Scientists are reportedly interested in unraveling the secrets of UFOs
In 2015, U.S. Navy pilots flying training flights along the East Coast reported encounters with unusual, fast objects moving over the water. From the pilots’ descriptions, these oval-shaped objects appeared to rotate as they moved, covering great distances at incredible speeds. Several pilots confirmed sightings of these objects, which they noted were unlike any known aircraft; they had no visible engines, exhaust fumes or defining propulsion systems.
According to Lt. Ryan Graves, a veteran F/A-18 Super Hornet pilot with more than a decade of experience, these objects were not a one-time sighting but were observed repeatedly over a period of months. The pilots’ observations, captured on video, showed that the objects not only hovered above the ocean’s surface, but also appeared at altitudes of up to 30,000 feet, at speeds beyond the capabilities of conventional military aircraft.
A secret revealed to the public
The public was informed of these sightings in 2019, four years after they occurred, when The New York Times published an article containing the images taken by the navy. This article marked the beginning of a shift in the way the U.S. government and military approached the topic of unidentified aerial phenomena (UAP), as they are now officially called. Shortly afterwards, in April 2020, the US Navy officially verified the authenticity of these videos, leading to renewed public and scientific interest in the nature and origin of these mysterious sightings.
Roswell and UFO fever: a persistent curiosity
Public curiosity about UFOs is not new. In 1947, the Roswell Incident, in which debris from an unidentified object was discovered on a ranch near Roswell, New Mexico, captured the nation’s imagination. Initial reports suggested it was a ‘flying saucer’, although the military quickly retracted this, claiming the debris came from a weather balloon. This incident sparked a national obsession with UFOs, and the lore surrounding Roswell has only grown in recent decades. The Roswell Incident, combined with further sightings and theories surrounding “Area 51,” left a lasting cultural impact on public perception of UFOs and government secrecy.
Government involvement and research
As the UAP sightings continued, the US government initiated a more transparent approach to investigations. In 2021, a report was released acknowledging the existence of several unexplained UAP incidents since 2004, while maintaining that there was no evidence that these sightings were of extraterrestrial origin. However, the US government emphasized the need for investigation given the potential implications for national security.
In response, the Pentagon established the All-domain Anomaly Resolution Office (AARO) in July 2022, charged with coordinating and leading efforts to collect and analyze information about UAP. While there is no conclusive evidence linking UAP to extraterrestrial life, the goal remains to uncover the origins of these sightings, including the possibility of advanced foreign technology.
Science takes a stand
The increasing interest in UAP has encouraged scientists to take a step forward in challenging the long-standing stigma. NASA formed a scientific panel in 2022 dedicated to exploring UAP with an evidence-based approach. Harvard astrophysicist Avi Loeb has also made waves in the scientific community by founding the Galileo Project, which applies observational and analytical technology to collect objective data on UAP.
