A mysterious radar blip has left scientists baffled and even led to US military denials, prompting a frenzy of conspiracy theories ranging from aliens to weather manipulation. The large, storm-like blip was recorded flashing across radar systems in Southern Illinois and Western Kentucky last week. But, when meteorologists raised concern over the blip, which lasted for ten hours on the national radar, the National Weather Service (NWS) were unable to explain the event.
According to experts, the plume on the radar was “unusually persistent and lasted for more than 10 hours”.
The NWS called the radar incident “interesting” and suggested it was likely a military aircraft.
Initial meteorologists suggested that it was chaff from an aircraft, which is a cloud of radar-jamming material used to hide combat exercises.
No branch of the military has claimed responsibility, which has led to even more conspiracy theories.
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There are two local military bases close to the area where the blips appeared.
But, a spokesman for Fort Campbell in Kentucky rejected claims of a secret military operation.
Master Sgt. Thomas Doscher, from Scott Air Force Base in Western Illinois, also rejected the theory of a “secret special forces exercise”.
He said: “Whatever aircraft it was, it was not a Scott Air Force Base craft.”
Major Martin Meiners, public affairs officer for Fort Campbell in Hopkinsville, Kentucky, told ABC News that there were no planes in the area that could carry out chaff exercises.
The blip floated for nearly 140 miles before vanishing into nothing after it crossed into western Kentucky.