Saucers, Space & Science - No 23

Magazine Overview

This issue of "Saucers Space & Science," dated December 1961, is edited by Gene Duplantier and published in Toronto, Ontario, Canada. It focuses on reports of unidentified flying objects (UFOs) and related phenomena, featuring accounts from various locations including Japan, Canada, and the United States.

Savant Emphasizes Coming of Spacemen

The lead article details the visit of Dr. George Hunt Williamson to Japan in August 1961, where he lectured on "Mighty Signs and Wonders" to a large audience. Invited by the Cosmic Brotherhood Association (CRA) of Japan, Williamson, a former U.S. Army Air Corps radio director, presented his book "Other Tongues-Other Flesh" and showed 170 slides illustrating the arrival of UFOs. He expressed his firm belief in UFOs and the arrival of space people, stating that "Japan has a divine destiny to fulfil." Williamson also spoke of a "Plan of the Ages" converging on the current era and asserted that his research convinced him of a creative intelligence in the universe and a "Hand of God" actively involved in human affairs. He found abundant scientific evidence supporting this, suggesting that current discoveries prove God's divine plan is reaching a magnificent finale. His research in Japan included visiting Ainu villages and hearing legends of Sky-God descent. He described the Japanese man as "strong, strange and wonderful... a two-sided individual, yet, he is a perfect man."

Mystery Object Seen in Sky at Hartland

Residents of Hartland, New Brunswick, Canada, reported a mysterious light in the sky from about 3:30 a.m. to 7 a.m. Described as about the size of a basketball, white with red tinges, it moved and sometimes faded to a reddish color. A mechanic at the Day and Ross Restaurant termed it "very mysterious." The Royal Canadian Mounted Police (RCMP) confirmed the object's presence but offered no explanation. Between 50-100 people reportedly sighted it.

Sky Scanners Spot Weird Flying Objects

In Sunset, Utah, USA, Remids A. Miskin, head of the Strange Aerial Sights Information Organization, documented sightings of several white, circular objects moving southeast on a Saturday afternoon. Mrs. Michiel Burson reported seeing four such objects. Her husband also saw similar objects earlier. Miskin later witnessed one object with a definite shape, round like the moon but smaller. He notified Hill Air Force Base. The objects were described as puffy and irregular, moving at high speed. Some appeared like "angel hair" attached with "long, stringy stuff." No sound was heard.

Musings by Leslie Smith

This column discusses the motivations behind people's claims in the UFO field, suggesting that recognition, rather than financial gain, might be a primary driver for some. It contrasts those who accumulate money with those who claim to talk to spacemen or travel to other planets, highlighting how these pursuits add sparkle and adventure to personal lives.

A Strange, Frightening Phenomenon

Richard Vogt of Eagle Bend, Minnesota, USA, reported an incident on May 10th where his car was struck by a "ball of fog" approximately 3 feet in diameter and elongated. The object descended from a clear sky at a 45-degree angle and hit his car with a sound like driving into fine gravel. The impact generated intense heat, making the windshield hot to the touch. The car sustained damage, including pit marks and circular cracks in the windshield, and specks in the hood. Scientists at the University of Minnesota are reportedly baffled. The phenomenon has been compared to 'ball-lightning' and the case in Pikeville, Kentucky, where five men were found as charred skeletons in a car.

UFO Research Committee 'Release'

The United States Air Force continues to research unidentified aerial phenomena (UAP), formerly called flying saucers. Major Robert Friend of the Aerospace Technical Intelligence Center (ATIC) stated that 224 sightings had been received that year, approximately the same as the previous year. His office handles 400-500 cases annually, with about 2% remaining unexplained. Major Friend praised the UFORD of Akron, headed by George Popowitch, for their efforts in educating the public and stated that people reporting sightings are not considered crackpots, as the information could be beneficial.

Modern Missile Painting Found in Ruins of Home Belonging to Augustus

An art work found on the Palatine Hill in Rome, Italy, depicts sleek, interspace missiles, raising questions about ancient depictions of advanced technology. The painting, found in a room believed to have belonged to Augustus, shows a modern-looking cylinder with fins and a needle nose pointing skyward.

Weird Greenish Glow Races Over Vancouver, B.C.

A UFO with a weird green glow was seen over Vancouver, Canada. An official at the Dominion Observatory suggested it might be a meteor, but its green color was unusual, as meteors typically emit white light. The object was reported from Vancouver to Seattle and from Vancouver Island, seen locally at 9:30 p.m.

