by Oubliette

For their first investigation involving UFOs and extra-terrestrials, the DT team heads off to look into reports of alien mummies said to have been found in the remote desert of northern Chile.  Despite the fact that he himself doesn’t put much credence in UFOs, Josh finds himself questioning his own viewpoint on this highly debated subject.

Statistics indicate that 60% of people in the US believe that there is life elsewhere in the universe; one in four think that we have been visited by alien beings.  Actual proof of such visitations has remained elusive, but now there appears to be evidence coming out of Chile that involves the discovery of strange looking alien mummies.  I have to agree with Josh that the photos shown are questionable (a hydrocephalic infant and a mummified baby bird comes to mind).  The area of interest lies in the Atacama Desert in the northern part of Chile, where local Indians report sightings of tiny, humanoid aliens that they claim emerge from centuries-old mine shafts.  In addition, many report hearing strange voices in and around the mines.  These are accompanied by inexplicable lights seen not only in the sky but also down in the interior of the mines as well.  Although similar lights have been reported all over the world and throughout the centuries, the idea that mummified ETs exist is not only intriguing but may provide the physical proof that many ufologists have been searching for.

And so the team is off to Chile and the abandoned mines (pre-dating the Spaniards) to discover for themselves if there is any validity to these mummies and the intriguing stories that accompany them.  Landing in Lima, Peru, they steel themselves for a long and grueling drive of 26 hours (!) on the Pan-American Highway to reach Chile.  At least it looks like they have, for once, obtained a decent vehicle to venture across the desert.  No unusual DT mobile on this trip.

As we’ve come to expect, there are always light-hearted moments along the way.  We are treated to some entertaining shots of Josh speaking to various toll booth collectors; the running joke being how far the actual drive to Chile really is (very far indeed).  Stopping off en route, Josh decides to get a haircut, but receives more than he bargained for as “just take a little off the top” turns into a close shave, some of which comes courtesy of a razor blade.   There is talk of having Bisha’s copious back hair shaved, but the case manager passes up on the opportunity.  Though Josh jokes about finding a wig shop to cover up the “regional haircut” he has just received, personally I don’t think he looks half bad.  And as the saying goes, it will always grow back.

No visit to the area is complete without inspecting the famous Nazca lines or geoglyphs.  Created by the native inhabitants sometime between 200 BC to 600 AD, they are comprised of hundreds of drawings of birds, spiders, monkeys, fish and lizards, to name a few.  Their association with aliens has been a matter of debate amongst ufologists, archeologists and the scientific community in general.  Even today there is no consensus as to why the Nazca people created these wonders that can only be seen from the air.  For those who seek an earthly reason, it is thought that they were done to attract the attention of the sky gods.  Whatever one wishes to believe, they are quite a sight to behold as we are treated to a flyover of these ancient masterpieces.

Traveling on, Josh and company come across a “Stargate Monument” built by Daniel Mamani and his family This unusual structure is said to be a portal to another dimension.  Mr. Mamani claims that aliens come to this gateway, and describes them as human like, but very tiny– closely matching those in the pictures we see at the beginning of the show.  He advises Josh to journey on to a particular mine, where people have been hearing and seeing strange things that they attribute to the aliens said to dwell there.

Ever the animal lover,  Josh rescues a dog from a fountain before speaking to Alejandro Alliage, a UFO researcher who confirms that the pueblo dwelling Aymara Indians are convinced that creatures actually live in the mine.  So its off to find some tribal members who can tell them how to reach this mysterious place.  More driving through a desolate landscape brings them to Montano Biza, a tribal leader who says he saw a strange light in the sky, larger than a star, which suddenly disappeared after he had been staring at it for some time.  They are pointed in the direction of the mine, which they finally reach before sunset.

Here things get tricky as they find the entrance consists of a vertical drop of some length that will require serious climbing gear.   After pretending to let Jael, who is afraid of heights, be the first to descend (I think she is praying in the shot of her stooping near the entrance),  Evan actually is the first to go.  After everyone is down, the base camp is set up.  IR cameras are placed in various spots in the mine in hopes of picking up any activity, including the strange lights and noises that locals claim to have seen and heard in and around this location.

Josh briefs the team to be on the lookout for anything that might have a bearing on what or who could be causing these strange phenomena.  And of course, all should be on the lookout for the mummies that are said to be located in this dangerous and spooky mine.  Rex very wisely warns about various gases that might exist in the tunnels and to be aware of any strange smells or physical reactions that might indicate a pocket of noxious gas.  Just as he finishes his warning, parts of the tunnel’s ceiling starts falling down near them, emphasizing just how dangerous these mines are.

