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The most mysterious places on Earth where not a single human has set foot, revealed

• READ MORE: Scientists discover 73 volcanoes hidden across the ocean floor 

By WILIAM HUNTER, SENIOR SCIENCE & TECHNOLOGY REPORTER

From the North Pole to the summit of Mount Everest, it might seem like intrepid explorers have already conquered every remaining frontier.

However, you might be surprised to learn just how many places on Earth have never been visited by a single living human.

From the impenetrable heart of ancient forests to the frozen peaks of sacred mountains, these are the last few truly untouched locations.

And, in the hidden depths of caves, there could be hundreds of miles of pristine territory that are still waiting to be discovered.

Like the terrifying peak of Gangkhar Puensum, the tallest unclimbed mountain in the world, some of these sites have been left untouched for religious or spiritual reasons.

However, areas like the crushing depths of the Arctic Ocean's Gakkel Ridge are simply too hostile and dangerous for humans to reach.

Meanwhile, out in Earth's last true wildernesses of Antarctica and Siberia, vast uncharted regions remain untrodden despite decades of attempted exploration.

Read on to find out where the most mysterious locations on Earth are hidden.

While it might seem like explorers have pushed back every frontier, there are actually many places yet to be visited by a single human. Pictured: Glaciers and rock outcrops in Marie Byrd Land, West Antarctica

Marie Byrd Land, Antarctica

Located in West Antarctica, Marie Byrd Land is one of the only true examples of Terra Nullius.

Literally meaning no-man's land, that status means these 620,000 square miles (1.61 million square km) of frozen expanse are the legal property of no nation.

Scientists estimate that 99.6 per cent of this area remains pristine wilderness totally untouched by humanity, compared to just 32 per cent of Antarctica as a whole.

Due to its vast size, covering the same area as Alaska, and extreme conditions, most of the region has never been visited by humans despite decades of exploration.

However, the region is also of critical scientific importance.

Andrew Fleming, Head of the Mapping and Geographic Information Centre at the British Antarctic Survey, told the Daily Mail: 'It includes Thwaites Glacier, the focus of the major International Thwaites Glacier Collaboration research programme.

'As one of the largest glaciers draining the West Antarctic Ice Sheet, the future behaviour of Thwaites Glacier and the surrounding ice sheet is of global significance, as it could contribute substantially to sea-level rise.;

Located in West Antarctica, Marie Byrd Land is one of the only true examples of Terra Nullius - meaning no-man's land 

Northern Forest Complex, Myanmar

Spanning more than 12,000 square miles (30,296 square km), the Northern Forest Complex is one of Earth's last true wildernesses.

This dense jungle spans the mountainous land in the far North of Myanmar, stretching between the borders of India and China.

It is one of the largest tracts of intact forest in Southeast Asia, estimated to contain 6,000 species, of which 1,500 are believed to exist nowhere else.

The area was already extremely remote, and only sparsely inhabited by native groups, but access became even more restricted in the 1960s.

As political conflict swept through Myanmar, the nation closed the Northern Forest Complex to most researchers for the last 70 years.

This means that many of the forest's deepest areas are still yet to be explored.

Gangkhar Puensum, Bhutan

The Northern Forest Complex in Myanmar covers more than 12,000 square miles (30,296 square km) of mountainous terrain, most of which remains unexplored 

Standing at 24,836 feet (7,550 metres) and looming a full 9,800 feet (3,000 metres) above its neighbours, Bhutan's Gangkhar Puensum is the tallest unclimbed mountain in the world.

Harsh weather, a remote location, and a lack of proper mapping make the climb challenging, but this is not why the peak has been abandoned.

Instead, Ghangar Puensum cannot be climbed because of strongly held religious beliefs.

The Bhutanese people believe that mountains are sacred because deities live at their summits.

Several attempts were made in the 1980s, but climbers always turned back out of respect for local custom.

In 1994, the government banned climbing above 6,000 metres and, in 2003, completely prohibited mountaineering in the country.

So, while taller and more deadly mountains have been conquered, Gangkhar Puensum may remain unclimbed forever.

Machapuchare, Nepal

Bhutan's Gangkhar Puensum is the tallest unclimbed mountain in the world thanks to a strict religious prohibition on mountaineering in the country 

This holy mountain, otherwise known as 'Mount Fishtail' after its notched summit, is arguably one of the least visited places on Earth.

