Word: atomical
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Dates: during 1920-1929
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Despatches from Chicago last week claimed that Calvin S. Page, of that city, had been nominated for the Nobel Physics prize of 1924. His book, Rex, the Life Atom* has been selected, it is said, by the Swedish Royal Academy of Science as "the best book of the year in the scientific world"-a rather extravagant tribute. A letter from the nominating committee praised the logical development of the theories, which, if generally accepted, will revolutionize scientific thought. Nomination for the Nobel prize is not always equivalent to the award, and it is unusual for any announcements to be made...
Page's theory is based on current atomic theory, such as Bohr's (TIME, Nov. 19), but with the unique addition of a special atom which he calls ReX or Rex. This atom is a repellent force present in all chemical combinations. It explains the disintegrative processes which break up compounds by overcoming cohesion. The velocity of the Rex atom varies, and at various rates determines its identity as light, heat or electricity. Electromagnetic (radio) waves, color and light are identical in nature, though not in degree. There is no ether. Gravity is not a mass attraction...
...isolation of individual ions and direct study of their properties by means of electrical experiments with gases and drops of oil. "Ions" (Greek for "traveler") are not, as might be supposed, separate entities or still smaller components of the atom, like electrons. They are simply atoms themselves, or groups of atoms, from which one or more of the normal number of electrons has become detached by electricity or heat, upsetting their equilibrium and causing them to flow rapidly in any direction where they may find particles with the opposite electrical charge...
...doubt regarding the existence of the atom has disappeared, and all physicists believe in the main essentials of this picture of atomic structure. There are instruments which make it possible to count atoms with great accuracy...
...ordinary mechanical laws do not account for the stability of the elements under the new theories, for they would not prevent electrons falling into the nucleus. These move in fixed orbits and new ones cannot be created. When atoms are bombarded by free electrons, the electron rebounds or transfers its energy to the atom, in which case there is an emission of light in the spectra. Sir Oliver Lodge, in his installation address as President of the Roentgen Society, London, outlined his own version of atomic theory. The nucleus he believes to be rotating at the speed of light. Surrounding...