11 Creepy Paranormal Phenomena Debunked By Science

8. UFO Sightings

What’s Really Going On: Aircraft

Given that the aeroplane was invented well over 100 years ago, you’d think that we’d be pretty used to things flying about in our atmosphere by now. However, an astonishing number of UFO sightings can be put down to the misidentification of Earth aircraft.

Even a commercial airliner, perhaps viewed through a thick fog a night, can suddenly appear to be an unearthly ball of light hovering in the sky. If an aircraft makes any sharp turns, ascents or descents, the directional landing lights will point away from the observer, creating the impression of a sudden disappearance of the craft. Even the blinking wing lights can give the appearance of many smaller ships flying in formation.

And, if that’s just the planes that we’re used to, imagine the trouble caused when a civilian happens to spot a secret military craft. There have been countless sightings of experimental craft that really do look like visitors from another world. Flights by these aircraft are unlikely to be reported publicly and (if you really want to get your conspiracy theorist hat on) we suspect that governments would prefer you believe that they’re keeping the Men from Mars a secret from you, rather than divulging closely guarded military secrets.

With an estimated 22% of UFO sightings put down to misidentified aircraft, another 22% to celestial objects such as satellites and the planet Venus, and the rest made of weather balloons sightings, dust, clouds and even birds – there are actually very few Unidentified Flying Objects that have remained “unidentified”.