The Indianapolis times. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1922-1965, 1933-06-28
-DletZ on Science
SCIENCE MARKS
VICTORY Week
AT EXPOSITION
World Convention Sees
Greater ConqueSts
for Future.
BY DAVID DIETZ
serippS-Howard Science Editor

CHICAGO, June 28.-Last week
was one Of triumph for the world
Of science. In a setting provided by
two great universities, the Univer-
sity of Chicago and Northwestern
university, and with magnificent
Century of Progress fair as back
ground, savants from two continents
have reported victory after victory
over problems which had previously
baffled them for decades, and, in
some cases, centuries.
Half year ago, when the Ameri-
can Association for the Advance
ment of Science vas in session at
Atlantic City, one had ice feeling
that the Savants were little be-
wildered by the wealth of expert
mental data that was accommodating
in the field of physics, chemistry,
and astronomy.
AT the present meeting OF the
same association, now in session
here, one feels that in the last six
months, scientists have found the
path out of the tangle and that
science is marching forward with
rapid strides to greater and great
er conquests.
Forge New Branch
A new branch of science is being
forged. 1t deals with the heart or
the nucleus of the atom. Perhaps
it will become known as nuclear
physics or nuclear chemistry. 1t
may be that both terms will come
into use.
Until the present meeting, the
structure of the nucleus was
a puzzle which became more COM
plicated with each new discovery
in the field of atomic physics.
At the present meeting 1t was
demonstrated that all these dis
coveries fit into the simple theory
of nuclear structure formulated by
DR.. w. D. Harkins of the University
of Chicago a theory so simple, as
DR.. Harkins himself puts it, that 1t
required only arithmetic and COM
mon sense"
His theory also explains the fact
that each chemical element consists
not of a single kind of atom but OF
a variety of atoms, chemically alike,
but different in weight Technically,
these are known as isotopeS.
Shows Atom Has Nucleus
DR.. Harkins showed that the
lightest atom of each element has
nucleus composed of deutons or
heavy hydrogen atoms, and that the
isotopes are formed by the adj
dition of one or more neutrons.
Equally important advances were
reported in other branches of
sciences. DR.. A. " Hill, famous
British psychologist, told how with
apparatus so delicate that it would
measure a millionth of a degree of
temperature, he had succeeded in
measuring the heat produced when
an impulse travelled over a nerve.
Other Savants, American phySi-
ologiSts who had received their
training in DR.. Hills laboratory,
told of experiments to measure the
electrical and chemical changes
which accompany nerve action. 1t
was shown that the nerves recover
and get ready for the next impulse
by a process of breathing, absorb
ing oxygen and giving off carbon
dioXide.
Enumerate Accomplishments
This work, it is expected, will lead
eventually to an understanding of
the processes which go on in the
brain and link the outer world of
things with the inner world of con-
seriousness.
In the field of astronomy, new
discoveries reported included the
following
That oxygen in the atmosphere
of Mars is sufficient to support life
as we know it.
That there is no such thing as
empty space, thin cloud of cal
cium extending everywhere.
That within our own galaxy the
amount of the stuff IN the calcium
cloud is equivalent to the amount
concentrated in the stars.
The recent measurements of dis
tant spiral nebulae contribute adj
ditional evidence to support the
theory that the universe is expand
ing like a gigantic soap bubble.
Physical and biological science
held the center of the stage at this
weeks meetings. Engineering and
the social science will be the CEN
tiers of interest at next weeks ses-