stock here, will be traveling a week, Holland American Cruise Line, many photo ops, will post after return. Quebec looks like an architecturally amazing city, we shall see if the homeless and druggies pervade the streets. I do hear, on Reddit, that there is an amazing amount of graphiti.
Who thought Halifax had a skyline?
Apparently, Graphiti is an AI tool that helps understand facts in a temporal way….although it is not intuitive on how to use it….apparently it updates graphs as new information presents itself, seems useful….
stock here: the deer were heavily populating my property while I was gone, and they have brought the ticks with them. I’ll knock down the tall grasses in the garden and spray the whole area. 2 people have mentioned ticks following them home from the garden.
I bought a 3 pack of 3 tick removers and a handy tick ID chart
Deer ticks have the highest chance of carrying Lyme disease.
From the video, a Gemini summary. I have plenty of mice too, so I will buy that…..
stock here: LOL don’t jump to ivermectin…they have studied it, and it doesn’t help. But I hope y’all have an emergency supply of anti-biotics, and Doxy is a good one.
Conclusions: A single 200-mg dose of doxycycline given within 72 hours after an I. scapularis tick bite can prevent the development of Lyme disease.
The Tick Myth
Forget the deep woods. Ticks are taking over suburbs and cities because they hitch rides on mice, chipmunks, and pets—not just deer. They love damp, shady areas, and they don’t jump or drop from trees. Instead, they wait on tall grass or leaves and latch onto your feet as you walk by.
The Shoe Supercharge
Since ticks always start from the ground up, your shoes are your best defense. Spray your shoes with a clothing-safe insect repellent (like permethrin) and let it dry. This creates a chemical shield that keeps ticks off your feet for about 30 days, cutting off their main highway onto your body.
Shorts vs. Pants
Most advice says to cover up completely, but ticks will just crawl up your clothes until they reach your head and hair, where they are impossible to feel. Wearing shorts and a t-shirt makes it much easier to feel them crawling on your skin so you can catch them before they ever bite.
The Packing Tape Trick
If you find a tick crawling on you, do not flick it off or squish it. It can survive in your house or inject nasty fluids into you. Instead, use packing tape. Press the tape onto the tick, fold it over to trap it forever, and save it in case a doctor needs to test it later.
Tick Tubes & Yard Defense
You can use mice to destroy the tick population. Drop “tick tubes” (degradable tubes filled with treated cotton) around your yard. Mice take the cotton to build nests, and the safe insecticide kills the ticks on them without hurting the mice. Keeping your lawn cut short also helps, as ticks hate dry, hot sunshine.
The Secret Bite
Ticks inject a natural numbing agent when they bite, meaning you won’t feel them dig in. Your only chance to catch them is while they are walking. Always do a full body check at the end of the day, and if you do get bitten, use a specialized tick-removal tool to scoop them out safely instead of squeezing them.
Rocky Mountain spotted fever, tularemia; less Lyme concern
Lone star tick
Adult female has obvious single white dot on back
Similar adult size to dog tick, aggressive biter
Ehrlichiosis, STARI-like rash, possible alpha-gal/red meat allergy concern
Brown dog tick
Narrow brown body, usually around dogs/kennels/homes
Small-to-medium
Less common human issue in WI, but can infest homes
Fast rule: in Wisconsin, the one to take most seriously is the blacklegged/deer tick. Wisconsin DHS says nearly all tickborne illnesses in Wisconsin are caused by deer/blacklegged ticks, and DHS lists the three disease-spreading ticks in Wisconsin as deer/blacklegged, wood/American dog, and lone star ticks.
Visual memory aid:
Seeing this?
Think
Tiny, dark, no white markings
Deer tick — Lyme risk
Big, brown, white patterned back
Wood/dog tick
One clean white dot
Lone star tick
Found crawling indoors/dog bedding
Brown dog tick
After a bite: pull straight out with fine tweezers, save it in a bag/photo it, mark the date, and watch for fever, aches, fatigue, rash, or spreading redness. CDC notes tickborne diseases can cause fever/chills, aches, fatigue, muscle pain, and sometimes distinctive rashes.
stock here, no time for a big study, but I can’t remember ever seeing a max WW EQ of 5.2, Some big energy has been released and we are in a calm period.
