Department of Defense

Five U.S. Navy Sailors Saw the Glowing ‘Tic Tac’-Shaped UFO. They Told Us Exactly What They Witnessed - PART I

• Editor’s Note: This story was originally published on November 12, 2019

The five men share an easy rapport with each other, playfully ribbing one another while also communicating a deep sense of mutual respect. It’s clear they all share the bond of having once served in the armed forces. Yet for Gary Voorhis, Jason Turner, P.J. Hughes, Ryan Weigelt, and Kevin Day—assembled together in a private group chat by Popular Mechanics—something much bigger ties them together beyond simply serving in the U.S. Navy.

These men also share the connection of being witnesses to one of the most compelling UFO cases in modern history: the Nimitz Encounters, an event that the Navy confirmed in 2019 did indeed involve “unidentified aerial phenomena.”

Largely overshadowed by a grainy black-and-white video and a former TOPGUN fighter pilot eyewitness, these veterans offer new and intriguing details on what occurred with the Navy’s Strike Carrier Group-11 as it sailed roughly 100 miles off the Southern California coast in 2004—details that a former career intelligence agent who investigated the Nimitz Encounter while at the Pentagon can neither confirm, deny, or even discuss with Popular Mechanics.

Ultimately, these five men—the “other” Nimitz witnesses—could be key to understanding an event that a leading aviation defense expert says “likely wasn’t ours.”

So whose was it?

The Intercept

Stationed on the USS Princeton, a Ticonderoga-class guided missile cruiser, the Nimitz carrier group went underway in early November 2004 for a routine training exercise. This would be the last time former Petty Officer 3rd Class Gary Voorhis would set sail aboard a Navy vessel.

Having already done almost six years in the Navy, including two combat tours, Voorhis was ready to transition to life outside the world of passionless gray metal hulls and vast leavening seas.

“The group was going to be deploying in a few months and there was a bunch of new systems, like the Spy-1 Bravo radar,” Voorhis tells Popular Mechanics. “It was really about getting all the kinks out.”

While chatting with some of the Princeton’s radar techs, Voorhis says he heard they were getting “ghost tracks” and “clutter” on the radars. For Voorhis, the Princeton’s only system technician for the state-of-the-art Cooperative Engagement Capability and AEGIS Combat System, news of these systems possibly malfunctioning was especially concerning.

Fearing the ship’s brand-new AN/SPY-1B passive radar system was malfunctioning, Voorhis says the air-control systems were taken down and recalibrated in an effort to clear out what he assumed to be false radar returns.

“Once we finished all the recalibration and brought it back up, the tracks were actually sharper and clearer,” Voorhis says. “Sometimes they’d be at an altitude of 80,000 or 60,000 feet. Other times they’d be around 30,000 feet, going like 100 knots. Their radar cross sections didn’t match any known aircraft; they were 100 percent red. No squawk, no IFF [Identification Friend or Foe].”

Pixel-Pushr//Flickr

Sitting in the Princeton’s Combat Information Center (CIC), Operations Specialist Senior Chief Kevin Day was tasked with the critical role of protecting the airspace around the strike group. “My job was to man the radars and ID everything that flew in the skies,” Day said in the documentary film The Nimitz Encounters.

On or around November 10, 2004, roughly 100 miles off the coast of San Diego, Day began noticing strange radar tracks near the area of San Clemente Island. “The reason why I say they’re weird [is] because they were appearing in groups of five to 10 at a time and they were pretty closely spaced to each other. And they were 28,000 feet going a hundred knots tracking south,” Day said in the documentary.

In another YouTube clip, Ryan Weigelt, the former leading petty officer and power plant specialist for the SH-60B “Seahawk” helicopter, recalled the tone aboard the missile cruise at the time.

“Senior Chief Day, his name, was being called over the comms, no bullshit, every two minutes.” Weigelt said. “I recall hearing something, like a big, real-world scenario was going on, but I just didn’t really understand.”

While Day and the Princeton’s air traffic controllers continued to monitor the strange radar returns, Voorhis says he began to take the opportunity to use the ship’s advanced tracking systems to catch a glimpse of whatever these objects were.

“When they’d show up on radar,” Voorhis says, “I’d get the relative bearing and then run up to the bridge and look through a pair of heavily magnified binoculars in the direction the returns were coming from.” Describing what he saw during the daytime, Voorhis says the objects were too far off to make out any distinguishing features, however, he could clearly see something moving erratically in the distance.

“I couldn’t make out details, but they’d just be hovering there, then all of a sudden, in an instant, they’d dart off to another direction and stop again,” Voorhis says. “At night, they’d give off a kind of a phosphorus glow and were a little easier to see than in the day.”

By November 14, the strange returns had been continuously showing up for close to a week. With an air-defense exercise scheduled for that morning, Day convinced his commanding officer to let him direct aircraft to attempt an intercept of these anomalous radar returns. Day’s decision led the VFA-41 Squadron Commander David Fravor to encounter what an “unofficial executive summary” later described as “an elongated egg or a ‘Tic Tac’ shape with a discernible midline horizontal axis” of approximately 46 feet in length.

Wikimedia Commons

An unofficial executive summary of the Nimitz encounter.

With the intercept too far away for even high-powered binoculars, Voorhis, Day, and the rest of the Princeton crew could only listen to the live communications chatter, as the unidentified craft effortless evaded the two fighter jets by demonstrating “an advanced acceleration, aerodynamic, and propulsion capability,” per the unofficial summary. Outmaneuvered by an object that’s colloquially become known for its shape as the “Tic Tac,” Fravor and his wingman returned to the USS Nimitz.

Thanks to a state-of-the-art ATFLIR targeting pod, in a subsequent flight by another F/A-18, Lt. Chad Underwood would successfully capture video of the “Anomalous Aerial Vehicle,” or “AAV.”

For 13 years, the incredible story of the U.S. Navy being harassed and outperformed by UFOs was largely unknown to the greater public. However, in December 2017, after To the Stars Academy of Arts & Science—a verbosely named UFO think tank founded by former Blink-182 frontman Tom DeLonge—and The New York Times published a 1:16 clip of the ATFLIR video, the world suddenly became very familiar with the Nimitz encounters.

What hasn’t been discussed, however, is what the Nimitz’s enlisted witnesses say happened after the now-famous intercept with the “Tic Tac.” Their testimony raises many more questions, debate, and even some controversy.

The Mystery

Like many of the other sailors aboard the USS Princeton, former Petty Officer 3rd Class Jason Turner knew something was up, but didn’t exactly know what had been going on inside the CIC. It was only during a chance encounter while delivering supplies to the ship’s Signal Exploitation Space that Turner found himself being another unwitting witness to the Nimitz’s UFO event.

A video playing on one of the console monitors immediately caught Turner’s eye. In it, the “Tic Tac” performed a number of seemingly impossible maneuvers, not seen in the brief clip released in 2017. Turner described what he saw in the Nimitz Encounters documentary:

“This thing was going berserk, like making turns. It’s incredible the amount of G forces that it would put on a human. It made a maneuver, like they were chasing it straight on, it was going with them, then this thing stopped turning, just gone. In an instant. The video you see now, that’s just a small snippet in the beginning of the whole video. But this thing, it was so much more than what you see in this video.”

Even now, Turner still appears visibly disturbed by whatever it is he saw that day. “I asked a good friend of mine who worked in that area, is this the training we’re going through?” he tells Popular Mechanics.

“No,” the friend replied. “This is real life.”

Equally by chance, during the time of the now-famous intercept, after being called to have a conversation with another detachment, Ryan Weigelt found himself inside the Princeton’s CIC. According to Weigelt, a video of an F/A-18 trying its best to catch the elusive “Tic Tac” was playing on the monitors. Like Turner, Weigelt says what he saw was a lot longer than the brief clip released in 2017.

“I was in there for quite a while and it was on the screen the whole time. I could not tell you how long, but it was playing when I went into combat and it was playing when I left,” Weigelt said in a YouTube interview.

Voorhis tells Popular Mechanics that he, too, saw a much longer and clearer version of the ATFLIR video through the ship’s Top Secret LAN network. “I definitely saw video that was roughly eight to 10 minutes long and a lot more clear,” Voorhis says.

Did what he saw resemble any type of conventional aircraft?

“Umm, no!” he says with a laugh. “In the video I saw, you got a good sense of how the pilot was having a difficult time trying to keep up with this thing. It kept making tight, right angle turns.”

The most shocking claim these Navy veterans make is in what they say happened with all the data tapes for the various systems that recorded these UFO events.

The Visitors

Miles away from Voorhis, Day, Turner, and Weigelt, on the deck of the USS Nimitz aircraft carrier, Petty Officer Patrick “PJ” Hughes was unaware of the unidentified objects the Carrier group had been dealing with for the past several days. Instead, as an aviation technician, one of Hughes’ jobs was to secure the hard drive data recorders from the airborne early-warning aircraft, the E-2 Hawkeye.

“We call them bricks, but they contain the software to run the airplane and they also record or can record a lot of the data that the air crew sees during the flight,” Hughes said in a YouTube interview.

On November 14, as Hughes performed this routine task, he was unaware that the E-2 hard drives he was securing away in a classified safe had just come from the Hawkeye that Day first tried to use to intercept the mysterious UFOs.

Shortly after securing the data bricks, Hughes said he was visited by his commanding officer and two unknown individuals. “They were not on the ship earlier, and I didn’t see them come on. I’m not sure how they got there,” Hughes said.

According to Hughes, his commanding officer told him to turn over the recently secured hard drives. “We put them in the bags, he took them, then he and the two anonymous officers left,” Hughes said.

Inside the Princeton, Voorhis had a similar encounter. “These two guys show up on a helicopter, which wasn’t uncommon, but shortly after they arrived, maybe 20 minutes, I was told by my chain of command to turn over all the data recordings for the AEGIS system,” says Voorhis.

In an interview with Popular Mechanics, Aiello detailed the processes for securing flight tapes as Fravor mentioned. Though these materials are classified, a number of different qualified squadron personnel would have access to the safe where the tapes would have been kept.

“It’s very common, even for tapes you’ve marked and want to save, to inadvertently get put back into circulation, handed out, and recorded over,” Aiello says. “I think Cmdr. Fravor’s opinion on how the tapes went missing is the most plausible explanation. However, a lot of squadron personnel have access to those materials, so it leaves the door open that someone could have intentionally taken them.”

Though Fravor has acknowledged the disappearance of data records, the Nimitz’s most well-known witness has equally pushed back on some of the enlisted sailor’s accounts.

Speaking at the McMenamin’s UFO festival this past May, Fravor admonished some of the “other witness” accounts, saying only the four pilots involved ever personally saw the “Tic Tac,” that no one was asked to sign non-disclosure agreements [NDA], and that “men in suits” never showed up on the ships.

During an October appearance on Joe Rogan’s podcast, Fravor said, “There’s still groups of people making stuff up, like someone came out on ours and was talking about, he’s like, I saw the whole video, the whole video is like 10 minutes long and it was doing all this. That’s bullshit.”

Twitter/Jeremy Corbell

Fravor told Rogan that he was one of the top 20 highest ranking members of the carrier group, and had there been any kind of formal investigation, he’d have known about it.

“Okay, I’ll give you credit, if they did, why wouldn’t they show up and talk to the guys who witnessed it, chased it, and one of the senior guys in the battle group?” Fravor asked.

Voorhis claims that in the days prior to the intercept, he witnessed indistinct objects far in the distance. But regarding Fravor’s intercept, he says, “His intercept? Nope, we were too far away, plus I would not have known about it or the bearing of it. Just that it was happening.”

None of the witnesses Popular Mechanics spoke with claimed they’d seen Fravor’s intercept of the unknown object.

In The Nimitz Encounters documentary, Hughes said a friend and aircrew member on one of the E-2 Hawkeye aircraft told him he had to sign an NDA about the incident. Since the E-2 planes would have been in Carrier Wing Nine’s Airborne-Early Warning Squadron VAW-117 (“The Wallbangers”), and not strike fighter squadron under Fravor’s command, the possibility exists that the E-2’s squadron commander could have issued an NDA to their crew without Fravor’s knowledge. However, Popular Mechanics has not verified what Hughes was told. None of the witnesses we spoke with claimed they had signed an NDA.

The Nimitz’s enlisted witnesses stand by their claims that two unknown officials showed up shortly after the UFO incidents. However, they don’t describe them as being the sinisterly sounding “Men in Black,” as Fravor has implied.

According to Weigelt, it wasn’t at all uncommon to have people coming and going that weren’t stationed on the ships. For him, it was only when he heard Voorhis’ and Hughes’ accounts that the arrival of the two individuals on the Princeton seemed to become related to the UFO events.

“I just knew they were there for a reason, to do something they have to do, and just stay the hell out of their way,” Weigelt said.

“Squadron aircrew wouldn’t normally be notified if the ship’s radar or other information was being used for an investigation,” says Guy Snodgrass, a former F/A-18 pilot, Topgun instructor, and communications director for former Secretary of Defense Gen. James Mattis.

While Snodragss wouldn’t comment directly on the UFO event, he said he served alongside the weapons systems officer inside Fravor’s plane during the intercept.

“He’s a talented weapons systems officer (WSO) who has dedicated himself to the naval aviation profession,” Snodgrass says about the pilot, who has never spoken publicly and Popular Mechanics is choosing not to name, as he is still serving in the U.S. Navy. “He also has the acumen to correctly characterize anything out of the ordinary that he might have seen, so I would bias towards giving his account more, not less, weight.”

The Defenders

While investigating these claims, Popular Mechanics was able to locate and speak to a previously unknown witness who was with the Nimitz carrier group in 2004. Unaware of some of their fellow shipmates previously coming forward, and out of concerns related to security oaths, the witness agreed to speak only under the condition of anonymity.

“I do remember the events of 2004 very well,” says the witness, who at the time was an Operations Specialist aboard the USS Princeton. “The decision was made to scramble two fighter jets to investigate. From what the pilots described, the movement of the UFO was defying the laws of physics.”

Popular Mechanics didn’t provide the witness with any of the previous claims.

“What really made this incident alarming was when a Blackhawk helicopter landed on our ship and took all our information from the top secret rooms,” the witness says. “We were all pretty shocked and it was an unspoken rule not to talk about it because we had secret clearances and didn’t want to jeopardize our careers.”

