Science Siftings

New Zealand Tablet, 11 February 1915, Page 47

Science Siftings

By ‘Volt.’

French. Artificial Wood.

Information has been made public in Lyons, France, concerning an artificial wood, which, it is stated, will be of great value as a substitute for natural wood. The new product has been found after years of study and practical experiments, the most recent of which have given eminently satisfactory results. The process consists of transforming straw into a solid material having the resistance of oak. The straw after being cut into small pieces is reduced to a paste by boiling, to which certain chemicals are added. When the paste has been reduced to a homogeneous mass it is put into presses, and planks, beams, laths, and mouldings of all sizes are readily made. The new material can be sawed like natural wood. As a fuel, ii emits a bright flame and little smoke. It is further stated to be adaptable to the manufacture of match stems.

Flameless Heat

Professor William A. Bone, of the Imperial College of Science and Technology in London, has hit on a manner of gas heating that may greatly change our methods of using fuel. When a mixture of gas and air under high pressure is directed against a red-hot fire-brick held a short distance away the mixture will burn at the surface of the brick. Now if such a mixture of gas and air is forced through the porous brick and lighted on the farther side, it will burn like an ordinary gas flame ; but if more air or less gas is used it ceases to burn, but the porous surface becomes white hot. in that way it is possible, with great economy of fuel, to get a temperature far above the melting point of platinum. This flameless heater is

:>w used for heating boilers. It does away with grates,

smoke-stacks, and chimneys: it produces no smoke or objectionable odor ; and it utilises 90 per cent, of the heat value of the fuel.

Wonderful Wireless

Recent wireless telephone experiments in France have attained results that may have a far-reaching importance. With a transmitting station set up at Baris, long conversations are sent out and picked up at points over a hundred miles off. The electric arc system of the officers Colin and Jeanci is used, working a 150ffc antenna. Ordinary wireless apparatus, such as even amateurs possess, will receive the spoken message. For instance, a small wireless station at Mettray, 120 miles from Paris, could receive long-newspaper articles which were being read into the sending apparatus. More striking still was the use of a wireless telegraph motor car of usual make-up, with a 100 ft portable antenna mast which could ho erected on the ground in 20 minutes. Conversation could be heard from Paris at a distance of 60 miles by a reporter of the Matin, from which journal is taken the present account. Captain Colin speaks of the great military use of the method. For instance, the general can send out orders direct by telephone to the field- or to battleships. Tuning can be varied, so as to prevent interference.