The Day the Sky Flashed Twice: What Caused the Mysterious Vela Incident?

On September 22nd 1979, the sensors aboard the US Vela Satellite picked up a distinctive signal from somewhere in the vast expanse of the South Atlantic ocean. It was a mysterious “double flash” of blinding light. Even today no-one knows for sure what caused the Vela incident...
Pinpointed to within a 3,000 mile radius by the Vela 6911 satellite, the mysterious unexplained double flash of light was seen from space and likely emanated from near Bouvet Island between South Africa and Antarctica. The frozen isle is one of the most remote in the world and at the time was home to a Norwegian automated weather station. The only recent event of note was the 1964 discovery of a suspicious lifeboat of unknown origin that was laden with supplies.
- As images and footage of actual events are not always available, we sometimes utilizes similar historical images and footage for dramatic effect. All content is researched, produced, and presented in historical context for educational purposes. -

[@TotalRookie_LV]

"Israel does not possess nuclear weapons, but if needed, we will use them" - approximate quote by Golda Meier; I absolutely love the irony created by intentional contradiction in it.

[@Omnatten9]

Sveiciens

[@TotalRookie_LV]

@@Omnatten9 Čau! Čau!

[@iron60bitch62]

Israel absolutely owns nuclear weapons

[@Nicolay406]

Why are you all crying about Israel having nuclear weapons?

[@TotalRookie_LV]

@@Nicolay406 What are you talking about? Nobody is "crying" about it. Вероятно вам следует подучить английский.

[@JLPicard1648]

To quote Dr Strangelove, "Why would you build a deterrent... AND THEN NOT TELL ANYBODY ABOUT IT?!?"

[@gabrielkwiecinskiantunes8950]

The premier loves surprises.

[@lolzdatguy4987]

Cuz it's not a deterrent

[@fatstripper88]

No fighting in here, this is a war room!!

[@shadyoakum9978]

Last ditch weapon?

[@johnrockett5155]

If you didn’t want anyone to know it was you ..

[@ChrisBarrett911]

"Pinpointed" within "3000 mile radius" ---- I wouldn't use the word pinpoint.

[@tidusreviews542]

For the tech at the time that was pretty much as close as you were gonna get, from what I understand

[@Xxlibra1018xX]

@@tidusreviews542 Then the phrase "narrowed it down" would probably have been more appropriate, wouldn't you think?

[@PmBoyle]

Compared to 196,961,284 miles² it's not far off.

[@usafman8864]

@@PmBoyle Still not pinpoint.

[@grantmitchell6738]

Chris Barrett More like block point

[@andrewb4470]

The double flash was caused by a joint South African and Israel atomic bomb test. When I was in college in South Africa in the early eighties, our Physics lecturer, who was known to be a member of the secretive South African 'Broederbond' (a fraternity for the advancement of Afrikaner interests) very proudly (but in a hush-hush manner) told us that South Africa had successfully tested a nuclear weapon in the South Atlantic in 1979. Before the change of government, South Africa had 6 nuclear weapons and a further in production. Although never admitting to conducting the test, South Africa has never denied carrying it out. Recent investigations however, have indicated that South Africa did indeed carry out a nuclear weapon test in that year.

[@qtig9490]

Lets hope they shipped them to the UK or Australia or any other responsible country before the black racist marxists took over the SA Government. You know - the ones that turn a blind eye to killing whites and who will preside over the decline of a once modern country.

[@whyalwaysme2522]

Q Tig unfortunately, I agree ☝️

[@EdwardRLyons]

"Recent investigations ..." Can you provide sources?

[@sleuthdogunhelmeted7404]

@@qtig9490 South Africa dismantled it's nuclear arsenal before the ANC took over control of the country, the only country to have voluntarily dismantle it's nuclear program

[@sleuthdogunhelmeted7404]

@@EdwardRLyons You're welcome to go through the TRC hearings records

[@compmanio36]

"find it hard to imagine that the US would have misled the public" ROFLMAO

[@uselance1741]

I find it hard to believe that you where rolling on the floor laughing like a maniac.

[@kansascityshuffle8526]

Seeing that they were happy to to test out in the open for decades i think their misleading could be better used elsewhere

[@racerj2.03]

You Have Got To Be Kidding, Right?

[@MedicalExamUK]

Putin approves

[@k.chriscaldwell4141]

_"Where's the beef?!"_ I mean WMDs?! _"Ignorance is Strength." I'm weak._

[@sharonishere]

"PINPOINTED within 3000 mile radius" - That's one hella big pinpoint!

[@jblob5764]

No joke

[@gavtriggs664]

Yeah pinpoints are made with mile long sharpies in the sates

[@stevenf7683]

50 x 60 miles in territory. Each of those mileages is less than the altitude the Vela satellite was at above the earth.

