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Do aliens exist? Obama jokes that they're real – but not at Area 51

Do aliens exist? Obama jokes that they're real – but not at Area 51

It's a question that's been debated and debunked for decades: Are aliens real?

USA TODAY

The word "alien" can create mental images of different creatures in people's heads thanks to Hollywood − gentle and wrinkly in Steven Spielberg's "E.T. the Extra-Terrestrial," blue and rambunctious in Disney's "Lilo&Stitch" and the stereotypical green beings with big eyes come to life in "Invaders from Mars."

Former President Barack Obama jokingly confirmed their existencein a Feb. 14 interviewwith podcast host and YouTuber Brian Tyler Cohen before shutting down the conspiracy that creatures from outer space are held at Area 51, the remote and classified United States Air Force facility in the Nevada desert.

<p style=Barack Obama served as the 44th president of the United States from 2009 to 2017. Take a look at his life in photos.

" style="max-width:100%; height:auto; border-radius:6px; margin:10px 0;" loading="lazy" /> Former US President Barack Obama (R) holds up US Vice President and Democratic presidential nominee Kamala Harris's hand as they greet the crowd together during a campaign event at James R Hallford Stadium in Clarkston, Georgia on Oct. 24, 2024. Former president Barack Obama takes the stage to speak to a crowd of supporters while campaigning for Kamala Harris at Huntington Place in Detroit on Tuesday, Oct. 22, 2024. Obama joined his former Vice President, now-President Joe Biden and Vice President Kamala Harris at the White House on April 5, 2022. The officials gathered to celebrate the 2010 passage of the Affordable Care Act "Obamacare." The former president appeared at the Copenhagen Democracy Summit at The Royal Danish Playhouse on June 10, 2022.  Obama gave a speech at the 26th "Conference of the Parties" in Glasgow, Scotland on Nov. 8, 2021. The event is a gathering of all the countries signed on to the U.N. Framework Convention on Climate Change and the Paris Climate Agreement. Obama speaks at a Get Out the Vote rally in November 2020 for then-Democratic presidential candidate Biden. Obama and NBA commissioner Adam Silver shared a laugh before the NBA Finals Game 2 between the Golden State Warriors and the Toronto Raptors on June 2, 2019. Obama at the game between the North Carolina Tar Heels and Duke Blue Devils on Feb. 20, 2019, in Durham, N.C. Obama spoke at the memorial service for his 2008 presidential rival, former Sen. John McCain, at the National Cathedral in Washington on Sept. 1, 2018. “A warrior. A statesman. A patriot. Who embodied so much that is best in America,” Obama said of McCain. “He made us better presidents. Just as he made the Senate better. Just as he made this country better.” At the ceremony for his newly unveiled portrait at the Smithsonian's National Portrait Gallery on Feb. 12, 2018, Obama joked that he tried to negotiate less gray hair and smaller ears. He met with competitors from Team USA on Day 7 of the Invictus Games 2017 on Sept. 29, 2017, in Toronto. President Obama presents the Presidential Medal of Freedom to Diana Ross during an East Room ceremony at the White House on Nov. 22, 2016. The Presidential Medal of Freedom is the highest honor for civilians in the United States of America. Obama stumps for Democratic nominee Hillary Clinton in Ann Arbor, Mich., on the eve of the election in 2016. Presidential nominee Hillary Clinton takes the stage with Obama after his speech during the 2016 Democratic National Convention at Wells Fargo Center on July 27, 2016, in Philadelphia. Obama delivers the State of the Union address on Jan. 12, 2016, from the House chamber of the United States Capitol. Vice President Joe Biden and Speaker Paul Ryan are behind the president. With tears running down his cheeks, President Obama talks Jan. 5, 2016, about the victims of the 2012 Sandy Hook Elementary School shooting and about his efforts to increase federal gun control. Without approval from Congress, Obama sidestepped the legislative process with executive actions to expand background checks for some firearm purchases and step up federal enforcement of existing gun laws. Pope Francis, arriving from a trip to Cuba, is greeted by Obama at Joint Base Andrews on Sept. 22, 2015. President Obama awards Ryan M. Pitts, a former active duty Army Staff Sergeant, the Medal of Honor for conspicuous gallantry on July 21, 2014. Staff Sgt. Pitts was the ninth living recipient of the Medal of Honor for actions in Iraq or Afghanistan. Obama poses for a picture with Miami Dolphins head coach Don Shula, right, during the 1972 Dolphins White House visit on Aug. 20, 2013. LeBron James talks while presenting a team-signed basketball to Obama as the White House honors the NBA Champion Miami Heat on Jan. 28, 2013. President Barack Obama and first lady Michelle Obama at the Inaugural Ball in Washington, D.C., on Jan. 21, 2013. Barack and Michelle Obama, Joe and Jill Biden wave at an election night party on Nov. 7, 2012, in Chicago. Obama defeated Republican challenger former Massachusetts Gov. Mitt Romney. Obama shares a laugh with former White House aide Reggie Love as they watch the U.S. Senior Men's National Team and Brazil play during a pre-Olympic exhibition basketball game on July 16, 2012. in Washington, D.C. Obama talks with student athletes at Maquoketa High School in Maquoketa, Iowa, on Aug. 16, 2011, during a swing through the Midwest. The 2010 World Series champion San Francisco Giants visit the White House and President Obama on July 25, 2011. Obama holds a gift jersey with Giants legend Willie Mays on his right and GM Brian Sabean on his left. Obama talks to David Greenspon, owner of Competitive Edge in Des Moines, at an invitation-only event at Jeff and Sandy Hatfield Clubb's home on Sept. 29, 2010. The topic of discussion was challenges faced by middle class families.  Obama throws out the ceremonial first pitch at the All-Star Game on July 14, 2009, in St. Louis. Notre Dame conferred an honorary degree of Doctor of Laws on Obama at the university's 164th Commencement ceremony. Obama runs with first dog Bo as the Obamas show off their new Portuguese water dog to the gathered press on the South Lawn of the White House in April 2009. Obama greets Speaker of the House Nancy Pelosi before he addresses a joint session of Congress on Feb. 24, 2009. President of the United States Barack Obama and Michelle Obama during the Inaugural Parade on Jan. 20, 2009. President Barack Obama takes the oath of office from Supreme Court Chief Justice John Roberts on Jan. 20, 2009. The president-elect waves to the crowd at the Wilmington Station during a whistle-stop train ride to Washington on Jan. 17, 2009. While on the campaign trail, Sen. Barack Obama samples some fresh peaches on a visit to the Greensboro Curb Market, a fruit and vegetable market in North Carolina.  Democratic presidential candidate Obama drives a bumper car with his daughter Sasha at the Iowa State Fair on Aug. 16, 2007, in Des Moines, Iowa.  <p style=Sen. Barack Obama poses for a portrait on Feb. 2, 2006, at the Capitol.

