THE POETRY OF SCIENCE.

Dominion, Volume 3, Issue 702, 30 December 1909, Page 9

THE POETRY OF SCIENCE.

; v\j>'(Br i^ : ■ ; /that'.'leadslytpi-'-. the,' cbriception,'::;,of'; ail ' "undying',:uniyerse.. ; :.S.HeraSwe.' shall "see 'the;;soheme,.pf:the..great Cosmic .Cycle' of, ;;Creatibri;>ssVsS;': \'S'- ; ';';S;;s;;/:S; s, }■}■/.<. -S- ---: ?iWe fiiayilj^explained \, that • 'all.: ; matteri : :,is;: i rflEd^■ : ;pf ./'atoms;;.;aud :v;that;Catoms Shave/their: likes 'ail .their, :.'dislikes;:Uheir, passions. I Sarid;'tnmd;rahtipath]es.^ : ibfi/a'Swdrld/dUtSpf: atbnis /Was; traced;.to/the'.:.compbllirig [power idf.sheatvsWe .have' imentlorigd/th'at;; according ;.'to, oho.: of ;the; : /greats {accepted ,);:doctrines,.;or',;/modern' ■ ;"soieric«T;thb::theqr'y,Sbf Ithe* dissipation of :energy^all,; variwies i'df jeriergy tend -to, ibe treduced. to /a/dead.; level: of '■uriif brm-; .'carry.. ;it,;"tb;-its;!logidal',,erid,SybuV cannot jescape ';tho; conclusion *fhat 'Jabsdliito"death', and; motion and'life'willsbe.'. the' 1 final.statd./of the-uiiiversb.;'; It,is;against Ithis.(intenseSpessimishi;''this .utter■ nega-. life,', .that I (advance ,'m J. be lief: in' an' Immortal •jlri .'.theSfirtt .jear :bf/ : this-century "the; ('astrdnpme'rs; bf ;the; NorthbrniHemisphero .Vere/rastdnished'ito .-see';'a'.brilliant-.. ; new. ;star;-%lt;swas' : in;; thd constellation 'Per-. ; 'Seeh; . : brightest:sstar,>iri;. the sheavensjStheriSit ;cbmriienCed,. tbi'.fadb :-aw : ay. /arid in -a few. riibnthM; itjwas; gone.-,; s s But Whilst -it. •lasted':giant.?..telescopes'. weta! Useds.tp' Pb-' servo-its 'progress,' -, Mnryellbus indeed ■: is ,:thb,Sßtbr'y/:'the.:, : as.h , dnoriiers.:.tell In ;the,'distarit.: ; .hqavens .'a.': star'/had ''explbdedi-. 'had/bTOirblpwn'into; "a'alortd; of -star" mist; ■-. ;it':_h'ad ■ beconib ,a':;vast ; ,mass ■ of ■: luiriinpu's: ; s;jlt'-, was/a':lrue'.nebula^'s:S;lt.Swns: ."spellings raiiidly'pillions/Pn-minion's.'bf; • milesSahiShoup. s,;,;rhd:.'h"eat/;df>Sthe; .im-. .pact.sh>dV.vo!atilised';lt.; , "/;lt.:jWasW :sboh:;presstjre,Varid:'s'o[ihbt';that;;the''forcß.: ;bf ! :;the.';explosibri:s : :tfas's;blbwjng : raebnja; ithat.s expanded/sd';'rapidly,,;'that ,thpJ,inyriadsparticlMaf;sghs:;bf:s.which' ,itSwas. : dpmppsedWbuldVsoori ,be .iridepend-! crit'; WaridbrersSin 'space! dipl'Midn.".-: tollsS: 'iisS;.that "m»st;.:be ;dusty;"withSmdlecuicsjsand,sit,' .tells ■ us; .a:^eW]deaVSmbrb/S'SThes'itars-.'jtell lis : muoh;ss':Men ; : ,oan T: :weighs-thß[[6urif-and::'thby,.'cari can measurb. : the,riiodri, /arid., the", sun, Sands they .'tollsiissthe'-siiri; a -'.3mllli6ii')'tiiH'*s v-tbo'L ybluifiiei.: of stheSc'arth,';: and:,, that'many :stars" are ;tHousa,nds:.bf:.tiriies::'the';'mass;,bf r ; thd,surir Sthe; star SinsPerseus?,;':-It. was; fa'; glowingiSsuri.'