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Provides background and analysis for a paper that attempts to explain what happened to the fragment of the object that exploded over Tunguska, Siberia in 1908. The paper by V.V. Svetsov found in the October 24, 1996 issue of `Nature'; The history of scientific research of the Tunguska explosion; The controversy between those who believe the object was a comet and those who believe it was an asteroid.

The author reflects on the move of Russian leaders to transform their old-line, industrial society into a modern, knowledge-based economy driven by innovative science and technology. The author states that Russian science is already lagging behind other nations due to the 2.6% research papers published between 2004 and 2008. The author infers the move of the scientists to sign an open letter to President Dmitry Medvedev and Prime Minister Vladimir Putin on the imminent collapse of its science.

The article focuses on souring relations between Russia and Western countries and how Russian President Vladimir Putin's isolationism and anti-Western rhetoric may negatively impact Russian science. It states Russian research institutes and universities have started to instruct scientists to gain permission from the Federal Security Services prior to submitting papers or giving talks at scientific conferences. It mentions concerns of foreign-funded foundations they could be placed on a list of undesirable organizations.

Reports that Russian researcher Igor Sutyagin and two of his colleagues were detained on October 27, 1999 by the Russian Federal Security Service. Searching of Sutyagin's apartment in Obninsk, Russia; Removal of papers and computers; Work nature of Sutyagin and colleague Joshua Handler.