One of the most compelling UFO photographs from the twentieth century has been given a high-resolution makeover, reigniting debate about “the greatest image of a UFO ever made public.” The Lake Cote picture was shot from an airplane on September 4, 1971, by a team from the National Geographic Institute of Costa Rica who were investigating the possible impact of a hydropower project planned near the Arenal Volcano.
The image of a strange metallic disk-shaped item was taken in the corner of one of the photographers’ frames, unbeknownst to them at the time. The nature of the strange object has been hotly discussed over the years: some claim it’s a hoax, some claim it’s an optical illusion, and yet others claim it’s a flying saucer. Over the years, a small group of researchers has analyzed the photos, issuing studies in 1989 and 1990 stating that it has “no indication of optical faults, planned deception, or support for alternative prosaic interpretations.” Not everyone, though, is convinced.
In the most recent installment of the narrative, the UAPMedia UK team just acquired a high-resolution drum scanned version of the photograph. When Esteban Carranza’s uncle died last year, his uncle was handed a “contact” duplicate of the original negative located in the National Archives of Costa Rica, according to UAPMedia UK. Carranza submitted the photograph to a photo lab in Kansas, where it was subjected to a drum scanner, a type of high-precision digital camera that can scan images at an incredibly high resolution, after reviewing it with Sergio Loaiza, the technician who took the shot.
The photograph in high-resolution may be downloaded for free here. Commentators have stated that the newly restored Lake Cote image does not totally resolve the controversy about what was genuinely taken above the Costa Rican volcano. Nonetheless, they hope that it may rekindle interest in additional photographs or films of unexplained aerial events.
“It’s a fascinating shot that completely catches the imagination.” I’m always impressed by how ‘correct’ it appears. I can’t tell for sure if that’s true or not, but I hope it is. Graeme Rendall, author of UFOs before Roswell and Flying Saucer Fever, told UAPMedia UK, “It clearly appears a lot more convincing than a lot of other photographs I’ve seen over the years.” “Ancient photographs, such as this one from Costa Rica, still have stories to tell, and fresh discoveries are occasionally just around the bend.”
We will get closer to the truth if we can socially democraticize and crowdsource our hunt for answers than if we just wait for more confirmation from our governments “UFOlogist and documentary director Jeremy Corbell gave his two cents. “I’m thrilled that higher-resolution material is continuing to surface, especially when it allows us to see into our UFO history.”
