UFOs: Science Fiction or Reality?
Ashley Brennan | Jan 04, 2010 | Comments 19
Look at the sky! It’s a bird! It’s a plane! It’s… something out of the ordinary. The earthly skies become more surreal when UFOs fly into the blue yonder. UFOs (Unidentified Flying Objects) are definitely out of this world, but may be not out of this universe. These strange flying objects have inspired pop culture, especially films such as “District 9” and “Independence Day,” and have inspired people and governments into further exploration of the weird and bizarre.
UFOs have frightened, flabbergasted, and amazed humans for centuries. But questions about their existence still remain: are UFOs light-years away from scientific reality or just hype?
Sightings of strange metallic disks may be odd, but believe it or not, sightings and reports of UFOs are common throughout human history. Ancient civilizations have observed strange flying objects in the heavens. For instance, the ancient Egyptians recorded tales of strange aerial vessels flying through the clouds. In the year 218 B.C., a plethora of sightings had been observed and recorded by ancient Romans.
Religious texts have illustrated a bizarre portrait of UFOs as well. According to some UFO enthusiasts, the Bible, particularly in the Book of Ezekiel, illustrates a mysterious flying object flying and landing on Chaldea, a place in modern-day Kuwait. In addition, some religions actually praised and welcomed UFOs; religious groups treated UFOs as supernatural beings, angels, prophecies or religious omens.
After the eras of ancient civilizations, UFO observations become more apparent around the world; people in European countries like Germany noticed strange flying objects during the fifteenth century. UFO sightings even appeared during times of war. In World War II, Allies and Axis pilots photographed and witnessed metallic spheres, enlightened balls, and strange shapes following them. Pilots from both sides establish the term “Foo Fighters” to describe the strange phenomena or UFO surrounding their planes (from which the popular rock band took its name).
If witnessing a UFO isn’t bizarre enough, some people claim to be abducted by these weird flying saucers. Miyuki Hatoyama, the wife of Japanese Prime Minister Yukio Hatoyama, explained that one night 20 years ago, her soul had been abducted by a UFO and travelled to Venus (after which her soul returned).
Are these UFO sightings and claims logical and scientific? Studies conclude that most of the UFO reports involve a real but conventional object, such as an airplane, weather balloon or astronomical body.
The UFO controversy calls the term “science fiction” into question. Who knows? Maybe these UFOs are signs of intelligent life elsewhere in the universe. The truth is out there … somewhere.
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I wish the term “flying saucer” or “saucer” could be struck from the UFO phenomenon. It really conjures up a negative image in the general public’s collective conscious. The reports should be taken seriously. There’s justifiable need for hard science to be involved, and all this pop-culture mentality and terminology is getting in the way.
It’s a little like placing a painted clown on the set of a Shakespeare play.
Concerning what’s real or not, I think some of the best proof associated with this mystery is in the similarities between modern reports and the sightings that occurred centuries ago. Fireballs, planets and the plasma-vortex subject only go so far. People are wide-eyed and imaginative, but they’re not stupid. I don’t believe they were stupid in ancient times either. Misguided perhaps, as we certainly are today, but reasonable enough not to mistake a comet for a solid structured object hovering above ground.
We have astronauts coming forward now. Edgar Mitchel says we are being visited by extra-terrestrials. Are these people lying? Why would they? Are these such dubious times that we can’t hear the words of a man like that and really consider them?
I have a PhD in Photogrammetry (Aerial & Satellite Image measurement) – London University Class of 1967. I have been to 28 countries and have lived in UK, S Rhodesia, S Africa, Australia, The Netherlands, and finally the US.
I currently teach at the California State Polytechnic University in Pomona, California after 35 years in industry. I teach Geospatial Engineering (commonly known as Surveying), Photogrammetry (commonly known as Aerial Mapping), GPS, and Technical Communication. My industry experience includes 10 years in the corporate sector in S Africa and Australia, 2 years in Colorado Springs with Analytical Surveys in charge of R & D, 3 years in Silicon Valley with International Imaging Systems where I supervised a software development team building PRISM – one of the first Image-Mapping systems in the world. I have consulted with the Getty Conservation Institute in California, The US Corps of Engineers, AT&T and countless government agencies’ and corporations throughout the world. Sekuru Peter means “Uncle Peter” and was a nickname given to me by African Assistants (dare I say black people). It was a compliment! Everybody likes their “uncle” so Elias said – the party leader for Mr Tinker’s survey crew.
