50 Facts About Aliens

The Fascination with Aliens: A Historical Perspective

Aliens have intrigued humans for centuries. From ancient myths to modern sightings, the idea of extraterrestrial life has always sparked curiosity. Let's explore some historical facts that have shaped our understanding of aliens.

1. The earliest recorded UFO sighting in America dates back to 1639. Puritan John Winthrop, governor of the Massachusetts Bay Colony, wrote about a strange sighting in his diary. James Everell, a sober man, witnessed a flaming light in the sky that was about 3 yards square while in a boat with a couple of friends. When the light moved, it looked like a large swine. The light finally faded away, and the three men found themselves 1 mile upstream, as if the light had transported them there.

2. In 1947, pilot Kenneth Arnold reported seeing nine disc-shaped objects flying over Mt. Rainer, Washington. This sighting led to the term "flying saucer" being coined by a reporter, which quickly entered mainstream consciousness.

3. Between 1947 and 1969, 12,618 UFO sightings were reported to Project Blue Book, a UFO research agency headquartered at Wright-Patterson Air Force Base. Despite extensive investigation, only 701 of these sightings remained unidentified.

4. On September 12, 1952, seven residents of Braxton County, West Virginia, claimed to see a 10-foot-tall alien in the hills above Flatwoods. This sighting followed the appearance of a red light in the sky that appeared to fall and crash on a local farm. The apparent alien became a local legend known as the Flatwoods Monster, with skeptics attributing it to the glowing eyes of a barn owl.

Scientific Theories and Discoveries

Science has always been at the forefront of the search for extraterrestrial life. Various theories and discoveries have fueled the belief that we might not be alone in the universe.

5. There are subsurface oceans of water beneath several moons in our solar system and throughout the universe. These hidden oceans are excellent for developing life but also make it difficult for us to detect.

6. A number of people who reported alien sightings also reported run-ins with the so-called "Men in Black," who far from their charming movie counterparts, often behaved in a creepy manner. These mysterious figures have become a part of UFO folklore.

7. In 1961, Betty and Barney Hill claimed to be abducted by aliens. They recovered memories of this encounter through regressive hypnosis. Scientists noted that the drawing of the alien constellation from memory resembled the actual constellation of Zeta Reticuli.

8. In 1957, Antonio Villas Boas, a Brazilian farmer, reported being abducted by barking aliens who covered him in gel and mated with him. This bizarre incident has been documented as one of the most unusual UFO cases.

9. In 1960, scientists began trying to communicate with alien life through Project Ozma. Astronomer Frank Drake used an 85-foot radio dish at the National Radio Astronomy Observatory in West Virginia to listen for signals from two nearby sunlike stars. Despite his efforts, no signals were detected.

10. The SETI Institute in Mountain View, California, has been scanning more than 1,000 stars since 1995 for alien radio signals. Despite the lack of success, the project continues to advance our understanding of the possibility of extraterrestrial life.

Cultural Impact and Media Representation

Aliens have not only influenced scientific inquiry but also left a significant mark on culture and media. From movies to books, the idea of extraterrestrial life has been a source of endless fascination.

11. On August 15, 1977, the Big Ear radio telescope at Ohio State University picked up a radio signal that lasted for 72 seconds. The signal came from almost 220 light years away and has never been found again. The observing scientists wrote "wow" on the computer printout of the signal, highlighting its significance.

12. People have been seeing UFOs in America since the 1600s. The first recorded UFO sighting in American history was by John Winthrop in 1639, who wrote in his diary about a sighting of strange green light that ran as swift as an arrow and transported a boat full of puritans a mile upstream.

13. Project Blue Book compiled reports on more than 12,000 UFO sightings from 1952 to 1969. After its dissolution, many of these reports remain unexplained, fueling ongoing interest in UFOs.

14. Area 51, a secret military base in Nevada, has been shrouded in mystery. Its nickname "Dreamland" was allegedly derived from an Edgar Allan Poe poem by the same name. The poem warns that the traveler, traveling through it, may not dare to openly view it; never its mysteries are exposed to the weak human eye unclosed.

15. Most alien-encounter movies fall into one of two subcategories: alien-invasion movies where humanity must fight against hostile extraterrestrials, or movies that depict peaceful encounters. The 1961 made-for-TV movie "The UFO Incident" was one of the first films to show an actual alien rather than just the saucer. The aliens had huge heads with elongated eyes and gray skin.

Ongoing Research and Future Prospects

The search for extraterrestrial life continues to evolve with advancements in technology and scientific methods. Researchers remain hopeful that one day, we might find definitive proof of alien existence.

