LDLN - No 178

Magazine Overview

This issue of "LUMIÈRES DANS LA NUIT" (October 1978, No. 178, 21st Year) is dedicated to exploring the phenomenon of unidentified flying objects (UFOs) and related issues. The magazine's editorial stance, as stated on page 2, is to publish documents that are considered worthy of interest and potentially lead towards the truth, without necessarily endorsing all terms or taking sides.

Main Articles and Themes

"Les soucoupes volantes, phénomène global" by Jean-Jacques WALTER

This lengthy article by physicist Jean-Jacques WALTER delves into the global phenomenon of flying saucers. WALTER argues that the sheer volume of accumulated sightings, while seemingly repetitive, allows for statistical analysis that is beginning to reveal patterns. He references a study by Poher which suggests a physical component to the phenomenon, supported by statistical distributions and factors like radar echoes and physical traces. However, WALTER also acknowledges a strong psychic component, noting the absence of close-up photos despite numerous landings, and the correlation between UFO descriptions and science fiction narratives. He critically examines mythological hypotheses, such as the 'solar chariot' or 'waking dream' theories, finding them insufficient to explain the phenomenon's physical aspects and its divergence from known psychological patterns. WALTER posits that the UFO phenomenon might be a form of preparation for contact with extraterrestrial intelligence, introducing the idea of cosmic multiplicity into human consciousness.

Critical Review of Michel Monnerie's "Les ovni n'existaient pas"

Pages 5 through 19 feature a detailed critique of Michel Monnerie's book, "Les ovni n'existaient pas" (UFOs Did Not Exist), written by Jacques SCORNAUX. The critique is divided into several sections:

A. The 'Authorized' Myth: Scornaux challenges Monnerie's assertion that the extraterrestrial hypothesis (ETH) is an 'authorized' or 'obligatory' myth. He argues that for most people, the idea of extraterrestrial visits is not widely accepted or even considered, and that the ETH is not universally embraced even within ufology, with many turning to parapsychological explanations.

B. The Unconscious and Other 'Magic Bags': Scornaux criticizes Monnerie's heavy reliance on the concept of the 'unconscious' as a catch-all explanation for inexplicable UFO observations. He argues that the 'unconscious' is treated as a 'black box' by socio-psychologists, offering pseudo-explanations that are not scientifically testable and can explain contradictory phenomena. He criticizes the proliferation of terms like 'collective unconscious' and 'archetype' as unproven concepts.

C. The Waking Dream: This section scrutinizes Monnerie's central concept of the 'waking dream' as an explanation for UFO sightings. Scornaux questions the lack of a clear definition for 'waking dream' and its application to UFO phenomena, suggesting it might be a misapplication of psychological concepts. He points out the statistical improbability of multiple independent witnesses experiencing the same 'waking dream' simultaneously. He also argues that the observed characteristics of UFOs (e.g., sudden appearances/disappearances, unusual shapes) are too diverse and specific to be mere products of the human unconscious, suggesting instead an external influence.

D. Absence of Prior Studies: Scornaux expresses surprise that Monnerie's socio-psychological approach to UFOs was not developed earlier by other researchers, especially given the involvement of socio-psychologists in the Condon Committee, which still left a significant percentage of cases unexplained.

E. Absence of Socio-Psychology References: The critique highlights the limited and outdated references to socio-psychological literature in Monnerie's book, primarily citing Freud and Jung, and calls for more recent and robust scientific backing.

