The issue focused on NASA's astrophysics laboratory near Goddard Space Flight Center in Maryland. Scientists working there noticed unusual disturbances that weren't occurring elsewhere on Earth. Researchers traced them back to heating caused by radioactive plutonium emitted during experiments involving neutron detectors at the reactor. They detected gamma rays coming from underground laboratories across the United States and scientists suspected underground labs might have exploded after detonating waste bombs or detonated explosives designed to disperse plutonium particles into the atmosphere. However, scientists discovered radiation readings remained steady despite explosions occurring hundreds of miles away