Ancient Bible reveals timeline for humanity's final 'day' before divine judgment

• READ MORE: Mysterious Dead Sea Scrolls code finally cracked revealing 2,000-year-old biblical writings

By STACY LIBERATORE, US SCIENCE & TECHNOLOGY EDITOR

A centuries-old Bible chronology suggests we are living in a pivotal year, as humanity enters an era of divine judgment, renewal or reset. 

A video shared on Instagram by Kaylah Hodgins focuses on timelines found in a Bible published in 1818, which contains the Old and New Testaments along with the Apocrypha, a collection of ancient biblical-era writings long debated over whether they belong in Scripture.

According to the Bible, the world began in 4004 BC. It lists 3,974 years from Adam to Christ, plus another 1,815 years from Christ's birth to the Bible's publication year.

Combined, these figures total 5,789 years from Creation to the early 19th century. 

Hodgins then extended the count to include the years since the Bible was printed, arriving at roughly 6,000 years, a milestone some interpret as signaling the close of humanity's current age.

In certain Jewish and Christian traditions, history is seen as following a seven-part structure modeled on the seven days of Creation. 

In this framework, the world experiences six 'days,' or 6,000 years, of human labor and turmoil, followed by a seventh 'day' of rest, often associated with a messianic or millennial reign. 

Reaching the end of the sixth 'day' is considered a major turning point, marking the close of humanity's current era and the start of a new, divinely guided phase. 

A video, shared on Instagram by Kaylah Hodgins, focuses on timelines found in a Bible published in 1818, which contains the Old and New Testaments along with the Apocrypha, a collection of ancient biblical-era writings long debated over whether they belong in Scripture

According to the Bible, the world began in 4004 BC

The theory does not predict a sudden destruction of the planet, supporters have said, but rather a dramatic transition. 

Some described it as the end of an age of human dominance.

Others have framed it more vaguely, suggesting major global upheaval, moral reckoning, or spiritual transformation rather than a single catastrophic event.

Biblical scholars, however, have urged caution when interpreting the timeline.

Most emphasized that the Creation date printed in old Bibles reflects one historical interpretation, not a universally accepted doctrine. 

The date of Creation was developed by James Ussher, a 17th-century Irish Archbishop and renowned biblical scholar famous for his Ussher chronology, a detailed calculation placing the Bible's creation of the world in 4004 BC.

By carefully adding the lifespans of biblical figures, the ages of patriarchs, and key events such as the Flood, Ussher determined that Creation occurred in 4004 BC,  even assigning a specific day, October 23, for when the first “day” of the world began. 

Centuries later, Bibles published in the 18th and 19th centuries, including the 1818 edition featured in the viral video, included chronological tables derived from Ussher’s work. 

It lists 3,974 years from Adam to Christ, plus another 1,815 years from Christ's birth to the Bible's publication year. Combined, these figures total 5,789 years from Creation to the early 19th century

These tables were often placed at the front of the Bible and gave readers a year-by-year account of biblical history, from Creation to the Bible’s publication date. 

Modern theology generally treats Ussher’s chronology as symbolic rather than literal, and scientific evidence places Earth’s age at roughly 4.5 billion years. 

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Many churches also reject date-based end-times speculation, warning that such calculations have repeatedly failed throughout history. 

The viral video has sparked discussion not just among believers but also among historians and social media users curious about the intersection of faith, numerology, and history. 

Many commenters are sharing screenshots of old Bibles, debating whether other editions give slightly different totals, or questioning the significance of the 6,000-year framework altogether. 

Some see it as a reminder of humanity’s smallness in the span of time, while others treat it as a symbolic countdown that lends urgency to moral or spiritual reflection.

While the Bible itself does not explicitly state that reaching 6,000 years marks the end of human history, apocalyptic interpretations of Ussher’s timeline have persisted for centuries. 

The seventh “day” of rest, derived from the Creation story, is often imagined as a thousand years of renewal, justice, or divine rule. 

For many, the milestone is less about literal prophecy and more about the cultural and spiritual resonance of imagining the world at the edge of a new age.

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‘A window into the dark universe’: Astronomers spot an unexpected ‘ghostly object’ in the depths of space

• READ MORE: Scientists say dark energy may end our universe in a 'Big Crunch' 

By WILIAM HUNTER, SENIOR SCIENCE & TECHNOLOGY REPORTER

Scientists have discovered a new type of astronomical object, calling the strange entity a 'window into the dark universe'.

The object known as Cloud-9 is a completely starless, gas-rich cloud of dark matter located 14 million light-years from Earth.

The cloud's core is a vast, compact sphere of neutral hydrogen, about 4,900 light-years across.

That is more than 1,000 times greater than the distance between Earth and the nearest star, Proxima Centauri.

However, despite containing abundant stellar fuel, astronomers have now used the Hubble Space Telescope to confirm that Cloud-9 contains no stars whatsoever.

Scientists say that makes the cloud a building block of a galaxy that never quite formed, left over as a relic from the early universe.

Co-author Dr Andrew Fox, of the European Space Agency and the Space Telescope Science Institute, told the Daily Mail: 'You can think of it as a failed galaxy.

'A ghostly object that didn’t quite have enough mass to become self-gravitating and cross the threshold into star formation.'

Scientists have discovered a new type of astronomical object, a cloud of dark matter and hydrogen gas that contains no stars. Pictured: Magenta shows radio data from the gas cloud, and the dotted circle shows the peak of radio emissions

Cloud-9 is a previously theoretical type of object known as a Reionization-Limited H I Cloud, or 'RELHIC'.

What makes RELHICs unusual is that they are largely made up of dark matter, the invisible substance which makes up around 26 per cent of the universe's mass.

Although scientists can't directly observe dark matter, including the matter inside Cloud-9, they can tell that something with mass must be there because of the effects of gravity.

'The main piece of evidence for dark matter in this cloud is its size,' says Dr Fox,

'A cloud this size needs a source of gravity to hold it together. There are no stars to provide this gravity, and the neutral hydrogen gas does not contain enough mass, so dark matter must be the culprit. Without it, the cloud would simply fall apart.'

By looking at the radiation emitted by gases in the cloud, scientists estimate that the mass of hydrogen within is about one million times that of the sun.

However, for the cloud not to drift apart, Dr Fox and his colleagues estimate that it must contain around five billion solar masses of dark matter.

This discovery is extremely exciting for astronomers because RELHICs like Cloud-9 offer a snapshot into an exceptionally early moment in the universe's history.

Scientists say that the strange object (pictured), dubbed Cloud-9 and located 14 million light-years from Earth, is a failed galaxy that didn't have enough mass to produce stars 

Dr Fox says: 'Theories of galaxy formation predicted that there is a minimum threshold of dark matter required to ignite star formation and turn a dark cloud into a luminous galaxy.

'With Cloud-9, we have an example of an object just below this threshold, containing no stars.'

Although some scientists had thought that RELHICs might exist, they have proven exceptionally hard to find.

If the cloud were much larger, the gases would collapse into stars and form a galaxy; much smaller, and it would have fallen apart and blown away.

Co-author Dr Alejandro Benitez  Llambay, of the Milano-Bicocca University in Milan, told Daily Mail: 'Cloud-9 is a rare "middle ground" survivor.'

'According to our models, fewer than 10 per cent of halos in this mass range remain in such a pristine state, making Cloud-9 a "missing link" in our understanding of how galaxies are born.'

Likewise, since these objects don't contain any stars, RELHICs barely give off any of their own radiation and are exceptionally difficult to detect.

Cloud-9 was first spotted three years ago by the Five-hundred-meter Aperture Spherical Telescope (FAST) in Guizhou, China.

If the cloud had more mass, the gases would have collapsed into stars and formed a galaxy like its neighbour, the M94 spiral galaxy (pictured). Cloud-9 had just enough mass to stay together, but not so much that it formed stars 

However, it is only now that researchers have been able to use the Hubble Telescope to confirm that it contains no stars, making it very likely to be a RELHIC.

Lead author Dr Gagandeep Anand, of the Space Telescope Science Institute, says: 'Before we used Hubble, you could argue that this is a faint dwarf galaxy that we could not see with ground-based telescopes. They just didn't go deep enough in sensitivity to uncover stars.

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'In science, we usually learn more from the failures than from the successes. In this case, seeing no stars is what proves the theory right. It tells us that we have found in the local universe a primordial building block of a galaxy that hasn't formed.'

The discovery of Cloud-9, published in The Astrophysical Journal Letters, also makes it likely that there are more RELHICs out there, even in our local neighbourhood.

China's FAST telescope is particularly good at spotting these kinds of dark gas clouds, so researchers hope to discover more in the future.

Dr Fox adds: 'There absolutely should be more RELHICs out there, and we are looking for more candidates. We need more cases to know whether Cloud-9 is an oddball with unusual properties, or alternatively, is fairly typical.'

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.

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This is the moment deep sea explorers captured an incredibly elusive creature on camera – the giant phantom jellyfish.

Eerie footage shows the rare animal, which has only been filmed around a dozen times, gently pulsing and swirling its way through the water off the coast of Argentina.

It was captured on film by scientists at the Schmidt Ocean Institute, whose remotely operated vehicle (ROV) was on its descent to explore the Colorado-Rawson submarine canyon wall.

At 253 metres (830 feet) down, they came across the enormous ghostly jellyfish, which was first discovered in 1899.

It boasts arms that can reach more than 10 metres (33 feet) long and a main body that measures over a metre (3.3 feet) wide.

It lives anywhere from surface level to 21,900ft deep, but mostly sticks to an area called the twilight zone which is too deep for most light to reach.

In the clip, the jellyfish is lit up by the ROV's lights and appears to be swimming downwards, slowly pulsing as small fish swim around it.

Most impressive are its four long ‘mouth arms’, which scientists believe are used to grab and trap prey, trailing up above it.

Eerie footage shows the rare animal, which has only een filmed around a dozen times, gently pulsing and swirling its way through the water off the coast of Argentina

According to the scientists, giant phantom jellyfish appear to live in all oceans except for the Arctic.

It is assumed they feed on plankton and small fishes, but very little is known about how the jellyfish survives.

It has only been documented around 100 times since it was first discovered, and is thought to be one of the largest invertebrate predators in the deep sea ecosystem.

Two previous sightings of it in the Gulf of Mexico suggest the species might hunt by clinging to subsea structures.

This means its arms would be freed up to trap food, but that sort of behaviour has never been directly witnessed.

Before underwater robots were invented, experts used trawling nets to study deep sea creatures such as this species of jellyfish, known as Stygiomedusa gigantea.

However, when one is captured and brought to the surface, researchers said its silky-looking frame turns to 'gelatinous goo'.

That makes underwater robots the best way to observe the species and learn more about how it survives.

At 253 metres (830 feet) down, they came across the enormous ghostly jellyfish, which was first discovered in 1899

In the clip, the jellyfish appears to be swimming downwards, slowly pulsing as small fish swim around it

While the first specimen was collected 127 years ago, it took 60 years to recognise it as a new species.

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A separate research organisation – the Monterey Bay Aquarium Research Institute (MBARI) – say their ROVs have logged ‘thousands of dives’ deep into the ocean, but have only seen the spectacular species nine times.

‘MBARI’s observations of Stygiomedusa gigantea have helped illuminate its ecological role in the ocean’s depths,’ they write on their website.

‘During an expedition to the Gulf of California, MBARI’s ROV Tiburon recorded a fish - the pelagic brotula - alongside a giant phantom jelly. Researchers watched the brotula hover above the bell of its host and swim in and out of the jelly’s voluminous oral arms.

‘The wide-open waters of the midnight zone offer little shelter, so many creatures find refuge in the gelatinous animals that are abundant in this environment.’

What is the giant phantom jellyfish?

Stygiomedusa gigantea is a type of giant deep sea jellyfish that is rarely seen but believed to be widespread throughout the world.

It is thought to be one of the largest invertebrate predators in the deep sea ecosystem.

The jellyfish has an umbrella-shaped bell that can be up to a 3.3ft (1 metre) wide.

It also has four 'paddle-like' arms up to 32ft (10m) long, which, as scientists believe may be used to trap prey because they lack stinging tentacles.

Giant Stygiomedusa have been observed and filmed off the Pacific coast of the United States by and by deepwater robots off the coast of Japan and in the Gulf of Mexico.

The reddish purple coloured creature lives anywhere from surface level to 21,900 feet, but mostly sticks to an area called the twilight zone, which is too deep for most light to reach.

It is assumed they feed on plankton and small fishes, but very little is known about how the jellyfish survives.

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

Will AI ever be more creative than humans?

{ https://www.livescience.com/physics-mathematics }

'Artificial intelligence' myths have existed for centuries – from the ancient Greeks to a pope's chatbot

'Artificial intelligence' myths have existed for centuries — from the ancient Greeks to a pope's chatbot

Prometheus – Heinrich Füger (c.1817) 

(Image credit: Heinrich Füger, Public domain, via Wikimedia Commons)

It seems the AI hype has turned into an AI bubble. There have been many bubbles before, from the Tulip mania of the 17th century to the derivatives bubble of the 21st century. For many commentators, the most relevant precedent today is the dotcom bubble of the 1990s. Back then, a new technology (the World Wide Web) unleashed a wave of "irrational exuberance." Investors poured billions into any company with ".com" in the name.

Three decades later, another new technology has unleashed another wave of exuberance. Investors are pouring billions into any company with "AI" in its name. But there is a crucial difference between these two bubbles, which isn't always recognised. The World Wide Web existed. It was real. General Artificial Intelligence does not exist, and no one knows if or when it ever will.

In February, the CEO of OpenAI, Sam Altman, wrote on his blog that the very latest systems have only just started to "point towards" AI in its "general" sense. OpenAI may market its products as "AIs," but they are merely statistical data-crunchers, rather than "intelligences" in the sense that human beings are intelligent.

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So why are investors so keen to give money to the people selling AI systems? One reason might be that AI is a mythical technology. I don't mean it is a lie. I mean it evokes a powerful, foundational story of Western culture about human powers of creation.

Perhaps investors are willing to believe AI is just around the corner because it taps into myths that are deeply ingrained in their imaginations?

The myth of Prometheus

The most relevant myth for AI is the Ancient Greek myth of Prometheus.

There are many versions of this myth, but the most famous are found in Hesiod'spoems Theogony and Works and Days, and in the play Prometheus Bound, traditionally attributed to Aeschylus.

Prometheus was a Titan, a god in the Ancient Greek pantheon. He was also a criminal who stole fire from Hephaestus, the blacksmith god. Hiding the fire in a stalk of fennel, Prometheus came to earth and gave it to humankind. As punishment, he was chained to a mountain, where an eagle visited every day to eat his liver.

Prometheus' gift was not simply the gift of fire; it was the gift of intelligence. In Prometheus Bound, he declares that before his gift humans saw without seeing and heard without hearing. After his gift, humans could write, build houses, read the stars, perform mathematics, domesticate animals, construct ships, invent medicines, interpret dreams and give proper offerings to the gods.

The myth of Prometheus is a creation story with a difference. In the Hebrew Bible, God does not give Adam the power to create life. But Prometheus gives (some of) the gods' creative power to humankind.Hesiod indicates this aspect of the myth in Theogony. In that poem, Zeus not only punishes Prometheus for the theft of fire; he punishes humankind as well. He orders Hephaestus to fire up his forge and construct the first woman, Pandora, who unleashes evil on the world.

The fire that Hephaestus uses to make Pandora is the same fire that Prometheus has given humankind.

In this 18th-century engraving, Prometheus constructs the first man.  

(Image credit: AnonymousUnknown author, Public domain, via Wikimedia Commons)

The Greeks proposed the idea that humans are a form of artificial intelligence. Prometheus and Hephaestus use technology to manufacture men and women. As historian Adrienne Mayor reveals in her book Gods and Robots, the ancients often depicted Prometheus as a craftsman, using ordinary tools to create human beings in an ordinary workshop.

If Prometheus gave us the fire of the gods, it would seem to follow that we can use this fire to make our own intelligent beings. Such stories abound in Ancient Greek literature, from the inventor Daedalus, who created statues that came to life, to the witch Medea, who could restore youth and potency with her cunning drugs. Greek inventors also constructed mechanical computers for astronomy and remarkable moving figures powered by gravity, water and air.

The Pope and the chatbot

2,700 years have passed since Hesiod first wrote down the story of Prometheus. In the ensuing centuries, the myth has been endlessly retold, especially since the publication of Mary Shelley's Frankenstein; or the Modern Prometheus in 1818.

But the myth is not always told as fiction. Here are two historical examples where the myth of Prometheus seemed to come true.

Gerbert of Aurillac was the Prometheus of the 10th century. He was born in the early 940s CE, went to school at Aurillac Abbey, and became a monk himself. He proceeded to master every known branch of learning. In the year 999, he was elected Pope. He died in 1003 under his pontifical name, Sylvester II.

Rumours about Gerbert spread wildly across Europe. Within a century of his death, his life had already become legend. One of the most famous legends, and the most pertinent in our age of AI hype, is that of Gerbert's "brazen head." The legend was told in the 1120s by the English historian William of Malmesbury, in his well researched and highly regarded book, Deeds of the English Kings.

Gerbert was deeply learned in astronomy, a science of prediction. Astronomers could use the astrolabe to predict the position of the stars and foresee cosmological events such as eclipses. According to William, Gerbert used his knowledge of astronomy to construct a talking head. After inspecting the movements of the stars and planets, he cast a head in bronze that could answer yes-or-no questions.

First Gerbert asked the head:

"Will I become Pope?"

"Yes," answered the head.

Then Gerbert asked: "Will I die before I sing mass in Jerusalem?"

"No," the head replied.

In both cases, the head was correct, though not as Gerbert anticipated. He did become Pope, and he sensibly avoided going on pilgrimage to Jerusalem. One day, however, he sang mass at Santa Croce in Gerusalemme in Rome. Unfortunately for Gerbert, Santa Croce in Gerusalemme was known in those days simply as "Jerusalem."

Gerbert sickened and died. On his deathbed, he asked his attendants to cut up his body and cast away the pieces, so he could go to his true master, Satan. In this way, he was, like Prometheus, punished for his theft of fire.

Pope Sylvester II and the Devil 

(Image credit: Chronicon pontificum et imperatorum, Public domain, via Wikimedia Commons)

It is a thrilling story. It is not clear whether William of Malmesbury actually believed it. But he does try to persuade his readers that it is plausible. Why did this great historian with a devotion to the truth insert some fanciful legends about a French pope into his history of England? Good question!

Is it so fanciful to believe that an advanced astronomer might build a general-purpose prediction machine? In those days, astronomy was the most powerful science of prediction. The sober and scholarly William was at least willing to entertain the idea that brilliant advances in astronomy might make it possible for a Pope to build an intelligent chatbot.

Today, that same possibility is credited to machine-learning algorithms, which can predict which ad you will click, which movie you will watch, which word you will type next. We can be forgiven for falling under the same spell.

The anatomist and the automaton

The Prometheus of the 18th century was Jacques de Vaucanson, at least according to Voltaire:

Bold Vaucanson, rival of Prometheus,Seems, imitating the springs of nature,To steal the fire of heaven to animate the body.

Jacques de Vaucanson – Joseph Boze (1784) 

(Image credit: Joseph Boze, Public domain, via Wikimedia Commons)

Vaucanson was a great machinist, famous for his automata. These were clockwork devices that realistically simulated human or animal anatomy. Philosophers of the time believed that the body was a machine — so why couldn't a machinist build one?

Sometimes Vaucanson's automata were scientifically significant. He constructed a piper, for example, that had lips and lungs and fingers, and blew the pipe in much the same way a human would. Historian Jessica Riskin explains in her book The Restless Clock that Vaucanson had to make significant discoveries in acoustics in order to make his piper play in tune.

Sometimes his automata were less scientific. His digesting duck was hugely famous, but turned out to be fraudulent. It appeared to eat and digest food, but its poos were in fact prefabricated pellets hidden inside the mechanism.

Vaucanson spent decades working on what he called a "moving anatomy." In 1741, he presented a plan to the Lyons Academy to build an "imitation of all animal operations." Twenty years later, he was at it again. He secured support from King Louis XV to build a simulation of the circulatory system. He claimed he could build a complete, living artificial body.

