They're Real
February 9, 2026 – February 15, 2026
- Obama tells a podcast aliens are 'real' – then issues an Instagram clarification walking it back
- AARO quietly publishes a new white paper on standardizing UAP narrative data
- A mysterious dawn glow over South Australia sparks UFO speculation before being linked to an Ariane 6 launch
Friday, February 14 – Saturday, February 15
Obama Says Aliens Are “Real” on Podcast – Then Walks It Back
During a lightning-round segment on a podcast with Brian Tyler Cohen published February 14, former President Barack Obama said aliens are “real” and referenced Area 51. The clip went viral. By the next day, Obama posted a clarification on Instagram explaining he was speaking to the statistical likelihood of life in the universe and saw “no evidence during my presidency that extraterrestrials have made contact with us.” He also dismissed Area 51 conspiracy theories, saying there’s “no underground facility” holding aliens. The exchange set the stage for President Trump’s response the following week. Source · Source
“They’re real, but I haven’t seen them… and they’re not being kept in Area 51.” – Barack Obama
Thursday, February 13 – 12:00 AM MT
AARO Publishes New White Paper on Standardizing UAP Data
AARO’s official UAP Records page added a new document titled “White Paper: 2025 UAP Workshop – Narrative Data, Infrastructures, and Analysis.” The paper summarizes AARO’s August 2025 workshop at Associated Universities, Inc. on standardizing and analyzing narrative UAP reports. It recommends metadata templates for consistent reporting and outlines responsible AI use with human oversight for processing UAP data. A quiet but substantive release that signals the office is still actively working to professionalize its data pipeline. Source · Source (PDF)
“Advancing Unidentified Anomalous Phenomena (UAP) research requires rigorous data collection, standardization, and analysis.” – 2025 UAP Workshop White Paper
Wednesday, February 12 – 9:45 AM MT
Mystery Dawn Glow Over South Australia Sparks UAP Speculation
Residents across South Australia reported a bright, unusual glow in the pre-dawn sky on Friday morning local time – two clear beams drifting in a strange spiral pattern. The sighting triggered widespread UAP speculation on social media. Experts later linked the spectacle to illuminated rocket exhaust from an Ariane 6 launch out of French Guiana, which was carrying 32 satellites for Amazon. A reminder that not every unexplained light is unexplained for long – but also that public attention to the skies is at an all-time high. Source
