Are they illusions, swap gas, weather balloons, experimental aircrafts or proof of intelligent extraterrestrial life? In 2011, Mutual UFO Network (MUFON) reported averaging 500 UFO sightings per month. In the past year sightings have been reported all around Georgia, including one which was videotaped in Cumming. But are they really indications of advanced intelligent life from beyond the moon?

The most famous Unidentified Flying Object case is the Roswell, NM, 1947 incident. In July of 1947, the Roswell Army Air Field (RAAF) reported the crash and recovery of a “flying disc” near Roswell. The object was later determined to be an experimental high altitude, radar tracking balloon by military officials. However, not everyone buys the official explanation.

A 1995 General Accounting office report found that some government records regarding the incident had been destroyed, despite Army regulations requiring that air accident reports be maintained permanently. There was also no indication of what organization or person destroyed the files and under what authority. However, there was no such requirement to save files on weather balloon crashes.

In another incident, on July 19, 1952, strange radar blips appeared on the air traffic control radar screen at National Airport in Washington D.C. The blips did not follow the conventional movements of ordinary aircraft. Bright orange objects were witnessed circling the southern sky from Andrews Air Force base, which also picked up the blips on radar. The objects then stopped suddenly and streaked off out of sight.

The next evening, radar tracked U.F.O.s again that moved more than 900 miles per hour. The sightings continued throughout the week. At one point, an F-94 moved on the targets, which turned and darted en masse toward the interceptor, surrounding it. After a moment, in which the F-94 did not open fire, the U.F.O.s pulled away and disappeared.

There are many more reported incidents of this. But the question remains: Have extraterrestrials visited Earth?

Additional Resources

General Accounting Office Search for Records Concerning the 1947 Crash Near Roswell, New Mexico: http://www.fas.org/sgp/othergov/roswell.html

Huffington Post UFO Sightings Increase 67%: http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2011/08/26/ufos-pilots-history-channel_n_935847.html

MUFON: http://www.mufon.com/index.html

Cumming Ga, UFO sighting: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7C3RrvZMx-M

How Stuff Works UFOs and the Government: http://science.howstuffworks.com/space/aliens-ufos/ufo-government5.htm/printable