UFO Notizie - No 62

Magazine Overview

Title: UFO NOTIZIE
Issue: 62
Date: January 2000
Publisher: Centro Italiano Studi Ufologici (CISU)
Country: Italy
Price: £. 2.500

This issue of UFO NOTIZIE, published by the Centro Italiano Studi Ufologici, provides a comprehensive update on UFO-related news, research, and activities from Italy and around the world. It features a mix of reports on sightings, organizational news, book reviews, and analyses of specific cases.

Material Received and CISU Activities

The magazine begins by acknowledging the significant volume of material received by CISU in the second half of 1999, totaling 1,584 pages of investigation reports and clippings. A list of contributing members and friends is provided. The directive council of CISU met on November 19th, confirming 1999 membership fees for the year 2000, discussing ongoing projects and publications, and planning the upcoming national convention. A new commission on UFOs and society was established, and an extraordinary assembly of the Cooperativa UPIAR was held to extend its duration and accept new members.

CISU-On-Line, the organization's website, surpassed 10,000 visitors by early November, having accumulated over 700 files (approximately 20 megabytes of text and images) over four years. The issue also notes that The Times featured a segment on Nazi UFOs, with Uri Geller misinterpreting the content from Maurizio Verga's UFO Online website.

International UFO News

The issue highlights the 21st anniversary of the disappearance of Frederick Valentich, an Australian pilot who reported seeing a green light before vanishing. A book on this case is mentioned. In international news, a lawsuit was filed against the US government by attorney Peter Gersten on behalf of CAUS, demanding protection from an alleged alien invasion. Strange lights were observed over Turkey following a major earthquake, prompting an investigation into their connection with seismic activity. Walt Andrus, the founder and director of MUFON, announced his retirement after 40 years, with John Schuessler set to succeed him. The organization's headquarters will relocate to Denver, Colorado.

A spectacular sighting in Azerbaijan involved a luminous, rotating object filmed for 40 minutes over Baku, which astronomers deemed non-natural. The British UFO Investigators Network (UFOIN) was revitalized, aiming for a scientific approach to UFO research. A passenger plane in Great Britain reportedly had a near-miss with a luminous object shortly after takeoff from Heathrow. In Sweden, a cigar-shaped object similar to 'ghost rockets' was observed falling into a lake. A loud bang and a fiery object were reported in Brazil, causing a forest explosion. In Australia, an object reportedly fell into a reservoir, causing water supply issues.

Italian UFO Cases and Research

Several Italian sightings are detailed. In Viterbo, a fast-moving object with multicolored lights was observed. A photograph from Giardini, Messina, showed a 'flock of nine discs'. In Scanno (L'Aquila), a luminous point in the sky was observed. A disc-shaped object with a pointed dome was seen over Rome. A cigar-shaped object was observed moving northwest near Castelvolturno (Caserta). A white circle with a dark mass was seen over Mount Etna, attracting widespread attention. A luminous green object was reported hovering near Ischia. The issue also discusses the case of the 'Sturrock Report', a comprehensive review of UFO physical evidence.

The famous Spanish case of Manises from November 1979 is explained, attributing the red lights seen by a pilot to combustion towers at a refinery, with the aircraft's systems experiencing electromagnetic interference likely caused by the US aircraft carrier Iwo Jima. A UFO sighting in Romania was investigated by the Ministry of Defense, though it was later suggested to be the planet Venus. A toy resembling an alien caused a temporary closure of a London Underground station.

Publications and Statistics

The issue highlights new UFO-related books, including 'Delta Sierra Juliet' and 'European Journal of UFO and Abduction Studies'. Statistics on Italian UFO sightings from the first semester of 1999 reveal 138 cataloged reports, with most sightings involving nocturnal lights. The data indicates that Northern Italy accounts for nearly 60% of sightings. The report also categorizes sightings by type, such as close encounters, recovered objects, and photographic evidence.

Organizations and Editorial Stance

The magazine reports on the activities of various UFO organizations, including the establishment of new commissions within CISU and the ongoing debates and criticisms surrounding Roberto Pinotti and the CUN. The editorial stance appears to be one of rigorous scientific investigation, a focus on direct case analysis, and a cautious approach to equating UFOs with aliens, emphasizing the importance of identifying the majority of cases through conventional means.

Recurring Themes and Editorial Stance

Recurring themes in this issue include the ongoing cataloging and analysis of UFO sightings, the role of scientific research in ufology, and the challenges of distinguishing genuine phenomena from misidentifications or hoaxes. The magazine emphasizes the importance of accurate reporting and critical evaluation of evidence. The editorial stance promotes a scientific and evidence-based approach to ufology, while acknowledging the persistent mystery surrounding many reported phenomena. There is a clear effort to debunk sensationalist claims and focus on verifiable data, as seen in the explanation of the Manises case and the discussion of the Sturrock Report.

Title: NOTIZIE UFO
Issue Date: January 2000
Volume: 11

This issue of 'Notizie UFO' presents a collection of recent UFO-related news and reports from late 1999 and early 2000, covering sightings, investigations, and public opinion.