There is no evidence that Vaucanson ever completed a whole body. In the end, he couldn't live up to the hype. But many of his contemporaries believed he could do it. They wanted to believe in his magical mechanisms. They wished he would seize the fire of life.

If Vaucanson could manufacture a new human body, couldn't he also repair an existing one? This is the promise of some AI companies today. According to Dario Amodei, CEO of Anthropic, AI will soon allow people "to live as long as they want." Immortality seems like an attractive investment.

Sylvester II and Vaucanson were great technologists, but neither was a Prometheus. They stole no fire from the gods. Will the aspiring Prometheans of Silicon Valley succeed where their predecessors have failed? If only we had Sylvester II's brazen head, we could ask it.

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

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Rare UFO-shaped clouds spotted in Welsh skies

Mysterious and unusual shaped clouds have been spotted in the skies in north Wales.

The quirky-shaped clouds have been described as looking like flying saucers, pancakes, lentils and have even been previously mistaken for UFOs.

Known as lenticular clouds, they are uncommon in the UK as they can only form under the right weather conditions.

Photos have been shared after they appeared last week, with Anglesey's south-west coast producing some of the most striking views.

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The unusual cloud formations has been spotted in north Wales

The unique formations are often referred to as pancake clouds as they appear flat and are sometimes stacked together.

Their official name is lenticular clouds, originating from a Latin word meaning "lens-like".

People visiting Traeth Llanddwyn in Newborough were lucky enough to catch a glimpse of the sight as they drifted over from the Pen Llŷn mountains.

Dove Rosalinda

One local described the sight as "special"

Hikers in Snowdonia and the Llŷn Peninsula were taken aback by the clouds as they made a quick appearance only lasting for about 10 minutes.

Dove Rosalinda often hikes in Snowdonia and said she had seen UFO clouds before.

She described her first time seeing the phenomenon as "special" because they do not last very long.

Dove Rosalinda

Pilots avoid flying near the lenticular clouds as they can cause turbulence

How are UFO clouds formed?

UFO or lenticular clouds form when stable, moist air travels over mountains and creates standing waves in the atmosphere.

As the air cools, it then condenses into flat clouds, often stacking up like UFOs or pancakes.

Lenticular clouds often signify strong winds on the ground below.

The Met Office said: "When air blows across a mountain range, in certain circumstances, it can set up a train of large standing waves in the air downstream, rather like ripples forming in a river when water flows over an obstruction.

"If there is enough moisture in the air, the rising motion of the wave will cause water vapour to condense, forming the unique appearance of lenticular clouds."

The Met Office says pilots avoid flying near the lenticular clouds as they can cause turbulence but some experienced glider pilots like them as it is a visual representation of where the air is rising.

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{ https://www.bbc.com/ }

Flying saucer–shaped object filmed over São Paulo highway, Brazil but what was it?

The footage was reportedly recorded by Michelli Azuma on December 25, 2025, at around 9:52 a.m., while traveling along the Anhanguera Highway near Campinas, São Paulo. 

 In the video, a disc-shaped object appears to glide across the sky at a seemingly high speed. Its movement stands out when compared to the witness’s vehicle, estimated to be traveling at roughly 100 km/h, making the object’s motion appear unusually fast and controlled. 

As with many such sightings, questions quickly arise: is this a genuine unidentified flying object, or could it be a drone or another advanced, man-made aerial device.  

That uncertainty is further amplified in an era of rapid artificial intelligence development, where distinguishing between authentic footage and fabricated or digitally altered content has become increasingly difficult. 

In the modern UFO debate, the line between what is real and what is fake has never been more blurred but the rise of AI generated UFO videos doesn’t disprove UFOs, but it raises the bar for evidence and while many sightings are eventually explained, a small percentage remain unresolved.

  

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NEW|HD|Jan 03, 2026|2043 views|byThe Hidden Underbelly 2.0

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Anthropologist Clyde Kluckhohn described skinwalkers as secret witches (mostly male, some female) who creep out in the night to take the form of swift-moving animals like the wolf and coyote. 

Image by 024-657-834 from Pixabay

Characteristics and Supernatural Abilities of Skinwalkers

Skinwalker.  HowStuffWorks/Midjourney

Here are a few defining characteristics and abilities of skinwalkers:

• Shapeshifting: They can transform into various animals, such as wolves or coyotes. They'll change forms depending on their needs. For example, if they need immense strength, they might become a bear. Skinwalkers assume these roles voluntarily — it's not a curse, like being a werewolf.

• Supernatural speed: They move at incredibly fast speeds.

• Mimicry: They can imitate human voices or animal sounds to deceive others.

• Mind control: They influence or control the thoughts of others.

• Cursing: They can cast harmful spells or curses.

• Physical strength: They have superhuman strength.

• Glowing eyes: According to legend, you can tell if you're in the presence of a skinwalker by their eyes. If you shine a light on one when they're in animal form, their eyes glow bright red. In human form, their eyes seem animal-like.

How to Protect Yourself From a Skinwalker

Skinwalkers.  HowStuffWorks/Midjourney

Skinwalkers inflict pain and are almost impossible to catch and get rid of. To get rid of a skinwalker, you need a powerful shaman who knows the right spells and incantations to get the skinwalker to turn on itself. You can also shoot the witch with bullets dipped in white ash, but the shot must hit them in the neck or the hand.

{ https://science.howstuffworks.com/ }

Anthropologist Clyde Kluckhohn described skinwalkers as secret witches (mostly male, some female) who creep out in the night to take the form of swift-moving animals like the wolf and coyote. 

Image by 024-657-834 from Pixabay

Characteristics and Supernatural Abilities of Skinwalkers

Skinwalker.  HowStuffWorks/Midjourney

Here are a few defining characteristics and abilities of skinwalkers:

• Shapeshifting: They can transform into various animals, such as wolves or coyotes. They'll change forms depending on their needs. For example, if they need immense strength, they might become a bear. Skinwalkers assume these roles voluntarily — it's not a curse, like being a werewolf.

• Supernatural speed: They move at incredibly fast speeds.

• Mimicry: They can imitate human voices or animal sounds to deceive others.

• Mind control: They influence or control the thoughts of others.

• Cursing: They can cast harmful spells or curses.

• Physical strength: They have superhuman strength.

• Glowing eyes: According to legend, you can tell if you're in the presence of a skinwalker by their eyes. If you shine a light on one when they're in animal form, their eyes glow bright red. In human form, their eyes seem animal-like.

How to Protect Yourself From a Skinwalker

Skinwalkers.  HowStuffWorks/Midjourney

Skinwalkers inflict pain and are almost impossible to catch and get rid of. To get rid of a skinwalker, you need a powerful shaman who knows the right spells and incantations to get the skinwalker to turn on itself. You can also shoot the witch with bullets dipped in white ash, but the shot must hit them in the neck or the hand.

{ https://science.howstuffworks.com/ }

Chang’e 4 is a Chinese space probe that landed on the far side of the Moon on January 3, 2019. It not only studied the chemical composition of the rocks in this location, but also conducted the first experiment in history to grow plants on another celestial body.

The Chang’e 4 spacecraft

Chinese space program

January 3, 2019, was a triumph for the Chinese space program. The rest of humanity also had reason to rejoice. For the first time in history, the Chang’e 4 spacecraft landed on the far side of the Moon, which we never see from Earth.

The road to this landing was quite long. China was late to the lunar race between the US and the USSR. The PRC had to implement its lunar program in the 21st century. It began with two spacecraft that operated in lunar orbit, photographing and remotely sensing the Moon. Both were named after Chang’e, the Chinese goddess of the Moon.

Initially, the Chang’e 1 spacecraft operated in lunar orbit from 2007 to 2009. It made general observations, which were hardly surprising at the time, since the US had already found water on our satellite.

Chang’e 1. Source: moonregistry.forallmoonkind.org

However, in 2010, Chang’e 2 was launched to the Moon. It photographed the surface of our satellite from an altitude of only 100 km. In 2012, based on the data it collected, the Chinese government presented the most detailed map of the Moon at that time, and it was confirmed that all this time, the Chinese had been looking for a landing site for Chang’e 3.

Around that time, the first discussions about China’s lunar ambitions began, but no one knew how seriously to take them, since only two countries – the US and the USSR – had successfully landed on the Moon at that point.

However, on December 14, 2013, Chang’e 3 landed in the Sinus Iridum of the Mare Imbrium. It was not only the first spacecraft in 37 years to remain intact after reaching the surface of our satellite. It also carried the Yutu rover, named after the jade rabbit, a character from Chinese legends who is said to have prepared the powder of immortality on the Moon. At that time, China was able to explore the material of our satellite for the first time and confirm that it was exactly as American and Soviet scientists had determined.

The Chang’e 3 landing site. Source: Wikipedia

The Chang’e 4

However, all this was a repeat of achievements made many years ago. In order to challenge the US, which had already announced plans to return to the Moon, it was necessary to show that Chinese missions could provide the global scientific community with data that no one had previously had access to.

This was the goal of the Chang’e 4 probe. In terms of design, it was a copy of the previous mission, with the same cameras and spectrographs, and even carried the Yutu-2 rover on board. However, this device was to land on the far side of the Moon, which humans first saw only in 1959 and, before the Chinese attempt, had only seen from orbit.

Moreover, Chang’e 4 was supposed to land in the Von Kármán lunar crater, which covers the much older and largest basin on our satellite, the South Pole-Aitken basin. Once, at the dawn of the solar system’s existence, a body much larger than the asteroid that ended the dinosaurs crashed into the Moon, which, scientists believe, led to the asymmetry of its two hemispheres: the visible and the reverse.

South Pole-Aitken basin. Source: Wikipedia

Almost all experimental data confirming this was obtained thanks to the Chinese missions Chang’e 4 and Chang’e 5, which followed it. But for them to be possible, it was first necessary to ensure their connection with Earth. This mission was entrusted to the Queqiao-1 relay satellite, which was launched to the Lagrange 2 point of the Earth-Moon system, i.e., directly behind our natural satellite.

Queqiao-1 began operating in May 2018, and in December of the same year, Chang’e 4 was launched to the Moon. It remained in orbit around our satellite for some time, and on January 3, 2019, it landed at the planned location. On the same day, it began scientific research and took photographs.

Yutu-2 rolled off the platform and began performing spectroscopic analysis of the rocks. After a few days, scientists had to interrupt their work because night fell on the Moon and the temperature dropped to extreme levels. However, two weeks later, when dawn finally broke, the mission resumed its work.

Yutu-2 . Source: news.cgtn.com

In total, Chang’e 4 lasted more than a year and a half. Technically, the mission is not yet complete. It is currently in sleep mode. Ultimately, it accomplished its main task: it examined the mantle rock emissions and noted how they are similar to and different from those found on the visible side of the Moon.

Growing plants on the Moon

The biggest difference in the design of Chang’e 4 from previous spacecraft was the addition of a module for biological experiments. It consisted of germinating seeds. This had been done repeatedly in space before, but it was all in Earth orbit.

It was Chang’e 4 that became the first spacecraft to successfully grow cotton, potato, and rapeseed seeds on another celestial body. This happened a few days after landing, and photos of the tiny sprouts went viral around the world. The experiment was supposed to last 100 days. During this time, the capsule with the samples had to be heated and humidified.

Plants on the Moon. Source: nextshark.com

Incidentally, it also contained yeast spores and Drosophila fly eggs. So, theoretically, an entire ecosystem could have developed on board in later stages. However, with the onset of the lunar night, the temperature outside dropped too sharply, and too much electricity was needed for heating. Therefore, the experiment had to be interrupted.

Nevertheless, it is considered successful and was extremely important for global science. It proved the fundamental ability of plants to overcome the most difficult stage of their development in space conditions. In the future, humans will inevitably live in space, and we will need oxygen and nutrients that plants can provide. To achieve this, large modules with artificial biospheres will need to be created on planets. Similar to the one that was on board Chang’e 4.

• Posted in Articles

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{ https://mysteriousuniverse.org/ }

Newly discovered galaxy cluster could rewrite our understanding of the universe, experts say – as it burns five times hotter than expected

• READ MORE: Scientists may have found evidence of primordial black holes

By WILIAM HUNTER, SENIOR SCIENCE & TECHNOLOGY REPORTER

A newly discovered galaxy cluster could rewrite our understanding of the cosmos, as scientists spot 'something the universe wasn’t supposed to have’.

Researchers found that the cluster was burning five times hotter than expected just 1.4 billion years after the Big Bang.

Astronomers had thought that such extreme temperatures would only be possible in more mature, stable galaxy clusters that formed later in the universe's life.

This hot 'baby cluster' could suggest that the earliest moments of the universe were far more explosive than previously thought.

Scientists believe that the unexpected heat might be the product of three supermassive black holes hidden in the depths of the cluster.

Co-author Dazhi Zhou, a PhD candidate at the University of British Columbia, says: 'We didn’t expect to see such a hot cluster atmosphere so early in cosmic history.

'In fact, at first I was sceptical about the signal as it was too strong to be real.

'But after months of verification, we’ve confirmed this gas is at least five times hotter than predicted, and even hotter and more energetic than what we find in many present-day clusters.'

Scientists have discovered 'something the universe wasn’t supposed to have' as they find a galaxy cluster burning five times hotter than expected just 1.4 billion years after the Big Bang

(artist's impression)

Galaxy clusters are some of the largest objects in the universe that can be held together under their own gravity.

They are enormous collections of individual galaxies, invisible dark matter, and superheated clouds of gas.

In the spaces between the galaxies, gas is heated into plasma that can reach hundreds of millions of degrees and shines brightly in the X-ray spectrum.

Scientists had thought this 'intracluster medium' was heated by gravitational interactions between galaxies as an immature, unstable cluster matures and collapses inward to a stable state.

However, the researchers' new discovery, published in Nature, suggests that this model of evolution might not be correct.

Using a group of telescopes known as the Atacama Large Millimeter/submillimeter Array (ALMA), the researchers looked 12 billion years into the past.

At this time, the galaxy cluster dubbed SPT2349-56 was extremely immature, but already extraordinarily large for its age.

Its core extends more than 500,000 light-years across, roughly the size of the vast halo of matter and dark matter surrounding the Milky Way.

Galaxy clusters are some of the largest objects in the universe, sometimes containing thousands of individual galaxies connected by clouds of superheated gas known as the intracluster medium. Pictured: A separate globular cluster known as NGC 2210

Using the ALMA (Atacama Large Millimeter/submillimeter Array) observatory, scientists measure the temperature of the intracluster medium in a galaxy cluster over 12 billion light-years from Earth. They discovered that this was far hotter than the best theories predicted 

The cluster also contains more than 30 extremely active galaxies which produce stars over 5,000 times faster than our own galaxy.

However, when researchers used ALMA to measure the temperature of the intracluster medium, they found that it was far hotter than the models predicted for this time in the universe.

Scientists aren't entirely sure how the cluster came to be so much hotter than expected.

However, the researchers suggest that it could be related to the three recently discovered supermassive black holes in the cluster.

Supermassive black holes are the largest class of black holes, with masses at least 100,000 times greater than that of our sun.

Supermassive black holes are typically found in the hearts of galaxies, where they feed on gases and release huge quantities of X-ray radiation.

Co-author Professor Scott Chapman, of Dalhousie University who conducted the research while at the National Research Council of Canada, says that these black holes were 'already pumping huge amounts of energy into the surroundings and shaping the young cluster, much earlier and more strongly than we thought.'

This comes as astronomers are finding more supermassive black holes in the early universe that appear to have grown much faster than expected.

Scientists say the heat was likely generated by three supermassive black holes. These are the largest class of black holes (artist's impression), and typically form in the cores of galaxies

This comes after researchers found a supermassive black hole actively growing inside a galaxy just 570 million years after the Big Bang (pictured), suggesting that black holes might have grown faster in the early universe than expected 

Last year, researchers using the James Webb Space Telescope spotted a 'little red dot' supermassive black hole that was actively growing inside a galaxy just 570 million years after the Big Bang.

Importantly, this black hole was much bigger than the size of the host galaxy would suggest.

This implies that black holes may have grown faster than the galaxies that hosted them in the early universe, even in relatively small galaxies.

Professor Chapman says that studying how these dynamics unfold is critical to explaining the universe around us today.

He says: 'Understanding galaxy clusters is the key to understanding the biggest galaxies in the universe.

'These massive galaxies mostly reside in clusters, and their evolution is heavily shaped by the very strong environment of the clusters as they form, including the intracluster medium.'

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

From 'sand theft auto' to space BABIES: The global innovations and trends set to shape 2026

• READ MORE: The most ANNOYING songs of 2025, according to science

By WILIAM HUNTER, SENIOR SCIENCE & TECHNOLOGY REPORTER

From the rise of the humanoid robot to the weird world of AI girlfriends, 2025 had no shortage of strange and transformative inventions.

Now, experts from the Nesta research foundation have revealed the global innovations and trends set to shape the world in 2026.

These emerging issues range from the staggering cost of 'sand theft auto' to the real consequences of what happens when babies are born in space.

The researchers warn that some of these new technologies, such as the use of artificial intelligence in government, could fundamentally reshape the world.

Others, like new anti-pothole technologies or 'customised' bus routes, have the potential to make our lives more comfortable.

Meanwhile, closer to home, tech companies' interest in placing advertisements inside our homes raises serious questions about privacy and data protection.

Laurie Smith, Head of Mission Discovery at Nesta, says: 'If 2026 is anything like last year, it will be full of developments - both mundane and extraordinary.

'That could make a profound change to our everyday lives and lead to new ways of thinking.'

Experts have warned that the question of what happens when babies are born in space will be one of the key trends for 2026

(stock image) 

In 2025, research found that sperm and egg cells can survive in space to produce healthy offspring. However, little is known about the impacts of conception and development in space on the foetus.

Pictured: Passengers kiss aboard a flight simulating microgravity 

One of the biggest technology trends of 2025 was the acceleration of the new space race.

Both the US and China, and rival billionaires Elon Musk and Jeff Bezos, ramped up efforts towards establishing a permanent human presence on the moon and beyond.

However, Nesta warns that 2026 will be the first year that humanity needs to seriously consider what happens if a baby is born in space.

Last year, researchers from Kyoto University showed that mouse egg and sperm cells could survive in space and go on to produce healthy offspring.

Meanwhile, Dutch Biotech startup Spaceborn United launched the first miniature lab for in vitro fertilisation (IVF) and embryo processes into orbit.

Yet, while Elon Musk continues to promote the idea of human colonies on Mars, there are serious risks that low gravity and high radiation could cause developmental defects for any space babies.

Additionally, there is a pressing question of what nationality, if any, a baby born in space could be awarded.

Space cannot be owned by any nation, so babies born in space risk becoming stateless without a new legal framework.

This follows a year in which the space race between billionaire Elon Musk (pictured) and his rival Jeff Bezos accelerated, raising the possibility that humans may soon start living beyond Earth 

The global innovations and trends set to shape 2026

Customised public transport routes

Babies born in space

Quantum navigation for global travel

Advertising in the home

Increasing illegal sand mining 

New anti-pothole technologies

AI taking a bigger role in government

Creation of data unions  

 Source: Nesta Future Signals 2026

Mr Smith told the Daily Mail: 'Before humans can think about living in space, we will need to understand all the implications of this - perhaps even one day needing to understand the implications of giving birth there.

'The first person to give birth in space might be a while away, but looking into how our bodies react to this is an important first step.'

On the other hand, a more grounded concern for the coming year is the alarming rise in global sand theft.

While sand might seem uninteresting, it is the primary ingredient in virtually all construction and infrastructure, from concrete to the silicon chips in your smartphone.

This makes sand the second-most consumed resource on Earth, creating a thriving black market for illegally mined sand.

Researchers estimate that the illegal sand market is worth between $200 billion and $350 billion (£149-261 billion) worldwide.

In Indonesia, police uncovered an illegal sand mining operation in the Mount Merapi National Park, estimated to have produced $134 million (£100 million) of revenue over two years.

Meanwhile, researchers believe that around 15.5 million cubic metres of sand are illegally removed from Vietnam's Mekong Delta every year.

Another alarming trend for 2026 is the rise of illegal sand mining. In 2025, police in Indonesia shut down an illegal sand mine believed to have produced $134 million (£100 million) of revenue over two years (pictured)

Researchers estimate that the illegal sand market is worth between $200 billion and $350 billion (£149-261 billion) worldwide. 15.5 million cubic metres of sand are removed from the Mekong Delta alone (illustrated) each year 

Around the world, sand mining has increased flood risks in Uganda, destabilised and rerouted major rivers in India, and sparked a boom of deadly organised crime across Asia.

