For thousands of years, people have looked to the sky and wondered if life exists beyond our planet. But the fascination with extraterrestrial life soared in the mid-1900s, as modern rockets were developed and space exploration was born.

One of the first well-known UFO sightings took place in 1947. A pilot named Kenneth Arnold reported seeing nine glowing discs zipping through the sky over Washington State. He said they were flying twice as fast as any airplane anyone had ever seen. Newspapers described the odd objects as “flying saucers,” a term still often used today. 

As news of Arnold’s story spread, reports of mysterious flying objects sprang up around the country (see “UFO Hotspots”). Later that year, the U.S. Air Force put together the country’s first UFO investigation team. 

For thousands of years, people have wondered if there is life beyond our planet. But interest in extraterrestrial life soared in the mid-1900s. That’s when modern rockets were developed and space exploration began.

One of the first well-known UFO sightings happened in 1947. A pilot named Kenneth Arnold said he saw nine glowing discs in the sky over Washington State. He said they were flying twice as fast as any other airplane. Newspapers described the odd objects as “flying saucers.” The term is still used today. 

News of Arnold’s story spread. Soon reports of strange flying objects grew around the country (see “UFO Hotspots”). Later that year, the U.S. Air Force created the country’s first team to investigate UFOs. 

Some of the files the U.S. government released this year date back to the start of the UFO craze. But others are much more recent. For example, a video from last year shows a strange, six-pointed “star” flying off the coast of China.

Some sightings weren’t even from Earth. NASA landed the first humans on the moon in 1969. In a government report after the mission, astronaut Buzz Aldrin described seeing unusual flashes of light from inside his spacecraft. 

“I couldn’t explain why my eye would see these flashes,” Aldrin noted.

The UFO files also include photos of odd light formations taken from the moon’s surface by astronauts on later missions.

Some of the files the U.S. government released this year are from the start of the UFO craze. But others are more recent. Take one video from last year. It shows a strange, six-pointed “star” flying near China.

Some sightings weren’t even from Earth. NASA landed the first humans on the moon in 1969. Officials prepared a government report after the mission. In it, astronaut Buzz Aldrin said he saw strange flashes of light from inside his spacecraft. 

“I couldn’t explain why my eye would see these flashes,” Aldrin said.

The UFO files also include photos of odd light formations taken from the moon. They were taken by astronauts on later missions.

By releasing the files, the U.S. government has left it up to the American people to draw their own conclusions about the UFO sightings. Scientists say there are often ordinary explanations for these types of unexplained phenomena. So people who had hoped to finally get real proof that aliens exist were left disappointed. 

“Anything you see in the sky is probably human made,” Wright explains. 

Some UFOs turn out to be remote-controlled drones or unfamiliar military aircraft. Others are balloons used to collect weather data or even balloons usually found at parties.

And some UFOs are optical illusions, or tricks of the eye. These include unusual cloud formations and oddly shaped flocks of birds. 

Still, Wright points out that some of the things people have seen in the sky cannot be explained. Scientists estimate that our galaxy, the Milky Way, is home to 300 million planets that might be able to support some kind of life. Though we haven’t detected any extraterrestrial life yet, Wright says, there’s a good chance it does exist.

What do you think? Are we alone in the universe? 

By releasing the files, the U.S. government has invited Americans to form their own ideas about UFOs. Scientists say there are often regular explanations for many unexplained phenomena. So people who had hoped to get real proof that aliens exist were disappointed. 

“Anything you see in the sky is probably human made,” Wright says. 

Some UFOs turn out to be remote-controlled drones. Or they are unfamiliar military aircraft. Others are balloons used to collect weather data. Some are even balloons usually found at parties.

And some UFOs are optical illusions. These are tricks of the eye. These include strange clouds and oddly shaped flocks of birds. 

Still, Wright says that some of the things seen in the sky cannot be explained. Our galaxy, the Milky Way, is home to 300 million planets that might be able to support some kind of life. Though we haven’t found extraterrestrial life yet, Wright says, there is a good chance it exists.

What do you think? Are we alone in the universe? 

1. According to the article, why did fascination with extraterrestrial life soar in the mid-1900s?

2. How does the author support the idea that there are often “ordinary explanations” for UFO sightings?

3. Based on the sidebar, why does Roswell, New Mexico, have a UFO museum and an annual alien festival?

1. According to the article, why did fascination with extraterrestrial life soar in the mid-1900s?

2. How does the author support the idea that there are often “ordinary explanations” for UFO sightings?

3. Based on the sidebar, why does Roswell, New Mexico, have a UFO museum and an annual alien festival?