The morning Astorian. [volume] (Astoria, Oregon) 1899-1930, 1905-03-26
MAN OF THE UNIVERSE.

MAN OF THE UNIVERSE.
Mans place In the universe Is th'
subject OF a recent article published
In a book. The subtitle OF the book
describes It as study OF the scien-
tific research In relation to the unity
or plurality OF worlds, Though tht
books is from the pen OF one OF the
most distinguished scientific invesd-
gators now living. 1t is to be greatly
questioned whether the buzzing swarm
OF so-called scientists who subsist on
the credulity of the public will calmly
accent his conclusions. which are OPP
posed to most of the modern theories
and investions Of the romancers who
disguise their calling under the name
of science.
In the first place. the conclusion Of
teh author represent a reaction. We
have been surfeited with theories to
the effect that the planets all about
us are inhabited, and II has not been
very long since there was considerable
talk of opening up communications
with the planet Mars, We believe SEN
ator John H. Mitchell once made sug
gestion OF this kind: This was to be
accomplished by the means OF immense
bonfires or by means Of electric sig
nails gigantic In their proportions. We
are told that Mars has canals, and
that the form and contour OF these
were such that they must inevitably
have been made by artificial means,
and this idea has taken such firm hold
on the popular mind that a number OF
enerprising novelists have made trips
to Mars-in their minds, and the adj
ventures to be found in that far away
land were OF nature 10 make tn,
hair of a bronze statute stand on end.
But the conclusions of the authol
are entirely different, and although
they are not romantic they are very
interesting. With all the resources
and discoveries OF real science at his
command, he concludes that our uni
verss is a rounded whole, and that our
polar system is situated in its center.
The concurrence of the conditions that
are a necessity Of organic life exist
on the planet, which we call the earth.
but they cannot very well exist on any
other planet, for their existence der
pends on a central situation. They
cannot exist In the neighborhood Of
any other star than our sun. nor on
any planet revolving around the sun,
except on the one which providence
has placed us.
A planet to be the seat Of life must
move in a nearly circular orbit, and at
such a distance as TO receive exactly
the amount Of heat and light that ours
receives, and its atmosphere must be
formed OF a combination Of OXYGEN and
nitrogen in the proper proportions,
Gravity must have the same force on
the surface Of the planet that ours has,
for, were it otherwise, it could not re-
tain the amount of atmosphere at the
proper pressure. Moreover, aqueous
vapor must be present in quantities
sufficient to produce the right amount
of rain. In short, as. no other planet
conforms to these conditions, life can
only exist on the earth.
All this agrees with the discoveries
of real science, but 1t puts an end to
the theories of the pseudo scientists
who have been so Industrious in in
venting sensations, resembling yellow
journals. Yet it should not be forgot
ten that neither author nor the small
er fry can ever have any absolute
knowledge about our universe except
that which is before our eyes or within
the reach of their experiment; and
even with these limitations they can
give no very definite account OF things.