A UFO is a general term used for any “unidentified flying object” in the sky which cannot be discerned by an observer . Most UFOs remain classified as so even after they have been investigated. The UFO phenomenon dates back as far as the beginning of recorded history, but UFO sightings have significantly increased since the mid 1940s.
From UFO videos to UFO pictures, stories and other real life accounts, thousands of people from all walks of life claim to have seen these mysterious aerial phantoms. Many UFO sightings turn out to be nothing at all, mere airplanes, meteors or comets; however, many sightings have gone unsolved for decades or even centuries.
The term “flying saucer” came into popular use after American Kenneth Arnold claimed a UFO sighting on June 24, 1947 near Mount Rainier, Washington. Arnold claimed to have seen as many as nine brightly lit objects soaring across the sky at speeds he estimated as up to 1200 miles per hour. Arnold also reported that the objects appeared to have a disc or “saucer” appearance. No final conclusion has ever been reached in the case.
One of the most famous UFO incidents to date also occurred in 1947 in Roswell, New Mexico. After unidentified debris was recovered from the property of a Roswell ranch, the Roswell Army Airfield issued a statement saying that a “flying disk” had been discovered. The airfield retracted the statement just hours later, claiming it was just a weather balloon. This sparked local and nation-wide rumors of an alleged government cover-up of an alien UFO that had crashed in the New Mexico desert. No definitive proof has been produced to this day to support that theory.
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Kamis, 06 Desember 2007
Unproven theories
Backed by years of his UFO sleuthing, Knapp said the sheer size and complexity of the subject is daunting.
"Unproven theories abound," Knapp continued. "We are pretty sure the visitors are ETs...or inter-dimensionals...or time travelers from our future...or manifestations of the collective consciousness. We also know they are benevolent guardians, evil reptilians, harvesters of souls or genetic materials, angels from heaven, demons from hell, or maybe androids dispatched by incomprehensible super-beings. It's a proven fact that they are here to help us, teach us, or eat us, or mate with us, or mess with our heads, or save their own species while they carve up our livestock, doodle in our wheat fields, and befuddle our most sophisticated technology."
Are UFOs driven by teenage pranksters on a joyride through the cosmos, Knapp questioned, or perhaps anthropologists from a parallel universe, modern manifestations of pixies and leprechauns, or pragmatic politicians from Serpo--a planet of Zeta Reticuli--who have cut a deal to trade advanced technology for the unfettered opportunity to abduct and traumatize certain unfortunate bloodlines?
"Unproven theories abound," Knapp continued. "We are pretty sure the visitors are ETs...or inter-dimensionals...or time travelers from our future...or manifestations of the collective consciousness. We also know they are benevolent guardians, evil reptilians, harvesters of souls or genetic materials, angels from heaven, demons from hell, or maybe androids dispatched by incomprehensible super-beings. It's a proven fact that they are here to help us, teach us, or eat us, or mate with us, or mess with our heads, or save their own species while they carve up our livestock, doodle in our wheat fields, and befuddle our most sophisticated technology."
Are UFOs driven by teenage pranksters on a joyride through the cosmos, Knapp questioned, or perhaps anthropologists from a parallel universe, modern manifestations of pixies and leprechauns, or pragmatic politicians from Serpo--a planet of Zeta Reticuli--who have cut a deal to trade advanced technology for the unfettered opportunity to abduct and traumatize certain unfortunate bloodlines?
Cracking the case
Knapp has some observations on the matter:
So what's it going to take to get to the bottom of the UFO phenomenon?
* Time and Death: When the current generation of scientists dies out, a new generation of scientists will include at least a few mavericks that challenge outdated dogma.
* Independent Media: With the growth of cable networks, Internet news sources, satellite radio, and other less-centralized information outlets, the power of the mainstream media organizations will diminish. These alternative information sources will have objectives that are far less conservative and less stodgy than the current corporate behemoths.
* Political change: This is the last and most unlikely change that will occur, but it could be the most significant. If the science establishment gets more serious about UFOs, and if that causes the mainstream media to be more even-handed, it is conceivable that political figures will feel more secure about jumping in.
