SCIENCE QUERIES.

Kaipara and Waitemata Echo, 4 September 1914, Page 8

SCIENCE QUERIES.

(l>y F.DGAII IAH'IEN LARK IN.) Q. -I take for granted that the earth is an enormous armature rotating in a magnetic field. We know that heat is produced in a j solid armature by eddy currents. ■ Would not these be developed in the ! earth and generate heat, steam ! and cause volcanoes ? I A.—The earth is a huge armature rotating at high speed in the sun's magnetic field. Masses of metal and metallic ores in the earth actually cut lines of magnetic force extending from the sun, and this cannot be done without generating heat and electricity. Mathematics proves that the materials in a cut-out sphere one thousand miles in diameter, as the central region of the earth, are far heavier than any rocks in the surface layers. The equations deduced by New-comb would all be satisfied if this central globe is as dense as gold or platinum. Therefore, beyond any doubt huge masses of metal exist in the earth. Q. —I cannot see why the law of conservation of energy should be either waste or economy. A. —There is neither waste nor economy. Energy is as indestructible as matter. No trace of waste anywhere, no economy. Nature does i not use a fraction more than ne- j cessary, nor less. The two words i "waste" and 'economy" cannot ap- j ply to the stupendous cosmic law, the conservation of energy. i Q. —Kindly inform me if man will • be able by use of electricity to trans- : port himself to another planet ? j A.—l have published everywhere' during thirty-six years that the j | mind of man is illimitable. This re- ' lated to the present almost inconceivable mind power in recent mathematics. Flight to planets seems Ito be beyond human power, but then he may "do anything." ; Q.—ls the force of attraction of a heavenly body proportioned to its weight, volume or composition ? ! A.—To neither. But to mass or i ■quantity of matter stored in the body. Q.—When a bottle of milk is emp- j tied, it contains air; when the air |is pumped out there is a vacuum. \ My friends cannot tell what is in : the bottle. Can you explain ? A.—But the air cannot be enentirely pumped out. 1 described i recently, a very high vacuum secured: by Professor Richards. Perhaps ': this is the best yet attained ; yet, ■ the bulb contained an excessively , rare atmosphere composed of a few quintillions of atoms. Humans so far have not secured an absolute i vacuum. If they'" could, then the j bottk1. by some is supposed to con- | tain ether. But the existence of j ether has not been proved. And then the bottle might contain three or four septillions free electrons, all beyond human research to disI cover.