The purpose of this blog is the creation of an open, international, independent and free forum, where every UFO-researcher can publish the results of his/her research. The languagues, used for this blog, are Dutch, English and French.You can find the articles of a collegue by selecting his category. Each author stays resposable for the continue of his articles. As blogmaster I have the right to refuse an addition or an article, when it attacks other collegues or UFO-groupes.
Druk op onderstaande knop om te reageren in mijn forum
Zoeken in blog
Deze blog is opgedragen aan mijn overleden echtgenote Lucienne.
In 2012 verloor ze haar moedige strijd tegen kanker!
In 2011 startte ik deze blog, omdat ik niet mocht stoppen met mijn UFO-onderzoek.
BEDANKT!!!
Een interessant adres?
UFO'S of UAP'S, ASTRONOMIE, RUIMTEVAART, ARCHEOLOGIE, OUDHEIDKUNDE, SF-SNUFJES EN ANDERE ESOTERISCHE WETENSCHAPPEN - DE ALLERLAATSTE NIEUWTJES
UFO's of UAP'S in België en de rest van de wereld Ontdek de Fascinerende Wereld van UFO's en UAP's: Jouw Bron voor Onthullende Informatie!
Ben jij ook gefascineerd door het onbekende? Wil je meer weten over UFO's en UAP's, niet alleen in België, maar over de hele wereld? Dan ben je op de juiste plek!
België: Het Kloppend Hart van UFO-onderzoek
In België is BUFON (Belgisch UFO-Netwerk) dé autoriteit op het gebied van UFO-onderzoek. Voor betrouwbare en objectieve informatie over deze intrigerende fenomenen, bezoek je zeker onze Facebook-pagina en deze blog. Maar dat is nog niet alles! Ontdek ook het Belgisch UFO-meldpunt en Caelestia, twee organisaties die diepgaand onderzoek verrichten, al zijn ze soms kritisch of sceptisch.
Nederland: Een Schat aan Informatie
Voor onze Nederlandse buren is er de schitterende website www.ufowijzer.nl, beheerd door Paul Harmans. Deze site biedt een schat aan informatie en artikelen die je niet wilt missen!
Internationaal: MUFON - De Wereldwijde Autoriteit
Neem ook een kijkje bij MUFON (Mutual UFO Network Inc.), een gerenommeerde Amerikaanse UFO-vereniging met afdelingen in de VS en wereldwijd. MUFON is toegewijd aan de wetenschappelijke en analytische studie van het UFO-fenomeen, en hun maandelijkse tijdschrift, The MUFON UFO-Journal, is een must-read voor elke UFO-enthousiasteling. Bezoek hun website op www.mufon.com voor meer informatie.
Samenwerking en Toekomstvisie
Sinds 1 februari 2020 is Pieter niet alleen ex-president van BUFON, maar ook de voormalige nationale directeur van MUFON in Vlaanderen en Nederland. Dit creëert een sterke samenwerking met de Franse MUFON Reseau MUFON/EUROP, wat ons in staat stelt om nog meer waardevolle inzichten te delen.
Let op: Nepprofielen en Nieuwe Groeperingen
Pas op voor een nieuwe groepering die zich ook BUFON noemt, maar geen enkele connectie heeft met onze gevestigde organisatie. Hoewel zij de naam geregistreerd hebben, kunnen ze het rijke verleden en de expertise van onze groep niet evenaren. We wensen hen veel succes, maar we blijven de autoriteit in UFO-onderzoek!
Blijf Op De Hoogte!
Wil jij de laatste nieuwtjes over UFO's, ruimtevaart, archeologie, en meer? Volg ons dan en duik samen met ons in de fascinerende wereld van het onbekende! Sluit je aan bij de gemeenschap van nieuwsgierige geesten die net als jij verlangen naar antwoorden en avonturen in de sterren!
Heb je vragen of wil je meer weten? Aarzel dan niet om contact met ons op te nemen! Samen ontrafelen we het mysterie van de lucht en daarbuiten.
15-07-2025
THE HISTORY OF UFOS AND UAPS THROUGH THE AGES
THE HISTORY OF UFOS AND UAPS THROUGH THE AGES
Abstract The history of UFOs and UAPs reflects a fascinating evolution of human perception and science. From ancient times to the present, sightings of mysterious objects and phenomena vary, often with varying explanations. This report reviews the historical development, sightings and scientific approaches, including official agencies and research initiatives. The complex phenomenon remains current, with new technologies and discoveries driving the search for answers. The future of the study promises further insights, while the phenomenon is a continuing source of wonder and research.
1. Introduction The sighting of strange objects in the sky has fascinated humanity for centuries. From ancient legends and myths to modern reports and scientific investigations, UFOs and UAPs remain an intriguing subject that raises questions about extraterrestrial life, technological secrets, and human perception.
This report examines the development of the UFO phenomenon throughout history. We look at important events, such as legendary sightings, and official research initiatives such as Project Blue Book. In addition, the role of government agencies and the variety of objects observed are discussed, including the complexity and different forms these objects take. Scientific perspectives are included to understand whether these sightings can be explained within the current knowledge of physics and technology.
The report aims to provide a broad understanding of the evolution of the UFO phenomenon and its contemporary significance. The combination of historical, scientific, and government-related information makes it clear that UFOs and UAPs are still a current and complex topic that continues to raise questions about our place in the universe and the limits of human knowledge.
2. UFOs in the Past, Middle Ages, and Earlier
Historical evidence shows that strange aerial phenomena were already recorded in ancient civilizations. Across the globe, from antiquity to the Middle Ages, reports and drawings have been found that point to mysterious objects and light phenomena in the sky. These observations were often interpreted as supernatural or divine signs, indicating that people have always been fascinated by the inexplicable phenomenon of flying objects.
In ancient civilizations such as those of the Sumerians, Egyptians, and Mayans, stories and images have been found that may refer to flying objects. For example, some Egyptian rock carvings from around 1500 BC depict objects that resemble ships or shiny spheres, although it is difficult to say definitively whether these were actually UFOs or symbolic art. Another example is the Mayan codex, which may contain references to celestial phenomena resembling flying lights or ships.
In the Middle Ages, strange aerial phenomena were often described as signs from heaven or divine intervention. For example, during the Middle Ages, there were various reports of “strange lights” and “aerial processions.” A well-known example is the “balls of light” that were observed in the Middle Ages and were often linked to religious or supernatural interpretations. Some observations were even considered omens of important events, such as war or the death of a monarch.
A specific case from the Middle Ages is the so-called “Nuremberg balls of light” from 1561, in which residents reported large rows of flying objects and lights moving across the sky. The drawings and reports provide an impressive picture of the sightings and show that even then people were trying to understand what these phenomena meant, albeit often within a supernatural or religious framework.
Even in prehistoric times, we find evidence that points to humanity's fascination with flying phenomena. Cave paintings from France and Spain, for example, often depict shapes that resemble flying objects or luminous spheres. Some archaeologists interpret these as evidence of early UFO sightings or mythological stories about ascension to heaven.
Although technological knowledge was very limited at the time, these phenomena were often interpreted mystically and symbolically. They were seen as signs of gods, spirits, or supernatural forces. Nevertheless, these ancient reports show that the phenomenon is not new, but has always been part of the human experience and imagination.
In short, history shows that people have been fascinated by strange airships and aerial phenomena throughout the centuries. Whether it be prehistoric rock carvings, medieval stories, or mythological documents, the evidence pointing to UFO-like phenomena in the past is abundant and complex. Although many sightings were interpreted mystically at the time, they form a fascinating part of human history and remain a source of interest and speculation for contemporary UFO researchers.
3. UFOs before 1947
Before 1947, there were already countless reports and sightings of unusual flying objects, often referred to as UFOs. These reports came from various cultures and eras, creating a rich history of human curiosity about the unknown in the sky.
In the 19th century, for example, there were reports of mysterious lights and objects described by eyewitnesses in newspapers and letters. A well-known example is the sighting in 1809 by American inventor and philosopher Thomas Jefferson, who described in a letter that he had seen strange lights in the sky. In addition, flying saucers and strange phenomena were often reported during periods of major social change.
During World War I (1914-1918), soldiers were confronted with unexplained flying objects. For example, in 1917, a British pilot reported strange lights above the front lines that could not be explained as conventional aircraft. These sightings increased interest in aerial phenomena and led to speculation about advanced secret technologies of enemy nations.
During World War II (1939-1945), many unusual phenomena were also reported by military personnel and civilians. A well-known case is that of the “foo fighters,” which were seen in the air by Allied and Axis pilots. These mysterious lights and objects were often described as fast-moving, unexplained phenomena that were difficult to explain with the technology available at the time.
Although there was no formal investigation initiative before 1947, these reports fueled human curiosity and formed the basis for later, more structured investigations such as those conducted by the US Air Force with Project Blue Book. All these observations from that period show that human interest in aerial phenomena is centuries old and that the mystery surrounding UFOs existed long before the Roswell incident.
4. UFOs from 1947 to 2000 or the Modern Era
The history of UFOs (Unidentified Flying Objects) from 1947 to 2000, or the Modern Era, is characterized by growing public and scientific interest, as well as countless incidents and controversies. The beginning of this period is often linked to Kenneth Arnold's sighting on June 24, 1947. He described seeing nine objects moving through the air at high speed, calling them “checkers skipping over the mountain tops.” His report became known worldwide and led to the term “UFO.” This marked the beginning of modern UFO history.
After Arnold's sighting, the number of reports increased sharply, especially during the Cold War. Military radar sightings and eyewitness accounts played a role in this. One of the most famous incidents from this period is the Roswell crash in 1947. An unknown object was said to have crashed near Roswell, New Mexico. The official story claimed it was a weather balloon, but speculation about an alien landing persisted. This incident set the tone for many other alleged encounters and conspiracy theories.
Government agencies such as the US Air Force set up research programs, such as Project Blue Book (1952-1969). The aim of this project was to study and explain UFO sightings. Although the report ultimately concluded that most sightings could be explained by natural or human causes, public interest persisted. Many reports remained unexplained, and the media was full of photos and testimonies suggesting the possibility of extraterrestrial contact.
Technological developments played a major role in the complexity of the phenomenon. The emergence of video technology and radar made it possible to record and track UFOs in ways that were not previously possible. Examples include the famous “Foo Fighters” during World War II, which were later reported by military pilots during the Cold War, and the radar sightings during the “Washington Flap” in 1952, in which multiple radar stations detected UFOs.
In the 1980s and 1990s, media attention increased, partly due to well-known incidents such as the Kenneth Arnold-like sightings and the publication of the “Pentagon UFO videos” in 2004, which, although outside the scope of 2000, laid the foundation for the modern discussion. These videos show unexplained objects exhibiting speeds and manoeuvres that, according to experts, cannot be performed by human technology, further fuelling the demand for extraterrestrial contact.
In short, the period from 1947 to 2000 was characterised by a dynamic interaction between public interest, government research, technological advances and media attention, which has ensured that UFOs remain a persistent and complex phenomenon in modern history.
5. UFOs from 2000 to the present
Since the beginning of the 21st century, interest in UFOs (Unidentified Flying Objects) has seen a remarkable resurgence, mainly due to the publication of secret military videos and reports. This new openness is partly due to technological developments and a change in the attitude of governments towards the phenomenon. In 2017, the Pentagon officially released three videos showing unexplained objects with impressive flight capabilities, such as high speeds and sudden turns. These images, which were previously classified, attracted a lot of attention and discussion in both the media and the scientific world.
In 2020, the US government established the UAP (Unidentified Aerial Phenomena) Task Force. This was an important step, as it was the first official recognition of the existence of objects that cannot be explained by conventional technology. The task force was tasked with collecting and analyzing reports of sightings by military and civilian sources. The fact that the US government began to take the phenomenon seriously indicated that, more than ever, questions remained about the nature of these sightings.
Technological advances play an important role in this. Modern drones and advanced sensors provide an abundance of data, but also make the phenomenon more complex. For example, anomalies in air traffic are often explained by new technologies, but there remain sightings that have no clear explanation. Some of these objects appear to maneuver in ways that, according to current science, are impossible for human technology, such as making sharp turns at high speeds without a visible engine or rotating mechanism.
A well-known example of this is the “Gimbal video” from 2015, in which US Navy pilots observe an unexplained flying object exhibiting speeds and maneuvers that cannot be performed by ordinary aircraft or drones. These images were released in 2017 and sparked much speculation about the possibility of extraterrestrial technology.
In addition, observations have also been made by civilian observers and pilots. In 2004, a US Air Force pilot reported an object that reached speeds of over 12,000 km/h without any visible engine power. There have also been cases in Europe, such as the “Belgian UFO wave” in 1989-1990, in which thousands of people saw objects that could not be explained by known technology.
The debate about extraterrestrial life and advanced technologies remains topical. Some scientists and researchers believe that it cannot be ruled out that some sightings are the result of extraterrestrial technology, while others argue for more research into earthly explanations. Increasing openness and the availability of new data ensure that the subject remains the focus of attention and that there is no clear answer to the question of what exactly these objects are.
In short, the renewed interest in UFOs after 2000 is characterized by official recognition, technological developments, and growing public and scientific interest. The phenomenon remains an intriguing subject that raises questions about the nature of the observed objects and the possible involvement of extraterrestrial civilizations. Further analysis and research in the coming years may shed more light on these mysterious phenomena.
6. Variation of observed objects and complexity of the phenomenon
The observed objects vary greatly in shape, behavior, and speed, highlighting the complexity of the phenomenon. Over time, the shapes of these objects have evolved from simple, flat discs to more diverse and irregular shapes. In the early years, they were often observed as round, disc-shaped objects, leading to the popular term “UFOs.” Later, light balls and irregular shapes were also reported, suggesting that the phenomena can occur in different contexts and environments.
In terms of movement, these objects often exhibit inexplicable patterns. They make sudden accelerations, change direction abruptly, and can remain stationary without any visible means of propulsion. In the 1950s and 1960s, many sightings were reported that described such unpredictable movements, giving the impression that these objects possessed technological superiority. Some sightings even seemed to reach speeds that were impossible for human technology at the time.
The complexity of the phenomenon also lies in its possible causes. Some sightings may be natural or atmospheric phenomena, such as light reflections, weather balloons, or atmospheric anomalies. Other sightings suggest that advanced extraterrestrial technologies may be involved. The diversity in shapes and behavior patterns makes it difficult to arrive at a single explanation, and therefore these phenomena remain an intriguing and challenging area of research.
