Prepare to journey beyond the stars this World UFO Day as we delve into the mysteries that have captivated humanity for decades. From the enigmatic crash in Roswell to the eerie lights over Rendlesham Forest, the skies have long been a canvas for the unexplained. Join us as we explore the most compelling UFO encounters and the shows that bring these otherworldly tales to life.
World UFO Day is celebrated annually on July 2nd to honour one of the most famous events in UFO lore, the Roswell incident. On this day in 1947, a mysterious object reportedly crashed on a ranch in Roswell, New Mexico, sparking intense speculation that it was an alien spacecraft. While the US military initially claimed it was a weather balloon, decades of conspiracy theories have kept the mystery alive. The date also closely follows June 24 1947, when pilot Kenneth Arnold reported seeing nine shiny discs in the skies near Mount Rainier in Washington State, travelling, he claimed, at around 2,000 km/h. This was the first widely reported UFO sighting in the United States, marking the start of a collective fascination with unidentified flying objects and little green men.
From amateur enthusiasts scanning the skies to high-level government investigations, UFOs have captured imaginations worldwide. Reports of unexplained aerial phenomena, alleged alien abductions, and secret files fuel ongoing debates. Yet despite decades of alleged and reported sightings and investigations, definitive proof of extraterrestrial visitors remains elusive. Governments have declassified certain UFO-related documents, but many remain locked away.
So whether they’re seen as misunderstood natural phenomena, evidence of advanced technology, or genuine alien encounters, UFOs continue to provoke questions about the unknown.
Are We Alone - The Most Famous UFO Sightings
Did a UFO crash land in Roswell? (Credit: David Zaitz via Getty Images)
UFO sightings have left a lasting mark on the public imagination, and there have been dozens over the years, all leaving a series of tantalising unanswered questions…
Roswell, New Mexico | 1947
This titan of UFO tales began when a rancher is said to have found debris near Roswell, prompting the Army to initially claim it recovered a flying disc. This was quickly retracted, stating it was a weather balloon. In the 1970s, new claims emerged about alien bodies being recovered. Decades later, the US Air Force said it was part of a secret programme using high-altitude balloons to detect Soviet nuclear tests. Nevertheless, Roswell became central to UFO conspiracy culture.
The Kelly-Hopkinsville Encounter, Kentucky | 1955
A rural Kentucky family claimed their farmhouse was besieged by goblin-like creatures from a hovering craft. The beings were shot at but seemed unaffected. The case involved police and the military, and it remains one of the most sensational ‘close encounter’ stories in UFO history, possibly inspiring depictions of ‘little green men.’
Betty & Barney Hill, New Hampshire | 1961
The Hills were driving at night when they noticed a light following their car. After supposedly experiencing two hours of lost time, they later underwent hypnosis, recalling vivid details, including grey beings, medical examinations, and being shown a star map, believed by some to be the Zeta Reticuli system. Sceptics attribute it to stress and dreams, but a 1969 book and subsequent media ensured it became the first widely publicised alien abduction story, setting the template for countless others.
Socorro Incident, New Mexico | 1964
Police officer Lonnie Zamora witnessed an egg-shaped craft and two small figures near Socorro. It left physical marks on the ground and burned vegetation. Investigated by Project Blue Book, it remains one of the most credible and intriguing cases in US history due to Zamora’s reliability and physical evidence, yet it remains unexplained.
The Westall Incident, Australia | 1966
More than 200 students and teachers at a Melbourne school witnessed a disc-shaped object land and take off from a nearby field in broad daylight. Several students said military personnel soon arrived, cordoned off the area, and warned witnesses to remain silent. Despite multiple witnesses, no official records were ever released, nor satisfactory explanation ever given, and the sighting remains a staple of Australian UFO history.
The WOW! Signal, Ohio | 1977
The Wow Signal was a radio signal from space and one of astronomy’s most enduring mysteries. Detected by the Big Ear telescope at Ohio University, this narrowband radio signal met all the criteria of intelligent extraterrestrial contact, prompting the astronomer who found it to scribble the single word that would be forever etched in the public consciousness: “WOW!”
The Rendlesham Forest Incident, UK | 1980
US military personnel from RAF Bentwaters and Woodbridge are said to have encountered a glowing metallic craft in Rendlesham Forest, near the twin bases. One airman reportedly touched it and recorded binary code sequences. Others saw lights, radiation levels were measured, and an official memo was released. It’s one of the most thoroughly documented UFO cases in the UK.
