ufo_data/bin/pre_roswell_chap3.json

{
"Rife Timeline" : [
{
  "date" : "1905",
  "desc": "There were Witnesses observed a brilliant light in the sky, which revealed the form of a 70-foot-long airship with wing-like propulsion. The sighting left observers awestruck, with some describing the craft as resembling a gigantic bird in flight. (Chapter 3, Refs 115,116)",
  "location" : "California's Imperial Valley",
  "ref": "[_It Didn't Start with Roswell_, by Philip L. Rife, 2001](https://archive.org/details/it-didnt-start-with-roswell-50-years-of-amazing-ufo-crashes-close-encounters-and)",
  "source_id" : "Rife_109",
  "source" : "Rife",
  "type" : "UFO sighting"
},
{
  "date" : "1906",
  "desc": "A farm boy in South Dakota claimed to have witnessed a strange craft landing near his family's well. He stated that he was invited inside by normal-looking men who explained that the craft's outer shell contained helium gas. They mentioned using a lever to cut off earth's magnetism and collected water for producing electricity before departing. (Chapter 3, Ref 117)",
  "location" : "South Dakota",
  "ref": "[_It Didn't Start with Roswell_, by Philip L. Rife, 2001](https://archive.org/details/it-didnt-start-with-roswell-50-years-of-amazing-ufo-crashes-close-encounters-and)",
  "source_id" : "Rife_110",
  "source" : "Rife",
  "type" : "UFO sighting"
},
{
  "date" : "7/1908",
  "desc": "A large airship was reportedly seen over Bristol, Connecticut. The craft had an elongated gas bag with a suspended framework and a propeller. Witnesses observed a single person aboard and speculated on its intentions, but the identity of the airship remained unknown as it changed course and disappeared over Wolcott Mountain. (Chapter 3, Ref 118)",
  "location" : "Bristol, Connecticut",
  "ref": "[_It Didn't Start with Roswell_, by Philip L. Rife, 2001](https://archive.org/details/it-didnt-start-with-roswell-50-years-of-amazing-ufo-crashes-close-encounters-and)",
  "source_id" : "Rife_111",
  "source" : "Rife",
  "type" : "UFO sighting"
},
{
  "date" : "10/1908",
  "desc": "Two men observed an airship over Bridgewater, Massachusetts. They watched as it moved closer to the earth and noticed the outline of the large balloon. The airship exhibited unusual movements, rising and falling as if controlled by an individual, and then it moved steadily eastward, maintaining a straight line instead of dropping down. (Chapter 3, Ref 119)",
  "location" : "Bridgewater, Massachusetts",
  "ref": "[_It Didn't Start with Roswell_, by Philip L. Rife, 2001](https://archive.org/details/it-didnt-start-with-roswell-50-years-of-amazing-ufo-crashes-close-encounters-and)",
  "source_id" : "Rife_112",
  "source" : "Rife",
  "type" : "UFO sighting"
},
{
  "date" : "8/1909",
  "desc": "Residents near Middletown, New York reported seeing a mysterious airship that flew only at night. The airship was described as having a balloon-like shape with wings on each side and a cigar-shaped car underneath. Witnesses heard the sound of a motor as the airship flew at a high speed. (Chapter 3, Ref 120)",
  "location" : "Near Middletown, New York",
  "ref": "[_It Didn't Start with Roswell_, by Philip L. Rife, 2001](https://archive.org/details/it-didnt-start-with-roswell-50-years-of-amazing-ufo-crashes-close-encounters-and)",
  "source_id" : "Rife_113",
  "source" : "Rife",
  "type" : "UFO sighting"
},
{
  "date" : "12/16/1909",
  "desc": "Witnesses in Marlboro reported two sightings, one by ex-councilman B.W. Johnson who claimed to have seen the airship come down so low that he could hear a man talking from the craft. Another witness named Beauregard stated that the airship landed on the southern side of Lake Williams on the same night. (Chapter 3, Ref 121)",