Over the years, observation technology has also evolved. Improved radar and radar observations, digital photography, and video technology have led to more detailed documentation, making the phenomenon easier to study. Nevertheless, many aspects remain unexplained, which explains the continuing fascination with this mysterious phenomenon. The evolution of shapes and behavior patterns shows that these phenomena may not be static, but adapt and vary depending on circumstances and time.
7. Official working groups involved in the study of the phenomenon
Since the 1950s, various official agencies have been systematically studying the phenomenon of unidentified flying objects (UFOs). These working groups were established with the aim of collecting, analyzing, and assessing reports to determine whether they posed a potential threat to national security.
One of the best-known initiatives was Project Blue Book, which ran from 1952 to 1969 in the United States. This project was responsible for investigating thousands of UFO reports and classifying the sightings. Although it ultimately concluded that most sightings were explainable and did not constitute evidence of extraterrestrial contact, the project had a major impact on public perception of UFOs and the official approach to them.
In addition to Project Blue Book, there were other initiatives such as MUFON, which is still active and focuses on collecting and investigating civilian reports. MUFON does not operate as a government agency, but as an independent organization that collaborates with scientists and researchers. In the United Kingdom, there is also the Ministry of Defense's UFO Desk, which investigates and records reports from civilians and military personnel.
In the Netherlands, there was the Research and Documentation Center for UFOs (ODU), which collected reports and published reports on sightings within the Netherlands and abroad. Although the ODU is no longer active, it played an important role in documenting and analyzing the Dutch UFO phenomenon.
Other well-known projects and working groups in this field include the British Project Condign, which focused on the investigation of anomalies and unexplained phenomena, and the French COMETA report, which was published in the 1990s and provided extensive analyses of UFO sightings and possible extraterrestrial contacts.
In short, these official working groups and projects have contributed to the accumulation of knowledge about UFOs and a better understanding of the phenomenon, even though many of their activities are now inactive or have been taken over by independent organizations. Their efforts still form the basis for current research and science surrounding the UFO phenomenon.
Five examples of working groups:
1. Project Blue Book (US)
Project Blue Book was a US government study from 1952 to 1969, focused on investigating UFO sightings. The goal was to analyze unexplained sightings and rule out possible threats to national security. Although it ultimately found no evidence of extraterrestrial activity, it remained influential in UFO research and public perception.
2. MUFON (Mutual UFO Network) (US)
MUFON is an international non-profit organization founded in 1969, dedicated to collecting and investigating UFO reports. With volunteers and researchers worldwide, MUFON analyzes sightings, shares information, and attempts to gain an objective view of UFO phenomena. It strives for a scientific approach and transparency.UFO
3. Desk of the UK Ministry of Defense (UK)
The UFO Desk was a department of the British Ministry of Defense that managed UFO reports and investigations from the 1950s to 2009. Its purpose was to monitor and analyze potential threats to national security. The office published reports and eventually closed its UFO investigation activities due to a lack of evidence.
4. Research and Documentation Center for UFOs (ODU) (Netherlands)
The ODU was a Dutch organization that collected, documented, and investigated UFO reports in the Netherlands. It focused on promoting openness and scientific analysis. The organization played an important role in Dutch UFO research and collaborated with international partners.
5. COMETA Report (France) The 1999 COMETA Report was a French military study on UFO sightings. The report acknowledged that some sightings could not be explained by conventional means and suggested that they may have had extraterrestrial origins. It was one of the few official documents that took UFOs seriously and investigated them scientifically.
8. UFO abductions – aliens, a new perspective
In addition to the well-known UFO sightings, there are also increasing reports of abductions by unexplained beings. These stories are an intriguing part of the UFO phenomenon and are taken seriously by many people. The descriptions vary, but often include elements such as medical examinations, communication with the beings, and strange experiences that the witnesses undergo during the abduction. Although skeptics often dismiss these stories as hallucinations or psychological projections, others see them as possible evidence of extraterrestrial involvement. However, the phenomena remain difficult to prove scientifically, making them a source of speculation and research.
Stories about abductions often mention medical examinations that witnesses have undergone. These examinations are said to take place without their consent and often involve the injection of strange substances, the measurement of bodily functions, and exposure to unknown technologies. Some witnesses also report experiencing communication with the beings, who are often described as humanoid, grayish, or reptilian. This communication can be verbal or telepathic. In addition, witnesses often report having strange dreams or memories that surface later, adding to the mystery surrounding these phenomena.
Some researchers view abduction stories as possible evidence of extraterrestrial involvement with humanity. They believe that these beings, often seen as aliens, are conducting human experiments or gathering information about the human species. Others think the stories are symbolic and part of cultural mythologies that have developed over time. There is also a theory that these experiences stem from psychological factors such as trauma, sleep paralysis, or hallucinations. Scientific approaches are now trying to understand these phenomena by studying neurological, psychological, and cultural factors.
Recent scientific studies focus on neurology and try to figure out why some people have such intense abduction experiences. Traumatic experiences, such as loss or fear, can influence the brain and cause hallucinations that resemble abductions, according to researchers. In addition, sleep paralysis and nightmares are cited as possible explanations for the strange experiences reported by witnesses. Some scientists suggest that the stories may be part of a collective mythology, a kind of collective memory that manifests itself in these stories. But despite all the theories, the phenomenon remains complex and unclear.
It remains a fascinating subject that stimulates the imagination and challenges people to investigate further. Whether it involves extraterrestrials or psychological explanations, stories about abductions remain an intriguing part of the UFO phenomenon. They stimulate both scientific and spiritual discussions about the nature of reality, consciousness, and the possibility of extraterrestrial life. For now, these phenomena remain a mystery that invites further study and openness to new perspectives.
Well-known abductions:
1. Betty and Barney Hill (1961) One of the first and most famous abduction stories from the US. The couple claims to have been abducted by gray beings during a car ride. They later underwent hypnosis and memories surfaced. Betty and Barney Hill were abducted by a UFO in New Hampshire in 1961. They experienced medical examinations and communication with the beings under hypnosis. The story sparked the UFO abduction hype.
Travis Walton (1975) Walton was a forest ranger who was abducted by a UFO during a workday. He disappeared for five days and then reappeared. His story has been extensively researched and filmed. Travis Walton was taken by a UFO in Arizona while working. He was missing for five days, and his story includes medical examinations, communication, and a return with memory loss.
The Allagash Abductions (1976) Four men are abducted by a UFO during a camping trip in Maine. They undergo hypnosis and recall memories of medical examinations and communication. The story is unique because of the group abduction. Four campers from Maine report strange experiences and medical examinations after a UFO abduction. Hypnosis reveals details about communication and physical examinations by the beings.
The Pascagoula Abduction (1973) Two men in Mississippi report being taken by strange beings in a UFO. They describe robot-like beings and strange communication. The story was widely reported in the media. Pierce and Calvin report that they were taken into a UFO by robot-like beings in Mississippi. They describe strange communication and a medical inspection, which is one of the most famous incidents.
9. Scientific approach to the UFO phenomenon
The scientific approach to the phenomenon of UFOs and UAPs (Unidentified Aerial Phenomena) attempts to remain objective and is based on observations, hypothesis formation, and repeatable investigations. Since the early 2000s, the study of these mysterious phenomena has been taken more seriously, partly due to increasing reports from both military and civilian sources. Organizations such as NASA and the US Department of Defense are now investing heavily in UAP research, often using advanced technologies such as radar, cameras, and data analysis tools. The primary goal of this scientific approach is to find natural or technological explanations for the observed phenomena, and in some cases, even to search for evidence of extraterrestrial origins.
Nevertheless, there remains a great deal of skepticism within the scientific community. A key point of criticism is the lack of systematic, verifiable data. Many observations remain anecdotal or based on poorly documented witness statements, making them difficult to verify. In addition, there are frequent complaints about the lack of transparency on the part of government agencies and military organizations, which sometimes withhold information or do not share it openly. Without consistent data collection and openness, it is difficult to reach definitive conclusions.
Another critical point is that the scientific approach focuses primarily on natural and technological explanations, such as weather differences, air traffic control errors, or experiments with secret technologies. The search for extraterrestrial intelligence is often considered a last resort, partly because of the great uncertainty and limited evidence. Furthermore, there is usually a lack of convincing physical evidence to confirm the extraterrestrial nature of the phenomena.
Skeptics point out that the hype surrounding UAPs is sometimes fueled by media and government announcements without sufficient scientific backing. They emphasize the importance of remaining critical and not jumping to conclusions, especially since many observations can ultimately be explained by known natural phenomena or human error. Science must therefore continue to strive for transparency, repeatability, and objectivity, but also realize that some mysteries may never be fully solved. The lack of conclusive evidence and the tendency to speculate mean that scientific research into UFOs is still in a phase of caution, and that for the time being, the phenomenon remains primarily a subject for further study and critical reflection.
10. Future of the UFO phenomenon
The future of the UFO phenomenon looks promising, thanks in part to technological advances and increasing openness in reporting and research. In the past, UFOs were often dismissed as unexplained phenomena or simply as folklore, but that image is beginning to change. With the emergence of advanced technologies such as satellites, radar, artificial intelligence (AI), and data analysis, researchers can now collect and analyze data in a much more targeted and accurate manner.
A notable development is the role of the US government and Congress. In recent years, several hearings have been held in which government officials and scientists shared their findings and concerns. For example, in 2022, there was an important hearing in the US Congress, in which Pentagon representatives and members of the UFO Research Working Group (such as the UAP Task Force and the new All-domain Anomaly Resolution Office) presented their findings. These sessions brought to light new evidence and video footage that further polarized public and policymaker attention on the phenomenon. Importantly, it was acknowledged that some sightings could not be immediately explained, which opened the door for further scientific investigation.
In addition, there is growing cooperation within the international community. Organizations such as NASA and the Pentagon are working with scientists around the world to standardize and share data. The NASA and Pentagon working groups play a key role in this. They encourage the sharing of information and the development of new analysis techniques to better understand the nature and origin of UFOs. This collaboration underscores the seriousness with which the phenomenon is being approached, and that it is no longer a subject for conspiracy theorists, but for serious science.
Technological developments make it possible to make more detailed observations and potentially detect or rule out extraterrestrial life. For example, satellites can track objects in the atmosphere much more accurately, while AI systems can recognize patterns that are not visible to human observers. Scientists hope that these tools will lead to the discovery of natural explanations for many observed phenomena, such as weather balloons, atmospheric phenomena, or human error. But they also remain open to the possibility that some observations may constitute evidence of extraterrestrial technology.
The growing interest and financial support for UFO research point to a serious scientific era. Governments and private institutions are investing in research that goes beyond sensational stories and focuses on gathering empirical evidence. This helps to integrate the phenomenon into mainstream scientific frameworks and may lead to important discoveries about our place in the universe.
In short, the future of UFO research looks promising. Thanks to technological innovations, international cooperation, and transparency within government agencies, such as the hearings in the US Congress and the working groups of NASA and the Pentagon, the phenomenon is being taken more and more seriously. Scientists hope that these developments will lead to new insights and possibly evidence of extraterrestrial life, which could significantly expand our knowledge of the universe. This is an exciting era in which the mystery of UFOs may be unraveled, and in which our view of the world and the universe may change forever.
FINAL DECISION This decision underscores the valuable efforts being made to investigate the phenomenon of UFOs and UAPs. The diversity of observations and behaviors highlights how complex and fascinating this subject is. The fact that official agencies are conducting systematic investigations demonstrates our commitment to uncovering the truth and being transparent about these mysteries. Although many questions remain unanswered, this process ensures continued progress and new insights. The stories of abductions add an extra dimension, challenging us to continue to look at the subject with an open and critical eye. The growth of scientific research and international cooperation gives hope for greater clarity in the future. By sharing knowledge and leveraging technological developments, we can further unravel the mystery. The phenomenon remains an intriguing and relevant topic that continues to fuel our curiosity and broaden our horizons. Let us continue this journey of discovery in a positive manner, with confidence in the possibility that we will one day find more answers and further expand our knowledge of the unknown. Together, we are building a future in which openness, science, and collaboration are central to the exploration of the unknown.
Illustrative guide to the four key topics of future human outposts on the Moon and on Mars that can be addressed by synthetic biology.
As humanity sets its sights on long duration missions to the Moon, Mars, and beyond, keeping astronauts healthy will be as critical as building rockets or habitats. In the harsh environment of space, the human body faces challenges that Earth never prepared us for including isolation, microgravity, and radiation that disrupt the immune system, increasing the risk of infection, chronic inflammation, and disease. Interestingly, new research on HIV is revealing lessons that could help future explorers live sustainably, regenerate resources in closed-loop systems, and even produce custom medicine far from Earth.
Long duration space missions to the Moon and Mars will require some special planning for astronaut health and resource production.
(Credit : NASA)
At the heart of this research is the inflammasome, a tiny but powerful protein inside our immune cells. Acting like a security alarm, the inflammasome senses trouble, such as viral particles, stress, or cell damage, and triggers inflammation by releasing molecules like interleukin-1β and interleukin-18. This rapid response is vital for fighting infections, but it comes with a risk: if the inflammasome remains switched on too long, it drives constant inflammation that weakens the body instead of protecting it.
In HIV infection, scientists have discovered that inflammasomes play a double role. Early on, they help contain the virus by boosting immune defences. But over time, especially if left unchecked, they contribute to harmful chronic inflammation that damages healthy cells, accelerates aging, and causes other diseases, even in patients who take effective antiviral treatments. This insight is important for space travel, where the same risk of unchecked inflammation could quietly undermine an astronaut’s health during long missions.
Learning how to balance inflammasome activity could help crews stay healthier in space, with far-reaching benefits. If inflammation can be regulated properly, astronauts may recover faster from injuries and resist infection more effectively, reducing their dependence on supplies from Earth. This supports the vision of closed-loop habitats where food, water, and medical resources are regenerated on board. Keeping inflammation under control also matters for protecting tissues from cosmic radiation, which damages DNA and stresses cells, pushing inflammasomes into overdrive. If we can dampen this reaction safely, we can help the body repair itself more efficiently.
JAXA (Japan Aerospace Exploration Agency) astronaut Satoshi Furukawa pedals on the upgraded CEVIS system to maintain health and fitness during space missions.
