RIAP bulletin - Vol 07 No 4 - October-December 2001

Magazine Overview

Title: RIAP BULLETIN
Issue: Volume 7, Number 4
Date: October-December 2001
Publisher: Research Institute on Anomalous Phenomena (RIAP)
Country: UKRAINE
Language: English

This issue of the RIAP Bulletin is dedicated to the history of ufology, with a particular focus on Russia and the former Russian Empire. The editorial, "Trying to Learn the Lessons of History..." by Vladimir V. Rubtsov, discusses the challenges of establishing ufology as a scientific field, highlighting its lack of cumulativeness and the tendency towards "ufological entertainment" over rigorous study. Rubtsov argues for the need for a scientific paradigm and effective research approaches, while also acknowledging the potential value of anecdotal accounts, introducing a new section called "Testimonies" for such reports.

Articles and Content

"Trying to Learn the Lessons of History..." (Editorial)

Vladimir V. Rubtsov, Chairman of RIAP Scientific Council, critiques the current state of ufology, contrasting it with established scientific disciplines like genetics. He points out the lack of a shared paradigm and the tendency for potentially important works, especially non-English ones, to be forgotten. Rubtsov criticizes the influence of mass media and the shift of Soviet ufology towards sensationalism after the collapse of totalitarianism. He also touches upon a symposium in Moscow organized by CSICOP and the Russian Academy of Sciences, which he views as indicative of the Russian academic elite's fear and incomprehension of "pseudoscience." Rubtsov refutes the notion that "extraordinary claims need extraordinary proofs" as unscientific, emphasizing that any scientific claim requires normal scientific proof regardless of its perceived extraordinariness. He suggests that while the history of ufology is important, the field itself is far from mature and lacks cumulative progress. He introduces the "Testimonies" section, which will feature stories like that of Yuriy Agarkov's unusual incident in Kazakhstan and a future report by Valeriy Kukushkin.

"A Thousand Years of Russian UFOs (Part I)"

Authored by Mikhail B. Gershtein, this article begins a survey of UFO sightings in Russia and the former Russian Empire, divided into three periods: Annalistic (900-1700 AD), Naturalistic (1701-1891), and Aeronautical (1892-1917).

• Annalistic Period: This section covers early reports, often brief and difficult to identify. Examples include a "spear" omen in 911 AD, a sign in the sky in 1028 AD (possibly an aurora borealis), a star with blood-red rays in 1066 AD (likely Halley's comet), a "great serpent" falling in 1088 AD (possibly a bolide), and a phenomenon of "three suns" in 1204 AD (likely a complex halo).
• The ibn-Fadlan Account (922 AD): A significant report from the mission of Ahmad ibn-Fadlan describes a battle between two "clouds" with figures resembling men and horses fighting, observed over Volga Bulgaria. This event, occurring in daylight in May, is argued by the author to be unlikely to be an aurora borealis due to its characteristics.
• 17th Century Phenomena: The article details a description from Zacharia Sarcofag's treatise "On the Fall of Light from the Sky" (1641 AD) of a large, dark-blue light descending and illuminating the area, and another account from 1679 AD describing aerial "shafts" and "spears" followed by a bright star.
• Tobolsk Chronicles (1656-1741): Reports from the Siberian Chronicles mention signs in the sun and a fiery object descending from a dark cloud in Tobolsk.
• Naturalistic Period (18th Century): This period saw phenomena interpreted through natural science. An event in 1704 near Narva involved a fiery cloud resembling a bundle of straw. A more spectacular event occurred on April 2, 1716, near Revel (Tallinn), described as a "star war" involving colliding clouds, fire, smoke, and fiery "arrows," interpreted by Russian ufologist I. V. Bogatyriov as anomalous.
• Other 18th Century Phenomena: An entry from the logbook of the Russian brigantine "Archangel Michael" in 1739 describes a falling star emitting a beam of light.
• 19th Century Reports: The article notes the absence of "technogeneous" UFO reports in the Russian Empire during this period. It mentions a "globe-shaped, whitish mass" observed in 1836 in Saratov and a diary entry describing a "fiery serpent" over the Volga river. A story from Ural Cossacks in 1858 describes an enormous serpent falling to the ground and interacting with a cloud.

