Breaking the Taboo: Reviving academic UAP, abduction, and experiencer research John E. Mack 2026-09-23 | Breaking the Taboo: Reviving academic UAP, abduction, and experiencer research
1995.09.16 Studying Intrusions from the Subtle Realm by John E. Mack, M.D. John E. Mack 2023-10-09 | Studying Intrusions from the Subtle Realm: How Can We Deepen Our Knowledge? Presentation by John E. Mack, M.D. on human transformation from alien encounters."In the focus on the material realm to the exclusion of the subtle realms, we have virtually rid the cosmos of nature, rid nature of spirit and, in a sense, denied the existence of all life other than that which is physically observable here on Earth."1995.09.16 International Association for New Science Conference, Fort Collins COA paper developed from this presentation is available on the JEMI website. Errata: In this recording, Dr Mack misspeaks the term "anthropocentric humanism" as "anthropomorphic humanism". A revised audio recording with the error corrected is available on the JEMI website. This YouTube video contains the original error.
Dr John Mack on alien encounters (1999-10-26) 7News Boston John E. Mack 2023-07-30 | Air Date: Tues Oct 26, 1999For Halloween week, 7 News Reports is exploring the unexplainable. Today, a look at aliens. Are they really visiting earth or are they just the product of some earthlings overexcited imaginations? Kristy Kim shares with us the story of one woman's encounter....An alien message to save planet earth? It may sound like science fiction, but after countless interviews with abductees, Dr. Mack is convinced that aliens do exist. "What I try to get across is listen to it. Take it seriously."
Dr John Mack reads from Passport to the Cosmos: Human Transformation and Alien Encounters John E. Mack 2021-10-04 | An excerpt from the concluding chapter of Dr John Mack's 1999 book, Passport to the Cosmos: Human Transformation and Alien Encounters. Read by the author.amazon.com/gp/product/1907661816
1988.03.27 John Mack, Sally Mack, and Steven Zeitlin on nuclear arms race John E. Mack 2021-06-23 | John and Sally Mack discuss an anti-nuclear arms race protest at the Nevada Test Site, and the international physicians' movement against nuclear war. They are joined by Steven Zeitlin in conversation about the effect of the nuclear threat on children and families. March 31, 1987. Guests:John E. Mack, M.D. - psychiatristSally Mack, LICSW - licensed social workerSteven J. Zeitlin, Ph.D. - clinical psychologistHosts:Joseph Dreyfus, M.D.Dione KelleyHamilton Cablesystems, Milton MAFunded in part by Newtonville CameraThe nonviolent protest at the Nevada Test Site was known as the American Peace Test, and was held May 31-June 2, 1986. Carl Sagan was the keynote speaker.For historical context: This is a low-budget community access cable television program that was shown in Newton, Cape Cod, and other parts of Massachusetts.
1989.01.25 John E. Mack, M.D.: Great Vocations - The Psychiatrist John E. Mack 2021-06-23 | At this Cambridge Forum event, Harvard professor of psychiatry John E. Mack, M.D. discusses with Rev. Herbert F. Vetter his collaboration with psychoanalyst Rita Rogers on a biography about her family's survival of the Holocaust (The Alchemy of Survival). Mack also discusses the psychological causes of the nuclear arms race, the use of violence between nations and peoples, the reasons why a person may become a psychiatrist, and the origins of his own career in psychiatry. © 1989 Cambridge Forum. All Rights Reserved.This recording appears by kind permission of Cambridge Forum.Credits (1989):Cambridge Forum is a program of the Social Responsibility Committee of the First Parish in CambridgeThe Director of the Forum is Rev. Herbert F. VetterThe Producer is Pat McMurrayThe Forum is produced in Association with WGBH Boston and with the Harvard University Department of Media ServicesThis program was made possible in part by the Unitarian Universalist Congregations of North America
Dr John Mack on aliens, demons, and Jacques Vallee John E. Mack 2021-05-27 | John E. Mack, M.D. is asked if aliens may be demons, in this excerpt from a 1994 radio interview. His reply touches on the interdimensional hypothesis advanced by J. Allen Hynek and Jacques Vallée. See: en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Interdimensional_hypothesis
The Believer: Ralph Blumenthal and Leslie Kean on alien encounters John E. Mack 2021-05-23 | The virtual book launch of The Believer: Alien Encounters, Hard Science, and the Passion of John Mack. Author Ralph Blumenthal in conversation with Leslie Kean. Event hosted by Shakespeare & Co. booksellers of New York (ShakeAndCo.com) on March 15, 2021.
