OMNI

Magazine Overview

This is the 15th Anniversary Collector's Edition of OMNI magazine, dated October 1993. It is a special issue focusing on 'Science and the Soul,' exploring the intersection of scientific inquiry and metaphysical concepts. The cover features striking artwork and headlines highlighting key articles.

Antimatter: UFO Update

The 'Antimatter' section provides an update on UFO research, specifically detailing how glasnost has enabled collaboration between Russian and American UFOlogists. Paul Stonehill, a 34-year-old executive and naturalized U.S. citizen, acts as a liaison through his newly established Russian UFOlogy Research Center in Tarzana, California. Stonehill, who emigrated from Kiev, has been interested in UFOs since childhood and has maintained contact with Russian researchers through clandestine means before glasnost.

Stonehill claims to have evidence that UFOlogy was a significant focus for the former Soviet regime. He cites an incident in the late 1980s where a large UFO allegedly crashed near Omsk, with its wreckage reportedly moved to Moscow. Stonehill's sources suggest the Soviet government conducted secret research based on the technology recovered from this crash. He also speculates about joint U.S.-Soviet programs aimed at developing 'Star Wars' technology, based on research by underground Soviet UFOlogists like Anatoly Cistratav.

Richard Haines, a former NASA experimental psychologist, has founded the Joint USA-CIS Aerial Anomaly Federation. This organization, comprising over 160 groups in the US and former Soviet Union, aims to foster communication, translate UFO documents, and encourage collaborative research. Haines is also studying differences in alien abduction reports between the US and Russia, noting that Russians tend to describe aliens as taller than those in the West.

However, James Oberg, an expert on the Soviet space program, expresses skepticism about Russian UFOlogy, describing it as 'weirder' than American groups due to a long-standing information vacuum. Stonehill counters that Russian UFOlogists need support, not criticism, highlighting their lack of access to advanced equipment for analyzing UFO footage. He emphasizes the need for state-of-the-art research tools and more engagement from Western colleagues, rather than debunking.

Cover Features

Beyond the UFO update, the cover also prominently features 'Seven Exercises to Stretch Your Spirit,' suggesting content related to personal growth and spirituality. Additionally, it announces 'Harlan Ellison's First Novella in 15 Years,' indicating a significant literary contribution within the issue.

Recurring Themes and Editorial Stance

The magazine consistently explores the frontiers of science, often touching upon the unexplained, the paranormal, and the intersection of consciousness with physical reality. This particular issue, with its focus on 'Science and the Soul,' delves into the more metaphysical and spiritual aspects of human experience, juxtaposed with rigorous scientific inquiry and investigations into phenomena like UFOs. The editorial stance appears to be one of open-minded exploration, encouraging serious research into controversial topics while distinguishing between credible investigation and sensationalism, as advocated by Paul Stonehill.