In recent months, new evidence of unidentified aerial phenomena (UAPs) \u2014 often called UFOs \u2014 has sparked renewed discussion about what\u2019s flying in our skies. Congress, military veterans, and oversight bodies are calling for more transparency and accountability.<\/p>\n
A video presented at a House Oversight hearing shows a Hellfire missile fired from a U.S. MQ-9 Reaper drone hitting an orb-shaped object off the coast of Yemen. The missile appears to strike the object, but the object survives, seemingly unchanged. CBS News<\/span><\/span><\/span><\/a><\/span><\/span><\/p>\n<\/li>\n Between May 2023 and June 2024, over 750 new UAP reports<\/strong> were logged by the U.S. government, many by military personnel. CBS News<\/span>+1<\/span><\/span><\/span><\/a><\/span><\/span><\/p>\n<\/li>\n Veterans who claim to have seen UAPs are testifying that they have faced retaliation, loss of security clearances, or career reprisals after reporting their sightings. DefenseScoop<\/span>+1<\/span><\/span><\/span><\/a><\/span><\/span><\/p>\n<\/li>\n There is growing concern from lawmakers about secrecy around government files and evidence related to UAPs. Oversight Task Forces are pushing for better disclosure laws and protections for whistleblowers.<\/p>\n Who controls or operates many of these objects (if they\u2019re man-made) or what their purpose is.<\/p>\n<\/li>\n Whether any of them pose an imminent threat to national security, though their survival of what should be damaging weapon strikes has raised alarm. CBS News<\/span><\/span><\/span><\/a><\/span><\/span><\/p>\n<\/li>\n Simply observing or reporting UAPs doesn\u2019t yet give enough data to conclude extraterrestrial origin \u2014 many sightings remain unexplained, but not proven alien.<\/p>\n<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n While some people immediately leap to theories of alien life, scientists and government entities are mostly sticking with the evidence: the physics, radar signatures, and pilot\/veteran reports. Many UAP incidents appear to challenge expectations of what our current human technology should be able to do. DefenseScoop<\/span><\/span><\/span><\/a><\/span><\/span><\/p>\nWhat We Still Don\u2019t Know<\/h3>\n
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Balancing Speculation and Evidence<\/h3>\n