Thinner Than Thin

The imperceptible cushion of air held between a thumb and forefinger when their tips rub gently against each other is thicker than the film of glass with which Westinghouse Lamp Co. is sealing certain of its vacuum tubes. That glass is one five-thousandth of an inch thick. Last week Dr. Charles Morse Slack, the company's research physicist, received its annual $500 award for accomplishing the thin sealing.

The tubes which Dr. Slack seals so thinly are Lenard Ray tubes, invented by learned Professor Philipp Lenard of the University of...

Want the full story?

Subscribe Now

Subscribe
Subscribe

Learn more about the benefits of being a TIME subscriber

If you are already a subscriber sign up — registration is free!