Sri Lanka UFO Register - no 10

Magazine Overview

Title: KALPA-NAVA
Issue: No. 10
Publication Date: Copyright 1986.
Publisher: Lanka UFO Register
Country of Publication: Sri Lanka
Original Language: English

This issue of Kalpa-Nava, a journal focusing on UFO reports and mysteries, delves into several compelling topics. It features early UFO sightings from Sri Lanka, an in-depth examination of the Aetherius Society's role in breaking the news of a major Soviet nuclear disaster, and brief reports on recent meteorite activity and an unexplained aerial phenomenon.

Some Early UFO Reports from Sri Lanka

The issue begins by detailing several early UFO sightings in Sri Lanka, presented with dates and locations. These include:

• August 28, 1951: An egg-shaped object spotted about 13 miles west of Adam's Peak, a significant mountain revered by multiple religions.
• Late September 1954: A cylindrical object seen in Kandy, the ancient capital.
• April 4, 1959: A domed disc observed just north of Colombo, the modern capital.
• September 18, 1960: A triangular object with a long tail, seen from a coastal vessel two miles south of the island's southern tip.
• Circa 1940: An orange cigar-shaped object seen traversing the sky in a smooth path at an unspecified locality. This report is noted for predating the common use of the term "flying saucer."

The magazine acknowledges J. Bernard Delair of Contact International (UK) and their Data Research branch for the first four reports, and the personal files of the Sri Lanka UFO Register's Co-Founder and Editor for the pre-1947 report. It also thanks various newspapers for providing newscuttings.

Sacred... This Earth of Ours

This section presents the text of a speech delivered in 1854 by a Red Indian Chief (identified as Chief Seattle in Washington) in response to a demand to sell his people's land. The speech, preserved in Washington, is described as a profound statement on the environment. It eloquently articulates the Native American perspective on the sacredness of the land, water, air, and all living creatures, viewing them as interconnected and part of a larger family. The chief contrasts this with the white man's transactional view of nature, seeing it as something to be bought, plundered, and sold. He expresses concern that the white man's ways, characterized by cities, noise, and a lack of connection to nature, are alien and destructive. The speech emphasizes that the earth is not owned by man but that man belongs to the earth, and that harming the earth is harming oneself and disrespecting the Creator. It concludes with a plea to treat the land and its inhabitants with kindness and respect, preserving it for future generations.

How Aetherius Broke the News About Russia's Nuclear Tragedy

This lengthy article investigates how the Aetherius Society, through its founder Sir George King, claimed to have revealed details of the Soviet Union's first nuclear accident in the Ural Mountains in June/July 1958, via the journal *Cosmic Voice*. The article highlights the stark contrast between this early disclosure and the Western press's delayed reaction. While the accident occurred in 1958, it wasn't until 1976 that Soviet biochemist Dr. Zhores Medvedev's findings brought the event to wider attention in the West, causing a stir in the British press. The science journal *New Scientist* admitted it had been "Scooped By A UFO," referring to the Aetherius Society's prior knowledge. The disaster, which occurred near Chelyabinsk and Sverdlovsk, turned vast areas into radioactive wasteland and caused significant environmental damage and loss of life.

The article questions why Western intelligence agencies, including the CIA, who were apparently aware of the accident, did not leak the information sooner, speculating about potential public reaction to atomic experimentation and waste disposal issues. It notes that ITV's "World In Action" program in 1977 also investigated the event, interviewing emigres who spoke of hospital wards filled with injured people and widespread ecological damage.

Further details are provided through notes and references, including the Aetherius Society's press release from November 1976, which reiterated their 1956 transmissions from "Cosmic Masters" and invited scientists to study their work on metaphysics and atomic experimentation. The article criticizes Fleet Street journalists and editors, as well as the ITV program, for failing to acknowledge the Aetherius Society's pioneering role. It argues that UFO researchers should not ignore verifiable information from contactees and that the Aetherius Society's claims regarding the Soviet disaster and the earlier Windscale blunder (1957) should be taken seriously.

News & Views

This section contains brief news items:

• Meteorite Rain Hits Villages (Peking, April 19, 1986): Reports from the Daily News (Sri Lanka) detail meteorites weighing up to 55 kilograms falling on three Chinese villages. The newspaper *People's Daily* stated the meteorites covered a 25-kilometer area in Hubei province.
• Hundreds See Mysterious Light in Sky (Canada/USA, August 14, 1986): An article from The Toronto Star describes a mysterious light seen by hundreds across southern Canada and the eastern United States. Author and astronomer Terry Dickinson reported seeing a "small, bright, spiral-shaped cloud" that moved like a stationary satellite. Space experts could not explain the phenomenon, and the U.S. National Reporting Centre received over a hundred calls, noting it was the most reports in a short time over a large area in at least three years. Speculation included a military satellite.

