Spacelink 1966 vol 3 no 3

Magazine Overview

Title: SPACE link
Issue: No. 3
Volume: Volume 3
Date: Autumn 1966
Publisher: Isle of Wight U.F.O. Investigation Society
Country: UK
Language: English

This issue of SPACE link, the journal of the Isle of Wight U.F.O. Investigation Society, presents a diverse range of articles and reports related to unidentified flying objects, space exploration, and scientific theories. The cover features abstract graphic designs and prominently displays the magazine's title and affiliation.

Contents Overview

The journal opens with an editorial by F.W. Smith, who emphasizes the need for UFO societies to improve their investigation and reporting techniques. He highlights the importance of critical research and encourages readers to support their local groups. The editorial also mentions an upcoming book by Leonard Cramp, President of IWUFOIS, titled "Space, Gravity & the Flying Saucer."

A significant portion of the issue is dedicated to exploring scientific hypotheses and events. One article, "Did Anti-Matter Cause the 1908 Explosion Over Siberia?", discusses the Cowen-Atluri-Libby theory that the Tunguska event might have been caused by a meteor composed of anti-matter. This theory is supported by the discovery of anti-particles and the potential for near 100% conversion of mass into energy. The article references research on radio-carbon dating of tree rings to investigate atmospheric changes around that time.

Another major section focuses on "The Scientific Conquest of the Moon." This article, edited by John Perkins and condensed from "Science Horions," details the challenges and potential of lunar exploration. It describes the moon as a desolate, airless world but highlights its value as a laboratory for studying the solar system and as a potential base for future human activities, including astronomical observatories and radio astronomy installations. The article also touches upon the technological race between the USA and the Soviet Union to reach the moon and discusses the economic sense of using the moon as a major terminal for spacecraft.

Specific Articles and Reports

• Astronauts Report UFOs on Gemini 10 Mission: Astronauts John Young and Michael Collins reported sightings of unidentified objects during their Gemini 10 mission. While initially thought to be satellite hardware or the Agena vehicle, the nature of these objects remains unexplained.

• The Mysterious Chunk of Hardware at Ottawa: This article details the discovery of a large, unidentified metal object on the property of the Ottawa New Sciences Club. Despite analysis by the Canadian Arsenals Research & Development Establishment (CARDE), which concluded it was terrestrial high-manganese austenitic steel, unusual reactions observed in laboratory experiments by Wilbert B. Smith suggest a possible extraterrestrial origin or unusual manufacturing process. The object's presence and composition remain a mystery.

• Tulsa UFO Photo Report by U.S.A.F.: This section reproduces a U.S. Air Force Photo Analysis Report (No. 66-21) concerning a photograph taken by Alan Smith in Tulsa, Oklahoma, in August 1965. The object in the photo was described as egg-shaped and changing color. The report concludes that it cannot confirm or deny the identification of an unidentified flying object, noting some discrepancies in measurements and suggesting a resemblance to effects from photographing a revolving floodlight.

• "Flying Saucer Review" Special Supplement: A notice announces an upcoming 72-page supplement titled "THE HUMANOIDS" from the British "Flying Saucer Review," which will contain unpublished information on UFO landings and occupants.

• Atlantis Myth or Fact?: This brief note indicates that a future issue will review research on the lost continent of Atlantis, aiming to extract truth from existing theories and provide a comprehensive background.

Recurring Themes and Editorial Stance

The journal consistently promotes an investigative and analytical approach to UFO phenomena, as stated in the quote by John Cleary-Baker: "We are UFO RESEARCHERS not UFO BELIEVERS." The editorial stance emphasizes the importance of rigorous investigation, data collection, and critical analysis, rather than blind belief. There is a clear interest in exploring scientific theories, even speculative ones like anti-matter, and in documenting unexplained events and objects. The society also appears to be fostering international connections, as evidenced by the link forged with the Ottawa New Sciences Club. The overall tone is serious and dedicated to uncovering the truth behind unexplained aerial phenomena.

This issue of "UFO Investigator" from August 1966, titled "HOW MANY HAVE ANOMIA IN U.?", critically examines the U.S. Air Force's explanations for UFO sightings and explores various aspects of UFO research and related phenomena. The magazine features articles on astronomical theories concerning Stonehenge, the work of Canadian investigator Wilbert Brockhouse Smith, and reports on UFO activities and investigations from around the world.

Air Force Explanations and Radar Contact

The lead article questions the Air Force's recent assertion that many individuals, including some Air Force personnel, were suffering from 'anomia' – a loss of the ability to correctly identify common objects – as an explanation for UFO reports. The author suggests this diagnosis was a convenient way to dismiss hundreds of reports from an area as large as free Europe. However, the article highlights a specific incident where U.S. Air Force radar personnel at the Keweenaw Peninsula reported "solid radar contact" with 7 to 10 unidentified flying objects moving in a V formation over Lake Superior at approximately 9,000 miles per hour and at altitudes ranging from 5,200 to 17,000 feet. The absence of the usual Air Force explanations for this sighting is noted, suggesting a potential shift in their approach or a growing realization of the difficulty in dismissing such evidence.

The article posits that the Air Force's policy of identifying UFOs as weather balloons or other common phenomena, ostensibly to prevent public panic, is becoming unsustainable. It argues that the persistence of these peculiar aerial objects, visible to large numbers of people, makes such a policy increasingly difficult to maintain. The author calls for the government to disclose all it knows about UFOs, suggesting that the scientific community generally accepts the possibility of intelligent life elsewhere in the universe.

