Scientist explains what actually happened to 'glitch in the matrix' plane that was spotted 'not moving' in the sky
Published on Jan 12, 2026 at 7:23 PM (UTC+4)
by Daisy Edwards
Last updated on Jan 12, 2026 at 9:37 PM (UTC+4)
Edited by
Emma Matthews
A viral clip from Chicago had people convinced the sky had broken and there was a ‘glitch in the matrix’ after a passenger plane appeared to hang completely still above the clouds.
The video was filmed by TikTok creator tania.draws as she drove along with the aircraft seemingly frozen in one spot.
Viewers jumped straight to ‘glitch in the matrix’ territory, because it genuinely looks like the plane is paused mid-flight.
But a scientist-backed explanation says this is a perfectly normal moment that just looks unreal.
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Scientist explains what the ‘the glitch in the matrix’ actually is
According to the internet, a viral video of a plane hanging still in the air is an example of a ‘glitch in the matrix’, but one scientist has come to the rescue with an explanation.
The key is that the plane was not actually hovering.
What you are seeing is a mix of strong headwinds, a plane reducing speed as it lines up to land, and a sneaky perspective trick caused by the person filming from a moving vehicle.
If any aircraft is flying into heavy headwinds, its ground speed can drop a lot even while it is still moving quickly through the air.
Add in the fact that planes often slow down during descent and approach, and that forward motion can look even less obvious from far away.
If you are moving in the opposite direction in a car while filming, your motion can visually cancel out some of the plane’s movement for a few seconds.
That makes the aircraft look like it is locked in place, even though it is still progressing toward the runway.
‘Glitch in the matrix’ aircraft spotted ‘not moving’ in the sky
This effect is closely linked to motion parallax, the same reason distant mountains look like they barely move when you are driving, while nearby signs go past super fast.
With the jet far away and the background mostly clouds and sky, your eyes have fewer reference points to judge speed and distance accurately.
So the ‘frozen plane’ is basically a perfect storm of conditions, slow ground speed, moving camera, and limited depth cues.
No simulation errors have occurred, just physics.
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As a Content Writer since January 2025, Daisy’s focus is on writing stories on topics spanning the entirety of the website. As well as writing about EVs, the history of cars, tech, and celebrities, Daisy is always the first to pitch the seed of an idea to the audience editor team, who collab with her to transform it into a fully informative and engaging story.
