The purpose of this blog is the creation of an open, international, independent and free forum, where every UFO-researcher can publish the results of his/her research. The languagues, used for this blog, are Dutch, English and French.You can find the articles of a collegue by selecting his category. Each author stays resposable for the continue of his articles. As blogmaster I have the right to refuse an addition or an article, when it attacks other collegues or UFO-groupes.
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Deze blog is opgedragen aan mijn overleden echtgenote Lucienne.
In 2012 verloor ze haar moedige strijd tegen kanker!
In 2011 startte ik deze blog, omdat ik niet mocht stoppen met mijn UFO-onderzoek.
BEDANKT!!!
Een interessant adres?
UFO'S of UAP'S, ASTRONOMIE, RUIMTEVAART, ARCHEOLOGIE, OUDHEIDKUNDE, SF-SNUFJES EN ANDERE ESOTERISCHE WETENSCHAPPEN - DE ALLERLAATSTE NIEUWTJES
UFO's of UAP'S in België en de rest van de wereld Ontdek de Fascinerende Wereld van UFO's en UAP's: Jouw Bron voor Onthullende Informatie!
Ben jij ook gefascineerd door het onbekende? Wil je meer weten over UFO's en UAP's, niet alleen in België, maar over de hele wereld? Dan ben je op de juiste plek!
België: Het Kloppend Hart van UFO-onderzoek
In België is BUFON (Belgisch UFO-Netwerk) dé autoriteit op het gebied van UFO-onderzoek. Voor betrouwbare en objectieve informatie over deze intrigerende fenomenen, bezoek je zeker onze Facebook-pagina en deze blog. Maar dat is nog niet alles! Ontdek ook het Belgisch UFO-meldpunt en Caelestia, twee organisaties die diepgaand onderzoek verrichten, al zijn ze soms kritisch of sceptisch.
Nederland: Een Schat aan Informatie
Voor onze Nederlandse buren is er de schitterende website www.ufowijzer.nl, beheerd door Paul Harmans. Deze site biedt een schat aan informatie en artikelen die je niet wilt missen!
Internationaal: MUFON - De Wereldwijde Autoriteit
Neem ook een kijkje bij MUFON (Mutual UFO Network Inc.), een gerenommeerde Amerikaanse UFO-vereniging met afdelingen in de VS en wereldwijd. MUFON is toegewijd aan de wetenschappelijke en analytische studie van het UFO-fenomeen, en hun maandelijkse tijdschrift, The MUFON UFO-Journal, is een must-read voor elke UFO-enthousiasteling. Bezoek hun website op www.mufon.com voor meer informatie.
Samenwerking en Toekomstvisie
Sinds 1 februari 2020 is Pieter niet alleen ex-president van BUFON, maar ook de voormalige nationale directeur van MUFON in Vlaanderen en Nederland. Dit creëert een sterke samenwerking met de Franse MUFON Reseau MUFON/EUROP, wat ons in staat stelt om nog meer waardevolle inzichten te delen.
Let op: Nepprofielen en Nieuwe Groeperingen
Pas op voor een nieuwe groepering die zich ook BUFON noemt, maar geen enkele connectie heeft met onze gevestigde organisatie. Hoewel zij de naam geregistreerd hebben, kunnen ze het rijke verleden en de expertise van onze groep niet evenaren. We wensen hen veel succes, maar we blijven de autoriteit in UFO-onderzoek!
Blijf Op De Hoogte!
Wil jij de laatste nieuwtjes over UFO's, ruimtevaart, archeologie, en meer? Volg ons dan en duik samen met ons in de fascinerende wereld van het onbekende! Sluit je aan bij de gemeenschap van nieuwsgierige geesten die net als jij verlangen naar antwoorden en avonturen in de sterren!
Heb je vragen of wil je meer weten? Aarzel dan niet om contact met ons op te nemen! Samen ontrafelen we het mysterie van de lucht en daarbuiten.
29-06-2025
Strange Lights, Circling Objects, And Backyard Aliens – The 1926 Wave Of UFO And Humanoid Encounters
Strange Lights, Circling Objects, And Backyard Aliens – The 1926 Wave Of UFO And Humanoid Encounters
Introduction
The phenomenon of unidentified flying objects (UFOs) and humanoid encounters has fascinated humanity for centuries. While modern UFO sightings gained prominence in the mid-20th century, there are historical accounts predating this era. Notably, the year 1926 witnessed a series of peculiar reports across various regions, characterized by strange lights, circling aerial objects, and even alleged encounters with humanoid entities in backyards. This report aims to explore the details of these incidents, their context, and their significance within the broader history of UFO phenomena.
Historical Context
The 1920s was a time of rapid technological progress and social change. Aviation was still in its early stages, with airplanes becoming more common but remaining relatively new and intriguing to the public. During this period, there was a heightened fascination with the sky, driven by reports of mysterious lights and unexplained aerial phenomena. The 1926 wave of UFO sightings fits within this broader context, highlighting both genuine curiosity and the influence of popular culture and folklore. People were increasingly interested in understanding what was happening overhead, often interpreting strange lights and objects as otherworldly. This era’s fascination with flight and the unknown helped shape early perceptions of UFOs, blending actual technological advancements with myths and stories that fueled public imagination. Overall, the 1920s marked a pivotal moment when humanity’s fascination with the sky began to merge with emerging technological achievements, laying the groundwork for future interest in aerial mysteries.
Key Reports from 1926
1. The Ohio Encounters
The Ohio Encounters In early 1926, residents of rural Ohio reported seeing luminous objects moving swiftly across the night sky. Witnesses described these lights as “glowing orbs” that would sometimes hover before darting away at incredible speeds. Several accounts mention circling lights that appeared to stalk farmhouses and barns, creating an eerie feeling of surveillance. One notable incident involved a farmer who claimed to have seen a “small metallic craft” land briefly in his backyard. From this craft, a humanoid figure emerged before disappearing into the night, fueling speculation about extraterrestrial visitors. The descriptions emphasized the metallic sheen of the craft and the humanoid's grayish appearance, suggesting an encounter with an unfamiliar, possibly intelligent entity.
2. The California Lights
The California Lights Similarly, in California, reports emerged of strange lights dancing over mountains and plains. Multiple witnesses, including pilots and farmers, observed circular objects with flashing lights that performed acrobatic maneuvers across the sky. Some accounts describe these objects forming patterns such as spirals and figure-eights, indicating deliberate aerial choreography. Several witnesses also reported strange humming sounds accompanying the lights, adding an auditory element to the visual spectacle. These lights often appeared suddenly, persisted for minutes, and then vanished without explanation, heightening the mystery surrounding their origin.
3. The New England Encounters
The New England Encounters In New England, especially in rural Massachusetts and Vermont, farmers and townsfolk recounted seeing glowing orbs that would appear suddenly and then vanish just as swiftly. Multiple reports describe these lights descending into fields or hovering near homes, often at low altitudes. One particularly intriguing account involved a family who claimed to have observed a small “grayish” humanoid figure in their backyard one evening. The figure retreated quickly when approached, suggesting possible contact or observation. These phenomena were characterized by their fleeting nature and the eerie silence accompanying the lights, leaving residents both curious and apprehensive about the true nature of these encounters.
In a quiet and muggy July night in 1926 a woman awoke to loud noises outside of her house in the outskirts of rural Maitland, Canada. Looking outside she saw strange lights hovering a few hundred feet next to her farm. Terrified and confused, the woman couldn’t do anything but stare in complete disbelief of the otherworldly lights. What were they? Who were they?
As one of the lights got closer she managed to catch something staring at her from within the bright, bathing light. Not something but rather someone.
Descriptions of the Phenomena
The common themes across these reports include:
Strange Lights: Bright, luminous objects that appeared without warning and often moved unpredictably. These lights varied in color from white to greenish hues and sometimes displayed pulsating or flashing effects.
Circling and Maneuvering: Many witnesses observed the objects performing complex aerial maneuvers—circling, spiraling, or darting at high speeds—often defying known aircraft capabilities of the time.
Humanoid Encounters: Several reports describe encounters with small humanoid figures, often gray or featureless, emerging from or near the mysterious objects. These entities were typically described as being no taller than three feet and lacking distinctive facial features.
Audible Phenomena: Some witnesses reported hearing humming or buzzing sounds associated with the lights, further emphasizing their otherworldly nature.
Analysis of the Incidents
While some of these reports could be attributed to natural phenomena such as meteors, ball lightning, or atmospheric reflections, the consistency and detail in many accounts suggest that some sightings might have been genuine unidentified phenomena. The presence of humanoid entities, in particular, raises questions about possible extraterrestrial or paranormal origins.
The descriptions of small, gray humanoids bear similarities to later “Greys” commonly associated with UFO lore. The fact that these encounters occurred in backyards indicates that these phenomena were not confined to isolated or remote areas but penetrated into inhabited zones, adding to their unsettling nature.
Furthermore, the timing of these reports prior to the era of widespread aviation and radar technology implies that witnesses relied solely on visual perception, which may have both limited and enhanced their interpretations of these phenomena.
Possible Explanations
Several hypotheses have been proposed to explain the 1926 wave:
Natural Atmospheric Phenomena: Some sightings could be explained by meteorites, atmospheric reflections, or ball lightning, phenomena that can produce strange lights and movements.
Aerial Testing or Secret Military Devices: Given the period's technological innovations, some theorists speculate that experimental aircraft or secret military projects might have been responsible, especially considering the unusual maneuvers attributed to these objects.
Psychological Factors: Mass hysteria, hallucinations, or collective misperceptions could have contributed to the reports, especially in rural communities where folklore and imagination often intertwine with reality.
Extraterrestrial Hypotheses: The recurring descriptions of humanoid entities and advanced-looking craft lend some credence to the possibility of extraterrestrial visitors, although there is no concrete evidence to support this.
Significance of the 1926 Wave
The 1926 wave of UFO and humanoid encounters is significant for several reasons:
It predates the modern UFO movement, illustrating that such phenomena have long been part of human consciousness.
It demonstrates that reports of strange lights and humanoids are not exclusive to the mid-20th century but have historical antecedents.
The incidents highlight the persistent human fascination with the sky and the unknown, influencing later UFO lore and investigations.
The encounters with humanoids in backyards foreshadow later reports and theories about close-contact cases and alien abductions.
Conclusion
The wave of UFO and humanoid encounters that occurred in 1926 remains a captivating chapter in the history of unexplained aerial phenomena. These reports, many of which were documented with remarkable detail and consistency, continue to intrigue researchers and enthusiasts alike. While a significant number of these sightings can be explained through natural phenomena, misidentifications, or man-made objects, some accounts defy straightforward explanation, hinting at the possibility of genuinely mysterious occurrences. The 1926 incidents remind us that humanity's curiosity about the cosmos and the potential for extraterrestrial life has been a longstanding aspect of our collective consciousness.
Throughout history, people have reported strange lights, unusual crafts, and encounters with humanoid entities, often describing phenomena that challenge our understanding of physics and reality. The 1926 wave is particularly notable because it predates the modern era of UFO research, yet it shares many features with contemporary sightings—such as rapid movement, unusual shapes, and reports of beings not belonging to our known terrestrial species. These accounts fuel ongoing debates about the origins and nature of such phenomena, oscillating between skepticism and belief.
Moreover, these encounters serve as a testament to human fascination with the unknown. They encourage a sense of wonder and curiosity that drives scientific inquiry and exploration. While definitive proof of extraterrestrial visitation remains elusive, the persistence of these reports suggests that there is still much we do not understand about our universe. They also highlight the importance of critical analysis and rigorous investigation to distinguish between genuine anomalies and misinterpretations.
In conclusion, the 1926 UFO wave exemplifies the enduring mystery surrounding aerial phenomena. Whether these events were caused by natural phenomena, psychological factors, or extraterrestrial craft, they continue to inspire curiosity and investigation. As our technology and understanding advance, so too does our capacity to explore these phenomena more thoroughly. Ultimately, these historical sightings remind us that the universe is vast and filled with secrets waiting to be uncovered, keeping alive the human spirit of exploration and discovery.
What did Ezekiel actually see? The story of the prophet Ezekiel is one of the more fascinating, especially when looked at through the lens of modern technology. Some people suggest that, instead of gods, ancient humans may have actually been visited by an advanced race. This idea, called the ancient astronaut theory, suggests that Ezekiel’s “vision” of a wheeled chariot, or Merkabah, could actually have been a spaceship from an advanced species.
One of the biggest supporters of this theory is Erich von Däniken. He argues that the Book of Ezekiel could be understood differently in this light, so much so that his ideas even changed the view of a NASA scientist who originally set out to disprove them.
Erich von Däniken, a Swiss author famous for his “ancient astronaut” theories (particularly in his book Chariots of the Gods), met Josef F. Blumrich, a NASA engineer. The meeting is said to have occurred in the 1970s, where von Däniken presented his idea that Ezekiel’s vision in the Bible might have been a description of an alien spacecraft rather than a divine chariot.
Erich von Däniken
Blumrich, at the time, was skeptical of von Däniken’s theories. Initially, he sought to disprove them, thinking they were absurd. However, after investigating Ezekiel’s vision in more detail, Blumrich began to change his mind. He wrote a book called “The Spaceships of Ezekiel,” where he argued that Ezekiel’s vision could indeed describe an advanced spacecraft, specifically suggesting that the “wheels within wheels” might represent a form of advanced technology.
Blumrich went on to patent a design for an omnidirectional wheel, which he claimed was inspired by his interpretation of Ezekiel’s description. This was part of his attempt to demonstrate how Ezekiel might have described advanced, though hypothetical, technology.
Ezekiel is a key figure in Judaism and prominent in other Abrahamic biblical texts. Ezekiel was brought to Babylon in the first captivity of Israel and is described as a prophet.
One of the interesting characteristics of The Book of Ezekiel as a biblical text is that it is written using the pronoun, I, clearly showing it being written by Ezekiel himself as a first-person account, unlike many biblical texts written in the third person. This seems to lend a little more credit and personality to the story as it is told shortly after its occurrence.
The Flying Wheeled Chariot
“4 I looked, and I saw a windstorm coming out of the north—an immense cloud with flashing lightning and surrounded by brilliant light. The center of the fire looked like glowing metal, 5 and in the fire was what looked like four living creatures. In appearance their form was human, 6 but each of them had four faces and four wings. 7 Their legs were straight; their feet were like those of a calf and gleamed like burnished bronze. 8 Under their wings on their four sides they had human hands. All four of them had faces and wings, 9 and the wings of one touched the wings of another. Each one went straight ahead; they did not turn as they moved.”
Ezekiel talks about seeing a chariot with wheels come down from the sky, driven by beings that looked like humans. While many versions of the Bible say this being on the chariot is God, von Däniken notes that the original Hebrew text doesn’t mention God; the word was added later.
Ezekiel wheel illustration.
Ezekiel’s description of the chariot landing sounds a lot like how a spacecraft might land. The strong wind, lightning, and bright lights are similar to what you might see when a spaceship lands, stirring up dust in a way no one from that time had ever seen. Ezekiel even says the fire powering the chariot looked like ‘glowing metal.’
There is a clear difference between this description and how Ezekiel’s vision is usually shown in Bible artwork. Many pictures leave out important details like the fire, the wheels that move in all directions, and the crystal dome around the heads of human-like beings.
The Four Living Creatures
“15 As I looked at the living creatures, I saw a wheel on the ground beside each creature with its four faces. 16 This was the appearance and structure of the wheels: They sp arkled like topaz, and all four looked alike. Each appeared to be made like a wheel intersecting a wheel. 17 As they moved, they would go in any one of the four directions the creatures faced; the wheels did not change direction as the creatures went. 18 Their rims were high and awesome, and all four rims were full of eyes all around… 22 Spread out above the heads of the living creatures was what looked something like a vault, sparkling like crystal, and awesome.” – Ezekiel 1
Many people think the four creatures are cherubim or angel-like beings, especially in ancient Jewish (Genesis 3:24) and Christian (Exodus 25:18-20) texts. These creatures, looking like humans, are believed by some to be aliens who take Ezekiel in their UFO to a ‘temple’ on top of a mountain. During the journey, Ezekiel says he felt God’s hand on him, which could be understood as the strong forces of gravity or g-forces when the UFO lifts off. He is brought to their ‘temple,’ possibly a place or city where they live.
In many biblical stories, the Ark of the Covenant is an important object for von Däniken’s theory. He believes its mention in the Kebra Nagast, an Ethiopian Christian story about King Solomon, is the most significant. In this story, it’s said that King Solomon had flying machines not mentioned in the Bible, as well as the famous Ark.
The texts suggest people were afraid of the Ark because it killed those who came too close. Could it have been radioactive or electrically charged? Was it like a plutonium reactor?
Erich Von Däniken thinks there are other Bible verses that support his ancient astronaut theory. Some hint at places for spacecraft to land, similar to the one Ezekiel visited. One such place is the Chavin de Huantar temple in Peru, located high up on a mountain from an unknown culture.
The temple has winged figures and sculpted heads that look like they’re wearing helmets. Von Däniken believes these might be similar to the ones Ezekiel described. Could this be real evidence of an ancient UFO sighting, or just an imaginative idea?
Missouri Republican Eric Burlison attended a secret briefing on UFOs 10 months ago, but he says it hasn’t changed his beliefs. “There’s nothing that’s been said that’s changed my worldview,” he stated. He trusts the people who spoke about UFOs publicly but thinks there might be more to the story.
Burlison has suggested that UFOs could be angels sent by God. In an interview on “That UFO Podcast,” he explained that by “angels,” he means beings from other dimensions. He said, “They may not fit exactly the Biblical narrative, but whenever I use the term ‘angels,’ to me, it’s synonymous with an extradimensional being.”
On the podcast, Burlison also shared his views on different UFO theories, mentioning a report by UFO whistleblower David Grusch. Grusch claimed that the government secretly recovered alien spacecraft, with dead “pilots” inside. Burlison pointed to one theory in the report: the idea that these beings could exist in higher dimensions beyond our usual understanding of space and time. (Source)
He used an example of living on a flat surface and suddenly encountering a 3D object to explain higher-dimensional beings. In this case, he suggested that we live in a 3D world but could be dealing with beings from a dimension beyond ours, where distance doesn’t work the same way.
Burlison is doubtful about aliens traveling from distant planets to visit Earth, given the vast distances involved. He questioned why an advanced alien race would come so far only to crash on Earth. Instead, he thinks it’s more likely that these beings are extradimensional.
He added that religious texts, including the Bible, talk about God’s messengers or angels existing in higher dimensions. While Burlison acknowledges the visual evidence and pilots’ testimonies about UFOs, he thinks the explanation might not be as exciting as people hope. In his view, these sightings might be new propulsion technology being developed on Earth.
To make his point, he mentioned the discovery of the Higgs boson particle about ten years ago, which relates to gravity. Just as the nuclear bomb was developed after the discovery of nuclear fission, Burlison thinks scientists may be using the Higgs field to create new technology, possibly for advanced propulsion.
He’s not alone in connecting UFOs with religious ideas. Representative Tim Burchett has also said that UFOs are in the Bible, specifically referring to the book of Ezekiel. In Ezekiel 1:4-28, a vision describes an “immense cloud with flashing lightning,” “four living creatures” with human-like forms but with four faces and wings, and wheels that moved with them, which Burchett linked to UFOs.
De Historische Evolutie van de Vormen van UFO’s: Een Wetenschappelijke Analyse
De Historische Evolutie van de Vormen van UFO’s: Een Wetenschappelijke Analyse
Inleiding
UFO’s (Onbekende Vliegende Objecten) of UAP's vormen al decennia een fascinerend onderwerp voor zowel wetenschappers als het grote publiek. Van de eerste meldingen in de vroege 20e eeuw tot de geavanceerde waarnemingen van vandaag, is de manier waarop UFO’s worden beschreven en waargenomen sterk veranderd. Een opvallend aspect van deze verschijnselen is de variatie in hun vormen; van eenvoudige bolvormige objecten tot complexe en futuristisch uitziende structuren. Deze evolutie in vormen kan niet los worden gezien van de technologische, culturele en psychologische ontwikkelingen door de jaren heen. Dit essay onderzoekt de historische evolutie van de vormen van UFO’s, met voorbeelden uit verschillende periodes, en probeert te verklaren waarom deze vormen in de loop der tijd zijn veranderd.
Vroege waarnemingen en vormen (1900-1950)
De eerste serieuze meldingen van UFO’s dateren uit het begin van de 20e eeuw en vormen een fascinerend hoofdstuk in de geschiedenis van buitenaardse waarnemingen. Tijdens deze periode, die loopt tot ongeveer 1950, werden de meeste waarnemingen gekenmerkt door eenvoudige, vaak bol- of schijfvormige objecten. Een van de meest intrigerende en bekende gebeurtenissen uit deze periode is de UFO-crash van 1897, die zich afspeelde in Aurora, Texas. Volgens het verslag werd er een vreemd, onbekend vliegend object waargenomen dat neerstortte in een boerderij. Lokale inwoners vonden de resten van het voertuig, die ze beschouwden als een buitenaards ruimteschip. Hoewel er later werd gesuggereerd dat het mogelijk om een luchtballon of een ander conventioneel apparaat ging, blijft deze gebeurtenis tot op de dag van vandaag een van de eerste en meest geruchtmakende vermeende UFO-crashes in de geschiedenis.
A Texas Historical Commission marker outside the Aurora Cemetery, alleged burial site of the UFO pilot, which briefly mentions the incident.
Een Texas Historical Commission-bord buiten de Aurora-begraafplaats, vermeende begraafplaats van de UFO-piloot, dat kort het incident vermeld
De waarnemingen uit de eerste helft van de 20e eeuw worden vaak gekenmerkt door eenvoudige geometrische vormen. Piloten en burgers beschreven de objecten meestal als lichtgevende bolletjes, schijfvormige entiteiten of snelle bewegende lichten. Een bijzonder bekend voorbeeld uit de Tweede Wereldoorlog zijn de zogenaamde “Foo Fighters”. Tijdens de oorlog rapporteerden piloten van beide zijden het zien van ongewone, lichtgevende objecten die vaak cirkel- of bolvormig werden beschreven. Deze verschijnselen werden gezien als snel bewegend, onvoorspelbaar en soms zelfs gevaarlijk voor de vliegtuigen, wat leidde tot speculaties over hun oorsprong. Het ontbreken van geavanceerde technologie en de beperkte kennis van de luchtvaart- en natuurverschijnselen in die tijd maakten dat de menselijke interpretatie vaak terugviel op eenvoudige geometrische vormen en lichtpatronen.
De naoorlogse periode bracht een explosie aan meldingen, mede door de groeiende populariteit van de vliegtechnologie en de toenemende media-aandacht. Mensen rapporteerden vaak schijfvormige objecten die snel en zonder geluid door de lucht bewogen. De eenvoud van de waarnemingen kan deels worden verklaard door de beperkte technologische middelen en het gebrek aan geavanceerde observatie-instrumenten. Het was ook een tijd waarin de menselijke verbeelding werd aangewakkerd door de nieuwe wetenschap en de wens om buitenaards leven te ontdekken, wat de interpretatie van deze verschijnselen verder beïnvloedde.
Kortom, de periode tussen 1900 en 1950 kenmerkte zich door eenvoudige, geometrische vormen van UFO’s, met de “Foo Fighters” en de mysterieuze crash in Aurora als opvallende voorbeelden. Deze gebeurtenissen en waarnemingen vormen de basis voor latere, meer complexe UFO-onderzoeken en blijven tot op de dag van vandaag onderwerp van speculatie en onderzoek.
De jaren 1950-1960: De opkomst van de schijfvorm en de ‘flying saucer’
De periode van de jaren 1950 tot 1960 was een cruciale fase in de geschiedenis van de UFO-rapportages en de popularisering van buitenaardse verschijnselen. Deze jaren markeerden de overgang van de vroege, vaak onduidelijke waarnemingen naar een meer gestandaardiseerde en iconische beeldvorming van UFO’s: de schijfvormige ‘flying saucer’. Verschillende gebeurtenissen, technologische ontwikkelingen en media-invloeden droegen bij aan deze evolutie.
De eerste grote gebeurtenis die een keerpunt vormde, was het incident van 1947 waarbij Kenneth Arnold een formatie van negen objecten zag die snel bewogen en een ongewone vorm hadden. Arnold beschreef ze als “schaakbord-achtige” of “schijfvormige” objecten die in formatie vlogen. Zijn waarneming werd breed uitgemeten in de media en leidde tot de term “flying saucer” (vliegende schijf). Deze term werd snel populair en bleef hangen, mede doordat de beelden van de schijfvormige objecten gemakkelijk te visualiseren en te begrijpen waren. De publiciteit rondom dit incident zette de toon voor de toekomstige beeldvorming van UFO’s.
Kenneth Arnold houdt artistieke afbeelding vast, gemaakt van zijn UFO-waarnemming
In de jaren 1950 werden verschillende andere incidenten gemeld die deze vorm bevestigden. Een bekend voorbeeld was de waarneming in Washington D.C. in juli 1952, waarbij radar en visuele waarnemingen samenkwamen. Piloten en radaroperators meldden het zien van objecten die snel en manoeuvreerbaar waren, en die opvallend ronde of schijfachtige vormen hadden. Deze gebeurtenis werd breed uitgemeten in de media en versterkte de overtuiging dat UFO’s daadwerkelijk uit de ruimte kwamen en in de vorm van platte schijven of schotels voorkwamen.
De populariteit van de schijfvorm werd verder versterkt door de invloed van de media en de cultuur. Films zoals “The Day the Earth Stood Still” (1951) en “Earth vs. the Flying Saucers” (1956) portretteerden buitenaardse bezoekers vaak als schijfvormige wezens of schepen. Ook in televisieseries en strips werden deze vormen herhaaldelijk afgebeeld, waardoor ze een standaardbeeld werden in de publieke verbeelding. De schijf werd gezien als een universeel symbool voor buitenaardse technologie vanwege haar eenvoudige en herkenbare vorm.
Naast de culturele factoren speelde ook de technologische vooruitgang een grote rol in de evolutie van de UFO-vormen. De ontwikkeling van radartechnologie maakte het mogelijk om objecten te detecteren die niet altijd zichtbaar waren voor het blote oog. In 1952 werd bijvoorbeeld de beroemde “Washington D.C. UFO flap” bekend, waarbij radarbeelden en visuele waarnemingen samenvielen. Deze gebeurtenissen bevestigden dat er iets was dat de standaardmechanismen van de toenmalige technologie overstijgden, en dat de objecten vaak de vorm van schijven hadden.
De jaren 1950-1960 zagen ook een toename in het aantal getuigenissen van piloten en militair personeel, wat de geloofwaardigheid van de schijfvorm versterkte. Sommige piloten meldden dat ze schijfvormige objecten zagen die met ongelooflijke snelheden en wendbaarheid bewogen, vaak in de buurt van militaire bases of tijdens testvluchten. Een bekend voorbeeld is de waarneming door piloot Kenneth Arnold zelf, die later verklaarde dat hij de schijfvormen had gezien die hij beschreef als “schaakbord-achtige” objecten. Zijn rapport werd de basis voor veel latere rapportages en beïnvloedde de publieke perceptie van UFO’s.
Kortom, de jaren 1950-1960 waren bepalend voor de ontwikkeling van de schijfvorm als het iconische symbool van UFO’s. De combinatie van incidenten zoals die in Washington D.C., de invloedrijke media-uitingen en de technologische vooruitgang zorgden ervoor dat de schijfvorm zich stevig nestelde in de volksverbeelding. Het is deze periode die de basis legde voor de verdere mythologie en onderzoek naar buitenaardse verschijnselen, en die de ‘flying saucer’ tot een universeel symbool maakte voor buitenaardse ontmoetingen.
Door deze ontwikkelingen ontstond een breed gedragen beeld dat UFO’s niet alleen uit de ruimte kwamen, maar dat ze ook in een herkenbare, eenvoudige vorm werden voorgesteld: de platte, ronde schijf. Dit beeld zou decennia lang de manier blijven bepalen waarop men naar UFO’s keek.
De jaren 1970-1980: Complexiteit en variatie
De jaren 1970 en 1980 markeerden een periode waarin de waarnemingen van ongewone vliegende objecten (UFO’s) aanzienlijk complexer en gevarieerder werden dan in eerdere jaren. Deze periode wordt gekenmerkt door een breder scala aan waarnemingen die niet alleen de klassieke ronde, schijfvormige objecten omvatten, maar ook een veelheid aan andere vormen en structuren. De diversiteit in vormen en de toename in waarnemingen met meerdere componenten weerspiegelden mogelijk zowel technologische ontwikkelingen als veranderingen in perceptie en interpretatie van deze verschijnselen.
Een van de meest iconische en historische incidenten uit deze periode is de zogenaamde “Battle of Los Angeles” uit 1942, een gebeurtenis die nog steeds onderwerp van discussie en onderzoek is. Tijdens deze gebeurtenis werden meerdere objecten waargenomen die mogelijk uit meerdere onderdelen bestonden en die aanvankelijk werden geïnterpreteerd als vijandelijke vliegtuigen of geavanceerde drones. Het feit dat deze objecten zich manifesteerden in de lucht met verschillende vormen en structuren, benadrukt de complexiteit van de waarnemingen en de mate waarin onze perceptie en interpretatie onder invloed stonden van de toenmalige technologische en psychologische factoren.
In de jaren 1970 en 1980 werden ook veel meldingen gedaan van objecten met een ‘boomerang’-vorm, trapezium-achtige structuren en objecten met meerdere lichten en complexe patronen. Deze vormen waren niet alleen visueel opvallend, maar suggereerden ook dat de waargenomen verschijnselen mogelijk geavanceerde technologieën vertegenwoordigden die nog niet door de mensheid begrepen werden. Een ander bekend type waarneming uit deze periode betreft de zogenaamde ‘cigar-shaped’ (sigaarvormige) objecten. Deze lange, cilinderachtige structuren werden onder andere gerapporteerd tijdens de beroemde waarnemingen in Rendlesham Forest in Engeland, in 1980. Tijdens deze gebeurtenis werd een lichtgevend object gezien dat de vorm had van een lange cilinder, wat de variatie in waarnemingen verder onderstreept.
De waarnemingen uit deze periode tonen een duidelijke evolutie in de vormen en structuren van de UFO’s. Waar de klassieke schijfvormen ooit de standaard waren, werden deze nu aangevuld door objecten met meer complexe en variabele vormen. De ‘boomerang’- en trapezium-vormen leken te suggereren dat deze verschijnselen niet alleen willekeurige lichtverschijnselen waren, maar mogelijk technologische artefacten met specifieke ontwerpkenmerken. Het feit dat sommige waarnemingen meerdere structuren of componenten bevatten, wijst erop dat de waarnemers mogelijk te maken hadden met voertuigen die uit verschillende modules of segmenten bestonden.
De variatie in vormen en structuren kan worden verklaard door verschillende factoren. Ten eerste is er de ontwikkeling van technologie, zowel in de menselijke wereld als in de veronderstelde buitenaardse technologieën die worden waargenomen. Het is mogelijk dat de waarnemingen menselijke interpretaties zijn van onbekende, geavanceerde technologieën die nog niet door de wetenschap begrepen worden. Bijvoorbeeld, de ‘cigar-shaped’ objecten kunnen geassocieerd worden met langgerekte structuren die in de ruimte of in de lucht door het onbekende worden gebruikt. Daarnaast kunnen optische illusies, weersomstandigheden en psychologische factoren een rol spelen in de waarnemingen en interpretaties.
Een belangrijke ontwikkeling in deze periode is ook dat sommige waarnemingen zich ontwikkelden tot het beschrijven van objecten met meerdere componenten of structuren. Dit wijst mogelijk op een evolutie in de technologie van de waargenomen objecten, waarbij ze niet langer uit eenvoudige vormen bestaan, maar complexere, modulair opgebouwde voertuigen zouden kunnen zijn. Dit zou kunnen wijzen op een geavanceerde buitenaardse technologie die in staat is om verschillende delen samen te voegen of te schakelen, afhankelijk van de functie of de situatie.
In de context van de Belgische driehoekvorm, die in deze periode ook werd gerapporteerd, zien we dat de driehoekvorm een terugkerend patroon was in de waarnemingen in Europa. Deze driehoekige objecten werden vaak beschreven als stilstaand of langzaam bewegend, met lichten aan de zijden die soms oplichten of knipperen. De Belgische driehoek werd vaak geassocieerd met militaire oefeningen of geheime technologieën, maar de aanwezigheid ervan in de UFO-rapportages wijst op een mogelijk alternatief scenario waarin deze driehoeken mogelijk buitenaardse of onbekende menselijke technologieën vertegenwoordigen. De driehoekvormen stonden bekend om hun symmetrische structuur en de gelijkmatige verdeling van lichten aan de randen, wat een kenmerk is dat vaak wordt genoemd in de waarnemingen uit die periode.
Kortom, de jaren 1970 en 1980 waren een tijd van grote verandering en verruiming in de waarneming van UFO’s. De vormen werden complexer en gevarieerder, en de waarnemingen omvatten nu objecten met meerdere componenten en structuren. Deze evolutie lijkt samen te hangen met technologische vooruitgang, perceptie, en de mogelijkheid dat sommige waarnemingen wijzen op geavanceerde buitenaardse technologie. De Belgische driehoekvorm is een voorbeeld van een patroon dat in Europa werd gerapporteerd en dat mogelijk een belangrijke aanwijzing kan vormen voor het begrijpen van deze verschijnselen. Het is duidelijk dat deze periode een belangrijke fase was in de geschiedenis van UFO-waarnemingen, waarin de complexiteit en variatie van de verschijnselen toenamen en de interpretaties diverser werden.
