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NEWSCIENCENEWSCIENCENEWSCIENCE nucleus. If they possess sufficient energy to penetrate the external levels of electrons in the mercury atom, they must reach the positively charged nucleus and be captured by it. Since the loss of an electron (as a B- ray) by the nucleus of an element results in the atomic number of the element in question being increased by one, the gain of an electron by an atomic nucleus must result in the diminution of the atomic number by one. This is quite general. In the case of an isotope of mercury of atomic number 80, the product will be an isotope of gold of atomic number 79. "Upon existing knowledge it is simply a question of (1) the potential sufficient to drive the electron through the outer levels of electrons surrounding the mercury nucleus until it comes within the sphere of attraction of the powerfully charged nucleus; (2) whether the exceedingly small fraction of direct collisions with the nucleus that is to be anticipated will be sufficient to enable the gold produced to be detected. "As regards the first, it may be expected that the repulsion of the external shell of mercury electrons will diminish rather than prevent altogether the chance of the radiant electron reaching the nucleus; for once the shell is penetrated, the resultant force on the radiant electron must be on the average an attraction... The chemical detection of the gold produced would probably be the more formidable experimental difficulty." In the opinion of A. S. Russell: "The experiments on the transformation of Hg into Au suggest the possibility of the transformation of a nucleus into that of the In December 1924, the journal Scientific element next below it, by the absorption of American announced that it was arranging one electron when both nuclei are stable. for a comprehensive and exact test of the This occurs most obviously as anisobar. Miethe experiment. The test was The possibility of the existence of two conducted at the Department of Physics, isobars of odd mass-number, T] 205 and New York University, by Professor H. H. Au 199, among non-radioactive elements Sheldon and Roger Estey. They used a may be inferred from experimental work... quartz lamp which contained no gold, and Aston has shown the existence of the Hg pure tungsten wires were sealed into the isotope 199... This type of transformation quartz to provide electrical contacts. The may occur in the two pairs of elements Pb mercury was tested for purity. Three runs and Tl, Hg and Au... The masses of the Tl were made, lasting from 30-50 hours each, and Au produced are 205 and 199 at about 170 volts/13 amperes. The respectively.” mercury was removed and tested. Aston advanced strong arguments "In no instance was any trace of gold against the probability of the alleged Hg- detected... According to Prof. Miethe's Au transmutation. Conceivably it could be reports, taken in connection with the effected by the addition of an electron to theoretical interpretation of Prof. Soddy, the nucleus of Hg or by removing a proton this experiment should have produced a from it, but the chance of an electron — substantial quantity of gold; at least ten hitting a nucleus is extremely remote, and — times as much as could easily have been its weight would not make a significant detected by the analytical methods used. contribution. Theoretically, an Hg isotope The negative result of the three of atomic weight 197 could absorb an _ experiments established, therefore, a strong electron and produce common Au, but probability that the transmutation none of the six Hg isotopes (198, 199, 201, announced by Prof. Miethe could not be 202, 204, 209) identified by Aston has that confirmed." weight. According to Aston, the removal The researchers procured from the of a proton from the nucleus by Miethe's manufacturers in Germany a replica of the method is untenable: "The forces lamp used by Miethe, and repeated the employed are ludicrously inadequate." exact technique described by him. The The process can be shown as: final run lasted 172 hours, at 165-174 Hg -a- 0 = Au volts/12 amps, depending upon the At. wt.201-4 = 197 temperature of the lamp: 80 -2+1 = 79, or: "After the run, the most careful Hg - 4H - 30 == Au analytical tests failed to show any trace At. wt.201-4 = 197 whatsoever of the precious metal. 80-443 = 79 "It is necessary to conclude, therefore, that the experiment described by Prof. ee Miethe does not always result in the transmutation of mercury atoms into gold atoms. The experiments recorded by Prof. Miethe and our own experiments, WE APOLOGISE Fore THIS INTER|LUPTION TO REALITY. DO NST ADJUST YPOURSECF... NORMAL exiStenice Wie conducted as far as humanly possible in BE RESUMED SHOATLY. exactly the method described by Prof. Miethe, are entirely discordant with each other. "It would be improper to assert, on the basis of these results alone, that Prof. Miethe's experiments have been proved to be definitely wrong. All that is proper to say is that a careful, competent and long, continued effort to confirm the German results has resulted in an entire failure to do so." The Scientific American article politely suggested: "...one very vital possibility of u~— mistake in experiments of this character lies in the accidental presence of a small impurity of gold in the mercury Somearwi fe we ~~ aa WE APOLOGISE For THAIS INTER|LUPTION TO REALITY. a Wanner ae nan DO NET ADJUST YOURSELF... NORMAL ExiSTence WILL BE RESUMED SHOLTLY. 2 (Af A PROS CN ow one — ATT EA ONE SES ~OS ~ ——— Somarville 52 NEXUS OCTOBER — NOVEMBER 1999