ACUFOS Journal vol 5 no 3

Magazine Overview

This issue of The Journal of the Australian Centre for UFO Studies, Volume 5, Number 3, published in May/June 1984, features a critical examination of arguments against the Extraterrestrial Hypothesis (ETH) and explores alternative explanations for UFO phenomena.

Editorial: Putting Debunkers in Perspective

Frank Gillespie's editorial critiques the common tactics of UFO debunkers, such as attacking the ETH directly or using minor theories to dismiss the entire phenomenon. He praises John Prytz's rebuttal and Mark Moravec's work for employing sound scientific principles to dismantle weak arguments. The editorial emphasizes that reputations are secondary to scientific adherence.

The Case Against Hynek's "The Case Against E.T."

By John Prytz, this article directly challenges seven points made by ufologist J. A. Hynek in his paper "The Case Against E.T.". Prytz argues that Hynek's reasoning is often flawed and not scientifically rigorous.

1. Failure of Sophisticated Surveillance Systems to Detect Incoming or Outgoing UFOs: Prytz contends that surveillance equipment is designed to detect known threats and would likely ignore anything unfamiliar, including potential extraterrestrial craft. He notes that Hynek himself admits sophisticated systems have detected unidentifieds, but the information was not made public because it was not relevant to the task at hand. Prytz also points out that satellites have vanished, questioning the reliability of such systems.
2. Gravitational and Atmospheric Considerations: Hynek suggests aliens would not be comfortable in Earth's gravity and atmosphere without helmets. Prytz counters that not all alien visitors may need to be comfortable, citing the possibility of protective suits, varying degrees of difficulty with gravity, or that only aliens from Earth-like habitats would visit. He also proposes that UFO occupants might be constructed or engineered beings (UFOBOTS), making them adaptable to different environments.
3. Statistical Considerations: Hynek argues that the sheer number of UFO sightings makes visits from astronomically distant worlds improbable. Prytz refutes this by stating Hynek uses an 'either/or' approach and that the numbers only provide an upper limit. He suggests that many 'identified' UFOs are actually misidentifications (IFOs) and that the true unknown percentage might be much lower. Prytz also argues that not all unknowns are extraterrestrial and that other theories like natural phenomena or hoaxes could account for some sightings. He dismisses the idea of a one-to-one correlation between sightings and interstellar trips.
4. Elusive, Evasive and Absurd Behaviour of UFOs and Their Occupants: Hynek finds UFO behavior inconsistent with what one might expect from beings who have traveled long distances. Prytz argues that expecting aliens to behave like humans is anthropomorphic and that their behavior is inherently unpredictable. He suggests that human intelligence itself is unpredictable and that alien intelligence would likely be even more so.
5. Isolation of the UFO Phenomenon in Space and Time: The Cheshire Cat Effect: Hynek finds it strange that UFOs, if extraterrestrial, would undertake long journeys for short stays. Prytz draws parallels to terrestrial expeditions like the Apollo missions, which required immense effort for brief stays. He suggests that UFOs might appear isolated due to their vertical travel, their speed, or behavioral reasons, and that technological advancement reduces the time needed for tasks.
6. The Space "Unworthiness" of the UFO: Hynek suggests that UFOs appear unworthy craft for interstellar travel by our standards. Prytz uses the analogy of a car transported to Tasmania to argue that UFOs might originate from a nearby base or mother ship, making extreme spaceworthiness unnecessary. He also suggests that artificial intelligence could overcome the challenges of long-distance travel.
7. The Problem of Astronomical Distances: Prytz dismisses this as an outdated argument, stating that interstellar exploration and colonization are now considered plausible. He emphasizes that the galaxy is vast and old, allowing ample time for such journeys, even at slower speeds. He also proposes possibilities like artificial intelligence, multi-generation starships, or suspended animation as means of interstellar travel.

Prytz concludes by outlining several reasons why one might argue against the existence of extraterrestrial intelligence visiting Earth, but asserts that these are difficult to justify. He argues that UFOs are evidence for extraterrestrial intelligence, though not necessarily obvious evidence.

