Bill...
You provided the dictionary definition of "substantiate":
sub·stan·ti·ate
To support with proof or evidence; verify; to give material form to; embody; to make firm or solid; to give substance to; make real or actual.
I would submit that the tens of thousands of witnesses who took the time to report their sightings would have to be a form of "support" that makes the UFO phenomenon "real or actual" at least subjectively. Making it real objectively will require either capturing a working craft or recovering a crashed one. Being able to duplicate such a craft based on UFO sighting reports might also be considered a way of making the phenomenon real.
I think that, for many reasons, there is a prejudice against the reality of the UFO phenomenon in the academic / scientific world which has more to do with emotions rather than logic.
If the "leaders" in these fields were to acknowledge the reality of the phenomenon, then they would have to face certain "consequences" as a result of their profession of that belief.
Firstly, they could become the subjects of ridicule by their peers and the consequent loss of status could result in problems with their employment, the obtaining of research grants, etc.
Secondly, they would have to face the fact of how very limited (and possibly flawed) our present scientific knowledge of the universe is. This awareness can be somewhat depressing for a person who prides him or herself on having a solid grasp on the finer details of the physical universe.
Thirdly, they might be held accountable for any negative social consequences that might emerge from professing such a belief. For example, if a group of recognized and respected scientists were to say that, in fact, Earth is being visited by extraterrestrial beings in technologically superior space and aircraft, then this could trigger widespread panic among the people of Earth. Governments might topple, the rates of mental illness and suicide might soar, and those scientists might then be held legally and financially responsible for these unexpected consequences.
Fourthly, of course, is the effect such a relevelation might have on the "seriously" religious of our planet. They might think that the Day of Judgement or the End of Times was at hand. The resulting upheaval might then paralyze the functions of government or the economy and throw the world into a real financial Doom's Day!
I, however, feel that, if properly handled, the acceptance of the reality of the UFO phenomenon need not interfere at all with one's beliefs. In fact, I am of the opinion that what we can learn from the UFO phenomenon could actually transform the Earth in a literally paradise! I do not think that the extraterrestrials visiting our planet are here for hostile purposes. In many of the UFO sightings I've studied, it became apparent to me that the pilots of the craft involved were actually "performing" for the human witnesses of their craft. I think they have in many cases actually given ground based human witnesses clues as to how their craft operate! They want us to be aware of their presence and curious about them.
Possibly, they do, eventually, want to have open and productive contact with humanity, but they want us to be able to meet them on a more or less equal basis. To do this we must have earthly versions of the craft they use and the capability of reaching them in space or in their star systems of origin. Like Bessler, they will not give us the secret of their marvelous devices on a silver platter. We will have to figure it out on our own.
Once this happens, I see Earth being invited to join some sort of local group of spacefaring races. Yes, I know, it sounds like
Star Trek. But, perhaps, in the final analysis, we really are living in a kind of
Star Trek universe!
ken
On 7/6/06, I found, in any overbalanced gravity wheel with rotation rate, ω, axle to CG distance d, and CG dip angle φ, the average vertical velocity of its drive weights is downward and given by:
Vaver = -2(√2)πdωcosφ
