Pcl GLa OF THE ATOM UITRA-INTELUGENT MACHINES, Ded ACU a eta SS asa HOW TOBUILDAN ANTI-GRAVITY MACHINE PLUS :BUCKMINSTER FULLER, JERRY BROVVIN, RUSTY SCHVVEICK ART ONOURFUTUREIIN SPACE ASIMOV.ON LABOR: | , et ee ee ee eee ee eae ieee 4ful JANUARY 1979 eoivon asian OREETOR 608 GUCCONE BECUTNEEOTOR FeANKiOIG SURGE ST ED ig Bacar maD nN Syaticnseamremle acme rome SLES RiGEIRESBENT ale BRR ASSOC PLR gay AEETON ASSBSAEEURLUSTER AI FERIES nosseuun eOnTENTS TAGE sR pe oT onus cons o comaniaTONS corespncees io owFOm Danie 2 ean Ear 7 smc Asien 2 ue Binedre eee ans cet 2s Tens vs 28 UFO UPDATE Report 32 Cc FOREVERWAR fico Wank Sua % iEWIONSFT Fear Pa Na % FRITZ GORO GALLERY Pictorial ‘anthony Waitt 54 7S BEAT Fein Haine Ts 1.6000 Interview OnChristopherEvans 70. THERASTSHRGAP we Ovenwies 8 FACE THEWND Fain ek Hao Es AONE FRSTS Pio Es 0005 RATT fle: Fad 2 souanoumics wie Hane 2 THEROLETHING Felen bean Lae 28 "WORLOSBEYOND Pea ie FeSHAE WINGS Fen Nays v8 #LORATONS or Stes 8 e000 Pranorena Fawr 1 owes Cees asTHOw Spinone an v6 Severs as ee re ae ease ceases OMI is @ new view of planet earth by S'teners poszesora, end wos fecnpl re UK) by Cts Ces Conga. 2" Henderson Ove, esl Cowa De Es Schwertberger called “Rescue” Bonanno Ui oy gt asec Li ey Gacen Loon So ng Eve cones copying © OM ‘Schwertberger was born in Austria and aes piciolnmana Tageronaccanpsytreicn elses htop tsanoaninowralaeeepese ‘now lives in lew York Cy His Book, ‘SUbiCatn Woting may oe epoauced wna or par wat ten gemisson rom he pustea’s Ary smiaty Beaean Fundamental images, ae cucushed See ee ee ated Cos oar contain sng Aan harps 1974, Hes row at work on a new book. See ees" Penge Ni 33 Penmare iestomSio oF mene ects Recor Mod Srtocand ses penteg ales pensag ashe Yoana adore! main oleae. OMNI recerves te ight Det [2 inaes oy coversoscona mane no ors wn 2st ov Hepa an ho sich cespedene wi Se ered. 4 omwCONTRIBUTORS OnnnvisUS industry and business leaders upset. So tics” (p.92), in which solar and nuclear 8 om award. "i their twenty-one year struggle against teir competitors andeach other isa general reflection of the scientific lite,” wars Stuckey, “then send your kid toart school. Science is for the piranhas.” Follow them blow-by-blow in "Forever Wat" (p.44). ‘Atip tothe stars within a hundred years? Journalistieditor Owen Davies ex- amines the possibilities in "The First Star. ship” (p.76 ), a proposed mission by the Brilish Interplanetary Society (BIS) to launch an unmanned star probe to Barnard’s Star in search of planets—and possibly life. “It won't be easy," warns Da- vies. "The rocket will take 20 years just to ‘build, not to mention the 80 years it will take foril to getto its destination. Ques: tion is, isthe whole thing worth it?” An- thony Martin, editor of the BISjournal, be- lieves the idea is “very sensibe indeed.” ‘My ambition is to explain scientific ideas and facts to the lay readership, us- ing the camera as a tool,” photographer Fritz Goro told Omni staiters during a three-hour slide show from which the photographs for this manth’s pictorial es- say were selected. For 30 years a statt photographer at Life, Goro traveled the ‘world taking unique photographs of every kind of subject matter. Goro's superb sense of design is read- ily apparent in all his work. His photos of Computer microcircuits alone resemble stunning abstract paintings. Welllet Omnis exclusive gallery of Goro speak for itself, beginning on page 54 Is thore really away to control gravity? ‘According to Dr. Robert. Forward. se- rior scientist at Hughes Research Lab- oratories in Malibu, California, he answer is yes. Aleading specialist in gravita- tional treory, Dr. Forward suggests that it ‘we take a closer look at Newion and Ein- stein, welll see that antigravity catapults and “negative-gravity” starships