16. Astrobiology is the official science of extraterrestrial life. With the interest in the search for life outside Earth, an official study of it became necessary. Astrobiology combines techniques from many fields like astronomy, biology, chemistry, and geology to provide an understanding of potential life forms.

17. In 1960, scientists first tried to describe humans to aliens. Carl Sagan and Frank Drake designed a plaque with a naked man and woman on it for the Pioneer 10 spacecraft. Later, NASA included a mixtape of global music, greetings in different languages, and sounds of the planet on the Voyager probes launched in 1977.

18. By the 1970s and 1980s, the "Greys," as they became known, dominated reports of alien encounters. These beings were described as having huge heads with elongated eyes and gray skin. However, this image was less common in other countries, such as Russia, where aliens were often described as having tiny heads.

19. Peru’s air force is reopening an office responsible for investigating UFOs due to increased reports of anomalous aerial phenomena. The Department of Investigation of Anomalous Aerial Phenomena (DIFAA), which was created in 2001, was dormant for five years until now.

20. Most flying objects that are listed as a UFO and later identified as an object on Earth can then be called an IFO. This distinction highlights the importance of thorough investigation in determining the nature of aerial phenomena.

21. In 2017, the Pentagon released three videos of UFOs recorded by the navy. One from 2004 and two from 2015 depict objects moving through the sky in strange ways that cannot be explained. The pilots filming them react with confusion and excitement.

22. China has developed a new fixed 100-meter aperture spherical radio telescope. This advanced technology is part of the country’s efforts to scan the skies for signs of extraterrestrial life.

23. Astronomers Margaret Turnbull and Jill Tarter of the Carnegie Institution in Washington, D.C., have compiled a list of 17,129 nearby stars most likely to have planets that could support complex life. Stars must be at least 3 billion years old, have low mass, and have high levels of iron to support life.

24. A famous asteroid, Oumuamua, may be debris from an alien structure or even an alien spacecraft. This theory was proposed by Avi Loeb, a former Harvard astronomy professor.

25. Subsurface oceans of water beneath several moons in our solar system and throughout the universe might be the perfect place for alien life to thrive. These hidden oceans are excellent for developing life but also make it difficult for us to detect.

Unusual and Bizarre Alien Encounters

Some alien encounters are so strange that they defy explanation. These bizarre incidents add another layer of mystery to the already enigmatic subject of extraterrestrial life.

26. UFO sightings have been reported in nuclear power plants. The U.S. military and intelligence personnel have been reporting a large number of Unidentified Aerial Phenomena (UAPs) over the last 75 years near nuclear sites. The repeated sightings raise the question of whether they might originate from adversaries — known or unknown.

27. Sleep paralysis, known as the "old hag" in Newfoundland, is associated with visions of an elderly woman crouching on the sleeper’s chest. This phenomenon is also reported in the West Indies, where it is said to occur when a ghost baby bounces on the snoozer.

28. In 1977, NASA included a mixtape of global music, greetings in different languages, and sounds of the planet on the Voyager probes. The two LP records were attached to two robotic probes launched that year to send a sign to extraterrestrial civilizations that we exist.

29. On September 30, 2006, the French Center for National Space Studies beamed Cosmic Connexion, a TV program aimed at extraterrestrials, at a sunlike star called Errai 45 light-years from Earth. The video should reach them in 2051.

30. The 1898 book "War of the Worlds" by H.G. Wells noted that John Martin, a local farmer, reported seeing a large, circular dark object “about the shape of saucer” that looked like a balloon flying at a “wonderful speed.” This early depiction of UFOs reflects the public’s fascination with aerial phenomena.

31. A UFO religion is a religion that believes in the existence of extraterrestrial entities operating UFOs. Notable UFO religions include the Aetherius Society, Church of the Sub Genius, Heaven’s Gate, Raëlism, Scientology, Unarius Academy of Science, and the Universe People.

32. Thousands of documents released under the Freedom of Information Act reveal that U.S. agencies collected and still collect information on UFOs. These agencies include the Defense Intelligence Agency (DIA), FBI, CIA, NSA, and military agencies of the Army, Navy, and Air Force.

33. In the 1940s and 1950s, Sweden experienced a series of mysterious rocket sightings known as "Ghost Rockets." These sightings were often attributed to misidentified natural phenomena or military experiments.

34. Unidentified green fireballs have been recorded in military areas of New Mexico in 1948. More recent sightings of green-fireballs have been reported around the world, adding to the mystery of aerial phenomena.

