1991

• 1991.0000 Roper abduction polls

   

  

  Roper abduction polls
  During 1991, three polls were conducted by The Roper Organization, with funding provided by Robert Bigelow, relating to “alien abductees”. Conducted during July, August and September 1991. (Commonly referred to as “the Roper Poll”).

   

   

   

• 1991.0000 SETI funding criticisms

   

  

  SETI funding criticisms
  During 1991, Representative Ronald Machtley of Rhode Island proposes elimination of SETI funding from NASA’s budget, asking “If, in fact, there is a superintelligent form of life out there, might it be easier just to listen and let them call us?”. Silvio Conte of Massachusetts supported that motion, stating that to find evidence of these “rascally creatures”, “we only need 75 cents to buy a tabloid at the local supermarket”.

   

   

   

• 1991.0421 Alitalia near miss

   

  

  Alitalia near miss
  On 21 April 1991, the pilot of Alitalia Flight AZ 284 reports a near collision with a unidentified flying object during his descent into Heathrow airport

   

   

   

• 1991.0608 Paraguay radar/visual
  

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  On 6 June 1991, there was a radar/visual incident in Paraguay.

   

   

   

• 1991.0711 Mexico eclipse sightings
  

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  On 11 July 1991, there were UFO sightings in Mexico during a total solar eclipse.

   

   

   

• 1991.0812 Mandelbrot crop circle
  

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  On 12 August 1991, a crop circle resembling a Mandelbrot set was found in Ickleton, Cambridgeshire (south of Cambridge) by farmer Hugh Raybone and noticed the following day by pilot Steven Cherry-Downes.

   

   

   

• 1991.0830 Air Force Regulation 190-1

   

  

  Air Force Regulation 190-1
  On 30 August 1991, Air Force Regulation 190-1 (“AFR 190-1”) provided a statement to be used by the US Air Force to respond to queries regarding UFOs.

   

   

   

• 1991.0909 Doug and Dave article
  

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  On 9 September 1991, the Todaynewspaper published a story entitled “The Men Who Conned The World” on its front page about Doug Bower and Dave Chorley (commonly referred to as “Doug and Dave”) of Southampton, England and their claim that they had hoaxed crop circles. Asked by the Todaynewspaper about a crop circle (constructed by Doug and Dave whilst being recorded), Pat Delgado reportedly stated “In no way could this be a hoax. This is without doubt the most wonderful day of my life”.

   

• 1991.0915 STS-48 shuttle video
  

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  On 15 September 1991, the STS-48 "UFO" video tape was filmed during a mission of Space Shuttle Discovery.

   

   

   

• 1991.1000 Witness Support Group

   

  

  Witness Support Group
  During October 1991, BUFORA’s Witness Support Group (“WSG”) was formed.

   

   

   

• 1991.1027 Equinox crop circle hoax
  

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  On 27 October 1991, a British television channel (Channel 4) broadcasted an Equinox documentary showing, inter alia, a circle crop being created by the Wessex Skeptics on land owned by farmer Martin Pitt near Marlborough, England. The circle was described by Terence Meaden as “… too hard to copy … genuine in every way” and by Busty Taylor as “… really a cracker”.