-S'The"';^ /th»;ibartn:'.was'.;a':; bonfire" thousands.;df> / times-; -tour :':pwri : ;sun,;: ;andjSniilliOhs.'idf ,'-^^times'/its'' yoittme.;:;-:'/:.;.;: '[pp.lJlJianf'of.jSuns^ /> Tbe, ;matbi'ial;;that,;,Werit;;'pff"'Was;asmiU tiujesStho/mass.of.'.'th'erearthiSarid.ftheSdisf:' . the; intensity; I'.'ofS.idy'namite.Sr.There./S'ab-: , p;eab'''to,;be..'absolut«ly';;dhlyvbne' source ;bf: cdllisibriSS of All S:scienHsts, SSall 'philPsbphejcs ? , y 'adhiits;thes'probability:.. o f /SuchSbollisibrisis'andssa VstiidySs'(if-s;the r [gfbblerii *bf .[thd;' prigiri mewi.ari'd j.temiibrarysstars;' .'CollisionsSof: rshiis:i'ar6, ; Eb;vpowerfur;:'a;';buUding.">to that, itho'iterm':'-Coristructjfb* 'Impabts;; is ;,thb'' , m'ost'fitting : dneSt6; t apply,:,to -.them; '■;,'. Ssbriibs snns; ;nfe:'iydung, r ; some;middrb-agbd.-jßpmqSyery; .of ?ibnd6rising;'.'star::mist;-' becom : /brightersfor,Jiriillioris/:bf;'years;'-thori/;they: ;.cpmriiense;itb:; : (!bol;';arid; ; lpspUhoirslurain-[ ' bsityyimtilS thbj-S are ;■; biigd £ dark- 'cinders/. PossiblySthb/'ideadiXsniiß '-'butnumber,;';;th'e /living;/! iuiriber;-Stli'e: "preseht; Jiyirif.vSPeadiSsuns: '.areindt,;;rnatter;; of -:'sp'eculatipri %v: WeSkripw; •of.' : these ; : ;bih'der.-'g%Ms,>;wei :ecripsing'thehi,i''/W.e;can;w,eighfHhbsb -Shcavy,.: as ; -[Ju.minpuVSsunS. ,; ; ;^ Spines : -in any ;bwn::sunV£But.fbecause';"they v Sare i S-rioft ,;luiriiriou!;;!;.therß: : is:;np/nced'v,/:tp;fc ■ them; uselesSi;s.Our';earth»was:'orice rS/glow-' ;iri^;,btb; ; i,Bhds.is'irib^'//but:'a ; ''.cinder[.bf'/its: /there': came.Va:time;;wbeu«i{;/;began'S';to Jcloth'e/itsolf Swithsi ; an[s inflOTesebneb j ijhatjdayelbped -until ipreseht'-: yvasSreaoKed;;;iirfil vmnn/'^^.with','.hisidiyirie' 'ajtribatb3sof;;-idbvb';;;ahd;:i;sympathy;i;afc' ;peared.;i;;^d;VValthb'ughS;; ! 6elfisnneKj ;r«gnS, ; V"i£/;^ {v/hi6h;'lus:ttueSn'atut,eiwill/.again/,e& ::whbn'; ; thb? ifirefeent.Spbssiriiistio;; brrbf/'-thb, Suris'.'./-s,'Justt-Sn's'.i-: : ihigherWdrgahi'c^ aslandsf^tfos4>;hiigb^odißs' !! jyThe JlMilky;fisayS] is'?a;:yuinmbuS|lbclt' naked ':-bye; : 'Hi -V.the:,;.visibl,eJ"rin.iyefsd,; italics u'ss.stheJsystenj vdf ywhibhsbcrsSiiiSis; ; bVsdduble'Sspiral {o'fiistafs/t'called'thb, '.galasy/vlf/'yivd ; : imaginb'san;'axis ;; ;to;;.this'': ■called i;nbb'Ulae;'':niai!y?'bf!