In 2026, Nesta predicts that the growing demand for sand will lead to even more uncontrolled mining unless urgent action is taken.

However, after a year dominated by the meteoric rise of AI, 2026 is also likely to be driven by the actions of the biggest tech giants.

Nesta warns that AI is likely to take an increasingly prominent role in the top roles of government.

In Albania, for example, the government appointed the world's first 'AI minister', named Diella, to its cabinet.

Although AI has the potential to improve government efficiency, critics have raised concerns that replacing human decision makers with computers could make governments less accountable.

In another worrying development, Nesta researchers suggest that our homes could become the 'new frontier' of digital advertising in 2026.

In 2025, Samsung announced that it would start showing adverts on some of its new fridge models in the US and that it plans to put ads on 'every screen in the connected home'.

Experts say that AI will likely take on a larger role in governments around the world. This follows Albania's appointment of the world's first 'AI minister', named Diella (pictured), to its cabinet

Nesta warns that this 'crosses a line into private spaces and everyday tasks' and could turn our private homes into commercial zones.

However, not every 2026 trend has the potential to be as problematic, and many may actually improve our lives in noticeable ways.

Emerging 'data unions' could allow individuals to take collective ownership of their data and pull power back from the big tech companies.

While advances in quantum navigation could exploit the fundamental forces of physics to help planes and ships make safer journeys. 

In the coming year, Nesta also claims that new inventions could pave the way for innovations in pothole-preventing technology.

Currently, the UK faces a pothole repair backlog estimated to cost £16.3 billion, with pothole-related breakdowns increasing by 25 per cent in the last year.

However, innovative materials such as graphene - atom-thick grids of carbon atoms - have the potential to make roads more durable and better able to resist heat.

Meanwhile, in Hertfordshire, robotic repair units are already being trialled to patrol the roads and fix cracks as soon as they appear.

In a more positive trend, experts say that new technologies, like autonomous robots and advanced materials, could help remove the potholes from Britain's roads. Pictured: a Pothole robot being trialled in Hertfordshire

In the coming year, these developments could finally turn the tide in the UK's war against the pothole epidemic.

Likewise, traffic innovations using technology could soon make your commute even easier.

READ MORE

• Forget Rover, Buddy and Spot! Taylor Swift, Charli XCX and Elvis inspire the most popular pet names of 2025

Mr Smith says: 'If British transport authorities were to consider bus routes, they could look to Shanghai, where last year they extended the rollout of its ‘Dingzhi’ system of customised bus routes.

'There, passengers propose new bus routes via an online platform. Once a route meets a minimum demand threshold - typically of 15-20 passengers per trip - it is approved and can start within days.'

WILL HUMANS BE BORN ON THE MOON 'IN A FEW DECADES'?

Children will be born on the moon 'in a few decades', with whole families joining Europe's lunar colony by 2050, a top space scientist has claimed.

Professor Bernard Foing, ambassador of the European Space Agency-driven 'Moon Village' scheme, made the comments.

He said that by 2030, there could be an initial lunar settlement of six to 10 pioneers - scientists, technicians and engineers - which could grow to 100 by 2040.

'In 2050, you could have a thousand and then... naturally you could envisage to have family' joining crews there, he told AFP.

Speaking at this year's European Planetary Science Congress in Riga, Latvia, Professor Foing explained how humanity's moon colonies could quickly expand.

He likened human expansion on the moon to the growth of the railways, when villages grew around train stations, followed by businesses.

Potential moon resources include basalt, a volcanic rock that could be used as a raw material for 3D-printing satellites.

These could be deployed from the moon at a fraction of the cost of a launch from high-gravity Earth.

The moon also houses helium-3, a rare isotope on our planet, that could theoretically be used to generate cleaner, safer nuclear energy for Earth.

One of the main targets for moon colonies is water, locked up in ice on the moon's poles.

Water can be separated into hydrogen and oxygen, two gases which explode when mixed - providing rocket fuel.

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Is this humankind's earliest ancestor? Scientists argue a 7 million-year-old ape-like animal was the first to walk on two legs

• READ MORE:  Cube-shaped skull found in Mexico challenges human history

By XANTHA LEATHAM, EXECUTIVE SCIENCE EDITOR

It’s considered to be one of the most decisive steps in human evolution.

Now, scientists believe they have pinpointed when our ancestors made the transition from walking on all fours to standing on two legs.

An ape-like animal that lived in Africa seven million years ago is the best contender for humankind’s earliest ancestor, they say, as fresh analysis has revealed its bones were adapted to walking upright.

The fossilised remains of the species, called Sahelanthropus tchadensis, were first unearthed in the desert region of Chad, in north-central Africa, more than two decades ago.

The anatomy of the skull suggested that it likely sat directly on top of the spine – the first indication it may have walked upright.

But new analysis of the limbs confirms the species could move around on two legs, as the bones contain a feature only found in bipedal groups.

Scott Williams, an associate professor in New York University’s Department of Anthropology, led the study.

‘Our analysis of these fossils offers direct evidence that Sahelanthropus could walk on two legs, demonstrating that bipedalism evolved early in our lineage and from an ancestor that looked most similar to today’s chimpanzees and bonobos,’ he said.

Cast of the skull of Sahelanthropus tchadensis - a species discovered in the early 2000s which scientists now say may be our earliest ancestor

The iliofemoral ligament shown in humans (far left). The red arrows indicate the femoral tubercle, the point of attachment for this crucial ligament. The dark grey image represents the same bone in the Sahelanthropus species, with an overlay (far right) indicating it has the same features as modern-day humans, who walk upright

For their new study the researchers identified the presence of the femoral tubercle, a part of the body that is vital for walking upright, in the fossilised remains.

This is the point of attachment for the largest and most powerful ligament in the human body – the iliofemoral ligament – which connects the pelvis to the femur and prevents the body from bending backwards too much when standing up and walking.

Previous studies have also unearthed a ‘natural twist’ in the fossilised femur – the thigh bone – which helps legs to point forward.

Meanwhile 3D analysis has indicated gluteal – buttock – muscles similar to those in our early ancestors that keep hips stable and aid in standing, walking and running.

The team argue their new discovery, along with previous findings, mean the ancient species had the ability to walk upright.

‘Sahelanthropus was essentially a bipedal ape that possessed a chimpanzee-sized brain and likely spent a significant portion of its time in trees, foraging and seeking safety,’ Dr Williams said.

‘Despite its superficial appearance, Sahelanthropus was adapted to using bipedal posture and movement on the ground.’

This discovery makes the species the oldest known member of the human lineage since we split evolutionarily from chimpanzees.

An artist's impression of what Sahelanthropus may have looked like. Dr Williams said it likely looked most similar to today's chimpanzees and bonobos

The skull, ulna (forearm bone) and femur (thigh bone) of (left to right): a chimpanzee, Sahelanthropus and another human ancestor, Australopithecus

The fossilised remains of the species were first unearthed in the desert region of Chad, in north-central Africa, more than two decades ago 

Humans and monkeys only diverged around eight to 19 million years ago, so the findings suggest that early humans became bipedal very soon after this split.

As part of the study the team compared the remains to those of other early human ancestors as well as living apes.

They found that Sahelanthropus had a relatively long thigh bone relative to a bone found in the forearm – further evidence that it walked on two legs.

They said that apes have long arms and short legs, while humans and our ancestors have relatively long legs.

Writing in the journal Science Advances they explained that bipedalism is a ‘key adaptation’ that differentiates hominins – humans and our extinct relatives – from living and fossil apes.

‘Sahelanthropus is interpreted here as an African ape-like early hominin that demonstrates some of the earliest adaptations to bipedalism,’ they wrote.

They said they believe the evolution of walking upright was a ‘process rather than an event’, in which bipedal behaviour gradually increased over time.

This means the species may have had the ability to walk on two legs on land, but also to swing through the trees like a monkey.

Other experts have previously cast doubt on the idea that Sahelanthropus is a human forebearer.

When the species was first discovered in 2001 Milford Wolpoff, a professor of anthropology at the University of Michigan, called them into question.

READ MORE

• Humans just got even OLDER: Ancient skull pushes back our origins by 400,000 years - making Homo sapiens more than one million years old

In a letter to the journal Nature, Professor Wolpoff argued that Sahelanthropus is ‘not on the line directly leading to humans’.

He pointed to scars on the skull left by neck muscles, claiming they showed the species walked on all fours with its head horizontal to its spine.

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

Themabeeld

 © EPA-EFE

Het Belgisch ufo-meldpunt heeft in 2025 in totaal 237 meldingen ontvangen over vreemde of onverklaarbare vliegende objecten. Dat blijkt maandag uit het jaarverslag van de organisatie. Opvallend is dat de “dronegolf” die ons land eind vorig jaar overspoelde, niet tot een enorme stijging in de cijfers heeft geleid.

© Belgisch UFOmeldpunt

Wie in België een vreemd luchtverschijnsel of een onverklaarbaar object aan de hemel waarneemt, kan daarover sinds 2007 melding maken bij het ufo-meldpunt. Een team van vijf wetenschappers kan zich dan over de kwestie buigen en een verklaring proberen te geven voor het waargenomen fenomeen. In 2024 kreeg het meldpunt 164 meldingen binnen, vorig jaar waren dat er plots 237. Een stijging met 44 procent dus. De meeste meldingen werden gedaan in de maanden maart en september.

De stijging in maart kan volgens het ufo-meldpunt voornamelijk verklaard worden door de brandstoflozing van de Falcon 9, een rakettrap van ruimtebedrijf SpaceX. Die lanceerde toen een satelliet in een baan om de aarde. Na de lancering werd brandstof geloosd, wat resulteerde in de waarneming van een “voorbijdrijvende spiraalvormige wolk”. Daarnaast lagen ook zogenaamde skytracers (dynamische lichtspots, red.) en de satelliettreintjes van Starlink opnieuw aan de basis van een aanzienlijk aantal waarnemingen.

In november vorig jaar werd ons land opgeschrikt door een vloedgolf aan drones die plots boven verschillende militaire basissen en luchthavens werden gespot. Opvallend genoeg kreeg het meldpunt uiteindelijk slechts elf meldingen binnen die later aan die reeks incidenten konden worden gelinkt. “Mensen werden aangespoord om de politie te contacteren als ze iets zagen wat op een drone leek”, legt onderzoeker Frederick Delaere uit. 

In de meeste gevallen bleek dat mensen werden misleid door gewone vliegtuigen, helikopters of sterren. Ook de Verhees-delta, het zelfgemaakte vliegtuig van de Limburgse ingenieur Bart Verhees, zette dit jaar opnieuw een aantal mensen op het verkeerde spoor.

INFO VAN HET BELGISCH UFO-MELDPUNT

© Belgisch UFO-meldpunt

© Belgisch UFO-meldpunt

De stijging in maart kan volgens het ufo-meldpunt vooral verklaard worden door een brandstoflozing van de Falcon 9, een rakettrap van ruimtevaartbedrijf SpaceX. Die lanceerde toen een satelliet in een baan om de aarde. Na de lancering werd brandstof geloosd, wat resulteerde in de waarneming van een “voorbijdrijvende spiraalvormige wolk”. Daarnaast lagen ook zogenaamde skytracers (dynamische lichtspots) en de satelliettreintjes van Starlink opnieuw aan de basis van een aanzienlijk aantal waarnemingen.

© Belgisch UFO-meldpunt

In november vorig jaar werd ons land opgeschrikt door een golf van drones die boven militaire basissen en luchthavens werden gespot. Opvallend genoeg kreeg het meldpunt slechts elf meldingen binnen, die later aan die reeks incidenten konden worden gelinkt. “Mensen werden aangespoord om de politie te contacteren als ze iets zagen wat op een drone leek”, legt onderzoeker Frederick Delaere uit.

{ https://www.nieuwsblad.be/ }

Message from UFO left in UK forest finally released after 40 years by Ministry of Defence

Sergeant James W Penniston says a code was downloaded into his mind after touching a UFO in Suffolk 40 years ago - and it allegedly contains coordinates to ancient sites with a cryptic message

By Emilia RandallGAU Writer

The encounter baffled the USAF

(Image: Michael Ver Sprill via Getty Images)

Four decades ago, a Suffolk forest became the epicentre of an infamous UFO sighting that would not only mystify scientists for years to come but also send shockwaves through the United States Air Force (USAF).

However, the secret code linked to this event would remain under wraps for many years. On 26 and 28 December, 1980, USAF security personnel reported witnessing an unusual orange light descending into the forest. Subsequently, RAF Woodbridge deputy base commander Lt Col Charles Halt penned a memo to the Ministry of Defence (MoD), detailing an encounter with what seemed to be a UFO in Rendlesham forest, as per BBC reports. One serviceman, Sergeant James W Penniston, alleged he came face-to-face with the mysterious craft in the forest. In his revealing book 'The Rendlesham Enigma: Book 1: Timeline', Penniston claims that after touching the unidentified object, a code was telepathically implanted into his mind.

A number of books have been published by witnesses

(Image: Getty Images)

Nearly four decades post the incident, Penniston made the code public. The cryptic sequence purportedly includes coordinates leading to ancient sites and a message that some Reddit users interpret as a communication from future humans, reports the Daily Star.

Penniston alleges his message read:

Exploration of Humanity 666 8100.

52.0942532N 13.131269W (Note: This coordinate might be inaccurately transcribed due to its pointing to the Atlantic Ocean, suggesting a possible error in the original message or its interpretation. ).

Continuous For Planetary ADVAN?

Fourth Coordinate Continuout UQS CbPR BEFORE.

16.763177N 89.117768W.

34.800272N 111.843567W.

29.977836N 31.131649E.

14.701505S 75.167043W.

36.256845N 117.100632E.

37.110195N 25.372281E.

Eyes of Your Eyes.

Origin 52.0942532N 13.131269W.

Origin Year 8100.

USAF security policeman John Burroughs, who ventured out to examine the sighting, claimed he spotted a beacon deep within the woodland, flickering with green, red, orange and white lights before a brilliant white flash erupted and a crimson, oval, sun-like craft materialised in the clearing. The object soared above the treeline before shooting off at lightning speed. Burroughs, who dedicated 27 years to the US military, revealed: "It's been a crazy 40 years [since the encounter]. Just when you think the story is over, another thing happens."

Some say the sighg remains unexplained

(Image: Getty Images/Science Photo Library RF)tin

{ https://www.mirror.co.uk/news/ }

British military ‘wanted to acquire UFO technology to protect Brits

Luke Alsford

British military thought there was a ‘basis in fact’ to the UFO sightings

(Picture: Getty Images/iStockphoto)

The British military thought there was ‘basis in fact’ to UFO sightings and wanted to get their hands on the ‘extraterrestrial’ technology, previously secret files show.

Confidential memos from the Defence Intelligence Staff (DIS) within the Ministry of Defence warned that ‘unidentified aerial phenomena’ (UAP) were a ‘potential threat’ to the UK in the 1990s.

The documents – now in the National Archives in Kew – also reveal how Britain’s most well-known UFO sighting at Rendlesham Forest was ‘confirmed’ by US military personnel.

One internal correspondence from March 4, 1997 reads: ‘Logic would indicate that if significant numbers are reporting seeing strange objects in the sky then there may be a basis in fact.

‘It could be argued that UAPs pose a potential threat to the defence of the realm since we have no idea what they are!’

The report referenced reports in Belgium of low-flying back triangles

(Picture: Getty Images)

Intelligence officers appeared particularly concerned about the reports of large, silent, low-flying black triangles which came out of Belgium in their thousands between November 1989 and April 1990.

The reports sparked calls for Britain to try get hold of the technology.

The document noted: ‘A supplementary issue is the possibility of technology acquisition.

‘UAPs do not appear to use conventional reaction propulsion.

‘The Belgian deltas (confirmed by the country’s MoD) hovered for long periods and accelerated quickly to supersonic speeds, outrunning F-16s.

‘If this represents real technology perhaps it should be acquired.’

Another briefing letter, marked ‘Secret UK Eyes B’, acknowledged that the British military did not have the ‘reported technology’.

It added: ‘No matter the origin, the determination of the technology, and possible acquisition, is a matter for Defence Intelligence Staff [DIS].’

The correspondence added that ‘some reports described objects in terms of manoeuvre, speed and shape which lie beyond our engineering knowledge and that which could be reasonably expected from hostile powers.’

The file also stressed that most UFO reports were tenuous, with only a small number that could not be explained immediately.

The documents jokingly dismissed the possibility of alien life as part of fringe conspiracy theories.

The file reads: ‘Mention of UAPs is guaranteed to generate mirth and Little Green Men jokes, possibly because of the fringe element of “crazies”.’

Rendlesham Forest UFO sightings ‘confirmed’

A separate file from the British Military sheds new light on the Rendlesham Forest incident.

Dating back to December 1980, members of the US Air Force stationed at RAF Bentwaters and RAF Woodbridge in Suffolk, England, reported seeing unexplained lights and a craft in the forest.

Witnesses, including high-ranking officers, described seeing a glowing, metallic, triangular object hovering and emitting strange beams of light.

The document says that the Rendlesham Forest ‘landing’ was ‘confirmed by the US unit commander and others’.

It adds: ‘In both [Rendlesham Forest and Belgian] cases the UAP apparently did not use any conventional propulsion system and could hover as well as move at considerable speed.

‘The French have always had an interest in this topic … and I am aware that there is an informal intelligence grouping in the US.’

The sighting has fuelled decades of speculation and conspiracy theories ranging from alien encounters to secret military tests.More Trending

One UFO expert, Philip Mantle, told Metro he is convinced something happened over those fateful nights in 1980 – but doesn’t necessarily think aliens were involved.

The former Director of Investigations for the British UFO Research Association speculated that soldiers could have come into contact with ‘strange plasma’ that caused ‘electromagnetic effects’.

The previously secret file also claimed to have a ‘Moscow report’ that suggested ‘two military scientists are responsible for UFOs’.

 { https://metro.co.uk/news/ }

10 Weird Archaeological Facts That Will Blow Your Mind

Archaeology isn’t just about dusty ruins and ancient pottery—it’s full of bizarre discoveries that challenge what we think we know about the past. From mysterious artifacts to unusual burial practices, here are 10 of the strangest archaeological facts ever uncovered!

1. The Ancient Egyptians Used Honey to Treat Wounds 

Over 4,000 years ago, Egyptian doctors used honey as an antiseptic to prevent infections. They believed it had magical healing properties, but modern science confirms they were onto something—honey is naturally antibacterial and still used in medicine today!

AI-generated image (provided by author).

• Few Non-visitors Are Aware of the 3,500-Year-Old Obelisk in NY's Central Park
• The Great Vampire Epidemic: A Bizarre Chapter in History

2. The Romans Had Heated Floors Over 2,000 Years Ago 

While people in medieval Europe shivered in their castles, the ancient Romans were enjoying underfloor heating! They built a system called hypocaust, where hot air from a furnace flowed beneath raised floors—basically, ancient central heating.

AI-generated image (provided by author).

3. The Mystery of the Screaming Mummies 

Some mummies have been found with terrifying, open-mouthed expressions, leading to myths of cursed souls trapped in eternal screams. But archaeologists say this happens because the jaw drops open after death—still creepy though!

AI-generated image (provided by author).

4. The 5,000-Year-Old "Chewing Gum" 

Archaeologists in Sweden found a piece of ancient chewing gum made from birch bark tar, complete with human teeth marks! It’s believed Stone Age people chewed it for fun, to clean their teeth, or as medicine—kind of like prehistoric bubble gum.

• Archaeologists Excavating In Pompeii Find Ancestral Pizza Revealed in Fresco
• The Secret of Gobekli Tepe: Cosmic Equinox and Sacred Marriage - Part 1

5. The "Vampire" Burials of Medieval Europe 

Graves from the Middle Ages reveal skeletons with stakes through their hearts, rocks in their mouths, or even decapitated heads. These were suspected vampires, buried in ways to prevent them from rising from the dead.

AI-generated image (provided by author).

6. The 2,000-Year-Old Fast Food Joint 

In Pompeii, archaeologists found a well-preserved street food stall (thermopolium) with painted menus showing the food they served. Turns out, fast food isn’t a modern idea—Romans were grabbing quick bites over 2,000 years ago!

