Evening star., 1941-05-20
Of Stars, Men
And Atoms
Notebook Of Science Progress
In Laboratory, Field
And Study
BIZ Thomas r. Henrv.


The unsolvable secret code now is pos
sible, but a message in 1t probably Is
impossible to transmit by any known
system of long distance communication.
1t requires the use of the newest and
most powerful algebras," familiar only
to few mathematicians in the world.
This is revealed by DR.. Marston Morse
of the Institute of Advanced Studies,
Princeton, N. j., chairman Of the War
Preparedness Committee of the Ameri-
can Mathematical Society and himself
one of the worlds foremost mathema-
ticians. 1t has been determined, DR..
Morse said, that such a code could be
constructed which no man, regardless
OF how proficient a mathematician he
might be, could "break" unless he pos
sessed the key. Both the sender and
receiver with key would have to be
mathematicians of exceptional ability.
Whether such a code has been con-
structed in detail DR.. Morse does not
reveal 1t would consist of complex
symbols which cannot be translated into
words and which could not be sent by
telegraph, telephone or radio. A message
could only be delivered in person.
But, DR.. Morse. says, transmissible
codes now are possible in simpler mathe-
matical systems which are vastly harder
to crack" than any Of the word, num-
ber or letter codes which were in use
during the World War. Mathematicians
are required to construct them and, SO
far as is known, they can be solved, al
though with immense labor, by persons
familiar with various branches OF higher
mathematics.
Under the direction of Prof Engstrom
Of Yale, an officer in the Naval Reserve,
several able young mathematicians are
engaged in an intensive study of "cryp-
toanalysls," as the art of solving such
puzzles is known. 1t is expected that
they will find the key to almost any
secret message system an enemy may
devise.
The ordinary codes, says Prof. Morse,
Involve the use of frequency tables and
much ingenuity"
During the first years of the last war
the methods of secret communication
used by both the Germans and the
Allies were almost childish compared
with those which have been evolved
today. In almost all of them message
was spelled out in some way by means
of a set OF arranged symbols, and
various arts Of invisible photography and
invisible writing were used to conceal
them. The cryptographers had not gone
far beyond Edgar Allan Poe or A. Conan
Doyle.
Late in the war the Germans dis
covered that it was better to use mathe-
maticians than philologists in this branch
Of the service. They probably have some
very ingenious secret codes today which
may, or may not, be known to their
enemies But only something expressed
In the higher algebras ras"-mathematlcal
systems compared to which relativity is
simple-could battle permanently the
group working with Prof Engstrom. At
least, they would recognize very quickly
whether the code was "crackable" or
not.
Meanwhile, says Prof. Morse, higher
mathematics is being forged by the
Nations schools into one of the most
valuable of defense weapons, largely
through the American Mathematical So
cietv and the Mathematical Association
of America who have named group OF
consultants to work with the Govern
ment They are being aided by some OF
Germany's erstwhile foremost mathe-
maticians, who now are in exile. Also
Italy's foremost authority on ballistlcs,
the fundamental science of artillery fire,
is in exile in this country.
One of the worst gaps, DR.. Morse
points out, is the failure OF American
elementary schools and colleges to teach
more generally such subjects as SOLID
geometry, trigonometry and calculus
during the past generation.
This has resulted, he fears in large
number of reserve officers who will be
unable to put the work Of the mathe-
maticians to practical use.
It is not yet too late, he holds, to
start intensive courses in high schools
and colleges which will familiarize stu
dents with at least the elementary ma
terial found in military textbooks.
~
Perhaps the earth's most fearsome
creature, in appearance, is described in
a bulletin just issued by the Smithsonian
Institution.
1t is a shark known as Isistius brazil
iensis, found in the tropical Atlantic,
Indian and Pacific Oceans. 1t is wine
brown colored creature with sharp teeth
set in 20 rows, which may glow at night
with an unearthly light.
AS described by an English naturalist:
when the specimen, taken at night.
was removed into dark apartment 1t
afforded very extraordinary spectacle.
The entire interior surface of the body
and the head emitted vivid and green
ish phosphorescent gleam, imparting to
the creature, by It's own light, a truly
ghastly and terrific appearance. The
luminous effect was constant, and not