Univers et ses Phenomenes - No 3 - 4eme trim 1989

Magazine Overview

Title: L'UNIVERS et SES PHENOMENES
Issue: N°3
Date: December 15, 1989
Publisher: COMITE DE RECHERCHE UFOLOGIQUE (CRU)
Country: France
Language: French

This issue of the bulletin from the COMITE DE RECHERCHE UFOLOGIQUE (CRU) focuses on UFO phenomena, featuring articles on official French investigations, a book review, and press articles. The cover boldly poses the question "O.V.N.I ?" (UFO?).

Table of Contents

The table of contents lists:
1. LE GEPAN DEVENUE SEPRA (Page 1)
2. LE LIVRE COMMUNION (Pages 3-4)
3. ARTICLES DE PRESSE (Page 5)

The Committee and Its Mission

The COMITE DE RECHERCHE UFOLOGIQUE is presented with its leadership: Thierry Larquet (President), Pascal Lefevre (Vice President), and Philippe Jezequel (Honorary Member). The CRU appeals to the public for testimonies, books, and photos to aid their research into UFOs (Objets Volants Non Identifiés).

Article 1: LE GEPAN DEVENUE SEPRA

This section details the history and evolution of French official UFO investigation bodies. The GEPAN (Groupement d'Études et de Recherches sur les Phénomènes Aérospatiaux Non-identifiés) was created in May 1977 by CNES and Claude Poher, who led the study for 18 months. GEPAN's creation was partly to calm public and ufological curiosity. Alain Esterle replaced Poher in 1978. GEPAN operated with two full-time staff and dozens of CNES agents in their leisure time, employing a multidisciplinary approach across human and physical sciences. The Gendarmerie played a role in collecting testimonies, with reports sent directly to GEPAN. Information was also sourced from the French Air, Land, and Sea forces, with the implication that some information was not disclosed to the public.

The article mentions technical notes, such as note technique n°17 and n°16 ('Analyse d'une trace'), highlighting the biochemical analysis of plant samples. The GEPAN's conclusions were often balanced, attempting to prove or disprove testimonies rather than definitively explaining events. Complementary studies involved physical analyses of environmental disturbances, noting mechanical deformations, heating, and trace material deposits. Interpretations like 'shocks' or 'friction' were considered too vague for definitive confirmation. Biochemical analyses examined photosynthesis factors, lipids, sugars, and amino acids, finding differences in samples near the phenomenon. Young leaves showed significant weakening of beta-carotene and violaxanthin. Chlorophylls were partially decomposed, especially near the phenomenon. Quantitative correlations were observed between disturbances and the distance from the phenomenon's center. Glucides and amino acids also showed quantitative modifications, with young leaves exhibiting characteristics of older ones. These perturbations were compared to those in Arabidopsis thaliana seedlings after irradiation.

Currently, SEPRA (Service d'expertise des Phénomènes de Rentrées Atmosphériques) has replaced GEPAN. The article suggests SEPRA is more secretive than its predecessor, which was perceived as too public-facing by some authorities concerned with disinformation. SEPRA is compared to historical commissions like BLUE BOOK, SIGN, and GRUDGE, which were controlled by governments with the objective of withholding truth from the public.

Article 2: LE LIVRE COMMUNION

This section reviews a book titled "COMMUNION" by Whitley Strieber. The review explores the concept of "Communion" (KO-MU), linking it to religious concepts like the Eucharist and the union of saints, but also to a broader intellectual and communal experience, even through shared pain. The book is described as passionate and mysterious, raising the question of whether it is autobiographical. The reviewer suggests it might be, given the phenomenon's ability to obscure truth and create confusion. Readers are advised to maintain critical thinking, as information in ufology can be contradictory. The book demonstrates that contact with aliens, if it occurs, may not align with human communication systems, suggesting a 'curtain' that sometimes allows information to pass. The reviewer questions if Strieber's book is one such piece of information and encourages readers to engage with it critically, noting that reality can often surpass fiction.

Article 3: ARTICLES DE PRESSE

This section includes two press clippings:

1. "24 heures en Bretagne: Pléneuf-Val-André OVNI ou phénomène naturel" (LE TELEGRAME DU 14/10/1989)
This article reports on a sighting by a couple in Pléneuf-Val-André who observed a luminous orange object in the sky over Dahouët port for about thirty minutes. They heard a small explosion before seeing the object, which had an orange light at its top and base, with a dark, unlit central part. Another resident reported seeing a large orange glow. Local authorities, including the gendarmes, are investigating and have alerted the Centre national des études spatiales in Toulouse. The article also mentions traces of fires on tree stumps, attributed by gendarmes to poachers rather than the phenomenon.

2. "Louarn Les envahisseurs" (Ouest France 28/10/89)
This appears to be a humorous or satirical piece, possibly a cartoon or short commentary, referencing students from ENSTB creating an "anti-cousin militia" against aerial attacks by "errors of nature, insects, dinosaurs." It humorously advises someone named Cousin Bertrand to avoid ENSTB.

Recurring Themes and Editorial Stance

The magazine consistently explores the UFO phenomenon from various angles, including official investigations, scientific analysis, and personal testimonies. There's an underlying theme of government secrecy and the difficulty in obtaining clear, verifiable information. The editorial stance encourages critical thinking while acknowledging the profound mysteries surrounding UFOs, suggesting that reality may indeed be stranger than fiction. The CRU's mission is to gather and analyze information to shed light on these phenomena.