The Science of Yesterday, Today, and 

 Tomorrow* 



^7 W. F. G. SwANN 2 



INTRODUCTION 



It is within a period of less tlian three-quarters of a century, a 

 period less than the span of life which many of my audience have 

 experienced, that one of the world's most eminent men of science 

 volunteered the idea that the discovery of nature's laws was ended, 

 that the brain of man had solved the riddle of the universe, and that 

 science was dead. 



It is true that there were a few unopened, or partially opened, boxes 

 which had come to light, and which seemed to contain things of some 

 interest, but is was generally supposed that these things were, in prin- 

 ciple, much the same as the things to be found outside. The contents 

 of the boxes seemed to be in rather messy state. However, it was 

 generally believed that if they were cleaned up and put in order, they 

 would reveal nothing new. The job of cleaning them up seemed to 

 invite little interest, so for the time being, they were left as they were. 



And so, even as the great surgeon, having perfomied his major 

 operation, leaves to a humble assistant the task of cleaning up and 

 removing the stitches, so the man of science felt that his work was 

 done, and that he might leave to lesser lights the task of polishing 

 up the contents of those boxes and of finding out how they fitted to- 

 gether to useful ends. 



But when the boxes were opened, it was found that many of them 

 contained things of a nature quite unexpected. The things which were 

 in the boxes did not behave according to the common sense of the 

 day. They had to do with such phenomena as gases excited to emit 

 light by electric discharge. By and large, they had to do with glowing 

 things. If in those days there had been any radio tubes, they would 



1 The Charles S. Reddlnj? Lecture, delivered at the stated meeting of the Franklin In- 

 stitute on December 16, 1959. Dr. Swann was honored at this meeting for his 32 years 

 as director of the Bartol Research Foundation. Reprinted by permission from Journal 

 of the Franklin Institute, vol. 269, No. 3, March 1960. 



2 Director emeritus, Bartol Research Foundation of the Franklin Institute, Swarthmore, 

 Pa., and a senior staff adviser for the Franklin Institute Laboratories for Research and 

 Development. 



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