Regarding whether or not there was originally a longer recording than the infamous UFO intercept, Aiello says that’s “entirely possible.”

“The 8mm tapes in use at the time had two hours of recording time, and it was not uncommon for aircrew to leave it on for most of the flight,” Aiello says. “It’s plausible that they simply recorded a short segment of the tapes down in CIC, but that the rest of the tapes were available … up until they were either recorded over or whatever happened.”

Aiello, who was on the Nimitz aircraft carrier in 2004 but was assigned to another strike-fighter squadron, says he doesn’t have any direct information on the incident, but he’s willing to offer his opinion based on his experience as a military fighter pilot for over 20 years.

The enlisted witnesses say it’s disappointing to hear Fravor suggest some of their accounts are inaccurate. However, they all stand by their experiences, and equally support Fravor’s account. For them, they say the only reason they ever came out with their story was to support Fravor and their fellow sailors. “That’s what it’s always been about since day one,” Turner says.

But even if Fravor isn’t buying the witnesses’ stories, that doesn’t mean others don’t believe.

“The combination of those aviators, the Princeton Aegis Radar operators, and the E-2 crew convinced me beyond a doubt of the veracity of the story,” says Paco Chierici, a former F-14 pilot, author of Lions of the Sky, and the person credited with first sharing the news of the Nimitz event in a 2015 Fighter Sweep article. “I know those people and how that world works. There is no way it could have been fabricated or misinterpreted.” (Fravor did not respond to several requests for an interview.)

To be clear, the only Nimitz witness Chierici personally knows is Fravor. “But,” he says, “I know these people. I worked and lived with them for 20 years, operating at very high tempos and stress levels. They’re all, from the enlisted radar operators, to the squadron COs, incredibly professional and competent. The absolute best at what they do.”

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

28-06-2025 om 20:17 geschreven door peter  

Department of Defense

Five U.S. Navy Sailors Saw the Glowing ‘Tic Tac’-Shaped UFO. They Told Us Exactly What They Witnessed - PART II

• Editor’s Note: This story was originally published on November 12, 2019

The five men share an easy rapport with each other, playfully ribbing one another while also communicating a deep sense of mutual respect. It’s clear they all share the bond of having once served in the armed forces. Yet for Gary Voorhis, Jason Turner, P.J. Hughes, Ryan Weigelt, and Kevin Day—assembled together in a private group chat by Popular Mechanics—something much bigger ties them together beyond simply serving in the U.S. Navy.

The Truth...

By the Nimitz’s “other” witnesses’ accounts, there’s overwhelming evidence to suggest someone was very interested in this event when it occurred. Since none of the witnesses or pilots involved say they were ever interviewed at the time, it appears the most significant concern for the witnesses was the ship’s electronics data. What this data reveals, however, remains a mystery.

And as far as why other data may be being withheld from public release, Elizondo says this could have more to do with what was used than what was actually recorded.

“Many of the systems and the manner in which data is collected remains classified in order to protect tactics, techniques, and procedures,” says Elizondo. “I am not at liberty to discuss any of those systems.”

Elizondo says he would “absolutely” encourage other military witnesses to come forward with their accounts. “Many of our service members are highly trained observers,” he says. “Data obtained by these types are always considered valid observations, although the nuances may not be immediately known.”

Nick Cook, the former aviation editor for Jane’s Defense Weekly, says there are a number of reasons why personnel might have boarded ships and seized electronic data. “It could mean it was sensitive information,” he says. “It could mean this was an exercise.”

Regarding the latter possibility—that this was a secret military test of some sort—Cook, a career defense journalist, says in his opinion it was unlikely this was a classified test. “It’s not impossible, but I wouldn’t think it’s likely. It would be so against the norm of my experience with how the black world conducts testing.”

Having spent a decade investigating the potential for secret highly advanced aerospace technology, and publishing these efforts in The Hunt for Zero Point, Cook was cautious in offering any definite conclusions as to what the Nimitz carrier group had encountered. Cook says it’s possible, but not likely, that the “Tic Tac” was some type of classified drone.

“I searched for 10 years, and never found any compelling evidence that the type of technology exists,” Cook says. “[That] doesn’t mean it couldn’t still exist … I just never found any smoking gun for it.”

But when pushed, the career aviation journalist soberly says, “In the balance of probabilities, I don’t think it’s ‘ours.’”

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

28-06-2025 om 20:16 geschreven door peter  

To Hide Top-Secret Weapons, the Pentagon Planted Myths About UFOs at Area 51—Then Things Spun Out of Control

28-06-2025 om 18:10 geschreven door peter  

Time, not space plus time, might be the single fundamental property in which all physical phenomena occur.

Image credit: M. Weiss / Harvard-Smithsonian Center for Astrophysics.

“These three time dimensions are the primary fabric of everything, like the canvas of a painting,” Dr. Kletetschka said.

“Space still exists with its three dimensions, but it’s more like the paint on the canvas rather than the canvas itself.”

“These thoughts are a marked difference from generally accepted physics, which holds that a single dimension of time plus the three dimensions of space constitute reality.”

“This is known as spacetime, the concept developed more than a century ago that views time and space as one entity.”

Dr. Kletetschka’s mathematical formula of six total dimensions — of time and space combined — could bring scientists closer to finding the single unifying explanation of the Universe.

Dimensions of time beyond our everyday forward progression are difficult to grasp. Theoretical physicists have proposed many variations.

The new work adds to a long-running body of research by theoretical physicists on a subject outside of mainstream physics.

“Earlier 3D time proposals were primarily mathematical constructs without these concrete experimental connections,” Dr. Kletetschka said.

“My work transforms the concept from an interesting mathematical possibility into a physically testable theory with multiple independent verification channels.”

“The theory could be used to predict currently unknown particle properties and aid in pursuing the origin of mass — and, ultimately, helping solve one of the biggest questions in physics.”

Three-dimensional time is a theory in which time, like space, has multiple independent directions — typically imagined as three axes of time motion, similar in concept to the spatial X, Y and Z axes.

Imagine you are walking down a straight path, moving forward and therefore experiencing time as we know it. Now imagine another path that crosses the first one, going sideways.

If you could step onto that sideways path and remain in the same moment of regular time, you might find that things could be slightly different — perhaps a different version of the same day.

Moving along this perpendicular second path could let you explore different outcomes of that day without going backward or forward in time as we know it.

The existence of those different outcomes is the second dimension of time. The means to transition from one outcome to another is the third dimension.

“This theory overcomes some of the problems with earlier three-dimensional time theories that are based on traditional physics,” Dr. Kletetschka said.

“Those earlier theories, for example, describe multiple time dimensions in which cause-and-effect relationships are potentially ambiguous.”

“The new theory ensures that causes still precede effects, even with multiple time dimensions, just in a more complex mathematical structure.”

In three-dimensional time, the second and third dimensions are thought by some researchers, notably theoretical physicist Itzhak Bars of the University of Southern California, to become apparent, or unfold, at levels of extreme energy such as during the early Universe or in high-energy particle interactions.

The new approach might even help resolve the grandest of all unresolved physics challenges: unifying quantum mechanics — the behavior of particles at the smallest scales — and gravity into a single quantum theory of gravity.

A quantum theory of gravity could lead to, or become, a grand theory of the Universe — the so-called theory of everything.

The elusive unifying theory would unite the four fundamental forces of nature — electromagnetism, strong nuclear force, weak nuclear force and gravity.

The Standard Model of particle physics unites the first three. Gravity is explained through Albert Einstein’s general theory of relativity.

The two are incompatible, so physicists have been searching for that theory of everything to unite them. Finding the origin of particle masses is central in that pursuit.

Dr. Kletetschka believes his theory of three-dimensional time can help.

The framework accurately reproduces the known masses of particles such as electrons, muons and quarks and also explains why these particles have these masses.

“The path to unification might require fundamentally reconsidering the nature of physical reality itself,” Dr. Kletetschka said.

“This theory demonstrates how viewing time as three-dimensional can naturally resolve multiple physics puzzles through a single coherent mathematical framework.”

• His paper was published in the journal Reports in Advances of Physical Science.
• Gunther Kletetschka. 2025. Three-Dimensional Time: A Mathematical Framework for Fundamental Physics. Reports in Advances of Physical Sciences 9: 2550004; doi: 10.1142/S2424942425500045

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{ https://www.sci.news/ }

28-06-2025 om 17:00 geschreven door peter  

The idea of an entire continent tearing in half sounds like a plot from the latest apocalyptic blockbuster - but scientists say that it could soon become a reality in Africa. 

A massive crack is ripping through Earth's second-largest continent, from the north east to the south. 

Eventually, the entire continent could split apart - leaving eastern Africa with its own coastline, separated from the rest of Africa. 

In a new study, researchers uncovered evidence of rhythmic surges of molten rock rising from deep within the Earth's surface, beneath Ethiopia. 

These pulses are gradually tearing the continent apart and forming a new ocean, according to researchers from Swansea University. 

'The split will eventually go all the way down Africa,' lead author Dr Emma Watts told MailOnline. 

'It has already begun and is happening now but at a slow rate – 5-16 mm per year – in the north of the rift.

'Regarding timescales, this process of Africa being torn apart will take several million years before it is completed.' 

Scientists say a massive crack has started ripping through Africa, from the north east to the south, starting at the Afar region in Ethiopia. Pictured, active lava flows spilling out of the Erta Ale volcano in Afar, Ethiopia

Scientists at the University of Southampton uncovered evidence of rhythmic surges of molten mantle rock rising from deep within the Earth beneath Africa. These pulses are gradually tearing the continent apart and forming a new ocean

The split has already started at the northeast of Africa off the coast of Ethiopia, where the Red Sea flows into the Gulf of Aden. This image shows the hypothesized hot upwelling of mantle over the next few millions of years 

Dr Watts and colleagues point to the Gulf of Aden, a relatively narrow body of water separating Africa in the south and Yemen in the north. 

Like a small tear in a piece of clothing, the gradual separation event could start at the Gulf of Aden and gradually spread downwards. 

As it does so, it would split through the middle of enormous bodies of water in East Africa, such as Lake Malawi and Lake Turkana. 

By the time the split is complete, perhaps five to 10 million years from now, Africa will be made up of two landmasses.

There will be the larger landmass in the west featuring most of the 54 modern-day African countries, such as Egypt, Algeria, Nigeria, Ghana and Nambia. 

Meanwhile, the smaller landmass to the east will include Somalia, Kenya, Tanzania, Mozambique and a large portion of Ethiopia. 

'The smaller part that breaks away towards the east will be approximately 1 million square miles in area and the remaining larger landmass will be just over 10 million square miles,' Dr Watts told MailOnline.

For the study, the team collected more than 130 volcanic rock samples from across the Afar region. 

The Gulf of Aden (pictured) is a relatively narrow body of water separating Africa in the south and Yemen in the north - and this is where the split has already begun

The Afar region is a rare place on Earth where three tectonic rifts meet - the Main Ethiopian Rift, the Red Sea Rift, and the Gulf of Aden Rift - together known as a triple junction. Pictured, fresh basaltic lava flows in the region of Afar, Ethiopia

This region is characterized by high volcanic activity. Pictured, a succession of volcanic deposits at Boset Volcano in the Main Ethiopian Rift

In this region, three tectonic plates meet, called the Main Ethiopian Rift, the Red Sea Rift and the Gulf of Aden Rift, which are 'divergent', meaning they're moving away from each other. 

The experts used these samples, plus existing data and advanced statistical modelling, to investigate the structure of the Earth's crust and the mantle below it.

The mantle, the planet's thickest layer, is predominantly a solid rock but behaves like a viscous fluid. The divergence (moving apart of the plates) aids the rising of the mantle. 

'We found that the mantle beneath Afar is not uniform or stationary – it pulses,' said Dr Watts. 

'These ascending pulses of partially molten mantle are channelled by the rifting plates above.' 

Over millions of years, as tectonic plates are pulled apart at rift zones like Afar, they stretch and thin almost like soft plasticine, until they rupture, marking the birth of a new ocean. 

Geologists have long suspected a hot upwelling of mantle, but until now, little was known about the structure of this upwelling, or how it behaves beneath rifting plates.

The team say the pulses appear to behave differently depending on the thickness of the plate, and how fast it’s pulling apart.

Earth is made up of three layers – the crust, the mantle and the core, which was later separated into 'inner' and 'outer'. A recent study suggested the existence of an 'innermost core' too 

For the study, the team collected more than 130 volcanic rock samples from across the Afar region. Pictured, microscope image of a thin sliver of one of the volcanic rocks from Afar, Ethiopia

At the Afar region, the entire rift valley floor is covered with volcanic rocks, which suggests that, in this area, part of the Earth's crust has thinned almost to the point of complete break up.

When this happens, a new ocean will begin forming by the solidification of magma in the space created by the broken-up plates.

Eventually, over a period of tens of millions of years, seafloor spreading will progress along the entire length of the rift.

The study, published in Nature Geoscience, shows that the mantle plume beneath the Afar region is not static, but dynamic and responsive to the tectonic plate above it.

'We have found that the evolution of deep mantle upwellings is intimately tied to the motion of the plates above,' said co-author Dr Derek Keir, associate professor in earth science at the University of Southampton and the University of Florence.

'This has profound implications for how we interpret surface volcanism, earthquake activity, and the process of continental breakup.' 

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

{ https://www.dailymail.co.uk/ }

28-06-2025 om 01:11 geschreven door peter  

First mouse with two biological FATHERS has its own babies - in breakthrough that could pave the way for gay men to have children

• READ MORE: Step-by-step graphic reveals how a 'virgin birth' is possible

By JONATHAN CHADWICK FOR MAILONLINE 

For the first time, mice born to two fathers have grown up and produced offspring, scientists in China have revealed. 

The researchers at Shanghai Jiao Tong University managed to insert two sperm cells - one from each father - into a mouse egg whose nucleus had been removed. 

A gene editing technique was then used to reprogram parts of the sperm DNA to allow an embryo to develop – a process called androgenesis. 

The embryo, featuring the genetic material from two fathers, was transferred to a female womb and allowed to grow to term. 

Finally, the resulting offspring (male) managed to grow to adulthood and become a parent after mating conventionally with a female. 

