An anomalous phenomenon is an observed phenomenon for which there is no suitable explanation in the context of a specific body of scientific knowledge (for example, astronomy or biology). Anomalous phenomenon - Introduction. Out-of-body experiences, near-death experiences, extrasensory perception, ghosts, demonic encounters, poltergeists, as well as sightings of UFOs and reports of alien abductions are phenomena, most of which are not widely accepted as real by mainstream scientists, some of whom go as far ...

Including:

Anomalous phenomenon - Introduction Anomalous phenomenon - Written works

Read more here: » Anomalous phenomenon: Encyclopedia - Anomalous phenomenon

See also:

Anomalous phenomenon, Anomalous phenomenon - Introduction, Anomalous phenomenon - Written works

Read more here: » Anomalous phenomenon: Encyclopedia II - Anomalous phenomenon - Introduction

Anomalous phenomena seem to lack a clear scientific explanation, and thus are the subject of much controversy, debate, mystery, and potentially fear. However, at the same time, most of them are simply not widely accepted as real phenomena by mainstream scientists, who view them as hoaxes, lies, or conspiracies, perhaps going so far as to call their study pseudoscience. In other cases, the observation or sensing of a particular phenomenon is acknowledged as being a real, personal experience, but its interpretation - or the methods used ...

See also:

Anomalous phenomenon, Anomalous phenomenon - Examples, Anomalous phenomenon - Written works

Read more here: » Anomalous phenomenon: Encyclopedia II - Anomalous phenomenon - Examples

Cattle mutilation is the alleged killing and then subsequent mutilation of cattle, under supposedly unusual or anomalous circumstances. Sheep or horses have also been similarly mutilated, according to some accounts. There is no consensus that the phenomenon actually exists, or if it does exist, what causes the phenomenon. The number of animals said to be mutilated under unusual circumstances is unclear, but proponents argue it may be in the thousands. Ranchers are often said to be reluctant to come forward and report animals mu ...

Including:

Cattle mutilation - History
Cattle mutilation - Snippy Cattle mutilation - Mothman Cattle mutilation - Recent cases
Cattle mutilation - Explanations
Cattle mutilation - Done by humans? Cattle mutilation - Military Culprits?
Cattle mutilation - In fiction Cattle mutilation - Sources

Read more here: » Cattle mutilation: Encyclopedia - Cattle mutilation

The preternatural or praeternatural is that which appears outside or beyond (Latin praeter) the natural. While this may include what is more commonly called the supernatural, it may also simply indicate extremity - an ordinary phenomenon taken 'beyond' the natural. One may have, for example, a preternatural desire, a preternatural curiosity, a preternaturally acute ear ( ...

Read more here: » Preternatural: Encyclopedia - Preternatural

Charles Hoy Fort (August 6, 1874 - May 3, 1932) was an American writer and researcher into anomalous phenomena. (According to some sources he was born on August 9.) Fort is best known for his books, in which he compiled — with his characteristic wry, tongue in cheek sense of humor — many accounts of odd, inexplicable or strange events, usually taken from newspapers or scientific journals. Fort's books sold well, and remain in print. The term Forteana is sometimes used to describe various anomalous phenomena.Including:

Charles Fort - Overview Charles Fort - Fort and the unexplained Charles Fort - Followers and fans of Fort Charles Fort - Quotations Charles Fort - Books by Fort Charles Fort - Books about Fort

Read more here: » Charles Fort: Encyclopedia - Charles Fort

Ummo is a blanket term to describe a series of decades-long claims that aliens from the planet Ummo were communicating with persons on the earth. Most Ummo information was in the form of many detailed documents and letters sent to various esoteric groups or UFO enthusiasts. The Ummo affair was subject to much mainstream attention in France and Spain during the 1960's and 1970's, and a degree of interest remains regarding the subject. General consensus is that the entire affair was an elaborate hoax. The culprit (or culprits) are unknown, but a Jose Luis Jordan Pena has claimed responsi ...

Including:

Ummo - History Ummo - The documents' contents Ummo - Hypotheses and Proposed Explanations Ummo - Sources

Read more here: » Ummo: Encyclopedia - Ummo

Coincidence literally describes two or more events or entities occupying the same point in space or time, but colloquially means two or more events or entities possessing unexpected parallels, such as thinking about someone and then receiving an unexpected phone call from that person, when it is clear that there is no ordinary causal connection. The index of coincidence can be used to analyze whether two events are related. A coincidence does not prove a relationship, but related events may be expected to have a higher index of ...

Including:

Coincidence - Types of Coincidences Coincidence - Examples
Coincidence - Separated twins and coincidences
Coincidence - Coincidences and Conspiracies

Read more here: » Coincidence: Encyclopedia - Coincidence

Extraterrestrial life is life that may exist and originate outside the planet Earth. Its existence is currently hypothetical: there is as yet no evidence of extraterrestrial life that has been widely accepted by scientists. Most scientists hold that if extraterrestial life exists, its evolution would have occurred independently in different places in the universe. An alternative hypothesis, held by a minority, is panspermia, which suggests that life in the universe could have stemmed from a single initial distribution of spores ...

