Thanks Baker, habs a grand ole day
Bethany Stevens
@NASASpox
Full steam ahead this week at @NASA 🚀
🧑🚀 @Astro_Anil arrives at the ISS
🪐 Dragonfly progress
✈️ Future of autonomous flight
🤝 70 Artemis Accords signatories
Here's your NASA Minute!
NASA Minute: Jul. 17, 2026
This week, NASA astronaut Anil Menon launched to the ISS, Dragonfly cleared key tests and is now moving into its next phase of assembly, and the Artemis Accords reached a major milestone.
2:06 PM · Jul 17, 2026
https://x.com/NASASpox/status/2078224758781751775
extra
https://x.com/NASADepAdmin/status/2078211094137462938
https://x.com/NASAArtemis/status/2078223784889221449
https://x.com/airandspace/status/2078156310697091549
NASA Administrator Jared Isaacman
@NASAAdmin
I wanted to pass along my congratulations to Dr. Chris Scolese on his retirement from the NRO and a lifetime of extraordinary public service.
I have had the pleasure of getting to know and learning from Dr. Scolese, but his accomplishments have long been legendary.
His career began under Admiral Hyman Rickover, the father of the Nuclear Navy, before decades of service at @NASA, where he rose through nearly every leadership position, including Acting NASA Administrator, before accepting what I understand was his favorite assignment as Director of Goddard Space Flight Center.
His engineering brilliance and fingerprints are on many of NASA's greatest exploration achievements, including the James Webb Space Telescope. He leaves behind an extraordinary legacy of engineering excellence, leadership, and public service.
Thank you, Chris, for dedicating your career to advancing America's leadership in space. Fair winds, congratulations on a remarkable career, and best wishes to you and your family in the years ahead.
12:49 PM · Jul 17, 2026
https://x.com/NASAAdmin/status/2078205384800522305
https://x.com/NRO_gov/status/2076670521035374820
moar Isaacman
https://x.com/NASAAdmin/status/2078172129263071617
https://x.com/VikingSeaDub/status/2078233256458416623
India's First private orbital launch lifts off from Sriharikota
July 18, 2026
Vikram-I, a small satellite launcher developed by an Indian Space Start-up, Skyroot Aerospace, lifted-off from Satish Dhawan Space Centre of ISRO on July 18, 2026 at 12:05:30 PM, marking a significant milestone in the Indian Space Programme.
This launch is the first time that a private Indian company has undertaken an orbital launch of a rocket from Indian soil.
The Government of India had announced space-sector reforms in 2020 allowing the participation of private industry in space activities in the country.
The new Indian Space Policy has accelerated the growth of space start-ups in the country who are engaged in development of launch vehicles, satellites, space applications.
Today’s launch has made Skyroot Aerospace, the first private company to successfully launch to orbit from Indian soil, that too, in the first attempt.Vikram-I carried multiple payloads out of which 2 satellites, SCOPE & Grahaa, were injected to a Low Earth Orbit.
The remaining payloads on the upper stage are for carrying out various in-orbit experiments.
Skyroot Aerospace had earlier conducted a sub-orbital launch of a test rocket, Vikram-S from Sriharikota on November 18, 2022. Subsequently, Vikram-I was developed as a 4-stage rocket with 3 solid stages and a liquid stage, which can launch small satellites to LEO.
ISRO& IN-SPACE provided handholding and support to this venture by facilitating this launch. ISRO provided access to the solid motor casting and static test facilities at SDSC, Sriharikota. The first stage solid motor was cast and tested at the facilities in SDSC.
The second stage motor was also validated at the static test facility in SDSC.
The liquid engine used in the VIKRAM-I upper stage (RAMAN-I)was also tested at the LPSC test facility.
During the pre-launch operations, all support was provided for the vehicle stage preparation, material handling, transport of stages to launch pad, trajectory analysis and vehicle integration on the First Launch Pad (FLP).
ISRO’s safety team was ensuring safe operations by the Skyroot team at SDSC on a 24x7 basis.
IN-SPACe, the regulation & promotion agency for space activities in the country, played a major role in establishing a seamless mechanism for Non-Governmental Entities (NGEs) like Skyroot Aerospace to access the facilities of ISRO and provide the necessary technical consultancy, mission readiness reviews and launch clearances.
ISRO & IN-SPACe congratulates the team at Skyroot Aerospace for the successful maiden launch of Vikram-I launcher. This launch has paved the way for similar ventures and opens up the gates to global commercial opportunities.
https://www.isro.gov.in/First_private_orbital_launch_lifts_from_Sriharikota.html
https://x.com/narendramodi/status/2078306459893563667
https://x.com/ISROSpaceflight/status/2078369215946617313
https://x.com/ISROSpaceflight/status/2078373316881269215
moar India innovations
https://www.aljazeera.com/economy/2026/7/17/india-debuts-hydrogen-powered-train-as-part-of-sustainability-drive
https://x.com/narendramodi/status/2078054616084910493
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=h23nC_s5Zoc
Judicial Watch has a companion piece
Judicial Watch Investigates TWA 800 - 30 Years Later
July 18, 2026
Judicial Watch Director of Investigations and Research Chris Farrell examines the crash of Trans World Airlines Flight 800, one of the worst air disasters in U.S. history, on the 30th anniversary of the July 17, 1996, tragedy.
He reviews the official investigation, the evidence, and the controversy that has surrounded the case for three decades.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5eYVkstnHwY
Airman 1st Class Cedric Eneluna Dead After Heavy Machinery Accident at Vandenberg Space Force Base Thursday
Fri Jul 17, 2026 | 6:03pm
The 23-Year-Old Is Remembered Fondly by Teammates on the "Dirt Boyz"
At approximately 11:30 a.m. on Thursday, Airman 1st Class Cedric Eneluna, 23, died after the heavy machinery he was operating rolled down an embankment on Vandenberg Space Force Base.
