Symposium on unidentified flying objects: hearings before the Committee on Science and Astronautics, U.S. House of Representatives, Ninetieth Congress, second session, July 29, 1968.

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Finally, I want to comment to some extent on the probable conse-
quences of each of the most important explanations that has been
offered, and what might be done in the public interest in each instance
to counter the negative aspect of these consequences.
Let's suppose to start with that these are extraterrestrial devices of
some sort visiting our atmosphere. If this is the case, we for one thing
have to concern ourselves with the possible consequences of contact
with civilizations which are technologically very advanced and whose
values we know nothing about. It is very tempting to the anthropo-
morphic, to attribute human characteristics to any such life form hy-
pothecized, and to imagine, like humans, they might be hostile and
might cause us some danger.
I know of no hard evidence of danger, of threat, from the cases re-
ported. But we do not have any inkling, if indeed these are extrater-
restrial devices, as to their purpose. We have no hard evidence as to
their purpose, their intent, their motives,so to speak.
Consequently, I find it extremely difficult to even speculate in an
intelligent way about what might result from contact with them. I
can say a very great risk of contact, if this is the case, is the risk of
panic, and panic is often very harmful to us mere humans,as in theater
fires and so on.
Once again from all knowledge in sociology and social psychology,
the best way to counter this risk of panic is not to issue reassuring;
statements, but to find sound information in which people have con-
fidence which can reduce their anxiety about the situation, and explain
it adequately. This to me has been one of the most unfortunate and
possibly dangerous aspects of this problem, that the ridicule, the tend-
ency not to take the problem seriously, to issue reassurances rather
than good information, has in my opinion only maximized the risk of
panic, at least under this hypothesis, and I believe under the others
as well.
Another risk, if these are extraterrestrial devices is clearly the risk
of misinterpreting the devices as hostile devices from another country
on earth, which might trigger indeed a devastating nuclear war. Once
again, the same conclusions follow about the need for good infor-
mation.
Mr. Rou-su. Might not another conclusion be that if there should be
something to this, again, if there should be perhaps it would bring all
the people of the world together for a better understanding, a common
purpose, and a common stand, which probably would relieve us of
some of our own anxieties?
Dr. HALL. This is indeed within the range of possibility, though I
hesitate to speculate on the probability.
Mr.RousH. You don't have to speculate. Go ahead.
Dr. HALL. The final comment about probable effect, if these are in-
deed extraterrestrial devices, is of course the possibility of learning
something of great technological value from them. The possible value
of contact for purposes of advancing our knowledge of our technology.
Let's turn then to another hypothesis, which is this is a natural phe-
nomenon which we do not understand, something like plasma. In
this case,I think we have precisely the same risk of panic through mis-
interpretation resulting in precisely the same recommendation for
the need for understanding to reduce the risk of panic.