White House Taps Harvard Astronomer to Lead UFO Study

Avi Loeb, a polarizing Harvard astronomer known for his controversial theories about alien visits, has been appointed by the White House to lead a team of outside scientists tasked with studying the national security risks posed by UFOs. According to multiple reports, this new scientific advisory council will investigate the origins of mysterious orbs and other objects reported by military personnel in recent years. The appointment is part of President Donald Trump's push to declassify more information about unidentified anomalous phenomena (UAP).

Loeb, who studied black holes and served as head of Harvard's astronomy department until 2020, has been scanning the skies and seas for evidence of intelligent alien life for over a decade. He gained attention in 2017 when he proposed that an interstellar object named 'Oumuamua could be a thin 'light sail' detached from an alien spacecraft. Loeb's theories have won praise in UFO circles but often put him in conflict with academic peers, who accuse him of making exotic claims with little evidence and skipping the peer review process.

Critics such as Steve Desch, an Arizona State University astrophysicist, argue that Loeb uses flawed methods to reach wild conclusions about alien life. Desch expressed doubts about the effectiveness of Loeb's role on the White House panel, stating that it may not bring them closer to answering key questions. Despite these criticisms, Loeb remains undeterred and promises a grounded approach to his work for the White House, starting with the assumption that UAPs are human-made from a national security perspective.

Loeb's team includes more than a dozen scientists and UFO activists, such as Timothy Gallaudet, a retired rear admiral who has warned about UAP controlled by 'nonhuman intelligence,' and Ben Lamm, a billionaire working to revive extinct species. After its first meeting last month, the team sent a request to the Pentagon asking for more than 50 videos, images, and other documents related to known UAP incidents. Loeb has vowed to brief the public and create a website to share findings.

The White House's initiative comes as a bipartisan group in Congress pushes for further transparency on UFOs and alien life. The Pentagon has released three batches of files ranging from decades-old FBI reports to more recent military videos showing orbs darting through the sky. Despite these efforts, a Pentagon office that investigates UAP says it has seen no evidence of alien life.

Loeb told the Associated Press that he saw his appointment as a chance to educate a notoriously science-averse administration into what could be perfectly logical explanations for UAP. He also mentioned that he was starting his work with the assumption that UAPs were human-made, approaching the task from a national security perspective. Some analysts have expressed concerns about Loeb's unconventional thinking and fringe theories, which they believe make his leadership questionable.