White House-backed UFO science panel names Avi Loeb as chair
Harvard astrophysicist Avi Loeb will lead a new UAP advisory council, drawing scrutiny over his past claims about alien technology.
By Hana Yoshida · Markets Reporter
3 min read
Harvard astrophysicist Avi Loeb has been chosen to lead a new UAP Science Advisory Council tied to the White House and federal security agencies, The Verge reported. The appointment matters because the panel is meant to shape scientific advice for officials studying unidentified anomalous phenomena, while Loeb is known for disputed claims about possible alien technology.
The Verge reported that the council was established by the White House, the Pentagon, the Office of the Director of National Intelligence, the FBI and the intelligence community. The outlet said the group will prepare scientific reports and recommendations for a UAP Governing Board as part of an effort to determine the nature of unidentified anomalous phenomena, often shortened to UAP.
UAP is the current government term for sightings or detections that are not readily identified. The Verge described the council as an advisory body rather than an investigative agency, with Loeb serving as its head.
Mixed roster, controversial chair
Loeb brings formal scientific credentials to the role, The Verge reported, citing his position as a Harvard astrophysicist and his long academic career. Space.com reported that the council includes members from several fields, including physics, pathology, computer science, philosophy and psychology.
The Verge also reported that the founding publisher of Skeptic magazine is among the council’s members. The mix of disciplines suggests the panel is intended to examine UAP claims from more than one technical angle, though The Verge’s report did not list specific assignments for individual members.
Loeb’s selection is likely to draw attention because of his public record on extraterrestrial explanations for unusual observations. The Verge reported that Loeb has repeatedly argued that some evidence could point to alien technology, claims that have brought him media appearances and criticism from other scientists.
The Verge said critics in the scientific community have dismissed Loeb’s alien-technology arguments in harsh terms. The outlet reported that his Harvard affiliation and career have given him a degree of standing even as many researchers reject his conclusions.
Past alien-technology claims
The Verge reported that Loeb has made questionable claims about alien life since at least 2015. The best-known example, according to The Verge, is his suggestion that Oumuamua, the first known interstellar object observed passing through the solar system, may have been an alien probe rather than a natural comet-like body.
The Verge also pointed to Loeb’s claim that small metallic spheres recovered from the ocean could be debris from an alien spacecraft. Big Think has reported critically on that claim, according to The Verge’s linked coverage.
The new council’s work will now place Loeb’s views inside a formal advisory structure connected to federal UAP policy. The Verge reported that the panel’s stated purpose is to help officials resolve what UAP are through scientific advice and reporting.
This story draws on original reporting from The Verge.