UFO Times Number 7

This document is the May 1990 issue of 'UFO Times,' a publication of the British UFO Research Association (BUFORA). The primary feature article investigates an alleged UFO crash in Botswana on May 7, 1989. The report details a narrative involving a South African naval frigate, 'The White Swan,' tracking an object at 5746 nautical mph, followed by an interception by Mirage fighters using an experimental 'Thor 2' laser cannon. The account claims the object crashed in the Kalahari desert, creating a 150-meter crater, and that two 'grey' entities were recovered and transported to Wright-Patterson Air Force Base. However, the editors of 'UFO Times' and the Independent UFO Network (IUN) explicitly label this story a 'probable hoax.' They provide a detailed list of criticisms, including the use of incorrect terminology, the impossibility of the described laser technology, and the lack of logical consistency in the alleged international intelligence cooperation. The issue also includes book reviews, such as an analysis of John Spencer's 'Perspectives,' and articles on the physiological 'fear response' in UFO witnesses by Steuart Campbell, who argues that many reported symptoms are the result of hyperventilation rather than extraterrestrial influence. The magazine also features news on the European Space Agency's Giotto probe and announcements for upcoming conferences, including an IUN event in Sheffield featuring Budd Hopkins and Vladimir Rubstsov.