Latest news with #UnidentifiedAerialPhenomena
Daily Record
6 days ago
- Science
- Daily Record
The small village in Scotland that is the UK's UFO capital with hundreds of sightings
The area shot to global attention after a flurry of sightings in the early 1990s - and they haven't stopped since. More than 30 years after the first reports emerged, the mystery surrounding a small village in central Scotland remains as baffling as ever. Bonnybridge, near Falkirk, shot to global attention in the 1990s after a wave of sightings of Unidentified Flying Objects (UFOs), or what are now officially referred to as Unidentified Aerial Phenomena (UAPs). Since then, more than 300 reports of unexplained activity have been recorded, making it one of the UK's most active areas for supposed other-worldly encounters. The area around Bonnybridge, Falkirk, and West Lothian became known as the Falkirk Triangle, a term coined after growing interest in the phenomenon. At its height, the story drew international media coverage, sparking theories of conspiracies, government cover-ups and even the possibility of a portal to another dimension. One of the earliest and most significant sightings occurred in January 1992. Local businessman James Walker was driving along a country road towards Droves Loan when he claimed to see something he could not explain. Malcolm Robinson, one of the UK's leading UFO and paranormal researchers, recalled: 'He claimed that he saw a large triangular-shaped craft low down in the sky, which had small lights on its underside. It was not a conventional aircraft.' Robinson has spent 45 years investigating strange phenomena. He founded Strange Phenomena Investigations in 1979, Scotland's longest-running UFO research group, and has written extensively on unexplained sightings. Over the years, he has examined hundreds of reports, both in the UK and abroad. At the time of the Bonnybridge sightings, local councillor Billy Buchanan took it upon himself to gather accounts from residents. By the end of 1992, he had documented over 200 separate incidents involving unusual lights, shapes and aerial objects. Reports varied widely. In one case, a driver described a formation of lights in a cross shape hovering above a road before changing into a triangle. In another, a family claimed to have seen a bright circle of light land in a nearby field. Despite repeated attempts by Buchanan to raise the issue at the highest levels of government, his calls for an official investigation were consistently ignored. He wrote to several ministers and even Prime Ministers, including Tony Blair in 1997, but received no formal response. 'It is important to say that the term UFO means Unidentified Flying Object. It does not describe alien ships visiting the earth,' Robinson added. The growing number of reports soon drew widespread media attention. Local and national newspapers were quick to seize on the story, and television crews descended on the village. A public meeting was held in January 1993, as concerned locals sought answers. That November, broadcasters filmed a UFO watch event in Bonnybridge. Despite the freezing conditions and a lack of sightings, the interest only grew. By the mid-1990s, sightings from the area had featured in countless newspaper articles and were even explored on national television. In 1997, Bonnybridge was the subject of the primetime show Strange But True. Join the Daily Record WhatsApp community! Get the latest news sent straight to your messages by joining our WhatsApp community today. You'll receive daily updates on breaking news as well as the top headlines across Scotland. No one will be able to see who is signed up and no one can send messages except the Daily Record team. All you have to do is click here if you're on mobile, select 'Join Community' and you're in! If you're on a desktop, simply scan the QR code above with your phone and click 'Join Community'. We also treat our community members to special offers, promotions, and adverts from us and our partners. If you don't like our community, you can check out any time you like. To leave our community click on the name at the top of your screen and choose 'exit group'. If you're curious, you can read our Privacy Notice. However, as the years went on, the wave of sightings gave way to scepticism, with critics accusing witnesses of seeking publicity or fabricating stories. Some national tabloids even ran claims of alien contact with villagers. Still, for many residents and researchers, the questions remain unanswered. Whether the events of the 1990s were the result of mass imagination, military activity or something more mysterious, the truth behind the Falkirk Triangle continues to be hotly debated. And for some, it remains a mystery worth revisiting.
