- The US Congress held a hearing on the existence of Unidentified Aerial Phenomena(UAP)
- Congress believes that most of these UAPs are human-made technology or natural phenomena.
- Scientists are debating if the government is holding back information regarding aliens.
Scientists have been trying to verify the existence of intelligent extraterrestrial life or aliens for ages. For over 70 years, astronomers over the world have been scanning radio signals from other civilizations, through a branch called SETI(Search for extraterrestrial intelligence) while also trying to contact said aliens with information about Earth via METI(Messaging extraterrestrial intelligence). In addition, they also scrutinize reports of suspected UFO sightings.
Most scientists are confident that life exists and that some life forms have developed intelligence and technology in the Milky Way galaxy. However, no signals from another civilization have ever been detected to date which is known as “The Great Silence.”
Now in what can be described as a refreshing wave around the red tape associated with alien research, the US government in particular is no denying the scope of imagination.
The history of UAP
One can only assume how the public’s imagination runs wild when it comes to activities in the mysterious Area 51. One more thing which excites both scientists and alien enthusiasts alike is the existence of UAP.
UAP is a term used to describe “unidentified aerial phenomena”. Humanity has had some close brushes with suspected “interstellar” objects in the recent past. The US government declassified a memo by the US Space Command which had affirmed that a “fireball” seen crashing off the coast of Papua New Guinea in 2014 was, in fact, the first interstellar meteor known to fall to Earth. In addition to the official sightings, millions around the world have recorded their encounters with alien UFOs.
Whether true or fiction, UAPs have assumed prime importance for the government of the corresponding countries due to the advent of security breaches. With advanced tech like drones gaining popularity, governments want to exercise tight control on their sovereign air space with defense in mind.
The US Congress hearing
The United States Congress recently held a hearing to look into US government information pertaining to UAPs. This hearing was a result of the 2020 COVID-19 relief bill, which required US Intelligence agencies to produce a report on UAPs within 180 days.
The last attempt at such a hearing was way back in the 50s known as the Project Blue Book. This was the code name for the systematic study of unidentified flying objects by the United States Air Force from March 1952 to its termination on December 17, 1969. It was conducted on the Wright-Patterson Air Force Base.
Are governments covering up?
Republican Congressman Tim Burchett exclaimed in his reaction to the hearing that the US government might be covering up information.
But are the resources at the disposal of the Government just that advanced? There are millions of radars constantly scanning space, astronomers at various facilities with their powerful telescopes, and moreover billions of mobile phone cameras pointed at the sky. Wouldn’t there be a lot of really good evidence in the hands of the general public and scientists and not just governments?
After the US government Pentagon declassified the memo regarding the “fireball” off the coast of Papua New Guinea in 2014, the scientist behind the probe which triggered the said move has begun an expedition.
Harvard astronomer Avi Loeb plans to conduct a retrieval operation in the Pacific Ocean to collect whatever data of interest he can get his hands through an intricate magnetic retrieval technology using scooping magnets.
While the basic conclusion of the Congress hearing might point to their belief that the UAPs presented are human-made technology or rather due to natural phenomena, the search for traces of alien life still carry on in hope.
