Top 20 Alien Conspiracy Theories

For a long time now, aliens have been associated with dead cattle. Why? We don’t really know. It has been a recurring theme in UFO folklore since at least the 1960s, when the supposed mutilation of “Snippy” occurred in Colorado. The phenomenon involves dead cattle that are found under mysterious and gruesome circumstances, often with missing limbs and having been completely drained of blood. Some believe this is a natural phenomenon, combining decomposition with the work of scavengers. As for the ufologists, they think cattle are being used in some type of violent alien experiment. Either way, cows and aliens have long been intertwined within the public consciousness.

Do you ever wonder where all these brilliant technological advancements have been coming from? According to some, the answer - as always - is aliens. According to the theory, groundbreaking technologies like fiber optics and microchips might have been developed as a result of studying alien artifacts and reverse-engineering their captured spacecraft. Massive advancements in technology were accomplished throughout the 20th century, which coincides with the sudden rise of UFO sightings, which began around the 1940s. Even some whistleblowers, including US Army officer Philip Corso, claim that the American government has been active in studying and utilizing captured alien technology. Do you believe them?

The JFK assassination is perhaps the most popular conspiracy theory of our time, with all sorts of speculations abounding. And yes, that includes a connection to aliens. JFK was sworn into office shortly after the UFO boom of the 1950s. According to some, the U.S. government had deep knowledge about the existence of aliens and UFOs, and Kennedy wanted to share this information with the Soviet Union. So the CIA had him killed. Some say they killed him to prevent him working with the Soviets, others say they killed him to prevent the knowledge of aliens from falling into their hands. Either way, it all ties back to the grays.

David Bowie was asking the right questions. Mars has been at the center of attention in recent years, with various missions and studies being centered around our copper-tinted neighbor. Scientists have also discovered water on the planet, leading many to conclude that it hosts some type of lifeform - or, at least, has hosted some at one point in time. But the conspiracy theory digs deeper, positing that NASA has found firm evidence of aliens and are simply covering it up. Others believe that there are obvious structures and ruins littered throughout the planet, indicating the existence of an advanced civilization. So, not only do aliens exist - they live right next door!

There is a lot of unexplored terrain beneath our feet, and according to some, it’s harboring secret alien life. Found in northern New Mexico is a small place called Dulce, and underneath Dulce is a research and experimentation facility jointly run by the U.S. government…and aliens. Rumors of the supposed Dulce Base began in the late 1970s, when a local businessman named Paul Bennewitz claimed to have intercepted electronic communications between aliens and the secret underground base. Bennewitz’s claims included descriptions of alien technology and human abductions, and residents of Dulce have continuously reported paranormal phenomena like mysterious lights and UFOs.

Aliens are not just flying by on occasion or living secretly in underground bunkers - turns out, they’ve been quite open, and we’ve even done battle! There are numerous examples of aliens supposedly invading densely-populated cities, with Washington and L.A. perhaps being the most famous. In July of 1952, aliens supposedly visited the nation’s capital, with mysterious objects even hovering directly above the White House. Talk about making a statement. Ten years before that, the west coast was supposedly beset by a UFO, leading to the infamous Battle of Los Angeles, in which military forces actually fired upon the alien craft. The incident was blamed on a weather balloon, as they often are.

Popular thinking suggests that aliens are an outside force, a distant race who visits or even attacks us on occasion. But what if they are already here, secretly living amongst us? This theory bolsters that aliens are either human in appearance or have successfully adopted human traits, allowing them to walk the streets as everyday people - and maybe even take power in the forms of powerful positions. This theory is perhaps best represented in John Carpenter’s “They Live,” a horror-comedy about aliens populating the ruling class and brainwashing society through various means of subliminal deception. The concept was also used for social commentary in the classic “Invasion of the Body Snatchers.”

Also known as MJ-12, the Majestic 12 is an alleged secret committee created in 1947 by American President Harry Truman. The group was supposedly composed of high-ranking military officers, scientists, and government officials tasked with investigating alien contact and technology. This story shares some similarities with Project Blue Book, an Air Force study into various UFO encounters. Only that one was real. The Majestic 12 came to public attention in the 1980s, when British ufologist Timothy Good published some old government documents supposedly proving its existence. However, the documents - and the story as a whole - is now regarded as a hoax.

Back in April of 2023, a user on 4chan claimed to be a government whistleblower with “intimate knowledge of what the US currently knows about UFOs.” They claimed that there is a massive alien structure, or “mobile construction facility,” underneath the ocean and that it has been here for over a century. UFOs are routinely deployed from this facility, it disappears if approached, and it will even fire upon intruders should they get too close. It could be a tall tale, but it’s certainly entertaining! Moreover, a former Pentagon official named Luis Elizondo appeared on “Joe Rogan” in August 2024, and he all but confirmed the existence of a massive underwater facility.

In the summer of 1977, a massive telescope at Ohio State University was searching the sky for alien radio waves. It was certainly a long shot, but hey, you never know. And on August 15, it hit. Astronomer Jerry Ehman was going through the data when he found a strong, narrowband radio signal coming from the direction of Sagittarius. Ehman circled the data and wrote “Wow!” in red ink, leading to the signal’s now-famous name. And despite continued efforts, it has never been replicated or rediscovered. According to many, this is one of the strongest and most legitimate pieces of evidence confirming the existence of extraterrestrial life. Or it could be a natural cosmic event. We just don’t know.

