UFO Rama - No 008

Magazine Overview

UFO-RAMA is a monthly ufological publication covering news and research from Italy and around the world. This issue, dated July 1998, features a prominent cover story on a scientific committee's examination of UFO data, challenging previous official stances.

Editorial

The editorial highlights the significance of the Sturrock Commission's findings, which reviewed selected UFO cases. It notes that this scientific committee's work openly contradicts the conclusions of the U.S.A.F.'s Project Blue Book, which officially closed in 1969. The editorial also points out the role of private research, funded by magnate Rockefeller, in advancing the UFO issue, promising further discussion on this dynasty's involvement.

Scientists Examine the Best UFO Data

This section details a study committee composed of nine scientists from the United States, France, and Germany who met in New York from September 29 to October 3. They examined data related to significant UFO cases, including traces, photos, video recordings, spectroscopic and radar data, electromagnetic interference, and witness testimonies. The committee, organized by the Society for Scientific Exploration founded by physicist Peter Sturrock of Stanford University, will produce a report with recommendations for future research. The study was funded by Laurance Rockefeller.

The news, initially reported by specialized magazines and ignored by mainstream media, is significant because independent scientists, not ufologists, undertook the study. Their verdict was that while not definitively proving extraterrestrial existence, the findings underscore the necessity and utility of deepening the scientific study of UFOs. The report is expected to prompt the UN to address the UFO issue.

Corriere della Sera Article: "UFOs, a team of scientists calls for self-criticism"

A Corriere della Sera article from June 30, 1995, reports on the Rockefeller-funded Sturrock Commission, stating it clears away nearly 30 years of official scientific neglect. It criticizes figures like Sagan, Hack, and Pacini for downplaying UFO research. The article emphasizes the need for funding and serious ufological research, highlighting the 50 years since the first UFO sighting and the Roswell crash. The report, published by the Society for Scientific Exploration, acknowledges intriguing and unexplained physical phenomena that could lead to the conclusion of extraterrestrial life. It calls for the scientific community to overcome the fear of ridicule. The article mentions specific phenomena like burns, visual disturbances, microwaves, infrared, and ultraviolet radiation, as well as radar signals and strange lights associated with magnetic disturbances.

"Ghosts don't exist, they are the effect of infrasound"

This section presents a theory by Vic Tandy, a computer expert from Coventry University, who suggests that ghosts are caused by infrasound – sound waves below the range of human hearing that can affect the eyes and induce feelings of dread. Tandy's own experience in his lab, where he felt uneasy and saw a shadowy figure, was linked to vibrations from a fan, which he later modified to eliminate the infrasound.

"There is life in the cosmos?"

This article from TUTTOSCIENZE/LA STAMPA (June 24, 1998) announces a SETI Days conference at the Accademia delle Scienze in Turin. It introduces Frank Drake, the astronomer who pioneered listening for extraterrestrial signals. The event also marks the inauguration of the Centro Italiano Studi SETI (C.I.S.S.), an interdisciplinary association of scientists interested in the problem of extraterrestrial life. The article traces the history of SETI, from Cocconi and Morrison's 1959 proposal to Drake's early experiments and the subsequent NASA program that was defunded. It highlights key figures in SETI research in the US and Europe, including Jill Tarter, Jean Heidmann, and in Italy, Tullio Regge, Giancarlo Genta, and others involved with C.I.S.S. The article discusses the challenges of detecting artificial radio signals and mentions Claudio Maccone's proposal for a space mission using gravitational lensing. It also references a 1900 Parisian prize for contact with extraterrestrials, noting that while communication is complex, the pursuit stimulates creative thinking.

A separate box details Rete-UFO's involvement, sending a fax to the SETI conference organizers to request the participation of ufologists in the C.I.S.S. studies. It notes that a proposal by Tullio Regge to assign a task to the French SEPRA was frustrated by the 1994 European elections.

The Surprising Technologies of Prof. Ighina (Part 5)

This installment discusses Professor Ighina's theories on the "Magnetic Atom" and its regulator. It claims that by regulating the movement of the magnetic atom, one can regulate all atomic variations in matter, potentially leading to the transformation of matter. Ighina's first experiment in 1946 reportedly fused metals (copper, tin, and molybdenum) using a "Magnetic Atomic Vibrations Regulator." A problem with the speed of atoms attracting each other was solved by creating a vacuum tube to isolate the beam. The article connects this to US Patent #5.202.689, describing a system for long-distance energy transmission, and mentions the US Army's HAARP project (High-frequency Active Auroral Research Program) as an example of this technology.

Afare Santilli: Discovered who falsified the 'Tent Film'?

This article from UFOTEL (June 25, 1998) reports that Philip Mantle, ex-Director of Investigations for BUFORA, has revealed that a special effects company allegedly created the 'Tent Film,' one of three segments released by Ray Santilli related to the 'Alien Autopsy' controversy. The technician reportedly provided Bob Kiviat with a high-quality copy of the original video, showing actors' faces. Kiviat is allegedly preparing a critical documentary on the 'Santilli Affair.' Ray Santilli himself is quoted as having had doubts about the film's authenticity and chose not to commercialize it, unlike its distribution in Italy by CUN.

Adriano Forgione of CUN/Naples conducted investigations and identified an alien figure, but doubts persist because the original film was never exhibited, only VHS copies. The article notes that the 'Roswell Autopsy Footage' (the 'Tent Film') remains unresolved, with its alleged falsity not proven despite media reports.

"LA NAZIONE" - One million Britons 'abducted' by aliens

A shocking survey from Great Britain reveals that over a million people believe they have been abducted by aliens. Psychologist Sue Blackmore of the University of West England conducted a survey of 200 adults and 120 children in Bristol. The results showed that 2% of adults reported alien abduction, while a significant percentage experienced the presence of spirits, saw ghosts, or had out-of-body experiences. Blackmore attributes these paranormal phenomena to anomalous electrical activity in specific brain regions.

CORREIO EXTRATERRESTRE - May 1998: Case Study - UFO Accompanies Bus and Intrigues Passengers

This article from Brazil reports on a mysterious light seen by passengers on a bus traveling between Uberaba and Belo Horizonte. The driver, Mauro Batista, described the object as asymmetrical with an incandescent light, resembling a "flying saucer," and it accompanied the bus for approximately 1 hour and 45 minutes at a distance of about two kilometers. Twenty passengers witnessed the event. Batista, a professional driver with over twenty years of experience, stated he had never seen anything like it, initially mistaking it for a helicopter but quickly realizing it was something much stranger. The object reportedly hovered, as if observing the bus. The article notes that ufological research in Brazil is advanced, with many documented cases emerging, and this incident serves as an example.

Recurring Themes and Editorial Stance

The recurring themes in this issue of UFO-RAMA revolve around the scientific investigation of UFO phenomena, challenging official skepticism, and exploring the possibility of extraterrestrial life. The magazine appears to support a more open and rigorous scientific approach to UFOs, as evidenced by its focus on the Sturrock Commission and the SETI initiatives. There is also a clear interest in controversial cases, alleged alien encounters, and unconventional scientific theories, suggesting an editorial stance that is open to exploring a wide range of topics within the ufological field, while also seeking to legitimize the study through scientific inquiry.