sider adequate financial commitment to Agenda 21, many attendees spoke of a new way of tliinking developed at Rio that can provide a turning point. The attitude of all nations in relation to the environment will be different, they said, so Rio may start a process that can change the way the world approaches economic ^owth. "Much more than 12 days ago, the world today is aware that the questions of environment and development cannot be treated separately/' said President Fernando Collor de Mello of Brazil at the closing ceremonies. Bette Hileman
Supercollider loss seen ominous for Big Science Big Science was sent staggering last week when the House of Representatives voted 232 to 181 to kill the Superconducting Super Collider. The vote shocked not only supporters of the $8.2 billion high-energy physics machine, now under construction near Waxahachie, Tex., but also the community that lobbies for such big items as the National Aeronautics & Space Administration's space station Freedom and the aerospace plane. It also raises the question of whether science and technology in general will be hit as pressure builds for strong action to balance the budget and to heal the country's social and economic ills. As C&EN went to press last week, various science and technology circles in Washington, D.C., were assessing the fallout—such as whether the $450 million the House cut will be lost for good or moved to nonscientific items elsewhere in civilian spending. The move to kill SSC makes all the more acute the ongoing debate over the health of science at universities in an era of tight budgets. In fact, the President's Council of Advisers on Science & Technology announced last Thursday a fact-finding tour of major universities to assess the seriousness of their financial problems and criticism by the public of their mission. To some observers, killing of the SSC by the House was not that much of a surprise. Only a week before, Congress turned back the proposed constitutional amendment requiring a balanced federal budget. The amendment campaign was led primarily by the Texas Congressional delegation—which was then put in
Biochemist to probe crystal growth under microgravity In a Spacelab mockup, biochemist Lawrence J. DeLucas of the University of Alabama, Birmingham, practices use of a microscope to observe crystal formation in a glove box in anticipation of the National Aeronautics & Space Administration's launch of space shuttle Columbia later this week. DeLucas, 41, is one of seven astronauts who will carry out the first of a series of U.S. Microgravity Laboratory missions. During 13 days in Earth orbit—the longest shuttle flight yet—crew members will alternate in 12-hour shifts to perform experiments in the 23-foot-long Spacelab set in the shuttle's cargo bay, and will study human adaption to longer space flight, building a database to facilitate operations on the future space station Freedom. Research will examine low gravity's effects on crystal growth, fluid dynamics, combustion, polymer membrane formation, biological processes, and "Astroculture" (evaluating a water delivery system to support growth of plants in microgravity). Columbia has been fitted with an extended duration orbiter kit, which eventually may permit 30-day missions. More liquid hydrogen and oxygen tanks for power production have been added, along with extra nitrogen tanks for cabin air, and a new carbon dioxide removal system.
the uncomfortable position of supporting a machine seen by much of the rest of Congress to be part of the problem. Attention now turns to the Senate, whose Appropriations Committee has not yet scheduled action on the SSC, because it was waiting for the House to complete its business. Sen. J. Bennett Johnston (D.-La.), chairman of the Energy & Water Development Subcommittee that oversees SSC, says he will continue to battle for restoration of the funds. But given the size of the antiSSC House vote, and the embarrassing schizophrenic posture of the Texas delegation, success seems unlikely. Wil Lepkowski
Union Carbide splitup takes effect June 30 Union Carbide has set June 30 as the date for its split, announced last December, into two separate entities—a commodity chemicals and plastics firm, still called Union Carbide Corp., and an industrial gases firm to be named Praxair. And even before it is up and running, Praxair has made its first acquisition. However, Carbide still faces a suit from the landlord of its Danbury, Conn., headquarters that threatens to scuttle the June 30 splitup. JUNE 22,1992 C&EN
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