Do Americans Believe in UFOs?

One-third of Americans think some UFOs that people have spotted have been alien spacecraft visiting Earth from other planets or galaxies. A 60% majority, however, believe all such sightings can be explained by human activity or natural phenomena, while an additional 7% are unsure.

This is one topic on which Republicans and Democrats agree: 30% of the former and 32% of the latter describe UFOs as alien spacecraft from other planets. Belief is a bit higher among political independents, at 38%.

These findings are based on a Gallup poll conducted in August 2019.

While Americans are inclined to think UFOs are not alien spacecraft, they are more apt to believe alien life forms exist beyond Earth. A June 2019 poll found 49% of Americans believing there are "people somewhat like ourselves" living on other planets. A much larger percentage, 75%, said that "life of some form" exists elsewhere in the universe.