UFO

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Image of an alleged UFO that is said to have been photographed during the Belgian UFO wave in 1990
Video recording of a UAP published by the Pentagon , with the aim of obtaining clues to enable the population to identify the UAP.
Another video recording of a UAP approved by the US military .

UFO , and UFO 's, originally an abbreviation for unidentified / unidentified flying object ( English unidentified flying object ). As such, it describes phenomena that are perceived as flying by observers and cannot be clearly identified. As a colloquial term, “UFO” describes spacecraft of hypothetical extraterrestrial beings . The term “ flying saucer ” was originally used“Based on first newspaper reports about UFOs. To this day, the image of the flying saucer shapes human notions of what space vehicles of hypothetical extraterrestrial beings could typically look like. To avoid the commonly misunderstood term UFO by some investigators for designated with the original abbreviation phenomena, the term "UAP" for unidentified or unexplained aerial phenomenon or unidentified aerospace phenomena used to German unidentified air / air space phenomenon .

In so-called ufology , a distinction is made between observations of "UFOs in the broader sense", which can be identified as known objects or phenomena after closer examination, and observations of "UFOs in the narrower sense", which cannot be identified even after closer examination. “UFOs in the broader sense” make up the majority of UFO sightings.

There is no scientifically recognized evidence that such "UFO observations" could be traced back to the existence of extraterrestrial visitors to Earth.

Origin of the term

The abbreviation "UFO" was first from the Air Technical Intelligence Center ( Technical Center of Intelligence of the US Air Force ) in the early 1950s used to basically any "object that by its maneuvers, aerodynamic characteristics, or unusual features at no presently known aircraft or Missile type matches or that cannot be identified as a familiar object in any way ” .

The term UFO was in the colloquialisms Flying Saucer ( Engl. Flying saucer ) replace. Its origins were press reports after a sighting of several flying objects of unknown origin in the USA on June 24, 1947. The witness Kenneth Arnold , an American businessman and hobby pilot, is mentioned in the first newspaper reports with a description of the objects as " saucer -like aircraft "or" shaped like saucers "are quoted. The term “ flying saucer ” quickly became very popular. Although Arnold also referred to the objects as " saucer-like discs " and " saucer-like objects " in his own writings, such as a letter to the US Air Force from 1947 and an article in FATE magazine from 1948, Arnold later used the term " flying saucers ”. In a radio interview from 1950 Arnold denied having used the term “ saucer ” as a description for the appearance. He would have always described the objects as “ disk ”. The term " flying saucers " was a misunderstanding with reporters:

“… When I described how they flew, I said that they flew like they take a saucer and throw it across the water. Most of the newspapers misunderstood and misquoted that too. They said that I said that they were saucer-like; I said that they flew in a saucer-like fashion. "

“... when I described how they flew, I said they fly like when you take a plate and make it jump over the water. Most newspapers misunderstood this and misquoted me. They wrote that I said they were plate-like; I said they flew like a plate. "

- Kenneth Arnold : Kenneth Arnold on the radio, interview with Edward R. Murrow, CBS, April 7, 1950

The secret service of the US Air Force (at that time still air forces of the US Army ) initially adopted the term “ flying saucer ”, but in 1951 switched to the term “ UFO ” . The author of the renaming of the flying saucer in UFO was Captain Edward J. Ruppelt , who was from 1951 to 1953 head of a UFO investigation commission of the US Air Force called Project Blue Book .

The term UFO initially encompassed any flying object that carried out unregistered flights or did not identify itself, including secret, previously unknown test aircraft or possible new types of aircraft from the Eastern Bloc . Over time, the term has changed its meaning away from its originally military meaning.

history

Early history

Nuremberg leaflet: Celestial phenomena over Nuremberg, April 14, 1561

People have always seen things in the sky that they couldn't explain. One of the oldest recorded sightings of strange heavenly phenomena is a story in the annals of Pharaoh Thutmose III. (around 1486 BC to 1425 BC). This tells of "circles of fire" that were observed in the sky for several days. From Roman times, Iulius Obsequens reports in the prodigiorum liber (German book of omens ) of various sightings between 190 BC. BC to 11 BC Chr. Below flying "things like ships" as well as "round shields" in the sky and a "golden globe of fire" . This is said to have fallen from the sky, then risen again and disappeared flying.

A sighting from the year 1235 has come down to us from Japan. The Shogun Kujō Yoritsune camped on September 24th with his army. During the night strange lights appeared in the sky, these seemed to swing back and forth in circles and could be observed until the early morning. Yoritsune ordered a "complete scientific investigation" of the sighting - with the result: The wind must have moved the stars back and forth.

Basler Flyer: Description of a conspicuous sunset and sunrise and black spheres, which on 27./28. July and August 7, 1566 were observed over Basel

Early modern age

The events recorded in the Nuremberg leaflet from 1561 are among the most famous sightings of the early modern period . Accordingly, on April 14, 1561 in the sky over the city of Nuremberg “many men and women” could see several different objects: spheres, crosses, discs, tubes and a point. These had "started to quarrel" with each other . The spectacle lasted about an hour, then the objects "fell from heaven down to earth as if they were on fire" and "gradually passed away with a lot of steam" .

Only five years later something similar is reported from Switzerland in the Basel leaflet from 1566 . A total of three celestial phenomena are said to have been observed over the city of Basel over the summer of 1566. The third observation is of interest to Ufology : on the morning of August 7th, "many black spheres" were allegedly observed in front of the rising sun. These moved quickly through the air and sometimes bumped against each other "as if they were having an argument" . The bullets eventually began to glow red and went out, according to the report.

19th century

Several UFO reports from scientific newspapers and press releases have come down to us from the 19th century. For example, the English astronomer E. W. Maunder reports in the journal The Observatory of a sighting from Greenwich on the evening of November 17, 1882. Maunder stated that he had seen a “large round disk” that “shimmered green” slowly over the Sky slid and could be watched by him for about two minutes. Other witnesses would have seen the object as well.

On August 12, 1883, the Mexican astronomer José Bonilla, director of the observatory in Zacatecas, noticed the passage of at least 283 objects in front of the sun while observing sunspots (see José Bonilla observation ).

In 1896–1897 there were reports of unidentified flying objects in the United States , known as " phantom airships ".

20th century

The sun miracle of Fátima can be interpreted as a UFO sighting from the early 20th century . In 1917, based on a prophecy, over 30,000 people gathered and waited for the announced miracle. In fact, the witnesses unanimously report how the sun broke through the cloud cover as an opaque, spinning disk and zigzagged across the sky for 10 minutes.

Later there were reports of the so-called Foo fighters in World War II, as well as the flying objects of the so-called Battle of Los Angeles in 1942. In 1946, so-called ghost rockets were sighted in Sweden according to several sources .

The sighting of the American businessman and private pilot Kenneth Arnold is considered to be the beginning of the modern UFO phenomenon . He stated that he had seen several flying objects of unknown design during a flight on June 24, 1947 over Mount Rainier . It was only this sighting of Arnold that aroused sustained media interest and shaped the subsequent public discussion of the phenomenon through the theory discussed in the media that it could be extraterrestrial aircraft.

With the Roswell incident , there was an alleged crash of an extraterrestrial unknown flying object (UFO) in June or July 1947 near the small town of Roswell in the US state of New Mexico.

