Artist's illustration of extrasolar planets discovered around the star Kepler 11 by the Kepler Space Telescope (credit: Nature)

This team of astrobiologists proposed two new planetary rating systems that could help widen the search for extraterrestrial life. Researchers suggest ranking planets on both an Earth Similarity Index (ESI) and a broader Planetary Habitability Index (PHI). Wired explains, “The first index looks at how close a planet is to Earth in mass, temperature, and composition while the second is based on the whether or not it possesses more exotic chemistries, liquids, and energy sources than found on our planet. Alien life could be based on elements other than carbon, require liquids other than water, and gain energy through means other than sunlight.”

Abel Mendez of the University of Puerto Rico in Arecibo is one of the co-authors of the proposed rating system. He explains, “We are trying not to be geocentric, calculating planetary habitability independent of liquid water.”

The team’s proposed rating system was published in the journal Astrobiology on November 21.

Artist's impression of the SKA radio telescope array (credit: SKA Project Development Office and Swinburne Astronomy Productions)

Professor Fred Watson, astronomer in charge at the Australian Astronomical Observatory at Coonabarabran in New South Wales, is a major proponent of building the SKA radio telescope in Australia. The Sydney Morning Herald quotes Watson as stating, “The SKA will be by far the most sensitive radio telescope ever built . . . It will have the potential to reveal all kinds of things ranging from the possibility of picking up signals from aliens, if they exist.”

The SKA radio telescope will also be used to explore dark matter, and to explore the origins of the universe.

A meeting of scientists, engineers and government officials takes place this week, and could provide clues as to which country will be selected as the home for the SKA radio telescope. A group of international scientists is expected to make the final decision in 2012. Construction will then begin in 2016, leading to a projected operational date of 2024.

Astronomer Derrick Pitts (credit: Franklin Insitute)

The book is UFOs: Generals, Pilots, and Government Officials Go On the Record by journalist Leslie Kean. This book hit shelves in August of 2010 and quickly became a New York Times bestseller. As Kean’s website describes, the book’s content comes from “highly credible aviation witnesses and official investigators – including five generals and a former U.S. governor – who reveal the facts about UFOs in riveting, personal accounts . . .”

Cover of Kean's book (credit: Crown)

In his Philly Post article, Volk (who recently released his own book that explores UFOs and other paranormal phenomena) points out that “what Pitts endorses is the ‘unidentified’ aspect of an unidentified flying object.” This refers to a point that is mentioned on Kean’s website and in her book:

“We know that of all UFO sightings reported, 95 percent can be explained as ordinary phenomena. However, within that remaining 5 percent, spectacular well-documented UFO events have been officially investigated by government agencies around the world, yet no conventional explanations were found.”

Pitts’s new outlook on the UFO phenomenon is refreshing, and one that more scientists will hopefully embrace. He is unconcerned with the possibility of being tainted for his endorsement of a UFO book, and stresses, “The scientific viewpoint is to admit when we don’t know something and look for answers.”

Pitts’s endorsement of Kean’s book will be in the paperback edition that hits shelves in August of this year.

Book cover of 'First Contact' (credit: Simon & Schuster)

A Washington Post colleague, Joel Achenbach, recently interviewed Kaufman about his new book, First Contact: Scientific Breakthroughs in the Hunt for Life Beyond Earth. In the interview, Kaufman briefly discusses SETI (the Search for Extraterrestrial Intelligence), stating that he has “never been a fan or even particularly knowledgeable person about SETI.” He explains that, after walking through a SETI telescope array, he came to the conclusion that “if we’re in fact interested in trying to learn whether technologically evolved life exists out there,” we don’t have many alternatives to SETI’s current approach. However, he still feels that the SETI approach to searching for extraterrestrial life is “mostly a crapshoot.”

SETI made headlines this week following the announcement that, due to budget cutbacks, the institute was forced to suspend operations at their Allen Telescope Array.

Kaufman’s book, First Contact: Scientific Breakthroughs in the Hunt for Life Beyond Earth, was published by Simon & Schuster this month, and is in stores now.

Guy Consolmagno (credit: Kevin Nickerson, Wikimedia Commons)

Consolmagno has been quite outspoken regarding science and religion. In a 2010 interview, he told The Guardian, “Any entity – no matter how many tentacles it has – has a soul.” He made headlines because of this interview by The Guardian, in which he said he would offer to baptize an extraterrestrial being if one requested.

On Monday, Consolmagno’s presentation focused on whether or not Pluto should be considered a planet. Tonight’s presentation shifts gears and focuses on the connection between religion and science.