[@nevadie133]

Steven Farmer was that the accurate measurement or was the 3000 mile radius the measurement? Cuz if it was the radius and not the area, that would’ve been 2.83 x 10^7 Like really huge circle. I think you could fit the US in there

[@stevenf7683]

@@nevadie133 It was area. That is what I have seen listed in documents when I worked for a certain US government entity that would have that information.

[@DeputyNordburg]

The use of random stock footage and creepy music is enough proof for me. Aliens!

[@imronburgundy7450]

Plus the peanut butter stuck to the roof of the narrator’s mouth

[@antoniourata7195]

Lol

[@taraaliyeva1813]

Lol lol

[@TheDustysix]

No Habla Ingles.

[@DumbledoreMcCracken]

lol

[@thisIsSomeShite]

8:11 "... there is no statute of limitations on breaches of nuclear treaties." So what? Israel never signed the NPT and South Africa only signed it in 1991, many years after this incident. You can't breach a treaty to which you were never bound.

[@jerryblainii1208]

Then Israel should be deprived of resources if they want to maintain a rogue nuclear Arsenal

[@stevenobrien557]

Look up the treaty for your answer

[@petero7937]

@@jerryblainii1208 Its as rogue a nuclear arsenal as Britain or India's

[@jed-henrywitkowski6470]

It was those damn penguins.

[@justahilltopguy5418]

Smile and wave boys. Smile and wave.

[@UnyieldingSeraph]

They will strike back at the Orcas and end the Orca Penguin conflict once and for all

[@riacardi7011]

Lizard people what are they up too

[@gaufrid1956]

Emperor penguins suicide squads with mini-nukes on their backs. Where did I see that before?

[@tylerhepler3871]

They knew what they were doing... this is all part of their plan.

[@Richard-bm1oz]

South Africa had a nuclear weapons program closely tied with the Israeli one. Seeing how the location wasn't far from SA, 99% sure it was them.

[@KokoroKatsura]

kitty!

[@luiscasillas9853]

Lars African currency is the weakest and the only worthless currency in the world.

[@Arnz01]

@luis Back then the Rand was very strong and on par with the USD. 1 ZAR = 1 USD.

[@Richard-bm1oz]

katten!

[@polytongue5714]

In addition to that, South Africa also came forward in the 90s saying that it had 6 nuclear weapons right before dismantling them. Those had to be tested somewhere other than underground desert bunkers.

[@BillKristjanson]

FYI... There are no degrees in Kelvin. Kelvin is the unit measurement. Therefore one should say 1 million Kelvin.

[@WhySoitanly]

Revisionist!

[@isilder]

but each Kelvin is one degree Celcius, so its possible to call them both degree and kelvin.

[@My_initials_are_O.G.cuz_I_am]

@@isilder No, that's not how it works. Kelvins start at absolute zero, so Kelvin measurements are absolute measurements and not on a scale, hence Kelvins cannot be degrees.

[@Group73historians73]

as far as we know it was israeli nuke test with south african help at that time , it was revil in fanono book after he escape from israel before he was capture

[@hellsing56666]

He's still in prison. Poor guy

[@hellsing56666]

@ster plaz I may be wrong and confuse prison with isolation.

[@reiniernn9071]

I do not understand how Dark Dogs can speak of "breaking internationals treaties" if you do not have proven who is the suspect. This because NOT every country has signed those treaties....and if not signed it is also not breaking that treaty. One of the countries , as I remember, not signing those, was Israel. (Confirmed by Wiki). Israel does not confirm or deny that they have any nucleair weapons. However, the aknowledge that they know how to make them and have the resources for doing that. Other countires:India , Pakistan.

[@reiniernn9071]

@ster plaz You realize that when you want or try to force someone who is no part in a treaty with economical or other methods to obey this non signed treaty that the opposite country can interpret that as an act of war.

[@gilmoyes2590]

With a little help from the u.k. I suspect.

[@thewhitefalcon8539]

"Some people find it hard to accept that the US may have deliberately misled the public" Hahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahaha

[@larryfolloway6335]

I’d find it harder to believe that they didn’t mislead us

[@margaretbushey3192]

Great report. I actually remember the Vela incident. I was 25 at the time and I most likely read about it, possibly in some sort of UFO magazine. We need to be reminded about events such as this and this video did an excellent job placing the occurrence back into the minds of those who watched, and will now talk again, about what happened in Sept. of 79.

[@prashantshukla9036]

Certainly it's an ufo tech mishap behind

[@stephendaedalos8970]

"Even today no one knows..." - I highly doubt that.

[@SpheroJr3289]

Stephen Daedalos South-Afircan Isreali Joint Nuclear Test

[@SpheroJr3289]

They tested a dang nuke.