" style="max-width:100%; height:auto; border-radius:6px; margin:10px 0;" loading="lazy" /> Obama talks in his office with USA TODAY reporter Kathy Kiely on Feb. 2, 2006. Barack Obama, graduate of Harvard Law School 1991, is photographed on campus after he was named head of the Harvard Law Review in 1990.

See former President Barack Obama's journey to White House and his life after

Barack Obama served as the 44th president of the United States from 2009 to 2017. Take a look at his life in photos.

'I haven't seen them': Obama debunks Area 51

In the interview, Cohen held a lightning round of questions with the former president, including asking about a pressing issue for some people in the United States: Do aliens exist?

"They're real, but I haven't seen them," Obama said in response to Cohen's question. "They're not being kept at Area 51. There's no underground facility, unless there's this enormous conspiracy, and they hid it from the president of the United States."

More:'Clown show': Barack Obama on Trump post depicting Obamas as apes

Proceeding with the lightning round, Cohen then asked Obama, "What was the first question you wanted answered when you became president?"

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"Where are the aliens?" Obama responded quickly before laughing.

Aliens remain topic of interest for Americans

Questions around the existence of aliens and life beyond Earth have swirled for years, with interestreignited by recent hearingson Unidentified Anomalous Phenomena, or UAPs. They're commonly called UFOs, or Unidentified Flying Objects.

More:Congress holds hearing on UAPs (or UFOs). What are they?

USA TODAY previously reported thatnearly half of Americans believethe U.S. government is concealing information about UFOs, which have become synonymous with alien lifeforms.

Still,the Department of War, formerly known as the Department of Defense,advises that most UAP sightings can actually be identified as planes, balloons, drones and weather events.

Kate Perez covers national trends and breaking news for USA TODAY. You can reach her at kperez@usatodayco.com or on X @katecperez_.

This article originally appeared on USA TODAY:Obama jokes that aliens are real, debunks Area 51 in podcast interview

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