The incredible twin peaks tower 22,943 feet (6,993 metres) above the Annapurna Conservation Area, in Northern Nepal.

According to the legends of the local Gurung people, the mountain is the home of Lord Shiva, one of the principal deities in Hinduism.

This means that the mountain has been almost entirely untouched throughout human history.

In 1957, a British expedition obtained permission to climb the peak but turned back within 150 metres of the summit, having promised the King of Nepal they would not touch the peak.

Since then, no new permits have been issued to climb, and the mountain remains untouched.

Summa Ri, Pakistan-China border

But not every unclimbed peak has been left for spiritual reasons.

Machapuchare, otherwise known as 'Mount Fishtail', in Nepal has never been climbed. A British team came within 150 meters of the summit in 1957 but turned back in respect for local religious traditions

Others, like the massive Summa Ri and Summa Ri II, are simply too dangerous and inaccessible for humans to reach - making this the tallest unclimbed mountain where climbing is allowed.

Located in a remote part of the Pakistan-China border, these peaks stand at 23,990 feet (7,312 meters) and 23,956 feet (7,302 meters) respectively, and have never been climbed.

While climbing is not officially banned in the area, attempting to reach the summit is essentially impossible.

Sandwiched in a politically sensitive area, there are no roads, trails or base camp to set out from.

Combined with glaciated terrain, deep crevasses, and avalanche-prone slopes, Summa Ri may remain unclimbed for many years to come.

Nyainqêntanglha East, Tibet

However, if you thought unclimbed peaks were hard to come by, the imposing mountain range of Nyainqêntanglha East will quickly prove that notion wrong.

Stretching some 370 miles (600 km) along and 123 miles (200 km) wide, this impossibly remote mountain range is almost entirely untouched by humanity.

Standing at 23,990 feet (7,312 meters), Suma Ri is the tallest unclimbed mountain that can legally be attempted 

In the imposing mountain range of Nyainqêntanglha East, 159 of the 164 peaks above 19,685 feet (6,000 metres) are yet to be climbed 

The range is located on the southeastern rim of the Qinghai-Tibetan Plateau and is sometimes known as the 'Alps of Tibet'.

But, unlike the Alps, the vast majority of the peaks in this area remain unclimbed.

Out of the 164 peaks above 19,685 feet (6,000 metres), 159 are yet to be climbed.

A few western expeditions and a growing number of local climbers have now started to set new routes on untouched peaks, but those hunting for somewhere no human has trodden are still spoiled for choice.

Gakkel Ridge, Arctic Ocean

Moving away from the heights of the mountains, the ocean's depths hide even more places yet untouched by humanity.

The National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration estimates that just 28.7 per cent of the ocean floor has even been mapped, while only 0.001 per cent has been directly observed by humans.

Yet, of all those uncharted regions, the Gakkel Ridge is possibly the most inaccessible and fascinating.

The Gakkel Ridge is a 1,120-mile-long (1,800 km) underwater volcanic mountain range stretching across the Eurasian Basin in the Arctic Ocean, almost none of which has been explored

This is an 1,120-mile-long (1,800 km) underwater volcanic mountain range stretching across the Eurasian Basin in the Arctic Ocean.

Plunging between 15,090 feet (4,600 metres) and 16,730 feet (5,100 metres) beneath the surface, this trench between the North American and the Eurasian continental plates is one of the deepest points on Earth.

However, unlike the Marina Trench, the Gakkel Ridge is also covered by an almost impenetrable layer of sea ice all year round.

In October last year, a Chinese expedition was able to use icebreakers to launch a manned mission into the trench, but only a tiny fraction of its area has yet been explored.

Yucatan Cenotes, Mexico 

Chris Lloyd, a geologist and cave explorer from the Association for Mexican Cave Studies, told the Daily Mail: 'There are not a lot of places on this planet that are truly still unknown; caves are some of those places.'

And no place has more potential for new discoveries than Mexico's Yucatan Cenotes, natural limestone sinkholes and cave systems that were flooded around 10,000 years ago.

There are about 7,000 cenotes in the Yucatan province, and only 142 are available to visit - meaning that 98 per cent are still unexplored.

