By Tim Binnall
A number of experts have come forward to put the proverbial kibosh on any alien speculation surrounding the strange event from this past Friday in which three different pilots reported seeing a UFO while flying off the coast of Ireland. No doubt helped by the tantalizing audio of the pilots reporting the sighting to air traffic controllers, the multiple witness case seemed to capture the imagination of the mainstream media and has made worldwide headlines in the last few days.
However, almost as quickly as the story has spread throughout the news cycle, several scientists and other experts have stepped up to offer their own prosaic explanation for the puzzling bright light seen by the witnesses. Perhaps the most certain in his assessment was the head of the organization Astronomy Ireland, David Moore, who told British newspaper The Times that he was "1,000 per cent sure" that the oddity was a flaming meteorite descending through Earth's atmosphere.
The renowned astronomer's declaration was echoed by a University of Manchester astrophysicist who told an Irish media outlet that the meteorite theory was "a more reasonable explanation" than the more tantalizing possibility that the anomalies were ET craft. Meanwhile, the down-to-Earth explanation was also suggested by quite a few experienced pilots and aviation aficionados on a 'Professional Pilots Rumor Network' forum.
While some may be dismayed that the mysterious event is being attributed to a meteorite, one can't help but note that this was actually posited by one of the pilots who reported the sighting moments after it had occurred, so the mundane solution to the mystery shouldn't be all that surprising. Be that as it may, UFO enthusiasts can take some solace in the fact that the incident was largely treated seriously by most of the outlets that covered it and, at the very least, they were willing to wonder if maybe the weirdness was the work of aliens.