SCIENCE NOTES.

Otago Witness, Issue 2810, 22 January 1908, Page 84

SCIENCE NOTES.

' V „ <- ■ * *"$ /'- ■ '- — Certain changes which are leporteu as /observable in the rings of the planet Saturn ire attracting the attention of astronomers,\some of whom are venturing as ,to_ ,their meanings Oj^ie astronomer \ would 200 fc .be 6urpriEed .though thejainer Ting^is, falling, jiponr. the. bc^y , the,,"planet.t' ; ;Lowellj is of.qopjnipn^ the B , anfl U. jrap?.fingSiars travelling, flutsjde thp, genera^ ; plane. -sya'tem> thus , causing collisions^, .j.i'rofessor , Salisbury,. llQ f ,the „ Jjnivexsitjr./ ofi Chicago advances a ;£beory, suggesting thatjthe may^^mean r that ,two ;i new moons" axe" being, formed. _ ■>„„..-..: '^.-,1 r — Those persons, ol.'such sensitive aiosea. that they find' serious to .the smell, o£ the njotor-car,,; f< wiflr :; |>e" delighted -to know' ,{hat..a;jriejhocr tas^ been' .devised Dy "tw^ taaa^ P-^fe^tfi '"hih'd^ut. To .the lubricating.. oil usually; Employed other^ .oils^or substances'" are 'agded Jiaving a- boiling pointy which is low^r: tiian ■that of the lubricant*, .an.d .whjfcK, fin burn-; ing, e#iiV,ftr4we_et?crf6uT'whicH wilri annihi-. that of "the offensive gases. . The fol--'lowing is , a ' mixture proposed .by , Ihesei chemists, i^the ratios "being .by;- weigßt;:— ', Lubricating "oil, 50 parts -, oil of inurbane" <nitr6b'enzol), 4 parts; oil ,of terpene, *per- v fumed, 2 parts, - and salicylio aldhyoe {essence of vanilla), 1 part. ' "J ■ -" — The acceleration ( of the Grea^ Reel #pofcOD Juprtet is discussed by Mr Denning ■ m> tile Observatory ior November HP.- 411, JNo,, 389), who points out that' while the acceleration could be accounted for the passage of, the great S. temperate spot when this occurred, as' in. 1906, some oflier' explanation must be sought for the acceleration^ during the past summer, when._the S. temperate spot was. on the opposite side of v the disc to the" red Spot., Mr .Denning hpts at the possibility of -there -being a niinbr acceleration when the -iwo objects are in opposition, and " indicates . the^ necessity 'for" further careful observations. The *&; • temf perate spot has been visible since 1901, and seems likely to cohtinue.,so for many -years: it was in con junction "with, the red spot in May, 1906,- and -will 'be :so again in- April-May," 1908. - - "' ;i — In "the Centralblat.fof Bacteriology, D. Hivas gives some'nojtes on-"th"c, purification of water by ozone. Under favourable conditions he Las found that the number of bacteria are reduced "by its action, and that the dangerous "Bacillus coli communis" _ *'k eliminated. It was v alsq :iound to oxidise unmonia-forming -nitraies. When, however, the water was rich in organic matter; the germ-killing .and chemical -actions of -the' ozone were only partial. .The writer "onsidere ■ that -purification, by ' ozone" is a favourable method for the treatment of a town supply. Details of, the methods of -obtaining -ana applying the ozone are 'given. . — "News has been received of 'the success: fui results of the experiments ihe pigeon post in the French Congo. The, birds are found -to-' affor'd a