I am a citizen of the UK and have my Green Card which allows my family to reside in the USA. I live in an “English Village” called Claremont, 35 miles east of Los Angeles where I live with my wife of 41 years – Marion – as well as Sadie and Jonah (Abyssinian cats) and right now am vacationing with my son Stephen in San Jose, CA, ( Magna Cum Laude Piano Performance and Summa Cum Laude Software Engineering from San Jose State University). The only UFO I ever saw turned out to be a pot of paint that Marion threw at me when she was as mad as a snake!!
Between the ages of 26 and 40 I developed a keen interest in the paranormal world and read about 300 books on this subject. I spoke to people about this subject in the 28 countries I had visited and thus heard stories that most of you would not “believe” (How I hate that word!). So, my claim to fame is a sound knowledge of Photogrammetry, and the occult. When the 300 books came between me and my wife I put the books on the occult in the garbage. I am currently reading Chomsky (Wow! what a guy), Steven Greer and Zecharia Sitchin’s book The 12th Planet. I know a little about the UFO-scene and have exchanged emails with Stan Friedman (The foremost expert in the world on UFOs) and Stan Deyo – a charming American whom I had lunch with when living in Perth Western Australia. Stan wrote the book The Cosmic Conspiracy and is an evangelical.
And what are my conclusions after living 73 years on the planet?
UFOs
1 The Alien Space Vehicles (aka Flying Saucers) are piloted by Aliens and human beings
2 The suppressed knowledge is controlled by the corporate sector
3 Flying saucers travel to distant planets and stars by moving faster than the speed of light.
4 Flying saucers move on a higher invisible plane (Freemasons know all about that!)
5 The 3 types of Aliens are Human, Reptilian and Insectoid
6 Kennedy was assassinated because he wanted to blow the lid off of the cover-up
7 If you want to know the truth, you have to do the research
8 How pathetic is the cover-up! Anyone with an ounce of common-sense can see right through it
9 Believe it or not – time-travel is possible
The OCCULT
1 Reincarnation is true (99% probability) – it was removed from the scriptures by the early church.
2 Anthroposophy (Rudolph Steiner’s creation) will become THE accepted world-wide “religion”
3 Yes there is a creator – no it’s not Jehovah – but I do love his first 9 commandments
4 The second-coming has already taken place on the (dare I say it) Astral Plane.
5 The “dove” is Christ (Look at the St Peter’s stained glass window above the altar – an RC cover-up!) I do wish the pope would let us into his library!!!
6 There were 2 people called Jesus
7 The defining moment was Calvary
8 Rosicrucians (I was once a member) do not accept freemasons as members
9 It’s the Hindus – stupid!
This is my first blog – Bi 4 now i must eat my granola.
Sekuru Peter
To Godless Peace and some others, why is skepticism met with such hostility? I really dont get it. I am inclined to believe in UFOs but the truth is, there has been no mainstream evidence. There are more people who have said they spoke with God or seen demons or whatever than there are people spotting UFOs. However that does not mean they saw demons or spoke to God. Until today, we still have seen no proof of God. So this idea that there are “debunkers” running around working for the religious right or some shady government organization to me is too much. I personally believe there are aliens out there but I hold a more conservative view. First I watched a great program where scientists now believe Earth might have been one of the earliest planets to harbor life. Therefore while there may be other life out there and maybe even intelligent life, it is very possible we are the most intelligent in the universe. Scientists now know that early elements in the universe were not ready to create life.
Secondly, I think the idea that the government is holding back this super mega secret and hence keeping us back from our salvation is also a farce. I think its just a mephastation of governments usually doing things to the detriments of the regular population. Harry Reid cant say a racial slur in a private room without being exposed yet a secret alien 60 year government conspiracy can be kept largely a secret. Sure people will say here “the secret has escaped hence they didnt do a good job” but the truth is if they do know about aliens they are doing a good job because we have no idea what they look like, what planet they come from etc. And if the governments are hiding it then they must be working with the aliens or why else would the aliens agree to stay hidden?
