Poll : More than 80 million Americans believein UFOs

Interesting to see that almost a third of our US population believes in ufos and or aliens. Does anyone think this is a surprising amount? Personally I think the more of us that believe, the more likely disclosure could someday happen due to a larger demsnd for the truth.

There is strength in numbers.

m.heraldandnews.com...

LOS ANGELES (MCT ) — Not only do more than 80 million Americans believe that UFOs exist , many are not afraid of an alien drop- in, according to a new study . As part of its new “ Chasing UFOs ” series , the National Geographic Channel conducted a poll to assess Americans ’ views on the paranormal . The study found that 11 percent of those polled firmly believed they had spotted a UFO . In addition, most of those polls said they would regard a minor alien invasion as only a minor inconvenience . And most expect the visitors to be “E . T . ”- type friendly , according to a news release on the study .

Heres another study conducted of a similar nature done recently.

UFOs Exist, Say 36 Percent in
National Geographic Survey

abcnews.go.com...

If you believe in UFOs, you may be in better company than you think. Thirty-six percent of Americans, about 80 million people, believe UFOs exist, and a tenth believe they have spotted one, a new National Geographic poll shows. Seventeen percent said they did not believe in UFOs, or Unidentified Flying Objects, and nearly half of those surveyed said they were unsure. Perhaps reflective of today's political climate, there appears to be near-universal skepticism of government — nearly four- fifths of respondents said they believe the government has concealed information about UFOs from the public. The study, commissioned in anticipation of National Geographic Channel's "Chasing UFOs" series premiering Friday night, was not all serious, said Brad Dancer, National Geographic's senior vice president for audience and business development. Respondents were asked whether President Barack Obama or Republican challenger Mitt Romney would handle an alien invasion better (Obama won 65 percent in that contest) and which superhero they would call in to fight off the attack (the Hulk beat out Batman and Spider-Man). "We were trying to have a little fun and see if pop culture references have had an impact on people's beliefs," Dancer said. "It's intended as a fun survey of public opinion." Hollywood, he added, may have contributed to the belief — held by 55 percent of Americans, according to the study — that Men in Black-style agents threaten people who report UFO sightings. As movies portraying aliens become increasingly convincing, they may subconsciously affect people's attitudes, he said. A growing number of Americans have come to believe that Earth is not the only planet in the universe hosting life, he said. The study showed that 77 percent of Americans believe there are signs that aliens have visited Earth.

-Anathema

This is really interesting, anything with poll results, hard numbers you cannot argue with that. Thanks for posting!!
I get that this really does not prove anything exists but you have to acknowledge the change in numbers. If we were in the 1950 and 60's this would be unimaginable. I guess it just take a long time for people to get with the program. Thing is that, I bet about 75%, of that 36%, are not willing to admit openly that they believe. The other 64% is still submitting their permission slips to ask if they can believe too.
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reply to post by XstanX888

If we were in the 1950 and 60's this would be unimaginable. I guess it just take a long time for people to get with the program.

Gallup Poll results, 1966
In your opinion, are they something real, or just people's imagination?: Real 48%
www.abcfield.force9.co.uk...

I always like to say Im a perceiver and not a believer. I keep an open mind and have a very active imagination. I like to think of possibilities. It is more likely than not that aliens do exist but until I see one I can only imagine. To believe is to limit yourself, it allows for one to feel comfort and remain ignorant to all the other possibilities. Why believe something true when you can perceive all around you and combine that with your imagination to find the answers.
on a side note I think they should have limited it to aliens or specified belief in alien craft. UFO's will always exist unless it is identified, then it ceases to be a UFO.

Enlighten me up, what's so unbelievable in UFOs aka unknown objects in the sky (not to associate with 'aliens' instantly), so the rest who don't believe (BELIEVE? - Is this really a matter of BELIEF?!)

• Some people said Yes because they aren't that dumb and don't associate UFOs with aliens
• Others said Yes because they call UFOs as a synonym of Aliens
• Third said No because they associate UFOs with aliens, so they do not believe in alien visitation
• Fourth are complete idiots and associate UFOs with anything that is not natural and think there are no unknown objects in the skies (even man-made)

reply to post by Phage


Wow i like that numbers yes!!! Me well there is no need to convince me any more, but I think percentage thing is more media conditioning. because the real numbers that are actually something are acute percentage..if i can even say that.. of the real thing. There are big differences in the times i know but i point more to the over all conservative values of the 1950s and 60's as higher influence in those numbers, as well as the countless innovations of technology that has brought media and information to the palms of our hands. A little dash of each probably all really play a part. What i was trying to say is that those times even with all the UFO's hysteria of the day there were still many people that laughed it off and now as soo much information has come to light it has changed forced a perspective change in light of new information.

reply to post by XstanX888

What i was trying to say is that those times even with all the UFO's hysteria of the day there were still many people that laughed it off and now as soo much information has come to light it has changed forced a perspective change in light of new information.

You understand that the 1966 poll showed that more people believed UFOs are real then than they do now, right?
48% in the 1966 poll.
36% in this poll.


