Evening star., 1942-01-08
Of Stors. Men
And Atoms
Notebook Of Science Progress
In Laboratory, Field
And Study
By Thomas r. Henry.

AND Study
By Thomas r. Henry.
A silvery white metal, which weighs .
third less than aluminium and, pound for
pound, is stronger. has become . vital
war and defense material
This year the Government will need
400, ,0OO, 900 pounds of it. approximately 60
times the national production two years
ago.
The metal, or rather the minerals from
which it is made, are common as dirt"
but few other substances does the earth
seem to give up with more reluctance
Only about 25 years ago the first stores
were produced IN the United States,
which is one of the worlds most abun-
dant sources Of the raw material.
This metal is magnesium, which, be-
cause Of its lightness and strength, is
invaluable for wings, engine castings and
landing gear for airplanes and, because
Of the intense heat with which it burns,
forms the basis Of the incendiary bombs
which have been showered on London.
Hitherto it has had limited use-in
the flash powders used by photographers
up to a few years ago, in medicine, in
kitchen utensils, and in some parts OF
automobiles. Metallurgists have found
how to make very tough alloys with the
more easily obtainable aluminium.
But early in 1910 the huge Army, Navy
and British Observation-Disclosures pro-
gram was set In motion and demand soon
overlook all available supplies of the
metal. 1t was essential not only for the
Government to impose rigid priorities
but to find ways to increase its supplies.
BY last fall the aircraft industry was
demanding every ounce produced, leaving
none for other vital needs, and since then
this demand has increased enormously.
Even with the most eficient processes,
Bureau of Mines experts explain, a great
deal of magnesium necessarily is wasted.
From more than 1000, 900 pounds used in
production OF structural materials In
1910 only . little more than 5000 900
pounds emerged in finished products.
Magnesium combines easily with oxygen
at temperatures above its melting point,
so it is assumed that the missing 1000
600 pounds, mostly were burned in the
manufacturing process, while molten.
In few other fields of emergency pro-
duction has there been more whole
hearted cooperation with the Govern
ment, with one large company, practically
the sole producer up to the present. set
ting up a special plant to extract it from
sea water and chemists and engineers
all over the Nation working on new
processes of extraction and new alloys.
Still, in the face Of the probability that
the demand will be greatly increased with
newer airplane designs. the shortage IS
acute. The increase in demand Is shown
by the fact that Americas defense needs
alone In 1912 call for about five times
the total world production in 1910. Last
year Germany was by far the largest pro-
ducer with q total Of about 10000 tons.
The United Kingdom came next with q
production OF $500 tons and the United
States third with $3.50 tons.
Germany formerly was an exporter Of
magnesium to the United States. In 1898
and 1899 she started boarding a reserve
for the coming war and the establishment
and expansion OF all plants has been
placed under state control until the end
OF 1945 A great deal Of the production
is believed to have gone into fire bombs
and much experimental work has been
carried on by German metallurgists
which has been kept secret.
Quantities Of magnesium are known
to be lying about in the form OF scrap.
now carefully boarded wherever it
is found 1t Is estimated that In 1910
about half a million pounds Of this scrap
were consumed by defense industries.
Wider uses are planned as the sup
ply increases to the proportions Of the
demand. The service record and weight
saving Of magnesium alloy wheels on
large land planes has been so satisfac-
tory that over rs per cent Of the CONNER
cial and military planes now under con-
struction are so equipped. The very low
weight of American aircraft engines per
horsepower is attributed to the use OF
magnesium alloy products. Work now
IS in progress on fuselage using plas-
tics moulded over magnesium alloy REIN
forcements, and full wing size panels Of
the metal are being tested.
The Eskimo arrived in North America
in two great migrations from their home
land in Siberia.
These migrations perhaps were sepa-
rated by an interval of several centuries.
This is the thesis advanced by DR.. Dia-
mond Jenness, curator Of anthropology
Of the National Museum Of Canada, in a
report just published by the Smithsonian
Institution.
There are, he points out, three ancient
Eskimo cultures recognized by archeolo-
gists. One is the so-called "Old Bering
Sea-" restricted to Alaska and the Ber-
ing Sea islands. Second is the Thule,
which originated in the west and spread
eastward. Third Is the Dorset which Is
restricted to the east. The latter Is very
similar to the Old Bering Sea. 1t was q
culture of Clipped, rather than polished,
stone implements. 1t has various ele-
ments suggestive Of Indian rather than
Eskimo.
1t is significant, DR.. Jenness point out,
that in both the Old Bering Sea and the
Dorset culture remains there are no
sledge dog bones. Numerous remains are
found of smaller dog kept for slaughter
and eating Sledge dog bones are COM
mon in Thule sites. The Old Bering Sea
and Dorset people had no pottery while
A.. 1seL;paos lid pouu and Nrrouu