Bright Nights

By Paul Sowiak-Rudej, this article discusses observations by Dr. Brian Armstrong of the CSIRO Solar Observatory concerning 'bright nights'. These are described as broad, faint greenish bands in the sky, possibly related to airglows rather than auroras. While unlikely to be mistaken for point-source light UFOs, they might explain occasional reports of greenish glows on the horizon unrelated to a UFO sighting, or coincidental sightings of aircraft and airglows.

The Earth Phenomena Hypotheses

Mark Moravec reviews various hypotheses that suggest UFOs are natural, earthly phenomena. These include ball lightning, atmospheric animals, plasmas, earthquake lights, earth-stress lights, and earth lights and proto-entities. Moravec focuses on the hypotheses of Persinger and Devereux, which link UFOs to tectonic stress and geophysical forces. He notes that while these hypotheses offer potentially testable explanations, they face criticisms regarding correlation studies, sampling methods, and the unproven assumption of 'localised electric field columns'. Devereux's extension of Persinger's ideas suggests UFOs are influenced by geophysical forces and can change form based on observer's mental cues. Moravec also points out shortcomings in the data used by some British researchers to support these hypotheses, citing biased selection and reliance on questionable sources.

Recurring Themes and Editorial Stance

The recurring theme throughout this issue is the critical evaluation of arguments against the Extraterrestrial Hypothesis (ETH) and the promotion of scientific rigor in ufology. The journal appears to favor the ETH as a viable hypothesis, challenging debunkers and alternative explanations that lack strong scientific backing. The editorial stance is clearly in favor of open-minded scientific inquiry, urging readers to adhere to principles of science and avoid preconceived notions or biases.

This issue, number 10, of the ACUFOS Bibliography Service, published in 1983, is primarily dedicated to the topic of SETI (Search for Extraterrestrial Intelligence) and related phenomena, with a particular focus on 'earth phenomena' hypotheses for UFO origins. The publication serves as a comprehensive update to previous bibliographies, offering a vast collection of references.

Earth Phenomena Hypotheses and UFOs

The issue begins with a critical examination of 'earth phenomena' hypotheses as explanations for UFO sightings. It references a local newspaper, the Leicester Mercury, which reported on cases in the Leicester area. The author notes that Devereux's work selects 130 cases from 1953-1974, but only a small percentage are considered genuinely unexplained. A specific claim about a local fault at Croft Hill, potentially related to earth lights, is disputed by Dr. Peter Crowther of the Leicester Natural History Museum, who states that geological surveys show no such fault. The visible rock formations were apparently misinterpreted.

The author finds 'earth phenomena' hypotheses useful for directing research into the origin of UFO phenomena, acknowledging that luminescent phenomena associated with natural events like earthquakes and lightning are not fully understood. The potential for other unknown natural earth processes is also considered. These hypotheses are seen as testable through repeatable experiments or observations. However, the author strongly criticizes the evidence presented thus far as "grossly inadequate." A call is made for continued scientific investigation with only critically tested evidence accepted, likening inadequate evidence to building houses on sand.

ACUFOS Bibliography Service: General & Traditional SETI

The bulk of the issue is a detailed bibliography compiled by John Prytz, focusing on General & Traditional SETI. Prytz notes that he has previously covered radio SETI extensively and this bibliography serves as an update, focusing on alternative, non-radio SETI, and other related topics. He acknowledges the assistance of Zbigniew Paprotny of Rybnik, Poland, in compiling this extensive list.

The bibliography is divided into several sections:

SETI - Book Extracts

This section lists extracts from books, including:

• F.D. Drake on "Radio search for intelligent extraterrestrial life."
• J.B. Edson on "Interstellar culture."
• S.W. Golomb on "Extraterrestrial linguistics."
• J.N. Pelton on "Interstellar communications."
• A United Nations Secretariat paper on "Search for extraterrestrial intelligence (SETI)" prepared for UNISPACE-82.

