I’ve always loved weird science. Since I was a little kid reading the TIME LIFE Mysteries of the Unexplained books at the public library. UFOs, Bigfoot, poltergeists, all of it. The Philadelphia Experiment. “Fortean phenomena.” Weird science. I love it! It fires my imagination.
I’ve been studying the UFO phenomenon my entire life.
So I have some thoughts about the Pentagon report on “Unexplained Aerial Phenomena” that dropped last week.
Much of the “UFO community” are infuriated at what they find to be weak tea, after 70 years of waiting.
But really, anyone who thought the report was going to include high-definition video of classic flying discs was letting their imagination run away with them.
If you read carefully, there are two major changes of policy in this report.
First, the report says, “UAP clearly pose a safety of flight issue and may pose a challenge to U.S. national security.” [emphasis mine]
Since the Blue Book era onwards, the official position has been that UFOs/UAP represent no threat to national security.
Second, the report suggests the phenomenon requires actual scientific study to increase understanding.
The conclusion of the Condon Report back in the 1960s stated that there was no scientific value to studying the phenomenon. This gave the Air Force the excuse it wanted to shutter Project Blue Book.
Actually, three policy changes, now that I think of it — there are now formal procedures for the military to report UAPs.
Previously, doing so could end a pilot’s or a scientist’s career through ridicule and ostracization.
This represents a 180 degree turn from previous policy. For generations, the official government position was ridicule and obfuscation. “Swamp gas.”
Now, suddenly UAPs are a threat to national security requiring rigorous scientific study (and more funding.)
Why? What changed?
Mind, I don’t think it’s great that the phenomenon is suddenly being couched as a threat, a potential enemy.
But at least “the powers that be” are taking it seriously.
They’re spoon-feeding us information here. But they ARE feeding us. That is a huge change.
Here is the report, so you can read it yourself. It’s only nine pages. Including two appendixes.
Make of it what you will.