The Moon Terror and Other Stories

About this issue

The Moon Terror by A. G. Birch is a science-fiction serial set in the third decade of the twentieth century. The story begins with mysterious, undeciphered wireless signals detected simultaneously across the Western Hemisphere at regular intervals, originating from unknown sources. Astronomer Dr. Ferdinand Gresham and the narrator, unaware of these disturbances while hunting in Labrador, remain uninformed as scientists speculate about Martian contact. The signals intensify and correlate with increasingly severe earthquakes. Global catastrophes ensue: landmasses subside, oceans rise and recede, deserts flood, mountains collapse, and waterways reverse direction, causing worldwide devastation. An international scientific congress convenes in Washington but cannot identify the source. A mysterious wireless summons then arrives, demanding communication with the congress's presiding officer regarding the crisis. The narrative continues with scientists gathering at the wireless station to receive the mysterious message.