Stay frosty though, it won’t last. Consider checking your bug out backpack, look for expired stuff, replace batteries. In a fire or tornado, this may be the only thing you leave your house with.
stock here: now the Fraud is clear to everyone, but it still cannot be stopped it seems. Trump thinks he can do everything and anything, and they have enraged him by blocking every move he makes, his only sure thing is the military, and now that is backfiring pretty badly.
Shameful, misguided, he is a different man now, who does not collaborate with others. On Tulsi….”I don’t care what she thinks”. Shameful.
American Thinker, seems OK this site, does not appear to be controlled opposition
stock here: The attack on society continues. My strategy is to increase my adherence to known methods of increasing health. I have expressed some reservation about this “CEO” guy, as a Billionaire I wonder why he does podcasts….and he has a girlfriend who apparently is now “right about everything” aka a Naturopath. It’s not just foods, it’s also plants and herbs that we would not often come across.
This is lengthy, 2 hours is a lot, one of my goals for this “Wisconsin Run” is to not waste time. You can grab the transcript and skim it. A commentor put this concise list, still longer than the “5 Clickbait” Title.
May help those short on time: 1:59:cholesterol – more vegetable based diet, exercise, artichoke leaf, dandelion root, 1:03:33 arthritis – use mustard bath, mustard plaster 1:41:45 turmeric benefits 1:47:13 green tea benefits to brain health 1:50:13 rosemary – smelling it for brain health 1:51:39 cacao – dark chocolate is a medicine for heart and brain blood circulation (>75% cocoa take 50g a day) 21:18 panic attacks – manage sugar cravings 36:03 ginger benefits 37:43 cinnamon 51:48 bitters & coffee benefits 1:16:10 root vegetables and greens – Beets, carrots. Parsnips, cabbages, broccol 1:17:07 lentils Dahl, pees and beans for microbiome 1:18:41 keto diet 1:21:24 insulin resistance
it seems clear that ivermectin should be effective against the new screwworm?
Query successful
Your intuition is entirely spot-on, and the timing of your question couldn’t be more relevant.
The U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) issued an Emergency Use Authorization (EUA) specifically for Ivomec (ivermectin) 1% injectable solution to prevent infestations caused by New World screwworm (NWS) larvae in cattle.
While ivermectin has been a staple anti-parasitic for decades, this emergency authorization marks the first time it has been approved as an over-the-counter (OTC) preventative tool for cattle ranchers to combat an active screwworm threat without needing a veterinary prescription.
How Ivermectin Defends Against Screwworms
The New World screwworm is highly destructive because, unlike normal blowflies that feed on dead tissue, screwworm larvae burrow into and eat the living flesh of warm-blooded animals. Ivermectin acts as a systemic shield at critical intervention points:
When to Apply: The FDA guidelines note that it is effective when administered within 24 hours of birth (protecting the navel), at the time of castration, or immediately when any open wound appears.
How it Works: As a systemic insecticide, when a female fly lays eggs on a wound, the newly hatched larvae ingest the ivermectin present in the animal’s tissue and fluids, killing them before they can burrow deeply and cause fatal damage.
Important Usage Limits & Alternatives
While it is a powerful tool, it comes with specific regulations and limitations to keep in mind:
Restrictions: Ivomec is strictly not for use in female dairy cattle producing milk for human consumption, nor in calves intended for veal.
Slaughter Withdrawal: There is a mandatory 35-day withdrawal period before treated cattle can be processed for slaughter.
Other Species: While this specific OTC injectable authorization focuses on cattle, the FDA has simultaneously issued emergency clearances for other drugs (like topical powders, sprays, and oral medications like NexGard) to cover horses, sheep, swine, dogs, and cats against the screwworm threat.
