The Golden Age of Ufology refers loosely to the first decade of the Modern Era (1947-1957) during which time
flying saucers captured the imaginations of a wide cross section of society, particularly in
the USA. The mysterious objects made newspaper headlines, the first popular books on the topic were published, civilian investigative groups sprung up and flourished, and official
investigations were being carried out by the USAF. The idea that UFOs could be craft from another world was also received with a relatively open mind because the schism between the
debunkers, deniers and skeptics on one side, and the eyewitnesses and believers on the other,
had not yet settled firmly into place. A reference to the "golden days" of UFOs is in Edward J. Ruppelt's classic book, The Report On Unidentified Flying Objects where he
describes the fate of the Project Sign's original conclusion on the origin of UFOs known as the
Esitimate of The Situation.
"The estimate died a quick death. Some months later it was completely declassified and relegated to the incinerator. A few copies, one of which I saw, were kept as mementos of the
golden days of the UFO's."