When I was a kid, I asked my grandfather, who was at that time an AF Colonel (he's now passed away), whether UFOs were real and whether he has seen aliens. He just looked at me, took me aside, and told me that UFO stories were propagated by the "boys from Langley" as a way to hide experimental aircraft testing. That way, every report of some black plane that was seen by the public, would be chalked up to UFOs and Russians wouldn't know what to think of it. We had a good laugh and I never told this to anyone. I don't think it's even a big secret anymore.

Since then, I always laughed at all these UFO reports and reports of abductions etc. It's become a national meme that's ingrained into the minds of so many... yet it's a complete fabrication.