TYB
https://science.nasa.gov/missions/pandora-missions/nasas-pandora-mission-begins-study-of-exoplanets-host-stars/
https://science.nasa.gov/mission/pandora/
moar
https://www.nasa.gov/missions/artemis/nasa-begins-moon-mission-plume-surface-interaction-tests/
https://www.nasa.gov/technology/space-comms/deep-space-network/new-next-gen-dish-adds-muscle-to-nasas-deep-space-network/
https://www.nasa.gov/human-systems-integration-division/integration-and-evaluation/airspace-operations-laboratory/advanced-air-mobility-aam-projects-national-campaign-testing-series/
https://www.nasa.gov/news-release/nasa-invites-media-to-lunarecycle-challenge-finale-event-in-alabama/
NASA’s Pandora Mission Begins Study of Exoplanets, Host Stars
Aug 25, 2026
Pandora, NASA’s newest exoplanet mission and the first satellite to launch through the agency's Astrophysics Pioneers program, is now making unique observations of worlds beyond our solar system and the stars they orbit.
The mission will determine the atmospheric make-up of at least 20 exoplanets, including the presence of hazes, clouds, and water.
“Pandora’s data will help close a major gap in our knowledge about planets and their host stars because, right now, we can’t be entirely sure how the star’s light affects measurements of what makes up exoplanet atmospheres,” said Elisa Quintana, Pandora’s principal investigator at NASA’s Goddard Space Flight Center in Greenbelt, Maryland. “We designed the Pandora spacecraft and its in-depth observing program to better understand this vexing issue.”
The results of the mission will lay a firm foundation for interpreting measurements by NASA’s James Webb Space Telescope, as well as future observatories focused on finding habitable worlds. In fact, Pandora’s near-infrared detector is a spare originally developed for Webb.
"The spacecraft is healthy and all of the instruments are performing as well as we could have hoped,” said Jordan Karburn, Pandora’s deputy project manager at Lawrence Livermore National Laboratory in California.
“Our team’s hard work throughout the commissioning process has paid off, and we can now confidently start science."
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Launched into low Earth orbit on Jan. 11, Pandora is an ambitious small satellite (SmallSat) funded by NASA’s Astrophysics Pioneers program.
Pioneers are designed to explore compelling questions about the universe with fast-paced, low-cost missions that require a higher-than-usual tolerance for failure.
Three factors make Pandora unique. It carries a novel all-aluminum telescope about 18 inches (45 centimeters) in diameter, it will study planets and their host stars simultaneously in both visible and infrared light, and it will observe targets for a much longer time than flagship observatories like Webb are able to.
Telescopes can sample a planet’s atmosphere in systems where the planet passes in front of its star as seen from our perspective.
During this event, called a transit, some starlight skims the planet’s atmosphere before making its way to us. As this light interacts with atmospheric molecules, their chemical fingerprints become embedded in it.
For each molecule, astronomers see brightness dips at characteristic wavelengths.
But our instruments also see light from the whole star, not just what grazes the planet. Stellar surfaces aren’t uniform.
They sport hotter, brighter areas called faculae and cooler, darker regions similar to sunspots. Both can grow, shrink, and change position as the star rotates.
“Water is one of the most important molecules we can measure to understand the composition and physical conditions of an exoplanet atmosphere,” said Benjamin Rackham, a team member at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology in Cambridge.
“But features on the star can distort the water signal we’re searching for. Pandora is designed to disentangle the signals from the planet and the star, helping us to understand the planets more accurately and laying the groundwork for the eventual study of planets that could harbor life.”
Pandora’s telescope, jointly developed by Livermore and Corning Specialty Materials in Keene, New Hampshire, and its detectors make up the mission’s heart.
The detectors will capture the star’s brightness in visible light and its near-infrared spectrum at the same time, while also obtaining a near-infrared spectrum from the planet when it transits the star.
Over the course of its year-long primary mission, Pandora will observe at least 20 exoplanets 10 times with a long-duration stare covering 24 hours, with a transit included in each observation.
“Pandora’s advantage is its ability to observe targets for extended periods at multiple wavelengths, something high-demand flagship missions like Webb cannot regularly do,” said Knicole Colón, the mission’s project scientist at NASA Goddard.
“Combining Pandora and Webb data will uniquely enable scientists to determine the properties of stellar surfaces and cleanly separate star and planetary signals.”
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https://science.nasa.gov/earth/earth-observatory/a-changing-world-for-emperor-penguins/
NASA’s Nancy Grace Roman Space Telescope Arrives at Hangar
August 25, 2026 4:52PM
NASA’s Nancy Grace Roman Space Telescope arrived Tuesday to the SpaceX hangar at Launch Complex 39A at Kennedy Space Center in Florida, just days before its scheduled launch.
Roman began its overnight trip on Aug. 24, departing from the Payload Hazardous Servicing Facility, where it has been undergoing prelaunch processing since June.
A convoy of vehicles escorted Roman, inside Falcon Heavy’s fairing, to the hangar, monitoring it along the way to ensure normal operations.
In the coming days, the team will mate Roman to the SpaceX Falcon Heavy rocket in the hangar. NASA’s Launch Services is managing the mission’s launch preparations, marking the program’s fourth primary payload launched on a Falcon Heavy rocket following Psyche, GOES-U (Geostationary Operational Environmental Satellite U), and Europa Clipper. One of Roman’s side boosters for Roman previously flew on the GOES-U mission.
NASA, Roman, and SpaceX teams will host a Launch Readiness Review on Friday, Aug. 28 to conduct the final “go/no go” poll ahead of the planned 7:26 a.m. EDT launch on Sunday, Aug. 30, from Launch Complex 39A at Kennedy.
Launching nine months ahead of schedule, Roman is expected to transform the way we see the universe and settle essential questions about some of the biggest mysteries out there.
Roman has a wide field of view that will rapidly capture huge swaths of sky full of stars and galaxies once it reaches second Sun-Earth Lagrange point 2, or L2.
Roman is designed to investigate dark energy, the mysterious force accelerating the universe’s expansion. It will also map how galaxies form, cluster, and evolve by tracing the influence of dark matter.
In addition, Roman will discover and study planets beyond our solar system with the precision needed to compete a statistical census of planetary systems in our galaxy.
https://science.nasa.gov/blogs/roman/2026/08/25/nasas-nancy-grace-roman-space-telescope-arrives-at-hangar/
https://www.nasa.gov/general/nasa-ames-contributions-to-romans-mission/
https://x.com/NASARoman/status/2092659814459465995
https://x.com/NASA/status/2092619105320718352
https://x.com/SpaceX/status/2092648130856571283
Chinese hackers broke into Justice Department, NASA, Federal Reserve, Senate, others, DOJ says
August 26, 2026 11:12am Updated: August 26, 2026 11:59am
The Justice Department said Wednesday it had seized internet domains used by two Chinese hacking platforms to hack into the agency as well as NASA, the Federal Reserve, the Senate and other sensitive government agencies.
