Is Earth on track for a mass extinction? More than 48,000 animals are now at risk of being wiped out, report warns

• READ MORE: What the end of the world will REALLY look like

By SHIVALI BEST, SCIENCE & TECHNOLOGY EDITOR 

From the dodo to the Tasmanian tiger, many majestic creatures have become extinct over the years. 

Now, the International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN) has warned that 48,646 animals that could be next. 

The IUCN has updated its 'Red List', revealing that three species of Arctic seal have moved closer to extinction. 

The update also warns that the majority (61 per cent) of bird species globally are in decline – a huge increase on the 44 per cent at risk in 2016. 

However, it's not all doom and gloom. 

The green sea turtle has increased in population by approximately 28 per cent, thanks to decades of conservation action. 

'Today's Red List update, launched at the IUCN Congress in Abu Dhabi, shines a light on both the urgent challenges and the powerful possibilities before us,' said Dr Grethel Aguilar, IUCN Director General. 

'While species like Arctic seals and many birds face growing threats, the recovery of the green turtle reminds us that conservation works when we act with determination and unity.'

The IUCN has updated its 'Red List', revealing that three species of Arctic seal have moved closer to extinction.

Pictured: a bearded seal pup

The update also warns that the majority (61 per cent) of bird species globally are in decline – a huge increase on the 44 per cent at risk in 2016.

Pictured Schlegel's asity

Species on the IUCN Red List are animals of the highest conservation priority that need 'urgent action' to save. 

This year's list includes 172,620 animals – 48,646 of which are threatened with extinction. 

Three species of Arctic seal have moved closer to extinction, with the hooded seal now listed as Endangered, and the bearded seal and harp seal now listed as Near Threatened. 

These animals are under a variety of pressures, including shipping, noise, oil and mineral exploitation, hunting, and bycatch in fisheries. 

However, the biggest threat to these seals is climate change, according to Dr Kit Kovacs, Co–Chair of IUCN's Species Survival Commission Pinniped Specialist Group.

'Each year in Svalbard, the retreating sea ice reveals how threatened Arctic seals have become, making it harder for them to breed, rest and feed,' she explained. 

'Their plight is a stark reminder that climate change is not a distant problem – it has been unfolding for decades and is having impacts here and now. 

'Protecting Arctic seals goes beyond these species; it is about safeguarding the Arctic's delicate balance, which is essential for us all.' 

However, it's not all doom and gloom. The green sea turtle has increased in population by approximately 28 per cent, thanks to decades of conservation action

The Red List update also revealed that 61 per cent of all birds have declining populations – with species living in Madagascar, West Africa, and Central America most at risk.

This is mostly due to habitat loss, driven by agricultural expansion and logging, according to the IUCN. 

'That three in five of the world's bird species have declining populations shows how deep the biodiversity crisis has become and how urgent it is that governments take the actions they have committed to under multiple conventions and agreements,' said Dr Ian Burfield, BirdLife's Global Science Coordinator (Species) and Bird Red List Authority Coordinator. 

The green sea turtle, on the other hand, has actually improved in status, from Endangered to Least Concern. 

Since the 1970s, populations have increased by around 28 per cent, thanks to conservation efforts focusing on protecting nesting females and their eggs on beaches.

'The ongoing global recovery of the green turtle is a powerful example of what coordinated global conservation over decades can achieve to stabilise and even restore populations of long–lived marine species,' said Roderic Mast, Co–Chair of IUCN's Species Survival Commission Marine Turtle Specialist Group. 

Sadly, the Red List update also sees six species moved to the Extinct category. 

This includes the Christmas Island shrew, the slender–billed curlew, and the south–eastern striped bandicoot. 

Read More

• Ominous warning for humanity as birds suddenly adopt 'unsettling' behavior 

The update comes just one month ahead of the UN Climate Change Conference, which will be held in Belém, Brazil, from 10–21 November. 

'As we look ahead to the Climate COP in Belém, governments and communities have a pivotal opportunity to accelerate action that protects biodiversity, stabilises our climate, and builds a future where people and nature flourish together,' Dr Aguilar added. 

You can explore the full IUCN Red List here. 

Researchers claim the Earth is going through a 'man made' sixth mass extinction with the 'biological annihilation' of wildlife

The world has experienced five mass extinctions over the course of its history, and experts claim we are seeing another one happen right now.   

A 2017 research paper claimed a 'biological annihilation' of wildlife in recent decades has triggered the sixth mass extinction and says the planet is heading towards a 'global crisis'. 

Scientists warn humanity's voracious consumption and wanton destruction is to blame for the event, which is the first major extinction since the dinosaurs.

Two species of vertebrate, animals with a backbone, have gone extinct every year, on average, for the past century.

Currently around 41 per cent of amphibian species and more than a quarter of mammals are threatened with extinction.

There are an estimated 8.7 million plant and animal species on our planet and about 86 per cent of land species and 91 per cent of sea species remain undiscovered.

Of the ones we do know, 1,204 mammal, 1,469 bird, 1,215 reptile, 2,100 amphibian, and 2,386 fish species are considered threatened.

Also threatened are 1,414 insect, 2,187 mollusc, 732 crustacean, 237 coral, 12,505 plant, 33 mushroom, and six brown algae species.

More than 25,000 species of 91,523 assessed for the 2017 'Red List' update were classified as 'threatened'. 

The number of invertebrates at risk has also peaked. 

Scientists predict insects may go extinct within 100 years as a result of crippling population decline.   

The dawn of the mass extinction coincides with the onset of the Anthropocene - the geological age defined by human activity being the dominant influence on climate and the environment.

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

10-10-2025 om 18:36 geschreven door peter  

Celestial standoff! Scientists capture an image of two black holes circling each other for the first time

• READ MORE: Scientists think we have received a signal from a parallel universe

By WILIAM HUNTER, SCIENCE & TECHNOLOGY REPORTER

An image of two black holes circling each other has been captured for the very first time.

Astronomers spotted the celestial standoff in the heart of the galaxy OJ287, around five billion light-years from Earth.

Previously, scientists have only been able to produce images of individual supermassive black holes, such as the one at the centre of our own Galaxy.

However, scientists from the University of Turku, Finland, have now produced the first direct proof that black holes can come in pairs.

For years, scientists have suspected that OJ287 might be hiding two black holes, but there hasn't been a telescope powerful enough to tell them apart.

By combining antennas on Earth with a satellite located halfway to the moon, the astronomers created a radio telescope effectively 15 times larger than Earth.

That allowed them to take an image with a resolution 100,000 times higher than anything that had been used to observe OJ287 in the past.

Lead researcher Professor Mauri Valtonen says: 'For the first time, we managed to get an image of two black holes circling each other.'

Scientists have captured an image of two black holes circling one another for the very first time, proving that black holes come in pairs 

The pair of black holes is located at the centre of the quasar OJ287, an extremely bright galactic core around five billion light-years from Earth.

Pictured: An artist's impression of OJ287

OJ287 is a type of object known as a quasar, which is an extremely bright galactic core holding a supermassive black hole.

The black hole itself doesn't give out any light, but the gas and dust falling into the singularity become so hot that they produce massive amounts of radiation.

Quasar OJ287 is actually so bright that, despite being five billion light-years away, even an amateur astronomer with a decent telescope should be able to see it.

However, in the 1980s, scientists realised that the quasar's light was fluctuating in a reliable 12-year pattern.

Professor Valtonen says: 'What is special about OJ287 is that it has been thought to harbour not one but two black holes circling each other in a twelve-year orbit, which produces an easily recognisable pattern of light variations in the same period.'

Even though scientists were pretty sure that there were two supermassive black holes hiding within the quasar, it still took decades to prove this.

Even when NASA's TESS satellite was able to detect light from both black holes in 2021, the resulting image still only showed a single object.

The problem was that normal light-based telescopes simply can't produce a high enough resolution to peel apart the signals from these extremely distant objects.

Until now, scientists have only ever been able to take images of single black holes such as the black hole at the centre of our own galaxy, Sagittarius A* (pictured)

Using a very large radio telescope, the scientists revealed that there are two black holes. A very large one at the centre, and a smaller one that orbits its neighbour once every 12 years 

To see more, the scientists used a technique called 'Very Long Baseline Interferometry'.

This essentially involves combining radio telescopes scattered across Earth and throughout space into a single enormous 'virtual' telescope.

By adding the RadioAstron satellite, which was halfway to the moon when the images were taken, researchers were finally able to take a radio image of the quasar.

In their new paper, published in the Astrophysical Journal, Professor Valtonen compared their images to theoretical calculations and found that the black holes were exactly where they were expected to be.

Professor Valtonen says: 'In the image, the black holes are identified by the intense particle jets they emit.

'The black holes themselves are perfectly black, but they can be detected by these particle jets or by the glowing gas surrounding the hole.'

These images revealed that one of the black holes was significantly larger than the other.

The bigger has a mass about 18.35 billion times that of the sun, while the smaller is around 150 million solar masses. 

By comparing these radio images (pictured) to the theoretical models (shown as stars), the researchers showed that the jets produced by the black holes followed the exact path scientists had predicted 

That means the smaller is constantly spun around by the intense gravity, slamming through the larger black hole's accretion disk with each pass.

Every time the black hole passes through this cloud of dust and gas, the researchers estimate that it pulls away about 16 solar masses of material.

However, the larger black hole's accretion disc is so large that this barely makes a difference to the overall system.

Read More

• 'Supermassive' black holes aren't as big as we thought, scientists say 

In addition to proving that black hole pairs exist, the researchers also made an interesting discovery about these particle jets.

They found that the jet emanating from the smaller black hole was twisted, much like the stream of water emerging from a spinning, out-of-control firehose.

Because this smaller black hole is moving so fast around its larger neighbour, its particle jet is diverted depending on where it is currently moving.

The researchers call this a 'wagging tail' jet and predict that it should be seen twisting in different directions in the coming years when the smaller black hole changes its speed and direction.

EINSTEIN'S GENERAL THEORY OF RELATIVITY

Albert Einstein

In 1905, Albert Einstein determined that the laws of physics are the same for all non-accelerating observers, and that the speed of light in a vacuum was independent of the motion of all observers - known as the theory of special relativity.

This groundbreaking work introduced a new framework for all of physics, and proposed new concepts of space and time.

He then spent 10 years trying to include acceleration in the theory, finally publishing his theory of general relativity in 1915.

This determined that massive objects cause a distortion in space-time, which is felt as gravity.

At its simplest, it can be thought of as a giant rubber sheet with a bowling ball in the centre.

Pictured is the original historical documents related to Einstein's prediction of the existence of gravitational waves, shown at the Hebrew university in Jerusalem

As the ball warps the sheet, a planet bends the fabric of space-time, creating the force that we feel as gravity.

Any object that comes near to the body falls towards it because of the effect.

Einstein predicted that if two massive bodies came together it would create such a huge ripple in space time that it should be detectable on Earth.

It was most recently demonstrated in the hit film film Interstellar.

In a segment that saw the crew visit a planet which fell within the gravitational grasp of a huge black hole, the event caused time to slow down massively.

Crew members on the planet barely aged while those on the ship were decades older on their return.

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

10-10-2025 om 18:17 geschreven door peter  

Discovery of ancient Jesus artifact confirms famous six-word Bible verse

• READ MORE: Exact time Jesus died on the cross revealed

By STACY LIBERATORE, US SCIENCE & TECHNOLOGY EDITOR

Archaeologists have uncovered a trove of 1,300-year-old bread loaves that brings one of the Bible's most famous verses to life.

At Topraktepe, the site of ancient Eirenopolis in Turkey, researchers discovered five carbonized loaves, one bearing a portrait of Jesus and an ancient Greek inscription reading, 'With our thanks to Blessed Jesus.' 

The work, conducted under the direction of the Karaman Museum Directorate, made it possible to recover these fragile organic remains thanks to a natural carbonization process. 

Exposure to fire under specific conditions of temperature and lack of oxygen preserved the loaves with exceptional detail, described by experts as the best-documented examples of their kind in all of Anatolia.

The finding vividly echoes John 6:35, where Jesus declares, 'I am the bread of life.' For the people of Eirenopolis, this bread was not just food but a sacred object, literally and ritually treated as a representation of Christ.

Unlike the traditional Pantocrator, or 'Christ Almighty,' images, majestic, formal figures typically found on domes and icons, the Topraktepe loaf shows a radically different representation. 

Researchers have identified it as the 'Sower Jesus' or 'Farming Jesus,' emphasizing a connection between faith, daily labor, and the fertility of the land. 

This rare iconography offers an unprecedented glimpse into how early Christians in provincial Anatolia envisioned Christ in a deeply human and agrarian context. 

Archaeologists have uncovered charred loaves of bread that were used by early Christians for communion 

The finding vividly echoes John 6:35, where Jesus declares, 'I am the bread of life.' For the people of Eirenopolis, this bread was not just food but a sacred object, literally and ritually treated as a representation of Christ

The other four loaves feature cross-shaped imprints, further suggesting they were used in early Christian rituals as Eucharistic or communion bread.

Preliminary analyses suggest that the 'Sower Jesus' image was far more than decorative. 

Archaeologists suggested it conveyed profound symbolic meaning, highlighting divine blessing over agricultural labor, using the hope for a bountiful harvest as a metaphor for spiritual redemption and celebrating the sanctity of daily work and sustenance. 

In essence, the depiction reflects a form of popular piety in which Christ embodied the rhythms and labors of ordinary life. 

The combination of the Greek inscription expressing gratitude, the distinctive 'Farming Jesus' iconography, and the Maltese Cross motifs on the loaves has led researchers to a strong working hypothesis: these are very likely communion breads used in the central Christian ritual of the Eucharist. 

In Byzantine Christian practice, bread used in the Eucharist symbolized the body of Christ, with leavened loaves in the East representing life and resurrection. 

While texts and icons describe these rituals, few physical specimens survive. 

A total of five loaves were uncovered, many of which featured cross-shaped patterns 

The ancient loaves were found at Topraktepe, the site of ancient Eirenopolis in Turkey

The Topraktepe loaves, preserved with exceptional clarity, provided tangible evidence of how early Christians enacted their devotion through everyday objects like bread. 

Topraktepe, also known as the 'City of Peace,' served as an important bishopric center during the Roman and Byzantine periods. 

Read More

• Shroud of Turin mystery deepens as surgeon spots hidden detail that points to Jesus' resurrection 

Located near today’s Ermenek district, Eirenopolis occupied a strategic point on the Anemurium–Isaura trade route, connecting the Mediterranean coast with inland Anatolia. 

Archaeological surveys reveal fortified city walls, rock-cut dwellings, and extensive necropolises, reflecting both its defensive significance and its role as a religious and administrative hub. 

As a bishopric under the Patriarchate of Constantinople, the city was closely tied to broader Byzantine ecclesiastical networks, which shaped its liturgical traditions 

The Topraktepe discovery resonates with Jesus’ teachings at the synagogue in Capernaum, a town on the northern shore of the Sea of Galilee, where he performed miracles, healing the sick, casting out demons, and restoring the paralyzed. 

It was there he declared, 'I am the bread of life,' linking spiritual nourishment to physical sustenance. 

The 'Sower Jesus' image on the loaf reflects this same principle, portraying Christ as a provider who blesses both labor and harvest 

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

10-10-2025 om 18:00 geschreven door peter  

3I/ATLAS, as seen by the Gemini South observatory in August 2025

(Credit: International Gemini Observatory/NOIRLab/NSF/AURA/Shadow the Scientist).

Physicists have detected water activity during observations of the mysterious comet 3I/ATLAS, marking the first time hydroxyl gas, a chemical signature of water, has been detected from the interstellar visitor. 

Using NASA’s Neil Gehrels Swift Observatory, the Auburn University team determined 3I/ATLAS is releasing water at a rate of roughly 40 kilograms per second, comparable to a fire hose running at full blast, while positioned nearly three times farther from the Sun than Earth.

What makes this finding particularly remarkable is the distance at which this activity was observed: 2.90 astronomical units, well beyond the region where most solar system comets show any significant signs of such activity.

“When we detect water—or even its faint ultraviolet echo, OH—from an interstellar comet, we’re reading a note from another planetary system,” explained Dennis Bodewits, professor of physics at Auburn University and principal investigator of the study, in a press release. “It tells us that the ingredients for life’s chemistry are not unique to our own.”

According to their paper, the scientists used ultraviolet light to detect water molecules coming off the comet. The team found that there is a specific signal water gives off as it breaks apart in space, and the water the comet was releasing grew significantly between late July and mid-August 2025.

