Science Siftings

New Zealand Tablet, 16 January 1913, Page 51

Science Siftings

By ‘ Volt.’ Cloth from Sea-weed. Samples of cloth manufactured in England by a process recently discovered, from the fibre of a species of sea-weed found in Southern Seas, are in the possession of the Bureau of Manufactures, in Washington. After treatment, the fibre is soft, pliable and strong, somewhat akin to wool and easy to spin. All dyes are readily absorbed except green. A Swordfish’s Prowess. While repairing a ship recently which had completed a long voyage in Southern waters, a swordfish was found which had successfully pierced a sheathing one inch thick, a three-inch plank, and beyond that four and a-half inches of firm timber. It has been estimated that it would require nine strokes of a hammer weighing 251 b to drive an iron bolt of similar shape the same distance. A Speed-detecting Device. An automatic speed-detecting device for automobiles which would seem to be worth the attention of municipalities that are determined to suppress speeding, is thus described: Three lights are to be provided on each carwhite, green and red. At a speed of eight miles an hour the white light will show; at fifteen miles, the green at twenty miles, the red; and at more than twenty miles an hour all the lights will flash a warning that the speed law is being violated. Storage-Battery Cars. Several railroads now employ what is known as the Edison-Beach type of car, equipped with storagebatteries. The first cars of this kind were small and adapted only to the lighter kinds of service, but larger and heavier cars have been built, and many are now in use on branch lines of steam railways. One car on the line between Montandon and Mifi'lingburg, Pennsylvania, has taken the place of a steam locomotive and two coaches. It makes 22 trips a day, whereas the steam train formerly made but two. The new cars seat 42 passengers each, and travel at a speed of from 25 to 40 miles an hour for a distance of 100 miles on a single charge of the Edison battery. The History of a Wasp’s Nest. A wasp’s nest has quite an interesting history attached to it. In spring the queen wasp, on awakening, selects the site for the future wasp city. She then commences to build the nest by forming cells of papier mache. As each cell is completed the queen days an egg in it. Each day she builds another cell and places in it an egg. As the eggs hatch the resulting grubs must be fed. In a few' days, however, the grubs develop into fully-fledged worker wasps, who at once take their share in the building of the nest. They also attend to the feeding of the grubs, A wasp’s nest is quite as interesting as a city, and, in fact, is run on the lines of a municipality. Where Silk Comes From. Two-thirds of all the silk used in the world comes from China. Wild silk, the product of a silkworm fed upon oak leaves, comes mainly from Shantung and Manchuria. It is coarse in comparison with white and yellow silks, and is manufactured into the tussores of commerce. Pongees are also produced from silkworms fed on oak leaves. Wild silk has recently become more popular owing to the adoption of a new process of ' bleaching, which allows the material subsequently to be dyed in the most delicate shades of color. Wild silk is said to be the best material for making the * wings ’of aeroplanes. Waste silk comprises a variety of by-products of the industry, obtained mostly from rejected cocoons. Silk piece goods are hand woven by peasant weavers, mainly in the district where the silk is produced. Hence the numerous varieties, each weaver adopting one particular kind of silk. The value of the silk exported from China amounts to about £11,000,000 a year.