The Proof is Out There: Journalist attempts to ‘explain the unexplained’ in new TV investigation into everything from UFOs to aliens in Russia to lightning-proof humans
The History Channel is using science and technology to solve the world’s mysteries in a new series called ‘The Proof Is Out There’
Veteran journalist Tony Harris and experts analyze a number of videos
The team uses methods such as macro block and motion vector analysis
The first episode looks at videos of a strange figure appearing in Indonesia
There is also a clip of a man struck twice by lightning and a strange creature that some say is an alien discovered in a Russian forest
From a strange figure appearing in an Indonesia forest to lightning-proof humans and an ‘alien creature’ found in Russia – the world is full of strange and unusual sightings, but with science and technology these mysteries can be solved.
Veteran television journalist Tony Harris has set out on a journey to determine what is real, what is fake and everything in between with the help of experts during History channel’s latest series ‘The Proof Is Out There.’
Harris takes an in-depth look at ‘some of the most incredible and thought provoking videos of unexplained phenomena and mysterious must-see moments of all time.’
‘I have become more interested in UFO and extraterrestrials as the revelations have been coming out from various governments around the world,’ Harris told DailyMail.com.
‘We have moved beyond the tin foil hat guy.’
‘This seems to be a really interesting field and as journalists we are always interested in finding answers to big questions and ‘are you alone in the world’ is a big one.’
The first episode begins with a video showing a group of motorcyclists riding through an Indonesian forest when a small, human-like figure runs out from the brush and disappears into the trees.
Residents in the area speculated that it may be a rare Orang Pendek that once lived in the region, while others suggest it could be a member of a long lost pygmy tribe.
‘The Proof Is Out There’ showcases 30-minute episodes with the first airing Tuesday, January 5 at 10pm ET.
A team of experts from around the world have been brought in to help Harris determine what is seen in the clips.
They use a number of scientific methods and technologies to evaluate each of the videos.
For investigating the video footage, the team is using such methods as macroblock and motion vector analysis and geolocation.
Macroblock is used to determine authenticity of videos, as it compresses the clip into individual blocks and allows users to analyze each one individually.
Motion vector allows viewers to see how content moves and geolocation provides insight into the location of where a video was captured.
Spectogram analysis is used for audio and dentition and gait analysis was conducted for evaluating animal morphology and biological analysis.
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For the video showing motorists in Indonesia, Harris and his team investigate the two theories – was it an elusive Orang Pendek or a member of a long-lost tribe?
An Orang Pendek is a creature in Indonesian folklore, similar to America’s Big Foot, which lived in forest son the island of Sumatra.
The name means ‘short person’ in Indonesian and was allegedly seen by villagers some 100 years ago, which may be why some believed the figure in the video was this long-lost creature.
A forensic video expert took an in-depth look at the video to determine if the video is real or fabricated before Harris moved on to what the figure actually is.
To answer this, motion vector analysis was used, which allowed the expert to see how well the video flowed and how the content plays out.
‘We understand that we have a bit of a mission to people who are true believers,’ Harris said.
‘There are a number of videos out there that have gone unexplained and we are using our team of experts to see what is there or what is not there.
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Another segment of the first episode shows a clip of humans who survive being struck by lightning – and sometimes even hit twice in a matter of seconds.
The location of one video is unknown, although Harris speculates it is from China. It shows a man walking into a driveway who is struck by lightning.
After being hit, the man gets up, walks a few steps and is struck again.
Lightning bolts can leave bizarre markings on the body called Lichtenberg figures, which appear to produce flowering patterns along a person’s arm, leg or anywhere on the flesh.
There are also cases where people develop an immunity to electricity and can withstand lethal doses of electricity.
Atmospheric scientist Dr. Deanna Hence was brought in for these cases and found it peculiar that the man who was struck by lightning twice was surrounded by larger objects that should have been hit first.
Mic Wess, a science writer, also weighed in on the strange footage and notes that there are discrepancies.
Together, Hence and Wess used different computer modifications to determine the whether the footage was authentic. The outcome will be revealed in the first episode.
Another investigation highlights what some say was an encounter of the third kind.
In Siberia, a man walking his dog stumbled across a ‘strange three-foot creature lying in the snow.’
The figure was missing limbs, displayed a gray coloration and did not have any features that suggests what it might have been.
Harris asked Lucy Eckersley, a wildlife biologist, to help solve the mystery of the strange figure, which she determines isn’t human.
Forensic investigator Chase Kloetzke then set out to answer the question of what the figure actually is and looked at the surrounding scene for clues like blood, pus and debris – to determine whether the figure was a fallen alien or the remains of an earthly animal.
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Harris is an Emmy Award winning journalist filmmaker, who has covered stories including the British Petroleum oil spill, the Hurricane Katrina and the Southeast Asia tsunami.
‘When folks come to our show, you are coming into my lair when you are here with us,’ Harris told DailyMail.com.
‘No questions are off limits. No judgments. We are just trying to explain the unexplained.’
‘I am really proud of our team.’
I think for me, I have covered some of the biggest stories on the planet and wanted to take a different route that answers ‘are we alone?’’
