Imágenes de páginas
PDF
EPUB

furnishes the necessary subdivision for the effective marshalling of the nation's scientists.

This being agreed to, it follows logically that the state academy should proceed to organize local chapters for the completion of the system. The greatest need now is not more national societies but a more thoroughgoing organization of state and local scientific forces. We have already seen that in Illinois an effort is being made to stimulate the formation of science clubs in the high schools and to interest high school teachers in the work of the academy. Our Academy has a goodly percentage of its members among scientists not connected with educational institutions. What is needed is that this membership be greatly extended and organized into chapters so that every large industry and even the smaller establishments will be brought into touch with the academy and through it coordinated with the national organizations. The academy will thus include in its fold both those who love science for its own sake and for the extension of knowledge and also those who are using science for the furtherance of industry and the material advancement of man.

But the academy finds justification apart from its usefulness as a subdivision in the great national organization in that it can serve its own state in many distinct directions. Many lines of possible service have already been suggested in the summaries of the questionnaires, but it will be worth our while to think a little farther concerning some of them. Isolation is one of the most serious handicaps to research, although it can doubtless be shown by examples how certain great constructive geniuses have lived their lives in seclusion and by the sheer power of intellect brought to light important additions to human knowledge. Many have found the needed contact in correspondence and publications. But for the average scientist whose number is legion and whose aggregate contribribution to progress is large, the stimulus of human association, and the spur of close contact with kindred minds are indispensable. We can not depend entirely upon the large

universities nor upon the large industrial establishments for our scientific life. There will always be able men in the smaller colleges and schools and in the smaller establishments who must have opportunity for contact and mutual inspiration and suggestion to enable them to produce their maximum effort and stand as missionaries in the cause at home. The academy must supply to all scientific workers in the state this desirable contact and mutual helpfulness.

Selfishness and secretiveness and suspicion in research, individualism must now give way to coperation for the sake of the advancement of knowledge and of social and industrial progress in the state. Scientists have much to learn in this respect from statesmen and business men. Men do not greatly increase their wealth by hoarding; they do not make most in small private businesses; they do not win wars by "sniping," they do not destroy threatening social iniquities by individual blamelessness. Efficient machinery directs and multiplies power, increases speed.

The academy should come to be a source from which any man in the state who needs help along scientific lines may draw what he needs. If for instance a worker in some small or large industry of the state feels the need of consultation or advice he should come to look upon the academy as the proper organization to which to apply. The academy through its officers or special committees should be in a position to answer his questions or to direct him to those of its members best fitted to render aid. An instance to the point is that of a research chemist in a large drug manufactory who was enabled to complete a three year research which had failed of reaching a definite result, by means of a hint from a university worker. In our own state many such cases of helpfulness will arise if we can bring our academy to the point where it will be regarded as the natural place to which to come for information as to facts and men.

The organizers of the academy six years ago had in mind the possible usefulness of the academy as an adviser in legislative matters affecting scientific interests when pro

vision was made in the constitution for a standing legislative committee. This committee was appointed for a number of years, but gradually sank into "innocuous desuetude" through lack of effort or of opportunity for rendering service. The question now arises whether the present, when all things are being made over, when all institutions and societies are feeling the new impulses furnished by the war, is not the proper time for a rejuvenation of this committee. It is safe to say that the academy in the past has not at all impressed itself upon the attention of our legislatures nor our citizenship and that outstanding usefulness will come to such a committee only after years of steady growth in the size and activity of the academy. The time to begin however is now, and the way to gather to itself influence and authority as an expert adviser is to begin first with a thorough study of local scientific problems and to put before the public in speech and print definite facts and recommendations. No other opportunity for extension of academy activity and service seems more fertile in possible good than this. Not even the State University, which stands before the public in a peculiar sense as the guardian of state scientific and industrial interests, can appeal to all elements in the state as a disinterested and representative source of expert advice as can the Kentucky Academy. There is distinct need for such a force in the life of the state and the academy must not prove false to her mission nor neglect her manifest opportunity by failure to assume the responsibility of leadership.

