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Do not expect to uncover the reality of UFOs just yet. A recent US government bill, which aimed to require the disclosure of all classified materials and objects related to UFOs, was altered before passing through Congress.

In June 2023, interest in UAPs, a new term for UFOs, was reignited after a former US intelligence agency whistleblower, David Grusch, revealed that he had discovered the US had been retrieving spacecraft of non-human origin for decades. This disclosure led to a congressional hearing where Grusch and other witnesses shared their experiences and knowledge of the secretive project. As a result, a bipartisan group of elected representatives, led by Chuck Schumer and Mike Rounds, authored the Unidentified Aerial Phenomena Disclosure Act.

It can be tempting to solely consider the exceptional aspects of the topic or the reliability of those observing UAPs. However, the idea of alien spacecraft brings up significant concerns that extend beyond the question of our existence in the vast universe. Much scientific research is currently being conducted not only to search for evidence of extraterrestrial life, but also to explore the potential psychological implications if aliens do indeed exist, and potentially even more concerning, if our authorities have been concealing information from us.

The main concern surrounding governments is trust. According to Republican congressman Glenn Grothman of Wisconsin, who spoke on 26 July, the lack of transparency regarding UAPs has led to rampant speculation and discussion for many years, causing a decline in public trust towards the institutions that are responsible for serving and safeguarding them.

The objective of the Disclosure Act was to regain the confidence of the public and reassure Congress that covert operations were not occurring without their supervision.

The law was based on the President John F Kennedy Assassination Records Collection Act of 1992. The act was created due to public suspicion that government agents and the military were involved in the assassination of the president. This belief became widespread after the release of Oliver Stone’s film JFK in 1991. The act mandated the creation of a national archive for all records pertaining to the assassination, and made the majority of them available to the public by declassifying them. An independent organization was responsible for overseeing this process.

The initial version of the UAP Disclosure Act had a similar concept in which it suggested establishing a national record managed by an impartial group of nine American citizens. Their responsibility was to determine, without any interference from the military, government, or corporations, the timing and method of revealing information from the record. The act granted the panel the authority to conduct additional hearings, with witnesses being given immunity from prosecution. It also proposed that the federal government have the power to seize any unknown technologies or biological evidence of non-human intelligence controlled by private individuals or organizations for the benefit of the public.

Simply put, the US government had the power to take possession of any items believed to be significant held by individuals or businesses. They were required to make this information available to the public. Additionally, the act required the secretary of state to reach out to foreign governments to obtain any material related to unexplained phenomena, unknown technologies, or extraterrestrial intelligence.

In summary, the truth about UAPs would have been uncovered. However, many of the conditions have been removed. The only remaining aspect is the archive, but it will not be overseen by an impartial organization. After the decision, Schumer praised the archive as a victory for transparency in the government, but also expressed frustration that the suggested review board was not accepted. He stated, “This now means that the declassification of UAP records will primarily depend on the same groups that have hindered and concealed their release for many years.”

During an interview with News Nation on December 12, Grusch expressed strong certainty, referring to the alterations as “the most significant lack of success in American history”

The enactment has not significantly increased transparency and is now causing people to question if the US government is attempting to conceal something.

Daniel Stubbings, a clinical psychologist from Cardiff Metropolitan University, believes that if the UFO/UAP issue is simply a result of misperceptions, paranoia, delusions, hallucinations, gullibility, and disinformation, then it is important for government, military, and academic organizations to thoroughly investigate all aspects of the topic. However, their lack of transparency and efforts to conceal information only fuels suspicion that there may be more to the issue.

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For thousands of years, people have witnessed inexplicable occurrences in the sky. While some may dismiss them as mere illusions or flights of imagination, the validity of these sightings is harder to deny when backed by photographic and video evidence from reputable sources. In 2021, the office of the director of national intelligence in the US shared a report titled “Preliminary Assessment: Unidentified Aerial Phenomena,” which revealed that the US Department of Defense’s Unidentified Aerial Phenomena task force had been investigating 144 reports of UAPs between 2004 and 2021, mostly reported by military personnel. The report also included three declassified videos showcasing some of these UAPs in action.

