From Reginald Smith:

Re: Claim of alien cells in rain may fit historical accounts: study (Jan. 22): I used to live in the Midlands, UK, and periodically we would find a fine red dust on our cars. Checks and analysis found the same inorganic material in central North Africa. As a near Octogenarian physicist, I consider this is hocus pokus - or a great ‘gag’. If we look at the source of the interpretation - Ireland, a student of Irish myth - then I would give him an “A+” for both minimum effort and maximum achievement in getting so many ‘learned others’ involved in the ‘gag’. Recently I saw a programme on the American PBS network concerned with ‘flying saucers’ - great stuff for an official cover-up of stealth bombers.

Prof. R. W. Smith