In January 2016, Starchild Project co-founder, Lloyd Pye, has been posthumously vindicated as planetary scientists from Caltech announced that they have found a new planet on the far reaches of our solar system, which they name Planet X... Exactly where Lloyd has said Nibiru was all along! Pye sadly passed away in 2013, but his legacy lives on.

Lloyd Pye spoke often of the bias and fear that is built into the culture of mainstream science and academia, and it is probably that same sentiment that prompts skeptics to jump in with a negative opinion on the Starchild before they have all the facts. Dr. Ted Robinson, a highly qualified craniofacial surgeon, put his name on the record stating that he does not believe the Starchild Skull is a deformed human, and immediately the trolls pounced upon him. One even questioned his existence, which he refuted to great effect in an open letter, but it just goes to highlight the difficulties of working on a subject as extraordinary as the Skull.

Thankfully we have some very well informed supporters who fight these trolls head on. To make life as easy as possible for all of you working on our behalf, we have put together a list of all of the most common misdiagnosis the skeptics come up with, and the reasons that actual credentialed experts have given for why they don't fit the Skull.

READ THE LIST HERE

DNA testing is currently on hold, but there have already been several DNA tests done on the Starchild Skull between 1999 and 2012. To make it easier to understand them we have reorganized how we show you the test results, which you can view HERE. If you just want the highlights, in 1999 the "B.O.L.D." lab ran several DNA tests on the skull, and after lots of attempts that failed due to contamination, they recovered a tiny amount of human DNA. Lloyd Pye did not trust this result in light of all of the contamination issues, so in 2003 he attempted to verify the result with a much more sophisticated lab, "Trace Genetics". Trace was not able to confirm the 1999 result (evidence that it was just a contamination and so the result should be dismissed), but they did find a small amount of completely different human DNA. It's complicated, but the amount and type of DNA that Trace recovered leaves open the possibility that the skull is not human. After all, humans share genes with chimps, frogs, and even plants. Both the 1999 test and the 2003 test were only looking for human DNA, any other DNA in the sample was ignored by the testing procedure.

In 2010 - 2012 an unnamed lab conducted some small scale tests that sought out all DNA in the sample, not just human DNA. This yielded some preliminary results (they need to be repeated and verified extensively-they are not final results) that found DNA very different from a human. We must stress that these results should not be treated as hard evidence yet, they need to be verified and we will attempt to do that as soon as funding is available, but if they are accurate then this skull simply cannot be human.

1999 TEST - 2003 TEST - 2010 TEST - 2011 TEST - 2012 TEST

The Starchild Skull has been featured on Japanese TV, on the channel "Fuji Television". A production team flew to Texas earlier this year to meet Melanie Young, and filmed the real skulls for the typically colorful show.

The show is only available in Japanese, and we don't know how long this link will be live, but for the moment you can watch the show here: http://www.dailymotion.com/video/x3vgucl

One of the more exciting long-range possibilities for the Starchild Skull is the potential for its bone and DNA to be used in research into modern human ailments, and in developing treatments for them. This may sound like science fiction, but this is exactly what has already happened with the recently recovered Neanderthal and Denisovan genomes.

A genome is the entire genetic blueprint of an organism. Since mapping of the human genome was completed in 2003, scientists have been progressively identifying what each specific part of it controls, what genetic illnesses and defects are the result of which parts of which genes not working properly, and what, if anything, can be done to correct or "fix" these broken genes. While actual gene therapy remains controversial, a huge amount can be learned from comparing human genes to other human-like species; potentially a wide range of treatments could one day be developed without the ethical questions raised by gene therapy.

In November 2013, UK researchers announced that they had found DNA-altering retroviruses in the Neanderthal and Denisovan genomes that match similar viruses in the human genome. In an article published in Current Biology they explain how their findings not only improve our understanding of how these retroviruses work to make modern humans sick, but that this discovery is an essential step forward in "the potential exploitation of ERV proteins as cancer and HIV immunotherapy targets". In other words, this research could be used to find better cancer and HIV treatments.

It is impossible to know what, if any, medical advancements, treatments, or even cures may one day result from complete decoding of the Starchild Skull’s DNA, but based on the characteristics of the Skull, experts have speculated on some exciting possibilities. Because its bone is so much stronger than normal human bone, potential osteoporosis treatment is one of the first aspects our researchers hope to investigate. There is also some evidence that it was able to grow multiple sets of teeth, which may lead to developments in dental treatments. One researcher working on the Skull’s DNA even suggested that increased longevity treatments may one day be derived from research on the Skull.

