January 7, 1909] 



NA TURE 



287 



uniform in all directions, or is small compared with 

 the surface-tension. This tension is merely a con- 

 venient way of expressing the resultant effect of the 

 mutual attractions between the molecules upon the 

 envelope. The curious myelin forms developed when 

 certain fatty substances are dissolved in water are an 

 intereslinof illustration of this phenomenon. It has 

 recently been discovered that, while the interior is 

 isotropic, the envelope is liquid-crystalline, and that 

 the tvpical marrow-like shape results from the pre- 

 ponderance of the latter ; the contour is circular when 

 the envelope is thin. It was with some hesitation 

 that Prof. Lehmann proposed the extended signifi- 

 cation of the word crystal ; it is, however, difficult to 

 suggest an alternative, and, etymologically at least, a 

 good claim may be made out for its use to denote the 

 lluid form. 



That crystals, when placed in the saturated mother 

 liquor, grow and have the power of healing fractures 

 are characteristics so similar to the attributes of 

 certain of the lower organisms that they suggest the 

 possibility of crystallised matter being a form of life ; 

 but a little consideration raises insuperable objections 

 to such a theory. Prof. Lehmann's researches, how- 

 ever, throw fresh light upon the problem, and he 

 %'entures with som^e confidence to assert, not that 

 crvstals themselves are living, but that crystallisation 

 is the agency made use of by living growth. A glass 

 or jellv, or any other amorphous substance, does not 

 grow ; on cooling it passes gradually from the melted 

 to the solid condition, and forms about a large number 

 of nuclei, just as happens in the condensation of 

 vapour. Crystallisation is a very different pheno- 

 menon ; the growth is rapid and the nuclei are com- 

 paratively few. The distinction consists in the want 

 of homogeneity of an amorphous substance, which 

 results in the neutralisation of the intermolecular 

 action. In such a substance doubtless several arrange- 

 ments of the constituent parts are possible for 

 equilibrium, and though there may be uniformity 

 over a not inconsiderable region — judged by molecular 

 dimensions — the resultant effect is chaos. Prof. 

 Lehmann noticed further that liquid crystals, when 

 under the influence of a magnetic field, coalesce and 

 r.inge themselves with their axes in the direction 

 of the lines of force; in other words, the growth of 

 an individual takes place. In fact, the similarity in 

 aspect and behaviour between certain liquid crystals 

 and bacteria is remarkable, and can scarcely be 

 accidental. Prof. Lehmann suggests that in life the 

 directional force is that mysterious essence so much 

 discussed and so little understood — the soul. In 

 support of this bold hypothesis he puts forward many 

 cogent arguments and marshals an array of facts, 

 but much work and consideration are necessary before 

 it can be accepted with any confidence. Nevertheless, 

 it must be admitted that Prof. Lehmann has made 

 an important contribution to the solution of the great 

 question confronting alike science and philosophv — 

 what is life? G. F. H. S. 



METEOROLOGICAL REPORTS BY WIRELESS 

 TELEGRAPHY. 



THE British Meteorological Office is making 

 arrangements in conjunction with the Deutsche 

 .Seewarte, Hamburg, for an experiment in the trans- 

 mission of meteorological reports by wireless tele- 

 graphy. The intention is to make an experiment ex- 

 tending ov'er a period of three months. It was 

 anticipated that arrangements would be concluded in 

 time for commencement with the New Year. It has 

 been found necessary, however, to postpone the actual 

 experiment until February. In the meantime the pre- 

 NO. 2045, VOL. 79] 



parations for the transmission to the Meteorological 

 Office of reports from the ships of the Allan, Ameri- 

 can, Anchor, Atlantic Transport, Canadian Pacific, 

 Cunard, Dominion, Red Star, and White Star lines have 

 been completed, so far as they can be without trial, 

 and the agents of the Marconi Company in London 

 have already notified their officials to proceed from 

 January i. 



There are many points as to instruments and other 

 matters likely to arise which can only be solved by 

 experience, and the position for effective cooperation 

 will be improved by a trial of the arrangenients in 

 view. With this object, instructions as to observations 

 and forwarding the information have been sent to the 

 lines which are so courteously aiding this experiment,, 

 and full advantage is being taken to secure observations 

 at once, and to avoid the loss of information for so 

 important a month as January. Wireless telegrams 

 from ships in different parts of the Atlantic may be 

 expected now at anv time. The disturbances which 

 exert such an important influence on our weather, 

 especially in the winter, arrive almost without exception- 

 from the Atlantic, and it is believed that observations 

 showing the movements of these disturbances will 

 materially add to our knowledge of the weather 

 changes, and aid in weather forecasting. 



THE ITALIAN EARTHQUAKE. 



NE\'ER ha'd earthquake taken such toll of human 

 life as that which has just devastated Calabria. 

 Hundreds had been killed by a single earthquake, or 

 thousands, exceptionally the number had run to tens- 

 of thousands, but the Yeddo — now Tokio — earthquake 

 of 1703, with its death-roll of joo,ooo, had stood in a 

 class by itself ; yet even this great number seems in- 

 sufficient to count the deaths on the morning of 

 December 28, 190S, and if to those whose lives were 

 ended bv the immediate effects of the earthquake we 

 add the subsequent deaths from injury, exposure, and 

 sickness, the loss will amount to well over a quarter 

 of a million lives. 



In face of such a disaster humanity, staggered at 

 first, has thought of nothing but relief or palliation, 

 and the daily newspapers, filled with accounts of de- 

 struction, misery and rescue, have contained little in- 

 formation from which we can form a proper judg- 

 ment of the nature of the shock or its magnitude. 

 This much, however, is clear, that the earthquake 

 was of the first order, not so great, perhaps, as the 

 Californian or Chilian earthquakes of 1906, but far 

 greater than the Calabrian ones of 1905 and 1907, and 

 as great as either of the celebrated earthquakes in 

 1783, which caused 40,000 deaths in the same districts 

 as have just suffered an even greater loss of life. 



From Pizzo the band of destruction extends south- 

 wards for about 50 miles through ill-starred Monte- 

 leone, which no earthquake seems to spare, Palmi, and 

 Bagnara, to Reggio di Calabria. In Sicily Messina has 

 been destroyed, and Gazzi, but except from this narrow 

 strip of country we have few reports. Catanzaro 

 suffered, to what extent does not appear, and at 

 Cosenza the damage was great ; in Sicily houses were 

 destroyed in San Filippo, near Milazzo, and many 

 were damaged in Caltanisetta and Noto, yet Catania 

 escaped uninjured, and at Taormina only one building 

 is said to have suffered any injury. The shock was 

 felt, though slight, at Brindisi and'Taranto, at Naples 

 and Castellamare, and at Palermo the population fled 

 in terror into the streets, though no damage was 

 done. 



From the interior of Aspromonte no news has come 

 as yet, but the scanty information, summarised above, 

 is enough to show that this earthquake, like most of 

 those in Calabria and Sicily, was polycentric, original- 



