Nasa launching landmark research into UFOs after release of strange footage
NASA has revealed that it will be launching its own independent investigation into unidentified aerial phenomena (UAPs) and whether they're a threat to its spacecraft.
The US space agency's announcement comes after the United States Congress recently held a public discussion about UFOs.
Nasa had previously said it "does not actively search for" or research UAPs or UFOs.
In a new statement, Thomas Zurbuchen, the associate administrator for science at Nasa, said: "Nasa believes that the tools of scientific discovery are powerful and apply here also.
"We have access to a broad range of observations of Earth from space – and that is the lifeblood of scientific inquiry.
"We have the tools and team who can help us improve our understanding of the unknown.
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"That’s the very definition of what science is. That’s what we do."
However, Nasa has stressed that “no evidence UAPs are extraterrestrial in origin” exists.
Nasa's new study into UAPs has been discussed more today at a media teleconference.
Zurbuchen said during the conference that Nasa does have the goal of finding "life elsewhere".
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According to Nasa, the study will take nine months.
Nasa aims to find out what UAPs are so it can ensure the safety of its spacecraft as well as determine whether they have a natural explanation.
David Spergel will be leading the study.
He said: "I would say the only preconceived notion that I have coming into this is that we should be open to the idea that we're looking at several different phenomena."
The study will involve looking through old data as well as working out what new data needs to be collected.
It isn't expected to cost Nasa more than $100,000.
That isn't a large amount of money for a Nasa investigation but Nasa has confirmed that this is just step one.
Speakers in the press conference stressed that we still have a lot to learn from nature and that the UAPs could have a non-alien explanation.
The US space agency will share its findings with the public once it's complete.
The congressional hearing earlier this month made several shocking UFO revelations.
A Navy intelligence official revealed that there's now been over 400 sightings of UAPs.
Some experts prefer the phrase UAP because they think UFO comes with a stigma and is taken less seriously.
UFO videos were played to Congressmen as part of the hearing.
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One showed a quick-moving spherical object and one showed what looked like a perfect triangle shape glowing green in the sky.
Experts don't have an explanation for these objects or the way that they move.