By the numbers
121 sourced statistics on UFOs and UAP, from polls and government case counts to search interest and TV ratings. Every number links to where it comes from.
This archive
Counted from the events on this site, updated every time it is rebuilt.
1,231
2,182
32%
65
2023
67
events that only became public months or years after they happened
Public opinion
90%
of Americans had heard of "flying saucers" in a 1947 Gallup poll
The Condon Report's review of public-opinion polling cites Gallup's 1947 finding that about 90% had heard of flying saucers. The sample size is not given in the report. Gallup's 1950 poll put awareness at 94%.
1947 · University of Colorado / hosted by Project 1947 (opens in a new tab)
33%
had no answer when Gallup asked in August 1947 what the flying saucers were
Question: "What do you think these saucers are?" 29% said imagination, optical illusions or mirages; 15% a US secret weapon; 10% a hoax; 3% weather devices; 1% a Russian secret weapon. Some gave more than one answer (total 102%).
1947-08 · Project 1947 (opens in a new tab)
96%
of Americans said in 1966 they had heard or read about "flying saucers"
Gallup poll, stratified area sample of 1,575. Question: "Have you heard or read about 'flying saucers'?" Awareness was about 90% in 1947 and 94% in 1950; Gallup's 1973 figure was 94% and its 2026 figure 83%.
1966 · University of Colorado / hosted by Project 1947 (opens in a new tab)
5%
of Americans told Gallup in 1966 they had personally seen a "flying saucer"
Question: "Have you, yourself, ever seen anything you thought was a 'flying saucer'?" 5% yes, 94% no (base 1,518). Gallup estimated over 5 million sighters from that result. Gallup's 2026 reading is 17%.
1966 · University of Colorado / hosted by Project 1947 (opens in a new tab)
48%
of Americans said in 1966 that flying saucers are "something real"; 31% said just imagination
Gallup question: "In your opinion, are they something real, or just people's imagination?" 22% had no opinion. In 2019 the "something real" answer reached 56%, up from 47% in 1996.
1966 · University of Colorado / hosted by Project 1947 (opens in a new tab)
34%
of Americans in 1966 thought people somewhat like us live on other planets
Gallup question to 1,575 adults: "Do you think there are people somewhat like ourselves living on other planets in the universe?" 45% said no. In a June 2019 Gallup poll, 49% said yes.
1966 · University of Colorado / hosted by Project 1947 (opens in a new tab)
69%
of American adults agreed in 1968 that a government agency keeps a Top Secret file of withheld UFO reports
University of Colorado study, adults 18+, N=2,050, fielded 21 Feb-13 Mar 1968. Statement: "A government agency maintains a Top Secret file of UFO reports that are deliberately withheld from the public." 73% of teens agreed.
1968 · University of Colorado / hosted by Project 1947 (opens in a new tab)
28%
of American adults agreed in 1968 that Earth has been visited by beings from another world
Colorado study, N=2,050 adults. Statement: "Earth has been visited at least once in its history by beings from another world." Among teenagers (N=451) 47% agreed. Only 3% of adults said they had seen a UFO.
1968 · University of Colorado / hosted by Project 1947 (opens in a new tab)
94%
of Americans had heard or read about UFOs when Gallup first asked in 1973; 83% in 2026
Gallup's heard-or-read question was first asked in 1973. It stood at 86% in 2019 and 83% in July 2026 (1,200 adults, telephone, margin of error plus or minus 4 points).
1973 · Gallup (opens in a new tab)
71%
of Americans said in 1996 the U.S. government knows more about UFOs than it is telling
Gallup, Sept 3-5, 1996. Question: "does the U.S. government know more about UFOs than it is telling us?" 19% said no, 10% had no opinion. It read 68% in 2019 and 78% in 2026.
1996-09 · Gallup (opens in a new tab)
20%
of adults in 22 countries agreed in 2010 that aliens walk among us disguised as humans
Reuters/Ipsos online poll, Nov 2009-Jan 2010, about 24,000 adults in 22 countries. Statement: "alien beings have come to earth and walk amongst us in our communities disguised as us." 80% disagreed.
2010-04 · Ipsos (opens in a new tab)
45%
of Indians agreed in 2010 that aliens walk among us disguised as humans, the highest of 22 countries
Reuters/Ipsos, 1,000+ adults per country. China was 42%, Japan 29%, South Korea 27%, the US 24%, Brazil 24%. Lowest were Sweden, Belgium and the Netherlands at 8%.
2010-04 · Ipsos (opens in a new tab)
10% vs 29%
Mexico (10%) and Japan (29%) in 2010 on whether aliens walk among us disguised as humans
Reuters/Ipsos poll of 22 countries. Germany was 11%, Canada 16%, Great Britain 16%, Brazil 24%. Margin of error plus or minus 3.1 points per country.
