Bill Birnes and Giorgio Tsoukalos Interview, Part II

A Q&A with “Race to Witch Mountain” UFO Experts: Part I

BY KEVIN CARR

Noted real-life UFO experts, Bill Birnes and Giorgio Tsoukalos, joined press in a virtual roundtable to discuss the UFO phenomenon and how it relates to the Disney film “Race to Witch Mountain.” Bill Birnes is the publisher of “UFO Magazine” and appears on the History Channel’s series “UFO Hunters.” Giorgio Tsoukalos is an expert on the ancient astronaut theory and the publisher of “Legendary Times Magazine.” Both had cameos in “Race to Witch Mountain.”

Q: Giorgio, how does all of this tie into, as far as destiny, how do you believe aliens and advanced technology tie into the bible? Wouldn’t one render the other moot or is it one in the same?

Giorgio Tsoukalos: Well, simply speaking, and to be brief, whatever is described in the Old Testament, was NOT “God” but a misinterpreted flesh-and-blood extraterrestrial who visited in a nuts-and-bolts spaceship. While our ancestors were HIGHLY intelligent, their TECHNOLOGICAL frame of reference did not allow them to understand the nuts-and-bolts aspect of that technology they witnessed. Does that contradict the idea of God-God? Of course not, quite on the contrary. You see, the question of God is much larger than for it to be confined to a (man-made!) book. So, subscribing to the extraterrestrial question and still having a belief in God is not mutually exclusive. In fact, as I’ve mentioned elsewhere here, I’m almost certain that even extraterrestrials, as advanced as they may be, probably STILL have the SAME questions about life, death – and God!

Q: Giorgio, looking at the postulation about Earth being in danger by a malevolent race – do you think we could ever become that malevolent race threatening an alien race other there someday?

Giorgio Tsoukalos: Yes and no. You see, good and evil permeates the entire Universe. It is not restricted to our home planet only. Still, I would venture to say that we’re not under any direct threat by any truly benevolent race because – truth be told – if the aliens wanted to eat us for dessert, they would’ve done that already a long, long time ago. So no, I do not subscribe to the idea that we are nothing but a slave race for the extraterrestrials and that we’re about to be exterminated. I think such scenarios merely feed into the whole gloom-and-doom worldview which mankind seems to have a penchant for… and it is unfortunate, because we live in VERY exciting times and I very much look forward of what the future has to offer. And NO, the world will NOT come to an end in 2012. No Apocalypse, no End of Days, no Judgment Day. It’s all unsubstantiated fear-mongering garbage. We’ll all be there on December 22, 2012, bright-eyed and bushy-tailed! Don’t let 2012 become the Y2K of this generation… 😉 Let’s embrace it for what it is: the beginning of a new period of time. Nothing more, nothing less.

Q: Bill, can you describe the process of how one should report an alien sighting – if one managed to chance upon one!

Bill Birnes: If you call information to ask how to report a UFO/alien sighting, the operator will give you our 800 number. We take the call and if the sighting is interesting, we will pass it along to one of our writers or experts in a certain geographical location to investigate.

Q: In relation to Witch Mountain and a possible “race” to a potential real life Witch Mountain, is there a connection to any 2012 scenarios as far as aliens or advanced race, or is it all scientific?

Bill Birnes: Insofar as a race to a real Witch Mountain may be a reality, if it is apocalyptic, somehow related to the existence of the human race and it’s destiny, salvation, or destruction, then there could be a 2012 connection. What we don’t know is whether 2012 is a fiction because the Mayans simply stopped their calendar or whether 2012 means that our solar system is simply crossing the plane of the galaxy and the calendar has to restart or go backwards.

Q: Giorgio can you give your take as well? Most of the countries that you named that have the most UFO sightings (eg. Peru, Brazil, China) have an ancient history/civilisation. Is there a reason for this? I live in Australia and have never heard of any alien sightings around here. Could it be possible that aliens visited us in the past but have not been doing so recently?

Giorgio Tsoukalos: There are plenty of sightings that come from Australia. Also, there are many, many aboriginal paintings that unequivocally show some type of extraterrestrial event a long, long time ago… The images are quite intriguing: beings with halos and “weird” gear and simply bizarre accoutrements. When looked at from a modern perspective, WHAT was it that our ancestors wanted to tell us? Was it really all a figment of their imagination? I don’t think so. Even fantasy has an initial spark of inspiration rooted in reality.

Q: At a guess, how many species have traveled to Earth?

Bill Birnes: At a guess, some folk say that over a hundred and fifty species, from humanoids, to grays, to tall beings, to insectoids, to Mantis beings, to light beings and even orbs have not only traveled to earth, but reside here amongst us.

Q: Describe what a UFO is and what it/they look like?

Bill Birnes: There are many different types of UFOs. Basically, a UFO is a flying object that you can’t identify. However, a UFO can be a flying saucer — disk shaped — a flying triangle, a flying crescent, and even a flying cylinder. They all seem to have some sort of anti-gravitational envelope around them and are able to stop time in order to get from point to point instantly. They can fly in our atmosphere as if they’re flying in a bubble and zip out into space in an instant.

Q: Giorgio, why has no one come up with undeniable and provable evidence of extra terrestrial’s on earth?

Giorgio Tsoukalos: No one has…? Really…? Hmmmm… 😛

Q: In the Blu-ray bonus feature Director Andy Fickman talks about growing up in Roswell New Mexico, famous for the stories of an alien spaceship crashing there and being covered up by the government. Do either of you believe there is truth in that story? Is there any solid proof it actually happened?

