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Subscribe to RSSVideo from a Chilean air show in 2010 highlights anomalies seen in the pictures.
Is this truly the video that UFO skeptics have been dreading? Actually, a compilation of 17-month-old video clips from a Chilean military air show is stirring up predictable responses from both sides of the UFO debate, but no dread.
For those who are inclined to believe that some unidentified flying objects exhibit characteristics beyond what our technology seems capable of, the El Bosque case could represent the latest, greatest evidence for flying saucers.
"This is a very, very unusual case, and I'm hoping that this case will help move forward the recognition that there really is something here that's worthy of further study. ... It has the possibility of being a breakthrough case," said investigative journalist Leslie Kean, the author of the book "UFOs: Generals, Pilots and Government Officials Go On the Record."
But for those who think even the toughest cases can be explained away as video glitches, bugs or other tricks of the eye, the El Bosque case is just more of the same.
"They're 'unexplained cases' only if you ignore the explanation," self-described debunker Robert Sheaffer told me. "That's what's going to happen in this case."
Genesis of an anomaly
The case goes back to an air show that was staged in November 2010, at Chile's Air Force academy, which is headquartered at the El Bosque Air Force Base in Santiago. Nothing untoward was noticed by anybody during the show itself, but Kean said an engineer at the nearby aircraft factory noticed an anomalous spot as he was sifting through video taken from the show, looking for an image that could be used as a poster photo.
The spot appeared to move quickly from frame to frame, and the engineer thought it looked enough like some sort of craft to notify the Chilean government agency in charge of investigating anomalous aerial phenomena, known by the Spanish acronym CEFAA.
The way Kean tells it, CEFAA investigators looked around for other video clips of the event and pieced together six additional views of the spot-shaped phenomena. Ricardo Bermudez, a retired Chilean Air Force general who is now CEFAA's director, told a UFO conference last month that his agency consulted with other officials, image-processing experts and "non-believer astronomers." CEFAA's conclusion was that the spots were caused by an object traveling through the scene at speeds in excess of 4,000 mph — so fast that it went unnoticed by air-show spectators.
"Humans inside this object could not survive," Kean and a co-author, former New York Times investigative reporter Ralph Blumenthal, wrote in a Huffington Post report appearing on Tuesday. "And, somehow, it made no sonic boom..."
Kean told me that the El Bosque case was notable for several reasons: "I think what's exceptional about this is that the investigation was thoroughly managed by a government agency." Also, she said, "it's something you can actually see with your own eyes." The fact that the object shows up on seven videos from the same event, recorded from different vantage points, adds to the intrigue, she said.
The El Bosque case fits the pattern that Kean laid out in her book, in which she highlights UFO accounts from experienced pilots, military observers and government officials. Even measured by that standard, the Chilean case stands out, Kean said. "In some ways, I think it's more explosive than many of the cases in the book," she told me.
Skeptics unconvinced
In their article, Kean and Blumenthal wondered whether El Bosque would turn out to be "the case UFO skeptics have been dreading" — but experts on the other side of the UFO debate said their skepticism was unshaken.
"It's a tiny thing in a low-res video," astronomer Phil Plait, the myth-buster behind the Bad Astronomy blog, told me in an email. "If this is the best she can come up with, dread is not exactly what I feel."
Sheaffer, a columnist for The Skeptical Inquirer magazine and author of the book "UFO Sightings," joked about the reference to dread. "I'm shaking," he told me during a telephone interview. "You just can't see it on the phone."
Sheaffer said there wasn't yet enough data available to judge what really happened at El Bosque. "It's going to be like the Phoenix Lights in 1997. We're going to have to go and sit down and look at it," he said. (Coincidentally, Kean and Blumenthal's story came out on the 15th anniversary of the Phoenix Lights incident in Arizona.)
Some of the key missing points in the story have to do with the six other videos that are said to show the flying spot. Kean said that as far as she knew, those videos have not been seen by anyone outside CEFAA's investigative group. Another must-have for outside investigators would be the identity of the shooters behind the seven videos. If they turned out to be seven random people, with no relationship to one another, that would at least argue against the incident being an intentional hoax, Sheaffer said.
