Several views on the latest dump of the Government's UFO files, and given its quick timing and major mainstream source, Stefan Becket's effort seems rather impressive. Becket hits the main points, includes some notable videos, and Edward Ruppelt's presentation gets highlighted. UFO-savvy folks may find the "DIRDs" section a bit old—as Becket observes, and not be surprised at the one he expands upon, but the average reader will be informed. In The Trump Administration Sends a New Signal to Alien Disclosure Whistleblowers Nathaniel Janowitz has a good breakdown as to what the recent Presidential move means and whether it's really an advance for "D/disclosure." New York Post's Shane Galvin offers 'We Are Not Alone:' Coalition of UFO Whistleblowers Call on Trump to Let Them Publicly Reveal Secrets, with the aid of filmmaker James Fox, dwelling more upon the cadre of key people who've already come forth and Representatives Eric Burlison and Anna Paulina Luna's roles in the declassification effort. NY Post colleagues Josh Christenson and Ally Goetz headline 'Floating Orbs' Zooming at 480 mph Among UFOs Spotted by US Military, Latest File Drop Reveals. Their discussion of the 1952 Delbert Newhouse video gets amplified by David Freeman in Secret Debate Over Famous 1952 UFO Film Revealed In Newly Released Files. (WM)

Mediums receive a good deal of ugly publicity, and some of it is well deserved. But some of it is not, argues Sarah Wildman in a Guest Essay for the "Newspaper of Record." Perhaps more importantly, some of what the medium offers as services can be downright therapeutic. Real or crafted, often the information received during a reading can offer healing and resolution that no amount of traditional therapy can achieve. And sometimes, mediumship is bang on. The Case of Bobbie Newlove is an amazing example of mediumship that is accurate and unprompted. Taken from author Rev. C. Drayton Thomas's book An Amazing Experiment, it helps demonstrate that the evidence for Bobbie’s identity passed far beyond anything attributable to chance coincidence.” If you're on the fence regarding mediumship, you may want to get down now. (CM)

A look at some of the problems exemplified by the recent government data releases. Ross Coulthart and Luis Elizondo make no bones about their dissatisfaction with the "transparency" shown currently, especially since it's reflective of a decades-old U.S. practice. John Greenewald reports on another example of such informational reticence in Pentagon Says It Has No Record of “Immaculate Constellation” — NSA Denies Appeal and Won't Say Whether It Does. John exhaustively explains what the recent NSA response to his FOIA efforts means—and rather more about what it does not mean. George Knapp discusses Dr. Beatriz Villarroel's plight with her in Astronomer Alleges Targeted Attacks Over UFO Research. Here the academic/scientific community may be the major if not sole malefactor, but the misconduct may serve a "non-transparency" cause. In the public absence of US government interest in UFOs after the 1969 Condon Report, people like the late Fran Ridge carried on UFO investigations, and Charles Lear presents A 2025 Sighting Investigation Report From the NUCAP Website. It's an interesting case, with possible independent instrumented indications in support. And Lear also offers The National UFO Reporting Center Investigates, a remarkable case from the remarkable Peter Davenport's organization. Notable here: the efforts the witnesses took to record and find mundane explanations for their experiences. (WM)

The sixth PURSUE tranche contains 71 files, 67 of which come from the Department of War and four from "Local Law Enforcement." All of the latter are apparently videos of the same October 2023 Colorado event. The DoW portion contains 55 pdfs including the Project Blue Book file and other items on the 1952 Tremonton, Utah, film; AAWSAP items including statement of objectives and Defense Intelligence Reference Documents (DIRDs); and recent mission reports. There are 11 videos from the Middle East, Yellow Sea, and East China Sea; and the 65-minute audio of Captain Edward J. Ruppelt's 1952 presentation highlighting sensitive government locations events and "recurring anomalous characteristics, including silent high-speed flight and radar detections indicating unconfirmed air speeds between 1,000 and 3,500 miles per hour." 40 of the 55 pdfs are the already released “public files” from the AAWSAP project; some of the pdfs are single images of a UAP, mostly points of light; and many of the other pdfs are documents, heavily redacted. (WM and PH)