An ancient Roman fast food counter that was unearthed in Pompeii last year will open to the public. (Luigi Spina / AFP).

7. The Alien-Like Elongated Skulls  

Ancient skulls with unnaturally long shapes have been found worldwide, from South America to Asia. Some believe they’re proof of alien contact, but archaeologists explain they were intentionally reshaped using tight bindings, possibly as a status symbol.

One of the elongated skulls found in the Mayan cenote in Mexico. (Bradley Russell / National Geographic).

8. The Lost City of the Monkey God 

Deep in the Honduran jungle, explorers uncovered ruins of a mysterious, forgotten civilization, which legends call "The White City" or "City of the Monkey God." Even weirder? Many of the researchers got sick after excavation, leading to rumors of an ancient curse.

AI-generated image (provided by author).

9. The 2,000-Year-Old Roman Concrete That Won’t Break 

Ancient Roman concrete is stronger than modern concrete, especially in seawater. Scientists discovered it gets stronger over time due to a chemical reaction with seawater, making it almost indestructible—unlike today’s crumbling bridges!

AI-generated image (provided by author).

10. The 10,000-Year-Old Carvings of "Giants" 

At Göbekli Tepe in Turkey, archaeologists found huge stone pillars covered in carvings of strange, humanoid figures. Built over 6,000 years before the Egyptian pyramids, the site has led some to speculate about lost civilizations—or even ancient giants!

Archaeological site of Göbeklitepe in Turkey.

(Wikimedia Commons).

Final Thoughts

Archaeology is full of mysteries, and every discovery raises new questions about our past. From vampire burials to unbreakable Roman concrete, history is weirder than we ever imagined! Which fact surprised you the most?

• Top image: Orlando Hollywood Studios, ‘The Great Movie Ride’ featuring Indiana Jones finding the Ark of the Covenant.

• Source: Jared/CC BY-SA 2.0.

RELATED VIDEOS

{ https://www.ancient-origins.net/ }

The Chronovisor: Vatican's Time Machine That Allegedly Captured Christ's Crucifixion

Gary Manners

Within the fortified walls of Vatican City, beneath centuries of accumulated secrets and sacred relics, lies perhaps one of the most extraordinary claims of the modern era: a device capable of peering through the veils of time itself. The chronovisor, allegedly invented in the 1950s by a Benedictine monk named Father Pellegrino Ernetti, promised to revolutionize humanity's understanding of history by capturing three-dimensional holograms of past events. Among its most controversial achievements was reportedly witnessing and recording the crucifixion of Jesus Christ, a claim that sent shockwaves through both scientific and religious communities when it emerged in 1972.

Father Ernetti (1925-1994) was no ordinary clergyman. A distinguished musicologist who held the chair of Prepoliphony at the prestigious Benedetto Marcello Conservatory in Venice, he possessed credentials that lent considerable weight to his extraordinary assertions. His academic background included not only musical scholarship but also advanced degrees in quantum and subatomic physics, making him uniquely positioned to bridge the seemingly incompatible realms of faith and science. When journalist Vincenzo Maddaloni interviewed Ernetti for the Italian periodical La Domenica del Corriere on May 2, 1972, the monk revealed not only the existence of his remarkable device but also a photograph purportedly showing the anguished face of the dying Christ on the cross. The revelation sparked immediate fascination and skepticism in equal measure, launching one of the most enduring and debated mysteries of the twentieth century.

• New Crucifixion Evidence Sheds Light on the Death of Jesus Christ
• Archaeologist Busted for Faking Artifacts Showing Jesus Crucifixion

Father Pellegrino Ernetti.

(Public Domain)

The Scientific Dream Team Behind the Chronovisor

According to Ernetti's carefully detailed account, the chronovisor was not the work of a single individual but rather the collaborative effort of twelve distinguished scientists working in absolute secrecy. The alleged team included some of the most brilliant minds of the mid-twentieth century, among them Enrico Fermi, the Italian Nobel Prize-winning physicist who created the first nuclear reactor and revolutionized our understanding of atomic energy, and Wernher von Braun, the German rocket scientist whose groundbreaking innovations propelled humanity to the moon and transformed space exploration. This stellar roster of collaborators suggested that if the project existed, it represented serious scientific inquiry rather than mere fantasy or religious mysticism.

The ambitious work reportedly began in 1952 at the experimental physics laboratory of the Catholic University of Milan, where Father Ernetti collaborated closely with Father Agostino Gemelli and a select group of other researchers sworn to secrecy. The theoretical foundation of the device rested on a fascinating and surprisingly plausible principle of physics: that sound and visual waves, once emitted into the universe, are never truly destroyed but merely transformed into other forms of energy. According to this theory, these waves remain eternal and omnipresent, dispersed throughout space like cosmic fingerprints of past events, waiting to be detected and reconstructed. If one could develop technology sophisticated enough to capture and reconstruct these disintegrated waves, one could theoretically witness any moment in history, from the construction of the ancient pyramids to Caesar's assassination in the Roman Senate.

The chronovisor itself consisted of a complex array of specialized antennas designed to tune into specific historical frequencies, operating on principles similar to how astronomers calculate light years to observe stars that have long since burned out. The intricate system allegedly operated through electronic oscillography, analyzing sound waves with unprecedented precision and converting them back into their original forms. Light could be transformed into sound and vice versa, creating a comprehensive reconstruction of past events with both audio and visual components. Most remarkably and controversially, Ernetti claimed the device could even capture thoughts themselves, since thought represents an emission of energy detectable by sufficiently sensitive instruments. Every human being leaves behind a unique double trail - both sound and visual - as distinctive as fingerprints. The implications were staggering and deeply troubling: no secret could remain hidden, no historical event could stay obscure, and privacy as humanity understood it would cease to exist entirely.

• Was the Ark of the Covenant an Instrument of Anachronistic Technological Knowledge?
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Ancient Chronicles of Time Displacement

The concept of transcending temporal boundaries is not new to human civilization. Ancient chronicles contain numerous accounts of individuals who apparently broke through the barriers of time, though their methods remained mysterious and unexplained. The Greek historian Herodotus recorded the perplexing tale of Aristea of Proconneso, who allegedly died in a shop in his hometown only to be seen alive and well elsewhere the very same day. When his distraught relatives went to the shop to recover his body for proper burial, they found absolutely nothing - no corpse, no evidence of death. Six years later, Aristea inexplicably reappeared in the same city, composed an epic poem detailing his supposed travels among the mythical Hyperboreans, and then vanished again without explanation. Most remarkably, a staggering 240 years after his apparent death, he materialized in the distant city of Metaponto, instructing its astonished inhabitants to build an elaborate altar to the god Apollo with a commemorative statue bearing his name.

Ancient bust depicting Herodotus, who chronicled mysterious time displacement stories.  

(Metropolitan Museum of Art/Public Domain)

Such accounts raise tantalizing questions that a functioning chronovisor could potentially answer definitively: Did Aristea truly exist in the sixth century BC, or was he merely legendary? Was he really Homer's teacher, as some classical scholars speculated? Could he genuinely time travel through unknown means, or did he possess the supernatural gift of ubiquity? Was he perhaps a shaman capable of harnessing mysterious powers beyond ordinary human comprehension? A working time machine could illuminate countless historical mysteries that have puzzled scholars for millennia. The Jewish historian Flavius Josephus documented equally perplexing phenomena in his Jewish War, describing war chariots and armies appearing in the sky over Jerusalem, visible to multiple witnesses. At Pentecost, priests heard disembodied voices declaring "We are leaving this place." A chronovisor could verify or debunk such accounts, finally separating fact from legend.

The Controversial Photograph and Growing Skepticism

The photograph published prominently in 1972, allegedly showing Christ's tortured face during the crucifixion, became the focal point of intense controversy and investigation. The grainy black-and-white image depicted a bearded man in apparent distress, his face turned upward with an expression of suffering. Almost immediately, skeptics emerged. An anonymous individual claimed the image was fraudulent, asserting it actually depicted a wooden crucifix housed in the Sanctuary of Merciful Love of Collevalenza in Todi, Italy - a devotional work created by Spanish artist Lorenzo Coullaut Valera following detailed instructions from Mother Speranza, a Spanish mystic known for her visions. This damaging revelation cast serious doubt on Ernetti's entire narrative and sparked fierce debate about the chronovisor's authenticity.

The photograph Pellegrino Ernetti claimed to be of Jesus Christ during his crucifixion produced by the chronovisor.

(Public Domain)

Sergio Conti, a respected scholar of parapsychology writing in the Italian periodical Il Giornale dei Misteri, proposed an intriguing alternative explanation that attempted to preserve Ernetti's integrity while accounting for the discrepancy. Rather than photographing actual past events, perhaps the device somehow captured unconscious mental vibrations - deeply buried visual memories stored in Father Ernetti's subconscious mind. If Ernetti had previously encountered the Collevalenza crucifix and consciously forgotten about it, his subconscious mind might have projected this stored image through the apparatus. While acknowledging this hypothesis had a distinct science fiction quality, Conti maintained that Father Ernetti's fundamental good faith and sincerity could not be questioned.

Father François Brune, Ernetti's longtime friend and staunch defender who chronicled the chronovisor story comprehensively in his 2002 book Le nouveau mystère du Vatican, rejected the parapsychological explanation entirely. According to Father Brune, Conti's theory failed to account for movement - people surrounding Christ on the cross were seen moving naturally. It couldn't explain other historical scenes Ernetti claimed to have witnessed, including recorded speeches by Mussolini and Napoleon. When Brune directly confronted his friend about the photograph's suspicious resemblance to the Collevalenza crucifix, Ernetti admitted the published image was indeed of that sculpture rather than chronovisor output. He explained he had met Mother Speranza, who directed the crucifix's creation based on her mystical visions of Christ's actual appearance. Yet he offered no satisfactory explanation for allowing the fraudulent photograph's publication or failing to immediately correct the misrepresentation.

Father François Brune (2007)

(Padawane/ CC BY-SA 2.5)

Vatican Silence and Mysterious Confessions

The most compelling and mysterious aspect of the entire chronovisor affair may be the enforced silence that descended after the initial revelations. According to Father Brune's detailed account, Ernetti confided privately that his Vatican superiors had expressly forbidden him from making any further public statements about the device or its capabilities. When questioned why he couldn't provide clarification to journalists and skeptics who challenged his claims, Ernetti responded cryptically that he was "not free to speak," that he had "already spoken too much," and that higher authorities had prevented him from giving new explanations, responding to accusations, reaffirming the machine's reality, or discussing results achieved. The Catholic Church hierarchy, recognizing the potentially catastrophic implications of such technology, allegedly ordered the chronovisor completely dismantled and its components concealed in secure Vatican repositories.

In March 2000, when Peter Krassa published Father Ernetti's Chronovisor: The Creation and Disappearance of the World's First Time Machine, new complications emerged that deepened the mystery. An anonymous Italian man claiming to be Ernetti's "spiritual son" sent a confessional letter alleging Ernetti had fabricated key claims, including the ancient Roman play translation and Christ's image. Father Brune immediately denounced this confession as fraudulent, noting the mysterious correspondent had never contacted him during thirty years of friendship with Ernetti. Yet Ernetti had once broken his silence, sending a letter to colleague Don Luigi Borello stating that everything about the device and Christ's Passion was "the sacred truth." He never publicly recanted before his death in 1994. In a 2002 interview, Father Brune remained convinced of his friend's fundamental honesty, describing him as an extraordinary priest and exceptional scientist uniquely qualified for such ambitious research.

Historical Jesus and Profound Implications

The chronovisor controversy joins significantly with longstanding scholarly debates about the historical Jesus. Historical criticism has struggled for centuries to prove Christ's existence through non-Christian documentation. Flavius Josephus provided crucial testimony in Jewish Antiquities, describing Jesus as performing extraordinary works and appearing to disciples after crucifixion. In 1971, Professor Shlomo Pinès discovered an Arabic version considered free of later Christian interpolations, substantially confirming Josephus's account while noting disciples reported resurrection. If the chronovisor truly existed and recorded Christ's life comprehensively, what controversial details might it have captured? Could it have documented aspects contradicting established Church doctrine? The device could theoretically verify or refute fundamental claims of all religions, potentially destroying billions of believers' faith or vindicating long-dismissed beliefs. No wonder both religious and secular authorities might wish such dangerous technology permanently concealed…

Legacy of an Enduring Mystery

The chronovisor story ultimately raises more profound questions than it definitively answers. Was Father Ernetti a brilliant scientist ruthlessly silenced by fearful ecclesiastical authorities, or an elaborate storyteller perpetrating an intricate hoax for unknown motivations? The complete lack of physical evidence, combined with the admitted photograph fraud and enforced silence, makes belief in the machine highly dubious. No scientific papers describing construction details ever surfaced. No collaborators came forward after Ernetti's death to verify claims. According to Father Brune, the chronovisor remains hidden deep within Vatican repositories. Whether locked in ecclesiastical vaults, destroyed to prevent misuse, or existing only in imagination, Father Ernetti's chronovisor continues fascinating those who wonder: what would humanity discover if we could truly see through time itself? The tale reminds us that boundaries between science and faith, between possible and impossible, remain more permeable and mysterious than we might imagine.

• Top image: The Crucifixion by André d'Ypres / Dreux Budé Master (before 1440), Getty Centre. Right; Alleged image of Christ from the chronovisor. 
• Source: Public Domain/ Public Domain

By Gary Manners

References

{ https://www.ancient-origins.net/ }

 January #1 - 2026 MUFON eNewsletter- with the Monthly Sighting Statistics of  DECEMBER 2025

COUNTRIES OF THE WORLD UNITED STATES 313 UNITED KINGDOM 15 CANADA 12 FRANCE 6 INDIA 5 GERMANY 4 AUSTRALIA 3 TURKEY 3 IRAN 2 POLAND 2 SOUTH AFRICA 2 HUNGARY 2 BRAZIL 2 CROATIA 1 AUSTRIA 1 MEXICO 1 CHILE 1 NORWAY 1 UKRAINE 1 CYPRUS 1 ISRAEL 1 PUERTO RICO 1 ZAMBIA 1 NETHERLANDS 1 SPAIN 1 COLOMBIA 1 PARAGUAY 1 DENMARK 1 ITALY 1 SLOVAKIA 1 GUATEMALA 1 NEW ZEALAND 1   TOTAL: 390 SHAPE Circle 71 Sphere 54 Other 32 Triangle 27 Unknown 26 Disc 25 Star-like 18 Oval 17 Cigar 10 N/A 10 Square/Rectangular 8 Fireball 8 Tic Tac 6 Cylinder 6 Diamond 5 Boomerang 5 Egg4Cross 4 Blimp 3 Flash 3 Teardrop 2 Bullet/Missile 2 Saturn-like 1 Cone 1 Chevron 1 STATES OF THE U.S.A. Texas 27 California 24 Florida 23 Arizona 20 New York 15 Ohio 13 Georgia 12 Missouri 10 Illinois 9 Colorado 9 Tennessee 9 Oklahoma 9 Arkansas 8 Oregon 8 Pennsylvania 7 Minnesota 6 Alabama 6 Virginia 6 Washington 6 Indiana 5 Michigan 5 New Mexico 5 Wisconsin 5 North Carolina 5 Utah 5 Massachusetts 4 New Jersey 4 Iowa 4 Louisiana 4 Idaho 4 Maryland 4 New Hampshire 4 South Carolina 3 Connecticut 3 Kentucky 3 Nevada 3 West Virginia 2 Wyoming 2 Nebraska 2 Alaska 2 Hawaii 2 Rhode Island 1 Kansas 1 District of Columbia 1 Montana 1 North Dakota 1 Maine 1 DISTANCE < 100 ft 46 101-500 ft 53 501 ft - 1 Mile 67 Over 1 Mile 60 Unknown 65 NO VALUE 25 ERT Most impressively there were 14 Landings, Hovering, or Takeoffs reported, and 29 Entities observed.

{ mufon.com }

US Military Recovered UFO That ‘Distorted Space-Time’ & Craft Able To ‘Alter Our Reality’ As Mentioned In Bizarre Navy Docs

Physicist Michio Kaku proposes the existence of other dimensions, also known as parallel universes, coexisting alongside our own reality. Within these dimensions, it is plausible that there are beings or entities living alongside us, despite our inability to perceive them. While the concept of alternate dimensions or universes may seem far-fetched to some, it is intricately connected to the subject of Unidentified Aerial Phenomena (UAPs), commonly referred to as UFO phenomena.

We live in a four-dimensional world (if time is included), but scientists propose there are more dimensions. However, they do not believe there can exist more than 11 dimensions because conditions become unstable and particles naturally collapse back down into 10 or 11 dimensions. The 12th dimension, for example, introduces a second time.

“Our understanding of reality is not complete, by far,” says Stanford University physicist Andrei Linde. “Reality exists independently of us.” If they exist, those universes are separated from ours, unreachable and undetectable by any direct measurement (at least so far). And that makes some experts question whether the search for a multiverse can ever be truly scientific.

In the realm of science, our quest for understanding alternate or higher dimensions remains ongoing. However, within the field of UFOlogy, intriguing cases have emerged suggesting the existence of not just other dimensions, but also the presence of entities residing within them. These beings seem to possess the ability to manipulate a bridge connecting their realm to ours, enabling them to embark on regular visits to our world.

Crashed UFO that ‘distorted space and time’

A very strange UFO case has been shared by American attorney Daniel Sheehan with Daily Mail. Sheehan involved in bringing UFO whistleblowers to Congress, claimed that a whistleblower told him a mind-boggling tale about a recovered crashed UFO. He revealed that a crashed UFO recovered by the US military had distorted space-time and was “bigger on the inside.” The whistleblower has reportedly briefed Senate Intelligence Committee staff on the matter.

According to Sheehan, one of the alleged recoveries described by the insider involved a 30-foot saucer partially embedded in the earth. When attempts were made to remove it using a bulldozer, the craft exhibited unusual behavior. As it was being pulled out, it seemingly detached in a pie slice-shaped section, suggesting that it was constructed in a unique way.

The anonymous whistleblower then entered the craft and was astonished to find that the interior was as large as a football stadium, while the exterior was only about 30 feet in diameter. The experience inside caused disorientation and nausea due to the vast size discrepancy. Furthermore, upon exiting the craft in a few minutes, the whistleblower found that four hours had passed outside, indicating time distortion as well.

Sheehan mentions that the craft’s distortion of space and time is consistent with the theories proposed by physicists regarding advanced propulsion systems. These theories suggest that warping space-time could be used to counteract the effects of gravity and achieve advanced forms of propulsion. However, Sheehan does not provide further specific details, such as the location or date of the incident, and admits to being unable to provide concrete evidence to support these claims.

Read also:

• Man Worked In Antarctica Saw Powerful Machines To Contact Alien Crafts In Deep Space
• Las Vegas UFO Crash Is Real, Claims Man Worked For NYPD: 10-Foot Alien Terrified Witness
• Ex-CIA Officer Encountered With Reptilian Alien; Says Reptilian Race Walking Among Us
• Whitley Strieber’s Alien Abduction & Stranger Who Told Him ‘Mankind Is Trapped

Moreover, on Jesse Michels’ show, astronomer and UFO researcher Jacques Vallee discussed another UFO case that includes experiencing another dimension by the witness. Valle said: “There was one case in San Jose. A woman had seen something over her house. It was a big disc, and I say, ‘How big was it?’ And she says, ‘Well, it was about the same size as her house. It was, you know, just like that.’ Then I say, ‘Well, when you went inside, you said, uh, you know, there was this being, and the being took you on a staircase.’ I say, ‘Where did the staircase go?’ Well, the staircase went up the side of this big round room. I say, ‘How would you compare it?’ Well, like a movie house, you know, like an M5 theater. I said, ‘That’s bigger than your house.’”

Luis Elizondo, the man who managed the UFO program inside the Pentagon, explains how space-time distortion works and hints that we can manipulate this physics for technological advancement. In an interview with George Knapp in 2018, Elizondo explains:

“Space-time is something we observe in the natural world all the time, especially in relation to gravity and GPS satellites. The clocks on these satellites need constant calibration. Even though the clocks on the satellites are identical to the ones on the ground station, they still require regular calibration. The reason for this is the effect of Earth’s gravity on space-time. The clocks on Earth run slightly slower compared to the clocks on the platforms above Earth.