The fact that no one reported hearing or seeing anything out of the ordinary during the air show itself would suggest that the anomalous object is a trick of the eye — or, more accurately, a trick of the video.
For some of the denizens of the Above Top Secret online forum, the nature of the spot, or spots, was obvious: It's a bug, or bugs. An insect flying at regular speed through the foreground of the video could have been misinterpreted as an aircraft flying at super-fast speed through the background. One forum member posted several animated GIF images showing a similar effect. Different bugs could conceivably have flown through the viewing fields of different cameras, leading to the impression that the same super-fast craft was shown in each video — particularly if the six videos identified during CEFAA's follow-up were pulled out of a larger set.
"Maybe we'll find out it's a bug, but I seriously doubt it," Kean told me. She said she took Bermudez and his fellow investigators at their word. "All I know is that people who know way more about photo analysis than I have ruled that out," Kean said.
Even though Kean has made a name for herself as a UFO writer, she insisted that she's not wedded to a woo-woo explanation. "I just wanted to get this story out there," she said. "I'm hoping that some American scientists will now take on the analysis of this."
Update for 8:30 p.m. ET: I'm getting additional information from both sides of the debate. Leslie Kean sent me a follow-up email on the bug hypothesis:
"I went back to the CEFAA official re the bugs, and he said that's what they all thought at first when they got the first film (the one I posted). But when they went and got additional footage from very different vantage points which showed the same thing, they knew that was impossible. I don't think they're that stupid to claim this is a UFO if it was a bug, given that so many experts looked at it."
And there's this from UFO skeptic Tim Printy:
"I am very skeptical of this story the more I read it. There are no high-quality videos available, and the frame grabs/brief clips I have seen appear to be vague and indistinct. The idea they may be birds, insects or possibly a small Mylar balloon has crossed my mind but I can't tell much from the data at hand.
"There are some big red flags for me:
"1) This happened over a year ago and people are still working on analyzing this? If the evidence was truly that good, it would take a few months at best to come up with a reasonable analysis to demonstrate it was something not of this earth.
"2) It is being leaked out to various UFO blogs instead of publishing in a scientific journal. If it were good evidence, that is where it would appear, and not the Huffington Post.
"3) The videos are unavailable to be analyzed from outside sources. Perhaps they learned from the Mexican Air Force video debacle. Once the videos were revealed in sufficient length, many people identified the source of the images as being from oil wells in the gulf. A lot of people had egg on their face from that one. NARCAP was initially involved with that one, but then later stated they could not properly analyze the video because of the provenance being questionable or some excuse similar to that.
"4) The videos have no provenance. We don't know what has been done to them since the day of the event.
"Just my thoughts on this one. I can probably come up with a few more red flags, but I would rather wait for the report to appear or the raw videos to surface. Meanwhile, I will hit my snooze button while the UFOlogists proclaim it the latest 'smoking gun.' So far all of these 'smoking guns' have turned out to be empty water pistols that have never fired a squirt."
More about UFOs:
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- UFO sighted in Russia ... right on time
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- James Oberg: UFO book based on questionable foundation
- Leslie Kean: Skeptic misses point behind UFO book
- Share your UFO stories
- UFO cases that generate buzz
- Best places to spot UFOs
- Cosmic Log archive on UFOs
Alan Boyle is msnbc.com's science editor. Connect with the Cosmic Log community by "liking" the log's Facebook page, following @b0yle on Twitter and adding the Cosmic Log page to your Google+ presence. You can also check out "The Case for Pluto," my book about the controversial dwarf planet and the search for new worlds.
Leave a Comment:
People will believe anything...just look at organized religion!
For those making the claim that this video only shows bugs.
1. You need to back up your bug theory with some evidence and data. Since you are making a "bug claim" the burden of proof lies on you.
So far the only one doing any work is Leslie Kean, the Chilean General, and other associated researchers.
Why don't skeptics ever do the work? is it pure laziness?
www.turkeyufocase.blogspot.com
NOT
The claim is this is a "UFO", implying that it is an alien craft.
Well, sort of...it's alien alright..alien to the US. It is a bug.
Note during the filming that the "UFO" should have crash landed into the ground...if it were actually a craft.