As usual, Sharra, Bisha and Rex stay behind to monitor the equipment as the others take off into the darkness.  It is a creepy trip, but their efforts are rewarded when Josh finds what appears to be smelly remains wrapped in fabric.  The find yields bones and decomposing remains of something so odd it is impossible to even begin to identify what it could be, other than there is what appears to be legs and a ribcage.  Rex arrives with the evidence kit and examines the remains, declaring himself to be mystified as well.  It is truly puzzling as to just what this is, especially since it is unfortunately missing a head.  It does have a somewhat humanoid appearance and seems to have been ritualistically buried.  Equally puzzling to me is why neither Josh nor Rex are wearing gloves.  Safety first, guys!

In any case, Jael and Rex take the find back to base camp as Josh, Evan and Mike continue on their way.  As though collapsing walls are not enough, they come across a flimsy bridge that seems barely capable of holding their weight.  This has to be one of the most dangerous investigations as far as actual physical safety (barring Chernobyl) that the DT team has come across.  The walls seem as though they could collapse down upon them at any moment.

As Josh follows a draft of fresh air flowing into the tunnel, he suddenly sees a strange light ahead of him.  It almost looks like the light on their helmets but no one from the team could possibly be down that way.  The guys quickly run towards it but it disappears.  The tunnel dead ends except for a vertical shaft that extends downward.  There was obviously no place for the light to have gone except down into the blackness of the shaft.  Is it possible someone else, more familiar with the tunnels, was watching them in the darkness?  I did notice some writing on the wall to their left, so it would not be out of the question that people occasionally frequent these mines.

Jael and Rex are having experiences of their own.  They see a black mass in the tunnel ahead of them, and a hot spot appears on the FLIR as it is aimed in that direction.  When Jael asks “Is their anyone else here with us?”, a rock appears to come flying out at them, although this is not picked up by the camera.  Since so much debris is falling all around them, I wonder if their heightened senses may have misinterpreted this event.

Thankfully, another way out of the tunnel is found as Josh and company follow a draft of cold air.  I cannot imagine what the climb back up the original shaft would have been like, equipment and all, so this was a lucky break for the team.  But no sooner do they climb out then Gabe notices a strange light in the distance.  Bright and pulsing, it is coming from across the canyon in front of them. But as he tries to focus on it, it mysteriously fades completely away over the course of a few seconds.  Could someone, indiscernible in the darkness, have been shining a bright light in their direction?

What is even more unexplainable are the mechanical/electronic sounds, as Josh describes them, that begin to come out of the parabolic dish.  Even more curious, the dish was not plugged in.  I’ve listened to it a few times and still cannot imagine what its source could be–a radio transmission, perhaps?  But why in such a remote place, and is it connected to the mysterious light?  Why would it seem to be transmitting out of the sound enhancer?  It is a fitting end to a very eerie and disturbing investigation as they leave the mine behind and head for home.

It is unfortunate that the specimen found in the mine could not be brought back for analysis in the US.  Pictures are no substitute for the actual evidence.  Still, it was certainly worth having Dr. Jim Dines, the mammologist that we have met in an earlier episode, have a look at the photos.  The only conclusion he could make was that the proportions were all wrong as far as it being any type of primate.  He had no suggestion as to just what it might be and could shed no further light on its identity.

Mike Dee, another expert often consulted by DT, also had to admit that he too did not have any idea regarding the bizarre remains.  He did point out that the feet seemed to end in hoofs but, more importantly, stated he could not find evidence of any kind of feathers. Sadly, without having the actual remains to analyze, we are no closer to knowing what kind of creature we are dealing with.

Equally, the lights both in the mine and across the canyon are problematic.  As Josh states, watching the mysterious objects frame by frame brought them no closer to an answer.  Enhancing the footage could not provide a clue as to their source.  The electronic sounds also remain a mystery.  I would like to have seen them take the video and audio evidence gathered outside the mine to experts in those fields.  A third party analysis might have yielded if not definitive answers, than perhaps at least a possible clue as to what was seen and heard up on that ridge.

Are there truly UFOs in northern Chile, and does some type of ET live down in the dark and dangerous mines?  In 1997, a UFO supposedly crashed outside the village of Paihuano.  It was said to break into pieces which were later retrieved by the military.

http://www.ufoevidence.org/documents/doc1674.htm

On the other hand, it seems that in recent years Chile has been attempting to attract UFO enthusiasts to bolster the tourist trade.  This may be enough to raise a red flag about the veracity of what the DT team experienced, as well as many of the reports and supposed pictures of alien mummies. Whether evidence was fabricated for the benefit of the show by those anxious to promote tourism, we can only guess.

http://www.rense.com/general26/ufozone.htm

However, like its counterpart Roswell and UFOs in general, there will always remain a question mark.  And I would not be surprised to find Josh sculpting a Devil’s Monument out of his mashed potatoes.