History Channel’s popular Project Blue Book kicked off Season 2 on Tuesday, January 21, 2020 examining the Roswell, New Mexico UFO sighting. The incident is known as the “Roswell Incident.” To be clear, the infamous organization never investigated Roswell.
In 1995, the GAO (General Accounting Office) published The Roswell Report: Fact vs. Fiction in the New Mexico Desert. The Air Force led the multi-agency investigation. The conclusion was that there wasn’t a government cover-up nor did a UFO land in the area. Further, the report supported the well-known theory that a weather balloon crashed in the desert (https://www.archives.gov/research/military/air-force/ufos). Admittedly, UFO enthusiasts were not pleased.
Americans’ views on UFO sightings have remained consistent since 1996. According to the 2019 Gallup poll, 33% of Americans believe UFOs have visited Earth. However, only 16% have witnessed a UFO. Interestingly, 56% believe that those who have seen a UFO did, in fact, see something and were not imagining or hallucinating. An overwhelming 75% believe life exists on other planets. However, “life” does not necessarily equate to extraterrestrial creatures.
UFO-themed TV shows and movies are plentiful, and Project Blue Book capitalizes on that interest. Project Blue Book showcases the work of Dr. J. Allen Hynek. (See https://thehauntedlibrarian.com/2019/02/05/5-facts-about-dr-j-allen-hynek-and-project-blue-book/ for more information on Hynek). Entering the second season, the show focused on Roswell, the number one travel destination to UFO believers. The crash in Roswell occurred in July 1947, 6 years before Project Blue Book formed. The project ran from 1952-1969. Show creator David O’Leary is giving screen time to go back to the beginning in American UFO lore. He’s hoping to bridge Roswell with Hynek’s participation. Hopefully, the series will maintain Hynek’s credibility and tone down the theatrics.
Project Blue Book airs Tuesdays at 10 PM EST on the History Channel. It will debut in the United Kingdom on Syfy Channel at 9 PM on March 12th.
