We Need to Investigate UFOs. But Without the Distraction of Conspiracy Theories

BY SEAN KIRKPATRICK

 Credit: Moor Studio/Getty Images

Little else titillates and piques the national interest like unidentified flying objects and space aliens. After more than a century of films featuring intelligent creatures from other worlds, and over seven decades after the U.S. government began investigating them, UFOs remain a flashpoint for conspiracy theorists and science deniers. By any name, UFOs or unidentified anomalous phenomena (UAP) conjure the most vivid images and plots allowed by Hollywood and novels alike. Who doesn’t want to believe?

However, reality, as inconvenient as it can be, remains fundamental. In 2022 Congress found the courage to put into law the creation of the All-domain Anomaly Resolution Office (AARO), jointly managed by the Department of Defense and the Office of the Director of National Intelligence (ODNI). Its mission is quite straightforward. Apply an unbiased scientific method and intelligence tradecraft to review existing information and data on historical UAP and investigate new data as these are provided to the office from military, federal, state and local entities as well as private citizens.

AARO’s underlying raison d’être is to investigate, evaluate, analyze and provide actionable information for use by our national security leadership. Its purpose is not to prove or disprove the existence of extraterrestrial life, but to address the safety and security of our people, our operations and our nation.

Unfortunately, it is also meant to investigate a conspiracy saturated with the distrust between our legislative and executive branches. It is time for the American people to understand that, and for the DoD, ODNI and Congress to step up to the plate and enable AARO to finish its mission absent this distraction.

AARO’s interest—all-domain phenomena (sea, air and space)—remains an ongoing concern to our national security enterprise, particularly when the phenomena are observed near our nation’s sensitive military and critical infrastructure facilities. Observations by experienced military personnel as well as data from highly capable sensors are being reviewed by AARO, accordingly, to weed out explainable observations and expose truly difficult-to-explain phenomenology using the most rigorous scientific analysis available. This is its real job: to minimize the risk of intelligence and technical surprise.

Many outside observers nonetheless have criticized AARO as supposedly part of a continuing government cover-up of the existence of aliens. Interestingly, they have not provided any verifiable evidence of this, nor are some of the more outspoken willing to engage with the office to discuss their positions or offer up the data and evidence they claim to possess. Too often these critics and their supporters rely on secondhand “friend of a cousin” reporting with no personal firsthand knowledge or rigor in their critical thinking. Some claim that those with firsthand knowledge of this supposed cover-up have relayed it to AARO, but no source in my tenure as director of the office had firsthand knowledge of anything to do with an alleged reverse-engineering program of extraterrestrial spacecraft. While those who came forward have provided valuable information (albeit not of extraterrestrials or cover-ups), those who chose to instead titillate the national interest only stir division and hatred against the credible men and women of AARO who are working faithfully to address this mission. The AARO continues to offer anyone an opportunity to provide their personal knowledge of an alleged program involving extraterrestrials for the record in a safe and nonadversarial environment. It remains perplexing that some critics are hiding behind their own cloak of secrecy and legal maneuvering, refusing to engage with the AARO when the office has been given full authority by Congress, DoD, ODNI and others in the interagency process to review all information regardless of its classification while legally protecting those who provide it.

If people claim to have evidence involving aliens, they need to come forward to AARO to enable the office to investigate it. Otherwise, hearsay in a scientific and fact-based investigation serves only as a distraction.

There also is the possibility that some observed and reported phenomena are associated with past or ongoing national security programs completely unrelated to extraterrestrials. Unfortunately, some who have been peripherally involved in these programs are taking advantage of the lack of understanding of security compartmentalization among the public—and some members of Congress—and feel that exposure of national security activities is a public right.

The harm of such exposure would be incalculable: billions of dollars and decades invested in military capabilities exposed to our potential adversaries to satisfy ill-informed curiosity. While some staffers and members of Congress may claim that they and the American people have a right to know of every classified research program, Congress already has an established process for notification of sensitive programs to the bipartisan leadership of both the Senate and House as well as the chairs and ranking minority members of the Senate and House intelligence committees, often referred to as the Gang of Eight. It is incumbent on both the speaker of the House, the Senate majority leader and both chairs of the intelligence committees to ensure that there is no risk of exposing any national security programs in a rush to find extraterrestrials, and that documents are reviewed within appropriate channels. If these members of Congress deem it appropriate not to share classified information, they are doing their job. These are not town hall topics.

Lost in the hyperbole about a government conspiracy to hide the existence of alien spacecraft and physical remains is the real potential that the unexplained phenomena represent a dangerous technological leap by our peer competitors, China and Russia (it could be weapons testing, spying or just technology testing). Such a leap would present a national security crisis. As mandated by Congress, DoD and ODNI must fully engage with and support AARO to ensure that it is receiving the resources and government-wide collaboration required. Likewise, critics of AARO must step up and become part of the solution by collaborating and providing the full disclosure of any and all information they hold.

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

06-03-2024 om 21:28 geschreven door peter  

Two Glowing UFOs Over Hortonville, New York, Feb 29, 2024, UFO Sighting News. 👽👀🛸 Population=269

Date of sighting: Feb 29, 2024
Location of sighting: Hortonville, New York, USA
Source: 

• https://www.scdemocratonline.com/stories/did-a-ufo-visit-hortonville-yes-last-thursday-evening,129481

Wow, this just out in the news at Hortonville, NY which has a population of 269. Two glowing spheres were seen passing over the city and across the horizon and the witnesses are swearing to the fact that they were UFOs and I have to agree. These spheres are flying very close, military formation style for aliens. They fly together to watch out for one another. This is 100% proof of aliens over New York states! 

Scott C. Waring 

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

06-03-2024 om 21:12 geschreven door peter  

Jupiter's Icy Moon Europa May Be Missing a Key Ingredient for Life

A recent study suggests the icy moon's hidden ocean may be anoxic.

BY KIONA SMITH

 

NASA/JPL

Jupiter’s moon Europa has several key ingredients for life, but it may be short on one: oxygen.

A new study out today in the journal Nature Astronomy used data from NASA’s Juno spacecraft to simulate how much oxygen could be circulating in Europa’s oceans. It turns out, it is a lot less than researchers previously thought. Researchers formerly thought that there was likely quite a bit of oxygen on Europa, and therefore a good chance of life there, too.

ANOXIC ALIEN SEAS

To figure out how much oxygen might be getting into Europa’s oceans, Jamey R. Szalay, a planetary scientist at Princeton University and lead author on the study, and his colleagues examined data from Juno’s Jovian Auroral Distribution Experiment (JADE), which measures the ions (electrically charged atoms) left in Europa’s wake as it orbits Jupiter. JADE captured the data during Juno’s close flyby of Europa in September 2022.

Specifically, the team measured the amount of ionized oxygen and hydrogen JADE detected in Europa’s wake and used a computer simulation to figure out how much total oxygen had to be released at Europa’s surface every second to produce the amount of ions JADE measured in space 200 miles from the moon’s surface.

The answer turned out to be a measly 12 kilograms per second. That’s a lot less than previous models had predicted. Only about a fraction of that amount makes its way into the ocean below. This means that there is hardly any oxygen in Europa’s oceans.

“Unless Europa’s oxygen production was significantly higher in the past, the oxygen production rates found here […] provide a narrower ranger range to support habitability than previous model-driven estimates,” write Szalay and his colleagues.

BREAKING BONDS

How do ions at Europa’s surface make their way into the ocean? On Europa’s surface, radiation and electrically charged particles, like electrons, constantly bombard the surface of the ice. That radiation breaks the bonds that hold water molecules together, releasing oxygen and hydrogen molecules from their frozen prison.

