One of the most famous UFO abductions allegedly took place November 5, 1975. The abductee was a logger named Travis Walton.  Skeptic History icon

He wrote a book called The Walton Experience that was adapted into the movie Fire in the Sky.

Among many who investigated this case was CSI Founding Fellow Philip J. Klass, who was born Nov. 8, 1919. He was skeptical, as you might expect.

When an independent witness to the Travis Walton abduction came forward in 1993, Walton’s supporters were suspicious and accused Klass of putting the witness forward in a Project Alpha style hoax. Klass denied the charge.

Klass investigated many cases over the years and offered a $10,000 prize for anyone who could prove that extraterrestrial beings had visited earth.  That prize was never paid out, and Klass died in 2005.

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(This essay originally appeared in a slightly different form on Skepticality episode #142)

Tim Farley is a JREF Research Fellow in electronic media.