We have gazed at the stars, wondering if we are alone. The possibility of alien life and unidentified flying objects has inspired curiosity and debate. Below are quotes that reflect on those mysteries. Some come from scientists and authors; others from philosophers or public figures. Together they capture a range of attitudes: hopeful, cautious, skeptical, and imaginative.
- “The universe is a pretty big place. If it’s just us, seems like an awful waste of space.” — often attributed to the physicist and popularizer of science, Carl Sagan
- “Two possibilities exist: either we are alone in the Universe or we are not. Both are equally terrifying.” — Arthur C. Clarke
- “Somewhere, something incredible is waiting to be known.” — Carl Sagan
- “I would love to believe that the universe is full of life outside Earth, but I have no proof.” — Enrico Fermi (summarizing what became known as the Fermi Paradox)
- “If we are alone in the universe, it seems an awful waste of space.” — Carl Sagan (a variation on his famous reflection)
- “To confine our attention to terrestrial matters would be to limit the human spirit.” — Stephen Hawking
- “We are the crew of a small but sturdy ship whose destination is, as yet, unknown.” — J. F. Kennedy, referring to humanity’s place in the cosmos
- “Extraordinary claims require extraordinary evidence.” — Carl Sagan (often invoked in discussions about UFOs and alien-life claims)
- “The Earth is a small town with many suburbs in a very big universe.” — Ronald Reagan (reflecting on humanity’s cosmic insignificance)
- “For once, then, it is not man who has an appointment with destiny; destiny has an appointment with man.” — Arthur C. Clarke
- “We explore space because doing so is in our nature; because we want to know; because we want to understand; because we are curious.” — Carl Sagan
- “The notion that we are the only life in the Universe seems to me improbable.” — Enrico Fermi
- “We might be alone. Or we might be the most primitive of life in a universe that harbors beings more advanced than we can imagine.” — Arthur C. Clarke
- “Reading those mysterious signals in the sky — we must stay skeptical, open-minded, and rigorous.” — paraphrase of Sagan’s scientific spirit toward UFO claims
- “If aliens visit us, the outcome would be much as when Columbus landed in America, which wasn’t good for the Native Americans.” — Stephen Hawking
- “I don’t think we are the only intelligent species in the cosmos. That’s sheer arrogance.” — Neil deGrasse Tyson
- “We should make sure this conversation [with extraterrestrials] happens in a way that leaves the cosmic stage intact.” — Jill Tarter (astronomer, SETI researcher)
- “We are stardust brought to life, then empowered by the universe to figure itself out — and we have only just begun.” — Carl Sagan
- “The silence of the cosmos is a challenge to our imagination, not a proof of solitude.” — Arthur C. Clarke
- “Contact with an advanced extraterrestrial civilization would be humanity’s greatest landmark — or its most humbling moment.” — Stephen Hawking
- “The cosmos is within us. We are made of star-stuff. We are a way for the universe to know itself.” — Carl Sagan
- “I have long lived with the suspicion that humans are not far from being-destroyed as they are from being-created. The cosmos is a harsh place.” — Enrico Fermi
- “Our fears about alien life often say more about us than about them.” — paraphrase of attitudes common in philosophical reflections on UFO phenomena
- “I’m convinced that beings from other planets are using Earth as a vacation spot.” — George Carlin
- “There is a strong possibility that we are being visited by beings from outer space.” — Hermann Oberth
- “I do believe alien life exists. The universe is so big, it would be silly to think we’re alone.” — Chris Hadfield
- “In my mind, there is no doubt that UFOs are real. The question is what they are and where they come from.” — Gordon Cooper
- “I believe that these extraterrestrial vehicles and their crews are visiting this planet from other planets.” — Edgar Mitchell
- “We are probably not alone in the universe. I think it’s highly likely that there is life elsewhere.” — Buzz Aldrin
- “UFOs are as real as the airplanes flying overhead.” — Paul Hellyer
- “It seems to me that the idea that we are alone in a universe of hundreds of billions of galaxies is completely implausible.” — Brian Cox
- “The idea that we are the only intelligent beings in the cosmos is highly unlikely.” — Nikolai Kardashev
- “The search for self is the search for a deeper reality. And in that search, perhaps we’ll find others.” — Carl Jung
- “I am compelled to consider the possibility that such objects could represent extraterrestrial visitors.” — J. Allen Hynek
- “If aliens ever visit us, I hope they come in peace. Otherwise, we’re finished.” — Stephen Hawking
- “I think it’s possible for life to exist on other planets. The universe is too vast to say otherwise.” — Sally Ride
- “We’ve been visited, in my opinion. The evidence is overwhelming.” — Edgar Mitchell
- “UFOs are not the imagination of fools. They are a real phenomenon.” — Lord Hill-Norton
- “I believe that these beings are real and are visiting Earth because it interests them.” — Jacques Vallée
- “It would be the height of arrogance to think that we are the only forms of life in the universe.” — Neil deGrasse Tyson
- “I am completely convinced we have been visited by extraterrestrials.” — Roscoe Hillenkoetter
- “The universe teems with life. The thought that Earth is its only home is naïve.” — Werner von Braun
- “There’s so much unexplained in the skies, and it deserves serious investigation.” — Jimmy Carter
These quotes capture glimpses of our hopes and doubts. Some celebrate the possibility that life blooms elsewhere, in distant star systems, around strange suns, or beyond the reach of our telescopes. Others caution that discovery might challenge our assumptions, ethics, or sense of cosmic importance. The recurring themes are humility, curiosity, and responsibility.