De jaren 2000 en daarna: Geavanceerde en onconventionele vormen
De evolutie van vormen in deze periode lijkt verbonden aan de ontwikkeling van geavanceerde technologieën, mogelijk buitenaards of mensgemaakt. Het feit dat veel objecten niet meer voldoen aan de klassieke schijf- of bolvorm, suggereert dat de technologie achter deze verschijnselen zich heeft ontwikkeld of dat waarnemers nu meer vertrouwen hebben in het beschrijven van complexe vormen. Ook kan het zijn dat de waarnemingen zelf steeds preciezer worden dankzij verbeterde instrumenten zoals radar, infraroodcamera’s en andere detectietechnologieën, waardoor we een breder scala aan vormen en gedragspatronen kunnen vaststellen die voorheen onzichtbaar waren.
Daarnaast speelt de toenemende publieke en officiële interesse in UFO’s een grote rol. Sinds de publicatie van de Pentagon-video’s en de officiële rapporten over onverklaarbare luchtverschijnselen, is er een meer open en wetenschappelijke benadering ontstaan. Overheidsinstanties en defensieorganisaties investeren in onderzoek en proberen de verschijnselen te begrijpen, wat heeft geleid tot een grotere verzameling en analyse van gegevens. Hierdoor worden ook de vormen van waargenomen objecten meer gedocumenteerd en gestandaardiseerd, waardoor we een beter inzicht krijgen in de diversiteit en complexiteit van deze verschijnselen.
Een andere factor die de evolutie van vormen beïnvloedt, is de culturele en media-invloed. Films, series en documentaires over UFO’s en buitenaardse wezens brengen nieuwe ideeën en beelden in de publieke verbeelding, wat mogelijk de beschrijving en interpretatie van waarnemingen beïnvloedt. Mensen kunnen geneigd zijn om meer complexe of futuristische vormen te rapporteren omdat ze geïnspireerd zijn door populaire cultuur. Dit kan leiden tot een soort feedbackloop, waarbij de verwachting van ongewone vormen de waarnemingen beïnvloedt en vice versa.
Een screenshot van een video getiteld GIMBAL toont wat het Amerikaanse Ministerie van Defensie karakteriseert als een ‘ongeïdentificeerd luchtfenomeen’. Drie video's van onbekende vliegende objecten, gemaakt door Amerikaanse marinepiloten, zijn maandag officieel vrijgegeven door het Pentagon.
(Ministerie van Defensie van de V.S.)
Wat ook opvalt, is dat sommige waarnemingen niet alleen in fysieke vormen verschillen, maar ook in gedrag. Sommige objecten vertonen ongebruikelijke bewegingen, zoals abrupt veranderen van snelheid en richting, of zweven op een manier die niet overeenkomt met bekende menselijke-technologische systemen. Dit gedrag, gekoppeld aan de complexe vormen, versterkt de overtuiging dat we mogelijk te maken hebben met technologie die fundamenteel verschilt van onze eigen technologie, of dat we geconfronteerd worden met verschijnselen die niet door menselijke maken kunnen zijn.
De wetenschappelijke gemeenschap staat voor een uitdaging: hoe kunnen we deze evolutie in vormen en gedrag verklaren? Veel onderzoekers wijzen op de noodzaak van een multidisciplinaire aanpak, waarbij fysica, techniek, psychologie en zelfs sociologie samenkomen om de waarnemingen te begrijpen. Het gebruik van geavanceerde simulaties, modellering en data-analyse wordt steeds belangrijker. Door deze methoden kunnen we proberen te achterhalen of de vormen het resultaat zijn van natuurlijke fenomenen, psychologische interpretaties, of mogelijk buitenaardse technologieën.
Tegelijkertijd is er scepticisme en controverse. Critici stellen dat veel waarnemingen kunnen worden verklaard door natuurlijke of menselijke oorzaken, zoals reflecties, ballonnen, drones of geheime militaire technologieën. Sommigen betwijfelen of de complexiteit en onconventionele vormen daadwerkelijk bestaan, of dat ze het resultaat zijn van interpretatiefouten of optische illusies. Toch blijven de vele onverklaarbare waarnemingen en de consistentie van bepaalde patronen de aandacht trekken van wetenschappers en onderzoekers.
In de toekomst zullen technologische innovaties waarschijnlijk een grote rol spelen bij het verder begrijpen van de evolutie van UFO-vormen. Kunstmatige intelligentie, machine learning en 3D-modellering kunnen helpen om patronen te herkennen en te classificeren, waardoor we wellicht beter kunnen bepalen welke vormen en gedragingen echt zijn en welke niet. Daarnaast kunnen nieuwe observatietechnieken, zoals satelliettracking en realtime data-analyse, ons een nog gedetailleerder beeld geven van deze fenomenen.
Samenvattend kunnen we stellen dat de vormen van UFO’s sinds de vroege waarnemingen tot nu voortdurend geëvolueerd zijn. Van eenvoudige schijf- en bolvormige objecten naar complexe, geometrisch gestructureerde en onconventionele vormen, gekoppeld aan ongebruikelijk gedrag. Deze evolutie lijkt te wijzen op een toenemende technologie en een groeiende complexiteit in de waarnemingen, wat de wetenschap uitdaagt om nieuwe verklaringen te vinden. Hoewel er nog veel onzekerheid bestaat, biedt deze ontwikkeling een nieuw perspectief voor verder wetenschappelijk onderzoek.
EINDBESLUIT - De Historische Evolutie van de Vormen van UFO’s
De evolutie van de vormen van onbemande vliegende objecten, algemeen bekend als UFO’s, weerspiegelt niet alleen de technologische vooruitgang, maar ook de veranderende percepties en interpretaties door de mensheid. Door de geschiedenis heen zien we een opvallende ontwikkeling in de vormen en kenmerken van deze verschijnselen, die van eenvoudige, abstracte vormen naar complexere en vaak meer gestandaardiseerde modellen zijn geëvolueerd. Een wetenschappelijke benadering van deze evolutie biedt inzicht in mogelijke verklaringen en de impact op onze perceptie van buitenaardse verschijnselen.
In de beginperiode, vooral tijdens de jaren 1940 en 1950, werden UFO’s vaak beschreven als onregelmatige, ongestandaardiseerde vormen, zoals bolvormige objecten, cilinders of ongeïdentificeerde lichtpatronen. Deze vormen waren waarschijnlijk het resultaat van beperkte observatieapparatuur en het interpretatievermogen van getuigen in een tijd waarin luchtvaart en technologie minder ontwikkeld waren. De bekende “foo fighters” uit de Tweede Wereldoorlog en de vroege rapportages van vliegende schotels vertonen vaak eenvoudige, ronde of ovale vormen, wat mogelijk samenhangt met de beperkte technologie en de menselijke neiging tot het toeschrijven van onbekende verschijnselen aan ronde of bolvormige objecten.
In de jaren 1950 en 1960 verschoof de waarneming van UFO-vormen naar meer gestandaardiseerde modellen, zoals de iconische “flyings saucer” of vliegende schotel. Dit werd mede beïnvloed door populaire media en de publieke verbeelding, waardoor de vorm van de UFO’s een vaste plaats kreeg in de culturele perceptie. Wetenschappelijke observaties en rapportages begonnen zich te richten op gestandaardiseerde, symmetrische vormen, mogelijk omdat deze makkelijker te identificeren en te onderscheiden waren. Tegelijkertijd bleef de variatie in vormen bestaan, wat wijst op de complexiteit en diversiteit van de waarnemingen.
Vanaf de jaren 1970 en 1980 evolueerden de waarnemingen verder, met getuigen die complexere en meer geavanceerde vormen rapporteren, waaronder driehoekige, trapezium- of zelfs geometrisch gestructureerde objecten. Deze ontwikkeling kan deels worden verklaard door de toename van technologische ontwikkelingen in de luchtvaart en de mogelijkheid om op grotere schaal en met meer precisie te observeren. Daarnaast heeft de popularisering van digitale media en fotografie geleid tot meer gedetailleerde en verfijnde waarnemingen, hoewel dit ook de kans op interpretatieve fouten vergroot.
De hedendaagse waarnemingen tonen een breed scala aan vormen, variërend van gestandaardiseerde schotelvormen tot complexe geometrische structuren. Wetenschappelijk gezien blijft het moeilijk om conclusies te trekken over de aard en herkomst van deze verschijnselen, mede door de subjectiviteit van waarnemingen en het ontbreken van onbetwistbare bewijzen. Toch suggereren de evolutie en variatie in vormen dat UFO-waarnemingen mogelijk worden beïnvloed door culturele, psychologische en technologische factoren. Het bestuderen van deze evolutie helpt niet alleen om de psychologie en perceptie van waarnemers te begrijpen, maar ook om de technologische en maatschappelijke contexten te plaatsen waarin deze verschijnselen voorkomen.
Kortom, de historische evolutie van UFO-vormen weerspiegelt een complex samenspel van technologische ontwikkeling, culturele beïnvloeding en menselijke perceptie. Een wetenschappelijke analyse benadrukt dat de variatie in vormen niet alleen een weerspiegeling is van onbekende fenomenen, maar ook van onze veranderende interpretaties en verwachtingen. Het blijft een fascinerend onderwerp dat uitnodigt tot verdere wetenschappelijke studie, met als doel om meer inzicht te krijgen in de aard van deze mysterieuze verschijnselen.
Cube-Shaped UFOs: Not Drones, Not Balloons, So What Are They?
Cube-Shaped UFOs: Not Drones, Not Balloons, So What Are They?
Een afbeelding van een kubusvormige UFO.
Depositphotos.
Over the past several decades, reports of unidentified flying objects (UFOs) have fascinated both the scientific community and the general public. Among the myriad shapes and forms reported, one of the most intriguing and perplexing is the cube-shaped UFO. Unlike the conventional disc or spherical craft, these objects exhibit a geometric, three-dimensional cubic form, challenging our understanding of aeronautics, physics, and extraterrestrial technology. This essay explores the phenomenon of cube-shaped UFOs, evaluates potential explanations—including misidentifications, natural phenomena, human-made objects, and extraterrestrial craft—and discusses the implications of these sightings for scientific inquiry.
Historical Context and Reports
Cube-shaped UFO sightings are relatively rare but have been documented over several decades. One of the earliest notable reports dates back to the 1980s, when multiple witnesses in different locations described a hovering, luminous cube in the night sky. More recently, the phenomenon gained renewed attention with the release of military footage showing unidentified objects exhibiting unusual flight characteristics. For example, in 2019, the U.S. Department of Defense confirmed the authenticity of several Navy videos depicting unidentified aerial phenomena (UAP), some of which appeared to be geometric in shape, including one resembling a cube.
These reports often come with descriptions of silent, hovering objects that exhibit sudden accelerations, abrupt directional changes, or hovering in ways inconsistent with known aircraft. Witnesses sometimes report a metallic or luminous surface, and the objects appear to defy the aerodynamics understood by contemporary science. Such characteristics make cube-shaped UFOs particularly enigmatic, prompting debates about their origin and nature.
Potential Explanations
Misidentification of Known Objects
A common explanation for UFO sightings involves misinterpreted terrestrial objects. Could these cubes be misidentified man-made objects? Some have proposed that they might be experimental military or private drones, especially given the increasing sophistication of drone technology. However, most cube-shaped UFOs are reported at altitudes and in conditions where conventional drones are unlikely or impossible to be mistaken for large, hovering, luminous objects.
Similarly, balloons or kites are often dismissed due to their irregular movement or proximity to the ground, but some have speculated that illuminated or metallic balloons could resemble cube-shaped objects. Yet, balloons tend to have irregular shapes and are affected by wind, while these UFOs appear to hover steadily or move with purpose.
Natural Phenomena
Another avenue of explanation involves natural phenomena. Some researchers suggest that optical illusions, atmospheric conditions, or rare meteorological events could produce illusions of geometric shapes. For instance, ice crystals or optical reflections can sometimes create the appearance of geometric patterns in the sky. However, these explanations struggle to account for the consistent reports of solid, metallic, or luminous cube-shaped objects with distinct edges and surfaces.
Human-Made Experimental Technology
Given the clandestine nature of military and corporate research, some hypothesize that these cube-shaped UFOs are advanced human-made experimental aircraft or drones. The United States and other countries have developed high-altitude, stealth, and experimental aircraft that could potentially resemble cube forms. For example, some speculate that these objects are advanced surveillance or reconnaissance devices, possibly testing new propulsion or stealth technologies.
Yet, the consistent reports of hovering, silent, and geometrically perfect cube-shaped objects, especially in civilian airspace, argue against them being conventional or experimental drones. Moreover, the lack of definitive proof or acknowledgment from authoritative bodies makes this explanation speculative.
Extraterrestrial Origin
The most provocative explanation is that these cube-shaped UFOs are of extraterrestrial origin. The geometric precision, mysterious flight capabilities, and anomalous behavior suggest the possibility of non-human technology. Some researchers argue that the cube shape is not coincidental; it might be an intentional design choice by extraterrestrial intelligences, possibly serving as a form of communication or a device for energy collection.
This hypothesis is supported by the fact that similar geometric shapes have been reported across cultures and time periods, sometimes interpreted as symbols or artifacts of advanced civilizations. Additionally, the recent increase in UAP sightings by military personnel and the declassification of such footage lend some credence to the idea that these objects are beyond current human technological capabilities.
However, the extraterrestrial hypothesis remains speculative without concrete evidence. To date, no verified physical artifact or signal has conclusively proven the existence of alien technology associated with cube-shaped UFOs.
The Significance of the Cube Shape
The cube shape has long fascinated scientists, engineers, and researchers, especially when considering the possibility of extraterrestrial technology or advanced human creations. Geometric shapes play a crucial role in engineering and physics because they directly influence the structural integrity, functionality, and efficiency of objects. The cube, in particular, offers several advantageous features that could explain its frequent appearance in both natural and artificial contexts.
One of the primary reasons for favoring a cube shape is its stability and ease of construction. Cubes have flat, stable surfaces that can be easily stacked or combined without slipping, making them ideal for modular design. This modularity allows for scalable and adaptable structures, which could be beneficial for complex machinery, habitats, or storage units. Additionally, the cube's shape maximizes internal space relative to its surface area, leading to efficient use of volume, especially important when space and resources are limited—common considerations in space exploration or extraterrestrial environments.
From a technological perspective, a cube-shaped object might serve specific functions such as housing energy sources, advanced electronic systems, or communication devices. Its shape could facilitate the arrangement of internal components and ensure protection from external environmental factors. If these objects are indeed of extraterrestrial origin, the cube might also serve as a form of communication or identification—perhaps a universal symbol or a recognizable signature that signifies origin or purpose.
Furthermore, the cube shape might have symbolic or functional significance, possibly serving as camouflage or a form of visual identification. While these ideas are speculative, they open intriguing possibilities about how intelligent civilizations might design their technology to serve multiple purposes—practical, communicative, or symbolic. Overall, the cube's structural advantages and potential symbolic meanings make it a compelling shape in the context of advanced technology, both terrestrial and extraterrestrial.
Leaked Government Image from 2018 Features “Cube-Like” UFO
Those keeping up with reported unidentified aerial phenomena (UAP) sightings over the last few years have been given tantalizing glimpses of deeply mysterious aircraft; includingthe onesOpens in a new tabTom Delonge helped to propagate. Now,The DebriefreportsOpens in a new tabthe Department of Defense (DoD) has just “leaked” a new UAP image from 2018. And the aircraft—supposedly—has some very strange characteristics.
The Department of Defense/The Debrief
According to The Debrief’s report, which comes via Popular MechanicsOpens in a new tab, the DoD leaked the unclassified image on a secure “Intelligence Community network” via the department’s Unidentified Aerial Phenomena Task Force, or UAPTF. The DoD announced the Task Force, which Deputy Secretary of Defense David Norquist heads, earlier this year.
The pilot of an F/A-18 fighter jet captured the image of the UAP with a cell phone. Sources have apparently described it as a “cube-shaped” objectOpens in a new tab, that’s silver in color and floats motionless. The pilot who took the photo, as well as the other pilot present, spotted the UAP cube “hovering” at an altitude of approximately 30,000 feet. (For reference, commercial airliners generally cruise around at an altitude of 38,000 feet.)
The Department of Defense/The Debrief
The pilots flew within roughly 1,000 feet of the UAP, which, while relatively close, still obviously only allowed for a distant picture. Indeed, the UAP appears tiny in the pilot’s photo, and resolution drops off pretty badly as one enlarges it.
Despite the less than ideal picture, however, it’s possible to make out some details. The UAP’s shape, in fact, is familiar to atmospheric researchers, as it resembles a dropsondeOpens in a new tab. A dropsonde (below), is a weather reconnaissance device scientists drop out of airplanes. The scientists drop them at altitude above water inside of a storm to track its condition.
The Department of Defense/The Debrief
The Debrief also says it’s possible the UAP in the photo is some kind of “military radar-reflector” or research balloon. The organization says it spoke with two defense officials, however, and they described it as having flight dynamics uncharacteristic for a balloonOpens in a new tab. Most notably, the object was reportedly completely motionless, despite ambient air currents.
In response to the “leak,” the Pentagon told The Debrief that, in so many words, it couldn’t comment. Which, while certainly not the shock of the century, does leave the door open for lots of potential hypotheses. Many of which should probably focus on other humans, considering their penchant for building strange sky mobilesOpens in a new tab.
Lorna Mosquera filmed a mysterious object hovering over Medellin, Colombia
Credit: YouTube
It appears to be shaped like a cube or diamond
Credit: YouTube
Implications for Science and Society
The reported sightings of cube-shaped unidentified flying objects (UFOs) present intriguing challenges and opportunities for both scientific understanding and societal development. These unusual objects defy conventional physics and aeronautics, which typically describe flying objects as having aerodynamic shapes such as spheres, discs, or jets. The existence of cube-shaped UFOs suggests that they possess advanced technological capabilities that are currently beyond our scientific knowledge. If these objects are indeed extraterrestrial in origin, their existence would imply a level of technological sophistication far surpassing human achievements, potentially revolutionizing our understanding of physics, propulsion, and material science.
From a scientific perspective, these sightings could open new avenues of research into alternative forms of propulsion, energy sources, and material engineering. Researchers would need to investigate how such geometries could withstand atmospheric conditions, generate lift, or interact with electromagnetic forces. Confirming the extraterrestrial origin of these objects might also prompt a paradigm shift in astrobiology and astrophysics, encouraging scientists to reconsider assumptions about the diversity of life and technology in the universe.
On a societal level, the visibility of such phenomena increases public curiosity and skepticism, shaping cultural narratives about extraterrestrial life and technological progress. Governments worldwide have begun to acknowledge the existence of Unidentified Aerial Phenomena (UAPs), which has heightened calls for transparency and scientific investigation. This acknowledgment has led to increased funding for research, development of new investigative tools, and international cooperation. Moreover, these sightings influence policy decisions regarding airspace security, extraterrestrial research, and public communication about unexplained phenomena. Ultimately, the discovery of cube-shaped UFOs could profoundly impact our worldview, scientific pursuits, and societal policies, emphasizing the importance of open-minded inquiry and international collaboration in understanding these mysteries.
A commercial aircraft is seen flying past on its approach to the airport
Credit: YouTube
Challenges in Scientific Investigation
Investigating cube-shaped UFOs poses a series of complex scientific challenges that make definitive study difficult. One of the primary issues is their transient and elusive nature. These objects often appear suddenly and disappear quickly, making consistent observation and long-term tracking problematic. This fleeting presence hampers the ability to gather comprehensive data, such as detailed images, measurements, or telemetry signals, which are crucial for thorough analysis.
Another significant obstacle is the lack of physical samples. Unlike terrestrial objects or artifacts, UFOs—especially those with unique geometric shapes like cubes—are rarely recovered or examined directly. Without tangible evidence, scientists must rely on visual reports, photographs, and videos, which can sometimes be ambiguous or of limited quality. This reliance increases the risk of misinterpretation and hampers efforts to draw concrete conclusions.
Furthermore, the field is fraught with risks related to misidentification, hoaxes, and psychological biases. Many UFO sightings can be explained by natural phenomena, human-made objects, or optical illusions. The proliferation of false reports or deliberate hoaxes can mislead researchers and skew data. Psychological factors, such as perception biases or cultural influences, can also distort witness accounts, complicating efforts to establish objective facts.
Despite these hurdles, technological advancements offer hope for improved investigation. Modern sensors, high-resolution imaging, infrared detection, and radar systems can enhance detection capabilities. Improved data collection methods enable more accurate and comprehensive recordings of sightings. International collaboration among scientists, governments, and civilian organizations can facilitate data sharing and standardization, increasing the reliability of findings.
To deepen understanding, a multidisciplinary approach is essential. Combining physics, atmospheric science, engineering, and SETI principles allows for a broader analysis of the phenomena. For example, physics can help assess the plausibility of various propulsion or energy systems, while atmospheric science can evaluate environmental factors influencing sightings. Engineering can aid in designing better detection tools, and SETI principles can provide frameworks for searching for artificial origins.
In summary, although studying cube-shaped UFOs is challenging due to their elusive nature, lack of physical evidence, and potential for misinterpretation, ongoing technological and collaborative efforts may eventually shed light on their true nature.
Conclusion
Cube-shaped UFOs remain one of the most intriguing phenomena in the realm of unidentified aerial objects. While conventional explanations such as misidentification, natural phenomena, or experimental human technology could account for some sightings, the persistent reports of these geometrically distinct objects challenge our understanding of aerial phenomena. Their unusual shape, coupled with reports of their silent flight and sudden appearances, suggests that these craft may not conform to known human-made aircraft or natural atmospheric events. Some researchers speculate that they could represent advanced extraterrestrial technology or an entirely new form of aerial vehicle unknown to current science.
The lack of definitive evidence makes it difficult to draw concrete conclusions, but the recurring nature of cube-shaped UFO sightings indicates that this is a phenomenon warranting further investigation. Understanding these objects could have significant implications for science, security, and our knowledge of the universe. Until more data becomes available, the true nature of cube-shaped UFOs remains a captivating mystery, inspiring both scientific inquiry and public curiosity. Continued research and open-minded analysis are essential to unraveling the origins and purpose of these enigmatic objects.
Facts about UFOs that will blow your mind and change how you see the sky
Facts about UFOs that will blow your mind and change how you see the sky
Whether you’re a skeptic or already convinced we’re not alone, these facts are difficult to ignore — and they may change the way you see the world above.
An illustration of a UFO probe contorlled by superadvanced AI.
Stories of strange lights in the sky used to live on the edges of belief — whispered by conspiracy theorists or buried in classified files. But that’s changed. Military pilots have gone public. Governments have released official documents. And decades of silence are starting to crack. This article explores 15 remarkable facts about UFOs — from ancient sightings to modern-day encounters, including government programs, radar anomalies, and mysterious objects seen by astronauts. Whether you’re curious, skeptical, or something in between, these cases challenge everything we think we know about what’s in our skies.
Whether you’re a skeptic or already convinced we’re not alone, these facts are difficult to ignore — and they may change the way you see the world above.
Declassified U.F.O. Documents
Even though governments around the world have long denied serious interest in unidentified flying objects, a large number of recently declassified documents suggest otherwise. Contrary to public denials, agencies like the U.S. Department of Defense and the CIA have spent millions of dollars studying unidentified aerial phenomena that often defy the laws of known physics.
The American government alone has invested heavily in these investigations. These documents, now public, paint a very different picture — one in which UFOs are not dismissed, but tracked, analyzed, and kept under tight control.
You can find examples of UFO-related declassified documents here, here, and here.
Official Video Footage of Pilots Chasing a U.F.O.
When it comes to UFOs, people want more than rumors — they want proof. A few years ago, the U.S. government declassified a video captured by a Boeing F/A-18F Super Hornet. In it, military pilots can be heard reacting in disbelief as they chase an object flying at impossible speeds.
This wasn’t fiction or amateur footage — it was released through official channels, prompting a shift in how the public perceives the UFO phenomenon.
Video Footage: The Best Evidence
The Super Hornet video is far from the only footage out there. Over the years, numerous videos have emerged showing craft that move in ways no known aircraft should. One of the most famous examples is the STS-75 Tether Incident, captured by NASA during the space shuttle Columbia’s mission in 1996.
During this mission, a 12-mile-long tether broke off and floated into space. As the tether drifted, countless bright, disc-like objects appeared around it. While some have written the incident off as space debris or lens flare, others argue it represents one of the clearest recordings of unidentified flying objects in space.
The Pentagon Studied “Exotic U.F.O. Tech”
AATIP letter about UFOs.AATIP letter about UFOs.
Although most governments publicly downplay the existence of UFOs, internal reports show another side. Declassified papers have revealed that the U.S. Department of Defense conducted secret research into what they called “exotic, futuristic technologies.”
These investigations were part of the now-famous Advanced Aerospace Threat Identification Program (AATIP), and were authorized in part by Senator Harry Reid. In a letter to Deputy Secretary of Defense William Lynn III, Reid supported funding the program to explore advanced propulsion systems and technologies far beyond our current capabilities.
These weren’t just speculative ideas. The documents state that researchers explored whether certain technologies could give the U.S. military an edge — technologies that may have come from observed phenomena, or possibly reverse-engineered craft.
Official Documents Reveal Antarctic U.F.O. Encounters
Antarctica has long been tied to tales of hidden bases, strange energy sources, and mysterious sightings. While some of these claims are rooted in conspiracy, there are verified reports that are difficult to dismiss.
In 1965, scientists at three separate Antarctic research stations witnessed unexplained lights in the sky. Two reports were filed by the Chilean Air Force (FACh), two others by the Argentine Navy, and a fifth by the British Antarctic Survey (B.A.S.).
Antarctic survey report letter.
Dated October 22, 1965, a letter (above) written by a B.A.S. researcher reads:
“On the July 12 this year, the British Antarctic Survey Base on Deception Island (62° 59′ S, Long. 60° 34′ W) reported the following, which I quote as requested:
‘Argentine base (on Deception Island) observed a moving colored light on June 7th, 20th, and July 3. Chilean base (also on Deception) made similar observations on the latter two dates.
Flickering red-green-yellow light observed from British Base 2300 Z July 2 die north; it had moved in two waves quickly from the west then reversed along the course for a short distance before returning again to the north where it remained stationary for about 20 minutes.’
I should comment that our people in the Antarctic did not consider the important event enough to comment until asked. I requested information because of pressure from the B.B.C., N.B.C., and the Press, who acted on a news report put out from Argentina.
Yours sincerely, V.E. Fuchs.”
The C.I.A. Alone Declassified Thousands of U.F.O. Documents
The CIA has released thousands of documents detailing their involvement with UFO investigations, stretching from the 1940s to the early 1990s. These reports include everything from international news clippings to internal memos and firsthand accounts of sightings.
According to the CIA’s own archive:
“This collection catalogs C.I.A. information on this subject from the 1940s through the early 1990s.”
While many of the sightings remain unverified, the sheer volume of reports — and the agency’s decision to preserve them — speaks to the seriousness with which these phenomena were taken.
U.F.O.s Aren’t a Modern Phenomenon
Antique report of damatic sightings over Nuremberg.
One of the earliest and most dramatic sightings occurred over Nuremberg, Germany, in 1561. It was documented in the city’s newspaper and later studied by historians. The report reads:
“In the morning of April 14, 1561, at daybreak, between 4 and 5 a.m., a dreadful apparition occurred on the sun, and then this was seen in Nuremberg in the city, before the gates, and in the country – by many men and women.
At first, there appeared in the middle of the sun, two blood-red semi-circular arcs, just like the moon in its last quarter. And in the sun, above and below and on both sides, the color was blood, there stood a round ball of partly dull, partly black ferrous color. Likewise, there stood on both sides and as a torus about the sun such blood-red ones and other balls in large number, about three in a line and four in a square, also some alone.
In between these globes, there were visible a few blood-red crosses, between which there were blood-red strips, becoming thicker to the rear and in the front malleable like the rods of reed-grass, which were intermingled, among them two big rods, one on the right, the other to the left, and within the small and big rods there were three, also four and more globes.
These all started to fight among themselves so that the globes, which were first in the sun, flew out to the ones standing on both sides; thereafter, the globes standing outside the sun, in the small and large rods, flew into the sun.
Besides, the globes flew back and forth among themselves and fought vehemently with each other for over an hour. And when the conflict in and again out of the sun was most intense, they became fatigued to such an extent that they all, as said above, fell from the sun down upon the earth ‘as if they all burned’ and they then wasted away on the Earth with immense smoke. After all this, something like a black spear, very long and thick, sighted; the shaft pointed to the east, the point pointed west. Whatever such signs mean, God alone knows…”
(Source: Colman S. Von Kevicsky, “The Ufo Sighting Over Nuremberg in 1561” Official Ufo January 1976. Translation by Ilse Von Jacobi.)
One of the First U.F.O. Reports in America
One of the earliest sightings in North America dates back to 1639. Near the Massachusetts Bay Colony, Governor John Winthrop recorded an event in his diary involving strange lights in the sky over Boston. Witnesses reported the objects moving rapidly and even claimed they lost track of time — a possible reference to missing time, a common theme in modern abduction narratives.
U.F.O. in Northern Saskatchewan
A letter mentionig a crashed UFO.
In 1968, a strange object was discovered near Wollaston Lake, close to the Manitoba border. A letter from that time reads:
“Examination revealed the exhibit had likely formed part of a vehicle that traveled in outer space.”
The metallic fragment was handed to J. Hodges of the Canadian National Research Council by an unnamed pilot. Its origins remain unexplained.
Oppenheimer and Einstein Wrote About U.F.O.s
A six-page document written by physicists Robert Oppenheimer and Albert Einstein discussed “Relationship with Inhabitants of Celestial Bodies.”
The document is one of the first to reference Extraterrestrial Biological Entities and indicates that the military had considered UFOs as part of its strategic assessments. You can read the full document here.
Winston Churchill Wrote About Alien Life
In an essay written in 1939, Churchill speculated:
“I, for one, am not so immensely impressed by the success we are making of our civilization here that I am prepared to think we are the only spot in this immense universe that contains living, thinking creatures…”
Churchill’s essay, “Are We Alone in the Universe?”, predicted a vast universe filled with potentially habitable planets long before exoplanets were ever confirmed.
California Is a U.F.O. Hot Spot
According to the National U.F.O. Reporting Center, more sightings have occurred in California than in any other U.S. state. Los Angeles in particular has been the epicenter for sightings between 2001 and 2015.
One of the most famous events took place in 1942.
The Battle of Los Angeles
An image of the so-called Battle of L.A.
“The city went completely dark as Air Raid sirens started going off. Massive searchlights searched the sky for potential threats. Eventually, the anti-aircraft fire started going off, and in the middle of the ‘battle,’ a photograph of the enigmatic object was taken.”
The object was never identified, and explanations ranged from weather balloons to enemy aircraft. To this day, the event remains one of the most widely discussed mass sightings in American history.
Washington D.C., 1952: Radar Confirms Fast-Moving Object
On July 19, 1952, air traffic controllers at Washington National Airport picked up a fast-moving object on radar. In the weeks that followed, additional sightings were reported by military personnel.
Despite public reassurances, the official explanation never fully accounted for the object’s speed or maneuverability.
The Rendlesham Forest Incident
In December 1980, U.S. Air Force personnel stationed at RAF Woodbridge in England reported seeing a glowing object in the woods.
“Allegedly, the U.F.O. irradiated several different colors. The craft landed, and soldiers went out to investigate. They supposedly found the spaceship. The following day, radiation levels where the alleged U.F.O. landed were off the charts, and there were reports of damaged trees nearby.”
The case remains one of the most famous and well-documented U.F.O. encounters involving military witnesses.
They allegedly came from Space, appeared metallic, and prompted official investigations. Were the mystery objects downed in Canada, Bolivia, and Russia genuine UFOs or some sort of secret space probes?
There are dozens of reported downed UFOs around the globe—some better documented and more credible than others. This article will address three of the best international cases including the unknown “dark object” that splashed off the Atlantic Coast near the small fishing village of Shag Harbour in Nova Scotia, Canada, on October 4, 1967; the powerful impact of an unknown space object in a remote mountainous area in Bolivia’s Tarija Department, on May 6, 1978; and the crash of a mysterious probe on Hill 611 in the Russian Pacific city of Dalnegorsk on January 29, 1986.
Shag Harbour, Nova Scotia, Canada, 1967
The author (center) with researcher Chris Styles (in black) on the site were witnesses gathered to sea the object that crashed in the ocean in 1967. Credit: A. Huneeus
Dozens of witnesses saw unidentified lights falling into the Atlantic Ocean on the southeastern coast of Nova Scotia, Canada, on the night of October 4, 1967. The investigation and search effort to recover debris involved Canadian military and police agencies, including the Royal Canadian Mounted Police (RCMP), the ‘Air Desk’ at the Royal Canadian Air Force (RCAF) in charge of UFO investigations, and the Coast Guard and Royal Navy Maritime Command, which coordinated a search effort with divers. Although widely reported by the media at the time, the case was quickly forgotten until 1993, when Halifax researcher Chris Styles began a new investigation into the incident.
Shag Harbour, as the case has come to be known, has a unique advantage over other alleged UFO crashes because, as Styles states, it offers an “official paper trail.” These are genuine officially released Canadian government documents, not some disputed memos commonly found in ufology. That’s why when a book about this incident, Dark Object, was published in 2001 by Styles and coauthor Don Ledger, it carried the subtitle of, “The World’s Only Government-Documented UFO Crash.”
