As government stops keeping track of UFO sightings, the Sun steps up

Tabloid newspaper the Sun will host the UFO reporting files that were recently given up by the Ministry of Defense, and said on its website that it had received backing from the U.S. National Aeronautics and Space Administration.

"A top scientist from the U.S. labeled our bold bid to record alien activity in the UK as 'important'", writes the Sun with characteristic modesty, citing NASA researcher Christopher McKay has having lent his support to the project. McKay has said that the records are of scientific value.

Tech news site The Register reports that, as the Sun has stepped up, the government has stepped down, saying that the government no longer maintains reports of UFO sightings past 30 days and responds to all such inquiries with a form letter. The famous hotline the government maintained for live reports no longer exists, the Register says.

The existing files, according to the Register, will be moved to the National Archives, which will make them available to the public. The program was shut down due to budget shortfalls and time constraints.