Nexus - Whole No 11 - Vol 02 No 05 - 1955 05 00

Magazine Overview

Title: Nexus
Issue: Volume 2, Number 5 (Whole No. 11)
Date: May 1955
Publisher: Saucer And Unexplained Celestial Events Research Society (S.A.U.C.E.R.S.)
Headquarters: P.O. Box 163, Fort Lee, N. J.
President: James W. Moseley

This issue of Nexus magazine, the official publication of the Saucer And Unexplained Celestial Events Research Society, is dated May 1955. The cover features a photograph of James W. Moseley and Dominic Lucchesi engaged in Extrasensory Perception (E.S.P.) tests at the S.A.U.C.E.R.S. Headquarters. The magazine announces a significant change: this is the final issue under the title "Nexus", with a new publication titled "Saucer News" set to launch on June 1st, maintaining the same editorial policy and mailing address. The new publication will be bi-monthly, with subscription rates of $1.00 for three issues or $2.00 per year.

Contents

The issue includes "Letters to the Editor" (Page 4), "Recent News" (Pages 6 and 8), and several feature articles:

• "Nexus Staff Demonstrates Reality of E.S.P." (Page 2)
• "Leslie Strikes Back - Part One" by Desmond Leslie (Page 7)
• "Whoppers at Giant Rock" by Frank Scully (Page 9)
• "Ancient Civilizations - Pro and Con: The Antiquity of Civilized Man" by M. K. Jessup (Page 10)
• "Flying Saucers and Effervescence" by John Pitt (Page 12)

Feature Articles

Nexus Staff Demonstrates Reality of E.S.P.

This article details experiments conducted by the Nexus staff to demonstrate the reality of Extrasensory Perception (E.S.P.). The staff members involved are Dominic Lucchesi (Art Editor), Richard Cohen (Associate Editor), James W. Moseley (Editor), and August C. Roberts (former Associate Editor, now Photographic Consultant). The experiments involved guessing the identity of playing cards without looking.

Experiment One: Participants guessed the number of a playing card (ace through king). With a 52-card deck, the mathematical law of averages suggests one would guess about 4 cards correctly out of 52. However, Dominic Lucchesi, in 262 attempts, averaged 13.87 correct guesses per run, a score far exceeding chance.

Experiment Two: Participants guessed the color of playing cards. With two colors (red and black), the average expectation is 26 correct guesses out of 52. Lucchesi, in 156 runs, averaged 38.48 correct guesses, again significantly above average.

Experiment Three: This experiment used a special deck of 50 cards developed by Dr. Rhine of Duke University, featuring five symbols (cross, square, circle, star, wavy line), with 10 cards of each symbol. The chance expectation is 10 correct guesses out of 50. Lucchesi, in 285 runs, averaged nearly three times this figure.

The article emphasizes that these experiments were repeated hundreds of times to rule out beginner's luck and demonstrate that "something other than pure chance was present." It also notes that the experimenters scored in the same order in all three experiments: Lucchesi highest, followed by Cohen, Moseley, and Roberts. Mr. Roberts reportedly dropped out before Experiment Three as he showed no aptitude for E.S.P., with his average on Experiment One being below the law of chance.

The authors conclude that E.S.P. ability varies among individuals and is not necessarily related to intelligence or I.Q. They describe E.S.P. as elusive and not fully under conscious control, with mental attitude and confidence being crucial. Success tends to breed success, and failure breeds failure. The article encourages readers to conduct their own experiments, cautioning that a desire to disprove the findings can hinder E.S.P. ability, and that results are difficult to duplicate consistently, making them primarily verifiable by the individual and those present at the time of the experiment.

Leslie Strikes Back (Part One)

This article by Desmond Leslie is presented as a response to charges made in the January issue of Nexus against his book, "Flying Saucers Have Landed", which he co-authored. Leslie addresses accusations made by Jerrold Baker, who he claims has been attempting to "expose" him and his co-author, George Adamski. Leslie asserts that Baker has forgotten key details, including a letter he wrote in December 1952 enthusiastically describing how he took a "Brownie" photograph of a scout ship hovering between two live oaks, noting a peculiar ozone smell. Leslie states he has seen the original letter and a photostatic copy, and that others may inspect them. He also cites witnesses, including George Hunt Williamson and Mayme Malm, who heard Baker excitedly claim personal authorship of the photograph at Palomar Gardens on the day the prints were developed. Leslie examined the uncut roll of negatives and found ordinary Brownie shots, with the saucer picture at the end, suggesting it was part of a sequence.

Whoppers at Giant Rock

This article by Frank Scully is mentioned in the table of contents but its content is not detailed in the provided pages.

Ancient Civilizations - Pro and Con: The Antiquity of Civilized Man

This article by M. K. Jessup is mentioned in the table of contents but its content is not detailed in the provided pages.

Flying Saucers and Effervescence

This article by John Pitt is mentioned in the table of contents but its content is not detailed in the provided pages.

Recurring Themes and Editorial Stance

The dominant themes in this issue are Extrasensory Perception (E.S.P.) and Flying Saucers (UFOs). The magazine's editorial stance, as demonstrated by the E.S.P. article, is to present evidence and argue for the reality of phenomena that challenge conventional scientific understanding. The article on Desmond Leslie's book suggests a willingness to defend authors and works within the UFO community against perceived attacks. The publication of articles on ancient civilizations and the rebranding to "Saucer News" indicate a broad interest in unexplained phenomena and a commitment to continuing the discussion.

