The Dyatlov Pass Incident: New Forensic Perspectives on the Ural Mountains’ Greatest Mystery

mariusalbertsen

In February 1959, nine experienced hikers vanished in the northern Ural Mountains of the Soviet Union. When their bodies were finally recovered months later, the scene was so bizarre and gruesome that it birthed a mystery lasting over six decades. The Dyatlov Pass incident remains a focal point for researchers, historians, and conspiracy theorists alike. While official reports often cite a "compelling natural force," the specific details of the deaths suggest something far more complex. From radioactive clothing to missing tongues and internal trauma without external bruising, the enigma of Kholat Syakhl continues to defy simple explanations.

The expedition was led by Igor Dyatlov, a 23-year-old engineering student from the Ural Polytechnical Institute. His team consisted of eight other young professionals and students, all of whom were highly trained in long-distance ski tours. They were attempting to reach Mount Otorten, a route classified as Category III, the most difficult level of difficulty. On the night of February 1, 1959, the group pitched their tent on the slopes of Kholat Syakhl, a name translated from the local Mansi language as "Mountain of the Dead." They never made it to their destination.

The Scene of the Crime: A Tent Torn from Within

A photograph of the Auspiya River area connected to the Dyatlov route in the northern Urals.

(CC BY-SA 4.0)

When search parties finally located the campsite on February 26, they found a scene of absolute chaos. The tent had been cut open from the inside, suggesting a sudden, panicked exit. Most of the hikers’ belongings, including their boots and warm coats, were still inside the tent. Despite the temperature being as low as -30°C (-22°F), the hikers had fled into the darkness in their socks or even barefoot. This immediate abandonment of life-saving equipment is one of the most baffling aspects of the Dyatlov Pass incident.

Footprints in the snow led down the slope toward a nearby forest, nearly 1.5 kilometers (0.9 miles) away. Under a large cedar tree, the first two bodies were found: Yuri Krivonischenko and Yuri Doroshenko. They were dressed only in their underwear and were shoeless. Nearby were the remains of a small fire. Interestingly, branches on the cedar tree were broken up to five meters (16 ft) high, suggesting that one of the hikers had frantically climbed the tree, perhaps to look for the tent or to escape a threat on the ground.

Between the cedar tree and the tent, the bodies of Igor Dyatlov, Zinaida Kolmogorova, and Rustem Slobodin were discovered. Their positions indicated they were attempting to crawl back to the tent when they succumbed to the elements. Slobodin was found to have a small crack in his skull, though it was not considered a fatal wound at the time. For weeks, these five deaths were attributed solely to hypothermia, but the discovery of the remaining four hikers in May changed the narrative entirely.

The Forensic Enigma: Internal Trauma and Missing Organs

A real archival document image from the original case file, directly relevant to the paragraph discussing radioactive clothing and official testing.

(Public domain)

The final four hikers, Dubinina, Zolotaryov, Thibeaux-Brignolles, and Kolevatov, were found buried under four meters (13 ft) of snow in a ravine further into the woods. Unlike the others, these individuals had suffered horrific internal injuries. Thibeaux-Brignolles had a major skull fracture, while Dubinina and Zolotaryov had suffered massive chest fractures. According to the examining doctor, Boris Vozrozhdenny, the force required to cause such damage was comparable to a high-speed car crash.

What made these injuries even more mysterious was the lack of external soft tissue damage. No bruises or hematomas corresponded to the broken bones, as if the hikers had been crushed by a massive, uniform pressure. Furthermore, Lyudmila Dubinina was found to be missing her tongue, her eyes, and part of her lips. While some experts argue this was the result of scavengers or decay in the wet environment of the stream where she was found, the precision of the missing tissue led to decades of speculation about more sinister causes.

Another disturbing detail emerged during the forensic testing of the victims' clothing. Several items were found to be highly radioactive. In the context of the Cold War, this immediately sparked theories about secret Soviet weapons testing in the Ural Mountains. However, the levels of radiation were localized, and some historians point out that the hikers, many of whom worked in nuclear facilities or laboratories, might have been contaminated before the trip began. Nevertheless, the presence of radiation remains a key pillar of the Dyatlov Pass incident lore.

From Avalanches to Infrasound: The Leading Scientific Theories

A dramatic and haunting view of the snow-covered peaks in the Northern Ural Mountains, illustrating the extreme and isolated conditions the Dyatlov group faced on the "Mountain of the Dead."

(Public Domain)

In 2021, a new scientific study published in Communications Earth & Environment by Alexander Puzrin and Johan Gaume proposed a "slab avalanche" theory. They argued that a rare type of small, delayed avalanche could have been triggered by the hikers' decision to cut into the snow slope to pitch their tent. This slab of snow could have hit the tent while they slept, causing the severe internal injuries seen in the ravine victims and forcing the group to flee in a state of shock and injury. This is currently the most widely accepted scientific explanation for the Dyatlov Pass incident.

