Mysterieuze nieuwe ontdekking op de exoplaneet L98-59d

©The Daily DigestAfbeelding: NASA

Verschillende samenstelling
Nieuwe studies van de exoplaneet L98-59d, uitgevoerd met de James Webb-ruimtetelescoop, suggereren dat de samenstelling van het oppervlak uniek is en verschilt van alle andere tot nu toe bekende oppervlakken.

©The Daily Digest

Gesmolten magma
De recentste rapporten na de waarnemingen wijzen erop dat de exoplaneet geen oceanen met water bevat, zoals aanvankelijk werd gedacht. Het lijkt erop dat de gehele exoplaneet uit gesmolten magma bestaat.

©The Daily Digest

Net als melasse
Dit zegt dr. Harrison Nicholls, een astrofysicus aan de Universiteit van Oxford, in een interview met The Guardian. De expert stelt dat L98-59d stroperig aanvoelt en dat de kern ervan waarschijnlijk ook gesmolten is.

©The Daily Digest

Gesmolten toestand
"De hele planeet bevindt zich in een papperige, gesmolten toestand", merkt de astrofysicus van de Universiteit van Oxford op.

©The Daily Digest

Niet in staat om leven te ondersteunen
Het bestaan van enige vorm van leven op deze exoplaneet is daarom uitgesloten, aangezien astronomen L98-59d hebben geïdentificeerd als een planeet die bestaat uit gesmolten lava. "Als er buitenaardse wezens zouden bestaan die op lava zouden kunnen leven, zou dat ongelooflijk zijn", merkt Nicholls op in The Guardian, "maar ik denk niet dat het waarschijnlijk is dat het bewoonbaar is".

©The Daily Digest

Extreem hoge temperaturen
We hebben het over een exoplaneet die oppervlaktetemperaturen van 1900 °C zou bereiken.

©The Daily Digest

De geur van rotte eieren
Volgens experts zouden enorme golven magma over de oceanen spoelen, en de atmosfeer, rijk aan waterstofsulfide, zou een aanhoudende geur van rotte eieren over de hele planeet verspreiden.

©The Daily Digest

Vergeleken met Io
Een exoplaneet, L98-59d, die volgens de laatste onderzoeken nog vijandiger zou zijn dan Io, de maan van Jupiter, die talloze vulkanen heeft die zijn ontstaan door de extreme hitte van de getijden.

©The Daily Digest

Nog extremer
"Deze nieuwe studie", zegt dr. Jo Barstow, planetoloog aan de Open University en deelnemer aan de observatie van L98-59d met de James Webb-telescoop, "suggereert dat (deze exoplaneet) mogelijk nog extremer is dan Io".

©The Daily Digest

Dat klopt, L98-59d
De exoplaneet L98-59d is ongeveer 1,6 keer zo groot als de aarde en draait om een kleine rode ster op 35 lichtjaar afstand.

©The Daily Digest

Eerste indrukken
Toen het werd gevonden, dachten experts dat het leven zou kunnen bevatten, omdat ze schatten dat er zich binnenin een diepe oceaan van vloeibaar water bevond.

©The Daily Digest

Het was geen water
De recentste studies hebben echter aangetoond dat het niet om water gaat, maar om magma en temperaturen die onverenigbaar zijn met het leven van welk soort dan ook.

©The Daily Digest

Een vraag die nog onbeantwoord is
Deze nieuwe ontdekking heeft de wetenschappelijke gemeenschap verrast, die nu overweegt om ontdekte exoplaneten te classificeren op basis van de vraag of ze al dan niet bewoonbaar zijn.

©The Daily Digest

Onjuiste gegevens
Het was daarom heel gebruikelijk om op basis van deze gegevens, waarvan nu bekend is dat ze onjuist waren, te concluderen dat een nieuwe planeet leven zou kunnen bevatten.

©The Daily Digest

Na de aankomst van de James Webb-telescoop
Dankzij de James Webb-ruimtetelescoop beschikken we nu echter over een instrument dat krachtig genoeg is om het sterlicht te meten dat door de atmosfeer van de planeet wordt gefilterd, aldus The Guardian.

©The Daily Digest

Nauwkeuriger
Op deze manier kunnen de soorten gassen die op de planeet aanwezig zijn worden vastgesteld, en kan nauwkeuriger worden bevestigd of de plaatsen bewoonbaar of onbewoonbaar zijn.

GERELATEERDE VIDEO'S

{ The Daily Digest }

NASA's Perseverance rover (illustrated in background) found evidence of ruby-like crystals in a rock named Coffee Cove (inset photo) along with two others — a gemological first on the Red Planet.  (Image credit: NASA/JPL-Caltech/LANL/CNES/IRAP)

Mars is hiding a clutch of ruby-like crystals in its rocks, observations from the Perseverance rover suggest, and astronomers say other precious minerals, like sapphires, could exist across the Red Planet, too.

An international team of researchers presented the findings, based on observations from spring 2025, March 16 at the 57th Lunar and Planetary Science Conference in Texas. These findings are currently under peer review and will appear in the journal Geophysical Research Letters.

The story begins a short time ago on a planet not too far away, when a roving robot the size of a compact car climbed the side of a 4 billion-year-old impact crater and began exploring its rim. On that ancient and stony rim, NASA's Perseverance rover found a curious scattering of pale-colored "float rocks" — out-of-place rocks that must have been transported there by impacts, geological activity or hydrological processes.

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As scientists often do when faced with a curious specimen, they blasted it with a laser — specifically, the green laser from the Perseverance rover's SuperCam, situated atop its mast. This laser excites minerals, causing them to emit light at specific wavelengths. And because every element and compound emits certain wavelengths of light, this reveals a sample's chemical composition.

The analysis showed that three of the laser-blasted float rocks exhibited clear signatures of the mineral corundum, with inclusions of the element chromium — crystals that match the chemical description of rubies. However, because the crystals are too small to be seen by Perseverance's imager, and their exact chemical composition is uncertain, the researchers aren't sure whether they have truly found Martian rubies or perhaps some other type of corundum.

"The different types of corundum are based on the chemistry," study co-author Valerie Payré, a planetary geologist at the University of Iowa, told Live Science via email. "Although corundum is Al2O3, there are minor elements like chromium, titanium, and iron that can be present."

"These elements will provide the color to the mineral, and the name of it," Payré added. "We cannot quantify the amount of chromium, and other elements like iron and titanium might be present too. It is thus difficult to conclude whether they are rubies or other types of corundum [like sapphires]."

The team ultimately classified the crystals as corundum and declined to guess about the variety without more chemical evidence.

Corundum is a mineral made of aluminum and oxygen. It is one of the hardest known natural substances, approaching the toughness of diamonds. Pure corundum is colorless, but microscopic impurities imbue it with brilliant hues. Iron or titanium inclusions yield brilliant blue sapphires, while chromium produces even rarer, resplendent rubies.

As of now, the corundum crystals were found in small pebbles that are coming from elsewhere, i.e., they are out of context. It is therefore difficult to constrain the full story,

However, anyone holding out hope for a future Martian-gemstone-studded necklace may be disappointed. The corundum crystals found within the float rocks are tiny —‬ less than 0.2 millimeters (0.008 inches) in diameter.

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Could slightly larger Martian rubies exist? "Yes, possibly," study co-author Olivier Beyssac, a senior scientist at the French National Center for Scientific Research, told Live Science via email. "Anyway corundum is pretty rare on Earth and rarely present as big crystals so one could expect the same on Mars."

Cosmic impacts?

It's also likely that the crystals formed under different conditions than those on our planet. On Earth, corundum is created through metamorphic and igneous processes, in which intense heat and pressure, facilitated by tectonic activity, transform existing rocks into potential gemstones.

But because there is no conclusive evidence for plate tectonics on Mars, the researchers suggest that the ruby-like crystals on the Red Planet may have formed through cosmic impacts.

"The impacts provide high temperatures and high pressures, which can produce corundum. Hydrothermal fluids are also generated," Payré explained. Yet the researchers must find additional samples, at their origin, to describe their formation mechanism.

"As of now, the corundum crystals were found in small pebbles that are coming from elsewhere, i.e., they are out of context. It is therefore difficult to constrain the full story," Payré said.

Rubies are far from the only spectacular stones found at Jezero crater, and further research may reveal sapphire-like stones there as well. In the past, scientists also discovered signs of other potential gemstones elsewhere on Mars, including quartz and opal — suggesting that our red planetary neighbor is a gem laboratory.

{ https://www.livescience.com/space/astronomy/planets/mars}

Best UK spot to see aliens revealed as experts say 2026 could be 'the year'

This year could prove to be the breakthrough moment where we finally meet aliens, experts say. And they reckon you may need to head to the coast to see them

Aliens could be spotted soon

BY Sian Hewitt

Aliens are getting braver and UFO hunters should head to Cornwall to spot them.

Hordes of sky watchers are heading to the south west to catch a glimpse of some other-worldly beings after it emerged as one of the UK's top spots to see some weird. This year could be the one where forces from other realms finally make themselves known, after official Government figures show visits of “unidentified objects” in the atmosphere are growing year on year.

A recent Freedom of Information request carried out by the Daily Star found that numbers of incident reports in our skies featuring objects that are “unidentified” or “unusual” are rocketing as the years go on - and now experts have lifted the lid on where is the best place to catch a glimpse.

Cornwall is the spot to meet aliens, experts say

The most recent stats show that there were 20 annual reports for 2023, 24 in 2024 and 19 sightings in 2025, although the true number for last year could be much higher with reports still being collated by the CAA. The CAA says these are all “Airprox or other aviation safety incident reports” that involve objects described as unidentified, unknown, uncorrelated or unusual.

Could 2026 be the year we finally meet aliens?

(Image: Getty Images)

They record these events for official records, which were released at the start of the year. And now experts say the next set of figures, due at the end of 2026 will make for interesting reading.

Paranormal expert Robert Pulme, who runs the National UFO Reporting Centre website, said: “We are getting more spots than usual this year and reports are definitely up. We have seen a 10% increase on average month by month which suggests that aliens are possibly getting a bit braver.

"The world is in a mess what with threats of World War 3, Trump going on, and things seemingly on edge around the globe, so it makes sense for the skies to be on edge too. I imagine if they are watching, they are keeping a closer eye than ever on it. It is all really unsettled, so if another form of life is looking to communicate with us, either to work with us or against us, there is no better time to make an impact and get a hold of the planet than when things are unsteady."

And he added that one spot in particular has seen the bulk of reports.

Experts say aliens could be watching the chaos of the world closely

(Image: Getty)

"Cornwall is a top hub for reports at the moment," he added. "It is a good spot for views of the skies at the best of times. It is near the sea on a few sides, and there is not a lot of pollution in the air when you compare it to other parts of the UK, so maybe the aliens are everywhere, but this is just where we can see them best.

"I have had a lot of alien watchers head to the spot in recent months to try and get a glimpse. I don't think it will be long before we catch a proper picture as proof really soon."

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

Something Dark Is Going On: US Congressman Claims Suspicious Pattern of Deaths Among Those Linked to UFO and Advanced Aerospace Technology

He said several people with links to UFO or advanced weapons information had died or gone missing over time, and that this pattern was not new.

When Benny asked if he personally knew any of them, he hinted that he might. Benny suggested that after Trump ordered UFO files declassified, some UFO experts Burchett knew either went missing or turned up dead, and Burchett confirmed that at least one did, the one “everybody was looking for.”

Burchett added that he had talked directly with President Trump about it and told him that this whole situation was like an onion: when you peeled back one layer, there was always another layer underneath.

He pointed to a specific woman involved in metallurgical work on missiles, and then to another person with advanced knowledge in aerospace, propulsion, plasma physics, fusion, and rocket technology, and said there was just “too much” happening all at once.

He then complained that agencies like NASA said they had no related files, but he himself had been briefed by them, so he felt they were not being honest. He said he was fed up, because even in a secure briefing, he was told that some information was “need to know” and that even the president only got what they decided he needed to know.

