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Unidentified Anomalous Phenomena, Extraterrestrial Life, Plasmoids, Shape

Shifters, Replicons, Thunderstorms, Lightning, Hallucinations, Aircraft
Disasters, Ocean Sightings

Article in Journal of Modern Physics · September 2024

DOI: 10.4236/jmp.2024.1511079

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 Journal of Modern Physics, 2024, 15, 1760-1868
https://www.scirp.org/journal/jmp
ISSN Online: 2153-120X
ISSN Print: 2153-1196

Unidentified Anomalous Phenomena,

Extraterrestrial Life, Plasmoids, Shape
Shifters, Replicons, Thunderstorms,
Lightning, Hallucinations, Aircraft
Disasters, Ocean Sightings

Rhawn Gabriel Joseph1*, Olivier Planchon2, Christopher Impey3, Richard Armstrong4,

Carl Gibson5, Rudolph Schild6
1
Astrobiology Research Center, California, USA
2
CNRS UMR 6282 Biogéosciences-Université de Bourgogne, Dijon, France
3
Department of Astronomy, University of Arizona, Tucson, USA
4
Department of Vision Sciences, Aston University, Birmingham, UK
5
Center for Astrophysics and Space Sciences, Scripps Institution of Oceanography, University of California, San Diego, USA
6
Center for Astrophysics, Harvard-Smithsonian, Cambridge, USA
Video Supplement:
https://www.researchgate.net/publication/383116954

How to cite this paper: Joseph, R.G., Plan- Abstract

chon, O., Impey, C., Armstrong, R., Gibson,
C. and Schild, R. (2024) Unidentified Anom- As documented by NASA space shuttle films and detailed in this report, self-
alous Phenomena, Extraterrestrial Life, Plas- illuminating, pulsating, plasma-like UAP/UFO (“plasmoids”) have multiple
moids, Shape Shifters, Replicons, Thunder-
shapes and sizes, are attracted to electromagnetic activity, and travel at differ-
storms, Lightning, Hallucinations, Aircraft
Disasters, Ocean Sightings. Journal of Mod- ent velocities from different directions, making 90 to 180-degree turns, as well
ern Physics, 15, 1760-1868. as colliding, intersecting and piercing other plasma; and have been filmed by
https://doi.org/10.4236/jmp.2024.1511079 U.S. Navy personnel and a U.S. Customs and Border Protection DHC-8 flying
Received: August 4, 2024
above and diving/sinking beneath the ocean; and by NASA following, circling,
Accepted: October 25, 2024 and hovering near the space shuttles, satellites, and the MIR International Space
Published: October 28, 2024 Station and congregating above and descending into thunderstorms and the
lower atmosphere, which is the air corridor favored by commercial and mili-
Copyright © 2024 by author(s) and
Scientific Research Publishing Inc. tary aircraft; and this may account for reports of UAPs following, harassing, chas-
This work is licensed under the Creative ing, and “toying with” aircraft. Plasmas also have explosive properties, nega-
Commons Attribution International tively affect electronics and mental activity (possibly inducing hallucinations
License (CC BY 4.0).
http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/
of “alien abductions”), pass through glass, plastic, metal, and enter the cock-
Open Access pits of airplanes and have been observed by astronauts inside spacecraft, the
MIR and ISS. It is hypothesized that given their propensity to collide, plasmoids
may be responsible for at least some unexplained, inexplicable aircraft disasters.

DOI: 10.4236/jmp.2024.1511079 Oct. 28, 2024 1760 Journal of Modern Physics

 R. G. Joseph et al.

Thunder-lightning-storms are the main drivers of Earth’s GEC and direct pos-
itive currents into the ionosphere, which attract plasmas. The troposphere also
has a positive charge, and the ocean surface under white water and turbulent
conditions develops a positive charge, and we hypothesize that this accounts
for sightings of UAP in the lower atmosphere and soaring above and diving into
the oceans, including, as reported here, shape-shifting UAP replicons that split
into or generate additional shape-shifting UAPs as filmed by NASA and U.S.
Customs. Plasmoids appear to purposefully interact and engage in complex be-
haviors, and it is suspected they are sentient and represent a fourth domain
of life. Although plasmas in the lower atmosphere may be responsible for
UAP sightings over the centuries, including those that appear to “battle”
over cities or follow and harass military ships and planes, plasmoids cannot
account for all UAPs, which may include extraterrestrial spacecraft from other
worlds.

Keywords
Fourth Domain of Life, Extremophiles, Unidentified Flying Objects,
Unidentified Ocean Phenomenon

1. Introduction
As documented in this report (Figures 1-49) and a supplementary video compi-
lation of NASA space shuttle films [1], pulsating, self-illuminated plasmas (aka
“plasmoids”/Unidentified Anomalous Phenomenon, UAP) target and collide
with other plasmoids (Figure 4, Figure 8, Figure 10, Figure 16), and have fol-
lowed, approached and congregated near the MIR International Space Station
(Figure 1), NASA’s space shuttles (Figure 2) and satellites (Figures 3-5, Figure
21, Figure 24, Figure 25) and have been filmed flying toward and engaging in
complex interactions above thunderstorms (Figures 6-8, Figure 10), cities and
the ocean (Figures 31-40), including changing shape and replicating (Figure
8, Figure 9, Figure 16, Figures 18-20, Figure 29). These are established facts
[1]-[3].
Thunderstorms are major sources of positive charges directed to the ionosphere
and likely provide excitatory charges to plasmoids congregating above and those
descending within these raging storms. Thunderstorms also provide negative charges
to Earth’s surface, which is surrounded by insulating lower atmospheres that are
also positively charged, i.e. the stratosphere and troposphere [4] [5]; whereas the
ocean surface under white water and turbulent conditions may develop a positive
charge [6]-[10].
As documented here and in NASA space shuttle films [1], plasmoids will con-
gregate near the space shuttles (Figure 2, Figure 41, Figure 42) and descend into
lightning storms and the lower atmosphere (Figures 9-12), which is the air corridor
favored by commercial and military aircraft; and we hypothesize this accounts for

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R. G. Joseph et al.

reports of UAPs following, harassing, chasing, and “toying with” aircraft. Plasmas
also have explosive properties, negatively affect electronics [11]-[14] and mental
activity [13]—possibly inducing hallucinations of “alien abductions” [15] and
pass-through glass, plastic, metal, and enter the cockpits of airplanes and have
been observed by astronauts inside spacecraft, the MIR and ISS [11] [16]-[22].
Coupled with their propensity to chase, target and collide [1]-[3] [23]-[25], and
coupled with related concerns expressed by members of the military and the
U.S. Congress, we hypothesize that plasmas descended into the lower atmos-
phere may be responsible for many unexplained, inexplicable aircraft disas-
ters.
The thermosphere-ionosphere is a positively charged environment, and plasmas
are electrically charged physical, electrical and magnetic phenomena, comprised
of negative, positive and neutral charges and cellular layers [3] [26]-[30] Those of
the upper (ionosphere) and lower atmosphere (troposphere) have various shapes,
sizes and colors, and some consist of multiple plasmas (Figure 9) and can replicate
forming additional plasma, as well as change shape (Figures 1-3, Figures 6-8, Fig-
ure 10, Figures 14-17, Figure 21, Figure 25).
Glowing, pulsating plasmoids have been filmed in the ionosphere and lower
atmosphere flying in V-formations (Figures 45-46); and as verified by quantita-
tive analysis [2] [31], will accelerate to hyper speeds and make 90 and 180-degree
turns as well as colliding, merging, and piercing one another (Figure 7, Figure 8,
Figures 24-29). A recent quantitative analysis of 20 seconds of stable film footage
from the STS 115 tether incident indicates that some plasmoids range in size from
0.1 to 4 km2 and travel at speeds up to 28 km (17.4 miles) per second, which yields
a velocity of 1680 km (1044 miles) per minute and 100,809 km (62,640 miles) per
hour [31]. Others travel at much faster rates but whose velocities have not yet been
determined. Collectively, these plasmoids exhibit aerodynamic characteristics
well beyond those of any known aircraft or missile—either manned or unmanned
[1]-[3].
Presumably, those that descend into thunder clouds and appear in the lower
atmosphere and above the ocean engage in maneuvers similar to those in the ion-
osphere, and this may partially explain why plasmas (AKA UAP) have been de-
tected by U.S. Navy personnel descending at hyper-velocities from the upper at-
mosphere and filmed soaring above the ocean [32]-[34]. Glowing, pulsating, brightly
lit plasmas have also been filmed in the thermosphere, traveling across America and
descending toward and above the ocean (Figure 22, Figures 30-36). As noted,
during periods of turbulence and white-water conditions, the surface of the ocean
and air and atmosphere directly above are also positively charged [6]-[10]—as
is the ionosphere [35] [36]. Thus, the ocean may be attractive to plasmas, thereby
accounting for numerous observations of UAPs above the ocean by Navy ships
and naval aviators [32]-[34].
As reported here, a shape-shifting plasma (UAP)—filmed by a U.S. Customs and
Border Protection DHC-8 off the coast of Puerto Rico—continuously changed

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 R. G. Joseph et al.

shape and size as it flew over an airport then the ocean and repeatedly split off to
form additional shape-shifting structures (Figures 32-36). Although these Puerto
Rico UAPs are most likely a transient lower atmosphere plasma, those in the ion-
osphere also change shape and size and split off to form additional plasmoids
(Figure 8, Figure 37, Figure 44).
As documented in NASA videos [1] and in this report, plasmoids in the ionosphere
will arrive off-camera, sometimes in pairs, and approach and descend into thunder-
storms (Figures 11-16). In other instances, hundreds of brightly glowing plasmoids
and other unknown entities will congregate above a raging storm and engage in a
variety of behaviors, including turning, following, targeting, colliding and piercing
one another—behavior also observed when they gathered around a satellite tether
generating electromagnetic energy into the space medium (Figure 4, Figure 8, Fig-
ure 10, Figure 16, Figures 24-29, Figure 37, Figure 39, Figure 44). This is not spec-
ulation. These are established facts based on official NASA films [1]-[3].
Thunderstorms typically range from 10,000 to 20,000 m above sea level [37].
Therefore, plasmoids from the ionosphere that dive into thunderstorms are also
descending to an altitude where commercial and military jets typically fly [38]
[39]. Plasmas in the lower atmosphere would account for the numerous observa-
tions over thousands of years of glowing orbs flying above cities and encounters
with UAPs by civilian and military pilots prior to during and after the second world
war [1]-[3] and who were not uncommonly report that brightly lit UAP have fol-
lowed, confronted and nearly collided with them as exemplified by the following
report.
Dr. Harvey Wichman [40], a professor at Claremont College, reported an en-
counter with a UFO (AKA plasma) when working as a flight instructor on a Cessna
150 training plane, accompanied by a student, on a night cross-country assign-
ment. As they departed Lindbergh Field, San Diego, on the night of May 28, 1968,
he and his student were confronted by a “UFO...in the form of a bright light ap-
proaching on a collision course at a very high rate of speed—a rapid deceleration
and hovering—a rapid acceleration away from the author’s plane followed by an-
other deceleration and hovering. This apparent reconnoitering activity was repeated
approximately ten times after which the object failed to reappear”. Wichman, there-
fore, did not see an object with a solid structure, but a bright pulsating light that
repeatedly circled, followed, targeted, and nearly collided with Wichman’s plane,
and then vanished. Wichman reported that he felt confused and disoriented by the
experience, and struggled to control his plane, alluding to a temporary electrical dis-
turbance and near loss of control.
The term “flying saucer” has been attributed to Kenneth Arnold [41] who, on
June 24, 1947, observed a “flash of light” like “a mirror reflecting sunlight” [42]-
[44] and a chain-like formation of nine brightly scintillating lights that were “flip-
ping from side to side” and “flying erratically...weaving, dipping...like the tail of
a kite” and “like stones being skipped over water” and that “flew like a saucer
would if you skipped it across the water” and “flashing brightly” and changing

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R. G. Joseph et al.

shape, from a “disk” and “platter shaped” to a “crescent” [14] [42] with some hav-
ing a shape “like sky jellyfish” [43] “with a pulsating thing in the middle of them”
[44].
Arnold has repeatedly emphasized that initial news accounts misquoted him
and he does not believe in “little green men stories” or that these shape-changing
crescent- and disk- and jellyfish-shaped objects and “lights” are spaceships from
other worlds but that they are “living organisms” [43]; “space and atmospheric
organisms that they have the natural ability to change their densities at will” [44].
“After some 14 years of extensive research, it is my conclusion that the so-called
unidentified flying objects that have been seen in our atmosphere are not space-
ships from another planet at all, but are groups and masses of living organisms
that are as much a part of our atmosphere and space as the life we find in the oceans”
[44]. The first author of this report, based on analysis of NASA’s extensively occluded
space shuttle films, came to identical conclusions [1]-[3] [45].
These observations, fact-based hypotheses and conclusions that many (but not
all) UAP are actually cellular electromagnetic plasma [1]-[3] [13] are supported
by an analysis by the British Ministry of Defense [45], which conducted a mul-
tidisciplinary analysis of UFO-UAP phenomenon based on information collected
over 30 years, i.e. UAP-UFO “are comprised of several types of rarely encountered
natural events within the atmosphere and ionosphere...the events are almost cer-
tainly attributable to physical, electrical and magnetic phenomena in the atmosphere,
mesosphere and ionosphere. The fact that the objects reportedly have the maneu-
ver and acceleration attributes of an inertia-less vehicle reinforces the hypothesis
that they are buoyant charged bodies”.
We hypothesize, based on factual evidence [1]-[3] [45] [46], that some plasmoids
may be sentient and conscious of their surroundings and engage in purposeful in-
teractions, i.e. they may represent a fourth domain of life [1]-[3] [46]. As docu-
mented in NASA film-footage compiled by the first author [1] [46], and as docu-
mented via freeze frames reproduced in this report, some plasmoids engage in
complex behaviors and what could be construed as curiosity and evidence of in-
telligence. Moreover, astronauts have reported that glowing plasma-like entities
have appeared outside shuttle windows, often traveling from window to win-
dow—as if looking inside and, in so doing, upsetting the crew [1] [46]—and glow-
ing plasma has entered homes, businesses [11] [13] [47] [48], and even through
cockpit windows; in one instance it then slowly moved about the interior of the
plane as if reconnoitering [49]. Moreover, plasma-UAP encountered in the trop-
osphere have been accused of “surveillance”, mimicry, “toying with” and harassing
aircraft and so on [13] [40] [41] [50]-[54]. As reported by Navy Cmdr. David Fravor,
the UAP he and his fellow pilots encountered, behaved with conscious intention:
“it was aware we were there”.
Further, plasmoids appear to be aware of each other, as evident by numerous ex-
amples of turning, following, targeting, colliding, and merging. To speculate: Alt-
hough not all plasmoids behave the same; when considered as a collective, their

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 R. G. Joseph et al.

behavior and their conglomerate structure could be likened to eukaryotic algae,

e.g. Eudorina Elegans [1] [2] [46]. For example, although Eudorina may look like
a single organism, it is actually a conglomerate consisting of up to 64 cells loosely
grouped together. Likewise, as documented in this report, what looks like single
cloud-like plasmoids, in some cases, actually consist of dozens of individual plas-
mas grouped together (Figure 9), forming plasma conglomerates that engage in co-
ordinated action to produce what appears to be purposeful behavior.
Plasmoids can generate additional plasmoids, i.e. they reproduce and generate
plasmas that also engage in complex behaviors as documented in this report and
by NASA video [1] [46]. For example, as depicted in Figure 16(A), Figure 16(B),
Plasmoid #1 travels toward a thunderstorm, and intersects plasma #2 as a hyper-
velocity plasma speeds by. Then, another plasmoid, #3 materializes or suddenly
self-illuminates, then changes shape as it follows plasmoid #1, then intersects the
same #2 plasma, then passes close to #1, and continues upward and finally hovers
above a thunderstorm. And then, plasmoid #1 replicates and produces/secretes a
new additional plasmoid #4 that travels toward and interacts with #3, which heads
back toward and merges with #1.
It is important to avoid anthropomorphizing what may be purely electromagnetic
push-pull attraction-repulsion when exposed to highly charged environments and
surrounded by plasmas of opposite or similar or changing electric charge. However,
according to Alfvén [26] [27], these plasmas contain cellular membranes, whereas
plasma with a nucleus have been repeatedly observed and which contain glowing
spheres within (Figure 1, Figure 6, Figure 7, Figure 10, Figure 29, Figures 34-36).
To speculate, these internal spheres could be construed as ganglia and neural net-
works, or circular, double-stranded DNA “plasmids” that have the ability to rep-
licate and self-clone. Based on laboratory experiments, a number of scientists
have proposed that “dusty plasmas” may form crystalline RNA-DNA helixical
structures and may represent a non-biological form of life or pre-life [1]-[3] [46]
[55]-[58].
Plasmoids appear to be electrical phenomenon, attracted to and with some pos-
sibly produced by lighting. It’s been hypothesized that dusty plasmas in the ther-
mosphere may have incorporated all the necessary elements for the synthesis of
RNA leading to DNA and thus life [3]. Stanley Miller and Harold Urey, in their
famous experiments designed to produce life, exposed a mixture of gases and ele-
ments to a continuous electrical spark simulating lightning and produced organic
chemicals and 33 different amino acids, including 11 of those necessary to create
the proteins required by all living organisms [59]. If life can be created via in-
teractions between lightning and an enclosure containing the necessary elements,
it can be predicted that every world with a gaseous atmosphere and thunder clouds
is inhabited by plasmas; and that these dusty plasmas spawned life on innumerable
earth-like planets billions of years older than Earth; life that may have evolved.
Thus, some UAP may be spacecraft from other worlds [60].
This latter hypothesis is not mere speculation as it is evident NASA has added
layers of obscuring noise/snow to space shuttle films [1], the U.S. military refuses

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R. G. Joseph et al.

to release all relevant information; and space shuttle film-footage that NASA re-
leased to the public [1] [46] depicts glowing forms that established a V-formation
and followed a space shuttle (Figure 45) and then the camera was turned off [1].
And another object that followed a space shuttle, but as it grew closer again, the
camera was turned off. Further, optical analysis employing optical filters revealed
a cylindrical form hidden within the pulsating cloud-like object that was approach-
ing a NASA space shuttle (Figure 2); whereas in another instance (Figure 23), as
a pulsating form emerged from the clouds and approached the shuttle the camera
was again turned off [1].
Numerous credible eyewitnesses, often military pilots and astronauts, as well as
the British and U.S. governments have expressed the concern that some UAP might
possess “advanced technology” [3] [60]-[62]. For example, former Navy Commander
David Fravor also observed “vehicles” (UAP) with “superior”, “technology”. While
commanding a squadron of F/A-18F fighters, Commander Fravor reported that
“advanced radar” detected “multiple vehicles”. Fravor, a graduate of the Top Gun
naval flight school, reported that “the technology that we faced is far superior to
anything that we had” [61]. There is no evidence that plasmoids have technologi-
cal capabilities.
In addition, there is visual evidence of anomalous structures and specimens that
were photographed by NASA on Mars, that resemble crash sites, the wreckage of
space craft, and forms that resemble bones and humanoid bodies and skulls; all
observed within 100 meters of each other [60]. In fact, this latter evidence—as yet
unconfirmed—is the only “hard” evidence of visitations by technologically ad-
vanced extraterrestrials.
It would therefore be presumptuous to claim that all UAP/UFO are plasmas/plas-
moids. On the other hand, the authors of this and related reports [1]-[3], have
provided hard irrefutable factual evidence—all of it based on authenticated NASA
(albeit heavily obscured) night time films and freeze frames from those films—of
hundreds of extraterrestrial specimens that engage in complex and life-like behav-
iors including congregating and crawling upon a satellite tether generating elec-
trical impulses into the space medium, and approaching space shuttles and the MIR
international space station.
Based on these findings and observations [1]-[3] and the fact that plasmoids in
the thermosphere are attracted to sources of electromagnetic activity, we have also
proposed a means to scientifically study and examine these plasmas as they form,
congregate, and interact. This can be accomplished via the launching of a tethered
satellite generating electromagnetic pulses and equipped with multiple cameras
with infrared, X-ray, telescopic, and other sensory capabilities, i.e. an alien-hunt-
ing satellite [3]. If this same alien-hunter satellite is equipped with an electrified
net—and if such a project is judged to be ethical and humane—perhaps it would
be possible to attract and capture one or more extraterrestrial plasmoids, as de-
picted in the following photographs from official NASA nighttime space shuttle
films [1].

