CHAPTER XLVI 



NEW DEVELOPMENTS IN SCIENCE 



The forward progress of Science never stops. Thou- 

 sands of scientists are constantly experimenting to learn 

 new things and to develop better ways of doing things. 

 Almost every day, important discoveries and inventions 

 are made in the various fields of science. 



Most of us never know about many of the inventions 

 and discoveries which affect us. A scientist may discover 

 a way of making better electric-light bulbs. Perhaps we 

 never hear of his discovery, but our homes are lighted 

 better because of it. Other inventions and discoveries are 

 so important that everybody hears about them and mar- 

 vels at them. 



In this chapter we are going to learn about some of 

 the more important and interesting of the very recent 

 inventions and discoveries which help to make our lives 

 safer and more comfortable. 



The Autogiro. While the airplane has now been developed 

 to a high state of efficiency, it has certain disadvantages. In 

 taking off and landing, airplanes must travel across the ground at 

 rapid speed. There is, therefore, the possibility of accident at 

 the beginning and end of each flight. Because they must also 

 travel along the ground for some distance both in taking off and 

 alighting, and because they cannot rise at a steep angle, ordinary 

 airplanes require large flying fields. In recent years a new type 

 of plane, called the autogiro, has been developed which does not 

 have these disadvantages. 



In the autogiro a large four-bladed wheel, sometimes called 

 the "windmill," is mounted horizontally on top of the body. The 

 windmill furnishes the chief support of the machine while in the 

 air, taking the place largely of the wings of an airplane. Some 

 autogiros have small wings, which act more as balancers than as 

 planes to hold up the machine. Some of the more recent models 

 have no wings at all. 



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