The New York Times Says Terrorists are Coming ... in UFOs?

Posted by PZ Myers, Pharyngula at 4:02 PM on July 31, 2008.

Would you believe the NY Times published an op-ed today ...calling for closer monitoring of UFOs? I think it's intended seriously. It begins by suggesting that it -- our neglect of will-o'-the-wisps and reflections of Venus -- is a security loophole that terrorists might exploit, and then it gives several anecdotal accounts of unlikely events, such as this one:

On Dec. 26, 1980, for instance, several witnesses at two American Air Force bases in England reported seeing a U.F.O. land.

An examination of the site turned up indentations in the ground and a level of radiation in the area that was significantly higher than ordinary. More witnesses at the same base reported the U.F.O. again on subsequent nights. The deputy base commander reported that the aircraft aimed light beams into the most highly sensitive area of the base -- a clear security breach.

Apparently, we should be concerned that Al-Qaeda is piloting nuclear-powered flying saucers to fly through our defenses and peek into hangars.

Tagged as: new york times, terrorists, england, ufos, little green men

PZ Myers is a biologist and associate professor at the University of Minnesota, Morris. He runs the science blog, Pharyngula.