mysterious

A recent Northrop Grumman video montage includes a brief clip showing an aircraft fuselage section that does not readily appear to be from any design the company has developed or is otherwise involved in the production of, at least that is publicly known.

Northrop Grumman released the video, seen below, last week, which it said highlighted the company’s achievements in the third quarter of 2025. The fuselage section is seen briefly, starting at 0:30 in the runtime.

TWZ subsequently reached out to Northrop Grumman to ask the company if it could identify the fuselage section seen in the video and provide any additional information.

“Across a range of current and future platforms, Northrop Grumman invests in facilities, manufacturing and research and development,” a Northrop Grumman spokesperson said in response. “These investments benefit the spectrum of aircraft and aircraft capabilities we produce now, as well as future efforts.” 

The fuselage has the look of one that belongs to a tactical jet design. There is a clear space visible on the left side for an air intake. The rear ends of two serpentine ducts seen protruding from the rear indicate that the right side is a mirror image of the left. There are also additional clips showing intake ducting in production, starting at 0:33 in the video’s runtime, but whether they are directly related to the fuselage section is unknown.

The forward end of the fuselage section seen in the video is also shaped in a way that points to a nose section mold line that would feature a tactical jet-style cockpit and canopy, or possibly a satellite communications system for an uncrewed design. It could be something else entirely, as well.

What it doesn’t appear to be is the center fuselage section for any of the three variants of the F-35 Joint Strike Fighter, which Northrop Grumman produces. There is extensive visual documentation of its production line for those fuselage sections, none of which directly aligns with what is seen in the third-quarter highlights video.

Northrop Grumman has also been involved in the production of fuselage sections for Boeing’s F/A-18E/F Super Hornets in the past, but that also does not match up with what is seen in the recently released video.

One would imagine that if the fuselage seen in the highlights video was related to an established production line that it would be possible to readily confirm that, too.

Northrop Grumman certainly has aircraft designs that have yet to be disclosed, because they are highly classified, like its submission for the Navy’s F/A-XX next-generation carrier-based fighter competition, or the company has simply chosen not to do so yet. Its subsidiary Scaled Composites, a ‘bleeding edge’ boutique aircraft design house, is particularly well known for building one-off or otherwise extremely limited-production experimental prototypes that are not always announced to the public immediately.

Just this week, Aviation Week disclosed the existence of a new drone from Scaled Composites, known currently only as Project Lotus. The uncrewed aircraft was reportedly spotted out in the open during the day at the firm’s rapid prototyping facility in Mojave, California, pointing to a design that is not classified, though it has also clearly not been officially unveiled.

“The Lotus UAS design in some ways resembles features of the newly revealed Lockheed Martin Project Vectis, with a long, slender fuselage positioned forward of the leading edges of the wings, capped by a nose with swept-back edges leading to a slender point,” according to Aviation Week. “In many other respects, the Lotus and Vectis designs diverge. Unlike the engine inlet mounted low at mid-fuselage for the Vectis aircraft, the Lotus inlet sits high atop of the extreme aft section of its fuselage. The Lotus also sports sharply canted tails, breaking from the tailless-configured Vectis.”

“Our investments prioritize production at speed and scale, without sacrificing performance or capability. The Northrop Grumman team has generated step-change advancements in production speed, weight and parts reduction, and overall cost efficiency,” Northrop Grumman told Aviation Week in response to its queries for more details about Project Lotus. “These advancements benefit the spectrum of autonomous capabilities we produce at Northrop Grumman for U.S. and international customers.”

You can read more in detail about Lockheed Martin’s Vectis design, which was unveiled in September, here. TWZ has separately reached out to Northrop Grumman for more information about Project Lotus.

There is also the possibility that the fuselage section seen in the highlights video is a test article that is not related to any aircraft, but is instead tied to work to develop advanced design and/or production methods. Also visible in the clip is what looks to be another component in a jig of some kind, both of which look to be computer-generated renderings. This, in turn, might point to some kind of augmented reality arrangement, something Northrop Grumman is known to employ in the design and production of aircraft, including the B-21 Raider stealth bomber. The company’s response to our queries about the fuselage section did highlight investments the company has made in “facilities, manufacturing and research and development.” Again, though, if this were the case, one would imagine it would be relatively easy to confirm.

