THE MIGHTY ATOM.

Manawatu Standard, Volume XLIV, Issue 1186, 8 December 1924, Page 12

THE MIGHTY ATOM.

PROFESSOR’S EXPERIMENTS. MANY TIMID PEOPLE. The recent announcement made by Dr. T. F. Wall, of Sheffield University, that his apparatus for experiments in splitting up an atom of copper foil will he ready shortly, filled many people v/itli a dread of what may occur to the world at large. This apprehension, says the Daily Chronicle, is doubtless brought about by the fact that for many years past scientists have looked upon this sort of experiment as fraught with unknown possibilities, and some have even said that there is sufficient latent energy in a single atom to demolish the world. In an interview, the doctor stated that tho experiment would be watched very carefully -from the start, and if there were signs of anything alarming happening he would then cease and think matters over.

Dr. Wall’s post bag for the past few days lias contained many extraordinary letters. While some are of a jocose nature, others are in real earnest. The following are examples:— “Dear Sir.—Please don’t blow up the atom; I am terrified. Please, please, leave things alone.—One Who is Frightened.” Another letter reads:—“Having read to-day of your wonderful invention for blowing up the world next Wednesday, kindly make it Thursday or next Sunday, after we have had our usual halfholiday and drawn our September salaries. Trusting this will meet with your kind approval and wishing you every success.—A Believer in Inventions.” A lather writes on behalf of his children thus:—“l regret to see you are determined to carry out your experiment. Perhaps if you were a married man with children, and not so callous, you would not be so keen on the possible destruction of the human race. Oh! You must bo hard to have no pity for those with loved ones. May God curse you if you carry out your experiment.—A Married Man.” People with strange religious tendencies have also written to Dr. Wall, and one writer finishes by asking the doctor if he is saved.