RESEARCH DIGEST

Magazine Overview

Title: RESEARCH DIGEST
Issue: 28
Date: May/June 1992
Publisher: UFO RESEARCH AUSTRALIA
Country: Australia

This issue of the Research Digest, compiled by Keith Basterfield, serves as a communication hub for UFO researchers and enthusiasts, particularly within Australia. It welcomes new readers and encourages the submission of UFO sighting details and case reports to the UFORA Research Division.

Editorial Content and Sections

The Digest outlines its various sections designed to cover different aspects of UFO research:

• Welcome to New Readers: An introduction and call for input from subscribers.
• Deadlines: Provides deadlines for future editions of the Digest for the remainder of 1992.
• From the Literature: This section keeps readers informed about the contents of recent overseas UFO magazines and journals. Readers can request subscription details or photocopies of articles.
• Research Notes: Features news on both Australian and overseas research efforts, leveraging UFORA's international networks. It invites readers to contribute pieces on specific topics.
• New Books: Highlights recently published books on the UFO subject, offering suggestions for overseas sources and encouraging readers to submit reviews of books not yet covered.
• Cases from the Network: This is a core section presenting UFO sighting reports submitted by individuals and groups within the UFORA network.

Cases from the Network

The issue presents several detailed case reports:

• UFORA92030 (12 March 1992, Kenthurst, NSW): A couple was woken by an unusual sound and observed an orange light. The light and sound disappeared.
• UFORA92031 (14 March 1992, Cootamundra, NSW): Two young men saw a blue ball of light follow them while riding mountain bikes, described as a large, radio-controlled bowling ball.
• UFORA92028 (21 Feb 1992, Endeavour Hills, VIC): Rex Saracoglu recorded video of a descending object that appeared to deviate slightly.
• UFORA92032 (6 March 1992, East Sale, VIC): A RAAF officer reported an erratically moving white light with a 1/2 degree angular size, exhibiting unusual speed variations.
• UFORA92033 (Oct 1988, Peats Ridge, NSW): A woman observed a 'classic' daylight disk, described as two plates edge-to-edge with lights, approximately 59m across. The object stopped momentarily, and a reduction in crop quantity was noted in its path.
• UFORA92034 (16 Sep 1991, Langley, VIC): A 16-year-old girl witnessed a bright oval light with a red halo hovering above trees. She reported an unknown mark on her neck.
• UFORA92035 (21-28 Apr 1983, Golden Grove, SA): A couple observed a large, symmetrical triangular object pass silently overhead, likened to a stealth bomber. It stopped and then rapidly accelerated.
• UFORA90026, 89046 & 89055 CASES SOLVED: This section details three reports from September 9, 1989, concerning a cluster of lights seen over southern Australia. Initially reported by a family as a 'structured object', other reports described a string of lights. The article suggests these might be natural phenomena like meteors or satellite re-entries, despite the family's belief in a structured object.

From the Literature Review

The Digest reviews several publications:

• MUFON Journal (Jan 1992): Features articles on Brazil as a UFO hotspot and a response regarding Timothy Good's book 'Alien Liaison'.
• Journal 'Anthropology of Consciousness' (Vol 2, Nos 1-2): Includes an article by Robert E. Bartholomew on the symbolic significance of UFOs and UFO waves in America.
• MUFON Journal (No. 287, March 1992): Contains articles on resisting alien abductions, a critique of abduction researchers not sharing findings, and abduction amnesia.
• International UFO Library magazine (Issue 2): Available from PCCS Pty Ltd, this magazine covers international UFO reports and researcher notes, particularly on abductions.

Research Notes: Crop Formations

• Colin Andrews: The English crop circle researcher returned to Australia for lectures, discussing new aspects of the mystery, including disappearing ground and laser contact with UFOs.
• Video Review: 'Crop Cirde Communique' (1992): A VHS video providing an account of English crop formations research, featuring interviews and aerial footage.
• Aime Michel's 'Flying Saucers and the Straight-Line Mystery': The review highlights a description of a 1954 French sighting of a circular area with flattened grass.

Archives Retrieval

Keith Basterfield continues his work accessing Australian Government Archives in Canberra, obtaining copies of policy and sighting files from the mid-1950s to 1960 under the 30-year rule. Recently, 1961 files were made available, and copies can be purchased by researchers.

Abduction Research

• International UFO Reporter (Vol 17, No 1): An article reviewing 'implants' is available.
• TREAT (Center for Treatment and Research of Experienced Anomalous Trauma): Initiated by U.S. psychiatrist Rima Laibow, TREAT holds conferences and publishes a newsletter called 'Paradox'. The fourth conference was held in Atlanta in April 1992. TREAT focuses on the immediate, transformative effects of anomalous events.
• Experienced Anomalous Phenomena (EAP) and Experienced Anomalous Trauma (EAT): These are related areas of study.
• David Gotlib's Network (T-Med: Bulletin of Anomalous Experience): A bi-monthly networking newsletter for scientists and health professionals interested in UFO abduction phenomena.
• South Australian Research: A local group in Adelaide discusses UFOs and UFO research, including abductions, crop circles, and the Valientich case.

New Books

• 'Flight into the Ages' by Ken Llewelyn: Written by the RAAF's Senior Public Relations Officer, this book covers paranormal phenomena and UFOs encountered by air crew. It includes accounts of Frederick Valentich's disappearance and an episode involving Lt Shamus O'Farrell, as well as information from trance channelling sessions.

Recurring Themes and Editorial Stance

The Research Digest consistently covers a broad spectrum of UFO-related topics, from direct sighting reports and investigations to reviews of literature and academic research. There is a strong emphasis on documented cases and the scientific or investigative approach to UFO phenomena. The publication also delves into related areas such as abduction experiences and anomalous trauma, reflecting a comprehensive interest in the subject. The editorial stance appears to be one of open inquiry, encouraging contributions and providing a platform for disseminating information within the UFO research community.