(Credit : NASA)
Perhaps most promising is the idea that lessons from HIV research could enable astronauts to produce custom medicine as needed. By understanding how to switch inflammasome pathways on or off at the right time, future missions might use onboard bioreactors or 3D bioprinters to make personalised treatments, rather than carrying an entire pharmacy into space. This very concept has been explored in a paper just published by a team of researchers led by Silvano Onofri.
In the decades ahead, managing the body’s internal fire may prove just as vital as any life-support system. By unlocking what HIV teaches us about inflammation, we may give future explorers the tools they need to live, adapt, and thrive far beyond Earth.
Sunspots on the Sun have become the focus of a new study (Credit : NASA)
Since Galileo first observed them through his telescope in the early 1600s, sunspots have fascinated scientists. These dark patches on the Sun's surface can persist for days or even months, but until now, researchers couldn't fully explain why they remained stable for such extended periods.
A study published in Astronomy & Astrophysics has finally solved this centuries-old puzzle. An international team of scientists, led by researchers from Germany's Institute of Solar Physics, developed a revolutionary new method for analyzing sunspot stability that reveals the delicate balance keeping these solar features intact.
A group of sunspots, labeled as Active Region 1520 rotated into view over the left side of the sun on July 7, 2012.
(Credit : NASA/Goddard Space Flight Centre)
Sunspots are regions where the Sun's magnetic field is strong, comparable to the magnetic field in a hospital MRI machine, but covering an area larger than Earth itself. These magnetic field concentrations appear as dark spots because they're cooler than the surrounding solar surface but in reality, a sunspot at the distance of the Sun but isolated from the rest of the disc would shine brighter than the full Moon!
The number of sunspots follows an 11 year cycle, reaching peak activity when solar storms are most likely to occur. During these periods, unstable magnetic configurations near sunspots can trigger explosive events called coronal mass ejections and solar flares. These space weather events can disrupt satellite communications and, in extreme cases, cause power grid failures on Earth.
When observed in white-light coronagraph imagery, CMEs sometimes resemble a light bulb, possessing a bright bulb-like outer shell surrounding a dark void and compact inner structure.
(Credit : NASA)
It’s long been suspected that sunspots remain stable because of an equilibrium between gas pressure and magnetic forces. However, proving this balance has been challenging due to atmospheric disturbances that interfere with ground based observations of the Sun's magnetic field.
The research team made a crucial breakthrough by improving a technique originally developed at Germany's Max Planck Institute for Solar System Research. Their enhanced method removes the blurring effects of Earth's atmosphere from observations made with the German GREGOR solar telescope.
Using this refined technique, the researchers analysed polarised light emitted by the Sun to measure magnetic forces within sunspots with unprecedented precision. Their measurements now achieve satellite quality results from ground based telescopes at a fraction of the cost.
The analysis revealed that magnetic forces inside sunspots are perfectly balanced by pressure forces, maintaining strict equilibrium. This delicate balance explains why sunspots can survive for such extended periods on the Sun's turbulent surface.
This discovery has significant practical applications. By understanding the precise mechanisms that keep sunspots stable, scientists may be able to predict when these solar features become unstable and more likely to produce dangerous space weather events.
Better prediction of solar storms could help protect satellites, power grids, and astronauts from harmful radiation. As our society becomes increasingly dependent on satellite technology and electronic infrastructure, this research provides crucial insights for safeguarding modern life against solar threats. It also represents a major step forward in solar physics, combining advanced ground based observations with sophisticated analysis techniques to solve one of astronomy's oldest mysteries.
About 71% of Earth's surface is covered in water, and that's a defining feature of our planet and its habitability. The source of that water is still being debated and determined. Image Credit: EUMETSAT/ESA
Alone among known planets, Earth has vast oceans on its surface and its landmasses are marked with lakes and extensive river drainage systems. Water is the biosphere's lifeblood, and without it, Earth would be just another dead world. If Earth life is a reliable indicator, then water is necessary for life, full stop.
That's why scientists are so interested in how Earth got its water.
For a long time, researchers examined the idea that Earth's water came from elsewhere in the Solar System. The protoplanetary disk the planets formed in was massive, and it was dissected by a snowline. This is a line in the disk, defined by its distance from the Sun, beyond which volatiles like water vapour can condense.
This artist's illustration shows how the astrophysical snow line works. The inner Solar System is water depleted due to the star's warmth, while outside of it, water can sublimate onto dust particles.
Image Credit: A. Angelich (NRAO/AUI/NSF)
The idea is that water can condense, freeze, then be delivered to Earth by asteroids, meteorites, or comets. Astronomers know that comets are icy bodies, and there's growing evidence that asteroids hold water, either in frozen form or locked in minerals. This is the 'late veneer hypothesis', which states that water was delivered to Earth after its core had already formed.
But a growing body of evidence and simulations shows that this picture may be incorrect. New research in The Astrophysical Journal Letters challenges the later veneer hypothesis by showing that the snow line may not accurately reflect reality. Rather than a single line which separates water sublimation as an on/off process, where it all sublimates on one side of the snow line and none sublimates on the other side, the reality is more nuanced.
"There is consensus on the fact that molecular water was mostly formed on micrometer-sized dust grains at the very beginning of the solar system formation, in the molecular cloud and prestellar phase, where it remained frozen on the icy mantle enveloping the grains," the researchers explain. Over time these grains formed rocks, asteroids, comets, and even the rocky planets. But as the Sun commenced shining, conditions changed. The material in the proto-solar nebula disk warmed up, and water sublimated from the surface of the dust grains inwards to the snow line, which is basically the condensation front of water.
As a result, conditions on the inside of the line changed. Any water that wasn't trapped inside larger bodies was dissipated, and the inner disk became depleted of water. This is where the rocky planets formed. Earth accreted out of this dry material, implying that water had to be delivered from beyond the snow line, and that's the late veneer hypothesis.
But in this new understanding, the line is more nebulous. The research is based on developments in quantum chemistry showing that there's no specific single temperature at which water binds itself to dust grains. Instead of a binary dividing line, the binding energies are subject to a Gaussian distribution of values.
This figure from the research shows how water binding energies are distributed.
Image Credit: L. Tinacci et al. 2023
"While the classically used snowline relies on a single condensation temperature, recent work in quantum chemistry shows that the binding energy (BE) of water on icy grains has a Gaussian distribution, which implies a gradual sublimation of water rather than a sharp transition," the authors write. The researchers computed the distribution of binding energies to understand how water ice on dust grains was spread across the proto-solar nebula (PSN) protoplanetary disk.
This figure show how different the frost lines are when calculated with a single binding energy (blue) compared to ten different binding energies (black).
Image Credit: Boitard-Crépeau et al. 2025. TApJL
Using the distribution of different water binding energies, the researchers established a frost line that is actually several astronomical units wide. "The adoption of a water BE distribution does not generate a single snowline, inside which water ices are fully desorbed and remain “completely dry,” as often assumed, but rather a water transition zone extending several astronomical units," the researchers write.
This all happened a long time ago, and aside from Earth itself, the only place we can look for evidence is in asteroids and meteorites. For the researchers work to be accurate, it would need to duplicate the Earth's water abundance and isotope ratio and the hydration patterns seen in meteorites. Chondrites can remain unchanged since the Solar System's early days and are an important evidentiary link with the deep past.
The research shows that while the bulk of water ice is desorbed farther out than about one astronomical unit, small percentages remain attached to dust grains inside that limit due to different binding energies. "This small fraction, between ∼ 0.04 and 2.5 wt%, can fully account for the Earth’s water content," the authors write. "In turn, terrestrial water could be mostly inherited from the dust grains that were in the Earth’s orbit, with no necessity of migration of outer ones."
So Earth's water abundance lines up with the researchers' results. But what about chondrites?
"Our model also successfully reproduces the observed water-equivalent content trend across chondrite groups," the authors write. Even though the parent bodies of these chondrites accreted at different times, their water-equivalent contents "likely represent lower limits of primitive water originally incorporated into silicate dust grains, the building blocks of chondrite matrices," they explain.
"In summary, at the light of the above discussion, it is possible that the terrestrial water was inherited from the icy grains in the orbit of Earth. i.e., locally," the authors write. Their results also agree with the idea that Enstatite Chondrites (EC), a rare form of meteorite, are the Earth's building blocks. ECs have a comparable isotopic ratio as Earth's water, and researchers think that they formed near Earth's orbit.
The timing of the late veneer hypothesis has always been tricky. How could the right quantity of water be delivered to Earth at the right time without disrupting the planetary accretion process? If Earth was gradually hydrated as it formed, that whole question can be side-stepped.
There are still some problems with the researchers' conclusions, and they point them out in their paper. For example, the Earth's currently measured ratio of heavy water (deuterium) with regular water is equivalent with an elemental ratio. But the currently measured ratio may not represent the actual elemental ratio because of "various processes that cycle water between the surface and the Earth’s interior," the authors explain. Those processes could've altered the ratio.
The researchers have shown that water ice doesn't necessarily sublimate along a sharply defined line. Instead, a range of binding energies means that even inside the generally agreed upon snowline, some water can survive on the inside of rocks and larger grains. They've also shown that enough water can survive to account for Earth's water.
"In summary, these results suggest that a significant share of Earth’s water could have originated locally, without requiring delivery from beyond the classical snowline," the authors conclude.
This won't be the end of the late veneer hypothesis, but if further work supports this research, the idea that Earth's water came from elsewhere and was delivered by comets and asteroids will grow weaker.
When the first astronauts walked on the Moon as part of the Apollo Program, the concept of lunar habitats ceased being the stuff of science fiction and became a matter of scientific study. With several space agencies planning on sending crewed missions to the Moon in the coming decade, these plans have become the subject of scientific interest again. Structures that will enable a "sustained program of lunar science and development" is the long-term aim of NASA's Artemis Program. China and the ESA have similar plans with the International Lunar Research Station (ILRS) and the Moon Village.
To limit the amount of materials that need to be launched for the Moon and reduce reliance on Earth, these plans will incorporate local resources for building materials and resources - in-situ resource utilization (ISRU). In a recent study, researchers from Poland and the UK proposed a developmental pathway for a lunar habitat that begins with a dome built using a regolith-based geopolymer. This dome would enclose a 17-meter (~56 ft) diameter crater in the Mare Tranquillitatis region that would house all the necessary buildings for a lunar base.
The research was led by Magdalena Mrozek, a Research Assistant with the Faculty of Civil Engineering at the Silesian University of Technology in Gliwice, Poland. She was joined by Dawid Mrozek and Mateusz Smolana, also researchers from the Silesian University of Technology, and Lorna Anguilano, a Senior Research Fellow with the Brunel University London, and the Assistant Director of the Wolfson Centre for Sustainable materials development and Processing. The paper that describes their findings recently appeared in Scientific Reports.
Apollo-12 astronaut Alan L. Bean operating on the lunar lander.
Credit: NASA
The concept outlined in their paper represents a simplified concept for a lunar base that would leverage ISRU and the production of geopolymers on-site. The site location also offers several advantages, not the least of which is protection from meteoroid impacts and the ejecta these produce. They also selected a mare region, which are lower in elevation than highland terrains and have a higher crater density. In addition, the Mare Tranquillitatis region near the Apollo 11 landing site (0.67 North by 23.47 East) was selected because of the sample data provided by moonrocks brought back by the Apollo-12 astronauts. As Mrozek told Universe Today via email:
The concept of utilizing a crater for construction holds considerable economic significance, as it diminishes the volume of structural materials needed by concentrating solely on the implementation of a cover. In the phase of our research presented in this paper, the specific location of the crater was not a primary focus. We selected a crater with dimensions appropriate for our design, situated in a region where the temperature range would facilitate the production of geopolymers without the need for supplementary energy.
The authors analysed the concept of a covering lid for their hypothetical lunar crater, which measures 17 meters (~56 ft) in diameter and 6 meters (~20 ft) in depth. This is consistent with craters in the Mare Tranquillitatis region, which average about 20 meters by 8 meters (65.5 by 26.25 ft). The next step was to conduct a numerical analysis to identify the appropriate dimensions and shapes for a lunar structure that could handle the load transfers and maintain an Earth-like atmospheric pressure (1,013.25 millibars or 1 bar) within. The next step was to select building materials that could handle the internal stress distributions and be produced on-site using local resources.
Ultimately, they selected lunar regolith-based geopolymers (GP), which consist of synthetic, inorganic monomers primarily composed of aluminium and silicon and have distinctive mechanical properties analogous to cement concrete. This is advantageous given that lunar regolith contains an average of 45% silicon oxide (SiO) by weight. The geopolymer they created consisted of a sodium hydroxide (NaOH) solution, sodium silicate water glass (NaO x nSiO x nHO), and the lunar highlands regolith simulant LHS-1 produced by Exolith Lab.
Location of the site for the analysed structure—a hypothetical crater near a 0.67 latitude North and a 23.47 longitude East within the selenographic coordinate system.
Credit: NASA
"The creation of building materials from original lunar regolith is not a viable option; therefore, one of the available lunar regolith simulants on the market must be used," said Mrozek. "We selected LHS, produced by Space Resource Technologies. Utilizing this material, we developed a geopolymer, which was subsequently tested to obtain the strength parameters that were input into the numerical model. The forces acting on a lunar structure differ significantly from those experienced on Earth; consequently, we needed to abandon certain methodologies applicable on Earth and re-examine the problem from a novel perspective.
The curing conditions for the samples were subjected to were selected to simulate lunar conditions in the Mare Tranquillitatis region. While temperatures range from 120 °C during lunar day and -180 °C during lunar night (248 to -292 °F), they do not drop below 60 °C (140 °F) for seven terrestrial days, which is conducive to the geopolymerisation process. With these considerations in mind, the team cured their samples in a thermal vacuum chamber at 60 °C and a pressure of 50 hPa (50 millibars), consistent with the near-vacuum conditions on the Moon.
After a total curing period of 28 days, the materials were subjected to bending and compression tests and analyzed using electron microscopy (SEM) and X-ray diffraction (XRD). These tests revealed that their regolith-based geopolymer had strength and elasticity comparable to masonry cement-sand calcium-silicate. The geopolymer and the design they selected could very well enable the construction of lunar bases in cratered mare regions, thus realizing a key goal of NASA's Artemis Program. Said Mrozek:
We are civil engineers, which is why our paper concentrates on this specific area of inquiry. However, we are currently collaborating with a diverse range of specialists from various countries in disciplines such as architecture, physics, geology, and chemistry. We are currently engaged in preparations for the initiation of a project of a lunar base, which will be significantly more complex and detailed.
