Data Analysis and UFO Reports

Data Analysis and UFO Reports

Data analysis and unidentified flying object (UFO) reports go hand-in-hand. I attended a talk by author Cheryl Costa who analyzes records of UFO sightings and explores their patterns. Cheryl and her wife Linda Miller Costa co-authored a book that compiles UFO reports called UFO Sightings Desk Reference: United States of America 2001-2015.

Records of UFO sightings are considered citizen science because people voluntarily report their experiences. This is similar to wildlife sightings recorded on websites like eBird that help illustrate bird distributions across the world. People report information about UFO sighting events including date, time, and location.

A dark night sky with the moon barely visible and trees below.
Night sky along the roadside outside Wayquecha Biological Field Station in Peru, taken April 2015.

Cheryl spoke about gathering data from two main online databases, MUFON (Mutual UFO Network) and NUFORC (National UFO Reporting Network). NUFORC’s database is public and reports can be sorted by date, UFO shape, and state. MUFON’s database requires a paid membership to access the majority of their data. This talk was not a session to discuss conspiracy theories, but a chance to look at trends in citizen science reports.

The use of data analysis on UFO reports requires careful consideration of potential bias and reasonable explanations for numbers in question. For example, a high volume of reports in the summer could be because more people are spending time outside and would be more likely to notice something strange in the sky.

This talk showed me that conclusions may be temptingly easy to draw when looking at UFO data as a whole, but speculations should be met with careful criticism. The use of the scientific method when approaching ufology, or the study of UFO sightings, seems key for a field often met with overwhelming skepticism.

I have yet to work with any open-source data on UFO reports, but this talk reminded me of the importance of a methodical approach to data analysis. Data visualization for any field of study starts with asking questions, being mindful of outside factors, and being able to communicate messages within large data sets to any audience.

Why I Started Reading More Often

This year, I began to read more books thanks to a social media hiatus between January and March. I logged out of Facebook, Instagram, Twitter, and Snapchat and deleted the apps on my phone. I knew I spent way too many hours scrolling mindlessly through photos and status updates.

My intention was to renegotiate my use of free time to focus solely on learning and self improvement. I decided to find books at the library on topics for data science, coding, and topics of general curiosity.

An assortment of books on a shelf.
A section of my personal library including books that I have not yet finished.

Self education through reading has helped me confront some of my general anxieties about topics I find challenging. In 2018, I have read books focusing on mindfulness, coding, personal finance, business management, and behavioral psychology. I still enjoy reading books in my comfort zone of science and conservation, but I think it’s helpful to understand other fields of interest.

Instead of basking in my blatant ignorance about retirement plans and investments, I’ve been trying to read more books about business and finance. Learning about topics I find totally foreign has forced me to realize it’s simple and rewarding to address ignorance head-on.

Additionally, a few of the books I have read this year are just for pure fun. Authors like Reshma Saujani (founder of Girls Who Code) and Tim Ferriss (lifestyle coach extraordinaire) inspire me endlessly so I chose to read books by each of them. I appreciate how books can provide a platform to connect readers with mentors from any field.

I hope to keep the momentum going and maintain my current reading habits for the rest of the year. In that spirit, I have designated a new page for my reading list and I include a few notes on each book.