Daily News Lesson

SHOW ALL

June 28, 2021, 12:19 p.m.

Why the Pentagon’s latest UFO report is a turning point on the issue

Summary

The U.S. intelligence released a preliminary — and watershed — report on unidentified aerial phenomena or UFOs. The report is the government’s most concerted and serious attempt to understand an issue without the fear of being ridiculed. The report found no evidence of aliens but acknowledged at least 143 unexplained sightings since 2004.

Five Facts

  • What is a UFO? What were UFOs called in the new report?
  • Why have there been issues discussing this topic previously?
  • Who is Miles O’Brien and what was his experience with UFOs?
  • Where and When did Miles O’Brien claim to see a UFO?
  • How does this report progress the conversation on UFOs/UAPs?

Focus Questions

Do you think research into UFOs or UAPs is an important and good use of federal money? If so, what do you think can be learned from this research? If not, how do you think the money could be better spent on other research programs? Media Literacy: Why do you think PBS NewsHour chose to focus on this story among all other important news over the past few weeks? What is the intended audience?

For More

  • To see the full report from the government, click here .
  • To see the earlier pieces on this subject, see the videos below

Recent Daily News Lessons

youth

Daily News Lesson

Youth sports become big business, putting stress on families

Discuss the impact of business on youth sports and how they could be made more accessible for all

afd

Daily News Lesson

Far-right political party win in Germany raises alarm in Europe

Discuss the impact of Germany's far-right party winning elections in the eastern part of the country

economy-1

Daily News Lesson

US jobs market strong despite inflation and global pressure

Discuss how the economy is being shaped by policy and global events

economy

Daily News Lesson

Prolonged Iran war impacts global economy

Learn about the broad impact of the war in Iran on the economy in the U.S. and elsewhere

SUPPORTED BY VIEWERS LIKE YOU. ADDITIONAL SUPPORT PROVIDED BY:

PBS News Hour Classroom

Copyright © 2025 News Hour Production LLC. All Rights Reserved

Illustrations by Annamaria Ward