Radioactive UFO in Virginia 1964

Summary

In December 1964, gunsmith Horace Burns reported seeing a large unidentified flying object (UFO) near Staunton, Virginia. According to his account, the UFO crossed Route 250, temporarily disrupted the engine of his car, and landed in a meadow about 100 yards from the highway. The object, described as a disc with blue lights at the base, remained for 60 to 90 seconds before taking off at high speed toward the northeast. What drew attention was that, days later, professor Ernest Gehman and other researchers detected high levels of radioactivity at the landing site using a Geiger counter. However, when the Air Force investigated the incident, they concluded there was no evidence of a UFO or radiation, despite testimonies and measurements.

The Air Force investigation was criticized for errors and inconsistencies, such as incorrect estimates of power line heights and the omission of relevant weather data. Gehman also pointed out that the military's instrument was not suitable for detecting alpha radiation, which might have caused the abnormal readings. Despite multiple witnesses and newspaper articles corroborating the event, the Air Force dismissed it, leading to criticism about their methodology and objectivity. The case remains a point of debate among UFO researchers.