The remarkable discovery of Dr. Millikan, a Nobel prize-winner for physic, of new penetrating rays far shorter and more powerful than any hitherto known, has aroused the keenest interest of authorities in this country. Most people know now that atoms are composed of still smaller units called protons and electrons. The atom of hydrogen, the simplest known, has a proton as its centre, around which one electron revolves. Dr. Millikan╒s researches on the penetrating rays seem to show that when these give up energy they do so in vast packets, so big that they might make matter out of ╥nothing╙.
It is possible to give now some of his own account of how be came to locate these rays. He began by sending up in sounding balloons four little recording electroscopes to almost twice the height which had been previously attained - nearly ten miles. At this height nine-tenths of the atmosphere was left behind. The next experiment, made on the top of Pike╒s Peak, revealed further evidence. This showed conclusively that the chief part of the rays on the peak were of local origin, and that they might be due to radio-active matter which had got into the upper regions of the atmosphere.
To bring to light the very penetrating radiation it was necessary to find at very high altitudes, very deep snow-fed lakes, for any radio-active contamination of this water would vitiate the result obtained by sinking electroscopes to different depths beneath the surface of the lake. Dr. Millikan chose for his experiment Muir lake (11,800 feet high), just under the brow of Mount Whitney, the highest peak in the United States.
╥Our experiment,╙ he writes, ╥brought to light altogether unambiguously a cosmic radiation of extraordinary penetrating power. The atmosphere above the lake was equivalent in absorbing power to 23 feet of water, so that we have found rays coming into the earth from outer space so penetrating that they could pass through 45 plus 23, equalling 68 feet of water, or the equivalent of six feet of lead before being completely absorbed.
