As the new series of the BBC’s Paranormal investigates alleged UFO sightings, an aerospace expert suggests that modern technology gives us a better capability than ever to understand what’s happening in the skies.
In February 1977, during a rainy day in Pembrokeshire, Wales, a group of pupils from Broad Haven Primary School reported seeing a UFO outside. David Davies, then 10 years old, recalls his classmates repeatedly trying to alert their headmaster about something unusual.
Initially skeptical, David went to investigate, hoping to disprove their stories. However, he says he saw a “silver, cigar-shaped object” the size of a bus with a domed upper section and a “red pulsating glow” on top. The sighting, which lasted about 10 seconds, left him with an overwhelming urge to flee.
This South Wales incident is part of the latest series of the BBC’s Paranormal. Host Sian Eleri explores UFO sightings from the late 1970s and early 1980s across four episodes. Recent public interest in extraterrestrial life has been sparked by events such as last year’s US Congress panel on the topic and viral trends on social media platforms like TikTok, which has over a million posts tagged with “UFO.”
An aerospace expert mentioned that 2024’s technological advancements, including everyone having a smartphone and the widespread use of air traffic monitoring apps, put us in a stronger position to track both known and unidentified aerial phenomena.
Throughout history, UFOs have captivated the public, from the Roswell incident in 1947 to the influence of popular culture through movies like E.T. and TV series like The X Files. Dr. Ciaran O’Keeffe from Buckinghamshire New University notes that the 1980s saw a peak in UFO interest and widespread media coverage, including international attention on sightings like those at Broad Haven Primary School.
Dr. O’Keeffe explains that eyewitness testimony can often be prone to errors and distortions, influenced by factors such as leading questions and media coverage. He also suggests that psychological factors like “contagion,” where thoughts, feelings, and behaviors spread among groups, could explain mass UFO sightings. However, David Davies argues against these explanations, citing the near-identical drawings of the UFO made by the children.
Dr. Ryan Marks, an aerospace engineer featured in Paranormal, adds that air traffic, particularly near airfields, could explain some UFO sightings. According to the RAF Museum, five airfields existed in South Wales between 1970 and 1990, one of which was used for missile testing. Marks highlights that there has always been significant, often unpublicised, military activity in the sky.
A US government report found that UFO sightings in the 1950s and 1960s were the result of advanced spy plane tests. Marks mentions that during the mid-1970s to early 1980s, developments in hot air balloons and airships in the UK could resemble traditional UFOs, though these were small-scale experiments.
Today, many air traffic movements are recorded with apps that can identify aircraft details, making it easier to track aerial activities. Despite these explanations, David remains convinced of his 1977 sighting, feeling that society often dismisses belief in UFOs as nonsense.
The Ministry of Defence (MOD) closed their UFO desk in 2009, stating it served no defense purpose and diverted staff from more valuable activities. “In over 50 years, no sightings reported to us indicated any military threat to the United Kingdom,” an MOD spokesperson said.