While treasure hunting in the Baltic Sea, a diving team from the Swedish initiative OceanX found what is now known as the Baltic Sea anomaly. The large, disc-shaped object bears a striking resemblance to the Millennium Falcon from “Star Wars” - a fact that has undoubtedly aided in the public’s fascination. It has unique features that are not commonly found in natural underwater formations, leading many to believe that it is alien in origin. Perhaps a crashed UFO, or even a functional one hiding beneath the surface of the water? However, skeptics are not convinced, believing that the photo is too grainy to study and that the anomaly is likely just a glacial deposit or some other type of geological formation.

If you’re into aliens and UFOs, chances are you’ve seen that grainy black and white footage of an alien autopsy. This comes from a 1995 documentary called “Alien Autopsy: Fact or Fiction,” which supposedly shows a real alien being dissected back in the 1940s. The documentary was an enormous hit, with many people believing that the footage was real. In reality, the footage has been thoroughly debunked, and even those involved in its production have admitted that it’s fake. Regardless, some still believe that the footage is real, either not believing the admissions and evidence or believing they are fabricated to cover-up the genuine autopsy.

With the release of this footage, we were instantly transported back to the mid 20th century, with UFOs being mainstream news and a wide swathe of the population believing in the existence of aliens. The famous Pentagon videos show a number of what appears to be flying objects speeding through the sky. For many, this is as good as an official admittance, and is likely the closest that the public will get. Aliens are here, the government knows about them, and they even have footage to back it up. Of course, this still remains a conspiracy theory, as many people have explained away the phenomena as faulty instruments, drones, atmospheric effects, and optical illusions. You know, all the usual stuff.

Here come the men in black, the galaxy defenders. That is, according to those who believe that there’s a major plot underway to keep the alien UFOs a secret. Within ufology, these agents are said to be mysterious government workers who coerce UFO eyewitnesses into silence. If coercion doesn’t work, then they’ll allegedly resort to more drastic measures. John Keel, the famous author of “The Mothman Prophecies,” took it one step further, and called the men in black “demonic” creatures. Of course, there’s no solid evidence that they even actually exist. But since they’re supposedly top secret agents who are meant to be stealthy, this theory certainly helps ufologists explain the apparent lack of alien spacecrafts.

Back in 1998, the STS-88 mission snapped a startling photograph. A long, black object appeared to be orbiting the Earth. Naturally, the conspiracy theorists immediately got to work and claimed that this was an ancient alien satellite called The Black Knight. This wasn’t the first time the idea of such a device was floated around, but it did help it gain traction. Believers say that it’s been circling our planet for over 10,000 years, and that NASA has been keeping it a secret from the general population. However, NASA claims that the “Black Knight” is actually just space debris, with a prominent journalist named James Oberg further suggesting it’s a thermal blanket.

Famous conspiracy theorist Erich von Däniken released his seminal book “Chariots of the Gods?” in 1968. In it, he posited that most world religions were created after humans were visited by ancient alien astronauts. The book was very popular but largely discredited by academia. Still, the theory was continued by Zecharia Sitchin, who claimed that the Anunnaki deities came to Earth from a planet supposedly called Nibiru, created modern humans, and forced them to mine gold. Plus, they allegedly showed us agriculture and constructed the Great Pyramids of Egypt. David Icke also apparently claims that the Annunaki are the evil force his famous conspiracy theory, which essentially calls politicians reptiles in disguise, hinges on.

During an early summer morning back in 1908, a large area of Siberia was decimated by a mysterious event. Over 800 square miles of forest was flattened and about 80 million trees were reportedly destroyed. There was just one problem: as far as anyone could tell, nothing had hit the Earth. So what the heck happened? Contemporary reports blamed aliens, alleging that evidence of extraterrestrial involvement was found at the site. While that makes for a compelling story, it’s not widely believed to be what occurred. It’s now thought that a meteoroid measuring somewhere around 200 feet exploded in mid-air and leveled the surrounding area in what’s called a “meteor air burst.”

It’s one of the most popular images in space history - an eerie face resembling an old hockey mask emerging from the dust of Mars and peering up at the camera. It’s quite a creepy picture, and it understandably spurred interest in extraterrestrial life. Some believe that the face on Mars is proof that there was an ancient Martian civilization. The official explanation is that the supposed “face” is actually just an instance of pareidolia, or seeing a pattern in something innocuous. Apparently, this is just a normal hill whose face-like qualities are enhanced by specific lighting. It’s not the only planetary phenomenon that’s spawned alien conspiracies, with the hexagon on Saturn standing out as another notable case.

When it comes to aliens, few names are as prominent as Area 51. Officially named Homey Airport, the facility belongs to the United States Air Force, who claims that it’s notably used to test aircrafts. The work there is deemed top secret, so Area 51 has remained heavily guarded and protected since its founding in 1955. Naturally, the mystery surrounding it has generated untold amounts of conspiracies relating to UFOs, aliens, energy weapons, and time travel, among others. The very name of Area 51 is synonymous with extraterrestrial conspiracy theories, and it remains an enormous point of national interest. It doesn’t seem that the speculation will stop anytime soon, either. Remember when the Internet wanted to storm it?!

There have been countless UFO sightings throughout the years, but nothing compares to this one. The Roswell incident is a legendary piece of American history, and it has remained the go-to UFO story for decades. In 1947, what’s now believed to have been a surveillance balloon from the Air Force’s classified “Project Mogul” crashed into a New Mexico ranch. At first, the Roswell Army Air Field informed the public that “a flying disc” had been found at the site. But this claim was famously retracted, leading many to believe that a cover-up was at play. Decades later, military officer Jesse Marcel remained adamant that what they had recovered was extraterrestrial in nature. Roswell is arguably the greatest alien conspiracy theory of the 20th century.


Do you buy into any of these theories? Let us know in the comments below!