By mentioning UFOs in the title, I was not characterizing a few saucy members of Congress, but those famous UFOs that are more frequently discussed. Long relegated to science fiction films or associated with rumors emanating from marginal conspiracies, they interest both the Pentagon and the political class.

In a document filed in June 2021, the Pentagon identified 143 event reports of unexplained phenomena since 2004. It concluded that the technical and technological prowess of the observed objects could not be linked to a secret United States project or to countries like China or Russia.

While the 2021 document insists on the need for deeper analyzes and more data, it also opened the door to speculation.

Whether or not we believe in an extraterrestrial intervention, the political class is looking into the issue and promising transparency to citizens intrigued by the multiplication of cases.

Already, to attenuate the folkloric character associated with the name U.F.O. (unidentified flying objects, les ovnis), US intelligence and the Pentagon now prefer the acronym U.A.P. (unidentified aerial phenomena).

Five months ago, a House of Representatives committee demanded that the US military create a permanent research unit to document these phenomena that concern national security and counterterrorism officials.

Next Tuesday is when members of the House committee will hold public hearings on “unidentified flying phenomena.” After years of marginality or a culture of secrecy, our neighbors will hear from two senior Pentagon officials, Ronald Moultrie and Scott Bray. Congress hasn't seen anything like it since 1969-70!

If we do not expect confirmation of the arrival of visitors from another world, these hearings will allow us to learn a little more about phenomena that have been neglected for too long.