Podcast UFO

by UFO History Buff & Author, Charles Lear 
Throughout 1954 in France, there was a wave of humanoid reports that received national and international press coverage. That same year, Italy experienced a wave of its own that didn’t get nearly as much attention, although one particular case has since become a classic. A detailed account (page 12 of the pdf) of the case and a follow-up investigation 18 years later is presented in the Vol. 18, No. 5, Flying Saucer Review. Jacques Vallée included a brief account in his catalogue titled Une Siècle d’Atterisages” (a Century of Landings) published as a series in Lumières dans la Nuit starting with the April 1969 issue and ending with the February 1970 issue. However, according to editor Gordon Creighton, “so far as I am aware, no full description of it has ever appeared in English.”The account, by Sergio Conti, appears on page 11 (page 14 of the pdf) under the headline, “The Cennina Landing of 1954.” It was translated by Creighton from Il Giornale dei Misteri No.17, published in August of 1972. 
Read more →

🧢 Podcast UFO Merch (Shirts, Hats & More): https://tinyurl.com/mrybmnwb

📬 FREE Sign Up for Our Weekly Newsletter — Get updates on upcoming guests, blog posts, and more:
http://eepurl.com/LPHKD

🌐 Our Website:
https://podcastufo.com

📱 Follow us on Social Media:
Twitter (X): https://x.com/PodcastUFO
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/PodcastUFO

📺 Subscribe on YouTube (It’s Free!):
https://www.youtube.com/user/PodcastUFO?sub_confirmation=1

Join attendees of the historic Washington, DC press conference organized by filmmaker James Fox, focused on the 1996 Varginha, Brazil UFO incident. In this roundtable discussion, Martin Willis is joined by fellow attendees Sarah Gamm & Anthony Miller, of Fire in the Cosmos to reflect on what it was like to be present at this landmark event held at the National Press Club. The group shares firsthand impressions of the atmosphere inside the room, the significance of the testimony presented, and the experience of meeting and speaking directly with Brazilian witnesses connected to the Varginha case. From emotional moments to broader implications for UFO/UAP disclosure, this conversation offers a rare, ground-level perspective on a press conference that many are calling a turning point in the public discussion of non-human intelligence. This episode provides listeners and viewers with insights you won’t get from headlines alone, what it felt like to be there, how the testimony was received in person, and why this event continues to resonate with those who attended.

SHOW NOTES

Longtime UFO investigator Allan Lavigne joins Martin Willis for a deep-dive into the “boots-on-the-ground” era of UFO research—when cases were tracked by phone calls, paper files, and relentless field work. Allan recounts his time with APRO (Aerial Phenomena Research Organization), the pioneering civilian group founded by Jim and Coral Lorenzen, and explains how APRO’s investigations accelerated after Project Blue Book ended. Along the way, he shares what it was like working some of the most talked-about cases of the 1970s and beyond—abductions, crash-retrieval lore, and major sightings that still divide researchers today. Allan also provides a rare first-person account of being the first investigator to interview Travis Walton, why he considers the case legitimate, and what details from that original interview still matter. From there, the conversation shifts into controversial territory: the Billy Meier saga (and how APRO evaluated evidence in the pre-digital age), the Phoenix Lights, the “alien autopsy” film from the perspective of a professional effects artist and law-enforcement veteran, and what he considers credible versus clearly fabricated.

SHOW NOTES

We apologize in advance for any audio issues during the livestream, as this is a live press event with multiple speakers. Please note that some witnesses are speaking in Portuguese, with English translation provided. (two sessions) 

Martin attended and livestreamed a historic press conference at the National Press Club in Washington, DC, on January 20, 2026. For the first time publicly, Brazilian neurosurgeon Dr. Italo Venturelli described his 1996 hospital encounter with a living, non-human intelligent being connected to the Varginha incident. Organized by investigative journalist and filmmaker James Fox, the event featured Brazilian witnesses, medical and forensic testimony, and new evidence related to the reported crash, military involvement, and subsequent investigations, coinciding with the release of Moment of Contact: New Revelations of Alien Encounters. 

Martin and other attendees will host a recap show on Thursday, January 30 at 8:00 p.m. ET, which will also be released as an audio podcast discussing key highlights and including selected clips from the press conference. 

Our website: https://podcastufo.com

Journalist Leslie Kean joins Martin Willis at the National Press Club following the UAP/UFO press conference to share her candid reaction to the historic event. Kean reflects on the emotional testimony of witnesses, the extraordinary effort behind organizing the press conference, and why the case presented is one of the most important she has encountered. She emphasizes the credibility of the witnesses, the significance of international cooperation, and the urgent need for access to hard data such as photographs, videos, flight logs, and medical records that remain sequestered by authorities. In this conversation, Kean also discusses the alleged involvement of U.S. authorities following the incident, questions surrounding missing documentation, and why key evidence may now reside in the United States. She speaks movingly about the humanity of the witnesses—particularly the medical professionals involved—and the emotional weight of the testimony presented. The interview concludes with reflection on the lasting impact of the 2017 New York Times UAP reporting, marking a clear “before and after” moment in public awareness. A thoughtful, grounded discussion on transparency, accountability, and the future of serious UAP investigation.