22 FROM NEBULA TO NEBULA 



spite of gravity, preserve themselves aloof from one an- 

 other? Why do "maturer" systems revolve more rapidly 

 than those more youthful? Is there a central sun I Is there 

 a maximum size to which star scan attain? What is the ex- 

 planation of star streams? Why is the radius of the celes- 

 tial circle of precession the same as the inclination of the 

 earth's axis? What produces the sun's flight in space? 

 What are the elements of its orbit? 



To all such questions, elementary though they are, 

 contemporary science returns no answers save of ad- 

 mitted speculation. 



THE GENESIS OF THE SOLAR SYSTEM 



For nearly three quarters of a century, and until a 

 decade or two ago, the Nebular Hypothesis of Laplace 

 was generally esteemed as the true exposition of the 

 modus operandi pursued by Nature in the evolution of the 

 solar system. Now it is no longer so regarded by the 

 great majority of astronomers, and, more particularly, by 

 those who have made this subject a special study. Al- 

 though it is quite true that numerous other hypotheses 

 have arisen to compete for its vacated place, the fall of 

 the Hypothesis has not been owing so much to their suc- 

 cessful rivalry as to the belated recognition of its own 

 glaring defects. As a matter of fact, never since Newton 

 has the scientific problem of the genesis of the solar sys- 

 tem been in a more chaotic and discouraging state than 

 at this very time, in spite of, or perhaps because of, the 

 distracting multiplicity of rival cosmogonies. 



THE DESTINY OF THE UNIVERSE 



From the standpoint of general philosophy probably 

 the chief cosmological query is as to the permanency or 

 impermanency of the Present Order. According to the 

 hierarchy of modern science, this order is not permanent, 

 the great cosmic machine is ' ' running down ' ', and it is 

 only a question of time till it shall destroy itself. College 

 professors who have grown gray in the teaching of this 