The 23-year-old was a member of the 30th Civil Engineer Squadron’s Pavements and Equipment Flight; a team which ensures maintenance and safety of the base’s launch, testing, and range operations.
His official cause of death has not yet been declared by the Santa Barbara County Coroner’s Office, and the incident is being investigated by a Safety Investigation Board on base.
According to a press release from Vandenberg, “Eneluna served with professionalism, humility, and an unwavering commitment to his teammates and the mission.
During his assignment at Vandenberg, he earned the respect and admiration of those around him through his positive attitude, tireless work ethic, and willingness to help others.”
Eneluna’s self-declared hometown was St. Louis, Missouri, and spent his childhood in the Philippines. He joined the military March 5, 2024, and five months later he was sent to Vandenberg for his first duty assignment.
He is remembered fondly by his teammates called the “Dirt Boyz” — a team of service members who work in horizontal construction with duties ranging from airstrip maintenance to creating fire breaks with fire dozers.
“He brought out the best in everyone,” said U.S. Air Force Lt. Col. Seth Poulsen, 30th CES commander. “He was always ready to work, always willing to help, and always had a positive attitude. He truly represented what it means to be an airman.”
“Our Vandenberg family is grieving alongside Cedric’s loved ones and his teammates,” said U.S. Space Force Col. James T. Horne III, commander of Space Launch Delta 30 and Vandenberg Space Force Base.
“He made a lasting impression on his teammates through his character, dedication, and genuine care for others. On behalf of Team Vandenberg, I extend my deepest condolences to Cedric’s family, friends, and fellow airmen during this incredibly difficult time.”
https://www.independent.com/2026/07/17/airman-1st-class-cedric-eneluna-dead-after-heavy-machinery-accident-at-vandenberg-space-force-base-thursday/
https://taskandpurpose.com/news/space-force-identifies-cedric-eneluna-vandenberg/
https://www.stripes.com/branches/air_force/2026-07-17/vandenberg-space-force-base-death-22294564.html
30th Medical Group Change of Command
July 17, 2026
Space Launch Delta 30
VANDENBERG SPACE FORCE BASE, Calif. – 30th Medical Group hosted a change of command ceremony at Vandenberg Space Force Base, California, July 17, 2026.
U.S. Space Force Col. James T. Horne III, Space Launch Delta 30 commander, passed the ceremonial guidon to U.S. Air Force Col. Theodosia Montgomery, 30th Medical Group’s incoming commander. Montgomery assumed command following U.S. Air Force Col. Joi B. Dozier’s relinquishing of command.
The 30th MDG delivers personalized healthcare and support services while pursuing continuous self-evaluation and performance improvement initiatives.
https://www.vandenberg.spaceforce.mil/News/Article-Display/Article/4549533/30th-medical-group-change-of-command/
https://www.vandenberg.spaceforce.mil/News/Article-Display/Article/4549366/honorary-commander-insight-tour-at-30th-mdg/
moar Space Fource
https://www.dvidshub.net/news/570224/space-delta-10-welcomes-new-commander-space-coast
https://www.spaceforce.mil/News/Article-Display/Article/4548980/first-guardians-in-part-time-work-roles-join-the-space-force/
China's announcement comes in the wake of Elon Musk’s SpaceX company working towards developing its own space computing project
July 18, 2026
China launches first of 1,000 space-computing satellites
China's push to move AI computing into orbit gained a new entrant this weekend. Shanghai Xingshu Tiansuan Space Technology said Saturday it had launched the first constellation in a project the company says will ultimately deploy 1,000 satellites.
The announcement landed alongside President Xi Jinping's appearance at the 2026 World Artificial Intelligence Conference in Shanghai, running July 17 to 20, where Xi positioned Beijing as a leading voice shaping global AI governance.
It’s worth mentioning that the launch occurs within a larger context of China announcing AI-related developments during this same week, in connection with the conference, as opposed to just being an achievement of its own.
The basic concept behind space computing consists of not sending data from sensors or satellites directly to Earth but processing it directly in space and sending back only the results.
This approach could potentially reduce latency and bandwidth issues, especially when considering tasks such as earth observation or distributed AI inference.
China has multiple companies pursuing similar approaches, including Zhongke Tiansuan and a Zhejiang Lab-led project known as the Three-Body Computing Constellation, both targeting large-scale orbital compute networks in the coming years.
At the same time, the announcement comes in the wake of Elon Musk’s SpaceX company working towards developing its own space computing project.
This has gained impetus after SpaceX entered into a complete stock merger with xAI in February 2026, which valued both companies together as being worth nearly $1.25 trillion.
Space computing centres have been mentioned by Musk as a solution to the problem of limitations of energy and cooling systems available on Earth for the growth of AI technology.
https://www.thenews.com.pk/latest/1409523-china-launches-first-of-1000-space-computing-satellites
China launches first of 1,000 space-computing satellites
Ukrainian drones deliberately targeted Russian civilians in deadly warehouse attack – survivor
18 Jul, 2026 03:23 | Updated 18 Jul, 2026 14:23
Seven workers were killed in an overnight strike on an online retailer’s logistics center in Russia’s Tambov Region
Ukrainian drones deliberately targeted civilians during a deadly overnight strike on a warehouse in Russia’s Tambov Region, one survivor has told Russian media, saying workers were prevented from escaping the building.
Seven people were killed and another 25 injured in the attack on the logistics center operated by online retailer Wildberries, according to local officials.