However, many veteran hikers and researchers in Russia remain skeptical of the avalanche theory. They point out that the slope was not particularly steep and that there were no visible signs of an avalanche when the rescuers arrived. Another scientific theory involves "infrasound." This phenomenon occurs when specific wind patterns over the mountains create low-frequency sound waves that are inaudible to the human ear but can cause feelings of intense dread, nausea, and acute panic. Proponents of this theory suggest that infrasound drove the hikers into a temporary madness, causing them to slash their way out of the tent.

Mysterious glowing orange orbs illuminate the night sky over the snowy Ural Mountains on the night of the Dyatlov Pass incident.

(Generated)

Secret Weapons and Spheres of Light: The Cold War Shadow

For those who find the natural explanations lacking, the "military" theory offers a darker alternative. During the time of the Dyatlov Pass incident, the Soviet Union was frequently testing missiles and rockets. Witnesses from another hiking group 50 kilometers (31 miles) away reported seeing strange "orange orbs" in the sky on the night the group died. Some believe the hikers accidentally entered a forbidden testing zone and were killed by a fuel-air explosive or a falling rocket stage, which would account for the pressure-based internal injuries and the radiation.

The lead investigator in 1959, Lev Ivanov, later admitted in 1990 that he had been ordered to close the case and classify the findings. He personally believed that the "flying spheres" had something to do with the deaths. Furthermore, the location of the incident was near the Mansi people’s sacred lands. While early suspicions fell on the Mansi, there was no evidence of a struggle or other human tracks in the area. The Mansi themselves have their own legends about the mountain, warning that it is a place where "nine" of anything, men or animals, will surely meet their end.

As we look back at the Dyatlov Pass incident today, it serves as a grim reminder of the power of the wilderness and the limits of forensic science. Whether it was a freak meteorological event, a military accident, or something even more inexplicable, the nine hikers of Kholat Syakhl have become part of the mountain's eternal history. Their story continues to resonate because it taps into our deepest fears: the unknown, the dark, and the "compelling force" that we cannot control.

• Top image: The Dyatlov Pass Incident: New Forensic Perspectives on the Ural Mountains’ Greatest Mystery Illustration.
• Source: AI Generated

By Marius Albertsen

References

• Gaume, J., and A. M. Puzrin. 2021. “Mechanisms of slab avalanche release and impact in the Dyatlov Pass incident in 1959.” Communications Earth & Environment 2, Article 10. Available at: https://www.nature.com/articles/s43247-020-00081-8
• Puzrin, A. M., and J. Gaume. 2022. “Post-publication careers: follow-up expeditions reveal avalanches at Dyatlov Pass.” Communications Earth & Environment 3, Article 63. Available at: https://www.nature.com/articles/s43247-022-00393-x
• Romy, C., D. Eidenbenz, S. Grabherr, K. Zafren, C. Jaques, N. Hall, and M. Pasquier. 2025. “Causes of death and types of injuries of avalanche fatalities based on forensic data: a scoping review.” Resuscitation Plus 26:101101. Available at: https://pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/articles/PMC12506530/

FAQs

1. Was the Dyatlov Pass incident caused by a Yeti? While "Yeti" or "Menk" theories are popular in tabloids and folklore, there is no physical evidence, such as non-human tracks or hair samples, to support the idea that an unknown primate attacked the group. The internal injuries were more consistent with pressure or impact than a physical struggle.
2. Why was the hikers' clothing radioactive? Small amounts of radiation were found on a few pieces of clothing. Some researchers believe this was due to the hikers' professional backgrounds in technical institutes that handled radioactive materials, while others suggest it came from fallout from secret atmospheric tests occurring in the USSR at the time.
3. Has the case been officially solved by the Russian government? In 2020, the Russian Prosecutor General's office concluded that the cause of death was a combination of an avalanche and poor visibility, which prevented the hikers from returning to their camp. However, many independent researchers and family members of the victims continue to dispute this conclusion.

RELATED VIDEOS

9 Hikers, 0 Survivors: The Chilling New Theory That Explains the UNEXPLAINABLE Dyatlov Pass Incident

Dyatlov Pass: The Unsolvable Mystery

Dyatlov Pass Incident

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

The findings underscore a fundamental transformation in planetary exploration: moving from slow, human-directed missions to agile, semi-autonomous technologies that can efficiently traverse and study the toughest terrains in the solar system.

“Future planetary exploration missions require advanced robotic capabilities to efficiently identify and characterize lithologies, rock textures, and mineralogies for astrobiological investigations and in-situ resource utilization (ISRU),” researchers write. “This study explores an alternative semi-autonomous, multi-target exploration strategy using a legged robotic system, which could enable faster, more efficient surface prospecting on the Moon and Mars.”​

In the study, researchers used “ANYmal,” a four-legged robot built by Anybotics and specially equipped with a robotic arm carrying a microscopic imager and a Raman spectrometer—tools capable of examining rock textures and identifying mineral composition on site.

Unlike traditional wheeled rovers, which struggle on steep or unstable terrain, legged robots, like ANYmal, can access regions that have long remained out of reach, including crater walls, fractured landscapes, and ice-rich slopes.

Researchers argue that the capabilities demonstrated in this study are important for advancing efficient, independent exploration, especially in environments where communication with Earth is limited.

