MEMBERTOU How do you explain the near-unexplainable? Two experts will do that this weekend at the Membertou Trade and Convention Centre, in a presentation dubbed “Exploring the Unexplained: UFOs and Real Paranormal Case Files.

Considered one of the top UFO researchers in the country, Chris Styles is known for his work investigating the 1967 Shag Harbour UFO incident and other events in UFO history.

Presenting with Styles is Elliott Van Dusen. The corporate director of the Paranormal Phenomena Research & Investigation, Van Dusen has written three books on his experiences investigating the paranormal.

I think the audience will really enjoy the mix of ghosts, UFOs and extraterrestrials, said Van Dusen, a former RCMP officer who grew up in Whitney Pier.

While different topics, Van Dusen said it makes sense to discuss them together as findings in UFO and paranormal research often cross over.

When you look at the UFO phenomenon, there are aspects of parapsychology that pop up, he said. For example, when you interview an alien abductee, they often talk about the beings communicating not verbally, but mind to mind which goes under parapsychology, under extrasensory perception.

Elliott Van Dusen, paranormal investigator and corporate director of the Paranormal Phenomena Research & Investigation organization: “It kind of provides an opportunity to the public to share their experiences. And certainly if we find it fascinating enough and we think there’s something there we can investigate, then we will.”

On Oct. 4, 1967, a large, bright object was spotted in the Shag Harbour area, near Yarmouth including by passersby, law enforcement and a pilot flying nearby the community. It landed in the water but no debris from the object was found although the water where it landed was reportedly glowing with light when rescue teams arrived.

Since the 1990s, Styless research has been central to the understanding of what happened that day. In his work, he came across a similar incident off the coast of nearby Shelburne involving a USO (Unidentified Submerged Object).

During a Canadian and American naval minesweeping mission in 1960, crews encountered two USOs at the bottom of Shelburne Harbour.

Its considered pretty significant because in the ships log when they encountered these things, they actually raised the defence level to DEFCON-1, said Styles.

DEFCON is an alert readiness system used by the United States Armed Forces to indicate the level of readiness to which the forces should be prepared.

Level 1, as Styles found, is the highest level one at which militaries prepare for nuclear war. For comparison, the DEFCON scale was set to Level 2 during the Cuban Missile Crisis.

Styles said the DEFCON level was set so high because of concerns the USOs were Soviet submarines during a tense period of the Cold War.

The episode is the subject of Styless new book, Sweep Clear 5: NATO’s UFO Encounter. Released last year, it consists of 30 years of research and placed on several book sales charts on Amazon.

This was a world of difference from the Shag Harbour incident, he said.

It’s his first time presenting his UFO and USO findings in Sydney.

You get two types of people in the crowd, Styles said.

You get the diehards who follow every little thing and keep up with whats current. Then you have the people who have no idea, then see how solid (evidence) is and they get quite shocked and excited.

Exploring the unexplained

What: Presentation about UFO/USO instances and paranormal investigations from around Nova Scotia

Who: UFO researcher Chris Styles and paranormal investigator Elliott Van Dusen

When: Saturday at 6 p.m.

Where: Membertou Trade and Convention Centre Tickets: Limited availability on Eventbrite

Van Dusens presentation will include some of the case files hes investigated over the years. One is about a haunted house he saw in Kentville, various photos of ghosts and other instances of unusual activity hes looked into. Over the years, hes also investigated different inquiries in Cape Breton. Another topic touched on will be cryptozoology mainly covering possible sightings of creatures of legend in Nova Scotia, such as bigfoot. He also encourages viewers at the presentation to let him know of anything strange that might be worth looking into. It kind of provides an opportunity for the public to share their experiences. And certainly, if we find it fascinating enough and we think theres something there we can investigate, then we will. The presentation begins at 6 p.m. on Saturday. As of Friday afternoon, 14 tickets are remaining via the events Eventbrite page.