The two platformers were called "QScan" and "QTRouter," the DOJ said.
The state-sponsored group known as "QTFY," which the DOJ said was employed by China-based Nanjing Xinjiuwei Network Technology Company, created and operated the platforms.
The group offered tools that allowed malicious actors to engage in computer intrusion activities while concealing the hackers' country of origin, the DOJ said.
Other federal agencies that were victims of QTFY computer intrusion activity were the Energy Department, Department of Health and Human Services and National Institutes of Health, according to the DOJ.
"State-sponsored malicious hackers preying on America’s critical infrastructure will be stopped and prosecuted. We are here to ensure security for the American people and will use every tool we have to keep that promise,” Attorney General Todd Blanche said in a statement.
According to court documents, QTFY offers computer hacking services to its paying customers, which include the People's Republic of China Ministry of State Security and the People’s Liberation Army.
https://justthenews.com/government/federal-agencies/chinese-hackers-broke-justice-department-nasa-federal-reserve-senate
https://www.justice.gov/opa/pr/justice-department-and-fbi-seize-platforms-operated-and-used-china-state-sponsored-hackers
NASA HQ Procurement Blackout Notice
August 25, 2026
NASA warned all employees to not comment on the HQ move procurement.: “NASA Blackout Notice for Solicitation Number AFP_NASA_HQ_2026_0001 for Lease or Purchase of Building to house NASA Headquarters in District of Columbia”:
NASA Civil Servants,
A solicitation for lease or purchase of a building for a new NASA Headquarters was released to industry on July 14, 2026. The resulting lease or purchase will provide a building to house the next NASA Headquarters within the District of Columbia.
The solicitation is located at the Governmentwide point of entry (GPE) (SAM.gov) and can be found by entering the solicitation number AFP_NASA_HQ_2026_0001 into the “keywords” field.
Effective as of the date the AFP was issued, all NASA personnel must have ceased communications with industry concerning this competition.
This ‘blackout’ period of communication with industry will continue through the receipt and evaluation of proposals, the award of the lease or purchase instrument, and the release of the evaluation board from its responsibilities.
NASA personnel shall refer anyone seeking information regarding this acquisition to the designated Real Estate Contracting Officer Darlene Eltringham (darlene.e.eltringham@nasa.gov) at NASA, Headquarters.
Improper communication could jeopardize the integrity or successful completion of the NASA Headquarters competition.
Therefore, compliance with the above will ensure the dissemination of uniform responses to all inquiries and eliminate the possibility of preferential treatment of any prospective offeror.
This blackout notice is not intended to terminate all communication with offerors. The designated Real Estate Contracting Officer should continue to provide information as long as it does not create an unfair competitive advantage or reveal proprietary data.
NASA personnel who may be responsible for the administration of existing contracts, agreements, leases, or other real property instruments that may be related to the NASA Headquarters competition shall, at all times, be fully aware of the extremely sensitive nature of this competition and maintain compliance with the blackout notice.
While it is recognized that some NASA personnel have a need to communicate with prospective offerors relative to the conduct of current ongoing work, any communication is limited solely to existing legal instruments and shall not be expanded into matters relating to the NASA Headquarters competition.
Under no circumstances shall new NASA Headquarters be discussed. It is important that all NASA personnel adhere to this notice to ensure that all offerors are treated fairly and impartially.
https://nasawatch.com/2026/08/25/nasa-hq-procurement-blackout-notice/
moar
https://nasawatch.com/2026/08/26/how-will-nasa-adapt-to-new-social-media-challenges/
https://science.nasa.gov/asset/webb/fast-and-furious-star-formation-in-starburst-galaxies/
extra NASA Dolly Parton tributes
https://x.com/NASASolarSystem/status/2092341445776515217
https://x.com/NASAGoddard/status/2092322800337830115
NASA Administrator Jared Isaacman
@NASAAdmin
Looking forward to seeing @POTUS recognize the Artemis II crew with the Congressional Space Medal of Honor this week.
Their achievement is a testament to the best and brightest across the NASA workforce and our partners who made this historic mission possible.
6:56 AM · Aug 26, 2026
https://x.com/NASAAdmin/status/2092612195154612666
moar Isaacman and frens
https://x.com/NASAAdmin/status/2092611111761637759
https://x.com/NASAAdmin/status/2092377592460374390
https://x.com/NASAAdmin/status/2092322431813747115
https://x.com/NASAKennedy/status/2092597936945516562
SpaceX's final Falcon 9 Starlink launch from Florida creates gorgeous 'jellyfish' over New York City
August 26, 2026
SpaceX's launch from Florida early this morning (Aug. 25) was memorable in more ways than one.
The mission, which sent 29 Starlink internet satellites skyward from Cape Canaveral Space Force Station at 5:33 a.m. EDT (0933 GMT), was the 100th flight of 2026 for SpaceX's workhorse Falcon 9 rocket.
It was also the 37th flight for this particular vehicle's first stage, setting a new reuse record for the company.
And we learned a few hours after liftoff that it was also the last-ever Falcon 9 Starlink mission to fly from the Sunshine State.
"From here on, Starlink missions out of Florida will fly on Starship. The West Coast team will continue regularly launching Starlink from Vandenberg [Space Force Base in California]," Kiko Dontchev, SpaceX vice president of launch, said via X this morning.
"In the last seven years, Falcon has flown ~260 Starlink missions from the Cape … can't wait until we launch that and many more with Starship!" he added.
SpaceX thinks Starship will revolutionize spaceflight when it comes online.
The company plans to phase out the Falcon 9 and its heavy-lift cousin, the Falcon Heavy, after that happens, so the final Falcon 9 Starlink launch from the West Coast may be coming relatively soon as well.
The Falcon 9 made quite an impression on skywatchers during this morning's Starlink swan song from the Space Coast, creating a "jellyfish" in the sky visible to folks as far away as New York City.
Indeed, some people in the Big Apple posted video of the Falcon 9 cruising over the city's famous skyline.
The jellyfish effect is a regular feature of Falcon 9 missions that launch shortly before dawn or not long after dusk. During these windows, sunlight illuminates the rocket's expanding exhaust plume while the sky itself remains mostly dark.