Experts think the Yucatan Cenotes in Mexico could be hiding around 1,000 km of unexplored passages

Hang Son Doong, Vietnam, is the world's largest cave. While the main passage has been mapped, experts believe that many of its subterranean river systems and side passages remain unmapped and unexplored

Some of these may have once been inhabited by prehistoric groups before the waters rose, but there are many hidden depths that no human has ever visited.

Mr Lloyd says: 'There probably is at least as much more to explore in the cenotes as has already been explored, which means something like another 1,000 km of passages.'

Hang Son Doong, Vietnam

Besides Mexico's Cenotes, the other great uncharted cave is Hang Son Doong in Vietnam.

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Believed to be the world's largest cave, the mapped areas alone cover 38.5 million cubic meters and extend over 5.8 miles (9.4 km).

Despite decades of concerted exploration, divers are still finding more tunnels and chambers hidden within.

Even in 2019, a team of explorers discovered chambers that added another 1.6 million cubic meters of volume.

While the main passage has been mapped, experts believe that many of its subterranean river systems and side passages remain unmapped and unexplored.

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EXCLUSIVE - MIT scientist explains how the theory we're living in a simulation could prove Christianity right

By STACY LIBERATORE, US SCIENCE & TECHNOLOGY EDITOR

A leading computer scientist believes one of the most controversial theories in modern science could actually strengthen Christianity rather than undermine it.

Rizwan Virk, who studied computer science at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT), argues that if humanity is one day proven to be living inside a computer simulation, it would not disprove the Bible but instead offer a modern explanation for many of its central teachings.

The simulation hypothesis proposes that what humans perceive as physical reality is actually an artificial world generated by an advanced intelligence, much like an immensely sophisticated video game.

'The religions were trying to tell us that it's some kind of simulation, and that the soul is the player of the game,' Virk told the Daily Mail.

According to Virk, many of Christianity's core beliefs fit naturally within that framework. He believes the soul exists outside the simulated world as the true 'player,' while the human body functions as its avatar. 

In his view, the biblical Book of Life resembles a complete recording of every action taken inside the simulation, while the life review reported by many near-death experiencers mirrors replaying those recorded events after death.

Virk also compared the Genesis account of God creating the universe by speaking to the way modern AI systems generate virtual worlds through simple prompts.

'So I think that it's more likely we're in a simulated world if Christianity is true, or even if any of the other religions are essentially true,' he said.

A leading computer scientist believes one of the most controversial theories in modern science could actually strengthen Christianity rather than undermine it 

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The Milky Way is even BIGGER than we thought: Research reveals how our galaxy's gigantic spiral arms stretch 10% further than previously believed

• READ MORE: Dark matter may have been detected seven YEARS ago

By SHIVALI BEST, SCIENCE & TECHNOLOGY EDITOR 

The Milky Way is even bigger than we thought, a new study has revealed. 

Scientists from the European Space Agency spotted the aftermath of three bright explosions echoing through the outer spiral arms of our galaxy. 

By measuring the distance to those echoes, they found that the outer arms are actually 10 per cent further away than previously believed. 

'We usually model the Milky Way's outer arms indirectly based on what we know of how our galaxy rotates, but doing it this way leaves room for error,' explained Beatrice Vaia of Istituto Nazionale di Astrofisica (INAF), Italy, who led the research. 

'Instead, we did something new. 

'We looked at the aftermath of three cosmic explosions that took place in far more distant galaxies. 

'These explosions flung out X–rays that echoed through several of the Milky Way's outer arms – and we measured the distances to these echoes directly.'

The findings could help to shed light on the structure of our galaxy's outer regions.

   

Scientists from the European Space Agency spotted the aftermath of three bright explosions echoing through the outer spiral arms of our galaxy. By measuring the distance to those echoes, they found that the outer arms are actually 10 per cent further away than previously believed

While our solar system sits within the Milky Way, scientists still don't know much about its structure. 

However, this is changing, as new telescopes offer fresh views of our galaxy.

For example, scientists were previously unsure if the Milky Way had two or four arms. 

In 2020, observations by the Gaia space telescope confirmed that the answer is four. 

In their new study, the team used the XMM–Newton and NASA's Chandra X–ray space telescopes to study the gamma–ray bursts thrown out by three bright explosions in the outer spiral arms of the Milky Way.

By studying how these bursts slowly expanded over time, the team was able to pinpoint the distance of the scattering dust grains. 

