James McDonald
Atmospheric physicist and prominent early scientific advocate for taking UFO reports seriously
| James McDonald | |
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[ IMAGE PLACEHOLDER ]
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| Born | 1920 |
|---|---|
| Died | 1971 |
| Nationality | United States |
| Category | Scientist |
| Known for | |
| Roles | Senior physicist, University of Arizona Institute of Atmospheric Physics |
| Status | Mainstream scientific credentialsConclusions outside consensus |
James McDonald was a respected American atmospheric physicist who became, in the late 1960s, one of the first mainstream scientists to argue publicly and forcefully that a residue of UFO reports could not be explained by conventional means and deserved serious government-funded scientific study.
Assessment
McDonald’s advocacy directly challenged the conclusions of the University of Colorado UFO Project (Condon Committee) led by Edward Condon, and though his broader scientific reputation remained strong, his UFO-related conclusions were not adopted by the mainstream scientific consensus of his time.
[1]See also
References
- ^ McDonald, J. E. Congressional testimony and papers, 1968–1969.
Categories: United States Scientist