Aliens May Be “Walking Among Us,” According to Harvard Study
Skeptics have often wondered why UFOs, if truly alien, would visit Earth so frequently. However, two Harvard scientists propose that these beings might have been here all along.
In a recent research paper, they estimate there is a one in ten chance that the real explanation for UFOs could be “cryptoterrestrial”—indicating an advanced species hiding on Earth.
Stealth Civilization
“While this notion may sound unlikely on first hearing, many observers are persuaded that it is at least conceivable,” the team wrote in their study, pointing out that vast areas of our planet remain largely unexplored and uncharted.
With 80 percent of our oceans unmapped and revealing ancient mysteries like Yonaguni Jima, the “Japanese Atlantis,” along with unexplored caves and the far side of the moon, they argue there is ample space for a “stealth” civilization.
Crytoterrestrial Species
The study represents a collaboration among scientists ensuring that all viable theories about the UFO mystery are considered, particularly amid recent government efforts for declassification.
Government entities like Congress and the Pentagon now refer to UFOs as UAP, or “unidentified aerial (or anomalous) phenomena.” The new study highlights several regions on and near Earth as potential locations for a cryptoterrestrial species’ secret base.
Why the Name Change?
There are many theories as to why UFOs have gone on a rebranding tour recently. One of the reasons is that UFOs have been a catch-all term for all types of unidentifiable objects, and not all of them fly. USOs (unidentified submerged objects) have become a part of a larger conversation in the world of UFOs.
However, the Pentagon updated its terminology in 2022 to encompass submerged and trans-medium objects as UAPs.
The Theories Behind the Study
The study suggests that ancient, highly advanced human civilizations may still be lingering in our modern world, observing us. The second theory suggests that an intelligent species evolved independently of humans in the distant past, possibly from “intelligent dinosaurs,” and is now hiding from us.
The third and fourth theories suggest time travelers or earthbound angels. While some of these theories seem more plausible than others, let’s dive into the evidence behind them.
The “Far-Fetched” Hypotheses
Another explanation put forward by controversial Harvard astrophysicist Avi Loeb suggests that ancient civilizations have lived on “planets like Mars or Earth” but were unaware of each other because they lived billions of years apart.
The study acknowledges that these “far-fetched” hypotheses deserve skepticism but entertains them here because some aspects of UAPs are strange enough to warrant unconventional explanations.
UFO Hotspot
One such area is the “Alaskan Triangle,” a remote, sparsely populated zone between Anchorage, Juneau, and Utqiagvik, which the authors describe as a “hotspot” for UAP sightings and other anomalies.
This triangle has been the site of over 20,000 unexplained disappearances since the 1970s, in addition to frequent UFO sightings.
The Alaskan Triangle
The Alaska Triangle, while less famous than the Bermuda Triangle, has a mysterious past that started with the disappearance of a small, private craft carrying US House Majority Leader Hale Boggs.
Even after a month of searching 32,000 square miles of rural land between Juneau and Anchorage with 50 civilian planes and 40 military crafts, they never found Boggs, his crew, or his aircraft.
The Disappearance in the State
While many suggest that searching for someone in a state less occupied than Maine and twice as large as Texas might be related to the disappearances, others suggest that abducting the other 16,000 missing people.
The study suggests that the giant holes and hidden caves in the rural landscape could have housed ancient civilizations that took people from plain sight, never to be seen again.
Japanese Atlantis
The researchers also reference intriguing archeological finds suggesting ancient civilizations that could predate known advanced species and might still exist in hiding.
They discuss a large submerged stone structure discovered off Yonaguni Jima in Japan, which some marine geologists believe could be remnants of a 5,000-year-old pyramid from a Japanese Atlantis.
Other Ancient Civilizations from Aliens
Yonaguni Jima isn’t the only site that many believe aliens had their hands in building. Despite the impressive relics of bygone eras that defy the technological capabilities of their time because of their size and complexity, people assume someone else had to have help.
This is the case with the ancient animal geoglyph in the Peruvian desert. The Peruvian desert bears more than 800 long, straight white lines etched into its surface, depicting 70 figures of animals, including a spider, monkey, and hummingbird.
