New Worlds Science Fiction No. 50

About this issue

This is the August 1956 issue of New Worlds, Vol. 17, No. 50, a British science fiction monthly. The lead story "Empath" by J. T. McIntosh explores a psi ability—the capacity to sense and read emotional atmospheres—presenting it as a more grounded phenomenon than telepathy or clairvoyance. Other content includes novelette "The Thing in Common" by Alan Barclay (concluding his Jackoes series about alien visitors within the solar system), short stories by Arthur Sellings, Dan Morgan, and Francis G. Rayer, and non-fiction articles on Mars and supersonic rockets. The editorial marks the magazine's tenth anniversary and fiftieth issue, reflecting on its growth from an irregular 1946 publication under paper rationing to monthly status since 1954. Editor John Carnell notes improved story quality and announces upcoming serials including James White's "Tourist Planet."