Contributor to Project Blue Book , 1963

After Arnold's sighting, the media soon reported observations from across the United States - the first major wave of UFO sightings had sprung up. The military also showed interest, and several states began investigating UFO sightings. The largest of these was the founded in 1951, Project Blue Book the US Air Force . Their job was to collect and analyze UFO sightings. In 1952 there was a second wave of sightings over Washington, DC , which caused a lot of press coverage. The first UFO research organizations such as the Aerial Phenomena Research Organization (APRO, 1952–1988) and the National Investigations Committee On Aerial Phenomena (NICAP, 1956–1980) also emerged in the 1950s . The official stance of the authorities was that any sighting can be explained entirely conventionally. However, with increasing public interest and continued sightings, criticism of the official denial of the phenomenon grew. Ultimately, the issue was raised by the highest authority: the US Congress held hearings on the phenomenon in 1966 and sought an investigation outside the military.

As a result, the University of Colorado, under the leadership of quantum physicist Edward U. Condon, was commissioned by the Air Force to analyze the phenomenon. In 1969 the final report was published: The phenomenon was scientifically uninteresting and should not be investigated further. This is the official stance of the USA to this day. Project Blue Book and all official investigations have accordingly been discontinued. Other states, such as the UK , continued to secretly collect and investigate UFO reports against the backdrop of the Cold War . Only a few states did this openly and officially, like France with the UFO investigation authority GEPAN . A number of investigators disagreed with the Condon Report and criticized the fact that even the final report contained a number of unsolved cases. Organizations such as the SETI Institute , the Mutual UFO Network (MUFON, 1969) and the National UFO Reporting Center were founded and tried to advance scientific research on the phenomenon on a private basis.

21st century

The US Department of Defense spent a total of around 22 million US dollars from 2008 to 2012 on a research program that examined “advanced threats in the airspace” in general. The Pentagon released video footage of UFOs in 2020 to provide clues on how to identify those objects. According to US Air Force pilots, the flight phenomena that were sighted and partly recorded by on-board electronics such as thermal imaging cameras were "sometimes as big as a bus, sometimes as small as a suitcase". They would move and maneuver at such speed as if they were different physics . Both ex-US President Barack Obama and his former CIA boss John Brennan confirmed that there are objects and phenomena that have not yet been identified and whose flight behavior has not yet been understood.

UAPs are reported worldwide. By May 2021, at least 88,547 UAP sightings in the US and a further 9,013 outside of the US had been reported and investigated , according to the National UFO Reporting Center . Sporadically, a particularly large number of sightings occurred, such as B. 1989–1990 the Belgian UFO wave , 2008 in Stephenville (Texas) or in April 2020 in the whole of the USA. Many reports could be identified as errors or attempts at fraud. However, 701 incidents (as of May 2021) remained unresolved despite intensive efforts. A UAP task force of the US Department of Defense (including the US intelligence services , but not NASA ) prepared a report for Congress on more than 120 UFO / UAP sightings between 2000 and 2020. In it, the UAP task force states that to have no explanations for the UAPs sighted by the US military.

Categories

UFO in the strict sense

As a UFO in the strict sense , such UFOs are called, which can not be identified as known objects or phenomena even after an analysis. UFOs i. e. S. are not to be confused with UFOs, which evade identification due to poor data quality or quantity. Rather, with UFOs i. e. S. all conventional stimuli can be excluded from the available data.

The authenticity of the phenomenon is disputed. Older studies argue that unidentified cases merely indicate poor analysis methodology or fraud. However, recent scientific and military studies as well as individual military analyzes confirm the existence of the phenomenon. Its origin or cause is not clear and gives rise to various theories and speculations. Ufology is dedicated to researching the phenomenon .

UFOs in the strict sense are rare. Official numbers or statistics only exist in a few countries. As part of the Project Blue Book , the US Air Force investigated UFO sightings from 1952 to 1969 and classified 701 cases as UFOs in the strict sense . The French GEIPAN gives the number with 448 cases for the period from 1977 to 2007. The Uruguayan Air Force registered 40 cases for the period from 1989 to 2009, the Italian Air Force 106 cases for the period 2001 to 2013. There are no official figures for Germany.

UFO in the broader sense

A UFO in the broader sense is an object or a phenomenon perceived as such that cannot be identified by an observer at the time of sighting. Usually such sightings can be traced back to conventional objects or atmospheric phenomena through an analysis and thus identified. Such objects or phenomena are known as UFO stimuli.

Ulrich Magin points out that reports of UFO sightings already represent the double refraction of an actual event. The trigger is always an objectively present "UFO event", which only becomes a highly subjective "UFO experience" through the perception and interpretation by the eyewitness. As a third stage, a new objectification follows with the recording of the experience in the "UFO report":

“What may have been a mere conjecture about the experience is given an aura of certainty by the report: The witness may have seen vague lights and mistook them for windows, but the report says porthole - and a possibly everyday stimulus has already come into play Spaceship transformed from another star. "

- Ulrich Magin : Kidnapped by UFOs, pp. 9/10.

UFO stimuli

Lenticular cloud

The following phenomena are considered typical UFO stimuli:

IFO

As Identified flying object (IFO) such UFO be referred to, which could be attributed to one or more conventional UFO stimuli. IFOs are thus former UFOs in the broader sense that have been cleared up.

Detailed classification systems

In addition to the categories mentioned here, there are various systematics for classifying UFO sightings. The best-known system comes from J. Allen Hynek and divides the sighting into a total of seven categories, depending on the type of object and interaction with the environment. For a detailed description see Classification of UFOs .

Research on the UFO phenomenon

Research on the UFO phenomenon usually involves the investigation and elucidation of UFO sightings. This activity is also known as ufology and is assigned to the protosciences . Within ufology there are both proponents and opponents of the view that all UFO sightings can be explained conventionally. The most popular non-conventional explanation is the hypothesis that some UFOs are spacecraft from extraterrestrial civilizations.

Organizations in German-speaking countries

There are various private organizations around the world that are dedicated to investigating, clearing up or researching the UFO phenomenon. Orientation and ideology can vary widely between organizations. The most well-known organizations in German-speaking countries include:

  • Central Research Network for Extraordinary Celestial Phenomena (CENAP), founded in 1976, is dedicated to the investigation of UFO sightings and is skeptical of the UFO phenomenon.
  • German-speaking Society for UFO Research (DEGUFO), founded in 1993, aims to specifically research and analyze UFO sightings and to promote the credibility of the phenomenon.
  • Society for Research into the UFO Phenomenon eV (GEP), founded in 1972, focuses on on-site investigations with the aim of "breaking down superstitions about UFOs" . The GEP is attributed to the skeptics.
  • Mutual UFO Network - Central European Society (MUFON-CES), also a society for the investigation of anomalous atmospheric and radar phenomena eV founded in 1974, primarily investigates close-up sightings and advocates unconventional theories about the origin and nature of the phenomenon.
  • Interdisciplinary society for the analysis of anomalous phenomena (IGAAP eV). 2014 emerged from MUFON-CES. The aim of IGAAP eV is to search for new physical theories with which the properties and ultimately the origin of unidentifiable flying objects can be explained. The head of IGAAP is the German physicist and UFO phenomenon researcher Illobrand von Ludwiger, who has published numerous books on the subject.
  • Exopolitics Germany , the youngest UFO group in the German-speaking area, regards the UFO phenomenon as real and represents strikingly esoteric explanations. The group is part of the international exopolitics scene, which as a whole represents theses that conflict with current scientific explanations.
  • Global UFO Network, active in Austria, Germany and the Balkans. Mainly deals with UFO sightings worldwide, but also about Austria. The AUN treats the topic with skepticism. It deals with CE1-CE3, but also near contacts. JH Baumgartner is the founder and head of the network. Founded in 2014 and online since 2015, there are also lectures online, but also in front of an audience.