A Bottleneck in Space Exploration

For decades, robotic exploration has been limited not just by engineering challenges but also by physics.

On Mars, communication delays between Earth and robotic missions can range from 3 to 22 minutes one way. That means every movement, measurement, or decision must be carefully planned in advance, often resulting in painfully slow progress. Even the most advanced rovers typically travel only a few dozen to a few hundred yards per day while scientists analyze incoming data and prepare the next set of commands.

This limitation becomes even more severe for missions seeking to explore regions farther from the solar system. Future missions to places like Saturn’s moon Titan, where delays exceed an hour, will require robots capable of making decisions largely on their own.

Researchers attempt to address this problem by testing whether a robot can autonomously identify and analyze multiple scientific targets within a single mission cycle, rather than relying on step-by-step human supervision.

Testing Mars and Moon with anymal on Earth

To replicate real-world conditions, the team conducted a series of analog missions within controlled environments that mimicked Martian and lunar terrain.

In a laboratory known as the “Marslabor” at the University of Basel, researchers recreated Mars surface conditions using basalt fragments and hematite-rich materials. Lighting conditions were carefully adjusted to replicate the balance of direct and diffuse sunlight found on Mars.

For the lunar simulations, the team conducted experiments in near darkness to mimic the extreme lighting conditions near the Moon’s southern polar regions, where extended shadows and high contrast can obscure surface features.

The robot was tasked with identifying and analyzing various rock types known to exist on Mars and the Moon, including gypsum, carbonate rocks, basalt, dunite, and anorthosite—materials that are scientifically significant for analyzing planetary history and assessing potential resources.

Two Ways to Explore Another World

The study compared two distinct exploratory strategies. In the first, a semi-autonomous, multi-target approach, human operators selected multiple targets at the start of the mission. The ANYmal robot then carried out all navigation, positioning, and scientific measurements independently.

In the second, operators used the more traditional method of guiding the ANYmal robot step by step, reviewing data after each measurement and deciding what to do next.

The results showed that across four Mars-like missions, the semi-autonomous system successfully identified targets at rates of 66.7%-100%, with mission durations as short as 12 minutes.

By contrast, the human-guided lunar mission achieved a perfect 100% success rate—but took significantly longer, requiring 41 minutes to complete. The trade-off highlights a key tension in future exploration: speed versus precision.

The robots are highly agile and capable of rapidly scanning their surroundings and flagging areas of interest

(Picture: Dr Tomaso Bontognali./Cover Media)

Seeing and “Touching” Alien Worlds

A major innovation in the system is the combination of two complementary instruments.

A custom-built microscopic imager captures high-resolution close-up images of rock textures, revealing features like grain size, layering, and structural patterns. Meanwhile, the Raman spectrometer mounted on the robot’s arm uses laser-based spectroscopy to identify the mineral composition of samples by detecting characteristic spectral peaks (distinctive markers in the spectrum produced when the laser light interacts with mineral molecules).

Together, these tools allow the ANYmal robot to observe, hypothesize, and confirm findings, something remarkably close to what a human geologist would do in the field.

In the Martian simulations, the system successfully identified gypsum through a distinctive Raman peak at around 1010 cm⁻¹. Meanwhile, sulfur deposits were detected at approximately 473 cm⁻¹.

In lunar simulations, the robot identified olivine-rich dunite and titanium-bearing rutile, both of which are considered important for analyzing planetary formation and potential resource extraction.

The ANYmal is a quadrupedal robot capable of carrying out research on lunar environments

(Picture: ETH Zurich/Cover Images)

Why ANYmal’s Legs Matter

Perhaps the most significant implication of the study lies not in the instruments, but in the ANYmal robot itself.

Traditional rovers, like NASA’s Curiosity and Perseverance, rely on wheels—an effective but limited solution. Steep slopes, loose regolith, and rocky obstacles can quickly halt their progress.

By contrast, legged robots, like ANYmal, can step over obstacles, maintain balance on uneven terrain, and access areas that would be inaccessible to wheeled systems.

This could open up entirely new regions for exploration, including sites most likely to preserve signs of past life—such as sedimentary layers, hydrothermal systems, and ice-rich environments.

The robot was put through its paces in Marslabor at the University of Basel

(Picture: Dr Tomaso Bontognali./Cover Media)

A Shift Toward Autonomous Science

The study envisions robots evolving from remote-controlled tools into autonomous scientific agents.

By allowing machines to select, analyze, and prioritize targets with minimal human intervention, missions could cover more ground, gather more data, and respond dynamically to new discoveries—all while operating millions of miles from Earth.

Researchers emphasize that this approach will be essential as missions push deeper into the solar system, where communication delays make real-time control impossible.

Their results suggest that semi-autonomous systems could dramatically increase the efficiency of planetary exploration, without sacrificing scientific value.

While the results are promising, the study also highlights challenges.

Environmental factors such as dust, lighting conditions, and instrument positioning can affect data quality. In some cases, blurred images or noisy spectral readings limited the system’s ability to accurately identify targets.

