New Ulm weekly review. [volume] (New Ulm, Minn.) 1878-1892, 1883-12-26
LIFE ON THE PLANETS.
A Scientist Gives Reasons for Believing
They Are not Inhabited.

Prof. McFa. land, of the Ohio State
University, in The Sidereaz Messenger,
says: Thirty years ago the question of
the Availability of the planets was
widely and, in some instances, intern
perately discussed. Several volumes
were written, pro and con, the writer's
mostly seeming to think that they had
direct commission from on high to
settle the question or to settle their OPP
ponents, which things they proceeded
then and there to do. And both sides
about equally forgot or disregarded the
facts, and, with great heat, argued on
general principles.
An article in the June number of The
Popular Science Monthly, entitled ''The
Cost of Life" and which was in part
criticised in a late number of The Mes
senger, is kind of renewal of the use
less debate, and is clothed in logic
equally as conclusive as was that of the
original controversy. The points given
lately touching the weight of a man on
Jupiter and on Mars were included as
part of the proof that those planets
are not habitable. To pass in review
all the points of error would require an
article Of too great length for the pages
of this journal, so shall confine myself
pretty closely to a few of the more i'm
portant ones.
The same author, speaking of Mer-
curry, says: ''With a temperature of
boiling water in the frigid zones, and
red-hot iron at the equator" ETC.
therefore there can be no life on the
planet. But there is no proof of any
such temperature, and in the nature of
the case there can be none. Wherefore
the conclusions are of no force. The
error consists in virtually assuming
| that the climate of a place depends
solely on its distance from the sun
whereas this is only one of hundred
causes.
1t is we'll known that even in the tor
rid zone, at an elevation of about three
and one-half miles snow does not melt;
that century after century eternal
SHOWS whiten lofty peaks in all attitudes.
The temperature of place on the
earth's surface depends on many intlu-
ences, any one or several of which may
be greatly modified or annulled by the
other, so that there is no general rule
for climate.
AS part of the multitude of things
to be taken into consideration, as touch
ing the matter in hand, we may name
these-viz., the latitude, the elevation
above the sea-level, the ocean currents,
the direction of the prevailing winds,
the presence and trend of mountain
ranges, the amount of vapor usual to
the atmosphere, the degree of cloudi-
ness, the quantity of rain and snow fall
the size of the body Of land, the amount
ofland in close proximity, and it's sur
roundings, the nature of the soil, the
amount and kind of vegetation, the
density and hight of the atmosphere,
the length of the day, the obliquity OF
the suns rays, and the thousand and
one other things which go to make up
the whole temperature and climate. OF
the greater part of these-indeed, al
most every one of them-as exhibited
on other planets, it is absolutely impos-
sible to know anything at all; and, as
matter of course, no one can speak
intelligently of the climate on any plan.
ct except our own. But should all these
items be known, the further question
arises whether it is not possible that
dulu1dLcu DtlupS COuIu i've Ill oil cuV1I-
onment totally unlike that which sur
rounds us. The conclusion of the whole
matter, so far as astronomy and physics
can now tell, is this: That the four
large outer planets have not sufficiently
cooled down to allow life on their sur.
| face, such as we see on the earth; that
Mars gives all the telescope and ster.
eoscopic probabilities of conditions com.
patible with life US we see it; that the
earth certainly for millions of years
has been covered with multifarious life
that of Venus and Mercury we have no
certain knowledge; and that the satel.
lites are pretty certainly not fitted fol
such life as is on the earth; that, in par
ticular, our moon has no water and nc
atmosphere, consequently no climate
or vegetable life. II the sun and the
planets continually lose heat, then there
will come time in the far future when
the sun itself shall go out in everlast-
ing night, and the planets cool down so
that the eternal snow would be hot
compared with the degree Of cold
throughout all space where every thing
shall be dead. :