The Cheyenne daily leader. [volume] (Cheyenne, Wyo.) 1870-1884, 1881-05-15
SCIENTIFIC MISCELLANY.

Compiled for the Leader.
M. Trecul has described a remarkable
phenomenon, Of the nature Of globular
lightning, observed by him during a
remarkable thunderstorm last August.
A very bright ball, somewhat elongated
passed out of a dark cloud and into 1t
at another place; but, just before dis
appearing. it gave off a little Of its
substance, which fell vertically like a
body having weight. The falling body
which left a luminous track, divided
and was extinguished, a little above
the tops of the houses.
NJ. Treve recently made the singular
observation that the flame of a lamp
appears brighter, and that a vertical
shaft, a post or mast is seen more dis
tinctfy, through a vertical than through
a horizontal slit; while a house, a land
scape or the disc of the sun or moon is
perceived more clearly through a hori-
zontal slit. He finds similar differen-
ces in photographs according as the
light passes from the object to the
plate through a vertical or a horizontal
slit, and ascribes the effects to the &C.
tion OF diffused light.
1t has been proven by experiment
that the tarring Of ropes slightly dimin-
ishes their tenacity against a pulling
strain, but preserves in them a high
degree of tenacity much longer than in
the untarred ones, on account of the
protection the tar affords against the
destruction of air and moisture.
Scientists expect the activity of the
SUMS surface-shown by the number
and size of the dark spots-to reach a
maximum in 1882 or 1858. The tre-
mendous energy Of the solar convul-
sions is far beyond our conception.
If caught in the track of q sun tempest
a body like our earth would be swal-
lowed up bodily and almost instanta-
neously.
Some interesting experiments con-
corning early dentistry have been lately
made in a discussion in the British
Medical Journal. Sir Gardiner Wilkin-
son declares that teeth stopped with
gold have been found in Egyptian mum
mies-a thing others pronounce impos-
sible. DR.. John Gaiger affirms that he
has seen in several museums teeth
bound together in skulls of ancient
date by threads OF gold twisted around
them. Another gentleman once saw
in a Liverpool museum the jawbone OF
a mummf6ed Egyptian in which a
number Of teeth were secured by gold
wire. These statements seem to show
the existence Of some sort Of dentistry
at a very early date. The art Of bind
ing teeth together was, it is claimed,
practiced by the Hinaoos about six
hundred years ago.
By means of the detective camera u
a new feat in photography, photographs
may be taken in the street, or in any
other place, without the knowledge Of
the individuals being photographed.
The apparatus appears externally like
a book or small box.
The museum at Bolak, in Egypt con-
tains what has been called sthe Oldest
picture in the world" a fresco from a
tomb at Maydoom representing six
geese.
The desert interior of Australia
probably affords the hottest climate in
the world. A thermometer graduated
to 1877 degrees Fair. Twas hung in q
shaded place, and the heat became SC
great as to cause the expansion of the
mercury to burst the tube, indicating
a temperature of not less than 128 de-
grees in the shade.
Two naturalists have found that the
trunks Of trees undergo daily changes
In diameter. From early morning to
early morning to early afternoon there
is a regular diminution, followed by an