puter of existing data; ( 3 ) the establishment of a UFO Research Center staffed by competent scientists. When a phenomenon has the potential capacity of a possible scientific breakthrough, we are neglecting our responsibilities by not at least exploring every facet. Ridicule is no longer appropriate ." *
*
*
In the light of the overall accelerated activity in UFO reports, the experience of Betty and Barney Hill indicates the necessity of further scientific study in an attempt to solve the mystery. There are many unanswered questions precipitated by the case as it unfolded both consciously and under therapy. The Hills' story has come to public attention with their extreme reluctance, five years after the
event, and only because of a leak that resulted in a series of local news paper articles.
The Hills sought no publicity and were successful in
holding back the story for several years before it became public under their protests. Their views on the experience are the result of a long and painful period of intelligent examination and study, both in and out of therapy. Their approach to the subject has been rational and cautious . The greatest mystery about the experience is that any assumption o n the basis o f the material revealed is hard to conceive o r understand. An abduction by humanoid intelligent beings from another planet in a space craft has always belonged to science fiction. To concoct a science fiction story of this magnitude would require an inconceivable skill and collab orative capacity. It is as hard for the Hills to accept the possibility that the abduction took place as it is for any intelligent person.
In fact the
attitude of the Hills is : We did not expect or look for the sighting to take place. Barney resisted and persistently tried to deny its existence . We did not know what happened in the missing two hours and thirty five miles of distance until we heard voices coming out on the tape recordings. What came out on the recordings was as difficult for us to believe as for anybody else. We only know that after the pieces began coming back together, our general feelings and convictions grew on us that these experiences seemed to be reality-as real as our other recol lections of any valid, factual memorie s . The assumption that Betty's dreams were absorbed b y Barney t o cre ate his recollection of the abduction sequence is also hard to conceive or understand. If Betty's dream had been the sole source of information about the humanoid beings, what about Barney's glimpse of persons
293