Go Unlimited with Magzter GOLD

Go Unlimited with Magzter GOLD

Get unlimited access to 10,000+ magazines, newspapers and Premium stories for just

$149.99
 
$74.99/Year

Try GOLD - Free

Close encounters of the Failsworth kind

MEN on Sunday

|

July 30, 2023

PROFESSOR Brian Cox has said he ‘wouldn’t be surprised if a UFO landed in Oldham tomorrow’ as he shared thoughts about life beyond Earth.

Close encounters of the Failsworth kind

The leading Manchester physicist took to Twitter to post the surprising revelation, saying firstly he thought the Milky Way ‘may be filled with microbes but not complex living things at our level of intelligence’ but that ‘all thoughts are guesses’.

But he quickly clarified, writing: “BUT make no mistake, I wouldn’t be in the least bit surprised if a UFO landed in Oldham town centre tomorrow morning and the captain said ‘Take me to the leader of Oldham Metropolitan Borough Council’.”

He added if that did happen, he would ask them why gravity is so weak relative to the other forces of nature.

The remark came as Prof Cox, who is a professor of particle physics in the School of Physics and Astronomy at the University of Manchester, explained the ‘Fermi Paradox’ as the lack of firm evidence for alien intelligence.

MORE STORIES FROM MEN on Sunday

MEN on Sunday

Plans for homes can go ahead

A NEIGHBORHOOD expansion in Woodhouses, Oldham, can now proceed after a delay.

time to read

1 min

January 18, 2026

MEN on Sunday

Spy opt-out in new law is too broad, mayors warn PM

Legislation aimed at stopping cover-ups like Arena and H'boro

time to read

2 mins

January 18, 2026

MEN on Sunday

Strictly no dancing after judge Shirley suffers fall

STRICTLY Come Dancing's Shirley Ballas was taken to hospital after falling and hitting her head on a glass table.

time to read

1 min

January 18, 2026

MEN on Sunday

MEN on Sunday

Mine's a PAINT

Neal Keeling meets an artist inspired to paint after life-threatening diagnosis

time to read

3 mins

January 18, 2026

MEN on Sunday

MEN on Sunday

Hundreds march in city in protest at Iran government violence

SEVERAL hundred people marched through the streets of Manchester in solidarity with protesters in Iran.

time to read

1 min

January 18, 2026

MEN on Sunday

Tributes for Sir Patrick's 'lifetime of achievement'

WIGAN-BORN former Labour MP and defence minister Sir Patrick Duffy has died aged 105 following a short illness, a family friend has said.

time to read

2 mins

January 04, 2026

MEN on Sunday

'Today, people would assume it was done by artificial intelligence'

It's 10 years on from the photograph that captured Manchester like no other, writes Adam Maidment

time to read

3 mins

January 04, 2026

MEN on Sunday

Jason: Giving £2 is just the ticket for new cinema appeal

COMEDIAN Jason Manford is the latest celebrity to pledge his support to a charity appeal to build a new cinema for hospitals.

time to read

1 min

December 14, 2025

MEN on Sunday

It's so good to be back!

King of the Jungle returns to coach football team and see his fans

time to read

2 mins

December 14, 2025

MEN on Sunday

Town named one of happiest places to live

A LIST of the happiest places to live has been released and a market town in Greater Manchester has been included in the top 10.

time to read

1 min

December 07, 2025

Translate

Share

-
+

Change font size