Over the weekend, 4 different flying objects were identified in the airspace above North America and shot down by US fighter jets. After a surveillance balloon deployed by China was shot down in early February, some people are growing nervous about the succession of objects in the sky. 

This event has included the first instance in which the US Northern Command “has taken kinetic action against an airborne object” in its 65 year existence. It is unprecedented in United States history, but the government says that there is no direct threat and no reason to be alarmed. 

After the Chinese “spy” balloon caused a nationwide sensation, the US has adjusted and improved its system for detecting airborne objects, which could be one explanation for why so many have been found recently. Many believe that the only reason the more are being detected is because more people are on the lookout.

One of the objects was found over Canada, in the Yukon area. Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau has issued a statement on the concerning increase in flying objects.

“Obviously there is some sort of pattern in there – the fact we are seeing this in a significant degree over the past week is a cause for interest and close attention,” Trudeau says.

China has also released a statement in response to the US identifying the balloon as Chinese, claiming that the US has sent over 10 balloons into Chinese airspace, and their doing so was only a reactive measure.

“Since last year, the U.S.’s high-altitude balloons have undergone more than 10 illegal flights into Chinese airspace without the approval of the relevant Chinese departments,” Chinese foreign ministry spokesperson Wang Wenbin said at a press briefing Monday.

The US has repeatedly denied all claims of doing so. “We do not send spy balloons over China, period,” says Secretary of State Antony Blinken.

Amidst all of the political concerns, some members of the public have been talking about the possibility of extraterrestrials. This part of the discussion is unavoidable when anything is found in the US airspace, but the White House has discouraged those theories.

“There is no – again, no — indication of aliens or extraterrestrial activity with these recent takedowns,” White House press secretary Karine Jean-Pierre said at Monday’s daily press briefing.

Whether the cause of the increase in airborne objects is due to attempted surveillance, increased detection technology, or aliens, the US Northern Command assures the public that none of the objects found so far are dangerous. These balloons do not pose any threat to the people on the ground.