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As man reaches for the stars he is becoming more convinced that there is life on other planets. But are these other intelligences visiting us first? Shirley Elsby looks at an organisation which is trying to find the answers to reported UFO sightings.

On October 23, 1978, reports were made of a strange, triangular object, flying low over the skies of Leicestershire with bright white searchlights on the front and assorted coloured lights underneath. More than 200 people confirmed its route over Nuneaton, Hinckley, Ellistown, Coalville, Whitwick and the Charnwood Forest - as yet no satisfactory explanation has been given. Unidentified flying object researchers first thought it must be a Vulcan aircraft. Natural - But they have never been able to explain why, when it was reported in all cases to be low flying, not a sound was heard in 62 of the 70 separate sighting incidents, and why in the remaining eight all that was reported was a low hum. (Case ref: 51/77/78/126-193) - This is one incident still being researched by UFO Research Midlands, formed last February under the auspices of Mr. Mark Brown, a conscientious investigator whose aim is to identify the phenomena which are seen by witnesses as unidentified flying objects. In about 95% of cases they succeed - for although many people have been scared by things they have seen or experienced, there is often a natural explanation. Weather balloons, aircraft and hot air balloons have all been responsible for their share of “sightings”. Discarded space debris falling to earth, such as rocket burners or booster sections, can develop into large - and alarming - flaming balls. Meteors cause quickly moving white, red or green lights, lasting just a few seconds and sometimes trailing flames and giving out a rushing sound. Stars and planets can appear to move or flash intermittently because of passing clouds, and on clear cold nights the prismatic effect of the earth’s atmosphere can make them appear to wobble and split into coloured sections. The “Sundog effect” can give the impression of there being two or three suns in the sky. Some cases can, of course, be accounted for by people “seeing things”, although it is generally believed that in most cases there has been a “sighting stimulus” of some kind. Some researchers are now studying a newly-discovered electrical effect known as “piezo”, which may have relevance to Leicestershire’s mining districts. Glowing - In earthquake zones, or where there is landslip, if quartz in the rock is put under stress it discharges a stream of ions which seem to form a glowing cloud. The British UFO Research Association has a project now aimed at finding out whether this effect may exist in the coal mining areas. Mr. Mark Brown, the 24 year-old regional investigations co-ordinator for the Midlands, says it is discovering the cause of the different phenomena which interests him. The majority of members are probably “hard headed sceptics” when it comes to the theory that earth is being visited by beings from outer space. Doubts - “That there is intelligent life, probably in advance of us, on another planet possibly in this galaxy, I am certain,” he said. “That we are being visited by alien intelligences or by controlled craft from another world, I have very grave doubts - I have never come across a case that has led me to believe it is something totally outside of man’s capability to design, or outside the possibility of the earth’s forces to manufacture.” No explanation for the strange lights - Strange lights and objects in the sky can leave a lasting impression on those involved, and on those who seek an explanation as to the causes. The Leicestershire UFO Investigators are still puzzled and intrigued by two local cases. The first involved two elderly Coalville women who, on a January afternoon, saw a bright ball of light above the town’s rugby ground, and were too afraid to return. (Case ref: 51/82/02). Mark Brown theorised that the cause could have been a reflection of the pit spot lights at Whitwick on low snow cloud, but having visited the area he now thinks this highly unlikely. The other case involved a Nuneaton woman with a history of psychic occurrences. (Case ref: 77/80/38). Convinced - “She had a very, very close sighting of a white ball of light outside her house,” he said. “It appeared to disturb the television picture and also appeared to affect her pet cats very badly. They showed extreme fear, would not do as they were told and virtually cowered and hid.” He worked for six months on the case, producing a 96 page report, but although he was convinced the case was genuine he was unable to find an explanation. Many people are sceptical of the work done by ufologists in general, perhaps believing the field to attract more than its fair share of cranks. Indeed many people are reluctant to tell of what they have seen or experienced for fear of being thought cranky themselves. But in UFO research, people with an interest in becoming investigators are encouraged to collect and analyse data in a scientific way, and to be objective in their work. New investigators are quickly armed with helpful guides to aircraft recognition, stars and planets and other frequent causes of the mysterious aerial phenomena, and have the guidance of experienced ufologists. Compelled - They are also compelled to abide by a code of conduct designed to protect individual witnesses, the general public and the interests of ufology. The organisation’s 95 per cent success record in identifying the unidentified goes a long way towards wiping out the popularly held “flying saucer” theory. But that still leaves five per cent room for doubt…

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