Selected studies and investigations on the UFO topic

The UFO phenomenon is still the subject of state, academic and private investigations to this day. A selection of the most important studies and investigations:

Academic and Regulatory Studies
Name of the investigation editor year Result
Project EMBLA Institute for Radio Astronomy in Bologna (Italy) / Østfold University (Norway) 2004 UFOs in the strict sense exist. No conclusive theory what it is.
Project Hessdalen University of Applied Sciences Østfold (Norway) 1985 53 UFOs registered in the strict sense. No conclusive theory what it is.
Project Identification University of Missouri (USA) 1980 157 UFOs registered in the strict sense. No conclusive theory what it is.
Observations of Anomalous Atmospheric Phenomena in the USSR: Statistical Analysis Institute for Space Research of the Academy of Sciences of the USSR (USSR) 1979 457 UFOs examined in the strict sense. The UFO phenomenon could not be explained conventionally and should be explored with greater effort.
Scientific Study of Unidentified Flying Objects (Condon Report) University of Colorado (USA) 1969 The topic is scientifically uninteresting. The investigation into the UFO issue should cease.
Project Blue Book: Special Report No. 14 - Analysis of reports of unidentified aerial objects Battelle Memorial Institute (USA) 1954 434 UFOs registered in the strict sense. It is highly unlikely that UFOs are technical devices beyond our current scientific knowledge.
Official investigations
Authority name country founding State of research
Department of Investigación de Fenómenos Aéreos Anómalos (DIFAA) Peru 2013 No results available yet.
Comisión de Estudio de Fenómenos Aeroespaciales (CEFAE) Argentina 2011 23 UFOs registered in the strict sense. Further investigations and analyzes are necessary.
Comité de Estudios de Fenómenos Aéreos Anómalos (CEFAA) Chile 1997 There is a real UFO phenomenon. It is unknown what this phenomenon is or what its origin is. Continued investigation is necessary.
Comisión Receptora e Investigadora de Denuncias de Objetos Voladores No Identificados (CRIDOVNI) Uruguay 1979 40 UFOs registered in the strict sense. According to "our knowledge of air and space, there is currently no explanation for this".
Groupe d'études et d'informations sur les phénomènes aérospatiaux non identifiés (GEIPAN) France 1977 482 UFOs registered in the strict sense. The UFO phenomenon should be explored more, as "revolutionary scientific discoveries" could assume it.
Military studies
Name of the investigation editor year Result
Unidentified Aerial Phenomena in the UK Air Defense Region (Project Condign) United Kingdom Department of Defense (GB) 2000 83 UFOs registered in the strict sense. The existence of UFOs in the strict sense as a real phenomenon is undeniable. The plasma hypothesis is favored. The subject is not of significant defense interest.
Project Blue Book US Air Force (USA) 1969 701 UFOs registered in the strict sense. No threat to national security. No evidence of technological developments beyond scientific knowledge or extraterrestrial origin.
Preliminary Assessment: Unidentified Aerial Phenomena Office of the Director of National Intelligence (USA) 2021 144 UAPs were registered. Five possible explanatory categories have been defined: 1) drones, balloons or birds, 2) natural atmospheric phenomena, 3) US secret programs, 4) foreign systems, 5) other explanations.

The detected objects endanger flight safety and possibly pose a threat to national security.

Significant private studies
Name of the investigation editor year Result
UFOs and defense: What should we prepare for? (COMETA report) COMETA (France) 1999 The existence of UFOs in the narrower sense as a real phenomenon is more or less proven. The extraterrestrial hypothesis is favored. Increased research and safety efforts should be made with regard to the phenomenon.

Social dimension of the phenomenon

Pin board at a UFO congress, France, 2005

The UFO phenomenon is widely known and spread in pop culture . According to a 1990 Gallup Institute poll, 90% of Americans have heard of "UFOs". According to other surveys (1984, 1995) 9% of the US population have even seen a UFO in their lifetime. That translates to the order of 25 million people with sighting experience in the US alone. There are no equivalent data for Germany. Similar surveys, however, indicate a low sighting rate, which would be expected given Germany's greater urbanization.

UFOs are seen in society as a “virtual problem” that is primarily based on imagination without having a real background. Anyone who seriously doubts this, be it through his or her own opinion or experience, is in danger of being socially sanctioned as "crazy" or as a liar. The topic is generally subject to a high taboo threshold. The majority of people with UFO sighting experience report their experience, if at all, only to close friends or family. According to a study (Lee 1968), only 13% of those surveyed with sighting experience stated that they had reported their sighting to an official or unofficial body. As a reason for not reporting, 40% said that the sighting was too insignificant, 19% said they feared being ridiculed, 16% did not know where to turn or in which way, and 6% gave up fear To encounter disinterest.

Sociological consideration of people with UFO sighting experience

In the public discussion, the group of people with UFO sighting experiences is often assumed to have social, psychological, ideological or other characteristics that distinguish them from non-sighters. Examples are a lower level of education , a pronounced sense of validity or pathological tendencies.

Studies have largely refuted these allegations. There are no significant differences in age, gender, social status and education between the group of people with UFO sighting experience and those without UFO sighting experience. Neither can psychopathological disorders or personality traits such as B. particularly vivid imagination, can be associated with UFO sightings. The often-voiced assumption that science fiction films or dealing with the science fiction topic would induce UFO sightings cannot be confirmed either. There is still no significant correlation between astronomical knowledge and the UFO sighting rate. A survey among professional astronomers (Sturrock 1994) showed a sighting rate in the same order of magnitude as in the general population.

In summary, it can be said that for all the examined characteristics, only one significant predictor for UFO sighting experiences was found: the urbanity of the habitat. People from less urban areas have more sighting experiences. This can be explained in terms of the structure of the opportunity: In large cities there is less opportunity to observe the sky.

However, there is evidence that the belief in the existence of UFOs and extraterrestrial life is increasingly found in people with higher education and higher social status.

UFOs in the media

The frequency and evaluation of the UFO phenomenon in the media varies greatly depending on the epoch and medium. At the beginning of the phenomenon, there was a lot of coverage in the US media. In the early to mid-1950s, reporting became increasingly serious: UFOs were seen as real objects and a real problem. At the end of the 1950s, the trend then went back in a skeptical direction. This is also due to a changed information policy on the part of the US Air Force and its increased efforts to provide explanations for UFOs and to keep undeclared cases as concealed as possible. At the latest with the negative result of the Condon Report 1969, the UFO phenomenon is generally considered dubious and unscientific. Media that want to present themselves as serious, therefore report only little on UFO-related topics. If the phenomenon is reported in serious media, it is mostly in an ironic way or with one-sided, critical interpretation patterns. In an analysis of the reporting on UFO-related topics in the magazine Der Spiegel , Mayer (2003) found that facts that contradict conventional explanatory models were left out or reinterpreted. People with unconventional views and experiences would be prejudiced or disqualified through allegations. Similar patterns can also be seen with news agencies like the DPA . The tabloid press generally reports more frequently on the UFO phenomenon, but only as a "supplier of sensations". According to Mayer (2003), the focus here is on the entertainment function. Knowledge transfer or accurate journalistic work can not be found there either.

