A major congressional briefing in Washington has revived the debate over UFOs, now formally called UAPs, or unidentified anomalous phenomena. This time, the conversation wasn’t driven by conspiracy theorists, but by scientists, military insiders, and former government officials.
Hosted by the House Committee on Oversight and Accountability with help from the UAP Disclosure Fund, the session gave experts a chance to share what they know and what they say the public has a right to know.
A Photo, Backlash, and a Bigger Question
One of the most talked-about moments came when former Pentagon official and UAP whistleblower Luis Elizondo presented a striking photo. Taken by a civilian pilot at 21,000 feet, it appeared to show a giant, silver, cruise ship–sized craft hovering in the sky.
Elizondo said, “Do they report it to the FAA? Do they report it to NORAD? Maybe the airforce? Once again, you would think this information would be important for somebody to look at.”
But within hours, online researchers had matched the image to two irrigation circles in rural Colorado. UFO analyst Mick West wrote on X: “This UFO photo shows two irrigation circles. The roads are perfectly aligned, and the ‘shadow’ is in the wrong direction.”
Elizondo later defended his decision to share the image, saying it was meant to highlight the lack of a proper reporting system for civilian pilots: “The purpose of me showing the photo was to illustrate the need… to have a central reporting mechanism to report potential anomalous sightings.”
Scientists Push for Data – and Funding
While the photo stirred controversy, scientists at the hearing focused on a broader issue: the urgent need for better tools and open data to investigate UAPs properly.
Harvard astrophysicist Avi Loeb told the panel, “There are objects in the sky that we don’t understand.” He argued that at least $1 billion is needed to improve detection and tracking capabilities in US airspace.
Loeb also pointed to his 2023 recovery of strange metallic fragments from the Pacific Ocean, believed to have come from outside the solar system. “This is a historic discovery because it represents the first time that humans put their hand on materials from a large object that arrived to Earth from outside the solar system,” he said.
Military Voices Add Urgency
Calls for more scientific involvement were echoed by military figures. Retired Rear Admiral Tim Gallaudet claimed that large amounts of UFO data collected by the Navy have yet to be made public. He even said a classified memo about near-misses with UFOs was deleted from his computer without his consent.
“It didn’t sit well with me,” Gallaudet said. That experience, he added, is why he decided to speak out.
Christopher Mellon, a national security expert and former intelligence official, added that around 1,800 military reports of UAPs have been filed in recent years. Yet, he said, none of the sightings have shown up in the military’s most advanced radar systems.
“How is that possible?” Mellon asked. He suggested either the systems are failing or the data is being buried in classified channels.
The Most Explosive Claim: A Secret Recovery Programme
Possibly the boldest statement came from research physicist Dr Eric Davis. He told the hearing that the US government has been recovering crashed UFOs since the 1950s and has been doing so in secret.
According to Davis, recovered materials were sent to Wright Patterson Air Force Base in Ohio, while the project’s name was regularly changed to hide it from Congress. Based on what he examined, he said, “we couldn’t make it ourselves.”
Private Sector Is Quietly Building ‘UAP-Inspired’ Tech
Alongside official secrecy, the private sector may also be getting involved, though much of it stays under wraps.
Tech investor Dr Anna Brady-Estevez told the panel she had funded companies developing cutting-edge inventions. These entrepreneurs, she said, later described their work as “UAP-adjacent or UAP-inspired technologies.”
“They were working on advanced energy. They were working on advanced communications,” she said. However, due to the classified nature of the research, few details can be shared publicly.
Public Still Believes Something Is Being Hidden
A new poll by NewsNation and Decision Desk HQ found that 44% of people believe the government is hiding information about UAPs. Among Gen Z and millennials, that figure rises to nearly 50%.
Luis Elizondo, repeating his earlier claim, stated simply: “We are not alone in the cosmos.”
Whether or not people believe every claim made at the hearing, the demand for transparency is growing louder, and now it’s coming from inside the room.
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