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Universal Mysteries
Beyond
Human Understanding
in "All the indications, show that the universe
is infinite. It is something too difficult for the
human brain to grasp.'
Professor Mr. L. Oliphant
world-renowned authority for'
nuclear physics and Director
of the Research School of
Physical Sciences at the Australian
National University,
said tills in the theatre of
the Institute of Anatomy before
a crowded audience, last
night.
Giving his definition of science,
Professor Oliphant said it was
that body of knowledge which
could be communicated to others
and which could be verified
by them."
He " said the spirit of science
embraced four main planks.
PROFESSOR OLIPHANT Help
PROFESSOR OLIPHANT
They were curiosity, integrity,
humility and free publication
and discussion.
"There can be no secrecy in
reaL science There, can be no
dogma except rigid adherence
to the principles I have men
stressed. What is scientific truth
to-day mli&Jtllb modified or dis
ftaiU'cd' tomorrow." ,- -
FREEDOM ESSENTIAL
Professprv^Olip^ant. said the
spirit ofí'dcáencólwás not a new-
fangled creed arising from security
restrictions. Freedom
permeated and motivated science
from the beginning of the experimental
, era. It of was the
only possible atmosphere in
which science could flourish for
any considerable time.
Professor Oliphant said mod-
ern" physics usually meant
those branches of physics where
the fundamental laws were not
yet understood. They embraced
the frontiers of knowledge
where the ordinary laws of
physics broke down. .
Dealing with cosmology, Professor
Oliphant said an observer
could not carry out direct experiments.
Observation was
made through radiation, electro-
magnetic waves and with some
help from cosmic radiation
which meant particles from outside
the solar system. The
universe could not be con-
templated without a feeling that
dogmatic assertions about ultimate
truth, whether by theologians
or by mathematicians
were completely out of place or
unjustified. ' ? ; '
MUCH TO LEARN'
"The new fact that men can
contemplate these things. and
know about them gives "man
some faith in his ultimate ability
to understand, but tope-
tend that he has more - Than,
scraped the surface", ' of knowledge
is to commit the greatest
sin of all." he said. (
Professor Oliphant said knowledge
of matter was obtained
through the senses, together with
reasoning. Modern , physics re
! lied almost completely on the
I use of indirect methods of ap
I preciating phenomena.
Professor Oliphant said the
idea of atomicity arose from
the necessity to explain such,
laws of chemistry as the law
of constant proportion."
Atoms behaved as though
they were hard classic sphere.'
with a diameter of about one <
hundred million of an inch.,
"However; they can aUto served'
together in various ways,' \h
form chemical components and,
liquids. The native' of their
interatomic forces is bound up,
with the structure at the atom."
AGE OF LIGHT , ' (
Professor Oliphant said the
nearest , Jrajaxy LO . the earth
was the Milky Ways Light [took
100,000 years to come, to the,,
earth. " ' .,. ¡ .. - M ",,
"The present. light in -Canal
berra came before the; dawn of
history." is?'
In these days of modern physics,
scientists , were able to
obtain knowledge of the atom.
This work was still going, on.
"We do not yet, understand
what holds the atom together.
The mechanics of the insides o',
atoms are still ' mysteries It
is to be hoped that another Einstein
will arise to help us out
of our muddle," he said.
Illustrating his talk with film
slides of the particles or atoms
Professor Oliphant said: "W'
are dealing with the very bad
and there are so many things
we do not understand. We are ,
groping with fundamentals "
He asked: "Where does hydrogen
come from? Physics can
give no better answer than the
ology."
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