Carl Sagan knew UFOs are real – confidant reveals

ZNN – Renowned astronomer and astrophysicist Dr. Carl Sagan revealed to Dr. J. Allen Hynek that he believed UFOs were real but avoided any public statements to prevent the loss of academic research funding. Sagan’s once powerful influence on mainstream science to play-down the reality of UFOs is now in question.

In an interview with research journalist and author Paola Leopizzi-Harris she told ZlandCommunications:

“My recollection is that Hynek said it was backstage of one of the many Johnny Carson Tonight shows Sagan did. He basically said [to Hynek] in 1984, “I know UFOs are real, but I would not risk my research [College] funding, as you do, to talk openly about them in public.”

This startling revelation about Carl Sagan, one of this century’s most esteemed scientists and writers, has now been made public by Paola Leopizzi-Harris, a former associate of Dr. Allen J. Hynek who worked with him from 1980 to 1985.

Dr. J. Allen Hynek served as a civilian scientific consultant to the U.S. Air Force Project Blue Book from 1952 to1969, initially taking a very critical and skeptical position on anything related to the reality of UFOs. In one of his own reports he stated:

“I had started out as an outright ‘debunker,’ taking great joy in cracking what seemed at first to be puzzling cases. I was the arch-enemy of those ‘flying saucer groups and enthusiasts’ who very dearly wanted UFOs to be interplanetary.” Hynek, J. Allen. “The Hynek UFO Report”. Dell Publishing Co. 1977

After leaving Project Blue Book – the U.S. Air Force’s pseudo-investigatory public relations scheme on UFOs, Hynek later wrote:

“Now, however, documentation which puts the UFO- U.S. government controversy in quite a new light has become available. The [UFO] authors have made revealing use of documents released through the mechanism of the Freedom of Information Act and other data which have been made available to them” which show that the CIA and NSA protestations of innocence and lack of interest in UFOs are nothing short of prevarication.”

Hynek went on to say: “For the government to continue to maintain that UFOs are nonexistent in the face of the documents already released and of other cogent evidence presented in this book is puerile and in a sense an insult to the American people.”  “The UFO Cover-Up.” (Fireside books, Simon & Schuster 1984)

Hynek’s credentials are indeed impressive, having consulted on the Stephen Spielberg movie Close Encounters. As well he presented a paper on UFOs at the UN in 1978. (All Experts)

Sagan’s link to UFOs and possibly to Dr. Hynek occurred in 1966 when Sagan was a member of the Ad Hoc Committee to Review Project Blue Book. This committee concluded that the U.S. Air Force’s Project Blue Book had been lacking as a scientific study, and recommended a university-based project to give the UFO phenomenon closer scientific scrutiny.

In scientific circles much of Sagan’s notoriety came from debates conducted under the auspices of the American Association for the Advancement of Science (AAAS). In 1969 he challenged J. Allen Hynek on whether investigations of unidentified flying objects should be considered serious. Hynek argued yes Sagan no. (NNDB)

Sagan was a prolific writer of some 20 books including “Contact“ eventually made into a movie staring Jodie Foster. Sagan also hosted the brilliantly crafted and highly popular series COSMOS: A Personal Voyage. In Episode 12: “Encyclopedia Galactica”, Sagan explored UFOs and alien abductions while also including “refutations” on UFOs.

In a statement at the 1968 Congressional Hearings before the House Committee on Science and Astronautics – U.S. House of Representatives Carl Sagan stated:

“As I understand what the committee would like from me, is a discussion of the likelihood of intelligent extraterrestrial life… clearly it is the hypothesis that unidentified objects are of extraterrestrial origin which the committee must have in mind. I’m delighted to tell about contemporary scientific thinking along these lines, but let me begin by saying that I do not think the evidence is at all persuasive, that UFO’s are of intelligent extraterrestrial origin…”

Sagan’s confidential conversation with Dr. Hynek in 1984 appears to not only contradict this statement to the House Committee in 1968, Sagan’s new found view – that UFOs were real – clearly did not play any role in Sagan’s later highly successful public work.

This revelation by Paola Leopizzi-Harris appears to raise serious scientific discrepancies concerning Sagan’s public verses private beliefs about the nature of UFOs and Extraterrestrial life.

It appears, therefore that Carl Sagan presumably embarked upon his many television appearances, consulting on major television and Hollywood feature productions as well as his own academic writing while professing one public scientific point of view, yet maintaining a significantly contradictory personal belie: “I know UFOs are real” – as told to Dr. J. Allen Hynek in 1984 according to Paola Leopizzi-Harris.

In later years Sagan also heavily promoted SETI – the Search for Extraterrestrial Intelligence, which discounts UFOs as an ET reality – advancing the theory that listening for signals from deep space may help locate intelligent ET civilizations. [Ed.note – SETI officials were contacted by ZlandCommunications for a comment on this matter – however at the time of publication no response had yet been received.]

It is unknown how long Sagan held this personal view or when and what changed his mind – future disclosures may reveal this. That Sagan presented much of his finest and most popular work outside the context of his personal belief that UFOs were real remains a salient incongruity for a man of Sagan’s stature, obvious integrity and celebratory contributions to humanity and science.

One can only speculate upon why, during the period between Sagan’s initial statement in 1968 and all during his now legendary writings and media productions, Sagan continued to espouse critical views on the reality of UFOs. Why did his views change so dramatically? Did funding issues alone motivate him not to come forward publicly to declare his change-of-mind?

This revelation made to Paola Leopizzi-Harris by a well-respected scientific figure like Dr. J. Allen Hynek alters if not the magnificent quality of Sagan’s work but re-constructs his considerable scientific influence on the mainstream scientific theories about the universe, the intelligent nature of UFOs and Extraterrestrial life.

How will mainstream science respond knowing now that a corner stone of modern science and one of its most revered members is now recognized as to have conceded – UFOs are real?

Two conclusions emerge –

• One of the 20th Century’s most renowned space gurus and scientific leaders, appears to have inadvertently shattered the prevailing notion among the scientific community and the so-called experts, that UFOs are fictitious and that issue is does not merit further study.

• The second conclusion – short of full disclosure by government of the UFO/ET reality, this revelation most assuredly represents the most serious damage yet to the wall of secrecy and the truth embargo surrounding the Extraterrestrial presence so ardently maintained by government officials and bolstered by mainstream science.

Notably this information also comes at a time when Paul Hellyer, former Canadian Minister of National Defence has publicly admonished another pillar of mainstream science, Professor Stephen Hawking, for contributing to misinformation about advanced Extraterrestrial civilizations. Hellyer’s admonishment is timely. It puts all scientists on notice that ponderous changes to their entrenched belief about the universe and Extraterrestrial life are about to occur.

The Sagan story also arrives on the eve of the X-Conference 2010, the largest annual American UFO/ET Disclosure event coordinated by Stephen G. Bassett Director of PRG – the Paradigm Research Group at the National Press Club in Washington DC, just down the street from the White House and a President that recognizes the need for grave global change.

When asked to comment PRG Director Stephen G. Bassett said, “Carl Sagan and J. Allen Hynek perfectly represent the intellectual and political dilemma faced by the human race during the second half of the 20th century. Both helped to radically change our view of the world. Yet one must be profoundly wrong on the most important historical event in human history.”

Ironically, a cloistered conversation between two academicians behind the curtain – backstage on the set of the Johnny Carson Show in 1984 – seems to have changed science and with it, the paradigm beliefs of an entire planet.  We are not alone.

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