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 R. G. Joseph et al.

Figure 1. Plasma approaching the MIR International Space Station from multiple directions. Top, second and bottom row: Pro-
cessed with Fotor Anti Blur Image Software. Note void/nucleus in second (red arrow) and bottom row, and what resembles ovoid
ganglia within the interior of the plasma (bottom right). The blue-green colors are due to the colorized layers of “noise” introduced
by NASA into nighttime film footage [1]. Filmed by STS 75 [1].

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R. G. Joseph et al.

Figure 2. An anomalous elongated pulsating object followed NASA’s space shuttle as it orbited into the nightside of Earth. As the
tail of the shuttle disappeared in the darkness the pulsating object grew brighter as it approached the shuttle; at which point, the
camera was turned off [1]. The blue, green, yellow, red colors are due to the colorized layers of “noise” introduced by NASA into
nighttime film footage. Bottom and above bottom right processed with Fotor Filters and Anti Blur Image Software and magnified
over 1600 times. Plasma photographed in the thermosphere has a variety of shapes and this elongated pulsating object resembles a
metal cylinder, length and width unknown. Filmed by STS 96 Discovery [1].

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 R. G. Joseph et al.

Figure 3. Filmed by STS-75. Plasmoids swarming together and gathering around an electrified tether. These entities range in size
from 0.1 to 4 km2 structures (A-E) document these plasmas contain a void-nucleus and possibly two internal forms that may not
(C, D) be interconnected.

Figure 4. Plasmoids engaged in frenzied collisional behavior adjacent to electrified tether 12 miles in length [1].

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R. G. Joseph et al.

Figure 5. Computerized analysis of flight paths and velocity, based on 20 seconds of stable sequences of film footage from STS-75.
Many objects display 45˚, 90˚, and 180˚ shifts in trajectory and make sudden or slow turns around the electrified tether [1].

Figure 6. Hundreds of cone- and cloud-shaped glowing plasmoids with an internal nucleus filmed congregating 200 miles above an
electric-thunderstorm by STS-80. Processed via Fotor Filtering Software. Very small forms, and those that are not illuminated have
also been detected in this footage.

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 R. G. Joseph et al.

Figure 7. Ring-shaped plasma (red circle) hovers above a thunderstorm as a plasmoid (white circle) materializes and disappears as
it descends into the lower atmosphere [1]. (Bottom row) Fotor filters applied to freeze frames and identifying and colorizing differ-
ences in gray scales, thereby revealing internal oval structures and the “tail/nose” directed toward the storm. Filmed by STS 80.

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R. G. Joseph et al.

Two Plasmoids near a Thunderstorm, One Replicates

Figure 8. Two glowing shape-shifting plasmoids (near a thunderstorm), one of which (far right) becomes elongated and from which
a third plasmoid emerges then makes contact with the plasmoid on the far left, and then detaches: plasmoids became three [1].

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 R. G. Joseph et al.

Some Plasmoids May Be Multi-Plasmoid Conglomerates

Figure 9. Some colliding plasmoids may be multi-plasmodic conglomerates consisting of numerous plasmoids loosely joined to-
gether forming a composite single cloud-like entity up to or greater than a kilometer in size. To speculate, each individual plasma
may be multi-polar—similar to a multi-polar cloud—thereby enabling different aspects with a positive vs. negative charge to attach
to its opposite. This also implies that the composite and each separate plasma are acting like a cooperative supra-organism that may
detached plasmoids that become replicons or satellites.

2. The Plasmasphere
Plasmas have been filmed in the thermosphere, appearing from off-camera, ap-
proaching and descending into thunderstorms (Figure 11, Figure 12) whereas
others have suddenly materialized and begin glowing in the space medium above

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R. G. Joseph et al.

thunderstorms (Figure 7, Figure 10, Figures 13-16). These and others plasmoids
may hover in place or travel in a trajectory that leads to a thunderstorm within which
they descend (Figure 6, Figure 7, Figures 11-15, Figure 44), or which makes them
a piercing target for plasmas (“hunters”) and entities as yet unidentified coming
from a different direction (Figure 10, Figure 16, Figures 27-29, Figure 39). We
hypothesize that those that suddenly materialize in the thermosphere either (A)
travel and arrive at near light speed and come to a sudden halt, (B) or they are
formed by localized electromagnetic activity generated by lightning storms. (C)
Often, within masses of illuminated and pulsating plasmas, there those that are
not illuminated and appear as shadows. Therefore, it is possible that plasmas may
“turn on” or “turn off” their illumination. (D) It is also possible that they and other
plasmoids originate in and seep across from a 5th dimension when electromag-
netic activity produced by a massive thunder bolt is transformed into mass that
becomes a small black hole [63] that pierces a “brane” separating that 5th dimen-
sion from those four comprising our “known” universe. Some of those that mate-
rialize also appear to be emerging from a surrounding darkened area [10] that could
be likened to a “hole” in spacetime.
It is also likely that those that arrive from off camera descending downward,
originated in the plasmasphere—a region of Earth’s magnetosphere well above the
ionosphere—and which consists of low-energy (cool) plasma [64]-[66]. In 2014,
satellite observations from the THEMIS mission have shown that density irregu-
larities such as plumes form in the plasmasphere [67] and which may encapsulate
electrons, protons, ions, neutrinos, and electrified dust, thereby forming a cold plasma
[64] [65]. By contrast, the outer boundary of the plasmasphere may be relatively
devoid of plasma.
The existence of the plasmasphere was first deduced by detection and analysis
of very low frequency “whistler” radio waves which in turn are believed to propa-
gate and possibly originate—along with transient plasma—in upward directed
bolts of lightning that pass through the ionosphere into the plasmasphere and
which propagates in the whistler-mode along geomagnetic field lines to the oppo-
site hemisphere [68]-[70]. Possibly these whistlers’ direct plasmas to the most en-
ergetic lightning storms; thus, accounting for those that arrive off-camera ap-
proaching and descending into storms raging in the troposphere (Figure 11, Fig-
ure 12). “Whistlers” are produced by plasma (lighting) and can be heard on radios
on Earth and, to speculate, it is possible that plasmoids communicate via “whis-
tlers”.

3. Plasma in the Ionosphere

Interstellar space, the plasmasphere, and the ionosphere of Earth are permeated
by plasmas/plasmoids [1]-[3] [71]-[75] and a variety of illuminated forms, that at
present, are best described as “plasmoids” [1]-[3] or a form of life that is not car-
bon based and devoid of DNA [1] [2] [46]. In the lower layers of the atmosphere
transient, self-illuminated, colorful entities, best described as plasmas, are produced

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 R. G. Joseph et al.

by lighting, thunderstorms, or in association with seismic events, volcanoes, dust

storm, geomagnetic anomalies or the buildup of electric charges in fogs or ice-
crystals in the atmosphere [11] [13] [16] [17] [49] [76]. Arnold, who is attributed
with coining the term “flying saucer” but who believes these are “living organisms”
also noted an association with seismic events [43] [44]; a belief now shared by many
others.
Plasmas of the thermosphere-ionosphere, regardless of their origins, appear to
be electromagnetic entities and constitute a fourth state of matter that are produced
by complex electromagnetic interactions [28] [71]. Although these plasmoids may
have a metallic sheen it is not known if they have solidity.
According to Nobel Laureate Hannes Alfvén [26] [27], plasmas have “a cellular
structure” consisting of inner and outer layers which differ in positive vs. negative
charges. These double layers act to repel plasma of the opposite charge, but com-
bine with plasmas of the same charge, such that plasmoids may repel or be attracted
to one another and exchange energy and engage in related behavior which have
been filmed by 10 separate shuttle missions [2] [3] as documented in this report
and a compilation of NASA shuttle films [1] [46].
Ions have a positive (cations) or negative charge (anions), and form positive or
negatively charged layers that can attract, repel or neutralize each other (via the
transfer and equalization of electrons), and which may enable plasmas to maneu-
ver, accelerate or hover via interaction with other plasmas and the charge of their
localized environment [26]-[28] [71] [72] [77]. Possibly, the cellular structure of
the plasmoids of the ionosphere have incorporated and include cations and ani-
ons, which also form layers and encapsulate dust and debris that also have an elec-
tric charge.
Plasmas observed and filmed in the ionosphere-thermosphere and those pro-
duced in laboratories include those of many types, and which may have high or
low density, high or low temperatures, and consist of positively and negatively
charged particles, ionized atoms of gas; and whose basic interactions are electro-
magnetic [26]-[28] [71]-[74] [78]. Therefore, many of those that have been filmed
within the ionosphere-thermosphere are believed to consist of a double membrane,
a nucleus, as well as electrified particles of dust and fragments from carbonaceous
chondrites [3]. However, there are other entities that have not been identified, in-
cluding those that travel at hyper-speeds, and those that are not illuminated but ap-
pear as shadows. Furthermore, employing Fotor image filters, it appears that some
specimens are distinctly different from the globular shaped nucleated specimens
that target them. For example, in one instance captured on space shuttle film [1]
four different multi-layered nucleated forms, coming from different directions at
different speeds, penetrated dual-cloud shaped specimen devoid of any nucleus but
which hovered in place near a satellite tether generating electricity into the sur-
rounding space medium. To speculate: the sea of space may harbor innumerable
life-like forms.
These UAP-plasma-like entities of the upper atmosphere are up to several dozen

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R. G. Joseph et al.

meters in diameter, and have ovoid-, elongated-, cloud-, saucer-, donut-, cone-,
snake- and cylindrical shapes (Figures 1-3, Figure 6, Figure 7, Figure 14, Figure
17) and some even resemble transient phenomenon commonly referred to in the
scientific literature as “elves”, “sprites” and even “jellyfish” (Figure 17, Figure 18).
These plasmoids react to and possibly form in response to lightning and thunder-
storms, as well as the waxing and waning of electromagnetic fields, the Van Allen
Belts, geomagnetic storms, coronal mass ejections, solar flares, atmospheric waves,
radiation from radio transmitters and heating facilities, volcanic eruptions, geomag-
netic anomalies, seismic activity and electrified dust; all which affect the shape, ve-
locity, and behavior of plasmas [74] [77]-[79].
As documented in this report and supplementary NASA film footage [1], these
plasmoid-life-like entities can turn their illumination off on or, and will glow in the
dark and are self-illuminating and many pulsate with light. The amount of light
emitted may be determined or influenced by the type of particles that are shed and
via electron discharge and a reduction in or conversely an increase in electron den-
sity. The glow may also be a form of bioluminescence and/or is produced via the
transition from bipolar charging to a more dominant role of ions in particle charg-
ing [22] [79]-[82]; and this may also account for the stroboscopic waxing and wan-
ing patterns of light oscillation that is not uncommon as plasmoids traverse the
thermosphere (Figure 22, Figure 23, Figure 30). If plasmas can “turn off the lights”
and appear in a dark mode, is strongly suspected.
They also appear to have the capacity to shed or acquire electrons and to increase
or maintain or change their electrical charge or that of different layers via accumu-
lation or shedding of neutrinos and electrons [3]. Via charge separation or substi-
tution, this may enable these life-like plasmoids to engage in complex behaviors as
well as accelerate to hyper speeds.
Plasmoids in the thermosphere will turn and follow or collide with other plas-
moids which hover in place or triangulate their movements so the two intersect
(Figure 8, Figure 10, Figure 16, Figures 25-29, Figure 37, Figure 39, Figure 44).
Often, they will briefly merge (Figure 16, Figure 37). In addition, those about to
collide and especially after they collide may split off to form an additional plasma
(Figure 25), and emit a glowing plasma trail (Figure 7, Figure 8, Figure 12, Fig-
ures 20-23), presumably consisting of emitted electrons and electrified dust that
create a trailing particle “glow” (afterglow).
Plasmas created in the laboratory have a variety of colors, are ionized and are
made up of negatively charged electrons and positively charged ions [27] [30] [55]
[73] [78]. The atoms in these laboratory grown plasmas also engage in charge sep-
aration; that is, they separate from their negatively charged electrons and cease to
have a neutral or negative charge [30] [75] [83]. Instead, they become quasi-neutral
such that the overall charge can approach zero. Therefore, plasmas engage in “charge
separation” and “charge coupling” (Figure 25) and can change their charge or the
charges of different layers or locations within these layers [23] [27], and this would
enable them to maneuver, accelerate or slow down, hover, make sudden turns, as
well as follow and collide and even merge with other plasmas; as well as completely

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 R. G. Joseph et al.

change shape and split off into additional plasmas of opposite charge (e.g. charge
separation).
Collectively, they travel at different velocities from multiple directions, with many
stopping and hovering while yet others travel at hyper-speeds, sometimes in tan-
dem, nearly side by side as they pierce other plasmoids one after another (Figure
7, Figures 20-23). That some plasmoids are attracted to and collide suggests that
some plasmas consist of positive (or quasi-positive-neutral) charges and others neg-
ative (or quasi-negative-neutral) charges [27]. Yet others may have a neutral charge
making them attractive to those with a negative or positive charge [27]. It has also
been speculated that this may be a form of “alien sexual reproduction” [1] [2] [46]
or they are merely engaged in energy cannibalism, or a complex “alien” form of
communication [2]. Hence, not all plasmoids, even in the same group or vicinity,
behave the same.
Assuming these are plasmoid-like entities, and not a completely novel (non-plas-
modic) fourth domain of life, then the attraction and repulsion and reciprocal and
non-reciprocal interactions between plasmas including asymmetric acceleration
and collisionality are likely affected by their degree of magnetization and electric
charge (positive, negative, neutral) which can differ dramatically between plasmas
[23] [27] [75] [83]. Presumably, when plasmoids collide they are engaged in elec-
tron and ion transfer and are recharging a waning charge or changing charges; e.g.
charge coupling. Likewise, those plasma that target other plasmoids, may be acquir-
ing or shedding electrons, ions, or electrified dust; observations consistent with the
likelihood they are capable of increasing, decreasing (charge separation) and chang-
ing their charge, which in turn would affect maneuverability and enable them to
increase or decrease velocity and rapidly alter their trajectory.
Plasmas also divide and fragment into additional plasma [27] [30]. As docu-
mented here the splitting may be an example of “charge separation” or an example
of DNA—or non-DNA alien “mitosis/meiosis”. Moreover, the portion that splits
off can be smaller and have a different appearance, and most likely an opposite
or neutral charge. However, using Fotor Image processing, it has also been deter-
mined that what appears to be a single cloud-like plasmoid, actually consists of
dozens of smaller plasmoids (Figure 9)—reminiscent of algae conglomerates that
resemble a single algae [1]—and it is these smaller entities that might be jettisoned
as satellites.
In summary, plasmas will glow, as well as oscillate and pulsate with light, and can
display a range of colors and behaviors, including swarming, aligning, congregat-
ing, clustering, crowding; all of which contributes to collective or individualized be-
havior including pursuit, head-on collisions and energy cannibalism [23]-[25]—as
observed in the thermosphere [1]-[3] and documented in this report, it is this
propensity to collide and intersect which puts aircraft at risk if plasma are encoun-
tered in the troposphere.

4. The Ionosphere and Earth’s Global Electric Circuit

The highly electrically active ionosphere provides the ideal habitat for these putative

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R. G. Joseph et al.

energy radiating and consuming plasmoids. Extending 85 to 600 km above the

Earth’s surface the ionosphere is coextensive with the thermosphere (50 to 400
km) and exosphere (400 Km on up). The ionosphere is an energetically active
waxing and waning region of the atmosphere within which swirl ions, particles
and dust that are positively charged with an overall potential of about 250 - 300
kV [35] [36]. However, the ionosphere grows or shrinks in response to thunder-
storms, lighting, solar radiation, galactic cosmic rays originating outside the solar
system and precipitation from the Van Allen radiation belts, all of which are a
source of negatively charged electrons and positively charged ions [35] [36].
Ultraviolet radiation also causes the photoionization/photodissociation of mol-
ecules, creating ions—particularly in the thermosphere which constitutes the ma-
jor portion of the ionosphere [35] [36] and within which plasmas congregate and
engage in complex behaviors [1] [3]. Upper atmospheric conductivity in fact ac-
celerates with height due to the increased ionization produced by cosmic rays and
extreme ultraviolet and X-radiation [36].
The ionosphere obtains its positive charge primarily from thunderstorms [35]
[36] [68]-[70]. Thunderstorms (disturbed weather) produce electric fields and
cause positive charges to jet upwards toward the ionosphere (O~ 250 kV positive)
whereas negative charges are directed to Earth’s surface [5]—a phenomenon known
as “charge separation” and which may also characterize the cellular layers and mu-
tual behaviors of plasmas, including splitting into additional plasmas.
Atmospheric charge separation occurs because the lower atmospheres are weakly
conducting, and function more as a leaky insulator, thereby enabling AC (positive)
and DC (negative) charges to attract and pass between the ionosphere and Earth’s
surface with minimal loss of current [4] [68]-[70]. Because it is weakly conducting,
the lower atmospheres also provide a corridor through which plasmoids may de-
scend without losing charge; and instead acquire charge.
In addition to “charge separation” there is another electrical phenomenon known
as “atmospheric electrical coupling” which takes place at or near the speed of light
[68]-[70] and which links “couples” the negative charge of Earth with the positive
charge of the ionosphere [35] [36]; also made possible by the weakly conducting
stratosphere and troposphere. “Electrical coupling” may explain why plasmas
target collide, and sometimes merge, whereas the exchange of charges (separa-
tion) results in repulsion—phenomenon which would also enable plasmas to
accelerate.
It is important to stress that many of these entities engage in behaviors that can-
not be explained as automata guided by push-pull electromagnetism. There are
pulsating entities that will strike and pass through numerous other “plasmoids”
but then turn, follow and pursue a plasmoid coming from a different direction the
latter of which appears to eject a smaller plasmoid that contacts the pursuer which
reverses direction [1] [3]. As also documented in this report, entities will suddenly
appear (materialize or self-illuminate) and then follow another plasmoid which just
struck and passed through a smaller plasmoid, and the pursuer will pass through

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 R. G. Joseph et al.

the same smaller plasmoid, make contact with the plasmoid it followed then con-
tinues toward a thunderstorm, only to hover as the first plasma ejects a plasma
that makes contact with the now hovering pursuer. In yet other instances, a plas-
moid will split into two, one of which contacts a nearby plasmoid and hovers be-
side it. Then, there are those that hover in place as yet other plasmoids strike and
pass through it, one after another. These complex behaviors can’t be explained by
plasma physics or electromagnetism. Perhaps the answers would become appar-
ent if NASA did not obscure space shuttle film footage with four layers of visual
noise [1] [2] [46] and repeatedly shake and change the focus of and turn off the
camera.
These complex behaviors and more, can be viewed in a 17-minute film of sup-
plementary data consisting of a compilation of NASA space shuttle video footage
[1]. Except for the section of film time-line: 13:19 to 13:30 which employed track-
ing software, no filters or enhancement software were employed on these NASA
films by the authors or their associates. The four layers of noise were added by
NASA to these films after they were broadcast to Earth which is why the NASA
emblem in the corners of many of these film segments is blurred [1].
All freeze frames (figures) were captured from these NASA films [1] via Apple
Final Cut Pro and one or more of the following Fotor filters were employed on
many of the photos/figures: anti-blur to sharpen the focus; contrast to enhance
contrast; sharpness to sharpen the image. To visualize internal features, Fotor Red,
Blue, Green filters were employed to detect gray-value differences in pixels and
enhance different gray-value spectra embedded in the film-photo so as to de-fine
and colorize differing features and shapes within shapes within the outer and in-
ner aspects of the specimens.

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R. G. Joseph et al.

Plasmoid Materializes, Moves toward Thunderstorm, Is Targeted for Colli-

sion and Pierced

(A)

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(B)

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R. G. Joseph et al.

