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NASA convened scientists and academics to discuss Unidentified Anomalous Phenomena

LEILA FADEL, HOST:

NASA has convened top scientists and academics to discuss unidentified anomalous phenomena. Don't know what that is? That's because it's the new name the government has given to what we call UFOs. NPR's Geoff Brumfiel reports on the effort to bring science to the hunt for E.T.

GEOFF BRUMFIEL, BYLINE: Astronaut and former fighter pilot Scott Kelly remembers his brush with an unidentified flying object. He was piloting an F-14 Tomcat.

SCOTT KELLY: And my RIO thought - the guy that sits in the back of the Tomcat - was convinced we flew by a UFO.

BRUMFIEL: Kelly turned the plane around and made another pass.

KELLY: It turns out it was a balloon.

BRUMFIEL: Kelly is now a member of a NASA panel trying to make sense of sightings of so-called UAPs. A new Pentagon office has received more than 800 reports. Most of those turn out to be aircraft drones, the occasional Chinese spy balloon. But about 2 to 5% remain unidentified, meaning they could be aliens. Probably not. Maybe. Enter NASA.

NICKY FOX: The nature of science is to better understand the unknown, and to do that, our scientists need data.

BRUMFIEL: Nicky Fox is associate administrator for NASA's Science Mission Directorate. This panel is trying to figure out how to systematically study UAPs. One problem.

FOX: The existing data available from eyewitness reports are often muddled and cannot provide conclusive evidence.

BRUMFIEL: But panelists also believe the public could help. Federica Bianco, an astrophysicist, says that if NASA builds the right tools, like a UAP reporting app, it might improve the data and public engagement.

FEDERICA BIANCO: This could be an opportunity to really increase the reach of science, help people understand the scientific process and maybe diversify the scientific community by attracting new talent.

BRUMFIEL: In other words, studying UAPs could do a lot of good, even if NASA never finds aliens.

Geoff Brumfiel, NPR News. Transcript provided by NPR, Copyright NPR.

NPR transcripts are created on a rush deadline by an NPR contractor. This text may not be in its final form and may be updated or revised in the future. Accuracy and availability may vary. The authoritative record of NPR’s programming is the audio record.

Geoff Brumfiel works as a senior editor and correspondent on NPR's science desk. His editing duties include science and space, while his reporting focuses on the intersection of science and national security.

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SOMOS CONNECTICUT es una iniciativa de Connecticut Public, la emisora local de NPR y PBS del estado, que busca elevar nuestras historias latinas y expandir programación que alza y informa nuestras comunidades latinas locales. Visita CTPublic.org/latino para más reportajes y recursos. Para noticias, suscríbase a nuestro boletín informativo en ctpublic.org/newsletters.

The independent journalism and non-commercial programming you rely on every day is in danger.

If you’re reading this, you believe in trusted journalism and in learning without paywalls. You value access to educational content kids love and enriching cultural programming.

Now all of that is at risk.

Federal funding for public media is under threat and if it goes, the impact to our communities will be devastating.

Together, we can defend it. It’s time to protect what matters.

Your voice has protected public media before. Now, it’s needed again. Learn how you can protect the news and programming you depend on.