Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1939-12-26
Of Stars, Men
And Atoms
Notebook Of Science Progress
In Field, Laboratory
And Study
BIZ Thomas r. Henri.

By Thomas r. Henry.
The human race has only about q half
million more years to live-if It remains
alert and lucky.
Such is the warning which DR.. Kirtley
F. Mather, professor Of geology at
Harvard University, will voice at Sig
ma XII lecture to be given at the meetings
Of the American Association for the
Advancement of Science in Columbus
late this month.
Races, like individuals. must grow old
and die. This has been the record Of
the past and there is no reason to believe
that mankind will constitute an excep-
ton, DR.. Mather insists. It may even
be much shorter lived than the average.
But, he stresses, with only $4,000 to
$4,000 years to its credit, homo sapiens,
If 1t is to be judged by the record Of the
past, is still in its racial infancy.
1.-THE animal species in the past which
have been able to maintain their exist
ence for more than two or three million
years. Prof. Mather explains. ARE rel
atively few in number. Most of them are
comparatively simple types belonging to
the less highly specialized branches of the
animal kingdom. Many were inhabitants
of the sea where environmental con-
ditions were remarkably stable through
long periods. Among placental animals,
the major subdivision of the vertebrates
to which man belongs, there is no similar
record OF longevity. Except under extraor-
binary conditions Of geographic isola-
ton, no species of placental mammal has
persisted more than two or three million
years. No matter how successful 1t may
have been temporarily in multiplying
and spreading over the face of the earth.
each has become extinct in geologically
brief span Of time. Perhaps a half
million years might appropriately be
taken as the average life Of a species
in this group of highly organized and
notably complex creatures.
But extinction does not necessarily
mean failure. 1t has frequently indi-
Gated the acme Of achievement. For
example, some of the now extinct three
toed horses and four -toed camels passed
on the torch Of progress to their descend
ants, the one-toed horses and two-toed
camels, and thus gained long continuing
security for their kind.
What then does the future hold for
mankind? The genus homo has already
existed for three or four hundred thou
sand years The species homo sspiens
has about $4,000 years to its credit If
the average applies we may expect nearly
half million years of existence and
then oblivion as we reach the end OF a
blind alley or progressive development
into some type of descendant better adj
justed than we to the total environ
mental factors Of the time
There is a possibility that man may
be an exception, Prof. Mather declares.
since he seems to be following a different
road of progress than any Of the species
that have preceded him. These all spe-
cialized in adapting themselves to the
natural conditions in which they found
themselves, physically and mentally.
Thus they became more and more
specialized to fit into specific environ
ment. When the conditions changed
they could not undo what they had done
and persisted. Man. on the other hand.
has found ways to adjust himself TO all
sorts Of environments, Prof. Mather says.
He can maintain life on Antarctic ice.
high in the air, under the sea. No other
vertebrate has approached this possible
ity. Moreover. if man doesn't like his
environment he can change 1t more or
less to suit his desires, instead of being
under the necessity of changing himself.
He drains swamps. tunnels mountains,
bridges rivers, digs canals. heats and
cools his home, and rids his environ
ment of noxious pests.
The earth now may be in one Of the
interludes of an ice age, Prof. Mather be-
lieves. Should the ice return many have
predicted that it would mean the end
of man. 1t might return should the
average annual temperature Of the earth
as a whole be reduced approximately 10
degrees Fahrenheit. and remain at that
level for a few thousand years. This
would mean that the greater part of
Canada, Northern Europe and the North
ern United States would be buried under
great glaciers.
Another possibility is that the ice age
is coming to an end. This would result
in the flooding Of large areas. But, Prof.
Mather suggests, man with his capacities
for adjustment might be able to meet
either change There is evidence that
ancient man. few in numbers and limited
in needs, did survive at least one descent
Of the ice.
The great danger to 5O0,000-year
existence of the race on earth, Prof.
Mather says, seems to be that of exhaust
ing all natural resources. Already enor-
nous progress has been made in this
direction in the past few generations.
Forests and mineral resources have been
exploited and squandered ruthlessly. The
oil supplies, upon which man has come
to depend to such a great extent in his
efforts to change his environment, may
be exhausted in q little more than 30
years. At least q temporary salvation,
he hopes, may come from the further
development Of synthetic materials and
possibly, in the long run, new organ
ization Of society.
Says the Busy Man"
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