In the remote Patagonian wilderness of Chile, a wildlife monitoring project has stumbled upon an extraordinary enigma. A camera trap, part of the University of Magallanes' (UMAG) Public Baseline project, captured three images on January 21st, 2024, showcasing intense, moving lights descending from the sky. These images, taken within a two-second span, have sparked intense debate and investigation among scientists and UAP enthusiasts alike.
The Public Baseline project, employing 65 camera traps across Patagonia and Tierra del Fuego, has amassed over 365,000 images and videos since its November 2023 launch. Yet, only these three photographs exhibit this unusual phenomenon. The lights appear to descend towards the camera, seemingly originating from a distant point on the flat horizon.
Biologist Alejandro Kusch, a leader of the Public Baseline project, described the event as inexplicable. UMAG shared the images with diverse organizations, including Chile's General Directorate of Civil Aeronautics and the La Serena UFO Museum, sparking a flurry of hypotheses.
Initial suggestions ranged from insects interfering with the camera lens to the presence of a plasmoid—a short-lived plasma formation rarely observed in nature. However, the rigorous protocols of the scientific project, using infrared systems and motion sensors to prevent tampering, eliminate any possibility of manipulation or fraud, according to researcher Rodrigo Bravo.
The Mapuche indigenous people of the region have long spoken of "bad lights," spirits that appear in the fields. This cultural context adds an intriguing layer to the mystery, raising the possibility that the camera trap has captured a phenomenon long recognized by local communities.
The possibility that the lights represent unidentified aerial phenomena (UAP) has also been considered. Some declassified Pentagon files detailing UAP exhibit similar characteristics, further fueling speculation. However, the poor quality of most UAP data typically hinders definitive explanations.
Freddy Alexis, a UAP researcher, analyzed the images, concluding that only one primary luminous stimulus is visible, with other "lights" likely internal lens reflections. He suggests the primary light could be a plasmoid, perhaps similar to ball lightning. However, the absence of storm conditions at the time renders this hypothesis improbable.
The La Serena UFO Museum, considering alternative explanations, also investigated whether an insect triggered the camera. While an arachnid is visible in the first image, it's absent in subsequent photos, leaving the source of the light unexplained. The museum's researchers are conducting on-site fieldwork to analyze environmental and atmospheric conditions, seeking additional data to unravel this captivating puzzle.
With the UMAG project scheduled to continue for another decade, the hope remains that this unusual phenomenon may be observed and recorded again, providing further clues to its origins and nature. The ongoing investigation underscores the collaborative effort between scientists and UAP researchers to unlock the secrets of this mysterious event in the Chilean wilderness.
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Originally published at: https://www.livescience.com/space/extraterrestrial-life/camera-trap-in-chile-detects-strange-lights-blazing-through-the-wilderness-researchers-are-scrambling-to-explain-them
