IT HAS BEEN almost four months since scientists at the Los Alamos National
Laboratory in New Mexico (aka the birthplace of the atomic bomb) 鈥渓ost鈥� and then
鈥渇ound鈥� two computer discs containing top-secret nuclear information.
The discs, which explained how to disarm bombs, were found missing just
before a forest fire forced the lab鈥檚 evacuation. After a two-week
investigation, the discs turned up behind a photocopier.
The FBI has been polygraphing right and left, but the who, what, when, where
and why are still a mystery. Apparently bomb scientists are smart enough to
outsmart that notoriously fickle machine. No one wants to get fired for what
many suspect was a case of 鈥渨hoops, now where did I put those things?鈥� Now the
senator for New Mexico wants the FBI to get on with it. He says the FBI is
creating a 鈥渕orale situation that is not very good鈥�. With the recent collapse of
the government鈥檚 spy case against Los Alamos scientist Wen Ho Lee, there seems
to be a feeling that Los Alamos has been a victim of cold war twitchiness that鈥檚
long outlived its usefulness. Los Alamos isn鈥檛 out of the woods yet, though . . .
or rather, it is out of the woods, and that鈥檚 bad.
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According to recent, unpublished hydrological studies, the desert left behind
after May鈥檚 forest fire has become a flash flood waiting to happen, with tonnes
of radioactive waste in its path. Then again, predicting the weather may be
easier than predicting the intent of the spy-catchers in Washington.
AT last NASA has something concrete to show for the billions of dollars it
has spent on the International Space Station. Earlier this month a shuttle
flight visited the nascent station, which now has three modules, including one
with a toilet, something the people destined to spend months on the station must
be relieved about.
But it can鈥檛 be all smiles at NASA HQ. Some of the pictures that appeared in
the paper show the crew in the new station wearing surgical masks and gloves.
No, they鈥檙e not worried about transmitting infectious diseases; they鈥檙e
concerned about breathing bad air, although a surgical mask would only seem to
offer protection against big chunks of bad air, since most gas molecules pass
through your standard mask.
Another likely thorn in NASA鈥檚 side is a decision by the National
Broadcasting Company to air a show in which would-be astronauts vie for a chance
to spend time on the Russian space station Mir. NASA would like nothing better
than to see Mir plunge into the ocean (unoccupied, of course) so the Russians
won鈥檛 be tempted to squander their scarce resources on Mir, instead of focusing
on the new station. Now NBC is helping to keep Mir in space. Whose side are they
on?
IT IS HARD to criticise the federal government when it does the right thing
and its heart is in the right place, but somebody has to. Earlier this month,
President Clinton gave 10 individuals and 10 institutions the Presidential Award
for Excellence in Science, Mathematics and Engineering Mentoring. The award
programme began five years ago as a way to 鈥淸honour] individuals and groups that
have been leaders in encouraging minorities, women and persons with disabilities
to pursue careers in scientific, engineering and technical fields鈥�.
The award consists of a commemorative presidential certificate and
$10,000 that comes with the admonition that 鈥渢he monetary award is to be
directed back into the recognised mentoring activity鈥�. So no trips to the beach
at the taxpayers鈥� expense. The government likely spends as much administering
the programme as it does on the awards. So is an award the best way to achieve
the Clinton administration鈥檚 commitment to 鈥減roviding opportunities for greater
participation in science and engineering by all Americans鈥�.