Bill Birnes: I believe that the Roswell crash really happened and have spoken to good eyewitnesses, whose testimony tells me that it constitutes proof. There are the witnesses Frankie Rowe Alpha Boyd, whose parents were eyewitnesses. Frankie herself was an eyewitness to a piece of the debris and was threatened by a CIC officer. The Brazels were witnesses as was Jesse Marcel Sr and Jr. Even today, Jesse Jr talks about the night he held the Roswell memory metal in his hand and looked at the strange markings on a piece of a the craft. Last year we interviewed the late Earl Fulford, who had stepped forward to say that he was one of the Army sergeants at the crash site who helped recover pieces of the debris and was later sworn to silence. There are just too many witnesses, including Walter Haut, who described the entire incident and his role in covering it up when he swore out his deathbed affidavit. So I believe it was real and we have proof that it happened.

Q: Have either of you ever talked to Nasa astronauts and if so what are some of the incredible stories they’ve told, because I assume they’ve seen things we’ve never even heard of?

Giorgio Tsoukalos: Yes, in fact, Ed Mitchell has gone VERY public about not only are we not alone, but that they’ve been here all along. MItchell is the most outspoken of the NASA astronauts. I admire him for his courage.

Q: What would you say is the ratio of hoax: real sightings these days?

Bill Birnes: I think that in the cases of floating lights, hoaxes are almost equal to real UFO events.

Q: Giorgio, What book would you recommend someone wishing to understand UFOlogy and the like as a first must-read?

Giorgio Tsoukalos: Top of the list would certainly be CHARIOTS OF THE GODS which is the definitive book on the subject and you can build your collection/knowledge from there. Another starting point, of course, is reading LEGENDARY TIMES MAGAZINE which is the only publication in the world which explores the Ancient Astronaut question with a sense of adventure. LTMagazine lets the reader embark on a high-octane thrill ride around the planet in articles which cannot be found anywhere else. Please feel free to visit legendarytimes.com to find out more.

Q: Are there any alien sightings that have completely confounded you as to whether they could be real or a hoax?

Bill Birnes: Sure. I think many hoaxers know that by launching flare balloons over airports they can create lots of witnesses, who will swear these are craft. Witnesses in San Diego California last year and Morristown New Jersey this year were completely fooled until the hoaxers stepped forward. I admit that I couldn’t tell, from the video, what the Morristown lights were at first glance but would have had to rely on some frame-by-frame enhancement to see how the colors fluctuated.

Q: Have you known about UFO’s sights in Colombia?

Bill Birnes: There have been a few sightings that we know about in Colombia, and UFO researchers do contact UFO Hunter all the time from South America to invite us to their countries. If we can get the network to set up that schedule for us, we would spend more time in South America, especially Colombia, Brazil, Peru, and Chile.

Q: For the most part what do you think people believe in more abductions or UFO sightings?

Bill Birnes: I think it’s UFO sightings by a wide margin. Most people think abductions are some other kind of phenomenon. However, those who claim to have been abducted or contacted, have no qualms about stepping up to say that there are far more abductions than people think there are.

Q: Have you known about UFO’s sights in Colombia?

Giorgio Tsoukalos: Personally, I am not familiar with any modern UFO reports from Colombia, even though I am almost sure that they exist because modern UFO reports come in from all around the world. However, what I do know is that there are some very interesting ancient pre-Columbian gold artifacts which have been found that are eerily reminiscent of modern-day fighter jets. These gold objects are commonly referred to as the “Goldflyers” and some of them can be seen at the Museo del Oro in Bogota, but also at the Smithsonian in Washington DC and at museums in Berlin and Dresden, Germany. Dr. Algund Eenboom and Peter Belting have actually created larger-scale replicas of these objects – and guess what? – equipped with an internal propeller, the scale models flew perfectly! The shapes were aerodynamically sound and suitable for sophisticated aerobatics. Some have argued that the objects are nothing more than stylized insects, frogs and fish, however, biologists all agree that this particular shape cannot be found in nature. There is no such thing as an upright tail fin and nowhere in nature do we find a low-wing arrangement of wings. In nature, all wings are attached to the shoulder girdle, or “above” and not below, as can be seen in the Colombian gold artifacts…

Q: With the advancements in technology over the last 60 years, is this a result of reverse engineering from crashed ships or agreements with aliens?

Bill Birnes: Yes, the explosion in technology was the result of reverse engineered technology from the Roswell crash in 1947. In my book, THE DAY AFTER ROSWELL with Philip Corso, we describe who was responsible for this process, how it took place, and what types of technologies emerged as a result. We think that the jump in laser technology, integrated circuitry, fiber optics, and super tenacity fibers, to name just a few, were the result of reverse engineering from objects found aboad that craft in Roswell.

Q: If Earth was in danger by a malevolent race, would other races come to our assistance?

Bill Birnes: I think that humans are the original ETs, planted here by our ancestors. I think that were we in deep trouble with a malevolent race, we would see ETs that look very much like us manifest themselves. But I don’t think that will happen in our lifetimes.

Q: I’ve heard aliens are simply here to subtly observe, as in watching from the background yet there seems to be a fine line with so many sightings. What’s the objective or end goal from an alien standpoint, that you’ve found?

Bill Birnes: Many of us think the goal is hybridization of the species, the blending of human and alien hybrid DNA from generation to generation to create a species with alien psychology and psychic powers in a completely indistinguishable human body. This is the theory of one of my colleagues, Dr. David Jacobs. He has proposed that aliens are far more sinister than we think because they want to make us extinct, replaced by one of their own hybridized species.

Q: For Bill or Giorgio – Are either of you familiar with the work of Zecharia Sitchin? What are your thoughts on the 12th planet? The Annunaki?

