The March 2009 issue of Popular Mechanics magazine has a special feature on the science behind sightings of UFOs – unidentified flying objects.
It says many UFO sighting are caused by military aircraft on training flights – or flares they drop.
Popular Mechanics shows six U.S. military aircraft likely to be mistaken for UFOs. It notes that the “flying wing” B-2 bomber “looks like an alien craft from nearly any angle and specifically like a flying saucer when viewed head-on or in profile.”
The magazine gives several examples of alleged UFO footage. In one, a mysterious ring of bright lights over Phoenix, Arizona in 1997 was caused by decoy flares a pilot had dropped.
Others are hoaxes. In March 1983, more than 300 people reported seeing V- and boomerang-shaped lights in New York’s Hudson Valley. Pilots had rigged their planes with extra lights before flying in formation at night.
Styrofoam plates and bowls were used in another hoax photo.
Some UFO sightings may be caused by natural phenomena, like the large saucer-shaped lenticular clouds that can form near mountains.
The planet Venus was mistaken for an enemy aircraft in World War II and fired at.
As Popular Mechanics points out, belief in flying saucers is a distinctly modern phenomenon. In the ancient past, people thought gods rode chariots across the sky. Our fantasies are now more technologically advanced.
Todd Leventhal is the Department’s expert on conspiracy theories and misinformation—stories that are untrue, but widely believed. He enjoys reading obituaries, which tell the personal stories of people who have shaped the fabric of American life.
Todd became interested in international affairs after a four-month trip to the Soviet Union, Afghanistan, Pakistan, and India in 1972. He worked for Voice of America for seven years and bikes to work year-round.
Comments (1)
Greg Miles
Location: Fostoria ohio
16 June 2009 at 22:07 EDT
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Back in 1973 I and the car load of people including my mother seen two UFO’s. No know aircraft then or now, that I ever seen, made the sharp pin turns with the speed they did it in, plus they would stop on a dime. They would glow one color then change to an other color. No it wasn’t swap gas, Venus, weather balloons, or countless other lame excesses to write it off as a crazy Joe public seeing things. From an other world maybe, something from are Government?, demons sent from Lucifer to play tricks of on us ,I wouldn’t put it past him to do that, God I doubt it He doesn’t need a vehicle to get from point A to B. Some UFO’s are real you can’t just give safe explanations that wouldn’t freak out people and have anarchy in the streets. thanks Greg