Government Funding for UFO Investigation

Following the discussion on the Air Force's stance, the magazine reports on a significant development: the U.S. Air Force allocating $300,000 (£107,000) for a scientific investigation of "flying saucers." This marks the first time government funds from any country have been used for such a purpose, with independent scientists set to assist in "prompt investigations of selected incidents." The article notes that suspicion had fallen on the U.S. Air Force for potentially concealing facts by denying the existence of unexplained sightings.

Stonehenge as an Astronomical Clock

An article reviews Fred Hoyle's support for the theory that Stonehenge was an astronomical observatory of remarkable sophistication, capable of predicting eclipses. Professor Gerald Hawkins' computer analysis suggested that many Stonehenge alignments correspond with significant astronomical points. While R.J. Atkinson and Professor Glyn Daniel criticized Hawkins' findings, Hoyle, in a review for "Nature," reworked the calculations and concluded that the alignments were not coincidental and served astronomical purposes. Hoyle specifically examines the 56 "Aubrey Holes" outside the main stones, suggesting they could have been used as a clock to predict eclipses by moving markers representing the sun, moon, and moon's orbit. He proposes that these markers, moved according to simple rules and reset by observations, could have allowed for centuries of accurate timekeeping and eclipse prediction.

Hoyle speculates that Stonehenge might have been invented by a society that viewed the sun and moon as deities, and that the marker showing the moon's orbit, when coinciding with the sun and moon, would signify an eclipse, impressing them with celestial power.

Wilbert Brockhouse Smith and Project Magnet

The magazine features an in-depth look at Wilbert Brockhouse Smith, a Canadian UFO investigator who died in 1962. Smith believed in intelligently controlled "flying saucers" that used a form of power based on gravity reversal. He also believed in a universal brotherhood of beings and that humanity was being watched by extraterrestrial intelligences who were prevented from intervening by cosmic laws. Despite his unconventional theories, Smith possessed impressive credentials, holding an M.Sc. in Electrical Engineering and having patents. He worked for a Vancouver radio station and later for the Canadian Department of Transport, contributing to technical agreements and wartime monitoring services. In 1950, he headed the Canadian Government's "Project Magnet" to investigate UFO phenomena.

Smith's approach was methodical, involving extensive literature review, data collection, theoretical work, and laboratory experiments. He claimed to have communicated with extraterrestrial intelligences who suggested that human science was based on false premises and lacked an understanding of multiple dimensions. He proposed that UFOs operated using alien science and that alien beings were aloof due to a universal law of non-interference. Smith's later writings moved towards more speculative concepts, including 'temple fields,' 'binding forces,' and 'cosmic brotherhood,' which, while potentially based on profound insights, left the reader to make a significant leap of faith.

Despite the speculative nature of some of his conclusions, the article acknowledges Smith's significant contribution to UFO research, noting that he made a real effort to rationalize and extend scientific beliefs to understand the phenomenon.

Other Reports and Events

Skywatch Blank: Twenty members of IWUFOS conducted a night watch at Hendon Warren, overlooking Alum Bay, but saw no celestial visitors, though they observed satellites and shooting stars.

BUFORA Filter Recommendation: BUFORA advised sky watchers to carry different colored filters, especially when observing unidentified lights, following analysis of a UFO photograph from Conisborough, Yorkshire, showing three large dome-shaped objects.

Harry Lord Tribute: The Tyneside Group mourned the loss of Harry Lord, a dedicated UFO researcher and member who helped form TUFOS in 1958. He had an extensive collection of UFO reports and contributed regularly to the society's magazine "Orbit."

British Prime Minister Questioned on UFOs: In the House of Commons, Sir John Langford-Holt questioned the Prime Minister regarding the allocation of a department to assess the wider implications of UFO reports. The Prime Minister, Mr. Wilson, stated he would not allocate such a department, leading to a somewhat dismissive exchange with MPs.

National UFO Petition: The Midland Interplanetary Association was organizing a nationwide petition requesting the government to review and hold a full-scale inquiry into UFO activities, establishing an official body for investigation and public disclosure.

BUFORA Congress: The Cambridge University Group for the investigation of UFO's (GUCIUFO's) was hosting the annual BUFORA Congress, featuring a photographic display and addresses by Leonard G. Cramp (President of IWUFOS) and Dr. Richard Gregory (author and NASA consultant).

Jungle Riddle from Brazil: A "Daily Mirror" report detailed the discovery of two corpses, identified as electronics engineers, in jungle country near Rio De Janeiro. Strange formulae and coded messages were found, and a witness reported seeing an oval-shaped orange saucer nearby. The magazine awaits further news from its Brazilian contact.

Recurring Themes and Editorial Stance

The issue consistently questions official explanations for UFO phenomena, particularly those provided by the U.S. Air Force, suggesting a pattern of dismissal and potential concealment. There is a strong emphasis on the need for scientific investigation and government transparency regarding UFOs. The magazine also explores the intersection of UFOs with ancient mysteries, such as Stonehenge, and the possibility of extraterrestrial intelligence. The editorial stance appears to be one of open inquiry, encouraging public engagement and the sharing of information, while acknowledging the speculative nature of some aspects of the field. The inclusion of a quote from Albert Einstein on the importance of mystery underscores a philosophical approach to understanding the unknown.