CSICOP Responds to the Recent UFO Report Sponsored by the Society for Scientific Exploration (SSE)

Background:

Statements:

Paul Kurtz, CSICOP founder and chair, Professor Emeritus, SUNY at Buffalo.

Why is this news? The observation that some things sighted in the sky are unknown and merit further investigation is not a new revelation. We are committed to an open-minded inquiry into any responsible paranormal claims. CSICOP has encouraged UFO research for more than two decades, and has published the results of rigorous UFO investigations. Some cases do remain unexplained. But that we should now devote government resources to further research is questionable. In our view, the government should not divert funds and time from other more fruitful scientific projects. Given limited resources for scientific research, the evidence to date regarding UFOs does not merit such strong attention. The idea that we should devote the business of the United States Congress to hearings on UFOs borders on the ridiculous.

The release of the report appears well-timed to gain publicity for the SSE and their claims. It occurs a week after the release of the X-Files movie and during the week of Fourth of July when news is slow.

Philip J. Klass, CSICOP fellow, Senior Editor with Aviation Week and Space Technology magazine, leading UFO investigator and author.

The SSE recommends the creation of government funded UFO research projects like the one called GEPAN (Groupe D'Etudes des Phenomenes Aerospatiaux Non- identifies), created in 1977 by France which reported to the highly respected French space agency - CNES. In 1988, after more than a decade of UFO investigations, GEPAN's budget was drastically reduced, its mission was refocused to emphasize collecting reports of reentering satellite debris and meteorites, and its name was changed to SEPRA (Service d' Expertise des Phenomenes des Rentrees Atmospheriques).

During GEPAN's 11-year research effort, its most impressive UFO case involved a peasant living in Trans-en-Provence who claimed a strange craft hovered over his yard in broad daylight. GEPAN strongly endorsed the case based on its investigation into alleged UFO-caused effects on nearby plants, which GEPAN/SEPRA director Jean-Jacques Velasco described to the SSE's panel of experts. Velasco did not inform the SSE panel of scientists that a recent investigation by a pro-UFO French investigator - Eric Maillot - indicates that the Trans-en-Provence case is a hoax.

It is unfortunate that the SSE did not assemble a more balanced roster of UFO investigators to present evidence to the panel of scientists. The whole evaluation process appears suspiciously weighted to one side of the UFO debate.

Kendrick Frazier, Editor of Skeptical Inquirer: The Magazine for Science and Reason and CSICOP fellow.

There's really nothing new in the report. I have serious doubts there is any real scientific paydirt in the UFO question, not the kind that merits taxpayer money being spent. The JSE, while presented as neutral and objective, appears to hold a hidden agenda. They seem to be interested in promoting fringe topics as real mysteries and they tend to ignore most evidence to the contrary. They publish 'scholarly' articles promoting the reality of dowsing, neo-astrology, ESP, and psychokinesis. Most of the prominent and active members are strong believers in the reality of such phenomena. I have no objections to the scientific panel that reviewed the UFO testimony for the study. But the eight people who provided the testimony and evidence are all strong UFO proponents and believers. They have been promoting the UFO cause for decades. There are no skeptical researchers among them. This is very curious if one is to contend this is some kind of balanced assessment.

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Related Information

• JSE Press Release and UFO Report
• MSNBC Article
• ABCnews.com article
• Washington Post article

• Books:
  • The UFO Invasion