"Did a UFO Crash at Aurora, Texas?" (Letter to the Editor)

Chris Aubeck responds to Dr. Yuriy Morozov's article on the "Russian Roswell," questioning the hasty conclusion that the Aurora, Texas incident of 1897 was a hoax. Aubeck presents details from contemporary newspaper reports describing a crashed spacecraft and a non-human pilot. He notes that the story was largely ignored for 70 years until journalist Frank Tolbert investigated it. Tolbert's findings, published in 1973, suggested the event was a hoax perpetrated by radio operators. However, Aubeck highlights later investigations by William Case and Jim Marrs, who interviewed older residents of Aurora. These residents, including Etta Oates and Charlie C. Stephens, recalled the event and suggested it was real, with Mrs. Oates mentioning potential radioactivity at the crash site. The article implies that the Aurora incident may warrant further consideration beyond being dismissed as a hoax.

"RB Questions and Answers: Dr. Jacques Vallee"

This section features an interview or Q&A with Dr. Jacques Vallee, though the content is not detailed in the provided scan.

"Mysterious Rescue in the Steppe"

Authored by Y. M. Agarkov, this is likely a personal testimony or account of an unusual incident, as mentioned in the editorial.

Recurring Themes and Editorial Stance

The recurring themes in this issue are the historical investigation of anomalous aerial phenomena, the challenges of defining and studying ufology as a scientific discipline, and the re-evaluation of historical UFO cases. The editorial stance, as expressed by Vladimir V. Rubtsov, is critical of the current state of ufology, advocating for a more rigorous, evidence-based approach while remaining open to exploring unusual accounts. There is a clear emphasis on historical research and a desire to move beyond sensationalism towards a more scientific understanding of anomalous phenomena.

Title: RIAP Bulletin
Issue: Vol. 7, No. 4
Date: 2001
Publisher: RIAP (Ukraine)

This issue of the RIAP Bulletin focuses on unexplained phenomena, featuring an in-depth look at the controversial "Aurora crash" of 1897 and a personal testimony of a mysterious rescue in the Kazakh steppe in 1948. It also includes an interview with renowned ufologist Dr. Jacques Vallee.

The Aurora Crash: A Case Study

The article "Aurora Crash" (pages 1-2) examines the historical incident of April 17, 1897, in Aurora, Texas, where an alleged "airship" crashed. Witness testimonies, including those of Charlie Stephens, G. C. Curley, and Mary Evans, describe an explosion, a sky lit up with fire, and the discovery of a "torn up" pilot. G. C. Curley's friends reported seeing an airship coming from Dallas the day before, and that it hit something near "Judge Proctor's well." The airship was destroyed, and the pilot was described as a "small man" who was buried in the Aurora cemetery.

However, the case is met with skepticism. Wise County historian Etta Pegues dismissed the story as "a beautiful piece of fiction," stating that Judge Proctor had no windmill, a detail mentioned in an earlier account by "Haydon." The article addresses these points, suggesting that Haydon might have been misinformed about the windmill and the military officer's name. Robbie Reynolds Hanson, who claimed the story was a hoax, was only twelve years old at the time and living outside Aurora, with no direct knowledge of the event.

Modern researchers have dismissed the Aurora incident due to its "circus-like" nature, with numerous claims and counter-claims. Efforts to locate the pilot's grave have been met with resistance from locals. Case and Marrs' investigations are mentioned, with Case believing he found the pilot's resting place marked by a broken headstone with a '<' shape and three small circles. A metal detector found buried metal fragments, but the headstone and metal were later stolen.

