Two tiny bodies with three-fingered hands and strange heads. Proof, says Jaime Maussan, that "we are not alone." The Mexican ufologistSomebody who investigates Unidentified Flying Objects. claims these are mummified aliens.

The footage is astonishing. But viewers say they are fake, and scientists are sceptical. NasaThe National Aeronautics and Space Administration, responsible for the US space programme. astrophysicistScientists who try to understand the contents of the universe. David Spergel asked Maussan to "make samples available to the scientific community".

Spergel was presenting a report into Unidentified Anomalous Phenomena (or UFOs). The US government says there have been 650 recent sightings. But Nasa reports no evidence of alien life.

However, Nasa boss Bill Nelson says they are taking aliens "seriously". They have appointed a head of UFO research.

Many believe there is something out there. The UFO-spotting craze began in 1947 when US pilot Kenneth Arnold saw the first "flying saucer". Today, over 100 million Americans think aliens have visited Earth.

Astronomer Chris Impey says UFOs were once a "taboo" topic for scientists. They did not want to associate themselves with people like Jaime Maussan, whose theories have been debunkedDisproved..¹

But scientists now take UFOs a little more seriously. Nasa's Daniel Evans says they want to "move from conspiracy towards science". The agency asks the public to help with a phone app to record sightings.

Science writer Joel Achenbach says there is a "UFO mania". In 2021, leaked US military videos appeared to show alien spacecraft. In June, a former intelligence officer alleged the US had found alien vehicles.

Achenbach is unconvinced. There is no real data for scientists to work with. Until we have a spaceship or non-human DNA to study, UFO research is a "distraction" from real science.

So scientists want to see if these "alien corpses" are genuine. If so, it would be a very significant moment in humanity's history.

Yes: Of course. The universe is a vast and extraordinary place, full of surprises. So, we should take any discovery seriously, especially if it may tell us about the existence of intelligent alien life.

No: This is not science. It is a media stunt organised by people who want to believe something exists. Serious research involves examining evidence, testing theories, and sharing results publicly.

Or... Critical thinking is about separating facts and opinions. Nasa says there is no evidence of UFOs with alien origins, but it cannot rule out the possibility aliens exist. This is a cautious and serious approach.