Charles Grodin (1935-2021) on aliens and UFOs/UAPs John E. Mack 2021-05-18 | "It wouldn't disturb me that we weren't the preeminent intelligence, would it disturb you? ... I find it all very exciting and I see there's no threat here. I mean, I would hope that there would be people brighter than we all are. I find that an exciting prospect, not a troubling one."— Charles Grodin, 1935-2021From an interview program the acclaimed actor hosted on CNBC, March 18, 1997.
John Mack & Budd Hopkins: A Dialogue on the Alien Abduction Experience (Expanded Edition) John E. Mack 2021-03-30 | Trauma or transformation? Physical or spiritual? Intruders or agents of change? Dr John Mack and Budd Hopkins discuss their common and contrasting views of alien encounters at this 1997 event moderated by Christopher Lydon. This expanded audio edition is more than 50 minutes longer than a previously-released video version. Now included are all of the questions asked by audience members, including questions that may have been deemed too weird to include before but now have some historical value. Recorded March 7, 1997 at John Hancock Hall, Boston MA. About the speakers: John E. Mack, M.D., was professor of psychiatry at the Cambridge Hospital, Harvard Medical School; a Pulitzer Prize-winner for his biography of T.E. Lawrence, A Prince of Our Disorder; and co-author of a dozen other books and more than 150 scholarly articles. His first book about how alien encounters affect people was Abduction. At the time of this event he had not yet begun to write his second book on the subject, Passport to the Cosmos. Author and artist Budd Hopkins investigated UFO abduction reports for more than twenty years. His first two books on the subject of alien encounters were Missing Time and Intruders. As a painter and sculptor, Mr. Hopkins received numerous awards; his work has been exhibited worldwide, including at the Whitney Museum in New York. Moderator Christopher Lydon, at the time of this event, was host of the award-winning current-events talk show The Connection, broadcast from Boston’s NPR affiliate. Mr. Lydon spent more than thirty years in print, television, and radio journalism, contributing to The New York Times, The Economist, The Boston Globe, The Atlantic Monthly, and Columbia Journalism Review. © 2021 John E. Mack Institute. All Rights Reserved.
The Believer: Ralph Blumenthal reads from his biography of Dr John Mack John E. Mack 2021-02-17 | In THE BELIEVER: Alien Encounters, Hard Science, and the Passion of John Mack, Ralph Blumenthal chronicles the life of a man whose search for answers about our place in the universe led him to fame, controversy, and startling insights about spirituality and human consciousness.Often dismissed by the scientific community, “experiencers” of alien abductions found a sympathetic ear in Dr. John Mack (1929–2004), a respected psychiatrist at Harvard University. Mack risked his career and reputation to lend credence to his patients’ stories of being taken against their will by nonhuman beings. When Mack dared to suggest that experiencers showed no signs of mental illness or dishonesty, he faced criticism, ridicule, and an investigation at Harvard that was ironically termed not “an inquisition.”Ralph Blumenthal was an award-winning reporter for the New York Times. He coauthored the Times article in 2017 that broke the news of a secret Pentagon unit investigating UFOs, and he is the author of four nonfiction books including Miracle at Sing Sing: How One Man Transformed the Lives of America’s Most Dangerous Prisoners. A distinguished lecturer at Baruch College, he lives in New York City.The Believer was independently written; the book is not endorsed by, affiliated with, authorized, or sponsored by the John E Mack Institute.
1994.04.21 Dr John Mack on WCBS Noon News, New York John E. Mack 2020-06-13 | Harvard psychiatrist John E. Mack, M.D. and experiencer Jone Victoria discuss alien encounters on WCBS New York's Noon News. Recorded April 21, 1994.
1997.03.18 Charles Grodin interviews John Mack and Whitley Strieber John E. Mack 2020-06-12 | Charles Grodin interviews John Mack and Whitley Strieber on the subject of alien encounters. Recorded March 18, 1997.
