UFO Research Newsletter - 1971 11 12 - Vol 01 No 08

Magazine Overview

This issue of the UFO Research Newsletter, Vol. I, No. 8, dated November-December 1971, is published by UFO Research Associates and focuses on a range of UFO-related topics, including a political leader's involvement in a symposium, photographic evidence, and numerous witness accounts of sightings and occupant encounters from around the world. It also touches upon scientific findings concerning interstellar chemistry.

Australian Political Leader Conducts UFO Symposium

The newsletter reports on a UFO symposium held in Adelaide, South Australia, initiated by the South Australian Opposition Leader, Steele Hall. Described as a 'serious study,' the event was organized by the South Australian division of the Australian and New Zealand Association for the Advancement of Science (ANZAAS). Hall stated that the symposium would 'start other serious studies and discussion.' Approximately 300 people, including scientists and members of the Australian Flying Saucer Research Society, attended. Dr. R.J. Best, ANZAAS Chairman in South Australia, emphasized that the association had carefully considered the subject before organizing the event, noting that scientists 'needed courage to get up and discuss' UFOs.

British TV Crew and Yugoslavian Photograph UFOs

This section details reports from August onwards, including an English TV crew filming a UFO and a Yugoslavian photographing an object. An ATV camera crew filming a feature in Enstone, Oxfordshire, England, on October 26, captured footage of a 'bright orange ball of light.' The object moved erratically, wobbled, spun, stopped, and then moved off at high speed, leaving a dark contrail. The flight was captured on color film and was seen by millions of TV viewers. Camerman Noel Smart described the object's movements as difficult to follow and stated it could not have been an airplane. The presence of F-111 aircraft in the area prior to the sighting is noted, with investigator Julian J.A. Hennessey suggesting the possibility of an F-111 on afterburners, though he believes the report appears to be of a genuine UFO. Hennessey and others planned a thorough investigation.

Another report describes a UFO photographed at Medulin, Yugoslavia, on September 29. The picture, published in the country's largest newspaper, showed a white, round object with a comma-shaped tail, emitting light stronger than the moon.

'Building Blocks' of Life Found in Space

This article discusses scientific findings that add evidence to the existence of 'building blocks' of extraterrestrial life. The presence of a chemical forerunner of chlorophyll and carbon monoxide in deep space is highlighted. Dr. Fred M. Johnson of California State College stated that the chemical magnesium tetrabenzporphine is 'remarkable similar' to chlorophyll, producing the same green color when synthesized. His 18 years of work involved labeling nitrogen-bearing hydrocarbons in interstellar space, and he believes this find is 'one of the first clues of the building blocks of life in the universe.'

Additionally, Dr. Arno Penzias of Bell Telephone Laboratories reported that carbon monoxide makes up at least 90 percent of the mass of chemical molecules found in interstellar space, potentially being the most abundant molecule after hydrogen and water vapor. It was first discovered in the Orion constellation and also found in the Sagittarius constellation, enveloping regions and making them opaque.

Photographs Top Sightings

This section continues with various sighting reports. Members of the Astronomical Society of Sarajevo sighted two unidentified objects through a telescope: one white and triangular-shaped, the other irregular. The Sarajevo flight control tower also recorded a conversation between pilots discussing a sighting.

A UFO was seen near Malcolm, Nebraska, on October 10. Youths at a drive-in theater described a bright light flashing on them, and a cigar-shaped object with 'blinding lights and windows' followed them. Richard Johnson saw a white light change color to red and back to white. Other witnesses saw an orange object twice the size of a star. The editor notes these might be planetary illusions, but the youths' observation remains unidentified.

UFOs Seem to Draw Power From Plant

On October 5, Mr. and Mrs. Ardith Wiser and their children observed three UFOs with red, white, and blue lights near Edgerton, Wisconsin. The objects were seen over the Sheepshead Power Plant, appearing to elicit power from it, causing local lights to dim and a humming noise. The UFOs then moved to adjoining transmission lines, again seeming to draw power, before heading toward Edgerton.

Sighting Capsules

This section provides brief summaries of various UFO sightings:

• October 14, 1971, Hanover, Massachusetts: A large, bright object with a blue glow, described as having yellow-red flames or breaking pieces (probable explanation: meteorite).
• October 6, 1971, Champaign, Illinois: A disc-shaped, orange-red UFO with a jet burn-like flare paced an automobile, with two other lights ascending (possible explanation: aircraft or planet).
• October 5, 1971, Jacksonville, Illinois: Objects with flashing red, green, and white lights were seen, despite authorities stating no aircraft were scheduled (possible explanation: aircraft or planet).
• September 28, 1971, Springfield, Illinois: Numerous witnesses, including police, reported red, white, yellow, and blue-green UFOs, with one pulsating red light changing direction (possible explanation: aircraft and planetary illusions).
• September 26, 1971, San Antonio, Texas: A large, silvery object was seen over the city (possible explanation: weather balloon).
• September 24, 1971, Grand Rapids, Michigan: Officer Kenneth Jacobs saw a bright amber object falling westward slowly (possible explanation: planet Mars).
• August 13, 1971, Mobile, Alabama: A small white object, about 25-30 feet above the road, 30 feet wide and 15 feet long, appeared grayish.

Early Strange UFO in the Philippines

This is an account of a UFO sighting in the Philippines on an unspecified date in 1923. Two fishermen observed a huge fire over an uninhabited island, followed by two more fires. As these fires met, a spark was produced, leading to a total blackout. Shortly after, another 'big fire' appeared atop the island and moved downward into the sea, reaching the shores of Bisucay. The UFO then crossed the channel towards the fishermen.

