Podcast UFO

We apologize in advance for any audio issues during the livestream, as this is a live press event with multiple speakers. Please note that some witnesses are speaking in Portuguese, with English translation provided. (two sessions) 

Martin attended and livestreamed a historic press conference at the National Press Club in Washington, DC, on January 20, 2026. For the first time publicly, Brazilian neurosurgeon Dr. Italo Venturelli described his 1996 hospital encounter with a living, non-human intelligent being connected to the Varginha incident. Organized by investigative journalist and filmmaker James Fox, the event featured Brazilian witnesses, medical and forensic testimony, and new evidence related to the reported crash, military involvement, and subsequent investigations, coinciding with the release of Moment of Contact: New Revelations of Alien Encounters. 

Martin and other attendees will host a recap show on Thursday, January 30 at 8:00 p.m. ET, which will also be released as an audio podcast discussing key highlights and including selected clips from the press conference. 

Our website: https://podcastufo.com

Journalist Leslie Kean joins Martin Willis at the National Press Club following the UAP/UFO press conference to share her candid reaction to the historic event. Kean reflects on the emotional testimony of witnesses, the extraordinary effort behind organizing the press conference, and why the case presented is one of the most important she has encountered. She emphasizes the credibility of the witnesses, the significance of international cooperation, and the urgent need for access to hard data such as photographs, videos, flight logs, and medical records that remain sequestered by authorities. In this conversation, Kean also discusses the alleged involvement of U.S. authorities following the incident, questions surrounding missing documentation, and why key evidence may now reside in the United States. She speaks movingly about the humanity of the witnesses—particularly the medical professionals involved—and the emotional weight of the testimony presented. The interview concludes with reflection on the lasting impact of the 2017 New York Times UAP reporting, marking a clear “before and after” moment in public awareness. A thoughtful, grounded discussion on transparency, accountability, and the future of serious UAP investigation.

Martin reconnects with journalist and producer Chrissy Newton for a concise, wide-ranging discussion that traces her path into UAP reporting—from early PR work and influential documentaries to the personal experiences that sustain long-term interest in the subject. Chrissy recounts her father’s Ontario UFO sighting and how firsthand encounters often become the spark that turns curiosity into a lifelong pursuit, even as friends and family react very differently to the topic. The conversation then shifts to bigger themes shaping today’s UAP landscape: overlapping rabbit holes in national security, politics, science, and media; the ebb and flow of public attention; and why younger voices entering the field matter. Chrissy explains how her work at The Debrief has expanded her focus into emerging technologies—especially AI and brain-computer interfaces—highlighting both their real medical promise and the ethical risks as technology accelerates faster than society can adapt. They close by exploring how future tools like BCIs might influence UAP research, from new forms of data collection to controversial questions about perception, consciousness, and communication. Along the way, they touch on major Canadian cases, USOs, and the persistent mysteries that keep researchers engaged. Martin wraps by previewing upcoming guests on Podcast UFO and thanking Chrissy for a thoughtful, grounded conversation about where the field may be headed next.

The Debrief

CHECK OUT OUR LIVE STREAM: James Fox Event, at The National Press Club

SHOW NOTES

Martin Willis welcomes back Erling Strand, founder of Project Hessdalen, for an in-depth discussion on one of the world’s most enduring and scientifically studied unexplained phenomena—the Hessdalen Lights of Norway. In this wide-ranging conversation, Strand reflects on his first encounters in the early 1980s and how an initial curiosity evolved into a decades-long, instrument-based research program. He explains the four primary categories of observations reported in the Hessdalen Valley, ranging from brief flashing lights to long-duration luminous objects, radar-tracked targets traveling at extreme speeds, and rare daylight sightings of structured craft-like forms. The discussion explores hard data collected over the years, including radar returns consistent with solid objects, electromagnetic and magnetic measurements, unexplained ground conductivity, ultraviolet indicators, and baffling physical effects such as tracks in snow with no heat signature. Strand also addresses competing hypotheses—plasma, geophysical mechanisms, multiple coexisting phenomena, and even portal-like interpretations—while emphasizing the scientific challenges posed by the diversity of observations. Finally, Strand shares what continues to motivate his research, why Hessdalen remains a unique natural laboratory, and how understanding the underlying energy involved could have profound implications for science and humanity. SHOW NOTES

In last week’s blog, we looked at a case from Spain that involved three airmen who were stationed at a Spanish Air Force base near Talavera La Real. It was investigated by Juan José Benítez who wrote a report (page 4 of the pdf) and sent it to Flying Saucer Review. The report was translated into English by Gordon Creighton, and it was published in the Vol. 23, No. 5, February 1978 issue.According to Benítez, the three airmen, José María Trejo, Juan Carrizosa Luján, and José Hildago were on guard duty after midnight on November 12, 1976. Trejo and Carrizosa were in their sentry boxes, and Hildago was on patrol with a German Shepherd. At around 1:45 a.m., Trejo and Carrizosa heard what sounded like radio interference, which then turned into a piercing, high-pitched whistle that hurt their ears. The whistle started and stopped repeatedly, and the two men, armed with Z-26 quick-firing rifles, searched the area where it seemed to be coming from.They then saw a light that looked like a flare high up in the sky that lit up a wide area. Hildago came by with the dog and he had also seen the light. They were joined by a corporal and two support guards, and they went to do a search.After hearing branches breaking in a stand of eucalyptus trees and sending the dog in repeatedly, they saw a luminous green figure that was about three meters tall with what looked like a helmet on its head, long arms, thick body, and it didn’t seem to have any legs or feet. The men described it as being like a bobbin or a spindle. Read more →