Last year, NASA began to investigate the phenomenon of UFOs, or, as it is also recommended to call “unidentified anomalous phenomena” (UAP). About 15 specialists and independent experts from various fields of science were involved in its study, including even astronaut Scott Kelly. On May 31, the space agency held its first meeting to discuss the results of an independent study.
The head of the research group and a former member of the NASA Advisory Board, David Spergel, compared the study of UFOs with fast radio bursts (FRB). Literally 15 years ago, these powerful bursts of radio waves from distant galaxies were considered incomprehensible anomalies. “And I think that’s, as we think about UAPs, I think we’re informed by previous successes and identifying anomalies,” explained David Spergel.
The main obstacle in UFO research
The researchers immediately stressed that the greatest obstacle to understanding these unknown phenomena was the lack of data. Currently, ongoing efforts to collect UFO data are unsystematic and fragmented, often using tools not adapted for scientific data collection.
Sean Kirkpatrick, director of the Pentagon’s All-Domain Anomaly Resolution Office (AARO), in his report notes that although most of the reports have a simple and rational explanation, some of the cases of observations still remain unresolved primarily due to a lack of data.
Therefore, Daniel Evans, assistant deputy associate administrator for research within the agency’s Science Mission Directorate, notes that since public interest in UFOs is at an all-time high, the agency has a responsibility to give the public as objective an assessment and rational explanation of these unknown phenomena as possible. Scientists are interested in understanding this phenomenon too, because solving UFOs will allow humanity to expand its understanding of the surrounding world.
Persecution of scientists
But the most unpleasant situation developed just during the study: many members of the NASA research group on the study of the UFO phenomenon were persecuted because of their participation in this program.
“A NASA security team is actively addressing this issue. We at NASA are acutely aware of the considerable public interest in UAP. However, it’s critical to understand any form of harassment towards our panelists only serves to detract from the scientific process, which requires an environment of respect and openness,” Evans said.
Mystery for science
As a result, David Spergel noted that it was very important to remain impartial in the scientific study of UFOs based on the available data and not to draw preliminary unreasonable conclusions. “To make the claim that we’ve seen something that is evidence of non-human intelligence, it would require extraordinary evidence. And we have not seen that. I think that’s important to make clear,” Spergel said.
So, while the UFO phenomenon does not have a full and rational explanation and remains a mystery to science. We hope that over time, when scientists receive more data, they will be able to find the key to unraveling unidentified anomalous phenomena that excite the minds of the public, which gives rise to many conspiracy theories around this mysterious phenomenon.
Earlier we reported on how the hunt for the author of the clearest UFO photo in history was started.
According to Space.com
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