(C)

Figure 10. (A) The plasmoid (circled in white) materialized (or suddenly self-illuminated) in the thermosphere, and maneuvered
itself above a thunderstorm and in the direct path of one of two twin “hunters” [1] indicated by the red and blue arrows (continued
in (B) and (C)). (B) Plasmas gathered above a thunderstorm as two hunters strike one after another, at hyper-velocity. NASA Mission
Control referred to these “twins” as “shooting stars” despite the fact they did not burn up and were “wiggling” (Hunter “B”) and
sightly altering their trajectory as they struck and pierced other plasmas. Note the glowing ovoids within specimen “B”. Filmed by
STS 101 Shuttle Atlantis [1]. (C) The globular plasmoid circled in white materialized, flew above a thunderstorm where it hovered
directly in the path of a (Red arrow) “Hunter” that pierces and exits multiple plasmas until striking the globular plasmoid. Processed
with Fotor Filters and Anti-blur software. (Top right) Note the multiple ovoid forms and the nucleus/void at its center of the target
plasma (Top) and when the two collide (Bottom) above the thunderstorm, Filmed by STS 101 [1].

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 R. G. Joseph et al.

The ionosphere’s positive charge is maintained largely by thunderstorms. How-

ever, earthquakes, tsunamis, volcanic eruptions, and even rocket launches can
contribute to positive charges in the ionosphere [36] [84] [85]. As such, these same
factors would be expected to influence the behavior and even the formation of
plasmas.
As a good electrical conductor, the overall neutral to positive charges within the
ionosphere are generally equipotential and spherically symmetric around Earth and
its continents (which generally have a negative charge) and oceans (negative and
positive); the surface also serving as a conductor [69] [70] [86]. Specifically, Earth’s
soil, rocks, metals, have a negative charge of around 500,000 Coulombs with the
ionosphere having a fairly equal positive charge [36] [69] [70]. Land masses are also
electrically conductive and natural electric currents flow on and beneath the sur-
face. Land conductivity ranges from 10−7 S·m−1 for rocks, to 10−8 S·m−1 for marble
and up to ~10−2 S·m−1 for limestone or wet clay [68] [86]. In addition, ore, rocks,
pipes and cables, respond to electrical changes in the ionosphere, so that a telluric
current is induced in the ground [36] [86]-[88].
In contrast to extraterrestrial spacecraft—the existence of which is yet un-
proven—it is unlikely that a negatively charged plasmoid would land on Earth but
instead would prefer the positively charged atmosphere that extends up to 20 km
above Earth. Moreover, given that coastal areas and the surface and air above the
ocean develops a positive charge under white water and turbulent conditions [6]-
[10], it can be predicted that negatively and neutrally charged plasma would be at-
tracted to this environment as documented in this report.
Thunderstorms and Plasmas (UAP)
Plasmas need energy to survive [30] and thunderstorms serve as one of the ma-
jor supplier of electric currents to the ionosphere and Earth [69] [70]—and thus
thunderstorms would attract plasmas. Observational data captured on film by
missions STS-75, STS-80, STS-96, and STS-106 (see Figures 3-13) documents that
hundreds, and possibly thousands plasmoids are attracted to, fly toward, and con-
gregate above localized thunderstorms and massive bursts of lightning [1]-[3] [46].
In so doing, these plasmas may hover or engage in complex behaviors, including
colliding and piercing one another (Figure 7, Figure 8, Figures 20-24).
Thunderstorms form, on average, at a height of 12,000 to 20,000 meters [5].
Likewise, the maximum production rate of ionization (up to 3 × 107 ion pairs m−3 s−1
[89] [90] occurs at altitudes between 12,000 to 20,000 meters, i.e. in the tropo-
sphere-stratosphere. This region of the atmosphere is a major corridor through
which passes commercial and military jets [38] [39] and that not uncommonly
encounter UAP that hover, follow, “toy with” circle, and then abruptly speed off
at incredible velocities despite no obvious means of propulsion [32]-[34] [41] [45]
[51]-[54].
Lightning is also a plasma that can produce or trigger the formation of multiple
transient plasma [16] [76] [91]-[93]. Moreover, a single lightning bolt can produce
up to 1,000,000,000 joules of energy and anywhere from 130 million volts to 1.3
billion volts of upward directed positive current. It is predictable that lightning

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R. G. Joseph et al.

(which is a plasma) would be very attractive to and would produce plasmas.

STS-75, STS-80, STS-96, and STS-106, however, present, at best, only a limited
picture of the tremendous amount of plasmoid activity above lightning storms, as
Earth is constantly buffeted by thunderstorms and lightning. Each day at least a
thousand thunderstorms rage over Earth and approximately 2000 thunderstorms
are simultaneously active around the globe [94] [95]. These storms of lightning
continuously release positive charges into the upper atmosphere and negative and
positive charges toward Earth’s oceans and land masses.
Thunderclouds consist of both positive and negative charges [5]. These currents,
in turn, would attract plasmas with a negative charge and those with a positive
charge. Specifically, as thunderclouds and storms develop, complex microphysical
processes cause the buildup of reservoirs of positive electric charge in the upper
regions of the cloud, and reservoirs of negative charge at the lower portions such
that a vertical electric dipole is formed.
Rycroft et al. [96] and Odzimek et al. [97] estimated that thunderstorms con-
tribute about 60% to 80% of the upward positive currents flowing to the ionosphere,
with electrified rain/shower clouds, dust storms, volcanoes, and earthquakes respon-
sible for 40% to 20%. However, the lower portions of thunder clouds contain a neg-
ative charge and direct negative charges toward the ground [5] [98].
It is believed that on average a thunderstorm generates an upward D.C. current
of ~1 A to the ionosphere, which is an excellent conductor (with an equipotential
VI of ~+250 kV) and an A.C. current toward Earth [99]. Thunderclouds, there-
fore, constitute giant “batteries” which drive a downward negative electric current
toward Earth, and an upward current (i.e. positive ions that accumulate in the
troposphere and within the clouds), through the stratosphere and mesosphere up
to the ionosphere and which attracts plasma [3]. The upward conduction current
of a single thunderstorm can cause the charge potential of the ionosphere to reach
~+250 kV with respect to that of the Earth’s surface [35] [36]
Because thunderclouds generate potential differences exceeding 100 MV between
the positive charges at their tops and the negative charges near their bottoms, they
serve as both a D.C. (negative to positive) and an A.C. (positive to negative) bat-
tery/generator that continually recharges the global electric circuit maintained be-
tween the ionosphere, the lower atmospheres, the land masses and the oceans.
Moreover, the thundercloud’s “D.C. Battery” creates a series of horizontal charge
fields above the cloud—basically creating an “all roads lead to Rome” multi-path-
way that plasmoids may traverse as they fly toward and then descend into a thun-
derstorm. By contrast, the A.C. generator at the bottom creates vertical charge fields
leading downward to a dozen meters above the ground and ocean and thus provid-
ing yet another pathway to the lower atmosphere and the surface [98]. However,
in so doing, the coupling of a downward charge with the positive charge in the
lower atmosphere, may result in a plasmodic collision that also produce transient
plasmas, e.g. ball lightning.
This physical separation of oppositely charged particles within the cloud and the
creation of the dipole occurs, in part, because the larger negatively charged cloud

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 R. G. Joseph et al.

particles fall toward Earth and smaller positively charged particles are transported
to the ionosphere [100]. However, the thunder cloud may become layered or pock-
eted with negative and positive charge centers. Thus, the dipole connection with
Earth vs. the ionosphere may become multi-polar—a function of the dynamic na-
ture of the thunderstorm and the many factors (such as temperature, amount of
moisture, humidity) which can affect the temporal evolution of charge.
Thunderclouds, which generate potential differences exceeding 100 MV between
the positive charges at their tops and the negative charges near their bottoms [101],
are the most important source of currents through the atmosphere. They are both
a D.C. “battery” and an A.C. generator in the global electric circuit and are im-
mensely attractive to plasmas in the ionosphere.
Lightning discharge from the top of a thundercloud commonly generate ener-
getic electrons so powerful they are transformed into an upward gamma-ray burst
and electromagnetic waves that travel in a variety of direction and across a broad
range of frequencies including whistler radio waves that jet through the iono-
sphere into the plasmasphere [102] [103]. It is possible that these whistler radio
waves alert and direct plasmoids in the ionosphere and plasmasphere to an active
thunderstorm.
Thunderstorms—in conjunction with Earth, its land masses, oceans, clouds, and
thermosphere-ionosphere—are primarily responsible for maintaining Earth’s Global
Electric Field and Circuit [70] [101]. Thunderstorms also appear to provide an elec-
trically recharging “way-station” for plasmoids descending from the ionosphere,
mesosphere, and stratosphere to the positively charged lower atmosphere—the
troposphere—and the oceans of Earth.

5. Fair Weather Clouds

Each of the ~1000 thunderstorms active each day generates a downward A.C. cur-
rent that flows even to areas remote from those thunderstorms including toward
fair weather (no clouds) and semi-fair weather (non-precipitating layered clouds)
areas [104]-[106]. Complex microphysical processes acting within thunderclouds
can also cause the buildup of reservoirs of positive electric charge at ~10 - 16 km
altitude, i.e. in the troposphere and lower stratosphere [5]—airspace in which pas-
senger and military jets often cruise.
Once a localized storm has calmed, the atmosphere and remaining clouds con-
tinue to be electrified in upper horizontal and lower vertical directions. For exam-
ple, it has been estimated that 30 minutes after the last lightning flash a horizontal
positive charge can be detected over 250 km2 distant; and that even when nearly
an hour has passed, the horizontal positive charge will still extend over 90 km2 at
an altitude of 10 km [5] [107] [108].
Thus, for over an hour or more, the interior positive charge extends well beyond
the lifetime of the thunderstorm and persists even during fair weather conditions
and may infiltrate and charge distant areas that are otherwise cloudless; and this
is due to the fact that the stratosphere and especially the troposphere act as non-

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R. G. Joseph et al.

conducting insulators and maintain a positive charge [88]. In addition, fair weather
clouds, including those fluffy white and pillow shaped, and in particular those that
are layered, are also electrically charged and contribute to the GEC [70] [104]-
[106]. Such clouds are known to cover around 30% of the planet at any one time
[70]. Earth’s lower atmosphere, above much of the planet, is therefore electrically
charged.
Clouds in general accumulate charges. In the natural atmosphere, the global
circuit drives vertical current through layered clouds and fogs, such that the lower
boundary of the cloud is subject to rising moist air and water vapor saturation all
of which contribute to a negative charge at the lower boundaries of the cloud
[109]-[114]. Calculations and measurements for non-precipitating (fair weather)
clouds have documented that the interior and upper boundary and interior charge
of these clouds are usually positive and the lower cloud boundary negative [70]
[109]—similar to thunderclouds. Globally, the total positive charge stored by lay-
ered clouds is approximately 105 C, which, combined with the positive charge in the
troposphere atmospheric column below and in the stratospheric column above
the cloud up to the ionosphere, balances the total negative surface charge of the
land masses below [70] [109].
A positive charge also accumulates in these fair-weather clouds because of
the horizontal transmission of positive charges even from thunder clouds hun-
dreds of kilometers distant. Because they act as passive accumulators of charge
these fair-weather clouds also serve as “generators” of current within the global
circuit [70].
Plasmoids filmed by 10 shuttle missions are attracted to electromagnetic activ-
ity and the positive charges at the top of thunder clouds and positively charged
lightning (Figures 3-13). Therefore, it can be predicted that plasmas would be ob-
served not only during disturbed weather conditions, but on foggy, cloudy, humid
as well as on cloudless fair-weather days due to the attractive influences of this pos-
itively charged environment.

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 R. G. Joseph et al.

Plasmas in the Thermosphere Approaching—Descending into Thunder-

storms

Figure 11. Multiple plasmoids, alone and in pairs, arrive from off-camera and approach, at different velocities, and descend into a
powerful thunderstorm [1]. See: https://researchgate.net/publication/383116954.

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R. G. Joseph et al.

A Single Thermosphere Plasma Soaring above & Descending into a Thun-

derstorm

Figure 12. A single plasmoid alone approaches a powerful thunder and lightning storm; and then descends into the storm and the
lower atmosphere [1]. (Bottom). Processed with Fotor anti-blur imaging processing software. Note multiple voids/nuclei in speci-
mens magnified 1600 times.

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 R. G. Joseph et al.

Plasmoid Materializing and Descending into a Thunderstorm

Figure 13. A plasma materializes above and descends into the storm and the lower atmosphere. (Bottom) Note void/nuclei (top
second row). Filmed by STS 80 [1].

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R. G. Joseph et al.

Figure 14. A plasmoid materializes and descends into the storm and the lower atmosphere. (Bottom) Note multiple voids/nuclei.
Filmed by STS 80 [1]

Figure 15. Plasmoids materializing or suddenly self-illuminating above a thunderstorm [1].

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 R. G. Joseph et al.

Plasmoid Materialize above Thunderstorms Target Same Plasma. Engage in

Complex Interactions

(A)

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R. G. Joseph et al.

(B)

Figure 16. (A) Plasmoid 1 (red circle) targets collides/merges with a plasma 2 (purple). Plasmoid 3 materializes (white box) after a
hyper-velocity hunter strikes numerous plasmas. Plasmoid 3 follows and also collides/merges with Plasma 2. (Continued with (B)).
Filmed by STS 101 [1]. (B) As documented in (A), the white box plasma #3 materialized and followed the Red Circle plasma #4,
intersecting the same #2 plasma that Red Circle had already penetrated. The Red and White come close together, but White contin-
ues to just above the thunderstorm. Plasmoid 1 ejects a smaller plasma #4 circled in green, which makes contact with the White Box
Plasma #3, which then reverses course, targets, collides, merges and intersects White Circle Plasma #1. These complex interactions
could be interpreted as indications of communication, intelligence, and complex social behavior. Filmed by STS 101 [1].

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 R. G. Joseph et al.

Thermosphere Plasmoids That Form Rings, Cones “Jelly Fish”, “Sprites”

and “Elves”

Figure 17. Plasmoids in the thermosphere take a variety of forms and change shape, resembling clouds, rings, cones, and multiple
plasmas joined together. If these are representative of a “fourth domain of life” then some may represent distinct “species”.

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R. G. Joseph et al.

Transient Luminous Plasmas

Figure 18. Transient plasmas, (Top Left) referred to as an “Elves”. Photographed on March 27, 2023 above Possagno, TV, Italy. The
red ring marks where the pulse hit the ionosphere. (Top Right) A transient plasma, resembling a “jelly fish” referred to as a “Sprite”.

Figure 19. (Left) Shape-shifting ring-shaped plasmoid filmed above the ocean; (Middle: “Hunter” and Right “jellyfish”) thermo-
sphere plasmoids.

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 R. G. Joseph et al.

6. Lightning over Land vs. Sea

Lightning is an electrical discharge in the form of a thunderbolt, transmitting an
electrical charge of 5 coulombs and 500 Megajoules depending on the length of
the thunderbolt; e.g. 3 million volts per meter and about 1 billion volts for a light-
ning bolt of 300 meters (1000 feet). lightning also has a velocity of 45 km per sec-
ond (100,000 miles per hour) and a temperature of around 1700˚C (3090˚F). In
contrast to the upward thunderstorm dipole consisting of positive energy, light-
ning emitted from the lower regions of a cloud usually (but not aways) consists of
negative electrical currents ranging from 40 kAh to 120 kA [110]. Thus, downward
directed lightning also excites the AC global circuit. However, some lightning bolts
carry an electric current of up to 120 kA, and transmit an electrical charge of 5
coulombs and 500 Megajoules [106].
Lightning is commonplace and when considered as a global phenomenon, is
continuous. Christian et al. [111] estimated the global rate at ~44 flashes per sec-
ond as based on space-borne sensors; whereas Gurnett et al. [112] based on Cas-
sini’s HF measurements during its Earth flyby in 1999, arrived at an estimate of
~70 flashes per second [102].
It is estimated that up to 90% of global lightning is diurnal and concentrated
above the convectively active continental tropical land regions and shows a clear
maximum around 16 - 17 LT and a minimum in the early morning hours 6 - 9
LT. By contrast, oceanic lightning activity is spread evenly throughout the day and
early evening [113]-[116]. It is estimated that the number of upward directed
lightning flashes over land is hundred times greater than over the tropical oceans.
[116]; and this may be due to land masses having a negative charge whereas the
electrical charge of the surface of the sea may wax and wane between positive and
negative.

7. Transient Plasmas in the Ionosphere: Elves, Sprites, Pixies,

Streaks, Flashes, and Jelly Fish
Lightning is a plasma that produces transient plasmas that linger near the ground
and lower atmosphere and those that rocket toward the ionosphere [17] [76] [117].
Whereas plasmas of the Ionosphere will descend into thunderstorms, colorful tran-
sient plasmas will erupt from thunderstorms and jet at incredible velocities through
the stratosphere, mesosphere, and thermosphere, with some taking shape 50 to 90
km above Earth—including those resembling “jellyfish”, “clouds”, “streaks”,
“flashes”, “donuts”, “stars” and rapidly expanding rings of light [91]-[93] [118]
[119]. Astronauts have also reported that three objects, two “ring” shaped, ap-
proached and were hovering near their space shuttle [1].
These upward directed transient “cold” plasmas are not rare events, but are pro-
duced on average one every second [120] [121] and are commonly referred to as
“sprites”, “elves”, and “pixies” in the scientific literature. Moreover, these upward
directed plasma may intersect plasmas of the ionosphere (Figure 7, Figure 8, Fig-
ure 22, Figure 23) and based on reports by astronauts, they have penetrated and

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R. G. Joseph et al.

flashed through spaceships, the MIR, the space shuttles, and ISS [19]-[22].
For example, sprites are believed to form during intense positive cloud-to-ground
lightning and propagate visible tendrils downwards and upward; whereas Elves
likely form during an interaction between the propagating electromagnetic light-
ning pulse and the ions of the ionosphere [122]. Other cold plasmas produced by
lightning storms have been referred to as “blue jets”, “gigantic jets”, “blue sprites”,
“blue starters”, “pixies” and so on [118] [123] [124].
All these plasmas may extend from cloud tops all the way up toward the iono-
sphere. “Blue jets” for example, are beams of blue light that streak upward from
active thunderclouds but take unusual shapes, resembling giant trees with filamen-
tary branches and pierce the stratosphere into the lower ionosphere at increasing
speeds [123]. By contrast, “giant jets” preferentially appear above the oceans, and
a single jet may speed up and brighten, slow down as it dims, and may split in two
[123].
Collectively, these particular plasmas have been referred to as Transient Lumi-
nous Events (TLEs), which is the collective name given to a wide variety of optical
emissions and which have been studied from the ground, and via balloons, air-
craft, the space shuttles, the ISS (International Space Station) and orbiting satel-
lites.
Plasmas that jet upward have various colors (predominately white, but also red,
green, blue, orange, and yellow; and have been described by astronauts as shaped
like donuts (Elves), jellyfish (sprites), clouds, rings, and flashes and streaks of blue
or white light [1] [19]-[23].
These upward propagating plasmas are not always associated with thunder-
storms. For example, two weeks before it exploded on reentry in 2003, the crew of
the Space Shuttle Columbia observed an intense flash of red light that continued
to glow in the ionosphere despite the fact that no thunderstorms were observed
down below. Possibly this is because gravity waves, meteors, volcanoes, seismic
events, and even dust storms are believed to modify the local electrical properties
of the mesosphere and ionosphere [26] [35] [88] [106] [124] all of which can cause
the formation of plasmas with a variety of shapes and that engage in different be-
haviors. Therefore, in general these upward transient luminous plasmas rise and
take shape 50 km to 90 km above the surface.
TLEs are associated with “Whistlers” [125]. Whistlers “whistle” and are cen-
tered above intense thunderstorm activity but pass through the ionosphere along
geomagnetic field lines to the opposite hemisphere and into deep space [126]
[127]. Whistlers may alert plasmas to the location of a particularly intense electric
storm.
TLEs, along with whistlers from lightning, trigger particle-wave interactions
and collisions with energetic electrons [125] and not only contribute to the ion-
ization of the mesosphere and thermosphere, but can affect spacecraft and sat-
ellites—even entering and exiting spacecraft—before radiating out into deep
space.

