“It just went. Vanished.”

You do know that the tinfoil doesn’t work, right? Just checking. The UK National Archive have released more files relating to Unidentified Flying Objects – they are what it says on the tin – to add to those files previously released. Selected highlights here [pdf file]. BBC NI picks out some local examples and there are other examples from wider afield. And the Guardian’s Science Weekly podcast ponders “Are we all Martians?” Meanwhile, Nasa’s Stardust scientists believe they have identified the amino acid glycine in a returned sample from the comet Wild 2. Stardust was the first U.S. mission “dedicated solely to the exploration of a comet.” Since then we’ve had Deep Impact, as Tempel 1 knows [hat-tip Isaac Newton – Ed], which now, as Epoxi, is looking for alien (exosolar) planets – whilst Stardust is currently en route to Tempel 1 to check Deep Impact was there. And here’s Epoxi’s wistful look back home in 2008, again, from 31 million miles away. Update The Professor points to this Reuters report and adds, “Fred Hoyle, call your office!” Heh. Adds BBC report

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