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agree on. If extraterrestrial craft truly exist in a physical sense, they are, without doubt, the most exciting event in recorded history. Scientific treatments of UFO phenomena often take a dim view of the possibility that anything extraterrestrial is responsible for unexplained sightings of UFOs. The public is less sure. A 1987 Gallup poll indicated that fifty percent of Americans are convinced that UFOs exist. Ten percent, or 26 million, claim to have had sightings or encounters. In Canada the percentages are slightly higher. Yet many scientists still do not acknowledge that the phenomenon exists. Ironically, some of those same skeptics listen with powerful radio telescopes for whispers from other star systems in a universe they believe must be teeming with life. This book tells the story of the crash of a highly unusual object into the waters of Nova Scotia's southwest shore on the night of October 4, 1967. No aircraft were reported missing. No space junk was tracked reentering our atmosphere, and natural phenomena were ruled out due to reliable observations from the many professional and credible witnesses. The case has remained unsolved for decades, despite an extensive international search effort by the military. The crash of the sixty-foot "Dark Object," as it is referred to in many government documents, was not taken lightly by the government. Documents discovered during the investigation of this mystery revealed Canada's hopes of retrieving and accessing alien technology. In the 1960s Ottawa had great expectations that major discoveries might be gained from UFO phenomena. Some people have told me that the Department of National Defense suffered from "Uforia." Dark Object is also a book about the people, in and out of uniform, whose lives were affected by an encounter with a UFO on that clear dark night in October 1967. Many had to adjust their personal belief systems to include events for which they had not been prepared. Decades later they would still Chris Styles Halifax, Nova Scotia For many years I have been interested in the UFO phenomenon, reading just about anything I can lay my hands on. I have always been prepared to give the benefit of the doubt to those who are willing to go on the record with their sightings or encounters. But as I grow older, I've found myself growing more skeptical (Chris has already accused me of having the heart of a debunker), not necessarily of the witnesses but of what some writers are prepared to accept as solid evidence. Indeed, I am a little surprised at how easily some investigators embrace a theory or statement that helps to reinforce their own beliefs, regardless of how little evidence there is to sustain it. I took the step about three years ago of becoming involved in the investigation of these phenomena and found it to be fascinating. The people I have had the opportunity to interview are serious individuals who, I am certain, truly believe they have had a close encounter of the first, second, third, or fourth kind. I have no reason to doubt them. But each incident has been limited by the available evidence or a 1 eo 1 1 like some answers. I first became involved with this project after meeting Chris Styles. His enthusiasm for this incident was and is contagious. the number of observers on hand.