tanktruck
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The paranormal, specifically the UFO phenomenon, is a subject that scientists must acknowledge as being of particular interest to their fields. This is mainly a question of defense: A lot of UFO reports are hoaxes, misidentifications, or some other easily explainable problem. The public, however, has a considerable interest in the subject, and if scientists do not debunk and demystify the bumper crop of hogwash related to this subject, they may find the line between science and fantasy irreparably blurred. Even these seemingly useless hoaxes, tricks, and mass hysterias can yield valuable data for scientists in the fields of psychology and sociology.
Some things, such as "lights in the sky" may also have a value to physicists, meteorologists, and other 'hard' scientists. One thing associated with UFOs that will never, ever, give up any hard scientific data is the phenomena of the so-called "Men In Black."
Basically, it goes like this: If you see a UFO and talk about it, eventually some men wearing dark suits, perhaps acting oddly, will call on you and threaten that you'd better stay quiet. Some believe these men to be government agents, some to be harmless cranks, and some to be alien visitors or travelers from other dimensions.
Other than incredible stories, there is no hard evidence to show that these men are anything other than regular flesh-and-blood human beings. I'm sure that disappoints all the computer scientists itching to get their hands on a remote-controlled robot built from alien technology, but it should delight scientists working on the mind: Stories of Men In Black can surely point you to some interesting case studies in mental disorders.
Men In Black encounters fall into basically four categories. The first doesn't involve actual contact. Threatening phone calls, letters, faxes, or e-mails that warn a person not to go public about their UFO encounter. There is no proof that these are anything other than misguided pranks or regular people that want to suppress a story for some reason.
The second category involves Men In Black meeting a person face-to face, but acting like regular people. In these cases, there is nothing to suggest anything more fantastic than some person, fashionably attired, is trying to keep a witness from going public. In some cases, they con the witnesses into giving up rolls of film, physical evidence, or other "proof." Some stories of these encounters are surely to prop up hoaxes ("Of course I don't have proof, I gave it to that man I can't prove exists!"), or are actually benign encounters, be it from actual UFO investigators, government agents, or curious parties. Sometimes the Men In Black threaten the witness if they don't stay quiet, but these threats are never carried out. Other intimidation tactics, such as a large, dark car carrying Men In Black driving slowly past a witness's house late at night, are occasionally used.
The third category is when the Men In Black show up and they act really weird. In one case, a Man In Black claimed to have a stomachache and, not quite understanding a woman's advice for a home remedy, took a bowl of jelly and drank it like soup. In many cases, the Men In Black move stiffly and talk with stilted, robotic voices. In some cases they're missing unimportant body parts, such as eyebrows, fingernails, or lips.
http://media.collegepublisher.com/media/paper689/stills/i27fe2gw.jpgMedia Credit: Jim Templeton
When Jim Templeton took this photo, there was nothing odd. Upon development the ´spaceman´ appeared. It earned him a visit from two ´Men In Black ´ who escorted him to the scene of the photo, and then drove off. Surely, they were aliens!
Sometimes they're either too tan or too pale, or have oddly colored hair or eyes. In many cases they speak with odd accents, use archaic terminology or the wrong words, or are dressed in fashions that are decades out of date. I admit that, if these stories are true, the men in them are acting pretty weird, but it's not anything that a person with a little bit of acting, a little bit of sleight-of-hand, and a little bit of makeup can't do with ease. If you suck down a bowl of jelly like soup, chances are you're just a nut, not a spaceman. Continues on next post
Some things, such as "lights in the sky" may also have a value to physicists, meteorologists, and other 'hard' scientists. One thing associated with UFOs that will never, ever, give up any hard scientific data is the phenomena of the so-called "Men In Black."
Basically, it goes like this: If you see a UFO and talk about it, eventually some men wearing dark suits, perhaps acting oddly, will call on you and threaten that you'd better stay quiet. Some believe these men to be government agents, some to be harmless cranks, and some to be alien visitors or travelers from other dimensions.
Other than incredible stories, there is no hard evidence to show that these men are anything other than regular flesh-and-blood human beings. I'm sure that disappoints all the computer scientists itching to get their hands on a remote-controlled robot built from alien technology, but it should delight scientists working on the mind: Stories of Men In Black can surely point you to some interesting case studies in mental disorders.
Men In Black encounters fall into basically four categories. The first doesn't involve actual contact. Threatening phone calls, letters, faxes, or e-mails that warn a person not to go public about their UFO encounter. There is no proof that these are anything other than misguided pranks or regular people that want to suppress a story for some reason.
The second category involves Men In Black meeting a person face-to face, but acting like regular people. In these cases, there is nothing to suggest anything more fantastic than some person, fashionably attired, is trying to keep a witness from going public. In some cases, they con the witnesses into giving up rolls of film, physical evidence, or other "proof." Some stories of these encounters are surely to prop up hoaxes ("Of course I don't have proof, I gave it to that man I can't prove exists!"), or are actually benign encounters, be it from actual UFO investigators, government agents, or curious parties. Sometimes the Men In Black threaten the witness if they don't stay quiet, but these threats are never carried out. Other intimidation tactics, such as a large, dark car carrying Men In Black driving slowly past a witness's house late at night, are occasionally used.
The third category is when the Men In Black show up and they act really weird. In one case, a Man In Black claimed to have a stomachache and, not quite understanding a woman's advice for a home remedy, took a bowl of jelly and drank it like soup. In many cases, the Men In Black move stiffly and talk with stilted, robotic voices. In some cases they're missing unimportant body parts, such as eyebrows, fingernails, or lips.
http://media.collegepublisher.com/media/paper689/stills/i27fe2gw.jpgMedia Credit: Jim Templeton
When Jim Templeton took this photo, there was nothing odd. Upon development the ´spaceman´ appeared. It earned him a visit from two ´Men In Black ´ who escorted him to the scene of the photo, and then drove off. Surely, they were aliens!
Sometimes they're either too tan or too pale, or have oddly colored hair or eyes. In many cases they speak with odd accents, use archaic terminology or the wrong words, or are dressed in fashions that are decades out of date. I admit that, if these stories are true, the men in them are acting pretty weird, but it's not anything that a person with a little bit of acting, a little bit of sleight-of-hand, and a little bit of makeup can't do with ease. If you suck down a bowl of jelly like soup, chances are you're just a nut, not a spaceman. Continues on next post
