ufology

Ufology is the study of unidentified flying objects (UFOs) and related phenomena. It encompasses the collection, analysis, and interpretation of eyewitness reports, photographs, radar data, and other evidence in an effort to determine what these phenomena might be and what causes them. The field includes both amateur researchers and professional investigators who document cases, compare sightings, and assess explanations ranging from misidentifications to extraordinary phenomena.

The term ufology, formed from UFO and the suffix -logy, emerged in the mid-20th century as public interest in airship and flying saucer sightings grew. The postwar period saw a surge of reports and organized inquiry, with landmark episodes such as the 1947 Roswell incident shaping public imagination. Government investigations followed; the U.S. Air Force’s Project Blue Book operated from 1952 to 1969 and concluded many sightings had conventional explanations. The later Condon Committee in 1968 argued there was no compelling evidence of extraterrestrial visitation, influencing the scientific posture toward the topic. In contemporary discourse, the term UAP (unidentified aerial phenomena) is often used in official contexts to emphasize unidentified causes rather than alien origin.

Methods and community: Ufology includes both amateur networks and organized research groups, such as MUFON (Mutual UFO Network) and NUFORC (National UFO Reporting Center). Researchers compile case files, analyze witness testimony, cross-reference radar or satellite data, and seek physical traces. The field faces methodological criticisms, including reliance on anecdotal data, inconsistent standards, and a tendency toward confirmation bias and hoaxes. Mainstream science remains skeptical unless evidence is rigorous, reproducible, and publicly verifiable.

Current status: interest persists in popular culture and specialized research circles, while there is no widely accepted scientific consensus establishing extraterrestrial origins for UFO or UAP reports.