Specific Criticisms of Monnerie's Model:

• UFO Shapes and Behavior: Scornaux dismisses Monnerie's sexual interpretations of UFO shapes (e.g., disks as feminine symbols, cigar shapes as phallic) as overly simplistic and lacking evidence. He questions why certain 'symbols' are more prevalent than others and why there's no observed sexual dimorphism among UFO witnesses or occupants.
• Humanoids: Monnerie's explanation of humanoids as products of the unconscious is challenged, particularly regarding cases that do not fit the 'space suit' or 'lunar astronaut' imagery, and those predating space exploration. Scornaux finds the lack of truly monstrous or alien figures, and the prevalence of human-like or slightly unusual beings, inconsistent with a purely unconscious projection.
• Multiple Witnesses: Scornaux argues that the statistical improbability of multiple independent witnesses experiencing the same 'waking dream' simultaneously makes Monnerie's explanation untenable for cases involving several observers.
• Ground Traces: The critique points out that Monnerie's explanations for physical traces (e.g., burnt soil, radioactivity, unusual soil composition) are insufficient and do not adequately address the technological aspects observed in some cases.
• Animals: Monnerie's suggestion that animal reactions to electrostatic charges could lead to UFO sightings is deemed speculative, lacking sufficient evidence and references.
• Hourly Distribution of Observations: Scornaux presents data suggesting a peak in UFO observations around 3 AM, which he argues supports the idea of an external phenomenon rather than one tied to human activity or consciousness.
• UFO Waves: The critique questions Monnerie's explanation of UFO waves, particularly his assertion that pre-event information, rather than the event itself, triggers psychological responses, and his attempt to correlate waves with astrological or astronomical events.

Despite the extensive criticism, Scornaux acknowledges that Monnerie's work is a valuable contribution by challenging established ufological paradigms and encouraging a more critical approach. He suggests that while Monnerie might be overly skeptical, his work is essential for balancing the field's tendency towards credulity.

Other Content

• "Enquêtes... Enquêtes... Enquêtes...": This section appears to contain various investigations and reports, with specific pages listed for articles on fishermen's sightings, the Gerena case, and other UFO events in Spain and France.
• "Nouvelles récentes": This section likely covers recent UFO news and reports, with a page reference to page 34.
• Subscription Information: Details on how to subscribe to the magazine, including pricing for domestic and international subscribers, are provided.
• Book Advertisement: An advertisement for the re-edition of "MYSTERIEUX OBJETS CELESTES" by Aimé Michel is featured.

Recurring Themes and Editorial Stance

The magazine consistently explores the UFO phenomenon from multiple perspectives, including scientific, psychological, and mythological. There is a clear editorial line that encourages critical thinking and a search for truth, even if it means challenging popular hypotheses within ufology. The critique of Monnerie's book highlights the ongoing debate between psychological explanations and the possibility of genuine, unexplained phenomena, whether extraterrestrial or otherwise. The magazine seems to favor a balanced approach, acknowledging the limitations of current explanations while remaining open to new possibilities. The emphasis on 'truth' and 'objectivity' suggests a commitment to rigorous investigation, even when dealing with controversial topics.

Specific UFO Cases Mentioned:

• Global Phenomenon: The issue begins with a broad overview of UFOs as a global phenomenon.
• Gerena, Spain: A specific case from Gerena, Spain, is highlighted on the cover and detailed within the magazine.
• Spanish Sightings: Reports from Spain include fishermen's accounts and a sighting over a forest area.
• French Sightings: Numerous cases from various regions in France are detailed, including Uruffe, Frontigny, Nord, Aisne, Maurepas, Tréport, and Lot et Garonne.
• Witness Accounts: The issue includes accounts of multiple witnesses, including fishermen and individuals reporting landings and encounters.
• Psychological vs. Physical Explanations: A significant portion of the magazine is dedicated to debating whether UFOs are purely psychological projections or evidence of a physical, possibly extraterrestrial, phenomenon.
• Mythological Interpretations: The article by WALTER examines and largely dismisses mythological explanations for UFOs.
• Skepticism and Critical Analysis: The extensive critique of Monnerie's book exemplifies a strong skeptical and analytical approach to ufological claims.
• Parapsychology: The possibility of parapsychological explanations is mentioned as an alternative to both the extraterrestrial hypothesis and purely psychological interpretations.
• Science Fiction Influence: The influence of science fiction on UFO reports is discussed, particularly in relation to Monnerie's theories.
• UFO Waves: The phenomenon of UFO waves and attempts to correlate them with societal or astronomical events are explored.

