The majority of UFO sightings were in western US due to open spaces and dark skies.
Unexplained Aerial Phenomena (UAP), or UFOs, have long been spotted in the skies. While initial investigations yielded no conclusive evidence, a new study suggests a link between sighting locations and their surroundings.
Researchers examined over two decades of UAP reports, finding a higher frequency in areas with clear skies, minimal light pollution, and unobstructed views.
This correlation could be due to several factors, such as improved visibility, which allows for more unusual objects to be seen. The study highlights the importance of environmental factors when analysing UAP sightings.
Researchers at the University of Utah dove into UFO sightings, looking for a connection between where people see them and the surrounding environment. They analysed nearly 100,000 reports from the National UFO Research Centre, spanning 20 years (2001-2020). They considered two factors for each county in the continental US: how clear the view of the sky is (light pollution, clouds, trees) and how likely something might be up there (airports, military bases).
The results showed more sightings in the western US, likely due to the open spaces and darkness. Interestingly, hotspots for reports often coincided with areas with high air traffic or military presence. This suggests people might be seeing actual objects, just not understanding what they are.
"The idea is that if you have a chance to see something, then it's more likely that you're going to see unexplained phenomena in the sky," said Richard Medina, associate professor of geography at the University of Utah and lead author of the study. "There's more technology in the sky than ever before, so the question is: What are people actually seeing? It's a tough question to answer, and it is an important one because any uncertainty can be a potential threat to national security."
By taking the environment into account, researchers can better explain UFO sightings. This allows them to separate unusual objects that might be a real concern from things that are simply mistaken for alien spaceships due to surrounding factors.
The study was published in the journal Scientific Reports on December 14th, 2023.