Reflections on the 30th Anniversary of the Landing of Apollo 11

by Michael J. Passow
Earth Sciences Correspondent

Anniversaries are excellent times to pause for reflection, to note where we have been and what has happened, and to contemplate the future. On the date of the past summer's 30th anniversary of the Apollo 11 Moon landing I felt prompted to write these reflections. What's been happening in earth science over the past 30 years? What's happening now?

Here are just a few of the earth science news stories from 1969. Besides the Apollo 11 mission, NASA scientists and engineers were designing and building the rest of the Apollo space vehicles, as well as the Sky Lab space station that orbited and observed our planet in the 1970s. Vigorous debate still raged over whether or not plate tectonics existed. Crucial research papers laying forth the evidence in support of this theory appeared, were tested, and found wider acceptance. The U.S. Navy was testing possibilities of underwater living programs. A short time later, this Sea Lab program came to an abrupt halt when errors led to the death of a diver just before Sea Lab 3 was to be occupied. Instead, use of mini-submersibles expanded, although some undersea living projects still exist. In meteorology, new weather satellites began to provide better views, leading to better forecasts, especially of hurricanes and other long-lasting events. "Earth Day" planning was underway for the following spring.

Also that year, President Nixon took office, and began making changes that had significant impact in the earth sciences. One of the most significant was the establishment in 1970 of the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA). Many functions were transferred to this new agency that had formerly been responsibilities under the Departments of the Interior, Agriculture, and Health, Education, and Welfare, Atomic Energy Commission, Federal Radiation Council, and Council on Environmental Quality.

Today, the EPA continues to provide major impact in such vital areas as

For more information about the EPA, go to their Internet site: http://www.epa.gov

Also in 1969, "Our Nation and the Sea: A Plan for National Action" was issued by a federal commission examining marine resources and engineering developments. This report served as the stimulus for reorganization of several atmospheric and oceanographic programs into the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA). Some of the core programs incorporated into NOAA were involved in a 1965 reorganization under President Johnson, which consolidated the Coast and Geodetic Survey, the Weather Bureau, and the Central Radio Propagation Laboratory into a single Commerce bureau known as the Environmental Science Services Administration.

Today, NOAA has widespread operational and research responsibilities. You can find out more from the NOAA Internet site: www.noaa.gov. You can also get more detailed information about individual NOAA components, including

What of NASA, now that manned landings on the Moon are part of American history? Visiting the home page at www.nasa.gov provides rapid confirmation that much is still happening. For example, plans are underway for a 200l launch of the Genesis Mission spacecraft to collect pieces of the solar wind, which will provide more information about the Sun. Satellite observations of El Ni–o and La Ni–a conditions are providing better understanding of air-sea interactions, as well as their impact on human conditions. One recent project attempts to identify links between warm waters in the Indian Ocean, El Ni–o conditions in the Pacific, and abnormally heavy rains in East Africa that provide favorable conditions for the mosquito that carries the Rift Valley Fever virus, often fatal to humans and animals.

In addition to the NASA home page, useful educational and scientific information is available on web sites created by NASA divisions. Among the best of these are the Goddard Space Flight Center http://www.gsfc.nasa.gov and the Jet Propulsion Laboratory http://www.jpl.nasa.gov. Also accessible through the NASA home page are many other programs in Astronomy, earth sciences, Human Space Flight, Life and Microgravity Sciences, Planetary and Space Exploration, Solar and Space Physics, and Solar Transportation. You can also find out about such general references as "The Space Calendar," a worldwide listing of meetings and launches, and "The Tour of the Solar System," perhaps the best source of information and images of planets, satellites, and other objects orbiting our Sun.

Any retrospective must include comparison of prices then and now. Drivers in 1969 may recall gasoline selling for 25 cents a gallon (30 for high test). Shortly afterwards came the 1973 "Yom Kippur" war, leading to the first major oil shortages and "gas lines." Energy became a big issue. But as time passed and many of the "doomsday" predictions failed to occur, concern by the general public faded. (Any trip on today's roads in a Honda trying to avoid being run over by sports utility vehicles confirms this statement!)

The Department of Energy was created in response to the energy crises of the 1970s, bringing together the Federal Energy Administration, the Energy Research and Development Administration, the Federal Power Commission, and parts and programs of several other agencies. Among the responsibilties of this Department are providing a framework for a comprehensive and balanced national energy plan. This includes long-term, high-risk research and development of energy technology, federal power marketing, energy conservation, the nuclear weapons program, energy regulatory programs, and a central energy data collection and analysis program.

You can find out much more about the Department of Energy at http://www.doe.gov.

Finally, what advances can we note in geology? As in 1969, much leadership comes from the U.S. Geological Survey (USGS) of the Department of the Interior (http://www.usgs.gov). Established 130 years ago, the current mission statement announces, "The USGS serves the Nation by providing reliable scientific information to

Current USGS researchers investigate geologic, hydrologic, and biologic problems, as well as provide much of the nation's cartographic expertise. Geologic hazards, landscape and coastal assessments, and resource assessments are some of the on-going activities. The Biological Resources Division recognizes the interdisciplinary nature of natural processes in its efforts to assess and report on conditions of the nation's biological resources. They are attempting to characterize these natural processes and identify factors that influence the quality and quantity of biological resources at all levels of organization. The USGS Internet site also provides excellent data for student investigations, especially about earthquakes and streamflow.

Of course, one of the greatest changes between 1969 and 1999 involves the potential sources of information available. Every reference for additional investigations so far in this article has been to electronic sites. In 1969, only printed materials would be cited. But excellent printed sources still exist. One of the best of these in the earth sciences is Geotimes, a monthly magazine published by the American Geological Institute. (4220 King St., Alexandria VA 22302-1502; $37.00 a year.)

Geotimes covers news and trends in the geosciences. "News Notes" in a recent issue deal with such topics as "How Dinosaurs Walked," plate tectonics on Mars, excess CO2 storage in the oceans, and meetings to convince senators and representatives to continue support for geoscience budgets. Much of the issue was devoted to "Geosciences in Review: 1998." Many events in education and resources, mantle and core studies, seismology, continental scientific drilling, petrology, volcanology, geothermal energy, and many other areas of research received brief summaries. For a comprehensive source about currents events, calendar of meetings, and other topics, Geotimes provides the best in print. Of course, those who who prefer to deal with electronic materials can obtain some of the articles and other information on-line at http://www.geotimes.org/

Two other earth science magazines of interest to educators and others come from Heldref Publications. One is Rocks and Minerals, which describes itself as "America's oldest popular magazine about minerals." Articles regularly appear about such topics as fossils, microminerals, current geologic events, and the latest mineral and fossil finds.

The other is Weatherwise, which attempts to "captures the power, beauty, and excitement of weather in vibrant color photographs and crisp, well-written articles." Features include monthly and annual weather highlight summaries, photo contests, weather folklore and history, and reviews of pertinent books, videos, software, and web sites.

A subscription for Rocks and Minerals runs $38 per year, and for Weatherwise, $29 per year. More information is available at http://www.heldref.org



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