The buildout of the Starlink megaconstellation has driven Falcon 9's launch cadence to record highs over the past few years. In 2024 and 2025, for example, the rocket lifted off a total of 297 times, and 211 of those were Starlink flights.
Seventy-seven of the 100 Falcon 9 launches this year have been Starlink missions.
https://www.space.com/space-exploration/launches-spacecraft/spacexs-final-falcon-9-starlink-launch-from-florida-creates-gorgeous-jellyfish-over-new-york-city-video
https://x.com/MosheDe_/status/2092190838013022400
Nine killed in Ukrainian attack on passenger bus in Donbass
26 Aug, 2026 14:42 | Updated 26 Aug, 2026 16:03
Kiev has intensified kamikaze drone strikes in recent weeks, repeatedly targeting passenger buses and other civilian vehicles
At least nine people have been killed and six others wounded in a Ukrainian strike on a passenger bus in Russia’s Lugansk People’s Republic (LPR), according to Governor Leonid Pasechnik.
The attack occurred in broad daylight on Wednesday, when an intercity bus traveling from Lisichansk to Stakhanov was targeted, the governor said. Eight passengers were killed on the spot, while another, a young woman, later died of her wounds in hospital.
“This is yet another act of terrorism by the bloodthirsty Kiev regime. Cynical, inhumane, and unjustifiable. It is a war crime for which those responsible will surely be punished,” Pasechnik wrote on Telegram.
While the governor did not explicitly say what exactly was used to strike the bus, the Russian Investigative Committee confirmed the vehicle was attacked with a kamikaze drone.
A criminal probe into the incident has been launched, and investigators are now working to establish the exact type of the UAV involved in the deadly attack, the committee said.
Footage from the scene shared by LPR officials suggests that the UAV hit the bus in its roof hatch, pelting the passengers with shrapnel.
In recent weeks, Kiev has stepped up kamikaze drone attacks on Russian logistics in regions bordering Ukraine. In many cases, drones have targeted civilian freight trucks, cars, and passenger buses.
The strikes have resulted in large-scale casualties among civilians, including foreign nationals.
Moscow has repeatedly condemned the strikes as indiscriminate terrorist attacks staged by Kiev in an attempt to compensate for the continuous string of setbacks its troops have been suffering on the battlefield.
https://www.rt.com/russia/644680-ukrainian-attack-bus-donbass/
extra RT
https://www.rt.com/russia/644656-ukrainian-village-blast-evacuation/
https://www.rt.com/russia/644676-russia-ukraine-pow-exchange/
https://www.rt.com/russia/644653-vatican-envoy-lavrov-meeting/
https://www.rt.com/news/644681-hungary-magyar-russia-threat/
https://www.dailymail.com/news/article-16080621/Is-Putin-wage-war-Europe-Fears-Russia-launch-drone-attacks-stage-Baltic-island-invasion-CIA-chiefs-mystery-visit-Moscow.html
other Russia and Ukraine and frens
https://www.kyivpost.com/post/83119
https://www.ukrinform.net/rubric-ato/4157857-ukraine-strikes-russian-radar-drone-training-center-and-military-supply-hubs.html
https://caspianpost.com/energy/russia-s-largest-lukoil-owned-refinery-halts-oil-processing-after-drone-attack
https://news.az/news/bulgarian-navy-neutralizes-several-drones-found-off-black-sea-coast
https://www.newsweek.com/ukraine-magura-mv11-marine-drone-black-sea-fleet-12368268
https://www.themoscowtimes.com/2026/08/26/moscow-to-summon-romanian-envoy-after-russian-diplomat-expelled-over-drone-incursions-a93581
https://united24media.com/defense-tech/ukraine-new-kaban-system-turns-standard-vehicles-into-unmanned-combat-drones-21977
'Just don't do it': CIA chief's warning to Putin revealed as drone attacks fuel fears he'll start war with Europe
06:08 EDT, 26 August 2026 | Updated: 10:21 EDT, 26 August 2026
Fears are mounting that Vladimir Putin could be preparing to attack Europe – including potential drone strikes.
It comes after CIA director John Ratcliffe made a surprise trip to Moscow on Tuesday. It has been reported that the spy chief issued a warning to the Kremlin not to escalate the conflict in Ukraine, either by using a nuclear weapon or targeting Kyiv’s Western allies.
The ‘just don’t do it’ advice was based on US intelligence that Russia is primed to act after its campaign on the battlefield in Ukraine stalled again.
Following the visit, the Kremlin hinted it was not looking for peace with the West, warning ‘it is too early to say if the deep crisis in US-Russia relations can be overcome’, before boasting ‘Ukraine is definitely losing the war’.
The developments come at a particularly fraught moment for Nato, as Russian drones repeatedly test the defences of countries along the alliance’s eastern frontier. But other European nations are also increasingly coming under threat.
Just this month, Germany faced a series of unexplained drone incidents. Leipzig-Halle airport, a major Nato military logistics hub and European base for Ukraine’s Antonov Airlines, temporarily suspended flights after an armed drone was discovered next to a Ukrainian aircraft.
A cargo plane later collided with a small unidentified object, while drones were seen over a key military base in western Germany the following day.
Western intelligence assessments have grown increasingly stark, with US officials worried Moscow could attempt to seize Nato territory within weeks.
Potential scenarios range from a major cyber attack to armed groups occupying territory to an incursion along Nato’s eastern flank.
Moscow has already been accused of waging a shadow war across the continent through sabotage, cyber attacks, drones, disinformation and intimidation – tactics designed to cause disruption while staying below the threshold for a military response.
British spy chief Anne Keast-Butler has warned that the UK and its allies now occupy ‘a space between peace and war’, with Russian activity stretching ‘from the seabed to cyberspace’.
Security experts have told Prime Minister Andy Burnham to be prepared for a ‘direct response’ from Putin following his declaration of Britain’s ‘unwavering’ support for Volodymyr Zelensky’s forces.
Former Russian deputy foreign minister Andrei Fedorov said he could not ‘100 per cent exclude’ the prospect of ‘semi-military’ action against Britain following Mr Burnham’s visit to Kyiv on Monday.
The PM agreed to hand over blueprints for British-made components for the Scalp missile – a French version of the UK’s Storm Shadow cruise missile – allowing Ukraine to produce the long-range weapon domestically.
In return, he received what officials described as a ‘goldmine’ of battlefield data to help bolster British security.
Mr Fedorov said ‘sooner or later, there might be not only verbal but maybe some visible reaction from Russia towards the UK’.
Asked to elaborate on what this might look like, he said: ‘It might be so-called technical reaction, maybe some hackers attack from [an] unknown source.
