The silence of space
From Alwyn Rea Sir: Paul Johnson (And another thing, 21 June) suspects that 'there is no such thing in our universe as total silence', but the most elementary research before writing the article would have shown that in space there is only total silence.
Sound by definition requires a medium to conduct it, and thus in space there is no sound. At school we conducted an experiment where an alarm clock was placed under a bell jar which was then evacuated. When the alarm sounded inside the bell jar, one could see the clock vibrating but could hear nothing. Thus absolute silence is obtainable; Mr Johnson needs only to book a place on the next space shuttle. As the trailers for the Alien films put it, 'In space no one can hear you scream.'
Alwyn Rea Vallet, France
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