Resistance Risks: Regulatory agencies emphasize using it judiciously. Relying too heavily on ivermectin can cause screwworms or other parasites to develop a resistance to it, so it should be used alongside good animal husbandry and wound monitoring.
Are you looking into this for a specific livestock herd, or are you just tracking the regulatory response to the recent screwworm threat?
so open wounds are the only route for the screw worm?
Query successful
Not exclusively, no. While an open wound is by far the most common and easiest entryway for the New World screwworm (NWS), female flies will also eagerly target natural body orifices and mucous membranes.
Even if an animal doesn’t have a single scratch on its skin, it can still become infested through several non-wound routes.
1. Natural Body Orifices & Mucous Membranes
Female screwworm flies are attracted to the moisture, warmth, and odors of natural body openings. They will lay their eggs directly on or right next to mucous membranes, including:
The Nostrils and Sinuses: Flies can lay eggs around the nose, and the hatched larvae will crawl inward, burrowing into the nasal cavities.
The Eyes and Ears: Larvae can infest the eye orbits or the inner ear canal, which is particularly dangerous due to the proximity to the brain.
The Mouth and Gums: Animals with poor oral hygiene or gum disease can attract flies to the mouth.
Genitals and Anus: The vulva, prepuce, or anal area are frequent targets, especially if there is any localized irritation, discharge, or diarrhea.
2. The “Gray Area” Routes (Micro-Wounds)
Often, a rancher or pet owner might think an animal doesn’t have an open wound, but the fly’s sensory organs detect microscopic skin compromises that humans easily miss:
Tick and Insect Bites: A tiny puncture from a single tick, horn fly, or mosquito bite is more than enough to attract a female screwworm fly.
Newborn Navels: The exposed umbilicus of a newborn calf, lamb, or kitten is technically a natural anatomical site, but it is one of the highest-risk zones for NWS. The fly lays eggs on the moist navel, and the larvae burrow straight into the newborn’s abdomen.
Disease Lesions: Conditions like “sore mouth” (orf) in sheep, skin cancer lesions, or severe chapping can provide the perfect foothold for an infestation.
The Takeaway: Because the fly doesn’t strictly need a jagged, obvious gash to cause an infestation, livestock management during an outbreak requires checking body openings for unusual drainage, swelling, or foul odors—not just keeping an eye on surgical or accidental wounds.
what percent is thru orifices rather than open wounds?
Query successful
There isn’t a single, fixed percentage, primarily because data changes depending on the time of year (calving season vs. branding season) and whether you are looking at wildlife versus domestic livestock.
However, looking at historical data and field tracking by organizations like COPEG (the Panama–United States Commission for the Eradication and Prevention of Screwworm), we can break down how these infestations typically shake out:
1. The Breakdown (Estimates)
70% to 80% – Open Wounds and Micro-Wounds: This is the overwhelming majority. However, this category includes “hidden” wounds that people often mistake for natural orifices, such as tick bites, horn fly bites, or wire scratches.
20% to 30% – True Natural Orifices: These are infestations that begin purely via mucous membranes or completely intact body openings (vulva, nasal cavities, eyes, and ears).
2. The Wildcard: The Newborn Navel
The umbilicus (navel) of newborn animals blurs the line between a wound and an orifice. Technically, it is a natural anatomical opening, but it functions like a fresh, raw wound.
During calving or lambing seasons, navel infestations can suddenly skyrocket to account for well over 50% of all reported cases in a region.
In wild populations, like the Texas White-tailed deer, screwworm infestations targeting the navels of newborn fawns historically caused annual fawn mortality rates of 20% to 80%.
3. Why Orifice Infestations Spike
While open cuts from fencing, shearing, or branding are predictable, orifice infestations usually spike due to specific triggers:
Post-Calving: Female flies are intensely drawn to the vulva of cows that have recently given birth due to natural discharge and fluid.
