5 Alleged Alien Artifacts That Were Actually Rocks, Spark Plugs, and Dolls

From strangely spherical orbs to ancient aircraft, the list of supposedly out-of-this-world objects keeps growing. Learn more about five of the most famous fake alien artifacts.

By Cody Cottier
Dec 4, 2023 7:00 PM
Mexico City, Mexico September 12 2023. Mexican ufologist Jaime Maussan presented two supposed "non-human" bodies found in Peru in the Mexican Congress during a public assembly.
The bodies of two supposed aliens were presented to the Mexican Congress in September 2023. With their spindly bodies and bulbous domes, the specimens are the spitting image of the quintessential alien. (Credit: Octavio Hoyos/Shutterstock)

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We seem to have entered something of an alien renaissance. Public interest in extraterrestrial speculation soared this summer, as former intelligence officials testified to Congress that the U.S. government is in possession of materials from a spacecraft of “non-human origin.”

For all its mystery and intrigue, though, this moment is only the latest surge in a century of extraterrestrial hype, and of claims to the existence of alien artifacts. So far none have held up to scrutiny, and it remains to be seen whether the Pentagon is hiding the real deal. But there’s a long list of fascinating (and decidedly not authentic) objects that people have taken to be of alien origin.


Read More: What Does Extraterrestrial Mean, And Why Are Experts Looking for It?


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