mTiteh 1 satisfactory means of 'communication 'than (he telegraph,, which is so/ frequently disturbed by natives- or elephants^-that, knock 'down the 'poles, 1 or 'even than-wirejess telegraphy, since the numjdity. and electricity in the air- in Africa^ mSitate' 'asrainst- the success of ,this form of news, sending, hundreds, of pigedna.and a pigeon »j.osf|sJJ3re. taken ' out to -Africa last yeaf : by Major Reynaud. _The pigeon home was 'set up ft Brazzaville,, and. the post is now working over a Tadiur f rout, this spot of ' 3i7s,f^jileß.3 i 7s, f^jileB. • Lieutfinant - GremiUet^ '^hq'Jias a Stations some JL2S , miles it from Bends -daily "communications by this .means, and other- military and .colonial _ officials _ frequently the carrier pigeons. ", n.-'.""" — Aver yon Welsbaph' first" «aved;the - life of Jthe gas-jetjiiy inventing the incandescent mantle,'- and wen 9et".toiwork~ to, destroy the" g»4-3«fc by. 'adopting the same, idea'.£o/electricity. With thexnantle ajgas-jet can^rivalthe electric light , for. equal: cost, but Mr Cbiozza Money doubis", it it can "do ,co aeainst the - new electric glow- lamp'^f^The" idea of. the latter" -is ' t}»t, "the "icfarrent, instead of being used to Tender a' carbon; thread incandeecent. is "used -to set.up,-;u-oandescence in wolfram/., one of" tji€| *r»re t metale which possesses "the-prooerty^ojE^.ex-' hibltiflf; a remarkable, --incandescence'feeing heated- With a smaller .consumption of eleotricitT equal lighting^ power is thos ■eoored. Tie . lamps » : c6^t- avore; "but Hojsf . not set off the sating in current*. - It i«^ a. further step 'in the destined disappearance of J;he gas-jet, wliicfi was" given » temporary- new lease"- of life .by.^ the "Welsbach manfie.' , < _ ! - ,Ol>, Ol > '. — :^ct fighting fire in its. anthracite cpai (nines a new form -of^ chemical "fire engine is used by the Delaware. Lacka wanna, and Western Railroad- This engine is biiilt ion .a truck, which "can run upon" tracks. 'fliTOUg"hou4 ,the mine. When an alarm Sue Ib eqmided ' the engine is attached" ;to x »n eleotric mme llocomDtive,l locomDtive, and "rushed 'to ihe scene -ol trouble, at^Bigh" speed.- . Waterplayed, upon "^ coal fire is almost 'inslaisilr converted ' into -fteam^ -whicfi/lurliier ,'dis- " Integrates, f orminß -a. gas -so suffocating" that it* ' drives aw«.y "the r nten £ghing_ the . fire. Blue "flames which shoot out when wsii?r itrikes the hot ooal often set~ablaze lio^Jketß, ofeTsras^in the'ceilingJ t 'When .alchemical engine plays upon 'burning coal the heavy prases evolved dint* to the* floor and "smother Ihe blaze br excludinj? ' the. "fir^ MSnAare iot annoyed' by the fumes,* and- can Stky jkwe " enoueh £0 do effective work. , - - ' — The silvered mjrro'r ' is commonly .used because of die faithfulness of its reflectionmany j ßxperinrents..have been made witti '""i^VirfW' to finding other, metals which; were Susceptible -of depositions" on va - glass surlaoe. Other metals- ean\'W deposifed," J but »be evenly and <Ssb&mfa/ T^«iia:hitKertof-ono of the failures has been copper. *lthoog}i • from its close 1 -Yelaiionsblp t6 Bilver jrood ■results, ff6m l *lf"fffonld ",apT3ear -pfobable, i«radav' found ■ method, "but not a very : inccessful .