The National Investigations Committee on Aerial Phenomena (Nicap)

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Approved For Release 2001/04/02 : CIA-RDP81R00560R000100010001-0

Date&Location	Type of UFO	Distance estimate	Sound&Maneuvers
8-11-58;Acright,N.Y.	bright white light	--	moved with skipping motion,droning noise
9-21-58;Sheffield Lake,Ohio	glowing disc	6 ft.alt.,10 ft. distance	“whirring”or“whining”noise,constant
10-26-58;Baltimore,Maryland	glowing ellipse	320 ft. distance,hoveringlow over bridge	hovered,shot straight up making thunderous explosive noise
2-3-59;Oil City,Pa.	circular	below low cloud ceiling	high-speed pass,swishing noise
7-13-59;Blenheim,N.Z.	disc	below treetops	descended,hovered,low humming sound;rose vertically at high speed with“thinhigh-pitched whine”[SectionXIV]
8-17-60;Folsom,Calif.	dark,body lightsvisible	--	whine“like spinning top”
8-18-60;Dunsmuir,Calif.	reddish oblong	--	sound“like rushing wind”
9-13-62;Nr Overfield,England	grayish disc	about height of telegraph poles	hovered,made“swishing”noise as it sped away

The eighteen cases above were selected from a larger sample (approximately 50) of readily available sound cases, in a manner designed to minimize the accidental inclusion of misidentified aircraft, etc., which may have been seen under unusual lighting conditions and reported as UFOs. This was done by taking cases in which the UFOs exhibited "typical" characteristics such as sharp turns, erratic maneuvers, and rapid acceleration. Cases involving simple straight line flight at moderate speeds, regardless of the physical appearance of the supposed UFO, were excluded. The result gives a wide distribution, both by date and geographical location, of fairly typical UFO sightings, with the added feature of sound from the objects.

## These apparent patterns emerge:

* UFOs which make sharp explosive noise during rapid acceleration or high-speed flight.

* UFOs which emit a humming (whining or whirring) noise while hovering or moving relatively slowly.

* UFOs which make a whistling or "swishing" noise like rushing air.

Assuming that the sample of cases is representative, we next have to take into account variations in terminology used by different witnesses in describing what they have heard. We shall assume that "whirring," "whining," or "humming" constitute a single type of sound. This has sometimes been compared to the sound made by an electric motor or generator.

The French theorist, Lieutenant Plantier, has developed the concept of deriving propulsive force from primary cosmic rays by transforming the energy into "a local field of force that can be varied and directed at will." His theory has the merit of predicting some of the observed features of UFOs. However, it rules out sonic booms (postulating that an air cushion carried along with the UFO would buffer sound), when there is evidence that UFOs do make sonic booms.

Another similar approach, suggested by Prof. Dr. Hermann Oberth, is that whoever operates the UFOs has knowledge of the control of gravity. The UFOs' apparent circumvention of the laws of inertia, as we understand them, has been the single most difficult feature of UFO phenomena to account for. Could control of gravity explain how this is possible?

The above speculation may or may not be close to the truth. If we forget for the moment the problem of inertial effects and assume we are dealing with controlled devices which in some manner surmount that problem, we can hypothetically explain the UFO sounds as (a) actual sonic booms; (b) actual "engine" noises very similar to a "whirring" electric motor; and (c) whistling, rushing air effects of a solid body traveling through air.

There are indications that only the sonic booms are heard at any appreciable distance. At distances comparable to those attained by high-altitude aircraft, where we are able to hear jet or piston engines at least faintly, UFOs apparently are virtually silent. The July 13, 1959, New Zealand case (and similar data) suggests a direct relationship between the level of sound and acceleration, with increased intensity or shrillness when power is applied.

## Angel's Hair

An interesting phenomenon which has been linked with UFOs is so-called "angel's hair." This gossamer-like substance has been observed falling from the sky, sometimes in great quantity. However, it (if indeed only one type of substance is involved) has only been observed in association with UFOs in about one-half of the cases. Also, it is obvious that in many cases the substance has been nothing but cobwebs spun by ballooning spiders. [Natural History, January 1951; "Those Things in the Sky."] On at least one occasion, small spiders have actually been found in the material leaving little doubt about the identification.

Although we do not presently consider angel's hair to be significant evidence of UFOs, (or for that matter to be clearly differentiated from spider webs in most cases) there are some surprising reports on record which cause us to suspend final judgment.

A typical angel's hair report (though not designated as such) is reported in the Humboldt (Calif.) Times, November 11 and 12, 1958. Residents of Trinidad, Rio Dell, and other northern California towns reported showers of cobweb-like material on November 9, some in strands 5 to 6 feet long. Two fishermen at sea, George Korkan and Jack Curry, said the substance settled on their boat in such quantity that it made the boat appear to be "a million years old."

A sample of the substance obtained at McKinleyville airport was examined by Dr. Erwin Bielfuss, assistant professor of biology at Humboldt State College. The newspaper quotes him as ruling out the possibility of it being a mold growth or animal product, and suggesting it is either plant life or a plastic material.

Although it was reported that strands up to 40 feet in length were draped over trees and wires, there were no reports of spiders being found.

A trained biologist witnessed a fall of angel's hair about 1957. He gave the following statement to NICAP:

"Several years ago, I would estimate close to the summer of 1957, two others and myself witnessed a phenomenon that could be best described as "a sky full of cobwebs" off the Florida coast a short distance south of Miami. At that time I held the position of curator of the Miami Seaquarium, and I was taking part in a specimen-collecting trip aboard the Seaquarium vessel Sea Horse, which was skippered by collections director Capt. W. B. Gray and his assistant, Emil Hanson.

"We were traveling northward after a successful day's collecting, somewhere between Soldiers Key and Key Biscayne and approximately three miles off the Florida mainland. The sky was clear on this particular day and little or no wind was blowing. For a period of two hours or more we observed occasional strands of what appeared to be very fine cobwebs up to two or more feet in length, drifting down from the sky and occasionally catching in the rigging of our craft. On being questioned by the others as to what might be the nature of these webs, I explained to the others that an oft-repeated statement in natural history books is that

Approved For Release 2001/04/02 CIA-RDP81R00560R000100010001-0