To make this discovery, they relied on NASA’s Swift telescope, which orbits high above Earth. Even though Swift only has a 12-inch mirror, it can see ultraviolet light much better than telescopes on the ground because it’s beyond our atmosphere, which normally blocks most ultraviolet light from reaching telescopes on the surface. From its location in space, Swift has the same power as a much larger 13-foot telescope would have on Earth for this type of observation.

Since its discovery on July 1, 2025, by the NASA-funded ATLAS survey telescope in Chile, 3I/ATLAS has consistently defied expectations. Previous research reported by The Debrief has revealed that this interstellar visitor is “anomalously massive” compared to its predecessors, with recent studies suggesting a minimum nucleus diameter of roughly five kilometers and a mass of at least 33 billion tons.

This extraordinary size places 3I/ATLAS several orders of magnitude more massive than the first two known interstellar objects, 1I/’Oumuamua and 2I/Borisov. As Harvard astronomer Avi Loeb noted in previous correspondence with The Debrief, “We should have detected an order of 100,000 ‘Oumuamuas before discovering an object as big as 3I/ATLAS”.

The comet’s massive nature helps explain its ability to maintain course despite significant outgassing activity. Unlike smaller objects that would be deflected by gas jets from their sun-facing surfaces, 3I/ATLAS has shown remarkable orbital stability, with non-gravitational acceleration measured at less than 15 meters per day squared.

The discovery of water emanating from the comet only adds to its complexity and mystique.

Rather than simple nuclear sublimation, the research suggests water production originates from extended sources, most likely large icy grains in the comet’s coma that sublimate as they’re heated by sunlight. This mechanism, observed in only a handful of distant comets, points to complex, layered ice structures that preserve their ancient formation clues.

The water detection adds another chapter to the evolving story of interstellar objects in our solar system. As lead researcher Zexi Xing noted, “Every interstellar comet so far has been a surprise. ‘Oumuamua was dry, Borisov was rich in carbon monoxide, and now ATLAS is giving up water at a distance where we didn’t expect it.”

“Each one is rewriting what we thought we knew about how planets and comets form around stars,” Xing said. 

Moreover, recent observations by ESA’s ExoMars Trace Gas Orbiter during 3I/ATLAS’s close approach to Mars provided additional imaging opportunities. While the challenging observation conditions highlighted the technical difficulties of studying these rare visitors, it was still considered a unique opportunity to use the orbiter for something outside of its mission parameters.

“Though our Mars orbiters continue to make impressive contributions to Mars science,” ESA project scientist Colin Wilson said at the time. “It’s always extra exciting to see them responding to unexpected situations like this one.”

3I/ATLAS will become observable again after mid-November 2025, offering additional opportunities to track its evolution as it approaches perihelion on October 30. The comet’s trajectory will take it within 1.4 astronomical units of the Sun, just inside Mars’s orbit, before it exits our solar system forever, traveling at a speedy 130,000 miles per hour.

The discovery has profound implications for our understanding of planetary system formation across the galaxy. The presence of water activity in an interstellar comet demonstrates that the basic chemical ingredients for life are not unique to our solar system. Moreover, the complex ice structures indicated by extended water sources preserve information about formation conditions in distant stellar environments billions of years ago.

As 3I/ATLAS continues on its journey through our solar system, astronomers worldwide are seizing this rare opportunity to study material that has drifted through interstellar space for potentially billions of years. Each observation brings new insights into the diversity of planetary systems and the cosmic processes that shape the building blocks of life throughout our galaxy.

• MJ Banias covers space, security, and technology with The Debrief. You can email him at mj@thedebrief.org or follow him on Twitter @mjbanias.

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

10-10-2025 om 17:11 geschreven door peter  

Soar through a 1,000-mile-long maze on Mars in this mesmerizing new satellite video

Watch OIf you've ever wanted to get lost on Mars, now's your chance: You can fly over a maze-like canyon on the Red Planet in a stunning new video from the European Space Agency (ESA).

The animation, based on data from ESA's Mars Express spacecraft, brings viewers on a "mesmerising flight over curving channels carved by water, islands that have resisted erosion, and a maze of hilly terrain," using images from the spacecraft's high-resolution stereo camera, ESA officials said in a statement.

"Central to the tour is a 1300 km [808-mile]-long outflow channel called Shalbatana Vallis," they explained. "It cascades down from the highland region of Xanthe Terra to the smoother lowlands of Chryse Planitia. Billions of years ago, water surged through this channel, creating many of the features we see today. The tour culminates in a spectacular view of a 100 km [62-mile]-wide impact crater, smashed out of Mars's surface when it collided with a space rock."

Xanthe Terra was the name the International Astronomical Union gave to this region in 1979, following high-resolution mapping of Mars by spacecraft of that era. The name means something like "golden-yellow land," according to DLR, the German space agency, which funded the camera equipment.

Keen-eyed video viewers will see the flight cross the "Martian dichotomy boundary," where the craters of the southern highlands gradually smooth into flatter plains in the northern lowlands, DLR stated in a separate statement. Researchers are still not sure why this dichotomy exists.

The video also features outflow channels that "are wide, deeply incised valley structures that likely formed in Mars' geological past during catastrophic flood events involving enormous quantities of water," DLR officials said. This carving may have happened as volcanoes melted underground ice deposits.

The Mars Express camera scours Mars' geology as part of the larger mission's search for life, DLR officials added the statement.

Mars Express has been at the Red Planet since 2003, for what was supposed to be a two-year mission. The spacecraft is still healthy after more than 20 years of service, and it has received multiple mission extensions based on its scientific return.

"While it may be feeling its age, it continues to lift the lid on the Red Planet, with implications for our understanding of our own home," ESA officials wrote of the long-running mission in 2023.

{ https://www.livescience.com/space }

09-10-2025 om 22:20 geschreven door peter  

The Great Architects of Mars: Is the Keyhole Structure Artificial?

George J. Haas

Humans have a long history of altering their environment by producing an extensive lexicon of geometric and pictographic earthworks. One of the first major discoveries of geoglyphic formations was the mysterious Nazca lines in Peru. These formations were left unseen for centuries as travelers unwittingly trampled over this sacred text. The world was not aware of these odd linear features, such as this Trapezoid (Figure 1,) until the 1930s, when trans-Andean aviators began flying over the arid Nazca plateau. Pilots saw a vast assortment of lines that formed images of different types of geometric patterns and animals scattered across this ancient landscape.

Archaeologists believe that many of these early formations were created by some of our earliest cultures to establish memorials or monuments for worship and sacred ritual. Astronomers speculate that many of these mounds and linear formations may have been created to represent prominent constellations or to mark important planetary and solar alignments.

The creation of geoglyphic art works may also have been produced as territorial markers establishing tribal boundaries that could be seen from a high vantage point, such as a surrounding hill side or a distant mountain peak. Still, others believe they were constructed for no other reason than to communicate with the gods above, or be seen by the watchful eye of extraterrestrials.

(Figure 1) Trapezoid, Peru.

(Google Earth).

In the 1820’s Carl Friedrich Gauss, a well-known German mathematician, had the idea of creating an immense geometric landform to communicate with extraterrestrials. He proposed the construction of an enormous diagram depicting the Pythagorean Theorem, also known as the 47th Problem of Euclid in the thick Siberian forest.

The proposed landform would consist of one large right triangle and three squares cut into the dense pine forest. Once the imprint was complete, wheat would be planted inside each of the cleared areas to provide a contrasting color to the pine trees. This massive agricultural imprint would be so large it could be seen from the Moon or Mars. Gauss believed that a complex geometric image of the Pythagorean Theorem would demonstrate the existence of intelligent life on Earth and get the attention of alien observers. His proposed geometric landform was never realized.

Whatever rational we use to consider or reject the idea of constructing such enormous geoglyphic formations here on earth, it is clear that mankind’s obsession with transforming his environment and producing pictographic or geometric monuments is a long held human tradition. Perhaps these early builders also contemplated the idea of constructing a visual “marker” that could be seen from space by a watchful eye in the sky and establish contact between two worlds.

This vary question of finding a “marker” on another planet was addressed by a group of mainstream scientists in a 2014 book entitled; Archaeology, Anthropology, and Interstellar Communication. The report, which was led by astrobiologist Douglas A. Vakoch, included NASA and SETI scientists along with archeologists and anthropologists, determined that the observation of rock art and sculptural carvings on a planetary surface should be considered as possible examples of extraterrestrial communication. The authors make the case that scientists may have difficulty identifying “manifestations of extraterrestrial intelligence” because they might “resemble a naturally occurring phenomenon.” This leaves the door open for the idea that an unknown, lost civilization could have left us a message on Earth or our moon or even on Mars that we are totally unequipped to understand or even recognize.

The Exclamation Mark

On January 11, 2011 the Mars Reconnaissance Orbiter (MRO) spacecraft acquired an image of something unusual within the Syrtis Major hemisphere of the planet Mars. sitting in an area known as Libya Montes. The on board HiRISE camera snapped an image of what appeared to be an odd wedge-shaped formation with an attached circular dome (Figure 1). The HiRISE image ESP_020794_1860 was taken in the early afternoon with an exceptional resolution of 50 cm per pixel. The official release on the University of Arizona web site included a caption that accompanied the image, which referred to this odd, geometrically-shaped formation as an “exclamation mark” Traditionally, the basic shape of a conjoined wedge and dome formation is commonly referred to as a keyhole.

(Figure 1) Keyhole Structure- rotated 90° east. Detail of MRO HiRISE image ESP_020794_1860 (2011).

The formation was brought to my attention during the summer of 2013 by a colleague of mine at the Society for Planetary SETI Research, Greg Orme. Soon after down loading the image and examining it up close, I posted an article about it on The Cydonia Institute’s discussion board tilted Keyhole – Exclamation Mark on Mars, with a link to the original image. Its reception was overwhelming and the Keyhole structure quickly became the new hot topic of numerous YouTube videos and online news articles. Many of the reports actually published parts of my article along with my drawings without any mention of me or The Cydonia Institute. The Keyhole was everywhere.

MRO & THEMIS

Excited with the discovery and all the attention it was getting, I performed an extensive search of the NASA archive and I found two additional images of the keyhole structure that were taken three years earlier, during the winter of 2007.

The first image of the Keyhole structure was acquired by the Mars Reconnaissance Orbiter (MRO) HiRISE spacecraft in November with its smaller context camera (CTX). The image P14_006672_1836_XN_03N267W was taken during mid-morning, with a resolution of 5 pixels per meter (Figure 2).

(Figure 2) Keyhole structure. Detail of MRO HiRISE CTX image P14_006672_1836_XN_03N267W (2007).

The second image of the Keyhole structure was taken by the Mars Odyssey THEMIS camera, which again captured the entire structure. The narrow-angle image V26406033 was taken in December, during the early afternoon, with a lower resolution of approximately 17 meters per pixel (Figure 3).

(Figure 3) Keyhole structure. Detail of Mars Odyssey THEMIS image V26406033 (2007).

The wedge and dome-shape of the keyhole structure is easily seen in both images, which are similar in tonality. It sits alone within a flat terrain with sun light hitting the western side of the wedge form and the dark shadows giving form to its southeastern side. The MRO HiRISE CTX image provides more detail and shows the ribbed texture of the dome and the sharp edge of the wedge is more defined.

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• Top image: The planet Mars.
• Source: Andrea Luck/CC BY-SA 2.0.
• By George Haas

George Hass is the founder and premier investigator of the Mars researh group known as The Cydnonia Institute. A member of the Society for Planetary SETI Research, he is the author of The Great Architects of Mars: Evidence for the Lost Civilizations on the Red Planet, and has written multiple peer-reviewd science papers related to anomalous formations on the surface of Mars. He has appeared on Coast to Coast AM with George Noory and on the History Channel's Ancient Aliens, The Proof is Out There, and The UnXplained with William Shatner. He lives in Waterford, Virginia.

{ https://www.ancient-origins.net/ }

09-10-2025 om 21:57 geschreven door peter  

HET GLOBALE BEELD VAN DE SLANG IN DE WERELD: Waarom de symboliek van slangen in elke oude cultuur voorkomt.

Inleiding

Het beeld van de slang als symbool doorkruist de mensheid als een constante die zich uitstrekt over tijd en ruimte. Van de sluierachtige schilderingen in grotten tot de hiërogliefen in het oude Egypte, van de kronkelende figuren in de wandelgangen van de Griekse mythologie tot de heilige iconografie in India en de symbolische voorstellingsvormen in China en de precolumbiaanse culturen: vrijwel elke oude cultuur lijkt een serpent te erkennen als drager van betekenis. Maar waarom lijkt deze beeltenis zo universeel?

Dit essay tracht een wetenschappelijke onderbouwing te bieden voor de bewering dat snake-symboliek niet slechts incidenteel voorkomen is, maar een structureel echootje van een gemeenschappelijke menselijke ervaring met de natuur, de biologie van slangen, en de existentiële vragen omtrent leven, dood, cycles en transformatie. De centrale stelling is dat serpent als symboliek komt voort uit een combinatie van (1) ecologische en biogeografische realiteiten van slangen en hun rol in voedselketens, (2) de zintuiglijke indrukken die slangen op mens en dier maken—kracht, subtiliteit, kwetsbaarheid en ook gevaar—en (3) de diepe menselijke neiging om waargenomen orde en betekenis te projecteren op buitenwereldse tekenen via mythevorming en ritueel.

Theoretisch kader

Om serpent-symboliek te plaatsen in een wetenschappelijk kader, biedt het antropologisch- en mythologisch repertoire een combinatie van comparatieve mythologie, cultuurpsychologie en symbolische antropologie. De comparatieve aanpak erkent dat soortgelijke beelden kunnen voorkomen zonder directe culturele overdracht, maar wijst tegelijk op patronen die coherente verklaringen bieden als er systematische overeenkomsten bestaan. Cultuurpsychologie betoogt dat symbolen vaak functioneren als cognitieve instrumenten waarmee mensen complexe ervaringen verwerken: angst, hoop, onzekerheid, zingeving en oriëntatie in de wereld. Ten slotte wijst de iconografie naar gerealiseerde praktijken: rituelen, kunst en architectuur leveren materiële bewijzen van hoe serpentijn-symbolen worden ervaren en ingezet in identiteitsvorming, legitimatie van macht en genezing.

Hoewel de term serpentiner symbool in verschillende tradities uiteenlopende betekenissen kan hebben, vertonen veel culturen een dubbelzinnige karakterisering: slangen vertegenwoordigen zowel potentieel gevaar als vernieuwing, zowel verleiding als kennis, zowel herbouwen als vernielen. Deze ambiguïteit maakt de slang uitermate geschikt om de paradoxen van de menselijke ervaring te symboliseren: leven en dood, ziekte en genezing, verleiding en ethiek, orde en chaos. Een dergelijk pluriform gebruik vereist een systematische vergelijking van kenmerken, contexten en functies van serpentijn-symboliek door middelen van archetypisch denken, rituele praktijk en iconografische industrie.

Een artistieke weergave van de Australische Regenboogslang (bron)

Oorsprong en betekenislagen: historische voorbeelden

Om de universaliteit van de slang te onderbouwen, helpen enkele klassiek gedocumenteerde voorbeelden uit verschillende regio’s om de breedte van de fenomenologie te illustreren:

• Egypte en de mediterrane wereld: de ophanging van de cobra (ucht in de heilige slang), samen met de uraeus, is een emblem van koninklijke beschermingsmacht en goddelijke autoriteit. De cobra fungeert als lijfwacht tegen de demonische jagers, maar draagt tegelijk symboliek van genezing en regeneratie door zijn associatie met het oog van de godin Wadjet. Deze dubbelzinnige rol benadrukt de wijze waarop een serpent een bron van zowel bescherming als potentieël gevaar is.

• Mesopotamië en het Nabije Oosten: in Mesopotamische kunst en literatuur verschijnen slangen als wevers van geneeskracht en als de beheerders van geheimen, vaak in relatie tot de hemel en de onderwereld. De slang wordt soms geassocieerd met dammen van water, koele adem en de cyclical manifestaties van seizoenen. Hier zien we de combinatie van praktische associaties (water, genezing) met mythologische en cosmologische betekenissen.

• Zuid-Azië en Índia: in de teksten van de Upanishads en in de iconografie rond Shiva en zijn cyclus van vernieuwing, verschijnt de naga of serpent als symbool van bewustzijnsverruiming en Kunda-linie van Kundalini. Slangen worden zowel geacht te beschermen als te drijven tot een transformatie-ervaring. Deze traditie toont een spirituele dimensie waarin de slang staat voor innerlijke wijsheid, rijpingsprocessen en de orde van kosmische krachten.