I think it is our human nature to have the desire to know whats out there and where we come from and what are the origins. It has always been and this is what seperates us from all the other species. But I think its this point which leads to the alien ideas and obsession. I DO believe one day we will make contact but when the universe and time is ready. Not when we “expose” our governments or such.
Anyway these are my two cents. I also am not an fda or whatever it is called. Just someone who also loves space and alien talk but tries to keep his wits about him.
To Guy Malone you either didn’t read Blue Book special report #14 or didn’t understand it’s meaning .I suggest you re-visit Blue Book ,just don’t skip or ignore the message in Blue Book special report #14 this time it will enlighten you.
To Dr. homeskooled your name says it all lmfao and i challenge you to prove you are not just another fraudulent mouthpiece! There are many debunkers who are just a religulous(spelling intentional) mouth piece for the right and i say you are one of them!
According to “Blue Book Special Report #14″ the number of unknowns that had proper information was 23% and not the ridiculous figures given by some researchers of 5-10%! I wish you people would at least do some research and not always take the first available answers! That includes those who live in a bubble and go to a university.I also saw a stationary craft 50 feet above ground with a gold and white shimmer and excited particles dancing all around.There’s nothing like actually seeing one,you never forget it!
Hello from Ontario, Canada.
Though brief, I still enjoyed the article and found it was rather good idea. Reason why I found it to have been important is that no matter how brief the article may be, it still reaches out to public awareness regarding the phenomenon- specifically the skeptics such as Dr.Homeskooled.
I have noticed that all skeptics regarding the ufo phenomenom have stated that there is no proof or evidence to back up the validty of people’s claims, regardless as to what class encounter they have experienced, with ufos and even aliens/extraterristerials/extradimentional beings. My question now to all the skeptics, is based on what “research” exactly, are you basing your conclusions on. Majority of you skeptics say that the believers claims are based solely on religious faith, and by stating faith, you are implying that there is no physical evidence- period. Well, you skeptics that make such claims are incorrect. There is indeed plenty of evidence, since a Mankind sketched their first documented ufo sightings, and what is now referred to today as pictographs, to all credible eye witness accounts, accounts that have been well documented to basic, and in some cases greater documented through hypnosis. Oh, and don’t forget all the photographs and video evidence, not just captured by people on the ground, but by passengers in airplanes, to even the pilots while flying the plane. And if that isn’t convincing enough, what about astronauts taking the pictures and video evidence in space, and even asking control base what they should do, as they have a “bogie” in plain sight, clearly observing their business there. And the list goes on and on.
With all the collected evidence, as well credible government employees coming forward with their accounts and knowledge regarding the ufo phenomenon, for skeptics to say the belief in the ufo phenomenon is simply a faith, are simply being hypocrites. Reason being is simple. The evidence is all around you and easily attainable (Media, net, etc.) yet it is because of your personal belief that you are a top the food chain, and because we as a species have not yet concurred space, it is therefore impossible for an alien species to have done so. It’s not that there isn’t any evidence to supoort the phenomenon, it’s that you, as a skeptic, simply choose to ignore it, as it is an inconvenient truth, that interferes with your personal belief, that we, as a human species, are the only intelligent life in the universe. Peace.