A “Priority” telex to Canadian Forces Headquarters, dated October 5, 1967, titled, “UFO Report,” tells the story succinctly:
Night clear, no Moon. Cpl. (Corporal) Wercicky [sic] RCMP Barrington Passage outside Lower Woods Harbour, [Nova Scotia] & other witnesses – names known to RCMP Cpl. – dark object – in excess of 60 ft. – 4 white lights horizontally 15 ft. spacing – movement easterly low altitude down to water surface unknown but in excess of five minutes UFO descended rapidly to water with high whistling sound. Bright flash on hitting water. Single light floating on surface remained for long time sank before RCMP could get boat to it. Area searched extensively by [Canadian Coast Guard] lifeboat 101 and many small boats – nil results. Position of last sighting 4330.5N 6545W. All other possible leads ([aircraft], flares, etc.) checked – nil results. Follow up: at 03:21:57 Coast Guard Cutter 101 proceeding to area with RCMP on board to research area based on A/Ref Baton Point.
Canadian UFO report in the Shag Harbour UFO Incident summary. (Credit: Canada Library and Archives)
I know his case quite well as I visited the area twice, once in 1996 and again in 2003, interviewing Styles and a couple of witnesses, including retired RCMP officer Victor Werbicki, who was one of the first Mounties to arrive on the scene. In a telephone interview from his home in Alberta, Werbicki stated,
From my investigation and talking to many people, some good witnesses who saw the object, I sincerely felt that something fell down, but we could find no evidence. It came down at an angle supposedly at the channel, it was just unexplained. I was convinced, and I still am, that these people were sincere. I was convinced from all the witnesses that something came down and I don’t know what.
Most accounts place the beginning of the Shag Harbour incident around 11 p.m., when dozens of fishermen and some policemen saw lights plunging into the ocean. Their initial reaction was that an airplane had just crashed. Many vessels rushed to the spot, expecting to rescue survivors, but instead found the whole area covered with yellow foam. One of the documents uncovered by Styles, however, was a report by Leo Howard Mersey, captain of the J.B. Nickerson ship, who saw a UFO in the area a couple of hours earlier, adding that the object was also detected by the ship’s radar. Mersey’s report to the RCMP detachment in Lunenburg described the sighting:
At about 9 PM, on the 4 OCT 67, I noticed an object with three flashing red lights. Radar indicated this object to be sixteen miles away. It was very clear that night and we could see the lights of Halifax. At the time our boat was 32 miles south of Sambro Light and the object was approximately 16 miles north east of us… At the same time there were three other objects on the radar and about 6 miles from the first object. I would say it disappeared about 11:00 PM, when it went up in the air. I could not see any shape or form to it because of the distance. When it went into the air it only had one flashing light. While the object was on the water, or close to the water, it had three real bright flashing red lights… It is not unusual to see the Navy, or aircraft, dropping things into the water there. I had never seen anything like that before but it sounds like the thing they are looking for down off Shelburne or Barrington Passage. When the object left it went straight up in the air with only one red light.
Other witnesses pick up the story about fifteen minutes later, as summarized by Chris Styles, “It began sometime after 11 o’clock October the 4th, which was a moonless clear night. People who were driving or in the area began to notice that there was a set of flashing lights in the sky…most of them reported four, some of them saw them at a sharp angle and saw only three.” The witnesses called the RCMP, and when three officers arrived on the scene, “they could still see a pale yellow object moving on the water that looked unusual, it was leaving a trail of refuse, heavy yellow foam on the surface of the water.” Lawrence Smith, the first seaman to reach the impact area, received a phone call and rushed to the dock, “and got on my boat and then proceeded onto the sea, to the area where this object had gone in the water. I saw like a foam on the water, a long strip of foam, long and narrow, and that’s all I saw that night.”
The search continued the following day and the Canadian Navy arrived at noon on October 6—by this time the event was making headlines in the Canadian press. The Chronicle Herald of Halifax had the banner headline: “COULD BE SOMETHING CONCRETE IN SHAG HARBOR UFO—RCAF.” Other papers talked of a “Hunt for Saucer,” and the Canadian Broadcasting Corporation showed newsreels of the navy divers. “The Canadian naval search lasted until Sunday evening,” said Styles, “when the Maritime Command announced that the official naval search was canceled, but many witnesses seem to imply there was some kind of search effort going after that. The stated results of the military search was no results, they had recovered no debris and had no explanation for the object.”
Halifax’s Chronicle-Herald front page headline and other Canadian press stories about the Shag Harbour UFO crash. Credit: Huneeus Collection
An official memorandum from Col. Turner, Director of Operations at the RCAF Air Desk, summarized the official results: “The Rescue Coordination Centre conducted preliminary investigation and discounted the possibilities that the sighting was produced by an aircraft, flares, floats, or any other known objects.” While the first phase of the Shag Harbour incident can be documented officially, another part of the story is still shrouded in mystery. Styles’ investigation turned up a complex plot involving a second, secret search effort several miles north near Shelburne, next to a then top secret submarine detection base run jointly by the U.S. and Canada, Canadian Forces Station (CFS) Shelburne, which closed down a few years ago. Because he doesn’t have the same level of official documentation, Styles refers to this episode as “the story.” It was told to him confidentially by some divers and other retired military sources.
According to this version, as Styles wrote in a paper for the 1996 MUFON UFO Symposium Proceedings, the crippled UFO that plunged into the ocean near Shag Harbour, “navigated its way, while submerged, to a point on the seabed which lay off Shelburne County’s Government Point.” He continued,
A flotilla of ships sat over the submerged UFO. Consideration was given to the possibility of attempting a recovery operation. Procrastination was due to the fact that a second UFO was on the scene repairing the first crippled craft. The Naval operation would continue for seven days. It remained a mission of observation only. On the seventh day a Soviet submarine violated the former twelve-mile international limit and began to close on the UFO’s position. The surface ships sailed towards the approaching intruder to show challenge. Shortly thereafter, both UFOs began moving while still submerged towards the Gulf of Maine. Later in open water they surfaced, became airborne, and then flew away at high speed. The story also claims that in spite of public denials from Maritime Command, debris was recovered at the Shag Harbour impact site. The Styrofoam-like and aluminum-like debris was collected and driven to the Defense Research Establishment facility in Dartmouth, Nova Scotia.
Styles concluded:
I really have trouble explaining this in conventional terms. I really try to avoid speculating, but I do feel that when you look at all the composite of evidence from the multiple witnesses, from the military response, from the implications of the physical evidence, I think it’s pretty suggestive that something, either extraterrestrial, extra-temporal or extra-dimensional is responsible. I opt for extraterrestrial myself, and that opens of course a myriad of other questions, but it did imply a nuts and bolt object that was both aerodynamic and hydrodynamic.
In 2003, an official Canada Post stamp was issued to commemorate this mysterious and still unresolved UFO case.
Shag Harbour postage stamp. Credit: Chapel Hill Historical Society
Tarija Department, southeastern Bolivia, near the border of Salta Province, Argentina, 1978
Illustration from the Argentinean magazine Gente showing witnesses looking at the cylindrical object of Tarija. The Spanish caption reads, “Saturday 6 [May 1978], 17:15 Hours. The strange object falls in Bolivia.” Credit: Huneeus Collection/Gente
The Tarija case is probably South America’s best documented and most credible UFO crash incident. There were dozens—probably hundreds—of eyewitnesses who saw a cylindrical-shaped object spewing smoke across the sky on the mid-afternoon of May 6, 1978, and crash on a remote mountain near the Bermejo River, which separates the border betweenBolivia’s Tarija Department and Argentina’s Salta Province. Others heard a loud explosion—a sonic boom heard that was heard within 120 miles that shattered windows of villages over 30 miles from the target site.Some saw a thick column of smoke rising from a mountain known in Argentina as El Taire, or El Zaire, and in Bolivia as Cerro Bravo. Although the incident was widely reported in the South American press, there was a great deal of confusion about the facts. For days it wasn’t clear if the space object had crashed in Bolivian or Argentinean territory, and there was further confusion about its origin—whether it was a meteorite, a man-made space probe, or a real UFO.
The involvement of the U.S. government in this affair provided additional intrigue. The South American press kept mentioning the arrival of NASA experts at the area, and two American military officers in civilian dress were photographed by the local press as they arrived in Tarija supposedly “on vacation.” Some reports allege that metallic fragments and even a large capsule were retrieved and quickly moved away in a U.S. Air Force Hercules cargo plane; other reports claim this was not true, and that something may still be buried under a rock slide. Yet the participation of American officials is not in doubt, as we know from a few documents released by the U.S. State Department and the U.S. Air Force that Tarija indeed came under the eye of Project Moon Dust and Operation Blue Fly—two programs headquartered at Wright-Patterson Air Force Base in Ohio, which were tasked with retrieving sensitive space debris and “Unidentified Flying Objects,” as stated in a declassified November 1961 Air Force Intelligence memo. The two American officers in Tarija were not NASA scientists, but from the U.S. Defense Attaché Office (DAO) in La Paz, acting under Project Moon Dust guidelines.
The village of La Mamora with the “impact site” on the El Zaire Hill in Bolivia. The headline in the Argentinean weekly Radiolandia 2000 reads: “When the UFO fell, the earth trembled and we were overcome by panic.” Credit: Huneeus Collection/R. 2000
Eduardo Salmón and Bienvenido Ortega were Border Policemen with the 20th Detachment in Orán, Argentina, who were on duty in the village of Aguas Blancas on that May afternoon. A luminous flash caught their eyes, and they watched as an oval-shaped metallic-looking object crossed the sky in a northerly direction, trailing smoke. Seconds later they heard a loud explosion. The troopers were attending a soccer match, which had gathered some five hundred people at the local soccer field. Both players and spectators were astonished by the “fireball” that flew over their heads right before the explosion and the cloud of thick smoke. The closest villages to the impact area on the Bolivian side of the border were Padcaya, Mecoya, and La Mamora. Vélez Orozco was an engineer conducting a survey for a private company in Tarija when he too saw the cylindrical object. He estimated it was four meters in diameter and was conical-shaped in front. The explosion, he added, was louder than the one caused by the reentry of a meteorite a year earlier.
Corporal Natalio Farfán Ruiz was the highest military authority in La Mamora. He told Argentinean reporters:
I don’t know what would have happened if the UFO had fallen on their houses. Can you imagine? Some children live here. It was around 4:30 [p.m.] when a cylinder shook the Earth. I swear that it was horrible, I believed the end of the world was coming, but I had top have courage. After all, I was the authority.
Juan Hurtado, an agent with the Border Intelligence Service, described it this way:
It was like a huge wine container with a brilliant white color spewing smoke out of its back. I saw it quite clearly because it passed over my head. I was with three engineers of the Mining Bank in La Paz when I saw the object crash on the hill of El Zaire. The impact was so strong that it threw me down to the ground. In that moment, the whole Earth trembled.
Eventually, the Bolivian Air Force flew three single-engine AT-6 planes over the area and detected a large rockslide over the southern slopes of Cerro Bravo. The area is extremely rugged and of difficult access. Several expeditions attempted to reach the exact impact site, but only the second group, headed by Major Germán Callejas, was able to locate the rockslide around May 24. A great deal of confusion surrounded the case by that time. On May 14, the Buenos Aires newspaper Clarín reported that the object had been recovered—“a metallic-dull cylinder, four meters long and with some dents”—and that NASA officials would take charge of it. A sketch of the alleged retrieved object published by Clarín resembled a Gemini or Apollo space capsule. There was also a great deal of apprehension that it could be a Soviet nuclear satellite—Cosmos 954 had crashed in northern Canada only three months earlier on January 24, 1978. Finally, there was talk of a meteorite, although my own personal inquiries with the Smithsonian’s Scientific Event Alert Network (SEAN), which tracks natural disasters, showed no meteorite fall in Bolivia in May 1978.
The South American press was full of stories of NASA officials arriving in Tarija, but the truth is that the two military officers who showed up, Col. Robert Simmons and Major John Heisse, were most likely from the U.S. Defense Attaché Office (DAO) in La Paz, who were acting on behalf of Project Moon Dust, which oversaw the retrieval of downed space objects. We know the U.S. government was involved because at least some documents from the U.S. State Department and the U.S. Air Force were later obtained under the Freedom of Information Act. Key among these documents is a May 18 telegram, classified “Secret,” and bearing the name of Secretary of State Cyrus Vance, although it was drafted by Col. Robert Eddington from the State Department’s Bureau of Oceans, International Environment, and Scientific Affairs. The message indicated that the Tarija case, “has been checked with appropriate government agencies. No direct correlation with known space objects that may have reentered the earth’s atmosphere near May 6 can be made. However, we are continuing to examine any possibilities.” The message then referred the U.S. Embassy in La Paz to, “State Airgram A-6343 of July 26, 1973 which provides background information and guidance for dealing with space objects that have been found.” Secretary Vance concluded: “In particular any information pertaining to the pre-impact observations, direction or trajectory, number of objects observed, time of impact and a detailed description including any markings would be helpful.”
U.S. Secretary of State Cyrus Vance’s “Secret” telex, “Report of Fallen Space Object,” concerning the May 1978 Tarija case. Credit: Huneeus Collection
Additional data is provided by a couple of documents from the DAO in La Paz under the subject of Moon Dust. “This office has tried to verify the stories put forth in…the local press,” informed the DAO, adding that their office had contacted the chief of staff of the Bolivian Air Force and the commander of the Bolivian Army, both of whom indicated that search parties were “directed to go into the area to find the object but found nothing.” Two independent American investigators, the seasoned National Enquirer reporter Bob Pratt and Charles Tucker of the International UFO Investigating Bureau, actually visited the area and interviewed many witnesses, including the members of the Bolivian expeditions. Pratt tried to reach the crash site himself but couldn’t because of the difficulties of the terrain. In a 1984 letter, Pratt wrote that “a lot of misinformation has been published about this incident. I am certain, however, that the area was not cordoned off by the military, that no object was recovered by NASA or anyone else, that no Hercules picked up anything.” Pratt finished his letter by stating that, “I believe something crashed into the mountain and was buried under the landslide it created. But the six people I know who have personally inspected the site could find no debris of any kind. Whatever struck there is probably going to remain buried there.”
Dalnegorsk, Russian Pacific Coast, 1986
Although there are several reported UFO crashes in Russia and the republics of the old Soviet Union, the Dalnegorsk incident of 1986 is unique because it is one of the few cases where metallic fragments were recovered and analyzed by scientists with the results openly published. A number of unique circumstances made this possible. The principal investigator of the case, Dr. Valery Dvuzhilny, led a group from the Far Eastern Commission on Anomalous Phenomena, and the timing coincided with the then newly implemented policies of glasnost and perestroika issued by Mikhail Gorbachev, which allowed the publication of the case. Dvuzhilny also corresponded extensively with Western researchers, sending copies of his reports and photos of the recovered evidence.
Dalnegorsk is a small city near Russia’s Pacific Coast, on the Sea of Japan, just north of Vladivostok. The story begins at 7:55 p.m., on January 29, 1986, with the collision of an unknown object on Hill 611 in Dalnegorsk. One of the reports by Dr. Dvuzhilny summarized the events:
Residents of the settlements observed a reddish-orange sphere the size of a half full moon, which flew from the southwest at 260 degrees. Its altitude was 700-800 meters. The flight was parallel to the surface of the Earth, without the angles which are characteristic for meteorites. The witnesses heard absolutely no noises. The calculated speed by chronometer was 15 meters per second. There was no change of direction or altitude.
The object then approached the Izvestkovaya Mountain, or Hill 611, which has an elevation of 600 meters and is located at the center of the city. “The object made a dive and went at an angle of 60-70 degrees on the cliff ledge, where it ‘fell’ and burned for an hour,” continued the report, “some of the witnesses affirm that it rose and lowered itself six times, and that its light was intensified during its rise and weakened during its lowering.” Dvuzhilny and his team arrived on the scene on February 3, finding a number of physical traces, which included lead and iron balls, bits of glass, a fine mesh or netting, traces of high temperature activity, magnetic anomalies, and damage to nearby trees and stumps.
The materials were analyzed by several laboratories and research institutes; the results were quite enigmatic, leading Dvuzhilny and other scientists to conclude that the Dalnegorsk object was probably an artificial space probe of non-terrestrial origin. According to one report published in the influential newspaper, Socialist Industry (now Rabochaya Tribuna), “in the scales (or mesh), almost all the elements of the entire periodic table were found.” Special analysis of the lead balls, for instance, showed that besides lead, they contained silicon (20%), aluminum (10%), iron (15%), zinc (1.5%), titanium (2%), magnesium (1%) and silver (2%), as well as minute portions of copper, lanthanum, praseodymium, calcium, sodium, vanadium, cerium, chrome, cobalt, nickel, and molybdenum.
Metallic fragments consisting of a fine mesh or netting retrieved by scientists at Hill 611 in 1986. Credit: ICUFON Archives/V. Dvuzhilny
The scales, or mesh, reacted in a very strange manner during the laboratory analysis. The Socialist Industry report described how one of the scientists, A. Makeev, “presented the [X-ray] structural analysis and showed that from one scale, after melting it in a vacuum, all of a sudden gold, silver, and nickel disappeared. But there appeared alpha-titanium and molybdenum. In another scale, the metals did not appear at all. And for some reason, after the heating, there appeared beryllium sulfide.”
There were still further surprises, such as “six areas of magnetized silica rock” (silica is a non-magnetic material) found on the crash site. These results were published by A. Petukhov and T. Faminskaya, members of the Council of Scientific and Engineering Sciences’ Commission on Paranormal Events. “Vivid interest was also evoked by the mesh, a carbon-based composite of unknown origin,” wrote Petukhov and Faminskaya, “the specimen was found to include quartz filaments 17 microns thick, and golden wires inside the filament.” All this evidence led some investigators to conclude that something alien had indeed crashed at Hill 611. V. Vysotsky, Doctor of Chemistry from Vladivostok, stated: “Undoubtedly, this is a high-technology product and not a thing of natural or terrestrial origin.” Dvuzhilny proposed that it was “an automatic scout probe” of alien origin, and rejected the alternative hypothesis that it could have been a natural plasmoid.
Still another hypothesis was offered by Yuli Platov, a senior researcher with the Institute of Earth Magnetism, Ionosphere, and Radiowave Propagation of the USSR Academy of Sciences as well as a noted UFO skeptic. Platov wrote that the Dalnegorsk phenomenon, “in reality was connected with the conduct of a technical experiment.” This is a polite way of saying the Hill 611 object was probably a secret Soviet military aircraft or spacecraft; yet, if this was the case why wasn’t Hill 611 immediately cordoned-off by Soviet troops and the material hushed away by the KGB? Why were scientists and technicians from the civilian, rather than the military industrial sector, allowed to conduct their investigation more or less openly and parade their puzzling results to the local and national media? Moreover, neither Platov nor anyone else ever produced any supporting evidence to back their experimental craft hypothesis. Dvuzhilny also noted that there were no rocket launches and no civilian or military traffic over Dalnegorsk on the night of January 29, 1986.
Regardless of its ultimate origin, the crash on Hill 611 was only the beginning of an intense UFO wave around Dalnegorsk. For instance, another report by Dvuzhilny indicates that, “on February 6, 1986, eight days after the UFO crash, there appeared from the north two yellow globes at 8:30 p.m. They approached the crash spot, made four circles over it and disappeared with a flash.” By and large, however, the largest display of UFOs occurred on the night of November 28, 1987. Dvuzhilny wrote: “On Saturday November 28, 1987, 33 UFOs were flying at a low height over the Eastern coast of Primorye. Their flights took place between 9:10 pm and midnight. They were of different shape: cylinders, cigars, globes. They were flying over five regions and twelve settlements.”
UFO photographed over Dalnegorsk. Credit: ICUFON Archives/V. Dvuzhilny
Inquiries made by Dvuzhilny showed there had been no flights of civil or military aircraft at that time, and that no rockets were launched from Soviet Cosmodromes. In total, thirteen UFOs flew over Dalnegorsk itself. They were seen by over a hundred witnesses, including military personnel, militia (police), border guards, and sailors, as well as all kind of civilian workers who were questioned by the Far Eastern Commission. Still more sightings occurred in the months to come. The Commission recorded forty-five UFO sightings in 1987, fifteen in 1988, and thirty-two in 1989.Statistics for the 1990s were not included in the reports sent to the U.S. by Dr. Dvuzhilny, but what was included—all the evidence reviewed here—is quite extraordinary.
Reconstruction by the Far East Commission on Anomalous Phenomena of the UFO wave of November 28, 1987 around Dalnegorsk and other areas in Russia’s Pacific coast. Credit: ICUFON Archives/V. Dvuzhilny
THE METALLIC SPHERES – A CASE OF MISTAKEN IDENTITY
Some of the Project Moon Dust documents declassified by the Defense Intelligence Agency (DIA) include reports of mysterious metallic spheres found scattered in many countries around the world like Bolivia, Chad, and New Zealand. Other similar cases not in the DIA documents were reported in Argentina and Mexico. Usually these cases were readily identified as some kind of space junk, but occasionally they were treated as fragments from crashed UFOs. A couple of these spheres are even on display at the “Visión OVNI” (UFO Vision) Museum in Victoria in the province of Entre Ríos, Argentina. Among the Mexican cases, one was found in Chiapas in 1996, two in Tamaulipas in 1994 and 1996, and another obtained by famous TV journalist Jaime Maussán in 2008, all of which were claimed as possibly UFO-related fragments. Yet there can be little doubt that all these “space balls” are mundane parts of the Russian or American space programs and not real UFO artifacts.
One of the space spheres on display at the UFO Vision Museum in Victoria, Argentina; photo of George Adamski in the background. Credit: Open Minds Production
Here is a representative Moon Dust memo from the Republic of Chad in Africa, dated October 10, 1970:
This report forwards photographs of object believed to come under Project ‘MOON DUST’. The object was seen falling in an area 30 kms N.E. of LAI (0924N-1618E) on 1 August 1970. It produced three loud explosions on landing and was said to have burned for five days. The sphere weighs 30 pounds and has a circumference of four feet. A second object was found in the same general area. It however, resembles au automobile shaft. Photographs of this object are forwarded.
A longer Moon Dust document, dated August 17, 1979, concerns “an unidentified object having been found on a farm near Santa Cruz” in Bolivia, described as “about three times the size of a basketball.” The document quoted the director of the Air Force Academy, Col. Ariel Coca, as stating, “The sphere is made of special light ally but very resistant, possibly a fuel tank or a part of a satellite! The object does not have any signs or marks that could identify its origin nor the country to which it belongs.”
Two space spheres on display in the patio of the Firmat Museum in Santa Fe, Argentina. Credit: Open Minds Production
The argument in favor of the extraterrestrial origin of these spheres made by some ufologists in Mexico and Argentina is that they are extremely hard, almost impossible to burn or cut. But this is what you would expect of a fuel tank for a spacecraft, designed to be ejected for earth reentry once the fuel is used; it has to be made of metals able to withstand the space launch or the satellite or spacecraft could be in danger. Mexican engineer Luis Ruiz Noguez, a well-known UFO skeptic, explained that the alloy, which is composed of titanium, vanadium, and aluminum, shown in the 1994 and 1996 Mexican spheres “is chiefly utilized in the manufacture of fuel tanks for artificial satellites due to their high resistance to corrosion and temperature.” While the spheres at Argentina’s Visión OVNI Museum are exhibited as true UFO artifacts, another local museum in Paraná has a couple of similar spheres that the Russian space program has acknowledged as part of a Russian space probe.
A space sphere that fell in Mexico in 2008, now in the possession of Jaime Maussán. Notice the extensive damage inflicted due to reentry. Credit: Open Minds Production
These spheres provide a useful cautionary tale in learning how to distinguish prosaic man-made space objects from true unknown devices. There is a good possibility that many so-called UFO crashes have a terrestrial origin, but others are still enigmatic and so far unexplained.
A version of this article originally appeared in Issue #8 (June/July 2011) of Open Minds UFO Magazine. Back issues can be found here.
Top 10 Little-Known UFO Sightings With Multiple Witnesses
Top 10 Little-Known UFO Sightings With Multiple Witnesses
Most UFO sightings are witnessed by only one person, which makes it harder to convince others that the sighting was not just a figment of someone’s imagination. However, some encounters take place in front of multiple witnesses—and this changes things entirely.
Even if these events are not alien in nature, the fact th/ /at so many people witnessed these incidents at the same time means that “something” took place. Perhaps more importantly, this suggests that these episodes are not purely the products of the imagination.
10 Lesser-Known UFO Crash Incidents
10. Hudson Valley Sightings - New York, Early 1980s
With Fourth of July celebrations fast approaching in late June 1983, part of the evening sky over New York’s Hudson Valley was awash with fireworks. This was the result of early Independence Day celebrators. Out of the mini explosions of color suddenly came a low humming sound that brought with it a huge disc-shaped craft “about the width of 16 or 17 houses!”
Hudson Valley UFO Sightings, 1982 - 1986
As it hovered over the witnesses, the strange humming ceased and the craft simply hung in the air in chilling silence. Several minutes after the UFO first appeared, the humming began again and the disc shot off at great speed.
This was just one of many UFO sightings in Hudson Valley in the early 1980s. But it was not the only one to have multiple witnesses to the event.
On March 24, 1983, there were so many reports of a sighting of a strange craft and weird lights in the sky of Yorktown that the town’s switchboard almost went into meltdown. That evening, the Taconic parkway became gridlocked with vehicles that had stopped suddenly. Their mesmerized drivers now stood beside their cars staring up at the assumed UFO passing over them.
9. Arthur Kill River Incident - New Jersey Turnpike, 2001
On the evening of July 14 and into the morning of July 15 in 2001, at least 15 people witnessed strange golden-orange lights over the Arthur Kill River at the New Jersey Turnpike. They appeared to be in a V-formation. However, it wasn’t clear from the many accounts if the lights were separate entities or if they belonged to one large V-shaped craft.
Others reported that the lights were in a more “scattered” formation and simply disappeared into the night sky one by one. Newark Airport was contacted, but they hadn’t detected anything abnormal on their radar. According to the National Weather Service, there was no unusual weather that evening, either.
Witness Veronica Bagley managed to capture the lights on video. Meanwhile, another witness, Patty Ercallino, stated that the whole incident was “very peaceful, very serene, and very beautiful.” She even believed that they had observed “some type of miracle!”
8. The Cosford Incident - Western England, 1993
According to UFO expert Nick Pope, over 100 people reported seeing a UFO on the evening of March 30 and into the early hours of March 31, 1993, over the west of England. What’s more, many observers were active police and military personnel. Pope worked on the case personally as was his remit during the time he spent with the British Ministry of Defense.
Most sightings described triangular craft that moved through the night sky at a blistering pace. One particular witness—a policeman—was with a group of scouts on the Quantock Hills in Somerset. They described the objects as “like two Concordes flying side by side and joined together!”
There were more reported sightings in Cornwall, Devon, and West Midlands as well as over two RAF bases in Shropshire—RAF Shawbury and RAF Cosford. Neither base managed to pick up the mysterious craft on radar. At the time, Pope described this in his report as being of “considerable defense significance” that should be investigated further.
7. Ellsworth Air Force Base Sighting - South Dakota, 1953
Numerous military personnel saw a UFO on the evening of August 5, 1953, near Ellsworth Air Force Base. There were also 45 concerned residents of nearby towns who witnessed the bizarre events.
The first sighting was reported just after 8:00 PM in the town of Blackhawk. Mrs. Kellian, a volunteer member of the Ground Observer Corp, had observed a strange glowing red light in the clear night sky.
As she was trained to do, she reported her sighting immediately. She was eventually put through to the on-duty radar operator at Ellsworth Air Force Base.
The craft was picked up on radar clearly heading toward the base. An F-84 jet fighter on patrol in the area was directed toward the object. As the F-84 got to within 5 kilometers (3 mi) of the disc-like craft, the UFO moved away fast.
Although the F-84 attempted to give chase, it was unable to match the UFO’s speed and returned to Ellsworth. A second F-84 made its way to the area. The pilot confirmed that he could visually see the object. Also unable to keep up with the UFO, the F-84 suffered strange malfunctions of his aircraft.
6. Exeter - New Hampshire, 1965
Norman Muscarello was hitchhiking home to Exeter, New Hampshire, in the early hours of September 3, 1965. Patiently making his way along Route 150 as he looked out for his next potential ride, Muscarello noticed a strange light in the dark early morning sky. Within seconds, the light was heading straight toward him.
1965 🇺🇸 #UFOB [CASE] Sightings - UFO at Exeter NH, witnessed by Norman Muscarello
Fearing that he would be struck by the strange craft, Muscarello flung himself to the ground on the roadside. However, at the last moment, the UFO changed direction. Muscarello got up and fled the area as quickly as he could.
Around an hour earlier a short distance away, Eugene Bertrand, an on-duty policeman, had come across a parked vehicle on the side of the road. Inside sat a woman who frantically informed Bertrand that she had been chased by a “flying object.”
However, Bertrand assured the woman that there was no cause for concern. Genuinely believing that the lady had been mistaken, he went on his way.
It was around 3:00 AM by the time Muscarello made his way to the Exeter Police Station. Shortly after, Bertrand returned and listened to the story himself. He then drove the young man back to Route 150 to investigate.
After parking on the same stretch of road, the two men soon spotted the strange craft. As it had done before, the object moved closer to the pair. Unnerved, the two men quickly made their way back to the police car. A short time later, calls about more sightings began to flood in.
5.The Greifswald Lights - Germany, 1990
Strange spherical lights had been reported regularly from the coast along the Baltic Sea from the beginning of August 1990. By August 24, the lights appeared to have moved inland and were reported by residents of Greifswald, a coastal town in eastern Germany.
At first, the strange spheres hovered in the air almost motionless for around 30 minutes. Many witnesses managed to capture photographs and even video footage. The case is regarded as one of the best-documented UFO sightings.
UFO Greifswald Lights - August 24, 1990 Germany
It seemed to consist of two separate sets of lights. The first set formed a circle and remained largely still. When they did move, they moved as one. The second set of lights seemed to be in the shape of a Y. Of more import, they appeared to move freely of each other.
Neither the Mutual UFO Network (MUFON) nor mainstream scientists have been able to offer a solid or satisfactory explanation.
4. Fort Beaufort - South Africa, 1972
Bennie Smit believed without a doubt that he and his workers had witnessed a strange craft over his farm on June 26, 1972. However, he firmly believed that they had seen a top secret military craft and not visitors from another world.
Smit’s farm sat about 16 kilometers (10 mi) away from Fort Beaufort, a town in the Eastern Cape Province of South Africa. On that June morning, Smit found his workers cowering in a shed on the farm. They claimed that something strange was hovering above the trees in one of the fields.
Smit went to investigate and did indeed see a strange object. The farmer promptly fired at it with his .303 rifle. He maintained that his aim was correct and that he did hit the target. The bullets, however, had no effect.
Smit contacted the local police, who arrived just in time to see the craft landing on the ground. The UFO appeared to be the same shape as an oil drum, with three distinct “legs” underneath it.
One of the policemen, Sergeant Kitching, also fired his weapon at the craft. The UFO appeared to react to the discharge this time. The strange object began to change color from black to green. Then it turned yellow before finally becoming a pale white.
The witnesses heard a “whirring” sound before the craft took off from the field and vanished.
On August 11, 2014, hundreds of people in Houston saw a circle of lights in the evening sky. Pictures spread like wildfire over social media accounts. When video footage of the encounter was made available on the Internet, however, it became apparent that the lights were moving independently and were not a static circle.
Dr. Carolyn Sumners of the Houston Museum of Natural Science cautioned that no one should assume that the strange object was an alien visitor. With UFO sightings, she stated, we need to figure out what else it could be instead of aliens. However, no official explanation or theory has since been made available.
UFO Skeptic SHOCKED By Sighting Over Houston Texas! 5/14/16
Witnesses to the event have their own theories about it. Not surprisingly, many believe that the lights were indeed extraterrestrial in origin. However, others think they saw a government drone or even the reflection of lights from a nearby football stadium.
2. Mass UFO Sighting During Baseball Game - Vancouver, Canada, 2013
During a minor league baseball game between the Vancouver Canadians and the Everett AquaSox in 2013, hundreds of people had their attention drawn away from the game as a strange object appeared over the field.
The UFO had a triangular shape with lights around its edges. Even the players seemed to notice the aerial anomaly. One spoke on social media after the contest about the “alien spaceship” that had been seen.
Captured On Camera: UFO Spotted Hovering At Canadian Baseball Game
Many photographs and videos soon surfaced online, although no official explanation was initially offered. A local newspaper, however, speculated that the UFO could have been—and most likely was—a remote-control helicopter.
But the truth about this “UFO” was revealed just a couple of weeks later. The whole thing was a marketing ploy to publicize a new planetarium theater at the H.R. MacMillan Space Center in Vancouver.
Maybe that’s why Vancouver had more UFO sightings in 2013 than any other Canadian city.
1. The Trindade UFO Incident - 1958
In October 1957, the Brazilian navy set up a scientific research base on the island of Trindade. By January 1958, they were witness to some of the most bizarre UFO sightings of the 20th century.
Upon establishing the base, personnel began to report strange silvery objects that seemed to be observing their actions. On the morning of New Year’s Day 1958, the entire garrison witnessed a strange light passing overhead. The following evening, a glowing object circled around one of the navy ships for 10 minutes. It executed sudden and precise turns as it did so.