Westrum (1979) notes that reports of UFO sightings in the press cannot be used as an index of the frequency of UFO sightings. The reporting is too sporadic and random. Based on the coverage of the COMETA Report 1999, Lietz (2006) carried out an analysis of the dissemination of UFO-related information in the international press. It turned out that the mass media had almost no part in reporting on the COMETA report.

As a result, accurate information about the UFO phenomenon can for the most part only be found and published via information channels with little circulation: specialist books, border science magazines and publications by relevant associations and societies. It is difficult for outsiders to differentiate between serious and dubious information. This in turn reinforces the image of the dubiousness of the topic as a whole in society.

After the US Department of Defense released video recordings of the US military from UAPs in 2020 , established media outlets such as The New York Times , The New Yorker , Politico , Washington Examiner and Washington Post also devoted themselves to the UFO issue.

UFOs in the entertainment industry

Fake UFO picture

Regardless of the fact that no scientific proof of ( intelligent ) extraterrestrial life has been found (see also the SETI project), in the media, especially in the 1950s, unfamiliar flying objects were often presented in real life as extraterrestrial spaceships . This notion of UFOs as discus-shaped flying devices of extraterrestrial beings, which was then and is still partly popular today, was also adopted by numerous science fiction authors during this time . An early example of this type of film is The Day the Earth Stood Still by Robert Wise from 1951. The first feature film in which the UFO phenomenon was thematized was The Flying Saucer by Mikel Conrad (USA 1950), the first filmic representation of a UFO took place in 1949 in the serial Bruce Gentry - Daredevil of the Skies .

One of the oldest and best-known works about an attack by alien spaceships that landed on earth is the novel War of the Worlds by H. G. Wells from 1898. A radio play version of the material for which Orson Welles was responsible, released one when it was broadcast on the radio on October 31, 1938 Mass panic started because the audience thought it was a direct report on a real attack. This resulted e.g. In the New York Times, for example, there was a flood of outraged letters to the editor, some demanding that such programs should be banned, while others were disconcerted that panic could break out because it was announced over and over again that it was a radio play .

The novel was filmed in a contemporary interpretation by Byron Haskin in 1953 under the title Battle of the Worlds , which replaced the projectile-like aircraft described by H. G. Wells with flying saucers.

This reflected the media response that had caused the sighting of nine unusual objects by the American pilot Kenneth Arnold on June 24, 1947 near Mount Rainier .

In 1977, the film company Columbia Pictures produced with Steven Spielberg directing the film Close Encounters of the Third Kind (Engl .: Close Encounter of the Third Child ). The title was derived from the UFO incident categories developed by J. Allen Hynek , who acted as an active advisor to film production (Hynek was an astronomical advisor to the U.S. Air Force's UFO Inquiry from 1947 to 1968, Project Blue Book and founded the UFO organization CUFOS Center for UFO Science in 1973). The categories are: 1. UFO observations during the day, 2. Nocturnal lights, 3. Radar-visual, 4. Close encounters within 200 meters (a) the first, (b) the second, (c) the third and ( d) of the fourth kind .

Public interest in the UFO phenomenon also attracted the author Charles Berlitz in his book The Roswell Incident ( dt. Title: The Roswell incident, the UFOs and the CIA. ). Berlitz described an incident (see Roswell incident ) which, according to various press reports , should have occurred in mid-June 1947 near the US air force base near Roswell (New Mexico) . Accordingly, the Luftwaffe reported at the time that they had a "flying saucer" in their possession. The book became a bestseller and achieved cult status in relevant circles. The UFO allegedly crashed in Roswell also plays an important role in Roland Emmerich's film Independence Day (1996) and in Steven Spielberg's Indiana Jones and the Kingdom of the Crystal Skull (2008). In addition, numerous TV series and cinematographic films derived from them dealt with UFOs; the US mystery series The X - Files , for example, became popular .

The science fiction industry and newspaper reports made the idea of ​​UFOs with so-called little green men from Mars popular for a while. This is the idea that Tim Burton had in 1996 in his commercially successful film satire Mars Attacks! (German title: Mars attacks ) benefit.

Detail of a sound table

UFOs in school lessons

In the style of flying saucer (lens-shaped basic shape with glass dome or a circumferential row of windows, landing feet on the outer edge and the antenna at the uppermost point) shown UFO be in reading learning materials ( initial sound table used) as an example word image for the letter U, for example. B. in an edition used in Bavarian elementary schools in 2014 . This implies that the term “UFO” combined with the special icon of the flying saucer is or was generally assumed as part of the receptive vocabulary of German-speaking school beginners .

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Characters and Emoji

With the Unicode version 10.0 published in June 2017 , the character U + 1F6F8 flying saucer with the informative alias “UFO” was added to the traffic and map symbols block and made available as an emoji at the same time .

Interpretation of the phenomenon

There is no single interpretation of the UFO phenomenon. The only basic consensus is that there are people who report UFO sightings and that, despite good data and extensive research, it is not possible to identify a stimulus without contradiction for some of these reports. The question of whether this indicates a “real” UFO phenomenon, in the sense of some kind of anomaly , is, however, controversial. In interpreting the phenomenon, three main directions can be identified:

  • Phantom phenomenon: There is no materially real UFO phenomenon, only a phenomenon in the cultural sense. All UFO sightings are based on misinterpretations of known natural phenomena and aircraft. "Inexplicable" cases arise from the unreliability of witness statements, incorrect measurements, inadequate investigations or willful fraud. For the recognition of a materially real UFO phenomenon, material evidence is required that has not been produced even after more than 60 years of “research”. Viewing reports as " anecdotes " are not scientifically conclusive.
  • Result open: The UFO phenomenon is recognized as real in the sense of an anomaly. Any further interpretation is avoided and the discourse about it is viewed as incomplete. Often references are made to the need for further research in order to arrive at a consistent explanation.
  • Extraterrestrial hypothesis: According to this, space vehicles of extraterrestrial intelligences are perceived as UFOs. These interpretations are based primarily on testimony in which constructed, strange objects and / or strange beings are reported, as well as intelligent acting behavior of the unidentified flying objects. The extraterrestrial hypothesis is particularly popular due to its use in literature and film and is colloquially equated with the term "UFO".

In addition, there are other, less widespread patterns of interpretation such as the plasma hypothesis (atmospheric plasma, which induces UFO sightings, forms under circumstances not previously understood) and UFOs as machines for time travelers or dimensional travelers.

The majority of the scientific community, particularly SETI research, rejects the extraterrestrial hypothesis as highly unlikely as of 2020 and sees UFOs as a phantom phenomenon. The main reason given is often the interstellar distances and the associated energy and time expenditure for interstellar travel, which is not practicable according to scientific knowledge and the currently technically directly foreseeable possibilities for individual generations of biological, fully grown living beings. The quality of the data known to the researchers - such as video recordings and eyewitness reports - as well as the apparently aimless and detectable UFO events rated by these researchers as "unlikely" are often given as reasons.

Myths and Legends

In connection with the UFO phenomenon, a multitude of modern myths , legends and theories are circulating , which have found a wide spread , especially with the adaptation of the topics by the entertainment industry .

