The Paracast Newsletter
April 6, 2025
www.theparacast.com
Veteran UFO Researcher Chris Rutkowski Presents a Reality Check on the State of Research into the Phenomenon on The Paracast!
The Paracast is released every Sunday and available from our site, https://www.theparacast.com, your favorite podcast app, and the IRN Internet Radio Network. All episodes from 2022 and later now feature better audio and fewer ads. We are also re-releasing some of our most popular classic episodes.
WHAT DO YOU MEAN YOU HAVEN'T SIGNED UP FOR THE PARACAST+ YET? PLEASE SUBSCRIBE TO THE PARACAST+ SO YOU CAN SUPPORT THE SHOW AND ENJOY THE ULTIMATE PARACAST EXPERIENCE AT A SPECIAL LOW PRICE! We have another radio show and we’d love for you listen to it. So for a low subscription fee, you will receive access to an exclusive bonus podcast, After The Paracast, plus a special version of The Paracast with all the ads removed, when you join The Paracast+. We also offer a special RSS feed for easy updates of the latest episodes on your device. Episodes for subscribers to The Paracast+ are now released 24 hours earlier. Flash! Take advantage of our lowest rates ever! Act now! It's easier than ever to susbcribe! For the easiest signup ever, please visit: https://www.theparacast.plus
This Week's Episode (April 6, 2025): Gene and cohost Tim Swartz present a special appearance from veteran UFO researcher Chris Rutkowski, who offers a really check about the current state of research into the phenomenon. He has expansive credentials as an investigator and writer, including: contributing editor of International UFO Reporter and was the editor of the Swamp Gas Journal, an occasional Ufozine first published in 1978 when he was part of Decadent Winnipeg Fandom. He is a past-president of the Winnipeg Science Fiction Society and was part of the Winnipeg SF community that gathered Saturdays at the home of the legendary “first fan” Chester Cuthbert. He is also a past-president of the Royal Astronomical Society of Canada — Winnipeg Centre and has degrees in science and education. Chris Rutkowski blogs at: uforum.blogspot.com. Rutkowski also has nine published books, including: Visitations? (1989); Unnatural History (1993); Mysterious Manitoba, co-authored with Dave Creighton and Brian Fidler (1997); Abductions and Aliens (2000); The Canadian UFO Report, co-authored with Geoff Dittman (2006); A World of UFOs (2008), I Saw It Too! (2009), The Big Book of UFOs (2010) and When They Appeared, co-authored with Stan Michalak (2019). His last book was Canada’s UFOs — Declassified (2022), and he has been working on a new book.
After The Paracast — Available exclusively to Paracast+ subscribers on April 5: Veteran UFO researcher and writer Chris Rutkowski returns to speak with Gene and cohost Tim Swartz about such classic cases as the 1947 Roswell, NM crash and abduction reports. He’ll also offer a summary of the 2024 Canadian UFO Report, and the possible impact of disclosure, if it ever occurs. And just how would ET approach us if they are really here or planning visits? Rutkowski also wonders whether AI can be used to evaluate UFO sighting reports and come up with some needed conclusions about the phenomenon. He is a Canadian science writer and educator, with a background in astronomy but with a passion for teaching science concepts to children and adults. Since the mid-1970s, he also has been studying reports of UFOs and writing about his investigations and research. He blogs at: uforum.blogspot.com. Rutkowski also has nine published books, including: Visitations? (1989); Unnatural History (1993); Mysterious Manitoba, co-authored with Dave Creighton and Brian Fidler (1997); Abductions and Aliens (2000); The Canadian UFO Report, co-authored with Geoff Dittman (2006); A World of UFOs (2008), I Saw It Too! (2009), The Big Book of UFOs (2010) and When They Appeared, co-authored with Stan Michalak (2019). His last book was Canada’s UFOs — Declassified (2022), and he has been working on a new book.
Reminder: Please don't forget to visit our famous Paracast Community Forums for the latest news/views/debates on all things paranormal: The Paracast Community Forums. And look for @theparacast on Bluesky Social, Facebook, Threads and X.
What’s the State of Ufology Today?
By Chris Rutkowski
Flippant answer: Iowa.
No, on second thought, maybe Wisconsin.
Or, whatever. It depends on what and whom you believe.
If you believe Disclosure has happened, or is happening, then Ufology is doing really, really good.
If you are still waiting for Disclosure to occur, then Ufology is no further ahead than it has been in decades.
If you doubt Disclosure will ever happen, your expectations are so low, Ufology is of little consequence.
I’ve been at this for a long time — to the point where I have been called one of the old-timers. I started investigating UFO reports in the 1970s. Back then, it was assumed that UFOs were alien spacecraft, although what was then called “New Wave” Ufology was starting to gain momentum in Europe and be imported into America, with hesitant acceptance of concepts like “consciousness” and “earth energy.”
