2008 Woodie Awards
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UFO sightings not so uncommon
By: Adam Louis
Issue date: 2/12/08 Section: Campus
Nearly 10 years ago, WBGU radio host Jim Barnes was driving on Route 105 late at night when he saw something odd - a hovering triangle with a light at each corner.
"It was really up there, traveling slow," Barnes said. He followed the mysterious triangle for 10 miles and called his wife to alert her. When Barnes looked back up, it was gone.
More than 30 residents in Stephenville, Texas observed something similar on Jan. 8 - it was flying so low and fast that even Air Force technicians and pilots couldn't dismiss the "UFO."
An unidentified flying object, according to the University astronomy lecturer and former NASA observatory researcher Glenn Tiede, is not necessarily from outer space but is anything in the sky that an average person can't identify.
"Usually, when someone sees something [unusual], they don't know what they're looking at," Tiede said.
Weather balloons, the planet Venus and military aircraft are among the flying objects most commonly mistaken for alien spacecraft, he said.
UFOs have been seen all over Ohio, according to the National UFO Reporting Center Web site. Just in October 2007, Toledo residents reported seeing UFOs on two consecutive days. Their observations are recorded in the site's database after users fill out a report form.
Of course, one of the problems with databases like this is the inconsistency in witness descriptions - and their own beliefs about the UFOs they see, BGSU Astronomy Lecturer Andrew Layden said.
"[Witnesses] make assumptions about how big [the UFO] really is based on their own experience," Layden said.
Unfortunately, most people are "badly equipped" to describe a UFO in an official, legitimate way, even if it is what they think it is, he said.
Astronomers are looking for more compelling evidence than a UFO, Tiede said.
A whole spacecraft, a life form or even a piece of metal that could not possibly have been made on Earth are examples of "pieces of evidence that can't be explained any other way," Tiede said.
"It was really up there, traveling slow," Barnes said. He followed the mysterious triangle for 10 miles and called his wife to alert her. When Barnes looked back up, it was gone.
More than 30 residents in Stephenville, Texas observed something similar on Jan. 8 - it was flying so low and fast that even Air Force technicians and pilots couldn't dismiss the "UFO."
An unidentified flying object, according to the University astronomy lecturer and former NASA observatory researcher Glenn Tiede, is not necessarily from outer space but is anything in the sky that an average person can't identify.
"Usually, when someone sees something [unusual], they don't know what they're looking at," Tiede said.
Weather balloons, the planet Venus and military aircraft are among the flying objects most commonly mistaken for alien spacecraft, he said.
UFOs have been seen all over Ohio, according to the National UFO Reporting Center Web site. Just in October 2007, Toledo residents reported seeing UFOs on two consecutive days. Their observations are recorded in the site's database after users fill out a report form.
Of course, one of the problems with databases like this is the inconsistency in witness descriptions - and their own beliefs about the UFOs they see, BGSU Astronomy Lecturer Andrew Layden said.
"[Witnesses] make assumptions about how big [the UFO] really is based on their own experience," Layden said.
Unfortunately, most people are "badly equipped" to describe a UFO in an official, legitimate way, even if it is what they think it is, he said.
Astronomers are looking for more compelling evidence than a UFO, Tiede said.
A whole spacecraft, a life form or even a piece of metal that could not possibly have been made on Earth are examples of "pieces of evidence that can't be explained any other way," Tiede said.
Viewing Comments 1 - 2 of 2
Paul
posted 2/12/08 @ 6:26 AM EST
The so called "UFO Phenomenon" is well documented. The existence of the phenomenon is undeniable. However nobody has ever produced any evidence that those 'objects' are machines. (Continued…)
OneEyedJack
posted 2/12/08 @ 10:08 AM EST
Great story. I think the truth will come out sooner or later, there are just too many credible and compelling witnesses. http://www.ufo-reports.com
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