History of the ufology

The term of unidentified flying object was invented by the captain Edward J. Ruppelt (first director of the project '' Blue Book '') in 1952 to replace the popular expression of “flying saucer”, even if the first “official” observation of UFO were that of Kenneth Arnold in 1947,

The Ufologie which studies the celestial unidentified flying objects and phenomena is a practice of very old observation and authors claim that the appearance of unknown air phenomena is recurring in the human history, since testimonys exist since at least 6000 av. J. - C. on the Comet S, eclipse S, cross and cigars of light, dragons and ships flying, interpreted like wonders or appearances of monsters.

It is obvious that any kind of stellar objects (meteors, extremely brilliant Venus, parhelion, etc) could generate since the man is the man of the observations in the sky. However, the ufologic interpretation of the past raises question since it sticks our current cultural representations, our contemporary beliefs, about historical documents and/or archaeological elements. However, methodology historical (or archaeological) consists in not interpreting the data according to our representations with us, but of those of the time when the archaeological document or elements was produced.

In the case of appearances of UFO S to see the List of the principal observations of UFO.

Prehistory

According to certain ufologists, certain strange representations that have finds it in some rupestral caves, such that of Altamira in Spain or that of Cougnac in France could be representations of UFO. Moreover, statuettes or paintings (frescos of Tassili, in Algeria for example) resemble curiously certain representations of extraterrestrial at the 20th century, proof, according to part of the ufologic community, seniority of the phenomenon. See Theory of the Former Astronauts.

Observations at the time of Antiquity

-329 : The historians of Alexandre Large the report the appearance of “large silver plated shields, throwing fire around their edge” which flew over the army of the large Alexandre.
-322 : It is in addition reported that these hypothetical “flying shields” would have destroyed the walls of the town of Tyr, allowing its catch by the troops Macedonians.
-218 : in its book Roman Histoire , the historian Tite-Live report/ratio that this year there that " in the province of Amiterna, one lives in many places, the appearance of men vêtus of by far coming white. The sphere of the sun became smaller. In Praeneste, lamps, in Arpia, a shield and ghost ships appeared in the ciel"
-216 : The Roman historian Julius Obsequens reports that things as of the naves were seen in the sky in Italy.
-50 : Speech of Cicéron to the Senate of Rome: How much time our senate it did not require of the decemvirs to consult oracles… when two suns were seen and when the three moons appeared and that flames of fire were noticed in the sky; or, on this other occasion, when the sun rose the night, when noises were heard in the sky and that the cloud itself seemed to burst, and that one noticed strange spheres.

Observations with the Middle Ages

At that time, one speaks occult philosophy, with theorists as Agrippa or Paracelse. The influence of the religion is real since the celestial phenomena are regarded as is divine or worse warnings like malefic expressions for which the witches and wizards are responsible.

In 811: Eginhard in its Vita Karoli Magni (Life of Charlemagne) saw a large sphere to go down as a flash in the sky from the East towards the West. It was if brilliant that the horse of the monarch rua and that Charlemagne was wounded severely while falling .
919 : During several weeks, many luminous phenomena are observed in the sky of Hungary.
966 : the crew of a Japanese ship claims to be awaked during the night by a " roll lumineux" who would have crossed the sky.

