The Gray Area with Sean Illing

Best of: We need to talk about UFOs. Seriously.

Dec 27, 2021

In this engaging discussion, Alexander Wendt, a political science professor at Ohio State University and amateur ufologist, explores the urgent need for serious inquiry into UFOs. He delves into the implications of recent Pentagon reports, the philosophical questions surrounding extraterrestrial life, and humanity's potential isolation in the universe. Wendt addresses military UFO encounters, public perceptions, and the challenges posed by advanced technologies. He also highlights the societal transformations that could occur upon discovering we are not alone.

01:03:29

Episode guests

Alexander Wendt

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Episode notes

Intro

3min

Exploring UFOs and Extraterrestrial Possibilities

14min

Exploring the Military Report and Its Implications on UFO Sightings

3min

Unraveling the UFO Phenomena

16min

Exploring UFO Evidence and Extraterrestrial Implications

8min

Exploring the Impact of Alien Existence on Humanity

2min

The Implications of Alien Contact

18min

Vox's Sean Illing talks with international politics professor and amateur ufologist Alex Wendt about why it's time to start thinking more seriously about the earth-shattering implications of discovering extraterrestrial life. They discuss the taboos against serious scientific inquiry into extraterrestrial existence, the US military's official UFO report and the inexplicable videos released by the Pentagon, and what the possible explanations might be for what's been seen.

Host: Sean Illing (@seanilling), Interviews Writer, Vox

Guest: Alexander Wendt, Professor of International Security and Political Science, The Ohio State University

References:

"The Pentagon Released U.F.O. Videos. Don't Hold Your Breath for a Breakthrough" by Alan Yuhas (New York Times; June 3)
"Sovereignty and the UFO" by Alexander Wendt and Raymond Duvall (Political Theory; 2008)
"Wanted: A Science of UFOs" (TEDx Columbus; February 2020)
The Pentagon UFO Report: "Preliminary Assessment: Unidentified Aerial Phenomena" (June 25)
"Experts Weigh In on Pentagon UFO Report" by Leonard David (Scientific American; June 8)
"The Unexplained Phenomena of the U.F.O. Report" by Gideon Lewis-Kraus (The New Yorker; June 26)
"Those amazing Navy UFO videos may have down-to-earth explanations, skeptics contend" by Andrew Dyer (San Diego Union-Tribune; May 29)
Friedrich Nietzsche, Will to Power, Book One (1885-1886)
Update: "DoD Announces the Establishment of the Airborne Object Identification and Management Synchronization Group (AOIMSG)" (Nov. 23)

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This episode was made by:

Producer: Erikk Geannikis
Editor: Amy Drozdowska
Engineer: Paul Robert Mounsey
Deputy Editorial Director, Vox Talk: Amber Hall
Vox Audio Fellow: Victoria Dominguez

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