2010-04 · Ipsos (opens in a new tab)
45%
of Americans said in 2015 they believe aliens or extraterrestrials have visited Earth
Ipsos, June 23-25, 2015, 1,005 adults online. 56% believed UFOs exist and 79% said life on other planets is plausible.
2015-06 · Ipsos (opens in a new tab)
56%
of Germans said in 2015 intelligent extraterrestrial life exists; 54% in the US, 52% in Britain
YouGov, September 2015. Question described as whether living creatures that can communicate and do not come from Earth exist. Sample size not stated on the page.
2015-09 · YouGov (opens in a new tab)
27.0%
of Americans agreed in 2016 that aliens visited Earth in our ancient past
Chapman University Survey of American Fears, percent agree or strongly agree with "Aliens have visited Earth in our ancient past." The figure rose to 35.0% in 2017, 41.4% in 2018 and 42.7% in 2020/21.
43%
of Canadians agreed in 2016 that U.S. government agencies covered up the existence of extraterrestrials
Angus Reid Institute, August 2016. 79% said intelligent life elsewhere is definitely or probably true; about one in ten said Earth has definitely been visited.
35.0%
of Americans agreed in 2017 that aliens visited Earth in our ancient past
Chapman University Survey of American Fears, Wave 4, percent agree or strongly agree. It was 27.0% in 2016 and 41.4% in 2018.
41.4%
of Americans agreed in 2018 that aliens visited Earth in our ancient past, up from 27.0% in 2016
Chapman University Survey of American Fears, percent agree or strongly agree. Agreement that aliens "have come to Earth in modern times" rose from 24.7% (2016) to 35.1% (2018).
68%
of Americans said in 2018 they think intelligent life exists on other planets, up from 52% in 2005
Marist Poll released Feb 12, 2018. 55% said extraterrestrials will find us before we find them. Among under-30s, 79% believe in life elsewhere.
2018-02 · Marist Poll (opens in a new tab)
49%
of Americans said in 2019 there are people somewhat like ourselves on other planets
Gallup June 2019 poll; 75% said life of some form exists elsewhere in the universe. The same question drew 34% in Gallup's 1966 poll.
2019-06 · Gallup (opens in a new tab)
68%
of Americans said in 2019 the U.S. government knows more about UFOs than it is telling
Gallup telephone poll of 1,018 adults, June 2019; 29% said no, 2% no opinion. Gallup's 1996 poll found 71%.
2019-06 · Gallup (opens in a new tab)
16%
of Americans said in 2019 they had personally seen something they thought was a UFO
Gallup, June 2019. Question: "Have you, yourself, ever seen anything you thought was a UFO?" 20% of Westerners said yes vs 12% in the East. Gallup readings from 1973 to 1996 ranged from 9% to 14%.
2019-06 · Gallup (opens in a new tab)
56%
of Americans said in 2019 UFO sightings are something real, up from 47% in 1996
Gallup, Aug 1-14, 2019 (1,522 adults). From 1973 to 2019 the "something real" answer ranged from 47% to 57%. Gallup noted that "real" did not say whether alien or earthly.
2019-08 · Gallup (opens in a new tab)
33%
of Americans said in 2019 some UFOs have been alien spacecraft visiting Earth
Gallup, Aug 1-14, 2019 (1,522 adults). Alternative: all sightings can be explained by human activity or natural phenomena, chosen by 60%. 7% had no opinion.
2019-08 · Gallup (opens in a new tab)
42.7%
of Americans agreed in 2021 that aliens visited Earth in our ancient past
Chapman Survey of American Fears Wave 7, 1,035 adults, Jan 5-15, 2021, SSRS probability panel. 35.3% agreed aliens "have come to earth in modern times."
2021-01 · Chapman University (opens in a new tab)
56%
of Canadians said in 2021 they believe in UFOs; 9% said they had seen one themselves
Ipsos for Blue Ant Media, May 18-20, 2021, 1,001 Canadians online. 65% believe intelligent life exists elsewhere in the universe.
2021-05 · Ipsos (opens in a new tab)
51%
of Americans said in 2021 military UFO reports are probably or definitely evidence of alien life
Pew Research Center, 10,417 U.S. adults, June 14-24, 2021: 40% said probably, 11% definitely. 47% said probably or definitely not evidence. 65% believe intelligent life exists on other planets.
2021-06 · Pew Research Center (opens in a new tab)
10%
of Americans called UFOs a major national security threat in Pew's June 2021 survey
Pew, 10,417 adults: 51% said not a threat at all and 36% a minor threat. 74% said UFOs are neither friendly nor unfriendly, 17% friendly, 7% unfriendly.