Giorgio Tsoukalos: Of course, Sitchin is a dear colleague of mine and he has contributed to LEGENDARY TIMES MAGAZINE. Sitchin is one of the defining writers in the field and his body of work is quite prolific. The term Annunaki means “Those who from the Heavens came (to Earth)”. It is merely another term for the “gods”. By the way, I deliberately write the term gods with a lower case ‘g’ because none of this has anything to with God. Plus, there IS NO SUCH thing as gods! Remember, the reason WHY our ancestors THOUGHT that these visitors were gods is because they MISINTERPRETED their nuts-and-bolts technology as being something divine in nature, which, of course, it was not! Misinterpreted technology. This also lead to the misinterpretation, that these beings were themselves divine, and not made of flesh and blood, which again, was merely an misinterpretation on our ancestors’ part because their TECHNOLOGICAL frame of reference was different.

Q: Throughout time and technology, it seems the Carthage, Romans, Egyptians, and other cultures all had various forms of advanced technology and engineering at the same time, or much earlier than each other, as in centuries. Is there some type of extra-terrestrial connection or influence, or ideas that say more about man?

Bill Birnes: I would like to believe, although I do not know, that some cultures were seeded technologically by ETs for purposes we could not understand. Was our destiny shaped by creatures from other planets who wanted our society to evolve to a certain point? If so, giving technologies to certain competing cultures would have been the way to do it.

Q: Why do you think Mexico has been experiencing so many sightings over that last decade or so? What is it about that part of the world that seems to attract these visitors?

Bill Birnes: I want to say there is something about Mexico that attracts them. But I think we in the US experience many of the same craft, but we don’t talk about them the way the Mexican media covers them. If we had a news caster like Jaime Mausson, maybe we would be hearing a lot more about local UFO sightings and more people would come forward.

Q: Have you noticed that most of the sightings of UFOs are of the same type of ship or is there a UFO type that pops up more often than not?

Bill Birnes: At first, people were seeing delta shaped or soft crescent shaped craft. In the 1950s, there were the traditional flying saucer shaped craft. In the ’60s and ’70s people saw cigar shaped craft, and today most people see giant flying triangles.

Q: Giorgio, can you give your thoughts? – There’s been strange archaeological evidence of artifacts, glyphs and other mysterious information which was highlighted by the book, The Chariot of the Gods. Why do you think “experts” in the field ignore this information, will we see this gap ever addressed by science?

Giorgio Tsoukalos: CHARIOTS OF THE GODS was actually written by my boss Erich von Daniken with whom I co-publish LEGENDARY TIMES MAGAZINE, the only Ancient Astronaut publication in the world. Yes, you are correct, the book has raised many intriguing questions, many of which have NOT been answered by mainstream science. You see, what we do is raise the uncomfortable questions. Uncomfortable questions which mainstream science would LOVE to brush under the carpet. And yes, sooner or later, mainstream science WILL follow suit. They have no other choice. Today, they’re sort of the stubborn, whiney teenager, but eventually, they’ll grow up and embrace the world with open minds and eyes… 🙂

Q: What book would you recommend someone wishing to understand UFOlogy and the like as a first must-read?

Bill Birnes: The UFO Magazine UFO Encyclopedia, The Day After Roswell, Unsolved UFO Mysteries, Flying Saucers 101, and Communion.

Q: Bill, most of the countries that you named that have the most UFO sightings (eg. Peru, Brazil, China) have an ancient history/civilization. Is there a reason for this? I live in Australia and have never heard of any alien sightings around here. Could it be possible that aliens visited us in the past but have not been doing so recently?

Bill Birnes: Australia has a rich history of UFO sightings and stories among the Aborigines of alien landings. In fact, one of the most famous USO sites is in Australia. I forget where, but I saw a documentary about it years ago.

Q: As far as entertainment and UFOs, how did you view the old series Project Blue Book (Project UFO)? Was there a lot we learned from that?

Bill Birnes: One of my favorite series that I would like to see remade knowing what we know now about these cases.

Q: For Bill or Giorgio – Are either of you familiar with the work of Zecharia Sitchin? What are your thoughts on the 12th planet? The Annunaki?

Bill Birnes: Sitchen is a great scholar and his his research on both the Annunaki and the 12th planet have lots of historical evidence to back them up. I can’t help but think of Velikovsky, whose theories were laughed at, but turned out to have some basis in fact when we finally got to measure temperatures o the planet Venus. We know there were races who disappeared, like the Annunaki. They existed here in North America, too., So Sitchen’s work remains very important

Q: How do you view the theories of Streiber, Sitchen, Stanton, and the many experts? Are they all somehow related or should we be looking at them as seperate?

Bill Birnes: Streiber talks about personal abductions in his life and how the government tries to cover up the presence of ETs. Stan talks about the science of UFOs and the reality of Roswell. And Sitchen, of course, talks about the Sumerians and the missing planets whose orbits created havoc on our planet. These theories all blend and do not compete with each other.

Q: If aliens did come to Earth and make themselves known to all – how do you think the world would react?

Bill Birnes: I think the world would freak out. Despite all the disclaimers, if we found out that everything we believed was wrong, a tremendous anxiety would set in, followed by a tremendous lethargy. It’s just too risky for religion-based governments to trust in human reactions

Q: Gary Marshall plays a UFOlogist Dr. Donald Harlan in the film as does Carla Gugino who plays Dr. Alex Friedman who is trying to prove the existence of extraterrestrial life. Did either of you find similarities between yourselves as real life experts to these characters in the film?