Searches for metal pieces at Judge Proctor's farm also yielded results. In 1967, Alfred Kraus found only domestic litter. In 1973, Brawley Oates reportedly found silvery metal pieces in the well, which Dr. Tom Gray analyzed as an aluminum alloy used in the 1920s for kitchen utensils.

The article also discusses the historical context of UFO crashes being a popular newspaper gimmick in the late 19th century, citing examples of hoaxes in San Francisco (December 1896) and other reported crashes in Missouri, Iowa, and near Sycamore Creek. It also draws a parallel to an ancient Egyptian story, "The Tale of the Shipwreck," which features similar elements of mysterious islands, giants, and falling extraterrestrial objects.

The author concludes that, based on existing evidence, the question of whether the Aurora incident was a hoax remains open and requires further examination.

Mysterious Rescue in the Steppe

On pages 4-6, Yuriy M. Agarkov recounts a personal experience from December 1948 in Burma, Kazakhstan. While traveling back to Burma from the "Maria" stock-breeding branch during a severe snowstorm and blizzard, Agarkov lost his way. He describes the disorientation, the howling wind, and the complete darkness. At a critical moment, fearing for his life, a powerful beam of light suddenly shone from behind him, illuminating a haystack about a kilometer away. This light, which he describes as a "searchlight" or "automobile head lamps," allowed him to see the haystack and a path on the snow. He rushed towards it, found the haystack, and then used it as a reference point to find the road and safely return to Burma.

Agarkov notes that the light beam was about two meters wide and seemed to lie on the snow-covered steppe. He emphasizes that the light was real and not a hallucination, as he could see his shadow on the ground. He speculates that the source of the light was behind him, a few meters away and at a similar height. He kept this experience to himself for many years due to its incredible nature and the fact that it saved him from certain death.

Interview with Dr. Jacques Vallee

On pages 3, Dr. Jacques Vallee, a renowned ufologist and author, is interviewed by the editor, Vladimir V. Rubtsov. Vallee discusses his views on contemporary anomalistics, defining it as the study of phenomena that do not fit into established scientific frameworks. He stresses the importance of rigorous observation and inter-disciplinary approaches.

Vallee believes the UFO problem is scientific in nature, depending on how it is approached, and involves physical, physiological, psychological, and social levels. He advocates for a series of small research projects rather than large, centralized ones, criticizing models like GEPAN/SEPRA, Project Blue Book, and the Condon study.

Regarding the achievements of ufology, Vallee points out that the field is saturated with misinformation, which drives scientists away and prevents interesting research from being published. He feels that his own scientific contributions can get lost in the noise. He suggests that "big science" could be applied to UFO studies by analyzing physical data without pre-judging the answer, such as conducting classical analysis of metallic samples or inferring energy levels from luminosity data.

Anomalistics, according to Vallee, can help place UFO phenomena into a larger context by relating them to other anomalous phenomena like ball lightning, sprites, elves, and psychic phenomena. He concludes that the UFO phenomenon is a "very robust physical phenomenon" that challenges our notions of time, space, and human history. It manifests physically through material objects but also has a powerful impact on human consciousness, requiring novel methodologies for documentation and study.

Other Content

The issue also includes a brief mention of the National Aviation Reporting Center on Anomalous Phenomena (NARCAP), which helps enhance aviation safety by collecting and analyzing UAP-related data. The contact information for NARCAP is provided.

Recurring Themes and Editorial Stance

The recurring themes in this issue are the investigation of historical UFO/UAP cases, the challenges of distinguishing fact from fiction in such accounts, and the importance of rigorous scientific methodology in studying anomalous phenomena. The editorial stance appears to be one of open inquiry, presenting both skeptical viewpoints and detailed witness testimonies, while also highlighting the complexities and ongoing debates within the field of anomalistics and UFO research. The inclusion of Dr. Vallee's interview suggests an endorsement of a more scientific and inter-disciplinary approach to understanding these phenomena.