Still, the overall success of the experiments suggests that these obstacles are achievable and that the benefits of semi-autonomous exploration may far outweigh the risks.

Ultimately, as space agencies prepare for a new wave of missions to the Moon, Mars, and beyond, autonomous four-legged robotic explorers like ANYmal could soon move from the realm of science fiction to the reality of planetary exploration.

“Our study demonstrates that a multi-target semi-autonomous exploration approach is a viable option for geological investigations in planetary surface missions where the inability to control a robot in real-time significantly slows down exploration times and, consequently, the scientific return of the mission,” researchers conclude. “These findings emphasize the need to balance mission automation, efficiency, and scientific return based on operational constraints and planetary environments.”

• Tim McMillan is a retired law enforcement executive, investigative reporter and co-founder of The Debrief. His writing typically focuses on defense, national security, the Intelligence Community and topics related to psychology. You can follow Tim on Twitter: @LtTimMcMillan.  Tim can be reached by email: tim@thedebrief.org or through encrypted email: LtTimMcMillan@protonmail.com 

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

Disappearance of rocket scientist takes chilling turn after link to critical defense technology comes to light

By STACY LIBERATORE, US SCIENCE & TECHNOLOGY EDITOR

The disappearance of a rocket scientist has taken a chilling new turn after it emerged she holds a one-of-a-kind patent tied to advanced US launch systems.

Monica Jacinto Reza, 60, was last seen hiking in the rugged San Gabriel Wilderness area in the Angeles National Forest on June 22 last year, at about 9.10am local time.

Several reports in the forum EISPIRATEN indicated that a man walking about 30ft ahead of Reza on the trail to the Waterman Mountain summit turned around moments later and discovered she had vanished without a trace. 

According to those familiar with the hike, Reza was carrying a backpack believed to contain several liters of water when she disappeared.

New attention has focused on Reza's work as public records highlight her role in developing advanced aerospace materials linked to high-performance propulsion systems.

Records show she is the only surviving co-creator of a 2010 patent filed with Dallis Ann Hardwick, who died of cancer in 2014, for a specialized metal designed to resist burning while remaining incredibly strong under extreme heat.

She was also credited as a co-inventor of Mondaloy, a nickel-based superalloy later used in key components of advanced propulsion systems developed through US Air Force and NASA-backed research programs.

Reza spent decades working at Rocketdyne, later part of Aerojet Rocketdyne, a major aerospace contractor involved in government propulsion programs, while retired US Major General William Neil McCasland, who oversaw related Air Force research portfolios, also went missing in June 2025.

Monica Jacinto Reza, 60, was last seen hiking in the rugged San Gabriel Wilderness area within the Angeles National Forest on the trail to Waterman Mountain summit on June 22 last year

Records show she is the only surviving co-creator of a patent filed in 2010 with Dallis Ann Hardwick, who died of cancer in 2014, for a specialized metal designed to resist burning while remaining incredibly strong under extreme heat

Reza and McCasland are among nine recent cases involving scientists with ties to aerospace, defense or nuclear research whose deaths or disappearances have drawn public attention.

Mondaloy was later used in the development of the AR1 rocket engine, a US-built system designed to replace Russian-made RD-180 engines previously used on United Launch Alliance rockets, part of a broader effort to reduce America's reliance on foreign propulsion systems.

Unlike older materials that were either strong but prone to burning or burn-resistant but weak, the alloy created by Reza and her colleague was designed to do both – remain durable while resisting ignition under extreme stress.

The metal is primarily made of nickel, strengthened with smaller amounts of cobalt, chromium, aluminum and titanium, allowing it to withstand the intense heat and pressure produced during rocket launches.

According to the patent, the material was intended for use in critical engine components such as turbines, ducts and fuel systems, where failure could lead to catastrophic damage.

Materials like Mondaloy are used in rocket engines that power launches carrying military satellites, missile-warning systems and other highly sensitive payloads into orbit, missions known as national security launches because they support US defense and intelligence systems.

Reza's work received funding and development support from the US Air Force Research Laboratory, which was commanded at one point by retired US Major General William Neil McCasland.

McCasland later went missing in June 2025, prompting a separate investigation that remains ongoing.

According to the Bernalillo County Sheriff's Office, McCasland was last seen speaking with a repairman at his home around 10am before his wife left the residence about an hour later.

Reza's technology helped create the AR1 engine, set to replace Russian RD-180 engines on United Launch Alliance rockets

US Air Force Major General William Neil McCasland, 68, who was in the UFO community, went missing in February after leaving on a hike near his New Mexico home

Read More

EXCLUSIVE

•  Scientists are vanishing or turning up dead. Now ex-FBI boss reveals chilling plot likely unfolding... and who he fears is behind it 

When she returned shortly after noon, the house was empty, with his phone, prescription glassesand wearable devices left behind.

Investigators noted that his hiking boots and a .38-caliber revolver were missing and he was reported missing later that afternoon.

Search teams later discovered a US Air Force sweatshirt roughly one mile from the residence, though officials have not confirmed whether it belonged to McCasland.

Authorities have not publicly confirmed foul play in the case, and the investigation remains active.

