Awareness - 2002-03 - Vol 25 No 3

Magazine Overview

Title: Awareness
Issue: 25.3
Volume: 25
Date: Autumn 2002
Publisher: Contact International UFO Research
Country: England
Language: English

This issue of *Awareness* magazine, the journal of Contact International UFO Research, delves into a variety of UFO and paranormal phenomena, with a particular focus on unusual discoveries, historical accounts, and recent events. The cover prominently features headlines concerning an 'ALIEN SKULL?', David Bowie as a 'CONTACTEE?', and 'CROP CIRCLES 2002', alongside an illustration of a grey alien and a spacecraft.

Editorial: Observation, Observation, Observation!

The editorial, titled 'Observation, Observation, Observation!', critiques the modern reliance on 'psychological profilers' in investigations, drawing parallels between criminal cases and UFO research. It highlights the 'Washington Sniper' case as an example of how inaccurate profiling led to a prolonged spree and the 'Royal Butler' trial as another instance where assumptions overshadowed facts. The editor argues that this tendency to dismiss the unknown and force-fit evidence into preconceived notions is also prevalent in the UFO field, noting the decline in 'flying saucer' sightings despite the prevalence of photographic evidence, much of which is deemed hoaxes. The piece suggests that the iconic 'saucer' image, popularized by media, may obscure the true nature of many sightings.

News in Brief

This section covers several short news items:

• UFO Group Privatiised!!: Reports on a takeover bid within the Norwich UFO group (NUFOS/Anglian X-Files) by its chairman, who sought to run it as a business, leading to internal conflict.
• 'Flying Saucer' Comeback?: A photograph of a domed saucer craft taken in Tonbridge, Kent, is discussed. While resembling the McMinnville and Rouen cases, the witness used a false name, prompting caution despite the clear image.
• UFO Truth Seeker Hacks into Pentagon: Gary McKinnon is accused of hacking into NASA and US military databases, allegedly driven by a desire to expose government UFO cover-ups.
• Second Tunguska Event in China?: An account of a massive explosion in Kweichow province, China, on 3/11/94, which flattened a large area of forest radially, similar to the 1908 Tunguska event. Eyewitnesses reported rotating balls of fire, and unusual phenomena like doors being impossible to open and photographic film showing nothing from the ground zero.

Historical Cases from Lucius Farish and Charles Fort

By Michael Soper, this section presents early historical UFO cases, emphasizing their value as they predate theories of secret planes or hoaxes.

• Incident 41 (AD 1253): Alveston, England. A bright star appeared from a black cloud, engaging in a celestial battle with two smaller stars, with sparks and fire falling.
• Incident 42 (AD 1385): London and Dover. A fire shaped like a head appeared in the sky, moving like a bird before disappearing.
• Incident 43 (AD 1639): Boston, Massachusetts. A great light, square or oblong, hovered for over two hours, eventually pushing a boat upstream against the tide.
• Incident 45 (AD 1783): Leicester, England. A 'globe of fire' described as 'liquid pearl colour' moved over the town, accompanied by a hissing noise and remote thunder, also observed in Nottingham.
• Incident 46 (AD 1819): Amherst, Massachusetts. A brilliant white fireball was examined, revealing a circular, dish-like object with a buff-colored pulpy substance that evaporated, leaving acidic residues.
• Incident 47 (AD 1844): Montreal, Canada. A strange cloud formed an arch with a silver lining, emitting jets of flame and a strange sound, moving like a grand army across the hemisphere.
• Incident 48 (AD 1855): Petworth, Sussex, England. A red object rose from behind hills, exhibiting projections like spokes, visible for 1.5 hours before diminishing.
• Incident 49 (AD 1856): Ireland. A globe of fire with a broad tail of light was observed for an hour.
• Incident 50 (AD 1869): Adamstown, Pennsylvania. A 'singular phenomenon' appeared as a square column of burnished silver, which glinted and then faded away.

Additional cases from Charles Fort's 'New Lands' include observations from Ipswich (1818), Gruithusisen (1819), Pastorff (1819), and incidents in France (1820) and concerning lunar observations (1821).

