NASA's Perseverance Rover Is About To Finish A Marathon

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Alternate versions of you from parallel universes may be controlling your life, new theory claims

By STACY LIBERATORE, US SCIENCE & TECHNOLOGY EDITOR

A bizarre new theory suggests there may be countless alternate versions of your life playing out at the same time across parallel universes.

According to Oxford physicist Vlatko Vedral, every tiny event in the universe could create a different version of reality, sending another 'you' down a completely separate life path.

In one reality, you took a different job. In another, you married someone else. Somewhere else, you moved across the country or made one small choice that changed your entire future.

The unsettling idea comes from a real branch of quantum physics known as the Many-Worlds interpretation, which suggests reality may constantly split into parallel worlds instead of following one fixed timeline.

Vedral recently argued in Popular Mechanics that humans do not magically create reality simply by observing it, a belief that has spread online through manifestation culture and misunderstood interpretations of quantum physics.

Instead, he says reality changes naturally through ordinary interactions happening every second, whether humans notice them or not.

That means your life may simply be one possible outcome of the same choice made by other versions of yourself in different realities, while the outcome you might have been hoping for unfolds in another parallel universe.

And if the theory is correct, somewhere out there, another version of you could be richer, happier, more successful or living a completely different life shaped by tiny changes in the universe.

Oxford physicist Vlatko Vedral claimed that there may be countless alternate versions of you branching off every second, each created by tiny interactions happening throughout the universe.

The idea is based on one of the strangest concepts in modern science: the Many-worlds interpretation, Vedral wrote in Popular Mechanics.

Quantum mechanics studies the bizarre behavior of particles smaller than atoms, where objects do not always behave according to the rules people experience in everyday life.

For decades, scientists have known that particles can appear to exist in multiple states at the same time until they interact with something else.

One famous example involves light particles called photons. A photon can behave as if it traveled through two paths simultaneously, at least until something interrupts or measures it.

Traditionally, physicists described this process using something called the 'observer effect,' the idea that observing a particle forces it into one final state.

In simple terms, many people came to believe reality behaves like a choose-your-own-adventure story where human observation picks the ending.

Over time, the concept spread far beyond science labs and into pop culture.

Online influencers, self-help gurus and New Age spiritual movements began promoting the idea that human consciousness could shape reality itself, suggesting people could 'manifest' wealth, success or love through thought alone.

The unsettling idea comes from a real branch of quantum physics known as the Many-Worlds interpretation, which suggests reality may constantly split into parallel worlds instead of following one fixed timeline

But Vedral argues that the interpretation badly misunderstands quantum mechanics.

According to him, consciousness is not special in the way many people believe.

Reality does not suddenly change because a human looked at something.

Instead, any interaction at all can affect the outcome.

A photon hitting sunglasses, dust colliding in space, or particles bouncing off one another are enough to alter reality without human involvement.

Vedral says the universe does not wait for humans to notice something before making a decision. The interaction itself is what matters.

Vedral used sunglasses as a simple example, saying that in one possible outcome, a photon passes through the lens and reaches your eye.

In another, the sunglasses block it completely. The Many-Worlds interpretation proposes that both outcomes continue to exist simultaneously in separate branches of reality.

That would mean two slightly different versions of events continue forward at the same time.

And because countless quantum interactions happen constantly throughout the universe, reality could theoretically split into endless versions every second.

In practical terms, scientists are not claiming people can jump between universes or meet alternate copies of themselves. There is also no evidence proving parallel versions of humans exist.

However, many physicists consider the theory scientifically respectable because it is built directly from the mathematics of quantum mechanics.

Some researchers even argue it solves major problems in physics more elegantly than older explanations involving wave function 'collapse.'

However, the theory remains highly controversial, as one major criticism is that alternate universes cannot currently be tested or observed directly.

That leaves many scientists viewing it as a philosophical interpretation of the math rather than a proven reality.

But the idea continues gaining attention because it challenges humanity's understanding of free will, consciousness and existence itself.

If reality truly branches endlessly, every possible version of your life may already exist somewhere.

There could be another version of you who became rich, another who made different choices, and another whose life unfolded in ways completely unimaginable to you.

Vedral argued the deeper lesson is not that humans secretly control the universe with their minds.

Instead, he said, people are part of a much larger system of interactions constantly shaping reality around them. The universe, in this view, is not centered on human consciousness.

It is an endless web of collisions, particles and probabilities unfolding across countless possible outcomes.

And somewhere across those possibilities, another version of you may already be living a completely different life.

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A Chinese robotics firm has truly bridged the gap between science fiction and reality, after unveiling the world's first manned 'mecha'.

The GD01, developed by Unitree Robotics, weighs 500kg with a pilot on board and is capable of transitioning between bipedal walking and four–legged mode.

