Worcester Democrat and the ledger-enterprise. (Pocomoke City, Md.) 1921-1953, 1926-04-24
FIGURES ON AGE OF
EARTH ARE REVISED
Billion and a Half Years Is
New Estimate.

Austin, Texas.-Geologists generally
have accepted the comparatively re-
cent calculation Of physicists that the
age of the world Is approximately
,5OO,OOO,OOO years, according to DIR.
Charles Schuchert, professor emeritus
of paleOntology at Yale university,
who is giving a special course in
stratigraphic geology at the University
of Texas this term.
"As 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. "The best calculation OF the
earth's age comes from the rate Of dis
indignation 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 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 disintegration of radium-bear-
ing minerals all of our older calcu-
lions 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,OO0,OOO years.
Basis OF Calculation.
'1This calculation was based on the
- ,11A t. n
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,O0O,O0O years."
Doctor Schuchert said that recently 1t
was widely believed that oil produc'
ton would play out, or at least be
vastly reduced during the next 70
years, but that many noted biologists
now saw no fear Of an immediate ex-
haustion Of this natural wealth.
"a few years ago predictions were
made by the best biologists that the
peak of production had been reached"
he continued. "As yet, however, no
decline has set in, but Of course, Soon
er or later the supply of liquid pc
troleum will be exhausted. Even so,
there are vast amounts of shales hold
ing oils which can be extracted
through distillatiOn.
more modern methods have been
adopted recently by which greater
quantity of oil is obtained from a
given field than formerly" he said. I'm
Pennsylvania old wells which were be-
lieved exhausted have been revived
by pumping water or air into the old
holes or into newly driven ones, thus
forcing up more Of the oil reserves.
It is widely held that only about %
per cent Of the oil of a given field Is,
so far, brought to the surface. Sup
pose that by the adoption Of Inn
proved methods this could be in
creased to so per cent, it would mean
an enormous addition to production.
Old Theories Discarded.
"With the progress of scientific re-
search and discoveries some Of the old
theories as to the origin Of petroleum
have been placed In the discard. One
Of these is the old belief that the nat
ural oils are of volcanic origin. 1t is
now well known that petroleum is the
end residium of once living things and
chiefly Of marine plants, although
some Of it is also of animal origin"
Doctor Schuchert evinced much in
terest in the information that has come
to him of the possible potash wealth
Of Texas.
IT understand that in the oil ex-
plorations in the western part Of
Texas potash salts have been found
over an extensive area" he said. IF
potash is present in workable guam
titles it means tremendous wealth
to the state, even long after the oil
is gone. Not only is potash In great
demand as a fertilizer, but enormous
quantities Of it are used in the chemi-
cal industries. Nowhere In North
America are the Permian beds better
developed than In the semi-arid re-
gions of western Texas and nowhere
are there greater supplies Of gypsum