In 2016, aliens are enjoying a renaissance. The sequel to alien-centric 1996 blockbuster Independence Day opens in theaters this Friday. New episodes of The X-Files aired this year for the first time in more than a decade. Presumptive Democratic presidential nominee Hillary Clinton has announced that if elected, she would open classified files on Area 51, the Nevada Air Force base rumored to house evidence of the existence of extraterrestrial life. But the impact of any alien news today is unlikely to match that of 17 minutes of grainy black-and-white film footage debuted in 1995.