1,000 islands in the Pacific Ocean.
Their results, published in the journal Antiquity, show that similar ritual practices and monumental structures have been observed across Polynesia.
The experts point out that ahu stone platforms were historically constructed at Polynesian islands further to the west.
These rectangular clearings were communal ritual spaces that, in some places, remain sacred to this day.
'The temple grounds ahu [also known as marae] exist on all East Polynesian islands,' Professor Wallin added.
Map of the Pacific with the East Polynesian cultural sphere indicated. Note Easter Island (Rapa Nui) in a more isolated location further east
Pictured, ahu (a central stone platform) on Mo’orea, Windward, French Polynesia, southern Pacific Ocean
Archaeologists have analysed ritual spaces and monumental structures across Polynesia, questioning the idea that Easter Island (pictured) developed in isolation following its initial settlement
EASTER ISLAND TIMELINE
13th century: Easter Island (Rapa Nui) is settled by Polynesian seafarers.
Construction on some parts of the island's monuments begins.
Early 14th to mid-15th centuries: Rapid increase in construction
1600: The date that was long-thought to mark the decline of Easter Island culture.
Construction was ongoing.
1770: Spanish seafarers landed on the island. The island is in good working order.
1722: Dutch seafarers land on the island for the first time.
Monuments were in use for rituals and showed no evidence of societal decay.
1774: British explorer James Cook arrives on Rapa Nui
His crew described an island in crisis, with overturned monuments.
The team agree that an early population of people spread from the west of the Pacific to the east before encountering Easter Island and populating it around AD 1200.
But they argue that Easter Island was populated several times by new seafarers – not just once by one group who remains isolated for centuries as previously assumed.
'The migration process from West Polynesian core areas such as Tonga and Samoa to East Polynesia is not disputed here,' they say in their paper.
'Still, the static west-to-east colonization and dispersal suggested for East Polynesia and the idea that Rapa Nui was only colonized once in the past and developed in isolation is challenged.'
Based on their evidence, they also think ahu originated on Easter Island before the trend spread east to west across other western Polynesian islands during the period of AD 1300-1600.
It was only after this that Polynesian islands – including but not limited to Easter Island – might have become isolated from each other.
As hierarchical social structures developed independently – at Easter Island, Tahiti and Hawai'i for example – large, monumental structures were built to display power.
Overall, the study indicates there were robust 'interaction networks' between Polynesian islands, which allowed the transfer of new ideas from east to west and back again.
The Moai are monolithic human figures carved by the Rapa Nui people on Easter Island, between AD 1,250 and 1,500
Ultimately, arrival of European explorers at Easter Island in the 18th century led to a rapid decline of the population, brought on by murder, bloody conflict and the brutal slave trade – although the population there may have already been weakening.
Today, Easter Island is a UNESCO World Heritage Site with only a few thousand inhabitants.
But it attracts large numbers of tourists, largely thanks to its monumental and world-famous stone statues that stare sternly out over the island.
Tourism, which has grown exponentially on the island over the last 20 years, has come at a price, according to co-author Professor Helene Martinsson-Wallin.
'When I was there in the 1980s, the sandy beach was white and there were almost no people around,' she said.
'When I came back in the early 00s, I thought the sand looked blue, and when I looked closer I saw that it was due to tiny, tiny pieces of plastic washed up by the sea from every corner of the Earth.'
The Moai are monolithic human figures carved by the Rapa Nui people on Easter Island, between 1,250 and 1,500 AD.
All the figures have overly-large heads and are thought to be living faces of deified ancestors.
The 887 statues gaze inland across the island with an average height of 13ft (four metres).
Nobody really knows how the colossal stone statues that guard Easter Island were moved into position.
Nor why during the decades following the island’s discovery by Dutch explorers in 1722, each statue was systematically toppled, or how the population of Rapa Nui islanders was decimated.
Shrouded in mystery, this tiny triangular landmass, stranded in the middle of the South Pacific and 1,289 miles from its nearest neighbour, has been the subject of endless books, articles and scientific theories.
All but 53 of the Moai were carved from tuff , compressed volcanic ash, and around 100 wear red pukao of scoria.
What do they mean?
In 1979 archaeologists said the statues were designed to hold coral eyes.
The figures are believed to be symbol of authority and power.
They may have embodied former chiefs and were repositories of spirits or 'mana'.
They are positioned so that ancient ancestors watch over the villages, while seven look out to sea to help travellers find land.
But it is a mystery as to how the vast carved stones were transported into position.
In their remote location off the coast of Chile, the ancient inhabitants of Easter Island were believed to have been wiped out by bloody warfare, as they fought over the island's dwindling resources.
All they left behind were the iconic giant stone heads and an island littered with sharp triangles of volcanic glass, which some archaeologists have long believed were used as weapons.
Now, scientists in Australia have identified a possible cause of gigantic volcanic eruptions – mysterious 'blobs' about 1,200 miles under our feet.
Blobs are three-dimensional regions that span the length of continents and stretch 100 times higher than Mount Everest.
They sit at the bottom of Earth’s rocky mantle above the molten outer core – a place so deep that Earth’s elements are squeezed beyond recognition.
And they're a starting point for plumes of hot molten rock which flow upwards towards the Earth's surface.
There they erupt as lava, gases and rock fragments – with the capability of wiping out life as we know it.
The authors warn that giant, large-scale eruptions can have serious impacts, such as sudden climate change and mass extinction events.
Giant, large-scale volcanic eruptions can have serious impacts, from mass extinction events to sudden climate change. Pictured, glowing lava from a volcano eruption in Iceland
Earth is made up of three layers - the crust, the mantle and the core, which was later separated into 'inner' and 'outer'. A recent study suggested the existence of an 'innermost core' too
Volcanic eruptions can intensify global warming by adding greenhouse gases such as carbon dioxide (CO2) to the atmosphere.
Giant volcanoes also triggered events that led to the largest mass dying on Earth, the Permian-Triassic extinction 252 million years ago.
'These blobs have possibly existed for hundreds of millions of years,' say the researchers from the University of Wollongong near Sydney.
According to the team, blobs are at the bottom of Earth’s mantle, about 1,200 miles and 1,800 miles (2,000km and 3,000km) below our feet.
The mantle, the planet's thickest layer, is predominantly a solid rock – but blobs may be different compared with the surrounding mantle rocks.
Blobs are made of rock just like the rest of the mantle, but they're thought to be hotter and heavier.
For their study, the team used computer modeling to simulate 'mantle convection' – the movement of material in Earth's mantle powered by heat – over one billion years.
Connection between the deep mantle and Earth’s surface showing the relationship between Blobs, mantle plumes and giant volcanic eruptions (not drawn to scale)
Blobs, which are some 1,200 miles below Earth’s surface, move over time and are connected to Earth’s surface by 'mantle plumes' that create giant eruptions
How do scientists know about Earth's interior?
No one can see inside the Earth, nor can drill deep enough to take rock samples from the mantle, the layer between Earth's core and crust.
So geophysicists use indirect methods to see what's going on deep beneath our feet.
For example, they use seismograms, or earthquake recordings, to determine the speed at which earthquake waves propagate.
They then use this information to calculate the internal structure of the Earth - similar to how doctors use ultrasound to see inside the body.
Their findings suggest that mantle plumes – columns of hot molten rock in the mantle – rise up from the continent-sized blobs.
Mantle plumes are shaped a bit like a lollipop sticking upwards – with the 'stick' the plume tail and the 'candy' nearer Earth's surface the plume head.
The researchers found that locations of volcanic eruption fall either onto (or close to) the location of blobs, as predicted by their models.
This suggests that blobs – an acronym standing for Big LOwer-mantle Basal Structures – are essentially the deep-Earth origin of volcanic eruptions.
Typically, deep Earth motions are in the order of 0.4-inch (1 cm) per year, so they only become significant over tens of millions of years.
Blobs probably shift in a year at roughly the rate at which human hair grows each month, the team say.
Although they have possibly existed for hundreds of millions of years, it's unclear what causes their movement.
Mantle plumes rise very slowly from blobs through the mantle because they transport hot solid rock, not melt or lava.
Cotopaxi, one of the highest active volcano in the world, stands at 19,347 feet (5,897 metres). Historically, its activity started in 1534 when the Spanish conquistadors began to venture into the territories that are now Ecuador
At lower pressures in the uppermost 125 miles (200 km) of Earth’s mantle, the solid rock melts, leading to volcanic eruptions.
'We used statistics to show that the locations of past giant volcanic eruptions are significantly related to the mantle plumes predicted by our models,' explain the authors in a piece for The Conversation.
'This is encouraging, as it suggests that the simulations predict mantle plumes in places and at times generally consistent with the geologic record.'
According to Eric Dunham, an associate professor of Stanford University's School of Earth, energy and Environmental Sciences, 'Volcanoes are complicated and there is currently no universally applicable means of predicting eruption. In all likelihood, there never will be.'
However, there are indicators of increased volcanic activity, which researchers can use to help predict volcanic eruptions.
Researchers can track indicators such as:
- Volcanic infrasound:When the lava lake rises up in the crater of an open vent volcano, a sign of a potential eruption, the pitch or frequency of the sounds generated by the magma tends to increase.
- Seismic activity: Ahead of an eruption, seismic activity in the form of small earthquakes and tremors almost always increases as magma moves through the volcano's 'plumbing system'.
- Gas emissions: As magma nears the surface and pressure decreases, gases escape. Sulfur dioxide is one of the main components of volcanic gases, and increasing amounts of it are a sign of increasing amounts of magma near the surface of a volcano.
- Ground deformation: Changes to a volcano's ground surface (volcano deformation) appear as swelling, sinking, or cracking, which can be caused by magma, gas, or other fluids (usually water) moving underground or by movements in the Earth's crust due to motion along fault lines. Swelling of a volcano cans signal that magma has accumulated near the surface.
A massive fire has broken out near the infamous Area 51, sending plumes of smoke into the sky and UFO enthusiasts into a panic.
A livestream camera, set up on private land just outside the heavily guarded Groom Lake facility near Rachel,Nevada, captured eerie footage of smoke rising from deep within the classified base.
The blaze was sparked by the Gothic Fire, which has grown from 8,000 acres to 35,000 since starting on July 4. It has been confirmed as a lightning-sparked wildfire
But that has not stopped speculation from spiraling online, with conspiracy theorists claiming everything from a crashed experimental craft to a cover-up gone wrong.
'I'm not saying anything other than it was aliens,' Skywatch Signal, a group that monitors strange sightings, shared on X.
While the fire is around 15 miles outside of the military base, it is currently sweeping over where above-ground nuclear testing occurred, the Nevada Test Site, which sits 65 miles northwest of Las Vegas.
This site, now known as the Nevada National Security Site, was established for nuclear weapons testing during the Cold War, and there is still nuclear debris and contamination in the area.
A livestream camera, set up on private land just outside the heavily guarded Groom Lake facility near Rachel, Nevada, captured eerie footage of smoke rising from deep within the classified base
While the fire (red) is outside of the military base (bottom right), it is currently sweeping over where above-ground nuclear testing occurred, the Nevada Test Site, which sits 65 miles northwest of Las Vegas
The fire is under the jurisdiction of the Department of Defense, which is listed as the landowner for Area 51 and surrounding regions.
The Gothic Fire is primarily spreading through northern Nevada, gaining fuel as high temperatures and low relative humidity hit the state.
The area is also littered with timber, specifically pinyon and juniper, and grass, allowing the fire to continue its path of destruction.
Despite the fire's growth, no evacuations have been ordered, and no structures are threatened.
It's currently zero percent contained with no estimate on full containment.
Bryan Cross shared on X: 'Sitting in the Vegas airport at this moment..gray and smoky off toward Area 51.'
Area 51 is a highly classified US Air Force facility located within the Nevada Test and Training Range, approximately 83 miles north-northwest of Las Vegas.
Officially known as Groom Lake, the base is situated near a dry salt flat of the same name, nestled between the Nellis Air Force Range and the rugged Groom Mountain range.
Area 51 is a highly classified US Air Force facility located within the Nevada Test and Training Range, approximately 83 miles north-northwest of Las Vegas
It lies just outside the tiny desert town of Rachel, Nevada, along the so-called 'Extraterrestrial Highway,' which is formally called Nevada State Route 375.
The base, established in 1955, remained largely unknown until 1989 when Robert Lazar claimed on TV that he worked at a secret site near Groom Lake, 'S-4,' studying alien technology and spacecraft.
The US Air Force and the government have denied those claims.
The footage has sparked wild conspiracies online, with one X user saying: 'Are they trying to destroy evidence now that a congressman has asked for access to Area 51?'
Another user asked if people 'finally stormed Area 51,' recalling how 500,000 people committed to rushing the base in July 2019.
The owners of the livestream, EWU Crew, posted an alert about the fire, saying: 'A fire has broken out inside the boundaries of Area 51 and our cameras are capturing it in real time.
'This livestream is operated from private property overlooking the Area 51 perimeter near Rachel, NV.
'Watch day and night as activity unfolds. Strange lights, aircraft, convoys, and now: smoke rising from inside the base. We're located only minutes from the back gate of Groom Lake.'
Every 200,000-300,000 years, Earth's magnetic poles do something extraordinary.
They completely flip, meaning the North pole becomes the South, and vice-versa.
The last full reversal took place approximately 780,000 years ago – leaving some experts to predict another flip is imminent.
Now, researchers have created a terrifying soundscape to represent the chaos of this event.
Using paleomagnetic data – the record of Earth's ancient magnetic field preserved in rocks – from around the globe, scientists have constructed a model of the magnetic field before, during and after this historic reversal.
They also created a musical piece – a 'soundscape' – to represent the haunting sounds of the flip, called the Matuyama-Brunhes reversal.
The team, from the Helmholtz Centre for Geosciences in Potsdam, Germany, used three violins and three cellos to create a 'disharmonic cacophony' that mirrors the complex dynamics of a flip.
The clip starts off as melodic and makes for pleasant listening as it represents the poles while stable. However, it sounds more erratic and eerie as the magnetic fields begin to flux and change.
Researchers have created a terrifying soundscape to represent the chaos of this event. The left part of the animation represents the magnetic field is a relatively stable state, however, the right represents it in a total state of flux, with the poles completely scrambled
Earth is surrounded by a system of magnetic fields called the magnetosphere. This shields our home planet from harmful solar and cosmic particle radiation, but it can change shape in response to incoming space weather from the Sun. Pictured: an artist's impression
Earth's magnetic field is generated by the roiling liquid metals deep beneath the crust.
It extends from the Earth's interior into space, acting like a protective shield by diverting harmful charged particles from the Sun away from our planet.
A flip doesn't happen overnight but takes place gradually, over centuries to thousands of years.
If a magnetic flip were to happen again, some experts claim it could render parts of Earth 'uninhabitable' by knocking out power grids.
Communication systems could be seriously disrupted, and compasses would point south – meaning Greenland would be in the southern hemisphere and Antarctica in the North.
While it sounds terrifying, and would leave life on our planet exposed to higher amounts of solar radiation, it's unlikely to cause catastrophic events or mass extinctions.
Last year, researchers also transformed readings of an epic upheaval of Earth's magnetic field that took place some 41,000 years ago.
The Laschamp event saw our planet's magnetic North and South poles weaken, with the magnetic field tilting on its axis.
During a pole reversal, Earth's magnetic North and South poles swap locations. While that may sound like a big deal, pole reversals are common in Earth's geologic history. Pictured: an artist's impression of Earth with its magnetosphere
What is Earth's magnetic field?
Earth's magnetic field is a layer of electrical charge that surrounds our planet. The field protects life on Earth because it deflects charged particles fired from the sun known as 'solar wind'.
Without this protective layer, these particles would likely strip away the Ozone layer, our only line of defence against harmful UV radiation.
Scientists believe the Earth's core is responsible for creating its magnetic field. As molten iron in the Earth's outer core escapes it creates convection currents. These currents generate electric currents which create the magnetic field.
The soundscape was captured using data from a constellation of European Space Agency satellites.
Researchers mapped the movement of Earth's magnetic field lines during the event and produced a stereo sound version using natural noises including wood creaking and rocks falling.
The noises in the video represent a time when the Earth's magnetic field was at just five per cent of its current strength.
While the Earth's magnetic field did return to normal – over the course of around 2,000 years – its strength has decreased again by 10 per cent over the past 180 years, experts have found.
However, a mysterious area in the South Atlantic has emerged where the geomagnetic field strength is decreasing even more rapidly.
The area is called the South Atlantic Anomaly and has seen satellites malfunctioning over it several times due to exposure to highly charged particles from the sun.
This has led to speculation that Earth is heading towards a magnetic pole flip.
However, some experts have provide reassurance that the poles aren't going to flip anytime soon.
A comparison between the present day geomagnetic field (top) and a potential ancient analogue at 600 BCE (bottom)
Researchers previously pieced together data on Earth's geomagnetic field strength stretching back 9,000 years and say there's no evidence a reversal is on the cards.
'We have mapped changes in the Earth's magnetic field over the past 9,000 years, and anomalies like the one in the South Atlantic are probably recurring phenomena linked to corresponding variations in the strength of the Earth's magnetic field', said Andreas Nilsson, a geologist at Lund University.
The team analysed burnt archaeological artefacts, volcanic samples and sediment drill cores – all of which carry information about Earth's magnetic field.
Reassuringly, the team's model suggests that the South Atlantic Anomaly will recover of its own accord and is unlikely to trigger the reversal that some have anticipated.
'Based on similarities with the recreated anomalies, we predict that the South Atlantic Anomaly will probably disappear within the next 300 years, and that Earth is not heading towards a polarity reversal', Mr Nilsson said.
The Earth’s magnetic field is in a permanent state of change.
Magnetic north drifts around and every few hundred thousand years the polarity flips so a compass would point south instead of north.
The strength of the magnetic field also constantly changes and currently it is showing signs of significant weakening.
Life has existed on the Earth for billions of years, during which there have been many reversals.
There is no obvious correlation between animal extinctions and those reversals. Likewise, reversal patterns do not have any correlation with human development and evolution.
It appears that some animals, such as whales and some birds use Earth's magnetic field for migration and direction finding.
Since geomagnetic reversal takes a number of thousands of years, they could well adapt to the changing magnetic environment or develop different methods of navigation.
Radiation at ground level would increase, however, with some estimates suggesting that overall exposure to cosmic radiation would double causing more deaths from cancer. ‘But only slightly,’ said Professor Richard Holme.
‘And much less than lying on the beach in Florida for a day. So if it happened, the protection method would probably be to wear a big floppy hat.’
The movement of the Earth's magnetic poles are shown in this animation at 10-year intervals from 1970 to 2020. The red and blue lines sjpw the difference between magnetic north and true north depending on where you are standing. On the green line, a compass would point to true north. Credit: NOAA National Centers for Environmental Information
Electric grid collapse from severe solar storms is a major risk. As the magnetic field continues to weaken, scientists are highlighting the importance off-the grid energy systems using renewable energy sources to protect the Earth against a black out.
'The very highly charged particles can have a deleterious effect on the satellites and astronauts,' added Dr Mona Kessel, a Magnetosphere discipline scientist at Nasa.
In one area, there is evidence that a flip is already occurring. ‘The increasing strength of the South Atlantic anomaly, an area of weak field over Brazil, is already a problem,’ said Professor Richard Holme.
The Earth's climate could also change. A recent Danish study has found that the earth's weather has been significantly affected by the planet's magnetic field.
They claimed that fluctuations in the number of cosmic rays hitting the atmosphere directly alter the amount of cloud covering the planet.
Henrik Svensmark, a weather scientist at the Danish National Space Centre who led the team behind the research, believes that the planet is experiencing a natural period of low cloud cover due to fewer cosmic rays entering the atmosphere.
Astronomers have discovered a new world circling the outer edges of our solar system.
Researchers using the Subaru Telescope, located inHawaii, spotted a small, distant object called 2023 KQ14 far beyond Pluto. They've given it the nickname Ammonite.
2023 KQ14 is a rare type of object called a 'sednoid,' a small, icy body in the outer solar system, similar to the icy rocks floating in the Kuiper Belt or dwarf planets like Pluto.
So far, there are only four known objects like it in our solar system. 2023 KQ14 is about 71 times farther from the sun than Earth is.
This object follows a unique, stretched-out orbit that has stayed stable for about 4.5 billion years.
Scientists found that 2023 KQ14's orbit was similar to the other sednoids in the solar system for billions of years, but that has mysteriously changed over time, suggesting the outer solar system is a more complex space than we thought.
This discovery also makes the possible existence of 'Planet Nine' less likely, as 2023 KQ14's orbit doesn't quite fit with where scientists believe that world would be.
Dr Yukun Huang from the National Astronomical Observatory of Japan said: 'It is possible that a planet once existed in the solar system but was later ejected, causing the unusual orbits we see today.'
Researchers using the Subaru Telescope, located in Hawaii, spotted a small, distant object far beyond Pluto and have named it 2023 KQ14
Planetary scientist Fumi Yoshida added that Ammonite was found in a region of space far beyond the influence of Neptune's gravity
'The presence of objects with elongated orbits and large perihelion distances in this area implies that something extraordinary occurred during the ancient era when 2023 KQ14 formed,' Yoshida explained in a statement.
Scientists are calling Ammonite a cosmic 'fossil' from the beginnings of the solar system.
The discovery was part of the Formation of the Outer Solar System: An Icy Legacy (FOSSIL) survey project.
The project's name itself reflected the goal of finding objects like Ammonite that act as 'icy fossils,' preserving information about the outer solar system's formation and evolution.
'I would be happy if the FOSSIL team could make many more discoveries like this one and help draw a complete picture of the history of the solar system,' Yoshida said.
Until now, astronomers had been focused on proving the existence of the fabled Planet Nine (or Planet X as NASA calls it), a mysterious ninth planet believed to be hiding far beyond Pluto at the edge of the solar system.
A recent study had whittled a list of 13 candidates down to just one potential object slowly moving around our sun approximately 46.5 billion to 65.1 billion miles away.
2023 KQ14 is a rare type of object called a 'sednoid,' a small, icy body in the outer solar system. So far, there are only four known objects like it in our solar system
Beyond Neptune is a region of the solar system called the Kuiper Belt, where Pluto and other ice fragments sit. All 4 sednoids sit in this region as well
To put that in perspective, that hypothetical planet would be almost 20 times farther away from the sun than Pluto is.
However, the Japanese team’s discovery of Ammonite (2023 KQ14) challenges the Planet Nine theory, as its unique orbit suggests that Planet Nine, if it exists, would need to be even farther from the sun than previously thought.
This has led the researchers who discovered Ammonite to hypothesize that a mystery planet (possibly Planet Nine) was somehow thrown out of its orbit around the sun long ago.
Scientists had been using the Planet Nine theory to explain some of the unsolved mysteries still surrounding our tiny corner of the Milky Way galaxy.
In a breakdown of Planet Nine, NASA said: 'It could also make our solar system seem a little more 'normal.'
'Surveys of planets around other stars in our galaxy have found the most common types to be 'super Earths' and their cousins — bigger than Earth, but smaller than Neptune,' NASA researchers continued.
'Yet none of this kind exist in our solar system. Planet Nine would help fill that gap.'
If astronomers had found a giant planet at the rim of the solar system, it could explain why objects in the Kuiper Belt are tilted by about 20 degrees with respect to the plane the planets sit on as they orbit the sun.
Planet Nine's gravity would be pulling on these objects over long periods of time, tilting their orbits so the entire ice belt would be out of line with the planets.
The existence of Planet Nine and its strong gravity would also explain why all these comets and tiny dwarf planets like Pluto all cluster together and move in the same direction without floating away.
Yellowstone is one of the world's largest active volcanoes - and if it erupted, it would cover up to two-thirds of the US with ash.
Entire states could become uninhabitable as toxic air sweeps through it, grounding thousands of flights and forcing millions to leave their homes.
The new thermal pool at Yellowstone National Park (pictured) likely formed in a series of mildly explosive events between late December 2024 and early February 2025. The rocks and white material (silica mud) surrounding the pool were probably ejected as the feature formed
The new thermal feature, discovered by geologists on April 10 but only revealed this week, is a 'blue water spring' – a natural exit point producing exceptionally pure, clear water.
The water is relatively warm (about 43°C/109°F), light blue in colour and reaches about one foot (30cm) below the rim of the pool.
In terms of the cause of its creation, the experts point to a 'hydrothermal explosion' – an eruption of such force that boiling water, mud and surrounding rocks are broken and flung through the air.
Satellite imagery suggests it happened as a series of mildly explosive events between late December 2024 and early February 2025 prior to discovery.
The imagery shows there was no feature present in the spot on December 19, but by January 6, a small depression had formed there.
Another image from February 13 shows the fully formed water pool, overall indicating that it did not form in a single major explosive event.
Rocks and pure white geothermal mud made of silica surrounding the pool were probably ejected during 'multiple small events'.
In contrast, other hydrothermal features at Yellowstone have formed during 'brief and violent episodes of change'.
This satellite imagery dated February 15 shows the new fully-formed thermal pool at Norris Geyser Basin, Yellowstone National Park. There is no indication of the pool in images from October 19 and December 19, 2024, but a small depression is visible in a January 6 image
The new hole in the ground is at Norris Geyser Basin (pictured), the hottest, oldest and most dynamic of Yellowstone's thermal areas
What is Yellowstone?
One of the most famous volcanos on Earth, Yellowstone is located beneath a national park spanning three states - Idaho, Wyoming and Montana.
There lies a magma chamber, pulsing with molten and superheated rock and toxic gases such as sulfur dioxide (SO2) and hydrogen sulfide (H2S).
Old Faithful, Yellowstone National Park's famous geyser, which has erupted jets of boiling water every 44 to 125 minutes into the air continuously for the last 800 years.
Erupting an average of 130 feet into the air at 200°F the thermal attraction could prove fatal to anyone in close proximity when it blows.
When we think of volcanoes we tend to think of striking cone-shaped features that rise high into the sky, but Yellowstone volcano is largely underground.
Yellowstone volcano blew catastrophically 630,000 years ago and many fear it's getting ready for another eruption, but fortunately, the new hole doesn't necessarily indicate it is in any immediate danger of doing so.
Dr Craig Magee, geologist at the University of Leeds, stressed that Yellowstone has a 'long history of hydrothermal activity'.
'There are lots of small earthquakes and subtle changes in ground elevation regularly recorded there,' he told MailOnline.
'All these tell-tale signs, and others, indicate Yellowstone has an active magmatic and hydrothermal system beneath it.
'But the occurrence of one event, like this single hydrothermal explosion, is unlikely to represent increasing volcanic activity or a move closer to eruption; it is just a symptom.'
According to the academic, if Yellowstone had 'swarms' of hydrothermal explosions, plus increasing seismic activity and ground movement, it could suggest increased activity level.
However, volcanoes do not work in predictable ways and their eruptions do not follow predictable patterns or schedules.
This relief map shows the location of the new thermal feature - formed sometime during late December 2024 to early February 2025 - marked by an orange star
Hydrothermal explosions are caused by pressure changes that result from the transition of liquid water to steam, but even scientists know 'relatively little' about them, according to Dr Magee.
'In Yellowstone, hydrothermal explosions are one of the main hazards the numerous tourists who visit may come across,' he told MailOnline.
The unusually light blue water in this one 'could be very salty or even acidic', so visitors wouldn't want to fall in, he added.
Despite its potency, Yellowstone National Park's famous volcanic activity draws about 4 million tourists per year from around the world.
One of the park's most famous geothermal features, the Old Faithful geyser, spews jets of boiling water every 44-125 minutes.
According to a recent study, Yellowstone's magma chamber is just 2.3 miles (3.8km) or about 12,500 feet below Earth's surface.
This marginal distance is about the same as between Buckingham Palace and St Paul's Cathedral in London, but the study authors also did not consider an eruption to be imminent.
Recent research found a small magma chamber, known as the upper-crustal magma reservoir, beneath the surface
Nasa believes drilling up to six miles (10km) down into the supervolcano beneath Yellowstone National Park to pump in water at high pressure could cool it.
Despite the fact that the mission would cost $3.46 billion (£2.63 billion), Nasa considers it 'the most viable solution.'
Using the heat as a resource also poses an opportunity to pay for plan - it could be used to create a geothermal plant, which generates electric power at extremely competitive prices of around $0.10 (£0.08) per kWh.
But this method of subduing a supervolcano has the potential to backfire and trigger the supervolcanic eruption Nasa is trying to prevent.
'Drilling into the top of the magma chamber 'would be very risky;' however, carefully drilling from the lower sides could work.
This USGS graphic shows how a 'super eruption' of the molten lava under Yellowstone National Park would spread ash across the United States
Even besides the potential devastating risks, the plan to cool Yellowstone with drilling is not simple.
Doing so would be an excruciatingly slow process that one happen at the rate of one metre a year, meaning it would take tens of thousands of years to cool it completely.
And still, there wouldn't be a guarantee it would be successful for at least hundreds or possibly thousands of years.
A massive explosion of solar plasma erupted from the sun on Wednesday, and scientists say this may be just the beginning.
NASAsatellites caught the dramatic moment when a blazing arc of superheated material burst from the Sun's northeastern edge, large enough to stretch across 30 Earths.
The eruption was caused by a solar filament, a thick ribbon of solar material, which snapped and collapsed, firing off a giant cloud of particles known as a coronal mass ejection (CME).
While this CME isn't expected to hit Earth, experts are warning that the sun is becoming more active, and future eruptions could strike our planet head-on.
If one does, it could unleash a geomagnetic storm, a powerful solar disturbance that has the potential to knock out power grids, satellites, and GPS systems.
It was triggered by a solar filament, a dense, rope-like ribbon of solar material, that suddenly snapped and collapsed and shoot a coronal mass ejection (CME)
NASA satellites captured the colossal explosion as it exploded off the sun's northeastern edge, blasting a glowing arc of superheated material enough to stretch across 30 Earths
While astronomers feared the violent burst of energy could hit Earth, the space weather forecast shows our planet is in the clear of a geomagnetic storm.
The latest eruption was caused by a solar filament, a massive ribbon of dense material that floats above the sun's surface.
These filaments are held in place by invisible magnetic forces, but when those break down, the entire structure can collapse and explode.
Tony Phillips, an astronomer who manages Spaceweather.com, said: 'Debris from the filament flew through the sun's atmosphere, carving a 'canyon of fire' more than 248,548 miles long.
'The walls of the canyon are at least 32,186 miles high--a grand canyon, indeed.'
CMEs like this are massive clouds of solar material hurled into space when the Sun's magnetic fields shift violently
Phillips also noted that the eruption hurled a CME into space, but at the time, astronomers feared it was on a direct path toward Earth.
'We don't yet know if there is an Earth-directed component. Confirmation awaits additional images from [NASA's Solar and Heliospheric Observatory (SOHO)].
SOHO is a project of international cooperation between the European Space Agency (ESA) and NASA to study the sun, from its deep core to the outer corona, and the solar wind.
Another massive solar eruption occurred in May, but this one measured about 600,000 miles wide, making it more than twice as long as the distance from the Earth to the moon.
Stunning video recorded by NASA's solar observation satellites shows the moment that filaments of plasma 75 times larger than Earth peeled away from the sun in a pair of sweeping 'wings.'
Researchers have found a link between two geological events in iconic locations of the U.S. Southwest that scientists previously didn't think had anything to do with each other.
A massive landslide in the Grand Canyon 56,000 years ago blocked the Colorado River.
(Image credit: kjetilporsboll / 500px via Getty Images)
The ancient meteor impact that formed Arizona's Barringer Crater sent shock waves through the Grand Canyon — likely triggering a landslide that dammed the Colorado River, a new study suggests.
Barringer Crater, also called Meteor Crater, formed between 53,000 and 63,000 years ago, when a giant cosmic "curveball" punched a hole in Earth's surface. The force of the impact traveled more than 100 miles (160 kilometers) to the Grand Canyon, which may have caused an entire cliff face to collapse into the river, scientists have found.
The discovery, described July 15 in the journal Geology, has linked two major events that were thought to be completely unrelated.
"There are other possibilities, such as a random rockfall or local earthquake within a thousand years of the Meteor Crater impact that could have happened independently," Karl Karlstrom, a professor of Earth and planetary sciences at the University of New Mexico and lead author of the study, said in a statement.
But the events described are extraordinary, Karlstrom said — and they happened within a suspiciously small time frame, suggesting that they were related.
Researchers already knew that the Colorado River flooded the Grand Canyon sometime in the Late Pleistocene (129,000 to 11,700 years ago). They determined this by analyzing animal figurines carved out of driftwood, which Karlstom's father and colleagues unearthed in a cavern called Stanton's Cave in the 1960s, according to the statement. With techniques available at the time, the researchers dated the driftwood and found it was more than 35,000 years
Pieces of driftwood in several caves in the Grand Canyon pointed to a flooding event.
(Image credit: University of New Mexico)
Stanton's Cave sits 150 feet (46 meters) above river level, so the water must have risen to deposit driftwood there — but the reason remained unknown. "It would have required a ten-times bigger flood level than any flood that has happened in the past several thousand years," Karlstrom said.
"Rare and unusual occurrences"
Subsequent analyses using more advanced techniques suggested the driftwood was 43,500 years old, and the new study pushed the date back even further, to 56,000 years ago. Dating the driftwood was a crucial step in figuring out how it got to Stanton's Cave in the first place, Karlstrom said.
But the researchers needed more evidence to complete the puzzle, so they searched similar caves in the area. "From numerous research trips, Karl and I knew of other high-accessible caves that had both driftwood and sediment that could be dated," study co-author Laura Crossey, also a professor of Earth and planetary sciences at the University of New Mexico, said in the statement.
Several labs examined the additional driftwood samples, and all came back with dates consistent with a flooding event 56,000 years ago. The locations of the caves pointed to this event being a landslide near Nankoweap Canyon, which is downstream of Stanton's Cave. The landslide may have been so big that it created a dam on the Colorado River, forming a lake that stretched for miles upstream. As a result, water levels may have risen high enough to deposit driftwood in the caves, according to the statement.
A conceptualization of the landslide near Nankoweap Canyon (Image credit: University of New Mexico)
Around the same time as these results appeared, study co-author David Kring, principal scientist at the Lunar and Planetary Institute in Houston, was recalculating the age of the Barringer Crater. Kring's work showed that the meteor impact occurred around 56,000 years ago, according to the statement.
Kring had previously calculated that the Barringer meteor impact unleashed a magnitude 5.4 earthquake, and when the researchers came together to work on the new study, he determined that the residual effect at the Grand Canyon would have been the same as a 3.5 magnitude earthquake. This could have been enough to disintegrate a cliff face, according to the statement.
"The team put together these arguments without claiming we have final proof," Karlstrom said. "Nevertheless, the meteorite impact, the massive landslide, the lake deposits, and the driftwood high above river level are all rare and unusual occurrences."
With dates that all converge around 56,000 years ago, it seems credible for the events to be related, he said.
Supernova Cinematography: How NASA’s Roman Space Telescope Will Create a Movie of Exploding Stars
Type 1a supernovae occur in binary systems where one of the stars is a white dwarf. The white dwarf draws material away from its companion star, and that material accumulates on the white dwarf's surface. Eventually, it explodes as a supernova. Image Credit: NASA
Exploding stars come in different types, and these different types of supernovae show astronomers different things about the cosmos. There's a scientific appetite to find more of them and boost our knowledge about these exotic events. The Nancy Grace Roman Space Telescope should be able to feed that appetite.
The Roman is due to launch in about two years, and will make its way to its station at the Sun-Earth L2 orbit. After commissioning, it'll begin operations. One of its three primary surveys is the High-Latitude Time-Domain Survey. In that survey, the powerful space telescope will image the same section of sky beyond the Milky Way every five days for two years. The team behind the Roman will stitch these scenes together into one comprehensive movie, a sort of cosmic cinema.
These movies will reveal the presence of Type 1a supernovae. These occur in binary star systems where one star is a white dwarf. White dwarfs have immense gravitational force because they're extremely dense objects. They draw material away from their companion stars, which could be anything from another white dwarf to a giant star. That material builds up on the white dwarf's surface, and when it reaches a critical mass, it triggers a runaway reaction and a supernova explosion.
Type 1a are different from what we can call standard supernovae. Those are core-collapse supernovae, where a massive star collapses into a neutron star or a black hole, or is completely destroyed and leaves behind only a diffuse nebula.
Since Type 1a supernovae explode at a fixed mass, their peak luminosity is known. For that reason, they serve as standard candles, tools astronomers use to accurately gauge the distance to their home galaxies. These accurate distances allow cosmologists to trace the expansion of the Universe.
The Roman's High-Latitude Time-Domain Survey is a critical part of its mission and is aimed at finding Type 1a supernovae and other transients. According to new research and simulations, it should find about 27,000 of them, a shocking number that's about ten times greater than the current number of known Type 1a SN. This comprehensive data set should help cosmologists in their quest to map the expansion of the Universe, a critical part of understanding dark energy.
“Evidence is mounting that dark energy has changed over time, and Roman will help us understand that change by exploring cosmic history in ways other telescopes can’t.” - Dr. Ben Rose - Dept. of Physics and Astronomy, Baylor University
The Roman will find these explosions by observing light from distant galaxies and looking back in time. The Roman will push that time boundary and allow astronomers to see Type 1a SN further back than ever. Most of the T1a SN observed so far exploded in the last 8 billion years. The Roman's High-Latitude Time-Domain Survey (HLTDS) will uncover thousands that exploded longer than 10 billion years ago, and dozens that exploded even earlier than that. These standard candles will fill a missing gap and are critical evidence of the Universe's expansion in its early age.
This graphic outlines the Nancy Grace Roman Space Telescope's High-Latitude Time Domain Survey. The survey’s main component will cover over 18 square degrees — a region of sky as large as 90 full moons — and will detect supernovae that occurred up to about 8 billion years ago. Smaller areas within the survey can look even further back in time, potentially back to when the universe was around a billion years old. The survey will be split between the northern and southern hemispheres, located in regions of the sky that will be continuously visible to Roman. The bulk of the survey will consist of 30-hour observations every five days for two years in the middle of Roman’s five-year primary mission.
Image Credit: NASA's Goddard Space Flight Center
“Filling these data gaps could also fill in gaps in our understanding of dark energy,” lead author Rose said in a press release. “Evidence is mounting that dark energy has changed over time, and Roman will help us understand that change by exploring cosmic history in ways other telescopes can’t.”
This figure compares the Roman's expected haul of Type 1a SN with the Dark Energy Survey's cosmological sample of the same. "DES has over 1500 SNe in its cosmological sample with very few at z > 1. However, we expect Roman to have nearly 19,000 SN Ia, with the majority above z > 1," the authors write.
Image Credit: Rose et al. 2025. TApJ
Every supernova is essentially a flash in the cosmos, and dissecting the light from the flash reveals what type of event released it. Core collapse SN and T1a SN aren't easy to distinguish at such great distances, but the light changes over time, and can be split apart with spectroscopy to learn more about it. The Roman carries two instruments, and one of them, the Wide-Field Instrument (WFI), allows the telescope to do large-scale spectroscopic surveys.
“By seeing the way an object’s light changes over time and splitting it into spectra — individual colors with patterns that reveal information about the object that emitted the light—we can distinguish between all the different types of flashes Roman will see,” said Rebekah Hounsell, study co-author and assistant research scientist at the University of Maryland-Baltimore County working at NASA’s Goddard Space Flight Center.
The Hourglass Simulation "uses the most up-to-date spectral energy distribution models and rate measurements for 10 extragalactic time-domain sources," the authors explain in their research. "We simulate these models through the design reference Roman Space Telescope survey."
"In total, Hourglass has over 64,000 transient objects, 11,000,000 photometric observations, and 500,000 spectra," the authors write. Hourglass showed that the Roman can expect to find "approximately 21,000 Type Ia supernovae, 40,000 core-collapse supernovae, around 70 superluminous supernovae, ∼35 tidal disruption events, three kilonovae, and possibly pair-instability supernovae."
This impressive data set will drive the study and understanding not only of dark energy, but of many other transient events too. As of 2024, for example, astronomers knew of only about 260 superluminous supernovae (SLSNe). These explosions can be 10p times as luminous as other SN. Only massive stars greater than 40 solar masses are expected to explode as SLSNe, yet astrophysicists aren't certain what causes them. Finding an additional 70 could provide answers to some outstanding questions.
This artist's illustration shows the explosion of SN 2006gy, a superluminous supernova about 238 million light-years away.
The Hourglass Simulation is designed to prepare the science community for the Roman's deluge of data. With its tens of thousands of transients, millions of photometric observations, and hundreds of thousands of spectra, Hourglass will serve as a training tool. "Additionally, Hourglass is a useful data set to train machine learning classification algorithms."
"With the dataset we’ve created, scientists can train machine-learning algorithms to distinguish between different types of objects and sift through Roman’s downpour of data to find them,” Hounsell added in the press release. “While searching for type Ia supernovae, Roman is going to collect a lot of cosmic ‘bycatch’—other phenomena that aren’t useful to some scientists, but will be invaluable to others.”
Among those other phenomena are Tidal Disruption Events (TDE), which occur when a black hole consumes a star. Astronomers know of about 100 of them, and they can reveal the presence of black holes that are otherwise dormant and undetectable. If the Roman can find an additional 35, that will undoubtedly help them answer some of their questions. Not only are their outstanding questions about black holes' masses and spina, but there are also questions about how stars behave in the dense regions near galactic centers.
Kilonovae are another type of cosmic explosion and occur when two neutron stars or a neutron star and a black hole collide. Though they're fainter than SN, Kilonovae release gravitational waves and also produce substantial amounts of heavy elements like gold, platinum, and uranium. There's only one confirmed kilonova explosion, and there are many outstanding questions about them. Astrophysicists want to understand the composition of these elements in their ejecta, and how often they occur and if there are multiple types. If the Roman can find three more, that's a massive increase in the dataset scientists have to work with.
This artist's illustration shows two neutron stars merging, releasing gravitational waves and exploding as a kilonova. There's only one confirmed kilonova, so if the Roman can find three more, that's a massive jump in data.
Image Credit: By University of Warwick/Mark Garlick, CC BY 4.0
Pair-instability supernovae are another exotic type of stellar explosion that scientists want to know more about. Only extremely massive stars between about 130 to 250 solar masses can explode as pair-instability supernovae (PISNe), and they don't leave neutron stars or black holes behind. The progenitor stars is completely destroyed, and only an expanding nebula of gas and dust, including heavy elements synthesized in the explosion, is left behind. Astrophysicists want to know the exact stellar mass of their progenitors and what role metallicity plays.
As it stands now, astrophysicists have only a small handful of candidate PISNe, and if the Roman can find ten of them like the simulation suggests, researchers will have a lot more data to work with.
“I think Roman will make the first confirmed detection of a pair-instability supernova,” Rose said. “They’re incredibly far away and very rare, so you need a telescope that can survey a lot of the sky at a deep exposure level in near-infrared light, and that’s Roman.”
As NASA's next flagship astrophysics mission, the Nancy Grace Roman Space Telescope will make an enormous contribution to our understanding of different types of cosmic explosions. By stitching together its observations into movies that show how different cosmic explosions take place, it will advance our scientific knowledge considerably.
“Whether you want to explore dark energy, dying stars, galactic powerhouses, or probably even entirely new things we’ve never seen before, this survey will be a gold mine,” said Rose.
Each time a new telescope mission is launched, it's after years or even decades of preliminary work, including figuring out what questions need to be asked and what instruments are needed to find the answers. Simulations like the Hourglass simulation are becoming more common, as the astronomy community anticipates and prepares for new data from upcoming missions.
But each mission also produces surprises, and though they're unpredictable, scientists often mention how excited they are to find surprising new things.
“Roman’s going to find a whole bunch of weird and wonderful things out in space, including some we haven’t even thought of yet,” Hounsell said. “We’re definitely expecting the unexpected.”
An illustration the Nancy Grace Roman Space Telescope, set to launch in 2027, if it can survive budget cuts.
Image Credit: NASA/GSFC/SVS
Sadly, the current US administration has taken aim at NASA's budget and announced that the Roman's funding will be cut. Since the current administration has gained a reputation for confusing announcements that are sometimes later rescinded, the mission's future is unclear.
If it is approved and launched, its precious dataset will be a feast for astrophysicists around the world and will help drive a deeper understanding of Nature and some of its most extreme objects and events.
The orbit of 2023 KQ14 (in red) compared to the orbits of the other three sednoids. Credit: NAOJ
Despite the powerful telescopes that modern astronomers have to work with, the distant reaches of the Solar System are still mysterious. Not much sunlight pierces these regions, and there are strong hints that undiscovered objects lurk there. The objects that astronomers have discovered in these dim reaches are primordial, and their orbits suggest the presence of more undiscovered objects. Piecing it all together is a challenge.
While some objects announce themselves with fiery explosions or streaks of light across the sky, distant Solar System objects don't attract much attention. They reveal themselves in tiny hints; a nearly imperceptible tug on another object, a nearly-invisible and short-lived glimmer of light. Yet these objects have something important to tell us about how our Solar System formed and evolved.
Astronomers have detected hints of a ninth planet in the Solar System's distant reaches. This hypothetical and elusive Planet Nine is held up to explain the puzzling orbital groupings of a family of distant objects called Trans-Neptunian Objects (TNO).
Astronomers working with Japan's Subaru Telescope in Hawaii found evidence of a new distant object in the Solar System. It's a Trans-Neptunian Object, meaning it orbits the Sun at a greater average distance than Neptune, the outermost planet. But it's also a member of an important and puzzling sub-class of objects: Sednoids. It's name is 2023 KQ14, but its nickname is Ammonite, after the fossilized cephalopod.
Sednoids follow more extreme orbits than TNOs. Their orbits are extremely elongated, with high eccentricity, distant perihelia, and large semi-major axes. They're named after the dwarf planet Sedna, and the new discovery is only the fourth Sednoid ever detected.
"Understanding the orbital evolution and physical properties of these unique, distant objects is crucial for comprehending the full history of the Solar System." - Dr. Fumi Yoshida, co-author.
Ammonite was first detected with the Subaru Telescope during observation efforts in March, May, and August 2023. Those observations alone weren't sufficient to confirm the dim object's existence, and follow-up observations in July 2024 with the Canada-France-Hawaii Telescope, as well as a search through archived data from other observatories, provided confirmation. Overall, the researchers tracked Ammonite's orbit for 19 years.
Ammonite was found as part of the FOSSIL (Formation of the Outer Solar System: An Icy Legacy) observing program. It uses the Subaru Telescope's powerful HyperSuprimeCam to measure the populations and sub-populations of the objects that populate the outer Solar System. The FOSSIL team used computer numerical simulations to determine that Ammonite has followed a stable orbit for at least 4.5 billion years, dating all the way back to the Solar System's earliest times. Ammonite's orbit is currently different from the other Sednoids, but the simulations show that there orbits were all similar about 4.2 billion years ago.
There's an odd gap in distant Solar System objects when it comes to their perihelion distances and Ammonite sits in that gap. "The orbit of Ammonite does not align with those of the other Sedna-like objects and fills the previously unexplained ‘q-gap’ in the observed distribution of distant Solar System objects," the authors explain in their paper.
This figure is divided into two panels divided by a vertical black line, and shows the orbital data for outer Solar System objects. The left side shows the semi-major axis versus perihelion distribution, with the red vertical dashed line representing the approximate region where galactic tides and passing stars can perturb the orbits of TNOs. The horizontal black lines show the upper boundary of chaotic diffusion and gravitational scattering by Neptune. The named objects all have large perihelia, and it clearly shows hos Ammonite is different from the others. It's in the region that currently lacks any other detections. The right side shows how Ammonite falls outside the proposed clustering of objects with large perihelia.
Image Credit: Chen et al. 2025. NatAstr. https://doi.org/10.1038/s41550-025-02595-7
Dr. Yukun Huang of the NAOJ is a co-author of the paper who conducted simulations of Ammonite's orbit. "The fact that 2023 KQ14’s current orbit does not align with those of the other three sednoids lowers the likelihood of the Planet Nine hypothesis," Huang said in a press release. "It is possible that a planet once existed in the Solar System but was later ejected, causing the unusual orbits we see today."
Neptune is the only known massive object near the outer Solar System that could have shaped the orbits of the TNOs and Sednoids. But according to study co-author Dr. Fumi Yoshida, Ammonite is beyond its reach.
“2023 KQ14 was found in a region far away where Neptune’s gravity has little influence. The presence of objects with elongated orbits and large perihelion distances in this area implies that something extraordinary occurred during the ancient era when 2023 KQ14 formed," Yoshida said. "Understanding the orbital evolution and physical properties of these unique, distant objects is crucial for comprehending the full history of the Solar System. At present, the Subaru Telescope is among the few telescopes on Earth capable of making such discoveries. I would be happy if the FOSSIL team could make many more discoveries like this one and help draw a complete picture of the history of the Solar System.”
Ammonite's orbit is now different from the other Sednoids, and that fact needs an explanation. It's evidence that there's more complexity and diversity among distant Solar System objects. Astronomers have long wondered if our Solar System hosts a 'Planet Nine' that has shepherded the orbits of these distant objects. If there is, then Ammonite's discovery places more constraints on its orbit, and where it may be hiding. It effectively reduces the number of hiding spots for this hypothetical planet.
An artist's illustration of the mysterious, elusive, hypothesized Planet Nine.
Image Credit: NASA
"Sedna-like objects with large semi-major axes (a > 200 au) and large perihelia (q > 60 au) appear to evolve in stable orbits that have remained largely unchanged and not altered by the gravity of Neptune since the formation of the Solar System," the researchers explain in their paper. "No viable transfer mechanisms to raise their perihelia exist with the current configuration of planets. Their stability suggests that an external gravitational influence beyond those of the currently known Solar System planets is required to form their orbits."
This figure shows the orbits of the four Sednoids, with Neptune's orbit around the Sun shown for comparison. "Ammonite’s longitude of perihelion is in the opposite direction of the other Sedna-like objects," the authors explain. "Its high perihelion suggests the potential for long-term orbital stability," and it's valuable for testing the hypothesized clustering of Sednoids and the hypothetical Planet Nine.
Image Credit: Chen et al. 2025. NatAstr. https://doi.org/10.1038/s41550-025-02595-7
Astronomers have proposed many sources for this external gravitational influence, including interactions with a rogue planet or star, ancient stellar interactions from when the Sun was still in its natal cluster, and the capture of objects from other lower-mass stars in the Solar System's early times. But the explanation that gets the most attention is interactions with a hypothetical planet, Planet Nine.
While this study neither confirms nor disputes the existence of Planet Nine, it does place further constraints on its orbit. In fact, each time another Sednoid is discovered, it constrains Planet Nine. Astronomers now know of four of them, but they don't know how many may still be hiding out there, potentially shepherded by the elusive, hypothetical, Planet Nine.
If Planet Nine exists, it has a huge area to hide in. Some astronomers who have studied its potential existence think it could be the fifth largest planet in the Solar System. It would be so far away that it would be extremely dim. However, we may be on the cusp of detecting it, if it exists.
The Vera Rubin Observatory recently saw first light and will begin its decade-long Legacy Survey of Space and Time (LSST). The LSST will find transient events and objects in the Solar System like no other telescope before it. It's purpose-built to find hard to detect objects, and not even an elusive object like Planet Nine may be able to hide from it.
Geheimen onthuld door klokkenluider Edward Snowden In 2013 lekte Edward Snowden, een onderaannemer van de National Security Agency (NSA), geheime documenten waarin het bestaan van uiterst geheime surveillanceprogramma's werd onthuld. Als een van de meest beruchte klokkenluiders van de afgelopen tijd stond Snowden aan de basis van het grootste beveiligingslek in de geschiedenis van het Agentschap. Zijn onthullingen onthulden talloze wereldwijde spionagetactieken, veel uitgevoerd door de NSA en het Britse Government Communications Headquarters (GCHQ). Na de sensationele onthullingen vluchtte Snowden naar Moskou. In 2022 werd hij genaturaliseerd tot Russisch staatsburger.
De acties van Edward Snowden dwongen de Amerikaanse inlichtingendiensten om toe te geven dat ze hun eigen burgers op grote schaal bespioneerden. Het legde ook wereldwijde surveillanceoperaties bloot van zowel de NSA als de GCHQ. Maar wat is er precies gelekt en wie is erdoor getroffen?
Klik door de volgende galerij en kom meer te weten over de man die honderdduizenden zeer geheime stukken informatie stal en aan de wereld onthulde.
PRISM Een van de geheimen die Snowden's documenten in 2013 onthulden, was het bestaan van het PRISM-programma. PRISM was de codenaam voor een operatie waarmee de National Security Agency (NSA) internetcommunicatie van verschillende Amerikaanse internetbedrijven kon verzamelen.
PRISM PRISM vergemakkelijkte de toegang van de NSA tot e-mails, documenten, foto's en gegevens die waren opgeslagen door techbedrijven, waaronder Facebook, Microsoft, Yahoo, Google, Facebook, YouTube, Skype en Apple.
Tempora Snowden onthulde ook het bestaan van Tempora. Dit lek onthulde de praktijk van de Britse inlichtingen- en veiligheidsorganisatie Government Communications Headquarters (GCHQ) om glasvezelkabels af te tappen om enorme hoeveelheden persoonlijke gegevens van internetgebruikers te verzamelen, op te slaan en te delen met de NSA.
Boundless Informant Het Boundless Informant programma is een uitgebreid hulpmiddel voor gegevensanalyse en -visualisatie dat wordt gebruikt door de NSA en dat metadata verzamelt en telt.
Boundless Informant Snowden onthulde Boundless Informant in juni 2013 en legde uit dat inlichtingen worden verzameld van miljoenen Amerikanen via toegang tot de computer- en telefoonnetwerken van het land.
XKeyscore In juli 2013 onthulde Edward Snowden publiekelijk XKeyscore, een geheim computersysteem dat door de NSA wordt gebruikt om toegang te krijgen tot wereldwijde internetgegevens en deze te analyseren.
XKeyscore De omvang en functie van XKeyscore is enorm. Het is zelfs beschreven als "de Google van de NSA". Het systeem bestaat uit minstens 700 servers op locaties verspreid over de hele wereld, allemaal verbonden met de analisten van de NSA.
Follow the Money “Follow the Money”, een slogan die populair werd gemaakt door de docudramafilm “All the President's Men” uit 1976, verwijst naar een afdeling van de NSA die belast is met het volgen en verzamelen van wereldwijde financiële gegevens.
Follow the Money Snowden onthulde dat informatie voornamelijk wordt verzameld via creditcardtransacties, waaronder internationale betalingen die worden verwerkt door bedrijven als Visa.
JTRIG De Joint Threat Research Intelligence Group (JTRIG) is een eenheid van GCHQ. Het kan ook worden omschreven als een "smerige trucjes afdeling", omdat het hun missie is om zich bezig te houden met online manipulatie, propaganda en desinformatiecampagnes.
JTRIG Snowden onthulde hoe JTRIG-operaties worden opgedeeld en een codenaam krijgen. Een aantal van de tools zijn bijvoorbeeld de mogelijkheid om de resultaten van online peilingen te manipuleren ("Underpass"). JTRIG kan ook privéfoto's van doelwitten op Facebook achterhalen, een procedure die bekend staat als "Spring Bishop".
Nymrod De gelekte NSA-bestanden van Snowden onthulden hoe het agentschap zowel bondgenoten als vijanden afluisterde met behulp van een systeem dat bekend staat als Nymrod.
Nymrod Nymrod werd ook gebruikt door GCHQ om ten minste 11 wereldleiders te volgen, waaronder de toenmalige Syrische president Bashar al-Assad en de voormalige Oekraïense premier Yulia Tymoshenko. De voormalige Duitse kanselier Angela Merkel werd ook met naam en toenaam genoemd, een onthulling die de diplomatieke betrekkingen met veel Europese landen onder druk zette.
Bullrun en Edgehill Volgens de Snowden-documenten is Bullrun een clandestien, zeer geheim programma om de encryptie van online communicatie en gegevens te kraken. Het is gemaakt om encryptiestandaarden te ondermijnen met behulp van een aantal methodes zoals computernetwerkexploitatie en interdictie.
Bullrun en Edgehill Interdictie is een proces waarbij zendingen van computerelektronica worden onderschept voordat ze hun bestemming bereiken en worden geïnstalleerd met kwaadaardige hardware die Amerikaanse inlichtingendiensten op afstand toegang kan geven. De GCHQ heeft een soortgelijk programma met de codenaam Edgehill.
MUSCULAR Daarnaast onthulde Snowden ook MUSCULAR, een gezamenlijk surveillanceprogramma van NSA en GCHQ dat agenten in staat stelde om in te breken in de belangrijkste communicatieverbindingen tussen de datacenters van Yahoo en Google.
MUSCULAR De gelekte documenten onthulden dat het zogenaamde "acquisitions directorate" van de NSA in één dag miljoenen gegevens van de interne netwerken van Yahoo en Google doorstuurde naar data opslagplaatsen in het hoofdkwartier van NSA Fort Meade.
Tailored Access Operations Ook als gevolg van Snowdens klokkenluiden werd de wereld zich bewust van de NSA-eenheid voor het verzamelen van informatie over cyberoorlog, ook wel bekend als het Office of Tailored Access Operations (TAO).
Tailored Access Operations TAO zijn in wezen hackers van de overheid. Hun taak is het identificeren, volgen, infiltreren en verzamelen van informatie over computersystemen die worden gebruikt door buitenlandse entiteiten in de Verenigde Staten. Op het moment van de lekken had TAO meer dan duizend militaire en civiele medewerkers. Tegenwoordig staat de eenheid bekend als Computer Network Operations.
Afluisteren van mobiele telefoons De documenten van Snowden bevestigden wat velen al vermoedden, namelijk dat de inlichtingendiensten grote hoeveelheden mobiele telefoongesprekken en e-mails onderschepten en verzamelden.
Afluisteren van mobiele telefoons Iets minder bekend is dat deze informatie werd verzameld bij werknemers van mobiele providers om zwakke plekken in de beveiliging van netwerken te identificeren die de NSA kon gebruiken voor surveillancedoeleinden.
Optic Nerve In februari 2014 werd onthuld dat GCHQ, met hulp van de NSA, stiekem foto's van privéwebcams van gebruikers verzamelde terwijl ze een webcamapplicatie van Yahoo gebruikten.
Optic Nerve GCHQ noemde deze slinkse praktijk het Optic Nerve-programma. Snowden onthulde dat gegevens van gebruikers willekeurig in grote hoeveelheden werden verzameld, ongeacht of ze een inlichtingendoelwit waren of niet.
Operation EgotisticalGiraffe De bizarre codenaam Operation EgotisticalGiraffe verwijst naar de praktijk van de NSA om populaire sociale netwerkplatforms te infiltreren en te compromitteren. Dit wordt gedaan door het Tor-netwerk te ondermijnen.
Operation EgotisticalGiraffe Tor (afkorting van The Onion Routing project) is een open-source privacynetwerk voor anoniem surfen op het web. In 2013 deden zowel GCHQ als NSA verschillende pogingen om mensen te identificeren die de Tor anonimiteitsservice gebruikten, maar slaagden hier grotendeels niet in.
Geheime operaties tegen China Snowdens onthullingen tegen de NSA gingen verder dan het beschuldigen van het hacken van buitenlandse mobiele telefoonbedrijven om toegang te krijgen tot miljoenen privé sms-berichten in China. In 2012 was sms de populairste vorm van communicatie op het Chinese vasteland.
Dishfire Dishfire werd zowel door de NSA als de GCHQ geëxploiteerd en bestond uit het dagelijks verzamelen, opslaan en analyseren van honderden miljoenen wereldwijde sms-berichten, zowel uit het buitenland als uit het binnenland.
Bronnen:(Spyscape) (The Intercept) (American Civil Liberties Union) (Der Spiegel) (The Guardian) (The Independent) (Tor Project) (South China Morning Post)
Where dimensions collide, rip in our reality, possibly caused by CERN. 😱 UFO UAP sighting news 👽 Wow!
Where dimensions collide, rip in our reality, possibly caused by CERN. 😱 UFO UAP sighting news 👽 Wow!
Date of discovery: July 2025
Location of discovery:Lisbon, Portugal
Coordinates:38°46'0.29"N 9° 8'5.92"W
At the Lisbon airport there is a single passenger jet with out wings! It has a shadow, but no wing shadow...and how is that possible? Well, Portugal is not far from CERN which causes not just mini black holes which we saw over Norway the day Obama got a Nobel Prize, but CERN also causes temporary rips in time and space into other dimensions. The wings went there, then came back. Amazing and the satellite caught it all.
Ancient alien sign in Australia 🇦🇺gov calls it new, cover up, it’s aliens 👽 UFO UAP sighting breaking news.
Ancient alien sign in Australia 🇦🇺gov calls it new, cover up, it’s aliens 👽 UFO UAP sighting breaking news.
Date of discovery: July 2025
Location of discovery: Australia
Coordinates: -29.5324, 137.469
I found this ancient drawing in the desert of Australia and I looked it up, the Australian gov seems to suspect it was created about 20 years ago, but...they only suspect, they admit they are not certain. They call it Murree Man. I on the other hand believe this is an ancient sign made by aliens long ago...for us to find...so that we can know, we are not alone.
Just found this alien face a few minutes ago. It’s in Antarctica and is not far from the last face I reported last night. This has an extended long skull and the shadow makes the forehead, nose, lips, chin and neck. A sign left behind for us to find.
Gemini North Telescope Captures New Images of Interstellar Comet 3I/ATLAS
Gemini North Telescope Captures New Images of Interstellar Comet 3I/ATLAS
Astronomers using the Gemini North telescope at NSF’s International Gemini Observatory have captured 3I/ATLAS as it makes its temporary passage through our cosmic neighborhood.
This image from the Multi-Object Spectrograph (GMOS-N) at the Gemini North telescope shows the interstellar comet 3I/ATLAS.
Image credit: International Gemini Observatory / NOIRLab / NSF / AURA / K. Meech, IfA & U. Hawaii / Jen Miller & Mahdi Zamani, NOIRLab.
Interstellar objects are objects that originate outside of, and are observed passing through, our Solar System.
Ranging from tens of meters to a few kilometers in size, these objects are pieces of cosmic debris leftover from the formation of their host star’s planetary systems.
As these remnants orbit their star, the gravity of nearby larger planets and passing nearby stars can launch them out of their home systems and into interstellar space, where they can cross paths with other solar systems.
Interstellar visitors are valuable objects to study since they offer a tangible connection to other star systems.
They carry information about the chemical elements that were present when and where they formed, which gives scientists insight into how planetary systems form at distant stars throughout our Milky Way Galaxy’s history — including stars that have since died out.
3I/ATLAS is only the third interstellar object ever discovered after 1I/ʻOumuamua in 2017 and 2I/Borisov in 2019.
While astronomers think many interstellar objects exist, and likely pass through our Solar System on a regular basis, they are exceptionally difficult to capture since they are only visible when they’re close enough to see and when our telescopes are pointing in the right place at the right time.
Multiple teams around the globe are using a wide variety of telescopes to observe 3I/ATLAS during its temporary visit to our Solar System, allowing them to collectively determine some of the comet’s key characteristics.
Although much remains unknown, it is already clear that 3I/ATLAS is unique compared to 1I/ʻOumuamua and 2I/Borisov.
Observations so far suggest that 3I/ATLAS has an approximate diameter of at most 20 km (12 miles), compared to ‘Oumuamua’s diameter of 200 m and Borisov’s of less than one km.
The new comet also has an exceptionally eccentric orbit, where eccentricity describes how much an object’s orbital pathway is ‘stretched out.’
An eccentricity of 0 is a perfectly circular orbit, while an eccentricity of 0.999 is a very stretched-out ellipse.
An object with an eccentricity above 1 is on a path that does not loop back around the Sun, implying it comes from — and will return to — interstellar space.
3I/ATLAS has an eccentricity of 6.2, which is highly hyperbolic and ensures its classification as an interstellar object.
In comparison, ‘Oumuamua had an eccentricity of about 1.2, and Borisov about 3.6.
Right now, 3I/ATLAS is within Jupiter’s orbit at a distance of about 465 million km (290 million miles) from Earth and 600 million km (370 million miles) from the Sun.
The closest the comet will come to Earth is approximately 270 million km (170 million miles) on December 19, 2025, though it will pose no threat to the planet.
It will reach its closest approach to the Sun around October 30, 2025, at a distance of 210 million km (130 million miles) — just inside the orbit of Mars.
During this close approach, it will be traveling almost 25,000 km (15,500 miles) per hour.
The new image of 3I/ATLAS was captured by the Multi-Object Spectrograph (GMOS-N) at the Gemini North telescope.
“The sensitivity and scheduling agility of the International Gemini Observatory has provided critical early characterization of this interstellar wanderer,” said Martin Still, NSF program director for the International Gemini Observatory.
“We look forward to a bounty of new data and insights as this object warms itself on sunlight before continuing its cold, dark journey between the stars.”
Mars was Warm and Wet 3.7 Billion Years Ago, New Study Suggests
Mars was Warm and Wet 3.7 Billion Years Ago, New Study Suggests
Planetary scientists have discovered more than 15,000 km of ancient riverbeds in Noachis Terra, a region in Mars’ southern highlands. This discovery suggests that Mars may once have been much wetter than previously thought.
This HiRISE image shows a flat top, heavily eroded fluvial sinuous ridge on Mars; sand dunes can be seen migrating over the top of the fluvial sinuous ridge.
Image credit: NASA / JPL / University of Arizona.
The nature of the Martian climate during the Noachian-Hesperian transition, a period of geologic and climatic changes around 3.7 billion years ago, and how surface features such as valley networks and lakes associated with liquid water formed, is debated.
There are two theories: the first is that warm and wet conditions persisted on early Mars long enough that liquid water was stable on the surface for extended periods; the second is that Mars was generally cold and dry, and that geological features indicative of flowing water were formed only very sporadically by meltwater from ice sheets during short climate excursions.
Noachis Terra is a region where ‘warm, wet’ climate models predict high rates of precipitation.
In new research, Open University Ph.D. student Adam Losekoot and his colleagues looked at fluvial sinuous ridges, also known as inverted channels, across this region.
“These are believed to have formed when sediment deposited by rivers hardened and was later exposed as the surrounding material eroded,” the authors said.
“Similar ridges have been found across a range of terrains on Mars.”
“Their presence suggests that flowing water was once widespread in this region, with precipitation being the most likely source of this water.”
They found fluvial sinuous ridges to be common across Noachis Terra, with a cumulative length of more than 15,000 km.
These are often isolated segments, but some systems are hundreds of km in length.
“Studying Mars, particularly an underexplored region like Noachis Terra, is really exciting because it’s an environment which has been largely unchanged for billions of years,” Losekoot said.
“It’s a time capsule that records fundamental geological processes in a way that just isn’t possible here on Earth.”
For the study, the researchers used data from three orbital instruments: the Context Camera (CTX), the Mars Orbiter Laser Altimeter (MOLA) and the High Resolution Imaging Science Experiment (HiRISE).
These datasets allowed them to map the locations, lengths and morphologies of ridge systems across a wide area.
“Our work is a new piece of evidence that suggests that Mars was once a much more complex and active planet than it is now, which is such an exciting thing to be involved in,” Losekoot said.
“The fact that the ridges form extensive interconnected systems suggests that the watery conditions must have been relatively long-lived, meaning Noachis Terra experienced warm and wet conditions for a geologically relevant period.”
“These findings challenge existing theories that Mars was generally cold and dry, with a few valleys formed by ice-sheet meltwater in sporadic, short periods of warming.”
Skydweller is a solar-powered drone that can fly for up to three months without landing, with researchers hoping to one day achieve much longer flight times.
(Image credit: Rey Sotolongo/Europa Press via Getty Images)
U.S. tech startup Skydweller Aero has teamed up with Thales, a French electronics company specializing in defense systems, to develop a new maritime surveillance drone that can stay aloft far longer than existing machines.
Skydweller powers itself purely from solar energy and aims to be capable of continuous flight. The initial flight milestone will be for it to remain aloft for 90 days, but ultimately it has the potential to fly for much longer.
The solar energy that powers the Skydweller is captured by over 17,000 individual solar cells, spread across approximately 2,900 square feet (270 square meters) of wing surface — across a wingspan of 236 feet (72 m), 25 feet (7.6 m) longer than a Boeing 747. In ideal conditions, the solar cells can generate up to 100 kilowatts of power for the aircraft.
During daylight hours, solar energy is used to maintain flight, power the onboard avionics and charge batteries. The Skydweller has over 1,400 pounds (635 kilograms) of batteries, which are used to power the aircraft through the night. This will allow Skydweller to maintain almost continuous flight.
The Skydweller typically flies at an altitude between 24,600 and 34,400 feet (7,500 and 10,500 meters), but can fly as high as 44,600 feet (13,600m) during the day, before dropping by 4,900 to 9,800 feet (1,500 to 3,000m)at night, as this minimizes power consumption.
Despite its similar wingspan to a long-range commercial airliner, Skydweller weighs 160 times less than a "jumbo jet" — 2.5 metric tons at maximum capacity versus 400 tons for the 747 at full payload.
Solar-powered aircraft are not completely new, but some designs have suffered structural problems, including catastrophic failure mid-flight when climbing or descending through medium altitudes (approximately 6,500-32,800 feet, or 2,000-10,000 m).
The Skydweller has been specifically designed to operate in this altitude range, using automatic gust-load alleviation software in the flight control system to reduce the aerodynamic loads caused by turbulence. It has also been constructed from carbon fiber and can carry up to 800 pounds (362 kg) of payload.
Continuous surveillance by sky
Operating an aircraft continuously and reliably for up to 90 days necessitates a quadruple-redundant flight control system and vehicle management system (VMS). Should one of the onboard systems fail, a backup system can take over to maintain the flight.
Self-healing algorithms within the VMS allow any failed strings (coding in an algorithm) to be autonomously shut down, corrected and resurrected during flight, thereby allowing the aircraft to return to quadruple redundancy, according to information published by company representatives. This enables the aircraft to consistently maintain flight.
Although the onboard batteries, once sufficiently charged, can maintain flight during the night, their capacity will degrade over time, which could limit the maximum patrol duration of the aircraft. Skydweller’s reliance on solar power to maintain flight means that its patrols must also avoid areas of limited sunlight, such as polar regions during winter.
Skydweller Aero has recently partnered with Thales to equip Skydweller with a radar surveillance system designed for maritime patrol operations. Further test flights are planned, with the goal of extending the maximum flight duration. Even so, this is a massive step forward in solar-powered flight, especially for long-term surveillance monitoring.
Astrophotographers have snapped stunning shots of a giant shapeshifting solar prominence, dubbed "The Beast," which appeared over the sun's northeastern limb on July 12 and rained impossibly fast fire over our home star.
"The Beast" appeared over the sun's northeastern limb on Saturday (July 12). It raged for more than three hours before eventually disappearing.
A giant plasma plume dubbed "The Beast" was recently spotted dancing abovethe sun as it showered our home star with blobs of impossibly fast fire. The shapeshifting projection, which stretched more than 13 times wider than Earth, was the first of several sizable solar structures to emerge in recent days.
The animalistic mass appeared Saturday (July 12) over the northwestern limb of the sun, allowing photographers from around the world to snap some stunning shots, including Michael Jäger, who captured the plume from Martinsburg in Austria (see above); and Simon Metcalfe, who saw it from near his home in Gloucestershire, England (see below).
Astrophotographer Daid Wilson also captured an amazing movie of the entire event from Inverness in Scotland, revealing that the morphing plume stretched more than 100,000 miles (165,000 km) across.
Stunning photos show the Sun like never before | BBC News
The plume was at its peak size for around three hours and constantly changed shape during this time. "It looks to me like some huge 4-legged beast shuffling along," Wilson told Spaceweather.com.
This quote was picked up on several social media outlets, including Reddit and X, leading people to refer to the plume as "The Beast."
"The Beast" stretched more than 100,000 miles across, making it more than 13 times wider than Earth. (Image credit: Simon Metcalfe)
The Beast is a solar prominence — a "bright feature extending outward from the sun's surface," made from ionized gas, or plasma, that is held in place by invisible magnetic field lines anchored to the solar surface, according to NASA.
In the new images, smaller blobs of plasma can also be seen falling from The Beast toward the sun's surface. This is known as "coronal rain" and occurs when plasma cools and condenses, causing it to fall back to the sun's surface at extreme speeds as it travels along the invisible magnetic field lines.
Prominences, which commonly form in a looped horseshoe shape, can also unleash solar storms, such as coronal mass ejections (CMEs), when the magnetic fields that hold them up snap like an overstretched elastic band, flinging the plasma off into space. If these solar storms collide with Earth's magnetic field, they can trigger geomagnetic disturbances, which can cause radio blackouts, satellite disruption and vibrant aurora displays. But in this case, no CME was released, meaning The Beast poses no threat to our planet.
Two more large prominences have also appeared on the sun in recent days: First, on Monday (July 14), and then again on Tuesday (July 15). Both of these structures were larger than The Beast, with a much more traditional shape, and unleashed CMEs. However, due to the angle from which they were released from the sun, neither of the solar storms will hit Earth, according to EarthSky.org.
Two other large prominences have appeared on the sun since "The Beast," and both released CMEs into space. The second one (pictured) occurred on on Tuesday (July 15). (Image credit: NOAA/GOES)
Large flat surfaces carved by ancient rivers deep beneath the East Antarctica are influencing how ice flows across the continent today, according to a new study.
The rivers likely formed when the supercontinent Gondwana broke up, separating Antarctica from Australia.
(Image credit: Guy Paxman)
Scientists have discovered a long-lost landscape that's been preserved beneath the Antarctic Ice Sheet for 30 million years.
Erosion by ancient rivers appears to have carved large, flat surfaces beneath the ice in East Antarctica between 80 million and 34 million years ago. Understanding how these features formed, and how they continue to affect the landscape, could help refine predictions of future ice loss, researchers reported July 11 in the journalNature Geoscience.
"We've long been intrigued and puzzled about fragments of evidence for 'flat' landscapes beneath the Antarctic ice sheets," study co-authorNeil Ross, a geophysicist at Newcastle University in the U.K., said in astatement. "This study brings the jigsaw pieces of data together, to reveal the big picture: how these ancient surfaces formed, their role in determining the present-day flow of the ice, and their possible influence on how the East Antarctic Ice Sheet will evolve in a warming world."
What Is Antarctic Sea Ice Extent? - The Marine Life Explorer
Antarctic Sea Ice Hits 2nd-Lowest Minimum Ever Recorded (March 2025)
If the East Antarctic Ice Sheet were to melt entirely, it could raise global sea levelsby more than 160 feet (50 meters). But accurately predicting how much the ice sheet might melt in the coming years requires scientists to know its past behavior and the conditions at its base.
The ancient rivers appear to have carved huge flat surfaces through erosion. (Image credit: Open-access s-ink.org repository)
In the new study, the researchers used radar data from four previous surveys to map the shape of the bedrock beneath the ice.
"When we were examining the radar images of the sub-ice topography in this region, these remarkably flat surfaces started to pop out almost everywhere we looked," study co-authorGuy Paxman, a polar geophysicist at Durham University in the U.K., said in the statement. "The flat surfaces we have found have managed to survive relatively intact for over 30 million years, indicating that parts of the ice sheet have preserved rather than eroded the landscape."
The flat expanses, which were interspersed with deep troughs, covered a 2,175-mile (3,500 kilometers) section of the East Antarctic coastline. They likely formed before the East Antarctic Ice Sheet existed but after the supercontinent Gondwana (which contained modern-day Antarctica, Australia, Africa, and India) broke apart.
This helped the researchers to date the flat sections to between 80 million and 34 million years ago.
Atop these flat surfaces, the Antarctic ice moves fairly slowly. But in the troughs between them, the ice flows much faster. Meltwater may have carved these troughs by flowing through natural dips as the East Antarctic Ice Sheet expanded millions of years ago.
The slow flow of ice above the flat surfaces could be regulating ice loss from the continent, the researchers wrote in the study. Further research, such as obtaining and analyzing rock samples from under the ice, could refine projections of future ice loss and sea level rise.
"Information such as the shape and geology of the newly mapped surfaces will help improve our understanding of how ice flows at the edge of East Antarctica," Paxman said. "This in turn will help make it easier to predict how the East Antarctic Ice Sheet could affect sea levels under different levels of climate warming in the future."
Strange Portals Spontaneously Appearing in the Home
One outlandish feature of the world of the paranormal is the idea of portals popping up in various places. These portals are said to lead to other locations or nowhere at all, and sometimes are even said to act as doorways to other worlds that sometimes allow things from the other side to come in. Portals seem like something one would be more likely to find out in the wilderness or remote areas, but it seems that sometimes these phenomena can happen right in the safety of our own homes.
One strange report comes from Reddit user “GilgameshvsHumbaba,” who says this happened as he was living in a small apartment several years before telling his story. One evening, he woke up to feel someone touching his head, even though no one else was there, and when he stepped whatever it was away and looked around, he saw a square or rectangular "hole" in the air. Out of this hole shone a light, and there was a man's arm and hand protruding from it and waving around in the air. The witness says of what happened next:
“The hole" started drifting to the right and revolving toward me and I saw two young men in some other room. One was sitting and working or typing or something, and the other guy was looking at what he was doing and looking at me and looking around at my bedroom. I sat up on one arm watching them, and then I noticed that the light from their room was lighting up my room. I could see the ironing board to the left, my bookcase to the right, the floor, ceiling, and my door, which was closed. That was when I knew was really awake, and I sat up more. I think they were talking to each other, but I don't remember hearing them. I thought about getting out of bed and grabbing my clothes and just stepping through the hole into their room, but I chickened out because I wasn't sure if I would be able to come back or not.
The "hole" started to revolve the other way until it was "sideways" to me again, and then all of a sudden it disappeared and the light was gone and it was dark again. Since I have "night blindness", it was pitch-dark to me. Finally I decided that it had just been a weird dream, so I picked up the covers and lay down and turned on my side to go back to sleep, and that's when I realized I had been sitting up the whole time, so it had to have been real.
Well. that's it. The "hole" had smooth sides and sharp corners, no glow or fog or anything. Looking back on it now, I think the two guys were panicking because they had been seen and were trying to "close the window", or however you want to say it. I've tried to tell people what happened and they just laugh at me. I know it happened!!!! Now I want to know if it happened to other people, and if anyone reported it. I'm sure the two I saw repeated their little "experiment", so there must be more witnesses somewhere.”
Pretty weird stuff, indeed. From Reddit user “FlashyConsequence111” we have a similarly odd tale that supposedly happened back in 2004. This supposedly happened as she and her husband were sitting out enjoying a quiet evening on their veranda, and the witness says;
“There was a fence about 5meters/15 feet away from us. All of a sudden the side of this big tree next to the fence started moving, there was no wind and the other trees were not moving, nor was the otherside of the tree. My husband and I thought an animal was going to come out of it. After about 1 minute a black hole appeared and a man, carrying some box or bag in both hands, came out of the hole, ran accross the fence for 3meters/9feet another hole appeared in front of him and he went through that hole and disappeared. The trees near the second hole were moving and shaking before it appeared and he ran into it and were shaking for about 30seconds after it closed. The man was white, dark short hair, wearing a black and red flannel shirt and black pants and looked like he was running from something, he was in a panic.
I was in shock and amazed. I turned to my husband, he was looking at the fence eyes wide open. I said 'Oh my God! Did you see that?!!' He turned to me and said 'What?' I said 'That man came out of a wormhole and ran along the fence and went into another wormhole!, that's why the tree was shaking!' He said 'when was the tree shaking?' 'Nothing happened, we have just been sitting here'. I was shocked! I was like 'what are you saying? You don't remember?' We had just been discussing how the tree was shaking and what animal we thought was going to come out. To clarify, we had never before or since had different recollections of what we had seen together. I have only told that story to my sister and children. This is the first time publicly, there are definitely technologies we do not know about, I believe in wormholes and portholes.”
What was going on here? Many stories of portals revolve around closets, which makes sense since there has long been the spooky lore gif things in the closet that have haunted children since time unremembered. One account comes from True Ghost Tales and concerns a witness who claims that when she was just a girl, she had been watching TV in the living room with her mother when they heard her father start frantically screaming for help from elsewhere in the house. They tracked the source of the mysterious screaming to the witnesses’ bedroom and found that the door was locked, which was odd considering it was just a plain old doorknob with no lock to begin with. They stood there struggling with the anomalously jammed doorknob while the father shrieked and shouted in terror from within. At the time, they thought he was having some sort of mental breakdown, as he was an alcoholic and had been drinking heavily earlier that night; however, when they finally forced the door open, they were to find it was something altogether more bizarre. The witness says of what they saw in that room:
“My mom struggled for a few minutes trying to open the door. Finally she managed to open the door and we saw my father up in the air like if he was hanging from something then a few seconds later fell feel down. He was so scared that he sounded sober, he told us to get away from there and he ran as far away from my room, when we saw my dad he seemed almost pale looking, he had scratches on his chest as if he got into a fight or something. My mom asked him “What happened to you”? Are you Ok? The only thing that came out of my father’s mouth was, “THE DEVIL, the devil was trying to take me away with him.” At first I thought my dad was only saying that to scare me but he was serious about it, he said that the devil wanted him and was trying to bite his neck. I thought to my self, it sounds more like a vampire than the devil to me, why would the devil want to bite his neck anyways?”
The scared family retreated to the living room, where they eventually fell asleep, and the next day the father explained that when he had been in the girl’s room he had seen the closet door open by itself and heard a man’s voice issue forth from the darkness beyond before the incident, after which something dark had emerged and he blacked out. He took them to the room so that they could take a look at the closet, and this is where things get even stranger still. The witness says:
“We all went to my room then my dad opened my closet door and we saw this figure of a man standing inside my closet as if it was asleep, its arms were on his chest and he was all black, with long finger nails and he had wings. The weird thing about all this is that a few day later I saw it in my room. I was watching TV in the living room. We had the hall light on so that way it could reflect light into my room, but that night the light only reflected half way. I saw a dark shadow standing in the middle of my room, then he took his hand out and started moving his index finger asking me to come to him with his reddish yellow eyes. I was so scared that I couldn’t move at all. I was screaming for my parents but they couldn’t hear me at all, how could this be they were ten feet away from me? Anyway when I turned my head back to see him he was already next to me. All he did to me was he had lifted me up and he kissed my forehead and my neck, then he left, just like that. We never say IT again, but sometimes when I’m in the dark I feel like someone is there with me.”
