A numbers of mysterious black rings have appeared in the sky around the world over the past two months – with some predicting an alien invasion. The latest phenomena was spotted in the UK on Sunday afternoon near Birkenshaw, West Yorks, on the M62 while locals in Novosibirsk, central Russia, also reported the terrifying sight before it disappeared into the clouds.
Another bizarre circular formation was spotted in Missouri, the US, on Saturday evening. But Nick Pope, who used to investigate UFOs and other mysteries for the Ministry of Defence, thinks he may have solved the mystery.
“Despite exotic theories about UFOs, aliens, or portals to the dimensions, I believe there’s a decidedly down-to-earth explanation here.
“A so-called smoke vortex can arise when you have a blast through a circular structure like a smokestack.
“So these weird effects can be caused by accident – or indeed by design.
“On this latter point, they can be created as a sort of pyrotechnic effect, and it would be interesting to know if there were any outdoor festivals being held in the area concerned
