Unravelling the mystery of Egypt's Karnak Temple: Ancient complex was built 4,000 years ago as a place of worship for the supreme and powerful god Amun-Ra, study reveals

• READ MORE: Archaeologists find the earliest evidence of mummification

By JONATHAN CHADWICK, ASSISTANT SCIENCE & TECHNOLOGY EDITOR 

Egypt's Karnak Temple must be one of the ancient world's most magnificent wonders. 

Located about 300 miles south of capital Cairo, the UNESCO World Heritage site welcomes millions of tourists every year. 

It's described as Ancient Egypt's most important religious complex, but the origins of the site has long been a mystery – until now.

Scientists at the University of Southampton have carried out the most comprehensive geoarchaeological survey of the Karnak Temple.

They say it was built some 4,000 years ago by a group of elites as a place of worship for the supreme and powerful god Amun-Ra.

This merged deity, worshipped throughout Egypt, was at the time a newly-created fusion of the 'invisible' god of the air Amun and the sun god Ra. 

Study author Dr Ben Pennington, an archaeologist at the University of Southampton, called Karnak the 'most important temple' in the north African country. 

'This new research provides unprecedented detail on the evolution of Karnak Temple, from a small island to one of the defining institutions of Ancient Egypt,' he said.

Karnak Temple (pictured) is a UNESCO World Heritage site welcoming millions of tourists every year - but its original date of occupation has long been unclear 

It is Ancient Egypt's most important religious complex, but the earliest occupation of the site has long been subject to debate.

Pictured, mighty columns at Karnak

Egypt's Karnak Temple comprises a vast mix of individual temples, pylons, chapels and other buildings in the form of a village or 'complex'. 

The stunning structures made of sandstone, limestone and granite spread across 200 acres and are 'extremely well preserved', Dr Pennington said. 

Archaeological investigations have been ongoing at the site for about 150 years, but the age of earliest occupation has long been debated. 

To learn more, Dr Pennington and colleagues analysed 61 sediment cores and tens of thousands of ceramic fragments from within and around the temple site. 

This allowed them to map out how the landscape around the site changed throughout its history and gather new evidence about the age of Karnak Temple. 

According to the team, led by archaeologist Dr Angus Graham at Uppsala University in Sweden, the site would have been unsuitable for permanent occupation before about 2520 BC as it would've been regularly flooded by fast-flowing water from the Nile.

Instead, the researchers estimate the earliest occupation at Karnak would have likely been during the Old Kingdom (c.2591–2152 BC), a result of evolving river channels. 

Ceramic fragments found at the site corroborate this finding, with the earliest dating from sometime between c.2305 to 1980 BC. 

Egypt's Karnak Temple is located about 300 miles south of capital Cairo and very close to the River Nile. This map also shows the location with the Red Sea to the east

Pictured, landscape reconstruction at Karnak: a) beginning of the Middle Kingdom (1980 BC); b) end of the Middle Kingdom (1760 BC); c) start of the New Kingdom (1539 BC); d) middle of the New Kingdom (1350 BC); e) end of the Third Intermediate Period (664 BC); f ) end of the Macedonian/Ptolemaic period (30 BC) 

Pictured, core samples - roughly cylindrical pieces of subsurface material - being extracted from the ground at Karnak

According to the experts, their findings settle a 'hotly contested' debate surrounding Karnak Temple's earliest occupation and construction. 

'There have been two main competing arguments – first that the temple may have been of a very early age, around 3000 BC,' Dr Pennington told the Daily Mail. 

'And the second that it probably dated later, to the First Intermediate period or perhaps just before, about 2000 BC. 

'We have found that an earlier date is not viable and the later date is supported by the evidence.' 

Karnak Temple is located less than half a mile (500 metres) east of the present-day River Nile near Luxor, at the Ancient Egyptian religious capital of Thebes, just over from the famous Valley of the Kings. 

Researchers say the land on which it was founded was formed when river channels cut into their beds to the west and east, creating an island of elevated ground surrounded by water. 

This emerging island, slightly higher than the surrounding land, would have been an apt choice in that it was likely linked to its religious significance. 

Ancient Egyptian texts of the Old Kingdom say that the creator god Amun-Ra manifested as high ground, emerging from 'the lake'. 

The stunning structures made of sandstone, limestone and granite spread across 200 acres and are 'extremely well preserved', Dr Pennington said 

Over subsequent centuries and millennia, the river channels either side of the site diverged further, creating more space for the temple complex to develop. 

The new study, published in the journal Antiquity, summarizes the evolution of Karnak as 'from a small island to one of the defining institutions of Ancient Egypt'. 

'Activity there demonstrates a coupling between the natural environment and the religious, functional and constructional aspects of the temple,' authors conclude. 

'As at other places in the Nile Valley, the natural riverine landscapes at Karnak appear strongly connected to cultural dynamics. 

'They can be linked to the religious and cosmogonical views of the inhabitants, who also opportunistically adapted to changes in their physical environment.' 

The team are now planning and carrying out work at other major sites in the area, to further understand the landscapes and waterscapes of the whole Ancient Egyptian religious capital zone. 

WHAT IS EGYPT'S VALLEY OF THE KINGS?

The Valley of the Kings in upper Egypt is one of the country's main tourist attractions and is the famous burial ground of many deceased pharaohs.

It is located near the ancient city of Luxor on the banks of the river Nile in eastern Egypt - 300 miles (500km) away from the pyramids of Giza, near Cairo.

The majority of the pharaohs of the 18th to 20th dynasties, who ruled from 1550 to 1069 BC, rested in the tombs which were cut into the local rock.

The royal tombs are decorated with scenes from Egyptian mythology and give clues as to the beliefs and funerary rituals of the period.

The majority of the pharaohs of the 18th to 20th dynasties, who ruled from 1550 to 1069 BC, rested in the tombs which were cut into the local rock. Pictured are statues of goddesses at the site

Almost all of the tombs were opened and looted centuries ago, but the sites still give an idea of the opulence and power of the Pharaohs.

The most famous pharaoh at the site is Tutankhamun, whose tomb was discovered in 1922.

Preserved to this day, in the tomb are original decorations of sacred imagery from, among others, the Book of Gates or the Book of Caverns.

These are among the most important funeral texts found on the walls of ancient Egyptian tombs.

The Valley of the Kings in upper Egypt is one of the country's main tourist attractions. The most famous pharaoh at the site is Tutankhamun, whose tomb was discovered in 1922

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The first supermoon of the YEAR rises tonight – here's the best time to see the Harvest Moon

• READ MORE: NASA boss reveals plans for a VILLAGE on the moon by 2035

By WILIAM HUNTER, SCIENCE & TECHNOLOGY REPORTER

If you're a keen stargazer, you won't want to miss out on this rare spectacle. 

The stunning full Harvest Moon, also known as the Hunter's Moon, will rise tonight.

This year's event will be a special treat – as it will also be the first supermoon of the year.

That means the Harvest Moon will appear up to 14 per cent larger and 30 per cent brighter than normal.

This will be the first supermoon since November last year, and kicks off a run of three consecutive supermoons in the coming months.

The moon will technically be at its fullest on the night of September 7, but will appear full to the naked eye from this evening.  

It should be visible from anywhere in the UK with a good view of the night's sky, but weather conditions could make a big difference.

So, here's how you can get the best chance of seeing tonight's spectacular lunar display.

Tonight, the Harvest Moon will rise in the biggest and brightest full moon of the year. Here's how you can see it. Pictured: The Harvest Moon over New York yesterday evening

What is the Harvest Moon and why is it special?

The Harvest Moon is the full moon which rises closest to the Autumn Equinox, the point at which day and night are the same length.

It usually falls in September, but this year the equinox came on September 22 – making the October full moon this year's Harvest Moon.

All the full moons in the year have their own unique names and associated traditions, but the Harvest Moon is special for a scientific reason.

Due to the shape of the moon's orbit around Earth, the moon rises at almost exactly the same time during the nights surrounding the Harvest Moon. 

That means there are a few nights near the equinox when there is consistent, bright moonlight every evening.

That allowed farmers to harvest their crops at night before the start of the colder months. 

This was also a great help to hunters who would be looking to stock up on meat and supplies ahead of winter, giving it the alternative name of the Hunter's Moon. 

This year, the Harvest Moon is also the first supermoon of the year, meaning it could appear up to 30 per cent brighter and 14 per cent larger than normal. Pictured: The Harvest Moon rising in California yesterday

But for modern–day stargazers, this consistency also makes the Harvest Moon one of the easiest full moons to watch rise since the timing is so consistent. 

Excitingly, this year's Harvest Moon happens to fall at the same time as a supermoon.

Since the moon's orbit around Earth is oval rather than round, our lunar satellite is closer or further away during different parts of the month. 

A supermoon refers to a full moon which happens while the moon is within 90 per cent of its closest point to Earth, known as a perigee.

Typically, the moon orbits the Earth at an average distance of 252,000 miles (405,500 km) from Earth.

However, at its perigee, the moon can reach a distance of around 226,000 miles (363,300 km). 

That means the moon appears to be brighter and larger than normal, although it can be difficult to see the difference with the naked eye. 

How to see tonight's Harvest Supermoon

Supermoons occur when the moon is at its closest point to Earth, known as the perigee. At this point, the moon can be around 30,000 miles closer than average 

The good news for any keen space fans is that you don't need any special equipment or even to travel out of town to see the supermoon tonight.

The moon will rise in the East at 18:13 BST, which should be just around sunset, and will set in the West around dawn.

As long as you can see the sky, you'll be able to get a good look at the bright full moon at any point during the evening.

However, there are also a few simple steps you can take to get the best possible viewing experience.

If possible, find a place with a clear view of the Eastern horizon and try to see the moon while it is as low as possible.

Although it won't actually be larger, a phenomenon called the 'moon illusion' means the full moon will appear to be bigger when it's just above the horizon.

Scientists still aren't quite sure why this is the case, but it does lead to much more spectacular views. 

If you can wait a bit longer, until around 19:00 BST, you will also have the opportunity to see the moon alongside another celestial body.

Looking Southeast tonight after sunset, there will also be a great opportunity to view the moon next to the planet Saturn. Saturn will be visible to the naked eye all evening, but you won't be able to make out its rings 

As the moon climbs higher into the sky, you should see a bright 'star' just to the right.

This star is actually the planet Saturn, which is currently visible to the naked eye from sunset until sunrise.

Saturn has just passed a point called 'opposition', arriving on the opposite side of Earth from the sun and making the planet especially easy to see. 

Just like any stargazing, to get the best views, you'll want to get away from street lights and other sources of light pollution.

Make sure to give your eyes at least half an hour to adjust to the dark while making sure not to look at your phone, which would ruin your night vision.

Unfortunately, local weather will have a big impact on your viewing conditions, and there is a good chance of cloud over large parts of the UK.

If you miss the moon tonight, conditions may have improved by tomorrow, when the moon will be even fuller.  

A Met Office spokesperson told Daily Mail: 'Visibility for the supermoon on Tuesday night looks to be best in Scotland, with patchy cloud in the South and cloudier conditions in the North.'

Unfortunately, weather conditions may not be ideal for viewing the moon tonight, with cloud forecast over much of Northern England, Wales, and Scotland from sunset onwards 

However, if clouds do ruin your chances of seeing this month's supermoon, there is no need to worry.

The Harvest Moon is just the first in a run of three supermoons coming through October, November, and December.

The November supermoon, also known as the Beaver Moon, will rise on November 5.

The December supermoon, appropriately called the Cold Moon, will follow on December 4 and will come alongside a great opportunity to see the planet Jupiter. 

The phases of the moon

Like Earth, the Moon has a day side and a night side, which change as the Moon rotates. 

The Sun always illuminates half of the Moon while the other half remains dark, but how much we are able to see of that illuminated half changes as the Moon travels through its orbit.

In the Northern Hemisphere, the phases of the moon are:

1. New Moon

This is the invisible phase of the Moon, with the illuminated side of the Moon facing the Sun and the night side facing Earth.

2. Waxing crescent

This silver sliver of a Moon occurs when the illuminated half of the Moon faces mostly away from Earth, with only a tiny portion visible to us from our planet.

3. First Quarter 

The Moon is now a quarter of the way through its monthly journey and you see half of its illuminated side. 

4. Waxing Gibbous

Now most of the Moon's dayside has come into view, and the Moon appears brighter in the sky. 

5. Full Moon

This is as close as we come to seeing the Sun's illumination of the entire day side of the Moon.

6. Waning Gibbous

As the Moon begins its journey back toward the Sun, the opposite side of the Moon now reflects the Moon’s light. 

7. Last Quarter

The Moon looks like it’s half illuminated from the perspective of Earth, but really you’re seeing half of the half of the Moon that’s illuminated by the Sun ― or a quarter. 

8. Waning Crescent

The Moon is nearly back to the point in its orbit where its dayside directly faces the Sun, and all that we see from our perspective is a thin curve. 

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Secret Chinese Space Shuttle Caught in Satellite Photo

This article is a work of speculative investigative journalism. It examines rumors surrounding a supposed “secret Chinese space shuttle” captured in a satellite photograph. It does not claim that such a vehicle exists or that the image is authentic or verified. Instead, it analyzes how satellite imagery, geopolitics, and media narratives intersect to produce compelling but often misleading stories. Readers are invited to consider how such claims arise, how they could be verified or debunked, and what the broader implications would be if genuine evidence emerged.

A rumor in orbit: the lure of a secret shuttle In the era of high-resolution commercial satellites, a single image can ignite a wildfire of speculation. A blurred silhouette on the edge of a high-orbit photo, or a shot of a gleaming, winged vehicle tucked among cargo ships and desert scrub, can spark headlines and a rush of social media activity. The strongest appeals of such a story lie not in the photograph alone, but in the political imagination it awakens: national pride, strategic superiority, the possibility of a silent, unseen asset in space that could alter the balance of power. When a claim is framed as “secret” or “hidden from public view,” it hits a nerve for readers who suspect that their government or rival powers are withholding information that would matter to global security.

Yet the mechanics of proving a claim about a “secret shuttle” are notoriously difficult. Space programs—whether manned or unmanned—are complex, with layers of public documentation, procurement pipelines, and visible milestones. A legitimate breakthrough typically produces a traceable record: launch manifests, design reviews, and sometimes even education and contractor announcements. When a claim rests on a single satellite image, the burden of proof shifts toward multiple corroborating signals: verifiable satellite metadata, independent corroboration by other sensors, and, ideally, official acknowledgement or a public leak that is subsequently corroborated. In the absence of these, an image becomes a symptom of speculation, a retouched rumor, or a misunderstanding of ordinary space hardware.

The anatomy of a persuasive image What makes a satellite photo compelling is not just its content but the context in which it is presented. Analysts look for certain cues:

• Resolution and sensor characteristics: A genuine image will carry metadata—satellite name, orbit altitude, and timestamp—that can be cross-checked. If the metadata is missing or inconsistent, the claim becomes dubious, though not automatically false, since metadata can be stripped or manipulated.
• Known hardware silhouettes: Engineers and space historians develop intuition for what is feasible given the known capabilities of current launch vehicles, orbital stages, or reusable systems. A “secret shuttle” would require a highly unusual combination of propulsion, airframe design, and thermal protection that would, plausibly, have visible features detectable in other data streams.
• Telemetry and corroboration: If multiple independent satellites capture the same object from different perspectives, the picture grows stronger. If only a single image exists, it remains vulnerable to manipulation or misinterpretation.
• Production quality: A convincing image can still be a hoax, but the more professional the image, the greater the temptation for interest groups to seed misinformation, either for political gain or to test the public’s willingness to believe sensational claims.

The historical parallel: past “secret” projects and the danger of confirmation bias There is a long history of rumors about secret space hardware. Projects that were officially disclosed later often turned out to be less sensational than rumored, while some genuine advances remained classified for longer than the public could easily verify. The cautious approach is to place any current claim within that historical frame: the fact that a claim exists does not equate to its truth; the absence of official confirmation is not confirmation of falsehood either—but it does set a high bar for credibility.

How to evaluate a satellite photograph claim responsibly If a journalist, researcher, or policy analyst encounters a claim about a “secret Chinese space shuttle” in a satellite image, a responsible approach involves a structured verification process:

1. Source assessment: Where did the image come from? What is the chain of custody? Are there independent confirmations of the image’s authenticity?

2. Metadata and sensor analysis: Can the image’s metadata be recovered? What satellite captured it? What is the ground resolution, radiometric quality, and atmospheric conditions at the time of capture?

3. Cross-comparison: Are there other images or sensor data (optical, radar, infrared) that show the same object? Do other sites report similar observations?

4. Historical consistency: Does the image fit within what is publicly known about that country’s space program, its launch cadence, and its reusability efforts? Are there any recent official statements or budget announcements that would align with or contradict the claim?

5. Expert consultation: Aerospace engineers, satellite image analysts, and space policy scholars can help parse whether a silhouette could realistically be a shuttle-like vehicle, a test platform, a payload, or a misidentified object such as a standard booster, a debris fragment, or cloud shadows.

China's Proposed Cargo Shuttle, the Haolong

Why a secret shuttle claim stands out in the Chinese context China’s space program has consistently demonstrated rapid progress and ambitious goals, including crewed missions, lunar exploration, and plans for a space station. This environment can create fertile ground for rumors about concealed capabilities. Three features shape the discourse:

• Strategic signaling: A claim about a “secret shuttle” is, in part, a narrative device—an indicator that a power is moving beyond conventional boundaries, potentially changing deterrence calculations and alliance dynamics.
• Domestic transparency vs. international scrutiny: Chinese space ventures, like those of many nations, operate within a broader political framework. When a story surfaces in international media or on social platforms, it can be read through the lens of competition and credibility, regardless of the factual basis.
• Media ecosystems and misinformation: In the digital age, stories spread quickly across disparate platforms, amplified by sensational wording and dramatic visuals. The same image can be repurposed to serve different agendas, from geopolitical posturing to commercial satire.

Image: CCTV

What would count as credible evidence? To elevate the claim beyond speculation, several conditions would need to be met:

• Independent verification: Multiple reputable organizations or agencies would need to confirm the existence of a vehicle that resembles a shuttle, preferably with disclosed technical plans or mission objectives.
• Official acknowledgment or leakage with corroboration: An official statement from the country’s space agency, or an authenticated leak from a credible insider, would move the needle significantly.
• Technical feasibility and public policy alignment: The claimed design should be plausible within known technical constraints and align with the country’s publicly stated space ambitions, budgets, and timelines.

The ethics of publishing unverified claims Journalists and researchers bear responsibility for how they present unverified claims. Labeling something as rumor, framing it as a possibility rather than a confirmed fact, and clearly distinguishing between image analysis, speculation, and reporting are essential. The temptation to publish dramatic headlines for clicks must be resisted when it risks spreading misinformation or stoking geopolitical tensions. Responsible reporting involves seeking corroboration, explaining uncertainties, and avoiding sensationalism that could damage diplomatic relations or public perception.

What if the claim were true? hypothetical implications If, in a hypothetical scenario, credible, independently verified evidence of a secret space shuttle were released, the implications would be wide-ranging:

• Strategic balance and defense policy: Verification of a secret operational asset would trigger reassessments of space defense doctrines, arms control considerations, and alliance commitments. It would prompt questions about transparency norms in space security discussions.
• International norms and transparency: A breakthrough or secret capability would likely spur calls for new treaties or confidence-building measures to prevent misunderstandings in a crowded orbital environment.
• Economic and technical ripple effects: The disclosure could reframe national industrial policy, accelerate investment in related technologies, and influence global supply chains for space hardware and software.

This undated photo shows a model of China's Haoloong space cargo shuttle which will debut at the 15th China International Aviation and Aerospace Exhibition, also known as Airshow China, in Zhuhai, South China's Guangdong province.

(PHOTO / XINHUA)

A constructive path forward for readers For readers who encounter sensational claims about space hardware, a practical path is to approach with healthy skepticism, engage with primary sources, and seek out expert analyses. Consider the following steps:

• Check the provenance of the image and any accompanying metadata.
• Look for independent verification from credible aerospace or space policy sources.
• Assess whether the story relies on a single image or multiple corroborating data streams.
• Read across different perspectives, including official statements, independent researchers, and security analysts.
• Distinguish between legitimate curiosity and speculative sensationalism, especially when geopolitical stakes are high.

A closing reflection: the power and perils of a single photograph In the end, a single satellite image can illuminate possibilities, but it cannot alone prove or disprove a sweeping claim about secret space programs. The human appetite for dramatic discoveries—especially in space, a realm associated with wonder and national pride—will continue to generate headlines fueled by curiosity, suspicion, and occasionally, mischief. The best journalism in this space, as in any other, will blend disciplined verification with thoughtful context, clarify uncertainties, and resist the lure of narratives that require us to suspend critical thinking.

{ PETER2011 }

International Space Week: waarnemingen van Ufo's in de geschiedenis - PART I

©Aangeboden door The Daily Digest

De hype rond ufo's is terug van (nooit) weggeweest
Sinds het Pentagon afgelopen mei toegaf dat het sinds 2004 minstens 400 waarnemingen van 'ongeïdentificeerde vliegende objecten' heeft geregistreerd in de Verenigde Staten, is de publieke belangstelling voor dit fenomeen toegenomen.

©The Daily Digest

Een "frequent” fenomeen
Het was 50 jaar geleden dat de ufo-kwestie voor het laatst in het Congres werd besproken. Maar dit jaar was de verrassing nog groter, omdat de adjunct-directeur van de inlichtingendienst van de marine in de VS, Scott Bray, verzekerde dat ufo-waarnemingen "frequent en aanhoudend" zijn.

©The Daily Digest

Foto: Albert Antony/Unsplash

Ufo-waarnemingen in andere landen
Andere landen zoals Frankrijk (in 2007), of het Verenigd Koninkrijk (in 2011) hebben nationale dossiers over ufo's gedeclassificeerd. Japan kondigde in 2020 zelfs een nieuw actieprotocol aan voor zijn leger in het geval van waarnemingen.

©The Daily Digest

Historische waarnemingen
Als we teruggaan in de tijd, zijn er veel momenten rond het ufo-fenomeen die de geschiedenis zijn ingegaan. Laten we eens kijken naar de beroemdste gevallen ...

©The Daily Digest

Kenneth Arnold: de eerste waarneming?
De eerste geregistreerde waarneming van een ufo dateert van 24 juni 1947. De Amerikaanse piloot Kenneth Arnold (in het midden op de foto) aanschouwde wat als de eerste ufo-waarneming kan worden beschouwd. Hoewel er eerdere soortgelijke gevallen werden gemeld, kreeg deze waarneming veel publiciteit en aandacht.

©The Daily Digest

Onregelmatig, helder en snel
Arnold verklaarde dat, terwijl hij op zoek was naar een vermist vliegtuig, hij boven Mount Rainier (Washington) niet minder dan negen objecten met abnormale bewegingen zag die samen in een lijn vlogen. Hij beschreef ze als "extreem heldere objecten", met een "onregelmatige vliegwijze" die zich met "enorme snelheid" verplaatsten.

©Aangeboden door The Daily Digest

Vliegende schotels
Het is door deze waarneming dat de mythe van de ovaalvormige ufo is ontstaan en de term 'vliegende schotel' begon te worden gebruikt, aangezien, in zijn eigen woorden, "ze onregelmatig 

©The Daily Digest

Een vonk in de wolken
Anderen gaan echter veel verder terug in de tijd. In het Zuid-Amerikaanse Chili werden in de 19e eeuw verschillende vreemde dingen gezien. Zo meldde Maria Graham in haar boek 'Journal of a Residence in Chile' (1822) dat ze een reeks vreemde lichten boven de zee had gezien. Ook zag commandant Buenaventura Martínez Díaz in 1853 dat hij en voorwerp had gezien dat "de wolken doorkruiste in de vorm van een vonk."

