Ufology News - No 12 - November December 2012

Magazine Overview

This issue of "НОВОСТИ УФОЛОГИИ" (Ufology News), dated November-December 2012, is published with the support of the EIBC Research Center. It features an interview with Vladimir Rubtsov, a candidate of philosophical sciences and senior researcher at the Russian Academy of Cosmonautics, as well as reports on recent UFO/UAP sightings and related research.

Interview with Vladimir Rubtsov

The interview with Vladimir Rubtsov, a candidate of philosophical sciences and senior researcher, begins by addressing the term "Anomalous Phenomena" (AP), which he considers a term from sensationalist press. His personal interest in unidentified flying objects (UFOs) began in the mid-1960s, inspired by Donald Menzel's book "On 'Flying Saucers'." Rubtsov notes that Menzel's book, intended to "calm minds," paradoxically increased interest among Soviet readers. He recalls gathering literature on the topic and writing an article titled "Guests from Space or Atmospheric Phenomena?" which was published in the Ukrainian journal "Znannya ta Pratsya" in 1966. This article was significant for not dismissing "flying saucers" as mere "bourgeois press fabrications." Rubtsov acknowledges that F. Yu. Ziegel's article in the journal "Smena" in spring 1967 played a larger role in advancing UFO research in the USSR.

When asked about impactful AP cases in Ukraine, Rubtsov mentions the presumed UFO landings on the Mzha River in 1990 and 1995. Regarding the scientific study of AP landing cases, he states that under the official Soviet program for studying "anomalous atmospheric phenomena" (1978-1990s), several landing cases were investigated, but without significant results, primarily due to the lack of a developed methodology.

Rubtsov expresses well wishes for the enthusiasts in the Kharkiv section for studying AP in the environment, acknowledging that while public organizations may not solve the UFO problem, they can productively study certain aspects. He considers simultaneous radar and visual UFO observations to be the most informative, citing the Lakenheath, England, observations in 1956 as unparalleled in information volume and the resulting bewilderment.

Regarding the Tunguska catastrophe, Rubtsov mentions that his book "The Tunguska Mystery" was published in New York in English, and his article "The Tunguska Meteorite: On the Path to Oblivion" appeared in the Russian journal "Zemlya i Vselennaya" in 2012.

On the current state of AP research in post-Soviet countries, Rubtsov describes it as "extremely primitive." He explains that while amateur efforts had meaning as a "transitional process" towards professional research, the latter, initiated through programs like "Setka" and "Galaktika," stalled for various reasons. He also notes difficulties in Western countries, particularly the USA.

Rubtsov points out common mistakes made by UFO/AP researchers, detailed in his book "UFOs and Modern Science" with Yu. V. Platonov. He highlights that rocket launches are often mistaken for UFOs, though he dismisses this as the sole explanation. He believes there is no official contact with extraterrestrial civilizations because it is not needed by either them or our civilization.

Announcements and News

The magazine announces a contest for identifying UFO cases, encouraging participants to provide logical and scientifically sound explanations. The "Ufology News" section reports on the Sri Lankan Air Force being on high alert due to an object with anomalous behavior observed on November 30, 2012. Military radar detected the object in the Anuradhapura, Chilaw, and Gampaha regions. Commander S. Jaldin stated it was not a meteor or any known object and its nature was unexplainable.

UFO Incident near Popocatepetl Volcano, Mexico

A report details a supposed UFO sighting near the Popocatepetl volcano in Mexico, captured by a "Televisa" webcam on October 25, 2012. The object, described as a glowing cylinder about 1 km long and 200 meters wide, appeared to enter the volcano's crater. Astronomer Margarita Rosado from the National Autonomous University of Mexico expressed skepticism, suggesting it was likely a defect in the video. The Mexican National Center for Disaster Prevention (CENAPRED) released a bulletin stating that a bright object moving at high speed towards the crater was recorded by their webcam. However, analysis of images from both CENAPRED and Televisa webcams, along with seismic data, suggests the object was a bright meteor (bolide) from the Taurid meteor shower, not an object entering the volcano. The report notes that the object's trajectory and appearance were consistent with a meteor entering Earth's atmosphere.

X-37B Orbital Drone Causes Alarm in Cape Town

On December 11, 2012, the launch of the X-37B unmanned orbital vehicle by the US Air Force from Cape Canaveral, USA, coincided with numerous reports from eyewitnesses in Cape Town, South Africa, of observing a UFO. Descriptions included a bright white light resembling a cloud, with two points below it, and a hollow space between them. The object was observed to drift southeastward without sound. South African ufologists from "UfoRSA" received many such reports. Greg Roberts, a "satellite hunter," suggested that the observed phenomenon was the X-37B and its second stage rocket, "Centaur."

Canadian UFO Archives and Antarctic Investigation

The magazine mentions the publication of Canadian government archives on UFOs, accessible under the Freedom of Information Act, including documents from the Department of Defense, Transport, Air Force, and Gendarmerie. It also highlights a professional investigation into a 1965 UFO incident in Antarctica, reviewed by Yulia Vepritskaya, who describes the monograph by Vicente-Joan Ballester Olmos and others as an excellent and detailed report on the event.

Other Publications and Projects

Further sections announce the publication of documentation on UFOs related to the Douglas aviation corporation, protocols from EIBC expeditionary-search groups (No. 19, 22, 23, and 20), and a collection of works from AIPUFO titled "Tunnel" No. 42. The issue also features the Google Data Arts Team's "100,000 Stars" project, an interactive map of the Milky Way.

Recurring Themes and Editorial Stance

The magazine consistently focuses on UFO and UAP phenomena, presenting interviews with researchers, reports on sightings from various global locations, and discussions on the scientific and governmental aspects of these events. The editorial stance appears to be one of serious inquiry into anomalous phenomena, encouraging detailed investigation and analysis while acknowledging the challenges and limitations, particularly concerning official secrecy and the primitive state of research in some regions. There is an emphasis on distinguishing between genuine anomalies and misidentified natural or man-made objects, as seen in the analysis of the Popocatepetl incident.