SUN 53 (Sept 1998)

Magazine Overview

Title: Skeptics UFO Newsletter
Issue: SUN #53
Date: September 1998
Publisher: Philip J. Klass
Country: USA
Language: English

This issue of the Skeptics UFO Newsletter, edited by Philip J. Klass, focuses on a scientific review of prominent UFO cases and critiques the methods and conclusions of various UFO researchers.

Best UFO Cases Fail To Provide Credible Evidence Of ET Visitors

The lead article details the findings of a Scientific Review Panel (SRP) convened by Dr. Peter Sturrock, president of the Society for Scientific Exploration (SSE), with funding from Laurance S. Rockefeller. The panel, composed of nine leading physical scientists, was briefed by eight pro-UFO investigators on cases believed to offer the best physical evidence for ET visitors. However, the panel concluded that the evidence was not convincing, stating that "It appears that most current UFO investigations are carried out at a level of rigor which is not consistent with prevailing standards of scientific research." The panel found that a few reported incidents might involve rare phenomena like electrical activity, but no convincing evidence pointed to unknown physical processes or extraterrestrial intelligence. Despite this skepticism, the panel recommended that UFO reports should be carefully evaluated, emphasizing the importance of physical evidence and objectivity.

Dr. Sturrock, a physics professor at Stanford University, has a long-standing interest in UFOs and founded the SSE to encourage scientific study of anomalous phenomena. The newsletter notes that SSE conferences typically feature pro-UFO speakers without skeptics. For the SRP briefing, however, Sturrock selected investigators who did not include prominent skeptics, a point criticized by the newsletter's editor.

Case Studies and Prosaic Explanations

The Mansfield Helicopter Case

The newsletter critically examines the Mansfield, Ohio, UFO case from October 18, 1973, presented by Dr. Michael Swords to the SRP. The case involved an Army helicopter's encounter with a UFO that allegedly used a suction force and caused a magnetic compass to spin. Klass, the editor, claims to have investigated this case extensively and found prosaic explanations. He notes that the helicopter commander, Capt. Coyne, did not initially report the compass anomaly, and later accounts from a copilot suggested the compass had performed erratically prior to the incident. Klass suggests the UFO was a meteor-fireball and that Coyne's actions to prevent a crash were forgotten in the excitement. The case gained prominence after being awarded "best UFO case of 1973" by the National Enquirer, leading Coyne to become a "UFO celebrity."

Klass sent his analysis to the Army Agency for Aviation Safety, which deemed it sound. However, Swords reportedly withheld Klass's findings from the SRP, leading the panel to comment on the case's puzzling nature but also noting the lack of solid physical evidence.

The Cash-Landrum Case

John Schuessler of MUFON presented the Cash-Landrum case, involving Betty Cash, Vicki Landrum, and Colby Landrum, who reported a diamond-shaped UFO with accompanying helicopters on December 29, 1980, near Houston, Texas. They claimed the UFO emitted flames and intense heat, causing burns and alleged subsequent medical problems for Betty Cash. Schuessler theorized the problems were due to gamma rays from the UFO, but Klass notes that Schuessler's inspection of Betty Cash's car found no radioactivity. The newsletter also points out that Schuessler's book on the case lacks medical data on the witnesses' health prior to the incident, despite Betty Cash having a history of serious medical issues, including heart bypass surgery and breast cancer.

A lawsuit filed by Peter Gersten on behalf of the witnesses against the U.S. government was dismissed.

Trans-en-Provence Case

The SRP was reportedly impressed by the French government-funded UFO investigation office GEPAN (later SEPRA) and its "scientific approach," particularly the Trans-en-Provence incident of January 8, 1981. Renato Niccolai reported a disc-shaped craft landing on his patio, leaving skid marks. Analysis of soil and vegetation samples by Prof. Michael E.L. Bounias suggested biochemical changes proportional to the distance from the landing site. However, the newsletter reveals that Velasco, head of SEPRA, did not inform the panel that Bounias' findings were sharply challenged by researchers Eric Maillot and a Belgian plant pathologist. The article notes that if GEPAN's investigation had yielded significant scientific knowledge, CNES would have increased its budget, but instead, it was cut.

Sturrock's Efforts and Panel Skepticism

Sturrock's attempts to interest scientists in UFOs are contrasted with the late Dr. Carl Sagan's evolution from open-mindedness to skepticism. The newsletter suggests Sturrock is a "slower learner" than Sagan. The SRP's conclusion that UFOs are not something to be "totally ignored by mainstream science" is seen as a positive aspect by Sturrock, but Klass views the panel's slight naivete as understandable, especially its final conclusion about the potential for scientific advances.

Other UFO-Related News

Gersten's Changing Views On Crashed Saucers

The newsletter highlights Peter Gersten's past skepticism towards the MJ-12 papers and claims of crashed saucers, contrasting it with his later embrace of such theories, possibly influenced by Philip Corso.

British Expose UFOlogist Dean's Phony Tales

An article discusses how British researchers Timothy Good and Lord/Admiral Hill-Norton confirmed that claims and documents provided by UFOlogist Robert O. Dean, including a supposed NATO "Cosmic Top Secret" document, were bogus. Dean's military record did not support his claims of assignment to NATO intelligence.

Short Shrift

This section provides brief updates:

• MUFON Conference Attendance Down: Attendance at MUFON's annual conference in Denver was low, possibly due to the increase in regional UFO conferences.
• UFO Abduction Phenomenon: Dr. David Jacobs presented research suggesting UFO abductions are common and intergenerational, with potential military involvement in abduction programs, possibly involving ET hybrids.
• Lindemann's Prediction: Michael Lindemann predicts the universal recognition of UFOs as ET visitors within five to ten years.

Recurring Themes and Editorial Stance

The Skeptics UFO Newsletter, edited by Philip J. Klass, consistently adopts a skeptical stance towards UFO claims, emphasizing the need for scientific rigor, physical evidence, and prosaic explanations. The newsletter aims to debunk what it perceives as unsubstantiated or fraudulent claims within the UFO community, often by presenting counter-investigations and expert critiques. It highlights cases where mainstream scientific bodies or panels have found a lack of credible evidence for extraterrestrial visitation. The editorial stance is critical of UFO researchers who rely on anecdotal evidence, questionable documents, or lack scientific methodology, while acknowledging the potential for genuine scientific discovery in unexplained phenomena if approached with objectivity and sound research practices.