Grey aliens, sometimes known as Zeta Reticulans, Grays, or simply Greys, are, by far, the most commonly reported beings to be interacted with or witnessed in UFOlogical cases. Named for the coloration of their skin, these sapient humanoids have earned much fame and notoriety from the public as well as researchers. Greys are featured in various documented incidents, such as the Roswell UFO crash of 1947, the Barney and Betty Hill incident of 1961, and the Kalahari UFO incident in 1989 - among many others. The Grey-alien image and likeness has found its way into popular culture and imagination via mass media to the point that it is widely seen as being the archetypal, "textbook" picture of an "alien". Further stereotypes and reports describe them as flying saucer-operating, "memory-erasing" alien visitors who abduct human or animal subjects to study and/or collect biological samples.
Biology[]
In Fortean theories, the relationships between Greys and other races (such as Reptoids, Andromedans, Lyrans, Pleiadians, etc) is usually more complex, although it is often speculated that the Greys themselves may be both reptilian and/or genetically-engineered in origin. Other sources describe the Greys as "employed"—or, according to some sources, enslaved—to appear as a researching "workforce" while doing another race's bidding. Conversely, alternate ideas abound, including some picturing the Greys as benevolent, time-traveling relatives of Humans whose main purpose is to monitor and guide the development of the human race on Earth.
In the majority of UFO cases, the Greys have been consistently described as short, thin humanoids with greyish to beige, hairless skin, and a conspicuously large cranium. Their eyes are large, black and frequently said to be almond-shaped, and their facial features are restricted to a pair of small slits in the place of the nose, and a small, expressionless mouth. Their fingers are usually long and dexterous. Their bodies are proportionally small, and they don't appear to have external genitals. A putrid odor of something like ammonia is often reported by abductees and recovery crews.
Greys are exclusively telepathic and do not appear to be capable of producing oral language. The oral cavity contains no teeth or tongue, and the throat contains no vocal cords. Humans in close contact with live Greys frequently report the beings speak to them in their minds. Humans trained in ESP claim to be able to "feel" the presence of and sometimes connect with Greys.
There is minimal technical knowledge about their biology, but we do know a few things. Similar tolerances to heat and cold are observed and cellular respiration requires oxygen, The cardio-vascular system includes a heart, lungs and circulatory system. The lungs do not reciprocate with a diaphragm muscle like in humans but resembles a unidirectional flow system similar to birds. The brain is +20% superior in volume to a similarly sized human, and the cerebral cortex contains more densely compact folds (gyrification). Due to the absence of teeth, tongue and a very simple digestive system - a liquid diet is theorized. Excretion of waste occurs through pores in the skin, which produces the aforementioned ammonia smell. This also explains the lack of body orifices and certain "facilities" aboard their craft.
There are four very delicate digits on each of the hands and feet, with the middle being longer in comparison to the others. There are no fingernails. Blood color is brownish, but higher in plasma and copper in comparison to humans. The skin is often reported as being greyish in color, however autopsies have revealed that this is actually a slightly opaque biosynthetic film that is stretched tightly over the skin. The film is impermeable to fluids, but its other functions are not known. Once removed, a blotchy whitish beige epidermis with many pores can be seen. The film also covers the eyes, perhaps to protect against bright light and Earthly elements - which results in the characteristic black almond appearance. A more traditional eye, much larger than in humans and without eyelids lies beneath. Skeletal musculature is underdeveloped, and the creature is hairless throughout.
Genetic analysis reveals the Greys have a simpler, more compact genome of just 16 chromosomes. Evidence of tampering is apparent, with both terrestrial and alien genes contained within. In fact, the genome seems to be a very precise combination of human, animal and alien genes.
Whistleblower reports that Greys may have eliminated microbial life from their ecosystem, so biocontamination risk to humans is low or non-existent. In most cases, direct interaction with captive Greys (and storage of the deceased) occurs at biosafety level 2 (BSL-2), mainly for their protection. It's not known if they are susceptible to Earthly microbial disease, and we don't know a great deal about their immune system. It should be noted that, overall, the creature's physical traits do not seem durable or built to last. They often die in human captivity despite appearing physically healthy.
