The Black Star Passes by John W. Campbell:
Science Fiction Inventions, Technology and Ideas

A sky pirate armed with superior weapons of his own invention....

First contact with an alien race dangerous enough to threaten the safety of two planets....

The arrival of an unseen dark sun whose attendant marauders aimed at the very end of civilization in this Solar System....

These were the three challenges that tested the skill and minds of the brilliant team of scientist-astronauts Arcot, Wade, and Morey. Select an invention:

Altitude Suit
Special gear for venturing out at high altitude or even space.

Gyroscope Seats
Your best bet for remaining at the right angle to the force of acceleration.

Helicops
Small, private flyers for business commuting.

Lux
A bar of solidified light.

Mother Ship - first use of expression
A large spacecraft that serves as home base for other (usually smaller) ships.

Ray Gun (Handheld)
A weapon shaped like a handgun that shoots rays of energy.

Ray Pistol
A handheld device for projecting radiative force of some kind.

Solar-Powered Aircraft
A plane powered entirely by solar energy.

Space Lock
An airlock on a spacecraft.

 

Technovelgy.com is devoted to the creative inventions of science fiction authors and movie makers. Look for the Science Fiction Invention Category that interests you, the Glossary of Science Fiction Inventions, the Timeline of Science Fiction Inventions, or see what's New.
Find
new authors and technologies - Shop for yourself, your library and your lab.

 

 

 

 

Science Fiction
in the News

JAXA Int Ball 2 Coming Right Along As Star Wars Remote
re: George Lucas
(3/15/2025)

Robot Bricklayer Or Passer-By Bricklayer?
re: Bruce Sterling
(3/13/2025)

Robot Gas Station Attendant Pumps Gas For You
re: Philip K. Dick
(3/11/2025)

Engineer Creates Crazy Motorized Track Hospital Bed
re: Katsuhiro Otomo
(3/9/2025)

Tiny Flying Robot Weighs Just One Gram
re: Neal Stephenson
(3/7/2025)

Some Ringworld Configurations Are Stable
re: Larry Niven
(3/5/2025)

TRANSFORM Dynamic Furniture Concept Becomes What You Need
re: Larry Niven
(3/3/2025)

Harvard Metamaterials Change Structure Instantly
re: Samuel R. Delany
(3/1/2025)

SnapBot Robots - You Choose Their Legs And They Choose Their Gaits
re: Milton K Smith
(2/27/2025)

Dino From Magical Toys An AI Companion To Children
re: Anne McCaffrey
(2/25/2025)

Humanoid Robots Building Humanoid Robots
re: Isaac Asimov
(2/23/2025)

Darpa 'Defiant' Unmanned Autonomous Ship
re: Miles J. Breuer
(2/21/2025)

What's The Best Way To Ship And Unpack Humanoid Robots?
re: Elizabeth Bellamy
(2/19/2025)

DNA Printed Book By Isaac Asimov Now Available
re: Barbara Hambly
(2/17/2025)

More SF in the News

Home | Glossary | Invention Timeline | Category | New | Contact Us | FAQ | Advertise |
Technovelgy.com - where science meets fiction™

Copyright© Technovelgy LLC; all rights reserved.