UFO Video Verification: A Practical Checklist Before Calling It Unexplained
Location, time, camera behavior, flight data, and the original file can change a mystery fast.
A bright object moving strangely in a short clip can be compelling, but video alone often removes the information needed to judge distance, size, and speed. The first job is to recover context.
Ask for the exact time, approximate location, viewing direction, device model, zoom level, and whether the witness saw the object with the naked eye. Digital zoom can exaggerate motion and shape changes, while stabilization can make a stationary light appear to drift against an unstable background.
Check ordinary sky traffic next. Aircraft tracking, satellite passes, rocket launches, drones, planets near the horizon, and atmospheric conditions explain a meaningful share of viral sky videos. None of those checks should be used as a reflexive dismissal; they are simply the comparisons required before 'unidentified' becomes interesting.
Preserve the original file when possible. Messaging apps and social platforms re-encode footage, strip metadata, alter frame rates, and introduce artifacts. A downloaded repost is not equivalent to the camera original.
Finally, describe only what the evidence supports. 'An unidentified light appears in a video' is a factual statement. 'An alien craft visited the city' adds a conclusion the clip may not establish. Good paranormal coverage protects that distinction.