UFO enthusiasts just got a big old bone to sink their teeth into.
The new release consists of 161 files, most of which are PDFs recounting investigative reports and eyewitness testimonials (including from a few Apollo astronauts, who saw some strange things near the moon). But there's also quite a bit of imagery, including nearly 30 videos, which feature a range of intriguing unidentified flying objects — or unidentified anomalous phenomena (UAP), as they were recently rebranded.
Space.com combined all of those newly declassified videos into a supercut, which you can see above or via Space.com's YouTube channel. And the new footage is definitely worth a look.
For example, one submission from U.S. Central Command features five seconds of imagery captured in Syria by a full-motion video (FMV) camera in October 2024.
"An accompanying mission report, DoW-UAP-D32, described the UAP as consisting of a 'misshapen and uneven ball of white light,' and reported that a 'light/glare halo effect' occurred at the top of the FMV feed," Pentagon officials wrote in a description of the video.
Another video, submitted by U.S. Indo-Pacific Command, features a nine-second observation gathered in 2024 by an infrared sensor aboard an unspecified U.S. military platform.
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"The sensor focuses on an area of contrast that resembles a football-shaped body with three radial projections: one oriented vertically, and two oriented downward at a 45-degree angle relative to the major axis of the main mass," Pentagon officials wrote in a description of the video.
Another 2024 infrared video from the same command has a more artistic feel, and not just because it's considerably longer (100 seconds). It shows a small, bright dot cruising through an array of windmills, looking like a wanderer lost in a ghostly forest of monstrous mechanical trees.
The Pentagon does not attempt to explain the UAP featured in these videos. Indeed, the accompanying text features the following disclaimer: "Readers should not interpret any part of this description as reflecting an analytical judgment, investigative conclusion, or factual determination regarding the described event’s validity, nature or significance."
And, of course, "unidentified" does not necessarily mean "alien" where UAP are concerned. Experts stress that there are a variety of possible earthly explanations for such observations, from advanced drone technology to software bugs and instrument issues.
Releasing the files will get more eyes on UAP footage, which military officials say is a good thing.
"The materials archived here are unresolved cases, meaning the government is unable to make a definitive determination on the nature of the observed phenomena," the Pentagon wrote on the new UFO files website. "This can occur for a variety of reasons, including a lack of sufficient data, and the Department of War welcomes the application of private-sector analysis, information and expertise."
And there will be more files coming soon, according to that page: "Given the scope of this task, the Department of War will be releasing new materials on a rolling basis as they are discovered and declassified, with tranches posted every few weeks."
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Mike WallSpaceflight and Tech EditorMichael Wall is the Spaceflight and Tech Editor for Space.com and joined the team in 2010. He primarily covers human and robotic spaceflight, military space, and exoplanets, but has been known to dabble in the space art beat. His book about the search for alien life, "Out There," was published on Nov. 13, 2018. Before becoming a science writer, Michael worked as a herpetologist and wildlife biologist. He has a Ph.D. in evolutionary biology from the University of Sydney, Australia, a bachelor's degree from the University of Arizona, and a graduate certificate in science writing from the University of California, Santa Cruz. To find out what his latest project is, you can follow Michael on Twitter.
