RIAP bulletin - Vol 09 No 1-2 - January-June 2003

Magazine Overview

RIAP Bulletin, Volume 9, Number 1-2 (January-June 2003)

The RIAP Bulletin, published quarterly by the Research Institute on Anomalous Phenomena (RIAP), presents its January-June 2003 issue. RIAP is an independent scientific research body established in 1992, focusing on non-traditional energy sources, anomalous atmospheric phenomena, and the Search for Extraterrestrial Intelligence (SETI). The editorial stance emphasizes studying anomalous phenomena while considering all theories, but accepting only normal proofs and exact references.

RIAP Scientific Council and Advisory Board

The issue lists the members of the RIAP Scientific Council, including V. Beletsky (Vice-Chairman) and V. V. Rubtsov (Chairman), and the RIAP Advisory Board, featuring international experts such as V.-J. Ballester Olmos (Spain), T. E. Bullard (USA), R. F. Haines (USA), and A. Meessen (Belgium).

Contents

The table of contents highlights several key articles:

• "The Ancient of Days: Deity or Manna Machine?" by G. T. Sassoon
• "Space Objects over the Ukraine?"
• "Aurora, Texas, 1897: Burial of a Martian?" by M. B. Gershtein
• "A Paradigm for UFOs Amplifying Discussions" by R. E. Spalding
• "UFO Observation in Slovakia" by T. Phillips

The Ancient of Days: Deity or Manna Machine?

George Sassoon explores the enigmatic 'Ancient of Days' described in the Zohar, a mystical Jewish text. Sassoon's mother's library contained 'The Kabbalah Unveiled' by S. L. Macgregor Mathers, which detailed this entity. The Zohar, attributed to Rabbi Simon bar Yochai, presents a body of 'secret knowledge' divided into the Book of Concealed Mystery (BoM), Greater Holy Assembly (GHA), and Lesser Holy Assembly (LHA).

Sassoon quotes passages describing the Ancient of Days as having a 'face vast and terrible,' seated on a 'throne of flaming light,' with its skull containing 'thirteen thousand myriads of worlds.' He notes the physical descriptions, including 'skulls,' 'eyes,' a 'beard,' a 'strong right arm,' six feet, and reproductive organs, which seem incongruous for a deity.

He questions the Jewish abhorrence of idolatry in relation to such a description and posits that the 'secret knowledge' might refer to a physical object. Sassoon's research into original sources like Knorr von Rosenroth's 'Kabbala Denudata' and the Aramaic Zohar leads him to believe the text describes a machine.

Sassoon translates passages from LHA 436 and 437, suggesting the 'dew' from the 'white head' is contained within the object and used to 'grind the manna of the just ones for the world to come' and 'raise the dead.' He connects this to the biblical account of manna feeding the Israelites in the desert, questioning the practicalities of such a miracle and proposing a technological solution.

He explores the possibility of synthesizing a manna-like substance using intensive cultivation of microscopic water plants like Chlorella, requiring water, carbon dioxide, nitrogen, and light. The 'Ancient of Days' could have functioned as a dew-still, extracting water from the air, and its 'beard-hairs' could have facilitated gas exchange. The 'cardinal lamp' mentioned in the Zohar could have provided light.

Sassoon calculates the energy requirements for feeding 600,000 Israelites, estimating a need of 210 kW or 70 watts per person, suggesting a machine with an energy efficiency of around 500 kilowatts, achievable with a small nuclear reactor. He theorizes that surplus heat could be used for cooking and waste incineration, with exhaust expelled from the 'nose' creating the 'column of fire and smoke' seen over the Tabernacle.

He references Sergei Vlasov's 1974 article on the Soviet Bios-3 experiment, a closed-cycle environment using bodily waste to fertilize Chlorella for air purification, supporting the feasibility of such systems.

