Alien Abduction Facts

UFOs are often reported to be disc shaped.

The Internet is filled with web pages dedicated to photographs and eyewitness stories regarding communication from aliens via crop circles and telepathy, while a multitude of military and commercial pilots have recorded stories of midair encounters with unidentified flying objects, also known as UFOs. Alien abduction stories also continue to surface, and while the details of these experiences vary, some of the unifying factors are shocking in their similarities.

Aliens

Most widely accepted description of an alien.

Whether the "aliens" are from the future, a nearby solar system, are perhaps a secret race that lives underground, or simply the result of psychic phenomenon, has yet to be discovered. The physical description of the aliens can vary from those known as "greys" who have a pale grey, hairless body with large, dark eyes and a small mouth, to reptilian type creatures, real Men in Black, and the Nordics, which are reported to be almost human-like.

Abduction

"Beam me up, Scotty."

While mention of alien encounters are found throughout written and even ancient history, the first widely publicized abduction stories surfaced with Antonio Villas Boas, taken in Brazil in 1957, and Barney and Betty Hill, who claim to have been abducted in the United States in 1961. Both stories involve the abductees being taken while outside and fully awake. Reported abductions in the years following these famous cases tell of another version that describes the victims being taken from their beds after experiencing the inability to move or call out for help.

Experimentation

Tales of probes, examinations and sexual intercourse with the aliens are very common, as are claims of repeated abductions. However, some tell of gentle beings who give warnings about not only environmental issues, but warfare as well. One theory is that the aliens have been sent back to save the human race and our planet from our own destructive devices. However, author and Temple University professor David Jacobs, Ph.D, feels that the goals of these abductions is to breed with humans, create alien-human hybrids and to eventually integrate these hybrids into human society in order to take control of our planet.

Aftermath

In the aftermath of these events, victims often claim to have otherwise unexplained bruising or injuries, as proof of their encounter. Antonio Villas Boas was found to have not only bruising, but lesions and painful wounds that produced a yellowish discharge. Recurring nightmares and even post-traumatic stress disorder symptoms plague victims who may live in constant fear of future abductions. There has also been a widely reported element of lost time where "experiencers," as they are often called, have a large period of time for which they have no memory. Often, those who seek help may discover repressed memories of the events through hypnotic regression therapy sessions.

Conspiracy Theories

Conspiracy theorists have long accused the United States government of concealing its knowledge regarding extraterrestrials, and of capturing and holding these crafts and beings hostage. Deceased military official Lt. Walter Haut, recorded an affidavit detailing the detainment of the alien bodies and artifacts found at the 1947 Roswell, New Mexico, crash site, as reported by The Sunday Telegraph. The restricted and heavily guarded Area 51, one of many nicknames given to a secretive military base in the Nellis Military Operation Area in Nevada, is home to experimental aircraft and weaponry development. However, many feel the purpose of Area 51 is far more sinister and involves alien craft storage, medical experiments on and even meetings with intelligent alien lifeforms. The government vehemently denies these accusations.

Alternate Explanations

Skeptics site drugs, psychosis, hallucinations, delusions and even downright lying as possible explanations. Other theories suggest that while these encounters are in fact real, psychic phenomena or even humans are responsible. Harvard researcher Susan Clancy feels sleep paralysis best explains all of these episodes. Sleep paralysis is described as feeling half awake and being unable to move or speak while sensing a malevolent presence in the room. It is an event where deep sleep is interrupted, and the mind becomes semiconscious while the body remains paralyzed to reduce movement during dreams. Continued dreaming and hallucinations can contribute to a feeling of dread or terror. It is a series of events that can mimic the most basic of abduction stories. It is a quite common affliction, especially among those who are perhaps lacking adequate sleep.

References

• Marquette University: Researching Alien Abductions
• Harvard University Gazette: Alien Abduction Claims Explained
• The Sunday Telegraph: Roswell Theory Revived by Deathbed Confession

Resources

• Abduct Anon: Alien Types