Staff began evacuating after the first strikes landed near the building, the survivor, who asked not to be identified, said. According to his account, workers tried to escape through an emergency exit but were forced back inside because the drones were striking the area around it.
As they retreated into the warehouse, another drone hit the building. The blast blew out all the doors and windows, and everyone nearby was injured, he said.
The eyewitness account was recorded from a hospital bed in Tambov on Saturday after doctors operated on the injured.
Russian Human Rights Commissioner Yana Lantratova said she had sent appeals to UN High Commissioner for Human Rights Volker Türk and the UN secretary-general’s special representative, Vanessa Frazier, over what she described as a new wave of terrorist attacks by the Ukrainian military on Russian regions.
Another Wildberries logistics center was also attacked overnight in Elektrostal, around 50 km east of Moscow, the company said. Fire crews and emergency services worked at the site after employees were evacuated.
Twenty-four people were injured, according to Moscow Region Governor Andrey Vorobyov.
The attack was part of a larger Ukrainian drone raid on Moscow Region. A drone crashed on the grounds of an oil depot in Noginsk, an industrial city around 35 km east of Moscow, causing a fire.
As a precaution, the authorities evacuated a nearby maternity hospital, transferring all patients and staff to other medical facilities. An apartment block in the city was also evacuated. Two people have been injured, the governor said.
Another massive drone raid was launched toward Moscow. More than 370 UAVs flew in the direction of the Russian capital since 8:30 PM on Friday, Mayor Sergey Sobyanin said.
Most were neutralized by Russian air defenses at long range, while 64 were destroyed on approach to the capital, he added.
Later in the day, Sobyanin said that between July 11 and 18 Ukraine had launched a total of 1,892 drones toward Moscow Region, most of which were neutralized far from the capital.
In neighboring Vladimir Region, one drone struck an apartment in a residential building in the city of Vladimir and sparked a fire, Governor Aleksandr Avdeev said. People were evacuated while emergency services extinguished the flames.
The latest barrage follows another large-scale attack on Thursday, when more than 200 drones were launched toward Moscow, most of which were also intercepted far from the capital.
READ MORE: Russia strikes Ukrainian drone industry and Black Sea ports – MOD
Russia has described the strikes as indiscriminate terrorist attacks intended to divert attention away from Ukraine’s setbacks on the battlefield and has responded with a renewed campaign of long-range strikes targeting dual-use and military-industrial sites.
Most of the Russian strikes have focused on the Ukrainian capital, Kiev, with military plants, drone assembly and storage facilities, and weapons stockpiles targeted in recent weeks.
https://www.rt.com/russia/643197-ukrainian-drones-wildberries-warehouse/
https://www.rt.com/russia/643200-moscow-mayor-map-ukraine-drones/
extra RT
https://www.rt.com/russia/643201-ukraine-shipping-drone-strikes/
https://www.rt.com/russia/643203-russia-on-track-liberate-liman/
https://www.rt.com/russia/643202-ukraine-staring-defeat-senior-commander/
https://www.rt.com/news/643192-roger-waters-rt-ban/
Massive Smoke Cloud Engulfs Moscow Region After Ukrainian Drone Strike on Wildberries Warehouse
Updated Jul 18, 2026, 20:49 IST
A significant fire erupted in a Wildberries warehouse in Russia's Moscow region following an attack by Ukrainian drones, marking a notable escalation in Ukraine's drone campaign targeting Russian logistics.
A massive plume of smoke blanketed parts of Russia's Moscow region after Ukrainian drones reportedly struck a warehouse belonging to Wildberries, Russia's largest online retailer, in the latest wave of long-range attacks targeting logistics and infrastructure.
Videos circulating on social media showed thick black smoke rising high into the sky as flames ripped through the warehouse complex. Russian emergency crews rushed to the scene to battle the blaze, while authorities temporarily restricted access to the affected area.
According to Russian officials, multiple Ukrainian drones targeted facilities across the Moscow region overnight. One of the drones is believed to have hit a Wildberries warehouse, triggering a major fire.
Authorities have not immediately confirmed the extent of the damage or whether there were any casualties.
Wildberries is Russia's largest e-commerce platform and operates an extensive network of warehouses and distribution centres that support online retail deliveries across the country.
The reported strike comes as Ukraine continues to expand its campaign of drone attacks deep inside Russian territory, increasingly targeting military, industrial and logistics infrastructure.
Kyiv has argued that such facilities play a role in supporting Russia's war effort, although it rarely comments directly on specific operations.
Russian air defence systems were activated in several regions overnight, with officials claiming multiple drones were intercepted. However, some drones reportedly penetrated defences, causing fires and damage at several sites.
Footage shared online showed towering columns of smoke visible from miles away, with explosions and secondary fires reported at the warehouse complex. Reuters could not immediately verify the authenticity of the videos or independently confirm the circumstances surrounding the strike.
The latest attack highlights Ukraine's growing ability to strike strategic targets far from the front lines, even as Russia continues its missile and drone assaults across Ukrainian cities. Authorities are investigating the incident while emergency crews continue efforts to fully extinguish the fire.