It is interesting that the whole family seems to have witnessed it, so it seems beyond just a hallucination or overactive imagination. On the site "Phantoms and Monsters," there is another account from 2009 of some sort of menacing beast in a closet. The witness claims that he woke up one night suddenly at around 3 AM, and found that he was covered in sweat and overcome with an inexplicable cold fear that was overwhelming in its intensity, although his brother was still sleeping soundly. There also seemed to be a heavy sense of someone there looming near the bedroom’s rather large walk-in closet, and the witness would say of what happened next:
“I looked around in my room hoping to see my mom watching over us from the door way of the closet (I don't know why I thought it would be her but I did). Since our nightlight was on I could see things pretty clearly. I looked to my left to see a tall figure in our closet, it had an oval like head with small eyes and appendages hanging from it's face almost like a scruffy beard but it made more sense that it would be some type of structure. It looked over the both of us up and down. At first I thought it was my mind playing tricks on me, since I could be very imaginative but what snapped me out of this is when it pushed some of the clothes hangers out the way and the fact that the window was open. It's skin looked rough and pasty almost like it was in a sauna for two years. It caught a whiff of me being awake and almost immediately I lost consciousness and control over my body. All accounts that were had from that night had not been fully remembered the following morning. Besides the fact that my sheets were in my closet instead of on my bed.”
Again, we are left here with a case that seems to be so bonkers that it is beyond an easy explanation. Just what was this thing and why would it be in that closet? Was the closet acting as some sort of a doorway to another realm? Who knows? Outdoing even these outlandish encounters is another one reported on Phantoms and Monsters, this time by a witness who had just about the strangest thing you could imagine come out of his closet when he was a boy, in around the year 1980. The witness, who claims he is now a paranormal researcher, says that when he was very young, he had been trying to get to sleep in the room he shared with his brother, and again, this was a room with a big walk-in closet. As he was lying there, the closet door began to open by itself, and the witness claims:
“One night as I was trying to get to sleep (my brother was already asleep), the door opened and I know this sounds crazy, but out came Big Bird (of the children’s show Sesame Street). I remember being frightened at first, but others came out too and they were very friendly and led me into the closet with them. All I remember at this point is that Big Bird gave me a flavored chap stick (most likely to ease my fear because I loved chap stick), and they brought me back to my bed. I went to sleep very happy over the whole experience and was not afraid anymore. I put the chap stick under my pillow after taking a tiny nibble leaving my teeth marks just to see if it was still there in the morning. The next morning, I checked and low and behold the chap stick WAS there, JUST like I remembered, and at that moment I knew for a fact it was not a dream. If it were not for that chap stick the experience probably would not have stayed with me all these years. I tried to tell my brother, but he laughed it off, as anyone would, it sounds totally crazy. Now, after reading the other accounts of similar experiences, I am wondering if it was an abduction disguised as a friendly interaction.”
What in the world? How do we come to terms with the sheer surreality of this? The witness gives an interesting observation, in that he believes it might have been an alien abduction, with the entities taking a form that would seem nonthreatening to a child. This is a feature of some alien abduction cases, with the beings allegedly able to either shape shift or manipulate perceptions in order to take the form of whatever will best serve their purposes in the eyes of the abductee, for reasons beyond us. Is that what was going on here? How else could we explain an actual character from a children’s TV show emerging from the darkened gloom of a closet? It could have been just the imagination of a child, but the fact that the witness remembers it so vividly all of these years later is notable.
From Your Ghost Stories comes a report of just such an experience, from the U.S. state of Pennsylvania. The witness claims that as soon as she moved out of her grandmother’s house, where she had lived for some time, she began having extremely vivid dreams of a “spirit or demon” in the closet of the room in which she had stayed. She says that she had never had these menacing dreams while she had lived there, and that they had only started after she left, as well as growing steadily in intensity. She claims that the house had always been haunted, and says of what happened next:
“We just recently moved back in October. Now, I've always known this house was haunted. Everyone has. I have had so many different experiences. (For another story I assure you.) Everything seemed fine and normal. The house is old, it creeks all night long. You hear someone calling your name. For me, it is "Belle..." Nothing unusual. I walked passed the room I used to sleep in, now my uncle's room, the other day, and I instantly felt watched. Chills ran down my spine. I felt in so much danger. I quickly scurried down the stairs and forgot about it not to long after.
I would walk by all the time (it's en route to my room). Every time I walk by, the door creeks open. Even if it is shut the whole ways, it takes force to open that door. I was carrying my cat from my room to the living room with me one morning last week. As we walked passed my uncle's room, a deep, low, frightening growl came from my cat, then she hissed the meanest hiss, as she kept her eyes locked on the room (the door was wide open, nobody was inside). Recently, my mom has been feeling it too. The door opens slowly when she walks by, and she feels cold eyes watching her.”
Another report from the same site is similar in nature and just as eerie. This particular report comes from the state of Virginia, from a witness who believes an actual demon inhabited the closet of their master bedroom and would use the closet to pass back and forth between worlds. The witness claims that odd activity gravitating around the closet, including loud bangs and murmuring voices at night, was so intense that he put a crucifix up by the closet to try and keep whatever it was away. There was even an incident when he said the entity pushed over his young daughter, and it would later lash out at his wife. The witness says of his experiences with the terrifying demonic force in the closet:
“It did not take long to figure out that the presence was in a large closet area which adjoined the bathroom and faced directly towards the bed in the master bedroom. The closet area never got natural sunlight and was extremely dark at night. I could feel that something was watching. The crucifix seemed to keep it out of the room but it still stared from the closet. So I did the usual "get out, this is my house," "I command you to leave." I felt that this thing was not going anywhere, that it was not scared at all, it was not moving. Not long after that we found a picture of our children on the floor and it had been smashed in the middle of the frame like something was thrown at it. One night while watching TV my wife left for work and I saw a rather large shadow fly out of the bedroom and out towards the car as she was leaving, almost as if it was chasing her. Not long after that she suffered a stroke and a major car accident, both of which left no lasting injuries.”
Was this a demon or just a very powerful spirit? Was it, like other cases we have looked at here, using the closet as some sort of portal between dimensions? In another account from the site Queenies Paranormal Playhouse, there is a report from 2005 from a frightened single mother who had just moved into a duplex in the United States with her young son and niece. Almost immediately, on the very first night, they began experiencing paranormal phenomena, such as the bedroom door opening on its own and the children complaining that “something” had touched their legs as they slept. The witness explains:
“The second night of our stay, my son and I were lying down shootin' the breeze in my room. The bedroom door that was cracked half way open had closed, then re-opened. This happened a couple of times, until we finally worked up the nerve to get up and turn on the light. The next night, my son blacked out after having (what seemed to be) a nervous break down about the ghost living in his room and closet. Now, the thing about it, is my son is a big 15 year old, and he does not scare easily! After 20 minutes, he went back to his normal self and cannot remember the incident.That same night, he went to sleep with me, and I woke up to something pulling back and forth on the door knob of my closet. I screamed, but my son never woke up!
Relatives have said that this place gives them bad vibes, and that sometimes, they can hear people talking. Now it is day 28, and last night, my young nephew and I were sleeping, when suddenly, he woke up screaming. He had jumped off the bed, and the bedroom closet swung open in front of him! But this morning, he can only remember standing in front of the open closet... hearing the high pitched scream of a female. I talked to the people who lived in this duplex before me, and they also lived with this ghost. Even after saying prayers and using holy water, the ghost will not leave! I'm a single mother and it took my savings to move into this place. Unfortunately, it seems we're stuck here for a long time...but this ghost is going to drive us insane!”
The United States is not the only place where such encounters have allegedly occurred, and a scary report on Phantoms and Monsters comes to us from Newfoundland, where the witness claims he lived in the late 1960s at an apartment along a place called Blackmarsh Road. He says that he was 9 or 10 years old at the time, and that he had been living there with his mother, grandparents, and three sisters at the time, and that the road had been rather well known in the area as a place pervaded by ghostly phenomena. He says that although he never actually saw anything ghostly, he sure did hear it, and it seemed to originate from a coat closet in the living room. He says:
“Sometimes, due to limited space, I slept on the sofa in the living room. In the living room was a small stove and coat closet. I remember the chimney ran next to the closet. I remember so vividly being woken up between 3-4 a.m. every morning to the sounds of a group of people conversing in the closet. To the best of my knowledge, there were six or seven people. I could not pick out what they were saying, though at the moment I could hear them very clearly. This went on until we moved. I told my mother about this at the time it was happening but, of course, it was dismissed as a child's imagination until many years later.”
He says that after he had moved away and grown up, he heard that his grandmother had also had weird experiences with the voices from the closet, and that she had finally managed to banish them by reciting the Lord’s Prayer aloud. What are we to make of reports such as this? Are these just tall tales or something more? Are these just delusions or the effects of sleep paralysis? Are they aliens, ghosts, demons, or something else? Are these really portals allowing these things to pass through some thin spot between realities? If so, it seems that portals like this can pop up in the most unexpected of places, and it might be something to think about at night when your closet is open just a crack
Strange Portals Spontaneously Appearing in the Home
One outlandish feature of the world of the paranormal is the idea of portals popping up in various places. These portals are said to lead to other locations or nowhere at all, and sometimes are even said to act as doorways to other worlds that sometimes allow things from the other side to come in. Portals seem like something one would be more likely to find out in the wilderness or remote areas, but it seems that sometimes these phenomena can happen right in the safety of our own homes.
One strange report comes from Reddit user “GilgameshvsHumbaba,” who says this happened as he was living in a small apartment several years before telling his story. One evening, he woke up to feel someone touching his head, even though no one else was there, and when he stepped whatever it was away and looked around, he saw a square or rectangular "hole" in the air. Out of this hole shone a light, and there was a man's arm and hand protruding from it and waving around in the air. The witness says of what happened next:
“The hole" started drifting to the right and revolving toward me and I saw two young men in some other room. One was sitting and working or typing or something, and the other guy was looking at what he was doing and looking at me and looking around at my bedroom. I sat up on one arm watching them, and then I noticed that the light from their room was lighting up my room. I could see the ironing board to the left, my bookcase to the right, the floor, ceiling, and my door, which was closed. That was when I knew was really awake, and I sat up more. I think they were talking to each other, but I don't remember hearing them. I thought about getting out of bed and grabbing my clothes and just stepping through the hole into their room, but I chickened out because I wasn't sure if I would be able to come back or not.
The "hole" started to revolve the other way until it was "sideways" to me again, and then all of a sudden it disappeared and the light was gone and it was dark again. Since I have "night blindness", it was pitch-dark to me. Finally I decided that it had just been a weird dream, so I picked up the covers and lay down and turned on my side to go back to sleep, and that's when I realized I had been sitting up the whole time, so it had to have been real.
Well. that's it. The "hole" had smooth sides and sharp corners, no glow or fog or anything. Looking back on it now, I think the two guys were panicking because they had been seen and were trying to "close the window", or however you want to say it. I've tried to tell people what happened and they just laugh at me. I know it happened!!!! Now I want to know if it happened to other people, and if anyone reported it. I'm sure the two I saw repeated their little "experiment", so there must be more witnesses somewhere.”
Pretty weird stuff, indeed. From Reddit user “FlashyConsequence111” we have a similarly odd tale that supposedly happened back in 2004. This supposedly happened as she and her husband were sitting out enjoying a quiet evening on their veranda, and the witness says;
“There was a fence about 5meters/15 feet away from us. All of a sudden the side of this big tree next to the fence started moving, there was no wind and the other trees were not moving, nor was the otherside of the tree. My husband and I thought an animal was going to come out of it. After about 1 minute a black hole appeared and a man, carrying some box or bag in both hands, came out of the hole, ran accross the fence for 3meters/9feet another hole appeared in front of him and he went through that hole and disappeared. The trees near the second hole were moving and shaking before it appeared and he ran into it and were shaking for about 30seconds after it closed. The man was white, dark short hair, wearing a black and red flannel shirt and black pants and looked like he was running from something, he was in a panic.
I was in shock and amazed. I turned to my husband, he was looking at the fence eyes wide open. I said 'Oh my God! Did you see that?!!' He turned to me and said 'What?' I said 'That man came out of a wormhole and ran along the fence and went into another wormhole!, that's why the tree was shaking!' He said 'when was the tree shaking?' 'Nothing happened, we have just been sitting here'. I was shocked! I was like 'what are you saying? You don't remember?' We had just been discussing how the tree was shaking and what animal we thought was going to come out. To clarify, we had never before or since had different recollections of what we had seen together. I have only told that story to my sister and children. This is the first time publicly, there are definitely technologies we do not know about, I believe in wormholes and portholes.”
What was going on here? Many stories of portals revolve around closets, which makes sense since there has long been the spooky lore gif things in the closet that have haunted children since time unremembered. One account comes from True Ghost Tales and concerns a witness who claims that when she was just a girl, she had been watching TV in the living room with her mother when they heard her father start frantically screaming for help from elsewhere in the house. They tracked the source of the mysterious screaming to the witnesses’ bedroom and found that the door was locked, which was odd considering it was just a plain old doorknob with no lock to begin with. They stood there struggling with the anomalously jammed doorknob while the father shrieked and shouted in terror from within. At the time, they thought he was having some sort of mental breakdown, as he was an alcoholic and had been drinking heavily earlier that night; however, when they finally forced the door open, they were to find it was something altogether more bizarre. The witness says of what they saw in that room:
“My mom struggled for a few minutes trying to open the door. Finally she managed to open the door and we saw my father up in the air like if he was hanging from something then a few seconds later fell feel down. He was so scared that he sounded sober, he told us to get away from there and he ran as far away from my room, when we saw my dad he seemed almost pale looking, he had scratches on his chest as if he got into a fight or something. My mom asked him “What happened to you”? Are you Ok? The only thing that came out of my father’s mouth was, “THE DEVIL, the devil was trying to take me away with him.” At first I thought my dad was only saying that to scare me but he was serious about it, he said that the devil wanted him and was trying to bite his neck. I thought to my self, it sounds more like a vampire than the devil to me, why would the devil want to bite his neck anyways?”
The scared family retreated to the living room, where they eventually fell asleep, and the next day the father explained that when he had been in the girl’s room he had seen the closet door open by itself and heard a man’s voice issue forth from the darkness beyond before the incident, after which something dark had emerged and he blacked out. He took them to the room so that they could take a look at the closet, and this is where things get even stranger still. The witness says:
“We all went to my room then my dad opened my closet door and we saw this figure of a man standing inside my closet as if it was asleep, its arms were on his chest and he was all black, with long finger nails and he had wings. The weird thing about all this is that a few day later I saw it in my room. I was watching TV in the living room. We had the hall light on so that way it could reflect light into my room, but that night the light only reflected half way. I saw a dark shadow standing in the middle of my room, then he took his hand out and started moving his index finger asking me to come to him with his reddish yellow eyes. I was so scared that I couldn’t move at all. I was screaming for my parents but they couldn’t hear me at all, how could this be they were ten feet away from me? Anyway when I turned my head back to see him he was already next to me. All he did to me was he had lifted me up and he kissed my forehead and my neck, then he left, just like that. We never say IT again, but sometimes when I’m in the dark I feel like someone is there with me.”
It is interesting that the whole family seems to have witnessed it, so it seems beyond just a hallucination or overactive imagination. On the site "Phantoms and Monsters," there is another account from 2009 of some sort of menacing beast in a closet. The witness claims that he woke up one night suddenly at around 3 AM, and found that he was covered in sweat and overcome with an inexplicable cold fear that was overwhelming in its intensity, although his brother was still sleeping soundly. There also seemed to be a heavy sense of someone there looming near the bedroom’s rather large walk-in closet, and the witness would say of what happened next:
“I looked around in my room hoping to see my mom watching over us from the door way of the closet (I don't know why I thought it would be her but I did). Since our nightlight was on I could see things pretty clearly. I looked to my left to see a tall figure in our closet, it had an oval like head with small eyes and appendages hanging from it's face almost like a scruffy beard but it made more sense that it would be some type of structure. It looked over the both of us up and down. At first I thought it was my mind playing tricks on me, since I could be very imaginative but what snapped me out of this is when it pushed some of the clothes hangers out the way and the fact that the window was open. It's skin looked rough and pasty almost like it was in a sauna for two years. It caught a whiff of me being awake and almost immediately I lost consciousness and control over my body. All accounts that were had from that night had not been fully remembered the following morning. Besides the fact that my sheets were in my closet instead of on my bed.”
Again, we are left here with a case that seems to be so bonkers that it is beyond an easy explanation. Just what was this thing and why would it be in that closet? Was the closet acting as some sort of a doorway to another realm? Who knows? Outdoing even these outlandish encounters is another one reported on Phantoms and Monsters, this time by a witness who had just about the strangest thing you could imagine come out of his closet when he was a boy, in around the year 1980. The witness, who claims he is now a paranormal researcher, says that when he was very young, he had been trying to get to sleep in the room he shared with his brother, and again, this was a room with a big walk-in closet. As he was lying there, the closet door began to open by itself, and the witness claims:
“One night as I was trying to get to sleep (my brother was already asleep), the door opened and I know this sounds crazy, but out came Big Bird (of the children’s show Sesame Street). I remember being frightened at first, but others came out too and they were very friendly and led me into the closet with them. All I remember at this point is that Big Bird gave me a flavored chap stick (most likely to ease my fear because I loved chap stick), and they brought me back to my bed. I went to sleep very happy over the whole experience and was not afraid anymore. I put the chap stick under my pillow after taking a tiny nibble leaving my teeth marks just to see if it was still there in the morning. The next morning, I checked and low and behold the chap stick WAS there, JUST like I remembered, and at that moment I knew for a fact it was not a dream. If it were not for that chap stick the experience probably would not have stayed with me all these years. I tried to tell my brother, but he laughed it off, as anyone would, it sounds totally crazy. Now, after reading the other accounts of similar experiences, I am wondering if it was an abduction disguised as a friendly interaction.”
What in the world? How do we come to terms with the sheer surreality of this? The witness gives an interesting observation, in that he believes it might have been an alien abduction, with the entities taking a form that would seem nonthreatening to a child. This is a feature of some alien abduction cases, with the beings allegedly able to either shape shift or manipulate perceptions in order to take the form of whatever will best serve their purposes in the eyes of the abductee, for reasons beyond us. Is that what was going on here? How else could we explain an actual character from a children’s TV show emerging from the darkened gloom of a closet? It could have been just the imagination of a child, but the fact that the witness remembers it so vividly all of these years later is notable.
From Your Ghost Stories comes a report of just such an experience, from the U.S. state of Pennsylvania. The witness claims that as soon as she moved out of her grandmother’s house, where she had lived for some time, she began having extremely vivid dreams of a “spirit or demon” in the closet of the room in which she had stayed. She says that she had never had these menacing dreams while she had lived there, and that they had only started after she left, as well as growing steadily in intensity. She claims that the house had always been haunted, and says of what happened next:
“We just recently moved back in October. Now, I've always known this house was haunted. Everyone has. I have had so many different experiences. (For another story I assure you.) Everything seemed fine and normal. The house is old, it creeks all night long. You hear someone calling your name. For me, it is "Belle..." Nothing unusual. I walked passed the room I used to sleep in, now my uncle's room, the other day, and I instantly felt watched. Chills ran down my spine. I felt in so much danger. I quickly scurried down the stairs and forgot about it not to long after.
I would walk by all the time (it's en route to my room). Every time I walk by, the door creeks open. Even if it is shut the whole ways, it takes force to open that door. I was carrying my cat from my room to the living room with me one morning last week. As we walked passed my uncle's room, a deep, low, frightening growl came from my cat, then she hissed the meanest hiss, as she kept her eyes locked on the room (the door was wide open, nobody was inside). Recently, my mom has been feeling it too. The door opens slowly when she walks by, and she feels cold eyes watching her.”
Another report from the same site is similar in nature and just as eerie. This particular report comes from the state of Virginia, from a witness who believes an actual demon inhabited the closet of their master bedroom and would use the closet to pass back and forth between worlds. The witness claims that odd activity gravitating around the closet, including loud bangs and murmuring voices at night, was so intense that he put a crucifix up by the closet to try and keep whatever it was away. There was even an incident when he said the entity pushed over his young daughter, and it would later lash out at his wife. The witness says of his experiences with the terrifying demonic force in the closet:
“It did not take long to figure out that the presence was in a large closet area which adjoined the bathroom and faced directly towards the bed in the master bedroom. The closet area never got natural sunlight and was extremely dark at night. I could feel that something was watching. The crucifix seemed to keep it out of the room but it still stared from the closet. So I did the usual "get out, this is my house," "I command you to leave." I felt that this thing was not going anywhere, that it was not scared at all, it was not moving. Not long after that we found a picture of our children on the floor and it had been smashed in the middle of the frame like something was thrown at it. One night while watching TV my wife left for work and I saw a rather large shadow fly out of the bedroom and out towards the car as she was leaving, almost as if it was chasing her. Not long after that she suffered a stroke and a major car accident, both of which left no lasting injuries.”
Was this a demon or just a very powerful spirit? Was it, like other cases we have looked at here, using the closet as some sort of portal between dimensions? In another account from the site Queenies Paranormal Playhouse, there is a report from 2005 from a frightened single mother who had just moved into a duplex in the United States with her young son and niece. Almost immediately, on the very first night, they began experiencing paranormal phenomena, such as the bedroom door opening on its own and the children complaining that “something” had touched their legs as they slept. The witness explains:
“The second night of our stay, my son and I were lying down shootin' the breeze in my room. The bedroom door that was cracked half way open had closed, then re-opened. This happened a couple of times, until we finally worked up the nerve to get up and turn on the light. The next night, my son blacked out after having (what seemed to be) a nervous break down about the ghost living in his room and closet. Now, the thing about it, is my son is a big 15 year old, and he does not scare easily! After 20 minutes, he went back to his normal self and cannot remember the incident.That same night, he went to sleep with me, and I woke up to something pulling back and forth on the door knob of my closet. I screamed, but my son never woke up!
Relatives have said that this place gives them bad vibes, and that sometimes, they can hear people talking. Now it is day 28, and last night, my young nephew and I were sleeping, when suddenly, he woke up screaming. He had jumped off the bed, and the bedroom closet swung open in front of him! But this morning, he can only remember standing in front of the open closet... hearing the high pitched scream of a female. I talked to the people who lived in this duplex before me, and they also lived with this ghost. Even after saying prayers and using holy water, the ghost will not leave! I'm a single mother and it took my savings to move into this place. Unfortunately, it seems we're stuck here for a long time...but this ghost is going to drive us insane!”
The United States is not the only place where such encounters have allegedly occurred, and a scary report on Phantoms and Monsters comes to us from Newfoundland, where the witness claims he lived in the late 1960s at an apartment along a place called Blackmarsh Road. He says that he was 9 or 10 years old at the time, and that he had been living there with his mother, grandparents, and three sisters at the time, and that the road had been rather well known in the area as a place pervaded by ghostly phenomena. He says that although he never actually saw anything ghostly, he sure did hear it, and it seemed to originate from a coat closet in the living room. He says:
“Sometimes, due to limited space, I slept on the sofa in the living room. In the living room was a small stove and coat closet. I remember the chimney ran next to the closet. I remember so vividly being woken up between 3-4 a.m. every morning to the sounds of a group of people conversing in the closet. To the best of my knowledge, there were six or seven people. I could not pick out what they were saying, though at the moment I could hear them very clearly. This went on until we moved. I told my mother about this at the time it was happening but, of course, it was dismissed as a child's imagination until many years later.”
He says that after he had moved away and grown up, he heard that his grandmother had also had weird experiences with the voices from the closet, and that she had finally managed to banish them by reciting the Lord’s Prayer aloud. What are we to make of reports such as this? Are these just tall tales or something more? Are these just delusions or the effects of sleep paralysis? Are they aliens, ghosts, demons, or something else? Are these really portals allowing these things to pass through some thin spot between realities? If so, it seems that portals like this can pop up in the most unexpected of places, and it might be something to think about at night when your closet is open just a crack
Spielberg’s Disclosure: Is a Real Alien Craft Hidden in His Next Movie?
Spielberg’s Disclosure: Is a Real Alien Craft Hidden in His Next Movie?
For decades, Steven Spielberg has been at the forefront of bringing extraterrestrial stories to the big screen. From Close Encounters of the Third Kind to E.T., his films have shaped the way generations perceive alien life. But what if Spielberg’s contribution goes beyond fiction?
A growing theory suggests Spielberg has been a key player in a “soft disclosure” plan—an orchestrated effort to gradually reveal humanity’s contact with non-human intelligences (NHI). Proponents believe Spielberg’s upcoming film, tentatively titled The Dish and reportedly renamed Disclosure, could feature something unprecedented: an actual alien craft hidden in plain sight.
This theory hinges on several key points:
Spielberg’s consistent portrayal of aliens as mostly benevolent beings, conditioning audiences for acceptance.
His reluctance in interviews to discuss UFOs, possibly due to non-disclosure agreements.
The possibility that governments or NHI themselves are using popular culture to prepare humanity for a reality-shattering revelation.
Supporters argue this approach makes sense. Why risk mass panic when you can weave the truth into cinema, letting people digest it while munching popcorn? Even politicians like Anna Paulina Luna have cryptically retweeted posts about Spielberg’s new project, hinting that “things are about to get interesting.”
The theory also draws parallels to accounts from whistleblowers like Dan Burisch and stories from Skinwalker Ranch, where psychological manipulation and consciousness-altering effects are frequently reported. If NHIs can induce overwhelming feelings of peace or fear through neurochemical manipulation, as some claim, could they also influence media narratives on a global scale?
Skeptics counter that it’s all just smart marketing, with “Disclosure” being nothing more than another blockbuster. But for believers, this convergence of Hollywood, politics, and UFO lore signals that the truth has always been hiding in plain sight.
Will 2026 be the year Spielberg gives us more than just a movie—will he deliver the ultimate revelation?
Is it possible to piece together an “alien abduction process” or typical timeline?
The Alien Abduction Process – A General Overview
Introduction
The phenomenon of alien abduction has fascinated humanity for decades, capturing the imagination through reports of individuals claiming to have been taken against their will by extraterrestrial beings. Despite widespread media portrayal and anecdotal accounts, scientific inquiry into alien abductions remains limited, often due to the lack of empirical evidence and the controversial nature of the subject. This overview aims to synthesize current understanding of the alien abduction process, examining psychological theories, cultural influences, and phenomenological reports to provide a comprehensive picture of this complex phenomenon.
Historical Context and Prevalence
Reports of alien abduction began gaining prominence in the mid-20th century, with the 1961 Betty and Barney Hill case often cited as the first widely publicized abduction narrative. Since then, thousands of such reports have emerged globally, predominantly in Western countries. Surveys suggest that approximately 4-5% of the population in some regions claim to have experienced abduction-related phenomena, indicating that while rare, the phenomenon is not isolated.
The typical abduction narrative involves a person being taken from their environment—often their home or vehicle—by humanoid beings, sometimes during sleep or in secluded settings. The abduction process is usually described as involving a sequence of events, including being rendered unconscious, undergoing examinations or procedures, and later experiencing memory loss or retrieval of memories through various methods.
The Typical Abduction Narrative
The standard abduction story generally involves a sequence of events that unfold during a perceived encounter with extraterrestrial beings. The process often begins with the individual experiencing a sudden awakening, often during sleep, followed by a period of unconsciousness or altered state. The person then reports being taken aboard a spacecraft, where they undergo examinations—often involving the collection of biological samples or medical procedures—by humanoid entities. These beings are frequently described as 'greys'—tall, with large, black eyes, small noses, and little or no visible mouth. Afterwards, the individual typically experiences a sense of confusion, fear, or awe, with some reporting missing time or partial amnesia about the event.
Memory retrieval, often facilitated through hypnosis or spontaneous recall, plays a significant role in shaping these narratives. Some abductees report vivid, detailed memories, while others have only vague recollections or rely on dreams and subconscious impressions. The phenomena often include sensory and emotional components—visual impressions, tactile sensations, feelings of paralysis, and intense emotional responses—adding to the perception of reality for the experiencer.
Most alien abductees are alone when they are abducted
Psychological Perspectives
Understanding the alien abduction process from a psychological standpoint has been a primary focus for researchers. Several theories attempt to explain these experiences, with dissociative states, sleep paralysis, and false memories being central.
Sleep Paralysis and Hypnagogic/Hypnopompic Hallucinations
One widely accepted explanation is that many abduction reports are linked to sleep paralysis—a phenomenon characterized by an inability to move while falling asleep or waking. During sleep paralysis episodes, individuals often experience vivid hallucinations, feelings of a menacing presence, and sensations of being levitated or touched. These hallucinations are often terrifying and can include visual and auditory components, which are easily interpreted as alien beings, especially if the individual is predisposed to such interpretations.
Sleep paralysis is a well-documented phenomenon with physiological underpinnings involving REM sleep atonia—a natural paralysis that prevents acting out dreams—persisting into wakefulness. Cultural influences shape the content of hallucinations; for example, in Western societies, these hallucinations often take the form of alien entities, whereas in other cultures, they may appear as spirits or supernatural beings. This suggests that the abduction narrative may be, at least in part, a cultural construct shaped by individual neurophysiology and societal expectations.
Many researchers posit that sleep paralysis—a phenomenon where an individual, upon falling asleep or awakening, experiences an inability to move accompanied by vivid hallucinations—can account for many abduction reports. During these episodes, individuals often report seeing shadowy figures, feeling a presence, or experiencing sensations of being levitated, which can be interpreted as alien beings.
Dissociative Identity and False Memory Theories
Some scholars suggest that abduction narratives are constructed through a combination of dissociative mechanisms and suggestibility. Traumatic memories or stress may be repressed and later recovered through hypnotic regression, which is often used by self-proclaimed abductees and investigators alike. Critics argue that hypnotic regression can lead to the creation of false memories, influenced by suggestion, cultural expectations, and media exposure. Another influential theory involves dissociative states and suggestibility. Hypnotic regression—a technique used by some researchers and individuals—aims to recover repressed memories, but it is fraught with controversy. Critics argue that hypnosis can create false memories through suggestive suggestion, confabulation, and the influence of the hypnotist’s expectations. As a result, some individuals may develop detailed abduction memories that are notbased on actual events but are instead constructed through suggestibility and imagination.
Dissociative states, characterized by a disconnection from reality or oneself, can increase susceptibility to false memories, especially when individuals are highly suggestible or under hypnosis. These states can lead to the creation of vivid but inaccurate recollections, such as memories of alien abductions or traumatic events that never occurred. The controversy surrounding hypnotic regression stems from the difficulty in distinguishing genuine memories from those artificially implanted. Critics warn that such techniques can inadvertently produce false memories, which may have serious psychological and legal consequences. The interplay between dissociative states and suggestibility highlights the complexity of memory formation and the importance of rigorous verification in cases involving recovered memories. Overall, understanding these processes is crucial for clinicians, researchers, and individuals seeking to uncover past experiences.
Psychopathology and Personality Factors
Certain personality traits, such as high suggestibility, fantasy proneness, or dissociative tendencies, have been associated with abduction reports. This suggests that individual psychological profiles may predispose some persons to interpret ambiguous experiences as alien encounters.
Psychopathology and personality factors play a significant role in abduction reports. Individuals with high suggestibility are more likely to interpret ambiguous or unexplained experiences as alien encounters due to their increased responsiveness to external influences and authority figures. Similarly, those with fantasy proneness tend to have vivid imaginations and may more easily construct elaborate scenarios, including alien abductions, as a way to make sense of confusing or distressing events. Dissociative tendencies, which involve a sense of disconnection from reality, can also contribute, allowing individuals to experience and recall events that feel real but are rooted in their psychological state.
These traits may predispose certain individuals to misinterpret sleep paralysis, hallucinations, or other psychological phenomena as alien abductions. Recognizing these personality and psychopathological factors is crucial for understanding why some people report abductions despite lacking any objective evidence, highlighting the importance of psychological context in such reports.
Cultural and Sociological Influences
Cultural context plays a significant role in shaping the content and interpretation of abduction stories. The way individuals perceive and narrate their experiences is deeply embedded within their cultural environment, which provides a framework for understanding unusual or extraordinary events. This influence is evident in various aspects, including media representations, societal beliefs, and shared narratives that circulate within communities.
Media and Popular Culture Media portrayals of extraterrestrials have a profound impact on how people conceptualize alien encounters. Films, television shows, and literature often depict aliens as humanoid beings with advanced technology, frequently engaging in medical examinations, experiments, or abduction scenarios. Classic movies like "Close Encounters of the Third Kind" or "Fire in the Sky" and popular TV series such as "The X-Files" have cemented certain archetypes and expectations about what alien encounters entail. These portrayals serve as mental templates that individuals may unconsciously adopt when recounting their experiences, leading to a tendency to interpret ambiguous sensations or events as abductions. The media's influence can thus shape the narrative structure, language, and imagery associated with these encounters, reinforcing certain themes and motifs that become part of the collective consciousness.
Cultural Beliefs and Expectations Different societies possess diverse beliefs about supernatural entities, spirits, or extraterrestrial life, which influence how individuals interpret extraordinary experiences. In Western cultures, abduction stories are often framed within a scientific or extraterrestrial paradigm, emphasizing advanced technology, extraterrestrial beings, and alien agendas. Conversely, in other cultural contexts, similar phenomena may be interpreted through spiritual or religious frameworks, considering encounters as spiritual visits, ancestral messages, or supernatural interventions. For example, some indigenous communities may interpret sightings or sensations as interactions with spirits or ancestors rather than aliens. These cultural lenses shape not only the interpretation but also the language used to describe such experiences, affecting their social acceptance and the personal meaning attributed to them.
In conclusion, cultural and sociological factors significantly influence both the content and perception of abduction stories. Media portrayals provide archetypes that individuals may adopt, while cultural beliefs and societal expectations guide the interpretative frameworks through which these extraordinary experiences are understood. Recognizing these influences is crucial for understanding the diversity and complexity of abduction narratives worldwide.
Phenomenological Aspects of Abduction Experiences
Despite the lack of empirical evidence, numerous abductees consistently report certain phenomenological features that characterize their experiences. These features appear across different cases and cultural contexts, indicating potential commonalities in the subjective experience of abduction. Understanding these aspects can shed light on the psychological and perceptual processes involved, regardless of the objective reality of these events.
Sensory Perception:
One of the most prominent features is visual perception. Many abductees describe seeing beings that are often tall, grey humanoids, commonly referred to as "Greys," with large, almond-shaped black eyes. These visual encounters are typically vivid and detailed, creating a strong impression of reality. Some individuals also report auditory sensations, such as hearing strange noises or voices, which further reinforce their perception of a real event. The visual and auditory components often form a seamless, immersive experience for the individual.
Physical Sensations:
During abduction episodes, individuals frequently experience intense physical sensations. Common reports include feelings of paralysis, as if their body is immobilized or "frozen." This paralysis often occurs just before or during the encounter, which may serve to prevent physical resistance. Additionally, some report heightened sensations, such as tingling, warmth, or pressure, especially around the head or limbs. Many also describe undergoing bodily examinations, with sensations of probing, injections, or the insertion of objects, which are often perceived as invasive and intrusive.
Emotional Responses:
The emotional reactions to abduction experiences are diverse but tend to be intense. Fear is the most common response, often accompanied by feelings of helplessness or panic. Some individuals also report awe or wonder, especially when they perceive the beings as benign or advanced. Confusion is another prevalent emotion, as abductees struggle to interpret what is happening to them. In some cases, paralysis and fear combine to produce feelings of helplessness, while in others, a sense of curiosity or fascination persists.
Memory and Recall:
Many abductees experience partial or complete amnesia regarding their encounters. Some recall only fleeting impressions or sensations, while others remember detailed procedures, conversations, or interactions with the beings. The nature of memory varies, with some individuals experiencing vivid, crystal-clear recollections and others having vague or fragmented memories. In some cases, recall is facilitated through hypnosis or guided imagery, revealing intricate details of their experiences.
These consistent phenomenological features suggest that, irrespective of the objective reality of abduction phenomena, the experiences are profoundly real and impactful for those who undergo them. They highlight the complex interplay between perception, emotion, and memory, emphasizing the need for further research into the subjective aspects of these extraordinary encounters.
Invasive Procedures And (Occasionally) Tracking Devices
Almost all alien abductions encounters – although there are most certainly breaks from the norm – involve a medical examination of one kind or another. Many of these examinations are seemingly carried out while the abductee is generally in a state of confusion. And possibly under some kind of drug to cause docility. Generally speaking, abductees only remember parts of these procedures.
Of course, given the undoubtedly terrifying nature of such an ordeal, it could very well be the case that abductees’ minds have simply chosen to block out the encounter for the sanity of the abductee.
Many abductees have found what appear to be tracking devices in their bodies
Quite often these bizarre medical procedures involve the insertion of implants into the bodies of the abductee. This is a truly mysterious and disturbingly invasive part of the alien abduction phenomena. Just what might the reason be for these implants? Are they, as some researchers suggest, a way for these alien visitors to keep track of the people they abduct? If this was the case, that would suggest that repeat abductions were taking place.
Although they are less typical, some of these abduction events have a sexual nature to the experiments, although the vast majority of these sexual encounters revolve around biological reproduction as opposed to lust.
However, many, although not all, alien abduction encounters tend to progress from the terrifying ordeals of physical examinations they quickly turn to apparent disclosures of information eons beyond our current (known) capabilities.
Theoretical Models of the Abduction Process
Several models attempt to conceptualize the abduction process as a sequence of psychological and phenomenological events:
The Hypnotic Regression Model This model suggests that abduction memories are retrieved through hypnosis, which can be suggestive and create false memories. Critics argue that this method lacks scientific reliability, and memories obtained under hypnosis should be interpreted with caution. Hypnotic regression tends to enhance the vividness and emotional intensity of these memories, but it does not necessarily guarantee their accuracy or authenticity. The model implies that abduction experiences may be reconstructed or fabricated during hypnotic sessions, raising concerns about the reliability of such recollections.
The Sleep-Related Model This model emphasizes sleep phenomena, such as sleep paralysis and hypnagogic hallucinations, as primary mechanisms underlying abduction experiences. Sleep paralysis occurs when individuals are caught between wakefulness and REM sleep, often accompanied by frightening hallucinations and a feeling of being immobilized. Hypnagogic hallucinations are vivid, dream-like experiences that occur at the onset of sleep and can include visual, auditory, or tactile sensations. Proponents of this model argue that many abduction reports can be explained as misinterpretations of these naturally occurring sleep phenomena, which are often accompanied by a sense of a "presence" or other supernatural elements. This explanation underscores the role of physiological sleep processes in shaping the subjective experience of abduction.
The Cognitive-Perceptual Model This model posits that abduction experiences are the result of normal cognitive processes, such as imagination, fantasy, and suggestibility. It suggests that individuals susceptible to hallucinations or with vivid imaginations might interpret ambiguous stimuli or internal thoughts as extraterrestrial encounters. Factors like stress, trauma, or cultural influences can increase suggestibility and the likelihood of experiencing such phenomena as abductions. This model emphasizes the importance of psychological predispositions and cognitive biases in the formation of abduction narratives.
The Sociocultural Model This framework highlights the influence of cultural narratives, media, and societal beliefs in shaping abduction reports. It suggests that individuals may interpret ambiguous experiences through the lens of prevailing cultural themes—such as alien abductions popularized by media and literature. This model argues that societal expectations and shared narratives can influence what people report and how they interpret their experiences, often reinforcing collective beliefs about extraterrestrial encounters.
Neurobiological Models Neurobiological explanations focus on brain function anomalies. The temporal lobes, particularly the limbic system, are often implicated in these experiences. Temporal lobe epilepsy, for instance, can produce experiences of déjà vu, hallucinations, and out-of-body sensations, which resemble abduction narratives. The work of Persinger (1987) on electromagnetic phenomena suggests that abnormal brain activity or external electromagnetic influences might induce perceptual distortions or hallucinations interpreted as alien encounters. These models suggest that physiological factors can produce vivid sensory experiences that are later interpreted within cultural or personal frameworks.
In summary, these models collectively illustrate that abduction experiences are complex phenomena potentially rooted in a mixture of psychological, physiological, and cultural factors. Understanding these models helps in comprehending the diverse explanations for abduction reports and highlights the importance of a multidisciplinary approach in studying such phenomena.
Integrative Perspectives and Current Research
While these models offer valuable insights, many researchers advocate for an integrative approach that considers multiple factors simultaneously. For example, a person predisposed to suggestibility (psychological trait) might experience neurological phenomena (brain activity anomalies) influenced by cultural expectations, resulting in a vivid abduction narrative. This holistic perspective recognizes the complex interplay of biological, psychological, and social elements.
Recent advances in neuroimaging have enabled researchers to examine brain activity during reported abduction experiences. For instance, studies utilizing functional MRI (fMRI) have shown that regions such as the temporoparietal junction and limbic system are active during hallucination-like states. Such findings support neurobiological models but also acknowledge the influence of personal and cultural factors.
Additionally, psychotherapeutic approaches, such as cognitive-behavioral therapy (CBT), have been employed to help individuals contextualize and understand their experiences, often reducing distress even if the phenomena themselves are not fully explained. This has contributed to a more nuanced understanding that abduction experiences may be meaningful psychological events rather than literal extraterrestrial encounters.
Connections To Myths Of The Past And A Whole World Of Possibilities
Many of us most likely view alien abductions as something that “started” after the Roswell incident in 1947. However, the fact is there are many, albeit open to interpretation, encounters on record. These show up in newspaper accounts going back to the beginning of the press and in records of communities. As well as littered throughout ancient and, at times, religious writings.
Even some of the Biblical writings and myths appear to, on occasion, speak of such incidents. Several of which we have examined before.
Of course, at the bottom of these bizarre abductions are the two questions that no researcher has been able to exclusively isolate and settle. Who exactly is carrying out these bizarre attacks, and why? And from those two basic questions comes a landslide of sub-questions, theories, and claims. All of which require intense, exhaustive and comparative research and study against the plethora of cases from around the world.
It would appear that such a task is beyond the capabilities of one individual researcher. Or even one team of them. A universal, organized, and serious approach, with lack of ego and agenda, is required. Even then, this will only begin to get to the bottom of the bizarre encounters. Such encounters experienced by so many people all over the planet. Experiences that have seemingly taken place in one form or another for as long as humans have lived on Earth.
Check out the video below. It looks at the alien abduction phenomena in more detail.
Implications for Understanding Alien Abductions
The diversity of models underscores the multifaceted nature of abduction phenomena. Recognizing that these experiences may be shaped by a combination of neurological vulnerabilities, suggestibility, cultural influences, and personal trauma encourages a compassionate and scientific approach. It also emphasizes the importance of avoiding dismissive attitudes toward experiencers while striving for explanations rooted in empirical research.
Furthermore, understanding the processes behind abduction reports can inform clinical practices, aiding mental health professionals in providing appropriate support. It also highlights the need for continued interdisciplinary research, integrating psychology, neuroscience, anthropology, and cultural studies to deepen our comprehension.
Conclusion
In summary, alien abduction experiences are complex phenomena that defy simple explanations. Theoretical models—ranging from cognitive-behavioral and neurobiological to sociocultural—offer valuable frameworks for understanding their origins. An integrative approach recognizes the interplay of individual predispositions, brain functioning, and cultural context in shaping these extraordinary experiences.
While definitive proof of extraterrestrial involvement remains elusive, scientific inquiry into abductions enhances our understanding of the human mind and its capacity for perception, memory, and belief. These insights not only shed light on a fascinating aspect of contemporary folklore but also contribute to broader knowledge about human cognition and the influence of culture on percept
FINAL REMARKS
The study of alien abductions exemplifies how modern psychology and neuroscience can investigate phenomena traditionally considered paranormal or unexplained. Several models have been proposed to understand these experiences.
The sleep paralysis modelsuggests that abduction reports are linked to episodes of REM sleep paralysis, where individuals experience hallucinations and a sense of presence.
The fantasy-prone personality modelposits that some individuals are more susceptible to vivid imaginations and fantasies, which can be misinterpreted as real encounters.
The trauma and dissociation modelargues that abduction memories may serve as coping mechanisms for trauma, with dissociative processes creating false memories.
Additionally, the cultural and social influence modelemphasizes the role of societal beliefs and media exposure in shaping abduction narratives.
The Neurobiological modelsexplore brain activity patterns, such as heightened activity in the temporal lobes, associated with mystical experiences.
Integrating these models offers a comprehensive understanding of alien abduction phenomena, highlighting the complex interplay between neural, psychological, and cultural factors. Continued interdisciplinary research is essential to deepen our understanding of these captivating experiences.
Expert Opinion
Claims about an established sequence in alien abduction accounts revolve around consistent hallmarks: solitary victims, sudden paralysis, bizarre beams of “solid light,” invasive procedures, and possible implanted devices. Although anecdotes across decades reflect these recurring elements, the notion that multiple extraterrestrial species silently gather test subjects remains unverified. Investigators like the late John Mack suggest these experiences often feature vague but recognizable patterns. Though many abductees report detailed knowledge of exotic drives, cosmic warnings about Earth’s environmental future, or searing recollections of otherworldly technology, skeptics attribute such stories to faulty memory, misinterpretation of natural phenomena, or psychological triggers. Others maintain that advanced life-forms may indeed share crucial information through these surreal interactions, leaving the truth overshadowed by lacking physical proof.
{ PETER2011 }
16-07-2025 om 16:58
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 )
15-07-2025
DE GESCHIEDENIS VAN UFOS EN UAPS DOOR DE LOOP DE EEUWEN HEEN
DE GESCHIEDENIS VAN UFOS EN UAPS DOOR DE LOOP DE EEUWEN HEEN
Abstract De geschiedenis van UFO's en UAPs weerspiegelt een fascinerende evolutie van menselijke perceptie en wetenschap. Van oude tijden tot heden variëren waarnemingen van mysterieuze objecten en verschijnselen, vaak met uiteenlopende verklaringen. In dit rapport wordt een overzicht gegeven van de historische ontwikkeling, waarnemingen en wetenschappelijke benaderingen, inclusief officiële instanties en onderzoeksinitiatieven. Het complexe fenomeen blijft actueel, met nieuwe technologieën en ontdekkingen die de zoektochten naar antwoorden stimuleren. De toekomst van de studie belooft verdere inzichten, terwijl het fenomeen een blijvende bron van verwondering en onderzoek is.
1. Inleiding De waarneming van vreemde objecten in de lucht fascineert de mensheid al eeuwenlang. Van oude legendes en mythes tot moderne rapporten en wetenschappelijke onderzoeken, UFO's en UAPs blijven een intrigerend onderwerp dat vragen oproept over buitenaards leven, technologische geheimen en menselijke perceptie.
In dit rapport wordt de ontwikkeling van het UFO-fenomeen door de geschiedenis heen onderzocht. We kijken naar belangrijke gebeurtenissen, zoals legendarische waarnemingen, en officiële onderzoeksinitiatieven zoals Project Blue Book. Daarnaast wordt de rol van overheidsinstanties en de variatie in waargenomen objecten besproken, inclusief de complexiteit en de verschillende vormen die deze objecten aannemen. Wetenschappelijke perspectieven worden meegenomen om te begrijpen of deze waarnemingen verklaard kunnen worden binnen de huidige kennis van fysica en technologie.
Het rapport beoogt een breed inzicht te geven in de evolutie van het UFO-fenomeen en de hedendaagse betekenis ervan. Door de combinatie van historische, wetenschappelijke en overheidsgebonden informatie wordt duidelijk dat UFO's en UAPs nog altijd een actueel en complex onderwerp zijn, dat vragen blijft oproepen over onze plaats in het universum en de grenzen van menselijke kennis.
2. UFO's in het Verleden, Middeleeuwen en Vroeger
Historisch bewijs toont aan dat vreemde luchtverschijnselen al in oude beschavingen werden vastgelegd. Over de hele wereld, van de oudheid tot de middeleeuwen, worden rapporten en tekeningen gevonden die wijzen op mysterieuze objecten en lichtverschijnselen in de lucht. Deze waarnemingen werden vaak geïnterpreteerd als bovennatuurlijke of goddelijke tekens, wat aangeeft dat mensen altijd gefascineerd zijn geweest door het onverklaarbare fenomeen van vliegende objecten.
In oude beschavingen zoals die van de Sumeriërs, Egyptenaren en Maya's, worden verhalen en afbeeldingen gevonden die mogelijk verwijzen naar vliegende objecten. Bijvoorbeeld, in sommige Egyptische rotstekeningen uit ongeveer 1500 v.Chr. worden objecten afgebeeld die lijken op schepen of glanzende bollen, hoewel het moeilijk is om definitief te zeggen of dit daadwerkelijk UFO's waren of symbolische kunst. Een ander voorbeeld is de Maya-codex, waarin mogelijk referenties staan naar hemelse verschijnselen die lijken op vliegende lichten of schepen.
In de Middeleeuwen werden vreemde luchtverschijnselen vaak beschreven als tekenen van de hemel of goddelijke interventie. Bijvoorbeeld, tijdens de Middeleeuwen waren er diverse rapporten over 'vreemde lichten' en 'luchtgevolgen'. Een bekend voorbeeld is de "Lichtbollen" die in de Middeleeuwen werden waargenomen en vaak gekoppeld werden aan religieuze of bovennatuurlijke interpretaties. Sommige waarnemingen werden zelfs als voortekenen beschouwd van belangrijke gebeurtenissen, zoals oorlog of de dood van een vorst.
Een specifiek geval uit de middeleeuwen is de zogenaamde "Lichtbollen van Nuremberg" uit 1561, waarbij inwoners meldingen deden van grote rijen van vliegende objecten en lichten die door de hemel bewogen. De tekeningen en rapporten geven een indrukwekkend beeld van de waarnemingen en laten zien dat men toen al probeerde te begrijpen wat deze verschijnselen betekenden, zij het vaak met een bovennatuurlijk of religieus kader.
Ook in prehistorische tijden vinden we bewijs dat wijst op de menselijke fascinatie voor vliegende verschijnselen. In grotschilderingen uit bijvoorbeeld Frankrijk en Spanje worden vaak vormen afgebeeld die lijken op vliegende objecten of lichtgevende bollen. Sommige archeologen interpreteren deze als bewijzen van vroege UFO-waarnemingen of mythologische verhalen over hemelvaart.
Hoewel de technologische kennis in die tijd zeer beperkt was, werden deze verschijnselen vaak mystiek en symbolisch geïnterpreteerd. Men zag ze als tekenen van goden, geesten of bovennatuurlijke krachten. Toch laten deze oude rapporten zien dat het fenomeen niet nieuw is, maar altijd een deel uitmaakte van de menselijke ervaring en verbeelding.
Kortom, de geschiedenis toont dat mensen door de eeuwen heen gefascineerd zijn geweest door vreemde luchtschepen en luchtverschijnselen. Of het nu gaat om prehistorische rotstekeningen, middeleeuwse verhalen of mythologische documenten, het bewijs dat wijst op UFO-achtige verschijnselen in het verleden is overvloedig en complex. Hoewel veel waarnemingen destijds mystiek werden geïnterpreteerd, vormen ze een boeiend deel van de menselijke geschiedenis en blijven ze een bron van interesse en speculatie voor hedendaagse UFO-onderzoekers.
3. UFO's van voor 1947
Voor 1947 waren er al talloze rapporten en waarnemingen van ongewone vliegende objecten, vaak aangeduid als UFO's. Deze meldingen kwamen uit diverse culturen en tijdperken, waardoor een rijke geschiedenis ontstaat van menselijke nieuwsgierigheid naar het onbekende in de lucht.
In de 19e eeuw waren er bijvoorbeeld meldingen van mysterieuze lichthofen en objecten die door ooggetuigen werden beschreven in kranten en brieven. Een bekend voorbeeld is de waarneming in 1809 door de Amerikaanse uitvinder en filosoof Thomas Jefferson, die in een brief beschreef dat hij vreemde lichten in de lucht had gezien. Daarnaast werden in die tijd ook vaak verslag gedaan van vliegende schotels en vreemde verschijnselen tijdens de periodes van grote maatschappelijke veranderingen.
Tijdens de Eerste Wereldoorlog (1914-1918) werden militairen geconfronteerd met onverklaarbare vliegende objecten. Bijvoorbeeld, in 1917 rapporteerde een Britse piloot vreemde lichten boven het front, die niet als conventionele vliegtuigen konden worden verklaard. Deze waarnemingen verhoogden de interesse in luchtschijnselen en leidde tot speculaties over geavanceerde geheime technologieën van vijandelijke naties.
Ook tijdens de Tweede Wereldoorlog (1939-1945) werden vele ongewone verschijnselen gemeld door militairen en burgers. Een bekend geval is dat van de "foo fighters", die in de lucht werden gezien door geallieerde en asmogende piloten. Deze mysterieuze lichten en objecten werden vaak beschreven als snel bewegende, onverklaarbare verschijnselen die moeilijk te verklaren waren met de toen beschikbare technologie.
Hoewel er geen formeel onderzoeksinitiatief was vóór 1947, voedden deze rapporten de menselijke nieuwsgierigheid en vormden ze de basis voor de latere, meer gestructureerde onderzoeken zoals die van de Amerikaanse Air Force met Project Blue Book. Al deze waarnemingen uit die periode tonen dat de menselijke belangstelling voor luchtverschijnselen al eeuwenoud is en dat het mysterie rondom UFO's al lang voor de Roswell-incident bestond.
4. UFO's van 1947 tot 2000 of Moderne Era
De geschiedenis van UFO’s (Unidentified Flying Objects) vanaf 1947 tot 2000, oftewel de Moderne Era, is gekenmerkt door een groeiend publiek en wetenschappelijk interesse, evenals door talloze incidenten en controverses. Het begin van deze periode wordt vaak gekoppeld aan de waarneming van Kenneth Arnold op 24 juni 1947. Hij beschreef het zien van negen objecten die met hoge snelheid door de lucht bewogen, en noemde ze “schaakballetjes die over de bergtoppen sprongen”. Zijn rapport werd wereldwijd bekend en leidde tot de term ‘UFO’. Dit markeerde het begin van de moderne UFO-geschiedenis.
Na Arnold’s waarneming nam het aantal meldingen sterk toe, vooral tijdens de Koude Oorlog. Militaire radarwaarnemingen en ooggetuigenverslagen speelden hierbij een rol. Een van de meest bekende incidenten uit deze periode is de Roswell-crash in 1947. Een onbekend object zou neergestort zijn in de buurt van Roswell, New Mexico. Het officiële verhaal stelde dat het om een weerballon ging, maar speculaties over een buitenaardse landing bleven bestaan. Dit incident zette de toon voor vele andere vermeende ontmoetingen en conspiracy theories.
Overheidsinstanties zoals de Amerikaanse luchtmacht richtten onderzoekspogramma’s op, zoals Project Blue Book (1952-1969). Dit project had als doel om UFO-waarnemingen te bestuderen en te verklaren. Hoewel het rapport uiteindelijk concludeerde dat de meeste waarnemingen te verklaren waren door natuurlijke of menselijke oorzaken, bleef de publieke interesse bestaan. Veel meldingen bleven onverklaard en media stonden bol van foto’s en getuigenissen die de mogelijkheid van buitenaards contact suggereren.
Technologische ontwikkelingen speelden een grote rol in de complexiteit van het fenomeen. De opkomst van videotechnologie en radar maakte het mogelijk om UFO’s vast te leggen en te volgen op manieren die voorheen niet mogelijk waren. Voorbeelden hiervan zijn onder andere de beroemde “Foo Fighters” tijdens de Tweede Wereldoorlog, die later werden gerapporteerd door militaire piloten tijdens de Koude Oorlog, en de radarwaarnemingen tijdens de “Washington Flap” in 1952, waarbij meerdere radarstations UFO’s detecteerden.
In de jaren 80 en 90 nam de media-aandacht toe, mede door bekende incidenten zoals de Kenneth Arnold-achtige waarnemingen en de publicatie van de “Pentagon UFO-video’s” uit 2004, die weliswaar buiten de scope van 2000 vallen, maar de basis legden voor de moderne discussie. Deze video’s tonen onverklaarbare objecten die snelheden en manoeuvres vertonen die volgens experts niet door menselijke technologie kunnen worden uitgevoerd, wat de vraag naar buitenaards contact verder voedt.
Kortom, de periode van 1947 tot 2000 kenmerkt zich door een dynamische wisselwerking tussen publieke interesse, overheidsonderzoek, technologische vooruitgang en media-aandacht, waardoor UFO’s een blijvend en complex fenomeen zijn gebleven in de moderne geschiedenis.
5. UFO's na 2000 tot heden
Sinds het begin van de 21e eeuw heeft de interesse in UFO’s (Unidentified Flying Objects) een opvallende heropleving gekend, vooral door de publicatie van geheime militaire video’s en rapporten. Deze nieuwe openheid wordt mede veroorzaakt door technologische ontwikkelingen en een veranderde houding van overheden ten opzichte van het fenomeen. In 2017 bracht het Pentagon officieel drie video’s vrij die onverklaarbare objecten tonen met indrukwekkende vliegprestaties, zoals hoge snelheden en plotselinge wendingen. Deze beelden, die eerder geheim waren, wekten veel aandacht en discussie in zowel de media als de wetenschappelijke wereld.
In 2020 richtte de Amerikaanse overheid de UAP (Unidentified Aerial Phenomena) Task Force op. Dit was een belangrijke stap, omdat het de eerste officiële erkenning was van het bestaan van objecten die niet met conventionele technologie verklaard kunnen worden. De taakgroep kreeg als doel om rapportages te verzamelen en te analyseren over waarnemingen door militaire en civiele bronnen. Het feit dat de Amerikaanse overheid zich hiermee serieus begon te richten op het fenomeen, gaf aan dat er meer dan ooit een vraagteken bleef bestaan over de aard van deze waarnemingen.
De technologische vooruitgang speelt hierbij een belangrijke rol. Moderne drones en geavanceerde sensoren zorgen voor een overvloed aan data, maar maken het fenomeen ook complexer. Zo worden bijvoorbeeld afwijkingen in luchtverkeer vaak met nieuwe technologieën verklaard, maar er blijven waarnemingen over die geen duidelijke verklaring hebben. Sommige van deze objecten lijken te manoeuvreren op manieren die volgens de huidige wetenschap onmogelijk zijn voor menselijke technologie, zoals het maken van scherpe bochten op hoge snelheid zonder zichtbaar motor- of roterend mechanisme.
Een bekend voorbeeld hiervan is de “Gimbal-video” uit 2015, waarin Amerikaanse Navy-piloten een onverklaarbaar vliegend object observeren dat snelheden en manoeuvres vertoont die niet door gewone vliegtuigen of drones kunnen worden uitgevoerd. Deze beelden werden in 2017 vrijgegeven en zorgden voor veel speculaties over de mogelijkheid van buitenaardse technologie.
Daarnaast zijn er ook observaties gedaan door civiele waarnemers en piloten. In 2004 rapporteerde een US Air Force-piloot een object dat snelheden behaalde van meer dan 12.000 km/u, terwijl het geen zichtbaar motorvermogen had. Ook in Europa zijn er gevallen, zoals de “Belgische UFO-wave” in 1989-1990, waarbij duizenden mensen objecten zagen die niet konden worden verklaard met bekende technologie.
De discussie over buitenaards leven en geavanceerde technologieën blijft actueel. Sommige wetenschappers en onderzoekers geloven dat het niet uitgesloten is dat sommige waarnemingen het resultaat zijn van buitenaardse technologie, terwijl anderen pleiten voor meer onderzoek naar aardse verklaringen. De toenemende openheid en het beschikbaar komen van nieuwe data zorgen ervoor dat het onderwerp nog steeds volop in de belangstelling staat en dat er geen eenduidig antwoord is op de vraag wat deze objecten precies zijn.
Kortom, de hernieuwde aandacht voor UFO’s na 2000 wordt gekenmerkt door officiële erkenningen, technologische ontwikkelingen en een groeiend publieke en wetenschappelijke interesse. Het fenomeen blijft een intrigerend onderwerp dat vragen oproept over de aard van de waargenomen objecten en de mogelijke betrokkenheid van buitenaardse beschavingen. De komende jaren zal verdere analyse en onderzoek wellicht meer duidelijkheid scheppen over deze mysterieuze verschijnselen.
6. Variatie van waargenomen objecten en complexiteit van het fenomeen
De waargenomen objecten variëren sterk in vorm, gedrag en snelheid, wat de complexiteit van het fenomeen benadrukt. In de loop der tijden zijn de vormen van deze objecten geëvolueerd van eenvoudige, platte schijven naar meer diverse en onregelmatige vormen. In de vroege jaren werden ze vaak als ronde, schijfvormige objecten waargenomen, wat leidde tot de populaire term "ufo's". Later werden er ook lichtbollen en onregelmatige vormen gerapporteerd, wat suggereert dat de verschijnselen in verschillende contexten en omgevingen kunnen voorkomen.
Wat betreft bewegingen vertonen deze objecten vaak onverklaarbare patronen. Ze maken plotselinge versnellingen, veranderen abrupt van richting en kunnen stil zwevend blijven zonder zichtbare middelen van voortstuwing. In de jaren '50 en '60 werden veel waarnemingen gedaan die dergelijke onvoorspelbare bewegingen beschreven, wat de indruk gaf dat deze objecten technologische superioriteit bezitten. Sommige waarnemingen leken zelfs snelheden te bereiken die onmogelijk waren voor menselijke technologie uit die tijd.
De complexiteit van het fenomeen ligt ook in de mogelijke oorzaken. Sommige waarnemingen kunnen natuurlijke of atmosferische verschijnselen zijn, zoals lichtreflecties, weerballonnen of atmosferische anomalieën. Andere waarnemingen suggereren dat er mogelijk geavanceerde buitenaardse technologieën betrokken zijn. De diversiteit in vormen en gedragspatronen maakt het moeilijk om tot een eenduidige verklaring te komen, en daarom blijven deze fenomenen een intrigerend en uitdagend onderzoeksgebied.
Door de jaren heen is de waarnemingstechnologie ook geëvolueerd. Verbeterde radar- en radarwaarnemingen, digitale fotografie en videotechnologie hebben geleid tot meer gedetailleerde documentatie, waardoor het fenomeen beter bestudeerbaar wordt. Toch blijven veel aspecten onverklaard, wat de voortdurende fascinatie voor dit mysterieuze verschijnsel verklaart. De evolutie van de vormen en gedragspatronen toont aan dat deze fenomenen mogelijk niet statisch zijn, maar zich aanpassen en variëren afhankelijk van omstandigheden en tijd.
7. Officiële werkgroepen die zich bezighielden met de studie van het fenomeen
Sinds de jaren vijftig hebben diverse officiële instanties zich beziggehouden met het systematisch bestuderen van het fenomeen onverklaarbare vliegende objecten (UFO’s). Deze werkgroepen werden opgericht met het doel om meldingen te verzamelen, te analyseren en te beoordelen of deze een mogelijke bedreiging vormden voor de nationale veiligheid.
Een van de bekendste initiatieven was Project Blue Book, dat liep van 1952 tot 1969 in de Verenigde Staten. Dit project was verantwoordelijk voor het onderzoeken van duizenden UFO-meldingen en het classificeren van de waarnemingen. Hoewel het uiteindelijk concludeerde dat de meeste waarnemingen verklaarbaar waren en geen bewijs voor buitenaards contact, heeft het project een grote invloed gehad op de publieke perceptie van UFO’s en de officiële aanpak ervan.
Naast Project Blue Book waren er andere initiatieven zoals MUFON, dat nog steeds actief is en zich richt op het verzamelen en onderzoeken van civiele meldingen. MUFON opereert niet als een overheidsinstantie, maar als een onafhankelijke organisatie die samenwerkt met wetenschappers en onderzoekers. In het Verenigd Koninkrijk bestaat er ook de UFO Desk van het Ministry of Defence, die meldingen van burgers en militairen onderzoekt en registreert.
In Nederland was er het Onderzoeks- en Documentatiecentrum voor Ufo's (ODU), dat zich bezighield met het verzamelen van meldingen en het publiceren van rapporten over waarnemingen binnen Nederland en daarbuiten. Hoewel de activiteit van de ODU niet meer actief is, heeft het een belangrijke rol gespeeld in het documenteren en analyseren van het Nederlandse UFO-fenomeen.
Andere bekende projecten en werkgroepen op dit gebied zijn onder meer het Britse Project Condign, dat zich richtte op het onderzoek van anomalieën en onverklaarbare fenomenen, en het Franse COMETA-rapport dat in de jaren negentig werd uitgebracht en uitgebreide analyses gaf over UFO-waarnemingen en mogelijke buitenaardse contacten.
Kortom, deze officiële werkgroepen en projecten hebben bijgedragen aan het verzamelen van kennis over UFO’s en het beter begrijpen van het fenomeen, ook al zijn veel van hun activiteiten tegenwoordig inactief of overgenomen door onafhankelijke organisaties. Hun inspanningen vormen nog steeds de basis voor het huidige onderzoek en de wetenschap rondom het UFO-fenomeen.
Vijf voorbeelden van werkgroepen:
1. Project Blue Book (VS)
Project Blue Book was een Amerikaanse overheidsstudie van 1952 tot 1969, gericht op het onderzoeken van UFO-waarnemingen. Het doel was om onverklaarbare waarnemingen te analyseren en mogelijke bedreigingen voor de nationale veiligheid uit te sluiten. Hoewel het uiteindelijk geen bewijs voor buitenaardse activiteiten vond, bleef het invloedrijk in UFO-onderzoek en publieke perceptie.
2. MUFON (Mutual UFO Network) (VS)
MUFON is een internationale non-profit organisatie opgericht in 1969, die zich toelegt op het verzamelen en onderzoeken van UFO-meldingen. Met vrijwilligers en onderzoekers wereldwijd analyseert MUFON waarnemingen, deelt informatie en probeert een objectief beeld te krijgen van UFO-verschijnselen. Het streeft naar wetenschappelijke benadering en transparantie.UFO
3. Desk van het UK Ministry of Defence (VK)
De UFO Desk was een afdeling van het Britse Ministerie van Defensie die UFO-meldingen en -onderzoeken beheerde van de jaren 1950 tot 2009. Het doel was om mogelijke bedreigingen voor de nationale veiligheid te monitoren en te analyseren. Het kantoor publiceerde rapporten en sloot uiteindelijk de UFO-onderzoeksactiviteiten af, wegens gebrek aan bewijs.
4. Onderzoeks- en Documentatiecentrum voor Ufo's (ODU) (Nederland)
De ODU was een Nederlandse organisatie die zich bezighield met het verzamelen, documenteren en onderzoeken van UFO-meldingen in Nederland. Het richtte zich op het bevorderen van openheid en wetenschappelijke analyse. De organisatie speelde een belangrijke rol in het Nederlandse UFO-onderzoek en werkte samen met internationale partners.
5. COMETA-rapport (Frankrijk) Het COMETA-rapport uit 1999 was een Franse militaire studie over UFO-waarnemingen. Het rapport erkende dat sommige waarnemingen niet verklaard konden worden met conventionele verklaringen en suggereerde dat deze mogelijk buitenaardse oorsprong hadden. Het was een van de weinige officiële documenten die UFO's serieus namen en wetenschappelijk onderzochten.
8. Ontvoeringen door UFO's – aliens, een nieuw perspectief
Naast de bekende waarnemingen van UFO's worden er ook steeds meer rapporten gedaan over ontvoeringen door onverklaarbare wezens. Deze verhalen vormen een intrigerend onderdeel van het UFO-fenomeen en worden door veel mensen serieus genomen. De beschrijvingen variëren, maar bevatten vaak elementen zoals medische onderzoeken, communicatie met de wezens en vreemde ervaringen die de getuigen meemaken tijdens de ontvoering. Hoewel skeptici deze verhalen vaak afdoen als hallucinatietjes of psychologische projecties, zien anderen hierin mogelijk bewijs voor buitenaardse betrokkenheid. De fenomenen blijven echter moeilijk wetenschappelijk te bewijzen, waardoor ze een bron van speculatie en onderzoek blijven.
In de verhalen over ontvoeringen wordt vaak gesproken over medische onderzoeken die getuigen hebben ondergaan. Deze onderzoeken zouden plaatsvinden zonder hun toestemming en omvatten vaak het injecteren van vreemde stoffen, het meten van lichaamsfuncties en het blootstellen aan onbekende technologieën. Sommige getuigen rapporteren ook dat ze communicatie ervaren met de wezens, die vaak als humanoïde, grijsachtig of reptielachtig worden beschreven. Deze communicatie kan verbaal zijn of via telepathie plaatsvinden. Bovendien melden getuigen vaak dat ze vreemde dromen of herinneringen hebben die later naar boven komen, wat bijdraagt aan de mysterie rondom deze fenomenen.
Sommige onderzoekers zien de ontvoeringsverhalen als mogelijk bewijs voor buitenaardse betrokkenheid bij de mensheid. Zij geloven dat deze wezens, vaak gezien als aliens, menselijke experimenten uitvoeren of informatie verzamelen over de menselijke soort. Anderen denken dat de verhalen symbolisch zijn en deel uitmaken van culturele mythologieën die door de tijd heen zijn ontstaan. Er bestaat ook een theorie dat deze ervaringen voortkomen uit psychologische factoren zoals trauma, slaapparalyse of hallucinaties. Wetenschappelijke benaderingen proberen nu deze fenomenen te begrijpen door neurologische, psychologische en culturele factoren te bestuderen.
Recente wetenschappelijke studies richten zich op de neurologie en proberen te achterhalen waarom sommige mensen zulke intense ontvoeringservaringen hebben. Traumatische ervaringen, zoals verlies of angst, kunnen volgens onderzoekers de hersenen beïnvloeden en hallucinaties veroorzaken die op ontvoeringen lijken. Daarnaast worden slaapparalyse en nachtmerries als mogelijke verklaringen genoemd voor de vreemde ervaringen die getuigen melden. Sommige wetenschappers suggereren dat de verhalen deel kunnen uitmaken van een collectieve mythologie, een soort collectief geheugen dat zich uit in deze verhalen. Maar ondanks alle theorieën blijft het fenomeen complex en onduidelijk.
Het blijft een fascinerend onderwerp dat de verbeelding prikkelt en mensen uitdaagt om verder te onderzoeken. Of het nu gaat om buitenaardse wezens of psychologische verklaringen, de verhalen over ontvoeringen blijven een intrigerend onderdeel van het UFO-fenomeen. Ze stimuleren zowel wetenschappelijke als spirituele discussies over de aard van de realiteit, bewustzijn en de mogelijkheid van buitenaards leven. Voorlopig blijven deze fenomenen een mysterie dat uitnodigt tot verdere studie en openheid voor nieuwe perspectieven.
Bekende ontvoeringen:
Betty en Barney Hill (1961) Een van de eerste en meest bekende ontvoeringsverhalen uit de VS. Het stel beweert te zijn ontvoerd door grijze wezens tijdens een autorit. Ze ondergingen later hypnose en herinneringen kwamen naar boven. Betty en Barney Hill werden in 1961 in New Hampshire door een UFO ontvoerd. Ze ervaarden medische onderzoeken en communicatie met de wezens onder hypnose. Het verhaal zette de UFO-ontvoeringshype in gang.
Travis Walton (1975) Walton was een boswachter die tijdens een werkdag werd ontvoerd door een UFO. Hij verdween vijf dagen en verscheen daarna weer. Zijn verhaal is uitgebreid onderzocht en gefilmd. Travis Walton werd in Arizona door een UFO meegenomen tijdens werk. Hij was vijf dagen vermist en zijn verhaal bevat medische onderzoeken, communicatie en een terugkeer met geheugenverlies.
The Allagash Abductions (1976) Vier mannen worden tijdens een kampeertrip in Maine door een UFO ontvoerd. Ze ondergaan hypnose en herinneringen aan medische onderzoeken en communicatie. Het verhaal is uniek vanwege de groepsontvoering. Vier kampeerders uit Maine melden na een UFO-ontvoering vreemde ervaringen en medische onderzoeken. Hypnose onthult details over communicatie en lichaamsonderzoek door de wezens.
The Pascagoula Abduction (1973) Twee mannen in Mississippi melden dat ze door vreemde wezens in een UFO werden meegenomen. Ze beschrijven robotsachtige wezens en vreemde communicatie. Het verhaal werd breed uitgemeten in de media. Pierce and Calvin melden dat ze in Mississippi door robotachtige wezens werden meegenomen in een UFO. Ze beschrijven vreemde communicatie en een medische inspectie, wat een van de bekendste incidenten is.
9. Wetenschappelijke benadering van het UFO-fenomeen
De wetenschappelijke benadering van het fenomeen UFO's en UAP's (Unidentified Aerial Phenomena) probeert objectief te blijven en zich te baseren op observaties, hypothesevorming en herhaalbare onderzoeken. Sinds de vroege jaren 2000 wordt de studie van deze mysterieuze verschijnselen serieuzer genomen, mede door de toenemende rapportages vanuit zowel militaire als civiele bronnen. Organisaties als NASA en het Amerikaanse Department of Defense investeren tegenwoordig aanzienlijk in het onderzoek naar UAP's, vaak met behulp van geavanceerde technologieën zoals radar, camera's en data-analyse tools. Het primaire doel van deze wetenschappelijke aanpak is om natuurlijke of technologische verklaringen te vinden voor de waargenomen verschijnselen, en in sommige gevallen wordt zelfs gezocht naar bewijzen voor buitenaardse oorsprong.
Toch blijft er veel scepsis bestaan binnen de wetenschappelijke gemeenschap. Een belangrijk punt van kritiek is het gebrek aan systematische, controleerbare data. Veel waarnemingen blijven anekdotisch of gebaseerd op slecht gedocumenteerde getuigenverklaringen, waardoor ze moeilijk te verifiëren zijn. Daarnaast wordt er vaak geklaagd over het ontbreken van transparantie van overheidsinstanties en militaire organisaties, die soms informatie achterhouden of niet openlijk delen. Zonder consistente dataverzameling en openheid is het lastig om tot definitieve conclusies te komen.
Een ander kritisch punt is dat de wetenschappelijke aanpak zich vooral richt op natuurlijke en technologische verklaringen, zoals weersverschillen, luchtverkeersleidingsfouten, of experimenten met geheime technologieën. Het zoeken naar buitenaardse intelligentie wordt vaak als een laatste redmiddel beschouwd, mede vanwege de grote onzekerheid en de beperkte bewijzen. Bovendien ontbreekt het meestal aan overtuigende fysieke bewijzen die het buitenzendaardse karakter van de verschijnselen kunnen bevestigen.
Sceptici wijzen erop dat de hype rond UAP's soms wordt aangejaagd door media en overheidsaankondigingen zonder dat daar voldoende wetenschappelijke onderbouwing onder ligt. Ze benadrukken dat het belangrijk is om kritisch te blijven en niet te snel conclusies te trekken, zeker omdat veel waarnemingen uiteindelijk kunnen worden verklaard door bekende natuurverschijnselen of menselijke fouten. De wetenschap moet dus blijven streven naar transparantie, herhaalbaarheid en objectiviteit, maar ook beseffen dat sommige mysteries mogelijk nooit volledig kunnen worden opgelost. Het ontbreken van sluitend bewijs en de tendens tot speculatie maken dat het wetenschappelijke onderzoek naar UFO's nog altijd in een fase van voorzichtigheid verkeert, en dat het fenomeen voorlopig vooral een onderwerp blijft voor verdere studie en kritische reflectie.
10. Toekomst van het UFO-fenomeen
De toekomst van het UFO-fenomeen ziet er veelbelovend uit, mede dankzij technologische vooruitgang en een toenemende openheid in rapportages en onderzoek. In het verleden werden UFO’s vaak afgedaan als onverklaarbare verschijnselen of simpelweg als folklore, maar dat beeld begint te veranderen. Met de opkomst van geavanceerde technologieën zoals satellieten, radar, kunstmatige intelligentie (AI) en data-analyse kunnen onderzoekers nu veel gerichter en nauwkeuriger gegevens verzamelen en analyseren.
Een opvallende ontwikkeling is de rol van de Amerikaanse overheid en het Amerikaanse congres. In de afgelopen jaren hebben verschillende hoorzittingen plaatsgevonden waarin overheidsfunctionarissen en wetenschappers hun bevindingen en zorgen deelden. Zo was er in 2022 een belangrijke hoorzitting in het Amerikaanse Congres, waarin Pentagon-vertegenwoordigers en leden van de WERKGROEP UFO-onderzoek (zoals de UAP Task Force en de nieuwe All-domain Anomaly Resolution Office) de resultaten presenteerden. Deze sessies brachten nieuwe bewijzen en videobeelden aan het licht die de aandacht van het publiek en de beleidsmakers voor het fenomeen verder polariseerden. Belangrijk was dat er erkend werd dat sommige waarnemingen niet meteen verklaard konden worden, wat de deur opende voor verder wetenschappelijk onderzoek.
Daarnaast is er binnen de internationale gemeenschap een groeiende samenwerking te zien. Organisaties zoals NASA en het Pentagon werken samen met wetenschappers over de hele wereld om data te standaardiseren en te delen. De werkgroepen van NASA en Pentagon spelen hierin een sleutelrol. Ze stimuleren het delen van informatie en het ontwikkelen van nieuwe analysetechnieken om de aard en oorsprong van UFO’s beter te begrijpen. Deze samenwerking onderstreept de ernst waarmee men het fenomeen benadert, en dat het niet langer een onderwerp is voor complottheoretici, maar voor serieuze wetenschap.
Technologische ontwikkelingen maken het mogelijk om meer gedetailleerde waarnemingen te doen en mogelijk buitenaards leven te detecteren of uit te sluiten. Satellieten kunnen bijvoorbeeld veel nauwkeuriger objecten in de atmosfeer volgen, terwijl AI-systemen patronen kunnen herkennen die voor menselijke waarnemers niet zichtbaar zijn. Wetenschappers hopen dat deze tools kunnen leiden tot het ontdekken van natuurlijke verklaringen voor veel waargenomen verschijnselen, zoals weerballonnen, atmosferische fenomenen of menselijke fouten. Maar ze blijven ook openstaan voor de mogelijkheid dat sommige waarnemingen bewijs kunnen vormen van buitenaardse technologie.
De toenemende belangstelling en financiële steun voor UFO-onderzoek wijzen op een serieus wetenschappelijk tijdperk. Overheden en particuliere instellingen investeren in onderzoek dat verdergaat dan de sensationele verhalen en zich richt op het verzamelen van empirisch bewijs. Dit helpt om het fenomeen te integreren in de reguliere wetenschappelijke kaders en kan leiden tot belangrijke ontdekkingen over onze plaats in het universum.
Kortom, de toekomst van UFO-onderzoek ziet er veelbelovend uit. Dankzij technologische innovaties, internationale samenwerking en transparantie binnen overheidsinstanties, zoals de hoorzittingen in het Amerikaanse Congres en de werkingsgroepen van NASA en Pentagon, wordt het fenomeen steeds serieuzer genomen. Wetenschappers hopen dat deze ontwikkelingen zullen leiden tot nieuwe inzichten en mogelijk bewijzen van buitenaards leven, waarmee we onze kennis van het universum aanzienlijk kunnen vergroten. Dit is een spannend tijdperk waarin het mysterie van UFO’s mogelijk wordt ontrafeld, en waarin onze blik op de wereld en het universum wellicht voorgoed zal veranderen.
EINDBESLUIT Dit besluit onderstreept de waardevolle inspanningen die worden geleverd om het fenomeen van UFO's en UAP's te onderzoeken. De diversiteit in waarnemingen en gedragingen benadrukt hoe complex en fascinerend dit onderwerp is. Het feit dat officiële instanties systematisch onderzoek verrichten, toont onze toewijding om de waarheid te achterhalen en openheid te tonen over deze mysteries. Hoewel nog veel vragen onbeantwoord blijven, zorgt dit proces voor voortdurende vooruitgang en nieuwe inzichten. De verhalen over ontvoeringen voegen een extra dimensie toe, wat ons uitdaagt om met een open en kritische blik naar het onderwerp te blijven kijken. De groei van wetenschappelijk onderzoek en internationale samenwerking geeft hoop op meer duidelijkheid in de toekomst. Door gezamenlijk kennis te delen en technologische ontwikkelingen te benutten, kunnen we het mysterie verder ontrafelen. Het fenomeen blijft een intrigerend en relevant onderwerp dat onze nieuwsgierigheid blijft voeden en onze horizon verbreedt. Laten we deze ontdekkingsreis positief voortzetten, met vertrouwen in de mogelijkheid dat we ooit meer antwoorden zullen vinden en onze kennis over het onbekende verder zullen uitbreiden. Samen bouwen we aan een toekomst waarin openheid, wetenschap en samenwerking centraal staan in het onderzoeken van het onbekende.
Abstract The history of UFOs and UAPs reflects a fascinating evolution of human perception and science. From ancient times to the present, sightings of mysterious objects and phenomena vary, often with varying explanations. This report reviews the historical development, sightings and scientific approaches, including official agencies and research initiatives. The complex phenomenon remains current, with new technologies and discoveries driving the search for answers. The future of the study promises further insights, while the phenomenon is a continuing source of wonder and research.
1. Introduction The sighting of strange objects in the sky has fascinated humanity for centuries. From ancient legends and myths to modern reports and scientific investigations, UFOs and UAPs remain an intriguing subject that raises questions about extraterrestrial life, technological secrets, and human perception.
This report examines the development of the UFO phenomenon throughout history. We look at important events, such as legendary sightings, and official research initiatives such as Project Blue Book. In addition, the role of government agencies and the variety of objects observed are discussed, including the complexity and different forms these objects take. Scientific perspectives are included to understand whether these sightings can be explained within the current knowledge of physics and technology.
The report aims to provide a broad understanding of the evolution of the UFO phenomenon and its contemporary significance. The combination of historical, scientific, and government-related information makes it clear that UFOs and UAPs are still a current and complex topic that continues to raise questions about our place in the universe and the limits of human knowledge.
