ANCIENT ASTRONAUTS, MODERN MYSTERIES

Magazine Overview

This issue of SAGA, identified as Volume 12, features the cover title "ANCIENT ASTRONAUTS, MODERN MYSTERIES" with the prominent subtitle "THOSE STUMBLING STUDIES" by John A. Keel. The content critically examines various government-funded research projects, questioning their methodologies, findings, and overall value.

Government Studies: A Pattern of Inefficiency

The article begins by discussing the U.S. Geological Survey's 1920s study on dowsing, which concluded it was nonsense. Despite this, dowsing has been practically applied, even by the Marines in Vietnam, and many professional dowsers successfully find water where geologists fail. The author notes that skeptical articles often cite the outdated Geological Survey study.

Similar skepticism is applied to other government studies. The British Army also conducted a study on dowsing and concluded it was not a valid method for finding water. The article highlights a broad range of government research, including a $25,000 study on why children fall off bicycles (finding it was a balance problem), a $200,000 study on frisbee flight, and research on African bugs. It criticizes these as "scholastic boondoggles" that produce piles of paper, are read by a few bureaucrats, and then shelved.

The Gulf of Tonkin Incident and the Condon Report

The article references the Gulf of Tonkin incident, where an alleged attack on U.S. destroyers was used to escalate the Vietnam War. It mentions that the Institute for Defense Analysis (I.D.A.), described as a CIA front, conducted extensive hearings and research, but the findings were labeled "super-secret" and withheld from the Congressional Defense Committee. The captain of the involved ships was reportedly institutionalized.

A significant portion of the article is dedicated to the U.S. Air Force-funded UFO study conducted by Colorado University, led by physicist Dr. Edward Condon. The project, initially funded at $300,000 and later increased by $200,000, was intended to be an "objective" study of the UFO phenomenon. However, major universities like M.I.T. and Columbia declined the offer due to its controversial nature. Colorado University's dean, Robert Low, was instrumental in securing the project. The study was marred by controversy, including two members being fired for leaking the Low memo, others quitting, and one being arrested on drug charges. The final report was assembled by individuals not involved in the original investigation. Dr. Condon himself expressed negative attitudes publicly shortly after the project began and was rarely involved in the actual investigation, which the author describes as "slipshod, naive, and far from objective."

The UFO Bibliography and Its Demise

As an offshoot of the Colorado project, the Library of Congress received $30,000 to create a bibliography of UFO literature. Ms. Lynn Catoe was tasked with this, collecting and organizing hundreds of entries. Upon returning the cards to Washington for final manuscript preparation, a typist allegedly discarded a large portion to lighten her workload. Ms. Catoe attempted to salvage the project, but the published bibliography contained significant omissions due to this act. Ms. Catoe later joined the Systems Development Corporation (S.D.C.), described as a CIA front.

Disruption and Cover-Up Theories

Dissident members of the Colorado project suspected the presence of undercover CIA agents. The author reveals he had a "Deep Throat" source who provided constant information and a copy of the Low memo. The author believes the project was intentionally disrupted or destroyed, but he was cautious about repeating claims to avoid fueling rumors. He attempted to publish an article about the project's collapse in January 1968, but no newspaper accepted it. John Fuller later published the Low memo and the collapse story in a national magazine.

The Condon Report's Legacy and Impact

The negative Condon Report had minimal impact on most newspapers, with many ignoring it. The paperback edition of the study, costing taxpayers half-a-million dollars, sold poorly at $1.95. In an unusual move, the 900-page study was copyrighted, which traditionally government-funded studies are not. This copyright hindered reprinting of its passages, effectively censoring the document. The author notes that while everyone interested in UFOs has heard of the Condon Report, few have read it.

Recurring Themes and Editorial Stance

The article concludes by stating that the Condon Report, like the earlier dowsing study, continues to haunt UFO advocates. It suggests that ignoring such reports might lead to them being forgotten. The author notes that both Condon and Low are deceased, and other participants have faded into obscurity. The "Deep Throat" source remains unidentified, possibly having been promoted for their role in disrupting the UFO project.

The recurring theme throughout the issue is the critique of government bureaucracy and its tendency to fund studies that are often of little practical value, poorly executed, and sometimes deliberately manipulated to discredit certain phenomena, particularly UFOs. The author's stance is highly critical of these government practices, viewing them as wasteful and potentially deceptive. The article implies a pattern of suppressing or discrediting unconventional research through official channels.