On January 6, Commander Carlos A. Bacellar launched a weather balloon. However, he realized that the signals it should have been emitting had suddenly stopped. When he looked at the sky, he saw the balloon being “sucked up” into a cloud and disappearing.
1958: UFO Sighting at Trindade Brazil [FULL VERSION]
Ten minutes later, it reappeared, only without its instruments. A little while later, a silver object exited the same cloud and calmly made its way from the scene.
On January 16, the entire crew of a navy ship off the coast of the island witnessed a strange bright object. It was making its way over the ship and toward the island. One observer managed to take several photographs of the airborne craft. Once the photographs had been developed, they were promptly released to the press.
Het Multi-Witness 2003 Huntingdon-incident en de Discrete Indiana UFO-golf
Het Multi-Witness 2003 Huntingdon-incident en de Discrete Indiana UFO-golf
Daags na Kerstmis 2003, in Huntingdon, Indiana, waren drie politieagenten getuige van een bizar luchtobject dat midden op de dag over de stad bewoog. Alle drie de getuigen zagen het object onafhankelijk van elkaar en vanop verschillende plaatsen. Hoewel het onbekend, blijkbaar nieuwsgierig object minder dan een minuut zichtbaar was, is de waarneming rijk aan details en, gezien de beroepsgroep van de getuigen, wordt het beschouwd als een geloofwaardige UAP-waarneming.
Hoewel de Huntingdon-ontmoeting werd gepubliceerd in lokale kranten, zou het al snel aan het licht komen dat verschillende waarnemingen van een bijna identiek object plaatsvonden in de Hoosier State binnen dezelfde tijdsperiode als de waarneming die door de drie politieagenten werd gerapporteerd, wat suggereert dat er een toename van waarnemingen discreet had plaatsgevonden in Indiana in de laatste weken van 2003.
Het incident kwam onder de bredere publieke aandacht via een artikel getiteld 'Het Object van Hun Ergernis' in de editie van 4 januari 2004 van The Herald-Press, en hoewel er sindsdien weinig extra aan het licht is gekomen, blijft het incident, zoals we zullen zien, van belang voor UFO-onderzoekers en -onderzoekers vandaag de dag..
Een Anomalie in de Lucht Op Een Koude Wintermiddag!
Het was rond 14:30 op een bijzonder koude wintermiddag op 26 december 2003 in Huntingdon, Indiana, toen de buiten dienst zijnde politieagent Chip Olinger de sleutel in het contact van zijn auto omdraaide om de motor op te warmen. Terwijl de motor soepel draaide tegen de harde winteromgeving van het Amerikaanse Midwesten, merkte Olinger iets ongewoons op in de heldere, blauwe decemberlucht.
Olinger verklaarde later aan de krant dat hij in eerste instantie dacht dat hij naar "een parachute die je kunt sturen" keek. (Het was) zwart en gebogen!" Nadat hij echter enige tijd naar de luchtanomalie had gekeken, realiseerde hij zich al snel dat er geen piloot was, wat uitsloot dat hij naar een parachute keek. Hij bleef kijken terwijl het object "een langzame rol" begon voordat het ondersteboven draaide, en nu leek het op "een enorme set vogelvleugels!" Deze rol ging door, terwijl het object leek te veranderen in iets "langwerpigs en oranje van kleur!"
Olinger greep onmiddellijk naar deze politieradio om de waarneming te melden aan de meldkamer van de politie van Huntingdon, evenals om te verzoeken dat andere beschikbare agenten proberen het object te lokaliseren en hun locatie te rapporteren. Slechts enkele momenten later gaven twee mede-politieagenten van Huntingdon – Greg Hedrick en Randy Hoover – aan dat zij het mysterieuze object ook konden zien.
Hedrick was in de keuken van het politiebureau toen hij de radionotificatie hoorde. Hij stapte naar buiten en zag meteen het vreemde object boven zich, later beweerde hij dat het eruitzag als een 'band in de lucht!' Hoover daarentegen verliet het politiebureau via de achterdeur toen Olinger's oproep binnenkwam. Hij keek onmiddellijk omhoog en verklaarde later dat het object 'zo groot was, dat ik het binnen de kortste keren opmerkte!' Hij legde uit dat het object leken te 'zweven (en) breed rond te draaien' voordat het in één positie bleef hangen en een feloranje kleur leek aan te nemen (hoewel we moeten opmerken dat alle getuigen het erover eens waren dat deze plotselinge oranje gloed waarschijnlijk de reflectie van de middagzon was in plaats van dat het vaartuig fysiek van kleur veranderde).
Lights Over West Michigan | 1994 UFO Sighting Special
Vanaf zijn plaats van waarneming leek het voor Olinger dat het object "vast zou komen te zitten aan de toren van de kerk" terwijl het achter het gebouw verdween. In totaal was het object niet meer dan een minuut zichtbaar, waarschijnlijk eerder 45 seconden, voordat het uit het zicht verdween.
Een gebeurtenis die normaal gesproken "de noodlijnen zouden roodgloeiend doen staan!"
Verrassend genoeg waren op die koude decembermiddag de politieagenten zelf de enige getuigen van de vreemde gebeurtenissen. Olinger verklaarde dat hij dit extreem vreemd vond en dat dergelijke gebeurtenissen normaal gesproken "de noodlijnen zouden roodgloeiend doen staan!" Uiteindelijk werd er geen enkele 911-oproep gedaan door een andere publieke getuigen om het bizarre luchtobject te melden, en de drie politieagenten waren de enige getuigen van de merkwaardige gebeurtenissen. En het was Olinger – de agent die de anderen waarschuwde voor de aanwezigheid van het object – alleen die het vreemd object zag toen hij toevallig op dat moment in die richting keek.
De drie getuigen besloten, deels vanwege de enorme gebrek aan andere rapporten over het object, te stoppen met spreken over de gebeurtenissen en het stil te houden, uit angst dat ze het onderwerp van spot – of erger – zouden worden. Na slechts enkele dagen, echter, konden ze de gebeurtenissen niet uit hun gedachten zetten en besloten ze een officieel rapport op te stellen. Enkele dagen later verscheen het krantenartikel in de Herald-Press.
Alle drie de getuigen waren er zeker van dat ze die middag iets volkomen ongewoons hadden waargenomen. Ze legden uit dat ze er geen twijfel over hadden dat het object mechanisch van aard was en dat er "niets bekends was waarmee ze het konden associëren!" Hoover voegde eraan toe dat hij "nooit echt bang was, ik was gewoon volslagen verbaasd!"
Toen de dominee van de kerk waar het object boven zweefde om commentaar werd gevraagd, antwoordde hij dat dit "de eerste keer was dat hij ervan hoorde". Hij voegde eraan toe dat ze niet alleen niets ongewoons hadden gezien op de bewuste dag, maar dat ook geen van zijn parochianen hem had gemeld het merkwaardige object te hebben gezien. Ook toen de twee nabijgelegen vliegvelden – Huntingdon Municipal Airport en Fort Wayne Smith's Field – werden benaderd met de vraag of ze afwijkende radargegevens hadden voor de bewuste datum, antwoordden beiden dat ze niets hadden dat wees op iets "ongewoons" op de middag van 26 december 2003.
Hoewel de drie politieagenten die middag schijnbaar de enige getuigen waren van dit vreemde object boven Huntingdon, werden er in de periode tussen Kerstmis en Nieuwjaar van 2003 en begin 2004 verschillende andere soortgelijke meldingen van bizarre en mogelijk buitenaardse vaartuigen gemeld vanuit de hele staat Hoosier.
De waarneming in Dearborn
Hoewel de exacte datum niet bekend is, is een incident dat zich enkele weken vóór de waarneming in Huntingdon in Dearborn, Lawrenceberg County, begin tot half december afspeelde, onze aandacht waard. Volgens het rapport liep een anonieme buurtbewoner rond 19.00 uur op de bewuste avond met zijn hond rond toen hij een extreem helder, gloeiend object aan de donkere hemel zag.
Wat vooral interessant was, zowel voor de getuige als voor de buurtbewoners die later van zijn waarneming hoorden, is dat dit de derde waarneming van hetzelfde vaartuig boven Dearborn in de afgelopen dagen was. Beide eerdere waarnemingen resulteerden erin dat het vreemde licht simpelweg over de hemel bewoog en in de verte verdween. Die avond bleef het gloeiende object echter zichtbaar. Sterker nog, het leek de getuige alsof het hen naar huis volgde.
De getuige zette zijn wandeling voort en kwam uiteindelijk thuis aan. Hij ging naar binnen en bleef daar twee of drie minuten. Vervolgens besloot hij naar buiten te gaan, naar zijn tuin, om te kijken of het object nog steeds zichtbaar was. Tot zijn verbazing zweefde het object bijna recht boven hem op een hoogte van ongeveer 150 meter.
Na de melding zou blijken dat een tiener uit de buurt en een vrouw het object tegelijk met de hoofdgetuige hadden gezien, elk vanaf een andere locatie. Wat het precies was, blijft echter een compleet mysterie.
Het incident bij Lake Monroe
Slechts twee dagen voor de waarneming boven Huntingdon, rond 19.00 uur op kerstavond in Heltonville, werd er opnieuw een afwijkend object gemeld. De hoofdgetuige – wederom een anonieme persoon – was op hun terrein "net ten zuiden van Lake Monroe" bezig met wat werkzaamheden aan het gebouw voordat ze er in het nieuwe jaar zouden intrekken. Ze werkten in de badkamer, met het enige licht in de kamer dat door een dakraam in het plafond viel, en nu de zon allang weg was, was dat licht minimaal.
Plotseling echter lichtte de hele kamer plotseling op "alsof het daglicht was!" De bron van dit plotseling verschijnende licht kwam duidelijk van buiten, en de getuige, nu even geïntrigeerd als wat dan ook, pakte zijn jas en liep naar de tuin. Zodra ze naar buiten stapten, veranderde de zenuwachtigheid die in hen opkwam in een gevoel van complete shock. Daar, recht boven hun hoofd, bewoog een "blauwachtig-witachtige schijf" zich langzaam door de lucht, ongeveer 60 meter boven de grond. De gloed van dit object zorgde ervoor dat het buitengebied leek op "daglicht", waarbij de hele directe omgeving baadde in de witte gloed.
De getuige bleef toekijken hoe het object over het hoofd vloog en richting het nabijgelegen bos ging. Terwijl het dat deed, schoten "felle lichten" van onderaf het bos in. De getuige bleef buiten en observeerde het object totdat het in de verte verdween. Net als bij de andere waarnemingen die we hier hebben onderzocht, werd er nooit een verklaring gegeven voor het bizarre vaartuig.
Een geval van computerinterferentie – De waarneming in Tipton County
Bijna precies een week later, op oudejaarsavond 2003 – en slechts vijf dagen na de waarneming bij daglicht in Huntingdon – vond er opnieuw een bizarre gebeurtenis plaats in Kimpton, Tipton County. Rond 19:30 uur op de bewuste avond was de getuige – een anonieme computerreparateur – bij een klant thuis, midden in een computerreparatie, toen zijn avond een dramatische wending nam.
Tijdens de reparaties merkten ze dat het computersysteem zich vreemd begon te gedragen. Ze verklaarden in hun rapport dat niet alleen de harde schijf van het systeem plotseling "niet meer reageerde", maar dat de "CMOS BIOS-instellingen (helemaal) verkeerd waren!" Ze stelden verder dat alleen iemand die fysiek de instellingen van de computer ingaat, tot dergelijk gedrag zou kunnen leiden. Aangezien de eigenaar van de computer een "complete beginner" was, was het onwaarschijnlijk dat ze iets hadden gedaan (of deden).
Op dat moment grapte de getuige met de klant of er recentelijk "UFO-activiteit" in de omgeving was geweest, en insinueerde dat dit de oorzaak zou kunnen zijn geweest van de bizarre activiteit die op het systeem werd weergegeven. Omdat het al laat werd en de nieuwjaarsviering al begon, bood de getuige aan het systeem mee terug te nemen zodat hij het volledig kon testen en het vervolgens weer volledig werkend aan de klant kon teruggeven, waarmee de klant akkoord ging.
Ze brachten het systeem samen naar de auto van de computerreparateur en plaatsten het op de achterbank. Terwijl ze dat deden, zagen ze echter een "fel wit licht" boven hun hoofd. Ze keken er beiden enkele ogenblikken naar voordat de bomen in de buurt hun zicht begonnen te belemmeren. De getuige nam afscheid van de klant en vertrok. In plaats van naar huis te gaan zoals gepland, besloot hij echter plotseling in de richting van het vreemde, gloeiende object te gaan.
Een object dat meer dan twee uur in zichtbaar bleef
De getuige bleef minutenlang in de richting van het object rijden, vastbesloten om precies te zien wat het was, en arriveerde uiteindelijk aan de rand van de stad. Hier, vlakbij het hoofdspoor, zetten ze hun voertuig aan de kant van de weg. Daar, recht voor hen – op een "zeer heldere nacht" – zweefde een "object ter grootte van een honkbal" in de lucht. Ze bleven enkele ogenblikken precies waar ze waren, zonder het object uit het oog te verliezen, bijna gefascineerd door het object.
Toen, zich herinnerend dat het oudejaarsavond was en dat ze eerdere afspraken hadden, dwongen ze zichzelf de auto opnieuw te starten en vertrokken naar huis. Het object bleef echter de hele rit zichtbaar – en toen het begon te "slingeren" en "loopings" begon te maken, brachten ze hun auto weer tot stilstand. Terwijl hij dat deed, merkte hij dat verschillende andere automobilisten ook hun auto's langs de kant van de weg hadden stilgezet, ogenschijnlijk om de gloeiende anomalie in de lucht beter te kunnen bekijken.
De getuige kwam uiteindelijk net op tijd thuis om zich om te kleden en zijn gasten te verwelkomen voor een afgesproken oudejaarsfeest. Zelfs op dat moment, vanuit het huis van de getuige, was het object nog steeds zichtbaar en duidelijk zichtbaar in de lucht. 's Avonds stelden de vrienden van de getuige voor om naar een club te gaan en daar het nieuwe jaar in te luiden. De getuige, die beweerde dat hij wat krap bij kas zat, spoorde zijn vrienden aan om te gaan en zei dat hij graag thuis wilde blijven. Zodra ze vertrokken waren, ging de getuige rechtstreeks naar zijn achtertuin.
Hoewel het een bijzonder koude nacht was, niet in de laatste plaats door het (inmiddels) late tijdstip, bleef hij meer dan twee uur in de tuin naar het object kijken. Hij merkte op dat het van kleur was veranderd, van een helder blauwwit naar een trots geeloranje. Rond 22:20 uur ging de telefoon. Aan de andere kant van de lijn zat een familielid die vroeg of hij hem om 23.00 uur kon ophalen bij een tankstation waar hij werkte. De getuige stemde toe en 20 minuten later, rond 22.40 uur, stapte hij in zijn auto en vertrok.
Op weg naar het tankstation realiseerde de getuige zich dat hij het object niet meer kon zien. Hij wist niet zeker of het verdwenen was of dat het zich net buiten zijn gezichtsveld bevond, afgesneden door de bomen. De getuige gaf echter in zijn verslag aan dat ze "dit (soort) object vrij vaak zien", meestal op weg naar huis van lessen die ze volgen in het nabijgelegen Indianapolis. Wat het object zou kunnen zijn en welke intelligentie erachter schuilgaat, blijft echter onbekend.
Weinig bekende waarnemingen die enorme inzichten bieden
De waarnemingen die we hier hebben beschreven, zijn zowel interessant als nuttig. Ten eerste lijkt het erop dat er in december 2003 een golf van waarnemingen plaatsvond boven Indiana – waarnemingen met opmerkelijk vergelijkbare details en die suggereerden dat dezelfde intelligentie – wat die intelligentie ook mag zijn – achter elk van hen schuilging. Ze dienen ook als herinnering dat dit soort pieken waarschijnlijk vaker voorkomen dan we denken. Het is bijvoorbeeld gemakkelijk dat deze meldingen verloren gaan als geïsoleerde, zelfs onbelangrijke waarnemingen. Wanneer we ze echter samen bekijken, zien we dat er zich eind 2003 iets vreemds afspeelde boven de staat Hoosier.
We zouden kunnen overwegen hoeveel andere waarnemingen alleen al in december 2003 vanuit Indiana ongerapporteerd bleven, hetzij uit desinteresse, hetzij uit angst voor spot. We zouden dat echter verder kunnen uitdiepen en bekijken hoeveel meer waarnemingen ongerapporteerd bleven, niet alleen in Amerika maar over de hele wereld, door de decennia heen. Als elke UFO-waarneming en -ontmoeting gedocumenteerd was en de gegevens veilig bewaard waren, zouden we wellicht ontdekken dat deze vreemde objecten – wat ze ook mogen zijn – veel vaker voorkomen in de hemel dan zelfs de UFO-gemeenschap zou denken.
De waarnemingen die we hier hebben onderzocht, zijn dan ook twee decennia later nog steeds belangrijk en interessant voor UFO-onderzoekers en -liefhebbers, en vormen een extra, zij het klein, onderdeel van het algehele beeld van UFO's en buitenaardse wezens.
De korte video hieronder bekijkt enkele van de beste UFO-waarnemingen van over de hele wereld..
OORDEEL VAN DE EXPERTEN De centrale bewering draait om verschillende onverklaarbare waarnemingen in Indiana eind 2003, met als kern een spraakmakende zaak in Huntingdon, waarbij drie lokale politieagenten onafhankelijk van elkaar melding maakten van een merkwaardig object in de lucht. Voorstanders van het verhaal benadrukken de geloofwaardigheid van getuigen van de politie en het feit dat latere waarnemingen in de staat Indiana aan dezelfde afwijkende beschrijving leken te voldoen.
Tegenstanders en sceptici suggereren alledaagse verklaringen zoals reflecties, experimentele vliegtuigen of verkeerde identificaties van natuurverschijnselen. Hoewel er geen sluitend bewijs is gevonden – geen radarbevestigingen, fotografisch bewijs of grootschalige meldingen van burgers – maken consistente getuigenverklaringen het moeilijk om de zaak direct te verwerpen. Officiële verklaringen blijven schaars, waardoor de vraag open blijft of er werkelijk iets ongewoons is gebeurd in de lucht boven Indiana.
Uitspraak: Niet doorslaggevend Meerdere geloofwaardige getuigenissen voeden het debat, maar de afwezigheid van solide bewijs staat definitieve conclusies in de weg.
Some view Carl Jung as a UFO debunker, others as a UFO believer, but the truth is he was somewhere in the middle. Either way, it is certain that Jung was an avid UFO researcher and fascinated with the topic. He wrote a book about the psychological symbolism and the role the UFO mythos plays in the unconscious mind.Moreover, on several occasions Jung complained that his studies would have been much easier if the UFO phenomenon was not real.
Jung the Psychologist
Jung was born in Switzerland in 1875. His father was a pastor in the Swiss Reformed Protestant Church, and his mother was from a wealthy Swiss family. He was the Jungs’ fourth child, but was the only child who survived into his childhood. As such, he grew up as an only child. Later, he wrote that he remembered enjoying his solitude.
His first experience with neurosis was at the age of twelve when a fellow student shoved him, causing him to fall and hit his head on the ground very hard. He remembered associating this experience with schoolwork, and whenever he had to go to school or do schoolwork he would faint. Overhearing his parents’ concern that this condition would cause him to be unable to support himself as an adult, Jung fought to overcome the problem and eventually returned to academics.
Although Jung had a profound interest in spirituality, his experiences triggered an interest in psychology and he decided to pursue a career in medicine. It wasn’t long before he realized that studies in psychology would allow him to combine his interests in medicine and spirituality, and in 1902, he completed his doctoral dissertation, which was titled “On the Psychology and Pathology of So-Called Occult Phenomena.” He graduated with a medical degree from the University of Basel.
After graduating, Jung went to work with psychiatric patients at the University of Zurich asylum. He wrote a paper on word association that he sent to Sigmund Freud. Freud was impressed with Jung’s work, and they quickly became very close. Freud considered Jung his successor. However, after several years, Jung began to develop his own ideas beyond the work of Freud, and due to their disagreements, the relationship turned adversarial.
Carl Jung (bottom right), Sigmund Freud (bottom left), and others at a 1909 celebration of the founding of Clark University, Worcester, Massachusetts. Credit: Library of Congress
Freud’s work with the ego and unconscious served as a foundation for Jung’s work. They both felt that disconnects between the conscious and unconscious minds caused neurosis in people. They also both relied on dream interpretation to explore a person’s unconscious mind as a method for subsequently resolving neurosis. In fact, one story holds that Jung and Freud interpreted each other’s dreams and both completely disagreed with the other’s analysis, thus hastening the dissolution of their friendship.
A major area of disagreement between the two was that Jung did not believe a person’s unconscious was driven solely by sexual desires, as Freud did. Jung believed other strong emotions such as fear and aspiration were just as influential. He also conceived of a deeper level of the unconscious called the collective unconscious, which he believed is a part of our unconscious mind that holds ideas and concepts shared by all humankind. He believed these base ideas are then shaped by our cultural perceptions and personal experience. For example, we all have ideas around the notions of mothers, fathers, wise elders, etc. Jung called these shared notions archetypes. Jung felt that these archetypes not only would manifest in dreams, but could be seen in people’s creative works and behavior, including art, religion, and mythology.
Jung’s contributions to psychology are numerous. Even today his ideas of extraversion and introversion are a mainstay in personality psychology. He also came up with the idea of psychological complexes and synchronicities. All of these ideas and terms are commonly used in everyday conversation today, and all were made popular by Jung.
Jung and Alchemy
It is the idea of the archetype that brought Jung to have a particular interest in UFOs. When Jung interpreted psychological meaning he would search for archetypal figures. As mentioned earlier, such figures could be a mother or father.But, in a mythological story, the archetype may be the hero, a dragon, or even a planetary entity such as the sun. However, Jung also had an interested in alchemy.
Alchemy is typically connected to legends of ancient mystics attempting to unravel the secret of turning lead into gold. The work of alchemists is credited with the development of modern chemistry. However, another side of alchemy is spiritual in nature, relating to personal transformation. Jung had a passion for alchemy in this sense, and felt that the metal lead was a metaphor for an impure soul, whereas gold was a metaphor for a perfected soul. Jung’s interest in alchemy was thus as a method of purifying the soul.
The Tabula Smaradina (Emerald Tablet), a print by Mathias Merian from the 1600s displaying alchemical symbols and imagery. Credit: Mathias Merian
Jung wrote a couple of books focused on interpreting alchemical symbolism and processes as different stages of personal growth that mirrored his ideas. He felt these symbols were archetypes that were unconsciously manifesting in the work of alchemists. Although he acknowledged the physical goals of alchemy (an attempt to transmute lead into gold), Jung did not give it much attention in his writing and focused on the non-physical aspects that related to his psychological theories. This is very similar to the way he approached the topic of UFOs.
Jung and UFOs
In 1951, Jung wrote to a friend in the United States: “I am puzzled to death about the phenomena, because I haven’t been able yet to make out with sufficient certainty whether the whole thing is a rumour with concomitant singular and mass hallucination, or a downright fact.”
Book cover to Jung’s Flying Saucers: A Modern Myth of Things Seen in the Skies. (Credit: Princeton University Press.)
Although Jung showed an interest in the mystery of the physical reality of the UFO phenomenon, professionally he stated, “As a psychologist, I am not qualified to contribute anything useful to the question of the physical reality of Ufos.” However, Jung could contribute by analyzing the unmistakable psychological side to the UFO phenomenon. In 1958, several of Jung’s papers regarding the psychology of UFOs were published in a book. It was originally published in German, but in 1959 it was translated to English under the title, Flying Saucers: A Modern Myth of Things Seen in the Skies.
In the book, Jung argued that although there may be a physical reality to UFOs, there is certainly a portion of the phenomenon that is fantasy. He examined the difficulty many have in accepting fantastical stories of UFOs, even when they come from pilots, and points out, “What is worse, most of the stories come from America, the land of superlatives and of science fiction.”
For the sake of argument, and to examine the psychological aspects of the phenomenon, Jung presumed that UFOs are fantasy. This is an important aspect that many critics overlook when they characterize Jung as dismissive of the phenomenon altogether. UFO researchers also tend not to appreciate the portions of Jung’s book in which he examined the UFO phenomenon in regards to archetypal imagery and alchemic symbolism. Jung himself assures his readers that although his work may appear to be “unbridled fantasy” to those unfamiliar with psychology, it is actually based on “thorough research into the history of symbols.”
In his book, Jung observed that most UFO sightings describe the objects as disc shaped, which is a symbol that is often seen in alchemy and existed in the mythology of other cultures. For example, the Hindu and Buddhist symbol of the mandala is a circular disc-shaped symbol. Jung believed that the mandala is a protective sphere, which is elicited in the unconscious in times of emotional tension. Jung noted that, around the time of many of the UFO sightings, the world was under a collective stress due to “Russian policies and their still unpredictable consequences.” In short, he felt that perhaps UFOs were appearing in visions at the time because of the world’s Cold War jitters, and that the UFOs were a manifestation of a need for protection and salvation.
Jung’s book also provided detail of the analysis of particular sightings and art. One of the significant contributions to ufology made by the book is a focus on two historical broadsheets, a type of ancient newspaper, that recorded mysterious apparitions that many have speculated to be UFO related. Although Jung asserted that these reports were in the UFO literature prior to the publication of his book, Jung clearly made them popular as potential ancient UFO sightings.
The first is referred to as the Basel Broadsheet, and it dates back to 1566. It was written by Samuel Coccius and is a report of “many large black globes” that were seen flying in front of the sun “with great speed.” The Basel Broadsheet notes, “Some of them became red and fiery and afterwards faded and went out.” Jung noted the similarity of this phenomenon to modern UFO accounts.
The Basel Broadsheet from 1566 analyzed by Carl Jung in his Flying Saucer book. Credit: Wickiana Collection, Zentralbibliothek Zürich
The second report is called the Nuremberg Broadsheet and dates back to 1561. This report chronicles a “very frightful spectacle” that was witnessed by several people. Again, “globes” were seen near the sun, “some three in a row, now and then four in a square, also some standing alone.” There were also “two great tubes.” Jung noted that in UFO literature large tubes are considered “motherships,” and have been reported to have smaller discs that appear to fly out of them.
The Nuremberg Broadsheet from 1561 analyzed by Carl Jung in his Flying Saucer book. Credit: Wickiana Collection, Zentralbibliothek Zürich
The Physical Reality of UFOs
In his book, Jung also examined the possibility of the physical reality of UFOs. He noted that, “unfortunately,” UFOs cannot be dismissed as purely psychological in nature. He pointed to numerous sightings, some of which have been caught in photographs and on radar. Jung even poked fun at astronomer Donald Menzel, a UFO debunker, saying that he “has not succeeded, despite all his efforts, in offering a scientific explanation of even one authentic UFO report.”
Jung was well-versed on UFO research. He wrote, “since 1947 I have collected all of the books I could get a hold of on the subject.” He was also a member of the National Investigations Committee on Aerial Phenomena (NICAP), an early civilian UFO organization that included many credible members. In fact, in his book, Jung often referred to the work of Major Donald Keyhoe, a cofounder and director of NICAP.
Prior to releasing his book, Jung was considered by UFO researchers to be a proponent of the physical reality of UFOs. In 1955, he wrote an article on UFOs for a British journal called the Flying Saucer Review. In the article, Jung stated that he had never seen a UFO himself, but that “I can only say for certain: these things are not a mere rumour: something has been seen.”
He went on to argue that the U.S. Air Force “despite its contradictory statements,” considers the phenomenon to be real and they conduct official investigations. He warned that, by concealing information on the topic, the military is making it more likely that people will panic since the public is denied “an adequate picture of what is happening.”
Jung also stated that “the ‘disks’ (that is, the objects themselves) do not behave in accordance with physical laws, but as though without weight, and they show signs of intelligent guidance, by quasi human pilots, for their accelerations are such that no normal human could survive.”
Not much was made of Jung’s 1955 article until it was reprinted in 1958 by the Aerial Phenomena Research Organization (APRO) in the organization’s bulletin in July 1958. APRO posted the story as part of an announcement that Jung had agreed to become an official consultant for the organization. The New York Herald Tribune quickly picked up on the report and printed a story with the headline, “Dr. Jung Says ‘Flying Disks’ Suggest Quasi-Human Pilots.”
APRO Bulletin from July, 1958 with reprint of Jung’s article on UFOs. Credit: APRO
Jung was not happy with the implication that he believed UFOs represented a physical phenomenon and later wrote a letter to United Press International news agency clarifying his position. He wrote: “I expressly state that I cannot commit myself on the question to the physical reality or unreality of the UFOs since I do not possess sufficient evidence either for or against.” He then stated, “Something is seen, but it isn’t known what.” Jung later repeated this statement in his 1958 book and in several letters.
Although Jung was clearly embarrassed by the public perception that he conclusively believed flying saucers were physical in nature, he later reiterated his prior statements and earlier criticisms of the U.S. Air Force’s handling of the matter in very strong words. He wrote:
In spite of the fact that I hold my judgment concerning UFOs—temporarily let’s hope—in abeyance, I thought it worthwhile to throw a light upon the rich fantasy material which has accumulated round the peculiar observations in the skies. Any new experience has two aspects: (I) the pure fact and (2) the way one conceives of it. It is the latter I am concerned with. If it is true that the [American Air Force] or the Government withholds telltale facts, then one can only say that this is the most unpsychological and stupid policy one could invent. Nothing helps rumours and panics more than ignorance.
It is no wonder that many have been confused as to Jung’s official stance on UFOs. He seems to have believed the phenomenon and sightings to be real, but is uncertain whether UFOs are a physical reality or are limited to a psychological phenomenon. He stated that although “by all human standards it hardly seems possible to doubt this any longer,” in the decade or more he had been studying the topic, neither he nor anyone else seems to have learned much from the study of the physical aspect of UFOs. Jung said that this is precisely why he found it much more fruitful to study the psychological aspects of UFOs, an area in which he felt he had gained an abundance of knowledge.
Jung may be right. Concrete physical proof of UFOs continues to elude us to this day. Yet, Jung is another example of a luminary who garners a great amount of respect in his field of study, who also had the vision to seriously consider the UFO phenomenon. His UFO interest is a story that should not be forgotten, and his insights into the phenomenon may help guide us today, just as his insights into the human mind continue to be a part of the bedrock of modern psychological understanding.
A version of this article originally appeared in Open Minds UFO Magazine. Back issues can be found here.
Screenshot from the official video released by the Chilean Navy of a UFO. You can read about this case in the article below.
Credit: Chilean Navy
Whether you believe in them or not – hundreds of genuine UFO sightings have been recorded over the past decades.
However, these observations continue to occur around the world today. And while most of us only hear about some of the most famous and fully researched UFO sightings from many years ago, some of the most intriguing events have only occurred in the last decade.
Perhaps the bonus of the modern era is that most people have instant access to cameras on their phones. With that in mind, here are 10 UFO sightings from the last decade that you really should know about.
1. UFO over Southern California – November 2015
In November 2015, thousands of eyewitnesses from Southern California reported a rare UFO sighting. You can see one of the thousands of videos from that day below. Apparently, the light remained in the sky for several minutes before it exploded into blue light and expanded.
Navy spokesmen later claimed that this was a ballistic rocket launched during tests at the Pacific Test Range in California. According to him, these tests are always kept secret but the reality is that these launches are usually announced months earlier in normal conditions. Moreover, the behavior of the object suggests that it definitely is not a rocket.
2. Triangular UFO harassing US Navy Ship – July 2019
Recently, a video captured by the US Navy was leaked online, revealing a mysterious triangular UFO. A couple of months ago, we wrote about the case of a swarm of UFO drones harassing several US Navy ships in July 2019 and the video below was captured during this exact period.
Several days after the footage was leaked, we got the official confirmation from the Pentagon that the video is real. There is no information as to what the triangular object was but there surely is an ongoing investigation.
One of the most promising UFO sightings from the past decade happened in the last days of last year in Oahu, Hawaii. Multiple eyewitnesses captured and reported a blue light in the night sky that remained visible for several minutes before it dropped into the ocean.
We recently wrote an article on the event, discussing the declassified military report on the blue UFO. For now, the origin and nature of the object remain unknown. See the genuine footage below.
4. UFO hovers over an airport in Puerto Rico – April 2013
This UFO sighting from 2013 includes some of the most promising footage not only from this past decade but perhaps in the entire history of observations. A mysterious object was monitored for several minutes by the Navy as it hovered over the Rafael Hernandez Airport in Puerto Rico. The UFO made a couple of flybys and then returned to the ocean where it disappeared.
We have an entire article dedicated to this UFO sighting and the ongoing investigations here.
5. US Navy pilots capture UFOs (Declassified) – November 2004 / January 2015
Despite the fact that one of the UFO sightings occurred in 2004, I am including all three here because they were declassified by the US Navy at the same time. All three were captured by pilots aboard F / A-18 Hornet fighters.
The videos were originally published several years ago but the official declassification came only in April 2020. According to the Pentagon, they were revealed only because they do not include sensitive information or capabilities. In each case, it was great to see some effort from the government and not just another major cover-up.
6. American Airlines Pilot Spots UFO during flight – February 2021
In February this year, the pilots of American Airlines Flight 2292 claimed that they saw a long cylindrical object while flying at a height of 36,000 feet over New Mexico. The UFO sighting was later confirmed by the FAA, FBI, and American Airlines but unfortunately, there is no footage and we do not know whether there is an ongoing investigation or not.
