Are All Witnesses Reliable Observers?

Greetings. The scientific research community views witness testimonials as the weakest, least reliable form of information. Objective analysis bears that out, but how do witnesses measure up when it comes to the UFO problem? 

People have been reporting unidentified flying objects for decades now, since at least the 1930's, if not a quite a bit earlier. Since the 1940's, witnesses have had the opportunity to file reports about their alleged events, usually with civilian groups and organizations. In that time, the majority of those UFO reports have escaped investigation, a sad result of the consistent lack of qualified field investigators, a problem experienced by every single group and organization. The situation has not changed to a substantial degree, and likely will always be a blemish on the UFO research community. As a result of this historical investigative shortcoming, it is difficult to extract any firm deductions about the available information on the UFO subject, but some guarded conclusions can be drawn from the admittedly incomplete cashe. I have occasionally written about this same topic, but I felt it is deserving of another look, as our knowledge about UFOs is always in flux.

Before moving forward, it is of paramount importance to make abundantly clear that the vast majority of UFO witnesses are being completely honest about their personal observations. The witnesses who make the decision to file a UFO report and who take the time to communicate their memories and observations are deserving of our collective thanks. Conducting investigations into the UFO problem would be mind-bogglingly problematic without such information, regardless of its scientific value. Those same witnesses are simply conveying their inability to identify what they witnessed, and what left them with lots of questions and no answers of any sort. Even the infamous debunker Philip J. Klass stated as much, and that certainly carries some weight. 

UFO field investigators have found that the vast majority of scrutinized UFO sighting reports turn out to be explained by mundane phenomena, however, that does not necessarily cast witnesses in a less-than-favorable light. Everything from birds, clouds, drones, flares, aircraft, weather activity, atmospheric phenomena, bugs on windshields, and naturally occurring extraterrestrial phenomena are on the long list of explanations as determined by the efforts of UFO field investigators. That list has generally held firm for decades, since the heady days of APRO (Aerial Phenomena Research Organization,) and NICAP (National Investigations Committee on Aerial Phenomena,) with some more modern solutions becoming part of the scenario, drones being the most prominent. 

The conclusions of UFO field investigators are directly influenced by many factors, including the robustness of witness testimonials. The more valid information an investigator has at his or her disposal, the more likely an accurate and defensible explanation can be arrived at. Logic dictates that previous statement, but when it applies to the enigma of unidentified flying objects, logic often goes out the proverbial window, hopefully with a a few thousand copies of Philip J. Corso's abhorrent and contemptible "The Day After Roswell." The reliability of witness testimonials and the observational skills of each individual are two of the most troublesome factors at play, both challenging the prowess of UFO field investigators. Some people display reasonably adequate skills when making observations of their environment, and of random events, while others don't make quality observations at all,  which makes the investigative effort almost unfeasible to accomplish. 

It is heartwarming to know that many people have contributed some highly reliable and accurate testimonial information, allowing for some UFO sighting reports to remain firmly in the unexplained bin. Such reports may end up offering the possibility of some anomalous activity, perhaps something extraordinary, or even extraterrestrial.

It is disconcerting to know that some people have filed UFO sighting reports that turn out to be bugs on their own windshields. Such reports should be cast into the wastebasket of UFO reports that should have never been filed in the first place. Perhaps a call to the Department of Motor Vehicles is in order, for if they can't identify a stationary bug from twenty-four inches away, perhaps they should not be driving an automobile. 

Thank you for your time and consideration.