The Bismarck tribune. [volume] (Bismarck, N.D.) 1916-current, 1924-12-02
INFINITE ENERGY IN LIGHT
LITERARY DigeSt)

Literary DigesD
All scientific men agree that
huge stores of energy are locked
up in the atoms of matter. Some
believe that this energy will never
be released; others suspect that
some way of utilizing it may one
day be found. At least one, Dr..
Gerald l.. WenGt, dean Of the
school of chemistry and physics at
Pennsylvania State College, thinks
that he has taken the first steps
toward it and is within measur~
able distance Of his goal. He j.
quoted, indeed. as stating definite
ly that experiments already con-
ducteI by him give "relsonablc
promise" that he will discover the
secret and succeed in utilizing it
for the benefit of mankind. This
would mean Il new and immeasur-
able source of energy Independent
of coal and oil deposits, hydroelcc-
trio and every other form Of power
known at present, it was said by
DR.. Wcndt, anu by other scientists
in attendance on an intersectional
Society at Lafayette College. Eas-
ton. Pennsylvania. In his expert
ments DR.. Wendt placed a tungsten
wire in a vacuum-tube, through
which he shot energy, with the
result that more energy came out
than went in and the tungsten was
transformed into heiium. The
problem is one of controlling the
spontaneous disintegration of ele-
ments. The New York Times
quotes Or. Wendt as follows.
IL have been using tempcra-
ture of $4,000 degrees r. in my in
designations. The sun is only 49,
600 F.. and hottest star is 10000 de-
grces. At that tempera we
know that there is no evidence OF
metals in 4 star. and that it is
composed of hydrogen anL' helium
gases. AS it COOls we get more
complex elements. Hitherto one
of the great difficulties has been
that we could not get a sufficient
degree OF temperature in our lab
oratories but now we can produce
heat higher than the hottest stars.
| have been using 100000 volts OF
electricity for this purpose.
Copper. gold and iron are ele-
ments, and thus far we have been
unable to change them. This is
not saying that it can't be done.
and think have reasonable
grounds for the belief that | will
be able to unlock atomic-energy.
IF | succeed in my endeavors
it will mean the revolution OF
civilization Energy is its base,
and it is energy that makes all
other things valuable. 1t is one
| thing to show that the atomic en-
ergy is there and another thing to
unlock it and make use Of it, but !
have already peeped into the first
little crack"
DR.. w. r. Hillebrand, chief
chemist OF the Bureau Of Stand
ards at Washington and the dis
coverer of helium. says that if DR..
Wendt were successful in his en-
deavors he would "unquestionably
revolutionize life He continued ::
AT present it is possible TO
| SOHlIOl IAC spontaneous uAoAAASN
grafton of metals on an infinitesi-
NAL scale by using the greatest
forces at our command, but the
use of these forces is beyond the
ability of most laboratories"
Said another commentator. Pro
lessor Leon L. jerks of the Wor-
cester Polytechnic Institute:
Assuming that DR.. Wendt could
release atomic energy and do i,
cheapiy, he would have found the
source Of all the heat and power
that the world needs.
But we must be able to get ii
cheaper than we can get coal and
petroleum at present. 1t is posi-
BILE today to operate motorcal
with alcohol, but alcohol costs u
cents a gallon, and gasoline Is
cheaper. That, by the way, is one
reason why we will never se<
dollar gasoline.