I was lucky enough to spend some proper quality time with Chris Ramsay, Michael Phillip, and Luigi Venditelli at Contact in the Desert this year — so I wanted to bring everyone together for a chat about how we found the event, what stood out, and where the conversation around UFOs might be heading.It’s more than just a recap — we dive into personal experiences, unexpected moments, and broader ideas that go well beyond the desert setting. Whether you were there or not, this one’s for anyone curious about the shifting landscape of the phenomenon.

Bob McGwier is a scientist and former intelligence community insider who has become a prominent voice in the study of Unidentified Aerial Phenomena (UAP). With a background in applied physics and over two decades at the Institute for Defense Analyses, as well as a research leadership role at Virginia Tech’s Hume Center, McGwier brings deep technical expertise to the UAP conversation. He is known for his candid insights into government secrecy, advanced sensing technologies, and the growing push for transparency around UAPs, making him a respected figure in both scientific and investigative circles.

Chris joins Vinnie to discuss the latest on Whistleblowers, Congress and more!https://x.com/ChrisUKSharp https://x.com/LiberationTimes https://www.liberationtimes.com/

Carl Andreasen is a father of three and full time researcher and explorer of the mysteries of reality. Born in a small town in Southeast Idaho, he grew up adventuring in the wild near the Grand Tetons, Yellowstone National Park, and the high deserts of Utah. Carl grew up with strange life experiences as a child, and parents who were open minded to the possibilities. This led him on many camping trips into known locations of UFO sightings, Bigfoot reports, and locations of high strangeness as a growing interest. After getting a degree in Social Work, Carl pursued his true passion in film-making and photography and he quickly became a successful online content creator and documentary filmmaker with an audience of over 3.2 million followers. Carl has worked extensively with the team at Skinwalker Ranch and the owner Brandon Fugal – leading to an appearance on the History Channel series “Beyond Skinwalker Ranch” Season 1 Episode 2 at Mt Wilson Ranch. Carl has been a key research figure in rediscovering Mount Wilson Ranch in Nevada and it’s connection to Skinwalker Ranch. He personally utilizes research in quantum entanglement, human consciousness, various meditation methods and “Contact Protocol” – as well as working directly with Native American Indigenous teachers – to explore ancient locations known for paranormal phenomena and UFOs.

Avi Loeb is the head of the Galileo Project, founding director of Harvard University’s — Black Hole Initiative, director of the Institute for Theory and Computation at the Harvard-Smithsonian Center for Astrophysics, and the former chair of the astronomy department at Harvard University (2011–2020). He is a former member of the President’s Council of Advisors on Science and Technology and a former chair of the Board on Physics and Astronomy of the National Academies. He is the bestselling author of “Extraterrestrial: The First Sign of Intelligent Life Beyond Earth” and a co-author of the textbook “Life in the Cosmos”, both published in 2021. The paperback edition of his new book, titled “Interstellar”, was published in August 2024.https://projects.iq.harvard.edu/galileo

Ivan Hannel is a graduate of Yale University and Northwestern Law. Originally from Nashville and raised in Phoenix, his legal background spans civil litigation, corporate law, and family law, with a focus on representing plaintiffs in complex disputes.He is best known publicly for representing Lue Elizondo. Ivan’s work on Elizondo’s behalf has involved whistleblower protection, national security issues, and efforts to increase transparency around UAPs. His legal advocacy places him at the centre of one of the most compelling and controversial topics in modern government disclosure.

Documentary Filmmaker Darcy Weir joins Vinnie to discuss UFO documentaries.

Deep Prasad was named one of Toronto’s Top 20 under 20 in 2015. He graduated in 2018 from the University of Toronto with a degree in industrial engineering. His goal is to save humanity hundreds of billions of research hours in developing the next generation of photovoltaics, superconductors, and metamaterials. At SF UAP (Unidentified Anomalous Phenomena) they are fostering a community of technologists, engineers, entrepreneurs and researchers who are interested in building for a world filled with NHI (Non Human Intelligence).https://www.sf-uap.com/ https://x.com/Deepneuron

Luigi Vendittelli brings nearly three decades of experience, known for both his business success and his deep passion for researching the unknown, with a particular focus on government secrets related to UAPs. With over 28 years in business, Luigi has established a reputation as a dynamic leader, recognized for his visionary approach and successful ventures across multiple industries. His profound interest in UFOs, combined with a drive for technological innovation and pushing the boundaries of possibility, fuels his quest to uncover the mysteries of unknown phenomena and non-human intelligence. https://projectgravitaur.com/