2. UFOs in the Past, Middle Ages, and Earlier
Historical evidence shows that strange aerial phenomena were already recorded in ancient civilizations. Across the globe, from antiquity to the Middle Ages, reports and drawings have been found that point to mysterious objects and light phenomena in the sky. These observations were often interpreted as supernatural or divine signs, indicating that people have always been fascinated by the inexplicable phenomenon of flying objects.
In ancient civilizations such as those of the Sumerians, Egyptians, and Mayans, stories and images have been found that may refer to flying objects. For example, some Egyptian rock carvings from around 1500 BC depict objects that resemble ships or shiny spheres, although it is difficult to say definitively whether these were actually UFOs or symbolic art. Another example is the Mayan codex, which may contain references to celestial phenomena resembling flying lights or ships.
In the Middle Ages, strange aerial phenomena were often described as signs from heaven or divine intervention. For example, during the Middle Ages, there were various reports of “strange lights” and “aerial processions.” A well-known example is the “balls of light” that were observed in the Middle Ages and were often linked to religious or supernatural interpretations. Some observations were even considered omens of important events, such as war or the death of a monarch.
A specific case from the Middle Ages is the so-called “Nuremberg balls of light” from 1561, in which residents reported large rows of flying objects and lights moving across the sky. The drawings and reports provide an impressive picture of the sightings and show that even then people were trying to understand what these phenomena meant, albeit often within a supernatural or religious framework.
Even in prehistoric times, we find evidence that points to humanity's fascination with flying phenomena. Cave paintings from France and Spain, for example, often depict shapes that resemble flying objects or luminous spheres. Some archaeologists interpret these as evidence of early UFO sightings or mythological stories about ascension to heaven.
Although technological knowledge was very limited at the time, these phenomena were often interpreted mystically and symbolically. They were seen as signs of gods, spirits, or supernatural forces. Nevertheless, these ancient reports show that the phenomenon is not new, but has always been part of the human experience and imagination.
In short, history shows that people have been fascinated by strange airships and aerial phenomena throughout the centuries. Whether it be prehistoric rock carvings, medieval stories, or mythological documents, the evidence pointing to UFO-like phenomena in the past is abundant and complex. Although many sightings were interpreted mystically at the time, they form a fascinating part of human history and remain a source of interest and speculation for contemporary UFO researchers.
3. UFOs before 1947
Before 1947, there were already countless reports and sightings of unusual flying objects, often referred to as UFOs. These reports came from various cultures and eras, creating a rich history of human curiosity about the unknown in the sky.
In the 19th century, for example, there were reports of mysterious lights and objects described by eyewitnesses in newspapers and letters. A well-known example is the sighting in 1809 by American inventor and philosopher Thomas Jefferson, who described in a letter that he had seen strange lights in the sky. In addition, flying saucers and strange phenomena were often reported during periods of major social change.
During World War I (1914-1918), soldiers were confronted with unexplained flying objects. For example, in 1917, a British pilot reported strange lights above the front lines that could not be explained as conventional aircraft. These sightings increased interest in aerial phenomena and led to speculation about advanced secret technologies of enemy nations.
During World War II (1939-1945), many unusual phenomena were also reported by military personnel and civilians. A well-known case is that of the “foo fighters,” which were seen in the air by Allied and Axis pilots. These mysterious lights and objects were often described as fast-moving, unexplained phenomena that were difficult to explain with the technology available at the time.
Although there was no formal investigation initiative before 1947, these reports fueled human curiosity and formed the basis for later, more structured investigations such as those conducted by the US Air Force with Project Blue Book. All these observations from that period show that human interest in aerial phenomena is centuries old and that the mystery surrounding UFOs existed long before the Roswell incident.
4. UFOs from 1947 to 2000 or the Modern Era
The history of UFOs (Unidentified Flying Objects) from 1947 to 2000, or the Modern Era, is characterized by growing public and scientific interest, as well as countless incidents and controversies. The beginning of this period is often linked to Kenneth Arnold's sighting on June 24, 1947. He described seeing nine objects moving through the air at high speed, calling them “checkers skipping over the mountain tops.” His report became known worldwide and led to the term “UFO.” This marked the beginning of modern UFO history.
After Arnold's sighting, the number of reports increased sharply, especially during the Cold War. Military radar sightings and eyewitness accounts played a role in this. One of the most famous incidents from this period is the Roswell crash in 1947. An unknown object was said to have crashed near Roswell, New Mexico. The official story claimed it was a weather balloon, but speculation about an alien landing persisted. This incident set the tone for many other alleged encounters and conspiracy theories.
Government agencies such as the US Air Force set up research programs, such as Project Blue Book (1952-1969). The aim of this project was to study and explain UFO sightings. Although the report ultimately concluded that most sightings could be explained by natural or human causes, public interest persisted. Many reports remained unexplained, and the media was full of photos and testimonies suggesting the possibility of extraterrestrial contact.
Technological developments played a major role in the complexity of the phenomenon. The emergence of video technology and radar made it possible to record and track UFOs in ways that were not previously possible. Examples include the famous “Foo Fighters” during World War II, which were later reported by military pilots during the Cold War, and the radar sightings during the “Washington Flap” in 1952, in which multiple radar stations detected UFOs.
In the 1980s and 1990s, media attention increased, partly due to well-known incidents such as the Kenneth Arnold-like sightings and the publication of the “Pentagon UFO videos” in 2004, which, although outside the scope of 2000, laid the foundation for the modern discussion. These videos show unexplained objects exhibiting speeds and manoeuvres that, according to experts, cannot be performed by human technology, further fuelling the demand for extraterrestrial contact.
In short, the period from 1947 to 2000 was characterised by a dynamic interaction between public interest, government research, technological advances and media attention, which has ensured that UFOs remain a persistent and complex phenomenon in modern history.
5. UFOs from 2000 to the present
Since the beginning of the 21st century, interest in UFOs (Unidentified Flying Objects) has seen a remarkable resurgence, mainly due to the publication of secret military videos and reports. This new openness is partly due to technological developments and a change in the attitude of governments towards the phenomenon. In 2017, the Pentagon officially released three videos showing unexplained objects with impressive flight capabilities, such as high speeds and sudden turns. These images, which were previously classified, attracted a lot of attention and discussion in both the media and the scientific world.
In 2020, the US government established the UAP (Unidentified Aerial Phenomena) Task Force. This was an important step, as it was the first official recognition of the existence of objects that cannot be explained by conventional technology. The task force was tasked with collecting and analyzing reports of sightings by military and civilian sources. The fact that the US government began to take the phenomenon seriously indicated that, more than ever, questions remained about the nature of these sightings.
Technological advances play an important role in this. Modern drones and advanced sensors provide an abundance of data, but also make the phenomenon more complex. For example, anomalies in air traffic are often explained by new technologies, but there remain sightings that have no clear explanation. Some of these objects appear to maneuver in ways that, according to current science, are impossible for human technology, such as making sharp turns at high speeds without a visible engine or rotating mechanism.
A well-known example of this is the “Gimbal video” from 2015, in which US Navy pilots observe an unexplained flying object exhibiting speeds and maneuvers that cannot be performed by ordinary aircraft or drones. These images were released in 2017 and sparked much speculation about the possibility of extraterrestrial technology.
In addition, observations have also been made by civilian observers and pilots. In 2004, a US Air Force pilot reported an object that reached speeds of over 12,000 km/h without any visible engine power. There have also been cases in Europe, such as the “Belgian UFO wave” in 1989-1990, in which thousands of people saw objects that could not be explained by known technology.
The debate about extraterrestrial life and advanced technologies remains topical. Some scientists and researchers believe that it cannot be ruled out that some sightings are the result of extraterrestrial technology, while others argue for more research into earthly explanations. Increasing openness and the availability of new data ensure that the subject remains the focus of attention and that there is no clear answer to the question of what exactly these objects are.
In short, the renewed interest in UFOs after 2000 is characterized by official recognition, technological developments, and growing public and scientific interest. The phenomenon remains an intriguing subject that raises questions about the nature of the observed objects and the possible involvement of extraterrestrial civilizations. Further analysis and research in the coming years may shed more light on these mysterious phenomena.
6. Variation of observed objects and complexity of the phenomenon
The observed objects vary greatly in shape, behavior, and speed, highlighting the complexity of the phenomenon. Over time, the shapes of these objects have evolved from simple, flat discs to more diverse and irregular shapes. In the early years, they were often observed as round, disc-shaped objects, leading to the popular term “UFOs.” Later, light balls and irregular shapes were also reported, suggesting that the phenomena can occur in different contexts and environments.
In terms of movement, these objects often exhibit inexplicable patterns. They make sudden accelerations, change direction abruptly, and can remain stationary without any visible means of propulsion. In the 1950s and 1960s, many sightings were reported that described such unpredictable movements, giving the impression that these objects possessed technological superiority. Some sightings even seemed to reach speeds that were impossible for human technology at the time.
The complexity of the phenomenon also lies in its possible causes. Some sightings may be natural or atmospheric phenomena, such as light reflections, weather balloons, or atmospheric anomalies. Other sightings suggest that advanced extraterrestrial technologies may be involved. The diversity in shapes and behavior patterns makes it difficult to arrive at a single explanation, and therefore these phenomena remain an intriguing and challenging area of research.
Over the years, observation technology has also evolved. Improved radar and radar observations, digital photography, and video technology have led to more detailed documentation, making the phenomenon easier to study. Nevertheless, many aspects remain unexplained, which explains the continuing fascination with this mysterious phenomenon. The evolution of shapes and behavior patterns shows that these phenomena may not be static, but adapt and vary depending on circumstances and time.
7. Official working groups involved in the study of the phenomenon
Since the 1950s, various official agencies have been systematically studying the phenomenon of unidentified flying objects (UFOs). These working groups were established with the aim of collecting, analyzing, and assessing reports to determine whether they posed a potential threat to national security.
One of the best-known initiatives was Project Blue Book, which ran from 1952 to 1969 in the United States. This project was responsible for investigating thousands of UFO reports and classifying the sightings. Although it ultimately concluded that most sightings were explainable and did not constitute evidence of extraterrestrial contact, the project had a major impact on public perception of UFOs and the official approach to them.
In addition to Project Blue Book, there were other initiatives such as MUFON, which is still active and focuses on collecting and investigating civilian reports. MUFON does not operate as a government agency, but as an independent organization that collaborates with scientists and researchers. In the United Kingdom, there is also the Ministry of Defense's UFO Desk, which investigates and records reports from civilians and military personnel.
In the Netherlands, there was the Research and Documentation Center for UFOs (ODU), which collected reports and published reports on sightings within the Netherlands and abroad. Although the ODU is no longer active, it played an important role in documenting and analyzing the Dutch UFO phenomenon.
Other well-known projects and working groups in this field include the British Project Condign, which focused on the investigation of anomalies and unexplained phenomena, and the French COMETA report, which was published in the 1990s and provided extensive analyses of UFO sightings and possible extraterrestrial contacts.
In short, these official working groups and projects have contributed to the accumulation of knowledge about UFOs and a better understanding of the phenomenon, even though many of their activities are now inactive or have been taken over by independent organizations. Their efforts still form the basis for current research and science surrounding the UFO phenomenon.
Five examples of working groups:
1. Project Blue Book (US)
Project Blue Book was a US government study from 1952 to 1969, focused on investigating UFO sightings. The goal was to analyze unexplained sightings and rule out possible threats to national security. Although it ultimately found no evidence of extraterrestrial activity, it remained influential in UFO research and public perception.
2. MUFON (Mutual UFO Network) (US)
MUFON is an international non-profit organization founded in 1969, dedicated to collecting and investigating UFO reports. With volunteers and researchers worldwide, MUFON analyzes sightings, shares information, and attempts to gain an objective view of UFO phenomena. It strives for a scientific approach and transparency.UFO
3. Desk of the UK Ministry of Defense (UK)
The UFO Desk was a department of the British Ministry of Defense that managed UFO reports and investigations from the 1950s to 2009. Its purpose was to monitor and analyze potential threats to national security. The office published reports and eventually closed its UFO investigation activities due to a lack of evidence.
4. Research and Documentation Center for UFOs (ODU) (Netherlands)
The ODU was a Dutch organization that collected, documented, and investigated UFO reports in the Netherlands. It focused on promoting openness and scientific analysis. The organization played an important role in Dutch UFO research and collaborated with international partners.
5. COMETA Report (France) The 1999 COMETA Report was a French military study on UFO sightings. The report acknowledged that some sightings could not be explained by conventional means and suggested that they may have had extraterrestrial origins. It was one of the few official documents that took UFOs seriously and investigated them scientifically.
8. UFO abductions – aliens, a new perspective
In addition to the well-known UFO sightings, there are also increasing reports of abductions by unexplained beings. These stories are an intriguing part of the UFO phenomenon and are taken seriously by many people. The descriptions vary, but often include elements such as medical examinations, communication with the beings, and strange experiences that the witnesses undergo during the abduction. Although skeptics often dismiss these stories as hallucinations or psychological projections, others see them as possible evidence of extraterrestrial involvement. However, the phenomena remain difficult to prove scientifically, making them a source of speculation and research.
Stories about abductions often mention medical examinations that witnesses have undergone. These examinations are said to take place without their consent and often involve the injection of strange substances, the measurement of bodily functions, and exposure to unknown technologies. Some witnesses also report experiencing communication with the beings, who are often described as humanoid, grayish, or reptilian. This communication can be verbal or telepathic. In addition, witnesses often report having strange dreams or memories that surface later, adding to the mystery surrounding these phenomena.
Some researchers view abduction stories as possible evidence of extraterrestrial involvement with humanity. They believe that these beings, often seen as aliens, are conducting human experiments or gathering information about the human species. Others think the stories are symbolic and part of cultural mythologies that have developed over time. There is also a theory that these experiences stem from psychological factors such as trauma, sleep paralysis, or hallucinations. Scientific approaches are now trying to understand these phenomena by studying neurological, psychological, and cultural factors.
Recent scientific studies focus on neurology and try to figure out why some people have such intense abduction experiences. Traumatic experiences, such as loss or fear, can influence the brain and cause hallucinations that resemble abductions, according to researchers. In addition, sleep paralysis and nightmares are cited as possible explanations for the strange experiences reported by witnesses. Some scientists suggest that the stories may be part of a collective mythology, a kind of collective memory that manifests itself in these stories. But despite all the theories, the phenomenon remains complex and unclear.
It remains a fascinating subject that stimulates the imagination and challenges people to investigate further. Whether it involves extraterrestrials or psychological explanations, stories about abductions remain an intriguing part of the UFO phenomenon. They stimulate both scientific and spiritual discussions about the nature of reality, consciousness, and the possibility of extraterrestrial life. For now, these phenomena remain a mystery that invites further study and openness to new perspectives.
Well-known abductions:
1. Betty and Barney Hill (1961) One of the first and most famous abduction stories from the US. The couple claims to have been abducted by gray beings during a car ride. They later underwent hypnosis and memories surfaced. Betty and Barney Hill were abducted by a UFO in New Hampshire in 1961. They experienced medical examinations and communication with the beings under hypnosis. The story sparked the UFO abduction hype.
Travis Walton (1975) Walton was a forest ranger who was abducted by a UFO during a workday. He disappeared for five days and then reappeared. His story has been extensively researched and filmed. Travis Walton was taken by a UFO in Arizona while working. He was missing for five days, and his story includes medical examinations, communication, and a return with memory loss.
The Allagash Abductions (1976) Four men are abducted by a UFO during a camping trip in Maine. They undergo hypnosis and recall memories of medical examinations and communication. The story is unique because of the group abduction. Four campers from Maine report strange experiences and medical examinations after a UFO abduction. Hypnosis reveals details about communication and physical examinations by the beings.
The Pascagoula Abduction (1973) Two men in Mississippi report being taken by strange beings in a UFO. They describe robot-like beings and strange communication. The story was widely reported in the media. Pierce and Calvin report that they were taken into a UFO by robot-like beings in Mississippi. They describe strange communication and a medical inspection, which is one of the most famous incidents.
9. Scientific approach to the UFO phenomenon
The scientific approach to the phenomenon of UFOs and UAPs (Unidentified Aerial Phenomena) attempts to remain objective and is based on observations, hypothesis formation, and repeatable investigations. Since the early 2000s, the study of these mysterious phenomena has been taken more seriously, partly due to increasing reports from both military and civilian sources. Organizations such as NASA and the US Department of Defense are now investing heavily in UAP research, often using advanced technologies such as radar, cameras, and data analysis tools. The primary goal of this scientific approach is to find natural or technological explanations for the observed phenomena, and in some cases, even to search for evidence of extraterrestrial origins.
Nevertheless, there remains a great deal of skepticism within the scientific community. A key point of criticism is the lack of systematic, verifiable data. Many observations remain anecdotal or based on poorly documented witness statements, making them difficult to verify. In addition, there are frequent complaints about the lack of transparency on the part of government agencies and military organizations, which sometimes withhold information or do not share it openly. Without consistent data collection and openness, it is difficult to reach definitive conclusions.
Another critical point is that the scientific approach focuses primarily on natural and technological explanations, such as weather differences, air traffic control errors, or experiments with secret technologies. The search for extraterrestrial intelligence is often considered a last resort, partly because of the great uncertainty and limited evidence. Furthermore, there is usually a lack of convincing physical evidence to confirm the extraterrestrial nature of the phenomena.
Skeptics point out that the hype surrounding UAPs is sometimes fueled by media and government announcements without sufficient scientific backing. They emphasize the importance of remaining critical and not jumping to conclusions, especially since many observations can ultimately be explained by known natural phenomena or human error. Science must therefore continue to strive for transparency, repeatability, and objectivity, but also realize that some mysteries may never be fully solved. The lack of conclusive evidence and the tendency to speculate mean that scientific research into UFOs is still in a phase of caution, and that for the time being, the phenomenon remains primarily a subject for further study and critical reflection.
10. Future of the UFO phenomenon
The future of the UFO phenomenon looks promising, thanks in part to technological advances and increasing openness in reporting and research. In the past, UFOs were often dismissed as unexplained phenomena or simply as folklore, but that image is beginning to change. With the emergence of advanced technologies such as satellites, radar, artificial intelligence (AI), and data analysis, researchers can now collect and analyze data in a much more targeted and accurate manner.
A notable development is the role of the US government and Congress. In recent years, several hearings have been held in which government officials and scientists shared their findings and concerns. For example, in 2022, there was an important hearing in the US Congress, in which Pentagon representatives and members of the UFO Research Working Group (such as the UAP Task Force and the new All-domain Anomaly Resolution Office) presented their findings. These sessions brought to light new evidence and video footage that further polarized public and policymaker attention on the phenomenon. Importantly, it was acknowledged that some sightings could not be immediately explained, which opened the door for further scientific investigation.
In addition, there is growing cooperation within the international community. Organizations such as NASA and the Pentagon are working with scientists around the world to standardize and share data. The NASA and Pentagon working groups play a key role in this. They encourage the sharing of information and the development of new analysis techniques to better understand the nature and origin of UFOs. This collaboration underscores the seriousness with which the phenomenon is being approached, and that it is no longer a subject for conspiracy theorists, but for serious science.
Technological developments make it possible to make more detailed observations and potentially detect or rule out extraterrestrial life. For example, satellites can track objects in the atmosphere much more accurately, while AI systems can recognize patterns that are not visible to human observers. Scientists hope that these tools will lead to the discovery of natural explanations for many observed phenomena, such as weather balloons, atmospheric phenomena, or human error. But they also remain open to the possibility that some observations may constitute evidence of extraterrestrial technology.
The growing interest and financial support for UFO research point to a serious scientific era. Governments and private institutions are investing in research that goes beyond sensational stories and focuses on gathering empirical evidence. This helps to integrate the phenomenon into mainstream scientific frameworks and may lead to important discoveries about our place in the universe.
In short, the future of UFO research looks promising. Thanks to technological innovations, international cooperation, and transparency within government agencies, such as the hearings in the US Congress and the working groups of NASA and the Pentagon, the phenomenon is being taken more and more seriously. Scientists hope that these developments will lead to new insights and possibly evidence of extraterrestrial life, which could significantly expand our knowledge of the universe. This is an exciting era in which the mystery of UFOs may be unraveled, and in which our view of the world and the universe may change forever.
FINAL DECISION This decision underscores the valuable efforts being made to investigate the phenomenon of UFOs and UAPs. The diversity of observations and behaviors highlights how complex and fascinating this subject is. The fact that official agencies are conducting systematic investigations demonstrates our commitment to uncovering the truth and being transparent about these mysteries. Although many questions remain unanswered, this process ensures continued progress and new insights. The stories of abductions add an extra dimension, challenging us to continue to look at the subject with an open and critical eye. The growth of scientific research and international cooperation gives hope for greater clarity in the future. By sharing knowledge and leveraging technological developments, we can further unravel the mystery. The phenomenon remains an intriguing and relevant topic that continues to fuel our curiosity and broaden our horizons. Let us continue this journey of discovery in a positive manner, with confidence in the possibility that we will one day find more answers and further expand our knowledge of the unknown. Together, we are building a future in which openness, science, and collaboration are central to the exploration of the unknown.
Illustrative guide to the four key topics of future human outposts on the Moon and on Mars that can be addressed by synthetic biology.
As humanity sets its sights on long duration missions to the Moon, Mars, and beyond, keeping astronauts healthy will be as critical as building rockets or habitats. In the harsh environment of space, the human body faces challenges that Earth never prepared us for including isolation, microgravity, and radiation that disrupt the immune system, increasing the risk of infection, chronic inflammation, and disease. Interestingly, new research on HIV is revealing lessons that could help future explorers live sustainably, regenerate resources in closed-loop systems, and even produce custom medicine far from Earth.
Long duration space missions to the Moon and Mars will require some special planning for astronaut health and resource production.
(Credit : NASA)
At the heart of this research is the inflammasome, a tiny but powerful protein inside our immune cells. Acting like a security alarm, the inflammasome senses trouble, such as viral particles, stress, or cell damage, and triggers inflammation by releasing molecules like interleukin-1β and interleukin-18. This rapid response is vital for fighting infections, but it comes with a risk: if the inflammasome remains switched on too long, it drives constant inflammation that weakens the body instead of protecting it.
In HIV infection, scientists have discovered that inflammasomes play a double role. Early on, they help contain the virus by boosting immune defences. But over time, especially if left unchecked, they contribute to harmful chronic inflammation that damages healthy cells, accelerates aging, and causes other diseases, even in patients who take effective antiviral treatments. This insight is important for space travel, where the same risk of unchecked inflammation could quietly undermine an astronaut’s health during long missions.
Learning how to balance inflammasome activity could help crews stay healthier in space, with far-reaching benefits. If inflammation can be regulated properly, astronauts may recover faster from injuries and resist infection more effectively, reducing their dependence on supplies from Earth. This supports the vision of closed-loop habitats where food, water, and medical resources are regenerated on board. Keeping inflammation under control also matters for protecting tissues from cosmic radiation, which damages DNA and stresses cells, pushing inflammasomes into overdrive. If we can dampen this reaction safely, we can help the body repair itself more efficiently.
JAXA (Japan Aerospace Exploration Agency) astronaut Satoshi Furukawa pedals on the upgraded CEVIS system to maintain health and fitness during space missions.
(Credit : NASA)
Perhaps most promising is the idea that lessons from HIV research could enable astronauts to produce custom medicine as needed. By understanding how to switch inflammasome pathways on or off at the right time, future missions might use onboard bioreactors or 3D bioprinters to make personalised treatments, rather than carrying an entire pharmacy into space. This very concept has been explored in a paper just published by a team of researchers led by Silvano Onofri.
In the decades ahead, managing the body’s internal fire may prove just as vital as any life-support system. By unlocking what HIV teaches us about inflammation, we may give future explorers the tools they need to live, adapt, and thrive far beyond Earth.
Sunspots on the Sun have become the focus of a new study (Credit : NASA)
Since Galileo first observed them through his telescope in the early 1600s, sunspots have fascinated scientists. These dark patches on the Sun's surface can persist for days or even months, but until now, researchers couldn't fully explain why they remained stable for such extended periods.
A study published in Astronomy & Astrophysics has finally solved this centuries-old puzzle. An international team of scientists, led by researchers from Germany's Institute of Solar Physics, developed a revolutionary new method for analyzing sunspot stability that reveals the delicate balance keeping these solar features intact.
A group of sunspots, labeled as Active Region 1520 rotated into view over the left side of the sun on July 7, 2012.
(Credit : NASA/Goddard Space Flight Centre)
Sunspots are regions where the Sun's magnetic field is strong, comparable to the magnetic field in a hospital MRI machine, but covering an area larger than Earth itself. These magnetic field concentrations appear as dark spots because they're cooler than the surrounding solar surface but in reality, a sunspot at the distance of the Sun but isolated from the rest of the disc would shine brighter than the full Moon!
The number of sunspots follows an 11 year cycle, reaching peak activity when solar storms are most likely to occur. During these periods, unstable magnetic configurations near sunspots can trigger explosive events called coronal mass ejections and solar flares. These space weather events can disrupt satellite communications and, in extreme cases, cause power grid failures on Earth.
When observed in white-light coronagraph imagery, CMEs sometimes resemble a light bulb, possessing a bright bulb-like outer shell surrounding a dark void and compact inner structure.
(Credit : NASA)
It’s long been suspected that sunspots remain stable because of an equilibrium between gas pressure and magnetic forces. However, proving this balance has been challenging due to atmospheric disturbances that interfere with ground based observations of the Sun's magnetic field.
The research team made a crucial breakthrough by improving a technique originally developed at Germany's Max Planck Institute for Solar System Research. Their enhanced method removes the blurring effects of Earth's atmosphere from observations made with the German GREGOR solar telescope.
Using this refined technique, the researchers analysed polarised light emitted by the Sun to measure magnetic forces within sunspots with unprecedented precision. Their measurements now achieve satellite quality results from ground based telescopes at a fraction of the cost.
The analysis revealed that magnetic forces inside sunspots are perfectly balanced by pressure forces, maintaining strict equilibrium. This delicate balance explains why sunspots can survive for such extended periods on the Sun's turbulent surface.
This discovery has significant practical applications. By understanding the precise mechanisms that keep sunspots stable, scientists may be able to predict when these solar features become unstable and more likely to produce dangerous space weather events.
Better prediction of solar storms could help protect satellites, power grids, and astronauts from harmful radiation. As our society becomes increasingly dependent on satellite technology and electronic infrastructure, this research provides crucial insights for safeguarding modern life against solar threats. It also represents a major step forward in solar physics, combining advanced ground based observations with sophisticated analysis techniques to solve one of astronomy's oldest mysteries.
About 71% of Earth's surface is covered in water, and that's a defining feature of our planet and its habitability. The source of that water is still being debated and determined. Image Credit: EUMETSAT/ESA
Alone among known planets, Earth has vast oceans on its surface and its landmasses are marked with lakes and extensive river drainage systems. Water is the biosphere's lifeblood, and without it, Earth would be just another dead world. If Earth life is a reliable indicator, then water is necessary for life, full stop.
That's why scientists are so interested in how Earth got its water.
For a long time, researchers examined the idea that Earth's water came from elsewhere in the Solar System. The protoplanetary disk the planets formed in was massive, and it was dissected by a snowline. This is a line in the disk, defined by its distance from the Sun, beyond which volatiles like water vapour can condense.
This artist's illustration shows how the astrophysical snow line works. The inner Solar System is water depleted due to the star's warmth, while outside of it, water can sublimate onto dust particles.
Image Credit: A. Angelich (NRAO/AUI/NSF)
The idea is that water can condense, freeze, then be delivered to Earth by asteroids, meteorites, or comets. Astronomers know that comets are icy bodies, and there's growing evidence that asteroids hold water, either in frozen form or locked in minerals. This is the 'late veneer hypothesis', which states that water was delivered to Earth after its core had already formed.
But a growing body of evidence and simulations shows that this picture may be incorrect. New research in The Astrophysical Journal Letters challenges the later veneer hypothesis by showing that the snow line may not accurately reflect reality. Rather than a single line which separates water sublimation as an on/off process, where it all sublimates on one side of the snow line and none sublimates on the other side, the reality is more nuanced.
"There is consensus on the fact that molecular water was mostly formed on micrometer-sized dust grains at the very beginning of the solar system formation, in the molecular cloud and prestellar phase, where it remained frozen on the icy mantle enveloping the grains," the researchers explain. Over time these grains formed rocks, asteroids, comets, and even the rocky planets. But as the Sun commenced shining, conditions changed. The material in the proto-solar nebula disk warmed up, and water sublimated from the surface of the dust grains inwards to the snow line, which is basically the condensation front of water.
As a result, conditions on the inside of the line changed. Any water that wasn't trapped inside larger bodies was dissipated, and the inner disk became depleted of water. This is where the rocky planets formed. Earth accreted out of this dry material, implying that water had to be delivered from beyond the snow line, and that's the late veneer hypothesis.
But in this new understanding, the line is more nebulous. The research is based on developments in quantum chemistry showing that there's no specific single temperature at which water binds itself to dust grains. Instead of a binary dividing line, the binding energies are subject to a Gaussian distribution of values.
This figure from the research shows how water binding energies are distributed.
Image Credit: L. Tinacci et al. 2023
"While the classically used snowline relies on a single condensation temperature, recent work in quantum chemistry shows that the binding energy (BE) of water on icy grains has a Gaussian distribution, which implies a gradual sublimation of water rather than a sharp transition," the authors write. The researchers computed the distribution of binding energies to understand how water ice on dust grains was spread across the proto-solar nebula (PSN) protoplanetary disk.
This figure show how different the frost lines are when calculated with a single binding energy (blue) compared to ten different binding energies (black).
Image Credit: Boitard-Crépeau et al. 2025. TApJL
Using the distribution of different water binding energies, the researchers established a frost line that is actually several astronomical units wide. "The adoption of a water BE distribution does not generate a single snowline, inside which water ices are fully desorbed and remain “completely dry,” as often assumed, but rather a water transition zone extending several astronomical units," the researchers write.
This all happened a long time ago, and aside from Earth itself, the only place we can look for evidence is in asteroids and meteorites. For the researchers work to be accurate, it would need to duplicate the Earth's water abundance and isotope ratio and the hydration patterns seen in meteorites. Chondrites can remain unchanged since the Solar System's early days and are an important evidentiary link with the deep past.
The research shows that while the bulk of water ice is desorbed farther out than about one astronomical unit, small percentages remain attached to dust grains inside that limit due to different binding energies. "This small fraction, between ∼ 0.04 and 2.5 wt%, can fully account for the Earth’s water content," the authors write. "In turn, terrestrial water could be mostly inherited from the dust grains that were in the Earth’s orbit, with no necessity of migration of outer ones."
So Earth's water abundance lines up with the researchers' results. But what about chondrites?
"Our model also successfully reproduces the observed water-equivalent content trend across chondrite groups," the authors write. Even though the parent bodies of these chondrites accreted at different times, their water-equivalent contents "likely represent lower limits of primitive water originally incorporated into silicate dust grains, the building blocks of chondrite matrices," they explain.
"In summary, at the light of the above discussion, it is possible that the terrestrial water was inherited from the icy grains in the orbit of Earth. i.e., locally," the authors write. Their results also agree with the idea that Enstatite Chondrites (EC), a rare form of meteorite, are the Earth's building blocks. ECs have a comparable isotopic ratio as Earth's water, and researchers think that they formed near Earth's orbit.
The timing of the late veneer hypothesis has always been tricky. How could the right quantity of water be delivered to Earth at the right time without disrupting the planetary accretion process? If Earth was gradually hydrated as it formed, that whole question can be side-stepped.
There are still some problems with the researchers' conclusions, and they point them out in their paper. For example, the Earth's currently measured ratio of heavy water (deuterium) with regular water is equivalent with an elemental ratio. But the currently measured ratio may not represent the actual elemental ratio because of "various processes that cycle water between the surface and the Earth’s interior," the authors explain. Those processes could've altered the ratio.
The researchers have shown that water ice doesn't necessarily sublimate along a sharply defined line. Instead, a range of binding energies means that even inside the generally agreed upon snowline, some water can survive on the inside of rocks and larger grains. They've also shown that enough water can survive to account for Earth's water.
"In summary, these results suggest that a significant share of Earth’s water could have originated locally, without requiring delivery from beyond the classical snowline," the authors conclude.
This won't be the end of the late veneer hypothesis, but if further work supports this research, the idea that Earth's water came from elsewhere and was delivered by comets and asteroids will grow weaker.
When the first astronauts walked on the Moon as part of the Apollo Program, the concept of lunar habitats ceased being the stuff of science fiction and became a matter of scientific study. With several space agencies planning on sending crewed missions to the Moon in the coming decade, these plans have become the subject of scientific interest again. Structures that will enable a "sustained program of lunar science and development" is the long-term aim of NASA's Artemis Program. China and the ESA have similar plans with the International Lunar Research Station (ILRS) and the Moon Village.
To limit the amount of materials that need to be launched for the Moon and reduce reliance on Earth, these plans will incorporate local resources for building materials and resources - in-situ resource utilization (ISRU). In a recent study, researchers from Poland and the UK proposed a developmental pathway for a lunar habitat that begins with a dome built using a regolith-based geopolymer. This dome would enclose a 17-meter (~56 ft) diameter crater in the Mare Tranquillitatis region that would house all the necessary buildings for a lunar base.
The research was led by Magdalena Mrozek, a Research Assistant with the Faculty of Civil Engineering at the Silesian University of Technology in Gliwice, Poland. She was joined by Dawid Mrozek and Mateusz Smolana, also researchers from the Silesian University of Technology, and Lorna Anguilano, a Senior Research Fellow with the Brunel University London, and the Assistant Director of the Wolfson Centre for Sustainable materials development and Processing. The paper that describes their findings recently appeared in Scientific Reports.
Apollo-12 astronaut Alan L. Bean operating on the lunar lander.
Credit: NASA
The concept outlined in their paper represents a simplified concept for a lunar base that would leverage ISRU and the production of geopolymers on-site. The site location also offers several advantages, not the least of which is protection from meteoroid impacts and the ejecta these produce. They also selected a mare region, which are lower in elevation than highland terrains and have a higher crater density. In addition, the Mare Tranquillitatis region near the Apollo 11 landing site (0.67 North by 23.47 East) was selected because of the sample data provided by moonrocks brought back by the Apollo-12 astronauts. As Mrozek told Universe Today via email:
The concept of utilizing a crater for construction holds considerable economic significance, as it diminishes the volume of structural materials needed by concentrating solely on the implementation of a cover. In the phase of our research presented in this paper, the specific location of the crater was not a primary focus. We selected a crater with dimensions appropriate for our design, situated in a region where the temperature range would facilitate the production of geopolymers without the need for supplementary energy.
The authors analysed the concept of a covering lid for their hypothetical lunar crater, which measures 17 meters (~56 ft) in diameter and 6 meters (~20 ft) in depth. This is consistent with craters in the Mare Tranquillitatis region, which average about 20 meters by 8 meters (65.5 by 26.25 ft). The next step was to conduct a numerical analysis to identify the appropriate dimensions and shapes for a lunar structure that could handle the load transfers and maintain an Earth-like atmospheric pressure (1,013.25 millibars or 1 bar) within. The next step was to select building materials that could handle the internal stress distributions and be produced on-site using local resources.
Ultimately, they selected lunar regolith-based geopolymers (GP), which consist of synthetic, inorganic monomers primarily composed of aluminium and silicon and have distinctive mechanical properties analogous to cement concrete. This is advantageous given that lunar regolith contains an average of 45% silicon oxide (SiO) by weight. The geopolymer they created consisted of a sodium hydroxide (NaOH) solution, sodium silicate water glass (NaO x nSiO x nHO), and the lunar highlands regolith simulant LHS-1 produced by Exolith Lab.
Location of the site for the analysed structure—a hypothetical crater near a 0.67 latitude North and a 23.47 longitude East within the selenographic coordinate system.
Credit: NASA
"The creation of building materials from original lunar regolith is not a viable option; therefore, one of the available lunar regolith simulants on the market must be used," said Mrozek. "We selected LHS, produced by Space Resource Technologies. Utilizing this material, we developed a geopolymer, which was subsequently tested to obtain the strength parameters that were input into the numerical model. The forces acting on a lunar structure differ significantly from those experienced on Earth; consequently, we needed to abandon certain methodologies applicable on Earth and re-examine the problem from a novel perspective.
The curing conditions for the samples were subjected to were selected to simulate lunar conditions in the Mare Tranquillitatis region. While temperatures range from 120 °C during lunar day and -180 °C during lunar night (248 to -292 °F), they do not drop below 60 °C (140 °F) for seven terrestrial days, which is conducive to the geopolymerisation process. With these considerations in mind, the team cured their samples in a thermal vacuum chamber at 60 °C and a pressure of 50 hPa (50 millibars), consistent with the near-vacuum conditions on the Moon.
After a total curing period of 28 days, the materials were subjected to bending and compression tests and analyzed using electron microscopy (SEM) and X-ray diffraction (XRD). These tests revealed that their regolith-based geopolymer had strength and elasticity comparable to masonry cement-sand calcium-silicate. The geopolymer and the design they selected could very well enable the construction of lunar bases in cratered mare regions, thus realizing a key goal of NASA's Artemis Program. Said Mrozek:
We are civil engineers, which is why our paper concentrates on this specific area of inquiry. However, we are currently collaborating with a diverse range of specialists from various countries in disciplines such as architecture, physics, geology, and chemistry. We are currently engaged in preparations for the initiation of a project of a lunar base, which will be significantly more complex and detailed.
The dark matter distribution of a Milky Way mass halo in a Lambda-cold dark matter (LCDM) cosmological simulation. This is the highest resolution simulation of a MW-mass dark matter halo ever performed, called Aquarius-A-L1. The MW halo (in the centre) is surrounded by myriad substructures, a key prediction of the "cold dark matter” model. Some of these subhalos host a satellite galaxy within them that could be observable. Credit The Aquarius simulation, the Virgo Consortium/Dr Mark Lovell
Whatever dark matter is, cosmologists are busy trying to understand the role it plays in the structure of the Universe. Our standard cosmological model, also called Lambda Cold Dark Matter(LCDM), makes a number of predictions about how galaxies form and evolve, largely focused on dark matter haloes. DM haloes are fundamental building blocks for the cosmological structure. Scientists often describe them as the scaffolding on which the Universe is built.
One of LCDM's predictions concerns satellite galaxies. Theory says that every galaxy forms and grows within a dark matter halo, including dwarf and satellite galaxies. LCDM theory predicts more small dark matter haloes than there are observed satellite galaxies around the Milky Way. New research presented at the Royal Astronomical Society's National Astronomy Meeting might have the answer.
The presentation is "The contribution of "orphan" galaxies to the ultrafaint population of MW satellites," and the lead researcher is Dr. Isabel Santos-Santos, from the Institute for Computational Cosmology in Department of Physics at Durham University, UK.
"The last decade has seen a rise in the number of known Milky Way (MW) satellites, primarily thanks to the discovery of ultrafaint systems at close distances," Santos-Santos writes. "These findings suggest a higher abundance of satellites within ~ 30kpc than predicted by cosmological simulations of MW-like halos in the CDM framework."
Astronomers have found about 60 satellite galaxies around the Milky Way. The Large and Small Magellanic Clouds are the most well-known satellite galaxies, and there are others like the Sagittarius Dwarf Spheroidal Galaxy and the Sculptor Dwarf. Santos-Santos says there should be dozens more of them.
Some of the known satellite galaxies of the Milky Way, including the well-known Large and Small Magellanic Clouds. There could be many more of them according to simulations, and if scientists can find them, it supports the Lambda Cold Dark Matter model.
Image Credit: ESA/Gaia/DPAC. CC BY-SA 3.0 IGO
"We know the Milky Way has some 60 confirmed companion satellite galaxies, but we think there should be dozens more of these faint galaxies orbiting around the Milky Way at close distances," she said in a press release.
The problem is that these small galaxies can be extremely difficult to detect. Scientists think that these galaxies might have had their dark matter stripped away through interactions with the much more massive Milky Way. Without their dark matter, which acts as a gravitational anchor, gas, dust and even stars are more easily stripped away. That means there's little active star formation, and only a dimmer population of older stars. This is why satellite galaxies can be so challenging to detect.
"If our predictions are right, it adds more weight to the Lambda Cold Dark Matter theory of the formation and evolution of structure in the universe. Observational astronomers are using our predictions as a benchmark with which to compare the new data they are obtaining," Santos-Santos said. "One day soon we may be able to see these 'missing' galaxies, which would be hugely exciting and could tell us more about how the universe came to be as we see it today."
The work is based on the Aquarius simulation produced by the Virgo Consortium. Aquarius simulates the evolution of the MW's dark matter halo in the highest resolution ever. It was created to investigate the fine-scale structure around the MW.
The researchers used Aquarius and other analytic galaxy formation models to watch as dwarf galaxies formed and evolved and to "estimate the true abundance and radial distribution of MW satellites" that LCDM predicts. They determined that small dark matter haloes that could host satellite galaxies have been orbiting the Milky Way for billions of years, but since they've been stripped, they're dim and hard to see. These are sometimes called 'orphaned' galaxies. The simulation showed that there could be up to 100 more MW satellites.
"Strikingly, orphans make up half of all satellites in our highest-resolution run, primarily occupying the central regions of the MW halo," the researchers write.
This illustration shows galaxies forming as part of the large-scale structure of the Universe.
Image Credit: Ralf Kaehler/SLAC National Accelerator Laboratory
The other piece of the puzzle concerns the approximately 30 satellite galaxies discovered recently, all small and dim. If these are stripped or orphaned galaxies, then their discovery is additional evidence in support of LCDM. They could be a subset of the dim satellite population the simulation predicts. However, they could also be globular clusters (GC).
Professor Carlos Frenk of the Institute for Computational Cosmology in the Department of Physics at Durham University is one of the co-researchers. Frenk said, "If the population of very faint satellites that we are predicting is discovered with new data, it would be a remarkable success of the LCDM theory of galaxy formation."
"It would also provide a clear illustration of the power of physics and mathematics," Frenk added. "Using the laws of physics, solved using a large supercomputer, and mathematical modelling we can make precise predictions that astronomers, equipped with new, powerful telescopes, can test. It doesn't get much better than this."
The Vera Rubin Observatory and its 10-year Legacy Survey of Space and Time might uncover the presence of these dim, orphaned satellites. "We predict that dozens of satellites should be observable within ~30 kpc of the MW, awaiting discovery through deep-imaging surveys like LSST," the researchers explain.
Scientists have been puzzling over the connections between the Milky Way, dark matter haloes, and satellite galaxies for a long time. Some research suggests that not only does the MW have more satellites that we haven't detected yet, but that those satellites may have had their own satellites that they dragged towards the MW with them. If that turns out to be true, then the MW may have another 150 dim satellites waiting to be found by observatories like the Rubin.
Scientists think that there are different sizes of DM haloes, some with only a few Earth masses, while some are enormously massive. They also think that they could've formed hierarchically, with smaller haloes merging with larger haloes, slowly building up the cosmic web that largely defines the modern Universe. If that's true, then the MW's orphaned galaxies might be strong evidence supporting their hierarchical nature.
Now that the Vera Rubin Observatory has achieved its long-awaited first light, we could get confirmation soon.
Maybe that will help us figure out what dark matter actually is one day .
Nieuwe ontdekking op mysterieuze Marsberg verborg zich in het volle zicht
Nieuwe ontdekking op mysterieuze Marsberg verborg zich in het volle zicht
Een verrassende ontdekking op Mars kan ons mogelijk antwoorden geven op de vraag of de planeet ooit leven heeft geherbergd – en dat misschien nog steeds doet.
Een illustratie van de Jezero-krater zoals die er miljarden jaren geleden uit kan hebben gezien op Mars, toen hij nog een meer was. Een berg op de bodem van het meer verbergt mogelijk een geheim.
Op 18 februari 2021 landde de NASA-rover Perseverance in de 45 kilometer brede Jezero-krater op Mars, waar 3,7 miljard jaar geleden een meer zou hebben gelegen.
Een van de belangrijkste taken van de rover is het vinden van tekenen van leven op de rode planeet en daarom is de krater een van de meest onderzochte gebieden op Mars tot nu toe.
Astronomen zien sinds 2007 een kleine berg naast de krater Jezero Mons, en speculeren sindsdien dat deze vulkanisch kan zijn geweest – of nog steeds is.
Dat kan nu worden opgehelderd.
Een onderzoeksteam onder leiding van het Georgia Institute of Technology (Georgia Tech) in de VS heeft grote hoeveelheden gegevens verzameld die erop wijzen dat Jezero Mons vulkanisch is.
Kort nadat de Perseverance op Mars landde, toonden de eerste gesteentemonsters aan dat de krater niet alleen de sedimentaire meerafzettingen bevatte die wetenschappers verwachtten – ze waren ook vulkanisch.
Nieuwe vondsten maken krater op Mars extra interessant
Om de berg verder te onderzoeken, gebruikten de onderzoekers gegevens van oudere sondes zoals de Mars Odyssey Orbiter, Mars Reconnaissance Orbiter en ExoMars Trace Gas Orbiter.
Ze gebruikten ook gegevens van de Perseverance en vergeleken de eindresultaten met gegevens van bestaande vulkanen op zowel Mars als de aarde.
De conclusie was duidelijk: Jezero Mons is vulkanisch en heeft zelfs een vulkaankrater.
Hij is nu niet actief en het zal waarschijnlijk nog lang duren voordat hij weer actief wordt, aldus de onderzoekers.
Maar de ontdekking opent de mogelijkheid dat de rode planeet meer vulkanen herbergt dan we dachten.
‘De Jezero-krater is een van de best bestudeerde plekken op Mars. Als we hier nu pas een vulkaan identificeren, stel je dan eens voor hoeveel meer er op Mars zouden kunnen zijn,’ zegt een van de onderzoekers, James Wray, in een persbericht.
Een topografische afbeelding van de 21 kilometer brede vulkanische berg Jerezo Mons.
De nieuwe ontdekking maakt de Jezero-krater nog interessanter.
Zoals gezegd denken de onderzoekers dat de krater ooit een meer was.
En als dat naast een actieve vulkaan lag, waren de omstandigheden misschien ideaal om leven in het meer in stand te houden.
Mars is miljarden jaren geleden opgedroogd – dat dachten we tenminste. Nieuwe vondsten op onze rode buurman onthullen nu een opmerkelijke comeback voor het water. Lees er hier over:
De Perseverance keert naar verwachting terug naar de aarde met gesteentemonsters uit de krater die meer aanwijzingen kunnen geven over de vraag of er miljarden jaren geleden leven was in het meer – en of er misschien nog steeds leven te vinden is.
De ontdekking en de monsters kunnen ook bijdragen aan een beter begrip van de geologische geschiedenis van Mars.
The Martian meteorite Northwest Africa (NWA) 16254 is a 406-g gabbroic shergottite found two years ago in Algeria.
Image of the entire NWA 16254 sample studied by Chen et al.: (a) a backscattered electron (BSE) image obtained by the TESCAN Integrated Mineral Analyzer (TIMA); (b) mineralogical mapping via TIMA; (c) distribution map of the iron content obtained via TIMA; (d) distribution map of the calcium content obtained via TIMA.
Image credit: Chen et al., doi: 10.15302/planet.2025.25002.
“Martian meteorites represent the only direct samples available in laboratory for studying the composition and evolution of the Martian mantle, as most are igneous in origin and retain geochemical fingerprints of mantle processes,” said lead author Dr. Jun-Feng Chen and colleagues at the Chengdu University of Technology.
“Among these available samples, shergottites, comprising approximately 90% of the Martian meteorite collection, are particularly critical for deciphering mantle dynamics, crust-mantle interactions, and magmatic differentiation on Mars.”
“Shergottites are classified into four petrological subtypes depending on their distinct textural and mineralogical characteristics: including basaltic, olivine-phyric, poikilitic, and gabbroic.”
“These variations reflect distinct formation environments, ranging from shallow subsurface crystallization to potential surface eruptions, with gabbroic shergottites notably preserving coarse-grained textures indicative of slow cooling in crustal magma chambers.”
In the new study, the authors combined advanced mineralogical mapping and geochemical analyses to decode the history of NWA 16254.
They revealed decoupled geochemical behaviors in pyroxene cores and rims, a phenomenon critical for reconstructing magma chamber dynamics.
“Our study reveals that NWA 16254 formed initially under high-pressure conditions (4.3-9.3 kbar) at the Martian mantle-crust boundary, where magnesium-rich pyroxene cores crystallized,” the researchers said.
“Later, the magma ascended to shallow crustal depths (<4 kbar), where iron-enriched pyroxene rims and plagioclase developed.”
“This prolonged cooling process, preserved in the meteorite’s coarse-grained texture, suggests episodic melt extraction from a long-lived, depleted mantle reservoir — a critical clue for reconstructing Mars’ magmatic evolution.”
“The meteorite’s geochemical depletion, marked by light rare earth element depleted and low oxygen fugacity, aligns it with a meteorite called QUE 94201, hinting at a shared magma source.”
“Its gabbroic texture, indicative of slow cooling in crustal chambers, distinguishes it as a unique archive of subsurface magmatism.”
“These findings challenge existing models of Martian volcanic evolution, as NWA 16254’s consistently low oxygen fugacity, corroborated by Ti3+-bearing ilmenite assemblages, implies sustained reducing conditions during crystallization.”
“This underscores the heterogeneity of Mars’ mantle and raises questions about the planet’s redox evolution over billions of years.”
“Future geochronological studies could resolve whether this meteorite represents ancient mantle melting (2.4 billion years ago) or younger magmatic activity, offering clues to Mars’ thermal history.”
The team’s paper was published May 13, 2025 in the journal Planet.
Jun-Feng Chen et al. Petrography and geochemistry of a newly discovered Martian gabbroic shergottite NWA 16254. Planet, published online May 13, 2025; doi: 10.15302/planet.2025.25002
The surface of Mars, destination for China's Tianwen-3 (Credit : NASA)
China is preparing to make history with its upcoming Mars Sample Return mission, Tianwen-3, scheduled to launch in 2028. This ambitious project aims to collect Martian soil and rock samples and bring them back to Earth for detailed analysis, potentially answering one of humanity's most profound questions; has life ever existed on Mars?
Mars, the red planet.
(Credit : NASA)
The mission represents leap forward in planetary exploration. While several countries have successfully landed rovers on Mars, returning samples to Earth requires an entirely different level of technological complexity and international coordination. If successful, China would become the first nation to bring potentially biologically active material from another planet back to Earth.
Mars wasn't always the cold, dry desert we see today. Studies suggest that Mars once had a dense atmosphere and a warm, moist climate early in its history, making it suitable for the emergence and development of microbial life. Like Earth, Mars sits within our Solar System's habitable zone, the region where liquid water can exist on a planet's surface and therefore potentially support life!
Scientists believe that if life ever emerged on Mars, it would likely have been microbial, similar to the extremophiles found in Earth's harshest environments. These hardy organisms thrive in conditions that would kill most life forms, surviving in environments with extreme temperatures, radiation, or chemical compositions.
Preliminary landing sites for the Tianwen-3 mission
(Credit : By Zengqian Hou, Jizhong Liu, Yigang Xu, Fuchuan Pang, Yuming Wang, Liping Qin, Yang Liu, Yu-Yan Sara Zhao, Guangfei Wei, Mengjiao Xu, Kun Jiang, Chuanpeng Hao, Shichao Ji, Renzhi Zhu, Bingkun Yu, Jia Liu, Zhenfeng Sheng, Juntao Wang, Chaolin Zhang, Yiliang Li)
The Tianwen-3 mission involves a complex two part operation. There will be two separate components; a lander which will land on the Martian surface to collect samples and an orbiter, which will wait in orbit around Mars to receive the samples and bring them back to Earth. The lander will drill two meters underground, a crucial depth because Mars' surface is constantly bombarded with radiation and corrosive chemicals that destroy organic materials. Below this hostile surface layer, valuable signs of past or present life might still be preserved after billions of years.
The mission's success depends on careful site selection so the team are searching for regions where liquid water likely existed in Mars' early history, areas rich in essential nutrients, and locations where traces of microbial activity could have been preserved. This preparatory research is ongoing and represents one of the mission's most critical phases.
Surprisingly, the greatest obstacle isn't the technical complexity of getting to Mars and back, it’s what happens when the samples arrive on Earth. The greatest challenge is in the quarantining and monitoring required once these extraterrestrial materials arrive, a process known as planetary protection. To address the risk, they plan to construct a specialised facility near Hefei Institute of Physical Sciences where Martian samples will undergo comprehensive testing under strict isolation from Earth's environment. The samples will remain quarantined until scientists can conclusively determine they contain no active biological agents that could threaten Earth's biosphere.
The Hefei Institutes of Physical Science
(Credit : Yen Tzu)
This cautious approach reflects the profound implications of the mission. While the risk of dangerous Martian microbes may be small, the potential consequences are too significant to ignore. Only after extensive safety testing will the samples be released to laboratories worldwide for detailed scientific analysis.
The Tianwen-3 mission builds on China's previous Mars success. In 2021, China became only the second country after the United States to successfully land and operate a rover on Mars with its Zhurong rover. This achievement demonstrated China's growing capabilities in interplanetary exploration. This mission represents more than just a technological achievement, it could fundamentally change our understanding of life in the universe. If the samples contain evidence of past or present Martian life, it would prove that life can emerge independently on different worlds, suggesting that life might be common throughout the universe.
We zijn waarschijnlijk niet alleen op deze planeet Is het mogelijk dat in zo'n immens heelal alleen levende wezens op aarde bestaan? Onderzoekers Tim Lomas en Brendan Case van Harvard en professor Michael Masters van de Montana Technological University denken van niet.
Een gewaagde hypothese In juni 2024 publiceerden de drie wetenschappers een onafhankelijk artikel genaamd 'De crypto-terrestrische hypothese: een geval van wetenschappelijke openheid voor een verborgen aardse verklaring voor ongeïdentificeerde anomale verschijnselen'.
De cryptoterrestrische hypothese Ze suggereren dat er misschien al buitenaardse wezens onder ons zijn, maar dat ze zich schuilhouden in een soort van "sluipmodus".
Of op de maan Een andere plek die interessant zou kunnen zijn voor deze wezens is de verborgen kant van de maan, die eeuwig uit het zicht blijft. "Feitelijk is dit van alle mogelijke cryptoterrestrische locaties degene die aanleiding heeft gegeven tot de meeste speculaties", aldus het artikel.
Ze komen uit de toekomst Volgens CBS News stellen de wetenschappers in kwestie dat de cryptoterrestrials mensen uit de toekomst zouden kunnen zijn die in staat zijn om terug in de tijd te reizen.
Waar komen ze vandaan? Volgens Masters, een van de auteurs, worden in de verhalen over hypothetische ontmoetingen met buitenaardse wezens door de jaren heen vaak beschreven dat ze op ons lijken. Het zou daarom uitzonderlijk zijn als wezens met menselijke eigenschappen van andere planeten zouden komen.
Vergelijkbaar met ons "Ze zouden op ons kunnen lijken. We zouden uiteindelijk op hen kunnen lijken", zei Masters, verwijzend naar de typische voorstellingen van 'kleine groene mannetjes', volgens CBS News.
Onze meest geavanceerde versie Hij voegde eraan toe: "Op basis van onze evolutionaire kenmerken van de afgelopen 6 tot 8 miljoen jaar, kunnen we grotere hoofden hebben, kleinere gezichten, geavanceerde technologie, en veel van deze kenmerken worden beschreven in verband met deze wezens".
Waarom maken ze geen contact met ons? Volgens Masters, geciteerd door CBS News, hebben de cryptoterrestrials besloten zich te verbergen, omdat we nog niet klaar zijn voor direct contact. Daarnaast kunnen we voor hen nog steeds extreem "primitief" lijken.
Magische wezens Volgens het artikel zouden cryptoterrestrials ook "magische" wezens kunnen zijn die geassocieerd worden met oude mythen, wat zich voor wetenschappers zou vertalen in "onconventionele menselijke intelligenties".
Onconventionele menselijke intelligenties Dit zouden entiteiten zijn die in verschillende culturen van oudsher worden gegroepeerd als elfen, kabouters, gnomen en feeën, bijvoorbeeld: figuren die meestal worden beschreven in mythologische verhalen of oude religies.
Bovennatuurlijke wezens Deze wezens zouden sporadische interacties met mensen hebben gehad en zouden voor godheden of bovennatuurlijke wezens kunnen zijn aangezien.
'Ze lopen onder ons rond' De drie wetenschappers van Harvard stelden dat de intelligente wezens van veel ufowaarnemingen op aarde dus "zelfs onder ons zouden kunnen rondlopen".
Het is een mogelijkheid "We zeggen niet dat het waar is of absoluut 100 procent vaststaat, maar dat dit enkele mogelijkheden zijn om de oorsprong van deze wezens te helpen verklaren", zei Masters, geciteerd door CBS News.
Ze zouden de mensheid kunnen helpen De auteurs van de hypothese sluiten af door te zeggen dat, hoewel speculatief, dit een onderwerp is waar over gesproken moet worden omdat, als alles waar zou zijn, deze intelligente levensvormen "de mensheid zouden kunnen helpen bij het aanpakken van de grote problemen van vandaag, zoals klimaatverandering".
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- Gemiddelde waardering: 0/5 - (0 Stemmen) Categorie:ALIEN LIFE, UFO- CRASHES, ABDUCTIONS, MEN IN BLACK, ed ( FR. , NL; E )
13-07-2025
Ancient Gods, Alien Abduction, and Human Souls – A Potentially Dark Connection
Ancient Gods, Alien Abduction, and Human Souls – A Potentially Dark Connection
Abstract
This dissertation explores the intriguing hypothesis that ancient mythologies, reports of alien abductions, and concepts of human souls may be interconnected through a potentially dark and complex framework. Drawing from interdisciplinary sources—archaeology, anthropology, psychology, and ufology—it examines whether these phenomena could share a common underlying mechanism or narrative structure. The investigation considers alternative explanations, the role of cognitive and cultural factors, and the implications of a possible dark alliance between extraterrestrial entities and human spiritual concepts.
Introduction
Throughout human history, cultures across the globe have consistently reported encounters with divine beings, supernatural entities, or extraterrestrial visitors. Ancient mythologies often depict gods descending from the heavens, engaging in extraordinary acts, or bestowing sacred knowledge upon humans. These stories served to explain natural phenomena, reinforce social hierarchies, or express spiritual beliefs. In recent decades, accounts of alien abductions have gained prominence, describing individuals who claim to have been taken against their will by extraterrestrial beings. These experiences often involve invasive procedures, such as medical examinations, and result in significant psychological impacts, including trauma, confusion, and altered perceptions of reality.
Simultaneously, religious and spiritual traditions have long posited the existence of human souls—immaterial, conscious entities that transcend physical death and continue their existence in an afterlife or spiritual realm. These beliefs suggest that human consciousness is not solely rooted in the physical body but may possess an enduring, non-material essence. The recurring themes of divine intervention, supernatural encounters, extraterrestrial contact, and the existence of the soul invite intriguing questions about their possible interconnectedness.
Could these phenomena represent different facets of a single, overarching reality? Is it conceivable that ancient gods, alien abductors, and human souls are expressions of a unified, underlying phenomenon—perhaps revealing the manipulation or influence of a higher consciousness or hidden agenda? Some hypotheses propose that these encounters might be orchestrated by a collective consciousness or a covert force seeking to manipulate human perception and spiritual development. Alternatively, they might reflect different stages or interpretations of a fundamental truth about human existence and our place in the universe.
This dissertation aims to critically examine these complex questions within a scientific framework, recognizing the current limitations of empirical evidence and the challenges inherent in studying such elusive phenomena. While acknowledging the speculative nature of these connections, the analysis seeks to explore plausible theories and consider the potential implications of a unified understanding of these diverse human experiences. Ultimately, this work aspires to contribute to the ongoing dialogue about the nature of consciousness, spirituality, and the universe, encouraging an open yet rigorous inquiry into some of humanity’s most profound mysteries.
Historical and Cultural Perspectives on Ancient Gods
Throughout history, civilizations across the globe have crafted rich mythologies surrounding their deities, often portraying them as powerful, divine beings descending from the heavens or cosmic realms. These gods were frequently associated with natural phenomena such as the sun, moon, stars, thunderstorms, and celestial events, reflecting the importance of the cosmos in early human understanding of the world. For example, in ancient Mesopotamia, the Sumerians worshipped the Anunnaki—celestial beings depicted as divine entities who interacted directly with humans. These gods were believed to have descended from the sky, imparting knowledge, establishing laws, and shaping early civilizations. Similarly, in Egyptian mythology, gods like Ra and Osiris embodied the solar and underworld powers, often depicted as divine rulers overseeing cosmic order. In Hindu traditions, deities such as Vishnu and Shiva are associated with cosmic cycles and universal principles, while Greek mythology features gods like Zeus and Apollo, who reign from Mount Olympus and wield control over natural and human affairs.
Scholars have long debated the origins and meanings of these mythologies. Are they literal historical accounts of actual divine visits? Are they allegorical stories designed to teach moral lessons or encode cultural values? Or do they serve as psychological archetypes, reflecting inner human experiences and fears? Some researchers suggest that these narratives may be symbolic representations of humanity’s attempts to understand the universe, natural forces, and their place within it. Others propose a more controversial theory: that these stories encode actual encounters with extraterrestrial visitors, interpreted through the limited worldview of pre-scientific societies. This hypothesis, often called the "ancient astronauts" theory, posits that the gods described in ancient texts were, in fact, advanced alien beings who visited Earth and influenced early human development. Proponents of this idea argue that certain mythological descriptions of gods' technologies and appearances resemble modern notions of extraterrestrial life. While mainstream scholarship remains skeptical of this extraterrestrial hypothesis, it has gained popularity in popular culture and alternative historical theories, prompting ongoing debates about the true origins of these ancient stories and their significance.
Modern Reports of Alien Abduction and Their Parallels
Ancient civilizations across different regions and eras have depicted gods and divine beings with striking similarities, often portraying them as powerful entities descending from the sky or celestial realms. These deities are frequently associated with cosmic phenomena such as the sun, moon, stars, and other astronomical events, reflecting the importance of celestial bodies in shaping early human understanding of the universe. For instance, in Mesopotamian mythology, the Anunnaki are described as celestial beings who descended from the heavens to interact with humans. They are often credited with imparting knowledge, establishing early civilizations, and influencing human culture and society. These narratives emphasize their divine authority and their role in shaping the cosmos and human destiny.
Similarly, Egyptian mythology features gods like Ra, the sun god, who embodies the solar cycle and is believed to travel across the sky each day, symbolizing the divine order and the cyclical nature of life. In Hindu traditions, deities such as Vishnu and Shiva are associated with cosmic functions, maintaining the balance and order of the universe through their divine actions. Greek mythology also presents a pantheon of gods, such as Zeus and Apollo, who are linked to celestial phenomena and natural forces. These gods often reside on Mount Olympus or other divine realms, overseeing the mortal world and influencing natural events.
Scholars have long debated the origins and meanings of these mythological stories. Some interpret them as literal historical accounts, believing that ancient peoples actually witnessed divine or supernatural beings. Others see these stories as allegories or symbolic narratives that convey moral, spiritual, or societal values. Additionally, many researchers consider that these myths function as psychological archetypes, reflecting universal aspects of human consciousness and experience.
One intriguing contemporary hypothesis is that these ancient stories encode encounters with extraterrestrial visitors. Proponents of this idea, often referred to as the "ancient astronauts" hypothesis, suggest that the gods described in mythologies may have been advanced alien beings who visited Earth in antiquity. According to this view, these extraterrestrial entities could have influenced early human development, technology, and religion, with their appearances interpreted through the lens of pre-scientific societies. This perspective attempts to reconcile the grandeur and complexity of ancient mythologies with the possibility of non-human origins, suggesting that humanity's perception of divine beings may have been shaped by actual encounters with extraterrestrial civilizations.
In conclusion, the stories of ancient gods reflect diverse cultural, religious, and philosophical understandings of the cosmos. Whether viewed as literal beings, symbolic archetypes, or potential extraterrestrial visitors, these mythologies continue to fascinate and inspire, offering insight into how ancient peoples sought to comprehend the universe and their place within it.
The Concept of Human Souls in Spiritual and Scientific Contexts
The idea of the human soul has played a fundamental role in numerous religious and spiritual traditions across the world. In these belief systems, the soul is often regarded as an eternal, immaterial essence that transcends the physical body and persists beyond death. Many religions, such as Christianity, Islam, Hinduism, and Buddhism, describe the soul as the core of a person's identity, consciousness, or spiritual essence, which is subject to moral judgment and may undergo rebirth or ascension in an afterlife.
From a scientific standpoint, the concept of a soul presents significant challenges because it is not directly measurable or observable. Contemporary science generally explains human consciousness—the awareness, thoughts, feelings, and perceptions we experience—as a product of complex neural processes within the brain. According to this view, mental functions emerge from biochemical and electrical activities, making the notion of an immaterial soul unnecessary for explaining human cognition and identity.
Despite this, some researchers and theorists in the fields of parapsychology and consciousness studies explore ideas that challenge mainstream scientific paradigms. They propose that consciousness might not be confined to the physical brain alone and could have non-local properties—that is, existing outside the boundaries of space and time. Such theories suggest that the soul or soul-like entities could potentially operate independently of the body, capable of existing or influencing the physical world from a non-material realm.
Supporters often cite anecdotal evidence such as near-death experiences, out-of-body experiences, and reported instances of psychic phenomena as potential indications of an existence beyond the physical. These phenomena are interpreted by some as glimpses into a non-physical dimension where the soul might reside or operate. However, rigorous scientific validation remains elusive, and these reports are often met with skepticism due to their subjective nature and lack of reproducible evidence. Consequently, while the concept of the soul remains a profound and influential idea in spiritual traditions, its scientific acceptance continues to be a subject of debate and investigation.
Potential Connections and the Dark Hypothesis
Bringing these various strands of evidence and speculation together, one can formulate a hypothesis about a dark underlying framework that might connect seemingly disparate phenomena. This framework suggests that extraterrestrial entities—potentially ancient gods, interdimensional beings, or modern abductors—are engaged in covert operations targeting humanity. Instead of overt contact, these entities could be manipulating human consciousness or spiritual essence from behind the scenes, operating in secrecy to achieve their hidden agendas.
This manipulation might serve multiple purposes. One possible aim is spiritual bypassing, where these entities interfere with human spiritual development to keep individuals from awakening to higher consciousness. Alternatively, their goal could be control—either social, psychological, or spiritual—by suppressing human autonomy and free will. A more sinister hypothesis involves the harvesting of human souls or spiritual energy, using humans as energy sources or resources for their own purposes.
Supporters of this theory point to numerous parallels between mythological divine descents—such as gods, angels, or other celestial beings—and modern accounts of alien abductions. These similarities suggest a continuum rather than separate phenomena, implying that ancient mythologies may encode subconscious or historical memories of extraterrestrial encounters. The recurring themes across cultures and eras—such as beings descending from the skies, performing medical experiments, or taking individuals away—could be evidence of ongoing and historical interactions with these entities.
Moreover, proponents argue that these entities are exploiting human religious and spiritual beliefs to further their aims. By aligning their activities with religious narratives or spiritual practices, they might be feeding off spiritual energy—sometimes called "prana" or "chi"—to sustain themselves or to manipulate human collective consciousness. This exploitation could also serve to prevent humans from evolving spiritually, maintaining a kind of spiritual stagnation that benefits these unseen orchestrators.
In addition to individual abductions, some conspiracy theories propose that secretive organizations—such as clandestine government agencies, secret societies, or shadow governments—are in league with extraterrestrial overlords. These alliances could be orchestrating a long-term agenda to enslave humanity or harvest human souls systematically. This collaboration might explain the persistence of similar themes—such as secret experiments, mind control, and spiritual suppression—across different cultures and historical periods.
The recurring motifs, the similarities between mythological stories and modern accounts, and the persistent rumors of secret collaborations all lend credence to the idea that a hidden, dark agenda may be at play. Whether these entities are ancient gods, extraterrestrial overlords, or interdimensional beings, the overarching hypothesis suggests that humans are unwitting participants in a covert operation. This operation’s purpose might be to keep humanity spiritually subdued, harvest energy or souls, or exert control over human consciousness—potentially explaining the enduring mystery surrounding abductions, mythologies, and spiritual suppression.
In conclusion, the dark hypothesis posits that behind the veil of our perceived reality, an elaborate and sinister web of manipulation exists—one that involves extraterrestrial entities, secret organizations, and ancient mythologies—all working in concert to influence and control human spiritual evolution for their own hidden purposes.
Scientific Skepticism and Alternative Explanations
Scientific skepticism and the evaluation of alternative explanations are crucial when examining claims of extraterrestrial abductions and mythological narratives. While some hypotheses related to these phenomena are intriguing and garner interest, they are often met with significant scientific skepticism due to a lack of robust empirical support and the presence of plausible alternative explanations.
A primary factor to consider is the role of cognitive biases, such as confirmation bias, where individuals tend to interpret ambiguous experiences in ways that confirm their existing beliefs. Additionally, sleep paralysis—a condition where a person experiences temporary paralysis while falling asleep or waking—can produce vivid hallucinations, often accompanied by a sense of a malevolent presence or alien figures. These hallucinations are well-documented phenomena that can easily be mistaken for extraterrestrial encounters or supernatural entities. Cultural conditioning also plays a significant role; stories, legends, and beliefs prevalent in a society shape how individuals interpret strange experiences. For example, in cultures with a rich tradition of alien or spirit encounters, similar experiences may be explained within those frameworks, leading to a shared narrative that is culturally constructed rather than externally real.
The human brain’s natural tendency for pattern recognition and storytelling further contributes to these phenomena. Our brains are wired to find meaning and connections, even where none exist, which can result in the creation of elaborate narratives across diverse cultures. These stories often reflect universal psychological structures and archetypes that help humans make sense of unexplained events but do not necessarily indicate external realities.
Furthermore, the scientific community emphasizes the importance of empirical evidence, reproducibility, and falsifiability when evaluating extraordinary claims. To date, there is a notable lack of empirical evidence supporting the existence of extraterrestrial influences or spiritual entities as causes of these phenomena. Most reports are anecdotal, subjective, and difficult to verify under controlled conditions. As such, these claims are often dismissed as misinterpretations of natural psychological or physiological processes rather than evidence of external phenomena.
In conclusion, while alternative explanations such as sleep paralysis, hallucinations, and cultural conditioning provide plausible accounts for many of these experiences, rigorous scientific methodology remains essential. Critical analysis underscores the importance of skepticism and the need for reproducible, falsifiable evidence when exploring these fascinating yet contentious phenomena.
Implications and Future Directions
If a dark connection exists linking ancient gods, alien abductions, and human souls, it could have profound implications for our understanding of human consciousness, spirituality, and our place in the universe. Such a discovery would suggest that human spiritual traditions, mythologies, and religious beliefs encode subconscious knowledge of a broader cosmic reality, potentially manipulated or influenced by unseen forces or entities. This could challenge conventional scientific paradigms and open new avenues for exploring the origins of human spirituality and the nature of existence.
Understanding this potential connection might also shed light on the origins and purpose of religious experiences, visions, and mystical encounters reported throughout history. It could imply that these phenomena are not merely cultural or psychological constructs but are rooted in deeper cosmic truths that are encoded within our subconscious or collective memory. This perspective might lead to a reevaluation of the role that extraterrestrial or interdimensional beings play in human history and spiritual development.
Future research could benefit from an interdisciplinary approach, integrating insights from archaeology, psychology, neuroscience, anthropology, and ufology. Archaeological studies might focus on uncovering ancient symbols, artifacts, and texts that hint at extraterrestrial contact or cosmic knowledge. Psychological and neuroscientific investigations could explore the nature of spiritual experiences, hallucinations, and altered states of consciousness, seeking to understand how the brain may access or encode these cosmic messages. Ufology, the study of unidentified flying objects and extraterrestrial encounters, could provide data on recent and historical contact scenarios, helping to establish patterns or common themes.
Moreover, collaborative efforts between scientists, theologians, and researchers in consciousness studies could help interpret the spiritual and mythological implications of these findings. Technology such as brain imaging, virtual reality, and artificial intelligence could be employed to simulate and analyze spiritual experiences or extraterrestrial contact scenarios, providing further insights into their nature and origins.
In conclusion, exploring the potential links between ancient mythologies, alien encounters, and human consciousness could revolutionize our understanding of reality. By embracing an interdisciplinary approach, future research may uncover the hidden truthsbehind humanity’s spiritual history and our cosmic connections, ultimately expanding our comprehension of our place in the universe.
Als mensen ooit echt op Mars willen wonen, dan moeten we eerst een oplossing vinden voor een gigantisch probleem: hoe bouw je een leefbare omgeving zonder duizenden en duizenden kilo’s aan bouwmateriaal vanaf de Aarde te verschepen? Dit is peperduur en logistiek bijna onmogelijk. Maar de redding komt misschien wel uit onverwachte hoek…
Onderzoekers van de Harvard John A. Paulson School of Engineering and Applied Sciences (SEAS) denken een oplossing te hebben gevonden in de levende natuur en schrijven erover in de nieuwste uitgave van het vakblad Science Advances. Hoofdonderzoeker Robin Wordsworth laat zien dat het mogelijk is om groene algen te laten groeien in bunkers gemaakt van bioplastic, onder omstandigheden die lijken op wat het oppervlak van Mars te bieden heeft. Het is een veelbelovende stap richting het bouwen van duurzame buitenaardse huizen die zichzelf kunnen onderhouden en nog kunnen groeien ook.
Bizarre omstandigheden In het lab bootste het onderzoeksteam de ijle atmosfeer van Mars na: een druk van 600 Pascal (dat is meer dan honderd keer lager dan op Aarde) en een omgeving rijk aan koolstofdioxide in plaats van alle stikstof en zuurstof waar onze atmosfeer vol mee zit. Onder die bizarre omstandigheden slaagden ze erin om de algensoort Dunaliella tertiolecta te laten groeien in een speciaal ontworpen, 3D-geprinte kamer gemaakt van het bioplastic polymelkzuur (in het Engels bekend als polylactic acid (PLA)). Deze stof is een biologisch afbreekbaar en composteerbaar plastic gemaakt van maïszetmeel, suikerriet of tapioca. Het wordt vaak gebruikt als een duurzaam alternatief voor traditionele plastics, vooral bij 3D-printen, voedselverpakkingen en medische implantaten.
De bioplastickamer heeft meerdere functies: hij laat genoeg licht door om de algen te laten fotosynthetiseren, houdt schadelijke UV-straling buiten en zorgt voor een drukverschil waardoor water – ondanks de lage luchtdruk – vloeibaar blijft. “Als je een habitat hebt gemaakt van bioplastic en je laat daar algen in groeien, dan kunnen die algen weer nieuw bioplastic produceren”, legt Wordsworth uit. “Zo krijg je een soort zelfvoorzienend systeem dat nog lang door kan blijven groeien, ook als het bouwwerk al lang en breed staat.”
Bioplastic met algengroei. Foto: Wordsworth Group / Harvard SEAS
Een leefbare bubbel op een dode planeet Tot nu toe waren plannen voor leven op Mars vooral gericht op industriële technieken, oftewel dure materialen produceren en met veel moeite recyclen. Het idee van Wordsworth is veel natuurlijker; het is een systeem dat werkt zoals de ecosystemen op Aarde. Het team werkte eerder ook al aan lokale ’terraforming’ van Mars: met behulp van aerogel – een superlicht en isolerend materiaal – creëerden ze een soort kaseffect dat de bodem opwarmde, zodat er planten konden groeien. Combineer je die technologie met deze nieuwe bioplastic-algenkamers, dan krijg je een leefbare omgeving waarin druk en temperatuur onder controle blijven.
Levende, groeiende gebouwen Wordsworth en zijn collega’s zijn al druk bezig met de volgende stap. Ze gaan de nieuwste versie van hun habitats testen onder vacuümomstandigheden, zoals het er op de maan of in de ruimte aan toegaat. Ook zijn er plannen om een volledig werkend ‘closed loop-systeem’ te bouwen: een leefruimte die zichzelf in stand houdt en zelfs nieuwe onderdelen kan produceren. “Het idee van habitats die opgebouwd zijn uit biologische materialen is niet alleen fascinerend, het is ook haalbaar”, zegt Wordsworth. “En als het lukt om deze technologie verder te ontwikkelen, dan kunnen we die misschien ook op Aarde gebruiken voor een duurzamer manier van bouwen.”
Gletsjers houden meer tegen dan we tot nu toe dachten.
Het smelten van gletsjers in de Chileense Andes leidt mogelijk tot meer frequente vulkaanuitbarstingen. Dat blijkt uit nieuw onderzoek van de Universiteit van Wisconsin-Madison. Daarbovenop zouden deze ook nog eens intenser kunnen worden. Het effect zou niet beperkt blijven tot de Andes. Het verdwijnen van gletsjers zou een wereldwijd effect kunnen hebben, menen de onderzoekers in een persbericht. Naarmate klimaatverandering het ijs sneller doet verdwijnen, zouden honderden vulkanen rond de wereld actiever kunnen worden. De studie is nog niet gepubliceerd, maar werd wel al gepresenteerd op de Goldschmidt Conferentie in Praag, een grote internationale bijeenkomst op het gebied van geochemie.
Laatste ijstijd De wetenschappers analyseerden om tot deze conclusie te komen zes vulkanen in het zuiden van Chili, waaronder de momenteel sluimerende Mocho-Choshuenco. Met behulp van argondatering (een techniek waarbij wordt gekeken naar de hoeveelheid argon in gesteente om te bepalen hoe oud het is) bepaalden ze exact wanneer eerdere uitbarstingen plaatsvonden. De analyse van kristallen in vulkanisch gesteente leerde de onderzoekers dan weer meer over de omstandigheden waarin magma gevormd wordt en opstijgt.
De studie keek specifiek naar de periode van de laatste ijstijd, tussen 26.000 en 18.000 jaar geleden. Toen bedekte een gigantische ijsmassa, de zogenoemde Patagonische IJskap, het gebied. Door deze technieken te combineren, konden ze zien hoe de aanwezigheid en het verdwijnen van al dat ijs de vulkanische activiteit beïnvloedde.
IJs houdt magma tegen De resultaten laten zien dat dikke gletsjers tijdens de ijstijd de aardkorst zwaar belastten, waardoor magma minder makkelijk naar boven kwam. Dit zorgde ervoor dat zich diep onder de grond, op 10 tot 15 kilometer, een grote voorraad magma opbouwde. Toen het ijs aan het einde van de ijstijd snel smolt, nam de druk op de korst af. De gassen in het magma konden uitzetten, wat leidde tot krachtige uitbarstingen. Dit proces verklaart waarom vulkanen actiever werden na het verdwijnen van het ijs.
Relevant door klimaatverandering
Hoofdauteur van de studie Pablo Moreno-Yaeger licht in het persbericht toe waarom dat vandaag de dag relevant is: “Gletsjers hebben de neiging om het volume van uitbarstingen van de vulkanen eronder te onderdrukken. Maar als gletsjers zich terugtrekken door klimaatverandering, suggereren onze bevindingen dat deze vulkanen vaker en explosiever uitbarsten. De belangrijkste voorwaarde voor meer explosiviteit is in eerste instantie een zeer dikke glaciale bedekking over een magmakamer, en de trigger is wanneer deze gletsjers zich beginnen terug te trekken, waardoor de druk vrijkomt.” De onderzoeker zegt dat de klimaatverandering niet alleen in Chili kan zorgen voor meer en zwaardere uitbarstingen. Vooral Antarctica, maar ook Nieuw-Zeeland, Noord-Amerika en Rusland, waar vulkanen onder gletsjers liggen, moeten volgens hem beter worden onderzocht.
Uitbarstingen hebben zelf ook impact Wereldwijd kan dit ook een impact hebben op het klimaat. Vulkanen spuwen bij een uitbarsting namelijk aerosolen uit die de aarde tijdelijk afkoelen. Een goed voorbeeld is de uitbarsting van de gigantische Filipijnse vulkaan Mount Pinatubo in 1991. Na de uitbarsting daalde de temperatuur wereldwijd met ongeveer 0,5 graden Celsius. Maar bij herhaalde uitbarstingen stapelen broeikasgassen zich net op, wat op lange termijn juist bijdraagt aan de opwarming van de aarde. Dit kan een vicieuze cirkel veroorzaken: meer uitbarstingen versnellen het smelten van gletsjers, wat weer meer vulkanische activiteit uitlokt.
De opbouw van zo’n magmareservoirs kan echter eeuwen kan duren. Dat geeft de mensheid tijd om gerichte systemen te ontwikkelen die ons op tijd kunnen waarschuwen voor uitbarstingen. De volledige studie verschijnt later dit jaar in een wetenschappelijk vakblad. De onderzoekers zeggen nog niet in welk vakblad.
Afbeelding bovenaan dit artikel: Joseph Vary / Unsplash
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OPMERKING PETER2011
Met het 'smelten van gletsjers' wordt in deze studie bedoeld: het smelten van een ijskap van 500.000 km^3 in Patagonië na de ijstijd. Zo'n ijskap zal zeker een invloed op de onderliggende aardkorst hebben en mogelijk tevens op vulkanisme. Maar om het effect van zo'n ijskap dan te extrapoleren naar de gletsjers van vandaag? Dat is echt een gigantisch schaalverschil, de grootste gletsjers nu hebben volumes van slechts enkele tientallen km^3. Om dit dan vervolgens te koppelen aan de huidige klimaatverandering wat 'wetenschappers zorgen baart' is wel heel vergezocht.
The National UFO Reporting Center has received more than 2,000 incidents of UFO sightings in the first half of 2025, The Hill reported Friday.
Since January, the nonprofit, known as NUFORC, has received 2,174 reports of UFOs and unexplained sightings in 2025, an increase from the 1,492 over the same period in 2024.
The center, which has collected and investigated cases since 1974, noted that of the 3,000 reports collected this year, many of the sightings happened years or decades ago and are not immediately reported due to the stigma involving UFO cases.
Christian Stepien, NUFORC's chief technology officer, said he believes that only 5% of sightings are ever reported. Over the years, the center has received information from air traffic controllers, military personnel, police, and everyday citizens.