As these lie in clouds within the arms of our galaxy, the researchers could then directly measure the distance of the arms. 

The results revealed that two of the Milky Way galaxy's arms – Outer Scutum–Centaurus Arm and Outer Arm – lie up to 10 per cent further away than we thought. 

By studying how these bursts slowly expanded over time, the team was able to pinpoint the distance of the scattering dust grains. As these lie in clouds within the arms of our galaxy, the researchers could then directly measure the distance of the arms

'This finding is a great example of how ESA's longer–standing missions – such as XMM–Newton, which launched in 1999 – still have a hugely important role to play in exploring the Universe,' said Erik Kuulkers, ESA XMM–Newton project scientist.

'Now in its third decade, XMM–Newton continues to return a steady stream of groundbreaking science on everything from the brightest–ever GRB, to stars being shredded by black holes, to X–ray snapshots of Mars. 

Read More

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'It's even more exciting when missions team up, as they did here. 

'Together, they can reveal huge amounts about the skies around us.'

THE MILKY WAY'S OLDEST STAR

A star discovered in 2018 is thought to be one of the oldest in the Milky Way.

Scientists at the Instituto de Astrofísica de Canarias (IAC) in Spain believe that it might have formed about 300 million years after the 'Big Bang'.

IAC researcher Jonay González Hernández said: 'Theory predicts that these stars could form just after, and using material from, the first supernovae, whose progenitors were the first massive stars in the Galaxy.'

Researchers hope the star, known as J0815+4729, which is in line with the Lynx constellation, will help them learn more about the Big Bang, the popular theory about the galaxy's evolution.

IAC director Rafael Rebolo said: 'Detecting lithium gives us crucial information related to Big Bang nucleosynthesis. We are working on a spectrograph of high resolution and wide spectral range in order to be able to measure (among other things) the detailed chemical composition of stars with unique properties such as J0815+4729.'

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ILLUSTRATIVE RECONSTRUCTION // NOT EVIDENCE

Overview

Spanish ufologist Antonio Ribera remains one of the most influential voices in Hispanic UFO literature, and his 1982 essay on what he called the “Ten Commandments on UFOs” continues to surface in discussions about how the phenomenon has been interpreted in the Spanish-speaking world. Published in Encuentros con Humanoides, the text is less a declaration of certainty than a structured attempt to frame a mystery that Ribera believed deserved serious study. In it, he argues that UFOs are most likely advanced machines—possibly from elsewhere, possibly from another dimension, and perhaps even from the future. His phrasing reflects a style common in classic ufology: speculative, but grounded in what believers considered real-world traces such as radar returns and physical impressions on the ground.

Ribera’s Core Argument

Ribera’s first claim was that UFOs are, “in all likelihood, a super-machine created by a superior technology.” From there, he expanded the idea into a broader cosmology. He suggested that such craft may have conquered not only space but also time and interdimensional barriers, allowing both extraterrestrial and “pluridimensional” explanations to coexist. He also rejected the notion that UFOs are simply mental projections, noting that “mental constructs do not register on radar, nor do they leave behind ground impressions weighing up to thirty tons.” For Ribera, the reported occupants of these craft were likely living beings of humanoid appearance, though he allowed for the possibility that some witnesses may have encountered robots—either mechanical or biological, the product of highly advanced genetic engineering. Perhaps his most enduring line came when he wrote that “the UFO is a mirror that reflects the face of the beholder,” underscoring his belief that interpretations of the phenomenon often say as much about observers as they do about the objects themselves.

UMMO And The Extraterrestrial Papers

by Antonio Ribera (Author) 

THE ALIENS ARE AMONG US!

THEY WISH TO COMMUNICATE!

AND HAVE EVEN CONSTRUCTED CITIES IN REMOTE PLACES WHILE THEY ARE HERE!

