This is a list of extraterrestrial beings that have been reported in close encounters, claimed or speculated to be associated with unidentified flying objects (UFOs) (not to be confused with the meaning of the term "alien species" in the biological science of ecology). [1]
Flatwoods monster [2] [3] | Tall humanoid with a spade-shaped head. [2] |
Greys [4] [5]
| Grey-skinned (sometimes green-skinned) humanoids, usually 1 m (3.3 ft) tall, hairless, with large heads, black almond-shaped eyes, nostrils without a nose, slits for mouths, no ears and 3–4 fingers including thumb. Greys have been the predominant extraterrestrial beings of alleged alien contact since the 1960s. [5] |
Hopkinsville goblin [6] [7] [8] | Small, greenish-silver humanoids. [9] |
Little green men [10] | Diminutive green humanoids. Even though a few abductions have referred to green skin, no report has ever involved anything that would fit the classic cultural stereotype of "little green men". They are included here only for cultural reference. [10] |
Nordic aliens [11] [12] | Humanoids with stereotypical "Nordic features" (tall, blonde hair, blue eyes) and which have featured in several cases of contact. |
Cryptozoological animals and cryptobotanical plants, including those from folklore, religion (e.g. golem), mythology (e.g. dwarf (see also dwarfism); giants from Atlantis (see also gigantism), etc.), and some reports of ghosts, poltergeists, and time travellers (alleged)
| Some claim that many of the allegedly real creatures from the Fortean archives (see also: Fortean Times and William R. Corliss) and related reports of anomalous phenomena [18] are actually of extraterrestrial or mixed origin, such as in the extraterrestrial hypothesis, the interdimensional hypothesis, or the cryptoterrestrial hypothesis. Sometimes these creatures are associated with the occult or with esotericism, or linked with supernatural or paranormal phenomena. Others dismiss these explanations in favor of skepticism, cultural tracking, or the psychosocial hypothesis such as in cases of mass hysteria. Some of these alleged encounters have turned out to be hoaxes or scams to boost local tourism, sell more newspapers or more fringe science books. |
Reptilians and reptiloids (sometimes spelled as reptillians) [19]
| Tall, scaly humanoids. Reptilian humanoid beings date back at least as far as Ancient Egypt, with the crocodile-headed river god Sobek. The reptilian conspiracy theory has been advocated by David Icke. |
Rods [20] or skyfish | Elongated visual artifacts appearing in photos and video recordings, sometimes claimed to be extraterrestrial beings. Generally thought to be caused by motion blur from flying insects. |
An unidentified flying object (UFO), or unidentified anomalous phenomenon (UAP), is any perceived airborne, submerged or transmedium phenomenon that cannot be immediately identified or explained. Upon investigation, most UFOs are identified as known objects or atmospheric phenomena, while a small number remain unexplained.
In ufology, a close encounter is an event in which a person witnesses an unidentified flying object (UFO) at relatively close range, where the possibility of mis-identification is presumably greatly reduced. This terminology and the system of classification behind it were first suggested in astronomer and UFO researcher J. Allen Hynek's book The UFO Experience: A Scientific Inquiry (1972). Categories beyond Hynek's original three have been added by others but have not gained universal acceptance, mainly because they lack the scientific rigor that Hynek aimed to bring to ufology.
Grey aliens, also referred to as Zeta Reticulans, Roswell Greys or Greys, are purported extraterrestrial beings. They are frequent subjects of close encounters and alien abduction claims. The details of such claims vary widely. That said, Greys are typically described as being human-like with small bodies, smooth, grey-colored skin; enlarged, hairless heads; and large, black eyes. The Barney and Betty Hill abduction claim, which purportedly took place in New Hampshire in 1961, popularized Grey aliens. Precursor figures have been described in science fiction and similar descriptions appeared in early accounts of the 1948 Aztec UFO hoax and later accounts of the 1947 Roswell UFO incident.
Ufology, sometimes written UFOlogy, is the investigation of unidentified flying objects (UFOs) by people who believe that they may be of extraordinary origins. While there are instances of government, private, and fringe science investigations of UFOs, ufology is generally regarded by skeptics and science educators as an example of pseudoscience.
The extraterrestrial hypothesis (ETH) proposes that some unidentified flying objects (UFOs) are best explained as being physical spacecraft occupied by extraterrestrial intelligence or non-human aliens, or non-occupied alien probes from other planets visiting Earth.
Elliot Budd Hopkins was an American artist, author, and ufologist. He was a prominent figure in alien abduction phenomena and related UFO research.
In ufology, the psychosocial hypothesis, abbreviated PSH, argues that at least some UFO reports are best explained by psychological or social means. It is often contrasted with the better-known extraterrestrial hypothesis (ETH), and is particularly popular among UFO researchers in the United Kingdom, such as David Clarke, Hilary Evans, the editors of Magonia magazine, and many of the contributors to Fortean Times magazine. It has also been popular in France since the publication in 1977 of a book written by Michel Monnerie, Et si les ovnis n'existaient pas?.
