In Plain Sight

Ross Coulthart HarperCollins £16.99 z PB

In June 2021 the US government released its long-awaited file on so-called ‘unidentified aerial phenomena’ (UAPs): the unusual objects reportedly seen above Earth for decades. While public reaction was mostly muted disappointment, the saga has brought UFOs again to the fore.

Investigative journalist Ross Coulthart’s new book In Plain Sight promises to explore the facts (sparse though they may be) regarding UAPs, exploring official government and military lines and detailing how much we actually know. What follows is a dissection of UAP reports and a history of related investigative agencies up to the present.

The subject of UFOs is of course thorny (the ‘UAP’ rebrand could be seen as a desire for the field to be taken more seriously), but questions remain. Why are there multiple reports of strange aerial objects? Why are government responses so often contradictory? And when do multiple, independent eyewitnesses count as evidence?

Answering these questions, Coulthart produces stupefying testimony from military and government sources, as well as insider evidence apparently never intended for public consumption. Happily, he handles the topic with cynicism, presenting just the facts and at times debunking the seemingly impenetrable evidence himself. It becomes not just a discussion of whether aliens have visited Earth, but an investigation into aerial objects that the US government has admitted it cannot identify (extraterrestrial or otherwise), and suggestions it could be silencing its own military.

The result is a fascinating read. If you’re a UFO enthusiast, you’ll find much to enjoy. If you’re a cynic, then fear not: you’re in good hands. But what you discover may just surprise you.

Iain Todd is BBC Sky at Night

Magazine’s Staff Writer