are not as absurd as they might seem. I's *Goodoye Gravity” (p.88). The notion that sand possesses magi cal, musiciike qualities is inviguing and. valid, Legends have for centuries told of strange sand dunes that squeaked, whis- tled, and boomed. In our Explorations ccolumn this month, Jerry Schad reports fon this bizarre phenomenon—and tells us ‘where we can listen for ourselves to “Acoustic Sands” (p.131). find myself treading on hin ice talk- ing to you. I'm afraid I'm going to reveal too many things.” That's what Richard Donne,, tv and film director, told Omni re- porter James Defson when asked to dis- cuss his latest film venture, Superman, ‘Supposedly one of the most ciffcult films ‘ever made, Superman promises tobe the biggest box office smash yet (p.26). Finally, you won't want to miss Omni's ‘special two-page spread, “Atoms in Liv- ing Colo," highlighting the work of Mi- cchael Isaacson and Albert Crew, the two biiliani Chicago physicists whose Scan- ning Transmission Electron Microscope took history's first moving pictures of the atom (p.88). OOLETTERS COMNNNUMICATIOMS Toffleresque Anticipations ‘The interview with Alvin Toffler was su- perb, and it restimulated all the excite- ‘ment felt when I first read Future Shock. Ted Nelson's “Computer Lis," t00, a= fected me personally (I'm a programmer) It was (elmost too) snappy, but it brought up a much needed "Toffleresque" antici- pation ofthe use to which allthis new- found computing power will be put; that is, either for the distribution of gadgets or towards a revolution in the organization of informaiion and communication. Reginald T. Aubry Methuen, MA, About the Toffler interview—I disiked the ‘way Tattler railed against us progressma- niaes. We don't want to ruin the earth, we just wart to get off. Once off he earth we ‘could go our elitist ways, splicing genes ‘and meddling with human evolution, look- ing down from time to time atthe starving magses below, And as the Schumachers Of the world churn out theie new improved tice paddies, to feed the growing mil- lions, well be speeding toward the stars. In shart, “Technologists of the world, unite! You have nothing to lose but your environmental impact staterrents, Brett P Bellmore Capac, Ml Nelson Feedback Ted Nelson's “Computer Lib"in Novem- ber Omni realy tolls it ike itis, especially the “muttering out loud and walking into things."'m a computer person and! know! John M. Taylor Montgomery, AL ‘Ted Nelson's “Computer Lib" concerning personal (or micro-) computers is the most extraordinary article to appear in print concerning this popular new sub- ject, As owners of a computer store, and as individuals involved in the industry for the pasttwo years, the perception shown bby Mr. Nelson far exceeds that ofthe in- dustry in general Philip W. Jackson San Antonio, TX ‘Nucleogenesis and the Mind Your article concerning the infinity of space and time ("Space,” November) enlightened me. Stil, as you place those immense figures of nucleogenesis, ex- ploding galaxies, and atomic origin be- fore me, I can't help pondering the igno- rance ofa few cubic centimeters ocou- pied by the human mind, Vincent J. Paul Lead, SD Vegetive Bicentennial After spying Roman Vishniac’s spectacu- lar picture of photosynthesis in November Omri, l was reminded that this is the bi- Centennial of the discovery of photosyn- thesis, sit not? > Meredith Culver Scottsdale, AZ Yes, In 1778!9 the Dutch scientist and physician Jan Ingenhouse demon- strated that the green parts of plants— Chloroplasts, in which the cytoplasin is associated with the green pigment Cchlorophyll—utiize sunlight. 