White House picks Harvard professor with polarizing alien theories to lead new UFO council

Photo: My Search for Proof Aliens Exist — Avi Loeb at TED. Photo credit: Steve Jurvetson via Flickr. CC BY 2.0. Article by Collin Binkley, AP. PBS News – June 30, 2026.

WASHINGTON (AP) — A polarizing Harvard astronomer known for splashy theories about alien visits has been tapped by the White House to lead a team of outside scientists to study the national security risks posed by UFOs. Avi Loeb, a cosmologist who studied black holes and served as head of Harvard’s astronomy department until 2020, was recently appointed to helm a new scientific advisory council tasked with investigating the origins of mysterious orbs and other objects reported by military personnel in recent years. It’s part of President Donald Trump’s push to declassify more information about the issue. […]

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Video: My Search for Proof Aliens Exist | Avi Loeb – TED