1947
On June 24, 1947, private pilot Kenneth Arnold reported seeing nine bright, saucer-like objects flying at incredible speeds near Mount Rainier, Washington. This sighting is often considered the first widely reported UFO incident in the United States.
1947
In July 1947, a rancher discovered unidentifiable debris on his property near Roswell, New Mexico. The US military initially claimed it was a crashed weather balloon, but speculation and conspiracy theories have persisted, suggesting that it might have been an extraterrestrial craft.
1950
Paul and Evelyn Trent captured two of the most famous photographs of a metallic object hovering in the sky in McMinnville, Oregon, in 1950. Analysis of the photos has led to mixed conclusions, with some asserting the photos depict a model suspended by thread, while others maintain the authenticity of the images.
1951
While training as a pilot over West Germany in 1951, NASA astronaut Gordon Cooper claimed to have witnessed a UFO. He detailed the incident in his 2000 autobiography, 'Leap Of Faith,' and spoke about it during a 1978 interview on 'The Merv Griffin Show.'
1951
The sci-fi classic 'The Day The Earth Stood Still' portrays an alien visitor's attempt to deliver a warning to Earth's inhabitants. Its themes of communication and peace resonate with many ufology concepts.
1951
Delbert Newhouse captured grainy footage on 16mm film of an unidentified object in 1952 in Tremonton, Utah.
1951
Project Blue Book was a series of systematic studies of UFOs conducted by the US Air Force. It started in 1952 and concluded in 1969, investigating over 12,000 UFO sightings.
1955
In July 1955, Col. William D. Coleman, a US Air Force pilot and veteran of WWII, the Korean, and Vietnam wars, was flying a B-25 out of Miami with his co-pilot when they spotted a round flying saucer. He kept this sighting private until 1977, when promoting his television sci-fi drama series, 'UFO Project,' at which point he publicly spoke about his encounter.
1956
'The Report on Unidentified Flying Objects' is a book written by Edward J. Ruppelt, the first director of Project Blue Book. It is considered a seminal work on the subject of UFOs and contributed to public awareness.
1957
Multiple witnesses in Levelland, Texas, in 1957 reported a glowing object with blue flashes of light. Reports were widespread, leading to a television report in 2002 that included interviews with the widow and friends of Sheriff Weir Clem. A similar sighting occurred nearby at the White Sands Proving Ground, witnessed by three military personnel.
1959
In 1959, Anglican missionary William Gill and 37 others witnessed a UFO with humanoid figures on top in Papua New Guinea.
1961
On the night of September 19, 1961, Betty and Barney Hill claimed to have been abducted by extraterrestrials. Under hypnosis, they provided detailed accounts of their experience, sparking widespread interest in alien abduction phenomena.
1964
Police officer Lonnie Zamora of Socorro, New Mexico, reported seeing two beings beside a shiny object that later rose into the air with a roaring flame in 1964. The site became a tourist attraction.
1966
In March 1966, hundreds of Michigan residents reported colourful lights and flying discs in the sky. The Air Force's investigator, Allen Hynek, controversially dismissed the sightings as "swamp gas," a term that became famous and was later popularised by 'The X-Files.'
1969
In 1969, Project Blue Book was terminated, with the official conclusion that most UFO sightings were misidentifications of conventional objects or natural phenomena, and that they were not a threat to national security.
1977
Directed by Steven Spielberg, 'Close Encounters Of The Third Kind' explores human encounters with UFOs and helped popularise the idea of friendly extraterrestrial contact.
1978
In 1978, the United Nations held a special symposium on UFOs, emphasising the need for further study and international cooperation in understanding these phenomena.
1980
Over several nights in December 1980, military personnel near Rendlesham Forest, UK, reported seeing strange lights and a craft-like object. This incident remains one of the most famous and well-documented UFO events.
1987
Timothy Good published his influential book 'Above Top Secret: The Worldwide UFO Cover-Up,' which argues that governments have concealed information about UFOs. He has since written several more books on the subject.
