The daily worker., 1934-07-21
LABORATORY
AND SHOP
Notes on Science and Technology

remains independent Of politics.
The bourgeoisie and their scien-
tifc yes-men deliberately distort
scientific news; they deliberately
clothe science with the magic and
mystery that "ally" it with religion,
spiritualism and cultism Of 2 mys-
tical type, in order that workers
and intelIectuals will remain ignor-
ant Of the accumulation Of facts
which prove the barbarity and uses
lessness Of capitalism.
Newspaper readers must not
learn that the world-famous biol
ogist, H. NJ Muller, has demon-
strated that a rational science Of
eugenics waits upon the establish
ment of a socialist society. Workers
must be made 70 believe that
science does not bring material ad-
vantage to mankind. Science must
be presented as an elaborate sys-
TEN of hocus-pocus that is good
only for laugh or thrill now
and then.
The conclusions Of DR.. Clark are
interesting and significant. He
wants scientists TO remember that
The prestige of science in all lands
is based either upon public ap-
probation Of the value received
from its development (read ap-
probation Of profits received) or
upon its adoption as an occupation
for their leisure hours by the rich
and powerful. In the latter case,
if the rich and powerful lose their
wealth and power, the prestige Of
science will suffer accordingly"
DR., Clark should be referred to
the Soviet Union, where science has
a prestige unequalled in any cap
italist country; where it does not
add to the comfort Of coupon clip
pers but is utilized in the building
of socialism; where scientific news
is not distorted or written down to
the level Of an oboe player; where
the whole population is studying all
branches Of science, so that scien-
tific meetings are attended not only
by scientists but by thousands Of
workers and peasants.
On the Atomic Front
A new way Of producing artificial
radio-activity has been discovered
by three Soviet physicists, A. J.
Alichanov, A. J. Alichanian and
B. S. Dzlepoz of the Leningrad
Physical Technical Institute. They
bombarded boron atoms with the
cores (nucleD of helium atoms. The
boron atoms were transmitted into
a disintegrating kind of nitrogen
which has special radioactive
qualities.
Radioactivity is the natural proc
ess by which the heavier elements
like uranium and radium break q
down spontaneously into others. In
the process Of disintegration the
atoms Of the radioactive elements
throw out pieces Of themselves, and
also release a penetrating radiation
which has been found very useful
in the treatment Of certain diseases.
It is of great Importance to obtain
a low priced artificial form Of RADIO
activity, since a gram of radiuin
costs something like $4,000 gram
is less than one four-hundredth
part of an ounce. The work of the
Soviet scientists is another step
toward obtaining artificial radio
activity which would be cheaper
and available in larger volume.
Moreover, radiation from artificial
radioactivity is more penetrating
than that from naturally radio
active elements.
In America DR.. C. G. Lauritsen
and his colleagues at the California
Institute of Technology have also
created artificial radioactive nitrogen
by bombarding carbon atoms with
the nuclei of the newly undiscovered
heavy (doubleweight) hydrogen.