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A Cultural History of Art Bell

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Thumbnail for October 1, 2013: Communion - Whitley Strieber | NASA - Richard C. Hoagland

October 1, 2013: Communion - Whitley Strieber | NASA - Richard C. Hoagland

Oct 1, 2013
3h 29m
Whitley StrieberRichard C. Hoagland
0:00 / 0:00
Art Bell presents a packed evening beginning with Richard C. Hoagland discussing Comet ISON and its flyby of Mars, followed by a deep conversation with Whitley Strieber about his landmark close encounter described in Communion. Hoagland walks through a series of images posted at ArtBell.com, including Hubble telescope anomalies in the comet nucleus, the mysterious green coloration caused by cyanogen gas, and his theory that some comets may be ancient derelict spacecraft. He also revisits the infamous Mars anomaly known as Number Nine.

Strieber then recounts the harrowing events of December 26, 1985, when he was taken from his cabin in upstate New York and subjected to a terrifying encounter with non-human beings. He describes the insect-like faces, the paralysis, and the physical assault confirmed by his doctor days later. Art and Whitley discuss how the experience destroyed his public life and became a national punchline despite its traumatic reality.

The conversation takes a profound turn when Strieber reveals that encounters with deceased loved ones are commonplace in the abduction phenomenon. His wife Ann, after reading hundreds of thousands of letters from experiencers, concluded that the phenomenon has something fundamental to do with what we call death.

Key Moments

  1. Hoagland: Hubble's ISON tetrahedral geometry: Hoagland claims a Hubble image of comet ISON's nucleus shows a deliberate 120-degree tetrahedral geometry, created by NASA's compositing of 442-second exposures, signaling 'somebody at NASA wanted us to see this.'

  2. Hoagland: comets as derelict alien spacecraft: Looking at a leaked Epoxy color close-up of Comet Hartley-2, Hoagland argues the honeycomb structure suggests some comets are ancient derelict craft from a Type II civilization that once occupied the solar system.

  3. Strieber's December 26, 1985 abduction account: Strieber retells the foundational Communion event: noises in his cabin, paralysis, a blue jumpsuited insect-like figure, a mechanical female voice asking 'what can we do to help you stop screaming,' a needle inserted into his head.

  4. Strieber on being mocked for being raped: Strieber describes the cruelty of South Park and the press treating his rape as comedy fodder, and how the writers bragged about using him as a role model in a way carefully tailored to avoid a lawsuit.

  5. Strieber suspects political CIA hit, then turns to UFO investigation: After a doctor diagnoses Strieber as raped, he initially suspects a CIA-connected college friend acting on Brent Scowcroft's threat tied to his book War Day, before his brother's UFO book and Budd Hopkins lead him to forensic hypnotist Dr. Donald Klein.