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WHAT'S INSIDE THIS REPORT

• Avi Loeb has been selected to lead a newly formed UAP Science Advisory Council that will advise AARO, the intelligence community, and the federal government on unidentified anomalous phenomena.
• The council's creation introduces another layer of review between raw UAP data and the public, raising concerns among disclosure advocates who fear transparency could be replaced by institutional gatekeeping.
• The future credibility of the council may depend less on its scientific credentials and more on whether it pushes for the release of unfiltered evidence rather than government-approved conclusions.

By Samuel López | USA Herald

For years, Harvard astrophysicist Avi Loeb has occupied a unique position in the UFO debate.

Unlike many academics who have avoided the topic entirely, Loeb openly challenged scientific orthodoxy, argued that humanity should seriously investigate the possibility of extraterrestrial technology, launched Harvard's Galileo Project, and recently became one of the most visible voices analyzing the mysterious interstellar object known as 3I/ATLAS.

Now, Loeb finds himself at the center of a new government-backed effort that could shape the future of UFO disclosure in America.

In a recent Medium post titled "More Details on the UAP Science Advisory Council," Loeb revealed that he has been tasked by the White House, the Pentagon's All-domain Anomaly Resolution Office (AARO), the Office of the Director of National Intelligence, the FBI, and members of the Intelligence Community to assemble and lead a newly created UAP Science Advisory Council.

The announcement immediately generated excitement among some researchers who view Loeb as a credible scientific voice willing to examine anomalous evidence without ridicule. Yet for many within the UFO disclosure community, the development raises a very different question:

Will this new council accelerate transparency—or create another layer of bureaucracy standing between the public and the truth?

That question becomes even more significant because the council will ultimately report to a higher-level UAP Governance Board designed to coordinate activities among military, intelligence, law-enforcement, and civilian agencies.

According to Loeb, the mission of the Science Advisory Council is straightforward: evaluate data, recommend collection methods, and help determine the nature of unidentified anomalous phenomena through the scientific method.

“The goal of the council is to advise the U.S. government on how to resolve the nature of Unidentified Anomalous Phenomena (UAPs).”

-Prof. Avi Loeb, Medium

On paper, the council's membership appears impressive. Loeb assembled a roster of respected scientists and specialists spanning physics, artificial intelligence, oceanography, psychology, biology, anthropology, instrumentation, and data analysis. The group includes well-known names such as Dr. Garry Nolan, Dr. Kevin Knuth, Dr. Tim Gallaudet, and economist Robin Hanson.

Few would argue that the council lacks intellectual firepower.

The concern lies elsewhere.

The council's recommendations will be based on data provided to it by government agencies. Loeb specifically noted that the information shared with council members will be unclassified. While that may sound reassuring, it also highlights a fundamental limitation.

If the council only sees what government agencies choose to release, then the public is effectively receiving an interpretation of a filtered dataset rather than direct access to the evidence itself.

That distinction matters.

The UFO disclosure movement has spent decades demanding access to underlying records, sensor data, imagery, radar returns, videos, witness statements, and intelligence assessments. Many advocates are not merely seeking expert opinions. They want access to the raw information from which those opinions are derived.

Under the newly announced structure, information appears destined to travel through multiple layers of review before reaching the public. First, agencies collect the data. Then AARO evaluates it. The Science Advisory Council analyzes it. The UAP Governance Board reviews it. Finally, decisions regarding declassification and release are made.