Marconi Tells Why He Believes Mystery Signals Came from Far Planet

Strange Wireless Signals Stimulate Inventor’s Belief We Soon May Communicate With Mars or Other Celestial Bodies

The Discovery, If a Fact, Opens a Field for Many Great Things.

Here is one of the most remarkable newspaper articles which was ever published. In it Marconi declares belief that he has been receiving signals from the stars. In it Edison says that this is not all impossible and that the wizard of wireless is quite right. In it Tesla announces his belief that the startling possibility which the Marconi statement suggests, and goes further, directing attention to his own experiments and statements made some years ago, indicating the inevitability of such signaling.

What Discovery Means.

The fact that the discovery proves itself great lends added weight to the variety of thoughts which it arouses in all that makes it tremendously interesting. The world to-day is talking about it and the chances that they may soon find in the heavens mind which telepathically holds close connection with them.

They want to know both deep heavens and earth will respond to the signals of humanity. They may learn and already believe that some day the message from some planet may be sent back to the earth by the inhabitants of that planet.

May Signal Great Scientists.

Truly may some material minds think of communicating with Mars. The belief is fundamental that some day messages which will defy time and space will pass between the inhabitants of the solar system, or at least the planets of our own solar system. The possibility of such communication is one which will stir the imagination of every man and woman who has thought of the subject and who believes in the ability of man to achieve the almost impossible.

When we write upon the subject of wireless telegraphy we are always aware that we are touching upon one of the most fascinating subjects of the age. The possibility of wireless telegraphy is one which stirs the imagination of every man and woman who has thought of the subject and who believes in the ability of man to achieve the almost impossible.

But let no man his statement concerning it be taken as final. It is probably much more probable than that the discovery made last week is telegraphic in nature.

Mr. Marconi in his recent visit to London when he talked much of his discovery said:

“When you finally interpret my communication with a planet,” asked Mr. Marconi.

That the idea of interplanetary communication occurred to me is by no means strange in view of my nationality. It must be, in my view, accepted as in no sense impossible, in view of all that is known to-day of the possibilities of that means of signaling. But what I mean is that the discovery itself is of the utmost importance.

Marconi’s Claims.

We have been told many times that the wireless telegraph has reached the limit of its usefulness. It is probably much more probable than that the discovery made last week is telegraphic in nature.

Mr. Marconi in his recent visit to London when he talked much of his discovery said:

“When you finally interpret my communication with a planet,” asked Mr. Marconi.

That the idea of interplanetary communication occurred to me is by no means strange in view of my nationality. It must be, in my view, accepted as in no sense impossible, in view of all that is known to-day of the possibilities of that means of signaling. But what I mean is that the discovery itself is of the utmost importance.

May Have Tried to Signal Us.

“Even as an observer of many discoveries, for example, we see in the heavens may have been in communication with the other. Thinking it, I inevitably came to understand a great deal would result from the discovery of such possibilities of any great

“What, reasoning of, first came to me was that the signals coming steadily from a distant star, through the clouds and vibration every few seconds, showed from an unknown source in the heavens, may have been sent by inhabitants of some planet with which our own has communication spheran, is, says, along on them through the exchange of thought whatever there exists of the nature of that which we call civilization.

“We upon the earth have worked alone and stumblingly. If those dwelling in other worlds have had the help of other beings, so that each finds itself in possession of a progression representative of the sum of the wisdom existing among all the communicating spheran, they may have far surpassed us.”

“What first suggested to you this idea?” Mr. Forbes inquired.

Marconi Explains.

And here comes the most amazing thing Marconi said, one of the most amazing things that any man ever has said:

“During my experiments with wireless,” said the great inventor, “I have encountered many startling phenomena.”

“I have received signals which quite conceivably might have arisen somewhere in interplanetary space!

“The margin of the cosmos are so unlimited. It is idle to suppose that our comparatively insignificant planet was the fashion, lends the van, represents a development higher than or even as high as that which exists on other spheran.

“And our own planet is a storehouse of wonders. That being so, we may feel assured that the same is true of the vast hosts of stars at which we gaze with eyes which see no details, but yet most wish to wonder.

“It would be foolish to suppose, for instance, that life cannot exist under conditions other than terrestrial, that is under conditions different from those existing on this planet.”

I assumed that he referred to those planets already fully established through observation or to the wide difference obtaining among the stellar throng with regard to volume, mass, density, atmosphere, etc.

“We cannot say,” said Mr. Marconi, “that each disparity must be accepted as an insuperable obstacle to the manifestation of conscious and effective life.”

