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Pentagon releases new batch of UFO files, China’s Tianwen-2 reaches its asteroid target, and more science stories
Engadget's weekly science round-up highlights three developments, led by the US Department of Defense's release of a fourth batch of declassified files on unidentified anomalous phenomena (UAPs), commonly known as UFOs. The documents are being uploaded to a public database on a rolling basis as part of a stated commitment to greater transparency, while separately China's Tianwen-2 spacecraft has reached the near-Earth asteroid it aims to sample. The bulletin also notes the death of pioneering aviator Wally Funk, a member of the Mercury 13 and once the oldest person to travel to space, at the age of 87.
The latest UFO files, released on Friday, contain decades-old reports from agencies including NASA, the Department of Energy, the CIA, the FBI and the Department of Defense, comprising scanned documents, firsthand accounts, illustrations, photos and videos; a new panel led by theoretical physicist Avi Loeb is being set up to study the phenomena and any national security risks. Meanwhile, the China National Space Administration shared an image of asteroid 2016HO3 (also called Kamo'oalewa) taken from just 20km (12.4 miles) away. The roughly 100-foot quasi-satellite loops near Earth as both orbit the Sun; Tianwen-2 will linger for months, land to collect a sample due back on Earth in late 2027, then travel on to the main-belt comet 311P.
In short
- Pentagon releases fourth batch of declassified UFO/UAP files publicly.
- China's Tianwen-2 reaches asteroid 2016HO3, imaged from 20km away.
- Sample return to Earth expected in late 2027.
Explained simply
Unidentified anomalous phenomena, commonly referred to as UFOs, have long been studied by the US government but details have been kept secret. Multiple government agencies including the military, intelligence services and NASA have documented reports of unusual sightings over decades, though official acknowledgement has been limited. This has fuelled public curiosity and speculation for years.
The US Department of Defense has committed to gradually releasing declassified documents related to these phenomena to the public. A new research panel, led by theoretical physicist Avi Loeb, has been established to examine the materials and assess any national security implications, representing an unusual shift towards institutional scrutiny of the subject.
China's space programme has reached a significant milestone with its Tianwen-2 spacecraft arriving at asteroid 2016HO3, a near-Earth object. The mission will collect a sample from the asteroid to return to Earth in 2027, then travel onwards to explore a comet in the main asteroid belt, demonstrating China's expanding capabilities in deep-space exploration.
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