[@PatTheRiot]

"We remain in the daaark!" - " Bra theres literally 27 documentaries on how the US protected Israel from violating international laws on just that particular incident. lol

[@LarryLonson]

Bob Lazar

[@aaronyallop7818]

It was South Africa. We know for sure. Geez! I can't believe this is still a secret

[@Deontjie]

Google the Vastrap Air Base, just north of Upington.

[@whatthedeuce47d68]

Ja they were going to test one in Northern Cape down some shaft but was told by US to stop. Makes sense they'd then go over the ocean somewhere...

[@HorsemanOz]

Around the same time, seismic recorders registered an event at Mawson station, Antarctica. Three weeks later the same station recorded an increase in radon bearing fallout, and an increase in radon gas. Later triangulation of the seismic activity put a very big bang located SE of Cape Town in the ocean. The conclusion was drawn that Sth Africa had, indeed, tested a nuke.

[@jscotthatcher380]

i very much enjoy the new direction of Dark5. great work and now i can eat without having to glance and read my screen constantly. definitely enjoy the documentary format. great narrator and editing too.

[@jackharvey5613]

J Scott Hatcher I totally agree, I can finally eat now

[@BlackFlash7]

Lol omg I miss trying to angle my phone so I could eat and read at the same time lol

[@jasoncarskadon6809]

This is extremely fascinating, I am subscribed and I am learning about things I've never even heard about before. Very interesting, keep it coming.

[@fozzzu8309]

I feel like south africa wouldve been the only ones in the vicinity with the capabilities at the time...

[@puffadder223]

South African here, I agree with you.

[@Balnazzardi]

Well it would go well within the time frame of South Africa's own nuclear program....but the thing is that we will never know for sure whether it was nuclear test or not, and whether it was all covered up or not. Either way it wasnt that long after that South Africa gave up on its nuclear weapons so ye....either way the whole thing was covered up really well if it indeed was atmospheric nuclear test.

[@andreworiez8920]

South Africa and Israel... I'd bet on joint test

[@Balnazzardi]

@@andreworiez8920 most likely, and it could have been also underwater test assuming those satellites are able to spot the flash really well. Id find it wierd that South Africa and Israel would ever hace nuclear weapons without testing them first somewhere like all other nuclear powers did Either way good thing that South Africa atleast gave up on its nuclear weapons, the only country to do so if we dont count ex-Soviet countries that happened to have nukes on their soil when USSR fell apart

[@andreworiez8920]

@@Balnazzardi oh agree there, and I vaguely remember reading that it was an above sea flash...so possibly air dropped. I do agree. Good on South Africa giving up it's nuclear weapons, while I'm pretty sure Israel's "We're not going to admit we have them but everyone knows we do" approach has probably prevented them (since 1973) from being involved in another large scale war in the Middle East

[@ruhankarsten7352]

South Africa also had six nuclear warheads at the time. Very likely we tested one with israel because they we're our allies during the border war with angola

[@rudolflaubscher3381]

out of those 6,2 went missing,those 2 are Non radio active,like the other 4

[@rudolflaubscher3381]

By the way,asked my Father about the Nukes,say's all true,and then told me about ''Operation Silver Diamond'' with Thor prototype Cannon. can be used on air and Ground Equipment,check it out.

[@peterbrown172]

I used to be in contact with one of the guys who was on the team that developed the unit that was tested. There was also a smaller one tested near Botswana on land. Shortly after, South Africa became signatories to the nuclear non-proliferation treaty & set up the Pelindaba medical nuclear isotope supply reactor & put the atomic knowledge to good use.

[@evanroberts2771]

Yeah, 2 apartheid countries working together sounds feasible.

[@jaystein1405]

Peter Brown I used to be in contact with a grey alien, he said you were full of shit

[@MrStickyPete]

"the whole point of the doomsday machine is lost.... if you keep it a secret! Why didn't you tell the vorld?!"

[@acadman4322]

Thank you Dr. Strangelove!

[@judgedredd8657]

The premiere loves suprises, it was going to be announced at the party Congress....

[@markpointer2967]

Wow, I LOVE these Dark Docs and Dark 5 videos. Awesome!

[@rickyb6086]

"The Cherenkov effect" perfectly normal phenomenon...

[@ericsoto4064]

Great narration as always & you did it on Dark5 which was awesome too 👏 GJ!

[@x.y.8581]

Except for the stupid unnecessary music!

[@heirapparent5004]

R. S. I enjoyed the music, lol. The usual stuff wouldn't convey as good of a mood or tone....to me.

[@pmessinger]

That dramatic narration isn't scientifically honest. Welcome to the X-fucking files. Barf.

[@tubularguynine]

Yes, they were 'aerial bombed'...with two NUCLEAR bombs.