Whatever the case, the still-unidentified fuselage section does also reflect the other half of the statement provided, that the aforementioned investments have been fueling Northrop Grumman’s work on “aircraft and aircraft capabilities we produce now, as well as future efforts,” including ones we have yet to learn about.

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Details remain scant about an unspecified U.S. Air Force aircraft, widely believed to be a drone of some kind, which came down in southern Nevada not far from Area 51 nearly two weeks ago. Whether the aircraft was ever actually inside Area 51’s highly restricted airspace, also known as “The Box,” is unknown. The mishap prompted authorities to temporarily close the airspace above the crash site, with some exemptions, while the wreckage was cleared. In a bizarre twist of events, the Air Force has publicly disclosed that it and the FBI are now investigating apparent strange tampering at the crash site afterward.

“On September 23, 2025, an aircraft assigned to the 432nd Wing was involved in an incident with no fatalities or injuries,” the Wing’s public affairs said in a release regarding the incident on October 4. ” The site was secured and guarded until recovery and cleanup operations were completed on September 27th.”

The 432nd Wing is headquartered at Creech Air Force Base. The flying squadrons assigned to the 432nd are primarily equipped with MQ-9 Reaper drones, but this is not the only type of aircraft the wing operates, as we will come back to later on.

“During a follow-on site survey on October 3rd, investigators discovered signs of tampering at the mishap location, including the presence of an inert training bomb body and an aircraft panel of unknown origin that were placed on the site post-incident,” the release put out this past weekend added. “The matter is under investigation by Air Force Office of Special Investigations (OSI) and the FBI. No further details are available at this time.”

Officials at Creech had previously confirmed a connection to the incident, and that there had been no fatalities, injuries, or property damage as a result of the crash, in statements to various local news outlets. They also said that an investigation into the mishap was underway. TWZ reached out to Creech today for any updates, and authorities there said they had no further comment at this time.

The Air Force has not confirmed the exact location of the crash site. However, it appears to have been around 12 miles to the east of the security boundary around the top-secret flight test center at Groom Lake in Nevada, better known as Area 51, and some 24 and a half miles from the facility itself. This is based on the coordinates at center of airspace restrictions that the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) imposed between September 23 and October 1. The TFR, the center of which was also roughly 57 miles to the northeast of Creech, extended five nautical miles in all directions and covered all airspace up to 15,000 mean sea level (MSL).

The only reason the FAA gave for imposing the TFR was “national security.” The Radar Approach Control at Nellis Air Force Base, further to the southeast of Creech, was listed as a point of contact for pilots. TWZ has reached out to FAA for more information.

The TFR had quickly caught the attention of plane spotters and others due to the curious circumstances and its proximity to Area 51. As mentioned, no connection between the incident and Area 51 has so far been confirmed. The coordinates at the center of the TFR were also on the edge of part of the sprawling ranges managed by authorities at Nellis Air Force Base, further to the south.

In a live stream on September 23, Joerg Arnu, a long-time Area 51 researcher, webmaster of the site Dreamland Resort, and local resident, said he believed the aircraft that went down had come from Creech and had been associated with an especially large exercise in the area, but also that he did not know for sure. Arnu subsequently visited the apparent crash site after recovery efforts ended on September 27, as seen in the video below.

The Air Force has confirmed the Creech connection, but little else.

As noted, most of the units at Creech fly MQ-9s, but Reaper crashes are hardly uncommon, and the drone is very much a known quantity after nearly two decades of Air Force service. While a Reaper’s particular configuration, or the stores it may have been carrying, could be very sensitive, one of these drones going down seems unlikely to have prompted this level of secrecy. This is underscored by what the service has disclosed about MQ-9 crashes at home and abroad over the years, even when there are certain operational sensitivities.

Creech is also home to the secretive 30th and 44th Reconnaissance Squadrons, which are the only units confirmed to date as operators of RQ-170 Sentinel stealth drones. Whether or not those squadrons, or any others based at Creech, fly other types of drones, including ones that may not yet have come out into the light, is unknown. RQ-170s do participate in exercises, especially in the ranges around Nellis.

Transient aircraft, crewed and uncrewed, also regularly fly in and out of Creech, but the Air Force has said explicitly that whatever went down belonged with the 432nd Wing.

