In recent years, the fascination with Unidentified Flying Objects (UFOs) has only intensified as more compelling sightings surface—often captured on camera and shared widely on social media and specialized communities such as Reddit’s UFO subreddit, which boasts nearly 4 million members. Let’s explore some of the most astonishing and well-documented UFO encounters from recent history, each revealing intriguing phenomena that continue to challenge our understanding of the skies.

1. Big Bear Lake, California – Sharp Maneuvers and Instant Acceleration

One remarkable sighting, uploaded by user Luke 511 in 2020, captures a UFO performing extraordinary aerobatic feats over Big Bear Lake, California. The craft demonstrates "the five observables" often cited by UFO researchers, including sharp, sudden maneuvers and instantaneous acceleration that defy conventional aviation capabilities. Witnesses described how the object curved sharply and accelerated out of sight in the blink of an eye, flashing mysteriously as it moved.

2. Swedish Viking’s Demonstration: Differentiating Birds, Planes, and UFOs

In a helpful comparison shared by Swedish Viking, viewers get to see side-by-side footage demonstrating how typical flying objects like birds, airplanes, and satellites look alongside an actual UFO which notably changes direction in erratic, non-linear ways. This distinction helps to better appreciate the anomalous nature of certain aerial sightings, prompting lively discussion among enthusiasts about what exactly these objects could be.

3. Malvin Hills, Western England – A Zip Across the Camera

Captured on August 7, 2025, a seemingly ordinary moment—a dog playing Frisbee—is suddenly interrupted by a fast-moving, strange object zipping across the camera’s view in Malvin Hills, England. This event, shared by Paranormal Nepalsa, quickly gained traction online, highlighting how fleeting and unexpected many UFO sightings can be.

4. New Jersey Skies, Late 2024 – Close Drone Encounters

During the holiday season of 2024, New Jersey became a hotspot for drone-like Unidentified Aerial Phenomena (UAP). Several videos surfaced, including close-up footage shot from an airplane, detailing objects that defied easy classification as traditional aircraft. These sightings sparked widespread media attention and government acknowledgment that these were not conventional drones or planes.

5. Fairfield, Connecticut – Multiple UFOs on Drone Footage

In another accidental discovery, a 2024 drone footage uploaded by OMQ4 in Fairfield, Connecticut, captured several unidentified objects moving through the sky. Interestingly, some of these resemble previously reported UFOs, including one similar to the object seen darting across the scene with a dog and Frisbee in England. These recurring shapes and patterns continue to stir debate about their origins.

6. The “Slug” UFO – One of the Clearest Captures in Recent History

Watadunk 90210’s 2023 footage showcases what is popularly known as the “slug” UFO due to its distinctive shape. The clarity of this video makes it one of the most discussed and analyzed UFO appearances in recent memory. Its unique form and smooth movement reinforce the idea that UFOs come in many unconventional shapes beyond the classic flying saucer.

7. Mexico’s Transparent UAP Disclosure of 2024

In a notable move toward openness, the Mexican government released official footage of unidentified aerial phenomena in 2024. This data adds to a growing body of evidence suggesting that governments worldwide are taking UFO research seriously and are willing to share verified encounters with the public.

8. 2025 Silver Orb Sighting – From iPhone to Advanced Equipment

A sighting logged by Creepy Pasta on Reddit showed a shimmering silver orb UFO whose details were enhanced through better recording gear beyond an initial iPhone capture. This side-by-side comparison revealed the limitations of basic mobile cameras but also highlighted the distinct presence of the object in the night sky.

9. Shanghai’s Mysterious Triangle UFO, 2021

Another case with no clear explanation is the triangle-shaped UFO filmed over Shanghai, China, by Adam Belelfford in 2021. Its solid geometric form and mysterious flight behavior ignited numerous theories, but no definitive answers have emerged, keeping the public intrigued.

10. Hungarian “Knox” Cylindrical UFO – Drone Footage from 2020

In Hungary’s Sabanka region, a cylindrical or “pipe-like” UFO was caught on drone video in June 2020. The footage was remarkable for showing the craft’s distinctive maneuvering capabilities, adding a new shape to the growing variety of UFO types observed worldwide.

11. The ISS Live Feed Surprise

In late 2024, viewers of the International Space Station’s YouTube live stream were shocked to witness an unexplained object in orbit, sparking immediate discussion about the nature and origins of such phenomena above Earth’s atmosphere. Unlike airplanes, these objects were confirmed to be smaller and exhibited unfamiliar behavior.

12. Sapphire Las Vegas’s Optical Oddity

Captured by Mr. and on 2K17, a strange luminous phenomenon appeared above Sapphire Las Vegas. While some speculate it could be a reflection of city lights or atmospheric conditions, the inexplicable shapes and movements have left many puzzled and eager for further investigation.

13. The Jeremy Corbel Jellyfish UFO – 2024’s Viral Sensation

Perhaps the most riveting sighting is the “jellyfish” shaped UAP filmed by Jeremy Corbel in 2024 on a weapons platform. Seen through thermal imaging, the object appeared to pulsate between hot and cold, resembling a living, armored entity with stiff, scale-like formations. Efforts to target the craft with high-precision optics failed, suggesting advanced capabilities beyond human technology.

Eyewitness accounts revealed that night vision could not detect the object, and once it descended into a nearby body of water, it vanished for 17 minutes before suddenly shooting off at a sharp 45-degree angle. Some reports link similar objects to incursions into nuclear facilities, indicating the potential threat these entities pose and why footage of such events is often abruptly cut off.

Final Thoughts

The spectrum of UFO encounters over the past few years reveals a bewildering variety of shapes, behaviors, and environments—ranging from orbs and triangles to slug-like and jellyfish-shaped objects. These sightings challenge both skeptics and believers alike to seek answers amid government disclosures, eyewitness reports, and viral footage from around the globe.

As technology improves and cameras become ever more ubiquitous, who knows what astonishing discovery lies just around the corner? The skies above remain a vast frontier, and with every new film clip, we get one step closer to unveiling the unseen mysteries beyond our world. What do you think these objects really are? Share your thoughts and theories—because the conversation about UFOs is far from over.