Benny compared this to the movie “Independence Day,” in which the president discovered a secret UFO program he had never been told about. Burchett said he did not think it was exactly like the movie because today, too many people would know, and it would be hard to keep something that big totally secret, though in the past it was easier. He mentioned an older man who told him about a classified incident from the 1950s that he had been ordered never to speak about, but wanted to confess before he died.

He said he did not think all of this was literally sitting in Area 51, because that location was too obvious. But when the host focused on the idea that bureaucrats told the president “you don’t need to know” on a need-to-know basis, Burchett agreed that part was real. He believed there were people so deeply hidden in the system that you would never truly expose them, unless “the Lord took them out,” meaning only death would remove them from power.

Multiple members of Congress are warning that the disappearance of an Air Force general, known as the UFO “gatekeeper,” could be a national security issue. Investigative journalist Ross Coulthart thinks retired Air Force Maj. Gen. William Neil McCasland might have been the victim of foul play after he went missing on February 27.

He told NewsNation that people should seriously consider whether someone may have stepped in to “take the general out of the picture,” because McCasland carried very sensitive U.S. military intelligence in his head, especially about particle beam technology and UFO-related matters.

Rep. Tim Burchett warns of a worrying “pattern ” in which U.S. scientists and researchers in sensitive fields are dying or disappearing, and believes this warrants national attention. One of the cases he is worried about is retired Air Force Maj. Gen. William Neil McCasland, who went missing in New Mexico on February 27, had deep experience in particle beam technology and high-level Air Force research.

Republican Representative Eric Burlison says missing retired Maj. Gen. William Neil McCasland “has a lot of information” about UFOs and UAPs, and it is “really disturbing” for someone like that to disappear.

According to a New York Post article, McCasland was informed about some of the most secretive US technology in his capacity as leader of Wright Patterson Air Force Base, vice commander of the Space and Missile Systems Center, and director of Space Acquisition at the Pentagon, sources told The Post.

“During his time, he was one of the key gatekeepers for the UFO topic for the Air Force,” a source with knowledge told The Post. “He knew a lot, and he participated.”

McCasland’s disappearance is now also linked with the vanishing of 60-year-old rocket scientist and materials expert Monica Reza (also known professionally as Monica Jacinto) in June 2025. (Source)

She was hiking with a colleague on the Mount Waterman Trail in the Angeles National Forest near Los Angeles. According to reports, she was about 30 feet behind the man she was hiking with, smiling and waving on a normal day, when he turned around again, and she was suddenly gone.

Rescue teams, volunteers, and authorities searched for days on this popular trail using many resources, but never found her body or any clear trace of what happened.

Reza worked for Aerojet Rocketdyne, a major aerospace company funded by NASA and the Air Force Research Laboratory. In the 1990s,s she developed and patented a special nickel-based superalloy that could survive very harsh oxygen-rich environments without adding much weight, which was important for rocket engines. Her work helped create the AR1 engine, planned to replace Russian RD-180 engines on United Launch Alliance rockets.

Because both McCasland and Reza were involved in cutting-edge rocket technology and both are tied, directly or indirectly, to UFO discussions, and because they both disappeared while hiking within less than a year of each other with no bodies found, many people online are now trying to link the two cases and build conspiracy theories.

US Congressman Eric Burlison was warned by someone with Special Forces and Intel Community experience that he may be killed for pursuing the truth about UFOs. (Source)

In a livestream hosted by Leslie Kean, Rep. Burlison described an incident that occurred while he was investigating the UFO/UAP issue and trying to track down certain people connected to it. He said that someone who had served in special forces and worked in the intelligence community looked at a list of names Burlison was interested in.

According to Burlison, this person told him he needed to remove two specific names from his list and never speak about those individuals again. The person warned him that they were dangerous and said that “they would have no problem having you killed” if he continued pursuing them.

Read also:

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• The Strange Story of Kyle Andrew Odom, the Ex-Marine Who Claimed Earth Is Secretly Ruled by Martians
• This Man Claims There Are Multiple Bases on the Moon – Including a Massive Ancient Ark – and People Living There Who Look Like Indians from Ancient India, Flying Egg-Shaped Crafts

Burlison has refused to say publicly who gave him this warning, but he explained that the incident made him realize there might be very dark “bad actors” involved in the secrecy surrounding the UAP topic.

Nuno Loureiro, a MIT scientist, was tragically killed in his home, who figured out key ways plasmas act wildly, like getting turbulent or snapping magnetic fields, which explains solar flares and improves fusion reactors.

Nuno Loureiro was a professor of nuclear science and engineering and of physics at MIT. He died at the age of 47, after having spent about 10 years at MIT since joining the faculty in 2016. His research focused on understanding how plasmas behave, especially in fusion reactors and in extreme astrophysical environments.

Plasma is described as a very hot state of matter that fuels fusion reactions, and his work on turbulence, magnetized plasma dynamics, magnetic field amplification, and confinement and transport in fusion plasmas helped guide the design of fusion devices that might one day provide clean, almost unlimited energy. His theories also helped explain astronomical events such as solar flares and contributed to understanding magnetic fields in the universe.

{ https://howandwhys.com/ }

Alien Structure Found On Mars Near NASA Rover! Proof Of An 1 Foot Tall Intelligent Species, UFO Sightings Daily

Date of discovery: March 25, 2026

Location of discovery: Mars

Source photo: 

• https://science.nasa.gov/photojournal/curiosity-takes-a-last-look-at-sulfur-stones/

 

Now sure...you see a hole in a very thin walled rock, but the truth about it goes much deeper than that. You see its a doorway into a hand built structure, like an adobe walled building, but not like houses you see on Earth, because this is Mars and they have to make due with the materials at hand, and soft clay like material is much easier to use to make walls, ceilings, rooms, doorways, etc. It's not like they have the option to use wood from trees, because I don't see any trees. They had one choice and they built these small structures, which falls into the area of the tiny 12 inch statues that me and many other UFO researchers have found in NASA photos. The proof is right there in the NASA archives. 

Scott C. Waring - UFO Sightings Daily

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

UFOs Heading Home, Branford, Connecticut March 2025, UFO UAP Paranormal Alien Sighting Breaking News 

Date of sighting : March 25, 2026 

Location of sighting: Branford, Connecticut, USA

Source: Email report to scwaring @yahoo.com 

 

This report was sent into me today at UFO Sightings Daily and the persons security cam caught a fleet of UFOs heading home late at night. The footage at first looks to be a single craft but in reality its three or more. One of the craft seen in the screenshot is clearly a disk shaped craft, but these aliens are smart and know if they flare up the disks they will of course be mistaken for meteors. Its an old trick, but its been effective for aliens for thousands of years...until today. This video is 100% proof that UFOs exist. 

 

Keep those reports rolling in please!

Scott C. Waring - UFO Sightings Daily 

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

Fireball sightings across the United States—and around the world have surged dramatically since the beginning of March, a period with no known major meteor streams. In several cases, fragments have reportedly crashed through rooftops in places like Germany, Ohio, and Texas, often accompanied by powerful sonic booms.  

According to a commenter on Godlike Productions who reviewed recent data, as many as 7,663 fireballs have been recorded in just the past 30 days, compared to a total of only 297 between 2016 and 2025. 

Early on, NASA suggested that some of these objects might be debris from Comet 31/ATLAS. However, that claim appears to have been walked back. Around the same time, NASA also shut down its public Near-Earth Object (NEO) comet tracking interface, raising further questions. 

Despite the speculation, NASA maintains that there is nothing unusual happening. 

According to Spaceweather: “Spring is fireball season,” explains Bill Cooke of NASA’s Meteoroid Environment Office. “For reasons we don’t fully understand, the rate of bright meteors increases by as much as 30% in the weeks around the vernal equinox.” He adds that this pattern has been observed for more than 30 years, and that meteorite debris that actually reach the ground, also become more frequent during this time, which contradict the verified data of the commenter on Godlike Productions; 7,663 fireballs have been recorded in just the past 30 days, compared to a total of only 297 between 2016 and 2025. 

Interestingly, not all recent events share the same origin. The fireballs observed over Texas and Ohio, for example, followed completely different trajectories, indicating they did not come from a single source. 

If any of these meteorites were truly interstellar, such as potential fragments from 31/ATLAS, it would explain NASA's interest in recovering them. Such could, in theory, contain the building blocks of life, or even more complex organic signatures, though that remains speculative.

For now, the surge of fireballs continues across the globe with more reports of fireball sightings coming in, worldwide and although the official explanations point to a routine seasonal uptick, the numbers tell a different story. This isn’t just a typical “spring fireball season”, something unusual appears to be happening in space. 

In the video below, Stefan Burns takes a closer look at the recent spike in sightings and examines whether these meteorites could be linked to 31/ATLAS or not.

RELATED

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

The Boeing F-47: Everything We Know About America's Sixth-Generation Fighter

On March 21, 2025, President Trump announced that Boeing had won the contract to build the United States Air Force's Next Generation Air Dominance fighter, designated the F-47. It was the first time a new American air superiority fighter had been awarded since the F-22 Raptor over three decades earlier. The announcement ended a competition that had been running since at least 2015, survived a near-cancellation, and produced classified experimental aircraft that flew for years before the public ever heard about them.

This article covers what is publicly known about the F-47 as of early 2026, drawn from official Air Force statements, congressional budget documents, and credible defense reporting. Much about the aircraft remains classified, and where information is uncertain, that uncertainty is noted.

How NGAD Got to the F-47

The program traces back to a 2014 Defense Advanced Research Projects Agency study called the Air Dominance Initiative. According to Aviation Week, that study concluded a single aircraft would not be enough for future air superiority. The future required a "family of systems" centered on a crewed fighter but supported by networked drones, advanced sensors, and new weapons.

In 2015, DARPA began funding full-scale X-plane demonstrators under a classified program worth roughly one billion dollars. Boeing and Lockheed Martin each built and flew experimental aircraft. Boeing's demonstrator first flew in 2019; Lockheed's followed in 2022, as confirmed by Air Force Chief of Staff General David Allvin after the contract award.

The public first learned about these demonstrators in September 2020, when Air Force acquisition executive Will Roper told reporters that a full-scale NGAD flight demonstrator had "broken records." He provided almost no details, but the disclosure signaled the program was far more mature than anyone outside the Pentagon had realized.

The Budget Crisis and Redesign

By 2024, NGAD was in trouble. Then-Secretary of the Air Force Frank Kendall paused the program, telling Defense News that the Air Force "just didn't have enough money" to afford both the sixth-generation fighter and its other modernization priorities. Estimates at the time placed the per-unit cost near $300 million, roughly three times the cost of an F-35.

Kendall ordered a cost reduction study. Options reportedly included a smaller airframe, fewer engines, reduced range, and offloading some capabilities to unmanned platforms. The study concluded that NGAD remained necessary but needed to be redesigned for affordability. That redesign shaped the final competition.

Why Boeing Won

The selection surprised much of the defense world. Lockheed Martin had built every Western stealth fighter in production: the F-22 and the F-35. Boeing had not built a new fighter since the F/A-18E/F Super Hornet entered service in 1999.

According to Air & Space Forces Magazine, the Air Force selected Boeing based on "best overall value." Several factors appear to have contributed.

• Digital maturity: Boeing reportedly built a comprehensive digital twin of the F-47 before the prototype existed, allowing engineers to analyze radar signature, maintainability, and manufacturing processes entirely in software.
• X-plane heritage: Boeing's DARPA-funded demonstrator had been flying since 2019, giving the company years of real flight data to refine its design before the formal competition began.
• Industrial base diversification: As the Washington Post noted at the time, awarding the F-47 to Boeing "diversifies the production of U.S. military jets," reducing the Pentagon's dependence on a single stealth fighter manufacturer.

The contract is worth at least $20 billion for engineering and manufacturing development, according to Breaking Defense, with potential lifetime production orders valued in the hundreds of billions. Northrop Grumman, the only other company that might have competed, dropped out in 2023.

What We Know About the Aircraft

The F-47 is classified. The Air Force released a single artist rendering alongside the March 2025 announcement, but no photographs of the actual aircraft have been made public. The Air Force has, however, disclosed a handful of specific performance parameters through official statements and budget documents.

