Summary. Audio recordings of two separate sittings held by the medium, Paul Hamden, contained low-level clicks. The medium felt that they were likely placed in the recording by the ET communicating through him. Analysis of the clicks showed that they resembled a tonal sequence from the Spielberg movie, Close Encounters of the Third Kind. When asked via the medium, the ET confirmed that they were the source of the clicks. The ETs were experimenting with an alternative method of communication, and the selection of the tune from the movie was for our amusement only.
The sittings held by the Australian medium, Paul Hamden, are typically archived in audio files. One of these recordings contained some curious, low-level clicks. A closer look at these clicks revealed structure that suggested they were more than just random noise. There was considerable background noise in the sample which was removed by spectral subtraction. The result was a sequence of brief, high frequency pulses, each decaying in amplitude.
Reducing the playback sample rate from the original 44100 Hz to 8000 Hz lengthened the sounds and brought them into a lower frequency range. The frequency of the clicks changed from around 3000 Hz to around 550 Hz. The following are amplified samples of the denoised audio presented at the original sampling rate and at the reduced rate.
| Sample 1 at 44100 Hz: |
Sample 1 at 8000 Hz: |
More than a month later, low level clicks were again detected in the recordings. The following is the original sample with noise removed via spectral subtraction, and the same recording with sample rate reduced.
| Sample 2 at 44100 Hz: |
Sample 2 at 8000 Hz: |
The samples played at 8000 Hz have a remarkable similarity to the audio sequences heard in the Stephen Spielberg movie, Close Encounters of the Third Kind. One well-known sample from the movie is presented next for comparison.
Close Encounters audio sample:
Because the two independent samples of clicks are both similar to the audio from the movie, it is highly unlikely that they were random environmental noises. The medium strongly suspected they were produced by the ET he normally contacts during the sessions. This was confirmed by the ET in a session that occurred between the two recordings. The transcript of that session follows.
Q: There is a question about the communication device that you were trying to alter. Was this device the recorder in the room?
A: Yes
Q: It was an attempt to use the recorder to communicate by affecting it directly?
A: Yes
Q: Was there any significance to the particular communication that we received?
A: We thought that you might find it amusing.
Q: Ah, because it would remind us of other things, of the movie perhaps, the Close Encounters movie?
A: The one all the humans like, yes
Q: Yes, so that was strictly for our amusement, there was no more significance to it than that.
A: No
Q: I'm still a bit intrigued about the sounds that you were creating on the recorder. Was there a purpose for this, are you thinking of using that device to communicate?
A: We are looking at whether the functionality of the recording device can be used to pass a message external to the ...
Q: And how would this message be encoded. Would it be speech?
A: This is yet to be determined. This is the first time we have had the ability to work some xxx xxx you.
The last answer contained unintelligible words indicated by the 'xxx'. According to the ET, they are experimenting with a way to communicate that does not require the medium's vocal apparatus. It remains to be seen how they will develop this technique further.
Treurniet, W and Hamden, P. A Primer of the Zeta Race, Copyright Hamden and Treurniet, 2012.