Including:

Extraterrestrial life - Possible basis of extraterrestrial life
Extraterrestrial life - Biochemistry Extraterrestrial life - Theoretical Evolution and Morphology
Extraterrestrial life - Beliefs in extraterrestrial life
Extraterrestrial life - Ancient and Early Modern ideas Extraterrestrial life - Extraterrestrials and the Modern era
Extraterrestrial life - Scientific search for extraterrestrial life
Extraterrestrial life - Direct search Extraterrestrial life - Indirect search
Extraterrestrial life - Extraterrestrial life in the Solar System Extraterrestrial life - Dealing with extraterrestrial life Extraterrestrial life - Related books and media

Read more here: » Extraterrestrial life: Encyclopedia - Extraterrestrial life

A UFO or Unidentified Flying Object is simply defined as any object or optical phenomenon observed in the sky which cannot be identified, even after being thoroughly investigated by qualified people. A fuller definition was given by Dr. J. Allen Hynek, late astronomer, U.S. Air Force consultant and UFO proponent, as "the reported perception of an object or light seen in the sky or upon the land the appearance, trajectory, and general dynamic and luminescent behaviour of which do not suggest a logical, conve ...

Including:

Unidentified flying object - History
Unidentified flying object - Etymology Unidentified flying object - Foreign versions of term Unidentified flying object - Pronunciation
Unidentified flying object - UFOs and popular culture Unidentified flying object - Typical reported characteristics of UFOs Unidentified flying object - Scientific UFO field studies
Unidentified flying object - Norway Unidentified flying object - United States
Unidentified flying object - Official governmental studies
Unidentified flying object - Canada Unidentified flying object - United States
Unidentified flying object - Civilian UFO investigation groups
Unidentified flying object - United States
Unidentified flying object - Other UFO organizations Unidentified flying object - Science and UFOs
Unidentified flying object - Physical evidence Unidentified flying object - Identified flying objects IFOs
Unidentified flying object - Popular ideas for explaining UFOs
Unidentified flying object - Evidence and explanations
Unidentified flying object - Evidence and suppression Unidentified flying object - Hoaxes or reality Unidentified flying object - Psychology Unidentified flying object - Paranormal mystical and occult crossover Unidentified flying object - Politics Unidentified flying object - Conspiracy theories Unidentified flying object - Notable UFO-related sightings and events Unidentified flying object - Prominent UFO researchers Unidentified flying object - Theories Unidentified flying object - Film and television Unidentified flying object - Sources

Read more here: » Unidentified flying object: Encyclopedia - Unidentified flying object

Book of the Damned was the first published nonfiction work of the author Charles Fort, first published in 1919. It deals with various types of anomalous phenomenon, including UFOs, strange falls of fish and other materials from the sky, odd weather patterns, the possible existence of giants and fairies, disappearances of people under strange circumstances, and many other phenomena. Book of the Damned - Overview and Fort's thesis. The title of the book referred to what he termed the "damned" d ...

Including:

Book of the Damned - Overview and Fort's thesis Book of the Damned - Content of the book Book of the Damned - Fort's theory and criticism

Read more here: » Book of the Damned: Encyclopedia - Book of the Damned

During certain events and at particular times of year, hoaxes are perpetrated by many people and groups. The most famous of these is certainly April Fool's Day, which is open season for pranks and dubious announcements. A New Zealand tradition is the capping stunt, wherein university students perpetrate a hoax upon an unsuspecting population. The Acts are traditionally executed near graduation (the "capping"). Mexico and many Spanish-speaking countries have Innocent's Day, on December 28, to make "innocent" a person with jokes ...

See also:

Hoax, Hoax - Historically important hoaxes, Hoax - Hoax traditions

Read more here: » Hoax: Encyclopedia II - Hoax - Hoax traditions

Charles Hoy Fort was born in 1874 in Albany, New York, of Dutch ancestry. His grocer father was something of an authoritarian, and was reportedly abusive. Some have suggested that Fort's distrust of authority has its roots in his father's treatment. In any case, Fort developed a strong sense of independence in his youth. While still rather young, Fort was a budding naturalist who would collect sea shells, minerals, and birds. Curious and intelligent, the young Fort did not excel at school, though he was quite a wit and full of knowledge about the world — ...

See also:

Charles Fort, Charles Fort - Overview, Charles Fort - Fort and the unexplained, Charles Fort - Followers and fans of Fort, Charles Fort - Quotations, Charles Fort - Books by Fort, Charles Fort - Books about Fort

Read more here: » Charles Fort: Encyclopedia II - Charles Fort - Overview

Fort's relationship with the study of anomalous phenomena is frequently misunderstood and misrepresented. For over thirty years Charles Fort sat in the libraries of New York and London, assiduously reading scientific journals, newspapers, and magazines, collecting notes upon phenomena that lay outside the accepted theories and beliefs of the time. Examples of these phenomena include many of what are variously referred to as occult, supernatural, and paranormal — for instance, teleportation (a term Fort is generally credited with coi ...

