THE POETRY OF SCIENCE.

Dominion, Volume 3, Issue 697, 23 December 1909, Page 8

THE POETRY OF SCIENCE.

WITH SOME OF ITS. STERN PROSE. - : '.-- : '■'•:-■■'• .r". ;.:L- ;■•;:■■;■ "'"' ';■■'■ ;;■;■; '; (By. Professor A. W. Bickerton.); .' •..' . No .fairy ",tiilo. of. the r ipast, , . 11b ■ exuberant Oriental romance, is comparable with' the.:wonder and "the bqauty of lnpdern.scionce.', '..'., ; .On'the one hand, the vast globe on which we live is-shown; to bo.but a speck of cosmic dust -in:.-an iinmcnsurablo uniiferse. that/consists of■raillipns..of ; blafing..suns ) .each; perchance th(s: centre of/a system- of-worlds upon which' .his bestowing-' life : upon tho planet that is. our dwelling-place. On. tho other ; hand,- a' pinch'.'of .'infusorial oartli.-dis-closes- worlds' ;,of/, 'exquisite 'beauty;' shows.- us myriads of; Inoe-liko' specks' of., silica called diatoms.- Each diatom is built of countless'complex molecules, that themselves are mado up of.' tiny : : atom's,.'the details' 'of; whose, amazing, structure is'.eyeir. being unfolded to' us by our> own Eutherford and his able group, of industrious co-workers. Those lace-like specks of flint were once the abode of organic life; they were, inhabited by minute , masses of • protoplasmic jelly in : 'bags, each'an organic cell. All living beings," whether , animal or vegetable, whether low ''or..high .on the organic, scale, are made up of. these bags of jelly,'which we have, spoken 'of 'as- cells."The- vegetable cell protected ■itself ; '.with a' layer of 'cellulose i/became ■ exclusive ■ and ■ isolated, and bo , remained a the grower of food : for the aninial cells; which -coalesced .and loved and pulsated with the"joy >6f xomraunion. Groups of'such cells built tho brain of Shakespeare or a Kepler, ; and-built tho very'men themselves; Men are'but vast communities 'of living, pul r sating'.cells,'many of them 'seemiug to have, consciousness and able to' organise . themselves into armies," and'gather to the fray to devour tho invading cells' of disease that may.threaten the weU-boing'bf .their, host, the man in'which they live and of; which'they .are integral parts All tho molecules of which 'these animated cells are' built, , 'lire themselves organised companies of atoms','which tqgether'mako up the vast-army of atoms of which the cell itself is built; ••■■■■■••■"•='::■:--■■'':■ v ' ■■:"'- '■' " ' /'. - ; '' '

"■' All- matter, whether-' dead-..'flint,' 'exclusive vegetable,-bt impulsive animal, is. made up of countless of these minuto jiarticles we have called atoms. beings they are. One thinks Of ,a" dooE-nail .asa dead thing, yet its atoms are' so'-full 'of mofion:';and:qf;'siich oomplex'structuro that J one could imagine the veryV atoms, themselves ■ toi'be - - aliye,": AlUiough all- the- atpms'-of the ■•■same'.-elementary sub-stances-are alike,' there aro: scores" of different ■kinds o'fVeiements, - and;the atoms'; of -every different\cleineiit;, are generally- quite dis-simildr one from - another. . Most ato.ms. cling, to' atoms. They arc muchilike men; they lbye-and' marry, quarrel and fight; are full of , schemes and. subterfugesi; They, form:groups,,sometimes 'consisting of a few^atoms, 1 sometimes'of a vast.iiumbor: ;■ Each- '6f'these.- atomicV : gr6nps' we call- a molecule.:•■The-five-now elements'.found ,b'y.,Sir W. -Edmsiiy. in, the' - air never; group; -they- aro always unwedded, isolated' atoms, with no' affinities' at -all;': aloof, superior eloraerits : 'with. no frailties.■ and.' iio : more -tendency tq : sinythan a .plaster./casti calm .elements••'tho single atom isa mple'cule.i; Others atoms,differ in-their tendency to cling,, and diifer much in the strength 'with which they cling to fellow' atoms/. -Generally the more unliko they arb tho stronger they hold one: another. The atoms seem to lave hands, differing-' in number;in different'elements.; Some,.'such as hydrogen, have s only ono"hand;''Eome, as chlorine, havo as many as sevep: Thoy differ, too; in weight; the atoms of/some elements r weigh more'tnan two hundred times as ] much- as those of Mother elements.-'Som.e of.-the. elementary..'atoms are. ,th'e:merest-.'dwarfs; 'others aTisolute giants, Goliaths : in"waf;'heavy'fo'rwards in the game of

