The "Core Story" : Origins of Modern Myths

The "Core Story" refers to a foundational narrative within UFOlogy that asserts the U.S. government has recovered crashed off-world craft and biological remains, which it has been secretly reverse-engineering for decades. While modern versions of this narrative emerged in the 1980s, its roots trace back to an elaborate financial scam from the 1950s.

Core Story Summary and Key Elements

The "Core Story" is the basic set of themes that prominent researchers could agree upon regarding the UFO phenomenon. Its primary elements include:

  • Crashed Craft Recovery: Circular craft, approximately 50 feet in diameter, recovered primarily in the New Mexico desert.

  • Biological Remains: The recovery of three-foot-tall humanoids with human-like features, often described as wearing fine metallic cloth.

  • Technological Interference: The theory that high-powered government radar interfered with the crafts' control mechanisms, causing the crashes.

  • Reverse-Engineering Programs: A secret government effort to exploit alien technology, which proponents claim was later moved into the private sector.

Origins and Responsibility

The narrative exists in two primary "waves" of creation:

  1. The 1950s Foundation: The story was first concocted as a "confidence game" in March 1950 by Silas Mason Newton and Leo GeBauer (known as "Dr. Gee"). They used the story to swindle investors into buying worthless "oil-locating" devices supposedly based on "alien technology."

  2. The 1980s Re-invention: The specific "Core Story" term originated from a late-night discussion at a Denny's Restaurant in the early 1980s between three scientists: Jacques Vallee, Christopher "Kit" Green, and Harold Puthoff, according to research by Reality Uncovered. This meeting either established or solidified the modern "Core Hypothesis" that influenced much of subsequent UFO research.

Propagation and Growth of the Story

Several key figures and events helped the narrative expand:

  • Frank Scully: A theatrical writer who published the 1950 bestseller Behind the Flying Saucers, which popularized the original Aztec crash hoax.

  • MJ-12 and Roswell Proponents: In the late 1970s and 1980s, researchers like Bill Moore, Stanton Friedman, and Rick Doty recycled elements of the original Aztec hoax to create the modern Roswell and Majestic-12 (MJ-12) myths.

  • Bob Collins: An author who used alleged personal notes from former CIA spymaster James Angleton—which were later revealed to be fraudulent—to bolster claims of government cover-ups.

Connections to NIDS and Modern UAP Context

The "Core Story" proponents have maintained significant ties to private and government-funded research efforts:

  • NIDS: Harold Puthoff worked closely with Robert Bigelow and the National Institute for Discovery Science (NIDS), an organization focused on fringe science and UAP.

  • AARO and Recent Hearings: The All-domain Anomaly Resolution Office (AARO) investigated these claims in its 2024 report. It found that the narrative largely stems from a "consistent group of individuals" who have been involved in UAP-related endeavors since 2009 ("circular reporting").

  • KONA BLUE: Proponents of the Core Story supported a proposed (but never approved) program called KONA BLUE, intended to recover and reverse-engineer UAP technology for the Department of Homeland Security.

  • Findings: AARO concluded there is no empirical evidence of hidden programs or off-world technology, characterizing the narrative as a result of "circular reporting" from a common group of true-believers.

Propagation Through Pop Culture

Parts of the story have been sustained and amplified by media for decades before and after being consolidated:

  • Literature and Tabloids: Scully's book and sensational headlines in tabloids like The Sun and Daily Mail have regularly proclaimed the "truth" of alien landings based on misinterpreted or unverified memos.

  • Film Influence: Elements of "insider" notes have been found to mirror scenes from movies like The Day the Earth Stood Still (1951), Galaxy Quest (1999), and Close Encounters of the Third Kind, further blurring the lines between fiction and reported reality.

  • Social Media: Modern platforms and AI-driven content have significantly accelerated the spread of this narrative, influencing public perception despite a lack of verifiable data.

 

What's More Likely?

1. A Secret, Decades‑Long Government Program Recovering Crashed Alien Craft That's Left No Proof

Proponents of the story claim that:

  • Circular craft crashed in the New Mexico desert
  • Three‑foot‑tall humanoids were recovered
  • Radar interfered with alien navigation
  • Reverse‑engineering programs were hidden in private industry
  • A small circle of insiders has guarded the truth since the 1950s

All based on anecdotes, recycled claims, and unverifiable documents.

2. A Myth Built From Hoaxes, Misunderstandings, and Self‑Reinforcing Belief Networks

The historical record shows:

  • The original 1950s story began as a financial scam by Newton & GeBauer
  • Later “insider” notes and memos were forged or misinterpreted
  • Roswell/MJ‑12 narratives reused elements of the earlier Aztec hoax
  • A small group of believers repeated each other’s claims for decades
  • AARO found no evidence of hidden programs—just circular reporting

All grounded in documented history, fraud investigations, and modern analysis.