Year: 1961 Country: United States The first abduction story to be widely publicized, Betty and Barney Hill's claims of being kidnapped on a UFO are still discussed and analysed to this day. The Hills were driving back from a holiday in Niagara Falls, when they noticed a bright light in the sky, moving upwards. As they observed it, the light began to grow larger, and Betty convinced Barney to park the car for a closer look. While looking through binoculars at what appeared to be an odd flying craft, they realised that it had turned towards them and was quickly descending to their location. Shaken, the couple returned to their car and drove away. They soon noticed that the light was following them though, until the circular craft began to hover a short distance directly above the car, filling the view out of the windscreen. Barney stepped out of the vehicle with a pistol and binoculars, and saw that they were being observed by 10 or so humanoid beings from inside the craft. Panicking, Barney ran back to the car and drove off at high speed. While driving, the Hills became aware of strange buzzing noises, and they began to feel a tingling sensation through their bodies. After entering an altered conscious state, the Hills suddenly realised that they were 35 miles south, but could remember almost nothing of the journey there. Their watches had broken, Barney's shoes were heavily scuffed, and when they arrived home they each took long showers out of fear of an unknown contamination. Hypnosis sessions following the incident allowed the Hills to recall what had happened during the missing time. Barney described how he had felt compelled to drive the car off the road, and into some nearby woods. He then saw six figures standing on the dirt track, who telepathically told Barney not to fear them. Later, he and Betty were taken on board the craft, where skin and sperm samples were taken. The Hills were the subject of a number of reports and television adaptatations, as well as some bestselling books based on the abduction. Their various sketches of the creatures have since helped to formulate today's popular image of what an alien might look like.
