This is as much about UFOlogy as it's about SE. But there's also Science in Ufology, for example statistical analysis of reported UFO sightings or video analysis of UFO Videos. I think this applies to software engineering as well.

Here's an example I found enlightening: It's about the HTTP3& the QUIC protocol: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4rYPXgCKamM So much real engineering went into that, from fossilized infrastructure that doesn't allow certain ipv6 extension headers, to assumptions about the great firewall of china and it's inner workings and more.