• Range and Speed

In May 2025, General Allvin confirmed that the F-47 will have a combat radius exceeding 1,000 nautical miles and a top speed above Mach 2, as reported by The War Zone. The combat radius is nearly double the F-22's estimated 590-nautical-mile range and substantially greater than the F-35A's roughly 600 nautical miles.

That range reflects the geography of a potential Pacific conflict. A fighter with 1,000-plus nautical miles of combat radius can reach contested areas around Taiwan or the South China Sea from bases in Guam or Japan without tanker support, or at least with tankers positioned much farther from threat zones. The F-22, by contrast, requires extensive tanker support for Pacific operations, and those tankers are themselves vulnerable to long-range Chinese missiles.

• Stealth

The Air Force has described the F-47 as featuring "all-aspect, broadband low-observability," meaning reduced radar and infrared signatures from every angle and across multiple radar frequency bands. Some defense analysts have described the F-47's stealth shaping as "bomber-like," according to the National Security Journal, suggesting a design that prioritizes signature reduction over traditional fighter agility.

• Propulsion

The F-47 is expected to use a next-generation adaptive cycle engine from the NGAP program. Both General Electric (XA102) and Pratt & Whitney (XA103) are building prototypes, according to congressional budget documents. These "three-stream" engines can switch between high-thrust combat mode and high-efficiency cruise mode, promising roughly 30 percent more range and double the cooling capacity compared to current engines.

The cooling capacity is not a minor detail. Sixth-generation fighters generate enormous heat from their sensors, computers, and electronic warfare systems. Managing that heat without degrading performance or creating a detectable infrared signature is a defining engineering challenge of this generation. Budget documents released in July 2025 revealed the NGAP program has slipped more than two years due to supply chain challenges, per Breaking Defense.

• Sensors, AI, and Weapons

Specific sensor details are classified, but the F-47 is expected to carry a significantly more capable suite than any existing fighter. It will fuse electro-optical, infrared, synthetic aperture radar, and signals intelligence data into a single tactical picture, an evolution of the sensor fusion architecture pioneered on the F-35.

AI is central to the design. The aircraft will use edge computing for predictive threat modeling, processing sensor data and recommending tactical decisions faster than a human pilot could manage alone. This capability becomes essential when the F-47 operates as a command node for multiple autonomous wingmen.

No weapons loadout has been officially confirmed. Based on current Air Force procurement programs, analysts expect the F-47 to carry the AIM-260 Joint Advanced Tactical Missile (replacing the AIM-120 AMRAAM), the AIM-174B for long-range engagements, and potentially the AGM-158D JASSM-XR cruise missile for strike missions. All weapons would be carried internally to preserve stealth.

Collaborative Combat Aircraft: The Drone Wingmen

The F-47 is not designed to fight alone. It will operate with Collaborative Combat Aircraft, autonomous drones that fly alongside the crewed fighter as "loyal wingmen." The Air Force envisions each F-47 controlling two or more CCAs that handle sensor coverage, weapons delivery, electronic warfare, or decoy missions.

Two CCA designs are in development. According to Air & Space Forces Magazine, the General Atomics YFQ-42A completed its first flight in August 2025, and the Anduril YFQ-44A (called "Fury") followed on October 31, 2025, flying semi-autonomously. Both are fighter-sized unmanned combat aircraft with internal weapons bays.

The Department of Defense has allocated $8.9 billion between 2025 and 2029 for CCA development, according to budget documents. The Air Force plans to buy more than 1,000 CCAs, roughly two for each F-47 and each F-35A in the fleet.

A flight of four F-47s with eight CCAs creates a twelve-platform formation sharing sensor data and distributing weapons. The CCAs can be sent into the most dangerous threat environments first, absorbing risk that would otherwise fall on crewed aircraft. If a CCA is lost, the cost is measured in dollars, not in pilots. The concept also builds on the broader shift toward autonomous systems that has accelerated from drone warfare lessons in Ukraine and other recent conflicts.

The Cost Problem

Estimated unit costs near $300 million make the F-47 one of the most expensive fighters ever built, roughly three times the cost of an F-35, according to multiple congressional analyses. The Air Force plans to buy approximately 185 aircraft, a fleet size that invites comparison to the F-22, which was capped at 187.

The pattern is familiar. The F-22 was originally planned for 750 aircraft before being cut to 187. The B-2 Spirit was designed for 132 bombers before being cut to 21. Some analysts have warned of a "math death spiral," per 19FortyFive, where rising costs lead to reduced orders, which further increase per-unit costs.

Congressional reaction has been mixed. The FY2025 NDAA cut $30.9 million from the NGAD budget, and the Senate Appropriations Committee recommended redirecting $557.1 million toward the CCA program, as reported by The Aviationist. But the One Big Beautiful Bill Act passed in July 2025 provided $400 million specifically to accelerate F-47 production.

The Air Force's counterargument: if each F-47 operates with two affordable CCAs, the cost per combat-relevant platform drops considerably. One F-47 with two CCAs might cost the same as two or three F-35s while providing more capability. Whether that math holds will determine the program's long-term viability.

The Name: P-47 Thunderbolt and the 47th President

Air Force officials said the "47" honors the P-47 Thunderbolt, one of the most produced American fighters of World War II. The P-47 was a massive, rugged aircraft that excelled at both air combat and ground attack across every theater. After the Air Force became an independent service in 1947, the Thunderbolt was redesignated the F-47, making the modern designation a direct echo of that lineage.

The number also coincides with the founding year of the Air Force as an independent service in 1947, and with the number of the sitting president. Some defense outlets have reported that internal Air Force emails obtained through FOIA requests suggest the historical justification may have been developed after the designation was selected rather than before it, though the Air Force has not commented on this claim.

The Global Sixth-Generation Race

The F-47 does not exist in isolation. At least four other sixth-generation programs are underway, and the competitive dynamics between them are shaping force structure decisions across multiple continents.

{ https://militarymachine.com/ }

NASA Astronaut's Bizarre Space Station Photo Reveals Orbiting Potato Experiment

A NASA astronaut has captured and shared a truly extraordinary photograph from aboard the International Space Station, depicting what initially appeared to be a bizarre, tentacled organism growing in the microgravity environment. The image, taken by veteran astronaut Don Pettit during Expedition 72, sparked widespread curiosity and humorous reactions across social media platforms before its mundane explanation was revealed.

The Mysterious Space Object

Don Pettit snapped the intriguing photograph during his mission, which spanned from 23 September 2024 to 18 April 2025. The unusual object bore a striking resemblance to an egg, with dark, root-like tentacles erupting vigorously from its base, creating an alien-like appearance that captivated viewers. The photograph quickly gained viral attention, amassing nearly 100,000 views and generating a flood of imaginative responses from the online community.

Astronaut Don Pettit shared the photo on his X account

(Picture: SWNS)

Social Media Reactions

Responding to the astronaut's post on X, formerly known as Twitter, users expressed both alarm and amusement at the strange sight. One concerned individual exclaimed, 'Kill it with fire!!!' while another commented, 'Bro I genuinely thought this was some kind of egg hatching.' A third user made a cinematic reference, joking, 'Looks like a mimic hatching out of an egg,' alluding to the 2017 science fiction film Prey. Other humorous remarks included suggestions for a 'zero-g fryer' and observations about the Velcro docking adapter visible in the image.

The Earthly Explanation

Despite its otherworldly appearance, the object had a remarkably ordinary explanation. Astronaut Pettit clarified that the mysterious entity was, in fact, a potato—specifically an early purple potato he had brought to the ISS for personal agricultural experiments. Dubbed 'Spudnik-1,' the potato was part of Pettit's off-duty space gardening activities, anchored in an improvised grow light terrarium using a spot of hook Velcro.

In his detailed explanation on X, Pettit emphasized the scientific rationale behind choosing potatoes for space cultivation. 'Potatoes are one of the most efficient plants based on edible nutrition to total plant mass, including roots,' he stated. The astronaut noted that potatoes' significance for future space exploration had been recognized in Andy Weir's book and subsequent film The Martian, prompting him to begin practical research aboard the ISS now.

The purple roots disgusted many online

(Picture: SWNS)

Space Versus Earth Cultivation

When questioned by a fan about how space-grown potatoes compare to their terrestrial counterparts, Pettit provided fascinating insights into microgravity agriculture. He explained that in the absence of gravity, the potato's roots grew in all directions rather than following their typical downward pattern. Additionally, he observed that all plants he has cultivated in space, including this potato, have demonstrated significantly slower growth rates compared to Earth-based cultivation.

Broader Context of Space Agriculture

This potato experiment represents just one facet of ongoing agricultural research aboard the International Space Station. To date, astronauts have successfully cultivated a diverse array of fruits, vegetables, and even flowers in the unique microgravity environment. NASA has articulated ambitious plans for expanding space agriculture, with teams at Kennedy Space Center envisioning future cultivation of tomatoes, peppers, berries, certain beans, and other antioxidant-rich foods.

These agricultural endeavors serve multiple purposes beyond nutritional supplementation. NASA has highlighted that antioxidant-rich foods could provide crew members with additional protection against space radiation—a significant concern for long-duration missions. The research aligns with broader preparations for future lunar and Martian exploration, where sustainable food production will be essential for crew survival and mission success.

Some online thought the potato roots looked like an alien

(Picture: SWNS)

The International Space Station: A Research Platform

The International Space Station serves as a $100 billion science and engineering laboratory orbiting approximately 250 miles above Earth. Continuously occupied since November 2000, the ISS has hosted 244 individuals from 19 countries, including eight private citizens. Research conducted aboard the station leverages unique conditions such as microgravity and specialized atmospheric composition to advance fields including human research, space medicine, life sciences, physical sciences, astronomy, and meteorology.

NASA allocates approximately $3 billion annually to the ISS program, with additional funding provided by international partners including the European Space Agency, Russian space agency, Japanese space agency JAXA, and the Canadian Space Agency. As the station approaches potential structural limitations beyond 2025, various nations and private entities are planning successor orbital platforms and lunar orbiting stations to continue advancing space research and exploration.

 { https://britbrief.co.uk/ }

NASA astronaut shares a photo of a bizarre tentacled object growing on the International Space Station – as disturbed fans quip 'kill it with fire!'

• READ MORE: NASA plans to build a $20 billion base on the MOON by 2033

By SHIVALI BEST, SCIENCE & TECHNOLOGY EDITOR 

A NASA astronaut has shared a photo of a bizarre tentacled object growing on the International Space Station (ISS). 

Don Pettit snapped the photo during Expedition 72, which took place from 23 September 2024 until 18 April 2025. 

The unusual object almost looks like an egg, with black tentacles erupting from the base.

Responding to the astronaut on X (formerly Twitter), one user said: 'Kill it with fire!!!'

Another wrote: 'Bro I genuinely thought this was some kind of egg hatching.'

And one joked: 'Looks like a mimic hatching out of an egg,' in reference to the 2017 film, Prey. 

While the object undeniably looks strange, there's actually a rather mundane explanation – it's a potato. 

'Spudnik–1, an orbiting potato on @Space_Station!' Mr Pettit explained. 

A NASA astronaut has shared a photo of a bizarre tentacled object growing on the International Space Station (ISS)

On X, Mr Pettit explained how the potato ended up on the ISS. 

'I flew potatoes on Expedition 72 for my space garden, an activity I did in my off–duty time,' he said. 

'This is an early purple potato, complete with spot of hook Velcro to anchor it in my improvised grow light terrarium.'

'Potatoes are one of the most efficient plants based on edible nutrition to total plant mass (including roots). 

'Recognized by Andy Weir in his book/movie "The Martian," potatoes will have a place in future exploration of space. 

'So I thought it good to get started now!'

In response to the photo, one fan asked Mr Pettit how it compared to growing potatoes on Earth. 

The astronaut responded: 'The roots would grow in all directions absent gravity, and all plants I have ever grown in space have grown far slower than they would have on Earth.'

The unusual object almost looks like an egg, with black tentacles erupting from the base

Don Pettit snapped the photo during Expedition 72, which took place from 23 September 2024 until 18 April 2025

His post has garnered huge interest, with almost 100,000 views at the time of writing. 

'someone needs to figure out a zero–g fryer asap,' one X user joked. 