2021-06 · Pew Research Center (opens in a new tab)
7%
of Britons said in 2021 they have seen a UFO themselves; 20% saw one or know someone who has
YouGov UK, June 2021. 50% of Britons believe aliens exist and 22% say they have visited Earth. 49% think the UK government likely knows something it is not sharing.
2021-06 · YouGov (opens in a new tab)
41%
of Americans said in 2021 some UFOs have been alien spacecraft visiting Earth
Gallup, July 6-21, 2021 (1,007 adults), up 8 points from 2019. 50% said all sightings can be explained by human activity or natural phenomena (60% in 2019); 9% had no opinion.
2021-07 · Gallup (opens in a new tab)
34%
of Americans said in 2022 UFOs are likely alien ships or life forms; 20% said so in a 1996 Newsweek poll
YouGov, Sept 9-12, 2022, 1,000 U.S. adult citizens; 32% chose a scientific explanation. YouGov's comparison point, a 1996 Newsweek poll, had 20% alien and 32% scientific.
2022-09 · YouGov (opens in a new tab)
13%
of Americans in 2022 expected contact with aliens within 50 years, up from 4% in a 1996 Pew poll
YouGov, Sept 2022, 1,000 adults. In the 1996 comparison 69% said contact would probably or definitely not happen; in 2022 that share was 39%.
2022-09 · YouGov (opens in a new tab)
18%
of people in 36 countries expected aliens to visit Earth in 2023, up from 14% a year earlier
Ipsos Global Advisor, 24,471 adults, Oct 21-Nov 4, 2022. India was highest at 43%; 17% of Americans expected a visit.
2022-11 · Ipsos (opens in a new tab)
60%+
of Americans said in March 2024 the government is concealing UFO information; 11% said it had told all
Economist/YouGov, March 10-12, 2024, 1,559 U.S. adult citizens. 18% said they had seen something they thought was a UFO, 69% had not.
2024-03 · YouGov (opens in a new tab)
47%
of Americans said in 2025 aliens have definitely or probably visited Earth
YouGov, Nov 4-9, 2025, 1,114 U.S. adult citizens. 56% said aliens definitely or probably exist; 30% said UFOs are probably alien ships or life forms, 45% some other explanation.
2025-11 · YouGov (opens in a new tab)
73%
of Americans said in 2025 the government would hide UFO evidence; 13% said it would tell the public
YouGov, Nov 4-9, 2025, 1,114 adult citizens. Democrats 75%, Republicans 72%. 21% said they had seen something they thought was a UFO.
2025-11 · YouGov (opens in a new tab)
78%
of Americans said in 2026 the government knows more about UFOs than it tells the public
Gallup, July 1-19, 2026, 1,200 adults by telephone. Only 17% said the government is not withholding information. The share was 71% in 1996 and 68% in 2019.
2026-07 · Gallup (opens in a new tab)
17%
of Americans said in 2026 they had seen something they thought was a UFO
Gallup, July 1-19, 2026, 1,200 adults. Higher than every Gallup reading from 1973 to 1996, which ranged from 9% to 14%. It was 16% in 2019 and 5% in 1966.
2026-07 · Gallup (opens in a new tab)
37%
of Americans said in 2026 at least some UFOs have been alien spacecraft
Gallup, July 1-19, 2026 (1,200 adults). 49% said all sightings can be explained by human activity or natural phenomena (50% in 2021); 13% unsure, up from 7% in 2019. It was 41% in 2021.
2026-07 · Gallup (opens in a new tab)
Government and military
243
UFO sightings evaluated by Project Sign, the Air Force's first UFO study, 1948 to 1949
AARO's historical report says Project Sign evaluated 243 reported sightings between January 1948 and February 1949, and found no definite and conclusive evidence of unknown craft.
1949 · All-domain Anomaly Resolution Office (AARO) (opens in a new tab)
244
UFO sightings investigated by the original Project Grudge in 1949
AARO's historical report says the original Project Grudge investigated 244 reports and found no evidence the sightings represented foreign technology. It was downsized in part for fear of fueling public 'war hysteria'.
1949 · All-domain Anomaly Resolution Office (AARO) (opens in a new tab)
$325,000
Air Force contract that funded the University of Colorado's Condon UFO study
AARO's historical report describes Edward Condon's study as an 18-month effort under a $325,000 Air Force contract; it examined 59 case studies and concluded further extensive study probably could not be justified.
1968 · All-domain Anomaly Resolution Office (AARO) (opens in a new tab)
59
Case studies examined in detail by the Condon Committee
AARO's historical report says the Condon panel closely examined 59 specific case studies. Its report, released in 1969, concluded UFO study had added nothing to scientific knowledge in 21 years.
