Physicist speaks on campus

Warning about the dangers of a bankrupt military-industrial complex, Russian physicist Boris Altshuler spoke to a group of nearly 50 University students yesterday. Altshuler, a theoretical physicist at the Lebedev Physical Institute in Moscow, served as spokesperson for former Soviet dissident Andrei Sakharov when he was in exile. Showing how some of Sakharov's scientific ideas can be symbolically applied to politics, Altshuler compared black holes and the implosion of the hydrogen bomb to the decaying infrastructure of Russia. Using the metaphor of a dying beast, he said that Russia is just as dangerous as the former Soviet Union because of its unstable infrastructure. "The living rhinoceros is dangerous, but the decaying rhinoceros is not less dangerous," said Altshuler. According to Altshuler, nearly 50 percent of Russia's Gross National Product is spent on its peacetime military. The United States, by comparison, spends less than 10 percent. He added that the Russian military-industrial complex is difficult to dismantle or transform because it encompasses such a large portion of society. Altshuler warned that former Soviet scientists, who formed the core of the military complex, are now unemployed and may look to other countries for jobs. "They really can't survive in Moscow, they must go somewhere," said Altshuler. Altshuler also said that the proliferation of nuclear weapons to other countries is much more likely under the bankrupt Russian economy than it was before the collapse of the Soviet Union. "I would not be surprised if some missiles will be sold to Iran," said Altshuler. Altshuler warned that another coup is possible unless shortages are alleviated by the West. "The ship is sinking very quickly," he said. "In a couple of months everything will be destroyed." Altshuler suggested that the West sponsor scientific and commercial ventures with full control of its investment to prevent sabotage by the Russian black market. "I understand there is a recession in the United States, but science must be saved in Russia to benefit the whole world," said Altshuler. The physicist cautioned that human rights must not be ignored and that all foreign aid programs must be tied to human rights. "We must not forget the human rights," he said. "Otherwise you help totalitarian governments." Students seemed to enjoy the presentation, but said they felt Altshuler may have been overly cynical about the current situation. "I think he has a pessimistic view, but he's probably right," College senior Nishi Garg said. College senior Audrey Beeber said she was interested in Altshuler's evaluation of the difficulties facing the Russian science. "He reiterated that there is a brain drain that's really bringing down their resources," she said. Altshuler will conclude his visit to the University today when he lectures to a small group of physics students about cosmology.

Please note All comments are eligible for publication in The Daily Pennsylvanian.