Skeptic Check: Drone Panic

Big Picture Science

Science, Technology

4.6 • 986 Ratings

🗓️ 27 January 2025

⏱️ 58 minutes

🔗️ Recording | iTunes | RSS

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Summary

When several mysterious objects were spotted flying over New Jersey, their unknown identity led to frightening rumors, and triggered frustration and alarm among some residents of the Garden State. What were these objects, and if they were drones, as some appeared to be, were they friendly or foe? Many of the objects have now been identified. We talk about what happened when calmer heads prevailed and consider what the Great Drone Panic might have in common with other episodes involving objects cruising the skies. Also, why one expert thinks the event gave birth to a new UFO subculture. Guests: Andrew Fraknoi - Professor of Astronomy at the Fromm Institute of the University of San Francisco Mick West - Investigator of conspiracy theories and UFO sightings Greg Eghigian - Professor of history and bioethics at Penn State and author of “After the Flying Saucers Came: A Global History of the UFO Phenomenon” Featuring music by Dewey Dellay and Jun Miyake Big Picture Science is part of the Airwave Media podcast network. Please contact [email protected] to inquire about advertising on Big Picture Science. You can get early access to ad-free versions of every episode by joining us on Patreon. Thanks for your support! Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Transcript

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1:45.0	They're back. UFOs are in the news and in the sky again.
1:49.0	We label any object cruising the skies that we can't identify as an unidentified flying object.
1:55.0	And the term UFO applies to some surprising sightings in New Jersey.
	...

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