Science News

Magazine Overview

Title: Science News
Issue: Vol. 112, No. 15
Date: October 8, 1977
Publisher: Society for Science & the Public

This issue of Science News delves into a variety of scientific and geopolitical topics, with a prominent focus on a mysterious aerial phenomenon over the Soviet Union and the implications of nuclear proliferation.

Soviet UFO Due to Secret Launch

The lead story investigates a spectacular UFO sighting over Petrozavodsk in the northwestern Soviet Union on September 20, 1977. The object, described as a "starlike ball of light" that "spread over it like a jellyfish" and showered "shafts of light," was initially reported by the Soviet news agency Tass and international news agencies. American analysts, however, identified the phenomenon as the launch contrails of the Cosmos-955 spy satellite. This identification was made by James E. Oberg, a space specialist and investigator of UFO reports. Oberg explained that the sighting was due to a predawn launch from the Plesetsk Cosmodrome, a secret military space center north of Moscow that the Soviets do not officially acknowledge, preferring to state that all launches originate from Baykonur Cosmodrome. Oberg's analysis, based on orbital predictions and eyewitness accounts, concluded with "100 percent certainty" that the visual display was a result of the rocket launch, specifically the separate vapor trails from the four parallel booster units. The article notes that nighttime rocket launches in the U.S. have also led to UFO reports due to expanding vapor trails. This particular launch from Plesetsk created an "awesome visual display" due to specific conditions of azimuth, high altitude, booster, and darkness, similar to a previous event in October 1969 involving the Meteor 2 weather satellite.

Biosputnik hauls Yankee rats, fruit flies

This article discusses the U.S. participation in Soviet biospace missions, highlighting the launch of Cosmos 936 on August 3, 1977. The unmaned Soviet payload carried seven experiments designed by NASA's Ames Research Center, West Coast universities, and Veterans Administration hospitals. These experiments involved 30 Wistar rats and 1,000 fruit flies, chosen for their relevance to studying aging, genetics, and the effects of space travel on biological systems. The mission aimed to explore questions such as why bones stop growing and muscles atrophy in space, and the effects of zero gravity on sexual capability and aging. The U.S. studies were designed to assess how individuals in less-than-perfect physical condition might fare in space, as minor issues like slight nausea and calcium loss observed in astronauts could become more problematic for less fit individuals. The Soviet biospace program provided a crucial opportunity for U.S. researchers to continue biological research, which had been largely on hold since the Skylab missions of the early 1970s. The article emphasizes the cost-effectiveness of these joint efforts, with Cosmos 936 and the earlier Cosmos 782 (1975) costing less than $1 million. The Soviets charged no rent for the space but had exacting requirements for the experiments, which had to be self-contained, require no power, and fit in a small volume. The U.S. researchers found the Soviets to be "extremely cooperative," and the technicians at the recovery site were "top notch." A consensus among U.S. researchers deemed the project successful, and a future meeting was planned to discuss joint biospace efforts, with the possibility of U.S. experiments flying on the space shuttle.

Nonproliferation Act: A vote for apple pie

This section focuses on the U.S. administration's commitment to preventing the diversion of nuclear fuel for weapons proliferation. President Carter's stance on halting reprocessing of spent nuclear fuel in the U.S. and his support for nonproliferation legislation are highlighted. The article discusses the passage of the Nuclear Antiproliferation Act of 1977 by the House of Representatives with a unanimous vote. The act aims to establish strict U.S. control over the use and disposal of nuclear fuel sold to other nations. A key point of controversy is the phrase "whether or not timely warning of any diversion" of nuclear materials can be "provided to the United States well in advance of the time at which the non-nuclear weapon state could transform the diverted material into a nuclear explosive." Critics question the feasibility of "timely warning" given that a bomb could be prepared in advance. A compromise amendment allows the Secretary of Energy to enter agreements for reprocessing if it does not significantly increase the risk of proliferation. The article notes that nations like England and Japan, with existing reprocessing technology, would likely be granted approval. The act would also end cooperation with nations like India and South Africa that refuse international safeguards. The Senate version of the bill includes provisions for an International Nuclear Fuel Authority and aid to underdeveloped countries for nonnuclear resources. The article cites the 1974 Indian nuclear detonation using "reactor-grade" plutonium as a reinforcement of the need for such legislation, especially given the interest of countries like Bangladesh, Israel, and Arab states in acquiring nuclear power technology.

Our energy goals: How clean are they?

This brief section discusses a draft summary of the Energy Research and Development Administration's first annual Environmental Analysis of Energy Technologies. The study assesses proposed energy supply strategies and their environmental impacts. It notes that while the President's National Energy Plan (NEP) might initially cause greater environmental degradation by 1985 compared to current policy, by the year 2000, the NEP would offer significant environmental advantages, particularly through conservation programs that would reduce hydrocarbons and suspended solids. The article points out that the draft report does not clearly indicate the difference in environmental impact between the NEP and current policy if "best available" environmental-control techniques were universally applied to coal-burning equipment. It concludes by emphasizing the need for a realistic assessment of whether either the NEP or pre-NEP strategy can meet actual U.S. energy requirements, suggesting that if neither can, the entire study is moot.

Recurring Themes and Editorial Stance

The magazine demonstrates a strong interest in unexplained phenomena, space exploration, and international scientific cooperation, particularly between the U.S. and the Soviet Union. There is a clear emphasis on scientific investigation and rational explanation, as seen in the debunking of the Soviet UFO sighting. The publication also engages with significant geopolitical issues, such as nuclear nonproliferation, advocating for stringent controls and international cooperation to prevent the spread of nuclear weapons. The editorial stance appears to be one of cautious optimism regarding technological advancements and international collaboration, while also highlighting potential risks and the importance of rigorous scientific inquiry and policy-making.