Editorial Stance: The magazine positions itself as a platform for exploring controversial topics related to UFOs with a commitment to truth-seeking and critical analysis. While open to various hypotheses, it emphasizes rigorous examination and challenges unsubstantiated claims. The publication of Monnerie's critique suggests an openness to internal debate and a willingness to question established ideas within the ufological community.

This issue of "Lumières dans la Nuit" (Lights in the Night), issue 178, published in 1978, focuses heavily on UFO (OVNI) observations and related phenomena. The main cover story highlights "Les soirées d'observation des 3, 4, 5 et 10, II, 12 mars 1978" (Observation Evenings of March 3, 4, 5, 10, 11, 12, 1978), indicating a significant collection of reports from a specific period.

Editorial Stance and Approach

The editorial stance, as expressed by Jacques Scornaux, emphasizes a scientific approach to ufology, prioritizing the search for truth regardless of its implications. Scornaux argues that ufologists themselves are best equipped to analyze UFO phenomena, rather than external rationalists, due to their in-depth knowledge. The magazine aims to explore the socio-psychological aspects alongside the physical evidence, while remaining open to revising hypotheses based on new facts.

Key Articles and Reports

"Les soirées d'observation des 3, 4, 5 et 10, II, 12 mars 1978"
This section details numerous UFO sightings reported during specific evenings in March 1978. While participation was lower than in previous years, six participants reported observing unidentified phenomena. These included:

• March 5, 9:10 PM (Avallon, Yonne): Claude Rigault observed an orange light, brighter than Jupiter, moving towards the NE/NNO at 7-10 degrees altitude, visible for 2.30 minutes.
• March 5, 8:02 PM (Montargis, Loiret): An anonymous witness saw a punctual orange-red object moving slowly towards the NE, lasting two minutes. The witness, experienced in UFO observations, felt a sense of anticipation.
• March 10, 9:07 PM (Beuzeville, Eure): Didier Briere reported a greenish punctual object moving SW to NE, followed by a halo, disappearing in seconds after 10-15 seconds.
• March 11, 11:05 PM (Briançon): M. Ego Busca and two others observed an elliptical, pinkish object with a horizontal major axis, about 10-12 mm apparent size, surrounded by a halo. It moved horizontally from west to north and disappeared.
• March 11, 7:45 PM (Rueil Malmaison): Mme Nicole Hilbe observed a bright orange disc, the apparent size of the sun, stationary for 45 seconds before disappearing. Her husband photographed a smaller, scintillating orange object that appeared later.
• March 11, 1:45 AM (Pyrénées Orientales): The "section d'observation Floride Barcarès" reported a complex trajectory of an orange disc between Orion and Leo constellations, lasting 7 minutes with a yellow trail.

"4 Pêcheurs Argentins l'assurent : 'Non seulement, ils virent l'ovni, mais ils virent aussi un occupant'"
This report details an account from four fishermen in La Florida, Argentina, who claimed to have seen a UFO approximately 20 meters in diameter, shaped like an overturned soup plate, emitting strong light. They also reported seeing an occupant, described as human-like, 1.80m tall, wearing a silver suit and a glass helmet. Police investigations were initiated, reportedly finding large footprints (30 cm long, 17 cm wide, 6 cm deep) with excessive spacing (1.60 m), suggesting a heavy being.

"GERENA au-dessus de EL BERROCAL (Espagne)"
This case describes an observation by three children near Gerena, Spain, on October 9, 1977. They saw an unusual light, followed by a luminous foyer, and then a luminous ball. Later, an investigator and the children observed a rectangular object, described as a "kitchen pan without a handle," about 5-6 meters in diameter, hovering half a meter above the ground, illuminated in green with white lights.

"ESPAGNE - L'OVNI vu à SAN LUIS aurait laissé des traces"
This section provides further details on the Argentine incident, mentioning police investigations and the discovery of unusually large footprints.