Some of those molecules escape into space and collide with other molecules or get zapped by yet more radiation and become the ions that JADE studies. Others become part of Europa’s thin wisp of an atmosphere. Still others settle back into the ice; they’re trapped in a crystalline matrix of frozen water, but this time they’re imprisoned oxygen molecules, not just pieces of water molecules.

Ice, and things trapped in it, are in constant motion, even if that motion is very slow. Over time, some of that trapped oxygen gets shifted slowly downward through Europa’s kilometers-thick layers of ice, where it “may work into the ocean as a possible source of metabolic energy for life,” write Szalay and his colleagues in their recent paper.

We’ll get a much more direct look at how much oxygen is in Europa’s oceans, or whether there’s alien life swimming around down there in the cold dark, when NASA’s Europa Clipper arrives in 2030.

 { https://www.inverse.com/ }

06-03-2024 om 21:00 geschreven door peter  

Unraveling the Mystery: The 1970 Finland UFO Encounter

In the quiet expanse of Finland’s snow-covered landscapes, a remarkable incident unfolded in 1970 that continues to intrigue and mystify UFO enthusiasts and skeptics alike. This incident, often overshadowed by more famous cases, involves a series of bewildering experiences reported by two Finnish skiers, casting a long shadow on our understanding of unidentified flying objects and potential extraterrestrial encounters. Here, we delve into the heart of this enigmatic event, piecing together the narrative and examining its implications.

The Encounter

On the evening of January 7, 1970, in the southeastern village of Imjärvi, Finland, an extraordinary event took place that would forever change the lives of two men. Arno Heinonen, a 36-year-old forestry worker, and his friend Esco Viljo, embarked on a routine skiing trip through the dense forests that characterize the Finnish landscape. What started as an ordinary journey soon turned into an extraordinary tale of close encounter.

As dusk settled over the forest, the tranquility was broken by a buzzing sound, followed by the appearance of a bright light descending from the sky. The skiers described witnessing a luminous cloud that, upon closer inspection, revealed a metallic vessel. This object, about 10 feet in diameter, hovered above them, emitting a strong beam of light that created a brightly illuminated circle on the snow below.

Within this circle, a creature unlike any known earthly being appeared. Standing at approximately 2.5 feet tall, the entity was described as thin, with slender arms and legs, and dressed in light green overalls. The face, devoid of eyes but featuring a hook-like nose, and small ears closely set to the head, added to the otherworldly appearance of the visitor.

The Aftermath

The immediate aftermath of the encounter left both men with physical symptoms that were difficult to explain. Arno suffered from nausea, headaches, and a disturbingly dark discoloration of his urine, suggesting a severe physiological reaction. Esco experienced numbness and swelling, symptoms that did not align with any typical diagnosis. The days following the incident saw the men grappling with unexplained health issues, including joint pain, balance problems, and a general malaise that resisted conventional medical treatment.

The lack of concrete explanations for their symptoms led Arno to reach out to UFO research centers, seeking answers that science could not provide. His deteriorating health and inability to continue his work as a lumberjack only deepened the mystery.

Skepticism and Belief

The Imjärvi incident, as it came to be known, is a study in contrasts. On one hand, it presents a detailed account of an encounter with an unidentified entity, complete with physical evidence in the form of lasting health impacts. On the other, the fantastical elements of the story, including subsequent claims made by Arno of further encounters, cast doubt on the credibility of the witnesses.

This case embodies the challenge of UFO research: the delicate balance between belief in the extraordinary and the demands of empirical evidence. The medical symptoms experienced by Arno and Esco, while suggestive of an unusual encounter, lack the definitive proof that skeptics demand. Yet, the detailed descriptions of the encounter, the physical reactions, and the absence of a satisfactory explanation invite an open-minded consideration of what might lie beyond our current understanding.

VIDEO:

• The extraordinary story of two skiers’ alleged close encounter of the third kind in Finland in 1970.

• https://youtu.be/UXPxWgqYEqo

The 1970 UFO encounter in Finland remains an enigmatic chapter in the annals of UFOlogy. It serves as a reminder of the vastness of our universe and the possibility of encounters that challenge our perceptions of reality. Whether one views the incident with skepticism or as evidence of extraterrestrial visitation, it undeniably enriches the tapestry of human experience with the unknown. As we continue to explore the mysteries of the cosmos, stories like that of Arno and Esco remind us to keep looking up, wondering, and questioning.

• https://youtu.be/HSIgMafwSeM

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

06-03-2024 om 20:48 geschreven door peter  

This Is Clearest UFO Photo Ever Released That Shows Typical Alien Craft

On September 4, 1971, members of the Instituto Geográfico Nacional (National Geographic Institute) took photographs above Lake Cote for the Costa Rican governmental company that provides electricity and telecommunication services. The photographs were taken for the construction of a hydroelectric dam near lake Arenal, when the mapping agency members accidentally captured a UFO in their high-resolution camera that was mounted on the plane, pointing downwards. The photograph is considered to be the clearest and best UFO photograph ever taken.

Sergio Loaiza, Juan Bravo and Francisco Reyes were flying in a Canadian-made Areo-Commander model F680 piloted by Omar Arias, and Loaiza was in charge of aerial photography that day. They were flying above Costa Rica with a 100-pound map-making camera when Loaiza captured a photograph of a metallic disc like a typical alien “flying saucer” that can be seen flying between the F680 aircraft and the ground.

They were flying at 10,000 feet, mapping the landscape beneath with the high-resolution camera that was programmed to take photos every 20 seconds. While reviewing the negatives, Loaiza could not believe his eyes. He even said that they were completely banned from talking about it. According to UFO researcher Oscar Sierra, the photographs were analyzed in the USA and France and found to be 100% real. (Source)

The object can only be seen in the photograph in frame number #300 in the sequence, and there is no indication of it in either the frame of film that came before it or the one that was taken immediately after it. Due to the film stock and the quality of the camera, the image was incredibly clear. This object was not in either the frame before it (#299) or the frame after it (#301).

During the actual flight, the captain and his three crew members did not witness anything, and neither did the other passengers. It is estimated that the UFO was anywhere between 120 and 220 feet across, but the actual width would have depended on the object’s exact altitude.

New York Times writer and author Leslie Kean revealed that she has a framed copy of the photo taken at Lake Cote in the May 10, 2021 issue of The New Yorker by Gideon Lewis-Kraus. The article states, “…On the wall behind her desk, there is a framed black-and-white image that looks like a sonogram of a Frisbee. The photograph was given to her, along with chain-of-custody documentation, by contacts in the Costa Rican government; in her estimation, it is the finest image of a U.F.O. ever made public.”

On the New Yorker Radio Hour, she said: “I love this photo. It’s probably the best photograph of a UFO ever taken. It was taken in the 70s from a government mapping plane in Costa Rica which had a camera strapped on the bottom of the plane and it was like going over the terrain. There was this disc object and you clearly see the sun reflecting off this round object that’s got a little dot on the top and what’s important about it is that it was a government photo. There’s a clear chain of custody. It’s always been in possession of the Costa Rican government so you know it’s authentic and it’s completely unexplained.” (Source)

Read also:

• Ex-NASA Astronaut: ‘We have Contact With Alien Cultures & Their Appearance Is Bizarre’
• Famous 19-Sec UFO Footage Could Be Greatest Leak: CGI Experts Say It Is Real Deal
• Einstein’s Student Claimed US Govt. Re-Engineered UFO & Studied Alien Bodies
• Ex-Apollo Astronaut Claimed Humans Are Ancient Aliens, Visited Earth From Space

In 1985, computer scientist and astronomer Dr. Jacques Vallee obtained a copy of the negative and circulated it to his contacts in the United States government and at a California tech company. However, none of them helped Dr. Vallee in analyzing the negative.

