Gallup Poll regarding flying saucers

GALLUP POLL For Release: Sunday, May 8, 1966 The More Than 5 Million Americans Claim to Have Seen Flying Saucers' By George Gallup More than five million Americans claim to have seen Further analysis of these data show without explanation. Persons with something they believed to be a "flying saucer". And, that flying saucer sightings are not college training are more likely to about 10 times as many people - or nearly half of the necessarily a phenomenon of certain believe in the reality of flying saucers THE FINDINGS OF THIS SURVEY U.S. adult civilian population - believe that these fre- population groups. Similar proportions than are persons with a high school "Have you ever heard or read quently reported flying objects, while not necessarily background, or less. "In your opinion, are they some- of college educated persons, and those about 'flying saucers'?" "saucers", are real and not just a figment of the who have not gone beyond grade school thing real, or just people's imagin- imagination. Among those persons who believe Yes.. No ation. claim to have seen them. flying saucers have an explanation, % % Imagina- These are the principal findings in (that is, those who think they are National Totals 96 4 Real tion a nationwide Gallup survey of the Real or Imaginary? American people on this subject, when Are flying saucers a hoax? Philip "real"), here is how they describe % % Easter of Baltimore, Md., told one of Are flying saucers real or imaginary? them: Sex National Totals 46 29 survey percentages are translated into We asked this question, with surprising Men 96 4 our interviewers this story: "It was Sex numbers of people. 1) Experimental projects, Air Force Women 95 5 dark and I had just come out of a results. Although the Air Force claims Men 41 34 Since late in the 1940's, scientists and that nearly all of the reported "saucer" tests building. I looked up and saw this Women 50 25 military officials have been investigating object hovering in the dark sky above sightings are easily explained, as 2) Actual vehicles from outer space 3) Burning gas, "swamp gas" "Have you, yourself, ever seen Education hundreds of reported sightings of un- me. It was very bright and stayed in meteors, weather balloons, swamp 4) Meteors, shooting stars anything you thought was a 'flying College 51 26 identified flying objects. A recent rash about the same position for several gasses, planets, etc., more Americans of sightings prompted a Congressional 5) Weather balloons saucer ?"* High School 51 27 minutes. At first I thought it was a think they are "real" than believe they Yes hearing last month and also this special are "`imaginary." Forty-six per cent 6) Supernatural revelations No Grade School 33 36 planet, but I knew it couldn't be be- % % survey. cause of the way it moved." (or about half of the U.S. adult popu- Those who believe they are from National Totals 5 95 "Do you think there are people How do typical Americans feel about lation) hold this opinion, while 29 Harold Stoops tells of the time last outer space account for 6 per cent. somewhat like ourselves living on flying saucers? How many people have per cent describe them as "a figment of Sex June when he was driving through other planets in the universe? seen them? Are they real or imagin- the imagination." The rest cannot Men 4 96 Topeka, Kansas: Life on Other Planets? Yes No ary? Do people believe there is life, make up their minds Women 6 94 % % as we know it, on other planets? "It was very late - about 2:30 in This represents quite a change in Do people who are living in the space National Totals 34 46 the morning. I saw this round-shaped More than 150 Gallup Poll inter- public attitudes toward the credibility age believe there is life, as we know it, Education Sex object in the sky ahead of me. It was viewers have been out questioning of "flying saucers" since a Gallup sur- on other planets? College 6 94 Men 35 42 extremely bright and I could notice a vey conducted almost 20 years ago. At High School 4 96 typical Americans - men and women, Many scientific authorities believe Women 33 48 greenish hue. By the time I stopped that time - shortly after the flying Grade School 6 94 people of all ages in all educational the car and got out, it had disappeared." that intelligent life must exist else- Education levels and in every region of the saucers were first noted - four out of where in the universe, because the Region College 37 44 nation. Tabulation of their statements A New Jersey housewife was startled every ten called the saucers either a statistical odds are large that there are 5 95 High School 38 44 East and views reveals the following: during the night recently: hoax or the product of some overheated millions of planets in the universe Midwest Grade School 25 46 "It was about three in the morning," imagination. In 1950, another Gallup 6 94 First, almost everyone (96 per cent) enough like our own to support life, she relates, "I was suddenly awakened survey showed that attitudes had begun South 5 95 has at least heard or read something as we know it. *based on persons who heard or to change. More persons that year West 3 97 about flying saucers. For something by a very bright light outside. I got read about flying saucers. up and looked out the window. The held the view that the saucers were a One person in every three (34 per SO highly publicized as these objects, this finding may, at first, not seem un- whole area seemed to be lit up like reality. cent) who participated in this survey usual. However, in terms of the his- a phosphorous fire. I could hear In weighing what evidence there is said they believe life does exist on other tory of the public's awareness of other strange sounds, like the ringing of bells. about the credibility of flying saucers planets. Copyright, 1966, incidents or events, this figure is extra- I know it sounds strange, but the next it is important to note that while most Again, persons with the most educa- American Institute of Public Opinion ordinarily high. In fact, this awareness day several people about 20 miles away of the reported sightings have been tion are most inclined to believe in the score is one of the highest in the 30-year reported a similar experience and at explained, according to Air Force re- existence of intelligent life on other history of the Gallup Poll. almost exactly the same time." ports, there are still many sightings planets.