Throughline (NPR)

Episode: What Happened to Vladimir Alexandrov?

Hosts: Rund Abdelfatah and Ramtin Arablouei
Guest: Andrew Revkin (science journalist)
Date: November 25, 2025

Overview

This Throughline episode explores the mysterious disappearance of Soviet scientist Vladimir Alexandrov, known as the USSR’s “face” of nuclear winter theory in the 1980s. Through interviews with science journalist Andrew Revkin and archival reports, Rund and Ramtin unpack Alexandrov’s sudden vanishing during a work trip to Spain, examine Cold War-era scientific diplomacy, and investigate the web of theories surrounding his fate. The episode shifts from chronicling a towering figure in the peace movement to a shadowy true-crime mystery, reflecting on the unsolved case and what it says about science, secrecy, and international intrigue during the final years of the Cold War.

Key Discussion Points & Insights

1. The Rise of Nuclear Winter Theory

• [01:24] Rund Abdelfatah outlines the context: “Earlier this year, I worked with producer Christina Kim... about nuclear winter theory, which is the idea that if every world power that had nukes started to actually use them, the world would descend into nuclear winter. Think the end of the world a la the end of the dinosaurs.”
• Carl Sagan popularized the theory in the West, warning of global catastrophe if nuclear war broke out.
• Sagan’s approach: part scientist, part poet, deeply influential in communicating science to the public.
  • Memorable Sagan quote [01:35]: “A new consciousness is developing which sees the Earth as a single organism and recognizes that an organism at war with itself is doomed.”

2. Vladimir Alexandrov: The Soviet Sagan

• [02:21] The hosts introduce Vladimir Alexandrov as Sagan’s Soviet counterpart—a gifted, bilingual atmospheric scientist who became the USSR’s nuclear winter spokesperson.
• Alexandrov’s appeal: "tall and charismatic, ...a craving for barbecued spare ribs and hamburgers, and a taste for Western films and popular novels.” [06:30]
• Alexandrov and Sagan partnered internationally to warn against nuclear war, even testifying in front of Congress and communicating with the Pope.
• Science was both a tool of the Cold War arms race and a bridge for US-USSR diplomacy, with Alexandrov at the center.

3. Alexandrov’s Mysterious Disappearance

• In March 1985, Alexandrov traveled to Cordoba, Spain, for a Nuclear Free Zone conference.
  • [08:48] His mission: working with mayors from nuclear cities “that wanted to declare that we won’t house nuclear weapons...”
• Anomalous behavior: Alexandrov, established as a moderate drinker, was observed intoxicated and distressed:
  • Immediately after landing, he insisted on visiting a bar before the drive to Cordoba.
  • During the conference: “He was found by Spanish police lying in the street, unconscious. His friends later tell [Revkin], this is not like Alexandrov.” [09:40]
  • Witnesses describe him as “drunk throughout the three days...refuses to talk to the press.” [10:01]
• When the conference ended, confusion ensued:
  • Instead of returning directly to the airport, Alexandrov is shuttled (sometimes forcibly) to a hotel associated with the Soviet Embassy.
  • Unclear if he stayed the night; he vanished without a trace, his belongings later collected by Soviet officials. [11:17]

4. Investigation and Theories

• [12:03] It was Alexandrov's American colleagues, not Spanish authorities, who first raised the alarm.
• Journalist Andrew Revkin investigated, but the case remained murky with multiple dead ends.
  • “There were a lot of questions and ideas of what exactly had happened.” [12:41]
• Theories include:
  • Cuban security operatives may have been too heavy-handed in detaining him [12:45].
  • Alexandrov defected to the West and staged his disappearance [12:52].
  • He was killed by Soviet agents concerned about his knowledge or Western sympathies [13:19].
  • Other possibilities: professional or political rivalry, mental breakdown from pressure.

5. Espionage and Cold War Paranoia

• Late in his career, Alexandrov’s US visa contained a warning—"he should have no access to supercomputers"—raising suspicion about espionage. [14:18]
• Andrew Revkin: “Someone within the United States government was starting to get concerned about his level of access to technology.”
• Both US and Soviet authorities may have feared he was leaking secrets, raising questions about his safety and ultimate fate.

6. Aftermath, Unanswered Questions, and Lingering Mystery

• [15:51] “In the end, there’s always more questions than answers.” Revkin’s report a year later remains inconclusive, but Russian media bristled at his implication of possible Soviet involvement.
  • “They thought my implications...that he had been kidnapped and perhaps murdered or accidentally killed by Russian operatives...they didn’t like that very much.” [16:08]
• Alexandrov has never been found, and his fate remains one of Cold War science’s biggest mysteries.
• Revkin continues to pursue leads (recently with a British documentary team) but the case remains unsolved.

Notable Quotes & Memorable Moments

• Carl Sagan, on human unity, [01:35]:
  “A new consciousness is developing which sees the Earth as a single organism and recognizes that an organism at war with itself is doomed.”
• Revkin describing Alexandrov’s status, [06:24]:
  “He was sort of groomed to be the public face of this issue.”
• On the oddity of Alexandrov’s behavior in Spain, [09:40]:
  "I've tossed a few vodkas down with him on occasion, but he certainly was not a heavy drinker." – Bob Sesse, atmospheric scientist
• The finality of disappearance, [13:19]:
  “My gut feeling, I think I’m fairly safe in saying we will never hear from him again or see him again. Everything leads to him being killed for reasons that can only be examined and not nailed down firmly.” – Bob Chevrin, American scientist
• On Cold War suspicions, [14:18]:
  “There was a telling moment late in his life, just before he vanished, actually, when the visa he was granted for his last visit...was marked he should have no access to supercomputers.”
• Revkin on the persistent mystery, [16:08]:
  “They thought that my implications in my article on Alexandrov that he had been kidnapped and perhaps murdered or accidentally killed by the by Russian operatives—they didn’t like that very much.”

Timestamps for Important Segments

• [01:24] — Rund introduces nuclear winter theory and Carl Sagan’s legacy.
• [02:21] — Alexandrov is introduced; Revkin’s reporting recalled.
• [06:18-07:17] — Alexandrov’s public profile and partnership with Sagan.
• [08:30-11:17] — Timeline and details of Alexandrov’s trip to Spain and subsequent disappearance.
• [12:03] — Revelation that only his American colleagues were concerned and began the search.
• [12:41-13:19] — Possible explanations, from espionage to fatal mishap.
• [14:15-15:29] — Espionage, US-Soviet suspicions, and limits placed on Alexandrov’s access to technology.
• [16:08-16:31] — Revkin on official Russian reaction and unresolved nature of the case.

Conclusion

The episode skillfully blends historical context, true-crime intrigue, and Cold War paranoia to explore the void left by Vladimir Alexandrov’s disappearance. Despite the efforts of journalists and friends, his fate is still an enigma, exposing how the intersection of science, state power, and secrecy can erase even the most prominent figures. As Andrew Revkin continues following the mystery decades later, the story acts as a chilling reminder: some Cold War secrets may never be uncovered.