Former NASA Agent Calls for Evidence as UFO Sightings Spark Speculation

In a bid to shake off the mystique surrounding Unidentified Flying Objects (UFOs), Joseph Gutheinz, a former senior special agent with NASA's Office of Inspector General and a criminal defense lawyer, is urging the public to approach the debate with rational thinking rather than wild speculation.

Gutheinz believes that the obsession with UFO sightings may be distracting people from more earthly concerns. He thinks the real mystery lies not in the skies but in intentional government secrecy. In his view, the possibility of alien visits is far-fetched given the vast distances between stars. He cites Alpha Centauri, the closest star system to Earth, as being over 25 trillion miles away, making interstellar travel by intelligent life highly improbable.

According to Gutheinz, many UFO sightings can be explained by human sources, such as secret technology developed by countries like China or Russia, or advanced drones flown by civilians. He also suggests that the U.S. government may use UFO stories as a distraction from real military projects. In his assessment, letting these rumors grow allows the military to protect its secrets without revealing advanced stealth technologies.

"I find it hard to believe that nobody is visiting us from another world, likely," Gutheinz said in an interview with Fox News Digital. "The idea that aliens are visiting us and we're just unaware of it is a red flag, and I think people need to approach this topic with skepticism rather than speculation."

Gutheinz has drawn experience with numerous UFO sightings during his time at NASA's Office of Inspector General. He received calls from people who claimed to have been abducted or implanted with alien microchips, which he viewed as symptoms of deeper psychological issues rather than proof of extraterrestrial contact.

The former official emphasizes that he is not calling for a complete abandonment of the search for extraterrestrial life but instead advocates for scientific inquiry and evidence-based research. "Prove it honestly," he urged in his interview with Fox News Digital. "Let's focus on science rather than speculation."