*,them;S'beirig/ : bf'; ;esq-Uisito:s,; spiralj ;Siinilar[ :/v;erfe,''ithb}i;:eartht«;i;is,;i-b[n|t''fa' particlb'rbf': IthbJplra.ybE,! the'^ -aro^a:/thousand starsSirr .Thb;ijiiiS/are;; d£;;air old Sarid' :y:thesd';' : /'a'stroribnlers; SihoreSdead': .I'hese.'sunsiare m'pviri^; : iri;indotorriiinatb• lirTbits.in; : twp.;m^ I .bbsito.jvdirectiPns.f.'wU J.averag:' |. ing'ia'/thousa'n'd/tiineii^hatSof'an? express; StTain.s.XetSso;' distant. ;ai;eSthey.s thatswe - ; j c'an'/'.scaycelyS.seoSi.their'.'v ■ i'jinay; attract :dndthef, : Star,Ssway.-:it in' 1 its', l.oriward jflight'sandscurye -its ycoursb.Sarid.. ithis.i ;attractidn.'. miist'.' of ton: :bring \cl 1 pair.. |;riear;;bach ; .;;othbr/vsbmetimes';so: near'that; I ;theirs ; sinargins if graze/;S' S Wheriy I great ■ masses 'collide, at/all;, deeply,-, science Stella theory;': suggests's ? that .•suchA:a:^raze.;: ; ,that;, : caiisedSthe v brilliant. 'StaKlu'PerseusSfS's'p';;•-!; vV-'-TMs'; is ;the :^rst,:stepiSthatUeadsyus.td :i:;perfect;iyiew:-bf /the exquisite, str'uctnre ipf r ythb'luniversd; ,'-'ltsi3Vno'.:;lorigef:,n'ec'es- : ; .siry."-:tb;';%Kt'Sfbr',;tlid,;road;;that/leads ; to this's'step.jSscierttists'.; havo' [poncealed .so' ; iriuctytb ; "pfiposmisiyevolu-/tion;^;Darfc-:'6uris';'ai?e:; admitted : ; .tdS exist: in'sra'yriadsSby..^ idcaS'.of;.; feWrazingV; collision sis; common' |;prbperty!'v;sMnieSastrbnbniers:/havd Seven "placed /One :fpot;;biisthi9. r fir'st'..rung'.bf'the; ;,[ta'aili^A;sto^vW'A\ifinit>'ascend'y : 'vicwJthb lovely/ prospect'df:an' Immortal Cosm'd's;; 'and; sbb;all •' thb"perfect .[m'eohan-. i/ism'i'bf ;the rebirth^of'wbrlds,:.bf.-:suns, of; :Systfms,:;arid dfs.uniyerses.S/Personal ,con-; !-.tttbtfWith;.the;'minds'bf.mcri"';ofvthe' : -higli-' ;iri vthis,';thbpryS;is rdifHbult S to; 'surmount, sbs!:.wbvwiUsriot ,'lopkslightly/upoh/the. ;task.y:The, complete colliapn,of dead suns'.'.Would'result/.inytbeil.-'.coalescericoi /They '/would' '.bbSiritonsoly/hea ted. SSCbhr .se'quently/in the -place, of;.two;'dark""bin l .' •.dors,'; we., should - have .Van', .intensely, shot stfo.'/Thb.v collision, f 'abbula..of the tw'o'/impacting.:,bodies,Vuri-flcss'-'.heforp;'-they!s;begansto'.fallStogether :they had'u.yery :high velocity, in;spacp:... ;TKe'/T(iirti.'Bpdy."':[,;; y 1 If.'SfifisteadS;; ofS'complbtdly "colliding, •;thb;.twd;dark : brbs:grazed:So' : as : to 'strike .off ;a : 'sttth',.pff''babh,;then;tho.parts that .actrially.s.'struck jvi-puld -: coalesce'•'.into: a' kbwj.thlrd' body,; whilst' thfl-grawd dead - SUUs/would.; be carried j 011.; by. their:, tre-. /rdehdous/specd'-ahd.:^'■-"would': - pass ; each :othbr/:;eachiV:beirig;/Scarred::by/the/eri-; ..adUntef;.,'/(jf: these"wounded Vaeads'suns :,wb[sliall Ssp/bak'shortly.'