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8. Plasmoids (UAP) Approach to Apollo Spacecraft, Satellites,

the Space Shuttles and MIR
Upward directed lightning bolts with their positive charges form an electrical cir-
cuit between the tops of thunderstorms and the ionosphere and produce transient
plasmas, referred to as elves, sprites, and blue jets. These transient, colorful plasmas
can jet into the thermosphere and pass-through glass, metal, brick, wood, plastic
[12] [13] [18] [47] [49] and penetrate and enter various spacecraft and the Inter-
national space station—as reported by astronauts [19]-[22].
As documented in this and an earlier report [3] plasma have a variety of col-
ors—including white, blue, green, red; as well as a variety shapes (e.g. donut,
cone, spherical, amorphous, cloud, blob, sperm), and sometimes the glowing
sheen of a non-solid clothlike metal. Moreover, they have approached, gathered
around, and passed by the MIR International Space Station (Figure 1), satellites
(Figures 3-5, Figure 20, Figure 21, Figure 24) and space shuttles (Figure 33);
and may have been first observed by astronauts aboard the Gemini and Apollo
spacecraft.
For example, on February 20, 1962, Astronaut John Glenn, the first American
to orbit Earth, excitedly reported that he was seeing, outside his spacecraft, little
colorful objects that “look like stars”. He reported that they “are brilliantly lit up
like they’re luminescent. I never saw anything like it. They round a little; they’re
coming by the capsule, and they look like little stars. A whole shower of them com-
ing by. They swirl around the capsule and go in front of the window and they’re
all brilliantly lighted. They probably average maybe 7 or 8 feet apart, but I can see
them all down below me, also”.
NASA CAPCOM replied: “Roger, Friendship Seven. Can you hear any impact
with the capsule? Over”. Glenn replied: “Negative, negative... They’re going at the
same speed I am approximately... They do, they do have a different motion, though,
from me because they swirl around the capsule and then depart back the way I am
looking”.
These “luminescent”, “brilliantly lighted”, “round” and “star” shaped optics
were attracted to the portal (window) of Glenn’s capsule and were briefly viewed
during the first orbit, as the craft flew above those areas of the ocean referred to
as the Pacific, Indian, and Southern Ocean—an area where spectacular celestial
lights (AKA Aurora Australis, Southern lights) and colorful, transient plasmodic
events are common [128]. The specific auras and plasmas have been attributed to
heightened localized geomagnetic activity down below and fluctuations in Earth’s
magnetosphere, which, as noted, contribute to the production and influence the
behavior of plasmoids.
NASA later dismissed Glenn’s “fireflies” as “ice particles” traveling with his space-
ship and illuminated by the rising Sun, i.e. water that somehow froze on the out-
side of the ship after liftoff and this frozen liquid remained frozen and attached
despite the heat-friction of ascent through the atmosphere, but once in space and
despite the sub-zero temperatures, this ice melted because of the sunlight—creating

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R. G. Joseph et al.

the “fireflies”—and then somehow all this liquid became re-attached to the space
capsule and froze again, then melted again [129].
During the second orbit as Glen flew over the volcanic Canary Islands which
are dominated by an active volcano, Mt. Teide, his ship was again surrounded by
“luminescent”, “stars” and “round” shaped optical phenomenon; and which he
verified were not coming from the ship’s engines and instead repeatedly gathered
near the window of his capsule. Space shuttle astronauts, have also reported that
objects shaped like “rings”, but which were not solid, also gathered near the shuttle
windows [1].
Although Mt. Teide is considered active, there has not been an eruption since
1909. Even so, active volcanoes produce heightened electromagnetic activity [130]
and are associated with lightning and other atmospheric electrical phenomena.
Volcanic gas is also mostly positively charged [131] as particles and liquid droplets
which when combined with the ejection of ions provides several possible charging
mechanisms [132]. Volcanoes can also provide charges to thunderclouds [133].
Particles with positive and negative charges also leak from active volcanoes but
undergo charge separation [132], triggering lightning as well as transient plasmas
that may shoot up to the stratosphere and beyond.
What Glenn and other astronauts observed are most likely colorful transient
plasmas; electromagnetic entities with electric charges. These transient entities as-
sume a variety of colorful brightly lit shapes, including ovoids, balls, streaks, and
little stars [63] [127] [134] that may or may not have a reflective metallic sheen
(Figure 15).
TLEs, like long duration plasmas in the ionosphere, are not solid and do not
consist of metal. For example, the commander of STS 115 described what are most
likely thermosphere plasmas as translucent, flexible, not a solid object, metallic
but not made of metal, and giving off light and glowing: “The best way I can de-
scribe it as some kind of reflective cloth—some type of metallic looking type of
cloth—a structure which is definitely not rigid—it’s not a solid metal structure”
[1]-[3].
Many of the observations of astronauts are consistent with film-footage depict-
ing what appear to be colorful plasmas which are “not rigid” and “not a solid metal
structure”. It is precisely because they are a plasma, and (presumably) not a solid,
that plasmas can pass through metal, brick, wood, glass, and have entered and
appeared inside spacecraft, the MIR International Space Station, and the Interna-
tional Space Station; possibly gaining access by passing through windows which
lack electromagnetic shielding [47]; and this may explain why John Glenn and other
astronauts have observed these optical phenomenon outside and approaching win-
dows; they were seeking access.

9. Plasmas Have Invaded Spacecraft, MIR and International

Space Station
There have been numerous credible reports documenting that plasmas shaped like
donuts, spheres, and even “jellyfish” can pass through metal, plastic, wood, windows,

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 R. G. Joseph et al.

and brick walls over 40 centimeters thick, and enter home, businesses, and the
cockpits of aircraft [11] [12] [47]-[49], sometimes burning or shocking those in-
side, and/or damaging power plants, electrical circuits and short-circuiting televi-
sion sets, radios, junction boxes, and other electrical devices.
Astronauts, including the first and second man to walk on the moon, have re-
ported seeing flashes of colored light that had entered their sealed craft and which
had various shapes. According to Buzz Aldrin “Something was zapping through
the cabin... I observed what I thought were little flashes inside the cabin... I was
able to see double flashes, at points separated by maybe a foot. At other times, I
could see a line with no direction of motion”. Neil Armstrong also admitted that
he’d “seen some light” that had flashed inside the cabin, and that his observations
were similar to those of Buzz Aldrin [19] [20].
The crews of Apollo 12 through 17 also “observed light flashes” inside the cabin
[20] that were “blue”, “red”, “white” and shaped like “stars” or clouds” or “steaks”.
Nor were these illusions, hallucinations, or due to cosmic or gamma rays affecting
their eyes, because they were not observed when astronauts closed their eyes or were
wearing blindfolds. For example, Lunar Module pilot Harrison Schmitt, reported
that inside his craft, “we had light flashes just about continuously during the whole
flight” and he had seen another “flash on the lunar surface” during his moon-walk.
According to Schmitt and others, when “we had the blindfolds on for the ALF-
MED experiment there were no visible flashes”. But when they removed the blind-
folds, they again began “seeing the light flashes again” inside the ship; and which
were later attributed to the “flux of multiply charged nuclei” from the Van Allen
radiation belt [21] which in turn are a major factor in the formation and behavior
of plasma in the thermosphere and ionosphere.
Crews aboard the MIR space station also reported seeing the light flashes which
they described as having various and complex shapes. Out of 59 different astro-
nauts who were members of the Shuttle, MIR and ISS crews, 47 admitted they’d
repeatedly seen light flashes inside their craft shaped like “stars”, “clouds” and
“blobs”; not only in darkness, but 11 saw them in dim light and two saw them in
bright light. Thirty nine of the 59 astronauts reported that the lights were colored
red, green, blue, orange, yellow, but most commonly white and almost all were in
motion, swirling or streaking about inside the craft [22].
Plasma-like UAP—shaped like “stars”, “clouds”, “rings” and “blobs” but of much
larger size (Figure 14)—have also been filmed flowing towards, circling, flying past
or hovering near the MIR International Space Station and the Space Shuttles and
an electrified tether generating electromagnetic pulses into the space medium [1]-
[3]; the latter of which include those shaped like jellyfish (Figure 14) serpents (Fig-
ure 7, Figure 12) and those that streak at hyper speeds above thunderstorms (Fig-
ure 7, Figure 8, Figure 22, Figure 23).

10. Encounters with Plasmas That Descended into the Lower

Atmosphere: UAPs
The ionosphere-thermosphere (and possibly the upper layers of the mesophere) are

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R. G. Joseph et al.

electrically conductive, with thunderstorms and (less so) electrified clouds serving
as the main current source and providing continual upward positive charges. The
atmospheric conductivity in fact increases with height due to the increased ioni-
zation produced by cosmic rays and extreme ultraviolet and X-radiation [36]. As
a good electrical conductor, the positive charges within the ionosphere are gener-
ally equipotential and spherically symmetric about the Earth and its oceans which
also serve as a conductor.
Between these two conductors (the ionosphere and Earth’s oceans and surface)
are electrified clouds that circulate in the troposphere and lower stratosphere
[106]. The troposphere (0 to 10,000 meters above the surface) and stratosphere
(10,000 to 30,000 meters) comprise the non-conducting positively charged layers
of the atmosphere and behave more like a leaky insulated electrical cable 30,000
meters in height and which surrounds Earth in all directions and through which
electrical charges and related phenomenon may pass including charged plasmas
that have a variety of shapes.
The lower atmosphere is weakly conducting [135] due to ionization by galactic
cosmic rays, electrified particles, and precipitation from the Van Allen radiation
belts [106] [136]. These extremely energetic (>100 MeV) charged particles—par-
ticularly those originating beyond the solar system—are incident from all direc-
tions at the top of the atmosphere. However, the maximum production rate of ion-
ization occurs at altitudes between 12 and 20 km [89] [136] [137], i.e. in the trop-
osphere: that region of the atmosphere where aircraft not uncommonly encounter
UAPs.
Because plasmoids are charged with electromagnetic energy, these non-conduct-
ing lower atmospheric layers provide an insulated route that leads from the iono-
sphere (thermosphere, mesosphere) directly to thunderstorms and electrified clouds
that generally form between 10,000 meters (33,000 feet/6.25 miles) to 20,000 me-
ters (66,000 feet/12.5 miles) above the surface [105] [106]. In consequence, elec-
tromagnetic plasmas that have descended to the lower atmosphere will encounter
airlines and military jets that (respectively) usually fly between 9144 to 12,800 me-
ters and 13,715 to 15,544 meters above the surface [38] [39].
It is likely that the plasmas of the ionosphere, when they descend into the lower
atmosphere, account for many reports of UAP/UFOs including those that have
followed, harassed, and “toyed with” military and civilian planes [3]. As doc-
umented, plasmas in the ionosphere will also turn, follow and even collide with
each other.
During the second world war, American, English, German and Japanese pilots
reported being followed, confronted and challenged by UFOs-UAPs that were
white, silver, and red, and often glowing or translucent, and shaped like clouds,
donuts, balls, spheres, and stars [41] [51]-[54] [138]. Allied pilots called them “Foo
Fighters”. Hundreds of pilots and flight crews described the “Foos” as on fire [138]—
Japanese pilots in particular. The Foos were glowing, and sometimes changing col-
ors from silver-white to red-orange.

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 R. G. Joseph et al.

As reported by Allied Supreme Headquarters and numerous news media out-

lets, including in 1944, by the New York Times [52]: “Airmen of the American Air
Force report that they are encountering silver colored spheres in the air...either
singly or in clusters. Sometimes they are semi-translucent... There was no infor-
mation available as to what holds them up like stars in the sky, what is in them, or
what their purpose appears to be”.
One WWII crew member reported that his encounter with the “Foos” gave him
nightmares: “Some of them”, he said, “looked shiny, metallic, and saucer shaped
when viewed from far away. We thought they were Nazi secret weapons, some
kinds of rocket-dirigible, capable of fantastic speeds and maneuvers... On one mis-
sion, after we dropped a lot of fire bombs... the Foos surrounded our plane... They
didn’t look like rockets or planes or made of metal; but more like giant colorful
jellyfish. Alive...toying with us” [41]. Two years after WWII came to a close, Ken-
neth Arnold observed nine shining shape-shifting phenomenon flying at fantastic
speeds, some of which resembled “sky jellyfish” [43].
According to the official military reports these WWII Foos were incredibly fast,
capable of amazing maneuvers and impossible turns, and would ride alongside,
above, below, and directly in front of U.S. fighter planes which proved incapable
of shooting them down [41] [51]-[54] [138]. Military pilots and others continued
to have these encounters during the “Korean War” and for every war thereafter in-
cluding numerous close calls that almost resulted in collisions. It can be assumed
that when collisions occurred, electronics may have failed and those planes crashed
killing all onboard.
This suspicion is not mere speculation. In the last 80 plus years, military pilots
have reported hundreds of encounters with these brightly lit UAP including turn-
ing, following, hovering, and near collisions, after which these UAP would sud-
denly disappear or speed off at hypersonic speeds—behaviors typical of plasmoids
in the thermosphere [1]-[3]. Nikitin [13] has documented numerous encounters
between Russian military and commercial pilots and UAPs that are most likely
“ball lightning” and which fly at fantastic speeds, make impossible turns, radiate
beams of light, cause electronic failures, jam radar, and which repeatedly confront
jets in flight and have nearly caused numerous aerial catastrophes.
According to the June 25, 2021 report issued by the Office of the Director of Na-
tional Intelligence [32] these “UAP...appeared to remain stationary in winds aloft,
move against the wind, maneuver abruptly, or move at considerable speed, with-
out discernible means of propulsion”. These are also the characteristics of plasmas
filmed in the thermosphere and which can change velocity and accelerate to hy-
personic speed—possibly by altering their charges. The U.S. government 2021 re-
port goes on to state: “In a small number of cases, military aircraft systems processed
radio frequency (RF) energy associated with UAP sightings”.
It is noteworthy that plasmas radiate electromagnetic energy. If the plasma trav-
els along geomagnetic lines, they are accompanied by or generate radio-frequen-
cies termed “whistlers” which are named for the sound it makes. Whistlers are caused

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R. G. Joseph et al.

when plasma from lightning travels along the geomagnetic flux lines [125]. There-
fore, those RF waves sometimes detected in association with UAP may be whistler
radio waves which are produced by plasmas and which radiate throughout the
entire frequency range from VLF, ELF to ULF [125] [139] and which can be heard
on AM radios on Earth.
Plasmas also consist of charged particles which can create radio signals with a
characteristic frequency of 300 Hz to 2 kHz [140]. Moreover, Füllekrug et al. [141]
simulated the production of relativistic electrons above a thundercloud and below
a sprite, and which radiated radio waves with frequencies up to 400 kHz. Consider;
AM broadcasting frequencies range from 535 to 1605 KHz; FM broadcasting
from 88 to 108 MHz; whereas Military aircraft broadcast and receive at 225.0 to
399.95 MHz for air-to-air and air-to-ground, including air traffic control com-
munication. It is likely that the “radio frequency (RF) energy associated with
UAP sightings” were whistlers and frequencies associated with plasma. In fact,
Whistlers can be heard on Earth-based radios and are called “whistlers” because
they whistle.

11. Effects of UFO/UAP and Ball Lightning Plasmas: Behavior,

Types, Hallucinations, and Confusion
Collectively, the diverse array of plasmoids that form in the lower atmosphere have
sometimes been referred to as “ball lightning” and which have multiple shapes, col-
ors and forms and may endure from a few seconds to several dozen minutes before
vanishing. In this report, we provide evidence of what is most likely ball lightning
hovering over the ocean (Figure 27) and a series of freeze frames from a 3-minute
film by U.S. Customs of a rapidly shape-shifting object flying erratically just above
the ocean and that repeatedly splits apart (Figures 28-32). Although it may have
behaved like “ball lightning” this latter entity and those that split off, were not oval
or round, but assumed twisted and unusual shapes.
Broadly considered there are several major loosely defined categories of “ball
lightning” which is the collective term for a variety of illuminated plasmas that
appear in the lower atmosphere [13] [17] [49] [76] [117] [142]-[145]. For example,
there is the ball of lightning that appears after a bolt strikes a pole, tree, or the
ground and which kicks up dust and debris that along with various gases are in-
corporated within a plasma that is illuminated and which may be round or ovoid
in shape. A second category is observed above dust storms and prior to and after
earthquakes and during volcanic eruptions. The third category is a ball of light
that floats in the air at various distances above ground, sometimes as high as the
stratosphere and which emits beams of light. Another category includes luminous
globes that lead or follow a bolt of lightning, and that may bounce against the
ground or telephone poles and electric cables. A fifth category includes those that
travel atop and along power lines and fences. Then there are those that enter or
appear inside buildings, homes, and airplanes that are aloft. In each instance, the
plasmoid may move randomly, erratically sometimes very rapidly, or slowly, but

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most often horizontally at relatively slow velocities and then suddenly vanish or it
may explode as it disappears.
Therefore, like the plasmas of the ionosphere and the transient plasmas ejected
upward from thunderclouds, the plasmas collectively referred to as “ball light-
ning” have different color sizes and shapes including “rectangular” [128] and in-
clude those that rapidly and continually change shape [13]. They may engage in ro-
tational movements, or move about erratically, and travel at different velocities, in-
cluding speeding up, slowing down, and hovering. They have also been described
as hot, cold, or lacking temperature, though some have reported being burned or
suffering an electric shock [13] [63] [134] and even radiation burns [13]. Most are
described as intensely white or bluish white, occasionally red to yellow, or green,
blue, or purple.
Estimates as to size range from a few centimeters to several meters. Although usu-
ally globular, they have also been described as shaped like a ring, a cloud, a blob,
a jellyfish, a flame or ball of fire, or as shape shifters that may appear as ellipsoids,
cylinders, disks and triangular [13]. Some balls seem solid; others appear to be
hollow; yet others may fragment into smaller balls or are accompanied or imme-
diately followed by another luminescent circular apparition [17] [76] [128] [142]
[143].
Some observers have detected an odor resembling ozone, sulfur, and nitrogen
dioxide in the vicinity of these plasmas. Some believe the ball of plasma is cold,
because they feel no heat when it gets near their body. However, there are also
anecdotal reports of balled plasma melting soil, evaporating large volumes of wa-
ter, and of people suffering severe burns or a painful electric shock [13]. In addi-
tion, power outages have also been attributed to these balls of plasma [128].
Some of those who have encountered ball lighting, also report becoming con-
fused, disoriented and even experiencing visual illusions and hallucinations or
suffering from nightmares [13] [63] [146] [147]. In one instance hundreds of those
who observed first one then a second ball of lighting, reported feeling disoriented
not only during, but for several minutes after the ball disappeared, as documented
in the following account by Mason [128]:
The mining town of “Tom Price”—also known as “Top Town” because it is 747
m (2451 ft) above sea level—is located in Western Australia adjacent to a moun-
tainous region, the Hamersley Range—and above which John Glenn flew in 1962
when he first reported his observation of brilliant flashes of light, outside his cap-
sule window, shaped like spheres and stars. In October 1994 at around 8:30 PM,
approximately 1000 of the town’s 4000 residents “saw a very large red-orange col-
ored ball of fire moving at very low altitude directly towards them...it appeared to
be a fiery orange-yellow-white color—possibly rectangular or spherical in cross
section (depending on observer), from the side it appeared to be a spherical yel-
low-white light—pulsing up and down in light intensity (as captured on video)”.
Several of the “observers, being some 200 meters directly below it by now, re-
ported that it was an intense spherical ball of orange-red fire with the fire swirling
in a spiral pattern and the flames disappearing internally upwards into a central

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R. G. Joseph et al.

black ‘hole’ or void within the spherical mass of flames”. Another observer also
described it as “like a moving plasma ball in a local space-time warp around a
central black hole”... “The fireball had no tail and made no noise at all... It was
described as a sort of ‘implosion ball of flames’ with all the fire or flames originat-
ing in local space outside the fiery sphere-like form, the flames being sucked into
the center where they disappeared”.
After about five minutes, “it flashed a bright blue-white color that lit up the area
and it then took off at very high speed and disappeared almost instantly moving
very fast to the east. Other observers simply believed that it just disappeared with
the intense blue-white light flash/explosion—no explosive noise heard—just a
very bright light energy emission flash....”.
“Immediately a second fireball appeared in the west following the path of the
first. This flew slightly lower but at the same slow light aircraft speed (i.e. about
100 mph) and similarly at constant low altitude...and was identical in all respects
to the first. It disappeared similarly in a massive blue-white flash of light energy
moving at very high velocity to the east...”.
“Many attempted to take photos but all film rolls returned from Perth showed
good family snaps but only white blanks of the fireballs...suggesting that X-ray or
similar e/m radiation from the fireball fogged the film”. Fortunately, two minutes
of this incident were videotaped and showed a “pulsing light or fireball”. Many of
the residents also discovered that their watches stopped working, or that electrical
equipment, TVs and radios had stopped functioning. “It was later found out that
the Dampier power station (150 km north of Tom Price) went off line at the time
of the Tom Price fireballs due to a huge overvoltage pulse on the transmission
lines”.
Many of the residents also admitted that they began to feel confused and diso-
riented as the fire ball approached: “Strange time/space/mind distortion effects
were in operation (emanating from the fireballs) such that confusion reigned im-
mediately during and after the sightings” [128].

