Thirty years ago this week, optimism was in the air. Then U.S. president Bill Clinton held a spectacular event at the White House where Israeli Prime Minister Yitzhak Rabin and Palestine Liberation Organization Chairman Yasser Arafat shook hands. The handshake had historic symbolism and came as the world first learned of the Oslo Accords, a framework for talks between Israeli and Palestinian representatives that was intended to bring peace in the Middle East. Three decades later, a solution to the Israeli-Palestinian impasse seems further away than ever.

What happened?

The Conversation Weekly podcast has launched a three-part series that looks back at the Oslo process and explores what history can teach us about possible present-day solutions for the ongoing conflict. The first episode is available now and I would encourage you to listen to it. For further background, I’ve included some recent stories from The Conversation global network that try to put the events of 1993 into perspective.

While the 30th anniversary of the Oslo Accords is a solemn moment in history, a more amusing story caught my attention this week: Mexico’s Congress heard testimony from UFO enthusiasts who presented two boxes with supposed mummified aliens. The presentation to Mexican lawmakers came just two months after a similar hearing before the U.S. Congress in which a former Air Force intelligence officer claimed his government had been aware of “non-human” activity since the 1930s.

While amusing, these events are further evidence that misinformation and conspiracy theories have infected so many aspects of our society. Internet hoaxes are now making their way to official government hearings. Why? For your weekend reading, I’ve included some great reads by researchers who explain why people like to believe in aliens – and how sciencists are actually looking for extraterrestrial technology.

Have a great earthly weekend. We’ll be back in your Inbox on Monday.