Lorentz has endeavoured to build up a theory in which he explains
attraction by supposing that two charges of similar sign repel each
other in a slightly less degree than that in which two charges, equal
but of contrary sign, attract each other, the difference being,
however, according to the calculation, much too small to be directly
observed. He has also sought to explain gravitation by connecting it
with the pressures which may be produced on bodies by the vibratory
movements which form very penetrating rays. Recently M. Sutherland has
imagined that attraction is due to the difference of action in the
convection currents produced by the positive and negative corpuscles
which constitute the atoms of the stars, and are carried along by the
astronomical motions. But these hypotheses remain rather vague, and
many authors think, like M. Langevin, that gravitation must result
from some mode of activity of the ether totally different from the
electromagnetic mode.
CHAPTER XI
THE FUTURE OF PHYSICS
It would doubtless be exceedingly rash, and certainly very
presumptuous, to seek to predict the future which may be reserved for
physics.
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