[@aaronorr5508]

Eric Soto I

[@gunner678]

This was good! Tight information links, good analysis and hypothesis, well produced and a real human voice giving a professional narration. Well done!

[@victorburton9499]

You are a standup comedian, right?

[@Native-Coder]

You're so good at this stuff man. Thank you for the content!

[@GreenJimll]

Since 1967 there hasn't been a "degrees Kelvin". Its just "Kelvin".

[@lawrencegenereux8567]

These videos are GREAT! And the narrator's voice makes my skin crawl. 👍👍👍👍👍

[@elektrosoundwave]

This was the day I was born. Coincidence? I think not

[@larch6509]

elektrosoundwave i think that this is just a coincidence

[@Writingmarmot]

Do you have mutant powers?

[@harshg.9896]

Can you shape-shift?

[@notoverlyacerbic9574]

One of the things that brings me back to this channel,besides the great content,is the rapid delivery..

[@matt_b...]

I watch this channel for no other reason than to stare in awe at the 3D style panning over 2D images.

[@joshneu6402]

You guys rock. Keep up the good work boys!!!!

[@FearlessLeader2001]

“Degrees kelvin”

[@BrianMansfield75]

Sukki Blue you caught that too?

[@Unb3arablePain]

Funny enough, even my heat transfer professor, who has been working in the nuclear and heat industry for decades, said "degrees Kelvin" twice during lectures. Some thing things just slip out.

[@FearlessLeader2001]

Yes....and I'm 16 XD

[@BrianMansfield75]

Unbearable Pain I had a teacher that went nuts when someone said degrees Kelvin

[@crienospmoht]

+Unbearable Pain, It would have been even funnier if someone called him out on it.

[@noahshepard5456]

This channel is one of the few that constantly puts out Top-Notch content. I've yet to watch a Bad video from this Channel. Keep up the Good Work!

[@PoeLemic]

This was an incredible documentary. Very engaging and well produced. So very impressive. I am subbing to this channel ...

[@Fred-ju1xs]

Superb narration! Keep it up!

[@everythingyoudwanttoknow]

Unfortunately I find it extremely irritating...

[@vink6163]

It would be nicer to listen to if a pop filter was used, every time there's a P or D sound there's a loud thud because the mic was too close to the speaker's mouth.

[@house_za3497]

it was a nuclear test from South Africa.. and the reason it was detected was due to miscalculations of the time when the satellites pass over the reagon.. this is how all the other South African nuclear tests were undetected.. they waited for the satellites to pass over then only after that the tests happened..

[@bobgreene2892]

Everyone at that time avoided the US satellites, but that does not explain how the seismic signature went undetected.

[@kurtu5]

Actually it was a problem with the vela spin orientation. The vela coverage was top secret, someone leaked the coverage to SA, but the intel didn't help as the vela bird that caught it had a pointing error.

[@luiscasillas9853]

You're wrong you're all wrong

[@MrEvilsurpent]

Bob Greene mid air detonation over deep water should result in a very small seismic signature probably went by unnoticed as standard geological activity

[@TheHelghast1138]

This was fantastic! Do one on the Kecksburg UFO incident please!!!

[@Artifactsofmars]

Thanks for the information. I never heard of it until now.

[@jokeradviser5843]

the narrator is good here, not on the main channel: i suppose that's why you start this one. the first dark 5 is about fabulous music and excellent investigation. please keep it that way. it is (was) unique!

[@kurtu5]

First, Its called a "double hump". We never called them "double flashes". Second, the same bhangmeters on the vela birds were also on the DSP birds and we regularly saw non-nuclear "double humps" -- they were not as rare as you suggested. They always scared the shit out of us, but didn't have associated xray and gamma events, and were generally chalked up to meteors in the atmosphere. Third, it was not weather that caused the vela bhangmeteres to catch the event, but a problem with the satellite. It was rotating incorrectly and scanned across an area is was not supposed to. Had it been functioning correctly, the area in question would have never been seen. Rumors were that someone tipped off SA that it was a safe place to escape detection. Fourth, its called 1979 747 because while no xray or gamma were detected by the omnidirectional detectors in order to correlate the double hump to a nudet, there was a radio engineer on a 747 who reported a radio blackout at the same time, or supposedly an emp. Fifth, the hydroacoutistic detection doesn't mean it was a underwater detonation, shock waves from an atmospheric test will also produce hydroacoustic signals. Lastly, while we worked in the command that detected nudets, all our sources came from a Janes Defense weekly article. There was no insider knowledge other than our understanding of the actual detection systems.

