A new survey found most Americans believe intelligent life exists beyond Earth, while 40% say they have watched federal videos of unidentified anomalous phenomena.
By yourNEWS Media Newsroom
Most Americans believe the U.S. government knows more about UFOs than it has publicly disclosed, according to a new CBS News/YouGov poll released Thursday.
The survey found that 8 in 10 Americans believe federal officials have more information about unidentified anomalous phenomena, commonly known as UFOs, than they have shared with the public. That view was held across party lines by Democrats, Republicans and independents.
The poll also found that a majority of Americans believe intelligent life exists beyond Earth. That marks a significant increase from 2010, when fewer than half of Americans said they believed intelligent life existed on other planets.
The increase spans men and women, as well as respondents across age groups and education levels.
The findings come amid years of growing public interest in unexplained aerial sightings and federal handling of UAP-related information. Since 2017, the Pentagon and other government agencies have released videos, reports and assessments involving unexplained aerial incidents. Congress has also held hearings featuring military personnel, intelligence officials and whistleblowers who discussed sightings and alleged government secrecy.
One in 5 Americans surveyed said they believe extraterrestrials have already made contact with Earth. Among those who do not believe such contact has occurred, many said they expect it could happen sometime in the future.
The poll also found that Americans are more likely to describe their reaction to possible extraterrestrial visitors as curiosity rather than fear. Many respondents said they would be fascinated by intelligent beings from another world, though many also said such an encounter would make them nervous.
Government disclosures appear to be influencing public opinion. The survey found that 40% of Americans have watched federal videos related to unidentified aerial phenomena.
Three in 10 respondents said the footage made them more likely to believe aliens have visited Earth. Among those who had watched the videos, that figure rose to 4 in 10.
The poll also found that 17% of Americans said they have personally seen something they believed was a UFO. That figure is similar to recent polling results but higher than levels recorded in Gallup surveys from the 1970s.
The findings reflect a broader trend in public opinion. A November 2025 YouGov survey found that 56% of Americans believed aliens definitely or probably exist, while nearly half believed extraterrestrials had visited Earth at some point.
Despite growing public belief and increased congressional attention, no federal agency has presented conclusive evidence that extraterrestrial life has visited Earth.
Scientists continue to search for life beyond Earth through planetary missions, astronomical observations and efforts to detect possible technological signals from distant civilizations.
The CBS News/YouGov poll surveyed 2,023 adults across the United States from June 2 through June 4. The margin of error is plus or minus 2.8 percentage points.
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