UFO-Nytt - 2000 No 4

Magazine Overview

This issue of UR UFO Magazine, dated September/October 1999, is a compilation of UFO sighting reports and a historical piece on early Swedish space aspirations. The magazine features a cover story titled "Första svenska rymdfararen" (First Swedish Astronaut) and includes a series of articles detailing various UFO encounters.

UFO Sightings and Encounters

The magazine presents several detailed accounts of UFO sightings from different locations and time periods:

• Grycksbo-Falun, Sweden (November-December 1997): Rune Halvarsson reported seeing a large, dark red, cigar-shaped object moving north at moderate speed, with multi-colored lights. No sound was detected.
• Falutrakten, Sweden (Follow-up): It was noted that multiple people saw the same phenomenon at the same time in the Falun area.
• Stora Skedvi, Sweden (July 17, 1998): Ann-Sofie Besen observed four glowing yellow spheres in formation hovering silently over a forest.
• Hysta, Stora Skedvi, Sweden (August 15, 1998): An anonymous witness saw a star-like object moving with jerky movements and changing color, disappearing after 10-15 seconds.
• Arkhyttan, Säter, Sweden (September-October 1997): Two witnesses observed a round, sharp red-orange object with a halo of weaker lights, which was silent and descended slowly.
• London, United Kingdom (June 1999): Christopher Martin registered a large sphere performing maneuvers in daylight.
• Southend, United Kingdom (May 15, 1999): Mark Doulton reported two white glowing balls of light hovering silently over a car, described as 'like headlights on a Lotus-car'.
• Glastonbury, United Kingdom (June 29, 1999): Emma Jenkins and others observed three UFOs hovering visibly for 10 minutes.
• Orpington, Kent, United Kingdom (July 18, 1999): Mark Perry and his partner witnessed a series of UFO activities, including a small light and a 'parked UFO'.
• Dublin, Ireland (Summer 1994): David Sharkey observed a boomerang-shaped object that was black, smooth, and silent.
• Vilhelmina, Sweden (March 4, 1967): The Söderström family reported seeing two large, cigar-shaped objects, one dark blue-gray and the other silver-gray, hovering over a forest. This case is extensively detailed and investigated.

The First Swedish Astronaut

The issue features a historical article about the early dreams of space travel in Sweden. It highlights Kay Barthner, who was reportedly the first Swede to book a ticket to Mars in the mid-1950s. The article touches upon the public's fascination with space, the costs involved, and the optimistic outlook of the era. It also mentions the cultural impact, such as cars with fins resembling spaceships and products named after space themes.

The Söderström Case: A Deep Dive

A significant portion of the magazine is dedicated to the Söderström family's UFO experience in Vilhelmina in 1967. The article details their sighting of two large, cigar-shaped objects. It recounts the family's fear, the media attention they received, and the subsequent investigations by UFO researchers like Gösta Rehn and Sven Schalin. Despite various theories proposed, including a weather balloon and an electrical discharge, no definitive explanation was found. The article emphasizes the credibility of the witnesses and the enduring mystery of the event. It also touches upon the impact of the sighting on the family, who later developed an interest in astronomy.

Other Features

• Clas Svahn's Commentary: UFO researcher Clas Svahn provides his perspective on the Söderström case, calling it a genuinely enigmatic observation and stating that there is no explanation for what happened.
• UFO Magazine Website: Readers are encouraged to visit the magazine's website for more information and to share their own experiences.
• Book Giveaway: A contest is announced to win copies of Clas Svahn's book, "UFO - Möte med det okända".
• Cosmic News: A brief section discusses new research suggesting the universe has a form of anti-gravity, leading to a new understanding of its life cycle.
• UFO Satellite: A report clarifies that the 'Petrozavodsk phenomenon' was identified as the satellite Kosmos-955.

Recurring Themes and Editorial Stance

The magazine consistently presents UFO sightings as potentially significant events, often highlighting the lack of conventional explanations and the credibility of witness testimonies. There is a clear interest in documenting and investigating these phenomena. The historical piece on space travel reflects a broader theme of human fascination with the unknown and the future. The editorial stance appears to be one of open-minded inquiry into UFO phenomena, presenting cases with detailed accounts and expert opinions, while acknowledging the persistent mysteries.