SETI - Journal Articles

This extensive list covers numerous journal articles published between 1977 and 1983, with titles such as:

• "Listening for a real E.T."
• "SETI goes in search of ET thanks to microchips"
• "Limit on interstellar signals"
• "New, improved SETI"
• "NASA scours sky for life"
• "Berkeley parasitic SETI program"
• "Seeking extraterrestrial life: NASA is not quite alone"
• "Cosmic search: listening for life in space"
• "Extraterrestrial signal detection"
• "Intergalactic communication, or altruism and the selfish gene"
• "Ambitious eavesdropping: Soviet ear to the universe"
• "Project Cyclops"
• "US halts search for extra-terrestrial intelligence"
• "Voices from Tallinn SETI '81"
• "Stars: the future of SETI"
• "Search for extraterrestrial intelligence: living in a suitcase"
• "Search for extraterrestrial intelligence: telecommunications technology"
• "Siblings for SETI"
• "Ham radios listen for aliens"
• "Search for the real E.T."
• "Is there intelligent life out there? The search for extraterrestrial intelligence"
• "Jodrell joins search for life in space"
• "Is anybody there?"
• "Eavesdropping on the universe"
• "Looking for the bug-eyed analogues"
• "Special report: the search for extraterrestrial intelligence (SETI)"
• "Mysterious signals spotted at Hat Creek"
• "Project Ozma: search for intelligent signals from space by U.S. radio astronomers"
• "Extra-terrestrial intelligence: to search or not to search?"
• "Extraterrestrial intelligence: an international petition"
• "SETI petition"
• "Sagan looks for intelligent life and cash"
• "Combing the cosmic haystack" (Profile: F.D. Drake)
• "Scientists urge cooperation for large-scale SETI effort"
• "SETI manifesto"
• "Decline and fall of SETI"
• "SETI returns"
• "International legal protection of the 'water hole' frequency band for a search for extraterrestrial intelligent life"
• "'E.T.' winning friends for SETI"
• "SETI without saucers?"
• "Searching for them: interstellar communication"
• "SETI program"
• "NASA to help listen for E.T.'s call"
• "Extraterrestrial intelligence: a skeptical view of radio searches"
• "Tuning in on other worlds"
• "U.S.A. to step up the search for alien life in space"
• "Eavesdropping on outer space: a hunt for life"

SETI - Electronic Media

This section lists broadcast media related to SETI:

• "Search for extraterrestrial intelligence: interviews: Drs S. Gulkis & L. Friedman" (Towards 2000, ABC TV)
• "NASA's SETI program: interview: Dr D.L. DeVincenzi" (A.M., ABC radio)
• "Search for extraterrestrial intelligence: interview: Prof. P. Horowitz" (Science Show, ABC radio)

BIBLIOGRAPHY UPDATES - Exobiology - Book Reviews

• Review of "Intelligent Universe" by F. Hoyle.

BIBLIOGRAPHY UPDATES - Exobiology - Exotic Life Forms & Environments

• "Aliens on Earth: are they here already?"

BIBLIOGRAPHY UPDATES - Cosmic Chemistry

• "Atoms of life"
• "Origin and nature of carbonaceous material in the galaxy"
• "New weight record for interstellar molecules"

BIBLIOGRAPHY UPDATES - Panspermia

• "Life in outer space: infrared data debugged"
• "Pre-life chemistry found in meteorite"
• "New evidence emerges for life in space"
• "Bacterial life in space"
• "New light on bacteria from space"
• "Spectroscopic evidence for interstellar grain clumps in meteoritic inclusions"

BIBLIOGRAPHY UPDATES - Life in the Solar System: General

• "Are the planets habitable?"

BIBLIOGRAPHY UPDATES - Life in the Solar System: Mars (Post Viking)

• "Pre-biotic molecules in Martian dust clouds"
• "Life on Mars? The Viking LRE"

BIBLIOGRAPHY UPDATES - Life in the Solar System: Jovian Planets & Satellites

• "Organic synthesis in a simulated Jovian atmosphere: II"
• "Europa's global sea"
• "Ethane ocean on Titan"
• "Organic synthesis in a simulated Jovian atmosphere: III"
• "Organic chemistry and biology of the atmosphere of the planet Jupiter"