Figure 20. (Top) 18th/19th century encounters with “ball lighting”. (Left) Death of Russian professor Georg Wilhelm Richman from a
ball lightning strike on July 26, 1753. These encounters generally cause shock, terror, confusion, disorientation, and later, sleep
disturbance and nightmares. (Bottom Right) CGI re-creation of orange colored UAP based on witness descriptions of a UAP en-
counter with the USS Ronald Regan in 2004, from Beaty et al. [50].

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12. Speculation: Electromagnetic Hallucinations and Alien

Abductions
Plasmoids appear to be electromagnetic entities that emit electric charges and en-
ergetic electrons. Proximity to plasmoids described as “ball lightning” have been
reported to cause damage to electrical systems, television sets, telephones, junc-
tion boxes, and electrical circuits and knock out power stations presumably due
to the radiation of electromagnetic fields. Christopher Mellon, former Deputy As-
sistant Secretary of Defense for Intelligence in the Clinton and George W. Bush
administrations stated at the “SOL Foundation” Symposium in November 2023,
that UAP are capable of “emitting radiations in radiation in the 1 to 3 and 8 to 12
gigahertz range” [and] “have rendered segments of our nuclear deterrent inoper-
able. In other recent cases they’re jamming Radars on fighter aircraft”.
Russian pilots and ground crews have reported similar experiences including
cases where “the aircraft’s electronic equipment fails” and where ball shaped UAP
have interfered “with the operation of radio equipment and affect the human psy-
che” including inducing vivid hallucinations of humanoid-like forms [13]. Arnold,
who inadvertently coined the term “flying saucer” in 1947, reported that he also
felt his mind was affected by these pulsating forms that he believed might be read-
ing his thoughts [44].
Anecdotal reports claim that these plasmoids (AKA UAP) can cause night-
mares, confusion, feelings of disorientation and induce illusions and hallucina-
tions—presumably due to the effects of electromagnetic radiation having adverse
neurological effects, possibly affecting the temporal lobes (and hippocampus and
amygdala) in particular [148]. In one instance, nearly 1000 residents experienced
“Strange time/space/mind distortion effects were in operation (emanating from
the fireballs) such that confusion reigned immediately during and after the sight-
ings” [128].
Luis Elizondo former U.S. Army Counterintelligence Special Agent, DoD Of-
fice of the Under Secretary of Defense for Intelligence and former director of the
Advanced Aerospace Threat Identification (AATIP) Program, has reported that
periods of confusion are not uncommon during and after a UAP encounter:
“where certain observers almost appeared to be in an essence mesmerized...almost
like hypnotized by the event to the point where...it wasn’t until after the event, did
people kind of scratch their heads and say, oh my God, did we just see what we
saw?”.
However, in many anecdotal reports, couples and entire families have reported
not just seeing but taking a picture of a UFO that had landed. But when these photos
are developed, there is no UFO and no aliens; sometimes only a bright light. At the
other extreme are the numerous cases of individual reporting or remembering or
dreaming about having been abducted by aliens [15] [148]. As noted, nightmares
after encounters with plasmas are not uncommon; and which raises the possibil-
ity: is the memory of an abduction actually based on a dream, a nightmare, or the
product of an electromagnetically induced hallucination caused by exposure to a

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R. G. Joseph et al.

plasma?
Experiments have demonstrated that exposure to electromagnetic fields can pro-
duce a diverse range of hallucinatory phenomena including the hearing of voices
and the perception of full-blown demonic or ghostly apparitions [149]-[154]. Per-
singer and colleagues [155]-[157] have repeatedly induced anomalous hallucina-
tory experiences and otherworldly phenomenon via the application of complex
magnetic fields to the temporal region of the skull, whereas Frey [151] employing
power densities as low as 400 μW/m2 was also able to produce voices and a variety
of sounds even in subjects completely deaf. Over the years, various U.S. govern-
ment agencies have employed and funded scientists who are expected to develop
electromagnetic radiating devices that can be used for crowd control and even in-
fluence how individuals vote [152].
Electromagnetic pulses can also cause dizziness, vomiting, confusion, disorien-
tation, memory loss, the perception of unpleasant odors, dissociative experiences
(floating above the body), or cause those affected to fall asleep and have night-
mares or conversely make them unable to sleep so that they begin to hallucinate
after prolonged sleep deprivation [13] [151] [158]. Stroboscopic dazzling lights
and specific radio frequencies are reported to have almost identical effects [158]
[159]. Therefore, based on anecdotal and experimental studies, there is now con-
siderable evidence that exposure to intense electromagnetic fields and bright stro-
boscopic pulsating lights—such as those associated with plasmas—can induce com-
plex hallucinations of ghost-like and demonic forms or horrific nightmares that
upon recall or following hypnosis, might later be interpreted as “alien abductions”.
This is not to say that all claims of abduction should be dismissed as due to an
electromagnetically or stroboscopic induced hallucinations, but rather, exposure
to plasmas radiating high levels of electromagnetic activity can alter perceptions
of reality. Again, Arnold, who coined the term “flying saucers” believed that these
arrays of bright shape shifting lights and forms, had somehow invaded his thoughts
and could read his mind [44].

Figure 21. 19th century encounters with “ball lighting”. These encounters generally cause shock, confusion, disorientation, terror,
and later, sleep disturbance and nightmares.

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 R. G. Joseph et al.

Figure 22. Examples of oscillating, Stroboscopic waxing pulsating plasma illumination in the thermosphere. These behaviors and
more, can be viewed in a 17-minute film consisting of a compilation of NASA space shuttle [1]. See:
https://www.researchgate.net/publication/383116954.

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R. G. Joseph et al.

Figure 23. This pulsating plasmoid emerged into the thermosphere from the clouds below, and approached the space shuttle [1]. It
is likely that some individuals may feel confused, disoriented, or increasingly mesmerized when exposed to a bright pulsating object
emitting powerful electromagnetic impulses as it approaches, and becomes increasingly bright. Hallucinations are not uncommon
during exposure to electromagnetic pulses and nightmares may follow, all of which may be experienced or “remembered” or inter-
preted as an alien abduction.

13. Plasmas Have Invaded the Cockpit of Airplanes

The lower atmospheric transient luminous phenomenon like the sprites, elves,

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and blue jets of the upper atmosphere, are short lived, display a diversity of sizes
and colors, and may appear as ellipsoids, cylinders and disks that radiate beams
of light and high-frequency radio emission [13]. Not uncommonly they occur in
pairs, triplets or follow one another but do not engage in complex behaviors.
Like those of the upper atmosphere which have entered spacecraft, plasmas in
the lower atmosphere pass through metal, plastic, glass and aluminum and entered
aircraft cockpits [47] [49]. Cockpits are a preferred mode of plasma entry, pre-
sumably because in contrast to the high electric fields that exist on this portion of
the aircraft, the cockpit windows are large and lack any electrical shielding [47]—
which may explain why John Glenn and other astronauts have reported seeing
these UAPs approaching or appearing just outside the windows of their spacecraft.
Perhaps they were seeking entry. However, although they may enter a window, they
may exit by passing through a metal door [49].
Don Smith [49] who was a lieutenant in the U.S. Air Force and the navigator of
a cargo aircraft in route to Hawaii has reported the following encounter: “We were
at an altitude of 18,000 feet, it was at night and we were flying in a continuous
horizontal layer of thin cloud which had the density of soup...a glowing ball of
golden fire about the size of a volleyball appeared just inside the windshield, mid-
way of the windshield and above the central Pilot console. It touched nothing and
made no sound...but slowly floated downward into the cockpit between the Pilots,
then between the Engineer and me, coming within a foot of me at my waist, now
staying about three feet above the floor, then slowly turned left toward the crew
lounge doorway, went through the open doorway, turned right 90 degrees and
toward where the Loadmaster was sitting...the Loadmaster burst into the cockpit
yelling ‘Did you see THAT?’. The Loadmaster said that he saw a ball of golden fire
come from the cockpit into the crew lounge. It floated toward him, came within a
foot of him but turned to exit through the open stairway door and down the stair-
way into the cargo bay—then to float above the cargo down the exact middle of the
airplane toward the tail of the airplane—and then just disappeared as it went through
the metal tail ramp and door at the rear of the airplane”.
As documented here and additional reports [1]-[3] the plasmas of the ionosphere
have approached, circled, and lingered near various space shuttles, satellites, and
the MIR international Space Station. Optic phenomena that resemble miniscule
plasmodic flashes, streaks, “elves”, “sprites” and “blue jets” have actually entered and
have been observed inside the MIR, the International Space Station, and Apollo
11 through 17, and most likely at least one Gemini mission. What all these space-
craft and international space stations have in common are: windows and portals
which lack any electrical shielding [47].
Presumably, a plasma may pass through a portal or window and appear inside
due to the accumulation of atmospheric ions on the isolating inside surface of the
craft. If the interior collects a surface charge that can produce electric fields which
are sufficient to sustain an electric discharge this may create a plasma that slowly
floats or begins “zapping” around inside, amongst the crew and passengers. However,

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R. G. Joseph et al.

as reported by Heil and Smith [49], in the minutes before a glowing plasma ap-
peared inside their plane, another plasma, which he described as “St. Elmo’s fire”
had attached itself to the nose of the plane. Their plane, therefore, attracted two
distinct forms of plasma; one that remained outside and another that appeared to
be engaged in a sight-seeing tour inside the plane.
It can be considered an established fact that plasmas may pass through metal,
glass, composite aluminum, and so on, including spacecraft encapsulating astro-
nauts. Obviously, it could be exceedingly dangerous if plasma collided with or
entered an airplane cockpit. Once inside it may injure crew, cause hallucinations
and dissociative experiences, or explode or cause a short circuit in a computerized
system of control leading to a catastrophic systems failure and the death of all those
onboard.
In fact, Navy pilots have reported incidents of near mid-air collisions with UAP.
According to F-18 fighter Lt. Ryan Graves, a UAP almost downed his plane and
his wingman, when it zipped between the two jet fighters. In 2001, the CIA—re-
sponding to a “freedom of information request” released documents re-porting
numerous incidents of near collisions or an actual collision with UFOs: “For sev-
eral minutes he had tracked an object on his radar’ scope, then all of a sudden it
had stopped at a range of about 15 miles from the base and remained stationary...
A full half hour passed and still this object remained in the same location on the
radar screen.... the radar operator… guided the pilot to a new heading that would
bring him directly into this blip that was still stationary on the screen... the aircraft
slowly approached the object on the scope... Then when it seemed that the two would
collide... the stationary object simply disappeared, vanished seconds before” they
almost collided. An “RAF pilot encountered a UFO” [and] “nearly collided head-
on with a huge, metallic appearing object. The UFO was shaped like two saucers
pressed together, one inverted on top of the other”. And then, when they were
about to collide… “At the last second, it flipped to one side and streaked past at
tremendous speed”.

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Plasmoids Targeting, Colliding, Piercing, Turning, Following

Figure 24. Examples of plasmas in the thermosphere “hunting” colliding, piercing, and turning (circled in red) and following plasma
(circled in yellow); and then, reversing course [1].

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Plasmas Targeting, Colliding, Piercing

Figure 25. Examples of plasmas in the thermosphere, traveling in different directions, targeting, colliding, and piercing one another
[1].

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 R. G. Joseph et al.

Hyper-Velocity “Hunters” in Thermosphere above Thunderstorms

Figure 26. Examples of hyper-velocity plasmas “hunters” in the thermosphere. Trajectory is from the top right toward the bottom
left. Vertical lines indicate “hits”. Filmed by STS 101 Shuttle Atlantis [1].

Figure 27. Examples of hyper-velocity plasmoid “hunters” in the thermosphere. Trajectory is from the bottom left toward upper
right. Vertical lines indicate “hits”. Filmed by STS 101 Shuttle Atlantis [1].

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R. G. Joseph et al.

Figure 28. (Top Rows Red Box) An elongated “hunter” strikes and intersects numerous plasmoids hovering above a thunderstorm;
and (Bottom Rows Blue Box) pulsates, shrinking, expanding, wiggling like a “worm” or “snake” as it “hunts”.

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 R. G. Joseph et al.

Example of Plasmas Colliding, Merging, Spitting Apart: Charge Coupling &

Separation?

Figure 29. Detailed analysis of colliding, merging, and separation—which could be likened to “charge coupling” between plasmoids
of opposite charges followed by “charge separation” as one or both reverse charge, such that both are positive or both negative,
resulting in repulsion.

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14. Speculation: Plasmas (UAP) May Have Caused

Unexplained, Inexplicable Airline Disasters
Members of the U.S. Congress and U.S. military personnel have expressed concern
that UAP poses a danger to aircraft. As summed up in 2023 by Chris Mellon, For-
mer U.S. Deputy Assistant Secretary of Defense, UAP have caused “multiple cases
of near midair collisions and other cases involving serious injuries to Military and
civilian Personnel”.
Lightning is a plasma that when carrying a positive or negative charge, attracts
electrically charged plasmas which follow these bolts to the tops of these clouds
which are also positively charged; whereas the bottom of the cloud and the bolts
of lightning that erupt from the bottom, often have a negative charge. Aircraft and
spacecraft may also radiate a positive charge that attracts bursts of lightning even
in fair weather conditions. Presumably this occurs because these craft—under
some conditions—act as a long conductor which intensifies an existing positive
electrical field whereas the lightning bolt and the bottom of the cloud have a neg-
ative charge. For example, rocket exhaust typically becomes ionized and conduc-
tive and serves as an extension of the craft and attracts lightning.
Negative and positive charges also attract, and, as documented, plasma will
turn, follow, and collide and intersect one another. Further, UAP—which may be
plasma—follow, circle, and sometimes act as if they are about to collide with air-
craft. And if it did, and all electronics were lost, the plane would be lost and the
cause of the catastrophe would be unknown.
Fatal accidents have been attributed to lightning strikes due to electrical failure
and even the ignition of fuel [160]. Lightning has even struck aircraft and rockets
sitting on the ground still in a horizontal position. For example, in June 1987,
three rockets, including the Orion sounding rocket, were struck by lightning,
shorting out the firing circuits, but nevertheless igniting launch circuits causing
the Orion to launch horizontally, flying hundreds of meters before striking the
ocean [160].
On average aircraft are struck by lightning at least once per 3000 hours [160].
Apollo 12 was struck just over 35 seconds into ascent.
Lightning is a plasma. Therefore, aircraft, rockets, and spacecraft attract plasmas
which will strike and collide with these crafts [160].
In addition, energetic magnetospheric or solar wind conditions can cause the
surface of spacecraft to acquire charges due to the implantation of charged parti-
cles that penetrate and accumulate in the skin or insulating materials. Under these
conditions, the interaction may trigger “deep dielectric discharges” [102]. This
may explain why plasmoids in the thermosphere have been attracted to the space
shuttles and the MIR.
“St Elmo’s Fire” is a plasma that has been observed—for centuries—dancing about
ships at sea. Aircraft crews have also observed luminous point discharges, “St Elmo’s
Fire”, dancing about the skin of the plane even when there is no evidence of an elec-
trically active storm [49]. These discharges can affect electronics and create radio

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 R. G. Joseph et al.

“noise” and if sufficiently bright, impair cockpit visibility [160].

As documented in NASA film footage [1] plasmoid have followed, hovered near,
orbited around, and were repeatedly observed near the MIR and numerous space
shuttle missions. UAPS have been observed for centuries and have repeatedly
“toyed with” and harassed American, British, Japanese and German pilots during
the second world war [41] [138] “These balls of fire appear suddenly and accom-
pany the plane for miles”, keeping up at 300 mph, and yet—contrary to initial mili-
tary fears of these being a new Nazi weapon—one pilot noted how “they don’t ex-
plode or attack us. They just seem to follow us like will-o-the-wisps” [138]. How-
ever, those that not only followed but collided or entered the craft, may have
stunned the pilots and/or exploded and killed all on board, but the loss of the plane
was instead attributed to enemy fire.
UAPs and plasmas are also associated with the disruption of electronic equip-
ment and have reportedly affected the mental functioning of those in close prox-
imity, causing confusion, disorientation and hallucinatory experiences including
(perhaps) those recounted as “alien abductions”.
Therefore, if plasmas that descended into the lower atmosphere collided with
or entered the cockpits of commercial, private, and military planes, it may have
been the cause of numerous unexplained, inexplicable airline disasters by affecting
the mental functioning of pilots and crew and causing planes to lose electronics
and power and plummet to the ground or ocean.
On July 17, 1996, a TransWorld Airline (TWA 800) exploded when it was struck
by a powerful beam of light of unknown origin. Another example, in 1996 when
a Boeing 747 Paris-bound plane took off from New York City at 8:19 PM in “muggy”
weather. As it ascended over the sea witnesses observed a streak of lightning ac-
companied by a fireball and then, according to the National Transportation Safety
Board: the plane suffered an electric short circuit which may have detonated an
empty center wing fuel tank, causing the explosion killing all 230 onboard. Was
the short circuit caused by the lightning or the ball of plasma that accompanied
it?
On August 28, 1945, Army Air Force crewman, Leonard Stringfield was aboard
a C-46 flying over the Pacific ocean toward Iwo Jima when he observed three
cloud-like “blobs” of “brilliant white light” [51]. According to Stringfield as the
three brilliant white cloud-like objects approached (Figure 47, the C-46 suddenly
developed electrical problems and engine trouble, and began to rapidly lose alti-
tude. Stringfield reports everyone onboard was terrified, believing the out-of-con-
trol plane would crash into the ocean. Stringfield states it is his belief “that the
sudden erratic behavior of my plane was due to a mysterious force generated by
the blobs” because when the cloud-like “blobs” disappeared, the electrical sys-
tems and engine went back online and the pilot regained control over the plane
[51].
On March 8, 2014, Boeing 777 Malaysia Airlines Flight MH370 inexplicably
ceased to communicate with air-traffic controllers and disappeared from air control

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radar 39 minutes after leaving Kuala Lumpur en route to Beijing but then flew for
hours off-course before disappearing from radar. The pilot’s last message was
“Good Night Malaysian Three Seven Zero”. Minutes later, the plane’s transponder—
a communication system that transmits the plane’s location to air traffic control—
shut down. Military radar and satellite systems however, continued to track the
plane which appeared to turn 180 degrees, and continued to fly for hours, until it
vanished; presumably crashing into the ocean when it ran out of fuel.
The Boeing 777, like all commercial aircraft since 2001, has an armoured cock-
pit door that can resist attacks and small arms fire from outside the cockpit, and
an electronic locking mechanism so it is kept secure during flight. To speculate: if
a plasma were to enter the cockpit through the cockpit windows but remain sealed
within the cockpit, might that explain why the transponder failed and why the
plane disappeared from all but military radar and satellite tracking devices? Might
both pilots have become confused, disoriented, mesmerized, or caused to fall asleep
by electromagnetic radiation emitted by a plasma locked within the cockpit? To
date there has been no explanation for what happened or what became of Malaysia
Airlines Flight MH370; other than speculation by Malaysian authorities, i.e. un-
known “interference”.
Between November of 2013 and June of 2016, eight different commercial pas-
senger planes suffered catastrophes of unknown cause, resulting in 1022 fatalities
in just 30 months, six within 16 months—a series of disasters unlike any previously
reported, but associated with an increase in UAP sightings by civilian and military
pilots. These include two inexplicable crashes in July 2014, the month with the high-
est monthly UAP count. July (and late June) appears to be a month favored by plasma
and UAP [3] [14] especially over the ocean [32]-[34] as reported by Navy pilots and
personnel aboard Navy ships.
These unexplained, inexplicable aircraft disasters also coincided with almost daily
encounters of U.S. Navy pilots with UAP from mid-2014 till early-2015, as con-
firmed in 2019 by the U.S. Dept of Defense. Mid-2014 till early-2015 is right in the
middle of the 2013/11/29-2016/5/19 period of inexplicable increase in airplane ac-
cidents; and the 2012/12/2-2016/11/14 period of close calls according to The New
York Times. In addition, between December of 2012 and November of 2016, there
were nine near fatal accidents involving commercial airlines, cause unknown, which,
again coincided with a period of elevated UAP sightings.
“Correlation” does not prove causation and the same can be said of “coinci-
dence”. Moreover, in the vast majority of airline accidents a cause was determined
and which clearly has nothing to do with UAP, UFO, or plasma.
Nevertheless, it is important to note that the association between inexplicable,
unexplained airline disasters and UAP, do not include and unknown number of
unexplained crashes of military planes; and this is because the U.S. Military can
always invent an explanation. Case in point: On the evening of November 23,
1953, Air Defense Command Ground Intercept radar operators at Sault Ste. Ma-
rie, Michigan, observed an unidentified object flying object (UFO) over Lake

