Person
Edward U. Condon
Also known as Edward Condon, Edward Uhler Condon, Dr. Condon, E. U. Condon
- Physicist; professor of physics and astrophysics, University of Colorado; former director of the National Bureau of Standards; scientific director of the University of Colorado UFO study (1966–1968)
Edward U. Condon was an American physicist, professor of physics and astrophysics at the University of Colorado and a former director of the National Bureau of Standards. In 1941 he was named to the committee that set up the U.S. atomic bomb program, and he had served as president of the American Physical Society (1946) and of the American Association for the Advancement of Science (1953).
From October 1966 he was scientific director of the University of Colorado's Air Force-funded study of unidentified flying objects, the Condon Committee. He wrote its "Conclusions and Recommendations": that nothing in 21 years of UFO study had added to scientific knowledge, that further extensive study probably could not be justified on scientific grounds, and that the Air Force's defence task could be done without a special unit such as Project Blue Book. The National Academy of Sciences panel endorsed the report, and the Air Force cited it when it closed Blue Book in 1969.
In 1968 Look magazine and the civilian group NICAP accused the project of a negative bias, after two of its scientists were dismissed and a memo attributed to its coordinator, Robert J. Low, was made public; Condon said the Look article contained "falsehoods and misrepresentations" and that the dismissals were "for cause".
Sources: Scientific Study of Unidentified Flying Objects (1968), Section I and Appendix X (NCAS transcription) · New York Times, 1 May 1968 (transcription) · AARO Historical Record Report, Vol. 1 (2024)
Facts and claims
- documented The report's list of authors describes him as professor of physics and astrophysics and a Fellow of the Joint Institute for Laboratory Astrophysics at the University of Colorado, former director of the National Bureau of Standards and a member of the National Academy of Sciences, who in 1941 was named to the committee that established the U.S. atomic bomb program. Source: files.ncas.org (archived)
- documented In the report's conclusions he wrote: “Our general conclusion is that nothing has come from the study of UFOs in the past 21 years that has added to scientific knowledge. Careful consideration of the record as it is available to us leads us to conclude that further extensive study of UFOs probably cannot be justified in the expectation that science will be advanced thereby.” — Edward U. Condon Source: files.ncas.org (archived)
- claimed He also wrote: “We have no evidence of secrecy concerning UFO reports. What has been miscalled secrecy has been no more than an intelligent policy of delay in releasing data so that the public does not become confused by premature publication of incomplete studies of reports.” — Edward U. Condon Source: files.ncas.org (archived)
- claimed When the project's psychologist David R. Saunders and engineer Norman E. Levine were dismissed in February 1968, Condon would say only that the dismissals were “for cause”, according to the New York Times; in April 1968 he telegraphed Look's editorial chairman that John G. Fuller's article on the project contained “falsehoods and misrepresentations.” — Edward U. Condon Source: project1947.com (archived)
Connected files
Documents
- Scientific Study of Unidentified Flying Objects (Condon Report, 1968) (authored) — Scientific director; Section I, “Conclusions and Recommendations”, is his