Its unusual DNA may reveal information about our own genes, our evolution, and possibly even ways to treat or prevent some of the many human genetic illnesses and defects. Until further DNA testing is completed it is impossible to know what, if any, genetic issues could be helped in some way by the Starchild, but examples of conditions caused by genetic defects include autism, Down syndrome, Chrone's disease, cystic fibrosis, Parkinson’s disease, Hutchinson-Gilford progeria syndrome, Angelman syndrome, and hundreds of others.

The only way to move forward and start finding out whether any of these possibilities can become reality is to recover and sequence the entire genome. All of this research has to start with finding out exactly what this Skull is and how different it is from modern humans. Every day that the completion of this research is delayed by lack of funding is one day longer before any of these potentially life-changing or even life-saving treatments can be discovered.

The Starchild Project cannot and does not guarantee that any specific treatment for any specific condition will ever be developed from the Starchild Skull, but we are excited by the possibilities, bolstered by the knowledge that so much good is already being done with the Neanderthal genome. We are determined to pursue any potential good the Skull can do for humankind.

Melanie Young, co-founder of the Starchild Project and a former neonatal nurse,

hopes that a strange 900 year old skull holds the secret to treating some of the conditions that stop many babies surviving and thriving. Melanie Young, RN, worked in the neonatal unit of a busy hospital for over 10 years before she was given a strange gift that changed her life: “I opened the box and there were two skulls inside. One was a normal human, but the other was so strange, I just took one look at it and thought, how did you survive?” The thin and light bone of the skull and its strange shape were different from any deformity she had ever seen in practice or in text books. She suspected that, if it was a human, it had survived a level of deformity that had never been seen before. Young explains, “You can have any sort of deformity created by genes getting confused, but mostly whatever goes wrong is so severe that it kills the baby either before it can be born, or shortly afterwards; but this skull lived long enough to grow teeth and to grind them down with years of use. I saw those worn teeth and immediately wanted to know what made it so special that it could survive what no one else could, and I wanted to know if there was some way for that miracle element to be isolated and engineered into a treatment to help other babies survive.”

The strange skull in question was found in Mexico in the 1930's, but was kept in private collections until it was gifted to Young in 1998. The skull shot to recognition in 1999 when UFO enthusiasts noticed that it looked like a skull of the so-called “grey alien”, and it became known as the “Starchild Skull”. Young claims to be open to the possibility that it is an alien, but reiterates that her goal is to explore any medial or scientific benefits of the skull first and only then to worry about where it fits — if at all—on the human family tree.

In 1999 a volunteer organization known as the “Starchild Project” began seeking experts to examine the skull, and contracting independent labs to conduct donation-funded testing ranging from simple X-Rays to Scanning Electron Microscopy and even DNA testing. They have published all of the results and reports directly on the starchildproject.com website, and although some experts remain skeptical, many have gone on the record with their conclusions that it is not human.

Dr. Ted Robinson, a now retired physician who studied the unusual skull for over a year, has been particularly vocal in his expectation that it will eventually be named a new species, “In 40 years as a craniofacial plastic surgeon I have never seen anything like it. It is not hydrocephaly, it is not progeria, it is not a deformity. It is not human.”

Neanderthals, currently believed to be the closest genetic relative of humans, died out about 20,000 years ago, yet this new species lived only 900 years ago and appears to have cohabited peacefully with modern humans. If it is accepted as a new species, that Starchild Skull would represent a radical departure for the conventional timeline for human and pre-human life on Earth.

Despite the potentially history-changing nature of the skull, Young takes it all in her stride, saying, “It has never been about proving aliens exist or finding a new species. That would be cool, but it’s not why I started this. The thing that has driven me to keep working on this is knowing that, if we could find out what made this a viable birth, then we could develop ways to help other babies with birth defects survive and live a productive life. There is nothing sadder than watching a little life get cut short, and I know if I can stop that happening even one time because of this skull it will all be worth it.”

The Starchild Project is currently working with a US based genetics lab to complete the DNA testing that will either prove that this skull belongs to a previously undiscovered species, or find the genetic differences that may have enabled a human to survive such comprehensive deformity. Previous DNA testing has only yielded partial results which have left opinion divided. Some experts claim the incomplete results show the skull to be human, while others argue that the inability to recover more DNA indicates that the previously “unrecoverable” parts of the genome are not human, and therefore the skull is not human. New testing using the 454 method pioneered on the Neanderthal genome is expected to end the debate, with results anticipated as early as 2015.

