Dr. Richard McNally, a psychology professor, explains the science behind beliefs of unusual events like alien spacecraft scanning cars.
Have you ever experienced something unexplainable with your car? Perhaps strange electrical issues, phantom noises, or even the unsettling feeling that your vehicle is being watched or… scanned? While the idea of an alien spacecraft scanning your car might sound like science fiction, for some individuals, these experiences feel very real. But what if the explanation lies not in extraterrestrial technology, but in the fascinating complexities of the human mind?
Mark H. vividly recalls an experience that left him convinced he was targeted by otherworldly beings. He describes waking up one night, paralyzed, only able to move his eyes. He was surrounded by flashing lights and strange buzzing sounds, a sensation of floating, and a disturbing tingling feeling. Most alarmingly, he saw figures near his bed that were clearly not human. Mark believed, unequivocally, that these were aliens and that they were somehow connected to these unsettling occurrences.
Seeking answers, Mark underwent hypnosis, hoping to unlock the truth behind his experience. Under hypnosis, his memories became even more vivid. He recounted being taken through his window onto a massive spaceship. He was terrified as alien beings led him into a room resembling a medical examination area. There, he described a deeply personal and invasive encounter with one of the aliens. Following this, he was returned to Earth and placed back in his bed, the terrifying ordeal seemingly over.
Mark’s experience, while intensely personal and frightening, raises a critical question: did it actually happen as he remembers? This question intrigued researchers at Harvard University, who sought to understand the intensity of belief in such events and whether these “memories” triggered the same physiological responses as real trauma.
Professor Richard McNally, a psychology expert, along with his team, conducted a study involving individuals who reported alien abduction experiences. They recruited ten participants, six women and four men, who claimed to have been abducted by extraterrestrials, some on multiple occasions. Intriguingly, under hypnosis, seven of these individuals recalled invasive procedures, such as the extraction of sperm or eggs, or direct sexual contact with aliens – details often associated with common narratives of alien encounters.
Each participant was interviewed in depth by either Professor McNally or Professor Susan Clancy, both experts in psychology. They were asked to write detailed scripts describing their abduction experiences. These scripts were then recorded in a neutral voice to create audiotapes. The participants listened to these tapes in the laboratory of Dr. Scott Orr at the Veteran’s Affairs Medical Center in Manchester, N.H., while researchers measured their physiological responses, such as heart rate and palm sweat, indicators of emotional arousal.
For comparison, the same procedure was conducted with a control group of eight individuals who had experienced genuine traumatic events unrelated to alien abduction, such as combat, sexual abuse, or serious accidents.
The results were remarkable. The individuals who believed they had been abducted by aliens showed significant physiological reactions when listening to the tapes of their recounted experiences. In fact, their reactions were comparable to, or even stronger than, those of individuals with documented traumas.
Professor McNally presented these findings at a meeting of the American Association for the Advancement of Science in Denver. He concluded, “The results highlight the powerful influence of emotional belief. People who genuinely believe they have been abducted by aliens exhibit emotional and physiological responses to these ‘memories’ that are strikingly similar to those who have experienced real-life trauma, such as combat or abuse.”
The “Dreaming Wide Awake” Phenomenon and Unexplained Car Issues
While these findings don’t validate alien abduction, they shed light on the powerful role of belief and the mind in shaping our experiences, even those that seem to involve external forces like an “alien spacecraft scanning the car.” Neither Professor McNally nor his colleagues suggest that anyone in the study, or anyone else, has actually been abducted by aliens or had their car scanned by them. Instead, they propose a fascinating psychological explanation for these vivid and persistent memories: a phenomenon they term “dreaming with your eyes wide open,” also known as sleep paralysis.
Sleep paralysis occurs during the transition between sleep and wakefulness. During REM sleep, when dreaming is most vivid, our bodies are naturally paralyzed to prevent us from acting out our dreams and potentially harming ourselves. Sometimes, this paralysis persists as we begin to wake up. In this state, we are conscious but unable to move, and we may experience vivid hallucinations, including visual disturbances like flashing lights and the perception of figures or presences nearby.
Sleep paralysis is a common and benign occurrence, not indicative of mental illness, much like a hiccup. However, when combined with hallucinations and the feeling of paralysis, it can be a frightening experience. In an attempt to make sense of this unsettling episode, individuals may seek explanations.
In some cases, individuals consult therapists or psychologists who may use hypnosis to uncover supposedly repressed memories related to these strange experiences. During these sessions, individuals might inadvertently create or recover false memories of being transported onto spacecraft, subjected to medical examinations, or even sexual experiments by alien beings – or, in our context, perhaps memories of their car being subjected to unusual scans or procedures.
Psychological assessments of individuals who report alien abduction experiences often reveal no signs of mental illness. However, these individuals often exhibit a rich and active fantasy life. They may be highly imaginative and prone to immersive experiences, easily losing themselves in music, movies, or daydreams. Professor McNally notes that individuals reporting alien abduction experiences often have a pre-existing interest in “New Age” beliefs and practices, such as reincarnation, astral projection, telepathy, alternative medicine, energy therapies, and astrology. These pre-existing belief systems can shape the interpretation of sleep paralysis and hallucinations.
Professor McNally and his team conclude that “a combination of pre-existing New Age beliefs, episodes of sleep paralysis accompanied by hallucinations, and hypnotic memory recovery techniques can contribute to the formation of beliefs and memories of alien abduction experiences,” and we might extend this to include beliefs about phenomena like “alien spacecraft scanning the car.”
Cultural Interpretations: From Ghosts to Spacecraft and Car Scans
The way we interpret these experiences is also heavily influenced by our cultural context. Throughout history and across cultures, similar experiences have been interpreted in various ways. Not everyone who experiences sleep paralysis and hallucinations concludes they have encountered aliens or that their car has been scanned by a spaceship.
A hallucination upon waking might be interpreted as a visit from a ghost, a demonic encounter, or a spiritual experience, depending on cultural beliefs. In Newfoundland folklore, there’s the “Old Hag,” a witch figure who sits on your chest during sleep paralysis. In medieval Europe, people feared the incubus, a malevolent spirit that oppresses sleepers, or the succubus, a female demon believed to seduce men in their sleep.
While individuals who believe in alien abduction or car scans experience emotional reactions similar to those with real traumatic memories, many ultimately find a positive interpretation of their experience. Some feel special or chosen for being part of hybrid breeding programs, or, perhaps in our car-centric context, chosen for some unique alien interest in their vehicle. Many, Professor McNally states, “ultimately interpret their experience as spiritually transforming.”
So, the next time you experience something unusual with your car, consider the possibility that the answer might be found not in the stars, but within the fascinating and complex workings of the human mind. Understanding these psychological phenomena can help us navigate unexplained experiences, whether they involve flashing lights in the night sky or strange occurrences in our own vehicles.
