By Tim Binnall
A rather exhaustive new study of UFO reports found that one is most likely to spot anomalous aerial phenomena if they are in the western part of the United States. Detailing their work in a press release, geographers from the University of Utah explained that the project was based on insights from nearly 100,000 cases submitted to the National UFO Reporting Center between the years 2000 and 2020. With that two-decades-worth of data, the researchers then looked at environmental factors might explain why a location might have a particularly high or low number of UFO sightings.
Specifically, the study examined what the researchers call "sky view potential," which takes into account light pollution as well as cloud and tree cover. Additionally, they considered "the proximity to airports and military installations," since this might account for what are perceived to be unusual objects in the sky. In breaking down "the number of sightings per 10,000 people per county," the project determined that the western United States is the 'best' area for UFO spotting in large part due to its "wide-open spaces and dark skies." The researchers also observed that the region's "robust outdoor community" provides a plethora of potential witnesses. Similar conditions in northern New England led to that region also being dubbed something of a UFO hot spot by the study.
"The idea is that if you have a chance to see something," geographer Richard Medina mused, "then it’s more likely that you’re going to see unexplained phenomena in the sky." While the researchers conceded that the project does not provide an answer to the question of what UFOs are, they expressed hope that their work could "provide some geographical context that may help resolve or understand reports by both the public and in military settings." Having taken environmental factors into account, the group now hopes to extend their inquiry to include "socio-cultural triggers" that may also cause an increase in UFO sightings.