Will a new interdisciplinary group of researchers at the Pufendorf Institute, Lund University, succeed in their attempt to confront one of the most profound ontological and existential questions facing humanity: Are we the sole advanced intelligence in the universe?
Media attention even before work has started
It’s probably the first time in the 15-year history of the Pufendorf Institute that an Advanced Study Group has come in for attention from the media before the group has had its first meeting. Journalists and newsrooms aren’t alone in expressing interest – private individuals, researchers, and enthusiasts from several countries have got in touch as well.
In January I was in frequent email contact with Anders Warell and Melina Tsapos, and on a late Friday afternoon at the Pufendorf Institute I meet them for the first time. They’ve just finished their first internal ASG meeting but show no signs of Friday weariness. On the contrary: both are bursting with energy.
The right time for it
When I ask them why their ASG has come in for so much attention, they tell me that a lot has changed in discussions of UAP, both in Sweden and abroad.
More and more agents are taking the issue seriously. In the United States, authorities and politicians have verified that the phenomenon is real and acknowledged the need for transparency and systematic scrutiny. As the phenomenon moves from a marginalized curiosity to a concern discussed at high political levels, it raises new questions regarding security, scientific methods, and our understanding of the world.
In addition, we live in a time when information – and disinformation – circulates faster than ever. Consequently, the need for serious, independent, and academically grounded research is greater than it used to be.
This is Melina and Anders’ take on the situation:
This is the right time for it; there is an accumulated need for knowledge which we’ll be able to attain by examining the phenomenon using a scientific, interdisciplinary approach.
Frequently asked questions
Apart from the most frequently asked question of all – ‘Do UFOs exist?’ – Melina and Anders are fielding queries from colleagues and other interested persons who ask them whether it’s possible to join in as a postgraduate or postdoctoral researcher.
Even so, the largest number of emails is from private individuals describing their own observations. Anders says:
There’s a lot of frustration coming from people whose observations have been dismissed as stars or planets. That explanation becomes absurd when airports are closed down because of observations from credible witnesses, such as pilots and air-traffic controllers – those are people who know what Venus looks like!’
To which Melina adds:
People are excited to find that someone is actually addressing this, and that there is a dimension of academic freedom which permits it.
International interest
How do people in Germany, the UK, and Denmark even find out that the group exists? Anders laughs:
Well, you know, there’s the Internet! The moment some group posts a link on social media, things start happening.
Neither Anders nor Melina seems particularly surprised at the attention. They’ve had emails from established researchers who have been fascinated by
- the interdisciplinary construction of the group
- the composition of competences
- the opportunity to develop research issues in the Pufendorf Institute environment
Instead of getting bogged down in the question ‘Is UAP for real?’, the group starts out from the existence of the phenomenon as an object of academic study, focusing on the development of methods of critical analysis and scientific knowledge formation. Melina summarizes:
So many sensational documentaries, ... , are doing the rounds out there. If only the people who purchase those documentaries would contact us instead.
Finding one another – and forming a group
The contacts that led up to the ASG began when David Dunér (of the Faculty of Humanities ) and Beatriz Villarroel (Stockholm University) introduced Anders (of the LTH, Faculty of Engineering) and Melina (Faculty of Theology) to each other. David has taken part in former Pufendorf Themes, but it’s the first time for Anders Warell and Melina Tsapos. In addition to David, the group contains Aboma Merdasa (Faculty of Medicine), whom Melina already knew, and Alexandra Mouratidou (whom Anders googled and whose profile on LUCRIS, the Lund University research portal, was a perfect match). Trond A. Tjøstheim (Faculty of Humanities) joined as well, as did Ulrika Sandén (LTH) and Jessica Abbott (Faculty of Science). Conversations that started out from sceptical viewpoints soon evolved into a joint insight: there has to be room for an interdisciplinary, curiosity-driven, and method-based approach to the phenomenon in question.
That this group of researchers has found a home at the Pufendorf Institute for Advanced Studies is not a coincidence. This is where ideas take shape before they mature into projects ready for traditional research funding. The Institute sees researchers coming together without being required to present finished results, and it fosters intellectual curiosity of a kind that emboldens them to pose questions about things unknown. After the first group meeting, Melina says:
This is genuine diversity – with regard to approaches, methods, and viewpoints.
Anders complements her statement, saying:
It’s truly liberating, being here – and having your support.’
Looking ahead
The Advanced Study Group Anomalous Agenda has just started and will keep working throughout 2026. Its ambition is clear from the outset: to create knowledge, methodological soundness, and academic legitimacy in a field which has long been beset by noisy confusion, speculation, and sensationalism. The last word goes to Anders:
Our aim is of course to continue working together after this ASG; we might for instance apply for a Pufendorf Theme*. We wish to contribute to a change in society’s view of the subject, from scepticism to knowledge, and we want media to address their questions to us in the future.
Further Pufendorf-related reading
On the Pufendorf website, you'll find more information about what's going on in our house, and how to apply for starting an interdisciplinary group here.
Article about the three Advanced Study Groups starting in February 2026
Welcome to our three new Advanced Study Groups | The Pufendorf Institute for Advanced Studies
Do you want to apply for starting a Theme or an ASG here?
Call for applications | The Pufendorf Institute for Advanced Studies
*What is a Pufendorf Theme?
Themes 2025-2026 | The Pufendorf Institute for Advanced Studies