Welcome to a whirlwind tour of ten bewildering modern incidents that hint portals might be more than science‑fiction. From a bewildered trucker in Virginia to a mysterious lift‑off over New Hampshire, each case has been logged by UFO investigators, space agencies, and curious witnesses alike. As we count down these ten strange events, keep your mind open – the line between reality and a possible extra‑dimensional doorway may be thinner than you think.

Exploring 10 Modern Incidents of Possible Portals

10 The Harry Turner Incident

Long‑haul truck driver Harry Turner set out on a routine run from Winchester to Fredericksburg, Virginia, only to awaken at the destination with a gun clenched in his hand and eight empty shells scattered across his cab. He had no recollection of firing the weapon, yet the evidence was unmistakable.

According to Turner, a blinding white light engulfed his rig midway through the journey. In an instant, the world seemed to dissolve into a void of nothingness. While his mind scrambled to make sense of the experience, the truck’s door burst open and an iron‑like grip clamped onto his shoulder. In a panic, he discharged his firearm at an unseen assailant, though nothing could be seen.

When consciousness returned, the clock read 3:00 a.m. and Turner found himself parked in the warehouse lot of his delivery point. The expected 130 kilometres (80 mi) haul had been reduced to a mere 27 kilometres (17 mi) according to the odometer and a post‑incident analysis of the vehicle.

Turner concluded that he had been sucked into a portal and confronted an ultraterrestrial – an interdimensional being that seized him and forced the bizarre encounter. He filed a report with the Mutual UFO Network (MUFON), but to this day the incident remains unexplained.

9 The Melting Car

In November 2008, a university student was cruising home through the quiet streets of Chicago when a sudden, unseen force seemed to target her vehicle. Loud, thunderous bangs reverberated against the metal as if an invisible truck were ramming her from behind.

The assault escalated when a massive blast shoved the car into the opposite lane. The onslaught halted as abruptly as it began, leaving the driver bewildered and eager to inspect the damage.

Miraculously, the car’s windows and overall shell were intact, but the doors bore scorch‑like dents that resembled metal melted by an intense heat wave. No other vehicle left any trace, prompting the student to wonder whether a portal had opened and slammed an unseen force against her car before snapping shut.

8 The Mann Family

John Mann set off for a routine 90‑minute drive home from Reading, England, with his wife Gloria, their two children, and his sister along for the ride. About half an hour into the trip, a strange, growing light appeared in the sky, drawing ever closer to the car.

Compelled to investigate, John pulled over and stepped out, only to hear his family scream for him to get back inside as the luminous object approached. When he returned to the driver’s seat, the familiar road had vanished; the vehicle now seemed trapped inside a zig‑zagging “hedged tunnel” that twisted impossibly.

Without any clear sense of how they arrived there, the Mann family emerged back onto the motorway, heading toward their hometown. The entire episode lasted over two hours, far longer than the expected 90 minutes. Attempts to locate the mysterious road the following day proved futile, leaving them to wonder if a portal had briefly swallowed them.

7 The Salyut 7 Incident

In 1984, cosmonauts aboard the Soviet space station Salyut 7 reported an otherworldly glow that bathed the entire structure in a vivid orange hue. Six crew members described encountering angel‑like entities that seemed to emanate the light.

The astronauts said the glow wasn’t merely visual; it felt as though it penetrated their very emotions, evoking a profound sense of joy and calm. The phenomenon was witnessed on two separate occasions, coinciding with the historic EVA performed by Svetlana Savitskaya, the first woman to walk in space.

Speculation arose that Salyut 7 had momentarily slipped into an alternate dimension through a portal hovering above Earth, allowing these “space angels” to appear. The accounts remained classified until after the Soviet Union’s dissolution, when declassified files finally revealed the bizarre events—yet no definitive explanation has emerged.

6 NASA Declares Portals To The Sun Exist Above Earth

In July 2012, NASA announced the existence of so‑called “X‑points,” portals created where Earth’s magnetic field intersects with the Sun’s. Plasma physicist Jack Scudder explained that these magnetic reconnection zones act as gateways, though their ultimate destinations remain a mystery.