Another added: 'Nice Velcro docking adaptor!'

Read More

• NASA wants to build a $20billion base on the MOON - here's what it will look like 

And one quipped: 'I hope you brought actual fertiliser this time,' in reference to The Martian, in which the lead character is forced to grow potatoes in his own waste. 

To date, astronauts have grown a huge range of fruits, vegetables, and even flowers on the ISS. 

'Our team at Kennedy Space Center envisions planting more produce in the future, such as tomatoes and peppers,' NASA explained. 

'Foods like berries, certain beans and other antioxidant–rich foods would have the added benefit of providing some space radiation protection for crew members who eat them.'

EXPLAINED: THE $100 BILLION INTERNATIONAL SPACE STATION SITS 250 MILES ABOVE THE EARTH

The International Space Station (ISS) is a $100 billion (£80 billion) science and engineering laboratory that orbits 250 miles (400 km) above Earth.

It has been permanently staffed by rotating crews of astronauts and cosmonauts since November 2000. 

Crews have come mainly from the US and Russia, but the Japanese space agency JAXA and European space agency ESA have also sent astronauts. 

The International Space Station has been continuously occupied for more than 20 years and has been expended with multiple new modules added and upgrades to systems 

Research conducted aboard the ISS often requires one or more of the unusual conditions present in low Earth orbit, such as low-gravity or oxygen.

ISS studies have investigated human research, space medicine, life sciences, physical sciences, astronomy and meteorology.

The US space agency, NASA, spends about $3 billion (£2.4 billion) a year on the space station program, with the remaining funding coming from international partners, including Europe, Russia and Japan.

So far 244 individuals from 19 countries have visited the station, and among them eight private citizens who spent up to $50 million for their visit.

There is an ongoing debate about the future of the station beyond 2025, when it is thought some of the original structure will reach 'end of life'.

Russia, a major partner in the station, plans to launch its own orbital platform around then, with Axiom Space, a private firm, planning to send its own modules for purely commercial use to the station at the same time. 

NASA, ESA, JAXA and the Canadian Space Agency (CSA) are working together to build a space station in orbit around the moon, and Russia and China are working on a similar project, that would also include a base on the surface. 

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

NASA reveals plans to build a $20billion base on the MOON by 2033 – here's what it will look like

• READ MORE: Scientists are about to LAND on an asteroid as it skims past Earth 

By XANTHA LEATHAM, EXECUTIVE SCIENCE EDITOR

NASA has revealed plans to build a $20billion (£14.9billion) permanent base on the moon.

New chief Jared Isaacman, who joined the agency in December, has announced a 'focus shift', prioritising a lunar habitat that allows for 'long–duration human presence'.

He said NASA will spend the next seven years constructing the station at the moon's south pole over dozens of missions.

Artist impressions of the base feature futuristic rovers, communication devices, solar panels, habitat modules and launch pads on the moon's surface.

The station will represent the next step towards 'achieving the near–impossible', he said, and will 'ensure American leadership in space'.

'There will be an evolutionary path to building humanity's first permanent surface outpost beyond Earth, and we will take the world along with us,' Mr Isaacman told a conference at NASA headquarters in Washington.

'This time the goal is not flags and footprints,' he added.

'This time the goal is to stay.'

Artist impressions of the moon base feature futuristic rovers, communication devices, solar panels, habitat modules and launch pads on the lunar surface

Building the moon base will take place over three phases, NASA said.

The first involves a shift from infrequent missions to a 'repeatable' approach that increases the tempo of lunar activity.

Phase two will see a move towards semi–habitable infrastructure involving rovers and other forms of transportation.

Finally, for phase three, NASA 'will deliver heavier infrastructure needed for a continuous human foothold on the moon'.

This will include multi–purpose habitats created by the Italian Space Agency and lunar utility vehicles from the Canadian Space Agency.

The 'habitation module' will be three metres wide and six metres long (10 feet by 20 feet) with a mass of around 15 tonnes.

It will have wheels, allowing it to be easily moved across the moon's surface. It is also completely self–sufficient, providing power and heat for inhabitants.

The module has currently been designed to be able to support two astronauts for between seven and 30 days – or a larger crew for short periods in case of an emergency.

The Italian Space Agency's habitation module will safely host astronauts during their missions, support surface operations, enable scientific research experiments both with and without the presence of a human crew, and have the capability to move on the surface (artist's impression)

A concept image of a pressurised rover on the surface of the Moon. The rover will boast robotics, cameras, sensors and scientific instruments, acting as a 'mobile laboratory' for exploration activities

Solar array systems will help power exploration of the Moon. Pictured: An illustration of the device, which can deploy up to 32 feet high

Where will the astronauts live?

Visitors to the moon would be stationed in a 'habitation module' currently being built by the Italian Space Agency 

They are three metres wide and six metres long with a mass of 15 tonnes

Five main substations control the inner atmosphere, temperature and humidity, with an in–built water and waste management system 

The module will have wheels, allowing it to be easily moved across the moon's surface.

It is also completely self–sufficient, providing power and heat

The module has currently been designed to be able to support two astronauts for between seven and 30 days – or a larger crew for short periods in case of an emergency

NASA said its moon base plans also include a pressurised rover, which has been designed by the Japan Aerospace Exploration Agency (JAXA).

This is a mobile habitat that can allow astronauts to explore much further than current moonwalks allow, supporting two crew members as it traverses across the lunar surface.

The rover will boast robotics, cameras, sensors and scientific instruments, acting as a 'mobile laboratory' for exploration activities.

'The objective is clear: build the foundation for an enduring lunar base and take the next step towards Mars,' Mr Isaacman wrote on X.

In a nod to the race against China to build a permanent base on the moon, Mr Isaacman said: 'The clock is running in this great‑power competition, and success or failure will be measured in months, not years.'

He added that 'building a base will seem pale in comparison to what we will be capable of accomplishing in the years ahead'.

NASA has also announced that in order to focus on the moon base project, it would be suspending plans to create Lunar Gateway – its lunar orbital space station.

'The agency intends to pause Gateway in its current form and shift focus to infrastructure that enables sustained surface operations,' Mr Isaacman said.

NASA said lunar utility vehicles from the Canadian Space Agency (pictured) will also be needed

NASA Administrator Jared Isaacman, who joined the agency last year, said focus needs to 'shift' towards establishing a permanent base on the moon

The Gateway orbital lunar station was meant to serve both as a point of transfer for astronauts headed to the Moon as well as a platform for research.

The suspension of the initiative isn't entirely surprising – some had criticised it as financially wasteful or a distraction from other lunar ambitions.

Read More

• Scientists discover 45 Earth-like planets that could have the perfect conditions for ALIENS - including four that are just 40 light-years away 

Putting it on hold will allow for the redirection of efforts and resources towards the construction of the base near the strategic south lunar pole, Mr Isaacman explained, which was already a goal.

Last month, NASA said it was reshuffling its Artemis programme that has suffered multiple delays in recent years, as it aims to ensure Americans can return to the Moon's surface by 2028.

That goal remains unchanged, but the US space agency is shifting its flight lineup to include a test mission before an eventual lunar landing to improve launch 'muscle memory'.

That strategic revision came amid repeated delays to the Artemis 2 mission, which was originally due to take off as early as February, but is now targeting early April. It is meant to see the first flyby of the Moon in more than half a century.

Artemis II: Key facts

Launch date: NASA initially identified three possible launch windows for Artemis II: From February 6 to February 11, from March 6 to March 11, and from April 1 to April 6. The space agency is now targeting the April window. 

Mission objective: To complete a lunar flyby, passing the 'dark side' of the moon and test systems for a future lunar landing.

Total distance to travel: 620,000 miles (one million km)

Mission duration: 10 days 

Estimated total cost: $44billion (£32.5billion)

- NASA Space Launch System rocket: $23.8billion (£17.6billion)

- Orion deep–space spacecraft: $20.4billion (£15billion)

Crew: 

- Commander Reid Wiseman

- Pilot Victor Glover

- Mission Specialist Christina Koch

- Mission Specialist Jeremy Hansen

Mission Stages:

1. Launch from Kennedy Space Centre Launch Pad 39B

2. Manoeuvre in orbit to raise the perigee using the Cryogenic Propulsion Stage

3. Burn to raise apogee using the Cryogenic Propulsion Stage

4. Detach from Cryogenic Propulsion Stage and perform translunar injection

5. Fly to the moon over four days

6. Complete lunar flyby at a maximum altitude of 5,523 miles (8,889 km) above the moon's surface

7. Return to Earth over four days

8. Separate the crew module from the European Service Module and the crew module adapter

9. Splashdown in the Pacific Ocean  

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

Mysterious 'ruins' off Louisiana coast spark theories of 12,000-year-old lost city

• READ MORE: Roman artifact discovered in Americas shatters New World history as we know it 

By STACY LIBERATORE, US SCIENCE & TECHNOLOGY EDITOR

An amateur archaeologist claims to have uncovered the ruins of an ancient city that once thrived off the coast of Louisiana roughly 12,000 years ago.

Retired architect George Gelé said he has found clues that 'hundreds of buildings' are buried beneath the waters near the Chandeleur Islands, a chain of uninhabited barrier islands about 50 miles east of New Orleans in the Gulf of America.

For nearly five decades, he has captured underwater sonar images that he believes reveal the remnants of major structures, including what he describes as a 280-foot-tall pyramid rising from the seafloor.

Gelé claimed the pyramid emits a surge of electromagnetic energy that has caused boat compasses to spin wildly as vessels passed overhead. 

Dubbed the city of Crescentis, Gelé told local station WWL-TV that the submerged formations, located roughly 30 feet below the water and buried beneath an additional 100 feet of sediment, appear to be 'geographically related to the Great Pyramid of Giza' in Egypt.

While his findings have not been published in peer-reviewed scientific journals, Gelé argued the site may date back to the end of the last Ice Age, when rising seas about 11,700 years ago submerged vast coastal landscapes.

The foundation of his theory rests on mysterious granite mounds discovered beneath Chandeleur Sound, a material not naturally found in Louisiana, which he believes were deliberately transported and assembled.

'Somebody floated a billion stones down the Mississippi River and assembled them outside what would later become New Orleans,' Gelé said, after more than five decades studying the site.

Retired architect George Gelé said he has found clues that 'hundreds of buildings' are buried beneath the waters off the coast of Louisiana 

He claims the city was located near the Chandeleur Islands, a chain of uninhabited barrier islands about 50 miles east of New Orleans in the Gulf of America

Gelé has personally funded and conducted more than 40 underwater research expeditions in the area since 1974.

While he officially revealed his discoveries to the world in March 2022, his interview on WWL-TV has resurfaced.

During the interview, local shrimper Ricky Robin, who took Gelé to the site multiple times, claimed that the compass on his boat spun completely around near the area where the tip of the pyramids was suspected.

'Everything will go out on your boat. All your electronics like you were in the Bermuda Triangle,' said Robin. 

He added that other local fishermen have shared stories about catching strange, square rocks in their nets.

'I thought right away it was pieces of the pyramid because it was right around where that compass spun,' Robin said. 

While the idea of a lost city is captivating, several scientists have offered more conventional explanations for the mysterious underwater mounds.

Gelé himself explored alternative explanations for the granite masses during a 2014 presentation, including the possibility that the stones came from a construction dump or debris left behind by multiple shipwrecks.

For nearly five decades, he has captured underwater sonar images that he believes reveal the remnants of major structures. He has also collected granite pieces that he believes once formed the now underwater city

However, he noted that construction debris only appears on the top surface of the mounds, and granite blocks are expensive construction materials, and would not be discarded so easily. 

A separate study conducted by Texas A&M University in the late 1980s also concluded that the underwater granite likely originated from shipwreck activity, or from piles of ballast stones discarded from vessels, WWL-TV reported.

Historians believe the stones may have been dumped from Spanish or French ships to lighten their loads as they approached shallow waters on routes leading to New Orleans.

Local newspaper The Advocate later examined the mystery in 2011, speaking with LSU archaeology professor Rob Mann, who offered another explanation for the unusual formations.

He suggested the granite could be remnants of an effort to build an artificial reef in the 1940s, created by dumping construction materials into the water.