life; ■•'•••■'• :'i ; '- >-.'- '■■■<•■- '• '■ ■■'■ : : v - '■''!'■ • : ;. i Atoms not.only, cling toMother.kinds ofoitoms, but ■■ atoms ;■ that : ; are. alike cling/ to' one ''another, although 'the hold is ' weak. Atoms somewhat alike also loosely hold .one another. But'oppqsite: .kinds, ; :very- negative, : and;! very positive atoms, hold'one'another with' a-'grasp ■te'n ! .times the,-strength'lbf/steel.'■ Thesis•.upions. L aro : ' no mere", penal xontracts, but.uhionsi'of.passionato; affinity, of-almost inseparable chastity. ' :;'.'■' The Atoms in a Postage; Stamp. ■ \ ; ' v ■. ',' Let -us' take. any. small.piece of matter, eay a postage stamp, - and examine it.; Imagine it magnified -until-it-covers'a great'city.. Then were; we:-.to: look--'at- it ;with a -powerful microsebpb," .weV.shbukh.see . the. surging,.'.vibrating. atoms (of - which 1 !t is" built. -We should see long strings ' of carbon; particles, I ' each with .four hands, all but,'the end-ones/holding two' follow carbon atoms with each/ ■Wβ should see about twice .'as' many hydrogen, as' carbon atoms', ;each.- hydrogen • only ; one hand' with: which it. holds"somewhat loosely one of; the.disengaged.,hands,;bf' the. carbon. These molecular strings' are all much; alike. There is some-variety in'.the strings .that make up .the paper .and .make 'up..the colour of the picture,,.but'the strings .that make 'up tho gum are all exactly alike? Evejry string, has hydrogen atoms at each endj but at'one end an oxygen atom having-.two'hands is-separating: the end hydrogen from : the'string of carbon atoms; ~'■ .-.-; Tjie only ■ hand' pf ;.the end hydrogen atom is' very I'firmly", held'by.. one.of .the -..fojo hands of. "oxjrgen:vJ.-The''.!hydrogen ' atoms' are'; only-; on frieniUyi-'termsrwith'.. carbon;';-and hold,-, it lightly,: but.: they are in love with oxygen, and the." union'isVan'almost inseparable one.;' But carbon'-loves.. Pxygen'also,'.only not,-so. well as. hvdrpgeri'doee.Veo-the'oxygen'atom stands with' one -.hand tightly, locked in- that. of /its. : loved mate, ■ the : carbon atom. The two-handed oxygen, ie' a-general favourite, and-is .loved by nearly; all .the,bhemical;.elements;- and on; these; lovia.matches, these' strong /irnions which-we callchemical' depeud' -the wartnth'of our,"fires,' : the 'li?ht 'of. our-'lamps,;tho : power.of i our' engines;- arid- onr' very. Lite -itself. -" .• V. ■ ■It is very.-.important, 'to' differentiate between the, slight .hold,- that .-.links together the atoms in organic 'molecules'- and --the , - tremendous Strength of the iunion' of;'.oxygen': when"': wedded to'hydrogeni'tb metals or to-carbon. ;Upon these unions depends most; of .the energy of food, ; of fuel,;,bf.'explosives;and:of;'storage-batteries.-. ■' . ::' let .'us' now'buTnour 'postage-stamp, and let the ■•flame drive , a little reaction-'steam-'engine; quickly'Hh'b'.paper. ■is'vburnt'.away,-.a11.. eaye-'ca delicate ! whitp-'ash.' ; , Whilst- it-Vis; -blazing: the beafl-like molecular.strings of the : organic* material ;oE. : which; the- stamp is built are pulkd'to pieces'by'the 'oxygen of -the air.. v ,;' : i' ; : ■; ■' -Air; is a-ryery-real'.thing; wS" cannot .see.