“ THE STRANGE CASE OF THE COSMIC RAYS ” 1957 BELL SCIENCE SERIES STUDY OF MATTER & UNIVERSE MD10365
476Join this channel to get access to perks:
Want to learn more about Periscope Film and get access to exclusive swag? Join us on Patreon. Visit https://www.patreon.com/PeriscopeFilm
Visit our website www.PeriscopeFilm.com
Part 2: • “ THE STRANGE CASE OF THE COSMIC RAYS ” 19...
“The Strange Case of Cosmic Rays” (1957) is a whimsical and dramatic detective story about the search to understand the makeup of the Universe by revealing its most basic components: electrons, neutrons, protons, etc., using experiments, animation and gentle humor. Between the years 1956 and 1964, the Bell System Science Series produced nine television specials for AT&T. This episode was written by Frank Capra alongside Jonathan Latimer. It features marionettes representing Fyodor Dostoyevsky, Edgar Allen Poe and Charles Dickens hosting a contest for the world’s greatest mystery. An electroscope is used as a metaphorical bank where patrons deposit electrons and various personified radiation types attempt to steal the electrons.
00:00 Bell logo and title screen (:38). It stars Richard Carlson and Dr. Frank Baxter (:45). Frank Capra produced this feature (:47). The story begins with a writer and Dr. Research going over a script. Three marionettes are revealed on a magic screen behind a curtain (1:21). The puppets announce they are looking for a winner for a ‘Best Detective Story’ for the first half of the century (1:50). Charles Dickens’ final incomplete novel, “The Mystery of Edwin Drood” is mentioned (2:30). A golden skull is used as trophy (2:42). The writer and scientist introduce the case about cosmic rays (3:03) to the overburdened judges. Atomic power plants (3:41), atomic submarines (3:47), USAF atomic aircrafts (3:49), radioactive drugs (3:52), isotopes for medicinal purposes (4:01) and an atomic blast (4:04) are used for scope to push for the case of cosmic rays. The pair introduce the mystery (4:43); a story of theft. Various types of radiation are personified as robbers attempting to steal an electric charge. They present the electroscope (4:45) and set an electric charge on the rod as leaves expand (5:06). The scientist holds a chunk of uranium near the jar (5:17) thus neutralizing the charge on the leaves. Scientist and writer explain an incidence when the leaves lost their charge without a radioactive object near it (5:43). The animation begins as various types of radiation enter the bank as robbers (5:57) including Miss Ultraviolet Ray (6:13) Gamma Ray (6:32) and the Uranium Gang (6:42). Lead walls are installed around the bank for security (7:17). Despite this, another robbery occurs (8:08). The example explains that lead is ideally strong enough to keep all forms of radiation from entering and that this new form of radiation was much stronger. Theories by Jesuit physicist Theodore Wolf (9:17) are introduced. Results from his experiments led to the understanding the radiation was not terrestrial in its origins. Victor Hess is pictured (10:30). His 1912 balloon experiments are shown in animation (10:31). American scientist Robert A. Millikan (11:41) and Ira Bowen stand with their electroscope. This was sent 50,000 feet over Texan plains (12:06) and deep within Californian mountain lakes (12:14). Scientists uncovered the radiation was the same if at night and if by day ruling the sun out as cause (12:51). The radiation was dubbed “cosmic rays” (13:12). German scientists Walter Bothe and Werner Kolhorster in 1929 (14:14) conducted an experiment using a Geiger counter (14:34) and lead shielding. The pair test the machine (16:30). Noise indicating the presence of cosmic rays are heard (16:44). The experiment shows that these were not rays but particles (16:54). A character called Fagan is introduced (18:48) and used to trace the particles' entry into the atmosphere. A cloud chamber is used to detect the footprints of these particles (20:29). Another experiment shows the curve of the footprints (23:23). Cloud chamber photographs (24:49) proving the particles to be electrons, protons and neutrons. The first part of the film concludes with a mystery lingering about the initial cause of the particles (26:04).
Motion picture films don't last forever; many have already been lost or destroyed. For almost two decades, we've worked to collect, scan and preserve the world as it was captured on 35mm, 16mm and 8mm movies -- including home movies, industrial films, and other non-fiction. If you have endangered films you'd like to have scanned, or wish to donate celluloid to Periscope Film so that we can share them with the world, we'd love to hear from you. Contact us via the weblink below.
This film is part of the Periscope Film LLC archive, one of the largest historic military, transportation, and aviation stock footage collections in the USA. Entirely film backed, this material is available for licensing in 24p HD, 2k and 4k. For more information visit http://www.PeriscopeFilm.com/