How is this possible if the clocks are the same? Well, it’s because the closer you are to a massive object, like Earth, the more space-time warps. This phenomenon is explained by the theory of general relativity, which boils down to using the equation E=mc². Essentially, it means that a significant amount of mass or energy warps space-time. When you approach a supermassive object like the sun, the distortion becomes even greater. In fact, near a black hole, time becomes so distorted that it virtually stops.

We have observed this phenomenon through gravitational lensing when studying distant galaxies. We can actually see the effects of gravity on space-time with our own eyes, so it’s a scientific fact, not fiction. The question now is how we can manipulate this physics for technological advancement. Potentially, we could warp space-time in a way that allows us to travel from point A to point B more quickly.”

Is it possible that an advanced extraterrestrial civilization has already accomplished this kind of technology and has been using it to visit our world? Or perhaps we already have such technology?

In 2021, leaked documents revealed that the US Navy had conducted experiments on various far-fetched technologies, including a “space modification weapon.” These documents, disclosed by The War Zone, detailed the research carried out by the Naval Air Warfare Center Aircraft Division (NAWCAD) between 2017 and 2019. The most interesting thing is that the technology written in those documents discusses propulsion system that defies gravity, or to devastating weapons that bends the laws of physics and craft that alters the fabric of time and space.

The man behind all the patents is Dr. Salvatore Cezar Pais, who is an aerospace engineer at the Naval Air Warfare Center Aircraft Division (NAWCAD). He has four patents registered in his name that contain the source of technology that would change the world. In these patents, a “Spacetime Modification Weapon” (SMW, a weapon that can make the Hydrogen bomb seem more like a firecracker, in comparison) is mentioned.

Are these patents a cover for the reverse-engineered extraterrestrial technology? The Navy’s objective in testing this conceptual system was to keep pace with similar programs being developed in China. The researchers believed that the space modification weapon could revolutionize power and propulsion systems. The technology was based on the “Pais effect” aimed to push the boundaries of science.

Pais made ambitious claims about the potential of this technology, suggesting that it could lead to a propulsion system defying gravity or devastating weapons that bend the laws of physics. He even outlined plans for a “hybrid aerospace-underwater craft” capable of altering the fabric of time and space.

The Navy’s aerospace research enterprise supported Pais’s patents, stating that they filed them to keep up with similar technological advancements being pursued by the Chinese military. The “space modification weapon” described in the documents was envisioned to release extremely high energy levels, surpassing the destructive power of a Hydrogen bomb.

However, the experiments conducted between 2017 and 2019 were inconclusive. The elusive Pais effect was neither observed nor disproven during this period. The Pais effect refers to a theoretical physics concept that involves the controlled movement of highly electrically charged matter. If proven possible, it could enable the creation of powerful energy fields capable of fundamentally engineering the fabric of reality.

It is unclear whether the US Navy is continuing its experiments on the Pais effect or if the project has been discontinued entirely. None of the futuristic technologies described in the leaked UFO patents were developed, leaving the ultimate fate of the space modification weapon and related concepts uncertain.

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{ https://howandwhys.com/ }

US Congressmen Claim Bible Has ‘Pretty Clear’ Evidence of UFOs: Vatican Knows Aliens Are!

Rep. Burlison has said that UFOs might be angels sent by God. Burlison, who heard secret information about UFOs, shared this idea on “That UFO Podcast.” He said, “They may not fit exactly the Biblical narrative, but whenever I use the term ‘angels,’ to me, it’s synonymous with an extradimensional being.”

In a podcast, Burlison shared his thoughts on UFOs, offering a detailed perspective on various theories surrounding these unidentified phenomena. Burlison discussed a theory he read in a public report by UFO whistleblower David Grusch who alleged that the government secretly recovered alien spacecraft and even dead “pilots” inside them. According to Grusch’s report, one theory suggests that what we are encountering might be beings that exist in higher dimensions, beyond our normal understanding of space and time.

Burlison used the analogy of living on a two-dimensional surface and being encountered by a three-dimensional object to explain the idea of encountering something from a higher dimension. In this case, he suggested that we live in a three-dimensional environment and could be encountering something from a higher dimension, where traditional concepts of distance might become irrelevant.

He expressed skepticism about the probability of being visited by an alien race from a distant planet, emphasizing the vast distances involved. Burlison questioned the likelihood of an advanced alien race traveling such long distances only to crash upon arrival on Earth. He leaned towards the idea that these phenomena are more likely to be extradimensional, existing beyond our usual understanding of dimensions.

Burlison explained that various scriptures, including the Bible, describe messengers of God or angels as existing in dimensions beyond our own. While acknowledging the visual evidence and testimony from pilots regarding UFO sightings, Burlison emphasized the most likely explanation, in his opinion:

“I don’t discount the visual recordings or the testimonies from pilots – I believe they are genuinely witnessing something. There is substantial evidence of these unidentified objects, and although we don’t know what they are, I think the most probable explanation might not be what everyone hopes to hear. It could very well be advanced technology under development and research, possibly involving new propulsion technology.

When discussing this topic, I often refer to the discovery of the Higgs boson particle about ten years ago. We identified the Higgs field, which essentially relates to gravity, and the particle is a wave function within that field. Looking back, shortly after the discovery of nuclear vision, scientists developed the nuclear bomb. This illustrates how scientific theories can be transformed into practical functions. I find it hard to believe that we haven’t capitalized on our knowledge of the Higgs field. It seems likely that our private sector industry and the scientific community have been working to find ways to manipulate the Higgs field for various purposes, potentially including advancements in propulsion technology.”

Burlison is not the only one suggesting a link between UFOs and religious texts. Representative Tim Burchett claimed in 2021 that UFOs were in the Bible, referring to the book of Ezekiel.

According to Mystery Wire, Rep. Burchett talked about UFOs being written about in the Bible, pointing specifically to Ezekiel. This reference is for Ezekiel 1:4-28, in which there is a description of seeing “an immense cloud with flashing lightning and surrounded by brilliant light. The center of the fire looked like glowing metal, and in the fire was what looked like four living creatures. In appearance their form was human, but each of them had four faces and four wings.”

“When the living creatures moved, the wheels beside them moved; and when the living creatures rose from the ground, the wheels also rose. Wherever the spirit would go, they would go, and the wheels would rise along with them, because the spirit of the living creatures was in the wheels.” [Ezekiel 1:4-28, Ezekiel 10]

While Grusch has publicly discussed theories on UAPs that might originate from the higher-order dimensions theorized by physicists, those concepts do not appear in the unclassified version of his complaint.

The ‘extradimensional or interdimensional‘ hypothesis also does not appear in what has been made public from Grusch’s written statements first submitted for approval to the Pentagon’s Defense Office of Prepublication and Security Review (DOPSR).

But Grusch did talk about this theory when he was under oath, answering questions from Rep. Burlison during a public UAP hearing in July 2023.

Rep. Burlison said at the hearing, “It’s a bit hard to believe that an alien species advanced enough to travel billions of light years would come here and somehow not be able to survive.” He then asked Grusch about the “interdimensional potential,” saying, “Could you explain that?”

Grusch said, “No matter how smart you are, accidents happen, like plane crashes and car crashes. A small percentage of missions may fail, as we say in the Air Force.” Talking about multidimensionality, Grusch mentioned the holographic principle. It comes from general relativity and quantum mechanics. He explained it as imagining a 3D object casting a shadow onto a 2D surface.

He said, “You can be projected, sort of projected, from higher dimensional space to lower dimensional space… It’s a scientific idea that you can actually cross dimensions, as far as I understand. But there are probably people with PhDs who could argue about that.”

There has been some speculation about UFOs being connected to religious visits or interdimensional beings since the early 20th century. This idea became more famous with the book “Passport to Magonia: from Folklore to Flying Saucers” by Jacques Vallée in 1969. Vallée later inspired a character in Steven Spielberg’s UFO movie “Close Encounters of the Third Kind.” He spent years studying ancient texts for his book.

Vallée states that UFOs and related events of a paranormal nature involve visitations from other “realities” or “dimensions.” The idea proposes that these alternate realities exist separately yet parallel to our own. In 1975’s The Edge of Reality, Vallée and Hynek considered the possibility of what they call “interlocking universes.”

Read also:

• Ex-US Marine Saw Massive UFO Being Loaded With Weapons By Secret Military In Indonesia Jungle
• Aerospace Billionaire Claims UAPs & Consciousness Are Linked; G-LOC Makes Human Soul Enter Another Dimension

Daniel Sheehan, a public interest lawyer and activist who was a former Chief Council for the United States Jesuit order, revealed intriguing details about his conversations with the head of the Vatican archives regarding the Vatican’s knowledge of extraterrestrial life. He shed light on his involvement in a groundbreaking initiative to address the theological and philosophical implications of the discovery of extraterrestrial intelligence. (Click here to read the full article)

He proposed the formation of a task force involving all 54 major religious denominations to address the issue from a theological perspective. However, at that time, there was insufficient consensus, and the proposal was declined. Sheehan is currently working through his New Paradigm Institute to organize a global summit conference involving world religious leaders to discuss the recent recovery of an extraterrestrial spacecraft.

“The United States government is in possession of biological evidence and has actually taken into custody alive an extraterrestrial person. They’re keeping this secret, interrogating the being, and distorting the information to justify massive expenditures on weapon development under the guise of a perceived threat.” – Daniel Sheehan

Sheehan highlighted the Vatican’s acknowledgment of the possibility of extraterrestrial life. He referenced a formal statement issued by the Catholic Church on November 10, 2009, authorized by Pope Benedict. The statement, issued by Father Jose Gabriel Alfuz, a director of the Pontifical Observatory in Rome, recognized the increasing discovery of exoplanets and called for a global discussion on the philosophical and theological implications of the imminent discovery of extraterrestrial life.

Sheehan disclosed that the government was telepathically interrogating the extraterrestrial biological entity (EBO) in custody. Despite acknowledging the bizarre nature of the revelation, Sheehan stood by the credibility of the information, having interviewed individuals directly involved in the process. The EBO allegedly conveyed that a coalition of star systems in our galaxy monitors the evolution of life on different planets, including Earth.

“Pope Benedict had a formal statement issued by the Catholic Church, saying that with the discovery of more exoplanets, it has become clear that we will be discovering life elsewhere in the universe. This prompted the need for a global discussion on the philosophical and theological questions posed by the discovery of extraterrestrial life.” – Daniel Sheehan

Since the translation of the Book of Enoch from the ancient texts discovered in Ethiopia in 1768, it has created a stir in the history of mankind that has been told for years. The Book of Enoch tells the story of the Fallen Angels called the Nephilims or the Anunnaki; it is attributed to Enoch, the great-grandfather of Noah.

It is no wonder why the Book of Enoch was not included in the modern biblical version, since its content speaks of wicked angels who became fond of mortal women and mated with them, giving birth to the hybrid race of giant humanoids known throughout secular and Biblical history as the Nephilims.

The Nephilims then taught humans great technologies that made us greedy and awful until God destroyed them with a great flood in order to prevent further harm to creation. This is a massively oversimplified summary, but given these themes, the Book of Enoch has understandably grown in popularity in recent years.

So, what are UFOs? Jeremy Corbell says, “UFOs appear to be part of a larger phenomenon, meaning UFOs are kind of an auxiliary implication of a much larger reality. So this idea that what we’re seeing are machines from other planets. I’m unconvinced what we may be seeing is an alternate reality. You know, maybe it is something closer to dimensional travel.”

Former CIA officer Jim Semivan says, “Yes, there is a force out there that can control our environment.” The UFO phenomenon can be shocking, especially to children.

“You know for humanity. Are we alone or, you know, what happens when we die? Well, I don’t know about that, but are we alone? Well, the answer is we’re not alone. And I know that with 100% certainty, which as an Intel officer, you never say 100%, but all things pointed towards, based on the people I talked to… The phenomenon is real. It’s been going on for thousands of years. People have been seeing strange things, and not everybody’s mass hallucinating. So that’s kind of my long diatribe about what’s happening.”– David Grusch

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This Declassified CIA Book Reveals That Earth Undergoes Cataclysmic Events Approximately Every 6,500 Years, Leading to the Destruction and Rebirth of Civilizations

By Vicky Verma

In 1966, Dr. Chan Thomas published a  book called The Adam and Eve Story, but it soon disappeared from public access after the CIA classified it. The book talks about big disasters like pole shifts, mass extinctions, and the repeated destruction of advanced civilizations. It stayed mostly hidden until some parts were released years later.

Now, only 57 pages are available, but they are heavily edited, leaving many questions about what the book really says. People are curious about why this book might be considered dangerous and why the CIA wanted to keep it secret.

Dr. Chan Thomas

Dr. Chan Thomas was an American electrical engineer and psychic who authored a hypothesis of global cataclysms involving radical shifts in Earth’s electromagnetic fields that increase the viscosity of the crust, causing rapid continental drift.

This is most notably described in his book “The Adam and Eve Story.” During the 1950s, Dr. Thomas was a project engineer on Bell Aircraft’s RASCAL missile guidance system and Douglas Aircraft’s A4D Skyhawk program, and was later employed in the late 1960s by McDonnell Douglas to work with Robert Wood’s “Advanced Concepts” R&D team, which worked on UFO and other fringe science related projects.

The idea of pole shifts has interested scientists and caused discussions for many years. Charles Hapgood was one of the first to suggest this concept in the mid-1900s. He believed that the Earth’s outer layer could move over the inner layers, making the poles change position.

Hapgood’s theory of “Earth’s crustal displacement” said that these shifts could happen fairly quickly, resulting in major changes in the Earth’s geography and climate. At first, many scientists rejected Hapgood’s ideas, but he gained respect when Albert Einstein showed interest in his work. Even though Hapgood’s theory didn’t become widely accepted, it opened the door for more research on how the Earth’s magnetic poles might change.

Today, we know that the magnetic poles do indeed shift, though typically at a slow rate. However, the possibility of rapid, catastrophic shifts remains a subject of ongoing research.

Dr. Chan Thomas, in his book The Adam and Eve Story, made a scary prediction about sudden pole shifts. He believed these shifts could happen quickly, even in one day, and cause major disasters. He said that these quick changes could lead to huge earthquakes, volcanic eruptions, and tsunamis, resulting in widespread damage. While most scientists are doubtful about such rapid shifts, the idea still captures the interest of researchers and the public.

Throughout Earth’s history, mass extinctions have wiped out many species, changing the course of life on our planet. Some scientists think these extinctions might be connected to pole shifts or other major geological events.

One example often mentioned is the Younger Dryas, a time of sudden cooling about 12,800 years ago. This period saw a big drop in global temperatures, which some believe was caused by a comet impact or a significant pole shift.

These disastrous events have also led to theories about ancient advanced civilizations that may have been destroyed by sudden catastrophes. Supporters of these theories argue that evidence of these lost civilizations can be found in myths and unexplained archaeological sites.

However, mainstream archaeologists are careful and stress the need for more solid evidence before changing our understanding of history.

Flood myths are stories about big floods that are found in many ancient cultures. These tales, which describe floods that destroyed entire civilizations, appear in religious texts, oral traditions, and ancient writings worldwide.

For example, Noah’s Ark in the Bible and the Epic of Gilgamesh from Mesopotamia share many similarities, even though they come from different places and times.

When we compare these myths to known geological events, like the Younger Dryas (a time about 12,800 years ago when the climate changed quickly), we see some interesting connections. The Younger Dryas involved sudden cooling and melting ice, which caused sea levels to rise significantly.

Some researchers think that these big changes in the environment might have inspired the flood stories in various cultures. They believe that ancient people, seeing the destruction from rising waters, passed down these stories to warn others about nature’s power.

Dr. Chan Thomas, in his  book The Adam and Eve Story, goes further by saying these flood myths are not just exaggerated tales but are based on real disasters caused by shifts in the Earth’s poles and other catastrophic events. He argues that these myths are historical records of past disasters that nearly wiped out humanity. According to Thomas, our ancestors created these stories to remember these events and warn future generations about their recurrence.

The idea that advanced civilizations existed before written history fascinates both scholars and enthusiasts. Supporters of this theory point to archaeological evidence, like erosion patterns on the Great Sphinx of Giza and submerged cities off the coasts of Japan and India, suggesting these lost cultures were destroyed by disasters like the floods in ancient myths.

However, this idea is controversial and faces skepticism in the academic world. Many archaeologists and historians believe the evidence for these theories is either misinterpreted or not strong enough. The general view is that human civilization began about 6,000 years ago in Mesopotamia, with no credible evidence of advanced societies before then.

Read also:

• Earth to Pass Through the Same Taurid Meteor Stream in 2032 That May Have Triggered a Mass Extinction 12,800 Years Ago
• Man from Silicon Valley Confirms His Company Established the First-Ever Communication Between People in Dreams
• This Man Went To Find Giant Alien Pyramid Buried Deep in the Alaskan Wilderness & Never Seen Again

Still, the ongoing debate continues to interest people, and new discoveries sometimes spark discussions. While the concept of ancient advanced civilizations is still on the outskirts of scientific study, it encourages us to rethink what we know about the past and stay open to new evidence.

Dr. Chan Thomas’s predictions in The Adam and Eve Story show a dark future. He warns that a quick shift in the Earth’s poles could happen, causing disastrous events worldwide. He believes this shift could lead to huge earthquakes, volcanic eruptions, and tsunamis, possibly wiping out most of humanity in just a few hours. He thinks this disaster could happen soon, maybe even in our lifetime.

Scientists know that the Earth’s magnetic field is always changing, and the poles can move over time. However, most geophysicists think a sudden and disastrous shift like Dr. Thomas describes is very unlikely.

Right now, we understand that the poles may shift slowly or even reverse over thousands of years, but a quick shift causing a global disaster isn’t supported by current evidence.

If Dr. Thomas’s predictions were to come true, the effects on modern society would be terrible. Our essential systems — like power grids, communication, and transportation — would likely fail. This shift could lead to widespread destruction, chaos, and possibly a return to a dark age for survivors.

Dr. Thomas’s work makes us rethink our view of history. If he’s right about pole shifts and recurring disasters, it means that human civilization is much more fragile and has gone through cycles of rise and fall more than we think.

This view challenges the common belief that human progress is steady and uninterrupted. If disasters happen in cycles, it suggests that advanced civilizations have appeared and disappeared several times in Earth’s history, each time erased by a major event.

This idea changes how we see human history, suggesting that our current civilization is just the latest attempt at creating a lasting society.

Given Dr. Thomas’s theories, we should consider what we can learn for the future. If these disasters really do happen in cycles, it would be wise to prepare and build resilience, so that if another disaster occurs, humanity can survive and rebuild more effectively.

In 1966, the CIA classified The Adam and Eve Story soon after it was published. This decision has led to a lot of speculation about why a book about ancient disasters and pole shifts would catch the attention of a government agency.

One theory is that if people took the book seriously, it could cause a lot of panic. The idea of a coming global disaster, along with the government’s secrecy, might lead to unrest in society.

Another possibility is that the  book had information related to secret government research. The author, Dr. Chan Thomas, worked on classified projects at McDonnell Douglas, and some think he knew more than what was publicly shared. The CIA might have been worried about revealing technologies or ideas that could threaten national security.

The “sanitization” of the 57 pages that were later declassified adds to the mystery. A lot of the text is blacked out, making people wonder what was removed and why. Some believe that the missing parts could contain more details about disasters or even government secrets. The exact reason for keeping much of the book hidden is still unclear.

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Inleiding

In de afgelopen jaren is de discussie over onverklaarde luchtverschijnselen (UAP's, Unidentified Aerial Phenomena) sterker dan ooit in de schijnwerpers gekomen. Wat begon als een onderwerp voor een select gezelschap binnen de wetenschappelijke en militaire kringen, is uitgegroeid tot een wereldwijd fenomeen dat politiek, veiligheid en wetenschap diepgaande vragen stelt. Recentelijk heeft een incident in de Rode Zee, nabij Jemen, de aandacht getrokken en voor nieuwe debatten gezorgd. Tijdens een besloten sessie van de Tweede Kamercommissie voor Natuurlijke Hulpbronnen en Herziening (een vertaling van de Engelse term ‘Reform’), werd een korte maar veelzeggende video getoond die de gebeurtenis documenteert. Deze beelden tonen een incident waarvan de aard en de interpretatie nog immer onderwerp van discussie zijn. Het incident heeft niet alleen de nieuwsgierigheid gewekt van politici en defensie-autoriteiten, maar ook de kritische wetenschappelijke wereld, die zich afvraagt wat de implicaties zijn voor onze kennis over onverklaarde luchtverschijnselen en de mogelijke exotische technologieën die achter deze gebeurtenissen schuil kunnen gaan.

