Chetvertoye Izmereniye - 1996 No 01

Magazine Overview

This issue of "Четвертое измерение и НЛО" (Fourth Dimension & UFO), published as an appendix to "Заводская правда" by the Yaroslavl UFO Center, is dated No. 1, 1996. The cover price is listed as 'free'. The main headline focuses on 'Anomalous Phenomena in Tver in 1995'.

Anomalous Phenomena in Tver in 1995

Despite predictions, 1995 was a relatively calm year for anomalous phenomena in the Tver region. However, the UFO club "Kontakt" reported a significant fluctuation in 'thin energy' levels, which had been steadily rising since 1991 and reached a peak. This 'thin energy' can fluctuate dramatically, affecting people's well-being.

UFOs were sighted in Tver in early August, described as a slightly elongated yellow ball with blurred contours. A similar object was observed in Ivanteevka on August 3rd at 11 PM, appearing as a ball close to the diameter of the Moon, flying at high speed parallel to the horizon.

Spherical UFOs were repeatedly seen hovering over the Yuzhniy microdistrict. In late September, a bluish-white pulsating UFO with a visible core was observed over power lines near Avvakumovo. This object then disintegrated into about twenty smaller spheres that moved as if searching before rejoining and flying west at high speed.

Between July and September, flashes of light and beams were frequently observed over forests in suburban areas, 0.1-2 km from roads. One such incident occurred near Pukovo village on July 1st at 11:40 PM, where two beams resembling searchlights shot vertically from a forest, pulsating for five minutes before disappearing.

Eyewitnesses reported that some spherical UFOs transformed into cars and moved across rough terrain without leaving tracks, heading towards roads and then cities. A similar, though unconfirmed, report from the newspaper "Скандалы" mentioned traffic police near Vyborg observing a car that outran pursuers and from which bullets bounced off before it vanished.

A peculiar incident of apparent teleportation occurred on October 10th. A resident of Sakharovo, who had been mushroom picking, found himself 10 km away from his starting point near a power plant, having crossed a highway without realizing it. Later that evening, a 36-year-old cardiologist, after taking out the trash, found himself in an unfamiliar part of the city, several kilometers from his home, on the other side of the Volga River.

The magazine requests information from anyone who has details about UFOs transforming into cars, with a contact address provided.

Saved by Magic!

This section recounts the story of 62-year-old Gino Chiccito from Naples, Italy, who survived a house fire by jumping from his balcony. Instead of falling, he inexplicably floated and glided like a feather, eventually landing softly at the feet of a policeman. The article suggests that the human body possesses many hidden abilities that can manifest in extreme situations, drawing a parallel to the feats of magician David Copperfield.

Guests from Eternity

This article discusses reports from 'contactees' about encounters with extraterrestrials, often described as humanoids capable of breathing Earth's air. It focuses on the famous case of Betty Hill, who, under regressive hypnosis, recalled seeing a star map inside a UFO. Ufologist Jacques Vallée believes this map is a 'road to nowhere'. Marjorie Fish, a teacher from Ohio, created a physical model of the stars based on Betty Hill's map. She identified 16 stars that, when viewed from a specific angle, closely resembled Betty's map. Professor Walter Mitchell of Ohio confirmed the model's accuracy using a computer. The article notes that this finding led ufologists to believe UFOs are real spacecraft from stars like Zeta Reticuli, a belief that persists today. The map was drawn under hypnosis in 1964 in the USA.

On Orbit - Bulletin Board

A promotional company called "Speis marketing" has purchased rights from NASA to attach a portrait of Arnold Schwarzenegger to a rocket. They plan to use a special space platform, scheduled to launch in 1996, to study the Earth's ozone layer. This platform will also serve as a 'billboard' for advertising, displaying company logos and product information. While the idea seems innovative, astronomers are concerned that this 'billboard' would reflect sunlight like a second full moon, disrupting the night sky and hindering astronomical observations. Astronomer Carl Sagan called the idea 'repulsive'. The company is now proposing to display only ecological messages. Astronomers remain wary, fearing that any concession could lead to an uncontrolled proliferation of advertising in space, making observations of faint objects impossible.

Weapon or Bluff?

This section, a continuation from a previous issue, delves into the controversial topic of 'psy-weapons' and pseudoscientific research. It references a 1991 resolution by the Supreme Soviet of the USSR's Committee on Science and Technology condemning the financing of pseudoscientific research with state funds. The committee criticized the activities of the Center for Non-Traditional Technologies (CNT) led by A.E. Akimov, which promoted research into 'spinor' or 'microlépton' fields. The article states that these claims were largely unsubstantiated, contradicted modern science, and lacked proper scientific expertise. Despite this, the CNT received significant funding, reportedly millions of rubles, from various government bodies, including the Ministry of Defense and the KGB.

The article notes that the proliferation of pseudoscience was partly fueled by the dissemination of information about similar research abroad. It also criticizes the media for promoting astrology, 'biofields', psychics, and other pseudoscientific concepts, leading to the legalization of charlatanism through the sale of 'diplomas' for 'psychics' and 'astrologers'.

Regarding the West, the article mentions that after WWII, the NKVD (predecessor to the KGB) obtained information about 'psy-weapon' developments in Nazi Germany. It suggests that by 1965, a 'psy-weapon' prototype existed in the USSR, and in 1983, secret development continued. The article questions the motives behind the military and security services' funding of such research, suggesting it might be a way to mislead adversaries or for personal gain.