-or -Jeheap-" "otmv " tfmi, ihe , Bopjiejt iairror has hitherto been an expensive .«»J-y: "Mr" "R'p.^Chatte'way announced at * teioesier, however, -She- course of lin investigation' of -ike ."bv<ilrc- t 1 ' Jenei he found .ili&i when -.copper oxide- >s . fccted on by«^flie3e.-«n*bstances_ Irhe copper. J*mui be • 'deposited <in ■jjldss "~iar sr^&SQ \tohereni film." The mirrors "obtained, hy s "loch '._-, a" method he adds, irery beautii ' pt-iforTtliey show th*eMus"*ous^yed colour of; Jbornished copper; r add. axg_,,#k -perfect id J«fleoting surface, and _as- Jonjfornr in tex-t rare- as the . similar . mirrors - obtained by? Sic cfeposltion^of -silverl- ~'* • _ '- * - -r- A remarkable performance was achieved »n Friday, "November ,8, by "M. l!^e-I>as "iriffo Jiis new- hydroplane, with which, for; i'ji 35s?t9,nce of nearly 'two "aniles, lie at?ainedj Me sr>eea of nearly 40 miles an hour. M." ita-"Lae has been experimenting on tlus Seine

T for some weeks past, but his attempts have j been quite overshadowed by- the- interest ] taken in M. Santos Dumont's, hydroplane; M. Le;lias's. machine is ,a short, -.flat-bofc- ' tomed Boat d. rawn by an "air propeller ' 'n \ front, worked by a 50 horse-power :motorj similar to that used by Mr Farman on his aeroplane. After a. .short delay to adjust the j -' motor I , ' "M" I . ' Le^lias ' s&ifM ' off at W,. great I '^p-ee'd. /'The^'b'oit -lit^ally'fflew along,' th,e '' "surface 'of -the^mier. "'lt wJ#e timed I '*>"tejt a < >Kmeitßiired' ; Kilometf^''fahd-'*aciE, and- 'ebvfeiSed'l nthe -cfistancei"- including ■the "time^ ltist .in ' , turning;* m" exactly K*3min'js6ec. ' Another ' ' .SEas^jnade^^afld j^he.^saimer.itwo.f-Jdlo^, /"metres iwer,e coVered, not meiuding .the;jrime lost inTtuming;, jiji IP"? ° & i^ ec > making'] . a "rate" which' is "believed, to be. .a record ,on ! f'Wdter^i'.e., J Z&% m'ileß an J ;hcnir. '' M". Le,-T!jaa v ■''says.that he :: intended at' hia^ next- attempt,^ ■ ' to**attahv a-'speed ~of""4s "miles' an houi y ' . J ,'P^it. Inrthe-'Joutflal^of 'thet^Rdyai: Micrtfefeopr- ] i%al • Society*, <Mr> A^tffc -Hardy' gives- -an. .ssktecesting account^otT»-rF' eiiaa;i!ka^l c change ' r .;bf Aabit ia-- t a species *of, alga. . The -species : ~*m -queetionj^normally,,, inhabits, stone-paved ,' guttera' "with a rajgid flow pf water, o^: fastT .lywing-'strea&s.-: -Yt .growsVon sußmergeS • twigs' 'of willows'.' '-arid" ste^xs and leaves jof more^freque'iitly found>?6n -Btone^'br'dek'd rtwi]gs.»-;HJ 'was^fourid jby,^ 1 --Mr' THardy on: "the -backs =*lf gold-fish.'' 'living, j -In a "pend. And while on. the backs v of j • fish it .was growing luxuriantly, it was 'also j , found poor in quality, , 0% the/: stems, -and j -leaW'of 'plants., „.,,"1 .think writes- Mr, /Hardy, '"that leome " interest,; therefore, at- , taohes to the adaptation of this streamloving.'rcyxonema, iwlticlll 1 finding the almost - stagnant water 9f the pond" unsuitable, "had., j 'by means- of its zoogohidia, • obtained a--j ffootingiiVeither iby ra'dcident tor -design', pnr s moving! .