Red Marks in Grid Patterns - Summary of Symptoms and History

(Edited and Updated, most recently October 18th, 2017; Originally published 4/15/13)

Grid mark cases are reported in from all over the world, indicating this phenomenon is not an isolated incident. The typical case is this:  an individual wakes up to find a series of red dots in a grid pattern somewhere on his/her body, with no recollection as to how it got there, and no pain or discomfort associated with the site. Unable to identify a cause, they search online, posting threads on medical sites, paranormal sites, and UFO/alien research sites.

Some of them find me, and I have made it my mission to collect as much data as I can to some day solve the mystery behind these marks, whether the cause be of a natural process science is yet aware of, or something unnatural. I do not prescribe to any one belief in the matter, and try to maintain an open mind.

This summary is a brief analysis of two years of investigation (2013-2015), and should serve as an introduction to what my team has termed the red grid mark phenomenon (RGMP). My case reports and related posts on the subject are archived on the Investigations Page of this site. Please note that we only publish reports on cases we have received significant enough information, detail, and verification on to represent the phenomenon. The number of published cases on this website represents less than one-tenth of the total cases we are aware of. 

[New Cases: My team has reached our final thoughts on this subject and are no longer investigating new cases. This post is meant as an introduction to the phenomenon. If you would like to review our research, analyses, case studies, photo collections, and conclusions, we have compiled a dossier for experiencers and curious readers to purchase here.]


Here are the physical symptoms and circumstances reported:

• a series of evenly spaced dots arranged in a close grid pattern, forming a triangular, circular, or octagonal (sometimes referred to as a 'honeycomb') shape;
• most individuals discover their marks after waking from sleep (day or night);
• grid marks have appeared on the legs, arms, hands, shoulders, chest, buttocks, and forehead;
• appears spontaneously with no apparent source;
• dots are typically aligned in diagonal rows;
• each individual dots ranges in size from a little more than pin pricks to perhaps 2 cm in diameter;
• total length of the entire pattern can range from 1 inch to 6 inches across, so far;
• individual dots are irregular in shape to one another, that is to say they are not perfect shapes, not always circular or dot-like;
• skin of the affected area is not raised or indented (no bumps or grooves), rather the marks appear subdermal, resembling in some case blood blisters, or hickey-like bruises in two others;
• mark begins to fade within hours of occurrence;
• may remain visible for days or weeks;
• leaves no scar after fully disappeared;
• pain, discomfort, aching are rare (one case);
• sensation of heat or minor burning felt at site prior to or during appearance of marks in at least 2 cases; 
• no recollection of pressure, tingling, pinching, or anything at all that would have drawn their attention to the site while it was produced;
• no reports of itchiness or swelling at or around site to suggest skin reaction, allergy, disease;
• no accompanying symptoms of illness;
• a few recall bizarre vivid dreams around the time of the marks' appearance;
• less than 20% (3/17) damp from having severely sweated while they slept, prompting some to take shower upon waking wherein they notice the marks;
• experiencers assert they had done nothing to warrant the appearance of the mark like coming in contact with a heated instrument, fabrics, or other textured objects that may account for the grid pattern;
• less than 20% report recurrence, or having had multiple occurrences of marks, not always in the same place or pattern

HISTORY

In 1967, known as the Falcon Lake Incident, Stephen Michalak examined an unidentified circular aircraft, before it blasted a hot gas at him, creating the rectangular grid pattern seen below on his abdomen. He was prospecting at the time, searching for earth minerals in the Jack Pine woods of Whiteshell Provincial Park at Falcon Lake. Around noon, his inspection of his latest find of a quartz vein was interrupted by the sound of geese and a pair of red cigar-shaped objects in the sky.

Stephen Michalak in hospital bed after an encounter with an unmanned UAC. He was treated for radiation sickness. (Source: http://thenightsky.org/michalak.html)

One of the objects came down and landed on a rock some 165 ft away, having changed into a circular craft with a dome. He sketched it silently for a half hour to produce the following image.

 Sketch of UAC Michalak encountered at Falcon Lake, with diagrams of the hatch and exhaust vent that could blend into the rest of the craft's outer shell seamlessly. Note its estimated size to be between 35 and 40 feet across, and its height to be tall enough for a grown man to stand up in (10 ft).

Michalak finally moved closer to investigate when a hatch dropped open. He could hear voices talking to one another, and tried to call out to them. First in English, then in five other languages he could think of. When no one responded, he continued forward. He peeked his head in through the opening to find computerized panels and lights. Finding no one inside, he pulled away. The hatch closed and became flush, indistinguishable from the rest of the ship. There were no seams, just the same polished glass that made its exterior. 

He rounded the side its bottom, feeling its smooth surface, when what he called 'an exhaust vent' appeared in the glass before him.

"It was about 9" high by 6" wide, and contained a uniform pattern of round holes, each about 1/16 inch in diameter. A blast of hot gas shot from these holes onto his chest, setting his shirt and undershirt on fire and causing him severe pain. He tore off his burning garments and threw them to the ground. He looked up in time to see the craft depart like the first, and felt a rush of air as it ascended."

