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When the U.S. federal government introduced a substantially-anticipated report on UFOs a yr in the past, numerous were perplexed that it could not explain 143 of the 144 sightings it examined. (In the one closed case, the report concluded the mystery item was a huge, deflating balloon.) “Where by are the aliens?” cracked 1 headline.
The fact was even now out there. So was any perception of who had carried out the examination, because the Office environment of the Director of National Intelligence, which launched the research, presented no aspects about who experienced investigated the scenarios. Previous week, having said that, a former Division of Defense (DOD) astrophysicist and reality Tv set character named Travis Taylor asserted that he was the ‘chief scientist’ for the congressionally mandated analyze.
The revelation shocked UFO skeptics in the science community. They note that Taylor has created incredible claims in the course of Television appearances, together with to have “observed additional UFOs than I can rely,” and that he’s been tracked by supernatural entities that triggered his vehicle and appliances to malfunction. “I find it very complicated to believe that” federal authorities gave Taylor a distinguished position in planning the UFO report, states Seth Shostak, an astronomer at the SETI Institute who is common with Taylor’s involvement with Ancient Aliens, a cable Television present that promotes much-fetched UFO narratives.
In point, Taylor did serve in a direct position with the government’s Unidentified Aerial Phenomena (UAP) Undertaking Drive, which generated 2021’s fuzzy UFO report, Pentagon spokesperson Susan Gough verified to ScienceInsider. But Taylor was “considered the casual chief scientist,” Gough states, and it was not a comprehensive-time posture. (Taylor did not react to requests for remark.)
Taylor, according to his LinkedIn profile, has five advanced science degrees, which include a Ph.D. in optical physics and a Ph.D. in aerospace and engineering, and is “currently doing the job on innovative propulsion ideas, very large place telescopes, space-dependent beamed power units, and following era area start concepts.” He has published two educational textbooks and various peer-reviewed papers.
In modern statements to George Knapp, a Television journalist in Las Vegas, Taylor mentioned he was questioned to be the government’s direct scientist on UFOs in 2019 by Jay Stratton, who he counts as a extended-time DOD colleague and good friend. At the time, Taylor was with the U.S. Military Place and Missile Protection Command, where he was used from 2007 until eventually retiring 2 months in the past. Stratton was dependent at the Office environment of Naval Intelligence before retiring not too long ago. The two men now operate for Radiance Technologies, a Huntsville, Alabama–based defense contractor.
In addition to his Tv set function with Historical Aliens, more than the earlier 3 years Taylor has starred in a present called The Magic formula of Skinwalker Ranch. It will take place on a Utah ranch that claims to have a history of paranormal exercise. Taylor told Knapp poltergeistlike entities from the ranch experienced adopted him house to Alabama and triggered mechanical mayhem. “My car has started and stopped alone,” Taylor explained. As soon as, following his auto stuttered in his driveway, Taylor explained he “looked up and there was an odd vortex in the clouds previously mentioned my household.”
Taylor’s critics are only astonished by what they simply call his antiscientific embrace of the supernatural—and the Pentagon’s willingness to perform with him. “I’m starting off to see why [the government’s] process force was so unsuccessful in pinpointing its UAPs!” wrote Robert Sheaffer, a UFO skeptic and writer, on his web site.
The news comes amid a surge of institutional interest in UFOs. Very last thirty day period, NASA stated it would fund a UFO pilot review, months following Congress requested the Pentagon to stand up a UFO business office and generate annual experiences. Meanwhile, Avi Loeb, a perfectly-regarded Harvard College astrophysicist, has elevated millions of pounds for the Galileo Project, which will scan the skies for UFOs. (Loeb has drawn criticism for his willingness to get the job done with zealous UFO believers.) Very last month, each Loeb and Taylor appeared jointly at a “UFO Disclosure symposium” in Utah, where by they reviewed and discussed various UFO movies.