Eye & Nose Infections: If livestock are suffering from Pinkeye (infectious keratoconjunctivitis) or heavy nasal discharge from respiratory bugs, the fluid and odor will draw screwworm flies straight to the eyes or nostrils, completely bypassing the need for a cut.
This is exactly why the FDA’s recent Emergency Use Authorization emphasizes treating animals within 24 hours of birth—even if the calf looks perfectly healthy, that navel is a giant beacon for the pest.
when did the FDA issue that EUA
Query successful
The FDA officially issued the Emergency Use Authorization (EUA) for Ivomec (ivermectin) 1% injectable solution on February 5, 2026.
This action was part of a rolling wave of emergency clearances aimed at building up a defensive toolkit against the threat of New World screwworm. The broader regulatory pipeline rolled out in stages:
August 2025: The Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) officially declared that the screwworm situation justified the future use of emergency animal drug authorizations.
Late 2025: The FDA issued several conditional approvals and EUAs for other specific companion animal treatments (like NexGard for dogs and cats) and livestock options.
February 5, 2026: The FDA formally granted the EUA specifically for Ivomec, marking the first time a widely accessible, over-the-counter (OTC) injectable was authorized for cattle ranchers to use preventatively at those critical intervention windows (birth, castration, and wound appearance).
why injectable, why not just use the “horse paste”
Query successful
The choice of an injectable solution over oral “horse paste” comes down to how cattle process medication, how the drug distributes through the body, and strict food safety regulations.
While horse paste is highly effective for horses, using it on cattle—especially to fight off a voracious flesh-eating parasite like the screwworm—is a bad idea for several reasons.
1. Absorption and Bioavailability (How the Drug Travels)
Cattle and horses have vastly different digestive systems. Horses are monogastrics (single-stomach animals), meaning an oral paste is absorbed quickly through their stomach and intestinal lining.
Cattle are ruminants with a massive four-compartment stomach system.
The Rumen Barrier: If you give an oral paste to cattle, it gets diluted and heavily degraded by the billions of microbes in the rumen. This means much less of the active drug actually makes it into the bloodstream.
The Injection Advantage: A subcutaneous (under the skin) injection completely bypasses the digestive tract. It enters the bloodstream directly and distributes evenly into the tissues, mucous membranes, and bodily fluids—the exact places where screwworm larvae try to feed.
2. Blood Concentration and Duration
To stop a screwworm infestation, the level of ivermectin in the animal’s living tissue needs to be high enough to kill the larvae the moment they take their first bite.
Injectable ivermectin creates a steady, predictable, and long-lasting peak concentration in the bloodstream. This provides days of continuous, systemic protection during critical windows (like a calf’s first 24 hours of life).
Oral paste results in an erratic, short-lived spike in cattle. The larvae might survive the low dose, which is exactly how parasites build genetic resistance to the drug.
3. Human Food Safety (The “Meat and Milk” Problem)
Because cattle enter the human food supply, the FDA regulates them much more strictly than companion horses.
When a drug is given as an injection, the rate at which it leaves the animal’s body (metabolism) is highly studied and predictable. This allows the FDA to establish a strict, safe 35-day slaughter withdrawal period.
If a rancher uses an unapproved oral paste on cattle, there is no scientific data to prove when the meat is safe for human consumption again. Doing so runs a high risk of leaving chemical residues in the food supply, which is a federal violation.
4. Dosing Accuracy
Cattle can weigh anywhere from an 80-pound newborn calf to a 1,500-pound bull. Getting a massive animal to swallowed a precisely measured amount of paste without spitting half of it out on the chute is incredibly difficult. An injection gun ensures every animal gets the exact, uniform milligrams-per-kilogram dose required to neutralize the larvae.