  "location" : "In December 1909, there were sightings of mysterious airships in Massachusetts",
  "ref": "[_It Didn't Start with Roswell_, by Philip L. Rife, 2001](https://archive.org/details/it-didnt-start-with-roswell-50-years-of-amazing-ufo-crashes-close-encounters-and)",
  "source_id" : "Rife_114",
  "source" : "Rife",
  "type" : "UFO sighting"
},
{
  "date" : "12/23/1909",
  "desc": "On December 23, 1909, an aerial display captivated thousands of Christmas shoppers in Boston. Two strong searchlights were observed moving quickly over the city, initially mistaken for bright stars. The lights, which appeared to be on an aerial craft, exhibited distinct behaviors, including a reflective appearance resembling automobile headlights and a vague outline of the craft itself. The lights remained stationary at an altitude of about 600 feet for a short time before disappearing. (Chapter 3, Ref 122)",
  "location" : "Boston",
  "time" : "evening",
  "ref": "[_It Didn't Start with Roswell_, by Philip L. Rife, 2001](https://archive.org/details/it-didnt-start-with-roswell-50-years-of-amazing-ufo-crashes-close-encounters-and)",
  "source_id" : "Rife_115",
  "source" : "Rife",
  "type" : "UFO sighting"
},
{
  "date" : "1908",
  "desc": "During the New England mystery airship wave of 1908-1909, alongside sightings of dirigible-like objects, there were reports of airplane-type craft that were technologically ahead of their time.",
  "location" : "New England",
  "ref": "[_It Didn't Start with Roswell_, by Philip L. Rife, 2001](https://archive.org/details/it-didnt-start-with-roswell-50-years-of-amazing-ufo-crashes-close-encounters-and)",
  "source_id" : "Rife_116",
  "source" : "Rife",
  "type" : "UFO sighting"
},
{
  "date" : "10/1908",
  "desc": "In October 1908, British fishermen encountered a \"sausage-shaped\" aircraft at sea and attempted communication by exchanging flares with the unidentified object before it flew away towards the open sea. (Chapter 3, Ref 123)",
  "location" : "35 miles at sea near the British Isles",
  "ref": "[_It Didn't Start with Roswell_, by Philip L. Rife, 2001](https://archive.org/details/it-didnt-start-with-roswell-50-years-of-amazing-ufo-crashes-close-encounters-and)",
  "source_id" : "Rife_117",
  "source" : "Rife",
  "type" : "UFO sighting"
},
{
  "date" : "3/1909",
  "desc": "A policeman witnessed a high-powered engine sound overhead and saw an oblong, dark body outlined against the stars, with a powerful light about 1,200 feet above the ground. The object, which he described as oblong and narrow, was traveling at high speed and eventually disappeared in the northwest. (Chapter 3, Ref 124)",
  "location" : "London, Britain",
  "ref": "[_It Didn't Start with Roswell_, by Philip L. Rife, 2001](https://archive.org/details/it-didnt-start-with-roswell-50-years-of-amazing-ufo-crashes-close-encounters-and)",
  "source_id" : "Rife_118",
  "source" : "Rife",
  "type" : "UFO sighting"
},
{
  "date" : "4/1909",
  "desc": "A farmhand observed a long, dark airship with a bright light flying low above the trees. The airship had a hanging platform with two men, and its searchlight illuminated the surroundings as it traveled swiftly against the wind before disappearing within a few minutes. (Chapter 3, Ref 125)",
  "location" : "Norfolk Countryside",
  "ref": "[_It Didn't Start with Roswell_, by Philip L. Rife, 2001](https://archive.org/details/it-didnt-start-with-roswell-50-years-of-amazing-ufo-crashes-close-encounters-and)",
  "source_id" : "Rife_119",
  "source" : "Rife",
  "type" : "UFO sighting"
},
{
  "date" : "4/1909",
  "desc": "Three motorists in Northamptonshire heard a loud report in the air followed by the sound of a swiftly-running motor engine. Looking up, they saw a dark oblong airship with lights in front and behind, flying swiftly through the sky. The airship appeared to be about 500 or 600 feet up, at least 100 feet long, and they could see a torpedo shape and what appeared to be men on a platform below. (Chapter 3, Ref 126)",