BUT if it was a bug...no big deal, it's hovering beween 4 and 10 feet above the ground.
After 40 seconds, the camera angle is such that the "UFO" only appears at the bottom of the screen...never flying over the camera
The whitish glints you see is the light of the sun reflecting off the bug's wing.
Now
Prove it IS a UFO. You make the positive claim...now back it up.
People will believe anything.
Even a 4,000 MPH Bug
There is nothing to this video. No aliens.
If there are Aliens from another planet, I am sure that we will know for sure, when/if they want us to.
Bu- ugggggg Buuug bug bug bug Bug flying a space ship....Ok I think i have it! Thats amazing! They really are more advanced than us! Wow....Now if youll excuse me im going to go help out on the Obama campagne....Yea! Im voting for him again....HA HA !
Whatever it is it's really freaking fast.
It's a bug, hovering in front of the camera.
These Martians are supposed to have been coming here from the beginning of history yet there is not one shred of tangible evidence that they exist except in the mind of the tin hat crowd, shaky videos and out of focus pictures and pie plates with wires attached are the best they can come up with, second hand stories of a friend that knew a guy that said...., Face it, no alien that has the technology to come an unknown number of light years across intergalactic space is going to end up cashing his weather balloon...errr...flying saucer in some farmers field in New Mexico.
Anyone who believes in UFO,s or alliens is on drugs.GET OFF THE DRUGS!!!
We are arriving this year.
THE ASHTAR COMMAND is a Brotherhood of Light under the spiritual leadership of Prince Sananda, Jesus the Christ. It is composed of millions of spaceships and members of various cosmic civilizations. It is here to assist the planet Earth and its humanity in this cycle of cleansing and realignment. They are universal ambassadors of peace. Their main teaching and message is spiritually focused, above anything else, to the recognition, realization and manifestation of the divine nature. The ASHTAR COMMAND is sending proofs of its presence and existence to Earth, shutting down forever the negative arguments with respect to its protection. The ASHTAR Command, also known as THE GALACTIC COMMAND, COMMAND OF THE EXTRATERRESTRIAL FORCES OF THE INTERGALACTIC CONFEDERATION and THE FLEET OF THE SOLAR CROSS, is composed of personnel represented in many dimensions, civilizations and points of cosmic origin.
They have thousand of representatives on Earth and representatives born on Earth as volunteers, to help the planetary Ascension. They have Commanders, contacts and incarnate Rays of some of their commanders that act consciously, subconsciously and supraconsciously. They remember their cosmic name and cosmic key, which are energetically individual and nontransferable (as the fingerprint). Each vibrational tone connect them with certain archives. As such, the use of the cosmic name is sacred, with which a great responsibility is bore since it qualifies the energy, thus they need to be centered and connected with the Christic heart of the Being of Light. Their watchword is "Assume the responsibility of the Mission and of who we really are". This means contacting with their energies of origin to carry on each phase of the project for which they are based on here.
Several millions of other universal volunteers walk on the Earth. These are called "The Terran Eagles." All of them with a high degree of leadership for which will be elected in their training and instruction to be able to accomplish the part of the mission that falls on them. They have chosen to be present on the Earth to serve in the great harvest of souls that is happening. They exist and manifest in multiple dimensions and their high degrees of spiritual evolution allow them to rise or lower their vibrations to any dimensional plane to manifest their service. The volunteers are those that by their own choice were commissioned to prepare the planet and the earthly humanity for the transition to a level of superior life. The participation of this legion of volunteers is essential for that. They are based on Earth to facilitate the access of the earthly humanity to the fifth dimension. They serve as participants in the birth of humanity from the physical density to the light bodies physical/etheric, capable of ascending to the fifth dimension with the Earth.
All the star volunteers, independent of their origin, have incorporated in their genetics specific codes in accordance with their energy, and they are being activated as they acquire the vibratory frequency required for this to occur. In these times the great majority of them have been activated, they recognize themselves as such, and have affirmed the commitment with the Great Divine Plan. Some of them have already been here before, several times. The planets that they called home are of a superior vibration and have inter penetrating auras of Christic Love. All of them belong to an Intergalactic Fleet. They are the Hosts of Heaven who serve to Prince Sananda, Jesus the Christ, our Commander In-Chief, in his mission of Love. They work in coordination with the legions of the Archangel Michael, Uriel, Jophiel, Gabriel and the 70 Brotherhoods of the Light that administer the Divine Plan.