What the Air Force has shared about possible tampering at the crash site after the fact, as is the basic disclosure that the service is investigating that in cooperation with the FBI. The statement from the 432nd Wing makes clear that the site was only secured and under guard until recovery and cleanup operations were finished, raising questions about what concerns there might be around any tampering afterward, in general. Things do fall off of aircraft, especially in the USAF’s premier range complex, although the timing would seem odd in this case for these objects to appear so soon after the mishap. Still, coincidences happen, but what may have been unique or peculiar about these objects, such as their age, origin, and placement, is unclear.

It remains to be seen what additional details may emerge as the investigations into the mishap and possible tampering of the crash site after the fact proceed.

Howard Altman contributed to this story.

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In a compound nestled in Gitata, a remote community in Nasarawa State, North Central Nigeria, life has slowed to a crawl for the children of the late Mr and Mrs Bawa Danladi. Here, adulthood doesn’t begin with the wings of independence but with the sudden stillness of limbs.

In this house where joy once rang and children laughed freely, a strange affliction casts its long, silent cloud, stealing mobility, dignity, and dreams. The only shared pattern? The affliction grips every family member after they turn 18.

Eighteen is pegged as the age of majority in Nigeria. For some people, turning 18 connotes ‘leaving their nests’; however, for Danlami Dalandi and his siblings, it means being robbed of their coming of age.

Of the eight children born to the late Danladi, seven have been struck by a relentless and mysterious condition. Six are now completely paralysed, while another has lost her sight. For a family once filled with life and energy, the tragedy is not just that their bodies have failed them, but also that nobody seems to know why.

Danlami, who is now in his mid-forties, sits slouched, needing help to eat or shift even slightly in his chair. His voice cracks with exhaustion, but he presses on, determined to speak for himself and his siblings. They have become ghost versions of their former selves, slowly caving under their helplessness.

“I thought turning 18 would bring freedom,” said Danlami, the family’s eldest son, his voice heavy with sorrow. “Instead, it was the beginning of our end.”

As he explained his condition, Danlami’s gloomy face needed no interpretation of the emotional exhaustion it carried. While speaking to HumAngle, he described how he moved from a boy filled with energy to a man who couldn’t walk or stand.

He was the first in his family to encounter the enigmatic illness in 2001. It quietly took hold, showing no fever or noticeable symptoms, but slowly drained his strength. Activities that used to be simple started to feel overwhelmingly difficult. Years later, his younger brother Pious began to show the same symptoms, following the same unsettling pattern.

The illness didn’t strike in childhood. Instead, it waited until they crossed into adulthood, then everything began to deteriorate. Their strength faded, and mobility became a struggle. Even their eldest sister, Asabe, seemed spared at first. She married and gave birth before the sickness took hold. Unable to move without assistance, she shares the same fate as her brothers, who are all trapped in a body that no longer obeys.

The major setback

In 1990, when their father passed away, their mother became their anchor. She carried their burden, pushing wheelchairs, cleaning them up, feeding grown children, and wiping tears no one else saw. In a community with no formal support system, she became nurse, caregiver, and breadwinner at the same time.

When asked if the disorder has a historical origin within the family, Danladi told HumAngle that the condition is alien to them, as their parents, grandparents, and great-grandparents were known to be hale and hearty until their demise.

“Our parents never had this sickness. We even asked if our great-grandparents or grandparents had such illnesses, but none of them did. It is only we, born of the same mother, that are afflicted by this sickness,” he said.

For years, their mother carried this weight of care. When she died in 2017, the siblings were left not just physically immobilised but emotionally adrift. 

Danlami said that despite their condition, they still bear the guilt of being unable to assist their mother. “She was our world,” says Danlami quietly. “She believed we could get better, even when we didn’t. She died in 2017, and that was when it truly felt like everything stopped.”

A rare disease

Their only formal visit to a proper medical facility happened in 2018, and no diagnosis was shared. They were taken to the Federal Medical Centre in Keffi courtesy of the Berekete Family, an Abuja-based reality radio and television programme. Tests were conducted, but no diagnosis was shared. They never saw the results, though they received some financial assistance.