Developed for civilian transport, the high–strength alloy machine features a 'cockpit' where someone can sit and control the huge robot.

A demonstration video shows Unitree's CEO Wang Xingxing climbing into the torso of the GD01 before it starts to move.

The machine is steered to walk like a humanoid robot and can even knock over a brick wall with its hand before 'shifting' into a four–legged crawl.

Unitree has described the creation – which measures nearly nine feet (2.7m) high – as the world's first mass–produced 'transformable mecha'.

People on social media have called the robot 'every boy's dream', while others joked it is 'ready for a boxing match with aliens'.

But if you want one for yourself there's a hefty price tag of $650,000 (£480,000).

The high–strength alloy machine features a 'cockpit' where someone can sit and control the huge robot

A demonstration video shows Unitree's CEO Wang Xingxing climbing into the torso of the GD01 before it starts to move

The GD01 may bring to mind the Jaeger robots (pictured) that feature in the 2013 film Pacific Rim. These enormous machines are controlled by two pilots who sit in a head–mounted cockpit and wear specialist suits to transfer their brain signals and physical movements to the system.

The GD01 may bring to mind the Jaeger robots that feature in the film Pacific Rim.

These enormous machines are controlled by two pilots who sit in a head–mounted cockpit and wear specialist suits to transfer their brain signals and physical movements to the system.

'This is not a concept,' robotics expert Lukas Ziegler wrote on X.

'The West is building incredible humanoid robots. China is building them faster, cheaper and at a scale nobody else is close to matching.'

Someone else commented: 'Maintaining balance while walking requires a high level of technical expertise for such a large bipedal mecha, especially considering its transformation and quadrupedal form.'

And another wrote: 'The generation that grew up watching animation has now started reshaping the world.'

Regarding the high price tag and plans for mass production, Huang Jiawei, a marketing staff member at Unitree, said the figure is only a preliminary reference price.

'The final production version may still be adjusted depending on performance optimisation,' he told the Global Times. 

The machine is commanded to knock over a brick wall with its hand – although the company said that this was part of 'extreme testing'

The mecha and is capable of transitioning between bipedal walking and four–legged mode (pictured)

Unitree has described the creation – which measures nearly nine feet (2.7m) high – as the world's first mass–produced 'transformable mecha'

GD01: Key specs

Size: Nearly 9ft (2.7m) tall

Weight: 500kg with a pilot on board

Movement: Can transition between bipedal walking and four–legged mode

Potential uses: Civilian transport, immersive entertainment, filmmaking, rescue efforts

Price: $650,000 (£480,000)

He added: 'Through the use of robots, we hope to improve work efficiency and optimise the way people work.

'The product is still in its first generation at this stage, and there is indeed a lot of room for imagination.'

It's thought these machines could eventually be used in a diverse range of fields including in theme parks, immersive entertainment, filmmaking, rescue efforts and operations in challenging environments.

'It is no longer just a proof–of–concept machine confined to laboratories, but a product with a clear price tag and commercialization roadmap,' Chen Jing, vice president of the Technology and Strategy Research Institute said.

'But its weaknesses are mainly related to real–world usability, including difficulties getting in and out of the machine, battery–life concerns, limited comfort, regulatory uncertainty and maintenance complexity.'

According to the International Federation of Robotics, China has remained the world's largest industrial robot market for years.

Recent figures suggest China had 964 existing humanoid robot–related companies as of April this year, while patent applications in the sector reached 1,174 in 2025.

These enormous machines are controlled by two pilots who sit in a head–mounted cockpit and wear specialist suits to transfer their brain signals and physical movements to the system.

Pictured: Pacific Rim

Meanwhile, research firm Omdia said Chinese companies accounted for nearly 90 per cent of global humanoid sales in 2025.

READ MORE

• McDonald's is testing humanoid ROBOTS in Shanghai – and they even wear the uniform

• 

It's thought that Unitree shipped more than 5,500 humanoid robots last year.

Other robots recently unveiled include a humanoid to help load luggage on and off flights, and a ping pong robot that can beat elite players.

Last month, a robot won the Beijing half marathon and beat the human record by almost seven minutes.

WILL YOUR JOB BE TAKEN BY A ROBOT? PHYSICAL JOBS ARE AT THE GREATEST RISK

Physical jobs in predictable environments, including machine-operators and fast-food workers, are the most likely to be replaced by robots.

Management consultancy firm McKinsey, based in New York, focused on the amount of jobs that would be lost to automation, and what professions were most at risk.

The report said collecting and processing data are two other categories of activities that increasingly can be done better and faster with machines. 

This could displace large amounts of labour - for instance, in mortgages, paralegal work, accounting, and back-office transaction processing.

Conversely, jobs in unpredictable environments are least are risk.

