UFOs: Fact or Fiction?

For me, the subject of the Unidentified Flying Object is one that gives me great interest. When thinking about the universe, and its apparent infinite space of nothingness with clusters of stars, planets and other shrapnel dotted around, I find it very hard to believe that the planet Earth is the only planet containing any form of life.

However, how valid, and how substantial is the evidence, or lack of evidence in supporting the many sightings of UFO's. These two points have led me to ask the question; UFO's; are the sightings real, or are there other explanations for these sightings? And does the science of UFO spotting suggest that they don't actually exist, and are just another myth in the contemporary world?

We all know that sightings of UFO's are commonplace; along with sightings of Big Foot and the Loch Ness Monster, but is the phenomenon of the UFO more than just a sighting of a mythical object, or is there more substance for the sighting of a UFO?

With hundreds upon thousands of websites (www.ufowatch.com and www.ufoinfo.com, a website that deals with links to UFO's and government conspiracy websites), it is plain to see that UFO sightings are big business in the world of conspiracy theories. However, the majority of sightings of UFOs, the existence of UFOs and extra-terrestrial beings and any activity played up as not being "part of this world" have been shot down, and declared as hoaxes.

Examples of these hoaxes have been explained as anything from doctored photographs (examples shown on www.thebiggestsecretpict.online.fr/ufo_et), and can be explained by the seemingly fragile nature of some people who claim to have witnessed UFOs, been abducted by them or are simply in contact with creatures from another world. This can be exemplified from an episode of Louis Theroux Weird Weekends, where Theroux spent a weekend with so called alien hunters (including a man who is a self confessed Lord Commander of the Earth Protectorate, and has killed over twenty aliens).

However, these websites and television programmes exploiting these people as potential "mad men" are there solely for people's entertainment; but other conspiracies and sightings can be explained as being deeper than half arsed evidence, mad man conspiracists or doctored photos.

I am, of course talking about Roswell, and rumours of alien life forms existing in secret government facilities (conspiracies that have been represented in films such as Men in Black and Independence Day).

Roswell has become the subject of modern day legend, with the "evidence" suggesting that there is, in fact, life in outer space, and that Earth is under threat from these extra-terrestrial beings. This is the view taken on the aptly named coverups.com website. The website links the Roswell incident with a major international cover up, with governments covering it up to stop a mass social and political dilemma.

There are people who think Roswell is a hoax; a conspiracy regarding the existence of extra terrestrial activity to cover up top secret US military projects. The New Mexicans for Science and Reason (www.nmsr.org/roswell) claim that the UFO and extra terrestrial being didn't come from outer space, but rather came from Alamogordo, New Mexico.

The website then goes on to suggest that the Roswell UFO wasn't a flying saucer, and that it was a top secret physics experiment conducted in Alamogordo, as a spy device to watch over the Soviets after the war (America's fear that the Soviets would get hold of "The Bomb"). It also goes on to suggest that the Roswell hoax has offered very little evidence to prove it, but is widely accepted as a modern day legend (a similar set of circumstances regarding most modern day conspiracies).

The case put forward by the New Mexicans for Science and Reason put forward a rather respectable case, with evidence to suggest that Roswell could indeed be a cover up for US military projects. However, many people do believe that the UFO and extra terrestrial being exist, and, like all good conspiracies, don't need much supporting evidence to believe it.

If you ask what I believe; I'm unsure. The NMSR put a good case forward, with much evidence to suggest that the Roswell conspiracy can be explained. The evidence is believable, and seems rational. However, I like a good conspiracy, and like all good conspiracies, no matter how much evidence there is, there is still the belief that the Roswell incident is very real, and gives people something to believe in.

So, UFOs, are they just the thing of modern myth, or is there something deeper that can suggest that we are not alone? I am going to leave the jury out on this one. I think the belief in UFOs depends on the person. Although most (if not all) sightings, abductions and communications have logical explanations behind them, you can't beat a good conspiracy, and people are going to believe in them no matter what scientists and the like say.