The Providence news. (Providence [R.I.]) 1891-1906, 1905-09-01
Darwin ON
CELESTIAL
EVOLUTION

Johannesburg. Transvaal Sept. 1.-Pro-
fessor George Howard Darwin. second
son OF the late Professor Darwin and pro-
fessor OF astronomy and experimental
philosophy at Cambridge. England. ad-
dressed the British association at meet
ing just held here on the subject OF "Ce-
lestial Evolution"
Professor Darwin said the German as
tronomer Bode long ago propounded a
simple empirical law concerning the dis
tance at which the several planets move
about the sun. and his formula embraced
so large a number OF cases with accu-
racy that they were compelled TO be-
lieve that II arose I'm some manner from
the primitive conditions OF the planetary
system.
There were certain perpetual orbits in
which a meteorlc stone or minor planet
might move forever without collision.
But when such an immortal career had
been discovered for our minor planet
II still remained 10 discover whether the
slightest possible departure from the pre-
scribed orbit would become greater and
greater. and ultimately lead 10 collision
with the sun or Jove. or whether the body
would travel so as to cross and ,recross
the exact perpetual orbit. always remain
ing close to It,
II the slightest departure inevitably in
creased as time went on the orbit was
unstable. II. on the other hand. II only
led 10 slight waviness in the path de-
scrihed II was stable They thus arrived
at another distinction.
There were perpetual orbits. but some
and. indeed. most. were unstable. and
these did not offer an immortal career
for a meteoric stone. and there were other
perpetual orbits which were stable or
persistent.
The unstable ones were those which
succumbed in the struggle for life. and
the stable ones were the species adapted
to their environment
There was hardly room for doubt that n
a complete solution for our solar system
were attainable we should find that the
orbits OF the existing planets and satel-
ltes were numbered among the stable
perpetual orbits.
Dealing with the different estimates of
the physicists and the geologists. Pro
fessor Darwin said that from a calcula-
tion OF the suns total output OF heat Il
seemed to be imperatively necessary that
the whole history OF the solar system
should be comprised within some 20,o00, 0oJ
Of years
For the last 40 years the physicists had
been accustomed 10 tell the geologists
that they must moderate their claims but
for himself he had always believed that
the geologists were more nearly correct
And now. at length relief had come 10
the strained relations between the two
parties for the recent marvellous discov-
cries in physics showed that concentra-
ton OF matter was not the only source
from which the sun might draw its heat
Radum was substance which was
perhaps millions of times more powerful
than dynamite. Thus IL was estimated
that an ounce Of radium would contain
enough power To raise 10000 tons a mile
above the earth's surface
Another way Of stating the same esti-
mate was that the energy needed To tow
a ship OF 1900 tons a distance OF GOO sea
miles at 10 knots was contained in %
ounces OF radium. The Saxon probably
burned five or six thousand tons OF coal
on a voyage OF approximately the same
length.
Now, we know that the earth contains
radioactive materials. and II was safe
TO assume that IT forms in some degree
sample Of the materials OF the solar
system, hence it was almost certain that
the sun is radioactive also.