In their lab experiments, the researchers managed to successfully demonstrate the method twice – birthing two fertile male mice, both with two fathers. 

The promising breakthrough could pave the way for two gay men to have a child of their own who can also go on to have a family. 

However, experts have cautioned that there is still a way to go before any such procedures are attempted in humans. 

These adult male mice, which each have the genetic material of their two fathers, have gone on to have offspring of their own

'In this study, we report the generation of fertile androgenetic mice,' the Chinese experts say in their paper, published in the journal PNAS. 

'Our findings, together with previous achievements of uniparental reproduction in mammals, support previous speculation that genomic imprinting is the fundamental barrier to the full-term development of uniparental mammalian embryos.' 

Experts caution that we are not ready to start such experiments in humans, which could be deeply unethical. 

Christophe Galichet, research operations manager at the Sainsbury Wellcome Centre in London, points out that the success rate of the experiments was very low. 

Of 259 mice embryos that were transferred to female mice, just two survived, grew to adulthood and then fathered their own offspring. 

'This research on generating offspring from same-sex parents is promising,' Galichet, who was not involved with the experiments, told New Scientist.

'[But] it is unthinkable to translate it to humans due to the large number of eggs required, the high number of surrogate women needed and the low success rate.' 

Today, gay couples who want to have children usually rely on a surrogate mother or father to bring a child into the world. 

Today, gay couples who want to have children usually rely on a surrogate mother or father to bring a child into the world

(file photo)

{ https://www.dailymail.co.uk/ }

28-06-2025 om 00:51 geschreven door peter  

UFO researchers in Mexico claim that a group disguised as police have tried to steal the mysterious orb scientists believe may prove the existence of aliens.

Dr Steven Greer, an American ufologist and retired physician, revealed on X that 'fake policemen' attempted to enter the vault in Mexico City where the suspected UFO is being kept while scientists examine it.

Known as the Buga Sphere, the small, metal orb was spotted in March over the town of Buga in Colombia, zig-zagging through the sky in a way that defies the movement of conventional aircraft.

The object was recovered shortly after it landed and has since been taken to Mexico to be analyzed by scientists, who have discovered a maze of fiber-optic wires inside that suggest it can send and receive signals.

Controversial UFO researcher Jaime Maussan, who has had several claims about extraterrestrials debunked in recent years, hosted an international conference to discuss the latest findings on the Buga Sphere on June 20.

US Congressman Eric Burlison of Missouri and Dr Greer were among a group of American officials in attendance when Maussan claimed that the imposters attempted to steal the Buga Sphere.

Greer added that scientists have already taken samples of the UFO that 'will be tested in a state-of-the-art lab' to determine if the sphere really is from another planet.

'Those scientists and their information have been provided to the top law enforcement... Any sort of attempts to interfere with this examination will be known, and the people and perpetrators will be held to account for it,' Greer said in a June 21 post on X. 

The Buga Sphere (pictured) was recovered by local residents in Colombia in March and has been in the care of scientists in Mexico ever since

US Congressman Eric Burlison of Missouri (pictured) attended the June 20 conference in Mexico City, examining the sphere and alleged alien remains presented by UFO researcher Jaime Maussan

Congressman Burlison added that it was his belief that governments and other groups may be working to suppress the public's knowledge of UFOs and alien life.

'It's not any government's right to protect knowledge about extra terrestrials, if it exists,' Burlison said on Friday. 'We have too many people reporting and too many videos to ignore it.'

According to researchers at the conference, this is the first UFO recovered by private citizens and solely controlled by non-government scientists. 

The attempted robbery came right after Maussan and other researchers revealed that they are trying to reactivate the sphere using an electrical charge. 

According to Rodolfo Garrido, a Mexican engineer working with scientists from the National Autonomous University of Mexico (UNAM), the sphere gave off a strong, decaying ionized field.

That field was responsible for somehow dehydrating the field it landed in, killing all the grass and soil there.

Maussan has had several claims about UFOs debunked over the years. He has been at the forefront of 2 major extraterrestrial cases currently: the Buga Sphere and alleged alien mummies from Peru

The June 20 presentation also revealed new images of the interior of the Buga Sphere, showing the nucleus of the device appeared to be similar in design to inventor Nikola Tesla's Wardenclyffe Tower from the early 1900s.

The concept of the tower was to send electrical power through the air and ground without using wires, potentially providing free or cheap energy to homes, businesses, and even ships or planes. 

Garrido said the Buga Sphere may have operated in a similar way, with a miniature Wardenclyffe Tower hidden inside the UFO.

However, the engineer told reporters that scientists have no plans of cutting the sphere in half to reveal what's really inside.

Instead they're working on plans to power it back up so the sphere will begin rotating and levitating again.

'It could be a theory that once it levitates, it could have direct communication with whoever sent it,' Garrido said through a translator.

Engineer Rodolfo Garrido revealed that the interior of the Buga Sphere appears to look like a proposed wireless energy generator invented by Nikola Tesla in the 1900s

Engineer Rodolfo Garrido believes that the strange sphere may be some type of advanced probe capable of using an electromagnetic field to fly

For now, Greer said that scientists examining the Buga Sphere at UNAM are setting up security for the metal samples headed for further testing.

There has been no confirmation of Maussan's claims about the robbery attempt.

The journalist has been tied to several debunked claims, including multiple incidents where Maussan claimed to have evidence of a real UFO sightings, only for it to be debunked as a comet or star in the night sky.

Maussan has also claimed to have discovered physical evidence of mummified alien corpses on three separate occasions, but none of the incidents have been proven true.

During the June 20 conference, Maussan put pieces of these alleged corpses on display for the researchers and government officials, including Greer and Burlison, who were allowed to hold the specimens while wearing gloves.

{ https://www.dailymail.co.uk/ }

27-06-2025 om 23:53 geschreven door peter  

Life on Mars? Mysterious 'mushroom' is spotted on the Red Planet in photo snapped by NASA's Curiosity rover

• READ MORE: Mysterious 'flying saucer' in the Sahara Desert is discovered 

By WILIAM HUNTER

Scientists have spent decades scouring the Martian surface for any signs of life.

Now, a photo snapped by NASA's Curiosity rover has sparked speculation that the hunt might finally be over.

A picture taken from the Martian surface appears to show a 'mushroom' growing on the Red Planet.

The strange discovery has led some alien hunters to declare: 'Life...has been found!'

The photo was taken by the Curiosity rover on September 19, 2013, but was spotted in the archives by UFO hunter Scott Waring.

Mr Waring says: 'This object has a curved bottom part of a stem, same as those on Earth.

'I'm not sure how or why NASA could overlook such a thing... since NASA's mission is to find life on other planets and moons.'

However, scientists say there is a much simpler explanation.

A photo taken by NASA's Curiosity rover has sparked speculation after appearing to capture a mushroom growing on the Red Planet 

Alien hunters have seized on the strange structure, claiming it as evidence of life on Mars 

NASA's Curiosity rover was launched to Mars in 2011 with the goal of discovering whether the planet had the right conditions to support microscopic life.

To help this search, the rover is equipped with multiple cameras, a drill to gather rock samples, and sets of tools to analyse the chemical compositions of samples.

However, despite a decade of searching, Curiosity has never found any evidence that Mars is or ever was home to any form of alien life.

But that hasn't stopped wild speculation following many of the rover's discoveries.

Following his discovery of this archived image, Mr Waring claims that the rocky structure is a mushroom that has 'clearly pushed up out of the Mars dirt.'

He adds: 'NASA should have poked it, bumped it, knocked it over, cut it open with their tools on Curiosity rover or at least use that million-dollar laser they burn rocks and dirt with.'

And Mr Waring isn't the only one who agrees. Commenters on social media flocked to share their support for his claims.

One wrote: Looks like a mushroom to me! NASA know far more about MARS than they let on.'

However, despite having a similar shape to some fungi, scientists say that there is a simple explanation for these images

(stock image)

Online, the images of Martian 'mushrooms' started a flurry of speculation as users claimed that it 'looks like a mushroom to me'

Scientists have found no evidence that life exists or ever has existed on Mars. But there is good evidence that the planet does contain water 

While another boldly claimed: 'What people fail to realize is if life is found on just one other planet in the solar system, then that basically means there is life everywhere in the Universe mathematically.'

However, scientists are not convinced by this supposed evidence.

Dr Gareth Dorrian, a planetary physicist from the University of Birmingham, told MailOnline that this is simply a 'flat roughly disc-shaped rock sitting atop a smaller stone at the bottom.'

'My best guess would be they were not originally in that position, but like two rocks lying in the desert, one just below the surface and the other on the surface above it,' he explained. 

'Over time the wind could gradually blow the sand and dust away and the top one would gradually settle onto the bottom one.'

Dr Dorrian points out that wind-driven processes like this on Earth often produce remarkable and strange formations.

Alternatively, these 'mushrooms' could be geological structures called concretions, which formed billions of years ago when there was liquid water on Mars.

As water flows through sediment, it dissolves the minerals and rearranges them in a more compact form to leave behind a solid block.

This is not the first time that scientists have found a 'mushroom on Mars'. However, these are just a type of geological feature called a concretion (pictured top right)

Since these are harder than the surrounding rock, they are often left standing above the surface.

Just like the hoodoo rock spires of the American southwest, these structures often take on a mushroom-like shape as the wind carves away the softer bedrock to leave a thin 'stem'.

Part of the reason that Curiosity didn't stop to take any more measurements, as Mr Waring suggests, is that these are common on the Martian surface. 

Additionally, Dr Dorrian points out that, even if there were life on Mars, the chances of a living organism being found on the Martian surface are extremely low.

The atmospheric pressure at the Martian surface is roughly equivalent to that found 20 miles above the surface of Earth, meaning the atmosphere is very thin.

This allows a constant stream of ultraviolet and particle radiation in the form of cosmic rays to bombard the surface.

Dr Dorrian says: 'This unhealthy combination of radiation is well known to damage complex molecules like DNA and would quickly sterilise the surface where this image was taken.'

As if that wasn't bad enough, Dr Dorrian notes that temperature above ground would make it impossible for any organism to survive. 

Concretions formed on Mars billions of years ago when water flowed through the sediment and left behind hard blocks of material that resisted being weathered by the wind 

These same processes are responsible for the formation of the Hoodoo pillars in the American Southwest which also often have a mushroom-like shape 

Temperatures swing from a comfortable 20°C (68°F) during the day to -100°C (-148°F) at night, well below the freezing point of water and far colder than anywhere on Earth. 

'No known forms of life can simultaneously tolerate these extremes of temperatures, radiation levels, and low atmospheric pressure, including mushrooms,' says Dr Dorrian.

'If life does exist on Mars, it is more likely to be found below ground, such as in underground reserves of water, where it would be shielded from the harsh environment at the surface.'

That means this photograph almost certainly shows a common and naturally occurring rock formation, rather than life growing in an impossibly harsh environment.

{ https://www.dailymail.co.uk/ }

27-06-2025 om 23:38 geschreven door peter  

A UFO slammed into a US fighter jet over Arizona, cracking the canopy protecting the pilot, and forcing the $63 million plane to land, new reports have revealed.

According to the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA), the F-16 Viper fighter jet was hit by an 'orange-white UAS' - which stands for uncrewed aerial system, better known as a drone - on January 19, 2023.

Within a day of this collision, there were three more unidentified aircraft sightings over the Air Force's Barry Goldwater Range, where the fighter was damaged, the documents stated.

Barry Goldwater Range is an expanse of desert along the Arizona-Mexico border where the military practices air-to-air and air-to-ground combat. 

The FAA's report of the F-16 collision revealed that the fighter was flying in restricted airspace near Gila Bend, Arizona, when it was hit by the object in the rear of the canopy, the glass bubble which protects the pilot.

No injuries were reported. The Air Force did not reveal how much damage the jet suffered, but the plane was grounded for repairs.

These new details come as a stunning report from the Department of Defense's All-Domain Anomaly Resolution Office (AARO) shows there have been hundreds of UFO reports made in recent years and Arizona is becoming the nation's new UFO hotspot.

AARO serves as a centralized department which looks into all things related to Unidentified Aerial Phenomena (UAP) sightings and reports which could impact national security or air safety.

In 2023, an F-16 Viper (pictured) was struck by an unidentified flying object that federal officials believe was some type of drone

The 2023 incident was one of several UFO sightings reported by pilots in restricted airspace (pictured) over Arizona's many military bases

The F-16 collision is just one of 22 incidents involving Air Force fighter pilots seeing or crashing into strange objects between October 2022 and June 2023, according to azfamily.com.

Most of the encounters took place within 100 miles of Luke Air Force Base, where many of the F-16 fighter jets using Barry Goldwater Range launch from.

Although the FAA said there's no evidence that the collision involved something extraterrestrial, it's one of several recent UFO incidents that have plagued US airspace over Arizona.

In fact, some of these strange sightings involved swarms of up to eight mysterious objects flying over Air Force training bases along the US border with Mexico.

Between 2016 and 2020, military pilots reported seeing unidentified drone-like objects over the state eight times.

The new FAA details come as another government report shows that there were 757 sightings of Unidentified Aerial Phenomena (UAP) worldwide reported between May 2023 and June 2024 alone - and only 49 of these cases have been solved.

When incidents like the F-16 collision occur, the pilot files a report, which the FAA investigates using radar and other data. If the incident involves a UFO, it's sent to AARO for further investigation. 

At least 410 of these 757 new UAP reports from around the world occurred over the US, with the vast majority being sent in by the FAA between May 1, 2023 and June 1, 2024.

However, many more of these encounters took place over restricted military airspace, and the AARO report did not reveal where exactly these sightings occurred.

UFO whistleblower Bob Thompson shared a never-before-seen video of a cigar-shaped UFO flying over Arizona in early 2020

Despite the secrecy, UFO whistleblowers are revealing that many are taking place in Arizona. That includes Luis Elizondo, a former government intelligence officer who investigated these cases before leaving the Pentagon.

'A lot of people reporting a lot of things out of Arizona, particularly on the border,' Elizondo disclosed.

Bob Thompson, who spent 14 years with US Customs and Border Protection (CBP), also recently shared never-before-seen videos of UFOs spotted over Arizona.

'I've seen orbs that were off in the distance. I've seen crafts that were cigar-shaped, I've seen triangles,' the whistleblower told NewsNation.