This issue of UFO magazine, identified as issue number 20, published in August 1999, features a cover headline asking "Har du sett ett UFO?" (Have you seen a UFO?). The magazine is in Swedish and covers topics related to UFO sightings, historical coincidences, and theories about ancient astronauts and lost civilizations.

UFO Sightings

Personal UFO Experience (Sweden)

Arnold Idebring recounts a personal UFO experience from August. While sitting with his partner, he observed a white, ball-shaped object, about the size of a tennis ball, at a 25-degree angle in the sky. Despite his poor eyesight, he was able to see it clearly. The object disappeared without a trace. He mentions that the moon's crescent, which had a similar color, helped him confirm his observation and believe he wasn't mistaken.

Tyst Triangel Sedd i Queensland (Silent Triangle Seen in Queensland)

This article details a sighting by Barbara Griffin (59) and her sister-in-law Margie Griffin (39) on a clear, windless evening in August 1999 while fishing on a pier in Queensland, Australia. They observed seven intensely shining, red, pulsating lights in a triangular formation moving slowly and silently from west to east across the sky. They described it as unlike any aircraft they knew, noting its triangular shape and pulsating lights. The object moved towards Russell Island and disappeared over the water. The witnesses were astonished and questioned if it was a UFO.

Märkliga Sammanträffanden (Strange Coincidences)

This section, authored by Mats Nilsson, explores remarkable coincidences, primarily focusing on comparisons between US Presidents John F. Kennedy and Abraham Lincoln.

Lincoln and Kennedy Parallels:

• Civil Rights: Both presidents were involved in civil rights for Black people.
• Election Year: Lincoln was elected to Congress in 1847 and Kennedy in 1947. Lincoln was elected president in 1860 and Kennedy in 1960.
• Tragedy in White House: Both presidents' wives lost a son to death while they resided in the White House.
• Assassination Day: Both were assassinated on a Friday and in the presence of their wives.
• Secretaries' Warnings: Lincoln's secretary, named Kennedy, advised him not to go to the theater. Kennedy's secretary, named Lincoln, advised him not to go to Dallas.
• Cause of Death: Both men were shot in the head.
• Successors: Both their successors, named Johnson, were from the South, Democrats, and had served in the Senate.
• Birth and Death Years: Andrew Johnson was born in 1808, Lyndon B. Johnson in 1908. John Wilkes Booth (Lincoln's assassin) was born in 1839, Lee Harvey Oswald (Kennedy's assassin) in 1939.
• Assassins' Backgrounds: Both Booth and Oswald were Southerners who favored unpopular movements.
• Assassins' Fate: Boston Corbett and Jack Ruby murdered Booth and Oswald, respectively, before they could stand trial.
• Name Length: John Wilkes Booth and Lee Harvey Oswald have the same number of letters in their names. Both Johnsons have 13 letters, and both Lincoln and Kennedy have 7 letters.
• Assassination Locations: President Lincoln was murdered in Ford's Theatre. President Kennedy was in a car manufactured by Ford, a Lincoln.
• Presidential Deaths: Since 1840, all presidents elected at 20-year intervals have died in office. This includes Harrison (died 1841), Lincoln (assassinated 1865), Garfield (assassinated 1881), McKinley (assassinated 1901), Harding (died 1923), Roosevelt (died 1945), and Kennedy (assassinated 1963).

Other Coincidences:

• London Executions: In the 1910s, three men named Green, Berry, and Hill were hanged for the murder of Sir Edmundbury Godfrey.
• Golf Incident: In Scunthorpe, a golfer named Jim Tollan hit a ball that struck a wild duck, causing it to fall onto the lawn near the pub "Gräsanden" (The Wild Duck).
• Bermuda Taxi Incident: Two brothers in Bermuda were killed by the same taxi driver, with the same passenger in the car, while riding their mopeds on the same street, exactly one year apart.

Är Kristendomen en Prästlögn (Is Christianity a Priest's Lie?)

This article critically examines the tenets of Christianity. The author recalls childhood beliefs, fearing God's punishment and finding glory in nature. However, as an adult, the author questions the logic of a single divine entity creating the world, sin, and then punishing humans for it, deeming such a being not benevolent but rather a "nasty spirit." The author questions how Christian doctrines persist in a modern, enlightened world and why priests are employed to propagate the "gospel." The article suggests that some believe Christianity is an organized lie, a deception by priests who do not believe it themselves, used to distract people from societal issues and economic exploitation.

