Evening star., 1922-03-12
By the Associat ted Press.

ny the Associated Press.
CHICAGO, March 11.-Transmuta-
tion of metals, sought throughout
the ages. has finally been accom-
plished, it was announced in q paper
read today at a meeting of the mid
die western section Of the American
University.
Tungsten, which is used in the fla
ments OF electric light bulbs. has
been definitely and permanently
changed into another element,
helium, through treatment in tenn
perature Of between $4,000 and 10000
degrees. it was declared in report
on experiments conducted by Dr.
Gerald L. wendt and C. e. 1rion,
working at the University OF Chi
cago.
"It means that the alehemists who
tried to turn tho baSe~ metals INTO
gold were right on one point.tha.
changed" said DR.. Paul n. I1eech Of
the Chicago section OF the Chemical
Society, in commenting on the paper
But, of course, it has nothing 70 90
with the assertions OF scaiawaes
that the O3Gef meIAl6 CAu Oc ehAn
muted into synthetic gold.
shows Atem II Destruetible.
"It does. however, actually blast
the theory that the atoms OF element
supposed to be absolutely indestruct-
ible, cannot be broken up BY men IT
opens a vast new field to science. and
may result in many far-reaching ana
Important scientific developments.
We cannot yet foresee what these
developments may be.
"up until 1895 1t was believed tnat
no decomposition of elements was
possible. At that time. however, 1t
was discovered that radiun, which
is one of about ninety known ele-
ments, naturally decomposes INTO
lead. Nature, however, performs that
change, and until DR.. Wendt and Mr.
irion completed their experiments
man had never been able to produce
"The heat developed to break down
the tungsten atoms and change them
into helium is the greatest ever
known.hotter than d the sun .n .a,ronna OF enan
merp The heat of molten steel Is
about a,e0e degrees; tho temperature
Of the sun is about 5000 degrees and
Of some Of the hottest stars Is about
$4,000 degrees.
Hottest Spot I'm Universe.
but these scientists, by means OF
artificial lightning such as DR..
Charles p. Steinnetx recently pro.
duced, have developed the hottest
known spot in the universe.
Astronomers have long known that
while in general the materials which
compose the sun and stars are the
same as those known on earth, tho
list of substances and chemical ele-
mente becomes shorter and shorter
VIXEN the hotter stars are examined.
.'On the brilliant white or blush
stars, which are masses OF gas At
about 90, 900 degress. only the simplest
elements are present. They seem to
consist entirely Of the gases, hydro.
1en and helium. The heavier metals,
such a. iron, are not present
ITO determine whether this was due
to decomposition by the great heat,
Wendt and Irion reproduced condi .
tiona such az arc on the stare and
succeeded in reaching q temperature
twice as high as that Of the hottest
star and found that ordinary metals
are decomposed into the simple gases.
particularly helium.
s.The method used was the same as
that used in producing artificial light
ming, recently announced by DR..
Steinmetz of Schenectady. and was
originated by DR.. J. A. Anderson Of
the Mount Wilson solar observatory,
at Pasadena, Cal.
100000 Volts Discharged.
ut consists In charging q largo
electrical condenser to 100000 volts