Variation 3 As the name suggests, an unidentified flying object, more commonly known as UFO, is "any airborne object which by performance, aerodynamic characteristics, or unusual features, does not conform to any presently known aircraft or missile type, or which cannot be positively identified as a familiar object" (Air Force Regulation 200-2). At present, the study of UFOs known as Ufology has attracted worldwide interest as more and more people are coming out with their opinions regarding the subject. Several social networks about paranormal activity have been created to allow people who have the common interest in the supernatural to interact and share stories about their encounters with ghosts and aliens. Globalufospace.com is one such social network.
In this site, members can share their opinions and even their UFO videos. Several sighting have already been reported, some dating back as early as the mid nineteenth century even before the terms "flying saucer" and "UFO" were coined. The first UFO wave came in 1946 and ended with the Roswell UFO incident.
Paranormal research on UFOs began on July 9 and results show that UFOs are not altogether unreal and that there was disk-shaped objects flying around in the area above the US. These objects are characterized by "extreme rates of climb [and] maneuverability," general lack of noise, absence of trail, occasional formation flying, and "evasive" behavior "when sighted or contacted by friendly aircraft and radar," suggesting that these are controlled aircrafts. By 1947, Project Sign was launched, and then later became Project Grudge and Project Blue Book in 1952. In 1970, Blue Book ended, marking the end of the official Air Force investigations. According to the J. Allen Hynek Center for UFO studies, 90-95% of these UFO sightings are later identified.
In the 1960s, about 853 flying disk sightings were reported by 140 newspapers from Canada, Washington DC and US States except Montana. Despite the many reports about UFOs, there are still many sightings which are unreported due to fear if the social stigma surrounding the subject. Aside from this, a lot of countries, unlike the US, have no independent body which has the official authority to report and evaluate UFO evidence. Aside from the visual evidences, paranormal investigators claim that there indirect physical evidences such as radar contact and UFPO photos. Direct physical evidences include what Hynek calls as "close encounter" and cases such as electromagnetic interference, physiological/biological effects and landing traces such as the appearance of the crop circles in the US, UK, Canada and Russia. Naturalistic explanations for crop circles say that these markings were either man-made hoaxes or geological abnormalities.
On the other hand, paranormal investigation believes that these were formed by UFOs. It must be noted, however, that there are circles known to be made by men and a group of circle makers who call themselves as Circlemakers.org. With the growing interest in paranormal things and UFOs, we can't help but wonder, are they really for real? Are those reported sights true? Are there really other beings in other planets that we have not heard of? But whether or not they are true, we still have the last say if we choose to believe them or not.
Thomas Vangunten is author of this article on Paranormal Community. Find more information about Social Network about UFO here.
