ROBERT SHEAFFER

HAT EVER happened to ancient ber we are not privileged to know, but Wastronauts? A dozen years ago which must surely be far fewer than the (can it possibly be that long?), ancient readers of this publication, and may be astronauts, who supposedly came to earth almost as small as the membership of with powers and abilities far beyond the Poughkeepsie/Fishkill Skeptics, those of mortal men, were the hottest which has yet to be founded. He asked fad in para-dom. And leading the charge each of them to write a letter to Mr. on behalf of the alleged prehistoric E.T.'s Alberto Vitale, president of Bantam was Erich von Daniken, the Swiss writer Books, asking why there are no new von and ex-con whose Chariots of the Gods? Daniken books being published. Five was selling millions of copies worldwide. different texts are helpfully suggested, in Nowadays, hardly anyone seems to pay case the letter-writer feels a bit tongue- much attention to claims of ancient tied. However, lest this letter-writing astronauts, with the exception of actress campaign backfire, von Daniken's com­ Shirley MacLaine, who during a recent puter urges: "Please ... do not use all trip to Peru managed to infuriate her of these suggestions. One is enough. It Peruvian hosts by suggesting that their would really be helpful, if you wrote some ancestors could not possibly have been of your own thoughts and ideas." Readers smart enough to have built the magnifi­ of this publication who may have cent ancient cities in that country and thoughts and ideas on the subject are hence must have had extraterrestrial likewise encouraged to share them with assistance. Mr. Vitale. In fact, so slow have things been that even Erich von Daniken is having a hard ***** time getting his latest book, The Day the Gods Arrived, published in the United And while we're reminiscing, whatever States. His publisher, Bantam Books, became of Delphi Associates, the San feels that there is "not enough interest in Francisco-based group that claimed to the field." So, von Daniken, seeking to have made a small fortune in the fall of rally his supporters behind him, has sent 1982 by using " powers" to trade a letter to all remaining members of the silver futures? Delphi was jointly founded Society, whose num­ by Russell Targ (formerly of SRI Inter-

Spring 1987 239 national, who along with Hal Puthoff by now they should have been able, became international celebrities by claim­ assuming reinvestment of profits, to ac­ ing to have scientifically authenticated the cumulate practically all the money in the "psychic powers" of and world, or at least a substantial fraction others) and Keith "Blue" Harary, noted thereof. (The Securities and Exchange psychic experimenter and out-of-body Commission's rules on "inside trading" traveler. apparently do not consider information Delphi's claims of invest­ received by and clairvoyants as ment success achieved worldwide public­ "inside information.") ity owing to articles in numerous maga­ Further compounding the mystery is zines and newspapers, including the Wall the fact that Russ Targ has recently taken Street Journal, as well as being promi­ a full-time job in the research laboratory nently (and uncritically) featured on a of a major Silicon Valley company, doing 1984 NOVA television episode. These work in laser physics, the field in which claims landed Delphi a $10,000-a-month he specialized before achieving worldwide contract with Atari to develop what Targ fame as a parapsychologist. One wonders termed "psychically enhanced video when, if ever, we will see NOVA (as well games." (Atari's subsequent massive lay­ as various newspapers and magazines too offs and near-demise were apparently not numerous to mention) set the record foreseen by these oracles, although any straight on Delphi's dramatic failure to experienced manager could have pre­ repeat its initial ebullient claims of dicted such an outcome for a company paranormal investment success. that would spend so much money on so little substance.) Since Delphi claimed to have made profits of thousands of dollars in just a few months by exploiting Who is Cedric Allingham and why is he Harary's paranormal talents, it is most writing those silly stories about flying perplexing that no further outrageous saucers from ? During 's profits have been reported since that heyday, in 1954, a book was published initial claim of success, especially since in the U.K. titled Flying Saucers from

240 THE , Vol. 11 Mars. Its author, one Cedric Allingham, only known person who had. A photo­ related a typically implausible tale of graph of Allingham's telescope in his meeting men from Mars. The problem backyard looks remarkably like published is, nobody actually knows who Allingham photos of Moore's telescope and yard. is (or was); his publisher announced his A letter recently sent by Allan and death in 1956, but forwarded a letter to Campbell to Allingham in care of his him thirty years later. publisher was in fact forwarded to journ­ British researchers Christopher Allan alist Peter Davies, who admitted his and Steuart Campbell (a contributor to participation in the Flying Saucers from SI) suspected that the Allingham book Mars hoax. Davies said his role was to might have been written as a lark by rewrite the book in an attempt to disguise , the well-known British the author's style. He declined to say who popularizer of astronomy and debunker the author was, but he admitted being of saucer yarns. Allingham's publisher an old friend of Patrick Moore. As for also published two of Moore's early Moore, he refuses to comment on the books. Not only did there appear to be matter. If Moore really is the author of similarities between phrases and descrip­ Flying Saucers from Mars, as is tions of astronomical phenomena used suspected, then this is perhaps the funni­ by Moore and "Allingham," but Moore est UFO hoax yet revealed, and there is claimed in one of his books to have once no reason to keep such a good joke actually met Allingham, making him the private any longer. •

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