  "location" : "Northhamptonshire",
  "ref": "[_It Didn't Start with Roswell_, by Philip L. Rife, 2001](https://archive.org/details/it-didnt-start-with-roswell-50-years-of-amazing-ufo-crashes-close-encounters-and)",
  "source_id" : "Rife_120",
  "source" : "Rife",
  "type" : "UFO sighting"
},
{
  "date" : "4/1909",
  "desc": "In a London park, two witnesses had an extraordinary encounter with an unusual airship. The craft had a distinct appearance, resembling a series of large cigar boxes connected together. Estimated to be around 200 to 250 feet in length, the airship had landed close to where the witnesses were sitting. The witnesses described two occupants on the airship: the first, who looked like a clean-shaven Yankee, was situated in a steel wire cage with handles in front of him, while the second, resembling a German, was standing in the middle of the craft and smoking a calabash pipe. The airship's searchlight was suddenly turned on, blinding the witnesses, but it allowed them to see the details of the occupants. The German occupant requested tobacco from the witnesses, which they provided, and in exchange, he gave them a pipe. The German also had a map in front of him, marked with red discs resembling pins. The witnesses noted that parts of the airship were constructed from light-colored metal, possibly aluminum. The airship was not like a traditional balloon but rather had an aeroplane-like structure, with steel rods supporting it and keeping its propellers off the ground. The German occupant leaned over a wire railing to speak to the witnesses, and as they watched, the taller occupant pulled a lever down, switching off the searchlight. Within a mere 10 seconds, the airship vanished from sight, leaving the witnesses astounded by the rapid departure and its mysterious nature. (Chapter 3, Ref 127)",
  "location" : "London",
  "ref": "[_It Didn't Start with Roswell_, by Philip L. Rife, 2001](https://archive.org/details/it-didnt-start-with-roswell-50-years-of-amazing-ufo-crashes-close-encounters-and)",
  "source_id" : "Rife_121",
  "source" : "Rife",
  "type" : "UFO sighting"
},
{
  "date" : "4/1909",
  "desc": "A witness encountered an airship on a mountaintop in Wales. The craft was tube-shaped and had two men dressed in heavy fur coats and caps. The witness observed them engaged in some activity, and when they noticed the witness, they appeared alarmed and began speaking to each other in an unfamiliar language. The men quickly got into a small carriage suspended from the craft, which then rose into the air in a zigzag pattern, displaying lights akin to electric lamps. The craft eventually flew away in the direction of Cardiff. The witness noted the presence of wheels on the carriage's bottom and a fan at the tail end of the craft. (Chapter 3, Ref 128)",
  "location" : "On a mountaintop in Wales",
  "ref": "[_It Didn't Start with Roswell_, by Philip L. Rife, 2001](https://archive.org/details/it-didnt-start-with-roswell-50-years-of-amazing-ufo-crashes-close-encounters-and)",
  "source_id" : "Rife_122",
  "source" : "Rife",
  "type" : "UFO sighting"
},
{
  "date" : "1909",
  "desc": "Amid speculation that foreign entities, particularly Germans, were behind the mystery airship sightings, an Englishman named Dr. M.B. Boyd came forward to claim responsibility. According to a contemporary London newspaper, Boyd stated that he had been working on airship inventions for eight years and revealed that his airship was responsible for several reported sightings. He described his airship as 120 feet long, powered by powerful gasoline engines, and capable of long flights. Despite his claims, Boyd never provided concrete evidence of his aircraft, and the mystery of the sightings persisted, with doubts raised about his assertions. The German theory was also questioned, as the German dirigibles of the time did not match the reported speeds and capabilities of the mystery airships. (Chapter 3, Ref 129)",
