8. This seems like a fairly recent phenomenon. Why do you think they have never been seen or detected before?
J.E.: Actually, they have been seen and detected before. In the late 1950s, Trevor James Constable photographed rods using infrared film. He called them "critters." Ivan T. Sanderson, a biologist, also photographed them. A man named Tom Jonestroem videotaped rods in Sweden in 1989 and 1990. He captured rods while filming tank footage for the Swedish defense department. They all scoffed at him, claiming they were mis-filmed insects. However, a Hollywood crew videotaped the identical type of rod as Tom's over North Hollywood while shooting The World's Scariest Police Shootouts. This not only vindicates Tom, but also proves the rods were seen and recorded by accident before we discovered them on our videos.

9. Those are still recent sightings. Any record of anything older?
J.E.: In 1896, for two days straight, people over Crawfordsville, Indiana saw a large, 30-foot thing in the sky they called a "Sky Monster" that moved "like a serpent swimming through the air." This was probably a rod. Other case histories included the dragons in caves and skies over London, the "ghost rockets" over Norway and Sweden, and many other historical "myths" that could have been rods.

10. If they are living creatures, why do you think they cannot be seen at rest? Or can they?
J.E.: We have been asked about why there are no carcasses. If rods only exist in the skies, perhaps they are one-celled animals that have the lighter-than-air weight required for existing in the atmosphere. If we look at the sky as a less-dense "ocean," then when they die perhaps they float "up" to the less-dense areas of the atmosphere. Perhaps rods eat the dead rods for the precious gases they must use for their buoyancy. We just don't know until we can catch one or find a carcass. Who knows, maybe there is a specimen somewhere that has been passed off as part of a squid or cuttlefish or something. Scientists don't know they exist... yet.

11. Where do you think they are flying to?
J.E.: We don't know where they come from or where they go, but at the cave in Mexico we have hundreds of rods on video, suggesting this might be a habitat where we can go and study them using more technical, scientific methods over a more controlled environment. Mark Lichtle, who videotaped hundreds of rods "by accident," says that as far as finding a carcass, this might explain why one hasn't been found: In the cave, there are literally thousands of swallows that live there. He said you would expect to find hundreds of dead swallows at the bottom of the cave. He has only found one dead swallow's carcass in all the times he's been there. So if that's any indication, maybe that's why rods' carcasses can't be found even at the cave. We won't know until we get to the cave during the expedition we are planning in November this year [1998]. We want to find a specimen. This would be the most important discovery in the world of science. We can only hope we'll be lucky.

12. Are there more than one kind of rod? How many different kinds have you detected?
J.E.: The different types we have recorded are: the "centipede" types, which have the appendages across the torso; "white rods," which have no appendages, but appear to have a ribbon-like appearance; and "spears," which are super-thin and very fast with no appendages at all. Color varieties are yellow, white, reddish brown, and dark brown.

13. Have rods be recorded around the country?
J.E.: They have now been seen in more than 28 states across the U.S. (see State by State) and in Canada, Norway, Sweden, and Mexico.

14. What kinds of reports have you received from these areas?
J.E.: In the state-by-state section of our Web site, you will see reported sightings, and there are some areas where we have not received the video yet.

15. Has there ever been an attempt to catch one?
J.E.: Not yet, but we will try during the expedition. However, if they are a species, they could be classified as an endangered species, so by catching one I want it to be perhaps a carcass as opposed to trying to trap one alive. I would hate to find out that we might have pissed one off as we don't know their true nature.

16. Do you think they might be dangerous?
J.E.: They appear to be friendly. During one photo shoot, there was one rod that comes close to colliding with a base jumper in the cave, and at the last minute it makes an abrupt maneuver to avoid a collision. I would hate to think what one of these might do if it were threatened.

17. Are they easier to catch with a still camera or a video camera?
J.E.: Still cameras capture them, but video catches them more often. Remember that videotape can be re-recorded on, while still photographic cameras take stills one at a time. It would take an enormous amount of film and cost in order to capture them on still cameras. However, we intend to use high-speed 16mm film cameras at the cave where they appear to exist in more frequency.

18. What kind of research are you currently doing on the rods?
J.E.: First of all, we are always encouraging people to use our protocol for videotaping rods, and to contact us if they might have recorded one or more in their areas. We need more evidence of their existence in other locations so that we may get a better mapping of rod activity across the U.S. and around the world. We just made the breakthrough on how these things may fly with a crude rod model I built and animated using the undulatory wave membrane theory brought up by Jim Peters. We want to put the rods phenomena in the public eye as a real thing, as opposed to just another UFO sighting that can be easily dismissed.

20. How can other people try to detect the rods? If they do, how should they report the sighting?
J.E.: I urge people to see the "sky fishing" section on our Web site. I can be e-mailed about their videos, and I will respond to anyone who feels they might have captured rod activity in their area. On our Web site you will find the whole story, stills from the video, and a complete manual on how to videotape rods.

i think i said earlier i saw a show about this anyway, in this show there was a videotaping of a gorilla at the zoo they slowed the tape down and found a rod dart past the screen!! even more bizarre is that the gorrilla may have seen it!! its eyes darted away as if something caught it's attention i don't have any ictures of these rods but i maight get a few on here at a later date
if you have any pics or thoughts please share

Why are you asking the proof such as it is says it all. They are bugs

They are Bugs and other flying insects.. The reason they look like they do is because of the Shutter Speed or the Frame Rate at which they are being recorded.. The Wing Flapping almost appears like a Sinewave.. i think it's quite neat the way it happens.

Has anyone here wondered why "Rods" only appear on Video Cameras? You might be able to catch something similar on a Photo Camera using it on a Very Slow Shutter Speed however, that would give the game away. You would be able to see what it was at the end of the cycle.

I can't believe I am still seeing people debate this issue. I can remember a Documentary on this subject and it was actually proven that they were Flying Insects.

The reason why these "Rods" have only come about in recent times is because of the availability of Video Camera's and such, widely available to everyone. I've caught them before on Video and I have always known they were Flying Critters.

What I would really like to know is why the Subject keeps coming up. You don't hear anything about them for ages and then Blam! Flying Rods are back.

Please. It's just Common Sense. Has anyone seen a "Rod" with their Naked Eye? I bet you haven't.

Monsterquest did a show on rods in which they put forward a pretty convincing argument that they were just insects flying fast and close to the camera.
Sorry,i can`t find a link to this episode.

there was one on the episode of monster quest about this i cant find it though i wish i could

OMG. Wait until OrionHunterX and CHRLZ find this thread.

They're gonna drop a pantload.

[edit on 20-3-2010 by kinda kurious]