SCIENTIFIC LECTURE

Bay of Plenty Times, Volume LI, Issue 8099, 26 September 1922, Page 4

SCIENTIFIC LECTURE

MR C LEMENT CYKAGGE AT TAURANGA.

There was a-good attendance am Uie Town Hal!'last night to hear a j keture delivered by -Mr CTemenl | Wragge, E-E.G.S. In lim K-ctuie, | "The Clrandeur ot the Universe, i he succeeded in giving bis audience ! sumo idea of the immensity of space, j Um portrayal ef a universe hi wnich ! overvtking, from the nilinilely J cran'd to the. infinitely smali, is con- j nested by wireless ur etboric vibral- \ cry waves, interacting and interop-, (Mating, all being hnkeel up with| the limnile ’Oyiuuuo, was musicvly j and convincing. Some of the latest | scientific pliotograpus taken at the Mount Wilson observatory (I nited . States of America) were thrown on j the screen. By means of marvel- • luus instruments it is now possible to ; photograph tho iiioon showing it.- j mountain ranges, extinct volcanoes, : Us rigid plains and ocean beds some of the latter still showing signs of ■ thermal activity. ot the* sun in eclipse and various p|units, etc., were als*- shewn- B* lo lecturer dircouiscd up; n the eiTeet oi < the sun. upon the- eaith, and other ■ topics ot interest to the- intelligent ; -eikci after kne.wkdgc of tin. uni- , \-crse. The cxccllmU views exhib- ( ited lielped I liose [u'c-.-em to giasp , mure ehaily the wonderful seieniilie truths explained by Mr Wragge, whose enthusiasm in his. theme carried his hearif- with him. The lecturer told of the foil; ail ion of worlds gave ititere-sl ing dcsci iptions oJ a number of the chief constellations, told what, sun spots were, and their (di'ect on tiieclimate of the earth and explained lucidly the result oi scientific reaseareh into other wonders of the universe. Radium was exhibited after the lecture. Mr Wragge procured some I rum England before | the war, and il (ravelled in a lead box, fend, being the only thing in the world which is only partially radio-active. Everyone was allowed to hold the receptacle containing tho radium and to examine il through a mieroslcope. Some idea of its intense brightness may be gathered from the fact-1 hat gold near it looks 1 black in comparison and in tlie dark its light can shine through a half-crown. Upon the subject of radium Mr Wragge waxed especially enthusiastic, aninnulvi iling upon its marvels, poweis and possibilities in glowing terms, and puinling out. the vastly important part- which it plays in the constitution of the universe. ile made reference to the seismic disturbances in the Taupo district, and said that between now and 1925 earthquake action in New Zealand would probably increase.