This show joins UFO researcher Nick Pope and investigates a recent wave of UFO hysteria in the United Kingdom which started soon after the Ministry of Defense released formerly classified documents in May 2008. Nick Pope (born 19 September 1965) is a freelance British journalist and media commentator. He was an employee at the British Government's Ministry of Defence (MoD) from 1985 to 2006 and is best known for a project he worked on for the British Government from 1991 to 1994 which involved investigating reports of UFO sightings to determine their defence significance. Declassification of UFO documents began by the United Kingdom in 2008. Russia, Ecuador, United States, France, Denmark, Brazil, Sweden, Canada and many countries follow that decision during 2009 making public all the material they had in possession. The government of New Zealand has stated that it will release UFO files in 2010 after personal information is removed. Ministry of Defence Pope joined the Ministry of Defence in 1985. After serving in a number of different posts, he was assigned in 1991 to a section of Secretariat (Air Staff) known as Sec (AS) 2a, where his duties included investigating reports of UFO sightings, to see if they had any defence significance. At the time, while the Ministry of Defence stated that it "remains totally open-minded" about the existence or otherwise of extraterrestrial lifeforms", it also stated that there was no evidence to suggest that any UFO sightings posed any threat to the UK or that they were extraterrestrial in origin. It is clear from material that Pope wrote whilst still at the MoD that he did not share the MoD's view that conventional explanations could be found for all UFO sightings. Pope's final posting in the MoD was to the Directorate of Defence Security. He resigned in 2006 and in 2009 MoD announced that UFO sightings would no longer be investigated. Media work In November 2006, he resigned from his post at the MOD, saying the government's "X-Files have been closed down." He continues his research and investigation in a private capacity and now works as a freelance journalist and media commentator, covering subjects that include the unexplained, conspiracy theories, space, science fiction and fringe science. He does work for a number of film companies and PR agencies, promoting the release of science fiction films. On 24 June 2013, he appeared on IGN's comedy show Up At Noon promoting the game The Bureau: XCOM Declassified. Books Open Skies, Closed Minds is Pope's autobiographical account of his interest in ufology. It provides an overview of the UFO phenomenon, with the emphasis on Pope's three-year tour of duty as the Ministry of Defence's UFO desk officer. Pope also discusses the politics surrounding the way in which those within government and the military view UFO-phenomena.

• published: 09 Dec 2013
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