Sir Oliver Joseph Lodge, FRS (12 June 1851 – 22 August 1940), was a British physicist and author deeply engaged in the advancement of radio technology. He held critical patents in radio development and independently identified electromagnetic radiation, separate from Hertz’s confirmation. In his 1894 lectures at the Royal Institution, titled “The Work of Hertz and Some of His Successors,” Lodge showcased an early radio wave detector he named the “coherer.” In 1898, he received the “syntonic” (or tuning) patent from the United States Patent Office. Furthermore, Lodge served as the Principal of the University of Birmingham from 1900 to 1920.
In addition to his contributions to science, Lodge was notable for his Spiritualist beliefs and his exploration of life after death. He authored several books on this subject, including the popular Raymond; or, Life and Death (1916). This work detailed precise messages Lodge received through a medium from his deceased adult son, who had tragically lost his life in World War I.
In this communication through the medium Leslie Flint, Lodge answered the question a sitter had about UFOs. The sitter is George Woods. He begins by asking Lodge whether UFOs really exist and whether they are from other planets. Lodge answers.
Transcript
George Woods: Sir Oliver, could you…I wanted to ask you something now you’ve come through. About these flying saucers; are they true or not true? Are they…do they come from other planets?
Oliver Lodge: But of course there are other planets, who are endeavoring to make contact or are curious or interested in your world. Just the same as your world or scientists, certain scientists, and peoples are interested in other planets. Of course they do exist, and of course there is a lot of nonsense, no doubt, talked and a lot of things which don’t apply.
But of course there are entities, souls, who are trying to break through in a scientific way from other planets into your world and who are in a position, and I would say in some senses, more advanced and are trying to make contact in their own way. But, I think I can say with absolute truth, that of course they are very apprehensive.