It then shifts to the US, referencing articles by J. Antonio Huneus about retired US Army Major Ed Deames, who was involved in intelligence work, including penetrating foreign intelligence facilities. Deames reportedly used 'wonder instruments' and satellites. He also explored 'telepathy' and 'psychic warfare' techniques, though he expressed reluctance to use them as a 'last resort'. Deames believed that Soviet research had two aspects: Czechoslovakian 'psychotronics' and the Soviet focus on natural psychics and telepaths, who were allegedly stimulated with drugs, leading to casualties.

Deames claims that the KGB, not military intelligence, conducted experiments with drugs to identify individuals with psychic talents, reportedly testing up to a million people and finding six or seven talented individuals who formed their own company but failed. Deames also met a former KGB officer named 'Sokolov' through 'remote viewing'. Sokolov attempted to offer a group of 'extra-sensory' individuals to the West but failed due to the realities of capitalism.

Major Karen Jensen, head of the UN's atomic, chemical, and biological inspection, reportedly consulted Deames for work against Iraq's biological weapons. Deames claims to have major clients, including federal agencies and corporations, who seek his services discreetly.

Deames also asserts that 'alien machines' are present on Mars and that the Soviet spacecraft "Phobos-2" was disabled by such objects, though he doesn't cite the source. He describes 'transcendentals' as formless, angelic beings responsible for most abductions, who 'correct' human society. These work with humanoids who pilot 'real spaceships'. The 'grays' are described as androids maintaining alien spacecraft stored beneath the surface of the Moon, Mars, and Earth. Deames and his colleagues identified contact sites near Chaco Canyon and another location in New Mexico where a group of alien females and hybrid children are in hibernation.

Deames hints that a federal agency sought his help to find Abu Nidal, but he required a private intermediary company to subsidize his activities.

The article concludes by mentioning a 1992 conference in Atlanta on 'paranormal trauma', attended by prominent figures in the paranormal field, including Dr. John Alexander (involved in studying 'psychic instruments' for the military) and retired Major General Albert N. Stubbing, who supported research into 'high human potential' and 'psychic influence'. The author, Paul Stonehill, poses the question of whether 'psy-weapons' are real or a bluff, and whether these activities are genuine defense against potential alien threats or merely a Russian version of Western pseudoscientific endeavors, with individuals profiting from fraudulent research.

What Was Before the Universe? (Philosophical Essay)

This essay by Anatoly Khomyakov explores the philosophical question of what existed before the universe. It begins by discussing the human perception of time and existence, then moves to the vastness of the universe and the concept of life beyond Earth. The author touches upon the two main cosmological concepts: the static universe proposed by Einstein and the non-static universe described by Friedmann. Observational evidence, particularly Edwin Hubble's 1929 discovery of the relationship between distance and recession velocity of galaxies, supports the non-static model, implying the universe had a beginning approximately 10-15 billion years ago.

The essay questions what preceded this initial state of extreme density (where the scale factor S=0). Khomyakov suggests that before the universe's beginning, laws existed that are beyond our current logic and perception, possibly requiring a 'metatheory' to understand. He posits that a Creator might have governed the universe before its inception, offering this as a potential explanation when materialist laws fall short.

An alternative view, referencing Indian cosmologist J. Narlikar, suggests a static, Euclidean universe where red shift is caused by changes in particle mass over time. Light passing through the 'zero point' from the past to the present is scattered by massless particles, leading to thermalization and a dominance of thermal spectrum radiation in large red shifts.

The essay concludes by stating that the problem of the universe's origin is a global one, with scientists working to refine constants like the Hubble constant and average matter density. Cosmology, as a field, is continuously advancing.

The Voice of the Sea

This article investigates mysterious maritime incidents, such as the ghost ship 'Mary Celeste' (though not named, the description matches) and the 'Ourang Medan', where entire crews were found dead with expressions of terror. The phenomenon is attributed to infrasound, low-frequency sound waves generated by storms. Infrasound, particularly at a frequency of 7 Hz, can be lethal, causing cardiac arrest. Other frequencies can induce fatigue, seasickness, and madness. The article notes that storms can generate tens of kilowatts of infrasound, which travels long distances with little dissipation. The author, Bronius Kasperavichus, suggests that specific infrasound frequencies might explain the sudden deaths of ship crews, leaving no apparent cause of death.

Telescope of the Universe

This piece discusses the evolution of telescopes and the discovery of gravitational lensing. It explains how large cosmic objects like stars and galaxies can act as natural lenses, bending and magnifying light from distant sources. This phenomenon, first theorized by Einstein and experimentally confirmed in 1919, allows astronomers to observe distant objects. The article also touches upon the concept of 'cosmic reflectors', where X-rays scattered by matter around black holes can be used to study them. It mentions research by Martin Rees, Paul Gilbert, Kenneth Pounds, and Gordon Stewart on the pulsation of X-ray emissions from distant galaxies, suggesting these are reflections from iron atoms in the accretion disk of a black hole.

Recurring Themes and Editorial Stance

The magazine consistently explores themes of UFOs, anomalous phenomena, and extraterrestrial encounters, as indicated by its title and cover headlines. It also delves into more speculative areas like 'psy-weapons', paranormal abilities, and the philosophical implications of cosmology. The editorial stance appears to be one of open inquiry into these subjects, presenting various theories and eyewitness accounts, while also critically examining claims of pseudoscience and potential fraud, as seen in the 'Weapon or Bluff?' section. The publication also seems to engage with scientific advancements, as evidenced by the articles on cosmology and gravitational lensing.