Stanton T. Friedman
Nuclear physicist who became a leading ufologist.
Stanton Terry Friedman (July 29, 1934 – May 13, 2019) was an American–Canadian nuclear physicist and professional ufologist who lived in Fredericton, New Brunswick, Canada.
Friedman was born in Elizabeth, New Jersey, and grew up in nearby Linden. After graduating from Linden High School in 1951, he attended Rutgers University before transferring to the University of Chicago, where he earned a Bachelor of Science in 1955 and a master’s degree in nuclear physics in 1956.
For 14 years, he worked as a nuclear physicist for General Electric, Aerojet General Nucleonics, General Motors, Westinghouse, TRW Systems, and McDonnell Douglas. At McDonnell Douglas, he worked on classified programs involving nuclear aircraft, fission and fusion rockets, and compact nuclear power plants for space. Starting in the 1980s, he also consulted for the radon-detection industry. His professional memberships included the American Nuclear Society, the American Physical Society, the American Institute of Aeronautics and Astronautics, and AFTRA.
In 1970, Friedman left full-time physics to focus on the scientific study of UFOs. He went on to lecture at over 600 colleges and more than 100 professional groups across 50 U.S. states, 10 Canadian provinces, and 19 other countries. He also worked as a consultant, published over 80 UFO-related papers, appeared on many radio and television programs, provided written testimony to Congressional hearings, and spoke twice at the United Nations.
Friedman preferred the term “flying saucer,” explaining that while flying saucers are a subset of UFOs, most UFOs are not flying saucers—and he was interested in the former. He called himself “The Flying Saucer Physicist,” referencing his nuclear physics background.
He was the first civilian to document the Roswell UFO incident site and supported the idea that it was a genuine crash of an extraterrestrial spacecraft. In 1968, he told a U.S. House committee that evidence suggests Earth is being visited by intelligently controlled extraterrestrial vehicles. He also believed that UFO sightings were consistent with magnetohydrodynamic propulsion. In 1996, after researching the Majestic 12 documents, he stated there was no substantive reason to dismiss their authenticity. In a 2004 debate on Coast to Coast with SETI’s Seth Shostak, Friedman argued that extraterrestrial life is visiting Earth, while Shostak be
- born
- July 29, 1934, Elizabeth, New Jersey
- died
- May 13, 2019, Toronto Pearson Airport
- field
- Nuclear physics, ufology
- nationality
- American–Canadian
- known_for
- UFO investigations, Roswell UFO incident documentation, Majestic 12 documents research
Lore & Background
Friedman was the first civilian to document the Roswell UFO incident site and supported the hypothesis that it was a genuine extraterrestrial spacecraft crash. He testified to Congressional hearings and appeared twice at the United Nations. He debated Seth Shostak on Coast to Coast in 2004, and criticized Carl Sagan and SETI research for ignoring empirical evidence such as Project Blue Book Special Report No. 14. He also researched the Majestic 12 documents, arguing there were no substantive grounds for dismissing their authenticity, while also providing evidence that some were hoaxes.
Reader's Guide
Stanton Friedman's significance lies in his role as a credentialed scientist who brought a degree of academic legitimacy to ufology. By leveraging his background in nuclear physics and his work on classified aerospace projects, he argued that UFOs warranted serious scientific study rather than dismissal. His documentation of the Roswell site and his defense of the Majestic 12 documents made him a central figure in UFO research, though his positions remained controversial in mainstream science. His debates with skeptics and his criticism of SETI highlighted a persistent divide between ufology and institutional science. Friedman's legacy includes a large body of lectures, papers, and media appearances that influenced public perception of UFOs, as well as his donation of records to the Provincial Archives of New Brunswick.
Did You Know?
- Friedman was a classmate of Carl Sagan at the University of Chicago.
- He was the first civilian to document the site of the Roswell UFO incident.
- He debated Seth Shostak on George Noory's Coast to Coast radio show in 2004.
- Friedman died of a heart attack at Toronto Pearson Airport while traveling home from a speaking engagement.
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