CAMBRIDGE, MA. Researchers from Harvard and Montana Technological University suggest the possibility of an unknown, technologically advanced civilization hiding on Earth in a bold and controversial new paper. These beings, they speculate, could be living in deep underground bases, emerging occasionally in UFOs, or even blending in with human society.
The paper, which is likely to stir debate in the scientific community, speculates that sightings of “Unidentified Anomalous Phenomena” (UAP) — a term used by the military for UFOs — may indicate the presence of intelligent beings concealed on Earth, in nearby locations like the Moon, or even among us in disguise.
“Unidentified Anomalous Phenomena may reflect activities of intelligent beings concealed in stealth here on Earth (e.g., underground), and/or its near environs (e.g., the Moon), and/or even ‘walking among us’ (e.g., passing as humans),” the researchers state directly in their paper. While acknowledging that this “highly exotic hypothesis” is likely to be met with skepticism, they argue it “deserves genuine consideration in a spirit of epistemic humility and openness.”
Interest in UFO sightings, especially those reported by military personnel, has surged over the past decade. This attention peaked last summer when David Grusch, a former Air Force intelligence officer, testified before Congress, claiming that the U.S. has recovered alien spacecraft as part of a long-standing UFO retrieval program. Even NASA has recently allowed researchers to investigate mysterious, high-speed objects reported by military pilots.
Despite numerous Pentagon reports, no conclusive evidence of extraterrestrial life has been found. However, the Harvard researchers remain undeterred, presenting several outlandish yet intriguing possibilities in their paper.
One theory suggests that a remnant of an ancient, highly advanced human civilization still exists, observing modern humanity. Another posits that an intelligent species evolved independently of humans in the distant past, potentially from “intelligent dinosaurs,” and is now hiding its presence. The third hypothesis is that these hidden beings traveled to Earth from another planet or time period. The most fantastical theory is that these entities are “less technological than magical,” likened to “earthbound angels.”
The researchers also consider the possibility that UFO sightings near underground access points, such as volcanoes, could indicate that these cryptoterrestrials reside in hidden bases rather than being drawn to these locations.
Former House Representative Mike Gallagher, referenced in the paper, speculated last year that UFO sightings might be evidence of “an ancient civilization that’s just been hiding here, for all this time, and is suddenly showing itself right now,” in light of Grusch’s testimony.
The paper even suggests that these cryptoterrestrials might take on non-human forms, such as non-human primates or reptiles. They might also be concealing themselves on the Moon or have mastered the art of blending in as human beings, an idea popular in science fiction.
Avi Loeb, a controversial Harvard astrophysicist, proposes another explanation: ancient civilizations may have existed on planets like Mars or Earth but lived “a billion years apart and hence were not aware of each other.”
While admitting these hypotheses are “far-fetched,” the researchers maintain that they warrant consideration due to the strange nature of some UAP sightings. “We entertain them here because some aspects of UAP are strange enough that they seem to call for unconventional explanations,” the paper reads.
“It may be exceedingly improbable, but hopefully, this paper has shown it should nevertheless be kept on the table as we seek to understand the ongoing empirical mystery of UAP,” the researchers conclude.
