Buzz
The idea is intriguing! We’d love to imagine that there’s some form of extraterrestrial life out there in the expansive universe. And we hope, if they ever make contact with Earth, it’s for peaceful purposes (or at the very least, peaceful coexistence). We definitely don't want to reenact scenes from Independence Day anytime soon. But the idea of alien life beyond our planet leads us to wonder: Have extraterrestrials been visiting us for longer than just the past few decades?
If alien technology is truly as advanced as those who claim to see UFOs believe, wouldn't it follow that these extraterrestrial beings have possessed it far longer than just a few decades? After all, these futuristic ships and flying saucers couldn't have been created in the 1940s and just flown over Roswell, could they? This, my friends, is exactly the premise of today's list!
In this revealing countdown, we’ll explore various groups of people who’ve reported seeing aliens or other unidentified flying objects long before they became the focus of modern pop culture—or even before awareness of them spread through the internet like it does today. In some cases, these sightings occurred centuries ago! Here are their eerie and unsettling stories…
10. Nuremberg (1561)
In the early hours of April 14, 1561, a large number of people in Nuremberg (then a Free Imperial City within the Holy Roman Empire) witnessed what they described as an aerial conflict unfolding in the sky. A broadsheet published at the time captured the event, detailing how hundreds of different spheres appeared to be flying through the sky, with some even falling to Earth amid clouds of smoke.
Numerous witnesses reported seeing hundreds of spheres flying erratically across the sky. Among them was a particularly large black triangular object, which seemed to be the most prominent and noteworthy sight of all. Some witnesses described the phenomenon as an aerial battle coming 'out of the sun' and were captivated by the strange sight above them.
Ever since that day, UFO researchers have argued that the 1561 sighting over Nuremberg may have been a case where an entire city witnessed a battle between alien spacecraft. According to this theory, two opposing factions were supposedly fighting each other in the skies. If true, this would be one of the most significant and remarkable UFO sightings ever documented. However, skeptics remain unconvinced.
Scientists suggest that the residents of Nuremberg most likely witnessed a rare and peculiar, yet entirely natural, solar phenomenon. The prevailing theory is that they saw what is now known as a 'sun dog,' which occurs when sunlight refracts off ice crystals in the atmosphere, creating bright spots of light on one or both sides of the sun. Such phenomena typically occur when the sun is close to the horizon—like right after dawn.
9. Basel (1566)
On the mornings of July 27 and 28, 1566, and again just under two weeks later on August 7, the residents of Basel, Switzerland, received quite an astonishing wake-up call. Shortly after sunrise, many of the locals reported witnessing a series of unusual celestial events. The first was a peculiar sunrise, followed by a total lunar eclipse. Certainly a strange occurrence, but not necessarily the work of aliens, right?
The second event was even stranger: the sun rose with a red hue. This phenomenon is commonly seen over the ocean (as the old saying goes, 'Red sky at night, sailor’s delight; red sky at morning, sailor take warning'). However, in the landlocked city of Basel, a red sun was viewed as an ominous sign or perhaps a celestial illusion. Then, on the third morning, an unusual cloud of red and black spheres or orbs was seen drifting across the sky, obscuring parts of the sun as it rose.
The third morning's event has baffled ufologists the most. They argue that Basel, much like Nuremberg before it, was the site of an alien sky battle, unintentionally witnessed by the town's residents. Unsurprisingly, the people of Basel at the time believed the event had religious significance, interpreting it through a faith-based lens.
Pamphlets and broadsheets that documented the event took this religious perspective, as the idea of extraterrestrials and flying saucers would have been completely foreign to the average person in 16th-century Basel. But perhaps that’s exactly what happened—just like Nuremberg—a grand sky battle as part of an alien conflict!
8. Morocco Swarm (1952)
During the summer of 1952, residents across various regions of Morocco reported seeing strange lights and orbs in the sky. The sightings began on the night of July 16 over the city of Marrakech, when, around 9:00 pm local time, 'many people' witnessed a large, glowing disc flying horizontally through the sky.
