Grey aliens vs Nordic aliens: what's the difference?
Greys and Nordics are the two best-known 'types' of alien in UFO lore. Greys belong to abduction stories. Nordics belong to the friendly 'space brothers' of the 1950s contactee movement.
Side by side
Grey aliensNordic aliens
Also calledGreys, Grays, Gray aliens, Zeta ReticulansNordics, Pleiadians, Space Brothers, Tall whites
WhereReported worldwide, especially in US abduction accountsMostly contactee reports from the US and Europe, especially in the 1950s
First reportedThe 1961 Betty and Barney Hill case made the image famousGeorge Adamski said he met one in the California desert on 20 November 1952
Size3 to 4 ft, sometimes taller6 to 7 ft
HabitatInside craft, bedrooms and lonely roadsDesert landing sites and contact meetings
SignsLarge black almond-shaped eyes; Grey, hairless skin; Thin body and an oversized headTall, human-looking people with long fair hair; One-piece suits; Calm, peaceful warnings
Famous cases22
Witness stories01
The big differences
- Look: Greys are short (3 to 4 feet), hairless and grey, with large black almond eyes. Nordics are tall, human-looking people with long fair hair.
- The kind of story: Greys appear in abduction accounts, often at night in a bedroom or on a lonely road. Nordics appear in friendly contact meetings, usually with calm warnings about war or the environment.
- Famous cases: the 1961 Betty and Barney Hill abduction made the Grey famous. George Adamski said he met a Nordic in the California desert on November 20, 1952.
- Mood: Grey encounters are usually frightening and clinical. Nordic encounters are described as peaceful.
Could they be the same thing?
UFO researchers usually treat them as different groups. Sceptics see both as products of their time: the Nordic matched 1950s fears about the atomic bomb, and the Grey grew out of 1960s and 70s abduction stories and their portrayal on TV and film.
Which one did you see?
Probably Grey aliens if…
- Short, grey, big black eyes
- Taken against your will, missing time
- Night, bedroom or lonely road
Probably Nordic aliens if…
- Tall, human-looking, fair hair
- A calm conversation with a message
- Desert landing site or arranged meeting
Seen something like this? Report your encounter All about Grey aliens All about Nordic aliens