The agency’s Magnetospheric Multiscale (MMS) mission, launched in 2014, continues to scrutinize these X‑points. Scudder also mined data from the older Polar spacecraft, which spent extensive time in Earth’s orbit, to pinpoint when and where these portals open.

By correlating energetic particle spikes with recorded anomalies, researchers hope to predict portal activity with high accuracy. Whether humanity will ever venture through an X‑point—or discover what lies on the other side—remains an open, tantalizing question.

5 The Swirling Vortex In The Sky

Summer 2016 saw a 45‑second YouTube clip go viral, showing a swirling vortex of cloud‑like material forming high above the ground. An unidentified object plunged into the vortex and vanished from view, prompting a flood of comments proclaiming the footage as proof of a portal to another realm.

Ufologists and theoretical physicists alike have long speculated that wormholes or portals could solve the immense distances required for interstellar travel. The video, viewed thousands of times, sparked debate over whether it captured a genuine portal or a natural atmospheric phenomenon.

Skeptics argued the footage resembled the after‑effects of a tornado, while others suspected clever editing. The true nature of the vortex remains unverified, but the clip continues to fuel speculation about sky‑borne gateways.

4 Man Walks Through Portal In Closed Shop

In April 2016, an unsettling security‑camera recording surfaced online, depicting a hooded figure stepping through the locked doors of an apparently abandoned shop. As the man entered, a blinding flash rippled across the frame, momentarily obscuring the scene.

Inside the shop, additional flashes erupted, each seemingly resetting the camera’s exposure. After a brief pause, the figure re‑emerged, walking back through the same locked doors as if nothing extraordinary had occurred.

Internet users nicknamed the individual the “time‑traveling ghost,” while some theorists suggested that a portal had briefly opened, allowing the person to pass through solid walls. Most observers, however, dismissed the clip as a clever hoax.

3 Car Vanishes Into Portal During Police Chase

A dramatic dash‑cam video, allegedly captured by the Los Angeles Police Department in 2015, shows a suspect’s vehicle disappearing into thin air during a high‑speed pursuit. After weaving through downtown streets, the mystery car turned onto a quieter side road.

In the final moments, the vehicle made a sharp turn and simply vanished before the police cruiser’s camera could register any trace. The pursuit vehicle halted abruptly in front of an undamaged wire fence, as if something invisible had blocked its path.

No definitive verification of the footage exists, and skeptics argue the clip could be a staged effect. Nevertheless, the video fuels ongoing debate about whether a portal momentarily opened on a Los Angeles street.

2 CERN Opening Portals

The Large Hadron Collider (LHC) at CERN has long been the target of conspiracy theories alleging that its high‑energy collisions open portals to other dimensions. In June 2015, Dutch photographer Harry Perton posted a photo of a luminous, circular formation above the Dutch town of Groningen, which some interpreted as a portal.

Perton shared the image online, asking the public what they thought it represented. Commenters noted that the LHC had recently been shut down for maintenance and then restarted only days before the photo was taken, fueling speculation about a causal link.

Further intrigue arose when it was revealed that the LHC had been re‑energized at double its previous power level, prompting some observers to suspect that the collider was indeed creating a transient gateway, though no concrete evidence supports the claim.

1 The Lifting Car

In the summer of 2010, two teenagers parked their car in a quiet New Hampshire neighborhood when a colossal, glowing orb materialized overhead, growing larger and brighter by the second. The light seemed to envelop the vehicle, forming a tunnel‑like tunnel of illumination.

Without warning, the car lifted off the ground, still occupied by the terrified teens. Inside, all sound vanished as if their ears were sealed, and a disembodied voice echoed in the boy’s mind, urging him not to be afraid—though the reassurance did little to calm his nerves.