https://www.timesnownews.com/world/watch-massive-smoke-cloud-engulfs-moscow-region-after-ukrainian-drone-strike-on-wildberries-warehouse-article-155130255
https://kyivindependent.com/oil-depot-in-moscow-oblast-reportedly-struck-by-ukrainian-drones/
other Russia and Ukraine
https://newsukraine.rbc.ua/news/ukrainian-drone-forces-post-list-of-russian-1784384870.html
https://www.kyivpost.com/post/80588
https://www.kyivpost.com/post/80579
https://united24media.com/war-in-ukraine/russia-launches-double-drone-strike-on-passenger-train-in-ukraines-zaporizhzhia-region-20872
https://www.jpost.com/middle-east/iran-news/2026-07-18/live-updates-902864
other Israel
https://www.ynetnews.com/article/r1n9zwdnzl
https://www.timesofisrael.com/liveblog_entry/nine-said-killed-in-idf-strikes-on-hamas-operatives-and-infrastructure-in-gaza-city/
https://www.timesofisrael.com/liveblog_entry/idf-says-it-struck-hezbollah-operatives-piloting-drone-near-troops-in-south-lebanon/
https://breakingthenews.net/Article/IDF:-US-refueling-jets-to-be-stationed-at-airbases/66724403
https://www.timesofisrael.com/settler-activists-illegally-cross-into-syria-stay-for-full-day-before-being-nabbed-by-idf/
Live Updates: Iran attacks US bases in Gulf as CENTCOM completes seventh consecutive round of strikes
July 18, 2026
IDF strikes Hezbollah drone • Tehran reportedly warns of full-scale retaliation if US strikes continue • Iran attacks US bases in Saudi Arabia
July 18, 8:04 PM
Iranian lawmaker threatens Israeli infrastructure, says Tehran would have ‘upper hand’
Iranian lawmaker Mojtaba Yousefi said the IRGC could target Israeli railways, bridges, and other infrastructure if Iran’s own facilities were attacked, claiming on Saturday that Tehran would have the “upper hand.”
Yousefi, a member of the Iranian Parliament’s Civil Affairs Commission, added that Israel and other Gulf countries are more vulnerable than Iran in terms of infrastructure.
In a separate interview, Yousefi claimed that membership in the Nuclear Non-Proliferation Treaty no longer provides Iran with security following attacks on its nuclear facilities.
July 18, 7:22 PM
IDF strikes Hezbollah drone
The Israel Air Force struck a Hezbollah terrorist cell operating drones near IDF forces in the area of Kfar Tebnit early Saturday, the military said.
IDF forces from the Commando Brigade, operating under the command of the 36th Division, identified an enemy drone and called in support.
“This action represents a violation by the Hezbollah terrorist organization,” the IDF said. “The IDF will not allow the Hezbollah terrorist organization to harm the citizens of the State of Israel or its forces, and will continue to act to remove threats.”
July 18, 6:49 PM
Iran attacks US bases in Saudi Arabia
Iran launched attacks on Saudi Arabia for the first time in about three months, according to two people familiar with the matter, triggering early warning alarms in Al-Kharj, east of the capital Riyadh, and at Yanbu on the kingdom's Red Sea coast.
The people said one attack had targeted the Prince Sultan Air Base in Al-Kharj, which hosts US forces.
Saudi state media did not elaborate on what triggered the early warnings, and the government media office did not respond to a request for comment. The IRGC made no mention of any attack on Saudi Arabia.
1/2
July 18, 1:23 PM
Kuwait Petroleum Corporation reports damage and injuries from Iranian attacks, state media says
Kuwait Petroleum Corporation said one of its oil facilities was hit on Saturday by "repeated Iranian attacks," resulting in significant material damage and some injuries, according to Kuwait’s state news agency.
July 18, 11:39 AM
IRGC targets Al Azraq Air Base in Jordan Iranian media says - report
The Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps attacked the US base Al-Azraq in Jordan in retaliation for US strikes on Iran, Iranian media wrote on Saturday.
July 18, 10:46 AM
Interceptor fired at false target near troops in Lebanon, IDF says
An interceptor was launched toward a false target in the area in which IDF soldiers were operating in southern Lebanon, the IDF stated on Saturday.
No sirens were sounded in accordance with protocol, according to the statement.
The IDF added that there is no suspicion of a security incident and that the situation is currently under review.
July 18, 8:45 AM
Kuwait Airways reschedules most flights after airport suspension following Iranian attack
Kuwait Airways said on Saturday it has rescheduled most flights after the country temporarily suspended operations at Kuwait International Airport following Iranian missile and drone attacks.
The airline had earlier said the rescheduling was due to the closure of Kuwaiti airspace.
July 18, 8:43 AM
IRGC claims strike on US military installations in Bahrain - report
Iran's Islamic Revolutionary Guards (IRGC) stated on Saturday they targeted a site where US combat aircraft were gathered at Sheikh Isa Air Base and an intelligence data center in Bahrain known as Batelco, according to Iranian state media.
July 18, 7:41 AM
IRGC claims strike on US military installations in Kuwait - report
Iran's Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) announced on Saturday that their forces targeted US military installations in Kuwait, according to IRGC-linked Tasnim news agency.
The statement also warned that countries hosting US forces should anticipate "corresponding responses" if their territory is used for attacks on Iran.
July 18, 7:33 AM
Sirens sound in Kuwait after Iranian missiles detected
Sirens sounded in Kuwait on Saturday after missiles were launched from Iran and detected in Kuwaiti airspace, according to a statement by the Kuwaiti Army on X/Twitter.
2/2
Eerie UFO-shaped lenticular clouds hover over Hobart skies, Tasmania
Sat July 18, 2026 4:49pm
Unusual cloud formations resembling flying saucers have hovered over Hobart this afternoon, sending social media into overdrive.
The smooth, layered shapes were spotted across the city, with locals sharing photos of the striking display.
The formations are known as lenticular clouds, most likely a type called altocumulus lenticularis.
They form when stable, moist air flows over hills or mountains, creating waves in the atmosphere.
Moisture condenses near the crest of those waves, producing the distinctive stacked or lens-shaped clouds that can look remarkably like UFOs.
