A study published by the Pentagon on March 8 reveals no evidence of extraterrestrial beings or intelligence beyond Earth.
According to AFP, the research was conducted to verify reports of sightings of unidentified flying objects (UFOs).
Carried out by the All-domain Anomaly Resolution Office under the U.S. Department of Defense, the study analyzed U.S. government investigations dating back to 1945 regarding reports of unidentified anomalous phenomena, commonly known as UFOs.
One of the famous UFO photographs taken near McMinnville, Oregon, in May 1950 – Photo: ALAMY
The study found no evidence in the eyewitness accounts indicating signs of extraterrestrial life, nor did it support claims that the U.S. government and private companies had been able to reverse-engineer extraterrestrial technology and conceal this from the public.
For instance, the study dismissed claims that a former official from the Central Intelligence Agency (CIA) was involved in managing the progress and testing of extraterrestrial technology. It also refuted a 1961 community intelligence document regarding the alleged extraterrestrial nature of UFOs.
“All investigative efforts, at all classification levels, concluded that most sightings are of ordinary objects and phenomena, and these cases are often due to misidentification,” AFP quoted from the study.
The authors stated that the research aimed to apply rigorous scientific analysis to a topic that has long captivated the American public’s imagination.
According to AFP, U.S. officials have been striving to find answers to a myriad of UFO sighting reports over the years, but so far, no concrete evidence of extraterrestrial life has been identified.
A U.S. government report from 2021 reviewed 144 sightings of aircraft or objects appearing to fly at mysterious speeds or trajectories, also finding no extraterrestrial connections but making several conclusions and calling for better data collection.
The issue of UFOs gained attention recently when, during the summer of 2023, a retired U.S. Air Force intelligence officer testified before Congress about the country allegedly concealing a long-standing program aimed at collecting and reverse-engineering technology from unidentified flying objects.
The Pentagon refuted this claim and noted that by the end of 2022, an office dedicated to monitoring reports of unidentified flying objects was established—this is also the office that released the study on March 8.
This office has received “hundreds” of new reports but has not found any evidence suggesting the existence of extraterrestrial life.