Another mysterious case involves Michael David Hicks, a research scientist at NASA's Jet Propulsion Laboratory, who died on July 30, 2023, at the age of 59. Officials have not publicly alleged foul play in his death.

Reports also highlighted the death of NASA scientist Frank Maiwald, who died on July 4, 2024, in Los Angeles at the age of 61. Authorities confirmed that no autopsy was performed and the cause of death has not been publicly disclosed.

Michael David Hicks was a research scientist at NASA's Jet Propulsion Laboratory prior to his death in 2023

Frank Maiwald (left) and Carl Grillmair had deep ties to NASA's Jet Propulsion Lab in California before both men died within the last two years

Maiwald had worked at NASA's Jet Propulsion Laboratory since 1999 and contributed to projects involving advanced satellite technology capable of scanning Earth and other planetary bodies.

Anthony Chavez, a former employee at Los Alamos National Laboratory (LANL), disappeared on May 4, 2025. Police in Los Alamos said the search for Chavez, 79, remains ongoing with no new information released nearly a year later.

Since 2024, several additional scientists connected to aerospace research have died under separate circumstances.

Melissa Casias worked at the Los Alamos National Laboratory, a long-running nuclear research facility, before disappearing on June 26 last year

Anthony Chavez was an employee at the Los Alamos National Laboratory until 2017. He disappeared without a trace in May last year

Jason Thomas was found dead after being pulled from a Massachusetts lake on March 17. He had been missing since December 12

Melissa Casias has not been seen since June 26 last year, when her family said she uncharacteristically decided to work from home, but was last spotted miles from their house walking alone without her wallet, phone or keys.

Casias, 54, was an administrative assistant at LANL.

The news came about astrophysicist Carl Grillmair, 67, who was shot and killed at his California home on February 16. 

The California Institute of Technology researcher had worked on major NASA-supported telescope missions, including the Near-Earth Object Wide-field Infrared Survey Explorer and NEO Surveyor programs.

Those projects used infrared detection systems capable of tracking asteroids, technology that shares similarities with systems used to monitor satellites and hypersonic missiles.

Nuno Loureiro was leading efforts to create fusion energy, a form of clean energy that could upend the multi-trillion-dollar fossil fuel energy industry

While serving as commander of the Air Force Research Laboratory, McCasland oversaw programs related to space surveillance and infrared tracking systems.

Two additional researchers in Massachusetts were also found dead in separate incidents. Nuno Loureiro, a scientist working on nuclear fusion research, was shot in his Brookline home last year.

Jason Thomas, a pharmaceutical researcher studying cancer treatments at Novartis, was later found dead in a Wakefield lake on March 17 after disappearing months earlier.

Authorities have not publicly linked the cases, and officials in several investigations have said there is no confirmed evidence suggesting foul play beyond the circumstances already reported.

Missing UFO General 911 Call Raises Chilling Questions

'NATIONAL SECURITY FEARS': Top scientists killed or missing

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

Two UFOs Over Ninole, Hawaii, April 7, 2026 5:43am UFO UAP Paranormal Breaking Sighting News

I added light to the screenshot to make the UFO more clear.

Date of sighting: April 7, 2026

Location of sighting: Ninole, Hawaii, USA

Source: NUFORC site 

 

This video just came into NUFORC today. The reaction of the eyewitness says it all. Honestly, he is confronted by two unidentified flying objects and what can a person say? Because when it happens, you are 100% in disbelief and yet, it's right in front of you. I guess I don't have to say it's aliens, but...it's aliens. 

Scott C. Waring - UFO Sightings Daily

 

Eyewitness states: 

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

Light Ship over Utah, made of light entities sharing info, Utah, USA April 10, 2026, UFO UAP Sighting News.

Date of sighting: April 10, 2026

Location of sighting: Dutch John, Utah, USA

Source: Email report

 

This light ship was caught over a small city in Utah yesterday. With a population of just 141 people, it's actually very surprising to me that someone caught it. But she is a sky watcher and reports any unusual activity she catches. This however is a very rare energy ship, a different species of energy entities that unite into a single stronger craft in order to share what they learned with each other before they it breaks apart and each separate entity will break off into flocks or groups. Its said decades ago, light energy entities don't like humans and prefer to keep a distance, however I and my family once encountered a flock of about 75-100 flying over us low, about 10 stories up, our building we were walking to was 8 floors tall. We were on the ground walking at midnight when they passed over us (about 7 years ago Taipei, Taiwan) then some noticed us watching them (since most people were sleeping at that hour. And about 7 of them returned, and began circling far above us, curious about us. They looked like tear drops of light, tried to photo and video them but my phone back then was not great in the dark. After 15 minutes, they united into a moon shape object and faded away. 

Scott C. Waring - UFO Sightings Daily 

 

Eyewitness states: 

 

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

NBC News; NASA

The best photos from NASA's first moon mission in more than 50 years

The Artemis II astronauts concluded their record-breaking 10-day journey on Friday with a smooth splashdown in the Pacific Ocean.