Awareness Readers Sightings

This section details recent UFO sightings reported by readers:

• Nottinghamshire, UK: A bizarre light shot across the sky, stopped, wobbled, and then shot off at an angle, accompanied by weird clanking sounds.
• Dunstable, Bedfordshire, UK: A very bright yellow/red light was seen hurtling across the sky at high speed for 6-8 seconds.
• East Hagbourne: Two bright yellow round objects moved in unison at speed.
• Barking, Essex, UK: A group of aircraft travelling at high speed were observed, followed by another craft catching up. The craft were silver, oval-shaped with V-shaped wings, and moved phenomenally fast.
• Calverton, Nottingham, UK: Dull white oval shapes moved at normal speed, then shot upwards at lightning speed. The witness's dogs were also found missing for a period.
• Aynho, Oxfordshire, UK: A metallicy, cigar-shaped object, massive and still, was observed hovering.
• Milford on Sea, Hampshire, UK: A bright light changed shape, appearing as a flat object with two layers, moving slowly and changing from flat to elongated, with a part vanishing.
• Bicester, Oxfordshire, UK: An object appeared as a black circle, moved at high speed, then became stationary. It was described as a 'typical disc' and looked black against the blue sky.
• Birmingham, UK: An oval-shaped object, like a ring with a black center and eight rods, displayed flashing or pulsating lights. It moved at a very fast speed.

Signs in the Fields 23rd Year - Crop Circle Report 2002

By Geoff Ambler, this report details the 2002 crop circle season. Approximately 75 formations were likely created by the 'circle making force', with over 100 events listed on one website including hoaxes. The Hollywood film 'SIGNS' is noted to have spurred commercial activity. Designs featuring standard letters and numbers were excluded, as were irregular circles. The 'Team Satan' fakers produced pictorial likenesses, including one near Edinburgh resembling TV hosts Richard and Judy. A possible alien face was discovered near Winchester. The total number of formations decreased from previous years, possibly due to the Foot and Mouth epidemic. April and May saw few formations, with activity picking up in June. The report notes that rapeseed and barley crops are now largely ignored, with wheat crops being the focus. The majority of formations were 'complex'.

The monthly distribution shows a peak in July (32 formations), with significant numbers in April (1), May (1), June (19), August (19), and September (3). County distribution is concentrated in North Wiltshire (Avebury), Hampshire, and Sussex. Other notable locations include Barnsley, Yorks; Uffington, Oxon; Toot Baldon, Oxon; and Luton, Beds.

Designs in 2002 did not break records for complexity or size, but the Stonehenge 'sails' formation is highlighted for its 6 arms and 3D effects. Other notable designs include diamonds/lozenges at Windmill Hill, formations at East Field, Alton Barnes ('Tree of Life'), and a replica of a 'Nautilus' shell. Circles in maize above Alton Barnes were noted for their irregular geometry.

Alien Skull

The Starchild Project by Michael Joyce discusses the similarities between the biblical account in Genesis and legends of Central and South America concerning 'Star Beings' impregnating human females. It recounts the discovery of a strange skull in a mine tunnel near Chihuahua, Mexico, by a teenage girl. The skull, found in the 1930s, has features that appear to be a hybrid of human and non-human origins, with a cranial capacity significantly larger than a human's.

Alien Invasion (Film Review)

This section reviews the film 'SIGNS', starring Mel Gibson. The reviewer notes that the film features crop circles and an alien invasion theme, but also explores the main character's battle of faith. The film is described as lightweight, with its creator, F. Night Shyamalan, having conjured up a formula for box office success. The reviewer expresses disappointment that the film portrays crop circles as signs of hostile intent, contrary to the beliefs of many researchers.

Recurring Themes and Editorial Stance

Recurring themes in this issue include the persistent mystery of UFOs and unexplained aerial phenomena, the historical documentation of such events, and the ongoing debate about government secrecy and cover-ups. The magazine maintains a stance that acknowledges the existence of unexplained phenomena while urging caution against misinterpretation and promoting objective investigation. The editorial's critique of 'profiling' suggests a preference for open-minded inquiry into the unknown, rather than forcing observations into existing paradigms. The publication also engages with popular culture, reviewing films related to UFOs and crop circles, and discussing the potential impact of such media on public perception.

This issue of *Awareness* magazine, Volume 15, Number 2, dated Summer 1968, published by Contact International UFO Research, delves into a variety of paranormal and UFO-related topics. The cover story investigates the potential extraterrestrial connections of musician David Bowie, exploring his alleged UFO experiences, songs, and film roles. Other significant articles include an in-depth analysis of the Starchild Skull, a discussion on the semantic interpretation of UFO events based on location and time, and a look at radio waves and the search for extraterrestrial intelligence (SETI).