1968 · All-domain Anomaly Resolution Office (AARO) (opens in a new tab)
12,618
UFO sightings reported to Project Blue Book between 1947 and 1969
The National Archives page on the Air Force's Project Blue Book says 12,618 sightings were reported to the project. The project was announced as terminated on December 17, 1969.
701
Blue Book cases that remain officially 'Unidentified'
Of the 12,618 sightings in Blue Book's files, the National Archives says 701 remain 'Unidentified'. AARO's 2024 historical report likewise says 701 were categorized as unidentified and never solved.
94
Rolls of 35mm microfilm that hold the Project Blue Book case files
The National Archives lists the Blue Book records as 94 rolls of 35mm microfilm (series T-1206), with photographs filmed on the last two rolls, plus about 42 cubic feet of paper files.
2,780
Pages in the CIA's UFO document collection, bought on CD-ROM by The Black Vault in 2020
The Black Vault lists the CD-ROM as 2,780 pages, obtained under FOIA case F-2020-02272 and purchased in mid-2020. The CIA described it as its entire UAP collection.
144
UAP reports the 2021 ODNI preliminary assessment reviewed, from 2004 to 2021
The June 2021 Preliminary Assessment says 144 reports originated from U.S. government sources and covers incidents from November 2004 to March 2021, mostly from military aviators.
2021-06-25 · Office of the Director of National Intelligence (opens in a new tab)
80
Of the first 144 government UAP reports, those observed with multiple sensors
The 2021 assessment says 80 of the 144 reports involved observation with multiple sensors, and that most UAP probably do represent physical objects.
2021-06-25 · Office of the Director of National Intelligence (opens in a new tab)
1
UAP in the 144-report 2021 dataset identified with high confidence
The Preliminary Assessment says it identified one reported UAP with high confidence, a large deflating balloon. The other 143 remained unexplained.
2021-06-25 · Office of the Director of National Intelligence (opens in a new tab)
18
Incidents in the 2021 assessment with reported unusual movement or flight characteristics
The assessment says that in 18 incidents, described in 21 reports, observers reported unusual UAP movement patterns or flight characteristics, such as moving against the wind without visible propulsion.
2021-06-25 · Office of the Director of National Intelligence (opens in a new tab)
510
UAP reports catalogued by the U.S. government as of August 30, 2022
The 2022 annual report says 247 new reports plus 119 older ones found later were added to the original 144, for a total of 510 as of 30 August 2022.
2022-08-30 · ODNI and Department of Defense (opens in a new tab)
163
Of 366 newly added UAP reports, those initially characterized as balloon or balloon-like
The 2022 report says AARO's initial characterization put 163 of the 366 new reports as balloon-like, 26 as UAS-like and 6 as clutter. It stresses this is not a final resolution.
2022-08-30 · ODNI and Department of Defense (opens in a new tab)
171
Of 366 new UAP reports in 2022, those left uncharacterized and unattributed
The report says 171 reports remained uncharacterized and unattributed, and that some appeared to demonstrate unusual flight characteristics or performance capabilities that require further analysis.
2022-08-30 · ODNI and Department of Defense (opens in a new tab)
801
UAP reports AARO had received in total as of April 30, 2023
The FY2023 consolidated report says that with the new reports, AARO had received a total of 801 UAP reports as of 30 April 2023.
2023-04-30 · ODNI and Department of Defense (AARO) (opens in a new tab)
291
UAP reports AARO received from August 31, 2022 to April 30, 2023
Of the 291 reports, 274 occurred in the period and 17 occurred in earlier years but had not been submitted. 290 were in the air domain and one in the maritime domain.
2023-04-30 · ODNI and Department of Defense (AARO) (opens in a new tab)
30
People AARO interviewed for its 2024 historical report on alleged hidden UAP programs
AARO's Volume I says it interviewed approximately 30 individuals as of September 17, 2023, and found none of the programs they named to be UAP reverse-engineering programs.
2023-09-17 · All-domain Anomaly Resolution Office (AARO) (opens in a new tab)
757
UAP reports AARO received from May 2023 to June 2024
The FY2024 report says AARO received 757 reports, 485 of them about incidents that happened in the period and 272 about 2021-2022 incidents reported late.
2024-06-01 · ODNI and Department of Defense (AARO) (opens in a new tab)
319
UAP reports AARO received from June 2024 to May 2025
The FY2025 report says 284 of the 319 reports featured events in the reporting period and 35 featured events outside it. The report was published in July 2026.
