Ufology News - No 04 - November 2011

Magazine Overview

Title: НОВОСТИ УФОЛОГИИ (Ufology News)
Issue Date: November 2011
Publisher: EIBC Research Center

This issue of 'Ufology News' is a Russian-language magazine dedicated to the study of UFOs and anomalous phenomena. It serves as a platform for information dissemination, discussion, and research within the ufology community.

Project 'Ufology News'

The 'Ufology News' project began in July 2011 with the goal of providing information and a communication space for those interested in UFOs and anomalous phenomena. The website (http://ufology-news.com/) daily publishes news, interviews with researchers, historical accounts, and information on upcoming ufological events and conferences. The project also offers a forum for discussion (http://anomaly.pp.ua/) and provides various resources, including questionnaires for specialists, links to official and unofficial organizations, event calendars, and monitoring tools.

News Format Change

The magazine announces a change in its news format, transitioning to exclusively Russian content to make it more accessible to a wider audience. This means that bulletins in complex languages, particularly English, will no longer be published unless there are volunteers to translate them. The focus will be on Russian-language materials, declassified documents (like those from GEIPAN), and announcements of upcoming conferences. This shift may affect the frequency of daily updates but is intended to improve the quality of content.

Collaboration with Scientific Societies

There is an ongoing preparation for the publication of the first part of ufological materials from the Scientific and Technical Society of Radio Engineering, Electronics, and Communications named after A.S. Popov (NTO RES), which was part of the USSR Academy of Sciences. This collaboration is being undertaken with UNICA "Zond" and MIC EIBC.

Catalog of Common UFO Photo Mistakes

The magazine introduces a "Non-UFO" photo and video collection designed to help enthusiasts distinguish between genuine UFO evidence and common photographic artifacts, natural phenomena, or technical errors. The aim is to educate readers to critically analyze photographic evidence.

Upcoming Conferences and Events

Several upcoming ufological events are highlighted:

• MUFON Conference, Tennessee: Scheduled for December 3rd in Murfreesboro, Tennessee, USA. Speakers include Filer J., O'Brien K., and Reed T., with topics on 'vivisection and abductions'.
• Conscious Life Expo, Los Angeles: February 10-12, 2012, at LAX Hilton. Speakers include Bassette C. and TBA.
• 21st Annual Congress and Film Festival: February 22-26, 2012, in Fountain Hills, Arizona, USA. Speakers include Bermudez R., Dr. Maccabi B., Strieber U., Dr. Greer C., Hansen B., Gilli R.-E., Andrews K., Childress D.-X., Smith I., Spiegel L., Pinotti R., Nickerson R., and Huene A.
• Ozark UFO Conference №24: April 13-14, 2012, in Eureka Springs, Arkansas, USA. Speakers are TBA.
• 1st Women's Ufological Symposium: May 19-20, 2012, in Glen Rose, Texas, USA. Speakers include Dr. Kitei L., Joyner A., Peters T.-A., Harris P., Sperruv A., Smith I., Rosin K., and Romanek L.

Bulgarian Ufological Network Website Change

An announcement is made that the website of the Bulgarian Ufological Network has changed its address to http://bufonet.org.

US Government's Stance on Extraterrestrial Civilizations

An article discusses the US government's official response to a petition signed by over 12,000 people, requesting full disclosure about UFO phenomena and extraterrestrial presence on Earth. Phil Larson, from the Office of Science and Technology Policy (OSTP), stated that the US government has no evidence of life beyond Earth or extraterrestrial contact. He emphasized that while the question of life beyond our planet is being studied, there is no credible information about hidden evidence.

Several ongoing projects are mentioned in this context:

• SETI (Search for Extraterrestrial Intelligence): Initially supported by NASA, this project aims to detect extraterrestrial signals using a network of telescopes.
• Kepler Space Telescope: NASA's mission to search for Earth-type planets in the habitable zones of other star systems.
• Mars Science Laboratory (Curiosity rover): An autonomous laboratory designed to study Martian geology and search for the building blocks of life.