In summary, we observe many physical and biological analogues with Greys - and some significant differences. The respiratory and excretory systems are novel. The genetic system is an artificial hybrid. A reproductive system seems missing entirely. The organism's physical development seems out of balance, with some features being overdeveloped (eyes, brain) and others underdeveloped (skeletal, musculature, digestive systems). This odd combination of physical attributes contributes to the theory that these are engineered organisms. It is the author's opinion that this is not an animal that has developed its traits over eons of natural selection in a harsh ecosystem. Indeed, the anatomy of a Grey suggests "manufactured", and "disposable".
Society and Behavior[]
Little is known about Grey social structure or civilization. As mentioned before, its thought that Greys are sentient creatures that act as vessels, or remote bodies - for some other intelligence. When they are not under the direct control of a conscious entity, they seem to behave much like robots. According to witnesses, crash survivors are often found wandering aimlessly around the site. They don't attempt to assist their wounded, nor do they attempt to flee from humans when they inevitably arrive. One witness said a Grey found alive at a crash site could be lead around like a child and would just stand wherever you left it, staring blankly.
Greys are said to speak to humans telepathically in perfect human language (whatever the case may be), but it's unclear if the speaking entity is actually a Grey consciousness or something else. Many abductees have noted that Greys go about their busywork like robots when they are not interacting with humans. They are diligent and purposeful but seem to lack emotional depth, which is consistent with their expressionless faces.
The beings also do not display abstract creativity or art. Their craft design is bland, deliberate and as expressionless as their faces. No abstract design, art or decoration can be seen inside or out. The design philosophy clearly favors high efficiency and function over form.
It's been well noted that Greys do not attempt rescue operations for crash survivors, nor do they attempt recovery of craft or its deceased. This lack of concern for lost comrades reinforces the theory that these beings are disposable vessels for something else, which remains a mystery.
The overall consensus about the Greys observed behavior is that they are neutral. Neither benevolent nor malevolent. Abductee accounts sometimes describe the creatures speak in a comforting manner while conducting medical examinations. This behavior suggests a level of empathy, the value of which is somewhat diminished by the taking of people against their will and painful medical procedures. They do return them however, usually without serious physical harm.
History[]
Grey language
The origin of the Greys is unknown for certain, and they may or may not have a terrestrial home world. Abductees and whistleblowers including Bob Lazar have claimed the craft came from the Zeta Reticuli star system. Other theories suggest a more terrestrial origin.
Greys first appeared on Earth at an unknown time in human history. Its notable that figures resembling Greys or aliens have been depicted in human art dating back thousands of years, some estimates as far as 10,000 years. Others believe the Greys have been watching Earth for a long time but only became more involved after witnessing rapid human technological development, especially experimentation with weapons of mass destruction.
Historic Encounters[]
Roswell, New Mexico (1947)[]
The first notable encounter with the Greys was on July 8th, 1947, in the town of Roswell, New Mexico, when two crafts allegedly crashed in different places in the New Mexico desert. The cause of the crash is not certain, but analysis of crash damage of both craft suggests a collision between the two occurred. One craft crashed onto a rancher's field, who recovered some debris from the wreckage, believing the craft to have been the property of the US government. The other crashed some distance away in a remote area and wasn't discovered until over a year later. Both craft were disc shaped, about 30-40 feet in diameter and badly damaged.
As the story goes, both craft had 4 occupants. At the first crash site there were 3 dead and 1 survivor. At the second crash site there were zero survivors. The bodies in the second crash were badly decomposed having sat in the desert sun for over a year. The lone Grey survivor in the first crash, later dubbed "EBE1", or extraterrestrial biological entity, was taken from the site by USG personnel, along with the wreckage. EBE1 was later interviewed by the US military, and through discovery found that the species is telepathic, telekinetic and came from the Zeta Reticuli Star System. EBE1 later died in 1952 allegedly due to disease.
