1986 01 00 OMNI - Sherry Baker

Magazine Overview

Title: OMNI
Issue Date: January 1986
Cover Headline: SPACE: NASA'S NEXT STEPS TOWARD THE STARS

This issue of OMNI delves into two primary areas: the future of space exploration with a focus on NASA's ambitions and the official, government-backed investigation of unexplained aerial phenomena (UFOs) in France.

Space: NASA's Next Steps Toward the Stars

The cover prominently features a futuristic, abstract image related to space and technology, with the headline "SPACE: NASA'S NEXT STEPS TOWARD THE STARS." While the interior content for this specific article is not provided in the scanned pages, the cover suggests a focus on upcoming space missions, technological advancements, and NASA's long-term vision for space exploration.

UFO Update: Official Business in France

A significant portion of the provided text focuses on the French approach to investigating UFOs. Unlike the common practice in the United States, where such investigations are often relegated to private, volunteer groups operating on limited budgets, France has made it a matter of official government business.

GEPAN: France's UFO Investigation Unit

In 1977, the Centre National D'Études Spatiales (CNES), France's national space agency (comparable to NASA), established the Group D'Études Phenomenes Aerospatiaux Non Identifies (GEPAN). GEPAN's mandate was to not only investigate UFO reports but also to study any physical evidence associated with these sightings. Jean-Jacques Velasco, the chief of GEPAN, states that the agency was formed due to public demand following testimonies from distinguished French citizens and also because the French military had reported unexplained aerial phenomena and sought official explanations.

Over the past 11 years, GEPAN has worked closely with French police, logging approximately 1,600 UFO reports. Velasco notes that the majority of these cases have been explained as natural phenomena or conventional aircraft, but a significant thirty-eight percent remain as "question marks."

International Cooperation and Scientific Evidence

Spurred by these unexplained cases, CNES recently sponsored meetings in Paris and Toulouse. These gatherings aimed to discuss GEPAN's research and to foster information exchange with foreign UFO researchers. A key topic of discussion was physical evidence left behind by UFO sightings.

J. Allen Hynek, director of the Center for UFO Studies in Scottsdale, Arizona, is quoted discussing the skepticism often met by UFO evidence in the US. He contrasts this with a French case presented at the meeting, which involved individuals suffering from radiation burns on their eyes and bodies following a UFO encounter, suggesting a more serious and tangible aspect to some sightings.

One particularly intriguing incident involved deformed vegetation discovered in the French countryside after a reported "flying saucer" landing. French police collected the damaged plants, and GEPAN tasked scientists with examining them. The findings revealed that the plants had lost 50 percent of their chlorophyll, a deficit that researchers were unable to explain or replicate under normal conditions.

Hynek expresses the importance of this cooperation, stating, "We exchanged databases containing details of these cases and hundreds of others... And we've agreed that when the French have a hot case, they'll transmit it to us, and we'll do the same with them. UFOs are a global phenomenon, and this kind of cooperation is enormously important if we are to understand what is going on."

Reasons for Government Involvement

When questioned why other governments haven't followed France's lead, Velasco suggests that while there are reports of a similar program in the USSR, UFOs are generally not considered a priority by most governments. This is because they are not typically perceived as direct military or security threats.

Recurring Themes and Editorial Stance

The issue positions OMNI as a magazine that explores cutting-edge science, space exploration, and intriguing phenomena that push the boundaries of conventional understanding. The "UFO Update" section, in particular, highlights a proactive and scientific approach to investigating unexplained phenomena, contrasting it with a more dismissive attitude often found elsewhere. The magazine appears to support rigorous investigation and the exchange of information, emphasizing that UFOs are a global concern worthy of serious study.