Supported by
The support of the Scottish Funding Council is vital to our work to inspire and share knowledge with audiences, local communities, and future generations.
Scotland’s history with UFOs
When
Monday 8 September 2025
19:00 - 20:00
Format
In-person
Cost
Free to book
About
A down-to-earth exploration of belief, mystery, and the Scottish imagination
Did you know? Scotland has a long and surprising history with flying saucers and UFOs, stretching back to the early 1950s.
Setting aside extraordinary explanations, this talk offers a down-to-earth historical view of UFOs in Scotland from the 1950s to the 1990s. It examines the different ways people have experienced, interpreted, and made use of UFOs – and how these stories connect to wider historical themes.
While it will delve into some of the country’s most well-known UFO cases, this talk from Gavin Miller places them in a broader and less familiar context – one shaped by Cold War anxieties, the utopian hopes of flying saucer contactees, the scientific goals of UFO investigators, and the realities of Scotland’s post-industrial economy.
Tickets are free, but booking is essential.
Event type
Curious
Contributors
Gavin Miller
Dr Gavin Miller is Reader in Contemporary Literature and Medical Humanities, University of GlasgowGavin Miller is Reader in the Department of English Literature, University of Glasgow. Alongside the history and culture of UFOs, his research interests include science fiction, the history of the psychological disciplines, and the history of Penguin Books. He is the author of Science Fiction and Psychology (2020) and Miracles of Healing: Psychotherapy and Religion in Twentieth-Century Scotland (2020). He is also lead editor of The Edinburgh Companion to Science Fiction and the Medical Humanities (2025).
Contact us
If you have an event enquiry, please email us on public_engagement@theRSE.org.uk.
What is Curious?
Curious is the Royal Society of Edinburgh’s (RSE) free festival that celebrates the research, ideas and knowledge shaping society today.
Each year, Curious brings a packed programme of free in-person and online events covering themes from the arts, humanities, policy, science and more. To date, we’ve welcomed over 10,000 attendees for talks, workshops, exhibitions and discussions where you can learn from and speak with Scotland’s leading thinkers. As part of the RSE’s mission to make knowledge useful and accessible for everyone, Curious is open to anyone who wants to learn more about the world around them. No specialist knowledge is needed, just bring your curiosity.
Related Curious events
-
Read MoreYouth, boredom and (dis)connection
Dive into the experiences of young people in Scotland, exploring themes of boredom, connection, and disconnection at this exhibition. Jump to: About Curious Accessible visits Connection to others – family, friends, mentors, colleagues, and community – is a cornerstone of our well-being. However, since 2020, higher levels of chronic loneliness have been reported across all […]
-
Read More
Playing the nation: Identity, culture, and power in video games
How is national identity encoded into video games played all around the world?
-
Read More
Who owns the Clyde?
An investigation into the ownership and future of Scotland’s most famous river.