Many problems face us in Kentucky that will need the keen interest and intelligent cooperation of the especially qualified membership of the academy. In this last legislature there arose a rather minor question the handing of which well illustrates how valuable can be the man who knows. A bill was proposed which placed a bounty on hawks and owls, the idea being that without exception all such birds are pests, killing quail and chickens with ruthlessness and dispatch. The

bad science back of such a bill was discussed in one of our societies at the university and word was sent to the committee considering the bill that the bill threatened injustice to a large class of desirable bird citizens. As a consequence two members of the Legislature paid a visit to one of our professors for the purpose of getting information, and were quickly convinced that only the Cooper's hawk is depraved while all the others are useful in that they kill rats and other undesirables. This incident calls attention both to the value of expert testimony and to the prevailing lack of scientfic treatment of problems affecting many people and widespread social and industrial interests. In our hap-hazard, hasty, self-confident, irresponsible law-making, certainly some organization should stand out before the public as a source of sane reliable and unbiased scientific information.

There is great need for scientific direction and propaganda for the preservation of bird life, for the proper appreciation of their economic importance. Only last Tuesday one of our professors stated before the Audubon Society that the bird population of the state and nation had been reduced approximately 50 per cent. in the last 15 years; and that the causes were, next to cats, the destruction of our woods and forests. And yet, he said, birds are the greatest weapon of the farmers against crop-ravaging insects.

There is pressing need that wise research and public education be devoted to the problems of forestry. Many problems of forestry must be solved if the forests are to continue adequate and the supply of lumber be on hand for succeeding generations of men. The mineral resources of the state present problems that must be the concern of all properly qualified scientists of the state. The preservation and development of our water-power resources demand intelligent survey-work, persistent public education and authoritative advice to our legislatures. The growing of tobacco has reached such proportions in the state as to affect the well-being of large numbers of citizens. It is not the part of

wisdom to banish all study of the growing and marketing of tobacco because of a dislike for the weed and disapproval of its use; but rather for all so qualified to unite in a program of research and education that will conduce to the improvement of the human elements involved. The preservation and promotion of human health is a matter of "vital" concern to every citizen, and there is abundant need and opportunity for a representative state scientific society to exert its strength toward the conservation of vital

resources.

It is not being urged that the academy should attempt to take over the work of the experiment station or of the private laboratory. That of course would be ridiculous. Rather, the academy should be a medium through which men in various parts of the state and in various educational and industrial plants may be associated in the furtherance of needed scientific endeavor. Such a medium will bring all men in touch with problems of research in which they may be fitted by training and location to take a part in problems too large and complex and requiring too many phases of scientific treatment for one man to handle. We may well imagine for instance that officials of the National Research Council, wishing to find qualified men in certain parts of Kentucky to carry on locally a certain part of some large piece of research will come to the Kentucky Academy for information and advice as to men. Such an organization should be in a position through its officers and committees to speak with authority and conviction upon all matters of scientific importance in the state, bringing to bear upon public opinion the weight of disinterested scientific unity. Certainly such an active and influential academy would stimuate research in Kentucky and the whole South, render valuable aid in assignment of problems and the placing of men, and guide public opinion into the proper understanding of local scientific

matters.

Our study has led us to feel a firmer faith

in the mission of our Kentucky Academy. From her modest past she may yet arise to grand proportions of influence and usefulness. To that end let us adopt a program commensurate with the spirit of the times.

First, let us cooperate heartily with the national bodies seeking to organize the scientific forces of the country.

Second, let us actively seek to extend our membership to every educational and industrial plant in the state, and to every scientist, and exert a scientific leadership throughout the state.

Third, let us promote the organization of science clubs in our secondary schools and of research clubs in various centers.

Fourth, let us bring our influence to bear upon the problem of better science teaching in the high schools.

Fifth, let us appeal to the next Legislature for liberal publication funds, and to the public for research funds to be used in support of local scientists.

Sixth, let us through appropriate committees undertake the study of definite scientific problems of importance to the state, and promote the scientific surveys very much needed.

Seventh, fortified by our especial studies, let us plan to recommend to the next Legislature legislation needed for the scientific interests of the state.

Eighth, let us with faith in our mission and with devotion to the cause make the Kentucky Academy of Science the most influential for good, the livest thing, in Kentucky.

The needs of the day call for such an expansion and such an increase in aggressive effort. We can not live in this good new day and be content with the past achievement. General Foch has said that no battle was ever won by an army on the defensive. To win we must be aggressive.

