SCIENCE

Magazine Overview

Title: SCIENCE
Issue: 154
Volume: 154
Issue Date: October 21, 1966
Publisher: American Association for the Advancement of Science
Country: USA
Language: English
Cover Headline: Condon To Head UFO Study

Article: Condon To Head UFO Study

The Air Force, facing persistent criticism that it dismisses unidentified flying object (UFO) reports as having psychiatric rather than aerodynamic origins, has initiated steps to establish a highly objective scientific investigation into the UFO issue. The announcement was made last week, revealing that the renowned physicist Edward U. Condon has agreed to be the scientific director of a comprehensive, "far-ranging, no-strings" UFO inquiry. This study is funded by $313,000 from the Air Force Office of Scientific Research and will be headquartered at the University of Colorado in Boulder.

Edward U. Condon, aged 64, is a professor of physics and astrophysics at the University of Colorado and a fellow of the Joint Institute for Laboratory Astrophysics. His career is marked by a commitment to scientific integrity and a willingness to speak his mind. He previously declined to work at Los Alamos during World War II due to concerns about security arrangements. From 1945 to 1951, Condon served as the director of the National Bureau of Standards. During this period, he faced accusations from the House Un-American Activities Committee, which labeled him "one of the weakest links in our atomic security." In 1954, while director of research and development for Corning Glass Works, his security clearance was suspended by the Navy, despite clearance from three government agencies. Condon publicly criticized this action and resigned from Corning rather than reapply for clearance. He also publicly denounced the Eisenhower administration for its "callous indifference" to political attacks on scientists.

Condon's leadership in the scientific community is further evidenced by his past presidencies of the American Physical Society in 1946 and the AAAS in 1953. Before joining the University of Colorado faculty in 1964, he was a professor of physics at Washington University in St. Louis.

Associated with Condon in this UFO study will be Franklin E. Roach, an astrophysicist and air glow specialist from the Environmental Science Services Administration in Boulder, and Stuart W. Cook, chairman of the psychology department at the University of Colorado. The study plans to seek cooperation from other institutions. To ensure scientific rigor, the National Academy of Sciences will review the study's findings.

The initial phase of the study will involve a conference in mid-November in Boulder, where Air Force officials will brief Condon and his team on previous UFO reports and investigations. Detailed plans for the new study are expected to be formulated by early February. The University of Colorado announced that the Air Force has guaranteed full access to all relevant information in its possession, not just what the university specifically requests. The contract for this investigation is set for 15 months, with the possibility of an extension if deemed necessary by the Air Force.

The issue also features a drawing by Alan Dunn, published in The New Yorker Magazine, Inc. in 1966, depicting a room labeled "UNITED STATES AIR FORCE UFO INFORMATION CENTER" with individuals observing screens and charts. A caption below the drawing reads: "I assure you, Madam, if any such creatures as you describe really existed, we would be the first to know about it."

Recurring Themes and Editorial Stance

The primary theme of this issue is the pursuit of scientific objectivity in the investigation of phenomena that have often been relegated to the fringes of credibility. The editorial stance appears to favor rigorous, evidence-based inquiry, as exemplified by the appointment of a distinguished physicist like Edward U. Condon to lead the UFO study. The article highlights Condon's past challenges with government security and political scrutiny, suggesting an editorial awareness of the potential for controversy and the importance of protecting scientific independence. The emphasis on transparency, cooperation with other institutions, and review by the National Academy of Sciences underscores a commitment to a thorough and credible scientific process. The inclusion of the cartoon and its caption subtly comments on the potential for official skepticism or dismissal of extraordinary claims, even within a context of official investigation.