Introduction: “What the devil?” The question—at once startled, ironic, and probing—captures a central moment in Childhood’s End , when Arthur C. Clarke’s seemingly benevolent alien Overlords finally reveal themselves to humankind. After decades of guiding Earth into an era of peace, abundance, and stability, their leader, Karellen, steps forward in broad daylight—and appears in the unmistakable form of the traditional Western devil. The shock is immediate, even if quickly...

Understanding the Phenomenon of Abductions Some time ago, during a conversation with Karin Austin, the director of the John E. Mack Archives, I learned that reports of alien abductions began a dramatic decline in the early 1990s and eventually ceased altogether. Whitley Strieber generally concurs with this assessment, as does Steve Aspin, who recently published an insightful book, Out of Time , detailing his own abduction experience. Even though some reports of abductions still appear on...

Michael E. Zimmerman Widespread reports of alien abduction are particularly difficult to accept or even entertain,...