Flying Saucers Stink! - Seriously

[Part 1]
Now that I have your attention, plug your nose and follow me. One lesser-discussed facet of ufology is odor. Although relatively rare, a number of UAP and high-strangeness reports contain a description of an unpleasant or foul odor. UAP-related odors have not been classified as physical evidence, as they generally do not leave a trace; once the smell is gone, it's gone. Those of you who've been on this bus with me for the last month or so know that I am primarily interested in the RF/microwave aspects of ufology, and you may be familiar with a document, Anomalous and Subacute Field Effects on Human Biological Tissues (click here) which goes on to detail the possibility of "reverse-engineering" the nature of the transmitter/system associated with a reported anomalous vehicle by analyzing the nature of injury suffered by the witness(es).

In some ways, similar "reverse-engineering" can be done (to a point) by analyzing odors associated with an incident. There have been studies addressing the possible chemistry and causation of UFO odors, such as this report written by A.F. Rullán: Odors from UFOs Deducing Odorant Chemistry and Causation from Available Data PRELIMINARY REPORT A.F. Rullán, which investigates odor profiling, potential chemical sources, evaluation of the sulfurous odor, and more. From Odors from UFOs:

Of the 146 descriptors used in the ASTM Profiling Study, 11 of them are present in the 26 UFO odor cases evaluated in this report. ASTM odor descriptors present in UFO cases are:
1.Burnt, smoky
2.Etherish
3.Like ammonia
4.Sickening
5.Sharp, Pungent, Acid
6.Camphor like
7.Metallic
8.Sulphidic
9.Putrid, Foul, Decayed
10.Burnt Rubber-like
11.Chemical

The presence of odor implies detectable chemical changes in the environment, possibly due to byproducts of a propulsion system, or a highly advanced system associated with anomalous air vehicles or unknown technology (top secret projects, etc). Alternatively, the presence of odor may be perceptive in nature (possibly induced), a condition known as phantosmia. When analyzed along with other physical factors such as NIEMR (Non-Ionizing Electromagnetic Radiation)-related physiological symptoms or related RF-induced effects (such as perceived Microwave Auditory Effect, also discussed in the reference document [click here], psychological effects/altered states/discomfort, etc), odor associated with an anomalous incident may help provide another clue as to the nature of the observed object and/or phenomenon.

One such observation is contained in a report I mentioned in a previous case in which the witness saw an unexplained, very large aircraft flying low and slow over his home in Surrey, BC Canada on November 18, 2000. The aircraft had what looked like "smoke" pouring out of its far right engine (it had eight engines), and there was a smell of sulfur in the air, although not at a nauseating or noxious level. Following the sighting (which the witness reported to the local airport), a phone call and an investigation ensued, in which the two investigators at some point scored the grounds around the witness's home with a Geiger counter. They reappeared a couple days later, one holding a 12-16" parabolic dish and wearing a headset with an attached microphone, the other holding a Geiger counter. It's possible they were looking for traces of radioactive (ionizing radiation) byproduct from the aircraft (the "smoke"?). The witness also displayed signs of exposure to NIEMR (eyes that appeared to have been exposed to a welding torch, according to his doctor, along with an intense headache and sunburn on his face and back). Something in the "smoke" may have also been responsible for some of the adverse health effects experienced by the witness.

In UFO Danger Zone by Bob Pratt, an example of an unfortunate case involving a sulfur smell and an anomalous craft was described. The main witness, Cicilio H Pereira, was walking with two older neighbors back to his home near Jaboticatubas, Brazil on August 9, 1976. They were walking down a hill on a quiet dirt road past some charcoal ovens, when they spotted a bright light in the sky. The light came right at them at a high speed. All three of the witnesses broke out into a run, but one of Cicilio's sandals tore a strap, slowing him down. He stopped, but his neighbors, Anita and Geralda, kept running. The bright, saucer-shaped object hovered over Cicilio, who screamed in terror as the object rose up and descended down over him again. He felt a freezing cold wind and felt as if he rose up into the air a few inches. He also heard a slight humming sound, and perceived a smell of sulfur in the air. He thought he could see two or three men inside the object who opened and closed a door quickly, but the observation of the figures may or may not have been attributable to hysteria brought on by the perceptibly alien encounter. Cicilio became extremely ill following the incident, became bedridden, and eventually died.

