Roswell Slides Hoax

The Roswell Slides, also known as the “BeWitness” slides, were two Kodachrome photographs that surfaced in the 2010s claiming to show alien bodies recovered from the 1947 Roswell incident. The images generated significant attention in UFO communities before being definitively identified as photographs of a mummified child displayed at a museum.

The slides were discovered in a collection of photographs from the estate of Hilda Blair Ray, a lawyer and geologist from Midland, Texas, who died in 1988. The images appeared to show a small humanoid body lying on a table or stretcher, leading some researchers to conclude they depicted extraterrestrial remains from the famous Roswell crash.

UFO researchers Tom Carey and Donald Schmitt promoted the slides as potential proof of the Roswell incident, organizing a paid streaming event called “BeWitness” in May 2015 to reveal the photographs to the public. The presentation attracted thousands of viewers and generated substantial media coverage in UFO research communities.

Skeptical researchers immediately questioned the slides’ authenticity and provenance, noting inconsistencies in the photographic evidence and lack of clear connection to Roswell events. The timing and location of the photographs did not match the alleged 1947 incident, raising doubts about their relevance to UFO history.

The controversy was resolved when researchers successfully enhanced the resolution of a placard visible in one photograph, revealing text identifying the body as a mummified child of Native American origin displayed at a museum. The enhancement definitively proved the slides showed museum exhibits rather than alien remains.

The Roswell Slides hoax demonstrates how wishful thinking and confirmation bias can lead UFO researchers to misinterpret mundane evidence as extraordinary proof. The incident highlighted the importance of rigorous analysis and skeptical inquiry in evaluating potential UFO evidence, regardless of initial appearance or promotional claims.