FANTASTIC UNIVERSE SCIENCE FICTION

Magazine Overview

Title: FANTASTIC UNIVERSE SCIENCE FICTION
Issue: 58
Date: May
Price: 35c

This issue of Fantastic Universe Science Fiction features a cover illustration of an American Eagle attacking a little green man emerging from a crashed saucer. The main articles include a new novel, "Bait for the Tiger" by Lee Chaytor, "We'll Never Catch Them" by Ivan T. Sanderson, and "Needed-Space Intelligence" by Lester Del Rey.

Critique of Air Force UFO Investigations

The lead article, likely by the editor or a staff writer, critically examines the Air Force's Project Blue Book. It argues that the public-relations officers have drawn a picture of thorough investigation and infallible conclusions that is not accurate. The author contends that while officers are entitled to their personal beliefs about UFOs, they are not entitled to make public misrepresentations or claim the Air Force is doing a proper job when it is not sharing its material with competent civilian agencies. Civilian questions are treated as a nuisance, and skepticism is viewed as an affront to their sensibilities. A quote from a UFOlogist humorously suggests that if the Air Force started supporting the 'saucer from space' theory, it would be a reason to doubt it.

More About Our Explorer Satellite

This section provides technical details about the Explorer satellite, which was gathering and transmitting scientific data. It was eighty inches long with a tapered nose and a rocket nozzle, traveling at 19,400 miles per hour, faster than Sputnik. The Jupiter-C rocket that launched it was developed by Dr. Wernher von Braun and his associates at the Army's Ballistic Missile Agency. The satellite contained instruments for measuring cosmic rays and micro-meteorite impacts, developed by the University of Iowa and the Air Force Research Centre, respectively. It was assembled at the Jet Propulsion Laboratory of the California Institute of Technology under G.H. Ludwig. The satellite package weighed 18.13 pounds, with instruments weighing 11 pounds. It had two transmitters: a higher-powered one radiating sixty milliwatts on 108.03 megacycles, expected to last a few weeks, and another radiating 10 to 20 milliwatts on 108 megacycles, expected to operate for about three months.

Little Green Men by John Nicholson

This article, written by John Nicholson, explores a less glamorous aspect of UFO encounters: those involving "little green men." It contrasts these reports with those of tall, golden-haired "Teachers." The article acknowledges that some reports might be inspired by movies but argues that dismissing all such accounts as hoaxes is a dangerous oversimplification. Nicholson discusses various sightings and incidents:

• Steep Rock Episode (July 2, 1950): A couple fishing in Ontario saw a flying saucer land on water, with ten occupants, about three and a half feet tall, emerging and moving like automata.
• Marble Creek Sightings (May 20 and June 20, 1953): Two miners in California reported a strange silver object, twelve feet wide and seven thick, landing on a sand bar. A being, about four feet tall, descended by rope ladder to collect water. Footprints were found near campfires.
• Death Valley, California (August 19, 1949): Two prospectors reported a disc crash-landing and two little men jumping out, who disappeared into the dunes.
• West Lumberton, North Carolina (August 1952): James Allen reported an eight-foot saucer grazing his chimney and landing in his yard. A small man, about thirty inches tall, emerged briefly.
• Mexico City (1950 report): A flying saucer wreck was mentioned, with a dead pilot described as twenty-three inches high. Other reports mentioned corpses measuring thirty-six to forty inches.
• Caerphilly Mountains, Wales (May 1909): A man named Lithbridge saw a large "tube-shaped" object with two men in "heavy fur overcoats" who spoke excitedly in a foreign language before departing.
• French Sightings (1954): Little helmeted figures without apparent arms were reported.
• Chabeuil, France (September 26, 1954): Madame Leboeuf saw a figure wrapped in a cellophane bag that approached her, after which a luminous object rose, leaving a ten-foot circular impression in her garden.
• Venezuela (November 1954): Incidents involved aggressive beings, three to four feet tall, with long arms, claw-like hands, and enlarged heads with enormous eyes, who attacked people.

Nicholson concludes that while the exact nature of these beings is unknown, the evidence suggests that "little green men" do exist and are a significant part of the UFO contact picture, often described as frightening due to their alien appearance.

The Beautiful Things by Arthur Zirul

This is a fictional story written by Arthur Zirul, presented as a narrative from a bear's perspective. The bear recounts introducing a bill to create a sanctuary for humans so they could live unmolested and create "beautiful things." The bear believes humans possess a divine ability to create art that bears lack. He tells of capturing a man and keeping him alive, discovering his artistic talent. The bear's family learned to appreciate the man's art, and he was convinced other bears would benefit from similar exposure. The Elders of the Council scoffed at the idea until shown samples of the man's work, after which they expressed displeasure, stating bears have no need for such things. The story is accompanied by a brief biographical note about Arthur Zirul, describing him as a former roving Radar Tech, cartoonist, baby photographer, and now owner of a small industrial model shop.

Recurring Themes and Editorial Stance

The magazine consistently takes a critical stance towards official explanations of UFO phenomena, particularly the Air Force's Project Blue Book, suggesting a lack of transparency and potential misrepresentation. There is a strong interest in detailed accounts of UFO sightings and encounters, with a particular focus on the physical characteristics and behaviors of alleged extraterrestrial beings, especially the "little green men." The inclusion of both investigative articles and science fiction stories reflects a broad engagement with themes of space, technology, and the unknown. The editorial stance appears to favor open inquiry and challenges official narratives, encouraging readers to consider evidence that might be dismissed by mainstream authorities.