The report added: 'Occupations such as gardeners, plumbers, or providers of child- and eldercare - will also generally see less automation by 2030, because they are technically difficult to automate and often command relatively lower wages, which makes automation a less attractive business proposition.'

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Two chilling new realities the US must face after release of UFO Files

By STACY LIBERATORE, US SCIENCE & TECHNOLOGY EDITOR

The long-awaited UFO disclosure released a trove of documents, images and videos showing mysterious objects in the sky, reigniting questions about what may be operating above the US.

The uncertainty has led Avi Loeb to warn of two chilling realities America may have to confront: the craft are either advanced technology developed by foreign adversaries or evidence of non-human intelligence.

Speaking with The Hill's Rising, Loeb warned that if the objects belong to foreign nations, it exposes 'the vulnerability of our defense system, so this is a serious matter.'

'But then the other possibility is that maybe it's a mixed bag, and one in a million objects is indeed from beyond this Earth, representing some advanced technologies that we do not possess,' he added.

'In that case, its detection constitutes the biggest discovery ever made by humanity. So, it's a win-win situation to attend to this data seriously and try to figure out what it means.'

Loeb also weighed in on the Apollo mission images released Friday, which appeared to show unexplained bright lights, 'ghostly' particles and strange triangular formations seen by astronauts on the Moon.

But he said recent observations from the Artemis II mission found no signs of unusual activity around the lunar surface, suggesting the mysterious lights captured in Apollo-era images were likely asteroid impacts or camera artifacts rather than anything extraterrestrial.

Loeb added that the most compelling evidence may not have been released yet, saying higher-quality and more sensitive material could emerge in future disclosures. He specifically pointed to 46 Pentagon videos requested by Congresswoman Anna Paulina Luna that he hopes will appear in the next batch.

This image features a highlighted area of interest slightly to the right of the vertical axis of the frame, above the horizon, in which unidentified phenomena are visible

This photograph depicts the lunar surface as viewed from the landing site of Apollo 12. It features five highlighted areas of interest, labeled 'Area 1' through 'Area 5,' above the horizon, in which unidentified phenomena are visible

The release included FBI files that featured shocking details of mysterious four-foot-tall crewmen exiting a UFO in the 1960s, along with a video of a glowing 'eight-pointed star' with shape-shifting arms darting across the sky.

In an FBI memo released by the Department of War, an unidentified FBI informant claimed that he saw a 'cigar-shaped' object on July 1, 1950. 

The UFO files trove also included a 1965 Gemini 7 space mission transcript describing an astronaut's encounter with a 'brilliant body' containing 'trillions of particles.' 

While the files were captivating, Loeb said on his blog: 'Clearly, the Pentagon and the intelligence agencies are unable to identify the nature of some objects.'

He added that the first batch lacked the detail to properly analyze many of the images and videos, noting that several could likely have ordinary explanations. 

'The flashes of light that Buzz Aldrin described might be cosmic rays,' Loeb continued.

'There are eyewitness testimonies of an ellipsoidal object that was reported to the FBI, but we don't have data from instruments about this object.

'I went over the data with my research team, and we just couldn't infer the distance, velocity or acceleration of objects that they're exhibiting.' 

The video appears to show a glowing object resembling an 'eight-pointed star' with uneven arms moving across the sky, which almost seemed to shape-shift in mid-air

Loeb also said some of the released material was heavily redacted and included inconclusive videos and images, making it difficult to determine exactly what was captured. 

However, he noted that the disclosure contains documents, videos and images from military personnel and intelligence agencies describing objects they could not identify.

'These are serious people. We should not dismiss those reports, especially because some of them were collected by instruments,' the scientist argued.

'What we should do is try to figure out what these objects are. Of course, data from past reports is limited.'

The scientist said he believes the government likely possesses far more detailed classified footage collected by advanced surveillance satellites capable of tracking unusual objects with extremely high resolution. 

Luna penned an open letter to the Department of War, requesting the release of 46 UFO videos by April 14, but the clips have yet to be released.

The Florida representative noted on X that the videos are set to be revealed in the second disclosure dump. No date has been given at this time. 

'There will be more files released. To include our request of the 40+ files. I talked to the Pentagon last night,' Luna posted Friday on X.

Loeb said he expects 'better, more intriguing data' to emerge in the coming months as more sensitive material is gradually declassified. 

UFO Files Out: Shocking New Videos Raise ‘Are We Alone’ Question, Watch What Ex NASA Scientist Said

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Africa is splitting in TWO: Scientists uncover a new tectonic boundary forming in Zambia – and it suggests the entire continent could soon be torn apart

• READ MORE: Scientists find plate boundary under Mozambique and Tanzania

By WILIAM HUNTER, SENIOR SCIENCE & TECHNOLOGY REPORTER

Scientists have discovered a new tectonic boundary forming under Zambia, and it could tear Africa in two.

