POPULARIZED SCIENCE

The discovery of the new planet has rightfully received a tremendous ovation from the press of the country. In the constant advance of science, there are only occasional accomplishments which seize strongly upon the popular fancy. The atmosphere of mystery and speculation surrounding any unknown quantity, together with man's natural curiosity about the solar system combine to place this latest contribution to science in the category mentioned.

As an interview, in this morning's CRIMSON points out, however, the discovery of the new planet is not of paramount importance from an astronomical viewpoint. This can be said without minimizing in any way the importance of the work of Peroival Lowell, which involved a tremendous amount of research and calculation, and was done at a time when astronomy was not developed to the point it is today. There is a tendency however, in the so called popularization of science to seize upon only its most striking phases, passing over much work of a more enduring nature because of its lack of popular appeal.

Few scientists, when they achieve success achieve it in so substantial a form as the discovery of a planet. The man who spends his life in a laboratory in research comprehensible only to the highly trained scientific mind is quite possibly contributing as generously to the cause of science as his more feted brother who happens to concentrate his efforts on something which strikes the public eye.