Unidentified Flying Objects, commonly known as UFOs, have been a subject of fascination and controversy for decades. Nationally the U.S. government has shot down Chinese spy balloons, mysterious lights that can be seen from multiple states, and several other balloon objects as well as investigated. Is it all connected? Is there a cover-up going on and there is something bigger going on behind the scenes? We took to the campus of St. Ambrose to find out what the professors and students think. The phenomenon of UFOs has been a topic of interest for scientists, researchers, and enthusiasts worldwide. Despite several sightings and experiences, the existence of UFOs is still not scientifically proven. People from all walks of life have reported sightings of strange objects in the sky, and many believe that these sightings are evidence of extraterrestrial life.  

Dr. Robert Mitchell the Astronomy Professor at St. Ambrose says, “As astronomer Carl Sagan famously said, extraordinary claims require extraordinary evidence. In other words, even if the possibility exists that other intelligent civilizations exist and have visited Earth, you would need rock-solid evidence that a UFO or a UAP (Unidentified Aerial Phenomena) is indeed from an alien civilization before you could convince the scientific community.”

The phenomenon of UFO sightings has been recorded since ancient times. But the term UFO was coined in 1953 by the United States Air Force to describe any airborne object that could not be identified through conventional means. Since then, there have been countless reports of UFO sightings over the years, and many people claim to have had encounters with extraterrestrial beings.

UFO sightings can be classified into different types based on their shapes and characteristics. The most common types of UFO sightings include saucer-shaped objects, cigar-shaped objects, triangular objects, and spherical objects. These objects can appear in the sky and move in unusual ways that are not typical of conventional aircraft. Some UFO sightings have been reported to move at very high speeds or change direction suddenly without any visible means of propulsion.

As Senior Justin Rubie a Biology Major jokingly, “A UFO is like a ball with a ring around it, a spaceship that picks up cows and people.”

There have been several theories put forward to explain the phenomenon of UFO sightings. Some believe that UFOs are evidence of extraterrestrial life, while others suggest that they are the result of secret government experiments or advanced technology. Skeptics argue that UFO sightings can be explained through natural phenomena such as meteors or atmospheric conditions.

Sophomore Carter Vanheckle says seriously, “Aliens must be real, there are so many planets out there and we haven’t even explored a quarter of the galaxy… Who are we to say there is not something out there in the big vast space?”

The idea of a cover-up related to UFOs is not a new one. It has been an ongoing topic of debate since the 1940s. At that time, the United States Air Force began investigating reports of UFO sightings, and they eventually launched Project Blue Book in 1952. The project was designed to investigate and explain UFO sightings, but many people believe that its true purpose was to cover up evidence of extraterrestrial life.

Over the years, numerous government officials and military personnel have come forward with claims of a cover-up. In some cases, they have even stated that they were part of the cover-up themselves. One of the most famous examples is Bob Lazar, who claimed to have worked on UFOs at a secretive government facility known as S-4. Lazar claims that the government was working on reverse engineering extraterrestrial technology, but they wanted to keep it hidden from the public.

SAU Freshman Grant Ward believes, “Aliens are real, they are being covered up by the government, that’s why we’re not seeing them as much, they are covering it up using things like the railroad derailment in Ohio and the truck that had chemicals in it.”

Despite the skepticism surrounding UFO sightings, there have been many well-documented cases that defy explanation. One of the most famous cases is the Roswell incident, which occurred in 1947 when an alleged UFO crashed in Roswell, New Mexico. While the official explanation was that it was a weather balloon, many people believe that the government covered up evidence of extraterrestrial life.

In recent years, there has been renewed interest in UFOs due to the declassification of several government documents related to UFO sightings. The release of these documents has sparked renewed interest in the possibility of extraterrestrial life, and many people believe that the government has been covering up evidence of UFOs for decades.

So, why is there such a perceived effort to cover up evidence of UFOs? There are a few possible explanations. Some people believe that the government is trying to protect the public from the truth about extraterrestrial life because they fear that it could cause panic or unrest. Others believe that the government is simply trying to protect its interests, such as maintaining control over advanced technology that they have discovered.

Regardless of the reasons behind the cover-up, the truth about UFOs remains elusive. While there is a wealth of evidence to suggest that something strange is happening in our skies, many also believe that there is an effort to keep the truth hidden.

Sophomore Harry Bradley Johnston says, “Cover up or not, aliens are out there even if they don’t look like what we see in the movies there must be some life out there… We would be idiots to not think so.”

Despite the ongoing debate about the existence of UFOs, the fascination with the phenomenon shows no signs of slowing down. With the advancement of technology, the study of UFOs has become more scientific and data-driven. It is possible that with further investigation, we may one day find definitive proof of the existence of UFOs and extraterrestrial life.