1994.04.24 Dr John Mack on KOMO Seattles Town Meeting: Alien Encounters - Fact or Science Fiction? John E. Mack 2020-06-12 | Professor of psychiatry Dr. John Mack and experiencers from around Seattle are interviewed by host Ken Schramon on KOMO's Town Meeting: "Alien Encounters: Fact or Science Fiction?"The first two experiencers are not ones that Dr Mack personally worked with; one that he wrote about, Dave Jones, appears later in the program. Also featured is CSICOP skeptic Dr. Barry Beyerstein, and (by phone) skeptic Dr. William P Cone. Audience members asking questions include author Dr. Thomas Beck.
1994.04.26 Dr John Mack on Company (a WXYZ Detroit talk show) John E. Mack 2015-08-28 | Professor of psychiatry Dr. John Mack and David Jones - an experiencer who shared his alien encounter experiences with him - are interviewed on Company, a daytime talk show from WXYZ Detroit. Also appearing is an experiencer using the name Bill (possibly a local experiencer; it does not appear that he knew Dr Mack), MUFON consultant Ron Westrum, and via phone, professor of sociology Marcello Truzzi. Originally aired April 26, 1994Note: The final 15 minutes of this program are not available; the broadcast was interrupted by an ABC News special report on the death of former President Richard Nixon.© 1994 WXYZ Detroit
1995.09.08 David Pritchard, Ph.D. on the Abduction Study Conference held at MIT John E. Mack 2015-08-12 | An NPR Science Friday radio interview with David Pritchard, Ph.D., in which he discusses the Abduction Study Conference held at MIT in 1992 that he co-chaired with John E. Mack, M.D..We are aware that Dr. Pritchard later became discouraged about the lack of evidence for alien encounters, but in this 1995 interview he is quite excited by what the conference accomplished. Also on the program is author CDB Bryan, who attended the conference, and social worker John Carpenter.Please note that Alien Discussions (the conference proceedings) is no longer available from the address that is announced on the program. Check Amazon.© 1995 National Public Radio
Dr. John Mack on meeting His Holiness the Dalai Lama in April 1992 John E. Mack 2015-06-01 | Dr. John Mack, Harvard psychiatrist and researcher of alien encounters, recounts a visit with the Dalai Lama in Dharamsala, April 1992 - a visit he was asked to keep confidential, but did not. Dr. Mack is replying to a question about what he felt the Dalai Lama thought about reports of alien encounters. Transcript:"I don't know how much you've hung out with Buddhists. I guess the Zen dimension of Buddhism is probably the most, sort of typical? Tibetan Buddhism isn't quite as spooky as Zen Buddhism, but it's still Buddhism. Buddhists don't tell you directly what they think. They talk in paradoxes and they let you talk. They tell stories, and you get talking more, and you find out what they think by what you end up thinking. But they never come right out and say this is this and that is that and here's my opinion.So what we came to, I think, is - and this is me, of course, projecting onto the conference. But what I came to is that this is a phenomenon peculiarly structured to bust up the Western way of looking at things. It has a kind of tailor-made quality about it to challenge traditional Western ways of thinking - which I think His Holiness, without ever quite saying so, regarded as all to the good.He didn't actually say this is good that you're thinking this way, but he seemed very happy that this small band of Westerners were coming with these tales of beings that shouldn't be there....That should not be there according to the Western world we live in. So it was very affirming for those of us that are struggling with this."- John E. Mack, M.D.Brookline MA, June 1, 1992 (excerpt from an unreleased interview)Addendum: Although few details of the April 1992 meeting are known, in 1997 Arthur Zajonc and five leading scientists and philosophers (not the same people as in 1992) interviewed the Dalai Lama on the nature of the cosmos from the Buddhist perspective. Part of their discussion touched on the subject of alien encounters. This was subsequently published in The New Physics and Cosmology: Dialogues with the Dalai Lama (2004). Zajonc wrote, "According to Eastern thought, shared by both Hindus and Buddhists, in addition to physical beings that live within the so-called desire realm or sensual realm, there is also a whole range of sentient beings living in a subtle form realm which is not grossly physical. They are born, they live, they die, but they don't have gross physical bodies. Beyond that there is also a formless realm ... Moreover, there is an _interpenetration_ of these realms." [emphasis ours]. "...the fascination with extraterrestrial life is an image of weird extraterrestrial beings coming into contact with human beings on earth. But from the Buddhist point of view, given the understanding that there are sentient beings in different realms of existence even within this world system, there are probably more explanations that could account for phenomena which otherwise would be considered mysterious. Even though there's no totally compelling scientific evidence of aliens coming to planet Earth, there are many individuals who have had very anomalous experiences, people who seem in every other way sane. There doesn't seem any way to account for that within the standard scientific paradigm, but the Buddhists might have an easier time taking these people seriously. There are all kinds of possibilities." (Zajonc, 2004, p. 98-99)
1993.07.23 Dr. John Mack dictates a letter about alien encounters John E. Mack 2015-05-21 | July 23, 1993. Harvard psychiatrist Dr John Mack dictates a letter about alien encounters to a colleague one year after he co-chaired the landmark Abduction Study Conference held at MIT. The basic elements of his beliefs about alien encounters, based on his interviews with "experiencers", are neatly summarized in this letter.
