SCIENCE

Otago Daily Times, Issue 18759, 12 January 1923, Page 5

SCIENCE

ITS SERVICE TO MAN. AUSTRALASIAN PROGRESS RAPID ACCESSION TO KNOWLEDGE*. (Pen United Press Association.) • WELLINGTON, January XL At the Town Ha'l to-night Mr G. 'H. Knibba, Director of the Australian Board of Science and Industry, and president-elect of the Australasian Association for the Advancement of Science, .delivered his presidential address in connection with the Science Congress now meeting, before' ai largo audience' composed of visiting scientists and an interested section of the general ?üblio. Taking as his subject “Science and ts Service to Man," the speaker pointed! out the extraordinary accessions to man's

knowledge of Nature during the las,t. -century and the beginning of this century,, and that in some countries great research .laboratories, observatories, and teaching institutions had been created and lavishly- endowed. Mr Knibbs stated that Australasian progress, good as it has been, miwt now be measured by the state cf the wood to-day. World-wide developments and tha expansion of the various populations called, tor immediate, consideration in regard: to our future in the world-of politics and of our place in scientific effort. The role _of systematised knowledge and its application to human needs have an ever growing, .significance. This, illustrated by the history.’.-of modern science, was the keynote of tha address. It indicated primarily the characteristics of the higher elements of science! which serve not merely utilitarian purposes —namely, the maintenance of man on tha planet, but provided such maintenance as enabled him spiritually to perceive and ,intellectually grasp the beauty, magnificence, and majesty of the whole range of Nature: in fact, to make him a student capable of appreciating and solving problems which.

apparently were most hopeless. Referring first to the accessories with which man had furnished himself in hie search for knowledge, during which such inventions as the ultra-microsoope, large telescope, and the X-ray spectrograph, were enumerated and described, the speaker went on to deal with the wonders of the astronomic world. Referring to tha recent solar eclipse and the Einstein theory of relativity, Mr Knibbs said the question being examined was how far a legitimate attempt to explain phenomena by means of mathematical equations was applicable to a supposititious dimensional world in which oner co-ordinate, lime, is sui generis, and is treated as if it were orthogonally related to the rest. Professor Walden Cnrr had said that Einstein’s world was a world of mere figures. The Newtonian universe could form* a picture at least of God, but, according to Einstein, there could not be any picture of Iho God of Einstein’s universe. Dr Robb, who recently discussed the whole matter, had summed this up by saying;’ “It seems from this that net even the

Almighty Himself could understand 'Einstein’s theory of relativity.” Dr Robb Could not help thinking that the fault with the Almighty, but with the theory. Passing from the world of the infinitely groat to that of the infinitely minute, Mr Knibbs dealt interestingly with modern investigation regarding atoms, radio activity, and the disintegration of the elements. Ho next discussed with a, wealth of technical knowledge the question of science as a weapon of defence. Mr Knibbs pointed out that recent studies as to population developments of the world show that war is inevitable unless the nations submit to mutual discipline far surpassing any dreamed of at the present time. The character of the various poisons used in war was referred to, and it was said that

the dye industry is not merely a key industry, but is essential to safety, and while it can manufacture the dyes, perfumes, and the synthetic drugs, etc., needed for the country, it is also continually available as an explosive and gas factory. For this reason other than purely economic considerations have to be taken into account —namely, consideration as to national safety. One of the poisons used causes inflammation of the surface of the eye conjunctivits. with one part in 4,000,000, and skin burns with one part in 4,000,000. One of the worst poisons is known as l, tha dew of death.”

The need for research was strongly emphasised. The speaker said it is not sufficient to make available the immense stores of existing information. The development of the faculty is also a matter of supremo moment.

'the lavish gifts of Prince Demedoff, Lick, Rogers, Rockefeller. Carnegie, the late Prince of Monaco, and Cawthron were mentioned; also that the British Government had granted £1,000,000 for industrial research association?, nnd otherwise nearly £4,500.000 for research. Japan had built a national research laboratory at a cost of over £3u0,000. of which sum the Mikado had contributed £IOO,OOO. In Germany the Badischo Soda-und-Analin Fabrik had spent 17 years nnd £1,000.000 in order to produce a satisfactory indigo dye. At the beginning of the century she was paying annually £600,000, and at the outbreak of the war she was selling annually £2,500,000 of dye. in arguing the necessity for research tjro illustrations were taken —the “knock”' ’in internal combustion engines and the production of light without heat. The luminous efficiency of a fire fly was 99.5 per cent., «nd that of the best electric lamp only. 4 per cent. Jlr Knibbs closed by stressing the need for creating fer the English-speaking countries a national appreciation of science, which must commence in childhood, in order that instinctively the British people will respond, as they do not now. to scientific research. His hope was to see a new spirit bom in Australasia. “While no one knows what lies on the knee of the god*,” ho addeu. “there is something in the mihd nnd the hoar{\ of every great people that responds to dreams of excellence, nnd that inflames when a vision of national destiny is before it. The Motherland has had a great past. Is its offspring in the southern seas, illumined by ‘the gem-pointed cross* and ‘the blazing pomp of Orion,’ to rise to material, intellectual, and moral greatness among the earth’s neoolcs? If so the ptjth is strenuous but glorious. All visions of ease and luxury are but specks, and they ■ load to destruction. We need to gird ourselves for the task and create for Australasia’s sons the power to know something of the splendid mysteries of the boundless universe and of our own little world, in order that it may use to the full tha heritage which our nation has given ps. Then indeed will science have rendered a noble service to the sons of Australasia.”