There are many events that shape our collective efforts to explain who we are and what our place is in the Universe. And there is no phenomenon that so aptly encompasses all the fear and wonder of our times than that of the Unidentified Flying Object (UFO). The Mammoth Book of UFOs provides the ultimate guide to the history and background of the phenomenon, and attempts to interpret the meaning through summaries and true-life accounts about alien abduction, crop circles, and cattle mutilations, as well as through the analysis of the many conspiracy theories that surround UFOs, from alleged Nazi-originated technologies to bizarre CIA plots. Further in-depth materials include classic stories and abductee interviews; weird occurrences such as the "breath suckers" of Brazil and poltergeist outbreaks following UFO sightings; examination of the troubled history of UFO contactees, from their harassment to physical illness, murder, and suicide; the influence of cults such as the Aetherius Society, the tragic Heaven's Gate, and infamous tales of the Men in Black. Illustrated with photographs, maps, and witnesses' sketches, The Mammoth Book of UFOs is thoroughly researched and presented as objectively as possible. It does not seek to convert or persuade, but to excite and provoke by providing an overview of a major twentieth-century phenomenon that both defies and challenges our theories about reality.