Humans may have been curious about unexplained objects in the sky for millennia but new documentary "What Are UFOs?" on PBS tries to bring the uninitiated up to speed after interest was ignited by highly publicized sightings of unidentified objects by Navy pilots and leaks of a secret Pentagon UFO program.
Traveling outside the U.S.? Don't miss the show back home. Simply download a VPN to stream the show from anywhere. We recommend NordVPN.
“What Are UFOs?" will premieres on PBS and be available on the PBS App on Wednesday, January 22 at 9 p.m. ET. / 8 p.m. CT.
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For years – certainly since the clumsy official press release/backtrack after the Roswell Incident in 1947 – there have been major doubts about whether the government has been telling us the truth about UFOs. Or, as they are now more generally known, UAPs (Unidentified Aerial Phenomenon).
Claims that sightings are merely weather balloons, optical illusions or drones are less easily swallowed today, particularly after these recent leaks and revelations from credible whistleblowers. Consequently, many experts believe that non-human technology far in advance of our own is responsible for many of the encounters.
For this one hour doc on the award-winning PBS science-series Nova, Navy pilots who witnessed the so-called "Gimbal" and "Tic Tac" UFO incidents explain what they saw while astrophysicists and engineers use new technologies to investigate the strangest objects in our skies and give their considered verdict.
Read our guide below for how to watch “What Are UFOs?” online now, live and on-demand through PBS.org.
How to watch ‘What are UFOs?' online for FREE in the U.S.
"What are UFOs?" premieres on PBS on Wednesday, January 22 at 9 p.m. ET / 8 p.m. CT / 6 p.m. PT. It will also be available to stream on the PBS App.
Don’t have cable? Stream your local PBS channel through the PBS website and app. It’s free, with no fee required. "What Are UFOs?" will also be made available on-demand after its linear TV debut.
However, should you want full, extended access to PBS, consider signing up to PBS Passport. That provides access to PBS Masterpiece programming, a rotating selection of Ken Burns’ documentaries, and much more, with a suggested donation of around $5 a month or $60 a year – depending on your local station.
The film will also be available to stream on the Nova YouTube channel.
Not in the U.S. when “What are UFOs?" airs on PBS? Don't worry — as we explain below, you can watch it live or on-demand when you download a VPN.
How to watch ‘What are UFOs?' on PBS from anywhere with a VPN
Away from home at the moment and blocked from watching “What are UFOs?" on PBS? Luckily, you can still watch the show online thanks to the wonders of a VPN (Virtual Private Network). The software allows your devices to appear to be back in your home country regardless of where you are in the world. So it’s ideal for viewers who may travel a lot and don't want to miss their favorite shows.
Our favourite is NordVPN. It's the best on the market – and you can find out why in our NordVPN review.
Using a VPN is incredibly simple.
1. Install the VPN of your choice. As we've said, NordVPN is our favorite.
2. Choose the location you wish to connect to in the VPN app. For instance if you're in the U.K. and want to view your usual U.S. service, you'd select U.S. from the list.
3. Sit back and enjoy the show. Head to PBS.org and stream "What are UFOs?" online.
Watch 'What are UFOs?' around the world
How to watch ‘What are UFOs?' online in Canada
In Canada, "What are UFOs?" will be available when it premieres on PBS on Wednesday, January 22 at 9 p.m. ET./ 8 p.m. CT. on PBS Passport.
For extended access to PBS content, consider getting PBS Passport. That’ll provide access to a range of the network’s channels, like PBS Life and PBS Masterpiece. Membership costs a suggested donation of CA$5 per month, although prices will alter depending on your local station.
Some Nova documentaries are available to stream globally via the Nova YouTube channel, but it's not yet clear if "What are UFOs?" will be available in the Canada or just the U.S. at first.
Currently away from home? Download a VPN and connect to the services you enjoy free-of-charge back home, without having to register for any additional subscriptions.
Can I watch ‘What are UFOs?' online in the U.K?
There is no release date for "What are UFOs?" in the U.K. but will most probably appear on PBS America at some point after it premieres in the U.S.
PBS America is available in the U.K. on Freeview 84, Freesat 155, Virgin Media 187, Sky 174, Samsung TV Plus and on-demand with Freeview Play Amazon UK and Amazon Fire TV app.
Some Nova documentaries are available to stream globally via the Nova YouTube channel, but it's not yet clear if "What are UFOs?" will be available in the U.K. or just the U.S. at first.
However, if you’re an American citizen away from the U.S. right now, a VPN will allow you to stream “"What are UFOs?" online through the PBS website just as you would back home. We recommend NordVPN.
How to watch ‘What are UFOs?' in Australia
As with Canada, "What are UFOs?" will be available via PBS Passport in Australia from Wednesday, January 22 at 9 p.m. ET, which is 1 p.m. AEDT on Thursday.
Out of the country? Connect to your home streaming services when you download a VPN and watch TV shows, films and documentaries no matter where you are in the world. We recommend NordVPN.
'What are UFOs?' - Contributors
Ryan Graves - former Lt. US Navy and F/A-18F pilot - "Gimbal" eye-witness
Alex Dietrich - US Naval Officer and F/A-18F pilot - "Tic Tac" eye-witness
Alejandro Rojas - UFO journalist from Enigma Labs
Jacob Haqq-Misra - Astrobiologist (Blue Marble Space Institute)
Michael Wong - Planetary scientist (Carnegie Institute for Science)
Hakeem Oluysei - Astrophysicist (George Mason University)
Mick West - UAP/UFO investigator
Shelley Wright - Prof. of astronomy and astrophysics (University of California, San Diego)
Matt Mountain - Member of the Association of Universities for Research and Astronomy
Joshua Semeter - Member of Boston University's College of Engineering
Sean Kirkpatrick - Former Director of the Pentagon office dedicated to decoding UAPs
'What are UFOs?' - Official trailer
"What are UFOs?" FAQ
Do UFOs and aliens exist?
As FBI Special Agent Dana Scully chose to put it in "X-Files": "The truth is out there."
What has "What are UFOs?" producer, director and writer Terri Randall said about the documentary?
“We are living in an age of conspiracy, and we need facts now more than ever... This film is able to address some of the viewer's most urgent questions about UFOs from a scientific perspective. There is so much taboo and confusion surrounding the topic, and while there is still so much we don’t know, science can help us say, ‘This might not be as scary as we think.’”
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