People

Edward U. Condon

Physicist and former Director of the National Bureau of Standards who served as scientific director of the Condon Committee, the United States Air Force-funded University of Colorado study whose report concluded there was no evidence for the reality of UFOs.

University of Colorado; National Bureau of Standards · 1974-03 · Physicist; scientific director, Condon Committee

Edward U. Condon was a physicist and former Director of the National Bureau of Standards who served as scientific director of an 18-month study of flying saucers funded under a 325,000 US dollar contract between the United States Air Force (USAF) and the University of Colorado, beginning in April 1968.¹ Condon led the Condon Committee,² based in Colorado Boulder, where the investigation - headed by a physicist then close to retirement - received a sizable grant, with its report due in 1969.³ Condon and his team of scientists were recruited by the USAF to conduct an objective and independent investigation into Unidentified Anomalous Phenomena (UAP), work that became known as the Condon Report.⁴ Separately, the University of Colorado UFO Project began, in 1967, spending 512,000 US dollars given to Condon by The Pentagon.⁵

In 1967, Jacques Vallée visited the University of Colorado physics department and had lunch with Condon and the staff of the University of Colorado UFO Project.⁶ Vallée said he told Condon that he believed the problem of Unidentified Flying Objects (UFOs) could be solved scientifically.⁷ Condon said he compared the UFO problem to the existence of God, a matter he believed science had nothing to say about.⁸ Vallée said he disagreed, believing science could have analysed the observations and reached a conclusion.⁹ Vallée later argued that Condon and his team could have conducted a serious scientific study of UFOs in 1967 but did not, and that it was now too late for science to resolve the social and political consequences of the spreading belief in space contact.¹⁰

Condon and his team, chosen for their presumed impartiality, produced the Condon Report, which concluded that no evidence existed for the reality of UFOs.¹¹ According to In Plain Sight, the 1968 report concluded that further study of UAP could not be justified¹² and rejected the extra-terrestrial hypothesis.¹³ The report gave the USAF the justification it sought to close Project Blue Book.¹⁴ According to Imminent: Inside the Pentagon’s Hunt for UFOs, the Condon Committee inquiry - the Air Force-funded UAP study at the University of Colorado chaired by Condon - declared the UAP topic devoid of scientific merit.¹⁵ In a paper, Harry Turner criticised the 1968 Condon Committee report, the USAF-funded study of UFOs directed by Condon.¹⁶

Condon fired the minority group from the Condon Committee after being outraged by the publication of an internal memorandum, and afterwards ran the project without serious consideration of the possible reality of the UFO phenomenon.¹⁷ He later destroyed the Condon Committee’s project files, feeling strongly about the uselessness of studying UFOs.¹⁸ Three days before his death in March 1974, Condon was still urging a physicist friend to drop his own study of UFOs.¹⁹ When told that a documentary about UFOs was being prepared, he advocated that all the footage be burned.²⁰

References (20)

