UFOs are unidentified flying objects that have been observed in the sky for centuries, with sightings increasing after World War II. Beliefs about their origin vary, with some suggesting a paranormal explanation. Many sightings are downgraded to identified flying objects, and true UFO claims are rare. Some sightings may be experimental military aircraft, and high numbers of sightings occur near military bases. Despite mundane explanations, believers hold on to the hope that the truth is out there.
An unidentified flying object (UFO) is an object that can be observed in the sky, but cannot be identified. While people have been seeing mysterious objects in the sky for centuries, UFO sighting claims exploded in the wake of World War II. Attitudes about UFOs vary widely, with some people believing that such objects have a perfectly logical scientific explanation, while others have suggested that the origin of UFOs is paranormal in nature. People who support a paranormal explanation for UFOs are sometimes called “believers,” referring to the idea that they believe in paranormal phenomena.
It may come as a surprise to learn that the vast number of UFO sightings reported each year are subsequently downgraded to “IFOs” or identified flying objects. Claims of true UFOs are rare and difficult to confirm, usually due to a lack of photographic evidence or reliable witnesses. Some believers accuse skeptics of suppressing evidence that would support a more paranormal explanation for UFOs, claiming there is a conspiracy to hide the truth.
The UFO craze really began in 1947, when a pilot named Kenneth Arnold reported seeing a flying object that he likened to a flying saucer, coining the term “flying saucer” along the way. Arnold was seen as a reasonably credible witness, and his sketches of the mysterious object got a lot of press, no doubt inflaming the public imagination. Today, UFO believers can share information about sightings, along with conspiracy theories, on numerous websites and forums.
When one examines the history of UFOs, it is interesting to note that sightings greatly increased after the end of World War II, when numerous nations began experimenting with state-of-the-art aircraft. Experimental aircraft associated with the military obviously need to be tested at some point, and such aircraft often look extremely strange. For security reasons, sightings of experimental aircraft cannot be confirmed or explained, so it’s possible that the UFOs that believers think are whizzing through the sky at all hours are actually just extremely sophisticated aircraft.
It should also be noted that UFO sightings have historically been very high in the Southwest, a region that has long been used as a military proving ground. Other UFO sightings around the world often happen near military bases and research facilities, further supporting the idea that these unidentified objects remain obscure for security reasons, rather than mysterious.
Some UFOs actually look like aircraft of some form, leading people to suggest they are examples of alien technology, despite the lack of confirmation. Others take the form of moving lights and random floating shapes. In most cases, mundane explanations like the weather can be used to dismiss UFO claims, but believers still hold on to their hope that “the truth is out there,” as the X-Files put it.
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