THE CONQUEST OF NATURE 



be long, for example, before a way will be found to 

 produce electric light without heat in imitation of 

 the wonderful lamp of the glow-worm. 



Then in due course we must learn to use fuel with- 

 out the appalling waste that at present seems unavoid- 

 able. A modern steam-engine makes available only 

 five to ten per cent, of the energy that the burning 

 fuel gives out as heat the rest is dissipated without 

 serving man the slightest useful purpose. Moreover, 

 the new studies in radio-activity have taught us that 

 every molecule of matter locks up among its whirling 

 atoms and corpuscles a store of energy compared with 

 which the energy of heat is but a bagatelle. It is 

 estimated that a little pea-sized fragment of radium 

 has energy enough in store could we but learn to 

 use it to drive the largest steamship across the ocean 

 taking the place of hundreds of tons of coal as now 

 employed. The mechanics of the future must learn 

 how to unlock this treasury of the molecule; how to 

 get at these atomic and corpuscular forces, the very ex- 

 istence of which was unknown to science until yester- 

 day. The generation that has learned that secret 

 will look back upon the fuel problems of our day 

 somewhat as we regard the flint and steel and the open 

 fire of the barbarian. 



If problems of energy offer such alluring possibili- 

 ties as this, problems of matter are even more inspir- 

 ing. The new synthetic chemistry sets no bounds to 

 its ambitions. It has succeeded in manufacturing 

 madder, indigo, and a multitude of minor compounds. 

 It hopes some day to manufacture rubber, starch, 