  "location" : "London",
  "ref": "[_It Didn't Start with Roswell_, by Philip L. Rife, 2001](https://archive.org/details/it-didnt-start-with-roswell-50-years-of-amazing-ufo-crashes-close-encounters-and)",
  "source_id" : "Rife_123",
  "source" : "Rife",
  "type" : "UFO sighting"
},
{
  "date" : "1909",
  "desc": "Mysterious airship sightings were not limited to the British Isles but extended to continental Europe. In August, a British newspaper's Russian correspondent reported an incident in which an unidentified controllable airship circled over the city of Reval (now Tallinn) and then departed towards Finland, causing significant excitement in the area. (Chapter 3, Ref 130)",
  "location" : "Reval, Russia",
  "ref": "[_It Didn't Start with Roswell_, by Philip L. Rife, 2001](https://archive.org/details/it-didnt-start-with-roswell-50-years-of-amazing-ufo-crashes-close-encounters-and)",
  "source_id" : "Rife_124",
  "source" : "Rife",
  "type" : "UFO sighting"
},
{
  "date" : "9/1909",
  "desc": "A large elliptical-shaped aircraft with wings was observed flying over the Swedish cities of Gothenburg and Osthammer at an altitude of 300 feet. The aircraft was later seen heading westward, leaving observers intrigued by its presence. (Chapter 3, Ref 131)",
  "location" : "Gothenburg and Osthammer, Sweden",
  "ref": "[_It Didn't Start with Roswell_, by Philip L. Rife, 2001](https://archive.org/details/it-didnt-start-with-roswell-50-years-of-amazing-ufo-crashes-close-encounters-and)",
  "source_id" : "Rife_125",
  "source" : "Rife",
  "type" : "UFO sighting"
},
{
  "date" : "7/15/1909",
  "desc": "In 1909, New Zealand became a hotspot for mystery airship sightings, with many reports describing flying boat-like structures. Witnesses, including two workmen, observed a large boat-shaped object floating in the air that appeared to be approaching them, dipping and ascending in motion. The sightings occurred over a two-month period and sparked intrigue in the region. (Chapter 3, Ref 132)",
  "location" : "Australia and New Zealand",
  "ref": "[_It Didn't Start with Roswell_, by Philip L. Rife, 2001](https://archive.org/details/it-didnt-start-with-roswell-50-years-of-amazing-ufo-crashes-close-encounters-and)",
  "source_id" : "Rife_126",
  "source" : "Rife",
  "type" : "UFO sighting"
},
{
  "date" : "8/4/1909",
  "desc": "During a multiple-witness sighting in New Zealand, a detailed description of the object emerged. Witnesses saw a vessel resembling a black boat with supports on each side, a rapidly revolving wheel at the rear, and a box beneath the body. The object exhibited swift movement and sudden turns during the encounter. (Chapter 3, Ref 133)",
  "location" : "North Otago, New Zealand",
  "time" : "12:00",
  "ref": "[_It Didn't Start with Roswell_, by Philip L. Rife, 2001](https://archive.org/details/it-didnt-start-with-roswell-50-years-of-amazing-ufo-crashes-close-encounters-and)",
  "source_id" : "Rife_127",
  "source" : "Rife",
  "type" : "UFO sighting"
},
{
  "date" : "1909",
  "desc": "Under bright moonlight, a single witness reported seeing a large, boat-shaped object with two individuals inside before it swiftly departed at a fast pace. (Chapter 3, Ref 134)",
  "location" : "New Zealand",
  "ref": "[_It Didn't Start with Roswell_, by Philip L. Rife, 2001](https://archive.org/details/it-didnt-start-with-roswell-50-years-of-amazing-ufo-crashes-close-encounters-and)",
  "source_id" : "Rife_128",