NASA’s Artemis II Space Launch System rocket and Orion spacecraft inside the Vehicle Assembly Building at NASA’s Kennedy Space Center in Florida. John Kraus / NASA

From left to right: Mission specialist Jeremy Hansen of CSA, pilot Victor Glover, commander Reid Wiseman and mission specialist Christina Koch walk out ahead of the launch on April 1. Chip Somodevilla / Getty Images

The Artemis II mission lifts off at Kennedy Space Center in Cape Canaveral, Fla.

Jim Watson / AFP via Getty Images

Jim Watson / AFP via Getty Images

Although Wiseman, Koch, Glover and Hansen did not land on the lunar surface, their mission was designed to test the rocket and capsule ahead of a planned moon landing in 2028. After that, NASA hopes to build a base on the moon and establish a long-term presence there.

On the second day of the flight, the Orion capsule performed a key engine burn to put it on a path toward the moon. The maneuver, known as a translunar injection burn, boosted the spacecraft’s velocity enough to send it out of Earth orbit.

The astronauts then spent three days journeying to the moon. Early on Monday, their Orion capsule entered a region of space known as the lunar sphere of influence, where the moon’s gravitational pull is stronger than Earth’s.

Before going to sleep on Day 5 of the mission, the Artemis II crew snapped a photo of the moon as it drew close in the window of the Orion spacecraft. NASA

The most anticipated moment of the mission came on Monday, when the crew spent seven hours taking close-up photos of the lunar surface and observing specific sites on the moon, including impact craters, ridges and vast volcanic plains.

During their flyby around the moon’s far side, the astronauts reached a distance of 252,756 miles from Earth, which was more than 4,100 miles farther than the Apollo 13 record.

Astronaut Christina Koch is illuminated by a screen inside the darkened Orion spacecraft on the third day of the agency's Artemis II mission. NASA

One of the first photos from the flyby released publicly showed the Artemis II crew’s view of “Earthset,” as Earth disappeared out of view behind the moon.

The photo was a nod to the iconic “Earthrise” image taken during the Apollo 8 mission in 1968, when astronauts Bill Anders, Frank Borman and Jim Lovell circumnavigated the moon. That archival image, however, captured Earth re-emerging beyond the edge of the moon, rather than dipping below it.

NASA

Other photos showed surprisingly rugged topography along the moon’s terminator, the dividing line between its illuminated side and the side cloaked in darkness.

“There’s just so much magic in the terminator — the islands of light, the valleys that look like black holes,” Glover radioed to Mission Control at NASA’s Johnson Space Center in Houston. “You’d fall straight to the center of the moon if you stepped in some of those. It’s just so visually captivating.”

The astronauts focused some of their observations on Orientale basin, a nearly 600-mile-wide crater that straddles the moon’s near and far sides. The 3.8 billion-year-old basin was formed when a large object smacked into the moon’s surface.

The crew’s high-resolution photos of features in and around the moon’s impact craters could help scientists understand how the moon formed and how its topography changed over time.

The sunlit Orion spacecraft near the moon. The Orientale basin, a 600-mile-wide, mountain-ringed crater, sits on the moon's lower half. NASA

The astronauts even captured dramatic images of the moon’s crater-filled south polar region, where NASA is interested in landing astronauts on future Artemis missions.

The moon’s south pole is pockmarked with craters that are thought to be filled with water ice. But the area is significantly more challenging to navigate than those near the moon’s equator, where the Apollo astronauts touched down. NASA has said observations during the Artemis II mission could be used to pinpoint possible landing sites for missions to come.

Toward the end of their lunar flyby, the astronauts became the first to witness a solar eclipse from space. They made detailed observations over the course of about an hour, as the sun slipped behind the moon and re-emerged again on the other side.

During the early stages of the eclipse, the astronauts had to don special glasses (much like the ones worn by people on Earth to view solar eclipses) to protect their eyes until the sun’s light was fully blocked by the moon.

The Artemis II crew uses eclipse viewers to protect their eyes at key moments of the solar eclipse during their lunar flyby. NASA

The eclipse photos show a darkened moon with the sun’s outermost atmosphere, the corona, glowing around the edges. In one of the images, bright points of light are visible around the edges of the moon. Those spots turned out to be planets, including Saturn, Mars and Venus.

Wiseman called the eclipse “an absolutely spectacular, magnificent experience.”

During the eclipse, as the moon was cloaked in darkness, the crew members spotted flashes of light from meteoroids smacking into the lunar surface.

The moon, backlit by the sun, and the Orion spacecraft, left, on Monday. NASA

While this phenomenon is rarely seen, such impacts are common on the moon because it lacks an atmosphere to protect it from incoming debris. Studying these cosmic crashes can help scientists understand the moon’s evolutionary history.

Kelsey Young, the Artemis II lunar science lead, said members of the mission’s science team were “jumping up and down literally” after the crew reported seeing six impact flashes.

After the flyby, the astronauts began their three-day journey home to Earth. By Tuesday afternoon, the Orion capsule exited the lunar sphere of influence.

During its high-stakes re-entry through Earth’s atmosphere, the Orion capsule faced extreme temperatures nearing 5,000 degrees Fahrenheit.