Regarding the machine's fate, Sassoon suggests it ceased functioning upon Israel's entry into the Promised Land and became a ritual object, later possibly confused with the Ark of the Covenant. The Zohar provides dimensions for the machine's parts, using human body terms as analogies for machine components, similar to the Apache tribe's method for naming automobile parts.

Sassoon estimates dimensions based on the 'world' unit being a mustard seed, finding them to be within a plausible range. The machine's operation involved separating and reassembling its two main parts (the 'Ancient One' and 'Small-faced One') weekly for cleaning, with the reassembly seen as a symbolic sexual union promoting fertility.

He speculates that the 'Lord' who gave the machine and knowledge to Aaron might have been a space visitor, citing the biblical account of the Lord on Mount Sinai as a possible spacecraft landing. The 'glory' of the Lord is interpreted as a vehicle, with the Hebrew word 'kavod' also meaning 'chariot.'

The machine was housed in the 'Tabernacle,' with its exhaust visible as fire and smoke. Sassoon suggests machines like this could have been carried aboard spacecraft to feed crews, referencing the Talmud's mention of manna being food for 'angels' that eliminated the need for bodily relief.

He concludes that the 'mercy' or 'loving-kindness' mentioned in the Bible in relation to manna might refer to this physical substance, with 'small mercies' being a lesser grade for the 'mixed multitude' of Egyptians.

Space Objects over the Ukraine?

This section reprints an article from the popular-science journal 'Znannia ta Pratsia' (ZtP), Kiev, 1967, No. 1, pp. 18–19, originally published in Ukrainian. The RB Editor notes that in late 1965, Soviet ufologists had limited access to foreign ufological literature, and the Soviet press was largely silent on the UFO phenomenon, often treating it with derision. An article by V. Rubtsov in ZtP, 1966, No. 9, was the first in the Soviet press to treat UFOs as a real subject worthy of investigation. This article, though published in the provinces and in Ukrainian, encouraged readers to report observations.

The ZtP editors then present a selection of these reader reports, noting that unusual sky phenomena had been observed globally. The reports include:

• July 1953: A silent fiery ball, about 250 meters in diameter, flew over Boroven'ki (Lugans'k Region) at high speed.
• August 1964: A cylinder-shaped object, three times larger than an airplane, flew at about 1000 meters over Boroven'ki, then ascended at a 60-degree angle, emitting flame.
• Spring 1958: A light spot, aluminum-colored, moved swiftly west over the Sumy Region.
• September 22, 1966: A 'flying saucer,' shaped like a flattened ball, hovered motionless for ten minutes before moving and disappearing into clouds over Zaporizhzhia.
• August 1965: A light-colored cone-shaped object moved rapidly over Chernigiv, accompanied by a sound like bird chirping.
• 1914: Brilliant cigar-shaped objects flew at high speed over the Rovno Region, followed by the fall of a jelly-like substance.
• June (two years prior to report, approx. 1965): An object changed shape from a globe to a cylinder, then to 'trousers,' before turning red and vanishing over the Sumy Region.
• Four to five years prior to report (approx. 1960-1962): Two spheres of light-pink color, of different diameters, flew at high speed, linked together, over the Kharkiv Region.
• Two to three years prior to report (approx. 1962-1964): A ball of pink color with a light hole in the middle over the Lviv Region.
• August 1958: A moving ring, shaped like an automobile tire, moved east to west over Chuguiv, Kharkiv Region.
• Autumn 1959: A fiery ball flew at high altitude toward the Golosiivs'kiy forest in Kyiv.
• September 29, 1966: An exceptionally bright object, resembling electric-arc welding, was observed over Andriivka village, Chernigiv Region, remaining stationary for about half an hour before dimming and moving away.

Aurora, Texas, 1897: Burial of a Martian?

This section addresses a letter by Chris Aubeck regarding a supposed UFO crash in Aurora, Texas, in 1897. The author strongly disagrees with Aubeck's thesis that the event's reality is unsettled, asserting it is definitively negative. The article places the event within the context of the 1897 "airship" hysteria in the United States, where numerous reports of mysterious aerial craft filled the press. Many believed these were the work of "mysterious inventors," while others speculated about Martians.

