When we refer to "the UFO phenomenon" or simply the "phenomenon," we're not just talking about individual flying objects—we're describing the entire scope of unexplained observations, encounters, and the strange cascading effects that accompany them. This includes things like recurring patterns of behavior and characteristics across sightings, the electromagnetic interference that often disrupts electronics and vehicles during encounters, physical traces left behind, and physiological impacts on witnesses. But it goes beyond just the immediate event: the phenomenon encompasses the synchronicities and unusual occurrences that witnesses often report in the days and weeks following their experiences, the historical continuity of remarkably similar reports across different time periods and cultures, and the systemic nature of these encounters rather than treating them as isolated incidents.

Using "phenomenon" acknowledges that we're dealing with something far more complex and interconnected than random individual sightings—it suggests an ongoing, measurable pattern that includes not just what people see in the sky, but all the strange secondary effects that seem to cluster around these events, making it worthy of serious scientific study rather than dismissing each case as an isolated anomaly.