THE ROMANCE OF THE EARTH.

New Zealand Herald, Volume XLVI, Issue 14150, 27 August 1909, Page 7

THE ROMANCE OF THE EARTH.

PROFESSOR BICKERTON'S THEORY. " It is not an hour's work to tell the whole romance of the earth ; it is a month's work," as Professor Bickerton stated during the course of his lecture at the Y.M.C.A. Rooms last evening. Nevertheless, in the course of his lecture, which lasted but a few minutes over an hour, the professor succeeded in imparting a great deal of interest to his theory of the great romance of our planet. There was a fair attendance, amongst those present being His Excellency the Governor and suite. The professor's cosmic theory, which is briefly described as that of " Partial Impact," was explained by him in the first part of his lecture. He said that constructive impact was brought about by collisions between two celestial bodies travelling in curves. The result of a " grazing impact" between two bodies travelling at a speed equal- to a hundred million times that of a mile a minute express train, was the striking off of a third body to which was imparted not only enormous heat but also a tremendous velocity. This velocity, which was beyond the limits of stability, set up a rotating and expanding motion, which progressed at a very great rate. This, according to the theory of Professor Bickerton, accounted for certain new stars appearing suddenly with great arid increasing brilliance and after disappearing from view as the bodies continued to expand and to lose their intense brilliance. The lecturer afterwards outlined the theory of the evolutionary process by which the earth progressed from its original form to its present phase. The lecturer concluded his lecture amidst applause, and before the gathering dispersed he acknowledged his indebtedness to Lord Plunket, who, he said, had taken a great interest in his theory. The GovernorGeneral of Australia, he said, had also shown the same kindly interest, ; and the speaker said that he hoped before long to be in a position to proceed to England and place his theory before the great scientists of the Old World.

Professor Bickerton is to lecture in the Y.M.C.A. Hall to-morrow evening on " The Romance of Mankind," while on Sunday evening he will speak on " Social Tangles " at the Royal Albert Hall.