Eduard Albert Meier, commonly nicknamed "Billy", is the founder of a UFO religion called the "Freie Interessengemeinschaft für Grenz- und Geisteswissenschaften und Ufologiestudien" and alleged contactee whose UFO photographs are claimed to show alien spacecraft. Meier claims to be in regular contact with extraterrestrial beings he calls the Plejaren. He also presented other material during the 1970s such as metal samples, sound recordings and film footage. Meier claims to be the seventh reincarnation after six prophets common to Judaism, Christianity, and Islam: Enoch, Elijah, Isaiah, Jeremiah, Immanuel (Jesus), and Muhammad.
Jacques Fabrice Vallée is an Internet pioneer, computer scientist, venture capitalist, author, ufologist and astronomer currently residing in San Francisco, California and Paris, France.
Philip Julian Klass was an American aviation/aerospace journalist and UFO researcher, best known for his skepticism regarding UFOs. In the ufological and skeptical communities, Klass inspires polarized appraisals. He has been called the "Sherlock Holmes of UFOlogy". Klass demonstrated "the crusader's zeal for what seems 'right,' regardless of whether it brings popular acclaim," a trait he claimed his father instilled in him. "I've found," said Klass, "that roughly 97, 98 percent of the people who report seeing UFOs are fundamentally intelligent, honest people who have seen something—usually at night, in darkness—that is unfamiliar, that they cannot explain." The rest, he said, were frauds.
The National Investigations Committee On Aerial Phenomena (NICAP) is an unidentified flying object (UFO) research group most active in the United States from the 1950s to the 1980s. It remains active primarily as an informational depository on the UFO phenomenon.
Jerome Clark is an American writer, specializing in unidentified flying objects and other paranormal subjects. He has appeared on ABC News Special Report, Unsolved Mysteries, Sightings and the A&E Network discussing UFOs and other oddities. Clark is also a country and folk music songwriter.
Perspectives on the abduction phenomenon are explanations that are intended to explain claims of abduction and examination by apparently otherworldly beings. The main differences between these perspectives lie in the credence ascribed to the claims. Perspectives range from the assertion that all abductions are hoaxes to the belief that the claims are of objective happenings and separate from the consciousness of the claimants.
Robert Allen Baker Jr. was an American psychologist, professor of psychology emeritus of the University of Kentucky, skeptic, author, and investigator of ghosts, UFO abductions, lake monsters and other paranormal phenomena. He is the editor of Psychology in the Wry, a collection of satire, and was formerly the co-editor of Approaches, a quarterly journal of contemporary poetry. His satirical and humorous verses have appeared in Vogue, Saturday Review, The Journal of Irreproducible Results, Worm-Runners' Digest, and other journals. He wrote 15 books and is a past fellow of the Committee for Skeptical Inquiry.
The interdimensional hypothesis is a proposal that unidentified flying object (UFO) sightings are the result of experiencing other "dimensions" that coexist separately alongside our own in contrast with either the extraterrestrial hypothesis that suggests UFO sightings are caused by visitations from outside the Earth or the psychosocial hypothesis that argues UFO sightings are best explained as psychological or social phenomenon.
Mac Tonnies was an American author and blogger whose work focused on futurology, transhumanism and paranormal topics.
Reptilians are supposed reptilian humanoids, which play a prominent role in fantasy, science fiction, ufology, and conspiracy theories. The idea of reptilians was popularised by David Icke, an anti-semitic conspiracy theorist who claims shapeshifting reptilian aliens control Earth by taking on human form and gaining political power to manipulate human societies. Icke has stated on multiple occasions that many world leaders are, or are possessed by, so-called reptilians.
The following outline is provided as an overview of and topical guide to extraterrestrial life:
The cryptoterrestrial hypothesis, also referred to as intraterrestrial, or inner-earth, proposes that unidentified flying objects are a sign of a technologically advanced population living on Earth alongside humans. The idea has been around since the beginning of the 20th century, was associated with the Shaver mystery and Walter Siegmeister, and underwent several reformulations, most notoriously by American journalist John Keel, French scientist and ufologist Jacques Vallée and American novelist and blogger Mac Tonnies. It is often associated with the concept of a Hollow Earth and the Silurian hypothesis, however the three are not equivalent and other theories have been put forth to account for the UFOs’ nature and origin within this framework.
Non-native organisms that become established in a new environment.
The 'monster' reportedly had a 'man-like shape' and stood some ten feet tall, although Barker (1953) noted that 'descriptions from the waist down are vague; most of the seven said this part of the figure was not under view.'
The '[G]ray' is about four feet high, with a slender body and neck, a large head, and huge, black, slanted, almond-shaped eyes. Grays usually have no hair and often only three fingers on each hand. There are two vastly different types of so called "greys" both from the Zeta Reticulan star system. The Hollywood "grays" are the typical on seen in pop culture, however, they should not be confused with the slightly taller greyish blue NHI known as Ebens. The difference in the them is that the greys are not biologically born. They are engineered, augmented, created and controlled by their creators and other sentient beings. The Ebens are biological entities as we know them on earth. Meaning they are conceived and born biologically. Greys are often considered emotionally "stunted" where as Ebens are empathetic and sympathetic like most mammals.
[Green] was apparently later injected by the national media, although 'Lucky' Sutton's son now says his father described them as 'silver' with 'a greenish silver glow'...
Icke, ... is now today's most (in)famous proponent of what we are calling the 'Reptoid Hypothesis'—the idea that alien lizards conspiratorially control the Earth and with it human destiny.