2025-05-30 · Department of War, All-domain Anomaly Resolution Office (opens in a new tab)
1,870
UAP reports in AARO's total case holdings as of May 30, 2025
The FY2025 report says AARO's case holdings contain 1,870 reports. It assessed 274 of the year's reports as air domain, 44 as space and one as maritime.
2025-05-30 · Department of War, All-domain Anomaly Resolution Office (opens in a new tab)
238
UAP reports AARO resolved as satellite flaring using a new modeling capability in FY2025
The FY2025 report says a new capability enabled analysts to resolve 238 reported UAP as satellite flaring, and that all resolved cases were prosaic objects such as balloons, satellites, birds and aircraft.
2025-05-30 · Department of War, All-domain Anomaly Resolution Office (opens in a new tab)
370
Cases AARO resolved in the FY2025 reporting period, including 256 from earlier periods
AARO resolved 114 of the 319 new reports plus 256 cases from earlier periods, for 370 total. None of the resolved cases indicated advanced foreign adversarial capabilities or breakthrough technologies.
2025-05-30 · Department of War, All-domain Anomaly Resolution Office (opens in a new tab)
162
Declassified files in the first PURSUE release on war.gov in May 2026
The Pentagon's May 8, 2026 release posted 162 videos, pictures and documents spanning the 1940s to the 2020s from the military, FBI, NASA and State Department.
2026-05-08 · The War Zone (TWZ) (opens in a new tab)
9
Federal agencies that had transferred UAP records to the National Archives' RG 615 collection
The National Archives' RG 615 page lists the FAA, NRC, ODNI, OSD, NSA, State Department, FBI, Air Force and CBP. The collection was created under the 2024 NDAA and grows on a rolling basis.
Sighting reports
392
Of AARO's 757 FY2024 UAP reports, those that came from the FAA
The FY2024 report says 392 of the 757 reports were from the Federal Aviation Administration, consisting of all of the FAA's UAP reports since 2021.
2024-06-01 · ODNI and Department of Defense (AARO) (opens in a new tab)
708
Of AARO's 757 FY2024 reports, those occurring in the air domain
The report says airborne UAP continue to dominate reporting, with 708 of the 757 reports in the air domain.
2024-06-01 · ODNI and Department of Defense (AARO) (opens in a new tab)
Online interest
About 75
people arrived at a gate at the planned start of Storm Area 51 in 2019, after millions responded online
The AP said millions had responded to a June internet post. Lincoln County's sheriff estimated about 1,500 people at the festival sites on Thursday night, with more than 150 going on toward the gates.
2019-09-20 · Associated Press (via FOX 5 DC) (opens in a new tab)
About 3,000
campers and festival-goers were at Alienstock near Rachel, Nevada, by the emergency services chief's estimate
AP reported Lincoln County's sheriff put the whole weekend crowd in 'the low thousands'. Seven people were arrested since Thursday, all on misdemeanors, most for trespassing.
2019-09-21 · Associated Press (via ABC7 News) (opens in a new tab)
#1
cultural landmark on Google Maps in the U.S. in 2022 was Skinwalker Ranch in Gusher, Utah
Google's Year in Search 2022 (U.S.) lists Skinwalker Ranch first under 'Google Maps: Top cultural landmarks'. Travel + Leisure tied the interest in part to the History series and noted the ranch is private land closed to visitors.
2022 · Google (opens in a new tab)
Media and entertainment
$340.8 million
worldwide gross of Close Encounters of the Third Kind, made on a $20 million budget
The Numbers lists $169.1 million domestic and $171.7 million international for the Columbia film, released Nov. 16, 1977. Lifetime totals include later re-releases.
1977 · The Numbers (Nash Information Services) (opens in a new tab)
$797.7 million
worldwide gross of E.T. the Extra-Terrestrial, a film made on a $10.5 million budget
The Numbers lists $439.8 million domestic and $797.7 million worldwide for the 1982 Universal release. Lifetime totals include later re-releases.
1982 · The Numbers (Nash Information Services) (opens in a new tab)
#1
film at the 1982 North American box office was E.T., with $321.8 million that year
The Numbers' 1982 market chart puts E.T. first at $321,838,717, well ahead of Rocky III ($125.0 million) and On Golden Pond ($117.9 million).
1982 · The Numbers (Nash Information Services) (opens in a new tab)
#1
among 1996 releases at the North American box office was Independence Day, with $306.2 million
The Numbers' cumulative chart for 1996 releases has Independence Day ahead of Twister ($245.2 million) and Mission: Impossible ($181.0 million).
1996 · The Numbers (Nash Information Services) (opens in a new tab)
$817.4 million
worldwide gross of Independence Day (1996), made on a $75 million production budget
The Numbers lists $511.2 million of that total as international box office and $306.2 million domestic. The film opened July 2, 1996.
