80 WHAT IS LIFE 



19,000,000,000,000 miles] it follows that the unit 

 sphere whose center is the sun contains no other 

 known sun. The earth compares in volume to this 

 enormous space about as a minute particle only 1/20 

 of an inch in diameter does to the whole earth. "^ 



The present-day teaching of some of the leading 

 astronomers concerning the extent of the universe 

 is that embodied in the so-called "island universe'' 

 theory. The Milky Way, the marvelous Galaxy in 

 which the solar system is located, is believed to be 

 an ''island universe." That there are great numbers 

 of "island universes," is the startling new teaching. 

 And each "island universe" is conceived as composed 

 of millions or billions of stars. 



And yet, incomprehensible as the unknowable 

 magnitude of the number of stars and worlds in 

 space is, the entire universe of "island universes" 

 of them sinks into insignificance when compared 

 with the well-nigh incomparably greater magnitude 

 of stellar distances. Herbert Spencer admitted that 

 "the thought of Space compared with which our 

 immeasureable sidereal system dwindles to a point, 

 is a thought too overwhelming to be dwelt upon."^ 



That the total amount of matter in space is almost 

 infinitestimal — Lord Kelvin^ thought ultimately 



* Introduction to Astronomy, 505. 

 ^ Facts and Comments, 292. 



* Philosophical Magazine, August, 1901 and January, 1902. 



