Conditions apply? US Congress seeks to declassify UFO records

Get a daily digest of the latest news in tech, science, and technology, delivered right to your mailbox. Subscribe now.

By subscribing, you agree to our Terms of Use and Policies You may unsubscribe at any time.

The US Congress has given its stamp of approval to legislation that directs the government to release records related to unidentified anomalous phenomena (UAP), popularly known as unidentified flying objects (UFOs) but also gave departments the authority to keep them a secret if required.

For years, UFOs have managed to grab headlines and fuel conspiracy theories thanks to the US government revealing very little information about these sightings. Over the past couple of years, this looked set for a major change after the Department of Defense set up the All-domain Anomaly Resolution Office (AARO).

The change in terminology to UAP also brought similar sightings in other domains under the ambit of the AARO, and hopes were raised about greater transparency from a central organization that would look at reporting and resolution of these sightings and engage more with the public than military departments earlier.