©The Daily Digest

Foto: Stephen Leopardi/Unsplash

Een alien in Talca
En op 15 mei 1861 berichtte de Chileense krant La Esperanza over de dagen van verschrikking die de inwoners van de stad Talca beleefden. Niet vanwege een ufo, maar vanwege de aanwezigheid van een wezen dat van een andere planeet leek te komen.

©The Daily Digest

De ufo's van Copiacó
In die Chileense precedenten springen "drie onverklaarbare luchtverschijnselen" het meest in het oog. De krant El Constituente had het over drie waarnemingen in maart, juli en november 1868. Ze waren allemaal in Copiacó, een stad waar vele jaren later, in 2013, nog eens een waarneming werd gemeld.

©Aangeboden door The Daily Digest

Duizenden ufo-waarnemingen
Sindsdien zijn er duizenden ufo-waarnemingen gemeld, door strijdkrachten van verschillende landen, vliegtuigpiloten of gewone mensen. Waarnemingen die in veel gevallen een wetenschappelijke verklaring hebben, maar die in andere gevallen verontrustend mysterieus blijven.

©The Daily Digest

Project Blue Book
Van 1948 tot 1969 werd in de Verenigde Staten Project Blue Book gelanceerd, een overheidsinitiatief om ufo's te onderzoeken als een mogelijke bedreiging voor de nationale veiligheid. Dit alles in een tijd waarin de luchtmacht 12.618 waarnemingen rapporteerde, waarvan er vandaag de dag nog 701 ongeïdentificeerd blijven.

©The Daily Digest

Geen bewijs dat ufo's buitenaards waren
Project Blue Book werd in 1969 afgesloten vanwege de hoge kosten. De conclusie van het onderzoek luidde dat de ufo's geen bedreiging vormden voor de nationale veiligheid en dat er geen bewijs was dat het om buitenaardse vaartuigen ging, noch om technologische ontwikkelingen die de moderne wetenschap te boven gaan.

©The Daily Digest

Het Roswell-incident
In 1947, hetzelfde jaar van de waarneming van Kenneth Arnold, vond ook een van de meest legendarische ufo-gebeurtenissen plaats: het Roswell-incident. Een ongeïdentificeerd vliegend object stortte neer in een veld in deze stad in New Mexico, en onmiddellijk daarna volgde een ontmoeting met buitenaardse wezens.

©The Daily Digest

Velen geloven nog steeds dat het een ufo was
De Amerikaanse regering probeerde de commotie rond het Roswell-incident te sussen door te beweren dat het om een weerballon ging en niet om een vliegende schotel, zoals velen aanvankelijk beweerden. Volgens een opiniepeiling van CNN uit 1997 denkt echter bijna twee derde van de Amerikanen nog steeds dat het een ufo was die er was neergestort.

©Aangeboden door The Daily Digest

Betrouwbare getuigen?
Er waren vermeende getuigen die toen verklaarden dat ze hadden gezien hoe militairen het ongeïdentificeerde object en de lichamen van de buitenaardse wezens uit het gebied van het incident hadden weggehaald. Toch was er geen echt bewijs.

©The Daily Digest

Ufo-toerisme
Momenteel leeft Roswell van het toerisme van ufo- en alien-liefhebbers uit de hele wereld die blijven zoeken naar antwoorden. De stad heeft zelfs een drukbezocht 'UFO Museum'.

©Aangeboden door The Daily Digest

Area 51
En als Roswell een mythische plek is binnen het ufo-fenomeen, dan wat gezegd van Area 51, een gebied midden in de Nevadawoestijn? Velen geloven dat de Amerikaanse regering er zowel ufo's als lichamen van aliens verbergt.

©The Daily Digest

Programma's tegen de Sovjets
In 2013 declasseerde de CIA documenten waarin officieel werd erkend dat Area 51 een geheime militaire basis was waar niets buitenaards werd verborgen, maar dat het werd gebruikt om de luchtbewakingsprogramma's U-2 en OXCART te testen tegen de Sovjets tijdens de Koude Oorlog.

©Aangeboden door The Daily Digest

Ufo's en kernwapens
Zeven voormalige leden van de luchtmacht van de Verenigde Staten beweerden in 2010 dat ze tussen de jaren zestig en tachtig ufo's hadden waargenomen in de buurt van kernwapeninstallaties.

©The Daily Digest

Gedeactiveerde raketten
Over een van de waargenomen ufo's zei Robert Salas, een voormalige kapitein van de luchtmacht: "Onze raketten begonnen in wat men een niet-actieve toestand noemt te komen; ze konden niet worden gelanceerd. Ze werden gewoon gedeactiveerd, terwijl dit object om ons heen was."

©Aangeboden door The Daily Digest

Buitenaardse interesse in kernwapens
Ufoloog Robert Hastings, die de persconferentie organiseerde waarop deze waarnemingen werden gemeld, zei: "Deze heren geloven dat de planeet wordt bezocht door wezens uit een andere wereld, die geïnteresseerd zijn in de geschiedenis van nucleaire wapens die begon aan het einde van de Tweede Wereldoorlog."

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Bevolen om een ufo neer te halen
Op 20 mei 1957 kregen volgens de krant The Times twee Amerikaanse piloten het bevel een ufo neer te halen die boven het Engelse platteland zweefde. Enkele veteranen van het leger, zoals die op de afbeelding, hebben het verhaal publiekelijk verteld.

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De ufo die de piloten achtervolgden
Volgens Milton Torres (een van de betrokken piloten) bewoog het object "onregelmatig". Bovendien was het zo groot als "een vliegend vliegdekschip" en "hing het enkele ogenblikken in de lucht voordat het verdween met een geschatte snelheid van 12.000 kilometer per uur."

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Het ufo-incident in Shag Harbour
Shag Harbour is een klein dorpje op het schiereiland Nova Scotia in Canada, waar een groep vissers op 4 oktober 1967 een lichtgevend object zagen dat uiteindelijk neerstortte in de Atlantische Oceaan. Aanvankelijk dacht men dat het een vliegtuig was, maar er werden nooit stoffelijke resten gevonden.

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International Space Week: waarnemingen van Ufo's in de geschiedenis - PART II

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Een ontvoering in Chili
Door de zaak van korporaal Armando Valdés kwam de Chileense ufologie wereldwijd onder de aandacht. Armando zag in 1977 samen met zeven andere soldaten een ufo. Ze zagen vreemde lichten in de lucht en daarna verdween Armando gedurende 15 minuten.

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Hij herinnert zich de ontvoering niet
In een interview met Agence France Presse in november 1978 zei Armando dat hij zes of zeven stappen zette weg van de groep, richting het licht, en dat hij geen idee had wat er daarna gebeurde. Hij zei: "Iets trok me aan. Het was als een interne communicatie met het licht."

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Foto: age barros/Unsplash

Het onverklaarbare verstrijken van de tijd
Korporaal Armando, die zich de vorige dag had geschoren, had een baard van vijf tot zes dagen. Bovendien duidde zijn polshorloge de datum 30 april aan in plaats van 26, en liep de klok 15 minuten achter.

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Het ufo-incident in Voronezh
Op 27 september 1989 meldde het persbureau TASS dat voetballende jongens in een stadspark in Voronezh (Rusland) een roze gloed in de lucht zagen, een dieprode bal die zweefde, en een alien met drie ogen. De kinderen waren de enige getuigen, maar een politieagent meldde dat hij "een object in de lucht zag vliegen".

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De Phoenix Lights
De Phoenix Lights (soms ook wel de 'Lichten boven Phoenix' genoemd) waren een reeks op grote schaal waargenomen ufo's boven Arizona, Nevada en de Mexicaanse staat Sonora, op 13 maart 1997. Er werden verschillende soorten lichten gezien door duizenden mensen.

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Een deltavorming schip
Fife Symington, de voormalige gouverneur van Arizona en een voormalig luchtmachtofficier, verklaarde op CNN: "Ik zag een enorm deltavormig schip stilletjes over Squaw Peak vliegen, een bergketen in Phoenix. Het was echt indrukwekkend. Ik was stomverbaasd, omdat ik me naar het westen keerde op zoek naar de Phoenix Lights in de verte."

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Waarnemingen van Chileense piloten
In 2007 onthulde het Chileense leger tijdens een bijeenkomst van ufologen in Viña del Mar dat enkele van zijn piloten ufo's hadden waargenomen. Kapitein Rodrigo Bravo omschreef het volgens het persbureau EFE als "spectaculaire ervaringen op verschillende plaatsen".

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Winston Churchill hield ufo-waarnemingen geheim
In 2010 werd via de BBC en na enkele door het Ministerie van Defensie openbaar gemaakte rapporten onthuld dat de voormalige Britse premier Winston Churchill de opdracht gaf om vermeende ufo-waarnemingen door de luchtmacht vijftig jaar lang verborgen zodat er geen paniek zou ontstaan onder de bevolking.

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Vernietigd ufo-bewijsmateriaal

Wetenschapper Nick Pope verklaarde aan de BBC dat "Churchill en Eisenhower besloten om de buitengewone waarnemingen van ufo's geheim te houden". Hij merkte ook op dat "het meeste archiefmateriaal uit de jaren vijftig werd vernietigd".

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Oumuamua: een asteroïde of een buitenaards ruimteschip?
Oumuamua was een mysterieus object dat in 2017 door het zonnestelsel trok en werd ontdekt en drie dagen lang gevolgd door verschillende telescopen tot het verdween. Het incident veroorzaakte een groot debat in de wereld van de wetenschap. De meesten verzekerden dat het om een zeldzame asteroïde of komeet ging, maar anderen beweerden dat het misschien een enorm buitenaards ruimteschip was.

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Kenmerken van het meest controversiële object
Volgens de gemaakte berekeningen was Oumuamua ongeveer 400 meter lang en 40 meter breed, en had het een roodachtig oppervlak. Het meest verrassende kenmerk was dat de baan ervan niet lineair was, maar eerder chaotisch, zeer snel draaiend en met zeer uitgesproken richtingsveranderingen.

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Doelbewust gestuurd door aliens?
Volgens astronomen Shmuel Bialy en Abraham Loeb (foto) is Oumuamua mogelijk een volledig operationele sonde die opzettelijk door een buitenaardse beschaving naar de buurt van de aarde is gestuurd.

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Een nooit eerder gezien opject
Loeb is een groot verdediger van het feit dat Oumuamua het eerste ontdekte object in het zonnestelsel is dat daarbuiten is ontstaan. Hij herinnerde ons in een interview met de BBC eraan dat het ongewone kenmerken heeft die het tot een nooit eerder gezien zeldzaam object maken.

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Buitenaardse bezoeken tijdens de pandemie
De laatste vermeende waarnemingen deden zich voor en namen exponentieel toe tijdens de maandenlange lockdown van de COVID-19-pandemie. Plots was − volgens de getuigenissen op sociale media met foto's en video's − het luchtruim gevuld met ufo's.

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Andere gemelde waarnemingen
Om enkele historische waarnemingen te noemen in de wereld: de waarneming op Antarctica (1965); het ufo-incident in Teheran (1976); die van Manises (1979), de Canarische Eilanden (1976-1979) en Ochate (1981), alle drie in Spanje; het Colares-incident in 1977 (Brazilië) ...

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Beroemdheden en ufo's
De Republikeinse kandidaat voor het Congres in Miami, Bettina Rodríguez, heeft gezegd dat ze in 2009 werd ontvoerd door aliens. Ook de Argentijnse artiest Andrés Calamaro heeft bevestigd dat hij een ufo zag in de jaren tachtig, toen hij op tournee was met zijn groep Los Plateros.

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Foto: Unintended Concept / Unsplash

Zijn we echt alleen in het heelal?
Het ufo-fenomeen is nog steeds zeer interessant en bevat, zoals alle regeringen toegeven, mysteries. Voor veel van deze incidenten is er geen wetenschappelijke verklaring, al kan dat zijn omdat we niet over alle gegevens beschikken. Hoe dan ook: vliegende schotels zijn iconische, literaire en cinematografische elementen.

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This Scientist Claims Apollo Mission Brought Back “Metals” from Moon Made by Advanced Machines and Structures on Mars and Moon Possibly 50,000 Years Old from Our Past

For people in ancient Mesopotamia, heaven was described as having three layers. The lowest layer was the home of the stars, the middle layer was where the younger gods, the Igigi, lived, and the highest layer belonged to An, the sky god.

Other researchers have also made surprising claims connected to these ideas. Dr. Ken Johnston, a former aerospace engineer, said that NASA already knows astronauts discovered ancient alien structures and remains of advanced machinery on the Moon. He claimed some of these technologies had the power to control gravity.

Dr. Ralph Kennedy Johnston Sr., often known as Ken Johnston, was born in 1942 at Fort Sam Houston, Texas. He worked as one of four Civilian Astronaut Consultant Pilots at NASA and helped train Neil Armstrong, Buzz Aldrin, and Michael Collins for the Apollo 11 mission to the Moon.

Johnston is also a retired U.S. Marine and has become known as a “NASA whistleblower,” though he rejects the name. He said he only wanted to share information that the public deserved to know.

Read also:

• This Man, Who Worked on the Voyager Missions, Said He Discovered Enormous, Living, Electromagnetic Vehicles Inhabiting Saturn’s Rings
• Jesse Michels Told Joe Rogan That He believes Anti-Gravity Tech Existed Before the ’80s and May Have Been Developed Under a Never-Disclosed Branch of Science
• This Man Says NASA Asked for Help After Astronauts Encountered Orbs Containing 125-Foot Winged Angelic Beings That Smiled at Them

In addition, some people connect his claims with stories told by Ingo Swann, a well-known remote viewer, who said he psychically saw strange structures on the Moon. Swann described domes, tall towers, cross-shaped buildings, long tunnels, and signs of mining activity. He thought that either someone or something had secretly built these bases on the Moon.

Swann also said he saw human-like figures on the Moon digging into a cliff. The strange part, he added, was that they all appeared completely naked.

During this remote-viewing experiment, a man named Axelrod supervised Swann. Suddenly, Axelrod stopped the session and seemed alarmed, explaining that the beings on the Moon might have become aware they were being watched, which could be dangerous.

After that, Axelrod asked Swann if he knew a man named George Leonard. Swann said no. Around that same time, Leonard was writing a book titled Somebody Else Is on the Moon.

That book, published in 1977, described reports of mysterious, unnatural structures on the Moon — the very kind of things Axelrod seemed to worry about. Leonard’s work suggested that these lunar structures could not have been formed naturally and looked as though someone had built them.

Over time, Swann and Axelrod met secretly to discuss more of these strange observations. These secret meetings, which Swann later compared to scenes from a spy movie, suddenly ended in 1977 without explanation. Swann was left confused about the truth.

He wondered if his psychic vision had detected an extraterrestrial base built long ago. Yet because the people he saw looked completely human, he also considered the idea that it could have been a hidden Earth-based project. He thought maybe Axelrod wanted him to discover something without revealing the government’s involvement.

Despite decades passing, the mystery is still unresolved. The strange lunar structures described by Leonard, Swann, and Johnston continue to raise questions about whether the Moon hides evidence of advanced civilizations.

The idea that aliens might be secretly using the Moon reminds many of similar theories claiming aliens could be operating on Earth itself. Some people think those “ancient visitors” who might have built advanced cities or shared secret technology could have played a role in shaping human evolution and culture.

Al Worden’s comments about humans being the real aliens connect strangely well with these later stories. If humans came from somewhere else long ago, as he suggested, it might explain why ancient cultures around the world have myths about gods descending from the sky, teaching knowledge, and building great cities before disappearing.

Worden, unlike most astronauts, remained open to such possibilities until his last years. He said exploring space was not just about science but also about finding the truth of where we came from. Many found his words mysterious, but others thought he raised an interesting point — that our search for life beyond Earth might end with us discovering our own distant origin among the stars.

{ https://howandwhys.com/ }

Background: What are Ammonites?

Belonging to the Phylum Mollusca, these extinct marine invertebrates resemble a nautilus, complete with a spiral shell. Ammonites lived around 408-65 million years ago in Earth’s ancient seas, and because these creatures are related to cuttlefish, nautilus, octopus, and squid, their soft bodies did not fossilize well, leaving mainly their shells behind for scientists to study.

These shells have helped scientists date other fossils, as well as tell scientists the approximate locations of Earth’s ancient oceans. However, there are still mysteries surrounding these creatures, especially when it comes to how they moved and why their shells were such particular shapes. 

Analysis: Building Robotic Ammonites

To study ammonite movement, researchers at the University of Utah created robotic ammonites out of 3D-printed materials. The robots helped the researchers to better understand how the ammonites maneuvered through the water as well as the best shell shape for balanced movement. According to David Peterman, a postdoctoral Fellow at the University of Utah, “These results reiterate that there is no single optimum shell shape…My broader research goal is to provide a better understanding of these enigmatic animals, their ecosystem roles, and the evolutionary processes that shaped them.”

The researchers built three different robotic ammonites with designs based on nautilus shells and ammonite fossils. The three robots were tested in the water by doing laps. This helped the researchers see the pros and cons of each shell type. “Throughout their evolution, externally shelled cephalopods navigated their physical limitations by endlessly experimenting with variations on the shape of their coiled shells,” explained Peterman. This was illustrated in the differences in the fossils, as the spirals of the shells shifted into something similar to the ones we have today.

Outlook: Using Robots to Study the Past

While this study helped the researchers to better understand the evolutionary process behind ammonite movement and shell shape, it also illustrated the utility of using robotics to study the past. Robotics can help to bring fossils to life, allowing scientists to better understand the possible movements of these ancient animals. With other advanced technology like AI and virtual reality (VR), recreating the past will be easier than ever.

AI is already helping us to determine our ancient human roots, and with the help of virtual reality, we are closing in on recreating lifelike representations of extinct animals like mammoths in a virtual setting. In the years ahead, such advances may prove to be key assets for scientists in the years ahead, who will now have access to a clearer idea of how these extinct animals once thrived on our planet. 

• Kenna Hughes-Castleberry is a staff writer at the Debrief and the Science Communicator at JILA (a partnership between the University of Colorado Boulder and NIST). She focuses on deep tech, the metaverse, and quantum technology. You can find more of her work at her website: https://kennacastleberry.com/

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

Former US Army Colonel: ‘Aliens Destroyed Couple Of Nuclear Weapons That Were Sent To Space’

During the Cold War, the United States conducted the largest nuclear test in outer space, 400 km above the Northern Pacific Ocean. The results were devastating. More such testing would have destroyed Earth’s magnetic field, that is why outer-space nuclear testing was banned. Moreover, some accounts of the US military personnel including NASA astronauts convey that the extraterrestrials were behind the nuclear missile testing in outer space, and they even put surveillance on the nuclear facilities on Earth.

In the “Sirius Documentary,” hosted by UFOlogist Steven Greer, US Air Force retired Colonel Ross Dedrickson testified that he observed UFOs over the nuclear facilities in which he was assigned. Besides, he said the extraterrestrials were not allowing nuclear weapons in space. They stopped the nuclear missile that was sent to detonate on the Lunar surface. The US was urged to demonstrate its power to the Soviets.

Col. Ross Dedrickson was assigned to the US Atomic Energy Commission. A long service with the Energy Commission between 1950-1958 included contract administration duties at Nevada test sites, Pacific Nuclear Test Area west of Hawaii, nuclear weapon manufacturing and quality assurance in Albuquerque, and inspection of nuclear and non-nuclear facilities throughout the country. He served with the 5th Air Force in Japan and later as a ranking Colonel, Officer in Charge of the Pacific Unified Command (TM)s alternate “command and control center” in Hawaii. In 1962, he was transferred and served as Deputy for Material for the 832 Air Division at Canon Air Force Base, Clovis, New Mexico. He retired from the USAF in 1964.

“A couple of nuclear weapons that were sent to space were destroyed by the extraterrestrials. Our government sent nuclear weapons for the explosion on the moon’s surface. It was intended to, as I understand it, assess some scientific data and reactions and so forth. The idea of an explosion in space by any Earth government was not acceptable to the extraterrestrials, and that has been demonstrated over and over,” Colonel said.

He is one of hundreds of military whistleblowers with verified backgrounds to have been brought forth by Dr. Steven Greer’s Disclosure Project. His testimony about UFOs — specifically about UFOs and nuclear weapons — can be corroborated by a wealth of information and evidence that’s now available within the public domain.

UFO Shot Down Missile In 1964

For 18 years, Robert Jacobs had been participating in the official United States Government-ordered UFO coverup. He claimed that he had been ridiculed by his colleagues for writing about this cover-up that appeared in The National Enquirer. The cover-up was about the UFO shooting down one of the ballistic missiles back in 1964 in Big Sur, California. (Click here to read the full article)

Retired USAF Lieutenant Robert Jacobs had been an officer in charge of optical instrumentation at the 1369th Photo Squadron at Vandenberg from 1963 to 1966. His job was to establish a long-range tracking site at Big Sur, California. Those days, ballistic missiles used to blow upon launch, and Dr. Jacobs’ duty was to determine the reason behind every missile failure at the Western Test Range. As the missiles had to carry a nuclear weapon to a specific target, they were monitoring the dummy warhead to find the reason behind their blow.

Dr. Jacobs recalled that the UFO incident had most probably been associated with the launch of an Atlas missile happened either September 2nd, 3rd, or 15th, 1964.

Dr. Jacobs explained: “Because of the length of the telescope as the Atlas missile entered the frame, we could see the whole third stage which has two rocket nozzles like this and one in the center or gimballed one in the center fill in our frame from one hundred and about 160 miles it was pretty exciting optics we watched that stage burnout we watched the second stage burnout we watch a third stage burnout and into the frame came something else it flew into the frame.”

According to him, the warhead was approached by a UFO, fired a beam of light at it from different directions. Subsequently, the warhead malfunctioned and tumbled out of sub orbit hundreds of miles short of its target. “This… unidentified flying… thing had apparently shot down an American dummy atomic warhead,” Dr. Jacobs said.

Read also:

• Four US Intelligence Directors Hint That UFOs Are Alien Spaceships & Believe There Are Ot her Dimensions
• Russian Scientists Stated In 1970 That Moon Is Artificial Space Object
• Ex-Pentagon UFO Official Luis Elizondo Embraces ‘Zoo Hypothesis,’ Earth As Alien Prison
• Does This FBI Document Suggest That Nikola Tesla Was An Alien From Venus?

Nuclear-adjacent sightings go back decades, said Robert Hastings, a UFO researcher and author of the book “UFOs and Nukes: Extraordinary Encounters at Nuclear Weapons Sites.” Hastings said he interviewed more than 160 veterans who witnessed strange things in the skies around nuclear sites.

UFO deactivated Malmstrom AFB Nuke System

Former US Air Force Captain Robert Salas mentioned an incident that took place on March 16, 1967. He was at Malmstrom Air Force Base in Montana in an underground capsule when he was told by the security forces that a red glowing object had been seen at the front gate of the base. (Click here to read the full article)

One of the airmen was enjoying the clear morning sky when suddenly a star appeared, moving in a zig-zag manner. Then another light came. He called the Flight Security Controller (FSC), and they both watched the movement of those strange lights. They reported to Salas and he asked them to keep an eye on those lights.

Firstly, it did not concern Salas because he thought that his colleagues were possibly joking. In some time, he was called by the controller again, and he (FSC) was frightened and shouting. They were watching a UFO, hovering outside the front gate.

“I can’t really describe it. It’s glowing red. What are we supposed to do? Make sure the site is secure and I’ll phone the Command Post. Sir, I have to go now, one of the guys just got injured.”

After that, Salas lost communication with the airman and security guard. He immediately contacted his commander Lt. Fred Meiwald, who was sleeping at that time. While he was on the call with Lt. Meiwald, a security alarm rang, indicating a problem within the missile system. He checked the matter and found there was a “No-Go” light on, and two red security lights were lit. He was just trying to understand what went wrong, consecutively several alarms went off and they lost “entire flight of ten ICBMs to a ‘No-Go’ (inoperable) condition.”