The dark matter distribution of a Milky Way mass halo in a Lambda-cold dark matter (LCDM) cosmological simulation. This is the highest resolution simulation of a MW-mass dark matter halo ever performed, called Aquarius-A-L1. The MW halo (in the centre) is surrounded by myriad substructures, a key prediction of the "cold dark matter” model. Some of these subhalos host a satellite galaxy within them that could be observable. Credit The Aquarius simulation, the Virgo Consortium/Dr Mark Lovell
Whatever dark matter is, cosmologists are busy trying to understand the role it plays in the structure of the Universe. Our standard cosmological model, also called Lambda Cold Dark Matter(LCDM), makes a number of predictions about how galaxies form and evolve, largely focused on dark matter haloes. DM haloes are fundamental building blocks for the cosmological structure. Scientists often describe them as the scaffolding on which the Universe is built.
One of LCDM's predictions concerns satellite galaxies. Theory says that every galaxy forms and grows within a dark matter halo, including dwarf and satellite galaxies. LCDM theory predicts more small dark matter haloes than there are observed satellite galaxies around the Milky Way. New research presented at the Royal Astronomical Society's National Astronomy Meeting might have the answer.
The presentation is "The contribution of "orphan" galaxies to the ultrafaint population of MW satellites," and the lead researcher is Dr. Isabel Santos-Santos, from the Institute for Computational Cosmology in Department of Physics at Durham University, UK.
"The last decade has seen a rise in the number of known Milky Way (MW) satellites, primarily thanks to the discovery of ultrafaint systems at close distances," Santos-Santos writes. "These findings suggest a higher abundance of satellites within ~ 30kpc than predicted by cosmological simulations of MW-like halos in the CDM framework."
Astronomers have found about 60 satellite galaxies around the Milky Way. The Large and Small Magellanic Clouds are the most well-known satellite galaxies, and there are others like the Sagittarius Dwarf Spheroidal Galaxy and the Sculptor Dwarf. Santos-Santos says there should be dozens more of them.
Some of the known satellite galaxies of the Milky Way, including the well-known Large and Small Magellanic Clouds. There could be many more of them according to simulations, and if scientists can find them, it supports the Lambda Cold Dark Matter model.
Image Credit: ESA/Gaia/DPAC. CC BY-SA 3.0 IGO
"We know the Milky Way has some 60 confirmed companion satellite galaxies, but we think there should be dozens more of these faint galaxies orbiting around the Milky Way at close distances," she said in a press release.
The problem is that these small galaxies can be extremely difficult to detect. Scientists think that these galaxies might have had their dark matter stripped away through interactions with the much more massive Milky Way. Without their dark matter, which acts as a gravitational anchor, gas, dust and even stars are more easily stripped away. That means there's little active star formation, and only a dimmer population of older stars. This is why satellite galaxies can be so challenging to detect.
"If our predictions are right, it adds more weight to the Lambda Cold Dark Matter theory of the formation and evolution of structure in the universe. Observational astronomers are using our predictions as a benchmark with which to compare the new data they are obtaining," Santos-Santos said. "One day soon we may be able to see these 'missing' galaxies, which would be hugely exciting and could tell us more about how the universe came to be as we see it today."
The work is based on the Aquarius simulation produced by the Virgo Consortium. Aquarius simulates the evolution of the MW's dark matter halo in the highest resolution ever. It was created to investigate the fine-scale structure around the MW.
The researchers used Aquarius and other analytic galaxy formation models to watch as dwarf galaxies formed and evolved and to "estimate the true abundance and radial distribution of MW satellites" that LCDM predicts. They determined that small dark matter haloes that could host satellite galaxies have been orbiting the Milky Way for billions of years, but since they've been stripped, they're dim and hard to see. These are sometimes called 'orphaned' galaxies. The simulation showed that there could be up to 100 more MW satellites.
"Strikingly, orphans make up half of all satellites in our highest-resolution run, primarily occupying the central regions of the MW halo," the researchers write.
This illustration shows galaxies forming as part of the large-scale structure of the Universe.
Image Credit: Ralf Kaehler/SLAC National Accelerator Laboratory
The other piece of the puzzle concerns the approximately 30 satellite galaxies discovered recently, all small and dim. If these are stripped or orphaned galaxies, then their discovery is additional evidence in support of LCDM. They could be a subset of the dim satellite population the simulation predicts. However, they could also be globular clusters (GC).
Professor Carlos Frenk of the Institute for Computational Cosmology in the Department of Physics at Durham University is one of the co-researchers. Frenk said, "If the population of very faint satellites that we are predicting is discovered with new data, it would be a remarkable success of the LCDM theory of galaxy formation."
"It would also provide a clear illustration of the power of physics and mathematics," Frenk added. "Using the laws of physics, solved using a large supercomputer, and mathematical modelling we can make precise predictions that astronomers, equipped with new, powerful telescopes, can test. It doesn't get much better than this."
The Vera Rubin Observatory and its 10-year Legacy Survey of Space and Time might uncover the presence of these dim, orphaned satellites. "We predict that dozens of satellites should be observable within ~30 kpc of the MW, awaiting discovery through deep-imaging surveys like LSST," the researchers explain.
Scientists have been puzzling over the connections between the Milky Way, dark matter haloes, and satellite galaxies for a long time. Some research suggests that not only does the MW have more satellites that we haven't detected yet, but that those satellites may have had their own satellites that they dragged towards the MW with them. If that turns out to be true, then the MW may have another 150 dim satellites waiting to be found by observatories like the Rubin.
Scientists think that there are different sizes of DM haloes, some with only a few Earth masses, while some are enormously massive. They also think that they could've formed hierarchically, with smaller haloes merging with larger haloes, slowly building up the cosmic web that largely defines the modern Universe. If that's true, then the MW's orphaned galaxies might be strong evidence supporting their hierarchical nature.
Now that the Vera Rubin Observatory has achieved its long-awaited first light, we could get confirmation soon.
Maybe that will help us figure out what dark matter actually is one day .
Nieuwe ontdekking op mysterieuze Marsberg verborg zich in het volle zicht
Nieuwe ontdekking op mysterieuze Marsberg verborg zich in het volle zicht
Een verrassende ontdekking op Mars kan ons mogelijk antwoorden geven op de vraag of de planeet ooit leven heeft geherbergd – en dat misschien nog steeds doet.
Een illustratie van de Jezero-krater zoals die er miljarden jaren geleden uit kan hebben gezien op Mars, toen hij nog een meer was. Een berg op de bodem van het meer verbergt mogelijk een geheim.
Op 18 februari 2021 landde de NASA-rover Perseverance in de 45 kilometer brede Jezero-krater op Mars, waar 3,7 miljard jaar geleden een meer zou hebben gelegen.
Een van de belangrijkste taken van de rover is het vinden van tekenen van leven op de rode planeet en daarom is de krater een van de meest onderzochte gebieden op Mars tot nu toe.
Astronomen zien sinds 2007 een kleine berg naast de krater Jezero Mons, en speculeren sindsdien dat deze vulkanisch kan zijn geweest – of nog steeds is.
Dat kan nu worden opgehelderd.
Een onderzoeksteam onder leiding van het Georgia Institute of Technology (Georgia Tech) in de VS heeft grote hoeveelheden gegevens verzameld die erop wijzen dat Jezero Mons vulkanisch is.
Kort nadat de Perseverance op Mars landde, toonden de eerste gesteentemonsters aan dat de krater niet alleen de sedimentaire meerafzettingen bevatte die wetenschappers verwachtten – ze waren ook vulkanisch.
Nieuwe vondsten maken krater op Mars extra interessant
Om de berg verder te onderzoeken, gebruikten de onderzoekers gegevens van oudere sondes zoals de Mars Odyssey Orbiter, Mars Reconnaissance Orbiter en ExoMars Trace Gas Orbiter.
Ze gebruikten ook gegevens van de Perseverance en vergeleken de eindresultaten met gegevens van bestaande vulkanen op zowel Mars als de aarde.
De conclusie was duidelijk: Jezero Mons is vulkanisch en heeft zelfs een vulkaankrater.
Hij is nu niet actief en het zal waarschijnlijk nog lang duren voordat hij weer actief wordt, aldus de onderzoekers.
Maar de ontdekking opent de mogelijkheid dat de rode planeet meer vulkanen herbergt dan we dachten.
‘De Jezero-krater is een van de best bestudeerde plekken op Mars. Als we hier nu pas een vulkaan identificeren, stel je dan eens voor hoeveel meer er op Mars zouden kunnen zijn,’ zegt een van de onderzoekers, James Wray, in een persbericht.
Een topografische afbeelding van de 21 kilometer brede vulkanische berg Jerezo Mons.
De nieuwe ontdekking maakt de Jezero-krater nog interessanter.
Zoals gezegd denken de onderzoekers dat de krater ooit een meer was.
En als dat naast een actieve vulkaan lag, waren de omstandigheden misschien ideaal om leven in het meer in stand te houden.
Mars is miljarden jaren geleden opgedroogd – dat dachten we tenminste. Nieuwe vondsten op onze rode buurman onthullen nu een opmerkelijke comeback voor het water. Lees er hier over:
De Perseverance keert naar verwachting terug naar de aarde met gesteentemonsters uit de krater die meer aanwijzingen kunnen geven over de vraag of er miljarden jaren geleden leven was in het meer – en of er misschien nog steeds leven te vinden is.
De ontdekking en de monsters kunnen ook bijdragen aan een beter begrip van de geologische geschiedenis van Mars.
The Martian meteorite Northwest Africa (NWA) 16254 is a 406-g gabbroic shergottite found two years ago in Algeria.
Image of the entire NWA 16254 sample studied by Chen et al.: (a) a backscattered electron (BSE) image obtained by the TESCAN Integrated Mineral Analyzer (TIMA); (b) mineralogical mapping via TIMA; (c) distribution map of the iron content obtained via TIMA; (d) distribution map of the calcium content obtained via TIMA.
Image credit: Chen et al., doi: 10.15302/planet.2025.25002.
“Martian meteorites represent the only direct samples available in laboratory for studying the composition and evolution of the Martian mantle, as most are igneous in origin and retain geochemical fingerprints of mantle processes,” said lead author Dr. Jun-Feng Chen and colleagues at the Chengdu University of Technology.
“Among these available samples, shergottites, comprising approximately 90% of the Martian meteorite collection, are particularly critical for deciphering mantle dynamics, crust-mantle interactions, and magmatic differentiation on Mars.”
“Shergottites are classified into four petrological subtypes depending on their distinct textural and mineralogical characteristics: including basaltic, olivine-phyric, poikilitic, and gabbroic.”
“These variations reflect distinct formation environments, ranging from shallow subsurface crystallization to potential surface eruptions, with gabbroic shergottites notably preserving coarse-grained textures indicative of slow cooling in crustal magma chambers.”
In the new study, the authors combined advanced mineralogical mapping and geochemical analyses to decode the history of NWA 16254.
They revealed decoupled geochemical behaviors in pyroxene cores and rims, a phenomenon critical for reconstructing magma chamber dynamics.
“Our study reveals that NWA 16254 formed initially under high-pressure conditions (4.3-9.3 kbar) at the Martian mantle-crust boundary, where magnesium-rich pyroxene cores crystallized,” the researchers said.
“Later, the magma ascended to shallow crustal depths (<4 kbar), where iron-enriched pyroxene rims and plagioclase developed.”
“This prolonged cooling process, preserved in the meteorite’s coarse-grained texture, suggests episodic melt extraction from a long-lived, depleted mantle reservoir — a critical clue for reconstructing Mars’ magmatic evolution.”
“The meteorite’s geochemical depletion, marked by light rare earth element depleted and low oxygen fugacity, aligns it with a meteorite called QUE 94201, hinting at a shared magma source.”
“Its gabbroic texture, indicative of slow cooling in crustal chambers, distinguishes it as a unique archive of subsurface magmatism.”
“These findings challenge existing models of Martian volcanic evolution, as NWA 16254’s consistently low oxygen fugacity, corroborated by Ti3+-bearing ilmenite assemblages, implies sustained reducing conditions during crystallization.”
“This underscores the heterogeneity of Mars’ mantle and raises questions about the planet’s redox evolution over billions of years.”
“Future geochronological studies could resolve whether this meteorite represents ancient mantle melting (2.4 billion years ago) or younger magmatic activity, offering clues to Mars’ thermal history.”
The team’s paper was published May 13, 2025 in the journal Planet.
Jun-Feng Chen et al. Petrography and geochemistry of a newly discovered Martian gabbroic shergottite NWA 16254. Planet, published online May 13, 2025; doi: 10.15302/planet.2025.25002
The surface of Mars, destination for China's Tianwen-3 (Credit : NASA)
China is preparing to make history with its upcoming Mars Sample Return mission, Tianwen-3, scheduled to launch in 2028. This ambitious project aims to collect Martian soil and rock samples and bring them back to Earth for detailed analysis, potentially answering one of humanity's most profound questions; has life ever existed on Mars?
Mars, the red planet.
(Credit : NASA)
The mission represents leap forward in planetary exploration. While several countries have successfully landed rovers on Mars, returning samples to Earth requires an entirely different level of technological complexity and international coordination. If successful, China would become the first nation to bring potentially biologically active material from another planet back to Earth.
Mars wasn't always the cold, dry desert we see today. Studies suggest that Mars once had a dense atmosphere and a warm, moist climate early in its history, making it suitable for the emergence and development of microbial life. Like Earth, Mars sits within our Solar System's habitable zone, the region where liquid water can exist on a planet's surface and therefore potentially support life!
Scientists believe that if life ever emerged on Mars, it would likely have been microbial, similar to the extremophiles found in Earth's harshest environments. These hardy organisms thrive in conditions that would kill most life forms, surviving in environments with extreme temperatures, radiation, or chemical compositions.
