HARNESSING THE ATOM

Taranaki Central Press, Volume IV, Issue 311, 17 December 1936, Page 6

HARNESSING THE ATOM

RECORD GIFT TO SCIENCE. ARTIFICIAL RADIUM HOPES.

A £25,p,000 gift to science which is to be used on efforts to harness the atom and which, it is hoped, may even lead to the production of artificial radium, was announced recently.

It is being made by Sir Herbert Austin, the motor car magnate, to the Cavendish Laboratory at Cambridge University—and it constitutes the greatest individual donation to scientific research by a Briton on record. It was at the Cavendish Laboratory four years ago that two British scientists, Dr. F. D. Cockroft and Dr. E. T. S. Walton, made an epochmaking advance in physics when they split the atom; and Lord Rutherford, the director, states that Sir Herbert’s gift will first of all be used .to build a new laboratory for further experiments in the transmutation of matter.

In informing the Chancellor of the University, Mr Stanley Baldwin, of the gift, Sir Herbert Austin wrote: “I have for several years been watching the very valuable work done by Lord Rutherford and his colleagues at Cambridge in the realm of scientific research, and knowing that as Chancellor you are keenly interested in obtaining sufficient funds to build, equip, and endow a very much-needed addition to the present resources, I shall be very pleased to present securities to the value-of approximately £250,000 for.this purpose.” In a talk with a reporter Sir Herbert amplified his reasons for making the gift. “My decision to set aside the money was made only a short while, ago,” he said. “I know the laboratory was in need of funds to extend the great work which Lord Rutherford and his assistants have been carrying out to enhance the prestige of British science. I have laid down no conditions. It will be for the Cambridge University authorities to use the money as they think best.”

Lord Rutherford said: “I am very much gratified dt the very generous gift of Sir Herbert Austin and his recognition of the important work that lias beeii done in the past by Sir J. Thomson and his colleagues at the Cavendish Laboratory. The donation will give us an opportunity of building a modern research centre, and will also be of great value in helping to defray the large expenditure required on modern research in physics.

“The first use of the money will be t< build a laboratory for the utilisation of very high voltages to carry out experiments on the transmutation of matter by high-speed particles and by radiation. The Cavendish Laboratory has during the last few years taken an active part in th,e development of research in this new and important field.” * One of the first students at the Cavendish Laboratory, Sir Ambrose Fleming, inventor of the radio valve, mid that he believed that at the new 'a bora lory electro-motive force of 1 ,000,000 or more volts would be emdoyed to bombard the hardest paride- in Nature-mainly the alpha

■article and other atoms —and so 'r.'.'ik up their nuclei. “It is possible,’’ he added, “by nine such process that an artificial ■odium mav be produced with all the ab.iablc properties of ifatural radium ■i th era pen Ii » work ’’