Vimana - 1976 No 1

Magazine Overview

Title: vimana
Issue: 1
Volume: 1
Date: January 1976
Publisher: Arbetsgruppen för ufologi (Working Group for Ufology)
Country: Sweden
Language: Swedish

This inaugural issue of "Vimana" serves as the official contact organ for the Västerås Tvärvetenskapliga Förening (VTF), aiming to keep its members and the broader UFO-Sverige organization informed about their activities. The magazine's name, "Vimana," is derived from Sanskrit and means "flying machine."

The Meaning of the Association (Meningen med Föreningen)

The section "Meningen med Föreningen" clarifies the purpose of VTF. It emphasizes that the association's goals are outlined in its statutes, which are available upon request. The magazine also serves to distribute an informational poster and a literature list compiled by the association. A list of board members' addresses is included with this issue.

The Meaning of "VIMANA"?

The editorial explains that "Vimana" is designed to be a communication channel between the members and the board. It aims to effectively inform interested parties about the association's past, present, and future activities. The magazine explicitly states it does not intend to compete with the journal "UFO-Information" but rather encourages subscriptions to it, offering a 10 SEK discount. Support for UFO-Sverige is considered a vital part of their work. "Vimana" will not publish UFO observation reports; these will be sent to UFO-Sverige in Motala after investigation.

Content and Publication Schedule

"Vimana" will cover VTF's commitments, experiments, debates, and study evenings. It will also feature member contributions, newspaper articles relevant to their subject areas, references to specialized journal articles, current events, and book reviews. The publication frequency is described as "when needed," and the size will vary, sometimes being as simple as a single sheet of "the association's latest news."

VTF Annual Meeting

An announcement is made for the VTF annual meeting on Tuesday, February 3rd, 1976, at 7 PM in the basement premises at Viksängsgatan nr. 9. The meeting is expected to be brief due to the association's short existence (2 months). Members are encouraged to attend and share their critical viewpoints. The meeting will also focus on UFO-Sverige's "Questionnaire for UFO Observation," and will include discussions on interview techniques and how to handle UFO observation reports. Coffee will be served.

Etymology: What is a "Ufologist"?

A brief, humorous definition is provided: "A 'ufologist' is someone who laughed at the UFO problem, but not anymore, because they know that a problem isn't solved by laughing at it."

Study Circle: Studiefrämjandet

A UFO circle, introduced at an information meeting, is set to start soon under the auspices of Studiefrämjandet. The minimum requirement of 6 participants has already been met, with a maximum capacity of 20 students. This offers an opportunity for an in-depth orientation into the subject within the Västerås region. Interested individuals are urged to register by calling 11 50 19, mentioning Studiefrämjandet, Tövallagränd 2. The study leader is Karl-Erik Karlsson, and the study location is Kungsgatan 5. The likely textbook is "Flygande tefat" (Flying Saucers) by Sven Magnusson. Course fees are expected to be only slightly higher than the cost of the textbook. The course will consist of 30 hours of lessons over 10 sessions, either weekly or bi-weekly. Participants will receive "Vimana" for free.

Article: The Egg "Swims" When Its Companions Are Boiled

This article, by Jan Fjellander, details experiments conducted at the Stockholm research center for psychobiofysik. Fjellander, a researcher in psychobiofysics, discusses experiments where eggs appear to "swim" and flowers "cry." He posits that there is contact and communication between humans and plants, and between plants themselves, suggesting that all living things are interconnected. The research is inspired by American researcher Cleve Backster, who used lie detectors to observe plant reactions. Experiments include observing the reactions of unfertilized eggs to one of their companions being boiled, and the strong reactions of plants when a "murderer" (a person who destroys another plant) enters the room. The article also mentions experiments with a plant named "Flitig Lisa" (Diligent Lisa) reacting to pain.

