Authentic Science Fiction Monthly, No. 66 — page 158: what you’re looking at

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

Discussions 100%? I’m not going to waste time describing what I think of Authen- tic; let’s just say that it’s 100 per cent all the way through. I’d like to highly commend you on your reply to ‘‘No Padding” in Pro- jectiles, 62. It’s about time you hit back instead of taking every- thing lying down. Keep up the good work. John B. Tribick, 16c Glacis Site, Gibraltar, See Editorial. SOME LIKE THEM... I am a regular reader of your magazine and am glad to see that you are publishing more and more technical articles. This is what is wanted. More science and _ less fiction. So much of the science fiction we read roday is 95 per cent. fiction and only 5 per cent. science. So many science fiction writers want to write before they have a 10 per cent. knowledge of scientific matters. One thing bothers me. In No. 4 -of the series of articles on ‘‘The Way to the Planets,”’ Dr. A. E. Roy, writing on the ‘“‘Design of the Space Station,” states: ‘‘Another unfounded belief is that, everything (in. space) having no weight, girders and tanks will be easy to manceuvre, but that is by no means so. Material will still have mass and, therefore, inertia, and a spaceman could still be crushed between two girders moving to- gether, even though they are ‘weightless’.”’ : I am anxious to understand this. If these A gchpals were weightless, how could they crush a spaceman? 157 What is the explanation of weight, mass and inertia, also density? May I suggest a few articles for beginners in the study of the elements, atoms, atomic energy, etc.P And what about a regular monthly article on the subject of astronomy? Too many readers of science fiction have the most sketchy knowledge of astronomy and space travel. I might as well come to the point. Why not publish a separate magazine, devoted entirely to the above? A popular technical science mag for the average layman? H. C. Morgan, 37 Saron Row, Ebbw Vale, Mon. Thank you for a very interesting letter, Mr. Morgan. Answering your last question first, if we did publish a new magazine then it wouldn’t be Authentic, would it? That means I'd lose you as a reader, and I’m selfish enough to want to keep you, and your letters, to myself. Also, as you must realise, the sub- jects you mention are too vast and complex for. any short article to possibly do justice to them. All we can do 1s to introduce you to the fascinating world of science and, once interested, you will find many books which will explain and develop those fields to you. Many such books are reviewed in this magazine. ' Also, you know, you aren’t doing our authors, or readers, full justice. The science in_our stories 1s as accurate as possible and will be more so in the future. Many people, even though they are not consctously aware of it, have learned a great deal of astronomy and the logical developments of space travel from the science in our stories. Think comicloooks.com