Professor Newton Harvey, of Princeton University, announces that, after 8 years of study of luminous principles in fireflies, bacteria, crustacea and other organisms, he succeeded in producing “a continuous cold light,” by which one can read in an otherwise dark room. Stripped of its scientific verbiage, Professor Harvey’s explanation appears to laymen to mean that he has discovered what he calls “Luceferine,” but he has not yet succeeded in adding to its powers of illumination sufficiently to put the light to work commercially. One suggested use for the new illuminant may be a safety lamp for miners working in explosive atmospheres.