NASA's Orion spacecraft lands in the Pacific Ocean off the coast of California on Friday. Bill Ingalls / NASA via Getty Images

After a fiery plunge through the atmosphere, the capsule deployed its parachutes, then splashed down in the Pacific Ocean off the coast of San Diego.

BREAKING: Astronauts Christina Koch, Victor Glover Jr., Jeremy Hansen and Reid Wiseman are beginning to exit the Orion capsule after a successful Artemis II splashdown. Follow live updates at the link in bio.

 { https://www.nbcnews.com/ }

Country music star Kacey Musgraves has made a shocking admission online, revealing she had 'the craziest UFO experience.'

Musgraves, 37, explained in an Instagram Story on Friday that she and her manager were flying from Fort Worth, Texas, to Nashville, Tennessee, when she spotted lights in the sky that 'didn't look normal.'

The Grammy-winning singer and songwriter of 'Space Cowboy' said she watched the 'orbs' for about 45 minutes, and they 'followed' her flight from Little Rock, Arkansas to her destination.

'These orbs were not moving like any craft that we can control. They were intermittently coming and going, forming triangle patterns,' she recalled. 

'Sometimes they would get extremely bright and change color, change size.' 

After the plane touched down, Musgraves spoke to the pilots, who reportedly told her: 'We've seen these every single night.'

'All the other pilots are seeing them, too, and nobody knows what they are,' Musgraves added, recounting what the pilots told her. 

She also shared a video of the mysterious lights in the distance, which appear to trail her for some time as they loop around in the darkness of the night sky. 

Country music star Kacey Musgraves has made a shocking admission online, revealing she had 'the craziest UFO experience'

Musgraves is an acclaimed American singer-songwriter known for blending country with pop and folk.

She is recognized for her witty, progressive songwriting and multiple Grammy wins, including Album of the Year for Golden Hour from 2018. 

Rising from Nashville Star in 2007, she achieved fame with hits like 'Merry Go 'Round' and 'Follow Your Arrow.'

In the video, Musgraves revealed that she has seen 'many crazy things,' from 'fire burning in the sky to things she cannot explain.

She said that the lights were about 50,000 feet in the air, admitting the video quality was poor.

'It looks like I filmed them on a f***ing toaster, but that's the quality we're working with,' she said of the videos taken on her iPhone 17.

'It was hard to focus because they were far off and it was nighttime.' 

She then painted a picture of what she saw, noting that the orbs were not moving like any craft that humans can control.

'They were intermittently coming and going, forming triangle patterns,' Musgraves continued. 

'Sometimes they would get extremely bright and change color, change size.' 

She also shared a video of the mysterious lights in the distance, which appear to trail her for some time as they loop around in the darkness of the night sky

The country singer is just one of many famous individuals who believe they have experienced an encounter of the third kind.

Singer Miley Cyrus claimed that she was not only chased by 'some sort of UFO' in San Bernardino, California, but she 'made eye contact' with the alien pilot.

She said in a 2020 interview with Interview magazine that she 'couldn't really look at the sky after' her encounter.

She said that the alien craft resembled a glowing, flying snowplow.

She said: 'I did see it flying, and my friend saw it, too. There were a couple of other cars on the road, and they also stopped to look, so I think what I saw was real.

Singer Miley Cyrus claimed that she was not only chased by 'some sort of UFO' in San Bernardino, California, but she 'made eye contact' with the alien pilot 

Demi Lovato is also convinced that aliens are real, and we should stop using the word 'alien' in case it offends

'I didn't feel threatened at all, actually, but I did see a being sitting in front of the flying object.

She admitted, however, that there was a possibility the encounter could have been due to 'the weed wax' she had recently used.

Demi Lovato is also convinced that aliens are real, and we should stop using the word 'alien' in case it offends.

She said, 'I think that we have to stop calling them aliens because aliens is a derogatory term for anything.'

In a 2020 Instagram post, she revealed that she had contacted aliens through meditation.

She wrote, 'Over the past couple of months, I have dug deep into the science of consciousness and experienced not only peace and serenity as I've never known, but I also have witnessed the most incredibly profound sightings both in the sky as well as feet away from me.

'This planet is on a very negative path toward destruction, but WE can change that together. 

'If we were to get one percent of the population to meditate and make contact, we would force our governments to acknowledge the truth about extraterrestrial life among us and change our destructive habits, destroying our planet.'

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

A heated debate over the exact location of Jesus' crucifixion has reignited, with Christians, scholars, and faith leaders divided over the true site of Golgotha.

Golgotha, meaning 'Place of the Skull' in Aramaic, is described in the Bible as the location of Jesus' crucifixion outside Jerusalem.

Some believe the Church of the Holy Sepulchre was built directly above the site, a theory dating back to the 4th century when Roman Emperor Constantine the Great ordered a search for the location of Jesus' death and burial. 

Early Christians pointed to a site they had long revered, prompting Constantine to build a church there to mark the spot.

Others argue the execution took place on a hill beyond the ancient city walls, pointing to terrain they believe better matches biblical descriptions.