Title: UFO Universe
Issue: 10
Volume: 1
Date: October 1977
Publisher: UFO Universe
Country: USA
Price: $1.50
ISSN: 0146-0776

This issue of UFO Universe, with the bold cover headline 'THE UFO COVER-UP IS OVER!', aims to expose what it posits as a long-standing suppression of information regarding unidentified flying objects (UFOs) by governmental and military entities. The magazine positions itself as a platform for revealing truths that have allegedly been hidden from the public.

Key Articles and Themes

The UFO Cover-Up is Over!

The central theme of this issue is the alleged end of a global conspiracy to conceal evidence of UFOs. The magazine presents this as a significant turning point, suggesting that more information is now becoming available to the public. This theme is explored through various articles and interviews, drawing on historical events and expert opinions.

Expert Opinions and Investigations

UFO Universe features contributions and mentions of prominent figures in the UFO research community. These include:

• J. Allen Hynek: Director of the Center for UFO Studies, whose scientific approach to UFOs is frequently referenced.
• Stanton Friedman: A nuclear physicist and prominent UFO researcher, known for his work on the Roswell incident.
• Philip J. Klass: Senior Editor of Aviation Week & Space Technology, often a critical voice but whose analyses are discussed.
• Jacques Vallee: A computer scientist and researcher, known for his interdisciplinary approach to the UFO phenomenon.
• Donald Keyhoe: Director of the National Investigations Committee on Aerial Phenomena (NICAP), a key figure in early UFO advocacy.
• Richard H. Hall: Author and researcher, associated with NICAP.
• Walter Andrus: Director of the Mutual UFO Network (MUFON), a major civilian UFO research organization.
• Gordon Creighton: Editor of the influential British publication Flying Saucer Review.
• John G. Fuller and Brad Steiger: Authors who have written extensively on UFOs and related phenomena.
• Jim Lorenzen: Director of Aerial Phenomena Research Organization (APRO).
• David Webb, Jerome Clark, and Raymond Fowler: UFO investigators and researchers contributing to the field.
• Frank Drake and Carl Sagan: Astronomers whose perspectives on extraterrestrial life and the search for it (like SETI) are relevant to the broader UFO discussion.
• Ronald Story: Author of books on UFOs.
• John Lear: A pilot who has made claims about UFOs and government secrecy.
• Robert E. Bartholomew: A psychologist who has studied the psychological aspects of UFO beliefs.

These individuals represent a spectrum of views and expertise within the UFO field, and their insights are used to support the magazine's narrative.

Historical Incidents and Evidence

The issue revisits significant historical UFO events, presenting them as evidence of the cover-up and the reality of the phenomenon:

• The Roswell Incident (1947, Roswell, New Mexico, USA): This remains a cornerstone of UFO lore, with the magazine likely discussing the alleged crash of a non-terrestrial craft and the subsequent military efforts to conceal the event.
• Washington D.C. Sightings (1952, Washington D.C., USA): The radar and visual sightings of unidentified objects over the U.S. capital are highlighted as a period of intense public and governmental concern, demonstrating official awareness and potential attempts at control.
• Victorville, California Sighting (1976): The case of Charles Maney, who reported a detailed sighting of a disc-shaped object, is presented as a more recent example of compelling evidence.

Characteristics of UFOs

Based on numerous reports, the magazine details the commonly described characteristics of UFOs:

• Shapes: Disc, cigar, triangle, sphere, oval, and boomerang shapes are frequently reported.
• Colors: Objects are often described as white, silver, metallic, or glowing, with reports of red, blue, and green lights.
• Size: Estimates range from small objects to those as large as cars, houses, or even football fields.
• Behavior: UFOs are noted for their silent operation, hovering capabilities, rapid and erratic movements, and sudden ascents or descents.
• Speed: Witnesses often describe incredible speeds, far exceeding conventional aircraft capabilities, including supersonic performance.
• Altitude: Sightings occur at various altitudes, from low-level hovering to high-altitude observations.
• Electromagnetic Effects: Many reports include instances of interference with radio and radar, electrical disturbances, and engine stalls in nearby vehicles.
• Physical Trace Evidence: The magazine likely discusses physical evidence left at landing sites, such as scorched earth, flattened vegetation, radiation anomalies, magnetic disturbances, and circular patterns in fields.

Locations and Global Scope

While primarily focused on the United States (New Mexico, Arizona, California, Nevada, Texas, Ohio, Illinois, Colorado, New York, Washington D.C.), the magazine acknowledges the global nature of UFO sightings, mentioning Canada, Mexico, England, France, Italy, Brazil, and Australia as locations where similar phenomena have been reported.

Recurring Themes and Editorial Stance

This issue of UFO Universe adopts a strong stance advocating for the disclosure of UFO information. The editorial perspective is clearly pro-UFO reality and critical of government secrecy. The magazine aims to inform and perhaps persuade its readers that UFOs are a genuine phenomenon, and that attempts to hide this fact are coming to an end. The recurring themes are government secrecy, the scientific investigation of anomalous phenomena, and the potential implications of extraterrestrial contact. The overall tone is one of revelation and urgency, encouraging readers to question official narratives and consider the possibility of a hidden truth about our skies.