Latest news with #NUFORC
Yahoo
a day ago
- Science
- Yahoo
Over 2K UFO sightings reported in first half of 2025
(NewsNation) — There have been more than 2,000 sightings of UFOs in the first half of 2025, according to data from the National UFO Reporting Center (NUFORC). The nonprofit organization collects reports of UFOs and investigates cases of unexplained sightings. The 2,174 sightings are an increase from previous years. In 2024, the agency logged 1,492 sightings between the beginning of January and the end of June, and in 2023, 2,077 were recorded in the same time frame. NUFORC collected more than 3,000 reports during the first six months of 2025, but because of the stigma around UFOs, the group notes that many of them happened years or even decades before they were reported. Those numbers likely only represent a small number of actual sightings, said Christian Stepien, the group's chief technology officer. Based on anecdotal evidence, he believes roughly 5 percent of sightings get reported. The group takes reports from everyday citizens as well as air traffic controllers, police and members of the military. The topic of UFOs (or UAPs, if you're talking to the U.S. government) has been in the headlines recently as lawmakers have pushed for more transparency on the subject. Whistleblower David Grusch came forward in 2023, alleging a secret UFO-retrieval program was being operated by the Pentagon. His testimony sparked congressional hearings and increased public attention to the issue of unexplained sightings. Since then, others connected with the government have come forward to support Grusch's claims, saying the Defense Department has not been honest with the public or Congress about the subject. Meanwhile, the Pentagon has remained firm in saying that there is no evidence unexplained sightings are extraterrestrial in nature and disavowing the existence of UFO-retrieval programs. Recent reporting from The Wall Street Journal suggested the agency itself may be behind long-standing rumors of alien technology as part of efforts to cover up Earth-based top-secret projects. The reporting also noted that new employees in some offices were hazed with tales of secret UFO research, potentially the source of information presented by whistleblowers. Many remain unconvinced by government denials, including lawmakers who are continuing to advocate for more transparency about unexplained sightings, regardless of whether they originate with nonhuman intelligence or are human-made. 'There are so many things being seen by so many people. And if it's a secret block project, you're not flying it over highly populated neighborhoods where everybody can see it, and even these days, have pictures of it,' Stepien said. Cases being investigated by NUFORC range from detailed descriptions to brief notes, with some explained by known objects, including balloons, drones and planets or stars. 'We get lots of reports of balloons and things like that that we can say that's clearly a balloon, or that's a drone, or it's an airplane or whatever it is,' Stepien said. Stepien said around 3 percent of the reports the group gets end up being of high interest. 'The dramatic ones are kind of the cases where you say somebody saw a giant triangle floating over their house the size of a tennis court or a football field,' he said. 'And we get those reports fairly regularly, things that can't possibly be mistaken for something else.' The group notes that reports include an array of shapes, including triangles, discs, orbs, cigars and forms that appear to change. Many of the sightings include reports of craft displaying agility or other capabilities not expected from human technology. Going forward, Stepien said the group hopes to continue to collect reports of sightings and to get more transparency from the government, especially data collected from advanced technology. 'The government certainly has the good stuff,' he said. 'These days with cellphones and things like that, we're starting to get some nice videos and things, but we don't have high resolution cameras and forward-looking infrared and that kind of stuff.' Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.