Eventually, in December 1987, Vallee took it to Dr. Richard Haines in San Francisco. Haines was a retired aerospace engineer who had worked for NASA, and Vallee knew him. The photo was scanned, blown up, and looked at. Haines’ first focus was on the lighting. In 1989, Vallee and Haines wrote a “Photo Analysis of an Aerial Disc Over Costa Rica” for the Journal of Scientific Exploration. The 19-page report concluded: (Source)

“In summary, our analyses have suggested that an unidentified, opaque, aerial object was captured on film at a maximum distance of 10,000 feet. There are no visible means of lift or propulsion and no surface markings other than dark regions that appear to be nonrandom… There is no indication that the image is the product of a double exposure or a deliberate fabrication.”

There has always been speculation as to whether the craft had just emerged from or was about to enter Lake Cote. There are numerous local stories concerning UFOs emerging from the water. But it is impossible to understand the path of the craft because it only appeared in one frame #300. The original negative has been kept by the Costa Rican government, and it may be found in the country’s National Archive. There are copies available, such as the one that Vallee and Haines analyzed.

Loaiza’s UFO photograph has never been explained, despite the fact that UFO skeptics have thoroughly examined it. UAP Media, a UK-based UFO research company has got a brand fresh ultra-high resolution drum scan of the original photograph.

• Graeme Rendall – Author of UFOs Before Roswell and Flying Saucer Fever: “It’s a really intriguing photograph, and one which totally captures the imagination. I’m always impressed as to how “right” it looks. As to its veracity, though, I can’t say, but I’d love it to be true. It definitely looks a lot more convincing than a lot of other images I’ve seen over the years. I’d have to leave it to the photo analysis experts to pronounce sentence on it though.”
• Vinnie Adams – member of UAP Media: “After looking into the case, reading about the circumstances surrounding what was seen from that aeroplane that day, and reading the analysis done previously by Dr. Jacques Vallée, it does come across as a very compelling case. The fact that after 50 years it still hasn’t been conclusively proven or debunked is very interesting. Now that we have this high-resolution drum scanned version of the image, hopefully it might reignite interest in the case and lead to further analysis and some sort of conclusion.”
• Luis Elizondo – Former director of AATIP: “Although I was not around during this incident, pilot reports of smooth, shiny, lenticular craft are not new. In fact, even to this day, pilots, both civilian and military, along with their aircrew, continue to witness these types of craft and oftentimes displaying performance capabilities well beyond state of the art. Thankfully, some of these newer incidents are finding their way to Congress due to the courage of our fine men and women in uniform. During my time in AATIP, these incidents were surprisingly common.”
• Jeremy Corbell – Filmmaker: “As we search for meaning behind the UFO presence, it’s important that we remember we are more effective collectively when perusing analysis. Historic images like this one from Costa Rica still have stories to tell, and new insights are sometimes just around the corner. If we can socially democratize and crowdsource our search for answers – we will arrive closer to the truth than if we simply wait for further confirmation from our governments. I’m elated higher fidelity imagery continues to emerge, especially when it allows us to get a glimpse into our UFO past. Makes one wonder what other UFO evidence is lurking in boxes or files that have remained elusive until now. I’m confident that more and more people will be coming forward with valuable insight and evidence in the near future.”

{ https://www.howandwhys.com/ }

06-03-2024 om 01:28 geschreven door peter  

If aliens had our life-hunting equipment, could they find us?

These questions go far beyond philosophical musings. There's a practical use for the answers as well. They'll be used to validate a forthcoming space mission, dubbed the Large Interferometer for Exoplanets or "LIFE," mission, which will hunt for habitable exoplanets. The mission will be comprised of five spacecraft that form a single, mid-infrared interferometer. They'll sit relatively close to the James Webb Space Telescope (JWST) in an orbit around the sun known as Lagrange Point 2, or L2.

So, the team, which hails from ETH Zurich, turned the technology that'll support LIFE back on Earth to confirm that the mission will indeed be capable of hunting for life on distant worlds when it launches in late 2026 or early 2027. If it can't confirm life on Earth, how would it confirm life beyond?

Related: 

• Possibly habitable Trappist-1 exoplanet caught destroying its own atmosphere

{ https://www.space.com/ }

06-03-2024 om 01:09 geschreven door peter  

The team’s findings indicate not only that this is the farthest active supermassive black hole spotted to date, which could help astronomers understand just what makes this region of stars so luminous, but they could also be revealing a few surprises too.

Roberto Maiolino, principal investigator in a recent study using Webb to study GN-z11, said that he and his team discovered an extremely dense region of gas that is commonly found where supermassive black holes exist.

“These were the first clear signatures that GN-z11 is hosting a black hole that is gobbling matter,” said Maiolino, a researcher with the Cavendish Laboratory and the Kavli Institute of Cosmology at the University of Cambridge in the United Kingdom, in a recent statement.

Along with signs of dense gases present within GN-z11, Maiolino and his team found evidence of ionization in association with chemicals that are also commonly found near supermassive black holes, as well as signs of powerful winds that seem to be emanating from the galaxy that is consistent with a black hole’s accretion disk.

Based on data collected with Webb’s Near-Infrared Camera, or NIRCam, coloration within the center of GN-z11 also appears to be consistent with supermassive black hole accretion, according to Hannah Übler, who is also a researcher at the Cavendish Laboratory and the Kavli Institute.

The available data all appears to suggest that the galaxy possesses a supermassive hole that is actively consuming matter, which Maiolino, Übler, and their team say can explain the extreme luminosity GN-z11 displays.

In addition to the revelation of a supermassive black hole at the galaxy’s center, Maoilino also says that an intriguing region of helium was discovered in the halo around GN-z11, which is consistent with existing theories about galaxies from this early stage in the universe.

“This is something that was expected by theory and simulations in the vicinity of particularly massive galaxies from these epochs,” Maoilino says, adding that “there should be pockets of pristine gas surviving in the halo, and these may collapse and form Population III star clusters.”

Such a discovery is extremely significant in astronomy, since it involves Population III stars, made mostly from hydrogen and helium and among the earliest ever to have formed, the discovery of which is a key area of research for astrophysicists.

Current theories expect Population III stars to be very hot and equally luminous, with signatures conveying an abundance of ionized helium. Going forward, Maiolino and Übler hope that their team’s ongoing observations will help them determine whether they have indeed observed Population III stars in the gaseous halo surrounding GN-z11.

Fundamentally, studying the earliest known stars grants astronomers a unique view of a period of significant change in our universe, where it emerged from a mostly dark and simplistic state to the far more structured version of the cosmos we observe in modern times.

Maiolino, Übler, and their team’s new study on GN-z11’s supermassive black hole was published earlier this year in the journal Nature.

• Micah Hanks is the Editor-in-Chief and Co-Founder of The Debrief. He can be reached by email at micah@thedebrief.org. Follow his work at micahhanks.com and on X: @MicahHanks.

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

06-03-2024 om 00:33 geschreven door peter  

Food fan reviews America's wackiest MCDONALD'S - from the UFO-themed Roswell restaurant and ultra-lavish eatery inside a New York MANSION to Orlando outpost that serves McPizza and McPasta

• Dylan Huynh from California set of on a McNugget filled adventure 
• He visited five of the country's wackiest outlets in a bid to rank the 'coolest'
• The trip started in New Mexico +9where there is a UFO-shaped McDonald's 

By SADIE WHITELOCKS FOR DAILYMAIL.COM

From an alien theme to a one-of-a-kind pizza, a foodie has lifted the lid on what the most unique McDonald's restaurants in America have to offer. 

