What we observe in the night sky often presents a multitude of experiences, many of which are benign and easily identifiable. Stars, planets, and the Milky Way have graced our heavens for millennia, accompanied by occasional comets, meteors, and various aircraft. However, sporadically, unusual sightings emerge that elude our conventional understanding. These sightings often involve objects or lights classified as UFOs (unidentified flying objects) or UAPs (unexplained aerial phenomena). I've even encountered one firsthand, leaving me without a complete explanation. This curiosity is shared by Simon Tatt, who raises a question about one specific account:

> "Ryan Sprague hosts a podcast titled Somewhere in the Skies, featuring firsthand reports shared by individuals in their own environments. I find these stories captivating, particularly one from a man who recounts a sighting during his commute. Does current scientific knowledge provide any explanations for his experience?"

To approach this inquiry, we should first examine historical claims and delineate what falls within or outside modern scientific comprehension. Then we can explore this particular narrative in detail.

Displayed above are two images of the same sky region taken 46 years apart: the left side shows a 1950 photograph from the Palomar Sky Survey, while the right side presents a 1996 image calibrated to match the earlier survey's parameters. The nine green circles indicate the positions of lights observed in the 1950 shot, absent in any other images, both prior and subsequent. These early records of "lights in the sky" lack clear explanations, even before the dawn of the space age.

Nevertheless, a plausible explanation arises when one considers 1950s astronomy technology, specifically the photographic plates used at the time. These plates, like all objects on Earth, can be impacted by cosmic rays—high-energy particles that penetrate the atmosphere and create secondary particles that reach the ground. While modern cameras might register this as a "hot pixel," old photographic plates would record them as points of light indistinguishable from stars. Thus, these phenomena likely represent cosmic ray-induced artifacts rather than genuine UFOs.

The above image illustrates a heat map of reported UFO sightings throughout the continental United States, showcasing various cities and points of interest. Analyzing this map reveals three key observations:

1. Most sightings cluster around populous areas, near airports and military bases.
2. Eyewitness accounts frequently describe flashing lights low on the horizon.
3. When multiple witnesses report the same event, their descriptions often conflict regarding the object's shape, color, and movement.

The first observation aligns with expectations: people are more likely to notice unusual phenomena where they are present. The latter points, however, suggest a different narrative for those accustomed to the night sky. Below, I will present a video featuring a peculiar, color-changing object, which was shared with me by someone challenging my ability to explain it.

What an intriguing sight! Yet, it is merely a 13-second video of Sirius, the brightest star in our night sky, filmed while it was near the horizon. The apparent distortions in its position and color stem from atmospheric turbulence, which bends light and alters visibility. This phenomenon has been acknowledged since antiquity; for instance, Ptolemy mistakenly identified Sirius as red, despite its true blue nature.

The atmosphere’s density can lead to various distortions—color, brightness, and position—especially for stars and, occasionally, planets. It is no surprise that frequently reported UFOs (or UAPs) include well-known celestial objects like Jupiter, Mercury, Sirius, and the most prominent planet, Venus.

However, not every sighting can be attributed to such straightforward explanations. The object I encountered is one such anomaly, as are the recent "tic tac" UFOs disclosed by the US military. While I cannot definitively identify these objects, the released footage strongly suggests they:

• Were within Earth's atmosphere rather than outside it,
• Exhibited rapid movement akin to that of artificial aircraft, but did not reach the extraordinary speeds portrayed in science fiction, and
• Were observed in areas where military exercises typically occur, in proximity to significant military installations.

When a military pilot claims, "it moved like nothing I've ever seen or heard of," my skepticism grows. Military operations are shrouded in secrecy, leading me to doubt the knowledge of those claiming to understand military capabilities. While we are free to interpret snippets of footage, I am inclined to question the reliability of statements asserting that an object could not belong to the US military.

This brings us to the account (starting at 28:08 in the linked video) of a man who, while driving, spotted what appeared to be a black balloon descending toward traffic. After informing his wife, who initially mistook it for an airplane, they both observed the object descend and hover above a car in the adjacent lane.

The witness described how the "balloon" appeared to follow the car's movements without being affected by wind, maintaining a consistent speed of around 45–55 miles per hour. After hovering over one car, it rose straight up and repeated the behavior with another vehicle before ultimately ascending to the sky, allowing traffic to pass beneath it.

Upon further inspection, they noted the object was a solid, round, opaque black sphere, devoid of engines, exhaust, wings, or visible propellers. After researching similar objects online, they found a Japanese drone that closely resembled it, though key differences emerged:

• The mesh covering of the drone was transparent, not opaque.
• Footage of the drone showed it swaying with the wind, unlike the stable "balloon."
• The drone had visible moving parts, while the sphere exhibited none.

When he reported the sighting to the police, he was dismissed, with one officer suggesting there were protective measures in place that the public was unaware of. He also contacted MUFON, only to be told it was likely a black balloon.

So, what conclusions can we draw from this account?

This encounter clearly deviates from typical experiences. Yes, drones exist that can hover and match the speed of vehicles; many are capable of exceeding the FAA limit of 100 mph. However, most commercial drones with quad rotors appear quite different from the described object.

A quick search revealed a stable, small spherical black drone developed in Korea that closely resembles the witness's description. The video demonstrates that minor design changes can yield a spherical drone with excellent stability and motion capabilities. While I do not claim this is the exact model seen by the driver, such technology is undeniably real and aligns with known physics, remaining accessible even to civilians.

It’s common for individuals encountering unfamiliar technology to leap to conclusions of magic, the supernatural, or extraterrestrial origins. However, as someone with a PhD in physics who has witnessed many once-impossible technologies become reality—many of which have outstripped the futuristic concepts of earlier sci-fi—I can affirm that what is achievable within the laws of physics often exceeds public perception.

In summary, I do not doubt the veracity of the account shared on Sprague's podcast; it likely occurred as described and represents a credible experience. However, I do not believe it violated any physical laws or utilized technology beyond that which humans have developed. Instead, it likely involved technology unfamiliar to the observers, which may have seemed "alien" or "magical" but was probably a modern piece of equipment behaving in unexpected ways.

This notion echoes Arthur C. Clarke's famous three laws:

1. When a respected elder scientist asserts something is possible, he is likely correct. When he claims something is impossible, he is likely mistaken.
2. The only way to discover the limits of the possible is to venture a bit beyond into the realm of the impossible.
3. Any sufficiently advanced technology is indistinguishable from magic.

Perhaps both Clarke and Shakespeare were right: there are more things in the universe than we can grasp within the confines of human philosophy. When we encounter them, our response should not be disbelief, but rather curiosity and a desire to understand. While there may indeed be something extraterrestrial or supernatural out there, the aerial phenomena observed thus far do not serve as evidence of such.

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Starts With A Bang is authored by Ethan Siegel, Ph.D., the author of Beyond The Galaxy and Treknology. Pre-order his Encyclopaedia Cosmologica here!