When the broadcast station spotlighted the issue, the Nasarawa State Ministry of Health sent its representatives, including doctors, to conduct additional tests, suspecting polio. But according to Danlami, the only thing the officials told them was that “it’s not polio.”

Dr Douglas Okor, a consultant neurosurgeon at the Federal Medical Centre, Abuja, told HumAngle that the family might be experiencing a type of muscular dystrophy, a rare and often misunderstood genetic condition that quietly ravages the body’s muscles, starting in adolescence and worsening with age.

According to Dr Okor, the most familiar kinds, like Duchenne and Becker, typically affect boys early in childhood. But a lesser-known group called Limb-Girdle Muscular Dystrophy (LGMD) can surface in late adolescence or early adulthood. LGMD begins in the hips and shoulders and steadily disables the body, just like in the case of the late Danladi’s family.

“LGMD often appears in families with no known history. It can be inherited silently until two parents, both carrying the mutated gene, pass it to their child,” he noted. “Over time, patients lose the ability to walk, feed themselves, or even breathe without assistance, in some cases.”

Rare diseases such as LGMD affect a small percentage of the population, but they pose daunting challenges, especially in low-income countries where awareness, diagnostic tools, and specialised care are limited. While thousands of rare diseases exist globally, many of them genetic, accurate data on their incidence in Nigeria remains scarce, largely because of underreporting or misdiagnosis. 

A study at the University College Hospital, Ibadan, southwestern Nigeria, uncovered 11 cases of Duchenne muscular dystrophy over five years. One key finding was that scarce medical resources and early warning signs were routinely overlooked, leaving patients to arrive late and already deep into the disorder’s grip.

Like Danlami said, they were active children when they were younger. “I used to climb trees, play football, and help on the farm. Then, slowly, it became hard to move. And it never got better.” Their condition kept deteriorating because they were never diagnosed.

His brother, Danjuma, was the family’s powerhouse. Known around Gitata as “the Usain Bolt of the block”, he could out-sprint his peers when he was younger. He later worked as a mechanic, fixing generators, rewiring appliances, and bringing light to homes. Today, he cannot even brush his teeth without assistance.

Dr Okor explained that the symptoms often mask themselves as ordinary fatigue. Unlike infectious diseases, muscular dystrophy doesn’t produce visible inflammation or fever. “That makes it harder to detect, especially in low-resource settings like Gitata, where most people have never heard of the condition.”

Although rare, he noted, the illness can be managed if detected early, with input from multiple specialists and continuous rehabilitation. “It can be managed by a combination of a neurologist, physiotherapist, and occupational therapist,” Dr Okor said.

However, for the Danladi family, such options remain beyond reach, both financially and geographically; there is virtually no system in place to lean on. 

Nigeria has a National Commission for Persons with Disabilities, set up to protect rights and prevent discrimination, but there is no specific programme or policy dedicated to rare neuromuscular disorders like muscular dystrophy. Experts have long urged the government to create a framework for early diagnosis, registries, and specialised support services, but so far, these calls have gone unanswered.

One still standing

Since their mother’s death, the family has been left with one carer: Hannatu, their youngest sister.

The 25-year-old is the only sibling untouched, at least physically. Each day, she cares for her brothers, helping them bathe, eat, and reposition their stiffened bodies when necessary. 

But fear stalks her.

“I don’t know if it will reach me too,” she said, her voice barely audible. “In 2018, our youngest brother was fine. Now, he can’t lift his arms.”

Every tick of the clock reminds her she could be nearing the family’s invisible threshold. Though she has passed the age, she wonders constantly if she’s merely living on borrowed time.

Beyond that dread, the condition carries additional emotional scars for the women in the family. 

Her older sister, Cecilia, 28, is already living with the burden. The 28-year-old has already lost vision in one eye and movement in one of her legs. But what haunts her more is loneliness. Her and her sister’s futures are not just on pause; their love lives are equally hanging in the balance.

“Suitors don’t come our way. I think they’re afraid. They think it’s contagious. Honestly, we’ve all given up on the idea of marriage,” she told HumAngle.

Hannatu nods in silence as Cecilia speaks. Their dreams of families, weddings, careers, and travel have all withered into survival routines. The family’s closest neighbour feels a blend of heartbreak and helplessness. 