BTW, to the OP: There is only one poll you are talking about, not two.

reply to post by Phage


less population then than now, i am not doing the hard numbers but i still believe that is an increase.

reply to post by XstanX888

Do you know what "percent" means? A lower percentage of the population believes UFOs are real now than did 46 years ago.

reply to post by Phage


pop according to the us census in 1950: 150,697,361

pop according to the us census in 2011: 311,591,917

You can do the math here ..
If you assume that each is a random sample of the population, which is hard to say... so really we cannot compare. So ok you got me there... at least you do you homework!!!

Originally posted by Phage
reply to post by XstanX888

 

Do you know what "percent" means? A lower percentage of the population believes UFOs are real now than did 46 years ago.

edit on 7/1/2012 by Phage because: (no reason given)

Ok I was i though i saw 17% you are correct sir i take a small bow... No need to get you panties in a bundle. Numbers do not lie.

reply to post by Phage


Well was really not trying to have a numbers fight, that there are even polls and TV shows explaining the issue is the real point here. I think this just shows the total strangeness that this topic is being reinforced by MSM or not. So i say to the other end of that, lower numbers might be people rejecting the media views. I still believe that those numbers are not reliable anyway, because the real test is if it was a true random sample of the population, really no way to even say that. Why do we need a poll for this?? i mean i thought all this is a joke to everybody in the media. So why are they polling it???

Their polls vary alot don't they. CNN with Larry, and it was over 80% that believed no only in UFO's but Government coverups. So, this doesnt really seem accurate.

Originally posted by Unity_99
Their polls vary alot don't they. CNN with Larry, and it was over 80% that believed no only in UFO's but Government coverups. So, this doesnt really seem accurate.

The video there says the poll was non-scientific so ya, you cannot rely on those numbers at all. Here is the real question though, definition of poll: A survey of the public or of a sample of public opinion to acquire information, but so why then need to gain information on this topic. I know this is a ufo show on the national geographic so maybe publicity for the show. Phage is right on this one though even though the numbers account for a lot of people, it is a decreasing rate compared to 1960's. In the video however they try to make it sound as if this percentage is more than its ever been. George states on the video "if you believe in ufo's you might be in good company" clearly enforcing ufo's as an accepted idea. What is the reason for all this though? Is it publicity for the show, or are they doing what so much of the media is doing today slowly releasing information so as to make the public accept the reality of ET presence? That is the question.

I put far more weight in what one, intelligent and credible person believes in rather than what the masses subscribe to. I doubt these "80 million" have researched the subject and debated sceptics about the evidence before coming to a conclusion. Unless they haven't demonstrated that level of interest and deduction, that 80m might as well be 0

all that alien hysteria creeping into msm wouldn't have something to do with that?... would it?

or is it just becoming more clear that life in other galaxies and star systems seems more likely as days go by, and we watch ourselves progress beyond what we once thought was impossible.

whatever the case, we cannot come to solid conclusions that UFOs exist until 100% solid undeniable proof is laid before the public's eyes and the government informs us that yes there are other worlds with 'people' on them.
until then we have to assume that we could be the first or last civilization in our immediate surrounding with others possibly living out too far to affect us.

Originally posted by yourmaker
all that alien hysteria creeping into msm wouldn't have something to do with that?... would it?

or is it just becoming more clear that life in other galaxies and star systems seems more likely as days go by, and we watch ourselves progress beyond what we once thought was impossible.

whatever the case, we cannot come to solid conclusions that UFOs exist until 100% solid undeniable proof is laid before the public's eyes and the government informs us that yes there are other worlds with 'people' on them.
until then we have to assume that we could be the first or last civilization in our immediate surrounding with others possibly living out too far to affect us.

I say the undeniable truth you seek is only the internal doubt you posses on the subject. Take some time to do some real homework if you do it correctly you will find what you are looking for. For some people there is a absolute need for 100% solid undeniable proof, there is a problem with that type of thinking because even most of the science today like physics biology and others are not based on 100% accuracy. Undeniable proof does not exist, because anybody can go about disproving anything, so it will never be 100%. you can only make a theory after you have collected a large body of information that supports you results. Even then theories can be
dis-proven or even modified to make part of a large work. The point is the the 100% accuracy you seek will never be there, I do not need to be convinced about this subject, however i too wanted this proof. Unless you are an abducted, I believe that you are setting unreachable standards. I only ask that you use the mind of a scientist, and do not have preconceived notions when addressing this matter, only let the evidence speak and well if you don't like the evidence, too bad. races that are 1000's if not 100,000's of years ahead of us, and they have traveled all this way to do things in secret. Do you really think you are just going to see them or are you only going to be witnessing there accidents, Murphy's law Anything that can go wrong, will go wrong I believe the majority of true sightings and encounters are really mistakes. This makes you standards impossible to achieve

There seem to be alot of news articles coming out stating how irrelevant this poll was or inaccurate.

Ridiculous new UFO poll reveals... nothing important

This poll does UFOlogy a major disservice by promoting the idea that the acronym equates to an alien craft.

reply to post by spinalremain


Who said anything about an alien craft, we were simply debating why such a nonscientific poll was conducted in the first place. The problem with statements like that is they are generalizing every member members posts on this thread. Which equates to a personal attack on everyone who posted anything. We merely had a serious decision about the reason and meaning of a study like this. I though this to be a free and open discussion about the OP post. I see you statement, however when you argue you must prove a point at least. You have not done that, nor have you contributed anything to the thread. So why should anybody accept anything you have to say?????