Project Condign
Template:Infobox ParanormaltermsProject Condign was the name given to a top secret UFO study undertaken by the British Government's Defence Intelligence Staff (DIS) between 1997-2000. [1]
The results of Project Condign were compiled into a 400 page document; titles "Unidentified Aerial Phenomena in the UK" that drew on approximately 10,000 sightings and reports that had been gathered by Defence Intelligence (DI55). [2][1] It was released into the public domain on 15 May 2006 after a September 2005 Freedom of Information Act request by UFO researchers Dr. David Clarke; a lecturer at Sheffield Hallam University and Gary Anthony; a former BUFORA astronomical consultant. The identity of the report's author/s was not made public. [1][2]
Conclusions
UFOs
The report concluded that UFOs had an observable presence that was “indisputable”, but also that they did not represent crafts under intelligent control. [1][3] According to it's author/s most UFO sightings were likely the result the misidentification of common object such as aircraft and balloons, or were the result of known/ little-understood astronomical or meteorological phenomena (such as meteorites and atmospheric magnetic disturbances) which would not be recognized by most observers. [1][3]
Close Encounters
The report described people who believed themselves to have had close encounters as being convinced of what they said that they had seen/experience, but also as not representing proof that such encounters were real. [1][3] It attributed a number of cases to the “close proximity of plasma related fields” which it said could “adversely affect a vehicle or person". [1][3]
Reaction
According to Clarke, the release of the documents did not shed any new light on UFOs or the UFO phenomona, but did show that the DIS had been conducting a far larger investigation of the topic than it had previously let on. [2]
References
- ^ a b c d e f g Simpson, Mark (2006-05-07) "UFO study finds no sign of aliens", BBC News
- ^ a b c Randerson, James (2006-09-25) Is there anybody out there? How the men from the ministry hid the hunt for UFOs, The Guardian (2007-12-02)
- ^ a b c d ”Unidentified Aerial Phenomena in the UK”, Defence Intelligence Staff (2000)