Who was Professor Stuart T Butler and why was he interested in UAP?

Hi all,

Scientists and UAP:

A number of scientists from around the world have, at times, taken an interest in UAP. This is also true of Australia.

I was recently consulting the book "Firestorm" by Ann Druffel (published by Wild Flower Press, Columbus, NC. 2003. ISBN 0-926524-58-5) on another matter, when I came across a reference to a Professor Stuart T Butler, which read:

"Dr Berson, together with another scientist, Professor of Theoretical Physics Stuart T Butler, quietly began their own study of Australian sightings, possibly encouraged by McDonald's example." (p.186.)

Australian UAP researchers have long known of Dr F A Berson's interest ( e.g. click here), but what of Professor Butler's?

Who was Professor Butler?

Butler was born in 1926 in Naracoorte, South Australia. In 1954 he was appointed as a reader in Physics at the University of Sydney. Later, in 1959, he was then appointed as Professor of Theoretical Physics and Professor of Plasma Physics at Sydney university. He worked there for 20 years and gained international recognition for his work. In 1977 he went on to become the Director of the Australian Atomic Energy Commission Research Establishment at Lucas Heights. He died in 1982. (Click here.)

Did McDonald know Butler?

According to Druffel's "Firestorm, "In his Australian journal, McDonald kept a list of a dozen physicists and astronomers, to whom he had been referred by Australian and American researchers." (p.185.)

It might therefore be deduced that McDonald was referred to Butler. Perhaps McDonald met Butler on McDonald's 1967 trip to Australia?

Another link between Butler and McDonald:

There is in fact another link between McDonald and Butler. At some point between 1966 and 1970, McDonald consulted for The Boeing Corporation to investigate the question "Would SSTs [supersonic transport aircraft] flying at the edge of the upper atmosphere, leave permanent condensation trails?" (p.488.)

McDonald researched the question and sounded warnings about SSTs possibly depleting the ozone layer. In March 1971 McDonald appeared before a sub-committee of the US House Appropriations Committee hearing on SST aircraft.

Stuart T Butler served on an Australian committee to report on atmospheric effects of supersonic aircraft, in 1971-1972, which might suggest another connection between McDonald and Butler.

Internet search:

I went on an Internet search looking for references to Butler and UAP. There was almost nothing. An excellent article about him (click here) mentions nothing about his apparent interest in UAP. I did find one newspaper clipping from "The Australian" dated 14 May 1968. The text reads:

"As Sydney University's Professor of Theoretical Physics Stuart T Butler remarks "I certainly believe there must be intelligence on some of the other inhabitable planets. It's the only logical interpretation from the evidence. I would go even further and say that there must be intelligent races far further advanced than us. Why should the earth be either at the start or the end of the scale? It is more likely that we are about average, in which case there will have to be older races out in space ahead of us in development. That is not to say that there is any reason they should want to visit us, even if it were possible for them, considering the enormous distances and time it would take to travel them.

I would emphatically dissociate myself from the people who claim to have contacted flying saucers. Their stories are so wildly improbable they seem to me to involve the suspicion of mental imbalance of some sort.

At the same time, in view of the probable existence of some other intelligent race in the universe, I think we have to keep an open mind on the possibility of some UFOs being intelligently directed."

Call for further information:

Have any blog readers come across Professor Butler's interest in UAP?