The Bozeman courier. (Bozeman, Mont.) 1919-1954, 1926-04-16
FIGURES ON AGE OF
EARTH ARE REVISED
Billion and a Half Years Il
New Estimate.

Austin, Texas-GeOloglsts generally
have accepted the comparatively re-
cent calculation Of physicists that the
age Of the world Is approximately
1s5OO,OO0,0OO years, according to DR..
Charles Schuchert, professor emeritus
Of paleOntolOgy at Yale university,
who Is giving a special course In
photographic geology at the University
Of Texas this term.
CAS- for the age OF the earth, our
conceptions have been greatly altered
by the work Of the physicists during
the last twenty years." Doctor Schuch-
ert said. 1.-THE best calculation Of the
eaFth's age comes from the rate Of dis
integratiOn Of radium-bearing minerals
and, on that basis, the age Of the
earth now Is estimated to be not less
than 1,5OO,OOO,OOO years. Such a vast
length Of time is beyond our cOncep-
ton.
"a century ago it was almost uni
~versally held that the earth was
about $500 years old. Through the
rate Of d~isintegratiOn Of radium-bear-
ing minerals all Of our older calcu-
tons have been greatly altered. Until
this discovery was made and worked
out biologists the world over held
that the age Of the earth was Of the
order Of about 125,OOO,OOO years.
Basis Of Calculation.
'"This calculation was based on the
amount Of salt IN solution IN the
oceans and the present rate Of new
supplies yielded by the rivers flowing
into them. The rivers today, however
are yielding a greater annual average
Of this salt than was the rate during
the geologic ages, and biologists later
began to think Of the age Of the earth
as something like 3OO.OO0.OOO years
Doctor Schuchert said that recently 4
was widely believed that OIL prOduc
ton would play out, or at least b.
vastly reduced during the next q
years, but that many noted geOlOgistl
now saw no fear Of an immediate ex
haustiOn Of this natural wealth.
"a few years ago predictions wer'
made by the best biologists that th'
peak Of production had been reached,
he continued. GAS yet, however, n
decline has set in, but Of course, soon
er or later the supply Of liquid pc
troleum will be exhausted. Even 50
there are vast amounts Of sh0les hold
ing oils which can be extracte,
through distillatiOn.
More modern methods have beel
adopted recently by which a create
quantity Of oil is obtained from
given field than formerly" he said. Ell
Pennsylvania old wells which were be
lieved exhausted have been revive
by pumping water or air into the oil
holes or into newly driven ones, thu
forcing up more Of the oil reserves
II is widely held that only about 2
per cent Of the oil Of a given field Il
so Tar, brought to the surface. Sur
pose that by the adoption Of I'm
proved methods this could be il
creased to 80 per cent, it would mea
an enOrmOus addition to production.
Old Theories Discarded.
with the progress Of scientific n
J search and discoveries some Of the oil
theories as to the origin Of petroleum
have been placed In the discard. On
Of these is the old belief that the ma
ural oils are Of volcanic origin. It
now well known that petroleum Is tn
end residlum Of once living things an
chiefly Of marine plants, althOug
some Of It Is also Of animal origin.
Doctor Schuchert evinced much Il
terest in the information that has com
to him Of the possible potash wealt
Of Texas.
II understand that In the OIL e.
plOratiOns in the western part {
Texas potash salts have been fOun
over an extensive area" he said. %
potash Is present In workable quar-
titles It means a tremendous Wealt
to the state, even long after the o
Is gone. Not only Is potash IN gre,
demand as a fertilizer, but enormoJ
quantities Of It are used In the chem
cal industries. Nowhere in Mort
America are the Permlan beds bett,
developed than IN the semi-aFid r
giOns Of western Texas and nOwheI
r there greater supplies Of gypsu.
and table salts"