Dylan Huynh from California set of on a McNugget filled adventure to visit five of the country's wackiest outlets in a bid to rank which one is the 'coolest McDonald's ever.' 

In a YouTube video documenting his trip, he starts his journey in Roswell, New Mexico, where he checks into a McDonald's shaped like a UFO with 'little alien statues' installed outside.

Inside the restaurant, he says it 'actually feels like you're in a UFO' with 'metal plated walls' and even an 'astronaut Ronald McDonald' hanging from the ceiling.

Dylan Huynh from California set of on a McNugget filled adventure to visit five of the country's wackiest McDonald's. He starts his journey at a UFO shaped eatery in Roswell, New Mexico

Inside the restaurant, he says it' actually feels like you're in a UFO' with 'metal plated walls'

In the main dining area, Dylan found an 'astronaut Ronald McDonald' hanging from the ceiling

The colonial era McDonald's, dubbed the McMansion, is set in a 19th-century former farmhouse in Hyde Park, New York

As he opens the 'fancy door' and steps inside, Dylan is shocked by the interiors with a 'grand staircase leading up to the second floor' and exposed wooden beams in the ceiling

US' MOST UNIQUE MCDONALD'S AS VISITED BY DYLAN 

In terms of the food, Dylan didn't find anything unusual, so he opted for a portion of 20 chicken McNuggets and a McFlurry. Both got his seal of approval. 

Before leaving, he snapped a photo with a 'cool alien statue' and bought something from the gift shop. 

Next up, Dylan heads to what he deems the 'world's fanciest McDonald's.'

The colonial era McDonald's, dubbed the McMansion, is set in a 19th-century former farmhouse in Hyde Park, New York. 

The classical building was saved from being knocked down by local activists and it was given landmark status.

In his YouTube video, Dylan reveals that it became a McDonald's in 1991. 

As he opens the 'fancy door' and steps inside, he is shocked by the interiors with a 'grand staircase leading up to the second floor' and exposed wooden beams in the ceiling. 

He adds: 'It literally feels like I'm inside someone's house, a very rich person's house.'

Along with a fancy door, he found 'fancy lights, fancy windows, fancy plants, even the trash cans were fancy.' 

While he was impressed by the regal interiors, Dylan wasn't so enthused about the ambience. He found the restaurant seemed very empty, with 'no kids' and 'just fancy looking old people.'

As he sits down he says: 'I don't know how to explain this but I feel very uncomfortable in this McDonald's. I feel like I have to whisper.

The third stop on Dylan's whirlwind tour is the world's largest McDonald's, which is located in Orlando, Florida

The sprawling restaurant, which opened in 1975, has a floor area of more than 19,000ft

Dylan reveals that the world's largest McDonald's is 'the only McDonald's in the world that sells the McPasta and the McPizza'

The pizza also gets his seal of approval, despite the floppy base not filling him with high hopes

'I'm just going to go right out and say it. I am not having that much fun at this McDonald's.' 

After finishing a portion of chicken McNuggets, Dylan leaves the restaurant with the farewell message: 'Goodbye world's fanciest McDonald's you are pretty to look at but very weird.'

The third stop on Dylan's whirlwind tour is the world's largest McDonald's, which is located in Orlando, Florida.

The sprawling restaurant, which opened in 1975, has a floor area of more than 19,000ft and along with a restaurant, it has a 22ft tall play area and an arcade with more than 100 games. 

Dylan reveals that it is also 'the only McDonald's in the world that sells the McPasta and the McPizza.'

As he walks through the restaurant, he points out some woodfired pizza ovens and he even passes an aquarium.

In terms of his food order, Dylan goes to town and spends $64 on a spread of treats including 'the usual chicken McNuggets,' an Oreo McFlurry, the McPasta and the McPizza.

Continuing on his quest, Dylan visits the McDonald's global headquarters in Chicago where they offer a global menu of their delicacies from around the world

Before he orders, the food experts says his initial impression of the restaurant is that it is 'very clean' and 'very modern,' with 'people wearing suits in the kitchen'

When he visits, he decides to order a 'BBQ bacon stack' burger from the UK

A 'filet-o-shrimp' burger from Japan gets the thumbs up from Dylan

Out of the three items, he deems the Korean salted caramel McFlurry with Oreo the winner and he puts in a plea for it to come to the states

He says the colorful bowl of tortellini he orders is 'a lot better' than he expected and he adds that it 'might be better than Olive Garden.'

The pizza also gets his seal of approval, despite the floppy base not filling him with high hopes. 

After having a fill and boxing the remnants up, Dylan heads to the arcade to play some games and he spends $120 on a gaming card. 

Lastly, he heads to the play area to test out the 'infamous big yellow slide.' 

Summing up the world's largest McDonald's he says: 'This place is the exact opposite from the McMansion. The McMansion was dull, gray and quiet [but] this McDonald's was very lively, very colorful and definitely not quiet.'

Continuing on his quest, Dylan visits the McDonald's global headquarters in Chicago where they offer a global menu of their delicacies from around the world.

Before he orders, the food experts says his initial impression of the restaurant is that it is 'very clean' and 'very modern,' with 'people wearing suits in the kitchen.' 

When it comes to the HQ's menu, Dylan explains that 'since McDonald's operates in over 118 countries, the global menu rotates every three months to highlight different locations.'

When he visits, he decides to order a 'BBQ bacon stack' burger from the UK, a 'filet-o-shrimp' burger from Japan and a salted caramel McFlurry with Oreo from Korea. 

Lastly, Dylan makes his way to the new restaurant CosMc, which is also located in Illinois

The brand - which launched in December 2023 and is named after McDonald's alien mascot from the 1980s and early 1990s - offers a range of colorful slushes, iced teas and coffees

He orders a s'mores cold brew which he deems 'pretty nice,' and a portion of hash browns which he says is 'nice' but on the smaller side

Lastly he tests a drink, which he asked the drive-thru attendant to surprise him with. He tells viewers that it the 'radioactive red' drink features 'popping boba' beans in it

Out of the three items, he deems the Korean invention the winner and he puts in a plea for it to come to the states. 

He concludes: 'Even though McDonald's started in America every other country has a better menu than the American one.'

Lastly, Dylan makes his way to the new restaurant CosMc, which is also located in Illinois. 

The brand - which launched in December 2023 and is named after McDonald's alien mascot from the 1980s and early 1990s - offers a range of colorful slushes, iced teas and coffees with names such as the Sour Cherry Energy Burst and Turmeric Spiced Latte. 

Some old McDonald's favorites also made the menu including its popular McMuffins.

As he nears the new concept restaurant Dylan says: 'It's technically a drive-thru... but from the pictures it looks very, very exciting.

'According to the CosMc website their menu is supposed to be otherworldly and it's designed to boost your mood into the stratosphere. I don't even know what that means but I'm excited about it.'

He orders a s'mores cold brew which he deems 'pretty nice,' a portion of hash browns which he says is 'nice' but on the smaller side, and an Oreo McFlurry, which he says always takes him back to his childhood. 

Lastly he tests a drink, which he asked the drive-thru attendant to surprise him with. 

He tells viewers that it the 'radioactive red' drink features 'popping boba' beans in it and a lemon and as he tastes it he winces in response to its sour taste.

Following his epic journey across America, Dylan crowns the world's biggest McDonald's in Florida as the winning restaurant, with its unique restaurant-style dishes and big yellow slide. 

