ClassX Video Lessons Youtube Channel The Infographics Show 60 Kids See UFO and Alien Up Close – Then This Happened
Imagine it’s September 16th, 1994, in a small town called Ruwa in Zimbabwe. For several days, strange lights have been spotted in the sky. At first, people thought they were meteors, but then the lights started moving in ways that seemed impossible. Something extraordinary happened that day, witnessed by 62 schoolchildren and their teacher at Ariel School.
On that day, the children were outside for recess while the teachers were in a meeting. Only one adult was nearby, working at the snack shop. Suddenly, the kids came running, shouting that a UFO had landed just outside the school. They described seeing a small figure wearing a one-piece suit with a band around its head.
Alyson Kirkman, a volunteer at the school, heard the commotion. Her daughter was among the children who saw a white object land about 100 meters away, partially hidden by trees and bushes. At first, Kirkman thought the kids were playing a prank, but the incident became serious when parents reported their children were anxious about what they had seen.
The story caught the attention of the media, and the BBC sent a reporter named Tim Leach to investigate. Initially skeptical, Leach found the children’s stories puzzling. They were asked to draw what they saw, and their drawings were surprisingly similar. Most depicted a saucer-like craft and beings with large eyes, resembling the “grays” often reported in UFO sightings.
Harvard psychiatrist John Mack, known for studying UFO encounters, visited the school to interview the children. He found their stories consistent, despite their young age and lack of exposure to UFO media. Some children even claimed to receive telepathic messages warning about environmental damage caused by humans.
Despite the compelling accounts, skeptics suggested the event might have been a prank or a misinterpretation of natural phenomena. However, no evidence supported these theories. In the days before the incident, there were reports of UFO sightings in Zimbabwe and nearby countries, adding to the mystery.
The differences in the children’s stories could be due to their age and the stress of the experience, which can affect memory. Yet, they all agreed on seeing an object and at least one figure. Even decades later, some witnesses maintain they saw a UFO that day.
The Ariel School incident is not the only mass UFO sighting. Similar events have been reported worldwide, often with varying accounts. This has led some to believe that the UFO phenomenon might have a psychological aspect. The truth about UFOs could be more complex than we currently understand, possibly beyond our current scientific knowledge.
Curious to learn more? Check out other fascinating stories about UFOs and mysterious encounters!
Imagine you are one of the students at Ariel School on that day. Write a short story or create a comic strip depicting the events as you experienced them. Focus on the emotions and reactions of the characters involved. Share your story or comic with the class and discuss the different perspectives.
Using the descriptions from the article, draw your own version of the UFO and the alien figure that the children reported seeing. Compare your drawing with those of your classmates and discuss the similarities and differences. What might these differences tell us about eyewitness accounts?
Divide into groups and research different theories about the Ariel School incident. One group will argue that it was a genuine UFO sighting, while another will argue it was a misinterpretation or prank. Present your arguments to the class and hold a debate. Afterward, discuss what evidence would be needed to support each theory.
Pair up with a classmate and role-play an interview between a journalist and a student who witnessed the event. Prepare questions and answers based on the article and your own imagination. Perform your interview for the class and discuss how interviews can help or hinder understanding of such events.
Research the science behind UFO sightings and the psychological aspects that might explain them. Create a presentation or poster that explains how natural phenomena or psychological factors could lead to UFO reports. Share your findings with the class and discuss how science can help us understand mysterious events.
**Sanitized Transcript:**
It’s September 16th, 1994, in rural Zimbabwe, just outside the town of Ruwa. For days, unusual lights have danced across the sky. Initially thought to be meteors, this theory quickly fell apart when the lights began making sudden changes in direction, moving in ways that seemed to defy the laws of physics. An extraordinary event unfolded that day, experienced not by just one person, but by an entire school—62 schoolchildren and their teacher.
So, what happened that day? Get ready, because we’re about to reveal one of the most incredible UFO events in history. The town of Ruwa remains small even today, but in 1994, there was barely any structure to speak of. The region was surrounded by farmland, with one notable exception being the Ariel School, a private academy with a student body of just over 200, primarily made up of wealthy landowners from the surrounding area.
On the day in question, the children were let out for recess as usual. The school’s faculty had all been called to a meeting, leaving only one adult working the snack shop at the edge of the playground. This person remained unaware of the events unfolding outside until panicked students rushed in asking for help.
