Chetvertoye Izmereniye - 2003 No 01

Magazine Overview

This issue of "ЧЕТВЕРТОЕ измерение НЛО" (Fourth Dimension UFO), dated 2003, is published by the Yaroslavl UFO Center named after F. Yu. Zigel. The cover prominently features the headline "THE ROAD TO IMMORTALITY" HAS ENDED WITH HUMAN CLONING! and includes images related to cloning and UFOs.

"THE ROAD TO IMMORTALITY" HAS ENDED WITH HUMAN CLONING!

The lead story announces the birth of the first human clone, a girl named Eve, on December 26, 2002. This event is hailed as the dawn of a new era for human civilization, potentially leading to bodily immortality. The article details how the Raëlian sect, through their company Clonaid, claims to have achieved this breakthrough by transferring DNA from a person into a donor egg, which then develops in a surrogate mother's womb. Clonaid's technical director, Brigitte Boisselier, announced the birth and stated that Eve's mother is healthy. The sect, led by Father Raël (formerly Claude Vorilhon), believes that life was created by advanced extraterrestrials called 'Elohim' through cloning. Father Raël claims to have met these beings in the 1970s. The article notes that Clonaid plans to introduce four more cloned babies soon and that each artificial birth costs at least half a million dollars, with potential clients numbering over a hundred thousand.

RAËLIANS OVERSHADOW PROFESSOR ANTINORI

This section reiterates the Raëlian sect's claim of cloning a human. Brigitte Boisselier is quoted stating the birth of Eve and the healthy condition of the 31-year-old mother. She refused to disclose the location of the birth but promised to show the baby to experts within 8-9 days. The Raëlians, who call their headquarters 'Earth-UFO', believe Elohim (aliens) created life on Earth through cloning. Father Raël, a former journalist named Claude Vorilhon, founded the sect in the mid-70s after allegedly meeting these extraterrestrials. The sect has about 55,000 members, with Father Raël receiving one percent of each member's contribution. The article mentions that the birth of the first clone is expected to generate significant income, as many people might want to clone deceased children. Father Raël is also noted for his preference for beautiful women as surrogate mothers.

The article also touches upon the ethical and scientific opposition to human cloning. Many scientists consider it inhumane and dangerous, citing the high failure rates and abnormalities observed in animal cloning, such as with Dolly the sheep, who reportedly aged prematurely. Dr. Michael West, an American geneticist, expresses serious concerns, noting that 277 prototypes of Dolly died and that she is aging prematurely. The majority of geneticists are against human cloning due to ethical considerations and potential dangers.

A BRIGHT COMET PROMISES NEW TROUBLES?

This section discusses the appearance of a bright comet in early 2003, which is visible to the naked eye. The comet, C/2002 X5 Kudo-Fujikawa, was discovered by Japanese astronomers I. Kudo and Shigehiza Fujikawa in December 2002 and was also observed by the SOHO space observatory. By mid-January, it was expected to reach a magnitude of 3, and by the end of the month, it could reach zero magnitude, becoming one of the brightest objects in the sky. Its orbit is parabolic, with a perihelion on January 29th. The comet will be visible in the Northern Hemisphere before sunrise until the end of January, and in the Southern Hemisphere after sunset in February.

VLADIMIR PUTIN REMAINED SILENT ON "SAUCERS"

This article reports on a press conference held on December 19, 2002, where Russian President Vladimir Putin was expected to answer citizens' questions. UFO organizations, including RUFORS from Perm and a group from Tomsk, submitted questions regarding Russia's official stance on UFOs and the potential declassification of related documents. Nikolai Subbotin of RUFORS asked about the government's position on 'flying saucers' and whether Russia is declassifying documents or plans to release results from military research programs like 'Horizon'. Eduard Gozhin of the Tomsk RUFORS group emphasized the public's right to know about UFOs, considering them a matter of state importance. The article notes that the media, such as the online newspaper Utro.ru, covered the UFO activists' initiative with skepticism, questioning the relevance of UFOs compared to pressing social and economic issues. Despite the anticipation, Putin did not address the UFO question, unlike former US President Bill Clinton, who had mentioned the Roswell incident. The article suggests Putin chose not to associate himself with such a controversial topic.

RUSSIAN SCIENCE IS SURE THAT A HUMAN CLONE WILL AGE IN 30 YEARS

Russian scientists express skepticism about Clonaid's claim of successfully cloning a human. Evgeny Sverdlov, director of the Institute of Molecular Genetics of the Russian Academy of Sciences, suggests the information might be falsified. He states that if human cloning were successful, it would be an irresponsible and immoral act, citing anomalies and rapid aging observed in cloned animals. He believes a human clone would become an 'old man by 30'. The article briefly mentions the cloning of Dolly the sheep, which required 300 attempts, with other clones dying.

RELIGIONS ARE OUTRAGED

Religious leaders have reacted negatively to the news of human cloning. The Vatican condemned it as an expression of a 'beastly mentality' lacking ethics and humanity. Muslim leaders, like Professor Rifaat Fawzi Abdul Mutalib of Cairo University, called for a strict ban, stating that human cloning 'disfigures God's creation'. Rabbi Lau of Israel supported technological advancements in cloning human organs for therapeutic purposes but cautioned against hindering scientific progress due to faith.