Despite strong winds higher in the atmosphere, lenticular clouds can remain almost stationar.
https://pulsetasmania.com.au/news/eerie-ufo-shaped-lenticular-clouds-hover-over-hobart-skies/
https://avi-loeb.medium.com/do-uap-flag-new-physics-da1074c50c74
moar Avi Loeb meister
https://avi-loeb.medium.com/transforming-interstellar-objects-into-spacecraft-37c36740fd9b
https://avi-loeb.medium.com/a-q-a-about-aliens-and-black-holes-388385d3662f
Do UAP Flag New Physics?
July 18, 2026
On July 14, 1894, the first American to win the Nobel Prize in science, Professor Albert A. Michaelson, gave a speech at the dedication of the Ryerson Laboratory in the University of Chicago, in which he said:
“The more important fundamental laws and facts of physical science have all been discovered, and these are now so firmly established that the possibility of their ever being supplanted in consequence of new discoveries is exceedingly remote….
Our future discoveries must be looked for in the sixth place of decimals.”
At that time, classical mechanics, Newtonian gravity, thermodynamics, and electromagnetism seemed to explain everything.
This was a decade before Albert Einstein’s Special Relativity revolutionized our concept of spacetime, two decades before gravity was related through Einstein’s General Relativity to the curvature of spacetime, and three decades before Quantum Mechanics revolutionized the probabilistic way we view physical reality.
There are two lessons to be learned from Michaelson’s blunder. First, distinguished mainstream scientists attach past knowledge to their professional prestige and out of hubris avoid the humility to recognize the ocean of ignorance surrounding their island of knowledge.
Second, it is important to note that Special Relativity, General Relativity and Quantum Mechanics did not violate what was previously adequately described by classical mechanics, thermodynamics, and electromagnetism.
In fact, Special Relativity reduces to classical mechanics at speeds that are much smaller than the speed of light, Einsteinian General Relativity reduces to Newtonian gravity at low-speeds and weak curvature of spacetime and Quantum Mechanics reduces to classical physics when the action of a system is vastly larger than Planck’s constant — as is the case for large objects, large quantum numbers or when the interaction with the environment destroys quantum coherence.
In other words, old physics applies extremely well in the regimes it was derived for, and new physics was discovered in new regimes that were not imagined before.
For this reason, the motion of a car can be well described by classical mechanics but the localization accuracy needed to reach a particular street address on a Global Positioning System (GPS) of satellites requires General Relativity.
The Universe as a whole started with a small horizon size as a quantum system but today is described classically on large scales. Engineers use classical mechanics when designing bridges but they must use quantum mechanics in designing computer chips.
1/3
This is why it makes no sense for Silicon Valley entrepreneurs to invest all their money in quantum technologies and artificial intelligence, while at the same time letting fundamental science be defunded.
They are watering the branches of the tree of knowledge while drying up its roots. Out of hubris, they are repeating Michaelson’s mistake by arguing that there is nothing important left to discover through fundamental science.
But the present-day stagnation in disruptive scientific breakthroughs is also a fault of the “consensus approach” for doing science by the mainstream of academia. Large communities tend to regress to the mean by the Central Limit Theorem in statistics.
As a result, they sharply define their future priorities in federal funding with negligible support for alternative projects that explore innovative paths — not taken by the dominant majority.
For that reason, the 2020 Decadal Survey in Astronomy and Astrophysics of the National Academies (published here) recommends allocating more than 10 billion dollars in the next two decades to the search for biological signatures of microbial extraterrestrial life, while sidelining any funding request for technological signatures of extraterrestrial intelligence.
A seminal 2023 study published here in Nature reveals that scientific research and patents have become increasingly incremental rather than disruptive.
By analyzing over 45 million papers spanning six decades, it was found that the rate of work fundamentally redirecting science has declined significantly across all major fields.
What is the best path forward for discovering new physics?
The recipe for discovering new physics is simple: attend to anomalies!
On April 27, 1900, Lord Kelvin delivered a lecture titled “Nineteenth-Century Clouds over the Dynamical Theory of Heat and Light”. He stated that the sky of classical physics was generally clear, but obscured by two “dark clouds” (as discussed here).
The first cloud was the failure to detect the ether — the hypothetical medium thought to carry light waves, which was later resolved by Einstein’s theory of Special Relativity. The second cloud was the failure of classical physics to correctly explain blackbody radiation.
This anomaly, often referred to as the “ultraviolet catastrophe,” was eventually resolved by Max Planck and the birth of quantum mechanics.
Anomalies can be recognized by witnesses from the general public long before they are accepted as real by mainstream scientists. For centuries, scientists dismissed accounts of falling rocks as fantasy, but a spectacular event in 1803 fundamentally changed this perception.
In the early 1800s, the scientific community widely believed that glowing fireballs were merely atmospheric gases and that stones could not possibly fall from the sky. This changed on April 26, 1803, when a massive meteor exploded, showering over 3,000 fragments across the town of L’Aigle, France.
The French Academy of Sciences dispatched the young physicist Jean-Baptiste Biot to investigate. He meticulously interviewed witnesses and analyzed the physical stones, proving through sheer volume and concurrent testimonies that the rocks were identical and of extraterrestrial origin.
Similarly, ball lightning remained a mysterious phenomenon in atmospheric physics, reported for centuries and photographed rarely. Witnesses reported a luminous, roughly spherical object, typically of basketball size, lasting for a few seconds to a few minutes.
The average ball lightning appears as a sphere with a diameter of 30 centimeters, a luminosity similar to a 100-Watt lamp, and a lifetime of about 10 seconds (as reported here). In rare cases, the ball lightning was reported to pass through glass windows or walls without causing apparent damage.
It took centuries for the existence of the phenomenon to be regarded seriously as real by mainstream scientists because of its rare and transient nature.
The most important development came in 2012, when a natural ball lightning event was accidentally captured on video with a spectrometer running during a field campaign studying ordinary lightning.
