By Jon Dyer-Gray ’20
The Pentagon has recently released confirmed footage of what appears to be UFOs (Unidentified Flying Objects). This news has sent extraterrestrial fanatics into a spiral in hopes for life other than ours, however, it’s important that they don’t get their hopes up.
Currently, The Pentagon has named the incident an “unidentified aerial phenomena”, rather than using terms such as UFO, which have been known to be associated with the little green aliens seen on television. While viewing the footage, it looks like just an extremely fast-moving drone. Retired US Navy pilot David Fravor stated, “As I got close to it…it rapidly accelerated to the south, and disappeared in less than two seconds”. It took the basic shape of some type of aircraft and seemed no simple natural phenomenon, but still, it is likely able to be explained in an earthly manner. The Navy states that they officially released the footage because it was already circulating online; this simply cleared any confusion about the source and credibility of that source.
The Navy and Pentagon have done this previously, but every time before, the videos had quickly become proven to be doctored or explainable by a simple scientific explanation. This time seems different, as no updates have been made since the footage has been released, as well as comments from politicians and the military that differ from any previous occasion. While they state these situations are always explainable by science, Luis Elizondo, former head of the classified program, stated: “These aircraft…are displaying characteristics that are not currently within the US inventory nor in any foreign inventory that we are aware of.” Senator Warner even joined the controversy, stating the safety of our pilots is the first priority, whether “it’s weather balloons, little green men, or something else entirely”.
Whether you believe in extraterrestrial life or not, arguments can be made on either side of the aisle for this controversy. Sooner or later, more information about the ‘UAP’ will be released (True or not), but until then, both parties—believers and nonbelievers—have a chance to imagine whichever outcome they see fit.