[@BonnienClydeMiller]

What department did you work for? Please

[@Yeet-bv7gi]

Hes talking out his ass, I do believe we now know what caused it

[@BryanM61]

Twinky: I can absolutely assure you that kurtu is NOT talking out his ass. Everything he says here is accurate and consistent with someone who worked 'at the command', which was (and is) at Offutt AFB in Nebraska. I worked in a place where we also saw the raw data from the bhangmeters, both from Vela and a later program. I went through the archives to look at the raw data from this particular incident. While the raw data was coarse, it was distinctive. If I had to bet, I'd say Israel conducted a low-yield nudet in cooperation with South Africa.

[@Yeet-bv7gi]

@@BryanM61 I meant he probably never served or did anything involving the military. Too many kids on here claiming bs it's hard to believe anything

[@Yeet-bv7gi]

@@BryanM61 I could easily said the same shit by researching it and I haven't even seen a full kitted soldier before much less a gun

[@dogen712]

Great doc guys. How about Rendlesham Forest Ufo Incident for the next one?

[@leonscheepers5350]

Common knowledge in SA that we tested

[@MadMax-yq9ix]

This your real voice? It goes well with this stuff. :0

[@spr822]

Nothing new, it is a known fact that Israel and apartheid South Africa had a military exchange program.

[@luiscasillas9853]

spr822 in that time Israel barely had enough money to make homemade small arms LMAO

[@kayzeaza]

Israel deff did it

[@luiscasillas373]

Snow Shoveler Israel doesn't have yellow cake. The material needed to make uranium and then enrich that uranium

[@kayzeaza]

The South Africans did tho

[@gabrieldekooker1595]

Yes Israel had about six hundred Tons of the stuff they got from South Africa in exchange for some Tritium manufactured at Dimona in Negev.

[@tammymakesthings]

I chuckled when you said “1 million degrees Kelvin”. At that kind of temperature, it doesn’t really matter if the number is degrees Kelvin, Fahrenheit, Celsius, or Rankine. 😂

[@rollmeister]

It converts to nearly 1.8 million Fahrenheit. Kelvin is a metric measurement & reference neutral. So scientific realms use it.

[@bleakdestiny6095]

Love this music! Very informative video that helped clear up a recent discussion. Thank you.

[@sea_space]

Fantastic stuff, subscribed with notifications on!

[@marknelson4856]

Lol! I am subscribed to both of you 😃

[@csn6234]

Please tell us about every other irrelevant and extraneous detail of your life.

[@licentiousdreams]

@@csn6234 Seems like you have a lot going on in your life.

[@csn6234]

@@licentiousdreams Great comeback!

[@licentiousdreams]

@@csn6234 TY good sir. Twas a valiant duel and I do wish you the best!

[@MrBoromir123]

This guys voice is perfect for three videos.... great job

[@MrBoromir123]

Yuck Foutube haha made laugh ... I meant to type these videos 😂😂

[@whiteknightcat]

Then, shalt thou count to three. No more. No less. Three shalt be the number thou shalt count, and the number of the counting shall be three. Four shalt thou not count, nor either count thou two, excepting that thou then proceed to three. Five is right out.

[@shchorss]

Cannot stand it honestly

[@butlerproman]

He needs to enunciate more clearly, for one thing.

[@jermainerace4156]

"Pinpointed" to within a 3000 mile radius... that's a big pin.

[@saxondiehl2682]

This Channel is a straight goldmine

[@d.cypher2920]

Ireali nuke test device . I believe this is well known now in circles of those concerned

[@Eremon1]

Pretty much the firm conclusion since 2018. South Africa may have had some role in it, but it was most likely Israel led.

[@jblob5764]

Ireali? Really come on man learn to spell

[@ChaplainBobWalkerBTh]

Yep Israelis and they did another nuke test inside the indian ocean which no one claims

[@frosty3693]

@@ChaplainBobWalkerBTh At the time both Israel and SA were considered rogue nations by leftist UN members. SA and Israel teamed up in making assualt rifles and long range artilery (155mm G5?) as well as (probably) nuclear weapons. Israel had the smarts and production ability and SA had the raw materials and area to test secretly. The US looking the other way, while not politically correct, was the thing to do at the time, and probably now too.

[@ChaplainBobWalkerBTh]

@@frosty3693 I am sure you are right. Oh the first act of the United Nations was the creation of the Israeli state 1948. Oh there was a nuke explosion in the Indian ocean no one took credit for.

[@i_notold8500]

I remember this all happening and I thought it was common knowledge that it was the Israeli's and the South Africans working together. I'm fairly certain it was even reported in the news for a while.

[@robertkopp873]

miller nathan you are correct. This vid is hype, attempting to "spice-up" the dull & boring facts of the matter for the younger generation lacking historic knowledge.

[@i_notold8500]

When this happened there was no internet to fuel conspiracies. The media didn't have to purposefully hype everything to get viewers either, they were the only game in town. Now everything needs to be sensationalized or twisted for more appeal.

