Harvard astrophysicist Avi Loeb has been appointed as the head of a new White House group to study UFOs, or unidentified anomalous phenomena, as they're now known.
Contact me with news and offers from other Future brandsAvi Loeb, physicist at Harvard University, poses for a portrait in the observatory near his office in Cambridge, Massachusetts on January 29, 2019.
Harvard astrophysicist Avi Loeb has been appointed as the head of a new White House group to study unidentified anomalous phenomena or UAP, a new catch-all term for UFOs that might appear not just in the air but also in space or underwater. Loeb says the group is focused on evidence, instrumentation, data analysis and collection standards.
All-Domain Anomaly Resolution Office , the Office of the Director of National Intelligence , the Federal Bureau of Investigation, and other members of the Intelligence Community. Loeb co-founded and leads the Galileo Project, designed to bring the search for extraterrestrial technological signatures of extraterrestrial technological civilizations"from accidental or anecdotal observations and legends to the mainstream of transparent, validated and systematic scientific research.
" As chair of the just-formed UAP Science Advisory Council, Loeb has built a team of researchers that he describes as"an amazing A-team of exceptional scientists and experts. " Members of the group come from a wide range of disciplines from data science and instrumentation to biology, oceanography, anthropology and psychology.
The council's stated purpose is to help government agencies study the nature of UAP through rigorous scientific methods, with an emphasis on collecting and analyzing higher-quality data rather thanWhat is the current membership makeup of Loeb's Council? It's quite a mix of talent to undertake a new look at UAP: Liberty Capito is a professor of practice in data science at the Olin Business School at the Washington University in St. Louis.
Richard Cloete is a computer scientist at Harvard University and a member of Loeb's Galileo Project. Tim Gallaudet is a retired Navy admiral and oceanographer. Dale Hanson is an associate professor of economics at George Mason University statistics and economics. Ross Howard is producer of John Michael Godier's Event Horizon podcast that explores the technosignatures of alien technology.
He is also with the Sol Foundation aimed at addressing the UAP issue and preparing society for its social implications. Ben Lamm is the co-founder and CEO Of Colossal Biosciences, the world's first de-extinction company. Devesh Nandal is a Swiss National Science Foundation postdoctoral fellow at the Center for Astrophysics at Harvard and Smithsonian. Garry Nolan is professor in the Department of Pathology at Stanford University School of Medicine and is executive director of the board of the Sol Foundation.
Peter Skafish is a sociocultural anthropologist and secretary of the Sol Foundation. Data-driven, physics-based Space.com reached out to several of the UAP Council members to get their personal views on this new study approach.
"I expect the council and myself to follow methods and techniques deeply rooted in the scientific principles," said Devesh Nandal. "The UAP Science council in particular is focused on a data-driven and physics-based approach on the topic of UAP," said Nandal. "We approach this topic with the same rigor we apply in our respective scientific fields and we hope to provide an unbiased analysis on this topic.
" Nandal said his role is to help with quantitative data analysis and apply his expertise in astrophysics to help the council decipher the origin of UAPs. A"football-shaped" UAP observed by an infrared sensor on a U.S. military platform in 2024. The Pentagon released this observation on May 8, 2026.
"My first and foremost passion is in stellar astrophysics where I study the life and death of massive and supermassive stars," Nandal said. "I also find the anomalous nature of UAP sightings to be quite intriguing, and whether these events are of terrestrial or extraterrestrial origin, I am excited to apply my understanding of physics to decipher their true nature," he said.
If such events can be explained using known principles,"that's excellent," Nandal advised, as this gives him a chance to test the laws of physics to explain a phenomenon that is captivating fellow humans.
"If such events are beyond our current understanding, I see this as a brilliant opportunity to learn all that I can about the Universe and share my findings with everyone," Nandal concluded. "Avi is one of the most brilliant scientists of our time and what he has put together, is what I believe to be a blueprint for re-establishing the public's trust in science by having people with vastly different views, beliefs and science on it," Capito said.
From Council member, Robin Hanson:"It's an honor to be invited, and it's a great cause. I worried at first if we could find much useful to do, but it seems that we do have some promising ideas.
" Another member of the UAP Council is Carol Cleland, a professor in the Department of Philosophy at the University of Colorado Boulder. She is a Search for Extraterrestrial Intelligence Institute Affiliate and a member of CU Boulder's Center for Astrobiology.
"I anticipate having a council of outside experts will pressure the government to be more open about releasing information and allowing members of the council to interview UAP witnesses," Cleland told Space.com. Identifying the unidentified deserves a high priority within the U.S. government and the scientific community, explains Loeb.
Nevertheless, for organizations that also continue to diligently sort out what's behind unidentified flying objects in the past and the current UAP tag line, they are taking a cautiously optimistic attitude.
"The involvement of serious, independent scientists is a potential positive development, and the government requires that for any thorough and credible investigation of UAP," said Mark Rodeghier, president and scientific director of the The key issue is not the credentials of the people involved, Rodeghier said, but the structure they are working within. "If the Council lacks a clear mandate, access to relevant data, a collaborative relationship with those actually grappling with the UAP problem in the government, and then a path for public reporting, its practical value may be quite limited," Rodeghier told Space.com.
"Since the UAP Council seems to have the ear of some in Congress," Powell told Space.com,"I hope that they will spend some of their time advocating that Congress appropriate funding specific to the study of UAP through the National Science Foundation. " In SCU board meetings, Powell added, they are a strong proponent of making funding available to the scientific community and academia.
"We never know from where a breakthrough may occur in the study of UAP," Powell said,"and the more scientists involved from all areas of research, the better. "Leonard David is an award-winning space journalist who has been reporting on space activities for more than 50 years.
Currently writing as Space.com's Space Insider Columnist among his other projects, Leonard has authored numerous books on space exploration, Mars missions and more, with his latest being"Moon Rush: The New Space Race" published in 2019 by National Geographic. He also wrote"Mars: Our Future on the Red Planet" released in 2016 by National Geographic. Leonard has served as a correspondent for SpaceNews, Scientific American and Aerospace America for the AIAA.
He has received many awards, including the first Ordway Award for Sustained Excellence in Spaceflight History in 2015 at the AAS Wernher von Braun Memorial Symposium. You can find out Leonard's latest project at his website and on Twitter.
Please follow us on Google to support usUnited States Latest News, United States Headlines
Similar News: You can also read news stories similar to this one that we have collected from other news sources.
White House helipad project prompts questions about costs, transparency and future Marine One helicoptersU.S. Sens. Richard Blumenthal and Chris Murphy joined U.S. Reps. John Larson, Joe Courtney and Rosa DeLauro in issuing a statement Wednesday about the project.
Read more »
LA Dodgers schedule White House visit for World Series celebrationThe Los Angeles Dodgers will return to the White House later this month.
Read more »
Trump Installs New Gold "West Wing" Sign in Latest White House Renovation PushPresident Donald Trump has unveiled a new gold cursive sign reading "West Wing" above an entrance on the White House colonnade, continuing a series of personalized decorative updates across the executive mansion that include landscaping, signage, and the "Presidential Walk of Fame," drawing both praise and criticism over historic preservation and costs.
Read more »
Dodgers Head to White House Amid Divided Player Opinions and TraditionA summary of the Dodgers' planned White House visit to celebrate their World Series win, including player stances, past traditions, and fan reactions.
Read more »