The material played a crucial role in convincing Stubbings to give the subject proper consideration. He conducted interviews with individuals who claimed to have witnessed something they couldn’t comprehend, seeking to uncover any potential mental health issues or patterns among them. He discovered that individuals of various personality types have reported seeing UAPs and many of them have unresolved psychological needs.

Stubbings stated, “At first, I was certain that the UAP phenomenon could be rationalized by normal psychological and situational factors. However, as I delved deeper into actual cases, my certainty diminished.”

“I have come to the realization that this is an extremely reliable subject. If proven to be true, it would significantly alter the current situation,” he states. “However, if it turns out to be false, it is incredibly concerning. How have we reached a point in society where we believe everything to be true without proper investigation and are investing large amounts of money towards it?”

In the past, astronomers were responsible for seeking out indications of extraterrestrial life in the cosmos. One method, known as Seti or the search for extraterrestrial intelligence, involves using telescopes to detect potential signals from alien societies. While Seti used to be considered a less conventional approach in the field of astronomy, it is now widely accepted as a prominent area of study.

Breakthrough Listen is the largest ever scientific research programme searching for evidence of civilisations beyond Earth. It aims to survey the 1m closest stars to Earth and 100 closest galaxies to our own. Running since January 2016 at the University of California, Berkeley, the project announced a new headquarters in Oxford last October.

Steve Croft, an astronomer at UC Berkeley and the Seti Institute, as well as a senior researcher at the new HQ, expresses that receiving recognition from one of the top universities, astrophysics groups, and physics departments in the world is a significant vote of confidence for the project.

In the beginning of December, Croft and his team released findings from their study using over 140 terabytes of data (equivalent to viewing over five years of continuous high-definition video) from 97 galaxies in close proximity. While they did not discover any artificial signals in this specific analysis, Croft states that it marks the beginning of their research.

Several other astronomers have observed phenomena that require additional examination using various methods. Beatriz Villarroel, a physics assistant professor at Stockholm University, is heading a group of astronomers studying pre-1957 photographic plates of the night sky.

As satellites orbit the Earth, they can reflect sunlight causing bright glints to appear in the night sky. These leave streaks on astronomical images or spots of light that appear and disappear seemingly at random. Mysteriously, on one plate from April 1950, Villarroel found nine sources of light that appeared within a half-hour period and then vanished. Conducting observations using the Gran Telescopio Canarias, on La Palma in the Canary Islands, revealed nothing at the locations of the light sources that might have flared up.

Villarroel states that there is no astronomical explanation for this particular event.

Recently, her group discovered three luminous objects on a dish marked with the date July 19, 1952. Interestingly, this date is significant to UFO believers as it aligns with a well-known event where pilots and radar personnel witnessed unexplainable lights in the sky over Washington DC.

“I believe it is crucial to conduct [proximity] searches for extraterrestrial objects as the [astronomy] field primarily focuses on objects that are extremely distant. It is time for a change,” states Villarroel, who is currently developing the ExoProbe project with the goal of identifying unique objects among the extensive network of man-made satellites in Earth’s orbit.

But what if she, or anyone else, discovers undeniable evidence that extraterrestrial beings have either visited or are currently visiting our planet?

In the past, John Priestland, a physicist and owner of an engineering consultancy, pondered the potential impact of this information on individuals. He expresses concern for those who may be affected and notes that there is currently no organization prioritizing the well-being of people in this situation.

He established Unhidden, a non-profit organization focused on reducing the negative perception surrounding conversations about UAPs, non-human intelligences, and the potential concealment of evidence by governments.

Stubbings shares the same sentiment about this mission. He believes that there is still a negative perception surrounding this topic and people are hesitant to talk about it. However, he also acknowledges that one genuine account can make a significant impact and potentially alter the course of humanity.

According to Priestland, the Disclosure Act was considered significant, but its modified form is a letdown and could even pose a threat.

Nowadays, there is a focus on individual perspectives, except for individuals who witness unusual phenomena in the sky. We do not acknowledge their experiences as valid. He believes they require assistance and understanding. This must be done in consideration of potential disclosure, as there may be a sudden influx of 8 billion people who must come to terms with the fact that the organizations they have trusted for the last 80 years have been deceiving them.

Source: theguardian.com