David Bowie and Extraterrestrials

The lead article, "Has David Bowie Been Contacted And Influenced By Extraterrestrials?", posits that the musician may have had significant encounters with UFOs and aliens. It details Bowie's own reported sightings, including helping to assemble a UFO magazine and regular observations from an "observatory" in the late 1960s and early 1970s. The article notes that while information about Bowie's interest in UFOs has emerged over 27 years, specific details like the name of the magazine or the location of the observatory remain elusive. Bowie's connection to the UFO field is further evidenced by his inclusion in Timothy Green Beckley's book 'UFOs Among the Stars' and mentions in other UFO literature. His musical associates, including Tony Visconti, Rick Wakeman, and John Lennon, have also reportedly sighted UFOs. The article also touches upon suspicions that Bowie might be an extraterrestrial himself, citing claims from his former wife Angela Bowie and German singer Nina Hagen. Science-fiction writer Philip K. Dick also surmised this possibility. Bowie's songs like 'Space Oddity,' 'Life On Mars?', and 'Starman' are highlighted as overtly dealing with extraterrestrial life and space travel. His film roles, particularly as an alien in 'The Man Who Fell to Earth,' and potential symbolic links in 'Labyrinth' to alien encounters are also discussed.

The Starchild Skull

Another major feature examines the Starchild Skull, presenting it as a "most important bone artifact on Earth." The article details ten anomalous features that suggest it is not entirely human. These include its generalized human skull parts being reconfigured into unprecedented shapes, its astonishing symmetry, and its natural shape not indicative of head binding. Its neck would have been significantly smaller, positioned directly under the skull's center point. The skull lacks frontal sinuses, and its chewing muscles and lower jaw were greatly reduced. While its teeth appeared relatively normal, new teeth were present in the bone above worn ones. The brain volume is estimated to be 1/3rd larger than a normal human brain for its size, with no physical abnormalities. The eye sockets are described as extremely anomalous, less than half the depth of normal sockets and skewed downwards. Most remarkably, the bone density is 40% of normal, and it weighs less than half of what it should. Carbon-14 testing dates the skull to 900 years old, a time when such severe malformations would likely have been fatal. The article suggests that additional DNA testing could definitively determine if it is alien or human. Websites for Lloyd Pye and the Starchild Project are provided for further research.

UFO Case Histories and Interpretation

The magazine includes several case histories, analyzed through a unique lens. Michael Soper's article, "Is a UFO Event a 'Place' Happening?", applies a system of semantic interpretation to UFO encounters based on their time, date, and location. The Rendlesham Forest case (approx. 3:00 am, Dec 27th, 1980, East England) is interpreted as 'Opposites function together cyclically to remove obstacles' and 'Pushing upwards, dangerous stranger comes to meet.' The Broadhaven, Dyfed, Wales incident (Feb 4th, 1977) is characterized by meanings such as 'Prosperity requires discrimination' and 'Guidance.. dominance by Mighty on the plain.' The article also applies this method to Avebury, linking it to 'religions fight with Great Vigour' and 'dangerous uprisings.' A UFO sighting at Silbury Hill on July 31st, 1994, involving 'identical midgets' and a military expedition, is associated with 'Harmonious family, causality, adapting to the forming of higher self.' The author notes that this method is subjective and relies on interpreting 'airy-fairy phrases' to fit facts.

Radio Waves and SETI

Chris Carter's article, "Radio Waves," discusses the nature of radio waves as electro-magnetic radiation and their potential similarity to photons. He explores the challenges faced by SETI (Search for Extra Terrestrial Intelligence) in detecting signals from distant stars, questioning the strategy of seeking tight radio beams and the assumption that extraterrestrials would want to share technology. Carter suggests that modern science often dismisses UFO evidence, including photographs and crop circles, as tricks of light or hoaxes, possibly due to a perceived threat to scientific omnipotence. He argues that the vast distances between stars pose a significant hurdle for interstellar travel, but emphasizes that current theories are not absolute facts and science's technology is limited.

Other Features and Book Reviews

The issue also includes "Letters to the Editor" discussing "Coincidences" or "synchronicities," with personal examples. Ernie Sears of the Southampton UFO Group shares experiences related to a BBC Horizon program and a miniature Adamski-type flying saucer. A section on "Unconscious Invention" discusses interview techniques and the potential for leading witnesses. The magazine also features advertisements for UFO books, magazines, and audio/video tapes, including a comprehensive list of titles related to time travel, remote viewing, and UFOs, with prices and ordering information. A historical photograph of a UFO taken in 1967 is also presented.

Recurring Themes and Editorial Stance

The recurring themes in this issue are the potential for extraterrestrial contact and influence, particularly concerning public figures like David Bowie; the examination of anomalous artifacts like the Starchild Skull; and the exploration of UFO phenomena through various analytical frameworks, including semantic interpretation and scientific inquiry. The editorial stance appears open to investigating these phenomena, encouraging contributions from readers and providing a platform for diverse viewpoints, while also acknowledging the challenges of proof and the skepticism often encountered in the field. The magazine seems to advocate for a broader consideration of evidence and possibilities beyond conventional scientific explanations.