Eyewitnesses described the object as having a 'leaping and bounding motion' as it moved. Soon after, a second disc appeared. Both discs hovered in the sky together for about a minute before they flew off into the night and were never seen again.
The second sighting took place on August 2, 1952, around 8:45 pm local time. This time, over the town of Moulay Bousselham in French Morocco, a flashing object was observed. It was described as having a red center with a blue rim, traveling 'very rapidly' from southeast to northwest. The object was visible for only about 20 seconds before vanishing over the horizon.
Moroccans weren’t the only ones reporting UFO sightings in the summer of 1952. On August 12, an Algerian train conductor saw a ball of fire appear suddenly against a cloudy nighttime sky. The fireball raced from east to west across the clouds, leaving behind a 'luminous pink trail.' Oddly, the ball stopped, grew in size, turned a brighter red, and then exploded—without any accompanying sound. So, what exactly happened?
Throughout the remainder of August, other saucer-shaped objects were spotted at various locations over northern Morocco and southern Spain. Locals continued reporting these flying objects to the authorities in both countries. The sightings continued until the end of September 1952, when a 'tourist plane' pilot flying over Casablanca and Tangier reported seeing flying saucers near his aircraft. The CIA documented the sightings, but the events have never been publicly explained.
7. Ezekiel (6th Century BC)
Did Ezekiel encounter extraterrestrials? And was this event recorded in the Bible? The Book of Ezekiel is well-known among Christians and religious scholars for describing Ezekiel’s supposed encounter with beings that had four faces, as well as visions of a 'wheel within a wheel.'
The devout among us interpret this as Ezekiel witnessing a vision of God. However, skeptics and ufologists argue that Ezekiel may have actually seen aliens, and that what he describes in the Bible could very well be an account of an extraterrestrial encounter. Could that be the case? Could the Bible have been an early platform for those who believed in UFOs (even if they didn't have that label back then)?
In the narrative, Ezekiel was a captive during the Babylonian conquest in 606 BC. While on the Chebar River, the 'heavens were opened,' and Ezekiel claimed to have 'seen visions of God.' Specifically, he described seeing four living creatures with human-like bodies, but each possessing four faces: a lion, an ox, an eagle, and a man.
Their feet resembled those of calves, and each had four wings—two that covered their bodies and two that stretched upward into the sky. To make it even more bizarre, they moved amidst flashes of lightning. Because, really, if you're going to sport four faces, why not go all in and add a little flair with some lightning?
Beneath each of those four creatures, Ezekiel observed four wheels. These wheels were constructed in such a manner that Ezekiel described them as 'a wheel within a wheel.' The wheels could move in all four directions without turning. Furthermore, the rims of the wheels were reportedly 'full of eyes.' Above all this, there sat a single figure—or a figure with the 'appearance of a man,' according to Ezekiel—surrounded by fire and an almost blinding light. This, according to Ezekiel, was God.
But who were those beings with four faces and wheels covered in eyes? Were they angels? Aliens? Could Ezekiel have been the first to document a UFO sighting? We may never know, but one thing is certain: ufologists and skeptics will likely continue to debate this with devout Christians for as long as the groups exist!
6. England (1066)
In 1066, Halley’s Comet was visible across England. Its appearance was considered a troubling omen, especially as King Harold II soon perished at the Battle of Hastings, and William the Conqueror swiftly took the English throne. People a thousand years ago didn’t have the conceptual framework for alien spacecraft and such phenomena.
Many contemporary witnesses were quite certain that what they were seeing in the sky was some kind of comet or a related celestial event. However, the timing of its appearance—right before the Norman Invasion and the Battle of Hastings—greatly influenced how the English people interpreted these events.
A chronicler from the period, William of Malmesbury, recorded how Eilmer of Malmesbury witnessed the comet both in 989 and again in 1066 in The Anglo Saxon Chronicle. Sensing significance in both sightings, William noted that the second appearance, in particular, was a sign that times were shifting and the world, as it was known, was coming to an end:
“Not long after, a comet, portending (they say) a change in governments, appeared, trailing its long flaming hair through the empty sky: concerning which there was a fine saying of a monk of our monastery called Æthelmær. Crouching in terror at the sight of the gleaming star, ‘You’ve come, have you?’ he said. ‘You’ve come, you source of tears to many mothers. It is long since I saw you; but as I see you now you are much more terrible, for I see you brandishing the downfall of my country.’”
