Brent Raynes

Overview

Brent Raynes is one of the longest-serving independent UFO and paranormal researchers in North America, with a research career spanning since 1967. He is best known as the founder and editor of Alternate Perceptions magazine, a publication devoted to the intersection of ufology, parapsychology, shamanism, and anomalous phenomena that he launched in 1985 as ParaUFOlogy Forum, a modest 4-page newsletter. Over nearly four decades, Alternate Perceptions has grown into a respected platform for independent UFO and paranormal research, offering a cross-disciplinary perspective rare in ufology.

Research Methodology and Focus

Raynes has conducted extensive field research across the United States and Canada, conducting personal interviews with UFO witnesses and researchers. His particular strength lies in examining the psychological, parapsychological, and cultural dimensions of close encounter experiences—moving beyond simple sighting documentation to explore the interior phenomena and anomalous consciousness effects often reported by contactees. He has made explicit comparisons between UFO phenomenology and research in parapsychology, shamanic traditions, and Jungian archetypes, treating these domains as potentially interconnected rather than discrete. This integrative approach distinguishes him from researchers focused narrowly on physical evidence or disclosure narratives.

Published Works and Contributions

Raynes is the author of three books: Visitors from Hidden Realms (2004), On the Edge of Reality (2009), and John A. Keel: The Man, The Myths, and the Ongoing Mysteries (2019). His third book is a biography and critical reassessment of pioneering UFO researcher John Keel, whose theories about paranormal-UFO connections and the Men in Black phenomenon influenced Raynes' own analytical framework. He has contributed chapters and sections to several edited volumes in paranormal research, including Dr. Bert Schwarz's UFO Dynamics, Dr. Greg Little's Grand Illusions and People of the Web, and an extensive chapter on modern and pre-1947 UFO phenomena for Dr. Edgar Mitchell's Beyond UFOs (2018). He has also published in Fate Magazine and Recovery Times.

Media and Public Engagement

Raynes has been a regular guest on Coast to Coast AM, one of the most-listened-to paranormal radio programs in North America, as well as on The Paracast and numerous internet radio programs focused on unexplained phenomena. He maintains an active presence in the UFO research community through podcast appearances and conference participation, making him one of the few researchers of his generation still actively publishing and engaging with new research into the 2020s.

Credibility and Legacy

Raynes' work is characterized by intellectual humility and a willingness to engage with dimensions of the UFO phenomenon—particularly its paranormal and psychological aspects—that mainstream ufology has historically marginalized. While his cross-disciplinary approach may place him outside the orbit of more institutional UFO organizations, his consistent publication record, editorial tenure spanning four decades, and respect among both researchers and experiencers make him one of the most stable, long-term voices in independent ufology.