Third batch of declassified UFO files reveals sightings around the world were investigated
NBC News • • nation
Key Points:
- The Pentagon released a third batch of 72 vintage classified files on UFOs, dating from the 1940s to 2023, revealing government investigations into sightings worldwide by agencies including the CIA, FBI, and Department of Defense.
- The files include reports from the public, government memos, AI-generated images of a 2023 sighting, and historical documents, but do not provide definitive evidence of extraterrestrial technology or life.
- A 1952-53 CIA Scientific Advisory Panel concluded that UFOs posed no direct national security threat but recommended a policy of debunking sensationalist press coverage to reduce public intrigue.
- Some files reference unexplained phenomena such as beams of light and explosions, and correspondence involving notable figures like FBI Director J. Edgar Hoover and astronaut Gordon Cooper, who acknowledged unexplained sightings by credible witnesses.
- Despite decades of investigation, the government maintains that many cases remain unresolved, with no conclusive proof supporting the existence of alien technology or life, though the files continue to fuel public interest and speculation.