The story of UMMO starts with a series of letters and phone calls to various Spanish UFO researchers in 1965 that purportedly came from an extraterrestrial race. While the most commonly reported method of ET contact is clearly by telepathy, the aliens in this case tried a more direct, decidedly earthly method of communication.
The letters contained highly detailed discourses on such weighty topics as physics and medicine that could only have been written by experts on the cutting edge in those rarified fields that are light years beyond what a lay hoaxer could have come up with. One of the letters also predicted that a UFO sighting would occur on a certain day at a certain location in Spain, and the ship did indeed appear on schedule and at the appointed place. It was a rare event in the annals of Ufology, a supposed alien prediction that actually came true.
The race behind the letters and activity claimed to have come from a planet named UMMO, saying that they had arrived on Earth in 1950 and had been biding their time before contacting trustworthy Earthlings. They had come in response to a weak signal inadvertently sent out into space by a Norwegian ship conducting ionospheric research in 1934. It was later verified that both the ship and its experiments were indeed real-world events. The first landing took place near the Basses-Alps in France. The aliens from UMMO also claimed to have built an underground base in France as well, and later to have established other strongholds, including isolated small cities, much like the aliens in the new science fiction hit "District Nine."
The story kicks into higher gear when two additional sightings occurred near Madrid in 1966 and 1967. In both instances, the bottom side of the ship displayed the letters UMMO as well as a distinctive pictorial mark, seen throughout the book, that resembles our own notation for Uranus. According to the introduction written by Antonio Huneeus, seven clear photos of a classic flying saucer with a large UMMO symbol were taken by one of the Spanish witnesses during the second incident. Though they were later labeled as a hoax by Dr. J. Allen Hynek's Center for UFO Studies in Chicago, the photographer still stands by them.
Another aspect of the second sighting was a strange kind of debris left behind, what were thought at first to be small tubes of a metal resembling nickel. After being sent to Spain's National Institute of Aerospace Technology, they were determined to contain plastic sheets of polyvinyl fluoride, developed by DuPont. The catch is, however, that at the time the use of the material was restricted to the military only. So we have here the makings of another classic UFO case, one with the kind of similarities to previous cases that grounds it within the relative confines of reality while at the same time offering up newer details that add to the uniqueness of the case material.
The book begins with a longish opening section from the early 1990s in which an Earthling named simply "Tony" exchanges letters with an alien called Mr. X in which they discuss numerous aspects of life on Earth as seen from an alien perspective as well as inklings of the cosmic truth possessed by the aliens.

A Broader Hispanic Ufology Debate

The Ribera text sits within a wider body of Hispanic ufology, where writers and researchers have long debated whether the phenomenon is truly extraterrestrial or something more complex. The source material points to Argentine military interest in UFO research, a reminder that in parts of Latin America, official institutions have periodically taken unexplained aerial reports seriously enough to investigate them. It also reflects a recurring skepticism within the field: some researchers have suggested that intelligence agencies could manipulate UFO narratives to obscure the existence of secret military craft or advanced aerospace programs. That theory, while unproven, has remained a durable part of UFO discourse because it offers a terrestrial explanation for at least some sightings without dismissing the entire subject.

Competing Explanations and Cultural Theories

What makes Ribera’s “commandments” notable is that they do not close off alternative interpretations; instead, they leave room for a range of possibilities that continue to animate UFO discussions today. Some researchers have favored non-extraterrestrial models, including interdimensional beings, while others have looked to non-human entities or other unusual intelligences that do not fit classic “little green men” assumptions. The source also notes more unconventional cultural theories, including the idea that rock music may be linked to abduction experiences, a claim that illustrates just how far the interpretive spectrum can stretch in UFO studies. Whether viewed as serious inquiry or cultural curiosity, these perspectives show that Hispanic ufology has often been as much about philosophy, psychology, and geopolitics as it has been about lights in the sky.

Enduring Influence

Ribera’s legacy lies in his willingness to combine openness with discipline: he did not claim to know what UFOs were, but he insisted they merited methodical attention. That balance helped make him a defining figure in Spanish-language ufology, alongside his work as a translator and writer who introduced major science-fiction and speculative ideas to new readers. More than four decades later, his framework still resonates because it captures a central tension in UFO research: the phenomenon is real enough to inspire investigation, but elusive enough to keep almost every explanation on the table.

{  https://usubjects.com/  }

Avi Loeb, physicist at Harvard University, poses for a portrait in the observatory near his office in Cambridge, Massachusetts on January 29, 2019.  (Image credit: Adam Glanzman/For The Washington Post via Getty Images)

Harvard astrophysicist Avi Loeb has been appointed as the head of a new White House group to study unidentified anomalous phenomena or UAP, a new catch-all term for UFOs that might appear not just in the air but also in space or underwater. Loeb says the group is focused on evidence, instrumentation, data analysis and collection standards.

