The number of unknown objects in the sky has been growing for the past XNUMX years, a Pentagon official told US lawmakers, but did not confirm extraterrestrial life.

For the first time in more than 50 years, the US Congress has held a public debate on "unidentified phenomena in the air".

"Since the early 2000s, we have seen an increase in unidentified cases," said Scott Bray, deputy director of intelligence for the US Navy.

He attributed the rise to "significant efforts" by the US military to "demystify the very act of reporting on surveillance" and technological progress.

However, it was stressed that nothing was discovered "that would indicate that the phenomena occurred outside the Earth". But this possibility was not ruled out.

In June 2021, the US intelligence service, in a long-awaited report, stated that there was no evidence of aliens, acknowledging dozens of occurrences observed by military pilots that could not be explained.

Some explain the presence of drones or birds, which confuse US military radar systems. Others may be credited with testing military equipment and technology from forces such as China and Russia.

"Unidentified phenomena in the air could be a threat to national security," warned Democrat Andre Carson, chairman of the parliamentary committee that organized the public debate.