‘There might be different political steps and I cannot exclude 100 per cent that there might be some semi-military [action].’
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Russian drones are already testing European airspace and defences, posing a major threat to the continent’s safety.
Western fighter jets have been scrambled numerous times in recent weeks to shoot down drones. And incidents involving fighter jets being scrambled in response to Russian incursions have more than doubled on a year ago.
Russian opposition politician Garry Kasparov has warned that Mr Putin could first test Nato’s resolve in the Baltic region.
‘I think the chances [are] that he’ll cross Nato borders – Estonia, Latvia, Lithuania, Poland – just a small incursion using drones,’ he said.
‘I think the chances are growing because Putin needs a winning narrative and Ukraine doesn’t offer it.’
In recent weeks, Russia has also launched a new wave of attacks targeting European defence manufacturers, using local criminals to carry out acts of sabotage, according to Western intelligence sources.
Officials believe the attacks have been carefully calibrated to stop short of triggering Article 5, Nato’s mutual defence clause.
This week, Latvia detained three of its own nationals over a suspected arson attack on a drone manufacturer in Estonia, while there have been explosions at major arms manufacturers in Italy and Bulgaria this month.
And earlier this year, four people were detained after a fire almost destroyed a Czech plant making drones and thermal optics for Ukraine.
Drone threats also extend to Britain’s critical infrastructure.
Writing for the Daily Mail, historian Mark Galeotti said: ‘Russia is operating against us on multiple levels, and the need for the public to be on guard has never been more urgent.’
Meanwhile, intelligence sources also say that the possibility of Russia moving from covert operations to a direct military confrontation with Nato – which had been seen as unlikely while Russia was fighting in Ukraine – can no longer be dismissed.
One theory is that Russia could attempt to seize a city or region in Poland or one of the three Baltic states.
All three were formerly part of the Russian Empire and have ethnic Russian minorities that Moscow has used in its propaganda.
They also sit between Russia and the Russian exclave of Kaliningrad, home to the Russian Baltic Fleet.
The Atlantic Council describes the Baltic states as a high priority for Russian disinformation and subversion, as well as potential outright aggression.
Polish security experts have warned of small troop incursions to target power stations, which could then be explained away as a result of a GPS navigation error.
A ground-based attack could come from Kaliningrad – which borders northern Poland – or from Belarus to the east.
Finland and Sweden are also considered targets of Russian hostility following their decisions to join Nato.
Norway, meanwhile, shares a border with Russia and has strongly supported Ukraine and Western sanctions.
There are also fears that Russia could potentially seize a small island in the Baltic Sea to test Nato’s political unity and military response
However, Russia would be taking a huge risk by attacking Nato directly. The alliance still possesses vastly greater military resources than Russia, including more than three million active personnel, thousands of aircraft and more than 1,000 military ships.
That is why intelligence officials say the most immediate threat is likely to be from explosions, vandalism, fires and covert operations carried out from within Europe.
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Since Russia’s full-scale invasion of Ukraine began in 2022, Western officials have linked Moscow to 191 acts of sabotage, arson and disruption across Europe, according to the Atlantic Council.
A Financial Times report cited by the Atlantic Council found that teenagers across Europe were being recruited through messaging apps such as Telegram to conduct sabotage, sometimes for relatively small payments.
In the last year alone, teenagers from Poland, the Netherlands and the UK have been arrested after being recruited by Russian hackers to spy and vandalise.
And Germany is now investigating a suspected Russian intelligence weapons cache discovered in a forest near Berlin.
Across Europe, suspected Russian-linked arson attacks have also targeted commercial and strategic sites, including an Ikea store in Vilnius and a shopping centre in Warsaw.
In Britain, a factory and warehouse complex belonging to a Ukrainian business leader was set on fire in March 2024.
British police said the ringleader had been recruited online and directed by people linked to the Russian mercenary Wagner Group.
Russian cyber units have targeted critical systems including power plants since at least the mid-2010s.
On the day Russia launched its full-scale invasion of Ukraine in 2022, a cyber attack against the Viasat satellite internet system caused outages across central and eastern Europe. The EU, US and UK later condemned the attack as Russian.
Nordic and Baltic countries have reported increased GPS jamming and spoofing since 2022, affecting civilian aircraft, ships and drones.
Some of Europe’s most vulnerable infrastructure lies not on land, but hundreds of metres beneath the sea.
Yet the destruction of sections of the Nord Stream one and two gas pipelines in September 2022 exposed the vulnerability of Europe’s seabed infrastructure to sabotage by Russia.
The perpetrators remain disputed, but since then, the Balticconnector gas pipeline between Finland and Estonia was ruptured in October 2023 at the same time as a data cable, while in November and December 2024, two fibre-optic internet cables and two power cables in the region were severed.
Russia’s pressure campaign against Europe also extends to the continent’s borders, where it is increasingly using migration as a weapon.
Thousands of migrants have been sent across Poland’s eastern frontier with Russia’s ally Belarus in recent months.
In 2025, four tunnels were discovered under the border between the two countries – and 180 migrants mainly from Pakistan and Afghanistan were arrested when they emerged.
Belarus is said to have used specialists from the Middle East to design the tunnels, with Polish officials claiming these people had a 'high level of expertise'.
Although it is difficult to prove which groups participated, it is thought that Islamic State, Hamas, Hezbollah and Kurdish fighters could be involved.
3/3
https://www.jpost.com/middle-east/iran-news/2026-08-26/live-updates-906600
https://breakingthenews.net/Article/IDF-US-Air-Force-chiefs-talk-regional-developments/66988300
other Israel
https://www.yahoo.com/news/politics/articles/israel-planning-military-strikes-earth-110140308.html
https://www.timesofisrael.com/liveblog_entry/idf-strikes-on-gaza-only-delay-hamass-disarmament-says-board-of-peace-envoy/
https://www.israelnationalnews.com/news/432262
https://blogs.timesofisrael.com/israel-won-the-battles-and-lost-the-gaza-war/
https://www.timesofisrael.com/liveblog_entry/one-dead-several-injured-in-idf-strike-on-tent-in-gazas-khan-younis-palestinian-reports/
https://www.timesofisrael.com/liveblog_entry/idf-says-it-bombed-hamas-site-in-northern-gaza-yesterday-killed-several-operatives/
https://www.thejc.com/news/israel/idf-general-ofer-winter-launches-new-party-ci11f1aj
https://www.timesofisrael.com/liveblog_entry/idf-to-begin-providing-fresh-meals-with-most-stringent-level-of-kosher-certification-to-soldiers-who-request-them/
Live Updates: Shin Bet foils terror plot in West Bank as Iran, Oman reach agreement on shares of Hormuz revenue
August 26, 2026
US imposes sanctions on Palestine action • IDF, US Air Force chiefs meet to discuss Iran • Iran asks Qatar to clarify fate of missing pilots
August 26, 5:30 PM
US imposes sanctions on Palestine Action group
The United States has issued sanctions against the Palestine Action group, designating it a Specially Designated Global Terrorist, according to a notice posted to the Treasury Department website on Wednesday.
