Hines Chapter 7 UFOs I: Close Encounters of the First Kind
"Close Encounters of the Third Kind" - Is one example of a modern film that helps perpetuate belief and interest in "UFOs."
Kenneth Arnold - Was a pilot who saw an unidentified flying object over the Cascade Mountains in WashingtonState in 1947. Hines credits Arnold with (1) being the source of the term "flying saucer" and (2) sparking public interest in the phenomenon.
Project Blue Book - Was established by the U.S. Air Force in 1952 to investigate the increasing numbers of UFO reports.
NICAP - The National Investigations Committee on Aerial Phenomena (a private agency) was formed by a retired Marine Corps Major, Donald Keyhoe.
The Condon Committee - When the Air Force decided to get out of the "UFO business," in the mid 1960s, it contracted with an independent research group to take over the work of Project Blue Book. The group was named for its head, Edward Condon, a professor of physics at the University of Colorado. In 1969, the committee issued a report stating that UFOs were NOT extraterrestrial in origin.
Believe in UFOs? - According to a 1978 Gallup poll, about 50% of Americans believe UFOs are "something real"?
Seen a UFO? - According to a 1973 Gallup poll, about 10% of Americans claim to have seen a UFO?
The "Constructive" Nature of Human Perception - Our eyes are not like cameras. What we see (or think we see) is based as much on knowledge, expectations, and experience, as it is on the actual stimuli falling on the retina.
Perceptual Constancy - Refers to the fact that our perception remains constant (e.g., that a tree is about 20' tall) regardless of changes in the image falling on the retina (e.g., the further away a tree is, the smaller the retinal image). Some important "constancies" are size, shape, color, and brightness.
Illusory Contours and Closure - Figure 9 provides a good example of how we "fill in the blanks" and Figure 10 provides a compelling example of how we can be led to see something that doesn't even exist.
The Canals of Mars - To point out the importance of the "constructive nature" of human perception, Hines cites this phenomenon first reported by Schiaparelli in the 1800s and popularized by Percival Lowell in the early 1900s. He believed they were the work of an advanced civilization. There are, in fact, no canals.
The Autokinetic Effect - If one stares at a small point of light in a completely darkened room, the light will appear to jump about. This is due to small involuntary eye movements that are constantly occurring.
Apparent Motion - If the flash of a light is followed by the flash of a second light, we will perceive the event as one moving light. The timing of the flashes and the distance between the lights must be correct.
Elizabeth Loftus and the "Power of Suggestion" - Loftus has demonstrated that by changing just one word (smashed vs. hit) in a questions, changed subject estimates of how fast two cars were going when they had an accident.
Close Encounters of the "First" Kind (CE1) - Refers to an encounter with a UFO in which the UFO is seen but no physical evidence of the object is left behind. These were more popular in the "early days" of UFO sightings.
Role of Venus in UFO Sightings - According to Hines, Venus is the brightest of all the planets and is responsible for more UFO reports than any other single object.
The "Two Policemen" and the Ohio/Pennsylvania UFO Chase - In April of 1966, they chased what they thought was a UFO for 65 miles (it turned out to be Venus). Objects so far away appear to stay still if we are still but seem to follow us or stay ahead of us if we are moving.
Advertising Aircraft - (blimps with lights) are designed to be viewed from directly below at night. If viewed from any other angle, one will see a group of floating lights, a very likely candidate for a UFO sighting.
Hines Chapter 8 UFOs II: Photographs, Physical Evidence, and Abductions
Close Encounters of the "Second" Kind (CE2) - Involve a sighting where there is also some sort of "evidence" left behind (photos, film, wreckage, damaged vegetation, etc.)
Photographic Evidence:
Lens Flare, Film Defects, Development By-Products - According to Hines, many UFO photos show only a blob of light that appears after the film has been developed. In such cases, the most probable explanation is that lens flare, defective film, or bad development is the cause
Attributes of a "Valuable" UFO photo - According to Hines, for a UFO photo to be of value, it needs to show (1) at least some "structure" and (2) enough background to permit judgment of relative size
Almiro Barauna and Double Exposures - One famous UFO photo was allegedly taken aboard a Brazilian Naval ship by Almiro Barauna in 1958. Hines suggests that, though he was supervised during processing of the fim, he could have faked the photo by making a double exposure (in the camera or "enlarger").
Ground Saucer Watch (GSW) - A private (non-government) organization that investigates UFO claims.
The Rex Heflin Photos - A famous series of four UFO photos was taken by Rex Heflin in 1965 in California. Members of Ground Saucer Watch (GSW) consider these a hoax because (1) in one photo, the UFO is out of focus while all other distant objects in the photo are in focus, and (2) close photo analysis revealed the image of a very fine string holding up the UFO.
