The aegis & intelligencer., 1898-11-18
S&&i@ccilanruns
FATE OF THE WORLD.
A SCIENTIST TELLS US HOW THE
END WILL COME.

CND WILL SOmC.
After Life Is Extinct and All Air and
Water Is Absorbed by Our Planet
1t VIII Break UD In Shower of
Meteorites.
Specuiations and deductions regarding
tho future of the globe on which we live
have been by no means rare since geology
showed that its present state is simply one
stage in a process OF change that has al
ready lasted millions of years. We now
translate an article contributed by DR..
Philip Glangsaud to La Nature a sum-
nlary of what is believed by the author to
bo the last word Of Ineaorn science on the
subject. Says DE-. GlsAgeaud:
Has science made enough progress to
enable us to get an idea of what destiny is
reserved for the earth and its inhabitants?
There are, in fact, scientific data sufii-
cicrtly accurate for us to reason upon and
from which to draw infcrcnCes that should
not be taxed with hardihood or temerity.
l wish to describe briefly here the way in
which scientists expect the end of the
world to take place.
according to the ideas of astronomers,
the Garth was detached from the solar
ncbula and after being miniature sun
was condensed by cooling. Losing its heat
by radiation in space, the fiery globe be-
came covered with solid, dark crust
The solid layer then acted as barrier to
the radiation of the molten mass beneath,
for rock has feeble conductive power. The
sun, then, is the sole source of heat, that
has supported and that yet supports the
terrestrial surface. On the formation of
the solid crust the water vapor diffused
throughout the atmosphere condensed lit
tie by little, and water accumulated in
the first dcpressions of the surface. Thus
were formed the first oceans, in which life
was soon to manifest itself in the most
rudimcntary organized forms. While these
forms went on to develop into more per
feet types, distributed uniformly over the
ezI,I,y., rl,v .,oull:rS OF Jne earUn continued
Foldings resulting from its contraction
appeared on the surface, and its internal
nctiyity showed itself at intervals in vari-
Gus regions in the form of volcanic erup-
tons.
The earth's profile thus became more
accumulated by the elevation Of mountains
and the lowering of the first oceanic de
pressions. 1t is probable that vegetation
then appeared on the first continents, whose
temperature must have been tropical.
OuU IIlb Oulllllc Vi lIC 1ttSS NIAu INV
depend solely on the contraction of the
earth's crust, but also on erosion, due to
atmospheric agencies. While the contra
ton by lateral folding or vertical deprcs
sion of layers raised or lowered consider
able portions OF our planet, erosion pro
duced an inverse effect, since by the action
of rain, ice and variation of temperature
it disintegrated the rocks and reduced
them to powder. which it transported and
heapcd up III the depressionS of the crust
I Consequently contraction accentuates OF
at least preserves i'll one form or another
the relief of the surface, which denudation
is working to ohliterate.
"In the course of geological time con
traction formed mountain chains. The
first mountains, which We're as high as
those of today, have in great part disap
peared by eros. on. There remain only
fragments, which the study of geology
alone enables Us, to identify.
LAS cooling continued, climates became
differentiated, and to the lower plants and
the invertebrate animals succeeded higher
forms-fishes, reptiles, birds, mammals
and finally man. The human species had
not yet appeared on tho earth when the
Pyrenees the Alps, the Carpathians and
the Himalayas were formed. These are
part of tho same mountain chain whose
relief is in great degree preserved, because
it is the most recent chain and the action
of time has altered it least As long as
contraction shall continue there Will be
mountain chains, II very aocentuated re
lief, continental masses and consequently
an easy flowing of waters to the sea. But
when by cooling the crust shall become
sufficiently thick and solid to prevent
lateral folding, mountains will no longer
be formed, and then, as denudation alone
will act, it will level the surface little by
little Thea by the partial filling of the
oceanic basins, by tho greater and greater
difficulty Of flow, due ~ lack Of slope, OF
water toward the sea, 6Se continental mass
will be divided by channels of greater or
less size into true archipelagoes. At this
time there will be on tho earth no more
water surface than at present, but this
water will be differently distributed.
Nothing shows that at this period far
in the future life will be impossible on the
earth. Nevertheless, although tho essen
tial elements of air and water will not be
lacking, cold will certainly bring about
change in the character of life, and a par
tial disappearance OF living creatures from
its surface.
IN. Dollo, the learned Brussels profess
or from whom we take some passages in
this article, asks whether some other
planet may not have already reached the
stage that we have just predicted for our
globe. There is one, in fact-the planet
Mars, of our own solar system.
Tho author goes on to point out that we
find on Mars archipelagoes like these he
has Just described, consisting of small land
| masses separated by water (the so called
"canals'D. He goes on still further:
After the earth shall have reached the
phase represented today by Mars what
| will become of it? Instead of consisting of
a crust and fluid nucleus it will be COM
| pIetely solid 1t will then absorb into its
crevices the whole of its air and it's water
| This will easily occur, for experience
| shows that for this it will be sufficient to
| be only ono-third as porous and only one
| hundrelth as full of fSsures as the grantees
| that are now traverscd by millions of
| veins of harder rock. These assures,
| which can no longer be filed with molten
| rock from the depths of the earth, will he
| occupied by water If lifo has not already
| ceased by this time it will then be no
| longer possible.
And after this: Aftcrward the flssurcs
! will increase rs the mass contracts further,
| and the Garth, cracked, dislocated and
| finally broken i'll pieces, will rush through
! space as a shower of metcorites.
Tho assures observed on the moons
surface and tho metcoritcs that fall on our
| globe enable us to believe in such a future
! state for the earth
such, briefly summed up, are the series
of phases through which our globo has
| naSsed anfi nrot:lhIV ViU Mass Literary
Digest