Betty and Barney Hill (1961)[]
Another notable encounter with the Greys was the Betty and Barney Hill Abduction, otherwise known as the Zeta Reticuli Incident. In 1961, Betty Hill and her husband Barney were driving along a New Hampshire road late at night when they saw something in the sky that looked like a falling star. As the car continued down the road, they noticed the object getting closer. They stopped and Barney got out of the car to try and get a look using his binoculars, and realized this was not a falling star, an airplane or a satellite. Barney and Betty argued about what it could be, while Barney continued to observe the craft which was moving around erratically at a distance of about 1000 feet. Barney became uncomfortable so they got back in the car an drove a short distance further, but he realized the object was following.
The memory of the events that followed were recovered via hypnosis. The section below is a high-level summary of Barney's account, but Betty also provided her account via hypnosis. Both versions are now available on Youtube unedited.
At some point they stopped again, and Barney got out to have another look with his binoculars. Realizing what he is seeing, Barney panics with fear and burst out screaming (while under hypnosis). He describes a pancake shaped craft with a row of windows, inside which he sees beings staring back at him. Barney is paralyzed with fear and wants to get his gun. He thinks one of them is trying to communicate with him, but he just wants to run.
Barney then describes seeing men appearing on the road with "those eyes" and thinking he was going to be robbed. He is aware the beings aren't human but does not want to admit to himself, or the psychologist - what they are. He describes floating and "going up an incline" and being placed "on a table" and comments that he "doesn't want to be operated on". A man inside the craft speaks to him with comforting words and warns him not to open his eyes. He then describes his genitals being examined by the beings with unknown instruments. He blacks out and wakes in his car with Betty sometime later. When they woke, they realized hours have passed but can't remember why they are pulled off to the side of the road. They continued home and later reported the story, which was published by the local press. This resulted the first major media firestorm around the abduction topic.
Technology[]
As a notice, the content in this section is highly speculative and unconfirmed. By nature of the secrecy around UAP/UFOs and NHI, we can only rely on the testimony of firsthand experiencers, whistleblowers and legacy government documents.
Craft Design and Morphology[]
It's not known if the technology the Greys wield is homegrown, learned or provided to them. Greys are primarily associated with disc shaped craft, although several other morphologies of UAP have been observed and documented. Craft shape and size seem directly correlated to mission objective or use case and may be manufactured to spec as needed. UAP may fly solo or in tactical formation with "wingmen". Formation flight is most often seen at sea, where they have less cover from terrain and wish obscure their numbers from human sensor systems. Formation shapes might be cubical, diamond or V shape and consist of 4 or more UAP.
Confirmed sightings backed up by military sensors show these craft do not move according to conventional Newtonian physics. They don't burn fuel to make thrust, nor do they have aerodynamic surfaces for making lift. They can hover silently and motionless for hours or accelerate at many dozens of G forces, covering huge distances in seconds. Movement between space, atmosphere and water is common and frictionless - a capability known as "trans medium". Notably, these design features seem consistent across the UAP variants.
Most UAP do have unique signatures which can be detected with properly calibrated sensors. First, most craft do produce a thermal or IR signature. Secondly, the craft's propulsion system produces a very slight distortion around the perimeter of the craft while in atmosphere, which is detectable at range. Third, they will sometimes appear on military and civilian radars, but this is less consistent. And finally, nations with certain space-based assets have detection and imaging capabilities. In recent years, the USG has become very good at detecting, tracking and imaging UAP using a combination of space and maritime based assets, as well as a custom sensor suite codenamed "Gremlin".
Propulsion and Energy Production[]
Bob Lazar, an engineer who claims to have worked on these craft at a secret USG facility - claims that they move by manipulating gravity. According to Lazar, the propulsion system creates a localized bubble around the hull, isolating it from the Earth's gravity. This bubble can then be focused in any direction to compress and/or expand spacetime - instantaneously shortening the distance between two points. The bubble is both friction and inertia free, so the occupants don't feel acceleration when the craft moves. Nor does the hull experience heating from friction with fluids such as air or water. In science fiction parlance, this might be referred to as a "warp drive".
While Lazar's account sounds theoretically possible, no technology with these properties has ever been confirmed to exist. Lazar, whose work was allegedly focused on a disc shaped craft he dubbed "the sport model", said the power for the gravity drive comes from an antimatter reaction fueled by element 115, a recent addition to the (human) periodic table. Russian scientists succeeded in synthesizing an isotope of element 115 in 2003, but it was so unstable it decayed in about .7 seconds. This result suggests the element has other stable isotopes which remain undiscovered.