Of XVIe at the XVIIIe century

1543 : Nicolas Copernic exposes his new system in which the Earth does not occupy any more the center of the universe.
1560 : Pierre Boaistuau publishes his “ extraordinary Histoires ”.
April 4th 1561: very many inhabitants of Nuremberg, in Germany, pay to have seen blue, black and red balls blood, as well as discs and Red Crosses outgoing blood of two immense black cylinders to fight in the sky of the city.
1566 : “Celestial wonders” appear in the sky of Basle.
1572 : Ambroise Paré, celebrates doctor, written his book of the “ Monstres and Prodiges ”.
1610 : Johannes Kepler advances the assumption that the craters of the Moon are “the work of the lunar inhabitants”.
1634 : Johannes Kepler publishes the “ Somnium ” which can be regarded as one of the first accounts of Science-fiction.
1637 : In its book “ Discourse on Method ” Rene Descartes devotes a chapter on the meteor S.
1683: Pierre Bayle publishes his treaty “ Pensées on the comet ” against the superstitions in connection with the comets, in which, at the time of one of these meteors which had just appeared, it tackled the vulgar prejudice which saw one there predicts alarming.
1686 : Bernard Bouyer de Fontenelle publishes its book “ Entretiens on the plurality of the inhabited worlds ”, mixture delicate, of Astronomie and beautiful spirit, of Cartesian Physique, reflections Morale S and Ironie.
June 4th 1783, with the first public experiment of Montgolfier, with Annonay in Ardeche, by the brothers Joseph and Etienne Montgolfier, the celestial phenomena from now on are lived like a technical reality. At that time, the planet Venus is sometimes seen like a balloon.
August 18th 1783: all the inhabitants of the Château of Windsor in Great Britain could observe a luminous object which quickly became spherical, brilliantly lit, then which made a halt. This strange sphere initially seemed to be of color light blue, but then its luminosity increased and soon it left further towards the East. The object changed then direction and parallel to moved the horizon before disappearing in South-east; the light which it provided was extraordinary; it informed all on the ground.

During the XIXe century

1803 : The scientist Jean-Baptiste Biot discovers the meteorites, finally giving a scientific explanation to celestial phenomena on which many superstitions were dependant.
1835 : The New York Sun , a popular famous daily newspaper, affirms that the astronomer John Herschel, creator of stellar astronomy, observed using a new revolutionary telescope the inhabitants of the moon. Named the Selenites, and in spite of the consent of the hoax, the popular imagery seizes some.
1838 : François Arago publishes a study on the thunder with an important part devoted to the Foudre in ball, phenomenon which until this time was regarded as a phenomenon of superstition.
Years 1840: As from this time, many learned societies are created with an aim of inventorying all the mysteries of nature.
1860 : The astronomer Camille Flammarion within the framework of his studies on the slow meteorites which move in the atmosphere, creates the category of the “bradytes”.
1869 : Scientists, whose Charles Cros, seeks the means of communicating with the planet Mars.
1872 : The abbot Jean-Marie Curicque publishes the “ prophetic Voix ”. It is about the one of the last books bringing back the weather phenomena like celestial wonders.
1894 : The novelist Jules Verne publishes “ Robur the Conqueror ” who will popularize the idea that the celestial phenomena could be flying machines.
1896 - 1897: First wave of observations of airships (flying vessels) to the the United States. More 1 500 testimonys of people having seen airships are listed this year there.
1897 : Herbert George Wells publishes “ the War of the worlds ” in which Martiens unload on the Earth to invade it.

First half of the XXe century

1909 : A wave without precede by observation of “ Airship S ” takes place with the the United Kingdom and in New Zealand.
1926 : Creation of “ Amazing Stories ”, first magazine of science fiction.

Years 1930

October 30th 1938: Orson Welles begins broadcasting from the adaptation of “ the War of the worlds ”. This emission will become a true social phenomenon. The newspapers bring back scenes of panic of certain particularly credulous listeners consequently contributing to develop the idea of irrationality of the popular masses.
Starting from 1939, in the popular imagery, the figure of the “scientist” is incarnated by the physicists, and the popular press multiplies testimonys and the accounts of appearances of “ Airship S ”. Tens of thousands of observations took place, of which some are particularly médiatisées. The celestial phenomena become various facts.

Years 1940

For the observations of UFOs in the years 1940, to see here

on February 24th 1942 takes place celebrates it " Battle of Los Angeles ". The DCA American opens fire on not-identified flying equipments, without results.
Second world war: in 1944 and 1945, very many witnesses of the two camps, as private individuals of the pilots, bring back to have seen luminous and/or metal spheres in the sky. In general, they were always several and escorted the formations of bombers or circled between the planes. They were named Foo fighters by the Allies, which thought that they were of German origin.
1946 :

Business of the “phantom rockets”: very many luminous phenomena are observed in Scandinavia. The American general James “Jimmy” Doolittle is sent for an investigation with the Swedish army. He concludes that in fact Soviet weapons cause these phenomena. Even if the interpretation of these phenomena varied with time (divine expression, démoniaque demonstration, unknown weather phenomenon), the appearance of air phenomena remains a constant of the human history.
Creation of great scientific magazines like Science and Nature.

