Evening star., 1939-04-28
Electrical Brain Solves Complex
7riq Problems in Half Hour
Sine Curve Adder Helps Scientists
Get at Bottom of Natures Secrets

sine curves of which they are COM
posed. BY this machine beauty,
music, weather and hundreds of
other things have been broken up
into their basic constituents.
Adds Sine Curves.
DR.. Maxwell's electric brain &C.
complishes exactly the opposite
takes a number Of theoretical sine
curves and adds them together to
see if they make up combined
curve which fits the actual phe-
nomena of nature. The specific pur-
pose for which it was invented was
to do the mathematical heavy labor
Of an investigation in progress to
determine the arrangements of
molecules in gases at various de-
grees of diffusion by shooting
streams of electrons through them
to find the angles at which individ-
ual electrons are bounced off. The
results come out in the form of COM
plex curves. The investigators trv
to build up the same ones syntheti-
cally. Among the activities for which
the machine is expected to have
practical value is tide predicting.
This amazing electric brain, as de-
scribed by DR.. Maxwell. does these
mathematical jobs in order, over and
over again: 'Multiplies each angle
by its coefficient, looks up the sine
terms, multiplies the sine by an ar
bitrary number for each element,
adds the results, and then plots them
out on Photographic paper"
1t can be built, the physicist said.
to add as many sets of curves as one
desires. For the work which would
take calculator two days, only
about half hour of a mans time is
required in making the proper ad-
justments and starting the machine,
Then he can leave the room and it
works out the problems in a half
hour more.
There are several mechanical
ways, DR.. Maxwell said, by which the
same results might be accomplished,
but the others would be much more
costly and cumbersome.
Cosmic Rays Studied.
Twenty billion volt thunderstorms
In the atmospheres of black dwarf
stars, thousands Of times heavier
than the atmosphere of the earth,
may be the origin of the mysterious
cosmic rays which constantly bonn
bard the earth with such force that
they will pass through foot of solid
lead, DR.. Thomas H. johnson of the
Bartil Foundation, Philadelphia, told
the Physical Society.
Some such hypothesis, he said,
seems called for by the most recently
discovered primary particles of mat
ter, the mesotron. This is about 100
times heavier than the electron, Is
unquestionably formed by some pri-
mary radiation striking the upper
levels OF the earth's atmosphere. and
has an average lifetime of about q
mlll1onth OF second During this
brlef interval, so great is the speed
at which 1t is travelling, it can reach
the earth's surface and 20 through
nundreds OF feet Of solid earth into
deep tunnels or mines.
Theoretical conclusions, DR.. john
son said, make 1t practically certain
that such particles at first are pro-
tons. or positive units of electricity
propelled through space with ter
r1nc speeds. II is certain that these
cannot come from open space, where
the electrical forces in the clouds
OF matter are essentially balanced.
Fired Into Space.
The black dwarfs, small stars
perhaps not much larger than the
major planets but much heavier.
are known to exist in the neighbor-
mood OF some very hot stars. They
are dead stars with no heat Of their
own. So great is their gravitational
pull that their atmosphere must be of
an extremely great density-possibly
pure proton gas. Like the earth
they revolve. and have their nights
and days. This brings UNEQUAL
heating, the formation of clouds
electrical gradients, and titanic
thunderstorms of an intensity un-
imaginable on earth with its punv
100000, ,000volt electrical storms.
The protons particles are fred
into space. The conditions are
such that an electron, positive or
negative, loses energy as it passes
through the wastes of nothingness
between the stars. This energy is
picked up by the protons. A meso-
tron is about tenth of a proton,
formed In some way by the lrasn
against the molecules of the nigh
atmosphere.
A clearer understanding OF the
mesotron is necessary DR.. johnson
explained, In order to understand
the mysterious binding forces which
hold the nuclei of atoms tooether