It argues that religion hinders social progress and is used by the powerful. Conversely, Christian teachings also promote brotherhood and sharing with the less fortunate. The author refutes the idea that priests are universally hypocritical, suggesting many have a strong faith that led them to their profession. Labeling Christianity as a deliberate deception is deemed as illogical as believing Jesus was God or that the Bible is literal truth.

Det Bästa från Vetenskapens Historia (The Best from the History of Science)

Fastskruvad i isen (Frozen in Ice)

This section recounts the historical voyage of Adolf Nordenskiöld in 1879 aboard the steamship Vega. The ship was the first to successfully navigate the Northeast Passage, sailing from Karlskrona, Sweden, to Yokohama, Japan. During the journey, the Vega became stuck in the ice for ten months near the Tjuktjer Peninsula on the easternmost end of Asia. Despite the prolonged delay, the crew used the time for biological and oceanographical measurements. Nordenskiöld's prior knowledge of Siberian ice conditions was instrumental in completing the nearly two-year voyage.

Forntidens Astronauter (Ancient Astronauts)

This multi-part series explores the theory that extraterrestrial beings visited Earth in ancient times. The research is primarily attributed to Russian researcher Alexander Kazantsev.

Evidence Presented:

• Footprints: An ancient footprint, claimed to be a million years old, is described as resembling an astronaut's footprint on the moon.
• Bison Ox: A 50,000-year-old bison skull with a bullet hole in its forehead is presented.
• Jomon Dogu Figures: Approximately 5,000-year-old clay figures from Japan, known as Jomon Dogu, are interpreted as depictions of ancient astronauts. These figures, found in caves near the "mysterious flame bay" on Honshu island, are described as wearing suits with helmets resembling motor goggles, "breathing filters," and "hose connections." Kazantsev argues that an ancient man could not have invented such details without external influence.
• Empty Jomon Dogu Suit: A recently discovered empty Jomon Dogu suit is presented as further evidence that these were indeed garments worn by beings.
• Rock Carving: A rock carving found near the "mysterious flame bay" is interpreted as a rocket or projectile with fins and flame marks, dated to 5,000 years ago.

The Faeton Theory:

Kazantsev proposes that if the Jomon Dogu figures represent ancient astronauts, they may have come from a planet in our solar system that no longer exists. He favors the theory that a planet named Faeton, located between Mars and Jupiter, was destroyed in a nuclear war. This cataclysm, possibly a hydrogen bomb-like explosion of the planet's oceans, could have forced some Faeton astronauts to remain on Earth. These beings, accustomed to a different atmosphere, would have had to adapt to Earth's environment, eventually degenerating into a primitive state, potentially becoming the ancestors of humanity.

He suggests that the Faetonians might have had expeditions to Mars and even Earth before their planet's destruction. The theory also attempts to explain the limited use of the human brain (4% capacity) by suggesting it once held more knowledge that has since become dormant.

Faeton's Environment:

Kazantsev addresses the cold temperature of Faeton due to its distance from the sun, suggesting that a high concentration of carbon dioxide in its atmosphere could have created a greenhouse effect, similar to Venus, allowing for a habitable temperature around 30 degrees Celsius. This environment could have fostered life forms similar to Earth's, but predating them.

"Space Men Became Savages":

This section reiterates the idea that human-like beings from a lost planet may have visited Earth in ancient times, wearing pressure suits. Upon arrival, they would have been seen as supernatural beings by Stone Age people and possibly worshipped as gods. When they departed, people created effigies, like the Jomon Dogu figures, to remember them.

Recurring Themes and Editorial Stance

The magazine consistently explores the unexplained, from contemporary UFO sightings to historical mysteries and speculative theories about extraterrestrial contact. The editorial stance appears to be open to unconventional ideas, presenting research and witness accounts that challenge conventional scientific and historical narratives. There is a clear interest in connecting ancient artifacts and historical events to the possibility of alien visitation and advanced ancient civilizations.

This issue of UFO-Aktuellt, identified by its issue number 30, delves into the intriguing possibility of ancient astronaut visits to Earth. The cover story, "ASTRONAUTENS FOTAVTRYCK PÅ JORDEN." (The Astronaut's Footprint on Earth), sets the stage for a discussion centered around researcher Alexander Kazantsev's theories.

