Hugo Gernsback

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Hugo Gernsback

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8 First Quotations from Hugo Gernsback

neutronium n. 1927 H. Gernsback Incredible Facts in Amazing Stories Jan. 877/1 Scientists now have a substance called ‘Neutronium’, which we know exists in nature. This material weighs 60 million tons per cubic inch…. Neutronium is four trillion times as dense as water.
porthole n. 1911 H. Gernsback Ralph 124C 41+ in Modern Electrics 596/2 It is of course of the utmost importance that no porthole or doors leading to the outside be ever opened as long as the flyer is in the outer space. The result would be that the air would rush from the flyer instantly, resulting in a perfect vacuum in the inside of the space flyer, which would of course kill every living being almost instantly.
scientifiction n. 1916 H. Gernsback in Electrical Experimenter Jan. 474/1 I am supposed to report Münchhaussen’s [sic] doings; am supposed to be writing fiction, scientifiction, to be correct.
space flyer n. 1 1911 H. Gernsback Ralph 124C 41+ in Modern Electrics Nov. 516/1 He knew now that Fernand 60O 10 had carried off his sweetheart in a space-flyer and that the machine by this time was probably far out from the earth’s boundary, headed for unknown parts, where it would be practically impossible to follow without knowing the direction of the fleeing machine.
space flyer n. 2 1928 ‘Editor’ in Amazing Stories June 279 (editorial reply to reader letter) [Y]es—the space flyers missed their greatest opportunity by not trying to intercept messages from other planets. The ray was even pointed to Jupiter, but no attempt was made to use the radio.
space sick adj. 1912 H. Gernsback Ralph 124C 41+in Modern Electrics Mar. 884/2 For the first time since he left Earth he became space-sick.
spacesickness n. 1912 H. Gernsback Ralph 124C 41+ in Modern Electrics Mar. 844/2 Space-sickness is one of the most peculiar sensations that can befall a human being.
space station n. 1930 H. Gernsback Stations in Space in Air Wonder Stories Apr. 869/1 It might be asked: what useful purpose would be served by converting a space-flyer into a permanent, rapidly-revolving satellite of the earth in this manner? Professor Hermann Oberth, perhaps the greatest authority on interplanetary space, points out many uses for such revolving ‘space stations’, as he calls them. A better word, perhaps, would be ‘revolving space observatories’.