Cicilio's unfortunate encounter was one in the beginning of a string of UAP encounters in Brazil in the late 1970s. In Colares, Brazil, there were many well-documented reports of injuries associated with UAP encounters which frequently included a bright beam and a burn-type injury on the witnesses. It is thought that a test or deployment of an experimental military technology was to blame. (Colares Incident, More on Colares) (Without digressing too much, it is worth noting another incident involving possible Directed Energy Systems which may be loosely related was discussed on ATS here: DEW attack in Canneto di Caronia?)

So, now on the table we have adverse physiological effects associated with UAP and high-strangeness encounters, sensory manipulation (MAE, RF-induced altered states, etc) as well as strong and often unpleasant odors. UAP and high-strangeness encounters are often loaded with crucial sensory information, of which critical analysis is imperative to begin forming a greater understanding of the nature of the responsible systems.

[Continued Next]

[Part 2]

Any UAP and high-strangeness encounter generally engages multiple senses: sight--the witness sees the anomalous entity/object; sound: the witness often hears a noise associated with the object, whether externally acoustic or internally generated (such as with MAE); smell--the witness may report an odor associated with the object; touch--the witness may report touching (or being touched) by an element of the encounter (the sensation of touch also includes painful sensations such as burns, etc); and even taste--a witness may report an anomalous taste in their mouth during or following an encounter. Each of these sensations provide valuable insight into the nature of an encounter. Some encounters only engage a few senses, such as sight and sound (i.e. the witness heard a whirring noise and saw a bright light). Some engage different groupings (i.e. a witness perceived a tingling sensation and smelled a chemical odor, then saw a disc-shaped object).

Smell is an interesting sense not only because of its chemical implications, but also because of its psychological/neurological implications (phantosmia). It's not impossible that the smells are perceived (or hallucinated) due to either acute stress or an effect brought on by exposure to a system aboard the anomalous craft, rather than a physical byproduct (combustion, etc), although in the case of the BC "airplane" with the sulfur odor and visible particles (the smoke), it appears the odor was likely physical rather than perceived. In other cases, it may also be possible that the noxious odor itself was responsible for hallucinations.

Environmental aspects must also be investigated and eliminated (seismic/volcanic activity; ball lightning, which is often accompanied by an ozone or sulfur like odor; environmental hydrogen sulfide, etc). In many of these cases, few to none of these environmental factors were present, thus have been effectively eliminated, but there are remaining groups of cases in which these factors may have been responsible for the odor (and even the object). It is also important to note that in many odor-containing UAP reports, the odor left when the object left.

Another possible cause is the interaction of emissions from the object with environmental pollution causing a perceivable odor. Knowing the types and amounts of pollutants in the air around the location and time of an incident is important to determine whether or not this factor was at play. There are more hypotheses regarding odor and several are analyzed in detail in A.F. Rullán's Odors From UFOs study.

Many factors may be responsible for the detection of odors associated with UAP and high-strangeness incidents, ranging from propulsion byproducts and advanced technology to phantosmia and natural sources, depending on each case. (It could also be that aliens have gas [I couldn't resist]). There are a number of reports featuring a variety of smells and various intensities thereof, one of the most common being sulfur, and many of these reports also contain physiological effects coinciding with the encounters. Odor is certainly an important and revealing element in UAP cases, along with symptoms attributable to microwave technology/Non-Ionizing Electromagnetic Radiation, and other side effects.

So there you have it, a basic rundown of the stinky side of ufology. Now you know------UFOs stink!

Well, there are reports of astronauts describing the smell of both space and the Moon.

Space is said to smell like burnt gunpowder. It is after spacewalks that this is described. I don't know if it is the true smell of space or just the spacesuits being exposed to the heat radiation in a vaccume.

The. Moon is said to smell of burnt steak. This was reported on some Apollo landings. This might involve the possible suit smell but with the addition of actual Moon dust on the suits.

I am not going to go over the other smells within spacecraft as they are the normal ones associated with limited cleanliness within a enclosed living habitat.

Yes, space in general is smelly without your additional explainations.

Now demensional travel has been described as being smelly. The fire and brimstone thing.

As far as being a symptom or local microwave damage, there is a possibility that the hairs or even cells within the smell receptors are slightly scorched in these encounters. Much like laser hair removal has a smell. Super bright light flashes have a smell all their own and not just ozone as would be expected.

The problem is people preceive smells differently. Some can smell a thunderstorm building in the distance.

How is this useful if we can't get the smell descriptions to match person to person?

Interesting angle.

Smell is like other senses and is perceived differently depending on the percipient.

