A REMARKABLE STATEMENT.

Hokitika Guardian, 28 January 1920, Page 3

A REMARKABLE STATEMENT.

A WIRELESS PUZZLE.

(By Electric Telegraph—Copyright.i

(Received this day at 8.40 a.m.) LONDON, Jan. 26

The “Daily Mail” gives publicity to ( a remarkable statement made By Professor Marconi. Its purport is that for some time past wireless operators by day and night were puzzled by inter- | ruptions to the signals, taking the form of meaningless communications of letters, sounds not confined to any country nor continent, and they are heard simndtaneous'l/y in London and New York. Marconi describes the very queer sounds, which from indications might come from somewhere outside the earth. Some letters particularly occur with the greatest frequency.. In no case yet has anything been picked up that is translatable as a definite message. The combinations are of identical intensity, and seem to emanate from the greatest of distances. They have not the slightest proof of origin, and they are possibly due to natural electrical disturbances such as an eruption in the Sun.

Asked if it were possible that another planet was ateinpting to communicate with the Earth, Marconi replied : ' I cannot rule out the possibility, but there is no proof. The strange sounds are not confined to any particular period, and are as frequent in the day as at night. The phenomena, was first noticed prior to the war, which suspended further investigations of the cause.”

THEORY OF SPACE. * (Received this day at 9.30 a.m.) LONDON, Jan. 26

-The “Daily Mail,” discussing the sun theory in relation to Marconi’s statement, says it is difficult to see in that case why special letters should recur with special frequency. Regarding the other two possible sources, the moon and Mars, the paper quotes Professor Soddy’s cabled theory that the Moon is not dead. Professor Pickering caused extraordinary interest in America by his recent announcement that he saw signs of life in the Moon. Discussing Professor Lowell’s, and other theories in reference to the existence of life in Mars, the “Mail” asks: “ Are we on the threshold of the most tremendous discovery of the human race, that somewhere in what lias been thought of a vast interminable emptiness of space, other beings existed.