House Armed Services Committee hearing on UFOs, April 5, 1966

6071
The CHAIRMAN. How manydot& I
Dr.HYNEK. With about 32 people. I talked with some of these
briefly, but spoke with at least 15 persons in considerable detail.
These two sightings, although separated by some 65 miles, were
a localized phenomenon. They were in the swamp area. No individ-
ual that I talked to, and no group of persons, could agree that they
has seen anything either enter or leave the swamp. There were
several isolated reports by people who said'that yes, they saw a bright
light come, but they could not get any general support or concUrrence
on this,,from the others. Witnesses did agree that they saw a glow, and
red, yellow, and greenight-in the swamp area in both cases. So I said
to myself, "What is common inswamps?' And I researched this ques-
tion withthe aid of several professors at the University of Michigb.
They have been very helpful to me in'this, sincean astronomer doesn't
know about swamps; he usually has his eyes a little higher than'that.
They informed me, and I later fodld in several books, that marsh
gas, resulting from the spontaneous igniting in air of such gases as
H4 1, methane, H2S, PH3, phosphine, and partitilarly inpotatift
PgH4, an imriity in- Phsphhne, is a common occurrence and produces
what appears to be glowing lights of different colors. Since then I
have had several letters from people saying "What are they getting
all excited aboit in Michigan, I have seen these thiligs since I have
been a kid on th" farm." As these gases are ignited, they can pro-
duce red, yellow, and green glows. There is nothing 1tiysterioUs about
these colors.
The lighting goes out here, and goes on here, thus giving the im.-
pression of motion. The light was moving smoothly, they said, not
following the train which was bVMpy, and they also rose some dis-
tance and en down. They were reportedly observed for a period of
21/2 to 3 hours.
In a book, "Light and Color in the Open Air," it is pointed out
that swamp lights, commonly known as will-o'-the-wisp, fox light,
and so forth, can be observed for several hours, sometimes all' hight.
And the conditions were just right for it in Michigan. In both
cases, the wiids were reasonably calm. Had there been high winds,
it is unlikely these glows would have taken place..
Furtheft re, Michigan" hAd experienced anbl1isully mild winter.
They tell me there wasn't much snow. However, the swamp had
been covered-by ice.
Now, in a swamp rotting vegetation produces these marsh gases.
When a thaw comes, it seems entirely log161 tor me,that these gases
would biibble up, and be spontaheously ignited, and you would see
these things. To me it is a logical explanation. I said in my press
release I couldn't-prove it in a court of law but it seems to me to be a
very logical explanation.
The CHAIMA. Now, Mr. Ichord.
Then I will coW over tWthe other side.
Mr. IoHoRn. Let me first differentiate, Mr. Chaiffiff., my position
from the chairman, aRld Mrs. Rivers, and also Mr. Nedzi.
I am neither a believer nor a disbeliever. I am from Missouri, and
I have got to be shown.
The Cu ,ImAN. You go right ahead.