The Kafue Rift is part of the Southwest African Rift System, a 1,500–mile (2,500 km) system of cracks in Earth's crust running from Tanzania to Namibia.

Scientists think this could one day become the edge of a new tectonic plate boundary, splitting Africa into the Nubian and Somali plates.

Now, researchers have revealed that the Earth's crust has cracked apart under the Kafue Rift.

Gases in Zambia's hot springs contain helium and carbon isotopes that show the boundary has broken all the way through the Earth's outer layer.

This crack allows fluids to escape from the hot, viscous mantle and bubble up to the surface.

Co–author Professor Mike Daly, from the University of Oxford, says: 'This fluid connection is evidence that the fault boundary of the Kafue Rift is active.

'Therefore, the Southwest African Rift Zone is too – and may be an early indication of the break–up of sub–Saharan Africa.'

Scientists have discovered a new tectonic boundary forming beneath Zambia, and it could result in Africa splitting in two 

Isotopes – different forms of elements – exist in varying concentrations in the crust and in the mantle below.

Scientists can work out where liquids are emerging from based on the ratios of certain isotopes.

In the new study, scientists took samples of gas from eight geothermal springs across Zambia; six in the Kafue Rift and two outside it.

They found that all of the gases inside the rift had unusually high levels of helium isotopes, matching those found within the mantle, while those outside the rift did not.

Likewise, only those samples taken from inside the rift valley had levels of carbon dioxide matching those found in mantle fluids.

These gases couldn't have come from the air since the ratio of isotopes does not match that of the atmosphere, nor could they have come from the surrounding rocks.

Dr Daly says that this indicates the springs have a 'a direct connection with the Earth’s mantle, which lies between 40 and 160km below the Earth’s surface'.

Scientists had previously suspected that the Kafue Valley could be hiding a rift due to its topography and high number of geothermal anomalies.

The Kafue Rift is part of the Southwest African Rift System, a 1,500–mile (2,500 km) system of cracks in Earth's crust running from Tanzania to Namibia, which could split Africa into two new plates 

Scientists found that water samples from springs in the rift (yellow circles) matched the isotope ratios of water coming from Earth's mantle (grey triangles). This shows the split has broken through the crust 

However, it is only now that researchers have evidence that the rift has really broken through the crust.

In the short term, this could prove hugely beneficial to local economies by unlocking easily accessible geothermal power.

While there might be some increases in seismic or volcanic activity in the future, these changes are on such a long timescale that they don't pose any immediate threat.

On the geological scale, however, this development could prove even more important for Africa.

Lead author Professor Ruta Karolyte, from the University of Oxford, told the Daily Mail: 'This rift is at the earliest recognisable stage.

'We can see the faults, measure the presence of mantle gases at the surface, but there is no volcanism yet. In geological terms, this is the very beginning of the process.'

'For a rift to become a true plate boundary, the break must penetrate deep enough through the lithospheric mantle to trigger partial melting, producing mid–ocean ridge basalt.'

There is currently no guarantee that this will happen at the Kafue Rift, but researchers say it is a likely spot for the transformation to occur.

Africa is already splitting into two along the East African Rift System (pictured), but this newly formed rift could provide an even easier location for the continent to divide itself 

Africa is already breaking apart slowly along a more developed line of cracks called the East African Rift System.

However, the rate at which these rifts are pulling apart is very slow.

Dr Daly explains: 'On almost all sides of Africa there are mid–ocean ridges tending to inhibit east–west or north–south extension, so break–up and spreading does seem to struggle to establish itself.'

However, the Southwest African Rift System has all the characteristics required to break away and much more favourable surrounding geology.

This means that the formation of the Kafue Rift could be the first movements towards Africa splitting in two over the next few hundred million years.

The Earth is moving under our feet: Tectonic plates move through the mantle and produce Earthquakes as they scrape against each other

Tectonic plates are composed of Earth's crust and the uppermost portion of the mantle. 

Below is the asthenosphere: the warm, viscous conveyor belt of rock on which tectonic plates ride.

The Earth has fifteen tectonic plates (pictured) that together have moulded the shape of the landscape we see around us today 

Earthquakes typically occur at the boundaries of tectonic plates, where one plate dips below another, thrusts another upward, or where plate edges scrape alongside each other. 

Earthquakes rarely occur in the middle of plates, but they can happen when ancient faults or rifts far below the surface reactivate. 

These areas are relatively weak compared to the surrounding plate, and can easily slip and cause an earthquake.

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Hall of Records theories explode as CIA doc mentioning 'temple under Sphinx' found

By STACY LIBERATORE, US SCIENCE & TECHNOLOGY EDITOR

The location of an ancient library believed to lie beneath Egypt's Great Sphinx has long been one of archaeology's greatest mysteries.