David Metcalfe offers his view on the upcoming AMC documentary series Archive X: Unexplained Phenomena which brings Jeffrey J. Kripal and Rice University’s Archives of the Impossible to mainstream television next month. The show will draw on the archive to tell stories of weird phenomena, telepathy, UAP encounters, precognition, mediumship, and near-death experience, across six episodes. Metcalfe’s underlying concern is epistemological. Such experiences should not be dismissed merely because they sit awkwardly within prevailing explanations, nor should their resistance to easy explanation be treated as a license for wild ontologies. The task is to preserve a liminal space where testimony, uncertainty, and difficult questions can remain alive. Television, naturally, has its own needs: pace, revelation, and an audience whose attention may wander before the next advert. It may flatten or inflate the material. It will likely not re-enchant the world. The hope is that it opens minds without prompting a run on aluminum foil. In another call for epistemic openness, in a lecture from the Centre for Sacred Science, neuroscientist and meditator Marjorie Woollacott recounts how her experience of meditation caused her to rethink her physicalist priors: The Mind, the Brain and Extraordinary Knowing. Woollacott draws on research and testimony concerning meditation, psilocybin, near-death experiences, and allegedly telepathic non-speaking autistic children. She advances the “brain filter” hypothesis, suggesting less neural constraint may sometimes coincide with richer awareness. The talk mixes neuroscience, contemplative practice, and first-person accounts with considerable confidence, occasionally perhaps reading too much into an intriguing anomaly. Still, its strongest contribution is epistemic rather than evidential, and is another invitation to resist premature closure and take unusual experience seriously. (JS)

The Michigan Dogman has been part of modern cryptid lore for a relatively short period of time. However, before Dogman there was another upright canine terrorizing the area. The Loup Garou was essentially a werewolf-type shapeshifter whose transformation was not brought on by a bite, but by dealings with the devil. This "intersection of man and beast"—an upright canine creature—has deep roots throughout Michigan's history. Turning now to West Virginia, The Flatwoods Monster at 74: What Witnesses Actually Reported That Night, on September 12, 1952 was very different from the official report local authorities submitted. A strange light in the sky, an odd smell, and the appearance of a frightening creature were whitewashed by authorities into a "meteor, followed by a red aircraft beacon and a barn owl whose eyes and silhouette appeared extraordinary in darkness and under stressful circumstances." No doubt after being told this enough times, witnesses were no longer certain what they had seen. However, the differences between the actual event and the documentation interpreting the event have made the Flatwoods Monster tale as enduring as Michigan's Dogman. (CM)

A series of anomalous events has taken place in Puelches, Argentina. About 560 miles southwest of Buenos Aires, the entire small central town is said to be "on edge" over reports of lights in the sky, animal mutilations, and the crash of a flying object. A northern neighbor has an historic mystery in Bolivia 1973: Farmer Blames UFOs for Disappearance of His Oxen, a couple of rather disturbing accounts. A recent sensation explained comes from the Dominican Republic: Unknown Object Identified as Research Balloon. A popular radio and TV weatherman has the interesting data and diagnosis. In 2000, a possible UFO landing led to the article Panama: A UFO Impact in Villa Lourdes? Regardless of whether the physical evidence ties in with the apparently consistent independent reports, it's an interesting story. Moving over to Spain and back to 1986 we have Angel Carretero: A Teleportation Near Seville...Or Something Else? A spooky story that indeed should have been checked, if for nothing else than to support poor Pedro Oliva Ramírez as neither crazy nor fibbing. And we have from Spain: Sightings in the Sierra Norte of Seville (2000). José Manuel García Bautista enumerates things that can affect the "witness factor," then gives two stellar examples of UFO cases, and lastly has much to say about the discipline of ufology itself. (WM)