Note on Species Safety: It’s also worth noting that the reverse is true—you should never give cattle injectable ivermectin to a dog or cat. Certain breeds (like Collies) carry a genetic mutation (MDR1) that allows the injectable form to cross the blood-brain barrier, which is frequently fatal.
stock here: I saw this at the Cuttlefish, h/t, with a curious story of a well published marxist who just died at 92. Although, most believe in “capitalism” or “free markets” but we should also admit that the success of the USA is also it’s hobbling feature.
That being the USA is so successful, that even that level of success allowed substantial regulatory capture, allowing the plundering and poisoning of the American people.
Have at it, let me know what you think, on this success epiphany, and the dead marxist.
stock here: The “strutting” meme is powerful with this one. It reminds / allusions to the Strutting of the Woke, so self confident that they are in the right (correct).
It’s their strutting. That detestable image of the strutting that links them, the strutting and prancing Fascists and their swaggering and parading military cousins, up front for their conveniently concealed corporatist controllers. A strutting and swaggering couple they are, Fascism and the entrenched class of war. Their distorted visions of gallantry and nation come so naturally to both. The spick and span generals, employers of mercenaries and killers, chin in, chest out, and their majors and their colonels (especially the generals in the offices and the majors in the tents), thick chests covered with ribbons and medals and rows of multicolored decorations—awarded for killing. And the political Fascists! Defiant chins thrust forward, hard fists clinched, swaggering and prancing and strutting across the stages of piazzas nations and continents—in support of the killing.
For God’s sakes let’s don’t waste time on the propaganda of “supporting our troops over there!” Or defense of America’s values! Or the future of our children! Or the war on terrorism! Let’s don’t waste words on that. As if in their strutting and blustering they had a monopoly on care for our sons! Let the generals and the industrial-military complex and our new administration (hopefully) support our boys “over there” in the only way that really counts—by bringing them home.
stock here: I will publish my “Superblend” which is a mix of around 18 natural supplements that all have a purpose and was developed over a period of years, and went scientific on dosing for each. It works out to 3 tablespoons of powder per day.
I am seeing a huge use for A-Eye in reviewing medical prescriptions, but the net effect is going to be less prescriptions (more discovered interactions, or plain contra-indicated), and the big Pharma is going to fight tooth and nail to keep prescription review entirely with it’s minions (LOL)
—
There is a real tension here, although the outcome may be more nuanced than “AI means fewer prescriptions.”
Where AI could genuinely help
Prescription review is one of the strongest use cases for AI because it involves:
Thousands of drugs
Constantly changing interaction databases
Complex patient histories
Time pressure on physicians and pharmacists
An AI system can instantly check:
Drug-drug interactions
Drug-supplement interactions
Age-related concerns
Kidney and liver dosing
Duplicate therapies
Contraindications
Beers Criteria medications (higher-risk drugs in older adults)
No human can keep all of that in their head simultaneously.
For example, a future AI might flag:
“Patient is taking three medications that each independently increase fall risk. Combined risk is substantially elevated.”
That’s the sort of pattern that can be missed in a busy clinic.
Why prescriptions might decrease
There are several mechanisms:
Deprescribing
Many older patients accumulate medications over decades.
AI may identify drugs that are no longer needed.
Duplicate therapies
Two doctors prescribe similar medications.
Nobody notices until a comprehensive review.
Interaction avoidance
A new drug may be avoided because it creates more risk than benefit.
Non-drug alternatives
AI may point out that lifestyle interventions, physical therapy, or monitoring are reasonable first-line options.
Why prescriptions might also increase
The opposite effect is possible.
AI may identify:
Untreated hypertension
Missed diabetes
Inadequate anticoagulation
Preventive therapies supported by evidence
In those cases, prescriptions could actually go up.
How pharmaceutical companies might respond
Large pharmaceutical companies are not monolithic. Their incentives vary.
Some may resist AI systems that:
Reduce unnecessary prescribing
Increase scrutiny of side effects
Highlight non-drug alternatives
On the other hand, they may embrace AI systems that:
Improve adherence
Identify untreated patients
Match drugs to patients more accurately
A company generally wants its medication prescribed to the patients most likely to benefit and remain on therapy.
