Quck answer
UFOs, or Unidentified Flying Objects, have been a topic of fascination and debate for many years. While some people believe that UFOs are evidence of extraterrestrial life visiting Earth, others remain skeptical and attribute these sightings to natural phenomena or human-made objects. The existence of UFOs has not been scientifically proven, but numerous eyewitness accounts and unexplained sightings continue to fuel the belief in their existence. Whether you believe in UFOs or not, the mystery surrounding these unidentified objects continues to captivate the imagination of people worldwide.
Is there existence of life on other planets? This question captivates everyone from adults and children to scientists and philosophers. Some of the most famous movies of all time — from Close Encounters of the Third Kind to E.T.: The Extra-Terrestrial — have sparked our imaginations and kept us pondering about what — or who — else might be out there!
Certainly, some individuals strongly hold the belief that extraterrestrial beings do exist. Many of these individuals are more intrigued by the questions of whether aliens visit Earth and, if they do, how they arrive here.
Would they control flying saucers, or would their spacecraft be similar to what Earth’s astronauts use? Or would advanced alien spacecraft look like something we’ve never encountered before? Would we even be capable of OBSERVING alien spacecraft?
Reflect on it for a moment. If aliens are real and could travel here, they would surely possess advanced technology, more advanced than the technology humans have developed. After all, it has only been since 2013 that the first human-made object even departed our solar system. What kind of technology would aliens require in order to travel all the way to our solar system? Wouldn’t it be fascinating to discover?
Many individuals assert that they have witnessed alien spacecraft from time to time. From unexplained lights in the sky to mysterious objects floating on the horizon, there have been numerous claims of alien sightings.
The official term for what people see during such alleged sightings is an unidentified flying object or UFO. Initially used by the military, this term refers to an unusual object in the sky that can’t be immediately identified by an observer as a known object.
Technically, the term UFO refers to any unidentified object in the sky. In our modern culture, however, the term UFO is primarily used to refer to alleged sightings of alien spacecraft.
Purported UFO sightings are not a purely modern phenomenon. Experts note that sightings of “mystery airships” have occurred since the late 1800s. Interest in UFOs increased significantly during World War II, when American fighter pilots used the term “foo fighters” to refer to unexplained sights in the sky.
In June 1947, private pilot Kenneth Arnold reported seeing several “flying saucers” or “flying discs.” Around the same time, the United States military recovered debris from a highly-classified experimental high-altitude surveillance balloon that crashed near Roswell, New Mexico. Despite the military’s explanations, many people believed the “Roswell UFO Incident” involved the crash-landing of an alien spacecraft.
These events led to increased interest in UFOs and whether alien life forms might visit Earth. Although some research has been done sporadically by military organizations, there has been little scientific study of UFOs. Most UFO research is conducted by private groups of individuals with an interest in the topic.
Although a very small percentage of UFO sightings remain unexplained, most UFO sightings are eventually identified and explained. Many alleged UFO sightings are later determined to be sightings of conventional objects, such as aircraft, missiles, kites, or weather balloons.
Many other alleged UFO sightings are eventually determined to be caused by natural phenomena, including reflective or oddly-shaped clouds and astronomical objects like meteors or planets.
Of course, some UFO sightings are complete hoaxes. Given the amount of public interest in aliens, some people just can’t resist pulling a fast one to stir up UFO enthusiasts.
So what is the conclusion? Despite the beliefs of UFO and alien enthusiasts, the official stance of the U.S. government is that there is “no evidence of any life beyond our planet, or that extraterrestrial beings have made contact with or interacted with any human beings.”
Give It a Try
What is YOUR opinion? Do aliens really exist? Gather with a few friends or family members to delve deeper into the topic of UFOs:
- What do you envision an alien spaceship to look like? How large would it have to be? What unique features would it require in order to traverse long distances through space? Design your own alien spaceship and then create a one-of-a-kind artwork to depict its appearance. Feel free to use any craft supplies you desire: crayons, colored pencils, boxes, markers, or even clay!
- What types of technology would alien spaceships possess? Modern cars have MP3 players, satellite radio, heated seats, rear-view cameras, and a plethora of other cool features. Modern aircraft are equipped with GPS navigation systems and autopilots. With advanced technology, it is likely that alien spaceships would offer a wide range of amenities that would astonish and impress us humans. Brainstorm the possible elements you would find on or inside an alien spaceship. Would they have interstellar television? How about cup holders that can hold any size of soft drink? Something even more extraordinary? Compile an incredible list of what one would expect to find in the latest alien spaceship and share it with your friends. What ideas do they have?
- How fast could an alien spaceship potentially travel? Conduct some research to determine the top speeds of modern vehicles. How fast can the fastest cars go? What about airplanes? Could an alien spaceship surpass the speed of light? By the way, how fast is that? Create a bar graph that compares the speeds of cars and planes to the speeds of sound and light. Then add a bar to represent your estimate of the potential speed of alien spaceships. Show your graph to someone else and explain the reasoning behind your estimation of the speed of alien spaceships. Enjoy the process of imagination!
Sources of Wonder
- http://curious.astro.cornell.edu/about-us/130-observational-astronomy/seti-and-extraterrestrial-life/general-questions/787-are-aliens-or-ufos-real-beginner
- http://www.nasa.gov/vision/space/travelinginspace/no_ufo.html
- http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Unidentified_flying_object
- http://www.cnn.com/2013/09/12/tech/innovation/voyager-solar-system/
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