A Universe Built of Waves

Radio Record, Volume IV, Issue 45, 22 May 1931, Page 28

A Universe Built of Waves

A Revolutionary Theory

») OMETHING of a sensation +/ has been caused in the scientific world by. an announcement made recently by an | eminent English scientist to 5 the effect that ether waves, si} -such as light and wireless waves, are the foundation stones of the universe. He thinks that the universe is made of ether "waves, of which matter is condensed er bottled-up waves, while radiation, such as wireless, light and all other waves, of the ether, is free or unbottled waves. The new theory is not precisely unexpected, for all the latest scientific discoveries, such as the presence of the ether wave in the electron, have seen leading up to this point, And some time ago Sir Oliver Lodge suggested that matter was made of ether waves; in fact, he worked out a very similar’ theory in even greater detail, but, as was the case with his wireless inventions, the prophet hath not much honour in his own country. When discussing ether waves it is natural to start with those we term wireless waves, and are so familiar with in their concert-producing properties; although we may now imagine that in view of their new importance Nature must regard it almost as blasphemy for us to use her foundation bricks, as it were, to sing and shout across the world. From 30,000 to 5 Metres, OWERVER, that is beside the point, and we can commence with wireless waves because they are the largest and longest ether waves for which we have any practical use, There are longer waves, such as those of an alternating current machine, and some day they may be of use for giving us light and heat without wires, but at present we start off with wireless waves. The longest waves used commercially are from 15,000 to 30,000 metres in the case of such stations as St. Assise, Annapolis and Bordeaux. Longer waves than these are not practicable, although Marconi once built an experimental receiver which _ would tune up to 120,000 metres. With this receiver he is said to have heard natural. signals which possth'- came from outside the earth. Probably they corresponded to the wireless echoes heard nowadays. Wireless waves find no difficulty in penetrating brick walls, stone, wood,

and earth, The longer the wave, the more easily will it penetrate any normal obstruction. Long waves also . tend to cling more to the surface of the earth than their brethren the short waves, and for this reason the long , Waves’ were regarded in days gone by as being more reliable for long-distazice communication. This, however, has now turned out to be something of a fallacy, and short waves are coming rapidly into their own. \ Short wireless waves, ie., those froin 100 metres downward, are more ‘at home when they have left the surface of the earth and are travelling in free air, and only when they come in contact with the earth do they lose their strength to any appreciable extent. They are more inclined to skim along the surface of the earth, than to penetrate deeply like the long waves. Of the ultra short waves below five metres nothing very much is known, They do not appear to be able to penetrate any obstacles, and appear to be limited by the horizon, ie., a distance of 13 miles at sea-level.. It is somewhere in the vicinity of the ultra short waves that the famous death-ray is thought to exist, and cer--tain professors have claimed to be able to kill rats and stop machinery by, waves of this variety. Heat and X-Rays. EYOND the ultra short waves we have the heat waves which keep us Warm and which can pass throngh walls and steel and, indeed, most material objects, to a certain extent. After these come the infra-red rays by means of which we can take photographs in the dark. Then there are the ordinary light waves, and after these the ultra-violet waves which make us sunburnt and are so useful for healing. Then follow some rays of no practical value at present, but closely on their heels come the X-rays of thg surgeon which penetrate flesh and blood, but not bone, and therefore enable us to see a fracture. Gamma rays of radium come next. and these are proving extremely useful as a cure for cancer; until finally we arrive at the smallest and most povverful wave known to science, the Cosmic ray, which comes from no one knows where, and by means of which we may some day accomplish undreamed-of wonders.-G. H. Daly, in "Popular Wiveless."