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OBSCURE EXPERIMENTS WITH THE BLUEPRINTS OF LIFE by John Mount © 2000 Regarding the "focusing" of the beams, is it possible that, once the knack of "tun- ing" the beams of light had been mastered, certain images might then be pre-selected at will? Tyndall's detractors had a field day. They pointed out that the phenomenon could easily be explained by the mechani- cal action of a beam of light, which would normally stir up molecules of vapour into certain shapes like globes and spindles—a OBSCURE EXPERIMENTS WITH Regarding the "focusing" of the beams, Tyndall, it must be realised, was a scien- THE BLUEPRINTS OF LIFE is it possible that, once the knack of "tun- _ tist of some repute, a Fellow and Director by John Mount © 2000 ing" the beams of light had been mastered, of the Royal Institute, President of the certain images might then be pre-selected _ British Association, and disciple and confi- rofessor John Tyndall (1820-1893), at will? dant of Michael Faraday. He was a modest Pr noted British physicist whose Tyndall's detractors had a field day. and charitable man, according to his peers, forte was molecular physics, They pointed out that the phenomenon and his research work, writings and lec- acoustics and heat radiation, performed a could easily be explained by the mechani- tures were greatly appreciated by the scien- little-known experiment in the late 1800s. cal action of a beam of light, which would tific community. Not the sort of fellow Tyndall filled an experimental glass tube normally stir up molecules of vapour into who was wont to seeing things that weren't with the vapours of certain acids, iodides _ certain shapes like globes and spindles—a___ really there. and nitrites. The tube was then turned on Another experiment sounding very simi- its side in a level horizontal position, and lar to Tyndall's was performed by Sir so arranged that the axis of the tube and Thomas Browne, a 17th-century physician parallel concentrated beams of electric light and author. Browne called it, amongst or focused sunlight were coincident. other things, "Palingenesis...the re-individ- Adjustments were made to the focus until uality of an incinerated plant". the vapours began to react. . Browne, after reducing a plant to ashes Gradually, and to Tyndall's astonish- Tyndall, it must be by calcination, separated the salts from the ment, u ese clouds of vapour began to coa- realised, was a scientist ashes and after "special fermentation” esce, forming into coloured three-dimen- placed the salts in a glass vial. He then sional images of animals, plants and other of some repute, made the following observations: shapes including geometric patterns of a Fellow and Director ...by the heate of embers, or the natur - spheres, cubes and pyramids. At one stage . al heate of one's body, the very forme during the experiment, Tyndall was of the Royal Institute, and idea [of the plant] will bee repre - amazed to see the swirling clouds sud- denly change into the shape of a "ser- pent's head", and as the serpent's mouth slowly opened a long tendril of cloud emerged, forming into a perfectly shaped tongue. No sooner had this image faded than it was immediately replaced by another, this time of a per- fectly formed fish complete with gills, feelers, scales and eyes. Tyndall, commenting on the "com- pleteness" of this figure, said: The twoness of the animal form was displayed throughout, and no sented; whiche will suddenly van - ish away, the heate being with - drawn from the bottom of the glasse. President of the British Association, and disciple and confidant of Michael Faraday. A witness described the experiment as it was being performed on a flower: ..having...by calcination disen - gaged the salts from its ashes and deposited them [the salts] ina glass phial, a chemical mixture [reaction] acted on it, till in the fermentation they assumed a bluish and spectral hue. This disc, coil or speck existed on one side process which they said was recently dust, thus excited by heat, shoots [of the figure] that did not exist on the demonstrated by the physicist Sir William upward into its primitive forms; by other. Crookes. sympathy the parts unite and, while Yet they omitted to mention the precisely each is returning to its destined place, This "twoness", as Tyndall put it, could shaped images of flowers, vases, seashells, we see distinctly the stalk, the leaves lend some credibility to the experiment. fish, the serpent's head and a number of and the flower arise; it is the pale The fact that every "twin" detail of an other forms that Tyndall's experiment pro- spectre of a flower coming slowly forth image is faithfully reproduced, i.e., both duced. from its ashes. The heat passes away, eyes, both ears, etc., suggests that the Did Tyndall's own thoughts physically the magical scene declines, till the image is being purposely generated and is _ interfere with the experiment, or do the whole matter again precipitates itself not just a coincidental occurrence like vapours of certain chemicals have a into the chaos at the bottom. This veg - watching the clouds in the sky form rough propensity to form images? No one at this etable phoenix thus lies concealed in caricatures of known objects. point in time seems to know. its cold ashes. Tyndall, it must be realised, was a scientist of some repute, a Fellow and Director of the Royal Institute, President of the British This "twoness", as Tyndall put it, could lend some credibility to the experiment. The fact that every "twin" detail of an image is faithfully reproduced, i.e., both eyes, both ears, etc., suggests that the image is being purposely generated and is not just a coincidental occurrence like watching the clouds in the sky form rough caricatures of known objects. NEXUS + 49 Michael Faraday. AUGUST — SEPTEMBER 2001 www.nexusmagazine.com