Spate of 1996 UFO Sightings Spurred by 'X Files'

Supposed UFO sightings can often be explained by natural or man-made phenomena. The bright planet Venus is often mistaken for a UFO, as are airplanes and weather balloons.

A slew of reported UFO sightings in Britain in 1996 have long intrigued the proponents of the concept of alien craft visiting our skies. Some 609 UFO sightings were made that year, compared to 117 the year prior.

It was all part of the public fascination with then-popular "X Files" and the movie "Independence Day," released in 1996, according to documents from Britain's Ministry of Defense that were released today, Reuters reports. The documents show that many of the sightings in 1996 had logical explanations rooted right here on Earth.

Don't expect today's news to dampen UFO enthusiasm, however. As scientists who study this stuff have found, people simply want to believe.