Results of Dr. Steven Jones's and others' 2006 tests of WTC residues bring more puzzlement. A paper, updated 22 September 2006, describes, starting on page 29, the results of analysis of WTC collapse residues:
http://worldtradecentertruth.com/volume/20...even%20jones%22
A curious answer from the NIST FAQ sheet:
Q: Why wasn't the molten metal that was found tested?
A: The condition of the steel in the wreckage of the WTC towers (i.e., whether it was in a molten state or not) was irrelevant to the investigation of the collapse since it does not provide any conclusive information on the condition of the steel when the WTC towers were standing.
Another:
Q: Why didn't NIST consider a controlled demolition hypothesis?
A: Some 200 technical experts—including about 85 career NIST experts and 125 leading experts from the private sector and academia—reviewed tens of thousands of documents, interviewed more than 1,000 people, reviewed 7,000 segments of video footage and 7,000 photographs, analyzed 236 pieces of steel from the wreckage, performed laboratory tests
and sophisticated computer simulations of the sequence of events that occurred from the moment the aircraft struck the towers until they began to collapse. (emphasis added).
Wouldn't the actual physics of the collapse within the known times be somewhat important to validate the hypothesis?
Note this also:
"analyzed 236 pieces of steel from the wreckage, performed laboratory tests"
But later in another answer: Q: Was the steel tested for explosives or thermite residues? A: NIST did not test for the residue of these compounds in the steel.
But this is interesting about the long overdue report on WTC 7 collapse:
"NIST also is considering whether hypothetical blast events could have played a role in initiating the collapse. While NIST has found no evidence of a blast or controlled demolition event, NIST would like to determine the magnitude of hypothetical blast scenarios that could have led to the structural failure of one or more critical elements."
I actually have a lot of sympathy for the NIST's lack of initially investigating a controlled demolition theory - these are basically government employees who
were assigned the task of explaining the event, and even if the idea had been presented initially as part of a full investigation, all it probably would have required is one person in charge to dismiss it as too unlikely upon which to waste time and effort. Or perhaps they were ordered not to look into it in order to reduce the amount of "conspiracy theories" as President Bush so strangely included in his speech shortly after the attacks.
Interesting that explosives are now part of WTC 7 NIST investigation. I also find it quite interesting that although Dr. Jones's research does not conclusively prove demolition, there is also nothing to rule out that scenario - in fact, his latest research into the residue more strongly suggests thermite and its derivatives as having been used.