Different fleets within the Ashtar Command are specialized in spiritual education, Ascension, scientific investigation, communications, planetary affairs as well as the welfare of the personnel, observation of species, expressions and artistic communications, healing, horticulture, zoology, and many other areas of research. Also there exist scanning units with the Ashtar Command, that continually register and follow the trajectory of all the asteroids within and without the Solar System. Any dangerous approach of another celestial body can be deflected of its course with great precision. This type of surveillance is constant. The possible inclination of the Earth axis has been greatly diminished and "smoothed" by the action of their voluntary members, scientists of diverse worlds. These are beings of an advanced knowledge that understand of these things, and whose services are gladly offered with the purpose of saving the Earth.
Given the cover up of the existence and presence among us of members (and non members) of our Great Cosmic Family of the Light by the governments of the Earth may occur that their communiqués may confound some, but those that should listen, will hear and those that should see, will see, but all human beings will hold attention and understand what is appropriate. Their messages are always of hope and positive affirmations. Always they advise the unity, harmony and pacific coexistence of all. They encourage us to revere God the way in which we prefer. They are universal ambassadors of peace. Their main teaching and message is spiritually focused above all recognition. Their main characteristic is a joyous service, serenity, radiation, and, above all that, good will and love. They express: "We follow strictly the policies of the Intergalactic Confederation of non interference on the free will. Even though we could give you the possible consequences of some of your decisions we allow you to live, express and govern your planet as you choose. The only exception would be if your actions could threaten the survival of your planet and its population or that have repercussions on the rest of the Solar System. We are, however, always ready to respond to your specific petitions for help. We are enthusiastic in joining with you for a conscious interaction and a co creative behavior."
There are many extraterrestrial civilizations visiting and observing this planet during its transformation and ascension. Some are curious observers, scientific geneticists looking for data, some, research teams, others non ascended belong to various degrees of development. A being that contributes energy of fear, depression or menace, it is not aligned with the ASHTAR Command! The members of the ASHTAR COMMAND do not take part in abductions, implants, intimidations nor in any type of mental control. They always respect the free desire and right of the human being to live the life at their own way.
The terms "Commander" and "Command" refer to tasks self elected by them, to be in charge of themselves and be responsible of their position of confidence and observance of the orders of their Commander In-Chief, the Prince Sananda, Jesus, The Christ. In any case these terms do not imply a military sense. A true commander acts always in accordance to Divine Laws, walks in the spirit of humility and service, in the most pure observance to the divine directives. The Commander ASHTAR SHERAN, that in galacticIrdim language means 'Holy Chief", is the Leader of the Cosmic Plan of these crucial times of the Planet Earth in her transition to higher level of life. Commander of ten million of thinking beings highly spiritually evolved, scientific and technologically, that surround this quadrant of our galaxy, in an protective electronic circle within the Alliances for peace in the Intergalactic Council. The main ship of the ASHTAR COMMAND is THE EAGLE.
Where did you buy that stuff?
It's a bug.
It's an alien craft containing millions of flesh eating invaders disguised as a bug.
Darn drug dealer did'nt file flight plans and forgot a airshow was going on. Almost got shot down.
Greetings to the noble ones of Earth who love and serve the Divine Plan. I am Athena merged with Ashtar, providing a twelve part overview of the Command’s current tasks as they pertain to your world.
1. We, of the Ashtar Galactic Command form a vast Legion of Light numbering in the millions surrounding Earth with guardianship on behalf of the Most Radiant One, Christ-Jesus and the Supreme Creator.
2. We are assisting at every level with Earth and Humanity’s transformation and paradigm shift into the fifth dimension and seventh Golden Age.
3. We strive to maintain the stability of your planet’s polar axis and constantly monitor its magnetic field, grid systems and all astrophysical and geophysical conditions affecting Earth and other planets within this solar system and galaxy.