Condon was a physicist and former Director of the National Bureau of Standards who served as scientific director of an 18-month, 325,000-dollar USAF-funded study at the University of Colorado, beginning April 1968
“Dr. Edward U. Condon, a physicist and former Director of the National Bureau of Standards, was the scientific director of an 18-month study on "flying saucers" funded under a $325,000 USAF contract to the University of Colorado.”
Report on the Historical Record of U.S. Government Involvement with Unidentified Anomalous Phenomena (UAP), Volume I char:48748-48967 View the source record →
Condon led the Condon Committee study of UFOs at the University of Colorado
“Professor Condon, who led the study, felt so strongly about the uselessness of the whole thing that he destroyed the project files.”
THE INVISIBLE COLLEGE: What a Group of Scientists Has Discovered About UFO Influences on the Human Race ch9:1611-1736
The Boulder, Colorado investigation, headed by Condon, a prestigious physicist close to retirement, received a sizable grant, with its report due in 1969
“In Boulder, Colorado, a group was finally being assembled with much fanfare, headed by Dr. Condon, a prestigious physicist close to retirement. The group had received a sizable grant to ponder ufology and its report was due in 1969.”
THE INVISIBLE COLLEGE: What a Group of Scientists Has Discovered About UFO Influences on the Human Race ch10:19668-19895
Condon and his team were recruited by the USAF to conduct an independent investigation into UAP that became the Condon Report
“Dr Edward Condon and his team of scientists had been recruited by the air force to do an objective and independent investigation.”
In Plain Sight ch10:22675-22790 View the source record →
In 1967 the University of Colorado UFO Project began spending 512,000 US dollars given to Condon by the Pentagon
“In 1967, as the University of Colorado began spending the $512,000 given to Professor Condon by the Pentagon to study UFOs, my interest had begun to shift.”
Messengers of Deception: UFO Contacts and Cults ch4:10146-10295
In 1967 Vallée visited the University of Colorado physics department and had lunch with Condon and the project staff
“In 1967 I was visiting the University of Colorado physics department. I had lunch with Professor Condon and the staff of his recently organized committee for the study of UFOs.”
Messengers of Deception: UFO Contacts and Cults ch6:5240-5411
Vallée told Condon he believed the UFO problem could be solved scientifically
“I told Condon that I believed the problem of UFOs could be solved scientifically.”
Messengers of Deception: UFO Contacts and Cults ch6:5552-5618
Condon compared the UFO problem to the existence of God, a matter he believed science had nothing to say about
“He replied that he wasn't so sure: "It could be something like the existence of God," he said, "a problem about which science has nothing to say."”
Messengers of Deception: UFO Contacts and Cults ch6:5634-5775
Vallée disagreed, believing science could have analysed the observations and reached a conclusion
“I disagree with that view. Science could have analyzed the observations and reached a conclusion then.”
Messengers of Deception: UFO Contacts and Cults ch6:5781-5878
Vallée argued the team could have done a serious scientific study but did not, and it is now too late for science to resolve the consequences of the spreading belief in space contact
“In 1967, Condon and his team could have done a serious scientific study of UFOs, but they didn't. Now it is too late for science.”
Messengers of Deception: UFO Contacts and Cults ch6:8082-8203
Condon and his team, chosen for presumed impartiality, produced the Condon Report, concluding no evidence existed for the reality of UFOs
“Professor Condon and his team, who had been picked because they were presumably impartial and unprejudiced, went on to write a report stating that no evidence existed for the reality of UFOs.”
Messengers of Deception: UFO Contacts and Cults ch6:5913-6099
The 1968 Condon Report concluded further study of UAP could not be justified
“Condon rejected the extra-terrestrial hypothesis for UAPs and concluded that further study of them could not be justified.”
In Plain Sight ch10:23018-23130 View the source record →
The 1968 Condon Report rejected the extra-terrestrial hypothesis
“Condon rejected the extra-terrestrial hypothesis for UAPs and concluded that further study of them could not be justified.”
In Plain Sight ch10:23018-23130 View the source record →
Condon's report gave the USAF the justification it sought to close Project Blue Book
“Dr. Condon’s report provided the Air Force the excuse it sought to close Project Blue Book, its controversial UFO investigation.”
Imminent: Inside the Pentagon's Hunt for UFOs ch6:3687-3801 View the source record →
The Condon Committee inquiry, chaired by Condon, declared the UAP topic devoid of scientific merit
“A subsequent Air Force–funded UAP study at the University of Colorado went further, declaring the topic devoid of scientific merit. Chaired by physicist Edward Condon...”
Imminent: Inside the Pentagon's Hunt for UFOs ch6:3383-3543 View the source record →
Harry Turner's paper criticised the 1968 Condon Committee report
“Turner's paper eviscerated the 1968 Condon Committee Report, the US Air Force–funded study of UFOs under the direction of physicist Edward Condon.”
In Plain Sight ch11:2213-2352 View the source record →
Condon fired the minority group from the committee after the internal memorandum was published, and ran the project without serious consideration of the phenomenon
“Publication of this document so outraged Condon that he fired the minority group and ran the project without serious consideration of the possible reality of the phenomenon.”
THE INVISIBLE COLLEGE: What a Group of Scientists Has Discovered About UFO Influences on the Human Race ch10:22072-22234
Condon destroyed the Condon Committee's project files, feeling strongly about the uselessness of studying UFOs
“felt so strongly about the uselessness of the whole thing that he destroyed the project files”
THE INVISIBLE COLLEGE: What a Group of Scientists Has Discovered About UFO Influences on the Human Race ch9:1648-1736
Three days before his death in March 1974, Condon was still urging a physicist friend to drop his study of UFOs
“Three days before his death, in March, 1974, he was still urging a physicist friend to drop his study of UFOs.”
THE INVISIBLE COLLEGE: What a Group of Scientists Has Discovered About UFO Influences on the Human Race ch9:1744-1849
When told a UFO documentary was being prepared, Condon advocated that all the footage be burned
“When he was told that a documentary was being prepared he advocated that all the footage be burned.”
THE INVISIBLE COLLEGE: What a Group of Scientists Has Discovered About UFO Influences on the Human Race ch9:1855-1947

Edward U. Condon

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