Acronym Mania.

Greetings. The search for answers to the problem of unidentified flying objects has been going on for decades now, with no end in sight. 

A whole slew of investigative approaches and techniques have been applied to the effort to research and investigate the UFO issue, with varying degrees of success. One aspect of the way the public looks at the issue seems on the surface to be quite insignificant, but it has had a strong influence on how the public sees the issue. Acronyms.

The acronym "UFO" has been in the public arena since the heady days of Captain Edward J. Ruppelt of the U.S. Air Force's Project Blue Book. Since the acronym first appeared, and began to be used by the greater UFO community, the term has become synonymous with all things extraterrestrial. Nowadays, anything that carries the label "UFO" is immediately assumed and/or determined, despite a lack of evidence or investigation, to be alien in nature, no matter what.

The National Investigations Committee on Aerial Phenomena (NICAP) and the Mutual UFO Network (MUFON) have both used, or now use in the case of MUFON, the acronym "UFO." Coral Lorenzen, the head of the Aerial Phenomena Research Organization (APRO) preferred the acronym "UAP," an acronym which at the time meant unidentified aerial phenomena, but that particular acronym did not catch on with the general public, or the UFO community. For the past few years, the U.S. government/military has been pushing for the usage of the acronym "UAP," which now means unidentified anomalous phenomena. Despite this push, some UFO writers and researchers prefer to use the old acronym, instead of the new offering. I myself am in that same camp. I use the acronym "UFO" or the term flying saucer. Call me old-fashioned, but that's my professional preference. 

Beyond the preferences, I have often lamented the fact that none of the aforementioned acronyms accurately describe the phenomenon. All have shortcomings. All are not completely accurate or descriptive in nature. To be honest, a single acronym may not suffice. A few years ago, I wrote a poll question that made the following inquiry, "What acronym accurately describes the enigma of unidentified flying objects?" I received a whole range of responses from my readers, most reasonable and thoughtful, but all coming up just a bit short, in my humble opinion. It seems a somewhat inconsequential point, but how a subject matter is seen by the general public or the scientific community is important and can either be a positive or a negative thing, depending on the label being used most often. 

It is a minor point, but it may be a point that carries quite a bit of weight. Even if some answers to the UFO problem come to light, a completely accurate and descriptive acronym may be beyond us, which may speak volumes about the UFO issue, and it's spectacular diversity. 

Thank you for your time and consideration.