Key Articles and Reports

Leonids Meteor Shower and UFOs

The magazine reports on the anticipated passage of the Earth through the Leonid meteor shower around November 17. Alongside astronomical expectations, ufologists were alerted to potential false UFO sightings. On the evening of Tuesday, November 16, thousands in the American Midwest witnessed a fast-moving formation of lights in the sky, visible for about half a minute. While some described it as a fireball, others reported two rows of lights. At least one filmed record exists, captured by an Indiana television station. UFO organizations received numerous calls, and media reports presented conflicting expert opinions on the nature of these lights.

French and US UFO Surveys

The US television program 'Dateline: USA' released poll results indicating that over 70% of 1,500 respondents believe in intelligent extraterrestrial life. Half of these believe aliens would be friendly, the other half hostile. Eighty percent think aliens are more technologically advanced than humans, and nearly all agree they would look very different.

A more specific ufological survey was conducted online by the French site Franco-Science in September. When asked if research into UFO existence could be of scientific interest, approximately 70% of participants responded affirmatively.

Death of Steve Michalak

Stefan Michalak, a key witness in a significant close encounter case, passed away in Canada at the age of 83. In 1967, Michalak reported being burned on the chest after approaching a landed, disk-shaped craft in a wooded area of Manitoba. The case, a well-known second-type encounter in ufology, remains unexplained.

UFO Sightings in China

On the afternoon of December 2, hundreds of people in Shanghai, China, observed a strange object described as a cylinder followed by an orange, fiery trail. The object remained visible for about an hour and a half, and was photographed and filmed by numerous witnesses, including former astronomical observatory staff who could not explain it. Following the Shanghai event, on December 13, the central television in Peking showed photos of two luminous trails above the Changping district, possibly resembling missiles. Two Peking residents claimed to have seen UFOs on November 14 and December 11. Most curiously, the UFO reappeared over Shanghai on December 9 at 4:45 PM, exactly one week after the first sighting and in the same location and with the same appearance. This second sighting also drew numerous witnesses, including aeronautical engineers and astronomers, who estimated its altitude at 10,000 meters.

FLAP Over Scandinavia

Within hours of each other, two distinct luminous objects were observed by thousands across a wide area of Northern Europe, including Germany, Denmark, and Sweden. The first object, seen around 7:15 AM on Monday, December 20, was quickly identified as the atmospheric reentry of a US Titan 2 rocket that had launched a satellite into orbit earlier that year. Its descent was tracked by the US surveillance network NORAD. Later that day, around 8:15 PM, thousands observed another luminous ball followed by flames, moving in the opposite direction (north to south). This second object was also seen by Swedish air traffic controllers.

Roswell: New Hypothesis

The American magazine 'Fate' presented a preview of its January issue, proposing a new hypothesis for the Roswell incident of 1947. According to an anonymous source cited by author Jim Keith, the event may have involved the crash of an experimental atomic device in the New Mexico desert. The theory suggests that the US military, concerned about the nascent and imprecise state of its nuclear arsenal and the threat of Soviet discovery, was conducting secret experiments to improve nuclear deterrence. These experiments involved launching inert devices, and one such launch may have gone off course, leading to the cover-up story of a crashed flying saucer.

Young Britons Believe More in UFOs Than God

A survey of one thousand young Britons (aged 15-24) conducted by a consortium of media outlets revealed that they are more inclined to believe in ghosts and aliens than in God. Specifically, 22% believe in UFOs and alien visitors, and an additional 39% believe there might be some truth to it, totaling 61%. Belief in ghosts was similar, while only 16% were believers in God. Conversely, only 10% of the youth claimed to disbelieve in UFOs or ghosts, while 13% identified as atheists.

Area 51: Clinton Reaffirms Secrecy

The US Federal Register published a notice on October 26 stating that President Bill Clinton signed a decree (Presidential Determination No. 99-37) concerning classified information related to the operational base of the US Air Force near Groom Lake, Nevada. While the decree's text was not published, a summary indicated that the President had exempted the base from federal, state, and local regulations regarding the handling and disposal of hazardous waste, thereby preventing the release of classified information to unauthorized persons. This decision was made in the supreme interest of the United States.

USAF Buys All of Area 51

On December 17, the US Department of Energy officially transferred ownership of the 38,400-acre rectangular area surrounding Groom Lake, Nevada—better known as Area 51—to the US Air Force. While the USAF already had control under a protocol, this co-ownership had previously caused jurisdictional and surveillance issues, including lawsuits from former employees. The property transfer resolves these matters in favor of the military.

Recurring Themes and Editorial Stance

The magazine consistently focuses on UFO phenomena, presenting a wide range of reported sightings, from meteor shower-related lights to more complex aerial objects. It highlights both the scientific and public interest in UFOs, as evidenced by surveys and the involvement of scientific organizations. The editorial stance appears to be one of reporting on these phenomena with a degree of seriousness, exploring various hypotheses, including those involving government secrecy and potential extraterrestrial visitation, while also acknowledging the need for scientific investigation and the possibility of misidentification or hoaxes. The inclusion of historical cases like Roswell and the ongoing secrecy surrounding Area 51 underscore a theme of persistent mystery and official obfuscation within the UFO field.