The Modern World and Its Fragility

The world we live in follows patterns that are rarely questioned. A large share of global wealth remains concentrated in the hands of a small minority, the same group that also exerts significant influence over the development of artificial intelligence. Beyond that, the boundary between truth and falsehood has become increasingly blurred, making it difficult to distinguish one from the other. Yet we take for granted that we understand why life on Earth unfolds as it does, and where it is leading. This sense of certainty rests on personal experience and on information supplied by AI systems. Human experience, however, is inherently limited, and algorithms are known to tailor their outputs to users’ preferences. Adding another layer to this, the coronavirus pandemic demonstrated how quickly unexpected events can disrupt established routines for humanity at large.

One such event that could fundamentally reshape our way of life and our worldview is the potential disclosure of extraterrestrial life. There has been much talk recently that the files held by the US government and many other governments around the world contain data suggesting that we are not alone in the universe, and that other civilisations even visit our planet from time to time. For decades, this information was kept under strict secrecy, but in May 2026, the US Department of War, acting on the orders of President Donald Trump, who needs to convince his voters that he is acting transparently, began releasing its contents*. ^[1]

• US government data on UAPs are published on the website of the All-Domain Anomaly Resolution Office (AARO, https://www.war.gov/UFO/). These released materials involve the participation of the White House, the Office of the Director of National Intelligence (ODNI), the Department of Energy (DOE), the AARO office of the Department of War, the National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA), the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI), and additional units of US intelligence agencies. The collection of published documents is expected to expand with future releases.

US Disclosures

Following the release of the first documents, the US government maintains that, on scientific grounds, any speculation about the existence of extraterrestrial technology and intelligence is unfounded, whilst senior US government officials suggest precisely the opposite in their statements. Dissenting voices are also being heard from the ranks of distinguished scientists and experts on unidentified anomalous phenomena (UAPs), as unidentified flying objects are now termed; the new name emphasises that these are not merely flying objects in the traditional sense of the word, as they have also been observed in the sea and in space. Garry Nolan, a professor at Stanford University’s School of Medicine who has collaborated with US intelligence agencies on investigations into the remains of alleged unidentified flying objects and their impact on people who have come into contact with these remains, has publicly stated on several occasions that he is absolutely convinced that Extraterrestrials are indeed coming to Earth. ^[2] Similarly, Luis Elizondo, former head of the Pentagon’s secret programme for identifying unexplained aerial phenomena observed by military pilots and detected by radar (the Advanced Aerospace Threat Identification Program), claims that there is unequivocal evidence that we are not alone in the universe. ^[3] Reports from some Christian astrophysicists are in accord with this view: Life that is not identical to life on Earth, and technology that does not operate according to the laws of physics as we know them, does exist. ^[4] However, many phenomena presented in the published documents remain unexplained, on the grounds that there is insufficient data available to understand them, meaning that, despite its efforts, the AARO Office was unable to classify them as airborne debris, balloons, drones, aircraft, rockets, satellites, or celestial bodies. ^[5] The unusual behaviour of one such unexplained flying object, detected by the radars of the US Naval Air Systems Command (DVIDS) on 11 January 2004 over the US, is shown in the video below *:

• The footage has been published on the official US military web platform under the auspices of the Defence Visual Information Distribution Service (DVIDS) of the former US Department of Defence, now the Department of War.

Footage of an encounter between the crew of a US Navy F/A-18 aircraft and an unexplained UAP, captured by an infrared camera mounted in the front of the aircraft. Source: ‘FLIR – UAP’, 13 May 2026

Reasons for Suppressing the Collected Data from the Public

There are several reasons for the decades-long suppression of collected data on UAPs from the public, as well as for the official categorical denial of the existence of life and technology unknown on Earth. One reason concerns which superpower might gain geostrategic superiority if analysis of extraterrestrial materials enabled it to develop more advanced weapons than those possessed by others. Another relates to wealth and power: If the energy sources used by UAPs were discovered, those who currently control the resources on which the vast majority of humanity depends for its survival would stand to lose both. Yet the issue is not driven solely by greed for power or money – religious and ideological beliefs also play a significant role.

Serious Analyses of the Impact of Disclosure

Governments and institutions responsible for security and finance routinely assess the risks associated with major events, and many are now asking what would happen if it were definitively disclosed that life beyond Earth exists and that intelligent beings from elsewhere are visiting our planet. Deloitte – the world‑leading consulting network that advises governments, major corporations, and international institutions on their most demanding challenges in more than 150 countries, and that, through its influence on business, government, financial markets, and technological development, is one of the key actors in the global economy – has undertaken a study of the social and psychological impact of such a disclosure. According to its analysis, the disclosure would trigger a global crisis with potentially catastrophic effects ^[6]. Deloitte anticipates that civil society organisations, activist groups, religious movements and social networks, particularly those used by individuals excluded from mainstream platforms, would begin circulating diverse narratives. Some would promote unity and scientific inquiry, while others would fuel fear, apocalyptic thinking and anti‑government sentiment. Reactions would vary across geographical regions: In urban centers they would be rapid and intense, whereas in rural areas they would emerge more slowly and with less force. These dynamics would be particularly pronounced in areas where religious or ideological worldviews dominate public life. Social polarisation could lead to unrest, mass mobilisation, protests, riots, traffic blockades and other expressions of public discontent. If religious institutions, schools, universities and the media were likewise to circulate contradictory messages, tension and mistrust would escalate further. On a personal level, the disclosure could provoke an ontological shock. This is a profound psychological upheaval that occurs when a person is confronted with an event that fundamentally shatters their understanding of the world and of themselves. This shock can cause disorientation, a loss of security, intense emotional reactions and even a complete transformation of identity or belief systems.

