2.01: UFOs and Related Phenomena: When did it all start?
Description
This article is from the Alien Visitors FAQ, by CRAM: The Cyberspatial Reality Advancement Movement ldetweil@csn.org with numerous contributions by others.
2.01: UFOs and Related Phenomena: When did it all start?
The modern era of UFO reports is held to have started with the report by
a Boise, Idaho business man, Kenneth Arnold. On 24th June 1947 near
Mount Rainier, Washington State he reported nine strange objects flying
in formation.
There were earlier reports than this. During World War II pilots on both
sides reported strange lights which followed their aircraft. Each side
thought that these were some secret weapon of the other side. These became
known as Foo Fighters.
There were earlier cases, but these are more suspect. For example, in the
year 810ad the emperor Charlemane is reported as being thrown from his
horse when it was startled by a silver ball which flew down from the sky.
==2.02: Search for Extra-Terrestrial Intelligence (SETI)
For many years there have been small unco-ordinated projects to search for
evidence to extraterrestrial life. These have been mainly by looking for
unexpected radio transmissions using radio-telescopes. Over the past
couple of years NASA has funded a co-ordinated effort to scan the whole
sky over a wide range of frequencies. The SETI project was cut from the
1994 NASA budget, however donations have been obtained from a number of
individuals which will allow it to continue as a private project but at a
lower level of activity.
==2.03: What do we really know about life elsewhere in the universe?
There has been much speculation about life elsewhere in the universe. Unless
UFO contactee and abductee reports are evidence of visitation by beings from
elsewhere in the universe, there is very little evidence.
Much of the speculation centres around something called tha Drake Equation.
This attempts to estimate the number of civilisations in the universe by
using a number of inprecise variables. The only planet where we have firm
evidence of there being civilisation is a place called Earth.
Evidence of planets around other star systems has relied upon complex
calculations based upon minute variations in the star's 'wobble' about its
axis. Recent improvements in imaging systems have improved the reliability
of these observations. It is likely that the smallest extra-solar planets
detected are two to three times the mass of Jupiter. There is no detailed
information on the structure or conditions on these planets. It is not
known if any of these planets could support life.
Many of the molecules believed to be essential to the formation of life have
been detected in interstellar space. Amino acids have been found in some
meteorites. These tend to be equal mixes of left and right handed forms,
which is more likely to be the result of a chemical rather than a biological
process.
==2.04: UFOs and Related Phenomena: Marfa Lights
Marfa lights are balls of lights that appear, change different colors
and dance around in the air. These lights where named after the town
that they have been appearing in, Marfa Texas. They have also been sited
in other areas. Some theories as to what they are include Ball lighting,
Car headlights, and Alien space ships. The last current sighting I'm
aware of was Marfa Texas on September 1 1992.
A small booklet on the Marfa Lights has been written by Dennis Stacey,
editor of the MUFON Journal, discussing many of the cases and the theories.
For details contact the author or MUFON.
Main Source: Sightings, FOX Network airdate September 25, 1992
==2.05: UFOs and Related Phenomena: Men In Black (MIB)
These are a group of individuals who are said to wear black suits and
drive and fly around in unmarked black cars and helicopters. They go
about threatening people who have claimed to have seen UFOs into not
talking about what they witnessed.
The very first occurrence of MIB was traced to a man named Albert K.
Bender. He was the editor of a flying saucer publication called the
"Space Review" In the October 1953 issue he placed an announcement
stating that he had come across information that would solve the flying
saucer mystery but they could not print it because they were ordered not
to. They then ended the announcement warning others in saucer work to be
"very cautious" they then stopped their publications. Later in an
interview Bender stated that "three men wearing dark suits" had ordered
him to stop publishing flying saucer material, and that he had complied
with the order because he had been "scared to death" of them. He later
published a book called "Flying Saucers and the Three Men in Black"
Mains Source: "A Review of MIBS (Men In Black) : A History" ParaNet File
Number: 00171 Published 1991 by ParaNet Information Service
Also see: Flying Saucers and the Three Men in Black by Albert K. Bender
==2.06: UFOs and Related Phenomena: Tectonic Strain Theory (TST)
A theory of electromagnetic effects upon the human brain and/or the
physical environment, such that all Forteana including UFOs, ghosts, ESP,
sasquatch, and religious fervour can be explained as being caused by
seismic activity generating electromagnetic radiation which in turn makes
people think they are witnesses to an anomalous event. Alternatively, the
EMM radiation can luminesce so that it appears as a UFO. Chief
proponent: Michael Persinger. A variant is the "Earth Lights" hypothesis
described by Paul Devereux.
Main Source: rutkows@ccu.UManitoba.CA (Chris Rutkowski)
==2.07: UFOnauts
A term used by the UFO community in reference to the alien abductors or
extraterrestrials.
==2.08: UFOs and Related Phenomena: UGM, USAF, Zine
Unusual Ground Markings (UGM):
A broad term which includes crop circles, "tripod marks", saucer nests,
burn marks, etc.
Main Source: rutkows@ccu.UManitoba.CA (Chris Rutkowski)
USAF:
United States Air Force:
Zine
magazine or newsletter pertaining to a specific subject.
circlezine - Crop Circle publication
ufozine - UFO publication
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