• Oost-Azië en China: in sommige Chinees-Daoïstische en Boeddhistische tradities verweven slangen zich in de symboliek van aarde en water, en fungeren ze als wevers van translated harmony tussen hemel en aard. De draak is soms, in westerse interpretaties, verwant aan serpentijnbeelden, maar in bepaalde milieu-contexten blijft de slang een bemiddelaar tussen natuurlijke cycli en menselijke orde.

• Midden- en Zuid-Amerika: in precolumbiaanse culturen treffen we serpentijnen aan in reliëfs en beeldhouwwerk die zowel leven-groeien als onderwereld-symbolen kunnen omvatten. De cobra-achtige figuren en de serpente-figuren die zorg dragen voor landbouw en regen weerspiegelen een preoccupatie met wedergeboorte en vruchtbaarheid.

Deze gevarieerde voorbeelden illustreren een patroon: serpentijn-symboliek treedt op als interface tussen menselijke tussenkomst en natuurlijke orde, als teken van kwetsbaarheid en kracht, als kanaal voor rijping en transformatie, en als middelen voor het vestigen van macht en gezondheid. Cruciaal is de waarneming dat dit fenomeen zelden enkel op uiterlijke kenmerken terug te brengen is, maar veeleer verweven is met maatschappelijke functies, rituelen en de wijze waarop een samenleving haar existentiële onzekerheden ordent.

De vlag van de Wereldgezondheidsorganisatie van de VN (bron)

Ecologische en biologische overwegingen

Een belangrijke dimensie bij het verklaren van de wijdverspreide serpentijn-symboliek is de ecologie van slangen zelf. Slangen bezitten kenmerken die ten grondslag liggen aan de aantrekkingskracht en de potentieel angstwekkende impact: elasticiteit van beweging, het vermogen om als predator te opereren, de lange periode waarin ze verstopt kunnen zijn en plotselinge, vaak onvoorspelbare aanvallen, evenals hun verschillende nageslachtstrategieën en giftige werking. Deze combinatie van kavernose stealth, potentieel gevaar en een scala aan adaptaties maakt slangen tot krachtige metaforen voor zowel bescherming als risico. Vanuit een ecologisch standpunt tonen slangen een buitengewone veelzijdigheid: ze evolueerden in diverse habitats—woestijn, tropisch regenwoud, graslanden, rotsachtige kloven—en ontwikkelden camouflagekleuren en -patronen die hen helpen prooi te besluipen of te ontsnappen aan vijanden. Hun gedrag is vaak subtiel en doch berekend; ze kiezen momenten van activiteit zorgvuldig, wat symbolisch aansluit bij het idee van kennis die in schaduwrijke en verborgen omgevingen heerst. Bovendien spelen hun sociale en weerspiegelende aspecten een rol: sommige soorten paren voor een korte periode met duidelijke hiërarchie, terwijl andere solitair leven maar toch deel uitmaken van complexe ecologische netwerken. De relatie tussen slangen en hun prooi is geregeld via trage of snelle jachtstrategieën, wat de associatie met geduld en precisie versterkt. Ten slotte beïnvloedt de giftige aard van sommige soorten de symboliek rondom macht over leven en dood, wat een kwetsbaar, maar noodzakelijk evenwicht in natuurlijke systemen benadrukt en als krachtige metafoor voor de menselijke wereld dient.

• Angst en respect voor zijn eigen lichaamskenmerken: slangen bewegen zonder wapperende ledematen en gebruiken hun slanke, soepele lichaamsbouw om zich te verplaatsen en te herbergen in kleine ruimtes. Dit maakt hen buitengewoon effectief in stealth en ambush-technieken, wat taboes en gevaren symboliseerbaar maakt in veel culturen. Het idee van een onzichtbare dreiging draagt bij aan de symbolische associatie met geheimhouding en kennis die zich in verborgen sferen afspeelt. Biologisch gezien bezitten slangen geen poten en een gewichtloze wendbaarheid die hen in staat stelt in kleine scheuren en ondergronds te gedijen. Die eigenschap creëert een beeld van onaanschouwelijke macht: de ratelslang kan zich snel verplaatsen zonder waarschuwing, terwijl constrictors prooi verzwakken door omarming. De flexibiliteit van hun wervelsegmenten biedt tevens een demonstratie van economisch gebruik van energie en beweging—een les in efficiëntie die in verhalen vaak wordt vertaald naar het vermogen om barrières te doorbreken of te ontwijken. Het feit dat veel slangen hun kop, huid en zintuigen zo hebben aangepast dat ze zowel waakzaam als bedrieglijk lijken, versterkt het idee van kennis als sluimerende kracht die pas bij de juiste prikkel realiseert. In rituele en maatschappelijke verhoudingen weerspiegelt dit hoe men onzichtbare risico’s herkent en toch met respect benadert.

• Genezing en vergif: de geneeskrachtige associatie ontstaat door de relatie tussen slangen en geneesmiddelen, wat soms letterlijk is (geneeskrachtige kruiden geassocieerd met slangen). Tegelijkertijd is er de giftigheid van veel slangen het symbool van potentie en gevaar, en dit dualistische beeld werkt als een metafoor voor de scheidslijn tussen genezing en vergif in de menselijke ervaring. Biologisch gezien spelen verschillende functies een cruciale rol: de stofwisseling van giftige slangen levert moleculaire bouwstenen op die in de geneeskunde onderzocht zijn—tand- en beetinjecties triggert het immuunsysteem op unieke manieren; sommige componenten zijn onderzocht voor pijnstilling of remming van cellulaire processen. Slangenhuid, evenals slijm en harsachtige afscheidingen, vertegenwoordigen beschermingsmechanismen, die in culturen vaak symbool staan voor reiniging en vernieuwing. De existentie van anticöpale of antivitamines in de biologie heeft geleid tot bredere metaforen over vernieuwing en voorzichtigheid in menselijke genezingspraktijken. Tegelijkertijd belicht de giftigheid de schijnbaar contradictorische realiteit van genezing: behandeling kan zowel genezen als schade veroorzaken afhankelijk van dosering, context en toediening. In mythologie en rituelen functioneert dit als les in evenwicht tussen helende krachten en gevaar, en onderstreept het hoe menselijke beslissingen zorgvuldig moeten worden genomen voor welzijn en herstel

• Levenscyclus en regeneratie:  het beeld van slangen die hun huid verliezen en zich vernieuwen, dient als krachtige metafoor voor wedergeboorte en vergankelijkheid. Dit aspect is essentieel voor de symboliek van transformatie: de slang wordt aangeroepen als beeld van vernieuwing en continuïteit in rituelen die de bevordering of hernieuwing van de menselijke gemeenschap omarmen. Biologisch gezien ondergaat elke slang een proces van huidvernieuwing dat regelmaat en herstel symboliseert, wat de grenzen van levenskracht en tijd benadrukt. Deze cyclus van groei, oud worden, en uiteindelijk ontmanteling in een nieuw huidwerkstuk fungeert als instrument van leerervaring: het oude wordt achtergelaten om plaats te maken voor het frisse, een proces dat mensen herinnert aan de noodzaak van verandering en aanpassing in tijden van onzekerheid. In verschillende culturen wordt de huidwisseling gevierd als symbool van reiniging, spirituele onthulling en de hernieuwing van toewijding aan gemeenschappelijke doelen. Bovendien is er een relatie met regeneratieve processen in ecologie: de huidafzettingen dragen bij aan de bodemkwaliteit en kunnen eco-systemen beïnvloeden door micro-ecosystemen te ondersteunen. Het combineren van deze biologische realiteit met spirituele interpretaties levert een diepgaande, veelzijdige resonantie op die in rituelen werkt als een brug tussen individuele transformatie en collectieve hoop. Daarmee fungeert de slang als archetype van vernieuwing die zowel de mens als de gemeenschap aanzet tot voortdurende aanpassing en groei.

Links: Een houten Uraeus uit de Ptolemaïsche periode in Egypte (305-30 v.Chr.), mogelijk van de buitenkant van een kist. Rechts: Uraeus van koperlegering uit de Late Periode (664 v.Chr. – 332 v.Chr.), uit Saqqara in Beneden-Egypte

(Foto's: Manchester Museum Collection Online)

Interpretatieve kaders en functionele rollen

Symbolisch werkt de slang in vele culturen als een polyvalente figuur die kan dienen als:

• Beschermende macht:  In talrijke culturele tradities fungeert de slang als een polyfunctie-figuur die een beschermende macht vertegenwoordigt. Het dier wordt vaak geplaatst op strategische plaatsen zoals ingangen van paleizen, tempels en heiligdommen, waar het als een waakzame entiteit optreedt die bedreigingen sketcht en indringers af- scheidt. Deze beschermende rol werkt zowel zichtbaar als symbolisch: zichtbaar in architectonische motieven en heraldiek, waar de slang vaak voorkomt als schild of embleem; symbolisch in rituelen en spreuken die gericht zijn op veiligheid en stabiliteit van de politieke orde. De slang fungeert als dyadische kracht, een beweging tussen waakzaamheid en bewaartechniek: enerzijds het functioneren als een alertend systeem dat risico’s opmerkt, anderzijds als een waarborg die orde bewaart door te reageren op verstoringen. Dit impliceert dat de slang niet alleen een symbolisch beeld is, maar ook een semiotisch instrument waarmee macht en autoriteit legitimeren en stabiliseren. In heilige contexten krijgt de slang bovendien een extra laag: zij bekrachtigt de gezaghebbende capaciteit van heersers doordat sabbaticale of ceremoniële returns van gevaar worden getypeerd als gecontroleerd door de beschermende aanwezigheid van het dier.

• Genezend medium: De associatie tussen slangen en genezing is wereldwijd wijdverspreid en doordrenkt met zowel mythische als praktische connotaties. In vele tradities fungeert de slang als een medicijn-figuur die goddelijke of natuurlijke krachten kanaliseert ten gunste van gezondheid en herstel. Mythen schilderen vaak hoe slangen geneeswijzen leveren via aankleuringen, spreuken of rituele handelingen, waarbij hun samentrekkende beweging en vergankelijke schubbenles een archetypische taal vormen voor geneeskracht die in het lichaam wordt ingezet. De slang verschijnt bijvoorbeeld als medisch symbool in tempels, apotheekinsignes en in artefacten die helende eigenschappen worden toegeschreven aan de goden die aan deze dieren verbonden zijn. Daarnaast weerspiegelt de verbinding tussen slangen en genezing een bredere epistemologie: kennis van medicinale planten, zuiveringen en preventieve ceremonies kan worden doorgegeven door symbolische legaten, die de gemeenschap helpen ziekten te voorkomen en lichamelijke en spirituele welvaart te beschermen. Deze rol onderstreept ook hoe genezing niet uitsluitend lichamelijk is, maar veeleer een geïntegreerde ervaring van lichaam, geest en ritueel verbonden met de kosmos.

• Verdieping van kennis en initiatie:  Slangen zijn in veel tradities nauw verbonden met toegang tot verborgen kennis en cartografen van initiatie. Het dier markeert vaak de overgang van onwetendheid naar begrip, door middel van verhalen, rituelen en leertrajecten die pas toegankelijk worden bij een bepaalde rite de passage of inwijding. De serpentijn symboliek werkt als metafoor voor het pad dat van schijnbare chaos naar orde leidt: het dwalen door schaduwrijke kamers van het weten, waarbij de slang zowel als gids als poortwachter optreedt. Initiatiesets, esoterische leringen en mystieke tradities situeren de slang in een context van geheimhouding en verantwoordelijkheid: degenen die de kennis willen dragen, moeten door een proces van beproevingen en zuivering gaan waarin de slang wordt gereciteerd als mentor en testpunt. Dit gebruik maakt van serpentijn symboliek tot markeerder van overgang: het moment waarop onbeheersbare nieuwsgierigheid wordt omgezet in systematische, gecodeerde kennis en waaruit handelen in de wereld wordt onderscheiden als geïnformeerde wijsheid in plaats van impulsieve actie. Zo versterkt de slang de sociale orde door toegang tot de meest intieme waarheden te reguleren en te controleren.

• Kosmische orde en cycli:  De herhaalde voorstelling dat slangen in dialoog staan met hemel, aarde en onderwereld plaatst hen als representanten van kosmische orde en rituele tijdperken. In veel mythen fungeert de slang als een mediator tussen de verschillende zones van bestaan: bovenwereld, onderwereld en de aardse sferen, waarbij zij de grenzen tussen deze rijken bewaakt en tegelijkertijd meebewoogt met de cyclus van creation, vernietiging en hernieuwde geboorte. De serpente symboliek belicht hoe tijd en ruimte worden ervaren als cyclisch en continu: seizoenen, migratieroutes, en heilige kalenders worden gezien als een voortdurende dans waarin de slang als katalysator of bewaker optreedt. Bovendien verschijnt de slang in rituele kosmologieën als een drager van orde die de orde van regels, wetten en taboes handhaaft, zodat de samenleving in harmonie met de kosmische cycles kan blijven. Door de archetypische aanwezigheid van de slang wordt duidelijk hoe culturen orde en ritueel tijdsverloop verankeren in mythische beelden die geheugen, identiteit en collectieve verantwoordelijkheid vasthouden.

Een artistieke weergave van de slangachtige gorgon Medusa door Arnold Böcklin, 1878 (bron)

Kritische evaluatie en methodologische overwegingen

Hoewel de globaal-wijdverspreide aanwezigheid van serpentijn-symboliek overtuigend lijkt, is er kritisch debat nodig over enkele kernpunten:

• Is er echte convergente symboliek of diffusie via cultuurcontact? Met andere woorden: zijn de overeenkomsten te herleiden tot vroeg contact tussen beschavingen of uitdijende universele menselijke cognitie? Een combinatie van beide scenario’s lijkt het meest plausibel: onafhankelijke convergentie aangevuld met uitwisseling en adaptie via handel, migratie en interculturele uitwisseling. In een dergelijk frame moeten onderzoekers de simultane werking van factoren onderscheiden: cognitieve stereotypen die menselijke perceptie sturen, de rol van materiële uitingen zoals artefacten en schrift, en de wijze waarop handelroutes en steden als knooppunten fungeren voor kruisbestuiving van ideeën. Empirische benaderingen kunnen bestaan uit vergelijkende typologieën van serpentijn-symboliek, dateringsanalyses en protocollen voor contextuele codering van vondsten. Daarnaast is het van belang om culturele entiteiten als dynamische systemen te benaderen, waarin symbolen zowel genereren als gerecupereerd worden door latere generaties. Zo ontstaan hybride symbolische repertoires die wrijvingen between differentiatie en overeenkomst weerspiegelen.

• Wat is de rol van taal en retoriek in de interpretatie van symbolen? De productie van mythologische verhalen is niet losstaand van de taal die wordt gebruikt en de sociale context waarin deze verhalen worden verteld. Symbolen kunnen van betekenis veranderen door retorische hercontexualisering. Taal fungeert als infrastructuur waarop symbolische betekenissen worden gebouwd, gemobiliseerd en aangepast aan specifieke doelen: legitimering van macht, verantwoording van rituele handelingen, of het scheppen van coherentie in tekensystemen die anders lijken te contradictief. Retorische keuzes—emphase, metaforische overdrijving, en polysemie—kunnen leiden tot divergentie in interpretatie tussen groepen met vergelijkbare symboliek. Bovendien beïnvloedt de sprekerlijke register, ceremonieel of dagelijks, de gevoelde urgentie en de emotionele lading van de symbolen. Methodologisch vereist dit een analyse van discursieve contexten, tekstuele varianten, en performatieve praktijken, evenals de studie van vertalingen en adaptaties over tijd en ruimte.

• Hoe verhouden functionele en rituele functies zich tot individuele psychologische processen? Het is onmiskenbaar dat collectieve symboliek spontane uitdrukking geeft aan individuele emoties en existentiële zorgen, maar de mogelijkheid van variatie in interpretatie moet altijd worden erkend. Rituelen bekrachtigen sociale cohesie en structureren de beleving van onzekerheid—ze bieden voorspelbaarheid in onzekere omstandigheden en fungeren als coping-mechanismen tegen existentiële angst. Tegelijkertijd kunnen individuen unieke psychologische drijfveren projecteren op symbolen: persoonlijke trauma’s, verlangens naar controle, of de behoefte aan autonomie. Dit doseert de groepsbetrokkenheid met individuele subjectiviteit en verklaart waarom symbolen soms harmoniseren en soms polariseren. Een robuuste benadering combineert etnografische observaties, psychologische tolk-methoden en cultuuranalytische modellen die rekening houden met variatie in identiteiten, leeftijd, gender en lokale context. Zo kunnen we beter begrijpen hoe collectieve betekenissen privépsychologische-lagen beïnvloeden.