Brien Foerster, a researcher specializing in the unusual Peruvian skulls commonly known as "coneheads", recently announced the discovery of a second "Starchild Skull" in Peru. The Starchild Project has worked with Brien Foerster in the past as we attempted to facilitate DNA testing on the conehead skulls, but we are not associated in any way with this new discovery.

The Peruvian skull Foerster has revealed is considerably smaller than the Starchild Skull and seems to be missing the occipital bone (rear of the skull). The Starchild Project has not been able to examine the skull, and at this time is not in a position to make any definitive statements about it, but as so many of you have contacted us looking for answers we have decided to give you our first impressions, which we will revise if needed as more information becomes available.

It is difficult to tell from the images publicly released so far, but it appears that the eye sockets of the Peru skull are roughly normal human depth, and as the occipital (rear) bone is missing, we cannot determine whether it shared the missing inion that is such a notable feature of the Starchild Skull. By comparing the size of the Peru skull to the hand holding it, the skull seems to be in the range of 40% smaller than the Starchild Skull. The configuration of the bones in the Peru skull seems to be consistent with that of a newborn or a very young infant.

Starchild Project co-founder and former neonatal nurse Melanie Young has observed that the line in the forehead of the Peru skull that Foerster described as a “strange cut” is in fact the last stage of the two halves of the frontal bone fusing together. In a fetus, the frontal bone (the bone that makes up the forehead) is divided into two bones which rapidly fuse together into a single solid bone after birth. The “strange cut” is the last stage of those two plates joining together (shown with a green arrow, right).

This, combined with the open fontanel (the “soft spot”, or hole at the top of the head, shown with a blue arrow, right), the degree of suture closure and fusion (how the bone plates that make up the skull have grown and fit together), and the size of the skull, suggests that it is likely to be the skull of a newborn or infant.

If it is the skull of a baby then it is more easily dismissed as a deformity, since it is plausible that a severely deformed child would not live long past birth. This is in contrast to the Starchild Skull which lived long enough to grow and wear down teeth, something that should not have been possible for any human born so abnormal. The Starchild Project is not claiming that the Peru skull is a deformity, and we are not dismissing it, but these are all points we are considering as we review the current evidence. We look forward to more details becoming available about this new discovery.

Whether or not the Peru skull is a second Starchild Skull, the Starchild Project believes that our ongoing DNA testing remains the best way to find the answers we all seek about this strange being. After years of laying the groundwork with research and other testing while the technology capable of sequencing such unusual DNA was developed, the Starchild Project is literally at the final hurdle. Only the need for funding to complete the DNA testing stands in the way. Please consider making a donationif you can, or sharing us on social media, telling your local media to get in touch with us to do a story, or even emailing this article to a friend. Your support is making this historic research possible.

CLICK THE IMAGES BELOW TO ENLARGE

De Novo Sequencing is a method for examining proteins (peptides), which in turn can provide information about DNA. The Starchild Project is working with our genetics team to conduct zero cost De Novo Sequencing of the Starchild Skull. Until the testing is completed we won't know how much information this test will yield, but any opportunity to further the research on the Skull is a great step forward.

De Novo Sequencing is based on the use of Mass Spectrometry or MS. In laymans terms, the bone sample is hit with an electric beam or a UV laser to electrically charge the protein fragments within the sample, those charged fragments fly thorough an electric field that helps to separate and identify them, and then a computer uses that information to calculate the protein composition.

The sequence of the protein, from which the fragments have originated, can be pieced together by comparing and aligning the identified overlapping protein fragments. Proteins are often called the "building blocks of life" as they perform essentially all of the functions in living cells. Proteins are encoded in DNA, which is the major information storing component of the genome. The Starchild Project is very interested to see if any of the Starchild's proteins are significantly different from those of humans.

Our research team has been speculating about what might be discovered, and so far we think that collagen may differ from human (and animal) collagens based on the unusual bone properties of the Skull. Because nucleotide sequence of genes and amino acid sequencing of proteins are connected to each other by the genetic code, DNA sequencing and protein sequencing are independent yet complementary methods of addressing the same question – is Starchild an alien or human being?

Only a tiny bone sample is needed for this test, and it has been provided to the lab. There will be a delay now until we can raise some more funds, but as the results unfold we will update this page.