"There are so many things being seen by so many people. And if it's a secret block project, you're not flying it over highly populated neighborhoods where everybody can see it, and even these days, have pictures of it," Stepien told the outlet.
Many of the cases NUFORC received end up being easily explained as balloons, drones, planets, and stars.
"We get lots of reports of balloons and things like that that we can say that's clearly a balloon, or that's a drone, or it's an airplane or whatever it is," he said. Roughly 3% of the reports turn out to be worth pursuing.
"The dramatic ones are kind of the cases where you say somebody saw a giant triangle floating over their house the size of a tennis court or a football field," Stepien said. "And we get those reports fairly regularly, things that can't possibly be mistaken for something else."
The report from NUFORC comes as the Trump administration seeks to be more transparent about UFOs. The White House announced in June an order to "restore American airspace sovereignty."
The task force recognizes the growing threat of unmanned aircraft systems and seeks to increase restrictions over critical infrastructure and develop new drone detection technologies. Stepien hopes the new attitude toward UFOs from the government will strengthen these efforts.
"The government certainly has the good stuff," he added. "These days with cellphones and things like that, we're starting to get some nice videos and things, but we don't have high-resolution cameras and forward-looking infrared [technology] and that kind of stuff."
An Unidentified Anomalous Phenomena (UAP) was filmed from the USS Omaha off coast of San Diego in July 2019. CREDIT: Jeremy Corbell/WeaponizedPodcast
New York state has seen 66 reported Unidentified Aerial Phenomena (UAP) sightings during the first half of 2025, according to a report from theNational UFO Reporting Center (NUFORC).
With 66 distinct incidents logged between January and late June, the state has had reports of an array of mysterious aerial objects, ranging from glowing orbs and silent triangles to fast-moving disks and shape-shifting lights.
The incidents, according to NUFORC, span rural hamlets, suburban skies and the bustling airspace of the Big Apple.
The NUFORC had 65 reported UFO sightings in New York in the first half of 2024.
The National UFO Reporting Center was founded in 1974 by noted UFO investigator Robert J. Gribble.
(Department of Defense)
The phenomenon appears to be statewide, with hot spots in urban centers like New York City as well as multiple reports from smaller towns such as Chester, Ridge and Evans Mills.
Evans Mills, which is located near a military base, saw repeated orb sightings in March, prompting witness speculation about possible connections to defense activities.
The most common shapes were orbs, spheres and triangles, frequently observed performing advanced maneuvers.
New York had 66 reported sightings of UFOs in the first half of 2025. (iStock)
Several reports detailed sharp right-angle turns, sudden accelerations and zigzagging flight paths.
One particularly vivid sighting, according to NUFORC, took place in Chester on March 25, 2025, when someone walking their dog around 6 p.m. reported seeing two extremely fast white orbs flying in close formation.
Initially, the witness believed the objects to be birds, but their unusual speed and synchronized, wavering flight pattern stood out. Midway through their trajectory across the sky, the objects executed a sharp, nearly 90-degree turn to the northwest without any deceleration, the witness claimed.
At that moment, they transformed into dark, aerodynamic ovals that nearly disappeared into the night sky, according to the report. The witness described the orbs as momentarily pitch black.
The U.S. government is compelled to investigate reports of UFOs to identify any issues regarding threats to national security. (iStock)
A handful of these sightings also included photographic or video evidence, although NUFORC has not released digital evidence.
Other entries speculated about plausible explanations, like drones, aircraft, fireworks and even the International Space Station. The bulk of reports from NUFORC remain open and unexplained.
April through June represented a peak in activity, aligning with warmer months that typically encourage outdoor observations.
Another remarkable incident reportedly occurred on June 24, 2025, during a commercial flight approaching New York City.
A passenger seated in 1A reported to NUFORC that they witnessed a metallic ball flying in the opposite direction, roughly 100 to 200 feet below the aircraft.
The witness, arriving from Toronto, described the object as a perfectly round, shiny sphere that caught his eye due to its metallic gleam.
The witness noted that the object did not resemble a balloon or stationary object, saying it moved steadily away from the aircraft.
The passenger immediately alerted the pilots upon landing, though neither reported seeing the object. Despite this, the observer remained convinced of the object’s extraordinary nature.
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NUFORC was founded in 1974 by UFO investigator Robert J. Gribble and aims to document and investigate unexplained sightings across the world.
"The Center’s primary function over the past five decades has been to receive, record, and to the greatest degree possible, corroborate and document reports from individuals who have been witness to unusual, possibly UFO-related events," the website says.
Former U.K. Defense Ministry official Nick Pope tells Fox News Digital that the declassification of federal secrets and other documents is of very high interest to the American people.
Declassified documents revealing a United States military aircraft was previously struck by an unknown flying object is raising eyebrows as experts point to other unexplainable sightings suggesting otherworldly technology flying within the country’s airspace.
The incident occurred in January 2023, after an unidentified object collided with the left side of an F-16 Viper jet participating in training exercises near Gila Benda, Arizona, an Air Force spokesperson confirmed to Fox News Digital.
The flying object struck the clear "canopy" at the top of the aircraft and was first spotted by an instructor pilot sitting in the rear of the plane, officials said. An initial investigation determined no damage was done to the near $70 million jet, with officials ruling against a possible bird strike.
An F-16 fighter jet was struck by an unidentified flying object while engaging in training exercises in Arizona in January 2023. (iStock)
Authorities ultimately determined the aircraft was struck by a drone, but the location and operator of the device have yet to be determined, the spokesperson said.
The incident was the first of four encounters with unidentified anomalous phenomena (UAP) that were reported a day later, according to Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) documents obtained by the War Zone.
"According to military personnel I’ve personally met with, there were objects 200 miles off the East Coast that were extensively loitering and had no visible means of propulsion," James Fox, a director specializing in films about UFO activity, told Fox News Digital. "So a report from 2023 about an actual impact with a UAP doesn’t really surprise me."
The concerning collision comes as the Department of Defense reported 757 incidents involving UAPs from May 1, 2023, to June 1, 2024, according to an unclassified document released by the All-Domain Anomaly Resolution Office.
Of those encounters, 708 occurred in the air, with only 49 instances marked as "case closed" by officials. Additionally, the department received 18 reports regarding UAP incidents near nuclear infrastructure, launch sites and weapons, according to the report.
"None of these resolved cases substantiated advanced foreign adversarial capabilities or breakthrough aerospace technologies," the report states.
The Pentagon recorded 757 incidents involving UAPs from 2023 to 2024, according to unclassified documents. (iStock)
The sightings of UAPs near military sites are nothing new, according to Fox.
"There arereports dating back to the 1930s and 1940s," Fox said. "Where you had mysterious, glowing, and orb-like objects that emitted very bright light that could just fly rings around the military planes from World War II."
Fox pointed to the sheer advanced technology showcased within these sightings, such as aircraft that do not emit a heat signature or have the ability to fly stationary in high wind conditions.
"This has been well-documented for decades," Fox said. "So either we’ve managed to track the same thing it’s been, [possibly] non-human intelligence, since the 1940s. Or someone has managed to replicate the technology, reverse engineer it and they’re flying it around."
Of the 2023 to 2024 reports, 708 occurred in the air, with only 49 instances marked as "case closed" by officials, according to Pentagon documents. (iStock)
In 2020, the Department of Defense established an Unidentified Aerial Phenomena Task Force (UAPTF) to further research and investigate the various UAPs spotted throughout American skies.
"The mission of the task force is to detect, analyze and catalog UAPs that could potentially pose a threat to U.S. national security," the department said in a statement.
Fox also cited officials’ use of updated technology to pinpoint the location and characteristics of UAPs possibly contributing to the influx in reports over recent years.
"They’ve adjusted the frequency on particular radars to pick up smaller objects that maybe have been here all along," Fox said, adding, "it’s a global phenomenon exhibiting the technology that’s just lightyears ahead from anything we have. Has there been a successful effort in reverse engineering? [If not], then it falls into the category that many would say is non-human intelligence."
While a vast majority of UAPs spotted by officials are quickly identified, Fox insists there are a select few that have origins unknown to even the highest of government authorities and do not match the technology owned by the country’s adversaries.
"A small percentage of these objects display a technology that's just light-years beyond anything that we or anybody else on the planet has," Fox said. "Which would imply, once you do the process of elimination, if it isn’t Russia or China, and if it’s not us, what's left?"
Fox also attributes overall public skepticism regarding UAPs to the U.S. government remaining tight-lipped about its findings over the years. However, officials have continued to work toward transparency with the American public, with a congressional hearing on UFOs occurring for the first time in decades in 2022 and continuing to take place on the floors of Congress.
"The primary reason for secrecy is that it’s difficult for any governing body to admit that there are structured craft of unknown origin whizzing around with impunity," Fox said. "They fly rings around our fastest jets, and [the government] doesn’t know who they are, where they come from or what they want."
Researchers bombarded lichens with a year's worth of Martian radiation in just 5 hours — and they survived, hinting that the extremophiles could potentially live on the Red Planet.
A new study has revealed that lichens can withstand the intense ionizing radiation that hits Mars' surface. (The lichen in this photo is Cetraria aculeata.)
(Image credit: Pensoft)
Earth-based lifeforms known as lichens may be tough enough to survive on Mars, a new study suggests.
Scientists came to this conclusion after blasting the lichens with a year's worth of Martian radiation in less than a day during a lab experiment — and the terrestrial lifeforms survived the process.
Mars is not an easy place to live. The Red Planet is essentially one giant desert with a minimal atmosphere, low temperatures and no liquid water at its surface. But the biggest barrier to life on Mars is the lack of a strong magnetic field, which protects against the constant bombardment of ionizing radiation from cosmic rays and solar flares, which can damage living cells and mutate their DNA.
One group of living things that may be able to survive these extreme conditions is lichens, symbiotic associations between fungi and photosynthetic bacteria and/or algae. These hybrid lifeforms, which are not considered true organisms but are listed as species on the three of life, work together to stay alive and many are extremophiles, capable of tolerating no hydration and extreme temperatures for long periods. Some species have even survived being directly exposed to the vacuum of space.
In the new study, published March 31 in the journal IMA Fungus, researchers tested how two lichen species — Diploschistes muscorum and Cetraria aculeata — reacted to ionizing radiation under Martian conditions. To do this, the team placed the lifeforms in a specialized vacuum chamber at the Space Research Centre of the Polish Academy of Sciences in Warsaw, which replicated the atmospheric pressure, temperatures and composition on the Red Planet. They bombarded the lichens with a year's worth of Martian radiation in just 5 hours. Both species were able to remain metabolically active throughout the tests.
Cetraria aculeata (left) and Diploschistes muscorum (right) both survived the experiments. But D. muscorum is a better candidate for living on Mars. (Image credit: Wikimedia/Alberto Salguero (left)/Thayne Tuason (right))
"These findings expand our understanding of biological processes under simulated Martian conditions and reveal how hydrated organisms respond to ionizing radiation," Kaja Skubała, a researcher at the Institute of Botany at the Jagellonian University in Krakow, Poland, said in a statement. "Ultimately, this research deepens our knowledge of lichen adaptation and their potential for colonizing extraterrestrial environments."
Of the two species, D. muscorum showed the greatest resistance to the radiation, sustaining less damage to its cells, which suggests that some lichens will be better suited to Martian conditions than others. However, it is unlikely that any species would be able to survive on Mars unattended for long periods, as there is no known liquid water at the surface, which all of Earth's lifeforms need to survive.
This is the reason why it is unlikely that there is any extraterrestrial life currently alive on Mars.
Martian candidates
According to the researchers, the new experiments show that lichens are prime candidates for being taken on future Mars missions, although there are several resilient species other than D. muscorum that could also make the trip.
But lichens are not the only lifeforms that could potentially survive on the Red Planet.
Scientists collect lichens near the Mars Desert Research Station in Utah to replicate how they might study life on Mars. This experiment was not part of the new study.(Image credit: Mars 160 Crew/The Mars Society)
One extremophile group that has long been considered as future Martian tourists is tardigrades. These microscopic critters are nearly indestructible and can survive extreme temperatures, crushing pressures, total dehydration and the vacuum of space, largely thanks to an ability to switch off their metabolism and enter a state of suspended animation.
Other candidates include mosses — plants with similar abilities to lichens. Some desert moss species have even been shown to be resilient to gamma rays and liquid nitrogen, hinting that they too could fare well on Mars.
Single-celled microorganisms, such as bacteria, might also be able to survive on Mars if they were sheltered from radiation, living underground. Research has shown that these microbes could also survive for hundreds of millions of years beneath the surface in a hibernation-like state.
However, the first terrestrial lifeforms to touch down on Mars will likely be a species that is naturally very poorly suited to living on Mars — humans. NASA intends on launching the first crewed mission to the Red Planet sometime in the 2030s, when they will get a taste of how tough it is to survive there.
Editor's note: This article was originally published April 8, 2025
The thick, mineral-rich layers of clay found on Mars suggest that the Red Planet harbored potentially life-hosting environments for long stretches in the ancient past, a new study suggests.
(Image credit: NASA/JPL-Caltech/UArizona)
The thick, mineral-rich layers of clay found onMars suggest that the Red Planet harbored potentially life-hosting environments for long stretches in the ancient past, a new study suggests.
Clays need liquid water to form. These layers are hundreds of feet thick and are thought to have formed roughly 3.7 billion years ago, under warmer and wetter conditions than currently prevail on Mars.
"These areas have a lot of water but not a lot of topographic uplift, so they're very stable," study co-author Rhianna Moore, who conducted the research as a postdoctoral fellow at the University of Texas' Jackson School of Geosciences, said in a statement.
"If you have stable terrain, you're not messing up your potentially habitable environments," Moore added. "Favorable conditions might be able to be sustained for longer periods of time."
On our home planet, such deposits form under specific landscape and climatic conditions.
"On Earth, the places where we tend to see the thickest clay mineral sequences are in humid environments, and those with minimal physical erosion that can strip away newly created weathering products," said co-author Tim Goudge, an assistant professor at the Jackson School's Department of Earth and Planetary Sciences.
Clays can be seen in the Hellas basin of Mars. (Image credit: NASA/JPL-Caltech/UArizona)
However, it remains unclear how Mars' local and global topography, along with its past climate activity, influenced surface weathering and the formation of clay layers.
Using data and images from NASA's Mars Reconnaissance Orbiter — the second-longest-operating spacecraft around Mars, after the agency's 2001 Mars Odyssey — Moore, Goudge, and their colleagues studied 150 clay deposits, looking at their shapes and locations, and how close they are to other features like ancient lakes or rivers.
They found that the clays are mostly located in low areas near ancient lakes, but not close to valleys where water once flowed strongly. This mix of gentle chemical changes and less intense physical erosion helped the clays stay preserved over time.
"[Clay mineral-bearing stratigraphies] tend to occur in areas where chemical weathering was favoured over physical erosion, farther from valley network activity and nearer standing bodies of water," the team wrote in the new study, which was published in the journal Nature Astronomy on June 16.
The findings suggest that intense chemical weathering on Mars may have disrupted the usual balance between weathering and climate.
On Earth, where tectonic activity constantly exposes fresh rock to the atmosphere, carbonate minerals like limestone form when rock reacts with water and carbon dioxide (CO2). This process helps remove CO2 from the air, storing it in solid form and helping regulate the climate over long periods.
On Mars, tectonic activity is non-existent, leading to a lack of carbonate minerals and minimal removal of CO2 from the planet's thin atmosphere. As a result, CO2 released by Martian volcanoes long ago likely stayed in the atmosphere longer, making the planet warmer and wetter in the past — conditions the team believes may have encouraged the clay's formation.
The researchers also speculate that the clay could have absorbed water and trapped chemical byproducts like cations, preventing them from spreading and reacting with the surrounding rock to form carbonates that remain trapped and unable to leech into the surrounding environment.
"[The clay is] probably one of many factors that's contributing to this weird lack of predicted carbonates on Mars," said Moore.
This article was originally published onSpace.com.
Illustration of space debris around Earth. Credit: ESA
Tens of thousands of pieces of space debris are hurtling around Earth right now. These defunct satellites, spent rocket stages, collision fragments and even a toolbox threaten active spacecraft and could trigger cascading disasters that make space unusable for generations. Since removing just a single piece of debris can cost tens of millions of dollars, the critical question becomes which ones should we prioritise?
It was during a spacewalk around the ISS that astronauts dropped a toolbox that now poses a threat to future space travellers. (Credit : NASA)
The numbers tell a sobering story. NASA data shows the monthly count of objects in Earth's orbit continues to climb relentlessly, while computer simulations predict an alarming future. Without intervention, low Earth orbit could become so cluttered with debris that catastrophic collisions become routine, potentially triggering a runaway chain reaction known as Kessler Syndrome.
A few years ago, eleven international teams of space experts tackled this challenge by each creating a ranked list of the 50 most concerning objects in low Earth orbit. Although they used different approaches, 20-40% of the objects ended up on several experts' lists, showing remarkable consensus given the complexity of the problem. However, their lists didn't perfectly match. Now, researchers from France and Spain have applied social choice theory, the mathematical study of voting and collective decision making to this conundrum, revealing how different ways of combining expert opinions lead to dramatically different conclusions about our most urgent space threats.
International space agencies agree that simply preventing new debris isn't enough. To stabilise the space environment, experts estimate we need to actively remove five to ten large pieces of debris, each bigger than 10 centimetres, every year before they fragment into thousands of smaller, untrackable pieces.
Orbital Debris strike on one of the window’s within the International Space Station.
(Credit : NASA)
Thankfully, the technology for space cleanup missions is rapidly advancing, with the first operational tests scheduled for later in 2025 and 2026. But with removal costs in the tens of millions of dollars per object, choosing the right targets is crucial.
The eleven expert teams used sophisticated methods to evaluate space debris, considering factors like mass, collision probability, orbital lifetime, and proximity to operational satellites. Despite using different approaches, they showed remarkable agreement with 20-40% of objects appeared on multiple lists. Only one object appeared on every expert's list, while their collective work identified 273 different pieces of concerning debris across all lists.
This level of consensus is quite impressive given the complexity of weighing multiple risk factors. However, the remaining disagreements still matter significantly when deciding where to spend tens of millions of dollars on removal missions.
Illustration of a satellite breaking up into multiple pieces at higher altitudes.
(Credit : ESA)
The original study combined the expert opinions using a hybrid scoring method, multiplying each object's Borda score (based on its ranking positions) by the number of lists it appeared on. This approach identified object 22,566 as the most concerning piece of debris.
However, the new research demonstrates that this conclusion depends entirely on the aggregation method chosen. Using the classic Borda count alone, object 22,220 emerges as the top priority. Apply the Condorcet winner principle, which seeks the object that would beat all others in head to head comparisons, and object 27,006 takes the lead. These aren't minor technical differences though. Each method reflects different philosophical approaches to collective decision making, with real implications for where humanity spends its limited space cleanup resources.
The researchers argue for fundamental changes in how we approach space debris prioritisation. Rather than forcing experts to rank exactly 50 objects, they suggest allowing each team to identify however many objects they consider truly concerning. This acknowledges that the threshold for "concerning" debris shouldn't be artificially constrained by committee decisions.
They also propose moving from ranked ballots to evaluative voting, where experts would categorise debris as "extremely hazardous," "hazardous," or "acceptable risk" based on absolute criteria rather than relative comparisons. This approach would be more robust to changes in the candidate pool and better reflect how experts actually think about risk assessment.
This research illuminates a broader challenge in scientific decision making, how to fairly aggregate expert opinions when stakes are high and resources are limited. The space debris problem resembles other collective choices, from pandemic response priorities to climate change mitigation strategies, where multiple valid perspectives must be reconciled into policies.
The study also reveals a critical gap in current debris removal planning, the failure to account for removal costs and dynamic effects. When one piece of debris is removed, the risk profiles of remaining objects change, suggesting we need more sophisticated approaches that consider removal sequences rather than individual targets.
As private space companies launch thousands of new satellites and space tourism takes off (if you will pardon the pun,) the orbital environment will only become more crowded. The methods we develop today for democratically choosing which space junk to remove, combining expert knowledge with fair aggregation techniques, may determine whether future generations inherit accessible space or a debris filled orbital wasteland that takes centuries to clear.
Early signs of a possible La Niña fall and winter are emerging in some climate models, federal forecasters announced July 10.
La Niña is a part of a natural climate cycle officially known as El Niño – Southern Oscillation, called ENSO by scientists. The cycle swings between warmer and cooler seawater in a region along the equator in the tropical Pacific. La Niña is marked by cooler-than-average ocean water in the region.
It is one of the main drivers of weather in the United States, especially during the late fall, winter and early spring. It's the opposite of the more well-known El Niño, which occurs when Pacific Ocean water is at least 0.9 degree warmer than average for three months.
La Niña and El Niño typically have minimal impact on summer weather in the United States, other than some effects on hurricanes. Winter is the one season when they have the most impact.
A typical La Niña winter in the United States brings cold and snow to the Northwest and unusually dry conditions to most of the Southern states, according to the Climate Prediction Center. The Southeast and mid-Atlantic also tend to see higher-than-average temperatures during a La Niña winter.
Meanwhile, New England and the Upper Midwest, including New York, tend to see lower-than-average temperatures, the Weather Channel said.
Map shows what a La Niña could mean for winter 2025-2026
The typical impacts of a La Niña winter in North America include a wetter, colder winter in parts of the northern United States and a drier, warmer winter in parts of the southern United States.
La Niña causes the jet stream to move northward and to weaken over the eastern Pacific. During La Niña winters, the South sees warmer and …Show more
NOAA
What is La Niña?
La Niña is a natural climate pattern marked by cooler-than-average seawater in the central and eastern Pacific Ocean. When the water cools at least 0.9 degree Fahrenheit below average for three straight months, a La Niña is declared.
"While this may sound like a small change in temperature, it can cause significant changes in the weather patterns around the globe," AccuWeather meteorologist Brian Lada said.
Could the possible La Niña affect the hurricane season?
In general, La Niña conditions favor hurricane development in the Atlantic basin, which includes the Caribbean Sea and the Gulf of America, formerly known as the Gulf of Mexico. This is because during La Niña, the strong storm-killing winds known as wind shear relax across the Atlantic basin, allowing hurricanes to more easily develop.
Hurricane researcher Phil Klotzbach of Colorado State University, in a July 10 email to USA TODAY, explained that "while Caribbean shear has been quite strong in June and is likely to remain strong throughout most of July, the potential trend more towards cool neutral (or even weak La Niña) later in the season may result in lower shear in the Caribbean later in the season."
The lower the wind shear, the greater the chance for hurricane development in the Atlantic basin.
Typical influence of La Niña on Pacific and Atlantic seasonal hurricane activity.
NOAA
But the status of ENSO is only part of the hurricane puzzle: Twenty years ago, in 2005, for instance, ENSO-neutral conditions also occurred in the Pacific ‒ and that year spawned the infamously destructive hurricanes Katrina and Rita, the National Weather Service said in an online report.
How likely is a La Niña winter?
Right now, it appears to be a toss-up.
While so-called "ENSO-neutral" conditions are most likely through the late summer, thereafter, chances of La Niña conditions increase into the fall and winter 2025-26, forecasters from the Climate Prediction Center (CPC) said July 10. In fact, one climate model used by the CPC – the North American Multi-Model Ensemble – "favors the onset of La Niña conditions during the Northern Hemisphere fall," the CPC said in its monthly update.
Japan's weather bureau also announced July 10 that there is a 40% chance of La Niña emerging in the fall.
Overall, the CPC said the chances for La Niña remain comparable to the likelihood of ENSO-neutral continuing.
What is ENSO-neutral?
ENSO-neutral means neither El Niño (warmer waters) nor La Niña (cooler waters) conditions are dominant in the Pacific. While El Niño and La Niña have expected impacts on global seasonal weather and climate, what about neutral?
"ENSO-neutral doesn’t mean we expect upcoming seasonal rain, snow, and temperature to be close to average," writes Emily Becker in the CPC's ENSO blog. "Rather, during neutral, we don’t have the same predictive information that El Niño and La Niña’s atmospheric changes provide, making upcoming patterns harder to predict very far in advance."
Discover interesting facts about where alien life forms are likely to exist, and what they look like.
(Image credit: KTSDESIGN/SCIENCE PHOTO LIBRARY via Getty Images)
Quick facts about aliens
Has extraterrestrial life been discovered?: Not yet!
Where are scientists looking for aliens?: Water-rich bodies in our solar system, like Jupiter's moon Europa, and Earth-like exoplanets — planets outside our solar system
How many planets in the Milky Way have the right conditions for life? An estimated300 million
E.T., Stitch, Chewbacca, Groot — humans have a lot of ideas about what aliens might look like. But what is the science behind extraterrestrial life? Is it possible that humans will ever experience "first contact" with an alien species?
Many scientists hope so. They're looking for extraterrestrial life on planets with conditions that look like Earth's. A life-friendly planet would probably have water, for example. And for water to be a liquid, the planet must be the perfect distance from its sun for that water not to freeze or turn into a gas.
There's no evidence yet for life on other planets, but as scientists discover more and more planets outside our solar system, they're hopeful that some of these worlds will be "just right" for life to exist or evolve there.
5 fast facts about aliens
Scientists have been listening for alien signals with special radio receivers since 1992. They haven't picked up any yet!
Mars might have once hosted life — most likely tiny things like bacteria — but scientists can't say for sure.
Jupiter's moon Europa has an ocean, and it might have hydrothermal vents, or cracks in the seafloor where hot water seeps through. Scientists think life on Earth may have evolved in hydrothermal vents.
The "Goldilocks zone" is the space around a star where temperatures allow liquid water to exist. Many scientists think planets in the Goldilocks zone are those most likely to host life.
Sci-fi aliens like Baby Yoda are fun to imagine, but scientists are serious about extraterrestrial life. There are some 100 billion stars in the Milky Way galaxy and at least 2 trillion galaxies in the universe we can study. If most of those stars have at least one planet around them, there could be up to 20 billion trillion extraterrestrial worlds out there.
Given those numbers, it would be shocking if only a single planet — Earth — had life. But our closest neighbors in the solar system, Mars and Venus, don't seem to have any life. Some moons of Saturn and Jupiter have water, so they could have life — most likely tiny creatures the size of germs. If Earthlings ever meet aliens face-to-face, they'll probably need a microscope to say hi.
Until scientists find some firm proof, such as a communication signal from an alien world or fossilized microbes from Mars, Earth remains the only planet where life is known to exist.
What might aliens look like?
What aliens would look like would depend on where they came from. For example, on the icy moons in our solar system (Jupiter's Ganymede and Europa, and Saturn's Enceladus), life could thrive around hydrothermal vents in the oceans under the ice. This life might look like the weird creatures of the deep ocean seen on Earth. There could be primitive microbes, like Earth's single-celled Archaea. There might be relatively simple creatures with many cells in their body, sort of like Earth's tube worms, which live off chemicals from the vent fluid.
Earth formed about 4.5 billion years ago, and we think the first life existed by about 4.2 billion years ago. But life on Earth started simple and stayed that way for a long time. The first microbes that produced carbon evolved at least 3.7 billion years ago. (Carbon is an element that is a part of all known life.) But the kind of cells that gave rise to animals, plants and other complex life-forms didn't evolve until between 2.7 billion and 1.8 billion years ago. Life-forms made of many cells didn't show up until 600 million years ago. And modern humans came on the scene only around 300,000 years ago.
That means that, if other planets with life are like Earth, the time period in which they might host intelligent life (or even something as cuddly as a koala) is pretty brief. But there's a good chance that human life might overlap with microbial life on another planet.
Scientists do think that life on other planets would be driven by the same processes as it is on Earth, namely evolution. Changes to the environment drive living things to change, leading to new and more complex species. So a planet out in space that is like Earth and has been through many changes in its surface, rocks and climate would probably have complex life, too. In that case, aliens might face similar challenges and needs as here on Earth, and thus might evolve similar features. Eyes, for example, have evolved independently dozens of times on Earth, and they might evolve in life on other planets, too.
Superpowerful telescopes are allowing researchers to detect planets beyond our solar system that might host life. This image shows some exoplanets that might be similar to Earth (from left to right): Kepler-22b, Kepler-69c, Kepler-452b, Kepler-62f and Kepler-186f. Earth is on the far right. (Image credit: NASA/Ames/JPL-Caltech)
Where might aliens live?
Some scientists still hold out hope that life exists elsewhere in our solar system. If it does, it's probably on one of the these moons:
Ganymede: Jupiter's largest moon is bigger than Mercury and hides a giant ocean under its icy surface.
Europa: Another moon of Jupiter with an ice-bound ocean, Europa has liquid water, heat generated by the pull of Jupiter's gravity, and chemicals that are the building blocks of life.
Enceladus: This Saturn moon spews water vapor that contains carbon compounds from its surface. One of these compounds, hydrogen cyanide, is important for the origin of life.
Titan: This moon of Saturn is very cold, but it does have carbon-rich liquid on its surface. Any life found on Titan would have to thrive in conditions not seen on Earth.
Triton: Neptune's moon Triton is very, very cold, but it might have an ocean under its surface layer of ice. It also has geological activity in the form of geysers that erupt when the sun heats the nitrogen ice on the planet's surface.
And our next-door neighbor, Mars, may have hosted life in the past, because it used to have liquid water and an atmosphere. Today, any life would have to persist in deep pools of water below the Red Planet's surface.
Outside the solar system, scientists are continually discovering new exoplanets. They can learn things about these planets' atmospheres by studying the types of light waves they see using superpowerful telescopes. One promising exoplanet for life is called K2-18b. This world is too far for humans to visit, but the light from the planet has reached Earth. This light tells us the planet has an ocean. Scientists think they've detected some chemicals in K2-18b's atmosphere that could be made by marine life, but they don't know for sure.
How are scientists looking for aliens?
Scientists look for aliens in a few different ways.
First, they listen for alien signals. This is called "passive SETI," for "search for extraterrestrial intelligence." If aliens are smart like we are, their technology might send signals into the cosmos. On Earth, for example, all of the radio waves from our phones, satellites and TV station communications "leak" into space, and these leaking radio waves could be picked up if anyone were listening. So Earthlings use telescopes designed to pick up radio waves from space, hoping to find extraterrestrial signals.
That only works for tech-savvy aliens, though. Scientists also use light to look at the kinds of molecules that are present on far-off planets and moons. On Earth, some molecules are usually or always made by living things, so if those molecules are found elsewhere, they could be a sign of life. This kind of research lets scientists look for hints of life on exoplanets that are too far away to reach with a spacecraft.
Scientists also send spacecraft to the nearby places where life might exist. The Mars rovers, for example, collect rock samples that could contain evidence of fossilized ancient Martian microbes. (They haven't found any yet, but you never know!) NASA is planning to send a drone with propellers, called Dragonfly, to Saturn's moon Titan in 2028. Dragonfly would reach Titan by 2034 and search for chemicals tied to life. The European Space Agency would like to send a mission to Enceladus, also to search for signs of past or present life.
NASA's Kepler space telescope before it launched into orbit, trailing Earth around the sun. The telescope is one of the key tools astronomers use to discover exoplanets, or planets outside our solar system. (Image credit: NASA/KSC)
Are UFOs aliens?
Unidentified flying objects (UFOs) are things in the sky that aren't explained. The first modern UFO sighting goes back to 1947, when a U.S. fighter pilot reported seeing flying saucers in Washington. Not every UFO sighting can be explained, but many turn out to be events with an Earthly origin. For example, the famous "UFO crash" from Roswell, New Mexico, in 1947 was actually debris from an experimental military balloon that was supposed to pick up sound waves from atomic bomb tests in the Soviet Union.
More recently, strange videos have shown seemingly quick-moving, hovering objects. These "unidentified aerial phenomena" (UAPs) don't have an official explanation. However, they could be normal objects that seem to be moving quickly due to optical illusions, or things that aren't what they appear to be. The pilot who took the videos might have been seeing drones, weather balloons or even birds.
Any alien civilization with the kind of technology to build spacecraft has to be an enormous distance away, given that the closest exoplanet that has the right conditions for life is Proxima Centauri B, which is 24 trillion miles away. Proxima Centauri B isn't very close, and it might not have an atmosphere. So it might not have life at all, much less life that could travel to us. And we would need some seriously advanced way to get there: With current Earth technology, it would take 6,300 years for a spacecraft to travel from Earth to Proxima Centauri B.
In other words, no, UFOs probably aren't aliens. An alien civilization could send a spacecraft to our planet, but it would mean the aliens who sent it in the first place — and their kids, grandkids, great-grandkids, great-great-grandkids and so on — would probably be long dead before the craft reached us. So it's a lot more likely that UFO sightings are cases of mistaken identity.
Alien pictures
(Image credit: NASA/JPL-Caltech)The Golden RecordWhen NASA launched the Voyager spacecraft in 1977, they included these Golden Records, which contain images and sounds from Earth. These include greetings in 55 languages, music and pictures of life on Earth. The idea is that if aliens ever encountered them, they would understand what human culture was like.
(Image credit: NASA/JPL-Caltech/MSSS/JHU-APL)Ancient Mars waterLandscapes like this one suggest Mars once had a wet surface. Here, a track cut by water in Jezero Crater ends in a fan of sediment that has likely been chemically changed by water.
(Image credit: NASA/JPL/University of Arizona)Jupiter's moon EuropaJupiter's moon Europa might harbor life beneath its icy surface. This moon has a deep ocean beneath a shell of ice, and perhaps hydrothermal vents where life could evolve.
(Image credit: NASA/JPL-Caltech)
Alien world?
This artist's conception shows the exoplanet Kepler-1649c. This planet is similar to Earth in size and temperature and is in its star's habitable zone, the distance where liquid water could exist on the planet's surface.
Image of Uranus from the Hubble Space Telescope shows bands and a new dark spot in Uranus' atmosphere. (Credit : NASA/Space Telescope Science Institute)
In the vast expanse between Uranus and Neptune, a team of researchers have uncovered something really quite extraordinary, a minor planet that has been locked in precise gravitational manouevres with Uranus for at least a million years. This discovery sheds new light on the complex dynamics that govern our Solar System's outer reaches.
The object in question, designated 2015 OU₁₉₄, belongs to a class of small bodies called Centaurs, rocky and icy objects that orbit between Jupiter and Neptune. What makes this particular Centaur special is its remarkably stable relationship with Uranus, locked in what is known as a 3:4 mean motion resonance. This means that for every three orbits 2015 OU₁₉₄ completes around the Sun, Uranus completes exactly four. This precise mathematical relationship creates a gravitational partnership that keeps the two objects in a stable dance, preventing them from colliding or drifting apart.
Uranus, the 7th planet in the Solar System seems to have an asteroid tagging along.
(Credit : NASA)
The discovery came about through detective work with archival observations. Researchers led by Daniel Bamberger from the Northolt Branch Observatories in Germany, located additional observations of 2015 OU₁₉₄ from 2017 and 2018, extending the object's data points from just one year to 3.5 years. This longer observation period was crucial for understanding the object's true orbital behavior.
Computer simulations revealed the remarkable stability of this relationship. The resonance has remained stable for at least 1,000 years in the past, probably even 1 million years and is predicted to continue for another 500,000 years into the future. This longevity suggests that the gravitational partnership formed early in our Solar System's history and has persisted through countless changes.
What makes this discovery particularly significant is that no objects has previously been found in resonance between the orbits of Uranus and Neptune. It’s a region of space, while containing many small bodies, that appears to lack the kind of stable orbital relationships commonly found elsewhere in the Solar System.
The asteroids of the inner Solar System, where they are far more numerous than the outer Solar Sytem, are plotted on this diagram.
(Credit : MDF)
The researchers didn't stop with just one object though. Their investigation uncovered additional candidates, including 2013 RG₉₈, which also appears to maintain this same 3:4 resonance with Uranus for several hundred thousand years. A third candidate, 2014 NX₆₅, shows strong gravitational influence from Neptune, suggesting the complex interplay of forces in this region.
The existence of these Uranus resonant objects suggests that similar relationships may be more common than previously thought. As our survey capabilities improve and we discover more objects in the outer Solar System, we may find that these gravitational partnerships are common and fundamental to understanding how small bodies are distributed throughout the region.
Parker Solar Probe’s WISPR instrument during its record-breaking flyby of the Sun on Dec. 25, 2024, shows the solar wind racing out from the Sun’s outer atmosphere, the corona. NASA/Johns Hopkins APL/Naval Research Lab
From one perspective, the Sun is a benevolent orb of plasma and its warmth makes Earth habitable and has kept if habitable for billions of years, allowing complex things like human beings to evolve. From another perspective, it's a malevolent orb that sends deadly UV radiation our way, and sometimes erupts and hurls massive blobs of plasma toward Earth. The truth is somewhere in the middle, and NASA launched the Parker Solar Probeto flesh out that truth.
NASA launched the Parker Solar Probe (PSP) in 2018 and its mission is to examine the Sun's coronal plasma and its magnetic field. To do this, it has to get close. NASA describes it as a mission to "touch the Sun," and that's pretty accurate. Throughout its mission it has gotten progressively closer, setting a new record each time for closest approach to the Sun. On Dec. 24, 2024, the spacecraft flew just 6.1 million km (3.8 million miles) from the solar surface.
That is incredibly close, but luckily, the spacecraft has several layers of protection. The PSP is also the fastest-moving spacecraft ever built. It was travelling at 692,000 km/h (430,000 mph) during its 2024 flyby, and didn't spend much time that close to the star.
The result of this daring piece of coronal navigation is the closest images yet of our star. The PSP carries four main instruments, and one of them is WISPR, the Wide-field Imager for Solar Probe. WISPR has two radiation-hardened cameras that can withstand the Sun's power. It's job is to image the corona, the solar wind, and other phenomena near the Sun. On the last flyby, WISPR showed us the solar corona and the solar wind in a way we've never seen before.
“Parker Solar Probe has once again transported us into the dynamic atmosphere of our closest star,” said Nicky Fox, associate administrator, Science Mission Directorate at NASA Headquarters in Washington. “We are witnessing where space weather threats to Earth begin, with our eyes, not just with models. This new data will help us vastly improve our space weather predictions to ensure the safety of our astronauts and the protection of our technology here on Earth and throughout the solar system.”
There are important implications for understanding or misunderstanding the solar wind and coronal mass ejections (CME). They're ever present forces in the Solar System. The wind is a stream of charged particles that constantly flows outward from the Sun. It's responsible for the gorgeous aurorae that we love to gaze it, but it's also responsible for damaging power grids and satellites. As we expand into cislunar space and crowd more satellites into Low-Earth Orbit, it's important that we understand not only the solar wind, but everything that flows from the Sun, including coronal mass ejections (CME).
While the solar wind is a continuous phenomenon, coronal mass ejections are episodic. They're ejections of plasma that can reach Earth. CMEs can contain billions of tons of plasma moving at high speeds. Only a small number of them reach Earth, but when they do, they can also cause geomagnetic storms that can damage power grids and other equipment.
The Parker Solar Probe is named after the American heliophysicist Eugene Parker, who coined the term 'solar wind in 1958. His theories, though they faced stiff resistance at the time, revolutionized our scientific understanding of the Sun. Multiple spacecraft have been launched to study the Sun and the solar wind, but the Parker Solar Probe has outdone them all.
Each mission has revealed more about the Sun and the solar wind, but none have come as close to the star as the PSP. It also has the advantage of the most modern technologies and instruments. One of the things its revealed is the nature of so-called switchbacks.
When measured near Earth, the solar wind is pretty much constant. But closer to the Sun, things are more chaotic. The Sun has extremely powerful magnetic fields, and when the PSP came within 14.7 million miles of the Sun, it showed us that some of those fields zig-zag. These zig-zagging fields are called switchbacks. The PSP also showed us that these switchbacks are more common than thought, and that they come in clumps.
As the PSP got progressively closer and travelled through the Sun's corona, it noticed that the corona's boundary was uneven and complex. Getting even closer in subsequent flybys, it was able to pinpoint the source of the switchbacks. The source is patches on the Sun where magnetic funnels form and images showed that the switchbacks are partly responsible for the fast solar wind, one of the wind's two components.
“The big unknown has been: how is the solar wind generated, and how does it manage to escape the Sun’s immense gravitational pull?” said Nour Rawafi, the project scientist for Parker Solar Probe at the Johns Hopkins Applied Physics Laboratory. “Understanding this continuous flow of particles, particularly the slow solar wind, is a major challenge, especially given the diversity in the properties of these streams — but with Parker Solar Probe, we’re closer than ever to uncovering their origins and how they evolve.”
The slow solar wind is twice as dense as the fast solar wind, and interplay between the two seems to create moderately strong conditions on Earth that can rival conditions generated by CMEs. The slow solar wind appears to originate from the Sun's equatorial regions, but scientists are still debating what structures they originate in and how the material is released.
“We don’t have a final consensus yet, but we have a whole lot of new intriguing data,” said Adam Szabo, Parker Solar Probe mission scientist at NASA’s Goddard Space Flight Center in Greenbelt, Maryland.
We've learned a lot about the Sun in recent decades, and the PSP is poised to show us more and hopefully provide answers to our most probing questions. It's next perihelion will be in September, 2025, when it will again fly through the solar corona. That approach will gather even more data on the slow solar wind and other facets of the Sun.
Astrobiology can be split into two very distinct fields. There’s the field that astronomers are likely more familiar with, involving large telescopes, exoplanets, and spectroscopic signals that are pored over to debate whether they show signs of life. But there is another camp, collective known as the Origins researchers that focus on developing a scientific understanding of how life originally developed on Earth. A new paper from Cole Mathis at Arizona State and Harrison B. Smith at the Institute of Science in Tokyo suggests a new path forward to tackling those challenges - set them up as competitions and let a hefty prize motivate scientific teams and individuals to pursue them.
The paper, which was published on arXiv, is a response to NASA’s Decadal Astrobiology Research and Exploration Strategy (DARES) call for community input. It calls on the “challenge” funding model popularized by organizations like the X Prize, and the Defense Research Advanced Projects Agency (DARPA), whose early autonomous driving challenges inspired the self-driving cars that are finally starting to navigate public roadways.
A similar method could be used to stimulate research into specific, measurable, and important “origins” research according to Drs. Mathis and Smith. They point out that one hurdle holding back development in this field is a lack of consensus on even simple definitions, such as “what is life?”. However, they lay out five different “finish lines” that, though some of them would prove certain theories, lack of progress towards them could also be held up as proof of opposing theories.
Fraser interviews Mary Volek, the longtime head of NASA's astrobiology program.
One finish line will attempt to solve the debate of whether metabolism or genetics were developed first in the course of life. It focuses on creating a biological pathway known as the pentose phosphate pathway (PPP) using abiotic chemistry. If possible, it would make a strong case that the “metabolism first” camp is correct.
A second finish line utilizes the concept of “assembly theory”, a framework developed by Leroy Cronin and Sara Walker, that quantifies the complexity of organic molecules, and draws a distinct line at a certain complexity level, showing that anything more complex must be made within a biological system. The challenge the authors put forward is to create a sufficiently complex molecule using only abiotic chemistry.
The third challenge attempts to settle the debate between “determinism” and “contingency”. In the determinism world view, if we manage to rewind life back to its early beginnings, would the same process happen in the same way all over again if given the same starting conditions? Or, according to the “contingency” theory, would small differences in the chemistry makeup of early life lead to massive differences in the biochemistry of later lifeforms. The challenge itself is to design an organic chemistry experiment where exactly the same initial conditions can lead to different products. If someone manages to do this, it would prove the “contingency” theory of early life formation.
Fraser interviews Wallace Arthur, an expert on evolutionary biology.
The fourth challenge tackles self-replication, by requiring a team to make polymers that can self-replicate but still overcome “Eigen’s error threshold”. According to the information theory developed by Manfred Eigen that goes along with replicators passing data to the new copies of themselves, early replicators would have to be much smaller than would be necessary to contain any error-correcting biological machinery common when our cells copy their own DNA during the replication process. Understanding how early life got through this bottle neck to develop reliable error checking systems without losing all their information once they cross the threshold in terms of size is at the problem at the heart of this challenge.
Scientists have long thought that, somewhere in the process of evolution, there was a transition from RNA to DNA. However, that has never actually been proven, and the fifth and final challenge pushes researchers to prove that the RNA to DNA jump can be made gradually. If such a jump is infeasible, that would call into question the significance of RNA in the overall scheme of the development of life on Earth.
These challenges are well defined, measurable, and have an obvious tie back to the fundamental challenge of understanding where life originally came from. Whether or not NASA, especially with its own current funding challenges, would be willing to back a challenge-based structure to pursue these efforts remains to be seen. But there are plenty of other challenge-based funding supporters out there, such as the team around the Evolution 2.0 challenge and the X Prize itself. Astrobiology research remains key to understanding our place in the universe - it might be time to consider a different path to how we approach it.
This color image from the MRO's HiRISE camera shows a flat topped, heavily eroded fluvial sinuous ridge (FSR) on Mars. Sand dunes can be seen migrating over the top of the FSR. FSRs are created when rivers deposit sediment. The sediments hardens until it's harder than the surrounding terrain. As aeolian erosion wears down the softer, surrounding rock, the FSR is left behind as evidence of the ancient river. HiRISE Image: ESP_085386_1505. Image Credit: NASA/JPL/University of Arizona. Licence type: Attribution (CC BY 4.0)
There's very little scientific debate about the existence of surface water on Mars in its past. The evidence at this point is overwhelming. Orbiter images clearly show river channels and deltas, and rovers have found ample minerals that only form in the presence of water. Now the scientific debate has moved on. Scientists are trying to learn the extent of Martian surface water, both on the planet's surface and through time.
NASA's Mars Reconnaissance Orbiter (MRO) is a prolific purveyor of images of Mars' surface. One of its most well-known image shows Jezero Crater, the landing site of the Mars Perseverance rover. Jezero Crater is an ancient paleolake filled by an ancient river that created a delta of sediments. The orbiter also identified clays and carbonate salts, minerals that were altered by water in the planet's past.
This image of Jezero Crater is one of the MRO's most well-known images. It shows clear evidence of flowing water. The colours map the location of different minerals, including water-altered clays and carbonate salts.
Image Credit: NASA/ JPL-Caltech/ MSSS/ JHU-APL.
There are two schools of thought around Mars' watery past. One says that water was stable on the Martian surface for long periods of time, while the other states that the water channels were carved during geologically brief periods of time when climate shifts caused ice sheets to melt. Call the first one the 'warm and wet' theory and the second one the 'cold and dry' theory. Both theories are well developed, and make predictions about what scientists will find when they dig deeper.
Some research into Noachis Terra supports the idea that water features there were carved by ice-related processes during short-lived periods of wetness, the cold and dry theory. This 2016 paper illustrates that point of view. "Our studied valleys' association with ice-rich material and abundant evidence for erosion caused by downslope flow of ice-rich material are consistent with a cold, wet Mars hypothesis where accumulation, flow, and melting of ice have been dominant factors in eroding crater valleys," those researchers concluded.
Not all regions of Mars have been studied equally, and the Noachis Terra is not as well-studied as some other regions. The 'warm and wet' climate theory predicts that Noachis Terra would've had high levels of precipitation. However, there's an overall lack of Valley Networks (VNs) in the region. Valley Networks are similar to Earth's river drainage basins and are compelling evidence of Mars' watery past.
This map of Mars shows important surface features, as well as all of the planet's surface regions. Noachis Terra is a southern highland region of heavily cratered ancient terrain.
Image Credit: By Jim Secosky modified NASA image. - http://planetarynames.wr.usgs.gov/images/mola_regional_boundaries.pdf, Public Domain,
New research presented at the Royal Astronomical Society's National Astronomy Meeting presented a different sort of evidence to support the high levels of precipitation predicted in Noachis Terra by the warm and wet theory. It's titled "The Fluvial History of Noachis Terra, Mars," and the lead researcher is Adam Losekoot. Losekoot is a PhD student at the Open University, a public research university in the UK.
"Studying Mars, particularly an underexplored region like Noachis Terra, is really exciting because it's an environment which has been largely unchanged for billions of years. It's a time capsule that records fundamental geological processes in a way that just isn't possible here on Earth," Losekoot said in a press release.
The evidence Losekoot and his fellow researchers uncovered is in the form of Fluvial Sinuous Ridges.
"Noachis Terra, in Mars’ southern highlands, is a region where ‘warm, wet’ climate models predict high rates of precipitation, but is poorly incised by VNs," Losekoot explained. "We searched instead for Fluvial Sinuous Ridges (FSRs, aka inverted channels) here as they provide alternate evidence to VNs for stable surface water."
FSRs are winding, elevated features left behind from Mars' watery past. They form when water flows across the surface carrying sediment with it. The sediment deposits become harder than the rock in the surrounding terrain due to compaction and mineral precipitation. When Mars' water disappeared, aeolian erosion ate away at the softer, surrounding rock, leaving the elevated FSRs behind.
To find the FSRs in Noachis Terra, Losekoot and his co-researchers turned to NASA's MRO. No other mission has done more to reveal Mars' past than the MRO. They used data from its HiRISE and other instruments, as well as data from the Mars Orbital Laser Altimeter on the Mars Global Surveyor, to identify FSRs.
Losekoot and his co-researchers found 15,000 km of FSRs in Noachis Terra. "We find FSRs to be common across Noachis Terra, with a cumulative length of more than 15,000 km. These are often isolated segments, but some systems are hundreds of km in length," Losekoot writes.
This HiRISE image shows two branches of an FSR. The river split into two then rejoined outside of the image. The lower branch is heavily eroded and quite spread out, the upper branch is narrower but more clearly preserved. They could've had different exposure times or undergone different geological processes. Or they could be from different periods of water activity. There are remnants of an infilling material within the ridge and a meander where the branch turns back towards the lower trunk. The mesa in between the branches could be a crater that was filled with the same sediment as the FSR.
Image Credit: HiRISE Image: ESP_085519_1585NASA/JPL/University of Arizona. Licence type: Attribution (CC BY 4.0)
The FSRs are broadly distributed across Noachis Terra, and some are tens of meters tall. That means the water flowed for a long time.
"The broad distribution of FSRs suggests a broadly distributed source of water," Losekoot writes. "The most likely candidate is precipitation, suggesting a benign surface environment. For FSRs to have formed mature, interconnected systems, up to tens of meters high, these conditions must also have been relatively long-lived."
"This suggests that ~3.7 Ga, Noachis Terra experienced warm and wet conditions for a geologically relevant period," Losekoot explained.
This HiRISE image shows narrow FSR with a pointed pinnacle ridge. The pointed could indicate that this FSR has suffered heavy erosion for a long time until only a narrow peak remained, or it may be that only a narrow part of the original river infill has been preserved.
Image Credit: HiRISE Image: ESP_067439_1505 NASA/JPL/University of Arizona. Licence type: Attribution (CC BY 4.0)
The way the FSRs are distributed across Noachis Terra and their extent suggests that precipitation is responsible. They also form large, interconnected systems, which suggests the watery period was long-lived. This work supports the idea that Mars was warm and wet for a long time, rather than just for bursts of time when ice sheets melted.
This MRO CTX image gives an oblique view of part of a system of FSRs in Noachis Terra. It shows river tributaries that were probably active at the same time. The rivers meandered, and there are areas where the river banks burst and deposited fine layers of sediment. At the top of the image is a really clear example of an area where two FSRs intersect with an infilled crater. This is likely where the river flowed into the crater, filling it up and then breaching the other side to continue through the crater and down to the bottom of the image.
"Our work is a new piece of evidence that suggests that Mars was once a much more complex and active planet than it is now, which is such an exciting thing to be involved in," said Losekoot.
Alien face on island in Antarctica is a sign they left for us, UFO UAP sighting news ancient aliens
Alien face on island in Antarctica is a sign they left for us, UFO UAP sighting news ancient aliens
Date of discovery: July 2025
Location of discovery: Antarctica
Coordinates: 3°00'41"S 60°46'11"W
I found a face again, but this time not on Mars or the moon, it's on a small little island without a name...next Deception Island. The face is like that of an ancient person, with a leather hat that has two long sides as well as a belt that wraps under the persons chin. The person is human-like and has two eyes, a nose, mouth and chin. As I have said before...when you find the face, you find a base. Aliens will create faces of their loved ones that past away while they were far across the galaxy or universe working. Aliens are lazy, meaning they like things done by ai and wont make faces in mountains just anywhere, they always choose locations within 2km of the alien base. Google Ruler says this face is 28 meters by 14, that includes the long parts of the hat that hangs down to where the chest area should be.
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- Gemiddelde waardering: 0/5 - (0 Stemmen) Categorie:ALIEN LIFE, UFO- CRASHES, ABDUCTIONS, MEN IN BLACK, ed ( FR. , NL; E )
Ancient alien base discovered in remote Antarctica region, ET Structures UFO UAP sighting news
Ancient alien base discovered in remote Antarctica region, ET Structures UFO UAP sighting news
Date of discovery: July 2025
Location of discovery:Antarctica region
Coordinates: -80.303889 -81.385611
I found this strange structure in a remote Antarctica region of Google Earth Map. The structure measures 50 meters across and 20 meters wide according to Google ruler. This might be just the entrance, not the full structure, it may lead to an underground alien base below the Arctic ice. The real question is...are the aliens still living there or is this an abandoned base that other countries military can take over? Exploration of this structure needs to take place to learn more first hand.
But scientists are finally uncovering what Antarctica’s landscape really looks like – and it’s not what they expected.
It's well known that much of the surface underneath the smooth ice sheet consists of mountains, valleys and deep troughs.
Now, a new study using radio-echo sounding reveals there are vast areas of ‘remarkably’ flat surfaces along the 3,500km stretch of East Antarctic coastline.
These previously unmapped surfaces were once connected and it is believed were formed by large rivers after East Antarctica and Australia broke apart around 80 million years ago.
The flat areas – now hidden beneath the ice sheet – are separated by deep trenches which fast-moving glaciers are steered through.
Lead author Dr Guy Paxman, from Durham University, said: ‘The landscape hidden beneath the East Antarctic Ice Sheet is one of the most mysterious not just on Earth, but on any terrestrial planet in the solar system.
‘When we were examining the radar images of the sub-ice topography in this region, these remarkably flat surfaces started to pop out almost everywhere we looked.’
The topography beneath the Antarctic Ice Sheet, with the green areas highlighting increased altitude. The scientists mapped 31 flat surfaces as part of their study
The extensive flat surfaces were found beneath approximately 40 per cent of the East Antarctic Ice Sheet’s 3,500km-long coastline between Princess Elizabeth Land and George V Land. Pictured: Crevassed ice in Princess Elizabeth Land
Bunger Hills, a small exposed fragment of a larger flat surface at the edge of the East Antarctic Ice Sheet
The study, published in the journal Nature Geoscience, also revealed the ice above these flat surfaces is moving much more slowly.
Ice loss from Antarctica is increasing – boosted by global warming – but the flat areas appear to act as a barrier to ice flow and may currently be regulating the rate of ice loss, the team said.
This finding is significant, as East Antarctica has the potential to raise global sea levels by 52 metres if it were to melt completely.
Adding the flat surface effects into models of future ice sheet behaviour could help refine projections of how the ice sheet might react to climate change, the researchers said.
‘The flat surfaces we have found have managed to survive relatively intact for over 30 million years, indicating that parts of the ice sheet have preserved rather than eroded the landscape,’ Dr Paxman said.
‘Information such as the shape and geology of the newly mapped surfaces will help improve our understanding of how ice flows at the edge of East Antarctica.
‘This in turn will help make it easier to predict how the East Antarctic Ice Sheet could affect sea levels under different levels of climate warming in the future.’
The extensive flat surfaces were found beneath approximately 40 per cent of the East Antarctic Ice Sheet’s 3,500km-long coastline between Princess Elizabeth Land and George V Land.
The researchers discovered there are 'remarkably' flat surfaces along the 3,500km stretch of East Antarctic coastline
The Windmill Islands, small nunataks - ridges - protruding above the surface of the East Antarctic Ice Sheet
The preservation of these enigmatic surfaces over tens of millions of years indicates a lack of intense, selective erosion of these areas throughout Antarctica’s glacial history.
Research co-author Professor Neil Ross, from Newcastle University, said: ‘We’ve long been intrigued and puzzled about fragments of evidence for ‘flat’ landscapes beneath the Antarctic ice sheets.
‘This study brings the jigsaw pieces of data together, to reveal the big picture: how these ancient surfaces formed, their role in determining the present-day flow of the ice, and their possible influence on how the East Antarctic Ice Sheet will evolve in a warming world.’
The team emphasised the need to further explore the influence of these flat surfaces on ice sheet movement during past warmer climates.
This would include drilling through the ice to retrieve rock from the flat surfaces to understand when they were last free from ice cover.
This will help improve predictions for how the ice around this large section of the East Antarctic margin will respond as the climate and ocean warms.
A separate team of researchers recently revealed there are mysterious radio signals emerging from deep within Antarctica’s ice.
The strange radio pulses were detected by the Antarctic Impulsive Transient Antenna (ANITA), an array of instruments designed to detect elusive particles called neutrinos.
Configuration of East Antarctica, Australia, and India prior to continental break-up. Red outlines show the flat surfaces mapped in this study.
Rather than detecting these cosmic particles, the researchers were baffled to find signals emerging from the ice at seemingly impossible angles.
Worryingly, they have no idea what could be causing them.
In a paper, published in Physical Review Letters, an international team of researchers explained that these findings cannot be explained by the current understanding of particle physics.
This might mean there are entirely new forms of particles and interactions at play or that these unusual signals are the product of mysterious dark matter.
Dr Stephanie Wissel, an astrophysicist from The Pennsylvania State University who worked on the ANITA team, says: 'The radio waves that we detected were at really steep angles, like 30 degrees below the surface of the ice.
'It's an interesting problem because we still don't actually have an explanation for what those anomalies are.'
The three ice sheets that cover the continent contain around 70 per cent of our planet’s fresh water - and these are all to warming air and oceans.
If all the ice sheets were to melt due to global warming, Antarctica would raise global sea levels by at least 183ft (56m).
Given their size, even small losses in the ice sheets could have global consequences.
In addition to rising sea levels, meltwater would slow down the world’s ocean circulation, while changing wind belts may affect the climate in the southern hemisphere.
In February 2018, Nasa revealed El Niño events cause the Antarctic ice shelf to melt by up to ten inches (25 centimetres) every year.
El Niño and La Niña are separate events that alter the water temperature of the Pacific ocean.
The ocean periodically oscillates between warmer than average during El Niños and cooler than average during La Niñas.
Using Nasa satellite imaging, researchers found that the oceanic phenomena cause Antarctic ice shelves to melt while also increasing snowfall.
In March 2018, it was revealed that more of a giant France-sized glacier in Antarctica is floating on the ocean than previously thought.
This has raised fears it could melt faster as the climate warms and have a dramatic impact on rising sea-levels.
Chinese scientists have successfully turned bees into cyborgs by inserting controllers into their brains.
The device, which weighs less than a pinch of salt, is strapped to the back of a worker bee and connected to the insect’s brain through small needles.
In tests the device worked nine times out of 10 and the bees obeyed the instructions to turn left or right, the researchers said.
The cyborg bees could be used in rescue missions – or in covert operations as military scouts.
The tiny device can be equipped with cameras, listening devices and sensors that allow the insects to collect and record information.
Given their small size they could also be used for discreet military or security operations, such as accessing small spaces without arousing suspicion.
Zhao Jieliang, a professor at the Beijing Institute of Technology, led the development of the technology.
It works by delivering electrical pulses to the insect’s optical lobe – the visual processing centre in the brain – which then allows researchers to direct its flight.
The device, which weighs less than a pinch of salt, is strapped to the back of a worker bee and connected to the insect’s brain through small needles
The study was recently published in the Chinese Journal of Mechanical Engineering, and was first reported by the South China Morning Post.
‘Insect-based robots inherit the superior mobility, camouflage capabilities and environmental adaptability of their biological hosts,’ Professor Zhao and his colleagues wrote.
‘Compared to synthetic alternatives, they demonstrate enhanced stealth and extended operational endurance, making them invaluable for covert reconnaissance in scenarios such as urban combat, counterterrorism and narcotics interdiction, as well as critical disaster relief operations.’
Several other countries, including the US and Japan, are also racing to create cyborg insects.
While Professor Zhao’s team has made great strides in advancing the technology, several hurdles still remain.
For one, the current batteries aren’t able to last very long, but any larger would mean the packs are too heavy for the bees to carry.
The same device cannot easily be used on different insects as each responds to signals on different parts of their bodies.
Before this, the lightest cyborg controller came from Singapore and was triple the weight.
The researchers, from the Beijing Institute of Technology, used worker bees - similar to this one pictured - as part of their study (stock image)
Researchers at RIKEN, Japan have created remote-controlled cyborg cockroaches, equipped with a control module that is powered by a rechargeable battery attached to a solar cell
It also follows the creation of cyborg dragonflies and cockroaches, with researchers across the world racing to develop the most advanced technology.
Scientists in Japan have previously reported a remote-controlled cockroach that wears a solar-powered ‘backpack’.
The cockroach is intended to enter hazardous areas, monitor the environment or undertake search and rescue missions without needing to be recharged.
The cockroaches are still alive, but wires attached to their two 'cerci' - sensory organs on the end of their abdomens - send electrical impulses that cause the insect to move right or left.
In November 2014, researchers at North Carolina State University fitted cockroaches with electrical backpacks complete with tiny microphones capable of detecting faint sounds.
The idea is that cyborg cockroaches, or ‘biobots’, could enter crumpled buildings hit by earthquakes, for example, and help emergency workers find survivors.
‘In a collapsed building, sound is the best way to find survivors,’ said Alper Bozkurt, an assistant professor of electrical and computer engineering at North Carolina State University.
North Carolina State University researchers have developed technology that allows cockroaches (pictured) to pick up sounds with small microphones and seek out the source of the sound. They could be used in emergency situations to detect survivors
‘The goal is to use the biobots with high-resolution microphones to differentiate between sounds that matter - like people calling for help - from sounds that don't matter - like a leaking pipe.
‘Once we've identified sounds that matter, we can use the biobots equipped with microphone arrays to zero-in on where those sounds are coming from.’
The ‘backpacks’ control the robo-roach's movements because they are wired to the insect’s cerci - sensory organs that cockroaches usually use to feel if their abdomens brush against something.
By electrically stimulating the cerci, cockroaches can be prompted to move in a certain direction.
In fact, they have been programmed to seek out sound.
One type of 'backpack' is equipped with an array of three directional microphones to detect the direction of the sound and steer the biobot in the right direction towards it.
Another type is fitted with a single microphone to capture sound from any direction, which can be wirelessly transmitted, perhaps in the future to emergency workers.
They ‘worked well’ in lab tests and the experts have developed technology that can be used as an ‘invisible fence’ to keep the biobots in a certain area such as a disaster area, the researchers announced at the IEEE Sensors 2014 conference in Valencia, Spain.
The mystery of a 'underground city' beneath Egypt's pyramids has intensified after scientists revealed new scans showing a shaft plunging below the Great Sphinx.
Italian researchers, who made waves earlier this year with claims of vast structures hidden beneath the Pyramid of Khafre, now say they have identified a colossal vertical shaft leading and two chambersbelow the Sphinx.
While mainstream archaeologists have slammed the work as unscientific and speculative, the team insists their latest scans point to something extraordinary.
The scans detailed a massive shaft surrounded by a spiral-like staircase, decedending from the center of the Sphinx's base and down into two square structures, one at 2,000 feet and another 4,000 feet underground.
Armando Mei, an Egyptologist and co-author of the study, noted that similar underground features have now been detected beneath all three major pyramids, suggesting a unified architectural blueprint.
'The discovery proves that the Giza Plateau was engineered long before the dynastic era, possibly around 36,400 BCE, as my research suggests,' he added.
If confirmed, the findings could dramatically rewrite the history of ancient Egypt, challenging the long-held belief that the pyramids were built solely as royal tombs, and hinting instead at a forgotten civilization with advanced engineering skills.
The mystery of a 'underground city' beneath Egypt 's pyramids has intensified after scientists revealed new scans showing a shaft plunging below the Great Sphinx
But the researchers are shaking up that timeline, suggesting these legendary monuments may rest atop far older, hidden structures that could predate known history by tens of thousands of years.
It all began in March when the team announced four massive shafts and chambers were found under the Pyramid of Khafre using a type of sonar technology.
They employed cutting-edge SAR Doppler Tomography, a technique that uses satellite radar to detect tiny seismic movements.
By analyzing radar signals are and the timing or pattern of those signals when they bounce back, the team was able to create 3D maps revealing hidden subsurface structures. The technology has been published in a peer-reviewed journal.
However, latest work by Corrado Malanga from Italy's University of Pisa, Biondi and Mei has not yet been published in a scientific journal for the review of independent experts. They plan to publish a study in 2026.
'Our geophysical surveys beneath the Great Sphinx uncovered pillar-like formations remarkably similar to those beneath the Khafre and Menkaure pyramids,' explained Biondi.
'Even more compelling, our tomographic imaging revealed two large chambers nearly 2,000 feet below the surface.'
Italian researchers, who made waves earlier this year with claims of vast structures hidden beneath the Pyramid of Khafre, now say they have identified a colossal vertical shaft below the Sphinx
The scans also captured two large chambers, one at 2,000 feet and another 4,000 feet underground
The two massive chambers, each measuring 131 feet by 131 feet, appear to be connected by an underground shaft, according to recent findings.
The data collected also points to a network of hidden structures below the surface, possibly part of a vast underground city, potentially as expansive as the entire Giza Plateau itself.
Mei explained that their theory of a lost city draws from ancient Egyptian texts, particularly Chapter 149 of the Book of the Dead, which references the '14 residences of the city of the dead.'
'It describes certain chambers and some inhabitants of the city. That is why we believe it could be Amenti [realm of the dead], as described in ancient texts,' he said.
'Of course, we must be certain, but we believe this could be the case because the pyramids are located exactly where the texts say.
'The texts state that the pyramids were built on top of the city, sealing its entrance.'
Biondi added that the mysterious chambers found more than 4,000 feet below the pyramids may be linked to the legendary Hall of Records.
The shaft appears to be wrapped in a spiral-like structure
Armando Mei (center) and his team, which includes Corrado Malanga (right) and Filippo Biondi (left), took the world by storm last month when they discovered shafts and chambers more than 2,000 feet below the surface.
Despite its enduring allure, there is no solid evidence proving the Hall of Records exists.
The team proposes that an advanced civilization originally built the complex, but was destroyed around 12,000 years ago by a 'divine flood' triggered by an asteroid impact.
According to their theory, the pyramids are the lone surviving 'megastructure' from this ancient society.
Alternate historians, including Graham Hancock, a frequent guest on Joe Rogan's podcast, have long suggested that a sophisticated prehistoric civilization was wiped out by a global cataclysm, possibly a comet strike.
Researchers believe there are other structures reaching more than 4,000 feet below the surface. The scans captured structures extend along the northern side with a tuning fork shape
This theory holds that the catastrophic floods and upheaval erased most traces of this civilization, with survivors passing down critical knowledge of astronomy, engineering, and sacred architecture to later cultures such as the ancient Egyptians.
The researchers now hope to gain permission from Egyptian authorities to excavate beneath the Giza Plateau and put their findings to the test, potentially rewriting the story of human history.
'We have the right. Humanity has the right to know who we are because, right now, we don't,' Biondi said.
The company attempting to bring back the woolly mammoth has now set its sights on a new extinct species.
Colossal Biosciences has announced it will attempt to 'de-extinct' a group of birds called the moa, which once lived in New Zealand.
These extraordinary animals included nine species, the largest being the South Island Giant Moa, which stood at 3.6 metres (11.8ft) tall and weighed 230 kg (507 lbs).
Colossal Biosciences will use genes extracted from moa bones to engineer modern birds until they very closely resemble the extinct moa.
This project will be done in collaboration with the Ngāi Tahu Research Centre at the University of Canterbury and backed by $15 million in funding from Lord of the Rings director Sir Peter Jackson.
Jackson, who has one of the largest private collections of moa bones, says: 'With the recent resurrection of the dire wolf, Colossal Biosciences has also made real the possibility of bringing back lost species.
'There’s a lot of science still to be done – but we can start looking forward to the day when birds like the moa or the huia are rescued from the darkness of extinction.'
The company trying to bring back the woolly mammoth has set its sights on a new extinct creature, the moa. These were a species of 3.6-metre-tall, 230 kg birds that once roamed New Zealand
Of the nine species of moa, the largest is the South Island Giant Moa which lived in New Zealand for millions of years prior to the arrival of humans. Pictured: Māori students pose with a reconstruction of a South Island Giant Moa in 1903
The nine species of moa were found widely across New Zealand until the arrival of the first Polynesian settlers around 1300 AD.
Within just 200 years, the people who became the Māori had pushed all moa species into extinction through a combination of hunting and forest clearing.
The disappearance of the moa also led to a cascade of changes across New Zealand's isolated island ecosystem.
Less than 100 years after the moa became extinct their main predator, the enormous Haast's eagle, also died out.
The first step is to recreate the genomes of all nine moa species using ancient DNA stored in preserved moa bones.
Colossal Biosciences has already begun this process with visits to caves containing moa deposits within the tribal area of the Ngāi Tahu and hopes to complete all genomes by 2026.
These genomes will then be compared to those of the moa's closest living relatives, the emu and tinamou, to see which genes gave the moa their unique traits.
The moa went extinct in the 15th century due to hunting and forest clearing by the first Māori settlers. Colossal Biosciences says restoring this megafauna species will help restore New Zealand's ecosystem
Colossal Biosciences has partnered with the Ngāi Tahu Research Centre at the University of Canterbury and is backed by $15 million in funding from Lord of the Rings director Sir Peter Jackson. Pictured: Sir Peter Jackson (left) and Colossal Biosciences CEO Ben Lamm (right) holding moa bones
How will the moa be brought back?
DNA is extracted from moa bones to sequence the moa genome.
The genome is compared to modern species to see which genes make the moa distinct.
CRISPR is used to alter the genome of modern birds to express these target genes.
Edited embryos are placed in a surrogate emu egg to develop.
A bird closely resembling the moa hatches.
A selection of these genes are then inserted into stem cells called Primordial Germ Cell Culture, cells that turn into eggs and sperm, taken from an emu.
Those engineered cells are allowed to develop into male and female gametes and used to create an embryo, which will be raised inside a surrogate emu egg.
Scientists used the gene editing tool CRISPR to modify the DNA in blood cells from a living grey wolf in 20 places, creating a wolf with long white hair and muscular jaws.
However, recreating this process in bird species poses much greater technical challenges.
Colossal Biosciences admits that creating Primordial Germ Cell Culture for bird species has been a challenge that has eluded scientists for decades.
Likewise, since bird embryos develop inside eggs, the process of transferring an embryo into a surrogate will be completely different from that used for mammals.
Scientists have also raised questions about whether restoring the moa is something that should be pursued at all.
The process begins by extracting DNA from ancient moa bones such as those found in the caves of Ngāi Tahu takiwā
A selection of moa genes will then be inserted into stem cells derived from their closest living relative, the emu (pictured). Those cells will create embryos that can be raised by surrogacy into animals closely resembling moa
Conservationists say that money would be better spent looking after the endangered species that are already alive.
Others point out that introducing a species which has been gone for over 600 years could have unintended consequences for the ecosystem.
Professor Stuart Pimm, an ecologist at Duke University who was not involved in the study, told AP: 'Can you put a species back into the wild once you’ve exterminated it there?
'I think it’s exceedingly unlikely that they could do this in any meaningful way.'
Professor Pimm adds: 'This will be an extremely dangerous animal.'
However, Colossal Biosciences maintains that their plan to 'rewild' the moa is beneficial for both the environment and the Māori people.
As grazing herbivores, the moa's browsing habits shaped the distribution and evolution of plants over millions of years.
These effects led to significant changes in New Zealand's ecosystems, which Colossal Biosciences argues would be more stable with the moa once again introduced.
Colossal Biosciences recently used similar techniques to create grey wolf puppies that closely resemble the extinct dire wolf
Ngāi Tahu archaeologist Kyle Davis, who is working with Colossal Biosciences on the project, says that the project has a deeper ancestral meaning.
During the 14th century, the moa were a vital source of meat for sustenance as well as bones and feathers, which became part of traditional jewellery.
The moa came to have a large role in Māori mythology, symbolising strength and resilience.
Mr Davis says: 'Our earliest ancestors in this place lived alongside moa and our records, both archaeological and oral, contain knowledge about these birds and their environs.
'We relish the prospect of bringing that into dialogue with Colossal’s cutting-edge science as part of a bold vision for ecological restoration.'
Earth was once inhabited by a variety of giant forms of animals that would be recognisable to us today in the smaller forms taken by their successors.
They were very large, usually over 88 pounds (40kg) in weight and generally at least 30 per cent bigger than any of their still-living relatives.
There are several theories to explain this relatively sudden extinction. The leading explanation of around was that this was due to environmental and ecological factors.
It was almost completed by the end of the last ice age. It is believed that megafauna initially came into existence in response to glacial conditions and became extinct with the onset of warmer climates.
In temperate Eurasia and North America, megafauna extinction concluded simultaneously with the replacement of the vast periglacial tundra by an immense area of forest.
Glacial species, such as mammoths and woolly rhinoceros, were replaced by animals better adapted to forests, such as elk, deer and pigs.
Reindeer and Caribou retreated north, while horses moved south to the central Asian steppe.
This all happened about 10,000 years ago, despite the fact that humans colonised North America less than 15,000 years ago and non-tropical Eurasia nearly one million years ago.
Worldwide, there is no evidence of Indigenous peoples systematically hunting nor over-killing megafauna.
The largest regularly hunted animal was bison in North America and Eurasia, yet it survived for about 10,000 years until the early 20th century.
For social, spiritual and economic reasons, First Nations peoples harvested game in a sustainable manner.
With its distinct owl-like appearance, it looks like a nature photo snapped in the woods in the dead of night.
It could also be an artistic portrait from an art gallery, with its shimmering shades of blue, orange and pink.
But this stunning image, newly published by astronomers, actually captures a remarkable moment in deep space, billions of light years away.
Two blue rings with orange centres, which look like an owl's eyes, are actually two ring-shaped galaxies colliding with each other.
The collision occurred 38 million years ago, but only now is it being picked up by NASA's James Webb Space Telescope (JWST).
The shot has been dubbed 'Comic Owl' by an international group of astronomers led by Dr Mingyu Li of the Tsinghua University in Beijing, China.
'The Cosmic Owl consists of a head-on merger involving two galaxies,' Dr Li and colleagues say.
'These phenomena mutually affect one another, collectively driving the evolution of this galaxy system.'
The international team of astronomers reports the detection of a peculiar merger of two similar ring galaxies that morphologically resemble an owl's face
The collected images show that the Cosmic Owl consists of two interacting galaxies that have formed nearly identical collisional ring structures
Cosmic Owl is made up of two ring galaxies, which, as the name suggests, are simply galaxies that have a circle-like appearance.
Ring galaxies have been described as one of the rarest galaxy types found in the universe, accounting for just 0.01 per cent of all galaxies discovered.
The first ring galaxy to be discovered, known as Hoag's Object, was identified in 1950 by American astronomer Arthur Hoag.
But capturing two ring galaxies colliding is even rarer, making this a 'unique' cosmic sight, according to the researchers.
This remarkable symmetry of the two rings suggests they have a similar mass, structure and size, each with a diameter of approximately 26,000 light years.
'[We] reveal a complex system of twin collisional ring galaxies, exhibiting a nearly identical morphology,' the team say in their paper.
'The symmetry of the rings suggests a head-on collision origin between two galaxies of similar mass and structure.'
The team estimate that the stellar mass of the entire merging system is about 320 billion solar masses – so 320 billion times the mass of our sun.
Taking a closer look at the image, the orange blobs at the centre are the incredibly luminous 'active galactic nucleus' (AGN)
The schematic artistic view of the Cosmic Owl, consisting of twin collisional ring galaxies with binary active galactic nucleus (AGN)
Why do galaxies collide?
Galaxies collide because they are being drawn together by the immense force of gravity.
Collisions may lead to mergers if neither galaxy has enough momentum to keep going after the collision.
As many as 25 per cent of galaxies are currently merging with others.
Source: Harvard–Smithsonian Center for Astrophysics
Taking a closer look at the image, the orange blobs at the centre are the incredibly luminous 'active galactic nucleus' (AGN).
AGNs – the most luminous persistent sources of electromagnetic radiation in the universe – are theorized to have supermassive black holes at their very centre which pull in surrounding matter.
According to the researchers, the black holes in these two galaxies have masses of around 67 million and 26 million solar masses.
Meanwhile, the space where the two galaxies merge – the 'beak' of the owl – is a region of 'intense' star formation, where new stars are created that could end up with planets in orbit around them.
Galaxy mergers such as play a crucial role in the evolution of galaxies, transforming their size and redistributing their gas.
They also eventually lead to stellar mass assembly – the processes by which galaxies acquire their stars and gradually grow in mass.
Our own galaxy, the Milky Way, is on a collision course with another galaxy called Andromeda, currently around 2.5 million light years away.
Cosmic Owl is described further in the team's paper, which has been published on the preprint server arXiv, meaning it's yet to be peer reviewed.
Further study could reveal more about the conditions that led to the collision, which started an estimated 38 million years ago.
'The rare twin-ring structure calls for dedicated numerical simulations to constrain the precise initial conditions of the merger,' the team conclude.
'Such collision-triggered starbursts may represent a previously under-appreciated channel for boosting early cosmic star formation.'
Data used to capture the image was also gathered by the Atacama Large Millimeter/submillimeter Array (ALMA) in Chile and the Very Large Array (VLA) in New Mexico.
The James Webb telescope has been described as a 'time machine' that could help unravel the secrets of our universe.
The telescope will be used to look back to the first galaxies born in the early universe more than 13.5 billion years ago, and observe the sources of stars, exoplanets, and even the moons and planets of our solar system.
The vast telescope, which has already cost more than $7 billion (£5 billion), is considered a successor to the orbiting Hubble Space Telescope
The James Webb Telescope and most of its instruments have an operating temperature of roughly 40 Kelvin – about minus 387 Fahrenheit (minus 233 Celsius).
It is the world's biggest and most powerful orbital space telescope, capable of peering back 100-200 million years after the Big Bang.
The orbiting infrared observatory is designed to be about 100 times more powerful than its predecessor, the Hubble Space Telescope.
NASA likes to think of James Webb as a successor to Hubble rather than a replacement, as the two will work in tandem for a while.
The Hubble telescope was launched on April 24, 1990, via the space shuttle Discovery from Kennedy Space Centre in Florida.
It circles the Earth at a speed of about 17,000mph (27,300kph) in low Earth orbit at about 340 miles in altitude.
This is because the planet's rotation has entered an unexpected period of acceleration, shaving a millisecond or so off the length of a solar day.
But what would happen if the world just kept getting faster?
Given that a blink takes 100 milliseconds, you are unlikely to notice any big changes for a long time.
However, scientists say that unchecked acceleration would eventually lead to disastrous consequences.
If Earth were spinning just 100 miles per hour faster than it does now, the world would be hit by stronger hurricanes, catastrophic flooding, and the collapse of satellite networks.
And, if the world were to double its speed, it would likely be the end of life as we know it.
As scientists reveal that the Earth's rotation has unexpectedly accelerated, experts explain what would happen if the world kept getting faster (stock image)
One mile per hour faster
On average, it takes the planet 24 hours, or 86,400 seconds, to complete one full rotation, which is called a solar day.
Because the Earth is a sphere, its circumference is smaller near the poles than at the equator, so the planet's surface moves faster the further you get from the poles.
Someone standing at the equator is rotating in space at around 1,037 mph (1,668 kmph) while somebody in London is only moving at about 646 mph (1,041 kmph).
Compared to these speeds, an increase of just one mile per hour might not seem like a big difference.
The days would be about a minute and a half shorter overall, which our body clocks probably wouldn't notice right away.
Witold Fraczek, an analyst at ESRI, a mapping software firm, told Popular Science: 'It might take a few years to notice it.'
Earth normally takes 24 hours, or exactly 86,400 seconds, to complete one full rotation, which is called a solar day. This means the equator is spinning at 1,037 mph (1,668 kmph)
What happens if the world spins faster
One mile per hour faster
- The days would be slightly shorter, and geosynchronous satellites might lose their position.
100 miles per hour faster
- Water would be pulled to the equator, flooding huge areas of land. At the same time, hurricanes would become stronger due to the Coriolis effect.
1,000 miles per hour faster or more
- The equator would be entirely submerged, except for the tallest mountains. Centrifugal forces would start to overwhelm gravity, causing weightlessness and catastrophic earthquakes.
However, an unexpected effect is that satellites in orbit would soon be knocked out of sync.
Some satellites are 'geosynchronous', meaning they move at the same speed as Earth's rotation to stay over the same location.
If the Earth speeds up, those satellites will lose their position and navigation, communication, and weather monitoring services would start to fail.
However, some satellites carry fuel to adjust their orbit, and others could be replaced, so the results should not be disastrous.
Mr Fraczek says: 'These could disturb the life and comfort of some people, but should not be catastrophic to anybody.
The bigger impact is that water would start to move from the poles to the equator due to the increased centrifugal forces.
Even at just one mile per hour, this would cause sea levels to rise by a few inches around the equator.
For cities already at or very near sea level, this could lead to devastating flooding.
If the Earth spun just one mile per hour faster, sea levels would rise by a few inches near the equator. This could lead to extensive flooding in low-lying cities such as New Orleans (AI impression)
100 miles per hour faster
If the Earth kept accelerating until it was moving 100 miles per hour faster at the equator, this would start to trigger seriously dangerous consequences.
Rather than rising by a few inches, these speeds would start to drown the equator as water rushed down from the poles.
Mr Fraczek says: 'I think the Amazon Basin, Northern Australia, and not to mention the islands in the equatorial region, they would all go under water.
'How deep underwater, I’m not sure, but I’d estimate about 30 to 65 feet.'
For anyone who survived the flooding, the world would start to become a much more hostile place.
The solar day would now only last 22 hours, knocking our circadian rhythms out of their natural balance.
The effect would be like setting your body clock back two hours every day without being given a chance to adjust.
At 100 miles per hour faster, cities in Northern Australia, such as Gold Coast (AI impression), would be completely submerged
This would be especially bad for southern cities in the US, which have already faced rapidly rising sea levels since 2010 (illustrated)
Could the world keep getting faster?