Phil Langill (Credit: Morgan Shandro / the Gauntlet)

In response to NASA’s recent discovery of microbes capable of modifying their DNA to live in arsenic-heavy environments, Langill states that scientists need to start “looking in other places and we have got to be broader in our search because we don’t understand completely.”

The festival director explains, “Many people initially come to science through science fiction. We’re happy to stimulate interest in scientific developments like astrobiology through events like this, with a lot of fun en route.”

A still from astronomer, Dr. J. Allen Hynek's cameo appearance on Spielberg's Close Encounters of the Third Kind

There is a common misperception that scientists are not interested in UFOs.  I often hear that if there really was something to this, then scientists would be looking into it.  The reality is that not only are scientists interested, they have been the main proponents of this subject since the beginning of modern UFO research.

When the public started to take notice of high profile UFO sightings beginning in the 40’s, the Air Force was on point to investigate the phenomena.  They started several projects, all culminating into the Air Force’s largest UFO investigation called Project Blue Book.  To help them in their investigation they hired astronomer, Dr. J. Allen Hynek.

Hynek was not enthusiastic about the subject at the time.  He was quoted as saying “the whole subject seems utterly ridiculous”.  He then went on to explain away the incredible sightings that continued to be reported by credible people.  One of his most infamous debunkings was in March of 1966, when hundreds of witnesses in Michigan reported sightings over a two day period.  Hynek suggested that some of these could have been due to swamp gas.

Eventually, after reviewing enough of these cases, Hynek began to believe that there actually was something more to the UFO mystery.  He began disagreeing with the Air Force’s conclusions on some cases, and once Project Blue Book was closed, was an open advocate of the need for further research into the issue.  In an interview in the 80’s Hynek had said that he became frustrated with the Air Force pressuring him to come up with quick prosaic answers to sightings instead of allowing him to conduct proper investigations.

To further scientific studies into UFOs Hynek started the Center for UFO Studies (CUFOS).  He also went on to consult Steven Spielberg on his movie Close Encounters of the Third Kind.  The title of the movie was based on a classification system that Hynek had developed for UFO sightings.

Hynek’s story is important because here we see that the first scientist tasked with the job of researching UFOs , once provided the evidence, became so interested that he devoted much of his life’s work to the effort.  Although, Hynek started one of the first and most important UFO research organizations, his wasn’t the first, nor was it the first to be started by scientists.

Thomas Townsend Brown

It’s arguable as to which of the UFO research organizations was the most important, but another one of the top three was the National Investigations Committee on Aerial Phenomena (NICAP).  It was founded in 1956 by physicist Thomas Townsend Brown.  Brown researched electromagnetism, radiation, field physics, gravity, and other cutting edge technologies.  Among the organizations he worked for was the National Defense Research Committee and the Office of Scientific Research and Development.

Brown believed that some of the research he was involved with may shed light on the type technology being applied by UFOs.  His organization, NICAP, went on to include many notable members and advisors, including retired and active military personnel.   After Brown, one of the most prominent Directors was retired USMC Major Donald Keyhoe.  Keyhoe then recruited the help of one of his Naval Academy colleagues, Admiral Roscoe H. Hillenkoetter.  Among other accolades, HIllenkoeter was the first director of the Central Intelligence Agency.

Hillenkoeter was openly critical of the Air Force’s handling of the UFO situation, as can be seen in his famous quote in the New York Times, “Behind the scenes, high-ranking Air Force officers are soberly concerned about UFOs. But through official secrecy and ridicule, many citizens are led to believe the unknown flying objects are nonsense.”

The third large UFO organization from the early years was the Aerial Phenomena Research Organization (APRO), started in 1952 by electrical technician, Jim Lorenzen along with his wife Coral.  Over time they collected a long list of scientific consultants, including atmospheric physicist Dr. James McDonald, professor in hydraulics engineering Dr. James Harder, and psychologists Dr. Leo Sprinkle.

By the late 50’s there were three organizations with respected scientific members investigating UFOs.  To add to this scientific endeavor, in 1969 the American Association for the Advancement of Science’s (AAAS) annual meeting included a panel discussion of scientists on UFOs.  This was all in the beginning of UFO research, and scientific interest continues to this day.

Over time these three organizations either lost steam, or shut down completely.  So in 1969 many of APRO’s members went on to found the Mutual UFO Network (MUFON), which is currently largest UFO organization in the U.S.  MUFON was founded by Walt Andrus, who had a long career as an educator and manager in technology, along with engineer John Schuessler, and Dr. Allen Utke.