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Superior. Attempts were made to contact the UFO by different radio frequencies
but there was no response. In consequence, a F-89C Scorpion jet piloted by First
Lieutenant Moncla, was scrambled from Kinross Air Force Base to investigate the
UFO. Moncla, an experienced pilot with over 800 hours of flying time, was accom-
panied by Second Lieutenant Robert L. Wilson who was also acting as the Scor-
pion’s radar operator. Wilson reported to ground control that the UFO was flying
in a bizarre fashion and rapidly changing course. Wilson also failed to make radio
contact with the UFO. Via triangulation with ground radar operators, the Scorpion
was able to hone in on the UFO.
As documented by two distinct radar signatures, Lt. Moncla began to close in
on the UFO, as verified by ground radar operators who tracked two distinct blips
on the radar screen. The two blips collided and merged at 8000 feet, becoming one
blip on the radar screen—as if the UFO had engulfed the jet which disappeared
from the radar screen, whereas the UFO, still flying erratically, suddenly acceler-
ated and soon vanished from the radar. In fact, Lt. Moncla and his Scorpion had
not only disappeared from the radar screen but from the face of this Earth. No
wreckage was ever found or located. The Air Force offered a variety of conflicting
explanations, including claiming that Lt. Moncla must have crashed his jet after
he “probably” suffered “vertigo” and that they “believe” the UFO was actually an
RCAF aircraft “VC-912”—even though radar operators classified the blip as “un-
known” and the UFO never responded to a variety of radio frequencies and was
flying erratically and then accelerated to tremendous speeds, whereas the Canadian
Air Force emphatically denied any of their planes were in the area. As to why no
wreckage was ever found the Air Force blamed “the weather” and then came up
with another explanation, i.e. the jet must have exploded while in the air, and the
explosion was so powerful that the jet was completely obliterated.
Although the number of military planes that have inexplicably “vanished” is un-
known, the fact is, since 1948, 84 passenger aircraft have vanished without a trace
according to the Aviation Safety Network [161]. Thus, the link between UAPs and
unexplained airline disasters may include numerous catastrophic crashes or van-
ishings as obliquely admitted by the All-domain Anomaly Resolution Office (AARO)
task force whose purpose is to investigate the legitimacy of UAP encounters re-
ported by military and especially Navy pilots. In their October 2023 report the
AARO [34] admitted that “many [UAP] reports from military witnesses do present
safety of flight concerns”.

15. UAPs over the Ocean

UAPS have been repeatedly observed flying above and descending into the ocean
as verified by the U.S. Dept of Defense and the AARO. This is most likely due to
the fact that the ocean surface—especially during white water and turbulent con-
ditions—and surface air up several dozen meters above the sea, often has a positive
charge, which in turn would be attractive to plasmoids with a negative or neutral
charge.

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In July of 2023, retired Navy Cmdr. David Fravor testified before a special US.
Congressional Committee reported that on Nov. 14, 2004, when he was com-
mander of the F/A-18F squadron on the USS Nimitz, radar on the USS Princeton
detected what radar operators called “multiple anomalous aerial vehicles”. These
objects were rapidly descending and covered more than 25,000 meters (15 miles)
in less than a second, i.e. approximately 54,500 miles per second, 3,270,000 miles
per minute, and 196,200,000 miles per hour—nearly twice the velocity of a light-
ning bolt.
For the sake of comparisons, NASA’s X-43, believed to be the fastest aircraft in
existence, is capable of 7266 miles per hour whereas 364,660 miles per hour is the
fastest speed so far attained by a spacecraft (the Parker Space Probe). Thus, the
multiple anomalous vehicles descending toward the ocean in 2004 achieved ve-
locities 500% faster than any human-made vehicle: 364,660 vs. 196,200,000 miles
per hour.
When he diverted his fighter jet to investigate, Fravor reported that he observed
a “white Tic Tac-looking object. And it’s just kind of moving above the whitewater
area” off the coast of Southern California 100 miles southwest of San Diego. “There
was four of us in the airplanes literally watching this thing for roughly about five
minutes”. Fravor reported that the “Tic Tac” object mirrored the movements of his
plane and “it was aware we were there”.
The white object was approximately the same size as Fravor’s F/A-18F, “with no
markings, no wings and no exhaust plumes”, but when Fravor approached, it ac-
celerated so quickly that it seemed to disappear—as if repelled by Favor’s jet.
Navy, private, and commercial seagoing ships, not uncommonly observe anom-
alous pulsating “white lights” and “red” and “white” objects in the nighttime sky
that hover and fly over the ocean and their ships and which engage in behaviors
interpreted as harassment or surveillance [50] [162] [163]. For example, over a
period of three days, in July 2019, fourteen bob-shaped brightly illuminated ob-
jects surrounded five Navy warships. Officers on duty in the USS Omaha command
center, filmed one of the objects on July 15, 2019, which apparently was self-illumi-
nated and white in color and resembled a large sphere of unknown size and dimen-
sion (Figure 27).
This white sphere flew alongside the ship for over an hour, beginning around
10 PM. Because it was pitch black outside, the object was tracked and filmed via
thermal sensors. At around 11 PM the brightly lit sphere-shaped object which had
been hovering just above the ocean sank beneath the sea. The Pentagon has con-
firmed that the object was filmed by U.S. Navy personnel.
Moreover, the prior day, beginning around 10 PM on July 14, 2019, and for sev-
eral days thereafter, a “white light” repeatedly appeared above three U.S. destroy-
ers (USS Kidd, USS Rafael Peralta and USS John Finn) a hundred miles off the
coast of Los Angeles, California under conditions of very low visibility. The U.S.
Navy described this “white light” or “lights” as “Unmanned Aerial Vehicles” or
UAVs without providing details [162]. The first episode lasted about 90 minutes

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 R. G. Joseph et al.

and then the UAVs vanished and disappeared from the destroyers’ advanced array
of electro-optical systems including radar and thermal imaging, which can see in
the dark and detect and locate radio transmissions [162] [163].
The next evening on July 15, the crew and passengers of a nearby cruise liner
“Carnival Imagination” observed up to six brightly lit UAP flying around the Navy
ships. That same evening, the USS Rafael Peralta reported that it was harassed and
followed by four UAPs. The UAPs returned on July 25, and 30, 2019 [162].
Formal investigations conducted by Navy, Coast Guard, FBI and other agencies
were unable to determine what the objects were, where they came from, what they
were composed of, but raised the possibility these were “drones” with amazingly
advanced technological capabilities and unlike anything possessed in the U.S. ar-
senal [162].
The object filmed by the U.S. Omaha on July 14 2019, is shaped like a ball, a
sphere and in no respect does it resemble a drone (Figure 27). Unfortunately, the
party claiming the copyright of this government property, and who has also been
claiming it’s a spaceship from another planet, would not agree to allowing an ex-
amination of the film footage. Therefore, based on the photographic evidence (Fig-
ure 27) it is likely that these were plasmas attracted to the white-water positive
charges emitted by the ocean.
These positive space charges are not only upon the surface but extend up to 200
meters above the ocean; caused by the accumulation of positive ions drifting down-
ward which is not counterbalanced by negative ions drifting upward, so called elec-
trode effect [135] [164].
In support of this theory, consider the following: On May 27, 2004, the nuclear-
powered aircraft carrier USS Ronald Reagan (CVN-76) left Norfolk Virginia, USA,
intending to circumnavigate around South America to its permanent homeport
in San Diego. Based on the reports of Navy personnel, between the hours of 8 PM
and midnight as they neared the Caribbean, the crew on the watch, on the bridge
and the flight deck observed a luminous, semi-translucent orange-red oval-shaped
gaseous object about the size of a fighter jet [50]. According to Karol Olesiak, Navy
“QM3” (Quartermaster) of the Watch, it was an “orange globe ball-looking thing
that was floating over the flight deck. The ship was going forward and it was keep-
ing pace with the ship”; and it looked as if it consisted of “negative energy” and
“unburnt energy”, as if it was burning but without consuming itself and because
it didn’t give off any heat.
Karol’s shipmates, SN Patrick Gokey and Boatswain’s Mate Seaman (BMSN)
Derek Smith confirmed the sighting. According to Smith who was a lookout that
night with his trainee: “It was like hovering and it just appeared. And then we got
up on the lookout watches... They’re like mounted binoculars. … I’m sitting here
looking at this thing, and I couldn’t tell what it was. There was a shape to it. It was
oval shaped like a sideways, as it was kind of like an oval shape, but it didn’t look
solid, but it had a shape to it” [50].
As described by SN Patrick Gokey: “I just saw this bright orange ball and it was

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R. G. Joseph et al.

wavy, but somehow still solid like a plasma almost. And it just appeared over the
flight deck. Maybe 200 feet off the flight deck. It sat there for about 30 seconds...
we were moving during the flight ops, and it seemed to stay with us. But without
any movement that you could discern. After that, it just did three half circles, just
1, 2, 3, and it was gone... Maybe half hour, an hour later...it came back by us on
the fan tail and it hovered...maybe a hundred or 200 feet in the air...it did three
half circles and it took off. I mean just in the blink of an eye, it was gone” [50].
Plasmoids are attracted to sources of electromagnetic activity, and UAPs have
been repeatedly observed near and following nuclear powered navy ships. It is
reasonable to assume that nuclear power attracts plasmoids and non-nuclear ships
(e.g. “Carnival Imagination”) do not attract the plasmoids their crew and passen-
gers observe flying above Navy ships that are nearby. This would also explain why
UAP have been observed over nuclear power plants, Fukushima Prefecture—site
of a major nuclear power plant accident in 2011—and have been repeatedly observed
over Hiroshima and Nagasaki—destroyed by atomic bombs in 1945.
Lt. Ryan Graves, an F-18 fighter pilot from the nuclear-powered USS Theodore
Roosevelt carrier strike group reports that he and other pilots as well as ship mates
saw UAPs almost daily during the summer of 2014 and the spring of 2015. “Wher-
ever we were, they were there”. Graves also reports these UAP had a variety of
shapes and sizes, with some flying in formation others flying erratically and almost
causing head-on mid-air collisions.

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 R. G. Joseph et al.

UAP Plasma Passes over Chicago toward East Coast, Descends toward At-
lantic Ocean

Figure 30. This pulsating object in the thermosphere, flew over Chicago and continued toward the East Coast, and then descended
downward toward the Atlantic Ocean. Filmed by STS 106 [1].

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R. G. Joseph et al.

Figure 31. Freeze frame of white glowing object filmed by Command Center of the USS Omaha in July of 2019, off the coast of San
Diego, California. Object processed via Fotor ant-blur and filtering software. (Top row) The object is glowing, radiating, and there
is a downward direct fog-like optic directed downward as well as to the left. Additional analysis indicates the object may have a
nucleus, or, that it consists of layers that radiate different levels of light. Based on viewing of the film footage posted online (not
provided to the authors despite repeated requests), the object may have descended into the sea, or, it may have vanished as it made
contact with the ocean surface.

16. The Ocean Can Develop a Positive Charge and Attract

Plasma-UAP
The surface of the ocean—particularly during periods of turbulence—and the air
directly above, can acquire a positive charge, and like the positive charges in the
ionosphere, thunderstorms, and the lowest level of the atmosphere, may provide
an environment that would be attractive to plasmas with a negative or neutral charge
[165].
Water molecules consist of hydrogen and oxygen (which attracts electrons more
strongly than hydrogen) and thus water has a negative charge surrounding its ox-
ygen atoms and a slightly positive charge surrounding its hydrogen atoms. The
top of a drop of water is also generally positive and this positive charge increases
as a function of radius. Different layers of ocean water are also stratified by tem-
perature and salinity which in turn influence electrical conductivity, and creates

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 R. G. Joseph et al.

variations in electric currents in the oceans [8] [166]. Therefore, Earth’s oceans
(3.2 S·m−1) are not only electrically conductive but—like thunder clouds—carry a
charge that, depending on conditions, can be negative or positive and with a mean
value of 3.2 S·m−1 [68] [96] with the surface layers and air above, having a positive
charge especially under white water and turbulent conditions.
Blanchard [10] found that the positive charge can be attributed, in part, to pos-
itive particles that arise from the sea and those that evolve from bubbles that break
at the ocean surface. Moreover, under conditions of turbulence and in the pres-
ence of white water the surface and air directly above the ocean may become pos-
itively charged due to the ejection of positively charged droplets of sea water into
the atmosphere. Therefore, an electrically charged plasmoid might be attracted to
the ocean surface and atmosphere above the sea.
Blanchard [10] also found that the majority of positive particles that arise from
the sea and the greatest amount of positive charge reaches its highest value be-
tween “June-August”—and at the latitudes of 40 to 60 degrees. These latitudes
encompass the ocean off San Diego and Los Angeles where the Navy ships ob-
served the Blob and the “white lights”. The observations also encompass the same
block of time where the F/A-18F squadron on the USS Nimitz observed a “whole
fleet” of UAP in July.
According to a month-by-month analysis it was determined that the mean max-
imum positive ocean charge occurs in July [7]—the same month the UAVs were
observed by Navy warships. Furthermore, as first determined in 1911 [6], the max-
imum charge develops over the ocean “during the evening”, “before midnight”.
And lastly, the positive charge produced by the ocean has been estimated as ex-
tending “several tens of meters” up into the atmosphere [9]. This is the same time
and in the same general area of airspace occupied by the blob before descending
into the sea and when and where the “white lights” were observed.

17. Shape Shifter Replicon Filmed by U.S. Customs: Aguadilla,

Puerto Rico
On April 25, 2013, at approximately 9:20 PM, a U.S. Customs and Border Protec-
tion DHC-8 aircraft, using thermal imaging, filmed an ocean-skimming UAP at
least a dozen meter above a runway at Rafael Hernández Airport, and which con-
tinued over the ocean off the coast of Aguadilla, Puerto Rico [167].
Although we do not have data for the evening of the 25th, the video depicts thick
fog and low clouds, whereas according to timeanddate.com the temperature at 6
PM, ranged from 81 to 79 F, barometer at 29.98 (normal range) and humidity at
65% to 74% which indicates considerable hot muggy moisture in the air thereby
increasing electrical current and conductivity and which is associated with the de-
velopment of electrically charged cumulonimbus clouds that produce lighting. Based
on repeated viewings of this 3-minute film (provided to the authors by) it is obvi-
ous the object’s movements are erratic with sudden turns, dips, and lifts, making it
impossible to determine its actual velocity. It also appeared to repeatedly dip beneath

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R. G. Joseph et al.

the waves and twice it split apart.

As documented in this report (Figures 28-32), the film was analyzed employing
Apple Final Cut Pro which is able to make up to 10 freeze frames for every second,
i.e. one frame per 100 milliseconds. Nearly 200 freeze frames were eventually ob-
tained, i.e. one for approximately every second, and often, two or more per sec-
ond. The freeze frames reveal that the object was rapidly, dramatically and con-
tinuously changing its size and shape every second and often in less than a second;
and that it repeatedly split into separate parts. Detailed optics analysis of approx-
imately 130 freeze frames, using anti-blur Fotor image filters and enhancement
software verifies as documented in Figures 28-32, that the object moved errati-
cally, rapidly, and continually changed shape. This shape-shifter repeatedly took
the shape of a blob, or clouds, a spiral, or formed a ring, and repeatedly split apart
forming secondary oddly shaped forms that would sometimes remain temporarily
attached and then detached and flew in front, or above, or behind the primary
object before disappearing—thus indicating that these second objects could not
have been a shadow or reflection on the ocean surface. The primary shape-shifting
object in fact repeatedly generated secondary forms, all of which were transient
and soon disappeared.
At times, a nucleus became apparent, within which sometimes three to four orbs
could be viewed (Figure 32). It is possible one or more of these internal orbs split
off to form the secondary UAPs which often included internal or exterior shapes
that were orb-like. As to these internal orbs, in laboratory experiments, spherical,
cloud, blob and donut-shaped plasmoids were also continually changing their ap-
pearance and color (yellow, red, purple, green colors) and within which round glow-
ing balls repeatedly flared up inside [30].
Although the coloration of this Puerto Rico UAP is unknown, it was self-illu-
minated, with a glow that often completely surrounded the object. At times it de-
veloped tendrils and spikes that extended in front or sometimes behind, or which
would jut out in all directions (Figures 28-30).
It is impossible to determine the speed of the object which would rapidly alter
in trajectory swinging laterally far to the left or to the right and up and down within
milliseconds. The object’s rapid movement and variable speed also made it impos-
sible for the U.S. Customs and Border Protection DHC-8 to keep the object in its
radar-gun sights [167]. Likewise, it is impossible to precisely determine its size which
also changes but which we estimate at less than a meter in diameter.
Based on these freeze frames, a sample of which are presented here (Figures 28-
32), it is obvious the object continually changes shape (e.g. donut, ring, cloud, star,
blob, crown, square, triangular, rectangular, etc.), and sometimes has an internal
nucleus or voids, no obvious means of propulsion, is self-illuminated and splits off
into secondary objects. It is not a bird or a drone, and cannot be made of metal, plas-
tic, or alloy unless of extraterrestrial origin and based on technologies unknown
on Earth, i.e. extraterrestrial robotic machinery employing camouflaging stealth
technology.

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 R. G. Joseph et al.

This later possibility is supported by the following observations: rapid shape shift-
ing every second, extreme and rapid lateral movements, the inability of the U.S.
Customs DHC-8 to keep the object in its radar gun sights, and the voids at the
center that contain three or more smaller objects which may have split off to form
other objects that appeared in front, above, and behind the primary object (Fig-
ures 28-30) only to disappear. Another observation: employing filters, sometimes
forms—in addition to the orbs—appeared to be inside the object as if cocooned in
obscuring outer-layers. It is possible something was hidden inside?
Related to these observations are the following: When complex filters were ap-
plied to photographs of a pulsating cloud-like object that followed one of the Space
Shuttles, a cylindrical structure was revealed that appeared to have been hidden
inside a cloud-like outer-layer (Figure 2). In addition, Ryan Graves an F-18 pilot
testified before the U.S. Congress in 2023, that he and his squadron have repeat-
edly observed UAPs. which he described as “dark grey or black cubes...inside of a
clear sphere, where the apex or tips of the cubes were touching the inside of that
sphere”. Likewise, when filters were employed to photographs of a cloud-shaped
object above Mars, a square-triangular object appeared to be inside [60].
Yet another possibility is that the object is a trans-dimensional five-dimensional
entity. Because it exists in the 5th dimension and also appeared in the four dimen-
sions of our space-time continuum (three of space, one of time) it appeared to
constantly change as different parts became visible in our four dimensions.
In brief, the existence of a 5th dimension—also known as the Kaluza-Klien the-
ory [168]—could explain how gravity is linked to electromagnetism when no link
is apparent in our 4-dimensional universe. Moreover, we can’t see the 5th dimen-
sion because it exists in a higher plane of space than the one, we occupy, but which
nevertheless may be curled up within, or conversely surround our 4 four dimen-
sions—like a cylinder, or forming a circle. This 5th dimension is believed to be
microscopic in which case the radius of the circular dimension might be 23 times
the Planck length, which in turn is of the order of 10 - 33 cm. but which may serve
to link together the four dimensions of our existence; just as thunderstorms pro-
vide an electromagnetic link between the ionosphere and Earth.
Consider, for example, lighting, which can be considered a cylinder that connects
the surface of the Earth to thunder clouds, and the ionosphere to thunder clouds.
lightning is a plasma; Lightning may provide link between our four dimension and
the 5th dimension; but in terms of geometry, as viewed our four dimensions, it ap-
pears to have the twisted shape of a series of cylinders; and if you slice a cylinder,
it will have the shape of a circle with a hole at its center.
This hypothetical “hole” may have been viewed by nearly 1000 residents of the
Western Australian town of Tom Price as a huge ball of plasma floated downward
toward them. As detailed by Mason [48]: “it was an intense spherical ball of or-
ange-red fire with the fire swirling in a spiral pattern and the flames disappearing
internally upwards into a central black ‘hole’ or void within the spherical mass of
flames”. Another observer also described it as “like a moving plasma ball in a local
space-time warp around a central black hole”.