UNIVERSITY OF KENTUCKY

PAUL P. BOYD

PRELIMINARY RESULTS OF ANALYSIS OF LIGHT DEFLECTIONS OBSERVED DURING SOLAR ECLIPSE OF MAY 29, 19191

1. TABLE 1 summarizes the available observational data for deriving the amount of deflection of a light ray grazing the sun's limb as observed on the earth. The sources of

tion. If on the other hand the observational results are weighted inversely as the squares of the probable errors, than the weighted mean results, especially IV. (1′′.76), are found to be in close agreement with Einstein's value, though the probable error (0′′.2) is still somewhat large.

TABLE I

2. The weighted mean value IV. depends

Summary of All Observations Concerning Deflection of Light at Sun's Limb

[blocks in formation]

Remarks: No. 1 was derived from Dr. Campbell's statement (see SCIENCE, March 26, 1920, page 310) that the mean of their results "came out at 0".08 or 0".15, according to which of Einstein's hypotheses was adopted"; the probable error of one star position is given as 0.5, but the probable error of the mean result is not stated. Nos. 2, 3 and 4 are given in Monthly Notices, R.A.S., Vol. LXX., p. 415, February, 1920. (See SCIENCE, March 26, 1920, p. 308.)

the data are given in the remarks below the table. No. 2 has been rejected by the British astronomers because of the diffuseness of the star-images on the photographic plates obtained with the astrographic object glass of the Greenwich Observatory used in conjunction with a 16-inch colostat, the figure of which apparently changed appreciably during the plate-exposures. It will be observed that the indiscriminate mean results, I. and II., would indicate a value about midway between that (0.87) computed on the basis of the Newtonian Mechanics and that (1′′.74) computed according to Einstein's law of gravita

1 Résumé of papers presented before the American Philosophical Society at Philadelphia (February 6 and April 24), the American Physical Society (February 28 and April 24), and Bureau of Standards at Washington (May 7, 1920). For a general account of observations concerning the solar eclipse of May 29, 1919, and the Einstein effect, the reader may be referred to the author's "Résumé," published in SCIENCE, March 26, 1920, pp. 301-312.

chiefly upon Crommelin's result (No. 3), obtained at Sobral, Brazil, during the solar eclipse of May 29, 1919, from 7 photographic plates, using a 4-inch lens of 19-foot focus and an 8-inch colostat, and from similar check-plates obtained at the same station before sunrise between July 12 to 18, 1919. These observations appear to be the best ones for undertaking a critical analysis of the results with the view to ascertaining, if possible, whether any other effect has been measured than that accredited to the sun's gravitational action. The following results of a preliminary analysis, as made by the De partment of Terrestrial Magnetism at Washington, are based partly upon data already published in the British journals and partly upon those very courteously supplied by the Astronomer Royal, Sir Frank Dyson, to whom we desire to return our appreciative thanks. The chief purpose of our investigation was to ascertain the possible bearing of the geophysical observations, made by the two chief

[merged small][merged small][merged small][subsumed][merged small][merged small][ocr errors][merged small][merged small][merged small][ocr errors][graphic][merged small][merged small][merged small][merged small][merged small]

FIG. 1. Dr. Crommelin's observed light deflections at Sobral, Brazil, plotted for each star according to direction and a relative scale of magnitude.

(Full line is observed vector; broken line is the Einstein vector. It will be observed that, in general the observed vector departs from the Einstein vector in a direction away from a diameter of the sun passing through the zenith for Sobral as projected on the photographic plate; about this diameter, furthermore, the angular departures, or non-radical effects, are found to be symmetrical.)

expeditions of the Department of Terrestrial Magnetism during the solar eclipse of May 29, 1919, at Sobral (D. M. Wise, in charge) and at Cape Palmas, Liberia (L. A. Bauer, in charge) upon the complete interpretation of results of the astronomical observations. We also received from Dr. H. Morize, director of the Rio de Janeiro Observatory, meteorological data pertaining to his eclipse station, which was likewise Sobral, and desire to acknowledge our indebtedness to him. It may be recalled that the rays of light whose deflections were measured during the solar eclipse were subject chiefly: a to a gravita

[merged small][merged small][merged small][ocr errors][merged small][ocr errors]
« AnteriorContinuar »