Edinburgh is the UK’s biggest UFO hotspot, according to research.
The study of 2000 adults found 18 per cent of residents in the capital are convinced they’ve had a legitimate sighting. They are also most likely to believe aliens exist somewhere in the universe, even if they’ve never spotted one.
Nationally, almost half (48 per cent) believe aliens exist and 10 per cent think they’ve witnessed something out of the ordinary, with 59 per cent of these believing it was alien in origin. The research was commissioned by National Geographic ahead of the launch of new documentary series UFOs: Investigating the Unknown, which airs on the channel from tomorrow at 8pm.
Nick Pope, who investigated UFOs for the Ministry of Defence, said: “UFOs are big news now, and a lot of people are reporting – and sometimes filming – extraordinary things. While many people are convinced these sightings involve alien life, most cases turn out to be misidentifications.
“The chances are there’s intelligent life elsewhere in the universe and even though the vast distances make direct contact a challenge, encountering an alien civilization would be the biggest story in human history.”
Three in 10 of all adults polled believe humankind will at some point make contact with aliens from another planet. Of those who do believe in UFOs, 26 per cent just have a “gut feeling” telling them it’s so.
The study found cities in the north were more likely to harbour UFO spotters – with just Bristol and London appearing in the top 10 from down south. Glasgow rounded out the 10.
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