Bill Birnes: Yes, I must admit. I wanted to give Gary a UFO Magazine hat to complete his character as a devoted UFO researcher living on the fringe. I’ve known many experts who are exactly like Carla, focused and skeptical. But Gary is someone I know too well.

Q: How far away are we from achieving space travel far enough to reach such places that are believed to harbor alien life?

Giorgio Tsoukalos: On paper, we’ve got the technology. The problem is funding. Unfortunately, with many other things in life, it all comes down to money. We HAVE blueprints of what’s called a “generation spaceship” with which it would be no problem to reach other star systems within the timespan of 3-6 generations (yes, people would procreate ON the spaceship). Like this, Michael T. Savage, in his definitive book THE MILLENNIAL PROJECT, one could conceivably colonize the entire galaxy in roughly 64 million years. Mind you, 64 million years is a looooong time, but when looked at from the perspective of the Universe’s chronology, 64 millions years is but a blip! So yes, we COULD visit other solar systems, but the financial feasibility behind it and the human will to make it happen is another question. By the way, no one ever said that whoever goes out for some space exploration that the explorers have to come back and tell us about it! This is the problem with the debunkers! Their basic premise is that you have to come back AFTER you’ve done your exploring. I think that shouldn’t be a defining factor.

Q: How far away are we from achieving space travel far enough to reach such places that are believed to harbor alien life?

Bill Birnes: Depending upon how we engage in that space travel, hundreds of years or only a few years. Imagine if we can simply make hyper jumps across space, using wormholes that do not tear apart the ship. We can traverse galaxies in days rather than millennia.

Q: Going along the lines of RTWM and the fact that the kids in it are on a “mission” – do you think the main reason aliens would visit us would be if they wanted something?

Bill Birnes: I think so. I think they want us, our DNA, aspect of our genome that they need to repair their own.

Q: How much investigation goes into UFO sightings to prove/disprove its authenticity?

Bill Birnes: Depending upon the investigators, it might take years of research to interview all the witnesses, gain their trust, collect and examine trace evidence, analyze the trace evidence, and then do follow up research on documents, military reports, and other records.

Q: There’s been strange archaeological evidence of artifacts, glyphs and other mysterious information which was highlighted by the book, The Chariot of the Gods. Why do you think “experts” in the field ignore this information, will we see this gap ever addressed by science?

Bill Birnes: Experts in the field have very closed minds, especially when it comes to human origins. Governments an their intelligence agencies have done excellent jobs of marginalize those who challenge conventional thinking, Why fight on the fringe when you can go along with the flow and get your research projects funded? Conventional experts don’t want to lose their livings for something they can’t control.

Q: Giorgio: Do you believe in the existence of a Multiverse? And can aliens or us transcend these alternate universes?

Giorgio Tsoukalos: I am most definitely intrigued by the Multiverse concept and I’ve read many papers on the subject and it makes a lot of sense to me because of you take the basic premise that the Universe is infinite, well, that would imply that there is an infinite number of Universes out there as well. Some scientists have likened the Multiverse idea to a bubble bath: imagine a bubble bath and each soap bubble is one Universe. I find the topic highly intriguing just like you can move your hand through a whole bunch of bubbles, could we and/or aliens doe the same? Travel between parallel Universes? Here’s an answer for you: I DON’T KNOW. Ha! And anyone who claims to know the definitive answer to this question (and many other questions as well!) should be questioned vigorously…!

Q: Could the story of Race to Witch Mountain actually happen? Why / why not?

Bill Birnes: A version of the story probably can. Imagine a crash out in the desert somewhere that a family on vacation discovers. To keep the ETs from Men in Black, especially ETs that befriend them, they could well smuggle them, hide them until the danger has passed and them let them go back to repair their craft or hook up with other aliens on earth.

Q: Are there any aspects of Sumerian culture that exist in our world today that lend credibility to ancient civilizations, UFOs, and current technology, or technology that we saw in the film?

Bill Birnes: Sure, the Sumerians had very advanced municipal utilities systems such as water supply. They captured images of ships and travelers from the heavens in their art and in their glyphs and cuneiforms. The entire legend of creation conforms with star people coming to earth and settling here

Q: Follow up for Bill – Have you read about the time traveler John Titor? If so, do you believe his story and pictures to be real or a hoax?

Bill Birnes: I do know about Titor and heard the story that he actually bumped into himself as a child. Titor was very active on Bulletin Boards on various lists and some of his specific predictions came true. He found the piece of computer equipment h e wanted and then simply disappeared. Of course, it’s possible that was all a hoax, and a very easy hoax to perpetrate, too Most people think it was a hoax, but no one h as admitted it and it has never been proven to be false. There are still some experts floating around talking about it.

Q: Giorgio: Given the God king/slave relationship between pharaohs and their subjects, is it fair to consider that aliens may NOT be as friendly as we’d like to think?

Giorgio Tsoukalos: Sure, as I’ve mentioned elsewhere, I think that good and evil permeates the entire Universe so, yes, there are benevolent and malevolent beings out there. I think it is a false sense of hope to think that if extraterrestrials would show up officially, that everything would be honky-dory.

Q: Bill or Giorgio – What countries have had the most UFO sightings?

Bill Birnes: South America, especially Peru and Brazil. Mexico. The UK and China have lots of sightings

Q: In this re-imagining of Witch Mountain, the aliens we meet are much different, this time the kids are teens and only look human but have a special mission. What are the chances of aliens either looking like us or being able to take human form to ‘walk among us’ ?