Thompson added that over 100 CBP agents have confessed to him that they have seen strange and unidentified objects flying along the US border.

These sightings included US border agents witnessing terrifying 'portals' opening into the sky. 

'I got told that they witnessed a portal opening up in the sky and there were pictures of it on a camera that I was able to see,' Thompson revealed.

Although hundreds of these strange sightings sent to AARO are still marked as open investigations, many in the government are blaming Mexico - not aliens.

Numerous 'car-sized' drones first appeared over New Jersey in mid-November, and have since been reported by eyewitnesses all across the Northeast. Similar drone sightings have been taking place along the US southern border, with government officials suspecting Mexican cartels may be involved

Specifically, there's a growing belief that the surge in unidentified drone sightings is due to drug cartels launching high-tech spy missions into the US.

'We're seeing drones… used as scouting patrols, to watch Border Patrol,' NewsNation's border report Ali Bradley explained.

Unlike drones which the US government believed were launched by China, these new drones are harder to detect and also larger so they can potentially carry bigger packages of drugs across the border.

Trump Administration border czar Tom Homan has added that many of these sightings are likely high-tech drones spying on US military bases in Arizona.

Bradley noted that one of the cartels' top goals is to infiltrate US military facilities, so they can stay one step ahead of patrols enforcing illegal immigration and drug trafficking.

Of the 49 AARO investigations that have been closed, the UFOs were determined to be airplanes, balloons, birds, drones, and satellites that were mistaken as alien aircraft.

AARO has recommended that another 243 cases be closed for the same reasons.

{ https://www.dailymail.co.uk/ }

27-06-2025 om 23:17 geschreven door peter  

A veteran US fighter pilot has broken his silence about a near-collision with a UFO that defied the laws of physics and left the Air Force in stunned disbelief.

Major Ryan Bodenheimer, a retired F-15 and F-16 combat pilot, revealed in a YouTube video that one of the 'wildest experiences' of his career involved a close encounter with a rectangle-shaped UFO as he flew with his squadron over southern Wyoming.

Bodenheimer, who served in the Air Force for 13 years, said the large craft suddenly appeared out of nowhere during a training mission and looked to be on a collision course with his plane.

'Then I realized we weren't going to hit, and all of a sudden it came more into view, and it was a rectangular shape. This was like essentially a perfect rectangle,' Bodenheimer revealed in his video on June 8.

The military veteran described the UFO as being 30 to 50 feet in height and appearing to be glowing around the edges of its bright white body as it flew alongside the Thunderbirds, the Air Force's elite aerobatic demonstration squadron.

Bodenheimer added that this craft had no visible vapor trail coming from an engine, no radar signal, and was traveling at approximately 400 knots (460 miles per hour).

'It really was defying any type of aeronautical laws that I've learned,' Bodenheimer said.

Bodenheimer then revealed that his report to air traffic control left officials in 'dead silence' before the entire matter was apparently dismissed as an 'anomalous object.'

Major Ryan Bodenheimer (pictured) spent 13 years flying F-15s and F-16s for the US Air Force and said that he had 2 encounters with unexplainable UFOs over the US

Bodenheimer described one of the UFOs as a perfect triangle that was glowing around its edges and was transparent at its center (AI-generated recreation)

The strange rectangle UFO got so close to Bodenheimer's F-16 Falcon at 30,000 feet in the air that he said he could make out every detail of the craft before it eventually flew off and was never seen again.

When air traffic controllers in Denver asked Bodenheimer if he could give them any more details about the UFO, he revealed that it had a cream-colored interior that became transparent or had a hole in its center.

'I know it sounds like I'm talking about a delicious pastry, but this was the wildest experience I've ever had,' the fighter pilot joked.

The only evidence of Bodenheimer's sighting was a report made by air traffic control saying that an object had been spotted in the area where the Thunderbirds were training that day, but he never heard from anyone about the incident again.

The former combat officer explained on his channel, Max Afterburner, that this UFO could not have been a weather balloon, a high-tech drone, or some kind of light trick.

'There was nothing that made me think this was some sort of illusion. It was clear as day. It was right down our wing line, a 30 to 50 foot object,' the pilot continued.

Bodenheimer then speculated whether this could have been an extraterrestrial craft, noting that he's never been a fan of 'science fiction' but admitted that his encounter matched many of the incidents involving military pilots that 'defied physics.'

'Going against aerodynamics definitely blows my mind. Anti-gravity, something that cloaks radar, I didn't see anything on the radar,' he added.

The object wasn't even tilted to deflect the wind while traveling at that speed. It stayed completely vertical as if the wind did not affect the UFO's ability to fly at over 400 mph. 

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Bodenheimer revealed what he had seen while flying with the Thunderbirds during his YouTube podcast on June 8

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Bodenheimer said that he has never heard about the UFO sighting since he reported it to officials with air traffic control in Denver

This wasn't the only time the Air Force veteran had encountered a UFO. He added that 'lightning-fast triangle' while training with the Thunderbirds near Area 51 - the military's top secret base in Nevada.

'There's been lots of crazy stuff that's been reported out there,' Bodenheimer said.

On this day, the mysterious jet-like object flew past Bodenheimer's F-16 as his squadron was coming in for a landing.

'This lightning-fast triangle blitzed past me as we were setting ourselves up on a final [approach],' the pilot revealed.

'I just remember this thing going massively fast past me... It had basically done an interceptor maneuver, a dust-off. So maybe this was its way of having fun, saying maybe this should be Top Gun 3,' Bodenheimer detailed.

The pilot noted that he hopes coming forward will encourage more of his fellow pilots to reveal what they've seen during their time in the military, noting that there have been roughly 800 UFO reports in just the last four years.

{ https://www.dailymail.co.uk/ }

27-06-2025 om 23:05 geschreven door peter  

Deep in the Atlantic Ocean, scientists have discovered a haunting undersea world that may hold the blueprint for how life began on Earth.

This vast field of mineral towers, called the Lost City, is the oldest known hydrothermal system in the ocean. Scientists believe its extreme conditions mirror the early Earth, offering clues to how the first life forms might have emerged.

The Lost City Hydrothermal Field lie more than 2,300 feet beneath the surface, on the slopes of an underwater mountain in the Mid-Atlantic Ridge.

The Mid-Atlantic Ridge is a massive underwater mountain range that runs through the Atlantic Ocean. It marks the boundary between tectonic plates and is a hotspot for geological activity.

Researchers estimate the Lost City has existed for over 120,000 years, making it the longest-living hydrothermal vent field ever discovered.

In a recent breakthrough, scientists successfully recovered a core sample of mantle rock from the site. This rock is the deep Earth source that fuels the vent system. 

The core sample could help scientists better understand the chemical reactions happening beneath the seafloor, reactions that produce hydrocarbons in the absence of sunlight or oxygen, serving as food for marine life.

These same reactions may have played a role in the origin of life on Earth billions of years ago. 

The Lost City is made up of towering spires of carbonate rock, formed by chemical reactions between seawater and hot rock from beneath the seafloor

The Lost City is made up of towering spires of carbonate rock, some nearly 200 feet tall, formed by a unique geological reaction called serpentinization, where seawater interacts with mantle rock deep below the seafloor.

These reactions release methane and hydrogen gas, which fuel microbial life that survives without sunlight or oxygen, something rarely seen on Earth.

The site is located approximately nine miles west of the Mid-Atlantic Ridge axis, just south of the Azores islands. 

Its isolated position means it has remained undisturbed by human activity for thousands of years, preserving an ecosystem that offers a window into Earth’s earliest conditions.

Each hydrothermal vent, nicknamed IMAX, Poseidon, Seeps, and Nature emits warm, alkaline fluids. These create a stable environment for life in one of the most extreme corners of the planet.

Now, with renewed global attention, scientists believe the Lost City may help explain how life first formed from non-living matter, an unsolved mystery in biology. 

The site is located approximately 15 kilometers (about nine miles) west of the Mid-Atlantic Ridge axis, just south of the Azores. Its remote position places it far from human interference.

Unlike most hydrothermal systems powered by volcanic heat, the Lost City is powered by chemical energy from the Earth's mantle, giving it a distinct structure and chemistry.

Inside its towering chimneys, fluids reach up to 194 Fahrenheit, not boiling, but hot enough to fuel chemicals reactions. 

These vents produce hydrocarbons, organic compounds made from carbon and hydrogen, which are considered the building blocks of life.

The site is special because its hydrocarbons form through deep Earth chemical reactions, not sunlight or photosynthesis. This makes the Lost City a rare second example of how life could begin.

Microbes inside these chimneys live in total darkness, with no oxygen, using methane and hydrogen as their only fuel. 

On the outer surfaces, rare animals like shrimp, snails, sea urchins, and eels cling to the mineral-rich structures.

Larger animals are uncommon here likely because the energy supply is limited. Unlike surface ecosystems, there's no sunlight or abundant food chain, only chemical nutrients trickling out of the vents.

Microbiologist William Brazelton told Smithsonian Magazine: “This is an example of a type of ecosystem that could be active on Enceladus or Europa right this second.” 

While the Lost City itself lacks mineable materials, nearby regions could be targeted for future deep-sea mining operations.

These are moons of Saturn and Jupiter, which have oceans beneath icy crusts, raising the hope that similar life could exist beyond Earth.

Some spires have grown to 60 meters tall over tens of thousands of years. 

Scientists say they act like natural laboratories, showing how life might arise in environments without sun, plants, or animals.

In 2017, the International Seabed Authority (ISA) gave the Polish government a 15-year exploration license for an area of the Mid-Atlantic Ridge, which includes territory surrounding the Lost City.

Though Lost City itself lacks valuable minerals, nearby vent fields may contain polymetallic sulfides, a target for future deep-sea mining. That’s where the threat comes in.

Mining operations near hydrothermal vents can stir up sediment plumes, releasing toxic chemicals or particles that drift through the water column and harm nearby ecosystems, even if the site itself isn’t directly touched.

The Convention on Biological Diversity has already designated Lost City as an Ecologically or Biologically Significant Marine Area (EBSA), based on its uniqueness, biodiversity, and scientific value.

Being listed as an EBSA gives scientists leverage to argue for protective measures, though it carries no binding legal protection. Meanwhile, UNESCO is reviewing the site for World Heritage status, which could offer stronger international backing against mining and disturbance.

Scientists argue this is urgently needed. Once disturbed, such systems may never recover, and we could lose a living example of how life began.

27-06-2025 om 22:53 geschreven door peter  

The photograph so detailed it's impossible to see with the naked eye: Vera C Rubin Observatory releases the first images from its whopping 3,200 MEGAPIXEL camera

• READ MORE: Dead NASA satellite inexplicably comes back to life

By WILIAM HUNTER

Scientists have revealed the first images from the world's largest digital camera, the Vera C Rubin Observatory. 

Located on top of the Cerro Pachón mountain in Chile, this revolutionary telescope is poised to supercharge our study of the universe. 

Equipped with a 5.4ft x 9.8ft digital camera, the telescope can capture an area about three times that of the moon with every photo. 

With a resolution of 3,200 megapixels - 67 times more than an iPhone 16 Pro - each image would need 400 4K high-definition television screens to display at its original size. 

One of its first stunning images shows the Trifid and Lagoon nebulae, vast clouds of colourful gas located some 9,000 light-years from Earth.

Combining 678 different pictures taken over seven hours, the photograph reveals blue and pink swirls of interplanetary gas and the glow of young stars being formed.

In another image, the massive telescope captures around 10 million galaxies - just 0.5 per cent of the 20 billion galaxies it will observe over its lifetime.

However, these are only the very first test images from the cutting-edge telescope, with thousands more soon to come. 

Scientists have revealed the first images from the world's largest digital camera, the Vera C Rubin Observatory. This image shows the pink clouds of the Trifid Nebula (middle) and the smaller stellar nursery of the Lagoon Nebula (top right), located around 9,000 light-years from Earth 

Located on top of the Cerro Pachón mountain in Chile, this revolutionary telescope is poised to supercharge our study of the universe 

Perched 8,770ft (2,670m) above the Chilean Andes on a mountain dedicated to space research, the newly completed Vera C Rubin Telescope is in the perfect place to watch the stars.

The location is very high, exceptionally dark, and far enough above sea level to avoid much of the interference from Earth's atmosphere. 

The observatory's four goals are to map changes in the sky, study the formation of the Milky Way, map the solar system, and understand dark matter. 

As these test images offer a tantalising glimpse of what is to come, the observatory is soon to start a decade-long vigil watching the night sky.

With its unique, fast-moving design, astronomers will snap an image of the sky once every 40 seconds for eight to 12 hours every single night.

As part of the Legacy Survey of Space and Time, the telescope will map the entire southern night sky once every three days for the next ten years.

At its peak, the observatory will be generating tens of thousands of images every night, which will be sent to scientists around the world.

The UK will also play a critical role in this project by hosting the data centres to process the enormous quantities of data.

This is a small section of a test photo taken by the Vera C Rubin Observatory of the Virgo cluster, the full image contains over 10,000 galaxies 

Another small section of the same image shows spiral galaxies interacting in the heart of a dense galaxy cluster 

By repeatedly taking images of the same sections of the sky, the Vera C Rubin Observatory will enable scientists to detect the smallest changes.

Dr Eduardo Bañados, from the Max Planck Institute for Astronomy, says the telescope will give astronomers a 'cosmic movie' of the next decade.

'This will allow us to go beyond just discovering such super-distant galaxies, but also learning about their physical properties,' says Dr Bañados.

The system will alert scientists anytime it detects that something has changed, with up to 10 million data alerts being generated every night.

These alerts might be tiny fluctuations in the light from a distant galaxy or the glint of sunlight on an asteroid approaching Earth.

Scientists believe that the telescope will increase the catalogue of objects in the solar system tenfold. 

Speaking at a press conference revealing the test images, Aaron Roodman, Deputy Director for the observatory's construction, said: 'Since we take images of the night sky so quickly and so often, we'll detect millions of changing objects literally every night.

That means, if there is a ninth planet hiding somewhere in the solar system, the Vera C Rubin telescope will be able to find it.

The Vera C Rubin Observatory will map the entire southern night sky once every three days for the next decade, to create an unprecedented 'cosmic movie' 

Some scientists believe there might be a ninth planet orbiting 700 times further from the sun than Earth, well beyond the range of conventional telescopes. 