Stonehenge’s Mysterious History
The conversation has also mentioned Stonehenge as a product of ancient alien activities. The huge circle of stones, which can weigh up to 50 tons, is a Neolithic monument that has been a huge mystery in human history.
While no one knows the meaning or purpose of Stonehenge, many believe that ancient humans built this monument for or by otherworldly beings.
Mysteries on Earth
Underground regions with the potential to support life also remain unexplored.
“The internal structure of Earth is still mostly a mystery,” the team writes. “For instance, it was recently found that the mantle transition zone (255 to 410 miles underground) acts as a large reservoir of water.”
Hominid Species
They speculate that another hominid species, or even a branch of Homo sapiens, could have adapted to live hundreds of miles below the surface, though they would likely look quite different from us.
Photos taken by Luis Guerra in Atlixco, Mexico, have fueled similar speculation about a hidden UFO base beneath the Popocatépetl volcano, a known UFO hotspot.
Unexplored Side of the Moon
The researchers also consider deep underwater ocean trenches and the far side of the moon as potential locations for long-term bases, possibly built by an ancient advanced terrestrial race or extraterrestrial co-inhabitants.
Although NASA’s LROC moon-mapping mission debunked the theory that a lunar image showed a 3.5-mile “alien tower,” much of the moon’s far side remains unexplored and could still hold such discoveries.
The Faces in Mars
In 1976, NASA’s Viking 1 orbiter took a photograph of shadows on the surface of Mars creating the illusion of a human face. The Cydonia region has sparked speculation about extraterrestrial intelligence on the planet.
Some believe that these faces are pyramids from a ruined city on the planet created by ancient stealth civilizations.
Keeping an Open Mind
“Of course,” the researchers caution, “the limits of our knowledge provide no particular argument for the CTH (cryptoterrestrial hypothesis).”
They emphasize the need for humility and open-mindedness, noting that we cannot dismiss the hypothesis merely because it contradicts the conventional historical narrative. This new research builds on the authors’ previous exploratory work conducted independently.
Possible Time Travelers
Dr. Michael Masters, a co-author and professor of biological anthropology at Montana Technological University, previously suggested that beings piloting UFOs might be “extratempestrials” or time travelers.
“The phenomenon may be our own distant descendants coming back through time to study us in their own evolutionary past,” Dr. Masters told KBZK News 7 in Bozeman.
Life Underground
But not all inhabitable regions on Earth are believed to be the home of these “cryptoterrestrials.” Habitable regions underground could also be home to these species in hiding, as they offer the right conditions to support life.
“For instance, it was recently found that the mantle transition zone (255 to 410 miles underground) acts as a large reservoir of water,” the team notes in their study.
“Grey” Aliens
He argued that the “grey” aliens often described in UFO abduction stories resemble what future humans might evolve to look like in a highly advanced society.
Co-author Tim Lomas, a psychologist with Harvard’s T.H. Chan School of Public Health, had recently detailed the traditional “extraterrestrial hypothesis” in an earlier article for Philosophy and Cosmology.
Scientific Exploration
Brendan Case, the associate director for research at Harvard’s Institute for Quantitative Social Science, joined them in advocating for scientific exploration of the cryptoterrestrial UFO hypothesis.
“The hope is that we can begin a new dialogue and get past some of this stigma. And not have to defend this as science, because it is very scientific.” Dr. Masters said.
NASA’s Take on Alien Life
The 33-page NASA documents, detailing information on a recent study of UFOs by an independent team, stated that new scientific techniques, including advanced satellites, could shift perceptions of unidentified flying objects.
However, the documents state that the study was inconclusive in confirming whether or not the UFOs had extraterrestrial origins.
The US Government’s Take on Alien Life
A recent study from the Pentagon also examined reported sightings of UFOs over the last century but found no evidence of aliens or extraterrestrial intelligence in these “crash sites.”
This finding is consistent with past US government efforts to assess the accuracy of claims that alien life is present on Earth.
No Evidence of Aliens, According to the US Government
While officials say that there is “no evidence” that the US government has encountered alien life, a report submitted to Congress earlier this year states that most UFO sightings are ordinary objects from Earth.
“The proliferation of television programs, books, movies, and the vast amount of internet and social media content centered on UAP-related topics most likely has influenced the public conversation on this topic, and reinforced these beliefs within some sections of the population,” the report said.