What Is NUFORC?
NUFORC stands for the National UFO Reporting Center — a nonprofit organization that serves as the primary public clearinghouse for UFO sighting reports in the United States. Founded in 1974 by Robert Gribble and directed since 1994 by Peter Davenport, NUFORC operates a 24-hour hotline and online reporting system that has collected tens of thousands of UFO sighting reports spanning five decades.
How NUFORC Works
NUFORC accepts reports through its website and telephone hotline. When a witness files a report, they provide details including the date, time, and location of the sighting, the duration of the observation, the shape and behavior of the object, and any additional witnesses. Davenport personally reviews reports, adds editorial notes and comments, and publishes them to the NUFORC database. Reports are organized by date, state, and shape, making the database searchable for researchers looking to identify patterns, clusters, and trends in sighting activity.
The Database
NUFORC’s database is one of the most comprehensive public collections of UFO sighting reports available. It contains reports dating back to the early 20th century (filed retroactively) through the present day. The database’s value lies not only in individual reports but in the aggregate — researchers use it to identify geographic and temporal clustering of sightings, correlations with military activity or other events, and long-term trends in the types of objects being reported. The data has been used in academic studies, journalistic investigations, and independent research projects.
Limitations
NUFORC’s strength as an open reporting platform is also its limitation. Reports are self-submitted and largely unverified. There is no field investigation component comparable to MUFON (Mutual UFO Network) — reports are published based on the witness’s account without independent verification of the details. This means the database contains a mix of genuine anomalous sightings, misidentifications of conventional objects, and occasional hoaxes or fabricated reports. Researchers using NUFORC data must apply their own filtering criteria to assess report quality.
Role in UAP Research
Despite its limitations, NUFORC fills a critical role in the UAP research ecosystem as a low-barrier, publicly accessible reporting mechanism. Many witnesses who would not file a report with MUFON or a government agency are willing to submit a NUFORC report. This captures a broader cross-section of sighting data than more formal channels and provides an important complement to the curated databases maintained by other organizations.
Related Terms
NUFORC operates alongside MUFON (Mutual UFO Network), CUFOS (Center for UFO Studies), and governmental bodies including AARO (All-domain Anomaly Resolution Office) in the broader UAP reporting and investigation infrastructure. The data contributes to research related to UAP (Unidentified Anomalous Phenomena), NHI (Non-Human Intelligence), and the CE1 through CE5 classification system.