The bigger resistance may come from the system itself
The largest obstacle may not be pharmaceutical companies but:
Liability concerns
Regulatory approval
Electronic medical record integration
Provider workflow changes
Reimbursement models
If an AI says:
“This medication should probably be stopped,”
and a physician disagrees, who is responsible if something goes wrong?
Healthcare systems are very sensitive to that question.
What I suspect happens
In the next 5–10 years, the most successful model will probably be:
AI reviews every prescription, but a licensed clinician remains responsible for the final decision.
Think of it like:
Human pilot + advanced avionics
Human radiologist + AI image review
Human engineer + structural analysis software
The AI may catch things that humans miss, while the human provides judgment, context, and accountability.
One area where I think AI could have enormous value is exactly what many patients experience today: seeing multiple specialists who each prescribe within their own domain, while nobody performs a comprehensive review of the entire medication and supplement stack. AI is particularly well suited to that “whole-system” analysis.
stock here: And the point is short and sweet. They are having trouble in life, for a lot of reasons, but for one important aspect is an unrealistic view of reality….
You can tell that a certain amount of people, are basically in poor organizational shape, they are living a poor life because of unrealistic expectations, which are not improved by our lying mass media and the totally fake stories coming out of Hollywood. Thus these disillusioned people make requests for “cheap”, “high quality” and “fast”. They should realize that what they are asking for is unrealistic, except for maybe a 1000 to 1 chance.
stock here: Mandy appeals to a wide range of people, but she alienates many of them by “attacking the widow”. I totally agree that if Erika was not a direct participant inn his death, that she at least knew about it coming.
stock here: I find it odd to remove this “certified” priest exorcist, simply because he links some UFOs with Demons. Methinks he was getting too popular on Social Media.
Rossetti, who has over 148,000 followers on Instagram, is a prominent psychologist as well as an exorcist. His center has specialized in offering spiritual healing for priests troubled by various difficulties.
Indeed, priests with demons in them, are the worst.
To be recognized as an exorcist by the Archdiocese of Washington, or any Catholic diocese, a priest does not simply declare himself an exorcist. Under Catholic canon law, a priest must be specifically appointed by the local bishop.
The relevant law is Canon 1172 of the Catholic Church:
No one can legitimately perform exorcisms over the possessed unless he has obtained special and express permission from the local ordinary (bishop).
The typical requirements are:
Ordained Catholic priest
Good standing with his bishop
Demonstrated theological and spiritual maturity
Prudence, psychological balance, and discretion
Specialized training (often through courses in Rome)
Formal appointment by the diocesan bishop
The bishop can also revoke that appointment at any time.
In the case of the Archdiocese of Washington, Cardinal Robert McElroy has authority over who may publicly function as an exorcist within the archdiocese.
What happened with Fr. Rossetti?
The priest mentioned is Stephen Rossetti.
From public reporting, the Archdiocese of Washington clarified that Rossetti remains a priest in good standing but is no longer authorized to present himself publicly as an exorcist for the Archdiocese of Washington after comments suggesting that many UFO sightings may actually be demonic manifestations.
The key issue was not that he believed demons exist. The Catholic Church absolutely teaches the existence of demons and the possibility of demonic influence.
Rather, the concern appears to have been that:
He publicly connected UFO phenomena with demonic activity as a personal opinion.
He spoke in a way that could be interpreted as presenting that opinion with ecclesiastical authority.
The Church has no official teaching that UFOs are demons.
The Vatican has generally taken a cautious position: claims of UFOs, extraterrestrials, apparitions, mystical experiences, and alleged supernatural events should be investigated carefully without jumping to conclusions.
Does the Catholic Church allow belief in aliens?
Yes.
Several high-ranking Catholic figures have explicitly said that belief in extraterrestrial life is not contrary to Catholic doctrine.
For example, Guy Consolmagno has repeatedly stated that the discovery of extraterrestrial life would not contradict the Catholic faith.
