NASA announced on Thursday that they are implementing new scientific techniques to study UFOs and shift the perception of unidentified flying objects. The findings come after a yearlong study conducted by an independent team commissioned by the space agency.

The 33-page report cautioned that the negative perception surrounding UFOs hinders data collection, but NASA’s involvement aims to reduce the stigma. NASA Administrator Bill Nelson emphasized the need to move the conversation about UFOs, or as NASA refers to them, UAPs (unidentified anomalous phenomena), from sensationalism to science. The panel found no evidence of extraterrestrial origin for UAPs.

The report highlighted the importance of artificial intelligence and machine learning in identifying rare occurrences, including UFO sightings. NASA has committed to transparency in their research.

The team relied solely on unclassified data and did not access any top-secret files. They included scientists, aviation and artificial intelligence experts, as well as retired NASA astronaut Scott Kelly, who spent nearly a year in space. Their goal was to better understand unexplained sightings in the sky.

Due to the limited number of high-quality observations, no scientific conclusions could be drawn from the study. NASA uses the term UAPs instead of UFOs to refer to unexplained sightings that cannot be readily identified or scientifically explained.

The study, costing under $100,000, was launched a year ago. NASA’s efforts to use advanced satellites and change the perception of UFOs demonstrate their commitment to pursuing scientific understanding in this field.