OMNI

Magazine Overview

Title: OMNI
Issue Date: January 1988
Price: $3.00
Cover Headline: THE SUPREME COURT OF SCIENCE

This issue of OMNI magazine, dated January 1988, presents a cover story titled "The Supreme Court of Science." The magazine delves into a variety of contemporary scientific and societal issues, including rulings on surrogate motherhood, advancements in genetic engineering, concerns about computer privacy, and the exploration of psychic powers. The cover art is a surrealistic illustration depicting a hand holding a test tube containing biological specimens and insects, with a dragonfly perched on top, set against a backdrop that includes a lion statue and a UFO hovering over a mountain.

UFO Update: Academic Perspectives on UFOs

The "Anti Matter" section features an article discussing academic research into UFOs, focusing on the work of Chris Rutkowski, a graduate student in earth sciences at the University of Manitoba with a keen interest in the subject. Rutkowski has investigated the existence of Ph.D. theses on UFOs, finding at least a dozen.

One of the earliest theses mentioned is by Herbert Strentz from Northwestern University (1970), which analyzed how the press covered UFO reports between 1947 and 1966. Strentz concluded that media attention, rather than actual UFO activity, often generated UFO waves, with newspaper accounts frequently being dismissive or lacking in substance.

Another thesis from Northwestern University's sociology department, by Kelly Schutz, examined four Chicago-area flying-saucer groups. Schutz, who joined one group as a "priest," ultimately found that the members were engaged in a religious quest.

Thomas Eddie Bullard's thesis from Indiana University, "Mysteries in the Eye of the Beholder," takes a historical approach. It reviews historical beliefs in supernatural beings and events, comparing them to modern UFO stories. Bullard suggests that anomalies observed throughout history, from biblical times to the present, share similarities and that UFOs represent a contemporary manifestation of these phenomena, akin to a modern mythology.

Paul McCarthy's 1975 thesis, "Politicking and Paradigm-Shifting" from the University of Hawaii, is also noted. It focuses on the efforts of James O. McDonald, a respected atmospheric physicist from the University of Arizona, who became convinced of UFO reality in the mid-Sixties and attempted to gain serious attention for the subject from his colleagues.

Rutkowski identifies David Michael Jacobs's book, "The UFO Controversy in America," published by Indiana University Press, as the "foremost reference book on the subject."

Rutkowski's own perspective on these academic endeavors is that they primarily focus on the social dimensions of the UFO question rather than the reality of UFOs themselves. He observes that this approach allows scholars to write about a subject of interest within a respectable academic framework, even if the subject is considered non-respectable.

Rutkowski was approached by the University of Manitoba's geophysics department to pursue his Ph.D. thesis on Michael Persinger's theories, which propose that UFO lights are caused by earthquakes. Rutkowski has previously criticized this hypothesis in geophysical journals. However, he indicates he will likely decline the offer, stating that while the subject is interesting, "it won't get me a job."

Recurring Themes and Editorial Stance

The issue touches upon themes of scientific inquiry, the intersection of science and belief, the nature of evidence, and the societal perception of unusual phenomena. The editorial stance appears to be one that encourages critical examination of scientific claims and societal issues, while also acknowledging the enduring fascination with unexplained phenomena like UFOs. The magazine seems to position itself as a platform for exploring cutting-edge ideas and debates across various scientific disciplines and their societal implications.