But by using a three-mirror system to focus even the faintest amounts of light, the Vera C Rubin Observatory will be able to see this planet if it is there. 

Light from distant galaxies is reflected from a 27.5-foot (8.4m) primary mirror, into an 11.2-foot (3.4m) secondary mirror, back into a 15.7-foot (4.8m) mirror, which bounces it into the waiting camera.

The setup is so sensitive that a single speck of dust or the light from a stray LED is enough to cause distortion.

However, overcoming those difficulties will give scientists an unprecedented window into the galactic past.

Mr Roodman says: 'We also will combine those images to be able to see incredibly dim galaxies and stars, including galaxies that are billions of light-years away.

'Rubin Observatory is truly a discovery machine. It will enable us to explore galaxies, stars in the Milky Way, objects in the solar system, and all in a truly new way.'

More photos from the Vera C Rubin Observatory will be released in a live-streamed event at 16:00 BST today.

{ https://www.dailymail.co.uk/ }

27-06-2025 om 22:37 geschreven door peter  

A flaming object was seen streaking across the skies of several southern states, sparking panic and confusion as no explosion or fire was reported on the ground. 

Police scanner audio in Spartanburg, South Carolina captured a call from a woman who reported a 'giant ball of fire' falling from the sky, a sight echoed by witnesses from Tennessee to Georgia.

'I'm not crazy! I just saw a huge ball of fire fall from the sky in East Tennessee around the Cherokee National Forest!' a firefighter wrote on X.

'Anyone else see it? Right around 12:20pm ET. Very cool but a little unnerving given the current times!'

While some speculated it could have been a falling aircraft, the firefighter described it as 'like a mini sun falling with a tail of fire.' 

In Georgia, one resident said they not only saw the object, but heard it pass overhead and felt the ground shake when it hit.

The National Weather Service confirmed the many reports across the Southeast US saying: 'It is not certain, but the satellite-based lightning detection shows a streak within cloud-free sky over the NC/VA border, over Gasbury, VA. 

'This streak was detected between 12:51 to 12:56 pm.'

A flaming object was seen streaking across the skies of several southern states, sparking panic and confusion, as no explosion or fire was reported on the ground

Weather Impact Chief Meteorologist Brad Panovich said: 'Looking at the videos, this is very low in the atmosphere. I am curious if this was a piece of space debris, a rocket body or degrading space junk.

'For something to be that bright in the middle of the day, it was most likely burning up in the atmosphere. If it were a meteor, it would have had to be very large to be that bright in the middle of the day.'

A driver traveling on I-85 SB in Upstate South Carolina captured the fireball falling through the sky using their dashcam. 

'Weird atmospheric sounds in GA today. Sounded like a fireball or rocket burning through the sky, shaking the house... followed by 2 or 3 helicopters not listed on the Flight Radar,' an X user shared shortly after the incident.

Hundreds of reports of a possible fireball were submitted to the American Meteor Society website from Georgia, South Carolina and Tennessee, which are still pending.

'This was the middle of the day, and it just came out of nowhere,' according to one fireball report on the American Meteor Society from Perry, Georgia. 

A report submitted by Ashley R from Suwanee, Georgia read: 'I thought it was a missile.'

Brian S from Alpharetta, Georgia said: 'It was full daylight, no clouds, and still it was very bright. I heard a muffled and slight boom sound, maybe 30 seconds later, but that could be unrelated.'

The National Weather Service confirmed the many reports across the Southeast US. The large blue streak appears to be what was spotted falling from the sky

Several metro Atlanta city and county officials have relayed reports of a "fireball" sighting from the sky on Thursday afternoon

He added that he saw a 'smoke trail that quickly fell apart.'

Marc Tozer of Georgia shared on Facebook: 'Stone mountain here and it made a booming sound, house shook with a long rumble. Dogs went crazy.' 

Another Georgia local posted: 'House totally rumbled, sounded like a log rolling off the roof, thought nukes were coming...'

WRDW, an Atlanta news source, reported that black smoke was seen south of I-20, although it may be from a controlled burn, first responders said.

The Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) said it had 'no reports of unusual aircraft activity in the area,' Atlanta News First reported. 

There were no immediate reports of damage linked to the fireball, and it's unclear whether the wide range of sightings may have been caused by multiple fragments from the same potential meteor. 

{ https://www.dailymail.co.uk/ }

27-06-2025 om 22:19 geschreven door peter  

Wie Zijn Die Buitenaardse Wezens? Van de Plejadianen tot Olifantachtige-sterenwezens

Inleiding

Het vraagstuk wie de buitenaardse wezens zijn, heeft de mensheid sinds het begin van haar bestaan beziggehouden. Van oude beschavingen tot moderne UFO-onderzoekers, er is een voortdurende nieuwsgierigheid naar de aard, oorsprong en intenties van deze mysterieuze wezens die zich mogelijk buiten ons aardse bestaan bevinden. Deze belangstelling wordt niet alleen gevoed door verhalen en legendes, maar ook door getuigenissen, waarnemingen en wetenschappelijke pogingen om het fenomeen te verklaren. In veel oude culturen worden tekenen van buitenaardse aanwezigheid beschreven, zoals de mythologische verhalen over goden die van de hemel neerdaalden of oude kunstwerken die vreemde objecten en wezens afbeelden. Deze historische bronnen vormen een fascinerende basis voor het onderzoek naar buitenaardse levensvormen en geven inzicht in hoe verschillende samenlevingen door de eeuwen heen hiermee omgingen.

In de moderne tijd kreeg het vraagstuk een nieuwe impuls met de opkomst van de UFO-beweging en de introductie van technologische hulpmiddelen die het mogelijk maken om luchtwaarnemingen en vreemde verschijnselen systematisch te documenteren. Wereldwijde incidenten zoals de Roswell-affaire en de vele onverklaarbare waarnemingen zorgen ervoor dat het onderwerp nog altijd actueel en controversieel is. Daarbij wordt niet alleen gedacht aan de klassieke afbeelding van kleine groene mannetjes, maar ook aan meer exotische en theoretische entiteiten zoals interdimensionale wezens, energie-gebaseerde vormen en andere niet-erkende wezens die mogelijk buiten onze huidige wetenschappelijke kennis vallen.

In dit essay zullen we de verschillende vormen en beschrijvingen van buitenaardse entiteiten onderzoeken, variërend van de bekende Plejadianen tot meer exotische en theoretische entiteiten zoals interdimensionale wezens en energie-gebaseerde vormen. Daarbij wordt niet alleen een overzicht gegeven van de historische en culturele verschijningsvormen, maar ook de wetenschappelijke plausibiliteit en de echtheid van dergelijke beweringen beoordeeld. Door deze verschillende perspectieven te combineren, hopen we een vollediger beeld te schetsen van wie deze mysterieuze wezens mogelijk zijn en waarom ze zo’n blijvende aantrekkingskracht op de mensheid uitoefenen.

Historisch Overzicht

De fascinatie voor buitenaardse wezens is een onderwerp dat teruggaat tot de oudheid en zich door de eeuwen heen heeft ontwikkeld, verweven met mythologie, religie en later wetenschappelijke nieuwsgierigheid. In oude beschavingen zoals die van Egypte, Griekenland en Azië vinden we talloze verwijzingen naar goddelijke entiteiten en wezens die buitenaardse kenmerken vertonen. Bijvoorbeeld, in het oude Egypte werden goden zoals Osiris en Horus afgebeeld met bovennatuurlijke krachten en soms met vreemde attributen, terwijl in Griekse mythologie verhalen over de goden op de berg Olympus en hun interactie met mensen vaak worden geïnterpreteerd als een vorm van buitenaardse contact. In Aziatische culturen, zoals die in China en India, zijn er oude geschriften en schilderingen die beschrijvingen bevatten van vliegende objecten en wezens die niet van deze wereld leken te zijn.

De moderne interesse in UFO's en buitenaardse levensvormen begon echter in de twintigste eeuw, vooral vanaf de jaren 1940 en 1950. Een cruciaal keerpunt was het Roswell-incident in 1947, waarin een onbekend vliegend object neerstortte in de buurt van Roswell, New Mexico. Aanvankelijk werd het gerapporteerd als een "geheim vliegend schotel", maar de Amerikaanse overheid verklaarde later dat het om een weerballon ging. Desondanks leidde het incident tot een enorme mediahype en zette het de toon voor verder onderzoek en speculatie over buitenaardse aanwezigheid. In de jaren daarna verschenen talloze rapporten en getuigenissen over onverklaarbare waarnemingen, waaronder de beroemde sightings in Washington D.C. in 1952 en de zogenaamde "Belgische UFO-golf" in 1989-1990.

De jaren 1960 en 1970 brachten een toename in wetenschappelijke interesse, mede door het werk van onderzoekers zoals J. Allen Hynek en Stanton Friedman. Hynek ontwikkelde het zogenaamde "Close Encounter"-systeem, dat variaties beschrijft van menselijke ontmoetingen met UFO's, variërend van het zien van ongeïdentificeerde lichten tot het daadwerkelijk ontmoeten van buitenaardse wezens. Daarnaast werden er diverse geheime overheidsprojecten gestart, zoals het Amerikaanse Project Blue Book, dat tussen 1952 en 1969 duizenden UFO-waarnemingen onderzocht. Hoewel het merendeel kon worden verklaard door natuurlijke oorzaken of menselijke activiteiten, bleven een aantal incidenten onverklaard en voedden ze het publieke geloof in buitenaardse wezens.

In de jaren 1980 en 1990 kreeg het onderwerp een nieuwe impuls met de opkomst van digitale media, waardoor foto's, video's en getuigenissen sneller en op grotere schaal konden worden gedeeld. Het beroemde "Phoenix Lights"-incident in 1997 en de publicatie van de "Pentagon UFO-video's" van 2004 en 2015, waarin militaire piloten onverklaarbare objecten vastlegden, zorgden voor een hernieuwde belangstelling. Sindsdien blijft het onderwerp actueel, met regeringsrapporten en getuigenverklaringen die wijzen op de mogelijkheid van niet-geïdentificeerde en mogelijk niet-aardse technologieën. Wetenschappelijke consensus blijft echter dat meer bewijs nodig is om definitieve conclusies te trekken, waardoor het onderwerp zowel serieus onderzoek als publieke fascinatie blijft voeden.

Diverse Wezens en Beschrijvingen

1. Pleiadianen (Tietans)

De Pleiadianen, vaak ook Tietans genoemd, worden beschouwd als een van de meest vriendelijke en spiritueel hoogontwikkelde buitenaardse beschavingen die er bestaan. Volgens diverse theorieën, spirituele leraren en getuigenissen vormen zij een soort spirituele gids of beschermengel voor de mensheid, die ons kan ondersteunen in onze evolutionaire ontwikkeling. Deze wezens zouden afkomstig zijn uit de Pleiaden, een heldere en bekende sterrencluster in het sterrenbeeld Stier, die al eeuwenlang door verschillende culturen wordt vereerd als een bron van mysterie en inspiratie.

Volgens beschrijvingen worden de Pleiadianen vaak afgebeeld als mensachtig, maar met enkele opvallende kenmerken. Ze zouden een hoog, slank postuur hebben, met een serene en liefdevolle uitstraling die een diepe rust uitstraalt. Hun lange, witte of zilverachtige haren symboliseren hun spirituele puurheid en hogere bewustzijn. Veel getuigen en channelers beschrijven hen als wezens met grote, liefdevolle ogen die een dieper begrip van het universum en de menselijke ziel lijken te bezitten.

Hoewel er geen wetenschappelijk bewijs is dat hun bestaan daadwerkelijk bevestigd, worden de Pleiadianen vaak genoemd in spirituele bewegingen, channelings en esoterische literatuur. Ze worden gezien als boodschappers van universele liefde, vrede en harmonie, die een brug kunnen vormen tussen de menselijke en de kosmische dimensie. Hun verhalen en beschrijvingen blijven een bron van inspiratie en hoop voor velen die zoeken naar zingeving en verbinding met hogere werelden.

2. De Nordics

De Nordics, ook wel bekend als de ”Noordse” of ”lichtwezens,” vormen een fascinerend en intrigerend onderdeel van de ufologie en buitenaardse beschrijvingen. Volgens getuigenissen en rapporten worden deze alien-achtige wezens afgebeeld als prachtige, menselijke wezens met een opvallende lichte huid, vaak een bleke of zelfs bijna doorschijnende teint. Hun uiterlijk straalt een soort serene kracht uit, met heldere, grote ogen die vaak een blauwachtige of groenachtige kleur hebben. De Nordics worden meestal beschreven als lang en slank, met een gracieuze lichaamsbouw die een gevoel van elegance en harmonie uitstraalt.

Deze wezens worden vaak geassocieerd met positieve intenties; ze zouden komen om te helpen, te begeleiden en te beschermen. Mensen die contact met hen hebben gehad, melden dat ze een gevoel van diepe vrede en verbondenheid ervaren, alsof deze wezens een hogere vibratie vertegenwoordigen. Volgens sommige theorieën zouden de Nordics afkomstig zijn uit hogere dimensies of sterrenstelsels, zoals de Pleiaden of andere nabijgelegen melkwegstelsels. Ze worden vaak gezien als bewakers van de aarde en haar bewoners, met een missie om de mensheid te begeleiden naar een hoger bewustzijn en spirituele evolutie.

De beschrijvingen van deze alien-achtige wezens variëren, maar de algemene kenmerken blijven consistent: een indrukwekkende uitstraling, een vriendelijke houding en een diepe, spirituele aanwezigheid. Voor velen symboliseren de Nordics hoop, verlichting en de mogelijkheid tot een betere toekomst, waardoor ze een centrale figuur vormen in vele buitenaardse verhalen en spirituele overtuigingen.

3.  De Greys  ( Grijzen)

De Grey-aliens, ook wel bekend als de "Greys," zijn een van de meest bekende en iconische buitenaardse wezens in de populaire cultuur en ufologievrienden. Ze worden vaak afgebeeld als kleine, slanke wezens met een hoogte van ongeveer 1,20 tot 1,50 meter. Hun lichaamsbouw is fragiel en gestroomlijnd, met lange, dunne ledematen die een bijna onmenselijke gracieuze beweging mogelijk maken. Het meest opvallende kenmerk van de Greys is hun grote, amandelvormige ogen, die meestal zwart of donkerbruin zijn en een intense, bijna hypnotiserende blik uitstralen. Deze ogen nemen het grootste deel van hun gezicht in beslag, terwijl de rest van hun gezicht relatief klein en plat is, zonder duidelijke neus of oren. Een van de meest bekende en fascinerende typen buitenaardse wezens die in de UFO- en paranormale wereld worden beschreven, zijn de zogenaamde “Groene Wezens” of “Grays”.  