The move follows recent Trump administration initiatives to bring more transparency to the topic of UFOs, or UAP. The UAP Science Advisory Council, Loeb explains, was established by the White House, the Pentagon's All-Domain Anomaly Resolution Office (AARO), the Office of the Director of National Intelligence (ODNI), the Federal Bureau of Investigation, and other members of the Intelligence Community.

Loeb co-founded and leads the Galileo Project, designed to bring the search for extraterrestrial technological signatures of extraterrestrial technological civilizations "from accidental or anecdotal observations and legends to the mainstream of transparent, validated and systematic scientific research."

As chair of the just-formed UAP Science Advisory Council, Loeb has built a team of researchers that he describes as "an amazing A-team of exceptional scientists and experts."

Members of the group come from a wide range of disciplines from data science and instrumentation to biology, oceanography, anthropology and psychology.

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The council's stated purpose is to help government agencies study the nature of UAP through rigorous scientific methods, with an emphasis on collecting and analyzing higher-quality data rather than relitigating older material that cannot be independently verified.

Meet the team

But first things first.

What is the current membership makeup of Loeb's Council? It's quite a mix of talent to undertake a new look at UAP:

• Liberty Capito is a professor of practice in data science at the Olin Business School at the Washington University in St. Louis.
• Carol Cleland is a professor in the Department of Philosophy at the University of Colorado Boulder.
• Richard Cloete is a computer scientist at Harvard University and a member of Loeb's Galileo Project.
• Omer Eldadi is in the department of psychology at Reichman University, Herzliya, Israel.
• Tim Gallaudet is a retired Navy admiral and oceanographer.
• Dale Hanson is an associate professor of economics at George Mason University statistics and economics.
• Ross Howard is producer of John Michael Godier's Event Horizon podcast that explores the technosignatures of alien technology. He is also with the Sol Foundation aimed at addressing the UAP issue and preparing society for its social implications.
• Kevin Knuth is a professor of physics at the University at Albany.
• Ben Lamm is the co-founder and CEO Of Colossal Biosciences, the world's first de-extinction company.
• Devesh Nandal is a Swiss National Science Foundation postdoctoral fellow at the Center for Astrophysics at Harvard and Smithsonian.
• Garry Nolan is professor in the Department of Pathology at Stanford University School of Medicine and is executive director of the board of the Sol Foundation.
• Michael Shermer is the founding publisher of Skeptic magazine and an educator on critical thinking.
• Peter Skafish is a sociocultural anthropologist and secretary of the Sol Foundation.
• Matthew Szydagis is an associate professor in the Department of Physics at the University at Albany.
• Jennice Vilhauer is a clinical psychologist with expertise in quantitative psychology and the psychological dimensions of potential disclosure.

Data-driven, physics-based

Space.com reached out to several of the UAP Council members to get their personal views on this new study approach.

"I expect the council and myself to follow methods and techniques deeply rooted in the scientific principles," said Devesh Nandal.

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"The UAP Science council in particular is focused on a data-driven and physics-based approach on the topic of UAP," said Nandal. "We approach this topic with the same rigor we apply in our respective scientific fields and we hope to provide an unbiased analysis on this topic."

Nandal said his role is to help with quantitative data analysis and apply his expertise in astrophysics to help the council decipher the origin of UAPs.

"My first and foremost passion is in stellar astrophysics where I study the life and death of massive and supermassive stars," Nandal said. "I also find the anomalous nature of UAP sightings to be quite intriguing, and whether these events are of terrestrial or extraterrestrial origin, I am excited to apply my understanding of physics to decipher their true nature," he said.

If such events can be explained using known principles, "that's excellent," Nandal advised, as this gives him a chance to test the laws of physics to explain a phenomenon that is captivating fellow humans.

"If such events are beyond our current understanding, I see this as a brilliant opportunity to learn all that I can about the Universe and share my findings with everyone," Nandal concluded.

Public trust in science

Council member Liberty Capito said she's honored to be a part of the study group.

"Avi is one of the most brilliant scientists of our time and what he has put together, is what I believe to be a blueprint for re-establishing the public's trust in science by having people with vastly different views, beliefs and science on it," Capito said.

