The Donaldsonville chief. [volume] (Donaldsonville, La.) 1871-current, 1880-01-24
5]onalosol1bille Gbief,
Two Dollars Year
Scientific Miscellany.


Scientific Miscellany.
Concerning the possibilities Of death
from the fall Of erolites, Prof. Proctor
says: II have received several rather
anxious inquiries respecting the dangers
10 be feared from meteoric downfall, the
death Of David Miesentlater having ap-
parently suggested that such dangers
may be greater than has heretofore been
supposed. II we knew the average num-
her Of meteoric masses which break
their way through the earth's armor-
that is, through the air it would be very
easy to calculate the exact chance of
death by meteoric downfall. As mat
ter Of fact, We have no satisfactory evil
dence on this point, because most Of the
meteorites which fall upon tho earth es
cape attention. Isnppose, however, that
if Prof. Newton, Of Yale College, rightly
assumes the number Of falling stars Of
all orders to be 100000, 900 yearly, we
may fairly assume that about 1000 mete-
orites fall annually upon the earth's sur
face. This allows one meteorite for l00,-
Geo falling stars. Now, lot rs take the
I tai number Of human beings at any one
time on the earth as 1,500,0OO,0 600. As
sume the risk Of persons within doors
to be equal to that Of persons in the open
air-for q meteorite falling on house
would not be seriously interrupted in its
course, since it would travel with q We
locity Of several miles per second. Again,
remembering that the meteors do not fall
vertically, nor, even if they did, do men
always stand upright, we must take 4
larger surface for each person than that
which he presents as seen from above
when standing. We may take half 4
square yard for the admit and perhaps
quarter Of q square yard for the average
human being. Now, the carth's surface
contains about 300, 100000 square miles,
zach containing about 100000 yards, or
12,WO,OOO quarter square yards-in all,
2, 400, DOC, 0OO, 900, 900 quarter square yards
whereas tue human race occupies only
1,5OO, 900, 600 quarter square yards. Thus,
the chance Of a single meteorite striking
some one is as Is in "a, GOO, 900, OF as l in
LOGO, 900; and if 1000 meteorites fall per
annum, the chance of one death occur
ring in any given year is about l-4OOth.
On the average one death by meteor
stroke might be expected to occur III 400
years. Il it is trne, as l have seen re-
GENTLY stated, that nine such deaths have
occurred in the last 900 years, it would
appear probable that 10000 meteorites
instead of 1000, annually reach the
earth"
The great engineering project Of a
canal through the Caucasus, from the
Black sea to the Caspian sea, is attract
ing attention at st. Petersburg.
tAoH gas AIstiH at CaafUrucken
was lately taken up, after having been
laid for ten years, and when removed
was found to DO converted into o soft
substance which could be cut with q
knife, aud, OH analysis, was found to
contain only titty-two per cent. Of metal
&c iron. The pipes had been covered
with coal ashes which were found to
contain much sulphur, and tho destruc-
tion OF the pipes is supposed to have been
due to the sulphur in the ashes and the
oxygen Of the atmosphere.
1t is stated that the German explorer.
Rudolf Falk, has written from San Fran
cisco to friends in his native country an
honnclng that i monument in Bolivia,
much more ancient than the times Of the
lncas, has given him clew to the origin
OF speech and writing.
-Signor Parnetti has been analyzing
the debris and dust of the streets. Min
the result Of finding large percentage
OF iron and glue contained therein. h
proposes making practical use Of this
discovery by establishing blast furnaces
and glue works in London to secure the
valuable products from the waste mate
rial Of Metropolitan streets.
The long pending law suits against
the Lick estate in California have been
finally decided, and 500, 900 is now ready
Tor use in carrying out the observatory
project. The trustees are d;rectel Il
provide the most powerful telescop, IN
tile world, and are now investigating the
relative merits OF retlectors and refr,c-
tors
- tree grows in Cyprns which is
Thought by monks in the vicinity to be
identical with the chittim-wood sc th..
bible. Specimens examined are said II
closely resemble the cedar of Lebanon
having, however, smaller leaves and
nt!icr slight differences