Voorstelling van hoe een buitenaards wezen eruit zou kunnen zien

De huid van de Greys wordt vaak beschreven als een gladde, grijzige of lichtgrijze textuur, vandaar ook hun naam. Ze worden meestal afgebeeld met een kleine mond en geen zichtbare tanden of tong. Volgens verschillende getuigenissen en rapportages zouden de Greys beschikken over geavanceerde technologische vaardigheden, waarmee ze ruimteschepen en teleportatie kunnen gebruiken. Ze worden vaak genoemd in verband met abducties, waarbij mensen worden meegenomen voor experimenten of onderzoek. De Greys worden gezien als rationele, kalme en afstandelijke wezens, zonder duidelijke emoties, en worden vaak geassocieerd met het idee van een wetenschappelijke of onderzoeksgerichte buitenaardse beschaving. Ondanks hun mysterieuze aard blijven ze een bron van fascinatie en speculatie voor onderzoekers en liefhebbers van het buitenaardse leven.

Volgens getuigenissen en rapportages worden deze wezens vaak geassocieerd met abducties en experimenten op mensen. Ze zouden zich op mysterieuze wijze kunnen manifesteren in slaapkamers of afgelegen gebieden, vaak zonder dat de getuigen er bewust van waren totdat ze geconfronteerd werden met deze wezens. De wezens worden beschreven als rationeel en zeer technologisch geavanceerd, met het vermogen om complexe apparaten te bedienen en communicatie te voeren die verder gaat dan menselijke taal. Sommige theorieën suggereren dat ze afkomstig zouden kunnen zijn van een weelderige planeet in een naburig sterrenstelsel, mogelijk binnen de Melkweg of zelfs verder weg.

Verder wordt er gespeculeerd dat deze wezens betrokken zouden kunnen zijn bij genetische experimenten, waarbij ze menselijke en andere levensvormen bestuderen of manipuleren. Ze zouden bijvoorbeeld DNA-monsters nemen, embryo’s bestuderen of zelfs genetische hybridisatie uitvoeren. Hoewel er geen wetenschappelijk bewijs is dat deze wezens bestaan, blijven ze een prominent onderdeel van UFO-literatuur, getuigenissen en volksverhalen. Hun mysterieuze aard en de vele beschrijvingen zorgen ervoor dat ze een intrigerend en vaak besproken fenomeen blijven binnen de wereld van buitenaardse waarnemingen.

4. Feline-, Canine- en Olifantachtige Rassen

Naast de mensachtige buitenaardse wezens worden in vele verhalen en getuigenissen ook diervormige rassen beschreven die de verbeelding blijven boeien. Deze rassen vertonen kenmerken die sterk overeenkomen met bekende aardse dieren, maar dan in buitenaardse variaties en met unieke eigenschappen die wijzen op een complexe evolutie op verschillende planeten. Zo worden er bijvoorbeeld feline-achtige wezens beschreven, die lijken op grote katten zoals tijgers of luipaarden, maar met menselijke trekken. Ze beschikken vaak over een sierlijke bouw, scherpe ogen die veelal een mysterieuze glans vertonen, en een combinatie van katachtige instincten en menselijke intelligentie. Deze wezens worden vaak gekenmerkt door een gracieuze beweging en een opvallende zelfverzekerde uitstraling, wat hen een bijna majestueus voorkomen geeft.

Gecompliceerd kunstwerk van een buitenaardse kat met voorouders uit oude echo's en Scandinavische folklore, alien, kat, voorouders
Door sawaratch

Daarnaast bestaan er ook hond-achtige rassen die zich onderscheiden door hun loyaliteit, waakzaamheid en sociale vaardigheden. Deze wezens worden vaak beschreven als trouwe metgezellen, die een sterke band aangaan met mensen of andere buitenaardse wezens. Hun uiterlijk varieert van grote, krachtige honden tot kleinere, meer agile wezens, maar allemaal hebben ze een scherpe intuïtie en een opmerkelijk vermogen om emoties te lezen. Sommige getuigen spreken over rassen met een beschermende aard, die als bewakers fungeren tijdens ontmoetingen of abducties.

Bovendien worden olifant-achtige buitenaardse wezens genoemd, gekenmerkt door grote oren, een imposant formaat en een uitstraling van wijsheid en kalmte. Ze worden vaak beschreven als wijze, oude beschouwers, die mogelijk een rol spelen in het doorgeven van kennis of het begeleiden van andere rassen. Hun grote oren worden vaak als een symbool van hun opmerkzaamheid en intelligentie genoemd, terwijl hun rustige en bedachtzame houding een diepe indruk achterlaat bij getuigen. Deze diverse diervormige rassen lijken een rijke variëteit te vormen van de evolutie op verschillende planeten, en illustreren de complexiteit en variëteit van buitenaardse levensvormen die in getuigenissen worden beschreven. 

5. Insectoïdische Beings

Insectoïdische wezens vormen een fascinerend en intrigerend onderdeel van de verbeelding en mythologie. Deze wezens combineren kenmerken van insecten en mensen, waardoor ze een bijna ongrijpbare mix van het aardse en het bovennatuurlijke vormen. Vaak worden ze afgebeeld met het lichaam van een insect, zoals een kever, mier of sprinkhaan, maar met menselijke trekken zoals ogen, gezichten of ledematen. Deze hybride wezens worden in verschillende culturen en verhalen gebruikt om thema’s als transformatie, geheimzinnigheid en de kracht van de natuur uit te drukken.

In de folklore en fantasyliteratuur worden insectoïdische wezens vaak voorgesteld als mysterieuze bewakers van geheime kennis of als boodschappers van een hogere macht. Hun kleine formaat en complexe lichaamsstructuur symboliseren vaak subtiliteit en verborgen kracht. Soms worden ze afgebeeld als kwaadaardige wezens die in de schaduwen opereren, terwijl ze in andere verhalen juist als wijze gidsen fungeren. Hun uiterlijk roept bij veel mensen een gevoel van afgunst of fascinatie op, omdat ze de grens tussen het menselijke en het insectachtige vervagen en daardoor een gevoel van ontheemding of verwondering oproepen.

De symboliek achter deze wezens is rijk en veelzijdig. Insectoïdische figuren kunnen staan voor de vergankelijkheid, de collectieve kracht van de natuur, of de menselijke drang om te overleven en zich aan te passen. Hun complexe verschijning en mystieke aura maken ze tot een populair onderwerp in kunst, literatuur en popcultuur, waar ze blijven intrigeren en inspireren. 

6. Shape Shifters

Vormveranderaars, oftewel “Shape Shifters”, vormen een fascinerende categorie binnen de wereld van paranormale en mythologische entiteiten. Deze wezens worden gekenmerkt door hun vermogen om van vorm te veranderen, vaak op een wijze die niet door menselijke technologie of natuurlijke processen verklaard kan worden. In diverse culturen en mythologische tradities komen verhalen voor over wezens die zich kunnen transformeren van mens naar dier, of zelfs naar ongrijpbare vormen, afhankelijk van de situatie of hun intenties.

In de mythologie van de Noord-Amerikaanse inheemse volkeren, zoals de Navajo en Hopi, bestaan legendes over shape shifters die als sjamanen of tovenaars kunnen veranderen in dieren zoals wolven, uilen of beren. Deze transformaties worden vaak gekoppeld aan spirituele krachten en worden gebruikt voor genezing, bescherming of zelfs bedrog. In de Scandinavische mythologie spreken folklore en saga’s over skalds en heksen die via magie hun vorm kunnen aanpassen. In Aziatische tradities, zoals in Chinese folklore, zijn er verhalen over geesten en demonen die kunnen veranderen in mensen of dieren om hun doelen te bereiken.

Wetenschappelijk gezien is er geen bewijs dat dergelijke vormveranderingen daadwerkelijk mogelijk zijn, en wordt het meestal beschouwd als folklore of symboliek. Toch blijven sommige onderzoekers en paranormalen geloven dat shape shifters misschien niet zomaar mythen zijn, maar dat ze een diepere, mogelijk multidimensionale realiteit kunnen vertegenwoordigen. Sommige theorieën suggereren dat deze entiteiten wellicht bestaan op een niveau dat wij niet kunnen waarnemen met onze zintuigen, en dat ze zich kunnen manifesteren in onze wereld door middel van energetische of psychische manipulatie.

Vanuit een theoretisch perspectief kunnen shape shifters worden beschouwd als manifestaties van hogere bewustzijnsniveaus of als uitingen van entiteiten die in meerdere dimensies tegelijk bestaan. In sommige spirituele tradities wordt aangenomen dat deze wezens niet fysiek veranderen, maar dat zij via een soort illusie of energetische verschuiving hun vorm kunnen aanpassen. Het concept van shape shifting wordt ook vaak gebruikt als metafoor voor de veranderlijke aard van identiteit en perceptie, en blijft een intrigerend onderwerp dat verbindt tussen mythologie, spiritualiteit en theorieën over multidimensionale realiteiten.

7. Transulente en Energie-Gebaseerde Entiteiten

Transulente en energie-gebonden entiteiten vormen een fascinerend en complex domein binnen de parapsychologie, spiritualiteit en theoretische natuurkunde. Deze wezens worden niet gekenmerkt door een fysieke, vaste vorm zoals we die kennen in de materiële wereld. In plaats daarvan worden ze vaak beschreven als lichtgevende of schijnbaar ongrijpbare verschijnselen die zich bewegen door ruimtes, dimensies en zelfs tijd. Ze manifesteren zich in de vorm van energievelden, lichtflitsen, of zelfs als gaten in de ruimte die een soort van portalen lijken te vormen. Dergelijke entiteiten worden vaak gezien als transulente verschijnselen — dat wil zeggen, ze zijn doorzichtig of semi-transparant, en hun ware aard is vaak moeilijk te onderscheiden van de omgeving.

In spirituele en paranormale tradities worden deze entiteiten vaak geassocieerd met hogere bewustzijnsniveaus, energievelden of kosmische krachten. Sommige beschrijvingen suggereren dat ze niet gebonden zijn aan een fysieke vorm, maar bestaan als pure energie of informatie. De waarnemingen van dergelijke verschijnselen worden vaak gedaan in omgevingen met hoge emotionele of spirituele lading, zoals bij meditatie, trance of na het overlijden van een persoon. Wetenschappelijk blijft het bestaan van deze entiteiten echter moeilijk te verifiëren. Ze worden vaak beschouwd als subjectieve ervaringen of interpretaties van onzichtbare energievelden.

Recentelijk biedt de kwantumfysica enige hoop op het begrijpen van deze fenomenen. De theorieën rondom energievormen en de kwantumvelden suggereren dat er mogelijk meer is tussen de materie en de spirituele wereld dan we tot nu toe konden begrijpen. Sommige wetenschappers speculeren dat deze entiteiten mogelijk manifestaties zijn van onderliggende energiewijzen die op een nog onbekende manier communiceren of bewegen door dimensies. Hoewel er geen definitief bewijs is, blijven onderzoekers geïnteresseerd in deze verschijnselen vanwege de potentie om onze kennis van het universum en bewustzijn uit te breiden. Het bestuderen van transulente en energie-gebonden entiteiten vraagt om een interdisciplinair aanpak, waarin natuurkunde, psychologie, en spiritualiteit samenkomen.

8. Interdimensionale Entiteiten

Interdimensionale entiteiten vormen een intrigerend en complex fenomeen dat de grenzen van ons begrip van werkelijkheid uitdaagt. Volgens diverse spirituele tradities, waaronder de Vedische en Tibetaanse geschriften, bestaan er meerdere dimensies naast onze kenbare wereld. Deze entiteiten zouden niet beperkt zijn tot één dimensie, maar kunnen bestaan in meerdere tegelijk of kunnen bewegen tussen verschillende dimensies. Het idee is dat onze fysieke wereld slechts een deel is van een veel groter, meerlagig universum, waarin deze wezens hun thuisbasis vinden.

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In veel verhalen en mythologieën worden deze entiteiten beschreven als wezens die de menselijke perceptie overstijgen. Ze manifesteren zich vaak via dromen, visioenen, of UFO-verschijnselen en worden soms gezien als boodschappers of gidsen uit hogere dimensies. Sommige mensen beweren dat ze door middel van meditatieve of trance-achtige toestanden toegang kunnen krijgen tot deze wezens en dat ze op die wijze communicatie mogelijk maken. Deze verschijnselen worden door skeptici als subjectief en interpretatief afgedaan, maar voor anderen vormen ze bewijs van een uitgebreidere kosmos die we nog niet volledig begrijpen.

De moderne kwantumfysica biedt enige theoretische hoop op het begrijpen van dergelijke fenomenen. Theorieën over multiversa en extra dimensies, zoals die in stringtheorieën worden besproken, suggereren dat het mogelijk is dat meerdere dimensies gelijktijdig bestaan en dat entiteiten zich in deze dimensies kunnen bewegen. Dit zou verklaringen kunnen bieden voor de waarnemingen van onverklaarbare verschijnselen, zoals UFO's of spirituele manifestaties. Hoewel er nog geen empirisch bewijs is dat deze entiteiten daadwerkelijk tussen dimensies reizen, blijven wetenschappers en spirituele denkers geïnteresseerd in de mogelijkheid.

Het bestuderen van interdimensionale entiteiten vereist een open en multidisciplinair benadering, waarin natuurkunde, psychologie, en spiritualiteit worden geïntegreerd. Het houdt ook een kritische houding in, aangezien veel van de waarnemingen subjectief en moeilijk te verifiëren blijven. Desalniettemin blijft het concept een van de meest fascinerende gebieden in de zoektocht naar het begrijpen van de ware aard van het universum en de vele mogelijke werelden die daarin bestaan. Of ze nu werkelijk bestaan of niet, ze stimuleren onze verbeelding en wetenschappelijke nieuwsgierigheid over de grenzen van perceptie en realiteit.

