Extract from ABC News
A first-of-its-kind panel by NASA has started a study of "unidentified aerial phenomena," commonly known as UFOs, bringing together experts from scientific fields ranging from physics to astrobiology.
Key points:
- The panel will focus on unclassified sightings of UFOs
- NASA's panel is in addition to a new investigation by the Pentagon into unidentified aerial phenomena
- The panel will devise a strategy on how to organise and study sightings before recommending a road map
The 16-member panel will focus its inquiry entirely on unclassified sightings and other data collected from civilian, government and commercial sectors, according to NASA.
The team's inquiry is separate from a newly formalised Pentagon-based investigation of unidentified aerial phenomena, or UAPs, reported by military aviators and analysed by US defence and intelligence officials.
The parallel NASA and Pentagon efforts highlight a turning point for the US government after spending decades deflecting, debunking and discrediting observations of UFOs dating back to the 1940s.
The term UFOs, long associated with notions of flying saucers and alien spacecraft, has been replaced in official government parlance by UAP.
"There is no evidence UAPs are extraterrestrial in origin," NASA said in June when the panel was announced.
A Pentagon report issued a year earlier also found insufficient data to determine the nature of more than 140 credible sightings documented by military observers since 2004, mostly Navy personnel.
Senior defence and intelligence officials testified before Congress five months ago that the list of catalogued UAP sightings had since grown to 400 but many remain beyond explanation, either as advanced earthly technologies, atmospherics or something alien.
Among them are video released by the Pentagon of enigmatic airborne objects exhibiting speed and manoeuvrability exceeding known aviation technology and lacking any visible means of propulsion or flight-control surfaces.
NASA said its panel would spend nine months devising its own strategy for how to organise and study sightings before recommending "a road map of potential UAP data analysis by the agency going forward".
Its first report is to be made public in mid-2023.
Associate NASA administrator Thomas Zurbuchen said said data was the language of scientists and made the "unexplainable explainable".
"Understanding the data we have surrounding unidentified aerial phenomena is critical to helping us draw scientific conclusions about what's happening in our skies," he said.
The panel is chaired by David Spergel, who formerly headed Prince University's astrophysics department.
Reuters
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