Preliminary landing sites for the Tianwen-3 mission
(Credit : By Zengqian Hou, Jizhong Liu, Yigang Xu, Fuchuan Pang, Yuming Wang, Liping Qin, Yang Liu, Yu-Yan Sara Zhao, Guangfei Wei, Mengjiao Xu, Kun Jiang, Chuanpeng Hao, Shichao Ji, Renzhi Zhu, Bingkun Yu, Jia Liu, Zhenfeng Sheng, Juntao Wang, Chaolin Zhang, Yiliang Li)
The Tianwen-3 mission involves a complex two part operation. There will be two separate components; a lander which will land on the Martian surface to collect samples and an orbiter, which will wait in orbit around Mars to receive the samples and bring them back to Earth. The lander will drill two meters underground, a crucial depth because Mars' surface is constantly bombarded with radiation and corrosive chemicals that destroy organic materials. Below this hostile surface layer, valuable signs of past or present life might still be preserved after billions of years.
The mission's success depends on careful site selection so the team are searching for regions where liquid water likely existed in Mars' early history, areas rich in essential nutrients, and locations where traces of microbial activity could have been preserved. This preparatory research is ongoing and represents one of the mission's most critical phases.
Surprisingly, the greatest obstacle isn't the technical complexity of getting to Mars and back, it’s what happens when the samples arrive on Earth. The greatest challenge is in the quarantining and monitoring required once these extraterrestrial materials arrive, a process known as planetary protection. To address the risk, they plan to construct a specialised facility near Hefei Institute of Physical Sciences where Martian samples will undergo comprehensive testing under strict isolation from Earth's environment. The samples will remain quarantined until scientists can conclusively determine they contain no active biological agents that could threaten Earth's biosphere.
The Hefei Institutes of Physical Science
(Credit : Yen Tzu)
This cautious approach reflects the profound implications of the mission. While the risk of dangerous Martian microbes may be small, the potential consequences are too significant to ignore. Only after extensive safety testing will the samples be released to laboratories worldwide for detailed scientific analysis.
The Tianwen-3 mission builds on China's previous Mars success. In 2021, China became only the second country after the United States to successfully land and operate a rover on Mars with its Zhurong rover. This achievement demonstrated China's growing capabilities in interplanetary exploration. This mission represents more than just a technological achievement, it could fundamentally change our understanding of life in the universe. If the samples contain evidence of past or present Martian life, it would prove that life can emerge independently on different worlds, suggesting that life might be common throughout the universe.
We zijn waarschijnlijk niet alleen op deze planeet Is het mogelijk dat in zo'n immens heelal alleen levende wezens op aarde bestaan? Onderzoekers Tim Lomas en Brendan Case van Harvard en professor Michael Masters van de Montana Technological University denken van niet.
Een gewaagde hypothese In juni 2024 publiceerden de drie wetenschappers een onafhankelijk artikel genaamd 'De crypto-terrestrische hypothese: een geval van wetenschappelijke openheid voor een verborgen aardse verklaring voor ongeïdentificeerde anomale verschijnselen'.
De cryptoterrestrische hypothese Ze suggereren dat er misschien al buitenaardse wezens onder ons zijn, maar dat ze zich schuilhouden in een soort van "sluipmodus".
Of op de maan Een andere plek die interessant zou kunnen zijn voor deze wezens is de verborgen kant van de maan, die eeuwig uit het zicht blijft. "Feitelijk is dit van alle mogelijke cryptoterrestrische locaties degene die aanleiding heeft gegeven tot de meeste speculaties", aldus het artikel.
Ze komen uit de toekomst Volgens CBS News stellen de wetenschappers in kwestie dat de cryptoterrestrials mensen uit de toekomst zouden kunnen zijn die in staat zijn om terug in de tijd te reizen.
Waar komen ze vandaan? Volgens Masters, een van de auteurs, worden in de verhalen over hypothetische ontmoetingen met buitenaardse wezens door de jaren heen vaak beschreven dat ze op ons lijken. Het zou daarom uitzonderlijk zijn als wezens met menselijke eigenschappen van andere planeten zouden komen.
Vergelijkbaar met ons "Ze zouden op ons kunnen lijken. We zouden uiteindelijk op hen kunnen lijken", zei Masters, verwijzend naar de typische voorstellingen van 'kleine groene mannetjes', volgens CBS News.
Onze meest geavanceerde versie Hij voegde eraan toe: "Op basis van onze evolutionaire kenmerken van de afgelopen 6 tot 8 miljoen jaar, kunnen we grotere hoofden hebben, kleinere gezichten, geavanceerde technologie, en veel van deze kenmerken worden beschreven in verband met deze wezens".
Waarom maken ze geen contact met ons? Volgens Masters, geciteerd door CBS News, hebben de cryptoterrestrials besloten zich te verbergen, omdat we nog niet klaar zijn voor direct contact. Daarnaast kunnen we voor hen nog steeds extreem "primitief" lijken.
Magische wezens Volgens het artikel zouden cryptoterrestrials ook "magische" wezens kunnen zijn die geassocieerd worden met oude mythen, wat zich voor wetenschappers zou vertalen in "onconventionele menselijke intelligenties".
Onconventionele menselijke intelligenties Dit zouden entiteiten zijn die in verschillende culturen van oudsher worden gegroepeerd als elfen, kabouters, gnomen en feeën, bijvoorbeeld: figuren die meestal worden beschreven in mythologische verhalen of oude religies.
Bovennatuurlijke wezens Deze wezens zouden sporadische interacties met mensen hebben gehad en zouden voor godheden of bovennatuurlijke wezens kunnen zijn aangezien.
'Ze lopen onder ons rond' De drie wetenschappers van Harvard stelden dat de intelligente wezens van veel ufowaarnemingen op aarde dus "zelfs onder ons zouden kunnen rondlopen".
Het is een mogelijkheid "We zeggen niet dat het waar is of absoluut 100 procent vaststaat, maar dat dit enkele mogelijkheden zijn om de oorsprong van deze wezens te helpen verklaren", zei Masters, geciteerd door CBS News.
Ze zouden de mensheid kunnen helpen De auteurs van de hypothese sluiten af door te zeggen dat, hoewel speculatief, dit een onderwerp is waar over gesproken moet worden omdat, als alles waar zou zijn, deze intelligente levensvormen "de mensheid zouden kunnen helpen bij het aanpakken van de grote problemen van vandaag, zoals klimaatverandering".
0
1
2
3
4
5
- Gemiddelde waardering: 0/5 - (0 Stemmen) Categorie:ALIEN LIFE, UFO- CRASHES, ABDUCTIONS, MEN IN BLACK, ed ( FR. , NL; E )
13-07-2025
Ancient Gods, Alien Abduction, and Human Souls – A Potentially Dark Connection
Ancient Gods, Alien Abduction, and Human Souls – A Potentially Dark Connection
Abstract
This dissertation explores the intriguing hypothesis that ancient mythologies, reports of alien abductions, and concepts of human souls may be interconnected through a potentially dark and complex framework. Drawing from interdisciplinary sources—archaeology, anthropology, psychology, and ufology—it examines whether these phenomena could share a common underlying mechanism or narrative structure. The investigation considers alternative explanations, the role of cognitive and cultural factors, and the implications of a possible dark alliance between extraterrestrial entities and human spiritual concepts.
Introduction
Throughout human history, cultures across the globe have consistently reported encounters with divine beings, supernatural entities, or extraterrestrial visitors. Ancient mythologies often depict gods descending from the heavens, engaging in extraordinary acts, or bestowing sacred knowledge upon humans. These stories served to explain natural phenomena, reinforce social hierarchies, or express spiritual beliefs. In recent decades, accounts of alien abductions have gained prominence, describing individuals who claim to have been taken against their will by extraterrestrial beings. These experiences often involve invasive procedures, such as medical examinations, and result in significant psychological impacts, including trauma, confusion, and altered perceptions of reality.
Simultaneously, religious and spiritual traditions have long posited the existence of human souls—immaterial, conscious entities that transcend physical death and continue their existence in an afterlife or spiritual realm. These beliefs suggest that human consciousness is not solely rooted in the physical body but may possess an enduring, non-material essence. The recurring themes of divine intervention, supernatural encounters, extraterrestrial contact, and the existence of the soul invite intriguing questions about their possible interconnectedness.
Could these phenomena represent different facets of a single, overarching reality? Is it conceivable that ancient gods, alien abductors, and human souls are expressions of a unified, underlying phenomenon—perhaps revealing the manipulation or influence of a higher consciousness or hidden agenda? Some hypotheses propose that these encounters might be orchestrated by a collective consciousness or a covert force seeking to manipulate human perception and spiritual development. Alternatively, they might reflect different stages or interpretations of a fundamental truth about human existence and our place in the universe.
This dissertation aims to critically examine these complex questions within a scientific framework, recognizing the current limitations of empirical evidence and the challenges inherent in studying such elusive phenomena. While acknowledging the speculative nature of these connections, the analysis seeks to explore plausible theories and consider the potential implications of a unified understanding of these diverse human experiences. Ultimately, this work aspires to contribute to the ongoing dialogue about the nature of consciousness, spirituality, and the universe, encouraging an open yet rigorous inquiry into some of humanity’s most profound mysteries.
Historical and Cultural Perspectives on Ancient Gods
Throughout history, civilizations across the globe have crafted rich mythologies surrounding their deities, often portraying them as powerful, divine beings descending from the heavens or cosmic realms. These gods were frequently associated with natural phenomena such as the sun, moon, stars, thunderstorms, and celestial events, reflecting the importance of the cosmos in early human understanding of the world. For example, in ancient Mesopotamia, the Sumerians worshipped the Anunnaki—celestial beings depicted as divine entities who interacted directly with humans. These gods were believed to have descended from the sky, imparting knowledge, establishing laws, and shaping early civilizations. Similarly, in Egyptian mythology, gods like Ra and Osiris embodied the solar and underworld powers, often depicted as divine rulers overseeing cosmic order. In Hindu traditions, deities such as Vishnu and Shiva are associated with cosmic cycles and universal principles, while Greek mythology features gods like Zeus and Apollo, who reign from Mount Olympus and wield control over natural and human affairs.
Scholars have long debated the origins and meanings of these mythologies. Are they literal historical accounts of actual divine visits? Are they allegorical stories designed to teach moral lessons or encode cultural values? Or do they serve as psychological archetypes, reflecting inner human experiences and fears? Some researchers suggest that these narratives may be symbolic representations of humanity’s attempts to understand the universe, natural forces, and their place within it. Others propose a more controversial theory: that these stories encode actual encounters with extraterrestrial visitors, interpreted through the limited worldview of pre-scientific societies. This hypothesis, often called the "ancient astronauts" theory, posits that the gods described in ancient texts were, in fact, advanced alien beings who visited Earth and influenced early human development. Proponents of this idea argue that certain mythological descriptions of gods' technologies and appearances resemble modern notions of extraterrestrial life. While mainstream scholarship remains skeptical of this extraterrestrial hypothesis, it has gained popularity in popular culture and alternative historical theories, prompting ongoing debates about the true origins of these ancient stories and their significance.
Modern Reports of Alien Abduction and Their Parallels
Ancient civilizations across different regions and eras have depicted gods and divine beings with striking similarities, often portraying them as powerful entities descending from the sky or celestial realms. These deities are frequently associated with cosmic phenomena such as the sun, moon, stars, and other astronomical events, reflecting the importance of celestial bodies in shaping early human understanding of the universe. For instance, in Mesopotamian mythology, the Anunnaki are described as celestial beings who descended from the heavens to interact with humans. They are often credited with imparting knowledge, establishing early civilizations, and influencing human culture and society. These narratives emphasize their divine authority and their role in shaping the cosmos and human destiny.
Similarly, Egyptian mythology features gods like Ra, the sun god, who embodies the solar cycle and is believed to travel across the sky each day, symbolizing the divine order and the cyclical nature of life. In Hindu traditions, deities such as Vishnu and Shiva are associated with cosmic functions, maintaining the balance and order of the universe through their divine actions. Greek mythology also presents a pantheon of gods, such as Zeus and Apollo, who are linked to celestial phenomena and natural forces. These gods often reside on Mount Olympus or other divine realms, overseeing the mortal world and influencing natural events.
Scholars have long debated the origins and meanings of these mythological stories. Some interpret them as literal historical accounts, believing that ancient peoples actually witnessed divine or supernatural beings. Others see these stories as allegories or symbolic narratives that convey moral, spiritual, or societal values. Additionally, many researchers consider that these myths function as psychological archetypes, reflecting universal aspects of human consciousness and experience.
One intriguing contemporary hypothesis is that these ancient stories encode encounters with extraterrestrial visitors. Proponents of this idea, often referred to as the "ancient astronauts" hypothesis, suggest that the gods described in mythologies may have been advanced alien beings who visited Earth in antiquity. According to this view, these extraterrestrial entities could have influenced early human development, technology, and religion, with their appearances interpreted through the lens of pre-scientific societies. This perspective attempts to reconcile the grandeur and complexity of ancient mythologies with the possibility of non-human origins, suggesting that humanity's perception of divine beings may have been shaped by actual encounters with extraterrestrial civilizations.
In conclusion, the stories of ancient gods reflect diverse cultural, religious, and philosophical understandings of the cosmos. Whether viewed as literal beings, symbolic archetypes, or potential extraterrestrial visitors, these mythologies continue to fascinate and inspire, offering insight into how ancient peoples sought to comprehend the universe and their place within it.
The Concept of Human Souls in Spiritual and Scientific Contexts
The idea of the human soul has played a fundamental role in numerous religious and spiritual traditions across the world. In these belief systems, the soul is often regarded as an eternal, immaterial essence that transcends the physical body and persists beyond death. Many religions, such as Christianity, Islam, Hinduism, and Buddhism, describe the soul as the core of a person's identity, consciousness, or spiritual essence, which is subject to moral judgment and may undergo rebirth or ascension in an afterlife.
From a scientific standpoint, the concept of a soul presents significant challenges because it is not directly measurable or observable. Contemporary science generally explains human consciousness—the awareness, thoughts, feelings, and perceptions we experience—as a product of complex neural processes within the brain. According to this view, mental functions emerge from biochemical and electrical activities, making the notion of an immaterial soul unnecessary for explaining human cognition and identity.
Despite this, some researchers and theorists in the fields of parapsychology and consciousness studies explore ideas that challenge mainstream scientific paradigms. They propose that consciousness might not be confined to the physical brain alone and could have non-local properties—that is, existing outside the boundaries of space and time. Such theories suggest that the soul or soul-like entities could potentially operate independently of the body, capable of existing or influencing the physical world from a non-material realm.