Giorgio Tsoukalos: Sweet question! The basic premise of the Ancient Astronaut Theory is that the human race has come into being through a direct artificial mutation of our genes. …which means, this artificial mutation was done by visiting extraterrestrials. So in essence, as some have suggested, we were given some of their DNA. Which means, the question is NOT: “Do the extraterrestrials look like us?” No, the questions should be “Do WE look like the extraterrestrials?” In my opinion, we do, and that is why the “aliens” in RACE were so compelling. I disagree with the stereotypical Hollywood view of what an extraterrestrial looks like. I doubt that they have monstrous bodies with beady eyes and tentacles and slimy, drool-drenched jaws etc. that’s all great entertainment and it scares the living crap out of you – – but that’s fantasy. According to the ancient texts, we were made “in THEIR image”. We’re all familiar with the biblical sentence: “And God created man in their image.” Grammatically speaking, this sentence is incorrect. There’s a singular and an plural in there. What is the reason for this? Any serious scholar will tell you that the Hebrew word for God is “ELOHIM” – well, any REALLY serious Hebrew scholar will also tell you that the CORRECT translation of “Elohim” is NOT “God” but “GodS” – plural! – then, the sentence would read “And then the GodS created man in their image”! The sentence is grammatically correct. This is one of the biggest revisions of history we’ve ever seen. ALL the ancient texts speak of the godS – plural – and not about god, singular. Over time, the scribes have changed and adapted their current viewpoints INTO the copies they were copying. And no, I am NOT saying that I think GOD was an extraterrestrial.

Q: Bill or Giorgio: Do you believe in the existence of a Multiverse? And can aliens or us transcend these alternate universes?

Bill Birnes: Yes, I think the Multiverse exists and that not only aliens, but we, too, are able to move between planes. Maybe the aliens do it with volition, but I think we also move from plane to plane without realizing it because it all looks the same to us.

Q: For Bill or Giorgio – Is there any relation between UFOlogy and Crypto zoology?

Bill Birnes: There is a close relationship between part of what ufologists look for are species that either don’t belong on Earth or were a line of evolution stopped or somehow changed by ETs coming here. Might strange creatures, such as the Yeti, been original inhabitants of this planet, driven into the shadows by ETs who brought us here? Might strange creatures still be lurking at the bottom of the oceans, reflecting genetic experiments conducted by ETs millions of years ago?

Q: Bill, in your opinion, are all aliens, if they exist, benevolent, or are they all hostile and nefarious?

Bill Birnes: I have been told that the aliens we’ve been working with are not overtly hostile, but lately have begun to shigns of petulance bordering on hostility. One of the great alien hostility stories involves a secret base at Dulce NM, where aliens and US troops got into a fire fight, which did not go well for us. Then there’s the famous tale of the alien who tried to escape at Area 51 and took a few security guards with him before he was killed.

Q: Giorgio or Bill, do you believe in time travel?

Bill Birnes: Yes, I’ve met time travelers who were in the Army and at least one other time traveler who was being trained by the government. Yes, time travel is real and we have been doing it since at least 1987

Q: A question regarding alien powers. The kids in the film had telekinesis (moving objects with their mind), telepathy with humans and animals, and the ability to change their molecular density, all very enviable powers. Are any of these talked about either in ancient texts or modern accounts of alien visitors?

Bill Birnes: Sure. Shamans and medicine men had all of these powers. Even in the Bible and in modern religious traditions, there are stories of individuals wielding psychic powers. In Kabalah, there is also much written about individuals who can wield psychic powers.

Q: UFOlogy is an interesting term that I’ve personally never heard said before. Can you name a couple of unique UFO terms and their meanings?

Bill Birnes: Abduction research. Abduction therapy, Exopolitics,

Q: Bill, why do you think aliens are visiting us?

Bill Birnes: I think that not only are we them, but that their species is in some sort agreement with the world’s governments to interbreed with humans, replenish lost aspects of their DNA, leave us with knowledge and technology, and then be on their way. I think this has to be done in secret or else they will manifest themselves and it will not go well for us. So governments keep it covered up until the aliens leave us and hope for the best.

Q: Giorgio, have you ever seen an extraterrestrial? If so, what do they look like? If not, what do you think they look like?

Giorgio Tsoukalos: Never! I’ve also never seen a UFO! It seems that whenever Giorgio shows up, they zip away…! But then again, it is not I who needs convincing. I’m already convinced.

Q: If someone met an alien, how would your recommend they respond to it?

Bill Birnes: Hi, how are you, bye.

Q: If you were given the chance to travel to one place in space where would you go and why?

Bill Birnes: Zeta Reticuli to see if there really is life on the planets of that star system

Q: Giorgio, do we as a species owe our modern technological development to alien visitors in the past or the present, or to captured alien technology, or is it all human ingenuity?

Giorgio Tsoukalos: BOTH! The Ancient Astronaut Theory does NOT undermine human ingenuity. OF COURSE human ingenuity DID (and still does!) exist, however, there are a few examples in the ancient world, for example at PUMA PUNKU in the Highland of the Andes were not even human ingenuity would’ve accomplished anything because there are modern structural engineers and stonemasons on record who have said that it is IMPOSSIBLE that any of this achieved without the use of sophisticated stone-cutting equipment. Who’s right? The professor in the ivory tower or the structural engineer who works out in the field?

Q: A question for both of you, why has no one come up with undeniable and provable evidence of extra terrestrial’s on earth?

Bill Birnes: Betty Hill has proven that. Her dress had traces of strange protein on it in the spots where the aliens dragged her into their ship/ She came up with facts, given to her by the aliens, that were not known until twenty years later, including one medical procedure that we use today. In Delphos, Kansas, the aliens left behind a probe, implanted inside a dog, that its owner still h as in a glass case. The probe was like a robotic insect that was transmitting information as if it were a hidden mike.

