Summary
A nationally representative CBS News/YouGov poll of 2,023 U.S. adults (fielded June 2–4, 2026; MoE ±2.8 pts) finds that most Americans believe intelligent extraterrestrial life exists on other planets, up from fewer than half in 2010. One in five respondents (≈20%) believe extraterrestrials have already made contact with Earth, and 17% report personally witnessing something they believe was a UFO. The recent pursue file releases factor in: three in ten Americans say the released UAP files made them more likely to believe aliens have visited Earth, rising to four in ten among those who watched the released videos. Across party lines, eight in ten Americans believe the government knows more about UFOs than it is telling the public. Americans say they would meet extraterrestrial visitors with more curiosity than fear, though the prospect also generates significant anxiety.
Key Claims
- Majority of Americans believe intelligent life exists on other planets (up from fewer than half in 2010). (De Pinto, Salvanto, Backus / CBS News/YouGov poll)
- Approximately 1 in 5 Americans (≈20%) believe extraterrestrials have already made contact with Earth. (poll)
- 17% of Americans report personally having seen something they thought was a UFO. (poll)
- 8 in 10 Americans believe the U.S. government knows more about UFOs than it is telling the public; this view holds across Democrats, Republicans, and independents. (poll)
- 3 in 10 Americans say pursue UAP file releases made them more likely to believe aliens have visited Earth; rises to 4 in 10 among those who watched the released videos. (poll)
- Belief in intelligent extraterrestrial life has risen across gender, age, and education groups since 2010. (poll)
- Americans are more curious than scared about prospective ET contact, but also more nervous than calm. (poll)
Notable Quotes
“Eight in 10 think the government knows more about UFOs than it is telling.” — De Pinto, Salvanto, Backus