Pastor Josh Howerton, who leads Lakepointe Church in Texas, recently promoted the hill theory during an episode of his podcast Live Free, saying: 'The gospels tell us Jesus was taken outside the city walls to be crucified. This fits. It's within walking distance.' 

He also pointed to older photographs that he said showed the hill resembling a skull formation, with features that appeared to form eye sockets and a nose.

He presented an image from the early 1990s that some viewers interpreted as skull-like, though he suggested erosion or possible seismic activity may have altered its appearance over time.

The claims quickly drew mixed reactions online, with many people defending the traditional belief that Golgotha is beneath the Church of the Holy Sepulchre.

Images of the hill outside of Jerusalem appeared to show features resembling a skull, including eye sockets and a nose

The hill near the Garden Tomb, however, looks different today due to decades of erosion, quarrying and urban development that have gradually altered the rock face

'Golgotha is at the Church of the Holy Sepulchre. Historical and archaeological evidence confirms it,' one commenter wrote in response to Howerton's video.

Another wrote: 'You forgot that the city walls moved out from where they were at the time of Christ’s crucifixion. The most likely location for Golgotha is the Church of the Holy Sepulcher.'

The Bible cites 'Golgotha' in several chapters, including in the books of Matthew and Mark, both of which state that Jesus was brought there to die, and the name means 'the place of the skull.' 

Howerton also included the biblical accounts of Jesus being taken outside the city.

Hebrews 13:12 reads: 'And so Jesus also suffered outside the city gate to make the people holy through his own blood.'

While John 19:17 reads: 'Carrying his own cross, he went out to the place of the Skull (which in Aramaic is called Golgotha).' 

Supporters of the hill theory often cite the nearby Garden Tomb as well, a rock-cut burial site discovered in the 19th century just outside Jerusalem's Damascus Gate, which they say strengthens the case for the alternative location. 

The hill near the Garden Tomb, however,  looks different today due to decades of erosion, quarrying and urban development that have gradually altered the rock face. 

Supporters of the hill theory often cite the nearby Garden Tomb as well, a rock-cut burial site discovered in the 19th century just outside Jerusalem's Damascus Gate, which they say strengthens the case for the alternative location

Some believe the Church of the Holy Sepulchre was built directly above the site, a theory dating back to the 4th century, when Roman Emperor Constantine the Great ordered a search for the location of Jesus' death and burial 

Historic photographs from the late 19th and early 20th centuries show more defined features that some believed resembled a skull, but modern construction, roadwork and natural weathering have softened those formations over time. 

However, most archaeologists and historians consider the Garden Tomb to be an Iron Age tomb, between the seventh and eighth centuries BC, which is too old to be the actual burial place of Jesus.

Support for the hill theory dates back to the mid-1800s, when German theologian Otto Thenius first proposed that a skull-shaped ridge north of Jerusalem could be the biblical Golgotha.

The idea gained wider attention in the late nineteenth century when British officer Major General Charles Gordon visited the site and argued that the rocky hill resembled a human skull, leading many to refer to it as Gordon's Calvary.

Other early researchers, including British surveyor Claude R Conder and biblical scholar Henry Baker Tristram, supported the location because it lay outside the ancient city walls, matching Gospel descriptions that Jesus was crucified beyond Jerusalem's boundaries.

Many historians and archaeologists continue to support the traditional belief that Jesus was crucified at the site now marked by the Church of the Holy Sepulchre in Jerusalem's Old City.

Pastor Josh Howerton (right), who leads Lakepointe Church in Texas , recently promoted the hill theory during an episode of his podcast Live Free , saying: The gospels tell us Jesus was taken outside the city walls to be crucified. This fits'

The claims quickly drew mixed reactions online, with many people defending the traditional belief that Golgotha is beneath the Church of the Holy Sepulchre

That theory dates back to the 4th century, when Roman Emperor Constantine the Great ordered a search for the location of Jesus' crucifixion and burial after converting to Christianity.

Early Christians in Jerusalem identified the site as Golgotha, prompting Constantine to construct a church there, establishing what became one of the oldest continuously recognized holy sites in Christianity.

Modern archaeological research has reinforced the traditional view, with scholars such as Israeli archaeologist Dan Bahat noting that the area surrounding the church was once a quarry located outside Jerusalem's city walls during the time of Jesus, consistent with biblical descriptions.

Historian Joan E Taylor, who reexamined historical and archaeological evidence in a widely cited 1998 study, concluded that the general area of the Church of the Holy Sepulchre remains the most plausible location for the crucifixion, despite ongoing debate.

A more recent discovery in 2025 uncovered remnants of an ancient garden beneath the foundation of the church, which aligns with the Gospel of John.

John 19:41 reads: 'Now in the place where he was crucified, there was a garden; and in the garden a new sepulcher, wherein was never man yet laid. There laid they Jesus.'

A team from Sapienza University of Rome analyzed plant remains from the site and dated them to the pre-Christian era, placing them around the time of Jesus’ crucifixion and burial. Historians generally date his death to around 33 AD.

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