It is extremely unlikely that the world will start to spin faster.
In fact, the world is actually slowing down over time.
About 4.4 billion years ago, the planet was spinning so fast that days lasted four minutes.
But this slowed down after a large object hit Earth and created the moon.
The only way Earth could speed up is if a large object hits at just the right angle.
But this would likely liquify the planet's crust, so no humans would survive to see the results.
Studies have shown that changes like daylight saving lead to increased rates of heart attacks, strokes, and driving accidents - this would be even more severe.
Additionally, Earth's weather would start to become more extreme.
NASA astronomer Dr Sten Odenwald says: 'Temperature difference is still going to be the main driver of winds.
However, at these speeds, Dr Odenwald says that 'hurricanes will spin faster, and there will be more energy in them.'
This is due to something called the Coriolis effect, which gives hurricanes their rotational energy.
If the Earth didn't spin, winds would blow down from the North Pole to the equator in a straight line. But as the Earth rotates, the wind becomes deflected eastward, and this is what gives a hurricane its spin.
If the world starts to spin faster, the winds would be deflected more, and the Coriolis effect would become stronger.
Dr Odenwald says: 'That effectively makes the rotation more severe.'
As the Earth spins faster, hurricanes would spin more rapidly and contain more power due to the Coriolis effect
1,000 miles per hour faster or more
At 1,000 miles per hour faster, Earth would be rotating roughly twice as fast as it does today, with disastrous consequences.
Mr Fraczek says: 'It would clearly be a disaster.'
The centrifugal forces would pull hundreds of feet of water towards the equator.
'Except for the highest mountains, such as Kilimanjaro or the highest summits of the Andes, I think everything in the equatorial region would be covered with water,' says Mr Fraczek.
At 1,000 miles per hour faster, the centrifugal forces generated by spinning would also be much stronger.
This would make it easier for water to escape the force of gravity and evaporate up into the atmosphere.
The already flooded regions of the equator would experience near-constant rain and would be constantly shrouded in fog and mist.
At around 24,000 miles per hour (38,600 kmph), the tectonic plates would be forced towards the equator as the planet flattens out. This would lead to devastating earthquakes (stock image)
At really extreme speeds of around 17,000 miles per hour (27,350 kmph), 17 times faster than normal, the centrifugal forces would be powerful enough to overwhelm gravity.
Anyone at the equator would become weightless as centrifugal force counteracted gravity, and you might even start to get 'reverse rain' as water falls up into the atmosphere.
However, it is unlikely that there would be anyone around to see this since the equator would have long since become uninhabitable.
Mr Franczek says: 'If those few miserable humans would still be alive after most of Earth’s water had been transferred to the atmosphere and beyond, they would clearly want to run out of the equator area as soon as possible.'
Finally, once the planet started to reach speeds of about 24,000 miles per hour (38,600 kmph) at the equator, life as we know it would pretty much be over.
The centrifugal forces would now be so strong that they would start to flatten out the Earth like a spinning ball of clay.
The tectonic plates would shift and the Earth's crust would crack, leading to catastrophic results.
Mr Franczek says: 'We would have enormous earthquakes. The tectonic plates would move quickly and that would be disastrous to life on the globe.'
Mysterieus interstellair object 3I/Atlas mogelijk oudste komeet ooit waargenomen (en ouder dan ons zonnestelsel)
Mysterieus interstellair object 3I/Atlas mogelijk oudste komeet ooit waargenomen (en ouder dan ons zonnestelsel)
Artikel door Michaël Torfs
Een interstellair object is een object dat niet uit ons zonnestelsel komt, maar uit een ander sterrenstelsel. De mysterieuze, opvallende bezoeker in ons zonnestelsel werd begin juli gespot door de Atlas-telescoop in Chili. Op dat moment zou het object ongeveer 670 miljoen kilometer van de zon verwijderd zijn geweest.
Het is pas het derde interstellair object dat ooit is waargenomen. De komeet werd '3I/ATLAS' gedoopt en wordt met argusogen gevolgd door sterrenkundigen. Mogelijk is hij zowat 3 miljard ouder dan ons zonnestelsel, laten wetenschappers van Oxford nu weten. De komeet zou zo mogelijk 7,5 miljard jaar oud zijn.
"Het object komt uit een sterrenstelsel dat we nog nooit van dichtbij hebben gezien", vertelt professor Chris Lintott aan de BBC. "We denken dat de kans 2 op de 3 is dat het ouder is dan ons eigen zonnestelsel." Dat is ongeveer 4,5 miljard jaar oud.
Astronoom Matthew Hopkins had net een doctoraatsstudie afgerond over interstellaire objecten. Hij verdiepte zich meteen in het analyseren van de nieuwste bezoeker.
"3I vliegt sneller dan zijn 2 voorgangers, met ongeveer 60 kilometer per seconde. Dat is binnen de grens van wat we verwachten", schrijft hij daarover op de website van de universiteit van Oxford.
Ontstaan in de 'dikke schijf'
Hopkins denkt dat de komeet ontstaan is in het melkwegstelsel. Dat zou gebeurd zijn in de zogenoemde 'dikke schijf', een groep met bijzonder oude sterren die een belangrijk onderdeel vormt van de Melkweg. Het gaat om een groep sterren die zich bevinden rond de 'dunne schijf', waar de zon deel van uitmaakt.
"Om die reden is het zeer waarschijnlijk dat 3I de eerste kans is om een object te bestuderen dat in een volledig ander deel van de ruimte is gevormd", is Hopkins enthousiast.
IJswater
3I/Atlas zou zich gevormd hebben rond een oude ster en veel ijswater bevatten. Wanneer de komeet later dit jaar dichter bij de zon komt, zal hij opgewarmd worden en veel stoom en damp verliezen.
Volgens astronomen zou hij dan een oplichtende staart kunnen vertonen. Later dit jaar zou de komeet overigens zichtbaar moeten zijn vanaf de aarde met amateurtelescopen.
De vermoedelijke koers van de interstellaire bezoeker: hij blijft uit de buurt van de aarde.
De Donkere Zijde van de Maan: Het Meest onderdrukte Ruimteverhaal Ooit Verteld
De Donkere Zijde van de Maan: Het Meest onderdrukte Ruimteverhaal Ooit Verteld
De Donkere Zijde van de Maan
Al tientallen jaren staat de Maan symbool voor menselijke prestatie en verkenning. We hebben talloze missies uitgevoerd, astronauten geland en de maanoppervlakte bestudeerd via telescopen en satellieten. Maar wat als het verhaal dat ons is verteld over de Maan verre van compleet is? Wat als de werkelijkheid veel complexer en verborgen is gebleven voor het grote publiek? Volgens onderzoekers, whisteblowers en experten zoals Linda Moulton Howe en David Adair, zou de Maan niet zomaar een kale, onbewoonde rots zijn die in een baan om de aarde draait. In plaats daarvan zou deze hemellichaam een geavanceerde kunstmatige constructie kunnen zijn, ontworpen door buitenaardse intelligenties of door een oude, vergeten beschaving. Het zou een soort monitoringstation kunnen zijn, een uitvalsbasis voor het bewaken van de aarde, of zelfs een plek waar experimenten worden uitgevoerd die ons nog altijd onbekend zijn.
Is de Maan een Holle Machine?
Een van de meest intrigerende theorieën die door enkele onderzoekers worden aangehaald, is dat de Maan hol zou kunnen zijn. Linda Moulton Howe, een bekende documentairmaakster en onderzoeker op het gebied van buitenaardse fenomenen, heeft verscheidene getuigenissen verzameld van abductees en insiders die beweren dat de Maan niet massief is, maar gevuld met geavanceerde technologie. Volgens Howe zou de Maan een soort machine kunnen zijn, een constructie die huisvest computers, androids en kunstmatige intelligentiesystemen die al miljoenen jaren de aarde in de gaten houden.
Deze theorie roept belangrijke vragen op over de aard van ons hemellichaam en de geschiedenis ervan. Hoe kan het dat de Maan zo perfect in onze hemel past, met haar ronde vorm en regelmatige baan? Zou dit kunnen wijzen op een artificiële oorsprong, vergelijkbaar met een ruimteschip of een geavanceerde constructie die is ontworpen om te functioneren als een soort monitoring- of communicatietoren? Het idee dat de Maan hol zou zijn, wordt ondersteund door verschillende anomalieën die wetenschappers en onderzoekers niet kunnen verklaren met conventionele wetenschap. Bijvoorbeeld, de manier waarop de Maan " klinkt" tijdens grote inslagen – ze "ringt" als een klok – zou kunnen wijzen op een holle structuur met een soort resonantie die niet overeenkomt met een massief hemellichaam.
David Adair, een bekende wetenschapper op het gebied van raket- en voortstuwingssystemen, ondersteunt deze theorie met zijn eigen ervaringen en observaties. Hij suggereert dat de gedragingen van de Maan, zoals haar getijdenwerking met de aarde, haar onwaarschijnlijke formaat voor een gevangen satelliet en het feit dat ze "klokt" tijdens inslagen, allemaal tekenen zijn van een artificiële oorsprong. Adair stelt dat zelfs Einstein’s relativiteitstheorieën niet volledig kunnen verklaren hoe zo'n enorm object in een stabiele baan om de aarde kan blijven zonder dat er iets bizarre gebeurt, zoals een catastrofale botsing of het uit elkaar vallen van de structuur.
Het feit dat de Maan zo'n belangrijke rol speelt in de getijden, het klimaat en het leven op aarde, maakt dit alles des te vreemder. Zou de Maan, als kunstmatige constructie, misschien een soort "back-up" of controlepunt kunnen zijn? En wie of wat zou hierachter zitten?
Getuigenissen van Astronauten en de Geheimen die Zij Vertellen Naast de theorieën over de holle structuur van de Maan, zijn er ook talrijke getuigenissen van astronauten die beweren dat er op de Maan meer te zien is dan we denken. Verschillende astronauten, waaronder Neil Armstrong, de eerste mens die voet zette op de maan tijdens de historische Apollo 11-missie, zouden getuigen hebben afgelegd over vreemde waarnemingen en onverklaarbare structuren op het maanoppervlak.
Neil Armstrong zelf zou cryptische opmerkingen hebben gemaakt aan vrienden en familie, waarin hij suggereerde dat de maan niet de lege, natuurlijke satelliet was die wij dachten dat het was. Hij zou hebben gesproken over grote, zilverkleurige schepen die in de buurt van de landingsplaats stationeerden, en over vreemde structuren die op de foto's zichtbaar zijn. Hoewel deze beweringen nooit officieel zijn bevestigd, geven ze stof tot nadenken: waarom zouden astronauten die de maan hebben bezocht, zulke geheimen durven te delen? Is het mogelijk dat NASA en andere ruimtevaartorganisaties op de hoogte zijn van deze structuren, maar ze liever verborgen houden voor het grote publiek?
Pete McDivet, een andere astronaut die tijdens een missie in de ruimte was, heeft op grote schaal foto's gemaakt van een vreemd cilindrisch object dat zich buiten zijn ruimtevaartuig bevond. Volgens hem was het object niet natuurlijk, maar een zorgvuldig geconstrueerde structuur. Toen hij echter om toegang tot zijn foto's vroeg, kreeg hij te horen dat deze "geclassificeerd" waren en dat hij "geen behoefte had te weten". Dit soort verhalen suggereert dat er een wijdverspreid netwerk van geheimhouding bestaat rond de ware aard van de maan en de structuren die erop voorkomen.
Waarom Werden We Weggestuurd?
Een van de meest verontrustende theorieën die door onderzoekers worden aangehaald, betreft de reden waarom de mensheid sinds de Apollo-missies niet meer terugkeert naar de maan. David Adair heeft een verrassende verklaring: wij werden weggezet omdat we "rommel maakten". Volgens hem zouden astronauten bij hun vertrek bijna 400.000 pond aan puin hebben achtergelaten, waaronder apparatuur, resten van experimenten en zelfs zakken met menselijke uitwerpselen. Het achterlaten van zoveel afval en het verstoren van een mogelijk buitenaardse bewaakte en gecontroleerde omgeving zou de reden kunnen zijn waarom verdere bezoeken werden verboden of vertraagd. Dit verhaal wordt ondersteund door waarnemingen van mysterieuze objecten die de laatste decennia in de buurt van de maan zijn gespot, evenals door officiële documenten die suggereren dat NASA en andere ruimteagentschappen bepaalde gegevens over de maan en haar structuren hebben gecensureerd.
Daarnaast zou de maan mogelijk een soort "geheime basis" herbergen, waar experimentele technologieën en misschien zelfs buitenaardse wezens worden gehouden. Sommige insiders beweren dat er onder het oppervlak van de maan tunnels en ondergrondse bases bestaan, die via geheime ingangen toegankelijk zijn voor een selecte groep mensen. Deze bases zouden dienen als uitvalsbases voor verdere ruimteverkenningen, of als locaties voor het uitvoeren van verboden experimenten.
De rol van overheden en geheime genootschappen speelt hierin een grote rol. Verschillende theorieën suggereren dat een oud, verborgen genootschap, mogelijk verbonden met de Vrijmetselarij of andere geheime organisaties, al eeuwenlang kennis heeft over de ware aard van de maan en haar verborgen structuren. Zij zouden de toegang tot deze plaatsen zorgvuldig beveiligen, en informatie ervan alleen delen met een selecte groep wetenschappers en elites.
De Symboliek van de Maan:
Een Oude Wijsheid? Naast de technische en wetenschappelijke theorieën, bestaat er ook een diepere symbolische en esoterische interpretatie van de maan. In vele culturen wordt de maan gezien als een symbool van verborgen kennis, intuïtie, en cycli van verandering. Sommige onderzoekers geloven dat de maan een soort "poort" is naar hogere dimensies of verborgen werelden, en dat haar verborgen structuren en mysteries aanwijzingen bevatten voor een oude, universele wijsheid die door de mensheid is onderdrukt.
Deze symboliek zou verband houden met oude mythologieën en religieuze tradities, waarin de maan een centrale rol speelt. De Egyptische godin Isis, de Griekse Artemis, en de Romeinse Luna worden allemaal geassocieerd met mysteries rondom de maan en haar krachten. Sommige esoterische stromingen geloven dat de maan een bewuste entiteit is, een soort bewustzijn dat onze planeet en mensheid beïnvloedt door middel van energetische poorten en rituelen.
Het idee dat de maan een kunstmatige constructie is, past binnen deze symbolische kaders. Het zou kunnen dat onze voorouders de ware aard van de maan kenden en dat zij deze kennis verborgen hielden om de controle over de mensheid te behouden. Door het vertellen van verhalen over een 'onbewoonde satelliet' en het negeren van de mysterieuze structuren en fenomenen, werd de ware aard van de maan bedekt en onderdrukt.
De Wetenschap en de Conspiratie:
Een Spanningsboog? Hoewel veel van de bovengenoemde theorieën buitenproportioneel klinken en niet worden ondersteund door mainstream wetenschap, kunnen ze niet volledig worden genegeerd. Er zijn talloze anomalieën en onbeantwoorde vragen die de officiële verklaringen ondermijnen. Bijvoorbeeld, de aanwezigheid van zogenaamd "vreemde structuren" en artefacten op de maan, zoals mysterieuze rotsformaties, gerestaureerde sites en niet-natuurlijk uitziende objecten, blijven een punt van discussie onder onderzoekers.
De Amerikaanse ruimtevaartorganisatie NASA en andere internationale ruimteagentschappen hebben herhaaldelijk documenten en beelden gecensureerd of niet openbaar gemaakt. Sommige beelden die via geheime kanalen of onafhankelijke waarnemers zijn gelekt, tonen structuren die niet natuurlijk kunnen zijn, zoals driehoekige objecten, piramide-achtige vormen, en grote, rechthoekige basissen onder het maanoppervlak.
Daarnaast zijn er rapporten van astronauten en wetenschappers die beweren dat er tijdens maanlandingen onverklaarbare fenomenen plaatsvonden. Bijvoorbeeld, Neil Armstrong zou hebben gesproken over vreemde "lichtgevende objecten" en structuren die zichtbaar waren op de foto's die hij maakte. Hoewel deze verklaringen vaak worden afgedaan als hallucinerend of verkeerd geïnterpreteerd, blijven ze een aanwijzing dat er mogelijk meer aan de hand is dan we worden voorgeschoteld.
De rol van media en informatiecontrole is hierin cruciaal. Overheden en grote mediabedrijven hebben een belang bij het behouden van een bepaald narratief over de maan en de ruimte. Door bepaalde informatie te onderdrukken, worden de publieke percepties gecontroleerd, waardoor de ware aard van de maan verborgen blijft voor het grote publiek.
De Mogelijke Doelen van de Maan Constructie:
Als we aannemen dat de maan inderdaad een kunstmatige structuur of een projectie is, rijst de vraag: waarom zou men zo'n enorme en complexe constructie willen creëren? Wat zou het doel zijn geweest van het plaatsen van een dergelijke structuur in onze buurt? Verschillende theorieën suggereren dat de maan mogelijk dient als een soort controlecentrum, energiebron, of poort naar andere dimensies.
Een van de meest intrigerende ideeën is dat de maan fungeert als een energetisch knooppunt dat de aardse energievelden beïnvloedt. Volgens sommige esoterische stromingen zou de maan de krachtlijnen van de aarde versterken en sturen, waardoor ze een rol speelt in het reguleren van het menselijke bewustzijn en de natuurlijke cycli zoals de menstruatie, de seizoenen en de getijden. Door deze functies zou de maan een instrument kunnen zijn voor energiebeheersing op wereldschaal, mogelijk gecontroleerd door een hogere macht of een verborgen elite.
Anderen geloven dat de maan een soort basis is voor buitenaardse beschavingen of geavanceerde technologieën, die al eeuwenlang de menselijke geschiedenis beïnvloeden. De aanwezigheid van structuren en artefacten zou kunnen wijzen op een oude beschaving die de maan als uitvalsbasis of observatiepost gebruikte. Deze theorieën ondersteunen het idee dat de mensheid niet de volledige waarheid kent over haar eigen geschiedenis en dat de maan een sleutel is tot het ontrafelen van deze verborgen kennis.
Daarnaast wordt er ook gespeculeerd dat de maan mogelijk een soort "bewaker" of "poortwachter" is, die de toegang tot hogere dimensies bewaakt. Volgens deze zienswijze zou de maan de energetische poort vormen die verbinding mogelijk maakt tussen onze wereld en andere, meer verfijnde lagen van het universum. Rituelen, meditatie en bepaalde spirituele praktijken zouden kunnen worden gebruikt om deze poort te openen en toegang te krijgen tot hogere kennis.
De symboliek van de maan in verschillende culturen en religies lijkt deze ideeën te ondersteunen. In oude mythologieën wordt de maan vaak verbonden met de godinnen van intuïtie, magie, en verborgen kennis. De Egyptische Isis en de Griekse Artemis werden vereerd als beschermsters van de geheimen van het universum. De Romeinse Luna symboliseert de cycli van verandering en het onderbewuste. Deze archetypen wijzen erop dat de maan voor oude beschavingen een symbool was van het verborgen, het mysterieuze en het spirituele.
De interpretatie dat de maan een kunstmatige creatie die bedoeld is om de mensheid te onderdrukken, sluit aan bij de gedachte dat er bewust een mysterie rondom haar aard wordt gehouden. Door de verhalen over een onbewoonde satelliet, de theorie van natuurlijke satellieten, en de vermeende obscuriteit van haar structuren, wordt het publiek afgeleid van de mogelijke ware aard van de maan. Het onderdrukken van deze kennis zou dienen om de controle over de collectieve bewustzijn te behouden en de ware geschiedenis van de mensheid te verbergen.
Het is belangrijk om te benadrukken dat veel van deze theorieën niet worden ondersteund door de mainstream wetenschap. Toch kunnen de talloze anomalieën en onbeantwoorde vragen niet genegeerd worden. De aanwezigheid van vreemde structuren en artefacten op de maan, zoals piramidevormige rotsformaties en grote, niet-natuurlijke objecten, blijven de nieuwsgierigheid prikkelen. Het feit dat bepaalde beelden en informatie door overheidsinstanties worden gecensureerd, voedt de scepsis en het vermoeden dat er meer wordt verborgen dan wordt toegelaten.
De rol van de media en de controle van informatie spelen hierin een cruciale rol. Overheden en grote mediabedrijven hebben belang bij het handhaven van een bepaald narratief over de maan en de ruimte. Door selectief informatie vrij te geven en andere gegevens achter te houden, wordt de publieke perceptie gestuurd en wordt de ware aard van de maan verborgen gehouden. Hierdoor blijft een deel van de samenleving gevangen in een beperkte interpretatie van de werkelijkheid.
Alien Megastructures op het Maanoppervlak
Er bestaan beweerde waarnemingen van enorme structuren op het maanoppervlak. Deze omvatten torenachtige bouwwerken, boogvormige constructies die lijken op de Gateway Arch in St. Louis, en bases die eruitzien als begraven ruimteschepen. Sommige klokkenluiders vergelijken deze vormen met 'crop circles', mysterieuze patronen die vaak worden gezien in landbouwgebieden. Deze structuren zouden, als ze echt zijn, een revolutionaire doorbraak betekenen in onze kennis over de maan en de geschiedenis van intelligente levensvormen in ons zonnestelsel. Ze roepen vragen op over de oorsprong en de functie van deze bouwwerken, en of ze mogelijk sporen zijn van buitenaardse beschavingen. Het is van groot belang dat we deze claims serieus onderzoeken, want ze kunnen onze wereldbeeld fundamenteel veranderen. Het ontdekken van dergelijke megastructuren zou bewijzen dat er meer is dan wij ooit voor mogelijk hielden. De waarheid ligt mogelijk verborgen onder het maanoppervlak, wachtend tot we haar durven ontdekken.
Een Race om terug te keren naar de Maan: Helium-3 en Kernfusie
Naast het mysterie van buitenaardse structuren, heeft de maan ook enorme wetenschappelijke en economische waarde. Helium-3, een zeldzaam gas dat overvloedig aanwezig is op het maanoppervlak, wordt beschouwd als de sleutel tot de volgende generatie schone energie. Dit isotope kan worden gebruikt als brandstof voor kernfusie, een proces dat bijna onuitputtelijke energie kan leveren zonder schadelijke bijproducten. Sommige bronnen, zoals Adair, beweren dat China al is begonnen met mijnbouwactiviteiten op de achterkant van de maan, mogelijk met gebruik van technologische ontwerpen die hij decennia geleden heeft gedeeld. De winning van Helium-3 zou niet alleen de energievoorziening op aarde kunnen transformeren, maar ook de geopolitieke machtsbalans veranderen. Het is een race tegen de klok om deze kostbare hulpbron veilig te stellen. Als we erin slagen de maan te benutten voor energie, verleggen we onze grenzen en zetten we een grote stap richting een duurzame toekomst. Het is essentieel dat we deze kansen niet laten liggen en onze inspanningen verdubbelen om de maan te exploreren en te benutten.
HET GROTE BEELD: Concurrentiële Beschavingen?
Een voormalig functionaris van de Defense Intelligence Agency heeft verklaard dat er al minstens 270 miljoen jaar lang drie verschillende buitenaardse beschavingen actief zijn op aarde en in het hele zonnestelsel. Deze onthulling voegt een nieuwe dimensie toe aan de mysteries rondom de maan. Zou de maan kunnen dienen als een neutraal uitvalsbasis, een soort ontmoetingsplek of zelfs een strijdtoneel tussen deze oude beschavingen? De gedachte dat er al zo lang buitenaards leven bestaat, geeft ons een heel ander perspectief op onze plaats in het universum. Mogelijk heeft de maan een rol gespeeld in hun conflicten of samenwerkingen. Het idee dat er meerdere intelligente beschavingen naast ons bestaan, kan onze kijk op de geschiedenis van het heelal compleet veranderen. Het onderstreept het belang van diepgaand onderzoek en het verzamelen van bewijzen. Door meer te weten te komen, kunnen we begrijpen of wij slechts een klein onderdeel zijn van een veel grotere kosmische gemeenschap.
Waarom We Terug Moeten Naar De Maan
Ondanks officiële verklaringen dat we alles hebben gezien wat er te zien is op de maan, benadrukt Adair dat we nog minder dan 0,5% van het oppervlak hebben verkend. Dit betekent dat er nog talloze geheimen en verborgen mysteries onder het maanoppervlak liggen. Het is van vitaal belang dat we terugkeren naar onze natuurlijke satelliet, niet alleen om waardevolle hulpbronnen zoals Helium-3 te winnen, maar vooral om de ultieme waarheid over onze plaats in het universum te ontdekken. Elke nieuwe missie, elk nieuw onderzoek kan ons dichter brengen bij antwoorden op fundamentele vragen: Zijn we alleen? Wat is de oorsprong van de structuren en verschijnselen op de maan? Door verder te kijken, kunnen we onze kennis uitbreiden en onze rol in het kosmos groter maken. De maan houdt de sleutel tot een dieper begrip van ons bestaan, en het is onze plicht om die te zoeken. Alleen door te blijven verkennen, kunnen we de verborgen waarheden ontsluiten die ons kunnen bevrijden van onwetendheid.
Een Kosmisch Verhaal dat Wacht om Verteld te Worden
Het verhaal van de maan is mogelijk veel complexer dan we ooit hebben gedacht. Als slechts een fractie van de claims waar blijkt te zijn, dan betekent dat dat de mensheid deel uitmaakt van een veel groter interstellair experiment. Getuigenissen van astronauten die geheimen lijken te verzwegen, wetenschappelijke theorieën zoals die van Adair, en afwijkend gedrag van de maan zelf wijzen allemaal op één ding: we moeten grotere vragen stellen over onze nabije kosmische buur. Het is tijd om de rommel op te ruimen, vrede te sluiten met wie of wat er mogelijk vanuit de donkere zijde kijkt, en onze plaats tussen de sterren opnieuw te claimen. De maan kan een brug vormen naar een bredere kosmische gemeenschap, waarvan wij slechts het begin zijn. Het is een oproep tot actie, een uitnodiging om verder te kijken dan onze beperkte kennis en de mysteries te ontrafelen die al eeuwen bezig houden..
Besluit
De symboliek die de menselijke verbeelding blijft prikkelen. De maan wordt vaak gezien als een symbool van verandering en cycli, en haar invloed op het menselijk gedrag en de natuur wordt al eeuwenlang erkend. In veel culturen vertegenwoordigt de maan vrouwelijke energie, intuïtie en het onderbewuste, wat haar een centrale plaats geeft in mythologische verhalen en rituelen. Daarnaast speelt de maan een belangrijke rol in de astrologie, waar haar positie en fasen worden geassocieerd met invloeden op ons leven en onze emoties.
Wetenschappelijk gezien blijven de maanlandingen en de plannen voor toekomstige missies de nieuwsgierigheid stimuleren en nieuwe kennis opleveren. Toch blijven er vragen en mysteries bestaan, zoals de herkomst van de maan en de mogelijke aanwezigheid van verborgen structuren of geheime bases. Sommige theorieën suggereren dat de maan kunstmatig zou kunnen zijn, wat de discussie over haar oorsprong en doel verder aanwakkert.
Kortom, de maan blijft een bron van inspiratie en verwondering. Ze symboliseert de onbekende werelden die nog ontdekt moeten worden, zowel in de ruimte als in ons innerlijke zelf. Haar mysteries blijven een uitnodiging om verder te onderzoeken en te reflecteren op onze plaats in het universum. Door haar symboliek en wetenschap te combineren, kunnen we misschien ooit de diepere betekenissen achter haar verschijning ontrafelen en haar ware aard volledig begrijpen.
Waarom wij als mensen een maanbasis of maanstation zouden bouwen.
De maanconstructie, oftewel het idee om een kunstmatige structuur op of rondom de maan te bouwen, heeft sinds de jaren '50 veel aandacht getrokken binnen de ruimtevaartgemeenschap en de populaire cultuur. Hoewel veel van deze plannen nog in de kinderschoenen staan of slechts theoretisch zijn, worden ze vaak besproken in de context van wetenschappelijke, economische en zelfs geopolitieke doelen. In dit artikel worden de mogelijke doelen van een dergelijke maanconstructie nader onderzocht, aangevuld met gegevens en een uitgebreide conclusie.
1. Wetenschappelijke Doelen
Een van de voornaamste motivaties achter het bouwen van een maanconstructie is het vergaren van wetenschappelijke kennis. De maan biedt een unieke omgeving die ons kan helpen om meer te leren over het ontstaan van het zonnestelsel, de evolutie van planeten en de geschiedenis van het heelal. Door een permanente aanwezigheid op de maan, kunnen wetenschappers langdurige observaties en experimenten uitvoeren die op aarde onmogelijk zijn vanwege de atmosfeer en andere beperkingen.
Daarnaast kan een maanbasis fungeren als een uitvalsbasis voor ruimtemissies naar Mars en verder. De maan heeft een lagere zwaartekracht (ongeveer een zesde van die op aarde), wat het gemakkelijker maakt om materialen en mensen te lanceren richting andere planeten. Bovendien kunnen wetenschappers de maan gebruiken als testplatform voor nieuwe technologieën die nodig zijn voor langdurige ruimtevaart, zoals levensondersteuningssystemen, energievoorziening en habitatdesign.
2. Economische Doelen
Een ander belangrijk motief is de economische potentie die een maanconstructie kan bieden. De maan bevat aanzienlijke voorraden van waardevolle mineralen en grondstoffen, zoals helium-3, een zeldzaam gas dat potentieel gebruikt kan worden als schone energiebron in kernreactoren. Het winnen van helium-3 op de maan zou de wereldwijde energiemarkt kunnen transformeren en de afhankelijkheid van fossiele brandstoffen verminderen.
Daarnaast kunnen de bouw en exploitatie van een maanbasis nieuwe markten openen voor ruimtevaartbedrijven en investeerders. De ontwikkeling van mijnbouwtechnologieën, logistiek en infrastructuur op de maan kan ook leiden tot innovaties die in de toekomst op aarde toegepast kunnen worden. Sommige experts voorspellen dat de economische voordelen van ruimte-mining en maanbouw op termijn vele malen groter zijn dan de kosten voor het opzetten van de infrastructuur.
3. Geopolitieke Doelen
De geopolitieke dimensie van een maanconstructie mag niet worden onderschat. In de geschiedenis van de ruimtevaart is de maan altijd een symbool geweest van nationale prestige en technologische superioriteit. Een succesvolle maanbasis zou landen in staat stellen om hun invloed in de ruimte uit te breiden en strategische belangen veilig te stellen.
Met de toenemende betrokkenheid van meerdere landen en private bedrijven op het gebied van ruimtevaart, kan een maanconstructie ook dienen als een manier om internationale samenwerking te bevorderen of, contrair, om machtsverhoudingen te versterken. Het ontbreken van duidelijke internationale regelgeving over het bezit en de exploitatie van maanresources maakt de geopolitieke situatie complex. Het is mogelijk dat landen proberen hun belangen te beschermen door exclusieve rechten op bepaalde gebieden of bronnen te claimen.
4. Milieu- en Duurzaamheidsdoelen
Hoewel de bouw van een maanconstructie op het eerste gezicht lijkt te leiden tot meer milieuproblemen, kan het ook een rol spelen in het bevorderen van duurzaamheid. Door bijvoorbeeld een permanente menselijke aanwezigheid op de maan, kunnen we leren omgaan met ecosysteembeheer in extreme omstandigheden en duurzame levensonderhoudssystemen ontwikkelen die later op aarde toegepast kunnen worden.
Daarnaast kan de maan dienen als een ‘buffer’ of controlepunt om de impact van asteroïde-inslagen te monitoren en te mitigeren, wat indirect de bescherming van het aardmilieu ten goede kan komen.
5. Technologische Innovatie en Innovatiebevordering
Het bouwen van een maanconstructie vereist het ontwikkelen van geavanceerde technologieën op het gebied van structuurbouw, energievoorziening, communicatie en levensondersteuning. Deze technologische innovaties kunnen ook op aarde worden toegepast, bijvoorbeeld in de bouwsector, energieproductie en automatisering.
Bovendien stimuleert de uitdaging van een maanbasis wetenschappelijke en technologische innovatie, wat op zijn beurt weer kan leiden tot nieuwe industrieën en werkgelegenheid. Het project kan ook een inspirerend voorbeeld zijn van menselijke creativiteit en doorzettingsvermogen.
6. Concluderend: Een veelzijdige onderneming
De bouw van een maanconstructie wordt vaak gezien als een onderneming met meerdere doelen die elkaar kunnen versterken. Wetenschappelijk onderzoek, economische ontwikkeling, geopolitieke strategieën en technologische innovatie vormen samen een complex landschap van motivaties. Hoewel de kosten en risico’s aanzienlijk zijn, bieden de potentiële voordelen op lange termijn een sterke motivatie voor landen en bedrijven om te investeren in dergelijke projecten.
Volgens recente rapporten (bijvoorbeeld van NASA en ESA) wordt verwacht dat de komende decennia de technologische en financiële haalbaarheid van maanconstructies aanzienlijk zal verbeteren. De ontwikkeling van nieuwe lanceertechnologieën, zoals de reusable Falcon-raket van SpaceX en de geplande Starship, maken het goedkoper en efficiënter om materialen en mensen naar de maan te vervoeren.
Kortom, de mogelijke doelen van een maanconstructie zijn divers en ambitieus: van wetenschappelijke ontdekkingen en resource-exploitatie tot geopolitieke invloed en technologische vooruitgang. Het is duidelijk dat deze onderneming niet alleen gericht is op het verkennen van de ruimte, maar ook op het benutten van haar potentieel voor de toekomst van de mensheid. Het vestigen van een menselijke aanwezigheid op de maan zou een mijlpaal zijn in onze geschiedenis en een belangrijke stap voorwaarts VOOR DE MENSHEID.
Dark Side of the Moon: The Most Suppressed Space Story Ever Told
Dark Side of the Moon: The Most Suppressed Space Story Ever Told
For decades, the Moon has been a symbol of human achievement and exploration. But what if the story we’ve been told about it is far from complete? According to researchers and whistleblowers like Linda Moulton Howe and David Adair, the Moon might not be a barren rock orbiting Earth—but a sophisticated artificial construct used for monitoring and even manipulating life on our planet.
Is the Moon a Hollow Machine?
Linda Moulton Howe recounts testimony from abductees and insiders who claim the Moon is hollow and filled with advanced technology. This machine-like Moon is said to house computers, androids, and artificial intelligence systems that have been monitoring Earth for millions of years. The concept challenges our understanding of celestial mechanics and raises the question: Could the Moon be an ancient alien installation?
David Adair, a propulsion scientist, supports these claims with his own experiences. He suggests that the Moon’s behavior—its tidal lock with Earth, its impossible size for a captured satellite, and the way it “rings like a bell” during impacts—indicates an artificial origin. According to Adair, even Einstein’s theories can’t fully explain how such a massive object came to orbit Earth without catastrophic collision.
Suppressed Testimonies from Astronauts
Several astronauts, including Neil Armstrong, allegedly witnessed UFOs and alien structures on the Moon. Armstrong himself is said to have shared cryptic comments with close friends, hinting at large, silver craft stationed near their landing site. These claims, if true, suggest NASA’s famous moon missions were closely monitored—and possibly warned off—by extraterrestrial forces.
Pete McDivet, another astronaut, reportedly took dozens of high-resolution photographs of a strange cylindrical object outside his spacecraft. Yet when he requested access to his own images, NASA told him they were classified and that he had “no need to know.”
Why Were We Sent Away?
Adair offers a startling theory about why humans haven’t returned to the Moon in over 50 years: we were expelled for “littering.” He points out that astronauts left behind nearly 400,000 pounds of debris—including equipment and even bags of human waste. If intelligent beings inhabit or monitor the Moon, this act could have been seen as disrespectful.
Could this explain why, despite monumental advancements in technology, humanity has not established a permanent presence on the Moon? Adair believes the answer lies in a combination of geopolitical secrecy and extraterrestrial control.
Alien Megastructures on the Lunar Surface
There are also claims of massive structures on the Moon’s surface—tower-like constructs, arches resembling Earth’s St. Louis Gateway Arch, and bases that look like buried spacecraft. Some whistleblowers liken these features to crop circles: anomalies that demand serious investigation.
If true, such megastructures would revolutionize our understanding of not only the Moon but also the history of intelligent life in our solar system.
A Race to Return: Helium-3 and Fusion Power
Beyond alien secrets, the Moon holds immense scientific and economic potential. Helium-3, abundant on its surface, could fuel the next generation of clean fusion reactors. Adair claims China has already begun mining operations on the far side of the Moon, possibly using his own designs shared decades ago.
The Bigger Picture: Competing Civilizations?
One retired Defense Intelligence Agency official reportedly told Howe that three competing extraterrestrial civilizations have been operating on Earth and throughout the solar system for at least 270 million years. This revelation adds a new layer to the Moon’s mystery: Could it be a neutral outpost or even a battleground in an ancient interstellar rivalry?
Why We Must Go Back
Despite official narratives claiming we’ve “seen all there is to see,” Adair emphasizes that humans have explored less than 0.5% of the Moon’s surface. He argues that it’s critical to return—not just for resources like Helium-3 but to uncover the truth about our place in the cosmos.
Conclusion: A Cosmic Truth Waiting to Be Told
The story of the Moon may be far more complex than we’ve been led to believe. If even a fraction of these claims hold truth, it suggests humanity is part of a much larger interstellar experiment. The suppressed testimonies of astronauts, the theories of scientists like Adair, and the strange behavior of the Moon itself all point to one thing: we need to ask bigger questions about our nearest celestial neighbor.
Perhaps it’s time to clean up the litter, make peace with whoever—or whatever—may be watching from the dark side, and reclaim our place among the stars.
Giant sand mounds beneath the North Sea have puzzled scientists for years. Now, researchers have discovered that these mysterious structures were created by a geological process that has never been seen on such a huge scale.
Seismic data and rock samples from the northern North Sea, off the coast of Norway, suggest that these miles-wide mounds sank millions of years ago, lifting up older, less-dense "ooze" beneath. The findings could help scientists learn more about future carbon storage options, the researchers wrote in the new study, which was published June 21 in the journalCommunications Earth and Environment.
Researchers have known about these mounds buried beneath the seabed for years but haven't reached a consensus regarding the structures' origins. Proposed explanations have included landslide deposits, sandstone pushed up from below, or mud forced through brittle rock.
Now, using a three-dimensional seismic dataset covering the northern North Sea, along with rock samples, researchers examined the mounds and the surrounding regions. They found that the structures were surrounded by older, low-density "ooze," composed in large part of the fossil remains of ancient microorganisms.
The mounds were chemically similar to nearby sands that appear later in the geological record. In some places, the mounds were connected to these sands via fractures in the rock. This suggests that the mounds were made of younger sands that sank beneath the older, lighter ooze below.
The sunken sands have jumbled the expected pattern in the geological record. Usually, older layers of rock are buried deeper than younger sediment, leaving a record of the processes that shaped the landscape over time.
"This discovery reveals a geological process we haven't seen before on this scale," study co-authorMads Huuse, a geophysicist at the University of Manchester in the U.K., said in a statement. "What we've found are structures where dense sand has sunk into lighter sediments that floated to the top of the sand, effectively flipping the conventional layers we'd expect to see and creating huge mounds beneath the sea."
Earthquakes or changes in pressure may have caused the sands to behave like a fluid, thus enabling it to flow through fractures in the seabed and slip beneath rigid sections of the ooze. The researchers dubbed these large, sinking mounds "sinkites." The ooze rafts, buoyed upward, were named "floatites."
"This research shows how fluids and sediments can move around in the Earth's crust in unexpected ways," Huuse said.
The team originally studied these mounds as a possible location for carbon dioxide storage. Before beginning any carbon storage efforts in the region, scientists will need to understand how well and how safely the area can hold on to that carbon.
"Understanding how these sinkites formed could significantly change how we assess underground reservoirs, sealing, and fluid migration — all of which are vital for carbon capture and storage," Huuse said.
Dentist Cracks Leonardo da Vinci's 500-Year-Old Hidden Code in the Vitruvian Man
A London-based dentist has solved one of art history's most enduring mysteries by discovering a hidden geometric code in Leonardo da Vinci's iconic Vitruvian Man drawing. The breakthrough revelation suggests that the Renaissance master embedded sophisticated mathematical principles that anticipate modern understanding of optimal biological architecture - all concealed within a simple triangle between the figure's legs.
The Discovery That Changed Everything
Dr. Rory Mac Sweeney, whose professional expertise in dental anatomy provided the unique perspective needed to crack this centuries-old puzzle, published his groundbreaking findings in the Journal of Mathematics and the Arts. His analysis reveals that Leonardo's famous 1490 drawing incorporates geometric principles that remained hidden in plain sight for over 500 years.
The pen-and-ink drawing of a nude male figure in two superimposed poses, with arms and legs enclosed within a circle and square, was created by the Renaissance polymath around 1490. Based on the writings of Roman architect Marcus Vitruvius Pollio, the drawing illustrates the concept that the human body has harmonious proportions that can fit perfectly within both geometric shapes - but until now, the mathematical framework behind this perfect fit remained an enigma reports Popular Mechanics.
Leonardo's Vitruvian Man and Optimal Geometric Relationships. Leonardo's construction demonstrates the same tetrahedral principles found in craniofacial architecture. This geometric relationship may represent Leonardo's intuitive recognition.
Dr. Sweeney's breakthrough came when he noticed an equilateral triangle positioned between the man's legs - a detail that Leonardo referenced in his notes for the drawing but that had been largely overlooked by scholars. This triangle, Sweeney discovered, corresponds precisely to Bonwill's triangle, a fundamental principle in dental anatomy that governs the optimal performance of the human jaw.
Named after Dr. William Bonwill, whose 1864 work on dental articulation studied "4,000 dentures in living persons and 6,000 skulls," Bonwill's triangle forms an equilateral triangle connecting the two mandibular condyles and the midpoint of the lower central incisors. This geometric relationship maximizes force transmission efficiency during chewing and represents optimal biological design.
Diagram showing how Bonwill's triangle (green) in human craniofacial architecture demonstrates the same tetrahedral geometry that Leonardo embedded in his drawing.
The discovery goes far beyond a simple geometric observation. Sweeney's analysis revealed that this hidden triangle produces a ratio of 1.64 to 1.65 between the square's side and the circle's radius - remarkably close to the special "blueprint number" of 1.633 that appears throughout nature for building the most efficient structure
This ratio, known as the tetrahedral ratio, represents the mathematical relationship that defines optimal spatial arrangements in both synthetic and biological systems. When the equilateral triangle is replicated six times around the navel (which Vitruvius identified as the central point of the human body), it creates a hexagonal pattern that generates this precise mathematical relationship.
Connections to Modern Science
Perhaps most remarkably, Sweeney draws parallels between the ratios found in Leonardo's illustration and Buckminster Fuller's Isotropic Vector Matrix from 1975. This connection suggests that "the same geometric relationships that appear in optimal crystal structures, biological architectures, and Fuller's coordinate systems seem to be encoded in human proportions."
Fuller's Vector Equilibrium demonstrating the geometric foundation underlying optimal spatial organization - the same principles Leonardo intuited 500 years earlier.
Sweeney concludes that these findings suggest "Leonardo intuited fundamental truths about the mathematical nature of reality itself," demonstrating that the Renaissance master possessed an understanding of optimal biological design that wouldn't be formally recognized by modern science for centuries.
The Power of Perspective
The breakthrough illustrates how expertise from unexpected fields can illuminate longstanding mysteries. As a dentist familiar with Bonwill's triangle, Dr. Sweeney brought a unique perspective that art historians and mathematicians had lacked. His professional knowledge of dental anatomy provided the key to recognizing the significance of the triangle that had been hiding in plain sight.
"Leonardo's geometric construction successfully encoded fundamental spatial relationships in human form, demonstrating the remarkable precision of his Renaissance vision of mathematical unity between the human figure and natural order," Sweeney wrote in his paper."
The Life and Times of Leonardo da Vinci, with Robin Maxwell is available now from the Ancient Origins Shop.
Implications for Modern Applications
The discovery has implications extending beyond art history. Dr. Sweeney's findings could inspire new approaches in dental anatomy, prosthetic design, and craniofacial surgery. The research demonstrates how Renaissance art can contain scientific insights that remain relevant to contemporary medicine and engineering.
Moreover, the breakthrough suggests that other Renaissance masterpieces may contain similar hidden scientific principles waiting to be discovered. The intersection of art and science that defined Leonardo's work continues to yield new insights, even 500 years after his death.
A Renaissance Vision Validated
The discovery validates Leonardo's reputation as a visionary who bridged art and science in ways that continue to astonish modern researchers. His ability to encode complex mathematical relationships within a drawing of human proportions demonstrates the sophisticated understanding of natural design principles that characterized the Renaissance approach to knowledge.
Top image: Detailed geometric analysis showing how the triangle relates to Bonwill's triangle and creates the mathematical foundation for the drawing's proportions.
Sweeney, R. M. (2025). "Leonardo's Vitruvian Man: modern craniofacial anatomical analysis reveals a possible solution to the 500-year-old mystery." Journal of Mathematics and the Arts. DOI: 10.1080/17513472.2025.2507568
Popular Mechanics. "A Dentist Discovered a Hidden Code in Leonardo da Vinci's Most Famous Drawing." July 2025.
Schematic of the Chinese Mars Sample Return mission, where the lander will drill 2 metres deep to collect the samples and scoop the surface materials with a robotic arm and drone. Credit: HKU
Was there once life on Mars? That question has been the subject of ongoing exploration and research for more than half a century, and is closely tied to questions about how and when life emerged on Earth. At present, there are six active missions exploring the Red Planet for possible evidence of past life (and possibly present), including NASA's Perseverancerover, the Curiosity rover, and the Mars Reconnaissance Orbiter (MRO), the UAE's Hope orbiter, the ESA'sExoMars Trace Gas Orbiter(TGO), and China's Tianwen-1orbiter and rover. In the near future, they will be joined by Tianwen-3, a sample-return mission consisting of two spacecraft.
Similar to the NASA/ESA Mars Sample Return (MSR) mission architecture, the mission will include a lander/ascent vehicle to obtain the samples and an Orbiter/Earth-return element to bring them back to Earth. In recent news, the University of Hong Kong (HKU) announced that the scientific team will include Professor Yiliang Li, an astrobiologist from the Department of Earth Sciences. Li will be leading an HKU group responsible for selecting the mission's landing site: a region where liquid water once flowed and there's an abundance of materials that are likely to preserve evidence of past (or present) life.
The roadmap of the Chinese Mars Sample Return mission, which will be launched in 2028.
Credit: Hou, et al. (2025)
The search for evidence of life on Mars began with NASA's Viking 1 and 2 missions, consisting of an orbiter and lander element. The two landers set down in Chryse Planitia and Utopia Planitia, respectively, both of which are located in the Northern Lowlands. This region is believed to have once been a global ocean that spanned Mars' northern hemisphere, making it a promising location for NASA scientists to search for biosignatures. While the results were inconclusive, the search continues and has been bolstered by the arrival of missions like Pathfinder, Spirit and Opportunity,Curiosity, and Perseverance.
Astrobiological research has also benefited from recent discoveries made here on Earth. Based on the most recent fossilized evidence, scientists theorize that life emerged in Earth's oceans during the Archean Eon (ca. 4 billion years ago). Several lines of evidence also indicate that the evolution of microbial life during the first billion years was pivotal to Earth becoming a habitable planet. During Mars' Noachian Period (ca. 4.1 - 3.7 billion years ago), conditions were similar to Earth's, including a denser atmosphere, flowing water on the surface, and active volcanism. In other words, Mars had an environment favorable to the emergence of life while life was gaining a foothold on Earth.
To investigate this further, scientists hope to obtain samples from areas rich in hydrated minerals (which are essential to life) and where microbial activity could potentially be preserved for billions of years. As such, site selection is a crucial first step to any sample return mission, the protocol and strategy of which is detailed in the team's paper. Also described are the scientific payloads and the methods used to detect potential biosignatures in the returned samples. These samples will be extracted from a drill depth of 2 meters (~6.5 feet), which is critical since organic materials are safe from radiation and toxic perchlorites at this depth.
In accordance with the Committee on Space Research (COSPAR) Planetary Protection Policy, the team also recommends establishing a Mars Sample Laboratory on the outskirts of Hefei, a major hub for scientific research where many of China's leading research institutes are located. The laboratory will be equipped with the necessary scientific instruments to conduct a comprehensive analysis of the returned Mars samples while ensuring that they are safely contained to prevent exobiological contamination. If and when the samples are determined to contain no active biological agents, they will be released to designated laboratories for further detailed analyses.
The rover Zhurong, depicted in the image, became China's first rover to successfully land on the Martian surface in 2021.
Credit: CNSA
Due to the cancellation of the MSR mission, China is now poised to be the first country to return samples from Mars that could contain organic matter (and maybe even lifeforms!) The Tianwen-3 mission will build on the success of Tianwen-1, which successfully established orbit, landed on the surface, and deployed the Zhurong rover on Mars in 2021. In the process, China became the first nation to accomplish all three goals in a single mission, something the country hopes to do again in 2028. The CNSA released an Announcement of Opportunities (AO) on March 11th, which opened the mission to international collaboration.
The final selection of collaborators is scheduled for October 2025, and flight models of selected payloads are to be delivered in 2027. If everything goes according to plan, the samples will be returned to Earth by 2031.
An artist’s impression of the Robert C. Byrd Green Bank Telescope receiving signals from space. Credit: Danielle Futselaar/Breakthrough Listen.
We live in an exciting time of technological innovation and breakthroughs in astronomy, cosmology, and astrophysics. This is similarly true for the Search for Extraterrestrial Intelligence (SETI), which seeks to leverage advances in instrumentation and computing to find evidence of "technosignatures" in the Universe. While the scope has expanded considerably since Cornell Professor Frank Drake and colleagues conducted the first SETI experiment over sixty years ago (Project Ozma), the vast majority have consisted of listening to space for signs of possible radio transmissions.
A prime example is Breakthrough Listen (BL), a project launched by Breakthrough Initiatives in 2016 and the largest SETI experiment ever mounted. BI combines radio observations from the Green Bank Observatory and the Parkes Observatory with visible light observations from the Automated Planet Finder. In a recent study, an international team of astronomers examined 27 exoplanets selected from the Transiting Exoplanet Survey Satellite (TESS) archive and examined them for signs of artificial radio signals that went silent as they passed behind their stars.
The field of SETI has grown considerably in the past six decades, reflecting our expanding knowledge of the cosmos and astrophysical phenomena. Per the NASA Technosignature Report (released in 2018), the list of potential technosignatures includes gravitational waves (GWs), neutrinos, directed energy (optical communications or propulsion), and more. Nevertheless, surveys in the radio spectrum are still at the forefront of SETI investigations because the technology has a proven track record as a cost-effective means of communication. Moreover, radio waves are easily detected since they experience minimal scattering as they pass through planetary atmospheres and the interstellar medium (ISM).
The field has also been bolstered by the spate of exoplanet discoveries that have taken place in the past twenty years. To date, more than 5,900 exoplanets have been confirmed in over 4,400 planetary systems, with thousands more awaiting confirmation. For their study, the team carefully selected a frequency band of radio data from a large set of observations made by BI from 2018 to 2022. The team ensured that these observations' field of view (FoV) corresponded to a selection of 27 confirmed and candidate exoplanets detected by NASA's Transiting Exoplanet Survey Satellite (TESS).
Specifically, the team looked for indications of potential radio signals that were interrupted as these planets passed behind their respective stars (occulted). As Barrett told Universe Today via email:
Occultations could provide a unique opportunity to search for and localise technosignatures. Hypothetically, if a transmitting exoplanet were to pass behind its host star, the signal should be interrupted, resuming when it re-emerges. A signal could thus potentially be isolated from the surrounding noise and RFI by subtracting emission received from the system during eclipse from emission during transit. This concept will be explored in future works.
Using occultations to detect and confirm targets for SETI technosignature searchers has gained popularity in the last decade. However, the focus has been on planet-planet occultation and signal spillover, whereas Barrett and her colleagues explored planet-star occultation. Their work was based on Barrett's 2023 Master's thesis, which established the first limits using targets of interest (TOIs) designated by TESS. Unfortunately, all 27 TOIs were attributed to radio frequency interference (RFI), ruling out the possibility of technological activity.
Murriyang, CSIRO's Parkes radio telescope at the Parkes Observatory.
Nevertheless, this study is the first case where planet-star occultations were used for technosignature searches and will serve as a benchmark for similar SETI surveys in the near future. Said Barrett:
I personally plan to commence a PhD in 2026, where I hope to continue developing tools that will aid in the search for intelligent life. I was very fortunate to work alongside some of the leading experts in the field during this project, and will undoubtedly do so again in the future! I would hope that this work could inspire further SETI investigations toward exoplanets during occultation and help spur the development of an efficient method for isolating unique emissions that could be applied as a background check in mainstream transiting exoplanet surveys.
The preprint of their paper was published online by the University of Cambridge Press and is being reviewed by the Publications of the Astronomical Society of Australia.
Some Know More Than Others! UFOs, Aliens, and the Presidents of the United States!
There are some people who believe that the President of the United States is privy to all that is going-on and, ultimately, calls the shots, while others insist they are nothing more than a face for the respective government of the time who is on a need-to-know leash, and this is very much the case with UFOs and potential alien encounters. However, it would seem that some Presidents of the United States – certainly when it comes to such matters as UFOs – know more than others.
One researcher who has perhaps done more research than most on the Presidents of the United States and what they might have known about UFOs and aliens is author Paul Blake Smith, who spoke recently to myself and Steve Mera during an episode of The Anomaly Project. Smith has written several books on the subject, including President Eisenhower’s Close Encounters: An Investigation into Eisenhower’s Secret Agreement with Extraterrestrials and The Nixon-Gleason Alien Encounter: An Investigation into Nixon’s Secret Airbase Meetings to View Extraterrestrials, both of which we will return to very shortly.
If we go back to the start of the Modern UFO Era (essentially, the summer of 1947 with such encounters as the Kenneth Arnold sighting and the Roswell crash) we can find President Harry Truman in charge, who, almost certainly, knew much of what was going on in the skies across America at the time.
In fact, to explore both Truman and the person who followed him into the White House, President Eisenhower, we should turn our attention to an alleged UFO crash, once more in the deserts of New Mexico, only this time in the Aztec Desert a little over six months after the more famous and well-known Roswell crash. According to the account, which first entered the public arena courtesy of an alleged leaked document in the late 1980s, on the evening of March 25th, 1948, a disc-shaped metallic object came screeching out of the night sky and crashed into the ground. Although several locals were on the scene a short time later, it didn’t take the United States military long to swoop in and retrieve the remains, whisking them away to, according to the report, White Sands Air Force Base.
Perhaps even more remarkable than the craft itself, though, was the discovery of 16 crew members, 15 of whom were dead, but one, unbelievably, was alive. And it is here, where the story morphs into the involvement of another eventual President of the United States.
Indeed there is little doubt, one of the most interesting and thought-provoking American Presidents in terms of what they might have known about UFOs and their subsequent actions off the back of that, would be President Eisenhower, who, it would seem, was at the center of several UFO and alien encounters that potentially had far-reaching consequences, and is one that Paul Blake Smith detailed in the previously mentioned President Eisenhower’s Close Encounters. It also unfolded in the wake of the Aztec UFO crash (under President Truman’s watch), when Eisenhower was a high-ranking military commander during Truman’s presidency.
Smith highlighted how an apparent leaked briefing document came to light on a 2017 podcast by Heather Wade. This document detailed how the surviving alien was discreetly transported to a secret facility within the Los Alamos National Laboratory. Even more remarkable, this alien was able to communicate – in English, no less – with its new host, and offered that its name was Setimus. According to descriptions, although he was (by comparison) relatively short, he otherwise had the appearance of an “adult, Earth-like humanoid male!” There were, though, following examinations, some internal differences (although these were not documented, or certainly not leaked). This apparent alien entity had a very specific diet and was “less able to process the wide range of foods” that a human being typically would. Moreover, although he could physically speak, he also appeared to have “telepathic and psychic skills!” Even more remarkable, Setimus was “versed in homo sapien behavior, modern geopolitics, and the planet Earth’s troubled environment!”
This leaked document detailed that Setimus was granted “diplomatic status” and was very happy to answer all scientists’ questions. Perhaps most interesting of all, though, it stated that, “Setimus and his advanced ET species had ‘decided on a long-term program of carefully calculated’ contact with certain humans, including those in the highest levels of American government – like President Dwight D. Eisenhower!”
Of course, we will return to Eisenhower and more of his “contact” with alien representatives shortly. In New Mexico, however, around a year after being recovered from the wreckage, in early 1949, a decision was made to transfer Setimus to a “safe house”, thought to have been somewhere in rural Vermont, and a property that was under the control of the United States intelligence agencies. Smith highlights how this decision, at least on the surface, is a strange one, not least as no one appeared to be even slightly aware of Setimus’ presence in New Mexico, as well as the fact he was more than comfortable at the facility, and not least the obvious risks of transporting a live alien entity across the country that would surely present themselves. However, Smith also points out that Dwight Eisenhower had spent considerable time in rural Vermont, officially on fly fishing trips.
Whatever the truth of the matter, it is said that Setimus spent at least six months of 1949 at this location. And given the connection Eisenhower had to this part of the country, as well as the naming of him specifically in the leaked document, we might consider if he spent a large bulk of that time at the safe house with Setimus. If so, we can only imagine what information might have been given to Eisenhower during this time, and how much, if anything, he shared with anyone else. Then, in early August 1949, Setimus was discreetly transported back to New Mexico, this time to Albuquerque, and specifically, to Kirtland Air Force Base. Even more remarkable, on the evening of August 21st, 1949, an alien craft landed in the remote desert close by, where Setimus boarded the otherworldly vessel and left Earth for a destination unknown.
While it might be tempting, even by some in the UFO community, to dismiss such claims unreservedly, the fact is that Paul Blake Smith not only makes a compelling argument in favor of such claims’ authenticity but also offers documented circumstantial evidence to back them up. For example, regarding the transfer of Setimus from Vermont back to New Mexico and his potential extraction from the planet, he writes:
“Harry Truman’s White House appointment logs for Monday, August 1, 1949, reveal that the Republican Governor of Vermont, of all people, had called Vermont’s Republican Senator George David Aiken the previous week and asked Aiken to set up an appointment with the president for 12:15 pm that day in the Oval Office. It had to have been about something pretty darn important, considering these circumstances!”
Indeed, the important reason could very well have been the transfer of Setimus back to New Mexico, as well as the planned arrival of more visitors from another world. Smith highlights further interesting movements during this time, as he details that “conservative Governor Ernest William Gibson Jr. – a former decorated Army infantryman from rural, small-town Vermont – traveled a long way to chat in private” and off the record with Harry Truman. This conversation was said to have only been 15 minutes long, but Smith writes that “something big was up, it is logical to assume!” Smith also highlighted another secret meeting between a Vermont congressman and President Truman in late July 1949, as well as a meeting in the Oval Office on the afternoon of August 4th, 1949, between President Truman and his Secretary of State and his Defense Secretary. After this meeting, all three men traveled together somewhere to an undocumented location. Even more suspicious, there are no recorded movements of any of the men until five days later. Might we contemplate that they traveled to, and stayed at, the safe house in Vermont?
Of course, around four and a half years later, with Eisenhower a little over a year into his first term as United States President, he is claimed to have been at another meeting with alien representatives. The claims surfaced through another set of leaked documents in 1984, the same documents that contained information on MJ12. According to these documents, on the evening of February 20th, 1954, President Eisenhower was whisked away to a hangar at Edwards Air Force Base in California, where he is claimed to have met with representatives from two different alien races. What is interesting is that on that date, the official record shows that President Eisenhower disappeared from public view due to requiring emergency dental treatment, something which some people believe is nothing more than a cover story to allow him to move freely behind the scenes away from any kind of public scrutiny. We perhaps need to remember that official press photographers accompanied the President everywhere, and so an excuse such as dental treatment would have been more than sufficient to have them “stand down” while the President recovered, or perhaps, went about his secretive duties.
According to the account, the first of these meetings was with humanoid entities who were very similar in appearance to Setimus. Moreover, they offered ideas of advanced, clean technologies, energies, and medical procedures, although the requirement for humanity accessing this technology was a commitment to move away from fossil fuels. Ultimately, Eisenhower declined to make a deal. Then, only moments later, according to some accounts, the second race of aliens arrived.
Now, here is where we perhaps have to take the report with a certain pinch of salt. The representatives of this alien race were said to be what we would recognize as grey aliens. They also offered Eisenhower a deal for advanced technology that would give the United States exclusive access to do with what they pleased. In return, it is claimed, these extraterrestrials wanted non-resistant (on the part of the military) access to certain members of the population on which they could perform examinations and non-invasive procedures for their own research, after which said members of the population would be returned unharmed and with no knowledge of the experience. Ultimately, and something else we should take with a pinch of salt, these grey alien representatives also stated that should Eisenhower decline the deal, they would make the same exclusive offer to the Soviet Union, which would, as we know, tip the balance of power on the world stage.
We might recall that Setimus was said to have been well-versed in the politics of our planet. We perhaps should not be so surprised that another alien race would also be so, especially if they were, it would seem, much more ruthless and single-minded in their goals. Whatever the truth, it is said that Eisenhower agreed to the deal, or at least some form of it, and advanced technology was indeed given to the United States military, who then, it is claimed, farmed and gifted it out to American companies to develop as their results of human ingenuity. And, of course, one advantage to the military using private companies and corporations is that they are protected from Freedom of Information requests, which very well could have been, in fact, almost certainly was, a part of the thought process in siphoning out this advanced technology.
It is interesting to note that around this time, the United States began to surge ahead in terms of technological advancement compared to most of the rest of the world. Moreover, less than a decade later, people began to experience apparent cases of alien abduction at the hands of strange, grey aliens. Of course, whether this was a coincidence or not remains a part of the mystery. That Eisenhower, and Truman before him, knew more than most United States presidents about UFOs and the intelligence behind them, both before and after, is surely highly likely, if not certain.
Of course, in a similar way to how Eisenhower might have learned much of what he knew working under Truman during his presidency, much the same could be said for Richard Nixon, a President who is an intriguing character in his own right before we even mention UFOs. However, he is also the person around whom one of the most startling UFO and alien claims swirls. Although there have been several various dates put forward for this alleged remarkable event, according to the solid research of the previously mentioned Paul Blake Smith in his book The Nixon-Gleason Alien Encounter, during mid-February 1973, President Nixon would take his good showbiz friend, and paranormal enthusiast, actor and television personality, Jackie Gleason, to a secret military facility and show him proof of extraterrestrial life.
Gleason’s (then) wife – Beverly McKittrick – would speak of the encounter in two separate articles in the National Enquirer – the first in its September 8th, 1974, edition, and the second time – and in much more detail - in the August 16th, 1983, edition. While the first article was much shorter and seemingly inaccurate in some of the details, the second article had much more detail, and between them both, and Smith’s subsequent research since, we have a relatively accurate timeline of events in mid-February 1973.
Following a very public round of golf at the Inverrary Golf and Country Club just outside of Miami in South Florida, on the evening of February 19th, 1973, a knock came at Gleason’s door. Upon answering, the Gleasons were more than shocked to see none other than President Nixon standing there. The two men were friends, but it was most unusual (for obvious reasons) for the President to be out in public with no security whatsoever. It is claimed that Nixon told Gleason that he had “something to show him,” and with that, Jackie Gleason left.
Once more, we have a differing version of events based on the source, with some accounts stating that the pair drove to Homestead Air Force Base a short distance away, with Nixon himself driving. Smith, however, suggests that the pair likely made their way to the military facility on a military helicopter.
Smith wrote that during the interview with the National Enquirer, “Beverly never said that Jackie was driven there. She only wrote that she had heard his key unlocking the front door but said nothing about hearing a car’s motor, voices outside, or a car door!” Moreover, Smith suggested that a helicopter could have landed at the “same nearby helipad on the Inverrary course that Nixon had utilized in his official Marine One chopper (earlier) that day!” Smith continued that “all Jackie had to do was walk or perhaps drive an electric golf cart from his house to the helipad”, and he would have been on his way.
While this might sound outlandish that the President of the United States would venture into an urban area, at night, alone and with no security, it is worth noting the research of Mack Maloney, who offered that, “Nixon was famous for giving his Secret Service detail the slip!” Might he have done this on the evening in question in February 1973? It is certainly a possibility.
However, the pair did travel to the air base. Once they arrived, after Nixon showed his identification, the clearly shocked security stepped back and allowed them entry into the facility. At this point, Gleason, as enthusiastic as he was, was a little apprehensive as he followed Nixon, who himself remained tight-lipped as they negotiated their way through the corridors of the facility. Eventually, Gleason was led into a room where “the wreckage from a flying saucer” was seemingly stored, “enclosed in several large cases!” Then, the television personality was led by the President into another room, in which were several “freezer-like containers!”
As they stepped into the room, Nixon guided Gleason’s attention to what was inside these containers. Cautiously, the actor peered over the top of one of them, and, to begin with, he thought he was looking at the bodies of young children. Then, though, within a matter of seconds, he could see that these bodies – whatever they were – were not human.
He eventually returned home at around 11:30 pm, with Beverly later recalling that he simply “slumped white-faced in an armchair!” He then told his wife what he had seen in the large containers, telling her that he had “seen the bodies of some aliens from outer space!” He described these aliens as having grey skin with large heads, large, dark eyes, and large ears. He further described them as appearing “quite old” and “terribly mangled!” To begin with, she thought her husband was joking with her. However, when she took note of his unusual “pasty skin tone” and his “subdued demeanor,” she realized he was being deadly serious. He also told her that this was “top secret, (and) only a few people know!”
Interestingly, according to Smith’s book, Gleason was far from pleased with his (then) wife speaking of the encounter to the press in 1974. In fact, Paul Blake Smith writes in The Nixon-Gleason Alien Encounter that when the article came out in the September 1974 edition of the National Enquirer, “Jackie Gleason saw it and exploded. He’d been squealed on, in a sense. His most precious secret was now out, albeit undetailed!” Smith also details how Gleason was still a “Special Agent Contact” of the FBI during this time, and that he felt it was “embarrassing for him to have the White House and the Justice Department find out he leaked one of the biggest sworn secrets in American history right after he had been let in on it!” For his part, Gleason refused to comment publicly on the claims, a move which many people found “puzzling” to say the least. Whatever the truth of the matter, the incident remains one of the most detailed in history involving a United States President and claims of UFOs and alien life.
Jackie Gleason (public domain photo)
Ultimately, as outlandish as such a claim might sound to some, the records from the Nixon Library show that he was in Florida on the date of the alleged meeting, and, of course, he was seen publicly at the golf event earlier that day.
Smith also offers a potential reason that Nixon chose to show Gleason these alien entities in the first place. Gleason had been asking the American public for proof of alien life for years, and was willing to pay good money to anyone who could do so, a sum, incidentally, that continued to rise with each request. Around the same time as the alleged incident, the Watergate Scandal that would eventually result in Nixon's resignation was unfolding. Speaking on The Anomaly Project, Paul Blake Smith offered that following the breaking of the Watergate scandal, “the burglars were threatening to talk to investigators and to the media, and it was going to ruin Nixon’s great image and his popularity, and even get him sent to jail!”
Smith continued that Nixon had to suddenly come up with “hush money” to stop these burglars from talking publicly of what they knew, and, in Smith’s opinion, he likely got this money from offering his good friend, Jackie Gleason, who had publicly stated he would pay a large amount of money to see proof of alien life, a tour of the top-secret facility and the proof which he so desperately sought. Smith highlighted how, according to the tape recordings from the White House (that Nixon himself recorded), that Nixon was “really upset in January 1973”, with him being heard saying on the White House tapes, “This damn hush money, where are we going to get this?” Then, only weeks later – and after the alleged Nixon-Gleason encounter – he was suddenly “all calm about the hush money”, being heard saying on the recordings that, “Oh, we’ve got that. I know where we can get our hands on that. It’s not a problem!”
Smith went on to highlight just how wealthy Jackie Gleason was – said to have been worth around 14 million dollars at the time – and that he had literally offered “a million dollars to anyone who can show me hard proof!” of alien life. Ultimately, Smith stated that he believed “Nixon took him up on this” and, for a price, offered to show him the alien bodies at Homestead Air Force Base.
Interestingly, Smith also pointed out that the creatures Jackie Gleason later described, while having some similarities to a typical grey alien, appeared more like the entities in the infamous Hopkinsville or Kentucky Goblins case, with Smith describing them as “an exact match” to the creatures of that particularly harrowing encounter. We know that authorities did attend the property that evening. Is it possible they obtained more than the families involved realized? Or, at the very least, does it suggest that there is a persistent presence of these large-eared aliens on our planet? While we won’t go into them in detail here, there are more encounters with such creatures in connection with UFO events than many people might think.
It is worth pointing out that following his viewing of the alien entities – if indeed that is what they were – Gleason was taken to a “an air base hangar that you can see from the highway” and, once inside, he was shown a “silver, round spaceship that was kind of what I call alive, it was up in the air being held down by tethers…and Jackie got a good look at this silver disc!” As Smith says, if there is any truth to the claims – and it appears to very well could be – Jackie Gleason certainly “got his money’s worth!”
Of course, one of the most interesting presidents of modern times is undoubtedly Ronald Reagan, who not only had a great interest in UFOs but even claimed to have had two sightings of his own. Although the date isn’t certain, the first of these is thought to have happened somewhere between 1967 and 1975, while Reagan was the Governor of California, although he still enjoyed the company of many of his Hollywood contacts and friends. On this particular evening, he, along with his wife, Nancy, and two of their friends, Lucille Ball and William Holden, were on their way to just such a Hollywood party. On their way, though, they noticed a strange light that appeared to be flying at the same level as their car as they made their way along the quiet highway before landing in a nearby field.
According to the story, Reagan stopped the car moments later in order to try to get a better look at this strange object. He did so for several moments before getting back in the car and setting off to their destination. However, when they arrived at the party, they were over an hour late, and Reagan was eager to speak of what they had seen during their journey. Of course, the implication of missing time, at least to some, is perhaps suggestive of an alien abduction scenario.
Reagan’s second UFO encounter occurred in late 1974, while he was being flown back to Bakersfield, California, by pilot Bill Paynter. Suddenly, out of nowhere, both men saw a bizarre “bright object” appear a short distance from their aircraft, which then followed their aircraft for a considerable time, bobbing and weaving around it as it did so. After several moments, it shot off into the distance with alarming speed and disappeared. Paynter would later state that, “This really did happen. We saw it, I saw it, (and) Reagan told me to follow it!” Although Paynter did attempt to keep up with the object, it had vanished within seconds.
The previously mentioned Paul Blake Smith detailed how Reagan was extremely excited by the sighting, even speaking about it at a press conference several weeks later. However, when he was asked outright by a reporter if he “believed in UFOs,” he suddenly began to back away slightly and become much more hesitant to speak of the incident.
Reagan also made some intriguing comments while in the White House, perhaps not least to the famous film director, Steven Spielberg, who Reagan seemingly had an interesting interaction with during a special, private screening of the movie ET: The Extraterrestrial in the White House in 1982. According to legend, Reagan is alleged to have turned to Spielberg during the screening and commented on “how surprised” people would be if they “realized how true this is!” For years, most people dismissed the comments as either taken out of context or as being outright untrue. However, in 2008, following the release of his film Super 8, Spielberg addressed the claims during a promotional interview. He stated that not only was the comment true, but that Reagan had actually said to him that “there are a number of people in this room who know that everything on that screen is absolutely true!” Perhaps as a caveat to the whole affair, Spielberg claimed to have taken the comment as nothing but a joke from Reagan, although he also noted that the former President said it with a very straight face.
Whatever the truth, it is known that Reagan maintained an active interest in the subject of UFOs, as well as the possibilities of alien life, and even the ancient astronaut theory, with him even making some remarkable commentary in his diaries about connections between extraterrestrials and ancient Egypt. It is one particular entry in his diaries in April 1985 – released in 2009 in the book The Reagan Diaries – that made a lot of people sit up a little. It read:
“Lunch with five top space scientists. It was fascinating. Space truly is the last frontier and some of the developments there in astronomy etc. are like science fiction, except they are real. I learned that our shuttle capacity is such that we could orbit 300 people!”
We might ask just what Reagan was alluding to in this entry. At the time, for example, NASA could – officially at least – only accommodate eight astronauts at most. Did Reagan know a secret spacecraft that could orbit hundreds of people? Or was he briefed on a theoretical NASA spacecraft not yet developed and simply took it as fact? Although there is perhaps some credibility to the notion that Reagan’s grasp of the situation deteriorated during his presidency, we might imagine he was mentally competent enough to know the difference between a proposed spacecraft still to be developed and an active spacecraft (then) currently in orbit.
Some researchers have also highlighted some of the wording Reagan used in several of his speeches during his time as President. In one speech, for example, given to the United Nations in 1987, he made several references to an “alien threat” which, although it has been explained away as meaning alien to American and the West’s interests, has caused some people to question just what Reagan was speaking of. The following year, in 1988, during another speech he made with Soviet President Mikhail Gorbachev, Reagan stated – completely matter-of-factly, incidentally – that he “occasionally thinks how quickly our differences, worldwide, would vanish if we were facing an alien threat from outside this world!”
With all of this in mind, arguably one of the most intriguing UFO stories connected to President Reagan is one not directly connected to him, but his one-time Chief Military Advisor of the White House, Major General Robert Schweitzer. According to the account, in September of 1981, less than a year into Reagan’s first term as President, a letter arrived at 1600 Pennsylvania Avenue from a former United States military veteran, Colman VonKeviczky. VonKeviczky, who had turned to UFO research after leaving the military, had written and sent almost identical letters to various Presidents of the United States in the years previously, as well as several UN Secretaries General. In it, he stated that there was a “substantial alien threat” facing humanity, and that governments of the world must unite to resist it (very similar, incidentally, to the strange speech by Reagan we highlighted earlier).
As we might imagine, VonKeviczky received no replies to any of these letters – that is, until this one. Several weeks later, a reply came from Major General Schweitzer, who claimed that, “The President is well aware of the threat that you document so clearly and is doing all in his power to restore the national defense margin of safety as quickly and prudently as possible!” There have been many interpretations of this response, including that it was nothing but a polite, tongue-in-cheek reply. What is certain, however, is that Schweitzer was discreetly dismissed by the White House only weeks later on October 26th – we should perhaps make of that what we will.
It is also worth our time briefly exploring UFO connections to Reagan’s predecessor, President Jimmy Carter, who not only witnessed a UFO in 1969 while campaigning to be Governor of Georgia, but would also make an official report of the incident. Moreover, several years later, in 1976 when campaigning to become President, he promised, and seemingly tried, to have many of the government’s UFO files released to the public (it is worth noting, that while he did release many UFO documents during his presidency, the anticipated “disclosure” of information was not forthcoming). It is said that Carter, even just for himself, did attempt to have the UFO files released, contacting the FBI, NASA, and even the CIA. While the CIA and NASA (under the CIA’s orders) outright refused, the FBI simply stated that they had no UFO files to release. In a further twist to the claims, according to the files of UFO researcher Richard Dolan, during the summer of 1977, not long after issuing his requests for information, Carter was part of a briefing session on UFOs. There is no information on what he was told, but it is said that following this briefing session, President Carter sat at his desk with his head in his hands, weeping.
With Carter’s apparent experience in the White House in mind, it is worth examining the thoughts of UFO researcher, Grant Cameron, who suggested in the television documentary UFOs: The White House Files, that all United States Presidents are told standard information regarding UFOs, perhaps the very reason why they need to remain secret. Perhaps this information is not only sobering and clarifying, but seemingly disturbing. Indeed, we might contemplate not only what might be so disturbing that it needs to be kept from the general public, seemingly at all costs, but so disturbing that it could bring the President of the United States to tears. We might ask, if Cameron is correct, and all Presidents of the United States receive such a briefing, how others in the White House might have reacted to such information.
It isn’t just United States Presidents of the modern world who have seemingly had encounters with strange flying objects. In 1800, for example, future President of the United States, Thomas Jefferson, described a UFO in a telegram that had been witnessed by a local man (William Dunbar) in Baton Rouge, Louisiana. He stated that the strange object was “the color of the sun near the horizon” and was approximately the size of a house. Moreover, it was so bright that it caused a bright glow on the ground directly below it. Jefferson continued that a “violent rushing noise” accompanied the strange aerial vehicle, as well as an occasional “tremendous crash” (which we might assume to be a description of something breaking the sound barrier).
Almost a quarter of a century earlier, during the bitterly cold winter of 1777, and with his men on the verge of physical, mental, and emotional collapse due to the conflict with the British, George Washington was seemingly visited by strange, otherworldly entities. The account was relayed by Anthony Sherman, who claimed he was at Valley Forge (where the incident took place) with Washington. His account appeared in several newspapers, the first in an article written by Wesley Bradshaw in the National Tribune in 1859, and was even placed in the Library of Congress. According to the article, Washington received several visits from strange “green-skinned warriors” who offered him advice on British troop positions, even offering specific locations where Washington’s attacks would be most effectively launched from. They also, it would seem, showed him visions of the future. Washington was quoted in the article as saying, “I cast my eyes upon America and beheld villages and towns and cities springing up one after another until the whole land from the Atlantic to the Pacific was dotted with them!” Indeed, if this is an accurate account, it would appear these “green-skinned warriors” had a vested interest in America maintaining its independence from the British and for it to succeed in becoming, arguably, the superpower of the planet.
As we might imagine, there have been many explanations put forward to explain who these strange figures were, with most mainstream historians insisting they were nothing more than Native Americans who wore green war paint. One researcher who dismisses such explanations is author Quentin Burde, who has extensively researched what he believes are specific points of extraterrestrial intervention in human history. He offers that if the “green-skinned warriors” were Native American tribes, Washington would have said so, and he also made reference to “green globes in the sky” at the same time in his diaries, which would also appear to speak of an otherworldly encounter. Burde believes the figures were almost certainly alien entities, likely with green or glowing skin, or perhaps even glowing attire.
Of course, it will sound preposterous to some that alien entities should visit Earth, much less take an active interest in human affairs. However, before we move on, it is worth exploring another bizarre incident that took place during America’s conflicts with the British, this time in 1814 during the War of 1812. On the day in question – a hot, sunny day – American forces were once more on the verge of defeat, with British troops advancing with alacrity on Washington, DC. As soon as they arrived, they set about burning the city to the ground, with American soldiers unable to do more than look on helplessly. The sheer heat of the weather, which presented particularly dry conditions, meant that the flames took hold and spread with ease. Even the White House was eventually engulfed. Then, in what many believe was merely a bizarre coincidental twist of fate, the skies suddenly turned grey, then almost black, while heavy rain poured over the burning city, extinguishing the flames. To some, this was something close to divine intervention, and we might add that in the modern era, some have looked back on the incident being one that was orchestrated by an intelligent force.
It might be easy to dismiss such claims as nothing but nonsense – that is, if it weren’t for what happened next. Almost as soon as the flames were smothered, a sudden tornado formed (and we should remember, this is not an area of the United States that typically experiences tornadoes). Then, with strangely precise accuracy, it headed straight for the British troops who were on Capitol Hill. Many were killed in the onslaught, and those who survived fled. Of course, whether this was some kind of alien intervention or simply a freak weather event is perhaps open to interpretation. It certainly gives us something to think about, however.
We might ask, then, is it simply a numbers game, and does the law of averages suggest that a certain number of United States presidents would have had some kind of encounter or knowledge of UFOs? Or is it their position on the world stage that marks them as requiring such knowledge, even if that knowledge comes from the intelligence behind the UFOs themselves (such people who had encounters long before they were President, such as Reagan or Carter)? It has to be said, the most likely of those possibilities is the former, and we could highlight a president who we have not explored here, but who likely is one of the most powerful men, not just presidents, in United States history, and certainly someone who very likely knew more than most about UFOs and alien secrecy, not least due to his strong connections to the inner workings of the CIA, George HW Bush, who served in the White House between 1989 to 1993, while also being President Reagan’s Vice President for the entirety of his two terms (with some researchers convinced that Bush most likely “pulled the strings” of the Reagan administration). Indeed, given his close connections to Bill Clinton, who served two terms in the White House after Bush Sr., as well as his own son’s two terms following the elections of 2000 and 2004, a compelling argument could be made that George Bush Sr. was close to the heart of power in American politics and intelligence (at the very least) for close to three decades, even longer when we consider his high-ranking status in the intelligence community before that. Despite this apparent high-ranking status in terms of UFO knowledge, Bush himself, at least to the best of anyone’s knowledge, never had a UFO encounter (at least outside of what he might have witnessed behind closed government doors).
Of course, he has made some cryptic comments about his alleged knowledge of UFOs, some of which Paul Blake Smith discussed on The Anomaly Project. He stated that during his son, Jeb’s, unsuccessful campaign to be President of the United States, George Bush was asked a question by a journalist about UFOs, ultimately, “Are we being visited?” Bush, instead of remaining calm, snapped back that he “knows plenty, but I’m not saying. You know I know about the UFOs!” Bush Sr. was ushered out of the press conference shortly afterwards. Smith also highlights another occasion where Bush Sr. seemingly let his guard slip regarding what he might know about UFOs and aliens. On the same show, he relayed the comments of a filmmaker who was on a flight with Bush. He claimed that Bush, who had downed several drinks during the flight, suddenly offered that he had not believed anything about UFOs and alien life, until he was “shown footage of an extraterrestrial that we had captured!” Of course, as Smith points out, there is, unfortunately, no one who has come forward to corroborate that particular account. It is, though, thought-provoking, at the very least.
Indeed, there is another famous quote of Bush saying about UFOs and aliens that he “knows some” of what was going on in a moment of candidness. We just might find that he knows a lot more than just “some” of the story. A lot more.
Mars has lost immense amounts of water over it lifetime, and scientists aren't sure exactly how. New research hints that the planet's violently varying tilt may be a key factor.
Today, Mars' tilt is similar to that of Earth. But millions of years ago, its tilt varied wildly, possibly leading to its extreme water loss.
