Understanding UFOs

Generally, when you see a headline about UFOs, it doesn’t involve understanding the evolution of galaxies. Unless, that is, the UFOs being discussed are ultra-fast outflows — powerful winds launched from very near supermassive black holes that scientists believe play an important role in regulating the growth of the black hole itself and its host galaxy.

Using data gathered by the Large Area Telescope onboard NASA’s Fermi Gamma-ray Space Telescope and a stacking technique combining signals too weak to be observed on their own, researchers detected gamma rays from UFOs in several nearby galaxies for the first time, providing a basis for scientists to understand what happened in our own Milky Way galaxy.

Clemson scientists collaborated with other researchers from 12 countries as part of the Fermi-LAT Collaboration on published research findings that outline the detection of gamma-ray emission from UFOs launched by supermassive black holes.