Supporters often cite anecdotal evidence such as near-death experiences, out-of-body experiences, and reported instances of psychic phenomena as potential indications of an existence beyond the physical. These phenomena are interpreted by some as glimpses into a non-physical dimension where the soul might reside or operate. However, rigorous scientific validation remains elusive, and these reports are often met with skepticism due to their subjective nature and lack of reproducible evidence. Consequently, while the concept of the soul remains a profound and influential idea in spiritual traditions, its scientific acceptance continues to be a subject of debate and investigation.
Potential Connections and the Dark Hypothesis
Bringing these various strands of evidence and speculation together, one can formulate a hypothesis about a dark underlying framework that might connect seemingly disparate phenomena. This framework suggests that extraterrestrial entities—potentially ancient gods, interdimensional beings, or modern abductors—are engaged in covert operations targeting humanity. Instead of overt contact, these entities could be manipulating human consciousness or spiritual essence from behind the scenes, operating in secrecy to achieve their hidden agendas.
This manipulation might serve multiple purposes. One possible aim is spiritual bypassing, where these entities interfere with human spiritual development to keep individuals from awakening to higher consciousness. Alternatively, their goal could be control—either social, psychological, or spiritual—by suppressing human autonomy and free will. A more sinister hypothesis involves the harvesting of human souls or spiritual energy, using humans as energy sources or resources for their own purposes.
Supporters of this theory point to numerous parallels between mythological divine descents—such as gods, angels, or other celestial beings—and modern accounts of alien abductions. These similarities suggest a continuum rather than separate phenomena, implying that ancient mythologies may encode subconscious or historical memories of extraterrestrial encounters. The recurring themes across cultures and eras—such as beings descending from the skies, performing medical experiments, or taking individuals away—could be evidence of ongoing and historical interactions with these entities.
Moreover, proponents argue that these entities are exploiting human religious and spiritual beliefs to further their aims. By aligning their activities with religious narratives or spiritual practices, they might be feeding off spiritual energy—sometimes called "prana" or "chi"—to sustain themselves or to manipulate human collective consciousness. This exploitation could also serve to prevent humans from evolving spiritually, maintaining a kind of spiritual stagnation that benefits these unseen orchestrators.
In addition to individual abductions, some conspiracy theories propose that secretive organizations—such as clandestine government agencies, secret societies, or shadow governments—are in league with extraterrestrial overlords. These alliances could be orchestrating a long-term agenda to enslave humanity or harvest human souls systematically. This collaboration might explain the persistence of similar themes—such as secret experiments, mind control, and spiritual suppression—across different cultures and historical periods.
The recurring motifs, the similarities between mythological stories and modern accounts, and the persistent rumors of secret collaborations all lend credence to the idea that a hidden, dark agenda may be at play. Whether these entities are ancient gods, extraterrestrial overlords, or interdimensional beings, the overarching hypothesis suggests that humans are unwitting participants in a covert operation. This operation’s purpose might be to keep humanity spiritually subdued, harvest energy or souls, or exert control over human consciousness—potentially explaining the enduring mystery surrounding abductions, mythologies, and spiritual suppression.
In conclusion, the dark hypothesis posits that behind the veil of our perceived reality, an elaborate and sinister web of manipulation exists—one that involves extraterrestrial entities, secret organizations, and ancient mythologies—all working in concert to influence and control human spiritual evolution for their own hidden purposes.
Scientific Skepticism and Alternative Explanations
Scientific skepticism and the evaluation of alternative explanations are crucial when examining claims of extraterrestrial abductions and mythological narratives. While some hypotheses related to these phenomena are intriguing and garner interest, they are often met with significant scientific skepticism due to a lack of robust empirical support and the presence of plausible alternative explanations.
A primary factor to consider is the role of cognitive biases, such as confirmation bias, where individuals tend to interpret ambiguous experiences in ways that confirm their existing beliefs. Additionally, sleep paralysis—a condition where a person experiences temporary paralysis while falling asleep or waking—can produce vivid hallucinations, often accompanied by a sense of a malevolent presence or alien figures. These hallucinations are well-documented phenomena that can easily be mistaken for extraterrestrial encounters or supernatural entities. Cultural conditioning also plays a significant role; stories, legends, and beliefs prevalent in a society shape how individuals interpret strange experiences. For example, in cultures with a rich tradition of alien or spirit encounters, similar experiences may be explained within those frameworks, leading to a shared narrative that is culturally constructed rather than externally real.
The human brain’s natural tendency for pattern recognition and storytelling further contributes to these phenomena. Our brains are wired to find meaning and connections, even where none exist, which can result in the creation of elaborate narratives across diverse cultures. These stories often reflect universal psychological structures and archetypes that help humans make sense of unexplained events but do not necessarily indicate external realities.
Furthermore, the scientific community emphasizes the importance of empirical evidence, reproducibility, and falsifiability when evaluating extraordinary claims. To date, there is a notable lack of empirical evidence supporting the existence of extraterrestrial influences or spiritual entities as causes of these phenomena. Most reports are anecdotal, subjective, and difficult to verify under controlled conditions. As such, these claims are often dismissed as misinterpretations of natural psychological or physiological processes rather than evidence of external phenomena.
In conclusion, while alternative explanations such as sleep paralysis, hallucinations, and cultural conditioning provide plausible accounts for many of these experiences, rigorous scientific methodology remains essential. Critical analysis underscores the importance of skepticism and the need for reproducible, falsifiable evidence when exploring these fascinating yet contentious phenomena.
Implications and Future Directions
If a dark connection exists linking ancient gods, alien abductions, and human souls, it could have profound implications for our understanding of human consciousness, spirituality, and our place in the universe. Such a discovery would suggest that human spiritual traditions, mythologies, and religious beliefs encode subconscious knowledge of a broader cosmic reality, potentially manipulated or influenced by unseen forces or entities. This could challenge conventional scientific paradigms and open new avenues for exploring the origins of human spirituality and the nature of existence.
Understanding this potential connection might also shed light on the origins and purpose of religious experiences, visions, and mystical encounters reported throughout history. It could imply that these phenomena are not merely cultural or psychological constructs but are rooted in deeper cosmic truths that are encoded within our subconscious or collective memory. This perspective might lead to a reevaluation of the role that extraterrestrial or interdimensional beings play in human history and spiritual development.
Future research could benefit from an interdisciplinary approach, integrating insights from archaeology, psychology, neuroscience, anthropology, and ufology. Archaeological studies might focus on uncovering ancient symbols, artifacts, and texts that hint at extraterrestrial contact or cosmic knowledge. Psychological and neuroscientific investigations could explore the nature of spiritual experiences, hallucinations, and altered states of consciousness, seeking to understand how the brain may access or encode these cosmic messages. Ufology, the study of unidentified flying objects and extraterrestrial encounters, could provide data on recent and historical contact scenarios, helping to establish patterns or common themes.
Moreover, collaborative efforts between scientists, theologians, and researchers in consciousness studies could help interpret the spiritual and mythological implications of these findings. Technology such as brain imaging, virtual reality, and artificial intelligence could be employed to simulate and analyze spiritual experiences or extraterrestrial contact scenarios, providing further insights into their nature and origins.
In conclusion, exploring the potential links between ancient mythologies, alien encounters, and human consciousness could revolutionize our understanding of reality. By embracing an interdisciplinary approach, future research may uncover the hidden truthsbehind humanity’s spiritual history and our cosmic connections, ultimately expanding our comprehension of our place in the universe.
Als mensen ooit echt op Mars willen wonen, dan moeten we eerst een oplossing vinden voor een gigantisch probleem: hoe bouw je een leefbare omgeving zonder duizenden en duizenden kilo’s aan bouwmateriaal vanaf de Aarde te verschepen? Dit is peperduur en logistiek bijna onmogelijk. Maar de redding komt misschien wel uit onverwachte hoek…
Onderzoekers van de Harvard John A. Paulson School of Engineering and Applied Sciences (SEAS) denken een oplossing te hebben gevonden in de levende natuur en schrijven erover in de nieuwste uitgave van het vakblad Science Advances. Hoofdonderzoeker Robin Wordsworth laat zien dat het mogelijk is om groene algen te laten groeien in bunkers gemaakt van bioplastic, onder omstandigheden die lijken op wat het oppervlak van Mars te bieden heeft. Het is een veelbelovende stap richting het bouwen van duurzame buitenaardse huizen die zichzelf kunnen onderhouden en nog kunnen groeien ook.
Bizarre omstandigheden In het lab bootste het onderzoeksteam de ijle atmosfeer van Mars na: een druk van 600 Pascal (dat is meer dan honderd keer lager dan op Aarde) en een omgeving rijk aan koolstofdioxide in plaats van alle stikstof en zuurstof waar onze atmosfeer vol mee zit. Onder die bizarre omstandigheden slaagden ze erin om de algensoort Dunaliella tertiolecta te laten groeien in een speciaal ontworpen, 3D-geprinte kamer gemaakt van het bioplastic polymelkzuur (in het Engels bekend als polylactic acid (PLA)). Deze stof is een biologisch afbreekbaar en composteerbaar plastic gemaakt van maïszetmeel, suikerriet of tapioca. Het wordt vaak gebruikt als een duurzaam alternatief voor traditionele plastics, vooral bij 3D-printen, voedselverpakkingen en medische implantaten.
De bioplastickamer heeft meerdere functies: hij laat genoeg licht door om de algen te laten fotosynthetiseren, houdt schadelijke UV-straling buiten en zorgt voor een drukverschil waardoor water – ondanks de lage luchtdruk – vloeibaar blijft. “Als je een habitat hebt gemaakt van bioplastic en je laat daar algen in groeien, dan kunnen die algen weer nieuw bioplastic produceren”, legt Wordsworth uit. “Zo krijg je een soort zelfvoorzienend systeem dat nog lang door kan blijven groeien, ook als het bouwwerk al lang en breed staat.”
Bioplastic met algengroei. Foto: Wordsworth Group / Harvard SEAS
Een leefbare bubbel op een dode planeet Tot nu toe waren plannen voor leven op Mars vooral gericht op industriële technieken, oftewel dure materialen produceren en met veel moeite recyclen. Het idee van Wordsworth is veel natuurlijker; het is een systeem dat werkt zoals de ecosystemen op Aarde. Het team werkte eerder ook al aan lokale ’terraforming’ van Mars: met behulp van aerogel – een superlicht en isolerend materiaal – creëerden ze een soort kaseffect dat de bodem opwarmde, zodat er planten konden groeien. Combineer je die technologie met deze nieuwe bioplastic-algenkamers, dan krijg je een leefbare omgeving waarin druk en temperatuur onder controle blijven.
Levende, groeiende gebouwen Wordsworth en zijn collega’s zijn al druk bezig met de volgende stap. Ze gaan de nieuwste versie van hun habitats testen onder vacuümomstandigheden, zoals het er op de maan of in de ruimte aan toegaat. Ook zijn er plannen om een volledig werkend ‘closed loop-systeem’ te bouwen: een leefruimte die zichzelf in stand houdt en zelfs nieuwe onderdelen kan produceren. “Het idee van habitats die opgebouwd zijn uit biologische materialen is niet alleen fascinerend, het is ook haalbaar”, zegt Wordsworth. “En als het lukt om deze technologie verder te ontwikkelen, dan kunnen we die misschien ook op Aarde gebruiken voor een duurzamer manier van bouwen.”
Gletsjers houden meer tegen dan we tot nu toe dachten.
Het smelten van gletsjers in de Chileense Andes leidt mogelijk tot meer frequente vulkaanuitbarstingen. Dat blijkt uit nieuw onderzoek van de Universiteit van Wisconsin-Madison. Daarbovenop zouden deze ook nog eens intenser kunnen worden. Het effect zou niet beperkt blijven tot de Andes. Het verdwijnen van gletsjers zou een wereldwijd effect kunnen hebben, menen de onderzoekers in een persbericht. Naarmate klimaatverandering het ijs sneller doet verdwijnen, zouden honderden vulkanen rond de wereld actiever kunnen worden. De studie is nog niet gepubliceerd, maar werd wel al gepresenteerd op de Goldschmidt Conferentie in Praag, een grote internationale bijeenkomst op het gebied van geochemie.
Laatste ijstijd De wetenschappers analyseerden om tot deze conclusie te komen zes vulkanen in het zuiden van Chili, waaronder de momenteel sluimerende Mocho-Choshuenco. Met behulp van argondatering (een techniek waarbij wordt gekeken naar de hoeveelheid argon in gesteente om te bepalen hoe oud het is) bepaalden ze exact wanneer eerdere uitbarstingen plaatsvonden. De analyse van kristallen in vulkanisch gesteente leerde de onderzoekers dan weer meer over de omstandigheden waarin magma gevormd wordt en opstijgt.
De studie keek specifiek naar de periode van de laatste ijstijd, tussen 26.000 en 18.000 jaar geleden. Toen bedekte een gigantische ijsmassa, de zogenoemde Patagonische IJskap, het gebied. Door deze technieken te combineren, konden ze zien hoe de aanwezigheid en het verdwijnen van al dat ijs de vulkanische activiteit beïnvloedde.
IJs houdt magma tegen De resultaten laten zien dat dikke gletsjers tijdens de ijstijd de aardkorst zwaar belastten, waardoor magma minder makkelijk naar boven kwam. Dit zorgde ervoor dat zich diep onder de grond, op 10 tot 15 kilometer, een grote voorraad magma opbouwde. Toen het ijs aan het einde van de ijstijd snel smolt, nam de druk op de korst af. De gassen in het magma konden uitzetten, wat leidde tot krachtige uitbarstingen. Dit proces verklaart waarom vulkanen actiever werden na het verdwijnen van het ijs.
Relevant door klimaatverandering
Hoofdauteur van de studie Pablo Moreno-Yaeger licht in het persbericht toe waarom dat vandaag de dag relevant is: “Gletsjers hebben de neiging om het volume van uitbarstingen van de vulkanen eronder te onderdrukken. Maar als gletsjers zich terugtrekken door klimaatverandering, suggereren onze bevindingen dat deze vulkanen vaker en explosiever uitbarsten. De belangrijkste voorwaarde voor meer explosiviteit is in eerste instantie een zeer dikke glaciale bedekking over een magmakamer, en de trigger is wanneer deze gletsjers zich beginnen terug te trekken, waardoor de druk vrijkomt.” De onderzoeker zegt dat de klimaatverandering niet alleen in Chili kan zorgen voor meer en zwaardere uitbarstingen. Vooral Antarctica, maar ook Nieuw-Zeeland, Noord-Amerika en Rusland, waar vulkanen onder gletsjers liggen, moeten volgens hem beter worden onderzocht.