The Astronaut's Footprint on Earth

The article begins by posing a question about the evidence supporting the theory that alien astronauts visited Earth 5,000 years ago, or even a million years ago. Kazantsev presents a photograph of a cast of a fossilized footprint found in the Gobi Desert by a Soviet-Chinese expedition. This footprint, calculated by scientific methods to be approximately one million years old, is described as resembling a shoe sole, similar to those left by astronauts on the Moon. The article humorously notes the shoe size as '42'. This leads to the speculative question of whether Neil Armstrong had a colleague who set foot on Earth a million years ago, a question that remains unanswered but highlights the unusual nature of the find.

Further Enigmatic Finds

The discussion expands to other puzzling discoveries. At the Paleontological Museum in Moscow, a 50,000-year-old bison skull with a bullet hole is presented, with experts concluding it was caused by a rifle bullet. A similar skull with a bullet hole is also noted in London. The article posits that numerous mysterious finds worldwide share a common denominator: the most logical explanation is visits by extraterrestrial spacefarers. These alleged landing sites are spread across Africa, India, Australia, and South America, with similar traces found in Asia from biblical times and earlier.

The article highlights that the search for evidence of past astronaut visits has become a popular area of research in the last decade. Colleagues of Kazantsev are examining museum collections for peculiar artifacts that may have been previously overlooked or poorly explained. A recent find from 1969 is a thousand-year-old gold jewelry piece from Colombia, only 4 centimeters in size and worn on a necklace. Initially mistaken for an insect, it is now recognized as an almost exact depiction of a modern 'delta-winged aircraft' with VTOL capabilities, similar to those used for vertical take-off and landing.

American researchers even created a metal cast of the jewelry and tested it in a wind tunnel, confirming its surprisingly good aerodynamic properties. The implication is that such a craft, if built to full scale, could have flown.

The Thousand-Year-Old Planet

This leads to the question of who flew the actual aircraft a thousand years ago, suggesting the jewelry piece is a depiction of something that was actually seen. The conclusion reached by researchers is that the planet was likely used by alien astronauts visiting in the 10th century. This craft may have served as a landing vehicle deployed from a large spaceship orbiting Earth, and as a means of transport for visitors across the planet's surface.

The Freshest Trace

Kazantsev expresses being overwhelmed by the sheer volume of such finds. While individually they might be dismissed as coincidence or misinterpretation, the collective evidence of these traces around the world cannot be ignored. The article suggests that humanity may not have been as isolated by vast cosmic distances as previously thought. According to Kazantsev and his colleagues, Earth may have served as a 'playground' for extraterrestrial visitors over millennia, a 'testing ground' where superior civilizations studied and directly intervened in the development of a less advanced species. Kazantsev speaks of cultures that flourished rapidly, leaving behind writings that suggest they received help and knowledge from aliens.

Kazantsev's Estimates and Background

When asked about the estimated number of such visits, Kazantsev cites Russian astronomer Josif Sjklovskij, who estimates around 'five thousand' alien landings on Earth throughout history, though Kazantsev considers this figure too optimistic.

The article provides biographical details about Alexander Kazantsev: born in Omsk, Siberia, in 1906, he trained as an engineer, graduating from the Tomsk Technological Institute in 1930. He headed a scientific institute until the end of the war, advancing from private to colonel. He is described as a mathematician and an internationally renowned chess player, and a member of the Russian Society of Naturalists. He has participated in two Arctic expeditions.

Kazantsev has also been involved in expeditions searching for the cause of the mysterious Tunguska meteorite event of 1908. He believes the catastrophe was not caused by a meteor but by an exploding alien spacecraft. He considers this event the most recent tangible trace of alien visitors to our planet, although he acknowledges that less fantastic explanations exist.

Conclusion and Editorial Stance

The author concludes by stating that while Kazantsev's theories about the Japanese clay dolls and other phenomena are fascinating, they have not fully convinced the author. However, the author finds his theories worthy of being retold outside of the Soviet Union. The article also mentions that the Russian researcher Zaitsev will be discussed in the next chapter.

Recurring Themes and Editorial Stance

The recurring theme throughout this issue is the exploration of ancient astronaut theories, supported by various enigmatic artifacts and fossilized evidence. The editorial stance appears to be one of open-minded curiosity, presenting Kazantsev's compelling, albeit speculative, theories and evidence without outright endorsement but acknowledging their fascination and potential significance. The issue encourages readers to consider alternative explanations for historical mysteries, moving beyond conventional scientific paradigms.