Author: Don Talend

After decades—centuries, even—the question of whether or not life forms from other galaxies occasionally visit Earth remains unanswered. For the latest attempt to unravel this age-old mystery, the National Geographic Channel assembled a team of trained investigators to visit several sites where unidentified flying objects allegedly have been sighted. The network aired the investigations in its Chasing UFOs series in summer 2012.

Ben McGee (left), an investigator on the National Geographic Channel Chasing UFOs series, sets up a survey grid using the Topcon IS-3 imaging station while Scott Langbein, Topcon’s director of product marketing, provides technical assistance.

Whether or not the forensic investigations proved that some UFOs are actually spaceships transporting alien life forms is up to viewers to decide. As is the case with all programming on the network, viewers learn something about the planet in the process of being entertained. Among its own discoveries, the team learned something new about terrestrial positioning technology, too, having been equipped with an instrument that combines advanced imaging with high-accuracy surveying capabilities.

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