UFOs are now called UAP or UAP, Unidentified Aerial Phenomena, but there are still few incidents where there isn’t a boring explanation for them.
Unidentified Flying Objects (UFOs) are real only in the sense that some people have reported seeing unexplained aerial phenomena. Today, these cases are called FANI, which stands for Unidentified Aerial Phenomena, UAP for its acronym in English. This new term is used by the US government and other organizations to refer to sightings or encounters with objects or phenomena that are observed in the air and cannot be easily explained.
The term “UFO” is still used by some people, but has fallen out of favor in some circles because of its association with science fiction and popular culture. However, the question of whether these phenomena are evidence of extraterrestrial life or some other explanation remains the subject of debate and research.
It should start by saying that there is currently no conclusive evidence to support the idea that UFOs are necessarily extraterrestrial in origin. Most sightings are resolved with mundane and unmysterious explanations:
Misidentifications: Many FANI sightings can be attributed to misidentifications of known objects such as planes, balloons, drones or other natural or man-made phenomena.
Hoaxes: Some FANI sightings may be the result of hoaxes or deliberate hoaxes by individuals seeking attention or publicity.
Atmospheric Phenomena: Certain atmospheric phenomena, such as ball lightning or other unusual electrical or magnetic phenomena.
Experimental Aircraft: These may be sightings of experimental or classified military aircraft, which may have unusual or unknown flight characteristics.
Natural Phenomena: Other FANI sightings may be due to natural phenomena such as meteorites or other astronomical phenomena.
It is important to note that many FANI sightings remain unexplained and it can be difficult to definitively determine the cause of a sighting. Some people speculate that it is proof of extraterrestrial life or technology, and go even further with the conspiracy that there is a conspiracy to hide this information from the public.
Should these testimonials be believed? Most of them cannot withstand the slightest scrutiny. In addition, several experiments have verified how easy it is to implant false memories on a person using simple suggestion.
It is worth asking why, so far, there are no clear and conclusive images of any alien spacecraft or its crew, in a world where there are 7 billion camera phones that people carry in their pockets, and billions of additional cameras everywhere. With so many eyes watching, shouldn’t we have proof? Many of the cases that remain classified without explanation predate the popularization of these cameras. These are the most famous:
Roswell, USA, 1947
This UFO incident (as they were called at the time) took place in 1947 in Roswell, New Mexico, United States. Allegedly, a UFO (Unidentified Flying Object) crashed near the Roswell military base, and many believe it was covered up by the US government.
A local farmer would have discovered debris strewn across his land, including pieces of metal. The following day, the Roswell Army Air Field released a press release stating that it had recovered the remains of a “flying saucer”. However, he immediately retracted the statement, stating that the wreckage was actually from a weather balloon. In 2019, over 3,000 people stormed the forbidden Area 51, trying to find evidence of the alien encounter, to no avail.
Manises, Spain, 1979
The Manises UFO incident occurred in November 1979, when a commercial airliner of the Spanish airline TAE was involved in a mysterious encounter with an unidentified flying object over the town of Manises, in Valencia, Spain. According to information, the plane was on a routine flight from Salzburg (Austria) to Las Palmas de Gran Canaria, with a stopover in Valencia. As they approached Valencia airport, the pilots reported seeing a bright light in the sky moving towards them. As the object approached the aircraft, pilots became increasingly concerned, reporting that the object was hovering over and to the sides of the aircraft. Pilots attempted to maneuver the aircraft away from the object, but were unsuccessful, and finally requested permission to land at Valencia airport. The object followed the aircraft as it landed and continued to hover over the airport for some time before disappearing.
The most likely explanation is that it was an optical phenomenon, as nothing appeared on the radar at nearby airports, and the plane’s radar may have detected an echo.
Rendlesham, UK, 1980
One of the most famous incidents occurred in 1980 at Rendlesham Forest, near RAF Air Force Base Woodbridge in Suffolk, England. What became known as the “Rendlesham Forest Incident”. The incident remains one of the best documented FANI cases in history, notably from reports by Deputy Base Commander Lieutenant Colonel Charles Halt, who was sent to investigate the sightings. During the investigation, the team found a number of unusual phenomena, including bright lights, a radiation-emitting object, and strange indentations in the ground.
However, the most plausible explanation is that the sightings were due to a combination of an atmospheric phenomenon known as a fireball. The alien craft’s alleged landing marks have been identified by police and rangers as digging rabbits, and it’s not ruled out that someone was trying to pull a prank and become famous.
Voronezh, Russia, 1989
In September 1989, a few months after the fall of the Berlin Wall, the Russian state news agency TASS reported that children playing soccer in a Voronezh city park “saw a pink glow in the sky and then a ball of intense red color about three meters in diameter. The ball spun, disappeared and reappeared minutes later and floated.” The children claimed to have seen “a three-eyed alien” wearing bronze-colored boots with a disc on its chest and a robot emerging from the object. According to the children, the alien used a ray gun to make a 16-year-old boy disappear until the object moved away.
Subsequent investigations by French researchers found no verifiable evidence of an alien landing in Voronezh after radiometric analyses, soil checks, microorganism tests and spectrochemical measurements. There were no other testimonies other than the children. There is speculation that the Russian government used the incident to divert public attention.
Phoenix, USA, 1997
Another well-known incident is the “Phoenix Lights” sighting in 1997, when thousands of people in Arizona reported seeing a large V-shaped object in the sky. Thousands of people have reported seeing a V-shaped formation of lights moving slowly across the sky. The object was described as large, silent and precisely moving, and was visible for several minutes before disappearing.
In the days that followed, other sightings were reported in other parts of Arizona, as well as neighboring states. Many of the reports included descriptions of a huge triangular or V-shaped object with glowing lights, sometimes hovering in place before moving away. Although the official version is not known, the sighting can be explained by the maneuvers of military aircraft combined with other natural phenomena. In 1997, many people had cameras and video cameras, but none of the images captured offer definitive proof.
Ruwa, Zimbabwe, 1994
One of the most famous FANI sightings in South Africa occurred in 1994 in the town of Ruwa, near Harare, Zimbabwe. More than 60 students have reported seeing a silver disc-shaped object land in a field near their school. Some of the children reported seeing beings related to the object, and the incident was investigated by the school principal, Ariel, as well as several investigators and journalists.
The incident was investigated by local and international authorities, including researchers from the Center for the Study of Extraterrestrial Intelligence (CSETI) and BBC reporters. However, experts have suggested that the children may have been influenced by mass hysteria and the way the group interviews were conducted.