The Belgian UFO Wave, Belgium | 1989-90
Between November 1989 and March 1990, thousands reported seeing large, silent, triangular UFOs with bright lights over Belgium. On March 30 – 31 1990, military and civilian radar tracked these UFOs, and F-16 jets were scrambled but failed to intercept them. Hundreds of police reports and witness statements were filed, and the Belgian Air Force released extensive documentation, making this one of the most widely-covered UFO cases in history.
These cases, and others, including the Kecksburg Incident in Pennsylvania in 1965, the Phoenix Lights from 1997 – reportedly seen by Hollywood star Kurt Russell – and the Hessdalen Lights documented in Norway, continue to fuel debate and fascination about unexplained aerial phenomena and the possibility of extraterrestrial life.
But what are the best UFO shows on discovery+? You can check them all out here!
The Top 10 UFO Shows You Won’t Want To Miss
Travel deep into the heart of the UFO mystery on discovery+ (Credit: Jacob Wackerhausen via Getty Images)
Get ready to explore the extraordinary! Discovery’s UFO shows offer a front-row seat to the most compelling investigations and encounters ever captured on film. With gripping eyewitness accounts, expert analysis, and dramatic recreations, these shows take you deep into the heart of the UFO mystery. Whether you’re a seasoned enthusiast or a curious newcomer, Discovery’s line-up is packed with must-watch moments that will challenge your beliefs and ignite your imagination.
Alien Encounters: Fact or Fiction
Alien Encounters: Fact or Fiction takes viewers inside a bar in Roswell, New Mexico, where real people search for answers about their strange, unexplainable encounters with UFOs, including a musician who captures a strange object over a California highway, a woman claiming to have been abducted as a child who discovers a strange implant, and a man claiming to have never-seen-before footage from Area 51.
NASA’s Unexplained Files
This show presents firsthand accounts from NASA astronauts and scientists who have witnessed the mysterious, the impossible and the strange. Can these phenomena, including an ominous dark craft appearing below the Space Shuttle Endeavour, and unexplained flying objects caught on NASA cameras, be explained through science and detective work?
The Visitors
On Boxing Day 1985, author Whitley Strieber claimed to have been abducted by otherworldly beings, sparking a decades-long quest to prove we are not alone. For the first time in thirty years, Whitley returns to the remote cabin to find out if he can still make contact with the Visitors.
Alien Abduction: Travis Walton
In 1975, six men in the Apache-Sitgreaves National Forests in Arizona witnessed their crewmate’s abduction. The Travis Walton story became an international sensation and ripped apart a small town. Four decades later, shocking new evidence reveals the true story behind the 1993 film Fire in the Sky based on the alleged abduction.
Aliens in Alaska
Alaska is a hotbed for UFO sightings, abductions and extra-terrestrial encounters. Why are these otherworldly visitors drawn to America’s last frontier? New evidence and personal testimony from local witnesses shed light on the alien activity, including a woman who was visited by men in black after an eerie light show, a family who claimed to have been stalked by an extraterrestrial being, and after a night of snowmobiling, a man discovers a strange implant in his leg.
Expedition Unknown: Hunt for Extraterrestrials
Adventurer Josh Gates journeys through four continents on a mission to uncover evidence of extraterrestrial life. With advanced technology and access to top secret sites, he tackles one of mankind’s greatest questions. He visits Chile, Easter Island, the UK and Zimbabwe, and in the final episode, he claims to have uncovered shocking new evidence about the Roswell crash.
Jack Osborne’s Night of Terror: UFOs
Jack Osbourne brings friends Jason Mewes and Jamie Kennedy to the edge of the unknown in search of the truth about UFOs. They embark on an unflinching investigation to figure out if reports of unexplained aerial phenomena in Utah’s Uinta Basin are real.
The Strangest UFO Stories of All Time
These are some of the most incredible stories of aliens and UFOs from around the world. Experts, sceptics and individuals who have dedicated their lives to uncovering the truth about extraterrestrials, look at the fact behind the fiction. Are aliens running our daily lives? Have aliens invaded Scotland? Did aliens build the pyramids, and are vampire extraterrestrials rampaging through the jungles of Latin America?
Contact
An international task force explores whether extraterrestrials have made contact with humans. They use state-of-the-art analysis software to sift through evidence from around the world that could provide a definitive answer. Is there photographic evidence of a crashed UFO? Is there a link between UFOs and seismic activity in Mexico, and the team suggest aliens may have been with us for thousands of years.
Alien Encounters
What would really happen if humans got a message from space or discovered a spaceship was on its way to Earth? Some of the world’s leading astrophysicists, astrobiologists and sci-fi writers explore possible scenarios.
Check out these supernatural shows and lots more on discovery+!