After what felt like an eternity, the car began to descend, crashing hard onto the earth. The teenagers scrambled out, rushed to a nearby house, and alerted the police. MUFON investigators later discovered a set of dents matching the car’s dimensions, as if it had fallen from a great height, lending credence to the teens’ extraordinary claim.

These ten modern incidents leave more questions than answers, but they also fuel the imagination of scientists and storytellers alike. Whether any of these events truly involve portals remains unproven, yet the sheer oddness keeps researchers digging for clues. Who knows – perhaps the next portal will be witnessed by you.

When people talk about extraterrestrials, the first images that come to mind are usually glowing saucers hovering above remote highways or mysterious lights flickering over quiet farms. Yet, a surprisingly consistent thread runs through many abduction testimonies: the notion of being taken beneath the waves. The following eight cases illustrate how the ocean’s depths might serve as a hidden staging ground for alien experiments, offering a fresh perspective on the classic UFO narrative.

8 Alien Abductions That Reveal Underwater Activity

In September 1961, the married duo Betty and Barney Hill reported a bewildering encounter on a desolate New Hampshire road. Their story sparked both fascination and ridicule, prompting several investigations and a series of hypnotic regression sessions that still fuel debate among skeptics and believers alike.

During one of those regression sessions, Betty vividly described the craft they entered as “centering the water,” even questioning aloud whether the vehicle actually descended beneath the surface. This particular detail—often overlooked—suggests the possibility that the alien craft may have submerged after the initial boarding.

If the Hills truly experienced a sub‑aquatic phase, it would add a watery twist to an already iconic abduction case, nudging the narrative away from the typical sky‑bound scenario.

7 Betty Andreasson Taken To A “Museum Of Time” Under The Water!

Betty Andreasson claimed multiple abductions, some dating back to her childhood. One early incident, allegedly occurring in 1950, involved her being whisked from her home onto a wheel‑shaped vehicle that seemed to glide of its own accord before plunging into the ocean off the United States coast.

According to her account, the underwater craft ferried her to a massive aquatic base where she toured a “museum of life.” Inside, she observed human specimens encased in glass, representing various eras of history, as if displayed in a macabre exhibition.

Although many dismiss Andreasson’s claims, several prominent UFO researchers have examined her testimony, leaving it as one of the most hotly debated narratives within the extraterrestrial community.

6 Katharina Wilson Writes Of Aquatic Craft Taking Her To “Navy Vessel”

Katharina Wilson, whose experiences are chronicled in the book Alien Jigsaw, recounts an encounter where the craft she boarded angled sharply downward, thrusting her toward a vast expanse of water. Suddenly, “water all around us” enveloped the vessel.

Protected from the surrounding fluid, Wilson found herself inside a transparent, glass‑like tunnel that seemed to dive deep beneath the ocean floor. The tunnel’s smooth walls gave the impression of moving through a giant aquarium rather than a conventional spacecraft.

In a separate but similarly eerie episode, Wilson described the craft surfacing only to transfer her onto a military “navy vessel.” This detail hints at a possible collaboration—or at least a rendezvous—between extraterrestrials and earthly naval forces.

Wilson’s narrative challenges conventional abduction lore, inviting readers to contemplate the hidden interplay between alien technology and human maritime operations.

5 Orlando Jorge Ferraudi Taken To A “Giant Underwater Dome!”

Orlando Jorge Ferraudi’s case, dated somewhere between 1956 and 1965, remains one of the most captivating underwater abduction stories. While night‑fishing on an Argentinian beach, a seven‑foot humanoid in a sleek, form‑fitting suit approached him.

Ferraudi alleges he was ushered onto a disc‑shaped craft that dove beneath the Gulf of Mexico, eventually arriving at a “giant underwater dome” resembling an enormous igloo. The occupants described the facility as a base where they “reconditioned” ships, suggesting a sophisticated underwater industrial complex.

Beyond the physical description, Ferraudi claimed the aliens disclosed that humanity had been part of genetic experiments for millennia, portraying Earth as a “zoo‑like” planet observed by myriad extraterrestrial races. This narrative paints a profound, if unsettling, picture of our place in the cosmos.