2002.10.25 Dr. John Mack: Anomalous Experiences and Transformation of Consciousness John E. Mack 2015-05-19 | Anomalous Experiences and the Transformation of Consciousness is one of the final presentations related to alien encounters given by Harvard psychiatrist Dr. John Mack. Recorded October 25, 2002 at the International Conference on Altered States of Consciousness, Albuquerque, NM. The original synopsis of the lecture: "UFO encounters, near death experiences, shamanic journeys, and spontaneous religious epiphanies all have the power to bring about a significant transformation of consciousness. By this is meant that the experiencers’ worldview, as internalized in the course of their upbringing and inculcation in this culture, is shattered. This, in turn, results in the potential opening of heart and spirit to a wider appreciation of reality and a (re)connection to realms of the sacred and divine. In this lecture I will discuss how this process occurs in specific cases, and its implications for social and cultural change."This recording was previously available on video cassette from The Message Company (out of business in 2008 following death of its owner). We have made efforts to trace whoever the rights may have been passed down to; please contact us if you have any information.Recording: © 2002 The Message CompanyContent: © 2002 John E. Mack, M.D.
Obama aid John Podesta on UFOs and alien encounters John E. Mack 2015-02-14 | Recent headlines regarding "Obama advisor John Podesta says ‘biggest failure’ was not securing the disclosure of UFO files" prompted us to post this clip of Podesta from a 2002 symposium aired on the SCI FI channel. Author Leslie Kean, who organized the 2002 event, says of the tweet, "He was being humorous…but on the other hand, he knows the serious side of the issue."
2000.05.06 Intruders Foundation lecture by John E. Mack, M.D. John E. Mack 2015-01-30 | Dr. John Mack at Budd Hopkins' Intruders Foundation conference, New York Hall of Science in Corona, May 6, 2000. Nick Pope, who spoke at the same event, wrote a summary of Mack's presentation: "Mack wondered why it was, given the volume of data that has been amassed, that the abduction phenomenon wasn’t a bigger story than it is. He saw evidence of an individual and collective cultural resistance to the idea, caused by a 'Western material worldview'. He commented on the arrogance of this belief system, pointing out that no previous culture has ever put itself at the peak of the intelligence hierarchy in the cosmos. Mack explained that given this worldview, alien abductions would represent 'a Narcissistic blow of unimaginable proportions', and went on to say that the ego would do anything to defend itself against such an attack. This defense takes the form of denial. Mack criticized the level of personal attacks within ufology, and also expressed the interesting view that researchers should not be afraid to inject a little humour into their work. He then proceeded to list a hilarious 'top ten reasons why you suspect you’ve been abducted by aliens', which had the audience (abductees included) in fits of laughter. These ranged from 'you went to sleep in Manhattan and woke up in a cornfield in Illinois' through to 'you just realized you’ve accumulated thirty billion frequent flier miles'. One of Mack’s most interesting points was when he asked what happens when reliable witnesses aren’t believed. Citing the examples of parent/child and teacher/student relationships, Mack speculated that the whole basis of our social structure would be in danger of collapse if trust is absent from these most fundamental relationships. This thought-provoking comment certainly poses some interesting questions with regard to the consistent, detailed and cross-cultural testimony of thousands of abductees from all around the world."This presentation has been lightly edited, primarily to smooth over the use of PowerPoint slides - though most of the laughter from the "Top 10 Signs You've Been Abducted By Aliens" slides was retained; see below for what may have been that Top 10 list (the list below comes from an event held earlier in November 1999; it may have been rewritten for the Intruders Foundation event):10. You went to sleep in Manhattan and woke up in a corn field in Illinois.9. You always thought My Favorite Martian was the most sophisticated show on TV. 8. Hybrid roses bring out your maternal instincts.7. Someone has installed runway lights in your driveway.6. The AT&T campaign “Reach out and touch someone" makes you break out in a cold sweat. 5. You're convinced that Judy Garland was referring to the Pleiades when she sang "Somewhere Over the Rainbow"4. You secretly hope Al Gore will choose Mulder as his Vice President.3. You would vote Republican if George W. Bush would put Scully on the ticket.2. Your colonoscopy exam seemed eerily familiar. And the number one reason why you suspect you've been abducted by aliens:1. You just realized you've accumulated 30 billion frequent flier miles.Recording: © 2000 Intruders Foundation; used by kind permissionContent: © 2000 John E. Mack, M.D.