The Star
02-08-2025
- Entertainment
- The Star
Space oddities take centre stage
Local artist Hangno Hartono sitting near an alien figure during the Indonesia UFO Festival in Yogyakarta.— AP A metallic spacecraft glistens under ambient light as two figures with elongated limbs, bulbous heads and featureless faces gaze with black eyes into the distance of the island of Java. The extraterrestrial arrival in Indonesia is one of the science fiction scenes that has captivated groups of outer space enthusiasts at the country's UFO Festival throughout July. Since 2016, organisers have welcomed hundreds of fans of outer space realities and mysteries from Indonesia and beyond. The festival aims to be a creative and intellectual crossroads for enthusiasts of space science and exploration, Unidentified Flying Objects, Unidentified Aerial Phenomena and SETI, short for the Search for Extraterrestrial Intelligence. This year's free event included an Alien Village, UFO Village and UFO Camp at a site near Yogyakarta, about 420km from the Indonesian capital Jakarta. Visitors admired a replica of a Mars exploration module and galleries with artistic interpretations of outer space, while workshops for adults and students offered cosmic activities such as spacesuit construction. Venzha Christ, director of the Indonesia Space Science Society, said a focus on the term UFO allows participants to wonder without boundaries. 'I think the Indonesian generation needs a platform that can transform and socialise creative ideas, whether from the perspective of technology, science or even art,' Christ said. 'Imagining outer space, imagining the universe, is imagining limitlessness.' — AP
Hamilton Spectator
31-07-2025
- Science
- Hamilton Spectator
Photos show the cosmic calling of extraterrestrial enthusiasts at Indonesia's UFO Festival
YOGYAKARTA, Indonesia (AP) — A metallic spacecraft glistens under ambient light as two figures with elongated limbs, bulbous heads and featureless faces gaze with black eyes into the distance of the island of Java. The extraterrestrial arrival in Indonesia is one of the science fiction scenes that has captivated groups of outer space enthusiasts at the country's UFO Festival throughout July. Since 2016, organizers have welcomed hundreds of fans of outer space realities and mysteries from Indonesia and beyond. The festival aims to be a creative and intellectual crossroads for enthusiasts of space science and exploration, Unidentified Flying Objects, Unidentified Aerial Phenomena and SETI, short for the Search for Extraterrestrial Intelligence. This year's free event included an Alien Village, UFO Village and UFO Camp at a site near Yogyakarta, about 420 kilometers (260 miles) from the Indonesian capital Jakarta. Visitors admired a replica of a Mars exploration module and galleries with artistic interpretations of outer space, while workshops for adults and students offered cosmic activities such as spacesuit construction. Venzha Christ, director of the Indonesia Space Science Society, said a focus on the term UFO allows participants to wonder without boundaries. 'I think the Indonesian generation needs a platform that can transform and socialize creative ideas, whether from the perspective of technology, science or even art,' Christ said. 'Imagining outer space, imagining the universe, is imagining limitlessness.' ___ Tarigan reported from Jakarta, Indonesia. Error! Sorry, there was an error processing your request. There was a problem with the recaptcha. Please try again. You may unsubscribe at any time. By signing up, you agree to our terms of use and privacy policy . This site is protected by reCAPTCHA and the Google privacy policy and terms of service apply. Want more of the latest from us? Sign up for more at our newsletter page .
Winnipeg Free Press
18-07-2025
- Politics
- Winnipeg Free Press
Ottawa advised to set up office to track UFOs
The truth is out there — and the Sky Canada Project say the federal government should create an office to get to the bottom of UFOs. Chief science adviser Mona Nemer said 37-page report titled 'Management of Public Reporting of Unidentified Aerial Phenomena in Canada,' has attracted 'more public anticipation than any project in the history of this office. 'Numerous individuals and organizations have stepped forward to offer their assistance,' Nemer said. ALEX BRANDON / THE ASSOCIATED PRESS FILES A video of a UAP is paused for display during a hearing of the House Intelligence, Counterterrorism, Counterintelligence, and Counterproliferation Subcommittee hearing on 'Unidentified Aerial Phenomena,' on Capitol Hill in the U.S. in May 2022. 'Rarely does anyone mistake a flock of geese flying in V formation for a fighter squadron flying at high altitudes, but sometimes what is being observed in the sky is not immediately clear and a person may wonder if what they are seeing is a natural phenomenon, a new type of aircraft or something else altogether.' The report by the Sky Canada Project, which is led by the chief science adviser's office, found in a survey it commissioned, that one in four respondents 'personally witnessed a UAP in their lifetime. However, only 10 per cent reported their sightings and 40 per cent of respondents would not know whom to contact for reporting.' One of the report's 14 recommendations is that a federal department or agency must manage unidentified aerial phenomena data from the public. 'This service would collect testimonies, investigate cases and post its analyses publicly,' the report says. 'It would proactively inform Canadians about UAPs.' The report says Transport Canada should encourage pilots, cabin crew and air traffic controllers to report sightings of UAPs 'without fear of stigmatization' as well as analyze the reports to give pilots explanations to 'reduce distractions during flights.' Nemer could not be reached for comment. Winnipegger Chris Rutkowski, an expert on UFOs who publishes the annual Canadian UFO Survey, said he was one of the consultants on the report and went to Ottawa to share his expertise and statistics with Sky Canada Project scientists. 'I'm relatively optimistic they will designate an office,' Rutkowski said. 'They did have such an office until 1995 in the National Research Council. 