Larson concludes that while scientists believe life may exist elsewhere in the universe, contact is highly improbable due to vast distances. He reiterates that there is no concrete evidence of extraterrestrial civilizations or their presence on Earth.

Paradigm Research Group (PRG) Petition

Paradigm Research Group (PRG) is preparing to launch a second petition to the White House on December 1, 2011, aiming for 25,000 signatures within 30 days. This follows the failure of their first petition, which garnered only 12,078 signatures. PRG plans to heavily promote this new petition through various media and will demand the organization of a congress on UFO research. They claim to have influence from figures associated with the Clinton administration, including Rockefeller, Podesta, Gibbons, Gore, Panetta, and Richardson. The article critically analyzes the shortcomings of the first petition, noting its biased question, failure to consider alternative hypotheses, and its demanding rather than questioning tone. The response from Phil Larson is described as a correct and calm dismissal of the petition, highlighting the importance of formulating questions appropriately.

EIBC Research Center Meeting Protocols and Reports

The issue includes published protocols from EIBC research center meetings:

• Protocol of Meeting №17 (October 23, 2011): Details of a meeting of the expeditionary-search group №2 in Minsk, Belarus, covering topics like coordinator packages, phobias, pseudoscience, lunar phenomena, and recording human thoughts on video.
• Protocol of Meeting №9 (Expeditionary-search group №1 in Rivne, Ukraine): Discusses topics such as out-of-body experiences, the intersection of science and pseudoscience, reincarnation research, and reasons for non-contact with aliens.
• Report on the 2011 Mediterranean Research Cruise: This cruise took place in September-October 2011, covering Rome, Sardinia, Pantelleria, Malta, Athens, Nisyros, Kos, and Cyprus. The report notes that while megaliths in Malta, Cyprus, and Italy were found to be overly commercialized and primitive, the structures in Athens were technologically advanced.

UFO Sighting Investigation: Vologda, November 16, 2011

Three witnesses observed a UFO near Ermakovo village in the Vologda region at 16:30 on November 16, 2011. The object was visible for one minute in clear, cloudless weather. Initial investigation by the "Vologda-Cosmopoisk" group suggested the object was not a sky lantern, a conventional aircraft, or an optical illusion. However, the Vologda Hydrometeorological Center reported the launch of a radio sounding balloon at 15:30 on the same day from the Semenkovo-2 station. This balloon traveled approximately 24.15 km, descended, and burst. The balloon was described as spherical, about 1.5 meters in diameter, and gray. The investigation concluded that the observed UFO was likely this radio sounding balloon, which is launched daily.

Historical Case: UFO Landing Site Investigation, 1985

This section revisits a reported UFO landing incident that occurred on the night of July 8-9, 1984, near the "Yangiabad" state farm in Katt-Kurgan, Uzbekistan. Five technicians returning home witnessed a strange, cigar-shaped object descending slowly with a faint hissing sound. The object moved at a 45-degree angle before disappearing behind a small hill. The witnesses were reportedly frightened and did not investigate further. A document from the All-Union Council of Scientific and Technical Societies (VTSNTO) from January 20, 1986, is included, requesting clarification on the circumstances of this phenomenon and asking for soil samples to be taken from the site to assess any potential environmental impact.

Recurring Themes and Editorial Stance

The magazine consistently covers a range of ufological topics, including news of conferences, investigations into specific sightings, and discussions on government transparency regarding UFOs. There's a clear editorial stance favoring the critical examination of evidence, as seen in the 'Non-UFO' catalog and the analysis of the PRG petition. The publication also highlights scientific research efforts related to the search for extraterrestrial life and historical cases. The overall tone suggests a commitment to providing information and fostering discussion within the ufology community, while maintaining a degree of skepticism and encouraging rigorous investigation.