“Do you contend, then, that there may be upon other planets intelligent life concerning which we are quite ignorant?”

“It is certainly within the bounds of possibility.”

“And do you consider it possible that life as on these other planets existing may have qualities not only different but superior to the qualities of this earth’s human beings? Some have argued that whereas terrestrial man is endowed with five senses being possessed of many more may exist on other planets. Do you think this is an entirely unreasonable assumption?”

“I do not regard it as at all unreasonable.”

“May there be in existence somewhere in the realms of space beings with a magnetic sense, a sense of orientation, or, perhaps, an absolute compass?”

“Demonstrated in that event would cause me no surprise.”

“We believe,” added possessed of an electric sense highly developed might this render them capable of the reception of wireless messages?”

“Who can say? It seems not beyond the range of possibility.”

What Mr. Edison Thinks.

Mr. Marconi went no further in his speculations with regard to these extraordinary and till now scientifically untouched pursian. He left the subject wrapped in profound mystery, but he had suggested startling possibilities and declared that he was working at the task of trying to penetrate it. Mr. Forbes’ record of the startling interview was sent to me at once.

I took the article, as I received it from my London office, to Mr. Edison at his Orange laboratory. He did not fail to make the matter very seriously, though he instantly explained that he lays no claim to being expert in the science of the wireless.

“The thought,” said Mr. Edison, “of course is not a new one. Humanity, almost as far back as our records go and very likely far beyond, has been trying to communicate with these heavenly bodies which we, call the stars.

“We all have wondered if, some day, signals between the earth and other planets would not be a possibility. Most of us who have studied any of these problems have wondered if efforts to signal us have not been made already by inhabitants of other planets.

“I have thought about the matter and have seen signs of which I must be careful not to exaggerate the importance or significance. I remember that one day while seated under a tree at the apex of a large mass of iron ore, I was eating my lunch near my reduction plant when I noted that the magnetic needle of my compass jumped about astonishingly. It was very strange.”

Suggestion Reasonable.

At once the thought came to my mind that signals sent through interstellar space might be responsible for the disturbance. Not long after ward I made the definite suggestion that a scientifically kept watch for interplanetary signalling should be established in Michigan, where enormous masses of ore might be expected particularly to attract magnetic signals from space it any should be sent.

Marconi’s suggestion is more reasonable, for it would be easier to send static signals through space than it would be to send them through the atmosphere. Resistance would be less. He is quite right when he maintains that the development of wireless is only in its infancy.

“Wireless would seem to be the medium of which we most reasonably may expect something in the way of signals from the other planets if we are to receive such signals. It operates in that unknown and wonderful substance of mechanism which we call the ether and which fills all space. Atmosphere is local to us.

“It has been suggested, and I neither indorse nor reject the idea, that the activity of our wireless effort during the war may have attracted the attention of experimenters upon other planets. I doubt that, but I do not deny it. It is my thought that when we begin to signal we shall have discovered a new medium, more powerful and effective than any we at present know. Of course, we may expect the future to produce exactly that.

Nikola Tesla was not in the least surprised when I went to him and told him of the statement which had come across the sea to me from Mr. Marconi and of what Mr. Edison had said.

Vibrations Recognized.

“For years I have contended that exactly the thing some day would occur,” said he. “Indeed, I myself have observed effects which might have been signals from somewhere in interplanetary space. I will not express an opinion as to where they came. They were not from the sun nor the moon, nor from Venus, because I eliminated the effects of those bodies in my instruments.

“I could not have been deceived by earth vibrations, mistaking them for signals from afar, because terrestrial vibrations are easily recognized. They could be distinguished absolutely.

“No; the effects which I observed accurately corresponded with disturbances which might have emanated from Mars. I admit that they excited me. I decided that indeed they actually came from Mars.

“This is all a matter of perfectly well known record.

“People have been hampered in these things. There has been too great a tendency to call any one ‘impractical’ who dared to look too far in advance of the ‘well beaten path.’ What is being ‘practical’? One must have imagination in order to be truly practical.

“I know scientific men who have spent years in attempts to do some obviously impossible thing and who yet have been called ‘practical’ because they succeeded in accomplishing that for which they were striving. They would make much money.

“The many men would have jeered me long ago at the suggestion that we on the earth might receive signals from Mars. Big things are not ‘practical.’ They are wonderful. Many scientific minds, like many minds which are not scientific, shy at anything which is wonderful. Yet the simplest things in nature are wonderful almost beyond the limits of the human imagination.”