Uitbarstingen hebben zelf ook impact Wereldwijd kan dit ook een impact hebben op het klimaat. Vulkanen spuwen bij een uitbarsting namelijk aerosolen uit die de aarde tijdelijk afkoelen. Een goed voorbeeld is de uitbarsting van de gigantische Filipijnse vulkaan Mount Pinatubo in 1991. Na de uitbarsting daalde de temperatuur wereldwijd met ongeveer 0,5 graden Celsius. Maar bij herhaalde uitbarstingen stapelen broeikasgassen zich net op, wat op lange termijn juist bijdraagt aan de opwarming van de aarde. Dit kan een vicieuze cirkel veroorzaken: meer uitbarstingen versnellen het smelten van gletsjers, wat weer meer vulkanische activiteit uitlokt.
De opbouw van zo’n magmareservoirs kan echter eeuwen kan duren. Dat geeft de mensheid tijd om gerichte systemen te ontwikkelen die ons op tijd kunnen waarschuwen voor uitbarstingen. De volledige studie verschijnt later dit jaar in een wetenschappelijk vakblad. De onderzoekers zeggen nog niet in welk vakblad.
Afbeelding bovenaan dit artikel: Joseph Vary / Unsplash
RELATED VIDEOS
OPMERKING PETER2011
Met het 'smelten van gletsjers' wordt in deze studie bedoeld: het smelten van een ijskap van 500.000 km^3 in Patagonië na de ijstijd. Zo'n ijskap zal zeker een invloed op de onderliggende aardkorst hebben en mogelijk tevens op vulkanisme. Maar om het effect van zo'n ijskap dan te extrapoleren naar de gletsjers van vandaag? Dat is echt een gigantisch schaalverschil, de grootste gletsjers nu hebben volumes van slechts enkele tientallen km^3. Om dit dan vervolgens te koppelen aan de huidige klimaatverandering wat 'wetenschappers zorgen baart' is wel heel vergezocht.
The National UFO Reporting Center has received more than 2,000 incidents of UFO sightings in the first half of 2025, The Hill reported Friday.
Since January, the nonprofit, known as NUFORC, has received 2,174 reports of UFOs and unexplained sightings in 2025, an increase from the 1,492 over the same period in 2024.
The center, which has collected and investigated cases since 1974, noted that of the 3,000 reports collected this year, many of the sightings happened years or decades ago and are not immediately reported due to the stigma involving UFO cases.
Christian Stepien, NUFORC's chief technology officer, said he believes that only 5% of sightings are ever reported. Over the years, the center has received information from air traffic controllers, military personnel, police, and everyday citizens.
"There are so many things being seen by so many people. And if it's a secret block project, you're not flying it over highly populated neighborhoods where everybody can see it, and even these days, have pictures of it," Stepien told the outlet.
Many of the cases NUFORC received end up being easily explained as balloons, drones, planets, and stars.
"We get lots of reports of balloons and things like that that we can say that's clearly a balloon, or that's a drone, or it's an airplane or whatever it is," he said. Roughly 3% of the reports turn out to be worth pursuing.
"The dramatic ones are kind of the cases where you say somebody saw a giant triangle floating over their house the size of a tennis court or a football field," Stepien said. "And we get those reports fairly regularly, things that can't possibly be mistaken for something else."
The report from NUFORC comes as the Trump administration seeks to be more transparent about UFOs. The White House announced in June an order to "restore American airspace sovereignty."
The task force recognizes the growing threat of unmanned aircraft systems and seeks to increase restrictions over critical infrastructure and develop new drone detection technologies. Stepien hopes the new attitude toward UFOs from the government will strengthen these efforts.
"The government certainly has the good stuff," he added. "These days with cellphones and things like that, we're starting to get some nice videos and things, but we don't have high-resolution cameras and forward-looking infrared [technology] and that kind of stuff."
An Unidentified Anomalous Phenomena (UAP) was filmed from the USS Omaha off coast of San Diego in July 2019. CREDIT: Jeremy Corbell/WeaponizedPodcast
New York state has seen 66 reported Unidentified Aerial Phenomena (UAP) sightings during the first half of 2025, according to a report from theNational UFO Reporting Center (NUFORC).
With 66 distinct incidents logged between January and late June, the state has had reports of an array of mysterious aerial objects, ranging from glowing orbs and silent triangles to fast-moving disks and shape-shifting lights.
The incidents, according to NUFORC, span rural hamlets, suburban skies and the bustling airspace of the Big Apple.
The NUFORC had 65 reported UFO sightings in New York in the first half of 2024.
The National UFO Reporting Center was founded in 1974 by noted UFO investigator Robert J. Gribble.
(Department of Defense)
The phenomenon appears to be statewide, with hot spots in urban centers like New York City as well as multiple reports from smaller towns such as Chester, Ridge and Evans Mills.
Evans Mills, which is located near a military base, saw repeated orb sightings in March, prompting witness speculation about possible connections to defense activities.
The most common shapes were orbs, spheres and triangles, frequently observed performing advanced maneuvers.
New York had 66 reported sightings of UFOs in the first half of 2025. (iStock)
Several reports detailed sharp right-angle turns, sudden accelerations and zigzagging flight paths.
One particularly vivid sighting, according to NUFORC, took place in Chester on March 25, 2025, when someone walking their dog around 6 p.m. reported seeing two extremely fast white orbs flying in close formation.
Initially, the witness believed the objects to be birds, but their unusual speed and synchronized, wavering flight pattern stood out. Midway through their trajectory across the sky, the objects executed a sharp, nearly 90-degree turn to the northwest without any deceleration, the witness claimed.
At that moment, they transformed into dark, aerodynamic ovals that nearly disappeared into the night sky, according to the report. The witness described the orbs as momentarily pitch black.
The U.S. government is compelled to investigate reports of UFOs to identify any issues regarding threats to national security. (iStock)
A handful of these sightings also included photographic or video evidence, although NUFORC has not released digital evidence.
Other entries speculated about plausible explanations, like drones, aircraft, fireworks and even the International Space Station. The bulk of reports from NUFORC remain open and unexplained.
April through June represented a peak in activity, aligning with warmer months that typically encourage outdoor observations.
Another remarkable incident reportedly occurred on June 24, 2025, during a commercial flight approaching New York City.
A passenger seated in 1A reported to NUFORC that they witnessed a metallic ball flying in the opposite direction, roughly 100 to 200 feet below the aircraft.
The witness, arriving from Toronto, described the object as a perfectly round, shiny sphere that caught his eye due to its metallic gleam.
The witness noted that the object did not resemble a balloon or stationary object, saying it moved steadily away from the aircraft.
The passenger immediately alerted the pilots upon landing, though neither reported seeing the object. Despite this, the observer remained convinced of the object’s extraordinary nature.
WATCH: These states are best prepared for alien invasion, UFO expert says
NUFORC was founded in 1974 by UFO investigator Robert J. Gribble and aims to document and investigate unexplained sightings across the world.
"The Center’s primary function over the past five decades has been to receive, record, and to the greatest degree possible, corroborate and document reports from individuals who have been witness to unusual, possibly UFO-related events," the website says.
Former U.K. Defense Ministry official Nick Pope tells Fox News Digital that the declassification of federal secrets and other documents is of very high interest to the American people.
Declassified documents revealing a United States military aircraft was previously struck by an unknown flying object is raising eyebrows as experts point to other unexplainable sightings suggesting otherworldly technology flying within the country’s airspace.
The incident occurred in January 2023, after an unidentified object collided with the left side of an F-16 Viper jet participating in training exercises near Gila Benda, Arizona, an Air Force spokesperson confirmed to Fox News Digital.
The flying object struck the clear "canopy" at the top of the aircraft and was first spotted by an instructor pilot sitting in the rear of the plane, officials said. An initial investigation determined no damage was done to the near $70 million jet, with officials ruling against a possible bird strike.
An F-16 fighter jet was struck by an unidentified flying object while engaging in training exercises in Arizona in January 2023. (iStock)
Authorities ultimately determined the aircraft was struck by a drone, but the location and operator of the device have yet to be determined, the spokesperson said.
The incident was the first of four encounters with unidentified anomalous phenomena (UAP) that were reported a day later, according to Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) documents obtained by the War Zone.
"According to military personnel I’ve personally met with, there were objects 200 miles off the East Coast that were extensively loitering and had no visible means of propulsion," James Fox, a director specializing in films about UFO activity, told Fox News Digital. "So a report from 2023 about an actual impact with a UAP doesn’t really surprise me."
The concerning collision comes as the Department of Defense reported 757 incidents involving UAPs from May 1, 2023, to June 1, 2024, according to an unclassified document released by the All-Domain Anomaly Resolution Office.
Of those encounters, 708 occurred in the air, with only 49 instances marked as "case closed" by officials. Additionally, the department received 18 reports regarding UAP incidents near nuclear infrastructure, launch sites and weapons, according to the report.
"None of these resolved cases substantiated advanced foreign adversarial capabilities or breakthrough aerospace technologies," the report states.
The Pentagon recorded 757 incidents involving UAPs from 2023 to 2024, according to unclassified documents. (iStock)
The sightings of UAPs near military sites are nothing new, according to Fox.
"There arereports dating back to the 1930s and 1940s," Fox said. "Where you had mysterious, glowing, and orb-like objects that emitted very bright light that could just fly rings around the military planes from World War II."
Fox pointed to the sheer advanced technology showcased within these sightings, such as aircraft that do not emit a heat signature or have the ability to fly stationary in high wind conditions.
"This has been well-documented for decades," Fox said. "So either we’ve managed to track the same thing it’s been, [possibly] non-human intelligence, since the 1940s. Or someone has managed to replicate the technology, reverse engineer it and they’re flying it around."
Of the 2023 to 2024 reports, 708 occurred in the air, with only 49 instances marked as "case closed" by officials, according to Pentagon documents. (iStock)
In 2020, the Department of Defense established an Unidentified Aerial Phenomena Task Force (UAPTF) to further research and investigate the various UAPs spotted throughout American skies.
"The mission of the task force is to detect, analyze and catalog UAPs that could potentially pose a threat to U.S. national security," the department said in a statement.
Fox also cited officials’ use of updated technology to pinpoint the location and characteristics of UAPs possibly contributing to the influx in reports over recent years.
"They’ve adjusted the frequency on particular radars to pick up smaller objects that maybe have been here all along," Fox said, adding, "it’s a global phenomenon exhibiting the technology that’s just lightyears ahead from anything we have. Has there been a successful effort in reverse engineering? [If not], then it falls into the category that many would say is non-human intelligence."
While a vast majority of UAPs spotted by officials are quickly identified, Fox insists there are a select few that have origins unknown to even the highest of government authorities and do not match the technology owned by the country’s adversaries.
"A small percentage of these objects display a technology that's just light-years beyond anything that we or anybody else on the planet has," Fox said. "Which would imply, once you do the process of elimination, if it isn’t Russia or China, and if it’s not us, what's left?"
Fox also attributes overall public skepticism regarding UAPs to the U.S. government remaining tight-lipped about its findings over the years. However, officials have continued to work toward transparency with the American public, with a congressional hearing on UFOs occurring for the first time in decades in 2022 and continuing to take place on the floors of Congress.
"The primary reason for secrecy is that it’s difficult for any governing body to admit that there are structured craft of unknown origin whizzing around with impunity," Fox said. "They fly rings around our fastest jets, and [the government] doesn’t know who they are, where they come from or what they want."
Researchers bombarded lichens with a year's worth of Martian radiation in just 5 hours — and they survived, hinting that the extremophiles could potentially live on the Red Planet.
A new study has revealed that lichens can withstand the intense ionizing radiation that hits Mars' surface. (The lichen in this photo is Cetraria aculeata.)
(Image credit: Pensoft)
Earth-based lifeforms known as lichens may be tough enough to survive on Mars, a new study suggests.
Scientists came to this conclusion after blasting the lichens with a year's worth of Martian radiation in less than a day during a lab experiment — and the terrestrial lifeforms survived the process.
Mars is not an easy place to live. The Red Planet is essentially one giant desert with a minimal atmosphere, low temperatures and no liquid water at its surface. But the biggest barrier to life on Mars is the lack of a strong magnetic field, which protects against the constant bombardment of ionizing radiation from cosmic rays and solar flares, which can damage living cells and mutate their DNA.
One group of living things that may be able to survive these extreme conditions is lichens, symbiotic associations between fungi and photosynthetic bacteria and/or algae. These hybrid lifeforms, which are not considered true organisms but are listed as species on the three of life, work together to stay alive and many are extremophiles, capable of tolerating no hydration and extreme temperatures for long periods. Some species have even survived being directly exposed to the vacuum of space.
In the new study, published March 31 in the journal IMA Fungus, researchers tested how two lichen species — Diploschistes muscorum and Cetraria aculeata — reacted to ionizing radiation under Martian conditions. To do this, the team placed the lifeforms in a specialized vacuum chamber at the Space Research Centre of the Polish Academy of Sciences in Warsaw, which replicated the atmospheric pressure, temperatures and composition on the Red Planet. They bombarded the lichens with a year's worth of Martian radiation in just 5 hours. Both species were able to remain metabolically active throughout the tests.
Cetraria aculeata (left) and Diploschistes muscorum (right) both survived the experiments. But D. muscorum is a better candidate for living on Mars. (Image credit: Wikimedia/Alberto Salguero (left)/Thayne Tuason (right))
"These findings expand our understanding of biological processes under simulated Martian conditions and reveal how hydrated organisms respond to ionizing radiation," Kaja Skubała, a researcher at the Institute of Botany at the Jagellonian University in Krakow, Poland, said in a statement. "Ultimately, this research deepens our knowledge of lichen adaptation and their potential for colonizing extraterrestrial environments."
Of the two species, D. muscorum showed the greatest resistance to the radiation, sustaining less damage to its cells, which suggests that some lichens will be better suited to Martian conditions than others. However, it is unlikely that any species would be able to survive on Mars unattended for long periods, as there is no known liquid water at the surface, which all of Earth's lifeforms need to survive.
This is the reason why it is unlikely that there is any extraterrestrial life currently alive on Mars.