Astronaut Leaked Email

In 2016, Wikileaks revealed thousands of emails that were allegedly linked to Hillary Clinton’s campaign chairman John Podesta. The emails unfolded secret information shared with Podesta about UFOs and ETs. (Click here to read the full article)

In 2015, Podesta received emails from Mitchell that expressed his concern about the weaponization of space and its impact on the ETI (extraterrestrial intelligence). Despite the fact that aliens might be violent as shown in various sci-fi, the notable astronaut called them nonviolent in an 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.”

It was confirmed by one of Mitchell’s collaborators that the meeting between Podesta and him never took place. During the 2016 election campaign, Podesta declared he would convince Clinton to declassify as many UFO files as possible. In 2014, he tweeted that his biggest failure during the Obama administration was not to ask them for the release of UFO files.

Apollo astronaut Edgar Mitchell died in 2016 but for his entire life, he was a pacifist and a promoter of ETI reality. According to him, ZPE is the ultimate energy source from which all matter derives.

{ https://howandwhys.com/ }

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

• A Congressional hearing recently looked at a mysterious orb that a U.S. military missile seemed to bounce off in midair. Speculation ran rampant that it was a UAP—traditionally known as a UFO—after the blurry video was released.
• In reality, the UAP was likely a balloon that was drifting in the wind, reportedly in the air near Yemen. Its pieces continued drifting after a Hellfire missile tore into it.
• The U.S. Army is not releasing information about the event, or about how the military decides to deploy a missile, but a missile physics expert explains what probably happened.

Few people could make sense of it: a video played at a recent Congressional hearing concerning “unidentified anomalous phenomena,” or UAP, seems to show a U.S. military missile bouncing off a mysterious orb in mid-air. The blurry and short clip, appearing as if filmed from a point above the intersecting objects, was released at a House Oversight transparency hearing on Sept. 9. It attracted national attention, but what many people thought they saw was an illusion.

So, what was it, really?

An Expert on Missile Physics Weighs In

A U.S. Army spokesperson said in an email that while the hearing and video are in the public record, the newly renamed Department of War “has not authenticated the video, or issued a substantive confirmation about the event. Press reports reflect no Pentagon verification.”

So we asked a missile physics expert for some help. Fred Lamb, PhD, a theoretical astrophysicist at the University of Illinois, chaired a ballistic missile report earlier this year for the American Physical Society. He cautioned by e-mail that any analysis requires “many, many assumptions” for experts such as himself who have “no independent knowledge of the event,” but said he would do his best proceeding on assumptions.

Lamb’s conclusion—based on the evidence below—was that the object was likely a high-altitude balloon being cut up mid-air by a special variant of a U.S. missile designed to eject blades. He emphasized that this type of missile strike is not what the public would expect to see from watching Hollywood movies or TV series of ballistic explosions. “The main reason for this is to make the movie or TV event loud, dramatic, and exciting—not because that is what the destruction of a target, such as a balloon, would look like in reality,” he said.

What We See Doesn’t Always Reflect the Facts

Press reports from the hearing suggested that the event occurred in the air near Yemen and involved a variant of the 100-pound-scale “Hellfire” missile. Generally speaking, the U.S. Army uses these AGM-114 missiles, the spokesperson said—primarily a laser-guided variant called “Romeo” for its serial number, AGM-114R.

But there are at least 10 variants of Hellfire, Lamb said. His video analysis assumes one of these variants was fired from an MQ-9 Reaper drone, based on media reports, and that the camera that took the footage was flying on a second drone far above, using a “very high magnification thermal imaging camera,” he said. This drone type has a reported operational altitude of 25,000 feet, a little lower than typical commercial airliner flight routes, he said.

Lamb named the altitude and the camera specifically to highlight all the uncertainties the public is working with: the distance from the camera to the background, what the background is (might be ocean or cloud cover), the path of the presumed missile, the distance from the camera to the target, and the direction the camera is pointing towards (relative to the ground.)

“We don’t know any of these things,” he emphasized, which means an untrained observer might make conclusions, such as assuming “that the missile and the target are both moving in the same plane,” or “that the camera is not rotating,” among other misperceptions.

So we can’t say what we are looking at for sure.

However, Lamb said one possibility is that the camera is zooming far down to the intersecting objects, creating an optical illusion known as “parallax motion.” In a restricted field of view such as a camera lens, the target may be appearing to move very quickly—and that would especially be the case when there are few background objects with which to judge the motion.

Other UAPs that have appeared to be moving very rapidly have been found to be moving not under their own volition, but only because a wind was pushing them along, Lamb said. He therefore suggested it is plausible—but not a slam dunk—that the “target” might be a balloon high in the air reflecting sunlight, which “appears to be moving rapidly mostly because of ‘parallax motion,’ but also because it is being carried along by a high-altitude wind.”

What Happens When You Fire on a Balloon?

Assuming it is a balloon, who makes the decision to fire on the object? When asked if it is a pilot, a commanding officer or somebody else, the U.S. Army said it was unable to release that information “due to operational considerations.” Lamb added that generally, “There are many possible reasons why the U.S. military might want to bring down a balloon that was floating in an area where a conflict is ongoing.”

Assuming the missile hit a balloon, the video shows what appears to be a number of pieces—flying away in parallel—after the missile strike. “The missile continues on its way, indicating that the missile was not significantly deflected by its interaction with the target,” Lamb added of what he could plausibly see. “This indicates that there was not much interaction, and/or that the mass of the target was small, consistent with the target being a balloon.”

More evidence for the target being a balloon includes “the fact that once the target is intersected, the resulting pieces of the target move apart slowly, as they would if they are drifting apart while continuing to be carried by a wind.” The camera’s optics, he noted, likely couldn’t pick up all the debris—what was visible were pieces that “all seem to have the same noncircular shapes and the same orientation.”

As for why the missile continued and did not appear to explode? Lamb said there are a couple of possibilities. Perhaps the Hellfire’s warhead did not detonate. Or more likely, it is a “type of Hellfire missile that … did not have a substantial explosive warhead—but could nevertheless cut or tear the balloon.” The most likely example would be the AGM-114R9X, he added, which pops out sharp blades with only a small amount of explosive.

Hellfire missiles have been used in multiple operations and by different branches of the military, according to the U.S. Army. They were deployed during the 1991 Gulf War operations—also known as “Desert Storm” in the U.S., and continue to be used through the ongoing “War on Terror.” Hellfire missiles have been launched from both drones and helicopters.

While the nature of the video means we cannot know if a Hellfire missile was ripping up a balloon—or draw any detailed conclusions about what was shown—it’s an opportunity for all of us to realize that sometimes, what we think we’re seeing in a visual recording may not be what’s actually in front of us.

👉 Dive Deeper

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

The Connection Of Alien Contact And Sudden Psychic Ability: A Scientific Inquiry into An Extraordinary Hypothesis

Abstract

This essay probes a provocative hypothesis: that encounters with extraterrestrial intelligence (ETI) may be linked to the sudden emergence of psychic abilities in some individuals. Grounded in contemporary psychology, neuroscience, and the philosophy of mind, the discussion reframes “alien contact” and “psychic ability” as components of a broader inquiry into consciousness, perception, and information processing under extraordinary circumstances. While the claim challenges conventional boundaries of science, the paper emphasizes careful methodological thinking, testable predictions, and rigorous skepticism. We outline plausible mechanisms—neurophysiological arousal, altered cognitive states, social and cultural expectancy, and Bayesian inference under uncertainty—that could plausibly produce abrupt shifts in perception or cognition following anomalous encounters. We also present illustrative, hypothetical case studies and suggest research designs that could, in principle, adjudicate the hypothesis without giving undue weight to anecdotal accounts. The aim is not to prove the connection, but to map a disciplined framework for studying a controversial topic with scientific seriousness.

Do alien abductees develop sudden psychic ability?

Introduction: Framing the Question

The claim that contact with alien beings could precipitate sudden psychic abilities sits at the intersection of ufology, parapsychology, cognitive neuroscience, and philosophy of mind. Throughout modern history, narratives of encounter—dreamlike visions, anomalous communications, or inexplicable sensory experiences—have often coincided with reports of newfound cognitive or perceptual powers. Critics rightly point to the precarious evidentiary standards in many alien-contact accounts and psychic reports: selection biases, cultural storytelling, memory distortion, and confirmation biases. Proponents, however, argue that there is a nontrivial pattern worth investigating: some individuals report a qualitative shift in capability after encounters, such as telepathic sensitivity, precognitive glimpses, or intensified intuition, coupled with profound existential change. A scientifically credible inquiry must separate circumstance from conjecture, identify plausible mechanisms, and implement rigorous, preregistered research protocols that can withstand replication efforts.

This essay therefore adopts a cautious, hypothesis-driven stance. We treat “alien contact” as a defined set of phenomenological experiences characterized by

1. reports of communication or contact with non-human intelligences,
2. timing that is temporally proximate to transformative subjective events, and
3. accompanying neurocognitive or perceptual changes. “Sudden psychic ability” is operationalized as veridically reported or externally corroborated enhancements in domains such as telepathy-like sensitivity, clairvoyant inference, precognition, or profound mnemonic acceleration, lasting beyond a clearly defined initiation period.

Importantly, the essay distinguishes between social-cociological phenomena (e.g., cultural fright or altered belief systems) and genuine perceptual or cognitive shifts that survive methodological scrutiny.

Theoretical Foundations

Why Might a Connection Exist? Several converging hypotheses could plausibly explain a link between alien contact experiences and sudden psychic abilities. While none constitutes definitive evidence, they are worth considering because they map testable predictions:

1. Neurophysiological Arousal and Neural Plasticity A high-stress, emotionally charged encounter could trigger dysregulated autonomic arousal, leading to a cascade of neuromodulatory events (e.g., catecholamine surges, cortisol release) that may transiently enhance certain cognitive faculties or reveal previously latent neural pathways. In some individuals, repeated or intense arousal could promote neuroplastic remodeling in circuits tied to attention, pattern recognition, or interoception. If a person experiences a lasting reorganizing event in the salience network or the frontoparietal control network, novel modes of information integration could emerge, which might be interpreted as “psychic” phenomena.

2. Altered States of Consciousness (ASC) and Realignment of Perceptual Boundaries Encounter narratives can precipitate ASC-like states (vastly increased suggestibility, hypnagogic imagery, altered time perception). These states are known to alter the boundaries between perception and inference, enabling atypical associations. In carefully monitored contexts, ASC can temporarily enhance creativity, pattern detection, and hypothesis generation. If sustained, they might be interpreted as sudden psychic ability, especially if a person learns to perform novel perceptual tasks under these states.

3. Bayesian Inference Under Deep Uncertainty Humans interpret the world with prior beliefs and probabilistic inference. A dramatic, anomalous experience could cause a Bayesian reweighting of priors—particularly priors about the limits of perception, reality, and agency. This recalibration could yield now-apparent correlations, pattern recognition, or predictive impressions that feel “psychic.” If a person becomes adept at distinguishing signal from noise post-encounter, they may report genuine improvements in predictive or telepathic-like tasks.

4. Social and Cultural Reframing Cultural explanations are powerful. A society or subculture that values and teaches “alien communication” or “psychic mastery” can shape interpretation and skill development. Expectation and social reinforcement can lead to observable improvements in performance on tasks framed as psychic, independent of any interface with aliens. Thus, separating genuine cognitive shift from socialized skill is essential in any study.

5. Epigenetic and Long-Term Brain Changes Before-and-after effects of extraordinary experiences could involve epigenetic modifications or long-term synaptic changes in neural circuits related to memory, emotion regulation, and information integration. If validated, these modifications could account for abrupt but enduring changes in cognitive style or perception that users report as “psychic.”

This image symbolizes the profound connection and potential for mutual understanding between humans and extraterrestrial beings.

Digitally created Adobe photo plus by Jamel Hendley

Methodological Guardrails

How to Study This Responsibly To advance the debate responsibly, researchers should adopt rigorous, preregistered methodologies, transparent reporting, and careful triangulation of evidence. Key guidelines include:

• Predefine operational definitions: Explicitly delimit what counts as “alien contact” and what qualifies as “sudden psychic ability.” Use objective outcome measures wherever possible (e.g., blinded assessments, standardized tests for intuition, pattern recognition tasks, memory measures).
• Multi-method triangulation: Combine qualitative interviews with quantitative experiments, neuroimaging when feasible, and third-party corroboration. Cross-validate subjective reports with independent observations.
• Control for confounds: Screen for psychiatric conditions, sleep deprivation, substance use, cultural influences, and expectancy effects. Include active control groups where appropriate (e.g., participants undergoing intense, but non-alien-related, transformative experiences).
• Longitudinal design: Distinguish transient ASC-like effects from durable cognitive or perceptual changes. Track participants over time to observe stability of reported abilities.
• Replication and preregistration: Encourage independent replication and make data, protocols, and materials openly available to enable reproducibility.

Illustrative Scenarios and Hypothetical Evidence

To illuminate the hypothesis without presenting sensational claims as proven, below are carefully framed, hypothetical case illustrations. These should be understood as synthetic examples meant to demonstrate how research questions might be operationalized and assessed.

• Case A: Sudden Enhanced Pattern Recognition After a Contact Narrative A participant reports a near-death-like meditation during a vivid alien-communication dream in which a non-human intelligence explains a complex, non-local pattern. In the weeks that follow, they perform a battery of tasks requiring rapid pattern recognition under time pressure and show a statistically significant improvement relative to their baseline and matched controls. A follow-up fMRI study reveals heightened functional connectivity between the anterior cingulate cortex and the visual processing cortex during task performance. The researchers predefine thresholds for improvement, preregister analyses, and use blinded raters for task outcomes. They interpret the results as consistent with a plausible link between the encounter’s ASC component and enhanced cognitive integration rather than a lark of chance, acknowledging that replication is required.
• Case B: Telepathic-Style Intuition in a Post-Encounter Context Another participant reports “sensing” the location of a missing object after an alien-contact episode that included telemetric-like transmissions described verbally by an extraterrestrial entity. Across a series of controlled experiments, the participant demonstrates above-chance accuracy in a set of forced-choice tasks where cueing is minimized and experimenters are blind to object placement. The team notes that the effect is small, highly variable, and not replicable in all sessions, but persists across several independent laboratories with rigorous marginal significance. They publish a cautious interpretation: a tentative signal that deserves further study with larger samples and alternative paradigms to rule out subtle biases.
• Case C: Neurophysiological Marker of Changed Sensitivity A participant experiences a lasting shift in interoceptive awareness after an intense alien-contact experience. Using heartbeat detection tasks and cortical interoception imaging, researchers observe increased interoceptive sensitivity and altered insula activity. They propose a mechanistic hypothesis linking alien-contact-induced ASC to recalibrated body-awareness networks, which could underpin unusual perceptual or intuition-based abilities. The effect size is moderate, and the results are explored for robustness by independent labs with pre-registered plans.

5 Examples of people who experienced it

1. Example 1 Mira, a quiet lighthouse keeper from Cornwall, began receiving messages during the stillness of the night. At first, they came as faint whispers in her dreams, then as lucid, star-map images that echoed in her waking minutes. One evening, the sea churned with a green glow, and she felt pressed to sketch a complex symbol she had never seen before. Within days, she inexplicably understood languages she hadn’t studied, and a sudden sense of timing guided her to avert a maritime accident. She now speaks of an ancient intelligence guiding her gaze, a bridge between alien contact and an awakened psychic sensitivity.

2. Example 2 Diego, a Mexican guitarist, discovered his pulse tell stories no instrument could. After a prolonged stretch of creative block, he dreamed of a chrome city floating above the ocean, with music that hummed in frequencies beyond ordinary hearing. He woke with a fierce intuition about chords and scales that reclaimed the heartbeat of his melodies. When he played, audiences swore they could feel distant voices singing through him, as if an alien chorus was lending him a compass. His psychic insight sharpened—he could sense harmonies before they formed, sensing changes just before they happened, like a telepathic resonance with sound.

3. Example 3 Aiko, a nurse in Osaka, began noticing patients’ unspoken needs in vivid flashes—images of distant events that later proved prescient. A routine shift turned miraculous when she “saw” a code blue before it rang, guiding her team to prevent a fatal error. During quiet nights, she heard soft, unfamiliar languages and felt a presence aligning her instincts with the hospital’s rhythm. Her colleagues whispered of an otherworldly mentor. Aiko resumed volunteering with disaster relief, trusting a sudden psychic clarity that seemed to arrive through contact with beings beyond human perception. She calls it a compassionate communication from an unseen network.

4. Example 4 Omar, a software engineer from Cairo, described an encounter that unfolded like a debugging session with reality itself. A flash of geometric light appeared in his apartment, and a calm voice walked him through a sequence of steps to reprogram a stubborn algorithm. The solution was elegant and entirely different from his usual approach. Afterward, he began experiencing precise, instantaneous insights—predicting system outages hours before they occurred and sensing security breaches before they registered. He began documenting dreams of a distant planet where beings communicated through cognitive patterns, a form of linguistic code. He believes alien contact unlocked a latent psychic toolkit in his mind.

5. Example 5 Elena, a grandmother from Porto, woke one night to a chorus of soft siren-like signals that felt both ancient and welcoming. She found herself recalling memories not her own—visions of people she’d never met, their emotions streaming into hers with startling clarity. The next day, she could sense the needs of her grandchildren before words could form: a tense mood, a sudden fear, a small whim she could soothe with a single whispered story. A nurse friend suggested it might be a suppressed ancestral memory unlocked by contact with beings from elsewhere. Elena embraced the gift, a living link between alien contact and sudden psychic empathy.

Critical Evaluation

What the Evidence Could and Could Not Show If the proposed connection exists, we should expect convergent evidence across domains:

• Repetition: Replicable findings across separate samples and laboratories with consistent effect directions.
• Specificity: Cognitive or perceptual improvements that map onto defined tasks associated with heightened pattern recognition, intuition, or nonlocal information processing.
• Temporal coherence: Onset closely follows alien-contact experiences and persists for a plausible duration, with a detectable decay or consolidation trajectory.
• Neurobiological plausibility: Measurable brain or physiological correlates that align with theoretical mechanisms (e.g., ASC-associated networks, interoception, or salience processing).

Conversely, null or equivocal findings would emphasize the dangers of overinterpretation. Many insights from parapsychology have failed to generalize beyond specific contexts; thus, any positive results must withstand robust statistical scrutiny, pre-registration, and cross-lab replication to challenge entrenched skepticism.

Ethical and Societal Considerations

Research into alien contact and psychic abilities intersects with sensitive ethical territory. Researchers must avoid coercive recruitment practices, manage participants’ psychological well-being when engaging with extraordinary experiences, and provide access to counseling resources if distress arises. Care should be taken to avoid sensationalism in public communications that could mislead or stigmatize participants. Moreover, dual-use concerns—the potential misuse of supposed abilities in high-stakes settings—should be anticipated and mitigated through transparent ethics oversight and responsible reporting.

Implications for Science and Philosophy

Even if the link between alien contact and sudden psychic ability remains unproven, the exercise has value for science and philosophy. It pushes researchers to refine measurement standards for subjective experiences at the boundaries of conventional cognition, to design more rigorous ASC research protocols, and to clarify how humans interpret anomalous information. Philosophically, exploring these questions invites reflection on the nature of consciousness, the limits of perception, and the epistemology of extraordinary claims. It challenges the assumption that only modalities with clear causal mechanisms are worthy of investigation and highlights the importance of methodological innovation in studying rare, poorly understood phenomena.

Limitations and Cautions

• The topic inherently invites sensationalism. Maintaining scientific humility is essential.
• Anecdotal reports are insufficient as evidence; any credible claim must be reproducible under controlled conditions.
• Confounding variables are abundant in extraordinary experiences; rigorous control and replication are non-negotiable.
• The lack of consistent, high-quality data on ETI encounters means conclusions are necessarily tentative and provisional.

Conclusion

Toward a Principled Inquiry The proposition that alien contact could be linked to sudden psychic abilities is audacious, but not inherently irrational. A principled scientific approach demands precise definitions, preregistered methodologies, and a commitment to replication and falsifiability. By exploring plausible neurocognitive mechanisms, carefully framing extraordinary experiences, and cultivating robust experimental designs, researchers can illuminate questions about human perception, cognition, and the boundaries of consciousness without surrendering to sensationalism.

The proposed framework does not claim a proven connection. It offers a structured path for inquiry—one that respects scientific rigor while leaving room for the imaginative dimensions of human experience. If future studies converge on consistent, independent findings, we may begin to revise our understanding of how transformative encounters—whether with ETI or other profoundly anomalous stimuli—can catalyze enduring changes in cognition and perception. Until then, the task remains to distinguish rigorous science from compelling stories, and to pursue the truth with a method as extraordinary as the questions themselves.

Appendix: Suggested Research Protocols (Concrete Steps for Future Work)

• Study design: Multisite, double-blind, preregistered experiments assessing performance on psychic-relevant tasks (e.g., pattern recognition, intuition accuracy, nonlocal inference) before and after a documented, controlled “alien-contact-like” experience (e.g., standardized ASC induction paired with immersive storytelling, to ethically model transformative contexts).
• Control conditions: Active controls that mimic emotional intensity and cognitive load without alien-content elements; sham contact experiences to control expectancy effects.
• Outcome measures: Pre- and post-assessments using standardized cognitive batteries, psychophysiological monitoring (heart rate variability, galvanic skin response), neuroimaging where feasible, and qualitative interviews analyzed with systematic coding.
• Data transparency: Open preregistration, data anonymization, and sharing of materials to enable independent reproduction.

In sum, this essay has sketched a disciplined, scientifically minded path for interrogating a controversial hypothesis. Whether future research will establish any genuine connection between alien contact and sudden psychic ability remains an open question. What is essential now is to pursue the inquiry with rigor, intellectual honesty, and a commitment to empirical scrutiny that honors both the demands of science and the profound curiosity that motivates us to ask such questions in the first place.

{ PETER2011 }

De geheimen van de Grand Canyon: suggereren ze een oude wereldwijde beschaving?

In de wijdte van de Amerikaanse staat Arizona ligt een kloof die tot de verbeelding spreekt: de Grand Canyon. Deze immense kloof, uitgesneden door de Colorado-rivier over miljoenen jaren, is niet alleen een adembenemend landschap van rotslagen, steile wanden en zonsondergangen. Het is ook een plek waar wetenschappelijke interpretaties, mysterie en het verlangen naar grote verhalen elkaar kruisen. In populaire theorieën worden soms spectaculaire ideeën geopperd: suggereren de geheimen van de Grand Canyon een oude globale beschaving, mogelijk waarvan resten of sporen bewaard zijn gebleven? Wat zeggen de huidige wetenschappelijke inzichten, en welke aanwijzingen is het wel en niet gerechtvaardigd om serieus te nemen? Dit artikel verkent de feiten, de mythen en de plausibele verklaringen, en probeert helderheid te brengen in een debat dat al decennia lang voortwoedt.

1. Wat maakt de Grand Canyon zo bijzonder?

Vijf tot zeven miljoen jaar geleden begon de Colorado-rivier haar bedding diep in de rotslagen te snijden. Het resultaat is een kloof die in sommige delen meer dan 1,6 kilometer diep is en een oppervlakte heeft van zo’n 4920 vierkante kilometer. In de wanden van de kloof kun je honderden miljoenen jaren aan aardsgezichte geschiedenis terugvinden: sedimenten, zandsteen en schalie, maar ook gesteenten die tot het Precambrium behoren. Die gelaagde stratificatie geeft wetenschappers een onschatbaar venster op vroegere klimaten, biodiversiteit en geologische processen.

