Unidentified anomalous phenomena are events that cannot be immediately identified or explained, whether they occur in the air, at sea, or on land.
Unidentified anomalous phenomena, or UAP, is the modern official term often used for events that cannot be immediately identified or explained. In many official contexts, it replaces or broadens the older term UFO and can refer to objects or phenomena in the air, at sea, or on land.
In recent years, the subject has become an area of scientific and security-related investigation. The U.S. Department of Defense established AARO (All-domain Anomaly Resolution Office) to investigate reports of such phenomena. NASA published an independent report on the subject in 2023 and announced that it would appoint a dedicated research lead to coordinate future research.
According to NASA and AARO, many reports remain unresolved because of poor data quality, sensor limitations, or incomplete observations. Claims that the phenomena are extraterrestrial appear in public discussion, but the official reports mentioned here do not confirm them.
UAP stands for unidentified anomalous phenomena: events that cannot be immediately identified or explained.
UAP is a broader, modern term that can refer to objects or phenomena in the air, at sea, or on land. In many official contexts, it replaces or broadens the term UFO.
Claims of extraterrestrial origins appear in public discussion, but the official reports mentioned here do not confirm them.
According to NASA and AARO, reasons include limited data quality, sensor limitations, and incomplete observations.