4 Abducted And Taken Under The Water Of The East River

Linda Cortile’s alleged abduction, investigated by veteran researcher Budd Hopkins, stands out for its eyewitness component. In November 1989, Cortile claimed to have been taken from her high‑rise New York apartment, an event later corroborated by two security guards driving near the Brooklyn Bridge.

The guards—identified as “Richard” and “Dan”—noticed their vehicle’s engine sputter and die for no apparent reason. Upon exiting, they witnessed Cortile, accompanied by three strange figures, levitating toward a disc‑shaped object. The craft then made a sudden turn, plunging into the East River and vanishing beneath the surface.

Months earlier, during hypnotic regression, Cortile recalled the UFO coming to an abrupt halt “under the water,” describing a view through a window that revealed floating debris such as soft‑drink bottles on the river’s surface. Her account suggests a direct encounter with an underwater facility.

3 From A Lonely Miami Road To A “Large Hangar” Under The Sea

In 1979, while traveling on a quiet Miami outskirts road, Filiberto Cardenas and his companions experienced a bizarre event. After their car inexplicably stalled, a massive disc‑shaped craft hovered overhead, emitting a beam that lifted Cardenas skyward.

Eyewitnesses reported the beam’s intensity and the subsequent disappearance of Cardenas. After a two‑hour search, he was found dazed on a busy highway roughly ten miles from the original site. Medical examinations cleared him, but later regression sessions revealed a startling narrative.

According to Cardenas, after undergoing strange experiments aboard the disc, he was transferred to a smaller vehicle that propelled itself toward the ocean. Breaking the surface, the craft entered an underwater tunnel, ultimately delivering him to a “large hangar” deep beneath the sea. Intriguingly, the alien hosts also shared predictions about future world events, many of which seemed to materialize.

2 Anna Jamerson Not Sure If Her Alien Abductors Took Her Under The Water

Author Anna Jamerson, in her book Connections, recounts several abduction‑type experiences that, while less direct than other accounts, strongly hint at underwater activity. One narrative describes her aboard a craft that suddenly encountered a massive “ocean liner” approaching bow‑first, only for the craft to be drawn beneath the vessel’s hull.

She further details entering a “long tunnel with soft sides,” illuminated by a green light at its terminus. The description evokes the glass‑like tunnels Katharina Wilson mentioned, raising the question of whether the “soft sides” were actually water surrounding a transparent conduit.

Jamerson’s regression session was abruptly redirected by her therapist away from the green‑lit endpoint, leaving a tantalizing gap in the story. Consequently, the full nature and location of her underwater encounter remain a mystery.

1 Was Fred Valentich’s Vanishing A Case Of Aquatic Alien Abduction?

The 1978 disappearance of Australian pilot Fred Valentich continues to baffle investigators more than four decades later. While flying over the Bass Strait, Valentich radioed air traffic control, reporting an unidentified object hovering above his plane and expressing clear panic.

After a few frantic minutes, he described the object as “not an airplane” before radio silence fell, accompanied only by a chilling metallic screech. Extensive searches yielded no trace of the aircraft or pilot.

Compelling eyewitness reports emerged from the region, including a photo captured by Roy Manifold of a strange object coinciding with Valentich’s transmission. Manifold’s son, Jason, recalled that after his father’s return, the plane seemed to turn off silently, as if an unseen force had cut the power.

Some UFO researchers posit that Valentich may have been drawn into an underwater base hidden beneath the Bass Strait, adding another layer of intrigue to this already perplexing case.

Accounts of the “Shadow People” are some of the most chilling and outrageous of all strange phenomena. Perhaps not least is that no one appears to know exactly what they are, where they come from, or why. Yet sightings of them continue to be reported around the world. And what’s more, they appear to be increasing.

Of course, we should take most of the suggestions on our upcoming list with a large pinch of salt. However, they are intriguing, nonetheless. And very much worthy of our consideration, if only on a temporary basis. But who or what are the shadow people? Well, that is where we will start our list.