Crop circles hadn’t officially been created yet, but “UFO landing rings” and “saucer nests” were relatively common. Abductees were few and far between, but contactees were practically old hat, with the Giant Rock conventions of the 1950s already on the way out.
So with Ufology today promulgating crashed (or intact) alien craft and their occupants, contactees saying they control UAP with their minds, and insiders with personal knowledge of government UFO secrets, it’s hard not to shrug and ask: “So what else is new?”
Seriously, the amazing claims making the rounds these days are mostly rebooting of old memes, tropes, and stories from decades ago. What’s different this time around is that UFO reports themselves are largely absent. The foundation upon which all the concepts of alien visitation is based has very little new content.
The 2024 Canadian UFO Survey is just out, with 1,008 reports catalogued last year, adding to the more than 25,000 cases recorded in Canada during the 35-year run of the study. Given a tenfold difference between Canada and its neighbor to the south, that means the USA theoretically had about 10,000 UAP reports last year.
But those numbers are down. If you look at the numbers of cases recorded consistently by participating groups and researchers, there has actually been a downward trend in UFO/UAP reports numbers since about 2013, following an apparent worldwide peak in 2012.
How can this be, you ask? With hearings before Congressional committees, news releases from the AARO describing UAP cases on file, whistleblower testimony that seems to prove NHI are here, and a surge in scientific interest in UAP?
Well, yes. None of that is based on UAP witnesses filing reports of observations of things they saw in the sky. In fact, if you look at the AARO website, it has nice graphics of UAP Reporting Trends, but no details on individual cases. Also, cases reported to AARO are apparently coming from mostly military personnel, so are hardly representative of what the average person is seeing.
By the way, where can UAP witnesses report their sightings, anyway? AARO doesn’t accept them, and neither does the FAA. Only civilian groups allow people to report observations and experiences, and most don’t investigate reports to the degree needed to really analyze what was seen.
And then there are the whistleblowers. Several people have received a lot of publicity for their claims of inside knowledge about secret military or government programs involving NHI. (Oh, and let’s not parse or get into splitting hairs with this NHI nonsense: they really mean aliens, for god’s sake.)
They all say they can’t reveal where the chunks of crashed saucers (or intact ones) are being kept because they signed NDAs, or because there would be a rush to dig them up, or because it’s too dangerous. (Or if it was true, they would be moved before anyone ever went there.)
And using telepathy to communicate with the EBEs? Or remote viewing to find underground (and unreachable) alien bases? That’s all from contactee stories from the 1950s. And they are as believable now as they were 75 years ago.
There’s simply no proof of any of these claims. So in many ways, Ufology has stalled or stagnated without any hope of uncovering the truth, whatever that may be.
We want the government (with a capital G) to reveal the truth about aliens and UFOs, but when a government agency delivers less than that, we don’t believe them. We want Congressional Hearings to force the government to tell us what they know about UFOs, but when Gerald Ford convinced Congress to do that in 1968, it resulted in the closure of Blue Book and a clampdown on transparency about UFO investigations.
Today, ardent UAP fans hang on every word that “insiders” claim about clandestine government programs. There’s really not much else to talk about. Yeah, we had the “drone flap” of New Jersey in late 2024, but it was actually part of a “drone wave” that was experienced globally and was going on for months and even years. In fact, the case of drones buzzing over Langley which fans point to as proof of a real incursion happened a year earlier!
And when the individual “drone” reports were investigated, most were explained with the same breakdown as other UAP sightings: stars, satellites and aircraft, with a small percentage of unexplained cases. Were there actually drones flying over military bases and nuclear power plants? Some, of course, both authorized and unauthorized. The latter include hundreds of idiots who disregard FAA regulations and NOTAMs and send their storebought quadcopters wherever they want—just because.
But by and large, UAP (or UFOs if you prefer) are not being reported in greater numbers these days, despite what sensational news outlets and social media might lead you to believe. And the premise of a “great revelation” in coming days keeps fans coming back, and glued to their tablets and Android phones.
As for me, I’ll continue to discuss and share info with actual UFO researchers studying the phenomenon and look at actual data. I’m not getting excited about videos of distant lights flitting about in the night sky.
Because that’s old news.
Chris Rutkowski is a Canadian science writer and educator with degrees in astronomy and education. Since the mid-1970s, he’s been studying reports of UAP, writing about his investigations and research in various media, including on social media and blogs. He has ten published books on UAP and related issues, and publishes an annual study of UAP reports.
Copyright 1999-2025 The Paracast Company. All Rights Reserved.
Privacy Policy: Your personal information is safe with us. We will positively never give out your name and/or e-mail address to anybody else, and that's a promise!
