A PIONEER IN SCIENCE.

New Zealand Herald, Volume XL, Issue 12240, 8 April 1903, Page 1 (Supplement)

A PIONEER IN SCIENCE.

The American papers received by the last mail show that Professor Rutherford, of the MeGill University, Canada, has been addressing the scientific men of the United States on the advance of knowledge concerning the radio-activity of certain of the rare metalsuranium, thorium, radium, and others. Professor Rutherford is a New Zealander by birth; being a son of Mr. James Rutherford, of Taranaki. He was offered the Chair of Physics in the Columbia University, New York, but declined to leave his present position. A Baltimore paper, in giving an account of an address to the members of the physical and chemical departments of the John Hopkins University, says : — Professor Rutherford's reputation as one of the pioneers in the new work, the results of which may upset the theory upon which modern chemistry has been built, and may possibly lead to evidence of elements of matter more subtle than the chemical atom, attracted a large audience. The entire staffs of both departments heard him, as well as most of the students. The radiant emanations from the metals named were divided by Dr. Rutherford into three classes. The first of these may be easily absorbed by thin layers of paper or metal. The second are not so readily stopped, and he cited many cases to indicate that they are very like the cathode rays which have become famous since the discovery of Rontgen brought them into popular prints. The third class of rays, said Dr. Rutherford, will pierce a foot of 'iron or six inches of lead and make their presence apparent on photographic plates beyond. < J „ ~ ' He stated that the radiation from the peculiar metals in question is not affected by their chemical combination with other substances, by solution or any similar changes. He concludes, therefore, that the phenomenon has its source in the chemical _ atom. Consequently the atom* instead of being, as all chemists conceive, the last unit of matter, is a svstem in itself. ~..,< Dr Rutherford went to the length of declaring a conviction that part of the emanation is matter itself, thrown out from the atomic systems of the radiant substance. He said that part of the emanation, when led through tubes, cooled to the extreme temperature of liquid air, condensed and lost its properties, but that the "condensed emanation" came out suddenly in its lull strength when the temperature was allowed to rise. - ~ ' i,_ He has found that the emanation can be condensed upon a negative electrode of metal anywhere in any vessel into which it. may be led The metal may be treated. chemically in such a way that it will be left as it was before-withoV. any radio-activity-wh.le a something with all its former activity Will remain behind. Other experiments were cited in which the emanation has behaved like a material body, a condensable gas. The opinion was expressed that it is possible that this substance may finally be weighed "All this may sound extremely heretical in a chemical , laboratory," remarked tihe visitor "but it is the conclusion to which all our results have, forced us. If it is not transmutation, it is something very like it.