1947 :

June 24th 1947: Kenneth Arnold, then private pilot young person of the Idaho, observes during a flight in new machines with the top of the Mont Rainier in the State of Washington, speaking about “ flying saucers ”. As of the following day and for the first time, the newspapers use the terms of “ flying saucer ” and of “ flying disk ”.
the scientists intervene in the debate while trying to reduce the phenomenon of the " saucers volantes" with simple illusions or hallucinations, whereas the American army makes work of double language, by affirming with the general public that the saucers do not exist, whereas in same time, it carries out many investigations which in the secret reports/ratios affirm the reality of their existence.
July 3rd 1947: Incidental of Roswell and beginning of the famous business. The American army states to have recovered the wreck of a UFO, before retracting and to present to the press be-saying them remains of a balloon probe weather. In 1994, the army will acknowledge to have lied, and declared that the crash landing was with a balloon spy Mogul, secret signal project at the time.
September 23rd 1947: In a report/ratio, the Material Air Command of the base of Wright Field (Dayton, Ohio) concludes that the discs are “ a reality and not visions or inventions ”. On the basis of its recommendation, the project “Sign Project” for the study of the “flying discs” is set up as of January 1948.

July 1948, In a report/ratio entitled “ Estimate of the situation ”, the experts of the Projet Sign conclude that the flying saucers are well of extraterrestrial origin, but the Pentagone rejete officially the report/ratio.
1949 : The “Projet Sign” is replaced by the “Projet Grudge” of which the goal not acknowledged is to make pass the problem of the UFOs to the oubliettes. But the double language of the US Air Force is well perceived by the press and the public what will generate the recurring idea from now on that the American army wants to hide the truth on the flying saucers.

Second half of the XXe century

Years 1950

For the observations of UFOs in the years 1950, to see here

1950:

January 1950: In an article of the magazine “ True ”, the journalist and ex-marine Donald E. Keyhoe suggests that the flying saucers would be of extraterrestrial origin.
Donald E. Keyhoe publishes The Flying Saucers are Real .
Frank Scully publishes Behind The Flying Saucers .

1951 : there

the movie studios take the measurement of the phenomenon and leave this year several films of which: the Day when the Earth stopped ( The Day the Earth Stood Still ) and the Thing of another world ( The Thing ), etc
As from this year there of many groups of investigators amateurs are constituted with the the United States and in Europe and start to collect the maximum of information near the witnesses. The results of their work are published.
In France, the lawyer Marc Thirouin founds the bulletin “ Ouranos ” devoted to the flying saucers. Around him an important group of investigation is constituted. Whereas the astronomer Évry Schatzman starts to publish a series of articles with an aim of denouncing the belief in the saucers which it politicizes.

1952 :

George Adamski publishes the very detailed photography of a “ Scout Ship ” Venusian.
American the Coral Lorenzen founds APRO ( Aerial Phenomena Research Organization ), a group which will become one of the groups of investigation among most important.
Durand all the summer, an important wave of visual observations, made with the the United States, often validated observations radar is made by members of the US Air Force and hundreds of witnesses. Vagueness culminating with the famous Carousel of Washington, between the 19 and on July 23rd 1952, above the district of Washington. However on July 29th 1952 the air force, at the time of an important press conference reduces these appearances to phenomena of “inversions of temperatures”.
the Projet Grudge is dissolved and replaced by the Projet Blue Book, true scientific study, directed by the captain Edward J. Ruppelt.

1953 :

the Mexican El Salvador Villanueva publishes its book Yo estuve in el planeta Venus .
the American astronomer Donald Menzel publishes his book Flying Saucers in which it reduces the appearance of flying saucers to simple weather phenomena.
Left the film the War of the worlds realized by Byron Haskin.

1954 :

the review Flying Saucer Review is created in Great Britain.
Hal Crawford publishes a portrait of a variety of ufonaute (extraterrestrial), hairy with long arms.
Fall 1954: at the time of the Vague of French observation of 1954, thousands of observations of appearances and landings take place in the space of a few months (the vague Frenchwoman of 1954 only represents with it 2 % of the observations of UFOs indexed in the world).
In France, the air force creates the Semoc ( Section of study of the mysterious celestial objects), whereas in front of the Académie of medicine, the psychiatrist Georges Heuyer tries to reduce the appearances of flying saucers to phenomena of collective psychoses.