So what's it going to take to get to the bottom of the UFO phenomenon?
* Time and Death: When the current generation of scientists dies out, a new generation of scientists will include at least a few mavericks that challenge outdated dogma.
* Independent Media: With the growth of cable networks, Internet news sources, satellite radio, and other less-centralized information outlets, the power of the mainstream media organizations will diminish. These alternative information sources will have objectives that are far less conservative and less stodgy than the current corporate behemoths.
* Political change: This is the last and most unlikely change that will occur, but it could be the most significant. If the science establishment gets more serious about UFOs, and if that causes the mainstream media to be more even-handed, it is conceivable that political figures will feel more secure about jumping in.
Digging in for the facts
George Knapp, an investigative reporter for KLAS-TV in Las Vegas, Nevada has been diving into the UFO enigma for nearly two decades. He senses there's a big-time story worthy of shoe leather and digging in for the facts--but are we any closer to resolving the UFO question?
"No, not at all, not even close," Knapp told SPACE.com. "UFO researchers have compiled a vast treasure trove of information, including photos, videos, eyewitness statements, government documents, and physical traces from alleged landing sites, along with radar reports, and a lot more. Much of this evidence is compelling and has withstood the knee jerk, almost perfunctory, and unscientific 'explanations' that are routinely tossed out by a small but reliable cadre of diehard debunkers."
After nearly 60 years of research by well-meaning but under-funded individuals and organizations, there is only one point on which all of the researchers can agree, Knapp suggested. "An elusive, unknown intelligence is operating within our midst. If we assume for the moment that some UFOs represent an 'alien' civilization, we still can't answer the three basic questions--Who are they? Where are they from? Why are they here? Anyone who has a definitive answer to those three questions is either a liar, a huckster, delusional, or one of 'them'," he said.
"No, not at all, not even close," Knapp told SPACE.com. "UFO researchers have compiled a vast treasure trove of information, including photos, videos, eyewitness statements, government documents, and physical traces from alleged landing sites, along with radar reports, and a lot more. Much of this evidence is compelling and has withstood the knee jerk, almost perfunctory, and unscientific 'explanations' that are routinely tossed out by a small but reliable cadre of diehard debunkers."
After nearly 60 years of research by well-meaning but under-funded individuals and organizations, there is only one point on which all of the researchers can agree, Knapp suggested. "An elusive, unknown intelligence is operating within our midst. If we assume for the moment that some UFOs represent an 'alien' civilization, we still can't answer the three basic questions--Who are they? Where are they from? Why are they here? Anyone who has a definitive answer to those three questions is either a liar, a huckster, delusional, or one of 'them'," he said.
Continuing mystery and controversy
There is something of potential importance within the UFO mystery, and it is two-fold, according to Don Berliner, a longtime UFO investigator and an independent aviation/science writer. He also is Chairman of the Fund for UFO Research, located in Alexandria, Virginia.
First of all, there are the detailed descriptions from veteran airline and military pilots of objects seen at close range in broad daylight.
"These were said to have been solid, metallic-looking objects with sharp edges and simple geometric shapes that were completely unlike any known aero-spacecraft, and displayed performance--extreme speed within the atmosphere, violent maneuvers and spectacular acceleration--that was even farther from the norm," Berliner told SPACE.com.
Secondly, there is the "excessive zeal" shown by the U.S. Air Force when claiming to have solved the UFO mystery, Berliner suggested. "Statistics were manipulated, intelligent adult witnesses were treated like naive children, explanations were fabricated, scientific theories were twisted to fit, information known to have been false was released to Congress and the public, and portions of witnesses' testimony were ignored when they clashed with prepared explanations."
All of these claims, Berliner added, can be supported with quotes from Air Force documents, letters, reports and public statements.
Still, there are many UFO sightings that deserve to be chalked up to more down-to-Earth explanation, Berliner said.
"Most reasonable persons, no matter what their conclusions, agree that the great majority of UFO reports are easily explained as misidentified conventional phenomena. It is the remaining five to ten percent that constitute the continuing mystery and controversy," he concluded.
