--- title: "Pentagon UFO Report Describes Radiation Burns, Other Bizarre Claims" description: "The Sun was handed a stunning piece of information: over 1,500 pages of bizarre, previously classified documentation about reports of contact with UFOs." date: "2022-04-05" modified: "2022-04-05" authors: - name: "Victor Tangermann" job_title: "Senior Editor" link: "https://futurism.com/authors/victor" url: "https://futurism.com/pentagon-ufo-report-injuries-abductions" categories: - "Future Society" tags: - "ufos" - "unidentified flying object" --- # Pentagon UFO Report Describes Radiation Burns, Other Bizarre Claims ![The Sun was handed a stunning piece of information: over 1,500 pages of bizarre, previously classified documentation about reports of contact with UFOs.]() *\Image: Getty Images\* Four years after filing a Freedom of Information Act request with the US Defense Intelligence Agency, British tabloid [*The Sun* was handed a stunning piece of information](): over 1,500 pages of bizarre, previously classified documentation about reports of contact with UFOs. The material is surprisingly full of outrageous claims, from alleged injuries to "human observers by anomalous advanced aerospace systems," to an "apparent abduction" and "unaccounted for pregnancy." But that doesn't mean should we take all of this information at face value. The *Sun* is a pretty dubious tabloid, so it's likely that it's framing the documents in as sensational a way as possible. The cache comes from a shadowy Pentagon program called the Advanced Aerospace Threat Identification Program (AATIP) which secretly ran from 2007 to 2012. The program came to light in 2017 when [the *New York Times* obtained military footage](), later [confirmed to be authentic](), seemingly showing unidentified aircraft moving in highly unusual ways. According to the *Sun*, the report includes 42 cases from medical files and 300 similar cases in which people claim to have been injured following "anomalous" encounters. Some of these injuries appeared to be the result of electromagnetic radiation or inflicted by "energy related propulsion systems." In case you're taking any of this too seriously, the report also contains reports of "poltergeists, crop circles, spontaneous human combustion, alien abductions and other paranormal events," according to the tabloid. Other eyebrow-raising encounters apparently described in the documentation include "ghosts, yetis, spirits, elves and other mythical/legendary entities," according to the *Sun*. There are plenty of reasons to be skeptical. For one, the outlet has yet to publicize the documents it received. We also don't know what kind of vetting process the AATIP used in its investigations, as [*Live Science* points out](). In other words, it's possible that the documents represent nothing more than a bunch of cranks who contacted the government. But considering that the US government is taking investigations into what it refers to as "unidentified aerial phenomena" [more seriously than ever before](), it's at the very least a notable release, and we'll be intrigued to learn more. Whether anybody else outside of the *Sun*'s editorial department will ever be able to comb through these documents is still unclear. So for now, we'll have to take the news with a hefty grain of salt. **READ MORE:** [UFOs left 'radiation burns' and 'unaccounted for pregnancies,' new Pentagon report claims]() \[*Live Science*\] ## Author I've been at Futurism since 2017, where my role has evolved to encompass design, writing, and increasingly editing. I've always been fascinated by space exploration and advanced transportation, which I've leaned into by interviewing luminaries in those fields while closely following the dimensions of policy and regulation that allow next-generation projects to succeed -- or, sometimes, to fail. I'm also keenly interested in the effects of generative AI on society, policies, and democratic institutions, as well as clean energy, physics and biology, and the vagaries of tech leadership. My work for Futurism has been cited by publications including Ars Technica, Gizmodo, PC Magazine, Jalopnik, Fox News, and the New York Post. I spent my childhood living in locations including Manila, the Philippines, and Geneva, Switzerland, attended McGill University, and now live in Toronto, Canada. Before Futurism I worked at AskMen and a small photography studio. In my free time, I'm an avid gardener, foodie, and craft beer lover, as well as a maker of artisanal hot pepper sauces. I have a magnificent dog named Freida. ### Author social links [Bluesky]()