Who was it that said…
“Condemnation without investigation is the height of ignorance.”?…
I believe it was — Albert Einstein…
“but then again… he was probably one of them” — quote from the movie Close Encounters of the 3rd Kind
Here’s a few other tidbits, stories and realities you may find entertaining…
Speaking of that movie… After years debunking UFO/ET sightings and heading up that “public pacifying” project “Bluebook”… Dr. J. Allen Hynek became more and more convinced that the subject was real and not something fictitious. Later, after the project was scrubbed, he was very vocal about his new thoughts and even accepted a cameo appearance in the movie CE3rdK (he can be seen in a close up during the dramatic landing and meeting with the ET’s
And then there’s the story in which President Reagan was heard making a remark to Steven Spielberg after Spielberg told Reagan about the E.T. Movie. That remark… “there weren’t six people in the room who knew how true the story really was”. Of course Ronald Reagan had his own sighting which he was later very vocal about… It was 1974, and he was governor of California . He was being flown in a small plane, a Cessna, to a party and just over Bakersfield he and his pilot, Bill Poynter, spotted a UFO. The UFO started out as a glowing white light several hundred yards from the plane, changed shape and became elongated, then began departing. It moved slowly at first; then in a second or so it gained incredible speed and disappeared. He later would make the comment while addressing the United Nation’s General Assembly in 1989, comparing ET’s to nuclear weapons. “I occasionally think how quickly our differences world-wide would vanish if we were ever facing an alien threat from outside this world, and yet I ask; ‘ Is not an alien force already among us?’ ”
Then there’s Jimmy Carter talking about his sighting on a number of different occasions… “It was the darnedest thing I’ve ever seen. It was big, it was very bright, it changed colors and it was about the size of the moon. We watched it for ten minutes, but none of us could figure out what it was. One thing’s for sure, I’ll never make fun of people who say they’ve seen unidentified objects in the sky. If I become President, I’ll make every piece of information this country has about UFO sightings available to the public and the scientists”. This quote and a copy of his report to NICAP can be seen at the following link:
http://www.cohenufo.org/Carter/carter_abvtopsec.htm
Alas… like Presidents before and after him… they all found out just how “out of the loop” they would be kept. There is only a handful of Presidents that had the inside track on the issues, the implications and the actual truth.
There are documents, letters etc… indicating that Dwight D. Eisenhower had a sighting, knew about the issues and actually met with ET’s
George H. W. Bush, being the ex CIA director was thought to be the best suited President to be briefed on the subject
And Bill Clinton, along with his 1st CIA Director James Woolsey were reported to be very zealous in the beginning to uncover, declassify and disclose what they could about the subject. After following Dr. Steven Greer around the country listening to his talks at Universities and other meeting places, it was decided Dr. Greer was best suited to brief Woolsey. Dr. Greer also had ties with Laurance Rockefeller who was also very interested in disclosure. However, before and after the briefing they were met with dead ends and out right “you don’t have the need to know” blockades which shook them deeply.
And finally, current President Obama has had relevant information blocked from reaching him. There is a massive campaign to asked the President to finally assemble all the relevant intel and disclose to the country the truth. This effort is called The Million Fax on Washington and has been coordinated by the Paradigm Research Group (PRG).
Since June 1, 2009 letters, faxes and emails from around the world have been sent to the White House Correspondents’ Association (WHCA) insisting the reporters in the White House press corps begin asking politically related UFO/ET questions and receive appropriate answers. Samples of this correspondence can be viewed at: http://tinyurl.com/yb4wvay and http://tinyurl.com/62748k
On the July 24, 2009 C-Span Morning Show White Press Secretary Robert Gibbs was asked about this correspondence which he declined to acknowledge. Subsequent queries to the WHCA from reporters such as Billy Cox of the Sarasota Herald-Tribune have also been ignored – no response. In similar fashion thousands of letters, faxes and emails to the President Elect and the President since November 4, 2008 demanding Barack Obama end the truth embargo and call for congressional hearings on the UFO/ET issue have not been acknowledged by the White House – no response. Furthermore, the Citizen’s Briefing Book generated during the transition by the Change.gov website was stripped of all UFO/ET related input to the Book prior to submission to the President. This is not acceptable. PRG executive director Stephen Bassett stated, “France, Denmark, Canada, Australia, Sweden, Brazil, Russia, the United Kingdom and other countries have recently released tens of thousands of UFO/ET related files into the public domain. The message to the U.S. is clear, ‘If you do not end this truth embargo, one of us will.’” “Either Russia or China would benefit enormously by acting first on this issue,” added Bassett.