{objects, 3t"aus,<obtiainingfthe; desired water-frietionto which the species .had been , accustomed." The , interesting fact ' is ] added, that ,from one small tuft of .this | a ,fish nine other species '"of algae we're' obtained."'' ' " , . .j i —In < a recent number of a Japanese j - journal,-, a Mr T. Kalajama- described a- pro- j ■ces3 < for."" the" manufacture of a vegetable \ ' milk, the properties of which would render jt\highly suitable for use in tropical' coun-' ! iries. , The, preparation is obtained '^ronV'j well-mown.', member of the leguminous' j j family of plants— namely, the Soja bean— -j • which is a very popular article of food-among-'the Chinese.- The beans are, first, 1 of" all, softened- by~ soaking, and are- then. ' pressed and boiled in wafer.v The resultant j liquid -is -exactly -similar to , cows' milk in , -appearance; . but it .is -entirely -different in, , its composition. This' Soja bean-milk, con' tains 92.5- per. < cent._,*ater, 3.02 per' .cent-'J • jprote'ine, 2.13 per .cent." fat. 0.05- per cent".* 'fibre, 1:88 ' per cent. " non-nitrogenous sub"Stances, 1 and 0.41 per-Jcerit: ash: Kalajama -• -added some sugar and al-little,a 1 -little, phosph&et' of' ''potassium- {in order to prevent" the elimina.- 1 v tion of -the -albumen),' 'and. then boiled "^the '"mixture, -till - a sjibstsunce like condensed -milk* was, obtained-; . this - "condensed /vegetable",, milk", .is^.^.-a •yejlowish colour, , and liae a ,very Trieasanfrdaste^ fe^fcaiy ,to bej ' 'distiifguishefl%om- that'oi !-, real* cows' "-pailk. "H6wev|r; ! 'ig l stiir¥etaajs-tl*e, a*oma of -the Sofa' r beani' It c i«recdnimende3 ar^ar chea|D 'aifd, goba^'sußstitut'S^qr H&lden^ed" cotvs^ 1 miik.- - ' : ' -"- -"V"7 "~** . "'- - v :': ' -'„. \ • '—.According to .'the -und : MaßchinenbaTii i -'jthe,':t7nltea-' States -army is being equipped" with a ligihjt, ,aortabl§j~ and isjojc^act.-j tyif6l^^lelqgTa.-Qhic.lwt6.t 'tnrhicn' '■■ can 'easily b© transported on " ani^. j mals. . One -2 kw. dynlmo is , nrovided .for j-'each army* divaskai, .which"; can" J>e -dtjyen.; :s£.o§?}£r{a: s£.o§?}£r{a bg'cSrriea^in'one «Jf 'the " hdrsed waggons belonging to' f the' ordinary "baggage" train <>f "the division. .The .trans- : , .i,TOitter ««rd' rjeoeivelßsare.-'dietributed^mongsf' 3i thfiu KarW'Whzeompapie&towfv Bach -gjjOttiL o. • apparatus weighs" no "more 'than J4O Jtuos, - and ,is. so"; arranged as.. to.ie .carried. by a , paqfc-horee. They, rpomprise^ the two elementsaf. r the_ aoWmvfators/'wliich axe charged* for! ID hours'- working,^- lO'-sectidns -of a, 'mast which", put fogetner, antenna 18. metreafiliigh,-ia«;dafHe-'recei«er~!and: -4rans-,: mitter. h.The'/tlatteffNare jConsferuoted-for «,, .