Derek Bartholomaus

Derek Bartholomaus is a professional UFO skeptic and investigator who has dedicated years to examining and debunking some of the most famous UFO cases in modern history. Working in the entertainment industry as a post-production producer for television, Bartholomaus applies rigorous investigative methodology to UFO claims, bringing a contrarian voice to UFO research discourse.

The Billy Meier Investigation

Bartholomaus's most significant work has focused on the Billy Meier UFO case, one of the most controversial and contested UFO incidents in modern UFO lore. Beginning his investigation around 2003 as part of the Independent Investigations Group (IIG), Bartholomaus spent years examining Meier's photographic evidence, contact claims, and testimonies. His investigations concluded that Meier's famous UFO photographs—long promoted by believers as genuine evidence of extraterrestrial contact—contained numerous inconsistencies, technical anomalies, and signs of photographic manipulation. Through detailed analysis of lighting, shadows, perspective, and model-building techniques, Bartholomaus demonstrated how the images could be reproduced using conventional photography and models rather than genuine spacecraft documentation.

Professional Career and Visual Media Expertise

Bartholomaus works in the professional entertainment industry as a producer and post-production specialist for television. His IMDB credits include work on shows like BrainSurge (2009), Ryan Hansen Solves Crimes on Television (2017), and Fear Factor (2001). This professional expertise in visual media and production gives him credible insight into how photographic and video evidence can be manipulated or misinterpreted in ways that the general public—or even other UFO researchers—might overlook.

Scientific Skepticism and Public Engagement

Bartholomaus's investigative skepticism extends beyond UFO research into other areas of scientific literacy and public health. He is the creator of the Anti-Vaccine Body Count (formerly known as the Jenny McCarthy Body Count) website, which tracks preventable disease deaths linked to vaccine hesitancy. This work demonstrates his broader commitment to evidence-based reasoning and public understanding of science across multiple domains, not merely UFO debunking.