The Los Alamos Green Fireball Conference of 1949

In February 1949, a remarkable classified conference convened at Los Alamos, New Mexico, to address a phenomenon that had been plaguing the nation’s most sensitive nuclear facilities. In attendance were some of the greatest scientific minds of the era, including Dr. Edward Teller (future “father of the hydrogen bomb”), Dr. Joseph Kaplan (authority on upper atmosphere physics), and Dr. Lincoln LaPaz (meteor expert). What made this conference extraordinary was that there was no debate about whether green fireballs existed - nearly everyone present had personally witnessed at least one.

The Attendees

Dr. Edward Teller

His presence:

• Future “father of the hydrogen bomb”
• Manhattan Project veteran
• Los Alamos scientist
• Nuclear weapons pioneer
• Taking phenomenon seriously

Dr. Joseph Kaplan

His expertise:

• Authority on upper atmosphere physics
• UCLA professor
• National Academy member
• Scientific credibility
• Key technical advisor

Dr. Lincoln LaPaz

His role:

• University of New Mexico
• Institute of Meteoritics director
• Meteor and fireball expert
• Had been investigating since December 1948
• Central to the discussion

Military Brass

Also present:

• Los Alamos security personnel
• Air Force intelligence
• AEC (Atomic Energy Commission) representatives
• Kirtland AFB officers
• High-level attendance

The Remarkable Consensus

No Debate on Existence

The unprecedented situation:

• Green fireballs acknowledged as real
• Nearly everyone had seen one
• No skepticism about sightings
• Only question: what were they?
• Complete acceptance of phenomenon

Personal Witnesses

The attendees’ experience:

• Scientists had seen them
• Military personnel had seen them
• Security officers had seen them
• Multiple sightings among group
• First-hand knowledge widespread

The Phenomenon Under Discussion

Green Fireball Characteristics

What they were examining:

• Brilliant green coloration
• Flat trajectories (unlike meteors)
• No debris or fragments recovered
• Concentrated near nuclear facilities
• Appeared since late 1948

Geographic Pattern

Where they appeared:

• Los Alamos area
• Sandia Base
• Kirtland AFB
• White Sands region
• All nuclear-related facilities

Why It Mattered

The concern:

• Overflying most secret installations
• Pattern suggested intelligence
• Not random distribution
• Potential security threat
• Required explanation

The Debate

Natural Phenomenon Camp

Some argued:

• Unusual meteor type
• Atmospheric phenomena
• Green from ionized oxygen
• Natural explanation preferred
• No threat implied

Artificial Origin Camp

Others believed:

• Behavior too consistent
• Trajectories too flat
• Geographic concentration suspicious
• Possible foreign technology
• Required security response

Dr. LaPaz’s Position

The expert’s view:

• Not typical meteors
• Had extensively investigated
• Triangulated multiple sightings
• Calculated impossible trajectories
• Something anomalous present

The Conference Conclusions

Official Determination

What was decided:

• “Natural phenomenon of some kind”
• Further investigation recommended
• Cambridge Research Laboratory assigned
• Project Twinkle proposed
• Monitoring to continue

Unanswered Questions

What remained unknown:

• Exact nature of phenomenon
• Why concentration near nukes?
• Why no debris ever found?
• Why New Mexico specifically?
• Deeper investigation needed

Aftermath

Project Twinkle

The result:

• Photographic monitoring program
• Cinetheodolite stations planned
• White Sands area coverage
• Systematic observation attempt
• Scientific approach

Continued Sightings

The phenomenon persisted:

• Green fireballs continued
• Through 1949, 1950, 1951
• Pattern unchanged
• Still unexplained
• Despite conference

Historical Significance

Scientific Legitimacy

What the conference showed:

• Top scientists took it seriously
• Personal observation by experts
• Government concern genuine
• Not dismissed as fantasy
• Real phenomenon acknowledged

The Nuclear Connection

A disturbing pattern:

• Concentration undeniable
• Security implications clear
• Surveillance suggested
• Threat assessment necessary
• Never satisfactorily explained

The Question

February 1949. Los Alamos, New Mexico.

The birthplace of the atomic bomb hosts a different kind of meeting.

In the room: Edward Teller, who will build the hydrogen bomb. Joseph Kaplan, who knows the upper atmosphere better than almost anyone alive. Lincoln LaPaz, the nation’s foremost meteor expert. Military brass. Security officials. Scientists who’ve spent their careers demanding proof.

They’re not here to debate whether green fireballs exist.

They all know they exist.

They’ve seen them.

Almost everyone in the room has personally watched a brilliant green light streak across the New Mexico sky. Flat trajectory. Wrong behavior for a meteor. Always near the nuclear facilities.

The question isn’t IF.

The question is WHAT.

What are the green fireballs?

Teller listens. Kaplan analyzes. LaPaz presents his data - triangulated paths, calculated speeds, impossible trajectories.

Not meteors. He’s the expert. He would know.

But if not meteors, then what?

The conference concludes: “A natural phenomenon of some kind.”

But what kind? They don’t know. They recommend more study. Project Twinkle will try to photograph them.

The green fireballs keep coming.

Over Los Alamos. Over Sandia. Over Kirtland. Over the places where America builds its nuclear weapons.

Watching.

The greatest scientific minds of the atomic age gathered in a room.

They all agreed the phenomenon was real.

They couldn’t explain it.

Neither could anyone else.

The Los Alamos Green Fireball Conference.

Top secret then.

Still mysterious now.

The fireballs kept coming.

And no one ever found out what they were.