The POT summoned a news conference for present their first findings on UFOs. Almost a year after announcing that they would become involved in the study of unidentified aerial phenomena (UAP), a panel of experts concluded that they need more data. David Spergel, chair of the panel, said that the current evidence on UAPs is insufficient because the data analyzed is not of high quality.
One of the main problems for the team of 16 researchers and experts from multiple disciplines is that UFO data collection is fragmented. Sightings are recorded by commercial aircraft, military drones or weather balloons, so the information reaches different government agencies. Spergel also mentioned that there is no quality control, since instruments are used that are not ideal for recording data scientists.
This was supported by Sean Kirkpatrick, director of the office in charge of investigating phenomena in the air for the Department of Defense. Kirkpatrick mentioned that most flying objects have characteristics that are easily explainedalthough he cannot reach a defensible conclusion with the current data. The manager also stated that there are some with potentially anomalous characteristicsAlthough it is a very small percentage.
Within this category are flying saucers. Kirkpatrick was referring to an unidentified object that was searched by a military drone in the Middle East. The Department of Defense has not been able to explain the origin due to biased data collection, although it assured that does not pose a threat. This UAP in the form of a metallic orb was also reported in other areas of the region.
Nadia Drake, a journalist and scientist who is part of the panel, revealed that there is no evidence about the extraterrestrial origin of the UAPs. According to Drake, the data needed to explain anomalous sightings often does not exist, so could not come to a definitive conclusion. The study of these phenomena is of interest to national and aviation security, and NASA wants to discover its scientific explanation.
“It is not our job to define nature, but to study it in such a way that nature reveals itself to us no matter how exciting or disappointing that reality may be,” Drake said. “NASA is driven by science and committed to the exploration and understanding of air and space,” added Paula Bontempi, oceanographer and research group member. “This includes the unknown, whether it’s in the farthest reaches of the universe or right here on our planet,” she said.
During their presentation, the team members made it clear that the space agency will rely on the data. When asked if there is “non-human” intelligence behind the aerial phenomena, Anamaria Berea, a professor of computer science at George Mason University said that “extraordinary claims require extraordinary evidence“.
The first results of the investigation on UFOs might disappoint some, although they are a great advance. The NASA has identified the main obstacle to its study, so the next step will be to submit a full report at the end of July. The goal of the expert group is to create a roadmap for other scientists to further analyze UAPs.