John Schuessler

John Schuessler is a retired aerospace engineer, who spent 36 years working for the Human Space Flight program.  He was a Director and Project Manager for Space Shuttle Flight Operations, and received the NASA Public Service Medal for leadership on his role in the NASA Neutral Buoyancy Laboratory.

Among the many scientists that make up the membership of MUFON are prominent researchers such as physicist Stanton Friedman, optical physicist Dr. Bruce Maccabee, aeronautical engineer Dr. Bob Wood, and professor of physics Dr. Jack Kasher.  I’m sure I am neglecting to mention many others, as there are an abundance of dedicated scientists aiding in MUFON’s efforts.

Physicist Stanton Friedman is probably the most well known scientist in UFO research.  He has been featured on countless documentaries and news stories on this subject.

Dr. Peter Sturrock (image credit: Stanford.edu)

Stanford Professor of astrophysics, Peter Sturrock convened what is known as the Sturrock Panel in 1996.  His colleague Dr. Jacques Valle had written books on UFOs, and after reviewing them he agreed that the subject was worthy of scientific study.  He felt that there was a problem with scientists understanding the UFO phenomena.  At the time Laurance Rockefeller was also taking an interest in UFO research.  Rockefeller agreed to fund a gathering of a group of UFO researchers to present their evidence to a panel of unbiased scientists.  They included in their conclusions that “It is desirable that there be institutional support for research in this area.”

In 1995 real estate developer Robert Bigelow created the National Institute for Discover Sciences (NIDS).  Bigelow grew up in Las Vegas while the atom bomb was being developed, and remembers his family reporting many UFO sightings.  Since then he has had an interest in getting to the root of the issue.  He started NIDS and hired scientists to investigate anomalous phenomena including UFOs.

Artist rendition of the Bigelow Aerospaces inflatable space module that is now in orbit. (image credit: Bigelow Aerospace)

NIDS was disbanded in 2004 when Bigelow refocused his energy on space technology and started a company called Bigelow Aerospace.  He However, he did not abandon the search for UFO truth.  Bigelow Aerospace works with MUFON and just recently it was announced that the FAA will make Bigelow Aerospace their official UFO reporting center for commercial pilots.

Some of the scientists involved with NIDS projects were Dr. Colm Kelleher, Dr. Jacques Vallee, Dr. Christopher Greene, Dr. Roger Leir, Dr. Hal Puthoff, Dr. John Alexander, and astronaut Dr. Edgar Mitchell.  Molecular Biologist, Dr. Colm Kelleher still organizes investigations for Bigelow Aerospace’s current UFO investigations.

In 2008, the Society for Scientific Exploration included UFOs in their 2008 annual meeting in Boulder, CO.  Among the featured speakers to cover the subject were, Dr. Bob Wood, Dr. John Alexander, Dr. Simeon Hein, Dr. Shelley Tanenbaum, and Dr. Claude Swanson.  The ex-minister of Defense for Canada, the honorable Paul Hellyer also addressed the SSE at this meeting calling for an end to UFO secrecy.

Michio Kaku (image credit: www.mkaku.org)

Another well know scientist that is often seen in the media and has been including this subject in his lectures is theoretical physicist, Dr. Michio Kaku.  He can be seen on many recent documentaries regarding incredible cutting edge breakthroughs in technology.  He is a major contributor to string theory.  In his latest book, Physics of the Impossible, he covers the idea of advanced civilizations.  He categorizes them based on the levels of technology they may have obtained.  Currently humans only rate as a type 0.

Beyond astrobiology, Dr. Kaku has stressed in many interviews the need to take UFOs seriously.   Doing my best to sum up his point, he notes that even in programs, such as the Air Force’s Project Blue Book, there are a small percentage of sightings that could not be explained.  When given the thousands of reports received, this represents a large amount of unknowns.  Theoretical physicists believe travel at vast distances over short times is possible, that along with the ongoing discovery of planets that could harbor life, it is not such a stretch to think that a more advanced civilization is checking us out.

This article could go on almost indefinitely because there are so many scientists investigating the UFO question.  I was surprised when I started getting involved with this field at how many scientists and engineers were interested.  I found myself among venerable gentlemen that you would expect to find at a NASA conference.  It is true that there are no large scientific institutions or universities taking on this subject.  This is most likely the reason why people believe that scientists are not interested.  Getting a scientific institution interested in this subject would probably lead to astonishing breakthroughs in this field, and with continued interest by respected high-profile scientists, we may see that happen in the near future.