EKSTERN

Magazine Overview

This issue of EKSTERN, dated NR. 2 1980, features a cover headline "„En hilsen fra Jorden!"" (A Greeting from Earth!). The magazine delves into topics of UFO sightings, alien encounters, and the scientific pursuit of communication with extraterrestrial intelligence.

Vietnam Veteran: A UFO Encounter

The article "Forts. fra nr. 1. 1980" (Cont. from no. 1, 1980) continues the narrative of a Vietnam veteran, identified as Sergeant Moody, who reportedly had an encounter with a UFO. According to Moody, the alien craft was a small observation vessel from a much larger, faster mothership located 8-9,000 km away in space. The alien leader, referred to as Moody, informed him that his people intended to reveal themselves to humanity in the foreseeable future, possibly within a few years, but would initially establish limited contact to study humans further. They expressed fear for their lives, noting that their craft could be destroyed by nuclear weapons and that they were cautious of jet fighters, though they would retaliate if cornered.

Moody was told that the aliens comprised many individuals organized into a clan or league, and that humans might eventually be accepted into this "race league," depending on whether the aliens accepted humans, not the other way around. As Moody departed, the alien placed a thin arm around his shoulders and assured him, "I will not do you any harm. I will never do you any harm."

Moody recounted that he was instructed to go to a doctor, after which he experienced a blackout, and upon regaining consciousness, found himself in his car with the UFO gone. The following day, he felt a burning sensation on his lower back, where his wife Karon discovered a strange, square-shaped wound. Karon, who had previous surgical experience, stated she had never seen such a mark. She also noted that her husband returned home that night as white as a sheet, a sight she had never witnessed before.

In the days following the incident, Moody developed a rash of red bumps from his chest to his knees, which doctors eventually treated. He also experienced hair loss and frequent headaches, becoming more irritable. Despite these issues, he reportedly does not regret his experience.

The article states that both superiors and psychiatric experts in the air force, as well as Jim Lorenzon, leader of APRO (an organization investigating aerial phenomena), are convinced of Moody's truthfulness. Lorenzon, who also investigated the Walton case, reported that both Moody and Walton had received strange wounds – Walton on the inside of his forearm and Moody on his back.

Comparing Alien Encounters

The text draws parallels between Moody's and Walton's accounts, noting that Moody's report was received in a letter before Walton's case became public, and Walton had never heard of Moody. Both described their craft as disk-shaped (Walton called it a "saucer") and stated it hovered, wobbled, and glowed. The article then presents Walton's description of the beings: approximately 1.5 meters tall, wearing tight-fitting, sun-tanned suits, with white skin, no hair, prominent foreheads, and very large eyes.

Sending Signals to Distant Civilizations

The magazine then shifts focus to the scientific endeavor of sending signals to distant civilizations in space. It posits that if such a civilization were to receive and respond, the reply would take at least 100 years to arrive, meaning it would be received by the descendants of today's scientists. This concept, once confined to science fiction, is now an accepted scientific field.

Astronomers, physicists, mathematicians, and others worldwide are engaged in communication problems with potential extraterrestrial beings. One such individual is civil engineer Ivan Kruzela from the Technical University in Lund, Sweden. Kruzela is working on methods to contact non-terrestrial beings, a field internationally known as CETI (Communication with Extraterrestrial Individuals). He anticipates completing his doctoral thesis on the subject within a few years, focusing on the fundamental principles of communication rather than its practicalities.

Kruzela outlines the initial challenge: "tapping them on the shoulder" to make our existence known. The subsequent problem is what to say and how to say it. He speculates on the nature of these beings, suggesting they could be small green men, intelligent crystalline forms, giant intelligent clouds of ionized particles, or even collective intelligences formed by millions of unintelligent insect-like creatures.

Kruzela acknowledges that many might find these ideas unbelievable, attributing this skepticism to human anthropocentrism – the tendency to believe that everything must be like us. He uses the example of intelligence, noting that dolphins, despite possessing high intelligence, have proven difficult to communicate with because researchers approach them as if they were unintelligent humans with fish-like appearances.

He further observes a common overreliance on the "magical power" of mathematics and logic, assuming they are universal. While "one plus one equals two" might hold true universally if humans are doing the adding, other beings could possess far more advanced mathematics and still be incomprehensible to us.

Kruzela suggests a simplified approach for communication, assuming potential extraterrestrials are humanoid with similar lifestyles and technology. Communication would require two components: one to teach our language and another to convey the actual message.

Lincos: A Cosmic Language

The article mentions a "language" for cosmic conversation constructed in 1960 by a professor of mathematics in Utrecht, called Lincos. The method involves sending small lessons in "the language," starting with fundamental mathematics and progressing to more advanced concepts, ultimately aiming to discuss philosophy and Earth's societal systems.

An experiment conducted in the Soviet Union some years prior demonstrated the effectiveness of Lincos, at least for humans. Students with no prior knowledge of Lincos were taught the lessons and learned them, though they found the process slow and tiring.

Another proposed method for teaching "them" our language involves sending a blueprint of a computer and its associated program. If the extraterrestrials possess technology similar to ours, they could build the computer and run the program, which would then serve as a "language teacher."

Recurring Themes and Editorial Stance

This issue of EKSTERN strongly leans into the realm of UFOlogy and the scientific exploration of extraterrestrial life. The editorial stance appears to be one of open-minded inquiry, presenting alleged alien encounters and scientific theories with a degree of seriousness. The magazine highlights the transition of these topics from science fiction to accepted scientific study, encouraging readers to consider the possibilities of life beyond Earth and the challenges of interstellar communication. The inclusion of both anecdotal accounts (Moody) and scientific research (CETI, Lincos) suggests a balanced approach to exploring these complex subjects.