Martin Shough

Background

Martin Shough (born 1953) trained in photographic and print science at the London College of Printing (now part of the University of the Arts London) and was educated at Varndean Grammar School in Brighton. Before becoming a leading UFO researcher, he worked as a photolithographer, semi-professional musician, artist, and gallery owner in Scotland, where he has lived in the north for most of his career.

Research Focus

Shough's expertise in photographic science and technical analysis formed the foundation for his rigorous approach to UFO case investigation. Since his invitation by Dr. Richard Haines, he has served as a Research Associate for the National Aviation Reporting Center on Anomalous Phenomena (NARCAP), focusing primarily on radar cases and aviation safety implications. His main contribution has been compiling and evaluating an extensive catalogue of radar UAP contact reports, with particular emphasis on UK military radar observations dating back to 1946.

Major Investigations

Shough is best known for his meticulous reconstruction and analysis of the Lakenheath-Bentwaters incident (August 1956), collaborating with David Clarke, Andy Roberts, and Jenny Randles. This work established him as a leading analyst of complex, multi-site radar-visual contact cases. He published a comprehensive analysis in 1987 and continued reassessments into the 2000s, finding no evidence of atmospheric inversions or radar ducting that might explain the reported high-speed radar tracks. His detailed fieldwork uncovered new testimony and documentary evidence, compiled on the Lakenheath Collaboration website.

Shough is also a research associate for NARCAP and authored the Technical Report 6 (2002), a comprehensive Review of Radar UAP Contact Reports Generally Related to Aviation Safety, examining cases systematically from an aviation perspective. He has published in the Journal of Scientific Exploration on unusual atmospheric phenomena near the Channel Islands.

Methodology & Legacy

Shough's approach emphasizes meticulous scientific methodology: establishing observer locations, reconstructing viewing geometry, and consulting specialists in meteorology, atmospheric optics, and geophysics before reaching conclusions. Rather than accepting anecdotal explanations, he uses contemporary scientific knowledge to interrogate historical sources. This rigor earned him recognition as a co-author of Return to Magonia: Investigating UFOs in History (with Jacques Vallée and Chris Aubeck), described as a model for productive historical UFO and anomalies research. His website, martinshough.com, hosts detailed case analyses, raw data, and technical papers freely available to researchers.