Sad is the appropriate acronym for a version of the winter blues called Seasonal Affective Disorder. It is a form of clinical depression allegedly associated with the lack of sunlight during the winter months. Current theories suggest that it is linked to the ability of the body to produce melatonin, a hormone which apparently helps us in some way to cope with the changing seasons. When it is in short supply, it seems, we just cannot cope with winter.
Some time ago, the Russians conceived a brilliant scheme to alleviate this ailment, which, naturally enough, seems to be most prevalent in the northern latitudes where some inhabited areas can be shrouded in complete darkness for six weeks or more in winter. The Russians' idea was to launch a fleet of giant mirrors into space, suitably orientated so that they would reflect the sunlight onto selected areas of darkness, producing thereby, extended periods of artificial daylight.
The first part of this experiment was due to take place on November 9th. A prototype parabolic mirror, 75 feet in diameter and orbiting about 250 miles above the Earth, would be focused in turn on several large cities in the northern hemisphere. At these selected cities, among them London, Brussels, Frankfurt, Kiev, Seattle and Quebec, the night sky would be illuminated for about five minutes by a disc 10 times as bright as a full Moon, and providing sufficient light to read a newspaper with ease.
A similar experiment was carried out in 1993, but the exercise was hampered by technical problems and by cloudy skies so that the light was barely visible from Earth. This time the Russians were more hopeful, and if successful, they planned to launch a fleet of such mirrors, intended regularly to illuminate SAD areas of the world. These mirrors, they said, could also be used illuminate special events, and to provide light for rescue operations following disasters.
As one might expect, environmentalists were aghast at this prospect of any tinkering with the natural scheme of things. They predicted a myriad of drastic consequences, ranging from an enhancement of global warming to serious interference with the sex life of plants and animals in the artificially illuminated northern latitudes.
But the latest news is that they need not have worried - for a while at any rate. The mirror, as it were, has "cracked from side to side". Russia's well-publicised economic problems have saved the day and resulted in the SAD experiment being cancel led, sine die, due to lack of funds.