.';'At '.first-we'shall : corideritratds all;; burs thought ytipbnV:/the pari's'jthnt ystbods;'in •: eaoh.' other's; way, ijvetiialiysstruok-eabh'/other/arid ywere cut -:'away.,' from /.the Vsiyiftly.S moving bodies.; This, isSth'e/eSseritial.'.poiht' in ■which this ;theory/ofscosrilib/evolutioni.differs from thb;: views/of .men 'of science generally.; v.

f:The speed of. nn-express 'train would, havd ' to;: be •' something . like: a, hundred:

'million ■ ijimes- its,'; ordinary ..power. to txprees ■ the .force.-.'with whicu the':erdie ;takes place.; ■'Arrhenius gives a. vekicity <3qual-.m energy, to over 500,000,000 times ■ that of ;tli0: fastest express,; train. Clearly itho''meeting 'parts"are "out: from;.'- the Wholo. '-Of. this •.thorb.-; can bo ;.rio.. rjuestion. ;\The .energy available Sis. l ; mahy. ; millioh; .tihics .greater .than; is The 1 ; parts, of.Seaoh that stood; in' each p.ther's-'way: and : . were.'out .off:Will,'bemme orie-'wbite'hot:;body;so. intensely heated.as-! to' explode; that"iis .the' : point to' be proven.:: This is. the strange' .thiiig, ■thnt'-a;;riiudh'.bigger' event, .■ a complete collision, v :is;.hot .an.explosion,' -whilst ;a partial v;impaot;''is. : :. : ; The. '..paradoxical fact .that a -part-'looks greater' than.the .ithoto.'is■■■ thu; thing, that 'stands; in .ihe ; ; ; Way ■df .; the,; comprehension and acceptance, of .'.this;';theory.-.: Nevertheless ■ it: is true. ./But' : there;.are .•liiaiiy ■, apparent paradoxes' in; astronoriy^:'!rhe..tenipera'tiire jpW/duced ;:by:';, two .'masses of .lead' •striking;eaohvother .depends ; ohS.the velocity .dustroyed,;' not. on; thdymass.. 1 ;',At .tho::samcSspeed'.a:ppund'Of lead; striking another 'pound: becomes exactlyithd-eume -tempera turo; as.:,two-ounces'' meeting or; two tohsimeetihg.':- ,If.the .'speed b6 the. ,same,], 'Clearlyv.this'is so/ If : we;had two. cartridjes'/bf -shot'/;'th«/ ; "iahio'..'.weight' as two aiid ;both':pairs ,; iif projectiles. met,, the;', lead-in;, the:;: two : projectiles would ;be equally ..hinted," '-To ieat twenty. founds lead.-.takes;: twentyj'iiimes' the .to' heat. oho ripuftd, but the .resulting. ieniperature-Js the same'.* If : a raih'-drop?fell so-far.as';to;be raised. 6ne.;degrce'. temperature 'on '■'~striking the 'earth,..-a^Mn.;:or:raindrops-would ibe iaisedj one dearso-in; falling the same dis-' tance;,:Now- ? 