Are we alone? Is there extraterrestrial life out there? Those are two of the most common questions that lead people to question the existence of aliens.

One of the most popular conspiracy theories to date is aliens. Aliens are commonly referenced in pop culture as little green creatures that don’t speak any distinguishable language and come from a different planet. What many people do not realize is that there may be some actuality to this conspiracy. 

In the summer of 1947 in Roswell, New Mexico, a rancher discovered wreckage on his property that he believed to be from a UFO, or Unidentified Flying Object. This notion did not come out of thin air, there were other reports of people finding mysterious and unexplained wreckage that seemed to come from another world. 

After the discovery, the army released a statement that the mysterious object was a weather balloon. Later, in 1994, the Air Force released another statement announcing that this weather balloon was never a weather balloon at all. They essentially said that this story was bogus, and that the unidentified object was a spy device used for a classified project. 

Even though the case of Roswell seems open and shut, people do not believe this is 100% the truth. Because of the back and forth changing of the story, people are skeptical as to what the full truth is. 

In early 2021, the CIA released documents they’ve collected over the years, proving they have extensive knowledge on aliens and UFOs. The documents they released range from the 1940s to 1990s and talk about various UFO sightings all over the world. 

Another aspect of the alien conspiracy theory is the presence of Area 51. Located in Lincoln City, Nevada, the air base has found itself the center of this conspiracy. Because of the highly classified nature of Area 51, people were led to believe that this is where the government is hiding all their secret knowledge, and evidence, of alien life. 

Demanding answers on what is being kept behind closed doors in Area 51, a group of people decided to storm the base in September 2019. What started out as a joke posted on Facebook led to seven arrests due to trespassing the government facility. 

While the evolution of technology has led to many helpful advancements to society, it has also led to misinformation being spread like wildfire. When it comes to aliens, the biggest way information, or misinformation, is spread is through fake images posted on social media or the internet.

It is okay to question things. It is okay to consider a world of possibilities before learning the truth. That being said, maybe that mysterious thing you saw flying in the sky really was a weather balloon. Or that picture you saw online of an alien was completely fake. Whether or not it is the truth, there is some convincing evidence pointing to alien life. Regardless of the evidence, people will believe what they want to believe, even if it goes against the facts.