August 26, 4:52 PM
IDF, Shin Bet foil terror plot in West Bank
Israeli security forces arrested a woman at the Granot Junction area in the West Bank on Wednesday, after receiving intelligence from the Shin Bet (Israeli Security Agency) indicating that she was planning to carry out a stabbing attack.
The suspect was armed with a knife when she was arrested and taken in for questioning.
August 26, 3:42 PM
Iran and Oman reach agreements on share of Hormuz and revenues, Revolutionary Guards say
Iran and Oman have reached agreements on their share of the Strait of Hormuz and its revenues, Iran's Revolutionary Guards spokesperson said, according to a report by the semi-official Tasnim news agency on Wednesday.
The spokesperson said the US was obstructing negotiations between Oman and Iran, leading to them being delayed
August 26, 2:48 PM
US pivot from strikes to sanctions in Iran war shows lack of clear strategy, experts say
Despite the apparent success of the US’s blockade and sanctions campaign, Iranian officials have repeatedly expressed that they would not falter in maintaining control over the Strait of Hormuz.
“America’s impatience in this war has brought the US into the conflict without coherent policy, without clear strategy, and without even trying to create a coalition to support the operation,” Dr. Lynette Nusbacher, a military historian and former head of the Strategic Horizons Unit in the UK Cabinet Office, told The Jerusalem Post on Wednesday.
Nusbacher spoke with the Post after Axios reported that US Secretary of State Marco Rubio told foreign counterparts in recent days that "for the time being" the US was not expected to continue striking Iran, instead focusing on sanctions and economic pressure.
"The Iranian economy is in free fall, and the regime's military has been decimated," State Department spokesman Tommy Pigott told Axios, "and we are cutting off every financial lifeline the regime has remaining."
1/2
August 26, 2:45 PM
Iran economic sanctions leading to extremist regime elements gaining power, dissident says - report
"Under President Trump, the Treasury Department will continue to cut off every economic lifeline sustaining this regime, until Tehran is left completely alone," Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent said.
As the Iranian regime seeks ways to bypass US sanctions, increasing restrictions on Tehran risk extremist elements within the regime gaining power, according to a KAN News report aired on Tuesday that cited an interview with an Iranian political dissident.
According to the activist, while the public endures heavy economic pressures, it does little to affect those in leadership positions within the regime.
His remarks reflect a seemingly widespread sentiment within the Iranian population, who often assume that deepening troubles within the country would further entrench the regime.
August 26, 1:46 PM
Iran urges Qatar to clarify fate of missing Iranian pilots, state media says
Iran said Qatar has told Tehran it is unaware of the fate of Iranian pilots missing since their aircraft were shot down after entering Qatari airspace, and urged Doha to step up efforts to determine their status, according to state media.
Tehran said it had followed up through diplomatic and military channels but had yet to receive a clear response from Qatar on the pilots' fate.
August 26, 12:47 PM
IDF Chief Zamir meets with US Air Force Chief Wilsbach to discuss Iran, regional issues
Their meeting comes as US President Donald Trump shifts from military to economic threats against the regime.
The visit comes as US President Donald Trump has shifted away from military threats to boosting the economic sanctions against Iran to try to achieve nuclear and other concessions.
This shift doubtlessly impacts ongoing and even long-term joint military planning between the countries, including what US military assets will remain in Israel and the region.
August 26, 12:34 PM
Yair Netanyahu identified as PM's son who was target of Iranian assassination plot - report
Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu's son, Yair, was the target of Iran's assassination attempt, Newsmax reported late on Tuesday, citing a US law enforcement source familiar with the matter.
According to the source, Israeli intelligence learned of the plot targeting Yair in December 2025, believing that Iranian operatives were allegedly already "on the ground" in Miami conducting surveillance of the prime minister's son's residence and movements.
Newsmax reported that Yair was told to leave Florida immediately, leading to his sudden return to Israel.
August 26, 11:26 AM
Iranian FM Araghchi calls for closer ties with China
Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi called for closer ties with China and the implementation of joint projects and agreements, Iran's Foreign Ministry announced on Wednesday.
The comments were made by Araghchi during a meeting with Iran's ambassador to China in Tehran, London-based anti-regime outlet Iran International reported.
August 26, 8:43 AM
US halts Iran strikes 'for time being,' as focus shifts to economic sanctions, Rubio says - report
Operation Economic Outcast was announced on Monday by US Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent, following earlier threats of an "economic D-Day" against the regime.
The United States will refrain from striking Iran "for the time being," US Secretary of State Marco Rubio told several foreign counterparts, Axios reported Tuesday, citing a US official and a second source familiar with the matter.
According to the sources, the US instead intends to pressure Tehran through other means, including the recently announced Operation Economic Outcast, though the official did not rule out a return to strikes should Iran attack the US first.
Another US official said that the US Navy's clearing of mines from the Strait of Hormuz is a "watershed moment in the war," which removes one of Iran's main points of leverage in the war.
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Attempted drone incursion at Virginia prison leads to $324K contraband haul with meth, 17 cellphones
August 25, 2026 9:32pm EDT
Virginia Department of Corrections staff discovered the suspicious package at Sussex I State Prison around 1:30 am Monday
Virginia prison officials intercepted a package containing an estimated $324,000 worth of contraband, including a pound of suspected methamphetamine and more than a dozen cellphones, following an attempted drone incursion at a state prison, authorities said.
The Virginia Department of Corrections (VADOC) said corrections staff discovered the "suspicious package" at Sussex I State Prison at around 1:30 a.m. Monday.
Inside, officials said they found a one-pound bag of suspected methamphetamine, 17 cellphones with charging cables and 20 sheets of paper that appeared to be saturated with an unknown liquid.
The agency said it also seized multiple hex wrenches, three USB Wi-Fi adapters and two SIM cards.
Officials also discovered an unusual assortment of other items, including 30 disposable lighters, two cartons of cigarettes, one pound of loose-leaf tobacco, three packs of cigars, two bottles of professional-grade tattoo ink, two bottles of perfume and two bottles of glue.
VADOC estimated the contraband had a combined value of roughly $324,000 inside the prison.
