Glowing Wonders at the Federal Courthouse
Professor Frederick A. Osborn captivates a Tacoma audience with a demonstration of the newly discovered element, radium.
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Professor Frederick A. Osborn, of the chair of physics at the University of Washington, delivered a lecture on 'Radium' at the federal court room last night. After giving a description of the properties of the element and its discovery, the lights were turned off and a small specimen of radium sealed in a tube was exhibited. Its power of illumination was so strong that its rays were seen through a photographic screen. Under a microscopic lens another specimen was shown shooting off rays like fireworks used in a Fourth of July celebration. At the close of the lecture, many in the audience took advantage of the professor's invitation and asked a variety of questions regarding the peculiarities of this new discovery, which were all satisfactorily answered. About 150 persons were present.
“Under a microscopic lens another specimen was shown shooting off rays like fireworks used in a Fourth of July celebration.”
In 1904, radium was the cutting edge of science, a source of both wonder and mystery. Today, this event highlights how the early 20th-century public engaged with rapid scientific advancements through public lectures and demonstrations.
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