Advocating credibility for this much-maligned field of research, historian David Jacobs and his coauthors highlight some of the key events, issues, themes, and theories surrounding this elusive, complex, and compelling subject.<BR>Whether interplanetary tourists, interlopers from a parallel universe, or mere misfirings in the brain, UFOs and "aliens" permeate popular culture. They've made the covers of Time, Life and the New York Times Book Review; garnered CNN coverage; turned up on Larry King Live and other high-profile talk shows; attracted large audiences for films and television series; and swamped the Internet with thousands of websites and discussion groups.<BR>This volume provides a kind of primer for scholars, skeptics, and others uneasy about investigating this field. Its authors examine the nature of UFO "evidence"; discuss the methodological debates; incorporate research from science, history, mythology, and psychology; and highlight the reactions of the government and military from the Cold War to the present. It also brings together for the first time in one book three bestselling authors - Jacobs, Budd Hopkins, and Pulitzer Prize winner John Mack - widely known for their writings on the highly controversial "alien abduction" phenomenon.