The spectrum showed emission lines consistent with silicon, iron, and calcium, namely elements found in soil, supporting a physical model which associates ball lightning with silicon vapor (as discussed in a paper published here).
2/3
Are there similar anomalies reported by reliable witnesses now that are inappropriately dismissed by mainstream scientists?
Enter the case of Unidentified Anomalous Phenomena (UAP). The U.S. Department of War website (https://www.war.gov/ufo/) documenting the Presidential Unsealing and Reporting for UAP Encounters (PURSUE), released four batches of information over the past couple of months and received 2 billion views so far.
The public is definitely intrigued by the reports and taxpayers fund science, yet mainstream scientists dismiss the significance of these reports.
Do UAP flag new physics?
We do not know. The only way to find out is to be open minded to all possibilities out of curiosity and the humility to learn. The nature of UAP can be resolved by higher quality data.
Such data will help to decide whether UAP orbs (as reported here by the All-Domain Anomaly Resolution Office in the Pentagon and the Office of the Director of National Intelligence) represent a new atmospheric phenomenon (like ball lightning, as discussed here), human-made phenomena (like laser spots, as discussed here), or something out of this world.
New physics can only explain UAP if it applies to a new domain of reality that was not described so far. New physics cannot be associated with objects made of known materials moving through air in the 3+1 dimensions of the known spacetime.
Our current knowledge and the publicly available data do not preclude new physics from explaining UAP. Nevertheless, we must keep in mind that UAP are recorded by cameras and therefore must interact with light.
Collecting additional information on them through a new set of sensors (as recommended here) would unravel their nature.
We know that most of the matter in the universe is invisible, made of an unknown substance (and hence labeled dark matter’), and that the vacuum carries an energy density of an unknown origin (so-calleddark energy’).
These are the known unknowns. But the most exciting discoveries of new physics will originate from unknown unknowns. These are things that we do not even know that we do not know.
The UAP Science Advisory Council (https://uapsac.com/) under my leadership, aims to analyze past data on UAP and encourage the U.S. government to collect new data that will reveal the nature of UAP. Stay tuned for future updates.
3/3
https://cybernews.com/tech/cosmic-report-whisteblower-ufo-uap/
https://x.com/AlchemyAmerican/status/2077095508472922566
https://x.com/UAPJames/status/2077176063524757686
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9d7Xz6mkpSc (Former CIA Officer Jim Semivan The Indigestible Truth of UFOs & Non-Human Intelligences[Highlights])
On the UFO fringes – Jesse Michels, David Grusch, and the CIA's latest claims
Jul 18, 2026
Key takeaways:
Jesse Michels and Jason Samosa alleged a Panama-registered group manages a global UFO cover-up.
David Grusch’s new documentary appearance connects UFO disclosure with Catholic questions, but critics cite a lack of physical evidence.
Jim Semivan said UFO truths may be psychologically difficult and described personal experiences that shaped his views.
The claims show UFO disclosure debates moving beyond evidence into religion, intelligence secrecy, and public trust.
This week, back on the fringes, investigative host Jesse Michels, whistleblower David Grusch, and former CIA officer Jim Semivan have added so many new claims that the UFO iceberg could sink under their weight.
UFO disclosure has moved from the fringes of late-night radio shows to being talked about in the halls of Congress. This week, however, we look at what’s been happening on the periphery.
Another corporate cover-up claim
Jesse Michels hosts niche science and subculture podcast American Alchemy, and this week had researcher Jason Samosa on the show, where they discussed the claim that the global UFO cover-up is administered by a secret society registered in Panama called the World Commerce Corporation (WCC).
Posting on X, Michels claimed:
“It was born from a secret 1944 meeting in Paris where the Nazis, seeing the war was lost, planned to smuggle their scientists, technology and gold out of Europe.”
Guest Samosa also claimed the alleged secret network inspired a fictional conspiracy in a series of UFO novels by Blink-182 co-founder Tom DeLonge.
The novels portray a powerful organization that secretly controls knowledge of UFO technology, which Samosa says mirrors the WCC’s role.
The chilling twist in the timeline is that McCasland went missing from his home in late February 2026, shortly after President Trump announced he was to order the declassification of the UFO files. McCasland hasn’t been found since.
The conversation also tackled claims that some intelligence officials in the 1950s believed UFOs were "demonic" rather than extraterrestrial.
According to the theory, religious factions inside the intelligence community worked to suppress UFO research because they believed the phenomenon was inherently evil.
There have been echoes of the otherworldly in other places, most notably with Vice President JD Vance, who wove religion into the UFO narrative back in April.
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Could religion explain non-human intelligence?
Speaking of religion, the new documentary Not of This World: Catholic Faith in the Age of Disclosure (slated for release in late 2026) features whistleblower David Grusch.
As a practicing Catholic, Grusch sparked intense theological debate by stating in the trailer:
"As a Catholic, I actually have more questions than answers and I would like the Church to lead on this."
The trailer showcases several witnesses of heavenly-style spacecraft in the sky, and it also links this religious theme to a conspiracy theory centering on a Vatican UFO claim regarding a rumored 1933 crash in Magenta, Italy.
Whistleblowers allege that Pope Pius XII learned about the recovered alien craft, secretly backchanneled the information to the US, and ultimately helped the US acquire the object at the end of World War II.
Back in May, Grusch warned against speaking of angels and demons too much into disclosure and accepted spiritual interpretations, but concluded it “theologically premature” to employ a theological framework when talking about aliens.
Despite his bold claims, some in the UFO community are growing skeptical of Grusch's lack of physical evidence, with Reddit user mcmiller1111 writing, "His whole thesis is basically 'some people told me this and showed me some documents and I believed them.'"