Williston Lake in British Columbia was the site of some strangeness earlier this summer, when the reservoir became home to an "island" that was about 105,000 square feet in area. It was first spotted by satellite on July 21, but by August 5 it was nowhere to be seen. BC Hydro suspects the "phantom island" was the result of high water levels and debris and driftwood being tangled together, and then later floating away to a shoreline. On the other side of Canada, among the Great Lakes, there is The Guardian of Lake Ontario, a possible sea serpent that was first mentioned in newspapers on August 22, 1882. Descriptions of the eel-like creature are reminiscent of Nessie reports, which has been described at times as having supernatural origins, much like this so-called spirit guardian of Lake Ontario. (CM)

Representative Eric Burlison is joined by Japanese House of Representatives Member Yasukazu Hamada and former Member Yoshiharu Asakawa in this opinion piece. They outline the general problems—security and political, local and international—exemplified by two significant PURSUE reports. Further, they "have engaged the Emerging Technologies Interparliamentary Caucus (ETIC) as a platform for international dialogue regarding emerging technologies and the security threats presented by UAP." On the same general topic we have UFOs in Spain: Defense May Have Run Out of Time to Deliver Its Files. It appears that Spanish files covering 1962 to 1995 were released beginning in 1991, but nothing from after that period to the present has appeared, and the Ministry of Defense has been tardy in answering a citizen request in March and a recent "Transparency and Good Governance Council" order to respond. Back to the U.S. and the question about UAP Whistleblowers: What is the Pentagon Actually Promising? Richard Dolan says it might not be much that's promised, because there are ways of keeping "the public in the dark." Like other commentators, Richard feels there's still a lack of clarity, and many opportunities for misbehavior. A good, short discussion and sensible conclusion. And a useful example of Dolan's fear may lie in Popular Mechanics' The Government Knew the Weird Truth About the Roswell UFO—But Kept it Secret for 47 Years. Kevin Randle would have a field day with this article, particularly with the "rancher named W.W. Bazel"! (WM)

This formal release puts into effect the POTUS' waiver to current and former "DOW service members, civilian personnel, and contractors holding or previously granted access to UAP-related National Defense Information (NDI)." The DoW communication doesn't mention the All-domain Anomaly Resolution Office (AARO), and a check of the AARO website did not reveal any "new" communications of this nature. John Greenewald has noted a status quo in that the Department of War Issues New UAP Disclosure Waiver; But Similar Protections Already Existed. John does make the point that "the Department expressly references Special Access Program Indoctrination Agreements alongside conventional nondisclosure agreements." He also shows how the PURSUE document does for that effort what purview AARO already had, but argues he needs "The underlying directive, legal guidance and instructions being provided to potential PURSUE sources" to see really what's new in cases such as the David Grusch case he discusses here. Marik von Rennenkampff rounds out the discussion in Pentagon UAP Waiver Opens Door for UFO Transparency: Ex-analyst. While noting some of John Greenwald's points, von Rennenkampff adds that the Intelligence Community so far seems exempt from this Presidential directive. (WM)

Michelle Starr reports on “a carefully blinded experiment” led by neuroscientist Marina Weiler at the University of Virginia that tested whether or not 21 “experienced out-of-body practitioners” could observe a hidden image in a distant room in the same building. Even though none of them succeeded, two "saw" human activity in a different room, which “should have been impossible." Further testing “under rigorous conditions” may reveal more about this unexpected result. And across The Pond, Rupert Sheldrake, PhD, asks Does Your Pet Wake Up When You Stare At It? This phenomena is known to many pet owners or animal-farmers and has “been tested far too many times for it to be mere coincidence.” Sheldrake has “compiled more than 240 cases” from several countries and has published his findings in the Journal of Scientific Exploration. It seems to work with humans, too, and he speculates that it “has something to do with the weak electromagnetic field” we all possess. He wonders if the phenomenon is “an evolutionary superpower.” (LP)

