This week UFO Files: Revisited takes a look at the many reports of alien visits and abductions that have fired the public imagination over the years.
We might think of alien abduction stories as being a relatively modern phenomena, but in actual fact when you look back at old folk tales and legends in most cultures you see quite similar stories. With people be spirited away by sprites or taken up into the sky by gods.
Since the early 20th century these stories have largely been replaced with ones of aliens contacting and taking people away. Strange lights in the sky or mysterious figures being sighted in the woods are common reported encounters.
Actual abduction stories are a little rarer but their are still thousands of people in the U.S. who claim to have been taken away by aliens.
Often these reports involve them being tested by the aliens, with various medical procedures being carried out on them during their time away.
In popular culture shows like The X-Files have often featured stories about alien abduction and even ventured into Ancient Aliens territory regards human contact with extraterrestrials.
UFO Files: Revisited airs Fridays at 10:03 PM on History Channel.