[@crispinp-p397]

That RSA tested a neutron bomb over land is common knowledge, I thought. On the day of the test, airspace was cleared between certain coordinates to 'unlimited ceiling' which is rare thing to append. The development of 'theatre' nuclear weapons is essential for Israel which would have to operate at close quarters. The 'enhanced radiation devices' (neutron bombs) do not leave classic fallout signatures.

[@lonniecavenee6201]

It was in the news and it was no big deal as far as I can remember.

[@puncheex2]

Doesn't make any difference what you think is "common knowledge". As the video says, the case is unproved.

[@gma729]

GREAT STORY !!! I LOVE DARK DOCS !! KEEP UP THE GREAT WORK !!

[@A_10_PaAng_111]

South Africa: so? What do you think? We have more Where that came from! Israel: Deal! USA: I'm not aware! Lalalalalalalala!!!

[@desertdude8274]

Russia: *Stares with suspicion*

[@TheChuckFina]

Iran: (perfusive sweating intensifies)

[@dougyates7218]

I suspect South Africa and Isreal, but who knows for sure.

[@sirreaper1238]

Doug Yates you no longer need to suspect, consider it confirmed.

They tested theirs underground. The Vela flash was the beginning of supernova detection.

[@dougyates7218]

So, where is the end?

[@clivesheffield8863]

Exactly!

[@lewisdoherty7621]

Problems involving Israel just disappear. During the 1960s when a chemical company owned by a Jew tied to Israel had a substantial discrepancy between the radioactive material going into the plant and that being returned to the U.S. government, the FBI began to investigate. Then suddenly the investigation was squashed. Perhaps Mossad agents showed J. Edgar Hoover their collection of stuff on his gay love affair with his immediate subordinate who was on the government payroll.

[@peaceman679]

South Africa also did have a nuclear weapons program during the Cold War, but they dismantled it after Aparthied fell.

[@gabrieldekooker1595]

We had seven Uranium Gun weapons, but without neutron initiators the yield would have been less than 10Kt The Uranium was down blended to about 20% for use as reactor fuel.

[@mozzy747]

Going by the South African Government today I doubt they dismantled it

[@ghost_ship_supreme]

The fact that all the studies on it were immediately classified is enough to be highly suspicious...

[@BryanM61]

Almost everything having to do with nuclear capability - foreign and domestic, as well as launch and nuclear detonation detection, is classified.

[@fabianvanderelst9643]

My mom: *it's because of that dang phone*

[@frosty6960]

A Norwegian Island... how interesting. Although Norway is not widely remembered today as having been among the world’s early nuclear powers, it was in fact the sixth country to build a nuclear reactor(1947) and we among the leaders in the field of nuclear technology. The basis for Norway’s role as a player in the international market was its indigenous production of heavy water and its early acquisition of basic nuclear technology and know-how. At the start of the ww2, Norway had been the only producer of heavy water in the world. The Norwegians have exported technology to many nations, including assists in the implementation of the agreement on Iran’s nuclear program.

[@augustusmd]

could this be a consequence of an unintentional discharge from an alien’s small firearm? ancient alien theorists say, “YES!”.

[@rodionromanovich449]

Lol do they ever say "no?"

[@armadillotoe]

You should only believe ancient alien theorist if they have really big hair. I learned that from the History channel.

[@tjingle29]

whoa 😮 i’ve been a fan of the dark channels but only about a year or so. i’ve never heard the narrator speak so calm before.

[@davifernandeslima01]

"All right, Beatrice, there was no alien. The flash of light you saw in the sky was not a UFO. Swamp gas from a weather balloon was trapped in a thermal pocket and reflected the light from Venus."

[@SixFootScream]

It was a South African nuclear weapons test.

[@HVACSoldier]

SixFootScream Others day it was a “joint” South African/Israeli nuclear test.

[@Kenzofeis]

A friend in need of a remote island to test things

[@shaggybreeks]

Joint Israel-South Africa development. Two apartheid nations.

[@danielpinnington7399]

James Kirk south Africa is not a stupid country.

[@Me63422]

James Kirk. South Africa voluntarily disassembled their 6 and a half nuclear weapons before the end of Apartheid.

[@reality8763]

"But all were promptly classified" well that's convenient

[@jayyoutube8790]

“Pinpoint of 3000mi”? Must’ve been a Crayola pinpoint..😂

[@sulljoh1]

4:55 "once in a hundred billion years" What are you talking about?? Micrometeoroids hit spacecraft all the time.

[@retard4582]

Oh you're fucken smart

[@deanh7190]

"...we remain in the dark." DD....but I come here for the light ; )

[@vperkv6554]

Dean H i have a flashlight

[@deusexaethera]

"Pinpointed" to within a 3000-mile radius... That's not exactly pinpointed, as far as I'm concerned.

