A HISTORY OF SCIENCE 



rays fail us, the temperature of the globe must grad- 

 ually sink towards the absolute zero. That is to say, 

 the molecules of gas which now fly about at such 

 inconceivable speed must drop helpless to the earth; 

 liquids must in turn become solids; and solids them- 

 selves, their molecular quivers utterly stilled, may per- 

 haps take on properties the nature of which we cannot 

 surmise. 



Yet even then, according to the current hypothesis, 

 the heatless molecule will still be a thing instinct with 

 life. Its vortex whirl will still go on, uninfluenced by 

 the dying-out of those subordinate quivers that pro- 

 duced the transitory effect which we call temperature. 

 For those transitory thrills, though determining the 

 physical state of matter as measured by our crude 

 organs of sense, were no more than non-essential in- 

 cidents; but the vortex whirl is the essence of matter 

 itself. Some estimates as to the exact character of 

 this intramolecular motion, together with recent theo- 

 ries as to the actual structure of the .molecule, will 

 claim our attention in a later volume. We shall also 

 have occasion in another connection to make fuller 

 inquiry as to the phenomena of low temperature. 



