Are UFOs spawning a new religious movement? - Northeastern University College of Science

A congressional hearing this month calling for greater government transparency on UFOs is one of the latest events spurring public interest in aliens.

But beyond many people’s fascination with the nuts and bolts of unidentified objects flying at physics-defying speeds and trajectories lies a yearning for enlightenment and transcendence, says Northeastern psychology professor David DeSteno.

It’s enough to spawn new spiritual movements that could replace or become incorporated into more traditional religions in some instances, he says.