First of all, there are the detailed descriptions from veteran airline and military pilots of objects seen at close range in broad daylight.
"These were said to have been solid, metallic-looking objects with sharp edges and simple geometric shapes that were completely unlike any known aero-spacecraft, and displayed performance--extreme speed within the atmosphere, violent maneuvers and spectacular acceleration--that was even farther from the norm," Berliner told SPACE.com.
Secondly, there is the "excessive zeal" shown by the U.S. Air Force when claiming to have solved the UFO mystery, Berliner suggested. "Statistics were manipulated, intelligent adult witnesses were treated like naive children, explanations were fabricated, scientific theories were twisted to fit, information known to have been false was released to Congress and the public, and portions of witnesses' testimony were ignored when they clashed with prepared explanations."
All of these claims, Berliner added, can be supported with quotes from Air Force documents, letters, reports and public statements.
Still, there are many UFO sightings that deserve to be chalked up to more down-to-Earth explanation, Berliner said.
"Most reasonable persons, no matter what their conclusions, agree that the great majority of UFO reports are easily explained as misidentified conventional phenomena. It is the remaining five to ten percent that constitute the continuing mystery and controversy," he concluded.
Mystery objects redux
A flight controller at NASA's shuttle Mission Control room spotted the debris at about 2:45 a.m. EDT (0645 GMT) Tuesday while using one of the orbiter's payload bay cameras during routine Earth observations, shuttle officials said.
Image analysts were unable to identify what the mystery object was, and likely will not be able to, shuttle officials said, though some engineers think it could still be a small piece of plastic inadvertently left between tiles along Atlantis' underbelly.
"We don't know that for sure, but it is a likely candidate," Hale said, referring to the bit of orange plastic--known as shim stock--seen dangling from a gap between the protective heat tiles along Atlantis' belly.
But a second object photographed by Atlantis' crew is thought to be a simple plastic bag that drifted away from the orbiter.
"We do see things come off space vehicles from time to time that are really of no consequence other than we really would not like to leave litter lying around," Hale said.
Data indicating eight potential impact sites within two minutes, based on new accelerometer sensors within the leading edge of one of Atlantis' wings has been put to rest, Hale said, adding that they signals correspond to powerful movements of the shuttle's elevons.
The elevons are used to help steer the orbiter when it flies through Earth's atmosphere during reentry, and are powered by hydraulics.
Flight controllers on Earth conducted a camera survey of Atlantis' payload bay and upper orbiter surfaces while the shuttle's STS-115 crew slept, which will cut down the amount of time the astronauts spend on robotic operations on Wednesday.
"We have, through inspection of the orbiter, cleared many areas of the orbiter," Hale said of that work, adding that thermal analysis have also found no signs of any abnormal variations along the orbiter's hull. "In terms of making sure that the shuttle is safe for entry, that's our primary goal and we will know that at the end of the crew's day tomorrow."
Image analysts were unable to identify what the mystery object was, and likely will not be able to, shuttle officials said, though some engineers think it could still be a small piece of plastic inadvertently left between tiles along Atlantis' underbelly.
"We don't know that for sure, but it is a likely candidate," Hale said, referring to the bit of orange plastic--known as shim stock--seen dangling from a gap between the protective heat tiles along Atlantis' belly.
But a second object photographed by Atlantis' crew is thought to be a simple plastic bag that drifted away from the orbiter.
"We do see things come off space vehicles from time to time that are really of no consequence other than we really would not like to leave litter lying around," Hale said.
Data indicating eight potential impact sites within two minutes, based on new accelerometer sensors within the leading edge of one of Atlantis' wings has been put to rest, Hale said, adding that they signals correspond to powerful movements of the shuttle's elevons.
The elevons are used to help steer the orbiter when it flies through Earth's atmosphere during reentry, and are powered by hydraulics.
Flight controllers on Earth conducted a camera survey of Atlantis' payload bay and upper orbiter surfaces while the shuttle's STS-115 crew slept, which will cut down the amount of time the astronauts spend on robotic operations on Wednesday.