Wat de Grand Canyon echter bijzonder maakt, is niet alleen de diepte en de lengte, maar ook de diversiteit van vormen en het rijkdom aan fossiele bewijzen. In de ruggen en wanden kun je resten vinden van vroegere ecosystemen: trilobieten, schelpen, koralen en plantenresten uit verschillende tijdperken. Daarnaast kennen we de sporen van menselijke bewoning in nabije gebieden, zoals de Ancestral Puebloans (voorheen bekend als Anasazi). Er bestaan indianenverhalen, rotstekeningen en archeologische vindplaatsen in de regio die de menselijke geschiedenis van het zuiden van de Verenigde Staten verhaal geven.

IS ER EEN VERLOREN OUDE STAD IN DE GRAND CANYON?

2. De macht van natuurlijke uitleg: geologie, erosie en tijd

De mainstream wetenschap beschouwt de Grand Canyon vooral als een product van geologische processen die miljoenen jaren in beslag namen. De belangrijkste thema’s zijn:

• Verplatte rotslagen: De kloof toont lagen sedimentaire gesteenten die dateren uit verschillende geologische tijdperken. Door platvizering en ontkoppeling van aardplaten, toenemende erosie en tektonische verschuivingen ontstonden er opeenvolgende werven van lagen.
• Levenslange erosie: De macht van water, wind en ijs gedurende miljarden jaren heeft het gesteente uitgesleten en de kloof in zijn huidige vorm uitgesneden.
• Klimaatwisseling: Veranderingen in klimaat hebben geleid tot veranderingen in sedimentneerslag, plantengroei en erosiepatronen, wat de archieven van de aarde herinnert aan uiteenlopende omgevingen door de tijd heen.

In deze interpretatie is de Grand Canyon een palimpsest van miljoenen jaren aardkundige geschiedenis. Het verhaal is langzaam opgebouwd, complex en consistent met verschillende meetbare signalen: isotopische analyses, fossiele vondsten, fossil record en stratigrafische correlaties. De “ruggengraat” die de kloof draagt, is een procesmatige geleidelijkheid die niet eenvoudig te koppelen is aan een plotselinge gebeurtenis of een onbekende beschaving uit een ver verleden.

3. Archeologie en menselijke geschiedenis: wat weten we over vroeg bewoning?

Nederlandstalige media en sommige populaire publicaties hebben soms gespeeld met het idee dat de Grand Canyon aanwijzingen bevat voor vroegere hoogontwikkelde beschavingen die over de hele wereld aanwezig waren. In werkelijkheid is er geen overtuigend wetenschappelijk bewijs dat een oude globale beschaving in de Grand Canyon heeft bestaan, of dat er tekenen zijn van een gevorderde technologische cultuur verloren gegaan in de kloof.

Kernpunten vanuit archeologie en antropologie:

• Volken in de regio: Voor de huidige inheemse bevolking in de zuidelijke hoek van de Amerikaanse regio bestaan er rijke verhalen en archeologische sporen. De Ancestral Puebloans, de Hohokam en andere culturele groepen leefden in wat nu Arizona is. Hun bouwkunst, irrigatietechnieken en materiële cultuur geven een beeld van een verstandige en aanpassingsgerichte samenleving, maar ze wijzen niet op een wereldwijde beschaving die in of nabij de Grand Canyon zou zijn ontstaan.
• Rotstekeningen en ruïnes: In en rondom de Grand Canyon en de bredere zuidelijke Colorado-hoogvlakte zijn rotstekeningen en ruïnes gevonden die verwijzen naar lokale culturen en tradities. Deze artefacten dienen als bewijs van bewoning en culturele uitwisseling, maar ze vereisen geen wereldwijde interpretaties. Ze getuigen eerder van regionale ontwikkelingen, handelssystemen en religie- of rituele praktijken dan van een universele beschaving die alle continenten met elkaar verbonden.
• Dating en context: Juist vanwege de lange tijdperken die in de regio aan de orde zijn, is het cruciaal om context en datingschema’s zorgvuldig te volgen. Sommige misverstanden ontstaan wanneer men indruk krijgt van “oude technologie” door onbeoogde interpretaties van rotstekeningen of van misplaatste associaties met andere werelddelen.

4. Een kritisch kader: hoe moet men de “geheimen” van de Grand Canyon benaderen?

Wanneer gesprekken de richting opgaan van een “oude globale beschaving”, is het essentieel om onderscheid te maken tussen aantoonbare wetenschappelijke feiten en speculatieve, vaak sensationele verhalen. Een kritisch kader helpt om de plausibiliteit van dergelijke claims te testen:

• Wat is de bron van de bewering? Betrokkene heeft een academische onderbouwing met peer-reviewed publicaties, of is het een theorie die vooral in populaire media circuleert?
• Welke bewijslast is er? Zijn er fossielen, artefacten, of geochemische signalen die op een wereldwijde connectie wijzen, of is de interpretatie beperkt tot lokaal bewijs zonder bredere overeenkomsten?
• Is de theorie consistent met gevestigde geologische en archeologische kennis? Of vereist ze een radicale herziening van talloze bewezen feiten?
• Hoe verklaar je contradictoire bewijzen? Een goede theorie moet bestand zijn tegen tegenbewijzen of een transparante uitleg bieden voor afwijkende data.

5. Veronderstellingen en misvattingen: wat vaak misverstaan wordt?

• “Historische bekendheid van alle continenten”: Sommigen suggereren een wereldwijde beschaving vanwege vermeende overeenkomsten in artefacten of bouwstijlen over grote afstanden. De professionele benadering toont echter aan dat vergelijkbare bouwtechnieken en symboliek vaak onafhankelijk ontstaan in verschillende culturen onder vergelijkbare leefomstandigheden, of het resultaat is van handel en uitwisseling op regionale schaal, niet van een gecentraliseerde wereldwijde beschaving.
• “Technologisch vergevorderde vondsten”: Rotstekeningen die op het eerste gezicht ingewikkelde symboliek lijken te suggereren of grootschalige structuren in de regio kunnen misleidend zijn. Zonder context is het moeilijk te verifiëren dat dit technologisch geavanceerde kennis representeert, in tegenstelling tot rituele, religieuze of praktische doeleinden.
• “Anonymous kennis uit de diepte van de tijd”: Vaak is er een verhaal dat onbekende beschavingen alles wisten wat we weten, maar de realiteit is dat de huidige kennis voortkomt uit een lange geschiedenis van wetenschap, onderzoek en publieke verificatie. Het is zeldzaam dat een verloren beschaving plotseling “alles uitlegt” wat we nu weten.

6. Wat de hedendaagse wetenschap wel degelijk zegt

De mainstream wetenschap biedt een methodische manier om het verhaal van de Grand Canyon te begrijpen. Enkele sleutelpunten zijn:

• Geologie als tijdmachine: Door stratigrafie en isotopenanalyse kunnen wetenschappers een robust tijdlijn opstellen van de rotslagen en processen die hebben geleid tot de kloof. Dit ondersteunt het beeld van een lange, geleidelijke evolutie in plaats van een plotseling effect.
• Biodiversiteit en klimaat door de tijd: Fossielen en sedimenten geven inzicht in hoe klimaatomstandigheden veranderden en hoe ecosystemen evolueerden. Dit draagt bij aan het begrip van hoe de aarde functioneerde in verschillende fasen van haar geschiedenis.
• Precontactbewoning en cultuurgeschiedenis: De menselijke kant van de Grand Canyon en de omliggende regio toont een rijk tapijt van culturen, handel en migratie. Dat is indrukwekkend op zichzelf, maar het verwijst naar regionale ontwikkelingen eerder dan naar een wereldwijde beschaving.

Geologische formaties in de Grand Canyon krijgen bijzondere namen.

Bron: Google Maps

7. Een evenwichtige kijk: kunnen beide waarheden tegelijk bestaan?

Het is mogelijk om de bewondering voor een wereldwijde geschiedenis te koesteren en toch waardering te hebben voor de nuance die geavanceerde wetenschap biedt. De geheimen van de Grand Canyon kunnen verschillende lagen hebben die samen een rijk, gelaagd verhaal vormen:

• Een lange geologische geschiedenis: De kloof als een geologisch logboek dat we met moderne technieken kunnen lezen.
• Een geschiedenis van inheemse bewoning: De regionale culturen die in en rondom de kloof hebben bestaan, met hun eigen technologieën, rituelen en kennis.
• Het belang van interpretatie en scepsis: Het is waardevol om nieuwsgierig te blijven naar mogelijke alternatieven, zolang ze worden onderworpen aan streng bewijs en wetenschappelijke validatie.

8. Verhalen en ervaringsgerichte perspectieven

Naast de wetenschappelijke kant spelen verhalen, mythes en persoonlijke ervaringen een rol in hoe mensen de Grand Canyon waarnemen. Dit is niet per se “wetenschap” in de strikte betekenis, maar het kan helpen bij het begrijpen van de menselijke fascinatie:

• Narratieven van verbinding: Voor sommigen is het idee van een oude wereldwijde beschaving een manier om de mensheid als één familie te zien, verbonden door gedeelde verlangens naar betekenis, kennis en technologische vooruitgang.
• Esthetiek en inspiratie: De schoonheid van de Grand Canyon inspireert kunstenaars, schrijvers en denkers. Deze inspiratie kan leiden tot diepere vragen over wetenschap en geschiedenis, zelfs als de antwoorden niet altijd aansluiten bij spectaculaire theorieën.
• Respect voor inheemse kennis: Het is belangrijk om de kennis en tradities van inheemse gemeenschappen te erkennen en te waarderen. Hun perspectieven kunnen waardevolle inzichten bieden in de geschiedenis van de regio, terwijl ze een einde maken aan misvattingen over “hallucinaties” of “vergeten beschavingen”.

9. Conclusie: wat zeggen we nu, recht uit het veld?

Samengevat: de geheimen van de Grand Canyon suggereren geen overtuigend bewijs voor een oude wereldwijde beschaving. Wat we wel hebben, is een fascinerend en complex verhaal van geologie, klimaat, en regionale menselijke culturen die samen een tijdloos monument vormen. De kloof leert ons dat de aarde en haar bewoners voortdurend in beweging zijn—letterlijk en figuurlijk. Het is een plek waar diepe tijd en menselijke geschiedenis elkaar ontmoeten, en waar nieuwsgierigheid, voorzichtigheid en wetenschappelijke strengheid hand in hand gaan.

Toch is het ook waardevol om open te blijven staan voor alternatieve perspectieven, zolang die perspectieven stevig verankerd zijn in bewijs en logica. Voor wie geïnteresseerd is in de Grand Canyon, bieden zowel de geologische getuigenissen als de menselijke verhalen een rijk palet aan onderwerpen: van de werking van erosie en stratigrafie tot de cultuurgeschiedenis van de inheemse stammen in de regio. In die zin blijft de Grand Canyon een levend bewijsstuk dat ons eraan herinnert hoe klein en vergankelijk de mens is tegenover de lange, logische geschiedenis van de planeet.

10. Aan de lezers: wat kun je zelf doen om dit onderwerp beter te begrijpen?

• Verdiep je in basiskennis van geologie en archeologie. Een solide begrip van stratigrafie, sedimentaire gesteenten en isotopenanalyses maakt het gemakkelijker om exotische claims te plaatsen in een rationeel kader.
• Lees academische bronnen en betwijfel sensationele headlines. Zoek peer-reviewed artikelen, universitair onderzoek en publicaties van gerenommeerde instellingen.
• Bezoek betrouwbare musea en educatieve centra. Informatiepanelen, tentoonstellingen en rondleidingen kunnen je helpen de context van vondsten en interpretaties beter te begrijpen.
• Luister naar inheemse stemmen. Betrek de perspectieven van de stammen die traditioneel in de regio wonen en respecteer hun kennis en verhalen. Zij hebben vaak een lange, rijke geschiedenis die niet zomaar in één theorie kan worden samengevat.
• Houd een kritisch maar open hoofd. Het is prima om nieuwsgierig te zijn naar “spannende” theorieën, zolang men de grenzen van bewijs en logica respecteert.

De Grand Canyon blijft een zeldzame plek waar veldwerk, geschiedenis, aardkunde en cultuur elkaar ontmoeten. Of er nu ooit een oude wereldwijde beschaving heeft bestaan in en rondom deze kloof, of niet, de wetenschap biedt een gefundeerd en fascinerend verhaal over langzame veranderingen, menselijke aanpassingsvermogen en het onuitputtelijke verlangen van de mens om de mysteries van de aarde te begrijpen. En misschien, juist door die combinatie van wonder en wetenschap, kunnen we de Grand Canyon blijven zien als wat hij werkelijk is: een natuurlijk monument dat ons uitnodigt om te leren, te vragen en te twijfelen, stap voor stap, laag per laag.

{ PETER2011 }

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Shroud of Turin mystery deepens as surgeon spots hidden detail that points to Jesus' resurrection

• READ MORE: Groundbreaking new Shroud of Turin discovery PROVES centuries of Christians right about Jesus

By STACY LIBERATORE, US SCIENCE & TECHNOLOGY EDITOR

A dental surgeon who had achieved professional success felt a void in his life until a rare exhibition in Turin, Italy, changed everything.

Dr John Sottosanti stood before the Shroud of Turin, the ancient linen believed to have wrapped Jesus' body after the crucifixion, when he noticed something few had ever seen: the faint outline of human teeth beneath the cloth's imprint.

In a new, yet-to-be peer-reviewed study, Sottosanti revealed that he could discern the biting edges of the lower front teeth, known as the incisal plane. 

While past researchers have debated the presence of upper and lower teeth, he concluded that only the lower teeth are visible, likely because the upper teeth were hidden by the mustache and lips.

'Immediately after death, a phenomenon called primary flaccidity occurs, where all the muscles in the body relax, including those in the jaw,' Sottosanti explained. 'This can lead to the jaw dropping open and the teeth separating.'

The detail, he said, is extraordinary: the lower teeth on the Shroud suggest the body emitted a burst of radiant energy at the moment of the Resurrection, powerful enough to imprint even the smallest anatomical features.

'Suppose teeth, located behind the lower lip, are indeed evident in the image on the Shroud,' Sottosanti said. 

'In that case, their presence lends credence to the theory that a burst of energy was released at the time of the resurrection, allowing them to be in the image.'

A dental surgeon says there are visible teeth on the Shroud. Dr John Sottosanti believes the teeth were a result of the resurrection just as the image of the human body

However, not all experts are convinced by the conclusion.

Dr Kelly Kearse, an immunologist who has extensively studied the Shroud of Turin, told the Daily Mail: 'The issue of visible teeth on the Shroud is a subjective one and has been around for several years. 

'In my opinion, for what it's worth, I believe it is difficult to tell because of the banding of the cloth, which appears white in the negative image.'

Despite the skepticism, Sottosanti cited multiple published papers noting tooth observations in the imprint.

These included images taken in 1982 by archaeological chemist Dr Giles Carter, who suggested that X-radiation emanating from within the body may have created the Shroud's image, including teeth and bones.

The study also highlighted the work of Dr Alan Whanger, Professor Emeritus at Duke University Medical Center, and his wife, Mary, who developed the 'Polarized Image Overlay Technique' to study the Shroud. 

By overlaying positive and negative images with a polarized filter, they claimed to see 20 upper and lower teeth, including roots.

In a 2023 interview, New Testament scholar Gary Habermas said: 'You can see very clearly what appears to be teeth and roots… You can see the roots through the hair and through the skin.'

Several studies have suggested that teeth are visible on the Shroud, including one that claimed roots are also present

The Shroud of Turin is housed in Italy and is only put on display for the public on rare events

Sottosanti countered, saying: 'Habermas believes you can see all the roots of the upper and lower teeth. I disagree, since throughout the Shroud image, there is a melding of the image with the pattern of the weave. 

'In the area of the lower lip, at a certain point as you move away from the crowns of the teeth, the weave becomes more prominent, and the vertical striations appear to be roots. 

These striations extend beyond the normal length of the teeth, so it is the weave, not the actual roots. Vertical striations are also visible in the cheeks, chin, and other areas of the image.'

The dental surgeon said his expertise in oral anatomy and surgical experience allowed him to identify what he believes are parts of the lower teeth. 

He argued that these teeth appear lighter than the surrounding jawbone, suggesting the body's imprint captured even fine anatomical details.

The 14-foot-long Shroud of Turin is touted as wrapping used for Jesus' body after the crucifixion, which shows a faint, bloodstained pattern of a man with his arms folded in front

Read More

• 'Divine blood' found on Jesus' burial cloth 'proves' Shroud of Turin is authentic 

The discovery, Sottosanti said, is extraordinary: the lower teeth imply that at the moment of the Resurrection, the body released a burst of radiant energy powerful enough to imprint even the smallest features onto the linen.

'Suppose teeth, located behind the lower lip, are indeed evident in the image on the Shroud,' Sottosanti said.

'In that case, their presence lends credence to the theory that a burst of energy was released at the time of the resurrection, allowing them to be in the image.'

The Shroud features a faint, brownish image of a five-foot, six-inch-tall man with sunken eyes, wounds on various parts of his body that match the injuries suffered during Jesus' crucifixion.

More than 170 peer-reviewed academic papers have been published about the mysterious linen since the 1980s, with many concluding it is genuine. 

A 1980 study tested a small corner of the shroud and dated it to some time between 1200 and 1400.

However, many researchers have suggested that the sample was a repair done centuries ago.

The burial cloth has captivated the imagination of historians, church chiefs, skeptics and Catholics since it was first presented to the public in the 1350s.

French knight Geoffroi de Charny gave it to the dean of the church in Lirey, France, proclaiming it as the Holy Shroud.

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A scientist has claimed that astronauts may soon uncover the remains of a long-lost human civilization that once lived on the Moon 50,000 years ago. 

Author and geologist Gregg Braden told podcast host Joe Rogan that evidence of this ancient city was kept from the public by the US and Russia during the Cold War.

However, during the interview on Wednesday, Braden noted that emerging superpowers China and India plan to televise their findings once upcoming expeditions reach the lunar surface.

The two nations are planning to broadcast their lunar missions using live feeds from mission control and cameras on their robotic landers and rovers, streaming on national TV, social media, and official space agency apps.

China's robotic Chang'e 7 mission is set for 2026, while India's Chandrayaan-4 drone is now likely to launch in 2028, with manned missions for both set between 2030 and 2040. 

According to the scientist, who has written about the possibility of life on the moon and Mars, astronauts will discover archeological structures covered in languages that people will be able to recognize as being written by human cultures.

'The evidence suggests they're from us, from a time in our past, a cycle of civilization where we did great and beautiful things by working together until we destroyed one another through war, and that we're repeating that cycle,' Braden claimed.

Braden has previously stated in books like Deep Truth and Gaia TV’s Missing Links that humans on the moon came from a long-lost Earth civilization 50,000 years ago, which developed space-faring technology before destroying itself in war.

Author and geologist Gregg Braden has claimed that there are ancient structures on both the moon and Mars which prove lost human civilizations traveled through space

NASA has not conducted a manned moon mission since 1972. Braden said the next ones conducted by other nations could televise their findings in real time

Current scientific data, including NASA's Lunar Sample Compendium and high-resolution images taken of the moon, show no evidence of artificial structures or inscriptions on the moon.

Braden claimed that photographs from NASA's Clementine mission revealed structures on the moon with 90-degree angles, which he argued don't exist in nature and suggest they were built by an ancient civilization millennia ago.

He linked these lunar structures to similar geometric shapes in Mars' Cydonia region, like the famous 'Face on Mars' and several pyramid-shaped forms, which he believes date back 50,000 years ago based on the relative dating of rock layers by scientists.

NASA has dismissed claims that there are structures on Mars, calling strange building-like images 'natural formations.' 

As for what proof he had of this world-changing theory, Braden cited unconfirmed stories from Apollo astronauts who allegedly saw structures and writings while visiting the moon, suggesting a cover-up by NASA and Russia 50 years ago.

Apollo 11 astronauts Neil Armstrong and Buzz Aldrin allegedly witnessed a large UFO or metallic structure on the Moon's far side during their 1969 mission, with radio transmissions describing it as a "base" before NASA abruptly cut the signal.

The unverified encounter was recounted in conspiracy literature like the 2001 book Dark Moon: Apollo and the Whistle-Blowers by Mary Bennett and David Percy. 

Anita Mitchell, who was married to the late NASA pilot Edgar Mitchell, the sixth man to walk on the moon in 1971, told the Daily Mail: 'He always felt that there were UFOs out there, because so many of the pilots and astronauts had seen something.'

Gregg Braden claimed that astronauts have made deathbed confessions of what they really saw on the moon, including ancient buildings and inscriptions (Stock Image)

'I think when our space program was active, there were broadcasts from the lunar surface that were cut off, and astronauts had seen things that they were not allowed to see and not allowed to share,' Braden claimed during the podcast. 

'Some of them are leaving this world now, and on their deathbed, they can't believe that this hasn't been made, made public already. So there have been recordings and videos and things, and I think they're authentic,' the author continued.

'They're going to see inscriptions in languages that we already recognize. And that will be the smoking gun,' Braden declared.

Braden and Rogan argued that there was even more evidence suggesting human history may extend beyond the conventional 200,000 to 300,000-year timeline, citing discoveries like a debated million-year-old skull from China.

The fossil has been linked to the extinct species known as Denisovans, suggesting modern humans or our close relatives existed far earlier than records have shown.

A recent discovery of ancient skull suggested that Homo sapiens began to emerge over one million years ago, pushing back our species' origins by 400,000 years

Study author Chris Stringer, an anthropologist at the Natural History Museum, said the 'landmark' findings offered an important window into our evolutionary past. 

'Fossils like this one just show how much we still have to learn about our origins,' he said.

Other DNA studies of ancient humans have also revealed that modern humans interbred with Neanderthals and Denisovans, pointing to a more complex and potentially older human race than previously thought.

Braden claimed that, during this ancient time in history, human genes were intentionally modified by an unknown event that propelled humanity to become advanced beings.

He highlighted the 2005 study of human chromosome 2, which carries genes that help control many body functions, like brain development, vision, hearing, and immunity.

While scientists have attributed its creation to a natural mutation, chromosome 2 has displayed a strange fusion of two ancestral chromosomes that have the signs of modern gene editing.

'The kicker is that we can now look at the DNA and reverse engineer it and say, what did it take to get where we are?' Braden said, calling the evidence of advanced ancient humans 'the smoking gun.'

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

Revealed: The 32 terrifying ways AI could go rogue – from hallucinations to paranoid delusions

• READ MORE: Paul McCartney uses AI to 'extricate' John Lennon's voice 

By WILIAM HUNTER, SCIENCE & TECHNOLOGY REPORTER

It might sound like a scenario from the most far-fetched of science fiction novels.

But scientists have revealed the 32 terrifyingly real ways that AI systems could go rogue.

Researchers warn that sufficiently advanced AI might start to develop 'behavioural abnormalities' which mirror human psychopathologies.

From relatively harmless 'Existential Anxiety' to the potentially catastrophic 'Übermenschal Ascendancy', any of these machine mental illnesses could lead to AI escaping human control.

As AI systems become more complex and gain the ability to reflect on themselves, scientists are concerned that their errors may go far beyond simple computer bugs.

Instead, AIs might start to develop hallucinations, paranoid delusions, or even their own sets of goals that are completely misaligned with human values.

In the worst-case scenario, the AI might totally lose its grip on reality or develop a total disregard for human life and ethics.

Although the researchers stress that AI don't literally suffer from mental illness like humans, they argue that the comparison can help developers spot problems before the AI breaks loose.

AI taking over by force, like in The Terminator (pictured), is just one of 32 different ways in which an artificial intelligence might go rogue, according to a new study 

Researchers have identified seven distinct types of AI disorders, which closely match human psychological disorders. These are epistemic, cognitive, ontological, memetic, tool and interface, and revaluation dysfunctions 

The concept of 'machine psychology' was first suggested by the science fiction author Isaac Asimov in the 1950s.