From Council member, Robin Hanson: "It's an honor to be invited, and it's a great cause. I worried at first if we could find much useful to do, but it seems that we do have some promising ideas."

Another member of the UAP Council is Carol Cleland, a professor in the Department of Philosophy at the University of Colorado Boulder. She is a Search for Extraterrestrial Intelligence Institute Affiliate and a member of CU Boulder's Center for Astrobiology.

"I anticipate having a council of outside experts will pressure the government to be more open about releasing information and allowing members of the council to interview UAP witnesses," Cleland told Space.com.

Potential positive

Identifying the unidentified deserves a high priority within the U.S. government and the scientific community, explains Loeb.

Nevertheless, for organizations that also continue to diligently sort out what's behind unidentified flying objects (UFOs) in the past and the current UAP tag line, they are taking a cautiously optimistic attitude.

"The involvement of serious, independent scientists is a potential positive development, and the government requires that for any thorough and credible investigation of UAP," said Mark Rodeghier, president and scientific director of the J. Allen Hynek Center for UFO Studies since 1986.

The key issue is not the credentials of the people involved, Rodeghier said, but the structure they are working within.

"If the Council lacks a clear mandate, access to relevant data, a collaborative relationship with those actually grappling with the UAP problem in the government, and then a path for public reporting, its practical value may be quite limited," Rodeghier told Space.com.

Wait and see

Robert Powell, an executive board member of the Scientific Coalition for UAP Studies, said he's adopting a "wait and see" attitude regarding the UAP Council at this point in time.

"Since the UAP Council seems to have the ear of some in Congress," Powell told Space.com, "I hope that they will spend some of their time advocating that Congress appropriate funding specific to the study of UAP through the National Science Foundation."

In SCU board meetings, Powell added, they are a strong proponent of making funding available to the scientific community and academia.

"We never know from where a breakthrough may occur in the study of UAP," Powell said, "and the more scientists involved from all areas of research, the better."

{ https://www.space.com/space-exploration }

 

Synopsis

Luis Elizondo claims unreleased photographs show giant monoliths on the moon. These intriguing images are expected to be made public soon by the government. NASA states its extensive lunar mapping data shows no such structures. This assertion follows the Trump administration's ongoing release of classified UFO files. The Pentagon has recently provided a fourth batch of these UFO files.

Ex-Pentagon official claims secret photos showing monolith-like structures on Moon exist

As the Trump administration continues releasing classified "UFO Files" containing images of unidentified aerial phenomena (UAPs), former Pentagon UFO investigator Luis Elizondo has made a startling claim, saying the US government possesses unreleased photographs that appear to show giant monolith-like structures on the moon and that the images could be made public soon.

While speaking on podcast Disclosure Tonight with Thomas Fessler on Tuesday (July 7, 2026), Elizondo, who headed the Pentagon’s Advanced Aerospace Threat Identification Program, said, “There’s also photographs that I don’t believe have been made public yet that show on the lunar surface what appear to be large monolithic structures with right angle cuts.” He claimed that photographs of the monoliths were likely to be released soon, and called the images “intriguing.”

"So it's not naturally occurring obviously, right? And like we talked about before the show, if there is any objects on the moon, I mean anything that is not naturally occurring and has been manufactured by somebody, um that is also equally I think as groundbreaking as disclosure itself because it gives us insight that something else has been up there besides us and we're now just discovering that.” “It also shows us how much NASA has been lying to us this whole time," he added.

NASA breaks silence

A NASA spokesperson told the *New York Post* that the agency has mapped and photographed the Moon's entire surface and is unaware of any monoliths in its data. According to NASA, the Moon has been mapped at resolutions of up to 0.5 meters per pixel, and the agency says it has no knowledge of any structures matching those claims.

The assertion comes amid growing public interest in the disclosure of unidentified aerial phenomena (UAPs), as the Trump administration continues releasing previously classified "UFO files." While the documents have not provided evidence of alien life, they do include images of well-documented moving orbs along with other purportedly unusual phenomena that have drawn public attention.

The Department of War began releasing the UFO, or UAP, files on a rolling basis on May 8 after President Donald Trump pledged to declassify certain government records. Additional batches were released on May 22 and June 12. On Friday (July 10, 2026), the Pentagon released a fourth tranche of UFO files, consisting of 40 new files, including 19 videos.

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