'I think simply searching underwater at this point won't give us any more answers,' Mann told the newspaper.

Gelé has personally funded and conducted more than 40 underwater research expeditions in the area since 1974. Pictured are granite pieces he pulled from the waterse

'When the historical archive work is done, looking at records and newspapers, that's when we will know what it is.'

The publication also interviewed the state's archaeologist at the time, who agreed that the formations appeared to be the result of large barge loads of stone being dumped at the site.

'But why and why there?' he said. 'Those are questions that need to be answered.'

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

Theorieën over wat er gebeurt na onze dood

©Getty Images

Theorieën over wat er gebeurt na onze dood
De angst voor de dood heeft vaak te maken met het onbekende. Wat gebeurt er na onze dood? Gaan we naar de hemel, reïncarneren we of resetten we ons in een simulatie? Hindoeïstische, Rastafariaanse of boeddhistische theorieën proberen allemaal uit te leggen wat er daarna komt. Om de verschillende theorieën over de dood te verkennen, zijn hier 30 filosofieën over het hiernamaals!

©Shutterstock

De simulatie theorie
Heb je ooit het gevoel dat alles in ons leven al vaststaat? Wat als zelfs de dood volgens een vooraf geschreven script verloopt? Volgens de simulatietheorie zijn onze levens gewoon cijfers in een videogame van een hogere entiteit. Iets wat lijkt op het concept van de filmreeks 'The Matrix'.

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De boeddhistische theorie
Boeddhisten omarmen het concept van reïncarnatie na de dood. Na de dood kan iemand opnieuw geboren worden in verschillende rijken, zoals die van goden, halfgoden, mensen, dieren of geesten.

©Shutterstock

De parallelle universumtheorie
Het idee van parallelle universums is in talloze sciencefictionfilms en stripboeken afgebeeld, wat de vraag oproept hoe aannemelijk het is. Volgens deze theorie gaat ons bestaan door na de dood, maar dan in een ander deel van ruimte en tijd binnen hetzelfde universum dat we eerder bewoonden.

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De theorie van het nooit eindigende leven
De theorie van het nooit eindigende leven is zeker een van de meest unieke op de lijst. Volgens deze theorie, wanneer je sterft, word je meteen opnieuw geboren in je eigen leven, zonder enige herinnering aan het leven dat je net had geleefd.

©Shutterstock

De nietsheidstheorie
Wat als na de dood alles in totale duisternis vervalt en je gewoon ophoudt te bestaan? Niet bepaald een geruststellende gedachte.

©Shutterstock

De Rastafari-theorie
Rastafari geloven dat het leven eeuwig is. Alleen degenen die deugdzaamheid afwijzen, sterven echt. Daarom worden begrafenissen in hun cultuur eigenlijk niet gevierd.

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De Azteekse theorie
In het geloofssysteem van de oude Azteken waren er drie aparte paden voor het hiernamaals: de zon, Mictlan en Tlalocan. Het hiernamaals dat iemand ervoer, hing af van de omstandigheden van de dood. Gewone soldaten en vrouwen die tijdens de bevalling stierven, zouden veranderen in kolibries die het pad van de zon volgden. Degenen die door minder eervolle oorzaken stierven, belandden in Mictlan. En mensen die door verdrinking omkwamen, gingen naar Tlalocan.

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Plato's theorie
Plato was ervan overtuigd dat onze kennis beperkt is door de fysieke wereld. Hij vond dat we na de dood op een meer vervullende reis gaan, waar onze ziel haar ware bestaan kan ontdekken. Volgens zijn theorie biedt de dood dus een kans om dat te verkennen.

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De onzekere theorie
Ons begrip van de dood is beperkt tot de fenomenen die het fysieke lichaam ervaart. De dubbelzinnige theorie erkent deze harde waarheid, maar laat ruimte voor discussie over de overige aspecten.

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De mormoonse theorie
De Kerk van de Heiligen der Laatste Dagen gelooft dat overledene Mormonen die goed en rechtschapen zijn, goden worden. Daarentegen worden ongelovigen in het hiernamaals veroordeeld.

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De Egyptische farao-theorie
Mummificatie was cruciaal voor de oude Egyptische farao's, omdat zij geloofden dat de dood niet permanent was en zij hun lichamen wilden behouden voor het hiernamaals.

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De droomtheorie
Wat als alles maar een droom was? De droomtheorie beweert dat wanneer we sterven, we gewoon wakker worden uit een ontzettend verwarrende, levendige en lange droom. Knijp eens in jezelf.

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De paranormale theorie
Dit concept vormt doorgaans de basis van vele horrorfilms. Voorstanders van het bovennatuurlijke beweren dat onze zielen na de dood op aarde blijven hangen. Daarnaast wordt vaak aangenomen dat communicatie met deze geesten op verschillende manieren mogelijk is.

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De bevroren hoofdtheorie
Er zijn mensen die geloven dat ze hun behoud voor de toekomst kunnen garanderen door na hun overlijden cryonisch bewaard te worden. Zo stellen ze zich een bestaansvorm voor die extreem koud is, maar toch potentieel levend kan blijven.

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De egocentrische theorie
Als je denkt dat alles om jou draait, dan is de egocentrische theorie over de dood misschien wel iets voor jou. Volgens deze theorie begint het universum wanneer jij geboren wordt en stopt het op het moment dat jij sterft.

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De 'Stranger Things'-theorie
Als je de populaire Netflix-serie Stranger Things kent, dan ben je waarschijnlijk bekend met het concept van de Upside Down. De serie suggereert dat er een alternatieve dimensie bestaat binnen ons universum, waar mensen vast kunnen komen te zitten in een soort tussenwereld tussen leven en dood.

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De hindoeïstische theorie
Het hindoeïsme gelooft ook in reïncarnatie, waarbij iemands toekomstige status of vorm in het volgende leven wordt bepaald door hun daden in het huidige leven.

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De solipsistische theorie
Bestaat er iets buiten onze eigen gedachten dat echt is? Het concept van solipsisme geldt zowel voor het leven als de dood. De enige onbetwistbare realiteit is wat een individu waarneemt en ervaart. Hierdoor is het mogelijk dat, wanneer een individu sterft, alles om hen heen ook ophoudt te bestaan.

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De excretietheorie
Volgens de excretietheorie stelt het universum een gigantisch brein binnen een menselijk lichaam voor, en zijn individuen vergelijkbaar met cellen. Net zoals een cel wordt verwijderd wanneer deze afsterft in een menselijk lichaam, zouden mensen uiteindelijk een soortgelijk lot kunnen ondergaan.

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De nihilistische theorie
Het nihilisme stelt dat alle waarden betekenisloos en zonder fundament zijn. Vanuit een echt nihilistisch perspectief op de dood en het hiernamaals betekent dit dat er helemaal niets is na de dood, omdat het leven zelf al leegte bevat.

©NL Beeld

De ''Beetlejuice'-theorie
De populaire komediefilm Beetlejuice uit 1988 van Tim Burton vertelt het verhaal van een overleden stel dat hun oude huis en de nieuwe bewoners achtervolgt. Om te ontsnappen aan deze tussenwereld, moeten ze de hulp inroepen van een onconventionele exorcist. Zie jij het hiernamaals als iets dat lijkt op deze eigenzinnige film?

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De christelijke theorie
Volgens het christelijk geloof bestaan zowel de hemel als de hel. Degenen die een deugdzaam en eerlijk leven leiden, worden beloond met toegang tot het paradijselijke rijk van de hemel. Daarentegen zijn degenen die zich schuldig maken aan zonden en morele misstappen voorbestemd voor de hel.

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De meerdere werelden-theorie
De veelwerelden-theorie stelt dat onze dood alleen plaatsvindt binnen dit ene, bestaande universum. Daarbuiten wachten talloze alternatieve universums op onze overgang.

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De pessimistische theorie
Misschien is deze discussie zinloos, omdat we eigenlijk al dood zijn? Dat is in ieder geval wat de pessimistische theorie veronderstelt.

©Shutterstock

De illusietheorie
Volgens de illusietheorie is de wereld vooral een product van onze geest en geen concrete realiteit, wat suggereert dat alles in feite een illusie is. Vanuit dit perspectief is de dood een door mensen bedacht concept, en zelfs nadat we fysiek ophouden te bestaan, blijft een essentie van ons bestaan voortbestaan.

©Shutterstock

De kosmische theorie
Volgens de kosmische theorie is ons bewustzijn verbonden met het universum in plaats van met ons individuele lichaam. Wanneer we sterven, herenigt ons bewustzijn zich met de kosmos.

©Shutterstock

De niveautheorie
Volgens de niveautheorie gaan mensen na de dood over naar een nieuwe fase van bestaan, wat suggereert dat mens-zijn slechts het begin is binnen het grotere geheel.

©NL Beeld

De 'The Good Place'-theorie
De populaire tv-serie The Good Place introduceert een fascinerend concept van het hiernamaals. Het verhaal draait om personages die, door een speling van het lot, in de hemel belanden, liefkozend The Good Place genoemd. Met eindeloze hoeveelheden frozen yogurt, gepersonaliseerde woningen en de kans om je zielsverwant te ontmoeten, doet deze idyllische versie van het hiernamaals kijkers verlangen naar een wereld waarin dit echt zou kunnen bestaan.

©Shutterstock

De boomhypothese
Heb je ooit gehoord van het concept van de Levensboom? Sommige mensen omarmen dit idee door ervoor te kiezen hun stoffelijke resten te laten begraven in een boomcapsule. Op deze manier worden hun lichamen teruggegeven aan de aarde, met de overtuiging dat ze in een volgend bestaan kunnen transformeren tot een bloeiende boom.

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{ Stars Insider }

Israel's Stonehenge No Longer Alone: Dozens of Stone Circles Discovered

Gary Manners

A recent archaeological investigation has offered a substantive reassessment of Rujm el-Hiri, a large protohistoric stone complex in the Golan Heights frequently characterized as the "Israeli Stonehenge." Rather than interpreting the site as a unique and isolated monument, a new study proposes that it constitutes the most elaborate expression of a broader regional tradition of circular stone-built architecture, and that dozens of similar structures have been hiding in plain sight for decades.

Published in PLOS One, the research conducted by Michal Birkenfeld, Olga Khabarova, Lev V. Eppelbaum, and Uri Berger documents over 30 large circular basalt structures within a 25-kilometer radius of Rujm el-Hiri, including 28 previously unrecorded examples. The authors attribute the prior absence of these features in the archaeological record primarily to methodological constraints associated with conventional ground-based survey techniques. Employing an integrated methodological framework, combining high-resolution satellite imagery, artificial intelligence, geophysical modeling, and spatial analysis, the study identifies a consistent architectural typology across the region.

Orthophoto of Khirbet Bteha.

(Created by A. Kleiner/PLoS ONE)

Methodological Advancements Reveal Hidden Structures

The newly discovered structures are characterized by substantial outer walls constructed from basalt fieldstones, typically arranged in concentric configurations and, in many cases, interconnected by radial or orthogonal internal divisions. These recurring design elements indicate a shared constructional logic and suggest a coherent cultural or technological tradition during the protohistoric period.

Rujm el-Hiri itself, first identified in 1968 through aerial reconnaissance, comprises a central cairn encircled by multiple concentric stone rings, with an overall diameter exceeding 150 meters and containing roughly 40,000 tons of stone.

Its function has long been debated, with hypotheses ranging from funerary and ceremonial uses to defensive or astronomical purposes. However, the lack of definitive stratified material and associated settlement evidence has historically limited interpretative certainty. The present study challenges the longstanding assumption of the site's isolation by demonstrating the existence of a dense and previously under-recognized distribution of analogous structures across the basalt plateaus of the Golan Heights and adjacent regions.

"Gilgal Refaim is, of course, a very well-known site, and it was always considered to be a very unique site in the area," said lead researcher Michal Birkenfeld. "Most [of the sites we discovered] were not as elaborate and were of different sizes and levels of preservation, but they still have the same type of logic," he added.

• What's Special About Golan Heights? These 5 Fabulous Recent Archaeological Discoveries For a Start!
• Rare Rock Art in Mysterious Dolmen Discovered in the Golan

Aerial photo of Rujm el-Hiri, view to east.