De video toont hoe een raket op een bolvormig object wordt afgevuurd, dat zich beweegt in een wartaalachtige beweging boven de wateren van de Rode Zee, vlakbij het conflictgebied rond Jemen. Het contrast tussen de ogenschijnlijk onschuldige beelden en de potentiële veiligheidsrisico’s die eruit voortvloeien, roept vragen op over de aard en herkomst van deze fenomene. Daarbij wordt vooral de rol van de Amerikaanse militaire en inlichtingendiensten onder de loep genomen, die in toenemende mate bereid lijken te zijn om dergelijke onverklaarde incidenten niet langer te negeren of te minimaliseren. Dit artikel biedt een uitgebreide analyse van het incident, de bewijskracht van de beelden, de reactie vanuit de politiek, de geopolitieke en militair-strategische context en de bredere implicaties voor ons begrip van UAP's.

De bewijskracht van het filmpje

De kern van elke discussie over onverklaarde luchtverschijnselen wordt gevormd door het beschikbare bewijs. In dit geval betreft het een video van slechts twaalf seconden, waarvan de authenticiteit en interpretatie onder grote omstandigheden staan. De beelden, afkomstig van een door de Amerikaanse marine gebruikgemaakt platform in de Golf van Aden, laten zien hoe een helder, bolvormig object op hoge hoogte beweegt, met onregelmatige en wartaalachtige bewegingen die voor velen moeilijk te verklaren zijn. Achterin de vertelling zien we dat kort na de waarneming een explosie plaatsvindt, veroorzaakt door een vuurzee van een nabijgelegen vaartuig dat een raket lanceert. Dit wijst op een mogelijke defensieve reactie door de marine, bijvoorbeeld een surface-to-air raket, die wordt gelanceerd om het object te neutraliseren.

Wat de beelden nog intrigerender maakt, is dat het object ondanks de explosie in beweging blijft en zich uiteindelijk lijkt terug te trekken met een dunne condensatiespoor. Analisten die door het comité werden geraadpleegd, hebben bevestigd dat de vluchtweg van de raket en de bewegingen van het object overeenkomen met militaire antiair-raketreacties. Echter, er kan niet met zekerheid worden vastgesteld of het doelwit een vijandelijk apparaat was, bijvoorbeeld een drone of ander onconventioneel luchtvaartuig, of dat het object wellicht een niet-geïdentificeerd fenomeen was dat buiten ons huidig begrip valt. De Amerikaanse marine heeft in haar officiële verklaring benadrukt dat de beelden “onbevlekte beelden van een luchtverschijnsel tijdens routine-operaties” tonen, maar heeft verdere details over de gebruikte wapensystemen of de context achter de incidenten niet vrijgegeven.

Het ontbreken van gedetailleerde informatie benadrukt de complexiteit van het verifiëren en interpreteren van dergelijke incidenten. Het feit dat de beelden worden vrijgegeven in een besloten setting, terwijl er tegelijkertijd politieke druk bestaat om meer transparantie te bieden, onderstreept de uitdaging waarmee de autoriteiten worden geconfronteerd. De bewijskracht van zulke korte clips is beperkt, omdat ze niet altijd de volledige context bieden, zoals radargegevens, satellietbeelden of getuigenverslagen. Desalniettemin kunnen dergelijke beelden waardevolle aanwijzingen leveren en een startpunt vormen voor een breder onderzoek.

Leden van een subcommissie van het Huis bekeken op 9 september 2025 een video van een Hellfire-raket die afketste op een UAP.

(Fox News)

Reactie vanuit het Amerikaanse politiekerskorps

De reactie vanuit de Amerikaanse politiek, vertegenwoordigd door parlementariërs en beleidsmakers, onderstreept de ernst die wordt gehecht aan incidenten als deze. Rep. Bill Burlison benadrukte dat het afvuren van een raket op een onbekend object ernstige vragen oproept over de veiligheid van de Amerikaanse strijdkrachten en de bestaande regels over het gebruik van geweld in de virtuele en letterlijke luchtruimtes. “Wanneer een raket wordt afgevuurd op een onbekend object, moeten we ons afvragen of we voldoende informatie hebben om zulke beslissingen te nemen,” stelde Burlison. andere invloedrijke politici, zoals Republikein Mike Gallagher en Democraat Katherine Clark, riepen op tot meer openheid en transparantie.

Zij drongen aan op het vrijgeven van sensor- en radargegevens, die de incidenten meer context kunnen geven en mogelijk de aard van de waargenomen objecten kunnen verduidelijken. Deze oproepen voor openheid volgen op het rapport van het Pentagon uit 2022, waarin werd aangekondigd dat de Amerikaanse overheid actief onderzoek doet naar UAP's en dat de geheime houding rondom dergelijke fenomenen niet langer houdbaar is. Het rapport benadrukte dat er nog steeds veel datapunten onverklaard blijven, en dat het belang van transparantie en internationale samenwerking groot is om de mysteries te ontrafelen.

De politieke discussies lopen vooruit op de verdere onderzoeksinitiatieven die het congres wil initiëren. De mogelijkheid dat onverklaarde luchtverschijnselen mogelijk een externe inlichtingendienst, technologische verrassing of zelfs onbekende buitenlandse macht kunnen zijn, maakt dat de discussie niet slechts een technische aangelegenheid is, maar ook een strategisch en geopolitiek vraagstuk. De politieke en militaire leiders erkennen dat het begrijpen van deze fenomenen essentieel is voor het waarborgen van de nationale veiligheid en het voorkomen van mogelijke crises.

De Amerikaanse luchtmachtveteraan Jeffrey Nuccetelli, de senior chief petty officer van de Amerikaanse marine Alexandro Wiggins, journalist George Knapp, de Amerikaanse luchtmachtveteraan Dylan Borland en senior beleidsadviseur van het Project On Government Oversight Joe Spielberger worden beëdigd om te getuigen tijdens een hoorzitting van de Amerikaanse Huiscommissie voor Toezicht en Hervorming over "Het herstellen van het publieke vertrouwen door UAP-transparantie en klokkenluidersbescherming" op Capitol Hill in Washington, D.C., op 9 september 2025.

(Elizabeth Frantz/Reuters)

Militair en regio‑context

De locatie van het incident, in de strategisch belangrijke wateren van de Rode Zee, speelt een cruciale rol in de interpretatie ervan. Deze regio, die zich uitstrekt tussen Afrika, het Midden-Oosten en Azië, verbindt de Middellandse Zee via het Suezkanaal met de Indische Oceaan. Als zodanig is het een cruciaal knooppunt voor wereldwijde maritieme handel, energievoorziening en militaire operaties. De wateren rond Jemen, waar het incident plaatsvond, worden al jaren gekenmerkt door voortdurende conflicten tussen Houthi-rebellen en internationale coalities, waaronder de Verenigde Staten en Arabia. Het kustgebied dient als een voedingsbodem voor strijdende partijen die onconventionele tactieken en moderne technologieën inzetten.

De Amerikaanse marine en het Centraal Commando (CENTCOM) patrouilleren deze wateren frequente, omdat ze zich zorgen maken over raketaanvallen, drone-aanvallen en de aanwezigheid van meerdere buitenlandse actoren. Sinds de escalatie van de Jemenitische oorlog worden meldingen gedaan van opvallende luchtverschijnselen die moeilijk te plaatsen zijn binnen de bestaande militaire of commerciële technologieën. Sommige analisten suggereren dat het hier mogelijk gaat om niet-geïdentificeerde drones, geheimzinnige satellietoperaties of sophisticated sensorsystemen die buiten de reguliere militaire programma's lijken te vallen. De aanwezigheid van een raketlancering, zoals in de videobeelden wordt getoond, verhoogt de spanning, omdat het de mogelijkheid opent dat er sprake is van een vorm van onconventionele dreiging – mogelijk van een buitenlandse mogendheid die probeert te opereren in de chaos van een conflictgebied.

Het feit dat militaire operatoren het object als potentieel bedreigend zagen en daarop reageerden met een raketlancering, wijst op een gevaarlijke situatie waarbij de grenzen tussen routineoperaties en potentieel destabiliserende incidenten vervagen. Er bestaat de onderliggende vraag of er meer onverklaarde fenomenen in de regio voorkomen, en of deze incidenten een teken zijn van technologische innovaties of externe invloeden die de veiligheid van de regio en internationale scheepvaart in gevaar brengen. Zonder voldoende data blijven veel van deze incidenten een mysterie, dat cruciaal is voor de strategische planning en risicobeheer.

KLAS-TV-journalist George Knapp uit Las Vegas neemt plaats voor de hoorzitting van de Subcommissie voor de Openbaarmaking van Federale Geheimen van de Taskforce van de House Oversight and Government Reform Committee over "Het Herstellen van Publiek Vertrouwen door UAP (Ongeïdentificeerde Anomale Fenomenen) Transparantie en Klokkenluidersbescherming" in het Capitol Visitor Center op dinsdag 9 september 2025.

(Bill Clark/CQ-Roll Call, Inc via Getty Images)

Toekomstperspectieven en beleidsreacties

De voortdurende discussie over UAP's en de incidenten in de Rode Zee leiden tot beleidsinitiatieven en verdere onderzoeksverplichtingen. Het Amerikaanse Huis van Afgevaardigden heeft een subcomité opgericht dat later dit jaar aanvullende datapunten, radargegevens en signalenuitwisseling zal bekijken. Het Ministerie van Defensie benadrukt dat men zich inzet voor het verbeteren van de dataverzameling, analyse en transparantie rond UAP-incidenten. In reactie op de publieke en politieke druk onderstrepen ze dat nationale veiligheid en operationele paraatheid de hoogste prioriteit blijven, terwijl men tegelijkertijd erkent dat er een grote behoefte bestaat aan een objectievere en multidisciplinaire aanpak.

Het groeiende belang van objectieve wetenschap komt steeds meer onder de aandacht. Verschillende groepen, zoals het UAP Transparency Project, pleiten voor onafhankelijk onderzoek door experts uit verschillende disciplines: luchtvaarttechniek, atmosferische wetenschappen, radar- en sensortechnologie, evenals inlichtingenanalyses. Het doel is om een samenhangend en wetenschappelijk onderbouwd beeld te krijgen van deze fenomenen, zonder voorafgaande aannames of classificaties die het onderzoek kunnen beïnvloeden.

Bovendien groeit de roep om internationale samenwerking, omdat UAP's geen beperken zich tot nationale territoria. De waarnemingen in conflictgebieden zoals de Rode Zee, en vergelijkbare incidenten elders, suggereren dat deze fenomenen wereldwijd voorkomen en een risico vormen voor zowel civiele als militaire operaties. Tegelijkertijd wordt ook nagedacht over de ontwikkeling van nieuwe technologieën en standaarden voor het detecteren en analyseren van dergelijke verschijnselen, waarbij experts uit diverse vakgebieden betrokken worden.

Implicaties voor de nationale en internationale veiligheid

Het blootleggen van dit soort incidenten onderstreept de noodzaak dat overheden en militaire organisaties een meer open en analytische houding aannemen. Het niet weten door gebrekkige data of ongewenste geheimhouding kan strategisch nadelig zijn en het risico vergroten dat onbekende invloeden onopgemerkt blijven. Dit geldt vooral in een regio waar geopolitieke spanningen hoog zijn en meerdere landen mogelijk opereren met onbekende of niet geverifieerde technologieën.

Voor de internationale gemeenschap ligt hier een grote uitdaging. Hoe kunnen landen samenwerken aan het verzamelen en delen van betrouwbare gegevens over UAP's? Welke veiligheidsprotocollen moeten worden ontwikkeld om incidenten te analyseren zonder paniek te zaaien of ongefundeerde conclusies te trekken? Een transparante en wetenschappelijke aanpak is essentieel om vertrouwen te scheppen en gezamenlijke strategieën te ontwikkelen.

Ten slotte is de invloed van dergelijke incidenten niet beperkt tot de militaire sfeer. Ze raken ook de bredere maatschappelijke perceptie, wetenschap en zelfs het publieke debat over de aard van het universum en de mogelijkheid van buitenaardse intelligentie. In die context wordt steeds duidelijker dat de zoektocht naar antwoorden niet slechts een technologische of militaire aangelegenheid is, maar ook een fundamentele menselijke zoektocht naar kennis en begrip.

Conclusie

De recente incidenten in de Rode Zee, waarbij mogelijk een raket werd gelanceerd op een ongedefinieerd en onbegrepen object, illustreren de complexiteit en het belang van een uitgebreide, open en wetenschappelijk onderbouwde aanpak van onbegrepen luchtverschijnselen. Een dergelijke gebeurtenis onderstreept niet alleen de noodzaak voor meer transparantie vanuit overheidsorganisaties, maar ook voor een multidisciplinaire samenwerking tussen wetenschappers, defensie en internationale partners. Hoe deze gebeurtenissen zich verder ontwikkelen en of ze kunnen bijdragen aan een dieper inzicht in de aard van UAP's, zal bepalend zijn voor toekomstige veiligheids- en strategische beleidslijnen.

Binnen een wereld waarin geopolitieke spanningen blijven toenemen en technologische innovaties voortdurend nieuwe dreigingen en mogelijkheden creëren, vormen onverklaarde luchtverschijnselen een fundamenteel strategisch vraagstuk. Het is daarom van groot belang dat de wereldgemeenschap, en vooral de landen met de meest geavanceerde technologische capaciteiten, gezamenlijk werken aan een transparante en evidence-based aanpak. Alleen zo kunnen we hopen om de mysteries van de lucht te ontrafelen, risico’s te minimaliseren en mogelijk zelfs nieuwe technologische vaardigheden te ontdekken die de mensheid verder kunnen brengen in haar voortdurende zoektocht naar kennis.

{ PETER2011 }

Overview

The year 2025 concluded without any definitive breakthroughs in unraveling the mystery of unidentified anomalous phenomena (UAP), commonly known as UFOs. Despite a flurry of activity—including congressional hearings, increased public reports, and a surge in academic interest—no concrete evidence emerged to resolve the most compelling cases. Researchers emphasize that the lack of resolution in 2025 does not signal abandonment but highlights the urgent need for more rigorous scientific methods and a cultural shift away from dismissiveness. Historically, the stigma attached to UFO research has greatly hampered scientific engagement; now, however, there's growing recognition that multidisciplinary, transparent approaches are essential for progress.

The persistence of UAP mysteries underscores how complex and elusive these phenomena are. Governments, scientists, and private individuals agree that the phenomenon demands careful investigation, free from stereotypes, and requires better data collection infrastructure. With the right resources and an open scientific culture, the hope remains that some answers could be forthcoming in the years ahead.

Recent Developments

In the spring of 2025, the U.S. Senate Armed Services Committee held a highly publicized hearing dedicated specifically to UAP issues. Testimony was provided by former Pentagon officials involved in UAP programs, aerospace engineers, and intelligence analysts. For example, officials recounted witnessing objects that demonstrated extraordinary maneuvering capabilities—high-speed turns, low visibility, and silent flight—over restricted military airspace such as the Nevada Test and Training Range. Witnesses described observing objects seemingly defying known aeronautical physics, some rotating or accelerating rapidly without apparent propulsion. Interestingly, many of these encounters were corroborated by radar data and multiple sensor sources, lending credibility to the reports.

Despite the compelling testimony, the committee’s final report concluded that “the data currently available are insufficient to determine the nature or intent of these phenomena.” This pointed to gaps in sensor resolution, inconsistent data collection methods, and the absence of a systematic analytical framework. As a result, the government maintained a cautious stance, neither confirming nor dismissing the phenomena outright. The hearing's significance lay in its acknowledgment of the phenomena’s reality and the importance of scientific rigor in investigation.

Parallel to the congressional efforts, civilian reporting platforms experienced a significant uptick in sightings, especially near sensitive military and government sites. Sightings near the Nevada Test and Training Range, which is heavily monitored for nuclear testing, increased by 27%. Other hotspots included the Pacific Missile Range Facility and sites in California and Florida. The increased reporting underscores growing public concern and curiosity, but also accentuates the need for detailed, high-quality sensor data. Defense analysts noted that many reports lacked high-resolution imagery or radar data necessary for scientific validation, impairing the ability to distinguish between natural atmospheric phenomena and potentially engineered objects.

Ongoing Research Initiatives

Recognizing the data scarcity problem, two initiatives gained prominence in 2025 as systematic efforts to collect high-quality observational data. The first is the Galileo Project, founded by Harvard astrophysicist Dr. Avi Loeb. Modeled initially on the detection protocols used for exoplanet discovery, the project deploys an extensive network of optical and radio telescopes designed to capture fleeting aerial events. Its aim is to observe UAP with repeatability, precision, and scientific scrutiny. For instance, during a recent campaign, the project observed a rapid, bright flash in the night sky that later proved to be natural: a rare atmospheric lightning event termed "sprites." Such incidents demonstrate the project’s capacity to differentiate natural atmospheric events from anomalies.

Complementing Galileo, the AllSkyCAM Consortium, led by atmospheric scientist Dr. Emily B. Wilson at the University of Arizona, installed over 200 low-cost, wide-field cameras across the United States. These cameras operate continuously, streaming data to an open-access repository. The system’s software employs machine learning algorithms to automatically flag unusual light signatures, such as abrupt flickering or unusual colorings, which could indicate an anomalous aerial object. Wilson explains, “Our goal is democratizing data collection; by sharing raw data openly, we reduce reliance on anecdotal accounts and enable scientists worldwide to test hypotheses about UAP origin and behavior.” This collaborative approach broadens the scientific community’s ability to analyze phenomena with high transparency.

While preliminary datasets have been shared in scientific journals like Physical Review Letters and Astronomy & Astrophysics, no definitive conclusions have emerged yet. However, the importance of transparency and standardization in methodology marks a departure from previous secrecy-driven efforts, fostering broader scientific engagement and validation.

Challenges: Stigma and Funding

Despite promising developments, researchers confront significant obstacles rooted primarily in cultural stigma and limited funding. Historically, the topic has been dismissed as fringe or pseudoscience, leading to reluctance among mainstream scientists to participate or seek research grants. A 2025 survey conducted by the Center for Scientific Inquiry into UAP (“CSIU”) found that 68% of physicists view UAP research as “fringe,” and many are wary of associating with the field due to fear of reputational damage or skepticism from peers.

Funding remains scarce, with federal agencies allocating limited resources—roughly $12 million from the Office of the Director of National Intelligence for UAP-specific research in FY 2025. By comparison, satellite surveillance programs receiving military and intelligence support alone amounted to hundreds of millions of dollars. Private philanthropy has played a role; the Galileo Project received a $5 million endowment from the X-Prize Foundation, and AllSkyCAM secured a $2 million grant from the National Science Foundation’s Emerging Frontiers program. Nonetheless, these resources are short-term and insufficient for sustained, longitudinal research needed to distinguish rare natural phenomena—such as unusual atmospheric optics, rare meteorological conditions, or rare biological effects—from potential engineered objects capable of advanced flight.

The stigma deters many talented scientists from engaging with the field, fearing professional ostracism or ridicule. Dr. Mark S. Patel of CSIU warns that this environment of marginalization hampers scientific progress. He emphasizes that increasing open dialogue and integrating UAP research into the broader scientific framework can help overcome these barriers.

Outlook for 2026

Looking ahead, cautious optimism emerges within the research community. The Department of Defense announced plans in early 2026 to establish a UAP Data Integration Office, tasked with standardizing sensor data formats and encouraging cooperation across military branches and civilian agencies. This move aims to create a cohesive operational environment for tracking and analyzing aerial anomalies in real time.

On the international level, the International Astronomical Union (IAU) has convened a working group to develop standardized guidelines for reporting aerial anomalies—an approach akin to the protocols used for meteoritic and atmospheric research. These steps could enable a more systematic, scientifically rigorous approach to UAP data collection and analysis, elevating the field from anecdotal evidence to credible scientific inquiry.

