Henry Tizard

Sir Henry Thomas Tizard (1885–1959) was an English chemist, inventor, and Rector of Imperial College London who played a pivotal role in establishing the first official British government study of UFOs. As Chief Scientific Adviser to the Ministry of Defence from 1948 to 1952, Tizard insisted that UFO sightings should be investigated through proper scientific methodology rather than dismissed outright. In 1950, he commissioned the Flying Saucer Working Party (FSWP), a small study team within the Directorate of Scientific Intelligence/Joint Technical Intelligence Committee to examine UFO reports. The FSWP's final report, published in June 1951, concluded that reported sightings could be explained by astronomical phenomena, misidentifications, optical illusions, or hoaxes, and recommended no further investigation without material evidence. Tizard's broader scientific legacy included developing the modern octane rating system for petrol and leading radar development during World War II.