The "Trent" Photos - Though some consider the Trent photos some of the best CE2 evidence, there are many problems with the case:
1. The Trents are "repeaters."
2. The patterns of light and shadow do not fit with the time of day when the photos were supposedly taken.
3. The film and photos were carelessly handled and processing was delayed.
4. Most Importantly - As the camera's distance from the telephone wires (which were above the UFO) changed with different shots, the image size of the UFO and the telephone wires changed by the same amount (which should not be the case).
The "New Zealand" Films - Good UFO films are rarer than photographs. One of several films taken near New Zealand in the late 1970s showed "bright blobs of light jumping about." These lights were later determined to be bright lights used by local fishing boats to lure squid to the surface where they are caught in nets.
Astronaut Sightings - Hynek and Vallee (1975) examined a list of UFO sightings compiled by UFO researcher Jim Fawcett. Fawcett apparently took parts of recorded conversations out of context and make it sound like a UFO was being reported by Jim Lovell and Edwin Aldren during the Gemini 12 mission. They were actually just talking about waste material they had previously jettisoned from the ship.
Physical Evidence:
APRO and magnesium pieces in Brazil- A piece of metal was recovered from a claimed sighting in Brazil in 1957. It was examined by the Aerial Phenomena Research Organization (APRO) who deemed it a piece of magnesium too pure to be of earthly origin. It was later examined by the Condon Committee who found nothing out of the ordinary about it.
Angel Hair - For some reason, this soft, wispy material made up of fine strands came to be considered a leftover or by-product of UFO landings. It is actually a particularly large type of spider web.
Stalled Cars - Were often attributed to the strong electromagnetic fields given off by UFOs. In the 1950s, cars were much less reliable than today and it was quite easy to stall one if the driver became excited.
The Tunguska Event - Has a special place in UFO lore a century after it happened. In 1908 in Siberia, an explosion occurred just above the ground that knocked trees down for miles around. Erich von Daniken (we'll hear more about him) is sure it was the nuclear explosion of a spacecraft. While in some ways atypical, scientists are pretty sure it was a meteorite hit.
Close Encounters of the "Third" Kind (CE3) - Involve actual alien contact, as in abduction cases.
Betty and Barney Hill - The most famous alien abduction case is that of Betty and Barney Hill who claimed to have been abducted near ExeterNew Hampshire in the early 1960s. Betty began having dreams of abduction and examination soon after. Years later, both Hills were hypnotized by a psychiatrist they were seeing for marital problems. They then told independent but mutually confirming stories of abduction.
Betty's "Bright Light in the Sky" - Betty reported that a bright light in the sky was following them. Schaeffer (1981) is convinced that the UFO Betty saw was the planet Jupiter.
Hypnosis and the Hill Case - Hines makes two important points: (1) Usually before hypnosis is tried there have been several questionings. It is the repeated questioning and going over the facts (not hypnosis) that is responsible for the improved recall under hypnosis, and (2) what hypnosis does do is make the subject more confident that the information he/she is recalling is true and accurate.
Betty's Star Map - UFO believers think this is the most convincing piece of evidence for the Hill's story. However, with 100 billion star systems in our galaxy alone, it is not only possible but probable that many systems will bear a similarity to the "map" she drew.
Dr. Leo Sprinkle - A psychologist at the Univ. of Wyoming, discovered a large number of abductees (after hypnotizing them) during the 1980s.
Changing Focus (to "CE3") in the Late 1980s - With the publication of Whitley Streiber's "Communion" and Bud Hopkins' "Intruders," UFO interest shifted to abductions, examinations, and the like.
Bud Hopkins and Cross-Breeding - The New York artist and proponent of alien abduction stories is sure that aliens have been busy impregnating earth women in an attempt to cross breed with us.
The Role of Hypnagogia in Abduction Experiences - Hines suggests that abduction "events" often take place while people are falling asleep (as with ghost experiences). The vivid hallucination and bodily "paralysis" that frequently accompany these states is very consistent with reports by abductees (see Hines' example involving his daughter).
John Mack - A Harvard psychiatrist runs abductee support groups. Hines suggests that the exposure to abductee "lore," social pressure, and social rewards present in this setting help to solidify the memories of abductees. This provides a much more "Parsimonious" explanation of abduction stories than actual alien contact.
Whitley Streiber's "Communion" - Chronicles his own alien encounter experience. Streiber is apparently responsible for the idea that aliens are fascinated by and obsessed with exploring our bodily orifices (openings) and in particular "anal probes." He also had a scary encounter with Mr. Peanut?
The End of the World, the "Hollow Earth," and Others - Recognizing the theoretical problems of space travel (distance, time, fuel), some UFO proponents have developed alternative hypotheses.
"Samisdat" - An organization that believes UFOs are really secret Nazi aircraft which carried off Hitler and the other Nazi elite who have been hiding out in Antarctica.
The Heaven's Gate Cult - In the 1970s, the "two" AKA "Bo and Peep" convinced people to give up their possessions and follow them into the wilderness. They reappeared in the 90s as Heaven's Gate. In 1997 Bo and 38 followers killed themselves so they could join with a superior race of Aliens.