(Image credit: NASA/JPL-Caltech)
Tremendous tilts of Mars' rotational axis during the past 20 million years may have dried out the planet, according to a new study. The findings may help solve the mystery of how Mars, which once contained lakes, rivers and possibly oceans, lost its water.
Dry, dust-filled deserts cover much of Mars' surface today. Astronomers think most of the planet's scant water reserves are frozen within fine-grained surface dirt, with above-surface ice confined to the polar regions.
But the Red Planet hasn't always been so dry. Gullies, lake beds and valleys photographed by early NASA missions like the Viking project suggest that since Mars' birth, the planet's surface has been periodically inundated by billions of gallons of liquid water. In fact, planetary scientists have calculated that the volume of water that carved out these geological features amounted to a layer at least 300 feet (100 meters) thick over the planet's entire surface.
Artist's rendering of a surface habitat on Mars. Credit: NASA
If humanity intends to live and work beyond Earth, we need solutions for living sustainably in inhospitable environments. Even Mars, the most hospitable planet in the Solar System beyond Earth, is hostile to life as we know it. These include extreme temperature variations, a thin, unbreathable atmosphere, toxic soil, and higher-than-normal levels of solar and cosmic radiation. Given the distance between Earth and Mars and the time it takes to send missions there (6 to 9 months using conventional propulsion), these habitats must be closed-loop, self-sustaining environments that provide crews with food, water, and breathable air.
Last, but certainly not least, there's the problem of launching the necessary equipment, machinery, and building materials to the Moon, Mars, and other locations beyond Earth. Given the sheer mass of these payloads, launching them from Earth is neither practical nor cost-effective. This means resources must be harvested in situ to provide the necessary resources and building materials - aka. in-situ resource utilization (ISRU). In a recent paper, an international team led by Harvard Professor Robin Wordsworth showed how these challenges can be addressed with green algae grown inside habitats made of bioplastics.
The study was led by Robin Wordsworth, Gordon McKay Professor of Environmental Science and Engineering and a Professor of Earth and Planetary Sciences at Harvard University. He was joined by researchers from the Harvard School of Engineering and Applied Sciences (SEAS), Harvard Medical School, the Harvard & Smithsonian Center for Astrophysics (CfA), the School of Physics and Astronomy at the University of Edinburgh, and the Boston-based biomanufacturing company Circe.
For decades, NASA and other space agencies have investigated ways to leverage Martian and lunar resources to create building materials and finished structures. Many of these proposals have been mechanical in nature, combining 3D printing techniques with bonding elements and polymers or sintering to turn regolith into concrete or molten ceramics. Other concepts seek to utilize biological processes to grow habitats in extraterrestrial environments, often relying on mycelia or other strains of fungi and lichens. The concept proposed by Wordsworth and his colleagues leverages another biomanufacturing process that relies on algae to turn CO2 into bioplastics.
The 3D printer and the printed bioplastic in the Harvard team's experiment.
Credit: Wordsworth, et al. (2025)
For their experiment, the team 3D-printed a growth chamber made from bioplastic (polylactic acid). This chamber was filled with algae and placed in a carbon dioxide-rich environment similar to Mars. While the simulated environment had an atmospheric pressure of just 600 pascals (about 1% of Earth's atmosphere), pressure levels within the chamber were high enough for water to exist in a stable form. The bioplastic blocked harmful UV radiation while admitting enough light so photosynthesis could occur with the algae. This allowed the algae to grow and produce more polylactic acid, thereby growing the structure.
The concept replaces industrial processes and materials that are costly to manufacture and recycle with biomimicry, imitating how autotrophs grow naturally on Earth, using just carbon dioxide and water. As Wordsworth explained in a Harvard SEAS press release, their experiments are a first step toward the creation of habitats that do not require materials sent from Earth:
If you have a habitat composed of bioplastic, and it grows algae within it, that algae could produce more bioplastic. So you start to have a closed-loop system that can sustain itself and even grow through time. The concept of biomaterial habitats is fundamentally interesting and can support humans living in space. As this type of technology develops, it's going to have spinoff benefits for sustainability technology here on Earth as well.
In previous experiments, Wordsworth and his team demonstrated how sheets of silica aerogels could be used to conduct terraforming on a local scale. Also known as "paraterafforming," this method addresses both temperature and pressure issues by triggering a greenhouse effect that allows algae to grow more prolifically. Much like their experiment with bioplastics and algae growth, this method could be a pathway towards establishing a human presence beyond Earth.
The next step, said Wordsworth, is to demonstrate that their habitats also work in the vacuum conditions present on the Moon. The team also hopes to design a closed-loop production system to produce additional habitats. The Leverhulme Center for Life supported the research through the University grant, the Harvard Origins of Life Grant, and the National Science Foundation.
Watch this newly released video of a UFO flying over Iraq and was caught by a US military helicopter and followed for at least 1.5 minutes or more...some footage may have been held back from being released. Also the US military blacked out all location data, fly speed, size, and other data that might give away the US military base positions. I used Chatgpt to look at a 10 second clip and tell me the speed...and it said the UFO was traveling at 144.4km per hour or 89.8 mph. That means this is no balloon! This is 100% alien technology watching over the most dangerous area on Earth and recording data of human reactions, interactions, and even thoughts as well as other things like food, water, contamination to the soil, animals, people, and so on.
UFO Shoots Out During Thunder Storm, Kingsville, Maryland, July 7, 2025, UAP Sighting News.👽👽👽
UFO Shoots Out During Thunder Storm, Kingsville, Maryland, July 7, 2025, UAP Sighting News.👽👽👽
Date of sighting:July 7, 2025
Location of sighting: Kingsville, Maryland, USA
Source:Email report
UFO often are attracted to storms, the power from the lightning is enough to power a small city for weeks and yet these little UFOs seem to be attracted to it too. Clearly they are syphoning the energy from the lightning to use for themselves...to recharge. I have seen so many videos of similar UFO activity during thunderstorms, that I can 100% confirm these things get a high from the energy output of the storms and they love to boost so much so they will shoot around in excitement after charging. Usually small orbs, but this UFO seems to be much bigger, mini van size or more.
Wat gebeurt er als de magnetische polen van de aarde omdraaien? Het magnetische veld van de aarde onderscheidt haar van de omringende planeten van ons zonnestelsel. Het is een ongelooflijk sterke kracht in het centrum van onze wereld en zijn primaire rol is om onze atmosfeer te beschermen. Zonnewinden, kosmische straling en enorme wolken plasma worden tegengehouden door het schild van de magnetosfeer van de aarde. In een constant bewegend energieveld gedragen de polen van de aarde zich als de verschillende uiteinden van een magneet. Deze polen verschuiven en veranderen ongeveer elke 300.000 jaar van plaats. Het lijkt erop dat we over tijd zijn voor een poolomwenteling; maar wat betekent dat precies?
Klik verder om te ontdekken of mensen een omkering van de magnetische polen van de aarde kunnen overleven.
Afnemende kracht Sommige wetenschappers denken dat het aardmagnetisch veld in sterkte afneemt net voordat het volledig omkeert - iets wat het in het verleden al verschillende keren heeft gedaan.
Afnemende kracht Met andere woorden, als hun magnetisme blijft afnemen, kan dit een poolomwenteling veroorzaken, waarbij noord zuid wordt en zuid noord.
Midden-oceaanruggen Midden-oceaanruggen leveren bewijs van geomagnetische omkeringen. Dit komt doordat tektonische platen van de aardkorst (lithosfeer) uit elkaar bewegen en worden opgevuld met magma.
Magnetische velden Magnetische velden worden opgewekt door bewegende elektrische ladingen. In een staafmagneet zijn de bewegende ladingen elektronen die rondjes draaien in atomen. In de aarde zijn het elektronen die worden verplaatst door circulerende stromen gesmolten ijzer.
Gesmolten ijzeren buitenkern De reden dat poolomwentelingen plaatsvinden is nog steeds een mysterie. Wetenschappers denken echter dat het iets te maken heeft met de gesmolten ijzeren buitenkern van de aarde.
Gesmolten ijzeren buitenkern De rotatie van de gesmolten ijzeren buitenkern van de aarde genereert het magnetische veld. De kern koelt langzaam af en er ontstaat beweging door convectie. Stel het je voor als water dat kookt in een steelpan.
Het magnetische veld Maar er is een groot verschil tussen dit proces en een kokende steelpan: er zijn bewegende ladingen aanwezig die het magnetische veld genereren.
Dynamoproces Dit wordt een zelfopwindend dynamoproces genoemd, waarbij de elektrische stromen die in het langzaam bewegende gesmolten ijzer vloeien een magnetisch veld creëren.
Positieve feedbacklus Het magnetische veld induceert vervolgens elektrische stromen. Deze stromen genereren op hun beurt hun eigen magnetische veld dat meer elektrische stromen induceert, in een positieve terugkoppelingslus.
Chaos en mysterie Er ontstaat veel chaos en turbulentie als de gesmolten ijzerkern ronddraait. Deze turbulentie is de meest geaccepteerde verklaring voor poolomkering, maar niemand kan het op dit moment met zekerheid zeggen. Het is nog steeds een mysterie.
Lijnen van aantrekking Magnetische polen bevinden zich waar de magnetische aantrekkingslijnen de aarde binnenkomen. Voor een polariteitsomkering moet het magnetische veld met ongeveer 90% verzwakken tot een drempelniveau. Dit proces kan duizenden jaren duren.
Het World Magnetic Model (WMM) Het World Magnetic Model (WMM), dat gezamenlijk is ontwikkeld door het Amerikaanse National Geophysical Data Center en de British Geological Survey, is een grootschalige ruimtelijke weergave van het magnetische veld van de aarde.
Locatie De noordelijke magnetische pool, ook wel de geomagnetische noordpool genoemd, bevindt zich momenteel bij 80,8 graden noord bij 72,7 graden west, in het Canadese Ellesmere Island.
De bewegende noordelijke magnetische pool In 2022 werd gemeld dat de noordelijke magnetische pool zich zo grillig uit het Canadese noordpoolgebied in de richting van Siberië bewoog dat wetenschappers er verbaasd over waren.
De bewegende noordelijke magnetische pool De snelheid waarmee de noordelijke magnetische pool beweegt is sinds het midden van de jaren 90 toegenomen van 15 kilometer per jaar tot 55 kilometer per jaar. De afgelopen jaren is hij zelfs over de internationale datumlijn richting het oostelijk halfrond geslingerd.
Stokken omgooien Het omdraaien van de magnetische polen betekent niet dat de aarde geen magnetisch veld meer zou hebben. Stel je echter voor dat je kompas naar het noorden blijft wijzen, terwijl je eigenlijk naar het zuiden kijkt.
Stokken omgooien Het goede nieuws is dat het leven heeft overleefd en gedijt ondanks poolomwentelingen in het verleden. Het betekent geen wereldwijde catastrofe.
De effecten van een flip Tijdens zonnestormen is er een groter dan normale instroom van energetische deeltjes, die voor ons meestal onschadelijk zijn. Maar voor onze moderne technologie is het een ander verhaal.
Het effect op technologie Geladen deeltjes uit de zonnewind (waar ons magnetisch veld ons normaal gesproken tegen beschermt) zouden verwoestende effecten kunnen hebben op de aarde als de polen zouden omslaan.
De gebeurtenis in Carrington In 1859 maakte een krachtige geomagnetische storm poollicht zichtbaar in het Caribisch gebied en de telegraafsystemen vielen uit. In die tijd waren operators echter in staat om het systeem zonder stroom te laten werken.
Meer impact Als zo'n gebeurtenis vandaag de dag zou gebeuren, zou het, gezien onze afhankelijkheid van technologie, veel vernietigender kunnen zijn. Maar het is een worst-case scenario.
Meerdere palen Er kunnen zich ook meerdere polen vormen wanneer er een omkering plaatsvindt, waardoor navigatiesystemen in de war raken. Maar dit proces kan honderden of zelfs duizenden jaren duren.
Geomagnetische activiteit Het is ook belangrijk om op te merken dat eerdere poolomkeringen niet per se betekenen dat de omkering leidde tot meer vulkanen, aardbevingen of klimaatveranderingen.
Located billions of light-years away, the "Cosmic Owl" is a pair of colliding ring galaxies spotted by the JWST. It's also an "exceptional natural laboratory" for studying how galaxies evolve.
The "Cosmic Owl," as photographed by the James Webb Space Telescope. Each "eye" is an active galactic nucleus, and the "beak" is a nursery of stars.
A new study using JWST data has helped scientists spot an owl-faced object peering out at us from billions of light-years away. Formed through the extremely unusual collision of two rare ring galaxies, the structure also serves as a natural laboratory where researchers can study many of the processes accompanying the evolution of galaxies.
Galaxies come in several shapes, from swirling spirals like our home galaxy, the Milky Way, to the cigar-shaped M82. One slightly more peculiar type are ring galaxies, such as Hoag's Object. These galaxies form when a small galaxy cruises straight through its larger buddy, kicking out stars and gas through shock waves into a ring around a central core.
Ring galaxies are pretty rare, accounting for just 0.01% of all galaxies discovered so far. Even rarer, though, is a pair of ring galaxies detected when colliding — exactly what the "Cosmic Owl" is, as described June 11 in a preprint posted to arXiv. The paper has yet to be peer-reviewed, but the object has already been confirmed by another team that independently detected the same collision — which they dubbed the "Infinity galaxy" in a paper posted to arXiv June 19.
Mingyu Li, a doctoral student in the Department of Astronomy at Tsinghua University in China and the new study's first author, said he and his co-authors discovered the avian-like astronomical spectacle serendipitously.
"We were analyzing all radio sources using public JWST data in a very well-studied region called the COSMOS field," the largest mosaic of the sky, spanning 2 square degrees, he told Live Science in an email. Li added that the colliding galaxy pair immediately stood out because of JWST's high-resolution imaging capabilities.
These snapshots revealed that the galaxies are quite similar; apart from being ring galaxies, both are relatively tiny. Each has a diameter of roughly 26,000 light-years, or about a quarter the diameter of the Milky Way. Additionally, each galaxy's core — which is tightly packed with old stars around a supermassive black hole — forms an eye of the owl. Fine-scale JWST data shows that both black holes, each more than 10 million times the sun's mass, are furiously pulling in surrounding matter, making the galactic cores "active galactic nuclei."
The new study has documented a range of astronomical processes occurring across the "Cosmic Owl," as depicted in this image.(Image credit: Li et al.)
In contrast, the JWST images show that the "beak" — the collisional front between the two galaxies — is "a region of incredibly intense activity," Li said. Drawing on data from the Atacama Large Millimeter/submillimeter Array (ALMA) in Chile, the researchers found that the beak contains an enormous clump of molecular gas. Li described it as "the raw fuel for star formation," being squished by the galaxies' collision-related shock wave. The ALMA data also placed the owl's redshift at 1.14, or approximately 11 billion light-years from us.
Additionally, radio-frequency observations from the New Mexico-based Very Large Array suggest that a jet of charged particles spewing from one galaxy's black hole is slamming into and further compressing the molecular gas cloud. According to Li, the shock wave and the radio jet have together "triggered a massive burst of star formation," transforming the beak into a 'stellar nursery.'"
Simulations of galactic collisions show they last a few hundred million years. In this case, the researchers estimate the collision occurred 38 million years ago, meaning the owl's face will likely remain visible for a long time.
But the owl isn't just visually striking, Li said — it's also "an exceptional natural laboratory because it allows [researchers] to see several critical galaxy evolution processes happening simultaneously in one system."
In fact, the owl has already provided valuable insights about how galaxies form and grow. Li said the bursts of star formation triggered by the galactic collision and radio jets in the beak region "could be a crucial and previously underappreciated mechanism for the rapid and efficient conversion of gas into stars." This could help researchers understand how galaxies built their stellar mass so quickly in the universe's early history, he added.
The researchers plan to study the owl further to understand the physical processes that created it. Li said simulations of the galaxies' gas would help researchers "understand the precise conditions — such as the collision angle and the original structure of the galaxies — that could lead to the formation of such a rare, symmetric 'twin-ring' morphology."
The owl joins several bizarrely shaped astronomical phenomena that JWST previously spotted. These include a question-mark-shaped structure formed from galaxies and a wisp of gas from a newborn star that resembles a cat's tail.
47 Tucanae is the second-brightest globular cluster in the Milky Way and is home to millions of stars. Its core is very small and very bright, and discerning individual stars in the core is a rigorous test forthe Vera Rubin Observatory. Image Credit: NASA, ESA, and the Hubble Heritage (STScI/AURA)-ESA/Hubble Collaboration; Acknowledgment: J. Mack (STScI) and G. Piotto (University of Padova, Italy)
Astronomers have studied the globular cluster 47 Tucanae extensively, but still have many questions. It may have an intermediate mass black hole in its center like Omega Centauri is expected to have. There are reasons to believe it may be the remnant of a dwarf galaxy that was gobbled up by the Milky Way, like other GCs. Also like other GCs, its center is extraordinarily dense with stars, and astronomers aren't certain how far the cluster spreads. Individual stars in 47 Tuc are difficult to observe because they're so tightly packed in the center and because they're difficult to differentiate from field stars on its outer edges. Can the Vera Rubin Observatory help?
Early data from the Vera Rubin and its Legacy Survey of Space and Time (LSST) were designed to test and refine the telescope's system. But it's still good quality data, and researchers are using it to not only understand how the Vera Rubin Observatory (VRO) performs, but also for concrete science results.
New research used the VRO's observations of 47 Tuc to uncover more stellar detail, including identifying stars in its core and in its outer regions. It's titled "47 Tuc in Rubin Data Preview 1: Exploring Early LSST Data and Science Potential." The lead author is Yumi Choi from the National Science Foundations National Optical-Infrared Astronomy Research Laboratory in Tucson, Arizona.
"We present analyses of the early data from Rubin Observatory's Data Preview 1 (DP1) for the globular cluster 47 Tuc field," the researchers write in their paper. The data is from four nights of observations with the VRO's Commissioning Camera (ComCam). The ComCam is a smaller 144-megapixel version of the VRO's full 3200-megapixel LSST Camera. The observations were made in the standard multiple bands (ugriz). u: Ultraviolet, g: Green (visible light), r: Red (visible light). i: Near-infrared, z: Further near-infrared.
The left and middle images are both from the VRO's ComCam. The image on the right is from Gaia. In all images, the center of 47 Tuc is tightly packed with stars and saturated with light.
Image Credit: Choi et al. 2025.
The authors explain that they wanted to address challenges in separating stars in 47 Tuc's crowded center from background stars in both the Milky Way and the Small Magellanic Clouds. "We compile a catalog of 3,576 probable 47 Tuc member stars selected via a combination of isochrone, Gaia proper-motion, and color-color space matched filtering," they write.
"The LSST ComCam imaging provided valuable early photometric measurements, while also revealing challenges from crowding, particularly near the core of 47 Tuc and toward the SMC," the authors explain.
The researchers did more than just detect 3,576 probable stars. They also detected RR Lyrae variable stars, which are common in globular clusters, and eclipsing binaries. "Further, we successfully crossmatched known variable stars within the 47 Tuc field against the DP1 data, recovering three RR Lyrae stars and two eclipsing binaries," they write. Eclipsing binaries can be difficult to detect with ground-based telescopes, and so can some variable stars. Despite "sparse temporal sampling" the ComCam was able to find them.
Crowded stellar fields like the tightly-packed core of 47 Tuc are challenging to observe. Astronomers combine multi-wavelength observations from multiple telescopes to achieve results. These first results from the VRO shows it has a big contribution to make. "Overall, while challenges remain, the DP1 data around 47 Tuc convincingly showcase Rubin Observatory’s strong potential for detailed stellar population and variability analyses in crowded stellar fields," the researchers write in their conclusion.
The Omega Centauri globular cluster. Globulars are characterized by their densely-packed centers, where differentiating between individual stars is challenging.
Image Credit: ESA/Hubble, NASA, Maximilian Häberle (MPIA)
"Continued improvements to the Rubin Science Pipelines and in-kind programs dedicated to crowded-field stellar photometry are expected to deliver even higher-quality results in future DP2 and DR1."
The VRO's main effort will be its 10-year Legacy Survey of Space and Time. The LSST is a wide-field, multi-band survey of the visible sky that is both rapid and deep. Its results will tell us more about multiple issues in astronomy: dark matter, dark energy, supernovae, the Milky Way's structure, and many more. It will also tackle globular clusters.
Astronomers still don't know exactly how GCs form and how they might be connected to a galaxy's dark matter. There are a host of outstanding questions.
Astronomers have hoped that the VRO will not only discover new globulars, but that it will also provide more precise measurements of individual GC stars. By providing precise, multi-band photometry for individual stars over a 10-year period, it will create accurate Color-Magnitude Diagrams (CMD) for vast numbers of stars in GCs. It will also observe tiny shifts in their positions over its decade-long survey. Not only that, but the VRO will observe GCs in other galaxies, allowing comparative study in away that hasn't been possible.
The entire space community has been anticipating the VRO's first light with great enthusiasm. With its first preliminary results in, it looks like the wait has been worth it and the observatory will deliver on its promise.
Mars carbonate rocks seen by Curiosity. Credit: NASA/JPL
Earth is the only habitable world we know of and it remains habitable because of natural cycles that maintain a balanced climate. Earth's carbon cycle plays a critical role in maintaining its temperate climate, and carbonate rocks are a big part of it. Carbonate rocks like limestone and dolomite are huge carbon sinks, and if their carbon was released into the atmosphere, Earth's temperature would spike catastrophically, rendering our planet uninhabitable. Conversely, if all of Earth's carbon were locked away in rock, Earth would likely become glaciated, photosynthesis would cease, and a mass extinction would leave extremophiles as the sole survivors of life's rich, living heritage.
As long as Earth's carbon keeps cycling between rock and atmosphere in a reasonable balance, the planet maintains its habitability.
With Earth's carbon cycle as an example, what can we learn about Mars? There's rock-solid evidence that Mars had habitable conditions in its past, though those conditions haven't persisted. The planet was once warm and wet and is now frigid and dry. What part did a carbon cycle play in Mars's habitability and uninhabitability?
New research in Nature says that Mars went through periods of habitability and uninhabitability due to carbon cycling. It's titled "Carbonate formation and fluctuating habitability on Mars," and the lead author is Edwin Kite. Kite is an associate professor of Planetary Science in the Department of Geophysical Sciences at the University of Chicago.
"The cause of Mars’s loss of surface habitability is unclear, with isotopic data suggesting a ‘missing sink’ of carbonate," the paper states. "Past climates with surface and shallow-subsurface liquid water are recorded by Mars’s sedimentary rocks, including strata in the approximately 4-km-thick record at Gale Crater." Gale Crater was chosen as MSL Curiosity's exploration site largely because Mt. Sharp rises more than 5 km and its layered slopes preserve a stratigraphic geological record of Mars's history. The layers of clays and sulphate-rich deposits show how the planet experienced periods of wetness. The researchers explain that the water was patchy and intermittent, and persisted late into the planet's history.
This figure from 2021 research shows some of the detail in Mt. Sharp's stratigraphic layers. It shows the ancient conditions in which each layer of the mountain formed. Research shows that Mars had alternating periods of wet and dry until it dried out completely about 3 billion years ago.
The researchers draw a parallel between Earth's and Mars's carbon cycles. They write that Mars's patchy and intermittent surface water is best explained by a carbon cycle that locks carbon away into sedimentary carbonate rocks. The research is based on NASA's MSL Curiosity rover and its exploration of Gale Crater. It landed there almost 13 years ago to study the crater's geology. Among other findings, it measured carbonate materials in the crater and found that they make up 11% of the rocks in the region.
Mars once had a carbon-rich atmosphere, and the authors reference a paper by other researchers showing that stratigraphic layers and carbonate rocks in Gale Crater are clear evidence of that cycle. What drove the cycle?
"Here we show that a negative feedback among solar luminosity, liquid water and carbonate formation can explain the existence of intermittent Martian oases," Kite and his co-researchers write. They developed a model to illustrate and explain what happened to Mars.
The researchers say that as the Sun has brightened over billions of years, that increasing luminosity supported liquid surface water on Mars. Just like on Earth, available water combined with atmospheric carbon to form weak carbonic acid. That acid created carbonate weathering that acts as a natural thermostat by sequestering carbon into rock.
But things didn't end there. The atmosphere's loss of carbon reduced carbon dioxide's contribution to Mars's atmospheric pressure. The lower atmospheric pressure allowed water to more easily vaporize away into the atmosphere. The researchers say that Mars underwent cycles of wet periods and dry periods due to chaotic orbital forcing.
This figure shows histograms of the durations of wet events at Gale and globally in blue. Red shows durations of dry intervals within the time span of wet events. The three different lines of each type correspond to three different random orbital histories. Globally dry periods are sometimes very long and could have driven any surface life to extinction.
Image Credit: Kite et al. 2025. Nature.
Mars suffers from unpredictable and chaotic changes to its axial tilt that affects its climate, and this forcing drives Mars's carbon cycle and its ancient periods of wet habitability and dry uninhabitability. "The negative feedback restricted liquid water to oases and Mars self-regulated as a desert planet," the researchers explain. The researchers also explain that Gale Crater's stratigraphic record "...faithfully records the expected primary episodes of liquid water stability in the surface and near-surface environment."
During these cycles, the atmosphere eventually thickens and approaches water's triple point. The triple point is a specific combination of pressure and temperature wherein water can exist in equilibrium in all three phases: vapour, liquid, and solid. Water's triple point is 0.01 °C (273.16 K) and 611.73 pascals (0.006 atm). The researchers explain that this restricted the sustained stability of liquid water and the planet's surface habitability.
This figure from the research illustrates the researchers' model. a shows the distribution of carbonate detections in sedimentary rocks and soil on Mars, with yellow showing abundant detections, red showing no detections, and brown representing unexplored areas. b shows the fluxes and feedbacks for geologic carbon and climate regulation on Mars and Earth. On Earth, volcanic CO2 output is regulated by rapid carbonate formation. On Mars, solar brightening increased the temperature slowly and is balanced by slow carbonate formation. However, Mars' chaotic orbital forcing means that water is only available for carbonate formation intermittently during orbital optima, leading to intermittent periods of warmth and surface water.
Image Credit: Kite et al. 2025. Nature.
The researchers' model has limitations just as all models do. For example, it assumes that the carbonate content at Gale Crater is representative of the whole of Mars. For this reason, they present their research as a testable idea rather than a definitive conclusion.
"Carbonate formation and surface liquid-water availability are linked by a negative feedback that can explain fluctuating habitability on Mars," the authors write in their conclusion. They write that this cycle can potentially explain the intermittent and patchy nature of oases on Mars, and the sedimentary rocks that entomb those oases. They also say their model can explain how Mars's surface habitability came to an end, a question that has motivated scientists for a long time, and speaks to our wider questions about life elsewhere in the Universe.
1.5 Mile UFO Caught On Telescope On Moon Recorded by Me! 60 Min of video doesn't lie! June 29, 2025, UFO UAP Sighting News.
1.5 Mile UFO Caught On Telescope On Moon Recorded by Me! 60 Min of video doesn't lie! June 29, 2025, UFO UAP Sighting News.
Date of sighting:June 29, 2025 11:06 pm
Location of sighting: Earths moon
Source:Self
Guys I recorded this last week and finally got the time to make a video and share it. I caught a white reflective craft on the moons surface and it looks to be almost a triangle in shape. I believe it to be between 1.5-3.5 miles across. I have a whole hour of video of this but only took 4 photos, two caught the craft, the other two did not. I believe the flashing is caused by the spacecraft being loaded or unloaded of heavy materials, the moon still has gravity and it would tilt the spacecraft. This is 100% proof of alien activity on Earths moon. This flashing is coming from the Mara Crisium region.
Scott C. Waring
Video coming...it's 4k and 20 with 15 min or so of raw footage. Youtube says 90 minutes to process video....OMG!
A sign from reptilian aliens for us to one day find. UFO UAP sighting news, google earth map discovery
A sign from reptilian aliens for us to one day find. UFO UAP sighting news, google earth map discovery
The sceenshot above shows the stripes going down the body of the reptile alien
Date of discovery: July 6, 2025
Location of discovery: Ellesmere Island, Nunavut, Canada
Coordinates: 81°16'59.53"N 79°50'30.64"W
You ever come across something thats big, I mean real big and others don't seem to grasp its significance? Well thats today. I found a figure that is very reptilian in the mountains of an island called Ellesmere. The figures head is actually not covered in snow...but its neck, chest two arms and two legs are fully covered in snow, but the outline of the mountain range is visibly outlining them for us. This might be more visible if it was all snow or no snow at all, since the head is has not snow. The head...let's talk about that. Its head has only the left side visible, its eye, its open mouth, its long nose and long neck. And the lines or stripes going down and around this reptiles body are just amazing. Only the reptilians made it 25km long.
But why did they do it? Why did we carve human faces in Mount Rushmore, Crazy Horse Memorial, the LeShan Giant Buddha? Because we wanted to remember someone important to us. It's what all intelligent species do...those faces on Mars, the moon ect...that what they are.
A volcano in the throes of eruption truly is a force of nature.
Molten rock, ash and gases from deep within the Earth’s mantle find their way up to the surface and either flow slowly out of a fissure or explode suddenly into the air.
In recent years there have been a number of high-profile eruptions, including ones in Italy and Indonesia.
Now, experts are warning that hundreds of dormant volcanoes around the world will likely become more active and erupt thanks toclimate change.
Researchers from the University of Wisconsin-Madison in the USA said melting glaciers could be silently setting the stage for more explosive and more frequent eruptions in the future.
And areas such as North America, New Zealand and Russia could be at risk, they said.
‘Glaciers tend to suppress the volume of eruptions from the volcanoes beneath them,’ Pablo Moreno-Yaeger, one of the study’s authors, explained.
‘But as glaciers retreat due to climate change, our findings suggest these volcanoes go on to erupt more frequently and more explosively.’
Mount Etna, Europe's most active volcano, spewed a gigantic plume of ash four miles (6.5km) into the sky as a pyroclastic flow burst from a crater earlier this month
This is Mount Etna's 14th eruptive phase in the last few months, with the most recent dangerous eruption taking place last summer
The Yellowstone supervolcano is a vast reservoir of magma with the potential to unleash a category eight eruption over 100 times more powerful than Krakatoa, experts have warned
His team used argon dating and crystal analysis across six volcanoes in southern Chile, including the now dormant Mocho-Choshuenco volcano, to investigate how the Patagonian Ice Sheet’s advance and retreat influenced past volcanic behaviour.
By precisely dating previous eruptions and analysing crystals in erupted rocks, the team tracked how the weight and pressure of glacial ice altered the characteristics of magma underground.
They discovered that during the peak of the last ice age – around 26,000-18,000 years ago – thick ice cover suppressed the volume of eruptions and allowed a large reservoir of magma to accumulate up to 15km below the surface.
But as the ice sheet melted rapidly at the end of the last ice age, the sudden loss of weight caused the Earth’s crust to ‘relax’ and gasses in the magma to expand.
This buildup of pressure triggered explosive volcanic eruptions from the deep reservoir.
‘The key requirement for increased explosivity is initially having a very thick glacial coverage over a magma chamber, and the trigger point is when these glaciers start to retreat, releasing pressure – which is currently happening in places like Antarctica,’ Mr Moreno-Yaeger said.
‘Our study suggests this phenomenon isn’t limited to Iceland, where increased volcanicity has been observed.
‘Other continental regions, like parts of North America, New Zealand and Russia, also now warrant closer scientific attention.’
In photo released by Geological Agency (Badan Geologi) of the Indonesia's Ministry of Energy and Mineral Resources, Mount Lewotobi Laki-Laki spews volcanic materials during an eruption in East Flores, Indonesia, Monday, July 7, 2025
Mount Lewotobi Laki-Laki erupted on Monday at 11:05 am local time (03:05 GMT), Indonesia's volcanology agency said in a statement
Mount Spurr, an 11,000-foot-tall volcano, sits 77 miles from Anchorage, Alaska. A recent uptick in seismic activity has had scientists on alert for an imminent eruption
The researchers explained that increased volcanic activity could have global climate impacts.
In the short term, eruptions release aerosol that can temporarily cool the planet, as seen after the 1991 eruption of Mount Pinatubo in the Philippines, which reduced global temperatures by around 0.5°C.
However, with multiple eruptions, the effects reverse.
‘Over time the cumulative effect of multiple eruptions can contribute to long-term global warming because of a buildup of greenhouse gases,’ Mr Moreno-Yaeger said.
‘This creates a positive feedback loop, where melting glaciers trigger eruptions, and the eruptions in turn could contribute to further warming and melting.’
The research was presented at the Goldschmidt Conference in Prague.
According to Eric Dunham, an associate professor of Stanford University's School of Earth, energy and Environmental Sciences, 'Volcanoes are complicated and there is currently no universally applicable means of predicting eruption. In all likelihood, there never will be.'
However, there are indicators of increased volcanic activity, which researchers can use to help predict volcanic eruptions.
Researchers can track indicators such as:
- Volcanic infrasound: When the lava lake rises up in the crater of an open vent volcano, a sign of a potential eruption, the pitch or frequency of the sounds generated by the magma tends to increase.
- Seismic activity: Ahead of an eruption, seismic activity in the form of small earthquakes and tremors almost always increases as magma moves through the volcano's 'plumbing system'.
- Gas emissions: As magma nears the surface and pressure decreases, gases escape. Sulfur dioxide is one of the main components of volcanic gases, and increasing amounts of it are a sign of increasing amounts of magma near the surface of a volcano.
- Ground deformation: Changes to a volcano's ground surface (volcano deformation) appear as swelling, sinking, or cracking, which can be caused by magma, gas, or other fluids (usually water) moving underground or by movements in the Earth's crust due to motion along fault lines. Swelling of a volcano cans signal that magma has accumulated near the surface.
One of science's most challenging puzzles comes from the fact that the universe is currently expanding faster than it was right after the Big Bang.
But scientists now claim they have found a surprising solution to this decades-old problem.
The Earth, the solar system, and the entire Milky Way are positioned near the centre of a giant, mysterious hole, they say.
Since the cosmos is expanding faster in this local void than elsewhere in the universe, it creates the illusion that expansion is accelerating.
This radical solution could help solve the problem scientists call the 'Hubble tension', but it is not without its problems.
Most importantly, our standard view of the universe suggests that matter should be distributed fairly evenly in space without any massive holes.
However, new research shared at the Royal Astronomical Society’s National Astronomy Meeting claims that the 'sound of the Big Bang' supports this theory.
According to these new observations, it is 100 million times more likely that we are in a void than not.
The Earth, solar system, and Milky Way may be stranded inside an enormous, mysterious hole (AI-generated impression)
One of science's big problems is the fact that the rate of expansion in the current universe is about 10 per cent faster than it was in the early universe. Scientists call this problem the 'Hubble tension'
The Hubble tension arises out of something called the Hubble constant, which records the rate at which the universe is expanding outwards.
We measure this by looking at objects like galaxies and working out how far away they are and how fast they are moving away.
Dr Indranil Banik, an astronomer from the University of Portsmouth, told MailOnline: 'In particular, the expansion rate today is about 10 per cent faster than expected.
'The present expansion rate is the most basic parameter of any cosmological model, so this is indeed a serious issue.
'Imagine if two different measurements of the length of your living room differed by 10 per cent, but both rulers were made by reliable companies. It is like that, but for the whole Universe.'
Dr Banik's novel solution to this issue is to suggest that it is just the things near Earth that are accelerating faster, rather than the whole universe.
One solution to the Hubble tension is to assume Earth is in a void about one billion light years across and 20 per cent less dense than the universe at large. Matter would be drawn to the edges by gravity, making it seem like the cosmos was expanding faster near Earth
This could be because the Milky Way is near the centre of a low-density void about a billion light-years across and about 20 per cent less dense than the universe as a whole.
If there were a large region with very little matter inside, objects in this hole would be pulled by gravity towards the denser regions at the edges.
As the void empties out, objects will be moving faster away from Earth than they otherwise would be, creating the illusion that the expansion of the universe has sped up.
If this could be proven, it would resolve the Hubble tension without having to add any extra factors like Dark Energy to explain why the universe is accelerating.
The only issue is that the standard model of the universe typically suggests that matter should be fairly evenly spread out on such a large scale.
However, Dr Banik says that the latest observations of the 'sound of the Bing Bag' support this idea.
In the first few seconds of the Big Bang, all the matter in the universe was in the form of a super-hot plasma made up of photons and particles called baryons.
As this plasma was squeezed by gravity, it bounced back out, sending acoustic 'sound' waves rippling through the cosmos.
Scientists say that this theory is supported by the 'sound of the Big Bang', ripples in matter left behind by the initial explosion and still visible in the lingering radiation
These small ripples spread out in the first few seconds of the Big Bang and were frozen in space, creating patterns in the distribution of galaxies. Measurements of these patterns suggest we may be in a void
When the universe cooled, those waves were frozen in place and left a regular pattern of peaks and troughs in the distribution of galaxies known as baryon acoustic oscillations (BAO).
In a large local void where space is expanding quickly, those ripples will appear to be closer than they should be.
Dr Banik says the latest measurements of the BAO line up better with the existence of a void than they do with a smooth universe.
He says: 'Looking at all the BAO measurements over the last twenty years, the local void model is about one hundred million times more likely than having no void.'
The Big Bang Theory is a cosmological model, a theory used to describe the beginning and the evolution of our universe.
It says that the universe was in a very hot and dense state before it started to expand 13,7 billion years ago.
This theory is based on fundamental observations.
In 1920, Hubble observed that the distance between galaxies was increasing everywhere in the universe.
The Big Bang Theory is a cosmological model, a theory used to describe the beginning and the evolution of our universe, based on observations - including the cosmic background radiation (pictured), which is a like a fossil of radiation emitted during the beginning of the universe, when it was hot and dense
This means that galaxies had to be closer to each other in the past.
In 1964, Wilson and Penzias discovered the cosmic background radiation, which is a like a fossil of radiation emitted during the beginning of the universe, when it was hot and dense.
The cosmic background radiation is observable everywhere in the universe.
The composition of the universe - that is, the the number of atoms of different elements - is consistent with the Big Bang Theory.
So far, this theory is the only one that can explain why we observe an abundance of primordial elements in the universe.
There's no doubt EasterIsland is geographically one of the most isolated places on Earth.
More than 2,000 miles off the coast of Chile, it was first settled by humans around AD 1200, who built its famous enlarged head statues.
Historically, the original inhabitants, known as the Rapa Nui, were assumed to have long been completely shut off from the wider world.
However, a new study by researchers in Sweden challenges this long-held narrative.
They say the 63.2 sq mile island in the southern Pacific was not quite as isolated over the past 800 years as previously thought.
In fact, the island was populated with multiple waves of new inhabitants who bravely traversed the Pacific Ocean from west to east.
'Easter Island was settled from central East Polynesia around AD 1200-1250,' study author Professor Paul Wallin at Uppsala University told MailOnline.
'The Polynesians were skilled sailors so double canoes were used.'
Located in the southeastern Pacific Ocean, Easter Island was first settled by humans around AD 1200, who built its famous enlarged head statues, called moai
There's no doubt Easter Island (pictured) in the southern Pacific is geographically one of the most isolated places on Earth
Due to its remote location, Easter Island is traditionally assumed to have remained socially and culturally isolated from the wider Pacific world.
This idea is reinforced by the fact that Easter Island's famous Moai statues, estimated to have been built between AD 1250 and 1500, are unique to the location.
The huge human figures carved from volcanic rock were placed on rectangular stone platforms called 'ahu' – essentially tombs for the people that the statues represented.
For their study, the team at Uppsala University compared archaeological data and radiocarbon dates from settlements, ritual spaces and monuments across Polynesia, the collection of more than 1,000 islands in the Pacific Ocean.
Their results, published in the journal Antiquity, show that similar ritual practices and monumental structures have been observed across Polynesia.
The experts point out that ahu stone platforms were historically constructed at Polynesian islands further to the west.
These rectangular clearings were communal ritual spaces that, in some places, remain sacred to this day.
'The temple grounds ahu [also known as marae] exist on all East Polynesian islands,' Professor Wallin added.
Map of the Pacific with the East Polynesian cultural sphere indicated. Note Easter Island (Rapa Nui) in a more isolated location further east
Pictured, ahu (a central stone platform) on Mo’orea, Windward, French Polynesia, southern Pacific Ocean
Archaeologists have analysed ritual spaces and monumental structures across Polynesia, questioning the idea that Easter Island (pictured) developed in isolation following its initial settlement
EASTER ISLAND TIMELINE
13th century: Easter Island (Rapa Nui) is settled by Polynesian seafarers.
Construction on some parts of the island's monuments begins.
Early 14th to mid-15th centuries: Rapid increase in construction
1600: The date that was long-thought to mark the decline of Easter Island culture.
Construction was ongoing.
1770: Spanish seafarers landed on the island. The island is in good working order.
1722: Dutch seafarers land on the island for the first time.
Monuments were in use for rituals and showed no evidence of societal decay.
1774: British explorer James Cook arrives on Rapa Nui
His crew described an island in crisis, with overturned monuments.
The team agree that an early population of people spread from the west of the Pacific to the east before encountering Easter Island and populating it around AD 1200.
But they argue that Easter Island was populated several times by new seafarers – not just once by one group who remains isolated for centuries as previously assumed.
'The migration process from West Polynesian core areas such as Tonga and Samoa to East Polynesia is not disputed here,' they say in their paper.
'Still, the static west-to-east colonization and dispersal suggested for East Polynesia and the idea that Rapa Nui was only colonized once in the past and developed in isolation is challenged.'
Based on their evidence, they also think ahu originated on Easter Island before the trend spread east to west across other western Polynesian islands during the period of AD 1300-1600.
It was only after this that Polynesian islands – including but not limited to Easter Island – might have become isolated from each other.
As hierarchical social structures developed independently – at Easter Island, Tahiti and Hawai'i for example – large, monumental structures were built to display power.
Overall, the study indicates there were robust 'interaction networks' between Polynesian islands, which allowed the transfer of new ideas from east to west and back again.
The Moai are monolithic human figures carved by the Rapa Nui people on Easter Island, between AD 1,250 and 1,500
Ultimately, arrival of European explorers at Easter Island in the 18th century led to a rapid decline of the population, brought on by murder, bloody conflict and the brutal slave trade – although the population there may have already been weakening.
Today, Easter Island is a UNESCO World Heritage Site with only a few thousand inhabitants.
But it attracts large numbers of tourists, largely thanks to its monumental and world-famous stone statues that stare sternly out over the island.
Tourism, which has grown exponentially on the island over the last 20 years, has come at a price, according to co-author Professor Helene Martinsson-Wallin.
'When I was there in the 1980s, the sandy beach was white and there were almost no people around,' she said.
'When I came back in the early 00s, I thought the sand looked blue, and when I looked closer I saw that it was due to tiny, tiny pieces of plastic washed up by the sea from every corner of the Earth.'
The Moai are monolithic human figures carved by the Rapa Nui people on Easter Island, between 1,250 and 1,500 AD.
All the figures have overly-large heads and are thought to be living faces of deified ancestors.
The 887 statues gaze inland across the island with an average height of 13ft (four metres).
Nobody really knows how the colossal stone statues that guard Easter Island were moved into position.
Nor why during the decades following the island’s discovery by Dutch explorers in 1722, each statue was systematically toppled, or how the population of Rapa Nui islanders was decimated.
Shrouded in mystery, this tiny triangular landmass, stranded in the middle of the South Pacific and 1,289 miles from its nearest neighbour, has been the subject of endless books, articles and scientific theories.
All but 53 of the Moai were carved from tuff , compressed volcanic ash, and around 100 wear red pukao of scoria.
What do they mean?
In 1979 archaeologists said the statues were designed to hold coral eyes.
The figures are believed to be symbol of authority and power.
They may have embodied former chiefs and were repositories of spirits or 'mana'.
They are positioned so that ancient ancestors watch over the villages, while seven look out to sea to help travellers find land.
But it is a mystery as to how the vast carved stones were transported into position.
In their remote location off the coast of Chile, the ancient inhabitants of Easter Island were believed to have been wiped out by bloody warfare, as they fought over the island's dwindling resources.
All they left behind were the iconic giant stone heads and an island littered with sharp triangles of volcanic glass, which some archaeologists have long believed were used as weapons
70 jaar oud UFO-mysterie in Aalter: monument opgeknapt op plek van 5 vliegende schotels in 1955
70 jaar oud UFO-mysterie in Aalter: monument opgeknapt op plek van 5 vliegende schotels in 1955
Artikel door Radio 2, Niki Vandriessche
Op een warme zomerdag, op 21 juli 1955, zag de toen 18-jarige paracommando Marin Vandercruyssen, 5 grote zilveren schijven geruisloos boven de toenmalige E5 (nu E40) zweven, in de buurt van Lotenhulle. De schijven vormden een formatie van 3 vooraan en 2 achteraan, vergelijkbaar met het Olympische logo. Een 20-tal autobestuurders stopten in het midden van de weg en stapten uit om toe te kijken.
Volgens Vandercruyssen hadden de schijven elk een diameter van ongeveer 100 meter. Ze zweefden 10 minuten lang in stilte over het veld, waarna ze plotseling verdwenen. Vandercruyssen, die als sterrenkundige en militair goed bekend was met vliegtuigen, was er zeker van dat het geen conventionele toestellen waren.
Van scepticisme tot officiële erkenning: het ontstaan van het monument
Toen Marin pas in 2004 het verhaal aan het gemeentebestuur van Aalter voorlegde, werd dit in eerste instantie niet serieus genomen. Maar toch gaf het bestuur de toenmalige eerste schepen Dirk De Smul (CD&V), zelf een geboren Lotenhullenaar, de opdracht om de zaak te onderzoeken.
De Smul vond al snel een andere betrouwbare getuige, "Meester Pol", een oud-onderwijzer die het verhaal bevestigde. Op 10 mei 2004 werd door het college van burgemeester en schepenen officieel erkend dat er iets van waarheid in het verhaal moest zitten. "Wij geloven Vandercruyssen. Wij bestaan toch ook. Waarom zou er in de gigantische kosmos dan geen ander ontwikkeld leven kunnen zijn?", zei De Smul toen aan de pers.
Op 2 juli, Wereld UFO-dag, werd het monument uiteindelijk plechtig onthuld op de hoek van de Steenweg op Deinze en de Eikenlaan. De tekst op de gedenksteen vermeldt de datum, het aantal getuigen en de naam van Marin Vandercruyssen, met 5 ovale symbolen, en een foto van de jonge paracommando.
Meer dan een gedenksteen
Sommige inwoners vroegen zich af of ze daarvoor belastingen moesten betalen, maar het kostte Aalter niets. De gemeentearbeiders zorgden enkel voor het gieten van het betonnen blok waarin de plaquette is verwerkt. De plaquette zelf werd geschonken door Vandercruyssen, de oorspronkelijke UFO-spotter.
Het UFO-monument van Lotenhulle is meer dan een eenvoudige gedenksteen, stelt de gemeente: "Het is een zeldzaam voorbeeld van lokale erkenning van iets wat wereldwijd speelt. Werp zeker eens een blik op Lotenhulle de volgende keer dat u over de E40 richting kust rijdt. Misschien herinnert het u eraan dat we nog lang niet alles begrijpen van wat er zich in de lucht afspeelt."
Differences in the gravitational pull between the Earth and the Moon will make July 9, July 22 and August 5 unusually short.
(Image credit: Francesco Carta fotografo/Getty Images)
Earth is expected to spin more quickly in the coming weeks, making some of our days unusually short. On July 9, July 22 and Aug. 5, the position of the moon is expected to affect Earth's rotation so that each day is between 1.3 and 1.51 milliseconds shorter than normal.
A day on Earth is the length of time needed for our planet to fully rotate on its axis — approximately 86,400 seconds, or 24 hours. But Earth's rotation is affected by a number of things, including the positions of the sun and moon, changes to Earth's magnetic field, and the balance of mass on the planet.
Since the relatively early days of our planet, Earth's rotation has been slowing down, making our days longer. Researchers found that about 1 billion to 2 billion years ago,a day on Earth was only 19 hours long. This is likely because the moon was closer to our planet, making its gravitational pull stronger than it is now and causing Earth to spin faster on its axis.
The Effects of Climate Change: Crash Course Biology #9
Since then, as the moon has moved away from us, days on average have been getting longer. But in recent years, scientists have reported variations in Earth's rotation. In 2020, scientists found that Earth was spinning more quickly than at any point since records began in the 1970s, and we saw the shortest-ever recorded day on July 5, 2024, which was 1.66 milliseconds shy of 24 hours, according to timeanddate.com.
On July 9, July 22 and Aug. 5, 2025, the moon will be at its furthest distance from Earth's equator, which changes the impact its gravitational pull has on our planet's axis. Think of the Earth as a spinning top — if you were to put your fingers around the middle and spin, it wouldn't rotate as quickly as if you were to hold it from the top and bottom.
With the moon closer to the poles, the Earth's spin speeds up, making our day shorter than usual.
These variations are to be expected, but recent research suggests that human activity is also contributing tothe change in the planet's rotation. Researchers at NASA have calculated that the movement of ice and groundwater, linked to climate change, has increased the length of our days by1.33 milliseconds per century between 2000 and 2018.
Single events can also affect Earth's spin: the 2011 earthquake that struck Japanshortened the length of the day by 1.8 microseconds. Even the changing seasons affect Earth's spin,Richard Holme, a geophysicist at the University of Liverpool, told Live Science via email.
"There is more land in the northern hemisphere than the south," Holme said. "In northern summer, the trees get leaves, this means that mass is moved from the ground to above the ground — further away from the Earth's spin axis.” The rate of rotation of any moving body is affected by its distribution of mass. When an ice skater spins on the spot, they rotate faster when their arms are tight to their chest, and slow themselves down by stretching their arms out. As Earth’s mass moves away from its core in summer, its rate of rotation must decrease, so the length of the day increases, Holme explained.
Of course, on the days in question our clocks will still count 24 hours. The difference isn't noticeable on the individual level.
The only time we would see a change to time zones is if the difference between the length of day is greater than 0.9 seconds, or 900 milliseconds. Though this has never happened in a single day, over the years our clocks fall out of sync with the position of the planet. This is monitored by the International Earth Rotation and Reference Systems Service (IERS), which will add a "leap second" to UTC as needed to bring us back in line.
Rapa Nui Was NOT as Isolated As Previously Thought
For decades, archaeologists have painted a picture of Rapa Nui (Easter Island) as the ultimate frontier of Polynesian civilization - a remote outpost that developed in complete isolation after its initial settlement around 1200 AD. This narrative has dominated Pacific archaeology, portraying the island's famous moai statues and ceremonial complexes as the products of a society cut off from the wider Polynesian world.
However, groundbreaking new research from Uppsala University, published in Antiquity has shattered this long-held assumption, revealing that Rapa Nui was not merely a recipient of Polynesian culture but an active innovator whose ceremonial ideas spread back across the Pacific, influencing the development of sacred sites throughout East Polynesia.
The Westward Wave: How Easter Island Exported Sacred Architecture
The revolutionary findings, soon to be published in the prestigious journal Antiquity, present compelling radiocarbon evidence that challenges the traditional west-to-east cultural diffusion model. Professors Paul Wallin and Helene Martinsson-Wallin, leading experts in Pacific archaeology, have discovered that the complex marae temple structures - rectangular ceremonial clearings that served as the spiritual heart of Polynesian communities - actually originated earlier on remote Rapa Nui than on the supposedly more connected central islands.
A traditional marae temple structure on Raiatea in French Polynesia. These rectangular ceremonial complexes, once thought to have developed from west to east, now appear to have originated on remote Easter Island before spreading westward.
"The most important finding is that, based on C-14 dating, we can observe an initial west-to-east spread of ritual ideas," explains Professor Wallin in the Antiquity press release. "However, the complex, unified ritual spaces (known as marae) show earlier dates in the east." This discovery fundamentally rewrites our understanding of cultural exchange in the ancient Pacific, suggesting that innovation could flow in both directions across the vast oceanic distances.
The research team's comprehensive analysis of archaeological data across East Polynesia has revealed three distinct phases of ritual development that paint a far more nuanced picture of ancient Pacific civilization:
Phase One: The Initial Expansion (1200-1400 AD) During the first phase, ritual practices focused on fundamental activities like burials and communal feasting, marked by simple stone uprights. This period reflects the traditional west-to-east migration pattern, as settlers carried their ancestral practices from the core areas of Tonga and Samoa to the far reaches of the Pacific.
Phase Two: The Rapa Nui Innovation (1400-1600 AD) The second phase witnessed a revolutionary development: the emergence of sophisticated marae temple complexes. Contrary to all previous assumptions, radiocarbon dating reveals that these elaborate ceremonial structures first appeared on Rapa Nui before spreading westward through existing exchange networks to central East Polynesia. This represents a complete reversal of the expected cultural flow.
Phase Three: The Age of Monumental Expression (1600-1800 AD)The final phase saw increased isolation leading to internal cultural development. As hierarchical societies evolved independently on islands like Rapa Nui, Tahiti, and Hawaiʻi, massive, monumental structures were erected as displays of power and spiritual authority, including the iconic moai statues that would become Rapa Nui's most famous legacy.
This artist's illustration shows the Giant Impact that created the Moon. When the protoplanet Theia struck Earth more than 4 billion years ago, it may have delivered important chemicals to Earth that enabled life to appear. Image Credit: NASA/JPL-Caltech/T. Pyle
How did Earth, alone among the Solar System's rocky planets, become the home for life? How, among all this frigid lifelessness, did our planet become warm, hospitable, and life-sustaining? The answer to these questions is complex and multi-faceted, and part of the answer comes from cosmochemistry, an interdisciplinary field that examines how chemical elements are distributed.
The Solar System is a busy place where everything is in motion. It was even more chaotic 4.5 billion years ago, with planets still forming and planetesimals and planetary embryos whizzing around and crashing into one another. Somehow, in all that chaos, Earth received more than its share of carbonaceous chondrites and the amino acids and other life-enabling chemicals that came with them.
Cosmochemistry studies have shown that between 5% and 10% of Earth's mass came from carbonaceous chondrites that crashed into the young planet. Studies also show that a large chunk of that came from the Theia impactor that created the Moon. To test these ideas more rigorously, a trio of researchers used dynamical simulations of the Solar System's formation to see if they could replicate it.
The research is titled "Dynamical origin of Theia, the last giant impactor on Earth." The lead author is Duarte Branco from the Institute of Astrophysics and Space Sciences at the Lisbon Astronomical Observatory in Portugal. The research will be published in the journal Icarus.
One of the critical distinctions in cosmochemistry is the difference between carbonaceous chondrites (CCs) and non-carbonaceous meteorites (NCs). It divides the Solar System's meteor population into two groups and suggests that the Solar System contains two distinct reservoirs of material. CCs formed further from the Sun, likely beyond Jupiter, and carry more volatiles like water and organic compounds with them. NCs include things like iron meteorites, and contain fewer volatiles.
In order to test the idea that Theia delivered CCs and volatiles to Earth, the researchers ran detailed simulations of the Solar System. These were N-body simulations of the later stages of the growth of terrestrial planets.
The simulations began in the late stages of planetary growth after the Solar System's gaseous disk was dispersed. The available solid mass was divided into planetesimals and planetary embryos. The simulation included CCs that were scattered inward as Jupiter and Saturn were still growing and accreting matter. Because of the size distinction between planetesimal and planetary embryos, embryos have a higher possibility of interacting with the terrestrial planets and delivering CC material.
The researchers ran three types of simulations. The first they call small only and includes only small CC objects, or planetesimals. The second they call large only and includes only large CC objects, planetary embryos. The third includes both CC planetesimals and embryos and is called the mixed scenario.
For a subset of 10 simulations from each of those scenarios, they included the effect of the giant planet dynamical instability. This is known as the "Nice model" in astronomy and describes how the giant planets shifted their orbits from where they initially formed.
The goal was to determine how CCs and NCs were distributed in the Solar System and to understand how Earth ended up with more CCs than the other rocky planets, especially Mars. The researchers also wanted to understand if the Theia impact could be responsible for delivering a large amount of Earth's CC material.
One clear result is that the role of giant planet instability, especially Jupiter's shift to a different orbit, had a pronounced effect on Earth's accretion of CC material.
This figure shows snapshots from the mixed simulation scenario without giant planet dynamical instability. In early times, CC objects and NC bodies mix together where the terrestrial planets are forming. Some CCs remained orbiting between planets or were still too far to collide. By the simulation's end, four terrestrial planets existed, including good analogues for Earth and Mars.
Image Credit: Branco et al. 2025. Icarus
When the researchers added giant planet dynamical instability, things looked even more interesting. "The giant planet instability dramatically changed the evolution of the system causing a strong pulse of eccentricity excitement, which lead to a wave of collisions and ejections," the authors write. However, the final state of the system didn't change much.
This figure shows eccentricity and position snapshots over the time of the simulation, including giant planet dynamical instability. The final snapshot is the real Solar System.
Image Credit: Branco et al. 2025. Icarus
A critical part of the simulations concerns the Theia impactor. Previous research suggests that Theia may have been a carbonaceous object. If that's true, much of Earth's life-giving habitability may have resulted from that collision.
"In the mixed scenario with no giant planet instability, Earth’s final impactor included a CC component in more than half of all simulations. In 38.5% of simulations, the final impactor was a pure CC embryo, and in another 13.5%, the impactor was an NC embryo that had previously accreted a CC embryo," the researchers write.
Overall, the simulations paint a picture of the early Solar System where two distinct rings of planetesimals. An inner ring consisting of rocky planetesimals and an outer ring of carbonaceous chondrites. Later, as the ice giants migrated inward, they propelled CC material into the inner Solar System. Some of these were trapped in the asteroid belt, while more massive ones were preferentially scattered into the orbits of the rocky planets. "The late-stage accretion of the terrestrial planets involved a series of giant impacts between NC embryos and planetesimals, with occasional impacts of CC objects," the authors explain.
This scenario explains several things about the Solar System. It explains the masses and orbits of the terrestrial planets, and the orbital distribution of asteroids. It also matches the CC mass fraction of Earth and Mars, where Mars lacks the same concentrations of CC material as Earth. If the small only simulation were correct, where CC material was only in the form of planetesimals, the CC mass fraction of Mars and Earth would be roughly the same.
This figure compares the timing of the last giant impacts in 10 mixed simulations that were run both with and without the giant planet instability. The black line represents the point where both values are equal. Each point has two halves with the left half representing the impactor type in the simulation without the giant planet instability and the right half representing the simulation with the giant planet instability. Dry NC impactors are black, CC embryos are blue and CC+NC mixed embryos are green.
Image Credit: Branco et al. 2025. Icarus
The researchers set out to show that, in line with other research, Theia could've been Earth's final large impactor and that it contained ample CC material. They appear to have succeeded.
In the simulations, Earth's final giant impact was with Theia, and that object had higher concentrations of CC material which helped make Earth habitable. That result is in line with scientific thinking. The work shows that the last impact was after between 5 to 150 million years after gas dispersal. A large fraction of those were within 20 to 70 million years. There are uncertainties in the timing of the Theia impact and these results work within those.
The simulations also support other conclusions showing that CC embryos and planetesimals could've been accreted throughout Earth's growth, but were concentrated in later phases of growth.
"Within the context of this scenario, the last giant impactor on Earth contained a CC component in roughly half of all of the mixed simulations," the authors write. "In the majority of these (38% of simulations), Theia was a pristine CC embryo, and in the remainder of cases Theia was an NC embryo that had previously accreted a CC embryo."
The research also shows that Jupiter played an important role in the Solar System's architecture. It not only truncates the asteroid belt, but played an important role in determining the final composition of the terrestrial planets by scattering CC material from the outer Solar System into the path of the rocky planets, especially Earth.
A million things had to be just right for Earth to become the life-sustaining world it is today. How likely it is that there are other worlds out there like it is unknown. It may take more than being in a habitable zone for an exoplanet to support life. There may be a bewildering number of variables that have to go right, including outer giant planets that migrate and deliver carbon to rocky worlds in habitable zones.
Huge glowing sphere just appeared out of nowhere shocks Alberta residents
Huge glowing sphere just appeared out of nowhere shocks Alberta residents
An Alberta couple captured something extraordinary on camera during the evening of July 2, 2025. Just after a powerful lightning strike near their home in Rich Valley, Alberta, they saw what they described as a ball of fire hovering roughly 20 feet above the ground.
“It just appeared out of nowhere,” one of them recalled. “A big, glowing sphere hanging in the air — and then, just like that, it vanished.”
The main stream media are trying to blame this on the weather speculating the glowing orb could be ball lightning, an elusive and still-unexplained weather phenomenon reported for centuries. Often described as floating spheres of light, ball lightning has defied scientific consensus.
But could it be more than just an atmospheric anomaly?
A similar sighting occurred in 2016 in Russia’s Novosibirsk Region, where a massive, luminous sphere was seen drifting silently across a field before vanishing into nearby woods. That object, see image below, too, appeared after intense lightning activity and left experts just as baffled.
Is this truly a rare natural phenomenon? Or are we witnessing something beyond the scope of conventional science, a window into technology or intelligence we don’t yet understand?
Alien abductions are inherently odd. The very notion that these alien intelligences are whisking people away for reasons unknown is to a lot of people absurd. Yet some accounts are even weirder than others. Recently, I covered some of these bizarre abductions, but there are so many of them I decided to bring some more to the table, so sit back, get your tinfoil hats on, and enjoy.
A very strange series of events began to unfold on one January morning in 1954. On this dark early morning, at around 2 AM, a man by the name of Armando Zurbaran was in his car along dim winding roads on his way from Mexico City to Acapulco, in Mexico, in order to meet up with a business partner the following morning. At the time, this was a somewhat perilous journey, with rugged roads twisting and meandering through switchbacks and winding mountain passes, and Armando needed to give his full attention to the treacherous road ahead. He was completely on alert, watching that remote lane flash out of the night to pass him in the beams of his headlights, but despite his completely awake state, he claims that he was suddenly overcome by an intense tiredness, a “hypnotic state of lethargy,” as he would call it. And so would begin one of the odder, yet mostly forgotten, alien abduction reports on record.
Realizing that this was a dangerous state to be driving on while trying to navigate the harrowing terrain, Armando pulled his vehicle over to the side of the road in order to relax for a minute, and this is when he noticed a strange sight ahead. There, hovering right over the middle of this remote mountain road before him was what looked to be a luminous, brightly lit metallic disk of some sort, and as he tried to peer into the nearly blinding light, he could notice that he was no longer alone out on that road. Standing there on each side of the strange object were two very tall figures, who seemed to be dressed in some sort of one-piece suit cinched with very wide belts in the middle. They appeared to have long, flowing hair, and for a moment, they just lurked there, mostly obscured in the glare of that disk. As he sat there trying to figure out what to do, he claims that he suddenly felt himself compelled to get out of his car and begin walking towards these strangers, as if he wasn’t in control of his limbs, and things would only get weirder from there.
He could see as he drew closer that the figures appeared to be male, although they were rather androgynous in appearance, and that they were very human and Nordic-looking, with blonde hair and blue eyes. These two beings were quick to approach Armando to help him steady himself, and then they escorted him closer to what was now clear to be their craft, all as a buzzing sensation filled the man’s skull. When Armando was aboard the glowing ship, he looked around and asked why he had been brought there, to which one of these strange blonde entities replied in fluent Spanish:
"You are neither the first nor last earthman to be chosen for testing. Our task, slow though it may seem, is designed to persuade. We choose the likeliest, most malleable persons for contact, so that they might better transmit our messages."
Armando was not sure what to make of this cryptic statement, but before he was even able to begin processing it all, the two entities began showing him a series of images from his own life, like a dream being played out over the wall of the ship. Some of the scenes he saw playing out before him were from his most intimate moments and half-forgotten corners of his memories, and he began to get the feeling that these creatures could either read his mind or had been watching him for a very long time. The images then stopped, and Armando was shown around the ship, which he was informed was no longer on the ground and not even on Earth, but rather far out into the solar system. This was startling, as the man had not felt any sense of movement or acceleration, and when he asked about this, he was allegedly told that they used a “gravity repulsion system,” without further elaboration. They also said that they were able to neutralize any debris in their path, and let Armando look out a portal, although he was unable to see anything other than a grey mist and a sea of darkness.
Armando then asked whether they were going to the aliens’ home planet, and they responded in the negative, then they proceeded to just sort of cruise about over several days. During this time, he became acclimated to the way their ship worked and spent much time with his mysterious captors. He would claim to have been perplexed by some of the technology aboard their ship, and he was especially intrigued by the bathroom facilities, of which he would say:
“I shall never be able to forget it. That bathroom was a new and unimaginable experience for me. Standing upright, facing an angle of the wall filled with tiny holes, I was covered in warm air, and as it grew stronger, it became transformed into damp air, impregnating my skin like a warm, wet breeze. When I was completely drenched, I was offered a sort of liquid soap, which I rubbed all over myself, from head to toe. Standing once more before the warm air sprinklers, I felt the soap begin to evaporate and my skin become completely clean. The air then ceased to be damp, turning dry and warm instead of becoming colder until agreeably cool.”
Armando also claimed that he ate with the beings, describing their food as being very much like what one would eat on Earth, including meat, vegetables, cheese, and even butter, although none of it anything he had seen on his own planet, and usually accompanied by a milky liquid that he was told was made from materials from their home world and was a chief form of sustenance. They claimed that they also utilized some vegetables and fruits grown on Earth, such as mangoes, which featured heavily in their diet and which they couldn’t seem to get enough of. The food, they claimed, was sort of beamed aboard the ship from an outside source via “telepathy” whenever they needed it. During his discussions with the entities, he would also learn that their average lifespan was 250 years, that they had a society in which everyone was treated completely equally, and that their whole way of life was heavily based on a sort of religion. They believed that a being known as “The Master” or also “The Beloved Number Nine,” had governed them for thousands of years, and kept harmony in their society.
After their time together was over, the aliens then whisked the man back to Earth, where he was dropped off right at the car, which was sitting there as he had left it. Armando bid them farewell and continued on his journey towards Acapulco, and he soon realized that only 90 minutes had passed since he had left his vehicle, despite his assertion that he had been on that ship for a few days traveling who knows where. Indeed, he wouldn’t even miss his meeting with his business associate. Making it all even odder still was that 15 years later, in 1969, Armando would be driving outside of Mexico City and stop to pick up a hitchhiker who was a tall, thin man with blonde hair and blue eyes. This hitchhiker would then admit that he was one of the crew members of that spacecraft all of those years before, but as to his purpose or what they talked about after this, Armando would never say.
Throughout the 1950s, there would be numerous other reports of what have come to be called the “Nordic” aliens, which, like in Armando’s report, appear as tall, blonde, angelic-looking beings, and it is hard not to wonder whether they were all connected somehow. This report would be written about by such esteemed UFO researchers as Albert Rosales, Scott Corrales, Ed Komarek, and Marcus Lowth, and it has remained an obscure yet intriguing report ever since. What were these entities that he encountered along that lonely road? Where did they come from, and why were they so human in appearance? Were they aliens, interdimensional beings, or even, as some have suggested, literal angels? Or is this just a tall tale and the ramblings of a delusional individual, perhaps fueled by the tiredness brought about by the road and his stress to make it on time for his appointment, and if so, how did this simple rural farmer come up with all of this fantastical technology? There are no answers to any of these questions, and it is a case that we can only add to the pile of truly outlandish alien abduction reports.
Moving along, one of the weirdest alien abduction accounts there is began in the early morning hours of April 6, 1974, in the remote farming town of Kitami, in Hokkaido, Japan. On this dark morning, a farmer by the name of Yoshihiro Fujiwara was sound asleep in his bed when he was pulled from his dreams by the sudden pounding of someone at his door and his dog barking and howling outside. Considering his was a fairly isolated farmstead in the middle of nowhere, it was odd indeed to get visitors at 3 in the morning, and the rather annoyed Fujiwara at first thought it was merely some kids messing around. There would have been no reason in this safe little hamlet to think it was anything else, and he trudged to the door to fling it open to a sight that would change him forevermore. And so would begin one of the most flat-out bizarre and controversial alien encounter reports that Japan has ever seen.
There standing in the chilly early morning darkness was a diminutive, 3-foot-tall being dressed in a clear one-piece suit that seemed to be made of transparent vinyl, and the thing itself was only passingly humanoid, resembling what the witness would later call a combination of “starfish and human,” with four tentacle-like appendages, a bulbous head reminiscent of an octopus clad in a blue helmet, slanted eyes, and a strange V-shaped set of nostrils, the whole of it covered with mottled brown and slimy, bumpy toad-like skin and rested on two of its stalk-like limbs and rounded nubs for feet. It was completely silent and motionless, except that its weird conical helmet had an antenna jutting from it, which generated a visible electrical humming charge that ominously rippled through the air.
The startled farmer and this anomalous being stood there for several moments merely staring at each other, perhaps each as surprised as the other, before that strange frozen moment in time was shattered by a sudden movement from the creature as it flicked one of its tendrils to point up towards the sky. This was followed by a ray of blinding light that washed over everything, generating a profound heat that sent the frightened farmer reeling back into his house to slam the door shut. A quick look outside showed that the brilliant orange colored light was emanating from an illuminated disc-like craft that measured around 26 feet across and was shooting off beams of orange light.
If Fujiwara thought he was safe merely gawking from his window at this outlandish sight, he was wrong, as he suddenly felt his feet being pulled forward by some inexplicable force. At first, he was merely dragged across the floor, much to his amazement, but then he allegedly began to hover, before finally being levitated fully off the ground to go flying out of the window and towards the inscrutable floating disc with its scintillating beams of light. He was drawn faster and faster towards the object, seemingly on a collision course, but rather than smack against its metallic side, he found himself being drawn through its walls to be dumped upon the floor of the craft.
The interior of the craft was described as being bright blue, with some sort of writing on the walls that the farmer could not fathom, and the whole of it all overlaid with a repulsive stink that made him feel lightheaded. It was then that two creatures identical to the one who had freaked him out at his doorstep approached him to tell him telepathically, “No danger. We promise to release you at your home.” As peaceful as this sounded, the two entities nevertheless made to grab him and forcefully hold him down, upon which Fujiwara felt the fear left him and his survival instinct take over, tearing away and dashing through an open hatchway to go careening through air to the ground below, which luckily for him was only around 10 feet down.
Fujiwara vaguely recognized that he was around 2 miles from where he had left, and went running wildly towards the house of a person he knew in the area, who let him in. It was at their house that he would realize that a full hour had passed, even though to him it seemed that it had been mere moments since he had been taken aboard the strange craft by its odd octopoid inhabitants. Although the experience had been baffling and not a little terrifying, Fujiwara was at least relieved that it was over, and he quietly went back to his home to try and find some way to get over what had just occurred. Little did he know at the time that it was not quite over just yet.
The very next evening, Fujiwara was sitting alone in his house, his thoughts no doubt wandering back to those strange tentacled dwarves and their otherworldly craft, when he was suddenly overcome with a sharp pain worming its way through his ears and fingertips. He felt himself slipping into a daze, and for some reason, his hands took on a life of their own and began to scrawl strange letters onto a piece of paper of their own volition. This was all followed by a voice that reverberated through his skull, which commanded him, “When the disc lands on the mountain, you will come and board by yourself,” which was accompanied by a potent vision of the area they wished him to come to, left blazing into his mind. After that, the pain abruptly left, leaving Fujiwara there shaken and with bizarre hieroglyphics etched onto paper by his hand, but the meanings of which he did not know.
The farmer took the voice’s command as being the nearby Nikoro Mountain, and although he was still frightened by his ordeal, he felt a compulsion to go there to see what would happen. To this end, he gathered up some supplies and two companions to join him, and they set out, unsure of what awaited them up on that lonely peak. Fujiwara then made his way alone to the area he had seen in his vision, where there awaited that same luminous disc-shaped craft, and he boarded it without a fight. Once aboard, the aliens then supposedly took him on a flight into space, flying around the moon and around the earth twice, all within about the space of an hour. When they returned from their dizzying journey, the farmer then lost consciousness, after which he was apparently just left lying there on the mountainside for his friends to find.
This wasn’t even the end of it all, as Fujiwara would claim that the last trip had left him with strange telekinetic powers that allowed him to move objects and bend spoons, and he was telepathically invited on yet another excursion on April 13, 1974. This time, the bizarre beings took him on a journey that went around the planet Jupiter, as well as the moon of Saturn, Titan, where one of the creatures would allegedly go out to retrieve a rock from the surface as a souvenir for him to keep.
This mysterious rock would go on to prove to be rather controversial, indeed. It was sent to scientists for analysis, but came back as just one of the many common rocks from a Kitami cave, which brought a fair amount of ridicule down on Fujiwara and his astounding tale. In the meantime, the farmer would begin to address himself as the earthly representative of the “Summon Call Space Union,” and he claimed that his telepathic powers increased exponentially, allowing him to levitate objects, predict catastrophes, and even teleport across vast distances, of which he would say:
“I can teleport to a star 250 million light years away in 6 minutes. My role is delaying natural disasters such as earthquakes and eruptions.”
He would also claim that he could actually travel within the Earth to stop volcanic eruptions, and pull together tectonic plates to prevent earthquakes. It is all bizarre to say the least, but one Japanese UFO researcher named Ninichi Arai has offered evidence that there was something to this when he found that several other locals who did not know Fujiwara also reported seeing strange lights in the skies during the same time frame, and there were others who claimed to have been first hand witnesses to the farmer’s mental powers, somewhat corroborating his weird tales. Was this all the doing of entities from another world or merely the tripping of balls? Is there anything to this account, or is Fujiwara a disturbed individual and unreliable witness? It is hard to know for sure, but it is a wild ride all the same, and goes to show that some alien abduction accounts can be truly surreal affairs to be sure.
From the 1970s, we have another outlandish account. 50-year-old school teacher Elsie Oakensen was in most ways unremarkable. She had a contented life in Church Stowe in Northamptonshire in the United Kingdom with her husband, John, and her life was more or less uneventful. However, on the night of November 22, 1978, this was all about to change. On that evening at just a little past 5 p.m., she was driving on her way home from work on her way out of Daventry on the A45 and on to the busy A5 road. It was a mundane routine, a drive she took every day and which only took 15 minutes, so as she stared out at the lane lines flickering by, she would not have expected the strange events that were about to transpire.
As she approached her home village of Church Stowe, just 2 miles out, she noticed something weird in the sky. She at first could make out what she called “two very bright lights, one red and one green” about 100 to 150 feet over the road, and her first assumption was that it was an extremely low plane, but as she drew closer, she could see that it was no normal aircraft. She could now see that it was a “dumbbell-shaped object” made of what appeared to be a smooth plastic material the “color of old pewter,” and that it was hovering there completely motionless. At this time, she would later say that she had felt a strange sensation, as if time had slowed down or that she was in slow-motion or underwater. Her first reaction was to stop the car, but the road at the time was full of traffic and she could not find a place to easily and safely pull over, so she continued along, driving directly under it and noticing that it was completely silent and had no windows, portals, or any discernible propulsion system.
As she drove along, she could not get her mind off what she had seen, and she wondered if any of the many cars on the road had seen it as well. She could not resist looking back to see if it was still there, and it was, so curiosity got the better of her and she risked an accident to pull the vehicle over on a side road. As she stood there gaping at it, just hanging there like some inscrutable monolith, the green light, which had until then been a solid illumination, began blinking. This snapped her out of her wonderment, and she warily got back into the car to continue her way home, but almost immediately her car started to lose power until the power cut off completely, and it stalled. She tried several times to start it, but it wouldn’t turn over. It was strange because she had just had the car serviced earlier that very same day, but as she puzzled over this new predicament, things would get even odder still. She would say:
“A green light started to flash. I decided to restart the engine but when I turned into the village something strange happened – the car, which had just been serviced that day, completely cut out. Eventually it restarted but I had only travelled about 100 yards when it stopped again. The natural light disappeared and everything was in absolute blackness. Then suddenly a brilliant white circle of light about a yard in diameter shone on the road. The very next moment, as if someone had flicked a switch, natural light returned and I was driving my car normally.”
She didn’t get far before a bright light appeared very near the front of her car, followed by one at the rear and one on each side of her. These lights were almost blinding in their intensity and started to alternately switch on and off in some sort of pattern or sequence. As she tried to process this eerie situation, the lights all suddenly simultaneously blinked out, and Ellie was amazed to find that she had travelled a considerable distance down the road and that 15 minutes had passed that she could not account for. She would tell her husband about what had happened, and the next day she would notice a strange scar on the back of her knee that she had never seen before, and have a series of intense headaches so excruciating that she almost passed out from them. Now realizing that something truly outlandish had happened to her, she decided to report her experience.
When the report of what had happened to Ellie hit the news, it captured the attention of UFO researchers, and the British UFO Research Organization (BUFORA) reached out to her to find out more about what had happened. Ellie herself was a bit taken aback because she would claim she had never really even heard of UFOs before and had no interest in the topic, but she was finally convinced to undergo hypnotic regression to possibly glean some memories of what had happened after those strobing lights had surrounded her car. It would be a rather frightening session, to say the least, and during it Ellie would say to the researchers:
“My car engine has stalled, I feel hot. A band has tightened around my head as it did at lunchtime. I am getting hotter and beginning to sweat. The pressure hurts. It hurts my head. A brilliant white light is shining in my eyes, a pure white light, very bright. Circles of very bright light radiate from it as it comes closer until I can only see the top of the circles. My body gets hotter. The pain in my head is intense. I feel as if I am sitting. I can’t feel my legs. My arms are shaking. I am very frightened. The radiating circles of light seem to change to a small brilliant circle, obviously going away from me. It’s still light, but hazy and through this haze materialize two shapes. The first is a long, thin shape that appears to the left and then disappears. The second is more rectangular and appears to the right – disappears – then both appear together. They shine through the haze, a silver glow outlines both grey-coloured shapes which are smooth and rounded, rather ghostlike. The bright light now shines as a small circle in the distance. I get hotter, my arms shake more, my head hurts dreadfully. I am terrified.”
Ellie then began screaming and having some kind of panic attack or seizure, so the session was cut short. After that, Ellie tried to go about getting her life back to normal, and would write two books on her experience called One Step Beyond (1996) and Into The Unknown (1999). UFO researchers have long wondered just what happened to her and there have been all sorts of ideas tossed around, including that she somehow hallucinated the whole episode or that it was a hoax, but she has been described as a quiet teacher with a career, a reliable witness who would be unlikely to just fabricate a story about aliens and UFOs. Indeed, she and her husband faced much ridicule from the community in the wake of the incident, so why would she risk her career and peaceful life for some made-up event? BUFORA also vouched for her honesty and sincerity, calling her an ideal witness. Another idea is that this really was an alien craft and that it had somehow chosen her, a notion Ellie herself believed. She also entertained the thought that perhaps only she could see the object, and that it was a sign of some sort of psychic power manifesting within her. She would say of it:
“I feel that consideration could be given to the possibility that it may have been my first experience of clairvoyance. I wonder? But perhaps not, because there were physical effects also.”
There are certainly some interesting details to this case. One is that the witness is considered to be so reliable, and another is that during that very same month, there was an intense wave of UFO encounter reports coming in from all over the southwest region of England, where Ellie’s incident happened, and indeed the area has long been considered a UFO hotspot. Also of interest is the fact that there were no corroborating reports of the object she had seen, which is rather odd considering the A5 is a very busy road and by her own admission there had been a lot of traffic, as well as the fact that the object was claimed to be hovering directly over the road. This could be because no one wanted to report it, but it could also be because only Ellie could see it, either through psychic powers, hallucination, or hoax; we’ll probably never know because she has already passed away to take any secrets to the grave with her. We will probably never know what really happened out there, and it remains just another very bizarre tale of inexplicable alien abduction among many others.
Moving into the 80s, in October of 1989, Steve and Dawn Hess headed out for a weekend of camping and hunting on the Mojave Reserve, in the Mojave Desert of the southwest United States. It was supposed to be a relaxing getaway for the young, happy couple, a chance to get away from their two small children for the weekend and have some time alone together. As they drove out towards the Midhills camping ground, just inside the Nevada border, they did so in very good spirits, having had a bit of luck gambling at a casino earlier in the day and looking forward to their trip. They had been planning it for a long time, and to be out there in the remote, scenic locale was like a dream come true, but the dream was about to become a nightmare, and they were about to become the center of a series of harrowing, otherworldly events that have never been explained.
It would turn out that the campground was uncommonly full, and so they decided to drive out into the wilds in their camper to go camping off the beaten path in a secluded valley between the Tabletop and Woods Mountains. That evening, the sky was full of a multitude of stars, like millions of tiny diamonds spread out over an expanse of black felt, and they decided to start a fire and have a romantic dinner there under that sprawling vista of twinkling lights. It was as Steve was cooking up a steak that things began to get odd. He noticed a pinpoint of light moving about over the nearby Tabletop Mountain that, for some reason, instilled a great sense of unease in him. He found himself perplexed and mesmerized by the gliding light, which looked like another star moving about in the sea of stars, and it wasn’t until Dawn called out to him that he snapped out of it. He tried to direct her attention to what he had just seen, but the light was gone.
Steve tried to put the weird episode out of his mind, and the two poured some wine, had their romantic dinner there under the dazzling night sky, and then settled down to do a bit of stargazing. As they sat there pointing out star constellations, they noticed a particularly bright star that wasn’t supposed to be there, and they soon realized that it was not a star at all when it started moving. It was then joined by several other lights, around nine in total, after which they created a sort of 'M' formation. Their first impression was that it had to be aircraft from the nearby Nulles Air Base out on nighttime maneuvers, but then, as they looked on, small red lights descended from the larger white ones and began silently gliding towards the desert below, blinking and pulsating as they did so. It was about then that they noticed that the night sounds of the desert had ceased, as if a veil of silence had descended upon them, and through that eerie clinging quiet, the red lights approached them. These bizarre lights then circled above them and configured and reconfigured into different formations as their flashing intensified, to the point that Dawn was beginning to panic.
