The Roswell debris
RefutedRuled out by official inquiry or direct observation
The claim
Debris found near Roswell, New Mexico in 1947 was said to be from an alien craft.
Where it started
A press release from the local army airfield in July 1947 said a flying disc had been recovered, and was corrected to a weather balloon the next day. Interviews and books revived the story after 1978.
Where it stands
The US Air Force published reports in 1994 and 1997 stating that the debris came from a classified balloon programme built to detect Soviet nuclear tests, and that the 1947 correction was made to protect that secret. Most later eyewitness accounts were traced to separate test drops and accidents from other years.
Primary sources
- 미국 국립기록관리청, 공군 기록archives.govOfficial source
checked 2026-09-07
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