A UFO abducts a young man. Text, do aliens exist? A UFO abducts a young man. Text, do aliens exist? A UFO abducts a young man. Text, do aliens exist?

UFO Illustration by Mike Heath

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Do Aliens Exist?

People have been seeing strange objects in the sky for decades. Are they alien spacecraft? Even the U.S. government is trying to find out.

November 18, 2019
By Jennifer Li Shotz

As You Read, Think About: Why do so many people believe in UFOs?

June 1947: Businessman Kenneth Arnold flies his plane over the mountains of Washington State. He sees nine glowing objects speed by. Arnold later says they moved like saucers skipping across the water. Soon, reporters come up with a new name for the strange objects: flying saucers.

November 1975: Travis Walton and six other men see a disc-shaped object in a forest in Arizona. Walton goes in for a closer look—and disappears. He returns five days later, claiming that aliens beamed him up to their ship.

November 2004: Two U.S. Navy planes are sent to observe a white oval aircraft hovering over the Pacific Ocean. The craft moves toward them, then races away at an astonishing speed.

These are just a few of the countless reports of UFOs—unidentified flying objects. These unexplained phenomena have led people around the world to ask: Are we alone in the universe?

June 1947: Businessman Kenneth Arnold flies his plane over the mountains of Washington State. He sees nine glowing objects speed by. Arnold later says they moved like saucers skipping across the water. Reporters come up with a new name for the strange objects. They call them flying saucers.

November 1975: Travis Walton is with six other men. They see a disc-shaped object in a forest in Arizona. Walton goes in for a closer look. He disappears. He returns five days later and claims that aliens beamed him up to their ship.

November 2004: Two U.S. Navy planes are sent to observe a white oval aircraft. It is hovering over the Pacific Ocean. The craft moves toward them. Then it races away at an astonishing speed. 

These are just a few of the countless reports of unidentified flying objects (UFOs). These unexplained phenomena have led people around the world to ask: Are we alone in the universe?

Strange Sightings

For decades, books, movies, and TV shows have told stories of spaceships carrying extraterrestrial beings. In real life, thousands of people report seeing UFOs every year.

And many who haven’t seen a UFO still think they’re real. In a recent survey of 26,000 people in 24 countries, nearly half said they believe that aliens exist. Even the U.S. Department of Defense is trying to get to the bottom of UFO sightings.

Books, movies, and TV shows have told stories of spaceships carrying extraterrestrial beings for decades. In real life, thousands of people report seeing UFOs every year. 

And many who haven’t seen a UFO still think they’re real. There was a recent survey of 26,000 people in 24 countries. Nearly half said they believe that aliens exist. Even the U.S. Department of Defense is trying to get to the bottom of UFO sightings. 

Have you seen a UFO?

17% of Americans say they have.

Source: 20th Century Fox Home Entertainment

“When you see something in the sky that’s not an airplane, balloon, or bird, you scratch your head and wonder, ‘OK, so what is it?’” says Luis Elizondo. He says he led the Defense Department’s secret UFO program for eight years. “Our job was to figure that out.”

“When you see something in the sky that’s not an airplane, balloon, or bird, you scratch your head and wonder, ‘OK, so what is it?’” says Luis Elizondo. He says he led the Defense Department’s secret UFO program for eight years. “Our job was to figure that out.” 

No Explanation

Sometimes, what people think are UFOs are optical illusions caused by sunlight or clouds. Other times, they’re drones or unfamiliar aircraft, such as test missiles or secret military planes (see sidebar, below).

But often, says Elizondo, UFOs cannot be explained away. Witnesses describe odd-shaped objects that move at sharp angles and seem to defy gravity. They do this without any visible wings or engines.

“Whatever they are,” Elizondo says, “they do not fit our current understanding of aircraft technology.”

Sometimes, what people think are UFOs are optical illusions. They are caused by sunlight or clouds. Other times, they’re drones or unfamiliar aircraft, such as test missiles or secret military planes (see sidebar, below).

But often, says Elizondo, UFOs cannot be explained away. Witnesses describe odd-shaped objects. They move at sharp angles and seem to defy gravity. They do this without any visible wings or engines.

“Whatever they are,” Elizondo says, “they do not fit our current understanding of aircraft technology.”

Unanswered Questions

As for whether any of those UFOs are being piloted by extraterrestrials, Elizondo can’t say for sure. There is no real proof that aliens exist. But no one has proved that they do not exist either.

Humans have explored only a tiny fraction of our galaxy, called the Milky Way, and we know very little about what lies deeper in space. But each year, scientists discover more planets, billions of miles from Earth. No one knows what—or who—we may one day find on them. So how can we be certain that we’re the only intelligent life in the universe?

“If you don’t ask the question, then you’ll never find the answer,” says Elizondo.

Elizondo can’t say for sure whether any of those UFOs are being piloted by extraterrestrials. There is no real proof that aliens exist. But no one has proved that they do not exist either. 

Humans have explored only a tiny fraction of our galaxy, called the Milky Way. We know very little about what lies deeper in space. But each year, scientists discover more planets. They are billions of miles from Earth. No one knows what—or who—we may one day find on them. So how can we be certain that we’re the only intelligent life in the universe?

“If you don’t ask the question, then you’ll never find the answer,” says Elizondo.

The Mystery of Area 51

This super-secret U.S. Air Force base in the Nevada desert opened in 1955. The U.S. government denied it even existed until 2013.

Alien Activity?

Over the years, there have been countless reports of strange aircraft flying near Area 51. Some people claim the government is hiding alien spaceships—and even aliens themselves—there.


Splash News/Newscom

Or Just Military Secrets?

The base is a testing site for spy planes. But is something else going on there?


Zoonar GmbH/Alamy Stock Photo

Why might someone mistake this spy plane for a UFO?

The Mystery of Area 51

This super-secret U.S. Air Force base in the Nevada desert opened in 1955. The U.S. government denied it even existed until 2013.

Alien Activity?


Over the years, there have been countless reports of strange aircraft flying near Area 51. Some people claim the government is hiding alien spaceships—and even aliens themselves—there.

Splash News/Newscom

Or Just Military Secrets?


The base is a testing site for spy planes. But is something else going on there?

Zoonar GmbH/Alamy Stock Photo

Why might someone mistake this spy plane for a UFO?

1. How does the author begin the article? Why do you think she made that choice?

2. What are UFOs? Why does Luis Elizondo say some UFOs cannot be explained?

3. What details support the idea that aliens might exist?

1. How does the author begin the article? Why do you think she made that choice?

2. What are UFOs? Why does Luis Elizondo say some UFOs cannot be explained?

3. What details support the idea that aliens might exist?

Close-Reading Questions

Click the Google Quiz button below to share these Close-Reading Questions with your class.

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