Unexplained Phenomena
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An unexplained phenomenon is an event or sighting that cannot be identified with certainty based on the available information. The term describes the limits of what we know; it does not, by itself, point to an unusual origin. Lights in the sky, for example, may come from aircraft, satellites, or optical and atmospheric phenomena.
Here you’ll find witness reports of unusual lights and objects, sensor records and videos, as well as articles and investigations into well-known cases. Reports and testimony can’t always be verified, so it’s important to distinguish what was seen or recorded from the explanation offered for it.
Everything we've published on Unexplained Phenomena
Common questions about Unexplained Phenomena
What Counts as an Unexplained Phenomenon?
It’s an event for which no definite explanation has been found based on the available information. The term doesn’t mean there is no explanation, only that no well-supported explanation has yet been identified.
Is an Unexplained Phenomenon Necessarily a UFO?
No. A UFO is an object or aerial phenomenon that has not been identified at the time of the sighting. It may later turn out to have a familiar explanation or to have been misidentified.
What Might Explain Unusual Lights in the Sky?
Possible explanations include aircraft, satellites, meteors, balloons, and optical or atmospheric phenomena. Without details such as location, time, weather, and high-quality documentation, it can be difficult to determine what was seen.
Does a Video of an Unusual Phenomenon Prove What Was Seen?
A video may provide information, but it doesn’t always reveal an object’s distance, size, or speed. The camera angle, image quality, and missing context can also make identification difficult.
What’s the Difference Between a Sighting and an Explanation for It?
A sighting describes what a witness saw or what appears in a recording; an explanation proposes what caused it. A detailed description is not, by itself, proof of any particular explanation.
