Reports of Unidentified Flying Object – Debunking Attempts
As the story began to spread through the press, radio, and TV, the skeptics (armchair experts) increased their de bunking attempts, even before investigations had commenced. Within forty-eight hours five “explanations” came in rapid succession from the scientific community; all contradictory, none satisfactory. This was the type of mysterious event that makes ufologists out of academics and clowns out of skeptics.
One of the first “explanations” came from a professor of impossibility, Ph.D. , etc. , etc. , as being consistent with a meteorite, in spite of the fact that the object landed on top of a motor car before flying away moments later. Following this attempt another “solution” was put forward by a second gentleman of learning: “The description of the event was consistent with dry lightning, ” even though other motorists were driving along the highway and viewed the maneuvering object and confirmed that no electrical storm was in the vicinity.
After that amusing interpretation , another spokesman from the scientific community came up with the “solution” that the occupants were fooled by the rising sun, even though motorists traveling in the opposite direction saw the maneuvering object fly away in the other direction.
Another expert said it must have originated at the Woomera Test Range. That statement was followed by an other spokesman who said that could not be true because it would not be allowed. My own opinion is: of course not, unless it was out of control. But even so, howculd a missile strike or lift a motor, and drop it back down to the ground with only minor damage?
Prior to the arrival of the car in Adelaide, where the first debunking efforts were made, the Knowleses’ experience was being treated seriously until the dedicated de bunkers got into the act. The first samples of dust alleged to have been analyzed were done by employees of a lab oratory in Adelaide. The statement released to the press was: “The dust was mostly iron oxide consistent with residue from worn brake linings. ” The large amount of dust was ignored. The report was distributed in Australia and overseas as if it were God’s gift to the skeptics. Apparently the first analysts did not realize the matter would be taken further afield.
Whether the report was an. effort to cover up or some other reason, I am not prepared to state. The opinion of other analysts is that the dust from the brake linings was mixed with dust from other parts of the car. Naturally, the result would show predominantly brake dust. VUFORS samples taken were kept separate and analyzed accordingly. With comments being made by dedicated debunkers from various sources such as: “The family was mesmerized by a light in the sky; had been driving all night, dozed off and had overturned the car” ; or “UFO experiences occur during dozing-off stage and while awakening (dreamtime ufology), ” made the situation urgent that ufologists should begin investigations .
The facts are: Dreams do not leave holes in the ground.
Dreams do not lift motor cars off the road. Nor do dreams lift helicopters hundreds of feet as experienced by Larry Coyne and his crew while flying over the American state of Ohio in October 1973.
Meanwhile, the first person to have spoken to the family after their terrifying experience, Melbourne truck driver Graham Henley, broadcast a statement that theories aimed at debunking the encounter, “were a lot of rot. ” He said he had felt the sooty material and it was not brake dust.
He had been around the car-racing scene as well as being a truck driver and knew what brake dust was like, and added that the substance on the car was a fine silicon-type material with an incredible feel to it. Brake dust only gets on the wheels, not on the roof. Furthermore, the brakes were not even hot (it was the coolest part of the morning) .
Besides, he was convinced when the Knowleses first told him what they had experienced earlier that they had seen something frightening when he saw the terror on their faces. Even the dogs were scared.