Now, a resurfaced CIA document from 1952 is reigniting speculation surrounding the legendary Hall of Records after a cryptic reference to a 'temple under Sphinx' was found inside a Cold War-era photographic inventory.

The Hall of Records legend has fascinated the public for nearly a century, with some claiming the mythical archive contains ancient texts, maps and evidence of a lost civilization that predated recorded history. 

The 10-page CIA file, dated November 20, 1952, is titled 'Presentation Form for Graphic Material' and appears to catalog 11 rolls of black-and-white photographic negatives taken between July and December 1950.

Rather than an intelligence briefing, the document appears to be a simple archival inventory. 

But believers say the phrase 'Temple under Sphinx' stands out because it is not a standard archaeological description commonly used today.

One X user posted: 'So the CIA knows about the temple UNDER THE SPHINX. Still want to call BS on the Hall of Records?'

While no hidden temple has ever been confirmed beneath the Great Sphinx, archaeologists have long known about the ancient Sphinx Temple, a structure located directly in front of the monument on the Giza Plateau. 

A resurfaced CIA document from 1952 is reigniting speculation surrounding the legendary Hall of Records after a cryptic reference to a 'temple under Sphinx' was found inside a Cold War-era photographic inventory

Much of the modern myth traces back to American clairvoyant Edgar Cayce, who predicted in the 1930s that a hidden chamber containing records from Atlantis would one day be discovered beneath the Sphinx's paw. 

According to Cayce, the hidden archive supposedly contained texts detailing humanity's forgotten history, advanced science and catastrophic events that destroyed earlier civilizations. He predicted the chamber would one day be discovered, fueling decades of speculation and expeditions around the monument.

Interest intensified in the 1990s after seismic studies and ground-penetrating radar detected underground cavities and anomalies near the Sphinx. 

Japanese researchers from Waseda University and later American teams identified unusual voids beneath the Giza Plateau, though mainstream archaeologists disputed claims that they were artificial chambers. 

Famed Egyptologist Zahi Hawass has consistently denied the existence of a Hall of Records, saying: 'The Sphinx has been thoroughly excavated. My friend and colleague, Mark Lehner, and I investigated it ourselves in 1979. Nothing like a Hall of Records has been found in or near the Sphinx.'

He also admitted that researchers have asked him for permission to excavate under the Sphinx, to which he refused, saying, 'it did not make sense,' adding that he found evidence that underneath the left paw is nothing but solid rock.

However, the circulating CIA reference has sent conspiracy forums and ancient history communities into overdrive, with many asking the same question: Did the agency stumble across something beneath the Sphinx more than 70 years ago?

'Of course, there's more to those sights than they let on. The Book of Thoth is rumored to be underneath the Sphinx,' another person shared on Reddit. 

The the hidden archive, speculated to be hidden below the Great Sphinx, supposedly contained texts detailing humanity's forgotten history, advanced science and catastrophic events that destroyed earlier civilizations.

The Book of Thoth is a significant element of Egyptian mythology, centering around the quest of Nefer-ka-ptah, a prince of Egypt, who seeks a sacred text attributed to Thoth, the god of wisdom. 

Legend has it that the Book of Thoth is supposedly hidden inside the legendary Hall of Records beneath the Great Sphinx of Giza. 

The material in the document was being forwarded to CIA headquarters for archival purposes, with the first page warning that the nitrate film was explosive and required special handling during shipment.

The document largely focuses on Afghanistan, cataloging hundreds of images tied to archaeological digs, cave excavations, local villages, bazaars, infrastructure projects and geological surveys. 

But buried among ordinary entries such as 'Tourist at Pyramids,' 'Sphinx' and 'Ruins near Sphinx' is the phrase that has now captured the internet's imagination: 'Temple under Sphinx; July '50.' 

However, one brief line buried within the file has captured the imagination of conspiracy theorists online.

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What would it have been like to experience the dinosaur–killing asteroid? Scientists reveal a blow–by–blow account of one of the most catastrophic events in history

• READ MORE:  Asteroid that wiped out dinosaurs came from beyond Jupiter

By XANTHA LEATHAM, EXECUTIVE SCIENCE EDITOR

A blow–by–blow account has revealed what it would have been like to experience the impact of the dinosaur–killing asteroid.

Around 66 million years ago, a six–mile (10km)–wide space rock called Chicxulub smashed into Mexico.

The impact famously wiped out the dinosaurs, caused worldwide devastation and changed the course of history. 

The collision released a huge dust and soot cloud that partially blocked out the sun and caused temperatures to plummet – and in the years that followed, it wiped out more than 50 per cent of all animal and plant species on Earth. 