(Photograph by Y. Shmidov and A. Wiegmann/PLoS ONE)

AI and Satellite Imagery Uncover the Past

Analysis of multi-temporal satellite datasets spanning from 2004 to 2024 enabled the identification of these features, many of which remain poorly preserved, partially dismantled, or obscured by subsequent land-use activities. Researchers processed archives from multiple satellite platforms, including Google Earth Pro and CNES/Airbus and applied AI techniques to reduce interference from shadows and seasonal vegetation, enabling the identification of features that had remained invisible in conventional surveys. The newly identified circles range from approximately 50 to 250 feet in diameter, and while smaller and more degraded than Rujm el-Hiri, they share the same fundamental architectural logic.

• Wheel of Giants: Prehistoric Rujm el-Hiri Puzzles Archaeologists
• Israel's Stonehenge Is Not an Astronomical Observatory, Researchers Say

Aerial views of the four ‘simple’ circles. (Aerial imagery provided by the survey of Israel (MAPI)- used with permission. 

(Created by M. Birkenfeld and U. Berger/PLoS ONE)

The clusters highlight repeated occupation or a long-standing use of particular locations. There is a non-random variation of structures found in spaces where most are located on gently sloping terrain or on high plateau sites, and those near seasonal water sources. The common proximity of such monuments with dolmens, tumuli, and field-wall networks tells that these were part of a large cultural landscape and may have played different roles in ritual, territory, and socio-economic affairs. Intriguingly, similar-looking sites have also been noted farther afield in Galilee and Lebanon, suggesting the tradition may have extended well beyond the immediate Golan region.

Reassessing Astronomical Alignments

The study further revisits long-standing hypotheses concerning astronomical alignments at the site. Emerging geophysical and palaeomagnetic evidence indicates that the region has experienced gradual yet measurable tectonic rotation over millennial timescales. As a result, the current orientation of architectural elements is unlikely to reflect their original spatial configuration, introducing significant uncertainty into earlier claims of deliberate celestial alignment and necessitating a more cautious interpretative approach. A previous 2025 study co-authored by Birkenfeld had already weakened the astronomical observatory theory, calculating an average rotational movement of 8 to 15 millimeters per year - meaning the stones have likely shifted several meters from their original positions.

A central contribution of the research lies in its methodological advancement, particularly in demonstrating the analytical potential of remote sensing for archaeological prospection. Through the integration of multi-temporal, high-resolution satellite imagery, the study successfully identifies subtle and degraded features that have remained undetected in traditional ground surveys. This approach not only substantially expands the regional archaeological dataset but also prompts a critical reassessment of existing interpretative models shaped by incomplete or biased observational records. "If this is not a unique structure, I find more leverage in the idea that this was an area to get together," Birkenfeld said.

The authors argue that Rujm el-Hiri should no longer be interpreted as an anomalous or isolated construction, but rather as a key locus within a broader, previously under-recognized architectural tradition in the protohistoric southern Levant. Within this framework, large circular stone structures are understood as integral components of a complex cultural landscape, likely embedded in the social organization, economic strategies, and symbolic practices of agro-pastoral communities during the Chalcolithic and Early Bronze Age periods. Further research is required to establish a more robust chronological framework and to clarify the functional diversity of these monuments, but the study marks a substantive conceptual shift in how scholars understand protohistoric landscape use and spatial organization.

• Top image: Aerial view of the ancient Rujm el-Hiri megalithic monument in the Golan Heights.
• Source: Zeev Stein / CC BY 2.5

By Gary Manners

 { https://www.ancient-origins.net/news-history-archaeology }

Smith kept the papyrus until his death in 1906, largely unaware of its contents, as his understanding of hieratic was limited and he was unable to translate it. After Smith’s passing, many of the items in his collection, including the mysterious papyrus, were given to the New York Historical Society by his daughter, where they quietly remained for several more years.

It wasn’t until 1920 that the ancient treatise came to the attention of the classical archaeologist and Egyptologist Caroline Ransom Williams, who brought it to the attention of noted archaeologist James Henry Breasted.

“The papyrus is probably the most valuable one owned by the Society,” Williams wrote to Breasted at the time, “and I am ready to waive my interest in it, in the hope that it may be published sooner and better than I could do it.” Recognized as the first chair in Egyptology and Oriental History in the United States at the University of Chicago, Breasted was immediately fascinated by the ancient text and set to work deciphering it.

One decade later, Breasted had finally completed the task of interpreting the obscure ancient document in its entirety, a translation of which was published in 1930. The result was a fundamental shift in our understanding of the ancient history of medical science and its early beginnings, revealing evidence for advanced medical knowledge in ancient Egypt as much as 1000 years before what scholars had commonly accepted at the time.

The Edwin Smith Papyrus: Obscure Origins and a Cliffhanger Ending

The document, known today as the Edwin Smith Papyrus, was cut into one-column pages at some point in the last century. It features Egyptian hieratic written in ink of two different colors: most of the text is black, while some portions with addenda to the primary document appear in red.

Egyptologist Edwin Smith, who is credited with discovering the papyrus in 1862

(Public Domain).

Little is known about the author of the papyrus, although scholars agree that the version that exists today is likely the work of a single scholar, and probably also represents a copy of an even older manuscript from Egypt’s Old Kingdom.

Several clues point to this possibility: despite the document’s physical age, scholars note the inclusion of archaic forms of Egyptian words and grammar, suggesting the papyrus is a copy of a much earlier document. Equally tantalizing is that the document ends in mid-sentence, suggesting that, in addition to being a copy, the surviving version is an incomplete work.

From Ancient Magic to Medical Science

Most intriguing of all is the information the document contains. Outlined in an illustrated survey of 48 case histories, the Edwin Smith Papyrus presents a remarkable ancient Egyptian perspective on various injuries and their treatments. Each case details a different region of the body and/or a specific organ and discusses each injury systematically, even including references to the original doctor’s notes on ailments “which I will treat,” suggesting a physician logging their diagnoses of conditions afflicting their patients.

From descriptions of human anatomy to treatments for bleeding, curing infections, and closing wounds, the medical knowledge outlined in the papyrus is remarkably advanced for the period in which it is believed to have originated. Additionally, discussions of medicines featured in the document reveal a level of understanding that exceeds that previously known to have existed at the time by a significant margin, even going beyond medicinal knowledge first recorded by the Greek physician Hippocrates, close to 1000 years later.

Perhaps most significant of all, the document’s precocious discussion of medical knowledge marks a significant shift away from the use of spells and incantations, which are widely believed to have been commonly used for the treatment of a variety of ailments during Egypt’s Old Kingdom. Although the Edwin Smith Papyrus does still contain some references to magic—there are eight magic spells that appear on its “verso” (back left-hand) side—it is believed that these magical references may have represented a sort of “last effort” in cases where all forms of medical treatment had proven ineffective.

This is significant, since the Edwin Smith Papyrus could represent more than just an example of ancient Egyptian medical knowledge that was well ahead of its time: it marks a fundamental shift away from traditional magical beliefs toward practical diagnosis and treatment, making it a record of one of the earliest major medical science advancements in the ancient Egyptian world.

A Textbook by the First Doctor?

Given the advanced knowledge detailed in the papyrus, one accepted theory about the document’s purpose is that it served as an early textbook, likely the result of examinations of battlefield injuries.

Considering the information the papyrus contains, James Henry Breasted even went so far as to speculate that the enigmatic document might have been authored by none other than Imhotep, the Egyptian architect and early physician believed to have created the first step pyramid built at Saqqara, at the direction of the third-dynasty pharaoh Djoser.

Given his noted role as a high priest and Old Kingdom physician, Imhotep is often considered one of history’s earliest known doctors, making him a good fit for the kind of medical knowledge found in the Edwin Smith papyrus. Still, there is no direct evidence linking the Old Kingdom scholar with the papyrus or its contents, and Breasted noted in his evaluation of the text that such connections were purely speculative on his part.

Fundamentally, while much of the document remains a mystery, the translation of the surviving version offers a rare glimpse into the surprisingly advanced medical knowledge that existed in ancient Egypt. Today, it represents just one of the many examples of advanced knowledge in Egypt’s Old Kingdom, which, over time, has gradually helped reshape our understanding of the ancient world.

• Micah Hanks is the Editor-in-Chief and Co-Founder of The Debrief. A longtime reporter on science, defense, and technology with a focus on space and astronomy, he can be reached at micah@thedebrief.org. Follow him on X @MicahHanks, and at micahhanks.com.

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

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{ https://www.universetoday.com/ }

Giant Craters May Reveal if Psyche is a Lost Planetary Core

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Ancient Egyptian Cat God Bastet Statue On Mars! Video, UFO Sighting News.

Date of discovery: March 23, 2026

Location of discovery: Mars

Source: NASA 

• https://mars.nasa.gov/mars2020-raw-images/pub/ods/surface/sol/00209/ids/edr/browse/zcam/ZR0_0209_0685498963_774ECM_N0071836ZCAM08243_0340LMJ01_320.jpg
• https://mars.nasa.gov/mars2020-raw-images/pub/ods/surface/sol/00209/ids/edr/browse/zcam/ZL0_0209_0685498963_774ECM_N0071836ZCAM08243_0340LMJ01_320.jpg
• https://mars.nasa.gov/mars2020-raw-images/pub/ods/surface/sol/00209/ids/edr/browse/zcam/ZR0_0209_0685498963_774EBY_N0071836ZCAM08243_0340LMJ01_320.jpg

Hey guys, Scott here… and yeah, you already know what I’ve been doing—digging deep through the NASA Mars rover archives again. It’s what I do. And today… I found something that honestly shocked me.

This discovery connects human history directly to Mars.

I came across what appears to be an ancient sculpture—partly embedded into a collapsed wall structure on the Martian surface. And when I enhanced it, the details became clear. This isn’t random rock. This is art. Intentional. Designed.

The figure matches Bastet, the Egyptian goddess—daughter of Ra, the sun god. Same exact form we see in ancient Egypt: the head of a cat, body of a woman. Even more interesting… she appears to be holding something in her hands—just like nearly every Bastet statue found here on Earth.

That’s not coincidence.

This is the missing link.

What we’re looking at is evidence that the so-called “ancient Egyptian gods” didn’t originate on Earth. They came from Mars. Advanced beings—what many would call ancient aliens—who had the technology to travel between planets. When Mars began to die, they left… and came here, to Earth, the nearest habitable world.

And they brought their culture, their knowledge… and themselves.

This isn’t mythology anymore. This is physical evidence.

And you better believe… this is exactly the kind of truth governments don’t want getting out.

Scott C. Waring – Taiwan

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

UAP at Skinningrove Beach, England March 16, 2026, Alien base found! Wow! UFO Sightings Daily.

Date of sighting: March 16, 2026

Location of sighting: Skinningrove Beach, England

Source: NUFORC

 

This UFO looks rectangular in shape. When I added contrast to make the details stand out, it was clear this was no ordinary craft. This object is coming from an underwater alien base below the floor of the ocean in the area. It's rare but not unheard of to catch such craft leaving and entering the ocean. Fantastic raw footage. Undeniable proof that intelligent aliens share this planet with us. 

Scott C. Waring - UFO Sightings Daily 

 

Eyewitness states: 

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

UFO over Moreno, California USA March 9, 2026 UAP paranormal sighting news.

Date of sighting: March 9, 2026

Location of sighting: Moreno Valley, California, USA

Source: NUFORC

 

This glowing red light was seen over California this week. It's a very energetic UFO and its lit up to be seen. Disclosure is getting close, meaning humanity will learn the truth in an instant. This UFO is just part of the agenda to get humans use to seeing them in the sky, get our reactions to measure how ready we really are and to gently nudge into our daily lives, until one day...they will land and make themselves known. 

Scott C. Waring - UFO Sightings Daily 

 

Eyewitness states: 

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

Humanoid robots are serving up meals and entertaining customers at a McDonald's in Shanghai – and they even wear the famous uniform.

The machines, supplied by Chinese firm Keenon Robotics, have been deployed as part of a trial and hint at a future where bots handle routine tasks at fast food restaurants.

