Science: Explains Gravity

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Sir Isaac Newton described gravity as a force which attracts every particle of matter in the universe to every other particle in direct proportion to the product of their masses and in inverse proportion to the square of their distances. But he did not venture a law explaining why such an effect exists.

Last week Capt. T. J. See, U. S. N., mathematician and astronomer, from his laboratory on Mare Island, Calif., submitted a theory in explanation. Ether waves, beating their way through the universe at a velocity of 294,000 miles a second (57 per cent faster than light waves travel), maintain by their incessant motion the relationship between masses which is ascribed to the force of gravity. The fundamen- tal unit of force of the ether wave is the "etheron." It can be measured, apparently, or its size apprehended, by mathematical formula, for Capt. See described it as "having corpuscles one thousand million times smaller than the electron, which is 1,760 times smaller than a hydrogen atom." In comprehensible masses, the relationship might thus be exemplified: "If atoms of common gas, such as hydrogen, nitrogen, or oxygen be imagined the size of lemons, oranges or grapefruits, then, on the same scale, the electron is like a coarse grain of sand, and the etheron, or particle of ether, is like a fine particle of smoke from a cigar." So fine are these particles that they penetrate freely through the earth, sun and planets.