Evening star., 1941-02-21
Of Stors, Men
And Atoms
Notebook Of Science Progress
In Laboratory, Field
And Study
BIZ Thomas r. Henry.

Allegedly foolproof nose-dive brakes
probably now used by German dive
bombers in "strahng" England, have just
been patented here.
The patent application from Herbert
Wagner of Dessau, Germany, was re-
ceived together with score of other
German inventions dealing with air.
craft, before the actual outbreak of the
war. These now are being granted as
they pass through the routine of ex-
animation as to the novelty and prac-
ticability Of the ideas.
Nose-dive brakes already in use in
Germany, Wagner says in his applica-
ton, consist of metal flaps on the un-
dersides of the wings which, when they
are thrown into position, alter the flow
of air around the wings in such a way
as to check the 500 to 600 mile an hour
speed downward when approaching the
point where the upward turn is to be
made At other times these flaps are
kept close against the wings.
While these brakes have worked eff
GENTLY, Wagner claims, they have set
up tremendous vibrations in the controls
which have interfered with their auto
matte action and even prevented their
operation by the pilot. His own inven-
ton, assigned to the Junkers Corp,
makes exact control possible.
This object is attained by controlling
movements of the ailerons so that no
portions of them are in the line OF
changed air flow brought about by
putting on the brakes. The device was
patentable because it is in line with one
of the most recent developments in
aeronautics, to which American and
English inventors now are making con-
tributions, which will make possible
slower landings of large, fast planes.
While dive bombing supposedly was
an American development, the Patent
Office files show that most of the tech
nical advances, such as head rests for
pilots and various automatically operat-
ing gadgets, have been German in origin
and have been accumulating during the
past four or five years. Those patented,
in the opinion of the American ex-
aminers, were sound in principal al
though not necessarily actually practical.
The comb OF an 10000, ,000-yea ar-old
wasp nest-the earliest known relic of
the social insects on earth-has just been
added to the collections of the Smith
sonian Institution.
The fossil, dating from the Upper
Cretaceous geological period when the
great dinosaurs we're coming to the end
of their dominance, may mark a signi-
hcant turning point in the history Of
life.
At about this time, it is explained by
Dr. Roland W. Brown, who describes the
specimen, there was great evolutionary
outburst of Towering plants which
hitherto had occupied a minor place in
the plant kingdom. A few million years
later they were to attain the dominance
which they have held ever since.
that blossoms and social insects, indis-
pensable partners ever since. developed
at essentially the same time. Pre-
sumably the blossom with its pollen came
first, but it would have been of little
advantage to the plant, and probably
soon would have disappeared, had pol
len-carrying insects not come into the
world at the same time. 1t was a
fortuitous combination and has deter
mined the face of nature ever since.
This is also the first fossil evidence
of the development of society in the
world-the partnership of great num-
bers of free individuals in building a
home and providing a community live
lihood. Ever since, in spite of the great
social progress of man, this has been
exemplified chiefly by the social insects.
The fossil was found by DR.. J. B.
Reside and DR.. C. E. Dobbin of the
United States Geological Survey in
Southeastern Utah. 1t came from rock
stratum rather barren in other evidences
OF ancient life. There were a few
fragmentary, unidentifable leaves. some
wood turned to stone and a fragment Of
bone.
Apparently the wasp nest fell into
mud which covered 1t over, forming a
mould. The original material of the
comb soon disappeared, but the form
was left. The mud afterwards was
bound together in an iron solution, re-
sulting in hard concretion in which
the form would be preserved indefinitely
There were no remains of the builders
OF the nest, DR.. Brown says. but it is
very similar to the type built by some
extant species of colonial wasps Original
ly, he says, it probably was made of a
tough. papery material which would be
much more likely than the similar waxy
comb of the bee to escape destruction
long enough for the mould to form.