{ https://www.dailymail.co.uk/ }

05-03-2024 om 23:24 geschreven door peter  

In our never-ending search for evidence of extraterrestrial life, it is suspected that a mummified foetus found in Colombia could be either an 'alien' or a 'tiny humanoid' from more than 800 years ago.

The alleged alien has an elongated skull, slanted eyes and an unusual number of ribs — the body seems to have 10 ribs on each side compared to a human's 12.

It was discovered in Colombia, with pictures sent by an anonymous source to Spanish alien researcher, Josep Guijarro.

Guijarro confirmed that it died in the foetal position, but is ‘cautious’ to call it an alien.

In a post on X (formerly known as Twitter), the veteran journalist and UFO researcher wrote: "My source told me it came from Colombia... I can't know exactly because I lack verifiable data."

"I am sure that someone in Mexico would have already given it the label 'alien,'' Guijarro wrote in espaciomisterio last week.

"In my case, I prefer to be more cautious," he added.

Guijarro is also open to the idea that the specimen may be a 'tiny humanoid' related to 'Ata,' an infamous, alien-like corpse unearthed in Chile in 2003.

Last year, Barcelona-based UFO hunter Ramón Navia-Osorio Villar, who had purchased 'Ata' from a treasure hunter, shared his theory that the remains were evidence of a race of tiny humanoids.

"They were very small people who lived in caves and only came out at night," he told Spanish television, "hence its strange almond-shaped eyes.

"A native friend from the Aymara tribe told me that these beings used to live with their ancestors before the Spanish settlers arrived."

Guijarro expressed an openness to the notion that the skeleton may be a member of this tiny race of people who were said to live in the Andes approximately 800 years ago.

He wrote: "The researcher Gilda Mora, from Colombia, said that she had news of these beings since the times of the Spanish conquest.

"Even today, there were references to them in a place called 'El cerro de los enanos,' ('the Hill of the Dwarves') in Colombia, which is very difficult to access."

However, researchers have previously called the theory behind 'Ata' absurd.

In 2018, Professor Siân Halcrow, a biological anthropologist at New Zealand's University of Otago published an analysis criticising Ata's 'alien' believers.

"We estimated the length of the femur, and we estimated that the foetus would have been about 15 weeks in-utero gestation," Halcrow explained to the Daily Mail.

Based upon this assessment, the skeleton most likely belonged to the foetus of a premature infant that died less than four months into pregnancy.

Skeptical scientists believe that the most recent discovery is also the remains of a human foetus.

And with that, the search for alien life goes on.

Featured Image Credit:

• Jam Press

Topics: 

• Science, 
• Weird, 
• Aliens

{ https://www.ladbible.com/news }

05-03-2024 om 22:45 geschreven door peter  

UFO Over Taitung, Taiwan on 1961, Almost Looks Like Black Hole! UFO Sighting News.

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

05-03-2024 om 22:29 geschreven door peter  

Just about every day we here on Earth get a breathtaking picture of Mars’s terrain sent back by a rover. But, the view from space can be pretty amazing, too. The Mars Reconnaissance Orbiter (MRO) just sent back a thought-provoking picture of Curiosity as it makes its way up a steep ridge on Mount Sharp.

The rover is a tiny black dot in the center of the image, which gives a good feeling for what MRO’s HiRISE camera accomplished. For scale, the rover is about the size of a dinner table, sitting in a region of alternating dark and light bands of material on the Red Planet.

Where’s Curiosity?

The Curiosity rover is exploring an ancient ridge on the side of Mount Sharp, which is the peak of a crater on Mars. It’s sitting on the side of a feature called Gediz Vallis Ridge, and the terrains and materials preserve a record of what things were like when water last flowed there. That happened about three billion years ago. The force of the flow brought significant amounts of rocks and debris through the region. They piled up to form the ridge. So, much of what you see here is the desiccated remains of that flooding.

Debris flows are pretty common here on Earth, particularly in the aftermath of floods, volcanic eruptions, tsunamis, and other actions. We can see them wherever material floods through a region or down a slope. In a flood-based flow, the speed of the water combines with gravity and the degree of slope to send material rushing across the surface. A debris flow can also be a dry landslide, and those can occur pretty much anywhere on Earth where the conditions are right. Another type of debris flow comes from volcanic activity. That occurs when material erupts from a volcano, or when earthquakes combined with an eruption collapse material into the side of the mountain. That results in what’s called a “lahar”. Folks in North America might recall the Mount St. Helens eruption in 1980; it resulted in several lahars that buried parts of the surrounding terrain.

Now that scientists see similar-seeming regions on Mars, they want to know several things. How did they form? Were they created by the same processes that make them on Earth? And, how long ago did they begin to form? Curiosity and Perseverance and other rovers and landers have been sent to Mars to help answer those questions.

Understanding the Debris Ridge

Did any of these actions happen on Mars? The evidence is pretty strong, which is why Gediz Vallis itself is a major exploration goal for the rover. It’s a canyon that stretches across 9 kilometers of the Martian surface and is carved about 140 meters deep. Gediz was likely carved by so-called “fluvial” activity (meaning flowing action) in the beginning. Later floods deposited a variety of fine-grained sands and rocks. Over time, winds have blown a lot of that material away, leaving behind protected pockets of materials left behind by the flooding. The size of the rocks tells something about the speed of the flows that deposited all the material. Geological studies of those rocks will reveal their mineral compositions, including their exposure to water over time.

The Gediz Vallis ridge resulted from the action of water pushing rocks and dirt around to build it up over time. Planetary scientists now need to figure out the sequence of events that created it. The clues lie in the scattered rocks in the region and the surrounding terrain. Mount Sharp itself (formally known as Aeolis Mons), is about 5 kilometers high and is, essentially, a stack of layered sedimentary rocks. As Curiosity makes its way up the mountain, it explores younger and younger materials.

Curiosity’s Mission at Gediz

To put all this on a larger scale, Mount Sharp is the central peak of Gale Crater. It formed some 3.5 to 3.8 billion years ago from an impact. As time went by, water flooded the crater several times. It flowed out and eventually disappeared as Mars’s climate changed it to the dusty desert we see today.

Winds also played a role in filling the crater with dust and sand deposits. This so-called aeolian activity also helped carve out Mount Sharp. This history of wind- and water-based deposition and erosion made Gale Crater a very attractive place to explore. That’s why Curiosity was sent there and continues its journey up Mount Sharp.

For More Information

• HiRISE Spots Curiosity Driving Toward Upper Gediz Vallis
• Curiosity Views Gediz Vallis Ridge
• The Gediz Vallis Inverted Channel: Evidence for Late-state Flow in Gale Crater, Mars?

{ https://www.universetoday.com/ }

05-03-2024 om 21:43 geschreven door peter  

As if the Mars Perseverance Rover and Ingenuity Drone were not exciting enough then the next step in this audacious mission takes it to a whole new level. Mars Sample Return Mission is to follow along, collect and return the samples collected by Perseverance back to Earth. However the status of Mars Sample Return is uncertain as engineers are still working on technology to retrieve the samples. The current challenge is the gripper arm that will collect the samples and stow them safely and securely before transportation without damaging them. 

Mars, known as the “Red Planet,” is the fourth planet from the Sun.  It’s named after the Roman god of war and has fascinated humans for centuries. The distinctive rusty-red colour and mysterious terrain has over the years, led many to believe Mars was inhabited by aliens. Exploration has shown us though that Mars is a barren landscape that is home to Olympus Mons, the largest volcano, and Valles Marineris, the deepest canyon, in the solar system. 

