A new NOVA documentary examines decades of scientific data compiled about encounters with unidentified flying objects
With increased reports of strange, unexplained objects soaring in the sky, discussions about so-called UFOs have entered the mainstream after decades on the fringes. Now, the season premiere of PBS science series NOVA presents a new documentary feature called What Are UFOs?, taking an analytical look at these sightings — which have largely become associated with beings from other worlds.
According to the film’s director, Terri Randall, broaching the topic at at all is something that’s only recently stopped being avoided by scientists, who’d typically be labelled crackpots — or worse — for giving any serious credence to UFOs. “I think there are more scientists now that are willing to come forward, but we’re still in that period of time where it’s transitional. So there are scientists who just . . . it’s still taboo for them,” Randall said during an appearance at the Television Critics Association press tour.
Also appearing on that panel was Ryan Graves , a former U.S. Navy lieutenant and F/A-18 fighter pilot, who explained why he decided to come forward to share his own personal experience with UFOs. “I was doing it to enhance the conversation that I’ve been receiving from other pilots, to be able to move the conversation forward,” he said. “I truly believe that as we have more data in this conversation, that we’re going to be able to finally get to some answers.”
Aerial encounters with UFOs were not uncommon for Graves and the fellow pilots in his squadron, but were usually shared in “hushed whispers” among those who’d experienced them. “It wasn’t until we had an incident where there was a near-miss with one of these objects that we kind of came together as a squadron to talk about it,” Graves recalled. “Even at that point, we were still uncomfortable, really kind of going outside of our bubble to engage on it.”
Eventually, Graves began speaking with more pilots beyond those from his own unit, and came to realize just how widespread these UFO encounters actually were. “And that’s when I made the decision to try to engage the conversation,” he said. “My primary concern at the time was that this was a potential adversary that could be spying on our space and on our systems and on our tactics. And that’s how I continue to treat this topic. We don’t know what these are, but I’m fearful that this could represent a national security issue, and if nothing else, an aviation safety issue.”
According to Mick West, author of Escaping the Rabbit Hole: How to Debunk Conspiracy Theories Using Facts, Logic, and Respect, the information void has led to widespread conspiracy theories — particularly that UFOs are extraterrestrial spacecraft helmed by alien beings. “If pilots are seeing things that are in the sky that they can’t identify, they need to be identified. And for the general public, if they see something in the sky, I think it’s good for people to get an explanation. Some people are quite concerned by the things that they see. And they generally appreciate it when I explain to them what it is or what it might be. Not everyone appreciates it but I think most people, if you give them a good science-based explanation, they will go with it.”
That said, the notion that UFOs may actually originate from other planets isn’t one that can be easily dismissed nor debunked. “I’ve never met a person on Earth that isn’t interested in the question of are we alone, or thinking about UFOs,” said UC San Diego astrophysicist Shelley Wright. “And I would like to remove the giggle factor from that conversation and use this as an educational moment to our children and adults to think about, hey, what is aerial phenomena that occurs in the sky? What are sprints? What’s lightning? What technology do we have there? And then, also, to take that further in the context of life in the universe and humanity’s perspective of this.”
Nova airs Wednesday, January 22, on WTVS and KCTS