Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1954-08-06
Astronomers Detect
Clash Of Star GoIoxies.
Radio Waves Point to Event
Millions Of Years Ago
By Thomos R. Henry

Identification of a second smash of
star galaxies as big as the 100.
billion-star Milky Way galaxy of which
the solar system is part-now has
been made tentatively by Mount
Palomar astronomers.
This crash Is in the northern constel-
lation Of Perseus and presumably took
place several million years ago. The
light from this far distant region Of the
universe requires this time to reach the
earth
A few months ago British astrono-
mers picked up exceptionally strong
radio wave emanations which they were
able to trace to this point in the sky.
They at first believed that the radio
waves were coming from whole cluster
OF star galaxies in this region but more
precise determinations by the Mount
Palomar astronomers indicate that it
can be delimited to small part of the
cluster-perhaps single Milky Way
object.
British Astronomers Agree.
The British astronomers, according
to an announcement in the scientific
journal Nature, now agree with this
conclusion. The nature of the radio
waves indicates they are such as would
be due to clash Of galaxies, such as
was determined two years ago to have
taken place in the Cygnus constellation,
one of the strongest points Of radio
wave emission in the universe.
Thus this clashing of galaxies may be
quite common event in crowded areas
OF extra galactic space where great star
aggregations are only few million light
years apart.
It is held unlikely that many individ-
ual stars collide. AS in the Milky Way
galax1es. these are separated by dis
tances OF several light years. The ma
jor collision is between gas molecules in
the near vacuums between the stars
and 1t Is quite possible that an intelli-
gent being living on some planet of one
OF the galaxies never would know that
anything had happened. Presumably
one OF the galaxies would pass COM
pletely through the other in the course
OF few thousand years.
+
Plant Cells PrOpagated.
Propagation. which apparently can
be continued indefinitely, of single cells
OF higher plants-an accomplishment
which may be. of considerable sienifi.
canoe in uncovering some Of the basic
mechanisms of life-now has been
achieved. according to q report to the
American Association for the Advance
ment Of Science here.
The same result was achieved with
single animal cells some months ago by
scientists at the National Cancer Insti-
tute OF the Public Health Service. The
single plant cell assures the purest sort
OF incredibly which can possibly be i'm
agined.
The success was reported by DR.. w.
II. Muir, A. c. Hildebrant and A. J.
Riker Of the University of Wisconsin.
AL higher animals, plant and animal.
start originally from single cell which
starts Immediately to subdivide and
diterentiate into cells of the various
organs which will make UP the even
tual body. Thus some are nerve cells,
blood cells, stem cells or blossom cells.
Forces Are Unknown.
The forces causing this differentia-
ton are unknown. With the single-ceu
cultures however. they should be en-
tirely lacking and each new cell should
be precisely like the original. This.
however. was found not to be strictly
true with cultures of single animal
cells at the National Cancer Institute
and probably will not remain true in
definitely with plant cells.
The cells used were from a crown
gala pathological growth which has
peen compared to human tumor-on
the marigold and the normal tobacco
stem. More than 1,50o such single cells
were isolated. according to the report.
and with special technique developed
by the Wisconsin botanists, about eight
per cent grew and divided.
Both marigold and tobacco cultures
now have been carried through four
transfers. each period taking about i've
weeks. At the end Of this period all but
a small fraction Of the growth, needed
to start another culture, is discarded.
No decline in growth rate has yet been
noted. the botanists report.