Viking 1 was the first spacecraft to visit Mars, successfully touching down on 20 July 1976 in the Chryse Planitia region. It comprised an orbiter and lander both of which were equipped with high resolution cameras to undertake a detailed examination of the Martian surface and atmosphere. A host of other spacecraft have visited Mars since then, most recently the Perseverance rover which carried with it the Ingenuity aircraft. 

One of the mission objectives of Perseverance was to collect samples from Martian rocks and soil using the onboard drill. The samples were collected during a process known as ‘sample caching’ and then stored in tubes before being deposited on the surface for later collection. It’s a procedure that has never been undertaken before but set the foundations for future missions to collect and transport the samples back to Earth. Perseverance has been busy, there are now 23 titanium tubes sat on the Martian surface just waiting to be delivered back to Earth.  

Enter Mars Sample Return mission, a joint NASA and ESA project that is planned to collect the tubes and bring them home for study. Engineers are now working on a prototype robotic arm that will collect the tubes from the surface. It uses a grip with two ‘fingers’ to pickup the hermetically sealed tubes from various angles and positions. There is a mechanism that ensures enough grip to pickup but not damage the tube or its contents which are Martian samples about the size of a piece of classroom chalk. It can even collect them direct from the rover itself. 

As with all space missions, backup plans must always be considered. In the case of the the Sample Return mission the backup is likely to be two helicopters based on the Ingenuity design that can collect the tubes and deposit them in front of the lander for collection. An audacious mission perhaps but we will have to wait until 2028 to see the lander on Mars and until 2033 for the samples to be returned to Earth.

Source : Grip on Mars

{ https://www.universetoday.com/ }

05-03-2024 om 21:27 geschreven door peter  

The research looks at large stars in their first million years of life, when they’re not only young but extremely luminous. The researchers focused on several stars in the Orion Nebula and its stellar nurseries. The stars are at least ten times more massive than the Sun and are 10,000 times more luminous. What effect does their luminosity and all that radiation have on disks where planets form?

These powerful young stars emit high levels of Far-Ultraviolet (FUV) radiation, which has the power to remove mass from planet-forming disks. This power extends beyond their own immediate surroundings into the disks around neighbouring low-mass stars.

“Most low-mass stars form in stellar clusters that also contain massive stars, which are sources of far ultraviolet (FUV) radiation,” the researchers explain. “Theoretical models predict that this FUV radiation produces photodissociation regions (PDRs) on the surfaces of protoplanetary disks around low-mass stars, which affects planet formation within the disks.” The PDRs can span several hundred astronomical units (AU).

The researchers examined one protoplanetary disk that’s within range of energetic, high-mass stars residing in the Trapezium Cluster in the heart of the Orion Nebula. The five brightest stars in that cluster range from 15 to 30 solar masses, making them prime candidates to study PDRs in neighbouring planet-forming disks. The Orion Bar PDR is an often-studied and prototypical PDR.

The disk in the image, d203-506, is being bombarded by intense FUV radiation from the massive Trapezium stars. The FUV radiation is dispersing matter in the disk, inhibiting planet formation. According to the research, it’s impossible for a Jupiter-mass planet to form in this disk because the radiation is stripping matter away.

“Planet formation is limited by processes that remove mass from the disk, such as photoevaporation,” the authors write. “This occurs when the upper layers of protoplanetary disks are heated by x-ray or ultraviolet photons.” Once heated, the gas exceeds the escape velocity of the disk, and the gas leaves the system.

After the radiation drives mass out of the disk, it collects in a diffuse envelope around the disk.

The powerful FUV radiation dissociates molecular hydrogen into atomic hydrogen. The PDR marks the transition between molecular and atomic hydrogen. As the hydrogen is converted into atomic hydrogen, it becomes warmer, and the heating helps drive the photoevaporation of the hydrogen.

When the star inside the affected disk is more massive, that helps restrict the loss of hydrogen from the disk. Its gravity can help the disk retain matter, making it available for planet formation.

This all plays out relatively quickly in a disk. In the d203-506 disk, the star is only about 0.3 solar masses. The researchers write that in only about 0.13 million years, enough material will be removed from the disk to prohibit the formation of a Jupiter-mass planet. “This is faster than even very early planet formation,” the researchers write.

But powerful FUV radiation and the PDRs they produce do more than just inhibit the formation of gas giants. They shape other aspects of the future solar system as well.

“The effect affects the disk mass, radius, and lifetime, its chemical evolution, and the growth and migration of any planets forming within the disk,” the authors explain.

{ https://www.universetoday.com/ }

05-03-2024 om 21:11 geschreven door peter  

The Insights of Michio Kaku on UFOs and Advanced Civilizations: An Overview

In a remarkable and enlightening conversation, Ross Coulthart, a seasoned investigative journalist, engaged with Michio Kaku, a renowned quantum physicist and a key proponent of string theory, to unravel the mysteries surrounding Unidentified Flying Objects. This discussion, initially part of a broader documentary effort, sheds light on the growing interest and acknowledgment of UFO phenomena within both the scientific community and the general public.

Skepticism and the Burden of Proof

Kaku, a professor at City College of New York, addressed the skepticism that often surrounds the existence of UFOs, highlighting a shift in the burden of proof. He underscored the importance of data, indicating that the military’s disclosure of extensive video evidence has been pivotal. This transparency challenges the longstanding requirement for individuals to prove the existence of anomalous objects, instead placing the onus on the military to demonstrate that these observations are not extraterrestrial.

Technological Marvels Beyond Human Capability

The interview delved into the capabilities of the objects observed, with Kaku explaining that the maneuvers and speeds documented far exceed current human-made aircraft or drones. This includes instances where objects have demonstrated the ability to travel at speeds up to Mach 20 and perform aerial feats that would subject any known life form to lethal g-forces, suggesting the possibility of drone technology beyond our comprehension.

The Possibility of Extraterrestrial Origin

Kaku candidly explored the possibility that these UAPs could be of extraterrestrial origin, acknowledging that while some military and government officials have started to admit this as a possibility, the scientific community remains cautious. He emphasized the significance of following the data, which seems to suggest a technology that is potentially thousands, if not millions, of years more advanced than ours.

Advanced Civilizations and Energy Manipulation

Discussing the theoretical framework for exceeding the speed of light—a boundary firmly established by Einstein—Kaku introduced concepts such as wormholes and the Alcubierre drive. These ideas, grounded in the general theory of relativity, suggest mechanisms through which advanced civilizations might traverse vast cosmic distances. However, Kaku also noted the immense energy requirements for such feats, positing that only civilizations far beyond our current technological capacity could achieve them.

The Implications of Contact

The conversation also touched on the societal and philosophical implications of contact with advanced extraterrestrial life. Kaku speculated on the reasons advanced beings might visit Earth and how humanity might perceive and interact with them. He stressed the importance of cautious engagement, drawing parallels with historical encounters on Earth that led to the downfall of less technologically advanced civilizations.

Looking Towards the Future

As the interview concluded, Kaku and Coulthart contemplated the future of humanity’s quest to understand and possibly interact with extraterrestrial life. Kaku’s reflections on the potential for advanced civilizations to exist within the vast expanse of the universe serve as a reminder of the humbling and awe-inspiring possibilities that lie beyond our current understanding.

VIDEO:

• Professor Michio Kaku & Ross Coulthart interview IN FULL | UFO UAP News

• https://youtu.be/vEs-lrw_hhQ

This dialogue between Coulthart and Kaku not only highlights the evolving discourse surrounding UFOs and UAPs but also underscores the importance of scientific inquiry and open-mindedness in exploring the unknown frontiers of our universe. As humanity continues to advance technologically, the prospect of encountering or even understanding advanced extraterrestrial life remains one of the most intriguing and profound challenges of our time.

