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Aliens Visiting Earth?
The question of alien visitations to Earth is considered a valid question and worthy of further scientific study, according to one physicist. This query of alien visitation stems from a broader question that asks whether we humans are alone in the universe.
The question of “Aliens Visitations to Earth,” is now considered valid and is worthy of further scientific study, according to Kevin Knuth, Associate Professor of Physics, University at Albany, State University of New York. He recently published a June 28,2018 article on The Conversation about this very topic.
This query of alien visitation stems from a broader question that asks whether we humans are alone in the universe.
An answer in the affirmative presents a sad and rather depressing thought, not to mention the utter loneliness of being the only life in this vast universe.
If the answer is that we are definitely not alone, and that we are just a small part of a vast intergalactic neighborhood teaming with life, then our reaction would range from absolute glee to extreme horror.
Let’s talk about alien visitations…
Is it impossible for extraterrestrials to visit us here on Earth? We are relatively new to the game of space travel, so we tend to equate our current lack of ability to other possible alien civilizations… ” if we can’t do it, then it’s impossible for them too.”
Possible alien response to that statement would probably be with eye rolls, “Primitive amateurs!”
Since the dawn of civilization, people reported to have seen something odd in the sky at one time or another. From the Romans seeing a burning shield, to Ezekiel’s observation of a craft that had the characteristics of a wheel, in the middle of a wheel, or the sighting of mysterious airships floating over 19th Century San Francisco. All of those early accounts of unknowns in the skies could be easily explained away as a misunderstanding of normal meteorological or celestial occurrence. But, there’s possibly no logical explanation as well.
In the post-World War 2 years, there was a sudden technological boom in aerospace and computers due to a competition with our new enemy, the Soviets. Sightings of unknown objects in the sky were on the rise, and a new term was coined by a businessman and pilot, Kenneth Arnold, “Flying Saucers,” because he reported spotting a group of unknown craft zooming over Mt. Rainer in Washington state which resembled saucers skipping across water.
In 1953, the United States Air Force (USAF) decided to coin the term UFO as a catch-all for any report of unknown aerial objects performing any maneuver, including, standing stock-still in the sky.
When someone mentions the term, UFO, most people automatically think of alien space pilots on sight-seeing tours, hovering over our cities, and abducting earthlings to study.
UFO means Unidentified Flying Object, which is a far cry from alien spacecraft.
During those early years, the USAF officially began investigating UFOs through various studies starting with Project Sign in 1948, and ending with Project Blue Book which ceased operations in December 1969, stating that UFOs were not a Treat to National Security and there was no correlation to an extraterrestrial intelligence.
Although there are governments in other nations who are officially investigating UFOs, like France, Germany and the UK. Project Blue Book was the last official US government study investigating UFOs. Since then, investigation of the UFO phenomenon was handled through civilian organizations like NICAP, APRO, and MUFON.
Was 1969 the last time our United States Government officially investigated UFOs? Well, no.
In late 2017, it was reported in the New York Times that back in 2007, the Department of Defense had revealed that $22 million out of their $600 million budget was spent on the Advanced Aerospace Threat Identification Program was formed to study UFOs. It was run by a Pentagon official, Luis Elizondo, who eventually quit his leader role in the program due to lack of funding and to also protest the extreme secrecy that was placed on the investigations.
Also, in late 2017, three videos were released by the Pentagon of UFO encounters captured with forward-looking infrared cameras mounted on F-18 Super Hornet fighter jets.
Such disclosures energizes those of us who believe that there should more scrutiny to such claims, especially when it involves professionals in aviation. But is it enough to prove the existence of extraterrestrials?
The late Carl Sagan once said this about the possibility of extraterrestrials visiting Earth, “extraordinary claims require extraordinary evidence.”
What that statement means to me is that you as an eyewitness can claim to see a UFO, that ultimately turns out to be an actual alien spacecraft. You could actually meet an extraterrestrial, and have an exchange of ideas and you filled them in on Game of Thrones. Then you end the meeting with a few selfies with your new Alien BFFLs, would not be enough to ultimately prove the ETs are visiting Earth.