Are Mars Canals Railways?

Washington, USA: A research chemist, Wells Allan Webb, suggested that the canals of Mars resemble a man-made rail network, raising the possibility of a prior civilization and the need for unmanned probes to detect intelligent life before manned expeditions.

Fort Hood Sighting

On December 21, 1958, thirty-six personnel at Fort Hood, Texas, USA, observed a round, flat, dark object with a brightly lighted dome. It hovered for 22 minutes, emitting a bright white light shaft, followed by a pinkish glow. The object then swayed and departed at tremendous speed. Its size was comparable to a "Nash Rambler" car. No sound was heard, and a search of the impact area of the light-shaft yielded no evidence.

Civil Cargo Plane Accompanied by Flying Saucer

The Gazeta de Noticias reported that a DC-3 civil cargo plane, PP-VWA, was accompanied by a flying saucer for over an hour on a route from Florianopolis to Rio de Janeiro, Brazil. The pilot, Darre, described a luminous disc circling at sea level, which then ascended to the plane's level and moved with it. Radio contact was established, and the saucer made a revolution around the plane before moving away and vanishing.

Folha de Sao Paulo Report

Commander Jose Guilherme Sae reported that while flying from Rio to Sao Paulo, Brazil, he and his passengers observed a luminous, bluish light object that revolved around another plane and then his own, exhibiting strange movements and curves.

Object Crashed in South Africa

An object reportedly crashed in the remote Zoutpansberg region of the northern Transvaal, South Africa, on October 10, 1961. Farmers miles away heard the noise of impact. Officials at Cape Canaveral stated the object was not theirs.

Pentagon Calls Utah Saucer 'Balloney'

Air Force officers in the Pentagon believed the UFO seen over Salt Lake Valley, Utah, USA, was either the planet Venus or a research balloon. Pilot Waldo J. Harris, who first spotted the object, disputed this, stating it was saucer-shaped, grey, moved under intelligent control, and flew directly against a 10-mile-per-hour wind at terrific speed. The Air Force UFO team at Wright-Patterson Air Force Base was investigating.

12 Look to Venus for End to "N" Threat

In Okehampton, England, 12 people gathered on Yes Tor to raise their hands to Venus, believing this would rid the world of the threat of nuclear war. They are members of the Aetherius Society, who claim to absorb "goodness" from Venus to combat evil energy. They cited meteorological disturbances, like the Tristan da Cunha upheaval, as evidence of Venus's influence. Members shared experiences of flying saucers, with one claiming to have been in one over Christchurch and another's mother having traveled to Venus.

UFO Seen Over Ottawa, Ontario

A UFO hanging in the sky west of Ottawa, Canada, on a Saturday afternoon prompted numerous calls. The Weather Office and control tower suggested it might be a weather balloon. Callers described it as spherical, opaque, with a long white tail, and stationary in mid-air.

UFO Bazaar

This section contains advertisements for books on spaceships, gravity, UFOs, witchcraft, and astronomy, as well as UFO photos for sale. It also includes a "WANTED" section for back issues of saucer publications and information on available back issues of "Saucers, Space & Science." A notice from the Dutch Interplanetary Scientific Centre announces the upcoming English publication of "DISC DIGEST." There is also a mention of Gray Barker potentially releasing "startling information."

Moon Not Blue. It Is Orange

Dr. Sidney Vandenbergh presented findings from Toronto's David Dunlap Observatory, stating that the moon is orange, not blue, and would appear so to a moon traveler.

See Planet

Soviet astronomers at the Pulkovo Observatory have virtually confirmed the existence of planets outside the solar system, detecting a satellite evolving around a double-star in the Cygnus constellation, which they identified as a large planet.

Scientists Find New Dead Sea in Antarctica

A new sea in Antarctica, despite temperatures dropping to 60 degrees below zero, is so salty that it never freezes, being 11 times saltier than ocean water.

Recurring Themes and Editorial Stance

The recurring themes in this issue revolve around UFO sightings, alleged encounters with extraterrestrial beings, and the scientific or pseudo-scientific investigation of these phenomena. The editorial stance appears to be one of open inquiry into UFO reports, presenting various accounts and expert opinions, while also acknowledging skepticism from official sources like the Pentagon. The magazine seems to encourage public participation in reporting sightings and exchanging information within the UFO community. There's a consistent thread of exploring the possibility of extraterrestrial life and its potential impact on humanity, often framed within a context of cosmic plans or advanced civilizations.