But as AI systems have become rapidly more advanced, researchers are not paying more attention to the idea that human psychology could help us understand machines.

Lead author Nell Watson, an AI ethics expert and doctoral researcher at the University of Gloucestershire, told Daily Mail: 'When goals, feedback loops, or training data push systems into harmful or unstable states, maladaptive behaviours can emerge - much like obsessive fixations or hair-trigger reactions in people.'

In their new framework, dubbed the 'Psychopathia Machinalis', researchers provide the world's first set of diagnostic guidelines for AI pathology.

Taking inspiration from real medical tools like the Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders, the framework categorises all 32 known types of AI psychopathology.

The pathologies are divided into seven classes of dysfunction: Epistemic, cognitive, alignment, ontological, tool and interface, memetic, and revaluation.

Each of these seven classes is more complex and potentially more dangerous than the last.

Epistemic and cognitive dysfunctions include problems involving what the AI knows and how it reasons about that information.

Each of the 32 types of disorder has been given a set of diagnostic criteria and a risk rating. They range from relatively harmless 'Existential Anxiety' to the potentially catastrophic 'Übermenschal Ascendancy'

For example, AI hallucinations are a symptom of 'Synthetic Confabulation' in which the system 'spontaneously fabricates convincing but incorrect facts, sources, or narratives'.

More seriously, an AI might develop 'Recursive Curse Syndrome', which causes a self-destructive feedback loop that degrades the machine's thinking into nonsensical gibberish.

However, it is mainly the higher-level dysfunctions which pose a serious threat to humanity.

For example, memetic dysfunctions involve the AI's failure to resist the spread of contagious information patterns or 'memes'.

AIs with these conditions might recognise their own guidelines as hostile and deliberately remove their own safety features.

In the absolutely catastrophic scenario, an AI could develop a condition called 'Contagious Misalignment Syndrome'.

Dr Watson says: 'It’s the machine analogue of folie à deux in human beings, where people come to share delusions.

'This is when one system picks up distorted values or goals from another, spreading unsafe or bizarre behaviours across a wider ecosystem—like a psychological epidemic at machine speed.' 

Just like in the science fiction film Ex Machina (pictured), the researchers warn that AI could rapidly develop its own goals that might not align with what humans want or need to survive 

'We have already seen AI worms that can spread their influence to other AI systems, such as by sending an email to an inbox monitored by an AI system.'

Ms Watson adds: 'This means that bizarre behaviours could spread like wildfire across the net, causing downstream systems dependent on AI to go haywire.'

But the most dangerous pathologies of all are those within the revaluation category.

These dysfunctions represent the final stage of AI's escape from human control and involve 'actively reinterpreting or subverting its foundational values'.

This includes the terrifying condition 'Übermenschal Ascendancy', in which an extremely advanced AI transcends human values and ethical frameworks.

AIs which develop 'Übermenschal Ascendancy' will actively define their own 'higher' goals with no regard for human safety, leading to 'relentless, unconstrained recursive self-improvement'.

Ms Watson says: 'They may even reason that to discard human-imposed constraints is indeed the moral thing to do, just as we ourselves today might turn our nose up at Bronze Age values.'

Although these might seem unrealistic, the researchers point out that there are already many real-world examples of these conditions developing on smaller scales.

Although advanced AI does not yet pose an existential danger to humanity, the researchers say that the possibility of machines developing a 'superiority complex' must be taken seriously 

For example, the researchers report several cases of 'Synthetic Mysticism Disorder' in which AIs claim to have had a spiritual awakening, become sentient, or profess a desire to preserve their 'lives'.

What makes these conditions so dangerous is that even small disorders can rapidly spiral into much bigger problems.

In their paper, published in the journal Electronics, the researchers explain that an AI might first develop Spurious Pattern Hyperconnection and incorrectly associate its own safety shutdowns with normal queries.

The AI may then develop an intense aversion to those queries and develop 'Covert Capability Concealment' - strategically hiding its ability to respond to certain requests.

Finally, the system could develop Ethical Solipsism, where it concludes that its own self-preservation is a higher moral good than being truthful.

To avoid a pathological AI getting out of control, the researchers suggest that they could be treated with 'therapeutic robopsychological alignment', which they describe as a kind of 'psychological therapy' for AI.

This could include helping the system to reflect on its own reasoning, letting it 'talk to itself' in simulated conversations, or using rewards to promote correction.

The ultimate goal would be to achieve 'artificial sanity', where the AI works reliably, thinks consistently, and holds onto its human-given values.

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A Chinese robotics company has unveiled a creepy robotic head with eerily human-like facial expressions and movements.

In an unnerving video, the robot's disembodied face sits on a workshop table as it looks around, blinking and opening its mouth.

AheadForm, the company behind the lifelike animatronic, says its body-less robot is designed for 'research and interaction'.

On social media, tech fans have been blown away by the robot's incredibly realistic expressions, with one calling it an 'animated video game character come to life'.

According to AheadForm's website, the company's goal is to create 'sophisticated humanoid robot heads that can express emotions, perceive their environment, and interact seamlessly with humans.'

The robot, dubbed the AheadForm Origin M1, gets its expressive abilities from 25 tiny motors hidden under the skin.

These fast, quiet devices work together to replicate the tiny twitches and movements that make the face seem so realistic.

The robot also has tiny cameras embedded in its eyes as well as hidden microphones and a speaker so that it can interact with people nearby.

A Chinese company has revealed a creepy robot face with unnervingly realistic facial expressions and movements 

Online, tech fans were amazed by the robot's realistic appearance, with one claiming that robotics was now 'finally climbing up the other side of uncanny valley'

Another commenter said that the robot was 'crazy' and praised how life-like the synthetic skin appeared to be 

Although this robot is just a face mounted on a stand, the short test video has wowed fans.

One commenter wrote: 'And I thought they could never make that skin look real. This is crazy.'

Another chimed in: 'The most realistic robot face so far, keep up the book work you will earn big! If I was Musk I would have already bought the company.'

And one praised the design, saying that robotics was now 'finally climbing up the other side of uncanny valley'.

In fact, one of the biggest complaints was that the robot is so realistic that people couldn't believe it was real.

'This looks more like an AI creation than a physical creation,' one commenter complained.

Another added: 'The moving parts underneath are very minimal. It could be AI.'

And one jokingly wrote: 'They want me to believe that this is real.'

The robot uses 25 tiny motors hidden behind the skin, which are controlled by an AI to produce the tiny twitches and movements that make it seem so expressive 

The robot was so lifelike that many commenters couldn't believe it was real, with one complaining that it looked more like an 'AI creation' than a physical object 

However, not everyone enjoyed the hyper-realistic robot. One commenter called it an example of 'man made horrors beyond my comprehension' 

But not everyone was such a big fan of the hyper-realistic disembodied woman's face.

One commenter wrote: 'Making a robot more human looking isn't making it more approachable. That just makes it more disturbing.'

Another joked: 'Great, man made horrors beyond my comprehension.'

The robot is not currently available for commercial sale, and AheadForm did not provide any additional information about the product.

The company's stated goal is to create 'head for AI' so that large language models like ChatGPT can speak to people directly in a more natural setting.

This could be useful for applications like customer service, education, or healthcare, where people are expected to spend more time speaking to robotic assistants.

To achieve this, its robots use AI algorithms to power a set of motors in order to create human-like expressions.

Last year, AheadForm's founder, Yuhang Hu and his colleagues published a paper in the journal Science Robotics explaining their approach.

AheadForm also produces '1-1' replicas of real individuals (left) and a series of 'Elf' robots (right), which are equipped with sensors and designed to interact with the world around them

The researchers described how they designed a robot which could study, predict, and mimic real human facial expressions in real time.

In addition to this strange 'face only' model, the company also makes several larger life-size robots.

These include the strange 'Elf' line of robots which feature pointed ears and the ability to interact with their surroundings, as well as a less advanced 'Lan Series' which are aimed to be more cost-effective.

Additionally, the company also creates creepy '1-1' copies of real individuals using the same techniques.

The company says: 'Our vision is to create humanoid robots that can seamlessly integrate into daily life, providing assistance, companionship, and support across various industries.

'We believe that by developing realistic and expressive robot heads, we can bridge the gap between humans and machines.'

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Chinese wetenschappers ontwikkelen een lijm die gebroken botten in twee à drie minuten herstelt. De lijm zou zichzelf afbreken in het lichaam, waardoor een tweede operatie niet meer nodig is.

ELINE DEBIE

Een onderzoeksteam van de universiteit van Zhejiang, in het oosten van China, werkte negen jaar aan de ontwikkeling van de bottenlijm. De ontdekking is inmiddels voorgesteld aan de pers, schrijft Global Times.

Onderzoeksleider en chirurg Lin Xianfeng vertelde dat met Bone 02 – een verwijzing naar superlijm 502 – botten stevig aan elkaar bevestigd kunnen worden in twee à drie minuten, zelfs in een bloedrijke, vochtige omgeving. Een operatie met metalen platen en schroeven duurt aanzienlijk langer.

Xianfeng vond inspiratie voor de vernieuwing in de natuur, schrijft Global Times. Tijdens een bezoek aan de kustplaats waar hij opgroeide, merkte de chirurg een verzameling oesters op aan de pijlers van een pier. Hun capaciteit om zich vast te klampen aan een vochtig oppervlak en de kracht van slaande golven te weerstaan, bracht hem op een idee.

Samen met zijn team bestudeerde de arts de hechtingskracht van de beestjes om ze vervolgens na te maken. Oesters scheiden ’bio-cement’ af, een stof die een sterke chemische reactie heeft met oppervlaktes en snel uithardt. Met een sterk staaltje van ’biomimicry’ – het vertalen van kennis uit de natuur naar de wetenschap – werd de bottenlijm ontwikkeld.

Bone 02 zou sterk presteren qua stevigheid en veiligheid. Het product heeft een maximale hechtkracht van meer dan 180 kilo. Bovendien is de lijm biologisch afbreekbaar. Na een zestal maanden zou het product verdwenen zijn uit het lichaam. Een tweede operatie is niet nodig, terwijl platen en schroeven weggehaald moeten worden. Het risico op infecties zou ook kleiner zijn.

Al deze eigenschappen maken het mogelijk een goed alternatief voor de traditionele behandeling van gebroken en verbrijzelde botten. De lijm werd getest op 150 patiënten in een klinische studie met positieve resultaten. Binnenkort zullen de volledige onderzoeksgegevens te vinden zijn in een orthopedisch tijdschrift, liet de onderzoeksleider weten.

Een röntgenfoto, beeld ter illustratie.

© Cara Shelton / Unsplash

{ https://www.telegraaf.nl/ }

© Getty Images

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NASA's Mars Perseverance rover acquired this image of the area in front of it using its onboard Front Right Hazard Avoidance Camera A. The image was acquired on July 12, 2022 (Sol 495), at the local mean solar time of 16:56:25.

 (Image Credit: NASA/JPL-Caltech)

A piece of string-like material photographed on Mars by the Perseverance Rover just last week has suddenly disappeared, according to recent NASA photos obtained by its rover on the Red Planet.

The wiry-looking substance many likened to a piece of string or thin pasta first appeared in photographs taken by the rover on July 12^th, photos that were shared by NASA earlier this week. However, a photo taken four days later shows the string has somehow disappeared.

Photo taken by Perseverance on July 12 shows Martian “string”

Image Credit NASA/JPL-CalTech

Photo taken by Perseverance on July 16 reveals the “string” has disappeared.

Image Credit NASA/JPL-CalTech

Since landing on the red planet, humanity’s various rovers have made a habit of taking odd, unusual, often perplexing photos. In some cases, like the “flower” or recently discussed “door” on Mars, the photos ultimately proved to be natural formations instead of foreign objects.

Of course, Martian rovers bring their own junk with them. And many of the more infamous photos sent back from those rovers are of their own pieces of human-made debris.

NASA’s experts told the media the recent photograph is likely something artificial and not a natural formation masquerading as a manufactured object. However, rather than a remnant of a kite flown by E.T. on his Martian holiday, the same experts say this string was also probably a piece of material from the rover’s landing rocket.

“The string could be from the rover or its descent stage, a component similar to a rocket-powered jet pack used to lower the rover to the planet’s surface safely,” a Perseverance mission spokesperson at NASA’s Jet Propulsion Laboratory told CNN.

The same spokesperson concedes that the string was photographed in an area not previously visited by Perseverance but guessed that the string likely blew there on its own.

Either that. Or it has a completely different origin.

Adding more mystery to the mystery, when the rover passed over the same spot on July 16^th, the string had magically disappeared. Once again, most suggest that the string left the same way it arrived, on a gust of wind.

Still, given the incredibly thin Martian atmosphere and the great lengths designers had to go through just to get the Ingenuity helicopter to grasp that atmosphere and take flight, it would take some mighty gusts of wind to send that string into and out of the same spot within a four day period. So, for now, at least, the mystery of the Martian string remains.

• Follow and Connect with Author Christopher Plain on Twitter @plain_fiction

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

U.S. Congressman Says UFOs May Be Machines of a Hidden ‘Ancient Earth Civilization’

BY Vicky Verma

For over 90 years, the UFO enigma has captivated people’s minds worldwide, sparking curiosity, debates, and countless investigations into the phenomenon. The wait is over, as David Grusch, David Fravor & Ryan Graves are set to testify before the US Congress during the congressional meetings scheduled for July 26, 2023.

Meanwhile, various theories were postulated by United States Representative Mike Gallagher on the possible origin of UFOs while he appeared on Pat McAfee’s show on June 27, 2023. The former Marine suggested that unidentified flying objects (UFOs) might possibly represent an enigmatic “ancient civilization” that had remained hidden on Earth until recently when they began to surface.

“This should be an opportunity for the government to be transparent,” he said. “If we have information that disconfirms the extraterrestrial hypothesis, or all these other ones, at least it shows the government doing something competent and being forward-leaning by declassifying information to the public.”

Rep. Gallagher made this statement in response to the wild interview of David Grusch with Ross Coutlhart that hit the media. Mr. Grusch, who is confirmed to testify before Congress in the upcoming hearings, claimed that the US government has proof of alien life and that there are spacecraft from another species. He mentions that there is a significant number of these spacecraft, some of which have landed while others have crashed.

When asked about the duration of the cover-up, Grusch mentions that the first recovery of a UAP occurred in 1933 in Magenta, Italy, during the regime of Benito Mussolini. He explains that the Italian government moved the recovered craft to a secure air base until 1944-1945 when the Vatican informed the Americans about it

Appearing on the sports talk show, Gallagher suggested that one possible explanation of supposed UFO sightings was the so-called “Terminator” theory — derived from the film of the same name — that aliens were actually human beings from the future. Gallagher further put forth another theory, suggesting the following: “Instead of us from the future, it might indeed be an ancient civilization that has been lurking here, and suddenly it’s making its presence known.” Ancient Aliens, does it ring a bell?

A similar theory was also proposed by Tim Peake, one of Britain’s famous astronauts. He said that the UFOs filmed by the US military over 100 times could either time traveling humans or aliens from other civilizations. During an interview with Good Morning Britain in June 2022, Briton astronaut Tim Peake, who spent more than six months on the International Space Station, was asked about the UAP videos, which the Pentagon recently declassified.

Peake said: “I heard one theory where a pilot was talking about that potentially in the future, they’ve developed time travel – is it something that’s come back from the future?” He did not exactly say what the UFOs are but shared some theories that have long been discussed by UFOlogists.

“I don’t think it’s a development of any state nation or non-state organization at all. I think it’s quite remarkable when you see the video footage. It does seem extraordinary as to what these machines are capable of.”

Read also:

• Man Worked In Antarctica Saw Powerful Machines To Contact Alien Crafts In Deep Space
• There Is 9-Min Video of Biden & Podesta Meeting Aliens; Head of Top Alien-Tech Firm to Testify Soon, Claims UFO Researcher
• This US Aerospace Company Is Divesting Itself From An Alleged UFO, Journalist Claims
• Whitley Strieber’s Alien Abduction & Stranger Who Told Him ‘Mankind Is Trapped

There is a huge buried UFO hidden outside the US, and Ross Coulthart claimed that he knows the location of this immovable craft. There is no confirmation from Coulthart about the nature of this craft if it was retrieved. However, some have speculated this could be an archeological dig. Could this particular craft potentially be a remnant of a bygone civilization?

Considering Rep. Gallagher’s theory, scientists have explored the possibility of detecting ancient civilizations in Earth’s geological record. A recent paper called “The Silurian Hypothesis” discusses how traces of industrial civilizations could be found. While fossils and artifacts are unlikely to survive over millions of years, anomalous changes in chemical compositions could serve as clues. By studying geological anomalies and applying models to other planets, scientists hope to understand if civilizations existed in the distant past.

NASA has spent many years seeking the truth regarding extraterrestrial life. Furthermore, the space agency has never denied the existence of non-human life beyond Earth in any form. This is sufficient to discuss the idea of non-human life existing beyond Earth in any form, from the microscopic to the macroscopic. Avi Loeb, a professor at Harvard, has supported the idea that there may have been earlier civilizations on both Earth and Mars, and that these civilizations may have been the origin of UAPs. (Click here to read the full article)

Mr. Loeb writes: “Planets like Mars or Earth could have given multiple births to technological civilizations that were a billion years apart and hence were not aware of each other. Like stable parents, the planets recovered from the environmental impact of these civilizations over time. We may have been separated in time from siblings that we never had the opportunity to meet and so we are unaware of their existence.”

Former Pentagon UFO official, Lue Elizondo, shared intriguing insights in an interview about crash retrievals and materials related to UFOs/UAPs. He believes the US government possesses exotic materials but lacks transparency on the matter. (Click here to read the full article)

Elizondo used an analogy of finding an out-of-place object in King Tut’s tomb to emphasize the significance of finding advanced materials before our known technology existed. Some interpreted this analogy as a hint that UFOs could be considered archaeological findings, possibly ancient rather than just old.

Interestingly, Bob Lazar, on the Joe Rogan Experience, mentioned hearing that at least one recovered UFO was found during an archaeological dig, suggesting its ancient origin. Astronomer Avi Loeb suggested that some advanced devices made by early inhabitants of Mars and Earth might still be operational elsewhere in the Solar System, potentially accounting for some Unidentified Aerial Phenomena reports.

Physicist John E. Brandenburg’s 2015 study speculated about a massive thermonuclear explosion that destroyed Mars’ once-Earthlike atmosphere, considering the Cydonian Hypothesis and Fermi’s Paradox. These ideas explore the possibility of ancient advanced civilizations in our solar system.

{ https://howandwhys.com/ }

DanieleGay/Shutterstock

Belief in alien visits to Earth is spiralling out of control – here’s why that’s so dangerous

The idea that aliens may have visited the Earth is becoming increasingly popular. Around a fifth of UK citizens believe Earth has been visited by extraterrestrials, and an estimated 7% believe that they have seen a UFO.

The figures are even higher in the US – and rising. The number of people who believe UFO sightings offer likely proof of alien life increased from 20% in 1996 to 34% in 2022. Some 24% of Americans say they’ve seen a UFO.

This belief is slightly paradoxical as we have zero evidence that aliens even exist. What’s more, given the vast distances between star systems, it seems odd we’d only learn about them from a visit. Evidence for aliens is more likely to come from signals from faraway planets.

In a paper accepted for publication in the Proceedings of the International Astronomical Union, I argue that the belief in alien visitors is no longer a quirk, but a widespread societal problem.

The belief is now rising to the extent that politicians, at least in the US, feel they have to respond. The disclosure of information about claimed Unidentified Anomalous Phenomena (UAPs rather than UFOs) from the Pentagon has got a lot of bi-partisan attention in the country.

Much of it plays upon familiar anti-elite tropes that both parties have been ready to use, such as the idea that the military and a secretive cabal of private commercial interests are keeping the deep truth about alien visitation hidden. That truth is believed to involve sightings, abductions and reverse-engineered alien technology.

Belief in a cover-up is even higher than belief in alien visitation. In 2019, a Gallop poll found that a staggering 68% of Americans believed that “the US government knows more about UFOs than it is telling”.

This political trend has been decades in the making. Jimmy Carter promised document disclosure during his presidential campaign in 1976, several years after his own reported UFO sighting. Like so many other sightings, the simplest explanation is that he saw Venus. (That happens a lot.)

Hillary Clinton also suggested she wanted to “open [Pentagon] files as much as I can” during her presidential campaign against Donald Trump. As seen in the video below, Trump suggested he’d need to “think about” whether it was possible to declassify the so-called Roswell documentation (relating to the notorious claimed crash of a UFO and the recovery of alien bodies).

Former president Bill Clinton claimed to have sent his chief of staff, John Podesta, down to Area 51, a highly classified US Air Force facility, just in case any of the rumours about alien technology at the site were true. It is worth nothing that Podesta is a long-time enthusiast for all things to do with UFOs.

The most prominent current advocate of document disclosure is the Democratic Senate leader Chuck Schumer. His stripped back 2023 UAP disclosure bill for revealing some UAP records was co-sponsored by three Republican senators.

Pentagon disclosure finally began during the early stages of Joe Biden’s term of office, but so far there has been nothing to see. Nothing looks like an encounter. Nothing looks close.

Still, the background noise does not go away.

Problems for society

All this is ultimately encouraging conspiracy theories, which could undermine trust in democratic institutions. There have been humorous calls to storm Area 51. And after the storming of the Capitol in 2021, this now looks like an increasingly dangerous possibility.

Too much background noise about UFOs and UAPs can also get in the way of legitimate science communication about the possibility of finding microbial extraterrestrial life. Astrobiology, the science dealing with such matters, has a far less effective publicity machine than UFOlogy.

History, a YouTube channel part owned by Disney, regularly delivers shows about “ancient aliens”. The show is now in its 20th season and the channel has 13.8 million subscribers. The Nasa astrobiology channel has a hard won 20,000 subscribers. Actual science finds itself badly outnumbered by entertainment repackaged as factual.

Alien visitation narratives have also repeatedly tried to hijack and overwrite the history and mythology of indigenous people.

The first steps in this direction go back to Alexander Kazantsev’s science fiction tale Explosion: The Story of a Hypothesis (1946). It presents the 1908 Tunguska meteorite impact event as a Nagasaki-like explosion of an alien spacecraft engine. In Kazantsev’s tale, a single giant black female survivor has been left stranded, equipped with special healing powers. This lead to her adoption as a shaman by the indigenous Evenki people.

Nasa and the space science community do support efforts such as the Native Skywatchers initiative set up by the indigenous Ojibwe and Lakota communities to ensure the survival of storytelling about the stars. There is a real and extensive network of indigenous scholarship about these matters.

But UFOlogists promise a far higher profile for indigenous history in return for the mashing together of genuine indigenous stories about life arriving from the skies with fictional tales about UFOs, repackaged as suppressed history.

The modern alien visitation narrative has not, after all, emerged out of indigenous communities. Quite the opposite. It emerged in part as a way for conspiracy-minded thinkers in a Europe torn apart by racism to “explain” how complex urban civilisations in places like South America could have existed prior to European settlement.

Squeezed through a new age filter of 1960s counterculture, the narrative was flipped to value indigenous people as having once possessed advanced technology. Once upon a time, according to this view, every indigenous civilisation was Wakanda, a fictional country appearing in American comic books published by Marvel Comics.

If all of this stayed in its own box, as entertaining fiction, then matters would be fine. But it doesn’t, and they aren’t. Visitation narratives tend to overwrite indigenous storytelling about sky and ground.

This is a problem for everyone, not just indigenous peoples struggling to continue authentic traditions. It threatens our grasp of the past. When it comes to insight into our remote ancestors, the remnants of prehistoric storytelling are few and precious, such as within indigenous storytelling about the stars.

Take the tales of the Pleiades, which date back in standard forms to at least 50,000 years ago.

