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Show Harnessing of Ether for Power Purposes Is Plan of Scientists Estimated That Cubic Foot of Space Contains Enough Energy to Drive Every Engine in World for Century. BY SIR OLIVER LODGE. LOXBON, Oct. 4. Is there any sign of an approach to the utilization of atomic energy already? Well, in a sense there is. We cannot, indeed, tap the actual atomic energy, but wo can use and direct some of it. Many, perhaps all kinds of matter, even those not in the ordinary t..'nse radio-active, and which never, or very seldom, fire the atomic projectiles, arc able to fire electric particles very much smalter in size and weight in size, incomparably in-comparably smaller, in weight some 7000 times lighter and to fire them with equal or even greater speed. Simple illumination, especially by ultra-violet kinds of light, suffices to stimulate cltan metals into this activity. activ-ity. Under the influence of sunlight, too, loaves of plants emit electric particles, par-ticles, and a hot wire also emits them freely. These small particles' appear themselves them-selves to bo disembodied electric charges; and when a number are projected pro-jected in a given direction they cou: stitul.3 an electric current. The sun certainly fires off such particles; and crowds of them from time to time pass near the earth, causing at least one variety of magnetic storm, and pretty certainly the aurora borealis likewise. Easily Controlled. It has been found that a stream of such particles in a vacuum constitutes an exceedingly mobile and tractable kind of electric lover, quicker in response re-sponse than any material lever can possibly pos-sibly be. It behavcs more like a luminous beam than a material pointer, and it responds with corresponding quickness. Or it can be regarded as an electric current controllable by something much weaker than itself. It can be used, therefore, as a telegraphic tele-graphic relay, and as an amplifier in wireless telegraphy. Very small received disturbances suffice suf-fice to alter its course or modify its strength, and thus signals otherwise im-jcreeptible im-jcreeptible may be strengthened almost without limit; and yet they retain their distinguishing features. And if those features have been acoustically impressed by aid of a microphone, mi-crophone, behold the principle on which modern wireless telephony is mainly based! Marvel of Telephony. That ordinary language has been transmitted through the free ether of space across the Atlantic is a marvel; it could hardly have been done unless it had been possible to utilize some of the intrinsic energy locked up in atoms. at-oms. Nothing like the major quantity of energy is tapped, only subordinate and subsidiary fractions, and even these are not really exploited. They are only controlled and directed by ingenious deviees. We can hail it, however, as a beginning of the utilization utiliza-tion of atomic energy. For, unless the electrons in the atom had already possessed pos-sessed tle evtraordinary speeds required, re-quired, it would be hopeless to attempt to generate such speeds; certainly it could not be dorte by the actual method employed, namely, by merely keeping a wire hot by an electric current. The heat disturbances, like a light disturbance is sufficient to jostle some electrons out of the metal that is all it has to do and when they escape, es-cape, flying with all the speed they must all the time have had inside the atom, they furnish to the practical electrician an instrument of unsurpassable unsurpass-able promptness and delicacy. Good Indication. I do not say that this incipient utilization utili-zation gixs us as yet any access to the vast mores of energy locked up in the constitution of atoms, but surely it is an indication that such power is coming within our ken, and leads us to expect that developments of discovery will before lung begin to show a possibility possi-bility of utilizing some oi that vast stole. Is there any other store of energy awaiting discovery in science, in my belief there is but now I am entering on more controversial ground. The ether of space is a subject of debate. Kven its existence is occasionally under un-der discussion, lyid everything said about it must be received with caution. Assuming tho reality of ether for the present, all would agree that it must, in order to explain known facts in electricity and magnetism and light, have certain well-deliued properties. To explain the electron and the electric elec-tric constitution of matter, it must have an exceedingly high density. That is to say, it must concentrate an immense im-mense inertia into every cubic foot. The magnetic field associated with moving electrons cannot otherwise be explained. Half a Million Tons. A cubic meter of water is a ton. A cubic foot of tfdd or platinum is not far short of a ton; but ou my calculation calcula-tion a cubic inch of ether is far mure than a ton. Anyone who guessed that it was half a million tons would not be uesding so absurdly as he might imagine imag-ine he was. In so far as it can be considered as possessing density at all, the density uf ether must be enormous; in fact,, each cufjie millimeter must have au iuertia comparable to that uf a thousaud tons of matter. In time, this must be measured; mea-sured; at present it itj a reasoned kind of estimate. The rate at which ether transmits the waves of light and uf wireless telegraphy enables us to say also that in addition to a very high density it must possess an astouudiugly high rigidity. Jf the density of the ether is what I have suggested, namely, 10U0 tons per cubic millimeter, the elasticity or rigidity corresponding is incomparably higher than the rigidity of any known substance, just as tho density is incomparably in-comparably greater. Fluid Rigid in Motion. But how can effective rigidity a property usually associated with solids be possessed by a fluid substance through which planets and other bodies move with perfect freedom? It can be possessed in only one way by means of motion. A fluid iu rapid motion is known to become rigid. A strong -jet a water can be struck with a hammer; it behaves like a solid bar. Fluids iu motion acquire the properties of solids. In all probability, therefore, that is what solidity is; the rigidity of atoms may be due to their possessing particles in extremely rapid motion. The solid objects that we touch and that resist deformation may be composed of rap- , idly moving ether structures and may i bo essentially fluid units iu rapid motion. mo-tion. That the ether does transmit transverse trans-verse waves is certain. Given that the property is explicable by fine- grained vertex motion and the motion mo-tion must be especially fine-grained, the units smaller than anything we are acquainted with the rate at which such a fluid can transmit transverse waves is equal to the velocity of light. Squirming Internally. Hence wo arrive at the appalling Jesuit Je-suit that every cubic millimeter of space possesses an inertia comparable to a thousand tons and is squirming internally with the velocity of light. Thus its properties altogether surpass any properties of molecularly constituted consti-tuted matter. They belong to a different dif-ferent order. The ease with which ether transmits all the forces, gravitative and other, which it is callod upon to transmit, tends to ihow tllat- ether is working well within the limits of its capacity. All it uas to do it does perfectly and easily. Its own constitution is so far abovo tho needs of! matte? and of humanity that it never shows the least sign of strain or fatigue or inabilit3. Ordinary Ordi-nary matter is constantly breaking down and exhibiting traces of imperfection. imper-fection. Ether, never. Xot that the ether has infinite properties; prop-erties; the finite and measurable speed of light is a guarantee against that. It may be, and probably is, infinitely incompressible. in-compressible. A cubic foot of space, on our estimate, contains enough power to drive every engine and every furnace in the world for a centurj-. |