Thousands of potential UFOs spotted in 1950s photos — before satellites even dotted the sky: studies

New scientific studies propose that thousands of unidentified aerial phenomena, or UFOs, could have been present in photographs taken in the 1950s, a time before satellites were common. Astronomer Beatriz Villarroel analyzed historical photographic plates from the Palomar Observatory, specifically those from the Palomar Sky Survey conducted between 1949 and 1958. Her research identified over 107,000 "transients," which are fleeting star-like objects of unknown origin, appearing on these plates. The research suggests that some of these transients might represent extraterrestrial visitors or unidentified aerial phenomena in Earth orbit. A small but significant correlation was found between these transient sightings and reported UAP sightings, a connection Villarroel believes is beyond chance. Crucially, these photographs predate the launch of any man-made satellites, meaning the observed phenomena were not human-made objects in orbit. The studies noted that thousands of these transients remain unexplained after accounting for errors or aberrations. Intriguingly, some transient events coincided with periods of well-known UFO sightings, such as the famous Washington D.C. UFO Incident in 1952. Furthermore, the research found a notable association between the occurrence of transients and nuclear testing, with transients appearing 45% more likely within 24 hours of a ... download the app to read more