Some people have perfect vision, others are short or long sighted and all the variations in between. Then of course there is colour vision too! Some of us can hear pitches above and below what others hear. Most of us have differing taste from even our closest siblings.

However, although we can photograph, film and record audio of a UFO event, we still don't have mass market "smellyvision" technology.

Whether it would make any difference is of course a whole other debate.

a reply to: wavelength


Ummm...possibly fascinating...

However...I'm a...show me...stickler...I have to be able to personally witness...observe...touch...taste...and yes...smell a thing...before I can even remotely consider a thing to be...a thing...

I know...I know...I've seen some strange things in the sky...doing strange things...

Things doing right angle turns at extreme rates of speed...over a nuclear power plant...

Most recently points of light that I thought were stars...suddenly moving out of position and then out of sight...while also maneuvering...in multiple directions...

So...while these occurrences are interesting...I've yet to be close enough to a UAP (I like that acronym better than UFO)...to actually get a whiff...


Not attempting to denigrate or mischaracterize whatever anyone else may have experienced or witnessed...or thought they experienced or witnessed...or smelled...










YouSir

originally posted by: beyondknowledge

As far as being a symptom or local microwave damage, there is a possibility that the hairs or even cells within the smell receptors are slightly scorched in these encounters. Much like laser hair removal has a smell. Super bright light flashes have a smell all their own and not just ozone as would be expected.

The problem is people preceive smells differently. Some can smell a thunderstorm building in the distance.

How is this useful if we can't get the smell descriptions to match person to person?

Absolutely!

This is exactly what I was thinking--possible receptor damage from exposure to microwaves. In this case, the actual characteristics of the smells wouldn't matter as much so much as the fact that a strange smell was, indeed, present, thus indicating an anomaly either in the atmosphere or neurologically within the witness.

So, how is this useful if we can't get the descriptions to match? Excellent question.
Matching them isn't particularly important. Characterizing the presence of the odors along with other common elements of reports is the important part. In other words, it's useful as another sensory factor that was somehow altered or stimulated during an encounter, specifics of the smell itself are less important (hence in the OP I didn't necessarily elaborate on the chemical possibilities of particular odors).

originally posted by: mirageman
Interesting angle.

Smell is like other senses and is perceived differently depending on the percipient.

Some people have perfect vision, others are short or long sighted and all the variations in between. Then of course there is colour vision too! Some of us can hear pitches above and below what others hear. Most of us have differing taste from even our closest siblings.

However, although we can photograph, film and record audio of a UFO event, we still don't have mass market "smellyvision" technology.

Whether it would make any difference is of course a whole other debate.

Unfortunately, you are right, there is no way (on the mass market, at least) to record a smell. The closest thing available is if the source of the odor left environmental traces, the environment can be forensically investigated for signs of the alleged emissions. Other than that, SOL.

The factor of odor present in UFO cases is not so much about the specific smell, rather that something occurred within the witness (sensory receptors, etc) or environment to trigger a sensory reaction perceived as smell. It's not much different from when a witness reports a tingling sensation, a strange sound (which, in the case of microwave hearing, cannot be recorded), or other non-traceable factors. What makes it interesting and useful in the study of ufology despite the lack of traceability is the sheer numbers of reports with similar elements, such as a combination of an odd odor along with a headache, etc. Patterns are crucial.

originally posted by: YouSir

I know...I know...I've seen some strange things in the sky...doing strange things...

Things doing right angle turns at extreme rates of speed...over a nuclear power plant...

Most recently points of light that I thought were stars...suddenly moving out of position and then out of sight...while also maneuvering...in multiple directions...

So...while these occurrences are interesting...I've yet to be close enough to a UAP (I like that acronym better than UFO)...to actually get a whiff...

Interesting! Thank you for sharing your sightings. There seem to be quite a few cases of UAPs maneuvering over nuclear facilities (power plants, storage facilities, etc) all over the world. There have been a few investigations on the UAP-nuclear connection, some with very interesting findings (or, at least, interesting reports).

In case you guys have not seen them, Ben Hansen has a series called 'UFO Witness', with some very strange and not well known UFO cases.
They are shown on our Travel Channel from time to time, Ben does some really in-depth investigations which might interest you.

Whitley Strieber did ask his alien abductor in charge if he could smell her.
Now, I guess we know why.

a reply to: wavelength

So there you have it, a basic rundown of the stinky side of ufology. Now you know------UFOs stink! 

😢 But I want more.

I've never heard of any malodorous oders, but I have read about Ozone and or Electrical burning smell.

