Nick Pope
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This article may require cleanup to meet Wikipedia's quality standards. (April 2011) |
| Nick Pope | |
|---|---|
| Born | 19 September 1965 |
| Occupation | Author, journalist and broadcaster; former civil servant |
Nick Pope (born 19 September 1965) worked for 21 years at the British Government's Ministry of Defence from 1985 to 2006. He is best known for a job that he did from 1991 to 1994, where his duties included investigating reports of UFO sightings, to see if they had any defence significance.[1] He now works as a freelance journalist and media commentator.[2]
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Ministry of Defence [edit]
Pope joined the Ministry of Defence in 1985. After serving in a number of different posts, he was assigned in 1991 to a section of Secretariat (Air Staff) known as Sec (AS) 2a, where his duties included investigating reports of UFO sightings, to see if they had any defence significance.
At the time, while the Ministry of Defence stated that it "remains totally open-minded" about the existence or otherwise of extraterrestrial lifeforms”, it also stated that there was no evidence to suggest that any UFO sightings posed any threat to the UK or that they were extraterrestrial in origin.[3] It is clear from material that Pope wrote whilst still at the MoD that he did not share the MoD's view that conventional explanations could be found for all UFO sightings.[4]
Pope's final posting in the MoD was to the Directorate of Defence Security. He resigned in 2006 and in 2009 MoD announced that UFO sightings would no longer be investigated.[5][6][7]
Media work [edit]
In November 2006, he resigned from his post at the MOD, saying the government's "X-Files have been closed down."[8] He continues his research and investigation in a private capacity and now works as a freelance journalist and media commentator, covering subjects that include the unexplained, conspiracy theories, space, science fiction and fringe science.[9]
He also does work for a number of film companies and PR agencies, promoting the release of science fiction films.[10]
Books [edit]
Open Skies, Closed Minds is Pope's autobiographical account of his interest in ufology. It provides an overview of the UFO phenomenon, with the emphasis on Pope's three-year tour of duty as the Ministry of Defence's UFO desk officer.[11] Pope also discusses the politics surrounding the way in which those within government and the military view UFO-phenomena.
Pope has also written two science fiction novels, Operation Thunder Child and its sequel Operation Lightning Strike.
References [edit]
- ^ Hansard entry 18th April 2006, Column 624W
- ^ Nick Pope’s Journalisted entry
- ^ Ministry of Defence policy statement on UFOs
- ^ The official who wants to believe – article from Focus, the MoD in-house magazine
- ^ Ministry of Defence policy statement on its discontinuation of UFO investigations
- ^ Daily Telegraph article on Ministry of Defence's discontinuation of UFO investigations
- ^ Pope’s article in The Guardian, writing about the Ministry of Defence's discontinuation of UFO investigations
- ^ "'Aliens could attack at any time' warns former MoD chief", Evening Standard, 10.11.06
- ^ Nick Pope’s New York Times op-ed on UFOs
- ^ Nick Pope promotes the science fiction film Battle: Los Angeles for Sony Pictures
- ^ Roberts, Andy; Clarke, David (November 2002), "The UK's real X-files", Fortean Times (164), archived from the original on 2003-02-06
External links [edit]
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