1988
Art Bell's late-night radio show 'Coast to Coast AM' began airing, providing a platform for open discussion about UFOs, conspiracies, and other unexplained phenomena. His show helped bring these topics into the mainstream.
1989
Bob Lazar publicly claimed to have worked on reverse engineering extraterrestrial technology at a site near Area 51. Though his credentials and claims have been contested, his story has had a lasting impact on UFO lore.
1989
Investigative journalist George Knapp conducted the first television interview with Bob Lazar, helping to publicise Lazar's claims. He has continued to cover UFOs and other paranormal subjects, winning awards for his work.
1991-1994
Nick Pope, who worked for the British Ministry of Defence, was responsible for investigating UFO sightings. His openness about his experiences and conclusions has made him a prominent commentator in the field.
1993
A 1993 American news report covered historic UFO sightings in Moscow, Russia dating back to the early '90s. The report highlighted a resurgence in UFO activity in the region.
1993
Dr. Steven M. Greer founded the Center for the Study of Extraterrestrial Intelligence (CSETI) to promote communication with extraterrestrial intelligence.
1993
Based on the alleged abduction of Travis Walton, 'Fire In The Sky' brought attention to the subject of alien abductions and contributed to public fascination with such cases.
1993–2018
This long-running series, 'The X-Files', centres around FBI agents investigating paranormal occurrences, including numerous UFO sightings and abductions. It helped shape modern UFO lore and brought conspiracy theories to mainstream audiences.
1994
More than 60 children and staff at a school near Ruwa, Zimbabwe, claimed to have witnessed aliens landing in 1994. The case received worldwide attention and has been cited as an example of mass hysteria.
1996
The sci-fi blockbuster 'Independence Day' emphasises the fear and awe associated with potential hostile extraterrestrial invasions, a recurring theme in popular media.
1997
On March 13, 1997, thousands of people in Phoenix, Arizona, reported seeing a series of stationary lights and a large, V-shaped craft in the sky. The event remains one of the most-witnessed UFO sightings.
2001
Dr. Steven M. Greer organised the "Disclosure Project," a press conference featuring multiple witnesses from government and military backgrounds who testified to the existence of extraterrestrial beings.
2009
This movie 'The Fourth Kind' claims to be based on real events in Nome, Alaska, and uses a pseudo-documentary style to explore the phenomenon of alien abduction, blurring the lines between fiction and reality.
2009
'Ancient Aliens', a documentary series that explores the controversial theory that extraterrestrials have visited Earth throughout history, first aired. Although criticised by some scientists, it has had a considerable impact on the public's understanding of potential ancient alien contact.
2017
On December 16, 2017, The New York Times published a report revealing the US government's monitoring of UFOs. This report led to renewed public interest and increased transparency regarding governmental involvement.
2019
In September 2019, the US Navy confirmed the authenticity of videos showing unidentified aerial phenomena (UAP), bringing further legitimacy to the topic.
2019
Dr. Jacques Vallée, a physicist and computer scientist, has been researching UFOs since the late 1950s. As of 2019, Vallée has been analysing purported metal debris from UFO cases dating as far back as 1947 in a state-of-the-art laboratory.
2020
In August 2020, the US Department of Defense established the Unidentified Aerial Phenomena Task Force to investigate sightings, highlighting the ongoing concern about these occurrences.
2021
Harvard astrophysicist Avi Loeb published 'Extraterrestrial: The First Sign Of Intelligent Life Beyond Earth,' discussing the interstellar object 'Oumuamua and suggesting it might be an artefact of an alien civilisation. Though not specifically about UFOs, this book has sparked debates about the search for extraterrestrial intelligence.
2021
In June 2021, the US government released a report on UAP, acknowledging the phenomenon without providing definitive explanations. The report marked a significant step in the official recognition of the subject.
2023
Former military and intelligence officials testified at a US congressional hearing about UAP encounters, raising concerns about national security and government transparency. The hearing marked a significant moment in bringing UAP discussion into the mainstream.
