If you spot an unidentified object in the sky, your first instinct may be to contact Agents Scully and Mulder. Unfortunately, these are fictional characters, but the CIA has got your covered.

The article “How to Investigate a Flying Saucer” has been posted on the Featured Story Archive on the CIA website. It includes 10 tips to follow to ensure you’ve exhausted every possibility before jumping to the conclusion that aliens have arrived on Earth.

The Air Force mainly worked with identifying UFOs in the late 1940s through the 1960s. It was part of a program called Project BLUE BOOK. Project BLUE BOOK documented over 12,000 UFO sightings with 701 still identified as “unknown”. The CIA also investigated UFO sightings unaffiliated with Project BLUE BOOK. However, after years of both organizations examining evidence of possible UFOs, a practical checklist came about that actually seems helpful when solving any mystery, such as who ate my Oreos.

Below are the steps:

10 Tips When Investigating a Flying Saucer

  1. Establish a group to investigate and evaluate sightings.
  2. Determine the objectives of your investigation.
  3. Consult with experts.
  4. Create reporting system to organize incoming cases.
  5. Eliminate false positives.
  6. Develop a methodology to identify common aircraft and other aerial phenomena often mistaken for UFOs.
  7. Examine witness documentation.
  8. Conduct controlled experiments.
  9. Gather and test physical and forensic evidence.
  10. Discourage false reporting

You can read more about the steps on the CIA’s website. And if you still want to believe, the CIA also gives a link to examine their ‘X-Files’ here!