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Fantasite, v. 2, issue 2, May-June 1942

Page 6

6
THE FANTASITE

FORGOTTEN MYSTERIES
By
JOHN CHAPMAN

SINCE SCIENCE fiction is basically an imaginative literature, it seems only natural that all such stories we read are mere flight and fancy. Anything resembling known facts or reasonable facsimiles are admittedly out of place. 

Even so, there is considerable evidence to show that in some instances reality is close at the heels of science fiction, and vice-versa.

With thanks to R. DeWitt Miller and apologies to the books of Charles Fort, I would like to relate a few cases where actual happenings came extremely close to things fantasy authors write about.

Take for example a curious meteorite incident, most recently publicized by Mr. Miller (former s-f writer) in his Coronet feature, Forgotten Mysteries. 

In August of 1910 a meteorite fell in Ohio and was found half buried in the earth. When uncovered, it proved to be coated with what apparently was Sulphur and flint, and its center composed of a strange substance resembling white marble. Oddly enough, the 'meteorite' was cylindrical -- so much so that it appeared to have been created by intelligent beings.

To my knowledge, no previous mention has been made of meteorites bearing such descriptions. Even though earth stones are known to acquire similar shapes, it's a very odd circumstance when a cylindrical rock falls from space. To venture a guess at its origin or its purpose would be concocting a science fiction story. "The Accursed Galaxy", by Edmond Hamilton, appearing in the July, 1935 Astounding, was one guess.

On December 7, 1900, Dr. Percival Lowell, during one of his observations of Mars, saw a shaft of light, hundreds of miles in length, shoot outwards from the Red Planet. It remained in full brilliance for about 70 minutes, though at intervals appeared to fluctuate. Dr. Lowell indicated in his report that there seemed to be some sort of code.

A hoax or an illusion? Possibly -- but Dr. Lowell's observations of Mars gained him considerable renown as an astronomer. If he did see the shaft of light, his report would be accurate. It reminds one of Gallun's "Old Faithful," a story of communication between the planets.

Stranger still was the experience of William Marconi, a radio technician, in the fall of 1921. Radio signals which he picked up on his yacht were of a wave length ten times that which could be produced by any station on earth. Atmospheric disturbances he ruled out. The messages were very clear and regular, as though in code. The code, however, was one that had never been recorded.

Interplanetary communication again? Or the fruit of another story? Incidentally, if this was Lowell's Martian, he's about due for another try. What next?

November 17, 1882 proved a memorable occasion for observers at the Royal Observatory in Greenwich. A peculiar cigar-shaped object was sighted through the telescope, and followed steadily across the sky. It resembled a torpedo, and gave off a greenish glow. Movement was too slow for a meteor, and too fast for a cloud. What's more, it had a definite body, and a dark nucleus.

No mention was made of the apparent distance of the object. It's possible that it was close to the earth -- and man made. Still, there were no forms of aviation in 1882, let alone the fact that an object within the earth's atmosphere would be difficult to follow with an astronomical instrument. The evidence seems to suggest a moving body in space, which, of course, would be too much for the masses to swallow. It's plain to see why such occurrences have re-

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6 THE FANTASITE FORGOTTEN MYSTERIES By JOHN CHAPMAN SINCE SCIENCE fiction is basically an imaginative literature, it seems only natural that all such stories we read are mere flight and fancy. Anything resembling known facts or reasonable facsimiles are admittedly out of place. Even so, there is considerable evidence to show that in some instances reality is close at the heels of science fiction, and vice-versa. With thanks to R. DeWitt Miller and apologies to the books of Charles Fort, I would like to relate a few cases where actual happenings came extremely close to things fantasy authors write about. Take for example a curious meteorite incident, most recently publicized by Mr. Miller (former s-f writer) in his Coronet feature, Forgotten Mysteries. In August of 1910 a meteorite fell in Ohio and was found half buried in the earth. When uncovered, it proved to be coated with what apparently was Sulphur and flint, and its center composed of a strange substance resembling white marble. Oddly enough, the 'meteorite' was cylindrical -- so much so that it appeared to have been created by intelligent beings. To my knowledge, no previous mention has been made of meteorites bearing such descriptions. Even though earth stones are known to acquire similar shapes, it's a very odd circumstance when a cylindrical rock falls from space. To venture a guess at its origin or its purpose would be concocting a science fiction story. "The Accursed Galaxy", by Edmond Hamilton, appearing in the July, 1935 Astounding, was one guess. On December 7, 1900, Dr. Percival Lowell, during one of his observations of Mars, saw a shaft of light, hundreds of miles in length, shoot outwards from the Red Planet. It remained in full brilliance for about 70 minutes, though at intervals appeared to fluctuate. Dr. Lowell indicated in his report that there seemed to be some sort of code. A hoax or an illusion? Possibly -- but Dr. Lowell's observations of Mars gained him considerable renown as an astronomer. If he did see the shaft of light, his report would be accurate. It reminds one of Gallun's "Old Faithful," a story of communication between the planets. Stranger still was the experience of William Marconi, a radio technician, in the fall of 1921. Radio signals which he picked up on his yacht were of a wave length ten times that which could be produced by any station on earth. Atmospheric disturbances he ruled out. The messages were very clear and regular, as though in code. The code, however, was one that had never been recorded. Interplanetary communication again? Or the fruit of another story? Incidentally, if this was Lowell's Martian, he's about due for another try. What next? November 17, 1882 proved a memorable occasion for observers at the Royal Observatory in Greenwich. A peculiar cigar-shaped object was sighted through the telescope, and followed steadily across the sky. It resembled a torpedo, and gave off a greenish glow. Movement was too slow for a meteor, and too fast for a cloud. What's more, it had a definite body, and a dark nucleus. No mention was made of the apparent distance of the object. It's possible that it was close to the earth -- and man made. Still, there were no forms of aviation in 1882, let alone the fact that an object within the earth's atmosphere would be difficult to follow with an astronomical instrument. The evidence seems to suggest a moving body in space, which, of course, would be too much for the masses to swallow. It's plain to see why such occurrences have re-