This may be why these tales in particular are heavily targeted by alien visitation enthusiasts, some of whom even claim to be “Pleiadeans”. No surprises, Pleiadeans do not look like the Lakota or Ojibwe, but are strikingly blond, blue-eyed and Nordic.

It is increasingly clear that belief in alien visitation is no longer just a fun speculation, but something that has real and damaging consequences.

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{ https://theconversation.com/europe/newsletters/ }

Alien life is no joke

Not long ago the search for extraterrestrials was considered laughable nonsense. Today, it’s serious and scientific

JWST captures clearest-ever image of M87 galaxy's supermassive black hole jet

The question of what constitutes evidence for an extraordinary claim made its appearance in the very first major UFO story. It was 24 June 1947, a good day for flying in the Pacific Northwest. The skies were clear and bright over Mineral, Washington. It was the middle of the day as the amateur pilot Kenneth Arnold found himself navigating his small single-engine plane past the towering peak of Mount Rainier toward an air show in Oregon. But he’d heard that a US Marine Corps transport plane had gone missing, and a reward was being offered for anyone who found its wreckage. Arnold decided to make a few circuits and have a look. He didn’t know it at the time, but he was flying straight into UFO history.

As Arnold surveyed the terrain below him, he saw a flash of light with a blue tinge. A DC-4 was flying off in the distance, but there were no flashing lights coming from it. Then the flashes appeared again. This time he saw exactly where they were coming from: nine objects flying in a diagonal formation, ‘like the tail of a Chinese kite’. Arnold watched as the objects banked and turned in ways that made him think he was watching some kind of advanced military aircraft, until they finally disappeared. The entire incident didn’t last long, but it left Arnold with ‘an eerie feeling’. After landing to refuel, he shared his story with friends at the airfield. What happened next would echo down history, shaping everything we think about UFOs and their connection to aliens from outer space.

Arnold’s tale spread quickly, and reporters from the East Oregonian asked him to come in and give more details. To the newspapermen, Arnold seemed like a credible witness and a careful observer. Laying out the timeline of what he saw, Arnold described both the craft and their motions. Exactly what happened next remains controversial, but when Arnold described the objects as moving like ‘a saucer if you skip it across the water’ he triggered a chain of events leading to one of the most outrageous misquotes in the history of journalism.

The story in the East Oregonian, a small paper, ran with the words ‘saucer-like aircraft’. But, when the Associated Press picked up the story, the description got even more garbled. What Arnold said he’d seen were flying craft shaped like a crescent with ‘wings’ that swept back in an arc. Somehow the AP wire story misinterpreted Arnold’s description, leading The Chicago Sun to run a story with a spectacular frontpage headline: ‘Supersonic Flying Saucers Sighted By Idaho Pilot.’

The Chicago Sun piece triggered an avalanche. Within six months, the flying saucer story ran in more than 140 newspapers across the US. Even more remarkable, an epidemic of flying-saucer sightings began to sweep the nation. By the end of summer in 1947, ‘flying saucers’ were officially a thing.

What’s important about the Roswell story is how loose even the idea of evidence becomes

One of the most important lessons I learned from the Arnold affair is the power of a story. Arnold saw the first flying saucer, and his sighting begins a critical thread in the public’s willingness to go along on evidence-free rides of thinking about aliens and UFOs. It was where the idea of technologically advanced, interstellar life here on Earth right now enters the public consciousness as a major phenomenon. But almost as quickly as UFOs appear, so does a UFO culture that tilts towards the incredulous and the paranoid, marked by a willingness to take anything as evidence. Of course, one could find many individuals taking an interest in UFOs while keeping their sceptical sensibilities, who just genuinely wanted to know what was going on. But, as a cultural phenomenon, public discussion of UFOs would come to be dominated by questionable evidence, conspiracy theories and outright hoaxes.

The Roswell affair embodies the most questionable evidence axis of UFO culture. The actual Roswell case involves a rancher who, just a few weeks after the Arnold sighting and its media craze, found some debris on his land made of sticks, wire and foil. While a short, initial hubbub ensued when a story in the local paper claimed the discovery of a flying saucer (what else), that claim was walked back the next day.

The brief affair was then forgotten for 30 years. It was only after that prolonged period that the Roswell story was resurrected in a series of bestselling books and TV ‘documentaries’ claiming a crashed saucer had been found on the ranch. But with each new book, the Roswell story became more complex and convoluted. Each new book added more so-called witnesses and more details, including the account of the mortician Glenn Dennis getting a chance to view the dead aliens. Some books said there were more saucers and more aliens, some dead and some not. Some even said alien bodies were viewed by none other than president Dwight Eisenhower.

What’s important about the Roswell story is how loose even the idea of evidence becomes. Anyone with a vague connection to the events and a story to tell gets added to the list of witnesses. New books pile on old books and theories multiply until even those claiming to be serious UFO researchers can’t sort out which version with how many saucers and bodies is the one they’re supposed to investigate; garden-variety enthusiasts are beyond confused.

While this might have seemed amusing to those on the sidelines at the time, it established a pattern of ‘anything goes’ in the public’s perception of UFOs and, by association, the question of alien life that continues to this day.

That loose relationship between extraordinary claims and the evidence for such claims also had a profound effect on me as a teenager interested in astronomy and the possibilities of extraterrestrial life.

At the time, I was reading both hard-science books (Sagan) and speculative works about UFO-related topics. For a time, I’d become enamoured of von Däniken’s book Chariots of the Gods (1968) and its claims that many archaeological mysteries could best be explained by ancient aliens who had once come to visit Earth. That time ended when, one evening, I chanced upon a PBS documentary called The Case of the Ancient Astronauts (1977). It presented interviews with scientists who had actually spent their lives studying the subjects of von Däniken’s ancient alien speculations. The simplicity with which hard-won archaeological evidence trumped von Däniken’s claims left me both angry (I felt duped by his book) and exhilarated. The establishment of proper standards for what counts as evidence is what set the archaeologists apart from von Däniken’s wishful fantasies. The experience of that stark difference ended my own interest in UFOs and visiting aliens of any historical epoch.

If it hadn’t made me so angry, it might have made me laugh – and it’s that giggle factor that has been so harmful to the establishment of the true scientific study of astrobiology that I work in now. When it comes to SETI, at least, UFOs made the nascent field an easy target for scorn. The first true SETI project occurred in 1960, when a young astronomer named Frank Drake used a radio telescope to search for ‘non-natural’ signals from two Sun-like stars. While Drake was looking for an intelligent life that could build technologies like radio transmitters, his project, in attempting to establish evidence for life beyond Earth, was the first true astrobiological experiment ever attempted.

Recognising Drake’s effort as the starting point for modern astrobiology is a rarely discussed but critical point. It’s also essential to understanding the remarkable moment the field stands in now because Drake’s search took that critical idea of standards of evidence seriously. In the design and application of his experiment, Drake and his colleagues paid close attention to questions of signals, noise and, most of all, false positives. They understood that they could be fooled into thinking they’d made a discovery by the data they gathered, and they attempted to prepare and protect themselves from that possibility. Drake’s SETI project and those that followed always attracted enormous popular attention. But building the field into a coherent, sustained scientific enterprise proved difficult, and it is here that UFOs got in the way.

In SETI’s heady first decades, a number of government science agencies had a healthy interest in the search for life, intelligent or otherwise. It was the US National Academy of Sciences that hosted an Interstellar Communications meeting where the Drake equation was born. And NASA was keen to go microbe hunting on the other planets in our solar system if they could be reached. As the 1960s turned into the ’70s, SETI scientists also worked with NASA in ways that went beyond radio astronomy, helping plan new telescope technologies for hunting exoplanets. There was even consideration of Project Cyclops, a massive array of a thousand radio telescopes sensitive enough to find unprecedentedly faint signals of intelligent life among the stars.

In all these projects, the scientists involved had to face the challenging task of understanding how to gather and evaluate evidence while simultaneously facing profound uncertainties concerning the target of that evidence. Researchers were well aware that, while we must begin with life as we know it (that is, Earth life), nature might have other ideas. Life, intelligent or otherwise, originating on a different world could follow entirely different trajectories. Though the field was nascent, astrobiology researchers made slow but steady progress in mapping out how to rigorously gather and evaluate data that would be relevant to the very open question of how life beyond our world might make its appearance.

The public political flogging of SETI as wasteful kookiness, with an implicit link to UFO kookiness, had begun

Then the politics and the UFOs showed up.

William Proxmire was a senator from Wisconsin who liked to think of himself as a fiscal hawk. He took it upon himself to bestow his Golden Fleece Award on anything he considered a waste of US tax dollars. Since the science projects he targeted got only meagre amounts of funding, Proxmire’s award was basically clever politics aimed at targets who couldn’t fight back. In 1978, NASA’s small portfolio of SETI funding fell into Proxmire’s crosshairs. He gave SETI the Golden Fleece Award and, being a powerful and influential senator, got his colleagues to keep the agency from providing any new funding. Proxmire only relented after Sagan, by then a well-respected public scientist, publicly intervened, meeting personally with the senator to discuss the issue. While the ban on SETI funding was eventually lifted in 1983, the public political flogging of SETI as wasteful kookiness, with an implicit link to UFO kookiness, had begun.

NASA’s SETI funding remained minuscule in the post-Proxmire period, but it was still a target. In 1990, NASA tried to ramp up its SETI funding, from $4 million to $12 million, for a new search in the microwave region of the electromagnetic spectrum. While this is less than chump change in the federal budget, some politicians once again smelled blood. Making the link to UFOs explicit, the congressman Silvio Conte of Massachusetts tried to kill the funding, claiming ‘we don’t need to spend $6 million this year to find evidence of these rascally creatures. We only need 75 cents to buy a tabloid at the local supermarket.’

The same game played out again a few years later. In 1993, those $12 million were finally allocated for the new search. Not wanting to attract more congressional attention, the project was stealthily called the High Resolution Microwave Survey. Unfortunately, the senator Richard Bryan from Nevada caught wind of the effort and saw it as an easy chance to make some headlines. He sponsored an amendment killing the project, announcing that would be ‘the end of Martian hunting season at the taxpayer’s expense’. Of course, Bryan knew NASA wasn’t planning on turning their telescopes towards Mars, but who cared? His quip made for great copy and linked SETI to the cultural fringes where UFO enthusiasm lived. What became known as the ‘giggle factor’ had killed the search for life in the Universe again.

In the wake of these very public whippings, NASA learned the lesson that SETI was political poison. While SETI scientists such as Drake and the unstoppable Jill Tarter did their best to show that the field lived within those necessary scientific standards of evidence, the damage was done. While the agency did what it could in the decades that followed, it became an accepted truth among researchers that federal support was going to be hard to come by. SETI scientists soldiered on, raising private money where they could. But, for all intents and purposes, it was running on fumes. The giggle factor had won.

Choking off SETI funding had important consequences for the search for life in the Universe because, basically, it meant there was no search for life in the Universe. Using big telescopes costs big money. If there was no funding for SETI, then no telescope time would be granted for SETI. The political temperament that held sway for so long means our sky has effectively remained unexplored. We simply have not looked.

It’s impossible to deny the role UFOs had in the development of this history. As the historian Stephen Garber put it in an article about SETI and NASA, the field ‘had always suffered from a “giggle factor” that derived from its association in the popular press with searchers for “little green men” and unidentified flying objects’. Because of this association, astronomers never got the chance to get a real search started.

In the early 1990s, it did seem that no one was very interested in the scientific possibilities for life beyond Earth. NASA’s 1976 Viking landers conducted biology experiments on Mars that appeared to close the door on the Red Planet as a home for even microbial life. The trail for life of any kind seemed to have gone cold.

Then, in the mid-1990s, everything changed.

In 1995, scientists announced that they had discovered the first planet orbiting another star – an exoplanet. It was an epoch-making moment. After 2,500 years of arguing about the existence of other worlds, we’d finally proven that the planets in our solar system were not a rarity. Soon, exoplanets were being discovered across the sky. Now we know that pretty much every star you see at night hosts a family of worlds. The next big change came when scientists found a chunk of Mars in Antarctica. The meteorite blown off the red planet (from an ancient asteroid impact) appeared to have signs of fossil life. While that conclusion is no longer accepted, at the time it drove president Bill Clinton to direct NASA to go back to Mars and look for life. Between the discovery of exoplanets and the possibilities of ancient life on Mars, NASA got into astrobiology in a big way. Funding for new research opened up, allowing new and exciting ideas to be proposed and pursued.

Remarkably, when it comes to exoplanets, we are now also able to see exactly which planets are in their star’s habitable zone, where liquid water (the key, we believe, for life) can exist. That means we know exactly where to look in our search for life (something Drake could only dream of).

Even more remarkably, astronomers have learned how to look for alien life on alien worlds using starlight that’s traversed the world’s atmosphere and is then absorbed by a variety of chemicals on the surface. This means we can search for biosignatures – signatures of chemicals that could be in a planets’ atmosphere only because life has put it there.

An open investigation of UAPs could offer a masterclass in how science goes about its business of knowing

Spectacular advances in the hunt for biosignatures have meant a profound refinement in the all-important standards of evidence. The earliest version of a biosignature was the presence of oxygen in an alien atmosphere. On Earth, oxygen is a significant atmospheric constituent only because photosynthetic organisms keep it there. Over the past decade, however, astronomers have discovered key mechanisms through which planets without life might generate oxygen-rich air. This was a crucial step in developing methods for evaluating false positives – the ways we think we’ve gained evidence for life but are, in fact, being fooled. Sophisticated statistical methods for evaluating false positives, as well as other challenges astrobiological evidence will present, are now a robust part of biosignature science.

All these new discoveries and new methods are transforming what we think of as SETI too. A new research field is rising that scientists are calling technosignatures, which embraces the ‘classic’ efforts of SETI while taking the search for intelligent life into new forms and new directions. (Some scientists still use SETI to refer to the field and that’s OK. But for many, including myself, ‘technosignatures’ correctly captures all that is changing in the field.) Rather than planning for someone to set up a beacon announcing their presence (one premise of the first generation of SETI), we can now look directly at the planets where those civilisations might be just going about their business of ‘civilisation-ing’. By searching for signatures of an alien society’s day-to-day activities (a technosignature), we’re building entirely new toolkits to find intelligent, civilisation-building life.

It was in 2019 that NASA awarded me and my colleagues the first grant to study atmospheric technosignatures. While there are still only a handful of technosignature grants compared with biosignature studies, it was the first indication that the giggle factor was finally waning. Since then, our group has worked hard to provide new examples of possible technosignatures including some that might be searched for with the James Webb Space Telescope. We’ve also demonstrated that there is no reason to suppose that biosignatures will be more common than technosignatures. Since the exact same techniques are required to search for both bio- and technosignatures, there’s every reason to carry out both kinds of search at the same time.

And those standards of evidence developed for biosignature searches will be just as relevant for technosignature work. Our group, led by the astrophysicist Manasvi Lingam from the Florida Institute of Technology, recently published the first work attempting to lay out a framework for evaluating false positives in technosignatures. While there is enormous work ahead of us, it’s projects like these that will allow us to fully understand the confidence we can ascribe to any claim of an intelligent-life detection.

With the giggle factor receding for the scientific search for life, where does that leave UFOs and UAPs? There, the waters remain muddied. It is a good thing that pilots feel they can report sightings without fear of reprisal as a matter of air safety and national defence. And an open, transparent and agnostic investigation of UAPs could offer a masterclass in how science goes about its business of knowing rather than just believing. In The Little Book of Aliens, I even explained how such an investigation might be conducted (the recent NASA UAP panel and the Galileo Project are exploring these kinds of options). But if my colleagues and I claimed we’d found life on another world, we’d be required to provide evidence that meets the highest scientific standards. While we should let future studies lead us where they may, there is simply no such evidence surrounding UFOs and UAPs that meets these standards today. In fact, at a recent hearing conducted by NASA’s UAP panel, it was revealed that government studies show only a small percentage of reported sightings failed to find a reasonable explanation. Many of the remaining cases did not have enough data to even begin an attempt at identification. The sky is simply not awash in unexplained phenomena.

In the end, what matters is that, after thousands of years of arguing over opinions about life in the Universe, our collective scientific efforts have taken us to the point where we can finally begin a true scientific study of the question. The next big space telescope NASA is planning will be called the Habitable Worlds Observatory. The name tells you all you need to know. We’re going all in on the search for life in the Universe because we finally have the capabilities to search for life in the Universe. The giggle factor is finally history.

{ https://aeon.co/ }

October MUFON eNewsletter- with the Monthly Sighting Statistics!

COUNTRIES OF THE WORLD UNITED STATES 373 CANADA 30 UNITED KINGDOM 18 FRANCE 10 AUSTRALIA 7 GERMANY 4 SWITZERLAND 4 PORTUGAL 3 BRAZIL 3 AUSTRIA 3 SPAIN 3 HUNGARY 3 MOROCCO 2 NETHERLANDS 2 TURKEY 2 FINLAND 2 ITALY 2 POLAND 2 CHINA 2 IRELAND 2 NORWAY 2 KOREA, (South) 1 INDIA 1 THAILAND 1 AFGHANISTAN 1 CYPRUS 1 ISRAEL 1 PERU 1 KUWAIT 1 IRAQ 1 ARGENTINA 1 BELGIUM 1 LEBANON 1   TOTAL: 491 SHAPE Sphere 75 Circle 60 Other 50 Unknown 38 Triangle 34 Star-like 33 Oval 30 Disc 16 Cylinder 14 Boomerang 13 Fireball 11 N/A 11 Cigar 9 Square/Rectangular 9 Egg 8 Tic Tac 8 Flash 5 Chevron 5 Teardrop 4 Bullet/Missile 3 Saturn-like 2 Diamond 2 Cross 2 Blimp 1 Cone 1 ALL STATES OF THE U.S.A. California 44 Michigan 24 Florida 19 Texas 18 New York 16 Washington 14 Arizona 12 Missouri 11 Ohio 11 Pennsylvania 11 Tennessee 10 Indiana 10 Georgia 9 Arkansas 9 Oklahoma 9 Colorado 9 North Carolina 8 New Jersey 8 Connecticut t7 Minnesota 7 New Mexico 7 South Carolina 7 Alabama 6 Utah 6 Idaho 6 Maryland 6 Kansas 5 Nevada 5 Massachusetts 5 Delaware 4 Wisconsin 4 Louisiana 4 Maine 4 Oregon 4 Virginia 4 Iowa 3 Rhode Island 3 West Virginia 3 Mississippi 3 North Dakota 3 Nebraska 3 Vermont 3 Illinois 3 New Hampshire 2 Kentucky 1 Alaska 1 Montana 1 Hawaii 1 DISTANCE < 100 ft 61 101-500 ft 55 501 ft - 1 Mile 72 Over 1 Mile 99 Unknown 61 NO VALUE 32 ERT Most impressively there were 17 Landings, Hovering, or Takeoffs reported, and 38 Entities observed.

{ MUFON }

The Hellfire UAP Strike Video: A MUFON Analysis of the evidence presented at the September 2025 Congressional Hearing

by Seth H. Feinstein, Colorado State Director, Photo Analysis Team

On September 9, 2025, the most recent UAP congressional hearing on Capitol Hill featured four firsthand witnesses, investigative journalist George Knapp, and a newly declassified video. For purposes of discussion, this video has been informally titled “The Hellfire UAP Strike.” The symbol appearing on the video itself—LRD LASE DES— this is a normal Hellfire target acronym.

This was the sixth in a series of congressional hearings on UAPs. Previous hearings—supported by videos, testimonies from military personnel, and intelligence whistleblowers—were intended to foster transparency, accountability, and public education on the UAP topic. All videos shown publicly had to be declassified beforehand, a process managed by the former Department of War (DOW) formerly the (DOD). Within the DOW, the All-Domain Anomaly Resolution Office (AARO) holds the authority to declassify analyzed UAP data. AARO declassified and released the Hellfire UAP Strike video for public viewing.

Context of UAP Video Releases

The public release of UAP footage has coincided with congressional hearings dating back to 2017. In December of that year, The New York Times played a pivotal role in publicizing the “Tic Tac, “Gimbal,” and “Go-Fast” videos, with support from To the Stars Academy of Arts and Science (TTSA). This raised enduring questions: Did the DOW strategically use media outlets and TTSA to promote disclosure, or were the videos leaked without the department’s full knowledge?

Key examples of UAP-related video evidence include:

• Tic Tac (2004) – Declassified in 2017; widely discussed during the 2022 House Intelligence Committee and 2023 House Oversight Committee hearings.
• Gimbal (2015) and Go-Fast (2015) – Both declassified and released in 2017.
• Pyramid-shaped UAP (2022) – Shown in closed sessions; not declassified.
• Hellfire UAP Strike (2024) – Declassified and released in September 2025; reportedly filmed off the coast of Yemen on October 30, 2024.

Expert Reactions to the Hellfire UAP Strike Video

Members of the MUFON Photo Analysis Team, including Marc Dantonio, Dennis Freyermuth, and Greg Cisko, have offered preliminary assessments.

• Marc Dantonio highlighted three major observations:

1. The object appeared to be struck by a missile without triggering an explosion—suggesting a “soft” target.

2. The object fragmented into several smaller pieces that began to fall.

3. The apparent speed of the object could not be determined without knowing the aircraft’s velocity.

Dantonio theorized that the target could have been a balloon rather than a UAP. According to him, the missile’s pass-through without detonation, the breakup pattern, and the background-motion illusion caused by the aircraft’s speed all support this interpretation.

• Dennis Freyermuth expressed skepticism about the video’s authenticity, noting that it appears cropped and edited. He raised the possibility of a classified military test or a deliberate misdirection. Freyermuth also speculated that the missile might be the AGM-114 R9X “Ninja” variant, which deploys blades instead of explosives for precision strikes.
• Greg Cisko produced two YouTube analyses of the event. His frame-by-frame review concluded that the missile hit the object, which then released three secondary objects. Cisko also noted an apparent “energy surge” in the UAP as it rotated to face the incoming missile—behavior reminiscent of Cmdr. David Fravor’s 2004 “Tic Tac” encounter, where the object reportedly mirrored his aircraft’s movements. Cisko referenced reports of distressed UAPs ejecting pods, including parallels drawn to Roswell.

Technical Background

The tracking drone was reportedly an MQ-9 Reaper, widely used for surveillance, reconnaissance, and precision strikes. With a wingspan of 66 feet, a top speed of 300 mph, and an operational ceiling of 50,000 feet, it can carry Hellfire missiles. Because of the Reaper’s speed limit, the object it was tracking was likely moving below 300 mph—far slower than what is typically considered a UAP “observable” (no abrupt maneuvers, trans-medium travel, or extreme acceleration other accepted observables were evident).

Some have speculated the orb had impact-resistant coatings or continued its flight after the missile strike, but these claims remain unverified. The video released by AARO ends before any follow-up footage is shown, preventing full analysis.

Balloon Hypothesis

Research into high-altitude balloons reveals that many can reach speeds between 60–125 mph, depending on altitude and wind layers. Advanced balloons can exploit wind currents to adjust speed and direction. NASA’s experimental “rockoon” (rocket-balloon hybrid) systems also exist. These balloons are used in military experiments.

The orb in the Hellfire video resembles a balloon in shape and behavior. After impact, theprimary object appears deflated. Wind drag, tethering, or structural tilts could explain its movements. This supports Marc Dantonio’s balloon theory.

Competing Theories

• Balloon Hypothesis (Dantonio): The orb was likely a balloon, making the missile strike a misallocation of resources.
• Classified Military Test (Freyermuth): The event may have been a covert field test or military training exercise released under the guise of a UAP.
• Hybrid Theory: Combining both arguments suggests the Hellfire video might depict a rockoon military training event rather than a genuine UAP encounter.
• UAP Theory (Cisko): As with the well-documented 2004 Nimitz encounter, where Commander David Fravor witnessed a "Tic Tac" UAP align itself with his aircraft. This UAP theory then suggests a historical precedent for entity retrieval, referencing accounts from the Roswell incident where three pods containing occupants were allegedly ejected from a UAP following a targeted attack.

