Before there were alien abductions and Area 51 memes, there were the Contactees. These were people—mostly in the 1950s—who claimed not only to see UFOs, but to have had face-to-face chats with extraterrestrials. Think less “take me to your leader” and more “let’s grab coffee and discuss Earth’s spiritual crisis.”

One of the most famous was George Adamski, who said he met a friendly, blonde-haired alien named Orthon from Venus. (Yes, Venus. Back when we thought it might be a tropical paradise and not a lava-coated hellhole.)

The Contactees usually described aliens as wise, peaceful beings warning us about nuclear weapons, pollution, and not recycling enough (okay, maybe not the last one). These messages were often wrapped in spiritual or New Age language, with a sprinkle of cosmic love.

Scientifically? There’s zero proof of their stories, and most were dismissed as delusions, hoaxes, or attention-seeking. But they helped shape modern UFO culture, and their colorful tales still influence today’s alien lore.

Today’s "experiencers" owe a tip of the tinfoil hat to the Contactees—the OGs of extraterrestrial storytelling.