What must it have been like back then? To witness the 'terror' of the 'gleaming star' that was seen as a 'source of tears to many mothers'? And worse, to have no scientific explanation at all, with the rudimentary knowledge available to them at the time?
For what it’s worth, the 1066 sighting of what would later be known as Halley’s Comet was immortalized in the Bayeux Tapestry. This marked the first-ever known depiction of the comet in history. Its appearance, coinciding with the Norman Invasion of England and William the Conqueror’s march, left many locals feeling that the supernatural and the surreal had descended upon their world.
5. Alexander the Great (329 BC)
While on his mission to conquer the world, Alexander the Great and his army reportedly encountered extraterrestrial phenomena. At least, that’s what some interpretations of ancient texts suggest. One of the most well-known incidents took place in 329 BC, during Alexander’s campaign in the east.
At one point, as they prepared to cross the Indus River and confront a force of Indian soldiers, Alexander and his men witnessed something extraordinary: two 'great shining silvery shields spitting fire around the rims.' It certainly sounds like the description of flying saucers, doesn’t it?
The two shields then began to dive-bomb Alexander’s army. The war elephants, horses, and soldiers were thrown into a panic, with many of them refusing to cross the river after seeing the strange, saucer-like objects. Just as quickly as they appeared, the ‘flying shields’ vanished into the sky, leaving the witnesses stunned at how rapidly they disappeared. Strange, right?
And that wasn’t the only UFO encounter Alexander’s army experienced. Seven years later, while attacking a Venetian city on the eastern Mediterranean coast, the troops saw two large, unidentified objects fly into the sky again. One of them reportedly shot a beam of light that reduced a city wall to dust. As quickly as they arrived, the objects vanished, and Alexander’s men used the collapsed wall to easily take the city.
Of course, these alleged encounters are highly skeptical and likely considered apocryphal by historians. But what if they weren’t just legends? What if Alexander truly encountered aliens?
4. The Great Airship Wave (1896–1897)
A mysterious phenomenon swept across the United States between late 1896 and 1897, with numerous reports of sightings of airships and dirigible-like flying objects. The sightings started in northern California and expanded throughout the year to the eastern seaboard and into the Midwest. To this day, the true nature of these objects and why so many people witnessed them remains unexplained.
The wave began in 1896 in Stockton and spread to various cities in California, where locals reported seeing slow-moving flying objects in the sky. While most sightings were confined to northern California, others were reported along the Pacific Coast, extending into Oregon, Washington, and even British Columbia. Although newspapers reported heavily on these incidents, authorities had no explanation, and eventually, the sightings dwindled.
Then, in 1897, a new series of sightings emerged across the Midwest and East Coast. Similar reports of large, slow-moving dirigible-like objects were seen across regions from Arkansas and Texas to Michigan, Ohio, and even along the Atlantic coast.
Some witnesses even claimed to have seen humanoid figures inside the objects, suggesting that humans or human-like creatures were piloting them. Between the two waves of sightings, thousands of reports were recorded, with newspapers extensively covering the strange events.
Hundreds of thousands of people are believed to have witnessed these strange airships. Over time, they have been interpreted as various natural or weather phenomena related to sunlight, clouds, or atmospheric conditions. However, many remain convinced that what they saw was something far more ominous, like alien spacecraft or perhaps early military aircraft experiments. The sightings of 1896 and 1897 continue to defy any concrete explanation.
3. The Aurora Incident (1897)
On April 19, 1897, S.E. Haydon, a journalist for the *Dallas Morning News*, published a sensational story about a supposed UFO crash in the small town of Aurora, Texas. According to Haydon's account, an alien spacecraft reportedly collided with a windmill on the property of a local man named J.S. Proctor, around 6:00 am local time, two days prior.