1993.10.10 Alien Abductions: Exploring Possible Meanings in Human Evolution by John E. Mack, M.D. John E. Mack 2015-01-30 | An early presentation on alien encounters by Harvard psychiatrist Dr. John Mack at the North Haven, Connecticut "UFO Experience" event hosted by John White in October 10, 1993 (prior to the publication of Mack's first book on the subject of alien encounters). Some of what Dr. Mack discusses in this presentation turned up the following year in Abduction, particularly in Chapter 8. This recording was previously available on video cassette; it is shared here by kind permission of the producer of the event, John White. John White is the copyright holder of this recording; all rights are reserved; please do not reproduce without permission.A note: Unresolvable sync issues precluded presenting this video recording as a video; it is therefore presented as audio-only. Producer: John WhiteVideographer: Ron GagliardiRecording: © 1993 John WhiteContent: © 1993 John E. Mack, M.D.
2014.07.29 Denise David Williams interview about John Mack movie John E. Mack 2014-07-31 | A brief interview with film producer Denise David Williams about a motion picture based on the true story of Dr. John Mack. An excerpt from The Rude Awakening Show, July 29, 2014. The John Mack film campaign is live at http://igg.me/at/johnmackthemovie
1995.09.26 John E. Mack, M.D. interview on Voice of America John E. Mack 2014-04-25 | Harvard professor of psychiatry Dr. John Mack discusses alien encounters on the Voice of America program Talk to America. The program takes questions from callers around the world. Aired live on September 26, 1995. Includes discussion of Dr. Mack's 1994 book Abduction and his thoughts on the subtle nature of the phenomenon.
1990.01.15 John E. Mack, M.D.: Enemy - Environment John E. Mack 2014-04-11 | Harvard professor of psychiatry Dr. John Mack on transcending enmity and addressing the environmental crisis. An NPR interview segment aired January 15, 1990.
1989.05.15 Robert McNamara: Can We End the Cold War? John E. Mack 2014-04-07 | Can We End the Cold War? Should We? by Robert S. McNamara, former Secretary of Defense and former President of the World BankMr. McNamara, one of the architects of the strategic policy that created the sea, land, and air nuclear triad in the 1960s, asks us to imagine a world no longer dominated by the threat of a face-off between East and West (US and USSR) and urges us to act on such a vision.This May 15, 1989 presentation was made in the context of Mikhail Gorbachev's initiatives to free the Eastern bloc nations and diminish the rivalry between the USSR and the US (for which Gorbachev was later awarded the Nobel Peace Prize). This presentation was held six months before Gorbachev's reforms enabled the fall of the Berlin Wall.Presented by the Center for Psychological Studies in the Nuclear Age (founded by Harvard professor of psychiatry John E. Mack, M.D.) at the Sanders Theatre, Harvard University, Cambridge MA, May 15, 1989.Introduced by John E. Mack, M.D.This audio recording includes Mr. McNamara's lecture and Q&A.