VADOC Director Joseph Walters said the seizure highlighted the sophisticated methods people may use in attempts to smuggle contraband into correctional facilities.
"This investigation is an important reminder that some people will use sophisticated methods in an attempt to smuggle drugs and other dangerous contraband into Virginia Department of Corrections facilities," Walters said in a statement.
"I thank our institutional staff at Sussex I State Prison for their vigilance and focus on ensuring the safety and security of our facility," he continued.
"Our dedicated correctional staff and OLES members stand ready to intercept any dangerous contraband that individuals may attempt to introduce into correctional settings to ensure the safety and security of our dedicated corrections team members, of incarcerated individuals in our custody, of probationers, and of people in communities all across the Commonwealth of Virginia."
The incident remains under investigation by VADOC's Office of Law Enforcement Services (OLES).
https://www.foxnews.com/us/attempted-drone-incursion-virginia-prison-leads-324k-contraband-haul-meth-17-cellphones
Marine Corps releases roadmap for infantry in drone-covered world
Wed, August 26, 2026 at 10:34 AM PDT
The Marine Corps plans to push more air defenses "down to the squad level" as part of a major retooling of how its ground units and infantry troops are trained and equipped for future conflicts.
On Wednesday, the Marines released Ground Combat Element 2040, a blueprint for transforming the land force component of the Marine Air Ground Task Force or MAGTF, the central formation that the Corps organizes around for a battle.
A MAGTF moves and fights with its owns ground, aviation, and logistics units under a single commander.
As the heart of the 40 page document, which includes many pictures of Marines in various combat roles, is a vision for how the basic elements of infantry squads and platoons will be equipped on battlefields swarming with drones.
"The widespread use of drones underscores the need for effective organic protective measures across the [Ground Combat Element], down to the squad level," the planning document says.
"The evolving drone threat presents the most significant risk to ground maneuver, requiring layered active and passive counter-[unmanned aircraft systems] capabilities to retain the initiative."
https://www.yahoo.com/news/us/articles/marine-corps-releases-roadmap-infantry-173420214.html
https://www.ppo.marines.mil/GCE2040/
https://www.news18.com/world/kandahar-giant-us-soldiers-12-foot-creature-afghanista-10280703.html
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=aJkJCf8NYmo (MrBallen On His Tour To Afghanistan "The Kandahar Giant Is Real" | Joe Rogan & MrBallen)
https://x.com/IsaInsane1/status/1927436955626733747
https://x.com/maniaUFO/status/2028369496939900947
https://x.com/InterstellarUAP/status/2081091006502523220
The Giant Of Kandahar: Did US Soldiers Kill A 12-Foot Creature In Afghanistan?
August 18, 2026, 23:14 IST
A 12-foot-tall humanoid with red hair, six fingers on each hand and six toes on each foot. A body said to weigh around 500 kgs. A military aircraft allegedly used to transport its remains.
These are some of the extraordinary claims behind the “Giant Of Kandahar", a bizarre Afghanistan war legend that has resurfaced after researcher Timothy Alberino discussed the alleged encounter with Joe Rogan.
The story is nearly two decades old, but the recent podcast conversations have brought fresh attention to one of the strangest military legends associated with the US war in Afghanistan.
What Is The Giant Of Kandahar Story?
According to the legend, US troops encountered a gigantic humanoid in Afghanistan after a military unit went missing.
In the most widely circulated version, soldiers searching for the missing team reached a cave in Kandahar. A giant allegedly emerged and attacked them, killing one soldier before being shot dead by the troops.
The creature was said to be 10 to 12 feet tall and weigh around 500 kilos.
It was allegedly pale-skinned, extremely muscular and had red or auburn hair, along with six fingers and six toes.
The story further claims that the body was taken away on a US military aircraft.
There is, however, no publicly verified evidence that the encounter happened.
What Did Timothy Alberino Tell Joe Rogan?
Alberino discussed the story with Joe Rogan on The Joe Rogan Experience in July 2026.
Rogan said the Kandahar Giant was the story among Alberino’s work that had caught his attention most.
Alberino told Rogan that he had spoken to people who served in Afghanistan who did not dismiss reports of giants.
He also described an alleged conversation with a senior military figure who, according to Alberino, became visibly uncomfortable when asked about the Kandahar Giant.
Alberino said the man later related a story to him that he did not want to make public.
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He also claimed that the story involved more than one creature.
“It’s not the giant of Kandahar, it’s the giants of Kandahar," Alberino told Rogan.
He claimed the military had known about them. That claim has not been independently verified.
The 500 Kilogram Body
One of the most striking parts of the legend concerns an alleged military pilot who supposedly transported the giant’s body.
According to Alberino, the pilot described seeing the body beneath a tarp after it had been placed on a pallet. He allegedly saw the creature’s hands, feet and the top of its head.
The pilot reportedly described red or auburn hair, pale skin and six digits on each hand and foot.
The body was allegedly weighed before being loaded onto a C-130 transport aircraft.
Alberino said the total weight was around 1,500 pounds including the pallet, putting the alleged creature itself at roughly 1,100 pounds. The pilot reportedly estimated its height at 10 to 12 feet.
These details are based on Alberino’s account of what an alleged pilot told him. The pilot has not been independently identified or publicly verified.
The discussion also connected the story to Alberino’s broader theories about ancient giants, the Nephilim and the occult.
A Legend Dating Back To 2005
The Kandahar Giant story was circulating long before the recent podcast discussions.
Researcher Steve Quayle discussed a purported report of a giant in Afghanistan on Coast to Coast AM in 2005.
According to the programme’s archive, Quayle said he had received information from an anonymous US Air Force officer about a giant allegedly discovered in Afghanistan.
Quayle returned to the subject on Coast to Coast AM in December 2008, when an alleged military pilot’s account of the case was discussed.
Did US Soldiers Really Kill A 12-Foot Giant?
There is no reliable public evidence establishing that they did.
The story rests largely on accounts attributed to unnamed military personnel and later retellings by Quayle, Alberino and other researchers.
There is no authenticated photograph of the alleged body, publicly available remains, DNA evidence or military after-action report establishing the encounter.
The US military has not publicly confirmed the existence of such a creature.
For now, the Giant Of Kandahar remains an unverified military legend, one that has survived for nearly two decades and is now attracting renewed attention after Alberino’s conversations with Joe Rogan and Michael Knowles.
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‘Something is observing us’: Man tracks every flyover at America’s nuclear plants | Reality Check
Updated: Aug 25, 2026 / 01:28 PM CDT
In this episode of “Reality Check,” Ross Coulthart sits down with Daryl Johnson, the former senior security specialist at the U.S. Nuclear Regulatory Commission, who spent more than a decade monitoring and trending every reported drone and UAP flyover at America’s commercial nuclear power plants.
