UFO Potpourri No 391

Magazine Overview

Title: UFO POTPOURRI
Issue: no. 391
Date: July 1995
Publisher: John F. Schuessler
Content Focus: This issue delves into the analysis of materials from alleged UFO incidents and uncovers government practices related to human tissue research.

Recognizing 'Alien' Metal

The lead article, "Recognizing 'Alien' Metal," addresses the challenges researchers face when analyzing materials believed to originate from non-Earthly craft. It cautions against hasty conclusions, emphasizing the need to consider material purity, structure, the conditions under which samples were found, the available technology at the time of discovery, and external surface analysis. The article notes that many terrestrial materials have been detected in space, making claims of extraterrestrial origin difficult to definitively prove.

Case Studies: Aurora and Ubatuba

The article illustrates these challenges with two case studies: the Aurora, Texas sample and the Ubatuba, Brazil sample.

• Aurora, Texas: A sample recovered in 1973, believed to be from the April 1897 airship crash, was tested and found to be pure aluminum. Microscopic examination revealed an internal structure indicating it had been quickly molten in the air and slowly cooled while in contact with the soil.
• Ubatuba, Brazil: A sample recovered in 1957, following a reported UFO explosion, was found to be pure magnesium. Its internal structure was similar to the Aurora metal.

The article posits that while these tests do not definitively prove extraterrestrial origin, they also do not prove terrestrial origin. The accompanying UFO incident accounts, including dates and locations, lean towards an otherworldly explanation. The author concludes that solid physical evidence exists relating to these reported crashes, and the integrity of the investigators suggests the mystery remains unsolved.

Material Properties and Technological Advancements

Further discussion on the Ubatuba fragment suggests that its structure could be explained as weld metal from an exploding aircraft or reentering satellite. However, the object that exploded was not described as an aircraft or satellite, and no other debris was recovered. The article questions how such a light-weight, highly reactive material could survive the high temperatures of reentry. It also notes that as earthly technology advances, ways to duplicate conditions observed in UFOs are emerging.

An example cited is research from Japan's Technological University of Nagaoka, published in Aviation Week & Space Technology (February 28, 1995). Researchers developed a metal alloy, composed of 57% magnesium, 38% lithium, and 5% aluminum or zinc, that is so light it floats on water. This material, though expensive and prone to rusting in oxygen environments, can be easily molded and rolled at room temperature. Potential applications include space station structural panels manufactured in orbit.

Report Says Government 'Snatched' Bodies: Tissue Was Used for Radiation Research

This section, a news report by Bill Straub of Scripps Howard News Service, details a secret Biophysics Conference convened in Washington on January 18, 1955. Federal officials discussed the practice of "body snatching" in the mid-1950s to obtain human tissue for studying the effects of radiation caused by fallout.

Willard Libby's Concerns

Dr. Willard Libby, then a commissioner with the Atomic Energy Commission, reported that the supply of human samples for testing had been reduced to "essentially zero level" due to the supply of "still-borns as material" being cut off. He emphasized the prime importance of human samples and stated that if anyone knew how to "do a good job of body snatching," they would be serving their country. Libby admitted he did not know how to snatch bodies and that an expensive law firm was consulted regarding the legality of body snatching, finding the prospects "not very encouraging."

Human Tissue Experiments and Radiation Research

The Libby discussion was part of over 59 human tissue experiments initiated during the 1940s to determine the effects of radiation on exposed individuals. More than 15,000 subjects were involved, with nearly 9,000 bone samples used to determine the accumulation of radioactive elements in humans from nuclear fallout. This information was released by the General Accounting Office.

• Fernald Study: Twenty-two subjects were part of a study related to the Feed Materials Production Center (Fernald) in Crosby Township, Ohio, which processed uranium for nuclear weapons.
• National Lead Co. Report: A 1958 report by three researchers from the National Lead Co. of Ohio stated that human tissue was obtained from autopsies for control purposes and to establish exposure limits. They noted that uranium processing had resulted in "varying degrees of exposure to several thousand humans."
• Insufficient Effort: The National Lead report indicated that "insufficient effort" had been made in obtaining and analyzing human data. Researchers sought information from studies on tissues obtained from autopsies.
• Cases Cited: The report cited four males employed at the Fernald plant who died from causes unrelated to work but had been exposed to radioactive materials. It also mentioned two women, not employees, who died at a local hospital and had only background exposure.

Legal Requirements and Informed Consent

Researchers were under no legal requirement to obtain consent at that time. The article notes that the Department of Defense's policy on informed consent has evolved and has been a firm requirement since 1981.

Houston Connection

Dr. J. Laurence Kulp of Columbia University revealed at the same conference that "channels" were being developed to obtain human tissue. He stated, "Down in Houston they don't have all these rules. They claim that they can get virtually and they intend to get virtually every death in the age range we are interested in that occurred in the city of Houston. They have a lot of poverty cases and so on."

Call for Information Release

Senator John Glenn (D-Ohio), who sought the GAO report, has called on the Department of Energy to release all information concerning human tissue experiments. The department had not yet responded.

Recurring Themes and Editorial Stance

This issue of UFO Potpourri appears to maintain a critical and investigative stance. The "Recognizing 'Alien' Metal" article emphasizes scientific rigor and cautions against premature conclusions in UFO investigations, highlighting the complexities of material analysis. The report on government "body snatching" exposes potentially unethical historical practices related to scientific research, raising questions about government transparency and the evolution of ethical standards, particularly concerning informed consent. The magazine seems to advocate for thorough investigation, scientific integrity, and public awareness of both unexplained phenomena and governmental actions.