7.Learjet And Airbus pilots encounter UFO over Arizona – February 2018
The previous UFO sighting is actually the second such case in the past decade that happened in the region. On February 24, 2018, two separate flights reported close encounters with a mysterious craft at about 40,000 feet in the air. While there is no footage of the object/craft again, the sighting is evidenced by official audio recordings obtained from the FAA.
The Alburquerque Center got a report from a passing N71PG that an object had just passed above the plane. There was no traffic nearby at that time which made the control center inform the next flight American 1095 to report if they encounter a passing object while on their way. Surprisingly, a minute later, the second flight reported the passing of an object about several thousand feet above them.
8. Chilean Navi Encounter – November 2014
The Chilean government is known to be absolutely transparent when it comes to UFO and UAP investigations and back in 2017, they published an incredible nine-minute video of a UFO captured by a Navy helicopter.
They observed a mysterious object flying over the ocean with speed identical to that of the helicopter. The UFO was not caught on the nearby radar stations although the helicopter clearly appeared in the scans. The whole observation continued for about 10 minutes when the object disappeared and the helicopter was called to return to base.
9. UFO near Jorge Chavez International Airport in Lima, Peru – February 2019
Here is another UFO Sighting from the last decade that was confirmed officially, this time by the Peruvian Air Force. The incident took place on February 27, 2019, and included two unidentified flying objects near the Jorge Chavez International Airport in Lima.
The whole event lasted for more than 30 minutes and the objects were monitored by the crews of two commercial flights and the control tower. Unfortunately, there is no footage from this UFO sighting but the important fact here is that it was confirmed by the government.
10. Airliners and F-15s encounter mysterious aircraft – November 2017
Here is one of the most incredible cases of a sighting although it is not exactly a UFO. Several pilots from different flights spotted a mysterious aircraft at the same time while the craft itself did not appear on any radars. Simply said, this is not exactly an unidentified object but the fact is that the case has not yet been solved.
Based on the reports, the craft was not small and was able to outpace an airbus at max speed. Unfortunately, no commercial flight was close enough to make the difference and get more insight into the aircraft. Its origin remains unknown.
This case is so incredible and rare that multiple agencies, control centers, and officials were included in handling the incident. At one point, they launched several F-15Cs from the 142nd Fighter Wing based at Portland International Airport. They were sent to investigate but unfortunately, nothing was found and the mysterious aircraft was gone. Perhaps the F-15s were sent out too late.
You can read about the incredible case in this fantastic article by the Drive.
KOMEN UFO's (USOs) van Onderwater Basissen? Het Verkennen van het Mysterie
KOMEN UFO's (USOs) van Onderwater Basissen? Het Verkennen van het Mysterie
INLEIDING
In de afgelopen decennia hebben getuigenissen en waarnemingen met betrekking tot onverklaarbare vliegende objecten (UFO's) en onderwaterverschijnselen (USOs) de belangstelling van zowel het grote publiek als de wetenschappelijke gemeenschap versterkt. Hoewel het merendeel van deze waarnemingen kunnen worden verklaard door menselijke technologie, natuurlijke fenomenen of interpretatiefouten, blijven er gevallen over die moeilijk te verklaren zijn. Een bijzonder intrigerende hypothese is dat sommige USOs mogelijk afkomstig zijn uit geheime ondergrondse of onderwaterbases, gebouwd door intelligente wezens of clandestiene regeringsprojecten.
Deze theorie roept vragen op over de herkomst, aard en doelstellingen van deze objecten, evenals de mogelijkheid dat er onder de zeespiegel verborgen faciliteiten bestaan. Het idee dat dergelijke bases bestaan, wordt ondersteund door verschillende anekdotes, waarnemingen en bepaalde wetenschappelijke aanwijzingen, hoewel het bewijs vaak fragmentarisch en controversieel blijft.
In dit artikel wordt de plausibiliteit van deze theorie onderzocht door een analyse van bestaande literatuur, waarnemingen en wetenschappelijke inzichten. Door kritisch te kijken naar de verschillende aspecten van USOs en de mogelijke connectie met onderwaterbases, hopen we een genuanceerd beeld te schetsen van een fascinerend en mysterieus fenomeen dat nog niet volledig is verklaard.
1. Definities en Terminologie
1.1 UFO's en USOs UFO’s, ofwel Unidentified Flying Objects, verwijzen naar objecten die in de lucht worden waargenomen en niet onmiddellijk verklaard kunnen worden door bekende technologie of natuurlijke fenomenen. Het begrip ‘onbekend’ betekent dat op dat moment geen directe identificatie mogelijk is, maar het sluit niet uit dat later een verklaring gevonden kan worden. In de praktijk omvatten UFO-waarnemingen een breed scala aan verschijnselen, van eenvoudige lichtgevende vlekken tot complexe objecten die snelheden en manoeuvres vertonen die voor menselijke technologie onmogelijk lijken te zijn. Zo zijn er talloze rapportages van objecten die met grote snelheden bewegen, abrupt van koers veranderen, of zonder zichtbare aandrijving verdwijnen (Dolan, 2009).
De meeste waarnemingen blijven onverklaard en worden vaak door wetenschappers, overheden en onderzoekers serieus genomen. Bijvoorbeeld, de Amerikaanse overheid heeft de afgelopen decennia verschillende projecten gelanceerd, zoals het Project Blue Book in de jaren 50 en 60, waarin duizenden UFO-rapportages systematisch werden onderzocht. Hoewel de meeste waarnemingen uiteindelijk konden worden verklaard door natuurlijke verschijnselen of menselijke activiteiten, blijven enkele gevallen onverklaard en voeden ze de speculatie over buitenaardse intelligentie.
USOs (Unidentified Submarine Objects) vormen de onderwatervariant van UFO’s. In tegenstelling tot de luchtwaarnemingen vinden USO-waarnemingen plaats onder water, meestal bij militaire operaties of onderwateronderzoek. Deze objecten worden vaak gerapporteerd door duikers, onderzeediensten en maritieme onderzoekers. USOs kunnen zich bewegen met uitzonderlijke snelheden onder water, snel van koers veranderen en verdwijnen onder de oppervlakte zonder dat op dat moment een duidelijke verklaring gevonden wordt. Het bijzondere aan USOs is dat de onderwateromgeving veel minder goed bestudeerd is dan de atmosfeer, waardoor er meer ruimte is voor speculatie en mysterie rondom deze verschijnselen (Haines & O'Connell, 2008).
Een bekend voorbeeld van een USO-waarneming is die van de Amerikaanse marine in 2019, toen piloten van de USS Omaha een object zagen dat zich onder water snel kon bewegen, met een snelheid die niet overeenkwam met bekende onderwatertechnologie. Dit soort incidenten roept vragen op over de aard en herkomst van deze verschijnselen en of ze mogelijk natuurlijke, menselijke of buitenaardse oorsprong hebben.
1.2 Onderwater bases en hun hypothese De hypothese dat USOs afkomstig kunnen zijn uit onderwater bases is een van de meest fascinerende en controversiële theorieën binnen de ufologie. Deze theorie suggereert dat er geheime faciliteiten onder de zeespiegel bestaan, mogelijk gebouwd door menselijke regeringen, geheime genootschappen, of zelfs buitenaardse wezens. Deze bases zouden strategisch gelegen kunnen zijn in diepzee-gebieden, ver weg van menselijke controle en observatie, en dienen als schuilplaatsen of onderzoeksfaciliteiten voor geavanceerde technologieën.
Volgens deze hypothese beschikken deze onderwater bases over technologieën die het mogelijk maken om objecten te laten verdwijnen, te manoeuvreren op manieren die voor menselijke schepen onmogelijk zijn, en zelfs te communiceren met of te faciliteren voor buitenaardse wezens. Sommige theorieën stellen dat deze bases gebruik maken van natuurlijke geologische formaties, zoals onderzeese bergen of grottenstelsels, die moeilijk te detecteren zijn.
Een voorbeeld van de hypothese van onderwater bases is de vermeende aanwezigheid van zogenaamde ‘Black Projects’, geheime militaire projecten die zich bezighouden met het ontwikkelen van antizwaartekrachttechnologie en onderwatervaardigheden. Daarnaast zijn er geruchten over onderwater bases die verbonden zouden zijn met de zogenaamde ‘Deep Underground Military Bases’ (DUMBs), waar geavanceerde technologieën worden ontwikkeld en getest. Wetenschappers en onderzoekers die zich bezighouden met deze theorieën wijzen op het gebrek aan openlijke bewijs, maar benadrukken dat de uitgebreide militaire activiteit onder water en ondergrond mogelijk in overeenstemming is met dergelijke geheime faciliteiten.
De hypothese wordt ondersteund door enkele anekdotische rapportages en getuigenissen van marinepersoneel dat geheime ontmoetingen en waarnemingen heeft gedaan. Bijvoorbeeld, in 1980 meldde een Russische onderzeebootkapitein dat hij onderwaterbases had waargenomen die niet konden worden verklaard door bekende technologie. Het ontbreken van open data en het geheime karakter van militaire operaties maken het echter onmogelijk om definitief bewijs te leveren, waardoor deze theorie vooral in de sfeer van de speculatie blijft.
1.3. Wetenschappelijke inzichten en kritische beschouwing Hoewel de ideeën over onderwater bases en USO-verschijnselen intrigerend zijn, ontbreekt het vooralsnog aan sluitend wetenschappelijk bewijs. Veel waarnemingen kunnen achteraf worden verklaard door natuurlijke fenomenen zoals thermale waterstromingen, bioluminescente organismen of atmosferische verschijnselen. Daarnaast wijst de wetenschap erop dat technologieën die objecten onder water laten verdwijnen of snel laten bewegen, voor zover bekend, niet bestaan of nog niet ontwikkeld zijn.
Desalniettemin blijven de waarnemingen en rapportages een fascinerend fenomeen voor onderzoekers en liefhebbers. Ze illustreren de enorme complexiteit en het mysterie van de oceanen en de atmosfeer, en benadrukken de noodzaak voor meer wetenschappelijk onderzoek onder water en in de ruimte. Sommige wetenschappers pleiten voor een meer open en transparante aanpak van UFO- en USO-onderzoeken, zodat we niet alleen kunnen begrijpen wat er in de lucht en onder water gebeurt, maar ook de grenzen van menselijke technologie kunnen doorgronden.
Geraint Rowland Photography//Getty Images
2. Historische context en waarnemingen
2.1 Historische waarnemingen van USOs Sinds het begin van de 20e eeuw zijn er talloze rapporten en incidenten bekend waarbij onverklaarbare onderwaterverschijnselen, vaak aangeduid als USO’s (Unidentified Submarine Objects), werden waargenomen. Deze waarnemingen komen meestal van militaire schepen, onderzeeboten en gespecialiseerde onderwateronderzoekers. Een van de meest bekende incidenten vond plaats in de jaren 1970, toen de Amerikaanse marine tijdens oefeningen voor de kust van Californië vreemde onderwaterobjecten zag die zich met hoge snelheid door het water bewogen en zich plotseling konden laten verdwijnen. Deze verschijnselen werden door militaire piloten en scheepsbemanningen als zeer overtuigend beschreven en leidden tot intensieve onderzoeken door de US Navy (U.S. Navy, 2019).
Een ander opvallend geval betrof de USS Indianapolis, die tijdens de Tweede Wereldoorlog in 1945 werd ingezet. Sommige getuigenissen uit die periode beschrijven onderwaterverschijnselen die niet door de toenmalige technologie konden worden verklaard. Zo werden objecten beschreven die enorme snelheden konden behalen onder water, veel hoger dan de bekende onderzeetechnologie uit die tijd. Bovendien zouden deze objecten abrupt van koers kunnen veranderen, wat de technologische beperkingen van destijds overschreed. Wetenschappers en historici speculeren dat deze waarnemingen mogelijk verband houden met niet-geïdentificeerde technologieën die ver vooruit waren op dat moment (Friedman, 2014).
Daarnaast zijn er uitgebreide rapportages van de Russische marine uit de jaren 1980 en 1990, waarin meldingen worden gedaan over mysterieuze onderwaterobjecten die niet konden worden geïdentificeerd. Deze incidenten werden zelden publiekelijk erkend, maar militaire bronnen en geheime rapporten bevestigen dat Russische onderzeediensten soortgelijke verschijnselen observeerden die niet overeenkwamen met bekende onderzeetechnologie. Sommige van deze waarnemingen beschreven objecten die snelheden bereikten die de limieten van bekende onderwatersystemen overstegen en zich met grote precisie konden manoeuvreren (Skripkin, 2010).
2.2 Politieke en militaire interesse De waarnemingen van USOs hebben altijd grote politieke en militaire interesse gewekt. Overheden, vooral die van de Verenigde Staten, Rusland en andere grote mogendheden, hebben door de jaren heen uitgebreide onderzoeken uitgevoerd om de aard en oorsprong van deze verschijnselen te achterhalen. Het hoofdargument was dat deze objecten mogelijk afkomstig zouden kunnen zijn van geheime militaire technologieën, zoals onderwaterdrones, geavanceerde onderzeese voertuigen of zelfs nieuwe vormen van onderwaterwapens. Gezien de potentiële bedreiging voor nationale veiligheid werden deze waarnemingen intensief onderzocht door militaire en inlichtingendiensten.
In 2019 publiceerde het Pentagon een reeks videobeelden die waren gemaakt door radar- en videocliptechnologie van militaire piloten en schepen. Deze beelden toonden onverklaarbare onderwater- en luchtsverschijnselen die niet konden worden verklaard door bekende technologieën of natuurlijke fenomenen. De beelden leidden tot een hernieuwde discussie over de aard en herkomst van USOs en brachten vragen naar voren of deze verschijnselen mogelijk buitenaardse oorsprong hadden of dat ze door geheime technologieën van aardse makelij waren ontwikkeld (Pentagon, 2020).
Deze transparantie stimuleerde verder wetenschappelijk onderzoek en beleidsmatige discussies over de noodzaak om meer gegevens te verzamelen en te analyseren. Het blijft een open vraag of deze verschijnselen een bedreiging vormen of dat ze mogelijk nieuwe technologische inzichten bieden voor de mensheid. De voortdurende interesse en het onderzoek onderstrepen het belang van een grondige en kritische wetenschappelijke aanpak om de ware aard van USOs te achterhalen.
3. Wetenschappelijke verklaringen en theorieën
3.1 Natuurlijke fenomenen en menselijke technologie
Veel waarnemingen kunnen worden verklaard door natuurlijke verschijnselen. Onderwater vulkanen en hydrothermale bronnen kunnen bijvoorbeeld lichtgevende verschijnselen veroorzaken die lijken op UFO’s of USOs. Bioluminescente organismen, zoals bepaalde diepzeevissen, kunnen licht produceren dat op vliegende objecten lijkt, vooral in donker diepe wateren (Mikulski & O’Connell, 2013).
Daarnaast kunnen geheime militaire technologieën, zoals onderwater drones, autonome onderzeeboten en geavanceerde submarines, de waarnemingen verklaren. Tijdens de Koude Oorlog ontwikkelden de Verenigde Staten en de Sovjet-Unie geavanceerde onderzeese voertuigen die in staat waren om grote diepten te bereiken en zeer hoge snelheden te behalen. Sommige waarnemingen zouden kunnen wijzen op deze geheime technologieën die nog niet publiekelijk bekend zijn (Friedman, 2014).
3.2 Buitenaardse hypotheses
Sommige onderzoekers suggereren dat USOs mogelijk buitenaardse in oorsprong zijn. Volgens deze theorieën maken deze objecten gebruik van onderwater basisstructuren op aarde of in de buurt van de oceaanbodem om zich te verplaatsen, te observeren of te communiceren. De diepe oceaan wordt gezien als een ideale locatie voor buitenaardse wezens om zich te verbergen, vanwege de moeilijkheid om ze te detecteren en te volgen (Hynek, 1972).
Getuigenissen van militairen en duikers die objecten met buitengewone manoeuvres beschrijven, worden door sommige wetenschappers geïnterpreteerd als bewijs voor buitenaardse technologie die zich onder water manifesteert. Sommige waarnemingen wijzen op technologie die niet overeenkomt met menselijke capaciteiten, zoalsde mogelijkheid om snel te manoeuvreren, abrupt van richting te veranderen en op indrukwekkende snelheden te bewegen, zelfs onder extreme druk en in de donkere diepten van de oceaan. Deze waarnemingen roepen vragen op over de aard en oorsprong van deze objecten, en of ze mogelijk buitenaards van oorsprong zijn.
Onderwater-UFO's vertonen vermogen dat de Amerikaanse maritieme veiligheid in gevaar brengt, zegt voormalig marineofficier foxnews.com
3.2.1.De theorie van buitenaardse oorsprong van USOs
Sommige onderzoekers stellen dat onderwater onbekende objecten (USOs) niet zomaar natuurlijke verschijnselen of menselijke technologieën kunnen zijn, maar dat ze mogelijk buitenaardse voertuigen zijn die zich onder water bevinden. Volgens deze hypotheses maken deze objecten gebruik van natuurlijke onderwaterstructuren, zoals zeegrotten, onderwater vulkanen of thermale bronnen, om zich te verbergen en te bewegen. Deze locaties bieden strategische voordelen voor wezens die niet door menselijke instrumenten kunnen worden ontdekt of gevolgd.
Een belangrijk argument voor deze theorie is dat de diepe oceaan nog altijd grotendeels onontgonnen terrein is. Volgens Hynek (1972) en andere onderzoekers is de oceaan de ultieme schuilplaats voor buitenaardse wezens, omdat het voor menselijke waarnemers bijna onmogelijk is om volledige controle en detectie te verkrijgen in deze extreme omgeving. De enorme diepten en de complexiteit van onderwaterstructuren maken het mogelijk voor objecten om zich te verbergen voor observaties, terwijl ze toch in staat zijn om te bewegen en te observeren.
3.2.2. Getuigenissen en waarnemingen
Verschillende getuigenissen van militairen, duikers en luchtverkeersleiders ondersteunen de hypothese dat USOs mogelijk buitenaards van oorsprong zijn. In sommige gevallen beschrijven getuigen objecten die zich onder water bewegen met manoeuvres die geen overeenstemming tonen met menselijke technologieën. Bijvoorbeeld, sommige getuigenissen beschrijven objecten die plotseling van snelheid veranderen, onder water draaien of verdwijnen, en dat alles zonder enige zichtbare aandrijving.
Een bekend voorbeeld is een incident uit de jaren 1980 waarbij een Amerikaanse marinevaartuig meldde dat een onbekend object met snelheid onder water bewoog en zich daarna plotseling uit de oceaan verdween. Dit soort waarnemingen worden door onderzoekers geïnterpreteerd als bewijs dat deze objecten mogelijk gebruik maken van technologieën die buiten ons huidige begrip liggen, en dat ze mogelijk buitenaardse oorsprong hebben.
3.2.3. Technologie die menselijke capaciteiten overstijgt
Wat deze waarnemingen bijzonder maken, is dat de waargenomen manoeuvres en snelheden niet overeenkomen met de huidige menselijke technologie. Bijvoorbeeld, het is onmogelijk voor menselijke onderwatervaartuigen om snel van richting te veranderen op de manier die sommige getuigen beschrijven, vooral op grote diepten waar de druk en de beperkingen van de technologie het moeilijk maken om dergelijke bewegingen uit te voeren.
Sommige onderzoekers suggereren dat deze objecten beschikken over technologie die gebruikmaakt van onbekende fysische principes, zoals antizwaartekracht of andere vormen van geavanceerde energieën die nog niet door de wetenschap zijn ontdekt. Deze hypothese wordt ondersteund door observaties van objecten die plotseling snelheden bereiken die de limieten van menselijke technologie ver overschrijden, en die zich in een manier bewegen die onmogelijk lijkt voor conventionele onderwater- of luchtvaartuigen.
3.3.De rol van de diepe oceaan als schuilplaats
De diepe oceaan wordt vaak genoemd als een ideale locatie voor buitenaardse wezens om zich te verbergen en te opereren. Deze regio's zijn moeilijk te verkennen en te monitoren, en bieden talloze onderwaterstructuren en natuurlijke fenomenen die als dekmantel kunnen dienen. Thermale bronnen, onderwater grotten en vulkanische gebieden vormen natuurlijke schuilplaatsen die moeilijk te detecteren en te volgen maken.
Bovendien is het mogelijk dat buitenaardse wezens gebruik maken van onderwaterbasisstructuren die zich bevinden op de oceaanbodem of in de buurt van geologische activiteit. Volgens sommige hypothesen kunnen deze basisstructuren zich bevinden op plekken waar menselijke technologieën nog niet kunnen komen, waardoor ze perfect verborgen blijven voor onze observaties.
3.4. Wetenschappelijke uitdagingen en skeptische standpunten
Ondanks de fascinerende getuigenissen en waarnemingen, blijft de hypothese dat USOs buitenaards van oorsprong zijn, controversieel. Veel wetenschappers wijzen op het gebrek aan concreet bewijs en benadrukken dat natuurlijke verklaringen, zoals natuurlijke verschijnselen (bijvoorbeeld bioluminescente organismen, onderwaterexplosies of atmosferische fenomenen), vaak over het hoofd worden gezien of ondergewaardeerd.
Daarnaast is het technisch gezien nog steeds een grote uitdaging om te bewijzen dat deze objecten niet menselijke of natuurlijke oorsprong hebben, vooral omdat de diepe oceaan moeilijk te onderzoeken is en veel gegevens nog altijd niet beschikbaar zijn. Skeptici stellen dat waarnemingen vaak kunnen worden verklaard door misinterpretaties, optische illusies of verrassende maar natuurlijke verschijnselen.
3.5. Conclusie
De theorie dat USOs mogelijk buitenaardse voertuigen zijn die zich onder water bevinden, wordt ondersteund door getuigenissen, waarnemingen en de onmogelijkheid om bepaalde manoeuvres met menselijke technologie te reproduceren. De diepe oceaan vormt een natuurlijke schuilplaats voor deze objecten, waardoor het voor onderzoekers moeilijk is om definitief bewijs te verkrijgen. Hoewel er nog geen sluitend wetenschappelijk bewijs is dat deze objecten buitenaards van oorsprong zijn, blijft de mogelijkheid bestaan dat sommige waarnemingen wijzen op technologieën die onze huidige wetenschap overstijgen.
Het bestuderen van deze verschijnselen vereist verdere onderwateronderzoeken en het ontwikkelen van nieuwe technologische methoden om de diepe oceaan en de mysterieuze objecten die daarin worden waargenomen te verkennen. Het blijft een fascinerend en intrigerend gebied dat de grenzen van onze kennis uitdaagt en mogelijk nieuwe inzichten biedt over de aanwezigheid van buitenaardse levensvormen en hun technologische capaciteiten.
4. Plausibiliteit van onderwater bases als herkomst voor USOs
De vraag of onderwater bases kunnen dienen als herkomst voor onidentificeerbare onderwater objecten (USOs) is een complex en intrigerend onderwerp. Het wordt ondersteund door verschillende technologische, strategische en geopolitieke overwegingen. In dit hoofdstuk wordt de plausibiliteit hiervan geanalyseerd door te kijken naar de technologische haalbaarheid, de bestaande infrastructuur, toekomstige innovaties en de strategische belangen die hierbij een rol spelen.
4.1 Technologische haalbaarheid
4.1.1 Huidige technologische staat en bestaande onderwaterfaciliteiten
Het bouwen en onderhouden van onderwater bases op grote diepten vereist geavanceerde technologieën die momenteel nog in ontwikkeling zijn of geheim worden gehouden. Toch zijn er al enkele voorbeelden van onderzeese faciliteiten die aantonen dat langdurige menselijke aanwezigheid onder water mogelijk is. Zo kennen we het Amerikaanse project “SeaLab,” dat in de jaren 1960 en 1970 functioneerde op relatief beperkte diepten, en de Russische onderzeese basis “Nerpa,” die vooral voor militaire doeleinden wordt gebruikt. Deze voorbeelden tonen aan dat het technisch mogelijk is om onderzeese bases te bouwen, maar vooral op beperkte diepten en voor korte tot middellange termijn.
Het realiseren van onderwater bases op grote diepten, bijvoorbeeld dieper dan 1.000 meter, brengt echter aanzienlijk grotere uitdagingen met zich mee. De enorme waterdruk op dergelijke diepten, die kan oplopen tot meer dan 1000 bar, vereist de ontwikkeling van structures die bestand zijn tegen extreme krachten. Daarnaast spelen lage temperaturen, afwezigheid van natuurlijk licht en corrosieve omstandigheden een grote rol bij de keuze van materialen en constructietechnieken. Tot op heden zijn er geen publieke voorbeelden van langdurige onderwater bases op deze grote diepten, maar de recente ontwikkelingen in onderwatertechnologie geven reden tot optimisme dat dit in de toekomst mogelijk wordt.
4.1.2 Levensonderhoud en zelfvoorzienendheid
Een ander belangrijk aspect is de levensduur en zelfvoorzienendheid van onderwater bases. Voor langdurige operaties onder water moeten bases beschikken over systemen voor energieproductie, waterrecycling, voedselvoorziening en afvalbeheer. Moderne technieken zoals onderwater nucleaire reactoren, die al worden ontwikkeld voor onderzeese en ruimtevaarttoepassingen, zouden in de toekomst kunnen voorzien in een duurzame energievoorziening. Ook kunnen geavanceerde energieopslag systemen, zoals krachtige accu’s en waterstoftechnologieën, bijdragen aan de zelfvoorzienendheid.
Daarnaast is de inzet van autonome robots en drones van groot belang voor het onderhoud en de verkenning van deze bases. Deze technologieën verminderen de noodzaak voor permanente menselijke aanwezigheid en maken het mogelijk om grote delen van de infrastructuur op afstand te beheren. Bijvoorbeeld, de ontwikkeling van autonome onderwaterschepen zoals de Amerikaanse “Sea Hunter” – een vaartuig dat onderwater operaties kan uitvoeren zonder bemanning – illustreert de vooruitgang op dit gebied.
4.1.3 Innovaties en toekomstige technologische ontwikkelingen
De technologische uitdagingen voor het bouwen van grote, duurzame onderwater bases blijven groot, maar innovaties in materialen, constructietechnieken en robotica bieden perspectief. Zo wordt er gewerkt aan 3D-printen onder water, waarmee complexe structuren snel en efficiënt kunnen worden vervaardigd. Modulaire constructies maken het mogelijk om bases uit verschillende onderdelen samen te stellen en aan te passen, afhankelijk van de behoeften en omstandigheden.
Daarnaast worden nieuwe materialen ontwikkeld die beter bestand zijn tegen corrosie, hoge druk en lage temperaturen. Combinaties van lichtgewicht, sterke composieten en zelfhelende materialen kunnen de levensduur en stabiliteit van onderwater structuren aanzienlijk verbeteren. Het potentieel van dergelijke innovaties geeft aan dat het technisch mogelijk wordt om onderwater bases op grote diepten te realiseren, mits de juiste investeringen en onderzoeksinspanningen worden gedaan.
4.2 Strategische en geopolitieke overwegingen
4.2.1 Geheimhouding en militaire belangen
Veel van de technologieën en infrastructuren die nodig zijn voor onderwater bases worden waarschijnlijk in het geheim ontwikkeld. Militaire en strategische belangen spelen hierbij een grote rol, aangezien onderzeese bases strategische voordelen kunnen bieden voor spionage, communicatie en defensie. Het is mogelijk dat bepaalde onderzeese bases voor geheime doeleinden worden gebruikt, en dat hun bestaan niet publiekelijk bekend is.
Deze geheime bases kunnen dienen als herkomst voor USOs, vooral als ze uitgerust zijn met geavanceerde technologieën en goed beveiligde infrastructuren. Het feit dat veel militaire operaties onderwater niet onmiddellijk zichtbaar zijn, versterkt de plausibiliteit dat dergelijke bases bestaan en mogelijk worden gebruikt voor het testen en lanceren van USOs.
4.2.2 Mobiliseerbare en semi-permanente structuren
Een andere strategische overweging is dat onderwater bases niet per se permanent hoeven te zijn. Mobiliseerbare en semi-permanente structuren kunnen snel worden verplaatst of aangepast, afhankelijk van de behoeften en omstandigheden. Modulaire constructies en onderwaterdrijvende platforms maken het mogelijk om bases te herplaatsen of te herstructureren zonder grote infrastructurele veranderingen.
Dit biedt niet alleen strategische flexibiliteit, maar vermindert ook de kosten en risico's verbonden aan langdurige constructies op één locatie. Het gebruik van dergelijke structuren versterkt de plausibiliteit dat onderwater bases kunnen bestaan als herkomstlocaties voor USOs, zonder dat deze permanent en zichtbaar aanwezig hoeven te zijn.
4.3 Conclusie
Hoewel er aanzienlijke technologische uitdagingen zijn, wijzen de bestaande voorbeelden, de voortdurende innovaties en de geheime militaire ontwikkelingen erop dat onderwater bases op grote diepten technisch mogelijk en strategisch aantrekkelijk kunnen zijn. Ze zouden als herkomstlocaties voor USOs kunnen fungeren, vooral gezien hun strategisch voordeel, de moeilijkheid om ze te detecteren en de mogelijkheid tot zelfvoorzienendheid.
De combinatie van geavanceerde materialen, autonome robots, modulaire structuren en geheime militaire projecten maakt het plausibel dat dergelijke onderwater bases bestaan en worden gebruikt voor diverse doeleinden, inclusief het testen en lanceren van USOs. Hoewel het bewijs nog beperkt is en veel details in de duisternis blijven, blijft de technologische en strategische haalbaarheid een sterk argument voor de plausibiliteit van deze hypothese.
Kortom, de ontwikkeling en het bestaan van grote, geheime onderwater bases als herkomst voor USOs kunnen niet volledig worden uitgesloten. Ze vormen een intrigerend mogelijk verklaringsmodel dat verdere aandacht en onderzoek verdient.
5. De buitenaardse hypothese voor onderwater basissen
De hypothese dat buitenaards leven bestaat, is een van de meest intrigerende en controversiële onderwerpen binnen de wetenschap en de populaire cultuur. Deze theorie stelt dat intelligent buitenaards leven niet alleen mogelijk, maar ook daadwerkelijk aanwezig is op of in de buurt van onze planeet. Het verkennen van deze hypothese vereist een gestructureerde benadering, waarbij we kijken naar de bewijzen, de mogelijke locaties, en de implicaties.
5.1. Bewijs en argumenten voor de buitenaardse hypothese
Tot op heden is er geen sluitend wetenschappelijk bewijs dat buitenaards leven op Aarde aanwezig is geweest of nog bestaat. Echter, verschillende observaties en anekdotische rapporten worden door voorstanders aangevoerd als indicaties dat er mogelijk iets onverklaarbaars speelt. Bijvoorbeeld, fenomenen zoals UFO’s (Unidentified Flying Objects) worden door sommige waarnemers geïnterpreteerd als mogelijke buitenaardse voertuigen. Hoewel de meeste UFO-waarnemingen inmiddels kunnen worden verklaard door natuurlijke fenomenen, menselijke fouten of militaire experimenten, blijven een aantal incidenten onduidelijk en worden ze door sommige onderzoekers geïnterpreteerd als bewijs dat er meer aan de hand is.
Daarnaast wijzen astronomische ontdekkingen op de aanwezigheid van exoplaneten in de "bewoonbare zone" van andere sterrenstelsels, wat de plausibiliteit verhoogt dat leven elders in het universum ontstaan kan zijn. Onderzoek door bijvoorbeeld de NASA’s Kepler- en TESS-missies heeft duizenden exoplaneten geïdentificeerd, waarvan een aantal zich in de leefbare zone bevinden, waar vloeibaar water mogelijk aanwezig is. Wetenschappers zoals astrobioloog Sara Seager benadrukken dat de kans op het bestaan van leven buiten de aarde niet verwaarloosbaar is, vooral omdat het universum meer dan 100 miljard sterrenstelsels bevat.
Ook wordt er onderzoek gedaan naar extremofielen – organismen die onder extreme omstandigheden overleven, zoals in diepzee-venten, onder ijs of in zure zwavelbaden. Deze bevindingen breken met de oude opvatting dat leven alleen onder milde omstandigheden kan bestaan en vergroten de mogelijkheid dat buitenaards leven zich in totaal verschillende omgevingen kan ontwikkelen, inclusief onderwater basissen op andere planeten of manen.
5.2. Mogelijke locaties en manieren van aanwezigheid
Volgens de hypothese kunnen buitenaardse wezens zich op verschillende manieren en op diverse locaties op Aarde hebben geïntroduceerd. Twee hoofdscenario’s worden vaak besproken.
5.2.1. Indringers van buitenaardse beschavingen:
In dit scenario zouden buitenaardse wezens ons systeem bezoeken en mogelijk zelfs clandestien in onze samenleving aanwezig zijn. Dit wordt vaak gekoppeld aan de theorie van geheime bases, zoals die op de maan of op andere planeten in ons zonnestelsel, waarvan beweerd wordt dat ze door buitenaardse wezens worden gebruikt. Voorbeelden die in de populariteit blijven, zijn de zogenaamde "Roswell-incident" uit 1947, waar een vermeend neergestort UFO werd gevonden, en de vermeende geheime bases in de Antarctis, waar volgens theorieën buitenaardse technologiëen zouden worden bewaard.
Bovendien worden er geruchten verspreid dat bepaalde high-tech militaire installaties, zoals de Amerikaanse "Area 51", geheime technologie en mogelijk buitenaardse artefacten herbergen. Hoewel de officiële verklaringen meestal militaire experimenten of geheime projecten betreffen, blijven complottheorieën over buitenaardse betrokkenheid populair.
