L
et’s be up front about this — UFOs generate a lot more questions than answers. As an investigator, I routinely use all the science at my disposal to find out about a given UFO’s size, distance, altitude and airspeed, but these facts — even when well estimated — leave countless questions unanswered. A simple but baffling question is: Where are they from? In this age of internet connectivity, I find myself on the mailing list of various UFO fringe groups who don’t hesitate to assure everyone that they have all the answers. “These objects are from Zeta Reticulae,” they proclaim, “and the reason they’re here is such-and-such.” Sadly, these pretentious folks come close to giving the whole field of UFO studies the reputation of being the flying saucer lunatic fringe, even when the truth is that most of us eschew such nonsense in favor of endorsing only what our proper research gives us good reason
UFOlogy
UFOs: A world of mystery and wonder
to believe. Where are UFOs from? It seems likely that no one knows, or at least that no one without a top secret security clearance knows. Whether even those people really know is an open question to us private citizens. Are there things we do know about UFOs? Yes! One thing is that they represent an advanced level of technology. How do we know this? Not by having high enough security clearances and the opportunity to have examined real UFO wreckage, but by observations available to the public. UFOs have been observed on radar making right-angle turns at thousands of miles per hour, something conventional aircraft cannot do — at least conventional aircraft we know anything about. Has our government or some other government secretly developed aircraft capable of doing such things? We don’t know, but even if they have, it still amounts to technology more advanced than anything
openly known. To recognize the difference between one level of technology and another is something even the secret-keepers can’t keep us from doing. A radar blip is what it is. And why are UFOs here? Again, the fringe groups will tell you, inexplicably, that they know all about this, but they don’t, despite all their talk about galactic federations, secret alien agreements with the government, and so on. This question in fact raises more difficulties than one might think. It most often gets posed, usually unconsciously I suspect, in anthropocentric terms, i.e. in terms of human psychology, human motivations, human concepts. We ask “What do they want?” as if these creatures were known to “want” things in the way we humans do. Well, maybe they do, but maybe they don’t. Right here on planet Earth we have life forms that lead a complex existence without anything remotely similar to human consciousness. The
common ant comes to mind. Colonies of ants manage to do very intricate things although driven by biochemical forces leaving them little or no free choice, collectively or individually, about what to do. Could it be that some extraterrestrial visitors are sufficiently “insectoid” to be similarly lacking in humanlike reflection and motivation, but still possessed of such innate abilities that they could build and fly those fantastic machines? It’s conceivable. At any rate, when we ask “What do they want?” our very use of the word “want” may involve some unwarranted assumptions about what these beings are really like. Yes, UFOs are undeniably mysterious, causing us anxiety, but arguably that mysteriousness isn’t necessarily a bad thing. To a considerable extent, we humans thrive on mystery. It tantalizes us. It motivates us to try to learn more than we currently know, and to come to understand that in spite of our egos, we must recognize that there are always
Looking Up
By Donald Burleson
a great many things beyond our present comprehension. Psychoanalyst Carl Jung could have been right in theorizing that UFOs fill a psychic need in us, suggesting connectedness and completeness, even accommodating us by usually being round in shape like the archetypal mandala that symbolizes closure and fulfillment, even though these ideals may remain unreached. I would further suggest that if UFOs satisfy some kind of collective need, it’s the need for mystery and unresolved questions. As thinking humans, we do require those things. What scientist would ever want to have to say there are no more questions, no more enigmas to overcome, no more challenges? We aren’t constituted that way. We need the wonder of the unknown, and with UFOs in our skies we will probably always have plenty to puzzle over. Questions demand answers, and sometimes we find them, but the answers generally create more ques-
tions. That’s the nature of human curiosity. Dr. Burleson holds Master’s degrees both in mathematics and in English, and a Ph.D. in English literature, with a dissertation on H.P. Lovecraft. He has taught at many colleges and universities, most recently at Eastern New Mexico University in Roswell. He once held a Top Secret security clearance in U.S. Air Force Intelligence as a Chinese language specialist. He is also fluent in Spanish and has a reading knowledge of French and an understanding of several other languages. Burleson is a certified UFO field investigator, research consultant, and New Mexico state director for MUFON, the Mutual UFO Network. His column, “Looking Up,” has been part of the Roswell Daily Record and its VISION entertainment and event section since 1999. Burleson is a speaker at this year’s UFO Museum Ufologist Invasion. For more information, visit blackmesapress.com.
Laser
Continued from Page 8 worldwide. Now Metallica’s tempos, instrumentals, themes and sound are joined with laser lights of the same caliber and style. Your pulse and body will pound as the music fills both your ears and eyes. Laser Pink Floyd’s “The Wall” Truly the mother of all laser-light shows and a cult favorite throughout the world. Considered to be one of the best classic rock albums of all time, “The Wall” is best considered as a continual story rather than a collection of individual songs. “The Wall” is a gripping and spellbinding musical journey — beautiful, haunting, powerful and thought provoking. It is a timeless classic. Now coupled with spectacular and mesmerizing laser art, Pink Floyd’s classic 1979 epic about personal struggle takes on
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a unique look. Laser Queen Start with a layer of heavy metal, add a dash of glam, a pinch of astrophysics, and sprinkle liberally with theatrics. Only then will you get a sense of what makes up the legendary Queen, the band who are often touted as being the most educated rock band to ever live. The band that broke rules, combining rock with opera. Laser Rocket Man Elton John’s unique blend of pop and rock styles turned him into one of the 20th century’s biggest music icons. What better way to celebrate his musical hits than with laser light accompaniment? Sit back, relax, and let this unique light and sound experience move through you. Thursday, July 1, 2021
Laser Beatles The greatest Rock ’n’ Roll band of all time! Laser Beatles will take you back to a different time in history to re-experience and remember the evolution of this musical phenomenon. The Fab Four’s best spanning six years becomes the background for dazzling laserart. All ages and backgrounds will appreciate this fantasy tribute of music and light to The Beatles and how they helped define a generation. Laser U2 One of the greatest bands of the last three decades, U2’s timeless classic and modern hits are featured. This musical concert is set against a backdrop of the latest laser art. Your eyes and ears will be your guides into a journey through this British band’s rise
and success. Laser Hypnotica Techno music and laser go together perfectly, and that is the mix that is Hypnotica. This program offers a mixture of techno and ambient electronic music taken directly from the late night rave scene. Reflecting influences from hip-hop, soul and pop, this dance-based program with a rock-band feel will shake your entire body with pulsing beats, incredible imagery and dazzling laser light effects. The dates and times for the respective shows are listed in the schedule in the center of this magazine. For more information, visit roswell-nm.gov/328/Goddard-Planetarium.