Related: 10 Paranormal Mysteries That Are Not Paranormal Mysteries

10 Who or What Are the Shadow People?

The shadow people are essentially exactly what their name describes—a human-shaped shadow that people often see, usually from the corner of their eye for a brief second. They then disappear again as quickly as they were noticed.

These figures are often seen for a period of several days or weeks before incidents usually begin to escalate. This sometimes results in the shadow person rushing toward them before disappearing at the last moment. Or, in extreme cases, a person might wake to find the shadow person sitting or pressing on their chest. Some people even speak of these shadowy entities trying to choke them.

Shadow people are perhaps the thing of urban legend to most of us. However, the number of people who claim to have seen these strange entities is not to be taken lightly. There might one day be a rational explanation for the strange creatures. At the moment, though, they remain a complete mystery. There are, however, several potential and speculative explanations for just what the shadow people might be.^[1]

9 They Are Actually Ghosts

Perhaps the most obvious explanation is that what people are seeing is a ghost or a spirit. This is perhaps one of the most palatable answers to those in paranormal circles. And many sightings of shadow people often occur alongside a whole host of other paranormal activities.

The claims of these mysterious entities actually being ghosts are perhaps more credible than we might think. Especially when we note that some sightings speak of these shadowy figures not being a complete figure. For example, only the head and shoulders might be visible. Or even just the legs. Many people who report seeing “ghosts” also speak of how the apparition was not a complete form of the person. They instead often describe a partial view (the head and shoulders, for example).

Of course, anything that is unexplained and mysterious often falls into the box labeled “ghosts.” So, it should not surprise us that the connection to such entities from the other side is made. There is also, though, another popular theory.^[2]

8 They Are Aliens Using Advanced Cloaking Technology

Okay, those who are regular readers of my lists will be waiting for this one. So, let’s get it out of the way early. According to some researchers, the shadow people are aliens. And what’s more, they are using some type of advanced cloaking technology. Of course, many people find the idea of aliens to be silly in itself. Much less having aliens using such technology to make them invisible.

We should note, though, the claims of many people who have suffered alleged alien abduction. Many often recall seeing the strange shadowy creatures in the weeks leading up to or after the abduction. On some occasions, these shadowy entities have even been captured on video.

Incidentally, the notion of making oneself invisible is the stuff of science fiction to most people. However, as we will discover a little later on our list, some scientists suggest similar ideas regarding invisibility. If invisibility was something that could be achieved, the results would likely be similar to the descriptions of shadow people from around the world.^[3]

7 A Result of Astral Projection

Another suggestion from some researchers is that shadow people are actually the result of people astral projecting. Essentially, the shadow is the essence of their energy. Or, to put it another way, their soul.

As crazy as the idea might sound to most of us, astral projection is something that many people claim to be able to achieve. And what’s more, these claims have been around for decades, if not centuries. So might it make a certain amount of sense? Let’s assume a person—or the energetic essence of that person—was able to leave their body. Might they leave behind a “shadow” of themselves as they did so?

Like the idea of ghosts and aliens, most will dismiss the notion of astral projection outright. However, many mainstream scientists have carried out in-depth research on the subject. And what’s more, the findings, while not conclusive, certainly suggest there might be more to the idea than many might think. Of course, whether astral projection and the shadow people are connected is a debate in itself.^[4]

6 Hypnagogia: Walking Sleep/Sleep Paralysis

Perhaps the most rational explanation is that sightings of the shadow people are simply hypnagogia. This is essentially when a person wakes up, but the body and brain remain in sleep. This often results in seeing imagined sightings. And quite often, in this position, a person can’t move. Indeed, many people feel completely paralyzed for several seconds.

Some people, though, believe they can see things that aren’t there. In our contemporary era, this would appear to be shadow people. And these are perhaps created purely in a person’s panicked mind. Perhaps in these moments, simply due to them having read about them, they then recall them in such a moment of panic.