The frightening “indigestible” truth about UFOs
Former 25-year CIA Senior Intelligence Service officer Jim Semivan has pulled back the curtain on the profound psychological and operational realities of dealing with the phenomenon, warning that the truth might be too heavy for human society to easily carry.
Appearing on the Engaging the Phenomenon podcast, Semivan warned of a fragile, quantum-based reality, one in which "the real world actually… doesn't exist unless you observe it, you know, as quantum mechanics will say," leaving open the wild possibility that "we could all still be figments of each other's imaginations."
As an experiencer himself, Semivan's quest for answers is deeply personal, driven by mysterious, high-strangeness physical encounters in his own home:
"I want to know why they came… I want to know why they damaged my wife. I wanted to know why they damaged me,"
Semivan revealed.
Semivan recalled how former Deputy Assistant Secretary of Defense for Intelligence Christopher Mellon, who had full access to the military's most secret portfolio, was "unsettled" to discover that, despite his rank, the actual UAP program "was being run out of a different place."
Addressing rumors of sinister human factions placing tracking implants in UAP abductees, Semivan proposed a different, psychological theory:
"Do they [the entities] basically make you see, you know, human beings involved in it to… confuse you, or who knows, abuse you, or maybe even make you feel more comfortable?"
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Scooplet: Chuck Schumer still hasn't looked at Pentagon UFO files
Jul 18, 2026
Sen. Chuck Schumer (D-NY) — Senate Minority Leader; original co-sponsor, UAP Disclosure Act
Ask a Pol asks:
Have you been able to check out any of these Pentagon UFO files?
Key Schumer:
“Not yet, no,” Sen. Chuck Schumer exclusively tells Ask a Pol UAP.
Caught our ear:
Are we going to see your UAP Disclosure Act?
“Hope so,” Schumer tells Ask a Pol founder Matt Laslo.
https://www.askapoluaps.com/p/schumer-uap-disclosure-act-hope-so
https://x.com/AskaPol_UAPs/status/2078499809120661591
Dr. Phil Received Pentagon UFO Files Before The Public
July 17, 2026
When the Department of War published its fourth batch of declassified UAP files on Friday, one person outside the government had already read them.
Dr. Phil McGraw confirmed on his own broadcast that the fourth release was provided to him and his team exclusively ahead of time, and according to NewsNation, he used that head start immediately, telling The Hill on release day that the government has been lying to the public for 79 years by omission and by misdirection.
The choice of messenger raises questions the rollout itself does not answer.
McGraw holds a PhD in clinical psychology but has not held an active license since 2006, when he voluntarily let his Texas license lapse, and he was never licensed in California where his television shows taped.
He also has one of the friendliest on-camera relationships with President Trump of anyone in media, having interviewed him one-on-one at Mar-a-Lago in June 2024 and praised him at length at a White House National Day of Prayer event in May 2025.
According to a post on X from Need to Know, the outlet run by Bryce Zabel, McGraw told Chris Mellon and Zabel after taping his UAP special that his early look at the fourth batch arrived with a handwritten message from President Trump reading “have fun with this.”
Is the public watching genuine transparency unfold, or a carefully managed narrative? For 79 years, the government’s approach to this subject was ridicule — credible witnesses were discouraged from speaking, and reports were framed as misidentification or hysteria.
What has changed with the PURSUE releases is not only that files are being published, but how they reach the public. A television personality with no active clinical license and a close relationship with the President received the material first and built a broadcast around it.
His stated justification is his own field — he is not a UAP expert, he says, but an expert in human behavior, there to help the public process files that could otherwise confuse or frighten them. That is a different method of control than ridicule, but it is still a method of control.
Someone decided who saw the files first, what context surrounded them, and which emotional register the coverage would carry.
While McGraw credited the administration for the releases, Mellon described records still going missing and an Air Force that has contributed almost nothing.
A rollout that presents transparency through a hand-picked messenger while material continues to vanish behind the scenes is not a clean story. It is a narrative with an author, and the audience is left to decide whether it is being informed or guided.
Zabel offered the framework he says would satisfy him — not full disclosure, which he does not believe will ever happen, but confirmation from leadership of one basic fact, that we are not alone, with classified details handled separately.
Whether that confirmation arrives through official channels or through a hand-picked talk show host may be the question that defines this phase of disclosure.
https://www.ufonews.co/post/dr-phil-received-pentagon-ufo-files-before-the-public
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Jn5EVBkLnLw
Dr Phil becomes President Trump’s Most Trusted Public Communicator for UFO Disclosure
July 18, 2026
Exopolitics Week in Review
Dr. Michael Salla breaks down the latest reports concerning special access programs and their intersection with current geopolitical events.
This session is designed for those tracking the intersection of national security, military oversight, and unexplained phenomena. You will learn how specific programs operate behind the scenes and the regulatory gaps that persist.
He also reviews the recent Dr. Phil investigation into related claims and analyzes the current push for US election accountability.
By connecting these disparate threads, you will better understand the complexities of modern security procedures and the institutional challenges facing those seeking transparency in these sensitive sectors.
Subscribe for weekly deep dives into aerospace security and whistleblower analysis, and let me know in the comments which topic you want covered next.