Q: If aliens do exist, what planet are they most likely living on?

Bill Birnes: Betty Hill told us that the aliens who abducted her came from a twin star system known as Zeta Retucli. Other people have said there are exoplanets in neighboring star systems that could very well be earth like and might harbor life.

Q: Bill or Giorgio – If advanced alien spacecraft technology exists, how will we be able to tell when our technology and alien technology meet to become one?

Bill Birnes: Some folks say they already have. We have the ability, with secret weapons, to travel at incredible speeds, we have actual matter transporters, and quite possibly, have experimented with time travel.

Q: Out of all the alien-inspired movies out there, which one/s do you think depict aliens the best and why?

Bill Birnes: I think that Close Encounters, based on a real story, according to some accounts, is a good depiction. The Day the Earth Stood Still is another good depiction

Q: Giorgio, what initially sparked your interest in UFOs?

Giorgio Tsoukalos: Growing up, I had the privilege to travel around the globe with my parents. They made sure that we’d visit many of the ancient sites and museums, so even as a little kid, that sparked an interest in the ancient world and the mysterious. Then, my grandma introduced me to the book CHARIOTS OF THE GODS – – and that was pretty much it for me! I devoured the book and knew that this is what I wanted to do in life.

Q: Bill, on your show UFO Hunters you and your team have done investigations of UFO sightings. Of all the sightings you checked into, which one turned out to be the biggest surprise to you?

Bill Birnes: I think that our investigation of RAF Bentwaters in the UK was a major surprise because we debunked all the debunkers. Our investigation into the Stephenville lights showed us that residents there really saw a strange craft. And then what we found out about Phoenix totally blew away the Air Force cover story.

Q: Giorgio or Bill – Can you please speculate as to the purpose of Extra Terrestrials on Earth? Why the ancient building programme, then nothing? Why the abductions, but in secret?

Bill Birnes: I believe that the pyramids had an ET origin. In fact, some artifacts from off world were reportedly found in Egypt in the Valley of the Kings. Abduction researchers have said that the ultimate aim of abductions is to hybridize the human species, to blends hybrids with hybrids to transform the human species into a new generation of alien/humans. Perhaps this has been going on for hundreds of not thousands of years.

Q: Giorgio do you see a connection to aliens and the afterlife, when people die?

Giorgio Tsoukalos: Not really, because in my opinion there is no connection. I am convinced that also advanced extraterrestrials have the SAME question as we do in regards to life and death. …and God.

Q: Bill what’s the difference from a UFO consciousness standpoint that you’ve seen between the early Witch Mountain movies and this one?

Bill Birnes: This version is far more realistic and less fantasy oriented than previous Witch Mountain features. It’s fascinating to see so much real ufology, real UFO lore, in this film. It gives it a breadth and an urgency that is new to Witch Mountain features. From a UFO consciousness point of view, it’s exciting to see a blend between old-time exciting entertainment and the world that I work in every day.

Q: Is the US government really hiding aliens somewhere in the desert?

Bill Birnes: Maybe not in the actual desert, but at Area 51, possibly Dugway, Utah, Dulce New Mexico, and at Wright Patterson in Ohio.

Q: Why do you think it is that we tend to perceive aliens as being more superior or more advanced than we are?

Bill Birnes: Good question. The reasoning is that if they flew here, or transported here, they would have to be more advanced simply because of the technology. I believe that many aliens are already here, living here, and are not that much more advanced than we are.

Q: Why do you think it is that we tend to perceive aliens as being more superior or more advanced than we are?

Giorgio Tsoukalos: Well, because IF they were (or are here currently) then it would imply that they are in possession of advanced technology. Personally, I am a “nuts-and-bolts” type of guy when it comes to space travel. Personally, I don’t think it was/is done by ways of “thought” only. It involves highly advanced technology.

Q: What convention/expo would you recommend to be a “must” for UFO fanatics?

Bill Birnes: I think that the annual MUFON convention is a must, as is the San Jose UFO convention.

Q: Mr. Birnes, what do you think of the Blu-ray technology, do you enjoy watching films in Blu-ray hi definition? Has the advent of hi res imagery and its accessibility enhanced UFO study?

Bill Birnes: HD has truly enhanced our abilities to spot UFOs on video and to blow up images to reveal details. I think that Blue-Ray technology and the interactive control it gives the viewer will transform DVD editions of motion pictures, giving them a longer lasting life as in-home entertainment.

Q: Do you think aliens and humans could ever live side-by-side? And why/not?

Giorgio Tsoukalos: Of course. And I mean that with every fiber of my being. And by that I do NOT mean that if we ever make contact, everything will be peace and love. Look, just like there is good and evil on planet Earth, there is good and evil out there. Good and evil permeate the entire Universe. So to think that once we’ve made contact it’ll be eternal peace and free brotherly love (and all this other new-agey hogwash that’s been proposed) constitutes false hope. Also, until we don’t get our affairs in order on our planet, there’s no way we’ll ever make official contact. Call it that currently, there’s an embargo on planet Earth. When the embargo will be lifted depends on us, and our progress of saving the planet, instead of raping her for her scarce resources. Only time will tell. Being an optimist, in the end, good will always outweigh the bad.

Q: Did you have any say as to how the story in Race to Witch Mountain unfolded?

Bill Birnes: Not really. The basic story is classic Disney. On UFO details, however, Andy Fickman asked lots of questions and did his homework very carefully. He was so up on ufology, both from our UFO Hunters show and from UFO Magazine, that he knew exactly what he was doing.