If we can’t rely on the government for the answers or the proof, then it’s time for a change. Who will tackle this issue? Who will find the answers to a subject that has been perplexing us for generations?
After his resignation from the AATI, Luis Elizondo joined the To the Stars Academy of Arts & Science, a study of UFOs and space travel with was founded by former Blink-182 band member Tom DeLonge, a group of scientists, aerospace engineers and others who will explore the outer edge of science” and technology.
Hopefully, there will be some serious scientific study, soon.
https://stmdailynews.com/category/science/
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On December 1, 1948, a Kentucky Air National Guard pilot named Thomas Mantell was on a routine flight when he encountered an unidentified flying object (UFO) that would make him a part of UFO history. This incident is now known as the Mantell UFO Incident.
Mantell was flying an F-51 Mustang when he received a message from the tower that an object was spotted in the sky that was “about one-quarter the size of the full moon and of a white color.” Mantell was ordered to investigate the object, which was reported to be moving in a southward direction at a high rate of speed.
At first, Mantell thought the object was a weather balloon or some other type of aircraft. However, as he approached the object, he realized that it was not any type of aircraft that he had ever seen before. According to reports, Mantell described the object as being “metallic in appearance and of tremendous size.”
Mantell continued to pursue the object, climbing to an altitude of 22,500 feet. He reported that the object was moving at a high rate of speed and was still climbing. Mantell’s last transmission to the tower was that he was closing in on the object and that it was “directly ahead and above him.”
Moments later, Mantell’s plane crashed, killing him instantly. The official cause of the crash was listed as “pilot error.” The incident immediately became a subject of controversy and speculation among UFO enthusiasts and skeptics alike.
The incident was investigated by the United States Air Force, which later released a report stating that the object was most likely a weather balloon. However, many UFO enthusiasts have remained skeptical of this explanation, citing the speed and altitude of the object as being inconsistent with a weather balloon. They argue that the maneuverability and velocity observed during the sighting are beyond the capabilities of conventional weather balloons, which are generally slow-moving and unable to achieve high altitudes and rapid directional changes reported in the Mantell UFO Incident. Additionally, some witnesses described the object as being metallic and appearing to have a purposeful navigation system, further fueling speculation that it was not a simple weather device.
Despite the official explanation, the Mantell UFO Incident remains one of the most well-known and debated UFO sightings in history. The incident continues to capture the imagination of UFO enthusiasts and skeptics alike, and has become a part of UFO lore and legend. Researchers and investigators often revisit the Mantell case in documentaries, books, and articles, attempting to provide new insights or uncover additional evidence that may have been overlooked. The enduring interest in the Mantell UFO Incident also highlights the broader fascination with the possibility of extraterrestrial life and the quest to explain unidentified aerial phenomena. This continued intrigue ensures that the Mantell UFO Incident remains a topic of discussion and speculation for years to come.
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mantell_UFO_incident
https://stmdailynews.com/category/stm-blog/blog/
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In a remarkable turn of events, recently released documents have confirmed the recovery of debris from a UFO that was shot down by a U.S. F-16 fighter jet over Lake Huron on February 12, 2023. This incident marked the third notable UFO occurrence in North America within that month, following a high-profile engagement involving a Chinese surveillance balloon just days earlier.
The octagon-shaped object, which had strings dangling from it, raised eyebrows when U.S. military forces targeted it. The F-16 pilot fired at the unidentified flying object twice, successfully striking it with one missile before it plummeted into Canadian waters. The incident sparked immediate attention from both American and Canadian authorities.
According to a Freedom of Information request filed by CTVNews.ca, the wreckage was located on the shoreline of Lake Huron, yet this significant discovery went largely unreported to the public at the time. The Royal Canadian Mounted Police (RCMP), alongside the American and Canadian Coast Guard, initiated a brief search for the debris. However, they concluded their efforts prematurely, citing deteriorating weather conditions and a low likelihood of recovery as the main factors.