We should note that stories in the Middle Ages, for example, often spoke of demonic entities. These demons would sit upon a person’s chests, waking them in the middle of the night. Of course, belief in such demons was particularly rife during these times. And that might explain why so many reports were made in that bygone age. Also, it could explain why sightings of shadow people are high in our modern age.^[5]

5 Remote Viewing Experiments

Another idea that many people dismiss with little research is the notion of remote viewing. Like astral projections, this is essentially where a person “leaves their body.” And what’s more, they are able to travel great distances and view what they are seeing. Once more, this is an area that has been extensively studied by intelligence agencies. And it would appear these went beyond just leaving one’s body to view the room next door. Some experiments, at least according to leaked documents, have seen people remote view entire other planets.

According to some, the sightings of shadow people are likely to be the essence of those who are conducting remote viewing. Of course, if there is any truth to this, then the people who claim to see these strange figures might wish to ask themselves why someone would wish to remote view them in the first place.^[6]

4 A “Real” Product of the Human Mind

Perhaps the most likely explanation when all is said and done is that the shadow people are nothing more than the product of the human mind. And there are various branch-offs from this idea alone.

The first consideration would be that sightings of shadow people are simply people seeing things that aren’t there. Perhaps due to stress, sleep deprivation, anxiety, or all of those.

It is also noted that many people who suffer from drug addiction might “see” shadow people. This is particularly the case with drugs such as “uppers,” which essentially keep people awake. In part, this explanation comes down to exhaustion. As well as the consequence of a drug-addled mind.

Of course, perhaps the simplest explanation is that people simply confuse shadows for figures. For example, let’s imagine someone lying in bed in the dark. Shadows in the room might quickly take on a different form than they would in the light.^[7]

3 Evidence of Entities from Another Dimension

Rather than aliens or ghosts, some researchers have suggested that the shadow people are actually very much human. Only they are coming here from another dimension. It is a suggestion that is perhaps even more ambiguous than ghosts or aliens. However, it is certainly one that might make us ask some intriguing questions about the nature of our reality.

Of course, why these entities from other dimensions might be visiting us in the first place is a question in itself. Might they indeed be far more advanced than us and are coming here to study us for reasons currently unknown?

All possibilities are on the table until an explanation comes to light. As we will discuss a little further in our last point, though, many mainstream scientists are seriously examining the reality of other dimensions. Perhaps the shadow people will one day prove to be a consequence of these other realms.^[8]

2 They Are Actually “Invisible” People

We mentioned above on our list the notion that some people believe the shadow people to be aliens. And what’s more, they are making use of advanced cloaking technology to make them invisible. An idea that sounds pure nonsense, even to many who believe in the possibility that aliens exist. However, modern science suggests that should an “invisibility cloak” exist, it might not leave someone completely unseen. They might instead have a shadowy presence. Basically, they would likely appear in a similar way to those who claim to have seen the shadow people.

Of course, scientists are confident that they are close to overcoming this issue. And they just might achieve complete invisibility in the near future. For now, it is the claims of some that shadow people are actually the results of experimental cloaking technology, possibly by the intelligence agencies. Of course, it is a theory that most dismiss outright.^[9]

1 Evidence of an Overlapping Universe

Maybe one of the most bizarre suggestions is that the shadow people are the result of an overlapping universe. And that these shadowy figures are very real people who exist in their own dimension or realm. This differs from the idea of entities from another dimension that we examined earlier. These sightings of shadow people are not a case of these creatures entering our realm of existence purposely. They are instead a case of a clashing of universes.

This might sound crazy at first. We should perhaps consider, though, that some scientists in the mainstream are looking at the idea of multiple universes. As well as other dimensions that might exist all around us. And what’s more, these other universes might, on occasion, “crash” into each other. Some have even suggested that such feelings as déjà vu might be explained by these theories. It is certainly an intriguing thought… and might be proven to be accurate one day. For the time being, though, all suggestions, guesses, and speculative theories remain on the table.^[10]