April 6, 2025
www.theparacast.com
Veteran UFO Researcher Chris Rutkowski Presents a Reality Check on the State of Research into the Phenomenon on The Paracast!
The Paracast is released every Sunday and available from our site, https://www.theparacast.com, your favorite podcast app, and the IRN Internet Radio Network. All episodes from 2022 and later now feature better audio and fewer ads. We are also re-releasing some of our most popular classic episodes.
WHAT DO YOU MEAN YOU HAVEN'T SIGNED UP FOR THE PARACAST+ YET? PLEASE SUBSCRIBE TO THE PARACAST+ SO YOU CAN SUPPORT THE SHOW AND ENJOY THE ULTIMATE PARACAST EXPERIENCE AT A SPECIAL LOW PRICE! We have another radio show and we’d love for you listen to it. So for a low subscription fee, you will receive access to an exclusive bonus podcast, After The Paracast, plus a special version of The Paracast with all the ads removed, when you join The Paracast+. We also offer a special RSS feed for easy updates of the latest episodes on your device. Episodes for subscribers to The Paracast+ are now released 24 hours earlier. Flash! Take advantage of our lowest rates ever! Act now! It's easier than ever to susbcribe! For the easiest signup ever, please visit: https://www.theparacast.plus
This Week's Episode (April 6, 2025): Gene and cohost Tim Swartz present a special appearance from veteran UFO researcher Chris Rutkowski, who offers a really check about the current state of research into the phenomenon. He has expansive credentials as an investigator and writer, including: contributing editor of International UFO Reporter and was the editor of the Swamp Gas Journal, an occasional Ufozine first published in 1978 when he was part of Decadent Winnipeg Fandom. He is a past-president of the Winnipeg Science Fiction Society and was part of the Winnipeg SF community that gathered Saturdays at the home of the legendary “first fan” Chester Cuthbert. He is also a past-president of the Royal Astronomical Society of Canada — Winnipeg Centre and has degrees in science and education. Chris Rutkowski blogs at: uforum.blogspot.com. Rutkowski also has nine published books, including: Visitations? (1989); Unnatural History (1993); Mysterious Manitoba, co-authored with Dave Creighton and Brian Fidler (1997); Abductions and Aliens (2000); The Canadian UFO Report, co-authored with Geoff Dittman (2006); A World of UFOs (2008), I Saw It Too! (2009), The Big Book of UFOs (2010) and When They Appeared, co-authored with Stan Michalak (2019). His last book was Canada’s UFOs — Declassified (2022), and he has been working on a new book.
After The Paracast — Available exclusively to Paracast+ subscribers on April 5: Veteran UFO researcher and writer Chris Rutkowski returns to speak with Gene and cohost Tim Swartz about such classic cases as the 1947 Roswell, NM crash and abduction reports. He’ll also offer a summary of the 2024 Canadian UFO Report, and the possible impact of disclosure, if it ever occurs. And just how would ET approach us if they are really here or planning visits? Rutkowski also wonders whether AI can be used to evaluate UFO sighting reports and come up with some needed conclusions about the phenomenon. He is a Canadian science writer and educator, with a background in astronomy but with a passion for teaching science concepts to children and adults. Since the mid-1970s, he also has been studying reports of UFOs and writing about his investigations and research. He blogs at: uforum.blogspot.com. Rutkowski also has nine published books, including: Visitations? (1989); Unnatural History (1993); Mysterious Manitoba, co-authored with Dave Creighton and Brian Fidler (1997); Abductions and Aliens (2000); The Canadian UFO Report, co-authored with Geoff Dittman (2006); A World of UFOs (2008), I Saw It Too! (2009), The Big Book of UFOs (2010) and When They Appeared, co-authored with Stan Michalak (2019). His last book was Canada’s UFOs — Declassified (2022), and he has been working on a new book.
Reminder: Please don't forget to visit our famous Paracast Community Forums for the latest news/views/debates on all things paranormal: The Paracast Community Forums. And look for @theparacast on Bluesky Social, Facebook, Threads and X.
What’s the State of Ufology Today?
By Chris Rutkowski
Flippant answer: Iowa.
No, on second thought, maybe Wisconsin.
Or, whatever. It depends on what and whom you believe.
If you believe Disclosure has happened, or is happening, then Ufology is doing really, really good.
If you are still waiting for Disclosure to occur, then Ufology is no further ahead than it has been in decades.
If you doubt Disclosure will ever happen, your expectations are so low, Ufology is of little consequence.
I’ve been at this for a long time — to the point where I have been called one of the old-timers. I started investigating UFO reports in the 1970s. Back then, it was assumed that UFOs were alien spacecraft, although what was then called “New Wave” Ufology was starting to gain momentum in Europe and be imported into America, with hesitant acceptance of concepts like “consciousness” and “earth energy.”
