38 THE INVISIBLE WORLD 



ments of these tiny worlds are infinitely small, but 

 they are none the less real than the movements of 

 the largest bodies in the universe. 



In the heavens are seen double stars revolving 

 around one another, constellations, star clusters, 

 and nebulae. So among the infinitely little worlds 

 are double atoms in the molecules, perhaps re- 

 volving around one another ; triple atoms, as in the 

 molecule of water; other molecules containing 

 more and more atoms up to a constellation of more 

 than a thousand in the molecule of protoplasm; 

 and clusters of electrons in atoms, numbering 

 thousands or even millions; while a group of elec- 

 trons moving freely in space might present some- 

 thing like a nebulous appearance. 



One thing more. It seems that the motions of 

 the stars, or suns, in the universe are such that 

 two suns may occasionally meet. The meeting in- 

 volves all the bodies in the two solar systems. 

 At the moment of collision they must both be mov- 

 ing at the rate of not less than four hundred miles 

 per second. The collision generates heat enough 

 to dissolve all the bodies in each system into 

 free molecules, the molecules into free atoms, 

 and the atoms into free electrons. The elec- 

 trons then being probably but a vast bunch 

 of electric atoms may dissolve into the Ether. 

 So the motions of the electrons within the 

 atoms may be such that collisions occur. Ex- 

 plosions follow. This sets free the electrons. 

 Billions of these infinitesimal atoms emanate into 