In March 2023, the RCMP managed to recover the UFO wreckage from its crash site. In communications obtained through the documents, a member of the RCMP informed a Canadian military general that the module was traced back to a company specializing in weather monitoring equipment, shedding light on the mysterious object.
The series of UFO incidents in February 2023 has piqued the interest of lawmakers and the public alike, especially in light of the U.S. military’s actions against the Chinese surveillance balloon. The House Committee on Oversight and Accountability has held multiple hearings on unidentified anomalous phenomena (UAPs), with the latest session occurring on November 13, 2023. Experts like Michael Gold, a former NASA leader and member of the independent UAP study team, emphasized the importance of courage in seeking the truth about such phenomena.
As the conversation surrounding UAPs continues to evolve, the recovery of debris from Lake Huron serves as a reminder of the ongoing mystery and intrigue that surrounds unidentified objects in our skies. The implications of these incidents extend beyond mere curiosity, potentially impacting national security and public perception of aerial phenomena. Stay tuned for further developments as authorities continue to unravel the truth behind these intriguing occurrences.
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Barry Markovsky, University of South Carolina
Most of us still call them UFOs – unidentified flying objects. NASA recently adopted the term “unidentified anomalous phenomena,” or UAP. Either way, every few years popular claims resurface that these things are not of our world, or that the U.S. government has some stored away.
I’m a sociologist who focuses on the interplay between individuals and groups, especially concerning shared beliefs and misconceptions. As for why UFOs and their alleged occupants enthrall the public, I’ve found that normal human perceptual and social processes explain UFO buzz as much as anything up in the sky.
Historical context
Like political scandals and high-waisted jeans, UFOs trend in and out of collective awareness but never fully disappear. Thirty years of polling find that 25%-50% of surveyed Americans believe at least some UFOs are alien spacecraft. Today in the U.S., over 100 million adults think our galactic neighbors pay us visits.
It wasn’t always so. Linking objects in the sky with visiting extraterrestrials has risen in popularity only in the past 75 years. Some of this is probably market-driven. Early UFO stories boosted newspaper and magazine sales, and today they are reliable clickbait online.
In 1980, a popular book called “The Roswell Incident” by Charles Berlitz and William L. Moore described an alleged flying saucer crash and government cover-up 33 years prior near Roswell, New Mexico. The only evidence ever to emerge from this story was a small string of downed weather balloons. Nevertheless, the book coincided with a resurgence of interest in UFOs. From there, a steady stream of UFO-themed TV shows, films, and pseudo-documentaries has fueled public interest. Perhaps inevitably, conspiracy theories about government cover-ups have risen in parallel.
Some UFO cases inevitably remain unresolved. But despite the growing interest, multiple investigations have found no evidence that UFOs are of extraterrestrial origin – other than the occasional meteor or misidentification of Venus.
But the U.S. Navy’s 2017 Gimbal video continues to appear in the media. It shows strange objects filmed by fighter jets, often interpreted as evidence of alien spacecraft. And in June 2023, an otherwise credible Air Force veteran and former intelligence officer made the stunning claim that the U.S. government is storing numerous downed alien spacecraft and their dead occupants. https://www.youtube.com/embed/2TumprpOwHY?wmode=transparent&start=0 UFO videos released by the U.S. Navy, often taken as evidence of alien spaceships.
Human factors contributing to UFO beliefs
Only a small percentage of UFO believers are eyewitnesses. The rest base their opinions on eerie images and videos strewn across both social media and traditional mass media. There are astronomical and biological reasons to be skeptical of UFO claims. But less often discussed are the psychological and social factors that bring them to the popular forefront.
Many people would love to know whether or not we’re alone in the universe. But so far, the evidence on UFO origins is ambiguous at best. Being averse to ambiguity, people want answers. However, being highly motivated to find those answers can bias judgments. People are more likely to accept weak evidence or fall prey to optical illusions if they support preexisting beliefs.