As far as the first degree burns, nausea, damage to eyes, I've always gone along with the Radiation Poisoning theory.

What's interesting is the difference in the types of smells per case. Could the UAP be causing certain elements in the ground or nearby environment to superconduct?

Like putting a ultrasound pad over scar tissue and break the tissue up, or a lithotripsy vibrating stones apart. But let's say the UAP is disturbing the natural elements withing the ground. But the reports do say the smell goes away as the UAP leaves the area.

I have to read the links yet, I did skim to get an idea.


Off sub.
I was noticing that a tech company was able to fly a lightweight toy by manipulating the Ions. Sounding like my 7 year old self, I've always assumed that UAP's were able to point the gravity and direct the craft, much like manipulating ions.

This is clearly beyond anything I understand.

But I will keep up.

originally posted by: Bigburgh

What's interesting is the difference in the types of smells per case. Could the UAP be causing certain elements in the ground or nearby environment to superconduct?

Like putting a ultrasound pad over scar tissue and break the tissue up, or a lithotripsy vibrating stones apart. But let's say the UAP is disturbing the natural elements withing the ground. But the reports do say the smell goes away as the UAP leaves the area.

This is similar to one of the hypotheses detailed in A.F. Rullán's book, it's on page 29 or 30 or thereabouts.
Although different smells may be attributable to different individuals as discussed earlier in this thread, what interests me more is the fact that smells are being reported at all (regardless of the type of smell). Something is happening either neurologically in the witness to induce the perception of an off-odor, or atmospherically/environmentally such as what you've suggested and what A.F. Rullán suggested in his book (interactions of emissions from the anomalous object with elements in the surrounding environment).

Yes, the smell usually goes away when the craft goes away, but it's possible that the reaction with the environment also stops when the craft leaves (or shortly thereafter), so your theory about interactions with elements may still be plausible in some cases.

a reply to: wavelength

Thanks for the A.F Rullán pdf.

I can read it better here shortly, easier to read on a laptop vs a cellphone.

And again, thank you for your hard work and sharing with us here. I'd love to know where this research of your's is done. I feel the sense you may be working at a undisclosed university. If not, you're certainly presenting as so.

Off to do some reading.

👍😉

a reply to: Bigburgh

You're welcome. It's an interesting read, Rullán goes through just about every aspect of smell and UFOs.
Being a card-carrying (literally) radio-nerd, I'm interested in the possible attributions of smell to an altered state/altered receptors/neurological factors potentially induced by NIEMR emitted from some UAPs rather than the chemical aspect discussed in my OP and in Rullán's work, but the chemical and environmental aspects are equally as important to investigate and eliminate (or confirm, depending on the goal on a case by case basis).
Part of ufology is examining as many aspects as possible from multiple angles. Smell is just one of those aspects.

Nothing can likely be determined about an anomalous craft from smell alone, but when the smell element is analyzed alongside other elements, it becomes another investigative tool in the box. One analogy compares the investigation to a health physical--a doctor may not be able to tell a patient's general state of health by only looking into the patient's ear, but the ear exam is one step along with the rest of his poking and prodding and adds a valuable bit of information to help the doctor make an informed statement about the patient's general condition.

Bigburgh, thank you for your kind words. A couple of my goals in sharing my research are to offer different perspectives and to encourage holistic approaches to ufology as a whole. I am glad my work is appreciated. Enjoy reading the PDF and please return with your thoughts when you get a chance.

If you traveled millions of miles in a 15ft diameter craft, let’s say, with no room for a shower or bath……..you’d stink too and permeating into the very fabric of the craft 🤢 much like smoker’s have a smokey stinking house everywhere.

Do Aliens have personal hygiene needs?

👽

Space travel is less famously smelly. Weeks of the myriad human body's pungent excreta held in increasingly moist space suits, old food, hot circuitry, machine oil and plastics, all defying an imperfect air filtration system would make childhood memories of summer car trips with a large, gassy family with no AC and a parent who hated open windows seem rosy in comparison.

Add sulfurous demons, decaying biological specimens and observer's brain events that might produce the infamous strokey burnt toast aroma and UFOs could be rank, too.

a reply to: wavelength

Interesting.

Given reports of UFOs influencing the perceptions of observers, I would wonder if they aren't also influencing their perception of what the observers smell.

Although unlikely to happen, what would be useful would be to have chemical detection devices at a UFO sighting and be able to compare what the device recorded versus the perceptions of observers.

