A Preliminary Analysis of Historical UFO Report Data

Abstract

Analysis of over 90,000 reports from the National UFO Reporting Center (NUFORC) database offers preliminary answers to several key questions regarding unidentified flying objects/aerial phenomena (UFO/UAP). Report statistics over the past eighty years indicate the UFO phenomenon is growing at an exponential rate in the United States. Breaking down the statistics by state reveals a strong correlation between the number of sightings in a state and its population density, suggesting UFOs appear more frequently in populated areas. Statistics also show that the frequency of different shape observables has changed over time (e.g., from disks to triangles), indicating the phenomenon has and may continue to evolve.