• Wat is de invloed van macht en ideologie op de interpretatie van serpentijn-symboliek? Symbolen kunnen fungeren als instrumenten van heersende elites: ideologische middelen die tradities legitimeren of transgressie in het sociale contract reguleren. Macht beïnvloedt niet alleen welke symbolen worden gekoesterd, maar ook hoe ze worden gepresenteerd, gecodificeerd en ingezet bij beleidsvorming of controletactieken. Symbolische vormen kunnen weerstand signaleren, maar tegelijk verinnerlijken leiderschap en autoritaire narratieven. De interpretatie van serpentijn-symboliek kan dus variëren naargelang de politieke context: waar hegemonie heerst, wordt symboliek vaak geïnstrumentaliseerd om structurale ongelijkheid te rechtvaardigen; in periodes van protest kan dezelfde symboliek transgressie markeren en uitdaging uitlokken. Een methodologisch kader omvat discoursanalyse, bronnenkritiek van proclamaties en rituele praktijken, en een historisch-comparatieve benadering die machtsrelaties expliciet traceert door tijd. Zo krijgen we inzicht in hoe symboliek dient als brug tussen cultuur en politiek, en hoe ideologie het geheugen en de normatieve orde vormgeeft.

Empirische bronnen en methodologische benaderingen

Om deze vragen te beantwoorden, kunnen verschillende wetenschappelijke benaderingen worden gecombineerd:

• Archeologisch-ikonografische analyse: bestuderen van reliëfs, beeldhouwwerk en voorwerpen waarin slangen voorkomen, waarbij rekening gehouden wordt met context, locatie en tijd waarin deze objecten werden vervaardigd.

• Tekstanalyse en vertaling: bestuderen van literaire teksten (mythen, wetten, religieuze teksten) waarin slangen een rol spelen, met aandacht voor metaforische taal en rituele betekenissen.

• Vergelijkende mythologie: systematisch vergelijken van serpentijn-figuren over regio’s heen om terugkerende thema’s te identificeren.

Michelangelo’s “Val en Uitdrijving uit de tuin van Eden”

• Wetenschap van dieren en ecologie: integreren van biologische kennis over slangen, giftigheid, voortplanting, gedrag en fysiologie om de plausibiliteit van symbolische associaties te evalueren.

• Ritueel en sociologisch veldwerk: documenteren hoe serpentijn-symboliek levendig is in hedendaagse rituelen en hoe deze rituelen in historische context kunnen worden geïnterpreteerd.

De Olmec-stèle van Chalcatzingo, met zijn zeven slangen die uit het hoofd van het centrale figuur ontspruiten, is geen geïsoleerd symbool: in Mesopotamië werden de Anunnaki-goden ook afgebeeld met slangen als bewakers van verborgen kennis; in Egypte markeerde de Uraeus—de heilige cobra op het voorhoofd van de farao's—de verbinding met het goddelijke; en in India bewaakten de Nagas de poorten naar andere werelden. Al deze verre culturen lijken dezelfde code te hebben overgeërfd: de slang als kosmische energie, verboden kennis, of zelfs als teken van contact met andere rijken. Toeval, of sporen van dezelfde moedercultuur die oude volkeren leidde onder het symbool van het heilige reptiel?

Conclusie

De bewering dat serpentijn-symboliek in vrijwel elke oude cultuur voorkomt, getuigt van een dieper liggende menselijke neiging: het zoeken naar ordening onder onzekere omstandigheden, het interpreteren van de natuurlijke wereld als een drager van betekenis en het aangaan van rituele praktijken die de grens tussen concreet en transcendent proberen te overbruggen. Slangen imponeren niet slechts door hun lichamelijke verschijning of giftigheid; zij fungeren als complexe metaforen voor thema’s die alle menselijke samenlevingen raken: bescherming en gevaar, kennis en verleiding, verandering en continuïteit, gezondheid en ziekte. Door een gecombineerde benadering—die ecologie, mythologie, ritueel praktijk en sociaal-politieke context meeneemt—kunnen we niet alleen de rijkdom van serpentijn-symboliek verklaren, maar ook de wijze waarop mensen vandaag de dag symbolische systemen gebruiken om hun wereld te begrijpen, zin te geven en hun gemeenschappen te verbinden.

Dankzij deze benadering wordt duidelijk dat serpentijn-symboliek geen toevallige verzameling van verhalen is, maar eerder een sleutel tot een bredere cognitieve en culturele infrastructuur. Het universalisme ervan wijst op een gedeelde menselijke intelligentie die de ervaring van de wereld vertaalt naar betekenisvolle beelden. Slangen, in al hun variaties, fungeren als microkosmische spiegels waarin de menselijke zoektocht naar orde, genezing, macht en morele oriëntatie wordt geprojecteerd. Het bestuderen van deze symboliek blijft een vruchtbare onderneming die ons niet alleen historisch inzicht geeft, maar ook actuele vragen kan beantwoorden over hoe wij vandaag betekenis geven aan angst, hoop en transformatie.

Literatuurverwijzing en suggesties voor verder onderzoek

• Een systematische vergelijking van serpent-symboliek vraagt om een breder corpus: typologieën van serpentbeelden in de prehistorie, oudheid en middeleeuwen.
• Diepte-analyse van mythologische teksten die slangen centraal stellen, met aandacht voor retorische functies en koesterende thema’s (bescherming, genezing, wijsheid).
• Interdisciplinaire samenwerking met biologie en ecologie om de relatie tussen echte slangen en symbolische betekenissen te onderzoeken.
• Fieldwork in hedendaagse gemeenschappen die nog rituelen rond slangen praktiseren, om de continuïteit van archaïsche betekenissen te documenteren en te interpreteren.

Uiteindelijk onthult het onderzoek naar The Global Serpent niet slechts de symbolische wijdverspreidheid van de slang, maar ook de diepte van het menselijke vermogen om de natuurlijke wereld te lezen en te vertalen naar morele, spirituele en maatschappelijke kaders. Het is een bewijs van de kracht van beeldtaal in menselijke cultuur: een ogenschijnlijke eenvoudige verschijning als de slang kan een venster zijn op de complexiteit van menselijke kennis en de continue zoektocht naar orde in een wereld vol onzekerheden.

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UFO crash buried in ice in Antarctica, UFO UAP sighting news. 👽 Alien owned Earth 🌍 long before humans.

Date of discovery: October 8, 2025

Location of discovery: Antartica

Coordinates:  77°51'48"S 165°13'40"E

 

I found this last night and just wanted to share it with you all. This is a 50 meter in diameter alien disk parked in Antarctica. The UFO is buried in ice and snow for what looks like hundreds of thousands of years, but due to recent melting...it's been exposed! The UFO is 100% real. There is a two layer visible hump that has port windows of about 2 feet across going around its lower second hump. This means it 100% real and undebatable! No doubt in my mind. The country that retrieves this first is going to become a new world power overnight! 

Scott C. Waring 

 

 

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

09-10-2025 om 18:43 geschreven door peter  

The Phoenix Lights Phenomenon: An Unsolved UFO Mystery

On the evening of March 13, 1997, an extraordinary event unfolded in the skies over Arizona that would become one of the most documented and hotly debated UFO sightings in history. The Phoenix Lights remains a compelling mystery, but is the truth out there? Read on to find out.

In 1997 over Phoenix, AZ, a group of lights appeared.... The event was one of the first mass UAP sightings, and is still a subject of debate.

In March 1997 over the city of Phoenix, Arizona, lights appeared in the sky, covering a distance of around 350 miles from the Nevada state line in the northwest down to southern city of Tucson. Over several hours, thousands of residents reported witnessing a series of strange, luminous objects and formations in the sky. Descriptions varied from a V-shaped light formation, to orbs that glowed intensely and seemed to move with purpose across the night sky.

Some are convinced the lights over Phoenix in 1997 were UFOs, or UAPs – unidentified aerial phenomenon. The official line is that they were military planes being tested in the desert and flares from aircraft on night manoeuvres.

What exactly did the residents of Phoenix see that night? Did they come within touching distance – literally, according to some – of beings from another world, or is the explanation for the bizarre lights in Phoenix, Arizona, rather more benign?

The strange case of the Phoenix Lights has left the world befuddled for over a quarter of a century. Let’s take a trip to the sixth-largest of the United States in an attempt to shed light on this baffling luminous enigma.

Close Encounters of the First Kind

V-shaped lights of a UFO

(Credit: Devrimb via Getty Images)

Like the bizarre Max Headroom Broadcast Signal Intrusion a decade earlier, the Phoenix Lights, also known as the Lights Over Phoenix, came in two distinct waves.

The first occurrence – between approximately 7.30pm and 8.45pm on March 13, 1997 – was observed as a massive, V-shaped object with five or six reddish-orange lights that silently moved north to south in the sky, spanning at least a mile in width according to eyewitness reports.

One of the first witnesses was in Henderson, Nevada, just a few miles south of Las Vegas and a short distance from the Arizona state line. About fifteen minutes later, what are believed to be the same lights were spotted by a former policeman in the town of Paulden, Arizona, about 200 miles southeast of Henderson. Next, about 25 miles south of Paulden, there were further sightings of the lights of Phoenix over Prescott Valley. It seemed they – whatever ‘they’ happened to be – were moving south towards Tucson.

These witnesses, and many others, said that the lights lingered before disappearing and reappearing in the same formation, captivating onlookers for several minutes at a time.

The Strange Tale of Kurt Russell & His Son

Single prop plane taking off

(Credit: Ascent Xmedia via Getty Images)

In a bizarre twist to an already incredulous mystery, one of the first people to report the sighting of what has become known as the Phoenix Lights, was none other than Hollywood actor Kurt Russell.

In an interview with the BBC’s The One Show, Russell, a private pilot, explained that he was flying his son Oliver from Los Angeles to Phoenix to see his [Oliver’s] girlfriend, when on their final approach, they noticed a series of strange lights in the sky.

Oliver asked if his father knew what the lights were, to which he responded that he didn’t. He called it in to air traffic control who said that their radar screens showed nothing at all. Russell declared that it was a UFO in the literal sense, in that it appeared to be a flying object that was unidentified, and proceeded to land perfectly safely.

Meanwhile, the Phoenix, Arizona lights were moving closer to the state capital. Witnesses in Glendale, Scottsdale, and downtown Phoenix saw the lights but by around 9pm they were gone.

Close Encounters of the Second Kind

Did a UFO crash land in Roswell?

(Credit: David Zaitz via Getty Images)

About an hour later, the lights over Phoenix were back. Around 10pm, a series of intensely bright lights appeared over the Phoenix area, distinct from the V-shaped formation observed earlier in the evening. These peculiar lights in Phoenix, Arizona, were described as stationary, hovering orbs that remained visible for a considerable period before they started to dim and then vanished, only to reappear and maintain the same formation.

Witnesses reported these lights did not seem to be attached to any solid object, or if they were, the object was not visible against the night sky. This aspect of the phenomenon led to widespread speculation and debate, as the lights behaved unlike conventional aircraft or known atmospheric phenomena.

UFO sceptic Robert Sheaffer described this second occurrence as ‘perhaps the most widely witnessed UFO event in history.’

The Immediate Aftermath

The instant reaction to the Phoenix Lights was a mixture of awe, confusion, and concern. Witnesses flooded police lines and local news stations with reports, seeking explanations for what they had seen.

The story quickly garnered national attention, sparking a frenzy of speculation, investigation, and debate. Sceptics proposed conventional explanations such as flares or military aircraft, while believers in extraterrestrial activity felt validated in their convictions.

The event left a lasting impression on the public consciousness, becoming a pivotal moment for the UFO community and a perennial topic of interest for both sceptics and believers alike.

But what actually happened that night? Was it military aircraft that instigated the illuminations, or were the lights over Phoenix 1997’s answer to Roswell?

The Official Explanation

A10 Thunderbolt II jets on a training mission

(Credit: Stocktrek Images via Getty Images)

According to the US military, both incidents were as a result of a pilot training programme called Operation Snowbird from Davis-Monthan Air Force Base in Tucson.

The first incident – the V-shaped object – was explained as nothing more than five A-10 Thunderbolt II jets flying under visual flight rules, so instead of displaying flashing collision lights, they were allowed to display steady formation lights. The planes landed at Davis-Monthan AFB at around 8.45pm.

Later that night, the stationary, hovering orbs were slow-burning, long-falling LUU-2B/B illumination flares dropped from the A10s while on a training exercise from the Barry M. Goldwater Air Force Range. A later study of their luminosity suggested they could indeed be seen over the distances described on the night of March 13, 1997.

A decade on from thousands of people seeing the lights in Phoenix, Arizona, Maryland Air National Guard pilot Lt. Col. Ed Jones admitted to being one of the airmen who dropped the flares.

While plenty accept the official explanation of events that night, others aren’t so sure.

Is the Truth Out There?

Atmospheric Northern Lights over a city

(Credit: edb3_16 via Getty Images)

Beyond the official Air Force explanation attributing the Phoenix Lights phenomenon to flares and military aircraft, several prevailing theories have been proposed by researchers, UFO enthusiasts, and sceptics alike to explain the events of March 13, 1997. These theories range from the plausible to the speculative, reflecting the enduring mystery and intrigue of the incident.

1. Military or Experimental Aircraft

Some theories suggest that the V-shaped formation responsible for the Phoenix, Arizona lights could have been an experimental or military aircraft, possibly a stealth plane or other advanced, secretive aviation technology. Proponents of this theory point to the size and silent operation of the object as indicative of experimental military projects unknown to the public at the time.

2. Atmospheric Conditions

Another explanation posits that certain atmospheric conditions on that night might have caused or contributed to the visibility of distant or conventional lights in unusual ways. This could involve temperature inversions or reflections from man-made or natural sources, leading to illusions, misidentified celestial objects, or misinterpretations of natural phenomena as something more mysterious.

3. Extraterrestrial Craft 

The most popular and controversial theory is that the lights of Phoenix were from one or more alien spacecraft. This theory revolves around the size, formation, and flight characteristics of the lights. The lack of sound, combined with the apparent coordinated movement of the lights, fuels speculation about technology beyond human capabilities, outside of our current understanding of the laws of physics.

4. Psychological or Social Phenomenon 

Some researchers propose that the Phoenix Lights can be partly explained by psychological phenomena, such as mass hysteria or the power of suggestion. This falls squarely in the ‘they saw what they wanted to see’ category. According to this theory, the initial reports of lights could have influenced subsequent observers to perceive mundane phenomena as extraordinary, especially in the context of a highly publicised event.

5. An Elaborate Hoax

A more sceptical approach suggests that the entire event could have been an elaborate hoax or a series of optical illusions. This could involve the strategic use of flares, balloons, or other devices to create the illusion of a UFO, although the coordinated execution over such a wide area would have been challenging.

Each of these theories attempts to explain the lights over Phoenix phenomenon, but none have definitively ended the speculation. The Phoenix Lights remain a topic of fascination and debate within the UFO community and among the general public.

Unsolved in the Sky: The Enigma of the Phoenix Lights

What were the Phoenix Lights?

(Credit: David Wallvia Getty Images)

The mysterious lights in Phoenix, Arizona remain one of the most captivating and enduring mysteries in the annals of UFO sightings. Despite the official explanation, the nature of the lights that danced over Arizona’s night sky in March 1997 continues to spark speculation and – for some – fuels the imagination about what might be possible in the vast, unexplored reaches of the universe.

Related

{ https://www.discoveryuk.com/feature/mysteries/articles/ }

09-10-2025 om 18:28 geschreven door peter  

Massa Ufo-waarnemingen: spectaculaire gevallen, twijfel en mogelijke verklaringen

Inleiding

Het fenomeen van UFO’s heeft altijd een bijzondere aantrekkingskracht gehad: het idee dat overheden, massa’s mensen en zelfs gerenommeerde professionals plotseling oog in oog kunnen staan met iets wat buiten de gangbare ervaring ligt. De meeste rapporten beschrijven helder zichtbare gebeurtenissen die door weinig personen tegelijk worden waargenomen. In tegenstelling tot die kleinschalige ontmoetingen komen er zo nu en dan gevallen voor waarbij honderden, vaak hoog aangeschreven getuigen dezelfde ervaring melden. Deze massale waarnemingen zijn zeldzaam maar bijzonder intrigerend omdat ze een rijke variatie aan getuigen biedt: politiemensen, militair personeel, journalisten, bestuurders en gewone burgers die allen hetzelfde fenomeen lijken te hebben gezien. In dit artikel nemen we een aantal beroemde massale UFO-flaps onder de loep: van Wanaque in New Jersey (1966) tot de Phoenix Lights (1997) en verder.