- it, but.in- a ; tornado'';it may-knock, us , down or. blow us.over'aihouse,- or.'even blow the.;house itself: away.' -.The; air. contains our two-armed atomvoxygen, and;;thero'-are fonr, times '.is many - .a', bachelor-ljke element called nitrogen: '■";'Nitrogen'; is; not 'so-exoluslve, not'so confirmed a bachelor.as,tho.raieconsti■tuents of'the-lair,-: that-.;-Sir .William.Eamsay 'found 'in it a fewTyears. ago, ".and .'that, I; have named. "C"oa,inic'.'-' Pioneer's;. . ;_Though -nitrogeii is never' passionately in love, it-is:not:;analtp-gether'unfriendly.'atom,,.and. has many most dainty, affinities; irieyer very, strong l . bit;very separate -fairr.tale could:i;be devoted to.,this'complex atom that is an essential: constituent -of 'the molecules upon'.-.which. ffie; 'life 1 , both >• of.,;plant..aiy.l' animal: 'depends.. ■But nitrogen; docs'not- play .any "great.- ; part in pur present-story. • If.riitrogen wore'not - in the: , air we"coul<t' not use ■' an , ' iron ■ poker,.. for when it was hot-it would burn away, -throwing off sparks \liko a .brilliant gerbe.: It does not so burn away'because four atoms of .pas--sivo nitrogen stand eentinel over each.'.imp'ul? siye oxygen.'atonic' But in-.a.fierce fire .the oxy--gen' brushes''away his. four .; guardians''. and rushes to .his; , fate.' The'; energy I ', of hisembrace is so great as ; to produce a fiery.klow, often is so white l hot-that the iron pillars of fireproof' buildings.. burn., like ■ brilliant; fireworks..,, .-..,. •'-""..-■'"..■■'. " -.' •.-■.■■• ■- '.'•■■.•■, : •.'.'■■ -■■-■':■ Dancing Merrily.. ; • .- ' ' . :.' As our -postaße ! stamp, biuns, each -.oxycen atom snatches": away. a" pair of;; hydrogen" atoms, and," holding,! one in .each; hand,', escapes the scene;-each,set of sunlight;,' and- vio : say "that -molecules of water have been;-formed ' and- 'become ■'steam. Hold a. .bit of , cold, bright s'teel over-the b'urning 'paper and'instantly the "slow-.inotipn of the steel particles. chills , the- myriads- of "dancing water. ittolecßles,:;aiid they huddle together and lie- shivering on the cold st*el. "forming. (jew : which'(hills. , the.polishe'd : motaL; But'there aid not eiiotigh : pairs ofNnydrogen ; -fpr■'•all l the oxygen. 7 and '• so -.countless myriads of" qxveen atoms-havo themselves irith linking up with -carbon. V But carbon' has four hands and oxygen':' only !, two, so :■'; pairs ;'of. these \lato comers have to share a.-carbon mate between them, -instead of each having two hydrogen mates. ; These ■;new. iu"olecules. : we call carbonio acid. The.new group does not condense on the cold steel; but continues to-dance in the sunlight untii, 'perchance, it.'.reaches -the.-'gar-den.' Then it-may enter into the'pores of :a leaf, 'and : thexe the strong power of the sun-; light;deprives'the oxygen 01 its carbon mate and , .each; disconsolate oxygen atom- seizes a fellow-oxygoji: atom 'by , both hands and mixes again with'its fellows in 'the atmosphere..The carbPn.atomj ; having .lost" its.' : l6ved. oxygen, links itself-again/in tho of; f rilindship ■ with other atoms and with - the hydro,'gen, atom's that, thesun has also torn: from tneir" oxygen , mates.: Tho carbon-joins up not only with hydrogen, from- water bnt with'nitrogen and other, constituents; -; These compound molecules perchance may '[ gl\« colour ; - to' tho :: rose,- ; perfume' to' the violet, taste to the liiuscat'. grapcr'miiy -become the medicinal nuini.-ie, or, "on-the other'hand, tho yoontn of- henbane br - the'*bad \od«uj. of-aasMoiidita; •'?-Suxelj[; , : a.