'into, contact,, suns" ■'Tfo'nld; get;up'jaj.velooity.'of'a. hundred or' so'-miles A setiou'di'-Jf the. earth','fell ,6'n the, siin-i.li, would.' acquii'e dvspeed 'incarly . : 4(W.,:miles^ l ;o;,,s^bnd.' l ;v:Ofv'Mttrs6V-'the'.' heavier the. suns jthat.struct each, other/ the.greater 'is'Jhe. speed. ;';§o' heavy, are : some ■ dead suns, 1 that : -a;; thousand - miles a ' second-.:m'ay.-.,notvbe.:anyunsusual': speed 'at':;the:impact.'"'j\-''..;:':i::: ; ::;:-:;;']'.':> ■;.;■■/.■; ■}' Blown^to' a" v-/;. '■ .;, f \ <-:\ : ;J;We : ; : have ■: seen-• that ?te'mperaturo : .;,de», pendsvon"speed,'; really- on the;,Squar&;'of . Speed, i ;Twice the speed "gives: f oiir times ;tho' temperature, : ten; times-;the , Bpeed; givesifajnundred; times the temperafuref. ;Hence;;we ,see' j ,that:!the'part struck; from.' grasiing/dead.'suri .wb'uld- be .hearly.as ■ Hot. as'; if.; the frhple .sun/.cpllided,: ohly > in; one. case, all 1 tbb;.tw6,-:suns::would-bo.:heated,.. hnd in,' ! the-;Braze::',bnly : :a;'part.s': So;' in; a Sraze , r of :.'.ohe-sixth:;.we''. have;a need' of.; one : sixth..:the;i~: total 1 -.vfelght, heated :to\<the';samei.y.temperaturef'as..:ifthero hadbeen'a complete collision;'. Now;, 'when' a^bddy.-'is ■'_ hot ■;■ its xiarticles.;.': are moving:-fast, ''Por 'aparticle'-'te ; '-be.;shot ; inpyej' 'more '■' than : .fifty as ;'f ast : : as. .to /escape ';tho, ; :;'earth.,'; So: : i:E thp -; earth, iveroas'holl'as.'thd's'un'itlwd'uld .iiothold /itself;;together. : ;',Evor'y atpinii.of : ;yfhich-it' was composed .•.would ily.;stfa).{rht 'off,' and thoscarth; wouldl : dissipate.:; If .the '.earth ,met. aho'tlier/similar>l)6dy, gping'ijat.xits present..speediVthe;;two: would.be : :so .hot ; they .would; bxplddefahdi'be.vblbvfa'-.tdu'a:-"nebula: ;;So"'iit .'asjsixth'i:were, cut' ; 'from colliding; dead;;iuns^^^^the^ -'w.eighj'.:!',of; this;. .;new,i-.bbay/:(wpUldvbo /be:; blowi^to'.' a nebular'Here,:-then,:is. a'ivera/causa,-an; | actuals indisputable/. Bcientifld -fact: ;:.'lf i 'a -pair ;'of :vdeadf.suns 'grazed'off/a-sniall: ratio ;::such-; :l .as "af'.sixthiM'the: Coalesced ' piece .absolutely .must', explode;' must .form j'a-.'brilliantJhew-;; star,','that'by.\ expansion .'osiiy;; .It.'would-be"b'lowFinto: a'/riebitla,' ,and after a' time its-light;, for '.its- particles.:;would-be dissipated:,as free .atoms - wandering. iii h« ■.?■». : v -1 .'suppose .therbVis."scarcely, ahVastrbno.hier living/,but;'■ ,would/ ; admit..;there'.;are .grazingiimpacts [Of/deadv.sUhs. '. : ,;Tet, T:althoUgh.able';.' mathemAticians;. ffiejt. .'often. 1 •know.-so;.- little \ of.':m'bl6cular.:thermody]: namics'i "■ '.and :,'th'e ,; : dynamical i": theory,. of: .