Q: To Bill and Giorgio, when was the last UFO sighting you witnessed?

Bill Birnes: At Area 51 last year, we witnessed a UFO over the base and caught it on video. Months earlier, we caught a beam from a UFO on videotape as well.

Q: For Bill and Giorgio, what initially sparked your interest in UFOs?

Bill Birnes: I was actually hunting flying saucers back in 1952 during the summer of the saucers craze over Washington. I became really involved in 1972 when a friend of mine working for a satellite aerospace company told me that the satellites they were launching were part of a defense shield against flying saucers. Then I met Colonel Corso, who confirmed much of what I believed.

Q: Bill, how many times have you been to Roswell?

Bill Birnes: I have been there about five times either to work, top shoot an episode of UFO Hunters, and once to promote the book the DAY AFTER ROSWELL

Q: Does Race to Witch Mountain accurately depict what UFO conventions / expos are like?

Giorgio Tsoukalos: I wish! Disney did an AMAZING job with their UFO Conference set. The attention to detail on the set was impeccable. In reality though, UFO conferences are quite stale, dusty and boring. It would be nice if UFOlogy caught on to the spirit which the RACE Conference was done, to make it all bit more exciting for all the participants. Who knows? Maybe THIS will be a demarcation point?

Q: If either of you were an alien would you admit it and if not why?

Bill Birnes: There are aliens on earth who keep their identities very secret. I am sure that some of them work with the government. On the other hand, I’ve spoken to some who readily admit they’re ETs.

Q: Bill: UFO Hunters vs Ghost Hunters – is there a simmering rivalry that lurks beneath the surface that the general populace are unaware of?

Bill Birnes: No, in fact, I’m very good friends with Jason at Ghost Hunters. I speak at his conventions and talk about the paranormal and how our various adventures tend to cover some of the same aspects of alternate reality.

Q: For Giorgio and Bill, if there was one place on Earth you could investigate and money as well as resources were not an issue, where would like to go to and learn more about?

Bill Birnes: I would go to Peru, up in the Andes, where a Indian tribe living on the shore of a bottomless lake claim that they see UFOs coming out of the water on a regular basis. I would live with that tribe, venture out onto the lake, and try to make contact with the UFOs and ETs and capture them on film. I could probably do it in HD for $500k

Q: Do you believe in the possibility of living creatures in other planets?

Giorgio Tsoukalos: No question. 100% yes. Even mainstream scientists would agree on that. What they disagree with is that even though intelligent extraterrestrial life exists out there, there is no way that they could’ve ever visited Earth because the distances between the stars are just too vast. And it’s true, the distances between the stars are indeed huge, BUT (!) just because WE do not (yet) have the technology to travel between the stars, does NOT mean that another civilization cannot do it! To claim that just because WE can’t do it, others can’t either is the height of human arrogance. We need to step down from our own high horse and become a little more humble about our place in the Universe.

Q: What was the one major aspect of UFO research for the movie that raised the most questions and why?

Bill Birnes: I think that if ETs were on earth in human form, they would be working directly with our government, using their incredible abilities to stay ahead of any bounty hunters from other planets, and not intimidated by any external forces.

Q: Can you talk about the fine line between Stealth technology and what people believe to be UFOs and the possible differences that prove more advanced technology like we see in the movie?

Bill Birnes: We believe that the our military is way beyond Stealth technology. In fact, many of the triangular craft that people see are probably neutral buoyancy huge craft that can cloak themselves and display images of themselves to fool observers into thinking they are moving off at hyper speed. We reverse engineered technology from the Roswell craft fifty years ago that we are still experimenting with today.

Q: Giorgio with special effects and technology getting more advanced by the day, what would it take for people to actually believe that there are visitors living among us, even if they did some kind of fantastic feat right in front of us?

Giorgio Tsoukalos: Great question! …and you hit the nail on the head. The one quote that sums it all up is Arthur C. Clarke’s “Any sufficiently advanced technology is indistinguishable from magic.” …and that’s exactly how it would be like. That’s why the Ancient Astronaut Theory makes so much sense because as I’ve mentioned earlier, our ancestors were as intelligent as we are today, however, TECHNOLOGICALLY speaking, they had a different frame of reference. Imagine this: let’s say you could meet Julius Caesar for an afternoon and you brought your laptop with you. As we would all agree, Julius Caesar was a HIGHLY intelligent man, however, after your departure, he’d go to his contemporaries and tell them what he just experienced. He’d tell them that someone showed up with a “magical tablet” that “glowed in mysterious colors” and with this magical tablet one could “see the world without moving an inch”… well, what if I told you that the ancient texts are filled with references to “glowing stones” etc. Remember, our ancestors didn’t have the necessary VOCABULARY for certain items, so they HAD to DESCRIBE stuff with whatever words were at their disposal…

Q: Are there any Witch Mountains around the world? Perhaps like the Lines in Peru?

Bill Birnes: Yes, the Nasca Lines in Peru are perhaps the closest thing to Witch Mountain

Q: A question for Giorgio and Bill, are some countries or regions more accepting of the possibility of Alien life / visitors ?

Bill Birnes: Sure. In Mexico and South America there are ongoing contacts between ETs and humans. In Peru, little children stand on a plateau near the Nasca Lines and say there are regular visitations by ETs in space craft.

Q: If you were at a space convention, who (or what) would you be dressed up as and why?

Bill Birnes: I would be dressed up as my favorite UFO TV character, Bill Birnes, UFO Hunter on History Channel. Oh, wait.

Q: Bill or Giorgio – I would love to hear your best UFO story. When, where, how…everything!