For example, in the 2017 Navy video, the UFO appears as a cylindrical aircraft moving rapidly over the background, rotating and darting in a manner unlike any terrestrial machine. Science writer Mick West’s analysis challenged this interpretation using data displayed on the tracking screen and some basic geometry. He explained how the movements attributed to the blurry UFO are an illusion. They stem from the plane’s trajectory relative to the object, the quick adjustments of the belly-mounted camera, and misperceptions based on our tendency to assume cameras and backgrounds are stationary.
West found the UFO’s flight characteristics were more like a bird’s or a weather balloon’s than an acrobatic interstellar spacecraft. But the illusion is compelling, especially with the Navy’s still deeming the object unidentified.
West also addressed the former intelligence officer’s claim that the U.S. government possesses crashed UFOs and dead aliens. He emphasized caution, given the whistleblower’s only evidence was that people he trusted told him they’d seen the alien artifacts. West noted we’ve heard this sort of thing before, along with promises that the proof will soon be revealed. But it never comes.
Anyone, including pilots and intelligence officers, can be socially influenced to see things that aren’t there. Research shows that hearing from others who claim to have seen something extraordinary is enough to induce similar judgments. The effect is heightened when the influencers are numerous or higher in status. Even recognized experts aren’t immune from misjudging unfamiliar images obtained under unusual conditions.
Group factors contributing to UFO beliefs
“Pics or it didn’t happen” is a popular expression on social media. True to form, users are posting countless shaky images and videos of UFOs. Usually they’re nondescript lights in the sky captured on cellphone cameras. But they can go viral on social media and reach millions of users. With no higher authority or organization propelling the content, social scientists call this a bottom-up social diffusion process.
In contrast, top-down diffusion occurs when information emanates from centralized agents or organizations. In the case of UFOs, sources have included social institutions like the military, individuals with large public platforms like U.S. senators, and major media outlets like CBS.
Amateur organizations also promote active personal involvement for many thousands of members, the Mutual UFO Network being among the oldest and largest. But as Sharon A. Hill points out in her book “Scientifical Americans,” these groups apply questionable standards, spread misinformation and garner little respect within mainstream scientific communities.
Top-down and bottom-up diffusion processes can combine into self-reinforcing loops. Mass media spreads UFO content and piques worldwide interest in UFOs. More people aim their cameras at the skies, creating more opportunities to capture and share odd-looking content. Poorly documented UFO pics and videos spread on social media, leading media outlets to grab and republish the most intriguing. Whistleblowers emerge periodically, fanning the flames with claims of secret evidence.
Despite the hoopla, nothing ever comes of it.
For a scientist familiar with the issues, skepticism that UFOs carry alien beings is wholly separate from the prospect of intelligent life elsewhere in the universe. Scientists engaged in the search for extraterrestrial intelligence have a number of ongoing research projects designed to detect signs of extraterrestrial life. If intelligent life is out there, they’ll likely be the first to know.
As astronomer Carl Sagan wrote, “The universe is a pretty big place. If it’s just us, seems like an awful waste of space.”
Barry Markovsky, Distinguished Professor Emeritus of Sociology, University of South Carolina
This article is republished from The Conversation under a Creative Commons license. Read the original article.
The science section of our news blog STM Daily News provides readers with captivating and up-to-date information on the latest scientific discoveries, breakthroughs, and innovations across various fields. We offer engaging and accessible content, ensuring that readers with different levels of scientific knowledge can stay informed. Whether it’s exploring advancements in medicine, astronomy, technology, or environmental sciences, our science section strives to shed light on the intriguing world of scientific exploration and its profound impact on our daily lives. From thought-provoking articles to informative interviews with experts in the field, STM Daily News Science offers a harmonious blend of factual reporting, analysis, and exploration, making it a go-to source for science enthusiasts and curious minds alike. https://stmdailynews.com/category/science/
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