The most recent report of the Pentagon on ufos includes hundreds of new reports of unidentified and unexplained aerial phenomena, but no indication that they are of extraterrestrial origin.
The report includes hundreds of cases in which balloons, birds and satellites were misidentified, as well as some whose explanation is more complicated, such as an occasion in which a commercial plane almost collided with a mysterious object off the coast of New York.
Although it is unlikely to resolve any debate over the existence of extraterrestrial life, the report reflects a greater public interest in the topic and the government’s efforts to provide some answers. The document was released a day after members of the House of Representatives called for greater transparency during a hearing on unidentified anomalous phenomena, the term the government uses to refer to UFOs.
Efforts at the federal level to study and identify these phenomena have focused on possible threats to national security or air safety and not on their science fiction aspects. officials of the All Domain Anomaly Resolution Office (AARO) —which belongs to the Pentagon— have said that there is no indication that any of the cases investigated have extraterrestrial origins.
“It is important to emphasize that, to date, AARO has not discovered any evidence of extraterrestrial beings, activity, or technology,” the report’s authors wrote.
The Pentagon review covered 757 cases worldwide that were reported to United States authorities between May 1, 2023 and June 1, 2024. The total includes 272 incidents that occurred before that period, but had not been previously reported.
The vast majority of reported incidents occurred in airspace, but 49 of them occurred at estimated altitudes of at least 100 kilometers, which is considered space. None occurred underwater. Those who filed reports included commercial and military pilots, as well as ground observers.
Investigators found explanations for nearly 300 of the incidents. In many of the cases, the unknown objects turned out to be balloons, birds, airplanes, drones or satellites. According to the document, Elon Musk’s Starlink satellite system is an increasingly common source, as People confuse satellite chains with UFOs.
Authorities found no explanation for hundreds of the cases, although the report’s authors stressed that this is often because there is not enough information to draw a conclusion.
No injuries or accidents were reported in either case, although the crew of a commercial flight reported that the aircraft nearly collided with a “cylindrical object” while flying over the Atlantic Ocean off the coast of New York. The incident remains under investigation.
In three other cases, military aircrews reported that they were followed by unidentified aircraft, although investigators were unable to find evidence linking these activities to any foreign power.
Among the witnesses who provided visual descriptions, The most frequent reports were of unidentified lights or spherical objects. Other reports included a witness who reported a jellyfish with flashing lights.
During Wednesday’s hearing, lawmakers heard testimony from several expert witnesses who have studied the phenomena, including two former military officers. The discussion included questions about alien intelligence and military research using alien technology, as well as concerns about the possibility of secret aircraft being used by foreign powers to spy on US military installations.
Lawmakers said the number of questions surrounding unidentified anomalous phenomena demonstrate the need for the government to closely study the issue and share its findings with the public.
“There’s something out there,” said Republican Rep. Andy Ogles. “The question is: Is it ours, is it someone else’s, or is it from another world?”
Por David Klepper (AP)