wonderful laboratory is the green loaf when tho skilfnl artisans, the solar rays, are doing their marvellous work. Great Contrast. . ■ - '■'. ' Thcro is great contrast between organic and other, molecules.., All, tho atoms, in orgauio molecules iqrm complex compounds, held only by'bonds of friendship, easily torn to pieces by. the strong affinities, of negative.elements liko oxygen and chlorine. ;.And when their marriages tako place and .simple compounds liko water, and carbonic, acid:, are formed, much heat is produced. So wo say tho organic friendship groups hold potential energy, which becomes heat when they form tho permanent lovo unions. In past ages those wonder-working leaves - elaborated resinous spores, and those were buried under deep layers of earthy strata, were subject to heat and pressure, aud' became bituminous coal. Now_ this-coal ■ drives'our. engines, as.- tho burning postage: stamp drove our little steam motor."; Jt'hiis ■ the'- energy of. tho solar rays lies : latent _as potential l energy ,in : coal, in petroleum, and exists in wood and paper, and in'.niost organic molecules. This potential energy becomes'active energy.as heat or molecular, motion, and this energy of motion weaves our -clothes, lights" our homes, and does our heavy.'work. Or'suppose we eat'the luscious ■muscat grape; the burning of' the carbon of the grape may "givo-us Iho energy to think great thoughts ■ and do: noble deeds. And if we cannot • afford'the, grape, oatmeal will do the ' deed just as well, as many, a canny and poetic.' Scotchman , has demonstrated. And the power to, do. fiiich deeds'is thus traceable to solar- rays. - Whence comes, then,- the energy of sunlight? -- That, is -part of the tale we have to- tell.. ;It.' belongs . to , a;, .wonderful generalisation called the persistence of energy. ■ whilst the" idea' wo' havo been, debating' that all matter is made up of. little active particles, we call the atomic theory, the theory we now propose to-unfold iY called Constructive Impact.. The term means that the collision of■, celestial bodies and systems' aro not merely destructive, ' they are also great" building agencies that give rejuvenescence' to. ageing worlds,-decaying systems and dead suns. ■ One" leading idea is that: collisions do not- necessarily mean the aggregation-of all matter into one; vast orb, but that impacts aro often partial, .pvmg rise to an explosively hot, wonderful third body., Just as flint and steel strike off n spark, so two Brazing, suns strike off a hnlhant fragment that may bo of gigantic dimensions, apd of s'nchnn inconceivably high temperaturo ag to be unstable, arid to'largely Qissipate into... space as isolated ; ;atoins.., ■,"■'■ Ttie Landmarks.of Human Progress., . : , ;Great generilisations .such as those, mentioned, the Copernican system and the'- theory of organic, evolution, aro tho-permanerit landmarks of;..human progress, -j They -are- the CTound, work-of- accuratortthought..- , Gravitatipn, Kepler's laws;, the .atomic: theory," the doctrino, of the,conservation:bf-matter and of energy, all the-great , generalisations-all save I one is:, pointing to' perfection of tho cosmic scnemft.-;- ■;.' t. -•:'':■.: v '' -, •■- ■■ , .- 1 .- - ■ of.thermodynamics %%-»tS:- associated theory, of the' dissipation of onergy, is the exception. This, theory is gonerally. classified as the very great Bfnerahsations of- science. .It is ■: the reverse of t Sl° otters iivthiit'it gives, iis the: doctrine ? f ■ ftern? I :Death, , and: suggests .'a basic IE the cosmic scheme," a flaw' so deep-seated that-.it,.again, suggests tho possibility,of. endless other flaws;, so that men have grown to look upon pain and misery not in their true • light as indications of: error, but- as> inherent flaws of"an imperfect creation. Lord Kelvin's tremendous genius, backed: up .by his unanswered logic, has carried all before it. Tho opposing explanations of philisophers of the' calibre of Kanf, 'Spencer and HecknellV.were seen to be_unsound,:as were also-the similar attempts of scientists like Clausius and Eankin. h. ti'^ 11 ? 5 , of this dismal dungeon of thoughts, stood unshaken that; a thinker of, the calibre' of' Professor' Fitzgerald told me that, after six weeks' study, although he could vS*'-'h, 9 u W-.the theory .of cosmic rebirth, yet-the -theory, of dissipation' was -"in the Of TK is jt wasdifficult to-cast it;off. Thus tho v dismaK.doctfino.stood. There are few great physicists-.that'have believed ■'li'-'iv -S. IS be i lef s P, reaa: «ntil it permeated ■all- thought, and pessimism -became the prevailing,, sentiment. • Men asked seriously: '' Is .life worthl living? A thinker,of the , logical acumen: of .Huxley speaks of - life' as. the problem of _ the Sphynx, and suggests ..the advent awa the whole affair Tho 'theory _ of' constrnctive impact,': however; shows that the;'doctrine is not impregnabl! It snows, that -many phenomena have-been' overlooked in amying at the theory of dissipation of enerf!r,.,<Tho paper confuting the , accepted generalisation stands unanswered in the 'pages;, of "Philbsophical Magazine," the. journal edited by' Lord' Kelvin himself and he lias smeo told Professor, Butherford that he no longer held the theory in its cosmic application.: , > ..

The-fact is demonstrated up to the hilt that there is. the possibility of an Immortal Cosmos. There is no basic flaw in the cosmic mechanism.. .There-is,a mode of re-birth even for a decaying universe,, nnd rejuvenescence is a 9. m ?S h a cosmic as a' terrestrial fact. The scientific baas of pessimism is' swept away, and when this is ■ known men will buckle to the task of ■ discoverinc the' functions of pain and misery, and will, cfcrtainlr solyo the .problems, will' take steps for the' romoval" of Hhoir causes, and'mankind will march^hop^fnUTVfqmard.tpwarasV.its,birthright, a,hfe of joyous activity:' And this nut that contains, so. sweet a kernel, a-life'of-joy are' its casings- very difficult to : remove?.- 'Not .at all; they are numerous, but eachis'beautiful and .has.its: own" wonderful uses. ■'- ' " '■"• ■'■ ■.' The f miction- of'a fisvroi' them -wo' shall debate'insomo detail, others'can o'nly'be glanced' at. It is;tbe : basic ; idea .of- tho ■''third body,"' with its'wealth -of. suggestion, I 'we niust attack first./'- .•■••.'-• '; V .-.. .-': ■.-•.•■■, ':- '. ..-.: .-