Moreover, technological advancements—such as deploying larger, more sensitive telescopes, space-based observatories, and machine learning-enabled data processing—may dramatically improve detection capabilities. As researcher Dr. Avi Loeb pointed out, “We are at the beginning of turning curiosity into a testable science. The current limitations are substantial but addressable with the right institutional support and technological innovation.”

In sum, 2026 could be a pivotal year for UAP research, provided that institutional reforms, increased funding, and cultural shifts continue to evolve. The scientific community remains committed to the pursuit of truth, acknowledging that the path remains uncertain but promising. The journey to understand these mysterious phenomena continues—perhaps not in answering all questions, but in refining the questions we ask and the methods we use to seek their answers.

{ https://usubjects.com/  }

After thousands of years, archaeologists think we’ve finally found ‘Noah’s Ark’

 Sarah Hooper

The location of Noah’s Ark has been something archaeologists and historians have speculated about for decades.

Now, pottery fragments have sparked fresh excitement and provided potential proof that the alleged final resting place of the ark was indeed settled by humans at the time of the flood.

Prof Dr Faruk Kaya, of Agri Ibrahim Cecen University, said pottery pieces were found close to the alleged Ark outline at the Dogubayazit site on Turkey’s Mount Ararat.

The fragments were uncovered during road construction near the Durupinar Formation in Agri province, a boat-shaped geological structure that has been at the centre of Noah’s Ark claims for decades.

The ceramics point to human activity in the region between 5500 BC and 3000 BC, a timeframe that some scholars and believers associate with the era traditionally linked to the Biblical figure of Noah.

Researchers found new pottery remnants (Picture: Newsflash)

The fresh revelations have also prompted renewed calls for the site to be formally protected, amid concerns that visitors are removing stones and fragments as souvenirs.

Dr Kaya said: ‘This formation and its surroundings must be protected, and the removal of stones, rocks or similar material from the site must be prevented.’

He warned that tourists had been taking material from the area, including stones bearing markings, potentially damaging what researchers believe is an important archaeological and religious heritage site.

The Durupinar Formation was first identified in 1959 by Captain Ilhan Durupinar. Heavy rain and earthquakes later eroded the surrounding earth, exposing more of the formation’s outline.

The structure has long drawn attention because of its boat-like shape and its proximity to Mount Ararat, Turkey’s highest peak, which has been associated with the Ark in Christian tradition for centuries.

The Bible states Noah’s Ark came to rest on the mountains of ‘Ararat’ (Picture: Newsflash)

The Bible’s Book of Genesis states that Noah’s Ark came to rest on the ‘mountains of Ararat’ after a flood that submerged the Earth for 150 days.

Biblical measurements describe the Ark as 300 cubits long, 50 cubits wide and 30 cubits high, dimensions that some researchers argue broadly correspond to the scale of the Durupinar site.

Two Ancient Books Talk About Aliens, UFOs & Robots, Written In 2nd & 17th Century

There are various controversial ancient texts that hint at the interaction between humans and the beings that arrived on Earth from another place. Although there is no definite evidence to support this theory, many credible personalities have given credence to it. In the midst of this, there are two ancient  books that discuss aliens, UFOs, and life on other planets. This evidence clearly states that humans believed in the existence of aliens for thousands of years.

Ancient Novel About Aliens, UFOs, and Robots Written in the 2nd Century

Lucian of Samosata, a Syrian satirist and rhetorician, is credited with introducing the world to science fiction almost 2,000 years before Jules Verne and H.G. Wells. As one of the earliest novelists in Western Civilization, he envisioned a future where humankind would encounter alien life, engage in interplanetary warfare, and create artificial life.

Lucian covered topics such as extraterrestrials, spaceships, and robots in the Greek language long before the works of Verne and Wells. Many scholars consider him to be the father of science fiction, as his stories laid the groundwork for the genre as we know it today, even though they were written two millennia ago.

In his novel “A True Story,” Lucian narrates the adventures of Lucian and his crew, all of who were cosmonauts, flying ships, television projections, talking machines, artificial intelligence, encounters with aliens, space battles, UFOs, humanoids, as well as cities erected inside a living organism.

Lucian’s work, written centuries ago, foreshadowed many contemporary science fiction motifs. Lucian and his fellow travelers embark on their journey beyond the Pillars of Heracles, but their plans are disrupted by a fierce storm that blows them off course. Eventually, they arrive at an island with a remarkable river of wine that is teeming with fish and bears. Despite the island’s wonders, they do not stay long and continue on their way, only to be swept up by a powerful whirlwind that carries them all the way to the moon.

Illustration by William Strang from the 1894 edition of Lucian’s True History; colossal lunar spiders spin a web in the air between the Moon and the Morning Star. Image Credit: Wikimedia Commons

They arrive in the midst of a conflict between the rulers of the moon and sun, battling for control over the “Morning Star.” The armies are comprised of hybrid creatures, part mechanical and part biological, with strange forms. The Sun army prevails, leading to a treaty of peace. Lucian provides insight into the disparities between life on Earth and the other planets.

Upon their return to Earth, Lucian and his travelers are engulfed by a colossal whale spanning 200 miles. Inside, they discover a diverse population of fish people.

After engaging in a war with enigmatic creatures, they eventually triumph over the whale after starting a bonfire within its body. Finally, they succeed in unlocking its jaws and making a daring escape. As they continue on their voyage, they chance upon a colossal oceanic abyss but manage to navigate its edge, leading to the discovery of a distant continent that they decide to explore.

Lucian abruptly concludes his writing by indicating that their forthcoming adventures will be chronicled in the following sequels, all of which remained unpublished. In addition, Lucian’s work encompasses tales of incredible shipwrecks and voyages to extraordinary lands, such as an island of dreams, and wondrously traversing through interstellar forests and landscapes.

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Being the first writer to distinguish between reality and fiction, Lucian made a significant contribution to literature, albeit not a widely recognized one in his time. Moreover, “A True Story” is an early example of the idea of traveling across the Atlantic Ocean and the exploration of unknown lands, predating Columbus’s journey by approximately 1,400 years.

Rare 17th-century book on alien life discovered

Due to the hard work of books valuer Jim Spencer, there is a discovered  book about what life might be like on other planets, entitled “The Celestial World Discover’d: Or, Conjectures Concerning the Inhabitants, Plants and Productions of the Worlds in the Planets ” by Christiaan Huygens. Spencer found the book at a free antique valuation event in Gloucestershire, UK. Published in 1698, the book offers a unique view of how people of the time perceived the possibility of extraterrestrial life.

The 324-year-old book concludes that extra-terrestrial beings must exist

Christiaan Huygens, a prominent Dutch scientist who excelled in the fields of astronomy, mathematics, physics, and invention, is renowned as one of the greatest scientists of all time. In addition to his pioneering work on the pendulum clock, the wave theory of light, and the discovery of the true shape of Saturn’s rings, it has been revealed that Huygens believed in the existence of extraterrestrial life, as evidenced by a rare book recently unearthed.

The book, which includes five folding plates, presents Huygens’ argument that it is unlikely that God would have created other planets solely to be observed from Earth, suggesting that there must be a greater purpose. Spencer commented on the discovery in a statement:

“It’s fascinating to think who turned these pages in 1698, what they must’ve felt when reading these descriptions of life on Jupiter or Saturn before gazing up at the night sky. The book tries to describe what extraterrestrial beings might look like, how they spend their time, even what their music sounds like. It seems almost comical, but it’s informed by scientific reasoning, and who knows how our own thoughts on these matters will appear to people looking back in 324 years.” (Source)

Such weird and wonderful musings include Huygens concluding aliens must have hands and feet, writing in the book:

“Aliens must have hands and feet like humans because of their “convenience,” writing: “What could we invent or imagine that could be so exactly accommodated to all the design’d uses as the Hands are? Shall we give them an Elephant’s Proboscis.”

And that “‘celestial beings’ must have feet ‘[unless] they have found out the art of flying in some of those Worlds.’” Not to mention that Huygens believed: “aliens enjoyed astronomy and observation, sailed boats and listened to music” but also suffered misfortunes, wars, afflictions and poverty “because that’s what leads us to invention and progress. Aliens! Who sail boats and listen to tunes! They’re just like us.”

Saturnus, where alien life was living happily enough. Image credit: Hansons Bookshelves

Huygens shared the belief that aliens, just like humans, must experience difficulties in order to drive innovation and advancement. “If Men were to lead their whole Lives in an undisturb’d continual Peace, in no fear of Poverty, no danger of War, I don’t doubt they would live little better than Brutes, without all knowledge or enjoyment of those Advantages that make our Lives pass on with pleasure and profit.”

Although some of Huygens’ conclusions may seem absurd to modern readers, Spencer finds the book captivating because of the many unanswered questions about the cosmos that still exist today. He notes that the subject matter seems futuristic or like science fiction, yet the writer is speaking to us from the past.

Despite the increased understanding of space and our own planet nowadays, Huygens’ book still draws our attention to the mystery of the universe. Spencer sees the book as a source of amusement and wonder, as it reminds us of how much we still do not know about the cosmos. Ultimately, he views it as a remarkable discovery that is truly out of this world.

{ https://howandwhys.com/ }

Godfather of AI Warns That It Will Replace Many More Jobs This Year

By Frank Landymore

JORGE UZON

AFP via Getty Images

Rejoice, for the year of 2025 is finally over.

During our planet’s latest and seemingly interminable revolution around the Sun, the tech industry’s obsession with AI soared to ever more implausible heights. CEOs began openly gloating about replacing their underlings with AI “agents.” The phenomenon of so-called AI psychosis became a national news story as more people were seemingly driven over the edge by their silver-tongued chatbot companions. “Slop” took on a new meaning. And the word “circular” suddenly started being used a whole lot in the same sentence as “billions of dollars” or even “hundreds of billions of dollars.” 

Will 2026 finally deliver us from this endless cavalcade of large language model madness? Not likely, according to computer scientist and “godfather” of AI Geoffrey Hinton. AI will only continue to improve next year, he predicts, reaching a point where it will liberate us from all our horrible low-paying jobs.

“I think we’re going to see AI get even better,” Hinton said during an interview on CNN’s State of the Union on Sunday. “It’s already extremely good. We’re going to see it having the capabilities to replace many, many jobs. It’s already able to replace jobs in call centers, but it’s going to be able to replace many other jobs.”

Hinton was one of three recipients of the prestigious Turing Award in 2018 for his work on neural networks that formed the bedrock of modern AI, earning him the moniker of being a “godfather” of the field. 

In 2023, Hinton declared that he regretted his life’s work after stepping down from his role at Google, where he had been for over a decade. Since then, he’s become one of the tech’s most prominent doomsayers.

During the CNN interview, Hinton was asked whether he was more or less worried about AI since making that now infamous declaration.

“I’m probably more worried,” Hinton replied. “It’s progressed even faster than I thought. In particular, it’s got better at doing things like reasoning and also at things like deceiving people.”

AI is progressing so quickly, according to Hinton, that around every seven months it can complete tasks that took twice as long before. He predicted that it’s only a matter of years until an AI will effortlessly perform software engineering tasks that take a human a month to complete.

“And then there’ll be very few people need for software engineering projects,” Hinton added.

Hinton made similarly gloomy predictions in a talk with Senator Bernie Sanders last month, saying that tech leaders are “betting on AI replacing a lot of workers.”

It still remains to be seen, though, if AI will actually make those strides. Many efforts to replace workers with semi-autonomous AI models have failed, while some new models, like OpenAI’s GPT-5, showed only lackluster improvements.

More on AI: 

• After Outcry, Firefox Promises “Kill Switch” That Turns Off All AI Features

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{ https://futurism.com/category/science-energy }

Chang’e 4 is a Chinese space probe that landed on the far side of the Moon on January 3, 2019. It not only studied the chemical composition of the rocks in this location, but also conducted the first experiment in history to grow plants on another celestial body.

The Chang’e 4 spacecraft

Chinese space program

January 3, 2019, was a triumph for the Chinese space program. The rest of humanity also had reason to rejoice. For the first time in history, the Chang’e 4 spacecraft landed on the far side of the Moon, which we never see from Earth.

The road to this landing was quite long. China was late to the lunar race between the US and the USSR. The PRC had to implement its lunar program in the 21st century. It began with two spacecraft that operated in lunar orbit, photographing and remotely sensing the Moon. Both were named after Chang’e, the Chinese goddess of the Moon.

Initially, the Chang’e 1 spacecraft operated in lunar orbit from 2007 to 2009. It made general observations, which were hardly surprising at the time, since the US had already found water on our satellite.

Chang’e 1. Source: moonregistry.forallmoonkind.org

However, in 2010, Chang’e 2 was launched to the Moon. It photographed the surface of our satellite from an altitude of only 100 km. In 2012, based on the data it collected, the Chinese government presented the most detailed map of the Moon at that time, and it was confirmed that all this time, the Chinese had been looking for a landing site for Chang’e 3.

Around that time, the first discussions about China’s lunar ambitions began, but no one knew how seriously to take them, since only two countries – the US and the USSR – had successfully landed on the Moon at that point.

However, on December 14, 2013, Chang’e 3 landed in the Sinus Iridum of the Mare Imbrium. It was not only the first spacecraft in 37 years to remain intact after reaching the surface of our satellite. It also carried the Yutu rover, named after the jade rabbit, a character from Chinese legends who is said to have prepared the powder of immortality on the Moon. At that time, China was able to explore the material of our satellite for the first time and confirm that it was exactly as American and Soviet scientists had determined.

The Chang’e 3 landing site. Source: Wikipedia

The Chang’e 4

However, all this was a repeat of achievements made many years ago. In order to challenge the US, which had already announced plans to return to the Moon, it was necessary to show that Chinese missions could provide the global scientific community with data that no one had previously had access to.

This was the goal of the Chang’e 4 probe. In terms of design, it was a copy of the previous mission, with the same cameras and spectrographs, and even carried the Yutu-2 rover on board. However, this device was to land on the far side of the Moon, which humans first saw only in 1959 and, before the Chinese attempt, had only seen from orbit.

Moreover, Chang’e 4 was supposed to land in the Von Kármán lunar crater, which covers the much older and largest basin on our satellite, the South Pole-Aitken basin. Once, at the dawn of the solar system’s existence, a body much larger than the asteroid that ended the dinosaurs crashed into the Moon, which, scientists believe, led to the asymmetry of its two hemispheres: the visible and the reverse.

South Pole-Aitken basin. Source: Wikipedia

Almost all experimental data confirming this was obtained thanks to the Chinese missions Chang’e 4 and Chang’e 5, which followed it. But for them to be possible, it was first necessary to ensure their connection with Earth. This mission was entrusted to the Queqiao-1 relay satellite, which was launched to the Lagrange 2 point of the Earth-Moon system, i.e., directly behind our natural satellite.

Queqiao-1 began operating in May 2018, and in December of the same year, Chang’e 4 was launched to the Moon. It remained in orbit around our satellite for some time, and on January 3, 2019, it landed at the planned location. On the same day, it began scientific research and took photographs.

Yutu-2 rolled off the platform and began performing spectroscopic analysis of the rocks. After a few days, scientists had to interrupt their work because night fell on the Moon and the temperature dropped to extreme levels. However, two weeks later, when dawn finally broke, the mission resumed its work.

Yutu-2 . Source: news.cgtn.com

In total, Chang’e 4 lasted more than a year and a half. Technically, the mission is not yet complete. It is currently in sleep mode. Ultimately, it accomplished its main task: it examined the mantle rock emissions and noted how they are similar to and different from those found on the visible side of the Moon.

Growing plants on the Moon

The biggest difference in the design of Chang’e 4 from previous spacecraft was the addition of a module for biological experiments. It consisted of germinating seeds. This had been done repeatedly in space before, but it was all in Earth orbit.

It was Chang’e 4 that became the first spacecraft to successfully grow cotton, potato, and rapeseed seeds on another celestial body. This happened a few days after landing, and photos of the tiny sprouts went viral around the world. The experiment was supposed to last 100 days. During this time, the capsule with the samples had to be heated and humidified.

Plants on the Moon. Source: nextshark.com

Incidentally, it also contained yeast spores and Drosophila fly eggs. So, theoretically, an entire ecosystem could have developed on board in later stages. However, with the onset of the lunar night, the temperature outside dropped too sharply, and too much electricity was needed for heating. Therefore, the experiment had to be interrupted.

Nevertheless, it is considered successful and was extremely important for global science. It proved the fundamental ability of plants to overcome the most difficult stage of their development in space conditions. In the future, humans will inevitably live in space, and we will need oxygen and nutrients that plants can provide. To achieve this, large modules with artificial biospheres will need to be created on planets. Similar to the one that was on board Chang’e 4.

• Posted in Articles

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The US Space Agency has announced a search for an innovative system to detect and neutralize potential airborne threats in the form of drones. The goal is to protect personnel, rockets, and critical infrastructure in the area of the Kennedy Space Center at Cape Canaveral.

Any outside interference in the Kennedy Space Center area at Cape Canaveral, even accidental, could have catastrophic consequences. Illustration generated by Copilot AI

The decision to develop a special system was made in the context of a nationwide ban on the use of foreign-made drones for security reasons.

The Kennedy Space Center is the heart of the Artemis lunar program, from where powerful Space Launch System rockets will be launched. Any outside interference, even accidental, could have catastrophic consequences.

How the “smart shield” will work

Space Launch System rocket. Source: JOE SKIPPER | REUTERS

According to the agency’s request, the system should include a network of stationary and mobile sensors (radar, radio frequency, optical). Its key tasks are:

• Detect and identify unknown drones at a distance of up to 64 km.
• Analyze risk in real time.
• Provide data for quick decision-making by the security service.

The system is scheduled to be implemented in April 2026. From now on, all drone flights in the central area will be strictly limited and will require special permission.

Balancing security and innovation

Interestingly, NASA itself periodically uses drones for festive events – for example, the visitor center hosts a show featuring 600 autonomous devices. The new system is designed to distinguish authorized flights from potentially dangerous ones, protecting the future of lunar missions.

This move demonstrates how space agencies are adapting to the challenges of a new era, where advanced technologies can bring both benefits and risks.

Earlier, we explained what a rocket drone is and how it differs from a UAV.

• Provided by: Gizmodo

• Posted in News, Tech

 { https://universemagazine.com/en/articles-en/ }

Spanish Soldiers Fired on a Tall Humanoid After a UFO Landed Near Their Base (1971)

In March 1971, an extraordinary series of events unfolded at a Spanish military radar installation near the coast. What began as routine perimeter patrols escalated into one of the most unsettling close-encounter testimonies to emerge from Cold War-era Europe. The account comes from Jesus Jofre Mila, a corporal stationed at the base, whose story was later discussed publicly in interviews and investigative programs.

This article is based exclusively on his testimony, reconstructed from later retellings and corroborated by partial witness accounts and secondary investigators.

An Uneasy Night at the Radar Base

On the night of March 25, 1971, something felt wrong almost immediately. The base’s German Shepherd patrol dogs – highly trained and accustomed to night duty, became unusually aggressive and agitated. No amount of calming helped. According to Mila, the dogs reacted as if sensing something entirely unfamiliar.

Shortly after, a guard pointed toward the sky. Above the radar domes, a disc-like craft appeared, described as a classic stacked or double-layered oval shape emitting a golden-yellow light. The glow was bright enough to illuminate the object clearly, yet strangely non-blinding.

Several soldiers watched as the object drifted slowly across the horizon, then suddenly accelerated at tremendous speed toward the sea before vanishing.

A Blinding Flash from the Water

That was not the end of the night’s events.

Another soldier stationed closer to the rocky shoreline later witnessed the object descend rapidly toward the ocean. Upon contact with the water, it emitted a violent flash of light so intense it temporarily blinded him. He was later found clutching his eyes, which remained swollen and red for days. Base medical personnel could not explain the injuries.

No conventional explosion, aircraft, or weapon discharge was reported.

The Green Light Beyond the Fence

Later that same night, Mila and a fellow handler armed themselves and followed one of the dogs toward the perimeter fence after noticing an unnatural green glow in an area where the base ended and open land began.

As they advanced, the atmosphere reportedly felt “charged,” like static electricity. Mila described a tingling sensation on his tongue, similar to touching a battery. Even the dog appeared distressed, shaking its head as if in pain.

Then they heard it.