  "source" : "Rife",
  "type" : "UFO sighting"
},
{
  "date" : "8/6/1909",
  "desc": "Two dredge operators near Gore spotted two figures aboard a boat-shaped airship with lights at both ends, which circled their location for a few minutes before rapidly departing, leaving a yellow glare in its wake. (Chapter 3, Ref 135)",
  "location" : "Hawkes Bay, New Zealand",
  "ref": "[_It Didn't Start with Roswell_, by Philip L. Rife, 2001](https://archive.org/details/it-didnt-start-with-roswell-50-years-of-amazing-ufo-crashes-close-encounters-and)",
  "source_id" : "Rife_129",
  "source" : "Rife",
  "type" : "UFO sighting"
},
{
  "date" : "8/1909",
  "desc": "A man near Waipawa reported seeing a large, grey, torpedo-shaped airship passing overhead. He claimed to have heard three occupants aboard the airship, one of whom shouted in an unknown language. The airship eventually rose to a great height, displayed lights at its ends, circled around, and then disappeared behind a hill. (Chapter 3, Ref 136)",
  "location" : "Waipawa, New Zealand",
  "ref": "[_It Didn't Start with Roswell_, by Philip L. Rife, 2001](https://archive.org/details/it-didnt-start-with-roswell-50-years-of-amazing-ufo-crashes-close-encounters-and)",
  "source_id" : "Rife_130",
  "source" : "Rife",
  "type" : "UFO sighting"
},
{
  "date" : "8/2/1909",
  "desc": "A New Zealand fisherman encountered an airship near Marlborough Sound that dropped hissing \"missiles\" into the water, which fizzed upon impact and sank. Although he didn't witness occupants aboard the airship, he described a hostile encounter involving these mysterious objects. (Chapter 3, Ref 137)",
  "location" : "Mount Bruce, New Zealand",
  "ref": "[_It Didn't Start with Roswell_, by Philip L. Rife, 2001](https://archive.org/details/it-didnt-start-with-roswell-50-years-of-amazing-ufo-crashes-close-encounters-and)",
  "source_id" : "Rife_131",
  "source" : "Rife",
  "type" : "UFO sighting"
},
{
  "date" : "9/1909",
  "desc": "A local man had a friendly encounter with the occupants of an airship that landed at Port Molyneux. He described them as looking like Japanese and mentioned that they conversed with him in English. (Chapter 3, Ref 138)",
  "location" : "Port Molyneux, New Zealand",
  "ref": "[_It Didn't Start with Roswell_, by Philip L. Rife, 2001](https://archive.org/details/it-didnt-start-with-roswell-50-years-of-amazing-ufo-crashes-close-encounters-and)",
  "source_id" : "Rife_132",
  "source" : "Rife",
  "type" : "UFO sighting"
},
{
  "date" : "Early 9/1909",
  "desc": "The final airship sightings in New Zealand occurred in early September. Two prominent residents of Gore observed a cigar-shaped aircraft with an attached \"car\" drifting over nearby hills before disappearing from sight. Another sighting report described the airship appearing over the hills, moving back and forth at a rapid pace, and then disappearing towards the Gore racecourse. (Chapter 3, Ref 139)",
  "location" : "Gore, New Zealand",
  "ref": "[_It Didn't Start with Roswell_, by Philip L. Rife, 2001](https://archive.org/details/it-didnt-start-with-roswell-50-years-of-amazing-ufo-crashes-close-encounters-and)",
  "source_id" : "Rife_133",
  "source" : "Rife",
  "type" : "UFO sighting"
},
{
  "date" : "8/1909",
  "desc": "Mystery airship sightings in Australia, spanning from August to October, included a sighting near Glen Innes where residents described an object shaped like an inverted top with a lighted lower portion that revolved, casting a flashlight-like beam on the land beneath it. (Chapter 3, Ref 140)",
  "location" : "Glen Innes, Australia",
  "ref": "[_It Didn't Start with Roswell_, by Philip L. Rife, 2001](https://archive.org/details/it-didnt-start-with-roswell-50-years-of-amazing-ufo-crashes-close-encounters-and)",