We plaatsen deze getuigenissen in een bredere context van mogelijke verklaringen, variërend van misidentificaties van alledaagse fenomenen en ruimteafval tot het spectrale gebied van satellietinval en nog verder. Daarnaast plaatsen we dit onderwerp in een bredere historische voorstelling van phenomena die in de publieke verbeelding een rol spelen: het Zonnewonder van Fatima en wat er in België—in legendarische “frihoekjes” of fringe-gebieden—gewaarschuwd is gebeurd. Zo kan men zien hoe massale waarnemingen niet alleen een wetenschappelijke maar ook een maatschappelijke en culturele referentiekader raken.

1. Een klassieke massale flap: Wanaque Reservoir, New Jersey (1966)

Het verhaal van Wanaque, een buitenwijk van New Jersey, begon als een ogenschijnlijk rustige avond in januari 1966. Omstreeks 18:30 begonnen talrijke meldingen binnen te komen van een extreem helder licht boven het nabijgelegen Wanaque-reservoir. De beschrijvingen waren consistent: een zeer fel wit licht, groter en helderder dan een ster, dat af en toe van kleur veranderde (rood, blauw, groen). Het object hing boven het bevroren meer, bewoog in wat leek op een doelbewust patroon en bereikte hoogte tussen 250 en 1000 voet. Bovendien werden rapporten genoemd van een straal of beam die naar het ijsprojectie maakte, waardoor het ijs smolt en gaten achterliet.

Getuigen aanzienlijk in aantal en diversiteit droegen bij aan de geloofwaardigheid van het verschijnsel. Politiemannen, brandweerlieden en hooggeplaatste functionarissen, waaronder burgemeester Harry T. Wolfe en andere wethouders, getuigen van een object dat stil was, zonder geluid, maar verrichtte een reeks onverklaarbare bewegingen: dalen en stijgen, drijvend boven het water en scherpe bochten makend. De indruk van soliditeit en intelligent bestuurde beweging werd versterkt door de rapportage van het object dat schijnbaar water deed opwellen en het wateroppervlak verplaatste.

Wat dit incident zo intrigerend maakte, was de combinatie van massale waarneming en de overtuiging van onverklaarbaar te zijn: het fenomeen leek geen gewoon vliegtuig of bekend weerfenomeen te zijn. Zichtbaar werd het nogmaals op latere data, ook boven Lakeland Regional High School en op andere locaties in de omgeving. Het leek zich vervolgens uit te breiden tot de omliggende gebieden voordat het weer verdween. Een belangrijke component in de discussie was de mysterieuze afwezigheid van fotomateriaal: hoewel talrijke getuigen het fenomeen beschrijven, ontbreekt er een consistente berg fotodemonstraties. Er worden wel foto’s genoemd die anoniem naar voren zijn gebracht, maar zonder duidelijke herkomst en zonder negatieven, waardoor de echtheid moeilijk te verifiëren is.

Mogelijke verklaringen en controverse

• Ruimteafval of object in de lucht. Een populaire theorie was dat het ging om een vallend satellietdebris of eenSpace Shuttle-achtige vorm. Dergelijke concepten konden mogelijk de observaties van een gloeiende, witte bol uitleggen, maar niet de specifieke, verfijnde manoeuvres, het behoud van een vaste positie en het neerzetten van een beam.
• Luchtvaart- of natuurverschijnselen zoals helikopters met krachtige lichtbundels, weersfenomenen of misidentificaties. De getuigen kwamen uit verschillende hoeken en hadden verschillende beschrijvingen die soms op een soort geordende structuur wezen; sommige onderzoekers wezen erop dat hulpschepen, verschillende vliegtuigen of andere normale objecten verkeerd konden worden geïnterpreteerd, vooral in omstandigheden waarin weinig licht was of waar de perceptie vertekend kon raken.
• Een gebrek aan volledige follow-up: de nasleep van de zaak bracht varianten van het verhaal waar onbekende militaire figuren zich bemoeiden met getuigen en mogelijk fotografisch materiaal in beslag namen. De afwezigheid van een gestructureerde, onafhankelijke follow-up maakte het moeilijk om definitieve conclusies te trekken.

De publieke en wetenschappelijke dialoog

De Wanaque-zaak blijft een van de meest geciteerd massale UFO-waarnemingen uit de Verenigde Staten, deels vanwege het grote aantal duidelijke getuigen en de prominente figuren die het zagen. Toch blijft de controverse bestaan: kon men de waarneming verklaren als een misidentificatie, een zeldzame atmosferische gebeurtenis of—zoals door sommige onderzoekers wordt voorgesteld—een object met onbekende oorsprong? De stilte rondom een volledige, rigoureuze opvolgonderzoek laat twijfels bestaan over de integriteit van de officiële documenten en de bereidwilligheid van overheden om al dan niet expliciet informatie te delen.

2. Een internationaal fenomeen: de zonverduistering en het Mexico City-incident (11 juli 1991)

Tijdens een totale zonsverduistering, die de Pacific-oevers van Mexico bereiste tot in Brazilië en uitwaaiend via Hawaï en Midden-Amerika, ontstond in Mexico-Stad een schokgolf toen getuigen een helder, schijvenvormig metalen object registreerden dat boven de eclips leek te zweven. Guillermo Arragin en Jaime Maussan, respectievelijk een televisiemanager en een journalist, filmden het fenomeen terwijl ze de verduistering volgden en stuurden de beelden naar Sesenta Minutos (de Mexicaanse versie van Sixty Minutes). Acht dagen later verscheen het nieuws op televisie en begon een forse stroom van meldingen: duizenden mensen die hetzelfde object zagen of video’s daarvan maakten, met beschrijvingen variërend van stilstaand tot bewegend en een waarneembaar dampspoor dat het object leek te volgen.

Een opvallende twist was de latere opduiking van soortgelijke waarnemingen bij een militair luchtvertoon in Mexico-Stad, waar een ingenieur meldde een “glanzende stip” te zien die kon unduleren en bewegen zonder te volgen wat een normaal vliegtuig zou doen. Nog een jaar later werd het object opnieuw gezien op hetzelfde luchtshow evenement, en in latere jaren bleef het beeld hangen door analysen en discussies: Venus werd onder meer voorgesteld als een verklarende factor, gezien de positie en beweging van het hemelobject in sommige videobeelden. Critici, onder wie de astronomen Tim Printy, wezen erop dat camera-artificatie en het ontbreken van onbegeleide videomateriaal het verhaal mysterieus maakten, terwijl sommige amateuristen en volgelingen van de theorieën rondom “Mayaanse profetieën” probeerden het incident te verbinden met oude mythologie en het idee van buitenaardse bezoekers aan de hoofdstad van Mexico.

De polemiek rondom de video’s

• Venus als verklarende factor. Tim Printy en andere wetenschappers wezen erop dat de meeste beelden consistent met eenvoudige, maar misleidende videocollages of artefacten konden zijn en dat de astronomische context (zoals de positie van Venus) het beeld kon vervormen. Bovendien zag men geen melden van officiële Mexicaanse astronomers die een UFO-breedte in die periode bevestigden, wat het sceptische standpunt versterkte.
• De magische retoriek van sommige commentatoren. Een groepje volgers en mediafiguren, waaronder de Elders (Lee en Brit Elders), stelde dat de gebeurtenis een prooi was voor een narratief van “Mayaanse profetieën” en buitenaardse bezoekers, een verhaal dat Printy scherp afbrandt als “pure bunk voor verkoop.” Hij bekritiseerde de verstrengeling van oude mythen met moderne videomateriaal en betwijfelde de betrouwbaarheid van de zogenaamd “bron-documenten” die zo’n spectaculaire claim zouden ondersteunen.
• Conspiracy-theorieën en geopolitieke roddels. Er deden zich Geruchtencollecties voor over vermeende Amerikaanse of Russische lekkages en “war on UFO’s” die zouden gepleegd zijn naar aanleiding van deze gebeurtenissen. Hoewel zulke claims fascinerend zijn, ontbreken concrete bewijzen en blijven ze in de sfeer van complottheorieën hangen.

Impact en les:

wat hebben we geleerd? Hoewel de Mexico City-verhalen een mix van documentaire bewijs, interpretatie en mythologie bieden, is het belangrijkste wat ze illustreren dat een grote massa waarnemers, inclusief gewone burgers en professionals, identieke of vergelijkbaar lijkende getuigenissen kan leveren. Ze benadrukken ook dat menselijke interpretatie, camera-techniek en culturele narratieven een grote rol spelen bij wat men ziet en hoe men het verklaart. Of Venus nu de ware boosdoener was of niet, blijft de discussie bestaan—maar het grote publiek blijft geïntrigeerd door de mogelijkheid van buitenaardse bezoekers en de redenen waarom zulke fenomenen zich juist op spectaculaire momenten tonen.

3. Cosford Incident en de Engelse controverse (31 maart 1993)

In het zuiden van Engeland brak een forse golf van meldingen uit in maart 1993, met vooraanstaande rapporten bij politie en defensie die in Devon, Cornwall en Wales werden gemeld. Een anonieme waarneming beschreef een enorm object “als twee Concordes die naast elkaar vliegen en verbonden zijn,” met schattingen die het object op meer dan 200 meter lengte plaatsten. Verdere getuigen meldde dat het object laag overvliegt of zelfs in een veld landde. De volgende dag bleef de situatie zich herhalen: RAF Cosford, RAF Shawbury en zelfs een Ierse militaire helikopter kwamen in beeld met rapporten van rode lichten en schaars geluidloze activiteiten. Een meteoroloog bij Shawbury meldde dat een driehoekig vaartuig van 200 voet over de basis naderde, waarna het een krachtige straal op de grond wierp en in een oogwenk verdween, achterlatend een glimmende damp.

Het MoD-onderzoeksproject, geleid door Nick Pope, registreerde honderden getuigenrapporten, en de zaak trok de aandacht tot in de Amerikaanse Defensie. Pope beschreef Cosford als een van de meest opvallende gevallen in zijn tijd bij het UFO-project in de vroege jaren negentig. Desondanks bleven er vandaag de dag verschillende standpunten bestaan over wat er precies gezien is: ruimteafval van een Russische Cosmos-satelliet, geheime militaire testvluchten, bovennatuurlijke fenomenen of een verkeerd geïnterpreteerde luchtvaart. Sommigen betwijfelden zelfs de radarregistraties en stelden dat het hier mogelijk ging om misidentificaties bij nacht kunnen zijn, of dat de waarnemers verstrikt raakten in perceptie-fouten.

Ethische en methodologische kanttekeningen

• De betrouwbaarheid van “getrainde getuigen.” Hoewel de getuigen vaak uit professionele kringen komen, waarschuwt skeptici dat zelfs getrainde waarnemers fouten kunnen maken, zeker bij nachtelijke waarnemingen en uiterst modale vormen van objecten. Chris Fowler benadrukte de noodzaak om voorzichtig te zijn met het vertrouwen in professionals als garantie voor objectiviteit, en wees op de inherente valkuilen van perceptie en interpretatie.
• De rol van “echte data.” Het gebrek aan volledige, verifieerbare data—zoals gebrek aan radar correlatie, en de onzekerheid rondom de kernsignatuur van de objecten—maakt de Cosford-landing een voorbeeld van hoe complex het kan zijn om een zuivere conclusie te trekken op basis van getuigenverklaringen alleen.
• De kritiek op Pope’s benadering. Nick Pope kreeg kritiek op de wijze waarop hij in sommige stukken en documentaires de feiten presenteerde, en hoe hij mogelijk te selectief was in het koppelen van getuigenissen aan specifieke theorieën. Vadert men dat een dergelijk deel van het onderzoek eenzijdig is, dan kan dit de geloofwaardigheid van het hele veld ondermijnen.

Resultaat en interpretatie

De Cosford-zaak staat bekend als een van de meest geïnterpreteerde ‘massieve’ UAP-gevallen in het Verenigd Koninkrijk, maar het blijft onduidelijk wat er precies gebeurde. Een belangrijke les is dat, zelfs wanneer getuigen betrouwbaar lijken, de complexe combinatie van perceptie, technologische beperkingen en bedreigde context het extreem lastig maakt om tot definitieve conclusies te komen. Het incident heeft wel bijgedragen aan de discussie over de aanwezigheid van ongeïdentificeerde fenomenen en de noodzaak van betere en ongekleurde gegevensverzameling.

4. Phoenix Lights: massale waarneming boven Arizona en de Verenigde Staten (13 maart 1997)

Misschien wel de best bekende massale UFO-waarneming uit recente geschiedenis vonden plaats in Arizona op 13 maart 1997, bekend als de Phoenix Lights. Het begon vroeg in de avond toen een enorme V-vormige formatie van fel gereduceerde lichten werd gezien die een aanzienlijke strook van de hemel bedekte en de sterren grotendeels verhulde. De maneuvre werd beschreven als stilstaand of traag beweging, met een zwevend patroon dat door duizenden personen werd waargenomen: politiemensen, piloten, militair personeel, en zelfs de toenmalige gouverneur van Arizona, Fife Symington III.

Later die avond werd een tweede, meer gefocuste groep lichten gezien in een formele vorm die stil over de horizon bewoog. Er ontstond veel debat over de aard van deze fenomenen: waren het militaire luchtdoelen, verkeerslichten, ballonnen, of niet? Verschillen in getuigenis op een aantal punten maakten al snel duidelijk dat het niet eenvoudig was om één gemeenschappelijke verklaring te vinden.

De theorieën en het publieke debat

• Flares en ballonnen. Een overheersende sceptische verklaring suggereerde dat de tweede groep lichten afkomstig was van zware nachtelijke fakkels of “flares” die door het Amerikaanse leger werden gebruikt tijdens oefeningen. Dit leek te worden bevestigd door latere incidenten waarin vergelijkbare lichteffecten werden verklaard als fakkels tijdens trainingscampagnes.
• Een massief object. De eerste vorming, zo werd betoogd door sommige getuigen, was een enorme drie-dimensionale structuur die de sterren blokkeerde. Sommigen suggereerden dat het een gevormd, geheim vliegtuig was—een mogelijke “black op”-operatie. Anderen bleven vasthouden aan de verhalen over een buitenaards vaartuig.
• De gouverneur en publieke verklaring. Symington, die ooit beweerde dat hij niet zeker wist wat hij had gezien, vertelde later dat, als hij een piloot is, hij zeker geen menselijke vliegtuig kon verklaren die zo’n symmetrisch patroon vertoonde en zo’n grote omvang had. Dit gesprek veroorzaakte publieke ophef en maakte het debat nog vuriger.

Herwaardering door latere gebeurtenissen In 2007 en 2008 werden soortgelijke waarnemingen gemeld, die uiteindelijk werden verklaard als flares en ballonnen. Toch blijft de Phoenix Lights-zaak in de publieke verbeelding staan als een van de meest documenteerbare en meest uitgebreide massale waarnemingen uit Noord-Amerika. Een belangrijk aspect van de zaak was de rol van media en officiële verklaringen: de initiële belachelijking van de fenomenen, gevolgd door latere openingen van officiële instituten die erkenden dat bepaalde waarnemingen niet eenvoudig te verklaren vielen.

5. Wat leren we van massale UFO-waarnemingen?

• Getuigenverslagen zijn een krachtig maar ambigu bewijsmateriaal. Een groot aantal getuigen, vaak met uiteenlopende achtergronden, kan de algehele geloofwaardigheid vergroten, maar het kan ook leiden tot conflicting interpretaties. Het is essentieel om ze te structureren en te toetsen aan objectieve data zoals radarregistraties, fototype en videomateriaal en, waar mogelijk, meetbare fysische indicatoren (zoals straling, ijs- en waterbeschadiging, atmosferische metingen).
• De rol van perceptie en cognitieve bias. Zelfs ervaren getuigen kunnen misinterpretaties hebben. Wetenschappers en onderzoekers benadrukken dat het menselijke cognitieve systeem geneigd is om patronen te herkennen, zelfs waar die er niet zijn. Het is cruciaal om deze biases te erkennen en te corrigeren door strikte methodologie en onafhankelijke verificatie.
• De politieke en maatschappelijke dimensie. Massale waarnemingen raken aan thema’s zoals nationale veiligheid, publiek vertrouwen en de rol van media. Ze kunnen leiden tot publieke hysterie of, juist, tot een rustige en rigoureuze analyse wanneer data en transparantie worden toegepast.
• De afwezigheid van bewijsmateriaal. In verschillende gevallen blijft er, ondanks de uitgebreide getuigenverslagen, een gebrek aan harde, onafhankelijke bewijzen die definitieve conclusies mogelijk maken. Dit benadrukt de noodzaak van brede, systematische data-collectie en open wetenschappelijke discussie.

