SCIENCE- GOSSIP 



229 



receiving more attention than formerly in technical 

 schools, and that the importance of well-equipped 

 laboratories has not been overlooked. 



The application of scientific results to industrial 

 developments cannot be too highly estimated. We 

 hope during the coming year to see a more 

 organised system for bringing science, education, 

 and industry into closer relationship ; because, 

 viewed in its broad aspects, the progress of science 

 involves the general progress of the human race. 



ASTRONOMY IN 1901. 



By F. C. Dennett. 



The opening year of the twentieth century has 

 been marked by the apparition on February 22nd 

 of a Temporary Star more brilliant than any since 

 that observed by Tycho-Brahe in 1572. An impor- 

 tant feature of the event is, that it was certainly 

 discovered within a very few hours of the light 

 waves announcing the outburst reaching this 

 world. Its brilliance was such that it has per- 

 mitted a more minute study of its life-history than 

 has ever been previously possible. The study has 

 been fraught with instruction which will greatly 

 aid in explaining the true meaning of the 

 phenomenon. On this occasion the spectroscope 

 has been enabled to analyse the light from a much 

 earlier point in its history than has been the case 

 with other stars. This is due to the watchfulness 

 of Dr. Anderson, of Edinburgh, who is but a 

 busy amateur observer, and yet has been the 

 first discoverer of two Novae and several variable 

 stars. 



The brightest visitant was the large comet first 

 seen on April 12th. Unfortunately for us in 

 Europe it was only visible in southern latitudes. 

 It has proved to be the largest seen since 1882. 



Dr. J. J. See has been doing good work at the 

 Washington Naval Observatory in obtaining mea- 

 sures of the major planets with the 26-inch 

 achromatic, using special precautions to avoid in- 

 accuracies due to irradiation, which is such a 

 fruitful source of error. 



The discovery of minor planets has gone on 

 apace, over thirty-five having imprinted their 

 images on the photographic plates. The great 

 majority have been discovered at the Astrophysical 

 Observatory, Konigstuhl, Heidelberg. 



Not the least interesting discovery is that of the 

 variability of Eros, and also of Tercidina, and 

 some others of these tiny worlds. The suggested 

 explanation in the case of Eros is that the planet 

 is really double, the two globes being nearly in 

 contact and revolving round their common centre 

 of gravity. Such an unknown condition in nature 

 at its first suggestion seemed unlikely ; but the 

 recent discovery of v Puppis, an Algol variable, 

 having apparently a very similar form, lends greater 

 probability to the theory. 



CHEMISTRY IN 1901. 



By C. A. Mitchell, B.A , F.I.O., F.G.S. 



The amount of progress made in any science 

 cannot be measured by the number of striking- 

 discoveries which have been sufficiently non- 

 technical to arrest the attention and interest of 

 those without special knowledge of that science. 

 This is particularly the case with chemistry, in 

 which every day sees the discovery of fresh com- 

 pounds, many of great theoretical importance. 



To even enumerate the various new substances 

 described during the past year would fill many 

 pages of this journal with a long series of dry 

 names that would not interest anybody. If we 

 refer only to some of the work done during this 

 period, it must not be inferred that this is of 

 greater importance than work less popular. The 

 year has not been marked by any such striking- 

 discovery as argon, though it has added consider- 

 ably to our knowledge of that gas and its com- 

 panions. Professor Ramsay and Mr. Travers have 

 shown that the five gases, argon, helium, neon,, 

 krypton, and xenon, are all monatomic, and form 

 a separate series in the periodic system of elements. 



Professor Dewar, thanks to the unparalleled 

 resources placed at his disposal by the Royal 

 Institution, has been able to continue his expeii- 

 ments concerning the influence of low temperatures 

 on these new gases and on hydrogen, which he 

 finds boils at 20-5° absolute and melts at 16° abso- 

 lute. Helium has not been liquefied, but its pro- 

 bable liquefying point will be about 5° absolute. 

 In Professor Dewar's opinion even the use of liquid 

 helium would not enable absolute zero to beattained, 

 and a still more volatile gas must first be dis- 

 covered. Organic substances, cooled in liquid 

 hydrogen, phosphoresce even more brilliantly than 

 in liquid air. 



Among the many inorganic compounds dis- 

 covered during the year mention may be made of 

 a new gas, sulphuryl fluoride, that has been pre- 

 pared by M. Moissan by passing fluorine into 

 sulphur dioxide over a hot platinum wire. The 

 product of the combustion is a colourless and in- 

 odorous gas which is remarkably stable. 



Considerable discussion has continued as to the 

 nature of Buchner's Yeast Extract, some authorities 

 contending that the active expressed agent is a por- 

 tion of the yeast protoplasm, and not a separate 

 enzyme, as believed by Buchner. It has been shown, 

 however, that desiccated yeast extract shows no 

 signs of diminished fermentative capacity after 

 being kept for twelve months in a stoppered bottle. 



In the domain of Analytical Chemistry the 

 subject of arsenic has been paramount. The^ 

 methods of detecting arsenic have never before 

 been so thoroughly studied. Many interesting 

 facts bearing on this analysis have been recorded 

 in our columns. It may safely be said that prior 

 to the epidemic of arsenic poisoning food pro- 



