The Physics and Metaphysics of Unidentified Flying Objects

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# Approved For Release 2001/04/02 : CIA-RDP81R00560R000100010007-4

The latter part of the letter is puzzling. I was not interested in the Air Force files-I was specifically interested in the cases in Hynek's files.

To check further, however, I telephoned Major Hector Quintanilla, head of Project Blue Book of the U.S. Air Force. He told me that he did not know of a single case in the U.S. Air Force files of a confirmed report of a landing and lift-off. His comments on the New Mexico case, which he released to the press, are as follows:

Conclusion: The investigators at Wright-Patterson have not been able to identify or determine what type of vehicle or object Mr. Lonnie Zamora observed on 24 April 1964 at Socorro, New Mexico. The object or vehicle displayed flight characteristics well within the State-of-the-Art and the sighting cannot be attributed to atmospheric or astronomical phenomena. In this respect, I can categorically state that the vehicle or object observed by Mr. Lonnie Zamora was not an inter-planetary space vehicle visiting the planet Earth. This case is still open and the investigation is still in progress.

## Metaphysics

Let us now consider the possibility that the laws of physics are not valid. One idea frequently suggested is that extraterrestrial beings have discovered gravity shields. This, however, would not solve the problem of propulsion because inertia would remain; reaction would still be needed to obtain acceleration.

If we could cancel gravity on the earth, an object would lift very slowly, (i) because of the buoyancy of the air and (ii) because the object would begin traveling in a straight line whereas the earth would continue to revolve around the sun. In the story The First Men in the Moon, written by H. G. Wells about 1900, a shield was used to cancel the attraction of the earth but not that of the moon. The initial acceleration would be $ 3. 5 \times1 0^{-6} \mathrm{~ g} $ , which is not that reported for UFO's.

We can reconcile UFO reports with extraterrestrial control by assigning various magic properties to extraterrestrial beings. These include "teleportation" (the instantaneous movement of material bodies between planets and stars), the creation of "force-fields" to drive space ships, and propulsion without reaction. The last of these would permit a man to lift himself by his bootstraps. Anyone who wishes is free to accept such magic properties, but I cannot.

Semi-Magic

On another level are semi-magic hypotheses, which are proposed by scientists. These are based in part on sound scientific laws but include magic properties not explicitly stated. The general theme is that, through the use of nuclear energy and the time-dilation effect of relativity, everything is possible. Little attention, however, is paid to the practical difficulties of converting matter into energy and of utilizing it in a spacecraft without burning up the occupants. Physical processes are carried out with practically 100-percent efficiency, and complicated equipment never breaks down. Thus, we have been given theories to the effect that travel between galaxies is feasible, that a colony of extraterrestrial beings may be living on the back side of the moon, and that we may use planets of other stars to take care of overpopulation.

Intergalactic travel is fascinating. From row 6 of Table 1 we see that travel to the nearest external galaxy requires at least 4 million years between the sending forth of a spacecraft and its return. The speed given in Table 1 is $ \nu_{G}=0.999\ 999\ 999\ 99c $ . Propulsion would be achieved, it has been suggested, by drawing in interstellar hydrogen over an area of thousands of square kilometers and converting this to helium.

At speed $ \nu_{G} $ an interstellar particle of dust of diameter $ 2. 5 \times 1 0^{-6} $ meter (0.0001 inch) would meet the spacecraft with a kinetic energy of $ 3 \times 1 0^{8} $ joules. (The kinetic energy of a 2000 kilogram automobile whose speed is 100 kilometers per hour is $ 8 \times 1 0^{5} $ joules.) The energy of a proton which meets the spacecraft would be $ 2 \times 1 0^{1 4} $ ev. Survival of the spacecraft and its occupants is unlikely.

A question now, under discussion is whether it is better to try to contact extraterrestrial beings by interstellar flight or by interstellar radio communication. The former seems impossible but the latter may be possible.

## Interstellar Communication

Whether we shall ever receive a message from intelligent beings on a planet outside our solar system depends upon the distance of the nearest civilization which is signaling. If it is within 100 light years, we may pick up signals. If the distance is greater than

1000 light years, the signal-to-noise ratio may be too small. Only one experiment for receiving signals has been made, Project Ozma (12). Although no contact was made, the experiment was valuable because information, even if negative, was obtained.

Considerable thought has been given to methods of exchanging information by radio. Ingenious methods of transmitting pictorial information have been proposed (13). The exchange of information will not be rapid, even if achieved, because of the large distances between stars. Hundreds of years might be needed for one exchange.

Much statistical work has been done on the probabilities of finding intelligent life. The mathematics is irreproachable, but we do not know whether the assumptions are valid. We do not know, for example, whether given a suitable planet, living beings capable of transmitting radio signals are bound to evolve (14). Since we cannot compute with certainty where extraterrestrial life exists, we do not know if we shall ever communicate with planets of other stars.

## Lack of Definite Evidence

If extraterrestrial beings are not bound by the laws of physics and do visit us, then we should expect to see them or their spacecraft. The facts are as follows:

1) No extraterrestrial spacecraft or passenger thereof has ever been presented to Congress, to any state legislature, or to any recognized scientific society in the United States.

2) No reliable report exists of anyone having talked with an extraterrestrial visitor.

3) No accident has ever occurred at landing or lift-off which has left an extraterrestrial spacecraft on the ground, despite thousands of alleged landings.

Believers in the possibility of interstellar travel have great difficulty in trying to explain why the visitors make no attempt to communicate with us after a voyage which supposedly has lasted tens, hundreds, or thousands of years. We would expect the visitors to contact us, take close-up photographs, and study us in detail before starting the long voyage home.

Hynek explains the lack of contact by asking, Why should extraterrestrial visitors try to communicate with us?