Michalak noticed a few oddities about the area around him. A circle of pin needles where the craft had been, the smell of burning electrical field and sulfur. A rush of symptoms hit him. Headache, nausea, cold sweat. He vomited the whole way back to the motel he was staying at, knowing he needed help.

His son admitted him into Misericordia Hospital in Winnepeg after taking a bus 45 miles back from Falcon Lake. He was treated for radiation sickness and interviewed by the Royal Canadian Mounted Police.

Michalak's incident was investigated by multiple government and civilian agencies, including the Canadian Air Force. At the end of his encounter with a landed unidentified craft (with no visible beings inside, though he had heard conversation aboard), what he calls a vent in a grid pattern blasted him in the chest igniting his shirt, which he tore off in pain. The craft then lifted off. Soon after he experienced nausea, dizziness, headache, vomiting, symptomatic of radiation exposure when coupled with the marks on his chest. He admitted himself to a hospital for treatment.

(Information retrieved from the following links: http://thenightsky.org/michalak.html ; http://www.ufocasebook.com/Falconlake.html)


RELATIONSHIP

None of my cases coincide with UFO encounters, and until otherwise noted, is not a primary area of my investigation. Instead, what is to be taken away from this origin story, if you will, is the vent gas Michalak was exposed to which resulted in a mark bearing striking resemblance to the modern day ones reported. Michalak described the cause of his marks as being a 'hot gas.' He also smelled sulfur and fried electronics, which could be ozone production. Whether those two smells were related to the composition of the 'hot gas' or the combustion process of the craft's engine is hard to know for sure. He mentioned smelling sulfur earlier, before the vent incident.

A couple differences to note about Michalak's case and cases being reported to my team are the overall size of Michalak's mark and the size of his individual dots compared to today's grid marks. The shape of the dots are particularly circular in Michalak's case, matching the grate pattern through which the gas was expelled. Grid marks of today are relatively small.

The other main difference is the degree of adverse symptoms he experienced compared to our cases. No one has reported experiencing nausea, headache, vomiting, or any other discomfort, likely because Michalak's symptoms were the result of radiation exposure. Sweating and a mild burning sensation at the site are the only associated physical symptoms we can attribute to the phenomenon in legitimate cases.

If radiation were the source, the size of the marks that appear today (being smaller) may account for why no other symptoms are felt:  the dose of radiation was concentrated and not high enough to affect the rest of the body. However, we have no evidence for radiation being a factor in current cases, and so do not prescribe to radiation as the cause of the RGMP.

See What the Grid Marks are NOT for a list of other ruled out possibilities.


OTHER LEADS

[Editing Note: The following list is of initial theories and analyses. Because this post is so frequently the only one viewed by new readers, it is important to inform you that we no longer adhere to these possibilities. We have determined a natural, physiological cause of the RGMP. If you wish to learn more, I recommend the Survey Analyses, Discussions, and Conclusions sections of the dossier.]

1. Reposted from the Above Top Secret thread, by chrysanthemum85 is this incredible photo of her mark, one of the most intriquing I've seen.

(Image is the property of the original posting member from abovetopsecret.com, chrysanthemum85 and is used here solely to highlight the structure and symmetry of the grid marks. Linked on page 5 of the site. http://www.abovetopsecret.com/forum/thread359449/pg5#pid16027907)

Note the three parts to this particular case. First, the outermost, incomplete cradle with faded lines of dots leading down at the bottom of the image. The series of dots that make up the cradle (like a hypothesis) are larger than the others. Second, the encircling, broken shell around the central grid are dotted independently. That is, they do not conform to the row pattern of the inner grid, they have their own dividing principles. Lastly, and most significantly, the inner grid in an octagonal shape with a missing dot on either side, precisely where the outer shell is also missing a dot or two on either side. Rarely is the grid outlined, such as this, with an outer shell, clearly delineating the grid's intended shape. Often there are faded dots around the edges, making it difficult to know if how it appears is a concentration point where the source/affect was strongest, or if there was more deliberateness to its creation.

2. One experiencer, "Frogs" from the same thread states his belief that the marks are always there but appear in extreme hot or cold. To tend to his tendonitis, he soaked his hand in a bucket of ice water. Upon pulling out his hand, he noticed fresh marks. [I have been unable to duplicate these results]

3. User MasterDebater mentioned when his dog was implanted with a microchip to be found if ever lost, the resulting print on the dog's skin was similar to what other posters were describing, only smaller and the dots were closer together. However, I cannot find an image of the skin after an implanting to compare.

4. Dutch medium Robbert van den Broeke discovered strange sunburn-like symbols on his forehead repeatedly after encountering two light beings with a friend Stan. Could the light beings, often described as being brighter than the sun, be radiating energy enough to cause such a mark?

UPDATE - August 4th, 2016

This investigation is now closed. We are no longer receiving new cases. Data has been collected and analyzed on more than 200 cases after nearly four years of research. Our findings, case reports, conclusions, photo collections, and analyses have been made available in an RGMP Dossier compilation.

To read old posts on the subject for free (be advised these are unedited, unorganized, make up only a fraction of the total ebook, and do not include final analyses and conclusions that were only done after we had significant data collected to do so), go here to see the Red Grid Mark Phenomenon (RGMP) archive listing.

You can still report your RGMP occurrence using the survey here.