-.'workable' radius bX from >25 to 40 kilo: - metree. s Electrolytic deteotqT j , i« ' iijuthe receiving, instjpiment. It-iß_*: W,be^flaced ,:.to|jethe^an^ .put- mto/worjcing lotder" within J about -'2s ..minuses." "'- • . , i < —Evidence of the* intimatse relationship j ' between" 'and- •'■the 1 ' 2 carnivorous' j 0 Triassic-Trepiiles r-te&oidßdonts)i'f ofi9 f Soutlif •Afpiea is gradually- accumulating, one of . the latest additions to our knowledge in ! tKi6 respect being made by Dr R. .Broom. / ,|t JSias'lp.ng beq^tn^wn .that ( jn the ? Jitinian^ ;.Bub'ject,vandJ apparently in mammals geher-; ' ,aUy,"~tbere- exists a" remarkable -peculiarity "in "• the^ developments of" * the ' metacarpal bones of ih& hand and the m'etatarsals • (or "corresponding'" elements) iof the foot. •• .'ln'/the^metacarpal (or /first Joint) of the thumb and "the. metatarsalr "of-r'the great! toe '*, the, j 1 -separate- cap, . or epiphysis^ is^eituated 'at the ! , basal - extremity,- wKereas in all £he other \ mejtacarpals atfd metetoa-rsaU if is developed^ lat 'the "/opposite 1 , end of [, the bone-V 'NO" ex-, '"platfation. 'of. f thfe' anbinaly " is £ %iven''in'textJxroks," but the'?.solution ■ of ' the puzzle 1 has - at 3ast_'been foiind*byDr Broom.-. ;^SetJhas = discovered ■ that _.ih .- anomodont6 . >. the outeri most, _of *, the .■ orow' .pi opnes ,in f he r, -wrist V.and vti&e^^ankle is, <sb, elonjga.ted t i almost ,4,o -resemble "a^gietacarpa,!' ,qr*- ipeta- 1 tarsal..^OwjinK. to ? t)iis erilongat;onj the mainJbjhl if l the.';tlmmß'?an'd; i greUV toe 'ippSarst, XW $m : be^'tDet^etanh?' wrist 6i= ' ankle ' and" the" metaerrpal or metatareal (as the , cabc may "be), 'while in- >the case- of jtheotheri'digits - j the metacarpal or metatarsaj>f-^rid,.-'ithe{yfirstr segmeot of ? the fingers or iocs. Those ends ■ of the bones which .took, part ,ih the main ', joint would be the last to ossify?|and would ■ 3ele!rmine " tti¥ poiMts whefe_"the cajs, or %piphysev would form. The- aforesaid, 'aaioihaiy-in -thife respect in" *b<?<: human * 6ub> r^ect-' i ife'ems-'t'herefofej^b' > be 'a; direct inheritJaßoe from reptilian 'ancestors. -^Knowledge.-, - — "Does |he^sols?:..svfitem ai aq a whole move through" fipace7 < "~AhiJ if"~s6, how fasii~and in " xsrhaftf -path ??'■'. 3Jhese questions .are, a?ked by ~. ihe'Honr'BV.'^.>9t^^'F/A^;,'ynt.lite New^ . '"if tfee^aith-^cafrfes fne_ asther ' with at," he says, "we should expect smaller .f- i moving^bodJes--to-"do "the 'same.i> 'Sir -.Oliver J'lixige'^PbvecficbnclasiVely-that'iD fact they jdonot.. : Hg^inqunted twolieayy steel discs' <>uligTjiij, s |eas^3reflecijejclj: £ rouna a,,uosea *%c lgfSßbe&ta %i*mMfcXAW; tbs "RSasfewsQn i&-,,jiib i expewment, tnat ,JJae velocity of iEis beam, was not increased by setting jche discs In rapid li .rotation f .,ifi- the j : tdirsctip^An whic£ t feil li g?*J^»feWefl4|.-, I ,]|-If ; -tjje.yaipier,. Jha"d:,been ca^wedl^jpith. the -ro i feating- discs, it is -clear that'ite bodily motion must have been added- to that of .the ,

[ ligift waves travelling througH it, thereby. j increasing the effective velocity "of ~the"9O ; waves. -. The' experiment decisiveljr proved ! that this-' did Bot'ffaappen. The sather was 1 Jiot carried .with They drifted through it, or, from the .point of<view of, an observer '(eay'ja- fly) , situated^ on,, one. of tbefdisps, '.the ( .«tjier> drifted, past them; Jt,.<sftn douhted -tKatf'the Aama ta» "tfuejpf!,.*^e. ; eart^5 1 thoughj pwingjH.toj thefj (afst 'that"-- jthe observer wil^i^ij^^th^ mpfter, 9ft,nno,t beJ ( jMj|fr§ti Jsfth^,- • same .'(cfi'bjparftiS^a^, ep^f way, fx a. , , ji?a si