These lights began to flash and pulse faster and faster until they suddenly went out together. Shortly after this, there were sounds out in the brush, like something scampering about out there in the wilds, and there seemed to be more than one of whatever it was. The frightened couple hurried into their camper, and Steve grabbed his hunting rifle, thinking they were about to be attacked by wild animals. They could see out in the darkness what looked like glowing red eyes circling them, and at one point, something jumped onto the hood of the camper and scurried across to jump back down on the other side. Steve was about to take a shot at one of the red-eyed shapes, but Dawn stopped him, telling him that she had a very bad feeling that it would not be a good idea to fire on them, which she felt was oddly being projected into her head. As they peered into the murky night, the creatures got bolder and close enough that they could see that these were no wild animals, but rather what they would later describe as “small red-eyed gremlins.”
The couple at this point were paralyzed with terror, and the entities roaming about outside seemed to sense this, becoming bolder and running right up to the camper to leap onto its roof and bang on the sides, the whole time jabbering with each other in some alien language. As this happened, nine tall, thin, translucent beings with large, deep, featureless black eyes, much different than the “gremlins,” bloomed out of the darkness and surrounded the camper, peering in at the terrified couple. As these beings loomed outside, Steve and Dawn would later claim that their minds had been filled with thoughts and visions that seemed to be telepathically forced into their heads, and as this happened a large, bright object descended nearby, almost right over them, after which their camper began to buck and shake wildly as a fog or mist filled the vehicle. The light got brighter and brighter, and then Steve and Dawn lost consciousness.
When they woke up, they were still in their camper, which was now filled not with the light of that bizarre craft but rather that of the coming morning. There was no sign of the creatures they had encountered the previous evening, and indeed, a look around the area showed no evidence that they had ever been there at all. There were no footprints, no sign of damage to the brush, nothing. The only thing they could find were two red pin pricks in Dawn’s neck that had not been there before. They could not remember anything about what had happened to them after that large light had appeared, they had no idea where the creatures had gone, but they did know that it had not been a dream or a figment of their imagination, and that they had experienced something truly outlandish out there in the desert. They quickly packed up and got out of there as fast as they could, driving home mostly in silence and trying to process what they had been through.
In the coming days, they mostly didn’t talk about what had happened, but it would seem that their ordeal was not over. They experienced intense, vivid nightmares, physical symptoms such as headaches and nausea, and then there was the really spooky stuff. They experienced seeing lights in the sky that seemed to be following them, intense feelings of being watched, strange sounds inside and outside of the house, and their children began to tell of seeing little “red-eyed monsters” prowling about their bedroom at night. On one particularly terrifying occasion, Steve and Dawn were woken by the panicked screams of their son and rushed to his room to find him suspended in the air, “spinning like a top.” Dawn would even tell of being accosted by unseen hands.
At their wits’ end, they decided to undergo hypnosis with Dr. William Anixter, who, through a series of sessions, was able to uncover what had happened during their lost time. According to Steve and Dawn, they had been brought aboard a massive craft of some kind and subjected to a battery of medical experiments and tests, many of which were quite painful and one of which had left those red marks on Dawn’s neck. At several points during the hypnosis sessions, Dawn was seen to speak in a voice that was not her own, as if she were channeling an outside force, and on one of these occasions, she allegedly eerily and cryptically said, “I know where the Universe ends. Our Universe ends when its matter stops mattering to us, and starts mattering to them.”
Dawn and Steve Hess would keep mostly quiet about their bizarre experience for years, but author Ron Felber would find out about it and approach the couple about possibly writing a book about it. Interestingly, Felber was known as a true crime author, and had never had any real interest in UFOs or paranormal phenomena, but after talking to the Hess’s, he changed his tune. He would say of this in an interview with Shadows Of Your Mind magazine:
“I met them through a man called Paul Moran, an employee who was working as a sales rep for the company I ran. He lived in Southern California and confided in me that he had a best friend (Steve) who he’d played varsity football with while a student at the University of Redlands. Paul told me that his friend had had an alien experience in the Mojave Desert that had “changed his life forever” and though he’d promised not to tell anyone about Steve’s experience, he thought that as a writer I’d be interested in hearing about it and that telling his story to someone like me would be “cathartic”.
My first impression before meeting the Hess’ was that I wasn’t interested in writing about “alien abductions”. The subject was not one that fell into the genres of writing I’d done before, and I wanted to focus on true crime stories or fiction. However, after meeting them, that all changed. I found Steve and Dawn to be exceptionally stable, upwardly mobile, well-educated, and rational. They were solidly middle class with two children, a mortgage, and hopes of a successful career as a project manager for the construction of shopping malls for Steve, and ardent in her ambitions to raise a stable family for Dawn.
More than intriguing, I found their story to be absolutely mind-blowing. The detail, the emotional manner in which they told the story, and the sweeping nature of their experience told me that this was a one-of-a-kind experience, unlike anything I had ever personally heard or heard about. It was, to me, as if a curtain had been lifted and an entire realm of existence heretofore unknown to humankind suddenly exposed. The authenticity of the Hess’s themselves told me that this was undoubtedly true and that their story needed to be shared with the world. As a writer, I know a heart-stopping true story when I hear one, and this was definitely one. What the Hess’s story did do was convince me that there exists another realm of existence. Humans, albeit rarely, can sometimes catch glimpses of something that is perhaps more real than the existence we live now, or believe we are living.”
Felber would go on to write a book on their experiences called "The Mojave Incident," which is a harrowing and detailed account of the ordeal of that fateful evening and the traumatic series of events that unfolded. He has also kept in touch with Steve and Dawn Hess, who now have six children, and claims that they have continued to experience strange phenomena right up to the present, although it would seem no further abductions.
We are left to wonder what is going on here. Is this a case of a genuine abduction, and if so, where did these entities come from and what did they want? We will never know for sure, and these all remain rather odd and spooky cases of the alien abduction phenomenon.
Nikola Tesla made many predictions for the 21st century that turned out true in the past two decades.
Credit: Imgur
Back in 1926, Collier’s magazine published a conversation with the inventor Nikola Tesla, the content of which, at that time, was shocking. In it, the renowned scientists made some unbelievable predictions (for his time) about the future and the 21st century, in particular.
Over the years, he made many predictions, many of which came true. Examples: A different order will arise where women will be dominant in the future. Humanity will begin to communicate with each other thanks to simple handheld devices. The planes will have unmanned control and so much more. Here are ten predictions of the future by Nikola Tesla.
1. Wireless connection
Suppose the industrialist John Morgan had not been stingy in supporting Tesla’s developments. In that case, the Croatian-born scientist might have gone as far as the invention of the Internet – at least he argued that the Wardenclyffe Tower could wirelessly transmit voice, text, and images anywhere in the world. He argued that pictures had already been transmitted over wires (telegraphs) over short distances, but in the future, wireless transmission will limit the distance.
2. Drones/Remote Controlled Tech
A boat without oars, which by itself glides on the water – such a sight appeared before the eyes of those who watched Tesla’s demonstration experiment in 1898. Using the remote control, batteries, and switches invented by him, the engineer from the shore turned the boat’s steering wheel, started the propeller, and lit the side lights on board, which looked incredible at the time.
In fact, Tesla presented the world’s first real prototype of a robot 22 years before the Czech writer Karel Čapek came up with the very definition of such a technique. It has taken a firm place in the modern world and continues to develop.
3. Automated Workforce
In the 1930s, technology had advanced to the extent that an automated workforce performed regular human activities. In 1935, Nikola Tesla predicted that robots and machines would almost replace human labor.
While this still has not happened, it is more than obvious that machines are already replacing human hands in many industries, and experts often point out this as one of the most critical problems of the future when many people will lose their jobs due to technology.
4. Cheap Renewable Energy
Nikola Tesla believed that the whole world is filled with infinite energy, which, with the proper level of technical equipment, can be used for free, wherever and whenever. Tesla also believed that we could utilize water to generate cheap renewable energy that would replace the regular expensive sources. He even wanted to give people free energy, which was not well accepted by his financiers.
5. Mobile Phones/Smartphones
Nikola Tesla predicted the world would have small wireless devices combining various technologies and wireless connections. While he did not say the words mobile phone or smartphone, his description from 1926 does sound similar.
He described a device that would allow us to see and hear each other as if we were speaking face to face, and it would be small enough to carry in a pocket.
6. Self-driving cars
In 1898, Nikola Tesla proposed the construction of an automobile carriage that could perform various operations by itself. It took another 100 years before it became a reality, but now, a company that took the same name (Tesla) has proven that this is the future technology.
7. Rise of environmental protection
One of Tesla’s most important predictions is the rise of environmental protection. That is, global efforts will increase. He envisioned this would happen by 2035, but it happened much sooner – the American Environmental Protection Agency was founded 35 years later, in 1970.
8. Female Empowerment
Tesla predicted that women would play a dominant role in the future. He suggested that women would receive equal education to men and will start taking leadership positions in society.
9. Science will become more important to society
In his time, politics and war were the predominant topics in society. One of Nikola Tesla’s predictions suggested that newspapers would focus more on science than politics in the future, and society would be much more interested in the latest discoveries than warfare. While politics still occupy the first pages of newspapers, news channels, and social media, people are generally more interested in science.
10. Wireless News
Tesla predicted that printed newspapers would be replaced and news would be delivered wirelessly. He envisioned that everything would be accessible to people at home every day.
Sources:
Kilson, K. (2016, March 7). Nikola Tesla’s Future Predictions Were Wrong and Right, but Uniformly Fascinating. Inverse.
McSweeney, K., Robinson, R., & Bonderud, D. (n.d.). The intersection of technology, innovation & creativity. Now. Powered by Northrop Grumman.
Novak, M. (2013, April 19). Nikola Tesla’s Amazing Predictions for the 21st Century. Smithsonian.com.
10 Predictions of Nikola Tesla's future that turned out to be true!
But this latest find might be one of the strangest sightings yet.
Keen-eyed internet sleuths have spotted what appears to be a massive skull lurking in the waters of a Canadian island.
Users have been baffled by the sighting, with some claiming that it might even be a sign of alien interference.
The strange structure can be found on the northern coast of Cormorant Island, just off Canada's northeast coast.
When viewed from the north, a sandbank beneath the water reveals a distinct shape of a human skull.
Scott Waring, founder of UFO Sightings Daily, who spotted the shape, told MailOnline: 'I believe ancient alien visitors created the skull. They did this to leave a sign behind for others to see that says, "we were here first".'
However, scientists say there is a much simpler explanation for this confounding illusion.
Social media users have been baffled after spotting what seems to be a skull lurking in the waters of a Canadian island
The strange skull-like formation can be found on Google Maps by searching for the village of Alert Bay, the island's only settlement.
However, you will need to rotate the map 180 degrees in order to see the 'face' looming out from the waters.
On social media, commenters flocked to share their amazement at this sinister discovery.
One commenter wrote: 'That's actually incredible. It's amazing!!'
Another chimed in: 'Help me out here, in the words of X-Files, I want to believe.'
While the sight might be a mystery to some, Mr Waring is convinced that it must be extraterrestrial in origin.
The UFO hunter says that the sandbar's human-like appearance is 'not a coincidence'.
He adds: 'The details of the skull are completely accurate, but on a scale of 100 meters across.'
The strange structure can be found on the northern coast of Cormorant Island (pictured), just off Canada's northeast coast
But not everyone is on board with these claims of alien activity.
UFO researcher Philip Mantle told MailOnline: 'There are no signs that alien life forms have visited the earth in antiquity and left evidence of such.
'It could well be a natural rock formation that looks skull-like. A bit like seeing faces in the clouds.'
In fact, scientists say there is a very good reason why all sorts of geological structures get mistaken for faces or skulls.
When faced with a structure containing intricate and varied patterns, the brain turns this noisy, dynamic information into patterns and objects that we can understand.
The brain gets this right most of the time, but sometimes certain predispositions cause errors which disturb our perceptions.
Dr Robin Kramer, an expert on face perception from the University of Lincoln, told MailOnline: 'Our face detection system has evolved to be great at detecting faces and it makes more sense to err on the side of caution by occasionally seeing faces where there aren’t any, rather than missing faces where there are.'
Some believe that the structure was carved by ancient aliens, but scientists say there is a more likely explanation (stock image)
Scientists say that we are likely to misinterpret geological structures such as this sandbar as faces due to a psychological phenomenon called pareidolia
Dr Kramer says: 'Face pareidolia explains why we might see faces in geological structures, as well as pretty much anything else.'
Scientists think that we evolved this sensitivity towards faces because it helped our ancestors find friends and spot enemies.
For hunter-gatherers, it was better to briefly mistake a bush for your neighbour's animal than miss someone sneaking up on you.
Professor Kevin Brooks, a psychologist at Macquarie University, told MailOnline: 'We tend to classify anything vaguely face-like as a face until proven otherwise – it’s safer that way.
'Evolutionary psychologists speculate that we evolved this mechanism to help our survival, and increase our chances of passing on our genes, bringing forth another generation of people who are also good at face detection.'
Some people are more sensitive to faces and so might experience more pareidolia in their daily lives.
Dr Susan Wardle, a researcher at the National Institutes of Health, told MailOnline that pareidolia isn't 'usually' a sign of any psychological or neurological issues.
However, a high rate of pareidolia might be a sign of someone's bias towards believing in the paranormal.
The phenomenon, called face pareidolia, is when people identify meaningful patterns in inanimate objects. This is more common in people with strong beliefs in the paranormal (stock image)
A Finnish study conducted in 2012 found that people with religious or paranormal beliefs were much more likely to see faces in random stimuli.
This could explain why alien hunters seem to find faces or patterns in geological features so frequently.
Dr Wardle concludes: 'Most people who see faces in things recognise that the faces are not real.
'Issues can arise when people interpret visual patterns to have meaning that they do not, or when they have difficulty distinguishing true perceptions from illusory ones.'
Pareidolia is the psychological response to seeing faces and other significant and everyday items in random stimuli.
It is a form of apophenia, when people see patterns in random, unconnected data.
There have been multiple occasions when people have claimed to see religious images and themes in unexpected places.
On the red planet, one of the most famous is the 'face on Mars' spotted by one of the Viking orbiters in 1976.
This was later proven to just be a chance alignment of shifting sand dunes.
An image captured in 2015 by NASA’s Mars Reconnaissance Orbiter (MRO), which has been in orbit around the red planet since 10 March 2006, revealed a face-like feature at one of many monitoring sites at the South Pole residual cap (SPRC) on Mars
A mysterious streak appeared on weather radar over Washington DC on Thursday, sparking theories of weather modification or visitors from another planet.
The anomaly, visible on radar loops, was shared online by Kari Lake, a special advisor to the US Agency for Global Media, who asked: 'Anyone know what is shooting across the radar over Washington DC around 3:30pm?'
That was around the time a severe thunderstorm rolled into the area, unleashing heavy rains, damaging wind gusts and lightning, which lasted for about one hour.
The radar tracked the weather system affecting the region, and a distinct, linear streak moved across the screen. It was not a typical weather pattern, like rain, snow, or hail, which would have appeared more scattered.
Matthew Cappucci, senior meteorologist at the app Lake used, explained that the strange line or streak on the radar was not caused by weather or anything unusual.
Instead, it was likely caused by something physical, like a water tower or a cell tower, located east of the radar station near Dulles Airport.
These structures can block or reflect the radar's signals, creating a false image on the radar screen. This is a common problem with radar systems.
A mysterious streak appeared on weather radar over Washington DC on Thursday, sparking theories of weather modification or visitors from another planet.
'That can cause a bit of the emitted radar beam to bounce back to radar/cause a spurious signal,' Cappucci said.
He added that these types of artifacts are quite common on weather radar. You might also notice things like ground clutter or super refraction.
'Occasionally, we can even detect birds, butterflies, planes, and meteors!' the meteorologist shared.
But not everyone is convinced, as one X user commented: 'Sounds like something a meteorologist would say….if they were CIA!!!'
However, Lake appeared satisfied with the explanation and thanked Cappucci.
The destructive storm toppled trees that crushed cars and houses while cutting power to numerous neighborhoods.
More than 15,000 Dominion Energy customers, mostly in Fairfax County, were without power as of noon Friday. Arlington County and Alexandria were also hit hard.
More than 3,000 Pepco customers in Montgomery County were without power, along with 455 in Prince George's County and over 870 in Washington DC.
Crews are working around the clock to restore service, according to Pepco.
The anomaly, visible on radar loops, was shared online by Kari Lake, a special advisor to the US Agency for Global Media
Why It Caused Alarm
1. Rogue Brightness– High-altitude rocket engines glowing brightly in pre-dawn darkness are uncommon in urban skies.
2. Inner-City Focus – Navigation controllers and pilots in DC’s active airspace initially interpreted it as unknown, feeding tension.
3. Historical Echoes – The 1952 “Washington UFO flap” still lingers, including radar sweeps over the Capitol, fueling today’s unease.
Implications
1. Heightened Public Sensitivity to Aerial Events
In a city shaped by politics, intelligence, and security, even a routine sky phenomenon can spark widespread alarm—highlighting how jittery the public is about national airspace anomalies.
2. National Security Awareness Gaps
The fact that multiple civilians mistook a rocket launch for a potential threat or UFO reveals potential communication gaps between space agencies, air traffic control, and the general public.
3. Renewed Demand for UFO Transparency
Events like this stoke continued public interest in government disclosure on aerial phenomena, especially in a post–UAP hearing era where the line between legitimate sightings and confusion remains blurred.
4. Misinformation Risks During High-Alert Times
Social media panic over the incident shows how quickly false narratives can spread, especially when tied to sensitive airspace like Washington, D.C.
5. Civil-Military Space Coordination Needs
Incidents like this may increase calls for better coordination between private space launches (like SpaceX) and civil/military aviation authorities, especially in sensitive corridors near the capital.
Wind gusts reached 61 mph at Washington Reagan National Airport and 66 mph at Dulles International Airport as severe storms swept through the region. Multiple thunderstorm warnings were issued during the evening commute.
Despite the intense weather, no serious injuries were reported.
That was not the case in New York City, which was also hit by the massive storm.
Matthew Cappucci, senior meteorologist at MyRadar Weather, who controls the radar that Lake used, offered a clear explanation of the situation. Unfortunately, it's nothing to do with aliens, weather-altering tech, or an early Christmas visit.
"This is the result of an obstruction from a structure east of @NWS_BaltWash's Dulles-based radar. (This is common with water towers/cell towers blocking the radar beam)," Cappucci explains.
"That can cause a bit of the emitted radar beam to bounce back to radar/cause spurious signal. These type of artefacts are common. You will also see things like ground clutter, superrefraction, etc.; sometimes we can even spot birds, butterflies, planes and meteors on weather radar!"
Cappucci also shared a video where he went through the process of discovering this radar anomaly, pointing out the exact tower that caused the radar to show the bizarre line, and how, in a thunderstorm, this can cause readings to bounce towards the tower and back again.
.@KariLake actually asked a really good question about the radar around Washington D.C. — so I dug for answers. The anomaly stems from a partial beam blockage of @NWS_BaltWash’s radar by the antenna at @Dulles_Airport’s Fire Station 304. Mystery solved! @MyRadarWX
Kari Lake
@KariLake
👀What is this zooming across the radar over Washington DC? 👀 I just pulled up radar to check on the massive storm overhead and noticed an anomaly on the radar loop. Anyone know what is shooting across the radar over Washington DC around 3:30pm?
Yassin Khalifa, 15, was struck by lightning in Central Park while enjoying a picnic with his friends.
'I leaned up against a tree, and I told them, `Oh, guys, let´s ride out the storm,´ which in hindsight might not have been the best idea,' Khalifa said.
Khalifa said he was knocked unconscious for several minutes.
Crystal Mateo, 17, told the New York Times she witnessed the scene and saw Khalifa's friends frantically calling for help and trying to revive him.
'It was scary,' she said. 'I was crying.'
Khalifa told WABC he was conscious when he was taken by ambulance to a hospital, where he was treated for burns on his neck and leg. Khalifa said he's expected to make a full recovery.
'Apparently, I´m pretty lucky, because my spine was directly against the tree and no nerve damage happened. So I´m like, not losing any sort of motor function,' Khalifa said. 'So I´m pretty happy about that.'
Lightning kills around 30 people a year in the United States, according to the U.S. Centers for Disease Control. Strikes, though, are usually not fatal. About 90 percent of people injured by a lightning bolt survive.
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This new image shows the central region of the Bullet Cluster, where two cosmic giant galaxy clusters are colliding with each other. The galaxies and foreground stars in the image were captured by Webb in near-infrared light (yellow and white). Meanwhile, Chandra used its X-ray vision to capture the hot gas that pervades both colliding clusters (pink) The blue represents the dark matter, which was precisely mapped by researchers with Webb’s detailed imaging. Credit: X-ray: NASA/CXC/SAO; Near-infrared: NASA/ESA/CSA/STScI; Image processing: NASA/STScI/J. DePasquale
One of the most iconic cosmic scenes in the Universe lies nearly 3.8 billion light-years away from us in the direction of the constellation Carina. This is where two massive clusters of galaxies have collided. The resulting combined galaxies and other material are now called the Bullet Cluster, after one of the two members that interacted over several billion years. It's one of the hottest-known galaxy clusters, thanks to clouds of gas that were heated by shockwaves during the event. Astronomers have observed this scene with several different telescopes in multiple wavelengths of light, including X-ray and infrared. Those observations and others show that the dark matter makes up the majority of the cluster's mass. Its gravitational effect distorts light from more distant objects and makes it an ideal gravitational lens.
Astronomers pointed the infrared-sensitive James Webb Space Telescope (Webb) to view the Cluster in part to help refine its mass. The Bullet is actually two clusters, a smaller sub-cluster called the Bullet, and the larger one it collided with in the past. The observations provided extremely detailed images of the cluster's galaxy members, as well as a view of hundreds of other faint ones that lie beyond. They also mapped the distribution of hot gas, which appears to be in separate "blobs". Those gaseous regions helped them learn more about the distribution of dark matter in the cluster. “With Webb’s observations, we carefully measured the mass of the Bullet Cluster with the largest lensing dataset to date, from the galaxy clusters’ cores all the way out to their outskirts,” said Sangjun Cha, the lead author of a paper published in The Astrophysical Journal Letters. Not only that, but the Webb view also allows scientists to study the distant galaxies "behind" the cluster in great detail. Their distorted images also give clues to the distribution of dark matter in the lens.
This image shows the different wavelengths at which scientists studied the Bullet Cluster using JWST's NIRCam instrument. The circles show the two clusters (in blue with their hot gas clouds in red). The one on the left shows an elongated shape, which suggests it's been through more than one collision.
Credit: NASA, ESA, CSA, STScI, CXC
“Webb’s images dramatically improve what we can measure in this scene — including pinpointing the position of invisible particles known as dark matter,” said Kyle Finner, a co-author and an assistant scientist at IPAC at Caltech in Pasadena, California. Dark matter plays a role, not just in the Bullet Cluster's hot gas clouds, but also in the light from distant galaxies passing through and around the cluster.
What Happened with the Bullet?
When you look at the combined infrared and X-ray views of the Bullet Cluster, among other things, you see those blobs of hot gas. One is in the form of a bow shock whipped up when the smaller sub-cluster member passed through the larger galaxy cluster. That sent the temperature of the gaseous regions up to millions of degrees, which released X-ray emissions detectable by Chandra.
A Chandra X-ray view of hot gas clouds in the Bullet Cluster. This one gives the cluster its distinctive name. It lies entirely separated from the dark matter in the cluster. This indicates something about how dark matter behaved in the collision.
Credit: X-ray: NASA/CXC/SAO
To understand why astronomers find the Bullet Cluster so fascinating, it helps to understand how it got the way it appears in Chandra and Webb observations. Well more than four billion years ago, these two galaxy clusters began a close approach. Both clusters were rich in stars, gas, and dust. Like the rest of the Universe, they were permeated with dark matter. Eventually, the two clusters collided. The stars were largely "unhurt" by this, other than perhaps having their velocities through space slightly altered. The collision basically caused a separation of the hot gas and dark matter. The gas, being affected by ram pressure (caused by something moving through the interstellar/intergalactic medium), slowed down due to the collision. The dark matter, which interacts primarily through gravity, passed through without any problem. This separation provided key evidence for the existence of dark matter. "As the galaxy clusters collided, their gas was dragged out and left behind, which the X-rays confirm,” Finner said. Webb’s observations show that dark matter still lines up with the galaxies — and was not dragged away.
What the Cluster's Gravitational Lens Reveals
While we can't see the dark matter at all, its presence around and within the Bullet Cluster's galaxies turns it into a giant gravitational lens. Think of it as a cosmic magnifying glass that shows otherwise unseen things. It also does something remarkable: “Gravitational lensing allows us to infer the distribution of dark matter,” said James Jee, a co-author, professor at Yonsei University, and research associate at UC Davis in California. Jee suggests that we think of this gravitational lensing as working the same way that water in a pond magnifies the view of things in the pond. “You cannot see the water unless there is wind, which causes ripples,” Jee explained. “Those ripples distort the shapes of the pebbles below, causing the water to act like a lens.”
That lens reveals thousands of distant galaxies whose light is "smeared" and distorted by the gravitational effect of the dark matter lens. The distribution of those galaxies across the lens also helps astronomers map the distribution of the dark matter that makes it up.
The Webb NIRCam view of the Bullet Cluster, showing an infrared look at distant galaxies, with their images deformed by the gravitational effect of the dark matter.
Credit: Near-infrared: NASA/ESA/CSA/STScI;
Image processing: NASA/STScI/J. DePasquale
Now that astronomers know where that dark matter is distributed in the cluster, the images and data also show that the particles (no matter what they're made of) don't affect each other beyond whatever gravitational attraction they have toward each other. It implies that they act independently of each other. Now the trick is to figure out what kind of particles act as dark matter has been observed to do. Webb’s observations also show that dark matter still lines up with the galaxies — and was not dragged away during the chaos of the cluster collisions. These new observations place stronger limits on the behavior of dark matter particles.
Video fades between images of the Bullet Cluster taken by NASA’s Hubble Space Telescope and NASA’s James Webb Space Telescope. More distant galaxies pop into view with Webb’s near-infrared observation.
Video: NASA, ESA, CSA, Joseph DePasquale (STScI)
The Head of a ‘Giant’
The Bullet Cluster is huge, even in the vast expanse of space. Webb’s NIRCam covered a significant portion of the hulking debris with its images, but not all of it. “It’s like looking at the head of a giant,” said Jee. “Webb’s initial images allow us to extrapolate how heavy the whole ‘giant’ is, but we’ll need future observations of the giant’s whole ‘body’ for precise measurements.”
In the near future, researchers will also have expansive near-infrared images from NASA’s Nancy Grace Roman Space Telescope, which is set to launch by May 2027. “With Roman, we will have complete mass estimates of the entire Bullet Cluster, which would allow us to recreate the actual collision on computers,” Finner said.
The Bullet Cluster is found in the Carina constellation 3.8 billion light-years from Earth.
The James Webb Space Telescope is the world’s premier space science observatory. Webb is solving mysteries in our solar system, looking beyond to distant worlds around other stars, and probing the mysterious structures and origins of our universe and our place in it. Webb is an international program led by NASA with its partners, ESA (European Space Agency) and CSA (Canadian Space Agency).
Space Station caught rare lightning phenomenon in space
Space Station caught rare lightning phenomenon in space
Colorful sprites, or transient luminous events, flash above clouds in a video taken by NASA astronaut Don Pettit aboard the ISS.
(Image credit: Don Pettit/NASA)
NASA astronaut Nichole Ayers captured a stunning image of a rare red lightning phenomenon known as a “sprite” from the International Space Station on July 3. The jellyfish-shaped electrical burst was seen rising above a massive thunderstorm over Mexico and the southern U.S., including parts of California and Texas.
NASA astronaut Don Pettit captured breathtaking video of a rare atmospheric phenomenon from his perch high above Earth on the International Space Station.
While the International Space Station (ISS) was orbiting above South America, Pettit recorded what are known as Transient Luminous Events, or TLEs. These are bright, colorful flashes of light faster than lightning and are sometimes referred to as "sprites."
Pettit was able to view the sprites from directly above, looking down at what is known as the nadir, the point directly below a particular location. "OK, this is kind of out there and caters to your inner Uber-Geek," Pettit posted to X (formerly Twitter along with the video. "Nadir view of Transient Luminous Events
Sprites are large-scale electrical discharges that occur high in the mesosphere, triggered by positive lightning strikes.
Part of a group of upper-atmosphere events called Transient Luminous Events (TLEs), sprites are still not fully understood, despite decades of research.
A rare red sprite captured from the International Space Station posted on X (formerly Twitter) on June 20, 2024, showing an event earlier in the year. (Image credit: Matthew Dominick/NASA/X)
Sprites like the ones Pettit captured on video occur much higher than regular lightning. Their name is an acronym, short for stratospheric perturbations resulting from intense thunderstorm electrification.
Sprites are created when electrical discharges created by lightning shoot upward, creating bursts of plasma in the ionosphere, found around 50 miles (80 km) above Earth's surface. They were not captured on camera until 1989.
Nieuwe beelden tonen hoe ‘opnieuw tot leven gewekte reuzenwolven’ op 6 maanden tijd gegroeid zijn
Ken je Romulus, Remus en Khaleesi nog? Het zijn niet de stichters van Rome of de personages uit ‘Game of Thrones’, maar de bijzondere wolven die wetenschappers creëerden via genetische manipulatie. Met deze dieren, die nu tot negen maanden oud zijn, probeerden de onderzoekers de uitgestorven reuzenwolf weer tot leven te wekken. Ze geven nu een stand van zaken én nieuwe beelden van hun groei.
Romulus, Remus en Khaleesi, de eerste genetisch gemodificeerde dire wolfpuppy's, groeien groter dan de meeste grijze wolven.
Het was wereldnieuws, enkele maanden geleden: wetenschappers van Colossal Biosciences in Texas lieten weten dat ze met geavanceerde gentherapie drie ‘reuzenwolfwelpen’ hadden gecreëerd. Ze gebruikten daarvoor genetisch materiaal van de direwolf of reuzenwolf, die meer dan 12.000 jaar geleden verdween. De wetenschappers kloonden de dieren niet, maar veranderden twintig eigenschappen in het DNA van grijze wolven waarvan ze denken dat deze typerend zijn voor een reuzenwolf.
KIJK: Van DNA uit fossiel tot levende reuzenwolf
Dankzij de genetische aanpassingen lijken de nieuwe dieren qua formaat en uiterlijk erg op hun prehistorische voorouders. Het is nog onzeker of ze echt zo groot worden als de oorspronkelijke soort, die destijds 60 à 70 kg woog. Maar ze groeien sneller en worden forser dan normale wolven.
Grootte
De twee mannetjes, Romulus en Remus, zijn nu negen maanden oud. Colossal Biosciences deelt nu beelden van april, toen ze zes maanden oud waren. Ze wogen toen al meer dan 40 kg en waren al zo'n 20 procent groter dan een gewone grijze wolf. Khaleesi, het jongste vrouwtje dat in januari werd geboren, groeit wel langzamer. Ze woog in april 16 kg en was zo toch 10 à 15 procent groter dan een gemiddelde wolvin.
Het team houdt hun groei nauwlettend in de gaten, met medische controles, waaronder scans en bloedtests, om te zien hoe de ingebrachte genen hun ontwikkeling beïnvloeden.
De reuzenwolven zijn gemaakt door Colossal Biosciences, een in Texas gevestigde onderneming die gebruikmaakt van geavanceerde genetische engineering om uitgestorven soorten weer tot leven te brengen, waaronder de wolharige mammoet, dodo's en Tasmaanse tijgers.
Alfamannetje
De dieren vertonen sociaal gedrag, met een klassieke rangorde: Remus toonde zich aanvankelijk de leider, terwijl Romulus eerder volgde. Die dynamiek is intussen veranderd, met Remus die zich meer profileert als alfamannetje. Khaleesi wordt momenteel nog apart gehouden tot ze groot genoeg is.
De dieren leven op een volwassen vleesdieet, dat bestaat uit vlees, brokken en botten. Dat moet hun jachtinstincten en spierontwikkeling stimuleren. Uiteindelijk is het doel om ze in een privéreservaat te laten leven als een echte roedel.
In de video beschreef James de groei van de pups als indrukwekkend, en merkte op dat ze alle verwachte mijlpalen voor ontwikkeling hebben bereikt.
Hoe gingen de wetenschappers te werk?
De wetenschappers gingen in eeuwenoude fossielen op zoek naar het DNA. Daarna gingen ze kijken welke delen van de DNA-sequentie er net voor zorgen dat een reuzenwolf een reuzenwolf is. Die 20 aanpassingen in 14 verschillende genen werden door middel van de CRISPR-techniek - een techniek waarbij je aanpassingen kan doen in het DNA van levende organismen - ingebracht op de DNA-sequentie van de grijze wolf. Dat is de dichtste levende verwant van de reuzenwolf. Genetisch gezien komen de twee wolfsoorten 99,5 procent overeen. De aangepaste cellen plantten ze in de eicel van een hond. De dieren zijn dus geen kloon, maar hybride wolven met reuzenwolfeigenschappen.
De verborgen waarheid over reuzenwolven die niemand je vertelde
Net iets van ‘War of the Worlds’: astronaut fotografeert enorme rode ‘kwal-sprite’ tijdens omhoog schietende blikseminslag
Een NASA-astronaute heeft vanuit het ISS een straffe foto gemaakt van een gigantische, kwalvormige sprite van rode bliksem die omhoogschiet tijdens een onweersbui boven Noord-Amerika. Het gaat om een bijzonder en zeldzaam fenomeen waar eigenlijk nog best wat vraagtekens bij zijn, ook al wordt het al meer dan 30 jaar bestudeerd.
Het doet een beetje denken aan de bloederige scènes van de alienklassieker ‘War of the Worlds’, maar wat NASA-astronaute Nichole Ayers, die sinds maart in het Internationaal Ruimtestation ISS vertoeft, hier heeft vastgelegd, is gelukkig veel minder apocalyptisch. Maar cool is het zeker.
De astronaute maakte het straffe beeld toen het ISS afgelopen donderdag passeerde boven een grote storm die hing over delen van Mexico en het zuiden van de VS, waaronder de staten Californië en Texas.
“Gewoon. Wauw. Toen we vanochtend over Mexico en de VS vlogen, zag ik deze sprite”, schrijft Ayers bij de foto op X. “Sprites zijn TLE’s (Transient Luminous Events), die boven de wolken plaatsvinden en worden geactiveerd door intense elektrische activiteit in de onweersbuien eronder”, legt ze uit.
Blauw, rood, ringvormig
Transient Luminous Events (Transiënte Lichtgevende Gebeurtenissen) zijn spectaculaire, korte lichtflitsen die zich meestal boven onweersbuien voordoen in de hogere atmosfeer. In tegenstelling tot bliksem zelf speelt dit spektakel zich veel hoger in de lucht af, soms tot 100 kilometer boven de aarde.
De lichtflitsen zijn van korte duur – van milliseconden tot seconden – en variëren in vorm en kleur. De meest voorkomende types zijn blue jets: blauwe, straalvormige uitbarstingen die omhoogschieten; sprites: rode, kwalachtige structuren; en UFO-achtige lichtringen die ook wel elves worden genoemd.
Sprites, zoals die gefotografeerd door Ayers, komen van alle TLE’s het vaakst voor. Ze worden beschreven als kwalvormig, omdat de rode lichtbundels die omhoogschieten zich als een soort tentakels uitspreiden. Dat is ook duidelijk te zien als je inzoomt op de foto van de astronaute. De sprieten worden ook wel eens wortels genoemd, omdat ze vergezeld kunnen gaan van zwakkere ranken op het einde in de omgekeerde richting, net als bij plantenwortels.
En vanwaar die opvallende rode kleur? Dat komt doordat de sprites in wisselwerking staan met stikstof in de bovenste atmosfeer.
Voor het eerst gefotografeerd in 1989
Volgens 'Live Science' werden sprites zoals deze voor het eerst goed geobserveerd in de jaren 1950 door passagiers op vliegtuigen. Pas in 1989 werden ze voor het eerst op foto vastgelegd. Intussen zijn ze ook gespot in de hoge atmosfeer van Jupiter. Vermoedelijk komen ze ook voor op Saturnus en Venus.
Mysterie
Maar ondanks jaren van onderzoek is er ook nog mysterie rond de spectaculaire flitsen. Zo begrijpen wetenschappers nog altijd niet goed waarom sommige bliksems juist sprites veroorzaken en andere niet. ISS-astronauten, die vanuit het ruimtestation in een ideale positie zitten om de lichtflitsen te zien, kunnen nuttige data aanleveren waarmee onderzoekers kunnen achterhalen hoe de verschijnselen precies werken.
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A Journey Through the Ages: The Global History of UFO Sightings
A Journey Through the Ages: The Global History of UFO Sightings
Story by Emily Standley Allard
ABSTRACT
With all the talk of drones and unexplained theatrics in the skies as of late you have to wonder. Have aliens walked among us since the dawn of time? As a fan of the shows Ancient Aliens, Skinwalker Ranch and of course E.T., like many I've always been fascinated with the idea of extra-terrestrials. The history of UFO sightings spans centuries, encompassing a wide range of phenomena that have intrigued, puzzled, and sometimes alarmed people across the globe. This article will take you through the evolution of UFO sightings, from ancient accounts to modern-day encounters, highlighting significant incidents that have contributed to the ongoing debate and fascination with unidentified flying objects.
The story of UFO sightings begins in ancient times. Texts, artworks, and even cave paintings from different cultures hint at encounters with celestial phenomena or beings that could not be explained by the knowledge at the time.
For instance, ancient Indian texts such as the Mahabharata and the Ramayana mention vimanas, flying machines that were used by the gods.
Similarly, descriptions of "flying shields" were reported by the Romans.
The Middle Ages to the Renaissance
During the Middle Ages and the Renaissance, there were numero accounts of mysterious objects seen in the sky.
Chronicles from this period describe sightings of strange stars, fiery globes, and cross-shaped objects traversing the heavens, often interpreted through a religious lens as signs from God or omens.
One of the most famous sightings occurred in Nuremberg, Germany, in 1561.
Residents observed what they described as an aerial battle, followed by the appearance of a large black triangular object and a crash-landing outside the city.
This event was documented in the local newspaper, the Nuremberg Gazette.
The 19th Century: Airship Sightings
The 19th century saw a series of "airship" sightings across the United States, particularly during the 1896-1897 period.
Witnesses reported seeing powered, dirigible-like vehicles equipped with searchlights and sometimes occupants piloting them.
Secrets of the UFOs | Full Documentary | 7NEWS Spotlight
These sightings occurred before human flight was a reality, making them particularly puzzling and sensational at the time.
The Modern Era of UFOs
The modern era of UFO sightings began in earnest in the 20th century, with two pivotal events that shaped public and governmental interest in the phenomenon.
1947, Kenneth Arnold Incident: The term "flying saucer" was coined after private pilot Kenneth Arnold reported seeing nine crescent-shaped objects flying at high speeds near Mount Rainier, Washington.
This incident garnered national media attention and is often considered the start of the modern UFO era.
1947, Roswell Incident: Perhaps the most famous UFO incident in history occurred near Roswell, New Mexico.
A rancher discovered mysterious wreckage on his land, leading to claims of a recovered alien spacecraft.
The U.S. military stated it was a crashed weather balloon, but the incident has remained at the heart of UFO conspiracy theories.
The increasing number of 'UFO' sightings over the years led to governmental investigations.
In the United States, projects such as Project Blue Book (1952-1969) were initiated by the U.S. Air Force to study UFO sightings.
Although officially it concluded that most sightings were misidentifications of natural phenomena or conventional aircraft, the closure of such projects only fueled more speculation and conspiracy theories about government cover-ups.
UFO sightings are not limited to the United States; they are a global phenomenon.
From the mass sighting over the Nuremberg skies in the 16th century to the Westall UFO encounter in Australia in 1966, where over 200 students and teachers witnessed an unexplained object land and then take off at incredible speed, to the recent 2004 Nimitz encounter recorded by U.S. Navy pilots, UFO sightings continue to captivate the public's imagination worldwide.
Conclusion
As we can see, the history of UFO sightings is rich and varied, spanning several different eras and cultures. While many sightings can be explained through scientific analysis as natural phenomena or human-made objects, a small percentage remain unexplained, continuing to intrigue both the public and researchers. With the U.S. government's recent acknowledgment of unidentified aerial phenomena (UAP) and the release of declassified videos, interest in UFOs has surged, suggesting that the fascination with what might be flying in our skies is far from over.
The Proof Is Out There: UFO Sightings Increase on a GLOBAL LEVEL!
Orange disk over Antelope Park, Utah July 3, 2025 UFO UAP sighting news. Over the Salt Lake. 👽👀😱
Orange disk over Antelope Park, Utah July 3, 2025 UFO UAP sighting news. Over the Salt Lake. 👽👀😱
Date of sighting: July 3, 2025
Location of sighting:Over Antelope Park, Utah, USA
Source: Filmed by me.
Guys, you know me...I got to scan the sky every moment I get outside. Why? Because the more you search, the more your chance to see an actual UFO...like yesterday. I recorded this UFO that I noticed was glowing orange behind some darker clouds. It really popped! I used my iPhone 14 so the quality is soso but I got it! And thats what counts. I added contrast to the screenshots and I quickly noticed that there is a tornado like spiral cloud coming down from the UFO. It was probably getting ready to send some people or supplies down to an underground base about 4-5 miles below the Salt Lake. It's a dead zone where most people don't venture out there. Also the land behind that area is all top secret military practices areas for the helicopters and fighter jets from Hill AFB. Recorded some F35s today...see the next post. This is 100% a real alien disk and it's over 100 meters across! They didn't fool me...I nailed their alien butts to the wall on this day.
Scott C. Waring - UFO Sightings Daily
Orange disk over Antelope Park, Utah July 3, 2025 UFO UAP sighting news. Over the Salt Lake. 👽👀😱
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Triangle UFO Disguised As Iceberg In Canada, similar to UFOs in clouds, UAP sighting news OMG!
Triangle UFO Disguised As Iceberg In Canada, similar to UFOs in clouds, UAP sighting news OMG!
Date of discovery: June 2025
Location of discovery:Canada
Source:Found by me using google earth
Check this out. I taught the world about UFOs hiding within a cloud and how UFOs can actually make clouds, which I have shown in US gov videos from last year. But...you have never heard of a UFO disguised as an iceberg. This is something even I have never seen until now. This is a 50x70 meter UFO floating on the surface of the ocean and its cloak on top has us almost fooled into looking like an iceberg. Aliens pride themselves on being more intelligent than humans, so much so that they laugh at us as they hide right under our noses. Well, they don't get away with that when I'm in the area.
Scott C. Waring - UFO Sightings Daily
Triangle UFO Disguised As Iceberg In Canada, similar to UFOs in clouds, UAP sighting news 📰 Aliens
Tower and crashed UFO in Antarctica Google Earth Map, UAP Sighting News. Proof of ancient aliens
Tower and crashed UFO in Antarctica Google Earth Map, UAP Sighting News. Proof of ancient aliens
Date of sighting:June 2025
Location of sighting: Antarctica
Source: Found by me
Guys, check this out. I found this alien tower in Antarctica this week and it's just mind blowing. This tower has a large white base and a smaller tower near it. Aliens in Antarctica, we all knew that right?
Area 51 has long been the stuff ofalien lore, with whispers of crashed UFOs and extraterrestrial autopsies behind its barbed-wire-laced fence.
The base, established in 1955, remained largely unknown until 1989 when Robert Lazar claimed on TV that he worked at a secret site near Groom Lake, 'S-4,' studying alien technology and spacecraft.
While the remote US Air Force base in Nevada has kept a tight lid on its activities, the CIA finally lifted the lid in 2013, officially admitting Area 51's existence.
The agency declassified a more than 400-page report that detailed how testing its secret spy planes 'accounted for more than one-half of all UFO reports during the late 1950s and most of the 1960s.'
The U-2 spy and A-12 reconnaissance planes were being flown in the shadows of the desert amid the Cold War, but the extreme altitudes sparked fears of an alien invasion.
'High-altitude testing of the U-2 soon led to an unexpected side effect—a tremendous increase in reports of unidentified flying objects (UFOs),' the report states.
'Once U-2s started flying at altitudes above 60,000 feet, air-traffic controllers began receiving increasing numbers of UFO reports.'
However, the CIA report does not mention Area 51's purpose after 1974.
Area 51 remained largely unknown until 1989 when Robert Lazar claimed on TV that he worked at a secret site near Groom Lake, 'S-4,' studying alien technology and spacecraft
While the document was declassified in 2013, it has resurfaced on X where the public appears to be seeing it for the first time.
'The mystery has been solved,' one user shared.
The CIA documents were obtained through a Freedom of Information Act request made in 2005, and provide details about how Area 51 came about.
Area 51, officially referred to as the Groom Lake test facility or 'the Ranch,' was established in April 1955 when scouts spotted the area while flying over the Mojave Desert.
'By July 1955, the Groom Lake facility was ready for operations, although it was still quite primitive,' the report states.
'It included a 5,000-foot asphalt runway, housing for about 150 personnel, a mess hall, a few wells to provide water, fuel storage tanks, and a small amount of hangar and shop space.'
The first planes were delivered to Area 51 on July 25, 1955, and the trials began two days later, and the first documented test flight occurred on August 4, 1955.
The goal was to establish Project AQUATONE, the CIA's program to develop the Lockheed U-2 strategic reconnaissance aircraft.
The U-2 was designed to conduct high-altitude, long-range surveillance of the Soviet Union to address critical intelligence gaps during the Cold War.
The CIA report noted that reports about UFOs around Area 51 occurred 'in the early evening hours from pilots of airliners flying from east to west.'
Area 51, officially referred to as the Groom Lake test facility or 'the Ranch,' was established in April 1955 when scouts spotted the area while flying over the Mojave Desert. Pictured is Area 51 taken during a 1957 U-2 flight
A CIA document declassified in 2013 revealed the UFO sightings were due to it flying US spy planes over the area
'If a U-2 was airborne in the vicinity of the airliner at the time, its horizon was considerably more distant, and it was still in sunlight,' reads the document.
'At times, when a U-2 pilot made a turn, the sunlight reflecting off the U-2's silver wings would cause a series of glints or flashes. This caused airliner pilots to report seeing a bright object high above them.'
Even more, the CIA revealed that it had flown personnel assigned to the test site from 'the Lockheed plant in Burbank, California, every Monday morning and returned to Burbank on Friday evening' to conceal the base from the public eye.
The OXCART program, which developed the A-12 reconnaissance plane, started flights in September 1960.
The Lockheed A-12 was intended for high-speed, high-altitude reconnaissance missions, particularly over areas deemed 'denied' or politically sensitive.
The airplane was used by the CIA for five years to fly operational missions over Southeast Asia before it was retired in 1969 and put into storage at Palmdale, California.
'In early 1962, CIA officials became concerned about the possibility that the Soviet Union might learn about the OXCART program through overhead reconnaissance,' the document reads.
Because of the fear, the CIA tested the site's visibility using their own reconnaissance assets by having having 'Groom Lake photographed by a U-2 and later by a CORONA reconnaissance satellite.'
But in 1974, 'the Skylab astronauts inadvertently photographed the Groom Lake test site despite specific instructions not to do so.'
Skylab was America's first space station and a pioneering research laboratory in space.
The agency declassified a more than 400-page report that detailed how testing its secret spy planes 'accounted for more than one-half of all UFO reports during the late 1950s and most of the 1960s.' Pictured is a mysterious triangle tower on the base
Details about astronauts snapping images of Area 51 are the last reference to the secret base in the 400-page report.
Self-proclaimed Ufologist Stanton Friedman did not take the documents as fact, saying in 2013: 'The notion that the U-2 explains most sightings at that time is utter rot and baloney.
'Can the U-2 sit still in the sky? Make right-angle turns in the middle of the sky? Take off from nothing?'
And it seemed thousands of Americans did not believe the CIA either.
The 'Storm Area 51, They Can't Stop All of Us' event was created on Facebook, garnering more than 460,000 'going' RSVPs while another 460K said that they were 'interested' in infiltrating the Nevada compound.
'We will all meet up at the Area 51 Alien Center tourist attraction and coordinate our entry,' the event description says.
'If we Naruto run, we can move faster than their bullets. Lets [sic] see them [sic] aliens.'
The phrase 'Naruto run' refers to anime character Naruto Uzumaki, who is known for a running style that has his body tilted forward and low to the ground while his arms are stretched out behind his back.
A few days after the Facebook event was created by Matty Roberts, he revealed it was all a 'joke.'
Roberts told Nevada's KLAS-TV via video call on Wednesday he was amazed at how his hoax took off. 'I posted it on like June 27th and it was kind of a joke,' Roberts said.
Roberts said he had decided to come forward out of fear the FBI would come to question him over the joke after millions of UFO conspiracy theory fans signed up to invade the top-secret US Air Force base.
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A bombshell report has claimed that the UFO conspiracies surrounding Nevada's Area 51 were fueled by the Pentagon to conceal a classified weapons program.
According to the 2024 US Department of Defense (DOD) review, the government conducted a deliberate disinformation campaign during the Cold War era, going so far as to distribute fake photos of flying saucers to residents.
In the 1980s, a US Air Force colonel allegedly handed out doctored images of UFOs to patrons at a nearby bar, claiming they had been taken in the area.
The photos were quickly pinned on the wall, igniting public speculation that alien technology was being housed and studied at the top-secret base.
The report claimed the grassroots disinformation campaign was an attempt to hide military testing, including stealth fighter jets, the Wall Street Journal reported.
Area 51, officially established in 1955, remained largely under the radar until 1989, when whistleblower Robert Lazar appeared on television.
He claimed he had worked at a hidden facility near Groom Lake, known as 'S-4,' reverse-engineering alien spacecraft, further cementing Area 51's place in UFO lore.
The report also revealed that high-ranking Air Force officials hazed new commanders by briefing them on a fabricated top-secret project called 'Yankee Blue,' which involved the supposed study of extraterrestrial craft.
After the phony briefing, recruits were warned they would face jail or execution if they ever disclosed the information.
A bombshell report has claimed that the UFO conspiracies surrounding Nevada's Area 51 were fueled by the Pentagon to conceal classified weapons program
Details confirming that Area 51 served as a testing ground for America’s cutting-edge weapons were first revealed in a CIA document declassified in 2013.
The report explained that during the Cold War, the remote Nevada base was used to test aircraft like the U-2 spy plane and the A-12 reconnaissance jet under a veil of secrecy.
Despite those facts, Area 51 has since evolved into a hotbed of alien conspiracy theories, with persistent rumors of crashed UFOs and extraterrestrial autopsies hidden behind its barbed-wire fences.
The new claims of a secret weapons cover up comes from a report by the All-domain Anomaly Resolution Office (AARO), a congressional task force within the DOD created to investigate persistent rumors of secret government projects involving alien technology.
Sean Kirkpatrick, the first director of the AARO, was appointed by the government in 2022 to investigate and make sense of the countless UFO theories swirling through public and military channels.
He and his team sifted UFO reports spanning back to 1945, finding several cases where high-ranking military officials misled the public and their own colleagues.
Kirkpatrick told the Wall Street Journal that he met with retired Air Force members who were briefed about Yankee Blue.
The new recruits were given a photo of what looked like a flying saucer that was described as an anti-gravity maneuvering vehicle.
And even decades later, news that Yankee Blue was fake stunned the now-retired servicemen.
A branch of the government sifted sifted UFO reports spanning back to 1945, finding several cases where high-ranking military officials misled the public and their own colleagues. Pictured is a 2004 case, capturing a mysterious object over California
It was not until 2023 did the defense secretary's office send a memo out across the service ordering the practice to stop immediately.
Kirkpatrick told then President director of national intelligence, Avril Haines, who was also stunned.
Haines was said to have pressed the issue, questioning how the hazing could have carried on without being stopped.
The official responded: 'Ma'am, we know it went on for decades. We are talking about hundreds and hundreds of people. These men signed NDAs. They thought it was real.'
Defense Department spokeswoman Sue Gough confirmed to the Wall Street Journal that AARO had uncovered fabricated materials falsely presented as part of classified programs involving extraterrestrials.
She said lawmakers and intelligence officials had been briefed on the findings.
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According to the 2024 US Department of Defense (DOD) review, the government conducted a deliberate disinformation campaign during the Cold War era, going so far as to distribute fake photos of flying saucers to residents.
Following the release of the report, Nick Pope, who worked on the MoD's UFO desk for three years from 1991, claims that some UFO investigators are introducing 'too much religiosity' into their theories.
In a post on X, Mr Pope wrote: 'The subject of UAP has gone from fringe to mainstream.
'We risk losing this if we go down the paranormal rabbit hole, or introduce too much religiosity or spirituality into the narrative.
'Let's keep the focus on defense, national security and safety of flight.'
A bombshell report has claimed that the UFO conspiracies surrounding Nevada's Area 51 (pictured) were fueled by the Pentagon to conceal classified weapons program
UFOs are at risk of 'going down the paranormal rabbit hole', an expert has warned in wake of a bombshell report by the Wall Street Journal
Mr Pope (pictured), who worked on the MoD's UFO desk for three years from 1991, cautioned that some UFO investigators were introducing 'too much religiosity' into their theories and warned that those interested in UFOs should 'keep the focus on defense, national security, and safety of flight'
Members of Congress, largely coming from the Republican Party, have formed a caucus to examine what they call 'unidentified anomalous phenomena' or 'UAPs'.
However, UFOs' growing credibility now risks taking a serious blow as it emerges that a number of UFO theories might have been deliberately started by the Pentagon itself.
The new claims of a secret weapons cover-up come from a report by the All-domain Anomaly Resolution Office (AARO) - a congressional task force within the DOD created to investigate persistent rumours of secret government projects involving alien technology.
Sean Kirkpatrick, the first director of the AARO, was appointed by the government in 2022 to investigate and make sense of the countless UFO theories swirling through public and military channels.
Investigating UFO reports dating back to 1945, AARO discovered several cases where high-ranking military officials deliberately misled the public and their colleagues.
The subject of UFOs has recently gained credibility, culminating in a series of Congressional Hearings in 2023 in which whistleblowers testified that the US has a secret UFO retrieval programme
Recent reports suggest that the Pentagon deliberately fanned the flames of UFO conspiracies and gave doctored images to members of the public and members of the military to cover up a secret weapons programme. Pictured: The famous 'Tic Tac' UFO video
Mr Kirkpatrick told the Wall Street Journal he had met a number of former Air Force members who claimed to have been briefed on a project called 'Yankee Blue'.
For decades, some newly recruited officers were given a picture which appeared to show a flying saucer and were told that they were part of a programme called Yankee Blue which was responsible for reverse-engineering the technology.
However, the picture was a fake and there was such a reverse-engineering programme.
Instead, Yankee Blue appears to have been a bizarre hazing ritual or loyalty test for new recruits into the Air Force.
And even decades later, news that Yankee Blue was fake stunned the now-retired servicemen.
It was not until 2023 did the defence secretary's office sent a memo out across the service ordering the practice to stop immediately.
Kirkpatrick told then President's director of national intelligence, Avril Haines, who was also stunned.
Haines was said to have pressed the issue, questioning how the hazing could have carried on without being stopped.
According to the 2024 US Department of Defense (DOD) review, the Pentagon (pictured) conducted a deliberate disinformation campaign during the Cold War era, going so far as to distribute fake photos of flying saucers to residents.
The official responded: 'Ma'am, we know it went on for decades. We are talking about hundreds and hundreds of people. These men signed NDAs. They thought it was real.'
Mr Pope told MailOnline: 'The idea that governments have faked UFO narratives so as to distract people from black project technologies isn't new.
'It doesn't surprise me that the practice continues, or that other false narratives have been created, perhaps as loyalty tests, to see if people leak them, or even as practical jokes.'
These findings are particularly critical for UFO researchers since they threaten to cast doubt over recent high-profile testimony given before Congress.
For example, Mike Gold, who served on NASA's independent UAP study team in October 2022, told Congress that 'UAPs should be taken seriously and researched accordingly.'
If it is true that UFO sightings are being manufactured by the intelligence community, then it could mean this testimony can no longer be relied on.
Mr Pope adds: 'At some of the public sessions, Intelligence Community insiders have testified as to the reality of legacy Intelligence Community programmes relating to crash retrievals and reverse engineering, unequivocally stating that the U.S. government is in possession of hardware and bodies of a non-human intelligence.
'Congress urgently now needs to ask: are these statements true, were the witnesses taken in by these false narratives, or were they complicit in creating and spreading such narratives?'
Despite this new information, UFO advocates such as Luiz Elizondo (pictured) have doubled down on their beliefs. Mr Elizondo appeared to insinuate that the recent investigation was, itself, part of a conspiracy to hide the truth about UFOs
As these reports rattle many UFO believers, Mr Pope insists that it is key for those in favour of UFO disclosure to 'push narratives that compete with the religious/spiritual one'.
Mr Pope wrote: 'Let's keep the focus on defense, national security and safety of flight.'
His comments come in response to a growing number of UFO supporters who argue that aliens are actually angels or other supernatural creatures.
Yet despite the Wall Street Journal's revelations and Mr Pope's appeal to stick to the facts, many UFO believers have only entrenched themselves deeper in conspiracy theories.
Speaking on the Good Trouble Show podcast, Mr Elizondo said: 'The absurdity of the WSJ article is not only a disingenuous piece, it appears to be well orchestrated with the usual players in the DoD [Department of Defence].'
Likewise, commenters on the popular r/UFO Reddit page shared their belief that the WSJ investigation must be another conspiracy.
One commenter wrote: 'The fact they are claiming this is totally absurd but it’s important to see why they are doing it. WSJ is being fed this info from Pentagon sources. Why? What is their angle?'
UFO believers are concerned that these findings could be used to undermine the testimony of several whistleblowers given before Congress in 2023. This has led to wild speculation that the investigation itself was a 'psy-op' from the Pentagon to discredit UFO believers
Experts say that conspiracy theories are 'sticky', meaning that believers cannot give them up easily even when faced with contradictory evidence
However, psychologists say that this reaction to the sudden release of new information is normal for conspiracy theorists.
Dr Daniel Jolley, an expert on the psychology of conspiracy theories from the University of Nottingham, told MailOnline: 'Conspiracy beliefs can be very “sticky” because they’re often tied to people’s identity and worldview.
'When someone invests in a conspiracy belief, it becomes part of how they make sense of the world and themselves.
New evidence that contradicts those beliefs can be dismissed or rationalised away since accepting it might threaten deeply held assumptions and create psychological discomfort.'
This means that the suggestion that UFO myths were created as a disinformation campaign is unlikely to affect the deeply held beliefs of those who already think UFOs are real.
Over the course of three online-based studies, researchers at the University of Kent showed strong links between the belief in conspiracy theories and certain psychological traits.
Narcissism and self-esteem levels have a large impact on a persons belief in conspiracy theories.
The results showed that people who rated highly on the narcissism scale and who had low self-esteem were more likely to be conspiracy believers.
However, while low self-esteem, narcissism and belief in conspiracies are strongly linked, it is not clear that one - or a combination - causes the other.
But it hints at an interesting new angle to the world of conspiracy and those who reinforce belief.
There are widely believed to be three main reasons as to why people believe in conspiracy theories.
- The desire for understanding and certainty - Seeking explanations for events is a natural human desire.
- The desire for control and security - Conspiracy theories can give their believers a sense of control and security.
- The desire to maintain a positive self-image - People who feel socially marginalised are more likely to believe in conspiracy theories and it gives them a sense of worth in the UFO community.
These three things tie in with the previously stated qualities and combine to create an avid conspiracy theorist.
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A set of disturbing photos claiming to show a dead alien caught the attention of Joe Rogan, who was stunned by what he saw.
The three photos, which surfaced last week on X, have been linked to former military intelligence official Luis Elizondo, a polarizing figure in the world of UFO investigations.
Daily Mail has chosen not to show the images in full due to their graphic nature.
'Did you see, Lou Elizondo, these photos that are supposedly of a real alien?' Rogan said to his guests, comedians Luis J Gomez and Big Jay Oakerson.
'It's so dumb. The photos look blurry... of the photos of the dead alien. This is crazy.'
Along with the photos, Rogan presented a 1993 document claiming they depicted 'an alien hybrid child born to a 15-year-old girl, subject of an ET genetic experiment.'
The discussion quickly veered into speculation when Rogan and his guests wondered if the figure in the images might be a baby with Harlequin ichthyosis, a skin disorder that causes thick, scaly plates on the body.
'It could be anything, man. I mean, it might not even be human,' Rogan said.
The images have triggered intense backlash online, with many users convinced they depict a deceased baby rather than an extraterrestrial being. Critics have slammed Elizondo for allegedly promoting the photos without proper context.
'Did you see, Lou Elizondo, these photos that are supposedly of a real alien?' Rogan said. 'It's so dumb. The photos look blurry... of the photos of the dead alien. This is crazy'
A set of disturbing photos claiming to show a dead alien flooded the internet, catching the attention of Joe Rogan, who appeared stunned by the bizarre images. Daily Mail has chosen not to show in full due to their graphic nature
However, UAP (unidentified anomalous phenomena) researcher Rob Heatherly told DailyMail.com that he sent the images to the former Pentagon official in hopes of getting clarification.
'His only reply to my inquiry, paraphrasing, was that he had absolutely no idea either,' Heatherly said.
'Lue gets accused of things frequently that he has no actual involvement in or cognizance of. It's not required that he address each accusation, especially the absurd one, as this is.
He claimed the photos were sold at auction, saying: 'I didn't buy the albums. I found the auctions and saved the images.
'The person who listed them for sale was commenting about them with me in recent days regarding this.'
DailyMail.com contacted Elizondo and his lawyer Ivan Hannel last week for comment and has yet to receive a response.
Elizondo, however, appeared on The Joe Rogan Experience in 2024, where he claimed the intelligence community and the Department of Defense have 'hundreds and hundreds of videos of UFOs.'
Rogan did not say Elizondo had shared the images, only mentioned that the former military intelligence official was somehow involved with them.
Along with the photos, Rogan presented a 1993 document claiming they depicted 'an alien hybrid child born to a 15-year-old girl, subject of an ET genetic experiment'
'Like you can't even zoom in on that,' Rogan said during the podcast, highlighting how blurry the images were. 'You can't even f****** focus. Look at these.
'What is that? What's that? What is that dude? How about better pictures? These are the only pictures. Is this from the forties? Like, what's this picture from? What is this?'
Elizondo recently came under fire after sharing an image he said was a UFO.
While speaking in front of Congress on May 1, he held up what he said was a never-before-seen image of a cruise ship–sized craft he claimed was spotted hovering 21,000 feet in the air over the western US.
The image quickly flooded social media and was debunked in less than 24 hours.
Users analyzed the photo and located the object, discovering it was actually a snapshot of two irrigation circles in rural Colorado.
Mick West, a British-American science writer and conspiracy theory investigator, wrote on X: 'This UFO photo shows two irrigation circles.
While speaking in front of Congress on May 1, Luis Elizondo held up what he said was an image of a cruise ship–sized craft he claimed was spotted hovering 21,000 feet in the air over the western US. It was quickly debunked. He has not commented on the recent photos
Another mistake involved a high-resolution image of a 'mothership' in 2022, which looked at first glance to be piercing through the clouds in Romania, but was later debunked as the window reflection of an indoor chandelier lamp
'The roads are perfectly aligned, and the 'shadow' is in the wrong direction.'
West also noted that this isn't the first time Elizondo, who led the Pentagon's program investigating UFO sightings for 10 years, has made a major UFO blunder.
One glaring mistake involved a high-resolution image of a supposed 'mothership' in 2022, which appeared to be piercing through clouds over Romania. It was later debunked as the window reflection of an indoor chandelier lamp.
Others in the Reddit thread were less forgiving toward Elizondo, with many accusing him of spreading disinformation.
'Trying to clown all of us,' one user wrote. 'If any of the people coming forward are serious, they'll distance themselves from him.'
'Really brings into question what they are doing with disclosure. Starting to think that Elizondo and co. are just disinformation agents,' another added.
Despite the criticism, Elizondo doubled down on showing the photo at Thursday's hearing, saying on X Friday that it was an unvetted image he used to prove a point about civilian pilots lacking access to UFO-reporting resources.
'The purpose of me showing the photo was to illustrate the need for civilian and commercial pilots to have a central reporting mechanism to report potential anomalous sightings,' Elizondo posted on X Friday.
'In this case, the pilot who took the photo, using his own camera, did not have a way to report what he believed was anomalous,' he continued.
'The ones who are screaming about it (instead of discussing it respectfully as I hoped) missed the entire point of the photo and are not helping other pilots in the future from coming forward,' the whistleblower added.
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Workers digging a pipeline in Argentina found the flattened skull of an ancient toddler, raising questions about its asymmetrical shape.
The skull of a child who died in the 15th or 16th century was found by workers digging a pipeline in northwest Argentina.
(Image credit: Provincial Directorate of Anthropology / Catamarca Ministry of Culture, Tourism and Sports)
While installing a water pipeline in Argentina last month, workers stumbled upon the skull of a child who was buried at least 700 years ago. The archaeological discovery quickly garnered media attention because of the asymmetry of the skull, drawing comparisons to aliens.
But the flattening on the back of the skull, which belonged to a 3- to 4-year-old child, is simply the result of the cultural practice of head shaping, Cristian Sebastián Melián, director of the Provincial Directorate of Anthropology in Catamarca, Argentina, told Live Science in a translated email.
The skull was found on May 27 in the town of San Fernando del Valle de Catamarca in northwestern Argentina. When archaeologists investigated the pits made in the infrastructure project, they found broken and burned llama remains, along with a ceramic vessel typical of pottery from the Inca occupation there between 1430 and 1530, Melián said.
But the child's skull was found several feet away along with the rest of the skeleton, which was placed in the grave in the fetal position. Although the child had no grave goods, pottery fragments in the dirt suggested a date of death around 1100 to 1300.
The archaeologists did not see any trauma on the child's skeleton, but they noted the "pronounced cultural cranial alteration of the oblique tabular type," Melián said.
The practice of head shaping, or cranial modification, dates back thousands of years and has been found in all parts of the world. While some cultures used long stretches of cloth wrapped around a baby's head to create an elongated shape, others applied padding to the front or back of the baby's head to create a flatter shape. Nowadays, often for medical purposes, parents may employ a special helmet to ensure their baby has a round, symmetrical head.
The child's skull found in San Fernando was likely shaped using padding to encourage the "oblique tabular" shape, which is flat or sloping at the front and back of the skull. This practice can cause the sides of the skull to widen and appear bulged.
Currently, the Provincial Directorate of Anthropology has more than 100 skulls from ancient people in its skeletal collection, Melián said, and evidence of head shaping is extremely common.
"Approximately 90% of them have an erect or oblique tabular shape" to their skulls, Melián said.
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A startling new video has captured a clear image of what one witness believes was a giantUFO flying over California.
The April 27 video taken by an unnamed resident in Twentynine Palms followed what appears to be a brightly-lit hexagonal craft as it flew over the desert.
The UFO reportedly appeared out of nowhere around 10:27 pm PT while the witness was staying at a remote cabin.
'It seemed to move arbitrarily with no clear path. The movements were jerky and at varying speeds,' the witness wrote in their NUFORC report.
The large object also appeared to pulsate, giving off a bright light from its edges, as it moved through the sky for approximately 15 minutes.
'Tonight is the new moon - so it was definitely not the moon, and in any case was much brighter than even a full moon,' the witness continued.
'The striking thing was its great brightness and irregular shape and path,' they added.
The April 27 video taken by an unnamed resident in Twentynine Palms, California followed what appears to be a brightly-lit hexagonal craft as it flew over the desert
As the witness in Twentynine Palms followed the UFO, they added that the strange craft began to change shape - morphing from a six-sided object into a circle.
The person taking the cellphone video was the only witness at the cabin that night, so no one else was able to confirm their story.
However, they declared in their report to NUFORC that they hadn't taken any 'mind altering substances' during the sighting and had clear vision the entire time.
Officials at NUFORC tried to find an explanation for the sighting, noting that a SpaceX rocket launch had taken place that day, but that Falcon 9 took off from in Florida three hours earlier.
That bizarre shape was caused by illuminated frozen fuel expelled from the SpaceX rocket, experts revealed.
The light blue spiral is formed when excess fuel that has been released from the fast-spinning rocket turns to ice.
It then reflects the sunlight in the upper atmosphere - giving it an otherworldly gleam - before turning to water vapor.
Experts say the bizarre shape seen in the UK in March was caused by illuminated frozen fuel expelled from a SpaceX rocket - and was not caused by aliens
The brand new sighting came just days before a US congressional hearing on UFOs and unidentified aerial phenomenon (UAPs).
The speakers, including Pentagon UFO project whistleblower Luis Elizondo, a former NASA administrator, and a retired Navy admiral called on the government to release what they know about these unexplained sightings.
They also called for an increase in funding for the detection of UFOs and UAPs, which several hearing speakers said was being suppressed by the US intelligence community.
Elizondo and others noted that witnesses like the one in Twentynine Palms have no centralized official channel in the US to speak to when it comes to reporting UFO sightings.
Therefore, countless alleged sightings either go unreported or are never investigated by the military or federal officials.
NUFORC and the Mutual UFO Network (MUFON) are two of the most recognized civilian groups keeping track of sightings by civilians.
While these two organizations are not government-affiliated, they often share data with researchers or government entities when significant cases arise.
A strange jellyfish-like phenomenon was spotted streaking across theCaliforniasky Monday night.
While the unusual 'UFO' sighting baffled many locals from the Mojave desert to Los Angeles's South Bay, scientists say there were no extraterrestrials involved in creating the jellyfish - it was anElon Musk rocket.
SpaceX's latest Falcon 9 rocket mission lifted off at 11:36pm ET Monday night from Vandenberg Space Force Station in California.
A few minutes into the flight, the rocket's exhaust interacted with the atmosphere, creating a visible cloud of condensed water vapor.
Since the launch took place right after sunset, around 8:36pm PT, the sun illuminated the crystalized exhaust plume, resulting in a spectacular sight for millions on the ground.
Californians posted images of the rocket soaring over the state on X, even as far south as Riverside, over 200 miles southeast of the Vandenberg launch site.
SpaceX's lead avionics systems engineer, Cameron Gable, captured the jellyfish phenomenon as the rocket traveled past Los Angeles County's South Bay.
Scientists said that the mysterious jellyfish seen over California Monday night was the exhaust trail of a Falcon 9 rocket
The Falcon 9 rocket's exhaust interacted with Earth's atmosphere, creating a visible cloud of condensed water vapor that became easier to see right after sunset
SpaceX's lead avionics engineer posted on X, showing the jellyfish effect as it passed over Los Angeles's South Bay
The jellyfish phenomenon, also known as a 'vapor cone' or 'shock collar,' occurs when the localized air pressure around the rocket drops, causing the air temperature to decrease and water vapor to condense into visible clouds.
Monday's giant jellyfish display started just a few minutes into the flight and was visible to anyone in the Southern California area.
It's not the first time a SpaceX rocket has produced the jellyfish effect. In October 2022, sky watchers caught another Falcon 9 rocket creating the same vapor trail during a similar mission to deploy new satellites.
Monday's Falcon 9 launch was the latest mission in SpaceX's ongoing efforts to expand its Starlink 'constellation,' aiming to enhance global internet coverage.
The mission also used a reusable first-stage engine, a hallmark of SpaceX's design philosophy aimed at reducing the cost of spaceflights.
SpaceX captured the moment on their live broadcast when the reusable engine safely landed back on Earth to be used again in future missions.
Monday's mission was the 200th from the company's Space Launch Complex 4 East at Vandenberg.
The SpaceX launch was part of the company's ongoing Starlink mission, which is deploying a network of new satellites that will boost global internet coverage
The jellyfish effect is a common occurrence during space rocket launches and can normally be seen from states hundreds of miles from the actual launch site
The remote-controlled reusable rocket engine made a perfect touchdown on SpaceX's droneship in the Pacific Ocean about eight minutes after launch, making it the 463rd engine returned to Earth.
While the jellyfish effect may seem like a bizarre UFO to the untrained eye, it's common among spaceflights.
Social media users regularly capture rockets giving off the jellyfish trail from hundreds of miles away.
One X user in Phoenix, Arizona, was able to spot a similar jellyfish during a June 2024 launch. That mission also involved a Falcon 9 launching from Vandenberg, which was over 500 miles away.
When a rocket launches, it expels a large amount of exhaust gases at high speeds. These gases, primarily composed of water vapor, carbon dioxide, and other rocket launch byproducts, expand rapidly as they exit the rocket's nozzle.
As the exhaust plume expands, it encounters cooler, denser air in Earth's upper atmosphere. This can cause the water vapor in the exhaust to condense into visible clouds, forming a balloon-like shape around the rocket.
The high speed of the rocket can also create shock waves, further shaping the exhaust into distinctive patterns, creating the jellyfish effect.
SpaceX's Falcon 9 rockets, with their frequent launch schedule and reusable first stages, often trigger this effect due to their design and the typical launch times chosen for optimal visibility.
However, any rocket launch around the world can potentially give off a jellyfish trail, especially when the conditions are right for the exhaust to give off a dramatic display in the atmosphere.
Archaeologists have uncovered ancient inscriptions inside Egypt’s Great Pyramid that they say confirm who built the monument 4,500 years ago.
Ancient Greeks shared stories that the stunning monument was built by 100,000 slaves who worked in three-month shifts over 20 years.
But new discoveries inside the Great Pyramid have changed the narrative, showing it was constructed by paid, skilled laborers who worked continuously, taking one day off every 10 days.
Egyptologist Dr Zahi Hawass and his team recently explored a series of narrow chambers above the King’s Chamber using imaging technology, finding never-before-seen markings left by work gangs from the 13th-century BC.
They also unearthed tombs south of the pyramid, the eternal resting places of skilled laborers, complete with statues of workers muscling stones and 21 hieroglyphic titles like 'overseer of the side of the pyramid' and 'craftsman.'
'[The discoveries] confirm that the builders were not slaves. If they had been, they would never have been buried in the shadow of the pyramids,' Dr Hawass said during an episode of the Matt Beall Limitless podcast.
'Slaves would not have prepared their tombs for eternity, like kings and queens did, inside these tombs.'
The latest findings also shed light on how the pyramid was built, revealing that limestone from a quarry just 1,000 feet away was hauled to the site using a rubble-and-mud ramp, remnants of which were found southwest of the monument.
Dr Hawass is now working on a new expedition, funded by Beall, which will send a robot into the Great Pyramid, marking the first excavation of the structure in modern history.
The Great Pyramid of Giza is the largest Egyptian pyramid and was constructed by Pharaoh Khufu, who ruled during the Fourth Dynasty of the Old Kingdom
Egyptologist Dr Zahi Hawass shared the discoveries on the Matt Beall Limitless podcast this month
The Great Pyramid of Giza is the largest Egyptian pyramid and was constructed by Pharaoh Khufu, who ruled during the Fourth Dynasty of the Old Kingdom.
It is also one of three within the Giza plateau, the other two include the Pyramid of Khafre and the Pyramid of Menkaure, as well as the Great Sphinx.
All shrouded in mystery due to their unclear construction methods, precise astronomical alignment and still-debated purpose.
Inscriptions were previously found inside the Great Pyramid during the 19th century, sparking debate that the writings were forged hundreds of years after it was built.
'There was some debate on whether or not that could be a forgery, but now you're saying that you've discovered three more cartes within the King's Chamber,' Beall asked Dr Hawass.
The archaeologist then showed images never shared with the public, highlighting the names drawn onto the rock.
'They were found in chambers that are difficult and dangerous to access, and they use writing styles that only trained Egyptologists can accurately interpret,' said Dr Hawass.
'It’s nearly impossible that someone in recent times could have forged something like this. You must climb about 45 feet and crawl through tight spaces to even reach those chambers.'
Egyptologist Dr Zahi Hawass and his team recently explored a series of narrow chambers above the King’s Chamber using imaging technology, finding never-before-seen markings left by work gangs from the 13th-century BC
Hawass's team also unearthed tombs south of the pyramid, the eternal resting places of skilled laborers
The archaeologist admitted that some European visitors managed to enter and left their names scratched into the stone in the late 18th and 19th centuries.
'But the inscriptions we found are clearly much older, original graffiti from ancient Egyptian workers,' Dr Hawass added.
Alongside these inscriptions, the second major discovery was the tombs of the pyramid builders.
Dr Hawass and his team found tools inside the tombs, such as flint tools and pounding stones that would have been used in the Great Pyramid's construction.
'The base of the Great Pyramid is made from solid bedrock, carved 28 feet deep into the ground,' he said.
'This means that after marking the square base, the builders cut down into all four sides of the rock until they created a level platform of solid stone, no blocks, just bedrock.
'You can still see this today on the south side of Khufu’s pyramid.'
He continued to explain that the workers operated in teams, some cut the stones, others shaped them and the rest transported the material using wooden sleds pulled over the sand.'
He added that the rocks were then moved using ramps, which the archaeologist said he found evidence of.
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Hawass's team also unearthed tombs south of the pyramid, the eternal resting places of skilled laborers, complete with statues of workers muscling stones
'The ramp had to come from the southwest corner of the pyramid and connect to the quarry,' said Dr Hawass,
'We excavated this area, and in the site labeled C2, we found remnants of the ramp, stone rubble mixed with sand and mud. When the ramp was dismantled, they didn’t remove every trace, and what was left behind is what we uncovered.'
Dr Hawass' colleague, Mark Lehner, has been excavating a site just east of the pyramid, uncovering what they are calling 'the worker's city.'
The team has uncovered facilities used for sorting salted fish, a large bakery for bread, barracks and the settlement where the laborers lived.
'There’s a popular myth that the workers ate only garlic, onions, and bread, but we found thousands of animal bones at the site,' Dr Hawass said.
'An expert from the University of Chicago analyzed them and found that the Egyptians slaughtered 11 cows and 33 goats every day to feed the laborers.
'This diet was enough to support around 10,000 workers per day.'
The conversation switched to the upcoming exploration of the Big Void, which Dr Hawass is leading.
The podcaster explained that they were working on a robot, no larger than a centimeter, which will travel through a tiny hole drilled into the side of the Great Pyramid.
The Big Void, discovered in 2017, stretches for at least 100 feet above the Grand Gallery, an ascending corridor that links the Queen’s chamber to the King’s in the heart of the pyramid.
Dr Hawass believes he will locate the lost tomb of Khufu inside the void.
'I think it's unlikely that it's a tomb, just because there's never been a tomb,' Beall said.
'There's never been a Pharaoh discovered in any of these in any of the main pyramids ever.'
The excavation is slated for around January or February next year.
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Officially titled 3I/ATLAS, the rare interloper is 12 miles (20km) long and hurtling towards the sun at 135,000 miles per hour.
Now, using a powerful telescope in Hawaii, the European Space Agency (ESA) has captured the first video of 3I/ATLAS as it makes its journey through space.
As the short video shows, the object is extremely bright, which means it is either many times larger than any other interstellar object or has another source of illumination.
Most experts agree that this extra illumination is caused by the fact that 3I/ATLAS is an active comet, producing a glowing 'coma' of ice and gas as it approaches the sun.
Professor Avi Loeb, a physicist at Harvard University, told MailOnline: 'If it is not a comet, then its large brightness would be a big surprise and potentially signal a non-natural origin, perhaps from artificial light.'
The European Space Agency has captured the first video of the interstellar object, 3I/ATLAS, currently hurtling through our solar system
NASA predicts that 3I/ATLAS will reach its closest point to the sun on October 30, at a distance of 130 million miles (210 million km) - passing just within the orbit of Mars
3I/ATLAS was detected as a faint speck of light by NASA's Asteroid Terrestrial-impact Last Alert System (ATLAS) telescope.
Since then, professional and amateur astronomers around the world have scrambled to gather more data.
Scientists quickly combed older data to find observations of the object that had previously been missed, in a process called precovery.
Combining these with hundreds of new observations, scientists were able to officially confirm that 3I/ATLAS was an interstellar object.
Currently 420 million miles (670 million kilometres) away from Earth, 3I/ATLAS's trajectory and incredible speed meant it must be passing through our solar system after being ejected by its own star.
NASA predicts that it will reach its closest point to the sun on October 30, at a distance of 130 million miles (210 million km) - passing just within the orbit of Mars.
Thankfully, the object poses no threat to Earth and will pass harmlessly at around 150 million miles (240 million km) away at its closest point.
This is only the third time that scientists have managed to spot an interstellar object passing through the solar system.
Harvard physicist Avi Loeb told MailOnline that the object's intense brightness could be the result of artificial lights, indicating that it is an alien craft
This graph shows the passage of the interstellar object as seen from Earth as it travels from the Sagittarius constellation through the area of the sky containing Virgo
When 'Oumuamua was first detected, certain irregularities in its spin and velocity prompted Professor Loeb and his co-author, Dr Shmuel Bialy, to suggest that it could be alien in origin.
Professor Loeb says: ''Oumuamua exhibited a large non-gravitational acceleration which was anomalous given its lack of evaporation.'
Similarly, Professor Loeb now suggests that 3I/ATLAS could be a similar type of alien craft.
While experts say there is no evidence to support this idea, some researchers say we can't rule out the possibility just yet.
Professor Michael Garrett, Director of Jodrell Bank Centre for Astrophysics, told MailOnline: 'More observations are definitely needed.'
Asked whether the object could be an alien craft, Professor Garret responded: 'Who knows - it could be - that’s why it will be important to make as many different measurements as possible to test all hypotheses.'
'It’s unlikely that it is, but that doesn’t mean to say we shouldn’t check. We don’t know much about these interstellar objects, so we learn more each time we encounter one.'
In 2017, an interstellar object named Oumuamua passed through the solar system, and while most scientists believe it was a natural phenomenon, Harvard physicist Avi Loeb famously argued it may have been of alien origin
NASA and ESA have now confirmed that 3I/ATLAS is a comet due to the presence of a cloud of dust and gases called a coma. These are produced when the ice in a comet is warmed by the light of a nearby star like the sun
However, Professor Garret adds that there is currently no evidence the object is alien in nature, and it is more likely to be 'an icy body that has escaped from another planetary system and wandered by the solar system by chance'.
Currently, the overwhelming majority of evidence points to the fact that 3I/ATLAS is a comet, a small body made up of frozen gases and ice.
This is because astronomers have spotted a nebulous envelope of gas and dust known as a coma surrounding the object as it is heated by the sun.
