FATE OF THE EARTH.

Manawatu Standard, Volume LIX, Issue 47, 24 January 1939, Page 2

FATE OF THE EARTH.

ASTRONOMER ROYAL’S FORE-

CAST.

The Astronomer Royal, Dr. H. Spencer Jones, recently delivered at Goldsmiths’ Hall, London, the Norman Loekyer Lecture of the British Association for the Advancement of Science.

Dealing with the planets, ho suggested that Mars, which now lacked oxygen, an essential for life, was in a state which the earth would one day reach.

Investigations of recent years. ho said, had led to the following conclusions concerning the planets:—■ The evidence of an atmosphere on Mercury is not fully conclusive, hut faint and transient shadings on the planet have been interpreted as indications of an atmosphere. It is certain, however, that most of the original atmosphere must have been lost.

The Earth. —Whenever organic matter is buried, as in coal measures and oil deposits, so that it cannot become oxidised and decay, there is a net gain of oxygen to the atmosphere. BOILING WATER HEAT.

It seems probable that the. present abundance of oxygen in the atmosphere lias been provided in this way, and that if the coal, oil and other organic deposits could be unburied and completely burned the whole of the oxygen in the atmosphere would be used up. Venus.—lt may be expected that Venus will have at atmosphere comparable with that of the earth in extent and density. The presence of an extensive atmosphere is confirmed by observation.

Her disc shows faint, ill-defined, transient markings, which are evidently cloud phenomena. No surface details are shown, even on photographs with infra-red sensitive plates. It is not improbable that the temperature on the surface of Venus may be as high as, or higher than, that of boiling water. MARS UNIQUE.

The high temperature, the lack of oxygen, and the abundance of carbon dioxide can lie interpreted as indications that there cannot be any great amount of vegetation on Venus, and suggest that the planet is not the abode of life.

Mars.—The red colour of Mars, which is unique among the heavenly bodies, provides indirect evidence of oxygen, suggesting rocks that have been completely oxidised. Wo may contrast the colour of Mars with the grey, or brownish, rocks of flic Moon which have not been oxidised.

It appears probable that Mars may he a planet where the weathering of the rooks, followed by their oxidation, has resulted in the almost complete depletion of oxygen from the atmosphere. Mars appears to ho a world in the state that, tile Earth will ultimately reach when the oxygen in the atmosphere will have been almost entirely exhausted hv the progressive weathering and oxidation of the rocks. Jupiter and Saturn.—The telescopic appearance confirms the existence of dense atmosphere. It used to lie thought that the rapid changes shown by the markings on Jupiter were indications that the nlanot was hot. Tt is now shown that Jupiter must lie intensely cold.