The Courier. (Genoa, Nev.) 1899-1904, 1902-02-21
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Tyndall says $4,000 typhus germs
will thrive in the small circumference
of pinhead or visible globule.
The most wonderful astronomical
photograph In the world is that which
has recently been prepared by London.
Berlin and Partisan astronomers. 1t
shows at least 6S,000,000 stars.
Plants with white blossoms have a
larger proportion of fragrant species
than any others; next comes red, then
yellow and blue, after which, and In
the same order, may be reckoned yio-
let, green, orange, brown and black.
DR.. G. L. Johnson, whose studies of
the eyes of mammals have recently
been published in the Philosophical
Transactions, calls attention to the fact
that men and monkeys alone possess
parallel and convergent vision of the
two eyes. On the other hand, the low
er mammals possess divergent and con-
sequently very widely extended vision.
Squirrels, for Instance, and probably
hares and rabbits as well, are able to
see an enemy approaching directly from
behind without turning the head.
The Rev. John NJ. Bacon, the Eng
lish balloon expert. insists that light
houses should have warning bells un-
der as well as above water, because In
storm sound travels farther under
water than through the air, and exper-
iments both In England and America
have proved that q bell struck under
water can be heard at a long distance
in the hold of ship. Mr.. Bacon Is ex-
ploring the air over London with bal
looms, and he has made some interest
ing observations on the best methods
OF signaling by sound. BY applying a
parabolic reflector to a speaking trum-
pet he Is able to send the waves of
sound in a straight, compact beam, re-
sembling In Its directness a ray of light.
1t Is reported that an attempt is about
to be made by the aid of DIR. Isaac
Roberts celebrated photographs to de-
termine whether internal movements
occur in the spiral nebulae. Miss Dor
othea Klumpke, of the Paris Obserya-
tory, will conduct the examination Of
the photographs, her experience in the
measurement of the plates for the in
ternational Photographic chart of the
heavens having given her special fitness
for the. work. Some of DR.. Roberts
photographs were made 10 or IL years
opo and hv comma ri,1c, tboeo x,,i+1. l.
ter pictures of the same objects, 1t is
hoped that any changes that have o.
Cured In the shapes of the nebulae
may be detected. The discovery of
such changes would possess great in
terest and Importance for astronomers.
The astronomical instruments that
were seized and carried away by the
Germans after the capture of Pekin
by the allied European, Japanese and
American forces ranked as great SCI
entific curiosities. There were two sets
of them, placed on and at the foot Of
the wall of the Tartar City. One set,
of Chinese manufacture, consisted of
old armillary spheres. and other out
of-date instruments, of great size and
strangely mounted on bronze dragons
The other set comprised large All
muth, and other similar instruments,
together with celestial globe of bronze
covered with stars of gold. These last
were made under the direction of the
Dutch Jesuit Verbiest, who was Off
cial astronomer for the Chinese empe-
ror in the seventeenth century. Some
of the instruments were presents from
Louis XIV.