Crop circles hadn’t officially been created yet, but “UFO landing rings” and “saucer nests” were relatively common. Abductees were few and far between, but contactees were practically old hat, with the Giant Rock conventions of the 1950s already on the way out.
So with Ufology today promulgating crashed (or intact) alien craft and their occupants, contactees saying they control UAP with their minds, and insiders with personal knowledge of government UFO secrets, it’s hard not to shrug and ask: “So what else is new?”
Seriously, the amazing claims making the rounds these days are mostly rebooting of old memes, tropes, and stories from decades ago. What’s different this time around is that UFO reports themselves are largely absent. The foundation upon which all the concepts of alien visitation is based has very little new content.
The 2024 Canadian UFO Survey is just out, with 1,008 reports catalogued last year, adding to the more than 25,000 cases recorded in Canada during the 35-year run of the study. Given a tenfold difference between Canada and its neighbor to the south, that means the USA theoretically had about 10,000 UAP reports last year.
But those numbers are down. If you look at the numbers of cases recorded consistently by participating groups and researchers, there has actually been a downward trend in UFO/UAP reports numbers since about 2013, following an apparent worldwide peak in 2012.
How can this be, you ask? With hearings before Congressional committees, news releases from the AARO describing UAP cases on file, whistleblower testimony that seems to prove NHI are here, and a surge in scientific interest in UAP?
Well, yes. None of that is based on UAP witnesses filing reports of observations of things they saw in the sky. In fact, if you look at the AARO website, it has nice graphics of UAP Reporting Trends, but no details on individual cases. Also, cases reported to AARO are apparently coming from mostly military personnel, so are hardly representative of what the average person is seeing.
By the way, where can UAP witnesses report their sightings, anyway? AARO doesn’t accept them, and neither does the FAA. Only civilian groups allow people to report observations and experiences, and most don’t investigate reports to the degree needed to really analyze what was seen.
And then there are the whistleblowers. Several people have received a lot of publicity for their claims of inside knowledge about secret military or government programs involving NHI. (Oh, and let’s not parse or get into splitting hairs with this NHI nonsense: they really mean aliens, for god’s sake.)
They all say they can’t reveal where the chunks of crashed saucers (or intact ones) are being kept because they signed NDAs, or because there would be a rush to dig them up, or because it’s too dangerous. (Or if it was true, they would be moved before anyone ever went there.)
And using telepathy to communicate with the EBEs? Or remote viewing to find underground (and unreachable) alien bases? That’s all from contactee stories from the 1950s. And they are as believable now as they were 75 years ago.
There’s simply no proof of any of these claims. So in many ways, Ufology has stalled or stagnated without any hope of uncovering the truth, whatever that may be.
We want the government (with a capital G) to reveal the truth about aliens and UFOs, but when a government agency delivers less than that, we don’t believe them. We want Congressional Hearings to force the government to tell us what they know about UFOs, but when Gerald Ford convinced Congress to do that in 1968, it resulted in the closure of Blue Book and a clampdown on transparency about UFO investigations.
Today, ardent UAP fans hang on every word that “insiders” claim about clandestine government programs. There’s really not much else to talk about. Yeah, we had the “drone flap” of New Jersey in late 2024, but it was actually part of a “drone wave” that was experienced globally and was going on for months and even years. In fact, the case of drones buzzing over Langley which fans point to as proof of a real incursion happened a year earlier!
And when the individual “drone” reports were investigated, most were explained with the same breakdown as other UAP sightings: stars, satellites and aircraft, with a small percentage of unexplained cases. Were there actually drones flying over military bases and nuclear power plants? Some, of course, both authorized and unauthorized. The latter include hundreds of idiots who disregard FAA regulations and NOTAMs and send their storebought quadcopters wherever they want—just because.
But by and large, UAP (or UFOs if you prefer) are not being reported in greater numbers these days, despite what sensational news outlets and social media might lead you to believe. And the premise of a “great revelation” in coming days keeps fans coming back, and glued to their tablets and Android phones.
As for me, I’ll continue to discuss and share info with actual UFO researchers studying the phenomenon and look at actual data. I’m not getting excited about videos of distant lights flitting about in the night sky.
Because that’s old news.
• • •
Chris Rutkowski is a Canadian science writer and educator with degrees in astronomy and education. Since the mid-1970s, he’s been studying reports of UAP, writing about his investigations and research in various media, including on social media and blogs. He has ten published books on UAP and related issues, and publishes an annual study of UAP reports.
Copyright 1999-2025 The Paracast Company. All Rights Reserved.
Privacy Policy: Your personal information is safe with us. We will positively never give out your name and/or e-mail address to anybody else, and that's a promise!