The Washington Invasion
In 1952, Washington D.C. was the first city to experience an alien invasion scare. Air traffic controllers noticed strange blips on their radar screens, which were confirmed by a pilot who saw six bright lights streaking across the sky. A week later, the blips reappeared and the pilot reported that the lights flew away from them. However, many dismissed the idea of aliens, attributing the phenomenon to temperature inversions. This weather condition, where cold air is trapped under warm air, can cause disturbances on radar screens and create illusions. Moisture trapped between these layers can reflect ground lights back to pilots, explaining that the sightings were not an alien invasion but a natural occurrence.
The World War II
During World War II, pilots flying bombing missions over Europe observed peculiar glowing balls in the sky, which they dubbed Foo Fighters. They initially believed these balls to be a new Nazi weapon. However, it is now believed that these streaking balls were likely a form of lightning that appears as a small glowing ball in the sky. This type of lightning had been previously observed moving back and forth at unusual altitudes in the sky.
Nuremberg Battle
In 1561, the residents of Nuremberg witnessed a peculiar event depicted in a woodcut. The woodcut showed strange balls and rods, resembling the color of blood, engaged in a battle in the sky. It appeared as if an alien invasion or battle was about to occur. Hans Glaser, the recorder of this event, captured it in an infamous woodcut. However, it is important to note that woodcuts are not the same as photographs. Woodcuts often added elements based on medieval and religious interpretations, resulting in a scene that looked very different from reality. If one were to focus solely on the woodcut, they would realize that the description of the battle resembled someone describing a sun dog. Sun dogs are caused by ice crystals reflecting the sun in the upper atmosphere. Glaser may have embellished the woodcut in order to increase its appeal and sell more copies.
Gray Aliens
In 1964, Barney Hill claimed to have encountered aliens known as the Grays during a journey in 1961 while under hypnosis. The Grays supposedly communicated with him through their eyes. However, a reporter from Skeptical Inquiry pointed out that the hypnosis session took place just 12 days after an episode of the Outer Limits called 'Bellero Shield' aired, which featured aliens that closely resembled those described by Hill. Additionally, Hill's claim that the aliens communicated with him in dialogues, one of which was identical to a line from 'Bellero Shield', suggests that his experience may have been influenced by what he had seen on television in the weeks leading up to the hypnosis session.
NASA’s Mysterious Lights
NASA has been creating multiple videos showcasing enigmatic lights surrounding their aircrafts in low Earth orbit. Although NASA scientists attempt to present these lights as something ordinary, some people believe they are emitted by alien-filled spacecraft. However, in reality, there is nothing mysterious about these lights. In one instance, it was discovered that the lights were simply the government satellite reflecting sunlight at a specific angle. In another case, they were ice crystals propelled into space by shuttlers or distant stars.
UFO-Wind Turbine Crash
In 2009, The Sun, a UK Tabloid newspaper, published a headline stating 'UFO hits Wind Turbine'. Some lights were seen in the sky in Lincolnshire, and the next morning the wind turbines were found smashed. This led residents to believe that a UFO had crashed into the turbines the previous night. However, The Guardian later reported that the lights were actually caused by one of its own journalists setting off firecrackers for a birthday celebration. Additionally, the turbine company revealed that the turbines had disintegrated due to loose bolts caused by high speed.
Kentucky Goblin
In 1955, the residents of a farmhouse in Kentucky were terrified by the presence of mysterious creatures with gigantic heads, pointed ears, and glowing eyes. These creatures had bodies that were 100 centimeters tall and surrounded the house, leading the villagers to believe that it was an alien invasion. However, in 2006, the Skeptical Inquirer published an article debunking this myth. It revealed that the creatures with the gigantic heads and gleaming eyes were actually the Great Horned Owl, an animal species. The villagers had been horrified by the birds, not by any extraterrestrial beings.
The Ancient Astronaut Theory
The astronaut theory suggests that ancient aliens visiting Earth were mistaken for gods by people. This belief gained popularity through the book 'Chariots of the Gods' by Erich von Daniken in 1968, which was inspired by H.P. Lovecraft's work. Lovecraft's 1912 story 'The Call of Cthulhu' explored the idea of aliens being worshipped as gods during their visits to Earth, leading to the creation of the Cthulhu Mythos. However, these stories are purely fictional horror tales and not based on archaeological or scientific evidence.
Taliban UFO
In 2014, a YouTube video was uploaded from Afghanistan depicting a floating triangular object with a space weapon attacking a Taliban camp. There was confusion as to whether it was a UFO, with different newspapers reporting varying stories. It was later revealed that the object was a CGI lightshow created by YouTube user Section 51. The user had discovered a real video of a Joint Direct Attack Munition (JDAM) destroying a bomb factory in the Middle East.
Apollo 16 UFO
The Apollo 16 UFO captured a six-second clip that appeared to show UFOs visiting the moon, with a flying saucer seen near the lunar module. Upon analysis, experts determined that the UFO was actually the module's external floodlight. The strange shadows created by the light led to mistaken beliefs in mysterious creatures, but in reality, the "aliens" in the footage were just astronaut.