  • Alien abductions : Some people report that they were abducted by alien beings, mostly for the purpose of "medical examinations". Often times, such reports begin and / or end during a UFO sighting of the victim.
  • Cattle mutilations: In this “phenomenon”, injuries to animal carcasses make it appear as if the injuries were deliberately inflicted by a person. Characteristics are the absence of individual organs / body parts, as well as the absence of blood at the place of discovery and in the carcass. Most of the reports come from ranchers in the United States and South America. According to some theories, UFOs or their occupants, who remove organs from animals for unknown purposes, are also responsible for this.
  • Crop circles : UFO sightings are often reported in connection with crop circles. Again, there is the myth that UFOs or their occupants are responsible for creating the crop circles.
  • Conspiracy within the US government : According to this, the US government should conceal detailed knowledge about an alien presence, possibly even meetings or agreements with aliens. Famous in this context is the Roswell incident , according to which an alien flying disc crashed and was secretly recovered by the US military. Alleged " insiders " like Robert 'Bob' Lazar or the witnesses of the Disclosure Project speak of secret operations, departments and research on extraterrestrial technology within the US military and the secret services. In the USA in particular, this conspiracy theory has many supporters. According to surveys, 75 to 80% of Americans believe that their government is holding back knowledge about aliens.
  • Reich flying disks are part of a myth that says that saucer-shaped aircraft and space vehicles were built and tested in the National Socialist German Reich .

UFOs in Religious Systems

Since the UFO phenomenon attracted greater public attention in the middle of the 20th century, various neo-religious , mostly sect-like movements have formed, which include UFOs as a central component of their belief system. Mostly the leaders of the religious groups claim to receive messages from extraterrestrial intelligences.

See also

literature

  • DS Gillmor (Ed.): Scientific Study of UFOs. Bantam Books, USA 1969.
  • Illobrand von Ludwiger : The state of the UFO research. 4th updated edition. Zweiausendeins, Frankfurt 1994, ISBN 3-86150-057-4 .
  • Paul R. Hill: Unconventional Flying Objects. A Scientific Analysis. Hampton Roads Publ. 1995, ISBN 1-57174-027-9 .
  • John , Anne Spencer: Fifty Years of UFOs. Heyne, Munich 1997, ISBN 3-453-12925-3 .
  • Jochen Ickinger: Methodical approach to UFO case investigations. In: Journal of Anomalies. Volume 6, 2006, pp. 116-162 ( anomalistik.de PDF).
  • Edgar Wunder : UFO sighting experiences from the perspective of the social sciences. Literature overview, current research status, open questions. In: Journal of Anomalies. Volume 6, 2006, pp. 163-211 ( anomalistik.de PDF).
  • Carl Gustav Jung : A Modern Myth. Of things seen in the sky Rascher, Zurich 1958.
  • Edward U. Condon : Final report of the scientific study of unidentified flying objects. Dutton, New York 1969.
  • Leon Davidson: Flying Saucers - An analysis of the Air Force Project Blue Book Special Report No. 14. US Governm. printing Office, Washington 1957.
  • J. Allen Hynek : UFO report. A research report. Goldmann, Munich 1978, ISBN 3-442-11703-8 .
  • Alexander Wendt & Raymond Duvall: Sovereignty and the UFO. In: Political Theory. 2008, volume 36, no. 4, pp. 607-633 ( abstract ), uapreporting.org (PDF), accessed on November 28, 2014.
  • Pierre Lagrange: UFOs, Invaders and Conspiracies . In: Le Monde diplomatique . January 22, 2009.
  • Illobrand von Ludwiger: UFOs - the unwanted truth. Kopp Verlag, Rottenburg 2009, ISBN 978-3-938516-84-3 . To better classify the work, a critical review in the Journal for UFO Research. from 2011.
  • Leslie Kean: UFOs: Generals, Pilots, and Government Officials Go on the Record . Three Rivers Press, 2011, ISBN 978-0-307-71708-5 (English, German translation UFOs generals, pilots and government representatives break their silence , published in 2012 by Kopp Verlag).
  • Josef Otto Schedel: UFO chronicle. Three decades of UFO history in words and pictures. Marktoberdorf (Argo) 2010, ISBN 978-3-937987-92-7 .
  • Michael Schetsche , Andreas Anton (Ed.): This side of the thought prohibitions. Building blocks for reflective UFO research , Berlin / Münster (Lit) 2013, ISBN 978-3-643-12039-7 .

E-books

  • Axel Ertelt : The UFO Case Reiner Haupt , E-Book, Ancient Mail Verlag, Groß-Gerau, 2014

Web links

Commons : UFO  - collection of images, videos and audio files
Wiktionary: UFO  - explanations of meanings, word origins, synonyms, translations

Remarks

  1. ↑ Plasma hypothesis : Hypothesis according to which spontaneously forming, atmospheric plasma is perceived as a UFO. The physical basis for such a hypothetical atmospheric plasma is still incomplete. See also ufology .
  2. ↑ COMETA (from French COMité d'ETudes Approfondie ): Private group from the environment of the French Ministry of Defense. Led by Denis Letty, Major General in the French Air Force. See also article Ufology
  3. ↑ Disclosure Project US organization that disclosure (Engl.: Disclosure is) supposedly secret information about the UFO phenomenon to the goal. ( disclosureproject.org )