Johnson reveals that close to 300 flyovers were logged between 2014 and 2025, with fewer than one percent ever traced back to an operator, and that the vast majority of plants still have no no-fly zone, no radar and no aerial detection requirement of any kind.
Johnson recounts the incidents that defied a conventional drone explanation, including a black triangle that hovered over Pennsylvania’s Susquehanna plant for more than two hours in 2022 and a December 2024 incident near Virginia’s Surry plant in which lights vanished and reappeared a mile away within seconds before ascending out of sight.
Johnson also describes the resistance he met inside the NRC when he pushed for UAP reporting guidance, and the AARO data request that first put the phenomenon on his desk.
His conclusion, drawn from his new book “Unguarded Skies,” is blunt: something is observing us and we don’t know what it is or who controls it.
https://www.newsnationnow.com/podcasts-newsnation/reality-check/something-is-observing-us-man-tracks-every-flyover-at-americas-nuclear-plants-reality-check/
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=NVHCFiEY3Pw
https://avi-loeb.medium.com/scientists-deserve-first-hand-evidence-on-uap-materials-aa40193aa1ac
moar Avi Loeb
https://avi-loeb.medium.com/nuclear-spacecraft-ccbdc591d163
Scientists Deserve First-Hand Evidence on UAP Materials
August 26, 2026
We live in exciting times. Former U.S. military intelligence official David Grusch claims that the U.S. government is in possession of dozens of intact and partially intact craft of non-human origin, including relics of biological pilots.
On July 26, 2023, Grusch testified under oath before a House Oversight subcommittee, that a highly secretive, decades-long program has been actively retrieving and reverse-engineering these crashed or landed unidentified anomalous phenomena (UAPs).
If such materials were indeed retrieved, the UAP Science Advisory Council to the U.S. Government (https://uapsac.com/) under my leadership, would benefit greatly from direct access to these materials.
Our scientists could review the analysis documents within government organizations like the Central Intelligence Agency (CIA) or within corporations like Lockhead Martin or MITRE which might have been contracted by the government to analyze them.
A material mass of more than a gram (roughly the width of a finger at solid density) should be sufficient to figure out whether it originated from outside the solar system.
The fingerprints of an extrasolar origin involve the chemical composition (relative abundance of atoms with different numbers of protons) and isotopic composition (relative abundance of atoms with the same number of protons but different number of neutrons).
The material of the entire solar system originated from a cloud of gas which was enriched uniformly with heavy elements by a particular history of nearby stars and supernovae.
The material that made other stars and exoplanets had a different history and is expected to possess distinct chemical or isotopic fingerprints.
In recent years, I collaborated with the laboratory team of my colleague Professor Stein Jacobsen on chemical and isotopic analysis of millimeter-scale fragments (each carrying a mass of a millionth of a gram), retrieved in a Pacific Ocean expedition from the crash site of the interstellar meteor IM1, as summarized in the peer reviewed paper, published here.
If UAP materials were manufactured by a technological process, it would be straightforward to differentiate the solid-state structure of alien technologies from our own.
Moreover, an intact alien device would exhibit features beyond our current understanding of science and technology.
It should be straightforward to separate alien from human-made products even if these products are associated with black projects conducted by adversarial nations.
Biological material would be even easier to separate from all lifeforms on Earth.
Distinct extrasolar signatures could include a different molecular chemistry for storing genetic information, a left-handed chirality of DNA (in contrast to the right handedness characterizing the DNA structure of all terrestrial lifeforms), or traces of synthetic biology that flag technological signatures.
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There is no doubt that the U.S. retrieved aircraft materials and biological pilots from crash sites of terrestrial military equipment.
If these materials originated in adversarial nations, the intelligence community would prefer to keep the information secret and potentially assign `alien’ labels to it in order to confuse people without the need-to-know information about its true origin.
Such labeling could have also confused whistleblowers who received second-hand information. The only way to distinguish between this down-to-Earth scenario and a reality in which alien materials were retrieved is for scientists to access the materials directly or their analysis reports.
First-hand information is mandatory for a reliable assessment of what we know. Testimonies are not enough.
So far, the five tranches of data released here through the Presidential Unsealing and Reporting System for UAP Encounters include only written reports, images and videos.
The quality of the released data is insufficient to make the case that any particular object is not natural or human made.
Without better scientific-quality data, it is difficult (as explained here) to determine the distances, velocities and acceleration of objects and decide whether observed orbs are drones (as discussed here), laser spots (as discussed here and here) or something more exotic like warp bubbles (as discussed here).
Another path forward is to collect new UAP data using multiple triangulating sensors in the infrared, optical, radio and audio, as currently done in three Galileo Project observatories (https://galileo.hsites.harvard.edu/) under my leadership.
Spectroscopy could inform us about the surface composition for reflected sunlight or the spectrum of light emitted by the orbs. The UAP Science Advisory Council also aims to collect new data in partnership with the U.S. Government.
But it would save all of us a lot of time if scientists were granted access to non-human-made materials retrieved from UAP crash sites, if such materials exist.
It makes little sense for scientists to keep analyzing blurry videos without sufficient information, if a shortcut to the truth is already at hand.
Until access to first-hand evidence is granted to scientists, the fundamental ambiguity remains: “are the materials mentioned by Grusch from adversarial nations or from a truly alien origin?”
In the former case, the analysis of this material is of national security importance but of little interest to fundamental science.
In the latter case, the material represents the most impactful scientific discovery in the history of humanity, one that will probably be remembered for millions of years and shape our future among the stars.
We should therefore provide whistleblowers the legal assurances they need in order for them to disclose everything they know about UAP without fear of retaliation.
The historic memo issued by Aaron Lucas, Principal Deputy Director of National Intelligence (discussed here), waived non-disclosure agreement and contractual obligation to hide UAP information for former and current government employees.
If UAP whistleblowers come forward, scientists can follow their leads and assess whether the evidence supports their testimonies. If it does not, we should move on to investigate other scientific mysteries. Life is short and we better focus on substance to make it a fulfilling experience.
Angel investors and venture capitalists should pay attention to the possible disruptive developments on the alien tech front, as they constitute a high-risk, high-impact opportunity with major financial implications if such technology could be harnessed through down-to-Earth applications for the benefit of humanity.
