This article was originally featured on The Conversation . On May 22, 2026, the Pentagon  released a second batch of previously classified photos and videos  showing what appear to be unexplained flying objects. These file dumps were the culmination of a process that was set in motion  back in July 2023 , when a group of government whistleblowers testified before Congress that the U.S. government was secretly in possession of extraterrestrial spacecraft and suspected alien body parts. That congressional hearing marked the beginning of a cultural shift in which UFO reports are increasingly treated as a matter for serious discussion, both within the government  and the scientific community . The Pentagon released over 200 previously classified UFO files in May 2026. Image: Department of Defense But is this newfound legitimacy deserved?…