But the destructive event also paved the way for mammals to thrive – and for humans to evolve.

Now, the University of Bristol's Professor Michael Benton and The Open University's Professor Monica Grady have detailed the sights, sounds and smells of the famous impact.

'The event triggered instant changes to our planet and its atmosphere and led to the extinction of the dinosaurs and about half Earth's other species,' they wrote on The Conversation.

'But what would it have been like to experience such a gargantuan impact? Would you have died or survived? As experts on meteoritics and palaeontology, respectively, we've created a detailed timeline, based on decades of research, to take you right there.'

T–minus one day

The experts said that it would have been 'pleasantly warm', about 26°C (79°F), and wet at 'ground zero' at the time.

The asteroid, which has been visible in the sky at night for about a week, can now be seen in the daytime. It looks like a star or planet getting gradually brighter.

T=0 (impact)

A bright light is followed by a sonic boom as the asteroid hits the Yucatán Peninsula in southeast Mexico.

Anything near the impact site would have been incinerated instantly, the experts said.

'The asteroid is so huge that it almost certainly hits the ground before any living creature near the impact zone has time to run for cover,' they wrote.

Even if you were up to 1,242 miles (2,000km) from the epicentre, you'd have been killed quickly by thermal radiation and supersonic winds.

The impact famously wiped out the dinosaurs, who were the apex predators at the time, and caused worldwide devastation (file photo)

The Chicxulub asteroid slammed into a shallow sea in what is now the Gulf of Mexico around 66 million years ago

T–plus 5 minutes

Winds 'ease' to those of a category 5 hurricane, flattening everything within 1,500km (932 miles) of the impact.

Atmospheric temperatures in the region rise to 226.85°C (440°F) and the air fills with superheated steam.

'Next come the tidal waves, triggered by the vast quantities of displaced rock and water,' the experts said. 'These 100–metre mega tsunamis first strike the shores of what is now the Gulf of Mexico.'

Anyone up to 1,864 miles (3,000km) away who survived the first few seconds would likely die from overheating, earthquakes, hurricanes, fires, tsunami–driven floods or being hit by impact melt.

T–plus one hour

'Shockwaves on land and sea are only minor inconveniences compared with the fire that is still radiating down from the sky,' they wrote.

A belt of dust has circled the globe. The skies begin to darken in places as far away as New Zealand and Denmark.

This artist's reconstruction depicts North Dakota in the first months following the impact of an asteroid off Mexico's coast 66 million years ago, showing a dark, dusty and cold world in which the last non–avian dinosaurs were on the edge of extinction

Where did the asteroid come from? 

We now know the origin of the asteroid that wiped out the dinosaurs.

By analysing the chemical signatures of rocks from the end of the Cretaceous Period, scientists have found that it came from beyond Jupiter.

Comparisons between the chemical record left behind by the strike 66 million years ago and known meteorite samples suggest that the Cretaceous asteroid was a carbonaceous chondrite.

This type of asteroid is one of the oldest known, having formed billions of years ago in the early solar system.

As these chondrites can only come from asteroids found beyond Jupiter, it suggests that the dinosaur–killing asteroid must have had its origins there too.

Source: Natural History Museum

T–plus one day

Huge tsunamis move east across the Atlantic and west across the Pacific, still reaching 50m (164ft) high.

The burning sky triggers wildfires across the globe. In what is modern Europe and Asia, the skies continue to fill up with dust and soot. Temperatures start to drop as sunlight is blocked.

'Trees and plants in general, including phytoplankton, close down as if for winter, unable to photosynthesise,' the experts explained. 'Any animals that rely on warm conditions ultimately hunker down and die.'

T–plus one week

It's getting darker and darker, with a global drop in surface temperatures of at least 5°C (9°F).

'This means that most of the dinosaurs and other large flying and swimming reptiles probably die from freezing within the course of this first week,' they said. 'Cooling temperatures and cloud cover also lead to rain. But not just any rain. Storms of acid rain fall across the Earth.'

Plants and animals on land and in shallow seas succumb to this corrosive rain while rotting vegetation, choking smoke and sulphur aerosols combine to make the planet stink.

Today, the event is marked by a thin layer of sediment called the K–Pg boundary, which can be found throughout the world in marine and terrestrial rocks, dated to 66 million years ago

(pictured here in Zumaia, Spain)

T–plus one year

The atmosphere is still filled with dust and the sun hasn't shone for a year. Average temperatures are now 15°C (27°F) lower than before the impact.

The rotted skeletons of dinosaurs and marine reptiles are scattered everywhere. Small animals like mammals the size of rats and insects nest in crevices. More than 50 per cent of plants have died out.

T–plus 10 years

Earth is still in the grip of a fierce winter. Inland lakes and rivers around the world are iced over.