Deze wezens zijn onderdeel van een complottheorie die beweert dat de aarde wordt geregeerd door reptielachtige wezens afkomstig uit het sterrenstelsel Alpha Draconis. Volgens deze theorie zouden deze reptielmensen zich vermommen als mensen in hoge functies, zoals politici en royalty's, om zo invloed uit te oefenen op de wereld.

De theorie is populair gemaakt door David Icke, een Britse schrijver en complottheoreticus, die beweert dat hij een zoon van God is. Hij presenteert deze ideeën sinds de jaren 90, ondanks dat hij vaak voor gek wordt gezet en kritiek krijgt. Het verhaal vermeldt ook dat wetenschappers over het algemeen niet actief proberen deze theorie te weerleggen, maar dat Icke wel onder vuur ligt vanwege andere controversiële uitspraken, zoals de ontkenning van de Holocaust. Sommige critici interpreteren zijn uitspraken en metaforen op een manier die suggereert dat hij antisemiet zou zijn, door de term 'reptielen' te associëren met Joden.

Het is belangrijk om te benadrukken dat deze theorie geen wetenschappelijke basis heeft en door de meeste experts als ongegrond wordt beschouwd. Het is een voorbeeld van een complottheorie die zich verspreidt door misinformatie en verkeerde interpretaties.

Zijn Deze Wezens Wetenschappelijk Aanvaardbaar?

De meeste beschrijvingen van buitenaardse wezens, zoals die worden gepresenteerd in de populaire cultuur, films, boeken en getuigenissen, kunnen niet worden bevestigd door empirisch wetenschappelijk bewijs. Deze wezens worden vaak afgebeeld als humanoïde figuren met bijzondere eigenschappen of als intelligente wezens met geavanceerde technologieën, maar de vraag blijft of dergelijke verschijningen realistisch en wetenschappelijk haalbaar zijn. Om hier een beter beeld van te krijgen, is het belangrijk om te kijken naar de criteria waaraan we buitenaardse levensvormen zouden moeten voldoen om wetenschappelijk plausibel te zijn.

Ten eerste is er de vraag of het bestaan van buitenaards leven überhaupt mogelijk is volgens de huidige kennis van de astrofysica en biologie. Het universum is enorm groot en bevat miljarden sterrenstelsels, elk met mogelijk miljarden planeten. Recent onderzoek, zoals dat van de Kepler-ruimtevaart, wijst erop dat er talloze planeten bestaan die zich binnen de zogenaamde 'bewoonbare zone' bevinden, waar vloeibaar water mogelijk is. Dit vergroot de kans dat er elders in het heelal leven bestaat. Echter, de meeste van deze planeten bevinden zich zo ver weg dat directe waarnemingen en bewijzen nog altijd ontbreken. Het is dus wetenschappelijk plausibel dat er ergens buiten ons zonnestelsel levensvormen kunnen voorkomen, maar de aard en complexiteit daarvan blijft speculatief.

Daarnaast rijst de vraag of buitenaardse wezens, zoals beschreven in de populaire cultuur, fysiek en biologisch haalbaar zijn. Veel verhalen over UFO’s en buitenaardse bezoekers schetsen wezens die humanoïde zijn met twee armen, twee benen en een hoofd, vaak met grote ogen. Vanuit een evolutionair perspectief is dit een zeer specifieke en wellicht onrealistische uitkomst, gezien de enorme diversiteit aan mogelijke levensvormen in het universum. Het is aannemelijker dat buitenaardse levensvormen, indien ze bestaan, sterk verschillen van onze lichaamsvormen en niet per se mensachtig zijn. Het is dus onwaarschijnlijk dat we precies de soort wezens tegenkomen zoals ze in de films worden afgebeeld.

Verder moet ook rekening worden gehouden met de technologie en motivatie van buitenaardse beschavingen. De meeste beschrijvingen suggereren dat deze wezens beschikken over geavanceerde technologieën waarmee ze reizen tussen sterrenstelsels en contact zoeken met mensen. Vanuit een wetenschappelijk perspectief is het mogelijk dat dergelijke technologieën bestaan, maar tot nu toe ontbreekt elk concreet bewijs dat dergelijke reizen mogelijk zijn of dat er daadwerkelijk contact is geweest. De meeste waarnemingen en getuigenissen worden niet ondersteund door objectief bewijs, en veel van de vermeende ontmoetingen kunnen worden verklaard door natuurlijke fenomenen, psychologische factoren of zelfs bedrog.

Kortom, hoewel de mogelijkheid van buitenaards leven binnen de grenzen van de natuurwetten niet helemaal kan worden uitgesloten, is de specifieke voorstelling van buitenaardse wezens zoals die in de populaire cultuur wordt gepresenteerd, op dit moment niet wetenschappelijk bewezen en vooral gebaseerd op speculatie en sciencefiction. Wetenschappelijk bewijs voor hun bestaan ontbreekt tot op heden, en veel van de verhalen en beschrijvingen blijven binnen het domein van het onverklaarde en het hypothetische. Toch blijft het een fascinerend onderwerp dat de onze aandacht blijft trekken en fascineren.

{ PETER2011 }

27-06-2025 om 22:06 geschreven door peter  

Over 400,000 Humanoid Civilizations: What UFO Sightings Are Really Telling Us

Are We Alone? Hardly. Over 400,000 Humanoid Civilizations May Be Watching Us

When you look up at the stars, do you ever wonder who’s watching back?

According to a growing body of speculative research and testimonies from contactees, our galaxy alone may be home to over 400,000 humanoid civilizations. Many of these beings appear strikingly human, though each race carries unique traits—some spiritual, others biological, and some so advanced they defy our understanding of reality.

But here’s the twist: most of these civilizations remain hidden, and only a rare few reach interstellar capabilities. The reasons range from spiritual choices to safety concerns, but one thing is certain—they’re observing us, and UFO sightings might be their quiet way of saying, “We’re here.”

While we tend to imagine extraterrestrials as little green men or insectoid horrors, many witnesses and whistleblowers describe a wide diversity of beings:

• Pleiadians (Tigetans): Often described as spiritual warriors and peaceful observers, the Tigetan crew is said to be stationed in Earth’s orbit, monitoring and sometimes intervening discreetly.
• Feline, Canine, and Elephant-like races: These advanced beings operate on dimensions and social levels we can’t fully comprehend.
• Translucent and energy-based entities: Not all aliens have physical forms. Some are made of pure energy or light, existing in the 5th dimension (5D) or beyond.

While some Pleiadian civilizations are still in the equivalent of our Stone or Medieval Age, others have surpassed us both technologically and spiritually.

The 5D Paradox: Spiritually Advanced But Not Interstellar

A surprising claim from this body of knowledge is that 99.9999% of 5D civilizations never become interstellar. Why?

Because interstellar travel isn’t just about building advanced ships—it’s about spiritual maturity. Civilizations must harmonize technology with consciousness. Without balance, spacefaring isn’t sustainable.

In fact, some advanced civilizations, like the Modulus of Atlas, choose isolation to maintain spiritual purity. It’s a lesson for humanity: advancement without wisdom may lead nowhere.

Contact Has Begun: Not With Ships, But Through the Internet?

In a twist that sounds straight out of a sci-fi novel, certain groups claim direct communication with the Tigetan Pleiadians—not via channeling, but through live chat over the internet.

This contact method, they claim, began in 2008 as an experiment. Why online? Because channeling is too distorted, and galactic laws prevent advanced beings from contacting us through unknown technology. The internet, being widespread, qualifies.

According to these sources, the Pleiadians have revealed:

• They were behind the original Billy Meier contact case.
• They now work behind the scenes, preventing disasters, neutralizing threats, and fighting regressive reptilian forces.
• They help in subtle ways: stabilizing volcanoes, stopping epidemics, and even calming nuclear tensions.

But they take no credit. Exposure to Earth’s chaotic 3D energies physically affects them. They help regardless, like unseen guardians.

Why Are They Still Hiding?

Many wonder: if they care so much, why don’t they just land?

The answer: we’re not ready. Our media has painted aliens as villains, turning potential friends into feared invaders. The Pleiadians reportedly avoid open contact to prevent chaos. Instead, they act quietly—observing, mentoring, and preparing for humanity’s eventual rise to 5D.

They also dislike the term ascension, saying it’s been commercialized. But they do believe Earth is transitioning—a shift in consciousness that will dissolve the artificial 3D matrix (which they say is being broadcast from the Moon) and allow true evolution.

What UFO Sightings Might Actually Mean

So what are we really seeing when we catch strange lights in the sky?

According to this narrative:

• Many sightings are Tigetan ships—small crafts orbiting from a larger mothership.
• Some are energy manifestations or scout probes.
• Others could be regressive factions, whom the Pleiadians are actively containing.

Each sighting may be a sign that we are not alone, and never have been.

The Universe Is Alive With Consciousness

With 100 billion stars in our galaxy and potentially 40 billion habitable planets, the idea that Earth is unique is statistically absurd. From civilizations forging tools to races who communicate through muon waves, the diversity is staggering.

Consciousness, not carbon, is the building block of life. Everything from atoms to galaxies seems aware in some form. Life, not emptiness, is the default state of the cosmos.

Final Thoughts: Embrace the Possibility

Our journey into the stars is only beginning, but the stars have already been watching us.

Whether or not you believe in Tigetans, Pleiadians, or 400,000 alien civilizations, UFO sightings challenge us to expand our perspective. We may not be the pinnacle of evolution—we might just be the youngest child in a family of ancient siblings.

So the next time you see a flash of light in the sky… ask yourself not just what it is, but who it is.

Are you ready to meet them?

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

27-06-2025 om 17:24 geschreven door peter  

View of NASA's InSight lander on Mars.

Image Credit: NASA.

Since it landed on the red planet in November 2018, NASA’s InSight mission has detected more than one thousand Marsquakes successfully. The lander has offered us unprecedented insight into Mars. InSight has spent more than four years on the Martian surface.

The mission has rewarded us with various symphonic sounds on Mars. NASA has captured – thanks to the spacecraft’s exquisitely sensitive seismometer – a series of “curious sounds” on Mars, as heard in some of the audio recordings that NASA recently published. The Seismic Experiment for Interior Structure (SEIS) instrument was built to pick up different vibrations that may appear subtly as a simple breeze on Mars.

Unprecedented insight

Some of the sounds captured by the InSight mission correspond to Marsquakes and wind gusts on Mars. The sounds have been modified and adjusted by scientists so that the human ear can hear them. InSight’s seismograph is capable of recording sound waves such as those produced by gusts of wind or even by the movements of the robotic arm of the probe and other mechanical tools.

Never before were scientists able to hear what’s going on on Mars. Numerous past rover missions have offered an unprecedented view of the Martian landscape. But up until InSight made its way to the surface of Mars, we weren’t really able to hear what Mars sounds like.

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“It’s been exciting, especially in the beginning, hearing the first vibrations from the lander,” said Constantinos Charalambous, an InSight science team member at Imperial College London who works with the SP sensors. “You’re imagining what’s really happening on Mars as InSight sits on the open landscape.”

Most of the data InSight was sent to gather is related to quakes. Unlike on Earth, Marsquakes are caused by cooling and contraction, which results in stress fractures on the Martian Crust. Since Mars has a cratered surface, quakes on the red planet can persist for about a minute. In comparison, quakes on Earth last for seconds at a time. During the day, InSight’s different parts are in movement. They also produce sounds.

In addition to that, the seismometer also picks up wind gusts. This means that to hunt for quakes, researchers listen for changes in the instruments during the night. In addition to hearing quakes and wind gusts on Mars, the InSight instruments have picked up a series of strange changes. A weird whistling noise can be heard from Mars’s surface in one of the recordings. Although scientists don’t know exactly what causes it, they believe the noise was produced due to interference with the seismometer’s electronics.

The InSight lander has also recorded its own unique sounds. Researchers at NASA refer to them as dinks and donks, and these peculiar sounds are caused due to the expansion and contraction of the various parts inside the seismometer. These changes within the instrument are most likely caused due to heat loss.

Eerie sounds on Mars

Check out some of the strangest noises picked up by InSight on Mars here below. Here’s the first quake on Mars recorded by the InSight lander (at the start of the recording; what you will hear is the wind on Mars):

This is the recording of another quake on Mars:

Here’s another noise picked up on Sol 235 on Mars:

Here are some of the sounds that the lander produces when it is working on the surface of Mars:

And in this recording below, you can hear the various “dinks and dongs” the lander produces:

Here is an extra recording. In the audio track below, you’ll hear sounds from InSight’s Pressure Sensor on Mars:

InSight, whose solar panels are covered in think layers of Martian sand is no longer operating on the surface of Marts. However, the plethora of scientific data it has gathered during its mission on Mars has helped us to redefine our knowledge of the red planet.

As scientists recently said, “the goal of the InSight mission was to rewrite the textbooks. We have done it, literally.” This is because the lander has provided scientists on Earth with unprecedented data that has helped us understand the red planet inside out. InSight exceeded its expected lifespan of two years, but dust buildup on its solar panels depleted the spacecraft’s energy, rendering it silent. Despite several attempts, NASA officially ended the InSight mission in December 2022.

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 { https://curiosmos.com/ }

26-06-2025 om 23:52 geschreven door peter  

LiDAR Reveals Vast Ancient Maya Structures Hidden Beneath the Forest

by Justin Gurkinic

Archaeologists have found evidence of ancient Maya cultivation fields under the wetlands of southern Mexico, which suggests that they grew a surplus of food, practicing a sophisticated market economy in ancient times. The ancient Mayan civilization extended through parts of Mesoamerica, encompassing Mexico and Central America.

Maya structures are hidden beneath the forest

The oldest evidence of Mayan civilization dates to around 1800 BC, but most cities flourished between 250 and 900 AD. When Spanish Conquistadores arrived in the 1500s, some larger cities were abandoned or destroyed. Nicholas Dunning, a professor at the University of Cincinnati, was part of a research team that found evidence of cultivation in irregularly shaped fields in Mexico that followed the paths of canals and natural water channels in Laguna de Terminos, the Gulf of Mexico.

