Page 17 - The 'X' Chronicles Newspaper - February 2023 Edition

UFO Mania Is Out Of Control
UFO Mania Is Out of
Control.
Please Stop.
Sorry to disappoint you, this
science writer says, but there’s
zero evidence of aliens.
Continued from Page 16
Let us all agree that plastic bags, birds,
ice crystals, moisture and thermal
fluctuations are not exciting explanations
for mysterious observations. What’s
exciting is alien spacecraft. Which is
why the Times, in covering the
intelligence report, wrote, “There was no
affirmative evidence that the
unexplained phenomena are alien
spacecraft in the report. But because the
government has offered no explanation
for so many of the episodes, the new
report is sure to fuel the enthusiasm of
those who believe they could be.”
This is true, but it should be noted that
the intelligence report does not actually
mention “alien spacecraft” or anything of
the sort. Not only did it not produce
“affirmative evidence” of such
extraterrestrial vehicles, it did not broach
the topic.
The allusions to space aliens in the news
reports were not entirely out of the blue.
Officials gave background interviews to
journalists. Reuters quoted an unnamed
“senior official” saying, “Of the 144
reports we are dealing with here, we have
17
no clear indications that there is any non- Others are more open-minded. Among
terrestrial explanation for them — but we them is Luis Elizondo, a former Pentagon
will go wherever the data takes us.” employee involved in UFO research.
Make of that what you will. Recently he gave a live-streamed
interview to The Washington Post: “This
Most amazing, stunning, mind- may not necessarily be something from
boggling new concepts are outer space. In fact, this could be
something as natural to our very own
wrong. The bolder the idea, the
planet as us. We’re just now at a point
more likely it will evaporate in
we’re beginning to technologically be
the harsh glare of scientific
able to interact and collect data. This
sunshine. Like cold fusion. could be something from under the
oceans. This could be something from,
The presence of aliens in these stories is yes, from outer space. We really don’t
understandable: It’s a possibility that is know.”
far more interesting than the sightings
being caused by, for example, classified He offered a brief tutorial on the history
military aircraft. The headlines did not of physics: “[S]omeone once described it
say “Pentagon Report Does Not Rule as you have this box sitting on the
Out Classified Military Aircraft,” ground, and in walks a dog, and all of a
although that would have been more sudden two cats walk out. And as crazy as
accurate since such things were actually that may seem, that’s precisely what
mentioned in the report. we’re seeing in these observations with
quantum physics, proverbially speaking
The intelligence report notes that a small of course.”
subset of the UAPs “exhibit unusual
flight characteristics,” and UFO (Continued on Page 18)
proponents say these vehicles move in
ways that defy the laws of physics. To
my eye this suggests a prosaic
explanation, which is misperception,
instrument malfunction, etc. The
contrary cannot be ruled out, however:
We cannot arrogate to ourselves the
assumption that the known laws of
physics are incontrovertible or
comprehensive. But I am reluctant to
write about physics-defying objects
because I am busy enough covering
stories involving things that obey the
laws of physics. I do not think this makes
the scope of my journalism too narrow.