All of this and more can be seen at numerous web sites including the following site: http://www.presidentialufo.com/
I could go on and on (which I apparently am), however, for those truly interested… those who want to explore the subject with an open mind… look at ALL the evidence… it’s out there for the taking! Granted… you’ll run into all kinds of information sources… from the outright goofy… to some of the most credible evidence you may “not” want to look at… How do I know… well in August of 2004 I had my own sighting that shook the very foundation of my being! This took me on the exploration of my lifetime. I not only did the usual arm-chair research…I contacted people… the researchers, witnesses, insiders, colonels, pilots etc… etc… I even received a very gracious reply to my E-Mail I sent James “Bond” Johnson before he passed away. He was the official photographer who took those famous photos of the alleged Roswell debris. In his reply he said “Harold… I don’t know what that stuff was that they paraded in front of us back then… but it certainly was not the same material I had seen in an earlier visit to take other official photos”. I also made a number of expeditions into the field with Dr. Greer and our research team where I experienced many anomalous phenomena. I don’t know for sure… but the preponderance of even a small portion of evidence I’ve seen and the witness testimony I’ve read/heard would (and has) sent people to the gas chamber. It’s very odd indeed… the double standard that is used when applying the same principals to a subject which has been deliberately made to look silly and fictitious… quite odd indeed which in itself should make a person scratch their chin and go hmmmmm!
And if you don’t want to go to the research extent I have (and please remember… you didn’t see what I saw which “sparked” my drive for the truth)… then by all means… take the advice of pharmakos and watch James Fox’s “I Know What I Saw”… its very well done. An excellent trailer can be found here: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mdk7Q9ceVDk
One final thought (quote)…
“A society whose citizens refuse to see and investigate the facts, who refuse to believe that their government and their media will routinely lie to them and fabricate a reality contrary to verifiable facts, is a society that chooses and deserves the Police State Dictatorship it’s going to get.”
— Ian Williams Goddard
@Dr.Homeskooled
Either you’re a f**king liar or a complete idot. Which one is it? Sorry Pharmakos, enough being Mr.Nice Guy “I’ve seen a UFO, up close and personal”. I’m sick and tired of hearing negative BS from people like ‘Dr.Homeskooled’, who can’t even spell! Researcher with a doctorate, my ass. It’s time to get feisty with all the non-sayers and debukers. F**k ‘em all! And you thought we would simply compitulate on your thesis that we would simply “call you ignorant and member of the FDA”? Thats just way too polite! Well, the FDA can also stand for something else: “f**king dimwits association”! And you’re the f**king dean!
Some of that truth might be right here! How “intelligent” other life may be, or some other commenters, who knows that either? Maybe some people do, maybe those who have encountered other “intelligent” life, at least “Alien” life. Not only has human history had a sub-culture of “witnesses” to UFOs, which by definition are real – unidentified flying objects – but there has also always been a sub-culture of those who also “know” that there is other “intelligent” life because they’ve met them! This is still true today, and that sub-culture is also still today in the minority as it’s always been. Humanity, individually within the whole, only believes its own “majority” experience (rightfully so(?),) where most people don’t claim to have an experience of witnessing nor contacting UFOs or “Alien” life, today nor yesterday. A strange thing that is also true today as yesterday is that this minority also questions spirituality and God and such, even “Good” versus “Evil” in these things. In my own questions and “experiences,” isn’t it true that religion also has always been “this way” – a minority of people experience what a majority of people wonder about? Does God “talk” to people too? Is God anything more than the sum of people’s imaginations of such? Are Aliens or ghosts or other such things real? If we don’t have the “luxury” of having such an “experience” and therefore knowing, how can we determine whether another, or even a group of others are relating something objectively real that’s happened to them? Are we spirits in the material world? Perhaps the truth is out there, with someone!
I hate to tell you all, but they are real, I have personally seen them , I am not crazy or on drugs, I think they have been coming to earth for a very long time. You dont have to believe me , I know you wont, but I am certain that they are real. go watch James Fox’s I know what I saw.
