The Anderson intelligencer. [volume] (Anderson Court House, S.C.) 1860-1914, 1900-08-22

or Mars were on the side nearest the
approaching constellation they might
encounter one of its planets four
months before the sun would. If our
sun should strike the great sun of the
Lyre the shock would probably throw
us Immediately into their combined
mass
Prof. w. j. McGee considered the
question from the standpoint Of an
ethnologist and geologist. 81 can see
no probability of mans ultimate an
Inhalation from any cause said he.
"Were it not for the great factor of
intellect the last human being on this
planet would probably freeze to death.
From age to age the quantity Of ice
on the surface of our globe increases.
Moreover, the continents are growing
and the oceans shrinking. The earth
is gradually drying as well as freez-
ing.
"But intellect will not let the en-
tire earth freeze and thus exterminate
the human race. AS soon as man be-
comes thoroughly dissatisfied with the
earth temperature he will change it
to suit his needs. A century hence
man will live all over the world. In
the polar regions he will warm the
temperature around him; in the trop-
les he will cool it.
Intellect will extract water from
the rocks after they have absorbed all
Of the earth's moisture. We can ex-
tract water from rock now, but the
process is both expensive and unne-
cessary. AS the oxygen in the air
becomes exhausted intellect will make
some more. Do we not manufacture
it now? It also can be extracted
from rock. We do not thus produce
it because the process doesn't pay
now
"Has it not been estimated that
there will be standing room only on
earth in the year 3l48?"
Nonsensel Intellect does not let
such catastrophes as that occur when
it can prevent it. 1t may suffer con-
siderable shock, but it ultimately pro-
tects ITSELF"
"Can you think Of no sudden catas-
trophe which might possibly end the
earth?'
"The impact Of our sun with some
other sun or star is more apt TO work
havoc with earth than any other pos
sible event. The mass Of the sun
might be thus increased TO such q
degree. that the earth's orbit would
have to. change. If the sun came in
contact with body of equal size, and
if it's force Of gravity or attraction for
the earth were thereby doubled, the
whole solar system would probably be
broken up. To balance itself the
earth would have to Ay away to q
greater distance, or, as is more proba-
BILE, it would tumble into the enlarged
sun. We have lately learned that the
sun is not stationary, and that it is
describing path toward the constella-
tion Of the Lyre. Now. the Other ep
parentjy fixed suns or,stars in the sky
are in motion also, but each is going
in it's own direction and at its own
rate Of speed. These movements
threaten collisions from time to time;
such collisions have apparently re-
suited within the historic period
That man will entirely disappear
from the earth and that evolution will
meanwhile have produced, from his
stock, higher race, is the original
notion Of DR.. Theo. N. Gill, the great
biologist Of the Smithsonian.
SIN the conrsc Of untold time"
said he, "man must develop into o
creature as different from what he is
1 now as is the ape ancestor from which
he sprung. This evolution will de-
pend upon future changes in the sur
roundiDgs of earthly life. The sys-
tenn Of mans, offspring will react to
meet them. What these conditions
can be I cannot foresse. If the earth
gradually dries? Well, then this de-
scendant Of man, whatever creature
he may be, will have adapted himself
to much less water than man now re-
quires. Life would be possible under
such conditions. The desert animals
live on very litsle water. Bats and
mice Of the, desert do without it for
long intervals. The came! stores it
up for future needs. No, I do not
think that this new creature to sue
ceed man will have stomach like
that of camel. If the earth cools?
This new being will simply take on
more clothing, will cat more oil and