The Leak

A 25-year old saga of fake facts, conspiracy theories, and echo chambers dooming a scientific institution.

Until 1997, a research reactor at Brookhaven National Laboratory, called the HFBR, carried out materials science research and medical isotope production.

A leak at the HFBR’s spent fuel pool poses no danger to people or the environment, but after protests the Department of Energy Secretary fires the lab’s contractor. Outraged scientists organize and protest. To no avail.

Anti-nuclear crusader Alec Baldwin, seeking to close the reactor permanently, bullies and insults scientists, and puts an 8-year old child on national TV to blame his cancer on the lab.

Anti-nuclear activist Christie Brinkley, and others of Baldwin’s group, convince the DOE Secretary to terminate the HFBR; Brinkley gives him an award at her ex-husband Billy Joel’s rock concert.

This simply scratches the surface. The Leak has the plot twists of an outrageous tragicomedy whose spectrum of vivid characters ranges from cultivated to clownish.

The saga is a canary in the coal mine anticipating today’s political conspiracy and anti-science movements.

What lessons can we learn?