The Space Brothers are thousands of years more evolved than us. George Admamski wrote of his experiences & his books are downloadable for free. The ruling elite has been covering up UFOs since the 50s, because they view the truth as a threat to their monopolies. Watch for many more UFO sitings in 2010. These days are marking the end of the world, as we’ve come to know it! The UFO’s are heralding the emergence of Maitreya, the World Teacher into the modern world. Share International http://www.share-international.org is documenting His emergence. He will soon speak to all of humanity and inspire us to see ourselves as one big family, & to rebuild the world based upon the principles of cooperation, sharing, justice, brotherhood & love. We must end political corruption, war, environmental degradation, poverty, hunger, etc. He won’t endorse any religion over any other, or work a religious figure. Religion is NOT his thing, Love IS. People everywhere will see Him as their brother, teacher & friend. Of course this sounds way over the top to lots of people, but try to keep an open mind.
What arrogance to think that there is nothing else out there simply because of insufficient empirical evidence. UFOs may simply be the military testing new weapons–who knows?What if we simply don’t have the instruments to detect life elsewhere? We’re finding new and curious things in the universe all the time–really strange things? I’m not a UFO researcher so I really don’t know what is out there but I do know that anything is possible.
To the Doctor,apply the same criteria you used to dismiss the existence of ET and apply it to proof for the existence of god and you will find the same result with far less evidence for proof of god.The fact that a whole populace followed a cult leader in a most superstitious time , a time of very low education and rampant use of the opiates should say much of their state of mind.
You guys have obviously not researched anything regarding Dr Rodger Leir. He removes implants from abductees’. These objects are not of terrestrial mineral isotopes, and are more akin to meteorites than anything else. Research him if you think there is no proof of visitation.
If a flying saucer is ever confirmed, it will not prove the existence of UFOs. It will prove the existence of flying saucers. Because the flying saucer will cease to be an “Unidentified Flying Object.” We’ll have identified it.
UFOs exist. Because there are many things in the sky we, personally, are unable to identify. That doesn’t mean they’re spaceships.
IFOs exist too. Airplanes, helicopters, blimps, are just a small sampling of Identified Flying Objects.
Agree with Dr Homeskooled. I’ll at least admit that my belief that Jesus rose from the dead (which I can’t empirically prove) is my religious belief. Why can’t people who have no solid proof (other than vague signs and portents, circumstantial evidence and re-told testimonies) that aliens are visiting earth, but still strongly believe so and zealously promote the idea as “truth” at least likewise admit that it’s an assumption, i.e., their faith-based belief system?
Decent article nonetheless, but with some assumptions and generalizations. For example, the event in Ezekiel ch 1 is described as a “vision” twice in ch 1, i.e., the “witness” first states that the event was not experienced in the objective reality we all share (sorry, but I’ve lectured on this exact topic). Yes, these sightings have occured throughout most of history, but I would disagree that most “studies conclude” UFOs to be conventional : J. Allen Hynek (Project Bluebook, Center for UFO Studies) and Jacques Vallee both concluded that UFOs are immaterial, but sometimes become solid long enough to be witnessed, but also both promoted the “extra-dimensional hypothesis” rather that the “extra-terrestrial hypothesis” – ie, a spiritual manifestation playing an elusive game.
I have served as a missionary in Roswell NM for over 10 years studying this topic, the evidences, and various viewpoints. While I do believe the entities are real and intentionally engaging us, I also believe humanity is being deceived and set up for a “New World Order” – a one-world government possibly triggered by official government “disclosure” of the “reality” of UFOs and aliens, which I think will in fact be an engineered delusion.
Interested parties, please view the free conference videos at http://www.ChristianSymposium.com and my personal site http://www.AlienStranger.com for lots to ponder.
Guy Malone
Roswell, NM
The reality is that (1) the EXISTENCE of the phenomenon is undeniable AND (2) no one knows for sure what is the NATURE of the phenomenon.
The rest is science fiction.
I have researched UFO’s for 20 years.
As much as I would like to believe, after 50 + years of reported UFO activity… still ZERO objective empirical evidence.
UFOism is a new faith based religion… nothing more.
Now let me sit back and watch the rest of the comments call me ignorant, or a Federal Disinformation Agent, or even blasphemous… which just proves my point.
Here we go…lets watch all the Irrational responses from the Devotees of this New American Religion