UFO Rama - No 119

Magazine Overview

Title: UFO-RAMA
Issue: 119
Date: February 2009
Type: Monthly UFOlogy Bulletin from Italy and the World

Editorial

The editorial highlights the numerous cultural initiatives celebrating the 100th anniversary of the Futurist movement. It notes that Ernesto Michaelles, known as "Thayaht," who founded the Centro Indipendente Ricerche e Notizie Osservazioni Spaziali (C.I.R.N.O.S.) in 1954, was also associated with Futurism. The editorial posits that if Futurism were still active, ufology and extraterrestrialism would be its primary sources of inspiration, drawing a parallel to the early aviators immortalized in Futurist "aeropaintings." It concludes by referencing the 1909 Futurist Manifesto's call to challenge the stars, suggesting this spirit remains relevant today.

Articles and Reports

"Miliardi di pianeti simili alla Terra" (Billions of Earth-like Planets)

This article from La Stampa (February 16, 2009) discusses the scientific possibility of extraterrestrial life. Alan Bess from the Carnegie Institution of Science suggests that billions of planets in our galaxy could be similar to Earth and potentially habitable. While the Kepler telescope has identified over 300 exoplanets, Bess notes that most are gas giants. He believes that life, if it arises, is an inevitable evolutionary process, comparing it to something growing in a refrigerator. He also mentions that while life might be common, intelligent life is less probable, with forms similar to humans possibly existing in 100,000 years.

"Ufo/ Il Vaticano: gli extraterrestri esistono" (UFO/ The Vatican: Extraterrestrials Exist)

An article from Affaritaliani.it (February 18, 2009) reports on an interview with José Funes, director of the Vatican Observatory. Funes estimates there are 100 billion galaxies, each with 100 billion stars, and many of these host planets, increasing the probability of finding Earth-like worlds. He believes that the existence of intelligent extraterrestrials would not contradict religious revelation, suggesting they would be in accord with God. He also discusses the Big Bang theory as the most plausible origin of the universe.

"L'impatto di una possibile vita extraterrestre sulla religione" (The Impact of Possible Extraterrestrial Life on Religion)

This section from the UFO-RAMA newsletter (February 2009) summarizes a study by the Center for Theology and the Natural Sciences (CTNS). The study surveyed 1325 believers worldwide about the potential impact of discovering extraterrestrial life on their faith. The results indicated that 80% of religious individuals would not question their faith, contrary to the belief of many non-believers who thought it would cause a crisis.

Obama: Impegno per l'Indipendenza Energetica (Obama: Commitment to Energy Independence)

This brief report from January 27, 2009, mentions President Obama's commitment to energy independence, job creation, and climate protection, emphasizing the urgency of his proposed $825 billion aid package. It also notes his support for ecological vehicles and stricter pollution standards.

"Detriti o Ufo? Palle di fuoco sopra il Texas" (Debris or UFO? Fireballs over Texas)

This METRO article from February 17, 2009, reports on sightings of multiple fireballs over Texas, occurring shortly after a collision between two satellites in space. It suggests a possible link between the fireballs and space debris falling into the atmosphere, though it's not confirmed.

"Dal Cielo alla Terra" (From Heaven to Earth)

This piece by Adoniesis (dated November 26, 1973, Valverde) is a message urging serious effort towards building an artificial satellite-laboratory, a "Phobos" type, capable of transforming solar energy into motive energy and channeling it to Earth. It emphasizes the inexhaustible and clean nature of solar energy as a solution to combustion-based energy problems, with immense ecological and vital benefits. It also suggests temporarily harnessing thermal energy from active volcanoes as a short-term solution while advocating for the long-term project of orbital laboratories to convert solar energy.

"Non faremo amicizia con gli Ufo ma capiremo l'evoluzione della vita" (We won't make friends with UFOs but we will understand the evolution of life)

An interview with Enrico Flamini, head of Universe Research at the Italian Space Agency, published in La Repubblica (February 21, 2009). Flamini states that the search for Earth-like planets is a crucial area of future scientific research. While discovering life on other planets won't lead to immediate "friendships" due to vast distances, it will significantly increase our knowledge of solar system formation and the evolution of life. He acknowledges that if Kepler doesn't find Earth-like planets, it might be because they orbit on different planes and are thus not detectable. He also mentions Italy's potential future missions to verify the presence of water on exoplanets.

"La Nasa sta per lanciare un telescopio che deve trovare il pianeta gemello" (NASA is about to launch a telescope to find the twin planet)

This Corriere della Sera article (January 28, 2009) announces the upcoming launch of NASA's Kepler telescope, scheduled for March 5. The mission aims to discover planets similar to Earth orbiting other stars. While 340 exoplanets have already been identified, none possess characteristics identical to Earth or the potential for life as we know it.

"Le ceneri del papà di «Star Trek» saranno spedite nello spazio" (The ashes of the father of 'Star Trek' will be sent into space)

This article from Corriere della Sera (January 28, 2009) reports that the ashes of Gene Roddenberry, creator of "Star Trek," and his wife Majel Barrett will be sent into orbit next year by the company Celestis, fulfilling their final wishes. The ashes will be sealed in special capsules and transported along with fan messages.

"Avvistato un Ufo sopra il cimitero" (UFO Sighted Above the Cemetery)

This report from Ticino (February 25, 2009) details a UFO sighting in Lugano, Switzerland. A luminous red sphere, approximately 3-4 meters in diameter, was seen hovering above a cemetery before moving rapidly away. The sighting was reportedly supported by photographs and video recordings, and the president of the Swiss UFO Center, Candida Mammoliti, confirmed it as an unidentified flying object.

Book Review: "L'importanza di essere imprevedibile" (The Importance of Being Unpredictable)

A brief mention of a book by Freeman Dyson, published by Di Renzo Editore, priced at €10.00.

Recurring Themes and Editorial Stance

The magazine consistently covers UFO sightings, scientific research into extraterrestrial life, and the intersection of these topics with broader societal issues like religion, energy, and climate change. The editorial stance appears to be one of open inquiry, presenting scientific findings alongside anecdotal reports of UFO phenomena, and exploring philosophical and spiritual implications. There's a clear interest in the historical context of ufology, as seen in the connection drawn to Futurism, and a forward-looking perspective on space exploration and potential future discoveries.