New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1904-08-24

ply OF raoium be produced IL q problem that
MI Soddy does not try to answer. AT one time
he fancied that this wonderful substance was
product of uranium but the decay Of the latter
occurs too slowly to meet the requirements OF
the theory, ard for the moment It IS in the dis
reputable position OF having acknowledged
parents Concerning the seventy or more ele-
ments which apparently not undergoing
change. Mr.. Soddy says thai they have endured
because they stable. In that sense naturai
selection has resulted in survival OF the httest-
The other forms of matter, being transitional
are physically unfit for long life.
The suggestion that atom can go TO pieces
implies that 1t is a composite structure. MI.
Eoddy does not altogether accept the views OF
J. J. Thomson or Sir Oliver Lodge on this point,
but he sees mo escape from the conclusion that
the internal parts OF atom must be in very
rapid motion" In that motion he finds an ex-
PLANTATION of the swift flight of the particles
elected when atom is wrecked Energy. pre-
viously stored there, Is suddenly freed The beta
rays are believed to travel with e velocity which
is from so to 95 per cent of that Of light Qs6Ooo
miles q second, and the alpha rays at 10000
inches second. According to the disintegraticn
hypothesis. there might be some dminution
but no increase OF the speed at which they
moved previous to liberation. Whatever may be
the architectural arrangement OF the component
parts of the atom. Mr.. Soddy allows one 10
think that the large alpha particles and small
beta rays may have possessed their distinctive
electrical qualities before separation
The author briefly discusses question to
which Professor Rutherford alluded in lecture
in London several months ago. Both Of them
think that from careful study of radio-activity
new hints may be derived in regard to the age OF
the earth Professor Rutherford was reported
as believing that this might have been very
much shorter than is required by the neoular
hypothesis-say from ten million to twenty
million years It now seems probable that
wrong impression has been given regarding his
opinions However that may pc, 1t is evident
that Mr. Soddy incIines TO extend the time al
lowance. He says that the rapidly changing
elements will eventually be regarded as the
products of the slowly changing ones. He esti-
mates that the pitchblendes and uranites (from
which uranium is derived) must have been
formed within. say, the last thousand million
years and possibly within the last hundred mill
ion years" Thus he comedies all or nearly all
that the most audacious geoloSist or biologist
would ask, and more too.
Closely related 10 the problem tust mentioned
is another Is 1t possible for matter after disin-
tegration TO undergo reconstruction? Does II
pass through cycles OF existence7 Sir William
Ramsay, it is known, has undertaken some ex-
perimenrs with view to discovering the feasi-
These have not gone far enough to furnish much
light. Perhaps it may never be practicable to
get any. However, some transmutationists-Sir
William Crookes, for instance-imagins that
there may be an endless alienation OF chaos
with organization. OF nebula with planet In
many particulars the reasoning which applies
to the earth applies with equal cogency TO the
sun and stars. The reader IS thus brought face
TO face with considerations affecting the whole
universe and with scientific intimations OF eter-
nifty. Until very recently the accepted theories
Of the conservation of energy pointed 70 q
fnality when the visible supply OF force should
be exhausted. The clock must stop when Il has
run down. Some OF the conduct Of radium has
raised doubts concerning the soundness OF these
theories. and more particularly in regard TO what
is called the second law OF thermo-dynamics-"
MI. Soddy is careful not 10 pronounce definite
opinion on the point, but he shows that II tho
law in question does not universally apply It
then becomes credible that 'In the infinitely
varied processes OF nature cyclic scheme OF
evolution is possible" Perhaps II IS neces-
sary." he adds. ito emphasize again that this
view IS at present a nero speculation, per-
haps one Of those coming events that cast their
shadows before The really essential sdvsnos
that the results dealt with in this book lead to
Is that the limitations with respect TO the past
and future history OF the universe have been
Enormously extended"