Researchers affiliated with the Galileo Project — an initiative led by scientists at Harvard University dedicated, among other things, to the study of UAPs — have successfully installed and tested a geomagnetic variometer station in the state of Colorado, USA. The station, equipped with high-precision sensors, aims to detect possible anomalies in the Earth’s magnetic field that could be associated with the presence of anomalous objects.
Reports over the decades often associate encounters with UAPs to electromagnetic interference, such as compasses spinning on their own, electrical failures in vehicles, or anomalies in onboard aircraft sensors. These incidents led the Galileo Project researchers to incorporate a vector magnetometer (a sensor that measures the intensity and direction of the magnetic field) into the set of instruments used at their observation stations.
The station was monitored for six months, from April to September 2024, including the period of the intense G5 solar storm recorded in May of that year. The data collected proved to be of high quality and compatible with the scientific standards established in the project’s traceability matrix. Researchers compared the new station’s data with those recorded by the USGS geomagnetic observatory in Boulder, Colorado, and found equivalence in the results — confirming the effectiveness of the new equipment.
The Galileo Project’s main goal is the standardized, multisensory collection of data on anomalous phenomena, aiming to distinguish natural, artificial, and possibly unknown causes. In addition to the magnetometer, each station is equipped with optical and infrared cameras, broadband acoustic sensors, and climate monitoring systems. This approach allows simultaneous analysis of different physical signals that may be associated with UAPs.
The motivation behind using magnetic sensors comes not only from popular and historical reports — such as the 1953 case in Yuma, Arizona, where a witness claimed to see optical distortions around a flying disc — but also from reports by military and civilian pilots who have observed compass disturbances on board during UAP encounters, like the 1992 case in Haines. Additionally, there are precedents in scientific studies, such as those carried out in the Starlight, Hessdalen, and MADAR projects, which searched for magnetic signals during anomalous sightings.
Solid Scientific Basis
The magnetic data collected at the stations are analyzed taking into account the Earth’s natural magnetic field, which originates from the planet’s outer core and from electric currents in the ionosphere and magnetosphere. In environments isolated from human interference, these variations are minimal — making it possible to identify anomalies caused by external factors.
According to the researchers, the type of magnetometer used — called a variometer — is ideal for this kind of observation, as it measures rapid changes in the magnetic field. Although it does not record absolute measurements, it is sufficient to detect sudden variations or unusual patterns associated with transient events such as possible UAPs.
With the success of this first installation in Colorado, the Galileo Project team intends to replicate the model in new observatories around the world. The expansion of stations will enable the creation of a network capable of covering different geographic regions and detecting possible magnetic signatures more broadly and reliably.
Although it is still early to draw definitive conclusions, the initiative represents an important step toward the scientific and serious investigation of UAPs — based on real data, calibrated instruments, and rigorous methodology.
The first test of the magnetometer was conducted using software called NI-DAQ from National Instruments. This program allows real-time monitoring of measurements and saves the data in files for later analysis. Additionally, the software was used to calibrate the magnetometer according to temperature changes and to properly position it at the installation site.
Magnetometer readings can vary depending on the ambient temperature, so calibration is essential. Calibration involves adjusting the equipment to ensure accurate operation even when the temperature fluctuates.
When the magnetometer was delivered, it was tested at temperatures between 19.9°C and 22.3°C, providing accurate measurements within this range. However, when temperatures go beyond these limits, the data must be corrected to maintain measurement reliability.
To do this, the magnetometer was compared against a highly precise reference instrument used internationally. Calibration was performed at the magnetic observatory of the United States Geological Survey (USGS) in Boulder, Colorado, in partnership with the local team. This observatory is part of the international INTERMAGNET network, which guarantees the highest quality of magnetic data used worldwide in scientific research.
For continuous long-term recordings, a custom program was developed using the Python programming language. The magnetometer captures data at a very high frequency — about 1,613 times per second — allowing it to register rapid changes in the magnetic field. The equipment also includes filters that remove unwanted noise, ensuring clean and reliable data.
Data are stored in separate files, each corresponding to one hour of recording. Initially, these files are saved on a computer with large storage capacity. Later, the data are transferred to a supercomputer at Harvard University, where they can be stored and analyzed in more detail. As an additional safety measure, the data are also backed up on a network-attached storage device to prevent any loss.
The successful installation and testing of the geomagnetic variometer station by the Galileo Project represent a significant advance in the scientific study of UAPs. The ability to monitor rapid variations in the Earth’s magnetic field with high precision, combined with a rigorous multisensor methodology, opens new possibilities to identify and characterize physical signatures related to these phenomena.
Data collected over a six-month period, including extreme events such as the G5 geomagnetic storm, demonstrate that the instrumentation is reliable and capable of providing detailed information essential to distinguishing between natural, artificial, and possibly unknown causes of UAPs. Furthermore, the comparison of these data with reference observatories consolidates the quality and validity of the system.
This pioneering effort lays the groundwork for the expansion of a global network of multimodal stations, enabling broader and more integrated monitoring of UAPs. In this way, the Galileo Project offers a promising contribution to the transition of UAP research from a still marginal field into a solid and systematic scientific investigation based on real data and calibrated instruments.
The continuation and expansion of this work may prove decisive in unraveling longstanding mysteries and providing well-founded answers about the nature of UAPs, bringing us closer to a clearer and more rigorous understanding of these phenomena.
The article, published on Tuesday, July 15, was authored by PhD holders Alex Delacroix, Laura Domine, Ezra Kelderman, Sarah Little, Abraham Loeb, Eric Masson, Wes A. Watters, and Abigail White, and can be accessed by clicking here.