5.2.2. Langdurige aanwezigheid of contact:
Een andere theorie stelt dat buitenaardse vormen van leven al eeuwenlang onze cultuur beïnvloeden, bijvoorbeeld via oude mythes, monumenten of mysterieuze artefacten. Sommige onderzoekers denken dat mysterieuze structuren zoals de piramides van Egypte, Stonehenge of de Nazca-lijnen mogelijk bewijs zijn van buitenaardse interactie of invloed.
Daarnaast suggereren theorieën dat buitenaardse wezens zich bewust of onbewust mengen in ons dagelijks leven. Bijvoorbeeld, sommige getuigenissen verwijzen naar "zieleachtige" verschijningen of ontmoetingen die mogelijk verband houden met buitenaardse entiteiten die zich onder de mensen bevinden. Hoewel deze verhalen moeilijk te verifiëren zijn, wekken ze interesse en worden ze gebruikt om de hypothese te ondersteunen.
5.3. Kritiek en scepsis
De buitenaardse hypothese wordt niet algemeen ondersteund door de wetenschappelijke gemeenschap, voornamelijk vanwege het gebrek aan concreet bewijs en de mogelijkheid van alternatieve verklaringen voor waarnemingen en anomalieën. Veel waarnemingen kunnen worden toegeschreven aan natuurlijke fenomenen, menselijke fouten, of geheime militaire activiteiten. Bijvoorbeeld, ballonnen, weersverschijnselen, en optische illusies kunnen vaak UFO-waarnemingen verklaren.
Daarnaast wijst de wetenschap op het belang van falsifieerbaarheid; een hypothese moet getest kunnen worden en weerlegd kunnen worden. Omdat buitenaardse aanwezigheid op Aarde niet op een empirisch verifieerbare manier kan worden bevestigd of weerlegd, blijft het een hypothese die vooral in het domein van speculatie en pseudowetenschap valt.
Toch blijven onderzoekers, zoals de SETI (Search for Extraterrestrial Intelligence), zoeken naar tekenen van buitenaardse intelligentie via radio- en lichtsignalen, met de hoop dat toekomstige technologische ontwikkelingen meer duidelijkheid kunnen brengen. Het is belangrijk om een kritische houding te handhaven en niet te snel conclusies te trekken zonder voldoende bewijs.
Samengevat: hoewel de buitenaardse hypothese intrigerend en populair is, blijft het wetenschappelijk gezien een onderwerp van speculatie. Het onderzoek gaat door, en nieuwe ontdekkingen in astrobiologie en astronomisch onderzoek kunnen mogelijk in de toekomst meer licht werpen op de vraag of wij werkelijk niet alleen zijn in het universum.
Gallaudet zei ook dat deze "grote verlichte vaartuigen" misschien schuilgaan in de onontdekte diepten van onze oceanen
6. Wetenschappelijke kijk en sceptische benadering
De wetenschappelijke aanpak ten opzichte van de buitenaardse hypothese is sterk gebaseerd op kritisch denken, bewijs en falsifieerbaarheid. Wetenschappers benaderen onbekende fenomenen met een gezonde dosis scepsis, wat betekent dat ze eerst zoeken naar natuurlijke of menselijke oorzaken voordat ze buitenaardse verklaringen overwegen. Deze houding zorgt ervoor dat de wetenschap zich ontwikkelt op basis van objectieve waarnemingen en verantwoorde interpretaties, in tegenstelling tot speculatie en ongefundeerde aannames.
6.1. Kritisch onderzoeken en bewijzen
Wetenschap vereist dat claims worden ondersteund door herhaalbare en verificabele bewijzen. Wat betreft buitenaards leven betekent dit dat onderzoekers zoeken naar fysische, biochemische of astronomische bewijzen die een buitenaardse oorsprong kunnen bevestigen. Bijvoorbeeld, de detectie van buitenaardse signalen via radio-astronomie, zoals in het SETI-project (Search for Extraterrestrial Intelligence), kan een indicatie zijn van intelligent buitenaards leven. Daarnaast kunnen onverklaarbare emissies van exoplaneten of anomalieën in de kosmische achtergrondstraling aanwijzingen bieden. Een bekend voorbeeld is de waarneming van de 'Wow!-signaal' in 1977, dat korte tijd als potentiële buitenaardse communicatie werd beschouwd, maar nooit met zekerheid kon worden bevestigd. Wetenschappers zoeken ook naar biosignaturen, zoals specifieke chemische samenstellingen in de atmosfeer van een planeet die wijzen op biologische activiteit, bijvoorbeeld zuurstof of methaan in een exoplaneet.
6.2. Het belang van falsifieerbaarheid
Een fundamenteel principe in de wetenschap is dat hypotheses falsifieerbaar moeten zijn, dat wil zeggen dat er een manier moet bestaan om ze te weerleggen. De buitenaardse hypothese is moeilijk te falsifiëren omdat het bewijs vaak anekdotisch of interpretatief is, en omdat buitenaardse contacten mogelijk buiten ons bereik en begrip liggen. Bijvoorbeeld, het enige bewijs dat vaak wordt aangevoerd, zijn waarnemingen van onverklaarbare objecten of fenomenen die niet gemakkelijk te verklaren zijn door natuurlijke oorzaken. Echter, zonder concrete testbare voorspellingen blijft de hypothese moeilijk te weerleggen of te bevestigen, waardoor het een uitdaging vormt voor de wetenschappelijke methode. Een voorbeeld hiervan is de vermeende aanwezigheid van UFO’s, die vaak worden toegeschreven aan buitenaardse schepen, maar die meestal kunnen worden verklaard door natuurlijke of menselijke oorzaken zoals weersverschijnselen, vliegtuig- of satellietverkeer.
6.3. Het risico van pseudowetenschap
Veel claims over buitenaards leven en geheime bases worden als pseudowetenschap beschouwd omdat ze vaak niet kunnen worden getest of weerlegd. Pseudowetenschap kenmerkt zich door het ontbreken van falsifieerbare hypotheses, het gebruik van anekdotisch bewijs en het ontbreken van een wetenschappelijke methodiek. Een voorbeeld is het idee van geheime bases op de maan of onder de grond, dat vaak gebaseerd is op vermeende getuigenissen en interpretaties die niet door empirisch bewijs worden ondersteund. Het is daarom cruciaal dat wetenschappers zich baseren op bewijs dat objectief kan worden geëvalueerd en dat ze openstaan voor verschillende verklaringen. De wetenschappelijke gemeenschap waarschuwt voor het gevaar dat pseudowetenschappelijke claims de publieke perceptie van wetenschap kunnen ondermijnen en verkeerde verwachtingen kunnen scheppen over de mogelijkheden van buitenaards leven. Een goede wetenschappelijke benadering houdt in dat men kritisch blijft, openstaat voor nieuwe ontdekkingen, maar altijd terugvalt op bewijs en methodiek.
Kortom, de wetenschappelijke kijk op buitenaards leven is gekenmerkt door een kritische, bewijsgerichte en falsifieerbare aanpak. Hoewel het zoeken naar buitenaardse intelligentie en levensvormen fascinerend is en mogelijk grote wetenschappelijke doorbraken kan opleveren, blijft het belangrijk dat de claims en hypotheses binnen de grenzen van de wetenschappelijke methode blijven. Alleen op die manier kunnen we met vertrouwen spreken over wat we weten en wat nog moet worden onderzocht, en voorkomen dat pseudowetenschappelijke ideeën de overhand krijgen.
7. Eindbesluit
De vraag of buitenaards leven al dan niet op Aarde aanwezig is, blijft voorlopig onbewezen. Hoewel er veel interessante aanwijzingen en theorieën bestaan, ontbreken tot nu toe onweerlegbare bewijzen die deze hypothese ondersteunen. De wetenschap blijft echter openstaan voor nieuwe ontdekkingen en technologische ontwikkelingen die mogelijk meer licht kunnen werpen op deze mysterieuze vraag.
Gezien de huidige stand van kennis en de strengheid van de wetenschappelijke methode, kunnen we concluderen dat er geen overtuigend bewijs is voor de aanwezigheid van buitenaardse wezens op Aarde. Het is belangrijk om kritisch te blijven, bewijs te blijven zoeken en niet te snel te vervallen in speculatie of sensationele verhalen.
Tegelijkertijd moeten we de mogelijkheid niet uitsluiten dat buitenaards leven bestaat elders in het universum. De enorme omvang van het heelal en de recente ontdekkingen van exoplaneten in bewoonbare zones maken dat het plausibel is dat we niet de enigen zijn. Echter, totdat er harde en reproduceerbare bewijzen worden gevonden, blijft dit vooral een fascinerende hypothese en niet een wetenschappelijke vaststelling.
Kortom, de buitenaardse hypothese is een boeiend onderwerp dat de menselijke nieuwsgierigheid en de wetenschappelijke zoektocht naar het onbekende blijft stimuleren. Wetenschap en scepsis vormen hierbij de belangrijkste instrumenten om tot betrouwbare conclusies te komen. Pas wanneer solide bewijs beschikbaar is, kan men definitief spreken van buitenaards leven dat onze planeet heeft bezocht of hier leeft. Tot die tijd blijft het een intrigerende vraag, waarvoor we met een kritische blik en open geest blijven zoeke
Roadside Picnics: Chernobyl UFOs & The Falcon Lake Incident - PART I
Roadside Picnics: Chernobyl UFOs & The Falcon Lake Incident - PART I
In the wake of the 1986 disaster, the Chernobyl Nuclear Power Plant became a hotspot for UFO sightings. While writing Chernobyl: A Stalkers’ Guide I came across a number of reports of strange aerial phenomena in the area around the plant itself, as well as over the nearby Ukrainian capital, Kyiv. Then I started digging deeper – looking at the historical connection between UFO sightings, and places associated with nuclear research and power. Eventually this led me to Canada, where I realised that a famous 1967 UFO sighting – the ‘Falcon Lake Incident’ – might actually share a surprising and uncanny connection with the Chernobyl Exclusion Zone in Ukraine.
Originally I planned to mention these Chernobyl UFOs in the book. But the story quickly grew from a few interesting reports – a passing curiosity – into a whole chapter of its own. And this new UFO chapter, jumping about from Chernobyl to North Wales, to Roswell and Winnipeg (and filled throughout with unreliable words like “allegedly,” and “claimed,” and “believed”), increasingly felt like it didn’t belong in this book… which was otherwise evolving into quite a tight, keenly-focussed and evidence-driven volume.
So instead, I decided I would share this ‘missing chapter’ here: a deep dive into the subject of Chernobyl UFOs, starting in Ukraine, and ending with an account of my own trip to Falcon Lake, in 2019, to visit the site of an alleged UFO encounter that the press called the ‘Canadian Roswell.’
Lightning storm over Chernobyl Nuclear Power Plant – seen from a Pripyat rooftop during a ‘stalker’ expedition.
The Black Bird of Chernobyl
An event as unusual as the Chernobyl disaster tends to attract extraordinary stories.
In April 2005, an article titled ‘Black Bird of Chernobyl’ appeared on the now-defunct website American Monsters. It described how employees at the Chernobyl Nuclear Power Plant, in the weeks before the 1986 meltdown, had been having nightmares and receiving strange, threatening phone calls, that warned of impending disaster. Some had even reported sightings of “a large, dark, headless man with gigantic wings and fire-red eyes”… though in the absence of evidence, their superiors dismissed these claims. The article describes how some first-responders at the disaster site reported a “20-foot bird” seen flying in and out of the column of smoke.
In 2019 the story was back in the news again. An Australian archeologist called Robert Maxwell, who previously made field trips to Chernobyl in 2010 and 2012, told the press that he heard legends about the Black Bird from locals while he was in the Exclusion Zone. However, in my own 20 trips to Chernobyl, I am still yet to hear the story there. Even online, the earliest account in Russian or Ukrainian links back to the American Monsters website as a source.
The Ferris wheel in Pripyat, at dusk.
As it turns out, the Black Bird of Chernobyl was an American invention all along. The 2002 film The Mothman Prophecies, starring Richard Gere, is based on the ‘Mothman’ urban myth – about a mysterious, winged humanoid that allegedly warned citizens in Point Pleasant, West Virginia, of their impending doom in 1967. A character in the 2002 film alludes to similar phenomena that happened at Chernobyl; but according to the cryptozoologist Loren Coleman, who worked on the film, this was pure fiction. “There were no sightings. It was all made up for the movie,” he explained on Cryptomundo in 2011.
Elsewhere in America, another source would claim that intelligent alien lifeforms had taken an interest in the Chernobyl disaster. Dr George King – founder of a New Age religious movement known as the ‘Aetherius Society’ – claimed to have been sent a warning of impending disaster 4 hours and 53 minutes before the Chernobyl plant went critical, by his extraterrestrial contacts on a Martian spacecraft called Satellite Number Three. Dr King was ordered to immediately activate the earth’s “spiritual energy radiators,” and the story would then be used as evidence for the Aetherius Society’s claim that the “Cosmic Masters … have always regarded nuclear experimentation as the greatest threat to humanity and have made it clear that they would intervene where they were karmically allowed.”
After the sun sets in the Chernobyl Zone, red lights illuminate the arch of the New Safe Confinement structure built to contain the destroyed Reactor Block 4.
However, unlike the Chernobyl-Mothman story, the idea that extraterrestrial lifeforms played a role in the disaster was not a claim limited solely to theorists on the other side of the planet. In fact, in the years following the Chernobyl catastrophe, many local people – and newspapers – would share stories about UFOs spotted in the skies over Chernobyl and Kyiv.
Chernobyl UFOs: Eyewitness Reports
Mikhail Varitsky, a senior dosimetrician with the Dosimetry Control Department, alleged that on the night of the Chernobyl disaster, he and many others had observed a UFO above Reactor 4. His statement was published in UFOs – Guests From the Future by V. Kratokhvil, in 1992: “We saw a ball of fire, and it was slowly flying in the sky. I think the ball was six or eight meters in diameter. Then we saw two rays of crimson light stretching towards the fourth unit. The object was some 300 meters from the reactor. The event lasted for about three minutes. The lights of the object went out and it flew away in the north-western direction.”
According to Varitsky’s dosimetric readings, the radiation levels coming from the reactor dropped from 3000 to 800 milli-roentgen per hour in that time, and the Russian news outlet Pravda, reporting on the sighting in 2002, would conclude: “The UFO brought the radiation level down. The level was decreased almost four times. This probably prevented a nuclear blast.”
Detail of the ‘vibrators’ on the Duga-1 array – a now-abandoned Soviet over-the-horizon radar receiver which measures 150 metres tall, by 750 metres long. Over the years this alien-looking structure has attracted plenty of outlandish theories of its own.
‘Chernobyl UFOs’ became a hot topic in Ukraine in the years that followed. Dr Iva Naumovna Gospina (a medical doctor and author of self-help books) claimed to have photographed an object hovering above the station during subsequent malfunctions in September 1989. In August 1990, the Chernobyl Bulletin (Issue #64) reported another sighting:
“From 5:00 to 7:35 in the morning of 7 August, a new meeting with an unknown phenomenon took place. It was at this time that the workers of the Zone, living in the rotational village of Zeleny Mys, before leaving for work, observed in the area of the Ivankov township, at an altitude of 5-8 km, a shiny, luminous cylindrical object, resembling an empty spool of thread. The object periodically changed its configuration, the end discs were detached and their number changed from two to three. A red dot revolved around the cylinder. At 7:35, after the appearance of a military aircraft on the horizon, the UFO disappeared.”
In October 1990, the atomic scientist Alexander Krymov reported sighting another such craft above the Chernobyl Zone.
The following year, a fire broke out in Chernobyl’s Reactor Block 2 on the evening of 11 October (the event that would lead to that unit’s final closure), and five days later a local photojournalist, Vladimir Savran of the Chernobyl Echo, would report another sighting. He was documenting the semi-collapsed roof in the generator hall, and saw nothing unusual with his naked eye: “The sky was autumn grey, but absolutely clear.” When he developed the film however, it appeared to show an object similar to that which Iva Gospina had photographed two years earlier, only this one seen from beneath.
Chernobyl Echo published the photo in November 1991, adding the editorial comment: “The property of UFOs being invisible to the human eye and appearing only in photographs and on film was reported in the press more than once… Specialists who, at the request of the publisher, have carefully studied the negative, do not allow any falsification.”
Before the Chernobyl disaster, reports of UFO sightings were a fairly rare occurrence in the Kyiv region. Four such claims were recorded in total, over the previous 30 years. However, in the years after 1986, numerous citizens, photographers and military personnel in the region would report sightings of strange, glowing objects in the sky, and these were recorded by the Commission on Anomalous Phenomena at the Ukrainian branch of NTO Radio Electronics and Communications.
Between 1986 and 1990, the pilot Pyotr Vladimirovich Wojciechowski claimed to have made more than a dozen sightings of individual objects and groups of UFOs.
In September 1988 the Kyiv resident Vadim Vasilyevich Shevchuk reported a sighting of two luminous objects floating above the Kyiv Institute for Nuclear Research, in the Exhibition (VDNKh) district of the city. His description was very similar to what Mikhail Varitsky said he saw, above the power plant on the night of the Chernobyl disaster.
Training room inside the control complex for the Duga-1 radar. The system worked by sending and receiving signals bouncing around the earth’s ionosphere. During its years of operation, the Duga successfully recorded more than 100 Western missile launches, and was in the process of developing new systems to monitor aircraft movements as far away as British airspace.
On 12 November 1989, at 7.46 pm, the radar operator Lieutenant Colonel V. Shavanov, on duty at one of the region’s air defence radar stations, was notified of a luminous object sighted in the sky over the Exhibition district by residents of Kyiv. Shavanov called home, and spoke to his daughter who confirmed that from their ninth floor balcony she had just witnessed: “a white cross, a rectangle, and in it – like a fiery spiral, it seemed to be pulsating, illuminated.” A fighter-interceptor pilot was sent to the location, which was again very close to the Kyiv Institute of Nuclear Research; but he found nothing.
On 20 December 1989, another anomaly was sighted above the village of Irpen, between 6-7 pm, by the local resident Ivan Kucher. He reported a luminous flying object, which moved in the direction of Kyiv – and then later, at 8 pm, a similar glowing UFO was reported above Kyiv’s Central Stadium by the photojournalist Lyubov Kalenskaya.
Another sighting was made on 13 March 1990, in the area around Kyiv TV Tower (as reported in Junior Technician). At 10.13 pm, the local residents Denis Gnatyuk, Yuri Goncharenko and Dmitry Pinchuk say they saw a “mushroom-shaped” object with pulsating lights hovering in the sky. Another witness, Sergey Bryzgunov, made a similar report, saying that he watched the same display for roughly half an hour from the Golden Ear Hotel. A further witness for the 13 March sighting was Alexei Kurganov, who described watching the same object from the Borshchagovka area.
The article in Junior Technician (Юный техник), from September 1990, details the sighting at Kyiv TV tower – as well as featuring this photograph taken by Ruslan Tazhetdinov, purportedly showing a UFO above Moscow.
On 16 May 1990, the engineer Sergey Ogarkov, a member of the All-Union Astronomical Geodetic Society, claims that at just after 9 pm he observed through his telescope a single UFO moving in the western sky. Later that night, residents of the Troeschina residential district claimed to have seen two such objects (resembling “inverted plates”) hanging in the sky above them.
On 17 October 1990, another UFO was reportedly watched by many Kyiv residents, hanging in the sky above Khreshchatyk and Maidan Square. (The story likely first appeared in Evening Kyiv (Вечірній Київ), printed on 2 April 1991.) The following month, on 7 November, Kyiv resident Yuri Novikov was outside with his daughter just after midnight in the Kharkov district, when they saw what he would later describe as: “An object of enormous size, a cylindrical shape of a grey metallic colour, framed by a flickering halo, hanging from under low clouds.”
For context, it should be noted that most of these reports were not made public until the 1990s. In those early post-Soviet years, the newly-free press of Ukraine published an abundance of extraordinary stories, and convoluted conspiracy theories. Beginning in the late Soviet period, post-Glasnost, and into the post-Soviet period, large-scale financial scams and pyramid schemes were also prolific in the region. UFO reports were very much in vogue in these years, and while numerous sightings detailed above were allegedly made by photojournalists, very few actual photographs exist to back them up. Of the sightings detailed here, those which don’t link to other sources were listed by a 2011 article on a website calling itself Russian News Agency – where the writer also offered their own explanation for the connection between Chernobyl and UFOs:
“From these facts, the conclusion suggests itself that on the night of 26 April 1986, it was not only the people, heroically marching towards their hellish deaths, who were concerned about the impending catastrophe. In the light of these testimonies, it becomes clear that these elusive extraterrestrials are in fact not at all indifferent to the fate of mankind and the third planet from the Sun.”
January mist gathers inside the cooling tower that was being built for Chernobyl Reactor Block 5. Construction was halted in 1986, after the disaster, leaving both the new reactor block and this cooling tower unfinished.
Flying Saucers & Nuclear Power Plants
The suggestion that extraterrestrials had taken steps to protect humanity from its own nuclear technology was not a new idea. Around the world, sites of nuclear significance have historically shown some of the highest frequencies of UFO reports – a correlation that seems to continue today.
In March 1993, some kind of object was sighted hovering over the Hartlepool Nuclear Power Plant in northeast England. The ufologist Richard D. Hall was cited in a local newspaper, saying: “There is a history of UFOs taking an interest in nuclear energy so the sighting in Hartlepool is not a surprise.”
In 2014, nuclear power plants in France and Belgium were put on high alert after unidentified objects were sighted flying overhead. In total, eighteen overflights were reported in France alone, between the beginning of October and the beginning of November, with some of these flights taking place simultaneously, to suggest some kind of coordinated group action. The immediate explanation was that these were drones, though the identity – or motives – of the drone pilots has never become apparent. The director of one French plant refused the drone explanation however, insisting that the objects seen flying overhead were UFOs.
Chernobyl Nuclear Power Plant in winter. Visible from right to left are Reactor Blocks 1 and 2, the chimney and grey roof of Reactor Block 3, and finally, the New Safe Confinement structure encasing the destroyed Reactor Block 4.
By French law, it is forbidden to fly a drone within 5 km of a nuclear power plant. Such laws can often be enforced through the use of signal scramblers, as well as ‘no-fly zones’ hardcoded into the software of the drones themselves. In 2015, on a road trip through Wales, I was with a friend when he tried flying his drone close to Trawsfynydd Nuclear Power Plant. We weren’t interested in the plant itself, our target was the dramatic view of a dammed reservoir downstream – but apparently we were too close for comfort, because as soon as the little drone was airborne it switched to autopilot, firing itself as fast as possible in the direction away from Trawsfynydd. It wouldn’t respond to manual controls again until we were far away from the nuclear power plant.
(After Gatwick Airport was temporarily closed due to a drone panic in 2018, the UK began looking at a whole range of new counter-drone technologies that might be applied at sites such as airports or power plants. In addition to RF and GPS jammers, this report from the ADS (representing the UK’s Aerospace, Defence, Security and Space industries) considers further options, such as the deployment of ‘hunter/killer’ drones, laser defence systems, and even trained birds of prey.)
Trawsfynydd Nuclear Power Plant was closed and began its decommissioning process in 1991. Perhaps their installation of anti-drone technology was a caution built on experience – as in 2002, the plant had its own UFO sighting. In March that year, Officer Brian Roberts claimed that he and his wife had seen a flying craft hovering for around 10 minutes near the plant one evening. He described it as saucer-shaped, with “a brilliant perimeter of light moving in a circular pattern along its vertical midline” (as cited in UFO FAQ by David J. Hogan).
Trawsfynydd Nuclear Power Plant, North Wales. Constructed from 1959-65, this power plant building was designed by the celebrated Modernist architect Basil Spence. It was taken offline to begin decommissioning in 1991.
In 2017, The New York Times reported that of the US Defense Department’s annual $600 billion budget, $22 million was spent on its Advanced Aerospace Threat Identification Program. This military intelligence program (which was allegedly discontinued in 2012) investigated reports of UFOs, and it was run out of an office on the fifth floor of the Pentagon building by Luis Elizondo. The program collected unidentified aeronautical debris, as well as compiling archives of video and audio recordings of UAPs (Unexplained Aerial Phenomena) going back as early as WWII. According to Elizondo, many such sightings correlated with nuclear facilities and test sites.
In the 1940s, what is perhaps the most famous UFO incident in history is linked to a location less than 100 miles from the site of the first nuclear bomb test. The seven-mile high mushroom cloud that rose above White Sands Proving Ground, New Mexico, in July 1945, was visible from Roswell – where two years later, in July 1947, a local ranch foreman discovered unidentified debris in his field after a thunderstorm. The Roswell case has since been explained (revealing that this wreckage was not alien in origin, but rather had been an experimental Cold War-era listening device, named Project Mogul), but there have been many sightings of unexplained aerial phenomena at the location since, which are harder to explain.
The journalist and UAP researcher George Knapp interviewed more than a dozen workers from the New Mexico atomic test site, where allegedly such sightings were so commonplace that a specific security detail was assigned to monitor them. According to Knapp, “At the facilities where we were first designing and building nuclear weapons… at the places where we were processing the fuel… at the facilities where we were testing the weapons… at the bases where we deployed those weapons, on the ships… the nuclear submarines… All those places, all the people working there have seen these things.”
By the 1980s, much Soviet art and literature was preoccupied with the conquest of space. This colourful mural inside the Duga-1 radar control centre, near the Chernobyl NPP, depicts Soviet cosmonauts building an advanced future space station.
The Apollo 14 astronaut Edgar Mitchell, the sixth man to set foot on the moon, grew up in New Mexico himself, and in 2015 he told the Observer: “it seems that most likely what the aliens were interested in was the fact we had a weapons testing facility at the White Sands Proving Ground and were also interested in what we were doing or what the U.S. military was doing. They were observing our activities at the White Sands Proving Ground and were monitoring our development.”
Mitchell has also been quoted talking about more recent incidents, in which UFOs were suggested to have interfered with – or even prevented – nuclear missile tests. “I have spoken to many Air Force officers who worked at these silos during the Cold War,” he says. “They told me UFOs were frequently seen overhead and often disabled their missiles. Other officers from bases on the Pacific coast told me their [test] missiles were frequently shot down by alien spacecraft. There was a lot of activity in those days.”
Another wall mural inside the control block of the Duga-1 radar station. This one seems to depict ordinary citizens, enjoying a peaceful life in a futuristic Soviet utopia.
Regardless of the accuracy of such claims, it is a fact that UFO sightings have been reported with a greater frequency around places associated with nuclear technology. Perhaps this is because some extraterrestrial species is guiding our scientific development… or perhaps there’s a more human explanation for the correlation. Centuries ago, our wars left cities in ruin; industrial disasters could destroy a forest, or pollute a water stream. However, since the beginning of the Atomic Era – the dawn of the Anthropocene – we have been living with the existential horror of knowing that our mistakes, and conflicts, can now cause damage not just on a local, but on a planetary scale. How reassuring it would be then, to believe that we had grown-ups supervising us… to suppose that we weren’t truly left alone in the universe, to live with the consequences of our own (atomic) actions.
The reports of UFOs over the Chernobyl Nuclear Power Plant certainly conform to this trend in the West, going back as early as the first atomic tests, which supposes that extraterrestrial craft are taking an interest in our nuclear activities, with the ultimate goal of protecting us from ourselves. But of all the Western sightings, there is one in particular that shares an unexpected connection with the Chernobyl Exclusion Zone: an event which the press called the ‘Canadian Roswell,’ and which occurred at Falcon Lake, Manitoba, in 1967.
The Incident at Falcon Lake
On 20 May 1967, a Polish mechanic and amateur geologist named Stefan Michalak was out in the woods 150 km east of Winnipeg, Manitoba, prospecting for silver and quartz in the rocks around Falcon Lake. While he stopped to eat lunch, Michalak spotted something in the sky. He later described: “Two cigar-shaped objects with humps on them,” which “appeared to be descending and glowing with an intense scarlet glare.”
While one of the objects stopped roughly 25 feet (7.6 metres) above the ground, hovered and then departed, the other landed on top of a flat rock at the water’s edge. After sketching the shape of the craft, Michalak approached it, initially believing this to be some kind of experimental US aircraft – though he saw no markings or insignia on the hull. An opening appeared on the side of the craft, and Michalak assumed it had landed here to make repairs. The warm air radiating from the craft smelled strongly of sulphur. He heard voices from inside and called out to them, offering help. There was no reply.
This clearing in Whiteshell Forest, a couple of miles north of Falcon Lake in Manitoba, is where Stefan Michalak reported having his 1967 encounter with a grounded extraterrestrial craft.
According to Michalak’s story, he got close enough to the craft to touch its hull (burning his glove in the process), and he peered inside the open hatch to see an interior full of blinking lights; before the hatch suddenly closed, and the craft turned, blasting him with a wave of intense heat from an exhaust that set his shirt and undershirt alight, before taking off and flying away.
Stefan Michalak became severely unwell following the encounter. In the immediate aftermath he suffered from nausea, vomiting and some visual impairment, eventually making his way back to a hospital where he was treated for first degree burns on his chest. Dr Horace Dudley, a radiologist at the University of Southern Mississippi, described the symptoms as “a classical picture of severe whole body [exposure to] radiation with x- or gamma rays,” which might have implied that, “Mr Michalak received on the order of 100-200 roentgens.” However, on 22 May, Michalak was taken to the Atomic Energy of Canada Laboratory at Pinawa, where examiners found no evidence of radiation sickness – while his burns were identified as thermal and chemical, rather than from radiation. Nevertheless, over the coming days the pain in his head persisted, and a complete loss of appetite caused Michalak to lose significant weight.
Soil samples later collected from the ‘landing site’ showed above-average levels of radiation, at 0.3 microcuries. The burns on Michalak’s chest, meanwhile, swelled up in a grid-like pattern of rashes. These would continue to fade and then reappear until his death in 1999.
Left: Stefan Michalak’s sketch of the UFO he encountered near Falcon Lake in 1967. Right: Michalak’s burnt clothing, and an inset showing the unexplained burns he received across his body, after getting too close to the craft’s exhaust. (Images via University of Manitoba Archives & Special Collections)Soil analysis report from the Crime Lab of the Royal Canadian Mounted Police, July 1967. The sample showed a level of 0.3 microCuries, “a possible serious health hazard.”(Image appears courtesy of Chris Rutkowski.)
The press began referring to the Falcon Lake incident as the ‘Canadian Roswell.’ What set it apart from most UFO reports was the amount of physical evidence left behind – Michalak’s peculiar scars, his melted glove, his burnt cap and undershirt, along with samples of radioactive dirt – which were passed from expert to expert (the universities, the Royal Canadian Mounted Police and the Royal Canadian Air Force), none of whom were able to explain it. When investigators sent their lab reports to the Department of Health and Welfare in Ottawa, it raised panic over a possible risk of radioactive contamination. There were talks about closing off the area and creating an exclusion zone, though eventually, it was decided that the radiation levels – while unusual – were not sufficiently dangerous to justify such extreme action.
In 1968, Stefan Michalak returned to Falcon Lake. He had a theory that the radiation might be emanating from something beneath the rock itself. When he chipped open a crack with his rock hammer, he found metal: smooth zigzags of silver roughly four to five inches long, that fit the fissure of the rock as if the metal had been poured in molten. These silver artefacts were shown to be unusually radioactive, and according to his son, Michalak would joke that “this was alien refuse. Perhaps the craft had landed to offload some waste and what they had was, basically, UFO droppings.”
The ‘landing site’ near Falcon Lake. These rocks were later shown to have above-normal levels of radiation, some of which was emanating from a metallic substance inside.
A Roadside Picnic in Manitoba
A few years after the press reported Michalak’s sighting at Falcon Lake in Canada, two authors in the Soviet Union wrote a sci-fi novel about an alien visitation. In the book, called Roadside Picnic, it is suggested that extraterrestrial craft have landed on earth to conduct routine maintenance (or even perhaps for a ‘roadside picnic’) before travelling onwards to their final destination elsewhere. The areas where these craft landed are subsequently left scattered with alien litter. Strange artefacts, dangerous substances and lingering radiation pollute the landscape, and necessitate the creation of an exclusion zone around the landing site. The novel’s authors, Boris and Arkady Strugatsky, did not set this story at home, in the Soviet Union – but rather it is hinted, and later explicitly stated in Ursula K. Le Guin’s foreword for the 2012 edition, that the events of Roadside Picnic take place in Canada.
In June 2019 I visited Falcon Lake with Chris Rutkowski, a resident ufologist, and a leading authority on the Falcon Lake Incident.
We met in Winnipeg – a city that has its own tragic connection to the Los Alamos atomic tests in New Mexico. One of the first deaths by criticality accident (an uncontrolled nuclear fission chain reaction) was that of a Winnipegger. Louis Slotin was a Winnipeg-born scientist with a PhD in physical chemistry, who in 1942 was invited to work on the Manhattan Project in the US. In May 1946, he was conducting an experiment to create a controlled fission reaction by placing two hemispheres of beryllium around a plutonium core. But while separating those half-spheres his tool slipped, the upper beryllium shell fell, and it triggered a critical reaction that gave off a burst of hard radiation. The other scientists present for the experiment reported a heat wave, and a glowing blue light resulting from air ionisation.
A commemorative plaque in honour of Dr Louis Slotin. Luxton Avenue, Winnipeg.
