Unidentified Flying Objects (UFOs) are real, and now, thanks to groundbreaking work by scientists, we might finally have a clue as to just how fast they can move. Following the Pentagon’s unprecedented report on UFOs, researchers have begun to calculate whether our “modern technology” can even begin to explain these mysterious phenomena.
The Pentagon’s Confirmation and Baffling Encounters
Regardless of their origin, UFOs are indeed appearing in our skies, a fact now officially acknowledged by the US government. On June 25th, the Pentagon released its findings from an investigation into over 100 Unidentified Aerial Phenomena (UAPs) – the military’s term for UFOs. Numerous encounters by US military personnel have
surfaced online over the years, many of which are now officially recognized.
One such incident, widely publicized and confirmed by the Pentagon last year, occurred in broad daylight in 2016. The video shows US Navy pilots pursuing a strange “aircraft” off the East Coast. A pilot exclaims, “What the hell is that?!” The UFO stood out due to its bizarre shape, “glowing aura,” and movement that seemed to defy the laws of physics.
Chad Underwood, the pilot who filmed the “Tic Tac” UFO from his F-18, described it as unlike anything he had ever seen. In 2019, he told New York Magazine, “It was moving in ways that were physically abnormal. That’s what really caught my eye. Aircraft, manned or unmanned, still have to obey the laws of physics, they need some kind of propulsion.” According to Underwood, the UFO descended thousands of feet to just a few hundred feet “in a matter of seconds,” seemingly ignoring the laws of physics.
The “UFO Velocity Calculator”: A Scientific Approach
To better understand these perplexing objects, a team of scientists has developed a tool to calculate their potential speeds. The “UFO Velocity Calculator,” created by mechanical engineer Dr. Rahul Singh Dhari and mathematician Dr. Anna Sczepanek, applies engineering and aeronautical principles to estimate UFO velocities. However, Dhari cautions that replicating all the characteristics of UFOs with current technology is impossible.
Crucially, this project doesn’t claim an extraterrestrial origin for UFOs. In fact, the Pentagon’s report found that at least one UAP encounter could be explained – it was a balloon. Dhari emphasizes that UFOs should be viewed seriously through a scientific and engineering lens. “This calculator treats UFOs as high-tech flying objects and examines them from an engineering perspective. Just like our modern aircraft, I have tried to design them using various variables. Based on these parameters, we try to estimate their speed.”
Using this tool, researchers can model the hypothetical characteristics of various UFO shapes and their assumed propulsion systems. For instance, a disc-shaped UFO, estimated to weigh over 21,320 kg and measure 13.6 meters in diameter, if equipped with an unknown single engine, could potentially reach speeds of nearly 19,000 km/h. At such a velocity, it could fly from London to San Francisco in a mere 27 minutes – a journey that takes a conventional passenger aircraft 11 hours!
Another example: a triangular UFO model, equipped with a mysterious engine, could potentially hit a top speed of 8,362 km/h, completing the London to San Francisco trip in just 1 hour – a 91% saving compared to conventional flight times.
The Challenges of Replication and Environmental Impact
Dr. Dhari notes the significant challenges in replicating such mysterious UFOs and their propulsion systems due to technological limitations. “I think the cost to develop and build them would be extremely expensive, because it requires a lot of technology, from structural safety to propulsion – especially from the flight aspect: Imagine sitting on a Concorde but flying much faster,” he stated.
He also stressed the need to consider environmental impact: “The climate crisis has become a major factor for any project like this.”
While this project cannot definitively explain the origin of UFOs or perfectly simulate their advanced systems, it provides a fascinating scientific framework for understanding their astounding capabilities, pushing the boundaries of what we currently believe is possible in aviation.
