George Knapp welcomed UFO researcher and professor at State University of New York, Robert Davis, for a discussion of his science-based analysis exploring the authenticity and nature of the UFO phenomenon. According to Davis, very little progress has been made in understanding this phenomenon and what is associated with it.
"Researchers continue to focus on retrospective events, such as the Roswell incident, the Phoenix Lights, Rendlesham Forest, the Shag Harbour incident, among others, instead of conducting prospective scientific research of the phenomenon," he said. Decades of research have been mostly disappointing because of its focus on whether an unexplained aerial event is a UFO of possible extraterrestrial origin, he added. Davis suggested Ufology move away from what he considers conspiracy and fringe topics that tend to dominate contemporary UFO studies.
"We certainly don't have the appropriate scientific principles to adequately understand what governs and regulates this extraordinary phenomenon which, in my mind, does exist," he continued, noting a number of investigations have concluded five to ten percent of unexplained aerial events are UFOs. It is hard to ignore the consistency of the alleged reports by thousands of individuals who claim to have experienced a real event, Davis said.
Still, there is no irrefutable evidence to conclude the purpose, mission, what's behind these incidents. Davis called for an organized multi-disciplinary research initiative to investigate the UFO phenomenon, as well as shared results from a survey taken by more than 1,500 extraterrestrial experiencers.
The Dark Net
In the first hour, author and media researcher Jamie Bartlett talked about the Dark Net and the conviction of Silk Road drug website founder Ross Ulbricht. Tor hidden services, aka the Dark Net, is a secret part of the Internet that hosts anonymous websites, Bartlett explained, noting its use among political dissidents and whistleblowers. It has also allowed vendors and buyers to connect anonymously to conduct illegal business, he added.
Ulbricht saw it as a way to create a highly-efficient decentralized marketplace that was beyond the reaches of the law, Bartlett revealed, pointing out how clever encryption systems provided for confidential communications and transactions. Ulbricht received two life sentences without the possibility for parole and a $184 million fine. Bartlett suggested his punishment was particularly severe because the justice system wanted to send a message to others who believe they can use such systems for creating political change.