YAROSLAVl UFOOLOGISTS CONGRATULATED CLONAID ON FRUITFUL SUCCESS

The Yaroslavl UFO Center has maintained contact with Clonaid since 1999. The article includes excerpts from a letter by Brigitte Boisselier to Yuri Smirnov, head of the Yaroslavl UFO Center, offering assistance in cloning Smirnov's deceased mother. Boisselier mentions that cloning from living cells is proven, but cloning from dead cells is still uncertain. Another letter from Clonaid, signed by Nadina Gari, thanks Smirnov for his New Year's greetings and reaffirms Clonaid's commitment to the right to human replication. Gari mentions that Clonaid is developing 'Accelerated Growth Process' technology and a method for cloning personality by copying memory. The Yaroslavl UFO Center officially states that Yuri Smirnov's mother has not yet been cloned and requests that media representatives refrain from contacting them regarding cloning matters.

EVE HAS RETURNED TO AMERICA

The cloned infant, Eve, has reportedly returned home to America with her family. Further experiments are planned to confirm if she is an identical copy of her predecessor. Brigitte Boisselier confirmed the mother is American but provided no further details. Clonaid representative Nadina Gari refused to disclose the birth location or where the child was taken, citing security reasons for the clone and her parents. Boisselier reiterated Clonaid's stance on protecting the right to replicate individuals and confirmed Eve is healthy.

POLITICS AND CLONING

This section examines the varying global attitudes towards cloning. Japan strictly prohibits human cloning. However, the British House of Lords approved a bill in January 2001 allowing the cloning of human embryos, primarily for therapeutic purposes to combat diseases like Parkinson's. The article notes that opinions on cloning differ among scientists, politicians, and the public. While Americans generally oppose human cloning, American scientists are actively involved in research. Russia, like many countries, is developing legislation to regulate and legalize cloning. Darya Mitina, a State Duma deputy from the CPRF, expresses support for cloning research, even offering herself as a subject for an experiment. She argues against banning scientific progress and criticizes the 'hypocritical' stance of democratic countries that ban practical applications while pursuing research. She believes Russia should also pursue cloning to maintain competitiveness.

IS INTERVENTION IN GOD'S AFFAIRS BENEFICIAL?

Archimandrite Sergius (Sturov) offers a religious perspective, comparing human cloning to artificially enlarged apples that have been 'spoiled' by Michurin. He quotes Genesis, stating that God created humans in His image and likeness, and that intervention in this divine creation is an affront. He references St. Dionysius the Areopagite, who wrote about eternal divine plans ('logoi') for creation, suggesting that each species is inherently conservative and unchanging due to its divine origin. He argues that cloning deprives a person of a soul, making them a 'mutant' rather than a part of the 'World Ocean' of life. He concludes that all human interventions in nature have had unfavorable outcomes.

OTHER PEOPLE'S OBSERVATIONS

UFO IN CHILE

On November 21, 2002, Luis Sepulveda Castro, a security guard in Cent-Vincent de Tagua, Chile, observed a slow-moving, spherical UFO for 45 minutes. The object had a red lower part and emitted bright green flashes from its upper section. Another sighting occurred on September 18, 2002, in Angol, Chile, where Juan Carlos Beltran Gonzalez and friends saw a glowing orange object with red light that flew in a triangular pattern before disappearing.

PHYSICISTS ARE AGAIN TAKING UP PSYCHICS

Scientists at Edinburgh University are investigating parapsychology and plan to conduct tests to confirm or deny psychic abilities. 140 volunteers will participate in an experiment where they will try to visualize a 'virtual' postcard and then choose the most similar one from four real postcards. The organizers hope that successful results could lead to predicting disasters like plane crashes and lottery wins. However, David Concar of 'New Scientist' is skeptical, arguing that if humans had such predictive abilities, we would already know about it.

CLOSE ENCOUNTER IN KOLPINO

Margarita Yeroshina from Kolpino, Russia, recounts an experience on December 3, 1981. While reading, she heard a buzzing sound and saw a luminous, rectangular light pattern on her table, accompanied by a clicking sound. The phenomenon lasted about three minutes, and she felt no physical discomfort. The next day, she saw a semi-circular, luminous image in her kitchen, which she interpreted as a protective presence.

THE GREENISH SOMETHING

An account from seven years prior describes an encounter with a 'greenish something' that appeared in a doorway. The object was amorphous, about a meter in diameter, and emitted a strange feeling. When the photographer tried to take a picture, the flash failed. The object then moved towards the witnesses, passed through one of them, and disappeared into the night, causing an unpleasant sensation. The author concludes it was a being from another world.

K9

On December 24, 2002, the Mars rover K9 began testing at the Marscape polygon, a 0.3-hectare facility at NASA's Ames Research Center designed for testing Mars rovers for future expeditions. The K9 is a six-wheeled, 145 kg, 1.6 m tall vehicle powered by solar batteries, developed jointly by Ames and NASA's Jet Propulsion Laboratory.

Recurring Themes and Editorial Stance

The magazine consistently explores the intersection of science, technology, the paranormal, and extraterrestrial phenomena. There is a clear interest in controversial scientific advancements like human cloning, often juxtaposed with religious and ethical objections. UFO sightings and related topics are a central theme, with reports from various locations and discussions about government transparency. The editorial stance appears to be one of open inquiry into these subjects, presenting different viewpoints, including those of scientists, religious figures, and UFO enthusiasts, while often highlighting the more sensational or speculative aspects of these phenomena. The publication seems to align with the interests of the Yaroslavl UFO Center, supporting research into the unexplained and promoting the idea of scientific progress, even in controversial areas like cloning.