Evidence · Marconi scientists' deaths, 1982–1990
The list grew from three Marconi deaths to thirty, mostly from other employers
Contemporary reports count three Marconi deaths in April 1987, six by 7 April 1987, eight by March 1988, thirteen by August 1988 and at least sixteen by October 1988; Collins's 1990 book made it 25 and a 1998 retrospective 30. Of the 27 people named on the lists, 8 were GEC employees; 3 did not die, 1 was murdered by an unconnected offender and 1 was a journalist killed in Chile.
What it means
Key questionWho is on the list of "Marconi scientists", and how was the list put together?
No answer ahead yet
Openwas No evidence yet
Answer this evidence bears onA press-built list of mixed cases, a third of them Marconi staff
Supports1 for, none against
Still possiblewas No evidence yet
What it implies
- The 'Marconi scientists' are mostly not Marconi staff and not all scientists, and several did not die by the means implied.For the key question: Who is on the list of "Marconi scientists", and how was the list put together?
- Because the list was gathered from the whole defence sector, the right denominator is that sector, which makes an excess even less likely.For: Were there more deaths among British defence scientists and engineers in 1982–1990 than ordinary death rates would produce?
Next steps 1
1
Check Collins's Open Verdict against the case table
Adds evidenceGood odds~8 h
15score
Details
Get a copy of Tony Collins, Open Verdict (1990), and check each of the 15 'unverified' verdicts in the case table against it.
Ranked by how likely each is to move the key question, for the time it takes
Sources 8
Another defence scientist dies
SRCNZPA-AAP 1988
Eighth British boffin dies oddly
SRCNZPA-Reuter 1988
Pentagon wants to investigate scientists mystery
SRCNZPA-AP 1988
Sixth scientist found dead
SRCNZPA-PA 1987
The mystery of the Marconi boffins
SRCRogerson 1998
Cite it
Mysteries Department. (2026). The list grew from three Marconi deaths to thirty, mostly from other employers [Evidence EVD0DGGCPGJB4M1]. https://mysteriesdept.com/r/EVD0DGGCPGJB4M1
@misc{mysteriesdept_evd0dggcpgjb4m1,
title = {The list grew from three Marconi deaths to thirty, mostly from other employers},
author = {{Mysteries Department}},
year = {2026},
note = {Evidence, catalog key EVD0DGGCPGJB4M1},
url = {https://mysteriesdept.com/r/EVD0DGGCPGJB4M1}
}