Flying saucer research is no longer just the domain of the tin-foil hat crowd, as the federal government could soon be watching the skies.
What happened: A new report by the Office of the Chief Science Advisor of Canada, the nation’s top scientist, recommends that Canada establish a federal agency to monitor sightings of UFOs — or, as they’re called these days, unidentified aerial phenomena (UAP).
- The report also recommends making UAP records publicly available and creating better tools for reporting sightings, of which there could be as many as 1,000 per year in Canada.
- And, since we’re sure you’re wondering, the report didn’t look into whether or not aliens exist, holding firm that there’s currently no evidence for extraterrestrial life (bummer).
Why it matters: The report argues that centralizing UAP monitoring would have several benefits, like making rigorous scientific investigations of UAP sightings easier, creating more public trust around a conspiratorial topic, and enhancing national airspace security.
- Several countries have established such bodies for these above reasons, including the U.S., with the Pentagon’s UAP agency opening its doors in 2022.
Yes, but: It’s unclear if the feds will follow through. The Canadian Space Agency, the report’s preferred manager of a new UAP body, previously opposed the idea. And while public interest in UAPs is high, the desire to spend tax dollars on research is not.—QH