Ex-NASA agent debunks UFO theories, says government used them to ‘hide a lot of things'
Unidentified flying objects (UFOs) continue to capture public imagination and spark conspiracy theories, viral videos and a growing belief in extraterrestrial visitors. From sightings in remote deserts to leaked military footage, many see these phenomena as proof that intelligent life is already among us. But not everyone agrees.
Joseph Gutheinz
, a former senior special agent with
NASA
's Office of Inspector General and now a criminal defence lawyer, holds a very different view. He believes the obsession with UFOs may be distracting people from something more earthly and possibly more serious. Based on his experience he says the real mystery might lie not in the skies but in intentional
government secrecy
. He also points out that alien visits are not scientifically possible given the vast distances between stars.
Ex-NASA agent Joseph Gutheinz ask for evidence to prove UFO sightings
Joseph Gutheinz urges the public to approach the UFO debate with rational thinking, not wild speculation. He dismisses decades of stories about alien encounters and insists that claims must be backed by evidence. 'Prove it. Honestly, prove it,' he told Fox News Digital. During his time with NASA's Office of Inspector General, Gutheinz received numerous calls from people who believed they had been abducted or implanted with alien microchips. He viewed these claims as symptoms of deeper issues rather than proof of extraterrestrial contact. His standard response was blunt and direct—he advised such callers to seek psychiatric help.
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Joseph Gutheinz argument: Distance is too much
Joseph Gutheinz emphasises that the vast distances between stars make it nearly impossible for extraterrestrial beings to reach Earth. He explains that the closest star system to us — Alpha Centauri — is more than 25 trillion miles away. Even if we used the fastest speed currently known, a journey from there to Earth would take over 70,000 years. These immense travel times, combined with the limits of physics and energy, make interstellar travel by intelligent alien life highly improbable. 'Nobody is visiting us from another world, likely,' he concluded, urging people to focus on science, not speculation.
More likely explanations of UFO theories
Instead of aliens, Gutheinz believes many
UFO sightings
can be traced to human sources. He suspects that some are caused by secret technology being developed by countries like China or Russia. Others may simply be advanced drones flown by civilians. He also highlights moons like Europa, Ganymede, Titan and Triton as possible homes for primitive life but insists they would not produce intelligent life capable of space travel.
Military myths and cover-ups
Gutheinz suggests that the US government has likely used UFO stories to distract the public and foreign adversaries from real military projects. 'In the 1940s when all these UFO stories started coming up it was because the military was probably testing some aircraft and they didn't want the Russians to know about it,' he said. By letting the UFO rumours grow the military could protect its secrets without revealing advanced stealth technologies.
Hiding in plain sight
The idea that UFOs are a cover for human activity is not new but Gutheinz offers a credible insider's view. 'If the UFO cover worked I would not be surprised if people in the military and government played along with it,' he added. According to him the goal was simple. Keep other countries in the dark about what the US was building and testing. 'The bottom line is I think we use the UFO cover to hide a lot of things,' he concluded.
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