The article cites Adam Oldham's letter suggesting Martians were flying above the country. It notes that the alleged crash occurred on the same day Oldham's letter was published. However, the author argues that this event was likely just another "newspaper hoax" amidst the "aeromania" epidemic.

Several pieces of evidence are presented to debunk the Aurora crash story:

• Fabricated Details: The article points out that T. J. Weems, described as a "signals service officer" of the US Army, was actually a blacksmith with no military or astronomical background. Furthermore, no windmill existed on Judge Proctor's farm, making a collision impossible.
• Eyewitness Testimony: Oscar Lowry, who was twelve in 1897, stated he had no memory of any crash. He also reported being visited by numerous people seeking to confirm the story, with one journalist even offering money to change his testimony.
• Lack of Physical Evidence: Dr. Alfred E. Kraus used a metal detector at the supposed crash site but found only common metal fragments, not any "unknown metal."
• Cemetery Records: The cemetery where the "airship pilot" was supposedly buried was owned by the Freemasons, who kept meticulous records. No record of a "Martian" burial was found.
• Connection to Telegraph Hoax: Frank Tolbert of the Dallas Morning News linked the Aurora story to the "railroad telegrapher hoax" of the 1950s-1960s, where telegraph operators fabricated "airship" stories for amusement.
• Journalistic Ethics: The article notes that in those years, journalistic ethics were poor, and reporters, including those at the Dallas Morning News, fabricated stories due to a lack of real news. Bill Edwards, a journalist from the Dallas Morning News, confessed in 1947 to fabricating "aerial" stories.
• Later Investigations: In 1973, Bill Case investigated the Aurora event, and sensational news emerged, including Brawley Oates changing his story to confirm the crash. However, Mary Evans, a witness cited by Case, later stated that Case "wrote that up to suit himself" and that she "didn't say it this way," suggesting "false memories" or deliberate forgery.

The article concludes that by the early 1970s, most UFO researchers agreed that the Haydon article was a joke from the "aeronautical hysteria" period.

Recurring Themes and Editorial Stance

The RIAP Bulletin consistently promotes a rigorous, evidence-based approach to the study of anomalous phenomena. The editorial stance, clearly stated on the cover, is to "study anomalous phenomena," "consider any theories," but "accept normal proofs, exact references." This is reflected in the detailed analysis of the 'Ancient of Days' as a potential machine rather than a deity, and the thorough debunking of the Aurora, Texas incident as a hoax. The inclusion of numerous eyewitness accounts, particularly from Ukraine, highlights the magazine's interest in collecting and analyzing UFO reports, while the critical examination of historical events underscores its commitment to distinguishing between genuine phenomena and hoaxes or misinterpretations. The magazine appears to be a platform for exploring unconventional ideas within a scientific framework, encouraging research into unexplained events while maintaining a skeptical yet open-minded perspective.

Title: RIAP Bulletin
Issue: Vol. 9, No. 1-2
Date: 2003
Publisher: RIAP
Country: Ukraine
Language: English

This issue of the RIAP Bulletin delves into several anomalous phenomena, critically examining the historical Aurora, Texas UFO crash, proposing a new paradigm for understanding UFOs as atmospheric electrical events, and exploring the connection between these phenomena and events like cattle mutilations and unexplained lunar observations.

The Aurora, Texas UFO Crash: A Re-examination

The lead article scrutinizes the widely reported 1897 Aurora, Texas UFO crash. It questions the veracity of eyewitness accounts, including those of Charles C. Stephens, whose testimony was allegedly distorted by investigators like Bill Case and Hayden Hewes. Etta Pegues, a local journalist, dismisses the story as a hoax orchestrated by Hayden and others. The article also casts doubt on the authenticity of alleged 'debris' from the crash, noting that scientific analysis of metal fragments revealed compositions that could not have existed in 1897, and that some pieces were likely introduced much later. The discovery of a supposed 'grave of the Martian' is also presented as part of the alleged hoax, with the subsequent theft of the tombstone and exhumation of the grave being described as a professionally organized event.