Alyson Kirkman, a volunteer at the school and mother to one of the students, heard a commotion outside. One child ran into the shop, shouting that a UFO had just landed right outside the school grounds and that there was a small figure in a one-piece suit with a band around its head. Kirkman’s daughter also witnessed the UFO, stating that she and her friends saw a white object land about 100 meters away from them, just outside the school grounds. The landing site was sparsely covered in trees and bushes, providing some concealment from the children’s view.
Other children outside became hysterical, but Kirkman initially thought it was a trick to get her out of the snack shop. The incident began to draw attention when concerned parents contacted the school over the weekend, as many children were still experiencing anxiety about the event. The media picked up the story, and the BBC sent a correspondent to interview the children three days later.
BBC correspondent Tim Leach arrived at the school as a skeptic, believing the children were playing an elaborate prank. However, after investigating and speaking with the children, he stated that he found the situation perplexing. The children were asked to draw what they had seen, and the results were intriguing. Not a single faculty member believed the children were lying. The dean of the school stated that while he did not believe they had seen an alien spacecraft, he was convinced they had seen something.
When asked to draw what they saw, most children depicted a similar-looking craft resembling a saucer. However, some drew completely different-looking crafts. The descriptions of the beings were largely consistent, with most children agreeing that the creatures had abnormally large eyes. Interestingly, even children with no exposure to UFO media drew figures resembling the commonly reported “grays”—short, skinny figures with large black eyes.
The similarity in the children’s accounts caught the attention of Harvard psychiatrist and Pulitzer Prize-winning author John Mack, who visited the school a month and a half later to conduct interviews. Mack had been investigating accounts of alien abduction and UFO sightings across America, noting the similarities despite geographic and cultural differences.
Some children reported receiving telepathic messages from the beings, all sharing a common theme: humanity was harming the planet through pollution and irresponsible technology use. One child, who did not claim a telepathic experience, mentioned being troubled by dreams of an over-polluted planet after the event.
Mack faced criticism from his peers at Harvard for his involvement in the Ariel School incident and his investigations into UFO phenomena. Skeptics suggested the event was a prank, but no evidence supported this claim. Others proposed that the children misidentified puppets or natural phenomena, but these explanations lacked credibility.
In the days leading up to the incident, there were reports of UFO sightings in Zimbabwe and neighboring countries. Witnesses described strange lights and objects in the sky, but these accounts contradicted the children’s observations of objects changing direction.
The differences in the children’s accounts can be attributed to their young age and the stress of the experience, which can significantly impact perception and memory. Despite variations, all children agreed on the presence of an object and at least one individual. Three decades later, some witnesses continue to assert they saw a UFO land that day.
The Ariel School incident is not unique; similar mass UFO sightings have occurred worldwide. Reports often show significant variations in accounts, leading some to consider that the UFO phenomenon may have a psychological component. The truth about UFOs may be more complex than we currently understand, possibly beyond our current technological and evolutionary comprehension.
Now, go watch “US Special Forces Confession- I recovered crashed UFOs,” or click this other video instead!
UFO – An unidentified flying object, often associated with extraterrestrial life. – Scientists conducted experiments to determine if the UFO sightings were natural phenomena or something more mysterious.
Alien – A being from another world or planet. – The discovery of potential alien life forms on Mars has sparked great interest in the scientific community.
Children – Young human beings below the age of puberty. – Psychologists study how children develop cognitive skills as they grow.
Memory – The faculty by which the mind stores and remembers information. – Researchers are exploring how memory works to improve learning techniques.
Phenomenon – An observable event or fact, especially one that is not fully understood. – The Northern Lights are a natural phenomenon that has fascinated scientists for centuries.
Anxiety – A feeling of worry or unease, often about an imminent event or something with an uncertain outcome. – Students may experience anxiety before taking a big exam, which can affect their performance.
Investigation – A systematic inquiry to discover facts or gather information. – The investigation into the chemical spill aimed to determine its impact on the local environment.
Psychology – The scientific study of the human mind and its functions, especially those affecting behavior. – Psychology helps us understand why people behave the way they do in different situations.
Sightings – Instances of seeing something, especially something unusual or rare. – There have been numerous sightings of rare birds in the area, attracting birdwatchers from all over.
Environment – The surroundings or conditions in which a person, animal, or plant lives or operates. – Protecting the environment is crucial for maintaining biodiversity and ensuring a healthy planet.