"We have, through inspection of the orbiter, cleared many areas of the orbiter," Hale said of that work, adding that thermal analysis have also found no signs of any abnormal variations along the orbiter's hull. "In terms of making sure that the shuttle is safe for entry, that's our primary goal and we will know that at the end of the crew's day tomorrow."
Mystery Objects Prompts Third Heat Shield Inspection for Atlantis Crew
CAPE CANAVERAL, - The six astronauts aboard the space shuttle Atlantis will conduct an unprecedented third inspection of their orbiter's heat shield before landing this week to ensure its integrity after an unidentified object appeared to shake free of the spacecraft this morning, NASA's shuttle chief said late Tuesday.
NASA space shuttle program manager Wayne Hale said Atlantis' STS-115 astronaut crew will use their orbiter's 50-foot robotic arm to scan sensitive heat shield areas Wednesday and remains on track for a planned landing at the Kennedy Space Center here Thursday at 6:21 a.m. EDT (1021 GMT).
"We still aiming for Thursday," Hale said. "We have no reason, we think, not to go take a look."
Commanded by veteran NASA spaceflyer Brent Jett, Atlantis' STS-115 crew was slated to land at the Shuttle Landing Facility here at the Kennedy Space Center (KSC) at 5:58 a.m. EDT (0958 GMT) Wednesday after an 11-day mission to resume construction of the International Space Station (ISS).
But NASA postponed the landing attempt earlier today after spotting the mystery object, which appeared to have shaken loose from the orbiter during a series of standard pre-landing flight systems and thruster checks.
"There is considerable suspicion that whatever came off the vehicle came off during the flight control systems check-out," Hale said. "We think if this piece came off...it will be easier to see. We can scan faster."
Atlantis' STS-115 astronauts have already made two detailed surveys of their orbiter's heat shield using its robotic arm and inspection boom - one just after launch and another on Monday. Both inspections turned up no signs of any damage to the spacecraft's heat shield.
Hale said the current plan is to awake Atlantis' six-astronaut crew as planned at 9:45 p.m. EDT (0145 Sept. 20 GMT) tonight and begin a five-hour survey of the orbiter's heat shield - including its underbelly - using the shuttle's Canadian-built robotic arm. Those inspections are expected to begin by about 11:45 p.m. EDT (0345 Sept. 20 GMT), he added.
Only after that inspection will shuttle engineers and mission managers decide whether to unstow Atlantis' sensor-laden inspection boom for a closer look at the orbiter's heat shield, a process that would take at least three more hours if completed on time.
"It's probably 50/50 whether we're going to bring the boom out or not," Hale said, adding that a boom inspection must end on time in order for Atlantis' crew to make their planned Thursday landing attempt for sure. "They'll make a real-time call."
NASA space shuttle program manager Wayne Hale said Atlantis' STS-115 astronaut crew will use their orbiter's 50-foot robotic arm to scan sensitive heat shield areas Wednesday and remains on track for a planned landing at the Kennedy Space Center here Thursday at 6:21 a.m. EDT (1021 GMT).
"We still aiming for Thursday," Hale said. "We have no reason, we think, not to go take a look."
Commanded by veteran NASA spaceflyer Brent Jett, Atlantis' STS-115 crew was slated to land at the Shuttle Landing Facility here at the Kennedy Space Center (KSC) at 5:58 a.m. EDT (0958 GMT) Wednesday after an 11-day mission to resume construction of the International Space Station (ISS).
But NASA postponed the landing attempt earlier today after spotting the mystery object, which appeared to have shaken loose from the orbiter during a series of standard pre-landing flight systems and thruster checks.
"There is considerable suspicion that whatever came off the vehicle came off during the flight control systems check-out," Hale said. "We think if this piece came off...it will be easier to see. We can scan faster."
Atlantis' STS-115 astronauts have already made two detailed surveys of their orbiter's heat shield using its robotic arm and inspection boom - one just after launch and another on Monday. Both inspections turned up no signs of any damage to the spacecraft's heat shield.
Hale said the current plan is to awake Atlantis' six-astronaut crew as planned at 9:45 p.m. EDT (0145 Sept. 20 GMT) tonight and begin a five-hour survey of the orbiter's heat shield - including its underbelly - using the shuttle's Canadian-built robotic arm. Those inspections are expected to begin by about 11:45 p.m. EDT (0345 Sept. 20 GMT), he added.