The author, Mikhail Gershtein, concludes that the lack of corroborating evidence, such as police reports, town archives, or contemporary newspaper articles, strongly suggests that the entire Aurora crash story is a fabrication.

A Paradigm for UFOs Amplifying Discussions

Richard E. Spalding proposes a new paradigm for understanding UFOs, asserting that they are not alien spacecraft but rather manifestations of atmospheric electrical processes. He argues that the consistent similarity and reliability of eyewitness reports point to the reality of UFOs, but their nature remains unexplained by current scientific understanding.

Spalding's hypothesis centers on the concept of 'ion channels' through which electric charges and energy can move in the atmosphere with minimal loss. These channels, he suggests, are electrically neutral and can explain phenomena like lights moving at supersonic speeds without sound, making impossible directional changes, and disappearing and reappearing instantly. He posits that these channels are formed by bilateral ion flow, with one terminus likely being the ionosphere and the other the Earth or an object on Earth.

He draws parallels between these hypothesized channels and unexplained atmospheric phenomena like Red Sprites, Blue Jets, and Elves, as well as ball lightning. The lack of progress in understanding these phenomena suggests a gap in the current scientific paradigm. Spalding contends that his electrical hypothesis is more plausible than the alien spacecraft explanation because it can account for the diverse forms and behaviors observed in UFOs.

He further explores how these ion channels might explain localized glassifications and craters on the Moon, suggesting that focused ion flows from the solar wind could be responsible for phenomena like Transient Lunar Phenomena (TLPs). This lunar analogy serves to illustrate the plausibility of an energy-focusing mechanism.

Applying this paradigm to opaque, metallic UFOs, Spalding suggests that 'ultra-dense plasmas' could form within these ion channels. If dense enough, such plasmas could exhibit optical properties similar to solid materials, reflecting light and appearing as physical objects. When the electrical energy is removed, the apparition would simply vanish.

Cattle Mutilations and Ion Channels

Spalding connects his ion channel theory to the phenomenon of cattle mutilations. He argues that the precise, surgical removal of soft tissues and organs, often without significant bleeding, is consistent with a process called 'dry etching' or 'ion-etching,' which is used in industry to carve silicon wafers. He proposes that ions from the ionosphere, traveling through ion channels, could vaporize the soft tissue of animals, which contains body fluids more easily ionized than dry hide and hair.

He notes that the phenomenon is particularly prevalent in western US states and Argentina, with similar characteristics reported. The absence of bleeding and the nature of the wounds, he argues, are inexplicable by conventional means, but fit the ion-etching model. This, he suggests, provides compelling evidence for the existence of the hypothesized ion-conduction mechanism.

UFO Observation in Slovakia

Ted Phillips reports on a UFO sighting near Levice, Slovakia, on April 29, 2001. A large, bright, multi-colored object was observed approaching a new nuclear power plant. The object moved slowly over the plant's stacks, hovered for ten minutes, and then ascended vertically at high speed. The event was captured by security cameras and shown briefly on Slovakian television. Despite attempts to gather more information from local authorities and the television station, detailed information and video copies were withheld.

Recurring Themes and Editorial Stance

The RIAP Bulletin consistently explores anomalous phenomena from a perspective that challenges conventional scientific explanations. This issue emphasizes the importance of developing new paradigms, particularly those involving electrical and atmospheric processes, to understand UFOs and related events. The editorial stance appears to favor rational, albeit unconventional, explanations over purely speculative or sensationalist ones, critically evaluating historical accounts and proposing scientific hypotheses grounded in physics, even if those hypotheses are currently outside the mainstream. The publication aims to foster discussion and argument by presenting these ideas to its readership.