Authentic Science Fiction Monthly, No. 65 — page 78: what you’re looking at

Machine-transcribed from the original scan — historical spelling and the odd misread are preserved.

AUTHENTIC SCIENCE FICTION atomic fission. Martians, as their planet cooled, might have decided upon this method of self-preservation. In any case, the difference in gravity and atmosphere at some stage of evolution will have made dwellers in other planets pro- foundly different from our- selves, just as in our own little world life has evolved its own form of armour, its method of feeding, breathing and living, entirely as the result of en- vironment. An aspect of space travel which has been generally neglected but which makes it essential that the public should be accustomed to the general idea of extra-territorial travel, is that by research into the problems of navigation and fuel we are definitely learning how to improve travel methods in this world during the next century. As a result, it is very probable that efforts will be made to bring the Continent of America within one hour’s reach of England. It is more than likely that postal services will be gov- erned in this manner, and with 77 the progress made by radar and research into rocketry, as applied to guided missiles, this step cannot be long delayed. It will be the begin- ning of space travel in the fullest sense. Today there are plans near- ing completion for the set-up of an artificial satellite which, when timed or travelling with us, could be used as a space platform from which attempts towards other planets can be made. Space travel is vastly more than mere ad- venture; it is research into the immediate problems of travel. It is quite literally looking for more worlds to conquer. It might be of incalculable benefit to the whole of mankind were we to know more of our neighbours in the universe. Think what it would mean to be able to broadcast to the whole world, to be able to forecast weather with accuracy over long periods, to be able, perhaps, to control the heat of a continent and to discover some of the secrets which at present are as closed to science as were they to uncivilised man. comiclbooks.conmn