[@FloridaManMatty]

Shawn Elliott 3000 sq miles on something the size of Earth is pretty damn good considering the quality of the instruments available at the time.

[@gunner678]

@@FloridaManMatty even the Pacific, it's a big big puddle!

[@herebyhereby2874]

Why do you even feel the need to reply to it? You know what he meant get over yourself

[@andresgmz210]

Man stfu

[@rpgeek22]

It was Israel, why is this even a question.

[@gunner678]

@jennifer stewarts you got it! France.

[@gunner678]

@@Banana_Split_Cream_Buns no, not all...this was France.

[@JckSwan]

Team Apartheid.

[@opalishmoth8591]

Joseph McDermott Wait I assumed that South Africa and Israel comment was a joke because that pairing is so random *Sigh* I never thought of Israel as my country... but I apparently I do. Why does my country have / had nuclear weapons.... Ug Let’s be honest they probably still have some which is why Israel is so adamant about stopping Iran from getting nuclear weapons... To the current government of Israel... This is why so many young American Jews take Heritage trips to Israel, but then break off from the group to visit the Palestines.

[@RC_Colorado]

no, it was South Africa dipshit

[@Mr.Obongo]

I’ve seen the night sky flash several times in my life, how is this particular incident so notorious?

[@Youre_Right]

sclock2 Because it had all the markers of a nuclear detonation. If you see the night sky become brighter then it is at noon. Then you would have something like this incident to talk about.

[@ericsoto4064]

Very interesting...I like!

[@ericsoto4064]

Dark as usual

[@laxr5rs]

You like what?

[@markdavids2511]

Eric Soto it was the South Africans

[@drieshyman8587]

You are spot on!

[@alanroy5806]

Eric Soto of the hh

[@zylaaeria2627]

I personally like to believe it was a meteoroid. A covert nuclear test though wouldn't surprise me one bit.

[@MrHARDDRYVE]

You kinda hope a scientist named Dr. Ruina ends up being a supervillain! 😂

[@porridgeenjoyer]

I friggin love this guy's voice

[@BillHalliwell]

President Carter was not the ‘simple peanut farmer’ that many critics liked to label him. He was a former skipper of a nuclear submarine and knew perfectly well that Israel had to be protected and have the strategic capability to defend itself from surrounding Muslim countries. The US may or may not have known about this test (had they not known would have certainly enraged Carter, however, he would not put the US/Israeli relationship at risk over this incident). One atomic test is extremely rare. Each new variant or improvement of these weapons must be tested, just to see if they work. Perhaps when Mandela took the reigns of the South African government, Israel (probably still storing the same type of bomb that was tested) could have simply taken the South African nukes off their hands, for Mr Mandela nor anyone else ever officially mentioned, or even officially ‘hinted’ they possessed nuclear capability. Israel, on the other hand, has said “no” so frequently, over so many years that it can only be construed that, in fact, they do. They would be mad not to have nukes considering that every so often one of their neighbours says they would like to wipe Israel off the face of the earth. Not a huge mystery really. Not many countries routinely tell the world what they are doing with their nukes. Still, an interesting video. Cheers, BH

[@georgeturner301]

Carter's degree from USNA was nuclear engineering...he also graduated 90th out 1000 midshipmen. .and served under hyman rickover.

[@kollusion1]

Doing a Vela... That's when a tasty pair of twins flash their mysterious bits.

[@TechNed]

I did initially suspect something striking the detector. It is a low probability because of the cross-sectional area but so are those of much larger bodies like astronaut retinae (being struck by cosmic rays) and numerous satellite bodies compared to the vastness of space but that happens quite often. I suppose they would also have considered the possibility of a crazy-ivan nuclear torpedo or maybe an accidental detonation on-board a nuclear armed sub.

[@6omega2]

I love the background music. Would love to know what it is.

[@nynthworld4152]

It could have been The Techno Viking.

[@goldengoodra2941]

One topic I'd love to see this channel cover is the Disappearance of Dennis Martin, the child who disappeared to seemingly nowhere despite being supervised by two adults. It's one of the spookiest things I've ever seen, it'd be a good topic if you ask me

[@Manibular]

This was not where I was expecting this to go. Lol it IS interesting.

[@dannvega8493]

Que buena frase la que cita Ben Hamilton del "Dr. Strangelove": "Why would you build a deterrent... AND THEN NOT TELL ANYBODY ABOUT IT?!"

[@Anthony-ho4kw]

Love the narration!

[@winfredroman714]

all fake

[@arthurmorgan7086]

Winfred Roman like your lunatic theories

[@thefuck7175]

Theres a rumor that the brits didnt find australia they just dropped convicts in the ocean and that anyone that says they are australian is a actor i find it funny since im australian

[@82spiders]

This was, I believe the proof of concept for the Israeli nuke.