1956 :

NICAP ( National Committee Investigation one Aerial Phenomena ) is created with the the United States, it is directed by Donald E. Keyhoe and quickly becomes true a lobby pro-UFO, when it begins an important campaign near the American Congress in order to obtain the opening of an investigation on the phenomenon of the UFOs.
Grey Barker publishes its book They Knew Too Much About Flying Saucers , first book devoted to the Men in Black.

1957 :

the film Invasion off The Saucer Men takes again the topic of the small green men.
Leonard Cramp publishes his book Space Gravity & The Flying Saucer with like cover celebrates it photography of George Adamski.

1958 :

the review Lumières in the night is founded in France.

Years 1960

For the observations of UFOs in the years 1960, to see here

1962: With Paris, foundation of the GEPA ( Group of study of the air phenomena ), by which scientists have as an ambition to study this phenomenon rationally.
1965 :

the president Charles de Gaulle decides the construction of a base of nuclear missiles on the Plateau of Albion. Many observations of UFOs will be reported in the vicinity until the end of the century.
Beginning of a wave of appearances of UFOs with the the United States.

1966 :

a couple of American, Betty and Barney Hill, affirms to be removed on board a flying saucer. The groups of investigators amateurs start to be interested seriously in the observations of extraterrestrial creatures and the cases of removal by UFOs ( UFO abduction ).
Some scientists advance the idea that the observations, testimonys and the questions of the general public relating to the UFOs are taken more with the serious one.
the physicist Edward U. Condon of the Université of Colorado is missionné by the American army to study the phenomenon of the UFOs. After three years of study, his report/ratio will conclude with the scientific absence of interest, whereas James McDonald, professor of meteorology to the Université of Arizona, concludes that certain cases of UFOs are real and that they are machines of extraterrestrial origin well. Its conclusions shake the public opinion, the press and the scientific community.
the astronomer J. Allen Hynek, director of the Observatory Lindheimer of the University Northwestern and technical adviser of the US Air Force intervenes in the debate to denounce the contempt campaign of the scientists towards the public opinion and requires that the scientists try to answer the questions without seeking loopholes.
a vast campaign of press develops against the systematic denigration campaign of the scientists. This press campaign is supported by the local politicians, of which the future president Gerald Ford and surfe on a wave of protest more general of the public opinion.
Jacques Valley, a young astronomer and French data processing specialist who works with Josef Allen Hynek publishes Anatomy off has Phenomenon and Challenge to Science , creating the first system of classification of the observations of UFOs. It will improve it in 1990.

1967 :

the assistant of Condon in the project carried out by the Université of Colorado writes a report/ratio denouncing the negative prejudice and thus not neutral which influences the study. This report/ratio is revealed by the magazine “ Look ”.
the press campaign against the scientists beats full sound, of many draftsmen produce caricatures, for example:

of extraterrestrial expresses with a streamer on which is registered “ We are not will-o'-the-wisps ”;
an UFO removes professor Condon, whereas his scientific colleagues shout “ to him you do not worry, Dr. Condon, say to them simply that you do not believe in them ”.

Beginning of the televised series “ the Invaders ”.
** Brad Steiger pseudonym of Brad Olson, publishes Flying Saucers are hostile , Co-writing with Joan Whritenour.

1968 :

a conference on the UFOs is organized within the framework of “American Association for the advance in knowledge” by the astronomers Carl Sagan and Thornton Page.
the American Congress organizes an audience devoted to the UFOs.
the American army validates the conclusions of the Condon report.

1969: The " project; Drunk Project Book" is officially closed.