Object Followed Observers

The fisherman recounted being afraid as the UFO followed them. When he shone a flashlight on it, the object stopped. He described it as the size of a pot for rice, enveloped in a dull orange fire, with a greenish fire inside, and a third layer revealing a 'big, round object with many holes.' The witness felt the fire was 'after our scalp.' The object moved closer, and when illuminated again, it appeared as a 'skull in all its ugliness and awesomeness,' with fire spouting from its sockets, nose, mouth, and ears. The object then made a 'long leap' with a strange sound. The next morning, the witness found the green leaves where the fire had been were dried up and burned.

Fawcett Reveals Rash of Occupant Reports for 1970-71

George D. Fawcett compiled worldwide reports of occupants seen in or around UFOs during 1970-71. Sightings occurred mostly in foreign countries like Canada, Finland, Brazil, and Malaysia, and included physiological effects on witnesses, occupants directing 'beams of light,' objects landing on the Atlantic Ocean, and UFOs emitting sounds.

• January 1, 1970, Cowichan, Canada: Nurses saw a hovering, bright, round UFO with two humanoids in 'tight-fitting uniforms' visible inside a dome.
• January 7, 1970, Imjarvi, Finland: A buzzing, hovering object was seen, from which a three-foot tall occupant in green coveralls emerged and reentered. The UFO then ascended rapidly. Witnesses suffered physiological effects including vomiting, circulation disorders, and headaches.
• June 21, 1970, Rio De Janeiro, Brazil: A disc-shaped object landed on the Atlantic Ocean, with two small 'beings' in overalls and helmets visible inside a transparent dome.
• August 10, 1970, Hotevilla, New Mexico: A 'rainbow-colored' object with a dome and aerial was seen, and a 'man inside wearing a gray uniform' was observed before the object descended and disappeared.
• August 21, 1970, Witley Surrey, Malaysia: Boys saw a UFO land near their school, and five small occupants directed 'beams of light' that burned one witness's leg before they reentered the saucer and it disappeared.
• September 25, 1970, Banff, Alberta, Canada: A green UFO with a dome and four windows was seen, through which two humanoids appeared. The object emitted a 'high-pitched sound.'

The 1971 Encounters

This section details 1971 encounters, noting occupants, light beams, physiological effects, frightened witnesses, and objects responding to signals.

• February 26, 1971, Brooksville, Florida: A UFO approximately 50 feet in diameter responded to a flashlight signal. Six to 10 occupants were seen through a dome, wearing green coveralls and waving. Witnesses felt numbness and stinging sensations, and the object displayed red lights and a 'searchlight-like' beam, emitting a sound 'like a swarm of bees.'
• February, 1971, Swedish Laplands: About 40 reports of UFOs with four-foot high occupants were received. Occupants aimed 'a strange, strong beam of light' at witnesses.
• April 6, 1971, Greenhill, Australia: A male witness reported a 'small, saucer-shaped faced man' looking through his window, after which he was 'suddenly sucked out through the window by an unknown force and injured.'

More Facts on Long Branch Police Sighting

This section provides additional details on a sighting by four Long Branch, New Jersey, police officers and others on July 22, 1971. Officers Dick Raupp and Ben Valentin observed a UFO with flashing gold lights that repeatedly changed shapes, from cigar-shaped to oval to diamond-shaped. The object shot upward and vanished before a McGuire Air Force Base jet and Coast Guard cutter could investigate. Officers Raupp and Valentin became firm believers in UFOs after this experience.

UFOs -- An International Scientific Problem

This is an excerpt from a statement by Dr. James E. McDonald, senior physicist at the Institute of Atmospheric Physics, University of Arizona. He argues that over 20 years of evidence suggests machine-like objects, likely extraterrestrial, have been repeatedly seen by credible observers. He views the UFO problem as an international scientific issue, noting the lack of thorough scientific investigation. McDonald expresses disappointment with the Condon Committee's lack of scientific rigor and its perceived negative bias. He urges scientific groups outside the U.S. to undertake reviews of UFO reports. He concludes that similarities in reports globally, including discs, cigar-shaped objects, and unconventional performance, point towards a puzzling phenomenology. By a process of elimination, McDonald finds the extraterrestrial hypothesis the most satisfactory explanation, advocating for energetic scientific investigation.

Summary and Conclusion (Dr. McDonald)

Dr. McDonald reiterates that his studies have led him to conclude that the UFO problem is an international scientific problem of potentially enormous importance. He favors the ET hypothesis as the most satisfactory explanation for the observational evidence accumulated over two decades. He stresses the need for energetic scientific investigation into the possibility of ET surveillance, criticizing the prevailing scientific opinion that UFOs are merely a 'nonsense problem' stemming from misidentified phenomena. He believes that ridicule and official mishandling have kept the true nature of UFO evidence out of sight, calling UFOs 'the greatest international scientific problem of our times.'

Recurring Themes and Editorial Stance

The newsletter consistently presents UFO phenomena as a serious subject worthy of scientific investigation. It highlights reports from credible witnesses, including scientists and law enforcement officers. There is a clear emphasis on documenting sightings, occupant encounters, and physical evidence, while also acknowledging potential explanations or illusions where applicable. The editorial stance, particularly through the inclusion of Dr. James E. McDonald's views, strongly supports the extraterrestrial hypothesis and criticizes the lack of rigorous scientific inquiry into the subject. The publication aims to inform its readers about ongoing research, sightings, and the broader implications of the UFO phenomenon.