Only after that inspection will shuttle engineers and mission managers decide whether to unstow Atlantis' sensor-laden inspection boom for a closer look at the orbiter's heat shield, a process that would take at least three more hours if completed on time.
"It's probably 50/50 whether we're going to bring the boom out or not," Hale said, adding that a boom inspection must end on time in order for Atlantis' crew to make their planned Thursday landing attempt for sure. "They'll make a real-time call."
Residue of sightings
Why is there precious little to show that world of science that UFOs merit attention?
"Obviously there is not a simple answer, but part of it is reluctance of the scientific community to support such research," explained Bruce Maccabee, regarded as a meticulous researcher and an optical physicist using those talents to study photographs and video of unexplained phenomena.
Why this reluctance?
"In my humble opinion it is largely a result of 'tradition'...tradition set by the U.S. Air Force in the early years when they publicly stated that everything was under control, they were investigating...and finding nothing that couldn't be explained," Maccabee said.
Nevertheless, Maccabee observed, work on the phenomenon will carry on.
"UFO studies will continue until all the old cases have either been explained or admitted to being unexplainable-meaning a residue of sightings that could be ET related-and/or until people stop seeing unexplainable UFO-like events throughout the world," Maccabee concluded.
"Obviously there is not a simple answer, but part of it is reluctance of the scientific community to support such research," explained Bruce Maccabee, regarded as a meticulous researcher and an optical physicist using those talents to study photographs and video of unexplained phenomena.
Why this reluctance?
"In my humble opinion it is largely a result of 'tradition'...tradition set by the U.S. Air Force in the early years when they publicly stated that everything was under control, they were investigating...and finding nothing that couldn't be explained," Maccabee said.
Nevertheless, Maccabee observed, work on the phenomenon will carry on.
"UFO studies will continue until all the old cases have either been explained or admitted to being unexplainable-meaning a residue of sightings that could be ET related-and/or until people stop seeing unexplainable UFO-like events throughout the world," Maccabee concluded.
Paucity of physical evidence
"I've no doubt that UFOs are here to stay," said Seth Shostak, Senior Astronomer at the SETI Institute in Mountain View, California. "I'm just not convinced that alien craft are here to stay ... or for that matter, even here for brief visits.
"First, despite a torrent of sightings for more than a half-century, I can't think of a single, major science museum that has alien artifacts on display," Shostak said. "Contrast this paucity of physical evidence with what the American Indians could have shown you fifty years after Christopher Columbus first violated their sea-space. They could have shown you all sorts of stuff-including lots of smallpox-infested brethren-as proof that they were being 'visited,'" he said.
When it comes to extraterrestrial visitors in the 21st century, the evidence is anecdotal, ambiguous, or, in some cases, artifice, Shostak suggested.
Calling it "argument from ignorance", Shostak pointed to the claim that aliens must have careened out of control above the New Mexico desert simply because some classified government documents sport a bunch of blacked-out text. "How does the latter prove the former?"
Sure, the missing verbiage is consistent with a government cover-up of an alien crash landing, Shostak said. "But it's also consistent with an infinitude of other scenarios...not all of them involving sloppy alien pilots," he added.
Shostak said that it is not impossible that we could be visited. It doesn't violate physics to travel between the stars, although that's not easy to do.
"But really, if you're going to claim-or for that matter, believe-that extraterrestrials are strafing the cities, or occasionally assaulting the neighbors with an aggression inappropriate for a first date, then I urge you to find evidence that leaves little doubt among the professionally skeptical community known as the world of science."
"First, despite a torrent of sightings for more than a half-century, I can't think of a single, major science museum that has alien artifacts on display," Shostak said. "Contrast this paucity of physical evidence with what the American Indians could have shown you fifty years after Christopher Columbus first violated their sea-space. They could have shown you all sorts of stuff-including lots of smallpox-infested brethren-as proof that they were being 'visited,'" he said.
