Trans-en-Provence case

Last updated

In the Trans-en-Provence case, an unidentified flying object is claimed to have left physical evidence in the form of burnt residue on a field. The event took place on 8 January 1981 outside the town of Trans-en-Provence in the French department of Var. [1] It was described in Popular Mechanics as "perhaps the most completely and carefully documented sighting of all time." [2]

Contents

Renato Nicolaï account

The case began on 8 January 1981 at 5 pm. Renato Nicolaï, a 55-year-old farmer, [3] heard a strange whistling sound while performing agricultural work on his property. He then saw a saucer-shaped object about 2.5 m (8 ft) in diameter land about 50 m (160 ft) away at a lower elevation. [1]

According to the witness,

The device had the shape of two saucers, one inverted on top of the other. It must have measured about 1.5 metres in height. It was the color of lead. This device had a ridge all the way around its circumference. Under the machine I saw two kinds of pieces as it was lifting off. They could be reactors or feet. There were also two other circles which looked like trapdoors. The two reactors, or feet, extended about 20 cm (8 in) below the body of the machine. [4]

Nicolaï claimed the object took off almost immediately, rising above the treeline and departing to the northeast. [4] It left burn marks on the ground where it had supposedly sat. [1]

Nicolaï notified the local gendarmerie the following day. [3] [5] They interviewed him, photographed the scene, and collected soil and plant samples from the field. The case was later sent to GEPAN (Groupe d'Étude des Phénomènes Aérospatiaux Non-identifiés) for review. [5]

Analysis of evidence

GEPAN analysis noted that the ground had been compressed by a mechanical pressure of about 4 or 5 tons, and heated to between 300 and 600 °C (572 and 1,112 °F). Trace amounts of phosphate and zinc were found in the sample material, and analysis of resident alfalfa near the landing site showed chlorophyll levels between 30% and 50% lower than expected. [5]

Impressions and explanations

Nicolaï had initially believed the object to be an experimental military device. [3] The close proximity of the site to the Canjuers military base makes such a theory generally plausible. However, GEPAN's investigation focused on conventional explanations, such as atmospheric or terrain causes of a terrestrial nature. Despite a joint investigation by GEPAN and the gendarmerie, which lasted for two years, no plausible explanation was found. [5]

Critique

Some French scientists [6] insist that the GEPAN investigation was flawed, especially the study of the physical traces. [7]

The police report said that the traces, which appeared on an active road, looked like some made by the tyre of a car. This explanation was dismissed by GEPAN because of the sole witness saying otherwise. The physical traces shown on the picture are not perfect circles, in fact there are two more-or-less semicircles crossing over each other. Also, a circular shape does not coincide with the description of the UFO made by Nicolaï. In an interview for French television, Nicolaï confirmed that there were vehicles passing by on the road at the time of the sighting. [8]

See also

Related Research Articles

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Unidentified flying object</span> Airborne, submerged, and transmedium phenomena considered unusual and unidentified

An unidentified flying object (UFO), or unidentified anomalous phenomenon (UAP), is any perceived airborne, submerged or transmedium phenomenon that cannot be immediately identified or explained. Upon investigation, most UFOs are identified as known objects or atmospheric phenomena, while a small number remain unexplained.

UFO conspiracy theories are a subset of conspiracy theories which argue that various governments and politicians globally, in particular the United States government, are suppressing evidence that unidentified flying objects are controlled by a non-human intelligence or built using alien technology. Such conspiracy theories usually argue that Earth governments are in communication or cooperation with extraterrestrial visitors despite public disclaimers, and further that some of these theories claim that the governments are explicitly allowing alien abduction.