The Hill
2 days ago
- Science
- The Hill
Over 2K UFO sightings reported in first half of 2025
(NewsNation) — There have been more than 2,000 sightings of UFOs in the first half of 2025, according to data from the National UFO Reporting Center (NUFORC). The nonprofit organization collects reports of UFOs and investigates cases of unexplained sightings. The 2,174 sightings are an increase from previous years. In 2024, the agency logged 1,492 sightings between the beginning of January and the end of June, and in 2023, 2,077 were recorded in the same time frame. UFO sightings in 2025 NUFORC collected more than 3,000 reports during the first six months of 2025, but because of the stigma around UFOs, the group notes that many of them happened years or even decades before they were reported. Those numbers likely only represent a small number of actual sightings, said Christian Stepien, the group's chief technology officer. Based on anecdotal evidence, he believes roughly 5 percent of sightings get reported. The group takes reports from everyday citizens as well as air traffic controllers, police and members of the military. Interest in UFOs after David Grusch testimony The topic of UFOs (or UAPs, if you're talking to the U.S. government) has been in the headlines recently as lawmakers have pushed for more transparency on the subject. Whistleblower David Grusch came forward in 2023, alleging a secret UFO-retrieval program was being operated by the Pentagon. His testimony sparked congressional hearings and increased public attention to the issue of unexplained sightings. Since then, others connected with the government have come forward to support Grusch's claims, saying the Defense Department has not been honest with the public or Congress about the subject. Meanwhile, the Pentagon has remained firm in saying that there is no evidence unexplained sightings are extraterrestrial in nature and disavowing the existence of UFO-retrieval programs. Recent reporting from The Wall Street Journal suggested the agency itself may be behind long-standing rumors of alien technology as part of efforts to cover up Earth-based top-secret projects. The reporting also noted that new employees in some offices were hazed with tales of secret UFO research, potentially the source of information presented by whistleblowers. Many remain unconvinced by government denials, including lawmakers who are continuing to advocate for more transparency about unexplained sightings, regardless of whether they originate with nonhuman intelligence or are human-made. 'There are so many things being seen by so many people. And if it's a secret block project, you're not flying it over highly populated neighborhoods where everybody can see it, and even these days, have pictures of it,' Stepien said. NUFORC sees wide range of UFO sightings Cases being investigated by NUFORC range from detailed descriptions to brief notes, with some explained by known objects, including balloons, drones and planets or stars. 'We get lots of reports of balloons and things like that that we can say that's clearly a balloon, or that's a drone, or it's an airplane or whatever it is,' Stepien said. Stepien said around 3 percent of the reports the group gets end up being of high interest. 'The dramatic ones are kind of the cases where you say somebody saw a giant triangle floating over their house the size of a tennis court or a football field,' he said. 'And we get those reports fairly regularly, things that can't possibly be mistaken for something else.' The group notes that reports include an array of shapes, including triangles, discs, orbs, cigars and forms that appear to change. Many of the sightings include reports of craft displaying agility or other capabilities not expected from human technology. Going forward, Stepien said the group hopes to continue to collect reports of sightings and to get more transparency from the government, especially data collected from advanced technology. 'The government certainly has the good stuff,' he said. 'These days with cellphones and things like that, we're starting to get some nice videos and things, but we don't have high resolution cameras and forward-looking infrared and that kind of stuff.'
Yahoo
6 days ago
- Science
- Yahoo
Over 60 UFO sightings reported whizzing across state in first half of 2025, national tracking group says
New York state has seen 66 reported Unidentified Aerial Phenomena (UAP) sightings during the first half of 2025, according to a report from the National UFO Reporting Center (NUFORC). With 66 distinct incidents logged between January and late June, the state has had reports of an array of mysterious aerial objects, ranging from glowing orbs and silent triangles to fast-moving disks and shape-shifting lights. The incidents, according to NUFORC, span rural hamlets, suburban skies and the bustling airspace of the Big Apple. The NUFORC had 65 reported UFO sightings in New York in the first half of 2024. Ufo Cover Used By Government To 'Hide A Lot Of Things,' Former Nasa Agent Says The phenomenon appears to be statewide, with hot spots in urban centers like New York City as well as multiple reports from smaller towns such as Chester, Ridge and Evans Mills. Read On The Fox News App Evans Mills, which is located near a military base, saw repeated orb sightings in March, prompting witness speculation about possible connections to defense activities. The most common shapes were orbs, spheres and triangles, frequently observed performing advanced maneuvers. Air Force F-16 Struck By Drone During Training Flight Over Arizona In 2023 Several reports detailed sharp right-angle turns, sudden accelerations and zigzagging flight paths. One particularly vivid sighting, according to NUFORC, took place in Chester on March 25, 2025, when someone walking their dog around 6 p.m. reported seeing two extremely fast white orbs flying in close formation. Scientists Discover Mysterious Sphere In Colombia, Sparking Ufo Speculation Initially, the witness believed the objects to be birds, but their unusual speed and synchronized, wavering flight pattern stood out. Midway through their trajectory across the sky, the objects executed a sharp, nearly 90-degree turn to the northwest without any deceleration, the witness claimed. At that moment, they transformed into dark, aerodynamic ovals that nearly disappeared into the night sky, according to the report. The witness described the orbs as momentarily pitch black. A handful of these sightings also included photographic