A majority of Americans believe intelligent life exists beyond Earth, according to a new CBS News/YouGov poll that suggests views once considered fringe have moved firmly into the mainstream amid growing public interest in unidentified anomalous phenomena (UAPs), commonly known as UFOs.

The survey released on Thursday found that most Americans believe intelligent life exists on other planets, a notable increase from 2010 when fewer than half of Americans held that view. The growth in belief spans men and women as well as people across age groups and education levels.

The findings come as federal agencies and lawmakers continue to examine reports of unexplained aerial sightings.

Since 2017, the Pentagon and other government entities have released videos and reports involving UAPs, while Congress has held several hearings featuring military personnel, intelligence officials, and whistleblowers discussing unexplained incidents and government handling of related information.

One in 5 Americans surveyed said they believe extraterrestrials have already made contact with Earth. Among those who do not believe contact has occurred, many expect it could happen at some point in the future.

Americans also indicated they would react to extraterrestrial visitors with fascination more than fear. Respondents said they would be curious about intelligent beings from another world, although many also acknowledged they would feel nervous if such an encounter occurred.

Interest in the topic appears tied in part to government disclosures regarding UAPs. The poll found that 40% of Americans have watched videos released by the federal government related to unexplained aerial phenomena.

Three in 10 respondents said the material made them more likely to believe aliens have visited Earth. That figure rose to 4 in 10 among those who had viewed the footage.

The survey also found that 17% of Americans said they have personally seen something they believed was a UFO. While that figure is similar to results recorded in recent years, it is higher than levels reported in Gallup polling in the 1970s.

Perhaps the most striking finding involved public trust in government disclosures. The poll found that 8 in 10 Americans said they believe the U.S. government knows more about UFOs than it has publicly revealed, a view shared by Democrats, Republicans, and independents alike.

The results reflect a broader trend seen in recent polling. A November 2025 YouGov survey found that 56% of Americans believed aliens definitely or probably exist, while nearly half believed extraterrestrials have visited Earth at some point.

Despite increased public belief and years of government investigations into unexplained aerial incidents, no federal agency has presented conclusive evidence that extraterrestrial life has visited Earth.

Scientists continue to search for signs of life elsewhere in the universe through astronomical observations, planetary exploration missions and programs focused on detecting possible technological signals from distant civilizations.

CBS News and YouGov surveyed 2,023 adults from across the United States from June 2 to June 4. The poll has a margin of error of plus or minus 2.8 percentage points.