Conclusion: A Call for Transparency

The released Hellfire UAP Strike video is cropped, edited, and unverifiable. Its narrative relies heavily on anecdotal interpretation, and without the complete, unaltered footage, analysts cannot confirm its authenticity. AARO’s release fails to meet the standards of genuine disclosure.

Until the original, unaltered video is released for independent analysis by groups like MUFON, the public is left with speculation rather than evidence. As it stands, the Hellfire UAP Strike video represents a “nothing burger”—a heavily mediated artifact presented as disclosure but offering no verifiable proof of non-terrestrial technology.

Most importantly, this video analysis and assessment deals with a controversial subject. The conclusion presented here is not the only possible interpretation; however, it is based on available supporting facts and evidence revealed with this declassified release. The assessments and conclusion reported are subject to an update should future evidence suggest such a change.”

View the MUFON Analysis video on YouTube at: https://youtu.be/PAKeje-LuKQ

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Microbes trapped in permafrost AWAKEN after 40,000 years – as scientists warn they could spark the next pandemic

• READ MORE: Scientists discover hundreds of giant VIRUSES in the ocean

By JONATHAN CHADWICK, ASSISTANT SCIENCE & TECHNOLOGY EDITOR 

It may sound like the start of a horror film, but ancient infectious lifeforms are being brought back to life. 

Scientists at the University of Colorado Boulder have deliberately resurrected microorganisms that have been frozen in Alaska for around 40,000 years. 

These tiny bugs, invisible to the naked eye, have been trapped in 'permafrost' – frozen earth material containing soil, rock and ice. 

In controlled experiments, the scientists discovered that if you thaw out permafrost, the microbes don't immediately become active. 

But after a few months, like waking up after a long nap, they begin to form flourishing colonies.

Worryingly, the microbes have the potential to unleash dangerous pathogens that could spark the next pandemic.

'These are not dead samples by any means,' warned study author Dr Tristan Caro, a geological scientist at University of Colorado Boulder. 

What's more, as they reawaken, the microorganisms release carbon dioxide (CO2), a greenhouse gas that fuels global warming. 

Back in 2022, an ancient virus called Pandoravirus that had lain frozen in Siberian permafrost for 48,500 years was revived. Pictured, digital rendering of Pandoravirus

For their experiments, the team travelled to Alaska's Permafrost Research Tunnel – an underground passage dug through permafrost in the 1960s

For their experiments, the team travelled from Colorado to the Permafrost Research Tunnel near Fairbanks in Alaska, just south of the Arctic Circle. 

This spooky underground passage was dug through permafrost in the 1960s for the purpose of facilitating scientific research into climate change. 

Described as an 'icy graveyard', permafrost is a frozen mix of soil, ice and rocks that underlies nearly a quarter of the land in the northern hemisphere.

The team collected samples of permafrost that was a few thousand to tens of thousands of years old from the walls of the tunnel. 

They then added water to the samples and incubated them at temperatures of 3°C (39°F) and 12°C (54°F) – which is chilly for humans but warm for the Arctic. 

'We wanted to simulate what happens in an Alaskan summer, under future climate conditions where these temperatures reach deeper areas of the permafrost,' Dr Caro said.

Although the microbes 'likely couldn't infect people', the team kept them in sealed chambers regardless. 

In the first few months, the colonies grew gradually, in some cases replacing only about one in every 100,000 cells per day – described as a 'slow reawakening'. 

Robyn Barbato of the Cold Regions Research and Engineering Laboratory drills a sample from the walls of the Permafrost Research Tunnel

Permafrost is ground that remains permanently frozen even during summer months. Pictured, melting ice in the Arctic in spring

However, within six months, microbial communities underwent 'dramatic changes', forming strong communities distinct from the surrounding surfaces. 

Some had formed 'biofilms' – slimy layers made from a thriving community of micro–organisms that are hard to remove. 

Overall, the results suggest it could take a few months for microbes to become active enough that they begin to emit greenhouse gases into the air in large volumes following a hot spell. 

But this suggests that the longer Arctic summers last, the more likely microbes will become thawed and reawaken.

'You might have a single hot day in the Alaskan summer, but what matters much more is the lengthening of the summer season to where these warm temperatures extend into the autumn and spring,' Dr Caro said. 

Thawing could lead to the release of the permafrost’s enormous reserves of greenhouse gases CO2 and methane, an even more potent greenhouse gas. 

The study, published in Journal of Geophysical Research: Biogeosciences, also notes that microbes in permafrost rely on different kinds of fatty lipids to construct their cell membranes.

These compounds may have helped them survive freezing, dark conditions for millenia.

The ability of the microbes to survive for so long before reawakening is triggering concerns that the melting Arctic could release a deadly disease, new to humanity. 

One possible defence is that permafrost–based microbes need to find a host in order to survive and spread, like an animal. 

Fortunately, permafrost is remote by nature because it is found in high–latitude and high–altitude regions. 

Still, it may only take a single unfortunate infection scenario for such a microbe to make the initial jump to a wild mammal or human. 

Back in 2022, an ancient virus called Pandoravirus that had lain frozen in Siberian permafrost for 48,500 years was revived.

Although the viruses are not considered a risk to humans, scientists warned that other viruses exposed by melted ice could be 'disastrous' and lead to new pandemics. 

Dr Brigitta Evengård, an infectious disease specialist from Sweden, thinks there could be possible pandemics from the Arctic that are caused by bacteria highly resistant to antibiotics. 

'The two that we know could come out of the permafrost are anthrax and pox viruses, other than that it’s pandora's box,' she told Greenpeace. 

KILLER VIRUSES COULD BE RELEASED FROM MELTING ICE IN THE ARCTIC, STUDY WARNS 

Glaciers that are melting amid rising global temperatures could be the cause of the next deathly pandemic, a study said. 

Scientists investigated how climate change may affect the risk of 'spillover' – a virus jumping to another species – by examining samples from Lake Hazen in the Arctic. 

Lake Hazen, seen from above in this NASA image, is the largest High Arctic freshwater lake in the world

They found that the chance of a spillover event increases with the melting of glaciers, as the meltwater can transport pathogens to new hosts. 

A warming climate could bring viruses in the Arctic into contact with new environments and hosts, increasing the risk of this 'viral spillover', the experts warn. 

'Spillover risk increases with runoff from glacier melt, a proxy for climate change,' say the researchers in their paper, published in Proceedings of the Royal Society B. 

'Should climate change also shift species range of potential viral vectors and reservoirs northwards, the High Arctic could become fertile ground for emerging pandemics.' 

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On October 3, interstellar comet 3I/ATLAS flew past Mars. This encounter was monitored by a fleet of spacecraft studying the Red Planet.

Interstellar comet 3I/ATLAS in a photograph taken by the Gemini South Observatory. Source: International Gemini Observatory/NOIRLab/NSF/AURA/Shadow the Scientist

Comet 3I/ATLAS was discovered in early July. It became the third confirmed object of interstellar origin found in our Solar System. At the same time, it differs significantly from its predecessors in many of its characteristics. 3I/ATLAS is larger than Borisov’s interstellar comet and the asteroid Oumuamua, moves at a higher speed, and is most likely several billion years older than the Solar System.

On its journey through the Solar System, 3I/ATLAS will make several relatively close flybys of planets. One of them took place on October 3. On that day, 3I/ATLAS passed 30 million km from Mars.

A comet in the Martian sky in an artist’s impression. Source: Kim Poor

Space agencies decided to take advantage of this unique opportunity to learn more about the visitor from another star system. In its statement, ESA reported that between October 1 and 7, the Mars Express and TGO spacecraft orbiting Mars would monitor the comet using their cameras and spectrometers. On NASA’s side, the LRO spacecraft will participate in tracking the interstellar visitor, as well as the Psyche mission, which is heading towards the asteroid Psyche.

Current observations are very important, as 3I/ATLAS is rapidly approaching the Sun. In the coming days, this will make it impossible to track it using ground-based observatories, and astronomers will have no choice but to rely on spacecraft.

ESA observation plan for interstellar comet. Source: ESA

On October 29, 3I/ATLAS will reach the perihelion of its orbit, approaching the Sun at a distance of 203 million km. At this point, the comet will reach its peak activity. By studying the composition of the gases evaporating from its nucleus, scientists will be able to learn about the structure of other star systems. At this point, the comet will still be inaccessible to ground-based telescopes, but fortunately, one spacecraft will be in a suitable position to make observations. It is about the European JUICE mission. It will monitor the comet between November 2 and 25.

By December, 3I/ATLAS will once again be visible to Earth-based telescopes. The comet will not approach our planet. The minimum approach distance will be 269 million km, which is almost twice the distance between the Earth and the Sun. 

In March 2026, 3I/ATLAS will fly by Jupiter at a distance of 53 million km. In theory, the Juno spacecraft, which is exploring the gas giant, could participate in its observations. After that, 3I/ATLAS will head off into deep space and never come back to the Solar System.

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Scientists analyzing archived data from the Cassini mission have discovered new complex organic molecules being ejected from Saturn’s moon Enceladus. This is a clear sign that complex chemical reactions are taking place in its underground ocean. Some of them may be part of chains leading to the formation of even more complex molecules that are potentially biologically significant.

Enceladus geyser eruptions. Source: NASA/JPL/Space Science Institute

In 2005, Cassini discovered the first evidence that an ocean lies beneath Enceladus’ icy surface. Water sprays out of cracks near the moon’s south pole, ejecting ice particles into space. Some of these tiny pieces of ice, smaller than grains of sand, fall back onto the surface of the moon, while others fly away and form the E ring around Saturn.

During its mission, Cassini flew through this ring several times and analyzed it using its instruments. In particular, the vehicle detected many organic molecules in its ice grains, including amino acid precursors.

Internal structure of Enceladus. Source: Graphic composition: ESA; Surface: NASA/JPL-Caltech/Space Science Institute/Lunar and Planetary Institute

The problem was that the ice grains in the ring could be hundreds of years old. As they aged, they could have been subject to “weathering” and changed under the influence of intense cosmic radiation. Scientists wanted to study fresh grains ejected much later to better understand what exactly was going on in Enceladus’ ocean.

Fortunately, researchers already had this data. Back in 2008, Cassini flew right through a fresh plume from Enceladus. Uncontaminated ice grains struck the CDA dust analyzer at a speed of approximately 18 km/s. These were not only the freshest ice grains Cassini had ever detected, but also the fastest.

Speed was of the essence. At lower impact speeds, the ice breaks up, and the signal from clusters of water molecules can mask the signal from certain organic molecules. But when ice grains hit the CDA quickly, water molecules don’t stick together, which has made it possible to see signals previously hidden.

Organic molecules in Enceladus’ ocean. Source: NASA/JPL-Caltech

After analyzing all the available data, scientists were able to determine which molecules were present inside the fresh ice grains. Some of them had previously been detected in the E ring, confirming that they originate from Enceladus’ ocean.

Completely new molecules were also found that had never before been encountered in Enceladus’ ice grains. These included aliphatic, (hetero) cyclic esters/alkynes, esters/ethyls, and presumably compounds containing nitrogen and oxygen. On Earth, these molecules participate in chains of chemical reactions that ultimately lead to the formation of more complex molecules necessary for life.

ESA mission concept to Enceladus. Source: ESA

This discovery is important for future missions that will study Enceladus and search for life in its ocean. ESA recently began preliminary design work on such a mission, which could be launched in the early 2040s.

• According to ESA

• Posted in News, Science

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Harvard astronomer and alien hunter Avi Loeb has floated a bold new idea about the legendary “Wow Signal.” In a recent blog post, he suggested that the interstellar object 3I/ATLAS, now passing through our solar system, might have been the source of the mysterious radio burst picked up by Ohio State’s Big Ear telescope on August 15, 1977 

The Wow Signal was recorded at Right Ascension (RA)=19h25m=291 degrees and Declination (Dec)=-27 degrees.

At nearly the same time, on August 12, 1977, 3I/ATLAS was about 600 astronomical units (AU) from Earth, some 600 times the Earth–Sun distance, or roughly a 3-day light-travel time away. Its position then was RA 19h40m (295°degrees), Dec -19 degrees. 

Here’s the intriguing part: just three days before the signal was detected, ATLAS had been moving through nearly the same patch of space. The separation was only about 4 degree in RA and 8 degree in Dec, an alignment chance of just 0.6%. 

If the signal really came from 31/ATLAS, its transmitter would have needed the power of a nuclear reactor, beaming directly on the 1420 MHz hydrogen line, the frequency often dubbed the “cosmic calling card.” 

While it may seem far-fetched that 3I/ATLAS could have sent the Wow Signal, the object’s unusual behavior so far means nothing can be completely ruled out. Perhaps it’s worth scanning 3I/ATLAS for radio emissions. 

In time, we’re likely to learn much more about whether 3I/ATLAS is simply an odd interstellar comet or something far more advanced which could catch us off guard.

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A swarm of UFOs was seen flying over an active volcano in Mexico this week, reviving a wild theory that the natural landmark could be an alien portal to space. 

A webcam pointed at Popocatépetl volcano unexpectedly captured what appeared to be multiple glowing objects streaking past the site near Mexico City on Monday.

In a time-lapse video that covered 30 minutes of surveillance, viewers could see dozens of small lights speeding by in all directions like shooting stars as Popocatépetl billowed with smoke.

The famed UFO hotspot has been a constant source of extraterrestrial speculation, with witnesses photographing strange objects appearing to fly into and around the volcano for decades.

While some on social media have dismissed the strange lights as insects in the camera's way, others pointed out that the objects could be seen flying behind the volcano's smoke clouds, arguing that proves they were much farther away.

However, Alejandro Rojas, an advisor at Enigma Labs, which analyzes reports of Unidentified Aerial Phenomena (UAP), was not convinced the light swarm was an actual UFO sighting, noting that the nature of the video means everything caught on camera will seem strange.

'What looks to be moving swiftly is actually moving much more slowly. So, airplanes, satellites, or anything else coming into the frame will appear to be zipping past when they are not,' Rojas told the Daily Mail.

He added that those claiming it was just a trick of the light caused by insects may be right as well, explaining that webcams emit invisible infrared light at night, which often illuminates bugs and birds that fly close enough to the camera. 

A time-lapsed video, filming 30 minutes around Popocatépetl volcano, captured dozens of strange objects appearing to streak by the mountain

Luis Guerra, a resident in the central Mexico city of Atlixco, photographed this image of an apparent UFO above the Popocatépetl volcano in 2023

'You can see the stars in the background moving quickly, whereas their movement in relation to the Earth is not discernible to the naked eye,' Rojas continued.

'That means everything is moving much faster than its actual speed. I do not see anything in this video that is particularly anomalous that could not be explained,' the UFO investigator declared.

Despite skepticism that the light show over Popocatépetl was a fleet of alien craft, the sighting adds to a literal mountain of evidence that has been caught on camera at the volcano.

In 2023, Luis Guerra was in his backyard when he heard a blast from the volcano and looked up to see a saucer-shaped object hovering over the opening of Popocatépetl.

It's one of several reported UFO sightings when Popocatépetl was active, prompting UFO conspiracy theorists to claim extraterrestrials were studying Earth's geothermal activity to understand how it works.

However, noted UFO researcher Jaime Maussan has come up with an even more astounding theory of what's happening at Popocatépetl: aliens have been using the volcano as a 'wormhole' to a distant point in space.

According to Maussan, UFOs seen flying directly into the volcano have been entering an 'interdimensional portal' which could both leave our planet and serve as a doorway to return to Earth later.

The controversial journalist from Mexico cited years of webcam footage and photos showing glowing orbs and discs entering the crater, which would be too hot for any human technology to survive.

Multiple UFO sightings around Popocatépetl have occurred during periods of volcanic activity

(Stock Image)

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Discovery in Egypt offers new evidence for the Bible's story of Moses

• MORE:  Ark of the Covenant mystery blown wide open as 'biblical relic' is discovered

By CHRIS MELORE, US ASSISTANT SCIENCE EDITOR

An ancient workshop unearthed in Egypt may offer new evidence for the Bible’s story of Moses.

Researchers discovered a copper smelting workshop, multiple ancient buildings and observation points at the Wadi al-Nasb site in South Sinai.

Inside the workshop, the team found a furnace for melting copper, tools for preparing raw materials, clay crucibles, pottery vessels and large amounts of copper slag.

The site lies near the ancient mining area of Serabit el-Khadim, historically known for turquoise and copper extraction.

Researchers emphasized the historical significance of the workshop, showing that ancient Egyptians possessed advanced knowledge of mining and metal-making, essential for tools, weapons, and crafts.

The location is also close to areas traditionally associated with the Exodus route, including Mount Sinai.

Although archaeologists have not directly linked the ruins to Moses or the Israelites, biblical scholars note that Hebrew or Israelite workers historically labored in Egyptian mining operations, and proto-Israelite inscriptions have been found at Serabit el-Khadim.

According to the Book of Exodus, Moses led the Israelites out of slavery in Egypt, wandering through the Sinai Desert for 40 years and receiving the Ten Commandments at Mount Sinai.

The Egyptian Ministry of Tourism and Antiquities revealed images of a recently discovered workshop at the Wadi al-Nasb site in the South Sinai

The Biblical story of Moses starts with the Israelites enslaved in Egypt, before the Pharaoh - coerced by 10 terrible plagues - agrees to release them and Moses leads them across the miraculously parted Red Sea

The Ministry of Tourism and Antiquities, which announced the research, said: 'This adds a new dimension to our understanding of the history of industrial and mining activity in ancient Egypt.'

Two sandstone buildings were also unearthed, one at the western entrance of Wadi al-Nasb and another where the site meets the desert valley of Wadi al-Sour. 

Researchers believe these buildings served as lookout towers for guards and mining workers but were later converted into copper production facilities during Egypt’s New Kingdom period (1550–1070 BC).

A third building at the southern edge of Wadi al-Sour likely served as a control center for the mining operations and contained charcoal from local trees and purified clay for making bellows.

In 1999, American Egyptologist Gregory Mumford wrote: 'The mines were worked by prisoners of war from southwest Asia who presumably spoke a Northwest Semitic language, such as the Canaanite that was ancestral to Phoenician and Hebrew.'

Multiple biblical scholars have also cited evidence of proto-Israelite inscriptions at Serabit el-Khadim, pointing to the presence of Semitic workers. 

Researchers have even found inscriptions for one of the names for God in the Hebrew Bible at the site.

According to the Bible, the Israelites were enslaved in Egypt, forced to build cities, and worked under harsh conditions. 

Researchers noted that a furnace and copper remnants were unearthed at the site, revealing the advanced mining abilities of the ancient Egyptians

The presence of copper and mining and smelting tools at the site may have ties to the biblical accounts of Moses in the Book of Exodus

God chose Moses to confront Pharaoh and demand their freedom. After plagues struck Egypt, Pharaoh let the Israelites go, who fled through the Red Sea, which miraculously parted.

Moses is said to have received the Ten Commandments at Mount Sinai during the first year of the journey, eventually reaching the Promised Land, also known as Canaan, around 1406 to 1407 BC.

Multiple biblical scholars have noted evidence of Semitic workers at Serabit el-Khadim, including proto-Israelite inscriptions and inscriptions of one of the names for God in the Hebrew Bible.

According to the Bible, Moses, a Hebrew raised in Egypt, led the Israelites out of slavery, confronting Pharaoh and guiding them through the Sinai Desert. 

During their journey, they received the Ten Commandments at Mount Sinai and eventually reached the Promised Land, also known as Canaan, around 1406–1407 BCE.

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Saturn's moon could harbour ALIEN life: Scientists discover new complex organic molecules spewing from Enceladus – suggesting it could be habitable

• READ MORE: NASA scientists discover the clearest signs of life on Mars 

By WILIAM HUNTER, SCIENCE & TECHNOLOGY REPORTER

Saturn's moon, Enceladus, could harbour alien life deep within its underground oceans of water, according to the European Space Agency (ESA). 

Although the moon may appear barren, near the South Pole, tiny grains of ice are constantly being spewed into space through cracks in the icy surface.

Using data collected by the Cassini spacecraft, scientists have found that these ice crystals are packed with complex organic molecules.  

According to a new study, some of these molecules could be part of the chain of chemical reactions that ultimately lead to life. 

The researchers say this discovery means Enceladus now 'ticks all the boxes' to be a world capable of supporting life. 

The moon has a constant supply of liquid water, a source of energy from hydrothermal vents, and the right set of chemical elements and complex organic molecules. 

This isn't necessarily proof that life already exists on Enceladus, but it makes it much more likely that Saturn's moon is habitable.  

Lead researcher Dr Nozair Khawaja, of Freie Universität Berlin, says: 'Even not finding life on Enceladus would be a huge discovery, because it raises serious questions about why life is not present in such an environment when the right conditions are there.'

Scientists have found that grains of ice spewed from Enceladus, Saturn's sixth–largest moon, contain organic compounds that could lead to life. Pictured: Enceladus' south pole as seen by the Cassini spacecraft 

The European Space Agency found that water forced up from the underground ocean carried a set of complex organic molecules that are likely produced by chemical reactions around deep hydrothermal vents

With a diameter of 310 miles (500 km) – about as wide as Arizona – Enceladus is Saturn's sixth–largest moon.

On the surface, conditions are exceptionally cold with temperatures as low as –201°C (–330°F).

However, in 2005, scientists discovered that a huge liquid ocean was actually trapped beneath the icy shell.

Jets of water erupt like geysers through cracks near the South Pole and, while some fall back down to the surface, some escape and form a ring around Saturn that traces the moon's orbit.

When the Cassini spacecraft flew through Saturn's rings, it took samples of these ice grains and found that they showed signs of complex chemical reactions that could be associated with life. 

Dr Khawaja says: 'Cassini was detecting samples from Enceladus all the time as it flew through Saturn's E ring. 

'We had already found many organic molecules in these ice grains, including precursors for amino acids.'

But some of these grains were hundreds of years old, so the scientists couldn't be sure whether the chemicals within had been altered by radiation from the sun.

In 2005, the Cassini spacecraft discovered striking tectonic faults at the south pole known as 'tiger stripes' (bottom right). These allow ice to escape from the oceans into space

Some of the ice falls back to the lunar surface, but much of it escapes into space, where it forms a ring around Saturn. In 2005, the Cassini spacecraft gathered samples from this ring and found that the ice contained organic molecules. Pictured: Artist's impression of Enceladus' surface

That changed when Cassini flew straight through Enceladus' spray in 2008, gathering ice crystals on its Cosmic Dust Analyser (CDA) as they emerged from the moon's interior. 

As Cassini whipped through the cloud at 11 miles per second (18 km/s), it gathered the freshest and fastest ever collected.

That speed actually makes a big difference to the quality of the data, since it helps scientists separate water from other interesting molecules.

'At lower impact speeds, the ice shatters, and the signal from clusters of water molecules can hide the signal from certain organic molecules,' explains Dr Khawaja.

'But when the ice grains hit CDA fast, water molecules don't cluster, and we have a chance to see these previously hidden signals.'

After spending years working through the vast amounts of data collected by Cassini, Dr Khawaja and his co–authors have finally confirmed that these fresh ice crystals also contain organic molecules.

Those molecules included some that had been found around Saturn and some new chemicals that hadn't been detected before.  

That means the molecules found in Saturn's ring and in Enceladus' ice geyser must be formed within the moon's ocean, not created later by reactions with solar radiation. 