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https://www.ctvnews.ca/calgary/article/university-of-calgary-researcher-examines-how-people-try-to-contact-extraterrestrials/
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Ymka4T7S_BI
University of Calgary researcher examines how people try to contact extraterrestrials
August 25, 2026 at 4:05p.m. EDT
As governments release more information about unidentified aerial phenomena and researchers take closer looks at what people are seeing in the sky, a University of Calgary anthropologist is studying a different part of the UFO mystery.
Dr. Shayne Dahl wants to know how people say they can make contact with extraterrestrials.
The assistant professor in the University of Calgary’s Department of Anthropology and Archaeology is studying groups around the world that believe extraterrestrial beings can be contacted through a combination of technology, meditation and altered states of consciousness.
Dahl describes the practice as “techno-shamanism”—a term he uses for what practitioners call Close Encounters of the Fifth Kind, or CE-5.
Dahl is interested in what the growing movement reveals about religion, belief and the way people understand humanity’s place in the universe.
“My main argument with the research is that CE-5 is a ritual of cosmological transition,” he said.
“It’s through practicing CE-5 that people’s cosmology is shifting from the secularized, disenchanted universe into an enchanted, animate universe where there is life out there, right? We are not alone.”
How people say they make contact
Dahl initially expected CE-5 to be primarily an American phenomenon.
His research has instead taken him to groups and practitioners around the world, including Japan, where he interviewed one of the country’s main CE-5 organizers.
“This is global,” he said.
The practices can combine technology with meditation and visualization.
Dahl says some participants use laser pointers, Geiger counters and other devices.
One technique, known as coherent thought sequencing, involves imagining consciousness leaving the body and travelling into deep space, sending what participants describe as a telepathic signal to extraterrestrial beings.
“The claim is that if you do this effectively, sometimes there may be orbs that appear above you or in the sky nearby, and that the orbs can then engage with this group in different kinds of communication,” Dahl said.
“One way of communicating could generally be described as photon dialog, meaning that the orb may be flashing a light sequence, and then the human groups would flash their flashlight to communicate back.”
Dahl said CE-5 participants describe the practice as “a diplomatic mission on behalf of humanity.”
The idea, he said, is that if non-human visitors are actually coming to Earth, humanity should seek communication rather than confrontation.
Where religion and science meet
Patrick Dunn, a PhD candidate and instructor in the Department of Comparative Studies at Ohio State University, studies the intersection of UFO beliefs, religion and altered states of consciousness.
“People have had a tradition of trying to communicate with higher entities for many, many years, dating back to prehistoric times,” he said.
“The ancient Greeks had a tradition called ‘drawing down the moon,’ which is something that women are practicing today—there’s Wiccans who practice that type of thing, and it’s a way of communicating with a higher sort of consciousness or entity for insight or communication across great distances.”
Dunn adds that what’s different today is the way those older ideas are being combined with modern technology and claims about UFOs.
“It’s sort of a crossover between science and sorcery, where now people are claiming to use particular scientific devices, whistling down using radio frequencies and so forth to bring the aliens to Earth or to communicate with them,” he said.
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Pentagon releases another batch of UFO files
Dahl’s research comes as interest in UFOs or UAP (unidentified anomalous phenomena) grows internationally.
The United States government released its fifth batch of declassified UAP records on Aug. 7.
The latest release contains 41 files, including videos, documents and images from multiple U.S. government agencies.
The material spans more than seven decades and includes six videos documenting a 2021 encounter involving U.S. Special Operations forces over the Gulf of Oman.
The files also include witness accounts, historical documents and artistic renderings based on reported encounters.
The releases have generated renewed public interest but remain unresolved, and it has not been established that the objects are extraterrestrial.
Chris Rutkowski, a science writer who has spent decades documenting UFO reports in Canada, says the growing attention is also making the subject more acceptable within academic circles.
“I think what’s happened is that scientists and people in the humanities are taking a closer look at the UFO phenomenon, since it’s less taboo to talk about this now in scientific circles,” Rutkowski said.
He points to projects such as Harvard University’s Galileo Project and Canada’s Sky Canada project as examples of efforts to bring more scientific scrutiny to reports of unexplained objects.
Calgary leads Canadian cities in sightings
Canada has its own extensive record of UFO reports.
According to data from Ufology Research, 1,052 UFO sightings were reported across Canada in 2025.
More than half were classified as nocturnal lights, while just over three per cent were considered unexplained.
Calgary recorded 28 reports, which is the highest total among Canadian cities, followed by Toronto with 24, Edmonton with 23 and Vancouver with 22.
Rutkowski cautions that an unexplained sighting does not necessarily mean an extraterrestrial encounter.
Many reports ultimately have conventional explanations.
Still, he says the number of people who report seeing something unusual makes the phenomenon worthy of study.
“Some surveys have suggested one in 10 Canadians have seen a UFO,” Rutkowski said.
“We’re talking more than four million people, so if you’ve seen a UFO or a UAP, you’re in good company.”
Artificial intelligence could also change how those reports are studied by helping researchers analyze enormous volumes of photographs and video.
“We have something like 1,000 cases reported every year,” Rutkowski said.
“And because we’re talking of the order of hundreds of thousands or a million images of the night sky, you really have to have something like AI doing the work for us.”
Keeping an open mind
For Dahl, the central question is not whether CE-5 practitioners are actually communicating with extraterrestrial life.
He says anthropology gives him a different lens through which to approach the subject.
“I don’t have the expertise to say yes or no or whatever, but I do have the expertise to look at how people are responding to that possibility.”
Dahl acknowledges his research is still at an early stage and that he has not spent enough time observing CE-5 groups in the field to draw definitive conclusions about their experiences.
But he says the beliefs and narratives surrounding UFOs are already a legitimate subject of study, regardless of what ultimately explains the objects people report seeing.
“I have to be able to maintain a balance between critical thinking and being open-minded to explore the questions,” he said.
“The evidence of those narratives existing is irrefutable, so we should go in and investigate why these narratives are emerging and what they mean for society.”
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UFO mania
@maniaUFO
Shocking! Former World Banker Says “Second Species” Controls Earth.
Meet Karen Hudes, whose bio says she worked as an attorney at the World Bank from 1986-2007.
Hudes says that the US gold reserves have been stolen by the Jesuits under the direction of a person she calls “the Black Pope” and that the US gold now resides in the Vatican.
Oh, and she says that the “Black Pope” is not a human, but is of what she calls “a second species”.
3:48 AM · Aug 26, 2026
https://x.com/maniaUFO/status/2092564921057693954
extra
https://x.com/dennis_asberg/status/2092362053184836009/history
https://x.com/TheUfoJoe/status/2092331113717059632
https://x.com/TheProjectUnity/status/2092695480845402297
https://x.com/disclosureteamx/status/2092561949477228571