'Clearly, there were no humans about at this time – there weren't even any larger mammals,' the experts said.

'But given the only species that survived were those that could burrow or live below water, it is unlikely that you could have survived this long.'

However, life slowly begins to rebuild far away from the impact site as turtles, smaller crocodiles, lizards, snakes, some ground–dwelling birds and small mammals repopulate.

T–plus 66 million years

It is estimated that half the species of plants and animals alive at the end of the Cretaceous disappeared.

READ MORE 

• Where was YOUR home at the time of the dinosaurs? Interactive chart reveals how Earth's continents have shifted from 320 million years ago to today

But the extinction of the dinosaurs led to the successful spread and evolution of mammals. 

'It is salutary to think that without the asteroid collision, primates might never have reached the level we are at today,' the experts concluded.

'But it is equally salutary to consider that modern humans are causing some of the same changes to the atmosphere that ultimately killed our reptilian forebears and may one day also lead to our own demise.'

RELATED

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Declassified transcripts from two Apollo missions show astronauts repeatedly describing unexplained lights and objects while orbiting and walking on the moon.

The Pentagon on Friday released transcripts and photos from two NASA Apollo missions as part of a broader disclosure of dozens of photos and documents detailing UFO sightings it has documented since the 1950s.

The trove of documents reporting UFO and Unidentified Anomalous Phenomena (UAP) sightings comes in compliance with a directive from President Donald Trump aimed at increasing government transparency around reported UFO sightings, all of which remain unsolved. Tens of millions of documents are being combed through and will be released on a rolling basis.

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The documents include technical transcripts and photos from Apollo 12 in 1969 and Apollo 17 in 1972, capturing moments in which crews discussed strange flashes, moving lights and unidentified phenomena against the stark lunar horizon.

The release includes six photos taken by Apollo 12 mission astronauts on the moon's surface, revealing unidentified and oddly shaped lights appearing in the sky. In one of the photos, there are a total of five UFOs identified.

This archival photograph depicts the lunar surface as viewed from the landing site of Apollo 12 in 1969. This image features a highlighted area of interest slightly to the right of the vertical axis of the frame, above the horizon, in which unidentified phenomena are visible. 

(U.S. Department of War)

This archival photograph depicts the lunar surface as viewed from the landing site of Apollo 12. This image features two highlighted areas of interest, labeled "Area 1" and "Area 2," slightly to the right of the vertical axis of the frame, above the horizon, in which unidentified phenomena are visible.

 (U.S. Department of War)

This archival photograph depicts the lunar surface as viewed from the landing site of Apollo 12. This image features a highlighted area of interest near the right edge of the frame, above the horizon, in which unidentified phenomena are visible.

 (U.S. Department of War)

This archival photograph depicts the lunar surface as viewed from the landing site of Apollo 12. This image features a highlighted area of interest slightly to the left of the vertical axis of the frame, above the horizon, in which unidentified phenomena are visible. 

(U.S. Department of War)

This archival photograph depicts the lunar surface as viewed from the landing site of Apollo 12. This image features five highlighted areas of interest, labeled "Area 1" through "Area 5," above the horizon, in which unidentified phenomena are visible. 

(U.S. Department of War)

A NASA photograph from the Apollo 17 mission in December 1972 shows three dots in a triangular formation in the lunar sky. DOW is investigating the image as part of a review of historical UAP materials. 

(U.S. Department of War)

A four-page transcript from the mission unveils one of the astronauts' accounts of what he was witnessing, telling command about the lights he saw in the dark sky.

He described that the lights were "sailing off into space."

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"I was thinking they're dropping off from my water boiler, but it looks like some of those things are escaping the moon. They really haul out of here and just press off at the stars."

The astronaut described that the lights were "pulsing every second." Command suggested that the phenomenon was likely electromagnetic interference, which can occur by both man-made and natural sources.

A 16-page transcript from the Apollo 17 mission detailed how the astronauts saw lights from their window which resembled "Fourth of July."

"They're very jagged, angular fragments that are tumbling," one of the astronauts described.

Another astronaut recounted how when he was trying to sleep he saw bright "peripheral horizon-type things" which made it difficult to sleep.

"The last one I remember before falling asleep — was the fact that there was a very bright spot that flashed right between my eyes like a very bright headlight — like a train coming at you, only with a flash," the astronaut said.

More UAP files were made available at WAR.GOV/UFO.

• Fox News' Peter Doocy and Fox News Digital's Robert McGreevy contributed to this report.

{ https://www.foxnews.com/category/science/air-and-space/ufos }

CNN host 'scared' over ex-CIA director's chilling UFO theory on political adversaries

Connor McCrory

The Pentagon released a batch of classified UFO files this week, but at least one person who has sat at the top of American intelligence isn't buying the extraterrestrial angle.