Dr. Jim Segala brings over 30 years of distinguished experience in the scientific and engineering domains, with a focus on designing and constructing sophisticated experimental systems. Holding a Ph.D. in Physics and advanced degrees in Engineering, Dr. Segala has significantly contributed to research and innovation across multiple fields.For over eleven years, Dr. Segala was a prominent researcher at the Institute for Advanced Studies at Austin, conducting groundbreaking experiments in radiobiology, quantum entanglement, quantum optics, vacuum polarization, and neurobiology. His work has earned him recognition as a leading authority in these areas.Dr. Segala is a familiar face in the media, having appeared as a subject matter expert on various television programs. He was a featured contributor to Season 1 of the History Channel’s The Secret of Skinwalker Ranch, multiple episodes of National Geographic’s UFOs: Investigating the Unknown, and the Discovery Channel’s Mystery at Blind Frog Ranch. Additionally, he has been a sought-after speaker on podcasts and at conferences, where his expertise in unexplained phenomena has been widely acclaimed.Dr. Segala's current research focuses on investigating unexplained injuries occurring under unusual circumstances. This includes a comprehensive three-year study documenting and categorizing anomalous phenomena in Utah's Uintah Basin, with findings to be detailed in an upcoming publication.Beyond these pursuits, Dr. Segala is also deeply engaged in computational analysis of complex systems spanning chemistry, biology, electrodynamics, and mechanics. He has authored multiple peer-reviewed journal articles in radiobiology, advanced medical imaging, and other biophysical disciplines, further solidifying his reputation as a leading figure in his field. https://www.experiencer-studies.com/ https://www.experiencer-studies.com/mupas-study-2

Joe Khalil is a Washington, D.C. correspondent for NewsNation. He developed an interest in politics in college, and his reporting career has taken him from state capitols to the nation’s capital. He has interviewed Cabinet Members, high profile politicos, members of Congress and President Donald Trump. Before joining NewsNation, Khalil worked in Nexstar Media’s Washington Bureau covering Congress and the White House with a focus on California.Khalil spent four years as an anchor and reporter at KTXL in Sacramento, California. While there, he covered big developments from the state house including sweeping criminal justice reform, vaccine legislation and California becoming a sanctuary state. Khalil began his career at WLNS TV-6 in Lansing, Michigan, about 90 miles from his hometown of Detroit. He graduated from Michigan State University with degrees in Journalism and International Relations, and holds a Masters Degree in Journalism from Columbia University.

Ask a Pol founder Matt Laslo's been working as a correspondent for WIRED, VICE, Playboy, Rolling Stone, Daily Beast, etc. out of the US Capitol since 2006. While he genuinely learns daily, the part-time Johns Hopkins prof. has also been know to gently lecture lawmakers every now and again…

Richard Dolan has been a leading researcher and writer on the UFO phenomenon for over 25 years.His approach focuses on UFO sightings, the politics of cover-ups, and citizen attempts to end UFO secrecy. He has spoken at events worldwide and received two "Lifetime Achievement" awards at major UAP conferences. He shares research and discusses disclosure through various media and manages richarddolanmembers.com, which features writing, video, and audio content. His latest work, A History of USOs: Unidentified Submerged Objects (Volume 1: From the Beginning to 1969), is a meticulously researched and documented collection of 178 cases of mysterious objects observed in bodies of water over centuries. All cases from all three volumes have already been written, with the second volume covering the 1970s and 1980s and the third volume covering cases from 1990 through 2024. In total, the three volumes contain 672 USO cases.

Eric is former Navy and contractor for Raytheon, a major U.S. defense contractor. Eric's position as a firefighter and plumber for the South Pole facility gave him unrestricted access to the compound. During his stay, Eric claims to have observed highly advanced directed energy weapons and other technologies beyond what we previously thought possible. Eric has also testified to congress under oath and hopes to bring his experience to the public for the good of humanity.

Matt Ford is an Emmy Award-winning Los Angeles-based political activist, influencer, and host of The Good Trouble Show. He is the founder of the Political Action Committee Stand For Better and has produced dozens of hard-hitting political ads for social media with over 20 million video views on Twitter alone. He has published op-eds on the UAP phenomenon, in addition to United States and Russian nuclear policy. YouTube interview: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=FBYlkJrdfr0&t=2111s

Lt. Col John Blitch, DARPA Project Mgr, Senior Research Scientist at Wright Patterson AFB, Operations Research Analyst (SOCOM) and Consultant for White House Office of Science and Tech Policy (OSTP) supports Jake Barber’s claim "wholeheartedly" and says that the "U.S. has absolutely recovered UAPs".

James is the creator of Engaging The Phenomenon, which explores and researches UFO/UAP and related phenomena. Including Ufology, current events, human interaction with nonhuman intelligence (NHI)/CE-5, Consciousness, and beyond.

Jacques Vallee has long been regarded as the most respected and senior scientific investigator of unidentified aerial phenomena. He was the inspiration for the French UFO researcher in Steven Spielberg’s Close Encounters of the Third Kind. He has investigated reports of UFOs all over the world and has worked on related U.S. and French government projects. He is currently working on a project to analyze UFO materials in a Silicon Valley lab.Vallee has written two dozen books, including Passport to Magonia, Wonders in the Sky, Dimensions, Forbidden Science, and The Invisible College.

Ross joins Vinnie to talk about the Jake Barber story and other current aspects of the UFO/UAP topic.

Lue joins me once again. We dig into various areas, including AATIP Slide 9 and whether it's as relevant as ever with what's happening right now.