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The Serious Search for Alien Life

Farmer Trent's Flying Saucer. LIFE Magazine. 26 June, 1950
WikiCommons Public Domain
Farmer Trent's Flying Saucer. LIFE Magazine. 26 June, 1950

UFOs undoubtedly exist. After all, people have been seeing inexplicable things in the skies for centuries. So, if the truth is out there, what does the government know about it?

In a new book, the journalist and historian Garrett Graff examines the popular obsession with UFOs and the U.S. government’s search for extraterrestrial life. He locates ground zero as Roswell, New Mexico. It was there, in 1947, that a local rancher found either the wreckage of a flying saucer, as the military first declared, or a downed weather balloon, as officials later explained. It’s a moment, Graff says, that has fueled decades of conspiracy theories and mistrust of the government. He joins us to share what he’s learned about it all, and what the government is hiding from us.

Guest:

  • Garrett Graff | Journalist and historian. His latest book is “UFO: The Inside Story of the US Government's Search for Alien Life Here―and Out There.” [Amazon | Bookshop]

Airdate: Thursday, March 14, 2024, at 9 a.m. and Saturday March 16, at 11 a.m.

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