The Church has no dogma requiring belief or disbelief in extraterrestrials.
Why would an exorcist suspect UFOs are demonic?
Many exorcists approach the issue from a spiritual-warfare perspective.
Their reasoning is often:
Some UFO encounters involve messages hostile to religion.
Some alleged alien-abduction reports contain elements similar to historical demonic oppression cases.
Certain experiencers report relief through prayer or religious practices.
Because of those parallels, some exorcists suspect that at least some phenomena could be spiritual rather than extraterrestrial.
However, that remains a theological opinion, not official Church teaching.
Historically, has the Church ever taught that UFOs are demons?
No.
The Church has historically taught:
Angels exist.
Demons exist.
Spiritual beings can deceive humans.
Extraordinary claims require discernment.
But there is no official Catholic doctrine stating:
“UFOs are demons.”
Nor is there doctrine stating:
“Aliens definitely exist.”
Both remain open questions.
An interesting distinction
Most Catholic theologians would separate three questions:
Are there extraterrestrial intelligences somewhere in creation?
Possibly.
Are some alleged UFO experiences psychological, mistaken, fraudulent, or natural phenomena?
Certainly possible.
Could some experiences involve spiritual deception or demonic influence?
Theologically possible according to Catholic teaching.
Where Fr. Rossetti’s comments became controversial was moving from #3 (“some could be”) toward “many or most are demons,” which goes beyond anything formally taught by the Church.
So, if your question is whether someone could become an exorcist in Washington while holding Rossetti’s views: yes, a priest could privately hold that opinion. But once acting under the authority of the archdiocese, he would generally be expected to distinguish clearly between official Catholic doctrine and his personal theological speculation.
Yes. People reported strange aerial phenomena long before the term “UFO” existed. However, they did not usually describe them as spacecraft. They interpreted them through the worldview of their era: angels, demons, divine signs, celestial armies, dragons, flying ships, or omens.
A few notable examples:
1561 — Nuremberg, Germany
One of the most famous cases.
A broadsheet illustrated what witnesses described as:
spheres
crosses
cylinders
objects apparently maneuvering in the sky
what looked like a battle overhead
The people of the time interpreted it largely as a divine warning from God rather than extraterrestrials.
1566 — Basel, Switzerland
Reports described black spheres moving through the sky and apparently colliding with one another.
Again, contemporaries viewed this as a heavenly sign.
1639 — Colonial America
John Winthrop recorded an account in which several men allegedly observed a bright light moving rapidly over a river. According to the report, the light maneuvered in ways they found unusual.
Modern UFO researchers frequently cite this account.
1700s
The 1700s contain many reports of:
mysterious lights
“fiery globes”
luminous objects
unexplained atmospheric phenomena
But the reports are generally less detailed than later accounts because:
there were fewer newspapers
fewer scientifically trained observers
little incentive to preserve such reports
Many events that today might be called UFO sightings were instead recorded as:
comets
portents
angelic signs
atmospheric wonders
1800s — The “Airship” Wave
This is where things get particularly interesting.
In 1896–1897, thousands of Americans reported seeing mysterious airships.
Witnesses described:
cigar-shaped craft
bright lights
apparent propulsion systems
human-like occupants
4
What’s fascinating is that these objects often resembled what people imagined advanced technology might look like in the late 19th century.
This observation is one reason some psychologists argue that reports are influenced by culture.
What would Rossetti say?
If you apply Fr. Rossetti’s reasoning, he might argue:
In the Middle Ages, people reported angels, demons, and heavenly battles.
In the industrial age, people reported mysterious airships.
In the space age, people report extraterrestrial craft.
Therefore, he might suggest the underlying phenomenon is the same but interpreted through different cultural lenses.
That is not a proven conclusion—it is one interpretation.
A challenge to the “it’s all aliens” idea
One reason some theologians and historians are skeptical that every UFO report involves extraterrestrial spacecraft is that the descriptions seem to evolve with human expectations:
