Kathy BurkeCHAPTER ONE
Other Worlds
He saw the machine disappearing into the sky. All the plants on that piece of ground were dead.
When you look up into the night sky, what are you thinking? Do you believe that there are other worlds out there? Is there life in those worlds? Is it like life on Earth?
What's out there?
Space is perhaps the most exciting mystery - the last big adventure.
Governments have spent millions of pounds trying to discover its secrets.
So are the stories of aliens and UFOs true? There have been thousands of reports from ordinary people. But space travellers say that they have also seen UFOs. When Apollo 11 made the first famous landing on the moon on 21 July 1969, the spacemen were not alone. Neil Armstrong and Buzz Aldrin saw 'two very large mysterious things' with bright lights. 'They are watching us,' Armstrong reported. This information was kept secret for years by the US government. But there have been many more reports of UFOs from space travellers and pilots of aeroplanes.
Have UFOs and aliens visited Earth? Many people say that they have seen them. Some people have taken photographs. Here are some of their stories.
Mysterious visitors
Socorro, New Mexico, US, 1964
Policeman Lonnie Zamora was driving home when he saw a fire in the hills. Was it a car accident? As he drove nearer, he saw a large, egg-shaped 'machine' about five metres long. It had four legs and no windows or doors. Two very short 'men were standing by it. Zamora knew they weren't from Earth. The machine suddenly made a loud noise and left the ground. Fire poured from it. It stayed silently in the air for a few minutes. Then it disappeared into the sky. When more policemen arrived, Zamora's face was white with fear. Trees in the area were burning and the ground looked strange - like glass. There were four holes in the ground from the four legs.
UFO experts believe Zamora's story. He was usually a very calm person. There were also other reports of a strange thing of this description in the sky that night.
Valensole, France, 1965
Farmer Maurice Masse saw two very short, strange men in his field. They were standing by a strange-looking machine. When he came closer, they pointed a long stick at him. A light came from it, throwing him to the ground. He couldn't move. After some time he was able to sit up. He saw the machine disappearing into the sky. All the plants on that piece of ground were dead.