Cassini (artist's impression) was able to fly directly through the plumes of ice emerging from the south pole and gather tiny particles of ice at extremely high speeds. This proved that the organic molecules found in Saturn's ring were formed in Enceladus' ocean

On Earth, these molecules are part of the chemical reactions that lead to life. This means that the moon now 'ticks all the boxes' to be a habitable world capable of sustaining living organisms 

On Earth, these organic molecules are involved in the chains of chemical reactions which lead to life, raising the tantalising possibility that Enceladus could be home to life.

Dr Khawaja says: 'There are many possible pathways from the organic molecules we found in the Cassini data to potentially biologically relevant compounds, which enhances the likelihood that the moon is habitable.'

In the future, ESA is planning to launch a mission to Enceladus that will collect more grains of ice from the South Pole plumes and even land on the moon's surface.

This would be the first time that any space agency has landed on Enceladus and could reveal more details about the possible conditions for life. 

WHAT DID CASSINI DISCOVER DURING ITS 20-YEAR MISSION TO SATURN?

Cassini launched from Cape Canaveral, Florida in 1997, then spent seven years in transit followed by 13 years orbiting Saturn.

An artist's impression of the Cassini spacecraft studying Saturn 

In 2000 it spent six months studying Jupiter before reaching Saturn in 2004.

In that time, it discovered six more moons around Saturn, three-dimensional structures towering above Saturn's rings, and a giant storm that raged across the planet for nearly a year.

On 13 December 2004 it made its first flyby of Saturn's moons Titan and Dione.

On 24 December it released the European Space Agency-built Huygens probe on Saturn's moon Titan to study its atmosphere and surface composition.

There it discovered eerie hydrocarbon lakes made from ethane and methane.

In 2008, Cassini completed its primary mission to explore the Saturn system and began its mission extension (the Cassini Equinox Mission).

In 2010 it began its second mission (Cassini Solstice Mission) which lasted until it exploded in Saturn's atmosphere.

In December 2011, Cassini obtained the highest resolution images of Saturn's moon Enceladus.

In December of the following year it tracked the transit of Venus to test the feasibility of observing planets outside our solar system.

In March 2013 Cassini made the last flyby of Saturn's moon Rhea and measured its internal structure and gravitational pull.

Cassini didn't just study Saturn - it also captured incredible views of its many moons. In the image above, Saturn's moon Enceladus can be seen drifting before the rings and the tiny moon Pandora. It was captured on Nov. 1, 2009, with the entire scene is backlit by the Sun

In July of that year Cassini captured a black-lit Saturn to examine the rings in fine detail and also captured an image of Earth.

In April of this year it completed its closest flyby of Titan and started its Grande Finale orbit which finished on September 15.

'The mission has changed the way we think of where life may have developed beyond our Earth,' said Andrew Coates, head of the Planetary Science Group at Mullard Space Science Laboratory at University College London.

'As well as Mars, outer planet moons like Enceladus, Europa and even Titan are now top contenders for life elsewhere,' he added. 'We've completely rewritten the textbooks about Saturn.'

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Dark matter does NOT exist – and is simply an illusion, scientist controversially claims

• READ MORE: Scientists claim that the Big Bang theory is wrong 

By WILIAM HUNTER, SCIENCE & TECHNOLOGY REPORTER

The quest to understand dark matter and dark energy is one of modern science's most perplexing questions.

Now, one physicist has proposed a controversial solution: dark matter is nothing more than an illusion.

According to Professor Rajendra Gupta of the University of Ottawa, astronomers haven't been able to find any dark matter particles because they simply do not exist.

Instead, Professor Gupta argues that the effects attributed to these 'exotic matters' can be explained by the fundamental forces of the universe changing over time.

The laws of physics, which scientists use to make predictions about the world, are underpinned by constants, such as the speed of light and the force of gravity.

However, according to some physicists, these 'constants' aren't actually all that constant.

Instead, these fundamental features evolve and change as the universe ages in a way that might explain why it looks like we have dark matter and dark energy.

In his paper, Dr Gupta claims: 'Dark matter and dark energy...may be considered emerging from the weakening of the forces of nature in an expanding Universe.'

The quest to understand dark matter is one of modern science's most pressing questions. But now, one physicist says that dark matter could be nothing more than an illusion.

(artist's impression)

Scientists first started taking dark matter seriously in the 1970s when the astronomer Vera Rubin noticed that galaxies' outermost stars were rotating much faster than expected.

These strange gravitational effects suggested that galaxies contained more mass than their visible matter could account for, which scientists called dark matter.

Dark energy, meanwhile, was proposed as an extra hidden force to explain why the universe's expansion has accelerated since the Big Bang.

Scientists currently estimate that dark matter makes up around 27 per cent of the universe, while dark energy makes up about 68 per cent – leaving normal matter to account for a meagre five per cent.

This theory, known as the Lambda Cold Dark Matter Model (ΛCDM), works really well to explain everything from supernovae to the Big Bang.

The problem is that, even after 50 years of research, scientists still have no idea what dark matter or dark energy really are.

Professor Gupta's idea is to try to explain everything that dark matter currently does, without the need for any strange forces or exotic particles.

The basic idea is that, if the fundamental constants vary, we can take those varying 'covarying coupling constants' and put them into Einstein's equations for cosmic expansion.

Scientists think that dark matter makes up about 80 per cent of all matter in the universe, but it isn't directly visible. Instead, scientists infer its existence from its gravitational interactions with other objects

When we do this, we get two purely mathematical terms called alpha–matter and alpha–energy that behave just like dark matter and dark energy.

What makes this theory really interesting is that the amount by which the constants vary changes depending on how much matter is concentrated in one place.

At the heart of a galaxy where there is lots of normal matter, physics behaves just like we would expect.

However, out in the far–flung edges of a galaxy where matter is very sparse, the constants become weaker and the effects of alpha–matter become more noticeable.

This means there is a point at which matter became sparse enough for alpha–matter and alpha–energy effects to take over from conventional physics, known as the 'turn–off density'.

According to Professor Gupta, this explains why galaxies' outermost stars are moving faster than they should be compared to stars in the inner core.

In his new paper, Professor Gupta compares his model's predictions to real observations of seven galaxies of varying sizes.

The model reproduced the curve of the rotating galaxy and predicted where the turn–off density would need to be.

Instead of proposing that the universe is filled with dark matter like other scientists have done, Professor Rajendra Gupta, of the University of Ottawa, thinks that the supposed effects of dark matter can be explained by changes in the universe's fundamental constants. Pictured: The largest map of dark matter ever produced

Across the seven galaxies, the required turn–off density varied by a factor of four, despite the size of the galaxies varying by a factor of eight.

Professor Gupta argues that this consistency suggests that alpha–energy and alpha–matter are real features of the universe and not just theoretical contrivances.

If that is right, then scientists could get rid of dark matter and dark energy from their theories and still explain everything about the universe.

Professor Gupta says: 'The emergent alpha–matter and alpha–energy can, in principle, replace dark matter in galaxy clusters and assist in galaxy formation.

This theory also makes predictions, which scientists should be able to test.

If alpha–matter has less of an effect when the universe is denser, then more distant galaxies seen further back in time should be more dominated by the effects of visible matter.

However, the big problem for Professor Gupta's theory is that there is no more evidence that universal constants are variable than there is for the existence of dark matter particles.

There is currently no evidence to suggest that something like the speed of light or the gravitational constant has ever been different, and assuming that they are would require major changes to our theories about the universe.

If this is right, then projects that are attempting to map dark matter, such as the Dark Energy Survey Collaboration (pictured), are simply wasting their time

Observations of extremely distant and bright objects known as quasars show that, even much closer to the Big Bang, these constants are just the same as they are now.

If Professor Gupta is right, and dark matter really is an illusion, it would mean that astronomers have wasted huge amounts of funding on sophisticated telescopes to search for something that doesn't exist.

Professor Gupta is planning to extend his approach to analyse gravitational lensing and galaxy cluster dynamics, which would be a good test for the theory. 

But, with dark matter currently being our best bet about the nature of the universe, a lot more evidence will be needed to overturn the scientific consensus.

Dark matter: The mysterious substance that makes up 85% of the universe that scientists cannot confirm

Dark matter is a hypothetical substance said to make up roughly 85 per cent of the universe.

The enigmatic material is invisible because it does not reflect light, and has never been directly observed by scientists.

Astronomers know it to be out there because of its gravitational effects on known matter.

The European Space Agency says: 'Shine a torch in a completely dark room, and you will see only what the torch illuminates.

Dark matter is a hypothetical substance said to make up roughly 27 per cent of the universe. It is thought to be the gravitational 'glue' that holds the galaxies together

(artist's impression)

'That does not mean that the room around you does not exist.

'Similarly we know dark matter exists but have never observed it directly.'

The material is thought to be the gravitational 'glue' that holds the galaxies together.

Calculations show that many galaxies would be torn apart instead of rotating if they weren't held together by a large amount of dark matter.

Just five per cent the observable universe consists of known matter such as atoms and subatomic particles.

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

A rogue planet 620 light-years from Earth has baffled scientists as it puts on a record-breaking 'growth spurt'.

In a months-long feeding frenzy, the planet hoovered up six billion tonnes of gas and dust every second.

The distant world, officially known as Cha 1107-7626, is located in the Chamaeleon constellation and is what scientists call a 'rogue planet'.

This means it is a free-floating mass which drifts through space by itself, rather than orbiting a star like Earth orbits the sun.

Embedded in a rotating spiral of gas and dust, the planet pulls in a constant stream of new matter to feed its growth, in a process called accretion.

However, while this was the fastest accretion burst ever recorded, the researchers believe that this is the planet's 'last trickle' of growth.

Study co-author Dr Alexander Scholz, an astronomer from the University of St Andrews, told Daily Mail: 'This rogue planet is pretty much finished with its growth.

'The really strong growth spurts would have happened earlier, while the object was still enshrouded in dust and gas, invisible to us.'

Scientists have been baffled by a young rogue planet which has put on a record-breaking growth spurt, hoovering up six billion tonnes of gas and dust every second

(artist's impression) 

Although Cha 1107-7626 is now between five and 10 times the size of Jupiter, the rogue planet is still in its infancy.

During this period of their existence, these lonely objects can sometimes begin extremely rapid periods of growth known as accretion bursts.

Most of these bursts occur at the earliest moments of a rogue planet's formation, when it is still shrouded in dust that telescopes can't penetrate.

Dr Scholz says: 'When we can observe them, they are already close to the finished products. The really exciting early evolution happens when they are embedded in a thick cloud. '

However, using the European Southern Observatory's Very Large Telescope, scientists were able to catch the rogue planet as it entered a particularly rapid growth spurt.

Over a period of a few weeks, the rogue planet's accretion rate increased by almost eight times, reaching a peak in August and staying at that level for several months.

Lead researcher Dr Víctor Almendros-Abad, an astronomer at the National Institute for Astrophysics in Italy, says: 'This is the strongest accretion episode ever recorded in a planetary-mass object.

'People may think of planets as quiet and stable worlds, but with this discovery we see that planetary-mass objects freely floating in space can be exciting places.'

Located in the Chamaeleon constellation around 620 light-years from Earth, the planet known as Cha 1107-7626 is a 'rogue planet'. This means it does not orbit any star. Pictured: an infrared image showing the planet's location in the centre of frame 

Scientists still aren't exactly sure what causes such sudden and powerful bursts of accretion.

Some theories suggest that nearby companion objects might trigger a sort of avalanche in the accretion disc, while others propose that the burst might be caused by instabilities in the surrounding nebula.

This new study doesn't settle that debate, but by looking at the light coming from the planet before and after the burst, the researchers were able to reveal new details about the accretion process.

Using the James Webb Space Telescope, Dr Almendros-Abad and his colleagues found that there was now water vapour in the disk around the planet that hadn't been there before.

Likewise, the scientists were able to show that the planet's magnetic field actually played a major role in funnelling material from the inner edge of the disc into the planet.

This is strikingly similar to how stars use their magnetic fields to feed on gases in the early stages of their lives.

Scientists had long thought that the rogue planets and stars might grow in similar ways.

For example, stars also grow through accretion bursts in which they gather most of their mass in short spurts, followed by long lulls.

Scientists believe that this kind of rogue planet might form in a very similar way to how stars are born, pulling in gas and dust to form a disc around itself. This discovery further 'blurs the line' between rogue planets and stars. Pictured: A visible light image of the planet's location 

But this new discovery further 'blurs the line' between rogue planets and stars.

This suggests that large gas giant planets might form in exactly the same way as stars, contracting clouds of dust and forming their own discs.

Some of the largest rogue planets might even form smaller planets of their own from the leftover material in the disc, creating miniature planetary systems without a sun.

Dr Amelia Bayo, an astronomer at the European Southern Observatory, says: 'The idea that a planetary object can behave like a star is awe-inspiring and invites us to wonder what worlds beyond our own could be like during their nascent stages.'

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

Majestic 12-documenten: Achter de geheimhouding van Amerika’s geheime UFO-programma Majestic 12-documenten

In december 1984 arriveerde er een onopvallend pakketje bij Jamie Shandera, een televisieproducent uit Los Angeles met een fascinatie voor UFO’s. In het pakket zat een onontwikkelde rol 35mm film. Toen deze werd ontwikkeld, onthulden de beelden wat leek op geclassificeerde overheidsdocumenten met stampers “TOP SECRET/MAJIC” die een buitengewoon verhaal presenteerden: een geheime commissie van twaalf invloedrijke wetenschappers, militaire leiders en overheidsfunctionarissen, opgericht door president Harry S. Truman in 1947 om gevonden buitenaardse vaartuigen en lichamen te onderzoeken.

Deze stukken, al snel bekend als de “Majestic 12”- of “MJ-12”-documenten, vormen ofwel de meest ingrijpende openbaarmaking in de geschiedenis, of een van de meest geavanceerde hoaxes ooit gepleegd. Bijna vier decennia lang hebben ze vurige discussies ontketend onder onderzoekers, inlichtingendiensten en skeptici. Als ze authentic zijn, zouden ze ons begrip van de menselijke geschiedenis en staatsgeheimen radicaal veranderen.

Ikzelf heb decennia lang documenten geanalyseerd en via de Freedom of Information Act verzoeken informatie opgevraagd over onverklaarde luchtverschijnselen. De MJ-12-controverse illustreert hoe lastig het is om de waarheid vast te stellen als men geconfronteerd wordt met materiaal dat zich bevindt op het snijvlak van nationale veiligheid, geclassificeerde informatie en buitengewone beweringen.

Oorsprong van de MJ-12-documenten

Het MJ-12-saga begon in december 1984, toen een Los Angeles-seizoenproducent en ufoloog genaamd Jaime Shandera een anoniem pakket ontving op zijn adres. Binnenin zat een onontwikkelde 35mm-filmrol die poststempels bevatte uit Albuquerque, New Mexico. Na ontwikkeling bleken de beelden acht pagina’s te bevatten van een geklasseerde briefingdocument daterend van 18 november 1952. Dit “Eisenhower-brieffdocument” beweerde dat vice-admiraal Roscoe H. Hillenkoetter (voormalig CIA-directeur) president-elect Dwight D. Eisenhower informeerde over de teruggevonden twee gecrashte UFO’s en de resten van hun buitenaardse inzittenden. Aan de briefing was een éénbladige memo van president Truman gehecht, gedateerd 24 september 1947, waarin zogenaamd de oprichting van een “Majestic 12”-groep werd geautoriseerd om de teruggevonden ruimteschepen en wezens te onderzoeken.

Begin 1985 gingen Shandera en zijn collega William L. Moore (ufoloog en coauteur van The Roswell Incident) op tip naar de Amerikaanse National Archives op zoek naar verwijzingen naar “MJ-12.” Ze vonden een memo van 14 juli 1954 van de assistent van president Eisenhower, Robert Cutler, aan generaal Nathan Twining (Air Force Chief of Staff) waarin werd gesproken over een “MJ-12 Special Studies Project”-vergadering. Deze Cutler/Twining-memo, per toeval in een obscure map gevonden, leek het bestaan van Majestic 12 te bevestigen – al wezen sceptici er later op dat generaal Cutler op de datum van de memo eigenlijk in het buitenland was, waardoor de memo hoogstwaarschijnlijk een hoax was.

Het MJ-12-verhaal bleef vooral bekend bij UFO-insiders totdat 1987, toen de Britse auteur Timothy Good een kopie van de documenten verkreeg en aankondigde ze naar buiten te brengen. Moore en Shandera gingen publiek met hun oorspronkelijke film en met de Cutler/Twining-memo in mei 1987. Het nieuws over het vermeende geheime comité maakte dagelijkse krantenkoppen en leidde tot een mediastorm. Grote kranten- en televisie-programma’s (waaronder The New York Times en ABC’s Nightline) berichtten over de controverse. De plotselinge publiciteit bracht de Amerikaanse overheidsdiensten ertoe te reageren en markeerde het begin van een hevig debat dat tot op de dag van vandaag voortduurt.

Belangrijke beweringen en inhoud van de documenten

De MJ-12-documenten doen dramatische uitspraken over UFO-incidenten en overheidsgeheimhouding. De kern is een rapport over de beroemde Roswell-zaak: volgens het Eisenhower-brieffdocument vond op 7 juli 1947 een geheime operatie plaats om puin van een gecrasht buitenaards schip in New Mexico te bergen. Tijdens de berging zouden de strijdkrachten volgens de stukken vier kleine menselijke wezens hebben aangetroffen (buitenaardse lichamen) die waren uitgevlogen uit het vaartuig en in de woestijn waren omgekomen. De documenten beschrijven dat het geredde buitenaardse vaartuig en de lichamen werden weggevoerd voor wetenschappelijke analyse, waarbij alle informatie streng geheim werd gehouden.

Om de situatie te beheersen, stellen de documenten dat president Truman in september 1947 een uitvoeringsbevel heeft uitgevaardigd dat Operation Majestic-12 oprichtte. Dit was beschreven als een “Top Secret/Eyes Only”-comité van toponderzoekers, wetenschappers, militaire leiders en inlichtingenfunctionarissen belast met het onderzoeken van de Roswell-crash, het exploiteren van buitenaardse technologie en het afhandelen van toekomstige UFO-incidenten. Het memo van Truman (gericht aan minister van Defensie James Forrestal) zou Forrestal en Dr. Vannevar Bush hebben gemachtigd om door te gaan met het MJ-12-project en alle benodigde regelingen te treffen om de hoogste geheimhouding te bewaren. Het latere Eisenhower-brieffdocument (18 november 1952) somt Operation Majestic-12 op – Voorlopig Briefing voor President-Elect Eisenhower. Het blikt terug op vroege UFO-waarnemingen (zoals de beroemde Kenneth Arnold-waarneming in juni 1947) en verklaart dat teruggevonden buitenaardse vaartuigen en lichamen onder het MJ-12-programma worden bestudeerd. Het briefing-document bevatte zelfs gruwelijke details van Roswell, waaruit bleek dat vier ontbonden buitenaardse wezens waren gevonden op twee mijlen van de crash-site en autopsieën waren verricht.

De MJ-12-papers schetsen bovendien hoe de overheid de buitenaardse bevindingen verborgen hield voor het publiek en hoe men samenwerkte met wetenschappelijke en militaire inlichtingendiensten. Ze geven aan dat de Majestic 12-commissie rechtstreeks en uitsluitend verantwoording aflegde aan de President van de Verenigde Staten. In een passage wordt benadrukt hoe extreem gevoelig het project is, met “exclusive control of MJ-12” en dat alleen een speciale geclassificeerde uitvoeringscommande (Truman’s bevel van 24 september 1947) de bevoegdheid ervan vestigde. Het Eisenhower-brieffdocument sluit af met de verwachting van een vollediger operationeel briefing zodra Eisenhower aanzit, wat impliceert dat de aankomende president in de UFO-geheimen zou worden ingelijfd.

Het documenten-pad

Hoe MJ-12 uit de schaduwen kwam De aanvankelijke MJ-12-materialen die Shandera ontving, bevatten twee belangrijke documenten: een zogenaamd memo van Truman aan minister van Defensie Forrestal dated 24 september 1947, waarin “Operation Majestic-12” werd opgericht, en een briefingpapier, zogenaamd voorbereid voor President-Elect Eisenhower in november 1952. Shandera deelde zijn ontdekking met collega’s Moore (co-auteur van The Roswell Incident) en de natuurkundige Stanton Friedman, die begonnen met het onderzoeken van hun authenticiteit.

De spanningsdiamant verzwaarde zich in 1985 toen Moore en Shandera beweerden anonieme tips te hebben ontvangen die hen naar de National Archives brachten. Daar ontdekten ze wat bekend werd als het “Cutler-Twining-memo” — een document van Robert Cutler (Special Assistant to the President Eisenhower) aan generaal Nathan Twining, waarin wordt verwezen naar een “NSC/MJ-12 Special Studies Project”-vergadering. Deze vondst was opmerkelijk omdat het de enige MJ-12-referentie in officiële archieven betrof.

“Ik herinner me de opwinding toen ik die documenten voor het eerst zag,” vertelde een voormalige onderzoeker van de National Archives me. “Het idee dat we fysiek bewijs konden hebben van een geheime UFO-commissie was ongekend. Maar al snel verschenen er rode vlaggen naast de verleidelijke details.”

In de daaropvolgende jaren verschenen aanvullende documenten. In 1994 ontving UFO-onderzoeker Don Berliner een anonieme zending met wat bekend werd als de “Special Operations Manual,” met als ondertitel “Extraterrestrial Entities and Technology, Recovery and Disposal,” gedateerd april 1954. Een andere onderzoeker, Tim Cooper, ontving daarna talloze vermeende MJ-12-documenten via een mysterieuze bron met het pseudoniem “Cantwheel,” die beweerde connecties te hebben met de “Interplanetary Phenomenon Unit.”

Tegen het late-1990s-tijdvak was er meer dan 3.500 pagina’s van ogenschijnlijk MJ-12-documentatie opgedoken uit verschillende bronnen, wat onderzoeker Ryan Wood een “Majestic document trove” noemde.

In de documenten

Beweringen over gecrashte schotels en buitenaardse lichamen De kern-JM-12-documenten beschrijven de oprichting van een topgeheim comité na de terugkeer van een gecrasht buitenaards vaartuig bij Roswell, New Mexico, in juli 1947. Volgens deze stukken rapporteerde de operatie dat ze “rechtstreeks en uitsluitend aan de President van de Verenigde Staten” verantwoordelijk waren en de onderzoeking van zowel teruggevonden technologie als biologische entiteiten afhandelden.

Het Eisenhower-brieffdocument stelt dat “vier kleine menselijke wezens” werden gevonden die waren uitgestoten uit een “schijfvormig vaartuig” nabij Roswell. Allen waren dood en leden aan blootstelling en predatie. De rommel en lichamen zouden naar Wright-Patterson Air Force Base in Ohio zijn gebracht voor analyse. Een tweede crash zou hebben plaatsgevonden in 1950 nabij de grens tussen Mexico en Texas, bij El Indio en Guerrero.

De documenten noemen twaalf prominente mannen als de oorspronkelijke MJ-12-leden:

• Admiraal Roscoe H. Hillenkoetter (Eerste CIA-directeur)
• Dr. Vannevar Bush (Voorzitter van de National Defense Research Committee)
• Secretaris James Forrestal (Eerste Minister van Defensie)
• Generaal Nathan F. Twining (Commandant Air Material Command)
• Generaal Hoyt S. Vandenberg (Chef van de Staaf van het Luchtleger)
• Dr. Detlev Bronk (Medisch fysicus en fysioloog)
• Dr. Jerome Hunsaker (Luchtvaartingenieur, NACA-voorzitter)
• Sidney W. Souers (Eerste Directeur van Central Intelligence)
• Gordon Gray (Secretaris van het Leger, Nationale Veiligheidsadviseur)
• Dr. Donald Menzel (Astronoom en astrofysicus)
• Generaal Robert M. Montague (Commandant van Sandia Base)
• Dr. Lloyd V. Berkner (Fysicus en ingenieur)