Key figures
The atmospheric physicist who argued in the 1960s that UFOs deserved serious study. 9 events, newest first.
Select any year above to see what happened that year.
Open James McDonald as a timeline
Government13 Jun 1971
University of Arizona atmospheric physicist James E. McDonald, who had spent his last years analyzing UFO reports as a scientific problem, died on June 13, 1971. His American Meteorological Society obituary said the work brought him into conflict with certain scientists and he found few allies.
Photo: United States Government, Public domain
Government29 Jul 1968
The House Committee on Science and Astronautics held a one-day symposium on UFOs chaired by Rep. J. Edward Roush. Six scientists, including J. Allen Hynek, James McDonald and Carl Sagan, presented views, and further papers were added to the printed record.
Photo: US Congress, Public domain
Government12 Mar 1968
Atmospheric physicist James McDonald told a Canadian Aeronautics and Space Institute symposium that UFOs were a serious scientific problem, criticized Project Blue Book as inadequate, and called for well-funded international research.
Photo: United States Government, Public domain
Government8 Feb 1968
Edward Condon dismissed staff scientists David Saunders and Norman Levine from the Air Force-funded University of Colorado UFO study after a 1966 memo by coordinator Robert Low reached physicist James McDonald. Look magazine's May 1968 account made the dispute public.
Photo: National Institute of Standards and Technology, Public domain
Government7 Jun 1967
University of Arizona atmospheric physicist James E. McDonald presented a paper titled 'International Scientific Aspects of the Problem of Unidentified Flying Objects' to the United Nations Outer Space Affairs Group in New York.
Photo: United States Government, Public domain
GovernmentJun 1967
University of Arizona atmospheric physicist James McDonald spent late June and early July 1967 in Australia recording interviews with UFO witnesses. Reuters reported him saying in Sydney that governments, backed by the CIA, were downplaying the subject.
Photo: United States Government, Public domain
Close encounters22 Apr 1967
University of Arizona atmospheric physicist James E. McDonald told the American Society of Newspaper Editors that the UFO problem had been mishandled for years. He blamed a 1953 CIA-sponsored panel's recommendation for a debunking effort and said Project Blue Book had been downgraded.
Photo: United States Government, Public domain
Government1966
University of Arizona atmospheric physicist James McDonald began an intensive study of UFO reports and visited Wright-Patterson AFB to review Air Force UFO files. He later told a House symposium the files surprised him and changed his views.
Sightings2 Nov 1957
Over about two hours, drivers near Levelland reported a large glowing object and said their engines and headlights failed as it passed. The Air Force attributed the reports to ball lightning; physicist James McDonald later told Congress no storms were near that night.
Photo: Leaflet, CC BY-SA 3.0
