After a fiery object crashes into the desert, creating a charred depression, aspiring author Putnam (Richard Carlson) and his girlfriend Ellen (Barbara Rush) join a friend's helicopter to investigate. He believes he witnessed something unusual at the site, but before he can confirm it, a landslide covers the area. Dismissed by the military and others, it seems unlikely anyone will uncover what happened. On their way …

The impulse to destroy what you can’t grasp is immediately apparent. A spacecraft descends into the desert landscape, initially mistaken for a meteorite. Small-town scientist Richard Carlson gains access to the damaged vessel before it's completely covered by the expanding crater left from its impact. His claims are dismissed, but when the aliens begin mimicking human appearances, others are forced to acknowledge …