The states-graphic. (Brownsville, Tenn.) 1???-1984, 1917-01-05
RADIUM AND EVOLUTION

Scientists so far have learned only
few of the most elementary facts
about radium but enough is known to
establish the fact that it is the source
of enormous quantities or energy;
scientific men believe that if sufficient
quantities of radium could be obtain
ed the problem of supplying the
worlds power, light and heat in the
most efficient manner would be vir-
tually solved. An article in the Elec-
trical Experimental gives some inter.
esting facts and theories about the
wonderful element.
IF we place a thermometer into a
phial containing a quantity of radium
BROMIDE" we read, at will indicate a
temperature two and seven tenths de-
grees hotter than the temperature
outside the phial. What the tempera-
ture would be if we substituted radium
for radium bromide, we have no means
of knowing. For science has not as
yet produced pure radium, although
the lay world prefers to think so. Our
closest approach to radium so far has
been radium bromide which if pure
consists roughly of three-ffths by
weight of the element radium and two
ffths of the element bromine.
Turning back to our thermometer
we also make the discovery that the
heat radiated from our speck of radi
UNI bromide does not grow less as the
days and months, nay years and CEN
turtles go by. The mysterious element
continues to furnish prodigious
amounts of energy, with never let up
or at least not until it has worked for
$500 years-this being the present
calculated age of radium. In order to
better comprehend what this means,
let us compare it with coal. This is
what we find:
According to Prof. Soddy, a gram
of pure radium evolves 1873 calories of
heat per hour In one year (8,76O
hours) the same gram of radium
evolves 100000 calories. In $500
years-the length of time radium will
evolve energy-2,9 00,000,0OO Galleries
will be developed. Now one gram of
coal when burned evolves 2,200 net ca
tories of heat. Consequently, the en-
ergy evolved by radium is more than
million times that furnished from
the combustion of coal.
Commercial radium salts are at
present obtained by working the Aus
trian pitchblende and lately from the
American cornotite found in Colorado.
These are practically the only CONNER
cial cources known today. But radium
is by no means as scarce as most peo-
pie believe. Radium emanations have
been found in springs, in rocks. etc.
and this has 1isatii rise 70 an ''syfraor-
binary theory regarding the evolution
of the worlds.
when the famous Swiss-Italian
Simpion tunnel was constructed some
years ago, totally unforeseen cir
cumstance arose which made the
work most difficult. Although this
tunnel is far above sea level, the heat
became uncomfortable as the work pro-
crossed. Artificial cooling had to be
resorted to in order to allow the work
men to proceed with their work. Prof.
Jolly then made the astounding discov-
cry that the rocks of the Simplon con-
tanned radium, which accounted for
the unexpected high temperature with
IN the mountain. From this Jolly has
built up a new theory of evolution and
while revolutionary in the extreme it
is most plausible and gains more adj
herents each year.
Lord Kelvin already deducted that
If the earth contained only two parts
OF radium per million million-and
great deal more is actually found in
the rocks and crusts of our globe
this minute quantity would raise the
temperature Of the earth's core 800
degrees Centigrade in one hundred
million years. There being no escape
for the imprisoned heat-the earth's
crust being an exceedingly bad con-
ductor-Prof. Jolly convinces us that
as the ages roll by, the interior of the
earth must become hotter and hotter
Finally, after the end of millions of
years, the crust must give way to the
tremendous heat from within and the
bursting earth must go up in flames,
becoming burning gas ball, lust as
we see our sun today.
This will be the 'incandescent age
a title suggested by Prof Soddy. At
ter another tens of millions of wears
the incandescent earth will have ex-
pended all of its heat into space by
radiation and it will gradually cool. A
new crust then begins to form anew.
this is what we see at present on the
planets Jupiter and Saturn, worlds
Just beginning to cool after emerging
from their incandescent age.
THUS we find that worlds do not
die. They slowly pass from one stage
to another, in long and interminable
cycle. 1t is more than probable from
the above that the earth must have
passed many times through this cycle.
Probably every time the world went up
IN flames, man was at his highest point
Of civilization, infinitely further ad-
vanced than we are today In an in
slant every living soul had persisted
and for millions Of years his like was
not to tread again on the hardened
earth crust.
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