Martinsburg herald. [volume] (Martinsburg, W. Va.) 1881-1920, 1893-03-11
POPULAR SCIENCE.

, n leecn mas three jaws, winch form
triangle.
! Star6sh have the power to change their
color to that of surrounding objects.
! Zinc has the greatest degree Of expan-
sion and contraction by changes of tenn
perature of the common metals.
I The Engineer reports considerable
progress in telegraphing without wires
from the mainland to an island.
In the Gulf of Mexico the water grows
cold down to 700 fathoms, below which
1t Is always about 25.5 degrees.
More than athousand distinct and per-
/ feet forms Of snow crystals have been
enumerated and figured by the various
Investigators Id that line.
! One of the most extensive concerns in
Maine has been experimenting on an in
genious process of burning lime with oil
instead of with wood.
i The most cunning art, as well as the
highest scien 'ific use to which wood can
be twisted, turned, wreathed, warped or
carved is that when fashioned into an
ideal violin.
An electrical engineer who has labori-
ously figured on the subject says that Is
miles per hour is about as fast as we can
travel By rail by electricity.
At Colorado Springs the rainfall is
about fourteen inches annually, most of
which falls during summer thunder
storms, and the sun shines brightly dur
ing $50 days of the year.
A remarkable increase in the use of
oil as fuel on Russian railroads is shown
by recent statistics. In 1881 there were
used 1914 tons of naphtha, while in 1890
there were used POI, 3O7 tons of naphtna
tesidues.
The molecules of ice are bound to-
gether by very great force. To sepa-
rate them, that is to melt say one pound
of ice Mt thirtytwo degrees F., requires a
power of 1O9, 1895 foot pounds, or
power equal to lifting the ice to height
of over twenty miles, or the exertion for
one minute OF over three horse power.
Creole, Col, the wonderful mining
town which attracted so much attention
about year ago, is by no means dead,
though its remarkable boom has long
since waued. The idea was pretty gen.
eral that Creedc burst with the boom,
but that is not the case. The solid bust
ness men of the town regard the collaps-
ing of the boom, with all its spectacl-
lar features, as d very good thing for the
business interests of the place.
While dig sing sewer bitches in Albany,
Ga, recently, it is reported that work
men unearthed curious rock formations,
which go to prove the assertions of
biologists "that many years ago that
part of Georgia was part of the sea,
and was built up by gradual deposits of
sediment from rivers aud other sources.
The rocks found are said to be lime.
stone, and contain fossil SEA shells aud
impressions of shells.
A clever che has invented an auto.
matte sensitive paint. which is bright
yellow at the ordinary temperature, but,
upon being brought into warmer atmos
phere, it changes solor gradually, and at
220 degrees, it becomes bright red. 1t
returns to the original color upon cool
ing and may be heated with the same
effect over and over. 1t is suggested
that this paint may be used with adj
vantage to detect rise IN the tempera-
ture of the fractional working parts oil
machinery.
What were supposed to be fossil
snakes, recently discovered in the pecu-
liar rock formations near Canon City,
COL, noted scientist now pronounces
to be the finest casts he ever saw of the
trunks of giant palms or fern trees of the
carboniferous age, on which grow leaves
twelve or more feet lorg. The smaller
specimens he regards either as root!ets
of the larger trunks or new species OF
the palm family of that age. What was
supposed to be the dubious heads of rep.
tiles are now known to be the base of
the trees where the monster roots starte
out, and the supposed enlarged tail is
the top, from which rose clusters of fern
like leaves.