Heavy footsteps -fast, deliberate, and unnervingly close.

Face-to-Face with a Tall Humanoid Figure

Out of the darkness emerged a very tall figure, estimated between 7 and 7.2 feet in height. The soldiers shouted warnings. There was no response.

Panicking, one soldier opened fire. Mila followed, firing his 9 mm sidearm multiple times. The muzzle flashes briefly illuminated the being.

What they saw was unlike anything human.

The figure was described as:

• Extremely tall and thin
• Pale in appearance
• With long, light-colored hair falling to the shoulders
• Wearing a tight, metallic-looking suit with a high collar
• A belt featuring a distinct inverted triangle symbol at the center

The being did not react to the gunfire.

For a brief moment, Mila described the sensation that time itself had stopped. Then the figure turned calmly and walked away, disappearing toward the fence.

A Fence That Vanished

Moments later, the soldiers heard metallic impacts. At dawn, the evidence was impossible to ignore.

A section of the inner perimeter fence; approximately 50 cm wide, had vanished entirely. The edges were scorched, as if cut or disintegrated. The outer fence beside it was completely intact. There were no footprints, no debris, and no mechanical explanation.

The missing section had to be crudely repaired with wire.

Dreams, Voices, and a Return to the Sky

In the nights that followed, Mila experienced intense dreams involving the encounter. On one night, he reported hearing overlapping voices in his head- unintelligible at first. Days later, he claimed the message became clearer, though he has remained guarded about its content.

On March 27, the lights returned, this time witnessed by dozens of personnel, possibly over a hundred. The object hovered visibly above the base for several minutes.

On March 29, the phenomenon escalated again: two military jet aircraft were reportedly seen approaching the object before all three accelerated away at extreme speed. Officially, no jets were launched that night. Unofficially, radar operators reportedly disagreed.

The Investigation That Left No Records

After the mass sighting, higher command intervened. Soldiers were interviewed individually and instructed to write reports. Shortly after, two American servicemen, accompanied by a Spanish Air Force officer, arrived on base.

According to witnesses:

• Soldiers were questioned separately
• Told explicitly to forget the incident
• Photographed against a white wall using an unusually powerful flash that temporarily blinded them

No explanations were provided. No official findings were released.

Later, Spanish ufologist Antonio Rivera reported that American technicians were seen inspecting coastal cliffs near where the object had descended into the sea. Officially, it was described as radar maintenance. The case was subsequently classified by the Spanish Ministry of Defense.An Unresolved Military Encounter

More than five decades later, the 1971 radar base incident remains unexplained.

There are no radar records, no declassified conclusions, and no conventional explanations that fully account for:

• The disciplined dogs’ reaction
• The blinding light injuries
• The humanoid figure unaffected by gunfire
• The selectively disintegrated fence
• The mass sightings over multiple nights

What remains is the testimony of trained military personnel, men with no incentive to fabricate a story that initially brought them reprimand rather than recognition.

Whether interpreted as a close encounter, a classified technology incident, or something beyond current understanding, the events described by Jesus Jofre Mila stand as one of the most detailed and unsettling military UFO encounters on record.

{ https://www.latest-ufo-sightings.net/ }

The Importance of Pain

While pain may be among the least desirable human experiences, it plays an essential role in self-preservation. The spinal cord acts as a relay system to the brain, sending reflexive messages to our muscles in response to pain stimuli. For example, if we touch something hot, we withdraw our hand without thinking, thereby preventing a more severe burn. Alternatively, if we step on a sharp object, we lift our foot to avoid a deep wound. The signals involved in these actions are rapid, with the brain becoming aware of what has occurred only after the movement has begun.

Saving those precious seconds of processing time as the brain decodes sensory data into understanding (which results in a conscious response in humans) can make an enormous difference between receiving a minor abrasion and sustaining a serious injury. However, robots typically lack a swift, automatic system for processing external stimuli. Instead, sensors collect data, which is sent to a central processing unit (CPU).

Electronic robotic skin (representational image)

The CPU compares the data against its program and generates an appropriate response, which is then transmitted over the robot’s data network to an actuator, which decodes the response and executes the CPU’s selected movement. While this may occur at an impressive speed, even a slight delay in action due to processing time can cause greater damage to the robot.

Challenging Environments for Robots

Automation, until now, has primarily been confined to highly controlled environments, specifically designed to safely accommodate robotic machinery, such as factory floors and laboratories.

Presently, advances in both mechanical robotics and artificial intelligence are seeking to change this. Companies such as Tesla, with its humanoid Optimus robot, are attempting to integrate robots into everyday environments to perform a variety of human tasks. Unfortunately, homes, hospitals, and workplaces are designed for humans, who can navigate with considerably more intuitive ease than pre-programmed machines.

To enable robots to match humans’ instinctive environmental responses as they move into our imperfect and sometimes hazardous world, Chinese scientists have developed a robotic e-skin (NRE-skin) that provides robots not only with a “sense” of touch, but also the ability to “feel” pain.

Previous attempts to provide robots with sensor skins have been much simpler, wrapping the robot in a sensor system that sends signals to a CPU for processing and response. By contrast, the NRE-skin processes the information obtained when a robot comes into contact with an object and identifies potentially dangerous contact (i.e., pain) within the skin itself, thereby reducing the time required for sending and receiving information.

Modular, neuromorphic electronic skin capable of active pain and injury perception in robotic applications.

Credit: Xinge Yu, City University of Hong Kong

Robotic NRE-Skin

The Chinese researchers developed their NRE-skin as a four-layer system. Like our own epidermis, the top layer features a protective coating that shields the delicate underlying components from the environment. Beneath that layer, the skin performs its functions, with layers of sensors and circuits designed to mimic human nerves. Even when nothing is touching the robot, the skin sends a “all clear” null result signal every 75-150 seconds, informing the CPU that the system is still operating correctly. If the skin is cut or damaged significantly enough, the lack of signal alerts the robot that damage has occurred in the area.

Most importantly, the skin registers touch with signals called “spikes.” These spikes occur in two forms, depending on the severity of the situation. Regular touch sends a spike to the CPU, which processes the data to understand the environment. When the skin detects an extreme event, it instead sends a spike directly to the robot’s actuators to produce an automatic response, thereby removing it from potential harm.

The team designed the skin not only to warn of real-world dangers but also to accept that harm will eventually occur in an uncontrolled environment. The skin is produced in swappable magnetic patches. While it cannot “heal” in the sense that a living creature does, it can quickly be mended by changing a patch without having to repair the entire skin covering.

Currently, the primary issue is that multiple points of contact can lead to confusion within the system. To overcome this, the next step for researchers will be to enhance the skin’s sensitivity and enable it to disambiguate between the many sensations experienced while moving through a range of environments.

The paper, “A Neuromorphic Robotic Electronic Skin with Active Pain and Injury Perception,” appeared in the Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences on December 22, 2025.

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

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

The research team behind the discovery said the cremation site also hints at potentially spiritually complex ritual practices surrounding fire and death that had not previously been identified during this ancient period.

“Not only is this the earliest cremation in Africa, it was such a spectacle that we have to rethink how we view group labor and ritual in these ancient hunter-gatherer communities,” explained Jessica Thompson, an assistant professor of anthropology at Yale University, and leader of a long-term research project at the site of the discovery.

Date of Discovery Rivals Oldest Known Human Cremation Site

According to a statement announcing the unexpected discovery of ancient, cremated human remains, evidence of intentionally burned human remains appears as early as 40,000 years ago in Australia. However, “intentionally built” structures made of combustible materials don’t appear until about 10,000 years before present.

According to researchers, the previously discovered ancient pyre at the Xaasaa Na’ Upward Sun River archaeological site in Alaska, which contained the remains of a small child, was dated to sometime around 11,500 years ago. Conversely, the oldest known funerary cremation site in Africa, dated to a comparatively recent 3,500, was likely built by Pastoral Neolithic herders who were much more organized than the ancient hunter-gatherers associated with the discovery.

“Cremation is more common among ancient food-producing societies, who generally possess more complex technology and engage in more elaborate mortuary rituals than earlier hunter-gatherers,” the researchers explain.

Remains of a Single Individual Discovered in the Pyre

In the 1950s, archaeologists determined that the ancient cremation site, dubbed Hora 1, was a hunter-gatherer burial ground. However, those scientists didn’t know when those burials occurred. Decades later, Thompson’s team unearthed evidence that it was used by ancient humans as far back as 21,000 years ago, with the site’s burials seemingly dating to between 16,000 and 8,000 years before present. Notably, all the bodies buried during this period were interred in a complete state.

The Hora 1 site photographed from the air.

Image credit: Jacob Davis.

In collaboration with the Malawi Department of Museums and Monuments, the latest effort analyzed a separate set of bones from what they described as a “highly fragmented individual.” 170 separate bones were examined, mostly originating from the woman’s arms and legs. The researchers say the bones suggest the woman was between 18 and 60 years old and slightly under 5 feet tall.

After a closer analysis of the cremated remains, the researchers determined that the body was likely cremated before decomposition, most likely within a few days of the woman’s death. The researchers also found cut marks on the bones, suggesting that the flesh had been removed before incineration.

Study team member Elizabeth Sawchuk, a Curator of Human Evolution at the Cleveland Museum of Natural History and a bioarchaeologist, said they were surprised to find no teeth or skull bone fragments in the cremated remains. Sawchuk said that because those body parts are historically preserved during cremations, the team believed they may have been removed “prior to burning.”

Researchers found cut marks on the bone fragments recovered from the ancient funeral pyre.

Image credit: Jessica Thompson.

Labor Intensive Cremation Hints at Its Purpose

When discussing the unusual nature of an organized cremation by African hunter-gatherers almost 10,000 years ago, Jessica Cerezo-Román, an associate professor of anthropology at the University of Oklahoma and the study’s lead author, noted the significant amount of labor and time required to complete an effective cremation.

“Cremation is very rare among ancient and modern hunter-gatherers, at least partially because pyres require a huge amount of labor, time, and fuel to transform a body into fragmented and calcined bone and ash,” Professor Cerezo-Román explained.

For example, the team estimated that ancient humans would have had to gather at least 30 kilograms of deadwood and grass, a figure they said points to a significant communal effort. An analysis of ash sediments and bone fragments also suggests that participants actively disturbed the fire throughout the burning, including regularly adding more fuel to maintain the high temperatures needed. The team estimated the fire reached temperatures above  500°C.

Cerezo-Román said the job of removing and preparing the body may sound “gruesome,” but also noted that these practices may have been associated with social memory, remembrance of a loved one, or an ancestral veneration. The professor also pointed out that a growing body of evidence suggests ancient hunter-gatherers in Malawi performed cremations that included the posthumous “removal, curation, and secondary reburial of body parts,” maybe as tokens of the deceased.

In the study’s conclusion, the team notes that stone tools discovered at the site may have been funerary objects added during or after the cremation. They also note that no other individuals were cremated, suggesting that the site was considered significant.

“The history of large fires in this location, the effort associated with the cremation, and the subsequent burning events reflect a deep-rooted tradition at the site linked to ritual behavior and memory-making tied to a place that was clearly a local landmark,” they explained.

As far as the woman who was cremated when others at the site were buried, the researchers said that is still an open question.

“Why was this one woman cremated when the other burials at the site were not treated that way?” Thompson asked.

The study “Earliest Evidence for Intentional Cremation of Human Remains in Africa” was published in Science Advances.

• Christopher Plain is a Science Fiction and Fantasy novelist and Head Science Writer at The Debrief. Follow and connect with him on X, learn about his books at plainfiction.com, or email him directly at christopher@thedebrief.org.

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

Should humans colonize other planets?

Should humans colonize other planets? 

(Image credit: Nzoka John/Getty Images)

The idea of humans living beyond Earth was once only possible in science fiction, but now space agencies are making plans to bring space colonization closer to reality. NASA and SpaceX are exploring long-term missions to the moon and Mars, while astronomers continue to discover potentially habitable exoplanets orbiting distant stars beyond our solar system.

Supporters of planetary colonization argue that becoming a multi-planet species could safeguard us from potentially Earth-ending events. However, it will require an enormous effort to colonize another planet or moon. And if we look beyond Mars, potentially habitable planets may take thousands of years to reach.

But as technology advances and space agencies consider long-term human settlements on other planets, a more fundamental issue now beckons — not whether we can expand to other worlds, but whether we should.

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Is it aliens? Here's why that's the least important question about 3I/ATLAS.

'Putting the servers in orbit is a stupid idea': Could data centers in space help avoid an AI energy crisis? Experts are torn.

What's your take? Answer our poll below and share the reasoning behind your choice in the comments.

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{ https://www.livescience.com/space }

Tractor beams inspired by sci-fi are real, and could solve the looming space junk problem

Researchers are developing a real-life tractor beam, with the goal of pulling defunct satellites out of geostationary orbit to alleviate the space junk problem.

By Harry Baker

An artist's illustration shows how an electrostatic tractor beam could be used to pull defunct satellites out of geostationary orbit around Earth. In reality, the beam would be invisible. 

(Image credit: Tobias Roetsch - gtgraphics.de)

In science fiction films, nothing raises tension quite like the good guys' spaceship getting caught in an invisible tractor beam that allows the baddies to slowly reel them in. But what was once only a sci-fi staple could soon become a reality.

Scientists are developing a real-life tractor beam, dubbed an electrostatic tractor. This tractor beam wouldn't suck in helpless starship pilots, however. Instead, it would use electrostatic attraction to nudge hazardous space junk safely out of Earth orbit.

The stakes are high: With the commercial space industry booming, the number of satellites in Earth's orbit is forecast to rise sharply. This bonanza of new satellites will eventually wear out and turn the space around Earth into a giant junkyard of debris that could smash into working spacecraft, plummet to Earth, pollute our atmosphere with metals and obscure our view of the cosmos. And, if left unchecked, the growing space junk problem could hobble the booming space exploration industry, experts warn.

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The science is pretty much there, but the funding is not.

The electrostatic tractor beam could potentially alleviate that problem by safely moving dead satellites far out of Earth orbit, where they would drift harmlessly for eternity.

While the tractor beam wouldn't completely solve the space junk problem, the concept has several advantages over other proposed space debris removal methods, which could make it a valuable tool for tackling the issue, experts told Live Science.

Related: 11 sci-fi concepts that are possible (in theory)

A prototype could cost millions, and an operational, full-scale version even more. But if the financial hurdles can be overcome, the tractor beam could be operational within a decade, its builders say.

"The science is pretty much there, but the funding is not," project researcher Kaylee Champion, a doctoral student in the Department of Aerospace Engineering Sciences at the University of Colorado Boulder (CU Boulder), told Live Science.

Avoiding Disaster

Tractor beams are a staple of sci-fi films and TV shows, such as Star Trek.

(Image credit: Star Trek)

The tractor beams depicted in "Star Wars" and "Star Trek" suck up spacecraft via artificial gravity or an ambiguous "energy field." Such technology is likely beyond anything humans will ever achieve. But the concept inspired Hanspeter Schaub, an aerospace engineering professor at CU Boulder, to conceptualize a more realistic version.

Schaub first got the idea after the first major satellite collision in 2009, when an active communications satellite, Iridium 33, smashed into a defunct Russian military spacecraft, Kosmos 2251, scattering more than 1,800 pieces of debris into Earth's orbit.

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Related: How many satellites orbit Earth?

In the wake of this disaster, Schaub wanted to be able to prevent this from happening again. To do this, he realized you could pull spacecraft out of harm's way by using the attraction between positively and negatively charged objects to make them "stick" together.

Over the next decade, Schaub and colleagues refined the concept. Now, they hope it can someday be used to move dead satellites out of geostationary orbit (GEO) — an orbit around Earth's equator where an object's speed matches the planet's rotation, making it seem like the object is fixed in place above a certain point on Earth. This would then free up space for other objects in GEO, which is considered "prime real estate" for satellites, Schaub said.

How does it work?

The researchers have been testing the electron gun on pieces of metal in the lab. 

(Image credit: Nico Goda/CU Boulder)

The electrostatic tractor would use a servicer spacecraft equipped with an electron gun that would fire negatively charged electrons at a dead target satellite, Champion told Live Science. The electrons would give the target a negative charge while leaving the servicer with a positive charge. The electrostatic attraction between the two would keep them locked together despite being separated by 65 to 100 feet (20 to 30 meters) of empty space, she said.

Once the servicer and target are "stuck together," the servicer would be able to pull the target out of orbit without touching it. Ideally, the defunct satellite would be pulled into a "graveyard orbit" more distant from Earth, where it could safely drift forever, Champion said.

Related: 15 of the weirdest things we have launched into space

The electrostatic attraction between the two spacecraft would be extremely weak, due to limitations in electron gun technology and the distance by which the two would need to be separated to prevent collisions, project researcher Julian Hammerl, a doctoral student at CU Boulder, told Live Science. So the servicer would have to move very slowly, and it could take more than a month to fully move a single satellite out of GEO, he added.

That's a far cry from movie tractor beams, which are inescapable and rapidly reel in their prey. This is the "main difference between sci-fi and reality," Hammerl said.

Advantages and limitations

The amount of space junk surrounding Earth has greatly increased in recent years. Here is a comparison of space junk in 1965 (left) and 2010 (right). 

(Image credit: NASA)

The electrostatic tractor would have one big advantage over other proposed space junk removal methods, such as harpoons, giant nets and physical docking systems: It would be completely touchless.

"You have these large, dead spacecraft about the size of a school bus rotating really fast," Hammerl said. "If you shoot a harpoon, use a big net or try to dock with them, then the physical contact can damage the spacecraft and then you are only making the [space junk] problem worse."

Scientists have proposed other touchless methods, such as using powerful magnets, but enormous magnets are both expensive to produce and would likely interfere with a servicer's controls, Champion said.

Related: 

• How do tiny pieces of space junk cause incredible damage?

The main limitation of the electrostatic tractor is how slowly it would work. More than 550 satellites currently orbit Earth in GEO, but that number is expected to rise sharply in the coming decades.

If satellites were moved one at a time, then a single electrostatic tractor wouldn't keep pace with the number of satellites winking out of operation. Another limitation of the electrostatic tractor is that it would work too slowly to be practical for clearing smaller pieces of space junk, so it wouldn't be able to keep GEO completely free of debris.

Cost is the other big obstacle. The team has not yet done a full cost analysis for the electrostatic tractor, Schaub said, but it would likely cost tens of millions of dollars. However, once the servicer were in space, it would be relatively cost-effective to operate it, he added.

Next steps

Researcher Julian Hammerl photographed next to the ECLIPS machine at CU Boulder. 

(Image credit: Nico Goda/CU Boulder)

The researchers are currently working on a series of experiments in their Electrostatic Charging Laboratory for Interactions between Plasma and Spacecraft (ECLIPS) machine at CU Boulder. The bathtub-sized, metallic vacuum chamber, which is equipped with an electron gun, allows the team to "do unique experiments that almost no one else can currently do" in order to simulate the effects of an electrostatic tractor on a smaller scale, Hammerl said.

Once the team is ready, the final and most challenging hurdle will be to secure funding for the first mission, which is a process they have not yet started.

Most of the mission cost would come from building and launching the servicer. However, the researchers would ideally like to launch two satellites for the first tests, a servicer and a target that they can maneuver, which would give them more control over their experiments but also double the cost.

Related: 10 stunning shots of Earth from space in 2022

If they can somehow wrangle that funding, a prototype tractor beam could be operational in around 10 years, the team previously estimated.

Is it viable?

Space junk is becoming a major problem for the space exploration industry. 

(Image credit: CU Boulder)

While tractor beams may sound like a pipe dream, experts are optimistic about the technology.

"Their technology is still in the infancy stage," John Crassidis, an aerospace scientist at the University at Buffalo in New York, who is not involved in the research, told Live Science in an email. "But I am fairly confident it will work."

If you shoot a harpoon, use a big net or try to dock with them, then the physical contact can damage the spacecraft and then you are only making the [space junk] problem worse.

Removing space junk without touching it would also be much safer than any current alternative method, Crassidis added.

The electrostatic tractor "should be able to produce the forces necessary to move a defunct satellite" and "certainly has a high potential to work in practice," Carolin Frueh, an associate professor of aeronautics and astronautics at Purdue University in Indiana, told Live Science in an email. "But there are still several engineering challenges to be solved along the way to make it real-world-ready."