when scientists investigate

Some people sometimes think they see it in the sky. For others, UFOs are an ubiquitous invention. In France, the Geipan, the expert office based at the National Center for Space Studies, takes these observations very seriously. For more than 40 years, they have been carrying out investigations to determine the origin of these phenomena. These volunteer investigators, scientists by training, travel throughout France in contact with witnesses.

3% of cases remain unexplained

Only about ten cases per year require going into the field. The rest takes place partly in the confidential offices of Cnes engineers. Example with a mysterious luminous ball filmed in the sky of Montpellier (Hérault). With a simple air traffic tracing tool, the suspicion is quickly ended. That day, an airplane passed exactly above the witness, at the same minute as the appearance of the luminous ball. In total, nearly a hundred suspicious observations are processed each year. Most cases find a logical answer, but 3% remain unexplained.