According to the plaque that now stands in a memorial park near Slotin’s former home, on Luxton Avenue in Winnipeg, Dr Louis Slotin threw his body over the experiment to shield his colleagues from the radiation. All seven of them survived, while Slotin died nine days later in the hospital. The story has since been dramatised in a number of novels and films – and it has also been suggested that Dr Louis Slotin may have been the inspiration for the character Dr Jon Osterman, who becomes the glowing blue ‘Doctor Manhattan’ after suffering a similar accident, in Alan Moore’s Watchmen. (“The Superman exists and he’s American Canadian.”)
Roadside Picnics: Chernobyl UFOs & The Falcon Lake Incident - PART II
Roadside Picnics: Chernobyl UFOs & The Falcon Lake Incident - PART II
In the wake of the 1986 disaster, the Chernobyl Nuclear Power Plant became a hotspot for UFO sightings. While writing Chernobyl: A Stalkers’ Guide I came across a number of reports of strange aerial phenomena in the area around the plant itself, as well as over the nearby Ukrainian capital, Kyiv. Then I started digging deeper – looking at the historical connection between UFO sightings, and places associated with nuclear research and power. Eventually this led me to Canada, where I realised that a famous 1967 UFO sighting – the ‘Falcon Lake Incident’ – might actually share a surprising and uncanny connection with the Chernobyl Exclusion Zone in Ukraine.
Two hours east of Winnipeg along the Trans-Canada Highway (and not far from the former Whiteshell Nuclear Research Establishment), at the west end of Falcon Lake we arrive in a kind of seasonal resort village. There are lakeside campgrounds, a golf course and restaurants, as well as various souvenir shops selling T-shirts, mugs and keyrings branded with flying saucers and grey alien faces (‘Zeta Reticulans,’ for those in the know). Michalak didn’t make his sighting at Falcon Lake itself, but rather a little way north, beside a smaller, crescent-shaped body of water in Whiteshell Forest. It’s only a few kilometres from the highway, but the difficult path alternates between rocks and marsh – so instead of walking, our small group approaches the landing site on horseback.
The forest is still. Pelicans patiently fish the ponds and streams. At times the clatter of our horses’ hooves along the rock and shingle path is the only sound to break the hush beneath the trees. We spot piles of what looks to be bear scat in the grass.
North American White Pelican fish the waters of Whiteshell Forest, close to the location of the 1967 ‘Falcon Lake Incident.’ Beside the highway nearby are a series of campsites, restaurants, and UFO-themed souvenir shops.
At the landing site, we tether our horses in the trees. Entering the clearing beside the water, Chris Rutkowski stands on the same rock where Michalak said the craft had landed in 1967, as he talks us through the timeline of events. The forest clearing feels like a natural amphitheatre. In the late 1960s, the Falcon Lake incident was big news in the West… and the subsequent novel, written by the Strugatskys in 1971, echoed many of the same story beats. An alien craft landing for maintenance, the radioactive pollution and strange artefacts it left behind; that they also went so far as to set their story in Canada, of all places, seems like too much for coincidence. But I find myself wondering how realistic it is that the Falcon Lake story made its way into the Soviet Union, where state censors tended to be highly efficient at filtering out foreign stories and perspectives.
The Strugatskys’ friend and colleague, Polish author Stanisław Lem, wrote about alien visitations himself: The Man From Mars (1946) deals with the discovery of a downed Martian vessel on earth; in The Astronauts (1951), Lem incorporates a real world mystery into his narrative, revealing that the meteorite which caused the Tunguska event in Russia in 1908 had actually been the crash-landing of a reconnaissance ship from a Venusian invasion fleet. Stanisław Lem also read international news magazines, which at the time were not officially easy to acquire in communist Poland, and he was aware of the growing trend of UFO sightings reported in the West (though he tended to doubt them), as he revealed in a 1981 interview. So it is perhaps not a stretch to imagine that the Strugatsky brothers themselves were similarly informed on such reports, and thus might have been familiar with details of the ‘Canadian Roswell’ event at Falcon Lake in 1969. Though as neither of them is still around to ask, we’ll probably never know for sure.
Chris Rutkowski, the preeminent ufologist in Canada and an expert on the Falcon Lake Incident, giving a tour of the landing site in Whiteshell Forest.
What is known however, is the extraordinary impact that the Strugatskys’ novel, Roadside Picnic, has had in shaping the contemporary culture around Chernobyl. The book and its later Tarkovsky film adaptation, Stalker, created a cultural blueprint for the Chernobyl Zone a decade before the disaster ever happened. The illegal tourists who visit Chernobyl today call themselves ‘stalkers,’ the same name the Strugatskys coined for the trespassers who hunted for alien artefacts in the radioactive exclusion zone around their fictional UFO landing site; while numerous sites inside the Chernobyl Zone today make reference to the novel – such as the ‘Roadside Picnic Grill Bar.’ In 2007, the Ukrainian-made video game S.T.A.L.K.E.R. introduced the Strugatskys’ story to a new generation. Many of the tourists who visit Chernobyl today report that their interest in the Zone began with the S.T.A.L.K.E.R. games… but more than that, even some of the top tour directors, the people responsible for shaping the Chernobyl tourism experience, were fans of the game, and the Strugatskys’ ideas, before they ever set foot inside the Chernobyl Exclusion Zone (a fact revealed in interviews, in Chernobyl: A Stalkers’ Guide).
Beginning in the 1990s, a time when dozens of UFO sightings were suddenly being reported in the skies above a newly-independent Ukraine, Roadside Picnic provided the default template for the mystification of Chernobyl; and its story continues to shape the Chernobyl tourism experience even now. Stood beside a small, marshy lake in the forests of southern Manitoba, I wonder if it’s really possible to trace a lot of that back to an unexplained event that happened here, in May 1967.
We ride the horses back to the ranch at Falcon Lake, where the owners cook up a cowboy barbecue – steaks, baked potatoes and beans – which we eat al fresco, under the dusky early evening sky. Chris says he has something to show me. He keeps the artefact sealed inside a series of nested Tupperware containers like Matryoshka dolls. He pops open the clasps, opens the innermost container, then passes me a cool metallic object in the shape of a zigzag. It was given to him by Stefan Michalak: one of the metal artefacts found in the rocks at Falcon Lake, and alleged, by some, to be extraterrestrial in origin. One of Michalak’s “UFO droppings.” The metal is warped but smooth, like a silver door hinge bent into curious angles, and it looks slightly bubbled at the edges, as if it has been subjected to a great heat. I ask if it’s radioactive, and Chris gives a half-shrug. More than it should be, he explains: lab tests showed the metal was mostly solid silver, but with trace amounts of uranium ore in it too; just not enough to be particularly dangerous.
Returning to Falcon Lake in 1968, Stefan Michalak found slivers of metal moulded into the rocks of the landing site. Michalak described them as “UFO droppings,” and he gave this one to Chris Rutkowski as a gift.The artefact: the metal has been identified as mostly silver, and it shows above-average traces of radiation, owing to small amounts of uranium ore.
I move the object about in my hands. It is light, but satisfying to hold, and with a kind of fascinating allure about it. The stalker Redrick Schuhart, the protagonist of Roadside Picnic, had entered the alien landing site in Canada looking for the rarest artefact of all: a “Golden Sphere.” Now here I am at the end of my own expedition, holding a Silver Zigzag – and it feels like a fitting end to a very strange day.
Acknowledgements
I couldn’t have created this article on my own. Huge thanks go to Anton Lebedev, who spent many hours translating 1990s Russian-language newspaper stories for me. The 2017 book When They Appeared, by Chris Rutkowski and Stan Michalak, has been a fantastic resource on the Falcon Lake incident – and Chris has also been incredibly helpful in answering all my various questions about it since. The University of Manitoba is currently running a fundraiser – the UFOs in Canada Archival Fund – to digitise all of Chris Rutkowski’s research, including interviews and reports of Canadian UFO sightings going back many decades, and to make the whole collection publicly accessible online. This is a huge undertaking, and if that sounds interesting then perhaps you’ll consider donating to the cause.
I also owe a debt of gratitude here to the various lovely people who are supporting my work on Patreon. An article this long, and this dense, takes an incredible amount of time to research and write. I simply would not have been able to create this without your support – so thank you.
For anyone curious to visit the places mentioned in this article, I am now co-leading tours not only to the Chernobyl Exclusion Zone, but also to Falcon Lake in Manitoba. These trips are running through Atlas Obscura, and pandemic allowing, I hope to be heading back to the landing site again this summer…
In the late 1960s, a mysterious pyramid-shaped UFO was captured on video in Latvia (previously known as a federated republic within the Soviet Union). The story of this leaked video has captivated people from all over the world. It all started when the American investigative journalist George Knapp was on a quest to uncover the truth about Russia’s hidden UFO files. He was able to get in touch with the Russian government with the help of a physicist who had connections.
The Russians had been conducting a massive study of UFOs for a decade and had accumulated thousands of reports and videos. One of these videos was the pyramid-shaped UFO video shot in Latvia in 1968. Knapp obtained this confidential video and brought it to the United States. The video became significant evidence in the ongoing investigation of the UFO phenomenon.
The video shows a huge pyramid-shaped object floating in the skies over Latvia in 1968. Despite how old the footage is, its quality is incredible and shows the object hovering in the air with a beveled edge. This video was just a small part of the vast amount of information that the Ministry of Defense collected over ten years and was considered a real UFO due to its unusual features.
Knapp’s USSR visit
In the 1990s, Knapp took a journey to Soviet Russia to uncover the truth about the Unidentified Aerial Phenomenon (UAP). At that time, the Russian military tried to downplay and dismiss any claims about the existence of flying saucers. The general public was discouraged from openly discussing such topics. Still, behind closed doors, the Russian Ministry of Defense carried out what is believed to be the large-scale study on UFOs by the government in history. (Source)
An order was given by the Ministry of Defense to fully investigate every single UFO incident that was reported. Over the next ten years, thousands of cases were reported, including videos and photographs. Knapp was one of the few people who were able to gain access to hundreds of pages of previously classified UFO materials.
Pyramid-shaped UFO shot 1968 in Latvia, Russia, and ended up in its Ministry Of Defense and was smuggled and leaked by George Knapp.
In 1993 and 1996, George Knapp traveled to Russia and met with former defense officials. He gained insight into the Ministry of Defense’s study of UFOs, which was led by Colonel Boris Sokolov for a decade. According to Colonel Sokolov, there were 40 incidents where Russian warplanes chased after UFOs, which resulted in three planes crashing and two pilots losing their lives.
George Knapp also had the opportunity to speak with the long-time commander of Russia’s air defense system. The commander confirmed that he had ordered the Russian air force to stand down and not engage with UFOs over Russian airspace.
As a result of his research, George Knapp produced three reports on the Russian UFO investigations in April 1996, which were broadcasted on KLAS-TV in Las Vegas, Nevada. The reports shed light on the Russian Ministry of Defense’s extensive research on UFOs and the interesting findings they uncovered.
Report on Russian UFO Investigations
According to Knapp’s first report, aired in 1996, in the 1990s, the Russian military conducted a secret study on UFOs, with thousands of reports generated over 10 years. Retired Colonel Boris Sokolov commanded this study.
General Igor Maltsev, the former commander of the Soviet air defense system, recalls a UFO flap over Moscow in 1990, with hundreds of visual and radar observations made by military personnel. He reported 40 incidents of Russian warplanes encountering UFOs, including one collision that damaged a MIG wing and another incident where a UFO disabled a plane with a beam of light. Maltsev confirmed his standing order was not to fire on the UFOs.
In 1993, the Russian Ministry of Defense made a surprising admission – studying- UFOs was not a top priority. This sparked a journey of investigation for a Western journalist, who was granted access to hundreds of documents and photos. The journey began with an interview with the former Soviet Air Minister, the highest-ranking Russian to ever talk about UFOs with a Western journalist.
The journey led to the Russian town of Dalnegorsk, where in 1986, something like the Russian Roswell occurred. That year, a UFO incident took place in Dalnegorsk that many believe was similar to the famous Roswell incident in the United States.
The investigation into the 1986 Dalnegorsk UFO incident was a treacherous but rewarding journey for the Western journalist. Through their journey, they uncovered new information about a possible Russian Roswell and the attitudes of the Russian government toward UFO research.
Late in the evening on January 29, 1986, random eyewitnesses experienced an unbelievable sight. Over 20 people reported seeing a flying, spherical object shoot across the ground at over 120 mph. Suddenly, the object seemed to lose control and plummeted into Limestone Mountain, also referred to as Height 611. The impact was strong and led to the spherical object immediately bursting into flames, as it would remain for hours.
On December 9, 2009, a mysterious dark object in the shape of a quadrangular pyramid, which is said to be up to a mile wide, was seen in the sky above Kremlin in Moscow. Two amateur-filmed clips, one shot at night from a car and one during the day, had been circulating on Russian television news channels and became popular on the Internet. (Source)
The object was reportedly seen hovering for hours over Red Square in Moscow. Still, the identity of the shape was not confirmed, and Russian reports ruled out the possibility of it being a UFO. Police declined to comment on the matter. However, a former Ministry of Defence UFO analyst Nick Pope stated that it is “one of the most extraordinary UFO clips” he had ever seen. A spokesman for aerospace journal Jane’s News said: “We have no idea what it is.”
Many videos have been documenting pyramid-shaped UFOs over the years, including the recent footage from 2019 that showed multiple triangle-shaped objects pulsing in the sky. This has led to speculation and debates among UFO enthusiasts and experts.
Some people believe the 2019 footage could be a more advanced version of the technology seen in a 1968 video. Although there is ample video evidence of these UFO sightings, only recently have people started to take notice and discuss them. This could be due to growing interest in the UFO phenomenon and increased media coverage.
Mysterious 'UFO base' on mountain in US known for missing people is new alien hotspot
Mysterious 'UFO base' on mountain in US known for missing people is new alien hotspot
The CIA has never confirmed the alien base, however, the declassified documents allege that there are 'alien bases' in Alaska, Africa, or South America, and on Titan, Saturn's largest moon.
BY Alexandra Snow
Mount Hayes sits within the Alaskan Triangle
A famed locale from declassified CIA papers is now a buzzing hub forUFO enthusiasts, as Mount Hayes in Alaska witnesses a boom in eerie sightings of enigmatic unidentified flying objects.
Towering at a lofty 8,000 ft, Mount Hayes lies within the so-called 'Alaskan Triangle' – a zone cutting through Juneau, Anchorage, and Utqiagvik (formerly Barrow), peppered with dense woodlands, icy pinnacles, and vast expanses of frosty tundra.
Whilst the CIA has never rubber-stamped any extraterrestrial activity, declassified files suggest the existence of 'alienbases' across Alaska, Africa, South America, and even on Titan, Saturn's most colossal moon. The Alaskan region in question is notorious for baffling vanishing acts and airborne anomalies, often brushed off as military tech.
Documents calling it the 'base' stem from interviews with an alleged 'remote viewer'
But now, locals are reporting swift-moving orbs and spooky disappearances that have lit up the official UAP (Unidentified Aerial Phenomena) Map.
Ex-security officer Jared Augustin relayed to DMAX UK his own close encounter, where he witnessed a solitary orb split into three in the skies. "It was a UFO, of extraterrestrial origin," declared Augustin, recounting how he stood petrified during the spectacle.
These reports have sparked a flurry of activity on Google Maps, with people trying to pinpoint the exact location of this mysterious base. YouTube has been flooded with videos discussing the topic, with many sharing their theories about the potential 'base'.
Even the Travel and History channels have jumped on the bandwagon in recent months.
The mountain, where over 20,000 individuals have vanished amidst bizarre reports of 'vortexes,' 'flying objects,' and 'little men,' has long been a hotbed for conspiracy theories and suspected alien activity that may forever remain a mystery.
The CIA documents referencing the 'base' stem from interviews with an alleged 'remote viewer' who claimed to 'sense' objects. This individual was part of a government programme known as STARGATE, which experimented with so-called 'psychics'.
The area has now become a hotspot for UFO sightings
This, coupled with local sightings and a near-miss incident involving a government pilot, has fuelled speculation, despite some questioning the credibility of such claims. Some even suggest they've spotted 'openings' that could lead to this supposed lab.
In 1986, Captain Kenju Terauchi of Japan Airlines Flight 1628 reported an eerie encounter with two "mysterious lights trailing their plane over Alaska."
tailing their aircraft over Alaska. The strange objects were verified by both onboard and ground radar, shadowing the flight before vanishing into thin air.
Terauchi claimed to have spotted a gigantic craft dwarfing their Boeing 747, an incident that sparked intrigue and allegedly cost him his job.
The region is also notorious for a high number of missing persons and abduction tales. Researcher Ken Gerhard shared with the History Channel: "What I found when I was doing my research in the Alaskan Triangle was that a number of these missing person cases legitimately could not be solved."
He elaborated: "This wasn't just a case of someone being mauled by a bear or falling into a crevasse, I mean, these were often people that were going about their daily lives. They weren't out on some grand adventure and yet ultimately, they disappeared for no good reason,".
While many attribute these mysteries to harsh weather conditions and frequent winter storms, others speculate that the inclement weather could provide the perfect camouflage for a U.S. or extraterrestrial base. Reddit is currently buzzing with posts from users sharing their theories about the potential 'base,' with many citing 'dark spots' or inconsistent satellite imagery as evidence.
However, Alaska isn't the sole hotspot for those intrigued by extraterrestrial life. The United States Air Force base in southern Nevada is a magnet for UFO sightings, fuelling speculation among conspiracy theorists that the government is harbouring alien beings at the site.
The rumour mill has gone into overdrive online following the apparent discovery of a new structure at Area 51. This US Air Force base in southern Nevada is synonymous with reports of unidentified flying objects, leading many to suspect that it's a secret refuge for alien life.
The recent spotting of a triangular tower on Google Maps has sent these theorists into a frenzy, sharing their hypotheses across the internet.
Sightings of UFOs may challenge our entire worldview, but the facts are too compelling to ignore, and they’re not going away. So, it’s time to wash off the sticky stigma and engage in serious discussion about the evidence, and its implications.
Most UFO sightings are attributable to man-made objects like experimental aircraft or satellites, innocent misidentifications of Venus and other celestial objects, or outright hoaxes. However, we now know that in a minority of cases, there appears to be something else going on: something quite extraordinary and beyond our current comprehension.
According to the U.S. Department of Defense, there are objects of unknown origin, evidently under intelligent control, which behave in ways that seem to challenge our understanding of physics. These objects don’t just “fly” without any apparent lift surfaces or means of propulsion; according to some military testimony, they would appear to be the fastest technological objects on Earth, capable of accelerating so quickly that they should create sonic booms, superheat the air around them into a glowing plasma, and instantly kill any occupants on board.
Instead, they silently maneuver with perfect agility through the atmosphere and, according to some eyewitness reports, underwater, as if basic rules of inertia and friction simply don’t apply to them.
There’s general acknowledgment that these phenomena have been documented in America since at least the late 1940s, and probably much earlier. Hence, many longtime UFO advocates, as well as those newer to the subject, are now asking why it has taken 70 years for government offices to openly regard UFOs as a subject of serious inquiry. This is a question that deserves a lengthy public discussion.
Today, serious researchers are beginning–sometimes grudgingly–to admit that UFOs (or UAPs if you prefer the rebranded version) are a valid area of study, and pockets of scientific enthusiasm are emerging. After theNew York Timesmade the revelation of a secret Pentagon UFO study theirfront page story, the Department of Defensesubsequently admittedthatleaked UFO videoswere in fact real (and that it has others it’s not showing us). Since that time, aNASA UFO research initiativeheaded by Princeton’s former chair of astronomy has been launched, former Harvard astronomerAvi Loeb’s Galileo Projectwants to determine if the strange phenomena are extraterrestrial. The Pentagon’s All-domain Anomaly Resolution Office is now investigating UFO phenomena across all the branches of the military; the US Navy hasrevised its protocolsto counterstigmasagainst UFO reporting and encourage sighting reports by pilots (like this one); and there have been briefings in theUS SenateandHouseregarding themore than 650 sightingsnow being studied by AARO, marking an almost singular point of bipartisanship in a traditionally fractured Congress.
This explosion of interest and influx of expertise, credibility, and funding into UFO research will create a flow of ideas between old-hat UFO researchers and establishment newcomers to the subject. As some scientific communities shift to incorporate the nascently-legitimate subject of UFO research, they may have to accommodate elements of the other’s conceptual frameworks, methodologies, and research agendas, and this will require questioning old assumptions about what sort of evidence actually exists and how to interpret it. Likewise, it is the perfect moment for UFO-interested folks to pause and evaluate their own assumptions about the subject, many of which seem to have been in place since the very beginning of the Flying Saucer craze that in 1947 began simultaneously in bothAmericaandCanada. As career researchers and academics (like me) join the conversation, the contours of the conversation itself will inevitably shift–I think for the better.
How I Came to the Subject, and What I Noticed as a Newcomer
My own journey down the UFO rabbit hole began one day early in 2019. As I flipped through a catalog from Oxford University Press, one title, in particular, jumped out at me: American Cosmic: UFOs, Religion, Technology by Diana Walsh Pasulka, a tenured professor of religion at the University of North Carolina. What surprised me most was that the blurb in the catalog suggested the author thought that it was not merely the UFO believers that were interesting, but that the phenomenon itself was worth serious attention. I promptly ordered a copy, and once it arrived I spent the next few days absorbed in the most bizarre piece of nonfiction I’d ever read.
The UFO enthusiasts Pasulka spent the most time with–two men she dubbed “James” and “Tyler” to preserve their anonymity–were both experiencers of the phenomenon. However, they weren’t tinfoil-hat-waring obsessives; they were scientists and academics, and not long after her book was published, a prodigious Stanford biomedical scientist named Garry Nolan revealed that he was the man referred to in the text as “James”. Around the same time, members of Reddit, by perusing the Vatican archive visitors’ log for the days Pasulka and “Tyler” visited, discovered that the latter appears to have been Timothy Taylor, founder of Endius.
Screenshot from the Vatican Observatory 2017 Annual Report
(Vatican Observatory).
What I found as I slipped into the deep end of the pool of UFO research was that, first, there is no shallow end. It’s deep ends everywhere you go, and once you clear away the debris of obvious hoaxes and non-evidential sightings, every drop in the pool–that is, every case warranting sustained attention–is a little ocean with its own perplexing depths where nothing is what it at first seems to be. The important facts of each case are often so embedded in the commentaries and interpretations that have grown around them that it’s difficult to consider them separately from the belief systems of the UFO community itself.
Questioning Common Sense With Relation to UFOs
Like all communities defined by a belief system, over time the most important beliefs become accepted so widely that they eventually feel too obvious even to mention. It’s similar to the way we don’t ever point out that murder isn’t nice; beliefs like these are accepted so widely and deeply that they pass out of consciousness altogether to some deeper place, where they operate out of sight.
We are born into an atmosphere of these powerful but unspoken beliefs, and we adopt them not by reasoning about the evidence for or against them; rather, we simply accept them as part of the foundation of beliefs that we need in order to do any reasoning at all. If reasoning were a game of chess, these beliefs wouldn’t be pieces in the game or moves made by players: they’d be the board.
These beliefs–the ones paradoxically so obvious that they’re invisible–are what some people in my field call ideology. The word is sometimes used pejoratively, but the fact is that everyone has an ideology. Questioning a person’s foundational beliefs can be so uncomfortable that it feels like an existential threat, and we respond defensively, even violently. Likewise, if we encounter any idea that flatly contradicts our foundational beliefs, it will seem patently false and absurd.
These responses to strange new ideas are, of course, mistakes. Different people can have wildly different belief systems. And our familiarity or comfort with a belief is not evidence of its truth.
If we’re concerned with uncovering the actual truth of the world outside our skulls, it’s essential that we sometimes do the very uncomfortable work of identifying and questioning the assumptions about the world that feel most comfortable and sensible to us. It’s the only way to ensure we’re not trapped in an echo chamber, looking for a truth hidden in one of our ideological blind spots.
What I’m proposing we all do regarding our ideas about UFOs is not so much taking a new perspective or “thinking outside the box”, but thinking about the box itself, by turning our eyes away from the problem at hand, to take a look at the constraints, expectations, and assumptions we bring to the problem in the first place, to see how they might be limiting or obstructing our attempts to solve the problem we’ve set within them, and to ask how we might construct a better box. As with most good ideas, the philosopher Friedrich Nietzsche said it best, capturing my suggestion in his dictum that “Whatever wobbles, you should push.”
And this is exactly what I think the UFO community should do right now, in light of the growth of attention and collaboration regarding the topic. Shaking up the community’s ideology, and pushing at the wobbly bits will help identify areas ripe for creative thought, and will make collaboration more smooth and transparent. We may even surprise ourselves once we all lay our ideological cards on the table.
To us take a few first steps in this direction, I’ve identified four assumptions that seem to me to act as a kind of ideological orthodoxy among experiencers and researchers, and even among everyday people who maintain a quiet interest in the subject. These assumptions, I think, have their roots in our shared experience of Western culture and its worldview with relation to UFOs, from our suspicions toward governments to familiar tropes from science fiction stories to Hollywood’s speculative depictions of our intergalactic neighbors. When it comes to asking serious questions about the unknown, though, we need better foundations than these, and building those foundations starts with deconstructing our current ones.
Four Assumptions About UFOs Worth Prodding
I’ve noticed four basic assumptions prevalent among UFO researchers and enthusiasts, as well as the general public that, as a philosopher, I think deserve some prodding.
1. Assumption One: The Supremacy of ETH
The first culture-wide assumption that, as a philosopher, I think deserves a close look is the one that, at first glance, seems most sensible; this is the assumption that the most obvious explanation for real UFOs is also the best one: that they’re extraterrestrial craft, under the control of intelligent extraterrestrial beings. This idea, often called the Extraterrestrial Hypothesis (or ETH for short), seems to come to mind spontaneously for nearly everyone when they think of UFOs (including me). But, after a lot of reflection, as far as I can tell, it’s not our brains’ automatic first choice because there is really strong evidence that ETH is a better explanation than any other. Rather, I think it’s our default assumption because most of us don’t think outside the possibilities presented to us in science fiction.
The consequence is that most of us aren’t even aware that the Extra-Terrestrial Hypothesis (ETH), with its either/or logic of “ if it’s not humans, then it must be ETs”, is certainly not the only plausible explanation for these phenomena. There are other views that deserve serious consideration. One possibility is that there is some natural process that occupies some unknown area of physics, and that can mimic intelligent behavior. This may sound far-fetched, but we already know of other natural phenomena that seem to behave in inexplicably intelligent ways: unintelligent slime molds can solve mazes and can even reproduce maps of Tokyo’s railway system. Similarly, totally blind evolutionary processes produce biological objects that seem like the product of design by intelligence. Perhaps some UFOs are themselves natural phenomena that simply seem to behave with intelligence. This of course leaves the question of how they defy our understanding of physics, but it’s a start.
Another possibility is that UFOs are a special kind of mental phenomenon that can manifest in visible, external ways. Some Renaissance scientists studying the eye pointed out that it had the same structure as a projector, and reckoned that the eye might sometimes work in reverse, projecting light to create external images, rather than receiving light and turning it into mental images.
Fig 1. Oculus arteficialis from Elementa Opticae et Perspectivae by Jan-FransThysbaert, public domain. Just as a speaker is a microphone that works in reverse, the eye is a projector that works in reverse.
Fig 2. Aerial perspective, by Johann Zahn, Oculus artificialis teledioptricus sive telescopium, 1702, public domain.
We can be confident today that this particular phenomenon isn’t real, but arguably stranger phenomena are now well-established realities. From robots controlled entirely by brain waves to machines that can render our dreams in visible images, technologies are allowing the contents of our minds to have a powerful presence in the world outside our heads. None of this even mentions theories of reality that totally throw into question the distinction between the “internal” and “external” world–ideas like the Simulation Hypothesis and holographic theories of the universe.
Another alternative to the ETH put forward by one of the most credentialed and intellectually rigorous UFO investigators out there, Jacques Vallée, is that reality itself has within it some fundamental mechanism for disrupting our certainty about the world. This mechanism, he theorizes, kicks in at opportune moments to manifest weirdness that is calculated, often humorously, to mystify us into wonder or incomprehension. For Vallée, who calls his theory the “Control System Hypothesis”, reality itself may be a trickster whose purpose is to nudge our collective consciousness in ways that encourage society to develop in particular ways.
As bizarre as this idea sounds, it’s not one that Vallée brought into his research into UFOs, but rather a notion he began to formulate after decades of flying around the world, personally investigating reported encounters and interviewing experiencers. By his own account, he was initially persuaded by the ETH, but case by case, he became convinced that the details simply didn’t add up to an extraterrestrial explanation. He found that, when experiencers were allowed to describe the details of their encounters as they experienced them, rather than simply responding to standard data-collection questions about the size and shape of craft, number, and arrangement of lights, etc., these sane, intelligent experiencers who shunned publicity and sought no personal gain, recalled details that are flatly absurd. The occupants of UFOs disembark for no other apparent reason than to argue with witnesses about what the time is, or to offer bystanders pancakes. Such encounters seem intentionally surreal to Vallée as if they were constructed in order to mystify experiencers with their absurdity.
Another category of (quasi) encounters with UFOs that is rife with the absurd is the category of reported alien abductions. Abduction reports often describe beings who, despite obviously possessing ultra-sophisticated technology, inflict pseudo-medical “examinations” upon abductees using tools and methods that would be laughable for their medieval silliness if they weren’t so traumatizing for those who report these experiences.
The bizarre details of abduction encounters make them easy to dismiss out of hand, but it’s probably a mistake to ignore these reports. Pulitzer Prize-winner and then-chair of psychiatry at Harvard, John Mack, spent over a decade conducting hundreds of hours of interviews with self-identified abductees. In the end, he published collaborations with other psychiatrists, and severalrelatedbooks in which he reached three firm conclusions: 1) the people he interviewed were not crazy, 2) they were not lying, and 3) the only thing they seemed to have in common was the fact that they reported being abducted. Simply put, these sane, otherwise normal people really believed these things had happened to them.
You may, at this point, decide that we have strayed too far from respectable scientific speculation; Mack’s colleagues at Harvard suspected the same of him, and, in an attempt to oust him and formally discredit the incredible conclusions he drew, they descended upon his work with a formal investigation, the first Harvard had ever conducted upon one of its own faculty members. Their investigation alleged that Mack had committed gross professional irresponsibility by “communicat[ing], in any way whatsoever, to a person who has reported a ‘close encounter’ with an extraterrestrial life form that this experience might well have been real”. For fourteen months the team of Harvard professors pored over piles of Mack’s notes, data, and recorded interviews before they were finally forced to conclude that, despite a few methodological criticisms, there was no basis to deny the credibility of his work. Harvard subsequently declared that Mack–a man who publicly argued for the reality of abduction cases– was, and always had been, a member of Harvard’s faculty in good standing and that his scholarship was worthy of one of the greatest universities in the world.
Mack openly acknowledged that the abduction phenomenon is “some kind of psychological, spiritual experience” that is “both literally and physically happening”, and speculated that the events were “originating, perhaps, in another dimension.” He never made the surreal absurdities of abduction encounters a focal point of his study, but he left us with good reasons to believe these experiences were genuine–absurdities and all–which means the absurdity at the heart of many UFO and abduction encounters still requires an explanation. Vallée’s hypothesis seems, to a degree, like an attempt to address some of the questions raised by Mack’s research.
A totally different approach to understanding the incredible and sometimes absurd facts of the UFO phenomenon–an approach I call the “missing concepts” view–would be to consider that, if UFOs are the work of other intelligent beings, they are almost certainly the product of beings who have forms of experience, conceptual categories, and kinds of activities, and aims that would be incomprehensibly foreign to us. Our current relationship to the phenomena may then be akin to a race of intelligent, but totally blind aliens who have found and are trying to understand a human-made kaleidoscope. UFO phenomena, in other words, may be conceptually incomprehensible to us both in how they work, and what their basic purpose is. Our mental toolbox may be missing some of the essential concepts that are necessary for describing the phenomena, even at a rudimentary level, the way intelligent beings without a concept of visual experience simply can’t theorize their way to a good explanation of a kaleidoscope.
Each of these hypotheses—Vallee’s “control system”, the possibility that some are exotic but natural intelligence-mimicking phenomena, that they’re somehow of terrestrial origin, or that UFOs are currently conceptually incomprehensible–all deserve consideration alongside the ETH, and we should be trying to design many other new hypotheses too, along with empirical tests to eliminate them if they don’t fit the evidence. The standard assumption that any legitimate UFOs are extraterrestrial craft shouldn’t simply be discarded, but it should be tested alongside these other hypotheses.
2. Assumption Two: The Unity of The Phenomena of UFOs
The second assumption that seems to underlie nearly every conversation about UFOs is the belief that these unexplained phenomena are each individual manifestations of a single root phenomenon; that they’re all ultimately the same kind of thing and so, whatever the explanation may be, we only need one explanation. Like all assumptions, this is rarely stated, but I’ve yet to come across anyone who wants to distinguish between types of UFOs for the purpose of attributing unrelated causes to them.
When we’re trying to explain a collection of distinct phenomena spread across space and time, each with its own unique, noteworthy features, the best default assumption is that there are multiple distinct causes at play. The body of documented UFO phenomena includes glowing orbs, military encounters with craft-like objects, accounts of human and humanoid creatures, massive air battles among flying objects of wildly varying descriptions, and celestial apparitions, to name a few. This raises a serious methodological question: how do we draw the boundaries to define UFOs in the first place? How, for instance, are we to distinguish in every case between religious or mystical encounters–like the 1917 events at Fatima, Portugal–and more “normal” UFO encounters, with which they share some important features? This question becomes even more complex when we consider that experiencers can interpret the same details very differently depending on their worldview.