1995.03.21 What Would William James Have Thought About Alien Encounters? by Eugene Taylor, Ph.D. John E. Mack 2014-04-02 | What Would William James Have Thought About Alien Encounters? by Eugene Taylor, Ph.D.Introduced by John E. Mack, M.D.This presentation was held by Dr. John Mack's Program for Extraordinary Experience Research (PEER) on March 21, 1995 at the Macht Auditorium, Cambridge Hospital, Cambridge, MA.William James was a 19th century philosopher and psychologist best known for The Varieties of Religious Experience: A Study in Human Nature.Eugene Irvine Taylor, Ph.D. (1946-2013) was a historian of psychology and an internationally renowned scholar on the life and work of William James. Taylor was the author of, among other works, William James on Exceptional Mental States and William James on Consciousness Beyond the Margins. He was a Lecturer on Psychiatry at Harvard Medical School, the official William James Lecturer at Harvard Divinity School, and a 20-year member of the Executive Faculty at Saybrook Graduate School and Research Institute. He was a graduate of Southern Methodist University, Harvard Divinity School, and earned his Ph.D. at Boston University. He also founded the Harvard Aikido Club. Host John E. Mack, M.D. (1929-2004) was a Pulitzer Prize-winning author and professor of psychiatry at Harvard Medical School. He authored two books about human transformation from alien encounters: Abduction, and Passport to the Cosmos.[Optionally, skip ahead to 31:34 to pass over the description of William James' background. Soon after, you will hear Dr. Taylor referring to "alternative realities"; Taylor is not referring to parallel universes but rather to alternative worldviews.]
1995.04.28 John E. Mack, M.D. presentation at IONS on alien encounters John E. Mack 2014-03-24 | A presentation by Dr. John Mack on the subject of alien encounters, held at the Institute of Noetic Sciences (IONS) in Sausalito CA, April 28, 1995. Includes discussion of the Ariel School sighting (though the clips of the student interviews have been omitted at the request of Dr. Mack). He also briefly discusses a private group meeting with the Dalai Lama that occurred in 1992.John E. Mack, M.D. (1929-2004) was a Pulitzer Prize-winning author and professor of psychiatry at Harvard Medical School.This video is no longer for sale at store.noetic.org and appears by kind permission of IONS. Edited by Adrian Amsems, IONS. Transferred from VHS by Maria Talcott.
1991.01.23 Toward a Spiritual Point of View in Psychoanalysis by John E. Mack, M.D. John E. Mack 2014-03-20 | Harvard professor of psychiatry Dr. John Mack describes how the explicit inclusion of a spiritual point of view has significant implications for the practice of psychoanalysis and psychodynamic psychotherapy, and for how we may redefine or expand our notions of the self.Toward a Spiritual Point of View in Psychoanalysis Presentation by John E. Mack, M.D.1991.01.23 Boston University Institute for Philosophy and Religion, lecture series On SelfhoodA paper developed from this talk, "Psychoanalysis and the Self: Toward a Spiritual Point of View", was published in Boston University Studies in Philosophy & Religion Vol. 13, Selves, People, and Persons: What Does it Mean to Be a Self?, Ed. L.S. Rouner, Univ. of Notre Dame Press, Notre Dame, Indiana. 1992, pp 169-186.
1986.05.14 USC Interfaith Center talk by John E. Mack, M.D. John E. Mack 2014-03-20 | John E. Mack, M.D. on the nuclear arms race between the US and the USSR and its effect on children, USC Interfaith Center, May 14, 1986.
1995.09.16 Studying Intrusions from the Subtle Realm by John E. Mack, M.D. John E. Mack 2014-03-20 | Studying Intrusions from the Subtle Realm: How Can We Deepen Our Knowledge? Presentation by John E. Mack, M.D. on human transformation from alien encounters."In the focus on the material realm to the exclusion of the subtle realms, we have virtually rid the cosmos of nature, rid nature of spirit and, in a sense, denied the existence of all life other than that which is physically observable here on Earth."1995.09.16 International Association for New Science Conference, Fort Collins COA paper developed from this presentation is available on the JEMI website. Errata: In this recording, Dr Mack misspeaks the term "anthropocentric humanism" as "anthropomorphic humanism". A revised audio recording with the error corrected is available on the JEMI website. This YouTube video contains the original error.
1999.11.17 Today in New York interview with John E. Mack, M.D. John E. Mack 2014-03-18 | John E. Mack, M.D. on ontological shock and alien encounters. An excerpt from an unaired interview conducted November 17, 1999 by Jane Hanson for Today in New York.