With a nod to "Eric Ouellet's groundbreaking 2015 book" Illuminations: The UFO Experience as a Parapsychological Event (published by Anomalist Books), Susan Demeter relates a World War I Canadian mystery. The "explanation" for the "Phantom Air Raid of 1915" does not seem to encompass all of the events of that February 14th evening, but it provoked "many of the features that later became characteristic of more modern UFO waves." Moving forward through time, David Freeman notes that Military Personnel Reported Discs and a Metallic Object Over Muroc in 1947. Now known as Edwards AFB in southern California, in 1947 Muroc was the site of the U.S.' most advanced air development projects, and the series of events Freeman describes comes from the DOW-UAP-D097, Project SIGN Progress Report 1948, from PURSUE Release 04, July 10, 2026. Writing for Minot Daily News, Eloise Ogden tells the story of UFO sightings by military witnesses in that North Dakota area, particularly from the standpoints of Don Flickinger and Dave Schindele in August and September 1966. See Former Law Officer Recalls '66 UFO Sighting. Both men think the PURSUE releases are long overdue. The post entitled Tom Monteleone concerns a 1967 case of another feature of ufology—the "made up story." John Keel website-minder Doug Skinner tells the story about the tale and included Keel's notes from his meeting with the prankster. And The Amoeba That Refused to Split is another interesting piece of "Keeliana," from Keel's efforts at short films in the 1960s. (WM)

"Warping space and time" seems getting increased traction in the headlines. Kevin Knuth applies the posited technology to one (and more, likely) of the famed "UFO Shutdowns" of US ICBM sites over 50 years ago. If nuclear Armageddon isn't personal and weird enough, how about Liam Randall's Chilling 'Demonic' UFOs Can Read Your Thoughts And Float Objects, Warns Expert Diana Pasulka. Additional to this religion and technology scholar's thoughts, Randall offers four historical "takes" from others on such "dark spiritual forces." Things don't get much better—if anything they become more confusing—with David Freeman's Alien Minds Could Exist in Forms Unlike Anything Humanity Has Ever Known. An academic paper argues that Earth's Sample of One for "Consciousness" is too narrow a starting place, something that Canadian scholar Bryan Sentes has stressed for some time. Its application to Artificial Intelligence also seems appropriate at the moment. We branch out from UFOs/UAP into other considerations with Podcast/planet Tyrus on Fox News and Admiral Tim Gallaudet Confirms UFOs Coming From The Ocean. UFOs fit in with many other concerns in Gallaudet's life, mostly on sea creatures and life lessons, as chronicled in his new memoir Holding Fast in Heavy Seas: Leadership for Turbulent Times. And to close on a prophetic note, Jason Colavito informs that Ufologists Predict "Holy Cow" Moment When an Alien "Armada" Arrives in 2027. Jason has fun with this one. (WM)

Loch Ness has had its 14th reported Nessie sighting for the year. The current report comes from a German tourist, adding to the international flavor of sightings by visitors coming from 8 different countries (in addition to Scotland). Of course, not all photos are created equal. Those Classic Nessie Photos and Other Objections takes an analytical look at a Facebook post purporting to summarize the arguments for and against Nessie's existence. The resulting analysis is an excellent reminder that just as we cannot take a photo at face value at first glance, we cannot simply swallow the information fed to us via social media—regardless of our position on Nessie's existence. (CM)

