I found this on the front page of Yahoo just now. What do you guys think about this????
"Mysterious UFO ghtings may go hand in hand with a puzzling natural phenomenon known as sprites — flashes high in the atmosphere triggered by thunderstorms.
The dancing lights have appeared above most thunderstorms throughout history, but researchers did not start studying them until one accidentally recorded a ghting on camera in 1989.
"Lightning from the thunderstorm excites the electric field above, producing a flash of light called a sprite," said Colin Price, a geophycist at Tel Aviv Univerty in Israel. "We now understand that only a specific type of lightning is the trigger that initiates sprites aloft."
Researchers have detected the flashes between 35 and 80 miles (56-129 km) from the ground, far above the 7 to 10 miles (11-16 km) where usual lightning occurs. Sprites can take the form of fast-paced balls of electricity, although previous footage has suggested streaks or tendrils.
The cause or function of the flashes remains murky, but Price suggested that they could explain some of the UFO reports which have cropped up over the years. That might provide some solace for UFO enthuasts disappointed by human-caused hoaxes in the past.
Both jetliner pilots and astronauts have previously reported ghtings of sprites, along with a different but equally mysterious phenomenon known as blue jets.
Price and his colleagues have focused on "winter sprites" which appear only in the northern hemisphere's winter months. Their remote-controlled roof-mounted cameras can spot thunderstorms producing sprites far out over the Mediterranean Sea.
Triangulation techniques have also allowed the researchers to calculate the dimenons of the sprites.
"The candles in the sprites are up to 15 miles high, with the cluster of candles 45 miles wide — it looks like a huge birthday celebration!" Price said.
Sprites may have some effect on the Earth's ozone layer, but researchers suspect that the global impact is small."
"Mysterious UFO ghtings may go hand in hand with a puzzling natural phenomenon known as sprites — flashes high in the atmosphere triggered by thunderstorms.
The dancing lights have appeared above most thunderstorms throughout history, but researchers did not start studying them until one accidentally recorded a ghting on camera in 1989.
"Lightning from the thunderstorm excites the electric field above, producing a flash of light called a sprite," said Colin Price, a geophycist at Tel Aviv Univerty in Israel. "We now understand that only a specific type of lightning is the trigger that initiates sprites aloft."
Researchers have detected the flashes between 35 and 80 miles (56-129 km) from the ground, far above the 7 to 10 miles (11-16 km) where usual lightning occurs. Sprites can take the form of fast-paced balls of electricity, although previous footage has suggested streaks or tendrils.
The cause or function of the flashes remains murky, but Price suggested that they could explain some of the UFO reports which have cropped up over the years. That might provide some solace for UFO enthuasts disappointed by human-caused hoaxes in the past.
Both jetliner pilots and astronauts have previously reported ghtings of sprites, along with a different but equally mysterious phenomenon known as blue jets.
Price and his colleagues have focused on "winter sprites" which appear only in the northern hemisphere's winter months. Their remote-controlled roof-mounted cameras can spot thunderstorms producing sprites far out over the Mediterranean Sea.
Triangulation techniques have also allowed the researchers to calculate the dimenons of the sprites.
"The candles in the sprites are up to 15 miles high, with the cluster of candles 45 miles wide — it looks like a huge birthday celebration!" Price said.
Sprites may have some effect on the Earth's ozone layer, but researchers suspect that the global impact is small."
Horror Domain - Cursed Evil Overlord
Tuesday 2/24/2009 at 06:29 AM | 37317
that is all nice and good scientific mumbo jumbo...but it does not explain away the anal probing.....take care,
Tommy
Homicidal9
Tuesday 2/24/2009 at 08:21 PM | 37390
lol! It sounds like a clasc movie coverup, aswell as a partial of the truth.. Who knows? Maybe someday we will know the truth if aliens exist or not.
Capnvlad
Tuesday 3/10/2009 at 05:21 AM | 39192
Let's be honest...this is one of those debates that will never be resolved until a flying saucer lands live on CNN and little green men come out and say "After decades of anal probing we've decided to say hey".
The reality is the believers out there will never accept any explanation beyond "Yes there are aliens and we, the government that couldn't even cover up a break-in at the Watergate Hotel, have been hiding their existence from you for over 60 years".
The reality is the believers out there will never accept any explanation beyond "Yes there are aliens and we, the government that couldn't even cover up a break-in at the Watergate Hotel, have been hiding their existence from you for over 60 years".
lblambert
Tuesday 3/10/2009 at 11:29 PM | 39270
my take on it is this
every star has a solar system right? or at least most of them anyways
do you REALLY think that we are the only life in the galaxy? look outde and see how many freaking stars are out there!
i bet theres a bunch of other morons out there just like us that cant leave their solar system either......................
do you REALLY think that we are the only life in the galaxy? look outde and see how many freaking stars are out there!
i bet theres a bunch of other morons out there just like us that cant leave their solar system either......................
Johnny Bisco
Wednesday 3/11/2009 at 12:07 AM | 39274