Individual evidence

  1. ↑ a b c Pentagon publishes mysterious recordings: Can you see UFOs here? In: Der Spiegel. Retrieved May 20, 2021 .
  2. ^ A b c Gideon Lewis-Kraus: How the Pentagon Started Taking UFOs Seriously. Retrieved May 20, 2021 (American English).
  3. ↑ a b c How will intelligence community UFO report deal with the true unknowns? May 19, 2021, accessed May 20, 2021 .
  4. ↑ Main spelling according to: Duden - the German orthography , 28th edition 2020, page 1163, ISBN 978-3-411-04018-6
  5. ↑ Hillary Clinton Gives UFO Buffs Hope She Will Open the X-Files nytimes.com, accessed May 14, 2016.
  6. ↑ Examples of the use of the term UAP are the French national group for the investigation of information on unidentified atmospheric phenomena ( GEIPAN ) and the study Project Condign commissioned by the British Ministry of Defense . A project started as part of the International Year of Astronomy 2009 also uses this designation.
  7. ^ The Unidentified Aerospace Phenomena (UAP) Observations Reporting Scheme - The Project. (English); On: uapreporting.org. Retrieved November 28, 2014.
  8. ↑ see definitions - lexical explanation on the GEP e. V .; Retrieved November 28, 2014.
  9. ↑ a b c d e f Marco Evers: Revelation of secret UFO information: "There are many more sightings than previously known to the public" (S +). In: Der Spiegel. Retrieved June 8, 2021 .
  10. ↑ Nolan Skiff: Impossible! Maybe, But Seein 'Is Believin', Says Flier . In: East Oregonian . June 25, 1947.
  11. ^ Bug-Eyed Salesman Reports Fast-Flying Mystery Planes . In: Norman Oklahoma . June 26, 1947.
  12. ^ Letter from Kenneth Arnold to the US Air Force . In: Project Blue Book Archive (Ed.): Project Blue Book . Project Sign / Project Sign Roll 1, p. 132-140 ( bluebookarchive.org [accessed November 28, 2014] PID: USAF-SIGN1-132).
  13. ↑ Kenneth Arnold: I Did See the Flying Disks . In: Fate Magazine . tape 1 , 1 (Spring 1948), 1948 ( ufologie.patrickgross.org [accessed November 28, 2014]).
  14. ↑ Carl Sagan: The Demon-Haunted World . Headline Book Publishing, London 1997, ISBN 0-7472-5156-8 , pp. 69 .
  15. ↑ Reader's Digest (Ed.): Mysteries of the Unexplained . Reader's Digest, 1985, ISBN 0-276-38003-7 , pp. 207-209 .
  16. ^ Jacques Vallée : Passport to Magonia: On UFOs, Folklore, and Parallel Worlds . McGraw-Hill / Contemporary, 1993, ISBN 0-8092-3796-2 , pp. 5 ( “Passport to Magonia” on scribd.com ( Memento of December 31, 2013 in the Internet Archive )).
  17. ↑ a b C. G. Jung: A modern myth - Of things that are seen in the sky . Rascher Verlag, Zurich 1958.
  18. ↑ Charles Fort : The Book of the Damned. (Original title: The Book Of The Damned. 1919., second edition. 1941), Verlag Zweiausendeins, 1995.
  19. ↑ Edward Walter Maunder: The Observatory . tape 39 , no. 214 .
  20. ↑ An event on the night of February 24-25, 1942: Several witnesses saw one or more unidentified objects over Los Angeles. The air defense fired for about an hour with no noticeable effect. The object (s) has never been identified. ( The California State Military Museum ( February 2, 2009 memento on the Internet Archive ))
  21. ↑ Sir Winston Churchill wanted a full report on UFOs. On: telegraph.co.uk. February 18, 2010, accessed November 28, 2014.
  22. ↑ Secret UFO Files. Royal Airforce flew 200 sorties a year. ( Memento from August 8, 2010 in the Internet Archive ) On: tagesschau.sf.tv. August 5, 2010.
  23. ↑ Winston Churchill, Dwight Eisenhower covered up UFO sighting in England, letter claims. On: nydailynews.com. August 5, 2010.
  24. ↑ a b heise online: Pentagon publishes three videos of UFOs. Retrieved May 20, 2021 .
  25. ↑ a b Helene Cooper, Ralph Blumenthal, Leslie Kean: Glowing Auras and 'Black Money': The Pentagon's Mysterious UFO Program . In: The New York Times . December 16, 2017, ISSN  0362-4331 ( nytimes.com [accessed May 20, 2021]).
  26. ^ Dozens Claim They Spotted UFO in Texas. In: National Public Radio . Retrieved May 20, 2021 .
  27. ↑ UFO report by the secret services: US military has no evidence for - or against aliens. In: Der Spiegel. Retrieved June 8, 2021 .
  28. ^ Battelle Memorial Institute (ed.): Project Blue Book: Special Report No. 14 - Analysis of reports of unidentified aerial objects . 1954 (American English, commissioned by the US Air Force).
  29. ^ Edward U. Condon: Scientific Study of Unidentified Flying Objects . Ed .: University of Colorado . New York 1968 (American English, ncas.org [accessed November 28, 2014] on behalf of the US Air Force).
  30. ↑ Harley D. Rutledge: Project Identification: The First Scientific Field Study of Ufo Phenomena . Ed .: University of Missouri . Prentice Hall Trade, Englewood Cliffs, NJ 1982, ISBN 0-13-730705-5 .
  31. ↑ MSc.EE. Erling Strand: Project Hessdalen 1984 - Final Technical Report. Hochschule Østfold, 1985, accessed on November 28, 2014 : “We have not found out what this phenomenon is. [...] But we know that the phenomenon, whatever it is, can be measured. "
  32. ^ Massimo Teodorani: A Long-Term Scientific Survey of the Hessdalen Phenomenon . In: Journal of Scientific Exploration . tape 18 , no. 2 , 2004, p. 217-251 (English, online [PDF; accessed on November 28, 2014] A study by the Institute for Radio Astronomy in Bologna, p. 217): “A self-consistent definitive theory of the phenomenon's nature and origin in all its aspects cannot be constructed yet quantitatively. "
  33. ↑ LM Gindilis, DA Menkow, IG Petrowskaja: Observations of anomalous atmospheric phenomena in the USSR: Statistical analysis . Ed .: Academy of the Scientific Institute for Space Research. Moscow 1979, ISBN 0-929343-54-9 (Original in Russian. ISBN applies to English translation “Observations of Anomalous Atmospheric Phenomena in the USSR, Statistical Analysis” ).
  34. ↑ Defense Intelligence Analysis Staff, United Kingdom Department of Defense (Ed.): Unidentified Aerial Phenomena in the UK Air Defense Region - Scientific & Technical Memorandum 55/2/00 . 2000 (English, webarchive.nationalarchives.gov.uk [PDF; accessed on November 28, 2014] p. 4): “That UAP exist is indisputable […] [they] clearly can exhibit aerodynamic characteristics well beyond those of any known aircraft or missile - either manned or unmanned. "
  35. ↑ Major General of the Air Force Wilfried de Brouwer: Summary Report on Observations 30-31 March 1990 . Ed .: Belgian Air Force. 1990 (English, ufoevidence.org [accessed November 28, 2014]).
  36. ^ Brigadier General of the Air Force Jose Pessoa Cavalcanti de Albuquerque: Event Report / Brasilia-DF, June 02, 1986 . Ed .: Brazilian Ministry of Aviation, Air Defense Command. 1986 ( ufo.com.br [PDF; accessed on November 28, 2014] Portuguese: Relatorio de Ocoprencia / Brasilia-DF, 02 de Junho de 1986. ).
  37. ↑ United States Air Force (Ed.): US Air Force Fact Sheet Concerning UFO's and Project BLUE BOOK . 1985 (American English, archives.gov [accessed November 28, 2014]).
  38. ↑ GEIPAN UAP investigation unit opens its files. GEIPAN , March 26, 2007, accessed November 28, 2014 .
  39. ^ Daniel Iglesias: Hay aún 40 casos de ovnis sin explicación. (PDF; 598 kB) El País (Uruguay) , June 8, 2009, accessed on November 28, 2014 (Spanish, translation into English ).
  40. ↑ Oggetti Volanti Non identificati (OVNI). Aeronautica Militare / Ministero Della Difesa, 2010, accessed November 28, 2014 (Italian).
  41. ↑ Ulrich Magin: Kidnapped by UFOs. Close encounters of the fourth kind . Beck'sche Reihe, Munich 1991, ISBN 3-406-34054-7 .
