Nearly half of Americans now believe aliens have visited Earth, according to a new YouGov poll conducted in November 2025. The survey found that 47 percent of respondents said extraterrestrials have definitely or probably visited the planet, up from 36 percent in a similar 2012 poll.
The study surveyed 1,114 adults, the same sample size used in the earlier research.
The poll also shows Americans are increasingly taking firm positions on the issue. Only 16 percent of respondents said they were unsure, a sharp drop from 48 percent in 2012.
Meanwhile, skepticism has also grown, with 37 percent saying aliens likely have not visited Earth, more than double the 17 percent recorded more than a decade ago.
Experts say the polls reflect shifting beliefs rather than evidence of contact. “It’s important to note that this is a poll about belief,” said Susan Lepselter, an anthropology professor at Indiana University. “We just know one thing, which is that the statistics have moved from one set of beliefs to another.”
Analysts point to government disclosures, media coverage of unidentified anomalous phenomena, and the surge of alien-themed films and television as key drivers. “Science fiction plays a huge role in how we think of aliens,” said Diana Walsh Pasulka of the University of North Carolina Wilmington, adding that official attention and pop culture together are reshaping public perceptions.