Eagle River resident Dr. Nick Begich has spent his professional life publishing books on the world of covert and military technology. He has published three on the topic, all of them highly detailed works covering military effects on sea life, invasions of privacy through technology, and the nature of trends in world policy. His most recent book, Earth Rising II: The Betrayal of Science, Society and the Soul, was published in June.

Begich lectures worldwide on the influence of technology on society, and has served as an expert witness.

Interviewed recently in his home, he spoke rapidly, moving from one scientific subject to the next - each one a mini expository on the unseen world of government agendas.

Begich is the eldest son of the late Alaska Sen. Nick Begich Sr. and political activist Pegge Begich, and brother of Anchorage Mayor Mark Begich. He earned his doctorate in tradtional medicine from the Sri Lanka-based Open International University of Complimentary Medicines.

"I was in Texas under obscure circumstances," he said of his time in the early 1980s at Texas Instruments, where he helped to build HARM missiles. "I told them I didn't know anything about electronics or missile technology, but they said I could learn."

In the early 1990s, he was working as a manager with the Anchorage School District when he read an article on the Alaska-based HAARP project, or High Frequency Active Auroral Research Project.

"I just couldn't believe what I was reading," Begich said. He then embarked on a journey of research, which culminated in his first book, "Angels don't play this HAARP," co-authored by freelance journalist Jeane Manning, and published by Earthpulse Press - a Begich-owned company - in 1995.

The book presents the project - billed by the U.S. Government as a tool to study the ionosphere - as a secret weapon.

"This is a significant amount of power," reads the book in chapter 16. "When beamed into a dynamic portion of the planet's upper atmosphere in order to create artificially controlled high energy interactions."

The book spawned speaking engagements in Europe, and in 1998, Begich was invited to Brussles, Belgium to debate NATO on the subject.

"What happened was Tom Spencer contacted the American Mission in Brussles, and contacted the Secretary General of NATO," he said. "Both of whom denied any detailed knowledge of HAARP, any detailed knowledge of ionospheric modification for weapons application which is the essence of what HAARP is."

Russian president Vladmir Putin this year announced opposition to the project on similar grounds.

Along with writing on advancing technologies, Begich also has his hand in developing it. He recently severed relations with Dr. Patrick Flanagan, recognized in the 1950s as a child prodigy in physics. Begich worked with Flanagan on nuerosonic technology.

"We demonstrated this new technology that can transfer sound energy directly into the nervous system," Begich said. "And I gave him $27,000 and said, 'Go ahead and develop the device, and I'll help you market it world wide and recoup my investment.' "

When the relationship went sour, Begich sued Flanagan for breach of contract, but later dropped the case.

"My wife and I decided it was better to just drop it and get on with our work," he said. "I told Flanagan to take the $27,000 and stick it where the sun don't shine, and we moved on."

Begich continues to develop the nuerosonic technology with the help of associates from Germany.

"When we dropped the case, my German friends called and asked 'Are you OK?'" Begich said. "They sent us $27,000 to get back on track, and now they're working with us on the project."

Begich said his friends will be in Alaska next month to demonstrate the device.

After the HAARP book, Begich and company published Earth Rising: The Revolution; toward a thousand years of peace, (Earthpulse Press, 2000) The book is an overview of existing technologies and their implications. In the book, he argues that technology has changed so dramatically, it is similar to the advent of gunpowder and the atomic bomb. He describes the book as a harbinger of world events.

"In that book, on page 10, we said that within a year the U.S. would unilaterally scuttle the (Anti Ballistic Missile) treaty," he said. President Bush in 2002 did in fact back out of the treaty.

Begich said his third book, Earth Rising II, was the hardest one to write. It was co-written by James Roderick, a close friend of Begich and co-founder of No HAARP, an activist group. Roderick passed away in August 2002, while the book was nearing completion.

"I cannot explain what Jim meant to me and my family with only words," Begich wrote in book's prologue. "He was like a brother.'

Begich said after the 9/11 attacks, they "pulled back, mainly to get a read on where the country was going."

The book presents technologies ranging from microwave weapons to cell phones, arguing that they all are affecting our health and morality.

"We have to know what these systems are," he said. "Every individual has to have some understanding of technology."

Begich plans to continue documenting technological advances and the implications it has on society. He argues that we must understand the future of technological weaponry and maintain good ties with our allies.

"Just because we're on top of technology today," he said, "given the rate of change and the repitity of change, if we don't maintain our international allies, we're going to find ourselves in a very bad position when the next innovation is brought about by a China or an Afganistan or someone else. Because it doesn't take Manhattan projects to develop the next superweapon. It takes guys in their garage, and that's already been demonstrated."

Reach the reporter at nzawicki@alaskastar.com