'They had a contingent of investigators and the RCMP and all of their detectives assisted. But it finished in 1995 when the NRC stepped from an interest in meteors to the CanadArm and Canadians in space. So for 30 years there hasn't been any organized collection of any cases whatsoever.' Rutkowski said that left just his volunteer-based organization and it continues to receive reports. He said Manitobans reported 30 UFOs last year while nationally 1,008 reports were made. 'There have been 25,000 cases since we've been doing the survey since 1989,' he said. Rutkowski said a federal office would be beneficial in other ways, and not just to counter disinformation. 'There is a need to keep track of cases,' he said. 'And, with our now challenging political state, there is a push for greater defence and security. One could argue this may fall under defence.' Sundays Kevin Rollason's Sunday newsletter honouring and remembering lives well-lived in Manitoba. Philip Ferguson, founding director of the University of Manitoba's Space Technology and Advanced Research Laboratory (STARlab) and an associate professor in the department of mechanical engineering, said setting up a federal office to track UAP's 'is a great idea.' 'We live in a time today when people are able to make their own UFOs,' he said. 'Drones are more ubiquitous today than they were even five years ago.' Ferguson, who is also president of the Canadian Aeronautics and Space Institute, said it doesn't mean the office would only receive reports from people who believe they have seen aliens from another plant. 'UFO or UAP does not mean an alien,' he said. 'It means they have seen something that they don't know what it is. With where our technology is, I do think it is important to have a uniform location for where Canadians can report these things.' Kevin RollasonReporter Kevin Rollason is a general assignment reporter at the Free Press. He graduated from Western University with a Masters of Journalism in 1985 and worked at the Winnipeg Sun until 1988, when he joined the Free Press. He has served as the Free Press's city hall and law courts reporter and has won several awards, including a National Newspaper Award. Read more about Kevin. Every piece of reporting Kevin produces is reviewed by an editing team before it is posted online or published in print — part of the Free Press's tradition, since 1872, of producing reliable independent journalism. Read more about Free Press's history and mandate, and learn how our newsroom operates. Our newsroom depends on a growing audience of readers to power our journalism. If you are not a paid reader, please consider becoming a subscriber. Our newsroom depends on its audience of readers to power our journalism. Thank you for your support.
The Hill
17-07-2025
- Science
- The Hill
Canadian report recommends creation of UAP reporting office
Canada's top scientist is recommending the creation of a new federal body to collect and investigate UFO sightings after a report was released on the subject. Also called Unidentified Aerial Phenomena (UAP), the preferred term used by governments and scientists seeking to avoid the stigma associated with UFOs, the topic of strange objects in the sky has been in the headlines recently. The report notes that new technology and increased aerial activity can lead to an increased number of sightings that are, at least to the observer, unexplained. 'Whether satellites, drones, planes or atmospheric events, no one would deny that there is more and more activity in the skies above us.,' the report reads. 'Our ability to understand what we observe depends on a multitude of factors, such as time of day, cloud cover, distance and colour contrast.' 'Rarely does anyone mistake a flock of geese flying in V formation for a fighter squadron flying at high altitudes,' it continues. 'But sometimes what is being observed in the sky is not immediately clear, and a person may wonder if what they are seeing is a natural phenomenon, a new type of aircraft or something else altogether.' The Sky Canada project was created in 2022 under the Office of the Chief Science Advisor of Canada, cardiovascular scientist Dr. Mona Nemer. Report recommends new UAP office The report suggests there is a need for Canada to establish an office to collect and investigate UAP reports, with a suggestion that the Canadian Space Agency could be a partner in the effort as a trusted scientific source. Trust was one issue raised by the report, which noted that reports of unexplained sightings can lead to the spread of misinformation and disinformation. 'One of the primary issues with misinformation and disinformation is their impact on public trust. When people are repeatedly exposed to false narratives, they may become skeptical of credible sources, including scientists, journalists and government institutions,' the report reads. Reducing UAP stigma The findings also urge such an office to encourage pilots, air traffic controllers and cabin crews to report UAP sightings without fear of stigmatization. It also recommends making the records available to the public and creating tools for data collection and combating disinformation. The report also noted that credible UAP reports received by several government departments and agencies are overlooked as they don't clearly fall under the mandates of those authorities. The project estimated there could be as many as 1,000 UAP sightings per year in Canada, with reports coming from professional pilots, military and law enforcement members and the general public. Canada is not alone in focusing on UAP reports. The Pentagon's All-Domain Anomaly Resolution Office (AARO) is tasked with investigating reports in the U.S. and other countries, including France, Chile and China, which also have official offices to look into sightings. The question of extraterrestrial life While the report recommends more investigation into UAPs, the report is also clear in stating that the goal of the project was not to address the question of extraterrestrial life or visitors. In the U.S., AARO has remained firm in saying there is no evidence linking UAPs to non-human intelligence, despite claims to the contrary from whistleblowers. The Canadian report acknowledged a lack of evidence linking alien life to UAPs while also admitting that some sightings remain a mystery. 'UFOs are by their very definition unidentified, but this does not imply that they are of extraterrestrial origin, that they defy natural or scientific explanation, or that they would not be identifiable with access to additional or better data and tools,' it said. 'Nonetheless, some UAP sightings — for which data exist — remain unexplained even after investigation.'