^ases'.upon 'which'■'the/problemi depeiidsi. .that, they,-aTe' unable tb; explain i.tho'phe-; • nomenavof/•;nbw■;stars'^;: ..,:A ;/•/new^;; star. of'temporary. chafacter;:must i labsolutcly. iresult: /> - f rom -^;■ a . ;,;;:gteing;.';,? •. /impact;' .must'do soi:as : ,ceHainw ;as;an explosiPa will;' ,hot;:,pbker Sis: plunged';';'intoy/'a'y/'keg. ; :;-of'/:,gunpbwderi Simple /arid, certain as is-this, explftrtajfipnsof: a jthird.'.body: being ;produced>, in Hti'f vain-'.through 'all,' astronomical,' trea- ; ■tises for any'hint/bf.'.this obvious'.truth.-, iOri I'tho/bther vhahd;t'/; because;> ; a .;;;third i[bbdk "■;' is." present .many; rbctually; : reject 'the|iidea*..ot' stellar .impact, ".because •. it I'sbimS- .that:;,tbere. canvoftPii■■bb/threeibodies■"■concerned,'in. .the- ; "collision •'of:-'starsSS; never::; thinking 'that' tlie : : third 'body" observed is actually •: |.forracd,.from .tlve/collidirigi',twb..>'/S !; ',Ss>-: Uv^Yo ; are i ;hbw';:fairly'i: landed '/.oni':, the; ;firSt, stop: of ;tho'pyramid,' I ', .mit of which' this.:''VfbndrousVprospect.;o,f ;an.'Wmortal /Cosmos .'may- 'bb/'icleaily, .Seen.. : :>:*My/:;:.la^.'::'. ; readefs,;/I-beg_ ;pf/ybu, io; try,and'':give';';any,;'scientific, friend:you,' :'maf-kriow;s.'thiSv i firstsleiisbn::'iri; i -.tho '[theory'.'VdrVcosinio./'evo'.utipri;^:;everi ; /if -he ■vbteS;.ybusVibbre.v>:From;''this:: theory:: ';inust, be/forced ."upon 1 .'.the"scibritjfic. ivbrld; if 'mankind : isrtb .'escape itoisery 'of; the''j;pessimistic , ...preseht, : ■'; \vith- : ' acceptance-.'of 'remediable ;e-rils;ywith 'its-;llippant,-/cyii'icism;ahd';:its ' supine. /indifference/to." high/idealsi:";:;:;:: t; -A//A:; grazing '; i imp , act:,S,takes , r something' 'less■■thaii- an,hbu'r : ,tb/complete, itself;: and; -it'iis;aicurious;:mathematical ■'fact fthat; Cw'ith sunS of ■ equal : 'density" ; tlie; ; 6p'eed; ai;-, Quired by.,fnlling':'togeHier;is;pxactly'..pro-; iif it'is'sixitiineS/as'far thrbughi.itjie'cut: 'afcsix.itimes the'speed.jiHence.'.riew stars :'areialways foriued ih about:equal,times, 1 ' .'which, is:/rbughly;-: an ./hour.it-Miey. • g0.;.; on' li'ncreasihg in .bl'iUiancy;for::a.',day.;br/a ■week; '.then: by: diffusion; .become, plaribtary : I'liebulao,,which; will ■ largely/diSsipate intip' 'space./'.-,.But; the; differericdVih-'the'.oharr. .acteiv/'ahd ;';weight'::bf,>,atoms: ihtrodUCbßtnuch interesting'complex!ty.i that results. ;iiiV : wbndei'ful .;pheriomena;''isuch','a's .:the ;nieteoric.;swarms;,that'/the;ihe:.nuclei of; ; c'omets;.'arid-,also:such'lo'velySsystems 'as /ktar-'clusters. sjiy-.'-y- .;'::-.'■■'■.'■■';■..„'■• S/;'-? '■;.':[y