  "source_id" : "Rife_134",
  "source" : "Rife",
  "type" : "UFO sighting"
},
{
  "date" : "1909",
  "desc": "A daylight sighting in Australia near Onslow described an object that appeared compact like a dirigible balloon but squarer and more like an aeroplane. The object reflected flashes of light from what seemed like revolving metalwork or reflective surfaces. (Chapter 3, Ref 141)",
  "location" : "Onslow, Australia",
  "ref": "[_It Didn't Start with Roswell_, by Philip L. Rife, 2001](https://archive.org/details/it-didnt-start-with-roswell-50-years-of-amazing-ufo-crashes-close-encounters-and)",
  "source_id" : "Rife_135",
  "source" : "Rife",
  "type" : "UFO sighting"
},
{
  "date" : "1900",
  "desc": "During the first two decades of the 20th century, UFO reports continued to include a mix of both dirigible-like airships and more futuristic-looking \"spaceships,\" resembling the diversity seen in the late 19th century. An example from 1900 in Wisconsin described a dirigible-shaped object displaying unusual characteristics, such as trees bending and a swishing sound as it passed low overhead, impacting a teenager and his horse. (Chapter 3, Ref 142)",
  "location" : "Wisconsin",
  "ref": "[_It Didn't Start with Roswell_, by Philip L. Rife, 2001](https://archive.org/details/it-didnt-start-with-roswell-50-years-of-amazing-ufo-crashes-close-encounters-and)",
  "source_id" : "Rife_136",
  "source" : "Rife",
  "type" : "UFO sighting"
},
{
  "date" : "1901",
  "desc": "In 1901, a British child had an interactive encounter with a box-shaped UFO in their garden. Two small entities resembling men emerged from the craft, wearing uniforms and caps with antennae. After a signal to move away, the entities reentered the craft, which then ascended with a bright flash and a loud noise. (Chapter 3, Ref 143)",
  "location" : "Britain",
  "ref": "[_It Didn't Start with Roswell_, by Philip L. Rife, 2001](https://archive.org/details/it-didnt-start-with-roswell-50-years-of-amazing-ufo-crashes-close-encounters-and)",
  "source_id" : "Rife_137",
  "source" : "Rife",
  "type" : "UFO sighting"
},
{
  "date" : "1903",
  "desc": "In 1903, a farm family in Indiana observed a large, glowing object resembling a cucumber with tapered ends and rows of lighted windows. The object hovered before darting off in a zigzag pattern across the sky. (Chapter 3, Ref 144)",
  "location" : "Helmer, Indiana",
  "ref": "[_It Didn't Start with Roswell_, by Philip L. Rife, 2001](https://archive.org/details/it-didnt-start-with-roswell-50-years-of-amazing-ufo-crashes-close-encounters-and)",
  "source_id" : "Rife_138",
  "source" : "Rife",
  "type" : "UFO sighting"
},
{
  "date" : "1904",
  "desc": "In 1904, crewmembers of an American ship reported encountering \"remarkable meteors\" while at sea between San Francisco and Hawaii. The meteors initially appeared near the horizon and below the clouds, flying directly toward the ship in a formation. The objects' shapes and colors were described in detail, with the largest meteor being egg-shaped with a jagged leading end and the others being round. (Chapter 3, Ref 145)",
  "location" : "At sea between San Francisco and Hawaii",
  "ref": "[_It Didn't Start with Roswell_, by Philip L. Rife, 2001](https://archive.org/details/it-didnt-start-with-roswell-50-years-of-amazing-ufo-crashes-close-encounters-and)",
  "source_id" : "Rife_139",
  "source" : "Rife",
  "type" : "UFO sighting"
},
{
  "date" : "1905",
  "desc": "In 1905, a doctor in Romania witnessed a large, brilliantly-lit saucer-shaped aerial object in the province of Bucovina, causing him significant concern. The object was observed flying westward before disappearing from view. (Chapter 3, Ref 146)",
  "location" : "Romanian province of Bucovina",