What is needed is for us to develop a rigorous, standardized taxonomy of the different kinds of encounters according to both empirical and subjective elements, and then to consider, for each type, which explanation fits with and explains the data best. There’s no good reason to assume, in the face of so much perplexing evidence, that there’s really only one kind of weird thing going on.
3. Assumption Three: The Consistency of The Government
Another idea joined at the hip of nearly every discussion about UFOs is the belief that The Government (usually the US) has probably already solved the mystery, and they’re playing dumb. The reasoning is clear: how could a technological superpower with a military spanning the globe not know what’s behind these phenomena, especially given the serious national security implications of strange objects in our airspace?
The heart of this suspicion is an assumption that the government–and here it’s more like The Government–is unified enough that it can harbor within itself a kind of secret society that spans its various branches and bureaus and operates effectively, and in secret. However, take a cursory glance at any major government project (and here, again, I am thinking especially of the US Government); whether it’s an interstate system, national healthcare, public education, taxation, natural disaster response, or even passing an annual budget, one will quickly conclude that our governments very often lack the unity required for accomplish even their most fundamental tasks.
This is just the nature of the beast: a large group comprising various ideologies tasked with pursuing multiple complexes and often competing goals is always at the risk of fracturing from internal stress, at which point it may be unable to accomplish even its day-to-day duties. Any system constantly fighting the tides of such internal stresses is almost certainly incapable of perpetrating a coordinated, decades-long, system-wide coverup of the most important truths humanity has ever known. If we consider that there are also thousands of dogged and competent journalists sniffing for corruption, ethically motivated insiders ready to blow the whistle, and hundreds of other governments with their own messy innards and competing interests, it is possible, at most, to believe that single incidents–maybe even massively important ones–could be concealed if they fell under the purview of a single office or bureau, but the possibility that large numbers of people across multiple, often-quarrelsome governments have cooperatively succeeded at suppressing monumental truths about our place in the universe for decades seems vanishingly small.
We would be better off avoiding attributing such awesome power and competence to our governments, and instead, adopt a more nuanced conception of governments that sees them not as unified wholes, but as loose collections of bureaus that cooperate or share information with one another when it serves their individual interests, but often operate with disregard or outright antagonism toward one another. A more accurate picture of the situation would then emerge, one in which the UFO phenomenon is a very large jigsaw puzzle of which each government likely only possesses a few pieces, which are then scattered across that government’s chain of island-like bureaus and offices, which are not particularly cooperative with each other, and so may not even acknowledge that they have any of the pieces, or that the puzzle is even real.
4. Assumption Four: The Inevitability of Disclosure
There is, however, a growing acknowledgment that the puzzle of UFOs is “real”, and this appears, at least for some within the UFO community, to confirm a long-held belief so important it verges on the prophetic: the belief that many of those in power –usually government officials– already know what is really behind these phenomena, and that a day of Disclosure is coming when the weight of the evidence and public concern about UFOs will become so great that it breaks down the wall of silence. On that day, the government will admit it has known for a long time that UFOs are real and that they’re not terrestrial in origin.
Disclosure is usually conceived as the end result of a grass-roots effort: there will come a moment when the UFO community accumulates enough of its own evidence and public demand for the truth grows strong enough. Then the veil will fall and the government will come clean to the public about what it knows and the world will simply believe because the truth will be so unambiguous that no interpretation is required to understand it.
The fourth assumption I want to interrogate concerns this supposedly-inevitable result of disclosure. The deluge of government revelations is expected by many to be a watershed moment that brings about the global realization that we are not alone in the universe and that we can no longer pretend to occupy its center. This will be a moment of enlightenment that unites humanity with a shared truth that transcends our differences. The utopian vision of disclosure is founded upon a single essential, but hidden, assumption: that there is a kind of evidence so powerful that when it is presented to any sane, reasonable person, they will be convinced and draw the same conclusion. In this case, it is the belief that there’s some kind of evidence that, upon revelation, would overwhelmingly convince the global public that we’re not alone in the universe.
There is, however, no such evidence. In fact, there never could be.
This may seem like an odd claim, and maybe you feel inclined to reply, “Look, I guarantee that if a fleet of UFOs showed up at the White House, the whole world would believe”. But this would only prove that clear evidence doesn’t compel belief the way we tend to think, because, as it turns out, sightings of UFOs have already been reported at the White House on multiple occasions. Similar cases, like the time a UFO forced Chicago’s O’Hare airport to shut down one of its terminals, led to the launch of an investigation by a civilian aviation safety organization in 2006. But events like these just didn’t seem to move the needle of public belief, perhaps because the public is committed to a version of reality that leaves little room to take seriously the hard evidence for phenomena that we don’t already have an explanation for. The result is that we shrug, assume there’s some non-weird explanation we’re missing, and go on with our business.
This is just the very nature of evidence though, regardless of whether it’s everyday people or professional scientists; evidence is neverabsolutelycompelling. Here I am importing a concept from the philosophy of science called “underdetermination.” For philosophers of science, it is a well-known adage that theories are always underdetermined by the evidence. This means that, while a set of evidence might strongly support one theory, there will always be an array of other, totally different theories that could account equally well for that same set of evidence. It follows that, no matter how concrete or well-documented the evidence may be, evidence cannot ever conclusively compel us to accept any particular theory over all of the others.
To illustrate, consider a theory that you almost certainly hold. You don’t believe minotaurs are real. That is, you deny Minotaur Theory (a belief in minotaurs, which we’ll call MT) in favor of No Minotaur Theory (NMT). Now, try to imagine some set of evidence that, if it were shown to you, would force you to abandon NMT and accept MT. You might say that, if a minotaur walked into the room you’re in right now and said “Hi. I’m a minotaur”, you’d give up NMT and accept MT. Maybe you would, but would you have to? Is there no other option? Couldn’t you hold on to NMT, and instead believe that something very serious had gone wrong in your brain? Or that you’d been the unwitting victim of a Darren Brown TV special? Or that someone had dosed your coffee with a potent hallucinogen? Or that you’ve died and gone to some very confusing hell?
As with minotaurs, so it is with UFOs, and everything else. While you might be able to specify the evidence that would convince you to conclude, say, that extraterrestrials are behind some UFO phenomena, there is simply no possible set of evidence that would persuade every rational person, regardless of their belief system, to accept the same conclusion
Those who’ve noticed the American public’s inability to agree on any consensus reality will understand: if flying saucers landed on the promenade of the United Nations headquarters, and lanky gray-skinned humanoids emerged with greetings from Venus, some people would believe what they saw at face value. But millions would also believe it was a hoax perpetrated by global super-elites, or a deep fake operation, or a demonic apparition, and any further evidence would only challenge them to elaborate, and thereby strengthen their beliefs.
It may be worth hoping that government disclosure will one day solve the mystery of UFOs for us all by making the truth clear, especially given how confused and divided we all are. Imagine a moment of reprieve from the turmoil of the world. But believing that it will actually happen is philosophically naive. There’s no topic or evidence with the power to cut through our ideological divisions, and ideological shifts, when they happen, tend to take generations. This is what will happen if solid evidence of UFOs continues to gain public attention, so the UFO community should begin now to reflect on how to frame evidence in ways that appeal to various belief systems so that the growth of public awareness brings more viewpoints and novel ideas into the community.
The UFO community faces a challenging paradox: On the one hand, it must maintain a kind of social unity in the face of skeptics who dismiss the subject out of hand, without considering the evidence. On the other, it must avoid the sort of intellectual unity that demands acceptance of a single viewpoint, and instead seek out new ideas and viewpoints to prevent stagnation and cultivate the diversity of ideas that make for a thriving intellectual ecosystem.
Conclusion
For my part, I hope the community flourishes. When it comes to exploring the unexplained, the danger is never that we will entertain too many ideas but too few. I think that reflecting on our assumptions and destabilizing the ideas that feel most familiar and sensible is the best way to spur the kind of broad, collaborative thinking that the community needs as we see more and more public acknowledgment that these exciting and bewildering phenomena are real. Because, whatever else they may be, they are undoubtedly an invitation to joyfully expand our openness to the unknown and to the possible.
Michael Glawson, Ph.D., is a writer, researcher, and consultant with extensive experience. He served as a professor at the University of South Carolina, Georgia State University, and the College of Charleston for over ten years. During his tenure, he taught philosophy courses on logic, technology, and science & religion, as well as ethics courses for medical students, and engineers.
Dr. Glawson has made scholarly contributions in philosophy of religion, philosophy of technology, pedagogy, and corporate ethics. As a teacher he co-created one of the United States’ pioneering engineering ethics curricula, which has empowered thousands of STEM students to pursue technical careers while upholding their core values. As a consultant, he developed a corporate ethics curriculum adopted by numerous government agencies and Fortune 500 companies.
In a recent release of documents obtained via FOIA case 23-F-0946, new information has surfaced surrounding the media-nicknamed “UFO Whistleblower,” David Grusch. Grusch, who has claimed to have knowledge regarding “non-human intelligence”—believed by many to refer to extraterrestrial beings—had madeheadlines with his story, yet a crucial piece of the puzzle seemed elusive: his Defense Office of Prepublication and Security Review (DOPSR) submission that he, and the media, often references.
The Black Vault has extensively highlighted the absence of Grusch’s actual approved DOPSR submission. While Grusch remained tight-lipped, a FOIA request filed by The Black Vault has now shed light on the matter from the Department of Defense’s end. Although the recent release still leaves many questions unanswered due to significant redactions, it does provide a more comprehensive picture of how everything went down.
David Grusch
From the documents, it’s evident that Grusch submitted two DOPSR requests for review. The first, an “Interview Question Submission”, was sent on March 7, 2023. His second, a “future” interview question submission, was sent less than a month later on April 5, 2023. Both submissions received approval on April 4, 2023, and April 6, 2023, respectively. Strangely, the responses to Grusch’s interview questions, the most awaited details, were redacted under exemption (b)(6), shielding them from the public eye. This exemption, as stated in the FOIA response letter, protects information that, “…would constitute a clearly unwarranted invasion of the personal privacy of individuals.”
The internal correspondence within the DOD also adds a bit to the story. Security Review Specialist Michelle Whigham expressed concerns regarding vague references made by Grusch about certain “sensitive areas.” Her apprehension was clear in her message to her colleague, Don Kluzik, where she stated, “Although he does not divulge specific sensitive information, the author makes reference to sensitive areas. I just wanted you to review.” Kluzik stated in his response, “Vague references to sensitive areas like this are not a problem. If there had been something more substantial then further review would have been necessary.”
With the answers being redacted in the DOPSR paperwork that Grusch wrote for approval, it is only a guess on what “vague” references and locations they are referring to.
The released documents beg a more significant question: If the DOD has provided a portion of the material, albeit redacted, why hasn’t Grusch shown his requests in full? Such transparency would only bolster his credibility. But by the email exchange above within DOPSR, it seemed like nothing was of detailed note that caused any concern whatsoever, except for “vague” references to facilities which were no problem to them. What else was in the request?
To date, although Grusch’s DOPSR material was referenced in each of his news interviews, and at the UAP hearing, it has yet to be released by Grusch despite being fully cleared for “Open Publication” by DOPSR. Why he has not released it to date remains a mystery. Past attempts by The Black Vault in June of this year to contact Mr. Grusch’s attorney, Charles McCullough, specifically asking about the DOPSR material have remain unanswered.
Note: The Black Vault will be filing an appeal to argue the redactions.
In May, Sean Kirkpatrick, the director of the Department of Defense’s All-domain Anomaly Resolution Office (AARO), reported that approximately 2% to 5% of UAP sightings appear to represent genuine anomalies. GEIPAN, the unit of the French Space Agency CNES tasked with studying UAPs, reports similar percentages for a subset of its investigations.
As is consistently shown by the re-investment into UAP research on the part of our national security apparatus, the nature of anomalous UAP sightings appears to warrant further investigation. However, this sentiment is not a new one.
Writing for the RAND Corporation in 1968, George Kucher studied the UFO phenomenon and its implications in a report titled “UFOs: What to Do?” which analyzed the phenomenon and called for a centralized reporting program to understand which of nine stated explanations—from novel physical phenomena to extraterrestrial probes—was likeliest to be correct.
The possibility that some UAP could represent extraterrestrial craft was as tantalizing for Kucher in 1968 as it is today. An opinion piece recently published by The Hill discussed present-day reports of anomalous spherical objects that appear to share similar attributes with UAP accounts that date as far back as the 1940s. The author, Marik Von Rennenkampff, then makes a startling assertion: “According to Kirkpatrick, this highly anomalous range of attributes amounts to a UAP profile – a ‘target package’ – that AARO is ‘out hunting for.’”
Given Kirkpatrick’s mention of a UAP “target package” and the existence of anomalous attributes in at least a small percentage of modern sightings, three follow-up questions come to mind. First, are there any grounded theories or evidence to suggest UAPs might be extraterrestrial in origin? Second, if we entertain the extraterrestrial hypothesis, why would UAP reports convey only “anomalies” in sensor and other data rather than appearing as unambiguous structured craft? Third, if we assume for a moment that these anomalies are stealth probes of some kind, what might their observed behaviors suggest about their objectives?
Here, we explore the possibility that some portions of the truly anomalous UAP sightings could be produced by stealth-driven extraterrestrial probes imbued with artificial intelligence (AI) and a complex camouflage system. Given the limitations of our current detection methods, the nature of these UAP sightings suggests that there might indeed be more going on than what can currently be perceived.
Interstellar Machines
Regarding our first question, it is plausible that an extraterrestrial civilization would conclude out of necessity, as humans did in our early efforts to explore the cosmos, that intelligent machines – not manned craft – offer the most robust way to explore the galactic neighborhood. Machines don’t require creaturely necessities, nor do they tire out, grow old, or easily break down under the harshness of interstellar space.
Initial machines might start as craft akin to Voyager 1 or semi-autonomous rovers like Perseverance on Mars. As technology advances, craft such as these would likely be updated to include sophisticated AI capabilities and may be leveraged into a spacecraft swarm that could spread through a solar system, while nano-scale craft may depart for nearby exoplanets. Eventually, newer models might approximate self-replicating Von Neumann probes. These might be, in the words of Professor Allen Tough, “small smart interstellar probes,” which would have advanced AI and the necessary suite of capabilities to arrive at an exoplanet. Such advanced models, like Tough’s probes, have been predicted to arrive before early-generation models.
Writing for The Astronomical Journal in 2019, James Benford explored the idea of “lurkers,” or extraterrestrial probes designed to “observe Earth while not being easily seen.” He suggested that lurkers could be hiding in our solar system, possibly positioned in stable locations, such as at Lagrange points. However, if these probes are sufficiently advanced and have the requisite technologies and interest, we believe they might choose to explore an exoplanet instead of keeping at a distance.
One compelling reason a probe might come to Earth is to learn about our species in advance of making contact. An AI probe might need to gather a lot of information to understand how to communicate, much like an anthropologist working in the field. But unlike an anthropologist dealing with another human community, this AI probe might face a seemingly impossible barrier: how to bridge the communication divide between humanity and an extraterrestrial species.
Published in 1998, Dr. Douglas Vakoch considers the “Incommensurability Problem” of communication between humanity and extraterrestrial species. In this, while physics and mathematics are assumed to be universal, terrestrial and extraterrestrial civilizations would have different models of reality and so would need to find a different way to reach each other. Dr. Vakoch argues for the use of icons over symbols, while contemporary scholars such as Professor Avi Loeb consider the possibility that AI systems from both species could form a communication bridge in the form of an AI emissary.
One might imagine an emissary from late Bronze Age Egypt who would have spent more time either in transit or visiting distant civilizations, such as Cyprus, Canaan, or Mycenaean Greece. Similarly, an AI emissary would invest considerable effort into learning to navigate star systems and, after that, learning – while on-planet – about the alien civilization it found itself in contact with.
Anomalous Phenomena
From this, we can try to answer our second question. If UAPs were truly of extraterrestrial origin, why would they show up as anomalies? Given the barriers of alienness, an AI probe would likely need significant time to observe us to train itself on our data, perhaps as it waited for us to create our own emissary. During this time, stealth capabilities would essentially promote its survival. Intentional obfuscation would help explain the anomalous nature of UAP sightings. We believe, given the large geographical range of sightings coupled with the lack of detections of obvious craft, that if some UAPs are truly of extraterrestrial origin, there might be several stealth extraterrestrial artificial intelligence probes (SEAPs) operating on our planet.
The covert nature of SEAPs might also answer Enrico Fermi’s famous question: “Where is everybody?” The Fermi Paradox highlights the contrast between the vast number of hypothetically habitable planets and our current lack of evidence for extraterrestrial civilizations. Various resolutions to the Fermi Paradox have been proposed, from barriers to technological progress, self-destruction, or avoidance, to a human-zoo theory. We think that the presence of SEAPs would also satisfy this paradox, although this remains speculative and would need significant research and funding to assess.
Following the SEAP theory, a small portion of UAP accounts appear to suggest a complex form of camouflage and intelligent action. It could be plausible, given public observational accounts, that the camouflage is a sophisticated mix of advanced technology, metamaterials, operational patterns, and behavioral mimicry. Such camouflage is not outside the realm of possibility, given natural analogs, current intelligence operations tradecraft, and advances in modern-day cloaking material.
The carefully crafted camouflage of these SEAPs would mask their true nature – and give us reasons to doubt. Their stealth might encourage the average witness to dismiss, but not forget, what they have seen. While there might be various reasons for the public sentiments and actions surrounding UAP sightings – including scientific skepticism, government information management, or personal beliefs – the proposed camouflage theory provides another lens through which to consider these responses.
Hypothetically speaking, if an advanced extraterrestrial species did send SEAPs to Earth, how might they operate, and what might we see? While our advancements in drone technology provide a basis for speculation, extraterrestrial technology, if it exists, might operate on entirely different principles. However, if the principles are somehow related, SEAPs might be specifically designed to stop attempts at detailed observation. For example, materials that diffuse light or absorb radio frequencies would make SEAPs harder to spot or track. Beyond materials, SEAPs might have specific behavior patterns meant to avoid detection by specific humans. While some SEAPs might operate at lower altitudes for specific tasks, they could also maintain a much higher operational altitude when not actively engaged in surveillance to stay out of the average person’s sight range.
While our proposal might seem speculative, improvements in current technology by governments and private corporations suggest that similar advancements could exist elsewhere. Modern drones, enhanced with AI and surveillance technology, have the capability to identify and differentiate objects in real-time using high-resolution cameras and infrared sensors. These drones can recognize patterns of human activity, allowing them to use GPS data to navigate away from particular areas.
Advanced AI models assess threats as they occur and can react to certain devices and situations. When working together, drones can exchange information regarding observed locations and activities and, if detected, can use AI for evasive maneuvers and can adapt routes based on predictive data analysis. Many of these drones also feature designs that decrease their visibility or audibility, like anti-reflective surfaces, making them harder to detect.
Motives and Intent
This brings us to our final question: If SEAPs account for the truly anomalous UAP sightings, what do these accounts suggest about their objectives? While it’s speculative, if SEAPs do exist, one possibility could be that they operate for information gathering, as indicated by the intricacies observed in some UAP sightings. While there is no way to know what the purpose of this collection might be, we hope it is related to establishing peaceful cross-species communications at some future point.
If SEAPs are a contributing factor to UAP sightings, their operational approach might involve balancing stealth capabilities with data collection. This balance inherently comes with risks. Under these conditions, sightings may be a result of moments when a SEAP took a calculated risk to gather data. Extrapolating from this, one can imagine the SEAP would want to understand which regions of, say, the United States, maximize the opportunity for stealth while at the same time maximizing the total amount of information collected about the people and ecological systems nearby.
As future regional scientists, we think about how geography and human activity interact – and through this lens, SEAPs would certainly need to understand which regions would maximize both protection and opportunities. Case in point, a 2023 report by the RAND Corporation titled “Not the X-Files” conducted a spatial analysis of UAP sightings controlling for variables such as total population, population density, and percent of cloudy days. A key finding was that population density was negatively correlated with UAP sightings. While this could be interpreted in various ways, we believe that this fits with the SEAP theory and suggests a tradeoff between stealth and data-gathering.
In taking this a step further, we considered which regions in the continental United States might offer unparalleled security and viewing opportunities. Regions high in natural features that limit human incursion, such as large lakes, dense forests, rugged mountain terrain, and subterranean caverns, all with population centers nearby, would be favored by SEAPs. In viewing the RAND report’s cluster of UAP sightings, major regions that stand out include the Pacific Northwest, parts of Appalachia, the Front Range of the southern Rockies, and the Finger Lakes region of upstate New York, among others. Each of these regions has been a historical hotbed for sightings and has its own distinct pattern of UAP activity.
It’s challenging for us to imagine the strategies an advanced intelligence might employ, given that we’ve never encountered one. While it’s not a direct comparison, think of the way some creatures, like chameleons, use camouflage in their environments. Would a passing insect realize that there’s a more sophisticated being right beside it, or would it merely go about its business, unaware? The insect might not even recognize the difference. In the same way, given the unfamiliarity of an extraterrestrial, it might be presumptuous for us to assume we’d readily recognize or comprehend their presence on Earth.
Even after extensive research by both scientists and government agencies, some UAP sightings continue to defy explanation. Among the myriad of theories is the speculative idea of stealth-designed advanced extraterrestrial technology. Given the observations and theories discussed, further exploration of our SEAP hypothesis could provide additional insights into the UAP phenomenon. Researchers should consider the implications of truly advanced extraterrestrial technology operating on our planet and design a thorough, systematic framework to potentially gain deeper perspectives into the UAP question.
Courtney Bower is a doctoral student in regional science at Cornell University.
Elizabeth Redmond, who also attends Cornell, is a master’s student in regional science.
Do these children’s drawings prove a UFO DID land in a Welsh village?
The incident was dubbed the Welsh Roswell amid suspicions of a ‘government cover-up of aliens’
(Picture: Nancy Hurman/Getty Images)
Do these children’s drawings prove a UFO DID land in a Welsh village?
A silver, 45ft cigar-shaped craft, it appeared in a field by their school. Nearly 50 years on, eyewitnesses to the events that gripped Britain tell the Mail they still don’t doubt they saw something truly alien
by Beth Hale
Eerily similar: Pupils of Broad Haven Primary, left, with the drawings (above) of what they saw
THE rugged coastline of Pembrokeshire is a place that evokes a certain mystery. Myths and legends were spun here and in centuries past smugglers would ply their illicit trade on its sea-lashed, treacherous rocks and coves.
And, back in 1977, another mystery of a different kind altogether came to hover (perhaps quite literally) over this westerly outpost of Wales; or more precisely, over one particular village: Broad Haven (population 856).
The curious events that unfolded in a field abutting the village primary school here, on a cold, wet Friday in February, propelled this tiny seaside bolthole onto the international stage as a hotspot for possible extra-terrestrial activity.
It would be another nine months before Steven Spielberg’s first science fiction blockbuster — Close Encounters Of The Third Kind — would hit the big screen.
Sian Eleri goes in search of UFOs in Paranormal: The Village that Saw Aliens.
Photo: BBC/Twenty Twenty Productions Ltd
But what happened in Broad Haven that year was a real-life blockbuster, remaining one of the most hotly discussed incidents in British UFO history, and now the subject of a new four-part BBC documentary, Paranormal: The Village That Saw Aliens.
It all began over the course of a single school day when 15 schoolchildren — 14 boys and one girl — all reported to their teachers seeing a curious silver, cigar-shaped aircraft in fields behind their school. More curious yet, some of the children claimed they had seen a silver man, with pointed ears, emerge from the strange vessel.
It could, so easily, have been put down to the fertile imagination of childhood, were it not for what happened next.
So insistent were the children that they had seen something, that, having returned to their homes that Friday evening, several parents made reports to the local police station.
By the time Monday rolled around, school headmaster Ralph Llewhellin decided he had to tackle the clamour, so sat them all down in exam conditions and asked them to describe and draw what they had seen.
The result was remarkable: the children sketched out pictures that were near identical.
A rational man, even Ralph Llewhellin was astounded. He was clear on two fronts: the children were not capable of maintaining such a sophisticated prank, and they had indeed witnessed something that couldn’t be explained — and still can’t be explained today.
For, as it would transpire, the Broad Haven school ‘incident’ of 1977 would be the start of a bumper season of UFO sightings, strange encounters and happenings, from the terrifyingly plausible to downright comical, that turned this Welsh seaside village into an enduring mecca for conspiracy theorists and UFO hunters.
So just what did happen at Broad Haven Primary that day? This week the Mail spoke to David Davies, who was a ten-year-old bookworm with a passion for Greek and Roman mythology, who still stands by every word of what he saw.
NOW a father-of-two and proud grandfather, David’s recollections of that day are as strong now as they were 47 years ago when he sat in his classroom reading while his classmates went out to play.
‘The day itself was absolutely miserable,’ he says. ‘It was dreary, it was drizzly, it was cold, it was horrible. I’ve never been a great lover of getting cold and wet, so I was inside, reading books.’
The schoolchildren saw the same thing
( Image Western Mail )
David, however, kept getting interrupted by children running back into school with excited reports of a strange object, apparently parked on its perimeter.
‘This went on throughout the entire day and was getting to be a bit persistent,’ recalls David, who despite the assumptions one might make looking at his UFO-adorned
T-shirt and the Area 51 (a highly classified U.S. Air Force facility associated with conspiracy theories) signs on his office door, calls himself a ‘natural-born sceptic’.
In the 1970s, flying saucers and the like were still the stuff of bad sci-fi movies and David wasn’t into that sort of thing.
BUT, an inquisitive, bright lad, at the end of the school day, he decided to investigate for himself and set off across the field to see what he could find.
‘I investigated at the top of the playground and there was absolutely nothing, so I thought I’d get a bit more adventurous, step over the perimeter fence, hop over the stream and get a closer look,’ he says.
‘I’ve got one leg over the fence and this thing just came up from behind a group of trees. It was silver, cigar-shaped and about 45ft long. I watched it for what couldn’t have been any longer than about ten seconds before for some reason I got the urge to run away.’
Whatever emotion it was, David insists it wasn’t fear. He didn’t discuss what he’d seen with the other boys on their way home, only blurting out what he had seen to his mother.
The children draw all the same UFO
( Image Mirrorpix )
To his surprise, far from telling him not to be so silly, his mother made contact with retired veterinarian and representative of the British UFO Research Association, Randall Jones-Pugh, whose subsequent reports would fuel the international mystery that came to be known as The Dyfed Enigma.
David says he will never forget his headmaster’s face when the children handed in their sketches of what they’d seen.
‘His face went white,’ he says. ‘He realised that we had seen something that was totally beyond his comprehension.’
There were, however, no satisfying answers for David or his friends. Just more questions and a barrage of ‘hypotheses’ as to the true identity of what they’d seen — from sewage lorries, an aircraft from nearby RAF Brawdy, and a secret military project — as well as ridicule as the story was picked up by local and national media.
It is noteworthy that one of David’s classmates was the son of a local RAF Squadron Leader who also stood by his son’s account, telling reporters that he believed him ‘implicitly’.
Nor, David insists, was there any possibility of him and his classmates collaborating on their stories over the weekend before they were asked to do their sketches.
‘Bear in mind, this was the 1970s in rural Pembrokeshire,’ he chuckles. ‘We didn’t have iPads or mobile phones. If you were lucky enough to have a home phone, any conversation would be very short, at your parents’ insistence, and they would be listening.’
Collection of witness' drawings from the Broad Haven 1977 UFO landing, during which multiple children saw a UFO with an occupant near their school.
And while he might have built up quite a collection of alien paraphernalia over the years (gifts from humorous friends and family), he also insists he has never described what he saw as extra-terrestrial, even if, all these years later, that remains a persistent hypothesis.
He saw an object, he insists, an unexplained and strange aircraft. He chuckles again. ‘It would be marvellous to think that aliens had visited Broad Haven, but what they would do there I don’t know.’
Still, he didn’t deviate from his account, even when confronted by secondary school bullies.
‘Even at that age, I had princi
ples and there was no way on earth I was going to say that I lied about the UFO, because I won’t stay quiet in order to keep other people happy,’ he says.
‘It’s certainly had a massive impact because it’s just something that’s never gone away. It’s there in my head and I’ve just never got to the bottom of what it was.’
The incident would have been remarkable enough, but two days later — a day before it all went public — there was another sighting.
On this occasion, it was a motherof-two, Louise Bassett, who at the time ran a restaurant in Camarthen, with her husband, 40miles inland from Broad Haven.
She was driving, alone, back to their home in Ferryside when her journey took an unusual turn.
As she tells the Mail: ‘It was late and dark and as I drove along listening to the radio... it was like there was interference. I thought it was bit odd as it had never happened before and I’d done this drive many, many times before.
‘I kept twiddling the knobs and then the radio started jamming permanently.’
Things were to get more unnerving when she saw blue lights, which at first she thought must be an accident — and then she saw a grey, cigar-like shape in the sky.
SUCH was her concern, she phoned police to ask if there had been any unusual activity that might explain what she had seen. The answer was no.
Then, a further unusual incident occurred. A day or two later an artist neighbour, who lived across the estuary, telephoned. He was in the habit of sketching from the window of his studio and said he had seen an object over Louise’s house and had drawn it.
‘He had drawn what I saw,’ she says.
The slim, softly spoken woman, who now lives in England, is not prone to hyperbole or sensationalism. Indeed, her adult children, who were very young at the time of the sighting, only found out about their mother’s UFO encounter very recently.
What has compelled Louise to talk now is that she still doesn’t know what she saw. ‘There’s never been an explanation,’ she says.
Sketches done by some of the 14 child witnesses to the Broad Haven UFO
Could that explanation lie outside the world we know?
‘I really don’t know,’ says Louise. ‘I live in a really lovely place now and we’ve got dark skies and sometimes I look up and I wonder . . .’
Not suprisingly, in the months that followed, a strange UFO fever spread through Dyfed, as people started having even closer ‘encounters’.
There was, for instance, local hotelier Rosa Granville, who, in April 1977 — two months after the school incident — described seeing two ‘creatures’ emerge from a spaceship in a field outside the hotel.
Archive voice recordings remain of Rosa, who has since died, talking about what she saw. ‘Monsters,’ she says. ‘They were 7ft, 8ft tall, very long arms, very long legs. They looked as if they had boiler suits on, a silver colour, they just turned around and looked at me and I couldn’t see any features at all. It frightened me so much.’
Whatever she saw — pranksters or aliens — it certainly frightened her, as both the police officer who responded to her call and her daughter, Francine, attest on camera in the BBC series.
Then there were the Coombs — dairyman Billy Coombs, wife Pauline and their five children — who, in subsequent months, made repeated reports of close encounters with UFOs around their farm in the area.
On one occasion Pauline reported driving her car along a country lane and being pursued by a fiery object shaped like a rugby ball. On another occasion, they reported a herd of cows had been inexplicably teleported from behind a locked gate into an adjacent farmyard. Not surprisingly, their accounts have come in for some close scrutiny by sceptics.
YET the most terrifying incident of all came in the early hours of April 23, as the family were watching a film at home, only to realise they too were being watched: by a 7ft tall figure in a spacesuit, peering through the window.
It doesn’t take a huge stretch of imagination to put this down to the work of a local prankster who’d come up with an amusing pastime to while away the long, dark evenings.
Indeed, several years later, in 1996, a businessman and member of Milford Haven’s Round Table reportedly stepped forward to assert that in 1977, as a prank, he had walked around the area in a silver firefighter’s suit.
To the Coombs family, however, it was very real. In fact, the policeman who responded to their call that night would later report that, in all his 26 years of service, ‘that was the most frightened family I have ever been to see’.
But what was the Government’s response to this flurry of extra-terrestrial activity in South Wales?
In 1977, aliens and UFOs were still taken seriously. The Ministry of Defence had a dedicated UFO sightings unit, as did the American government. Even former U.S. President Jimmy Carter claimed he’d seen a UFO, but the official responses to the Broad Haven incidents were broadly sceptical.
When the then MP for Pembroke, Nicholas Edwards, contacted the
Ministry of Defence after being ‘inundated’ with UFO sightings, a discreet investigation did, archived files reveal, take place.
But if the words of the RAF officer who spoke to Rosa Granville following her sighting are anything to go by, the attitude was dismissive.
‘Should a UFO arrive at RAF Brawdy we will charge normal landing fees,’ he quipped.
Academic, journalist and UFO expert Dr David Clarke was a consultant for the National Archives when it released a swathe of previously secret files on UFO sightings back in 2005. He curated a book that included the drawings of the Broad Haven primary schoolchildren and remains openminded on the subject.
‘I don’t think there is any doubt someone walked around in a firefighting suit, scaring people, but what triggered that idea in the first place?’ he asks.
‘It doesn’t explain it all, you can debunk things, you can look at individual stories and say that must have been caused by X, Y, Z, but there is always an element of mystery left, it’s never possible to completely explain it.’
Two decades later, TV’s The XFiles programme would carry the tagline ‘the truth is out there’.
David Davies, who did become a sci-fi fan, once he became a teenager, remains unsure whether answers are needed.
‘What happened has become one of Pembrokeshire’s folk tales. So there’s part of me which makes me think perhaps it’s better if we don’t find out. Keep the mystery. But then there’s the scientific side of me that really does want to know.’
▪ Paranormal — The Village That Saw aliens is available on BBC iPlayer
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