0 his book, Experiments Upon Vegetables, hhe proved that the green plant is the basis of the world's food suoply. —Foman Vishniac Proximirus Ignoramus Most people lead lives of ula mundane dullness and concern themselves for ihe ‘most part with the acquisition of money and security within their mediocre niches insociely. Despite the scientific and tech- ‘nological underpinnings ofthe very soci- ely inwhich we live, some people know nothing of science and care even less, Because of their ignorance, some are likely 0 oppose the expenditure of money ‘on pragrams of scientific research al ev- ery junoture, failing to realize, of course, that men and women of scientific and in- tellectual curiosity are primary contribu- {ors tothe world in which we live. Many people merely go along forthe ride. ‘Senator William Proxmire, by the erite- ria discussed above, is one of the igno- rant ones. Unlike most, however, he occu- pies fairly influential position within gov- ‘CONTALED ON PAGE 199DIA GUE Onn! FORUM In which the readers, editors, and correspondents oiscuss topics arising out (of Omni. and theories and specuiation of (general interest are brought forth. The views published are not necessailly those of the eoitas. Letters fr publicaton ‘should be mailed to Omni Forum, Omni Magazine, 903 Third Avenue, New York, IY 10022, UFO Debate How sad tosee such a poor article on UFOs in Omni's first issue. James Oberg is certainlyno authority on the subject. His arlice tries to come across as unbiased, but even someone with a superficial knowiedge of the issue can see that itis, laced with distortion and innuendo. Ithas been said that in war the fist casualty isruth, The UFO controversy is a king of warwith two armies deterding their views of realty This controversy without ‘a doubt one of the most remarkable and persistent scientific debates ofthe 20th ‘century, wih emotions riding high on both sides. When the revolution is over and the UFOs, whatever they are, are incorporated into the consensus of really that science is building, we wil look back and see that the UFO controversy, ike Darwinism and relativity, was just another scientific revolution in the evolution of mankind's, enlightenment. IUFO Update” is representative of the type of coverage controversial issues will roceive in the future, then Omni has litle to offer a questioning rind. ‘erry Hansen Minneapolis, MN Mr. Oberg replies: tis an articie of faith among UFO bulls that their phenomena are destined to become accepted by futwre science, since in the past other “heresies” such as Darwinism and relativity were ultimately accepted, too. Bul most heresies, ike most revolutions, failed, justifiably so, and only the ssuccess‘ul ones make the history books. It remains to be seen whether or not UFOs will be accepted or forgotten. (C'mon James Oberg. If you plan to Continue writing your skeptical UFO aticles under the guise of proper Scientfic literature, please be far First, the Omni readership should be aware that not only are you working with NASA but you are a US. Air Force officer in fine standing as well fact, while | knewol you as Captan Oberg, | shouldn't coubt you are ow Najor Oberg. As a former USAF staff sargoant, | can approciato that and wish to Congratulate you if you have achieved a higher rank. Nevertheless ‘As 2 UFO researcher for 16 years, and ‘as one whose articles supporting UFOs have appeared in the same issues as. yours on at least one occasion, | wonder ‘what the Air Force would have done tome had | written pro-UFO articles during my, enlistment, which occurred during the ays when AF regs on UFOs were frighttul Your consistently skeptical erticies are probably making some of your superiors ‘ar happier than anything you might write to the contrary. And | wouldr't be too hasty to single out Stanton Friedman for making a good living off his lecturetours,” when {you are obviously turning a good buck for ‘your suff. Infect, sir, you weren't so busy