An artificial intelligence review of strange footprints and circular patterns on the roof of a home in Portugal agrees that it is baffling to the homeowner and others who have looked into the mystery.

The imprints were discovered by Odilia Marques Fernandes on a flat portion of the roof she had installed a year ago to stop rain from leaking through the tiles above her bedroom in her remote cottage in the Algarve countryside.

Odilia, in her sixties and still working privately as a physiotherapist, lives on her own in the cottage located up towards the hill towns of Marmalete and Monchique.

She was working on her computer at 2.30 in the morning at the end of August during the Blue Moon, the biggest of this year’s four supermoons, when she thought she heard footsteps on the flat portion of the roof above her bedroom.  On thinking about it but feeling tired she decided she must be imagining things. She went to bed and slept well.

When she got up after daylight, she was curious. She fetched the ladder in her garage and leaned it against the wall at the far side of the cottage.  On climbing up, she was astonished to see a large number of footprints and several circles clearly imprinted in the dust on the flat roof.

The imprints were not only astonishing; they were very frightening. Odilia immediately telephoned the Guarda Nacional Republicana (GNR) police in Monchique. They did not come to see what she told them about.

Originally from Lisbon, Odilia has lived in the Algarve for nearly 30 years. Her daughter in Lisbon confirmed that her mother is of sound mind, a confident and happy person.

I later visited the cottage with a mutual friend and found Odilia very willing to fetch the ladder from its hideaway in the garage and climb up with us. Our mutual friend, Ana Lourenço, took the photographs below. While doing so, Odilia assured us that she had never been aware of the footprints and the even more amazing circular patterns on the roof before.

A month later, Odilia was hugely relieved that no further imprints had been made during the last of this year’s supermoons, the Harvest Moon on September 29.

It was reported in September that NASA scientists had started to seriously investigate “unidentified anomalous phenomena, more commonly known as unidentified flying objects, or UFOs. This may or may not be relevant, but Odilia for one is wondering if the imprints on her roof were made by aliens.

An artificial intelligence source readily replied when asked to comment on the roof footprints and circles.

“Fascinating and mysterious,” agreed the AI responder.  Here is a summary of the four main points offered by AI.

SUPERNATURAL BELIEFS: “Footprints and circular patterns that appear suddenly and cannot be explained by natural causes may lead some individuals to attribute them to supernatural forces. Such beliefs are often rooted in cultural or personal beliefs in spirits, fairies, or other supernatural entities.”

SCEPTICISM: “Sceptics may suggest there could be more rational explanations. It’s possible someone, perhaps a prankster or a curious individual, accessed the roof without Odilia noticing. However, the claim that the roof had not shown any marks since it was installed adds an element of mystery.”

NATURAL PHENOMENA: “Sometimes, unusual patterns and markings can be attributed to natural phenomena, such as weather-related effects or animal activity. However, it’s important to consider whether such explanations are plausible given the circumstances.”

LACK OF INVESTIGATION: “The fact that the local police did not investigate the incident further may raise questions about the credibility of the story. Some may argue that a thorough investigation may have shed more light on the situation.”

AI CONCLUDED: “Ultimately, whether one believes in supernatural beings or not, this story highlights the tendency of humans to seek explanations for unexplained events and phenomena. It is a reminder that people’s beliefs and perceptions can vary widely. What might seem supernatural to one person might have a more mundane explanation to another. Without investigation, the true nature of the footprints and circles on Odilia’s roof remains a mystery.”

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Len Port, born in Northern Ireland, worked as a news reporter and correspondent, mainly in Hong Kong and South Africa, before moving to Portugal many years ago.