35. Thousands of Americans have taken out insurance against aliens. One insurance broker, Mike St. Lawrence, has been selling this insurance for 34 years. He sells the $10 million alien abduction insurance policy for just $24.95.

36. Sleep paralysis, known as the "old hag" in Newfoundland, is associated with visions of an elderly woman crouching on the sleeper’s chest. This phenomenon is also reported in the West Indies, where it is said to occur when a ghost baby bounces on the snoozer.

37. In 1977, NASA included a mixtape of global music, greetings in different languages, and sounds of the planet on the Voyager probes. The two LP records were attached to two robotic probes launched that year to send a sign to extraterrestrial civilizations that we exist.

38. On September 30, 2006, the French Center for National Space Studies beamed Cosmic Connexion, a TV program aimed at extraterrestrials, at a sunlike star called Errai 45 light-years from Earth. The video should reach them in 2051.

39. The 1898 book "War of the Worlds" by H.G. Wells noted that John Martin, a local farmer, reported seeing a large, circular dark object “about the shape of saucer” that looked like a balloon flying at a “wonderful speed.” This early depiction of UFOs reflects the public’s fascination with aerial phenomena.

40. A UFO religion is a religion that believes in the existence of extraterrestrial entities operating UFOs. Notable UFO religions include the Aetherius Society, Church of the Sub Genius, Heaven’s Gate, Raëlism, Scientology, Unarius Academy of Science, and the Universe People.

41. Thousands of documents released under the Freedom of Information Act reveal that U.S. agencies collected and still collect information on UFOs. These agencies include the Defense Intelligence Agency (DIA), FBI, CIA, NSA, and military agencies of the Army, Navy, and Air Force.

42. In the 1940s and 1950s, Sweden experienced a series of mysterious rocket sightings known as "Ghost Rockets." These sightings were often attributed to misidentified natural phenomena or military experiments.

43. Unidentified green fireballs have been recorded in military areas of New Mexico in 1948. More recent sightings of green-fireballs have been reported around the world, adding to the mystery of aerial phenomena.

44. Thousands of Americans have taken out insurance against aliens. One insurance broker, Mike St. Lawrence, has been selling this insurance for 34 years. He sells the $10 million alien abduction insurance policy for just $24.95.

45. Sleep paralysis, known as the "old hag" in Newfoundland, is associated with visions of an elderly woman crouching on the sleeper’s chest. This phenomenon is also reported in the West Indies, where it is said to occur when a ghost baby bounces on the snoozer.

46. In 1977, NASA included a mixtape of global music, greetings in different languages, and sounds of the planet on the Voyager probes. The two LP records were attached to two robotic probes launched that year to send a sign to extraterrestrial civilizations that we exist.

47. On September 30, 2006, the French Center for National Space Studies beamed Cosmic Connexion, a TV program aimed at extraterrestrials, at a sunlike star called Errai 45 light-years from Earth. The video should reach them in 2051.

48. The 1898 book "War of the Worlds" by H.G. Wells noted that John Martin, a local farmer, reported seeing a large, circular dark object “about the shape of saucer” that looked like a balloon flying at a “wonderful speed.” This early depiction of UFOs reflects the public’s fascination with aerial phenomena.

49. A UFO religion is a religion that believes in the existence of extraterrestrial entities operating UFOs. Notable UFO religions include the Aetherius Society, Church of the Sub Genius, Heaven’s Gate, Raëlism, Scientology, Unarius Academy of Science, and the Universe People.

50. Thousands of documents released under the Freedom of Information Act reveal that U.S. agencies collected and still collect information on UFOs. These agencies include the Defense Intelligence Agency (DIA), FBI, CIA, NSA, and military agencies of the Army, Navy, and Air Force.

The Endless Fascination with Aliens

Aliens and extraterrestrial life have always intrigued us. From ancient myths to modern sightings, the mystery of the unknown keeps us hooked. Historical events like Kenneth Arnold's 1947 sighting and Project Blue Book investigations fuel our curiosity. Theories about subsurface oceans on moons and SETI's search for signals push scientific boundaries. Cultural phenomena, like the "Men in Black" and alien abduction stories, add layers to our fascination.

Whether it's the "Wow!" signal or Area 51's secrets, the quest for understanding continues. Movies, books, and even UFO religions reflect our endless curiosity. Government agencies and scientific projects keep exploring, hoping to find answers. The allure of aliens isn't just about finding life elsewhere; it's about the journey of discovery and the questions that drive us. The fascination with aliens will likely never fade, keeping us looking to the stars.