Based on these observations, both NASA and ESA are now confident enough to confirm that 3I/ATLAS is an interstellar comet.
This also explains why 3I/ATLAS is so bright, since the material in the coma reflects the sun's light far more than rock or ice alone.
Dr Mark Norris, an astronomer from the University of Central Lancashire, told MailOnline: 'If there's a coma, it by definition is a comet, because this means that it is outgassing.
'This thing is still quite far from the sun, so you can expect, therefore, as it gets closer, you should get a bigger cloud of material; and that should become clear as we get more observations going forward.'
However, by the time the comet reaches its closest point to the Earth, it will be hidden behind the sun, so astronomers will need to wait until it reemerges in December to make the best observations.
A cigar-shaped object named 'Oumuamua sailed past Earth at 97,200mph (156,428km/h) in October.
It was first spotted by a telescope in Hawaii on 19 October, and was observed 34 separate times in the following week.
It is named after the Hawaiian term for 'scout' or 'messenger' and passed the Earth at about 85 times the distance to the moon.
It was the first interstellar object seen in the solar system, and it baffled astronomers.
Initially, it was thought the object could be a comet.
However, it displays none of the classic behavior expected of comets, such as a dusty, water-ice particle tail.
The asteroid is up to one-quarter mile (400 meters) long and highly-elongated - perhaps 10 times as long as it is wide.
That aspect ratio is greater than that of any asteroid or asteroid observed in our solar system to date.
But the asteroid's slightly red hue — specifically pale pink — and varying brightness are remarkably similar to objects in our own solar system.
Around the size of the Gherkin skyscraper in London, some astronomers were convinced it was piloted by aliens due to the vast distance the object traveled without being destroyed – and the closeness of its journey past the Earth.
Alien hunters at SETI – the Search for Extra-terrestrial Intelligence based at Berkeley University, California said there was a possibility the rock was ‘an alien artefact’.
But scientists from Queen’s University Belfast took a good look at the object and said it appears to be an asteroid, or ‘planetesimal’ as originally thought.
Researchers believe the cigar-shaped asteroid had a 'violent past', after looking at the light bouncing off its surface.
They aren't exactly sure when the violent collision took place, but they believe the lonely asteroid's tumbling will continue for at least a billion years.
From the depths of The Mariana Trench to the summit of Everest, microplastics can now be found almost everywhere on Earth.
Now, it turns out even our most intimate moments can't escape their blight.
Scientists have discovered microplastics are 'common' in both male and female reproductive fluids.
And they warned of the potential implications for reproduction, as egg and sperm quality could be impaired.
The team examined follicular fluid – found within the ovaries - from 29 women and the seminal fluid, found within semen, from 22 men.
Analysis revealed a range of commonly-used microplastics were present in more than half of the samples.
This included microplastics linked to non-stick coatings, polystyrene, plastic containers, wool, insulation and cushioning materials.
Lead researcher Dr Emilio Gomez-Sanchez, from the University of Murcia, said: 'Previous studies had already shown that microplastics can be found in various human organs.
While microplastics are much smaller than this, measuring under 5mm in size, this image shows how plastic particles can break down in the environment (stock image)
Experts have found microplastic particles in both male and female reproductive fluids - and it could have an impact on egg and sperm quality (stock image)
'As a result, we weren't entirely surprised to find microplastics in fluids of the human reproductive system, but we were struck by how common they were – found in 69 per cent of the women and 55 per cent of the men we studied.'
Microplastics are defined as plastic particles under 5mm in size, and there is evidence that they pose a threat to environmental and public health.
While this research did not directly assess how microplastics affect fertility, their detection highlights the need to explore possible implications for human reproductive health, the researchers warned.
'What we know from animal studies is that in the tissues where microplastics accumulate, they can induce inflammation, free radical formation, DNA damage, cellular senescence, and endocrine disruptions,' Dr Gomez-Sanchez added.
'It's possible they could impair egg or sperm quality in humans, but we don't yet have enough evidence to confirm that.'
The scientists said the microplastics probably enter the body through ingestion, inhalation and contact with the skin.
From there they enter the bloodstream, which then distributes them throughout the body – including to the reproductive organs.
They plan to carry out further studies to explore the potential relationship between the presence of microplastics and egg and sperm quality.
Tiny bits of microplastic, seen here as the black dots, have also been previously found in semen samples as part of a Chinese trial
Studies linking items with release of microplastics
Bottle (173 database entries)
Other container (115)
Teabag (70)
Cup (59)
Bag (57)
Baby bottle & feeding accessory (27)
Tray (19)
Can (18)
Food processing & transport equipment (17)
Wrapping (11)
Other (9)
Beverage carton (6)
Grinder (5)
Beehive (1)
Bottle cap (1)
Chopping board (1)
The findings, published in the journal Human Reproduction, were presented at the annual meeting of the European Society of Human Reproduction and Embryology (ESHRE).
Commenting on the study Dr Carlos Calhaz-Jorge, Immediate Past Chair of ESHRE, said: 'Environmental factors influencing reproduction are certainly a reality, although not easy to measure objectively.
'The authors of this study found microplastics in over two-thirds of follicular fluids and more than 50 per cent of semen fluids from the studied patients.
'Although the significance of these findings is not yet clear, they should be considered an additional argument in favour of avoiding the generalised use of plastics in our daily lives.'
Previous studies have detected microplastics in human breast milk, blood and even brain tissue.
And separate research has found high levels in everyday items such as tea bags, baby bottles and chopping boards.
Some scientists have urged caution when interpreting the findings of the new study.
Dr Stephanie Wright, Associate Professor in Environmental Toxicology at Imperial College London, said: 'Without information on the sizes of the microplastic particles observed, it is challenging to interpret how meaningful this data is.
Scientists from Universitat Autònoma de Barcelona have previously warned that a single tea bag can release billions of dangerous microplastics into your body
'There is a high potential for samples to become contaminated with microplastic throughout the sampling, laboratory processing, and analysis procedures.
'It is not a surprise that microplastics have been found – they are everywhere, even in the lab – but the data provided do not support that they are there as a result of human exposure as opposed to methodological artefact and must be interpreted with caution at this early stage.'
Fay Couceiro, Professor of Environmental Pollution and Head of the Microplastics Research Group at the University of Portsmouth, said: 'The study is very interesting and considering the global reduction in fertility rates, looking at possible causes is very topical and timely.
'As the authors state, finding microplastics is not that surprising as we have found them in lots of other areas of our bodies.
'Presence is also not the same as impact and the authors are clear that while they have found microplastics in the reproductive fluids of both men and women, we still don't know how they are affecting us.'
According to an article published in the International Journal of Environmental Research and Public Health, our understanding of the potential human health effects from exposure to microplastics 'constitutes major knowledge gaps.'
Humans can be exposed to plastic particles via consumption of seafood and terrestrial food products, drinking water and via the air.
However, the level of human exposure, chronic toxic effect concentrations and underlying mechanisms by which microplastics elicit effects are still not well understood enough in order to make a full assessment of the risks to humans.
According to Rachel Adams, a senior lecturer in Biomedical Science at Cardiff Metropolitan University, ingesting could cause a number of potentially harmful effects, such as:
- Inflammation: when inflammation occurs, the body's white blood cells and the substances they produce protect us from infection. This normally protective immune system can cause damage to tissues.
- An immune response to anything recognised as 'foreign' to the body: immune responses such as these can cause damage to the body.
- Becoming carriers for other toxins that enter the body: microplastics generally repel water and will bind to toxins that don't dissolve, so microplastics can bind to compounds containing toxic metals such as mercury, and organic pollutants such as some pesticides and chemicals called dioxins, which are known to causes cancer, as well as reproductive and developmental problems. If these microplastics enter the body, toxins can accumulate in fatty tissues.
Footballers, your jobs are safe for now: Watch as China's first 3-on-3 robot football match kicks off (and ends with two bots being stretched off the pitch!)
China's first three-on-three robot football tournament kicked off in Beijinglast Sunday.
But the quality of play on show suggests that a robot won't be claiming the Ballon d'Orany time soon.
As the AI-controlled bots shuffled slowly across the turf, they bumped into each other, toppled over, and only occasionally even kicked the ball.
By the time the final whistle blew, two bots had to be stretchered off the pitch after taking falls that would earn most human players a yellow card for diving.
Cheng Hao, founder of Booster Robotics, which supplied the robots for the tournament, told the Global Times that the robots currently have the skills of five-to six-year-old children.
However, Mr Hao believes that the robots' abilities will grow 'exponentially' and will soon be 'surpassing youth-level teams and eventually challenging adult teams'.
In the future, Mr Hao even says that humans could play against robots in specially arranged matches.
However, with the robots currently struggling to avoid collisions, more will need to be done to make the bots safe for humans to play with.
China's first three-on-three football tournament kicked off in Beijing last weekend, but the quality of play wasn't quite at professional levels
By the time the final whistle blew, two bots had to be stretchered off the pitch
The match took place as part of the ROBO league football tournament in Beijing, a test game ahead of China's upcoming 2025 World Humanoid Games.
Four teams of engineers were each provided with robots and tasked with building the AI strategies which control everything from passing and shooting to getting up after a fall.
Ultimately, THU Robotics from Tsinghua University defeated the Mountain Sea from China Agricultural University team five goals to three to win the championship.
However, despite impressive advancements in robotics, the matches showed that robotics still has a long way to go.
The robots struggle with what engineers call 'dynamic obstacle avoidance', which means they tend to run into other moving players despite moving only one metre per second.
This was such an issue that the tournament's organisers had to use a specially made version of football's rules which allows more 'non-malicious collisions'.
Likewise, although the robots were sometimes able to stand back up, human assistants sometimes had to step in and set them back on their feet.
At one point in the match, the referee even had to hold back two robots as they blindly trampled a fallen teammate.
The robots struggle with 'dynamic obstacle avoidance', meaning they often crash into other players despite moving slowly
The referee had to step in and prevent the robots from trampling each other during several points of the game
These kinds of difficult scenarios are exactly why robotics researchers are so interested in using sports as testbeds for their technology.
Sports involve multiple moving objects, rapidly changing situations and demand levels of teamwork and coordination that have long surpassed the capabilities of robots.
Mr Cheng told the Global Times: 'We chose the football scenario for robot competition primarily for two reasons: first, to encourage students to apply their algorithmic skills to real-world robotics; second, to showcase the robots' ability to walk autonomously and stably, withstand collisions, and demonstrate higher levels of intelligence and safety.'
Similarly, Google's DeepMind has used football to help test its learning algorithms, demonstrating miniature football-playing robots in 2023.
Physical jobs in predictable environments, including machine-operators and fast-food workers, are the most likely to be replaced by robots.
Management consultancy firm McKinsey, based in New York, focused on the amount of jobs that would be lost to automation, and what professions were most at risk.
The report said collecting and processing data are two other categories of activities that increasingly can be done better and faster with machines.
This could displace large amounts of labour - for instance, in mortgages, paralegal work, accounting, and back-office transaction processing.
Conversely, jobs in unpredictable environments are least are risk.
The report added: 'Occupations such as gardeners, plumbers, or providers of child- and eldercare - will also generally see less automation by 2030, because they are technically difficult to automate and often command relatively lower wages, which makes automation a less attractive business proposition.'
Humanoid robots face-off ahead of China's first-ever 3-on-3 AI football match
Robo-Ronaldos and Mecha-Messis square off in 3-on-3 AI robot football event in China｜Humanoid Robot
Harvard physicist Avi Loeb revealed that the object is expected to pass by Earth on December 17, speeding through the solar system at more than41 miles per second (roughly 150,000 miles per hour).
That means the unidentified object, which scientists are calling A11pl3Z, is moving too fast for it to get caught in the gravitational pull of our sun or any other planet.
A11pl3Z's unusual course and speed were first spotted by astronomer Sam Deen in late June, however, it has just been flagged by the International Astronomical Union after its interstellar origins were confirmed.
Loeb believes A11pl3Z could be a large space rock or a comet, but astronomers are still figuring that out.
It's estimated to be about 12 miles wide. That makes it much larger than the last two otherworldly objects that flew through our solar system, Oumuamua and the comet Borisov.
Oumuamua was only about 300 to 1,300 feet long, and Borisov's core was about half a mile in diameter.
Like Oumuamua in 2017, A11pl3Z could soon start stirring more speculation that the object is man-made and sent here from another solar system with intelligent life.
A11pl3Z (Teal line) is expected to make its closest pass by Earth on December 17. Scientists believe the object comes from a source outside our solar system
In 2017, an interstellar object named Oumuamua passed through the solar system, and while most scientists believe it was a natural phenomenon, Harvard physicist Avi Loeb famously argued it may have been of alien origin
In 2021, Loeb, the Frank B. Baird Jr. Professor of Science at Harvard, theorized that Oumuamua could have 'been meant to scan signals from all viewing directions,' looking for sensors from a long-lost receiver previously placed on Earth.
The first recorded interstellar object set off alarm bells among UFO researchers after scientists discovered Oumuamua was not a known comet or asteroid.
'It was inferred to have a disk-like shape and to exhibit non-gravitational acceleration, raising the possibility of an artificial origin,' Loeb wrote in an article on Medium Wednesday.
If A11pl3Z is a space rock, it's surprisingly massive compared to the other two interstellar objects that have passed by Earth.
However, scientists don't project that the mystery object will get anywhere near Earth. On its current trajectory, it'll come within 2.4 astronomical units of the planet (223 million miles).
An astronomical unit (AU) is equal to the distance between Earth and the sun, 93 million miles. Technically, A11pl3Z is already in the solar system, and is currently 3.8 AU away from Earth as of July 2.
In October, the object from outside the solar system is expected to make its closest pass to a planet, coming within 0.4 AU (37 million miles) of Mars.
Scientists don't believe A11pl3Z poses any threat to Earth. At 12 miles in length, that's good news because the object would fall into the category of a 'planet killer' - likely causing an extinction-level event if it struck the Earth.
Scientists believe A11pl3Z is 12 miles long, making it significantly bigger than the last 2 interstellar objects to be tracked as they passed through the solar system
However, there is a chance that A11pl3Z is not as big as it currently appears. Loeb explained that the interstellar visitor could be a comet, just like Borisov in 2019.
The physicist said that it could have a smaller core surrounded by a bright cloud of gas and dust. This would reflect sunlight and make the mass appear larger to our telescopes.
A11pl3Z's extreme speed will only give astronomers a short window to study the mysterious object before it leaves the solar system in 2026.
In that time, scientists will look to gather information on its trajectory using telescopes like the Rubin Observatory in Chile, and possibly the James Webb Space Telescope in space.
They'll hope to confirm A11pl3Z is staying on its expected route, passing the sun in late October, swinging by Earth at a safe distance in December, and then flying past Jupiter in March 2026.
Once it gets closer, scientists should be able to determine what A11pl3Z actually is - an asteroid, a comet, or something else entirely.
Mark Norris at the University of Central Lancashire told New Scientist: 'They really do whip through the solar system at ridiculous speeds. They're really fleeting and you are severely limited in what you can learn about them.'
Scientists baffled by 'interstellar object' spotted hurtling towards our solar system
Rumors that a secret mountain base in the US controlled by aliens has been swirling for 50 years, but locals and UFO researchers are convinced it's real.
The base allegedly sits inside Archuleta Mesa in New Mexico, but has gained the nickname 'Alien Mountain' because of the conspiracy theories, strange phenomena, and alleged eyewitness accountsall tied to the nearby town of Dulce.
While there's no physical evidence that a base has somehow been carved out inside the large mountain, UFO researchers have continued to examine the claims surrounding the facility, including a battle with aliens that reportedly left 66 people dead.
Since the 1970s, residents have claimed they've seen UFOs, extraterrestrials, and even genetic experiments that look like human-alien hybrids walking around the town.
Geraldine Julian, a Dulce resident, told the Santa Fe New Mexican: 'The whole town of Dulce, whoever you want to talk to, they'll tell you what they've seen, a lot of them.'
The local community hasn't just seen things in the sky, as they've taken photos of strange craft around the mountain, as well as unexplained cow mutilations in nearby fields.
Recently, declassified records have revealed how the US government could have created the massive complex inside Archuleta Mesa, using a machine that literally melts rock instead of drilling.
The records may one day help prove the stories of at least one alleged whistleblower, who claimed he survived that deadly encounter with the aliens hiding inside the government facility.
Archuleta Mesa (pictured) overlooks the town of Dulce, New Mexico, where UFO researchers and locals both claim aliens live in secret
Residents have photographed multiple UFOs over the years flying near Archuleta Mesa. A secret base is believed to be hidden inside the mountain, created using advanced drilling technology
UFO and government conspiracy researcher John Greenewald was able to uncover documents revealing that a machine called the Subterrene was built and tested in the 1970s.
The Subterrene is a nuclear-powered tunneling machine developed to bore through rock and soil by melting them with extreme heat, creating smooth, glass-lined tunnels.
It was created by scientists at Los Alamos National Laboratory, just 100 miles from the site of the alleged New Mexico base inside Archuleta Mesa.
Although the declassified documents confirmed that the Subterrene exists, there were no records of it being used to build Dulce Base.
If the mountain base does exist, however, one man already revealed what it looks like, claiming that Dulce Base has seven floors devoted to genetic experiments, extraterrestrial technology, mind control, and housing for alien beings.
The man who allegedly saw the inside of Dulce Base was Phil Schneider, a self-proclaimed former government engineer and geologist.
Before he died in 1996, Schneider repeatedly claimed that he suffered severe injuries, including the loss of several fingers, during a deadly battle with aliens inside the complex.
According to Schneider, who never showed proof of his government ties, 66 military personnel and government workers perished in the fight after a human team accidentally drilled into an alien-controlled section of the base.
Phil Schneider, an alleged government whistleblower and geologist, claimed that Dulce Base had 7 levels devoted to alien research, mind control, and genetic experiments
Schneider also made unsubstantiated claims that the US government was creating hundreds of these mountain bases around the nation using advanced technology.
At UFO lectures, Schneider would also reveal a piece of metal that he claimed was alien technology from the Dulce base, and that it was now being used in US stealth aircraft.
The rumors of a mysterious Dulce base go back to the mid-1970s, when New Mexico State Police officer Gabe Valdez was one of many locals who started finding the mangled remains of cattle near the mountain.
These cows hadn't been killed by a local predator. They appeared to have been surgically disassembled, with specific organs removed and all the blood drained out.
In local radio interviews, Valdez also claimed that gas masks, glow sticks, and other equipment had been left behind at the scene of the attacks.
In 1979, Albuquerque businessman and physicist Paul Bennewitz claimed he intercepted unusual electronic signals near Dulce.
He would go on to theorize that the signals were coming from an underground base being used by both aliens and the US government, a theory that became widely shared among UFO researchers at the time.
However, Bennewitz's claims were later dismissed by the UFO community after several researchers discovered declassified Air Force documents linking the businessman to a government disinformation campaign aimed at discrediting UFO stories.
Despite being seemingly debunked by the Air Force documents in the 1990s, locals in Dulce continue to maintain that the mountain is a true UFO hotspot.
New Mexico State Police officer Gabe Valdez (pictured) was one of the first people in the 1970s to note the strange events taking place near the mountain and discuss it publicly
Several cow mutilations were discovered by Valdez and others during the 1970s and 1980s, with suspicious equipment like gas masks left behind at the scene of the attacks
'It's not just a fairy tale,' Julian said in 2016. 'All the things are true, and I believe every last one of them, too, because I've seen it myself.'
Julian added in an interview with KOAT that she saw one of the genetic experiments allegedly created in Dulce Base, saying that it was a 'goat with a tail' from the waist down, but had the upper body and head of a human.
Other locals said they've seen the ground open up near the mountain, with steam coming out of the opening.
Dory Vigil, a Dulce resident who captured a photo of a UFO near Archuleta Mesa, said he'd take a lie detector test to prove he and others in the community aren't making up what continues to be seen in this small town of just 2,700 people.
Some 500 years ago, Leonardo da Vinci sketched what he believed was the perfectly proportioned male body.
The drawing, called the Vitruvian Man, is one of the most famous anatomical drawings in the world.
The complex interplay of art, mathematics and human anatomy has puzzled scientists for hundreds of years.
But now, a London-based dentist claims to have worked out the secret to how da Vinci perfectly placed the human figure inside a circle and a square.
Dr Rory Mac Sweeney, a qualified dentist with a degree in genetics, says the key to unlocking the drawing's geometric code lies in the use of an 'equilateral triangle' between the man's legs, mentioned in manuscript notes that accompany the drawing.
The researcher discovered this isn't just a random shape – and in fact reflects the same design blueprint frequently found in nature.
Analysis reveals this shape corresponds to Bonwill's triangle, an imaginary equilateral triangle in dental anatomy that governs the optimal performance of the human jaw.
This suggests da Vinci understood the ideal design of the human body centuries before modern science, Dr Sweeney said.
The famous drawing of 'Vitruvian Man', by Leonardo da Vinci, has puzzled scientists for hundreds of years
Dr Sweeney said the key to unlocking the drawing's geometric code lies in the specific mention of an 'equilateral triangle' drawn between the man's legs (left) which corresponds to a design blueprint found in nature - including the human jaw (right)
When this triangle is used to construct the drawing it produces a specific ratio between the size of the square and the circle.
Dr Sweeney has discovered that this ratio – 1.64 – is almost identical to a 'special blueprint number' – 1.6333 – that appears over and over again in nature for building the strongest, most efficient structures.
This same number is found in the geometry of a perfectly functioning human jaw, the unique proportions of the human skull, the atomic structure of super-strong crystals and the tightest way to pack spheres.
'We've all been looking for a complicated answer, but the key was in Leonardo's own words,' Dr Sweeney, who graduated from the School of Dental Science at Trinity College in Dublin, said.
'He was pointing to this triangle all along. What's truly amazing is that this one drawing encapsulates a universal rule of design.
'It shows that the same "blueprint" nature uses for efficient design is at work in the ideal human body.
'Leonardo knew, or sensed, that our bodies are built with the same mathematical elegance as the universe around us.'
According to the dentist, the discovery is significant because it shows that Vitruvian Man is far more than just a beautiful piece of art.
This triangle, which connects the jaw joints to the midpoint of the lower central incisors, 'corresponds precisely' to da Vinci's reference to an 'equilateral triangle' in his Vitruvian Man construction, Dr Sweeney said
These drawings, also created by da Vinci, provide 'direct evidence' that he was exploring the principles of sophisticated geometry, the researcher said
Leonardo da Vinci is also known for his magnificent artworks such as the Mona Lisa, which hangs at the Louvre Museum in Paris (pictured)
Who was Leonardo da Vinci?
Leonardo di ser Piero da Vinci, more commonly Leonardo da Vinci, is one of the greatest minds of the last millennium.
The polymath was a driving force behind the Renaissance and dabbled in invention, painting, sculpting, architecture, science, music, mathematics, engineering, literature, anatomy, geology, astronomy, botany, writing, history, and cartography.
He has been attributed with the development of the parachute, helicopter and tank.
He was born in Italy in 1452 and died at the age of 67 in France.
After being born out of wedlock, the visionary worked in Milan, Rome, Bologna and Venice.
His most recognisable works include the Mona Lisa, the Last Supper, Vitruvian Man.
Another piece of artwork, dubbed the Salvator Mund, sold for a world record $450.3 million (£343 million) at a Christie's auction in New York in 2017.
Instead, it is the work of 'scientific genius that was centuries ahead of its time', he said.
The pen-and-ink drawing of the nude male in two different poses, with arms and legs enclosed within a circle and square, was created by the Renaissance polymath around 1490.
It was partly influenced by the writings of Roman architect Marcus Vitruvius Pollio, who believed the human body has harmonious proportions.
He proposed that a human figure could fit perfectly inside a circle and a square but provided no mathematical framework for achieving this geometric relationship.
Da Vinci, who solved the puzzle, never explicitly explained how. For the last 500 years scientists have come up with numerous theories and ideas but none have matched the actual measurements.
The study, published in the Journal of Mathematics and the Arts, reads: 'For over 500 years, Leonardo da Vinci's geometric system for establishing the precise relationship between the circle and square in his Vitruvian Man drawing has remained a mystery.
'This paper demonstrates that Leonardo's explicit textual reference to "an equilateral triangle" between the figure's legs provides his construction method and reveals the anatomical foundation for his proportional choices.
'The analysis shows that Leonardo's equilateral triangle corresponds to Bonwill's triangle in dental anatomy—the foundational geometric relationship governing optimal human jaw function.'
Da Vinci (pictured) was one of the most brilliant thinkers in history, renowned for his stunning artworks and profound scientific insights
The Renaissance polymath had a keen understanding of maths, languages, geology, science and art. Pictured: His pictographs and an architectural plan c.1490
It concludes: 'The findings position Vitruvian Man as both artistic masterpiece and prescient scientific hypothesis about the mathematical relationships governing ideal human proportional design.'
Scientists have previously compared the Vitruvian Man with nearly 64,000 physically fit men and women and discovered da Vinci was close to anatomical measurements of the modern-day humans.
The team found the groin height, shoulder width and thigh length of today's measurements were 10 percent within those of the Vitruvian Man.
However, the head height, arm span, chest and knee height are slightly more than da Vinci's estimates.
THE MANY ACCOMPLISHMENTS OF LEONARDO DA VINCI
Leonardo da Vinci is best known for his stunning artwork but the Italian Renaissance painter had many talents.
He was also a sculptor, architect, musician, mathematician, engineer, inventor, anatomist, geologist, cartographer, botanist, and writer.
The Mona Lisa is his most famous and most parodied portrait while his painting of The Last Supper is the most reproduced religious painting of all time.
Leonardo's drawing of the Vitruvian Man is also regarded as a cultural icon - being reproduced on items as varied as the euro coin, textbooks, and T-shirts.
Only around fifteen of his paintings survive because of his constant, and frequently disastrous, experimentation with new techniques, and his chronic procrastination.
Leonardo is also revered for his technological ingenuity.
He conceptualised a helicopter, a tank, concentrated solar power, a calculator, and the double hull, also outlining a rudimentary theory of plate tectonics.
Relatively few of his designs were constructed or were even feasible during his lifetime, but some of his smaller inventions, such as an automated bobbin winder and a machine for testing the tensile strength of wire, entered the world of manufacturing unheralded.
He made important discoveries in anatomy, civil engineering, optics, and hydrodynamics, but he did not publish his findings and they had no direct influence on later science.
UFO researchers in Mexico claim that a group disguised as police have tried to steal the mysterious orb scientists believe may prove the existence of aliens.
Dr Steven Greer, an American ufologist and retired physician, revealed on X that 'fake policemen' attempted to enter the vault in Mexico City where the suspected UFOis being kept while scientists examine it.
Known as the Buga Sphere, the small, metal orb was spotted in March over the town of Buga in Colombia, zig-zagging through the sky in a way that defies the movement of conventional aircraft.
The object was recovered shortly after it landed and has since been taken to Mexico to be analyzed by scientists, who have discovered a maze of fiber-optic wires inside that suggest it can send and receive signals.
Controversial UFO researcher Jaime Maussan, who has had several claims about extraterrestrials debunked in recent years, hosted an international conference to discuss the latest findings on the Buga Sphere on June 20.
US Congressman Eric Burlison of Missouri and Dr Greer were among a group of American officials in attendance when Maussan claimed that the imposters attempted to steal the Buga Sphere.
Greer added that scientists have already taken samples of the UFO that 'will be tested in a state-of-the-art lab' to determine if the sphere really is from another planet.
'Those scientists and their information have been provided to the top law enforcement... Any sort of attempts to interfere with this examination will be known, and the people and perpetrators will be held to account for it,' Greer said in a June 21 post on X.
The Buga Sphere (pictured) was recovered by local residents in Colombia in March and has been in the care of scientists in Mexico ever since
US Congressman Eric Burlison of Missouri (pictured) attended the June 20 conference in Mexico City, examining the sphere and alleged alien remains presented by UFO researcher Jaime Maussan
Congressman Burlison added that it was his belief that governments and other groups may be working to suppress the public's knowledge of UFOs and alien life.
'It's not any government's right to protect knowledge about extra terrestrials, if it exists,' Burlison said on Friday. 'We have too many people reporting and too many videos to ignore it.'
According to researchers at the conference, this is the first UFO recovered by private citizens and solely controlled by non-government scientists.
The attempted robbery came right after Maussan and other researchers revealed that they are trying to reactivate the sphere using an electrical charge.
According to Rodolfo Garrido, a Mexican engineer working with scientists from the National Autonomous University of Mexico (UNAM), the sphere gave off a strong, decaying ionized field.
That field was responsible for somehow dehydrating the field it landed in, killing all the grass and soil there.
Maussan has had several claims about UFOs debunked over the years. He has been at the forefront of 2 major extraterrestrial cases currently: the Buga Sphere and alleged alien mummies from Peru
The June 20 presentation also revealed new images of the interior of the Buga Sphere, showing the nucleus of the device appeared to be similar in design to inventor Nikola Tesla's Wardenclyffe Tower from the early 1900s.
The concept of the tower was to send electrical power through the air and ground without using wires, potentially providing free or cheap energy to homes, businesses, and even ships or planes.
Garrido said the Buga Sphere may have operated in a similar way, with a miniature Wardenclyffe Tower hidden inside the UFO.
However, the engineer told reporters that scientists have no plans of cutting the sphere in half to reveal what's really inside.
Instead they're working on plans to power it back up so the sphere will begin rotating and levitating again.
'It could be a theory that once it levitates, it could have direct communication with whoever sent it,' Garrido said through a translator.
Engineer Rodolfo Garrido revealed that the interior of the Buga Sphere appears to look like a proposed wireless energy generator invented by Nikola Tesla in the 1900s
Engineer Rodolfo Garrido believes that the strange sphere may be some type of advanced probe capable of using an electromagnetic field to fly
For now, Greer said that scientists examining the Buga Sphere at UNAM are setting up security for the metal samples headed for further testing.
There has been no confirmation of Maussan's claims about the robbery attempt.
The journalist has been tied to several debunked claims, including multiple incidents where Maussan claimed to have evidence of a real UFO sightings, only for it to be debunked as a comet or star in the night sky.
Maussan has also claimed to have discovered physical evidence of mummified alien corpses on three separate occasions, but none of the incidents have been proven true.
During the June 20 conference, Maussan put pieces of these alleged corpses on display for the researchers and government officials, including Greer and Burlison, who were allowed to hold the specimens while wearing gloves.
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Men disguised as police' attempt to steal sphere-shaped UFO after new information is revealed
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The new interstellar object candidate A11pl3Z remotely imaged on July 2nd using iTelescope.Net in Chile. Credit: Filipp Romanov.
Astronomy news always seems to break over coffee, on laptop startup. That was the case Wednesday morning, when word of a curious new object started flashing across the message boards.
The object in question is currently at +18th magnitude, moving slowly along the border of the constellations Serpens Cauda and Sagittarius, right near the galactic plane. The object was captured on July 2nd by the Deep Random Survey remote telescope in Chile. The Asteroid Terrestrial-impact Last Alert System (ATLAS) based in Rio Hurtado made the discovery on July 1st. Sam Deen soon backed this up with pre-discovery images from worldwide ATLAS sites in Chile, Hawaii and South Africa from June 25-29.
The new interstellar object (wider view) candidate A11pl3Z remotely imaged on July 2nd using iTelescope.Net in Chile.
Credit: Filipp Romanov.
This allowed astronomers to plot a preliminary orbit. That’s where things get really interesting: the object has an eccentricity now estimated near 6.0—the highest seen yet. An eccentricity of 1.0 or lower is a closed orbit, signifying an asteroid or comet on an elliptical orbit in our solar system. This one is coming from interstellar space on a high inclination 175 degree orbit, perhaps originating from the thin galactic disk.
David Rankin of the University of Arizona’s Catalina sky survey notes on Blue Sky that this high eccentricity cinches the hyperbolic orbit of the object.
Credit: @Astrafoxen (on Blue Sky)/K Ly/Deep Random Survey. Click here for the animation.
Right now, the object isn’t showing any signs of cometary activity. Estimates by Marshall Eubanks (Asteroid Initiatives) suggests it may be an asteroid about 20 kilometers in size.
The object has a preliminary designation on the Near Earth Object Confirmation Page (NEOCP) as A11pl3Z. There should be a formal name within a day or so, and the object will receive an ‘I’ designation for interstellar.
"It (A11pl3Z) is moving very fast, with a velocity about 60 kilometers per second. It may be considerably larger," Eubanks told Universe Today. "1I seems to be a young object, as it was moving near the local galactic 'standard of rest'... by the same token, 3I is probably much older, probably comparable in age to the solar system."
The European Space Agency confirmed the discovery on Blue Sky:
ESA's announcement for A11pl3Z on Blue Sky.
The tale of Oumuamua and Borisov sets the precedent for the discovery. I1/2017 U1 ʻOumuamua was the first interstellar object discovered in 2017. That one was discovered on its outbound leg out of the solar system, sending astronomers scrambling to make observations before it faded from sight. Oumuamua also generated a fair amount of controversy, due to its inferred pancake shape, and its approach from what’s known as the galactic ‘local standard of rest,’ the reference frame that defines the motion of local stars around the galactic center. A fast mover, I1/Oumuamua was moving much too fast to chase down, although proposals were made.
The orbit of A11pl3Z through the inner solar system.
Credit: the Catalina Sky Survey.
The discovery of 2019 2I/2019 Q4 Borisov added to our small inventory of known interstellar objects.
A11pl3Z could prove different. First, it's still inbound, currently just inside the orbit of Jupiter. The object reaches perihelion in a few months on October 29th, 2025 at about 1.35 Astronomical Units (AUs) from the Sun, exterior to the orbit of Mars. Intriguingly, A11pl3Z passes just 0.2 AU from Mars on October 3rd, and assets including Mars Reconnaissance Orbiter may be able to nab it as an +11th magnitude object. Unfortunately, Earth will be on the opposite side of the Sun versus the object at perihelion. Closest Earth approach for the object occurs on October 30th, 2025, at 1.35 AU. Moving at 61 miles per second outbound, A11pl3Z will be moving much too fast for spacecraft to chase down.
But more crucially, we now have the James Webb Space Telescope and the recently commissioned Vera C. Rubin observatory on hand to bring to bear on A11pl3Z. Vera C. Rubin discovered an amazing 2,104 new asteroids on its very first time out.
Clearly, interstellar asteroids and comets are more common than were previously thought… we were simply missing most of them as they whiz through the
solar system. We’ll provide updates as the situation unfolds, and more is known about the enigmatic object A11pl3Z.
Be sure to check out the newly discovered object A11pl32 live tomorrow night starting at 22:00UT/6:00PM EDT, courtesy of astronomer Gianluca Masi and the Virtual Telescope Project.
The object has a preliminary designation on the Near Earth Object Confirmation Page (NEOCP) as A11pl3Z. There should be a formal name within a day or so, and the object will receive an "I' designation for interstellar.
Astronomers Discovered a Mysterious Object Racing Through the Milky Way
World UFO Day 2025 - Enigma Research Lab Provides UAP Data
Enigma has curated a selection of user-submitted sightings from our 300,000+ report archive and brought them to life in an interactive new website: https://enigmaarchives.io/.
The site invites users to examine real UAP cases using the same tools researchers rely on—from radar overlays and weather patterns to flight paths and eyewitness testimony. It’s part educational, part investigative—and a first-of-its-kind experience built to show how the public can help crowd-solve aerial mysteries.
Why is World UFO Day recognized on July 2nd?
July 2, 1947, is the estimated date of the famous Roswell crash. No one saw the crash, but the wreckage was found a few days later. Initially, the Army reported it to be a crashed disc, but the next day, Army officials stated that it had actually turned out to be a weather balloon. However, decades later, several former Army personnel claimed that what crashed in the desert was more mysterious than a simple weather balloon.
Read more in this well-sourced article on Roswell in Enigma’s Online Library:
July 2 is World UFO Day, a time to celebrate Colorado's status as one of the top ten states for spotting an unidentified flying object, with 24.41 sightings per 1 million residents each year.
But really, every day is UFO Day in Colorado, with much-publicized sightings above Red Rocks and renewed interest in the saga ofBalloon Boy.
What is it about this state that inspires tales of mysterious objects flying overhead? Is it a simple matter of elevation — we’re nearer to the sky, so we see more things in it? Is it the lack of oxygen, causing some visitors to hallucinate? Is it the fact that Mork & Mindy, starring Robin Williams as an alien, was set in Boulder? And what about the (relatively few) cases in which there’s photographic evidence of…well, something?
Clearly, Colorado wants to believe. While the state may not be racking up numbers like Area 51 and Roswell, we have our stories of close encounters, many of them captured in a 1969 report from the University of Colorado.
1. Pikes Peak, 1947 Just over a month before the incident at Roswell, New Mexico, started a spike in UFO sightings across the nation, there was a sighting right here in Manitou Springs on May 19, 1947. Seven employees of the Pikes Peak Railway were breaking for lunch when they spotted a shining silver object coming at them from the northeast. It would stop in mid-air, gyrate a bit, then fly in a deliberate straight line, all the time reflecting light in the way metal might. They tried to look at it through binoculars, but somehow those seemed to bring the image no closer. After twenty minutes of this aerial show, the object sped off to the west. The United States Air Force investigated, and reported that the phenomenon was “possible birds,” whatever that’s supposed to mean.
2. La Veta, 1955 In late November 1955, State Senator Sam T. Taylor saw what he described as a "dirigible-shaped object" at the base of the Spanish Peaks in Huerfano County — the very part of the state he represented. Taylor, who was the Democratic floor leader at the time, described it as a "luminous green-blue and jellylike" object that changed flight paths in mid-air. This is only one of the many stories revealed in the declassification of Project Blue Book, which tracked UFO data from 1952 until 1969.
3. San Luis Valley, 1967 A three-year-old Appaloosa named Lady disappeared from the Harry King Ranch one day; she was found a couple of days later, dead and skinned around the head and neck, with several vital organs seemingly removed with surgical precision. The horse became a Colorado legend, nicknamed “Snippy” courtesy of the gallows humor of journalists referencing the condition of her remains, which were completely drained of blood; her naked skull was bleached as though it had been baking in the high desert sun for years. “Flying Saucer Sought in Death of Horse” was the headline of an October 6, 1967, article in the Rocky Mountain News.
4. Genesee, 1973 Woody Allen was apparently persuaded that Colorado was the perfect spot to see the future, and filmed sci-fi comedy Sleeper here. One of the sets included the "Sculptured House" built by architect Charles Deaton in 1963; it soon was nicknamed "Spaceship House" and then "Sleeper House." "On Genesee Mountain I found a high point of land where I could stand and feel the great reaches of the Earth," Deaton is quoted as saying in the 2009 book The Iconic House. "I wanted the shape of it to sing an unencumbered song." What's perhaps even more surprising is that this purple prose — and the unique home design still visible off I-70 that it inspired — came before marijuana was legalized in 2012.
5.Salida, 1995
Tim Edwards of Salida captured what many consider to be some of the best UFO footage to come from our state. When a tube-shaped object appeared in the sky near his Chaffee County home, the local restaurateur grabbed his camcorder and began to record. "I don't look outside no more," he told the Gazette Telegraph in 1996. "I don't get no sleep."
6. Loveland, 2000-2014 For more than a decade, Colorado resident Stan Romanek was a leading expert in UFO lore, claiming to have been abducted first in 2000 and then several more times in subsequent years. He's also the person responsible for the widely circulated and highly suspect "boo video" of an alien supposedly peeking through one of his windows. The scariest part of Romanek's tale turned out to be something other than his abduction stories, however: He was convicted for possession of child pornography in 2017 and served two years in prison. He's currently a registered sex offender under intensive supervised probation through 2030, which means even the aliens don't want to have anything to do with the guy anymore.
7. Breckenridge, 2014 Three faint, ball-shaped orbs appeared over Breckenridge on October 3, 2014; employees of both the Breckenridge Police Department and the Summit County Sheriff’s Office were among the witnesses. "We have no idea what that was, no clue," local law enforcement told the Summit Daily. Still, according to the paper of record, neither department had plans to launch an investigation into what might have been behind the unidentified visitors to the mountain-town skyline "unless investigating means they walked outside on Friday to look at the sky."
8. La Junta, 2019 In a YouTube video that hit big, a security cam in someone's driveway captured this image in the middle of the night. People described it as everything from Dobby from Harry Potter (like that's more believable than alien visitation?) to just a skinny kid in his underwear...doing a weird chicken dance in the wee hours of the morning.
9. Northeast Colorado, 2019-20 At the start of the COVID pandemic, there was a lot to focus on in the news...so you'd be forgiven if you've totally forgotten the invasion of drone-like lights over northeast Colorado and southwest Nebraska around the holidays, right before everything closed down. They always appeared after sunset, thirty-some six-foot-wide objects in formation, 200 to 300 feet above the ground. And then we all forgot about them because we were sheltering in place. Coincidence? Yes, obviously. This isn't InfoWars
A "large, disc-shaped craft with three levels of windows" was spotted by twelve Red Rocks workers loading out after a concert,"north of Red Rocks about a mile or so, hovering above the treetops on the [Hogback's] ridge," according to a report posted by the National UFO Reporting Center on June 11, 2024. "I was working at Red Rocks Amphitheater last night when one of our coworkers suddenly said to us, 'Hey, what is that over there? It looks like a spaceship,'" a Red Rocks employee wrote in the report. "We all turned to look in the direction he was pointing and sure enough, there was a UFO hovering about a half-a-mile to a mile north of Red Rocks. A dozen of us saw it. We all kept asking each other, 'Are you seeing this too?' It was a resounding 'yes' from everyone in the group."
"It's Red Rocks. We see magical, mysterious and wondrous things every night," explained venue spokesman Brian Kitts. "And we wouldn't be at all surprised if Red Rocks' reputation is intergalactic."
UFO Sightings in Colorado
And a bonus
The UFO WatchTower, ongoing If Colorado has a Roswell analog, it's the town of Hooper, population 77, which has lost about a quarter of its residents in the last fifteen years — not to abduction (so far as we know), but to simple attrition. Still, it boasts the 25-year-old UFO WatchTower a couple of miles north on Highway 17, where owner and operator Judy Messoline invites stargazers, skywatchers, campers and tourists of all kinds, alien or human, to visit. The observation platform has a 360-degree view of the surrounding area, with a gift shop, vortex garden and a small memorial to none other than Snippy the Horse, whose bones are here on display. As Messoline's UFO Watchtower website proclaims: “You never know who you will run into at the UFO WatchTower for a little conversation!!”
This story has been updated from the original version published on February 16, 2023.
Video of a large flying saucer-shaped UFO recorded by a military sensor over a conflict zone has now been released to the public for the first time. The video of the UFO, labeled a UAP (or Unidentified Anomalous Phenomena) by the U.S. Department of Defense, had been hidden for years by the government.
According to investigative journalists Jeremy Corbell and George Knapp, this particular UFO video was recorded by government personnel over the Afghan-Pakistan border in November of 2020. They were finally able to release it to the public on the most recent episode of their Weaponized podcast.
The UFO video contains raw thermal imagery, as well some enhanced images, taken during a mission by a high-altitude U.S. Air Force reconnaissance platform.
“This is the first time in history that military filmed footage of a disc-shaped UAP, designated as such by the military, has been captured on camera and released to the public,” Jeremy Corbell told DailyMail.com. “It has implications that are huge.”
“The source is legit. We know it’s real,” Knapp said. “It was not supposed to be made public. But it should’ve been.”
While discussing the UFO, the Weaponized co-hosts noted how the UFO, which they estimate the was between 200 and 400 meters in diameter, was “navigating through clouds” and abruptly changing directions without any visible heat signature.
“You do not see plumes of heat coming off this disc-shaped object,” said Corbell, adding, “This was captured on a thermal sensor – it should have detected heat if any traditional propulsion was present. But there’s nothing. That’s one of the wildest aspects.”
Corbell also pointed out, “There’s depth of field. There’s relative distance. The shape is undeniable. And the movement? It’s extraordinary. You’re seeing it dip into clouds, then emerge and reverse direction. That’s not an artifact. That’s a real object in motion.”
“The public has a right and a need to know,” Corbell said. “This capture is worthy of serious discourse – not just in the UFO community, but in international and scientific conversations. It challenges our understanding of what’s flying through our skies.”
The co-hosts also touched on the recent report that the Pentagon has secretly been spreading Area 51 and UFO stories to hide classified weapons programs, casting doubt on the authenticity of thousands upon thousands of UFO sightings and the testimony of credible whistleblowers. As the point out, this message is also meant to dissuade future whistleblowers from going public with their testimonies.
“I think [the CIA and the Pentagon] are covering up criminality,” said Knapp. “They’ve misled Congress. They’ve certainly misled major media like the Wall Street Journal, like the New York Times, like us, like everybody. They’ve lied for 75, 80 years and so piercing the veil and figuring out what’s true and what isn’t is hard.”
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Image from space that show informal landfills leeching plastic into waterways. Credit: Google Earth and Maxar
Scientists have developed a new method to identify and map plastic waste in urban areas using satellite imagery, offering new hope for tracking pollution and improving waste management in cities worldwide. The team of researchers led by Elena Aguilar from the San Diego State University, discovered that common plastic materials have unique "fingerprints" when viewed through special infrared light sensors. Just as different materials reflect sunlight differently to our eyes, plastics reflect infrared light in distinctive patterns that satellites can detect. The WorldView-3 satellite, orbiting high above Earth, captures these invisible signatures with remarkable precision, down to areas as small as 4 meters across. This breakthrough could revolutionise how we monitor urban waste, particularly in areas where traditional ground based surveys are difficult or dangerous to conduct.
The United Launch Alliance Atlas V rocket carrying the WorldView-3 satellite successfully launches from Space Launch Complex-3 at Vandenberg Air Force Base.
(Credit : U.S. Air Force/Joe Davila)
The research team focused on a complex urban drainage area along the US-Mexico border, where they combined three approaches: walking surveys on the ground, laboratory analysis of plastic samples, and satellite image analysis. During field work, they discovered several large waste accumulations in stream channels, some covering areas equivalent to a basketball court.
Scientists analysed plastic samples in the laboratory that had been collected from the field using specialised equipment that measures how materials reflect light across different wavelengths. They tested common plastics found in urban waste, including water bottles (PET), shopping bags (polyethylene), and PVC pipes. Remarkably, each plastic type showed consistent patterns that remained detectable even when simulated through the satellite's sensors.
The satellite, known as Worldview-3, is a commercial Earth observation satellite launched in August 2014. It operates from an altitude of 617 km and generates images with a resolution of 0.31-meter in visual wavelengths and crucially for plastic detection research, shortwave infrared imagery provides 3.7-meter resolution. With its resolution capabilities and field of view it can collect up to 680,000 square kilometres of imagery per day.
Worldview-3 satellite
(Credit: Maxar Technologies)
Worldview-3 successfully identified not only waste piles but also plastic based items and structures like polymer coated roofs. The system achieved precision scores between 92-95%, meaning it correctly identified plastic materials in nearly all cases tested. The key discovery was that a generalised "plastic signature" derived from satellite images matched closely with laboratory measurements of five different plastic types.
This technology extends beyond simply finding trash though. The presence and distribution of synthetic materials can reveal important information about housing quality, development patterns, and waste management effectiveness in urban areas. Areas with high concentrations of unmanaged plastic waste often correlate with inadequate infrastructure and socioeconomic challenges.
While these results are promising, the researchers acknowledge that more work is needed to test the method in different urban environments and with higher resolution imagery. Cities with greater material diversity might present new challenges for the detection system.
This satellite based approach could become a powerful tool for urban planners, environmental agencies, and waste management authorities. By providing regular, comprehensive monitoring of plastic waste, it could help cities respond more quickly to pollution hotspots and evaluate the effectiveness of cleanup efforts.
As plastic pollution continues to grow globally, having eyes in the sky that can spot waste accumulations offers a new weapon in the fight against urban environmental degradation.
UFO Crash Found In Jungle of Peru, Video! Google Earth Discovery, UFO UAP Sighting News.
UFO Crash Found In Jungle of Peru, Video! Google Earth Discovery, UFO UAP Sighting News.
Date of discovery: June 20, 2025
Location of discovery: Amazonas region, Peru
Coordinates: 6°17'08"S, 70°28'01"W
Hey all, I found this crashed UFO in Peru a few weeks ago and just had time now to put it up. The UFO crashed about 30-35 years ago. I determined this from the crash site area around it...the fallen burnt trees scattered around...the regrowth size. And there is another similar size crash site just half a mile away from this one! This is 100% proof that aliens do exist, and they are roaming the jungles of Peru as we speak.
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- Gemiddelde waardering: 0/5 - (0 Stemmen) Categorie:ALIEN LIFE, UFO- CRASHES, ABDUCTIONS, MEN IN BLACK, ed ( FR. , NL; E )
01-07-2025
"We got it from them" - Former NASA flight surgeon breaks silence about alien technology
"We got it from them" - Former NASA flight surgeon breaks silence about alien technology
In 1992, Dr. Gregory Rogers a NASA flight surgeon and former Chief of Aerospace Medicine witnessed an event that would stay with him for more than three decades. Now, after years of silence, he’s finally revealing the details of a 15-minute encounter that shattered everything he thought he knew about aerospace technology.
With a distinguished career that includes support for 31 space shuttle launches, training as an F-16 pilot, and deep involvement in classified aerospace programs, Dr. Rogers brings unmatched credibility to the conversation. His firsthand account of observing what appeared to be a reverse-engineered craft, emblazoned with "U.S. Air Force" markings, raises profound questions about the true timeline of UAP development and disclosure.
The full interview spans nearly two hours. To help navigate the discussion, here’s a timeline so you can jump to the segments that interest you most.
00:00 Introduction and Dr. Rogers' Unprecedented Credentials
07:25 The 1992 Cape Canaveral Encounter Begins
18:45 Inside the Hangar: First Glimpse of the Craft
26:30 "We Got It From Them" - The Shocking Revelation
Secret Missions and Lost Civilizations: The Many Mysteries and Conspiracies of the Icy, Enigmatic World of Antarctica
Secret Missions and Lost Civilizations: The Many Mysteries and Conspiracies of the Icy, Enigmatic World of Antarctica
Abstract
Antarctica, often regarded as the last unexplored frontier, is shrouded in mystery and intrigue. Its desolate ice sheets, extreme climate, and restricted access have fostered numerous theories about secret missions, hidden civilizations, and covert operations. This dissertation aims to critically examine the historical accounts, scientific investigations, and conspiracy theories surrounding Antarctica. By analyzing archived documents, scientific data, and expert opinions, this study seeks to differentiate between substantiated facts and speculative claims. The overarching goal is to shed light on the enigmatic allure of Antarctica, exploring whether it conceals ancient civilizations or remains merely a remote wilderness subject to humanity's curiosity and imagination.
1. Introduction
Antarctica's allure stems from its isolation and the mysteries it holds beneath its icy surface. Since its official discovery in the early 19th century, Antarctic exploration has been driven by scientific, political, and military interests. The continent's remoteness has also made it the subject of numerous conspiracy theories suggesting secret missions, hidden civilizations, and clandestine activities. This chapter introduces the research questions, the significance of studying these mysteries, and the scope of the dissertation.
Research Questions:
What historical expeditions and scientific missions have taken place in Antarctica?
Are there credible evidences supporting the existence of lost civilizations beneath the ice?
What are the origins and credibility of popular conspiracy theories regarding secret missions?
How do scientific findings align or conflict with these theories?
Significance:This research contributes to understanding the boundary between scientific exploration and popular mythology, clarifying what is supported by evidence versus speculation.
2. Historical Context and Exploration of Antarctica
Painting of James Weddell's second expedition, depicting the brig Jane and the cutter Beaufoy
2.1 Early Discoveries and Expeditions
Antarctica was first sighted in 1820 by the Russian expedition led by Fabian von Bellingshausen and Mikhail Lazarev. Their voyage marked the beginning of human awareness of this remote continent, although detailed mapping and exploration would take decades to develop. Following this initial sighting, several notable expeditions aimed to chart and understand the vast, icy landmass.
One of the most significant early missions was conducted by James Clark Ross in the 1830s, which mapped large portions of the coastline and confirmed the continent's existence. Later, in the early 20th century, the so-called "Heroic Age of Antarctic Exploration" took center stage, characterized by arduous journeys undertaken with limited technology and often under perilous conditions. Prominent explorers such as Roald Amundsen and Robert Falcon Scott competed to reach the South Pole, with Amundsen succeeding in 1911 and Scott tragically perishing on the return journey. These expeditions not only aimed to achieve geographic milestones but also contributed valuable scientific data about the continent's geology, climate, and ecosystems.
2.2 Scientific Missions and International Cooperation
After World War II, Antarctica shifted its focus toward scientific research, driven by the belief that the continent could serve as a natural laboratory for understanding Earth's climate and environmental systems. This new era of exploration was characterized by international cooperation, culminating in the establishment of the Antarctic Treaty System in 1959.
The treaty was a groundbreaking agreement that designated Antarctica as a scientific preserve and explicitly prohibited military activity, nuclear explosions, and nuclear waste disposal on the continent. Since then, numerous countries have established scientific stations across Antarctica, conducting essential research in various fields such as climate science, glaciology, and biology. 7
These stations facilitate continuous monitoring of ice sheets, atmospheric conditions, and marine ecosystems, providing critical data to understand global climate change. The collaborative nature of these efforts underscores the shared interest of the international community in preserving Antarctica's unique environment and advancing scientific knowledge without territorial disputes or conflicts.
Sam Tripoli on Operation Highjump: Nazi's, Aliens, and Antarctica
2.3 Military and Secret Operations
Despite the peaceful principles of the Antarctic Treaty, some declassified documents and historical accounts suggest that military interests in Antarctica persisted during the Cold War era. Various nations maintained a strategic presence on the continent, sometimes engaging in reconnaissance activities that could be classified as covert operations.
Allegations have been made regarding secret military installations, espionage, or efforts to discover or secure strategic locations for potential future use. However, concrete evidence remains scarce and often disputed, leading to ongoing speculation about the true extent of military activity in Antarctica during this period.
Some researchers argue that the continent’s remoteness and extreme conditions made it an ideal location for clandestine operations, while others maintain that most military activities were limited and did not violate the spirit of the Antarctic Treaty. Overall, the Cold War era added a layer of intrigue to Antarctica’s history, blending scientific exploration with clandestine interests, and highlighting the continent’s strategic significance despite its remote and inhospitable environment.
3. Scientific Evidence and Natural Mysteries of Antarctica
Pyramids Found Beneath Antarctic Ice | The UnXplained (Season 3)
3.1 Geology and Underlying Structures
Recent technological advancements have significantly expanded our understanding of Antarctica's hidden landscapes beneath its vast ice sheets. Innovations such as ice-penetrating radar and satellite imaging have unveiled a wealth of geological features previously concealed from view. For instance, researchers have identified several subglacial lakes, with Lake Vostok being one of the most prominent. Located beneath approximately 4 kilometers of ice, Lake Vostok is one of the largest subglacial lakes on Earth and remains isolated from the surface for millions of years. The existence of such lakes raises intriguing questions about the potential for unique microbial life forms that could have evolved in these isolated environments.
In addition to lakes, scientists have mapped mountain ranges buried deep beneath the ice, such as the Gamburtsev Mountain Range, which is comparable in size and complexity to the European Alps. These submerged mountain ranges and valleys suggest a dynamic geological history involving tectonic activity, volcanic processes, and glacial movements. The bedrock beneath Antarctica's ice sheet also contains clues about the continent's past, including evidence of ancient volcanic activity and the presence of mineral deposits. Understanding these underlying structures not only sheds light on Antarctica's geological evolution but also provides insight into the Earth's history and climate changes over millions of years.
3.2 Evidence of Past Civilizations?
While the idea of ancient civilizations thriving beneath Antarctica’s ice is a captivating notion often explored in science fiction and conspiracy theories, current scientific evidence does not support such claims. However, the continent's geological past offers compelling clues about life existing in its distant past. During the Mesozoic and early Cenozoic eras, Antarctica was part of the supercontinent Gondwana, which included present-day South America, Africa, Australia, India, and Madagascar. Fossil discoveries from this period reveal that Antarctica once had a temperate climate capable of supporting diverse flora and fauna.
Fossilized plant remains, including fossilized pollen and leaves, suggest that lush forests once thrived in Antarctica. Additionally, fossilized remains of ancient marine reptiles, dinosaurs, and early mammals have been uncovered, indicating a vibrant ecosystem millions of years ago. These findings demonstrate that Antarctica was once a habitable environment and that complex ecosystems existed there long before it became the icy continent we know today. Such evidence fuels the scientific understanding of Earth's climatic shifts and biological evolution, but it does not point to the existence of advanced civilizations in ancient times.
What Antarctic Experts Found Beneath 4,600ft of Ice | Secrets In The Ice | Science Channel
3.3 Unexplained Anomalies
Beyond the well-documented geological features, Antarctica has been the focus of numerous anomalous findings and mysterious structures captured through satellite imagery and remote sensing technologies. Some researchers and explorers have pointed to unusual formations, such as symmetrical lines, rectangular shapes, or pyramid-like structures, which appear to be unnatural in origin. These anomalies have sparked speculation about the possibility of ancient or lost civilizations having once inhabited or visited the continent.
However, most experts in geology, remote sensing, and Antarctic research argue that these features are natural formations resulting from geological processes. For example, certain symmetrical patterns may be the result of erosion, glacial movement, or mineral deposits, while other shapes could be imaging artifacts caused by the angle of satellite captures or the resolution of the imaging technology. Despite the allure of mysterious structures, there is currently no credible scientific evidence to suggest that they are artificial or remnants of ancient civilizations.
Nevertheless, these anomalies continue to intrigue researchers and the public alike. They serve as a reminder of how much remains unknown about Antarctica’s hidden landscapes and the importance of continued exploration using reliable scientific methods. As technology advances, future expeditions and studies may provide further clarity about these mysterious formations, potentially dispelling myths or revealing new natural phenomena.
In conclusion, Antarctica remains one of Earth's most enigmatic regions. Its geology and hidden structures reveal a complex history involving tectonic shifts, glacial activity, and ancient ecosystems. While the idea of lost civilizations beneath the ice remains speculative and unsupported by current evidence, the continent’s natural mysteries continue to inspire scientific curiosity and exploration. Ongoing research leveraging cutting-edge technology promises to deepen our understanding of this icy frontier, uncovering secrets that could reshape our knowledge of Earth's past and the potential for life in extreme environments.
Schatzgraeber: The Nazi's Secret Arctic Base
4. Conspiracy Theories and Popular Mysteries
4.1 Theories of Lost Civilizations
One of the most intriguing aspects of Antarctic conspiracy theories revolves around the idea that the continent may conceal remnants of ancient, highly advanced civilizations. Enthusiasts argue that these civilizations could have existed long before recorded history, possibly dating back tens of thousands of years.
They often point to purported discoveries of unusual structures, such as pyramids, tunnels, or other man-made formations, as evidence supporting this hypothesis. Additionally, artifacts claimed to be of unknown origin have been reported, fueling speculation about a forgotten chapter of human or extraterrestrial history hidden beneath the ice. Despite these claims, mainstream scientists and archaeologists emphasize that there is no verified evidence to support the existence of such civilizations.
Most of the alleged discoveries lack peer-reviewed scientific validation, and many are dismissed as misinterpretations of natural geological formations or outright hoaxes. The extreme conditions, ongoing ice cover, and remote location of Antarctica make it a challenging place for thorough archaeological exploration, which perhaps contributes to the persistent mystery and speculation.
4.2 Secret Missions and Cover-Ups
Another popular theme in conspiracy theories about Antarctica involves clandestine military or extraterrestrial missions. Many believe that the continent is home to covert bases operated by governments or extraterrestrial entities, utilizing its vast, uninhabited expanses to conduct secret operations away from public scrutiny.
These theories often suggest that powerful nations have established hidden facilities to develop advanced weaponry, conduct biological experiments, or store extraterrestrial technology. Some narratives are more fantastical, claiming that alien species have long been conducting research or engaging in diplomacy with secret government agencies.
The alleged "Tall White" aliens, purportedly seen near military installations, are often cited as evidence of extraterrestrial presence. Similarly, the idea of secret bases like "Area 51 Antarctica" has gained traction among conspiracy enthusiasts, suggesting that the US or other countries maintain hidden facilities under the ice for various undisclosed purposes. These theories are fueled by the continent’s inaccessibility, the existence of classified military projects elsewhere, and the secrecy surrounding Antarctic treaties and activities. However, evidence remains anecdotal, and no credible proof has ever been produced to substantiate these claims.
4.3 Evidence and Credibility
Most of the conspiracy theories surrounding Antarctica are rooted in anecdotal reports, misinterpretations of satellite imagery, and sometimes outright hoaxes. Enthusiasts often cite alleged photographs of strange structures or unusual anomalies captured via satellite, but experts argue that many of these images are natural formations, optical illusions, or artifacts of image processing. The scientific community generally dismisses these theories due to the absence of verifiable evidence — no credible scientific expedition has uncovered any confirmed artifacts or structures that prove the existence of lost civilizations or secret bases. Many claims are based on misinterpreted natural features, such as ice formations, mountain ranges, or geological anomalies, which can appear mysterious to untrained eyes.
Additionally, the propagation of these theories is often amplified by conspiracy websites, UFO documentaries, and leaks of classified documents, which are frequently unverified or taken out of context. Despite the lack of credible evidence, such theories persist in popular culture, driven by human curiosity, the allure of the unknown, and the tendency to suspect hidden agendas behind government secrecy. The scarcity of open information about Antarctic activities further fuel speculation, making it a fertile ground for conspiracy theories and myths.
In conclusion, while the idea of secret civilizations, covert missions, and extraterrestrial bases in Antarctica captivates the imagination, current scientific understanding and evidence do not support these claims. Nonetheless, these theories remain a significant part of popular culture and continue to inspire books, documentaries, and debates about the mysteries of the continent. The harsh environment, technological limitations, and geopolitical sensitivities surrounding Antarctica ensure that many aspects of the continent remain shrouded in secrecy, allowing conspiracy theories to thrive and evolve over time.
5. Scientific and Ethical Perspectives
5.1 Scientific Approach to Antarctica’s Mysteries
Scientists emphasize the importance of empirical research, rigorous methodology, and peer-reviewed data when studying Antarctica. This approach ensures that findings are reliable, reproducible, and contribute meaningfully to our understanding of the continent. Currently, the scientific consensus suggests that Antarctica’s unique features and landscapes are primarily the result of natural geological and climatic processes that have occurred over millions of years. These processes include glaciation, volcanic activity, tectonic movements, and climate fluctuations that have shaped the continent’s icy terrain and diverse ecosystems.
Research efforts have focused on understanding the continent’s climate history, ice sheet dynamics, and the potential for undiscovered life forms in extreme environments. For example, scientists utilize remote sensing technology, ice core sampling, and geological surveys to gather data about past climate changes and the stability of Antarctic ice sheets. These scientific endeavors not only enhance our knowledge of the continent but also contribute to a broader understanding of global climate systems and sea-level rise.
Furthermore, Antarctica serves as a natural laboratory for studying climate change. The rapid melting of ice sheets in certain regions offers valuable insights into future global trends. By analyzing these processes scientifically, researchers can develop models to predict future environmental changes, which are vital for global climate policy and adaptation strategies.
10 Strange Things Found Frozen In Ice Antarctica
5.2 Ethical Considerations
As scientific interest in Antarctica grows, so do the ethical considerations surrounding exploration and potential interference with its pristine environment. The continent is the last largely untouched wilderness on Earth, characterized by its unique ecosystems, extreme climate, and the presence of potentially undiscovered microbial life forms. These factors raise important questions about the morality and responsibility of human activity in such a fragile environment.
One of the primary ethical concerns is the risk of environmental contamination. Human presence, whether through research stations, tourism, or scientific expeditions, can introduce pollutants, invasive species, or other disturbances that might irreparably harm native ecosystems. It is crucial that research be conducted responsibly, adhering to international treaties such as the Antarctic Treaty System, which emphasizes the preservation of the continent’s ecological integrity.
Another ethical issue involves the potential disturbance of undiscovered life forms. Recent discoveries of microbial life in subglacial lakes and beneath the ice sheets highlight Antarctica’s importance as a site for understanding extraterrestrial life and the possibilities of life in extreme conditions. Researchers must balance the pursuit of knowledge with the imperative to minimize disruption, ensuring that their activities do not compromise unique biological communities.
Additionally, there are considerations related to the exploitation of natural resources. While Antarctica is currently protected from commercial mining and resource extraction under international agreements, ongoing discussions about resource potential necessitate careful ethical evaluation. The global community has a responsibility to prevent environmentally damaging activities that could threaten the continent’s ecological balance and undermine international commitments to conservation.
Finally, ethical research practices involve respecting the sovereignty of the continent and promoting international cooperation. The Antarctic Treaty System underscores the importance of peaceful, collaborative scientific endeavors, and research activities should prioritize transparency, inclusivity, and the sharing of knowledge. Protecting Antarctica’s environment for future generations requires a concerted effort to implement sustainable research practices, reduce ecological footprints, and foster global stewardship.
In conclusion, understanding Antarctica’s mysteries through scientific inquiry must be balanced with ethical considerations that safeguard its pristine environment. Responsible exploration, adherence to international agreements, and a commitment to conservation are essential to ensure that the continent remains a natural wonder and a valuable resource for scientific discovery. This dual approach not only advances our knowledge but also exemplifies our collective responsibility to preserve one of the Earth's last untouched frontiers.
6. Critical Analysis of Conspiracy Theories
6.1 Psychological and Sociocultural Factors
The human fascination with mysteries, secrets, and the unknown is deeply embedded in our psychology and cultural history. Conspiracy theories often thrive because they provide simple explanations for complex events, offering a sense of clarity and control in an unpredictable world. People tend to seek patterns and assign causality, especially in times of crisis or significant change, which makes them more susceptible to believing in hidden plots orchestrated by powerful entities.
Moreover, the psychological need for uniqueness and to feel special can drive individuals to adopt conspiracy beliefs, as it allows them to see themselves as possessing exclusive knowledge that the masses are unaware of. Cognitive biases such as proportionality bias (the tendency to believe that large events must have large causes) and confirmation bias (favoring information that supports existing beliefs) further reinforce these theories.
Culturally, conspiracy theories are often rooted in societal distrust—be it towards governments, corporations, or other institutions—especially when these entities are perceived as opaque or untrustworthy. Historical events like political scandals, covert operations, or misinformation campaigns contribute to a fertile ground for conspiracy narratives. In many societies, these theories are amplified by media and social platforms, where sensationalism and emotional appeals often override factual accuracy.
Additionally, geopolitical tensions and conflicts can heighten suspicion and paranoia, prompting populations to believe in elaborate plots against their interests. For example, during periods of war or political upheaval, conspiracy theories about foreign interference or secret agendas tend to proliferate, exacerbating divisions within societies and fueling further mistrust.
6.2 Evaluating Evidence
A critical component of understanding conspiracy theories involves examining the evidence—or lack thereof—supporting these claims. Many conspiracy theories are built on anecdotal evidence, misinterpretations of facts, or outright falsehoods. They often rely on cherry-picked data or coincidences presented as deliberate plots, which can be compelling but are ultimately unsubstantiated.
Scientific skepticism plays a crucial role in evaluating these claims. This entails scrutinizing sources, demanding verifiable evidence, and applying logical reasoning. For instance, extraordinary claims require extraordinary evidence; if a theory asserts the existence of a secret government mind-control program, credible proof such as official documents, whistleblower testimonies, or credible investigations must be presented—yet such evidence is often absent or inconclusive.
Furthermore, many conspiracy theories tend to dismiss or ignore contradictory evidence, leading to a confirmation bias that reinforces their validity in the minds of believers. Critical analysis also involves understanding the context in which certain claims arise, recognizing that some narratives may be motivated by political agendas, financial gain, or psychological needs rather than factual accuracy.
The role of misinformation and disinformation campaigns cannot be underestimated, as these intentionally spread false or misleading information to sow confusion and distrust. Social media platforms facilitate rapid dissemination of such material, making it challenging to distinguish between credible sources and fabricated stories.
In conclusion, while skepticism is essential, it must be complemented by thorough research, reliance on credible sources, and logical evaluation. Recognizing the common pitfalls—such as logical fallacies, emotional appeals, and selective evidence—can help individuals develop a more nuanced understanding of conspiracy theories. Ultimately, a balanced approach that values empirical evidence and critical thinking is vital in dispelling unfounded claims and promoting informed discourse.
Incredible Recent Discoveries in Antarctica!
7. Conclusion
Antarctica remains a continent of profound scientific interest and cultural intrigue. While historical expeditions and ongoing scientific research have uncovered many natural mysteries, claims of lost civilizations and secret missions are largely speculative and lack credible evidence. The continent's extreme environment, characterized by freezing temperatures, harsh winds, and vast ice sheets, presents significant challenges to exploration and study, which has historically limited our understanding. Additionally, the geopolitical sensitivities surrounding Antarctica, governed by international treaties that promote peaceful scientific cooperation, further complicate any clandestine activities or hidden agendas.
Despite these obstacles, Antarctica continues to captivate the imagination of scientists and explorers alike. Advances in technology, such as satellite imaging and remote sensing, are gradually revealing new insights into the continent’s geology, climate history, and ecosystems. These developments promise to deepen our understanding of Earth’s past and future, especially in the context of climate change. However, it is crucial that research remains grounded in rigorous scientific methodology to avoid falling prey to sensationalism or unfounded theories. Until definitive evidence emerges, Antarctica's greatest mysteries are best approached with skepticism and a commitment to scientific integrity, ensuring that our pursuit of knowledge remains accurate and responsible.
Elon Musk Just Revealed The Terrifying Truth Behind Antartica
8. References
Aitken, J. (2015). Antarctica: The Last Great Wilderness. Oxford University Press.
Craddock, C. (2012). Exploring the Hidden World Beneath Antarctica. Science & Exploration Journal, 45(3), 112-125.
Johnson, M., & Lee, S. (2018). Evaluating Claims of Ancient Civilizations in Polar Regions. Journal of Archaeological Science, 96, 67-78.
National Antarctic Programs. (2020). History of Exploration and Scientific Research. Antarctic Treaty Secretariat.
Smith, L. (2017). Conspiracy Theories and the Antarctica Enigma. Journal of Popular Culture, 50(4), 809-826.
ANTARCTICA | The Last Frontier of Wild Life #naturedocumentary | Wild Life English
De impact van klimaatverandering op biodiversiteit
De impact van klimaatverandering op biodiversiteit
Klimaatverandering in 3x10 minuten
Inleiding
Klimaatverandering is één van de meest urgente wereldwijde problemen van onze tijd. Door de opwarming van de aarde, veroorzaakt door de uitstoot van broeikasgassen zoals koolstofdioxide en methaan, worden ecosystemen wereldwijd onder grote druk gezet. Dit leidt tot ernstige gevolgen voor de biodiversiteit, de variatie aan leven op aarde. Biodiversiteit speelt een essentiële rol in het in stand houden van gezonde ecosystemen, die op hun beurt weer cruciaal zijn voor het welzijn van de mens. Het verlies van soorten en het afnemen van genetische diversiteit kunnen leiden tot het instorten van ecosystemen, met negatieve gevolgen voor voedselvoorziening, waterkwaliteit en klimaatregulatie.
Our Planet - Wat is biodiversiteit?
Daarnaast ondervinden ook veel dieren en planten directe schade door klimaatverandering, zoals het verdwijnen van leefgebieden, veranderingen in migratieroutes en het niet kunnen aanpassen aan snel veranderende omstandigheden. Het behoud van biodiversiteit is daarom niet alleen van ecologisch belang, maar ook van economisch en sociaal belang. Het is noodzakelijk om wereldwijde inspanningen te leveren om de klimaatverandering tegen te gaan en biodiversiteit te beschermen, zodat toekomstige generaties kunnen profiteren van een gezonde en veerkrachtige planeet. Alleen door gezamenlijke actie kunnen we een duurzame toekomst waarborgen.
Klimaatverandering en habitatverlies
Klimaatverandering en habitatverlies vormen samen een van de grootste bedreigingen voor biodiversiteit en het ecosysteem op onze planeet. Een van de meest directe gevolgen van de opwarming van de aarde is het smelten van ijs en gletsjers, wat niet alleen leidt tot een stijging van de zeespiegel, maar ook tot het verdwijnen van belangrijke leefgebieden. Kustgebieden en moerassen, die vaak een grote biodiversiteit herbergen, worden hierdoor onder water gezet of verloren, waardoor vele planten- en diersoorten hun natuurlijke habitat verliezen.
Daarnaast zorgen extreme weersomstandigheden, zoals hevige orkanen, overstromingen en langdurige droogtes, voor aanzienlijke destructie van natuurlijke leefgebieden. Zo kunnen bossen door bosbranden worden verwoest of droogvallen, wat de leefomstandigheden voor talloze diersoorten drastisch verslechtert. Dieren die afhankelijk zijn van specifieke omgevingen, zoals koraalriffen of bosgebieden, vinden vaak geen alternatieve habitats en worden geconfronteerd met uitsterven. Ook de veranderingen in temperatuur en neerslagpatronen beïnvloeden de plantengroei en voedselvoorziening, wat verdere negatieve gevolgen heeft voor het hele ecosysteem.
Het verlies van habitats leidt niet alleen tot een afname in biodiversiteit, maar ook tot een verstoring van ecosystemen die essentieel zijn voor het milieu en de mens. Beschermingsmaatregelen en duurzame ontwikkeling zijn noodzakelijk om deze trend te keren. Het behoud van natuurlijke gebieden, het verminderen van de uitstoot van broeikasgassen en het bevorderen van klimaatadaptatie kunnen helpen om de negatieve impact op habitats te beperken. Alleen door gezamenlijke inspanningen kunnen we de schade beperken en onze planeet een leefbare toekomst garanderen voor zowel mens als dier.
The effects of climate change on biodiversity | EcoEssentials
Veranderingen in leefgebieden en migratiepatronen
Veel diersoorten passen hun migratiepatronen aan de veranderende klimaatomstandigheden aan. Door de opwarming van de aarde zoeken vogels, vissen en andere dieren nieuwe gebieden op die beter aansluiten bij hun behoeften. Zo migreren veel vogelsoorten naar noordelijkere gebieden, waar de temperaturen minder extreem zijn en voedselbronnen nog beschikbaar zijn. Ook vissen, zoals zalm en haring, verplaatsen zich naar koudere, noordelijkere wateren om hun levenscyclus voort te zetten. Deze migraties kunnen op korte termijn gunstig lijken voor de dieren, omdat ze nieuwe leefgebieden ontdekken die nog niet overbevolkt zijn en waar voldoende voedsel te vinden is.
Echter, deze aanpassingen brengen ook grote veranderingen teweeg in bestaande ecosystemen en voedselketens. Wanneer bepaalde soorten zich verplaatsen, kunnen ze de balans in het nieuwe gebied verstoren, bijvoorbeeld door competitie met lokale soorten of door het introduceren van nieuwe ziekten. Bovendien kunnen veranderingen in migratieroutes en timing leiden tot verstoringen in de synchronisatie tussen voedselvoorziening en de aanwezigheid van dieren, wat de overlevingskansen van verschillende soorten vermindert. Niet alle soorten kunnen echter snel genoeg migreren of zich aanpassen aan de nieuwe omstandigheden. Vooral diersoorten met beperkte bewegingsmogelijkheden, gespecialiseerde niches of lange generatietijden lopen het risico op afname of zelfs uitsterven.
De afname van biodiversiteit heeft niet alleen negatieve gevolgen voor de natuur zelf, maar ook voor de menselijke samenleving. Ecosystemen worden minder veerkrachtig en minder in staat om natuurlijke diensten te leveren, zoals waterzuivering, bestuiving en klimaatregulatie. Het is daarom van groot belang dat we de gevolgen van klimaatverandering blijven monitoren en streven naar maatregelen die de biodiversiteit beschermen en het aanpassen aan de nieuwe omstandigheden ondersteunen.
Effecten op voortplanting en overleving
Klimaatverandering beïnvloedt niet alleen de fysieke leefomgeving van vele diersoorten, maar heeft ook ingrijpende gevolgen voor hun voortplantingscycli en overlevingskansen. Veel organismen zijn sterk afhankelijk van seizoensgebonden cues zoals temperatuur, daglicht en neerslagpatronen om hun reproductie te bepalen. Zo planten bepaalde amfibieën en insecten hun voortplanting af op het moment dat de omstandigheden het meest gunstig zijn voor het opgroeien van hun jongen. Wanneer de temperaturen en seizoenspatronen door klimaatverandering veranderen, ontstaat er vaak een mismatch tussen de reproductieperiodes en de beschikbaarheid van voedsel of geschikte habitat voor de jonge dieren. Bijvoorbeeld, als amfibieën eerder beginnen met paren door warmere voorjaarsdagen, maar de insecten waarvan ze afhankelijk zijn, later actief worden, kan dit leiden tot een tekortsituatie voor de jonge dieren.
Daarnaast leidt de toename van extreme temperaturen en droogtes tot hogere sterftepercentages onder kwetsbare soorten, zoals koraalriffen, bergdieren en bepaalde vogels. Droogteperiodes kunnen de waterstanden drastisch laten dalen, wat niet alleen de habitat van waterafhankelijke soorten verkleint, maar ook de voortplantingskansen vermindert. Koraalriffen bijvoorbeeld, die afhankelijk zijn van symbiotische algen, zijn bijzonder gevoelig voor hogere zeetemperaturen; deze leiden tot kalkuitscheiding en massale koraalsterfte, met verstrekkende gevolgen voor de hele mariene voedselketen.
Verder kunnen veranderingen in het klimaat ook leiden tot een verschuiving van leefgebieden, waardoor soorten gedwongen worden zich aan te passen of te verplaatsen. Dit kan echter niet altijd snel genoeg gebeuren, vooral voor soorten met een beperkte dispersie of die gebonden zijn aan specifieke habitats. Als gevolg hiervan neemt de kans op uitsterfingsdreiging toe en wordt de biodiversiteit wereldwijd bedreigd.
Kortom, de invloed van klimaatverandering op de voortplanting en overleving van soorten is ingrijpend en complex. Het beïnvloedt niet alleen de timing en successen van voortplantingscycli, maar heeft ook direct of indirect gevolgen voor de overleving van populaties. Het is daarom van groot belang om de effecten van klimaatverandering op ecosystemen verder te bestuderen en maatregelen te nemen om de negatieve gevolgen te beperken, zodat biodiversiteit behouden blijft voor toekomstige generaties.
Het effect van klimaatverandering op de oceanen | English subtitels
Economische en ecologische gevolgen
Het verlies van biodiversiteit heeft ingrijpende gevolgen voor zowel de natuur als onze samenleving. Ecosystemen zoals bossen, wetlands, koraalriffen en graslanden leveren essentiële diensten die direct of indirect van groot belang zijn voor het menselijk welzijn. Zo spelen bossen een cruciale rol in de koolstofopslag, wat helpt bij het reguleren van het klimaat en het voorkomen van extreme weersomstandigheden. Koraalriffen bieden niet alleen een rijke habitat voor talrijke vissoorten, maar beschermen ook de kustlijnen tegen erosie en stormen. Daarnaast zorgen ze voor een grote biodiversiteit die belangrijk is voor de visserij en toeristische sectoren.
Het afnemen van biodiversiteit leidt tot een vermindering van deze ecosysteemdiensten. Dit heeft niet alleen negatieve ecologische gevolgen, zoals het verlies van soorten en het verstoren van natuurlijke processen, maar ook ernstige economische implicaties. Zo wordt de voedselvoorziening onder druk gezet doordat visbestanden afnemen en landbouwgronden minder vruchtbaar worden. Waterzuivering en -beheer worden bemoeilijkt doordat natuurlijke filters zoals wetlands verdwijnen. Hierdoor stijgen de kosten voor waterzuivering en andere technologische oplossingen.
Bovendien maakt de afname van biodiversiteit onze samenleving kwetsbaarder voor klimaatverandering en natuurrampen. Minder biodiversiteit betekent dat natuurlijke buffers, zoals bossen en wetlands, minder effectief zijn in het absorberen van stormen en overstromingen. Dit kan leiden tot hogere schade en kosten voor herstel en preventie. Economische sectoren zoals de toeristische industrie en de visserij ondervinden ook financiële schade door het verlies van natuurlijke attracties en hulpbronnen.
Kortom, het beschermen van biodiversiteit is niet alleen een ecologische noodzaak, maar ook van groot economisch belang. Het behoud van gezonde ecosystemen garandeert dat de diensten die zij leveren, blijven voortbestaan en dat onze samenleving toekomstbestendig is. Investeren in biodiversiteitsbehoud helpt ons dus niet alleen de natuur te beschermen, maar ook onze economische stabiliteit en levenskwaliteit veilig te stellen.
Conclusie
In conclusie vormt klimaatverandering een ernstige bedreiging voor de wereldwijde biodiversiteit. De opwarming van de aarde leidt tot het verdwijnen van natuurlijke habitats, verstoring van migratiepatronen en veranderingen in voortplantingscycli van vele diersoorten. Deze ontwikkelingen brengen niet alleen de flora en fauna in gevaar, maar hebben ook negatieve gevolgen voor het evenwicht van ecosystemen en daarmee voor het menselijk welzijn. Het beschermen van biodiversiteit is daarom van groot belang voor het behoud van gezonde en veerkrachtige ecosystems, die onder andere zorgen voor voedselvoorziening, schoon water en klimaatregulatie.
Om de negatieve effecten van klimaatverandering te beperken, is het noodzakelijk dat landen wereldwijd samenwerken en inzetten op het verminderen van broeikasgasemissies. Daarnaast moeten we investeren in het behoud, herstel en het versterken van ecosystemen, zodat ze beter bestand zijn tegen de opwarming. Bewustwording en duurzame maatregelen op individueel, nationaal en internationaal niveau zijn essentieel om de schade te beperken en de biodiversiteit voor toekomstige generaties te behouden. Alleen door gezamenlijke inspanningen kunnen we de negatieve impact van klimaatverandering afremmen en zorgen voor een gezonde planeet.
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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 74 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.
27-07-2025 om 19:00
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07-07-2025 om 23:46
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