UFO Mail - No 083 - 2007

Magazine Overview

Title: Skandinavisk UFO Information
Issue: UFO-Mail nr. 83
Date: March 12, 2007
Publisher: Danmarks UFO Forening

This issue of Skandinavisk UFO Information features two main articles: one detailing the British government's secret UFO files and a significant sighting, and another exploring the scientific search for extraterrestrial intelligence (SETI) in relation to the concept of Intelligent Design.

Storbritanniens hemmelige UFO-filer på Viasat Explorer

The first article, "Storbritanniens hemmelige UFO-filer på Viasat Explorer" (Britain's Secret UFO Files on Viasat Explorer), discusses a television broadcast that revealed details about a UFO entering British airspace. The broadcast featured Nick Pope, who led the investigation into the incident.

Trekantet UFO (Triangular UFO)

On March 31, 1993, an object of unknown origin flew into British airspace. Military personnel, police, and hundreds of civilians reported observations of a UFO. The numerous witness accounts prompted the British and American governments to break protocol and conduct one of the most extensive UFO investigations ever. This investigation allowed public insight into the usually secretive British Ministry of Defence.

The observed object was described as a gigantic, black, triangular object, several hundred meters in diameter, with a very sharp light. It was compared in size to two Concorde aircraft. The UFO reportedly moved over England at low altitude, close to the ground, and at times hovered. Some witnesses reported it emitted a narrow beam of light towards the ground and produced a low humming sound. The object was observed for nearly five hours and passed over two military airbases: RAF Cosford and RAF Shawbury.

The TV program provided viewers with an in-depth look at the case, utilizing archives from the Ministry of Defence and an interview with Nick Pope. The broadcast was scheduled to air on Viasat Explorer on March 25, 2007, at 17:00.

Nick Pope was hired by the British Ministry of Defence in 1985 and was responsible for their secret UFO investigations in England from 1991 to 1994. This period significantly altered his views on UFOs. He was scheduled to speak about his experiences with England's "X-files" at SUFOI's 50th-anniversary conference on November 10, 2007.

SETI og Intelligent Design (SETI and Intelligent Design)

The second article, "SETI og Intelligent Design" by Seth Shostak of the SETI Institute, examines the relationship between the Search for Extraterrestrial Intelligence (SETI) and the concept of Intelligent Design (ID).

The author begins by referencing a humorous anecdote from the TV show "Cheers" to illustrate the idea of finding patterns or meaning where none may exist. He then introduces Intelligent Design, a movement primarily in the USA that attempts to influence science curricula by arguing that the complexity of biological structures, such as DNA or the human eye, is evidence of a conscious designer.

Shostak explains how proponents of Intelligent Design attempt to use SETI research to support their claims. They argue that if SETI researchers claim that detecting a complex radio signal from space proves the existence of intelligent life, then the complexity of DNA must also be evidence of a designer. The article notes that SETI is generally accepted by the scientific community.

The article then contrasts the SETI approach with the ID argument. SETI researchers are not looking for complex coded messages but rather for artificial signals that stand out from natural background noise. The author clarifies that SETI signals, if found, would likely be a persistent, simple tone (like a continuous whistle) that is artificial, not complex. This artificiality, rather than complexity, is the key indicator.

Shostak critiques the ID argument by highlighting the characteristics of natural astrophysical signals. These signals, such as those from pulsars or even lightning, are often characterized by noise, redundancy, and inefficiency. They are not optimized for transmitting information in the way a designed signal would be. For example, pulsars emit signals across a wide spectrum, which is inefficient for communication. Similarly, natural phenomena like lightning spread energy across the entire electromagnetic spectrum.

The article argues that the ID proponents make two errors: first, they assume SETI is looking for messages and judges discoveries based on content, which is a technical misunderstanding. Second, they incorrectly equate complexity with intelligence. SETI seeks artificially created, organized, and optimized signals from an astronomical environment where such signals are not expected, meaning they are found out of context. This is fundamentally different from inferring a supernatural biochemist from the structure of DNA.

The article concludes by stating that the signals SETI searches for are not like other complex astrophysical phenomena, suggesting they are artificially created. The context in which a signal is found is crucial; a simple geometric shape found in an unexpected place is more indicative of intelligence than its inherent complexity.

Notes:
1. Proponents of Intelligent Design are often Christian fundamentalists who argue that life's complexity implies a divine designer (God) and have sought to introduce ID into school curricula alongside evolution.
2. DNA contains a large percentage (99%) of inactive elements, considered superfluous filler.

Source: www.space.com / Peder Schultz

Reprinted from: UFO-Nyt

Recurring Themes and Editorial Stance

The magazine consistently focuses on UFO phenomena, government investigations, and the scientific search for extraterrestrial life. The editorial stance appears to favor critical examination of evidence and scientific reasoning, as demonstrated by the detailed analysis of both the UFO incident and the SETI/ID debate. The publication aims to inform its readers about significant UFO cases and related scientific and philosophical discussions within the UFO community.