  42. ↑ Work and goals. Society for Research into the UFO Phenomenon eV, 2009, accessed on June 13, 2009 .
  43. ↑ Massimo Teodorani, Gloria Nobili: EMBLA 2002 - An Optical and Ground Survey in Hessdalen. (PDF; 1.2 MB) University of Applied Sciences Østfold, 2002, accessed on November 28, 2014 (English).
  44. ^ Massimo Teodorani: A Long-Term Scientific Survey of the Hessdalen Phenomenon. (PDF; 761 kB) Journal of Scientific Exploration, 2006, p. 217 , accessed on November 28, 2014 (English): "" A self-consistent definitive theory of the phenomenon's nature and origin in all its aspects cannot be constructed yet quantitatively ”“
  45. ↑ MSc.EE. Erling Strand: Project Hessdalen 1984 - Final Technical Report. Østfold University of Applied Sciences, 1985, accessed on November 28, 2014 .
  46. ↑ MSc.EE. Erling Strand: Project Hessdalen: Spectrographic records. Østfold University of Applied Sciences, September 1997, accessed on November 28, 2014 .
  47. ^ Project Hessdalen 1984 - Final Technical Report, quote: “We have not found out what this phenomenon is. [...] But we know that the phenomenon, whatever it is, can be measured. "
  48. ↑ Harley D. Rutledge: Project Identification: The First Scientific Field Study of Ufo Phenomena . Ed .: University of Missouri. Prentice Hall , 1982, ISBN 0-13-730705-5 .
  49. ↑ Illobrand von Ludwiger: The state of the UFO research . 4th edition. Zweiausendeins, Frankfurt 1994, ISBN 3-86150-057-4 , pp. 77 ff .
  50. ↑ LM Gindilis, DA Menkow, IG Petrovskaya: Observations of Anomalous Atmospheric Phenomena in the USSR, Statistical Analysis . Ed .: USSR Academy of Science, Institute of Space Research. Moscow 1979, ISBN 0-929343-54-9 (German translation of the title: Observations of anomalous atmospheric phenomena in the USSR: Statistical analysis ).
  51. ↑ Illobrand von Ludwiger: The state of the UFO research . 4th edition. Zweiausendeins, Frankfurt 1994, ISBN 3-86150-057-4 , pp. 166 ff .
  52. ^ Edward U. Condon: Scientific Study of Unidentified Flying Objects . University of Colorado, 1968 ( files.ncas.org [accessed November 28, 2014] on behalf of the US Air Force).
  53. ↑ Scientific Study of Unidentified Flying Objects, quotation: "Our general conclusion is that nothing has come from the study of UFOs in the past 21 years that has added to scientific knowledge." (P. 2), “[…] we do not think at present that anything worthwhile is likely to come of such [UFO] research […]” (p. 5).
  54. ^ Battelle Memorial Institute (Ed.): Project Blue Book: Special Report No. 14 - Analysis of reports of unidentified aerial objects . 1954 ( bluebookarchive.org [accessed November 28, 2014] on behalf of the US Air Force).
  55. ^ Project Blue Book: Special Report No. 14. Quote: “It is considered to be highly improbable that reports of unidentified aerial objects […] represents observations of technological developments outside of the range of the present-day scientific knowledge.” (Page viii).
  56. ↑ Dan Collyns: Peru's UFO investigations office to be reopened. The Guardian, October 27, 2013, accessed November 28, 2014 .
  57. ↑ Veronica Smink: Avistamiento de ovnis, una “cuestión militar” en Argentina. BBC Mundo, January 7, 2011, accessed November 28, 2014 (Spanish).
  58. ↑ Ezequiel Viéitez: La Fuerza Aérea investiga 23 casos posibles de ovnis. Clarín.com, March 5, 2012, accessed November 28, 2014 (Spanish).
  59. ↑ Antonio Huneeus: UFO Disclosure Chilean Style. OpenMindes, March 5, 2012, accessed on November 28, 2014 (English, lecture can also be found here as video ): "" After a lecture full of official evidences, both audio and visual, Gen. Bermúdez proceeded to list the conclusions about the UFO phenomenon reached by CEFAA. These are: 1. The Anomalous Aerial Phenomenon characterized as UFO is real and it is present inside and outside the Controlled Air Space. 2. We do not know what it is and where it came from. 3. It is necessary to continue studying the phenomenon. 4. It is necessary to share all the information. ”“
  60. ^ Ricardo Francino Saldivia: Organismo estatal a cargo del tema OVNI: "Fenómeno es real". Terra Chile, March 18, 2014, accessed November 28, 2014 (Spanish).
  61. ↑ AJ Gevaerd: Uruguay Air Force openly researches UFOs for more than three Decades. (PDF) (No longer available online.) In: Brazilian UFO Magazine. April 1, 2012, p. 5 , archived from the original on November 7, 2014 ; accessed on November 28, 2014 : "" Those were unconventional events to which our air and space knowledge have no explanation so far. ""
  62. ↑ GEIPAN: Répartition des cas d'OBSERVATION par type (November 28, 2011). November 28, 2011, accessed November 28, 2014 (French).
  63. ↑ GEIPAN: GEIPAN UAP investigation unit opens its files. GEIPAN, March 26, 2007, accessed on November 28, 2014 (English): "" some of the 1,600 reported sightings in GEIPAN's files [...] cannot be explained despite precise witness accounts and good-quality evidence recovered from the scene. ", "GEIPAN is hoping to focus the attention of the scientific community on these unexplained phenomena, which could conceal truly revolutionary scientific discoveries."
  64. ^ Department of Defense of the United Kingdom (Ed.): Unidentified Aerial Phenomena in the UK Air Defense Region . Scientific & Technical Memorandum 55/2/00. 2000 ( webarchive.nationalarchives.gov.uk [accessed November 28, 2014]).
  65. ^ Unidentified Aerial Phenomena in the UK Air Defense Region: Executive Summary. (PDF) (No longer available online.) Ministry of Defense, December 2000, p. 4 , archived from the original on October 26, 2012 ; accessed on November 28, 2014 (English): "" That UAP exist is indisputable ... [they] clearly can exhibit aerodynamic characteristics well beyond those of any known aircraft or missile - either manned or unmanned. ""
  66. ↑ US Air Force: USAF Fact Sheet 95-03: Unidentified Flying Objects and Air Force Project Blue Book. CUFON, June 1995, accessed November 28, 2014 .
  67. ↑ Preliminary Assessment: Unidentified Aerial Phenomena. Retrieved June 26, 2021 .
  68. ↑ General Denis Letty, General Bernard Norlain, Jean-Jacques Vélasco, inter alia: Les Ovni Et La Defense: A quoi doit-on se préparer? In: COMETA (Ed.): VSD . Special edition. Prisma Presse, July 16, 1999, ISSN  1278-916X (links to English translation “Ufos and defense: What should we prepare for?”). Part 1 ( Memento from July 6, 2010 in the Internet Archive ) (PDF; 773 kB) / Part 2 ( Memento from July 16, 2009 in the Internet Archive ) (PDF; 2.1 MB).
  69. ↑ UFOs and defense: What should we prepare for? / Part II. (PDF; 2.1 MB) (No longer available online.) Ufoevidence.org, July 1999, p. 71 ff. , Archived from the original on July 16, 2009 ; accessed on November 28, 2014 (English): "" [...] almost certain physical reality of completely unknown flying objects with remarkable flight performances and noiselessness, apparently operated by intelligent [beings]. […] A single hypothesis sufficiently takes into account the facts […]. It is the hypothesis of extraterrestrial visitors. ”“
  70. ^ John F. Schuessler: Public Opinion Surveys and Unidentified Flying Objects. 50+ years of Sampling Public Opinions . Mutual UFO Network, 2000 ( Public Opinion Surveys and Unidentified Flying Objects 50+ years of Sampling Public Opinions ( Memento from January 30, 2013 in the Internet Archive )). Public Opinion Surveys and Unidentified Flying Objects. 50+ years of Sampling Public Opinions ( Memento from January 30, 2013 in the Internet Archive )
