Ten facts about UFOs and aliens

Is there anybody out there?

Are we alone in the universe?

My short story, 'We Come In Peace', features the main character experiencing an alien encounter, so I should probably feature more posts on my blog related to ufology. However, to make up for lost time here's a list of ten facts about UFOs and aliens.

1) Studies have shown that the majority of UFO sightings are regular objects found on Earth or explainable phenomena, such as aircraft, noctilucent clouds, balloons, meteors, or in some cases deliberate hoaxes.


2) However, between 5 to 20% of UFO sightings remain unexplained.


3) One in seven Americans claim that either themselves or someone they know has had an encounter with a UFO.


4) No satellites or radars have ever detected a UFO entering Earth's atmosphere. It should be noted, however, that the aliens in my early scifi books had 'stealth systems' fitted to their spaceship, so perhaps if a UFO did enter the Earth's atmosphere we wouldn't be able to detect it anyway.


5) Approximately 40,500 searches are made on Google every month for the search term 'UFO'.


6) A survey conducted by The Center for Survey and Research Analysis at the University of Connecticut found that 60% of people believe that life exists elsewhere in the galaxy.


7) In 2011 the Mutual UFO Network (MUFON) received an average of 500 reported UFO sightings per month.

An alien encounter, pictured yesterday.

8) More men than women believe in the existence of alien abductions.


9) When Orson Welles’ radio show The War of the Worlds was broadcast in the 1930s, it was so realistic that many listeners thought America had actually been invaded by aliens.


10) In 2000 one ambitious punter placed a £10 bet with William Hill that a UFO would land on the Millennium Dome in London at odds of 50,000/1.*

* For the record, it proved to be a losing bet.

Other blog posts with an alien theme can be found below:
Ten quotes about aliens and UFOs
Random thoughts on aliens