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An image of an unidentified flying object in Manchester |
For a long time, many people have believed that UFOs are “spaceships” from extraterrestrial beings. Recently, the UK Ministry of Defence has definitively concluded: UFOs are natural phenomena.
The legend of UFOs (unidentified flying objects; also known as flying saucers) has existed for centuries. Countless individuals have claimed to have seen flying saucers, and many have presented numerous images and evidence supporting their existence. A plethora of research centers have been established to investigate these flying saucers. While the scientific community has yet to provide a definitive statement, many people believe that these saucers are products of an extraterrestrial civilization.
So, what exactly are flying saucers? Are they truly products of extraterrestrial beings? There are many different answers, most of which are inconclusive, but the UK Ministry of Defence (MOD) has only one answer: UFOs are not related to extraterrestrial civilizations. According to the MOD, certain special conditions in the atmosphere create luminous phenomena in the sky that we refer to as UFOs.
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A model of an alien that many believe has visited Earth via a UFO |
In 2000, the MOD completed a four-year research program on the “ambiguous” phenomenon known as UFOs with a report nearly 500 pages long, titled the Condign Report. This was part of a plan to respond to potential extraterrestrial incursions that the MOD had quietly implemented earlier. The secret group DI55, part of the military intelligence, authored the Condign Report. DI55 collected information on 10,000 cases claiming to have seen UFOs, many of which were provided by military officials. Subsequently, through operational measures, the experts analyzed the information gathered to reach their final conclusions. Notably, while studying a mysterious phenomenon, DI55 and the Condign Report itself remained shrouded in mystery. The MOD did not disclose the identities of any researchers involved. After its completion, the Condign Report lay dormant in a vault containing classified documents of the MOD. It was not until 2005 that Dr. D. Clarke from Sheffield Hallam University compelled the MOD to release it. “Why keep it classified? This report clarifies many rumors regarding the existence of UFOs, so there’s no reason it shouldn’t have been published sooner,” Dr. Clarke argued. He even invoked the Freedom of Information Act to pressure the MOD. Eventually, the MOD conceded, stating that “the report could be published on the official website on May 15.” However, before the MOD officially released it, the quick and observant press in the UK had already accessed its contents.
The BBC quoted the MOD’s conclusion about flying saucers as follows: “There is no evidence to suggest that the phenomenon widely reported (UFOs) is a hostile force or controlled by something other than a natural phenomenon. There is evidence that meteorites and their effects, along with a few rare natural conditions, play a role in forming some unidentified spatial phenomena. Much notable evidence supports the hypothesis that UFOs are products of physical phenomena, electricity, and magnetism in the atmosphere and ionosphere“. Thus, it is quite clear. The British state that the UFOs seen for many years in the land of fog are not products of extraterrestrial beings but merely natural phenomena. This can be considered the first time a reputable organization has published a significant research effort that debunks the UFO myth. However, it cannot be said that this is the final scientific conclusion about UFOs, and the MOD’s report is unlikely to change the long-held beliefs of many people.
Châu Minh Linh
