2023-09-14 22:44:00
NASA boss Bill Nelson at the headquarters of the American space agency on September 14 in Washington (AFP / ANDREW CABALLERO-REYNOLDS)
NASA announced Thursday that it wanted to scientifically tackle the issue of UFOs, these unidentified aerial phenomena which arouse fascination, but for which there is no proof that they are of extraterrestrial origin, according to a new report from experts published by the American space agency.
After months of work, this report written by a group of eminent scientists and aeronautics experts recommended that NASA play in the future “a leading role” in the study of UFOs — renamed “unidentified anomalous phenomena” (UAP in English).
At the same time, NASA announced the creation of a position of director responsible for research into these phenomena.
NASA initially did not give his name, for fear that he would suffer harassment as was the case for the 16 authors of the report. But she finally made it public: it will be Mark McInerney, who was already working on the issue within the American agency.
This work commissioned in June by NASA from an independent panel marks “the first time that NASA has taken a concrete step to seriously look into these unexplained events, Bill Nelson, the head of NASA, declared at a press conference. space agency.
The goal is for the debate to move “from the terrain of sensationalism to that of science,” he insisted. “We don’t know what these unidentified anomalous phenomena are, but we will try to find out.”
– More data needed –
NASA defines these phenomena as “events in the sky that cannot be scientifically identified as an aircraft or a known natural phenomenon.”
Most of the strange observations, reported in particular by pilots, “are explainable”, declared Thursday David Spergel, astrophysicist responsible for chairing the work of the group of experts.
Astrophysicist David Spergel during a press conference on unidentified anomalous phenomena (UAP) at NASA headquarters, September 14, 2023 in Washington (AFP / ANDREW CABALLERO-REYNOLDS)
They often turn out to be “planes, balloons, drones, weather phenomena”, or even to be linked to the observation instruments themselves, he said.
But some remain unexplained.
According to the report, this is largely due to the lack of precise data available for each event.
Experts therefore call for a “rigorous data collection campaign”. “The importance of detecting” these phenomena with “multiple and well-calibrated sensors is essential”, and NASA has great “expertise” in this area, he underlines.
NASA can, for example, observe whether certain meteorological phenomena coincide with the observation of these phenomena, the report suggests. According to some experts, new physical phenomena could also be discovered, which would explain certain phenomena.
The report also recommends that the general public be more involved, for example with the development of an application to collect recordings taken with mobile phones.
NASA will work to collect more data, including through observations of citizens and pilots, Nicola Fox, associate administrator for science at NASA, said Thursday.
“We want private, commercial and military pilots to know that if they see something, they should say it,” she said.
– Stereotypes –
American intelligence and the Pentagon have also recently looked into the issue, which concerns both national security and that of air traffic.
The purpose of this report, however, was not to review events already observed one by one in an attempt to explain them, but to make recommendations on how to study them rigorously in the future.
Dan Evans, NASA deputy administrator for research, during a press conference on unidentified anomalous phenomena (UAP), September 14, 2023 in Washington (AFP / ANDREW CABALLERO-REYNOLDS)
The experts, who also advocate the use of artificial intelligence for data analysis, only worked from public (unclassified) information, to be able to discuss it freely.
NASA insisted on this desire for transparency, necessary according to it to combat preconceived ideas linked to the word UFO (for “unidentified flying objects”).
In the current state of knowledge, “we have no evidence to suggest” that the observed phenomena “are of extraterrestrial origin,” recalled David Spergel.
The head of the American space agency also wanted to dispel accusations of cover-up against the American government: “whatever we find, we will say,” he promised.
And confided: “If you ask me if I think that there is life in a Universe so vast that it is difficult for me to conceive of it, my personal answer is yes.”
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