Intergalactic Investigative Reporter

Monday, July 18, 2005

The Acronym "UFO"

There has much discussed lately about the path of Ufology and how difficult it is to garner serious study from mainstream science. I just wonder sometimes if it isn't the acronym "UFO" itself that is always putting people off of the subject. If you ask someone if they believe in UFOs I can guarantee that the extreme majority will instantly think you are asking if they believe in alien spaceships. I think that maybe it's time to try to retire that word. All serious researchers know that the acronym merely means "Unidentified Flying Objects" but they also know that a very large percentage of these "objects" aren't necessarily objects at all (refracted/reflected light?) or may not even be "flying" (Venus?). I propose using one that has been being used by NARCAP for a long time now. Namely "UAP" or "Unidentified Aerial Phenomena". This is a seemingly catch-all phrase that seems, at least to me, more innocuous then the largely misunderstood "UFO". Ufology may not be able to continue in its present course unless it gets a face-lift.