Carl Sagan''''s UFO Position: From Curiosity to Skepticism

Famed astronomer Carl Sagan’s attitude toward UFOs is complex. He was a supporter of the SETI (Search for Extraterrestrial Intelligence) program, believing that a vast number of alien civilizations exist in the universe—but he was strongly skeptical of the claim that UFOs are alien spacecraft.

Sagan argued that the assertion “UFOs are alien spacecraft” lacks “diamond-hard” evidence. He attributed most UFO sightings to natural phenomena, misperceptions, or hoaxes. He also participated in the review work of the Condon Committee.

Interestingly, Sagan’s MIT colleague Dr. David L. Chandler and several UFO researchers noted that Sagan showed greater curiosity in private than in public. Regardless, Sagan’s skepticism had a profound impact on the scientific community—some supporters view it as “responsible,” while critics see it as “overly restrictive.”

📚 Sources

• Sagan, C. “The Demon-Haunted World” (1995), Random House
• Sagan, C. & Page, T. “UFOs: A Scientific Debate” (1972), Cornell University Press
• Clark, J. “The UFO Encyclopedia: Sagan” (1998)