Scientist to probe UFO ‘conspiracy’

Published on Saturday 13 April 2002 01:00

A LEADING scientist will tomorrow question one of the biggest UFO conspiracy theories of all time.

Professor Don Kurtz, an astrophysicist from the University of Central Lancashire, will argue the so-called Roswell incident was triggered by a downed American spy balloon, rather than a crashed flying saucer.

The professor will discuss eye-witness accounts of wreckage found at the site in New Mexico, and argue that the American military was in fact attempting to cover up its own top-secret spy balloon programme.

He will also pour doubt on other supernatural phenomena, including crop circles and the Bermuda Triangle.

Professor Kurtz said: "In some ways, UFOs are a bit like Nessie - people are intrigued and it’s difficult to prove the absence of something, but there just isn’t enough evidence to support the idea.

"A lot of people think that scientists don’t like the idea of aliens existing, but that’s not true. We’d love it if aliens were visiting Earth.

"That would be the most important discovery of all time."

The seminar, entitled UFOs: Have Aliens Ever Landed, is part of the Edinburgh International Science Festival. It will be held at The Hub on the Royal Mile at 10.30am.