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Scientifictionist, v. 1, issue 5, June-July 1946

Page 4

CHARLES FORT AND SCIENTIFICTION by Emile E. Greenleaf Jr.

Quite a few fans have read Charles Fort, and, while they laughed at many of his theories, they probably mused over much of his data. To many, there probably occurred the thought that several good scientifiction stories could be based upon the data contained therein. And, indeed, a few have.

Every fan knows of Eric Frank Russell's SINISTER BARRIER; if not directly, at least by reputation. The "Vitons" are essentially the old idea of "force creatures", but in this instance, backed up by data from Lo!. Other data that could suggest the idea of "force creatures" and "fourth dimensional beings" are various accounts of poltergeist disturbances found in Book of the Damned, Lo!, and Wild Talents.

Another scientifictional theme is the "lost civilization" angle. Dig thru Book of the Damned. In chapters 11 and 12 there are accounts of unusual archaeological finds that apparently lean toward the possibility of the existence of Atlantis, Mu, or similar prehistoric, advanced cultures; or toward the idea that, in ancient times, earth was visited by creatures from space.

Teleportation, or matter transmission, or hyperspatial travel -- Fort has evidence of phenomena that could be very easily explained by applying the above scientifictional terms to them. The case of Benjamin Bathurst, who walked around to the other side of a team of horses, and vanished; Ambrose Small, who vanished from a locked office; and Dorothy Arnold, who disappeared mysteriously in Central Park, New York City. There are many such instances, but these are three which are rather outstanding.

By no means must we ignore one of science-fiction's major standbys, the mutant or supernormal being.

Science-fiction has long featured storeis of supernormal individuals, and readers have wondered: "If such people can exist, why don't they appear now, instead of several centuries in the future?" And, indeed, why not? Biology does not run on a schedule, which says that mutants may appear during or after the year 2673, but not before.

In Fort there are accounts of people with rather unusual powers. Wild Talents is principally an account of the mysterious abilities of some people. There is a "human cork"; several individuals who were practically invulnerable; and even a man who could "breathe fire."

Fort devotes a whole chapter to John Lee "the man they couldn't hang", who appeared on Ripley's page recently.

Mutants, freaks, supernormals -- call them what you will. But certainly they aren't ordinary specimens of homo sapiens. See article on mutants by JWC, WE'RE NOT ALL HUMAN in September 1941 Astounding. --ed.

The final scientifictional category is the king of all -- life on other worlds, and space travel.

I could fill pages with data culled from Fort on this subject, but since I am not of such an energetic nature, a few paragraphs will have to suffice.

There are accounts of oval-shaped objects which have transited the sun. And parallax has shown that these objects which have transited the sun. And parallax has shown that these objects were relatively close to the earth -- no more than a few hundred miles away.

Lights have been seen in the night sky -- lights that conceivably might be the brilliant exhausts of atomic-powered space-ships.

Lights have been seen moving outward from Venus and the Moon, Especially have lights been seen around the times of close approaches of Venus. And lighted, rapidly moving airplane-like constructions have been observed in the sky; in many instances, as far back as the 1880's, when there weren't even Zepplins.

Shafts of light have been seen projecting from the disc of Mars, Venus, and the moon. Flickering lights, like signals, have been observed upon the moon. There 
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CHARLES FORT AND SCIENTIFICTION by Emile E. Greenleaf Jr. Quite a few fans have read Charles Fort, and, while they laughed at many of his theories, they probably mused over much of his data. To many, there probably occurred the thought that several good scientifiction stories could be based upon the data contained therein. And, indeed, a few have. Every fan knows of Eric Frank Russell's SINISTER BARRIER; if not directly, at least by reputation. The "Vitons" are essentially the old idea of "force creatures", but in this instance, backed up by data from Lo!. Other data that could suggest the idea of "force creatures" and "fourth dimensional beings" are various accounts of poltergeist disturbances found in Book of the Damned, Lo!, and Wild Talents. Another scientifictional theme is the "lost civilization" angle. Dig thru Book of the Damned. In chapters 11 and 12 there are accounts of unusual archaeological finds that apparently lean toward the possibility of the existence of Atlantis, Mu, or similar prehistoric, advanced cultures; or toward the idea that, in ancient times, earth was visited by creatures from space. Teleportation, or matter transmission, or hyperspatial travel -- Fort has evidence of phenomena that could be very easily explained by applying the above scientifictional terms to them. The case of Benjamin Bathurst, who walked around to the other side of a team of horses, and vanished; Ambrose Small, who vanished from a locked office; and Dorothy Arnold, who disappeared mysteriously in Central Park, New York City. There are many such instances, but these are three which are rather outstanding. By no means must we ignore one of science-fiction's major standbys, the mutant or supernormal being. Science-fiction has long featured storeis of supernormal individuals, and readers have wondered: "If such people can exist, why don't they appear now, instead of several centuries in the future?" And, indeed, why not? Biology does not run on a schedule, which says that mutants may appear during or after the year 2673, but not before. In Fort there are accounts of people with rather unusual powers. Wild Talents is principally an account of the mysterious abilities of some people. There is a "human cork"; several individuals who were practically invulnerable; and even a man who could "breathe fire." Fort devotes a whole chapter to John Lee "the man they couldn't hang", who appeared on Ripley's page recently. Mutants, freaks, supernormals -- call them what you will. But certainly they aren't ordinary specimens of homo sapiens. See article on mutants by JWC, WE'RE NOT ALL HUMAN in September 1941 Astounding. --ed. The final scientifictional category is the king of all -- life on other worlds, and space travel. I could fill pages with data culled from Fort on this subject, but since I am not of such an energetic nature, a few paragraphs will have to suffice. There are accounts of oval-shaped objects which have transited the sun. And parallax has shown that these objects which have transited the sun. And parallax has shown that these objects were relatively close to the earth -- no more than a few hundred miles away. Lights have been seen in the night sky -- lights that conceivably might be the brilliant exhausts of atomic-powered space-ships. Lights have been seen moving outward from Venus and the Moon, Especially have lights been seen around the times of close approaches of Venus. And lighted, rapidly moving airplane-like constructions have been observed in the sky; in many instances, as far back as the 1880's, when there weren't even Zepplins. Shafts of light have been seen projecting from the disc of Mars, Venus, and the moon. Flickering lights, like signals, have been observed upon the moon. There (continued on page 8) page 4