Heads up, UFO hunters: If you want to catch sight of one in the US, your best bet is to head west or hop over to New England. Oh, and steer clear of the south. That’s according to a new scientific project that looked to understand the local environmental factors that determine the geographical distribution of their sightings across the continental US.
A pair of geographers – yes, actual academic geographers – and a researcher from the US Department of Defense shifted through data from the National UFO Research Center, totaling over 98,000 public sighting reports between 2001 to 2020.
Their musing produced a map that shows which parts of the US have the most sightings of UFOs, or unidentified anomalous phenomena () as they tend to be known today
The “hot spots” include most of the western states, including Washington, Oregon, Nevada, and Arizona, as well as large portions of Idaho, New Mexico, and Utah. Perhaps surprisingly, California has significant patches with relatively few UFO sightings. The researchers aren’t sure why, but they note it’s an interesting observation.
On the other side of the US, New England is another “hot spot”, particularly Vermont, New Hampshire, and Maine.
Meanwhile, the southern states are notable for their large amount of “cold spots,” especially in Louisiana, Mississippi, and Alabama.
The question is: why are some parts of the US more prone to sightings than others? The researchers believe it has little to do with extraterrestrials being picky about their traveling route. Instead, the “hot spots” seem to be associated with wide-open natural spaces and dark skies where people are likely to be gazing at the night sky.
Simultaneously, the researchers note that the “hot spots” are often near military bases and regions that have a cultural connection to UFOs.
“The idea is that if you have a chance to see something, then it’s more likely that you’re going to see unexplained phenomena in the sky,” Richard Medina, lead author of the study and associate professor of geography at the University of Utah, said in a .
“The West has a historical relationship to UAP – Area 51 in Nevada, Roswell in New Mexico and here in Utah we have Skinwalker Ranch in the Uinta Basin and military activity in the US Army Dugway Proving Ground. Plus, there’s a robust outdoor community that recreates in public lands year-round. People are out and looking skyward,” added Medina.
Unfortunately, none of this analysis sheds light on the nature of the sightings. Nevertheless, the study is another indication that UAP sightings are starting to be taken seriously by and military, not just tinfoil hat-wearing cranks
UAP sightings were once the domain of conspiracy theorists and sci-fi, but they have been reignited with a renewed sense of legitimacy following several high-profile sightings by the US military that have . While authorities still seem hesitant to discuss their exact nature, they are clearly feeling the need to better understand this mysterious phenomenon.
“The US government – the military, intelligence and civil agencies – needs to understand what is in the operating domains to ensure the safety and security of the nation and its people. Unknowns are unacceptable in this age of ubiquitous sensors and data availability. The scientific community has a responsibility to investigate and educate,” added Sean Kirkpatrick, first director of the All-domain Anomaly Resolution Office (AARO), adjunct assistant professor of physics at the University of Georgia and co-author of the study.
The new study was published in the journal .