1985 02 00 OMNI - Hynek Int

Magazine Overview

This issue of OMNI magazine features an in-depth interview with J. Allen Hynek, a renowned astronomer and the nation's foremost authority on UFOs. The interview, conducted by Omni senior editor Pamela Weintraub, explores Hynek's personal journey from a staunch skeptic to a leading investigator of unexplained aerial phenomena. The magazine's cover prominently displays Hynek's name and the word 'INTERVIEW,' accompanied by a striking photograph of him.

J. Allen Hynek: From Skeptic to Investigator

The interview begins by setting the scene at Hynek's temporary residence in a luxurious hacienda in Quartz Mountain, Arizona, a place attracting the wealthy, which he notes is not his own but provided by an anonymous benefactor who hopes to establish a world-class UFO research center. Hynek, at seventy-four, has dedicated a lifetime to this pursuit.

Hynek recounts his early career, marked by rigorous scientific work at Ohio State and Harvard Universities, and his role as associate director of the Smithsonian Institution's Astrophysical Observatory. He also served as chairman of the astronomy department at Northwestern University. During the 1940s and 1950s, he was involved with the Air Force's 'Project Blue Book,' tasked with debunking UFO reports. Initially, he worked to provide conventional explanations, often dismissing sightings as meteors, balloons, or cloud formations. He admits to helping 'engender the idea that it must be nonsense.'

However, Hynek's perspective began to shift as he encountered reports from highly qualified witnesses, such as pilots and meteorologists, which defied easy explanation. He realized that 'the sightings needed further investigation, but we were disregarding them, throwing data away.' This realization led him to meticulously collect and study UFO reports, classifying them and investigating intriguing cases across the country.

His growing conviction that the accepted scientific paradigm could not explain all UFO sightings culminated in the founding of the Center for UFO Studies in Evanston, Illinois, in 1972. This center aimed to produce respectable research in a field often populated by 'misguided enthusiasts, psychopaths, and frauds.' Hynek developed a classification system for UFO witnesses and scenarios to explain UFOs, challenging existing physical laws.

The UFO Phenomenon: Reports, Not Objects

Hynek clarifies his core understanding: 'We don't have UFOs, only UFO reports. The patterns and contents of these reports constitute the UFO phenomenon.' He emphasizes that the phenomenon 'says nothing about little green men. Belief or disbelief in UFOs is irrelevant.' He has categorized the phenomenon into six types: nocturnal lights, daylight discs, radar-detected UFOs, close encounters of the first kind (observation without interaction), close encounters of the second kind (interaction with physical traces), and close encounters of the third kind (sightings of humanlike creatures).

He explains that his classification of 'close encounters of the third kind' inspired Steven Spielberg's film title, a fact that brought him considerable public attention, including a cameo in the movie and a mention in Trivial Pursuit. Despite this pop appeal, Hynek dismisses claims that he profits from UFOs, stating he would never consider becoming a 'UFO guru' for personal gain.

Key Cases and Investigations

The interview delves into specific cases that shaped Hynek's views:

• The Levelland, Texas Case (1957): Numerous drivers reported a UFO causing their car lights and engines to fail. After the UFO departed, the vehicles became operable again. This case is cited as an example of vehicle interference, documented in Mark Rodeghier's monograph.
• The Socorro, New Mexico Case (1964): Patrolman Lonnie Zamora witnessed a craft descend, leaving behind charred bushes and three pod marks. The Air Force initially suspected it was a secret government device, but higher-ups denied knowledge, leaving Hynek unable to explain it through conventional means.
• The Dexter, Michigan 'Swamp Gas' Case (1966): A farmer and his son reported a craft landing. Hynek, investigating, attributed the sighting to glowing swamp gas, a conclusion that became widely publicized and led to a congressional hearing.
• The Westchester County, New York Sightings: Hynek expresses excitement about a recent spate of sightings involving a large, hovering boomerang-shaped pattern of lights, notable for having numerous independent witnesses, including professionals.
• The Betty and Barney Hill Abduction Case (1961): This classic case involved a couple who reported missing time and a subsequent examination by alien beings. Hynek interviewed them under hypnosis and found their accounts compelling, though he questions the physical means of travel for such beings.
• The Boanai, Papua New Guinea Sighting (late 1960s): A nurse and a priest reported a hovering disc from which creatures waved back. Hynek found the event intriguing, especially the natives' reaction of going into evensong.
• Strategic Air Command (SAC) Base Sightings (Fall 1975): CAUS (Citizens Against UFO Secrecy) uncovered evidence of UFOs penetrating nuclear-weapons storage areas at several bases, with one report suggesting manipulation of missile guidance systems.

Critiques and Scientific Challenges

Hynek addresses his critics, such as Philip J. Klass, who accused him of profiting from UFOs and being a failed scientist seeking glory. He also discusses the controversial Condon Committee, which he believed was biased from the start, with its conclusions predetermined. He notes that even the Condon report, despite its public dismissal of UFOs, identified about twenty-five cases that remained unexplained.

Hynek challenges the prevailing scientific paradigm, arguing that phenomena like car-stopping cases and silent, hovering craft that accelerate rapidly cannot be explained by current physics. He questions the extraterrestrial hypothesis (ETH), citing the immense distances involved and the lack of detection by sensitive instruments. He suggests that UFOs might be 'instruments introducing us to a new notion of life and reality,' possibly illusions created by consciousness separate from the physical body.

He also discusses other theories, including psychological explanations, the idea of UFOs might be a 'conditioning process for the human race,' and the possibility of holographic projections or advanced technology creating illusions. He dismisses theories like those of Michael Persinger (electromagnetic fields) and Alvin Lawson (birth trauma) as unconvincing.

The Future of UFO Research

Hynek is establishing a new UFO Research Facility in Phoenix, funded by a major philanthropist, aiming for a professional operation distinct from the amateur-dominated UFO movement. The facility will utilize computer studies, including a database of eighty thousand UFO cases (UFOCAT) and UNICAT for studying correlations. The active work will involve a network of scientists to produce technical reports acceptable to the National Academy of Sciences, aiming to demonstrate that the subject warrants serious scientific attention.

He contrasts his work with SETI (Search for Extraterrestrial Intelligence), arguing that while SETI searches for distant radio messages, the UFO phenomenon might represent evidence of extraterrestrial intelligence already present, potentially 'under our very noses.'

Recurring Themes and Editorial Stance

The magazine's stance, as reflected in the interview, is one of serious inquiry into the UFO phenomenon, moving beyond mere sensationalism. Hynek's personal journey from skepticism to open-minded investigation serves as a central narrative. The interview emphasizes the need for rigorous scientific investigation, even into phenomena that challenge current paradigms. Recurring themes include the limitations of scientific understanding, the nature of evidence, the psychological impact of UFO sightings, and the potential for UFOs to expand human consciousness and our understanding of reality. The interview concludes with Hynek expressing a desire to continue exploring these mysteries, even in a remote, snowbound setting, to entertain and inform.