Recurring Themes and Editorial Stance

The recurring themes in this issue of Kalpa-Nava include the reporting of unexplained aerial phenomena (UFOs) and mysterious events, with a particular focus on Sri Lanka in the early reports. A strong emphasis is placed on the Aetherius Society's claims of advanced knowledge and communication with extraterrestrial or higher intelligences, particularly in the context of revealing significant global events like the Soviet nuclear disaster. The issue also touches upon environmentalism and the sacred relationship between humanity and the Earth, as exemplified by the Chief Seattle speech. The editorial stance appears to be one of open-minded investigation into UFO phenomena and a critical view of mainstream media and scientific establishments for their potential suppression or delayed reporting of significant information, especially when it originates from unconventional sources like the Aetherius Society. The journal positions itself as a platform for redress against perceived injustices in reporting and a champion of those who pursue unconventional truths.

Title: KALPA-NAVA
Issue: 10
Publisher: THE LANKA UFO REGISTER
Country: Sri Lanka
Language: English
Price: R 10/-

This issue of KALPA-NAVA, a journal focusing on mysteries and UFO reports, presents a diverse range of articles, from scientific commentary to reports on unexplained phenomena and practical solutions for developing nations.

Editorial: Probing Beyond Frontiers Placed by Materialistic Science

The editorial critiques the limitations of orthodox religion and materialistic science, which it argues often stifle progress and maintain ignorance. It praises the UK monthly "BEYOND SCIENCE" for its open-mindedness, a quality essential for UFO researchers. The piece emphasizes that personal likes and dislikes should not impede the search for truth. It defines science broadly, including systematized knowledge based on observation and inquiry into causes and conditions. The editorial argues that modern physics, particularly quantum mechanics, probes beyond the purely physical, and that claims that phenomena like UFOs do not conform to known physics are merely admissions of science's own limitations. It calls for scientists to broaden their horizons or remove arbitrary boundaries to understand these phenomena.

News & Views

This section features snippets from various international newspapers:

• The Daily News (Sri Lanka), May 8, 1986: Reports on a "Mystery mass found adrift in universe" by Princeton University astronomers. This vast, unseen mass, located near the constellation Virgo, could have a gravitational force equal to a 'cluster of galaxies' and may lead to a revolution in understanding the universe. The mass's existence was inferred from its gravitational effect, acting like a 'distorting lens' on light, a phenomenon known as 'gravitational lenses', theorized by Albert Einstein.
• The Guardian (UK), May 14, 1986: Titled "The Scientific Controversy Continues..."
• The Daily Telegraph (UK), May 6, 1986: Reports on "Series of space failures dazes Nasa's scientists." Following the failure of a Delta rocket, NASA was in a state of shock and bewilderment. This marked a significant setback, especially on the 25th anniversary of Alan Shepard's first American space flight. Scientists questioned if their work was suffering from a 'mystical curse'. Philip Culbertson, Nasa's general manager, found the successive failures of three out of four launch vehicles to be 'uncanny and strange'. John Pike of the Federation of American Scientists offered three possible explanations: complicated technologies are inherently unreliable, there's an infestation of 'gremlins', or there are problems with quality control and reliability in the aerospace industry.
• The Daily News (Sri Lanka), April 28, 1986: Reports on a "135 million-year-old mammal found" by Indian scientists, a relic of a rare micromammal from the Jurassic era, which could help study mammal evolution.
• The Daily Mirror (UK), June 11, 1986: A piece titled "Brave Try, Sunshine" describes a sun dance performed by Dakota Indian dancers at Stoke's National Garden Festival, which was briefly interrupted by rain.
• The Evening Standard (London), July 18, 1986: Reports on "'A giant star is born'" – a brilliant supernova discovered by astronomers at the University of California's Lawrence Berkeley laboratory, located in the Virgo Cluster, 70 million light years from Earth.

