Curiosities of Science, Past and Present: A Book for Old and YoungTimbs, John
Science
Curiosities of Science, Past and Present: A Book for Old and Young
Timbs, John
Science
In Brazil has been observed a plant, conjectured to be an Euphorbium,
very remarkable for the light which it yields when cut. It contains a
milky juice, which exudes as soon as the plant is wounded, and appears
luminous for several seconds.
LIGHT FROM FUNGUS.
Phosphorescent funguses have been found in Brazil by Mr. Gardner,
growing on the decaying leaves of a dwarf palm. They vary from one to
two inches across, and the whole plant gives out at night a bright
phosphorescent light, of a pale greenish hue, similar to that emitted
by fire-flies and phosphorescent marine animals. The light given out by
a few of these fungi in a dark room is sufficient to read by. A very
large phosphorescent species is occasionally found in the Swan River
colony.
LIGHT FROM BUTTONS.
Upon highly polished gilt buttons no figure whatever can be seen by the
most careful examination; yet, when they are made to reflect the light
of the sun or of a candle upon a piece of paper held close to them,
they give a beautiful geometrical figure, with ten rays issuing from
the centre, and terminating in a luminous rim.
COLOURS OF SCRATCHES.
An extremely fine scratch on a well-polished surface may be regarded as
having a concave, cylindrical, or at least a curved surface, capable of
reflecting light in all directions; this is evident, for it is visible
in all directions. Hence a single scratch or furrow in a surface may
produce colours by the interference of the rays reflected from its
opposite edges. Examine a spider’s thread in the sunshine, and it will
gleam with vivid colours. These may arise from a similar cause; or from
the thread itself, as spun by the animal, consisting of several threads
agglutinated together, and thus presenting, not a cylindrical, but a
furrowed surface.
MAGIC BUST.
Sir David Brewster has shown how the rigid features of a white bust
may be made to move and vary their expression, sometimes smiling and
sometimes frowning, by moving rapidly in front of the bust a bright
light, so as to make the lights and shadows take every possible
direction and various degrees of intensity; and if the bust be placed
before a concave mirror, its image may be made to do still more when it
is cast upon wreaths of smoke.
COLOURS HIT MOST FREQUENTLY DURING BATTLE.
It would appear from numerous observations that soldiers are hit
during battle according to the colour of their dress in the following
order: red is the most fatal colour; the least fatal, Austrian gray.
The proportions are, red, 12; rifle-green, 7; brown, 6; Austrian
bluish-gray, 5.--_Jameson’s Journal_, 1853.
TRANSMUTATION OF TOPAZ.
Yellow topazes may be converted into pink by heat; but it is a mistake
to suppose that in the process the yellow colour is changed into pink:
the fact is, that one of the pencils being yellow and the other pink,
the yellow is discharged by heat, thus leaving the pink unimpaired.
COLOURS AND TINTS.
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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