UFOs: Close Encounters of the National Security Kind

Why It Matters

Council on Foreign Relations

News

4.2 • 876 Ratings

🗓️ 27 March 2024

⏱️ 34 minutes

🔗️ Recording | iTunes | RSS

🧾️ Download transcript

Summary

Unidentified flying objects (UFOs) are real. And the truth about them is often hidden from the public, for reasons related to national security. That secrecy has fed conspiracy theories about the possibility of alien life on Earth, creating a stigma around the legitimate scientific search for life on other planets. Why are UFOs considered a defense concern? And does a defense framing of UFOs inhibit scientific research? Featured Guests Philippe Ailleris (Copernicus Programme Project Controller, European Space Agency) Shane Harris (Intelligence Correspondent, Washington Post) Kai-Uwe Schrogl (President, International Institute of Space Law) For an episode transcript and show notes, visit us at https://www.cfr.org/podcasts/ufos-close-encounters-national-security-kind

Transcript

Click on a timestamp to play from that location

0:00.0	Is it a bird? Is it a plane? Is it a UFO? We can't figure it out.
0:06.0	This latest wave of sightings from pilots could be just the beginning.
0:10.0	Any idea about that?
0:11.0	No, I do not. There are a lot more videos that are going to come out. I know this is going to happen. I know what it is.
0:18.0	A few were reaching out, saw these large bright lights in the skies over the strip in downtown.
0:24.6	John at this point US officials still can't say whether these objects belong to China or
0:29.6	some other government.
0:30.7	Oh my god they shot it down.
0:33.8	No way! If you're someone who likes to think about extraterrestrial life,
0:50.0	the last few years probably felt exhilarating.
0:54.0	Congressional hearings, declassified documents,
0:57.0	for a while there it seemed like we might finally hear the truth about
1:01.0	UFOs and aliens, but we didn't. So as it turns out the truth about
1:06.8	UFOs is out there and it does touch on government secrets and national security.
1:13.0	However, it's not what the believers have hoped for all these years.
1:17.0	I'm Gabrielle Sierra, and this is why it matters.
1:21.0	Today, the truth about UFOs, their role in national security, and the real
1:26.5	global search for alien life. UAP stands for unidentified anomalous phenomena, used to be called unidentified aerial phenomena.
1:44.7	Most people will know them as UFOs,
1:47.1	unidentified flying objects.
1:49.3	This is Shane Harris.
1:51.0	He's the Intelligence Correspondent for the Washington Post. He's covered national
	...

Please login to see the full transcript.

Previous episode | Next episode

Disclaimer: The podcast and artwork embedded on this page are from Council on Foreign Relations, and are the property of its owner and not affiliated with or endorsed by Tapesearch.

Generated transcripts are the property of Council on Foreign Relations and are distributed freely under the Fair Use doctrine. Transcripts generated by Tapesearch are not guaranteed to be accurate.