Overview
A recent German news piece published by Die Zeit on 29 December 2025 urges citizens to report unexplained celestial phenomena rather than dismiss them. The article highlights a growing public interest in UFOs—now more commonly referred to as unidentified aerial phenomena (UAP)—following the U.S. government’s admission in June 2021 that it could not explain roughly 140 sightings over the past two decades. By providing clear guidance on where and how to submit reports, German authorities hope to build a more systematic data set that could support scientific analysis.
How to Report in Germany
In Germany, the primary point of contact for UAP reports is the Gesellschaft zur Erforschung des UFO‑Phänomens (GEP), a nonprofit based in Lüdenscheid, North Rhine‑Westphalia. Founded in 1972, the GEP has logged “thousands of UFO sightings” and now serves as the official channel for civilians seeking a scientific explanation of what they have observed. Since 2022 the organization has also become an associate member of the Interdisciplinary Research Center for Extraterrestrials (IFEX) at the University of Würzburg, linking citizen reports with academic expertise. The article advises witnesses to include precise details—time, location, weather conditions, and any photographic or video evidence—when contacting the GEP via its online portal or dedicated email address.
Scientific Context
The piece quotes Würzburg aerospace technician Hakan Kayal, who collects UAP data and acknowledges the field’s uncertainties: “We actually have no idea.” Kayal references the Drake Equation, first presented in 1961, to illustrate how estimates of intelligent life remain speculative. Using recent parameters, he suggests there could be “about 50,000 civilizations in the Milky Way,” a figure he admits is modest compared with the galaxy’s roughly 100 billion stars. While the equation provides a framework, Kayal stresses that no extraterrestrial life—primitive or advanced—has been confirmed to date, underscoring the need for reliable, systematic observations.
International Reporting Landscape
Outside Germany, the United States has formalized its approach through the All‑Domain Anomaly Resolution Office (AARO), created in summer 2022 to evaluate reports from pilots, military personnel, and the public. NASA also maintains a database of UAP sightings, and European counterparts such as France’s CNES conduct parallel investigations. The German GEP’s collaboration with IFEX mirrors these efforts, aiming to integrate civilian data with academic research. By aligning national reporting mechanisms with international standards, scientists hope to differentiate mundane explanations—such as satellites, drones, or re‑entering space debris—from genuinely anomalous events.
Looking Ahead
The call to “Trau Dich!” (dare to report) reflects a broader shift from ridicule to cautious inquiry within the scientific community. As Kayal admits, “We have actually no idea,” but systematic data collection could change that. The article concludes that a coordinated, transparent reporting system—supported by both nonprofit groups like the GEP and research institutions such as IFEX—offers the best chance of turning anecdotal sightings into verifiable scientific knowledge. For anyone who believes they have witnessed an unexplained aerial event, the message is clear: document it, submit it, and let researchers decide what the sky is really showing us.
