ALIENS may already be walking among us... Because they're actually humans.

That's the bonkers claim made by one scientist, who argues that UFOs may be piloted by people from the future.

3 Sightings of 'alien' spacecraft may actually be vehicles piloted by humans from the future Credit: Getty - Contributor

In thousands of years' time, humanity will have access to all kinds of bonkers technology, argues Dr Michael Masters.

The anthropologist, who plies his trade at Montana Technological University, believes time and space travel, for instance, will be commonplace.

It's therefore entirely possible that humans will "visit" modern day Earth – visits which could explain previous accounts of UFO sightings and alien encounters.

"The phenomenon may be our own distant descendants coming back through time to study us in their own evolutionary past," Dr Masters told KXLF.com in Montana, USA.

3 Our evolution may mean we one day pilot disc-shaped craft while travelling back in time, according to Montana Technological University scientist Dr Michael Masters Credit: Getty - Contributor

Dr Masters specialises in human evolution, and says his theory is backed by decades of UFO sightings.

People who claim to have seen aliens often describe human-like features.

The creatures are often said to communicate with us in our own languages, and possess technology advanced beyond, but clearly built upon, our own gadgetry.

Dr Masters reckons this is evidence they are an advanced form of time-travelling human that he calls "extra-tempestrials".

"The extra-tempestrial are ubiquitously reported as being bipedal, upright-walking, five fingers on each hand and foot," he said.

"They have two eyes, a mouth a nose, and they can communicate with us in our own languages," he added.

The scientist wrote about his bonkers theory last year in a book titled "identified flying objects".

3 Dr Masters says the details of UFO sightings back up his claims Credit: Rex Features

He hopes his book gets scientists talking about the possibility that alien and UFO sightings may in fact be legitimate events involving extra-tempestrials.

The creatures' humanoid form and advanced technology is the result of sustained human evolution here on Earth, long into the distant future.

But the scientist admitted that even he wasn't sure his bonkers theory was correct.

"I continue to remain vigilant in my own scepticism. I do not have a staunch unwavering devotion to this notion, and I do not claim to proclaim a truth," he said.

Instead, his intention is to encourage readers to ponder whether our evolution "may ultimately result in us becoming the ones piloting these disc-shaped craft by means of the anthropological tool of time travel."

Not everyone agreed with his claims, though.

"There is nothing in this book to take seriously, as it depends on the belief that 'time travel' is not only possible, but real," said noted paranormal investigator and UFO skeptic Robert Sheaffer.

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In other news, a researcher claimed earlier this month that the discovery of alien life was not only "inevitable" but also "imminent".

One Nasa scientist has admitted it's entirely possible that aliens have already visited Earth – and we simply never noticed.

And, here are the mysteries we need to solve in order to prove the existence of extraterrestrials.

Do you believe in extraterrestrials? Let us know in the comments!

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