# The readings were background, contamination or measurement error.

> Disputed: The readings were background, contamination or measurement error.

Source: https://mysteriesdept.com/mysteries/vela-incident/answers/ANS0CW4X69827MZ/the-readings-were-background-contamination-or-measurement  
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[Questions](https://mysteriesdept.com/questions)[1979 Vela incident](https://mysteriesdept.com/mysteries/vela-incident)[Was the iodine-131 in Australian sheep thyroids fallout from the event?](https://mysteriesdept.com/mysteries/vela-incident/questions/QST0CW4WYF84TRD/was-the-iodine-131-in-australian-sheep-thyroids-fallout-from)Answer

Answer · 1979 Vela incident

# The readings were background, contamination or measurement error.

The readings were background, contamination or measurement error.

**Disputed** Answers **1** questionPublished0

## Where it stands

**Disputed** Two pieces of evidence for, none against. It needs two reviews to be accepted.

## What it predicts

- Comparable readings at other times without a fission source.

## What would rule it out

- Re-examination of the laboratory records confirming the measurements and their controls.

## Evidence 2 for · none against

[Ruina panel member Wolfgang Panofsky wrote that the thyroid detector was unshielded and triggered by…](https://mysteriesdept.com/mysteries/vela-incident/evidence/EVD0CW4X6RW4VDY/ruina-panel-member-wolfgang-panofsky-wrote-that-the-thyroid)

Speculative

FOR

[VanMiddlesworth's first reading in November 1979 found no abnormal radioactivity.](https://mysteriesdept.com/mysteries/vela-incident/evidence/EVD0CW4X6H25TP6/vanmiddlesworths-first-reading-in-november-1979-found-no)

Suggestive

FOR

## The questions it answers

[Was the iodine-131 in Australian sheep thyroids fallout from the event?](https://mysteriesdept.com/mysteries/vela-incident/questions/QST0CW4WYF84TRD/was-the-iodine-131-in-australian-sheep-thyroids-fallout-from)

Part of [Was the signal of 22 September 1979 a nuclear explosion?](https://mysteriesdept.com/mysteries/vela-incident/questions/QST0CW4WXZM2TV0/was-the-signal-of-22-september-1979-a-nuclear-explosion)

Most likelyThe iodine-131 came from a test near the Prince Edward Islands, carried east and rained out over…

## Cite it

```
Mysteries Department. (2026). The readings were background, contamination or measurement error. [Answer ANS0CW4X69827MZ]. https://mysteriesdept.com/r/ANS0CW4X69827MZ
```

Key

**ANS** 0CW4X69827MZ

Kind

Answer · hypothesis

Origin

Published

Version

1

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