The latest episode of The Secret of Skinwalker Ranch drills into laboratory analysis and returns to on-property experiments that produce puzzling technical anomalies.
UVU Lab Work: FTIR, SEM and Elemental Analysis
Team members visited Utah Valley University to run new tests on the so-called Type A and Type B materials recovered from the Mesa. Chemists ran FTIR scans to look for carbon-hydrogen bonds that could enable radiocarbon dating. The Type A sample produced multiple FTIR spikes suggesting the presence of carbon-hydrogen bonds; the Type B sample generated a distinctly different spectrum and appeared to lack carbon.
Scanning Electron Microscope (SEM) imaging showed clear textural differences. Type A displayed porous structure and a cross-hatching pattern consistent with manufactured material, while Type B had a darker, non-porous surface without cross-hatching. Elemental analysis indicated Type B is rich in oxygen, calcium and phosphorus with traces of silicon, aluminum, iron, sulfur and potassium—elements commonly found in the earth’s crust—whereas Type A showed relatively higher magnesium and aluminum and much less calcium. A layered metal shard analyzed separately showed a high iron content.
During SEM work the microscope’s filament failed and required repair, interrupting further imaging.
Field Experiments: Signals, Radiation and Video Oddities
Back at the ranch the team attempted a repeat of recent signal tests between Homestead Three and Homestead Two. An unexpected 1.2 GHz blip appeared on a spectrum analyzer before a gamma ray detector registered a large spike, tripping a dosimeter alarm and leaving one detector damaged. Attempts to carry the test signal between homesteads produced inconsistent reception.
A laser-grid experiment in Homestead Three produced no visible effects despite smoke being introduced. A drone flight from Homestead Three toward Homestead Two lost controller link mid-flight and displayed controller errors, then regained signal upon return. Review of camera footage showed laser beams angling downward and sections of the wall showing no laser traces, prompting speculation about video alteration or real-time manipulation of the team’s visual feed.
Source: Horror Press