BIBLIOGRAPHY UPDATES - Extra-Solar Planetary Systems

• "IRAS discovery"
• "Vega & Co.: what's being born out there?"
• "Search for extrasolar planets"
• "New solar system found"
• "Researchers discover material orbiting star"
• "Stellar disk suggests planet formation"
• "Search for extra-solar planets in our stellar neighborhood"

BIBLIOGRAPHY UPDATES - Non-Radio SETI: Neutrinos

• "Telecommunication with neutrino beams"
• "On the communication with neutrino beams"

BIBLIOGRAPHY UPDATES - Non-Radio SETI: Space Probes & Artifacts

• "If they are here, where are they? Observational and search considerations"
• "Self-reproducing interstellar probe"

BIBLIOGRAPHY UPDATES - Non-Radio SETI: Lasers, Masers, etc.

• "Natural Mars laser: a beacon for SETI?"

BIBLIOGRAPHY UPDATES - Cosmic Truths & Consequences

• "Anthropic principle and the structure of the physical world"
• "Anthropic principle"
• "E-T effect"
• "Life in the universe: a few cosmological aspects"
• "Fundamental dimensionless numbers and the possibility of life"

BIBLIOGRAPHY UPDATES - Colonization of Space - Monographs

• "Colonizing Other Worlds: A Field Guide"
• "Where Will We Go When the Sun Dies?"

BIBLIOGRAPHY UPDATES - Colonization of Space - Journal Articles

• "Program for interstellar exploration"
• "Apostle of space stations" (Profile: G.K. O'Neill)
• "Interstellar travel by hibernation?"

BIBLIOGRAPHY UPDATES - Astro-Archaeology - Monographs

• "Stars and the Stones: Ancient Art and Astronomy in Ireland"
• "Little History of Astroarchaeology: Stages in the Transformation of A Heresy"

BIBLIOGRAPHY UPDATES - Astro-Archaeology - Book Reviews

• Review of "Stars and the Stones" by M. Brennan.
• Review of "Echoes of the Ancient Skies" by E.C. Krupp.

BIBLIOGRAPHY UPDATES - UFOs - Monographs

• "Andreasson Affair: Phase Two"
• "UFO Dynamics: Psychiatric & Psychic Aspects of the UFO Syndrome"

BIBLIOGRAPHY UPDATES - UFOs - Book Extract

• "Nocturnal lights" (in) Lightning, Auroras, Nocturnal Lights, and Related Luminous Phenomena.

BIBLIOGRAPHY UPDATES - UFOs - Journal Articles: Pre-1983

• "Unidentified flying objects"
• "Earthquake activity and antecedent UFO report numbers"
• "Promise of ufology"

BIBLIOGRAPHY UPDATES - UFOs - Journal Articles: 1983+

• "UFO update:(UFO abductee Pat McGuire: profile)"
• "E.T. phone your lawyers immediately"

BIBLIOGRAPHY UPDATES - Artificial Intelligence

• "Artificial intelligence in a rut"
• "Fuzzy sets make fuzzy logic"
• "Computing a machine's world view"
• "Robot intelligence"
• "Researchers cash in on artificial intelligence"
• "Machines that think: they're brewing a revolution"

BIBLIOGRAPHY UPDATES - Bermuda Triangle - Monograph

• "Triangle of Terror"

BIBLIOGRAPHY UPDATES - Bermuda Triangle - Book Extract

• "Critical reading, careful writing, and the Bermuda Triangle"

BIBLIOGRAPHY UPDATES - Bermuda Triangle - Journal Article

• "Bermuda Triangle: facts and fiction"

Recurring Themes and Editorial Stance

The recurring themes in this issue are the scientific investigation of UFO phenomena, the search for extraterrestrial intelligence (SETI), and the broader implications of life beyond Earth. The editorial stance, as expressed in the introductory section, is one of cautious skepticism regarding the current evidence for 'earth phenomena' explanations of UFOs, emphasizing the need for rigorous scientific methodology and verifiable data. The extensive bibliography reflects a commitment to cataloging and disseminating research across a wide spectrum of related scientific and speculative fields, from astronomy and physics to exobiology and artificial intelligence.