Deseret evening news. [volume] (Great Salt Lake City [Utah]) 1867-1920, 1901-12-13
SCIENTIFIC MISCELLANY

The nebula that seems 10 be spread.
ing out from the new star in perseus
not only changes at perceptible rate
but has bright spots on its outer edge
that appeared to have passed over
minute OF are In six weeks. implying
the tremendous velocity OF 1000 miles
per second II the nebua is assumed to
be at ,he distance of the nearest known
star, IL is suggested as more prob
able that the new star and It's nebula
are nearer or that flash OF light may
have been sent through the compare
lively dark gas Without actual motion
OF the gas itself. The greatest appar-
ent motion Of q star In space is 81 Sec
onds OF arc in year, which Is that Of
a small star In the southern hemisphere
The famous Groombrldge 1880, with
proper motion Of seconds a year. tttk-
llg IT acrossa space equal TO the dame
ten OF the moon IN $50 Years, has par
alllax OF abut fourteen one hundreths OF
a second, and is calculated 10 travel at
speed Of 200 miles a second The pro-
jectile OF modern cannon has max
imam velocity OF little more than V
mile per second.
Nickel and aluminium have been dif1-
cult TO alloy on account OF the differ
ence between their melting points.
which are 1850 degrees and 500 degrees
respectively, A Berlin manufacturer
overcome the difficulty BY special
furnace, and in one case by adding
copper, with an intermediates melting
point Nickel-alumnum" contains
nickel and copper with aluminium In
greatest proportion, the specific gravity
being 2SB. IT can be rolled into sheets
and has q tensile strength OF 1915 tons
per square inch "Minckin' seems to
contain more nickel than the 26 per
cent Of new silver" and Is gaining ia
vor for its resistance to c0rrosion by
weak acids, etc.
About one-flth of the earths land
surface was known In 1900 states G.. II.
Grosyenor and in 1900 only one-eleventh
was UNEMPLOYED The Dark Continent"
of the twentieth century IL the land
buried under the oceans an area thrice
as great as the exposed land surface
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The Species OF carnivorous plants now
known meaning those that entrap and
absorb small animal forms. reach the
surprising total of about 400, belonging
TO 10 or is genera. These make up the
natural orders Sarracenaeeae, Nep-
enthaceae, Droseraceae, Cephalotaceae,
and Lentibulariaceae, and there are two
species IN other orders that are SUSPECT
OF being lnsectiyorous Mr. A. n Ware
an English biologist, divides these
plants into three groups, Plants of the
first group have neither motile or Dig
estive organs. but have traps, With open
orlfces for the entrance OF small an
imals. that close on any attempt at
exit and there are some pitcher plants
with bright colors or honey to attract
insects. The second group has digestive
organs but no motile enhapping ap-
paratus II includes the true pitcher
plants Of the genus Nepenthes. and
what are sometimes called the lime
twig' plants, which have sticky ten
tacles to which the Insects adhere. The
third group has both motile and diges-
tive organs The motile organ has
slight irrltablllty In some species but
others 1t closes on the prey like a spring
trap forming a chamber In which d.
geStion Is carried on. Venus fiytrap
(Dionaea muscipula) is an example OF
the highest development. When II
"trlggor-hairs" are touched the two
halves OF the leaf close almost Instant
ly and II Is curious fact that the
single touch of a passing insect has no
effect, repeated touch or momentary
contact acting quickly. .
rhe areca-unt, or betel-nut, Is the
fruit Of an East India palm. II IL chew
ed In great quantities by the Aslatics.
who regard II as an aid to digestion,
and la pharmacy II is used as ver-
micide. The present scarcity of the
nuts seem to be due TO a mysterious
plague that has swept the plantations
OF Lower Bengal Dense groves OF
thousands Of trees have become veget-
able cemeteries brother adequate cause
no parasites or other adequate sause
can be discovered. The only explanation
offered by Or. George Watt, after in
vestlgatlon. Is degeneration Of tissue"
TO be remcdied by care In cultivation.
A nastodon-like animal from the
Eocene Of the Libyan Desert Is regard
ed by DR.. Andrews as the probable
ancestor Of the mammoth and ele-
plant.
Tea.seed, a bye-product Of an i'm
portant industry, Is awaiting profitable
use. II was placed upon the market In
London In 1885. under the name Of
"tanne," but nobody knew what to do
with n and there WAS no sale An