PROFESSOR RICHARDS'S DISCOVERY.

A contribution of fundamental importance in the study of matter has been advanced recently by Professor Theodore William Richards. Hitherto, the theory of the incompressibility of atoms has been generally accepted, but for Years Professor Richards has been making observations that have led him to reject the theory. He now advance the opinion that changes in volume are not due to changes in the extent of empty space between the molecules, but to changes in the volume of atoms. That is, atoms change under varying conditions. As Professor Richards points out, this theory is not so arbitrary as the now accepted theory of incompressibility which is purely hypothetical.

It is certainly a great source of satisfaction that this contribution to the fund of theoretical knowledge has come from Harvard. As a phase of the application of pragmatic methods, this theory that is so useful and workable will undoubtedly gain wide acceptance, especially since it comes from so great an authority. Such contributions to human knowledge not only gain great renown for the authors, but they increase the fame of the university from which they originate. Great praise is due to Professor Richards for his services to Harvard.