Zonnewonder van Fatima en Belgische DRIEHOEKEN: een historische en cultureel-contextuele vergelijking In de geschiedenis van massale fenomenen in de publieke verbeelding bestaan er “bovennatuurlijke” gebeurtenissen die geen direct wetenschappelijk bewijs dragen maar wel een diepgaande maatschappelijke impact hebben gehad. Een van de bekendste voorbeelden is het Zonnewonder van Fatima in 1917, wanneer drie kinderen in Portugal beweerden een verschijning van de Heilige Maagd Maria te hebben gezien en daarna een reeks bovennatuurlijke tekenen en wonderbaarlijke gebeurtenissen gerapporteerd werden, waaronder de “dans van de zon” die voor duizenden toeschouwers werd waargenomen. De Fatima-ervaring heeft de menselijke behoefte aan wonder en verklaring op een unieke manier onderstreept: mensen die zweren bij de realiteit van bovennatuurlijke tekenen, en wetenschappers die proberen dit kritisch te benaderen met historische context, natuurwetten en psychosociale factoren. Het Zonnewonder van Fatima is een verhaal dat de scheidslijn tussen geloof en empirische kennis illustreert, en laat zien hoe massale waarnemingen, ondersteund door collectieve narratieven en culturele context, een blijvende impact kunnen hebben – onafhankelijk van of er een wetenschappelijke verklaring voor kan worden gevonden.

In België, waar de “driehoeken” een culturele uitdrukking zijn voor fringe- of marginale denkbeelden of illusies , ontstaan ook randverhalen die de kloof tussen feit en fabel dramatiseren. De waarnemingen van de Belgische driehoeken en de publieke cultuur rondom het onbekende dragen bij aan hoe waarnemingen worden gezien en geïnterpreteerd. In hoeverre massale waarnemingen culturele scripts volgen die in grotere maatschappelijke structuren bestaan, is een belangrijke onderzoeksvraag: ze vindbaar in hoe mensen getuigenissen vertellen, welke beelden en symbolen zij inzetten, en hoe publieke instellingen reageren. Het erkennen van deze culturele dimensies helpt ons te begrijpen waarom sommige waarnemingen zo’n cultuurrelevantie ontwikkelen, en waarom het gesprek soms verder gaat dan de puur wetenschappelijke analyse.

6. Conclusie: keerpunten en open vragen Massale UFO-waarnemingen blijven fascinerende gebeurtenissen die de grens tussen het bekende en het onbekende raken. Ze laten zien hoe groepen mensen hetzelfde fenomeen kunnen waarnemen, maar hoe interpretatie, context en bewijs elkaar kunnen tegenspreken. De cases zoals Wanaque (1966), Mexico City (1991), Cosford (1993) en Phoenix (1997) illustreren zowel de kracht van collectieve waarneming als de grenzen van bewijs. Ze laten ons ook nadenken over bredere kwesties: hoe luisteren we naar getuigenissen zonder ze te vergevelen? Hoe krijgen we betrouwbare data die de getuigenissen kan ondersteunen of weerleggen? En hoe verbinden historische, culturele en maatschappelijke kaders—zoals het Fatima-zonnewonder en Belgische fringe-caten—met het hedendaagse fenomeen van UAP’s?

In een tijd waarin technologie ons in staat stelt om beelden en data op ongekende schaal te verzamelen, zouden massale waarnemingen een kans moeten zijn om transparant en methodisch te onderzoeken. Dit vereist open data, transparante protocollen voor evaluatie, en samenwerking tussen wetenschappers, sceptici en getuigen. Het doel is niet het bevestigen of ontkennen van buitenaards contact als zodanig, maar het begrijpen van de aard van wat mensen waarnemen, wat ze denken dat ze gezien hebben, en hoe we als verdenking en wonderen, feiten en interpretaties netjes scheiden. Uiteindelijk draait dit om het belang van een rationele, maar open houding ten opzichte van het onbekende: een houding die de menselijke nieuwsgierigheid koestert en tegelijkertijd de discipline van de wetenschap respecteert.

Noten voor verder onderzoek en leesduur

• Voor een vollediger beeld van Wanaque en de bijbehorende getuigenverklaringen, verwijzen naar archieven van lokale kranten en overheidscorrespondentie uit 1966.
• De Mexico City-verhalen hebben een breed spectrum van videomateriaal en sceptische analyses van videotechnieken; voor een kritische evaluatie is het zinvol om werken van Tim Printy en andere astronomen te raadplegen.
• De Cosford Incident heeft een lange geschiedenis in UK-UFO-literatuur, met de MoD-archieven en Pope’s eigen discussies als belangrijkste bronnen. Moderne herzieningen in muppetassen en sceptische artikelen zijn aanbevolen om een gebalanceerd beeld te krijgen.
• Phoenix Lights hebben een rijkdom aan getuigenverslagen en beeldmateriaal, met latere verifieerbare verklaringen zoals het flare-scenario. Het blijft een compacte demonstratie van hoe publiek en autoriteiten elkaar kunnen kruisen in de interpretatie van een onopgelost fenomeen.
• Voor het Zonnewonder van Fatima en de Belgische driehoeken is het nuttig om zowel historische bronnen als sociologische en fenomenologische literatuur te bestuderen die de rol van geloof, media en cultuur in massale waarnemingen verkennen.

Eindnoot

Massa UFO-waarnemingen blijven een spannend venster op menselijke perceptie, maatschappelijke dynamiek en de voortdurende zoektocht naar begrip van wat er boven ons gebeurt. Of je nu gelooft in buitenaardse intelligentie, of het fenomeen ziet als een complex samenspel van onbekende betrouwbare getuigen, natuurverschijnselen en menselijke perceptie, één ding blijft zeker: dit onderwerp voedt een diepzinnige dialoog over wat we weten, wat we niet weten en hoe we het beste bewijs verzamelen om tot betrouwbare conclusies te komen. En terwijl we de geschiedenis van dergelijke waarnemingen blijven bestuderen, kan het ons helpen om de brug te slaan tussen wonder en wetenschap, tussen cultuur en feit.

{ PETER2011 }

09-10-2025 om 18:04 geschreven door peter  

One of the most intriguing mass UFO sighting flaps in U.S. history started as a normal day like any other in the small suburban town of Wanaque, New Jersey, but as the day came to a close, a bizarre series of events would begin to play out. On the crisp and clear evening of January 11, 1966, at around 6:30 PM, calls began to come in from all over the area describing what seemed to be an extremely bright glowing light out over the nearby Wanaque Reservoir. Dozens of calls were coming in from panicked residents and workers at the reservoir describing more or less the same thing, with most reports saying it was a very bright light, larger and brighter than a star, mostly white but sometimes changing to colors such as red, blue and green. The mystery object was described as hovering over the frozen lake surface and roving about in what seemed to be a deliberate pattern at an altitude of between 250 and 1,000 feet, sometimes performing seemingly physics-defying maneuvers and sudden vertical drops and rises. Even weirder were the reports of the object projecting some sort of beam downwards to the reservoir, which was powerful enough to melt holes in the ice.

Before long, the police who were getting these calls were seeing the strange object for themselves, and one of these was police patrolman Joseph Cisco, who just happened to be near the reservoir when the reports began flooding in. He would then drive out there to investigate and look out over the water to see something very strange for himself, of which he said:

“There was a light that looked bigger than any of the stars, about the size of a softball or volleyball. It was a pulsating, white, stationary light changing to red. It stayed in the air; there was no noise. I was trying to figure out what it was.”

The object would then swoop in low and begin shooting a beam to the lake surface, and Cisco soon got a call from another officer on the radio, saying in a panic, “Something landed in front of the dam. Something's burning a hole in the ice! Something with a bright light on it, going up and down!" Another policeman who saw the thing was Sgt. Ben Thompson, who said it actually caused the water to rise below it and sucked together treetops, and yet another Officer George Dyckman would say, "I've never seen anything like it in my life." Several other police officers being called to the area also saw the otherworldly object, including Patrolmen Edward Nestor and Jack Wardlaw, a Sgt. Bobby Gordon, Reservoir Police and Personnel, George Destito, Charles Theodora, Fred Steines, and even Chief of Police Floyd Elson. Chief John Casazza of the Wanaque Reservoir Police would say of his own sighting:

“It was a bright white light. As I said: just like on a locomotive. It was funnel-shaped. It seemed to come out of some object, like a funnel. In other words, it spread out as if it were focused through a telescope. It was narrow at one end in the sky and spread out into a very wide beam as it approached our upper gatehouse at the dam. The strangest part of it was that there was no noise attached to this object. None whatsoever. It was absolutely silent. A silent light.”

News crews who started to trickle in also reported seeing the strange sight, with one reporter, Howard Ball, with the Paterson News, saying:

“I was near the junction of Colfax Road and Hamburg Turnpike… I saw a very extremely bright light... The thing that really brought my attention was, as I traveled along, a white starlight seems to come at me… then it stopped and it made a transverse movement to the west. No color, but if I'd give it a color I'd say brilliant blue-white, similar to the ignition of a magnesium and pure oxygen... really bright light.”

One of the more prominent witnesses to the outlandish event was the town Mayor, Harry T. Wolfe, who had made his way out to the reservoir along with Councilmen Warren Hagstrom and Arthur Barton and the Mayor’s 14-year-old son, Billy, out of sheer curiosity when the reports kept coming in a deluge. They would witness a light that was “a brilliance, a little brighter than a star” that seemed to emit a reddish or pale green light or yellowish light and which was moving “oddly” over the lake. Closer inspection showed that it was some sort of oval-shaped object around 9 feet in diameter, coming in low over the water to shoot down a beam that put a hole in the ice as they looked on in astonishment. Councilman Hagstrom would say of what they saw that night:

“There was something up there that was awful bright. We don’t know what it was. We thought it was a helicopter, but we didn’t hear a motor. It looked like a helicopter with big landing lights on. We got goose bumps all over when we saw where the hole was.”

Before long, there were throngs of people gathered at the reservoir watching this thing go about its inscrutable business, and the mysterious object would do its strange act over the water for over an hour before finally speeding off into the night at great speed and without warning. Moments later, it would be reported as hovering over Lakeland Regional High School and stopping at several other locations in the area before vanishing to leave residents in a state of shock. So many people had seen it, including many policemen and even city officials, and all of them agreed it was not a normal aircraft or celestial phenomenon, but rather something truly unexplainable and baffling. To make it all even weirder still is that it would seem as if the strangeness wasn't quite over yet. The object would make another brief appearance over the reservoir the following evening as well, before seeming to go away for good, but it would make yet another appearance later that year.

In October of 1966, just as people were starting to try and put the whole bizarre incident at Wanaque reservoir out of their minds, a new spate of sightings emanated from the lake. At 9 PM on October 10, the object was seen by several witnesses, including an off-duty police officer by the name of Robert Gordon, who saw it with his wife, Betty, who described it as a bright white light that moved with “a definite pattern” towards the reservoir. This sighting was soon joined by that of a policeman, Sgt. Ben Thompson, who had seen the object during its first appearance, and had quite a harrowing experience when the UFO allegedly flew right at him and he saw it at fairly close quarters. He would say of this:

“I saw the object coming at me. There was an extremely bright light. It was a bright white light, bright like when a light bulb is about to blow. It was very low. It appeared to be about 75 feet over the mountain. That would be Windbeam Mountain. It was traveling very quickly and in a definite pattern; first right, then up and down, then repeating the pattern. Distances are deceiving, but it might have covered an area of a half a mile. It went straight over my head, stopped in mid-air and backed right up. It then started zig-zagging from left to right. It was doing tricks. Making acute angular turns instead of gradual curved ones. It looked as big as a parachute. I got out of my car and continued to watch it for almost five minutes. It was about 200 to 250 yards away. It was the shape of a basketball with the center scooped out and a football thrust through it. Sometimes the football appeared to be perpendicular to the basketball and sometimes standing up on end. There were two different gadgets. It didn’t make much noise, but as it was moving, it raised the water beneath it. I watched it maneuver, stirring up brush and water in the reservoir, it was about 150 feet up…I had difficulty seeing because the light was so bright it blinded me.”

Once again, the police were flooded with dozens of calls from terrified residents seeing the object in the vicinity of the reservoir, and it would be seen again on October 15 before finally disappearing again, this time apparently for good. In the wake of the UFO flap over Wanaque reservoir, there would be some strange and sometimes ominous stories coming out of the area. It was reported that unknown men posing as military officials from the Air Force were doing the rounds in the area, intimidating residents and discouraging people from talking about what they had seen, and some people even claimed that these mysterious men had confiscated photographs taken of the phenomena. The military would deny that these people were with them, or that they had had anyone in the area to investigate at all, and one Air Force Colonel Freeman would state, “We have checked a number of these cases and these men are not connected with the Air Force in any way.” Other witnesses would also insist that they had seen military helicopters and even jets in the area shortly after the initial sightings and in the months after, but the Air Force denied this as well, while at the same time making efforts to explain away the UFO sightings as misidentified aircraft or a weather balloon. What happened here, and did the military have any connection to these events or not? Were they trying to hide something or cover it up? No one knows.

The claims of mysterious officials confiscating photographic evidence are cited as one of the reasons there is so little such documentation of the incident. Indeed, although the UFO was witnessed by so many people, including police and high-ranking officials, there is oddly only a handful of photographs of the alleged craft known to exist, most of which were later sent in anonymously to make it hard to ascertain who took them in the first place or whether they are real or hoaxes. One photo in particular, showing the object shooting a beam of light downwards, has become intensely debated and analyzed in the years since, with no real conclusion. Since we don’t know who took these photos and have no negatives, it is hard to say. What we do know is that the incident did happen, and so this odd lack of photographic evidence from such a well-documented mass sighting has been seen as proof that someone has tried to suppress the event.

Today, there have been many proposed explanations, including helicopters with spotlights, atmospheric phenomena, Venus, weather balloons, or even ball lightning, but there are problems with these explanations in that so many reliable witnesses saw them and insist that what they witnessed was none of these things. One unidentified witness has said of this to researcher Anthony Bragalia, of UFO Explorations, as follows:

“I remember the thing very well. I still do not know what it was. I think about it from time to time, but it's no use because it doesn't bring me any closer to knowing what it was. Maybe things that aren't from here aren't meant to be understood by us here. Ask anyone who will tell you, it was not a helicopter or something astronomical. It was...not...from our military or something we misidentified. It was a UFO, from somewhere else. The beams or ray thing that came out from the bottom of the globe was the thing that got to me. It made the light cut the ice out. It frightened us kids. And I'm sure the adults. Because we don't have anything like that even today. The adults didn't really speak much about it after the initial thing that I could tell. I'd talk about it with my friends some time later and one of them told me that people came around to not say anything.”

Amazingly, there has apparently been very little follow-up investigation done into the case. It seems that no one ever went back to examine those holes in the ice, nor were there any water or radiation measurements taken, and the proper authorities don’t seem to have ever made any real efforts to interview witnesses. Most of what we know is from independent UFO researchers who pieced together what happened from newspaper articles of the time. We are left to wonder just what happened out over that expanse of frigid ice all of those decades ago and what it all means. Was this all the result of mundane phenomena and misidentification, or something else? Has there been some sort of cover-up put into effect that has managed to keep such a spectacular incident largely buried in history? If this was really an alien craft, then what was it doing at that reservoir, and what did it want? These are questions that linger, and which may never be satisfactorily answered, and the UFO wave of New Jersey's Wanaque reservoir remains a very compelling case of a mass UFO sighting that has been largely forgotten.

Moving on to our next case, on July 11, 1991, a total solar eclipse occurred from the Pacific Ocean to Brazil, passing over Hawaii, Mexico, Central America, and South America. In Mexico City, Mexico, thousands of people were out to get a look at the rare celestial event that day. Two of these observers were Guillermo Arragin, a television executive, and Jaime Maussan, a journalist, who were shocked to notice a bright, disk-like metallic object hovering in the sky and were able to videotape it easily, as they had already been taping the eclipse. They sent the tape to Jaime Maussan, who produced, directed and hosted Sesenta Minutos, Mexico’s edition of Sixty Minutes. When this footage was shown on TV eight days later, it started a deluge of others calling in to report that they had seen or videotaped the same thing during the eclipse, of which Maussan would say:

“The telephone lines blew up. I mean 40,000 calls at the same time. Then the system was completely shut out. We received more than 15 videos and we now know for sure that in at least 7 of them, we can see the same ship that was recorded by Guillermo Arragin.”

