The Rendlesham Binary Code

In a controversial addendum to the Rendlesham Forest incident, Sergeant Jim Penniston revealed in 2010 that he had received a telepathic “download” of binary code while touching the landed craft on December 26, 1980. He claims to have written the code in his notebook while in a trance-like state.

Background

The Rendlesham Forest incident of December 1980 involved multiple US Air Force personnel encountering an unidentified craft over two nights near RAF Bentwaters/Woodbridge in Suffolk, England.

Penniston’s Claim

According to Penniston’s later accounts:

• When he touched the craft’s surface, he felt a “download”
• He entered a trance-like state
• He filled 16 pages of his notebook with binary code
• He didn’t understand the compulsion to write
• He didn’t examine the notes for years afterward

The Binary Code

The code, when converted to ASCII text, allegedly produces:

• A message reading “Exploration of Humanity”
• Geographic coordinates
• Reference points spanning millennia
• Locations including the Great Pyramid, Nazca Lines, and other ancient sites

The Coordinates

The decoded locations allegedly include:

• Great Pyramid of Giza
• Nazca Lines, Peru
• Sedona, Arizona
• Bimini Road, Bahamas
• Hy-Brasil (legendary island)
• Various other significant sites

Controversies

The binary code claim is highly controversial:

• It was revealed decades after the original incident
• It wasn’t mentioned in Penniston’s original statements
• The decoding has been questioned technically
• Some coordinates don’t lead to significant locations

Supporters’ View

Those who find the claim credible note:

• Penniston’s otherwise consistent testimony
• The specificity of the binary data
• Connections to other ancient mystery sites
• The “download” experience reported in other cases

Critics’ View

Skeptics point out:

• The 30-year delay in revealing the code
• Technical issues with the binary/ASCII conversion
• Penniston’s changing story over time
• No contemporary documentation of the code

Investigation

Researchers have examined the binary code:

• Multiple decoding attempts
• Geographic verification of coordinates
• Analysis of the notebook pages
• Comparison with original 1980 statements

Relation to Main Incident

The binary code represents an addition to the well-documented core incident:

• The original Rendlesham case has strong evidence
• Multiple witnesses confirmed strange lights and craft
• The binary code is Penniston’s alone
• It neither proves nor disproves the original event

Significance

The binary code claim raises questions about:

• Witness memory and later revelations
• The nature of contact experiences
• How to evaluate claims added years later
• The relationship between UFOs and ancient sites

Legacy

Whether authentic or fabricated, the Rendlesham binary code has become part of UFO lore:

• Featured in documentaries and books
• Debated extensively in UFO communities
• Illustrates the complexity of historical cases
• Shows how cases can evolve over time

The code remains one of the most controversial elements of an otherwise well-documented case.