Â鶹´«Ã½AV

skip to main content
The Short Answer
Do Americans Believe in UFOs?
The Short Answer

Do Americans Believe in UFOs?

Editor's Note: This article was updated on Aug. 20, 2021, with Â鶹´«Ã½AV's latest data pertaining to Americans' views on UFOs.

WASHINGTON, D.C. -- Four in 10 Americans now think some UFOs that people have spotted have been alien spacecraft visiting Earth from other planets or galaxies. This is up from a third saying so two years ago. Half, however, believe all such sightings can be explained by human activity or natural phenomena, while an additional 9% are unsure.

Americans' Views on Explanation for UFOs
We have a question about unidentified flying objects, also known as UFOs. Which comes closer to your view -- [some UFOs have been alien spacecraft visiting Earth from other planets or galaxies, (or) all UFO sightings can be explained by human activity on Earth or natural phenomenon]?
  Aug 1-14, 2019 Jul 6-21, 2021 Change
  % % pct. pts.
Some have been alien spacecraft 33 41 +8
All explained by human activity/natural phenomenon 60 50 -10
No opinion 7 9 +2
Â鶹´«Ã½AV

These findings are based on a Â鶹´«Ã½AV poll conducted in July 2021.

While Americans are still inclined to think UFOs are not alien spacecraft, close to half believe alien life forms exist beyond Earth. A June 2019 poll found 49% of Americans believing there are "people somewhat like ourselves" living on other planets. A much larger percentage, 75%, said that "life of some form" exists elsewhere in the universe.

Learn more about U.S. public belief in UFOs in Â鶹´«Ã½AV's 2021 article, "Larger Minority in U.S. Says Some UFOs Are Alien Spacecraft."

For more articles in the "Short Answer" series, visit Â鶹´«Ã½AV's The Short Answer page.


Â鶹´«Ã½AV /poll/350096/americans-believe-ufos.aspx
Â鶹´«Ã½AV World Headquarters, 901 F Street, Washington, D.C., 20001, U.S.A
+1 202.715.3030