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

05-03-2024 om 20:40 geschreven door peter  

Europa Produce Less Oxygen than Previously Thought

Using data from the Jovian Auroral Distributions Experiment (JADE) instrument onboard NASA’s Juno spacecraft, planetary scientists have calculated the rate of oxygen being produced at Jupiter’s icy moon Europa to be substantially less than most previous studies.

This illustration shows charged particles from Jupiter impacting Europa’s surface, splitting frozen water molecules into oxygen and hydrogen molecules; scientists believe some of these newly created oxygen gases could migrate toward the moon’s subsurface ocean, as depicted in the inset image.

Image credit: NASA / JPL-Caltech / SWRI / PU.

With an equatorial diameter of 3,100 km (1,940 miles), Europa is the fourth largest of Jupiter’s 95 known moons and the smallest of the four Galilean satellites.

The moon hosts an internal liquid ocean with potentially habitable conditions below a frozen crust.

Its surface is constantly bombarded by radiation that breaks the icy crust into oxygen and hydrogen, most of which are freed from the surface, escaping into space, or remain behind to form Europa’s atmosphere.

The abundance of these atmospheric gases and ions — and consequently their production rate at the surface — has mostly been inferred by remote sensing observations and has large uncertainties.

“Europa is like an ice ball slowly losing its water in a flowing stream,” said JADE scientist Dr. Jamey Szalay, a researcher at Princeton University.

“Except, in this case, the stream is a fluid of ionized particles swept around Jupiter by its extraordinary magnetic field.”

“When these ionized particles impact Europa, they break up the water-ice molecule by molecule on the surface to produce hydrogen and oxygen.”

“In a way, the entire ice shell is being continuously eroded by waves of charged particles washing up upon it.”

In the new study, Dr. Szalay and colleagues analyzed data from a flyby of Europa performed by the Juno spacecraft on September 29, 2022, which saw the spacecraft fly 353 km (219 miles) above Europa’s surface.

Using the JADE instrument, they extracted the abundance of various pickup ions, which are charged particles generated by the breakup of atmospheric neutrals when they collide with energetic radiation or other particles.

From these data, they calculate that approximately 12 kg of oxygen are produced at Europa’s surface every second.

This is at the lower end of the expectations inferred from previous models that ranged from 5 to 1,100 kg per second.

The results indicate there may be less oxygen on Europa’s surface than previously thought, and that this implies a narrower range to support habitability in Europa’s ocean.

“Our ability to fly close to the Galilean satellites during our extended mission allowed us to start tackling a breadth of science, including some unique opportunities to contribute to the investigation of Europa’s habitability,” said Juno’s principal investigator Dr. Scott Bolton, a researcher at the Southwest Research Institute.

“And we’re not done yet. More moon flybys and the first exploration of Jupiter’s close ring and polar atmosphere are yet to come.”

• The findings were published in the journal Nature Astronomy.
• J.R. Szalay et al. Oxygen production from dissociation of Europa’s water-ice surface. Nat Astron, published online March 4, 2024; doi: 10.1038/s41550-024-02206-x

{ https://www.sci.news/ }

05-03-2024 om 00:23 geschreven door peter  

 The Global Aviation Encounter with Unidentified Aerial Phenomena

In the vast expanse of our skies, pilots navigate not only the complexities of modern aviation but also, occasionally, the mysteries of the unexplained. Among these enigmas, Unidentified Aerial Phenomena (UAPs) present a perplexing challenge, sparking intense discussions on aviation safety and the need for a concerted global response. Far from being confined to the realm of science fiction, encounters with UAPs have been reported by credible witnesses across the globe, igniting concerns about the potential risks they pose to flight safety.

These encounters often share common characteristics: highly advanced maneuverability that defies conventional aviation technology, the ability to appear and disappear from both sight and radar, and, most alarmingly, the potential to come dangerously close to commercial aircraft. Such near misses raise legitimate concerns over passenger safety and the need for a deeper understanding of UAPs.

Despite the growing body of evidence, the official response has been tepid at best. In the United States, the government’s formal study of UFOs (an earlier term for UAPs) concluded in 1969, leaving a vacuum filled by civilian researchers and a handful of dedicated organizations. However, the lack of official acknowledgment or investigation into these phenomena means that many near misses go unreported or are dismissed, leaving pilots and air traffic controllers without the support they need to understand or mitigate these risks.

Internationally, the response has been varied. Some countries have taken the initiative to study UAPs more openly. For example, France has established a governmental agency within its space studies center to investigate UAPs, bringing together experts from various fields to analyze sightings. Similarly, Chile and Peru have recognized the importance of these investigations, often focusing on the implications for aviation safety.

The need for a unified approach to understanding and addressing UAPs is evident. The establishment of organizations like the National Aviation Reporting Center on Anomalous Phenomena (NARCAP) is a step in the right direction, offering a confidential reporting system for aviation professionals. Yet, the challenge remains global, and the response must be equally comprehensive.

The implications of these unexplained encounters extend beyond the immediate safety concerns. They challenge our understanding of the skies we navigate and the technologies we’ve mastered. As we continue to explore the boundaries of aviation, the conversation around UAPs serves as a reminder of the mysteries that still lie beyond our grasp.

A global, collaborative effort to investigate UAPs could not only enhance aviation safety but also expand our scientific horizons. By embracing the unknown with an open mind and a rigorous scientific approach, we may one day unlock the secrets of these phenomena, turning today’s mysteries into tomorrow’s knowledge. Until then, the skies remain a frontier of both exploration and uncertainty, a reminder of the endless quest for understanding in the vast expanse above us.

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

04-03-2024 om 23:47 geschreven door peter  

These transfers are complicated and risky maneuvers. The docking system that will make this work is called SpaceX’s Starship HLS docking system. It’s based on SpaceX’s successful Dragon 2 docking system. The Dragon 2 system allows the Dragon 2 spacecraft to dock with the ISS so crew and equipment can be transferred. It’s been in use since 2020.

NASA and SpaceX are busy testing the new Starship HLS docking system. They recently completed ten days of testing at the Johnson Space Centre in Houston, Texas. They conducted more than 200 different docking scenarios involving different speeds and angles. The results from this full-scale testing will feed into ongoing computer models of the system, which will, in turn, feed into future testing and design.

The system has both an active and a passive mode. When two spacecraft dock, one is active, and the other is passive. The active one is called the chaser, and the other is the target.

During this round of tests, NASA and SpaceX demonstrated the soft capture procedure. In passive capture, the chaser extends its soft capture system (SCS) while the target spacecraft’s system remains retracted. The chaser does all the work, employing latches and other mechanisms to grab the target spacecraft and complete the docking.

HLS requirements state that there must be redundancy in crew egress/ingress. The soft capture procedure seems to address this if the docking system works while one docking system remains retracted.

This is just the latest round of tests. SpaceX has already reached a series of important milestones for the Starship HLS. Those milestones involved power generation, communications, guidance and navigation, propulsion, life support, and space environments protection.

While watching powerful rockets being tested and launched takes up a lot of attention, there’s far more to successful missions than just launch vehicles. According to NASA, “the Human Landing System program is at the center of Artemis, designed to yield groundbreaking science, develop and utilize lunar
surface resources and leverage what we learn at the Moon for future Mars missions.” Docking systems might not garner much attention, but they’re obviously a critical part of success.

Through that lens, any progress on Artemis is good news because, on other fronts, the news is not always good. Artemis was initially scheduled to launch in 2025. But it’ll be at least a year late, and NASA says that SpaceX will need to perform more launches before the Artemis mission is given the go-ahead.