In videos posted online, diners can be seen interacting with cyborgs dressed in the iconic red and yellow uniforms behind counters.

One humanoid, wearing a black uniform with the word 'chef', greets members of the public as they arrive.

Others make the famous 'M' sign synonymous with the brand and showcase some dancing moves.

Meanwhile, children can be seen chasing other robots disguised as cute animals as they deliver food and clean floors around the restaurant.

'Watch the robot squad suit up and enjoy the McDonald's party!' Keenon Robotics wrote online. 'Our humanoid series are leading the squad and hitting the streets.

'It's a showcase of how service automation is becoming a seamless part of global dining, and how technology brings more smiles to every mealtime.'

In the video, one robot can be seen touching its thumb and index finger together to make an 'okay' sign at a customer

In the video, one robot can be seen touching its thumb and index finger together to make an 'okay' sign at a customer.

A smaller, cube-shaped 'cleaning' bot features a touchscreen and has been designed to look as if it is wearing a tie.

Jon Banner, the executive vice president of McDonald's, explained the robots were there for a 'temporary greeting'.

'Just to be clear – the robots were part of the grand opening of the Shanghai Science and Technology Museum restaurant,' he wrote on social media.

'The robots were requested by the museum to draw attention. Mission accomplished!'

He added that the robots 'were not involved in any service or operational functions'.

While the machines were part of a trial – and were only around for about five days – some people believe it won't be long until they're rolled out more widely.

'Shanghai is the test market,' one person wrote on X. 'If the unit economics work the rollout does not stay in China.'

The machines, supplied by Chinese firm Keenon Robotics, have been deployed as part of a trial and hint at a future where bots handle routine tasks at fast food restaurants

Another said that this is the 'real future', adding: 'Humanoid robots greeting customers and delivery bots bringing your food – automate the kitchen a bit more and boom, McDonald's stores basically run themselves with zero staff.'

However, others warned the robots would be 'destroyed' if rolled out elsewhere.

According to Keenon Robotics, its 'Dinerbot T10' boasts 3D vision for 'safer obstacle avoidance in complex environments'.

It comes with open-access trays to allow diners to easily pick up their food, and features a six-wheel shock-absorbing chassis to prevent spillage during sudden stops.

Its screen can be programmed to display different animal faces, including a cat, bunny and deer, while a range of voices can be picked from.

Meanwhile, their 'Kleenbot C40' features a triple-brush system for separating dry and wet spillages. It has been designed to 'easily handle crowds and irregular obstacles', and can pick up objects including hair, paper scraps, dust, coffee and juice.

While the Keenon website does not list prices, these models retail for around £11,500 to £16,000 online.

Their recently-released 'XMAN-R1' humanoid was designed specifically to interact with people – but appears to come with a $100,000 price tag online. 

A small cube-shaped 'cleaning' bot features a touchscreen and has been designed to look as if it is wearing a tie (left). Meanwhile, children can be seen chasing a 'Dinerbot' disguised as a cute animal as it delivers food around the restaurant

Their recently-released 'XMAN-R1' humanoid was designed specifically to interact with people – but appears to come with a $100,000 price tag online

Last week, the shocking moment a dancing robot went berserk at a restaurant was caught on camera.

Customers at the Haidilao hotpot restaurant in San Jose, California, were enjoying their meals when a humanoid started showing off some moves.

While performing a dance routine, involving waving its arms and shaking its hips, the robot suddenly slams its hands down on a table.

This sends chopsticks and bright yellow sauce flying into the air, while staff race over to try and turn it off.

But the humanoid continues to dance throughout the altercation – which saw three employees wrestle with the robot and try to drag it away by the scruff of its neck.

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

Mysterious 'hum' heard across several US states as residents report vibrating homes and sleepless nights

By STACY LIBERATORE, US SCIENCE & TECHNOLOGY EDITOR

A mysterious humming noise has been reported in neighborhoods across several US states, rattling homes and leaving residents struggling to sleep.

The latest reports come from Vineland, New Jersey, where locals say the sound began after construction started on a massive 2.5-million-square-foot data center, though officials have not confirmed a direct link. 

Residents say the constant noise is disrupting daily life. 'That is not construction, and that monstrosity is only partially built,' Scott Montgomery told ABC 6. 'It is infringing on our peace of mind and our tranquility.'

Similar complaints have surfaced in parts of Virginia, home to hundreds of data centers, and in Connecticut earlier this year, though officials in those areas have yet to identify a confirmed source.

Experts noted that data centers can produce continuous low-frequency humming caused by powerful cooling systems and electrical equipment operating around the clock. 

Thousands of servers generate intense heat, requiring large fans and chillers that can produce noise levels between 55 and 85 decibels, often described as a low-pitched roar capable of traveling long distances.

'It's not even fully built yet. That's the scary part,' Montgomery added. 

'If it sounds like this now, what's it going to be like when everything's up and running?'

The latest reports come from Vineland, New Jersey, where locals say the sound began after construction started on a massive 2.5-million-square-foot data center 

Cumberland County Department of Health has acknowledged the noise concerns in the New Jersey town, noting it does not play a role in planning, zoning, or approving construction projects.

The agency added that it will investigate the construction site to determine if it is the source of the noise. 

'If our inspectors find that noise levels are higher than those allowed under the code, we follow the enforcement guidelines under which a penalty may be issued if compliance is not obtained within a certain timeframe,' the agency shared on Facebook.

'While the Cumberland County Department of Health does not have the legal authority to shut down a facility, we do work collaboratively with those involved to resolve any confirmed violations of the Noise Control Act.'

The 2.4 million-square-foot data center is being built on South Lincoln Avenue and is owned by the company Data One. 

 In a statement, the company said the facility is complying with local regulations.

'Our site is operating in full compliance with Vineland City noise ordinance limits,' the company said. 'We will continue deploying sound reduction measures to minimize any impact on our neighbors.'

While authorities have yet to blame the data center for the noise, locals are sure it is the source.

The 2.4 million-square-foot data center is being built on South Lincoln Avenue and is owned by the company Data One 

One local shared on social media: 'I live about two miles away, and it's definitely there. Sounds like a huge engine idling all the time.' 

Montgomery, who lives about a half a mile from the facility, said: 'It keeps you up at night, as you can hear it coming through the house.'

Another local, Theresa Lewis, expressed the same concern, saying that even when her doors and windows are closed, she still hears a constant humming.

'It's like someone is using some type of machinery around my house,' Lewis told ABC 6.  

Montgomery posted a video of the noise on social media. In the recording, a humming sound can be heard.

'We're afraid it's even going to get worse, so it's just maddening to listen to this all the time. It's hard to fall asleep at night,' he said.

Similar reports from Connecticut surfaced earlier this year, but locals said they have been bothered by a humming noise since 2020. 

A persistent low-frequency hum has disrupted life in West Haven, with residents describing the sound as both mysterious and, at times, unbearable. 

Similar reports from Connecticut surfaced earlier this year, but locals said they have been bothered by a humming noise since 2020 

After collecting more than 140 signatures on a petition, residents persuaded city leaders to approve $16,000 to hire an independent acoustic firm to investigate the source, which many believe may be linked to nearby industrial activity. 

'For years, our community has been plagued by a constant or intermittent humming noise and low-frequency vibrations affecting multiple areas of town,' the petition notes. 'This disturbing phenomenon occurs at all hours, disrupting our ability to sleep, concentrate and enjoy life to its fullest.

'Many residents have reported increased levels of stress, anxiety and physical discomfort due to this incessant noise and vibration.' 

While Connecticut authorities have yet to confirm the source, there are several data centers near West Haven, primarily in nearby New Haven, Wallingford, and the surrounding southern Connecticut area.

Lumen New Haven Data Center is about three to five miles from West Haven, while  Fibertech Networks is about four miles away, and Cloudsmart Data Center and ChimeNet Data Center are up to 20 miles from the town.

West Haven Commissioner of Human Services John Carrano shared that the City Council approved a $16,000 budget to hire a third-party acoustics firm to pinpoint the source of the 24/7 noise

Similar humming complaints have emerged across parts of Virginia, where hundreds of large data centers operate around the clock. 

Residents have described hearing a deep, low-frequency buzz, sometimes accompanied by vibrations, fueling speculation about whether expanding data center infrastructure could be contributing to the unexplained noise. 

Dale Brown from Great Oak told WUSA9: 'We're about 700 feet from the data center right here. It's just really, really loud.'

Residents living near the Amazon Web Services data center in Manassas and nearby facilities report both a persistent hum and low rumbling sounds that have sparked ongoing complaints. 

Local Roger Yackel said: 'These data centers are loud, noisy beasts and they are being built too close to residential areas. That's not something that we should have to live with.'

John Lyver, a retired NASA analyst, has begun tracking noise coming from data centers near his neighborhood. 

'I'm finding that the noise is far worse than anybody ever figured it was going to be,' he said.

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

Overview

In a recent episode of the YouTube channel UndercoverET, host Ross Coulthart and his team examined a series of recent reports involving unidentified aerial phenomena (UAP) and drone activity across the United States and the United Kingdom. The broadcast focused on three main items: the disputed drone sightings over New Jersey that some analysts attribute to Chinese “electro‑gravitic” technology, a Kentucky video that appears to show ball‑lightning launching into the sky, and a set of orb‑type sightings captured over England. By juxtaposing official statements, social‑media commentary, and the visual evidence itself, the program attempted to separate verifiable data from speculation.

New Jersey Drone Controversy

The centerpiece of the discussion was the 2024 New Jersey drone incidents, which have sparked a heated debate among intelligence analysts and aviation officials. Coulthart, a veteran investigative journalist with NewsNation, cited unnamed sources suggesting that the Chinese military may have achieved a breakthrough in “electro‑gravitic” propulsion and that the initial drones observed over New Jersey were of Chinese origin. He warned that the United States may have responded by deploying its own advanced platforms to obscure the foreign presence. By contrast, the UAP Reporting Center on X (formerly Twitter) publicly refuted these claims, stating that the craft were definitively American. The Federal Aviation Administration’s (FAA) mixed messaging—first denying any knowledge, then later asserting ownership without detailed specifications—added to the confusion, underscoring a lack of transparency that hampers public understanding.

Anomalous Aerial Footage

The episode also scrutinized two video clips that have circulated widely on social media. The first, recorded in Kentucky, shows a luminous orb near the ground that suddenly rockets upward. While the UAP Reporting Center interpreted the event as a possible energy‑based UAP, the UndercoverET host highlighted technical inconsistencies: a sudden shift from loud mechanical noise to quiet cricket sounds and a conspicuous lens flare that may indicate post‑production editing. He concluded that the footage “leans toward a fabricated or hoaxed” scenario. The second clip, posted by the user “Red Panda Koala,” depicts multiple white orbs moving erratically through clouds over England. Here, the host found the evidence more compelling, noting that the orbs maintained altitude despite a lack of wind (evidenced by stationary trees) and exhibited flight patterns that do not match known aircraft or natural debris. This contrast illustrates the difficulty of assessing UAP reports without rigorous, standardized documentation.

Expert Commentary and Context

Several senior figures were referenced to provide broader context. Former NORAD and NORTHCOM commander General Glen VanHerck—who testified before the Senate Intelligence Committee and was featured on 60 Minutes—has previously acknowledged the presence of “unknown technology” operating over the continental United States. Senator Mike Rounds was also mentioned as part of the growing political dialogue on UAP transparency. Their statements lend institutional weight to the claim that anomalous objects are not merely fringe curiosities but may intersect with national security concerns. However, analysts caution that attributing these sightings to any specific nation’s program remains speculative without corroborating radar data or classified briefings.

Implications and Next Steps

The broadcast concluded by framing the situation as a nascent “UAP technology race” among major powers, suggesting that both foreign and domestic advanced systems could be operating in restricted airspace. While some footage—particularly the Kentucky ball‑lightning video—appears dubious, the persistence of unexplained aerial activity warrants continued scientific scrutiny. UndercoverET’s host urged citizen observers to capture “high‑quality, landscape‑oriented, zoomed‑in” recordings, emphasizing that reliable visual data are essential for verification by investigators. As agencies like the FAA and the Department of Defense work to integrate UAP reporting into existing frameworks, the demand for transparent, peer‑reviewed evidence will be critical to separating genuine technological breakthroughs from misidentified conventional craft or deliberate misinformation.

