The great UFO wave : 1892 to 1947 -- Official UFO investigations -- Waves, flaps, hot spots, polls, and patterns -- Classifying and identifying UFOs -- Identifying Type I cases -- Physical evidence -- Close encounters of the third kind and retrievals -- Close encounters of the fourth kind : abductions -- Contactees and Space People -- The search for theories and explanations -- Appendix 1. Producing a UFO investigation report -- Appendix 2. UFO investigation kit essentials -- Appendix 3. Skywatching

UFOs have been a global phenomenon from the late 19th century to the present day, and this Haynes manual will examine many UFO investigations worldwide by looking at the government reports - both official and secret - that have attempted to explain the 'otherworldly'. This manual will also explain how you can identify a UFO yourself and how to classify an alien encounter - was it of the first, second, third, fourth or fifth kind? The findings of scientific research will also be explored, as will the human attempts at alien communication, and, finally, alternative explanations of uncanny happenings