An exploration of ufology from 1931 to 1943, with Jean-Claude Sidoun

In this episode of the podcast "Mysteries & Unexplained", author Jean-Claude Sidoun explores the history of ufology, i.e. the study of UFOs, from 1931 to 1943. Ufology, rich in events and discoveries, began to influence pop culture during this period. This was between the two World Wars, and the military began to play a central role in UFO research. A recurring phenomenon of this era is the appearance of balls of light. These luminous balls, observed as early as the early twentieth century and throughout World War II, are often associated with UFO sightings.

"Mysteries & Unexplained" is a podcast created by BTLV, adapted and broadcast by Europe 1. If you love paranormal stories and events that go beyond rationality, or you're curious about new discoveries, this is the podcast for you. The comments made in this episode are the sole responsibility of the guest(s).

In front of Jean-Claude Sidoun, Bob Bellanca also highlights the impact of cinema and pop culture on our perception of unexplained phenomena. It's more likely to see something extraordinary in the cinema than in the sky, and movies like "Close Encounters of the Third Kind" have fueled our desire to experience the unknown. Science fiction and comic books have also played an important role in shaping our imagination.
What is particularly interesting is that Jean-Claude Sidoun's books are not limited to an American perspective. They explore incidents reported around the world to understand these UFO phenomena. A notable example is the case of April 16, 1934 in Italy. These international incidents enrich our understanding of dark balls and underscore that the mystery is truly global.

This episode of "Mysteries & Unexplained" deals more broadly with several themes related to ufology, including extraterrestrials. Jean-Claude Sidoun mentions, for example, a radio incident that caused great panic among listeners. The show, which lasted about 1 hour and 34 minutes, confused more than 160,000 people who believed there was a real alien threat.

Jean-Claude Sidoun and Bob Bellanca also discuss the universe and exoplanets. The guest of "Mysteries & Unexplained" emphasizes, for example, the vastness of the Milky Way and the relative smallness of our own solar system. He questions the likelihood that extraterrestrials could have discovered our small planet among the billions of others in the universe. This perspective highlights the humility needed to approach ufology. The scientists with whom Jean-Claude Sidoun spoke wonder if our planet really has the capacity to interest another extraterrestrial civilization among the billions of planets in existence.

While going through the unexplained phenomena, this episode is a dive into history, both political and military, with the Cold War in particular, cinematographic, the trailer of the movie "The War of the Worlds" having been shown in this episode, and scientific.
If you enjoy these reflections highlighting the importance of keeping an open and curious mind, while remaining grounded in a rigorous scientific approach when studying unexplained phenomena, listen to this podcast: "Mysteries & Unexplained".

Our editorial team used an Artificial Intelligence tool to support the creation of this written content.

Credits

Production: Adrien Bonneville for Europe 1 Studio

Visual: Axelle Maurel with Sidonie Mangin

Artistic direction: Xavier Jolly

Recording Voices: Marc O. Grunfeld and Victor Naulleau

Innovation Director: Jamal Lassiri

Media coverage: Lagardère Publicité News