It would turn out that many thousands of people had seen the mysterious object, and all of them described the same metallic shining object, with some reports stating it merely hovered in a stationary position, while others said it moved around while leaving a vaporous trail in its wake, and there were also mentions of the thing having three blinking lights on it. After this, it seems that whatever it was disappeared as the sun emerged once again to bring broad daylight. Among the many people sending in videos of the thing was 19-year-old student Erick Aguilar, who saw it while videotaping the eclipse from a rooftop with his friends and girlfriend. He would describe it as looking like a white point of light that got bigger and brighter as they watched it. At the same time, about 60 miles from Mexico City, a businessman named Luis Lara videotaped an object that was identical to the one on Aguilar’s footage, and he was convinced it was not a star, explaining that there was some sort of dark shadow under the object. The Breton family also filmed a similar object in Puebla, eighty miles from Mexico City, and they described the object as pulsating and having a strange wave-like disturbance behind it. It is unclear if this was the same object or a different one. In total, there were over a dozen videos of what seemed to be the same object from different angles and distances, making it one of the most videotaped UFOs ever. 

After this appearance on Sesenta Minutos, the UFO sightings were all over the news, becoming a sensation in Mexico and sparking a mass hysteria, and this was only further fueled when a similar object was spotted just two months later at a military air show at Mexico City. On this occasion, an engineer named Vincente Sanchez was filming the air show when he noticed something very bizarre up in the air with those planes. He would say of it:

“I was following one of the planes and I saw a shiny dot in the camera. It didn’t fly like a plane; it was undulating. I didn’t know what it was so I let the planes go off and I focused more on this shiny dot in the sky. What I saw was a bright, round object, about 10 meters in diameter. It was made of silver, was shining very brightly and reflected the sunlight a lot. The object appeared, undulated, and moved around quickly.”

The object would be seen again at the same air show a year later, this time with the disc descending rapidly to seemingly vanish into thin air. At the same air show in 1993, it was seen yet again, this time apparently flying in close proximity to a squadron of helicopters. It is not clear if these sightings have any connection to the mass sighting on July 11, 1991, but at the time, many were linking them and even claiming they were the very same object. Over the years, the various footage taken on July 11, 1991, has been debated and analyzed, and one astronomer by the name of Tim Printy has given a pretty good argument that it was all down to the planet Venus. As evidence, he states that the object can’t be conclusively shown to be moving in any of the videos, the alignment of the object in the footage in relation to other celestial objects shown in some of the videos, such as Mars and Regulus, correlates to the position of where Venus should be, and the object disappears when the sun comes back out. Most damningly, he points out that not a single Mexican astronomer, of which there would have been many recording the eclipse, reported any UFO or anything out of the ordinary at all. According to Printy, the videos only appear to show something truly strange because of camera artifacts and the fact that there are no uncropped videos of the object, which makes it all appear even more mysterious. 

Nevertheless, despite such criticism of the videos, many still believe them to be good UFO evidence, and some have gone and to take it all to new levels of weirdness. One of these is a couple by the name of Lee and Brit Elders, who believe that the UFO appearance during the eclipse was not only aliens, but that the whole incident was prophesied by the Mayans more than 1200 years ago. The Elders claim that through various ancient documents, they have deduced that the Mayans predicted that the aliens would arrive in the area of Mexico City on July 11, 1991, as harbingers of world change and “cosmic awareness through encounters with masters of the stars,” to usher in “a new era that will rise on the ashes of the one before.” The couple even made a whole series of videos talking about this, titled Messengers of Destiny, Masters of the Stars, and Voyagers of the Sixth Sun, and it all revolves around this supposed ancient prophecy and the July 11, 1991, UFO over Mexico City. Printy has a lot to say about the Elders, and does not mince words at all when he says of what he calls their “pure bunk for sale”:

“Not only do the Elder's state that Venus was a UFO, but they also make a profound statement that the Mayans predicted the arrival of the UFOs! Exactly when did the Maya predict such an event? The Elders state there are several ancient documents that state this. However, is there any basis for such a claim? The Elders rarely, if ever, give details. They seem to expound on new age mysticism trying to link statements from various documents in order to create some strange prediction to meet their needs. Are their statements correct? Are these source documents accurate? The credibility of the Elders is important to understand how accurately they represented the UFOs shown in the videos.

Despite a wealth of evidence that Venus was the likely culprit in many of these videos, the Elders went out of their way to create a story that describes alien visitation. The mixing and matching of Mayan and Aztec myths and then trying to make some form of prediction made by the Maya is another case of the Elders trying to deceive the viewers of real facts. The Mexico City eclipse UFO story is nothing but a new age myth generated by a couple of con-artists, who rely on the viewer to be uninformed and willing to believe the most ridiculous claims. The Messengers of Destiny/Masters of the Stars/Voyagers of the sixth sun prediction is nothing but a new age myth designed to make money!”

The Mexican UFO has also been the source of conspiracies, such as one that states the U.S. government knew about the event in Mexico, but tried to suppress it so that the public would not panic, which is supposedly why the story failed to produce even a blip in the American news. According to a report from the site Cool Interesting Stuff, there was a Kremlin report that supposedly not only mentions this, but also that the incident of July 11, 1991, in Mexico City put the Americans on alert for a "war” against UFOs based on or near the Continent of Antarctica.” The site says:

“A report circulating in the Kremlin prepared for President Medvedev by Russian Space Forces (VKS) 45th Division of Space Control says that an upcoming WikiLeaks release of secret US cables details that the Americans have been “engaged” since 2004 in a “war” against UFO’s based on or near the Continent of Antarctica, particularly the Southern Ocean. According to this report, the United States went to its highest alert level on June 10, 2004 after a massive fleet of UFO’s “suddenly emerged” from the Southern Ocean and approached Guadalajara, Mexico barely 1,600 kilometers (1,000 miles) from the American border. Prior to reaching the US border, however, this massive UFO fleet is said in this report to have “dimensionally returned” to their Southern Ocean “home base.”

The fears of the Americans regarding these Southern Ocean UFO’s began, this report says, during the unprecedented events of July 11, 1991 (referred to as 7/11) when during the Solar Eclipse these mysterious aircraft appeared by the hundreds over nearly all of Mexico, even their Capital city. Most notable about the events of 7/11 were that as millions of Mexicans were watching on their televisions the National broadcasts of these UFO’s over Mexico City, the American media refused to allow their people to view it.”

Is there anything to this? What was going on here with this incident? Was this an otherworldly presence, celestial gods on some mission to fulfill a Mayan prophecy, or merely the planet Venus and mass hysteria? How can we account for so many sightings? Were they all misidentifying a mundane phenomenon? Whatever the case may be, the July 11, 1991, UFO flap over Mexico City has gone on to become one of the most widely witnessed and most videotaped UFO encounters there is, and it remains a curious case in the annals of ufology. 

Moving along, the beginning of what has gone on to be one of the most talked about mass UFO sighting incidents in recent memory was on March 30, 1993, in England. On this evening, there suddenly began a deluge of reports coming in from across a swath of southwest England, particularly in the vicinity of Shropshire, of something decidedly weird in the sky, from witnesses of all walks of life and many of them traditionally reliable witnesses. One of the first reports came from a policeman who claimed to have seen a massive object resembling “two Concordes flying side by side and joined together,” and there were other reports that put the object’s size at a massive 200 meters long. Other reports claimed that the object had been observed sometimes flying very low to the ground, and there was even a panicked resident who claimed that it had landed in a field. Dozens of reports like this came in, and curiously, people were giving different descriptions, including a cylindrical object, a triangular-shaped craft with three lights, and a pair of lights seeming to emit a tail-like plume, suggesting there was more than one aerial disturbance at work. Yet this was only the beginning.

Continuing into March 31st, 1993, the reports kept coming in, and it seemed as if the phenomena had gotten even more active. The evening of the 31st would also mark a series of high-level sightings from police and military personnel, who had been on alert due to the sheer number of anomalous reports the night before. There would be several sightings made from RAF bases in the region, including sightings of a fast-moving red light by personnel at RAF Cosford and another incident at RAF Shawbury. One meteorologist at RAF Shawbury by the name of Wayne Elliot would claim that a triangular-shaped craft measuring around 200 feet across had slowly approached his base while emitting a low humming noise, and then shot a bright beam of light towards the ground before shooting off at amazing speed while leaving a luminous vapor trail in its wake. At no point were any of these objects picked up on radar at the bases. Some of the reports were scattered over a wide area, as another military encounter with one of the objects allegedly happened to an Irish military helicopter en route to Ireland over the coast of southwest Wales. The crew would report seeing “two white lights at a fixed distance apart in the horizontal plane” with trails visible through night vision equipment, which appeared to close the distance and pace them for a time.

The sightings were investigated by Nick Pope, who ran the UFO project run by the British Ministry of Defense (MoD), and he collected a steady stream of the reports, which he described as “coming in thick and fast,” in particular from the areas of Devon, Cornwall and Wales. Pope would claim to gather several hundred eyewitness reports of the bizarre unidentified aerial phenomena from March 30 and 31, and he also asserted that it was such a major and anomalous incident that it had even captured the attention of military officials at the Pentagon, who he believed included it in their 490-page secret report under the part of the Advanced Aviation Threat Identification Program. Pope  has said of this:

“The Cosford Incident was the most high-profile and compelling UFO incident that took place during my time on the MoD’s UFO project in the early Nineties. It is probably among the best cases in our entire archive, which goes back decades and includes around 12,000 sightings. It is inconceivable to me that this wouldn’t be one of the incidents mentioned in the secret US report. I’m sure the Americans knew all about the Cosford Incident, and maybe conducted some discreet enquiries of their own.”

Despite how amazing this may all seem, we are still left to wonder about just what exactly was seen by all of these witnesses, and there has been much debate on the matter. One very prevalent theory is that the aerial phenomena were caused by some kind of falling space debris, notably the re-entry of a Russian satellite called the Cosmos 2238, which it turns out was scheduled to re-enter the atmosphere on the evening of March 31. This would not be out of the question, as falling space debris has caused UFO flaps before, and incidentally, a similar Cosmos satellite that had gone down in the winter of 1978 also coincided with a wave of UFO sightings. 

A reentering satellite might explain some of the sightings, but it would not really explain the fact that many of the reports describe distinctly triangular objects that were allegedly seen flying in a seemingly intelligently controlled manner, including changing speed, hovering, or flying low to the ground, even in one case landing and taking off, which doesn’t really fit in with the space debris theory. The Russian satellite angle also would not explain the sightings going on during the evening of March 30, nor the insistence of some very trained witnesses that these were not space debris. So what are some of the other possibilities? Other ideas are that this was some sort of top-secret experimental aircraft being tested, a military black op, or some strange atmospheric phenomenon. There is also the possibility that this was just a misidentified normal aircraft, such as an airplane or helicopter. One local police investigator has said of this likelihood:

“If there’s no full moon you would not necessarily see the shape of the aircraft just the three lights and perhaps the searchlight. On a number of occasions in the last nine years we have had people ringing the police to report UFOs and when we have checked our operation logs it has turned out to be our helicopter. On other occasions we have had people reporting UFOs who have actually seen airliners descending into Manchester who have switched their landing lights on or off. Most people have no idea of spatial awareness at night and cannot accurately judge the height or distance. We have had people saying they have seen things at treetop height and when we have checked it has been an aircraft descending into Manchester at 10,000 feet or more.”

One argument against this is that many of the observers were reliable, trained witnesses such as RAF personnel, police officers, and the meteorologist, so how could they all misidentify a helicopter or plane? UFO investigator Chris Fowler has addressed this by explaining the problems with leaning too heavily on supposed expert witnesses, pointing out that even trained and seasoned individuals can be fooled by innate problems with our senses of perception. Fowler says of this:

“The human visual perceptual system and cognizance are very discerning but easily fooled by events like those described here. It is part of common UFO reportage that lights and aircraft flying at night can lead to false reports of distance, altitude, time estimates, size and other fundamental attributes. We should take note all observers are fallible to misperception and illusory effects and to false interpretation and apply adequate reasoning here. These 1993 events may be exemplary in providing more evidence of the inability of those often described as ‘trained observers’ to discern altitude in lights than is supposed. It is fallacious to assume that certain subsets of people, by occupation, may be more or less accurate in their observations of lights, shapes, distance and altitude without providing evidence. Observational accuracy by any subset of witnesses depends upon circumstance and a willingness to apply useful pragmatic means to recording observations at the time and on some understanding of limitations.”

One of the problems with trying to get to the bottom of the Cosford Incident is that Nick Pope has been accused by skeptics and even others within the UFO field of being a bit overzealous in his approach and too willing to try and fit everything into his own preconceived theories. He has been accused of cherry-picking, twisting and misrepresenting data to fit his needs, leading witnesses in interviews into the outcomes he wants, and generally exaggerating certain elements of the cases, giving misleading statements, or leaving out certain information to misrepresent the facts. For instance, although Pope has admitted that some of the sightings could have been space debris, he rarely mentions this, instead focusing on the more bizarre and mysterious sightings and elements. UFO researcher Gary Anthony has criticized Pope’s approach in relation to his participation in a documentary of the incident called The British UFO Mystery – Stranger Than Fiction, saying of it:

“After watching the documentary myself, I wondered if Nick Pope had lost the real plot or not because in places there were exaggerative comments and the reports were misrepresented both by Nick and in the visual continuity and the narrating voice. The presentation was more geared towards Pope’s own personal and theatrical interpretation of the sightings and was laid out fallaciously for an unsuspecting public.  Relevant information was not included, witness participation was minimal and some of the facts presented were grossly out of context. He clearly has fallen into the trap of not recognizing salient features and errors of multiple witness reports, making links that do not exist and falling back on the questionable prowess of ‘trained observers,’ endowed with super-human abilities of discerning distance, altitudes and size in lights seen at night. A real house of cards. The programme featured only one witness, a lady who saw a row of lights whilst driving home. For the 45-minute plus feature exclusively on these sightings none of the official witnesses used to bolster the theme appeared.”

In the end, the whole incident has sort of quietly been brushed away, and is rarely talked about outside of UFO circles, despite how many witnesses there apparently were. What was going on here? Was this merely space debris? Was it experimental aircraft, aliens, atmospheric phenomena, or all of the above? How reliable is Pope's documentation of the supposed events, and is there anything we are missing? There is no way to really know the answers to such questions and others like them, and we are left to wonder just what went on over the English countryside in March of 1993.

Finally, what has gone on to become one of the most well-known and oft-discussed, and debated mass UFO sightings in history is widely accepted as having started on March 13, 1997, in the skies over Henderson, Nevada, in the United States. Here, a witness claimed that at approximately 6:55 PM, he saw a large, V-shaped object about the same size as a passenger airliner with a formation of six lights along its front edge, which flew across the sky at a good clip with a sort of whooshing noise to disappear to the southeast. This same object would soon after be witnessed by a police officer from Paulden, Arizona, at around 8:15 PM, who said that he saw a triangular formation of four mysterious lights trailed by a fifth, and claimed to have watched the strange sight through his binoculars as they travelled south.

This would be the beginning of one of the most famous UFO cases there is. Before long, there were sightings of something strange in the sky coming in from the area of Prescott, Arizona, and the Prescott Valley. Many of the witnesses at the time described it as being definitely solid, blocking out the stars and the sky as it passed over, and it was mostly explained as being rather enormous. One witness who saw the boomerang-shaped object said it was massive, at least a mile wide, stating:

“We don’t have anything that big. It was totally silent. I’ve never seen anything even close to the colors from the exhaust that propelled that thing. It was as big as downtown Prescott and completely blocked out the stars.”

The object or objects were usually described as being a V-shaped or wedge-shaped formation of red or orange lights, with the leading light being a bright white, usually said to be embedded within a solid object, but descriptions varied, and they were sometimes claimed to be separate lights moving independently. At the time, there were dozens of witnesses from all ages and walks of life observing it as it made its way inexorably towards Phoenix to the southeast. The lights were also seen from the nearby town of Dewey, around 10 miles away, and as they drew closer to the greater Phoenix area, there would be a deluge of people seeing whatever it was that had come in from out of the unknown.

The phenomenon reached Phoenix at around 8:30 PM, after which it hovered over the area for around two hours, being seen by thousands of people in the process. During this time, it seems that there were actually two separate events going on over the region at the same time, with one being the massive V-shaped group of lights moving through the air, and a second formation of lights south of Phoenix that seemed to be stationary or moving very slowly. These lights, which would go on to collectively be known as the “Phoenix Lights,” were seen by people from all walks of life, including police officers, pilots, military personnel, and even the governor, none of whom could come up with any explanation for what was going on. While most of the reports described some massive solid object, an interesting aspect of it all is that witness descriptions of the phenomena tended to vary to quite a wide degree, of which UFOlogist Peter B. Davenport has said:

“Witnesses were reporting such markedly different objects and events that night that it was difficult for investigators to understand what was taking place. Some witnesses reported five lights, others seven, or even more. Some reported that the lights were distinctly orange or red, whereas others reported distinctly white or yellow lights. Many reported the lights were moving across the sky at seemingly high speed, whereas others reported they moved at a slow (angular) velocity, or they even hovered for several minutes.”

