The term “UFO” stands for “Unidentified Flying Object.”

When someone mentions a UFO, what comes to mind? Do you recall the picture of weird bluish lights shining down from the cover of a science fiction novel? Consider a time when you were out late at night and saw a flash of light and wondered what it was, only to discover a minute later that what you saw wasn’t a UFO, but rather the lights of a jet taking off. Do you picture movies, tiny green guys, or cartoons, or do you just shake your head and walk away?

Many people refer to UFOs as flying saucers since it appears to be the best description they can come up with. Others argue that UFO simply stands for unidentified flying object, and that the light seen flashing in the sky was either a plane, a helicopter, or a reflection of light off a mobile phone tower or another metal item.

The “strange materials” discovered near Roswell, New Mexico in the late 1940s are not explained by reflections of light from a mobile phone tower. While the US military has maintained that these items were just parts of a research balloon that exploded during a top-secret test, some have proposed a different interpretation. They claim the materials were from a UFO, an alien craft that crashed instead of landing safely. They think the “flying disc” — as it was dubbed by military personnel — that was discovered could not be of this earth, and thus started one of the world’s most talked-about UFO sightings.

Many people think that the UFO sighting at Roswell, New Mexico, deserved more attention than it received, and that it couldn’t be discounted. This may have anything to do with the other legends involving the flying saucer. The story was picked up by newspapers, along with images of the bizarre find — strips of rubber, something that looked like aluminum foil, and sticks — made by a farmer miles distant from Roswell. It’s a story that’s gotten so much attention throughout the world that it’s changed people’s perceptions about extraterrestrial life and visits to Earth.

UFO and flying saucer may not be as ubiquitous in our vocabulary, experiences, novels, television programs, and films if the Roswell, New Mexico tale had never been so well-known. How often is it for individuals to observe an unidentified flying object (UFO)?

It’s difficult to say because many individuals are hesitant to report an unusual flying object in the sky. Either the individual who witnessed a UFO believes that there is a lot more reasonable explanation or just believes that no one would believe them if they spoke out. Nonetheless, there have been reports of UFO sightings that have been the subject of conspiracy theories among people who think that extraterrestrials from other worlds and galaxies have visited the earth.

In 1980, a similar tragedy occurred in Rendlesham Forest, Suffolk, England. Those who witnessed the UFO claimed to have seen flashing lights emanating from an unidentified flying object descending into the woods — a UFO the size of a vehicle that appeared to float on a beam of light. Following reports of the item, it was reported that trees had been destroyed, radio frequencies had become static, and soil samples had revealed radioactive activity.

Similarly, reports of a UFO began to spread in Gulf Breeze, Florida in 1987 when a man noticed a weird light emanating from his yard. When he first saw the flying saucer, he grabbed a camera and began taking pictures to prove what he had witnessed. Of course, in this case, the tale was about more than simply a UFO encounter; it was also about the guy being beamed up aboard the vessel.

Though there have been audio recordings and photographic evidence of these UFO encounters, it is still impossible to tell whether the unidentified flying objects were actually from space. Many people believed that the man modified the images and made up the tale of the UFO encounters near Gulf Breeze, Florida.

Both parties — believers and skeptics — find evidence to support their arguments in each situation. Those who believe in UFOs and extraterrestrial visits provide evidence that they think cannot be explained any other way. Those who are doubtful give their own answers, as well as facts to back them up. Which side has the upper hand? For the time being, it’s up to you to decide.