or video evidence, although NUFORC has not released digital evidence. Other entries speculated about plausible explanations, like drones, aircraft, fireworks and even the International Space Station. The bulk of reports from NUFORC remain open and unexplained. April through June represented a peak in activity, aligning with warmer months that typically encourage outdoor observations. Another remarkable incident reportedly occurred on June 24, 2025, during a commercial flight approaching New York City. A passenger seated in 1A reported to NUFORC that they witnessed a metallic ball flying in the opposite direction, roughly 100 to 200 feet below the aircraft. The witness, arriving from Toronto, described the object as a perfectly round, shiny sphere that caught his eye due to its metallic gleam. The witness noted that the object did not resemble a balloon or stationary object, saying it moved steadily away from the aircraft. The passenger immediately alerted the pilots upon landing, though neither reported seeing the object. Despite this, the observer remained convinced of the object's extraordinary nature. WATCH: These states are best prepared for alien invasion, UFO expert says NUFORC was founded in 1974 by UFO investigator Robert J. Gribble and aims to document and investigate unexplained sightings across the world. "The Center's primary function over the past five decades has been to receive, record, and to the greatest degree possible, corroborate and document reports from individuals who have been witness to unusual, possibly UFO-related events," the website article source: Over 60 UFO sightings reported whizzing across state in first half of 2025, national tracking group says
Fox News
6 days ago
- Science
- Fox News
Over 60 UFO sightings reported whizzing across state in first half of 2025, national tracking group says
New York state has seen 66 reported Unidentified Aerial Phenomena (UAP) sightings during the first half of 2025, according to a report from the National UFO Reporting Center (NUFORC). With 66 distinct incidents logged between January and late June, the state has had reports of an array of mysterious aerial objects, ranging from glowing orbs and silent triangles to fast-moving disks and shape-shifting lights. The incidents, according to NUFORC, span rural hamlets, suburban skies and the bustling airspace of the Big Apple. The NUFORC had 65 reported UFO sightings in New York in the first half of 2024. The phenomenon appears to be statewide, with hot spots in urban centers like New York City as well as multiple reports from smaller towns such as Chester, Ridge and Evans Mills. Evans Mills, which is located near a military base, saw repeated orb sightings in March, prompting witness speculation about possible connections to defense activities. The most common shapes were orbs, spheres and triangles, frequently observed performing advanced maneuvers. Several reports detailed sharp right-angle turns, sudden accelerations and zigzagging flight paths. One particularly vivid sighting, according to NUFORC, took place in Chester on March 25, 2025, when someone walking their dog around 6 p.m. reported seeing two extremely fast white orbs flying in close formation. Initially, the witness believed the objects to be birds, but their unusual speed and synchronized, wavering flight pattern stood out. Midway through their trajectory across the sky, the objects executed a sharp, nearly 90-degree turn to the northwest without any deceleration, the witness claimed. At that moment, they transformed into dark, aerodynamic ovals that nearly disappeared into the night sky, according to the report. The witness described the orbs as momentarily pitch black. A handful of these sightings also included photographic or video evidence, although NUFORC has not released digital evidence. Other entries speculated about plausible explanations, like drones, aircraft, fireworks and even the International Space Station. The bulk of reports from NUFORC remain open and unexplained. April through June represented a peak in activity, aligning with warmer months that typically encourage outdoor observations. Another remarkable incident reportedly occurred on June 24, 2025, during a commercial flight approaching New York City. A passenger seated in 1A reported to NUFORC that they witnessed a metallic ball flying in the opposite direction, roughly 100 to 200 feet below the aircraft. The witness, arriving from Toronto, described the object as a perfectly round, shiny sphere that caught his eye due to its metallic gleam. The witness noted that the object did not resemble a balloon or stationary object, saying it moved steadily away from the aircraft. The passenger immediately alerted the pilots upon landing, though neither reported seeing the object. Despite this, the observer remained convinced of the object's extraordinary nature. WATCH: These states are best prepared for alien invasion, UFO expert says NUFORC was founded in 1974 by UFO investigator Robert J. Gribble and aims to document and investigate unexplained sightings across the world. "The Center's primary function over the past five decades has been to receive, record, and to the greatest degree possible, corroborate and document reports from individuals who have been witness to unusual, possibly UFO-related events," the website says.
New York Post
7 days ago
- Science
- New York Post
Over 60 UFOs reported zipping over New York skies in the first half of 2025
A jaw-dropping 66 UFOs have been spotted zipping over New York state skies in the first half of 2025, according to data. The self-reported incidents, documented by the National UFO Reporting Center (NUFORC), are not independently verified by range from claims of green orbs zigzagging in Norwood to helicopters chasing bright white saucers in Huntington. The reports, documented by the National UFO Reporting Center (NUFORC), range from green orbs zigzagging in Norwood to helicopters chasing bright white saucers in Huntington. ktsdesign – In June alone, the Empire State saw six separate incidents, continuing a trend of unexplained aerial activity, according to the organization. The reports range from upstate towns to the heart of the Big Apple, data shows. In June alone, the Empire State saw six separate incidents. Houston Chronicle via Getty Images NUFORC, founded in 1974 by noted UFO investigator Robert J. Gribble, aims to document and investigate UFO sightings across the world. There have been 6,196 reported UFO sightings in New York since 1995.