The objects were being seen all over the place at the time, seen in places as far away as Las Vegas, New Mexico, and northern Mexico, always inspiring awe and dread. In the meantime, the media didn’t really seem to show much interest in it, and officials seemed to treat it as a big joke, with Arizona Governor Fife Symington III holding a press conference on the situation flanked by an aide wearing an alien costume. However, when the story hit USA Today, it blew up into national news, appearing all over newspapers and TV shows. The USA Today piece was quite sensational, including the line, “The incident over Arizona was the most dramatic I’ve seen. . . . What we have here is the real thing. They are here,” and people ate it up. Before long, the Phoenix lights were being talked about and widely discussed all over the nation, with theories being thrown about as to what the phenomenon could have been, which is made somewhat complicated by the fact that it seems that there were two separate phenomena going on at the same time, the large moving object and the hovering lights.

One of the main ideas put forward was that at least the second event concerning the stationary lights was simply flares dropped by the military during a nighttime training exercise, but this has been challenged by many. Curiously, one of the main opponents of the flare theory was the governor himself, who would end up later changing his tune entirely, claiming to have seen the lights himself, and he would say of this:

“As a pilot and a former Air Force Officer, I can definitively say that this craft did not resemble any man made object I'd ever seen. And it was certainly not high-altitude flares because flares don't fly in formation. It was enormous and inexplicable. Who knows where it came from? A lot of people saw it, and I saw it too. It was dramatic. And it couldn't have been flares because it was too symmetrical. It had a geometric outline, a constant shape. I'm a pilot and I know just about every machine that flies. It was bigger than anything that I've ever seen. It remains a great mystery.”

Symington also found it odd that his attempts to get more information from the government on what was going on out there were shot down with basically “no comment,” and that no government agency had made any effort to seriously investigate. Another opponent of the flare theory was UFO enthusiast Jim Dilettoso, who claimed that he had done a full spectral analysis of the lights in one of the videos and determined that they could not have possibly come from a manmade source. However, considering that such an analysis on video footage images would be inaccurate, this has been criticized as an incomplete analysis at best. It has also been pointed out that the wind direction and speed at the time were consistent with flares as to the movement seen with the pattern of lights, which also supports the flare theory, as does the fact that the lights seemed to dip over the horizon and disappear, very much as flares would do. With regards to at least this aspect of the event, even UFOlogists have conceded that it could have been flares in this case.

The first event, which covers that huge, light-studded craft moving over the state and blocking out the stars, has been more difficult to explain. Skeptics say that it was just a formation of high altitude aircraft flying in formation on a classified mission, the blackened sky just an illusion. This has been corroborated by amateur astronomer Mitch Stanley, who claims that on the night of the incident, he had observed the large V-shaped craft through a telescope to find that it was unambiguously an aircraft, specifically a formation of five planes that were either A-10s or possibly T-37 fighter-trainers. However, many of the thousands of witnesses have denied that this could have been the case; the planes were apparently not picked up on radar, and the Davis-Monthan Air Force Base in Tucson did not assert that they had any aircraft in the air at the time. In the end, it all remains a curious oddity, of which one investigator with the Mutual UFO Network (MUFON) has said:

“Do we have evidence that it was an extraterrestrial event? No. We have evidence that it was an extremely bizarre event. We can't put a label on it other than it was an anomaly.”

Interestingly, there have been reemergences of the lights in later years that have been explained as flares. On February 6, 2007, almost the same thing was seen over Phoenix, and military officials were quick to admit that it was flares they had dropped, and on April 21, 2008, there was another wave of sightings of the lights, this time found to be flares attached to balloons. Yet, the sightings that remain the most well-known are the original 1997 incident and whatever was behind it all, the Phoenix Lights have continued to have a place among the greatest, most extensively seen and documented UFO sightings ever, and remain mostly a mystery.

There can be no doubt that mass sightings such as what we’ve looked at here are the most spectacular type of UFO sightings there is. What were these people seeing, and how can we explain it rationally when so many people are seeing the same thing, often very traditionally reliable witnesses? Are these cases of misidentifying Venus or other aerial or atmospheric phenomena? Is it flares or balloons, or whatever official report it is, they want you to believe? How can you tell hundreds of people that they did not see what they think they did? If these are extraterrestrial in nature, then why would they want to be so widely seen in these cases? Whatever the answers may be, mass UFO sightings are among the most exciting and well-documented in the field. 

{ https://mysteriousuniverse.org/ }

09-10-2025 om 17:15 geschreven door peter  

Mysterious interstellar visitor heading towards Earth dubbed a 'Trojan Horse' for alien tech

• READ MORE: Space agency breaks silence on 'foreign' interstellar object soaring past Mars: 'A rare visitor'

By STACY LIBERATORE, US SCIENCE & TECHNOLOGY EDITOR

A scientist has warned that the interstellar visitor moving closer to Earth could be a 'Trojan Horse,' where a technological object masquerades as a comet.

The Harvard professor, who has been monitoring 3I/ATLAS since its discovery in July, said Wednesday that there is a 30 to 40 percent chance the object 'does not have a fully natural origin.'

Avi Loeb admitted that his ranking could change after new data comes in over the next few months, including observations next month from a spacecraft en route to Jupiter and when 3I/ATLAS comes 167 miles within Earth in December.

'We have no idea of the amount of traffic of extraterrestrial probes in the vicinity of the Solar system,' he said in a blog post.

'Given the uncertainty, it would be prudent to collect as much data as possible on interstellar objects from all directions and assess the level of risk based on that data.'

The object, a rare visitor from beyond the solar system, is unusually large and closely aligned with the plane of the planets, making it visible to orbiters around Mars over the weekend.

NASA's rover on the Martian planet snapped images of 3I/ATLAS, which captured it as a massive cylindrical object, sparking fresh theories about alien technology.

Stargazers on social media shared color-enhanced images of the object, which showed the interstellar visitor having a green glow. 

A Harvard scientists said there is a possibility that the interstellar visitor moving closer to Earth could be a 'Trojan Horse,' where a technological object masquerades as a comet

Loeb analyzed the Perseverance rover's photos by calculating its distance, speed, and camera settings.

According to his initial study, Loeb was not convinced that 3I/ATLAS is actually a massive cylindrical object, noting that the strange shape might have been a trick of the rover's camera stretching the object out.

He explained that the apparent cylinder from the rover's 'Navcam' was likely caused by the camera stacking hundreds of images of 3I/ATLAS over a period of about 10 minutes, making it look more like a log than a ball.

The professor added that 3I/ATLAS is likely smaller and rounder, but still massive, with a potential diameter of more than 28 miles across.

Dr Horace Drew, a retired senior researcher at Australia's Commonwealth Scientific and Industrial Research Organization (CSIRO), noted that the mysterious green glow seen in some images could be a result of the object being an interstellar spacecraft coated in nickel.

He explained that humans use the same practice on Earth-made space technology on a much smaller scale.

'It is not a "comet,"' Drew shared in a post on X.

Drew disagreed with Loeb's conclusion that the cylindrical shape was a result of the Mars rover sending back a stretched image over several minutes, claiming that an amateur astronomer on Earth captured a similar shape with their telescope.

+1

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The Perseverance rover on Mars captured new images of the interstellar object 3I/ATLAS as it passed by the planet this weekend

Read More

• Interstellar object caught emitting mysterious metal that suggests 'technological origin' 

'We can see an extended white shape, with a green coma outside. Not a small white ball,' Drew explained in a post about the astronomer's photograph.

However, Loeb recently cited the findings from the Very Large Telescope, highlighting how it detected an unusual nickel plume from the object.

Unlike natural comets, which always emit nickel alongside iron, 3I/ATLAS shows the metallic element without any detectable iron.

Loeb explained that this nickel signature is a hallmark of industrial production of nickel alloys.

'Is this anomaly another clue for a possible technological origin of 3I/ATLAS?' Loeb wrote in a blog post.

'The paper suggests that chemical formation occurs through the nickel carbonyl channel, an extremely rare process in comets, but a standard technique in industrial nickel refining,' he added.

The new study, published by astrophysicists in Chile in late August, found that 3I/ATLAS is shedding nickel at roughly five grams per second and cyanide at 20 grams per second, with both rising sharply as the object moves closer to the sun.

Researchers noted that the mechanisms driving these emissions are not typical of natural cometary processes.

They hypothesized that nickel might be released from dust through gentle processes, such as sunlight, causing it to evaporate or breaking down small nickel-containing compounds.

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

09-10-2025 om 16:50 geschreven door peter  

Mystery over strange crash near Area 51 deepens as FBI opens investigation

• MORE: World's most secretive jet spotted over Area 51

By CHRIS MELORE, US ASSISTANT SCIENCE EDITOR

The US Air Force has sparked a mystery near the top-secret base Area 51 after admitting the FBI was investigating a recent crash near the facility. 

In a statement on October 4, officials at Creech Air Force Base in Nevada said that an aircraft 'was involved in an incident,' crashing in the desert just miles from the restricted zone around Area 51 on September 23.

The infamous base has been tied to extraterrestrial lore for decades, with UFO researchers and conspiracy theorists claiming that secret government projects have been conducted at Area 51 since the 1950s.

While the Air Force said that the craft was assigned to the base as part of the 432nd Wing, some on social media pointed out that the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) issued a temporary flight restriction around the area for an entire week.

The reason for the shutdown was simply noted as 'national security' with no other explanation given by the FAA.

The location of the flight restriction placed the crash roughly 12 miles east of the security boundary around Area 51, and about 24 miles from the base itself.

However, the Air Force has revealed that even more strange activity took place after military personnel cleaned up the site, leaving nothing for the public to find.

Officials at Creech said investigators found an 'inert training bomb body' and a piece of an unidentified aircraft at the same crash site on October 3, prompting the military to get the FBI involved.

Area 51, an area of more than 2.9 million acres, is located at the Nevada Test and Training Range

A temporary flight restriction was issued by the FAA shortly after the US Air Force announced the crash of a military aircraft near Area 51

According to the Air Force statement, officials believe someone intentionally altered the scene of the secretive crash after the military left the desert.

An inert training bomb body is a practice explosive that's not rigged to explode.

Meanwhile, the Air Force said the aircraft piece was likely a panel from a plane, but admitted that it came from an 'unknown origin.'

Joerg Arnu, a long-time Area 51 researcher and host of the website Dreamland Resort, visited the site of the crash on September 27, finding nothing but a completely cleared area and several tire tracks, likely from military vehicles that combed the desert for wreckage.

'They really tore up the ground so it's impossible to find the impact mark,' Arnu said in a video taken from the alleged crash.

The researchers noted that there was no debris left in the area, but something could still be there underground, adding that desert rains often wash hidden objects back up to the surface.

The Air Force noted that 'no further details are available at this time,' but did say that there were no injuries or fatalities during the unexplained incident.

Creech Air Force Base is less than 60 miles from the alleged crash site and is home to the 432nd Wing, which operates MQ-9 Reaper armed drones, RQ-170 Sentinel stealth drones, and other craft used for intelligence, surveillance, and combat missions.

Area 51 researcher Joerg Arnu captured video of the supposed crash site after the military had finished recovering the object

The crash reportedly took place just 12 miles from the security area surrounding Area 51, a base tied to UFO encounters for decades

Read More

EXCLUSIVE

•  Insider blows the lid on explosive cover-up scandal plaguing secret military bases across America 

According to online defense news site The War Zone, Reapers are the main type of aircraft housed at the base, used for spying, watching targets, and even firing missiles from far away.

They've been in use for two decades, and it's not uncommon for them to crash under certain circumstances, including user error and mechanical failures with the uncrewed, remote-controlled drones.

Conspiracy theorists online pointed out that it would be incredibly unusual for the federal officials to keep a Reaper drone crash so secret.

They noted the fact that federal investigators showed up so quickly, searched for planted fake evidence, and kept the incident completely under wraps for over two weeks were signs that the aircraft was no ordinary drone.

Recently, the US Air Force's top-secret RAT55 jet was also spotted soaring over Area 51, confirming rumors that the enigmatic radar plane operated from the clandestine Groom Lake facility.

Area 51 has also been involved in the development and testing of other revolutionary and experimental aircraft over the years, including the F-117 Nighthawk, America's first stealth bomber.

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

09-10-2025 om 14:42 geschreven door peter  

Even the smallest details of the Martian landscape can hide incredible phenomena. It turns out that dust whirlwinds, also known as “dust devils” on the Red Planet, move at incredible speeds that significantly exceed scientists’ previous estimates.

Researchers from the University of Bern in Switzerland analyzed archives of images from the European Space Agency’s Mars Express and Trace Gas Orbiter spacecraft. Using artificial intelligence models, they were able to track more than a thousand dust devils recorded over the past two decades. 

The result is impressive: these whirlwinds can reach speeds of up to 158 km/h, making them much more powerful than previously thought. This discovery radically changes our understanding of the dynamics of the Martian atmosphere.

Turning artifacts into scientific data

The most ingenious aspect of this study was the method. None of the orbital vehicles were specifically designed to measure wind. However, the team found a way. They noticed slight color shifts in the images caused by split-second delays between the camera channels. These shifts are usually considered technical noise. But everything that moves across the surface of Mars — clouds or dust whirlwinds — leaves its mark in these shifts. By analyzing these tiny shifts between frames, scientists were able to calculate the speed and direction of each whirlwind.

As research leader Valentin Bickel noted, they literally “turned image artifacts into valuable scientific measurements.” 

This fundamental discovery has direct practical significance for the exploration of Mars. A dust devil is a kind of visualizer of invisible wind. By measuring it, we obtain a map of winds across the entire surface of the planet.

This information will be invaluable for planning future landings. Scientists will be able to more accurately assess wind conditions at the landing site, predict how much dust will settle on the rovers’ solar panels, and determine the optimal frequency of self-cleaning to maintain viability. 

Rhythms of Martian weather

The new catalog also confirms that dust devils have their “favorite” places and times. They most often occur on dust plains such as Amazonis Planitia during the warm seasons of spring and summer. Their activity peaks between late morning and early afternoon, which is very similar to patterns on Earth.

However, there is a key difference on Mars. Since no rain falls there, dust can remain in the atmosphere for months. Understanding how and when it enters the atmosphere is key to unraveling the planet’s long-term climate cycles and accurately predicting Martian weather. As ESA scientist Colin Wilson noted: “Dust on Mars affects absolutely everything.” 

Earlier, we reported on how robots on Mars would quickly turn into scrap metal.

• According to ESA

• Posted in News, Science

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{ https://universemagazine.com/en/articles-en/ }

09-10-2025 om 14:27 geschreven door peter  

Saw this today and wondered why they didn’t land? UFO UAP sighting daily news 👽

Date of sighting: Oct 8, 2025

Location of sighting: Bountiful, Utah, USA

Hey I recorded this in my backyard today and there was this amazing disk UFO about 500 meters across over the Salt Lake City Airport, Utah today. The disk also had a mini disk above it. The planes all flew around it. None chose to fly through it. Appearing as a cloud is the number one easiest way for aliens to fly low to the ground so they can actually look out the ship and see humans and life with their own eyes rather than staring at a computer screen experiencing it. 

Scott C. Waring 

 

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

08-10-2025 om 21:58 geschreven door peter  

What’s going on in Arizona! Stargate portal in mountain used by aliens 👽 UFO sighting daily news 📰

Date of discovery: Oct 4, 2025

Location of discovery: Arizona, USA

Guys check this out. In the Arizona desert there is a mountain with a greenish emerald portal in it. It's probably not visible with the naked eye in person, since most portals must be hidden, however the digital eye of a satellite has picked up on it. Defiantly a great method of aliens traveling across the universe in a flash of an eye. 

Scott C. Waring 

 

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

08-10-2025 om 21:52 geschreven door peter  

Cube UFO Over Midlothian, Virginia On Oct 5, 2025, UAP Alien Sighting News....VIDEO!

Notice the aura around the UFO below? Dead give away...alien propulsion systems there. 

Date of sighting: Oct 5, 2025

Location of sighting: Midlothian, Virginia, USA

Source: NUFORC #193027

Watch this recent video of a metallic cube moving across the sky. It's flying low while rotation ever so slowly. The thing that gives this object away is the aura around it. UFOs have auras around it...or so says the famous nuclear engineer Bob Lazar of Area S4. Notice the screenshot above...the light around the cube...it's the energy aura created by the alien propulsion systems. 100% proof this is an alien craft. 

Scott C. Waring - UFO Sightings Daily

 

Eyewitness states: 

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

08-10-2025 om 21:46 geschreven door peter