Allan Hendry study
Like the Air Force, astronomer Allan
Hendry found that only a small percentage of cases were hoaxes and
that most sightings were actually honest misidentifications of prosaic
phenomena. Hendry attributed most of these to inexperience or misperception.
Out of 1,307 cases Hendry deemed 88.6% had clear prosaic
explanations (IFOs) and only 8.6% were unknowns (UFOs). Of the UFOs, Hendry
reported that 7.1%, might still have a prosaic explanation while 1.5% (20
cases) had no possible plausible explanation and were completely unexplained.
The remaining miscellaneous cases (2.8%) were “garbage” cases, where Hendry
deemed the witnesses unreliable, the reports hopelessly contradictory, or
lacking in sufficient information.
Overall, in the three major categories, 42% of all cases had
astronomical explanations, 37% were aircraft, and 5% were balloons. A further
breakdown allowed 77% to be readily explained by five main classes of objects:
29% were bright stars or planets, 19% were advertising planes, 15% were other
aircraft, 9% were meteors and reentering space debris, and 5% were balloons of
various types (mostly weather or advertising balloons but also a few prank
balloons).
Arthur Conan Doyle's Sherlock Holmes in Scandal In Bohemia remembers us that It is a capital mistake to theorize before one has data. Insensibly one begins to twist facts to suit theories, instead of theories to suit facts"
Arthur Conan Doyle's Sherlock Holmes in Scandal In Bohemia remembers us that It is a capital mistake to theorize before one has data. Insensibly one begins to twist facts to suit theories, instead of theories to suit facts"