Thanks for another interesting thread.

Cheers

Regarding my previous post on Ben Hansen's 'UFO Witness' series - I watched a few of them last night on our Travel Channel. Hansen did some very thorough investigations into the Kecksburg Pennsylvania 1965 case, and also the Hopkinsville Kentucky 1955 UFO, interviewing those involved and still living, and even found the landing sites for both.
I know this is off topic of this thread, but there aren't too many UFO threads.

a reply to: wavelength

Hi wavelength, thanks for another great thread to mull over.

Still on Part 1, but I wanted to post another skeptic thought of mine and that would be an alternative explanation of the odors people seem to smell during encounters with UFO/aliens where we cannot discount stress/trauma. The sweat coming from our body during traumatic/high anxiety situations is known as stress sweat (stronger smelling and more profuse amounts than normal sweeting) which, by the way, the odor has more to do with what was eaten recently and/or diseases in the body. See link for reasons for fish odor, rotten odor, onion odor and skunky odor.

The Smell: Ammonia or Urine

The Culprit: A Protein-Rich Diet

Low-carb, high-protein or keto diets might be popular, but one weird side effect is that you might notice your sweat smelling like ammonia. (Urine can also have a strong ammonia odor. Meaning: You might instead think your sweat smells like urine.)

"Ammonia is a product of protein breakdown," Dr. Jose says. "It may help to reduce protein intake to alleviate ammonia-smelling sweat," she adds.

www.livestrong.com...


Sulfur or rotten eggs smell.

Can certain foods cause body odor?

The saying, “you are what you eat,” may apply to body odor. If you eat food rich in sulfur you may develop body odor. Sulfur smells like rotten eggs. When it’s secreted from your body in your sweat, it can put off an unpleasant smell.

Examples of sulfur-rich foods are:

Onions.
Garlic.
Cabbage.
Broccoli.
Cauliflower.
Red meat.

Hypermethioninemia is an inherited condition. It occurs when there’s excess amino acid methionine in your blood.

A sulfur-like odor often occurs when the methionine isn’t broken down properly within the body. You may also experience breath or sweat that smells like sulfur.

Other symptoms include:

delays in intellectual and motor skills in infants and toddlers
liver problems
muscle weakness
sluggishness
neurological problems

www.healthline.com...

So many factors come into play when it comes to heightened body odor, such as medications, diseases, food eaten etc. Now on to Part 2.

ETA: Another odor may be caused from ionized air (electrical storm - ozone) which for some people may smell metallic, burning wire or chlorine.

A lot of people who are familiar with the smell of ozone can tell you that it smells similar to a coming storm. After all, before a heavy storm, some people can smell a peculiar scent. However, this smell is actually ozone and not moisture in the air as some people mistakenly claim. Humans can actually pick up the scent of ozone pretty easily and in pretty small concentrations as well. In fact, many people can smell ozone in as small concentrations as ten parts per billion.

As for the scent of ozone itself, a lot of people call it a metallic scent, comparing it to an electrical spark or a burning wire. Some people describe it as a strangely clean smell or something similar to chlorine. Other people would tell you that ozone smells both sweet and pungent. Generally, ozone has a sharp, distinctive scent that you will be able to recognize easily once you know what to look for. If the air around you has this scent, there’s a good chance that you are in a place that has high concentrations of ozone in the air. Now that you are aware of this, you will be able to take the proper precautions to protect yourself.

freshairguru.com...

originally posted by: F2d5thCavv2
a reply to: wavelength

Interesting.

Given reports of UFOs influencing the perceptions of observers, I would wonder if they aren't also influencing their perception of what the observers smell.

Although unlikely to happen, what would be useful would be to have chemical detection devices at a UFO sighting and be able to compare what the device recorded versus the perceptions of observers.

Thanks for another interesting thread.

Cheers

Glad you enjoyed the thread!
I'm leaning toward this as the most probable explanation in most cases in which environmental/natural causes have been eliminated. Technology exists with the capability of altering the perception of sound, sight, and feeling just to name a few, and I'm fairly certain smell is no exception. This doesn't necessarily imply these senses were deliberately altered in any of these reports (although some may have been), rather that exposure to a system/emission from the object/entity caused a temporary alteration of smell receptors along with other disturbances (audio disturbances, etc).

That's another reason why smell needs to be examined as a part of a whole when investigating reports, rather than as a standalone. One of the important but oft overlooked questions in UFO encounters is, which senses did the encounter engage? Further, to what degree of intensity?