A new NASA report says proper UFO research will require new scientific techniques, and a change in how we view UFOs culturally.
NASA released its findings After studying the UFO situation and UFO science last year. At the time, some officials defended the decision to look into the often controversial topic.
“We are not backing down from reputational risk,” said Thomas Zurbuchen, NASA’s science mission chief. said at that time, “We strongly believe that the biggest challenge of these events is that this is a data-poor area.”
First, the report found no evidence that any UFOs – or UAPs, as they are now known for unidentified paranormal phenomena – came from outside Earth.
The report found that the conspiracy stigma surrounding UFO sightings makes it difficult to conduct better research.
Existing declassified records are also of too low quality to inform scientific findings. Most of the sightings can be explained as involving crewed or uncrewed aircraft, or weather phenomena.
NASA does not actively search for UAPs, but instruments such as its Earth-observing satellites can help identify the reasons behind some phenomena.
The report also said that machine learning or artificial intelligence could help sift through the data to explain such phenomena.
NASA has appointed Mark McInerney as the new head of UAP research, who has experience as a liaison between NASA and the Department of Defense on UAP matters.
NASA says it wants to take a transparent approach to the new study and hopes its participation will improve the reputation of the field.
NASA Administrator Bill Nelson said, “We want to shift the conversation about UAPs from sensationalism to science.”