When it comes to extraterrestrial visitors in the 21st century, the evidence is anecdotal, ambiguous, or, in some cases, artifice, Shostak suggested.
Calling it "argument from ignorance", Shostak pointed to the claim that aliens must have careened out of control above the New Mexico desert simply because some classified government documents sport a bunch of blacked-out text. "How does the latter prove the former?"
Sure, the missing verbiage is consistent with a government cover-up of an alien crash landing, Shostak said. "But it's also consistent with an infinitude of other scenarios...not all of them involving sloppy alien pilots," he added.
Shostak said that it is not impossible that we could be visited. It doesn't violate physics to travel between the stars, although that's not easy to do.
"But really, if you're going to claim-or for that matter, believe-that extraterrestrials are strafing the cities, or occasionally assaulting the neighbors with an aggression inappropriate for a first date, then I urge you to find evidence that leaves little doubt among the professionally skeptical community known as the world of science."
Trash from the past
"I would have to say that we're stuck in neutral," said Kevin Randle, a leading expert and writer on UFOs and is known as a dogged researcher of the phenomena. There's no real new research, he said, and that's "because we have to revisit the trash of the past."
Randle points to yesteryear stories, one stretching back in time to a supposed 1897 airship crash in Aurora, Texas, long proven to be a hoax by two con men-yet continues to surface in UFO circles.
Then there's the celebrated Thomas Mantell saga, a pilot that lost his life chasing a UFO in 1948. There are those that contend he was killed by a blue beam from a UFO, Randle said "even though we have known for years that the UFO was a balloon and he violated regulations by climbing above 14,000 feet without oxygen equipment. I mean, we know this, and yet there are those who believe that Mantell was killed by aliens."
Randle's advice is to the point: "We need to begin to apply rigorous standards of research ... stop accepting what we wish to believe even when the evidence is poor, and begin thinking ahead."
Randle points to yesteryear stories, one stretching back in time to a supposed 1897 airship crash in Aurora, Texas, long proven to be a hoax by two con men-yet continues to surface in UFO circles.
Then there's the celebrated Thomas Mantell saga, a pilot that lost his life chasing a UFO in 1948. There are those that contend he was killed by a blue beam from a UFO, Randle said "even though we have known for years that the UFO was a balloon and he violated regulations by climbing above 14,000 feet without oxygen equipment. I mean, we know this, and yet there are those who believe that Mantell was killed by aliens."
Randle's advice is to the point: "We need to begin to apply rigorous standards of research ... stop accepting what we wish to believe even when the evidence is poor, and begin thinking ahead."
Sacred cows to the slaughter
As UFO debunker Robert Sheaffer's web site proclaims, he's "skeptical to the max." He is a fellow of the Committee for the Scientific Investigation of Claims of the Paranormal and a well-known writer on the UFO scene.
Being an equal-opportunity debunker, Sheaffer notes that he refutes whatever nonsense, in his judgment, "stands in the greatest need of refuting, no matter from what source it may come, no matter how privileged, esteemed, or sacrosanct ... sacred cows, after all, make the best hamburger."
Sheaffer told SPACE.com, in regard to the cottage industry of UFO promoters, there's a reason there are still so many snake-oil sellers.
"It's because nobody, anywhere, has any actual facts concerning alleged UFOs, just claims. That allows con-men to thrive peddling their yarns," Sheaffer said. "UFO believers are convinced that the existence of UFOs will be revealed 'any day now'. But it's like Charlie Brown and the football: No matter how many times Lucy pulls the football away-or the promised 'disclosure' fails to happen-they're dead-certain that the next time will be their moment of glory."
Being an equal-opportunity debunker, Sheaffer notes that he refutes whatever nonsense, in his judgment, "stands in the greatest need of refuting, no matter from what source it may come, no matter how privileged, esteemed, or sacrosanct ... sacred cows, after all, make the best hamburger."
Sheaffer told SPACE.com, in regard to the cottage industry of UFO promoters, there's a reason there are still so many snake-oil sellers.
