Why the U.S. Keeps Shooting Objects Out of the Sky

<p>Last week, after the Air Force shot down a Chinese surveillance balloon, examination of its wreckage revealed that it could not only take images, but also scoop up radio and cellphone communications. </p><p>The balloon, the U.S. military said, was part of a bigger global program by China to collect information about military operations.</p><p>Since then the U.S. has shot down three other objects from the skies over North America — apparently without knowing much about them.</p><p>Guest: <a href="https://www.nytimes.com/by/julian-e-barnes?smid=pc-thedaily">Julian E. Barnes</a>, a national security reporter for The New York Times.</p><p>Background reading: </p><ul><li>The U.S. and Canada are investigating three unidentified flying objects shot down over North America in recent days. Militaries have<a href="https://www.nytimes.com/2023/02/12/us/politics/us-shoots-down-object-michigan.html?smid=pc-thedaily"> adjusted radars to try to spot more incursions</a>.</li><li><a href="https://www.nytimes.com/article/ufo-object-shot-down-when.html?smid=pc-thedaily">A timeline of the unidentified flying objects</a> that have been brought down this month.</li><li><a href="https://www.nytimes.com/article/ufo-spy-balloons-china.html?smid=pc-thedaily">Here is what we know about the objects</a> and the Chinese spy balloon.</li></ul><p>For more information on today’s episode, visit <a href="http://nytimes.com/thedaily?smid=pc-thedaily">nytimes.com/thedaily</a>. Transcripts of each episode will be made available by the next workday. </p>