1996 · The Numbers (Nash Information Services) (opens in a new tab)
$408.3 million
worldwide gross of M. Night Shyamalan's Signs, which cost about $70.7 million to make
The Numbers lists $228.0 million domestic and $180.3 million international for the Disney release of Aug. 2, 2002.
2002 · The Numbers (Nash Information Services) (opens in a new tab)
16.19 million
viewers watched the January 2016 premiere of The X-Files revival, according to Nielsen
The AP reported more than 16 million viewers for the Fox premiere (week of Jan. 18-24, 2016). TheWrap's early overnight count was 13.5 million; it noted the original series' final season averaged 9.1 million viewers.
3.1 million
viewers watched two telecasts of the Project Blue Book premiere on History, the network said
History reported 2.1 million viewers for the Jan. 8, 2019 premiere telecast alone. Network officials called it History's most-watched scripted series premiere since Vikings in March 2013 (the network's claim).
2019-01 · Next TV (Broadcasting & Cable) (opens in a new tab)
$171.9 million
worldwide gross of Jordan Peele's Nope, made on a $68 million production budget
The Numbers lists $123.3 million domestic and $48.7 million international for the Universal film, released July 22, 2022.
2022 · The Numbers (Nash Information Services) (opens in a new tab)
+56%
rise in NewsNation's adults 25-54 audience over the prior week during its Las Vegas UFO coverage, per Nielsen
Fortune reported the week of NewsNation's June 6, 2023 Grusch interview was its highest-rated week in primetime. It gave no viewer counts for the interview itself.
2023-06 · Fortune (opens in a new tab)
160,000
average viewers watched NewsNation's live coverage of the July 2023 UFO hearing, 10 a.m. to 1 p.m. ET
Deadline's Nielsen figures put NewsNation at about 190,000 viewers in the 11 a.m. hour. For the same period Fox News had 1.88 million, MSNBC 766,000, CNN 553,000 and Newsmax 261,000.
2023-07-26 · Deadline (via Yahoo News Canada) (opens in a new tab)
222
episodes across 22 seasons are listed on History's own page for Ancient Aliens
History.com's About page for the series lists 22 seasons and 222 episodes, and describes the show as examining '75 million years of the most credible alien evidence'. The count grows as new episodes air.
Almost 70M
copies of Erich von Daniken's books were sold in more than 30 languages, Swiss broadcaster SRF reported
NBC News cited SRF in his obituary. He rose to prominence with his 1968 book Chariots of the Gods. The figure covers all his books combined, not Chariots alone.
$44.5 million
was the U.S. opening weekend for Steven Spielberg's UFO film Disclosure Day in June 2026
TheWrap reported a just-under-$94 million global launch. It was the third-highest opening for an original film since 2020, behind Sinners ($48 million) and Hoppers ($45.3 million), narrowly ahead of Nope.
2026-06 · TheWrap (opens in a new tab)
$248 million
worldwide gross for Disclosure Day through Aug. 6, 2026, against a $115 million production budget
The Numbers lists $116.6 million domestic and $131.4 million international for the Universal film, which opened June 12, 2026.
2026-08 · The Numbers (Nash Information Services) (opens in a new tab)
Places and tourism
$200,000
Robert Bigelow paid this much for Skinwalker Ranch in 1996.
Utah Business reports Bigelow bought the 512-acre ranch in 1996 for $200,000. When Brandon Fugal bought it from him in 2016, the article says the sum paid was unknown.
98 miles
Nevada named this stretch of State Route 375 the Extraterrestrial Highway in 1996.
AAA's Via magazine says the 98-mile stretch of SR 375 was named the Extraterrestrial Highway in 1996. The Little A'Le'Inn near Rachel is the only place to stay along it.
1996 · AAA Via (opens in a new tab)
512 acres
Skinwalker Ranch covers this much Utah land, which Robert Bigelow owned until 2016.
Utah Business reports the property is 512 acres. Brandon Fugal bought it from billionaire Robert Bigelow in 2016, and Fugal's company has operated it since.
3,000
Vice counted this many attendees at 2019's Contact in the Desert UFO conference in California.
Vice described the 3,000 attendees of the weekend event at the Renaissance Indian Wells Resort & Spa as a golden age for believers. Organizers call it the world's biggest UFO conference.
2019-06 · Vice (opens in a new tab)
2 million+
This many people signed up on Facebook saying they would attend 2019's Storm Area 51 event.
The Eureka Sentinel reported that over two million people signed up saying they would come to the Sept. 20-22, 2019 events at Rachel and Hiko, Nevada.