  71. ^ TA Zimmer: Social Psychological Correlates of Possible UFO Sightings . In: Journal of Social Psychology . tape 123 , no. 2 , 1984, p. 199-206 .
  72. ↑ JA Saliba: Religious Dimensions of UFO Phenomena . In: JR Lewis (Ed.): The Gods have landed: New Religions from Other Worlds . University of New York Press, Albany 1995, pp. 15-64 .
  73. ↑ M. Schetsche: Real and virtual problems: “UFO abduction experiences” as a test case for (problem) sociology . In: Berlin Journal for Sociology . 1998, p. 223-244 .
  74. ^ A. Lee: Public Attitudes towards UFO Phenomena . In: EU Condon (Ed.): Scientific study of unidentified flying objects . Bantam, New York 1968, pp. 209-243 .
  75. ↑ a b c Edgar Wunder: UFO sighting experiences from the perspective of the social sciences . In: Journal of Anomalies . tape 6 , no. 2 , 2006, p. 163–211 ( anomalistik.de [PDF; accessed on November 28, 2014]).
  76. ↑ Alexander G. Keul: Personality variables and reality check of unusual witness statements. 10 individual case studies on so-called UFO observations in Vienna and Lower Austria. Vienna 1980, Austrian National Library.
  77. ^ Sturrock, PA: Report on a Survey of the Membership of the American Astronomical Society Concerning the UFO Problem: Part 1 . In: Journal of Scientific Exploration . No. 8 , 1994, pp. 1-45 ( online [PDF]).
  78. ↑ Edgar Wunder: UFO sighting experiences from the perspective of the social sciences . In: Journal of Anomalies . tape 6 , no. 2 , 2006, p. 182 ( anomalistik.de [PDF; accessed on November 28, 2014]): “[…] because - as is well known and documented (e.g. cheap 1982, p. 157; EMNID 1987; Institut für Demoskopie 1985; Lee 1968) - the belief in UFOs as well as the belief in extraterrestrial life correlate positively with education and social status "
  79. ↑ Gerald K. Haines: CIA's Role in the Study of UFOs, 1947-90. Central Intelligence Agency (CIA), April 14, 2007, accessed on November 28, 2014 (English): "The public was convinced they [UFOs] were real"
  80. ^ A b JC Hickman, ED McConkey, MA Barrett: Fewer Sightings in the National Press: A Content Analysis of UFO News Coverage in the New York Times, 1947-1995 . In: Journal of UFO Studies . tape 6 , 1996, pp. 213-226 .
  81. ^ Colonel George E. Perry, USAF, Directorate of Intelligence .: RE: concerning the “Unidentified Flying Object Program” . MEMO to Brigadier General WM Burgess, USAF Air Defense Command. Ed .: US Air Force. 1953 (English, RE: concerning the "Unidentified Flying Object Program" ( memento of January 7, 2009 in the Internet Archive ) [accessed on February 19, 2010]): “… for those times where the object is not explainable, it would be well to advise your people to say something on this order. 'The information on this sighting will be analyzed by the Air Technical Intelligence Center at Dayton, Ohio,' and leave it at that… ” RE: concerning the“ Unidentified Flying Object Program ” ( Memento of January 7, 2009 in the Internet Archive )
  82. ↑ Gerald K. Haines: CIA's Role in the Study of UFOs, 1947-90. Central Intelligence Agency (CIA), April 14, 2007, accessed on November 28, 2014 : "... the panel recommended that the National Security Council debunk UFO reports and institute a policy of public education to reassure the public of the lack of evidence behind UFOs. It suggested using the mass media, advertising, business clubs, schools, and even the Disney corporation to get the message across. "
  83. ↑ G. Mayer: Writing about boundaries . In: Edgar Wunder (Hrsg.): Journal for Anomalistics . tape 3 , 2003, p. 8-46 .
  84. ↑ Warning, disinformation: What DPA is hiding from you. German Initiative for Exopolitics, November 15, 2007, accessed on November 28, 2014 .
  85. ^ A b RM Westrum: UFO Reporting Dynamics . In: RF Haines (Ed.): UFO Phenomena and the Behavioral Scientist . Scorecrow Press, Metachen / London 1979, ISBN 0-8108-1228-2 .
  86. ^ H. Lietz: UFOs in the media - analysis of reporting on the COMETA study, 1999-2001 . In: Edgar Wunder (Hrsg.): Journal for Anomalistics . tape 6 , 2006, p. 12-57 .
  87. ↑ Bryan Bender: Pentagon watchdog opens new probe into military's handling of UFOs. Retrieved May 20, 2021 .
  88. ↑ Perspective | UFOs exist and everyone needs to adjust to that fact . In: Washington Post . ISSN  0190-8286 ( washingtonpost.com [accessed May 20, 2021]).
  89. ^ Howard Koch: The Panic Broadcast. The Whole Story of Orson Welles' Legendary Radio Show. The Hearst Corp., New York 1970.
  90. ↑ Writing table for Happy Learning (Primer). Vienna (Österreichischer Bundesverlag) / Stuttgart (Klett Verlag) 2014. Here in the lens shape with surrounding row of windows, for the spelling of the phoneme / u: /, next to a pair of underpants for the identical phoneme / ʊ /.
  91. ↑ Code charts - Transport and Map Symbols. (PDF) UTC (Unicode Technical Consortium), June 20, 2017, accessed on July 12, 2017 .
  92. ↑ Emoji Recently Added, v5.0. UTC (Unicode Technical Consortium), July 7, 2017, accessed July 12, 2017 .
  93. ↑ Edgar Wunder: Editorial: Research Questions and Basic Consensus . In: Zeitschrift für Anomalistik (=  The discussion about UFOs from a natural and social science perspective ). tape 6 , no. 1 + 2 + 3 , 2006, ISBN 978-3-937361-07-9 , ISSN  1617-4720 , p. 8 .
  94. ^ Based on Michael Schetsche, Andreas Anton: Introduction Diesseits der Denkverbote . In: This side of the thought prohibitions (=  Perspectives of Anomalistics 2 ). Lit Verlag, Berlin 2013, ISBN 978-3-643-12039-7 , pp. 14th ff .
  95. ^ Department of Defense of the United Kingdom (Ed.): Unidentified Aerial Phenomena in the UK Air Defense Region . Scientific & Technical Memorandum 55/2/00. 2000 ( webarchive.nationalarchives.gov.uk [accessed November 28, 2014]).
  96. ↑ Illobrand von Ludwiger: The state of the UFO research . 4th edition. Zweiausendeins, Frankfurt 1994, ISBN 3-86150-057-4 .
  97. ↑ Michael Schetsche: SETI, SETA and the UFO question . In: This side of the thought prohibitions (=  Perspectives of Anomalistics 2 ). Lit Verlag, Berlin 2013, ISBN 978-3-643-12039-7 , pp. 165 ff .
  98. ↑ https://news.asu.edu/20190620-asu-news-truth-probably-not-far-out-there
  99. ↑ https://www.npr.org/2020/05/22/861195002/the-navy-says-ufos-are-real-are-they-little-green-people-unlikely?t=1624572991014
  100. ↑ Bill Donovan: Mutilated bull: No blood, no clues. (No longer available online.) Gallup Independent, May 5, 2007, archived from the original on May 8, 2007 ; accessed on June 26, 2009 .
  101. ↑ "UFO" drew its circles. Spiegel Online, June 8, 2000, accessed November 28, 2014 .
  102. ↑ Katelynn Raymer, David Ruppe: Group Calls for Disclosure of UFO info. abcNews, May 10, 2001, accessed November 28, 2014 .
  103. ↑ Markus Becker: Richter should drag UFO documents to light. Spiegel Online, October 22, 2003, accessed on November 28, 2014 : "According to surveys, up to 75 percent of Americans believe that the Washington government has knowledge of extraterrestrial visitors and has kept it secret for decades."
  104. ↑ Invasion of the Dolls . In: Der Spiegel . No. 27 , 1997 ( online - June 26, 2009 ). Quote: "According to the latest CNN poll, 80 percent of Americans surveyed believe that the government is keeping knowledge about extraterrestrials secret"
  105. ↑ heise online : French space researchers open UFO archive , December 27, 2006.
  106. ↑ heise online : France puts UFO archive on the Internet , March 22, 2007.