The idea of alien encounters has always fascinated people. The thought of extraterrestrials visiting Earth—specifically the United States—sounds wild and far-fetched, yet somehow believable enough to trend every few months. We’ve got top thinkers like Neil deGrasse Tyson and creators like Joe Scott diving deep into the topic, dissecting the logic and science (or lack thereof) behind these sightings.

Now, I actually find their perspectives pretty solid. Neil, for instance, always brings that grounded scientific reasoning that makes you go, “Yeah, that makes sense.” Joe, on the other hand, adds a creative spin, tying pop culture and science together in a way that’s fun to watch. But here’s what gets me: if these guys are the rational minds in the room, why are they still spending time making content about aliens?

Well, simple answer—it’s trending. Aliens are hot right now. They’re in their lane, and when a topic trends within your realm, you ride the wave. That’s just how content works. But it’s also deeper than that.

I won’t repeat every argument or theory they’ve dropped about whether aliens have visited us or not—you can find that anywhere. What I will share, though, is my favorite part: Neil’s take on UFOs. He always reminds people that “UFO” stands for Unidentified Flying Object. It’s literally unidentified. Calling it an “alien ship” is jumping several galaxies ahead of the evidence. That’s classic Neil logic—and I can’t help but laugh because he’s right.

Still, I can’t help but wonder—why are we so into aliens these days? Why are we suddenly seeing more “UFO sightings” caught on camera, conveniently around the time global tensions rise?

Here’s my take: we’re at war. And when nations are flexing their defense systems, secret operations are bound to happen. Sometimes, the government might need a convenient cover story—something that distracts, confuses, or comforts the public. It’s easier to say, “Oh, that glowing thing in the sky? Must’ve been aliens!” than admit, “Yeah, we just intercepted a missile heading toward the U.S.” Fear management through creative storytelling, you could say.

Now, I’m no political analyst—I don’t even have a politics section here on HowICY—because I usually stay out of that lane. But this one just felt too spicy to ignore. So, consider this my two cents… or maybe two light-years.

And that’s just HOW ICY.
But if you’ve got your own theories, drop them below—let’s see HOW JUICY this conversation can get.