4. We inspire the Spiritual expanding of consciousness which allows for a greater understanding of your multidimensional Divinity and Divine Function within this vast and inhabited Cosmos… and beyond.
5. We are enhancing the Earth’s paramagnetic harmonic resonance by creating crop circles for increasing production of food crops.
6. We are encouraging the shift from fossil fuel to free energy, and nonpolluting energy sources and forms of transportation.
7. We are working to implement an effective form of communication from our Merkabah transmission apparatuses to your informational receptors.
8. We are safeguarding and over lighting our millions of representatives and their service missions throughout your world.
9. We watch, ever prepared to evacuate and relocate your entire world’s population, if necessary, should your planet’s viability be jeopardized by any potential geophysical or astrophysical catastrophe.
10. We are supervising the re-creation on Earth of educational temple complexes based upon a system of sacred geometry, to be utilized for humanity’s ongoing processes of initiation and ascension.
11. We are assisting with the physical plane advent and return of the Christ and the planetary and celestial Lords of Light who accompany Him; the externalization of their ashrams and academies of higher consciousness upon Earth.
12. We have as a cherished focus the long awaited acceptance of your planet into the United Confederation of Peaceful Worlds... in this capacity we come as ambassadors from The Great Central Sun on a mission of peace and goodwill.
Lord Ashtar is now as an Immortalized Soul, Spiritual Traveler and Ascended Master. He manifests in the Adam Kadmon HU-Man form and is a Ray emanation or “son” of the One known as Sananda / Jesus, the Divine Mother/ Mary and the Ones known as Archangels Michael, and Gabriel; being formed of the combined blending of their Light Codes and Essences. This is the normal manner of manifesting individualized beingness within the celestial worlds. He began His individualized sojourn within the lower worlds of creation as what you might term a Devic/Angelic being of the Powers/Herald Angel lineage's, which are Over-Souled by Archangels Michael and Gabriel respectively.
However, he comes originally from what could be called the twelfth kingdom or the celestial Throne Worlds of the Supreme God, of the positive Divine realms. He is not originally from this dimensional universe at all and came here only in serving his accepted mission.
He is known as a non-fallen Son of God, in that throughout his long passage through time and space he has never forgotten his Spiritual Source and Divine nature. He is one who has never rebelled against the Divine Will and Laws of the Supreme Deity. In fact his characteristic staunch loyalty and devotion to Divine Principle and Universal Law reveals his immaculate character and personal integrity as a man fully worthy of his high status and levels of responsibility.
Long before the creation and formation of the lower worlds of evolution, duality and testing, including the formation of the world now called Earth, the Soul now known as Ashtar passed through long cycles of training under the Lineage of Masters known as the Spiritual Travelers.
With his decision to transfer from the Angelic lineage and to enter into the Adamic HU-Man lineage, Ashtar became one well qualified to be in command of the newly forming fleets which would be positioned as guardians and caretakers in a future universe. Ashtar later responded to the request of Lord Michael, Sananda Kumara and Sanat Kumara and joined the family of Venusian Kumaras in a pledged mission to adopt and foster the unfolding life wave and experiment to be undertaken within this universe, galaxy, solar system and upon Earth.
He has been extensively trained and prepared to assist with the guardianship, spiritual fostering and ascending of planetary worlds. Ashtar attained the equivalent of human Earth development as Soul in other places in the cosmos as well as within the Venus chain of worlds where he attained his Mastership and ascension.
His Soul essence, like that of many, has touched to many constellations and planetary worlds and has traversed multidimensional universes in unfoldment and service, for virtually eons of cycles. Though appearing to be in his forties... he is really an extremely ancient being.
He was not originally known as Ashtar but in the frequency-resonance of ElesTron-Antar-Ra-An, and also as Gabri-An, Sherna, Sher-An, and finally as Ashtar, after the world upon which he attained his Ascended Mastery. Ashtar should not be regarded as a space god... but as an extremely highly evolved Son of God, a God Realized Being and Ascended Master.