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R. G. Joseph et al.

A swirling vortex is a not uncommon characteristic of ball lightning [134] whereas

the hole or void may have been a nucleus, which is a common attribute of plasma
as documented in this and an earlier report [3]; and as reported by Arnold when
he observed “flying saucers” in 1947: “with a pulsating thing in the middle of them”.
However, it is also possible that the hole observed by the residents of Tom Price,
may be a small black hole that leads to and from the 5th to our four dimensions
[169]; and this may account for the shape-shifting appearance of the object filmed
by a U.S. Customs and Border Protection DHC-8.
For example, if a five-dimensional entity from the 5th dimension were to appear
in our four dimension, observers might view it as continually changing shape be-
cause they can only perceive three of its dimensions as it moves through time (the
fourth dimension); and this may also explain why the object filmed by the U.S. Cus-
toms and Border Protection DHC-8 appears to continually change and split off
as it moves, i.e. we can only view different parts but not the object as a whole.
There is yet another plausible explanation for this shape shifting entity: human
military technology based on optics, mirrors and the deployment of ultra-rapid
laser pulses to create aerial luminous plasma that appears in three-dimensional
space as one or more plasma-ghost images that serve as decoys. The purpose of the
“ghost” is to trick observers and missiles which would home in on the plasmatic
“ghost” or even multiple “ghosts.
The U.S. Space and Naval Warfare Systems Center has apparently been working
on this project since 2012, according to a U.S. Navy website article dated 2017 [170]:
“Dr. Alexandru Hening, a scientist who has pioneered laser-generated plasma at the
[Space and Naval Warfare Systems Center Pacific] for five years”. The following
year, Alexandru Hening filed a Patent application, titled “System and Method for
Laser-Induced Plasma for Infrared Homing Missile Countermeasure” [171] that
is apparently based on plasma technology developed at the Warfare Systems Center.
As stated in Hening’s patent application [171]: “Described herein is a system and
method to generate a plasma-based decoy flare by using a laser source, to counter
an infrared homing surface-to-air and/or air-to-air missile. With laser-induced
plasma (LIP), it is possible to generate multiple wavelengths just by “tuning” the laser
parameters...a laser beam...will generate a laser-induced plasma filament (LIPF)
in accordance with the system and method for laser-induced plasma for infrared
homing missile countermeasure”.
It is unknown if the shape-shifting object and its duplicates are plasma from the
5th dimension, or was created by the U.S. Navy, or if it’s an extraterrestrial ma-
chine using stealth technology. However, plasmoids in the thermosphere also
display extreme shape-shifting and from frame to frame will have completely dif-
ferent shapes [31]. As per those in the thermosphere, these extreme changes in
size and shape are perhaps predicta-ble given these are plasma that in addition
to highly charged particles and dust, are comprised of gases [31]. Therefore, the
most plausible explanation is that the shape-shifter observed over Aguadilla, Puerto
Rico is a plasma that was attracted to the positive charge of the ocean and atmosphere
directly above. Although the U.S. Customs’ film lasts only 3 minutes the shape-

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 R. G. Joseph et al.

shifting object appeared to repeatedly skim the surface and dip beneath the sea until
finally disappearing, presumably after it dived beneath the surface of the ocean.
Shape Shifting UAP over the Ocean & Coast of Puerto Rico

Figure 32. Freeze frame photos of a shape shifting UAP, from a 3-minute film by a U.S. Customs and Border Protection DHC-8
over the ocean and coast of Aguadilla, Puerto Rico. These photos represent the changing appearance and the splitting apart of the
UAP which occurred throughout the 3-minute film.

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R. G. Joseph et al.

Shape Shifting UAP Repeatedly Splits into Additional UAPs over Ocean &
Coast of Puerto Rico

Figure 33. Freeze frame photos of a shape shifting UAP repeatedly splitting into different shape shifting UAPs. Freeze frames pro-
duced via Final Cut Pro, processed with Fotor anti-blue and filtering software.

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 R. G. Joseph et al.

Shape Shifting UAPs: Voids/Nucleus

Figure 34. Examples of nucleus/voids within shape shifting UAP. Freeze frames produced via Final Cut Pro, processed with Fotor
anti-blur and filtering software.

Ovals inside Nucleus/Voids of Shape Shifting UAP

Figure 35. Freeze frames produced via Final Cut Pro, processed with Fotor anti-blur and filtering software and magnified 1600 times.
Examples of oval forms within the nucleus/voids of shape shifting UAP which are similar to those within plasmoids in the thermo-
sphere. Although the glowing oval forms could be construed as ganglia, similar glowing ovals have been observed in plasmas gen-
erated experimentally.

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R. G. Joseph et al.

Figure 36. Examples of oval-ganglia nerve net-lie structures within the nucleus/void of shape shifting UAP. Freeze frames produced
via Final Cut Pro, processed with Fotor anti-blur and filtering software.

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 R. G. Joseph et al.

The Illusion of Battle: Plasmoids Turning and Targeting the Same Plasmas

Figure 37. Targeting and collisions between Plasmoids could be interpreted as “battles” being fought, when these collisions take
place above cities in the lower atmosphere and observed by humans on the ground below (see Figure 38, Figure 40). Note: Plasmoids
boxed in yellow and turquoise are each struck twice by different plasmoids and both increase illumination and become brighter
after they are struck [1].

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R. G. Joseph et al.

18. When Plasmoids Attacked Los Angeles

On the evening of February 24, 1942, a battle raged in the heavens, when five
glowing, pulsating, self-illuminated orbs appeared in formation over the evening
skies of Los Angeles [41] [172] As air raid sirens screamed, U.S. military “Western
Defense” anti-aircraft guns blasted away at the five glowing orbs which were
tracked by searchlights; a battle observed by tens of thousands of residents down
below. In fact, anti-aircraft guns fired continuously at this slow-moving formation
of UFOs, for nearly six hours. So many bullets were falling back to Earth that five
citizens were killed and “scores of other persons” seriously injured according to
the Los Angeles Times [172]. And yet, despite direct hits, the UFOs proved im-
pervious and never broke formation as they maneuvered over the city.
The next morning the L.A. Times reported “the ensuing heavy and long-con-
tinued anti-aircraft firing...was ordered by the Army’s 4th Interceptor Com-
mand...[which also ordered] ‘no effort should be spared to shoot them down’.
When questioned by reporters, Lt General John L. DeWitt (Western Defense
Commander) explained the U.S. military did not know what these ‘enemy’ objects
were or where they came from; referring to them as ‘Unidentified aircraft’.
The L.A. Times of 1942 also reported that the U.S. military was so concerned
about these unidentified flying” objects, that it was recommending that “vital in-
dustries” in the L.A. area and “Pacific Coast war industries”, “would have to be
moved to safer inland regions”.
A few days later Secretary of the Navy Frank Knox told the press that “it was just
a false alarm” and dismissed the six-hour battle and the thousands of eye-witness
observations, as a case of “jittery nerves” and denied any enemy aircraft had been
in the area [172]. When the Los Angeles Times [172] demanded more information
and complained about conflicting statements coming from the military, their ques-
tions and complaints were met with silence.
What were these self-illuminated pulsating orbs that were flying in formation?
Our best guess is they were plasmas.

19. Plasmoids Battle over Nuremberg, Basel, Biskopsberga

and Hamburg?
Throughout history, fire balls have repeatedly appeared in the sky (e.g. Figure 38,
Figure 40). For example, as detailed in the May 1808 Transactions of the Swedish
Academy of Sciences (TSAS), “On the 16th of last May...there appeared...in quick
succession, a great number of balls, or spherical bodies...of a dark brown colour...a
great many of them remained, as it were, stationary; but they soon resumed...an
accelerated motion. with great velocity...til they were lost sight of...millions of sim-
ilar bodies continually arose in the west, one after the other irregularly...no report,
noise, nor any whistling or buzzing in the air was perceived...several were linked
together...but continuing on a more rapid course they separated, and each having
a tail...three or four fathoms [in] length...”. Those that “approached the earth...
vanished almost entirely within a few fathoms distance from the ground”.

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 R. G. Joseph et al.

According to a translation of the “headlines” of a 1697, November 4, broadsheet

with a woodcut illustration (Figure 38), “horrible fireballs” appeared over the city
of Hamburg Germany: “Great fiery balls in the shape of a cannon ball were seen
floating” along with “a bright shining terrible lightning” and then one or both
“balls of fire” exploded and then “disappeared from the sight of many thousands
of spectators” along with the “terrible lightning”.
On January 27, 1630, German Astronomer Wilhelm Schickard published his mon-
ograph, titled “Description of the Miracle of the Stars” and—according to trans-
lation—wrote how “from 7 a.m. to 10 a.m. in the morning” he observed “a snow
white material” appear in the sky over the city of Tübingen, Baden-Württemberg,
Germany, which resembled a cloud but “which I cannot really call a cloud, because
it was not as fluffy or broken up around the edges as natural clouds, but rather nice
and smooth with a polished reflection...”, “it had...a delicate oval figure or shape
[that] fluttered back and forth in an inconsistent form...” and then “two more...light
and dark spots...resembling an overturned kettle” and an elongated “sharpening
stone”, “appeared next to the oval figure and then commenced “to do battle” for
over two hours as all three “winked” on and off so that they seemed to appear and
disappear and then the “oval” form “flew away violently” and the others disappeared
“or were hidden”.
Tübingen is located 260 km southwest of Nuremberg where 69 years previous,
on the morning of April 14, 1561—as described in a translation of a wood-cut
illustrated broadsheet news article printed in April 1561—lightning (signified by
the cross) accompanied by several orbs appeared “at daybreak, between 4 and 5
a.m...this was seen in Nuremberg in the city, before the gates and in the country—
by many men and women. At first there appeared in the middle of the sun two
blood-red semi-circular arcs... And...there stood a round ball of partly dull, partly
black ferrous color” and “blood-red ones and other balls in large number... These
all started to fight among themselves, so that the globes...flew back and forth among
themselves and fought vehemently with each other for over an hour. And when the
conflict in and again out of the sun was most intense. They then wasted away” and
disappeared.
Basel Switzerland is located southwest from Tubingen (234 km) and Nuremberg
(445 km). According to an eyewitness account published in a news broadsheet: “It
happened in 1566 three times, on 27 and 28 of July, and on August 7, against the
sunrise and sunset; we saw strange shapes in the sky above Basel” including an
object shaped like but “no bigger than the full moon… it seemed to weep tears of
blood and...seen by all the people of the city and countryside... At the dawn of Au-
gust 7, we saw large black spheres coming and going with great speed and preci-
sion before the sun as they began to fight. Many of them were fiery red and, soon
crumbled and then extinguished”.

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Figure 38. Woodcut and broadsheet headline: 1697, “horrible fireballs” accompanied by “lightning” appeared over the city of Ham-
burg Germany and began to “fight”. Our interpretation: Plasmas attracted to and/or produced by the overhead thunderstorm and
what the Germans observed were Plasmodic collisions in the lower atmosphere. Two hundred and fifty-five years later, on July 19,
20, 1952, U.S. Air Force and air-traffic controllers at Washington National Airport and Andrews Air Force Base feared that the
White House might be under attack by “UFOs” when they spotted numerous unusual blips on their radar screen that were clustered
together and, looking out the windows: strange balls of bright light that at first moved slowly, then accelerated at an incredible speed
“like falling stars without tails”. F-94 interceptor jets were scrambled only to observe the objects suddenly disappear. And then later,
the objects reappeared on the radar screen, raising fears that the Capital might be under attack. More F-94 interceptors were scram-
bled, with pilots reporting observing “very bright lights” moving at hyper-speed only to disappear. When newspapers reported these
observations and reporters began asking questions, the Air Force issued a denial, stating that the radar blips were caused by a hot
muggy temperature inversion, i.e. a layer of warm air had trapped cooler air beneath and radar signals bounced off and reflected
objects in the lower atmosphere as being higher in the sky. Temperature inversions also generate considerable electric current be-
cause of the accumulation of charged particles that can generate electrical discharges and high levels of static electricity; conditions
that might attracted plasmoids.

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Figure 39. Plasma “Star Wars”? The hunter (red circle) strikes a plasma circled in white, made a 90-degree turn directed toward the
other two plasmas circled in white. Suddenly a hyper-sonic streak pierces the plasmas circled in red and white [1]. Targeting, col-
liding, piercing, is a common plasmodic behavior; which, if viewed in the lower atmosphere, might be interpreted as spheres at
battle. Unfortunately, if an aircraft is targeted, and a collision results, the result could be an inexplicable airline catastrophe.

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Figure 40. (Left) Woodcut and broadsheet: July, August,1566, red and black spheres appeared over the city of Basel and engaged in
“battle”. (Right) Woodcut and broadsheet: April 14, 1561 lightning, orbs and various forms appeared over Nuremberg and engaged
in “battle”. The bulbous “crosses” refer to orbs that merged. Our interpretation: Plasmodic collisions in the lower atmosphere.

20. Not All UAP Are Plasma?

As detailed in this article, it is reasonable to conclude that many of the inexplicable
objects that have appeared in the sky over the centuries, are plasmas, targeting and
colliding with one another, i.e. engaged in “battle” and “fight”. This does not mean
all UAP are plasma. What may be extraterrestrial spacecraft—but most likely plas-
mas—have been repeatedly observed by astronauts who refused to accept NASA’s
claims they are viewing “ice” or “reflections”.
On May 15, 1963, while riding a Mercury capsule on his final orbit of a 22-orbit
journey around the world, astronaut Gordon Cooper reported a “glowing, green-
ish object” that was “rapidly approaching”. On June 4, 1965, astronauts Ed White
and James McDivitt spotted a huge “metallic object” approaching their Gemini
orbiter. Plasmas, however, have multiple colors and may look metallic. Some
Gemini astronauts reported that their craft was surrounded by multiple objects
that they identified as “bogeys” i.e. unidentified flying objects (UFOs). For exam-
ple, in December of 1965, Gemini astronaut James Lovell reported a “Bogey at 10
o’clock high”. Capcom: “This is Houston. Say again 7”. Lovell: “We have a bogey
at 10 o’clock high”. Capcom: “Gemini 7, is that the booster, or is that an actual
sighting?” Lovell: “We have several, actual sightings. We also have the booster in
sight”.

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Figure 41. In this sequence, the Commander of STS 115 reported that a single object shaped like a “ring” (circled in Red) approached
the space shuttle; and was followed by several others: “They’re right in front of the orbiter”. Eventually four pulsating forms ap-
peared, three of which hovered, whereas the fourth (circled in Red) targeted the pulsating form in the black square. As Red Ring
approached, the object in the black square ceased to illuminate in the seconds before impact. NASA’s Mission control responded:
“Okay we are seeing three or four objects; can you confirm its just the one that actually moving and the others are just reflections?”
However, by now, the fourth object had disappeared, obscured by Red Circle; such that only three ring shaped forms remained. STS
115: “No, there are three objects, the one you see, you see two rings right there, they’re the ones we had the late tallyho on. The one
down at the bottom, that’s the one we initially saw” [1].

Figure 42. The commanders of STS 75 and STS 117 reported that multiple objects approached outside the windows moving about.
“We tracked it through windows one, two, three, four—and now it’s outside window five” [1]. This is noteworthy, as plasma can
pass through windows. Note also how NASA’s emblem (blue square) is obscured by “noise” and “snow”.

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The flight crew of Apollo 11—as reported by Buzz Aldrin in a 1982 interview—
saw “something out there that was close enough to be observed by the three of us.
It was very big, and coming closer, so we cautiously asked Houston about the final
stage of the rocket, the S-IVB which had been jettisoned two days earlier”. Apollo
11: “Do you have any idea where the S-IVB is with respect to us?” Mission Con-
trol: “Apollo 11, Houston. The S-IVB is about 6000 nautical miles from you now,
over”.
Commonly, plasmoids remain relatively motionless as others engage in a vari-
ety of actions; but may then suddenly move to a new location. In one instance, as
reported here, a “luminescent”, “brilliantly lighted” pulsating object was filmed
following and approaching one of the space shuttles (Figure 2) but as it came
closer NASA turned off the camera. In this later instance, complex filtering and
magnification of the object indicated it had a cylindrical shape and its sheen is
suggestive of some type of metal alloy. Plasmas, however, may also appear to have
a cylindrical and even a triangular shape.
In yet another shuttle video dozens, if not hundreds of pulsating plasmas that
had gathered over a thunderstorm (Figure 10, Figure 44), as two different NASA
commentators misidentified first one then a second then a third glowing object as
the MIR International Space Station indicating that each believed they were look-
ing at a human-made craft. However, a close examination of these and surround-
ing optical phenomena indicates that the commentators were most likely looking
at plasmas (Figures 35-37).
Unfortunately, as numerous glowing objects began swarming toward the last
object mis-identified as the MIR, the camera operator changed from a close up to
far field focus, thus obscuring all the action taken place. Thus, pulsating objects in
the thermosphere have been misidentified as spacecraft and the MIR International
Space Station; or, dismissed by NASA as ice or “just reflections”. Consider, for ex-
ample, when STS 75 filmed these things approaching and hovering near the shut-
tle (Figure 35) windows the commander dismissed NASA’s explanation and in-
stead insisted: “I’m looking out in front of the orbiter. No, there are three objects.
The one down at the bottom is the one we initially saw... It started over window
eight then quickly moved toward the upper windows. We tracked it through win-
dows one, two, three, four—and now it’s outside window five”. And then Mission
Control changed the subject [1]. Likewise, the commander of STS 123 [1], reported
that multiple objects had approached and were hovering or approaching the shut-
tle widows (Figure 35).

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Figure 43. Freeze frame from 30 second NASA film sequence in which a female then a male NASA commentator at Mission Control
thought they were looking at the MIR International Space Station, first identifying an object at the bottom left of the screen: “The
MIR Space station is now visible on the far left hand side of the screen...”, then the upper left of the screen, then this object at the
center of the screen just as multiple small forms began streaking toward it, including a pulsating object coming from the upper right;
at which point the camera operator shifted from a close up to a long field view making it impossible to observe the action taking
place [1]. To visualize these internal features, Fotor Red, Blue, Green filters were employed to detect gray-value differences in pixels
and enhance different gray-value spectra embedded in the film-photo. Via these filters the authors were able to define and colorize
differing features and shapes within shapes within the outer and inner aspects of the specimens.

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Figure 44. Freeze frame from 30 second NASA film sequence in which the pulsating object circled in white, was mis-identified as
the MIR (after two other pulsating objects were mis-identified). This pulsating form suddenly materialized, then took the stereotyp-
ical cone-shape, and flew at a 45-degree angle. As it reached center of the screen the pulsating object coming from the upper right
circled in blue began streaking toward it [1]. The blue object split in two leaving the form circled in green in its wake; then pierced
another plasma, headed toward the cone-shaped form just as other smaller “hunters” began streaking toward the “cone”. The camera
operator then shifted from a close up to a long field view making it impossible to observe the action taking place. The bottom row
is a 1600% magnification.

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Figure 45. Christopher Mellon, former Deputy Assistant Secretary of Defense, has reported that “our military is encountering in-
telligently controlled solid objects invading restricted military aerospace, sometimes flying in formation”. As depicted in this NASA
space shuttle film footage [1], multiple pulsating objects emerged from hurricane Gordan, assumed a V-formation and began pacing
the space shuttle. Bottom row indication of pulsating. Note: The cloud-shaped object would become completely dark, then glow,
then fade to black, then glow. This black and white video (photos) should have crystal clarity but—like all nighttime space shuttle
video—was contaminated with obscuring layers of rapidly alternating colors and white noise/snow after the video was received by
NASA and before it was released to the public [1].