00:00:00 – Topics:
00:01:16 – Luis Elizondo openly acknowledges that he has been regularly visiting the Vatican to share UFO related information https://x.com/UAPLuigi/status/2074668410114601190
00:05:26 – US Chief of Space Operations cheers on a Space Force Colonel being taken to the International Space Station on a Russian rocket from Baikonur Cosmodrome https://x.com/SpaceForceCSO/status/2077183415267344427
00:08:55 – Dr Phil does a comprehensive review of historical UFO documents released on the Dept of War’s UFO webpage. https://x.com/MichaelSalla/status/2077567653867118780
00:16:19 – Vice President JD Vance rebuts claims by David Grusch and others that alien bodies have been recovered from UFO crash retrieval operations. https://x.com/MichaelSalla/status/2077664417970274461
00:22:02 – Jorge Pabon, JP, here describes a massive underground spaceport near Eglin Air Force Base https://x.com/MichaelSalla/status/2077712684372443448
00:25:10 – Dr. Phil is being set up to be President Trump’s “most trusted public communicator on Disclosure”. https://x.com/MichaelSalla/status/2077765813520482460
00:27:45 – Upcoming interview with Chris O’Connor who talks about his service with a United Nations-based Secret Space Program on Saturn’s moon, Mimas. https://x.com/MichaelSalla/status/2077773238852100285
00:33:22 – Anthony Williams explains how he was approached by men saying he had too much power and needed to have a “handler” who would “protect” him. https://x.com/MichaelSalla/status/2077820347152281767
00:39:36 – President Trump’s speech expedites the removal of Deep State officials involved in election interference and the UFO/ET coverup. https://x.com/MichaelSalla/status/2078059897468473785
00:43:43 – US-Israel Military Alliance – The Battle for Ancient & ET Technology https://x.com/MichaelSalla/status/2078076589703565554
00:47:25 – Response to the GoFundMe campaign set up to help Michael from Conflict Radio has been overwhelming. https://x.com/MichaelSalla/status/2078080215343910935
00:51:15 – Here’s my interview with John Michael Chambers who asked many probing questions about the cover-up of extraterrestrial life and its implications. https://x.com/MichaelSalla/status/2078163969563365709
https://exopolitics.org/dr-phil-becomes-president-trumps-most-trusted-public-communicator-for-ufo-disclosure/
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=TbXNy078nEQ
extra disclosure dejour
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=q1x2EzAbXgc (Bryce Zabel: Why Trump Told Dr. Phil to "Have Some Fun with This")
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=XzaUWaRYJpE (JP: Underground Civilization & Nordic Spaceport)
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_i-v6px–g0 (Richard Dolan: What If We Have More in Common with Aliens Than We Think? | Richard Dolan Intelligent Disclosure)
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=A4su3TS3PbM (Steven Greer: False Flag pollutes Human Consciousness)
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rQxosyIWLOQ (Steven Greer: ET vs Man-made What's what?)
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5nm9aii6bDE (UAP Files Podcast: The UFO Video Tom DeLonge Didn't Want You to Ignore)
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vC9-SLP-7_o (Vetted: Mysterious Whistleblower Drops Massive UFO Bombshell)
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rL_RWh1nZ20 (UAP Reporting Center: The Antarctica Conspiracy: Brad Olsen on the World's Most Mysterious Continent)
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=UcqlOToQfD4 (Next Level Soul Podcast: Bashar: The WORLD CUP Is Preparing Humanity for FULL Disclosure | Darryl Anka)
will keep an eye out
UAP 𓂀 Luigi 👁️ 🇺🇸 κρυπτός W.👽MJ12 SOM1-01
@UAPLuigi
MJ12 Document 📜 Directive to General Twining by Eisenhower, July 8, 1947 🇺🇸 👽 🛸
On July 8, Eisenhower signed an authorization directing General Nathan Twining, head of the Air Materiel Command, to travel to White Sands. His assignment was to evaluate the reported unidentified objects being held there.
Accompanied by a team of experts, technicians, scientists, and assistants, Twining was instructed not only to assess the object itself, but also to manage the military, political, and psychological issues arising from its presence in New Mexico.
"TOP SECRET
TO BE DELIVERED BY SPECIAL COURIER
DIRECTIVE TO LIEUTENANT GENERAL TWINING
You will proceed to the White Sands Proving Ground Command Center without delay for the purpose of making an appraisal of the reported unidentified objects being kept there.
Part of your mission there will deal with the military, political and psychological situation current and projected. In the course of your survey you will maintain liaison with the military officials in the area.
In making your appraisal it is desired that you proceed with discretion, free from any opinions or feelings expressed by personnel involved which do not conform to sound reasoning with regard to the possible outcome.
In presenting the findings of your mission you should endeavor to state as concisely as possible your estimate of the character, extent, and probable consequences in the event that resistance is not given.
When your mission in New Mexico is completed you will proceed on a brief trip to the Sandia AEC facility to make an appraisal of the situation there, also of the reaction by the Los Alamos people involved.
Before going to White Sands you will communicate with General Eisenhower to ascertain whether he desires you to proceed via Kirtland AAF.
You will take with you such experts, technicians, scientists and assistants as you deem necessary to the effectiveness of your mission.
Approved: Dwight Eisenhower
Date: 8 July 1947
DISTRIBUTION 1/Cy Chief of Staff to the Commander in Chief of the Armed Forces 1/Cy Military Aide to the President 1/Cy Director, Office for Emergency Management 1/Cy Director of Central Intelligence Group 1/Cy Director of Intelligence, USA 1/Cy Director of Intelligence, USAAF 1/Cy Director, Office of Naval Intelligence 1/Cy Director, Joint Intelligence Objectives Agency 1/Cy Joint Intelligence Committee 1/Cy Director, Armed Forces Special Weapons Project"
10:49 AM · Jul 18, 2026
https://x.com/UAPLuigi/status/2078537597849350185
extra
https://x.com/Thekingofufos/status/2078480163910684996
https://x.com/darkjournalist/status/2078281306849329157
https://x.com/GBNEWS/status/2078406707189883099
https://x.com/maniaUFO/status/2078358783936373181