ADVANCES IN SCIENCE.

New Zealand Herald, Volume LXIV, Issue 19731, 2 September 1927, Page 11

ADVANCES IN SCIENCE.

RESULTS OF RESEARCH. THE EVOLUTION OF MAN. DARWIN'S THEORY UPHELD. FUNDAMENTALS UNSHAKEN SIR A. KEITH'S EVIDENCE. By Telegraph—Press Association—Copyright. (Received September 1, 5.5 p.m.) A. and N.Z. LONDON, Aug. 31. The 96th annual meeting of the British Association for the Advancement of Science was opened to-day at Leeds. The programme includes the reading of 400 papers on a great range of scientific subjects. This year's president is Sir Arthur Keith, tho eminent anthropologist. In his opening address he dealt with tho Darwinian theory as related to tho evolution of man in the light of recent researches. Ho said the transformation of the outlook on man's origin was one of the marvels of the 19th century. " Wo aro now able to fill in pages Darwin had to leave blank, and to alter the detail of his narrative," said Sir Arthur, "but the fundamentals cf Darwin's theory are still unshdkon. Since Darwin's death our tracings of man by means of fossils and implements iiave carried us back 2000 centuries, perhaps 6000 centuries. Tho evidence of man's evolution from an ape-like being no higher in the zoological scale than a chimpanzee is t definite and irrefutable. Evidence gathered by anatomists, embryologists, physiologists and psychologists all confirmed the fact that Darwin was right in holding that man, under the action of biological forces which could be observed and measured, was raised from his place among tho anthropoid apes to his present status. I am convinced that Darwin's theory can never bo shaken."

Sir Arthur announced that the council of tho association had decided to endeavour to purchase Darwin's home, Downe House, Kent, and its surroundings for the nation. A five-figure sum •would possibly be required. Tho Daily Telegraph recalls the fact that Sir Richard Owen, in his presidential address to the association at Leeds in 1858, had no difficulty in convincing his audience that the thoory which traced man's ancestry to apes was not only untenable but ridiculous. The paper says Sir Arthur Keith's revelations are not calculated to rouse tho wrath or horror of any modern listener or reader. Many people probably prefer to think that man should first havo appeared on earth by a special act of the Creator, but they were willing to be led where the truth was to be found, even when the light hurt the eyes. FUTURE ENGLISHMEN. OPTIMISTIC PREDICTIONS. ALL-ROUND IMPROVEMENTS. (Received September 1, 5.5 p.m.) Sun. LONDON. Aug. 31. At the annual meeting of tho British Association for the Advancement of Science, Professor F. G. Parsons, in his presidential address to the members of the anthropology section, indulged in interesting prophecies concerning Englishmen of the future. He sketched a growing knowledge of hygiene and study of child welfare. He pointed out that each generation was more sanely brought up than its predecessor.

Rickets, opthalmia and ear disease had almost disappeared. Bad teeth, adenoids and septic tonsils would soon be extinct. The children in London's poorest districts were now cheerful and fairly healthy. London was doing its utmost to change its C 3 population into an A 1 population. The average height of Englishmen today was sft. siu. The better glasses were sft. 9in., which was probably the maximum average attainable. But great mental ability was seldom accompanied by great size. The heights of the better-class women in England had increased in 20 years from sft. 3in to sft. 4in. Ninotenths of these heights were not necessarily" the maximum. They might reach sft. 7in. EVENTS OF INTEREST. TESTS OF TELEVISION. BRITAIN'S FISH SUPPLiES. (British Official Wireless.) (Received September 1, 5.5 p.m.) A. anil N.Z. RUGBY, Aug. 31. Among the events of particular interest in connection with the annual meeting of the British Association for the Advancement of Science are demonstrations which are to lib conducted by Mr, J. L. Baird, the British inventor. One will be in television, which is the transmission of vision by electricity, and another in noctovision, which is vision produced in the darkness by infra-red rays. These demonstrations will be conducted between Leeds and London, and scientific observers will be at both places.

The competition of foreign trawlers with British fishermen is to be the subject of a report by the Economic Committee on Fish. This report will give an analysis of British fish supplies, which will show that their total value in 1925 was £30,000,000. Of this sum £19,250,000 represented British captures and £3,000,000 worth came from the Empire, leaving £7,750,000 as the value of foreign supplies. The latter came chiefly from Germany, Denmark, Sweden and Iceland. RELATIVITY PROBLEMS. THEORY OF EINSTEIN. (Received September 1, 8.5 p.m.) A. and N.Z. LONDON. Aug. 31. The Professor of Mathematics at Edinburgh University, Professor E. T. Whittaker, chose the outstanding problems of relativity for his presidential address to the mathematical section of the British Association for the Advancement of Science. He reviewed the situation and indicated new conundrums. The professor said he considered the consequences of Einstein's theory would demonstrate the grand culmination of a movement begun 2000 years ago by Hero of Alexandria.