Ufology, sometimes written UFOlogy, is the investigation of unidentified flying objects (UFOs) by people who believe that they may be of extraordinary origins. While there are instances of government, private, and fringe science investigations of UFOs, ufology is generally regarded by skeptics and science educators as an example of pseudoscience.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Project Blue Book</span> American systematic study of unidentified flying objects

Project Blue Book was the code name for the systematic study of unidentified flying objects by the United States Air Force from March 1952 to its termination on December 17, 1969. The project, headquartered at Wright-Patterson Air Force Base, Ohio, was initially directed by Captain Edward J. Ruppelt and followed projects of a similar nature such as Project Sign established in 1947, and Project Grudge in 1949. Project Blue Book had two goals, namely, to determine if UFOs were a threat to national security, and to scientifically analyze UFO-related data.

The extraterrestrial hypothesis (ETH) proposes that some unidentified flying objects (UFOs) are best explained as being physical spacecraft occupied by extraterrestrial intelligence or non-human aliens, or non-occupied alien probes from other planets visiting Earth. In spite of ardent believers that various UFO sightings are verifiable evidence for the hypothesis, no rigorous analysis has ever concluded as much.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Maury Island incident</span> Alleged UFO incident in the United States

The Maury Island incident refers to claims made by Fred Crisman and Harold Dahl of falling debris and threats by men in black following sightings of unidentified flying objects in the sky over Maury Island, Washington, United States. The pair claimed that the events had occurred on June 21, 1947. The incident is widely regarded as a hoax, even by believers of flying saucers and UFOs.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">J. Allen Hynek</span> American astronomer and ufologist (1910–1986)

Josef Allen Hynek was an American astronomer, professor, and ufologist. He is perhaps best remembered for his UFO research. Hynek acted as scientific advisor to UFO studies undertaken by the U.S. Air Force under three projects: Project Sign (1947–1949), Project Grudge (1949–1951) and Project Blue Book (1952–1969).

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Robertson Panel</span> 1953 scientific committee for UAP reports

The Robertson Panel was a scientific committee which met in January 1953 headed by Howard P. Robertson. The Panel arose from a recommendation to the Intelligence Advisory Committee (IAC) in December 1952 from a Central Intelligence Agency (CIA) review of the U.S. Air Force investigation into unidentified flying objects, Project Blue Book. The CIA review itself was in response to widespread reports of unidentified flying objects, especially in the Washington, D.C. area during the summer of 1952.

<i>Project U.F.O.</i> American science-fiction television drama (1978–1979)

Project U.F.O. is an American television series which ran on NBC from 1978 to 1979. Running for two seasons of 13 episodes each, the show was based loosely on the real-life Project Blue Book. The show was created by Jack Webb, who pored through Air Force files looking for episode ideas.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Mariana UFO incident</span> 1950 UFO sighting

The Mariana UFO incident occurred in August, 1950 in Great Falls, Montana. The sighting, filmed by local baseball coach Nick Mariana, is believed to be among the first ever motion picture footage of what came to be called an unidentified flying object (UFO). The U.S. Air Force, after a short investigation, concluded that what Mariana had actually filmed were the reflections of two F-94 jet fighters, a claim that the Air Force would later retract.

Identifying unidentified flying objects (UFOs) is a difficult task due to the normally poor quality of the evidence provided by those who report sighting the unknown object. Observations and subsequent reporting are often made by those untrained in astronomy, atmospheric phenomena, aeronautics, physics, and perception. Nevertheless, most officially investigated UFO sightings, such as from the U.S. Air Force's Project Blue Book, have been identified as being due to honest misidentifications of natural phenomena, aircraft, or other prosaic explanations. In early U.S. Air Force attempts to explain UFO sightings, unexplained sightings routinely numbered over one in five reports. However, in early 1953, right after the CIA's Robertson Panel, percentages of unexplained sightings dropped precipitously, usually being only a few percent in any given year. When Project Blue Book closed down in 1970, only 6% of all cases were classified as being truly unidentified.