[@KingNoTail]

I have read that the Israelis chose a window of opportunity when no active Vela satellites were observing the area and that the Vela Satellite that picked up the blast was officially listed as retired by the US government but it was still able to receive data. Additionally they conducted the test during a typhoon.

[@chrisdixon892]

So many channels lost because they were deemed conspiracy channels. Most were like this, vids on secrets and mysteries. I am so happy this channel is still here.

[@florinivan6907]

Yt has fallen into the trap the media has. Ie declaring that any and all conspiracies are just the result of crackpots not taking their pills. Real conspiracies do happen all the time in fact. The trick is figuring out which are real and which are not. But yt has mostly chosen the easy route. Ban everything. Why bother with making sense of it all.

[@hydra7427]

Fun fact: Did you know that South Africa is a secret nuclear power? Case closed.

[@jasonkloos6348]

SgtHydra was, not is.

[@hydra7427]

"Nuclear power" is anyone capable of producing nuclear weapons in a short amount of time. Yes, South Africa did dismantle their nuclear weapons program. In the late 1980's. In 1979, however, they had nukes and it was likely that they secretly tested a nuclear device without informing the USA or Soviets - since doing so would obviously unwanted attention. The Vela Incident is no mystery, that's my point.

[@jasonkloos6348]

SgtHydra Agreed. It's not a mystery at all.

[@fearview]

why there was no radioactive trace?

[@SirKaison]

South Africa has huge rare uranium reserves. Most of our uranium is now being exported to countries like China and Russia though.We could only build nuclear weapons during apartheid because we had uranium.

[@Beastinvader]

Which treaty was violated? As far as I know, neither Israel nor South Africa was party to the NPT. The only treaties similar in scope is the CTBT and the Antarctic Treaty. Were they violated?

[@xmasinpacific]

NPT probably not - CTBT was not and is not currently enforced. There is a lack of compelling evidence regarding a nuclear detonation. Vela Hotel satellite was designed to detect atmospheric nuclear detonation - underwater tests do not exhibit the same characteristics- no airborne fallout detected - and as far as I am aware - no atmospheric shockwaves were noted

[@jwenting]

nor were Israel and the RSA signatories of the CTBT afaik. Wouldn't make sense for non-nuclear (on paper) nations to sign on to a treaty barring nuclear testing.

[@bobgreene2892]

That might explain why testers believed they could detonate without detection, but the question is still open whether US devices detected the blast. Since the area of underwater signatures was almost bare of data, even had they detected, they had little or nothing as a model underwater blast of comparable size.

[@iR-80]

Thumbnail is a RB-57, probably a RB-57D version. RB-57s were never used to detect gamma rays.

[@dx1450]

It was Dr. Evil testing his "giant laser."

[@Vooodoo101]

It was a joint Israeli South African nuke test. A TR-1/U-2 and RC-135s were all over the area before, during and after the test. They were flying out of Chile if I recall correctly.

[@princeprocrastinate6485]

I always thought the Vela Incident was caused by a near asteroid impact, similar to the Tunguska Event, as some believe that to be its cause. Alternatively the South Africa Israel test seems highly likely.

[@erichpizer1]

it is, it was us, no BS. i work in the arms industry

[@briseboy]

@@erichpizer1 and I would like to work in the legs industry, hand-checking them for flaws.

[@skizzik121]

@@briseboy ugh fine you win. Here is 1 internet point

[@johngrantham4862]

Your voice sounds so intelligent and reasonable, I would probably believe just about any conspiracy you made a video about.

[@dennisvance4004]

I don’t believe the crash at Roswell was extra terrestrial in nature but it still leaves the question: what crashed there?

[@briseboy]

Many paranoid and schizophrenic minds, still tottering around long afterward, voting for orange-sprayed balloons.

[@jabaonelsn5771]

WW2 Japanese camps in Arizona. Any dark docs on them? Would love to hear them. I live near one on the Gila River reservation.

[@briseboy]

Still? You know you can leave now.. .

[@orangekayak78]

It was me I had beans. Sorry

[@Bugman541]

heh

[@dEadERest]

It is a magical fruit

[@ShamrockShows]

Did you spill them while watching Cars 2 in the middle of the Indian Ocean, causing a black teenager to say “this nigga eating beans!” Only to promptly explode, causing a double flash similar to a nuclear bomb?

[@edkrassenstein5534]

lmao this nigga eating bean!

[@dragonslayer3203]

@@ShamrockShows try saying that with the same speed and accent as the narrator in this video lol

[@mithickwolf]

left me with a bit of a chill coz i’m in simons town south africa now! touch creepy

[@fredjones7705]

I remember riding with my Dad near Portales New Mexico when Paul Harvey reported the event. He said it was a South African shot and at that time everyone seemed in agreement.