"It's because nobody, anywhere, has any actual facts concerning alleged UFOs, just claims. That allows con-men to thrive peddling their yarns," Sheaffer said. "UFO believers are convinced that the existence of UFOs will be revealed 'any day now'. But it's like Charlie Brown and the football: No matter how many times Lucy pulls the football away-or the promised 'disclosure' fails to happen-they're dead-certain that the next time will be their moment of glory."
Paradigm shifting
NARCAP has made the case that some of these phenomena have unusual electromagnetic properties. Therefore, they could disrupt microprocessors and adversely effect avionic systems, Roe explained, and that for those reasons and others UAP should be considered a hazard to safe aviation.
"It is likely that either conclusion will fly in the face of the general assertion that UAP are not real and that there are no undocumented phenomena in our atmosphere," Roe continued. That should open the door, he said, to the realization that there's no good reason to discard outright the possibility that extraterrestrial visitation has occurred and may be occurring.
"Physics is leading to new and potentially paradigm shifting understandings about the nature of our universe and its physical properties," Roe said. "These understandings may point the way towards an acceptance of the probability of interstellar travel and communication by spacefaring races."
"It is likely that either conclusion will fly in the face of the general assertion that UAP are not real and that there are no undocumented phenomena in our atmosphere," Roe continued. That should open the door, he said, to the realization that there's no good reason to discard outright the possibility that extraterrestrial visitation has occurred and may be occurring.
"Physics is leading to new and potentially paradigm shifting understandings about the nature of our universe and its physical properties," Roe said. "These understandings may point the way towards an acceptance of the probability of interstellar travel and communication by spacefaring races."
Selasa, 04 Desember 2007
Unusual properties
There have been advances in the field of UFO research, said Ted Roe, Executive Director of the National Aviation Reporting Center on Anomalous Phenomena (NARCAP), based in Vallejo, California.
"The capture of optical spectra from mobile, unpredictable luminosities is one of those innovations. More work to be done here but [there are] some good results already."
NARCAP was established in 2000 and is dedicated to the advancement of aviation safety issues as they apply to, what they term Unidentified Aerial Phenomena (UAP).
Roe said that a decade from now, researchers should have even better instrumentation at their disposal and better data on UAP of several varieties. His forecast is that scientific rigor will prevail, demonstrating that there are "stable, mobile, unusual, poorly documented phenomena with quite unusual properties manifesting within our atmosphere," he told http://everythingaboutufo.blogspot.com
"The capture of optical spectra from mobile, unpredictable luminosities is one of those innovations. More work to be done here but [there are] some good results already."
NARCAP was established in 2000 and is dedicated to the advancement of aviation safety issues as they apply to, what they term Unidentified Aerial Phenomena (UAP).
Roe said that a decade from now, researchers should have even better instrumentation at their disposal and better data on UAP of several varieties. His forecast is that scientific rigor will prevail, demonstrating that there are "stable, mobile, unusual, poorly documented phenomena with quite unusual properties manifesting within our atmosphere," he told http://everythingaboutufo.blogspot.com
UFO Research: Findings vs. Facts
For decades now, eyes and sky have met to witness the buzzing of our world by Unidentified Flying Objects, termed UFOs or simply flying saucers. Extraterrestrials have come a long way to purportedly share the friendly skies with us.
UFOs and alien visitors are part of our culture-a far-out phenomenon when judged against those "low life" wonders Bigfoot and the Loch Ness monster.
And after all those years, as the saying goes, UFOs remain a riddle inside a mystery wrapped in an enigma. Why so? For one, the field is fraught with hucksterism. It's also replete with blurry photos and awful video. But then there are also well-intentioned and puzzled witnesses [See Top 10 Alien Encounters Debunked].
Scientifically speaking, are UFOs worth keeping an eye on?
UFOs and alien visitors are part of our culture-a far-out phenomenon when judged against those "low life" wonders Bigfoot and the Loch Ness monster.
And after all those years, as the saying goes, UFOs remain a riddle inside a mystery wrapped in an enigma. Why so? For one, the field is fraught with hucksterism. It's also replete with blurry photos and awful video. But then there are also well-intentioned and puzzled witnesses [See Top 10 Alien Encounters Debunked].
Scientifically speaking, are UFOs worth keeping an eye on?
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