Rensselaer Journal, Volume 10, Number 52, Rensselaer, Jasper County, 6 June 1901 — Waste in Making Artificial Light. [ARTICLE]

Waste in Making Artificial Light.

Under the best conditions obtaining at present, out of every 100 tons of coal delivered at gas works or electriclight stations, something like nlnetyplght tons are, as far as the production of light is concerned, absolutely wasted, and go to produce useless heat When one considers the enormous quantity of coal used annually for the production of artificial Illumination, the absolute waste of ninetyeight per cent of it seems little uhort of criminal. Will the problem ever be solved 7 It must be confessed that nt present the prospects are far from bright Some means must be found of •exciting ether vibrations between the visible limits only, and of eliminating the slow, radiant heat waves. Whatever method may be eventually employed, it is interesting to note that already, on a small scale, the problem has been solved by the firefly, the most delicate measurements having failed to detect any radiant heat in the light emitted-by this little creature. Surely this ought to be an Interesting subject for investigation by the physiological chemist, who, working in conjunction with the physicist, might enable us to get nearer the- solution of this important question.—Cassier's.