first contact n.
the first meeting between two different intelligent species
SF Encyclopedia
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[ 1935
page image
Murray Leinster
bibliography
He had piloted the Adastra to its first contact with the civilization of another solar system. ]
Proxima Centauri in Astounding Stories Mar. 21/2
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1945
page image
Murray Leinster
bibliography
He released the button. He looked suddenly old. The first contact of humanity with an alien race was a situation which had been foreseen in many fashions, but never one quite so hopeless of solution as this.
First Contact in Astounding Science-Fiction May 12/1
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1965
Clifford D. Simak
And I knew that it was hopeless, that here was a problem which could not be solved, that the human race would bungle its first contact with an alien people. There would be talk and argument, discussion, consultation—but all on the human level, all from the human viewpoint, without a chance that anyone would even try to take into account the alien point of view.
All Flesh is Grass (1979) 190
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1973
Arthur C. Clarke
Feeling extremely foolish, the acting representative of Homo sapiens watched his First Contact stride away across the Raman plain, totally indifferent to his presence.
Rendezvous with Rama (1974) 161
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1974
Frederik Pohl
H. G. Wells told us that the essence of first contact might be invasion and exploitation (in The War of the Worlds ) on the highly defensible assumption that since that had been the way it had usually been in earthly affairs, interplanetary affairs would likely be the same.
in E. L. Ferman & B. N. Malzberg Final Stage (1975) 28
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1984
Allan Cole
Chris Bunch
Sten itemized: ground packs, weapons, surface suits, survival gear, first-contact pouches… As ready as possible.
Wolf Worlds (1990) 14
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1987
Greg Bear
The always-fascinating subjects of space colonization and first contact with extraterrestrial beings.
Forge of God (1988) 41
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1990
James Tiptree, Jr.
Wet has been visited only once before, by a loner named Pforzheimer, who stayed only long enough to claim a First Contact.
Color of Neanderthal Eyes 2
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1992
David Brin
Yamato arrived after the Spacers—upstarts from Earth’s asteroid colonies—had already visited the twin worlds of Genji and Chujo, taken samples of alien life, and usurped the privilege of first contact that should have been Japan’s.
Bonding to Genji in Otherness (1994) 225
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1994 Interzone Aug. 54/2
We must remember that White Queen was a First Contact novel in which the alien Aleutians came to Earth to trade, and were mistaken for invaders.
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1999
Diane Duane
It is a joke…whether it is trying to be one or not… Have you looked at the real ‘first contact’ material yet?
Storm at Eldala 215
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2002
Julie E. Czerneda
I heard the growing wonder in his voice as he surveyed the being stuffed into his ship. ‘Rugheran. Sira. Do you realize what this means? First contact.’
To Trade Stars 32
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2018
Hank Green
bibliography
Look, I don’t know you but I feel like I have a responsibility here since I’m potentially breaking this news to you. There is a very real chance that you made First Contact. In case you aren’t a nerd, I’m saying that you were the first human to discover extraterrestrial technology... possibly extraterrestrial life. So... congratulations?
An Absolutely Remarkable Thing v. 57
Research requirements
antedating 1945
Earliest cite
Murray Leinster, Proxima Centauri
Research History
Matthew Hoyt submitted a cite from Frederik Pohl's "We Purchased People", from a reprint of Ferman and Malzberg's 1974 anthology "Final Stage".Tom Whitmore submitted a 1945 cite from John Campbell's "In Times To Come" column in Astounding.
Douglas Winston submitted a cite from a reprint of Murray Leinster's "First Contact"; Mike Christie verified the cite in the 1945 first magazine appearance.
Douglas Winston submitted a cite from a 1990 reprint of Allan Cole and Chris Bunch's 1984 "The Wolf Worlds".
Douglas Winston submitted a 1999 cite from Diane Duane's "Storm at Eldala".
Douglas Winston submitted a 2002 cite from Julie Czerneda's "To Trade the Stars".
Mike Christie submitted a cite from a 1979 reprint of Clifford Simak's 1965 "All Flesh Is Grass".
Mike Christie submitted a cite from a 1978 reprint of Murray Leinster's "Proxima Centauri"; Alistair Durie verified the cite in the first appearance in the March 1935 Astounding.
Bee Ostrowsky submitted a 2018 cite from Hank Green.
Last modified 2024-11-17 00:09:25
In the compilation of some
entries, HDSF has drawn extensively on corresponding entries
in OED.