'Cold orb' flying: What's in Pentagon's new UFO files?
What's the story
The Pentagon has released a new batch of declassified UFO files, including never-before-seen footage, renderings, and documents. The latest release consists of 41 files in total: over a dozen videos, three images, and 20 PDF documents. The oldest document dates back to 1953 while the most recent one is from this year.
Unidentified objects
'Cold orb' video from 2021
Among the newly released files, there is a video from 2021 showing a dark "cold orb" moving erratically over the Gulf of Oman.
The object, which looks like a housefly darting across the frame, is said to be an Unidentified Anomalous Phenomena (UAP) measuring around four feet in diameter.
Another video from 2019 shows a black sphere appearing and disappearing over the Pacific Ocean.
Eyewitness report
Declassified FBI document details pilot's sighting
A declassified FBI document features a testimony from a former military pilot who saw lights in the sky while flying between Boston and Dublin in October 2023.
The pilot said many other pilots have seen similar things between midnight and 3:00am.
The white lights would start off dim, get brighter, then fade away. Some stayed put while others moved straight before changing direction, he added.
Official stance
UAP v/s UFO
The US government and scientists use the term UAP to describe such objects.
Unlike Unidentified Flying Objects, UAPs can be found on land, underwater, and in the air.
Public interest in extraterrestrial life has surged in recent years with Congress holding its first UFO hearings in 2022. The military also promised more transparency on this issue.