NASA has declared that it will support independent research to investigate UFOS, also known as unexplained aerial phenomenon (UAPs), from a scientific standpoint. The research, which will begin later this year and last around nine months, is scheduled to be completed by the end of the year. It will be led by astrophysicist David Spergel, president of the Simons Foundation for advancing scientific research, and will include a team of scientific, aeronautical, and data experts.
“NASA thinks that scientific discovery techniques are strong and that they apply here as well,” said Thomas Zurbuchen, assistant administrator for science at NASA Headquarters in Washington. “We have access to a wide range of Earth observations from orbit, which is vital to scientific study.” We have the tools and the people in place to help us better grasp the unknown. That is, after all, the whole meaning of science. That’s what we’re good at.” Best of all, owing to NASA’s transparency policy, all of the study’s findings will be made public, not just a few shady people in suits and sunglasses.
“This study will be presented publicly in accordance with NASA’s standards of openness, transparency, and scientific integrity,” said Daniel Evans, assistant deputy associate administrator for research at NASA’s Science Mission Directorate. “All of NASA’s data is available to the public – we take this responsibility seriously – and we make it easy to see and analyze for anybody.” The issue of UAP sightings, which was formerly only of interest to shady websites and conspiracy theorists, has been revived with a newfound feeling of legitimacy following a number of high-profile sightings by the US military that have been made public.
National security concerns are one of the main reasons why US authorities are beginning to pay attention to UAP sightings. Some of these UAP claims might very well be unidentified experimental aircraft being tested by a foreign opponent such as Russia or China. The new NASA research will take a hard look at this. However, it appears that NASA is maintaining an open mind about the possibility of many explanations for UAP sightings.
“Unidentified atmospheric events are fascinating for a variety of reasons. “Frankly, I believe there is new science to be found,” Dr. Zurbuchen stated on Thursday during a media teleconference. “Many times, something that appeared to be practically miraculous turned out to be a novel scientific consequence,” he continued. What about looking for intelligent life on other planets? It’s certainly not out of the question. NASA is also looking for “techno-signatures,” or signs of artificial technology in astronomical data, according to Dr. Zurbuchen, and they’ll retain an open mind about the potential of intelligent alien technology.
“We [NASA] have showed our interest in the general topic of finding life elsewhere and discovering intelligent life elsewhere using scientific means over the previous years, if not decades,” he stated. “If someone asked me if there is conclusive proof for intelligent life here in one of these events, I would respond with a scientifically acceptable answer: I don’t know.”