{ https://www.universetoday.com/ }

04-03-2024 om 01:33 geschreven door peter  

POSTED BY ALAN BOYLE

How Startups on Earth Could Blaze a Trail for Cities on Mars

If future explorers manage to set up communities on Mars, how will they pay their way? What’s likely to be the Red Planet’s primary export? Will it be Martian deuterium, sent back to Earth for fusion fuel? Raw materials harvested by Mars-based asteroid miners, as depicted in the “For All Mankind” TV series? Or will future Martians be totally dependent on earthly subsidies?

In a new book titled “The New World on Mars,” Robert Zubrin — the president of the Mars Society and a tireless advocate for space settlement — says Mars’ most valuable product will be inventions.

“We’re talking about creating a new and potentially extremely inventive branch of human civilization, which will benefit humanity as a whole enormously,” he says in the latest episode of the Fiction Science podcast. “But moreover, we’ll play from that strength to make money.”

Zubrin isn’t waiting until humans step foot on Mars to get started.

“We are in the process of drawing up business plans for two major initiatives — one in the artificial intelligence area and the other in the synthetic food production area,” he says. “And the idea is, fairly soon we’re going to be presenting these business plans to investors, with the idea of starting companies devoted to these two different technological ideas that we have put together.”

Zubrin says it’s too early to reveal exactly what these companies would do, but he claims the ventures have the potential to become extremely profitable. The AI concept could be “a billion-dollar idea,” he says.

“They’re both addressing critical questions for Mars that have tremendous terrestrial spin-off potential,” Zubrin says.

Income from the ventures would be split between investors and the Mars Society, which would use the funds to support a Mars Technology Institute. “We just did a fundraising drive and raised $150,000 to get this thing started,” Zubrin says.

Once things get rolling, Zubrin envisions setting up a headquarters for the institute — perhaps in the Pacific Northwest or in Colorado (where the Mars Society is currently based).

The concept of using earthly ventures to support off-Earth adventures is by no means new. Back in 2015, when SpaceX founder Elon Musk was recruiting engineers for the Starlink satellite internet network, he said the profits from Starlink would go toward funding a city on Mars.

“Looking in the long term, and saying what’s needed to create a city on Mars — well, one thing’s for sure: a lot of money,” Musk told an audience of about 400 techies (including prospective employees) in Seattle. “So we need things that will generate a lot of money.”

Zubrin says the challenge of establishing settlements on Mars will promote invention in the same way that the challenges facing pioneers in the United States led to innovations ranging from steamboats to light bulbs to iPhones.

“Mars is even going to be much more technologically selective in terms of who goes there, and also a much more challenging environment,” he says. “It’s going to be America to the third power in terms of what it will be able to invent.”

He argues that settlers will be forced to innovate when it comes to developing nuclear fission and fusion plants for energy, finding ways to conserve and recycle resources for sustaining Martian communities, and maximizing food production amid the planet’s harsh conditions. All those innovations can then be exported back to Earth.

Zubrin has laid out the case for Mars settlement in a series of books that goes back to, well, “The Case for Mars” in 1996. He also wrote a fictional account of a crewed mission to Mars, titled “First Landing.” And he has appeared in more than a dozen TV shows about Mars and space exploration, including “Mars,” a National Geographic series that blends science fiction and science fact.

“The New World on Mars” deals with thematic territory that spreads out much more broadly than what was covered in “The Case for Mars.” And Zubrin says SpaceX’s rise is the reason why.

For years, Musk and his team have been focusing on development of a reusable super-heavy-lift launch system known as Starship. The next test flight could take place within weeks — and it’s likely to be only a matter of time before Starship offers a reliable way to get to Earth orbit and beyond.  Musk envisions building a fleet of the rockets to send thousands of settlers to Mars, in line with his long-term ambition to make humanity a multiplanet species.

Zubrin assumes that Starship or something like it will be a success — which means there’s less need to dwell on the nuts and bolts of interplanetary transport in “The New World on Mars.”

“This book essentially says, ‘Look, it’s soon going to be possible for humans to go to Mars,’” he says. “So the key question is not how do we do that, but what do we do when we get there?”

Zubrin goes into great detail about how Mars’ harsh realities could affect every aspect of daily life, from energy production and terraforming to marriage and parenthood. For example, he suggests that Martians might clean their clothes simply by airing them out in the Red Planet’s low-pressure, bacteria-killing environment.

Zubrin went so far as to test the technique by stuffing dirty clothes into a laboratory vacuum chamber. “The only downside is that stains are not removed, so they don’t look clean. One remedy for this would be to use camo coloration for clothes, as it does not show stains,” he writes. “I predict this will be the style.”

“The New World on Mars” is more optimistic about Red Planet settlement than “A City on Mars,” a book by Kelly and Zach Weinersmith that was featured on Fiction Science last November. That book argues that the drive to create space settlements is premature — and that a host of uncertainties need to be cleared up first. For example, the Weinersmiths say that much more research should be done on the potential effects of Mars’ reduced gravity on human reproduction and development. They also raise concerns about the potential international conflicts over property rights in space.

As you’d expect, Zubrin strongly disagrees with such views — in his book, on the podcast, and in a book review published by Quillette. “They say there’s no point going into space. There’s nothing to be gained from it, and therefore, there should be laws to stop it, which makes no sense whatsoever,” he says.

In Zubrin’s view, the 1967 Outer Space Treaty’s prohibition on claims of national sovereignty won’t tie the hands of Mars settlers. Instead, it would make it easier for them to stake their own claims. “If a Martian colony is set up, and declares property rights within its vicinity, [governments on Earth] have no jurisdiction to contradict it,” Zubrin says. “They have explicitly signed away their rights to interfere with Mars settlement.”

And what about the health effects of living on Mars? “OK, so yeah, we don’t know about the long-term effects of one-third gravity on people, but we’ll find that out,” Zubrin says. “When we send our first exploration missions to Mars, I believe it’ll be OK.”

The way Zubrin sees it, the main attraction for Mars settlers won’t be deuterium, or asteroid riches, or shiny red obsidian. It’ll be something money can’t buy: the freedom to create.

“I believe that there’s nothing more powerful than the creative power of life,” he says. “The grass finds a way to break through the pavement. Life finds a way. … And freedom is going to find a way.”

Check out the original version of this posting on Cosmic Log for Red Planet reading recommendations from Robert Zubrin.

My co-host for the Fiction Science podcast is Dominica Phetteplace, an award-winning writer who is a graduate of the Clarion West Writers Workshop and lives in San Francisco. To learn more about Phetteplace, visit her website, DominicaPhetteplace.com, and read “The Ghosts of Mars,” her novella in Asimov’s Science Fiction magazine.

Stay tuned for future episodes of the Fiction Science podcast via Apple, Google, Overcast, Spotify, Player.fm and Pocket Casts. If you like Fiction Science, please rate the podcast and subscribe to get alerts for future episodes.

{ https://www.universetoday.com/ }

04-03-2024 om 01:05 geschreven door peter  

UFO Recorded Over North Pacific Region, 1967, Condon Report, UFO Sighting News.

Follow me on Twitter, I'm making 10X more reports on X than I am on UFO Sightings Daily at the moment. 

Scott C. Waring

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

03-03-2024 om 23:25 geschreven door peter  

US Government Researched About UFOs Disguised As Clouds, UFO Sighting News.

Now here is an interesting situation. The US Gov department of defense and the USAF both considered that UFOs could be cloaking within disk shaped clouds and did research recording the craft in the once top secret UFO report call the Condon Reports. 

Scott C. Waring

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

03-03-2024 om 23:15 geschreven door peter