Martian candidates
According to the researchers, the new experiments show that lichens are prime candidates for being taken on future Mars missions, although there are several resilient species other than D. muscorum that could also make the trip.
But lichens are not the only lifeforms that could potentially survive on the Red Planet.
Scientists collect lichens near the Mars Desert Research Station in Utah to replicate how they might study life on Mars. This experiment was not part of the new study.(Image credit: Mars 160 Crew/The Mars Society)
One extremophile group that has long been considered as future Martian tourists is tardigrades. These microscopic critters are nearly indestructible and can survive extreme temperatures, crushing pressures, total dehydration and the vacuum of space, largely thanks to an ability to switch off their metabolism and enter a state of suspended animation.
Other candidates include mosses — plants with similar abilities to lichens. Some desert moss species have even been shown to be resilient to gamma rays and liquid nitrogen, hinting that they too could fare well on Mars.
Single-celled microorganisms, such as bacteria, might also be able to survive on Mars if they were sheltered from radiation, living underground. Research has shown that these microbes could also survive for hundreds of millions of years beneath the surface in a hibernation-like state.
However, the first terrestrial lifeforms to touch down on Mars will likely be a species that is naturally very poorly suited to living on Mars — humans. NASA intends on launching the first crewed mission to the Red Planet sometime in the 2030s, when they will get a taste of how tough it is to survive there.
Editor's note: This article was originally published April 8, 2025
The thick, mineral-rich layers of clay found on Mars suggest that the Red Planet harbored potentially life-hosting environments for long stretches in the ancient past, a new study suggests.
(Image credit: NASA/JPL-Caltech/UArizona)
The thick, mineral-rich layers of clay found onMars suggest that the Red Planet harbored potentially life-hosting environments for long stretches in the ancient past, a new study suggests.
Clays need liquid water to form. These layers are hundreds of feet thick and are thought to have formed roughly 3.7 billion years ago, under warmer and wetter conditions than currently prevail on Mars.
"These areas have a lot of water but not a lot of topographic uplift, so they're very stable," study co-author Rhianna Moore, who conducted the research as a postdoctoral fellow at the University of Texas' Jackson School of Geosciences, said in a statement.
"If you have stable terrain, you're not messing up your potentially habitable environments," Moore added. "Favorable conditions might be able to be sustained for longer periods of time."
On our home planet, such deposits form under specific landscape and climatic conditions.
"On Earth, the places where we tend to see the thickest clay mineral sequences are in humid environments, and those with minimal physical erosion that can strip away newly created weathering products," said co-author Tim Goudge, an assistant professor at the Jackson School's Department of Earth and Planetary Sciences.
Clays can be seen in the Hellas basin of Mars. (Image credit: NASA/JPL-Caltech/UArizona)
However, it remains unclear how Mars' local and global topography, along with its past climate activity, influenced surface weathering and the formation of clay layers.
Using data and images from NASA's Mars Reconnaissance Orbiter — the second-longest-operating spacecraft around Mars, after the agency's 2001 Mars Odyssey — Moore, Goudge, and their colleagues studied 150 clay deposits, looking at their shapes and locations, and how close they are to other features like ancient lakes or rivers.
They found that the clays are mostly located in low areas near ancient lakes, but not close to valleys where water once flowed strongly. This mix of gentle chemical changes and less intense physical erosion helped the clays stay preserved over time.
"[Clay mineral-bearing stratigraphies] tend to occur in areas where chemical weathering was favoured over physical erosion, farther from valley network activity and nearer standing bodies of water," the team wrote in the new study, which was published in the journal Nature Astronomy on June 16.
The findings suggest that intense chemical weathering on Mars may have disrupted the usual balance between weathering and climate.
On Earth, where tectonic activity constantly exposes fresh rock to the atmosphere, carbonate minerals like limestone form when rock reacts with water and carbon dioxide (CO2). This process helps remove CO2 from the air, storing it in solid form and helping regulate the climate over long periods.
On Mars, tectonic activity is non-existent, leading to a lack of carbonate minerals and minimal removal of CO2 from the planet's thin atmosphere. As a result, CO2 released by Martian volcanoes long ago likely stayed in the atmosphere longer, making the planet warmer and wetter in the past — conditions the team believes may have encouraged the clay's formation.
The researchers also speculate that the clay could have absorbed water and trapped chemical byproducts like cations, preventing them from spreading and reacting with the surrounding rock to form carbonates that remain trapped and unable to leech into the surrounding environment.
"[The clay is] probably one of many factors that's contributing to this weird lack of predicted carbonates on Mars," said Moore.
This article was originally published onSpace.com.
Illustration of space debris around Earth. Credit: ESA
Tens of thousands of pieces of space debris are hurtling around Earth right now. These defunct satellites, spent rocket stages, collision fragments and even a toolbox threaten active spacecraft and could trigger cascading disasters that make space unusable for generations. Since removing just a single piece of debris can cost tens of millions of dollars, the critical question becomes which ones should we prioritise?
It was during a spacewalk around the ISS that astronauts dropped a toolbox that now poses a threat to future space travellers. (Credit : NASA)
The numbers tell a sobering story. NASA data shows the monthly count of objects in Earth's orbit continues to climb relentlessly, while computer simulations predict an alarming future. Without intervention, low Earth orbit could become so cluttered with debris that catastrophic collisions become routine, potentially triggering a runaway chain reaction known as Kessler Syndrome.
A few years ago, eleven international teams of space experts tackled this challenge by each creating a ranked list of the 50 most concerning objects in low Earth orbit. Although they used different approaches, 20-40% of the objects ended up on several experts' lists, showing remarkable consensus given the complexity of the problem. However, their lists didn't perfectly match. Now, researchers from France and Spain have applied social choice theory, the mathematical study of voting and collective decision making to this conundrum, revealing how different ways of combining expert opinions lead to dramatically different conclusions about our most urgent space threats.
International space agencies agree that simply preventing new debris isn't enough. To stabilise the space environment, experts estimate we need to actively remove five to ten large pieces of debris, each bigger than 10 centimetres, every year before they fragment into thousands of smaller, untrackable pieces.
Orbital Debris strike on one of the window’s within the International Space Station.
(Credit : NASA)
Thankfully, the technology for space cleanup missions is rapidly advancing, with the first operational tests scheduled for later in 2025 and 2026. But with removal costs in the tens of millions of dollars per object, choosing the right targets is crucial.
The eleven expert teams used sophisticated methods to evaluate space debris, considering factors like mass, collision probability, orbital lifetime, and proximity to operational satellites. Despite using different approaches, they showed remarkable agreement with 20-40% of objects appeared on multiple lists. Only one object appeared on every expert's list, while their collective work identified 273 different pieces of concerning debris across all lists.
This level of consensus is quite impressive given the complexity of weighing multiple risk factors. However, the remaining disagreements still matter significantly when deciding where to spend tens of millions of dollars on removal missions.
Illustration of a satellite breaking up into multiple pieces at higher altitudes.
(Credit : ESA)
The original study combined the expert opinions using a hybrid scoring method, multiplying each object's Borda score (based on its ranking positions) by the number of lists it appeared on. This approach identified object 22,566 as the most concerning piece of debris.
However, the new research demonstrates that this conclusion depends entirely on the aggregation method chosen. Using the classic Borda count alone, object 22,220 emerges as the top priority. Apply the Condorcet winner principle, which seeks the object that would beat all others in head to head comparisons, and object 27,006 takes the lead. These aren't minor technical differences though. Each method reflects different philosophical approaches to collective decision making, with real implications for where humanity spends its limited space cleanup resources.
The researchers argue for fundamental changes in how we approach space debris prioritisation. Rather than forcing experts to rank exactly 50 objects, they suggest allowing each team to identify however many objects they consider truly concerning. This acknowledges that the threshold for "concerning" debris shouldn't be artificially constrained by committee decisions.
They also propose moving from ranked ballots to evaluative voting, where experts would categorise debris as "extremely hazardous," "hazardous," or "acceptable risk" based on absolute criteria rather than relative comparisons. This approach would be more robust to changes in the candidate pool and better reflect how experts actually think about risk assessment.
This research illuminates a broader challenge in scientific decision making, how to fairly aggregate expert opinions when stakes are high and resources are limited. The space debris problem resembles other collective choices, from pandemic response priorities to climate change mitigation strategies, where multiple valid perspectives must be reconciled into policies.
The study also reveals a critical gap in current debris removal planning, the failure to account for removal costs and dynamic effects. When one piece of debris is removed, the risk profiles of remaining objects change, suggesting we need more sophisticated approaches that consider removal sequences rather than individual targets.
As private space companies launch thousands of new satellites and space tourism takes off (if you will pardon the pun,) the orbital environment will only become more crowded. The methods we develop today for democratically choosing which space junk to remove, combining expert knowledge with fair aggregation techniques, may determine whether future generations inherit accessible space or a debris filled orbital wasteland that takes centuries to clear.
Early signs of a possible La Niña fall and winter are emerging in some climate models, federal forecasters announced July 10.
La Niña is a part of a natural climate cycle officially known as El Niño – Southern Oscillation, called ENSO by scientists. The cycle swings between warmer and cooler seawater in a region along the equator in the tropical Pacific. La Niña is marked by cooler-than-average ocean water in the region.
It is one of the main drivers of weather in the United States, especially during the late fall, winter and early spring. It's the opposite of the more well-known El Niño, which occurs when Pacific Ocean water is at least 0.9 degree warmer than average for three months.
La Niña and El Niño typically have minimal impact on summer weather in the United States, other than some effects on hurricanes. Winter is the one season when they have the most impact.
A typical La Niña winter in the United States brings cold and snow to the Northwest and unusually dry conditions to most of the Southern states, according to the Climate Prediction Center. The Southeast and mid-Atlantic also tend to see higher-than-average temperatures during a La Niña winter.
Meanwhile, New England and the Upper Midwest, including New York, tend to see lower-than-average temperatures, the Weather Channel said.
Map shows what a La Niña could mean for winter 2025-2026
The typical impacts of a La Niña winter in North America include a wetter, colder winter in parts of the northern United States and a drier, warmer winter in parts of the southern United States.
La Niña causes the jet stream to move northward and to weaken over the eastern Pacific. During La Niña winters, the South sees warmer and …Show more
NOAA
What is La Niña?
La Niña is a natural climate pattern marked by cooler-than-average seawater in the central and eastern Pacific Ocean. When the water cools at least 0.9 degree Fahrenheit below average for three straight months, a La Niña is declared.
"While this may sound like a small change in temperature, it can cause significant changes in the weather patterns around the globe," AccuWeather meteorologist Brian Lada said.
Could the possible La Niña affect the hurricane season?
In general, La Niña conditions favor hurricane development in the Atlantic basin, which includes the Caribbean Sea and the Gulf of America, formerly known as the Gulf of Mexico. This is because during La Niña, the strong storm-killing winds known as wind shear relax across the Atlantic basin, allowing hurricanes to more easily develop.
Hurricane researcher Phil Klotzbach of Colorado State University, in a July 10 email to USA TODAY, explained that "while Caribbean shear has been quite strong in June and is likely to remain strong throughout most of July, the potential trend more towards cool neutral (or even weak La Niña) later in the season may result in lower shear in the Caribbean later in the season."
The lower the wind shear, the greater the chance for hurricane development in the Atlantic basin.
Typical influence of La Niña on Pacific and Atlantic seasonal hurricane activity.
NOAA
But the status of ENSO is only part of the hurricane puzzle: Twenty years ago, in 2005, for instance, ENSO-neutral conditions also occurred in the Pacific ‒ and that year spawned the infamously destructive hurricanes Katrina and Rita, the National Weather Service said in an online report.
How likely is a La Niña winter?
Right now, it appears to be a toss-up.
While so-called "ENSO-neutral" conditions are most likely through the late summer, thereafter, chances of La Niña conditions increase into the fall and winter 2025-26, forecasters from the Climate Prediction Center (CPC) said July 10. In fact, one climate model used by the CPC – the North American Multi-Model Ensemble – "favors the onset of La Niña conditions during the Northern Hemisphere fall," the CPC said in its monthly update.
Japan's weather bureau also announced July 10 that there is a 40% chance of La Niña emerging in the fall.
Overall, the CPC said the chances for La Niña remain comparable to the likelihood of ENSO-neutral continuing.
What is ENSO-neutral?
ENSO-neutral means neither El Niño (warmer waters) nor La Niña (cooler waters) conditions are dominant in the Pacific. While El Niño and La Niña have expected impacts on global seasonal weather and climate, what about neutral?
"ENSO-neutral doesn’t mean we expect upcoming seasonal rain, snow, and temperature to be close to average," writes Emily Becker in the CPC's ENSO blog. "Rather, during neutral, we don’t have the same predictive information that El Niño and La Niña’s atmospheric changes provide, making upcoming patterns harder to predict very far in advance."
Beste bezoeker, Heb je zelf al ooit een vreemde waarneming gedaan, laat dit dan even weten via email aan Frederick Delaere opwww.ufomeldpunt.be. Deze onderzoekers behandelen jouw melding in volledige anonimiteit en met alle respect voor jouw privacy. Ze zijn kritisch, objectief maar open minded aangelegd en zullen jou steeds een verklaring geven voor jouw waarneming! DUS AARZEL NIET, ALS JE EEN ANTWOORD OP JOUW VRAGEN WENST, CONTACTEER FREDERICK. BIJ VOORBAAT DANK...
Druk op onderstaande knop om je bestand , jouw artikel naar mij te verzenden. INDIEN HET DE MOEITE WAARD IS, PLAATS IK HET OP DE BLOG ONDER DIVERSEN MET JOUW NAAM...
Druk op onderstaande knop om een berichtje achter te laten in mijn gastenboek
Alvast bedankt voor al jouw bezoekjes en jouw reacties. Nog een prettige dag verder!!!
Over mijzelf
Ik ben Pieter, en gebruik soms ook wel de schuilnaam Peter2011.
Ik ben een man en woon in Linter (België) en mijn beroep is Ik ben op rust..
Ik ben geboren op 18/10/1950 en ben nu dus 74 jaar jong.
Mijn hobby's zijn: Ufologie en andere esoterische onderwerpen.
Op deze blog vind je onder artikels, werk van mezelf. Mijn dank gaat ook naar André, Ingrid, Oliver, Paul, Vincent, Georges Filer en MUFON voor de bijdragen voor de verschillende categorieën...
Veel leesplezier en geef je mening over deze blog.
