There is no definitive proof that intelligent extraterrestrial beings exist, much less that they have ever landed on planet Earth.

So far, there is also no definitive proof that they don't exist or that they haven't dropped

by for a visit.

Whether or not that ever happens, though, our fascination with the mystery of it all is part

of our shared story as humans.

From KERA in Dallas, this is think.

I'm Chris Boyd.

Anomalies in the sky have always drawn our attention.

But the ways we talk about these things and try to explain what unidentified aerial phenomena are and what they mean,

those change according to the time and place we live in, the stories we've heard, and the people we trust.

Which is to say, UFO sightings may or may not reveal anything useful

about alien civilizations, but they can tell us a lot about our own. Greg Iggyzian is Professor of

History and Bioethics at Pennsylvania State University and author of After the Flying Saucers came,

a global history of the UFO phenomenon. Greg, welcome to think.

Thank you for having me on. We should note, I mean, most of us still refer to UFO's unidentified

flying objects. The term of art these days is UAP, unidentified aerial phenomenon. What was the reason

for the name change, and why do you think it's never quite caught on? Well, the reason for the name change and why do you think it's never quite caught on?

Well, the reason for the name change is very clear that when people in the government in 2020

were trying to refocus and reorient attention toward the UFO issue again, there was this very clear sense

on many people's part within the government that the UFO label had a stigma attached to it,

right? It was always associated with aliens and then with all the things that go with it, right?

And so the idea was, we need another

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