“We’ve watched this unfold over 20 years,” Shuaibu Adamu, a neighbour and family friend, said. “First, it was Danlami. Then the others followed. No one knows what this sickness is. We just pray for them to heal.”

In a country battling an overstretched healthcare system and public scepticism of rare diseases, families like the Danladis often slip through cracks too wide to fill. Without consistent intervention or support, their fate remains unchanged.

For now, Hannatu stays vigilant, her hands full, her heart heavy. But she sometimes wonders how long she can keep holding everyone up without falling herself.

This island has a population of around 28 people, making it one of the UK’s least densely populated islands.

Tucked away off the UK coast lies a little-known island that feels like a step back in time. With no cars, a handful of residents, and an atmosphere of untouched charm, this hidden gem has earned a spot on Wanderlust Magazine’s must-visit list for summer.

Ranking amongst the top 30 of Britain’s secret places to visit, Laundy Island in Devon stands out for its captivating appeal. The travel experts wrote: “This island feels like a lump of the Hebrides mysteriously dumped in the south-west.

“It is a wild, beautiful and almost treeless place, with a tiny resident population, no cars, a lot of sheep, cattle and ponies, and kilometres of footpaths. The chief attraction is the cliffside breeding puffins (best seen from April to July), but the chance to get away from it all ensures that few visitors only come here once.”

READ MORE: ‘Magical’ coastal town named UK’s most popular staycation destination

Why visit?

If you’re looking for peace and serenity, this is the place to visit. Lundy is the largest island in the Bristol Channel, located 12 miles off the coast of Devon, England.

The secluded island boasts an average residential population of 28 people, including a warden, an island manager, a farmer, a shopkeeper, maintenance and housekeeping staff, and a kitchen team in the Marisco Tavern, reported Bideford Council.

The Landmark Trust said: “Just off the coast of Devon, surrounded by the clear waters of the Atlantic, Lundy Island is a world apart.

“A haven for divers, climbers and birdwatchers, Lundy is an island of contrasts with spectacular coastal scenery and sheltered valleys, rich in wildflowers and wildlife. And at the end of the day, swap tales of your adventures in the friendly Marisco Tavern.”

Lundy Island’s dark history

This seemingly quiet island is rich in history and has a turbulent past, once serving as a haven for rebels and pirates. In 1235, nobleman William de Marisco was linked to the murder of a royal messenger, and three years later, a failed assassination attempt on King Henry III was traced to his family.

William sought refuge on Lundy Island, where he constructed a stronghold at the site now known as Bulls’ Paradise. In 1242, he was seized along with 16 of his followers, transported to London, and executed for treason. By 1250, King Henry III reinforced the island’s importance by building a castle there.

Fast forward a few centuries to 1627, and Barbary pirates, also known as the Salé Rovers, took control of Lundy, utilising it as a base to plunder ships and coastal towns, kidnapping locals for ransom or enslavement.

Five years later, under the reign of King Charles I, the Royal Navy regained control of the island. During the English Civil War, Lundy was the last Royalist stronghold, surrendering in 1647.

How to visit

There are only two modes of transport that can get you to Lundy Island. From April to October, visitors can reach the island via the Landmark Trust’s own ship, the MS Oldenburg. The ship departs from both Bideford and Ilfracombe around three times a week on Tuesdays, Thursdays, and Saturdays, with an extra day added on Wednesday during July and August, reported Bideford council.

According to Lundy Trust, return tickets for the 2025 period cost:

• £97 for adults
• £51 for children under 16
• £23 for infants under four

Day return tickets are cheaper:

• £54 for adults
• £28 for children under 16
• Infants under four travel free of charge.
• A family ticket for two adults and two children is £125.

However, the MS Oldenburg is out of service during the winter months. Between October and March, a scheduled helicopter service from Hartland Point provides access to the island.

Tickets cost £174 for adults, £96 for children under 16, and £26 for infants under two. Flights operate on Mondays and Fridays between 12 noon and 2pm, departing from a field near the Beacon at the top of Hartland Point.

Visitors have the option to stay overnight in one of the 23 different accommodations available. Prices start at £168 for a four-night stay in a small cottage or you can opt to stay in the Lundy Vestry, which was constructed by Reverend Hudson Heaven in 1896. A four-night stay in the St Helens church will set you back just over £300.