UFO Mail - No 111 - 2009

Magazine Overview

This issue of Skandinavisk UFO Information, specifically UFO-Mail nr. 111 dated August 13, 2009, announces the release and distribution of UFO-Nyt nr. 3, 2009. The magazine provides a preview of the new issue's content.

Vil vi høre svarene? (Will We Hear the Answers?)

Authored by Kim Møller Hansen, this article delves into the public's desire for answers regarding UFO phenomena. Drawing parallels with the TV series X-Files, Hansen questions whether people genuinely seek objective truths or prefer to adhere to their own established beliefs and conspiracy theories. He notes that while many correspondents are genuinely interested in understanding unexplained aerial phenomena, a smaller, more persistent group seems driven by a need to promote their own narratives and provoke others. Hansen advocates for seeking the most probable explanations rather than resorting to unlikely scenarios like alien visitations or elaborate conspiracy theories, emphasizing that the burden of proof lies with those making extraordinary claims. The article critiques the role of the internet as a source of information, suggesting that it can easily propagate misinformation and conspiracy theories, making it difficult to discern truth from falsehood. It highlights the internet's democratizing effect but also its potential for amplifying baseless claims, likening it to a form of 'digital Darwinism' where the loudest voices prevail.

Sagt om konspirationsteorier (Said About Conspiracy Theories)

This section compiles quotes from experts on conspiracy theories:

• Frands Mortensen (Media Researcher): States that conspiracy theories are persistent and will always exist, regardless of efforts to debunk or ignore them. He suggests learning to live with their existence.
• Dan H. Andersen (Historian): Observes that individuals who believe in conspiracy theories often exhibit significant resistance to facts and arguments, as these theories are perfectly tailored to fit their existing worldview.

Sagt om mediernes behandling af konspirationsteorier (Said About Media's Treatment of Conspiracy Theories)

• Frands Mortensen (Media Researcher): Argues that journalists prioritize compelling stories and that appealing to their critical sense is often ineffective, as their primary interest lies in engaging readers, listeners, or viewers.
• Bent Jensen (on ing.dk blog): Suggests that a poor journalist might perceive the truth as lying halfway between a rational viewpoint and an extremist one.

Sagt om internettet (Said About the Internet)

This part references Andrew Keen's book "The Cult of the Amateur: How Today's Internet Is Killing Our Culture and Assaulting Our Economy." Keen provides examples of how the internet facilitates the spread of misinformation, such as product placement on YouTube, creationist edits to Wikipedia articles, and false election result videos. He terms this phenomenon "digital Darwinism," where the most persistent and vocal individuals or ideas survive. Keen points out that a lie can travel globally before the truth can even get started. With the projected 500 million blogs in 2010, anyone can voice opinions, leading to a situation where "experts" are drowned out by numerous amateur voices. Keen also introduces the concept of "Google's collective intelligence," which he describes as the sum of many foolish searches, potentially leading to the under-prioritization of correct information.

Arkiv åbnes i Uruguay (Archive Opens in Uruguay)

The Uruguayan Air Force (FAU) has publicly released its UFO archive, granting the national newspaper El Pais access to witness reports. The FAU's UFO commission began studying these cases decades ago, with reports dating back to 1947. The archive, housed in Montevideo, contains hundreds of "Confidential" documents, including witness testimonies, photographs, sketches, and assessments. Out of approximately 2,100 investigated reports, 40 remain unexplained after 30 years of study. The reports range from ordinary observations to alleged alien abductions. The identities of witnesses are kept secret. Notable unexplained cases include a 1986 incident where two fighter jets pursued a luminous sphere over the Palmar Dam, and a 1996 event where military pilots observed two luminous spheres near Santa Bernardina Base. Military statistics indicate that most reports come from men under 45, with 49% involving luminous spheres and only 2% concerning alien beings.

SETI fylder 10 år (SETI Turns 10 Years Old)

This article celebrates the 10th anniversary of the SETI@home project. For the past decade, five million people and their computers have been involved in listening for signals from extraterrestrial beings. While no ET signals have been detected yet, the search continues with 140,000 volunteers and 235,000 computers in 226 countries participating. The project uses a "distributed computing" method, leveraging the processing power of personal computers. Astronomer Dan Werthimer from Berkeley University's Space Sciences Laboratory likens the search to finding a needle in a haystack, requiring continuous effort over a long period.

The article further explains the origins of SETI, tracing it back to Frank Drake's Project Ozma in the 1960s. Jill Tarter founded the SETI Institute in 1984. SETI stands for Search for Extraterrestrial Intelligence, aiming to explore, understand, and explain the origin, nature, and distribution of life in the universe. The institute considers its work the most thorough research in human history regarding our origins and place in the cosmos.

Other related projects are mentioned, including SERENDIP, which uses the Arecibo radio telescope, and other distributed computing projects like Rosetta@home (protein design) and Einstein@home (gravitational wave research), highlighting the broad application of this technology.

Send ufo-mail til familie, venner og bekendte! (Send UFO-Mail to Family, Friends, and Acquaintances!)

This is a call to action encouraging readers to forward the UFO-Mail newsletter to their contacts to share information about UFO observations, photographs, and related materials.

Recurring Themes and Editorial Stance

The issue consistently explores the intersection of UFO phenomena, information dissemination, and skepticism. There's a clear editorial stance favoring rational explanations and critical analysis, particularly concerning the unverified claims often found online. The magazine highlights the challenges of discerning truth in the digital age and promotes scientific inquiry through projects like SETI. The opening of the Uruguayan UFO archive signifies a move towards greater transparency in official UFO investigations, while the SETI@home article underscores the ongoing scientific effort to find extraterrestrial intelligence. The overall tone suggests a cautious but open-minded approach to the UFO subject, emphasizing evidence-based research and critical thinking.