Leon Panetta, who has run the CIA, led the Pentagon, and served as White House chief of staff, told CNN Friday he has never seen proof that aliens are real, and thinks something far more earthly may explain the mystery.

President Donald Trump ordered the release, announcing it on Truth Social, "In an effort for Complete and Maximum Transparency, it was my Honor to direct my Administration to identify and provide Government files related to Alien and Extraterrestrial Life, Unidentified Aerial Phenomena, and Unidentified Flying Objects."

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Trump added that "the people can decide for themselves, 'WHAT THE HELL IS GOING ON?'"

CNN anchor Boris Sanchez put the question directly to Panetta on CNN News Central.

"I have to ask you about this because the Pentagon just released what they're calling 'never before seen files' on UFOs," Sanchez said.

Leon Panetta, who has run the CIA, led the Pentagon for years

Credit:CNN

"Is this stuff new to you? What do you know about aliens, Secretary? Tell us!"

Panetta said the curiosity is nothing new.

"Well, Boris, I can't tell you how many times when I was secretary, I was asked about, are there really aliens out there? Do we have an alien ship?" he said.

"You know, some of the movies that portrayed that kind of thing going on, people were infatuated with that. And I'm sure these pictures that are being released will raise a lot more concern about whether or not, in fact, there are aliens. I just have to tell you, I'm not aware of the United States ever having decided that there, in fact, are aliens, and that there are spaceships that have come into our territory. So, I haven't seen evidence to that effect, but what the Pentagon is now doing is basically letting the American people make up their own minds."

Sanchez pushed him on his personal take.

"I have not seen any firm evidence that there are aliens out there. I do think that some of our adversaries, very frankly, have technologies that have been used against us that appear to be alien, but in fact, are efforts by our adversaries to basically breach our security. That's what I think has happened," Panetta said.

That answer caught Sanchez off guard.

"Secretary, I thought this was going to end on a lighthearted note," Sanchez said. "You just scared me with that one, man. Uh, Leon Panetta, thanks so much for joining us."

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Tokyo analyzing Pentagon UFO file trove with sightings near Japan

The government’s top spokesman said Monday that Tokyo is analyzing “with great interest” a trove of previously classified files on alleged UFO sightings released by the Pentagon on Friday — including two videos of unidentified anomalous phenomena (UAP) spotted near Japan.  

“Regarding incidents related to our national security — including UAPs — we are constantly gathering and analyzing information with great interest, while maintaining close coordination with the United States and other countries,” Chief Cabinet Secretary Minoru Kihara told a regular news conference.

Asked about the possibility of Japan disclosing any similar UAP files it maintains, Kihara said the government would “make specific, case-by-case decisions after comprehensively considering various factors, including the risk of our intelligence-gathering capabilities being exposed.”

The Pentagon on Friday said U.S. President Donald Trump’s order to release the “new, never-before-seen files” was intended to provide “maximum transparency to the public, who can ultimately make up their own minds about the information contained in these files.”

In one nearly 2-minute video from 2023 titled DOW-UAP-PR47 and reported by the U.S. military’s Indo-Pacific Command citing the incident location as “Japan,” an infrared sensor aboard a U.S. military platform tracks “three distinct areas of contrast, maintaining … a fixed position and orientation relative to one another.”

Another video, this one just 9 seconds long and reported by the Indo-Pacific Command in 2024 with “East China Sea” as the incident location, shows a UAP "that resembles a football-shaped body near Japan," according to a screenshot of the footage.

A caption accompanying the video of the incident, titled DOW-UAP-PR46, describes the object as having “three radial projections: one oriented vertically, and two oriented downward at a 45-degree angle relative to the major axis of the main mass.”

In 2024, a group of some 80 Japanese lawmakers was established to investigate and gather information on UAPs, which they consider a serious security issue. The group has heard from U.S. policymakers involved in UAP measures.

In March, the group urged the government to create a specialized department devoted to UAPs directly under the deputy chief cabinet secretary for crisis management at the Cabinet Secretariat.

Observers said the batch of more than 160 files released by the Pentagon included new videos of known sightings but provided no conclusive evidence of alien technology or extraterrestrial life. Further releases will follow, the U.S. Defense Department said, as more materials are declassified

The growing interest in UAPs comes as drones — and less-advanced surveillance technologies — proliferate across the globe.

In one instance in 2023, the U.S. military’s shootdown of a Chinese surveillance balloon that had flown across a broad swath of the country triggered a diplomatic furor.

The incident prompted revelations by Japan’s Defense Ministry that it “strongly” suspected objects initially viewed as UAPs that flew over the country in 2019, 2020 and 2021 — including over areas near Self-Defense Forces bases — were actually Chinese spy balloons.

{ https://www.japantimes.co.jp/  }