Documents / Report
This is the final report of the Scientific Study of Unidentified Flying Objects, conducted by the University of Colorado under Air Force contract F44620-67-C-0035, with Edward U. Condon as scientific director and Daniel S. Gillmor as editor. It was submitted to the National Academy of Sciences on 15 November 1968 for review. The report includes field studies, photographic and radar analyses, case studies, historical chapters and appendices such as the Robertson Panel report and the Twining letter.
extraordinari 1y sens,Jti anal explanation for them III I ght have to be
invoked. A fuller discussion of sonh~ misinterprl't:itil\nS of ordinary
evenb by Dr. W. K. lIartman:1 is gi.ven in Sectioll \'1, Chapter 2.
A great many reports are readily identified with ordinary phenom-
ena seen under unusual circumstances, or noted by someone who is an
.
inexperienced, inept, or unduly excited observer. Because such
leport~·; {Ire vague and inaccurate, it is ('ften impossible to make an
identifi~Htion with c0rtainty.
This givt.·g rise to cuntroversy. In ~.;onlC cases, rrn identification
that the lJFO was "prohably" an aircraft is all than can be made from
thC' a\'aiL!hl~ data. After the event no amount of further interviewing
of on(' or more witnesses can usually change such a probable into a
certain identification. Field workers who would ~ik\;) to identify as
man)' as lJossible are naturally disposed to claim certainty when this is
at all pes 5i hI e, but o·ther~) \~ho des ire to have EI res i.due of un~xplai.ned
cases in order to add mystery and importance to the UFO problem
incline to set impossibly high standards of certainty in the evidence
before they are wi lling to accept a simple explanation for a report.
This dilemma is nicely illustrated by a question asked in the
House of (ommons of Prir,:(' ~linistt.'r IIarold Wilson, as reported in
Hans("l,j for 19 December 196 7 :
Unidentified Flying Objects. Question 14. Sir .J. Langford-
!k11t a~k('d the Prime ~linistcr whether 11(' is satisfied that all
sightings of llnillentlfied fl'jng objects which are reported from
s('r\'i\,~f? soun:cs arE' explninable, what int.{uiries he has authorised
into these objects o'.ltsiJc the defence aspect, anu I'ih<::ther he will
now Clppoint on(' Minister to look into ;111 aspects at repoJ'f:s.
T1w PrilTll' ~1inistcr: The answers arc 'Yc~, except when the
information ,l~i\'(:" is insuffi\"icllt', 'NOlie' ilnd 'No.'
l1b\'iously tI1L'l'C is <I nice hit of ~;('nwntiL:; here in that lile
defi.n;.tioll of "when the information L.; suffidtllt" is tha1: it i:=; suf-
ficent Il'l1c11 all expLtnation C<llI I'll' given.
extraordinari 1y sensational explanation for them mi gin have to bf
invoked. f\ fuller discuss lon of som,~ misLnter)1rl'tlit if'lIS of ordinary
evcnb by Dr. W. K. llartman:1 is gi.vcn in SC(ti.OIl \'1, Chapter 2.
A ~reHt many reports are readily identified with ordinary phenom-
ena seen under unusual circumstances, or noted by someone who is an
inexperi enccd, inept:, or unduly excited observer. Because such
rcport~ ure vague and inaccurate, it is often impossible to make an
identifi(ation with certainty.
This giVl'S risl' to ceJl1trovcrsy. In i_onlC cases, rrn identification
that the UFO was "prohahly" an aircraft .is all than can be made from
the avai LillIe data. After thc event no amount of further interviewing
of on(' or morE' witn0ssl'~ can usually chung{' such a probable into <1
certain identi[!catiotl. Field workers who would ~ike to identify as
many as possible arc naturally disposed to claim certainty when this is
at all possible, but o:her~ who desire to have a residue of un~xplained
cases in order to add mystery and importance to the UFO problem
incline to set impossibly high standards of ccrtainty in the evidence
before they are wi 11ing to accept a simple explanation for H report.
This dilemma is nicely illustrated by a question asked in the
l!ou:;e of (ommons of Prin;(' ~linistl.'r lIarold IYilson, as reported in
Hans(u'j for 19 IJeccllll1e r 1!lb 7 :
Unidcnti fied Flying Objects. QUl'sf ion 14, Si r .J. Langford-
/i(11t ad,Ni the Prime ~lini.stcr whether he is satisfied that all
sighting~ (11' llilielentified fl'·jng objects whieh ilre reported from
s("l'\·il.~1? soun:cs al"" explainable, wli;lt inquiries he has authorised
into these (lhjects o'.Itside the defell<:t' aSpl)ct, md '.·iht:ther he will
no\;' nppl1jnt on(' ~lil1 i :;tl.'1' tD look i1lto ;ill ilSpccts ot reports.
TIlL' Prime' ~linister: The answcrs an' 'Yc', ('xcC'pt when the
information .l~i\·C'·' i~ insuffl~'ient', 'NOll(" and 'No.'
llbvil1usly tl1L't"t' is " nice hit of ';"J1l<1T1tic:; here in that Lie
deflni.\:ion llf "when the infDrmation L.; sufficic.nt" is thal: it is suf-
ficent "h(,ll an eXpLll1atilln can Ill' given. Report, from the classic collection. The PDF is mirrored here; the original link is under it. 1497 pages are in the text index: search them above, or from the library's search.