News / Science
What NASA’s UFO study concluded
NASA asked a panel of independent experts how science should study UAP. Their answer: the problem isn’t aliens, it’s bad data.
By Track the Unknown ·
The study
In 2022 NASA commissioned an independent team of 16 experts, chaired by astrophysicist David Spergel, to look at how the agency could study unidentified anomalous phenomena (UAP). The team published its report in September 2023.
What it found
- No evidence that UAP are extraterrestrial. The panel found nothing to suggest an origin beyond Earth.
- The real obstacle is data. Most sightings are brief, made with uncalibrated cameras, and recorded without the time, direction and conditions scientists need.
- Stigma gets in the way. Pilots and others are put off reporting what they see, which leaves gaps in the record.
What it recommended
The panel said NASA should bring its satellites and expertise to the subject, use rigorous, open methods, and gather better observations from the public, including through smartphone apps that record time, location and sensor data automatically. Following the report, NASA appointed a director of UAP research.
Why this matters for your sighting
The single most useful thing you can do is record when, where and which way you were looking. That’s enough to check a sighting against satellite passes, planets, stars and aircraft. It’s exactly what our sky checker does, and every case file stores those details so others nearby can add what they saw.
Source: NASA: Unidentified Anomalous Phenomena