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Fantasite, v. 2, issue 2, May-June 1942
Page 7
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THE FANTASITE 7 ceived little or no attention, and why they have always been classified as absolute mysteries. The tiny object once seen between Mercury and the sun has also received this sort of attention. Primarily christened Vulcan, it was discovered by four different astronomers at the same time. For approximately an hour and a half, it was visible within Mercury's orbit --one of the astronomers claimed to have seen two planets. However, a moving planet in space follows an orbit, and one situation in Vulcan's position would naturally reappear from time to time. Astronomical records show no trace of the object since it was last seen in 1878. The whole thing has resulted in numerous fantastic theories concerning 'the dark body behind Mercury'. One of the more popular suggestions was that a super space ship was passing through the solar system. It would hardly be fair to think that anyone would believe such a theory. Yet, developments have led astronomers to say that in any case the object was not a planet. Many science fiction stories have dabbled with the subject of suspended animation and prolonging of life. Occasionally, at long intervals, one might catch a news article concerning a modern attempt at such ends. One of the more notable experiments was conducted by a Los Angeles doctor in 1935. Stating that he had perfected a revolutionary freezing technique which would permit indefinite suspended animation, he proved his theories with the use of various animals. A monkey was frozen for three days and revived well and unharmed. A call for a human subject resulted in 180 volunteers, but at the last minute, the law put a ban on the experiment. Science was forbidden to go further. That Los Angeles doctor has been portrayed over and over again in science fiction, the only difference being that the s-f hero invariably went on to greater heights. While reading such a story, little would we dream that at the same time similar men were practicing similar experiments, and succeeding. All of which is very good food for the skeptic as well as the optimist. The arguments are pretty well balanced for either side, though no one can argue any more effectively as to the outcome of the war, or as to the rights and wrongs of Nostradamus. Just the same, if it were ever proven that a space ship was approaching the earth, or Martian signals were invading our radios, or alien beings existed on other worlds -- wouldn't you be surprised? You bet your boots you would! ----------------------------------- 0-0-0-0-0-0-0-0-0-0-0-0-0 ----------------------------------- FANTASIANA -- Continued from page 5. The second chapter is "Heat from the Stars," and deals with just that -- the measurement of the heat of the most distant of the heavenly bodies, and how it was developed, the instruments used and their history, etc. "Beyond the Milky Way" is the title of the last chapter as well as of the book. It concerns spiral nebulae and is abundant with over a dozen marvelous photographs and drawings of these wonderful star-and-gas bodies, and as in the first two chapters, gives the history pertaining to the discovery and charting of such nebulae. I seldom rave over a non-fiction book, but occasionally my moronic intellect rises from the morass of stf for a long enough interval to let me digest something good in the technical line. When it's really good, I like to share it. -------------------------------------
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THE FANTASITE 7 ceived little or no attention, and why they have always been classified as absolute mysteries. The tiny object once seen between Mercury and the sun has also received this sort of attention. Primarily christened Vulcan, it was discovered by four different astronomers at the same time. For approximately an hour and a half, it was visible within Mercury's orbit --one of the astronomers claimed to have seen two planets. However, a moving planet in space follows an orbit, and one situation in Vulcan's position would naturally reappear from time to time. Astronomical records show no trace of the object since it was last seen in 1878. The whole thing has resulted in numerous fantastic theories concerning 'the dark body behind Mercury'. One of the more popular suggestions was that a super space ship was passing through the solar system. It would hardly be fair to think that anyone would believe such a theory. Yet, developments have led astronomers to say that in any case the object was not a planet. Many science fiction stories have dabbled with the subject of suspended animation and prolonging of life. Occasionally, at long intervals, one might catch a news article concerning a modern attempt at such ends. One of the more notable experiments was conducted by a Los Angeles doctor in 1935. Stating that he had perfected a revolutionary freezing technique which would permit indefinite suspended animation, he proved his theories with the use of various animals. A monkey was frozen for three days and revived well and unharmed. A call for a human subject resulted in 180 volunteers, but at the last minute, the law put a ban on the experiment. Science was forbidden to go further. That Los Angeles doctor has been portrayed over and over again in science fiction, the only difference being that the s-f hero invariably went on to greater heights. While reading such a story, little would we dream that at the same time similar men were practicing similar experiments, and succeeding. All of which is very good food for the skeptic as well as the optimist. The arguments are pretty well balanced for either side, though no one can argue any more effectively as to the outcome of the war, or as to the rights and wrongs of Nostradamus. Just the same, if it were ever proven that a space ship was approaching the earth, or Martian signals were invading our radios, or alien beings existed on other worlds -- wouldn't you be surprised? You bet your boots you would! ----------------------------------- 0-0-0-0-0-0-0-0-0-0-0-0-0 ----------------------------------- FANTASIANA -- Continued from page 5. The second chapter is "Heat from the Stars," and deals with just that -- the measurement of the heat of the most distant of the heavenly bodies, and how it was developed, the instruments used and their history, etc. "Beyond the Milky Way" is the title of the last chapter as well as of the book. It concerns spiral nebulae and is abundant with over a dozen marvelous photographs and drawings of these wonderful star-and-gas bodies, and as in the first two chapters, gives the history pertaining to the discovery and charting of such nebulae. I seldom rave over a non-fiction book, but occasionally my moronic intellect rises from the morass of stf for a long enough interval to let me digest something good in the technical line. When it's really good, I like to share it. -------------------------------------
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