The pilot of this alleged alien craft was described as being 'not of this world,' and was said to be a 'Martian,' according to Haydon’s story. He cited an Army Signal Service officer, T.J. Weems, who was stationed at a nearby fort in Fort Worth, as the individual who supposedly encountered the alien and remarked on its unearthly appearance.
In an even more bizarre twist, the residents of Aurora are said to have buried the alien and destroyed its craft. Rather than allowing government officials to investigate, they supposedly gave the alien a burial 'with Christian rites' in the Aurora Cemetery. The wreckage of the supposed spacecraft was allegedly disposed of in a well located beneath the damaged windmill. And that, it seems, was the end of the strange encounter.
In 1935, Brawley Oates, a local man, bought the property once owned by J.S. Proctor and decided to clean out the old well. As he worked to remove debris and repurpose the well, he supposedly stumbled upon parts of the alien spacecraft from four decades earlier. Shortly thereafter, Oates reportedly developed a severe case of arthritis. Could the remnants of the otherworldly craft have cursed him with some lingering, mysterious ailment? The question remains unanswered.
Sadly, the truth behind the story is less fantastical. Years after the tale of Haydon’s report and Oates’s arthritis, some long-time residents of Aurora came forward with the truth. In 1980, an 86-year-old woman claimed that Haydon had fabricated the entire story as a prank to draw attention to a town that had been bypassed by the railroad. It seems the prank worked, but not in the way he intended.
The town of Aurora, already in decline, had hoped the story would help revive interest in the area. However, despite Haydon’s efforts, the town’s population still hovers just above 1,000 today. While it didn’t spark a revival, the tale has certainly brought curious ufologists to investigate the place and the mystery behind the old tale.
2. The Bonilla Observation (1883)
On August 12, 1883, while preparing his telescope to study the solar system, Mexican astronomer Jose Bonilla noticed something strange: several small objects were obscuring the sun. Intrigued and concerned, Bonilla decided to investigate further, marking the beginning of an unusual observation that would soon captivate his attention.
Over the course of the next 48 hours, Bonilla used a Collodion process to capture nearly 500 remarkably detailed ink photographs of the strange objects as they moved across the face of the sun. Despite never being able to identify them—and still not being able to do so today—Bonilla is credited with capturing the very first images of what might be considered UFOs in human history. A historic achievement, indeed!
As for Bonilla’s own interpretation of the phenomena, he suspected the objects might have been nothing more than a group of high-flying geese that just so happened to cross his line of sight as he viewed the sun. However, modern astronomers have offered a different theory: the objects weren’t UFOs at all, but rather fragments of a nearby comet that was actively disintegrating. Some even speculate that this comet may have been on a collision course with Earth, only narrowly missing the planet by a few hundred miles.
It’s possible that Bonilla inadvertently captured what could have been the end of life on Earth. If that had been the case, we’re just lucky that the comet passed us by. After all, had it hit, we probably wouldn’t be around today to share this story with you!
1. Gangwon, Korea (1609)
On September 22, 1609, sightings of unidentified flying objects were reported in three separate areas across the Gangwon Province of Korea. The strange occurrences began in the morning, between 9-11 am, in Goseong, part of the Wonju region. Witnesses there described seeing an object resembling a 'halo' or a basin-like shape floating in the sky. These sightings continued in Chuncheon County between 11 am and 1 pm, with reports of similar phenomena.
In the afternoon, sometime after 1 pm, a distinguished Korean official named Mun-wi Kim reported witnessing a UFO flying over Yangyang County. These sightings were taken with great seriousness, so much so that they were included in Korea’s official historical records. They were carefully documented at the time, and today, over four centuries later, they are still preserved in the historical archives of Gangwon Province.
The most captivating of these sightings, however, is that of Mun-wi Kim. As a highly respected government figure, it seems unlikely that he would fabricate such a story. Moreover, this occurred long before the invention of the telephone, internet, or social media, which could have spread rumors across regions. Without the modern channels for gossip, what could have prompted him to report this? The question remains: what did he actually see in the sky? Whatever it was, it was compelling enough for such a prominent official to make note of it. Unfortunately, we may never have the full answer.
