UNIDENTIFIED FLYING OBJECTS

UFOs: Space aliens? Tricks of the weather? Secret military craft? Elaborate hoaxes? Mirages? A serious subject worthy of scientific investigation or just an annoying distraction? UFOs have pestered people for centuries, but only in the last half of the twentieth century have they so beguiled us and captured our imagination. Isaac Asimov has some definite ideas on the whole issue of UFOs, fact and fancy.

This is an entire book by Asimov devoted to debunking flying saucers. Personally, I wish the topic hadn’t been forced on him—but all things considered, it’s probably necessary. He talks about the subject a couple of times in his science essays, but even for adults this is a quick, clear (and amply illustrated) case against the unproven assertion that we’ve been visited by creatures from other planets.