The Financial System as One of the Most Vulnerable Points

According to reports in several British media outlets, a former Bank of England analyst recently warned Governor Andrew Bailey that disclosing the existence of Extraterrestrials could have severe financial implications and even lead to the collapse of financial institutions. Financial analysts argue that within hours of such a disclosure, panic or euphoria could trigger severe financial volatility. This could paralyse banks, disrupt payment systems and lead to systemic collapse, while riots could erupt as people find themselves unable to purchase essential goods such as food and fuel. ^{[7] [8]}

Although media reporting cannot always be taken at face value, it is difficult to ignore the fact that Deloitte and the Bank of England are serious institutions. Their involvement suggests that the disclosure that we are not alone in the cosmos is not merely a concern of science‑fiction enthusiasts, but a scenario for which analyses are being conducted and contingency plans are likely being developed to manage the associated risks.

The Bank of England with Royal Exchange in background. Source: Francais a Londres, Unsplash

The Core Question — Threat, Delusion, or a Friendly Civilization?

The core question open to discussion is how we should interpret evidence of extraterrestrial intelligence. Should we view it as the work of demons (as suggested by US Vice President J. D. Vance), as a menace capable of triggering a new global crisis of catastrophic proportions, or as a sign of a friendly civilization visiting us every so often (or perhaps even being with us all along, as suggested by Luis Elizondo)? If we are open to the latter option, it is undeniably true that, so far, extraterrestrial intelligence has not caused us any harm. It is therefore not unreasonable to assume they might even help us address the problems humanity is facing as things stand.

Thinking reasonably, why should we be afraid if these beings have shown no hostile intent toward us? On the contrary, they have created intricate patterns in our fields (such as the one shown below) without damaging a single blade. Using technology we cannot explain, they merely bent the plants, so that in the end every stalk yielded a harvest as it otherwise would. A hostile civilisation in command of such amazing technology could easily have achieved dominance over the world. Since nothing of the sort has occurred, crop circles can be regarded as a sign that these civilizations approach us with good intentions –
of course only those crop circles in which the stalks truly aren’t broken. Some people, namely, recreate crop circles but cannot do that without breaking the grain stalks. We can’t just gently bend them the way the Extraterrestrials can, so this is, after all, one of the things we could learn from them.

Crop circles, Milk Hill, Wiltshire, 2001 (409 circles, the diameter of the entire pattern is 238 m, the stalks were not broken). Source: Handy Marks / Live Science / Public Domain

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Sources

1. U.S. Department of War, ‘Presidential Unsealing and Reporting System for UAP Encounters’, 8 May 2026: https://www.war.gov/UFO/
2. Jordan B. Peterson, ‘Something Non-Human Has Been Here A Long Time’ | Dr Garry Nolan | EP 563: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=HxVVz2Jorzk
3. Dirk Hautkapp, ‘Will Trump announce the existence of aliens? Statements raise eyebrows’, Berliner Morgenpost, 4 January 2026: https://www.morgenpost.de/politik/article410825720/verkuendet-trump-die-existenz-von-ausserirdischen-aussagen-lassen-aufhorchen.html
4. Kate Orson, ‘Former senior Bank of England analyst warns of the existence of aliens, how should Christians respond?’, 28 January 2026: https://www.womanalive.co.uk/opinion/former-senior-bank-of-england-analyst-warns-of-the-existence-of-aliens-how-should-christians-respond/20922.article
5. All-domain Anomaly Resolution Office (AARO), ‘UAP Imagery’, 13 May 2026: https://www.aaro.mil/UAP-Cases/Official-UAP-Imagery/
6. Philipp Luettmann and Fabian Kosider, ‘Is foresight of Black Swans really impossible?’, Deloitte, 2026: https://t.co/iDHXh3hWDE
7. Rebecca Thomas, ‘Bank of England must plan for a financial crisis triggered by aliens, says former policy expert’, The Independent, 18 January 2026: https://www.independent.co.uk/news/uk/home-news/aliens-financial-crisis-bank-england-helen-mccaw-b2902690.html
8. Joe Wilkins, ‘Former Banking Insider Makes Strange Warning About Discovery of Alien Life’, yahoo!finance, 25 January 2026: https://finance.yahoo.com/news/former-banking-insider-makes-strange-114500656.html