2019-09 · Eureka Sentinel (opens in a new tab)
Low thousands
After 2 million RSVPs, the sheriff estimated the Rachel and Hiko crowd at this size.
Sheriff Kerry Lee estimated the crowd across the Rachel and Hiko events totaled in the low thousands. Emergency services chief Eric Holt estimated about 3,000 campers and festival-goers at Alienstock in Rachel.
30,000-40,000
Lincoln County officials braced for this many people before Storm Area 51 weekend.
Officials anticipated 30,000 to 40,000 people. Commission chairman Varlin Higbee said the real numbers would probably be much lower. The county also budgeted $90,000 to feed about 350 first responders.
2019-09 · Eureka Sentinel (opens in a new tab)
$300,000
Lincoln County commissioners set aside this much to cover costs of the Storm Area 51 events.
Commissioners moved $250,000 from the county Land Act fund on top of an earlier $50,000. That is a combined $300,000 (the sum is the Sentinel's two figures added). The fund had $750,000 available.
2019-09 · Eureka Sentinel (opens in a new tab)
40,000+
Roswell's four-day 2022 UFO Festival drew this many visitors, according to a city report.
A report to the city said more than 40,000 visitors attended the festival, held June 30 to July 3, 2022. Staff estimated attendance from gross receipts tax, lodgers' tax, ticket sales and trash collection data.
2022-07 · Fox Business (opens in a new tab)
$2 million+
Roswell officials say the 2022 UFO Festival brought in more than this in spending.
Officials put the economic impact of the four-day 2022 festival at more than $2 million. Fox Business reports the figure came from gross receipts tax, lodgers' tax and ticket sales, among other factors.
2022-07 · Fox Business (opens in a new tab)
$200,000+
Hosting the 2022 Roswell UFO Festival cost the city more than this, for a claimed 10-to-1 return.
Roswell officials said the city spent more than $200,000 to put on the 2022 festival and described the result as a 10 to 1 return on the money, per Fox Business.
2022-07 · Fox Business (opens in a new tab)
5 million
Roswell's International UFO Museum reached this many visitors since opening in 1992.
CBS affiliate KRWG reported the International UFO Museum and Research Center in Roswell, New Mexico, hit its 5 millionth visitor in late 2023. The museum opened in 1992.
2023-12 · KRWG Public Media (opens in a new tab)
220,000+
The International UFO Museum in Roswell says it gets more than this many visitors a year.
Executive Director Karen Jaramillo put annual attendance at more than 220,000 when the museum marked its 5 millionth visitor in December 2023. The figure is the museum's own.
2023-12 · KRWG Public Media (opens in a new tab)
Science
72 seconds
The 1977 Wow! signal lasted this long, the full window Ohio State's Big Ear could observe.
Big Ear received the narrowband signal on August 15, 1977. Jerry Ehman spotted it on the printout on August 17, 1977 and the sequence read 6EQUJ5.
1977-08-15 · Discover Magazine (opens in a new tab)
20 per week
At its peak, Norway's Hessdalen valley lights generated about this many reports.
The Society for UAP Studies says that at the peak of activity there were about 20 reports a week in Hessdalen. It puts the current frequency at about 20 observations a year.
53 lights
A 1984 Hessdalen field investigation logged this many light observations in five weeks.
The investigation ran from 21 January to 26 February 1984 and recorded 53 light observations, per the Society for UAP Studies. An automatic measurement station followed in August 1998.
$22 million
The Defense Intelligence Agency gave Bigelow's company this much in 2008 for a UAP study program.
The Debrief reports the DIA funded the Advanced Aerospace Weapon System Applications Program (AAWSAP) in 2008, awarding $22 million to Bigelow Aerospace Advanced Space Studies. Investigators also visited Skinwalker Ranch.
38 reports
Bigelow's AAWSAP team of scientists produced this many reports before the program was defunded.
The Debrief says BAASS, with a team of scientists, generated 38 reports. AAWSAP was defunded in 2010, and AATIP was established in 2011 under Luis Elizondo.
$100 million
Breakthrough Listen, the biggest SETI effort, was announced in 2015 with this much funding.
Spaceflight Now reported Yuri Milner pledged $100 million to a 10-year campaign using the Green Bank and Parkes radio telescopes and the Automated Planet Finder at Lick Observatory.
2015-07-20 · Spaceflight Now (opens in a new tab)
1 million
Breakthrough Listen set out to survey this many of the closest stars to Earth.
Spaceflight Now reported the 10-year survey covers the one million closest stars to Earth, funded by a $100 million pledge announced in London on July 20, 2015.
2015-07-20 · Spaceflight Now (opens in a new tab)
9 months
NASA says its independent UAP study took this long.