Hines' "Favorite" Hollow Earth Theory - Is Ray Palmer's idea that an advanced civilization exists within the earth and flies its UFO in and out of an opening at the North Pole.
The Cattle Mutilation Mystery (of the 1970s) - Has become an integral part of UFO lore. In the Western U.S., people noted dead cattle that (1) had what appeared to be sharp surgical incisions, and (2) were mutilated in specific areas (face, anus, genitals). Nothing new other than a "Mass Delusion." Scavengers prefer the easy to eat (and tastier?) soft tissues AND as decomposition gasses expand the carcass, the cuts are tears stretch and appear sharper.
The Great UFO Cover-Up - Hines considers the idea of a massive government UFO cover up absurd, since it has repeatedly been demonstrated that our government "can't keep even a small secret"
Men In Black (MIBs) - The MIB movies are pretty accurate depictions of the MIB lore. These frightening Blues Brothers looking men would show up after a UFO report and remove all evidence of the event. Their visits provide a "nifty" explanation for why there is no strong evidence of UFO encounters available.
Wright Patterson Air Force Base in Ohio (NOT Roswell or Area 51) - According to conspiracy theorists, is the location of the remains of a crashed UFO which has been kept a secret since the late 1940s.
RoswellNew Mexico - Has become synonymous with UFOs and the topic makes up the majority of the Town's income. The facts are:
1. In 1947 Mack Brazel, a farmer found odd looking wreckage in a field.
2. The materials were turned over to military personnel from the base at nearby Alamagordo New Mexico and eventually to General Roger Ramey. The military was secretive about the materials.
3. The story remained faded into history until Charles Berlitz (yes, of Bermuda Triangle fame) published "The Roswell Incident" in 1980. From that time, the mystique of Roswell has grown steadily.
4. The wreckage was, in fact, from a top secret experimental high altitude military balloon device to be used for spying on our cold war enemies. The project's code name was "PROJECT MOGUL."
The MJ-12 (Majestic) Documents - In 1987, UFO Proponents Stanton Friedman and William Moore claimed to have discovered three documents written by officials "in high places" proving a government cover up. There is, however, a problem with each:
1. A 1947 memo from President Harry Truman. Problem - the typeface was from a typewriter model not introduced until 1963.
2. A 1952 briefing paper for President Dwight Eisenhower. Problem - the date on the paper was in a format never used by the military.
3. A memo from presidential assistant Robert Cutler to General Nathan Twining describing the recovery of a spacecraft AND bodies at Roswell.
Problem - Cutler was out of the country on the date that the memo was supposedly written on.
"Area 51" - Often confused with Roswell and Wright Patterson. Area 51 refers to a military installation (Nellis Air Force Base) out in the Nevada desert north of Las Vegas. It is very top secret indeed not because of UFO wreckage or alien bodies. The latest in high tech aircraft are being developed and tested there.
Alien Autopsy - "The Roswell Incident" suggested that the military were hiding alien bodies. In 1985, the notorious "Alien Autopsy Film" showed up. Nobody knows its source. Hines cites numerous tip offs that it is a crudely done hoax (e.g., carelessly performed, often out of focus, details hidden etc.). However, the "most obvious problem" is that the internal organs are lifted out of the body as if they were just laying there. In reality, there would be a great deal of cutting and tugging to get the organs out.
Crop Circles - Began to appear overnight in farm fields in southern England in the 1980s. Theories included whirlwinds, energy voritces (whatever those are), and of course "alien contact." Over time, the designs got more complex and spread to other countries. In 1991, Doug Bower and Dave Chorley claimed that they had made the English circles using "Stalk Stompers" (wooden boards with rope attached, used to stomp down crops). To avoid leaving footprints, they walked along the "tram lines" created by the tires of tractors. Interest gradually faded.
The Role of the Media - The media has been generally irresponsible in its handling of UFO reports and claims. After the CIA released documents showing that there was no evidence of a cover up, Ground Saucer Watch (GSW) irresponsibly issued a press release saying just the opposite. What really bothers Hines is that the New York Times picked up and published GSW's incorrect story.
Hines Chapter 9 Ancient Astronauts, Cosmic Collisions, Bermuda Triangle
Ancinet Astronauts:
Erich Von Daniken - Suggests that ancient aliens were responsible for building or guiding construction of a number of important historical sites. These include:
1. the Great Pyramid.
2. the statues on Easter Island.
3. the Nazca Lines.
Piri Re'is Map - Erich von Daniken suggests that the 1513 Piri Re'is map of the Mediterranean area is too perfect to have been created by humans of the time. Hines concludes that the map is very good, but only in comparison with other maps of its day
Pyramid Power - Hines suggests that Von Daniken's writings are the source of the modern day belief that the shape of the pyramid has magical life preserving properties. Believers refer to this as pyramid power. The power preserves mummies, enhances ESP, makes plants grow, etc.
Restoring Razor Blades to Sharpness - Is one of the most popular claims for pyramid power. A 1973 experiment found no evidence of this.