Evening star., 1929-12-12
FUNDAMENTAL LIFE
RESEARCH PLANNED
New Smithsonian Division to
Study Radiation in BIZ
oIogy Problems.

Plans for research into the most
fundamental of the phenomena of life
were reported to the regents of the
Smithsonian Institution today by Dr.
Charles G. Abbot. secretary of the
institution.
This program. which has necessitated
creation of a new division, will be car
riad out in thoroughly equipped physica!
pnd chemical laboratories, DR.. Abbot
reported. and will be chiefly concerned
with biological problems, in which
radiation enters as an important factor
Direct investigation of living or
ganismS. he reported, will consist Tor
the present of study of the growth OF
plants under rigidly controlled physical
and chemical conditions with SOIL re-
placed by nutrient solutions and the
gasses supplied to the plants will be
of known and controlled amounts. Thus
every factor will be known whereas
with plants growing in soil and ordinary
atmosphere there are innuemerable un-
known chemical clements and reactions
which vitiate the results.
will Measure Light.
Under these conditions the intensity
and color of the light received by the
plants will be measured and varied eX-
perimentally to determine the exact
effects brought about by changes in
radiation.
The program also includes study OF
the structure OF the more complicated
molecules which are part OF lVlng
organisms which will be investigated,
with extraordinary delicate and COM
plicatod apparatus, through the Taula
tion which arises from the internal
vibrations of the molecules themselves.
DR.. Abbot reported to the regents
that A total of more than half-mllllon
specimens had been added during the
wear to the collections of the National
Museum, which is under the direction OF
the Smithsonian. The majority OF THESE
came in the division of biology ana
ranged from rare shells to large collec-
tions of birds and plants from emma ana
Siam One of the most important was
a complete skeleton of an adult sperm
whale from Japan. DR.. Paul BartSch OF
the museum staff alone added about
200 900 land shells from Cuba.
Special mention was made OF the geo.
logical collections, which included
iaeteorite weighing half ton, a which 1ell
from the sky above the Zuni Mountains
of New Mexico. Two smaller visitors
from outer space we're obtained from
Trexas and Kansas Colorful additions
to this collection were carved Statuette
Of rose quartz, a Chinese carving OF
tourmaline. a yellow topaz weighing "a
carats, a cameo of Hungarian opal and
a nugget of platinum weighing more
than II ounces.
Gets Dress of Martha Washington.
Additions to the historical collection
we're a silk dress worn by Martha Wash
ington. the uniforms worn by Maj. Gen.
Leonard Wood from 1888 to 1921, and
a, model of the schooner Hannah of
Marblehead, the first armed vessel to
sail at public expense during the Revo-
luton.
Smithsonian explorers, DR.. Abbot re-
ported, have ranged over the world COL
fecting specimens of an ancient culture
IN Alaska. bones of extinct mammals in
Haiti. rare birds. fish and reptiles in
the South Seas, strange birds and plants
in the hitherto uneXplored mountains
of Southwestern China, biological Speci-
mems from previously unexplored Hima-
layan peaks in the Khun Tan Noun
tains of Northern Siam, and numerous
sites of scientific interest in North
America.
s. Among the most valuable additional
collections were those to the Freer
Gallery of Art of Oriental and Near
Eastern bookbinding, bronze work, glass,
manuscripts and paintings, pottery and
silver