Everything’s Relative: The Truth is Out There

If it seems one of your ancestors suddenly appeared on Earth one day, have you ever considered the possibility that your ancestry may not be entirely of this world?

Alien ancestors can throw a real wrench into your genealogy research, especially when agents Mulder and Scully of “The X-Files” aren’t around. UFOs typically don’t leave behind written records of their comings and goings and&#151let’s face it&#151crop circles and abductees aren’t going to tell you a whole lot about the time and place your great-great-grandparents “landed.”

But don’t despair! There’s an Internet mailing list (“listserv”) for people (and we use the term “people” loosely) just like you. UFO-ROOTS-L is described as “a mailing list for those whose ancestors arrived from outer space to make connections with others sharing this problem, discuss their ancestry and provide advice on possible avenues for further research.”

Unfortunately, the list is a bit divided on its true purpose. Some members apparently believe they are actually descendants of little green men. One such member figures her ancestry began with “hybrid experimentation several hundred thousand years ago.” Another list member, a resident of the infamous Roswell, NM, writes that the “common problem” of UFO roots is that it’s so difficult to support with evidence. (Just ask Mulder!)

The other faction of the list consists of researchers who, if they can’t find information about where their ancestors came from, say they “must be from Mars.” These members may or may not believe in alien life forms, but still enjoy participating in the open, curious nature of UFO-ROOTS-L.

To join your fellow earthlings in their discussion of UFRs (unidentified family roots), send an e-mail message with the word “subscribe” in its body to the address UFO-ROOTS-L-request@rootsweb.com.