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Figure 46. The U.S. Coast Guard photographer, Shell R. Alpert, took this photograph through a window screen showing three cloud-
like formations over the “Winter Island” Salem, Massachusetts, Air Station at 9:35 a.m. on 16 July 1952. (Official U.S. Coast Guard
photograph). The Air Station had radio radar and conducted sea rescues, and its facilities served amphibious helicopters and sea-
planes. The weather and temperature at that time was between 88˚F to 91˚F with a dew point of 65 to 67.68 (muggy and lots of
moisture in the air). According to the https://weather.gov/, “As a general rule, the surface dewpoint needs to be 55˚F or greater for
a surface-based thunderstorm to occur”. As can be seen from the photograph, the sky was dark and overcast—perfect weather for
thunderstorms.

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Figure 47. (Top) Sketch of three “blobs” of “brilliant white light” observed by Army Air Force crewman, Leonard Stringfield on
August 28, 1945, during a flight in a C-46 “flying coffin” over the Pacific Ocean to Iwo Jima [51]. According to Stringfield as the
three objects approached, the C-46 suddenly developed electrical problems and engine trouble, and began to lose altitude. Everyone
on board thought they were going to die. Stringfield states that it is his belief “that the sudden erratic behavior of my plane was due
to a mysterious force generated by the blobs” because when the “blobs” disappeared, the pilot was able to regain control over the
plane. (Bottom left). Depiction of a 1962 luminous event off the bow of the ship “Kaiba Shiharo” near the coast of Brazil, and which
was reported as a UFO. (Bottom right) A glowing pulsating cloud-like orb that ascended from a thunderstorm, heading upward
toward a NASA space shuttle [1], and as it neared, NASA turned off the camera (see Figure 23).

21. Speculation: Are Plasmoids Sentient?

If the plasmas described in this report constitute a 4th domain of life and include
those with intelligence is a subject of ongoing research by members of this research
team who strongly favor that view [1] [31]. Arnold, who viewed nine of these flash-
ing shape-shifting objects in 1947, believed they were sentient and alive. Astro-
nauts have also reported that plasma-like entities have appeared outside windows,

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often traveling from window to window [1]—as if looking inside and, in so doing,
upsetting the crew—whereas those encountered in the troposphere display what
could be construed as curiosity, e.g. “reconnoitering”, surveillance, mimicry, “toy-
ing with”, and so on [13] [40] [41] [49]-[54] [138]. Consider the incident when a
glowing plasma entered through a cockpit window and slowly moved about the
interior of the plane as if reconnoitering [49]; and another incident, reported by
Navy Cmdr. David Fravor, where the specimen mirrored the movements of his
jet fighter: “it was aware we were there”.
To speculate: based solely on behavior (e.g. hunters, grazers, foragers, specta-
tors) and our ongoing analysis [31]; if some plasmas are alive and sentient, then
their level of intelligence (or consciousness) may approximate and range from that
of algae to insects (insect societies, supra-organisms) to canines; albeit completely
“alien”. Conversely, the actions of some plasma may be based solely on electromag-
netism, e.g. charge coupling (attraction) and separation (repulsion). If pure autom-
ata, then at best, these behaviors could be likened to a moth attracted to a flame;
behavior that can be fatal when a plasma targets and collides with an aircraft, or
enters through the cockpit windows.
Many of the plasmoids of the ionosphere have interior voids that could be lik-
ened to a nucleus [3]. Employing Fotor anti-blur, filters, and magnification up to
1600 times, glowing spheres have been detected within some of these entities (Fig-
ure 1, Figure 7, Figure 8, Figure 21, Figure 29, Figure 45, Figure 49), including
a series of glowing spheres in a specimen with a serpentine shape. To speculate, these
could be construed as ganglia connected to nerve nets (see Figure 7, Figure 10,
Figure 21, Figure 29), i.e. neural networks, similar to the nervous system of pla-
naria, the common earthworm, and insects (Figure 48).
Although provocative to consider, it has also been reported that “round glowing
balls flared up inside” spiral and spherical plasmoids generated in a laboratory [30].
Therefore, these glowing orbs are additional evidence the specimens are plasmas;
but if the orbs are ganglia is unknown. However, there is yet another explanation
for the interior orbs: Plasmids.

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Figure 48. Comparing the nervous system of invertebrates (modified from Biocyclopedia) with the internal sphericals of plasmoids.
Glowing spheres also appear in plasma generated experimentally, and may represent individual plasma clustered together but that
resemble a composite cloud-shaped plasmoid (see Figure 9).

22. Speculation: Plasmids-Replicons: Evidence of Circular

Extrachromosomal DNA Molecules?
A plasmid is a small, circular, double-stranded DNA molecule that can replicate
and self-clone despite being distinct from a cell’s chromosomal DNA [171]-[173].
Also referred to as “replicons” plasmids are capable of autonomous self-replication
and can be transferred from host to host; referred to as “horizontal gene transfer”.
Although some cells are known to possess hundreds of plasmids—ranging in size
from less than 1-kilobase pairs to huge megaplasmids of several megabase pairs—

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other cells may only have one [172] [173]. Commonly found in bacteria and archaea,
plasmids are known to encode for proteins that enable these organisms to sur-
vive in otherwise lethal environments [171].
As documented in this report, specimens believed to be plasmas—like exper-
imentally generated plasmas—are capable of replication; one of which repeatedly
split apart into additional plasmoids, and which, like the host, were found to con-
tain circular structures. If these internal ovoid structures are plasmids, or balls of
RNA/DNA, they would have to be at least meters in size.
It is well established that common elements in the known universe which are
essential to life include hydrogen, oxygen, carbon, nitrogen, sulfur, calcium, and
phosphorus [174]-[176]. Interplanetary dust is also carbon-rich and glycine (an
RNA-base) and tryptophan (essential for protein formation) have been identified
in the interstellar medium [175] [176]. Because all these gases and elements may
combine and are continually irradiated by ions, they can generate small molecules.
If they continue to combine and grow in size, is it possible that within the cellular
confines of a plasma, they may become meters in size?
Plasmas are common in space and the ionosphere, which is permeated by dust
and fragments of carbonaceous chondrites within which seventy-three extraterres-
trial and nineteen terrestrial amino acids have so far been identified [174]-[176]. Ac-
cording to Alfvén [26] [27] plasmas contain cellular membranes; whereas plasma
with a nucleus have been repeatedly observed [3]. Plasmas that incorporate this
debris within their membranes are known as “dusty plasmas”. Once exogenously
incorporated into the confines of a dusty plasma membrane and nucleus, this mo-
lecular-protein-amino acid complex and the building blocks of nucleotides and
other vital prebiotic molecules would be subject to ion chemistry as well as polar-
ized radiation which induces asymmetric photochemistry leading to homochiral-
ity and the induction of chiral asymmetry which can produce an excess of L-amino
acids [177] [178].
In combination with tryptophan (discovered in the Perseus Cloud star system),
hydrogen, carbon, oxygen, nitrogen, cyanide, these amino acids, could form adenine
which is an RNA-DNA base, as well as other nucleotides that could grow up to sev-
eral centimeters within a dust-induced plasma void-nucleus, leading to electrically
charged lattice- and corkscrew-shaped assemblies of nucleic and amino acids that
produce enzymes and proteins within the nucleus [55]-[57]. This electrified com-
bination could then begin catalyzing reactions leading to the generation of self-rep-
licating RNA-like polymers and protein enzymes (polynucleotides) that resemble
RNA but are chemically simpler and can act as a catalyst [3] [177] [178]. Oxygen
and phosphorus could also ladder RNA-DNA base pairs together. In consequence,
dusty plasmas may acquire RNA-like capabilities leading to the formation of plas-
mids, and thus a fourth domain of DNA-based life [3].
According to Tsytovich [55] of the Russian Academy of Science, “These com-
plex, self-organized plasma structures exhibit all the necessary properties to qual-
ify them as candidates for inorganic living matter”. A number of scientists have in

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 R. G. Joseph et al.

fact argued that that the conditions necessary to generate living plasma are com-
mon in space; and that plasma may be a common extraterrestrial form of life [1]-
[3] [46] [55]-[58] [177]. If this scenario has validity, plasma may be the source for
the origin of life; and this would imply that every gaseous Earth-like planet would
likely harbor plasmas that could generate life—including planets that formed and
where life evolved billions of years before Earth was formed [177]-[181].
However, it must be emphasized that experimentally produced plasmas have
not been found to contain any of the precursors to the formation of a single nu-
cleotide. If those internal spherical forms are plasmids—or what their function might
be—or if they represent mini-plasmas joined together, or represent the “birth” and
generation of additional plasma, or consist of internalized plasmas within plasmas
(Figure 8, Figure 9), is unknown.

23. A Fourth Domain of Life?

An examination of the sample of freeze frames presented in this document, estab-
lished that plasmoids engage in complex behaviors, i.e. turning, following, target-
ing, colliding, merging, coupled with shape-shifting. Of course, it is important to
avoid anthropomorphizing what may be purely electromagnetic push pull and rep-
resentative of Descartes’ concept of “automata”. According to Descartes, all animals
are automata—no different from machines—only humans are non-automata, be-
cause humans have a soul. Descartes, however, never disputed the fact that ani-
mal-automata are alive. Further, it is well established that social animals, be they
insects or humans engage in complex behaviors.
Admittedly, collisionality may be push-pull, a consequence of differing or chang-
ing electric charges. However, consider, for example, Figure 16(A) and Figure 16(B).
Plasma #1 travels upward, intersects with a plasma #2 as hyper-velocity plasma
(hunters) speeds by. Then, another plasma, #3 materializes or suddenly self-il-
luminates, changes shape, follows plasma #1, intersects the same #2 plasma, then
passes close to #1, and continues upward and finally hovers in place as plasma #1
ejects a plasma #4. Plasma #4 travels toward and interacts with #3, who heads back
toward and merges with #1.
This is not an isolated case, but a sample of repeated instances of plasmas split-
ting or ejecting additional plasmas that also engage in complex interactions [31].
Consider Figure 8, which provides striking evidence that what were two plasmas
became three, i.e. one of the plasmas ejected or secreted another plasmas which
interacts with another plasma before separating completely and hovering in place.
And all this ties in with the photos of the plasma conglomerates—multiple plasma
that form what looks like one composite cloud-like plasma. And yet, although
plasma conglomerates may explain shape shifting and what appears to be splitting
and the formation of additional plasma, it cannot account for the complex inter-
actions.
Consider Figure 48, in which four nucleated plasmoids, coming from different
directions and traveling at different velocities, intersect a single non-nucleated

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R. G. Joseph et al.

plasmoid that merely hovers in place. These behaviors were captured in less than
20 seconds of NASA space shuttle footage; and this implies that dozens, or even
hundreds of nucleated plasmas may have intersected that single plasmoid. More-
over, this can’t be considered an isolated incident. There are numerous examples
of waiting, hovering plasmoids which are struck and pierced by different plasmas
[1] as can also be viewed in Figure 16(A) and Figure 16(B). Then there are plas-
mas that after intersecting other plasmoids, turns and follows yet another plasmoid
which ejects a satellite plasmoid that contacts the new pursuer which turns around.
What are we to make of these complex interactions that resemble complex, pur-
poseful social behaviors? Three of the authors of this report (Joseph, Armstrong,
Schild) believe these plasmoids are alive, have achieved consciousness, and repre-
sent a fourth domain of life [31]. But then what looks like purposeful behavior
and complex social interactions leads us back to the dangers of anthropomor-
phizing.

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(A)

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(B)

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(C)

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(D)

Figure 49. (A) Four different plasmoids (circled in red, green, blue, and orange) intersect the same specimens (framed in white).
First, the plasma in red traveling downward from the top, then the plasmoid in green coming upward from the left bottom side of
the image. (B) Four plasmoids interest the same plasmoid. First, the plasmoid in red, then the specimen in green (A), then a plasmoid
moving upward from the bottom of the image (circled in blue), and finally the specimen circled in orange and that had hovered in
place until finally contacting the target. (C) Four different plasmoids (circled in red, green, blue, and orange) intersect the same
specimen (framed in white). Note that the “hunters” are nucleated. The target plasmoid is devoid of a nucleus. Processed via Fotor
Filters. (D) Four different plasmoids (circled in red, green, blue, and orange) intersect the same specimen (framed in white). First
then Red, then the Green, Blue, and finally the Orange. Note that the “hunters” are nucleated. The target plasmoid is devoid of a
nucleus. Processed via Fotor Filters.

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24. Conclusions
The term “extraterrestrial” is derived from the Latin words terrestris (“earthly” or
“land”) and extra, which is derived from exter (“outside”, “outwards”, “beyond”).
Thus, by definition, “extraterrestrial” refers to any object or being that was not
born on or does not live upon or is not characteristic of objects or life on this planet,
but lives or originates outward from Earth. The upper atmosphere, by definition,
including and especially the ionosphere and plasmasphere, is outward from Earth
and directly affected by cosmic rays that originate outside this system, and which
may contribute to the formation of plasmas which in turn may originate in, or jour-
ney to the ionosphere from other planets.
For example, Earth’s GEC can be considered a paradigm for planetary electric-
ity for every planet with a gaseous atmosphere and where lightning is common-
place, e.g. Jupiter and Saturn. It is therefore reasonable to suspect that plasmoids
also dwell in the upper atmosphere of these two gas giants, where thunderstorms
are common.
On Earth, Jupiter, Saturn, and presumably all gaseous planets with atmospheres,
electric charges are generated by cosmic rays, ultraviolet radiation, and by friction,
bolide impacts, as well as by cloud charging, volcanism, and dust. Lightning is
common on Jupiter and Saturn and is thought to originate from water clouds deep
in their atmospheres, with temperatures ~300 K [182], where water is likely to exist
in more than one phase. For Jupiter and Saturn, the outermost cloud layer con-
sists of ammonia (NH3) ice particles, which is followed by an intermediate am-
monium hydrosulfide cloud layer (NH4SH) and a deep-water cloud (H2O) layer
[183].
Lightning is a plasma that attracts and produces plasmas. Lightning was asso-
ciated with Jupiter by the ancient Greeks and Romans, and detected optically with
the camera on-board Voyager 1 [184], and by Voyager 2 as well as by the Galileo
[185]. The Voyager plasma wave instrument also detected lightning whistlers in
Jupiter’s magnetosphere [186]. It is reasonable to assume, therefore, that plasmas,
similar to those discussed in this report, also swim in the atmospheric seas of Ju-
piter and Saturn.
We believe that plasmoids that arrive in the thermosphere from locations un-
known should be described as “extraterrestrial”. We also believe that plasma that
has descended into the lower atmosphere has been observed for thousands of years
and that plasmoids account for many, but not all observations of UAP, including
those believed to have “battled” over cities in the recent and ancient past.
As detailed in this report and the supplementary 17-minute video compilation
of NASA space shuttle video [1], thousands of self-illuminating, pulsating plas-
moids have been filmed in the ionosphere-thermosphere approaching, surround-
ing and congregating around space shuttles, satellites, the MIR and thunderstorms;
and those that descended into thunderstorms and the lower atmosphere may have
been filmed by U.S. Navy personnel and U.S. Coast Guard and Customs including
those observed above and diving/sinking beneath the ocean surface. Plasmoids can

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accelerate to hypersonic speed and engage in complex behaviors. They travel at

different velocities from different directions, often making 90 to 180-degree turns,
as well as slowing down, speeding up, and following, targeting then colliding, in-
tersecting and piercing other plasmas, as well as swarming toward and congregat-
ing above and descending into thunderstorms and the lower atmosphere, which
is the air corridor favored by commercial and military aircraft. Plasmas can pass
through glass, plastic, metal, and enter the cockpits of airplanes and have been ob-
served by astronauts inside spacecraft, the MIR and ISS.
Transient plasmas can negatively affect electronics and mental activity, and may
trigger hallucinations and nightmares, including those later recalled as “alien ab-
ductions”. Once they descend into thunderstorms and the lower atmosphere, given
their propensity to track and collide, this may account for the numerous reports of
UAPs following, harassing, chasing, and “toying with” aircraft beginning before,
during and after World War II, and the association between increases in both
UAP sightings and unexplained aircraft disasters.
The ionosphere and the troposphere have a positive charge, and the ocean sur-
face under white water and turbulent conditions also develops a positive charge,
and this may explain the frequent sightings of UAP in the lower atmosphere and
soaring above and diving into the oceans, including, as reported here, a shape-shift-
ing UAP filmed by a U.S. Customs and Border Protection DHC-8.
It is noteworthy that five glowing objects flew in formation over Los Angeles in
1942. Four cloud-shaped objects resembling plasmoids in a V-like formation were
also photographed over Winter Island in Salem Massachusetts. Pulsating objects
in a V-formation have also been filmed pacing one of the space shuttles. Objects
(UAP) flying in formation have been repeatedly observed on numerous occasions,
have harassed military jets and installations and have engaged in what Navy and
Pentagon officials suspect is best described as surveillance.
Flying in formation suggests intelligent control and coordinated actions. Are
plasmoids intelligent, or were these V-flying objects space craft from other worlds?
Lending itself to the latter possibility, as documented in this report, a pulsating
object followed and approached a space shuttle, but as it drew closer, NASA turned
off the camera [1]. Why? Why add four layers of noise to nighttime film? Filtering
of freeze frame photographs of the object as it approached, revealed a cylindrical
form that has a metallic sheen (Figure 2). However, plasmas can also look metal-
lic.
Although these electromagnetic entities engage in behaviors that seem purpose-
ful, and which may represent curiosity—such as appearing outside space shuttle
windows—as if looking inside—or materializing inside a cockpit and then slowly
traversing (surveying?) the aircraft—one must be careful not to anthropomorphize
what may be push-pull electromagnetic activity. On the other hand, the dominant
energy that fuels the human brain is electromagnetic.
Another caveat: We have referred to these easily observed entities as “plasmas”
and “plasmoids” to distinguish them from the “unknown”, where it has been

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impossible to determine what is being viewed. Unfortunately, NASA added four

layers of visual noise to nighttime shuttle films and turned off the camera when
anything life-like or that might be interpreted as a “UFO” (AKA alien spacecraft)
came into view [1], thereby making it extremely difficult to perform detailed anal-
ysis. Therefore, based on the evidence NASA has made available [1], our best guess
is that these are “plasmas” [1]-[3] AKA “plasmoids” albeit, with the understanding
there are numerous subtypes that engage in different behaviors.
Are plasmoids alive? Do they represent a fourth domain of life? Do different sub-
types of “plasmoids” belong to a fifth, sixth, or seventh domain of “alien” life? As
reviewed here and as based on additional research [31], the evidence supports the
hypothesis that plasmoids may have provided the composite basis for the origin of
RNA, followed by DNA, and thus: life [3]; and that plasmoids in the thermosphere
are sentient, aware and have consciousness [31].
If this latter theory proves true, then since plasmoids likely dwell in the upper
atmosphere of every gaseous planet, it can be predicted that plasmas may have
spawned life on innumerable worlds, including those that formed billions of years
before Earth. If this latter proposition proves true, then life would have likely evolved
in innumerable worlds, even reaching the level of modern Earthly humans, billions
of years ago [177]-[181] [187] [188]. Might some of the UAP/UFO observed over
the centuries include craft and machines manufactured by hyper-technologically
advanced races of beings that evolved in ancient Earth-like worlds? Hard evidence,
photographed by NASA on Mars—albeit at present, unconfirmed—favors that view
[60].
In conclusion, given the evidence presented in this and other reports [1]-[3], it
is highly likely that plasmas and “plasmoids” account for many of the encounters
with and observations of UAP over the centuries, including those observed flying
above cities and diving beneath the sea. Plasmoids, however, cannot account for
all UAP sightings, at least some of which may be extraterrestrial spacecraft from
other worlds.

Acknowledgements
Robert Powell of the Scientific Coalition for UAP studies provided the authors with
the 3-minute video of the Aguadilla, Puerto Rico UAPs filmed by U.S. Customs
Border Protection.

Conflicts of Interest
The authors declare no conflicts of interest regarding the publication of this paper.

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