This presentation arises from the research for my book American Cosmic: UFOs, Religion, Technology. I explore the history of the alleged programs that attempted to “back engineer” these parts to produce new and innovative technologies. Perhaps programs focused on the material, or “nuts and bolts” aspects of these parts attempted to deduce operational information from them. Either these attempts are slow to produce products, or, their methodologies are misguided. Scientists who approach the same problems with a different framework—frame work that allows for the possibility that the objects are more “alive” and complex, and even communicative than previously assumed, are paving a new way forward. This new path is potentially revolutionary.