Peeks behind the current news as a new TV streaming platform "dedicated to UFO disclosure, paranormal investigation, and consciousness research" opens. Roger Satterfield concisely describes Jack Osbourne's ventures and their context within the larger streaming service and recent ufological backdrop. Luis Cayetano has Things To Say about Eric Davis's Fantasies, John Mack The Fellow Traveler, And Speculative Tidbits About the Hopeless Diamond. Aside from some interesting "wide speculation," Luis seemingly penetrates Dr. Eric Davis' references to "where the alien bodies reside." In Ross Coulthart Q&A: Did Nonhuman Intelligence Really Warn Astronauts Off the Moon? Ross attacks several questions lurking beneath today's headlines. We weren't conscious of "the Kordylewski dust clouds and whether they could be conscious," but we now know. There are other intriguing facts, observations, and opinions as Ross bravely takes on these "newsy" questions. Vicente-Juan Ballester Olmos announces his UFO FOTOCAT Blog is out for September. Included is a new Ballester Olmos magnum opus that has collected international raves; studies on PURSUE tranches 2 and 5; a debunking of the famed August 3, 1965, Rex Heflin photographs (save for the fourth); an Edoardo Russo report on the June 29, 2026, French UAP Symposium "Research on Unidentified Airspace Phenomena Beyond Fantasies"; and more. And HuffPost's Jazmin Tolliver reports that Sandra Bullock Says She Saw UFOs — And She Finally Feels 'Vindicated'. The plus? Another public entertainment figure feels "safe enough" to express themself. The minus? The background music to the clip is from the "Not Gonna Lie" podcast. (WM)

The controversial documentary Capturing Bigfoot finally has been scheduled for release next month, on October 20, in select cities for theatrical release and on Amazon Prime video. The film is purported to include irrefutable evidence that the much analyzed, loved yet maligned, Patterson Gimlin film was a "concocted hoax." While the impact of these findings is yet to play out, we can't help but think "So?" Even if the PG film inspired cryptozoologists and Bigfoot lovers under false pretenses, by no means does that change the fact that very real experiences and encounters have been and continue to take place. Keep in mind, not all hoaxes are nefarious: Faux Bigfoot Prompts Police Response in Maine where a fellow in a Sasquatch suit (no doubt rented from a Big and Tall business), made the decision to roam about town for a spell. No motivation was uncovered for the prank, nor was any harm done. (CM)

The non-UFO media seems interested in UFOs again. And perhaps listening to this Wired AI-generated narration is a reminder that even more consequential events are impending. Nathaniel Janowitz brings us up-to=date. USA Herald's Samuel Lopez writes that Missing Scientists and Defense Personnel Continue to Leave Unanswered Questions for Lawful UFO Disclosure. Lopez' conclusions are sound, and we do need to keep these and all lost persons in mind. A BBC Science Focus article by Ian Taylor taps Avi Loeb and others for 'We're Not Prepared!': How a Harvard Professor Thinks Humanity's Chaotic First Contact Would Actually Unfold. It's a conversation that should be held more widely. Scientific groups worldwide are working on the problem. For example, writing for UAP Check, the European Space Agency's Philippe Ailleris offers Updating the European UAP Barometer: Reporting Trends and New Data Sources, 2020-2025. The necessary clarifications illustrating changes in data reporting measures and variations between in-country data sources are useful in interpreting data variations and illustrating the need for more integration among the sources. And there are more things crowding the sky for we humans to see, per Whitley Strieber's Unknown Country reporting that a Daylight "Saucer" Reported Over California Was Likely a Stratospheric Airship. Dunno what we would have thought that object was! (WM)

Daniel Moran illustrates how a paucity of specimens can result in perturbations in large-scale constructions of human evolution. Closer to the Present, Sameen David describes 13 Ancient Maps That Show Places Nobody Should Have Known About. David's conclusion about "how much of human history gets quietly deleted by fires, jealous kings, and archives nobody bothered to protect" is rather complementary to Moran's point about human prehistory. Jennifer Ouellette has a personal warning about some of the historical stuff in Buyer Beware: Those Mummified Remains Might Carry Toxic Spores. The Past can come back to haunt, it seems. Hopefully, "bioarchaeological study of the skeletal remains" in a Croatian necropolis profiled in Archaeologists Find Roman Grave With Body Buried Face Down — and a Glass Date will keep investigators safe, even if it doesn't reveal why the deceased in Grave 162 was buried that way. Oguz Buyukyildirim has an interesting piece here on puzzles raised by this particular excavation against what is known about ancient burial and trade practices. (WM)