What seems clear is that these are not long-range craft. They are not coming from deep space or another planet, even when observed descending from orbit. The interior of these discs can be quite sparse, and even sometimes unmanned. Technological devices, tools and instrumentation have been recovered from inside crashed craft, but never anything related to life support, food or supplies of any kind. The prevailing theory is they are being launched from a base of operations somewhere nearby, such as underground/undersea bases or perhaps the moon.
The maximum speed that these craft can "warp" to is unknown. UFO lore has produced some clues over the years, but these should be taken with a grain of salt. It is said that a trip to the Sol system from Zeta Reticuli in a Grey mothership takes about 9 months. At a distance of 40 light years, this velocity is calculated to be about 54 times the speed of light.
Alignment, Intent and Military Defense[]
In recent years UAP have become bolder in their contacts with military vessels, aircraft and sensitive installations. The number and frequency of mass sightings by military warships has increased dramatically. The UAP fly close to fighter aircraft, taunt them and then wiz off. Dozens will pop out of the water at sea and surround warships. In addition, UAP are going to greater lengths to avoid being detected except when they want to be. Observed behaviors include hiding in large cloud formations, employing active signature management, escaping into the sea, or directly disabling sensor arrays that might target them. This demonstrates both situational awareness and defensive capability.
To the human eye, and even off the shelf digital camera sensors - these objects will look blurry and lack definition unless it's really up close. This effect is produced by nature of the propulsion system, which bends and distorts light around it. This is also why sometimes they do not appear on radar, because radar waves tend to flow around the crafts gravitational bubble without reflecting pings back to the receiver. Details on craft weaponry are sparse, but it has been reported that craft can project beams of light toward the ground or at specific targets. This activity often corresponds with or results in disruption of human electronic systems.
There is no evidence that UAP are impervious to human weaponry, kinetic or otherwise. As observed in many incidents, the craft can and do take catastrophic damage and crash. The pair that crashed in Roswell collided with each other. In the Kalahari UAP crash incident of 1989, the craft was brought down by a heat seeking missile. Their main advantages are speed, stealth, trans medium capability, and in some cases - electronic warfare (suppression of human electronic systems). It's however unlikely that a small UAP disc would survive a direct hit from a high-power kinetic weapon without serious damage. They can simply outrun or outmaneuver them at will, however.
Biotech and Terran Operations[]
Greys are known to be expert geneticists. Little is known about their science or interest in genetic research, but it does not seem limited to humans. Some abductees have claimed that Greys are interested in creating a hybrid race for an unknown purpose, perhaps to enhance themselves or create new life. There are tons of theories and even state sponsored misinformation around this topic, so the smoke is pretty thick. Grey's themselves are thought to be engineered beings, so the idea that they need Earthly DNA to improve themselves seems dubious. Others believe their primary mission is to protect and spread life. Whatever their motivations, Greys have shown great interest in human military capabilities - especially nuclear weapons - over the past 70 years. It seems obvious they are concerned about the destructive capability of these weapons and its lasting effect on biological life. They may also wish to protect the infrastructure and facilities they've built here, which could be significant.
Popular culture[]
- The species is featured in the 2007 movie Night Skies, based on an actual abduction case which took place during the Phoenix Lights event of 1997. The creatures portrayed on the film appear like skinny Greys with telepathic abilities and organic-based technology.
- The species is featured in the Doctor Who animated special Dreamland, engaged in war with the Viperox. In the Third Doctor novel Devil Goblins from Neptune they are given the name Nedenah.
- The Silents, although a different species, are similar to Greys in appearance and might be related.
- There is a species called Grays in Alienology, that differ little from the standard definition of the species.
- The Arilou Lalee'lay from Star Control are perpetually-mischievous that are intended to represent the Greys within that universe.
- The Asgard from Stargate are typical Greys.
- In the third episode of Extreme Dinosaurs three alien Greys appear imprisoned in a government facility, only to be freed by one of the Extreme Dinosaurs.
- The aliens from the miniseries Taken are basic Greys.
- Salarians in Mass Effect somewhat resemble the Greys.