The Levelland UFO case occurred on November 2–3, 1957, on the highways around the small town of Levelland, Texas. Levelland, which in 1957 had a population of about 10,000, is located west of Lubbock on the flat prairie of the Texas South Plains. The case is considered by ufologists to be one of the most impressive in UFO history, mainly because of the large number of witnesses involved over a relatively short period of time. However, both the US Air Force and UFO sceptics have described the incident as being caused by either ball lightning or a severe electrical storm.

This is a list of alleged sightings of unidentified flying objects or UFOs in France.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">1952 Washington, D.C. UFO incident</span>

From July 12 to 29, 1952, a series of unidentified flying object (UFO) sightings were reported in Washington, D.C., and later became known as the Washington flap, the Washington National Airport Sightings, or the Invasion of Washington. The most publicized sightings took place on consecutive weekends, July 19–20 and July 26–27. UFO historian Curtis Peebles called the incident "the climax of the 1952 (UFO) flap"—"Never before or after did Project Blue Book and the Air Force undergo such a tidal wave of (UFO) reports."

GEIPAN is a unit of the French space agency CNES based in Toulouse, whose brief is to investigate unidentified aerospace phenomena (UAP) and make its findings available to the public.

The Close encounter of Cussac is the name given to claims of a close encounter with alien beings by a young brother and sister in Cussac, Cantal, France.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">McMinnville UFO photographs</span> Photographs taken in Oregon, US

The McMinnville UFO photographs were taken on a farm near McMinnville, Oregon, United States, in 1950. The photos were reprinted in Life magazine and in newspapers across the nation, and are often considered to be among the most famous ever taken of a UFO. UFO skeptics have concluded that the photos are a hoax, but many ufologists continue to argue that the photos are genuine, and show an unidentified object in the sky.

The Nash-Fortenberry UFO sighting was an unidentified flying object sighting that occurred on July 14, 1952, when two commercial pilots claimed to have seen eight UFOs flying in a tight echelon formation over Chesapeake Bay in the state of Virginia.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Observatoire Zététique</span> French skeptical organization

The Observatoire Zététique or OZ is a French skeptical nonprofit organisation founded in 2003, headquartered in Grenoble. It is a member of the European Council of Skeptical Organisations (ECSO).

<i>The Report on Unidentified Flying Objects</i> 1956 book by Edward J. Ruppelt

The Report on Unidentified Flying Objects is a 1956 book by then-retired Air Force UFO investigator Edward J. Ruppelt, detailing his experience running Project Blue Book. The book was noted for its suggestion that a few UFO sightings might be linked to spikes of atomic radiation. Contemporary media summarized four topics discussed in the book:

References

  1. 1 2 3 "France opens up its UFO files". New Scientist. London: New Scientist Ltd. 22 March 2007.
  2. ↑ Wilson, Jim (May 2001). "When UFOs Land". Popular Mechanics. 178 (5): 66.
  3. 1 2 3 Ridge, Francis L. (15 December 1997). "UFO Casebook: 1981". National Investigations Committee On Aerial Phenomena.
  4. 1 2 Cashman, Mark. "UFO Case Article: Renato Nicolai; Trans en Provence, France". Extraterrestrial Contact.
  5. 1 2 3 4 Haisch, Bernard. "UFO Case 4: The Trans-en-Provence Case". UFO Skeptic. Palo Alto: ufoskeptic.org. Archived from the original on 6 September 2014. Retrieved 23 March 2007.
  6. ↑ Rossoni, D., Maillot, E., & Déguillaume, E. (2007). Les ovnis du CNES – 30 ans d'études officielles. www.book-e-book.com. (extracts from the book) Archived 3 December 2008 at the Wayback Machine . Critical skeptical investigations of GEPAN's work.
  7. ↑ Figuet, M. (Ed.) (1995). L'affaire de Trans-en-Provence. Dompierre-les-Ormes, SERPAN.
  8. ↑ observatoire-zetetique.org (webarchive)
This page is based on this Wikipedia article
Text is available under the CC BY-SA 4.0 license; additional terms may apply.
Images, videos and audio are available under their respective licenses.