"ESPAGNE - Un rédacteur de notre journal a vu, un OVNI dans les environs de Séville"
A journalist reported seeing a disc-shaped object, about 4 meters in diameter, emitting intense red light, hovering at 3-4 meters altitude near Seville on January 12, 1978. The object then changed color to amber and ascended rapidly.

"? UNE ENIGME A URUFFE (Meurthe-et-Moselle)"
This article details a mysterious death in Uruffe, France, where a woman was found carbonized in her apartment on May 12, 1977. Investigations revealed no signs of forced entry, and the cause of death was unclear, with speculation ranging from accident to murder, and even spontaneous combustion due to the intense heat implied by the state of the body and surrounding objects.

"A MAUREPAS (YVELINES)"
This report describes an observation on November 10, 1976, involving intermittent power outages and a slow-moving orange light. The witness observed the light for an extended period, noting its different phases and its eventual disappearance as power was restored.

"Témoignage d'observation dans le Nord de la France"
On April 5, 1977, near Mairieux, a cyclist reported being followed by a silent, metallic-looking white sphere, about 2 meters in diameter, hovering a few meters above the ground. The sphere circled him before ascending rapidly into the sky. The witness suffered from burns on his eyes afterward.

"En 1974, dans l'Aisne"
A resident of Grugies reported seeing an orange disc with a blue dome, about 300 meters away, hovering and then moving at high speed. The observation caused fear in the witness.

"Atterrissage avec effets sur véhicule diesel et sur témoin (dans le Lot-et-Garonne)"
In March 1975, a man named Nardèze reported his vehicle's engine, headlights, and radio failing as a dome-shaped object, about 4 meters high and emitting intense light, appeared near the road. After the object ascended, the vehicle's systems resumed. Nardèze experienced a feeling of physical and psychological relaxation during the encounter.

"Les soirées d'observation des 3, 4, 5 et 10, II, 12 mars 1978" (Continued)
This section provides further details on observations, including:

• June 20, 1978 (Rochefort du Gard): A couple observed a large, red-lit saucer-shaped object moving towards Pujaut.
• Early July 1978 (Remblon, Argentina): A train station master reported a bright light that caused him to have a nervous breakdown.
• July 8, 1978 (Lons, Pyrénées Atlantiques): Residents observed a fast-moving white object that hovered for 30 minutes, emitting red and green signals.
• July 8, 1978 (Lempdes, Puy de Dôme): A witness saw a 5-meter high object with a luminous top and helmeted figures inside.
• July 9, 1978 (Strasbourg): A couple observed a yellow triangular object with a black point.
• July 10, 1978 (Tarasteix): Four young people saw a small, bright yellow object near the ground, followed by a larger object with luminous sources moving towards the Pyrenees.
• July 18, 1978 (Bierre les Semur): An object resembling an overturned red saucer was observed hovering, and three photos were taken.
• July 21, 1978 (St Florent): A luminous yellow object, described as a long streak with a bright ball in the middle, was observed moving circularly.

"YVELINES: Succès du réseau téléphonique Ariane"
This article discusses the successful implementation and use of the "Ariane" telephone network for UFO reporting, highlighting an observation made on April 7, 1978, which triggered multiple reports and allowed for photographic evidence.

Book Reviews

• "LA MÉMOIRE DES OVNI" by J. Bastide: Reviewed as an interesting work comparing UFO encounters with mythological narratives, emphasizing the author's careful sourcing and the book's exploration of the connection between human affairs and cosmic phenomena.
• "OVNI, la fin du secret" by Robert Roussel: Mentioned as a new publication.

Recurring Themes and Editorial Stance

The recurring themes in this issue are UFO sightings, the extraterrestrial hypothesis, physical traces, electromagnetic effects, and the challenges of investigating such phenomena. The magazine maintains a commitment to publishing diverse viewpoints and encourages reasoned debate among its readers. The editorial stance is one of open-minded scientific inquiry, prioritizing factual reporting and analysis while acknowledging the mysterious nature of the subject matter. The publication emphasizes the importance of detailed observation and documentation, as seen in the extensive reports from the March 1978 observation evenings.