- The Antarians in Imperium Galactica II: Alliances embody the classic Greys, with their flying saucer-like ships that are quick and equipped with highly advanced technology.
- In South Park a frequent Easter Egg in the show is the presence of what they call Visitors, aliens virtually identical to the mainstream idea of a Grey in every way.
- The Furon are most likely inspired by the Greys.
- The Greys also make an appearance in the 2001 MuckyFoot game, StarTopia, in which they can run the player's Sick Bay facilities.
- The Interdimensional Beings from Indiana Jones and the Kingdom of the Crystal Skull are basic Greys.
- The Colonists; a.k.a. Reticulans or Greys; are featured as part of the major mythology of The X-Files series.
- The Babylon 5 universe features at least three species designed after the Greys of popular culture: the Streibs, the Zeners and the Vree.
- The cartoon Buzz Lightyear of Star Command names them Roswellians and shows an inversion of the classic story; in which Buzz and his team crash land on the Grey's homeworld.
- Roger from American Dad is an obvious example of a Grey in modern media.
- Paul from the movie of the same name is a very deliberate example of a Grey.
- The What from The Tick disguised themselves as a type of grey when they abducted the shows titular character.
- The Sectoid from X-Com are that universe's variation of the concept.
- Barash from Star Trek: The Next Generation belongs to a Grey-like species.
- Greys appear (under the name "Grays") in the second and third Ratchet & Clank games.
- In the 2013 horror-science fiction film Dark Skies, the main villains are named "the Greys".
- The Vargon from the American Chillers novels are essentially Greys.
- Men in Black features two species - Baltians and Arquillians - which bear some similarities to this species. However neither fits well in the size factor, the former being much taller than how the typical Grey is usually portrayed and the latter being several times smaller.
- The mature form of the Skrit Na from Animorphs.
- They are featured as one of the inhabitants of Area 51 in the animated comedy Escape from Planet Earth.
- The aliens from the 1977 science fiction film Close Encounters of the Third Kind are Greys.
- The Duros from Star Wars are also physically Grey-like, despite being considerably taller than most other depictions.
- Ankh-Venharis from the 1982 film Time Walker is revealed to be a Grey-like alien.
- In the Dilbert animated cartoon series, a one-off gag has a pair of Greys arguing when one refers to itself as a "UFO", defending its position by insisting that it's a better name than their real one, Zyzphlahelmrn.
- The Velgroxs from Transformers: Rescue Bots, appear to be a hideous Grey-like species.
- Giygas from the Mother game series somewhat resembles a Grey in Mother 1.
- The Sophons and Mavros from Endless Space are Greys with Spacesuits.
- The Arcturans' appearance in Goosebumps 2: Haunted Halloween is based off the Greys.
- In Transformers: Cyberverse, one of the heads on Starscream's Quintesson Judge body resembles a Grey.
- In Samurai Jack, one large muscular Grey-like alien warrior.
- The Abductors from Star Trek: Untold Voyages #5 are typical Greys.
- In Final Space, the Lord Commander and Clarence both somewhat resemble Greys.
- In Deus Ex Creatures called Grays are references to Greys.
- In The Sims 2 series for PS 2, there is a household living in Pleasantview called Gray and both of the couples are aliens with a striking resemblance to the Greys.
- In the Demon Accords series, they are known as the Vorsook.
- In Our Friends Upstairs by D.N. Meinster, the Zeta Reticulans play a role in the novel. Originally maintaining a dialogue with the U.S. Government after one of their vessels crashed on Earth, the alien race broke contact after the 1980s. Contact was re-established in 2032 to help avert the Climate Crisis as it was remembered by the administration that the aliens had access to technology to control the weather.
- The Greys are the overarching antagonists of the Syfy series Resident Alien. They are initially mentioned in the program's first season, when the main character, an alien impersonating the doctor Harry Vanderspeigle, describes them as being "insidious assholes" who kidnap humans for anal probing. In the second season, it is revealed that the Greys are, in fact, creating Human/Grey hybrids in attempt to take over the Earth and have already once succeeded in turning the planet into a desolate wasteland in an alternate timeline.
- The Greys served as the main antagonists of the 2023 Sci Fi Horror film No One Will Save You.
Gallery[]
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