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.
Earth in the next 10,000 ye:n5.
This conclusion does not rule out the possibilit.y of the existence
of ILE, as contrasted with the ability of such civilizations to visit
E ~ I' . c1 I 10 21 bartl" t 15 estImate t lat stars can e seen using the 200-inch
Hale telescopE' 011 1--1ount Palomar. Astronomers surmise that possibly as
few as one in a million or as many as one in ten of these have a planet
in wbich physical and chemical conditions are such as to make them
habitable by life baseL! on the sam~ kind of biochemistry as the life we
knol. on Earth. Even if the lower figure is taken, this wO:Jld mean
there are 1015 stars in the visible universe which have planet., suitable
for an al'ode of life. In our own galaxy there are lOll stars, so
perhap~ as many as 10 8 have hahi_table planets in orbit around them.
Biologists feel confident that Hhercver IJhysical and ::hemical
conditions are dght) life will actually emerge. In shol."t, astronomers
te 11 us that there are a vas t number of stars i 11 the univl'!Tse accom-
panied by planets I"here the physical and chemical concH tians are sui t-·
ab Ie, and biologis ts te 11 us that habi tab Ie pI aces are sure to be~ome
inhabj t('d. (Rush, 1957).
An important advance was made when Stanley L. Mi !leI' (l9SS) showed
experimentally that elec:trical dis charges such as those in natural
lightning when passed through a mi.xtUTC of methane and ammonia, such as
may have been present in the Earth's primitive atmosphere, will ini ..
Hate c1wmica:. reactions whi eh yield various amino acids. These are
the raloli materia.l<:: from which are constructed the p 'oteins that are
€5'H.'lltial to life, 1-Ullc!'s work ha5 been followed up uno extended hy
IML:' otl\~r~, parti(.ularly r. II. Abelson of the Carnegie !nstitlltion of
Wa~,hi',~gton .
The yo,tory u, by '10 means fuJly worked out. 'nle evidence in haT'd
seems to convince biocl1l'nlists that natural processe~;. such as lightnini;,
or the a0sorption of solar ultraviolet light, could generate the I1Pces-
sary starti~g reaterials from w~ich lir~ could ~volv(. On this ba·1s
they general!y bold the belief that where conditions make it possible
Earth in the next 10,UOO ye3r5.
This conclusion does not rule out the possiblli ty of the existence
of ILE, as contrasted with the ability of such civilizations to visit
Earth. It is estimated that 10 21 stars can be seen using the 200-inch
Hale telescope Oil Mount Palomar. Astronomprs sunnise that possibly as
few as one in a 10i Ilion or as many as one in ten of these have a planet
in wbich physical and chemical conditions are such as to make them
nabi table by Ii fe based on the samp. kind of bi ochemistry as the life we
knol,r 011 Earth. Even if the lower figure is taken, this wO:lld mean
there ure 10 15 stars in the visible universe which have planet'; sIIitah1e
for an &'ode of life. In our own galaxy there are lOll stars, so
pe rhap~ as m:my as 10 8 have hah',;, tab 1 e planets in orbit around them.
Biologists feel confident that wherever l'hysica1 and ::hemical
conditions are right, life will actually emerge. In short, astronomers
tell us that tilere are a vast number of stars til t!lC univ\.~rse accom-
panied by planets I,here the physical and ch~mical candi tions are sui to.
able, and biologists tell us that habitable places are sure to be..:ome
inhabi tt'd. (Rush, 1957).
An important advance was made when '5t::mley L. Miller (l9SS) showed
experimentally that electrical discharges such as tflOse in natural
lightning when passed through a mi.xturc of methane and ammoni.a, sllch as
may have been present in the Earth's primitive atmosphere, will ini ..
tiate chl'micai, reactions Whl cll yield various amino acids. These are
the ra'" material" from which are constructeu the p ·oteins that 81'('
€~'H'l1tial to lif(;', ~1ill('!'s I"ork ha~ been followed up and extended hy
mar',/ otl\~F, parti<..ularly P. II. I\bebon of the Carnegie Instittltlon of
Wa~.hLgton .
The ~tory lli by '1.IJ means fu) 1y worked Ollt. The evidence in hUDd
seems to convince bioc1wnJists that natural prQcessc;;. such as ll,;htnin,;,
OT the aiJsorption of solar ultravi DIet Ught, could generate the l1f?ces-
sary starti'\g IT;aterials froill wilich Iii"" cllulJ l'volv(. On this bn,is
they general!y hold t.he telicf that where conditions make it possible 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.