Bill Birnes: A very traditional engineer claims he has been visited by ETs since he was a child. One day, he’s driving along a country road in the midwest when a flat diamond shaped craft crosses his path. The object hovers over is car, very low. He sees humanoid figures in the car. He, in his mind, asks, “am I really seeing this?” The figure nods at him and simply flies off. It h as shaken him to this very day. Then there is the famous story of Betty and Barney Hill, abducted in 1961 on a country road in New Hampshire. The aliens left trace evidence on Betty’s dress and told her facts that were not in existence in 1961, but came to light fifteen years later. No way Betty could have known these facts in 1961.

Q: What are your thoughts about extra-terrestrials like Seth and Sara really existing here on Earth?

Bill Birnes: I think that ETs in human form live on Earth, placed here by whomever landed them here, and they are a part of our government and businesses. Folks have told me about people like “alien Ron,” a researcher who worked for the Navy and had very strange abilities. Never ate, never slept, and could do complicated math problems in minutes without a calculator. He could leave speed readers in the dust, and would laugh a silent chuckle when his friends said he was an ET. But he never denied it.

Q: Giorgio : What’s it like having a successful Sci Fi TV Series mirror your life? Does it make you question your sanity, or strengthen your faith?

Giorgio Tsoukalos: Neither, frankly. While I am delighted that more credence is paid toward the entire extraterrestrial question, it neither questions nor bolsters my sanity because in my opinion this is a shift in the current zeitgeist. Each generation is marked by its own paradigm/zeitgeist. The great thing is, that the zeitgeist DOES change and oftentimes it happens within a short period of time. We most certainly live in interesting times! You also asked whether or not it strengthened my faith. Personally, none of this has anything to with faith, in my opinion. I do NOT “believe” in extraterrestrials, I KNOW they exist, I am convinced of it. You see, the terms “faith” and “belief” always carry a religious connotation to it, however, none of this has really to do with religion and/or worship. Still, I am a deep believer in an all-encompassing force which permeates the entire Universe, ie. pantheism.

Q: If people don’t believe in UFOs is there one thing you could tell them that would change their mind?

Giorgio Tsoukalos: Nothing really, except for look at the evidence YOURSELF, evaluate the evidence for YOURSELF and THEN make up your mind. Think for yourself, trust your own instincts. And above all, don’t listen to the pundits.

Q: What is the most conclusive evidence you have found that suggests aliens do really exist?

Bill Birnes: I’ve spoken to one and spoken to people who said they have spoken to ETs. Most of them look remarkably like us and live here amongst us. The real secret is that we and most of the aliens are of the same species.

Q: Which has been the most exciting experience you have had during your work?

Bill Birnes: For me it was learning where a flying saucer might be kept, who saw that flying saucer and the humanoid ET from the flying saucer, and what the ET said to the Marine colonel who communicated with it. Learning that American presidents have had communication with ETs was also exciting.

Q: Bill, what’s the weirdest UFO sighting you’ve ever heard of or seen?

Bill Birnes: That’s a great question. It has to be RAF Bentwaters back in 1980. A diamond shaped object hovers over a USAF base on the North Sea in he UK. It travels through the forest and lands in wet sand, leaving tracks. When a USAF security team approaches, they can see life forms inside the craft. One of the sergeants touches the craft and makes rubbings of the strange designs on the side of the craft. The craft takes off, leaving impressions in the sand. It moves through the trees and into a clearing. When the USAF team approaches, the object breaks into five lights and takes off. The entire event is recorded on audio tape. We have the plaster impressions of the landing gear and we have the lettering on the side of the craft. Even the British refer to it as a UFO. The Air Force has never responded, and the USAF Lt. Col. says it is definitely a UFO.

Q: Giorgio: I watched a video where you say that the Egyptians pyramids has not been built by Keops. How can you explain that?

Giorgio Tsoukalos: This is, of course, a loaded question. While it is true that mainstream archaeology / Egyptology maintains that Cheops was the builder of the Great Pyramid. However, what no one talks about is the fact that of all the ancient historians and chroniclers we know about (and there are about 16 confirmed ones, such as Herodotus and Strabon) only ONE mentions Cheops as the builder. NONE of the other ancient historians mention Cheops. On the contrary, what they say is this (and they ALL tell the SAME story): that it was a king by the name of SAURID who built the pyramids with his people and they did this “with the help of the Guardians of the Sky” – – the question is, WHO were these Guardians of the Sky? Were they just a figment of our ancestors’ imagination? I don’t think so. In fact, the text (the AL-HITAT) is very clear that King Saurid is the same individual the Hebrew community refers to as ENOCH. Enoch, as we all remember, was one of the 10 patriarchs and of all the biblical figures, he was the FIRST who was taken up to “Heaven” in a fiery chariot! In fact, anyone who has read THE BOOK OF ENOCH (which is now an apocryphal text) will see that his eye-witness report can most definitely be interpreted as a direct encounter with extraterrestrials. Not only does he list their names, but he also lists the profession of each “angel” he met: one was in charge of teaching him mathematics, one was in charge of teaching him astronomy, etc. etc. Most significantly, the extraterrestrials dictated 300 books to Enoch, and he wrote them down with the help of a “magical fast writing tool.” A “magical fast writing tool”? What is that? First of all, there is no such thing as magic (unless, of course, when one falls in love) and what we have here is nothing but a red thread which permeates the entire Ancient Astronaut Theory: misunderstood technology. Our ancestors were as intelligent as we are today, however, their TECHNOLOGICAL frame of reference was different to ours today. Misunderstood technology, that’s the basic premise of the AAT.