Those of you who have been following the work of the Project for a while will remember that at the end of 2011 donations were solicited to purchase DNA testing equipment called "Slides". Thanks to the generosity of our supporters and help from Ray and Melanie Young, the funds were raised and the needed equipment was purchased. The genetics team volunteered their time to conduct the work needed, and have produced a large amount of raw DNA data from the samples.

This data is currently in a useless jumble waiting to be correctly decoded and organized, a large and difficult task for such unusual DNA. It is impossible to know exactly how much of the Starchild Skull's genome might be waiting in the raw data, but whatever the percentage, it will be an enormous step forward. The lab team have done everything they can without an injection of funding to allow them to access a high power computing system, a suite of DNA computing software programs, and the dedicated computer programmer needed to run the system.

To raise the funds needed to continue, the Project ran an Indiegogo Campaign that ended on January 11th, 2014, and raised over $10,000 toward our $75,000

goal. That goal is the amount needed to launch into the next phase of research: decoding the DNA we have already recovered. This would pay for lab time, lab staff, a dedicated computing system, sophisticated DNA decoding software, and a specialist programmer to allow the software to recognize the Starchild's unusual DNA.

Conclusive DNA testing is the final hurdle to prove what the Starchild Skull is. Below you can read a "Draft Study Proposal" (a cost estimate) from an independent US lab which quotes $250,000 per year to complete this DNA testing and to write a paper on the Skull for mainstream peer review. This is a massive price reduction from the $3+ Million originally quoted, thanks to a reduction in the cost of the technology over time.

The DNA recovered from preliminary tests is so unusual that the lab cannot predict an exact amount of time the testing will take, but currently they belive it will take 2-3 years, for a total investment of upto $750,000 USD.

This is the most economical and cost effective work that can be done on the Starchild Skull, and it is the only test we can do that can prove whether it is a previously unknown species of human, an alien species, or a human with the ability to survive normally fatal deformity and illness. Any of these conclusions will change the way we think about the world, and may even help to save human lives. The proposal below has been supplied by the lab, and more detail is available to serious investors on request.

Draft Study Proposal

Sponsor: Starchild Project

Performing institution: XXXXXX (LAB)

Study start date: Upon availability of funds, as agreed between the Sponsor and LAB

Study Period: Open-ended, as approved by the Sponsor

Description of the proposed studies:

The overarching goal of the proposed studies is the genetic characterization of a 900-old skull (owned by the Sponsor) of an apparently hominoid origin, widely known elsewhere as the Starchild Skull. Preliminary limited genetic studies of the Skull conducted at LAB by Dr. XXXXXX have indicated, although not yet conclusively, its possibly distant relationship to humans.

The study will involve attempts to extract DNA from samples of the Skull’s bone and a fragment of the Skulls’ maxilla using modern techniques of ancient DNA extraction, preparation of libraries, and sequencing of these libraries using next generation sequencing technologies. Further, obtained DNA sequences will be analyzed by available bioinformatics methods with the goal to establish evolutionary relationships with Homo sapiens and higher primates. Results will be submitted for publication in peer-reviewed scientific journals.

The studies will be conducted in the laboratory of Dr. XXXXXX at LAB using the existing facilities and equipment for ancient DNA extraction (clean room, cryomills, PCR stations, thermocyclers, analytical electrophoresis equipment, and Illumina’s personal sequencer MiSeq) using supplies and labor as outlined in the budget. For more extensive data recovery (if approved by the Sponsor), DNA libraries may be submitted to commercial sequencing centers to perform sequencing runs on high-output machines, such as HiSeq 2000 or 2500, which will involve paying established pay-per-run fees.

Preliminary data analysis will be performed with the existing 8-core workstation running RHEL 5.8 and modern bioinformatics software. For compute-intensive in depth analysis, a high-end workstation equipped with four GPUs and labor of a dedicated programmer will be needed, the cost of which is also included in the budget.

The following budget is based on estimated yearly expenses, and currently a minimum of two years’ work is projected:

Computing Hardware $30,000

Dr. XXXXXX, PhD, investigator, 20% $35,000

Programmer, TBD, 100% $60,000

Supplies: $25,000 (biochemicals, analytical and sequencing kits)

Total direct: $150,000

Indirect costs: $60,000 (excl. equipment)

Non-lab costs $40,000

Total Indirect: $100,000

Total: $250,000