The Paleozoic Era, commencing 541 million years ago, represented a remarkable epoch in Earth’s biological history. It kicked off with the Cambrian explosion, an unparalleled surge in biodiversity that led to the flourishing of tropical forests, the advent of fish, and the eventual migration of amphibians to land.

However, as with all epochs, this extraordinary period reached its conclusion. The termination came in the form of the most extensive mass extinction ever recorded, marked by abrupt global warming resulting in a significant marine and terrestrial extinction event—the Permian-Triassic extinction.

This catastrophic event eradicated over 80% of marine species and 70% of terrestrial vertebrates. It buried plant life and swamps, ultimately transforming them into subterranean coal deposits.

This notion presents a potential solution to the challenges posed by potential interstellar arrivals of spacecraft.

The prevailing consensus attributes the Permian-Triassic extinction to volcanic eruptions creating the Siberian Traps and suggests that humanity stands as the initial technological civilization on Earth, emerging 250 million years after that cataclysmic event.

Yet, is it conceivable that the devastating global warming 252 million years ago resulted from the industrial activities of a technological civilization predating ours?

This proposition implies that the first terrestrial intelligence emerged a mere 6% earlier than our own in the 4.54-billion-year history of Earth.

Any technological remnants left by this early civilization on Earth’s surface would likely have succumbed to 250 million years of geological activity, including subduction, water erosion, meteorite impacts, and other processes.

However, relics of this civilization could potentially endure in space. Over the last century, our civilization has launched numerous functional devices into orbit.

A more advanced or enduring technological civilization might have deployed more sophisticated devices. Could there be unknown technological artifacts in our celestial surroundings?

Director of National Intelligence Avril Haines presented reports to the United States Congress in 2022 and 2023 acknowledging Unidentified Aerial Phenomena (UAP) with unclear characteristics. Some of these phenomena can traverse various mediums, transitioning seamlessly between air and water.

Could these relics serve as evidence of an advanced civilization predating us by 252 million years?

This possibility might offer a solution to challenges related to potential spacecraft arrivals on Earth during interstellar journeys and the perplexing question of why these UAPs are present despite the vastness of cosmic space and time.

The sustained stability of Earth-orbiting satellites hinges on their propulsion mechanisms.

Vehicles capable of traversing both water and air, as reported by U.S. Navy pilots in 2004, could have been designed to refuel by extracting water and splitting its molecules into hydrogen and oxygen through solar-powered electrolysis.

However, comprehending the enigmatic nature of UAPs necessitates deciphering through the collection of new scientific data, a goal central to the Galileo Project that I oversee.

Our inaugural observatory at Harvard University currently monitors the entire sky through video and audio. Collected data undergoes storage and analysis via artificial intelligence software.

The Galileo Project research team is committed to transparently reporting any UAPs captured in their data. These findings will complement classified data collected by military and intelligence agencies working for national security.

Given the widespread interest in UAPs from both the government and the general public, it is the firm belief that scientists have a civic duty to elucidate the nature of UAPs.

This summer, Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer (D-NY) and Senator Mike Rounds (R-SD), a senior member of the Subcommittee on Cybersecurity of the Senate Armed Services Committee, introduced an amendment called the 2023 UAP Disclosure Act. This bipartisan effort aims to enhance transparency and promote scientific research on UAPs, aligning with the objectives of the Galileo Project.

“For decades, many Americans have been captivated by mysterious and unexplained objects, and it’s time they get some answers,” Schumer stated. “The American public has the right to learn about technologies of unknown origins, non-human intelligence, and unexplained phenomena.”

The legislation has garnered bipartisan support, with Senator Gillibrand emphasizing its importance for national security. “Understanding UAPs is critical for our national security and for maintaining control of all domains [land, air, and sea],” she affirmed.

“If Senator Rubio and I created the Anomaly Resolution in All Domains Office (ARADO), we sought to increase transparency for the American people and reduce the stigma around this topic of high public interest. Declassifying previous records related to UAPs is part of that mission, and I am proud to support this important amendment.”

The legislation seeks to establish a UAP Records Review Board—an independent agency determining whether a UAP record should be classified as secret or for disclosure. Following the Board’s formal determination, the President of the United States holds exclusive authority to accept or revoke it.

We anticipate that information retrieved through government or scientific means will propel humanity into a more enduring existential state than any potential predecessor on Earth. By “more enduring,” we refer to a state where our creations endure for over 252 million years into the future.