Story Archive

Did Someone Meth Up?

Was the explosion at a federal laboratory in Gaithersburg, Md., the result of groundbreaking research on a top-secret government project? Actually, officials say the chemicals found in a room designed for “combustion research” were the sort of thing someone might use to make methamphetamines — and they’re investigating the former head of the National Institute of Standards and Technology campus’s police. The officer was the only person injured in the explosion, and he promptly resigned. He hasn’t been charged, but Rep. Lamar Smith, whose committee is looking into the blast, said “it is becoming clear we must better monitor those with access to our nation’s high-tech research facilities.” (AC/Washington Post, WRC Washington) ...Trust Congress to prevent anyone in government from developing speed.