Second Opinion

This section contains critical letters to the editor:

• H. W. Kroto, Professor of Chemistry, University of Sussex: Critiques an article on Fred Hoyle's cometary bacteria theory, stating that while Hoyle claims proof of life in space, it "still has to be shown." Kroto points out that the writer allowed Hoyle's "incredibly glib statement" to pass without comment.
• Andrew Clay, London SW17: Criticizes Sir Fred Hoyle's attempt to link infectious diseases directly to viruses and antibodies. Clay argues that this is fallacious and misleading, as the presence of a virus is a necessary but not sufficient condition for disease. He emphasizes that nutrition, environment, age, sex, and socio-economic factors are crucial determinants of susceptibility. Clay also criticizes the conceptual framework that attributes diseases to single physical causes, arguing it damages modern medicine and leads to overly complex technological fixes, particularly in the Third World.

Sun in Role of Water Purifier

This article by Ian Steele reports on research from the American University of Beirut on a cost-free method for disinfecting drinking water and oral rehydration solutions using natural sunlight. After two and a half years of experimentation, researchers found that bacteria in unchlorinated water could be destroyed within one to two hours by placing bottles in direct sunlight. The disinfected water could be stored for several days without bacterial regrowth. This method has significant potential for developing countries where boiling or chemical treatments are difficult. The findings were published in The Lancet in 1980 and further detailed in a UNICEF booklet. Experiments were conducted on a rooftop at the University campus in Beirut from June 1979. The study found that the heat of the sun was not the primary factor; rather, the near-ultra violet (A) band radiation was lethal. The optimum results were achieved with round Pyrex flasks. Similar success was found with Oral Rehydration Solutions. Martin G. Beyer, UNICEF's senior policy specialist, cautioned that while the method is promising, absolute guarantees of water quality cannot be given without scientific testing due to variations in container size, shape, color, and thickness. However, he stated that for areas with no other disinfection means, the method is "well worth trying out."

Sri Lanka's Journal of Mysteries and UFO Reports

This section lists the contents of various articles from "Sri Lanka's Journal of Mysteries and UFO Reports":

• No. 1: Discusses famous UFO sightings in Sri Lanka, UFO classification, and the origin of the term "flying saucer."
• No. 2: Reports on a "Ball of Fire" at Hunugiriya, quotes Professor Wickramasinghe, and examines a book on "Flying Discs."
• No. 3: Covers a "Rugby Ball UFO" in West Bengal, quotes Major Donald Keyhoe, and discusses the London International UFO Congress, including Russian claims of new discoveries and the possibility of life on Mars.
• No. 4: Features recent reports from Sri Lanka, a Buddhist perspective on extraterrestrial life, quotes from Dr. J. Allen Hynek and U Thant, and a review of Carl Jung's book on flying saucers.
• No. 5: Details a "Massive UFO" at Wilpattu National Park, news from The Center for UFO Studies (USA), and a review of Philip J. Klass's book.
• No. 6: Discusses an event at the Eliya at Kotathena Temple, notes the absence of abduction reports, quotes Sir Fred Hoyle and Professor Wickramasinghe, presents Arthur C. Clarke's views on UFOs, and describes a Buddhist monk's encounter with a "globe of light."
• No. 7: Reviews a book titled "Flying Saucers Are Hostile," examines "The Buddha from Venus" (Aetherius Society, Part I), and reports on a UFO over Waimata Valley, New Zealand.
• No. 8: Continues the study of the Aetherius Society (Part II), discusses the myth about Mars, and covers Sri Lanka's first UFO report.
• No. 9: Reports on a "Flying Saucer Lands in Sri Lanka!", a study of "The Breathing Galaxy" (Aetherius Society, Part III), and a "Search for Life Beyond."

Back copies are available for R 10/- postpaid from LANKA UFO REGISTER.

Recurring Themes and Editorial Stance

The recurring themes in this issue revolve around the tension between conventional, materialistic science and the exploration of unexplained phenomena, particularly UFOs. The editorial strongly advocates for an open-minded approach to scientific inquiry, challenging the rigid boundaries often imposed by established scientific paradigms. There is a consistent focus on UFO sightings and related research, with a significant portion dedicated to reports from Sri Lanka. The issue also highlights practical, low-cost scientific solutions, such as solar water purification, demonstrating an interest in applied science that benefits developing communities. The inclusion of critical letters to the editor suggests a willingness to engage with diverse viewpoints and to scrutinize claims, even those made by prominent figures like Fred Hoyle. The overall stance appears to be one of encouraging broader scientific exploration beyond established norms, while also reporting on significant scientific developments and practical innovations.