NASA's UAP FAQ states the study took nine months. NASA also says it has not established a program to search for UAP, so there is no associated programmatic funding.
2023 · NASA (opens in a new tab)
19%
Of US academics surveyed, this share said they or someone they know had witnessed a UAP.
A survey of US academics found 19% (276 participants) reported they or someone they knew had witnessed UAP. 1,460 responded to a survey sent to 39,984, a 4% response rate, so self-selection may inflate results.
2023-05 · Phys.org (opens in a new tab)
64%
Of US academics surveyed, this share called academic involvement in UAP research very important or essential.
The Register reports 1,460 faculty at 144 major research universities responded. About 13 percent pointed to 'devices of unknown intelligence'. Nearly 40 percent declined to judge what UAP are.
2023-05 · The Register (opens in a new tab)
~850
Avi Loeb's team reports finding about this many spherules on the seafloor off Papua New Guinea.
The arXiv paper reports a towed-magnet seafloor survey, June 14-28, 2023, about 85 km north of Manus Island, yielding about 850 spherules 0.1 to 1.3 mm across. Their interstellar origin is disputed.
2023-06 · arXiv (opens in a new tab)
16 experts
NASA's independent UAP study team had this many members.
NASA's UAP FAQ says the independent study was run by sixteen members. NASA selected 16 individuals to participate in the team.
2023-09 · NASA (opens in a new tab)
36 pages
NASA's final report from its independent UAP study team ran this long.
CBS News called it the group's final 36-page report. NASA Administrator Bill Nelson said the team found no evidence UAP have an extraterrestrial origin, adding: 'But we don't know what these UAP are.'
2023-09-14 · CBS News (opens in a new tab)
757
The Pentagon's UAP office received this many new reports between May 2023 and June 2024.
NBC News reported 485 of the 757 reports concerned incidents in that period and 272 were from 2021-2022. The office had received 1,652 reports in total as of Oct. 24, 2024.
2024-11 · NBC News (opens in a new tab)
21 cases
Of the Pentagon's 2023-24 UAP reports, this many were said to merit further analysis for anomalous traits.
NBC News reported 21 cases described as meriting further analysis because of anomalous characteristics or behaviors. Another 444 cases lacked enough data and sit in an active archive.
2024-11 · NBC News (opens in a new tab)
6,470
The NASA Exoplanet Archive lists this many confirmed planets beyond our solar system.
The archive's homepage showed 6,470 confirmed planets, with its most recent data update dated 11/12/2026. The count rises as new planets are confirmed.
2026-11-12 · NASA Exoplanet Science Institute / Caltech IPAC (opens in a new tab)
11,193
Starlink satellites are in orbit right now, according to Jonathan McDowell.
McDowell's Starlink statistics page, updated 2026 Nov 13, lists 13,096 launched, 11,193 in orbit and 11,179 working. A 2024 arXiv paper documents pilots mistaking a Starlink train for a UAP.
2026-11-13 · Jonathan McDowell, Harvard-Smithsonian CfA (opens in a new tab)
Around the world
750
UFO sightings the UK Ministry of Defence logged in 1978, its highest recorded year
A briefing quoted by the National Archives names 1978, with 750 logged sightings, as higher than the 643 reports of 2009 and the 2000-2007 average of 150 a year.
208
UFO sighting reports the UK Ministry of Defence logged in 2008, double the usual rate
A briefing quoted in the National Archives guide says the MoD averaged 150 reports a year in 2000-2007. The figure doubled in 2008 to 208.
643
UFO reports the UK MoD logged in 2009 by November 30, the year its UFO desk closed
The National Archives says this was the second highest recorded by the MoD since 1978, when officials logged 750 sightings. The UFO desk closed in November 2009.
4,400
Pages in the 25 files of the UK MoD's tenth and final UFO file release in 2013
The National Archives says the final tranche of 25 files covered the final two years of the MoD UFO desk, from late 2007 until November 2009.
3,404
Cases in France's GEIPAN public database of unidentified aerospace phenomena
GEIPAN, part of the French space agency CNES, lists 3,404 cases on its statistics page, snapshot dated 10/11/2026. Category A (perfectly identified) is 955 cases, B 1,323, C 1,020 and D 106.
2026-11-10 · GEIPAN / CNES (France) (opens in a new tab)
106
GEIPAN cases still unidentified after investigation (category D)
GEIPAN classes 106 of 3,404 cases, 3.1 percent, as 'unidentified phenomenon (after investigation)'. A further 1,020 are unidentified for lack of data (category C).
2026-11-10 · GEIPAN / CNES (France) (opens in a new tab)
Search interest over time
Live charts from Google Trends. 100 is the busiest month for that search; the numbers are relative, not counts.
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