(AP) CHATHAM, N.J. What’s that humming from New Jersey? The nightly sightings are undoubtedly generating a lot of discussion, a plethora of conspiracy theories, and craned necks peering skyward, yet it’s unclear if they are drones or something else.
The story of the drones spotted over New Jersey has escalated to amazing heights, appearing on local news and social media platforms around Thanksgiving.
It appears that a new, more prominent chapter has begun this week:Lawmakers are requesting—but have not yet received—explanations from federal and state officials regarding their motivations. In a letter to President Joe Biden, Governor Phil Murphy requested clarification. Andy Kim, the newly elected senator from New Jersey, wrote on X about his Thursday night drone search in rural northern New Jersey.
The most amazing development, though, may be the dizzying growth of theories, none of which have been offered or confirmed by federal and state officials who claim to be investigating the situation. Although “drones” has become a colloquial term for the flying devices, there are concerns regarding whether or not what people are witnessing are unmanned aircraft.
Some speculate that the drones originated from a mothership in Iran. Some believe they are the Secret Service, ensuring the safety of President-elect Donald Trump’s Bedminster estate. Some are concerned about China. the state of deepness. And so forth.
Making a social media group is what people have done in 2024 when faced with uncertainty.
Nearly 44,000 people have joined the New Jersey Mystery Drones let’s solve it Facebook page, up from 39,000 late Thursday. Online commentators take it from there as people share their sightings in photos and videos.
One user describes a white light soaring in a gloomy sky in one video as unearthly. The individual says, “straight up orbs.” Others speculate that it might be a satellite or a jet. According to a different party, the drones should be shot down like turkeys. (Experts advise against shooting at anything in the sky.)
There have been multiple sightings of 48-year-old Trisha Bushey of Lebanon Township, New Jersey, who lives close to Round Valley Reservoir. She said she initially uploaded pictures of the things online last month, unsure of their nature, but after seeing how they moved and seeing that there were no planes in the area, her son convinced her they were drones. She claimed to be glued to the Mystery Drones page right now.
“I find myself checking it instead of cleaning my house or going Christmas shopping,” she remarked.
She disagrees with the governor’s assertion that drones pose no threat to public safety.Residents demand answers, Murphy said Biden on Friday. In a joint statement, the FBI and the federal Homeland Security Department also stated that they do not have any proof that the sightings are related to other countries or represent a threat to public safety or national security.
If you don’t know what it is, how can you say it doesn’t pose a threat? “I said,” she said. I believe that’s the reason so many people are uncomfortable.
Additionally, there is the possibility that people may misinterpret what they are witnessing. Coincidentally, one of the sighting hotspots is Warren County Community College, where William Austin, the president, teaches drone technology and offers a degree program.
According to Austin, who has watched recordings of alleged drones, planes are being mistaken for drones. He mentioned parallax, an optical phenomenon that causes an object to appear to shift when seen from various angles. To gain a better understanding of what they’re looking at, Austin advised folks to download flight and drone tracker applications.
Still, others are still developing their own theories.
According to Austin, it stands in for the United States of America in 2024. We need to restore the trust that we have lost in our institutions.
According to senators and Murphy, federal officials share Austin’s opinion that a large number of sightings are piloted aircraft, such as planes and helicopters, being confused for drones.
However, many people who are focusing on sightings outside of New Jersey and the East Coast, where other people have reported seeing the objects, don’t find it to be very persuasive.
Another member of the drone hunting club, Seph Divine, 34, of Eugene, Oregon, believes that the mystery must be solved by citizen detectives. He claimed that he makes an effort to be a voice of reason by challenging people to verify their knowledge and posing insightful queries.
“My primary objective is to prevent people from becoming enmeshed in the hysteria, but I also want people to avoid ignoring it,” he stated.
He went on to remark, “It’s alarming that this is happening so suddenly and so consistently for hours at a time, regardless of whether it’s foreign military, some secret access program, or something otherworldly.”
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This article was supplied by Hallie Golden, a writer for the Associated Press in Seattle.
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