The Montgomery advertiser., 1904-11-25


 A more efficient ana durable earnn filament Is much desired, carbon be- ing Wastful because only weak cur rents can be used with 1t. The first experiments were with platinum, but moro recently osmium and ruthenium have been cooked upon as promising. These have Hailed through volatility or oxidation at a high temperature and in an imperfect vacuum. Iridium alone does not vaporfze or oxidixe ak white heat, and the troublesome britkienass oe this metal has been at last over como by Guelcher, of Charl0ttenbnrg who draws into wire a mixture Of 4lls powdered metal and vagskable glue. subsequently, burning or the vegetabIe matter in an oxyhydrogen flame. Tho resulting very hard ftlament in kIexi- bIe enough for use in electric bulbs. while 1t is claimed to be very durable and to econ0mize power.
 Recent volcanic activity has led 1T. I. Jensen, of New South Wales. Co tn- vestigate the records of Vesuvius. Et- ma and other volcanoes for about as century. From the volcanic eruptiona and magnetic disturbances of 1850 to 1857, Klngs has inferred e connec- tion between these prenomena and sun -minima, and this theory is con- firmed. It ts suggested that at such periods the earth becomes colder. as 1t not only receives less energy from the sun but radiates moro heat fnto space on account of dimintshed cloud mess. Various factors play part in earthquakes. and in predicting fheza disturbances 1t seems necessary Co cun- sider lines of weakness and Of fault ing in the earth's crest with regard to the phase sun-spot minima with re- gard to the period, the relative posi- tion of earth, moon and sun with re- gard to the season, and possibly cy- clones and atmosphere pressure with regard to the day.
 The watering of wine, or aaultera- tiop in many liquids or even solids. ia infaliibiy told by the teIephDna in tina novel method of M. aGaneuvrier, of Paris. Two glasses, one containtmw the wine to be tested and the other the same quantity Of wine known to ba pure. ara placed on an instrument reBambIing a pair of scales. The telsph0na is in contact with both liquids, and if both arc pure no sound is heard, but if ono contains water the telephone sounds until q pointer is moved to such point on a dial that the conductlvily of the liquids is equali1ed. Ths num- ber indicated on the dial is then read, when reference to a previously pre- pared chart shows the exact amount of water.
 The mysterious dsEiations of ships' eompasses. which have caused many vessels to go far out of their courses are being Investigated by August KroRh. The Danish vessel Beige. which was wrecked last June on the Roclxait rocks, seems to have been led twentr~ i've miles from her intended route by some sudden perturbation of the needle. and ether observations tend to prove that magnetic changes occur in thls vicinity that are more sudden and greater in degree than have been re- corded at any land station. Within a few miles of the spot two captains have noted compass variations of de- grees or 10 degrees. e distant aurora borealis being visible ln one case.
 The ultraviolet microscope gives magnified pictures by invisible light. By using quartz lenses, light can be used of much shorter wave-length than that passing through the prdi- nary lenses, and when the Oh1att i4 illuminated from cadmium electrodes nothing is seen by the naked eye. Placing a flourescent focusing screen in the eysplece. however, brings ont the image in green. Photographic plates are very sensitive tq the raya from cadmium electrodes and pteloFea taken show Q remarkable amennt 0E detail