TSR:

I know that confrontations of the 3rd kind and Abductions are like a pin in the eye to most scientists, based on the attacks advanced against any such contention. OTH there are apparently some very smart people, like commercial pilots, that have claimed to see objects they IDENTIFIED as flying machines, presumed to be heavier than air and self propeled. If we relaxe a ;ittle and think about the possibility the answer may simply be that some living creature in this Galaxy may know something more about science than we do and may have advanced farther than we have and may actually be comming here to look around.

The suggestion fails forthwith due to the inherent attack on Earthlings preconceived superiority - to wit, an ego boundery.

For me the issue is still open but I have read many books covering alleged encounters.
jjw