Ashtar’s service to this Universe was assigned by the Council of Nine Silent Ones who serves as agents of the Supreme Creator and His direct administrators. In this universe he functions through the auspices of Lord Metatron (El Shaddai), Lord Orion and The Councils of Orion, Office of the Christ, Order of Melchizedek, the Lord Jesus, appointed Redeemer Savior and Son of the Most High, and the Archangelic Command of Michael. Lord Ashtar also serves as an elder statesman and ambassador from the Great Central Sun Hierarchy and High Council of Melchizedek on Sirius.
He and his Council of the Solar Cross serves in coordinated union with the Councils of the Elohim, The Great Divine Director, the Venusian Hierarchy of the Most Radiant One, Sananda and Sanat Kumara and the Cosmic Avatar Sathya Sai Baba, the direct Regent of Sanat Kumara on Earth. Ashtar is also a highly respected member of many other intergalactic councils and tribunals as a Melchizedek Elder and Universal Statesman. Accompanying Ashtar are the Celestials ...the Divine and Angelic Individuals who serve in administering the Divine keys and codes of Living Light and Living Sound unto this Universal sector.
In the case of Earth, preparing her and her peoples to recognize and receive the returning / emerging Messiah, the Christ, with His Teachers of Wisdom and the Collective Messiah. To quicken the energy acceleration into the Golden Age, 5th dimensional consciousness or kingdom of heaven as it is variously known. Thus the human life-wave is lifting beyond the "666 Carbon molecular code of involution and materialism, into the 999 Silicon molecular code of Resurrected Life Eternal".
Through the ministry of Jesus the Christ, redemption, salvation and deliverance, rescued Humanity from the effects of the Edenic fall and the Divine plan is being restored on Earth and within Souls who choose the Christed Way everywhere. Ashtar is a being of pure Light and pure Love, bearing a Spiritual message of the essential Divinity of all beings, and our personal and planetary freedom through Grace and Divine Love.
What kinds of insects are indigenous to this area? What kind of cameras were used? It would not be that difficult to set up an experiment. I live in the high desert of California. I've seen parachute retarded flares, stealth drones with the ability to hover and fire missiles, and other objects which are probably experimental aircraft given all of the military activity in the area. There are a few things I've seen which I cannot identify. I want to believe, but there is nothing that has convinced me 100% that an object is from another world. Some interdimentional beings would be pretty cool though.
Unless a form of other intellegent life actually lands with an entourage and shakes somebody's (president, governor, mayor, queen of England, etc...) hand and I'm either at the event or it's televised, I will consider UFOs and aleins are all still science fiction..... Maybe somebody built or bought a flying contraption, went to a secluded area, and let it fly for all we know. Or it could be just a bug or possibly a bird or a really confused bat who only comes out during the daytime instead of nighttime.....
I wish the aliens would hurry and wipe out humanity already
A bug? Come on when have you seen any "BUG" fly that straight for any length? Whatever it was it flew with a purpose and a H@LL of a lot of speed. Personally any one naive enough to think we are the only intelligent life in a undetermined number of planets, stars, universes, galaxies is pretty pompous. There's too much evidence right here on our own planet of things happening the same around the same time continents apart that are exactly alike. And a couple of thousands years ago you just did not head to the local airport and board a Trans-Atlantic flight too take your art work abroad. Entire civilizations up and disappearing. No were not alone and no one will ever convince me we are. And if you look at it open minded you'll probably agree with me. It doesn't mean your Religions don't still work, just means you need to broaden their scope/reach.
It's a bug. If it were a spacecraft or an aircraft, it would have crash landed at 0:40
I knew Hillary Clinton was to ugly to be a human
That's a freaking bug flying in front of the lens. Probably related to a gnat or something...
This is the same country that has the Nasca (sp) Lines--that can only really be seen from the air. Large drawings on the surface of the earth that are thousands of years old but were only finally seen when "man" developed flight. Why would anyone draw sometning that can't see from their visual plane (the groung)
Was ther some "purpose" for the lines being able to beseen only form the air???
Simple explanation---the origional artist (NOT from earth) have come back to to check on what they drew. Star Trek IV anyone???
What do some scratches in the dirt have to do with a bug flying in front of a camera during an airshow?
@luciferakastan, that's the funniest thing I ever saw on a post lol :D
WOW, I could not post as reponse to him, but that was worth the price of three pages. Makes me either miss or regret some experiences I had in the 70's.