A Note From Bob
Some stories refuse to die.
Seventy-nine years ago today, a pilot saw something he couldn't explain, a reporter put a memorable name to it, and the phrase "flying saucer" was born from what may have been a misquote. Today's featured quiz takes you through the conspiracy theories that just won't go away. Let's get into it.
Trivia Question of the Day
In what year did pilot Kenneth Arnold's sighting near Mount Rainier give rise to the term "flying saucer"?
The answer is at the bottom of this email.
Today's Featured Quiz
The Conspiracies Among Us
Get out your tinfoil hat. From the moon landing to the simulation theory to aliens living among us, this one tests your knowledge of the conspiracy theories that just won't go away. 30 questions, about 10 minutes.
On This Day in History
June 24, 1947: A Pilot's Sighting Coins the Term "Flying Saucer"
On this date 79 years ago, civilian pilot Kenneth Arnold reported seeing nine fast-moving objects near Mount Rainier in Washington State. He described their motion as skipping like a saucer would if you skimmed it across water. A newspaper account turned that description of how they moved into a description of how they looked, and the term "flying saucer" was born. Within weeks, sightings were being reported across the country, and the modern UFO era had begun.
Today's Fact
The phrase "flying saucer" may have come from a misquote. Kenneth Arnold was describing how the objects moved, not their shape. He later said the craft were more crescent or boomerang shaped, but the saucer image had already captured the public imagination and never let go.
The Answer
1947
Kenneth Arnold's June 24, 1947 sighting near Mount Rainier is widely regarded as the start of the modern UFO era and the origin of the term "flying saucer." The wave of sightings that followed that summer, including the Roswell incident just two weeks later, cemented it in American culture. How much of the rest can you separate from the myth? Today's featured quiz covers exactly that.
That's today's quiz. Whether the conspiracies make you laugh or make you wonder, the history behind them is real, and that's the fun of it. See you tomorrow morning.
Stay
Curious.
Bob
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