Evening star., 1942-12-10
Of Stors, Men
And Atoms
Notebook Of Science Progress
In Laboratory, Field
And Study
By Thomas r. Henry.

are minute plants-single-c e-celled organ
isms belonging to one of the most primi-
tive groups of living things-that appear
to live in infinite numbers on perpetual
snow and ice.
Glaciers and snow fields bloom" with
vivid reds and violets.
Perhaps this is the most inhospitable
Of all the realms life has invaded. The
phenomenon naturally is quite rare.
Only peculiar environmental complex
makes it possible. A report on an inten-
sive study of the manifestation in Alaska
made in 1885, by Erzebet Kol, Hungarian
woman scientist, has just been published
by the Smithsonian Institution. Miss
Kol worked under Smithsonian fellow
ship.
She collected the snow and ice algae
from snow fields and glaciers in widely
separated Alaskan mountain ranges and
found nearly so examples of the phe-
nomenon. Specimens were obtained
from each for taxonomic study, and
Miss Kol had planned to cultivate them
at laboratory established at an altitude
of IL 1882 feet in the Jungfrau Pass in
Switzerland. What effect the war has
had on these plans is unknown, since it
has been impossible to communicate
with her since the United States entered
the conflict
Life of any kind in such an inhospi-
table environment requires an extremely
delicate adjustment. It's foothold is
tenuous at best. In accordance with
this, Miss Kol found some Of the minute
plants could grow only on ice and others
only on snow. They had no choice OF
habitat.
The algae hardly can be said to live
on pure ice or snow, if such things exist
in nature. They are confined to the
surface where minute particles, falling
from decomposing and shattered rock,
and Wind-carried dust dissolve slowly
in the moisture more or less continuously
present on the surface. This alters the
chemical composition Of the environ
ment and provides the plants with min
erals essential to life. There are quite
striking changes in type, Miss Kol found
depending on whether surrounding
mountain slopes are acid or alkaline in
their geochemical composition.
The snow and ice plants presumably
play an important role in the economy
of life in the Far North and perhaps
serve as the chief food for some other
form Of life which in turn supports
higher forms. The life cycles of the
minute organisms remain unknown and
possibility of determining 1t for the pres
ent seems ended by the loss OF Miss Kol's
living material.
Among the types found was one which
appears only as a purple bloom" on ice
and another which makes isolated snow
fields the color of red pepper
Among the phenomena reported is
that of snowfelds with nests of snow
fleas-minute, lively little animals which
find tenuous habitat on dirty snow.
They have previously been observed on
Canadian snowfields and in Europe.
The camouhage specialist is learning
new tricks from nature.
Some of these are revealed by G. Eve
lyn Hutchinson, Yale Zoologist, who Is
conducting a special course for the Office
of Civilian Defense
To make the bombardiers task more
difficult, shadows are hidden by trick
learned from a certain lizard Having
long tail, this lizard DISCUSSES 1t by
flaps extending to the ground on both
Sides which obscure the tails shadow.
Similarly the SHADOWS of buildings can
be hidden with long nets sloping down.
ward from the roofs in all directions
The Importance of disgusting shadows
may be seen from the fact that smoke
stack looks like small. round spot from
above, but its shadow is a tell-tale black
finger.
Natures universal principle of pro-
tective coloration is achieved by break
ing up lines OF contour. roof with
uneven markings of dark and light green
does the same thing for factory located
IN wooded area that spots and stripes
accomplish for leopards, tigers and
zebras in the jungle. The variation In
color disrupts the form by distracting
the eyes from the physical outline.
Other means Of confusing the bonn
bardier are borrowed from the mimicry
of she animal world. Taking note from
the hsh which has false eye on its tail,
camouf1agers are being taught to build
false factories and airfields to fool the
enemy. Likewise, they are instructed to
pattern airplane hangers after farm
buildings.
Most of these types of camouf1age can
be detected by stereoscopic aerial photos,
but they are deceptive enough to fool a
fast-fying bombardier, perhaps lodging
anti-aircraft fire, who has to locate his