Archaeologists hope to find evidence of a human population when the excavations began. Extensive farmland suggests that the ancient Maya grew a surplus of crops, especially cotton for the renowned textiles marketed throughout Mesoamerica. “It was a much more complex market economy than the Maya are often given credit for,” Dunning revealed in a statement.

Satellite images revealed a patchwork quilt of blocks along drainage ditches, suggesting they had been constructed in ancient times. The archaeologist also studied the images NASA took of the region using LIDAR technology, which can represent the contours of the soil beneath the canopy of trees and vegetation. “That’s the magic of LIDAR,” UC assistant research professor Christopher Carr said.

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What LiDAR can see

IMAGE SLIDER: University of Cincinnati researchers used satellite images (left) and Lidar images (right) to identify and confirm the locations of manmade structures such as ancient building foundations, irrigation canals, and farm fields in Mexico’s Yucatan Peninsula.

Graphic/ University of Cincinnati Geography.

A site that remained largely unknown

This analysis confirmed Dunning’s suspicions: the area was covered by ancient crop fields. The site remained unknown to researchers until seven years ago when the locals contacted archeologists about the site. “A forester working in the area said there seemed to be a network of ancient fields,” Dunning said.

“I looked on Google Earth and was like, ‘Whoa!’ It was an area in the Maya Lowlands that I’d never paid any attention to. And obviously, not a lot of other people had, either, from the perspective of looking at ancient agriculture.” LiDAR technology offers scientists a never-before-seen picture of the Earth’s surface, even after centuries of jungle growth hides the remains of ancient structures.

“It appears they developed fairly simply from modifications of existing drainage along the eastern edge of the wetlands,” Dunning said. “They probably deepened and straightened some channels or connected them in places, but then further expanded the fields with more sophisticated hydro-engineering.”

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{ https://curiosmos.com/category/ancient-civilizations/ }

26-06-2025 om 23:35 geschreven door peter  

CIA Built This Nuclear-Powered ‘Eagle’ Drone: Declassified in 2020, Developed in the ’60s at Area 51

Aquiline was built to carry cameras and spy equipment. It could take photos from a lower height than the U-2 spy plane and collect electronic signals from radios, radar, and other devices for later study.

The CIA described Aquiline as a “small, bird-like surreptitious vehicle with sufficiently small acoustic, visible, and radar cross-section to permit it to operate in the natural physical signal environment of living birds.” Radars and human sentries at sensitive sites would mistake Aquiline for a bird and pay little attention to it.

Aquiline would be launched, controlled, and brought back by mobile teams on the ground. These teams could operate Aquiline from areas near the Soviet Union or China, like Taiwan, Turkey, Norway, or other places, to make sure the drone could fly over enemy land for a longer time.

The small drone would send its data to a modified DC-6 (later switched to a U-2R spy plane) flying nearby. This way, the drone wouldn’t need to carry its data storage, since storage at the time was bulky and heavy, using punch cards, tape, or large hard drives, which would use up too much weight and power.

The bird drone was supposed to be developed at Area 51, with various documents listing the personnel requirements and what it would take to regularly fly engineers to and from the mysterious base. The program was top secret, with access doled out on a strictly “need-to-know” basis. The program was so secret that it recommended personnel be recruited two years before the first flight to ensure enough personnel could pass the necessary security checks.

In 1969, the CIA agreed with the McDonnell Douglas Astronautics Corporation (MDAC) to start working on technologies for the Aquiline program. In 1970, people were sent to Area 51 to begin flight testing. This testing was planned to end in early 1971 when the contract was finished. It was expected that by then, a functioning Aquiline drone would be ready, and the program would become fully active.

Exact specifications and design details are scarce, but what is known is that Aquiline drones were made to resemble birds and featured a single-tail propeller. Initially, the prototypes were powered by chainsaw motors. In one memo in the CIA’s reading room, the Aquiline drone is referred to as a “high characteristic operating model plane with a lot of expensive gadgetry.”

Sensor systems were embedded in the aircraft’s nose and included optical cameras infrared sensors, and even electronic intelligence packages. The drones were intended to have also been able to drop “black box” sensor systems into hostile territory, as well, so some form of payload-carrying capability must have been included in at least some of the Aquiline designs. Specifically, one of the CIA’s documents states that one of the test drones was designed to carry payloads weighing up to five pounds.

The Aquiline drones were hard to spot during testing, so engineers painted one bright orange to make it easier for a chase plane to see during a test flight. Even with the paint, the chase plane crew still had trouble spotting the drone in the air.

The exact range of the Aquiline drones remains unknown and is redacted in all of the CIA’s declassified documents.

However, one account states that Aquiline was able to fly for 130 miles while obtaining “very high-resolution photography,” while another document states one of the proposed mobile control units would have a range of 1,200 miles. A dedicated satellite was planned to offer a long-distance communications link for Aquiline drones but was never launched.

Aquiline drones had an impressive design, but they had a big problem: they didn’t have landing gear. Instead, they had to land by crashing into nets. This often damaged the drones’ wings and propellers, leading to delays because of constant repairs. Three Aquiline prototypes were destroyed during these landings.

In a personal account hosted on RoadrunnersInternationale.com, a site that preserves “the history of the aviation pioneers and programs that developed the U-2, A-12 ,and YF-12 during the Cold War,” John H. Meierdierck, retired Air Force Lieutenant Colonel, offers a brief recollection of the Aquiline program as he remembered it, writing:

The vehicle was a six-foot-long plane that had a small pusher prop and looked like an Eagle or Buzzard when it was in the air. It was designed to fly at very low levels along communications lines and intercept their messages. It also had a small television in the nose as an aid to navigation and to photograph targets of opportunity. There were several successful flights some crashes [reason unknown] and some lousy landings.

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It’s unclear why Aquiline was canceled. It was meant to be a very complicated program, dealing with issues like stealth, data transfer, and propulsion in a tiny design. Using a nuclear power source would have made it even more complicated, and the technology of the 1960s might not have been enough to handle it.

Aquiline also depended on a trick, and if the Soviets or Chinese discovered it, their anti-aircraft weapons or MiG jets could have easily shot it down. In the end, Aquiline was just an idea held by a few people in the intelligence community.

If the rumors are to be believed, there’s a chance an example or two of Aquiline still exists among the other strange birds caged up in the darkness at Area 51.

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{ https://howandwhys.com/ }

26-06-2025 om 22:11 geschreven door peter  

Erich Von Däniken Changed NASA Engineer Mind, Convincing Him To Consider Ezekiel Vision As Alien Spacecraft

Erich von Däniken, a Swiss author famous for his “ancient astronaut” theories (particularly in his book Chariots of the Gods), met Josef F. Blumrich, a NASA engineer. The meeting is said to have occurred in the 1970s, where von Däniken presented his idea that Ezekiel’s vision in the Bible might have been a description of an alien spacecraft rather than a divine chariot.

Blumrich, at the time, was skeptical of von Däniken’s theories. Initially, he sought to disprove them, thinking they were absurd. However, after investigating Ezekiel’s vision in more detail, Blumrich began to change his mind. He wrote a book called “The Spaceships of Ezekiel,” where he argued that Ezekiel’s vision could indeed describe an advanced spacecraft, specifically suggesting that the “wheels within wheels” might represent a form of advanced technology.

Blumrich went on to patent a design for an omnidirectional wheel, which he claimed was inspired by his interpretation of Ezekiel’s description. This was part of his attempt to demonstrate how Ezekiel might have described advanced, though hypothetical, technology.

Ezekiel is a key figure in Judaism and prominent in other Abrahamic biblical texts. Ezekiel was brought to Babylon in the first captivity of Israel and is described as a prophet.

One of the interesting characteristics of The Book of Ezekiel as a biblical text is that it is written using the pronoun, I, clearly showing it being written by Ezekiel himself as a first-person account, unlike many biblical texts written in the third person. This seems to lend a little more credit and personality to the story as it is told shortly after its occurrence.

The Flying Wheeled Chariot

“4 I looked, and I saw a windstorm coming out of the north—an immense cloud with flashing lightning and surrounded by brilliant light. The center of the fire looked like glowing metal, 5 and in the fire was what looked like four living creatures. In appearance their form was human, 6 but each of them had four faces and four wings. 7 Their legs were straight; their feet were like those of a calf and gleamed like burnished bronze. 8 Under their wings on their four sides they had human hands. All four of them had faces and wings, 9 and the wings of one touched the wings of another. Each one went straight ahead; they did not turn as they moved.”

– Ezekiel 1

Ezekiel talks about seeing a chariot with wheels come down from the sky, driven by beings that looked like humans. While many versions of the Bible say this being on the chariot is God, von Däniken notes that the original Hebrew text doesn’t mention God; the word was added later.

Ezekiel’s description of the chariot landing sounds a lot like how a spacecraft might land. The strong wind, lightning, and bright lights are similar to what you might see when a spaceship lands, stirring up dust in a way no one from that time had ever seen. Ezekiel even says the fire powering the chariot looked like ‘glowing metal.’

There is a clear difference between this description and how Ezekiel’s vision is usually shown in Bible artwork. Many pictures leave out important details like the fire, the wheels that move in all directions, and the crystal dome around the heads of human-like beings.

The Four Living Creatures

“15 As I looked at the living creatures, I saw a wheel on the ground beside each creature with its four faces. 16 This was the appearance and structure of the wheels: They sp arkled like topaz, and all four looked alike. Each appeared to be made like a wheel intersecting a wheel. 17 As they moved, they would go in any one of the four directions the creatures faced; the wheels did not change direction as the creatures went. 18 Their rims were high and awesome, and all four rims were full of eyes all around… 22 Spread out above the heads of the living creatures was what looked something like a vault, sparkling like crystal, and awesome.”        – Ezekiel 1

Many people think the four creatures are cherubim or angel-like beings, especially in ancient Jewish (Genesis 3:24) and Christian (Exodus 25:18-20) texts. These creatures, looking like humans, are believed by some to be aliens who take Ezekiel in their UFO to a ‘temple’ on top of a mountain. During the journey, Ezekiel says he felt God’s hand on him, which could be understood as the strong forces of gravity or g-forces when the UFO lifts off. He is brought to their ‘temple,’ possibly a place or city where they live.

In many biblical stories, the Ark of the Covenant is an important object for von Däniken’s theory. He believes its mention in the Kebra Nagast, an Ethiopian Christian story about King Solomon, is the most significant. In this story, it’s said that King Solomon had flying machines not mentioned in the Bible, as well as the famous Ark.

The texts suggest people were afraid of the Ark because it killed those who came too close. Could it have been radioactive or electrically charged? Was it like a plutonium reactor?

Erich Von Däniken thinks there are other Bible verses that support his ancient astronaut theory. Some hint at places for spacecraft to land, similar to the one Ezekiel visited. One such place is the Chavin de Huantar temple in Peru, located high up on a mountain from an unknown culture.

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The temple has winged figures and sculpted heads that look like they’re wearing helmets. Von Däniken believes these might be similar to the ones Ezekiel described. Could this be real evidence of an ancient UFO sighting, or just an imaginative idea?

Missouri Republican Eric Burlison attended a secret briefing on UFOs 10 months ago, but he says it hasn’t changed his beliefs. “There’s nothing that’s been said that’s changed my worldview,” he stated. He trusts the people who spoke about UFOs publicly but thinks there might be more to the story.

Burlison has suggested that UFOs could be angels sent by God. In an interview on “That UFO Podcast,” he explained that by “angels,” he means beings from other dimensions. He said, “They may not fit exactly the Biblical narrative, but whenever I use the term ‘angels,’ to me, it’s synonymous with an extradimensional being.”

On the podcast, Burlison also shared his views on different UFO theories, mentioning a report by UFO whistleblower David Grusch. Grusch claimed that the government secretly recovered alien spacecraft, with dead “pilots” inside. Burlison pointed to one theory in the report: the idea that these beings could exist in higher dimensions beyond our usual understanding of space and time. (Source)

He used an example of living on a flat surface and suddenly encountering a 3D object to explain higher-dimensional beings. In this case, he suggested that we live in a 3D world but could be dealing with beings from a dimension beyond ours, where distance doesn’t work the same way.

Burlison is doubtful about aliens traveling from distant planets to visit Earth, given the vast distances involved. He questioned why an advanced alien race would come so far only to crash on Earth. Instead, he thinks it’s more likely that these beings are extradimensional.

He added that religious texts, including the Bible, talk about God’s messengers or angels existing in higher dimensions. While Burlison acknowledges the visual evidence and pilots’ testimonies about UFOs, he thinks the explanation might not be as exciting as people hope. In his view, these sightings might be new propulsion technology being developed on Earth.

To make his point, he mentioned the discovery of the Higgs boson particle about ten years ago, which relates to gravity. Just as the nuclear bomb was developed after the discovery of nuclear fission, Burlison thinks scientists may be using the Higgs field to create new technology, possibly for advanced propulsion.

He’s not alone in connecting UFOs with religious ideas. Representative Tim Burchett has also said that UFOs are in the Bible, specifically referring to the book of Ezekiel. In Ezekiel 1:4-28, a vision describes an “immense cloud with flashing lightning,” “four living creatures” with human-like forms but with four faces and wings, and wheels that moved with them, which Burchett linked to UFOs.

{ https://howandwhys.com/ }

26-06-2025 om 21:27 geschreven door peter  

These images captured by the Curiosity rover in 2014 reveals yet another unexplained aerial phenomenon in the Martian atmosphere, a cigar-shaped object with a consistent width and rounded ends. 

What makes this anomaly particularly compelling is the sharp clarity of the image. According to Jean Ward the stars in the background appear crisp and unblurred, indicating that the object is not the result of motion blur or a long exposure. Notably, the object appears in five separate frames over an 8-minute span, suggesting it is moving relatively slowly through space, uncharacteristic of a meteorite entering the atmosphere. It also lacks the fiery tail typically associated with atmospheric entry. 

Rather than a meteor, the object more closely resembles a solid, elongated craft of unknown origin. When oriented horizontally, it even appears to feature a front-facing structure, possibly a porthole or raised dome, hinting at a cockpit or command module. 

Whether this object is orbiting beyond the visible horizon or connected to the surface far in the distance, its sheer size is unmistakable. Its presence raises compelling questions, could this be further evidence of intelligently controlled craft, whether of extraterrestrial or covert human origin, navigating through Martian airspace?

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

26-06-2025 om 21:10 geschreven door peter