Years 1970

For the observations of UFOs in the years 1970, to see here

1971: Foundation of the Belgian society of study of the space phenomena.
1972 : The American astronomer Josef Allen Hynek creates most famous system of classification of the UFO.
1973 : Hynek founds CUFOS, an international scientific association of study of the UFOs.
1974 : July 4th 1974, by FOIA ( Freedom Off Information Act ), the US government authorizes the declassification of more than 30 ' 000 governmental documents referring to the UFOs, of which certain classified documents “secret Signal”.
1976 : John A. Keel publishes “ The Mothman Prophecies ”.
1977 :

Under the impulse of Claude Poher, CNES creates the first official scientific organization Frenchwoman of study of the UFOs: GEPAN ( Group of study of the not identified aerospace phenomena ), whereas IHEDN ( Institute of the high studies of national defense ) writes a report/ratio recommending the study of the UFOs.
the American organizations, whose FBI, the CIA, NSA, OSI, DoD, USAF, etc, start to make public some their files.
At that time, the ufologists spend all their energy in a utopian search of the absolute “proof” but move away from this fact of the scientific good practice, more especially as among them a current skeptic appears, called the “ Nouvelle Ufologie ”, following the book “ And if the UFOs did not exist ” published by Michel Monnerie, a ufologist. The controversy will become extensive.

1978 :

Left the film Meetings held on the 3 {{E}} standard realized by Steven Spielberg, it acts of first treating film of the Ufologie and its practice.
the Gepan publishes a report in which he concludes that the UFOs are a rebellious phenomenon with any identification.
Of the sociologists, like French Bertrand Méheust and American Ron Westrum proposes nonreductionistic analyzes of the phenomenon of the UFOs.

1979 : The controversy between the “new ufologists” and the “orthodoxe ones” is radicalized, whereas the American ufologists impassion themselves for the stories of crashes of UFOs.

Years 1980

For the observations of UFOs in the years 1980, to see here

1980 :

the ufologists Charles Berlitz and William Moore publish the first book devoted to the Affaire of Roswell.
the writer Jimmy Guieu publishes “ Contacts UFO Cergy-Pontoise ” a book written in collaboration concerning the business of the removal of Cergy-Pontoise in 1979.

1983:

In France, the activities of GEPAN are from now on to the minimum reduced.
Of the documents known as of the MJ-12 and concerning a program ultrasecret of study of the UFOs after Roswell is divulgés. However they proves like forgery.

1987 : the GEPAN finally dissolved and is replaced by SEPRA ( Service of expertise on the atmospheric re-entries ). , under the direction of Jean-Jacques Velasco.
1989 :

For the first time, a Belgian group of ufologists amateurs, the SOBEPS, becomes an interlocutor of the Belgian authorities.
Beginning of an important vague of observations of UFOs in Belgium, the Belgian air force will confirm the observations and will publish even statements radar attesting of the “physical” reality of the observations.

Years 1990

For the observations of UFOs in the years 1990, to see here

1990: Kevin D. Randle publishes “ UFO Crash landing At Roswell ” a book which will start again the polemic on the crash landing of Roswell.
1994

Following the request for the Congress, the US Air Force publishes his 1st report on Roswell in which it reveals that it was about a secret balloon.
Beginning of the famous series X-Files which universally will popularize all the topics ufologic and the theory of the international plot “to hide the truth”.

1995

Of the emissions televisions, diffuse in several countries, a “film of time” of the autopsy of alleged extraterrestrial fallen in Roswell. In fact it would be about an enormous hoax particularly quite carried out.
the beginnings of Internet will transform deeply and durably the ufologic culture. Many sites and discussion forum will develop and specialize.

1997

Conference of Pocantico (State of New York) on the UFOs.
the US Air Force publishes his second report on Roswell in which it reveals that oneself-saying them creatures were mannequins.
Of the groups of ufologists starts to be devoted to the history of the UFOs Project 1947 and to the conservation of the files with the creation (in 1990) of the SCEAU/Archives UFO ( Sauvegarde, conservation and studies of the ufologic files ).

1999 : The Rapport COMETA on the UFO is given to Jacques Chirac and Lionel Jospin.

XXIe century

For the observations of UFOs in the years 2000, to see here

2004: In France, SEPRA is included in CNES.
2005 : In France, the CNES creates GEIPAN ( Groupe of studies and information on the not identified aerospace phenomena ).
2007 : In France, the GEIPAN puts on line its files relating to the UFOs.

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