See also:

Charles Fort, Charles Fort - Overview, Charles Fort - Fort and the unexplained, Charles Fort - Followers and fans of Fort, Charles Fort - Quotations, Charles Fort - Books by Fort, Charles Fort - Books about Fort

Read more here: » Charles Fort: Encyclopedia II - Charles Fort - Fort and the unexplained

Mike Dash writes that the Ummo affair began on February 6, 1966, in Madrid. On that day, Jordan Pena reported a close encounter of the first kind when he saw "an enormous circular object with three legs and, on its underside, a curious symbol: three vertical lines joined by a horizontal bar. The two exterior lines curved outward at the edges, which made the pictogram resemble the alchemical sign for ...

See also:

Ummo, Ummo - History, Ummo - The documents' contents, Ummo - Hypotheses and Proposed Explanations, Ummo - Sources

Read more here: » Ummo: Encyclopedia II - Ummo - History

There are three primary theories about the Mad Gasser incident: mass hysteria, industrial pollution, or an actual physical assailant. Mass hysteria is the most popular explanation. The Mad Gasser of Mattoon - Mass hysteria. Dr. Donald Johnson, at the time a student in psychology at the University of Illinois and later a psychology professor, wrote a seminal article attributing the incident to mass hysteria, and the M ...

See also:

The Mad Gasser of Mattoon, The Mad Gasser of Mattoon - Summary, The Mad Gasser of Mattoon - Explanations, The Mad Gasser of Mattoon - Mass hysteria, The Mad Gasser of Mattoon - Toxic waste or pollution, The Mad Gasser of Mattoon - Actual assailant

Read more here: » The Mad Gasser of Mattoon: Encyclopedia II - The Mad Gasser of Mattoon - Explanations

Coincidence - Separated twins and coincidences. A particular coincidental phenomenon relates to separated (usually identical) twins: a pair of twins are put up for adoption and are separated; they then follow parallel lives - names of family members, jobs taken, equipment owned (cars in particular). Upon finally meeting they discover the similarities and the story appears in the media. It is unclear what proportion of the total twins so separated belong to this category. ...

See also:

Coincidence, Coincidence - Types of Coincidences, Coincidence - Examples, Coincidence - Separated twins and coincidences, Coincidence - Coincidences and Conspiracies

Read more here: » Coincidence: Encyclopedia II - Coincidence - Examples

An account by Alexander Hamilton of Leroy, Kansas, supposedly occurred about April 19, 1897, and was published in the Yates Center Farmer’s Advocate of April 23. Hamilton, his son, and a tenant witnessed an airship hovering over his cattle pen. Upon closer examination, the witnesses realized that a red "cable" from the airship had lassoed a heiffer, but had also become entangled in the pen’s fence. After trying usucessfully to free the heifer, Hamilton cut loose a portion of the fence, then "stood in amazement to see the ship, cow ...

See also:

Cattle mutilation, Cattle mutilation - History, Cattle mutilation - Snippy, Cattle mutilation - Mothman, Cattle mutilation - Recent cases, Cattle mutilation - Explanations, Cattle mutilation - Done by humans?, Cattle mutilation - Military Culprits?, Cattle mutilation - In fiction, Cattle mutilation - Sources

Read more here: » Cattle mutilation: Encyclopedia II - Cattle mutilation - History

Modern Spiritualism first appeared in the 1840s in the Burned-Over District of upstate New York where earlier religious movements such as Millerism (Seventh Day Adventists) and Mormonism had emerged during the Second Great Awakening. It was an environment in which many people felt that direct communication with God or angels was possible, and in which many people felt uncomfortable with Calvinist notions that God would behave harshly--for example, that God would condemn unbaptized infant ...

See also:

Spiritualism, Spiritualism - Origins, Spiritualism - Characteristic Beliefs, Spiritualism - Spiritualist Church, Spiritualism - Spiritism, Spiritualism - Critics, Spiritualism - Exposed frauds

Read more here: » Spiritualism: Encyclopedia II - Spiritualism - Origins

The Ummites write that they first visited Earth in 1950 as a small group of scientist-explorers. Their goals were the study of our biosphere, atmosphere and culture. They explain how they discovered the Earth by chance, thanks to a Morse radio message sent by a Norwegian ship 15 years ago prior to their landing, and also describe scientific data from their planetary system, including its gravity, orbit, revolut ...

See also:

Ummo, Ummo - History, Ummo - The documents' contents, Ummo - Hypotheses and Proposed Explanations, Ummo - Sources

Read more here: » Ummo: Encyclopedia II - Ummo - The documents' contents