Ever since then, many Americans have been curious about whether aliens are visiting us in space. Some people believe that UFOs (which means “Unidentified Flying Objects”) might really be aliens. In recent years, more and more people have thought that some UFOs could be visitors from other planets. There are two main reasons people believe in aliens so much.

One is movies and TV shows—like “The Day the Earth Stood Still” and “Avatar”—which tell stories about aliens and flying saucers.

The other reason is that the government has talked about UFOs too. In 2020, the U.S. military released videos of strange objects flying in the sky, and in 2023, a former soldier said the government has known about “nonhuman” sightings for a long time. People’s worries about safety also make them think about UFOs.

When China sent a balloon across the sky in 2023 or when there are fears about spy activities from other countries, many people see strange things in the sky and wonder if they’re aliens. Sometimes, satellites or drones look like strange objects too. The government says most of these sightings are explained by normal things like balloons or drones, but some still can’t be explained.