  "ref": "[_It Didn't Start with Roswell_, by Philip L. Rife, 2001](https://archive.org/details/it-didnt-start-with-roswell-50-years-of-amazing-ufo-crashes-close-encounters-and)",
  "source_id" : "Rife_140",
  "source" : "Rife",
  "type" : "UFO sighting"
},
{
  "date" : "1906",
  "desc": "In 1906, the crew of a cargo ship in the North Atlantic reported encountering a large, saucer-shaped meteor that exhibited non-meteor-like characteristics. The object was seen falling in a zigzag manner with a rocking motion, leaving a red streak in its wake. The captain described it as a huge meteor weighing several tons and being 10-to-15 feet in diameter. (Chapter 3, Ref 147)",
  "location" : "In the North Atlantic between Greenland and Newfoundland",
  "ref": "[_It Didn't Start with Roswell_, by Philip L. Rife, 2001](https://archive.org/details/it-didnt-start-with-roswell-50-years-of-amazing-ufo-crashes-close-encounters-and)",
  "source_id" : "Rife_141",
  "source" : "Rife",
  "type" : "UFO sighting"
},
{
  "date" : "1909",
  "desc": "In 1906, the crew of a cargo ship encountered a large, saucer-shaped meteor exhibiting zigzag movements and non-meteor-like characteristics. Three years later in 1909, churchgoers in Indiana witnessed a strange craft resembling two bowls joined at the rims, with rows of lights in the middle. The craft emitted an eerie light that terrified both people and horses before disappearing suddenly. (Chapter 3, Ref 148)",
  "location" : "La Porte, Indiana",
  "ref": "[_It Didn't Start with Roswell_, by Philip L. Rife, 2001](https://archive.org/details/it-didnt-start-with-roswell-50-years-of-amazing-ufo-crashes-close-encounters-and)",
  "source_id" : "Rife_142",
  "source" : "Rife",
  "type" : "UFO sighting"
},
{
  "date" : "6/30/1908",
  "desc": "The Tunguska event of 1908 was a mysterious and powerful explosion that occurred in a remote area of Russian Siberia. On June 30th, a massive blast with the force of a nuclear explosion flattened over a thousand square miles of forest, creating seismic shockwaves felt hundreds of miles away. The explosion was accompanied by a blinding flash of light that turned night into day across vast distances and a mushroom-shaped cloud. Eyewitness accounts described a fiery ball in the sky, followed by a massive explosion that sent shockwaves through the region.\\nVarious theories have been proposed to explain the event, including the impact of a comet, meteor, or asteroid. However, some researchers have suggested the possibility of an errant nuclear-powered spacecraft that exploded in the atmosphere. This theory is supported by evidence such as the absence of a typical impact crater, the presence of elevated radioactivity levels in the aftermath, and unique fused globules associated with nuclear explosions found in the area. Despite extensive research, the exact cause of the Tunguska event remains debated, leaving it one of the most intriguing and unexplained events in history. (Chapter 3, Ref 153)",
  "location" : "Tunguska, Russian Siberia",
  "ref": "[_It Didn't Start with Roswell_, by Philip L. Rife, 2001](https://archive.org/details/it-didnt-start-with-roswell-50-years-of-amazing-ufo-crashes-close-encounters-and)",
  "source_id" : "Rife_143",
  "source" : "Rife",
  "type" : "UFO sighting"
},
{
  "date" : "6/30/1908",
  "desc": "Some eyewitnesses reportedly observed a cylindrical-shaped object flying over the area and changing course several times before finally exploding in the air. (Chapter 3, Ref 154)",
  "location" : "Tunguska, Russian Siberia",
  "ref": "[_It Didn't Start with Roswell_, by Philip L. Rife, 2001](https://archive.org/details/it-didnt-start-with-roswell-50-years-of-amazing-ufo-crashes-close-encounters-and)",
  "source_id" : "Rife_144",
  "source" : "Rife",
  "type" : "UFO sighting"
}
] }