In an unexpected celebration of the X-Files revival, the CIA website has highlighted ten UFO cases from their archive as well as insight into how to investigate 'flying saucers.'
Although all of the files are from the 1950's, they provide a fascinating glimpse of how the government perceived UFOs during that tumultuous time frame.
In keeping with the X-Files theme, the ten cases are split into two groups: five for skeptics and five for 'true believers.'
In the article titled 'How to Investigate a Flying Saucer,' the agency highlights Project Blue Book's investigation of the legendary Lonnie Zamora UFO encounter.
The piece goes on to list ten steps for studying UFOs that were seemingly taken by government intelligence agencies during the height of the phenomenon in the 1950's and 60's.
Taken together, the two releases from the CIA this past weekend could be seen are merely taking advantage of the X-Files excitement to create compelling content for their website.
However some in the UFO field are wondering precisely why the CIA would want to acknowledge UFOs after it has been so reticent to do so in the past.
UFO researcher Grant Cameron noted on his blog, "the CIA has not released anything on its website about UFO since 1997, when Clinton's CIA Director James Woolsey ordered a review of the CIA's role in UFO investigations."
As such, Cameron goes on to speculate that the surprising UFO material was released at the behest of President Obama and may be part of a subtle agenda aimed at disclosure.
Should this be the start of a phase of openness from the infamously secretive intelligence agency, let's hope we see some UFO files that aren't just from the 1950's.
Source: cia.gov