Fjellander's personal background is also touched upon; he was interested in UFOs at age 13, grew up in Lidingö, and is a vegetarian. He is currently studying electronics at Stockholm University and is a stay-at-home father. The core research question is about the nature of life and whether all life possesses a form of consciousness and is in constant communication.

The article includes a quote from the objectives of the Stockholm research center for psychobiofysik, emphasizing the importance of promoting experimental research in these fringe science phenomena and understanding the interconnectedness of humans and their world.

Exobiology: The Hunt for Neighbors in Space

This article by Lars Berglund discusses the scientific search for extraterrestrial life, or exobiology. It posits that Earth's radio transmissions, though faint, are traveling through space. The vastness of the universe means that if intelligent life exists, it has likely evolved far beyond humanity. The article highlights conferences on exobiology and the consensus that the question of extraterrestrial civilizations is now a subject for scientific observation and experimentation, not just speculation. However, it notes that exobiology currently lacks concrete data. The article explores the probabilities of life arising on other planets based on factors like the number of stars, planetary systems, and the conditions for life. It acknowledges the difficulty in defining "life" and the potential for different biochemistries. The article concludes by questioning why, if other civilizations exist, we haven't heard from them, suggesting factors like vast distances, the short duration of human technological signaling, and the possibility that other civilizations might not find us interesting or developed enough to contact.

News Clippings and Member Information

This section presents two newspaper articles: one from Expressen on "Psychobiofysik" and another from Svenska Dagbladet on "Exobiology." A glossary of terms like "exo," "bio," and "logi" is provided to clarify these concepts. Readers are invited to submit debate contributions.

Book Lending Service

VTF offers a book lending service for members, featuring titles on UFO research, parapsychology, and ancient history by authors like von Däniken and Semitjov. Members who wish to lend their books are asked to provide them for the list. Those who want to borrow books should contact the listed member.

Membership Fees for 1976

Information on membership fees for 1976 is provided. The fees are 40 SEK for regular members, 75 SEK for those who also wish to subscribe to "UFO-Information," and 20 SEK for full-time students and pensioners (plus UFO-Information subscription for 55 SEK). Payment should be made to the association's postgiro account: 84 12 82 - 7. Members will receive membership cards.

Study Trips

Details are given for an upcoming study trip organized by the Köping UFO association to the Råö radio astronomy observatory in Halland on May 22nd, 1976. The cost is approximately 80 SEK, with booking required before March 1st. VTF also plans a night study trip to the Stockholm observatory, likely in the autumn of 1976, dependent on good weather conditions.

List of Interesting Periodicals

A list of magazines and articles of interest to the association is provided, including "Svenska Journalen" (series on UFO research), "Hemmets Journal" (articles on UFOs and Uri Geller), "Vi" (on von Däniken), and "Det Bästa" (on Velikovsky).

Member Survey (Enkät)

A survey is included for members to provide their name, address, phone number, and indicate their interest in various subject areas (Astronomy, Space Research, Meteorology, Chemistry, Parapsychology, Prehistory) and preferred activities (field research, night observations, lectures, study visits, courses, experiments). Members are urged to return the completed survey to a secretary or the treasurer.

UFO-Sweden National Meeting

An announcement for the UFO-Sweden national meeting to be held in Örebro on March 20th, 1976.

Contact with Other Institutions

VTF is actively seeking collaboration with various institutions, including the Världsplanecenter, the Physical Club in Västerås, the Spiritualist Society in Västerås, and the Swedish Academy of Sciences. They are also inquiring about UFO research in China and Tibetan knowledge.

Recurring Themes and Editorial Stance

The recurring themes in this issue revolve around the exploration of consciousness beyond conventional scientific understanding, encompassing plant and egg sentience, the potential for extraterrestrial life (exobiology), and the broader implications of psychobiofysik. The editorial stance is one of open inquiry, encouraging member participation, and fostering a scientific yet open-minded approach to unexplained phenomena. There is a clear emphasis on collaboration with other organizations and a commitment to informing members about ongoing research and activities within the UFO and related fields.