{  https://usubjects.com/  }

The Amarna Anomaly: Did Akhenaten’s DNA Carry the Signature of the Gods?

When Amenhotep IV ascended the throne in the 14th century BC, he was not meant to be king. The unexpected death of his older brother thrust him into power, and within a few short years, he changed his name to Akhenaten, meaning "effective for the Aten." He moved the capital to a new, isolated city in the desert, Akhetaten (modern Amarna), and declared himself the sole intermediary between humanity and the divine. Even today, researchers debate whether the ancient Egyptian Akhenaten plague may have been a historical myth designed to explain the sudden abandonment of this utopian city.

But it is the art of the Amarna period that has left the most indelible mark on history. Unlike the idealized, rigid, and muscular depictions of previous pharaohs, Akhenaten ordered his artisans to portray him and his family exactly as they were. The result was a shocking departure from tradition. Statues and reliefs show the pharaoh with a mix of masculine and feminine traits, including visible gynecomastia (breast tissue) and a distended belly. His wife, whose fate remains tied to the mysterious disappearance of Nefertiti and their daughters, was also depicted with dramatically elongated skulls.

llustration of the more realistic art of the Amarna period.

According to a comprehensive 2025 medical review published in the Journal Cureus, experts have proposed numerous diagnoses to explain these features, ranging from Marfan syndrome to aromatase excess syndrome and Klinefelter syndrome. Marfan syndrome, a genetic disorder affecting connective tissue, could explain the elongated face and spindly limbs, but it does not account for the female characteristics. Conversely, aromatase excess syndrome could explain the gynecomastia, but it falls short of explaining the cranial deformities. The study ultimately concluded that while these medical theories are fascinating, it is highly unlikely that a single disease could account for the entirety of the Amarna royal family's bizarre physiques.

The Secret of Tomb KV55

The mystery deepened in 1907 when archaeologists discovered a small, unassuming tomb in the Valley of the Kings, designated KV55. Inside, they found a desecrated coffin. The golden face mask had been violently ripped away, and the cartouches bearing the occupant's name were chiseled out, a deliberate act of damnatio memoriae intended to erase the individual from the afterlife.

A striking close-up of a dark stone bust depicting Pharaoh Akhenaten, showcasing the distinctive elongated facial features and the tall crown of the 18th Dynasty. 

(Bowzergod/Pixabay)

For over a century, the identity of the KV55 mummy was fiercely debated. Was it Queen Tiye, the enigmatic Smenkhkare, or Akhenaten himself? In 2010, a landmark DNA study published in the Journal of the American Medical Association (JAMA) provided a stunning revelation. Genetic fingerprinting of the royal mummies confirmed that the KV55 skeleton was the father of King Tutankhamun and the son of Amenhotep III. By all genealogical accounts, this was the heretic king, Akhenaten, finally unmasking the identity of the controversial mummy KV55.

However, the physical examination of the KV55 skeleton presented a glaring paradox. The bones did not show the extreme deformities depicted in the Amarna art. There was no evidence of severe craniosynostosis (premature fusing of the skull bones) or the skeletal markers of Marfan syndrome. This has led many mainstream historians to conclude that the Amarna art style was purely symbolic, a propagandistic choice to depict the pharaoh as the "mother and father of all mankind," reflecting the androgynous nature of the Aten itself.

What if this conclusion is missing the larger picture? What if the art was not an exaggeration, but a deliberate homage to an ancestral truth that the pharaoh was trying to resurrect?

The Signature of the Gods

To understand the Amarna anomaly, one must look beyond the confines of traditional Egyptology and into the broader mythos of the ancient world. Across various ancient cultures, from the Sumerian texts of Mesopotamia to the biblical accounts of the Nephilim, there are persistent records of "Watchers" or "gods" who descended from the heavens and mingled their seed with humanity.

Ancient Egyptian relief at a temple complex, showcasing the monumental scale and detailed hieroglyphic carvings of the Amarna period. 

(Pixabay)

Akhenaten’s religious revolution was not just about monotheism; it was about direct, unmediated contact with the divine. The Aten was not a human-like god; it was depicted as a celestial disc extending rays of light that ended in hands, offering the ankh (the breath of life) directly to the royal family. Akhenaten bypassed the traditional priesthoods because he claimed a direct, biological, and spiritual link to this celestial force.

If we view the Amarna period through the lens of ancient hybridization narratives, the physical anomalies of Akhenaten and his family take on a new meaning. The elongated skulls, the androgynous features, and the bizarre proportions may not have been the result of a random genetic disease, but rather the manifestation of a dormant, ancient gene, the biological blueprint of the "gods" from the First Time (Zep Tepi).

Elongated skulls on display at Museo Regional de Ica in the city of Ica in Peru.

(Marcin Tlustochowicz from Poland/CC BY 2.0)

This theory aligns with the global phenomenon of artificial cranial deformation, practiced by cultures from the Americas to the Black Sea. Why would disparate, unconnected ancient societies deliberately bind the heads of their infants to achieve an elongated shape? The most logical conclusion is that they were imitating a ruling elite or a "divine" race that naturally possessed these cranial features. Akhenaten and his daughters may have been the last visible resurgence of this authentic, un-deformed genetic lineage in the ancient Near East.

The Institutional Silence

The debate over Akhenaten’s DNA and his physical form is not just an academic exercise; it touches upon the sensitive issue of how history is curated. Just as the successor pharaohs, including Horemheb and even Akhenaten’s own son, Tutankhamun, systematically smashed the Amarna statues and erased the heretic’s name from the king lists, modern institutions have often been accused of downplaying discoveries that challenge the established narrative of human origins.

While there is no direct evidence of a modern "cover-up" regarding the KV55 mummy, the intense resistance within orthodox academia to entertain theories outside of standard medical diagnoses reflects a broader reluctance to engage with the uncomfortable anomalies of our past. The 2010 DNA results were groundbreaking, yet they left many questions unanswered, particularly regarding the exact nature of the genetic markers found within the 18th Dynasty lineage.

The Legacy of the Heretic

Akhenaten’s reign was a brief, blinding flash of radical departure in the long, conservative history of ancient Egypt. He attempted to pull his civilization back to a purer, more direct connection with the cosmos, bypassing the corrupt human institutions of the priesthood. In doing so, he may have revealed the true, hidden face of the ancient rulers, a face that was deliberately obscured by those who came after him.

House altar Akhenaten Nefertiti Berlin showing Akhenaten, Nefertiti and three of their daughters. (Egyptian Museum of Berlin/Public domain)

The Amarna anomaly remains one of the most compelling mysteries of antiquity. Whether viewed as a tragic medical case study, an alternative view of the heretic king, or the startling re-emergence of a divine genetic blueprint, Akhenaten continues to challenge our understanding of who we are and where we came from. As science advances and our ability to sequence ancient DNA improves, the sands of Egypt may yet yield the final truth about the bloodline of the gods.

Deep Dive

• The Global Elongated Skull Phenomenon: The practice of artificial cranial deformation was widespread in antiquity, from the Paracas skulls of Peru to the Huns of the Eurasian steppes. Many alternative researchers argue that this painful practice was an attempt by human elites to mimic the natural physiology of a "god-like" ruling class, of which the Amarna royals may have been a late manifestation.
• The Damnatio Memoriae: The erasure of Akhenaten was so thorough that his existence was completely forgotten until the 19th century. His city of Akhetaten was abandoned and swallowed by the desert, preserving the unique art and boundary stelae that eventually allowed archaeologists to piece together the story of the pharaoh who tried to change the universe.

More Fast Facts

• Medical Mystery or Divine Blueprint? The elongated skulls, spindly limbs, and androgynous features of Pharaoh Akhenaten and his family have baffled experts for over a century, with recent medical studies struggling to pinpoint a single human disease that explains all their physical anomalies.
• The KV55 Controversy: DNA analysis from 2010 identified the desecrated mummy in Tomb KV55 as the likely father of Tutankhamun and the heretic king Akhenaten himself, but the lack of severe physical deformities in the skeleton has only deepened the mystery of the Amarna art style.

The golden sands of Egypt hold many secrets, but few are as enduring or as controversial as the mystery of the Amarna period. Over 3,300 years ago, a radical pharaoh upended seventeen centuries of religious tradition, plunging the most powerful empire in the ancient world into chaos. He abolished the powerful priesthoods, erased the names of the old gods, and established the worship of a single, faceless deity, the Aten. But it was not just his religious revolution that shocked subsequent generations; it was the bizarre, almost otherworldly physical appearance of the pharaoh himself.

Akhenaten, the "Heretic King," was depicted with a severely elongated skull, a long sinewy neck, a narrow upper torso, broad hips, and spindly limbs. For decades, Egyptologists and medical professionals have debated whether these depictions were mere artistic stylization or the result of a profound genetic mutation. Yet, as modern science attempts to retroactively diagnose this ancient ruler, a more profound question emerges: Could the physical anomalies of the Amarna royals be a reflection of a much older, divine bloodline, a genetic signature from the "first time" of the gods?

By Marius Albertsen

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{ https://www.ancient-origins.net/history-famous-people }

By Elizabeth Rayne

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

Some UAPs might have both.

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

Written by Sarah Jones

© Credit: To The Stars

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

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

The Roswell Phenomenon

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

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

Earthly Findings: It’s Not Alien After All

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

_{Analysis of extraterrestrial material at ORNL. Credit: Oak Ridge National Laboratory (ORNL)}

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

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

Unexplored Theories and Missed Chances

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

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

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

Researchers Discover Evidence of a Massive Underground Water System on Mars

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

Written by Sarah Jones

© Credit: Shutterstock

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

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

Deep Craters Show Clear Signs of Ancient Water Activity

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

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

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

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

_{Three-stage evolution of groundwater-fed craters on Mars, from flooding to erosion. Credit: NASA / JPL-Caltech / MSSS / F. Salese & al.}

Evidence of Mars’ Watery Past

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

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

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

_{Surface structures identified across several basins. Credit: Journal of Geophysical Research: Planets}

Signs of Life-Friendly Conditions in Minerals

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

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

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

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

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

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

By XANTHA LEATHAM, EXECUTIVE SCIENCE EDITOR

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

READ MORE

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

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

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

ExLabs has been contacted for more detail. 

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

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

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

By WILIAM HUNTER, SENIOR SCIENCE & TECHNOLOGY REPORTER

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

By SHIVALI BEST, SCIENCE & TECHNOLOGY EDITOR 

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

What Project Hail Mary gets wrong?

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

What will aliens sound like?

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

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

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

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

They may use chemical pheromones or light to communicate instead.  

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

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

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

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

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

On Earth, most induced comas last days or weeks. 

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

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

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

What Project Hail Mary gets right

1. What Rocky the alien looks like

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

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

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

2. What Rocky the alien sounds like

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

Read More

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

3. The design of the spacecraft

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

By SHIVALI BEST, SCIENCE & TECHNOLOGY EDITOR 

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

22 March 

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

23 May

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

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

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

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

29 August

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

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

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

15 October 

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

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

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

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

28 October 2025

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

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

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

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

Webcam images

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

Read More

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

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

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

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

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

What IS the Loch Ness Monster?

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

So what could explain these mysterious sightings? 

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

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

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

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

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

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

RELATED VIDEOS

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

'There was a lot going through my mind.

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

READ MORE

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

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

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

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

What IS the Loch Ness Monster?

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

So what could explain these mysterious sightings? 

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

Credit: Shutterstock

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

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

Scientific Reports

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

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

Interpreting the Wheel of Ghosts

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

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

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

The Satellite View

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

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

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

Credit: A. Kleiner

Uncovering Further Wheel of Ghosts-Like Sites

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

Date of discovery: March 10, 2026

Location of discovery: Brazil jungle

Google coordinates: -25.152750, -49.407833

 

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

Scott C. Waring - Taiwan 

 

 

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

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

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

 James Felton - Senior Staff Writer 

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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