The Kennewick courier. [volume] (Kennewick, Wash.) 1905-1914, 1906-03-23
[k0xSCience
N S@e4hvention

.
A faint luminous mist in the bulb
and on the fingers has been noted by
Professor Sommers on rubbing electric
light bulbs that have been not long In
use. No satisfactory explanation has
been given.
The layer Of the sea taken up by the
clouds each year is now estimated at
fourteen feet in thickness. The winds
carry the clouds to land, where the
water falls as rain, to find its way
In due time back to the ocean.
Late statistics show that Spaniard
lives less than two-thirds as long as
Norwegian. The average duration of
life is, in Norway, SO years; England.
IS; Belgium, A; Switzerlnd, "A;
France. 43; Austria, 80; Germany. 49,;
Italy, 80, and Bavaria, 80.
A remarkable effect of pile-driving
was lately observed at Rotterdam. On
Withdrawing some piles that had been
rammed through Quick-sand by $50 to
two hundred strokes per minute, the
points were found to be charred by
friction and they ignited spontaneously
Oh contact with the air.
A new sugar plant from South Amer
lea, which has been named eupatorium
rebandium, is pronounced by, Beroni,
the German chemist, to be Of great in
dustrial value. It grows from eight
to ten inches high and Is found to con-
tain from twenty to thirty times as
much saccharine matter as sugar-cane
or the beet.
A physician writes of the effect Of
London's smoky atmosphere upon the
human lungs: 1.-The coal miners lung
is black, the lung Of the Eskimo is
pearly white, the lung of the Londoner
IS rich gray. Natural selection
evolves beings adapted to meet all sorts
OF natural MISUNDERSTANDING which
carbon-laden atmosphere is not in
cluded. Such an atmosphere Is a prod
uct Of mans own stupidity and nature
has had no chance of protecting him
against it's consequences"
Birmingham, England, IS having
trouble with its new water supply. The
water is soft" The city's health
board has warned hardware dealers
and manufacturers that galvanized
kettles and utensils are dangerous, as
the zinc coating is quickly dissolved by
the water. Birmingham. plumbers say
that their business has increased i'm
mensely since the new water arrived.
1t seems to have no great effect on
brass taps, but leap pipes and cisterns
are eaten away much faster than be-
fore.
Readers of the late Paul du Chaillu's
travels still recall with many a thrill
vivid descriptions Of encounters with
the gorilla In its native forests. But
none Of the monsters seen by him could
be compared with gorilla recently
shot on the shores of the river Sangha,
IL French Congo, which measured no
less than seven feet six and three-quar-
ter inches in height The substantial
accuracy Of this measurement seems
to be established by photographs that
have been sent to Europe. Prof. e. T.
Hamy, the French antaropologist,
thinks that this specimen indicates a
new race, II not a new species. Of
gorilla.
Gradually all the great rivers are
being harnessed for the great advance
that the mechanical powers under the
control of man are destined to make
during the twentieth century. In the
nature Of the case, those rivers whose
upper courses are marked by many
waterfalls possess the greatest avail
able power. Recent calculations by
Bavarian engineers show that the
Danube is capable Of developing, to-
gether with its Alpine tributaries, q
little less than 100000 horse power.
This applies only to that part of the
rivers course lying in Bavaria. Only
100000 horse power could be effectively
utilized, and only $4,000 has as yet
been developed. The principal uses
found for water power In the Alps are
for mountain railroads, and for electro
chemical and Observation-Disclosures in
dustries.